EU Special Representative for South Caucasus arrives in Armenia Armenian Noah hosts representatives of Spanish Celta 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 Mariam Mkrtchyan becomes chess champion of Armenia 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 Juventus ready to sell De Ligt for 65 million euros WHO advises countries to lift or ease international travel restrictions Bed scene with Lady Gaga and Salma Hayek was cut from House of Gucci 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 How to get rid of sugar addiction? Al Nassr want to buy Aubameyang Norwegian prosecutors refuse release Anders Breivik, 2011 mass murderer Netflix shows first shots from new season of Bridgertons 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 Manchester United to buy Aston Villa midfielder 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 Technical supplier of VAR system in Armenia to be Hawk eye company 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 Memory problems even after mild COVID-19 experience Cavusoglu: Steps to increase mutual trust will be discussed at next meeting with Armenia John Malkovich not allowed hotel because of invalid COVID-19 certificate 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 Gaspard Ulliel dies in skiing accident for not wearing helmet 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 Czech Rep. singer dies after intentionally catching Covid Biden says invasion of Ukraine will be disaster for Russia Newspaper: Armenia PM Pashinyan plans to hold Presidents office What foods reduce the risk of heart attack? Newspaper: Opposition Armenia bloc, led by ex-President Kocharyan, starting new processes Coppa Italia: Inter advance to quarterfinals Copa del Rey: Atletico Madrid are out DFB-Pokal: Hoffenheim lose, Armenias Adamyan does not play Taliban PM calls on Muslim countries to be first to formally recognize their government Africa Cup of Nations: Nigeria, Egypt reach Round of 16 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 Gareth Bale returns Real Madrid squad list 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 How to stay in shape after losing weight? PM Pashinyan assumes accountability for Armenia special representative for negotiations with Turkey Turkey Central banks and UAE sign agreement worth almost $5 billion Djokovic buys 80% stake of COVID-19 treatment researching company 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 Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) is detained by U.S. Capitol Police while supporting voting rights protesters at the Capitol Thursday. (Bloomberg News) The Democrat was arrested with several others, including faith leaders and youth who have been hunger striking for our democracy, his spokesman said. The Mennonite Central Committee has been forced to cut programs by 25 per cent cut, or $8 million, in developing countries where its services are sorely needed. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Mennonite Central Committee has been forced to cut programs by 25 per cent cut, or $8 million, in developing countries where its services are sorely needed. "There is no question the cuts are related to the pandemic," said MCC Canada executive director Rick Cober Bauman. The cuts will affect programs in Africa, Asia and Europe, and result in some layoffs in Canada and the United States. The organization, which has its Canadian headquarters in Winnipeg, will end programs in South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) effective March 2021. It will also end its program in Vietnam next year; MCC has been in that country since in 1954, when it provided emergency relief for families displaced during its civil war. MCC will also end programming in China in 2021; it has been placing English teachers there since 1982. In addition, MCC will streamline administration positions in Africa, Central America, the Middle East and Europe by reducing the number of area director positions. Altogether, 13 international program positions will be ended. MCC has also cancelled its international visitor exchange program in Canada for a year. The program brings youth from the developing world for year-long service and learning experiences. Cober Bauman acknowledged there were some "tough conversations" with local partners in the countries where programs will close, adding he knew the cuts would cause "some pain and hardships." He said the two main areas where the virus has hurt the organization most financially has been the closing of thrift shops and the cancellation of fundraising relief sales across the U.S. and Canada. The thrift shops in Canada, which have been closed about two months, provide the organization with about $800,000 a month on average. In Manitoba, its 16 thrift shops provide MCC with about $250,000 a month. In Canada, the decline in revenue is resulting in staff taking a salary cut, reduced travel and staff training, some layoffs, and vacant positions that will go unfilled. More layoffs could happen, Cober Bauman said, depending on "how deep and long the shortfall might be." The Free Press is committed to covering faith in Manitoba. If you appreciate that coverage, help us do more! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow us to deepen our reporting about faith in the province. Thanks! BECOME A FAITH JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project. Darryl Loewen, executive director of MCCs Manitoba office, said as of yet, there has been no big impact on programs in the province. One staffer has been laid off due to lack of activity in the area of refugee resettlement because of the pandemic, he said. Sams Place, the organizations social enterprise that runs a used bookstore and coffee shop on Henderson Highway in Winnipeg, was also temporarily closed. It has reopened for curbside food pickup, he said, noting it has "exceeded the modest goal they set for themselves." The cuts in international programs will affect one worker from Manitoba, who will return home from an assignment in China. Donation levels are "close to normal," Loewen said, adding MCCs donors are "very committed." faith@freepress.mb.ca FILE PHOTO: The spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Bangkok BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's parliament passed a 1.9 trillion baht ($58 billion) economic support package on Sunday to ease the impact of the coronavirus. The legislation, comprising three bills, include a government plan to borrow 1 trillion baht and central bank measures worth another 900 billion baht in soft loans and support for corporate bonds. Of the 1 trillion baht of borrowing, 600 billion baht will be for public heath works and relief measures, and the rest for rebuilding the economy and job creation. The bills must next be approved by the upper house Senate, which is expected to convene in early June, before they can become law. The latest steps follow billions of dollars of stimulus measures introduced earlier this year to cope with the impact of the coronavirus on the Thai economy, which is heading into a recession. Thailand began this month to gradually ease some restrictions introduced to contain the virus. More businesses classified as medium to high risks, including cinemas and gyms, will be allowed to reopen on Monday. Thailand's central bank has said it expects the economy to sharply contract this year as the pandemic hit businesses and households. Thailand reported four new coronavirus cases on Sunday. The country has confirmed 3,081 cases and 57 deaths since the outbreak began in January. (Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Susan Fenton) Comb O&P launched the Comb 3D Scanner App to fill an unmet need for the market of molding/capturing parts of the body for fitting custom made bracing and orthopedic appliances. 3D scanning for legs, feet, knees, arms, and the torso is now accurate, affordable and fits in your pocket. Practitioners can quickly review and upload saved scans as .obj or .stl to the HIPAA-compliant Comb portal. To prepare for rectification and fabrication, scans can be downloaded and imported into popular CAD/CAM software. "Instead of sharing a large and expensive scanner, I can quickly and easily scan my patients using my iPhone with no additional hardware. The Comb 3D Scanner App is a game changer for me," said Vince Baroni, CPO, President of Comb O&P. "The speed at which I can now fit braces, limbs, and foot/ankle devices has expedited my digital workflow and allows me to spend more time providing top-notch patient care." About Comb O&P Comb O&P, LLC. is a prosthetics and orthotics company that offers scanning solutions for practitioners who fit braces, limbs, shoes, arch supports, and other orthopedic appliances for the human body. Our vision is to move O&P away from expensive hardware and old casting techniques. The future of O&P starts with a scan. For more information about Comb O&P and the Comb 3D Scanner App, visit www.combscan.com. For a trial of the technology, please follow this link. SOURCE Comb O&P PHOENIX, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 2015, leading iBuyer Offerpad, has provided instant cash offers to home sellers in more than 800 cities. Offerpad's aggressive cash offers are delivered within 24 hours and allow customers the freedom to select their own closing date, and receive a free local move giving sellers certainty and control over their real estate transaction. Live today, Offerpad unveils its consumer-empowering Real Estate Solutions Center to provide more seller solutions. Offerpad Sell Your Way TV Commercial Prior to founding Offerpad, Brian Bair was a top real estate agent. During an eight-year span, Bair personally sold more existing homes than any agent across the country. He attributes much of his success to pioneering an award-winning concierge program in 2012, which is being integrated into Offerpad's new solutions center. "I sat in thousands of living rooms and quickly came to understand that every client had their own unique situation," said Bair. "Offerpad is comprised of the best of the best real estate operations professionals. We know how to properly evaluate a home to purchase, renovate it to be move-in ready, and then market the property to sell. Customers can now take advantage of all our expertise through our solutions center," said Bair. Offerpad's Real Estate Solutions Center is a guided experience that begins at Offerpad.com. The user is invited to share details of their current home and upload recent photos or schedule a quick virtual tour from the comfort of their living room. The home is then evaluated by the company's real estate experts and Offerpad's proprietary data-driven real estate platform. Within 24 hours, the user will be presented a competitive Offerpad cash offer, along with additional exclusive selling options. Customer options include selling the home instantly to Offerpad the perfect solution for those who seek a competitive cash offer with the convenience and control that comes with no showings and the customer's ability to select their closing date -- or partnering with Offerpad to list the home, the best choice for sellers who want to explore the opportunity to maximize their home's value. "We're known for providing quick competitive cash offers, which will always remain a core offering. For those looking to list their home, Offerpad is by far the most advanced way to maximize a home's value on the open market. Our 100% free services matched with our Home Improvement Advance program and back-up instant cash offer are unparalleled. This is by no means the 'traditional way' to sell a home," said Bair. "I am confident that with our extensive real estate experience and one-of-a-kind renovations division, Offerpad's solutions cannot be duplicated. Sellers are now, more than ever, in control of their experience through our solutions center we provide solutions, they select their option." Offerpad's superior listing option is managed by a dedicated team of experts in real estate, renovation, and home marketing. Exclusive services to maximize the home's value include: Free Show-Ready Home Services: One daunting aspect of ensuring a home is show-perfect for potential buyers is now fully managed by a personal Offerpad Concierge (a member of the customer's dedicated expert team). Services can include carpet cleaning, deep house cleaning, handyman services, landscape cleanup, and pool services all at absolutely no cost. One daunting aspect of ensuring a home is show-perfect for potential buyers is now fully managed by a personal Offerpad Concierge (a member of the customer's dedicated expert team). Services can include carpet cleaning, deep house cleaning, handyman services, landscape cleanup, and pool services all at absolutely no cost. Home Improvement Advance: Although many sellers are hesitant to invest more money in a home they are currently trying to sell, upgrades can maximize a home's value. As one of the largest renovation companies in the country, this challenge is overcome with the power of Offerpad. The company can advance funds to renovate the home no interest, no additional fees, substantial savings under MSRP and all work is managed and performed through Offerpad. Home upgrades can range from new appliances, countertops, fixture updates, flooring, and interior/exterior paint. Additional services include debris and junk removal, professional staging, and packing/moving post-sale. Although many sellers are hesitant to invest more money in a home they are currently trying to sell, upgrades can maximize a home's value. As one of the largest renovation companies in the country, this challenge is overcome with the power of Offerpad. The company can advance funds to renovate the home no interest, no additional fees, substantial savings under MSRP and all work is managed and performed through Offerpad. Home upgrades can range from new appliances, countertops, fixture updates, flooring, and interior/exterior paint. Additional services include debris and junk removal, professional staging, and packing/moving post-sale. A Back-Up Instant Offerpad Cash Offer: Sellers can list their home with confidence knowing they can activate their competitive Offerpad cash offer at any time avoiding home showings and closing on their preferred timeline. All Offerpad solutions follow the company's proactive Certified Safety Procedures, a vital measure to ensure the health and safety of sellers, buyers, and employees at this time. Offerpad receives a new instant cash offer request from homeowners every 30 seconds and acquires a home every 20 minutes throughout regular business hours. Internal data and predictions indicate that the company's instant cash offer volume will continue to increase with the addition of multiple solutions. About Offerpad Offerpad is a leading technology and real estate solutions provider with a mission to offer the best way to buy and sell a home. With firsthand real estate experience and utilizing powerful proprietary technology, the company provides several consumer-focused options including instant cash offers and superior home listing services. Offerpad is a privately held company headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, operating across the country in more than 800 cities. Visit Offerpad.com for more information. Media Contact David Stephan (602) 825-3135 [email protected] SOURCE Offerpad Related Links http://Offerpad.com Two Nasa astronauts crossed over into the International Space Station on Sunday after their Crew Dragon capsule docked with the orbital outpost after an hours-long space journey. "This is the first time in human history @NASA_Astronauts have entered the @Space_Station from a commercially-made spacecraft. @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug have finally arrived at the orbiting laboratory in @SpaceX's Dragon Endeavour spacecraft," NASA tweeted. "It was a tremendous day in mission control as we watched the Dragon approach and then dock, and the hatch open and ... 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 By Lee Gyu-lee A synopsis for the film "Peninsula" a sequel to hit 2016 zombie movie "Train to Busan" has been unveiled in time for the new film's release in July. The long-awaited blockbuster picks up from four years after the plot of "Train to Busan," placed in a post-apocalypse setting. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, the story revolves around Jung-seok, played by Kang dong-won, who goes on a mission to escape the isolated, zombie-hit peninsula. As he struggles to get out, he meets another survivor Min-jung, played by Lee Jung-hyun. They team up to fight against ruthless military troops and a massive zombie attack. The film, with a budget of about 20 billion won ($20 million), has been making a buzz since news of the sequel's production was announced. "Train to Busan" has won multiple awards including at the Baeksang Arts Awards and the Blue Dragon Awards. Seven former British foreign ministers Monday called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to push G7 allies to set up an international monitoring group for Hong Kong in response to Beijing's tightening control over the restless city. China has sparked alarm among Western powers with plans to impose a sweeping national security law on the semi-autonomous financial hub. Beijing says the law is needed to combat "terrorism" and "separatism" after the city was upended last year by months of huge and often violent pro-democracy protests. Opponents fear the law -- which is bypassing Hong Kong's legislature -- will be used to stifle dissent, like on the authoritarian mainland, and will deal a fatal blow to the autonomy the former colony was promised ahead of its 1997 handover. The UK, US, Australia and Canada have issued a joint statement criticising Beijing's plan, while London has announced plans to extend visa rights to Hong Kongers eligible for British National (Overseas) passports. But former foreign secretaries from both sides of Britain's political divide have called on Johnson to take a more proactive role. "The UK, by itself, cannot change Chinese behaviour on Hong Kong. But the international community working together might," Malcolm Rifkind, the letter's lead author, told AFP. The letter was co-signed by Margaret Beckett, William Hague, Jeremy Hunt, David Miliband, David Owen and Jack Straw. Rifkind said London should "take the lead in co-ordinating international concern and action" because of the 1984 agreement Beijing made with Britain promising Hong Kong would keep certain freedoms and autonomy for 50 years after the handover. The group called on Johnson to reach out to G7 allies to create a working group "to monitor the situation in Hong Kong and coordinate joint action". The body could be modelled on a similar organisation set up by the US, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Russia to respond to the Balkans crisis in the early 1990s, they suggested. Beijing has lashed out at any foreign criticism of its handling of Hong Kong, arguing the city's future is an internal affair. However in Monday's letter, the former foreign ministers said Beijing is in "flagrant breach" of their 1984 agreement, which was registered at the UN as a treaty. The G7 were planning to meet next month but on Saturday US President Donald Trump said he was delaying the scheduled summit. There is no consensus among the G7 powers over how to respond to Beijing. Trump has said he will strip Hong Kong of certain trade privileges and bar some Chinese students from US universities in response to Beijing's security law plans. However the European Union has been more cautious, calling for dialogue with China while expressing "grave concern" about the proposed law. Rifkind said he remained hopeful his group of former British envoys could build traction despite the summit cancellation, saying they would lobby both G7 nations directly and other countries outside the block. A common situation when visiting or living in other countries is having to talk about where you come from. Unless you happen to be from one of the handful of major metropolises in the world, chances are people abroad will never have heard of your particular hometown. One way around this is to simply lie, claim you come from the most nearby urban center, and hope for no follow-up questions. Admittedly thatas not an ideal solution and can backfire in a number of ways, but itas nevertheless exactly the marketing tactic being considered by Ibaraki Airport. On 28 May, it was announced that the facility in Omitama City, Ibaraki Prefecture may be given the nickname aTokyo Ibaraki Airporta if approved by the governor of Ibaraki. This might not sound strange until you realize the airport is not in Tokyo at all. Anyone landing in Tokyo Ibaraki Airport ought to expect an over two-hour journey before reaching Tokyo Station. Relatively speaking, that is somewhat convenient access to Tokyo and since this airport specializes in low-cost flights, itas probably worth considering. Still, disappointment likely lies in store for anyone landing there under the impression that theyad be arriving right in the heart of Tokyo. Originally a military air base, its runways were expanded to accommodate civilian flights in 2010. Many questioned the move, considering it would be in direct competition with the likes of Narita and Haneda, both highly regarded airports at home and abroad. Now, it is hoped that by adding aTokyoa to the name, Ibaraki Airportas brand awareness will be raised outside of Japan, allowing them to compete with those heavyweights. With travel restrictions in place worldwide, weve launched a new series, The World Through a Lens, in which photojournalists help transport you, virtually, to some of our planets most beautiful and intriguing places. This week, Louise Palmberg shares a collection of photographs from the markets and food stands in Bangkok. Early this year, in search of inspiration beyond the food scene in New York (and not yet locked down by the spread of Covid-19), I spent two weeks visiting and documenting life among the fresh markets and street vendors in and around Bangkok. It made for an unlikely itinerary since tourists in Thailand often spend only a day or two in the capital before heading south toward the countrys many islands. Mauritius is actively preparing to welcome tourists and travellers very soon. Everything is done to ensure that this takes place under the best sanitary conditions, notably because of the COVID-19. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the supreme authority representing travel and tourism in the world, has just recognized the efforts undertaken by the Tourism Authority of Mauritius which has implemented a series of compulsory health measures to activate the recovery tourist activities. The WTTC brings together more than 200 CEOs, presidents, and directors of the worlds largest travel and tourism companies, from all geographies covering all industries. The WTTC strives to promote travel and tourism as one of the largest economic sectors in the world, supporting one in 10 jobs (330 million) worldwide and generating 10.3% of global GDP. Over the past 30 years, WTTC has conducted research on the economic impact of travel and tourism in 185 countries. Since April 26, no local cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Mauritius. This prompted the government to remove sanitary containment from May 31. This success of the most popular tourist destination in the Indian Ocean is to be attributed to the government, which, as of January, launched a series of measures following the evolution of the pandemic situation in the world. After the gradual closing of the borders, the application of strict containment measures, and isolation of the sick, followed by intensive contact tracing and tests, the country is now going to another phase while waiting to welcome its first visitors soon. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's defunct Instagram account has dropped to 11.1 million followers following their retreat from the limelight. Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, performed their final duties in March before stepping down as senior royals to focus on their own charities and build a more private life in LA - losing 200,000 followers as they are no longer able to post from their account. The couple were forced to drop the Sussex Royal branding as part of their release from The Firm, starting an Archewell Foundation instead, and are thought to be waiting until after the pandemic to announce any further details on their charity or any new social media accounts they may be launching. The pair are currently residing in actor Tyler Perry's Hollywood mansion with their 1-year-old son Archie, were they are keeping a low profile amid ongoing charity work. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's defunct Instagram account has dropped to 11.1 million followers following their retreat from the limelight (seen in November at the Royal Albert Hall) Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, performed their final duties in March before stepping down as senior royals to focus on their own charities, and building a more private life in LA - and now have 200k less followers as they have been forced to stop posting At the end of March the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hit 11.4 million followers on Instagram, just beating the Sussexes by 100,000 followers. Prince William, 37, and Kate Middleton, 38, who run the Kensington Palace Royal account only overtook Harry and Meghan ,who ran Sussex Royal, in recent months, despite being on the social network considerably longer. The Sussexes had seen their following skyrocket since announcing their retreat from the public eye in January, but were overtaken by the Cambridges when they begun to post less amid their new life - initially started in Canada. The Cambridges now boast 11.8 million followers, as the royal family continue their new 'scaled back' model of The Firm. Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, performed their final duties in March before stepping down as senior royals to focus on their own charities, and building a more private life in LA - losing 200,000 followers as they are no longer to post from their account (seen in November 2017 At the end of March the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hit 11.4 million followers on Instagram , just beating the Sussexes by 100,000 followers Prince William, 37, and Kate Middleton, 38, who run the Kensington Palace Royal account only overtook Harry and Meghan ,who ran Sussex Royal, in recent months, despite being on the social network considerably longer The Sussexes experienced a surge in followers after their final week of royal duties, which saw them attend the Endeavour Awards, the Mountbatten Festival of Music and Commonwealth Day Service. Meghan and Harry were also seen attending church service with the Queen, and visiting The National Theatre and Robert Clack Upper School in Dagenham. The couple apparently bid a tearful farewell to their staff during an intimate dinner, and Meghan has returned to Canada to be with baby Archie. The Sussexes, who currently boast 11.3 million followers, initially experienced a surge in followers after their final week of royal duties The Sussexes had seen their following skyrocket since announcing their retreat from the public eye in January, but were overtaken by the Cambridges as they begun to post less amid their new life in Canada A look at their respective Instagram accounts shows that while Kate and William have shared 2,039 posts, Harry and Meghan only posted 215 times since last April. The Kensington Royal account gets an average of 300,000 likes for their posts, with statement posts including Kate Middleton's birthday racking up 1.2 million likes. Meanwhile Sussex Royal got a similar average, but their post announcing they would be stepping down garnered almost 2 million likes from supportive fans. While William and Kate's account follows just under 100 people, Harry and Meghan used to follow new accounts each month to highlight charitable causes - now following just three accounts which promote positive news. In January night the Duke of Sussex has said he is 'taking a leap of faith' in stepping back from his life as a member of the royal family, but 'there really was no other option' Prince Harry , 35, and Meghan Markle , 38, who run Sussex Royal, saw their following skyrocket since announcing their retreat from the public eye in January This is despite the Cambridges' account Kensington Royal being around for much longer, while the Sussexes only started their account last April. They stood at 11m in January In January, the Duke of Sussex said he is 'taking a leap of faith' in stepping back from his life as a member of the royal family, but 'there really was no other option'. Harry gave an emotional speech, where he told the 'truth' about leaving royal duties behind in a bid for a 'more peaceful life' for his family. From the spring, the duke and duchess will stop using HRH, spend the majority of their time living in Canada, and pay back the taxpayers' money spent renovating their Frogmore home. In a speech at a private event for his charity Sentebale on Sunday night, Harry told invited guests: 'What I want to make clear is we're not walking away, and we certainly aren't walking away from you. 'Our hope was to continue serving the Queen, the Commonwealth, and my military associations, but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible. 'I've accepted this, knowing that it doesn't change who I am or how committed I am. 'But I hope that helps you understand what it had to come to, that I would step my family back from all I have ever known, to take a step forward into what I hope can be a more peaceful life.' The Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, Mark Lindsay, has paid tribute to the thousands of men and women who served in the Part Time Reserve over the past 50 years. During the Troubles, 52 Part Time Reserve police officers were murdered and hundreds suffered physical and psychological injuries during their service. Nine were murdered after they left the service. The Part Time Reserve became part of the RUC on June 1, 1970. Mr Lindsay said: "Close to 10,000 men and women stepped up to the plate and gave outstanding service to this entire community. "They knew that by putting on the uniform they would become a target for terrorists. It is a measure of their courage and commitment that they stepped forward to serve during dark and dreadful days. "These brave officers had day jobs and were then prepared to turn out for their shift as Part Time Reserve officers. "We owe them a deep debt of gratitude." Unlike the events in Minneapolis, no one was killed when a Los Angeles airport policeman allegedly tackled a limousine driver, planted his knee on the mans back and hit him while he lay on the ground. But it was enough for a lawsuit by the driver accusing the officer of excessive force, a state appeals court ruled Monday. The case of Alexander Kon and Officer Damien Andrews arose in June 2014, and the timing of the ruling by the Second District Court of Appeal appeared to be coincidental. But the events bore some resemblance to the death of George Floyd last week that has brought waves of angry protests in cities nationwide. Kon said he had gotten out of his car at Los Angeles International Airport, holding a phone and a sign with a customers name on it, when Andrews approached and accused him of speeding, which Kon denied. He said the officer returned to his motorcycle, and then, while Kon was answering a call from his customer, Andrews charged at him, tackled him to the ground and put a knee on his back. Kon said Andrews then hit him and handcuffed him. Paramedics arrived and took Kon to a hospital. Andrews said he saw Kon speeding in the parking lot and asked for his license and registration, which the driver refused to provide. The officer said Kon then approached him, but pulled away and resisted when Andrews told him to step back and put his phone down so he could be handcuffed. Andrews was eventually able to place (Kon) into handcuffs and subdue him, the officers lawyers said in a court filing. Prosecutors initially charged Kon with resisting arrest, but later reduced the charge to disturbing the peace, an infraction. He pleaded no contest in 2015 and then sued Andrews and the airport for excessive force. A Superior Court judge dismissed the suit in 2018, saying someone who is charged with resisting arrest cannot accuse the arresting officer of using excessive force. The appeals court disagreed Monday and reinstated Kons suit. 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. How you act and how police respond are two different issues, Justice John Wiley said in the 3-0 ruling. Fighting or challenging someone to fight does not entitle the other to respond with excessive force. He cited a state Supreme Court ruling in 2008 in the case of a man who was shot and wounded by Sacramento police. The man pleaded no contest to a charge of resisting arrest in the struggle that proceeded the shooting, but the court allowed him to sue and said his conviction did not necessarily mean the officers had a right to use potentially deadly force against him. In the current case, Wiley said, Andrews argued that he was justified in using force against Kon while he was on the ground. That is an issue (Kons criminal case) did not address or resolve, Wiley said. Lawyers in the case were not immediately available for comment. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko The South China Sea is the place of brimming tension between the US and the Chinese Navy as contention for sea lanes and resources, which Beijing wants to consolidate as their own domain despite international laws. Many US navy ships are docked in Washington state that included two of America's most powerful aircraft carriers. The USS Nimitz is sailing somewhere but its exact location is unknown, reported King5. China was given a thud by the US Navy when it sent the USS Barry to conduct a freedom of navigation operation or FONOPs that brought the US warship as close as 12 miles from the illegally occupied Paracel Islands, confirmed by SCMP. It made Beijing furious and fired of claims that the Chinese Navy sent the American ship away. What happened was the US warship stayed and just loitered with the Chinese doing nothing to block the USS Barry, until got the point driven to Beijing. The USS Barry is docked in Japan. Later sorties in the SCS could be the ships currently docked in the Washington state. Events in the South China Sea involves China, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, with the disputed territory that is contested. The US has allies in Asia for years, which has drawn in the US Navy. As China bullies its neighbors, US allies including Australia and Japan that are pushing back because The CCP is claiming the SCS as their own. In the South China Sea is where the most ships pass through, with reservoirs of oil and gas under the SCS, when it can be tapped later. According to David Bachman of the Henry M. Jackson Professor of International Studies at the University of Washington, he stated that it was the 5th US freedom of navigation operation committed in the South China Sea, punctuating a serious intention to be visible. Also read: Two US Warships Warned Chinese Navy to Stop Coercing an Unarmed Drilling Ship in Malaysian Waters Bachman's expertise on China politics revealed that tensions are increasing with the global economy with the thrust of the Trump administration to paint China as the guilty party. He added that the government is linking all the bad things that China has done. Add up the Hong Kong seizure of China, including the SCS tension, with claims that China started the pandemic, also the trade deal on January 15 that China cannot honor. In Hong Kong, there is resistance to attempts by Beijing to give it more control over the former British colony, with tension increasing its crescendo. The Chinese attacked civilian Vietnamese vessel for fishing. Later, the harassment of a Malaysian oil exploration rig that was hired by them started. Two ships, the USS Montgomery and USNS Cesar Chavez that drove Chinese ships away. According to retired four-star US Army General Barry McCaffrey, a commentator and consultant for NBCNews, said China is backing off blocking US Navy FONOPs, adding that the Chinese are posturing in the SCS to gain ground General Barry McCaffrey said that the US might not station an aircraft carrier in the SCS, because China might fire shore-based ship killing missiles as described. It seems that the US carrier fleet is there with the USS Theodore Roosevelt in active duty. The US Carrier will make a port call in Vietnam during March. Two aircraft carriers are based in the Washington state, the USS Carl Vinson and the USS Nimitz, but the navy says the Nimitz is somewhere else, reported USNINews. In Washington, there are ship ports going in or out of the US, China is the No.1 Boeing customer for new planes too. According to Professor Bachman, all these developments will endanger a beneficial economic relationship, with US Navy ships that will face off the Chinese Navy in the South China Sea. Related article: Deployment of Chinese Aircraft Carriers Close to Taiwan Could Trigger US Naval Confrontation @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. PORTLAND, Oregon, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, "Graphene Market by Type (Mono-layer & Bi-layer Graphene, Few Layer Graphene, Graphene Oxide, and Graphene Nano Platelets), and Application (RFID, Composites, Sensors, Research & Development, Energy storage, Functional ink, and Polymer additives): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast 20202027". According to the report, the global graphene market was pegged at $91.3 million in 2019, and is projected to reach $1.36 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 40.2% from 2020 to 2027. Rapid increase in graphene producers, use of graphene in composites & coatings, and high demand in electronics applications drive the growth of the global graphene market. However, negative impact on the environment hampers the market growth. On the contrary, increasing key developments are expected to create lucrative opportunities for the market players. Get Detailed COVID-19 Impact Analysis on the Graphene Market @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/460?reqfor=covid Covid-19 scenario: The emergence of Covid-19 has drastically impacted the global graphene industry. As per the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the outbreak of Covid-19 has impacted the global FDI by 515%. This negative impact on FDI investment hampered the manufacturers due to dearth of raw materials and lockdown across various countries. As the manufacturing sector is a major part of a country's economy, the governments are focused on encouraging the manufacturing sector by increasing investments. Request Sample Report at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/460 The graphene nano platelets segment held the largest share By type, the graphene nano platelets segment held the largest share in 2019, accounting for more than three-fifths of the global graphene market, owing to their wide range of applications in various sectors including aerospace, electronics, energy storage, and medical. However, the mono-layer & bi-layer graphene segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 42.0% during the forecast period, as it is used in microelectronics applications like nano- and micro-electromechanical systems, conductive coatings, flexible batteries, and biological & chemical sensors. The energy storage segment to portray the highest CAGR through 2027 By application, the energy storage segment is estimated to manifest the highest CAGR of 43.6% during the forecast period, owing to the use of graphene in storage solutions including electrochemical capacitors and lithium-ion batteries. However, the research & development segment held the largest share in 2019, contributing to nearly one-third of the global graphene market, due to increasing use of graphene in the development of various instruments and equipment across the globe. For Purchase Enquiry at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/460 North America dominated the market in terms of revenue By region, the global graphene market across North America held the largest share in 2019, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the market, owing to presence of a number of small- and medium-sized producers. However, the market across Asia-Pacific is expected to portray the highest CAGR of 44.3% during the study period, due to presence of a large number of producers and customers and rise in production in different industries, including automotive, defense, marine and aerospace. Major market players Bluestone Global Tech ACS Material LLC Graphene Nanochem PLC CVD Equipment Corporation G6 Materials Graphenea S.A. Nanotek Instruments Inc. Haydale Limited XG Sciences Vorbrck Materials Interested in Procuring this Report? visit: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/graphene-market/purchase-options Avenue Basic Plan | Library Access | 1 Year Subscription | Sign up for Avenue subscription to access more than 12,000+ company profiles and 2,000+ niche industry market research reports at $699 per month, per seat. For a year, the client needs to purchase minimum 2 seat plan. Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenue/trial/starter Get more information: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access Similar Reports: Aluminum Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019-2026 Industrial Rubber Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20192026 Superalloys Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202027 Carbon Black Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20192026 About Us Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States USA/Canada (Toll Free): +1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022, +1-503-446-1141 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1(855)550-5975 [email protected] Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allied-market-research SOURCE Allied Market Research Targeting Akhilesh, Shah asks why Lord Ram had to live in a tent HM Shah seeks suggestions of MPs, other stakeholders on move to amend IPC, CrPC, Evidence Act Amit Shah holds meeting to review preparations to deal with Cyclone Nisarga India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, June 01: Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday held a meeting to review preparations for dealing with Cyclone Nisarga brewing over the Arabian Sea that is expected to hit parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat on June 3. Senior officials of concerned agencies NDMA, NDRF, IMD and the Indian Coast Guard attended the meeting with the home minister, according to a statement released by the Home Minister's Office (HMO). Cabinet decisions: Centre announces relief for MSMEs, support for farmers | Oneindia News Cyclone Nisarga: IMD issues red alert for Mumbai as the city braces for first tropical cyclone The depression in the Arabian Sea is likely to intensify into a severe cyclone and cross north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts on June 3, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said. The Met department has predicted very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat on June 3 and June 4. Nisarga named by Bangladesh, the first tropical cyclone since 1891 to hit Maharashtra in June Cyclone Nisarga is likely to make landfall over Palghar district, around 100 km north of Mumbai by Wednesday evening or at night. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Monday deployed nine teams in Maharashtra. Of these, three are on standby in Mumbai, two in Palghar, one each in Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg In Gujarat, the NDRF has deployed 11 teams besides one team each in Daman&Diu and Dadra&Nagar Haveli. The cyclonic storm called Nisarga follows super cyclonic storm Amphan that ravaged the West Bengal-Bangladesh coast this month on May 20. According to weather.com, the name Nisarga is suggested by Bangladesh. It will be the first to be used from a new list of names for cyclones for North Indian Ocean cyclones released in 2020. Egyptian Armed Forces Neutralise 19 Terrorists in Northern Sinai, Military Spokesman Says Sputnik News 12:29 GMT 31.05.2020 CAIRO (Sputnik) - The Egyptian military has eliminated 19 terrorists in northern Sinai during several raids over the week, spokesman Tamer Al-Rifai has said. "19 terrorists were killed during military strikes carried out last week against sites used by armed groups", Al-Rifai said, as quoted by the Al-Masdar News online newspaper. According to the spokesman, the three senior militants were killed in special operations in the vicinity of the cities of Bir al-Abd, Sheikh Zuwayed and Rafah, based on intelligence information. Another 16 were killed in a number of intensive strikes by the air forces at several locations. "They targeted and destroyed two SUVs, and a warehouse containing a large amount of explosive devices and logistical support. The Border Guard forces also managed to seize a number of smugglers with a large amount of weapons and ammunition in various calibres, and a number of four-wheel-drive vehicles", Al-Rifai added. The military also said that five servicemen of the armed forces were killed and injured during the operations. The north of the Sinai Peninsula has long been Egypt's most tense region due to the presence of violent terrorists, who frequently conduct attacks against police and army on the peninsula. The Egyptian armed forces have been leading a large-scale counterterrorist operation in the area for over two years now. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A troop of monkeys have displayed exemplary social distancing amid the pandemic in India, despite their notorious acts of destruction and even snatching coronavirus samples. The macaques were pictured lining up in evenly spread rows as they ate their lunch in Arunachal Pradesh, India. India's Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, the local MP, Kiren Rijiju tweeted a picture of the law-abiding monkeys waiting to grab a slice of watermelon. 'A perfect #SocialDistancing seen near Bhalukpong in Arunachal Pradesh along Assam-Arunachal boundary. If we observe carefully, animals can teach us many vital lessons that we may have missed in the haste of our normal daily lives.' Mr Rijiu wrote. India's Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, the local MP, Kiren Rijiju tweeted a picture of the law-abiding monkeys waiting to grab a slice of watermelon in Arunachal Pradesh, India Another group of socially distant monkeys were also seen sitting feet away from each other as they were given fodder It's a marked change in the primates' behaviour, whose infamy has soared to global proportions in recent years, with kidnapping, killing and theft reported. Last week an Indian health worker was mobbed by monkeys who stole coronavirus blood samples, igniting 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. The sample boxes were later recovered and had not been damaged, Meerut Medical college superintendent Dheeraj Raj told AFP on Friday, after footage of the encounter went viral on social media. The surprisingly docile-looking monkeys - who have a horrific reputation in India - are seen waiting their turn for watermelon slices 'They were still intact and we don't think there is any risk of contamination or spread,' Raj said. He added that the three people whose samples were stolen were retested for the virus. Coronavirus has been detected in animals, though there is no confirmation that the disease can then be passed on to humans. India's coronavirus death toll passed neighbouring China's on Friday and another 193 deaths were recorded yesterday, taking its total to more than 5,300. 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. Monkeys are seen playing on a roadside in New Delhi on April 8. Indian Forest Service officers, meanwhile, have shared videos on social media of elephants trundling past shuttered shops along deserted streets A group of monkeys eat bananas on a roadside in New Delhi on April 8 A monkey reaches out to grab bananas as a man feeds a group of monkeys during lockdown to prevent the spread of new coronavirus in Jammu, India, Wednesday, April 8 A group of monkeys sit on a roadside in New Delhi on April 8. With India's 1.3 billion population and tens of millions of cars conspicuous by their absence, wildlife has moved to fill the void while also suffering from the coronavirus fallout But India still eased restrictions today on shops and public transport in more states. Subways and schools remain closed as experts said it is still far from reaching the peak of its outbreak. The government eased the lockdown to help millions of day labourers who have lost their jobs and are unable to feed their families. Heinz has revealed how it had to order and extra 800 tonnes of ingredients and ramp up its production to meet the unprecedented demand for baked beans caused by the coronavirus crisis. As factories across the UK adapt to match the exceptional clamour for long-lasting produce caused by the pandemic, Gregg Wallace met factory workers toiling round the clock for the new BBC2 documentary 'Inside the Factory: Keeping Britain Going'. He learned that one baked bean factory in Wigan upped its production to deliver almost 50 million cans of beans in just one month, and during the peak of panic buying it distributed 2.7 million cases in one week, compared to the usual 1.9 million. Operations manager John Brockley and manager Anthony Foster told how they've had to to increase imports of ingredients from North America, ordering an extra 800 tonnesto meet demand. Heinz has nearly doubled its production of tinned goods to cope with the unprecedented demand caused by the coronavirus crisis. Pictured, national distribution centre manager, Anthony Foster Gregg Wallace (pictured) met factory workers toiling round the clock in new BBC2 documentary 'Inside the Factory: Keeping Britain Going' John said: [it's been] 'Absolutely flat out, big increase in tinned goods. '[There are] lots of people at home at the moment, children as well, and good old staple beans on toast for your dinner is out driving our market at the moment - I'd say 40-45 per cent.' Gregg quizzed the manager who he chatted to in a previous episode of Inside The Factory, saying: 'When I met you, you were making about three millions cans a day, so what is that now?' He replied: 'I would say around average of four and a half million.' Operations manager John Brockley (pictured) told how imports of ingredients from North America has increased, with an extra ship carrying 800 tonnes travelling to the UK The factory has temporarily simplified the line, producing less variety of products and focusing on making more of the in-demand items. Pictured, operations manager John John went on to explain that while they would usually import two ships worth of ingredients from North America, they've had to order an extra 800 tonnes of ingredients. 'One ship would carry 400 containers, which is about 800 tonnes, said John. 'The normal amount we would have is two ships at sea, taking about twelve days. recently we've been shipping three. We have an extra 800 tonnes on its way.' The factory has temporarily simplified the line, producing less variety of products and focusing on making more of the in-demand items. They have also increased shifts, and only stop the line for one 24-hour period at the weekend, instead of 48 hours, to do essential maintenance. Gregg was told before panic buying caused by the coronavirus, the warehouse would distribute 1.9 million cases per week, however at the peak of the pandemic were distributing an extra 0.8 million cases Gregg spoke to manager Anthony Foster at their nearby national distribution center, a giant warehouse which holds almost all of Heinz products before they hit the supermarket. He explained that before panic buying caused by the coronavirus, the warehouse would distribute 1.9 million cases per week, however at the peak of the pandemic were distributing an extra 0.8 million cases. The manager told: 'Prior to February, this unit was distributing about 1.9 million cases per week and during the period of panic buying this went up to 2.4 and peaked at 2.7 million , which was a record breaking week for the size. Just to put that in perspective it's 134 lorry loads.' Speaking of how the warehouse adapted to the crisis, he added: 'One of the key things we needed to do was change the way people ordered stocks. 'We asked our customers to order in a full palette quantity, a number of the retailers started ordering full palette quantities and we also started an online service so they could order small quantities of stock direct to their home if they needed it.' An unapologetic Muslim, who previously received anonymous death threats has been appointed the head of the Study of Religions Department at University College Cork. Glaswegian Amanullah De Sondy, a senior lecturer in contemporary Islam, joined the university in 2015 having taught Islamic Studies at Ithaca College in New York, and at the University of Miami. I think a lot of people will be quite surprised by this appointment, he said. Im an unapologetic Muslim who has been appointed in this role at a college that has a long history of being part of the 'Godless Colleges'. I think times are changing, were seeing that there are many other issues that branch out from the study of religion. These include race, gender, sexuality, pluralism, and accepting differences, he added. All of these issues are quite important today. If you just look at what is happening in the States right now, the riots and the issues on race and black-identity. You cant really separate those issues, they have to do with many different things, including religion, and the way we understand authority. There are lots of different views on religion in Ireland, he believes. Some can be very much opposed to it, some can be for it. Religion is very much part of the fabric of Ireland, to a certain extent, which means that we should give religion in the academic study careful consideration. "But in Ireland, given all the history that comes with religion here, Im fully aware it's a subject that comes with a lot of tension," he added. A lot of people have these perceptions when they see the study of religion because we often think 'Oh, it's somebody at a pulpit, its someone who is going to tell us whats right and whats wrong'. But the academic study of religion is something very different. We are a department that prides itself on the critical, questioning approach to religion and that can come in a variety of ways; philosophical, anthropological, historical, societal. "Its time for us to embrace differences, and to agree that looking at religion must be much wider than we understand it. I think UCC is way ahead of the curve in Ireland on this, to hire me and to appoint me as the head of a department - that's huge." Last summer, news that Mr De Sondy had received anonymous death threats was widely greeted with outrage and condemned by the UCC community. Mr De Sondy, whose parents are from Sialkot, Pakistan, was congratulated by the Embassy of Pakistan, Dublin, which said it is a proud day. More power to you. Onwards and upwards. [June 01, 2020] AXIM Biotechnologies Begins Pre-Clinical Pharmacokinetic Animal Drug Studies on its Cancer Drug Compound SPX-1009 SAN DIEGO, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. (OTCQB: AXIM) (AXIM Biotech, AXIM or the Company), an international healthcare solutions company targeting oncological research, announced today that its subsidiary Sapphire Biotech, Inc. (Sapphire) has started pre-clinical animal drug studies on its new compound, SPX-1009. We look forward to the next step in the race to finding a cure for cancer, said John W. Huemoeller II, Chief Executive Officer of AXIM Biotech. After very positive in vitro studies, this pharmacokinetic animal study will tell us whether we have a potential drug candidate for humans. Because it is an analog of a drug that has already completed animal studies, we expect positive results. Quiescin Sulfhydryl Oxidase 1 (QSOX1), an enzyme that is over-expressed by tumor cells in numerous cancers, has been shown to be involved in cancer invasion and metastasis. Earlier this year, Sapphire acquired exclusive license rights to a small molecule, SBI-183. SBI-183 has been proven to inhibit the enzymatic activity of QSOX1 and suppress tumor cell invasion in vitro and metastasis of MDA-MB-231 breast tumor cells in vivo. SBI-183 also suppressed human xenograft primary kidney tumor growth by 86 percent compared to controls. Sapphire scientists have generated and tested over 90 analogs of SBI-183 and discovered that one analog, SPX-1009, was tenfold more potent than SBI-183 in suppressing tumor invasion and metastasis in vitro. Further testing revealed that SPX-1009 suppressed invasion of breast, kidney and pancreas tumor cells in 2D and 3D invasion assays at tenfold lower concentrations than the parent compound SBI-183. Oral and intravenous therapy (IV) formulations of SPX-1009 are being tested in pharmacokinetic animal studies to determine the optimal route of treatment. We are hopeful that SPX-1009 will block metastasis in patients which, after all, is what causes death in the vast majority of cancer patients, said Catalina Valencia, Chief Executive Officer of Sapphire Biotech. For more information about AXIM, please visit www.aximbiotech.com . About AXIM Biotechnologies Founded in 2014, AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. (AXIM) is a vertically integrated oncology company developing diagnostic tests for the early detection of cancer and proprietary small molecules drugs to treat cancer and block metastasis. The Company is also developing novel antibodies for therapeutic and diagnostic uses and new cannabinoid molecules for oncological therapeutics. Currently, Sapphire Biotech, Inc.s diagnostic tool is being used to study the company's enzyme biomarker to detect pancreatic cancer earlier than circulating tumor cells. For more information, please visit www.AXIMBiotech.com . FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein. LEGAL DISCLOSURE AXIM Biotechnologies does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act (US.CSA). CONTACT: Public Relations Contact: Andrew Hard Chief Executive Officer CMW Media P. 858-264-6600 [email protected] www.cmwmedia.com Corporate Contact Info: 6191 Cornerstone Ct., Ste. 114 San Diego, CA 92121, USA P. 858-999-0920 Investor Relations Contact: [email protected] 888-759-0844 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Quanta provides compact dialysis systems to NHS to support increased need caused by COVID-19 pandemic SC+ haemodialysis system delivered for ICU use at four NHS Trusts Alcester, Warwickshire, UK, 01 June 2020: Quanta Dialysis Technologies Ltd ("Quanta" or the "Company"), a British medical technology innovation company, today announces that it has been proudly supporting the ongoing NHS COVID-19 response for emergency dialysis provision by supplying its next-generation SC+ haemodialysis system to select NHS Trusts in the United Kingdom. Quanta delivered an initial batch of equipment and trained staff at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, where SC+ has been used to treat COVID-19 patients in need of life-sustaining dialysis treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU). Equipment has also been supplied and training provided at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Up to a third of all patients hospitalised with COVID-19 will suffer from concomitant acute kidney failure, requiring life sustaining renal replacement therapy such as haemodialysis. Staff at Quanta have been working tirelessly around the clock to support the urgent NHS demand for additional dialysis capacity, while Quanta's key suppliers are also working additional shifts to increase production of both machines and consumables. SC+ has been designed for ease of use and, as part of this contract, Quanta has trained over 70 ICU nurses, all of whom have completed training in under six hours. In addition, Quanta is providing the NHS with essential protective equipment, such as semi-reusable surgical mask adapters and face shield frames, manufactured using the company's 3D-printers. Emma Vaux, Consultant Nephrologist at Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, added: "We are delighted to be the first hospital in the UK to use the new SC+ device. At a time when there is an unprecedented national shortage of dialysis machines, and an increased need to treat more patients with renal problems associated with COVID-19, Quanta was able to provide SC+ devices within a matter of days. SC+ has been safely installed and due to its ease of use, Quanta has been able to deliver training in under six hours enabling our ICU nurses to quickly, effectively and efficiently treat those people that need it most. In the long term, we are looking forward to seeing these devices used in our patient's home settings." Sandip Mitra, Consultant Nephrologist at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The introduction of the new SC+ device during the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact in supporting critically ill patients developing kidney failure. As a versatile and compact dialysis machine, the SC+ system provides a wide range of renal replacement therapy options for ICUs, dialysis clinics and patients' own homes. In the near term, rapidly increasing the use of home haemodialysis will also be crucial to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in dialysis patients." John E. Milad, Chief Executive Officer, said: "Everybody at Quanta is pulling out all the stops to support the NHS and kidney failure patients during this critical time and I would like to thank our team for making this happen so quickly. I'm proud to see the difference we're able to make with our small, simple and versatile haemodialysis system, SC+, by providing flexible treatment options for patients in urgent need." -ENDS- For more information about Quanta, please contact: Quanta John E. Milad, Chief Executive Officer T: +44 (0)1789 400043 E: enquiries@quantadt.com (mailto:enquiries@quantadt.com) Consilium Strategic Communications Amber Fennell / Matthew Neal / Lindsey Neville T: +44 (0)203 709 5708 E: quanta@consilium-comms.com (mailto:quanta@consilium-comms.com) About Quanta and SC+ Based in the Midlands of the UK, Quanta is a technology-enabled provider of innovative dialysis products and services. Quanta aims to improve the lives of dialysis patients through beautifully engineered solutions. The lead product SC+ is a small, simple and versatile haemodialysis system designed to provide greater freedom and flexibility in the delivery of life sustaining dialysis treatments - making the therapy manageable to a broad range of users across a wide range of environments, from the ICU to the home. As a CE marked medical device, SC+ has been successfully piloted with the NHS, demonstrating clinical efficacy and performance compatible with traditional treatment regimens used in-centre. The innovative and patented technology behind SC+ is based on a design breakthrough that allows all dialysate fluid management to be conducted on a small, lightweight, disposable cartridge. The unobtrusive, simple-to-use and digitally connected design of SC+ is intended to empower more patients to take control of their lives with selfcare and home dialysis. Meanwhile, as a portable, compact and versatile device, SC+ supports dialysis delivery across a range of care settings and therapy prescriptions. For more information, please visit our website: quantadt.com . SC+ is not yet FDA cleared and not yet available for sale or use in the USA. She has been enjoying the sunshine from the comfort of her own home these last few months. But Alessandra Ambrosio was in a more adventurous mood on Sunday. The catwalk queen, 39, was seen crossing a rocky stream of water while going on a masked-up hike in Brentwood with friends. Take a hike! Alessandra Ambrosio was seen crossing a rocky stream of water while going on a masked-up hike in Brentwood with friends on Sunday Alessandra took one giant step across the babbling brook while maintaining her balance with her arms raised into the air. The model ditched her high heels for a sensible pair of trainers and stylish green $119 Smash + Tess 'Romperalls.' While she may have been in nature, she remained connected to the outside world through her handy cell phone, which was securely tucked into a protective couch slung conveniently across her body. Adding an extra level of protection was her white face mask, which she occasionally tucked beneath her chin. She rocks! Alessandra - wearing stylish green $119 Smash + Tess 'Romperalls' - took one giant step across the babbling brook while maintaining her balance with her arms raised into the air A stylish red 'Woodstock' hat, shades, and layers of necklaces added a touch of glam to the otherwise laid-back look. Time outside seems like a welcome break for the busy mom of two. Alessandra has been self-isolating with her daughter Anja, 11, son Noah, eight, and boyfriend Nicolo Oddi as of late. The model has been documenting her adventures indoors on her Instagram account. Making a splash! Alessandra has been self-isolating with her daughter Anja, 11, son Noah, eight, and boyfriend Nicolo Oddi as of late Whether she's connecting with friends online, bonding with her family, or splashing around the pool with her boyfriend, fans have been kept in the loop on Alessandra's life in lockdown. She recently lifted spirits by playing a fun Q&A game involving cream pies with her children, whom she shares with her ex-fiance Jamie Mazur. The couple, who were engaged for 10 years before breaking it off in 2018, recently had an awkward run-in while out in Santa Monica. Alessandra has been dating Italian fashion mogul Nicolo since the split. MINSK -- Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has openly warned that there will be no "Maidan" following mass rallies in Minsk and other towns and cities supporting potential opposition presidential candidates. Lukashenka used the word Maidan, which became a symbol of pro-European antigovernment protests around the former Soviet Union after protests on the Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, in 2014 toppled Russia-friendly Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. The Belarusian leader said during a June 1 meeting with the chief of the Belarusian KGB, Valery Vakulchyk, that the rallies a day earlier to collect signatures for potential independent and opposition presidential candidates necessary for registration with election authorities were organized by foreign forces, calling the demonstrations "winds blown from different sides to our Belarusian land." "We absolutely know the goals of those wind-blowers. They want to organize a little Maidan before or during the presidential poll...I want at this meeting to warn you and all those who hear me now, all those maidanized ones. There will be no Maidans in Belarus," Lukashenka said. In his usual flamboyant style, Lukashenka hinted that the rallies pose a threat to Belarusian sovereignty and independence, which must be "defended by the army, the KGB, and all the people." "We are not going to muzzle anyone. There are places in Minsk and other cities allocated for public discussions. I think there are six such places in Minsk. Our thing is to control that, so that nothing could go over the top. There are six sites in Minsk, so go and debate there. But the KGB and police must, by all means, secure law and order," Lukashenka said, referring to six places in the city designated as areas where public discussions may take place. "People can go there and discuss issues. If they want to do that in the kitchen, please do so," Lukashenka added, "So that they did not create problems for others." Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned earlier this month that authorities in Belarus have intensified their crackdown on protesters, opposition bloggers, journalists, and other government critics with a "new wave of arbitrary arrests" ahead of the election scheduled for August 9. More than 1,000 demonstrators joined together in Minsk on May 24 to oppose another term for Lukashenka in one of the biggest protests of the year in the country of around 9 million. Critics of Lukashenka say his government has shown little tolerance for dissent and independent media. He has ruled the country since 1994 and is currently serving his fifth presidential term. Belarus abolished presidential term limits in 2004. The country has been the target of U.S. and EU sanctions over its poor rights record and lack of fair elections, but Belarus and the West have recently sought to mend ties to reduce Russias influence in the country. Social Justice & Diversity Research Fellows at W&M tackle issues of equity Social Justice & Diversity Fellows: The first cohort of fellows (pictured above) was named in 2017; the application for the 2020-2021 cohort is now open. Courtesy photo Photo - of - Hide Caption The Social Justice & Diversity Research Fellowship Program, now in its third year at William & Mary, aims to equip students to address issues of inequity in academia, in their professions and in their everyday lives. Natoya Haskins, associate professor of counselor education, started the program in 2017 to address a critical scholarship gap in higher education. Research in the areas of social justice and diversity is a growing field, but one that is still underdeveloped and underpublished. Haskinss aim is to make sure students at William & Mary have the resources and support to pursue rigorous research in these critical areas. We have to show that this type of research is important and valued, she says. "Not only can this research illuminate injustices in our communities, it gives researchers a vehicle to challenge constructs and institutions that perpetuate inequities and marginalization. The fellowship is open to any masters or doctoral student at William & Mary. Although housed in the School of Education, the interdisciplinary nature of the program is one of its most valuable aspects, says participants. Through this program, I was able to partner up across disciplines with another graduate student to focus on a social justice issue, says Nyx Robey M.S. 20, who graduated this spring with a masters degree in experimental psychology. We were able to approach this issue as partners, but also use our own fields of expertise to navigate the research. The fellowship is designed to support students as they learn practical, rigorous research skills, improve their writing, and gain exposure to the submission and editorial processes essential to being productive researchers. For Haskins, the fellowship is a way for students to develop their emerging scholar identity and gain essential knowledge and confidence in their roles as researchers. My hope is that fellows learn the methodological rigor and research integrity necessary to create new knowledge knowledge that has the potential to uplift marginalized identities and challenge oppression. Joining Haskins as co-director this year is Janise Parker, assistant professor of school psychology. She has long been involving both undergraduate and graduate students in her own research, with the goal of exposing them to issues of diversity and helping them understand how applied research can be used as a mechanism to address disparities in education. I hope the students walk away from this program with a hunger for addressing disparities in their respective careers, says Parker. I also hope that students will feel empowered to serve as advocates for marginalized populations and recognize that their voice matters. Former fellows point to the influence of the program both in their work and in their personal lives. Cassidy White J.D. 19 joined the program during her final year in the William & Mary Law School. She is now in the Virginia Management Fellow program, a leadership and training program designed to develop talent for all branches of state government. At William & Mary, the Social Justice & Diversity Fellows program influenced how I approached various law assignments, such as interpreting statutory language or preparing a brief, says White. Now, as a young professional with the Commonwealth of Virginia, I use the lens of social justice, diversity and equity when approaching policy-related tasks and projects. This program also influenced how I approach my life it encouraged me to actively dismantle oppressive systems through my own behavior. White points to the mentorship of faculty as a major benefit of joining the program. As a law student, her research experience was mainly focused on legal and literature-based research. She found that the program provided many supports for people who wanted to learn to conduct research and leverage it to achieve social justice-oriented goals. Fellows work in teams of 4-5 students to explore their research interests and pursue a collaborative research project. Fellows are encouraged and supported in every step of this process, with the ultimate goal of presenting the research and, hopefully, getting published. This spring, a team of two fellows and two faculty members submitted a manuscript to a major research journal. The article, Disparities in Student Misconduct in Higher Education for Students from Underrepresented Racial Backgrounds or Non-Citizen Visa Status, examined whether or not disparities exist for disciplinary outcomes due to race on a predominantly White college campus. Robey is the lead author on the paper, along with fellow Rory Dunn 18, M.A.Ed. 19, Haskins and Cheryl Dickter, associate professor of psychological sciences. The project was the culmination of a cross-campus effort involving many offices. This project helped me gain a broader understanding of higher education operations and how we work together as a campus to not just strengthen our on-campus student diversity, but support that diversity through inclusive measures, says Robey. Looking forward to the coming year, Parker anticipates that a major focus of the new cohort of fellows will be the educational and social disparities exacerbated by COVID-19. With public schools in the U.S. closed for much of the spring and plans for the fall uncertain, learning gaps will inevitably widen. It is my belief that research should inform practice and practice should inform research, she says. Hence, we hope to bridge these two worlds together, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that the needs of marginalized populations are not overlooked during the COVID-19 era. The application for the 2020-2021 cohort of Social Justice and Diversity Fellows is now open with a deadline of June 15, 2020. Graduate students from across the university are encouraged to apply. As a fellow, you will understand the critical need for social justice and diversity research and learn how to produce such research, all while engaging with new colleagues and gaining wisdom from distinguished professors and mentors, says White. Yakeen Bido's most prized possession is her small video camera. The Syrian journalist was recently awarded the 'Courage in Journalism' award from the International Women's Media Foundation. The 26-year-old said she felt compelled to document the aftermath of air strikes and attacks targeting her hometown, Idlib. "The (award) was a positive incentive for me. Truthfully I wasn't expecting it, nor was I working to get any awards, but this is a thing that pushes you forward to continue your work, because there is someone who appreciates this work and sees that you have delivered your message." Bido says war reporting was seen as a 'man's job' in Syria, but she refused to let this stop her--becoming one of the first women to broadcast from the region, according to the Foundation. More recently, she's has been contributing and reporting for international news outlets-- and it's taken an emotional toll. "I remember during many massacres, I would stand in a hospital unable to film, despite knowing that this scene must be seen, I couldn't cry, I couldn't hold a camera or comfort those in front of me. The planes would still be in the sky, I would just stand and watch as people cried over their martyrs, their children, at that point I felt like the work I was doing was useless. This award reignited the hope, in me and in many people." The Courage in Journalism Award has so far been presented to more than 100 female journalists in 56 countries, who 'broke down barriers and refused to be silenced', according to the IWMF. Smoking has been a major health hazard and a primary cause of major life-threatening illnesses for many decades. For the entire 20th century it is estimated that around 100 million people lost their lives prematurely because of smoking. On this World No Tobacco Day, Indias premium video on demand platform VOOT has partnered with Indian Cancer Society on its World No Tobacco Day 2020. The campaign endeavors to raise awareness about the health hazards of smoking and tobacco usage. Executed by VOOT Studio, the short and high impactful video featuring one of the most popular actors Sunil Grover will urge people to stop smoking. The film is a mockumentary and offers a satirical take on the contents required to cook up a cigarette. The film will see Sunil Grover with his usual sass and ease making a cigarette with all the lethal ingredients that one would never consume. The film culminates with a strong behavioral change message of giving up tobacco and cigarettes given its toxicity and long terms effects on health. Speaking about the association Akash Banerji, Head AVOD Business, VOOT said, At VOOT Studio we are focused on empowering our partners to effectively deliver on their brand and campaign message effectively through engaging, innovative and relevant brand solutions. Partnering with Indian Cancer Society for this imperative behavioral change initiative is even more special and solves for a critical issue plaguing the world. We are sure that this innovative and sarcastic take on the issue will strike a chord with the audiences and allow the message to be delivered far and wide through the reach of the platform. Shivani Sanghavi, Marketing Director of Indian Cancer Society speaks of the genesis of the campaign. While it is common knowledge that smoking is harmful, it is unusual that people at large are ignorant of the use of such chemicals that go into making a cigarette. Indian Cancer Society through the campaign attempts to create an awakening that results in people quitting smoking. We believe that everyone, including the protagonist will rethink their habits with the compelling facts presented in the video. The script was written by her to spread awareness and educate the masses to make informed choices. Tobacco leads to more than 7 million deaths every year worldwide and the campaign aims to put an end to the tobacco consumption menace by spreading nationwide awareness around the alarming issue. Be ready to watch out for this remarkable video on World No Tobacco Day, 31st May by Voot Studio and Indian Cancer Society featuring Sunil Grover only on Voot 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. If youre waiting until the last minute to make a decision about college, youre in good company colleges are scrambling, too. Heres a sample of what some schools are considering: Boston University plans in-person instruction. The California State University system will go remote. Columbia University will offer three semesters to de-densify its campus. Kent State University is developing multiple scenarios including face-to-face, remote learning or a hybrid model. University of Notre Dame will begin its fall semester in early August, forgo fall break and end before Thanksgiving. University of Florida says it wont announce plans until mid-July. University of Oregon has extended its acceptance deadline to Sept. 1. Oregon State University is hoping for a fall return to campus. There are dozens of examples that all point to one conclusion: No one is sure what the college experience this fall will look like. But experts say its still the way to go in most cases. The question is: If not college, what is your alternative? says Robert Kelchen, associate professor of higher education at Seton Hall University. For many people, with the economy the way it is, the alternatives will be bad. Even though college may not be college the way you want it, it still beats the alternative of sitting around home doing nothing. Pay attention to your prospective schools deadline for making a decision and adhere to it. Currently enrolled students have a longer window to send in a deposit usually up to the first week of classes. If you change your mind, you will likely forfeit any deposit you make now. This is a financial decision, too A 2020 high school graduate at a traditional four-year school who depends on student loans for college could expect to borrow $37,200 in pursuit of a bachelors degree, according to a NerdWallet analysis. Commitments that big should never be taken lightly, especially now. Experts say you should not expect your school to lower tuition for any online courses you take since youll still earn the same degree credits. But there are opportunities to cut costs in the fall and lower the amount of debt you take on overall. The real variables are the school you choose, the amount of financial aid available and your living expenses. As you make a decision, think about how well your courses might translate to online learning and if youre someone who learns well that way. Would a cheaper school, or one closer to home, make sense? Does your financial aid picture change if you attend remotely? Do you have a way to pay for food and shelter if youre not on campus? Would taking a break harm your chances of finishing school? Here are possible choices for fall 2020: 1. Attend college remotely Your college may choose online-only instruction, or you might decide to attend classes remotely even if the campus opens. Remote learning could be a good opportunity to continue your coursework at a fraction of the cost since you wont pay for room and board. But an online-only model may not work for you if your degree requires in-person interaction, like lab or fieldwork. Heres what to consider if you switch to distance learning: What resources or technology youll need to transition to successful online learning and if youll need help paying for them. What degree coursework you can more easily complete remotely, such as core classes. If your financial aid award included work-study, which could limit your remote options. Your confidence in the quality of online coursework at your school. 2. Live on campus Schools may reopen, but with modifications youre not used to or new requirements, like COVID-19 testing, distancing in classrooms and reduced occupancy in dorms, experts say. Even if your college says its opening for in-person instruction, that can shift in a heartbeat. Be prepared that there could be a disruption or there might not be. We just dont know, says Betsy Mayotte, president and founder of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors. I think its important to mentally prepare yourself for that. Students may wait to put down a deposit until theres more clarity, says Kristen Capezza, vice president of enrollment management and university communications at Adelphi University. I dont think its for a lack of wanting [to attend], its a hesitancy because they want to know what it will look like, what they will be faced with and what they will be asked to comply with, says Capezza. Adelphi has told students its planning to reopen with new distancing and safety precautions in place. Heres what to consider if you head back to campus: Potential challenges of social distancing in a crowded campus environment. Whether youre prepared for a switch to remote or hybrid learning if theres a shutdown in your area. Whether your school will supply a prorated refund on room and board if it closes early. 3. Take a gap year Taking a gap year essentially means putting off enrollment. Often, many colleges will offer official deferment to incoming and current students to postpone attendance for a year without losing their spot. But students who choose to do it usually take a gap year to travel, intern or volunteer. Many of those options wont be available this time around. I think a gap year this year means a very basic Im not going to enroll for a year. I dont think it means theres anything extraordinary happening for that student, says MorraLee Keller, director of technical assistance for the National College Attainment Network. Heres what to consider if you decide to take a semester or year off: Your schools deferred-enrollment policy and deadlines. How youll spend the year if you dont take classes. Whether you already have student loans. If so, repayment will begin six months after leaving school. Contact your lender or servicer to find out your options to defer or lower payments. 4. Attend a community college, then transfer An inexpensive option would be to attend a community college thats functioning online or in person. This is a good option if youre uncertain about your school opening its doors in the fall and youre in your first two years of school. You can usually knock out a few requisite courses for less money, then transfer in the spring or fall 2021 semesters. Heres what to consider if you attend a community college: If credits will transfer to the school you plan to attend or if the credits you already earned are accepted by the community college. Your enrollment status. If youre not attending college at least half-time, it may be difficult to get a loan, since federal loans and most private lenders require at least half-time attendance. If you are not enrolled at least half-time and already have student loans, expect repayment to begin. What you can be doing now Make a decision as soon as you can. Keep a close eye on communications from your school. I know sometimes things happen that make it not possible to go, and I think schools understand that, but I think were all living in this world where we arent certain what the fall is going to look like, says Stacey Kostell, chief executive officer of the Coalition for College, a group of member colleges aiming to make higher education affordable for historically underrepresented students. Youre going to have to take a risk on that decision and hope for the best. Schools have some leeway. If enrollment is low at your school, you might receive more financial aid, says Kelchen. For example, enrollment is slightly lower than expected for the fall at Middle Tennessee State University, but incoming freshmen will find expanded scholarship offerings, according to Tyler Henson, director of the MT One Stop, the enrollment and services department at the university. If whats holding you back from making a decision is the financial strain, especially if your familys income has changed, there are options available to get more financial aid. Contact your college aid office about how to file an appeal, suggests Kostell. You should also update the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to reflect your familys current finances. And ask if any deferred payment options are available. For example, at Davidson College, students can now defer payments until August 2021. While youre in school, emergency aid help may be available to help you meet financial challenges. Ask what options exist at your school. More From NerdWallet Anna Helhoski is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: anna@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @AnnaHelhoski. Gov. Phil Murphys press conference Monday is expected to include an announcement that New Jersey is moving to Stage 2 of its coronavirus recovery plan with the reopening of nonessential businesses, outdoor dining and personal care services like salons and barbers, NJ Advance Media has learned from three sources. The press conference at the Trenton War Memorial starts at 2:30 p.m. and will be streamed on the governors YouTube channel. Murphy will be joined at the briefing by state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli, her communicable disease service medical director Dr. Edward Lifshitz and State Police Superintendent Col. Pat Callahan. Weve taken a whole lot of steps already, but were going to announce a whole lot more tomorrow, which will be effective sometime over the next couple of weeks, Murphy said Sunday morning during a radio interview on the AC Mike Show with Mike Lopez on WOND. On Sunday, health officials announced 66 additional deaths and 868 new positive tests, though officials have warned of lags in updating those numbers over the weekend. There are about 2,469 patients in 70 of the states 71 hospitals with coronavirus or a suspected case of the virus, according to the most recent figures published. More than 8,000 were hospitalized at the peak of the pandemic in mid-April. There have been at least 11,698 COVID-19 related deaths with 160,445 total cases. The governor is almost certain to be asked at the press conference about the looting and damage that took place in Trenton and Atlantic City Sunday following protests over the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Minneapolis man who died last week after a white police officer knelt across the handcuffed black mans neck. Four police officers were fired. One of the former officers, Derek Chauvin has been charged with murder and manslaughter. Protests over the weekend in Newark, Camden, Long Branch and New Brunswick were largely peaceful. Additional protests around the state are planned for this week. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. https://www.nj.com/lottery/2020/05/jersey-cash-5-jackpot-worth-306k-split-by-3-tickets.html Shows results of an online study conducted by LVPEI in collaboration with AIOS and The George Institute for Global Health India The results of an online study conducted by L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in collaboration with the All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) and The George Institute for Global Health, India to evaluate the psychological impact of the COVID-19 crisis on trainees and practising ophthalmologists in India during lockdown demonstrated that a significantly high proportion of ophthalmologists were affected psychologically as they are at an increased risk of close contact with the patients eyes and face. The findings of this study are in consonance with studies done globally on health workers which have shown that the mental health impact of COVID-19 is very high and it needs to be addressed immediately. COVID-19 outbreak has affected millions globally, both physically and mentally, causing psychological impact such as stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, denial, anger and fear. Psychological implications can be attributed to direct or indirect effects of the illness on livelihood and living conditions. Asymptomatic transmission of the disease causes fear and anxiety. In addition, lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and social discrimination increases the stress and anxiety levels among healthcare professionals. Stigmatization of health care professionals during an epidemic is common. There is a need for personalized mental health care from psychologists and psychiatrists, especially for those with moderate/severe depression and/or suicidal/self-harm ideations. This study showed that even the health workers who are not in the forefront of COVID-19 care and at less risk of being affected are suffering mental health consequences due to multiple factors. Dr Rohit C Khanna, Epidemiologist and Director rural eyecare services, L V Prasad Eye Institute said, The national and state ophthalmology societies, health administration, and the government should be cognizant of the need to support the mental health of all the healthcare workers, and not only those in the frontline of the management of COVID-19 infection. Pointing out that mental health was a very challenging and unaddressed issue during COVID-19, Dr Pallab Maulik, Deputy Director, and Director of Research at The George Institute for Global Health, India, said what we see in this study among a group of ophthalmologists is just the tip of the iceberg. Health care workers including doctors and nurses in general and other frontline health workers are facing huge mental health challenges during this pandemic and the stigmatisation just adds to their woes. The survey was completed by 2,355 ophthalmologists and ophthalmologists-in-training in the age group of 25 to 82 years. Depression was significantly higher in younger ophthalmologists. It was also higher in non-practicing ophthalmologists, as also those who were considerably worried about their training or professional growth, and those with difficulty in meeting living expenses. Overall, the results indicated that 765 (32.6%) had some degree of depression; mild: 504 (21.4%), moderate: 163 (6.9%) and severe: 101 (4.3%). Seventy-five (3.2%) ophthalmologist had suicidal/self-harm ideations during more than half of the period over the last two weeks. This was much higher than the 10% prevalence for common mental disorders reported from general population in India. The high level of depression could be due to a generalized pervading climate of uncertainty among the ophthalmologists, triggered by the limitations in training and job security; fear factor as COVID-19 can cause severe symptoms in a segment of infected individuals; limited knowledge and availability of personal protective equipment (PPE); lack of adequate care in hospitals; and a shortage of ventilators and intensive care unit beds if someone were to contract the disease. It could also arise out of a fear of carrying infection to the family members at home, including the elderly and sick. Finally, the entire situation has implications on the career in intermediate term, as the patient volume in most of the eye hospitals is expected to decrease significantly, thus impacting their financial sustainability and the quality of training. The survey was done using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a self-report measure used to assess the severity of depression over the prior two weeks. The survey was designed to understand the status of the mental health of ophthalmologists and possibly use the data to design policies and programs and provide useful solutions. The research was conducted primarily by Dr Rohit C Khanna, Dr Santosh G Honavar, Asha Latha Metla, Amritendu Bhattacharya, and Dr Pallab K. Maulik. UP government slammed by Muslim outfit for granting land for Mosque away from Ayodhya Anti-conversion has made UP into epicentre of bigotry says over 100 bureaucrats in letter Lakhimpur-Kheri violence case: No action will be taken under pressure, without evidence: UP CM UP lifts ban on inter-intra state travel India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Lucknow, June 01: The UP government on Sunday allowed interstate travel but left it to the district administrations of Ghaziabad and Noida to take a call on the movement of people from adjoining New Delhi. In guidelines on the next phase of the coronavirus lockdown, Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary R K Tiwari said, "There is no ban on inter-state and intra-state movement by persons or goods." Cabinet meet: 'Big decisions' expected as govt completes 1st year of 2nd term| Oneindia News Karnataka: Government issues fresh rules for inter-State travel The order added that there is no need for a separate approval or an e-permit for this. But at the same time, the order said there will be a ban on the movement of people from the containment areas in Delhi to the NCR areas of Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad. "The district administrations in consultation with police and the Health Department will issue separate orders for their respective areas as per the guidelines of Union Ministries of Home and Health and Family Welfare," he said. Unlock 1.0: All inter-state and intra-state travel restrictions to be lifted from June 1 The fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown against coronavirus ends Sunday. The Centre on Saturday announced broad guidelines on restriction and relaxations which will be in place up to June 30. The states have been allowed to come up with their own specific guidelines, based on Centre's order. Walnut Creek declared a citywide curfew Sunday night and asked businesses to shut down immediately in response to unrest and looting in the Broadway Plaza shopping area, one of several Bay Area suburbs where vandalism was reported. A woman was shot and wounded in the arm in connection with the Walnut Creek unrest, police told The Chronicle. Dozens of stores in the shopping district were vandalized, and officers eventually fired tear gas to disperse protesters. Due to civil unrest in the Broadway Plaza area, the city of Walnut Creek is establishing a curfew, effective at 6:00 pm today & asking all businesses downtown to close immediately, the Police Department tweeted. Please ensure your doors are locked & secured. Nearby Pleasant Hill warned people to stay away from that citys downtown and the Crossroads Shopping Center and declared a curfew Sunday night. Danville and Santa Clara also imposed curfews, joining San Francisco and San Jose in ordering people not to go out at night without a valid reason. In Fremont, access to the Pacific Commons shopping center was closed around 9 p.m. due to civil unrest throughout the region and shopping centers being targeted by looters, the Police Department there reported. And in San Leandro, there was widespread looting in and around Bayfair Mall. Dozens of stores were ransacked. Walnut Creek police Capt. Jay Hill said there had been a shooting related to the protests in the Contra Costa County city, but details were sketchy. Several officers said the victim was a woman. BART said it had closed the Walnut Creek, Concord, Lafayette and Hayward stations because of the unrest. The Walnut Creek station is near a Target store, one of several that the chain has temporarily shuttered in the Bay Area because of unrest prompted by the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd on Monday. The Walnut Creek Target was among the stores vandalized Sunday. The sound of saws and power tools filled the air downtown as dozens of stores boarded up after seeing the looting at dozens of other establishments, including at Macys in Broadway Plaza. Police in riot gear stood guard at every major entrance to the downtown core, blocking off traffic and telling people to go home before night fell. Weve got a lot of nice places to steal from, so maybe thats why theyre coming here, Hill said. I dont see any signs around these smashed stores, just broken glass. Around 7:30 p.m., about 30 protesters started marching down North Main Street yelling, No justice no peace, and other slogans. About an hour later, police fired tear gas at the group to keep them away from stores at North California Boulevard and Bonanza Street. The crowd ran north and appeared to have dispersed. I understand protesting, but when it comes to ruining peoples businesses, especially with this pandemic going on how can you do this? said Marc Croke of Pleasant Hill, who came to town to help friends board up the Havana restaurant on Bonanza Street. Its one thing to protest, but this? How does this help racial justice? Id say the police need to be leaning hard on this destruction to prevent it. Now Playing: Protesters refused to heed official pleas to stay home Saturday, instead taking to Oakland and Bay Area streets, where police officers in riot gear faced another night of outrage over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Here's an inside look. Video: Matthias Gafni, Erika Carlos 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. Paris Peabody, 24, came from Concord to join the protest. He said he wanted to send a peaceful message, not one of vandalism. Its important for people to keep their heads cool, he said. Big corporations like Target in Minneapolis OK, maybe the destruction there you could understand. But little places around here? No. This is about racial justice, not looting. One woman who gave her name only as Bee drove to Walnut Creek in her Toyota SUV, which had been painted with slogans including, Listen to our cries, to join the protest. I live in the East Bay, and I went to Danville and a lot of places where white people need to wake up, she said. They need to hear things are not business as usual. If the cops stopped killing us, this stuff wouldnt happen. Kevin Fagan and Trapper Byrne are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com tbyrne@sfchronicle.com Parimal Naskar, a salesman and resident of Tetultala in Jessore Road, Dumdum, woke up early on Monday, and after a quick prayer, pulled out his bi-cycle from a temporary tarpaulin shed behind his one-room shanty and left for Bagri Market in Kolkatas Burrabazar area. Ever since the lockdown was imposed to check the spread of coronavirus, Naskar has been facing acute financial crisis. Two months on, when his employers asked him to join the gaddi (as wholesale business establishments of the Marwari community are known in the business district of central Kolkata), Naskar is looking forward to start afresh. He wore a mask and gloves and paddled all the way amid the sweltering heat to Burrabazar to rejoin duty. His wife, Malati, asked him to bring a packet of Maggi as their daughter has asking for it since days. So far, Naskar thought it wise to not spend money on non-essential items, but on Monday, he promised his daughter to fulfil her wish as he left for work. As Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a phase-wise reopening of the state fighting the twin disasters of coronavirus and cyclone Amphan, families of sole bread-earners like Naskars express relief. Thousands of people across the city came out on Monday to reach their respective work places and reopen their businesses badly hit by the months-old lockdown. Commuters had a harrowing time due to the availability of less number of public transport. Suspension of local trains added to the woes as thousands from the suburbs and outskirts are dependent on railways to reach their place of work in the city. While some walked to their offices, others managed to find space in government buses, social distancing gone for a toss in several cases. A majority of private bus operators have refused to resume services due to fare issues, but ferry services across the Hooghly river resumed after months. I came to the ferry ghat in a cycle and from there, I took the ferry to BK Pal launch ghat and then walked towards my office at Poddar Court. Ferries are a big relief for us, said Nibaran Das, an employee of a furniture shop at Rabindra Sarani. However, those using their own vehicles expressed their satisfaction over the role of police in managing traffic. In some of the major intersections like Howrah, Gariahat, Shyambazar, VIP Road, Ultadanga, and Garia in the city, commuters were seen flouting social distancing norms while standing in queue and boarding buses. Meanwhile, the civic body imposed fines on those not wearing masks in front of markets, shops and salons. Violators were sent back home. Shopkeepers and other essential service providers were asked not entertain customers not abiding norms. Most traders expressed fears about not being able to make good the losses suffered due to the lockdown and customers staying away even now fearing spread of the infection. Bimal Rathi, a wholesale trader of electrical and bathroom fittings items in the citys Ezra Street area, said most labourers have gone home and he could find none around to transport goods. Most of the transporters are from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and all of them went back to their hometown. Also, many shops across the city are yet to reopen as there is fear among traders about the spread of COVID-19. I came to my office today, but there is no business. We are actually worried about our future, Rathi said. Although relaxations have been announced for religious institutions, most of the well-known temples across the state like Dakshineshwar temple, Kalighat, Tarapith, Belur Math, Iskon temple are yet to re-open for devotees. The famous Lake Kali Bari and Thantania Kali temple in the city, however, opened their doors to worshippers on Monday. On May 29, the chief minister had said, All government and private offices will be operational with 100 percent workforce from June. Tea and jute sectors will also operate with 100 per cent attendance. We have to live with coronavirus, but the economy come to a standstill Regarding opening of religious places, Banerjee had urged members of such institutions to follow all safety measures. All these places should be sanitised properly and not more than 10 people will be allowed at a time, she had said. A senior bureaucrat in the state secretariat said Monday being the first day of eased curbs, commuters may have faced some problems, adding that things would improve in the coming days. We have asked the district administrations and police to ensure people follow the norms to contain the spread of virus. The city will take some time to adjust with the present pandemic situation, he said. After a scorching video conference from Washington on Monday, highlighted by President Donald Trump chastising some governors for not clamping down harder on civil unrest, Gov. Ned Lamont said he wont put National Guard troops into Connecticut streets to oppose people peacefully exercising their constitutional rights to assemble and speak. Lamont, who earlier in the day said hes totally at one with demonstrators who stood up against police violence over the weekend - and who wore an I Cant Breathe T-shirt in a Sunday message on social media - rejected Trumps divisive remarks that urged that governors either dominate protesters or are jerks. During an early evening appearance in the White House Rose Garden, Trump doubled-down, announcing that he feels the law enforcement presence established by mayors and governors is insufficient. I will deploy the United States military and solve the problem for them, he said. I am mobilizing all available federal resources, civilian and military to stop the rioting and looting. Joining Lamont in his daily news briefing was U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-5, who said the recent death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police was more than just a homicide involving a black man and a white cop. We witnessed an execution, said Hayes, whose husband is a black Waterbury police officer who has recovered from a COVID-19 infection and was on the job over the weekend. The congresswoman warned that law enforcement has to do a better job of recruiting a more-diverse workforce, especially in cities where police are not seen as friends of the under-served communities. We need to have some honest conversations, Hayes said, stressing that younger minority residents dont recall the historic civil rights movement of the 1960s. During a briefing with Lamont in the State Capitol, James Rovella, commissioner of the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, said he has discussed various scenarios with Connecticut National Guard officials, but no solid plans have been developed. Rovella, commenting on weekend protests that led to scattered arrests and the closure of interstate highways in New Haven, Bridgeport and Waterbury, warned that it is extremely dangerous for pedestrians to enter roadways where traffic typically travels at 75 miles per hour. Our protests have been generally peaceful, said Rovella. There have been some altercations at the front doors of police departments, or there have been some arrests in different areas. Were gauging that as we go. Rovella said that he has spoken with Connecticut National Guard officials to hypothesize plans if incidents escalate in intensity similar to Minneapolis and other cities where violence has occurred. Weve had those conversations and were prepared for them, but right now neither one of us see the benefit of that, but theyre on our horizon, if needed, said Rovella, who sat near Lamont during the hour-long, televised briefing. Asked if Trumps statements to the nations governors were election-year campaign rhetoric, Lamont, 66 recalled being 14-years-old during the 1968 election, which occurred during national unrest over the Vietnam War and the assassinations of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, a Democratic presidential candidate. That year, Republican Richard M. Nixon was elected on a law and order platform similar to what Trump seems to be trying to carve out of the cratering national economy and over 100,000 dead in the pandemic. It does play into the body politic, Lamont said of Trumps aggressive position. Im old enough to remember those days. But I do think, broadly speaking, militarizing this situation is not the way to go. During a two-minute-long diatribe in what was supposed to be a teleconference with governors focused on the coronavirus pandemic, Trump warned the nations governors that they must dominate protesters. Trump blamed the radical left for the protests, which were essentially condoned by weak Democratic governors, he said. You have to dominate, Trump said in a section of the meeting posted on Vice News. If you dont dominate youre wasting your time and theyre going to run all over you and make you look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate and you have to arrest people. Lamont said Trumps message is the opposite of what were trying to do here in Connecticut as we reach out to our community and work through the meaning of George Floyds life and sudden death together and what that means. During an early evening appearance in the White House Rose Garden, Trump doubled-down, announcing that he feels the law enforcement presence established by mayors and governors is insufficient. I will deploy the United States military and solve the problem for them, he said. I am mobilizing all available federal resources, civilian and military to stop the rioting and looting. Earlier in the day, Lamont was grateful that most protests in Connecticut were peaceful. Im totally at one with the people who are standing up and saying how can this continue, Lamont said during a Monday morning interview on WNPR radio in Hartford. Weve had more of these incidents over the last 40 years, 50 years, 100 years in this country and the progress is so slow. I also thanks the protesters, the overwhelming majority of whom were peaceful, and I think that makes a much-more-positive statement about how we should all be doing better. But I take that message to heart. Lamont said he has made a point of fostering diversity in his administration and has also focused on recruiting teachers of color, particularly men, so pupils can look up to them as role models. Lamont said that he has also reached out to the General Assemblys Black and Puerto Rican Caucus for recommendations on recruiting judges, educators, and law enforcement personnel. There we have a long way to go, Lamont said during WNPRs Where We Live morning talk and call-in show. Thats one way I want to make sure that people look at their government and say I think they are looking out for people like me. Lamont said the state has to work closer with under-served residents. I want the police to be part of the community, Lamont said. And if there are bad actors or bad incidents we just dont deal with it, but we deal with it much more expeditiously. I am saddened by the slow wheels of justice sometimes. Thousands of demonstrators massed throughout the state at police headquarters and city streets during the weekend protests that also shut down sections of interstate highways in New Haven, Bridgeport and Waterbury. On Sunday, in a Twitter posting, Lamont wore a black I Cant Breathe T-shirt in memory of Floyd. The governor said he was particularly shocked that despite the presences of witnesses at the scene in Minneapolis, no one stopped the assault, in which the police officer now charged with his death kept his knee on Floyds throat for nearly nine minutes. The governor praised responses from police chiefs in Waterbury and Stamford, who engaged protesters whose outrage has become a national issued fueled by the vulnerability of minority communities during the coronavirus crisis and simmering opposition to institutionalized, multi-generational racism in America. Lamont said he was emotionally impacted by Bridgeport Police Chief Armando Perezs response, when he told protesters that Perez would have been demonstrating as well if he wasnt trying to keep the peace as hundreds gathered and blocked traffic on Route 8 on Saturday. But Bridgeport Police have been under harsh criticism themselves for a 2017 incident that resulted in the death of 15-year-old Jayson Negron. Mayor Joe Ganim did not release the video of the fatal encounter until two years and five months later, until well after the mayors controversial re-election primary with state Sen. Marilyn Moore. Emilie Munson contributed to this report. Genetic analysis of 55 ancient individuals finds that genetic changes in Yellow River, West Liao River and Amur River populations correlate with the intensification of farming and the inclusion of a pastoral economy While recent advances in ancient DNA analysis have established the major patterns of prehistoric human migration in western Eurasia, the population history of eastern Eurasia remains little understood. Northern China is of particular importance, as it harboured two of the world's earliest agricultural centres for millet farming: the Yellow and West Liao River basins. Both basins are famous for their rich archaeological cultures and their influence on nearby regions. However, little is known about their genetic interactions and how these affected the dispersal of millet farming over northern China and surrounding regions. To tackle these questions, a team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History (MPI SHH) in Germany collaborated with geneticist Prof. Dr. Yinqiu Cui and her team at the School of Life Sciences at Jilin University in China. With joint forces, they were able to sequence 55 genomes from across northern China dating between 7,500 and 1,700 years ago, covering the Yellow River, West Liao River and Amur River regions. Their results add to discussions concerning the relationship between genetic contacts and subsistence change while providing the first comprehensive genetic overview of northern China. Correlated changes of genes and subsistence The researchers find that, contrary to the strong genetic continuity in the Amur basin, genetic profiles in the West Liao River region substantially changed over time. Yellow River, however, showed a general genetic stability but received genetic contribution from populations related to present-day groups in southern China since the middle Neolithic. "Although the genetic changes in each region differ in timing and intensity, each shift is correlated with changes in subsistence strategy," says lead author Chao Ning of the MPI SHH's eurasia3angle team. "As we look backwards in time, an increase of Amur River affinity in West Liao River corresponds with the inclusion of a pastoral economy during the Bronze Age, prior to that, an increased Yellow River affinity in the same region is correlated with the intensification of millet farming in the late Neolithic. Finally, our earliest results show that an affinity of Yellow River to populations from southern China (e.g. from the Yangtze River basin) since the middle Neolithic is concordant with the northward dispersal of rice farming." Corresponding author Choongwon Jeong, formerly a geneticist on the eurasia3angle team now affiliated with Seoul National University in South Korea, puts the findings in perspective. "We realize that our current dataset needs ancient genomes from people who brought rice agriculture into northeast China, such as ancient farmers from the Shandong and Lower Yangtze River regions, but nevertheless our study is a major step forward in understanding how this region developed." "For me, as a linguist, our findings truly are an eye-opener," says senior author Martine Robbeets, principal investigator of the eurasia3angle team. "As the West Liao River Basin is associated with the origin of the Transeurasian language family and the Yellow River Basin with the Sino-Tibetan family, our results fuel the debate on the historical correlation between archaeological cultures, languages and genes." ### By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Southwest Monsoon also called Edavapathi in local parlance has arrived over Kerala, exactly on the normal onset date of June 1, confirmed the India Meteorological Department (IMD). There has been good pre-monsoon rainfall across the state over the past few days and other criteria required to announce the arrival of monsoon have been met, said the IMD. The state has been experiencing heavy spells of rain owing to low pressure formed over the Arabian Sea. The low pressure is set to turn into a depression and then into a cyclone called Nisarga which is very likely to move northwards and reach the north Maharashtra and Gujarat coasts by June 3. The cyclonic disturbance over the Arabian Sea has made the conditions favourable for the arrival of the monsoon. Earlier, the IMD announced that the monsoon would arrive in the state by June 5 with a model error of plus or minus four days. However, the weather agency revised its prediction after the formation of a cyclonic disturbance saying that the arrival of the monsoon would be advanced to June 1. In 2019, the monsoon had hit Kerala on June 8, a week after the normal onset date. The weather models issued by the IMD also sounded a yellow alert in nine districts warning of heavy rains. NextShark A Lowes in Illinois has come under fire after a Chinese woman and Springfield resident claims another customer told her to go back to her country. Xuna Hu says she was shopping for two fire pits when the other customer tried to get Hu to hand over one of the pits, leading up to the alleged racist encounter at a Lowes branch on Wabash Avenue on Jan. 17. "I was like alright, Ill just give you one then, Hu told WICS Channel 20. May 17 8:44 p.m.: An officer dispatched to the 100 block of Center Street cited Megan T. Krage, 28, Woodstock, Illinois, on suspicion of possession of THC. 2:14 a.m.: Officers in the 600 block of Wells Street arrested Michael H. Fink, 52, Lake Geneva, on suspicion of disorderly conduct and battery. 1:49 a.m.: An officer conducting a traffic stop at 1550 S. Lakeshore Drive cited Kyle W. Santiago, 20, Lake Geneva, on suspicion of possession of THC and underage drinking-possession. May 16 10:25 p.m.: An officer in the 700 block of West Main Street cited Zachary A. Steinberg, 32, McHenry, Illinois, on suspicion of disorderly conduct-public urination. 7:53 p.m.: An officer conducting a traffic stop on Center Street near West Main Street cited Ulises Israel Navarro Arredondo, 29, Delavan, on suspicion of operating without valid license. 7:29 p.m.: Officers in the 100 block of Center Street cited Victoria M. Kwietniewski, 20, Libertyville, Illinois, on suspicion of alcohol-open beverage in public. 1:19 a.m.: An officer dispatched to Madison Street near George Street cited Jesse W. Case, 28, Lake Geneva, on suspicion of hit and run-unattended vehicle and operating under the influence. May 15 4:47 a.m.: An officer conducting a traffic stop on West Main Street near Maxwell Street cited Maria A. Merino, 53, Lake Geneva, on suspicion of operating without a valid license. 4:03 p.m.: An officer dispatched to the 1700 block of Conant Street cited Robert Kunecki, 47, Lake Geneva, on suspicion of animal-barking dogs and animal-license required. 2:17 a.m.: An officer conducting a traffic stop on Williams Street near Ann Street cited Thomas D. Ostrowski, 38, Lake Geneva, on suspicion of operating without a valid license. May 13 7:10 a.m.: An officer dispatched to 1200 W. Main St. cited Charles J. Heise, 73, Lake Geneva, on suspicion of trespassing to land, animal-dogs/cats running at large and animal-removal of fecal matter. May 12 11:14 p.m.: Officers dispatched to the 1100 block of Wells Street cited Revea Quinn Maclin, 25, Elkhorn, on suspicion of operating under the influencefirst offense. May 11 11:59 p.m.: An officer conducting a traffic stop on Center Street near West Main Street cited Angela H. Lonigro, 18, Genoa City, on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia. 4:40 a.m.: An officer conducting a traffic stop on South Edwards Boulevard near Park Drive cited Zachary S. Jellish, 29, Willow Springs, Illinois, on suspicion of exceeding speed zones by 25-29 mph. 2:02 a.m.: An officer dispatched to the 300 block of Wells Street cited Corey M. Spek, 28, Silver Lake, on suspicion of resisting an officer. 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. With nearly 30,000 dead in Brazil and more than 10,000 dead in Mexico, the novel coronavirus epidemic threatens to shatter hospital systems across Latin America -- while France, which is emerging from a similar nightmare scenario, begins on Tuesday a gradual return to normalcy. Four of the 10 countries showing the greatest number of new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours were in Latin America, the World Health Organization's emergencies director Michael Ryan said. The pandemic has now killed more than 377,000 people and infected at least 6.3 million since erupting in China in late 2019. Efforts to halt its spread by imposing restrictions on everyday life have plunged economies into recession. However in Europe, schools, pools, pubs and tourist sites have begun to open, defying warnings that this could trigger a second wave of infections. The United States -- where the pandemic has been overshadowed by unrest following the death of a black man at the hands of a white police officer -- remains by far the worst-affected country. But novel coronavirus cases are spreading quickly in Latina America. Brazil, Peru, Chile and Mexico are experiencing the largest daily increases, while the numbers are on the rise in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Haiti. "Countries are having to work very, very hard to both understand the scale of infection but also health systems are beginning to come under pressure across the region," said Ryan, speaking at a virtual press conference from Geneva. He expressed particular concern for Haiti. Latin America has passed one million cases and recorded more than 50,000 deaths. Brazil has reported more than half of those cases and close to 60 percent of the fatalities. Even so, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro announced Monday that the popular tourist city would begin to gradually ease lockdown measures starting Tuesday, beginning with the reopening of places of worship and water sports. Mexico also began reopening on Monday, reactivating the automotive industry, mining and construction even though the country has recorded more than virus 10,000 deaths -- second only to Brazil in Latin America. Ryan warned that the region is not out of danger yet. "I would certainly characterize that Central and South America in particular have very much become the intense zones for transmission of this virus," he said. "I don't believe we have reached the peak in that transmission and, at this point, I cannot predict when we will." - Britain moving too soon? - In Europe, from Russia to France, Italy and Britain, countries have started to emerge from months-long lockdowns, cautiously adopting a post-pandemic version of normal. Bars began to serve again in Finland and Norway -- with distancing restrictions or shortened hours in place -- while some schools in Britain and Greece opened their doors again. Britain reported 111 more virus deaths on Monday, the lowest daily toll since the lockdown started on March 23. But critics of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government say it is moving too soon. "COVID-19 spreading too fast to lift lockdown in England," scientific advisor Jeremy Farrar said on Twitter. In Russia, Moscow shopping malls and parks reopened on Monday even though the country ranks third in the world in new daily cases. Shopkeepers were eager to see business pick up again. "I'm pretty optimistic," a vendor named Olga told AFP at her shop selling handbags and jewelery in central Moscow. Russia's President Vladimir Putin meanwhile called Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to wish him a speedy recovery, as he became the latest leader to test positive for the virus. - Colosseum reopened - Greece opened some hotels, schools, pools and tattoo parlors, while in Slovenia a mandatory rule to wear masks was eased as the country declared the end of the outbreak. In Romania, Bucharest's Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum reopened, as did Rome's famed Colosseum, although only to Italians. The latest official figures from Italy were encouraging: over the last 24 hours there were 178 new cases and 60 deaths, continuing a downward trend. There was also good news from Spain, another country badly hit by the virus: on Monday it recorded its first 24-hour period without a COVID-19 death since March 3. France registered 31 deaths over the last 24 hours, a day before it was due to reopen cafes, restaurants and bistros, closed since the lockdown began on March 17. In South Africa, scores of joyous people blasting music queued outside liquor stores in the Johannesburg township of Soweto, waiting to stock up after a nine-week ban on alcohol sales ended. "We are overwhelmed, over the moon, so excited. This place is jamming," said one customer, Bongani Khumalo. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize pleaded with citizens not to "panic-buy" and to "reduce consumption". - Fresh Ebola outbreak - The pandemic has devastated the global economy, which is facing the worst downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s. With businesses and citizens growing tired of confinement pressure is building on national leaders to end the lockdowns -- especially in countries where the outbreak appear to be slowing. But health experts continue to warn of a possible second wave of infections if authorities and citizens let their guard down. In the United States, Washington and Los Angeles resumed outdoor dining, while New York City is on track to begin reopening from June 8. The US now recorded almost 107,000 novel coronavirus deaths, and over 1.8 virus million cases. The WHO insists it wants to keep working with US authorities despite President Donald Trump's decision last week to cut ties with the organization. Meanwhile, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there was a reminder that the threat of other deadly infections continues. The health ministry reported a fresh outbreak of Ebola in the northwest region of the huge central African country. burs-bc/ch Nail care is a huge part of ones personality. Well-done nails add more to an outfit than you can think. They become a part of the outfit; they become the best accessory you would wear. Under lock-down 4.0, with salons still shut, it is difficult to keep your nails up to the mark. Shoppers Stop, brings to you new ways to flaunt your best accessory Nails! Through their latest campaign #NailTheDay, the brand will set trends on how women can rock those happy nails at home. Shoppers Stop kick-starts its three-day campaign with how shoppers can flaunt their best accessory at home. Nail aficionados love a good tutorial on how to perfect some new looks. The second and third day of the campaign would be celebrated as days of mastering how to do your nails perfectly and learning a DIY Nail Art. Customers can learn from influencers like @ArtByChandhu and @NalisByPuja. They will be encouraged to watch the tutorial and post a picture using #NailTheDay flaunting their freshly done nails. The best ones will be featured on Shoppers Stops stories and posts. Leading up to World Nail Polish Day, Shoppers Stop will also host a tutorial by brand Sugar on tips and tricks to curate easy yet trendy nail art. An engagement activity on colour wheel, where customers can tap on the screen when they see their favorite colour and share this with the brand to get featured on the social media handles. On World Nail Polish day, the best of these nail art pictures will be featured by Shoppers Stop on their social media handles. So, get creative with salon-like treatments in the comfort of your own home this weekend only with Shoppers Stop! Opt for nail polishes and nail-care kits from a wide range of brands like Chambor, Colorbar, Faces, Havells, Kara, Lakme, L'Oreal, Maybelline, MyGlamm, Revlon, Basicare, Soulflower and Sugar. To celebrate World Nail Polish Day, Shoppers Stop will also offer discounts on amazing brands like Colorbar, Faces, MyGlamm, Lakme, Revlon and Chambor. Shop for your favorite colors on to Shoppers Stops website or download the App. Currently, the nail polish market in India is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 10%, to reach $ 143.6 million by 2024. The growth drivers being rising demand for nail polish and nail care products, increasing middle class population and discretionary spends and emergence of new brands in this category. Brands are looking at revolutionizing the current line of product by attractive packaging, quality and launching products that suit the local flavor. A manuscript described as a 'Who's Who of Medieval England' has revealed the faces of royalty, wine-loving soldiers and a landowner known as 'Aethelwine the Black' who all donated to the Church to ensure they went to heaven. The St Albans Benefactors' Book includes the names and descriptions of around 600 people who gave gifts to the Church from 1380 until approximately 1540. It also contains more than 200 colourful portraits of those who journeyed to St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire, including a princess who donated gold and a soldier who 'gave wine liberally.' The illuminated manuscript, which has now been digitised by the British Library, was made to take pride of place on the Abbey's high alter. A portrait of Joan, Countess of Kent and mother of Richard II, seen inside the St Albans Benefactors' Book after she donated a gold necklace and 100 shillings Robert Chamberleyn, an esquire to Henry V, was said to have given 'wine liberally' upon his arrival at St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire King Offa of Mercia: Fierce Anglo-Saxon ruler of the Midlands Pictured: Offa, King of Mercia Among those depicted in portraits in the St Albans Benefactors' Book was Offa, King of Mercia. Mercia was one of four main kingdoms in Anglo-Saxon England, comprised of modern-day Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and northern West Midlands and Warwickshire. Offa led the kingdom from 757 until his death in July 796, ascending to the throne after a period of civil war following the assassination of Aethelbald. He was a Christian king who often came into conflict with the Church, particularly with Jaenburht, the Archbishop of Canterbury. He also persuaded Pope Adrian I to divide the archdiocese of Canterbury into two, forming a new archdiocese in Lichfield. Offa is often considered the most powerful Anglo-Saxon king before Alfred the Great. Advertisement It now provides a rare glimpse into the lives of those who made pilgrimages from London and beyond to give gifts to the Church, with all levels of society who could afford to donate organised by rank. Eleanor Jackson, curator of illuminated manuscripts at the British Library, said in a blog post: 'Made to take pride of place on the abbey's high altar, the St Albans Benefactors' Book reads like a who's who of medieval England. 'It preserves hundreds of names, details and portraits of people who made gifts to the Abbey of St Albans throughout the Middle Ages. 'Far more than a list of donors, it presents a vivid picture of a community and all the individuals who comprised it. Its pages bustle with the life and colour of medieval society.' Royalty were found at the start of the manuscript, followed by clergymen, aristocracy, merchants, fishmongers and millers who are pictured alongside the gifts they had presented. The 'Golden Book of St Albans' was established in around 1380 as a register of members of the Abbey's confraternity by abbot Thomas de la Mare. Its preface said anyone who made a donation to the Church could be admitted, earning them an induction ceremony, spiritual benefits and a record in the book. Ms Jackson told the Times many would have donated to join the confraternity as it was 'a good way of making sure that you got a place in heaven.' Among those featured in the lively portraits is Joan, Countess of Kent, Princess of Wales and Aquitaine, who donated a gold necklace and 100 shillings. The royal, who was the mother of Richard II, was depicted in a red and gold dress as she clutched the necklace she donated to the Abbey. Robert Chamberleyn, an esquire to Henry V, was said to have given wine 'liberally' to the Church upon his arrival in 1417, and was pictured on his knees in full armour. Other portraits depicted Nigel the Miller, who gave a yearly sum of four shillings, and an abbot of St Albans Richard of Wallingford, who is seen with a blemished face 'reflecting the fact he was said to have suffered from leprosy.' Abbot of St Albans Richard of Wallingford is seen with a blemished face 'reflecting the fact he was said to have suffered from leprosy' In another portrait, a man known as 'Aethelwine the Black', who gave land to the Abbey during the reign of Edward the Confessor alongside his wife Wynflaed, is depicted with dark skin Entries to the Benefactors' Book did not only include contemporaries, but stretched back to King Offa of Mercia, who is said to have founded the Abbey in 793 They were drawn by lay artist Alan Strayler, who waived the cost of the pigments for a place among the Abbey's benefactors. He included a self-portrait in the book, in which he is seen with pointed shoes and a bulbous nose Aethelgifu, a 10th-century noblewoman who gave land, 30 gold mancuses, 30 oxen, 20 cows, 250 sheep, a herd of pigs with a swineherd, 2 silver cups, 2 horns, a book, a curtain and a cushion to the Church 'The Fair Maid of Kent': Mother of Richard II who donated gold to St Albans Abbey Pictured: Joan, Countess of Kent with her husband Edward of Woodstock Joan, Countess of Kent was the wife of Edward the Black Prince, and the mother of Richard II. She lived between 1326 and 1385, and was described by one French chronicler Jean Froissant as 'the most beautiful woman in all the realm of England, and the most loving.' The royal, who was also dubbed the Fair Maid of Kent, inherited the titles of 4th Countess of Kent and 5th Baroness Wake of Liddell after the death of her brother in 1352. Advertisement Entries to the Benefactors' Book did not only include contemporaries, but stretched back to King Offa of Mercia, who is said to have founded the Abbey in 793. They were drawn by lay artist Alan Strayler, who waived the cost of the pigments for a place among the Abbey's benefactors in return. He included a self-portrait in the book, in which he is seen with pointed shoes and a bulbous nose. Ms Jackson added: 'Strayler's lively portraits are full of individuality. 'People assume different postures, facial features, expressions and gestures. 'They wear detailed costumes appropriate to their social rank and many of them are shown proudly clutching the prized objects that they donated to the Abbey. 'Although it is unclear how closely they reflect the actual appearances of the people they represent, the portraits give a vivid impression of assorted personalities and walks of life.' In one portrait, a man known as 'Aethelwine the Black', who gave land to the Abbey during the reign of Edward the Confessor alongside his wife Wynflaed, is depicted with dark skin. Another image shows John Berkamsted, an abbot of St Albans, who according to the Latin manuscript 'did nothing memorable in his life' Other portraits depicted Nigel the Miller, who gave a yearly sum of four shillings. He is seen above clutching a cloth purse containing the money Petronilla de Benstede gave a round super-altar of jasper set in silver, seen above in the St Albans Benefactors' Book Richard of Wallingford: A pioneer in astronomy and horology at St Albans Abbey Pictured: Richard of Wallingford Richard of Wallingford was an English cleric who made major contributions to astronomy and horology as abbot of St Albans Abbey. He is best known for the astronomical clock he designed, which was later destroyed in Henry VIII's reformation in 1539. Richard was said to have contracted leprosy when he travelled to have his position as abbot confirmed by the Pope at Avignon. He died in St Albans in 1336, and his portrait in the manuscript is thought to show his blemished face due to the illness. Advertisement Another image shows John Berkamsted, abbot of St Albans, who according to the Latin manuscript 'did nothing memorable in his life'. A second clergyman, Ealdred, was said to have filled in the cave of a dragon for the Church. In another portrait, a noblewoman is seen in a red dress as she is mentioned in the book after donating 20 gold mansuses, two silver cups, two horns, a book, a curtain and a cushion to the Church. She also offered livestock, including 30 oxen, 20 cows, 250 sheep and a herd of pigs with a swineherd. Others donated wine, fulfilment of tasks and money to the Abbey. Ms Jackson told the Times: 'Depictions of ordinary people are rare, as are insights into their lives. 'Looking through the pages of the benefactors' book you see all these individual people with different personalities, backgrounds and social aspirations. 'Each portrait is like a tiny window on a life once lived. It's incredibly rich and evocative. 'There are no other surviving confraternity books on the scale of the St Albans Benefactors' Book, either in terms of the number of members or the extensive artwork.' Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 19:13:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RIYADH, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Saudi-led coalition involved in a war in Yemen announced on Monday the interception of two drones launched towards border city Khamis Mushait. The coalition spokesperson Col. Turki Al-Maliki said in a statement on the Saudi Press Agency that the destroyed drones that were launched by Houthi militia targeted civilians. He accused the militia of continuing to violate customary International Humanitarian Law by threatening the lives of civilians. The spokesperson said that the militia rejects the cease-fire that has been enforced by the coalition from April 9. The Houthis' cease-fire violations exceeded 5,000 involving the use of weapons and missiles, he revealed. The cease-fire decision was part of a call by UN Secretary-General Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths for warring parties to lay down their weapons. He stressed that the coalition would continue to take adhering measures to neutralize Houthis military capabilities. The coalition completed in March its fifth year of war in Yemen in support to Yemeni elected government against Houthis. Enditem FAIRFIELD Democrats have unanimously nominated Michelle McCabe for the 28th state senate district seat in a virtual meeting. The seat represents Easton, Fairfield, Newtown, Weston and Westport. Republican Senator Tony Hwang currently holds the office. Democrats seemed to have their ducks in a row in the Monday meeting, which lasted only a half hour. While McCabe, a Fairfield resident, said she expressed a Connecticut-focused position during her campaign kickoff in January, national politics have made her candidacy all the more urgent. None of us could have predicted that months later, a pandemic would show us the degree to which our national division would threaten our very existence, McCabe said. The urgency with which we campaigned in 2018 now seems frighteningly prescient. It is not an overstatement that 2020 is the fight for our very lives and who we choose to lead us at all levels of government matters more than ever. McCabe said public officials would require a strength of purpose and a willingness to make unpopular but necessary decisions. We arent terribly good at navigating the divide between whats best for ourselves, and whats best for the common good, she said. Thats why we outsourced the decision-making to the government. Our elected leaders have the unenviable job of weighing opposing interests and making a decision. We will only survive the challenge ahead if we elect people who we trust to thoughtfully and decisively lead us out of the pandemic and into what will be a very different world, and who are willing to brave the fallout of very unhappy people in the process, McCabe said. My opponent is not that person. I am. McCabe currently works as the Director of the Center for Food Equity and Economic Development at the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport. It said she has worked on a number of committees and programs, including as a member of the Sacred Heart University School of Social Work Advisory Committee and as a regional advisory committee member of the Women's Business Development Council. I have the courage to know that I dont know everything, to welcome all opinions especially if they challenge my own, and to steadfastly make decisions that strike the proper balance between personal freedom and the common good, even if it doesnt please everyone, she said. You will always know where I stand. Ill earn your vote because of my character, and I wont avoid talking about something that I believe is right for fear you might disagree. Wikimedia Commons Islamabad: Afghanistan traders have said their transit cargo is lying at Karachi ports under severe demurrage and detention charges since the first week of March 2020 and they are now demanding a clearance of it. The traders have argued that both Afghan transit trade and bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan suffer losses of billions of rupees. Ahmad Shah Yarzada, member of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who imports goods under transit trade, told Daily Times they encounter delays up to 5-12 days for cargo clearance at Karachi, whereas the domestic cargo is cleared within 1-4 days based on the available evidence. This causes considerable losses for Afghan traders because shipping company generally provides only 21 days free detention including clearance time, but it takes at least 25-30 days to complete the cycle of returning the empty container back to the shipping company owing partly to transit and customs delays, Yarzada said. Incidentally, Pakistan and its landlocked neighbour Afghanistan had signed transit trade agreement in 1965 that was revised in 2010. Afghan traders have been accessing ports in Karachi since then. Pakistan also allowed Afghan traders to import goods via the Gwadar port in Balochistan province. 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, reports Daily Times. Abdul Razak Dawood, advisor to Pakistani prime minister on commerce, textile, industry and production, and investment says that a cargo ship, carrying 16,000 tons urea for transit to Afghanistan arrived at the Gwadar port on Friday. The China Overseas Port Holding Company, which operates the Gwadar port, also confirmed arrival of the Afghan cargo ship, reported the newspaper. Welcoming the move, Afghanistan envoy in Pakistan Atif Mashal tweeted:"Thank you@razak_dawoodSahib for your efforts. This will certainly have a positive impact on Afghanistan-Pak trade & transit ties. We must extend support to each other for revival of commerce & connectivity in Central and South Asia that will surely benefit people in the region." Thank you @razak_dawood Sahib for your efforts. This will certainly have a positive impact on Afghanistan-Pak trade & transit ties. We must extend support to each other for revival of commerce & connectivity in Central and South Asia that will surely benefit people in the region. https://t.co/MEjCZQz147 Atif Mashal (@MashalAtif) May 29, 2020 Yarzada said that Afghan traders are going to benefit from the 6 days and round-the-clock opening of the border if their cargo at Karachi ports is cleared. Yarzada told Daily Times an Afghan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement only up to 5 percent examination of consignment is allowed based on risk management basis, but unfortunately 80% is done without taking into consideration nature of the cargo, which he termed as violation of the APTTA. There is no justifiable reason to make both physical examination of the cargo and scan, he said, adding there is only one scanner machine installed at each of ports in Karachi while hundreds of Afghan transit consignments arrived to Karachi on daily basis from different countries. Since the capacity of Scanner Machine is not enough to scan such huge numbers of containers/consignment, therefore Afghan transit cargo is delayed for 5-10 days at Karachi ports exposed to heavy detention and demurrage charges, he said. When asked about Pakistans complaint that Kabul is not convening the long pending meeting of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Coordination Authority (APTTCA), which oversees implementation of the transit agreement, he said Afghan side argues Pakistan has not implemented decisions in the previous APTTCA meetings and another meeting will be useless. Two X-ray images show a patients diseased lungs. Using an artificial intelligence program developed by Dr. Albert Hsiao and his colleagues at UC San Diego Health system, the image on the right has been dotted with spots of color indicating where there may be lung damage or other signs of pneumonia. (Courtesy of Dr. Albert Hsiao) Coronavirus Tests the Value of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Few algorithms have been rigorously tested and some experts warn AI results could be confusing Dr. Albert Hsiao and his colleagues at the University of CaliforniaSan Diego health system had been working for 18 months on an artificial intelligence program designed to help doctors identify pneumonia on a chest X-ray. When the coronavirus hit the United States, they decided to see what it could do. The researchers quickly deployed the application, which dots X-ray images with spots of color where there may be lung damage or other signs of pneumonia. It has now been applied to more than 6,000 chest X-rays, and its providing some value in diagnosis, said Hsiao, the director of UCSDs augmented imaging and artificial intelligence data analytics laboratory. His team is one of several around the country that has pushed AI programs developed in a calmer time into the COVID-19 crisis to perform tasks like deciding which patients face the greatest risk of complications and which can be safely channeled into lower-intensity care. The machine-learning programs scroll through millions of pieces of data to detect patterns that may be hard for clinicians to discern. Yet few of the algorithms have been rigorously tested against standard procedures. So while they often appear helpful, rolling out the programs in the midst of a pandemic could be confusing to doctors or even dangerous for patients, some AI experts warn. AI is being used for things that are questionable right now, said Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute and author of several books on health IT. Topol singled out a system created by Epic, a major vendor of electronic health records software, that predicts which coronavirus patients may become critically ill. Using the tool before it has been validated is pandemic exceptionalism, he said. Epic said the companys model had been validated with data from more 16,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in 21 health care organizations. No research on the tool has been published, but, in any case, it was developed to help clinicians make treatment decisions and is not a substitute for their judgment, said James Hickman, a software developer on Epics cognitive computing team. Others see the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to learn about the value of AI tools. My intuition is its a little bit of the good, bad and ugly, said Eric Perakslis, a data science fellow at Duke University and former chief information officer at the Food and Drug Administration. Research in this setting is important. Nearly $2 billion poured into companies touting advancements in health care AI in 2019. Investments in the first quarter of 2020 totaled $635 million, up from $155 million in the first quarter of 2019, according to digital health technology funder Rock Health. At least three health care AI technology companies have made funding deals specific to the COVID-19 crisis, including Vida Diagnostics, an AI-powered lung-imaging analysis company, according to Rock Health. Overall, AIs implementation in everyday clinical care is less common than hype over the technology would suggest. Yet the coronavirus crisis has inspired some hospital systems to accelerate promising applications. UCSD sped up its AI imaging project, rolling it out in only two weeks. Hsiaos project, with research funding from Amazon Web Services, the University of California, and the National Science Foundation, runs every chest X-ray taken at its hospital through an AI algorithm. While no data on the implementation has been published yet, doctors report that the tool influences their clinical decision-making about a third of the time, said Dr. Christopher Longhurst, UCSan Diego Healths chief information officer. The results to date are very encouraging, and were not seeing any unintended consequences, he said. Anecdotally, were feeling like its helpful, not hurtful. AI has advanced further in imaging than other areas of clinical medicine because radiological images have tons of data for algorithms to process, and more data makes the programs more effective, said Longhurst. But while AI specialists have tried to get AI to do things like predict sepsis and acute respiratory distressresearchers at Johns Hopkins University recently won a National Science Foundation grant to use it to predict heart damage in COVID-19 patientsit has been easier to plug it into less risky areas such as hospital logistics. In New York City, two major hospital systems are using AI-enabled algorithms to help them decide when and how patients should move into another phase of care or be sent home. At Mount Sinai Health System, an artificial intelligence algorithm pinpoints which patients might be ready to be discharged from the hospital within 72 hours, said Robbie Freeman, vice president of clinical innovation at Mount Sinai. Freeman described the AIs suggestion as a conversation starter, meant to help assist clinicians working on patient cases decide what to do. AI isnt making the decisions. NYU Langone Health has developed a similar AI model. It predicts whether a COVID-19 patient entering the hospital will suffer adverse events within the next four days, said Dr. Yindalon Aphinyanaphongs, who leads NYU Langones predictive analytics team. The model will be run in a four- to six-week trial with patients randomized into two groups: one whose doctors will receive the alerts, and another whose doctors will not. The algorithm should help doctors generate a list of things that may predict whether patients are at risk for complications after theyre admitted to the hospital, Aphinyanaphongs said. Some health systems are leery of rolling out a technology that requires clinical validation in the middle of a pandemic. Others say they didnt need AI to deal with the coronavirus. Stanford Health Care is not using AI to manage hospitalized patients with COVID-19, said Ron Li, the centers medical informatics director for AI clinical integration. The San Francisco Bay Area hasnt seen the expected surge of patients who would have provided the mass of data needed to make sure AI works on a population, he said. Outside the hospital, AI-enabled risk factor modeling is being used to help health systems track patients who arent infected with the coronavirus but might be susceptible to complications if they contract COVID-19. At Scripps Health in San Diego, clinicians are stratifying patients to assess their risk of getting COVID-19 and experiencing severe symptoms using a risk-scoring model that considers factors like age, chronic conditions, and recent hospital visits. When a patient scores seven or higher, a triage nurse reaches out with information about the coronavirus and may schedule an appointment. Though emergencies provide unique opportunities to try out advanced tools, its essential for health systems to ensure doctors are comfortable with them, and to use the tools cautiously, with extensive testing and validation, Topol said. When people are in the heat of battle and overstretched, it would be great to have an algorithm to support them, he said. We just have to make sure the algorithm and the AI tool isnt misleading, because lives are at stake here. Ashley Gold is a reporter well-versed in tech, health care, policy, and Congress. This KHN story was first published on California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation. by Paromita Datta published on - June 01, 2020 We know that Vitamin D is essential in regulating the amount of calcium and phosphate in our body. But can it also help in fighting the COVID-19 infection? Recent researches by scientists in the US and the UK seems to suggest so. A study of global data showed a clear association between severe vitamin D deficiency and high COVID-19 mortality rates. The team was trying to understand the reason behind unexplained differences in COVID-19 mortality rates between different countries. [1] The aim of the study was to investigate if Vitamin D played any role in COVID-19 progression. This included complications that could range from unregulated inflammation to mortality. They analyzed data from hospitals in China, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Iran, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The team found that countries with high COVID-19 mortality rates, such as the UK and Spain also saw patients with lower Vitamin D levels when compared to countries not as severely affected. Subsequently, the researchers found a strong correlation between Vitamin D levels and cytokine storm, which is a hyperinflammatory condition which is caused by an overactive immune system. Vitamin D stops the immune system from becoming hyperactive. This could also explain why children, who do not have a fully developed immune system, have a lower mortality rate. However, researchers cautioned against the hoarding of Vitamin D, asking for more research. These observations were echoed in another study by scientists in the UK. Published in the Irish Medical Journal, the study focused on vitamin D levels in European countries, cross-checking it with COVID-19 infection and mortality data. The authors made a strong appeal to national and international health bodies for optimizing their Vitamin D recommendations. COVID-19 is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation. Get the latest public health information from CDC. Get the latest research from NIH. [2] [3] 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. On May 30, unknown gunmen on motorbikes suddenly fired into the crowded market located in the town of Kompienga. According to the residents and the witnesses, there were around 30 people who were killed in the incident. Terrorist attack The attack happened in eastern Burkina Faso on a cattle market in Kompienga. The authorities have no clue who was behind the killings but the area has seen a rise in inter-communal clashes and jihadist violence in recent months. The said violence has forced thousands of residents to abandon their homes and relocate. The local media reported that 20 people were killed in the incident, they also quoted sources who stated that the death toll could be higher. Hours after the report was released, the AFP news agency released an article that states 30 people died in the horrifying attack. On May 29, around 15 people were killed by Islamist militants. The people were near the border of Mali when a convoy of traders open fired. The local government stated that the vicious attack was done by terrorists, and all fingers were pointed to the notorious groups, al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, both of which caused problems in Burkina Faso for years. Also Read: George Floyd Autopsy: Family Rejects Findings by Medical Examiners, Will Seek Private Autopsy Al-Qaeda in Africa Despite the claims of the government that they have the Islamist militants under control, the terrorist activities in the north and east of Burkina Faso has escalated. Jihadists have also targeted schools in the area, forcing more than 300,000 to stop attending their classes. In West Africa's Sahel region, the Islamic State group or IS revealed that it is engaged in clashes with al-Qaeda militants in Burkina Faso and Mali. The revelation was made by IS on May 7 in a detailed report in its newspaper al-Naba. IS blamed Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin or JNIM, which is al-Qaeda's Sahel affiliate, for starting the fight and for mobilizing massive forces to attack them in two countries. Both groups have already clashed in other jihadists areas such as Somali, Yemen, and Syria, as they are competing for resources, recruits, and influence. The article pointed out by IS contradicts the reports of mainstream media that suggested that the two groups were collaborating. The clash of the two groups has an impact on jihadist operations against foreign and local troops in the Sahel, where both have attacked in 2019. IS also decried recent al-Qaeda attacks on IS militants in Burkina Faso and Mali. The report stated that JNIM had prepared massive forces to target IS on numerous occasions in both countries since April, on the orders of Iyad Ag Ghaly, and Amadou Koufa IS has also claimed that JNIM was blocking fuel supplies from reaching IS militants and detaining locals suspecting of supporting IS. According to IS, the move done by JNIM coincides with an upscale in operations against IS by regional French and African troops in the Sahel. IS also claimed that JNIM also used the conditions as a change to target IS at this time. IS was the only group facing JNIM now since JNIM has already agreed to talk to the local government of Mali and they have already made peace with all of the government forces, both pro and anti groups in Mali. IS has also allegedly used the willingness of JNIM to talk to the authorities of Malian as their way to undermine the jihadist credentials of the al-Qaeda group. Related Article: Trump Says Antifa Will Be Labelled as Terrorist Group with Constitutional Issue Arising @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The interstellar visitor named Oumumua may be made up entirely of hydrogen ice, something rarely seen in nature, according to scientists. The 'weird object' was first discovered in 2017, sparking speculation over its origin and make-up, with theories ranging from a comet to a cigar shaped spaceship. Yale astronomers developed a theory that aimed to explain the unusual properties shown by Oumuamua - they found it was effectively a 'hydrogen iceberg'. The team say this solid form of hydrogen seen flying through space is a 'new kind of object' but there will be more showing up in the solar system in the future. The 'weird object' was first discovered in 2017, sparking speculation over its origin and make-up with theories ranging from a comet to a cigar shaped spaceship Oumumua has now passed beyond Saturn's orbit but will take another 10,000 years before it leaves the solar system for its next interstellar destination. Lead author Darryl Seligman, now at the University of Chicago, said the 900ft long object has several unusual properties including varying rapidly in brightness. He said this suggested it was either saucer shaped or cigar shaped. The team say it accelerated in a fashion similar to comet but showed no evidence of emitting gas or the billows of dust normally seen trailing a comet. Seligman and co-author Gregory Laughlin say Oumuamuas behavior can be explained if it is composed of hydrogen ice.' Hydrogen is the most common element in the universe but it is rarely found in solid form as this requires extremely cold temperatures. The team say the way frozen hydrogen reacts to sunlight could present a compelling mechanism for acceleration. 'As Oumuamua passed close to the Sun and received its warmth, melting hydrogen would have rapidly boiled off the icy surface,' Laughlin said. This resulted in 'providing the observed acceleration and also winnowing Oumuamua down to its weird, elongated shape - much as a bar of soap becomes a thin sliver after many uses in the shower.' Oumumua has now passed beyond Saturn's orbit but will take another 10,000 years before it leaves the solar system for its next interstellar destination The team say iceberg-like objects made of hydrogen could potentially form in the dense cores of molecular clouds that pervade the Milky Way galaxy. These dense clouds give rise to new stars and planetary systems. 'Their presence would be an accurate probe of the conditions in the dark recesses of star-forming clouds and provide a critical new clue for understanding the earliest phases of the still-mysterious processes that generate the birth of stars and their accompanying planets,' Laughlin said. The authors say these hydrogen icebergs, and even hydrogen comets, could be more common in the solar system than researchers first thought. They say that if they were formed in the dark recesses of molecular clouds it could give clues to the ways stars and planets are formed throughout the universe. Claims of it being an alien probe, put forward because of its unusual shape and properties, were quickly rejected by astronomers. Arzan Wealth (DIFC), a Dubai-based advisory firm regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, has advised its client on a successful exit of a mezzanine lending transaction in New Orleans, in the United States, achieving strong returns for investors. This investment is part of Arzan Wealths Debt Platform, which focuses on identifying investments into real estate debt opportunities. The New Orleans transaction utilises the innovative Real Estate Index Linked Securities (REILS) structure, which is an amortising mezzanine loan, and was structured in a Sharia-compliant manner. The New Orleans REILS investment was made in April 2018 to finance a portfolio comprising three multifamily properties consisting of 740 apartments located in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. The New Orleans REILS transaction was structured with a net 8% coupon, payable quarterly, and with an escalating quarterly amortisation schedule as well as an additional payment at the end of the instruments term that was designed to generate a total IRR of between 9.4% and 11.8%. Arzan Wealth acted as the Sub Strategic Advisor on the exit of this investment at a net IRR of 11.9% per annum. Muhannad Abulhasan, CEO of Arzan Wealth said: The Arzan Wealth team is very proud to be able to advise on the exit of the New Orleans REILS deal, and at the highest possible IRR as designed by us when we advised on entering the deal two years ago. We are particularly pleased to be able to deliver these very positive results to our loyal investors in the midst of the global economic catastrophe that is unfolding as a result of the COVID-19 public health crisis. An IRR of 11.9% from a safe and income-producing real estate debt investment is consistent with Arzan Wealths objective of offering clients superior risk-adjusted opportunities in mature real estate markets. The stable and regular cash flow payments from our REILS transactions have proven to be an important stabilising element in the portfolios of our clients, especially during turbulent economic times like the one we find ourselves in today. Arzan Wealth will continue to focus on advising on new REILS deals, as well as other real estate investment opportunities that create a secure and regular income stream, with as low a risk profile as possible. While economic turbulence can create uncertainty, Arzan Wealth will always be a stable and reliable partner for our clients, during good times and bad. I am grateful to our loyal clients for their continued trust in Arzan Wealth. -- Tradearabia News Service Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) The House of Representatives invited ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Eugenio "Gabby" Lopez III to attend the next committee hearing surrounding the broadcast giant's supposed franchise violations, including allegations about his foreign citizenship. During the joint hearing of the House legislative franchises committee and the committee on good government and public accountability on Monday, Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta called on Lopez to attend the next deliberation "as a matter of courtesy." Allegations on Lopez' citizenship is being tied to other supposed violations of the network, including media ownership rules under the 1987 Constitution. Marcoleta previously said that the ABS-CBN violated the Constitution, which requires full Filipino ownership and management of media networks. "There are questions that are personal to him and I dont think the lawyers present today will be able to answer these questions, particularly those questions that are personal to him," said Marcoleta. "I would not know how to deal with this if hes not present. Id like to believe that he should be, as a matter of courtesy to this House." Legislative franchises panel chair Franz Alvarez of Palawan then ordered the committee secretariat to officially invite Lopez to the hearing. Meanwhile, ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak defended Lopez anew, following reports that the latter only managed to secure his Filipino citizenship in 2002. "Ang tatay at nanay niya (Lopez) ay parehong Pilipino kaya from birth, automatic na siya'y isang Pilipino rin," Katigbak said. [Translation: Lopez's father and mother are both Filipinos by birth, so it is automatic that he is also a Filipino.] Katigbak added that even if Lopez owned a US passport because he was born in Boston in 1952, this does not negate his Filipino citizenship, citing a Bureau of Immigration order in 2001. Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, then-Immigration commissioner, noted that Lopez "is a Filipino citizen from the beginning" under the 1935 Constitution. He added that the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Immigration also recognized the Philippine citizenship of Lopez by paper. Rodriguez added: "Since he (Lopez) was born in the United States in 1952, he was, under US law, an American citizen by virtue of his birth on American soil. He was also a Filipino, since his parents were both Filipinos." Rodriguez also debunked claims on the network's supposed violation involving the issuance of Philippine Depositary Receipts or PDRs to foreign investors. "The PDRs are clearly constitutional and legal, and there is no violation at all in the issuance of the PDRs," said the lawmaker, noting that this was approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The next House hearing on the issue is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3. Several board examinations, competitive and entrance tests were postponed to ensure that students do not face any problem due to the lockdown The lockdown 5.0 or Unlock 1.0 that came into effect from 1 June will provide a number of relaxations to the people who have been staying indoors since 25 March to restrict the spread of novel coronavirus. Several board examinations, competitive and entrance tests were postponed to ensure that students do not face any problem due to the lockdown and get exposed to COVID-19. With things normalising and the Central government easing several norms, pending exam results are also expected in the coming months. Uttar Pradesh Class 10 and 12 board exam 2020 results The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) is expected to declare the result of UP board Class 10 and Class 12 examination 2020 by the end of June. UPMSP in a statement said that evaluation process of the 99.06 percent of answer sheets has been completed. Evaluation process is left only for seven districts in red zone and one in orange zone. It said that the evaluation process will be completed within a few days. A report by The Indian Express quoted UPMSP Additional Secretary saying that the rest of the time will be taken to process the result carefully and students can expect it to be announced by June-end. Once declared, UPMSP Class 10 and Class 12 board exam 2020 results will be available at upmsp.edu.in, upresults.nic.in, upmspresults.up.nic.in and results.nic.in. Assam HSLC or Class 10 board exam 2020 result The Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA), will announce the results of the Assam High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) or Class 10 exam on 6 June. The results of Assam SEBA HSLC exam 2020 are expected to be declared at 9 in the morning. Once declared, students can check their score on these websites - results.sebaonline.org, resultsassam.nic.in, examresults.net, exametc.com, indiaresults.com, assamonline.in, results.siksha, knowyourresult.com, assamresult.in. Gujarat Class 10 board exam 2020 result Gujarat Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GSEB) which was earlier scheduled to be released in the last week of May, is now expected to be announced in June. The GSEB Class 10 board exam 2020 result will be available on the official website www.gseb.org. Chhattisgarh Class 10 and Class 12 board exam 2020 result Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education (CGBSE) is expected to declare the results of class 10 and 12 board examinations 2020 in June. According to a report by Hindustan Times, Chhattisgarhs Principal Secretary for Education Alok Shukla last week said that the evaluation process for class 10 and 12 board exams has been completed and the re-evaluation process is underway. Shukla added that CGBSE will declare the results soon. Students can check their results on cgbse.nic.in or results.cg.nic.in once it is declared. Jharkhand Board Jharkhand Academic Council commenced evaluation of Class 10 and Class 12 exam answersheets from 28 May. Results are supposed to be declared in June itself. CBSE The Class 10 and 12 examinations for the CBSE board will be conducted for the remaining 29 papers from 1 to 15 July. The ministry is also planning to declare the results by the end of July. Results will be available on their official website. Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu School Education Minister KA Sangottaiyan has already revealed that the results of class 10 and 12 board exams will be declared in July. While teachers are already evaluating class 12 exam answersheets, the class 10 board exams will be held from 15 June to 25 June. Uttarakhand board exam 2020 The remaining board exams in Uttarakhand are expected to be held from 20 to 23 June. A report by Hindustan Times quoted Uttarakhand Secretary for School education R meenakshiSundaram saying that schools which were being used as quarantined centres in the state will be given to them by 15 June. After sanatising the school for three day, they are planning to conduct the pending board examinations. The results of the examination are expected in mid-July. West Bengal Class 10 board exam 2020 West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) is expected to declare Madhyamik or Class 10 board exam 2020 results by mid of July. News agency PTI said that WBBSE on 31 May asked all examiners to complete evaluation of answer sheets within 48 hours to hasten the publication of result process. An official of WBBSE said after the answer sheets are submitted, the board will be able to fast track the subseuqent tabulation process ad publish the result at least by mid-July. Russias Deputy Chief of Mission in India, Roman Babushkin, said his country is of course worried about the current situation on the LAC (Line of Actual Control). To a specific question if Russia, as a friend of both the nations expressed concern to either or both sides, Babushkin told CNN-News18 India and China have dedicated, specific established mechanisms and tools to be able to find a way out for mutual satisfaction. He said Russia would encourage every endeavor in this regard. Babushkin also said that here lies the significance of a trilateral dialogue like the RIC (Russia, India China) and the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation)-based coordination as they are meant to facilitate regional stability and strengthening of mutual trust. However, unlike United States President Donald Trumps tweet stating that he has informed both India and China that the US is ready, willing and able to mediate or arbitrate, Russia signaled that the matter should be resolved bilaterally. While speaking to the media in a virtual press conference ahead of the India-Australia bilateral summit, Australian High Commissioner to India Barry OFarrell echoed a similar sentiment. He said the border dispute between India and China is for them to resolve bilaterally. OFarrell said that for sovereign nations, what happens within their borders is for them to determine, adding border and territorial issues are decided by parties involved. However, he expressed serious concern over the aggression of China in the South China Sea accusing it of using maritime militia in the region and reiterated that the Indo-Pacific should be free and open. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in an interview with Stat News that his meetings with President Trump about the coronavirus have "dramatically decreased." The big picture: Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease doctor and a key member of the White House's coronavirus task force, said he "was meeting with [the president] four times a week back, a month or so ago." "We used to have task force meetings every single day, including Saturday and Sunday, and about 75% of the time after the task force meeting wed meet with the president," Fauci said. "But as you probably noticed, that the task force meetings have not occurred as often lately." Why it matters: The decline in Fauci's public appearances and meetings with Trump comes as the White House has sought to pivot to more of an economic message as states across the country continue to reopen. Axios reported in April that the top doctors on the task force would take a "back seat" to a more forward-looking, "what's next" message. What he's saying: Fauci told Stat News he is cautiously optimistic about the development of a vaccine for the virus, saying it is an aspirational," but "certainly doable" goal to have one by the end of the year. He also said he remains concerned about large gatherings of people as states reopen. "I certainly have sensitivity for the need of the public to start getting to some form of normalization, given that weve been through more than three months of a very difficult time," Fauci said. "But its a big country and the dynamics of the outbreak are different from one part of the country to another. If people want to get out, theyve really got to gauge it with the level of the outbreak in their particular area." "When I see a situation where there is a region, a state, a city, a county where theres a considerable amount of viral activity there, and you see people crowding around bars and there were several pictures of that, that was quite striking over the last couple of days or on boardwalks, where theyre very, very close to each other, I do get concerned." Go deeper: Coronavirus still has a foothold in the South nurse protest Leah Millis/Reuters Nurses are on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic, and many have contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, as a result. Nurses across the country told Business Insider that they have struggled to get paid time off, workers' compensation, and protective equipment from their employers. But nurses have battled with hospitals for years over pay cuts and staffing shortages. The pandemic has further exacerbated economic inequities in a profession dominated by women. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. For weeks, the only contact Ana, a nurse in California, had with her 4- and 1-year old children was watching them play outside from her bedroom window. She contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, in early April, and had to self-quarantine away from her children and her father for more than a month. The single mom, a labor and delivery nurse at a hospital with confirmed coronavirus patients, started developing a sore throat and fatigue on April 4. She tested positive for the virus four days later, and immediately told her supervisor she contracted the disease at work. (There were confirmed cases around her unit, and she hadn't gone anywhere other than work prior to testing positive, she told Insider.) But the hospital administration initially denied that she got sick at work. This kept her from getting workers' compensation, which provides relief for people injured or harmed on the job. Though California governor Gavin Newsom recently signed an executive order that made it harder for employers to deny workers' compensation for COVID-19 patients, Ana still had to use her remaining personal time off. She didn't get paid for 4 weeks. Business Insider spoke with nurses across the country who contracted COVID-19, and they echoed Ana's concerns. They've struggled to get workers' compensation or paid time off from their employers, they reported. They also said that hospitals have failed to provide masks and create protocols for treating patients safely. Story continues The nurses featured in this story asked to remain anonymous for fear of backlash from their employers. Business Insider confirmed all identities and job titles of sources before publishing. Nurses and medical staff stand outside NYU Langone Hospital as people cheer to show their gratitude to medical staff during the daily "Clap Because We Care" initiative amid the coronavirus outbreak. John Lamparski/Getty Images So far, 62,000 healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19 in the US, and at least 60 registered nurses have died. In a recent survey of nearly 23,000 nurses, one-third of respondents reported being told to use their personal time off if they contract the potentially deadly disease. But while the conflict between vulnerable nurses and hospital management has reached a breaking point during the coronavirus pandemic, the rift is not new. Nurses have been calling for protections from workplace harassment for years: safer workspaces, better pay, and more staff. Hospital administrators, lobbyists, and private employers, however, have often worked against meeting these demands. Nurses who contracted coronavirus on the job feel unprotected by their employers Like Ana, a nurse in New York City took one week of personal paid time off after testing positive for COVID-19. The nurse worked the night shift, treating two to three patients with COVID-19 at a time in the intensive care unit. She described her job as physically and mentally taxing: she had few breaks during her 12-hour shifts due to staff shortages, and got headaches from wearing ill-fitting N95 masks all night. She struggled with treating her anxious patients, and described tearing up during her shifts. Another nurse in Los Angeles developed fever and sinus problems on March 16, shortly after treating a confirmed COVID-19 patient. She believes she had the disease, but her hospital refused to test her and, at the time, did not give her additional time off. (On April 18, the hospital adopted 120 hours additional hours that nurses could use to quarantine or help with sick family members.) Hospital nurses are among the most susceptible to contracting coronavirus from a patient, as studies show they spend more time at bedsides than any other healthcare worker. "Registered nurses assume many risks on the job, from workplace violence to contracting a deadly disease," said Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, a nurse and president of the National Nurses United union. "It's imperative that their livelihoods are protected when they are not able to work due to an occupational hazard or exposure, such as quarantining or falling ill from COVID-19." If you are a nurse with a story to share, email aakhtar@businessinsider.com. Victoria, a school nurse, told Business Insider she also contracted COVID-19 on the job. She had been an early proponent of school closings after she noticed students with high fevers and absences in early January. Still, her administration did not close schools until March 13, and she tested positive one week later. "The school principal and the president didn't reach out personally," Victoria said. "I busted my butt to have Purell in rooms, to pull students out because I didn't want these kids in the hospital. My students have DMing me such nice things, but not a word from the administration. Not one." Many nurses on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic could not access proper protective equipment Due to a nationwide shortage of masks caused partly because hospitals slashed inventory before the pandemic nurses previously told Business Insider they lack enough masks and gloves needed to treat suspected coronavirus patients. As a result, 72% of nurses nationwide reported having exposed skin or clothing when caring for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients, according to the recent survey from the NNU union. Meanwhile, when one nurse tried to share tips about how her floor treated patients on Facebook in lieu of formal protocol, she subsequently got suspended from her HCA Healthcare hospital subsidiary for violating social media policies. Some nurses, including John Pearson at Highland Hospital in Oakland, said their hospitals hadn't established protocol for prepare for treating suspected COVID-19 before the outbreak. Pearson has been vocal about the hospital on his Twitter account, and had previously posted photos about the hospital's lack of PPE for nurses. "The scariest thing for us who work at the bedside is to end up making a choice between who lives and who dies because we don't have enough staffing and equipment," Pearson told Business Insider. (Business Insider reached out to Highland Hospital for comment.) Nurses were at odds with hospitals over safe workspaces and adequate staffing long before the COVID-19 crisis More than 6,500 nurses in California, Arizona, Florida, and Illinois went on strike in 2019 to demand better recruitment and retention of experienced nurses as well as better nurse-to-patient ratios. Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Though the coronavirus pandemic highlighted some challenges within the nursing industry, the friction between nurses and hospital management has been building for years. As baby boomers age, US demand for healthcare staff has increased; the workforce has among the highest projected job growth in the next decade. Yet the job has become increasingly taxing for those working in it: the industry has a higher than average rate of suicide, and a 17.2% turnover rate for bedside nurses. One point of tension between nurses and hospitals is patient ratios. Linda Aiken, a longtime researcher and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, has found that when nurses don't have more than four patients at a time, it can save lives and lead to less readmission. Just 18% of respondents believed their nurse-to-patient ratios were safe, according to a 2019 survey of Illinois nurses. Still, only one US state limits how many patients a nurse can care for during their shift. Hospitals have reduced staff to cut costs, and nurses in California, Michigan, and Massachusetts have protested staff reductions in the last few years. In 2016, nurses in Massachusetts tried to pass a ballot initiative that would decrease patient ratios, but voters ultimately decided against the proposal. Linda Aiken told Modern Healthcare that the hospital lobbying group outspent nurses by $5 million to campaign against the nurse-led reform. In 2019, nurses in Michigan attempted to form a union in order to fight against budget cuts and other staffing issues; over the past few years, thousands of unionized nurses authorized strikes in California, Illinois, and Vermont. Nurses, already among the most vulnerable workforces in the country, are left to pay their own time off or find a new job A car passes nurses protesting the lack of N95 respirators and other Personal Protective Equipment outside the UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica amid the coronavirus pandemic. Associated Press Now, nurses are fighting back once again by protesting working conditions amid a worldwide pandemic. Nurses at 15 HCA hospitals in six states will stage a mass protest this week, according to a press release from the NNU. HCA, the largest health system in the country, introduced pay cuts for senior leeadership on May 12 and cut hours for nurses due what it says is a reduction in the volume of elective procedures. HCA spokesperson Harlow Sumerford told Business Insider the company has not laid off any caregivers as a result of COVID-19. "We call on all health facilities to immediately agree that any nurse exposed to COVID-19 be fully compensated while off work, without having to use PTO or lose pay or benefits," union president Triunfo-Cortez said in a statement to Business Insider. Karly, an LPN in Southwest Oklahoma, lives paycheck to paycheck to support her husband and son. She and her husband contracted coronavirus in early April; the hospital gave her a one-week grace period, but told her she couldn't return to work until she tested negative twice. Karly quarantined with her husband for a month before receiving two negative tests. She missed two paychecks while already struggling to support her family. "I'm not really sure exactly what's going to happen because we live paycheck to paycheck," Karly said. "My husband does still have a job, but I make more money than he does." The National Nurses United union set out empty pairs of shoes representing nurses that they say have died from COVID-19 at a demonstration across from the White House, on May 7, 2020. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images But the coronavirus has left the most vulnerable nurses without many options, exacerbating inequities that already existed. Women make up more than 90% of the registered nurse population, according to the Journal of Nursing Regulation. One in every 5 registered nurses identified as a minority, and almost 30% of licensed practical nurses, the lowest paying of any nursing role, are people of color. Since black and Latina women already make among the lowest average salaries in the US, lack of paid leave during the coronavirus can upend family finances. Many nurses have decided to leave their jobs altogether for fear of contracting the illness. A nurse from Illinois with cancer was told by her doctor going into work could threaten her life. But her employer told her that she cannot get paid time off or work from home, and that she should either come into work or quit her job. The hospital presented the nurse with an impossible decision: risk her life doing her job or quit. The nurse ultimately decided to leave her job altogether, leaving her without health insurance to cover her ten thousand dollar cancer medication. "I feel like I'm leaving my career not the way I wanted, but I feel like I have to," the nurse told Business Insider. "Nobody really cares about my safety." Read the original article on Business Insider New Delhi, June 1 : The India Meteorological Department (IMD), here on Monday, reiterated that the country would receive normal monsoon in June-September and the conditions were favourable for good monsoon. Addressing the media, Madhavan Nair Rajeevan, Secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences, said, "The good news is that we will have a normal monsoon. As per the statistical model forecast, the quantitative monsoon will be 102 per cent of the long period average (LPA). The conditions are becoming favourable for good monsoon." The IMD issues operational forecast for the south-west monsoon season in two stages --first in April and then in June. The LPA of the monsoon season rain between 1951 and 2000 is 89 cm. It's kept as a benchmark while forecasting the quantitative monsoon rain every year. According to the IMD, the normal 88 cm rain occurs between June 1 and September 30 and accounts for 75 per cent of rain in the country. On April 15, the IMD had forecast normal monsoon at 100 per cent of LPA. The current percentage is two points extra than what the weather bureau had expected. For July rainfall, crucial for agriculture, the monsoon at 103 per cent of LPA is expected. In August, the rainfall will be little less than normal at 97 per cent, with model error of 9 per cent. Regionwise, the northwest India is expected to receive 107 per cent, central India 103 per cent and the southern peninsula 102 per cent rain of the LPA. "We are expecting a little less than normal rain over northeast India at 96 per cent. The northeast India has been witnessing low rainfall over the last few years with an error of 8 per cent," said the Secretary. There would be less rainfall in West Bengal and Jharkhand, he added. A colder El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and weak La Nina conditions during the monsoon season would ensure good rainfall in June-September. "As per the probability distribution model, the probability for normal rain is 41 per cent and the deficient rain is 5 per cent. It means there is very less probability of the monsoon being on the deficient side. Below normal is 15 per cent, above normal 25 per cent, excess 14 per cent," Rajeevan said. The distribution was more skewed towards the positive side, thus more probability for normal and above normal rain, he said. Meanwhile, the monsoon hit Kerala on Monday, marking the start of the four-month rainy season. Advance of the southwest monsoon over the mainland is marked by its onset over Kerala and is an important indicator characterizing the transition from hot and dry season to rainy season. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Following Health Canadas authorization, the clinic will continue the Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator Treatment program for clients on June 1 SURREY, British Columbia, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Surrey Neuroplasticity Clinic is pleased to announce that it will recommence the use of the Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS) device with physical therapy to treat gait deficit due to mild and moderate symptoms of multiple sclerosis, starting on Monday, June 1, 2020. This comes two days after World Multiple Sclerosis Day. In late March, Health Canada announced the authorization to market the PoNS device for the treatment of gait deficit due to mild and moderate symptoms from multiple sclerosis. The device is used in conjunction with an intensive physical therapy program. At the time of the announcement, the clinic facility was limited to virtual appointments due to COVID-19 restrictions, but has reopened since May 19. We are pleased to be able to provide this service once again for our clients, said Sonia Brodie, Vice President of Services for the Surrey Neuroplasticity Clinic. This approval by Health Canada legitimizes what we already know, that PoNS Treatment can enhance neuroplasticity which is your brains ability to change. MS is a chronic illness affecting your brains ability to communicate with the rest of your body, and this treatment has the potential to improve your ability to walk, which can have a significant impact on your quality of life. Canada has some of the highest rates of MS in the world, with about 93,500 patients currently suffering from MS, according to Helius Medical Technologies, the developers of the PoNS device. The Surrey Neuroplasticity Clinic has treated people with MS using the device since March 2019, having been the first clinic in Western Canada to do so. Objective clinical outcomes are measured throughout the program to track improvements using state-of-the-art technologies such as the NeuroCatch Platform a neuro-physiological brain function assessment. The clinic recently submitted for publication a study conducted to summarize the results of their first clients with MS to benefit from the PoNS Treatment program. Story continues About the Surrey Neuroplasticity Clinic The Surrey Neuroplasticity Clinic (SNPC) opened in 2019 as a neuro-rehabilitation clinic in Surrey, British Columbia, focusing on comprehensive therapies using advanced, non-invasive brain technologies to help treat people with neurological conditions. The clinical team consists of multidisciplinary therapists expertly trained with the latest, innovative technologies to support the brains ability to heal, adapt, retrain and transform itself. The Surrey Neuroplasticity Clinic is proud to be Western Canadas first clinic to offer the cutting-edge PoNS Treatment. www.snpc.tech About PoNS Treatment and Device PoNS (short for Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator) is an innovative, non-surgical medical device that delivers mild electrical stimulation to the nerves on the surface of the tongue that connect with nerves in the brain. This stimulation, in conjunction with targeted therapeutic activities, has the potential to restore balance and gait in individuals with chronic balance deficit due to a mild or moderate Traumatic Brain Injury or concussion. PoNS Treatment is a comprehensive 14-week program that combines in-clinic and in-home use of the PoNS device guided by a Certified PoNS Trainer. www.ponstreatment.ca Hosea Cheung 778.389.9395 hosea@myloudspeaker.ca A protester throws a US flag into a burning barricade during a demonstration near the White House on May 31, 2020 in Washington, DC. Roberto Schmidt | AFP | Getty Images Protests over the death of George Floyd continued overnight, shortly after President Donald Trump threatened to bring in the military if states and cities failed to bring an end to the unrest. While most demonstrations were peaceful, violent protests took place in New York City, Los Angeles and St. Louis, Missouri after curfews came in nationwide on Monday evening. Trump, who has condemned the killing of Floyd, angered many as he posed with a bible outside a church shortly after law enforcement officials had cleared a way for him to walk there from the White House Rose Garden by using teargas and rubber bullets. Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes despite cries that he could not breathe. This live blog has ended. For more of CNBC's coverage on the latest news out of demonstrations across the country, click here. 'I can't breathe': Thousands march around the world in a global display of solidarity 4:50 a.m. ET U.S. protests against police brutality have led to demonstrations in several major cities across the globe, with people heard chanting "I can't breathe" in solidarity with George Floyd. Many marched through Sydney, Australia on Tuesday to gather outside the Parliament of New South Wales to protest Indigenous deaths in custody and to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Thousands of people have been seen demonstrating in several countries in recent days, with marches taking place in the Netherlands, the U.K., Germany, France, Poland, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and New Zealand, among others. Sam Meredith LAPD chief apologizes for suggesting looters had George Floyd's 'death on their hands' 4:20 a.m. ET Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore has apologized after suggesting people looting during the protests were also responsible for the death of George Floyd. "His death is on their hands, as much as it is on those officers. And that is a strong statement," Moore said during a press conference on Monday. It sparked public outcry, with some calling for the LAPD chief to immediately resign. Moore issued an apology for his remarks on Tuesday, describing them as "terribly offensive." "Looting is wrong, but it is not the equivalent of murder and I did not mean to equate the two. I deeply regret and humbly apologize for my characterization," Moore said via Twitter. Sam Meredith 4 officers in St. Louis, Missouri hit by gunfire 3 a.m. ET The Metropolitan Police Department of St. Louis, Missouri said four of its officers were struck by gunfire and have been transported to the hospital. It said all are conscious and breathing, with injuries that are believed to be non-life threatening. NBC News reported that there were thousands at a rally downtown earlier in the day in largely peaceful demonstrations. NBC affiliate KSDK reported that violence began to breakout after nightfall. Local newspaper the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that police used tear gas and "flash bangs" before reports of gunfire. Christine Wang Police clash with protesters in another night of unrest 2:17 a.m. ET Tensions between local law enforcement and protesters flared intermittently after curfews began across the nation. Dallas police surrounded and confronted protesters marching across the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, NBC DFW reported. While the city had issued a 7 p.m. curfew for some areas, the order didn't apply to where protesters began the march or the bridge, according to NBC DFW. Officers fired what appeared to be rubber bullets, NBC DFW said. In Louisville, Kentucky, police cleared protesters with tear gas and flash bangs after they said they saw weapons in the crowd. Authorities said, however, that protests Monday evening were largely peaceful, which is why they used less force than during previous evenings. The Seattle Police Department declared the demonstration at Capitol Hill a riot, saying protesters threw rocks, water bottles and fireworks at its officers. Earlier, NBC News correspondent Jo Ling Kent was hit by a firework during live broadcast in that neighborhood. Christine Wang NYPD makes more than 200 arrests 11:01 p.m. ET A spokesperson for the New York City Police Department told NBC News there are groups smashing windows and starting street fires in Midtown, downtown, parts of the Upper East Side in Manhattan and Fordham Road in the Bronx. "There are packs of youths running as fast as they can, smashing windows as fast as they can, and police are trying to catch them as soon as possible," the spokesperson said, adding that NYPD has made more than 200 arrests. New York City's curfew began at 11 p.m. ET on Monday. Christine Wang New York City Police Department officers walk in a closed off Times Square shortly before the 11 p.m. curfew went into effect June 1, 2020 as demonstrators rallied across the five boroughs in a call for justice for George Floyd. Timothy A. Clary | AFP | Getty Images New York City curfew will begin at 8 pm ET on Tuesday 10:30 p.m. ET New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that curfew will begin at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, compared with 11 p.m. ET on Monday. While he said "these protests have power and meaning," de Blasio said some "groups use them to incite violence and destroy property." Christine Wang New York Attorney General Letitia James pledges to protect constitutional rights 10:20 p.m. ET New York Attorney General Letitia James said President Donald Trump "does not have the right to unilaterally deploy U.S. military across American states." She said her office will review federal actions to ensure the protection of the rights of the state of New York. "The President of the United States is not a dictator, and President Trump does not and will not dominate New York state," she said in a statement. Earlier, Trump tore into governors on a teleconference call, telling them, "You have to dominate, if you don't dominate you're wasting your time. They're going to run over you, you're going to look like a bunch of jerks," according to audio of the call first obtained by CBS News. (See 12:30 p.m. ET) James said her office respects and will guard the right to peaceful protest. "Rest assured: We will not hesitate to go to court to protect our constitutional rights during this time and well into the future," she concluded. Christine Wang White nationalist group called for violence while posing as antifa on Twitter 10 p.m. ET A Twitter account that had presented itself as representing a national "antifa" organization has been linked to a white nationalist group, NBC News reported citing a Twitter spokesperson. Antifa refers to a network of radical groups which fight the far-right and fascism. Twitter suspended the fake account, citing a tweet which incited violence and violated the company's platform manipulation and spam policy, NBC reported. Christine Wang Amazon sees surging demand for pepper spray and Black Lives Matter merchandise amid protests 8:30 p.m. ET Amazon shoppers are buying up self defense items and Black Lives Matter merchandise, according to the site's Best Seller rankings. Pepper spray was the top-selling item in Amazon's Sports and Outdoors category, while two Black Lives Matter shirts were among the top ten best selling items in the novelty clothing category. Amazon calculates Best Sellers based on sales volume and updates the list by the hour to reflect recent and historical sales. The rankings show that the protests against police brutality are at the forefront of some consumers' minds, as many of them grapple with the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Annie Palmer Trump holds Bible in front of St. John's Church after threatening military action 8 p.m. ET President Donald Trump walked over to St. John's Episcopal Church from the White House and held a Bible in front of the church for a few minutes after threatening military action if states and cities were unable to control the violence stemming from the killing of George Floyd. When asked if Lafayette Park was cleared to accommodate Trump's visit to the church, White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere provided the following statement: "The perimeter was expanded to help enforce the 7 p.m. curfew in the same area where rioters attempted to burn down one of our nation's most historic churches the night before. Protesters were given three warnings by the U.S. Park Police." DC's Episcopal Bishop, Mariann Budde, told the Washington Post she was "outraged" by Trump's photo op in front of St. John's Church, NBC News reported. Budde, who oversees the church, told the Post that neither she nor the rector were asked or told "that they would be clearing with tear gas so they could use one of our churches as a prop, holding a bible, one that declares that 'God is love' and when everything he has said and done is to enflame violence." DC Mayor Muriel Bowser tweeted a statement on the clearing of Lafayette Park ahead of Trump's visit to the church: "I imposed a curfew at 7pm. A full 25 minutes before the curfew & w/o provocation, federal police used munitions on peaceful protestors in front of the White House, an act that will make the job of @DCPoliceDept officers more difficult. Shameful!" Riya Bhattacharjee Headquarters of Microsoft-backed AirMap burns down during LA protests 7:30 p.m. ET The headquarters of tech startup AirMap in Santa Monica were destroyed in a fire as protests spiraled out of control Sunday night, the company's co-founder tweeted. The company is funded by Microsoft, Airbus and Rakuten along with big venture firms including Lux Capital and General Catalyst. AirMap's technology helps drone operators know where it's safe and legal to fly before they launch. They also offer a service to help first responders monitor what's happening on the ground during natural disasters and other emergencies. Co-founder and chairman of Airmap, Ben Marcus, posted photos on twitter, and the company issued a compassionate statement but declined to further discuss the incident at this time. Marcus said, in a pair of tweets on Monday: "Last night, the AirMap office in Santa Monica was consumed by fire. Thankfully, nobody was hurt. What hurts is the unending racism & injustice in America. We all must work harder to make our union more perfect. We're all brothers and sisters. Let's treat each other with love, respect, & dignity, and create opportunity for all who choose to make a positive impact." Lora Kolodny Trump threatens to deploy military as George Floyd protests continue to shake the U.S. US President Donald Trump delivers remarks in front of the media in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC on June 1, 2020. Brendan Smialowski | AFP via Getty Images 7 p.m. ET As protesters demonstrated outside the White House, and police used tear gas to disperse crowds, President Donald Trump threatened to deploy the U.S. military if states and cities failed to quell the demonstrations. "I am mobilizing all federal and local resources, civilian and military, to protect the rights of law abiding Americans," Trump said from the White House. "Today I have strongly recommended to every governor to deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers that we dominate the streets. Mayors and governors must establish an overwhelming presence until the violence is quelled," Trump said. "If a city or state refuses to take the actions 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." Christina Wilkie Independent autopsy commissioned by George Floyd's family contradicts county examination 6:30 p.m. ET An independent autopsy commissioned by George Floyd's family found that he died from asphyxiation from sustained pressure on his neck and back applied by Minneapolis police officers. Floyd's family cited that autopsy Monday in calling for a first-degree murder charge to be lodged against ex-cop Derek Chauvin, the officer already charged with third-degree murder after Floyd died after Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest. The family also called on prosecutors to criminally charge the three police officers who assisted Chauvin with the arrest, whom they said contributed to Floyd's death. But hours after a press conference announcing the autopsy findings, the Hennepin County, Minn., Medical Examiner's Office updated the findings of its official autopsy. That report found that Floyd died as a result of cardiopulmonary arrest complicated by police restraining him and compressing his neck. The ME's autopsy noted "other significant conditions" in Floyd, which included "arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease; fentanyl intoxication; recent methamphetamine use." But Dr. Michael Baden, one of the pathologists who performed the independent autopsy, at a press conference said, "Mr. Floyd had no underlying medical problems that caused or contributed to his death." Ben Crump, a lawyer for Floyd's family, said, "For Chauvin to leave his knee on George's neck despite warnings and evidence that his life was in danger and to continue that course for many minutes demands a first-degree murder charge." "For George Floyd, the ambulance was his hearse," Crump said. Dan Mangan First the pandemic hit them. Now retailers and restaurants have to rebuild after protests Police gather in front of a Lowe's hardware store to arrest looters during widespread unrest following the death of George Floyd on May 31, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mark Makela | Getty Images 6:05 p.m. ET Protests erupting across the U.S. are only adding to retailers' mounting list of challenges in 2020. Scenes from over the weekend and into Monday morning reveal looted Target, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus stores across the nation. Businesses big and small were hit. Some companies have since been forced to shut down temporarily, or reduce hours, just as they were getting back on their feet during the coronavirus pandemic. Vandalism covers storefronts up and down some of the nicest shopping districts, including Fifth Avenue, in New York. "It's a national disaster within a national disaster," said Forrester retail analyst Sucharita Kodali. "You'd have to go to a movie to look for this level of catastrophe."Now, many retail and restaurant CEOs are speaking out on the topic of racial injustice, following the death of George Floyd. A number, including Lowe's, McDonald's and Coach owner Tapestry, have issued statements acknowledging the heightened tension about race relations. Nike made a new add telling people "Don't Do It," when it comes to not acknowledging there is a "problem" in America. Experts say now is the time for retail and restaurant leaders to lead. Thomas, Repko, Lucas Trump is considering a law that would allow the deployment of U.S. military personnel amid protest President Donald Trump speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House, Friday, May 29, 2020, in Washington. Alex Brandon | AP 5:45 p.m. ET The Trump administration is considering deploying U.S. military personnel in order to respond to civil unrest spurred by the death of George Floyd by invoking the Insurrection Act. The decision to use this law, which was last invoked during the 1992 Rodney King riots in California, could come as early as Monday evening.Earlier on Monday, Trump told governor's on a call that he was going to put the nation's highest-ranking military officer "in charge" as the nation entered its seventh day of unrest. "General Milley is here who's head of Joint Chiefs of Staff, a fighter, a warrior, and a lot of victories and no losses. And he hates to see the way it's being handled in the various states. And I've just put him in charge," Trump told governors, according to audio obtained by NBC. It was not immediately clear what Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley would be tasked with as it relates to the domestic unrest across the nation. The Pentagon added few details. "The chairman will continue to advise the secretary of Defense," Pentagon spokesperson U.S. Army Lt. Col. Chris Mitchell told CNBC. Amanda Macias Bozoma Saint John wants companies to 'put their money where their mouth is' 5:30 p.m. ET Bozoma Saint John, the chief marketing officer at Endeavor, said on "Closing Bell" she wanted companies to put money behind their recent statements against racial inequality and to make "systematic changes." "I want to see more corporations put their money where their mouths are," said Saint John, who was previously Uber's chief brand officer. "Of course talk is cheap. Money isn't cheap. Money goes to fuel defense. It goes to fuel action. So I want more corporations to put their money where their mouth is." Jesse Pound ViacomCBS networks aired nearly 9 minutes of breathing to remember George Floyd Flowers, signs and balloons are left near a makeshift memorial to George Floyd near the spot where he died while in custody of the Minneapolis police, on May 29, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Kerem Yucel | AFP | Getty Images 5: 15 p.m. ET ViacomCBS networks including MTV, Comedy Central and VH1 ran eight minutes and forty-six seconds of breathing sounds with the words "I can't breathe" to remember George Floyd, who died last week in Minnesota after a white officer pressed a knee into his neck. MTV, Comedy Central, Paramount Networks, VH1, TV Land, CMT, Logo and MTV partner brands CBS Sports, BET and Nickelodeon ran the spot at 5 p.m. Eastern on Monday. The company said the video is meant to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight against police brutality and racial inequality. The video also displayed a way for viewers to text Color of Change, an organization that says it provides online actions and in-person events for people to stand up to racial injustice. Megan Graham California adds more National Guard members to protest response, leaves it to localities to institute curfews People run off with merchandise from a store during widespread protests and unrest in response to the death of George Floyd on May 31, 2020 in Santa Monica, California. Warrick Page | Getty Images 4:50 p.m. ET California Gov. Gavin Newsom said there are 7,000 California Highway Patrol officers responding to protests throughout the state and that he's added an additional 1,100 National Guard members to the response, bringing the total to over 4,500. When asked about a statewide curfew, Newsom said he would leave it up to local leaders to decide whether to institute a curfew since different areas of the state are witnessing different conditions. "The black community is not responsible for what's happening in this country right now, we are," Newsom said. "Our institutions are responsible. We are accountable to this moment." Newsom didn't answer when asked whether he's concerned if the protests would lead to a Covid-19 outbreak in California communities but said the state has been conducting thousands of tests daily and will continue doing so even amid the latest challenge. Noah Higgins-Dunn Charts describe police violence in America Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards 4:28 p.m. ET There's no official federal database of police killings in the U.S., but data collected by independent researchers has shone a light on how many people die each year at the hands of law enforcement. More than 1,000 people were killed by law enforcement last year, according to Mapping Police Violence, one organization that tracks the data. That's about three people every day. Those killings disproportionately impact black people, who account for nearly a quarter of those killed by the police, despite making up only about 13% of the population. The data shows that in 99% of cases, no police officers are ever charged in connection with the killings. That makes George Floyd's case an outlier. Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck until he became unresponsive, was charged with third-degree murder on Friday. Tucker Higgins Boeing CEO issues memo vowing zero tolerance for discrimination 4:18 p.m. ET Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun issued a memo to employees on Friday regarding the death of George Floyd and said the plane manufacturer has zero tolerance for internal discrimination among employees. He added that the company has already terminated employees for engaging in "unacceptable" discriminatory behavior. "As a leader, I will stand up for those targeted unfairly by others," Calhoun said. "I expect all Boeing leaders to do the same in our company, and I encourage them to do so in their communities as well." He also listed resources for employees to raise concerns, including a hotline employees can use to report incidents. Hannah Miller Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces a curfew for New York City New York Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks at his daily briefing at New York Medical College during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Valhalla, New York, May 7, 2020. Mike Segar | Reuters 4:13 p.m. ET New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced New York City will be under curfew Monday night starting at 11 p.m. and lasting until 5 a.m. Tuesday. Cuomo said during an interview with WAMC public radio that he and Mayor Bill de Blasio will reexamine whether to renew the curfew in the morning. The New York City Police Department will also double its presence to help prevent violence and property damage, Cuomo and de Blasio said. The additional reinforcement will be deployed to areas like lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn where violence and property damage occurred during weekend protests. Earlier, Cuomo said he believes the New York Police Department shouldhave enough personnel, but he will call in the state National Guard if they need more backup. Noah Higgins-Dunn Officers pursue protesters as they march around downtown on Saturday May 30, 2020 in New York City, NY. Jabin Botsford | The Washington Post | Getty Images George Floyd's family calls for first-degree murder charges against former cop in light of independent autopsy Terrence Floyd (C) attends a vigil where his brother George Floyd was killed by police one week ago on June 1, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen | Getty Images 3:53 p.m. ET The family of George Floyd, the unarmed black man killed by police in Minneapolis last week, is pushing for a first-degree murder charge to be filed against former cop Derek Chauvin, the officer who was filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck before he died. The push for a first-degree charge comes after an independent autopsy report revealed that Floyd died of asphyxiation from sustained pressure on his neck and back. Last week, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder following the release of an autopsy report that suggested Floyd's underlying heart conditions, in conjunction with the restraint and "potential intoxicants in his system," likely led to his death. Read more on the independent autopsy from CNBC's Dan Mangan. Yelena Dzhanova San Francisco mayor extends city's curfew indefinitely A protest earlier in the day in San Francisco devolved into roaming groups of looters along a stretch of Market Street and in the Union Square area following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 30, 2020 in California, United States. Anadolu Agency 3:36 p.m. ET San Francisco Mayor London Breed extended the city's curfew indefinitely after saying that she was not going to tolerate violence in her city, according to the Associated Press. "I was extremely upset because unfortunately with some of the vandals, they thought this was a game, they thought this was funny," Breed said. San Francisco Police arrested at least 80 people after widespread looting and vandalism Sunday, some of which targeted the city's Union Square shopping district, with people stealing shoes from the Coach and Salvatore Ferragamo stores, NBC Bay Area reported. Other Bay Area cities such as San Jose and Oakland have also extended their curfew orders. Riya Bhattacharjee Photos reveal intensity of widespread protests 3:16 pm ET Photos from around the country this weekend show the intensity of protests and extent of destruction in some places. Pictures of protesters and police squaring off, huge fires, looting and aggressive arrests illustrate the tension and violence that took place in major U.S. cities. However, other images show peaceful demonstrations, communities working together and protesters wearing face masks in protection against the coronavirus as they demand social justice. Hannah Miller Protesters clash with police in Chicago, on May 30, 2020 during a protest against the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while while being arrested and pinned to the ground by the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. Jim Vondruska | NurPhoto | Getty Images Los Angeles Police Department commander Cory Palka stands among several destroyed police cars as one explodes while on fire during a protest over the death of George Floyd, Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Los Angeles. Mark J. Terrill | AP Police officers kneel during a rally in Coral Gables, Florida on May 30, 2020 in response to the recent death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while being arrested and pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer. Eva Marie Uzcategui | AFP | Getty Images Miami mayor says protests pose a setback to reopening efforts 3:06 p.m. ET Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said that protests will set back the city's plans to reopen. "It sets it back, but it's an ongoing effort," Suarez said on CNBC's "Power Lunch." Miami has the highest number of Covid-19 cases in Florida. Suarez himself tested positive, although he said he is now in good health. More than 2,000 Floridians have died after contracting the virus. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez postponed the reopening of public beaches in the county after the protests. Amelia Lucas The music industry is calling for a 'Blackout Tuesday' in response to the death of George Floyd 2:57 p.m. ET Two executives from Atlantic Records have launched a social media hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused as part of an industry-wide call for a "Blackout Tuesday" in response to the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and "other black citizens at the hands of police." The blackout calls for the music industry to stop operations on Tuesday to bring awareness to the police brutality and racial injustice in the U.S. "Tuesday, June 2nd is meant to intentionally disrupt the work week," Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas, senior directors of marketing at Atlantic Records, wrote on Instagram. "The music industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. An industry that has profited predominantly from Black art. Our mission is to hold the industry at large, including major corporations [and] their partners who benefit from the efforts, struggles and successes of Black people accountable." Among those supporting the Blackout Tuesday message are: Warner Music Group, Interscope Records, RCA Records, Columbia Records, Capitol Music Group and Republic Records. Sarah Whitten Governors lash out at Trump 2:34 p.m. ET Two Democratic governors, Michigan's Gretchen Whitmer and Jay "J.B." Pritzer condemned President Donald Trump's words about how the nation's governors have handled protests and riots following the police killing of George Floyd. Whitmer, in a statement after governors had a conference call with Trump, said the president's comments were "dangerous" and "deeply disturbing," while Pritzker said they were "inflammatory" and made the situation "worse." Whitmer said Trump "repeatedly and viciously attacked governors, who are doing everything they can to keep the peace while fighting a once-in-a-generation global pandemic." "The president's dangerous comments should be gravely concerning to all Americans, because they send a clear signal that this administration is determined to sow the seeds of hatred and division, which I fear will only lead to more violence and destruction," she said. Pritzker told Trump during that call, "I've been extraordinarily concerned about the rhetoric that's been used by you," according to a transcript of their exchange tweeted by New York Times reporter Katie Rogers. "It's been inflammatory, and it's not okay for that officer to choke George Floyd to death," Pritzker said. "The rhetoric that's coming out of the White House is making it worse." Dan Mangan, Michael Wayland Uber, Lyft and DoorDash suspending service in some cities due to curfews 2:12 p.m. ET Uber, Lyft and DoorDash are pausing services in a handful of cities across the nation in order to comply with curfew orders in the wake of demonstrations. Uber has suspended service in Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco and parts of Minneapolis, the company said. Lyft said it is following local guidance to comply with curfews. DoorDash will also pause operations in cities that have curfews in effect. Jessica Bursztynsky, Deirdre Bosa Facebook employees are protesting the decision to not moderate Trump's posts on looting 1:59 p.m. ET Several Facebook employees announced they are participating in a "virtual walkout" in protest of the company's decision to not moderate recent posts by President Donald Trump. Three employees posted on Twitter their participation in the walkout, saying they were disappointed and ashamed in Facebook's leadership for not moderating a Thursday post by Trump in which he said, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." The company's community standards state that Facebook will "remove language that incites or facilitates serious violence." Salvador Rodriguez D.C. mayor announces earlier curfew after 'significant damage' Sunday night Protesters rally around a bonfire in the midst of protests against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd near the White House in Washington, May 31, 2020. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters 1 p.m. ET Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said she will impose a 7 p.m. curfew after violent protests over the death of George Floyd caused "significant damage" in her city. Bowser, a Democrat, had imposed an 11 p.m. curfew on Sunday night, when throngs of protesters clashed with police near the White House. Property damage, multiple fires and dozens of arrests were reported. "We will not allow the continued destruction of our hometown, by people who are coming here to protest or by D.C. residents," Bowser said at a press conference Monday morning, NBC News reported. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany criticized Bowser on Fox News earlier Monday morning. "The mayor of D.C. didn't issue a curfew until 11 p.m. Well guess what? At 10 p.m., you had St. John's church burning," McEnany said. Kevin Breuninger Trump calls governors facing protests 'weak' U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions while meeting with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Oval Office of the White House on April 28, 2020 in Washington, DC. Doug Mills | The New York Times | Pool | Getty Images 12:30 p.m. ET President Donald Trump tore into governors on a teleconference call addressing the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis last week. "You have to dominate, if you don't dominate you're wasting your time. They're going to run over you, you're going to look like a bunch of jerks," Trump told the governors, according to audio of the call first obtained by CBS News. "You've got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you'll never see this stuff again," Trump continued. Violent protests broke out in several states over the weekend, as the sixth day of protests nationwide continues. Those protesting have been critical of the response by the police, who in some cases have plowed through protesters and allegedly maced a child. Yelena Dzhanova Kansas City mayor calls for governments to work more with black-owned businesses Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas addresses demonstrators with a bullhorn during a protest at the Country Club Plaza on May 31, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. Jamie Squire | Getty Images 12 p.m. ET Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Quinton Lucas called for governments to work with black-owned businesses more as a way to support equality long-term. "I think when we talk about American business, one thing that is important is an ongoing and sustained approach to procuring services and supplies from black-owned vendors and black-owned businesses," Lucas said on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street." Demonstrators hold signs during a protest at the Country Club Plaza on May 31, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. Jamie Squire | Getty Images Lucas said that in Kansas City the inner-city small businesses were hardest hit by stay-at-home orders because they did not have strong relationships with banks. The mayor also said that cities need to rethink how they recruit and train police officers to solve "the root" of the problem. Amelia Lucas Oakland police arrest 60 during Sunday protests A demonstrator runs to kick a crowd-control canister during a protest against the death of African-American man George Floyd under Minneapolis police custody, in Oakland, California, May 29, 2020. Stephen Lam | Reuters 11:30 a.m. ET Oakland police arrested around 60 people during Sunday night's demonstrations for crimes including shooting at officers, vandalism, looting and illegal possession of firearms, according to NBC Bay Area. Police also detained three people following a report of shots fired at the department's administrative building. No injuries were reported, according to police. Videos posted on social media showed significant looting, with severe damage to storefronts as protesters faced off with police in riot gear, even as they city's mayor imposed a curfew. Riya Bhattacharjee Barack Obama applauds activists, condemns violence 11:19 a.m. ET Former President Barack Obama penned a blog post advising activists on how to turn the outrage over George Floyd's death at the hands of a police officer into meaningful reform. Obama said the nationwide demonstrations over Floyd's death made him "hopeful" while condemning the violence and destruction that has grown out of the protests. The former president urged activists to reject feeling cynical about the importance of voting: "The bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn't between protest and politics. We have to do both." Obama worked as a community organizer in Chicago before running for elected office. He has endorsed Joe Biden, his former vice president, in the 2020 election. Kevin Breuninger People take part in a protest on May 31, 2020 in New York City. Stephen Ferry | VIEW press | Getty Images Minneapolis police rendered 44 people unconscious with neck restraints in five years Police aim a tear gas gun during a protest on May 28, 2020 in St. Paul, Scott Olson | Getty Images 10:09 a.m. ET The neck restrained used by a Minneapolis police officer to subdue a prone and handcuffed George Floyd is not uncommon for the city's law enforcement. Since early 2015, Minneapolis Police Department officers have rendered people unconscious with neck restraints 44 times, an NBC News analysis found. Experts told NBC that number appears to be unusually high. "It's common sense," said Plumas County, California, Deputy Sheriff Ed Obayashi an attorney and an expert on use of force. "Any time you cut off someone's airway or block blood flow to the brain, it can lead to serious injury or death as we have seen in so many of these tragedies. By using this tactic, it's a self-fulfilling tragedy." Terri Cullen Officials warn protests could help virus spread Protesters gather at Lafayette Square Park outside the White House on May 31, 2020 in Washington, DC. Tasos Katopodis | Getty Images 10:07 a.m. ET As protests erupt across the U.S., officials are sounding the alarm that such mass gatherings could allow the coronavirus spread throughout the population. "I think there's going to be a lot of challenges coming out of the events of the past week," former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said in an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday. "One of them's going to be that probably chains of transmission will have gotten lit by large gatherings. I don't think there's really a question about that." States have eased restrictions meant to curb the spread of the virus in recent weeks, particularly as some studies indicate the virus doesn't spread as easily outdoors. However, the protests present a significantly larger risk to increasing spread of the virus, Gottlieb said. "This isn't a day at the beach or going out to a picnic where you're outside and you might be in larger groups but there's some social distancing and you're able to take some precautions," he said. "In these kinds of gatherings, in these kinds of crowds, many of which lost control of the crowds, you're not going to be able to take those kinds of precautions." Will Feuer Disclosure: Scott Gottlieb is a CNBC contributor and is a member of the boards of Pfizer and biotech company Illumina. Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier calls on business leaders to create jobs amid pandemic 9:54 a.m. ET In discussing the connection between the coronavirus and the protests stemming from the death of George Floyd, Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier said leaders in the business community can be a "unifying force" and have the ability to create new jobs, CNBC's Amelia Lucas reports. "Joblessness leads to hopelessness," Frazier told CNBC's "Squawk Box." "Hopelessness leads to what we see in the streets." More than 41 million Americans have lost their jobs since mid-March amid the economic devastation caused by the pandemic. Hannah Miller Protests break out nationwide Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Facebook staff members speak out against policy on Trump posts BET founder calls for $14 trillion in reparations for slavery Governor Amr Hanafy said Saturday that a Covid-19 case was detected in one tourist hub resort after the resumption of limited operations Egypts Red Sea governorate has detected its first coronavirus case among visitors after a gradual return of domestic tourism, Governor Amr Hanafy has said. In a phone interview with state television Saturday evening, Hanafy that a case was detected in one resort after the resumption of operations. The case was isolated, Hanafy said, adding that the detected case is one among 2,000 visitors at hotels that have reopened their doors to receive visitors at limited occupancy amid the pandemic outbreak. Hanafy added that the case was detected in a hotel with a lower occupancy rate in comparison to others. He said 41 hotels have received certificates for reopening, on the basis of remaining below 25 percent occupancy as stipulated by the Ministry of Tourism. Hanafy declined to provide further details on the detected case. However, several media reports quoted sources as saying that the case was of a 40-year-old woman who showed symptoms of the virus inside a hotel in Hurghada. Egypt has allowed a limited number of hotels to open for guests and day users at reduced occupancy since mid-May, in an attempt to revive the tourism sector hit heavily by the Covid-19 pandemic. Egypt said last week it granted 78 hotels in eight governorates a hygiene safety certificate required for reopening after fulfilling regulations announced by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and approved by the cabinet in accordance with the standards of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Starting June, the approved hotels' occupancy cap will be upped to 50 percent. The hotels, however, are not permitted to hold parties, weddings, or overnight activities. Their restaurants can only serve pre-set menus, as buffet services are banned, and dining tables should be set at a safe distance to reduce the risk of virus transmission. Search Keywords: Short link: NASA is seeking candidates to go into isolation for eight months in an experiment to help prepare for long-term stays on the moon and Mars. Researchers say results of the study will help them better understand the physical and mental effects on humans spending extended periods in space. The experiment is part of NASAs Human Research Program. The program seeks to discover and develop the best methods and technologies to support safe, productive human space travel. Until now, American astronauts have only spent long space stays on the International Space Station - ISS. Most of these missions lasted several months, with the longest reaching nearly a year. The Human Research Programs new research is centering on NASAs future exploration goals that will involve more distant space travel for longer periods. The agency has said its Artemis program aims to return humans to the moon by 2024. Next, it plans to establish a long-term base on the moon by 2028. Astronauts could live on this base for long periods to carry out experiments and possibly launch missions from there to the moon or Mars. For the isolation study, NASA is partnering with the Institute of Biomedical Problems of Russias Academy of Sciences. The experiment will take place at the organizations research center in Moscow. There are some requirements for individuals interested in taking part. Candidates must be between the ages of 30 and 55 years old and speak both English and Russian. They need a college degree and/or military training or professional experience. All individuals must also pass medical and psychological examinations. Those chosen for the study will experience environmental aspects similar to those astronauts are expected to experience on future missions to Mars, NASA said in a statement. Crew members in the six-person group will work closely while carrying out scientific research. Some of the experiments will involve virtual reality and performing robotic operations to prepare for future missions to the moon and Mars, NASA said. The new experiment will build on a four-month study that ended in July 2019. That study involving an international crew of six - took place at the same research center in Moscow. In 2016, six scientists took part in a year-long Mars simulation in Hawaii. During that study, the scientists could only go outside their small experiment area while wearing space suits. The research centered on how well the team worked together in long-term isolation, as well as the psychological effects on humans. The European Space Agency carried out a similar experiment in Moscow that started in 2010. The Mars simulation study known as Mars500 - included six crew members, three Russian, two European and one Chinese. It was the longest such experiment yet, lasting 520 days. Parts of the environment were built to simulate an actual spacecraft and Mars transportation vehicle. During the 520 days, the individuals had only personal contact with each other. They could also communicate with family and friends, but only in the same ways that would be permitted during a real space mission. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story based on reports from NASA, The Associated Press and Reuters. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Quiz - NASA Seeks People for Isolation Study to Prepare for Moon and Mars Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story isolation n. the state of being separate from other people, places or things mission n. an important task, usually involving travel somewhere aspect n. one part of a situation, problem, subject, etc. virtual reality n. a set of images and sounds produced by a computer to represent a real place or situation simulation n. a recreation of a process or situation The Taliban have not only retained their ties with Al-Qaeda but have also assured its leaders personally that their ties will remain unaffected by their peace agreement with the United States, says a UN report released Monday, casting serious doubt on the future of the Trump administrations key foreign policy achievement. The report also details the presence of 1,020 Lashkar-e-Taiba fighters in Afghanistan working with the Taliban forces and 230 belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammed. The two Pakistan-based terrorist outfits have carried out multiple attacks in India. There are in all 6,500 foreign terrorists from Pakistan in Afghanistan. In an agreement signed by US and Taliban representatives in Doha on February 29, the Americans have undertaken to draw down their troops in Afghanistan in exchange for the Taliban committing to certain anti-terrorism measures, chiefly cutting ties with terrorist groups threatening the security of the United States or its allies, and not allow them to operate from Afghanistan. Exchange of prisoners, removal of sanctions on the Taliban and the launch of intra-Afghan talks were the other elements. The Taliban regularly consulted with Al-Qaida during negotiations with the United States and offered guarantees that it would honour their historical ties, a UN-appointed Monitoring Team said in its annual report to the UN Security Council. It added: Al-Qaida has reacted positively to the agreement, with statements from its acolytes celebrating it as a victory for the Talibans cause and thus for global militancy. The report refers, as evidence, to a reported meeting that took place in the spring of 2019 between senior Taliban officials and Hamza bin Laden, son and successor of Osama bin Laden, to reassure him personally that the Islamic Emirate would not break its historical ties with Al-Qaida for any price. The Al-Qaeda leaders death was announced by President Trump in September. The monitoring team cited Afghan officials to detail the continued presence of LeT and JeM, who, the report said, had 1,020 and 230 fighters in Afghanistan respectively, co-located with Taliban forces. JeM did not figure int he teams 2019 report. These groups, the repot added, facilitate the trafficking of terrorist fighters into Afghanistan, who act as advisers, trainers and specialists in improvised explosive devices. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio revealed Monday morning that the officers who were captured on video driving into crowds of George Floyd protesters will be investigated and called the footage 'troubling' as he walked back his initial response to the disturbing incident. De Blasio was addressing protests that took place in multiple boroughs in the city over the weekend. Most were peaceful and some weren't. According to de Blasio, looting took place around the city. 'We also have seen situations where police officers acted inappropriately,' de Blasio began. He explained: 'I want to take a step back and talk about a very troubling video from the night before last of two police cars moving through a crowd. That was so troubling to the people of this city.' De Blasio, who said Saturday that the officers acted while under attack, shifted his tone Monday, saying, 'it is still not acceptable for our officers to ever drive into a crowd'. De Blasio also said that there are some officers 'who do not belong on this job'. He told reporters that he spoke on the incident when it occurred but admitted that he didn't express the reality of the dangerous situations that officers have been put in during protests. 'There is no situation where a police vehicle should drive into a crowd of protesters or New Yorkers of any kind. It is dangerous. It is unacceptable,' de Blasio continued. Scroll down for video New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio revealed Monday morning that the officers who were captured on video driving into crowds of George Floyd protesters will be investigated and called the footage 'troubling' 'This was an extremely aberrant situation and there were extenuating circumstances because of incidents that happened earlier in the day... but it is still not acceptable for our officers to ever drive into a crowd. 'This incident is under investigation as we speak,' de Blasio told reporters. The footage de Blasio was referring to emerged on Saturday and showed two police cars being swarmed by protesters. In the video that was shot in Brooklyn, the NYPD cruisers are seen driving into protesters who were pushing against a barricade against a police car and pelting it with objects. The first patrol car initially remained stationary in the middle of the road before demonstrators approached. The activists then began pelting the car with bottles, traffic cones and even bags of trash. A second NYPD cruiser then pulled alongside the first but appeared to be in a rush to push through the crowds. The footage de Blasio was referring to emerged on Saturday and showed two police cars being swarmed by protesters. In the video that was shot in Brooklyn, the NYPD cruisers are seen driving into protesters who were pushing against a barricade Those gathered swarmed the second patrol car which then, without warning, suddenly began to accelerate. At least three people were pushed to the side and almost run over and the police car drove on down the street. On Sunday, video posted to social media showed a police officer pulling a gun and pointing it at demonstrators on a debris-littered Manhattan street. The officer holds the gun up for about five seconds for people to hurry away, and then a supervisor comes over and ushers the officer away. De Blasio called for the department to strip the officer of his gun and badge immediately, though the mayor noted that he didn't know all the circumstances surrounding the moment captured on video. 'It is not the place of an officer to pull a gun on a crowd knowing that there are peaceful protesters in that crowd,' de Blasio said. On Sunday, New York City police made some gestures of solidarity with marchers during the day. Some officers knelt with protesters in an intersection as an organizer called out the names of people killed by police. But the police department has come under criticism for confrontations with demonstrators over the weekend. Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said the department is investigating officers' behavior in about six incidents. Thousands of people have taken to the streets around the nation to express outrage over Floyd's (left) death and other killings of black people, particularly by police. Floyd died after white officer, Derek Chauvin, 44, kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes on May 25 The mayor also said on Monday that he is considering putting the nation's biggest city under curfew after nights of destruction followed three days of largely peaceful protests (pictured in Brooklyn on Sunday) De Blasio had previously rejected imposing a curfew, as many other cities across the US have done to try to curb violence that erupted amid demonstrations over Floyd's May 25 death Thousands of people have taken to the streets around the nation to express outrage over Floyd's death and other killings of black people, particularly by police. Floyd, 46, died on May 25 after white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, 44, pressed his knee on Floyd's neck. The mayor also said on Monday that he is considering putting the nation's biggest city under curfew after nights of destruction followed three days of largely peaceful protests. De Blasio had previously rejected imposing a curfew, as many other cities across the US have done to try to curb violence that erupted amid demonstrations over Floyd's death, police brutality and racial injustice. But de Blasio said he was talking with Shea and Gov Andrew Cuomo about the idea. The mayor emphasized that no decision had been made on a curfew, and 'there are advantages and disadvantages'. Earlier Monday, Shea said he didn't think a curfew would work. 'The problem is: People need to listen to a curfew, and that's not going to happen. If people think it will, they don't understand what's going on,' Shea said on NBC's Today. The deliberations came as workers swept up broken glass outside luxury stores in Manhattan's chic SoHo neighborhood, where people smashed windows and plundered shops overnight. 'Hundreds and hundreds' were arrested, Shea said. A 21-year-old man was shot in the neighborhood around 12.30am and was taken to a hospital, police said. They said his injuries were not life-threatening. Groups of people poured down the sidewalks in Soho and other neighborhoods including Union Square, breaking into Rolex, Kate Spade and Prada boutiques and electronics stores that have been shuttered for over two months because of the coronavirus. It was the third night in a row of mainly peaceful daytime demonstrations, chaotic nights, hotspots of violence and arrests, with the mayor's daughter among those arrested over the weekend. An arrest report obtained by the New York Post said Chiara de Blasio, 25, refused to leave a Manhattan street that officers were clearing Saturday because people were throwing things. Chiara was later given a court summons and released. Her father said Monday that he didn't learn of her arrest until media reports emerged Sunday. He said his daughter told him she didn't do anything wrong. 'She was very clear that she believed she was following the instructions of police officers and doing what they were asking... absolutely, she was abundantly clear she was peacefully protesting, not doing anything that would provoke a negative response,' he said, adding that he admired her for peacefully 'trying to change something that she thought was unjust'. Police stationed outside the White House attacked a BBC cameraman on purpose as protests against police brutality and the death of George Floyd continued overnight. Peter Murtaugh, who was with the BBC on Sunday night, caught the moment he was pushed on camera in a video that has now had more than one million views. The 10-second video shows police lined-up about a block away from the White House, before at least a dozen officers charge without warning. Mr Murtaugh, who was tackled to the ground, can be heard struggling as he attempts to steady the camera during the impact. The officers riot shield can be seen advancing towards the BBC camera, before the image becomes blurred and flares are heard being fired in the background. The BBCs North American editor, Jon Sopel, said on Twitter afterwards: Our brilliant cameraman Pete Murtaugh clearly targeted by the police/a policeman. BBC News North American correspondent, Aleem Maqbool, posted the video on Twitter on Monday morning after the incident. He added that the attack preceded the 11pm curfew imposed upon Washington D.C. and other American cities last night. He wrote on Twitter: This was before curfew and our cameraman, clearly a member of the press, a block away from the White House this evening. It comes amid other unprecedented police attacks against both domestic and international press during unrest in several American cities. Police were said to have shot photographer Linda Tirado in Minneapolis on Friday as she screamed Im press, Im press, in an unprovoked attack that has left her with the potential loss of sight in one eye. Another reporter who was covering demonstrations in Louisville, Kentucky, had police shoot pepper bullets at her live on air as she screamed: Im getting shot! Im getting shot! Meanwhile, New York police on Sunday arrested and charged a British photographer covering protests despite identifying himself as press. Other accounts from this weekends demonstrations have also show police attacking protestors without reason. On a live Facebook video feed from Minneapolis last week, police officers ignored pleas from bystanders to show mercy to suspect George Floyd. Please, please, please I cant breathe. Please, man, Floyd cried, as Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck and Thomas Lane and Alexander Kueng pinned him down while handcuffed. A woman, identified by the Minneapolis Star Tribune as an off-duty firefighter, yelled, The fact that you guys arent checking his pulse and doing compressions if he needs them you guys are on another level! Officer Tou Thao keeps bystanders away. Dont do drugs, guys, he said. A bystander asked, So you call what (Chauvins) doing OK? In a news release, the Minneapolis Police Department called Floyds subsequent death a medical incident, further inflaming tensions. MPD spokesperson John Elder told the Star-Tribune the technique Chauvin used for nearly nine minutes was not a department-authorized chokehold. In my years as an officer, that would not be what I would ever consider a chokehold. Floyd was suspected of passing a $20 counterfeit bill at a grocery store. He reportedly resisted efforts to get him into the squad car. The four officers were fired the following day. Then two nights of peaceful protests devolved into rioting, pillaging and arson including torching the nearby Third Precinct building before Chauvin was arrested for third-degree murder and manslaughter. The incident revived memories of New Yorker Eric Garner pleading, I cant breathe, in a video amid Officer Daniel Pantaleos fatal chokehold. The New York City coroner ruled it a homicide, but a grand jury didnt indict Pantaleo. Floyds death touched off a nationwide wave of peaceful protests 1,000 gathered in Waterloo and lawlessness during a month of racial outrage. In Georgia, a video released of a Feb. 23 incident showed former police officer George McMichael and his son, Travis, following jogger Ahmaud Arbery, whom they suspected of being a burglar, confronting and fatally shooting him. Three prosecutors declined to bring charges before the video prompted state officials to arrest the McMichaels. Breonna Taylor, 26, an emergency medical technician, was asleep March 13 with boyfriend Kenneth Walker in their apartment when three officers from Louisville Metro Police burst in with a no-knock warrant during a drug bust gone wrong. Walker shot one in the leg, maintaining they entered unannounced. Taylor was shot eight times and killed. The FBI is investigating. Christian Cooper a Harvard grad, former biomedical and Marvel Comics editor was birdwatching in New York Central Parks Ramble area when he asked Amy Cooper to put her dog on a leash, as required in the area. Instead, Amy Cooper a Franklin Templeton investment executive, University of Chicago business school graduate and Democrat called police. Im taking a picture and calling the cops, she said on Christian Coopers video. Then she falsely claimed. Im going to tell them theres an African-American man threatening my life. Police arrived and dismissed the altercation. Franklin Templeton fired Amy Cooper. It didnt take much to stoke Minneapolis tensions. In a suburb four years earlier, Philando Castile, 32, was killed by an officer during a traffic stop while a passenger in his girlfriends car. A video showed Officer Jeronimo Yanez asking for his license and registration. Castile said he had a firearm. Dont reach for it then, Yanez said. Castile replied, Im, I, I was reaching for ... Yanez said, Dont pull it out. Im not pulling it out, Castile said. His girlfriend said he wasnt. Yanez again said, Dont pull it out, and shot Castile five times. Yanez was charged with second-degree murder, but acquitted. President Donald Trump mourned George Floyds very sad and tragic death, then became combative in the wake of the rioting. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, was a very weak radical Left Mayor. Trump added, When the looting starts, the shooting starts. That echoed Miami Police Chief Walter Headley who also said in 1967, We dont mind being accused of police brutality. He was blamed for rioting in 1968. Trump later amended his remarks. In 2014, after a grand jury refused to indict a white officer who shot and killed a young black man in Ferguson, Mo., prompting rioting, President Barack Obama stated, Burning buildings, torching cars, destroying property, putting people at risk thats destructive and theres no excuse for it. Those are criminal acts. And people should be prosecuted if they engage in criminal acts. Criminal acts shouldnt be condoned in any circumstance no matter skin color, profession, or status in life. The Floyd tragedy and others like it regrettably undermine the good-faith efforts of so many officers intent on building bridges of trust in their communities. But the videos also should open the eyes of those who reject white privilege as an outrageous proposition. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Although Wilson Borough police were already there, a 21-year-old Easton man came to a home Sunday night in the 2300 block of Second Street to threaten then strike another man, court papers say. Xeane Germaine Allen, of the 1400 block of Washington Street, made the threat about 9:15 p.m. then closed in on the other man, police said. Officers tried to hold Allen back but he reached around an officer and punched the victim in the jaw, police said. While trying to get a punch off over Patrolman James Siegfried, Allens fist struck the officer in the left side of the head, police said. Allen was arraigned at 7:15 a.m. Monday before District Judge Patricia Broscius on charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, simple assault and harassment, police said. He was released when PreTrial Services added a 10% option to his $10,000 bail, records say. The judge had approved the possibility for the 10% option, records show. Allens preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled 9 a.m. June 12 in District Judge Richard Yetter IIIs court in the borough. Allen does not have a listed phone number, so he couldnt be reached for comment, and court papers dont list an attorney for him. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting lehighvalleylive.com with a voluntary subscription. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have threatened their former bodyguard with a multi-million dollar lawsuit reports TMZ, after he made explosive claims about the rapper last month. Kim, 39, and Kanye, 42, have reportedly sent a cease-and-desist letter to Kanye's ex bodyguard Steve Stanulis, alleging he made 'false and defamatory statements' and breached a confidentiality agreement on the Hollywood Raw Podcast last month. Stanulis, who was reportedly fired by the rapper back in 2016, said that he was given 'ridiculous rules' to abide by and described the Famous star as 'one of my least favorite people to work with over the course of time' on the podcast. Legal: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have threatened their former bodyguard with a multi-million dollar lawsuit reports TMZ , after he made explosive claims about the rapper last month (pictured in March 2020) Documents obtained by TMZ claim the former bodyguard signed the agreement in February 2016 and it prohibits him from speaking about any personal or business-related information about Kim and Kanye. The website states that while Kim and Kanye haven't specified which of Steve's statements are false and defamatory, they have threatened to sue for at least $10 million for breaching the confidentiality agreement if he does it again. Back in 2016, Kim and Kanye were said to have threatened to sue Stanulis for the same thing and demanded a public apology. Stanulis' publicist denied to TMZ that any breach of confidentiality agreement had been committed. Zack Teperman said: 'My client went on a podcast to promote his new film, and old stories that were already out there were brought up.' Hmm: Kim, 39, and Kanye, 42, have reportedly sent a cease-and-desist letter to Kanye's ex bodyguard Steve Stanulis, alleging he made 'false and defamatory statements' and breached a confidentiality agreement on the Hollywood Raw Podcast last month (above in 2016) 'For Kanye and Kim's counsel to send out a threatening letter to bully my client against his rights is unwarranted. My client has already made it clear that he respects Kanye, their time working together.' 'If Kanye and Kim wish to continue this further, that is up to them, but I think their time and money would be better suited helping out with more pressing matters in our society than what happened many years ago.' MailOnline has contacted representatives for Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and Steve Stanulis for comment. Stanulis is a former NYPD officer who has appeared in TV projects including The Sopranos and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. Claim: Stanulis, who was reportedly fired by the rapper back in 2016, said that he was given 'ridiculous rules' to abide by and described the Famous star as 'one of my least favorite people to work with over the course of time' on the podcast The Staten Island native for a time was also a Chippendales dancer who went by the name 'Savage Steve'. During the explosive podcast last month, the bodyguard claimed that West had a meltdown on the first day they met, ranting over the fact Stanulis didn't know which button to press in the elevator of a studio where he was making clothes for his fashion line. The former celeb bodyguard then claimed West threw his toys out of the pram saying: 'So you mean you didn't call ahead to find out where I'm supposed to be going?' Stanulis said he hit back, saying: 'I said 'bro, we can do this one of three ways. One, you could tell me what button to press, and now I'll know. Tough boss? The website states that while Kim and Kanye haven't specified which of Steve's statements are false and defamatory, they have threatened to sue for at least $10 million (pictured in 2018) 'Two, you could press the button, and I'll see which one you pressing and then I'll know. Or three, you can sit in here all day and tell me how important your time is and we are not going to go anywhere.'' 'It happened on numerous occasions, I would give him the one, two, three, and he would always go for the first option,' Stanulis said. Another anecdote Stanulis alleged was that West once walked down the West Side Highway in New York State on his own after having an argument with someone. He also alleges that West had a rule of making the security professional always be '10 paces behind him on a city street' making it difficult Stanulis to do his job when civilians would approach the rapper. Elsewhere in the interview, the bodyguard did say West was the hardest worker that he's ever come across, but also the 'neediest, moodiest and worst tipper', saying that he would not work with him again in the future. For more Hollywood Raw click here When it came to naming celebrities that were nice, he revealed that Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire was the 'kindest' while also praising the likes of Alanis Morissette, Woody Harrelson, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Stephen Baldwin. Stanulis previously made disparaging remarks about Kanye and Kim following her Paris robbery in October 2016. In a round of media interviews back then, Stanulis alleged that West wouldn't allow him to take the same cab as him when travelling, or sit at the same table when out for dinner. West did not respond to any of the claims at the time. A journalist is seen bleeding after police started firing tear gas and rubber bullets near the 5th police precinct following a demonstration to call for justice for George Floyd, a black man who died while in custody of the Minneapolis police, on May 30, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images The UK government calls on Trump to protect the rights of journalists to cover the George Floyd protests after a British photojournalist who had been documenting events in New York was arrested. "Journalists around the world must be free to do their job and hold power to account without fear of arrest or violence," Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said. Protests raged across America this weekend over the death of George Floyd, who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. His death has renewed anger over police brutality in the USA and the treatment of African Americans. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The UK government has called on Trump to allow journalists to do their job "without fear of arrest," while covering the "alarming" violence seen at protests about the death of George Floyd, after a British photographer was arrested by police in New York. Boris Johnson's spokesman described the arrest on Sunday of Adam Gray, a New York-based photographer from the UK who had been documenting protests at rallies in the city, as "very concerning." "The reporter's arrest and incident are very concerning. Journalists around the world must be free to do their job and hold power to account without fear of arrest or violence," the spokesman said. "It's the consistent position of the UK that journalists must be able to do their jobs without fear of arrest or violence." Gray, 33, was taking photographs in Union Square on Sunday when he was thrown to the ground then arrested. Several police officers then climbed on top of him and restrained him, forcing him into handcuffs, the Press Gazette reported. The photojournalist showed police his press pass, issued by the US State Department, but he was taken away in a police vehicle and spent the night in custody, the Press Gazette reported. He was later charged with unlawful assembly near Union Square. Story continues "Gray said: "The whole time that I was being arrested, I was shouting that I was press and showing them my Foreign Press card, but they just didn't seem to care. "I get that in the heat of the moment you might get pushed or grabbed, but as soon as you say that you're press, it normally stops there but not this time. "I've worked in many other countries doing work like this and never has it gone as far as this. I couldn't believe it," he told the Press Gazette. CNN correspondent, Omar Jimenez, was also arrested by police in Minnesota on Friday, despite Jimenez and his crew repeatedly identifying themselves as journalists and displayed badges confirming their identity. Multiple journalists and other members of the news media also appear to have been targeted with rubber bullets and tear gas while covering this weekend's demonstrations, USA Today reported. Downing Street said the violence in the US over recent days was "very alarming." "The violence we've seen in the US over recent days is clearly very alarming," the UK prime minister's spokesman said on Monda. "People must be allowed to protest peacefully." Protests over the death of George Floyd spread rapidly across the US on Friday and continued through the weekend, with largely demonstrations taking place across more than 140 cities. The death of Floyd, who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes, has renewed anger over police brutality in the USA and the treatment of African Americans. Peaceful protests took place alongside violent clashes between demonstrators and the police, who fired tear gas and rubber bullets as some rioters burned cars and smashed shop windows. Read the original article on Business Insider Suicide attempts are much higher among LGBTQ youth than among their heterosexual peers. SDSU researchers will develop an intervention program. Credit: SDSU Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth and young adults, behind unintentional injury, with suicide attempts much higher among LGBTQ youth (23% to 45%) than their heterosexual and cisgender peers (5%). Despite this considerable disparity, few empirically supported suicide prevention programs exist for this highly vulnerable group. San Diego State University researchers Aaron Blashill and Kristen Wells, who received a $3.6 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health, are working to develop interventions to prevent suicide that can eventually be widely deployed and have a significant impact on improving mental health for sexual and gender minority youth and young adults. Blashill and Wells, both associate professors of psychology, will design and test the program over a five-year period. Working with Family Health Centers of San Diego (FHCSD), they will recruit and train social workers to be patient navigators who work with LGBTQ youth and young adults who have attempted suicide. Their team will then counsel youth and young adults on coping strategies and connect them with support groups and mental health resources. Patient navigation, when someone such as a social worker helps clients get access to the care they need, has traditionally been used to improve cancer care, especially among underserved populations. In recent years, patient navigation has been used to improve care for other health conditions and the SDSU research team will test its impact on suicide prevention among a vulnerable, often isolated group of individuals. "It can be hard for anyone to connect with a mental health provider when they're feeling intense negative emotions and have urges to harm themselves," said Blashill, who has expertise in LGBTQ health. "Among LGBTQ youth, there's a degree of medical mistrust which might make them even less likely to reach out for help. If you are a 15- or 16-year-old minor who is yet to 'come out' to your parents, who will guide you?" One of the main risks for this group is the stress of discrimination, which can be buffered with community support. Patient navigators can help build bridges with peers in the LGBTQ community while connecting them with mental health resources and services, including therapy. "We are both very invested in helping vulnerable populations," said Wells, who brings expertise in patient navigation interventions. "We share several research initiatives and we've worked closely with Family Health Centers of San Diego, which is how this partnership happened. They have been on the frontlines in serving this population which really struggles with suicide and depression." FHCSD has clinics in several locations in San Diego and specializes in serving ethnic minorities, immigrant groups, LGBTQ individuals, among others. Wells and Blashill will collaborate with co-investigators Dr. Sarah Rojas, and Dr. Christian Ramers, at FHCSD, and SDSU researchers Jerel Calzo from the School of Public Health, Robin Weersing from the department of psychology, and Chii-Dean (Joey) Lin, a statistician from the math department. "FHCSD is committed to not only broadly supporting equity in health care, but making a tangible difference in the lives of our community members. This research gives us the opportunity to help meet the needs of our vulnerable LGBTQ youth in San Diego and hopefully lay the foundation to support young people across the country," Rojas said. The research team will also work with community organizations that will be part of an advisory group guiding their program. Aiming to meet the clients where they are, the program will be tailored to individual needs. In the first, two-year phase, the researchers will hire two experienced navigators to work with up to 40 participants. Once the program's acceptability and feasibility have been evaluated, a second phase of the study will be implemented over a three-year span with 170 participants. One group will receive patient navigation combined with safety planning intervention, while a control group will be given safety planning alone, and the impact in reducing suicide attempts will be compared. "This project is risky given that all of the community members who will take part in the study will have made one or more suicide attempts and have suicidal thoughts," Wells said. Although this level of risk may explain why others have not developed interventions, the lack of existing interventions underscores the importance of the project and meeting the target population's specific needs. The first phase will be launched this summer. One intervention goal is to address the lack of connection that individuals with suicidal impulses have when they feel alienated, by increasing social support. The second goal is to give them coping skills when they experience such urgesrestrictions such as locking up firearms in the home or handing it over to someone to keep safe, which can substantially reduce attempts, and to reach out to friends, family or counselors. "We will also help them try to ride out the urge without acting on it, with distraction techniques," Blashill said. "It's 'urge surfing' - where you ride it out until it subsides. This can be going outside for a walk, calling a friend, watching TV, or taking a shower." Different techniques work for different people, so the patient navigator will help participants identify what coping strategies best serve them, while teaching them tools to navigate systemic barriers to mental health care. Wells and Blashill noted individuals struggling with suicidal thoughts may need longer-term treatment and so their intervention is not meant to replace therapy, but rather to connect participants with coping skills, and treatment and support resources. Explore further Bullying is common factor in LGBTQ youth suicides, study finds You are here: Business China's tech giant Tencent announced it will invest 500 billion yuan (about 70.11 billion U.S. dollars) in the next 5 years to develop new infrastructure across the country. The funds will be mainly invested in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, blockchain, supercomputer center, quantum computing and data center, said Tang Daosheng, senior executive vice president of Tencent. To spur the innovation of industrial technologies, the firm will also strengthen the development of industrial internet base, innovation center and industrial parks, he said. The Shenzhen-based enterprise will fully leverage resources from leading experts and laboratories and collaborate with top universities at home and abroad to establish research platforms while enhancing industrial research and talent cultivation. Tang called for joint efforts by online and traditional businesses, government departments, research institutions, nonprofit organizations and users to build a community of digital ecology in a bid to put the industrial internet sector into the fast lane. China has pledged fresh efforts to advance the construction of new infrastructure including next-generation information networks and 5G applications, according to an annual government work report. Syria has announced its support for China and their recent decision regarding Hong Kong and the territorial integrity of China writes SANA. Syria expressed support for the decision of the third session of the 13th National Peoples Congress of the Peoples Republic of China on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to Safeguard National Security. An official source at Foreign and Expatriates Ministry told SANA in a statement that Syria rejects the external interference in Chinas affairs, especially by the United States and other Western countries, considering the interference a flagrant violation of international law and the principle of the sovereignty of states over their territory. The source concluded that Syria affirms the unity and territorial integrity of China and its sovereignty over its territory, and the one China principle, demanding all countries to respect that. 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. Photo: The Canadian Press A worker is seen cleaning the seats of the auditorium at Eric Hamber Secondary school in Vancouver, B.C., Monday, March 23, 2020. Schools in British Columbia are set to reopen Monday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward When students board the school bus on Monday in Williams Lake, B.C., they'll be greeted by a bus driver wearing a protective visor and will take a seat by themselves unless they live with another student. Parents who take their kids to school will be asked to stay outside or make an appointment to reduce the number of adults who don't need to be in the building. Superintendent Chris van der Mark of the Cariboo-Chilcotin School District said in an interview these are some of the first differences families will notice, as schools across British Columbia increase capacity to more students. Schools will have consistent procedures for site access, cleaning and hygiene and physical distancing. However, exactly what that will look like will vary because every school property is different, he said. "This won't be perfect, but just as people adjusted to the initial suspension of service, I am confident we will do so again," he said in a letter to families May 22. British Columbia is reopening schools to the broad student body on an optional basis, leaving it up to families to decide if they want to go or continue learning from home. It's the latest pivot school staff have had to make in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and one that the teachers' union says is still full of unknowns. The B.C. government is providing health and safety guidance in co-ordination with public health officials and it's up to school districts to determine class scheduling and transportation. For most students in kindergarten through Grade 5 that will mean half-time attendance, such as alternating days, while grades 6 to 12 will go to school about one day a week, the government says. About 5,000 students, including the children of essential service workers and those needing extra support, are already in classrooms. But B.C. Teachers Federation President Teri Mooring said a lot of what schooling looks like in June depends on how many students actually show up. Only some school districts conducted surveys of families asking whether they planned to send their kids back to school and the results varied between a high of 90 per cent and a low of 15, she said. Even surveys aren't necessarily good indicators of uptake. Early in the pandemic, about half of essential workers said they planned to keep sending their kids to school but only 30 per cent did, she said. "It's hard to know exactly what that's going to look like until we see the kids who come through the doors on Monday," Mooring said. Some students won't have the same teacher as staff are shuffled to accommodate the new schedules and smaller class sizes, she said. About one in 10 teachers are requesting to keep working from home because they have a higher vulnerability to COVID-19, which means they'll likely be dedicated to teaching students who stick with remote learning, Mooring said. A common model will see other teachers work four days a week in class then the fifth remotely, she said. "That won't be maybe such a big deal if most of their class returns. It will be quite a big problem if most of the class does not return." The union is concerned about teacher burnout as they try to make up the difference. "I'm worried about the number of hours they may be putting in," Mooring said. Some classes won't look the same. There will be no sharing of instruments in music class, for example, or even of pens and pencils. School staff and administrators have no plans to stop those programs. "We know that music is really important, especially when you've gone through a difficult time. These types of experiences are really highly valued when there's high stress level so it's vital that these programs continue," Mooring said. For the time being, it will mean studying music in a different way. In North Vancouver, about half of families surveyed said they planned to send their kids back to kindergarten through Grade 5, school board chairwoman Christie Sacre said. As a result, the district has planned for half of those students to attend on Mondays and Tuesdays and the other half on Thursday and Fridays. Any "maybe" families have been asked to alert their school the Wednesday before they decide to return. While door knobs, toilet seats, keyboards and other high-contact surfaces will be cleaned throughout the day alongside other cleaning, she said Wednesdays will also be dedicated to a "deep clean" of the building. Arrival will occur on a staggered basis and so will recess and breaks, she said. Hallways will also become one-way corridors. "We need to make sure our hallways are not full, and we don't have kids going in different directions in hallways and that kind of thing," she said. School staff have been nimble in their response to the pandemic and she gave the example of a librarian who took it upon herself to deliver kids book door-to-door. The school district is working hard to make sure everyone who returns feels comfortable and safe doing so, she said. "Some people think we should never have shut schools down and others can't believe they're opening them up," she said. "We need to step back and not judge people for the decisions they make." Bay Area political events that are happening online and at socially safe distances during the coronavirus pandemic: WEDNESDAY David Frum: Political commentator outlines a path back for American democracy after President Trump. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. Noon. More information is here. Climate change and the election: A discussion on whether climate issues will play a major role in the November elections. Panelists include Vanessa Hauc, journalist and senior correspondent at Noticias Telemundo; Jeff Nesbit, executive director at Climate Nexus,;and Nathaniel Stinnett, founder and executive director of the Environmental Voter Project. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 4 p.m. More information is here. THURSDAY Women reshaping Congress: New York Times reporter Jennifer Steinhauer on the women who were first elected to the House in 2018 and their agendas. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. Noon. More information is here. FRIDAY Gun violence awareness: National Gun Violence Awareness Day, hosted by Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gunsafety. Event information is here. George Floyd solidarity ride: A Critical Mass-style ride to call for justice for George Floyd and end police brutality. Starts from Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco. 5:30 p.m. More information is here. SATURDAY Action against gun violence: A California conversation on gun violence prevention, with online speakers and actions people can take. Hosted by Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gunsafety. 10 a.m. More information is here. TUESDAY George Packer: Journalist discusses his new book on longtime diplomat Richard Holbrooke, Richard Holbrooke and the End of the American Century. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. More information is here. Bakari Sellers: Former South Carolina state legislator discusses his new memoir, My Vanishing Country, about growing up in the rural South as an African American and about his fathers rise as a civil rights activist. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 3 p.m. More information is here. Berkeley home cooking: A virtual rally to support legalizing the sale of home-cooked food. Organized by Foodnome. 7 p.m. More information and Zoom link here. JUNE 10 Edward Snowden and the surveillance state: Barton Gellman, journalist who chronicled Edward Snowdens story, discusses that experience and the surveillance state. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 10 a.m. More information is here. Surviving autocracy: New Yorker journalist Masha Gessen on getting through Donald Trumps presidency. Hosted by the Commwealth Club. 12:30 p.m. More information is here. Covering Pelosi: Political journalist Molly Ball in discussion with Politicos Carla Marinucci on the life and times of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Hosted by the Commonwealth Club. 3 p.m. More information is here. Child care and the pandemic: A discussion on creating affordable, accessible child care during the coronavirus pandemic. Panelists include San Francisco Supervisor Norman Yee, Gina Fromer of the Childrens Council of San Francisco, early care educator Pat Sullivan and Graham Dobson of the city Office of Early Care and Education. Hosted by Mannys. 5:30 p.m. More information is here. JUNE 11 LGBTQ asylum seekers: The challenges and hurdles facing LGBTQ+ immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers coming to the United States. Hosted by the Commowealth Club and San Francisco Pride. Noon. More information is here. To list an event, please email Chronicle politics editor Trapper Byrne at tbyrne@sfchronicle.com File Photo The one who threatened the world with corona has now announced the good news of medicine. Chinese scientists claim to have developed a 99 percent effective vaccine for the corona virus. CoronavirusPreparations are underway to make 100 million doses of this vaccine. The vaccine was developed by Beijing-based biotech company Sinovac. More than a thousand volunteers are being tried in China. However, a three-stage trial of the vaccine is being planned in the UK. Advertisement The researchers who developed the vaccine were asked if the vaccine would work. In response, researcher Luo Baishan said it would be 99 percent effective. The company is currently testing Phase 2 vaccines, but there is a shortage of volunteers in China due to the low incidence of corona infection. CoronavirusSince then, researchers have decided to try it out in Europe. "We are in talks with a number of European countries for a trial," the company said. Talks have also been held with the UK regarding this. However, the talks are still in the early stages. The company is also setting up a plant in Beijing. About 100 million doses will be prepared in this plant. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Standing at a lectern with a backdrop map of the world behind him reminiscent of one at the State Department, the spokesman of Irans Foreign Ministry made a point Monday to criticize the U.S. in English amid ongoing protests over police killings of black people. To the American people, the world has heard your outcry over this state oppression, Abbas Mousavi told reporters in Tehran. So too have Washingtons adversaries in Iran and elsewhere. Long the target of American criticism, these nations have used the protests over the killing of George Floyd as an opportunity to hit back at the country held up by U.S. leaders for decades as the shining city upon a hill. By putting forth images of the unrest, they portray the U.S. as a hypocritical superpower unable to secure its own people, as well as normalizing the violence and repression they visit on their own citizens. To be clear, though they are trying to sympathize with protesters in the U.S., their aim is to leverage the internal divisions in America, not to advance the debate on this, said Ariane Tabatabai, a Middle East fellow who studies Iran at the Washington-based German Marshall Fund. Regime officials particularly like the theme of racial tensions in the U.S. because it allows them to point the finger at Washington, which is often front and center condemning human rights abuses by the regime, she said. Thats particularly valuable to Iran, which has violently put down recent nationwide economic demonstrations by killing hundreds, arresting thousands and disrupting internet access. The Islamic Republic has seen its already-ailing economy crater since President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew Washington from Tehrans nuclear deal with world powers, cutting off its oil sales. The American regime is pursuing violence and bullying at home and abroad, Mousavi said. That criticism has extended to Twitter, which Iranian officials use extensively despite the website being banned since the mass protests and crackdown surrounding its disputed 2009 presidential election. Former hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose disputed re-election sparked the 2009 unrest, called Floyds killing disturbing & upsetting. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif offered a rewritten statement earlier issued by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, crossing out Iran and replacing it with America. Pompeo responded by tweeting: You hang homosexuals, stone women and exterminate Jews. State-controlled media in China saw the protests through the prism of American views on Hong Kongs anti-government demonstrations, which China has long said the U.S. encouraged. In a commentary, the ruling Communist Party newspaper Global Times said Chinese experts had noted that U.S. politicians might think twice before commenting again on Hong Kong, knowing their words might backfire. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian offered his own criticism at a Beijing news conference. The protests once again reflect the racial discrimination in the U.S., the serious problems of police violent enforcement and the urgency of solving these problems, Zhao said. He added that China hopes the U.S. will safeguard and guarantee the legal rights of ethnic minorities. Thats as China continues a yearslong, massive crackdown that has locked away more than 1 million ethnic minorities, most of them Muslims. In North Korea, the countrys official Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported about the demonstrations, saying that protesters harshly condemned a white policemans lawless and brutal murder of a black citizen. Three large photos showed protests from recent days from Minneapolis, where Floyd died May 25 after a white police officer pressed his knee on Floyds neck for several minutes. The officer was fired and charged with murder, but protesters are demanding the three other officers at the scene be prosecuted. Rodong Sinmun noted hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the White House chanting, No justice, no peace. It did not make any direct comments about Trump, whom North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has met three times in high-profile summits. Russia said the United States had systemic human rights problems, criticism that followed a pattern dating to the Cold War. The 1957 integration of Little Rock Central High School by nine African American students supported by bayonet-carrying soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division saw one Soviet newspaper use the headline: Troops Advance Against Children! That information warfare continues today in the cyber-realm, as U.S. intelligence agencies say Russia meddled Americas 2016 presidential election. Tabatabai said she and her colleagues had been tracking Chinese, Iranian and Russian social media accounts using the hashtags #BlackLivesMatter and #GeorgeFloyd. U.S. allies as well have been expressing their own opinions on the unrest. British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons spokesman said the arrests and assaults on journalists were very concerning. Zimbabwe summoned the U.S. ambassador over U.S. national security adviser Robert OBriens allegation this weekend that Harare could be one of several foreign adversaries taking advantage of the demonstrations. Meanwhile, Germanys center-left Social Democratic Party, which is a member of Chancellor Angela Merkels governing coalition, on Monday described itself as 157 (years old) and Antifa. Naturally. The tweet appeared to be a response to Trumps assertion that he would designate Antifa, an umbrella description for the far-left-leaning militant groups that resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations and other events, a terrorist organization. Across from the U.S. Embassy in Paris, dozens of people knelt in silent protest, urging the French government to take racism and police violence more seriously. Despite a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people because of the coronavirus, they held signs reading I Cant Breathe in English, or Racism is suffocating us and We are all George Floyd in French. Thousands of people packed Dam Square in central Amsterdam and spilled into several side streets in an unexpectedly large protest to denounce police brutality in the U.S. and Europe. They chanted Black lives matter! raising their fists and holding anti-racism signs. In Perth, Australia, the hundreds of demonstrators who peacefully protested Floyds death also sought to highlight injustices against indigenous Australians. I believe its important as a young indigenous woman to vocalise that this isnt just an American issue, this is a black people issue and indigenous people fit into that category, organizer Tanesha Bennell told Nine Network television. Protesters carried banners with messages including No Pride in Genocide and tears appeared as the names of indigenous people who have died in Australian police custody were read to the crowd. ___ Associated Press writers Ken Moritsugu in Beijing, Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, Frank Jordans in Berlin, Jill Lawless in London, Farai Mutsaka in Harare, Zimbabwe, and Colleen Berry in Milan contributed. ___ Follow the APs latest news about the protests in the U.S. at https://apnews.com/GeorgeFloyd Kabul ready to start intra-Afghan peace talks with Taliban: Abdullah Iran Press TV Saturday, 30 May 2020 2:19 PM A senior Afghan official tasked with leading the much-awaited intra-Afghan peace negotiations with the Taliban militant group says his team is ready to commence talks "at any moment" with the militants. Abdullah Abdullah, the head of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR), made the comment on Saturday at his first press conference since taken the role, saying the lull in violence created by an unexpected truce offered by Taliban had set the tone for starting the peace talks. "The announcement of the ceasefire, a reduction in violence and the exchange of prisoners have all paved the way for a good beginning," Abdullah said, adding, "The negotiating team is ready to begin the talks at any moment." After months of political crisis over the outcome of a disputed September presidential election, which declared Ashraf Ghani as the president for a second term, Abdullah, Ghani's bitter rival, agreed to ink a power-sharing deal with the incumbent president. Part of the agreement is that Abdullah henceforth heads Kabul's negotiating team in its intra-Afghan peace talks with the Taliban militant group, which has already controls large parts of the war-torn country. 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. The Taliban-proposed three-day ceasefire was held over the Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Although the truce, in effect from Sunday through Tuesday, maintained relative peace across the country, it was soon followed by deadly attacks on security forces. Afghan officials blamed the attacks on the Taliban. 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 We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form WASHINGTON - The past few weeks haven't been kind to Tara Reade, the woman who has accused former vice president Joe Biden of sexual assault. Several of Reade's former landlords and acquaintances say she manipulated and deceived them. Lawyers say she inflated her resume as a prosecution witness in several criminal cases, and a district attorney in California is investigating whether she perjured herself. Her attorney quit on her after just two weeks. Ryan Grim is unmoved. Grim - a journalist whose work has given prominence and credence to Reade's allegations, which Biden has firmly denied - thinks the latest revelations don't really change the story's basic contours. "It's messy and getting messier," he said last week. Those "who don't believe her, or don't want to believe her, have plenty to cling to. People who do believe her, or who want to believe her, do as well, though many people in the middle have shifted to the doubtful camp as more questions have arisen." Amid the dust cloud of allegations and denials, Grim has become a controversial figure - at least among warring factions of Democrats. As Washington bureau chief of the Intercept, he was among the first journalists to showcase Reade's latest allegations of abusive treatment when she worked in Biden's office. And when, shortly thereafter, she alleged on a podcast that Biden had sexually assaulted her in 1993, Grim was noisy in his efforts to call attention to the story - both on Twitter, where he has more than 150,000 followers, and in interviews discussing each twist and turn. He also broke an important piece of the story last month when he uncovered a recording of Reade's late mother calling in to CNN in 1993 and telling host Larry King about unspecified "problems" her daughter had working for "a prominent senator." The call "isn't conclusive, but it buttresses [Reade's] credibility," Grim said in a webcast interview. "It adds to the pile of evidence" supporting Reade, who had previously said she told her mother about the alleged assault when it happened. Biden has categorically denied Reade's allegations, which have morphed since last year from an accusation of inappropriate touching to her claim of assault in a Senate corridor. His Senate staff has said it has no record of complaints from Reade, who briefly worked in Biden's office in the early 1990s. News organizations, including The Washington Post, have been unable to corroborate some of the details of Reade's account. Biden partisans have accused Grim and the Intercept of promoting the story to boost Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Biden's last rival for the Democratic nomination, who remained in the race until mid-April and would be the likeliest benched candidate to see his hopes resurrected if Biden dropped out. (Biden's campaign representatives declined to comment.) Critics note that the Intercept - co-founded in 2014 by Pulitzer-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald and eBay founder Pierre Omidyar - is known for taking whacks at the Democratic establishment and championing the party's insurgent wing. One prominent Biden supporter even called for the FBI to investigate Grim and other journalists for their role in the Reade story, though the Biden campaign disavowed any such idea. Grim has been attacked by Neera Tanden, a former Obama administration official who is the president of the Center for American Progress, a liberal-leaning think tank. "We've had story after story that demonstrates massive inconsistencies at best and lies at worst by Reade. And silence by @ryangrim, who pushed this story online for weeks," she tweeted May 21. Tanden went on to accuse him of being among a group of journalists "who spend years pushing a certain candidate, he loses the primary, and then those journalists push stories to torpedo the candidate who won." Grim fired back by calling Tanden "delusional" and defending his coverage of the primaries - maintaining that, far from seeing him as an ally, Sanders supporters have attacked him for his tough reporting on their candidate. The Twitter tit-for-tat became so heated that Grim later tweeted that he and Tanden had agreed to delete some of their exchange to "lower the temperature," as Grim put it. Grim's vilification by some Democrats is a reversal from the nearly heroic status they conferred on him for his 2018 reporting on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault when they were teenagers. Grim's star rose when he broke the news of Blasey Ford's then-anonymous allegations, contained in an unreleased letter held by Sen. Dianne Feinstein,D-Calif. The story set in motion the drama of Kavanaugh's contentious confirmation hearings. Grim helped break stories about spousal-abuse allegations against former Trump White House aide Rob Porter. He was also among the first national reporters to call attention to the surprising strength of future Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 2018 primary challenge to 10-term New York congressman Joseph Crowley. His pugnacious style was literally on display in 2016 when he got into a scuffle with Fox News host Jesse Watters at a party following the White House correspondents' dinner. (Grim worked for HuffPost at the time.) Another Grim throwdown - this one a war of words with polling analyst Nate Silver shortly before the 2016 election, in which Grim excoriated Silver for assumptions in his statistical model that suggested Donald Trump had an actual shot at winning - didn't end so well for Grim. In interviews via email, Grim addressed many of the criticisms hurled his way on the Reade story. He seemed eager not to pick any new fights. Reade herself has said Grim contacted her in March and that she told him "the whole story" of the alleged assault. Grim confirms this but said he didn't have time to substantiate her allegations, so he instead focused his story on the advocacy group Time's Up's refusal to get involved in an unspecified harassment complaint of hers against Biden. Days later, Reade went on a podcast hosted by Katie Halper and made her full assault accusations public for the first time. Grim said he'd never met or spoken with Reade when she sent him a tweet on March 3 that critics have cited as evidence of a supposed conspiracy to undermine Biden. After Grim opined that a Biden vs. Sanders matchup would favor Sanders, Reade tweet-replied, "Yup. Timing. . . wait for it. . . .tic toc." Grim said he was unaware of her comment until he began getting criticism for it after his first story on Reade was published a few weeks later. "I can understand why people would see that 'tic toc' tweet and believe that there was some collusion around a well-timed hit," he said. "All I can do is respond with the facts: We [hadn't spoken] at the time, so even if I would have seen that reply, I'd have no clue what it was in reference to." Grim believes the anger directed at him is a reflection of the tensions within the party during the primaries. "Many people believed that supporters of Sanders were cynically weaponizing [Reade's allegations] to undermine Biden, while many Sanders supporters thought that Biden backers were acting like hypocrites" for not being more supportive of a woman alleging sexual assault, he said. As for the doubts raised about Reade's credibility, Grim suggests that's somewhat beside the point. "The question is whether the discrediting information [about Reade] disqualifies her from making her allegations publicly," he said. "Given that multiple people say she's been telling this story for 25-plus years, I don't think she's disqualified. . . . Biden's campaign was right to say, 'Women have a right to tell their story, and reporters have an obligation to rigorously vet those claims.' " But given all the discrediting information, does he believe Tara Reade? "That's the wrong question to ask," he replied. "The question for the media should be, do you believe she has a right to be heard? I think we in the media should continue to report out her story. Our job is to put the evidence in the public domain and let the public decide what to do with it." - - - The Washington Post's Beth Reinhard contributed to this report. Thousands of people have been gathering in Belarus to sign documents in support of opposition candidates for president. Some of them hold giant slippers to swat "the cockroach," a reference to the country's long-serving, authoritarian leader, Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The authorities have reacted by arresting hundreds of activists and two prominent opposition leaders. High-altitude weapon systems being rapidly expanded after Doklam standoff says China India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 01: Since the Doklam stand-off with India in 2017, China has expanded its arsenal with weapons like the Type 15 tank, Z-20 helicopter and Gj-2 drone, the Chinese state media has reported. This will give China, the advantage in the high-altitude conflicts, if it should arise, the Global Times reported, quoting military sources. India, China moving heavy weapons to bases near Eastern Ladakh The report comes in the wake of soldiers of both India and China being engaged in an eye-ball to eye-ball confrontation at four locations along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. Delhi seals border for 1 week, all shops permitted to open, no odd-even | Oneindia News While the report does mention whether the tanks and choppers have already been deployed, it says that it could be operationalised swiftly. The report also said that the Type 15 tank and the PCL-18 howitzer were displayed in the high elevation plateau region of Southwest China's Tiber Autonomous Region in a China Central Television report on military exercises in January. Australia's biggest medicinal cannabis extraction and contract manufacturing plant will be built at a secret location in Melbourne's south-east in a $50 million project aiming to help the local industry become more self-sufficient. The facility will be owned, funded and operated by The Valens Company, a Canadian medicinal cannabis business listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. However, an Australian distributor of medicinal cannabis, Cannvalate, is managing the project, hiring staff and fitting it out with the necessary equipment. Dr Sud Agarwal, chief executive of Cannvalate, says the new medicinal cannabis manufacturing plant will reduce Australia's reliance on imported products. Credit:Simon Schluter The 4500 square metre facility will process raw material and produce a range of finished medicines, including soft gel capsules, tablets and ointments. It will have double perimeter fences, 24 hour CCTV and a range of other security measures, including a vault where finished products will be stored. "It will be very, very secure," said Cannvalate chief executive Sud Agarwal. Description GIS - 01 June, 2020: The 8th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Extraordinary Council of Ministers, held recently via video conference, concluded with a series of outcomes and recommendations. The objective of the Extraordinary Council was to deliberate on important issues pertaining to COVID-19 response and mitigation strategies to be adopted by the COMESA. The Council considered the Draft Guidelines for the Movement of Goods and Services across the COMESA Region during the COVID-19 pandemic. The following recommendations were adopted: o The development of an online platform for exchange of information on availability of essential products within the COMESA region; o Member States to publish and share any newly introduced trade and customs-related measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the list of essential goods identified to facilitate customs clearance and border requirements; o The Secretariat to work with the National Task Forces (Trade and Health) on COVID-19 in the implementation of the Guidelines and to conduct a study on the impact of COVID-19 in Member States with a view to responding to and mitigating the spread of the pandemic whilst taking on board private sector contribution in the fight against COVID-19; and o The Secretariat to undertake a mapping exercise of essential medicines and equipment that can be sourced from the region. The COMESA COMESA was established in 1994 as an organisation of free independent sovereign states which have agreed to co-operate in developing their natural and human resources for the good of all their people. It comprises a wide-ranging series of objectives which include the promotion of peace and security in the region. Its main focus remains on the formation of a large economic and trading unit that is capable of overcoming some of the barriers that are faced by individual states. With its 21 Member States, population of over 540 million and global trade in goods worth US$ 235 billion, COMESA forms a major market place for both internal and external trading. After years of negotiations, India and Australia are expected to sign a landmark agreement on reciprocal access to military bases for logistics support during an online summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison on Thursday. Australian High Commissioner Barry OFarrell told reporters during an online media briefing that the summit is expected to take the bilateral ties to a "historic" high as the two leaders will focus on ways to further deepen cooperation in a range of areas including trade, energy and defence. "We have talked about what we expect to come out of the summit. Obviously mutual logistics support agreement is one of those things. That will make it easier for defence forces of both the countries to conduct complex exercises like AUSINDEX," he said. The AUSINDEX is a bilateral naval exercise between India and Australia. The pact will allow militaries of the two countries to use each other's bases and facilities for repair and replenishment of supplies besides facilitating scaling up of overall cooperation. India has already signed a similar agreement with the US, France and Singapore. OFarrell said the pact will be an important stepping stone to facilitate deeper defence engagement between the two countries. The summit talks between Modi and Morrison were originally scheduled to take place in January. However, they were postponed as the Australian prime minister had to cancel his four-day state visit to India due to the raging bush-fire crisis in his country. Asked how he sees the virtual summit, OFarrell said: "It will be like a virtual interview, I suppose, although you have two friends on either side probably asking each other questions about the obvious issues, not just how each country is dealing with COVID-19." He said there have been some "great similarities" between the approaches of both the leaders in dealing with the pandemic. "Both the leaders are people's persons. They will be talking about issues with a focus on how to work together to improve the lives of their citizens," the envoy said. "I think both clearly understand that government is not just about theoretical issues, not just about number of agreements you sign, but it is about what you can do to help your citizens improve their lives," he said. "In the virtual summit between the two leaders, you will see the Australia-India relationship reaching a historic high, matched by an ambitious agenda by both countries on what we can achieve in the future," he said. OFarrell said the focus of the talks will be to boost cooperation in areas like public health, education, science and technology cooperation, cybersecurity and critical technology and defence. "Over the past months and years, we have seen India and Australia work even more closely together on shared goals particularly in contributing to a more secure, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific," he said. The envoy said further enhancing bilateral maritime security as well as expanding cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region would be other key areas for talks. Asked about US President Donald Trump's call for inclusion of India and Australia in G7 grouping along with two other countries, the Australian envoy said global organisations should always be ready to adapt to realities of an ever changing world. He also supported Modi's call for strengthening the WHO. People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest outside the Embassy of the United States of America in Dublin on Sunday, following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in the US earlier this week. Photo: Damien Storan. Black Lives Matter solidarity protests will take place on Dublins streets for the second day in a row. Dozens of protesters took part in a socially-distanced demonstration yesterday outside the US Embassy in Ballsbridge and are expected to hold protests outside of the GPO and the Spire again today at 3pm. The protests are a sign of solidarity with the death of a black man, George Floyd, while in police custody in Minneapolis. Video footage, which has been shared widely online, shows a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling on Mr Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes before he died on May 25. The footage has sparked nationwide outrage across the US and fuelled chaotic protests. Dublin resident Anna Heverin told Independent.ie that it is important to show solidarity with the protesters in the US. Its important that we have somewhere where we can express our anger and frustration at whats going on in America and show our solidarity, she said. There is a problem with endemic racism in America and with police brutality, even though it is a small minority. She said that there is also an issue with racism in Ireland. The racist element does exist in Ireland and I would have friends of colour who would have faced incidents or being called different names. That element does creep into Irish society. We have to take a stand against it and show that the majority of Irish people dont have these feelings, she explained. Its a stain on our modern world. Ms Heverin also attended the protest outside the US embassy yesterday. I could hear voices yesterday that there were a lot of American citizens and people who felt very strongly. "It's very important that we come out and show our solidarity." Heritage Florida Jewish News is accepting nominations for the 2020 Heritage Human Service Award, which will be presented at the annual meeting of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando in August. For more than 30 years, individuals who have made major, voluntary contributions of their talent, time, energy and effort to the Central Florida community have been honored with the selection and presentation of this award, said Jeff Gaeser, editor and publisher of the Heritage. Last years recipient was Dick Weiner. Former recipients have included Stuart Farb (2010)), Burt Chasnov (2008), and Bob Yarmuth (2004). According to Gaeser, Each recipient chose their own path, but made considerable and long-lasting contributions to the Jewish community. Nominees for the 2020 award are individuals who do not look for recognition, but perform tikkun olamrepairing the worldout of internal motivation. Nominations should be emailed to news@orlandoheritage.com with the subject Human Service Award, or typed on 8 1/2 x 11 paper and sent by mail to Heritage Florida Jewish News, Human Service Award, 207 OBrien Road, Suite 101, Fern Park, FL 32730. Included should be the name and phone number of the nominee, a documented list of his or her accomplishments, and the name and phone number of the nominator(s). The Heritage is accepting nominations until Friday, June 26. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- New Jersey may allow casinos in Atlantic City to reopen with some restrictions by July 4, according to a report in NJ.com, SILive.coms sister publication. Gov. Phil Murphy said during a radio interview with Mike Lopez on WOND on Sunday morning that it is still too early to give specific answers, but hopes that casinos can reopen for the Fourth of July holiday. But we are trying like heck to get toward, I hope, before the Fourth of July or at least by the Fourth of July ... that were in a position where we can say, you know what, subject to a lot of different parameters the casinos can be open again, Murphy said in the radio interview. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** He didnt say what restrictions casinos would face, but said the state is working with owners and operators, as well as workers and their representatives, about the reopening of casinos. The bad news is casinos sort of have the attributes that are hardest to deal with this virus. Its indoors, no ventilation. Youre sedentary, youre in close proximity. Having said that, theyre big footprints and we think there are successful steps that can be taken to address the challenges, Murphy said in the interview. According to NJ.com, Atlantic City casinos have been closed since March 16, but some have reopened for hotel guests. Gaming floors remain off-limits. The announcement comes as Murphy continues to lift near-lockdown conditions that have been in place since mid-March. The state is in stage one of its multi-stage opening process. Murphy said he expects to announce the date of stage two on Monday. NJ.com previously reported that recreation venues, like Atlantic City casinos, will have a variety of restrictions like no eating on the casino floor, wearing a mask while gambling, and digital check-ins. MGM Resorts, owner of the Borgata, has already released a seven-point safety plan. The new rules include: -- Daily temperature checks for all employees, and screening measures to determine whether they have COVID-19 symptoms. -- Strong encouragement for any employees who think they may have been exposed to the virus to stay home. -- Masks are to be worn by all employees, and all guests will be encouraged to wear them in public areas. Free masks will be handed out by the casino. -- Plexiglass barriers will be installed in the casino and lobbies. -- Medical personnel will be aded to staff to respond in case a guest or employee tests positive for COVID-19. -- Limits on how many people can share an elevator cab. -- Digital check-ins for all visitors. -- Digital menus and text notifications when tables are ready -- in order to eliminate lines. FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday reviewed the preparations in Gujarat and Maharashtra for an impending cyclone and assured the chief ministers of the two western states all possible central help to deal with any situation arising out of it. IMAGE: A police constable requests people to leave Dadar beach, in Mumbai, on Monday. Photograph: Kunal Patil/PTI Photo The home ministry has deployed 31 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Union Territory of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, officials said. The home minister held a video conference with Chief Ministers of Gujarat and Maharashtra -- Vijay Rupani and Uddhav Thackeray respectively -- and Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Praful Patel, and assured them all central help in view of the impending cyclone, an official statement said in New Delhi. Shah asked them to spell out in detail the requirements and resources needed to deal with the situation. Earlier, the home minister held a review meeting with top officials of the home ministry, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Indian Coast Guard and others to take stock of the preparations for the cyclone. 'Union Home Minister @AmitShah held review meeting with senior officials of NDMA, NDRF, IMD & Indian Coast Guard on preparedness for dealing with Cyclone brewing in Arabian sea which is expected to hit some parts of Maharashtra & Gujarat. MoS @nityanandraibjp was also present,' Shah's office tweeted. Of the 31 teams of the NDRF, 13 teams have been deployed in Gujarat, including 2 kept as reserve, and 16 teams in Maharashtra, including seven teams kept as reserve. Two teams were deployed in UT Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The NDRF is aiding the state governments for evacuation of people from low lying coastal areas. Cyclone Nisarga is expected to hit some parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat and Daman and Diu. The India Meteorological Department informed that the well marked low pressure area over South-East and adjoining East-Central Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area concentrated into a depression and it is very likely to intensify into a deep depression by Tuesday and intensify further into a cyclonic storm over east-central Arabian sea by Wednesday. The IMD said the deep depression is likely to intensify into a severe cyclone and cross the north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts on June 3. Nearly 260 km patch between Raigad and Daman has one of the highest population densities in the country. Apart from Mumbai, it also has satellite cities like Thane, Navi-Mumbai, Panvel, Kalyan-Dombivli, Mira-Bhayander, Vasai-Virar, Ulhasnagar, Badlapur and Ambernath. When it crosses the coast on the evening of June 3, it will have a speed of 105-110 kmph, the IMD said, adding that heavy rains are also expected in south Gujarat and coastal Maharashtra. -- with ANI inputs 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. [June 01, 2020] IrisGuard Leads the Way in Contact-free Iris Verification Payment Services with ISO Level 1 PAD Test Compliance MILTON KEYNES, England, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- IrisGuard are delighted to announce that they have received their final certification and notice of compliance for Presentation Attack Detection to internationally recognised ISO 30107-3 standards from independent test house specialists, iBeta labs, in Denver. IrisGuard is one of only two companies globally to receive such compliance for its EyePay android phone, app and EyeCloud processing system. IrisGuard is the world leader in dedicated iris recognition payment services and its patented techniques, developed over 20 years, incorporating both software and custom-hardware components. This forms part of the process to provide 100% guarantee globally on verifying and authenticating a payment to one person from millions, anywhere in the world in real time (less than 3 seconds). All IrisGuard systems incorporate advanced defense-grade countermeasures to prevent 'spoofing' and the company is continually ensuring that these are state of the art, including the development of a bespoke built in-house AI PAD detection engine specifically designed for the EyePay Phone by a leading expert designer in countermeasure topology. Throughout 2019 we commissioned an independent image specialist in the UK to attempt to break their systems with a variety of images from different media. This enabled them to refine further their algorithms and counter measure processes and enabled them to pass first time with no unauthorized access possible from any presented artifact for Presentation Attack Detection. iBeta labs is the only NIST NVLAP and FIDO accredited independent biometric tet lab in the world and IrisGuard are delighted to have spent the time working with such a professional and thorough organisation. ISO Compliance testing allows IrisGuard to provide even greater assurances for their clients around the world that they continue to offer the highest level of security, and extending that security to the millions of beneficiaries they serve every day, using just the iris. Despite the challenges the world now faces, this extremely timely independent verification of their contact-free iris recognition EyePay system to Presentation Attack Detection is welcomed by all. Never has it been more important than now to be able to identify one in millions without any physical contact. IrisGuard's iris recognition is contactless, non-invasive, hygienic, dignified and appropriate for all cultures and ethnicities and it is the most accurate, fastest and fault-free method of human identification which cannot be stolen, duplicated, forged or traded. Andrew Holland, Director of Engineering commented: "Whilst our fixed-station images have held worldwide patents since 2011 for innovative PAD detection methods, we are delighted that our independently certified EyePay Phone AI-based PAD detection brings the same quality protection to our mobile customers, complementing our secure expansion into mobile money and financial inclusion." [email protected] platform serves over 2.5m beneficiaries, distributing vital financial assistance to the world's unbanked, having processed trillions of cross-comparisons with 0% error rate and therefore established itself as a trusted and recognised solutions provider for United Nations Agencies such as the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP), many National government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO's) around the world as well as large number of retail banks across the Middle East. Notes to editors: For more information on IrisGuard , please visit www.irisguard.com , please visit www.irisguard.com For more information on iBeta Labs please visit www.ibeta.com please visit www.ibeta.com Images of our products are available on request Interview with Imad Malhas , CEO also available on request Media contact: Eva Mowbray Director of Marketing IrisGuard UK Ltd T: + 44-(0)-01908-597114 M: +44-(0)-7539-739450 E: [email protected] NB. Details of iBeta iBeta is the only NIST NVLAP accredited biometrics testing lab (NVLAP testing Lab Code 200962-0). They developed a Quality Management System and biometrics test procedures that are independently audited by NVLAP (National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program) in a comprehensive technical evaluation in accordance with the recognized International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017. iBeta is also the first biometric testing lab accredited by the FIDO Alliance to conduct biometric evaluations in conjunction with the FIDO Alliance Biometric Component Certification Program. This program is used to certify that biometric subcomponents meet globally recognized performance standards for Presentation Attack Detection (PAD) and biometric recognition performance. Additionally, iBeta Quality Assurance has received a Mastercard accreditation for its biometrics test lab. The approved scope of the independent testing facility includes biometrics testing for mobile and wearable devices using the modalities of facial recognition, palm recognition, voice recognition, and fingerprint recognition. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1174634/IrisGuard_iBeta.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] WASHINGTON Governors including one Republican pushed back at President Donald Trump Monday after he told them on a phone call they are "weak" and need to use force to "dominate" riots that have erupted during protests over the death of George Floyd. Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a frequent target of Trump, called the phone call "deeply disturbing," adding that instead of offering support or leadership to bring down the temperature at protests, Trump told governors to " 'put it down' or we would be 'overridden.' " "The president repeatedly and viciously attacked governors, who are doing everything they can to keep the peace while fighting a once-in-a-generation global pandemic," Whitmer said in a statement. The presidents dangerous comments should be gravely concerning to all Americans, because they send a clear signal that this administration is determined to sow the seeds of hatred and division." More: Whitmer: Trump 'determined to sow the seeds of hatred and division' Minneapolis police officer Derrick Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder in manslaughter in Floyd's death. After a weekend of nationwide protests and riots, Trump went on an extended rant Monday morning in a conference call with governors of both parties, telling them that they need to arrest people and that "most of you are weak." He accused "radicals" and "anarchists" of being behind the unrest, and he urged governors to crack down on them. "You have to dominate," he said, according to audio of the meeting obtained by multiple media outlets. "If you dont dominate, youre wasting your time. Theyre going to run over you, youre going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate." More: 'Most of you are weak': Trump rails at the nation's governors, urges crackdown on violence Unlike some past controversial comments from Trump, at least one Republican governor joined the criticism. Gov. Charlie Baker, a moderate Republican from left-leaning Massachusetts who is typically reluctant to take aim at Trump, raised the remarks himself during a news conference. Story continues "I heard what the president said today about 'dominating' and fighting," Baker said. "I know I should be surprised when I hear incendiary words like this from him, but I'm not. At so many times during these past several weeks, when the country needed compassion and leadership the most, it was simply nowhere to be found. Instead, we got bitterness, combativeness and self-interest. "That's not what we need in Boston. It's not what we need right now in Massachusetts," Baker said, appearing to choke up. "And it's definitely not what we need right now across this great country of ours either." Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democratic rival of Trump, raised concerns about Trump's remarks directly to the president on the phone call, according to a transcript from the New York Times. Pritzker told Trump he's been "extraordinarily concerned by the rhetoric that's been used by you." He called it "inflammatory," adding that leaders must call for both calmness and police reform. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks during his daily coronavirus news conference at the Thompson Center in Chicago, Friday, April 17, 2020. "We've called out our National Guard and our state police, but the rhetoric thats coming out of the White House is making it worse, Pritzker said. And I need to say that people are feeling real pain out there. And weve got to have national leadership in calling for calm and making sure that were addressing the concerns of the legitimate peaceful protesters. That will help us to bring order. Trump quipped back: OK, well thank you very much, J.B. I dont like your rhetoric very much either because I watched it with respect to the coronavirus and I dont like your rhetoric much either. I think you could have done a much better job, frankly. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a ontime Democratic presidential candidate, said on Twitter that Trump's remarks are "the rantings of an insecure man trying to look strong, after building his entire political career on racism and the lie of birtherism. 'He is again failing to address the underlying injustices facing black Americans," Inslee wrote. "It is not leadership." Besides Baker, other Republicans governors did not appear to criticize Trump for his remarks, while some sought to explain the president's intentions. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, a Republican, did not address Trump's allegations directly, but said the president didn't want governors to "get caught watching the paint dry." More: Here's what Gov. Eric Holcomb had to say about Trump calling governors 'weak' Holcomb said the peaceful demonstrations were hijacked by those who want to create chaos and destruction. "We have to make sure we are properly staged and positioned to meet this moment," Holcomb told reporters. "They are tracking, as we are tracking, a very organized effort, domestic terrorism in the extreme across the country, and no state or community is immune." He added: "We have to be ready, and we are." Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms seemed to target Trumps comments Monday during a campaign roundtable talk that Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden had with Democratic mayors. She was making the case that cities need more federal relief to shore up budget shortfalls amid the coronavirus crisis. "To see the president of the United States say that hes going to send the military into our communities, but hasnt mentioned sending a single dime of support into our communities, speaks to where we are in America, Bottoms said. Contributing: Chris Sikich of the Indianapolis Star and Paul Egan of the Detroit Free Press. Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd: Governors blast Trump after he calls them weak on call Media outlets including Nine and News Corp Australia are considering a High Court challenge after NSW's top court upheld a decision holding media companies legally responsible for "publishing" allegedly defamatory comments posted by readers on their public Facebook pages. In a decision on Monday, the NSW Court of Appeal said news outlets including the Herald, owned by Nine, and News Corp's The Australian were liable as publishers of readers' Facebook posts because they "encouraged and facilitated" comments by setting up public Facebook pages. The ruling has implications for other organisations and people with public social media accounts. Former Northern Territory youth detainee Dylan Voller launched defamation proceedings against Nine, News Corp and the Australian News Channel in 2017 over comments posted by readers on the Facebook pages of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, the Centralian Advocate, Sky News Australia and The Bolt Report. In a pre-trial decision in June last year, NSW Supreme Court Justice Stephen Rothman found the companies had "published" the comments and accordingly were legally responsible for them. The Supreme Court has yet to decide other issues in the case, including whether the comments were defamatory and if any defences apply. HKSAR gov't voices deep regret over U.S. smearing China's legitimate rights to protect national security People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:17, May 31, 2020 HONG KONG, May 30 (Xinhua) -- China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Saturday voiced deep regret that the U.S. government continued to smear and demonize the legitimate rights and duty of China to safeguard national security in the HKSAR which is aimed at restoring stability to Hong Kong society. A spokesperson of the HKSAR government made the remarks in response to the statement by U.S. President Donald Trump and comments by the U.S. State Department over the past two days. Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China and any suggestion that China does not have the right to protect its own territory from separatists, terror and anarchy does not stand up to scrutiny and smacks of hypocrisy and double standards, the spokesman said. To allege that the improved legal system and enforcement mechanisms targeting an extremely small minority of criminals to be introduced by the national security law is undermining Hong Kong people's freedoms is simply fallacious, the spokesman said. The spokesman said every country has legislation in place to safeguard national security, including the United States. The existence of those laws to safeguard a country's national security and sovereignty does not give rise to fears of the loss of liberties by its people that will warrant international debate or interference by another country, the spokesman said, adding it is generally acknowledged that all citizens should have the duty to safeguard their country's interests. If the mere enactment of a national security law is a universal sovereign obligation and does not contradict with individual freedoms and the rule of law, the reactions of the United States and other foreign governments since the approval of the decision by the National People's Congress (NPC) to enact such a law for application in the HKSAR are totally misplaced, the spokesman said. The legislation only targets acts and activities endangering national security, and the 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 five basic principles of the legislation are firmly safeguarding national security, upholding and improving the "one country, two systems," adhering to governing Hong Kong in accordance with the law, resolutely opposing external interference, and substantially safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of Hong Kong residents, the spokesman said. The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council reiterated in a statement on Friday that the enactment of national security legislation would not change the high degree of autonomy enjoyed by the HKSAR and would have no impact on the HKSAR's judicial independence, including that of final adjudication as enshrined in the Basic Law, the spokesman said. Trump's claim that Hong Kong now operated under "one country, one system" was completely false and ignored the facts on the ground, the spokesman said. He said that in exercising a high degree of autonomy under "one country, two systems," the HKSAR government was resolutely committed to upholding its international responsibilities and agreements with the United States and all countries in areas such as trade, investment protection, mutual legal assistance, the fight against transnational crime and terrorism, as well as education and cultural exchanges. Many of these bilateral co-operations are underpinned by multilateral institutions or bilateral agreements, rather than a "gift" to Hong Kong by another jurisdiction, the spokesman added. The spokesman said that sanctions or trade restrictions against Hong Kong are not justified and will lead to a breakdown of the mutually beneficial Hong Kong-U.S. relationship built up over the years and only hurt local and U.S. businesses in Hong Kong and the people working for them. The HKSAR government will not be unduly worried by such threats as Hong Kong will continue to rely on its fundamental strengths of the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, free and open trade policy, level playing field and unique advantages brought about by the continuous opening up of the mainland economy, he noted. In recent years, Hong Kong has also been doubling the efforts in diversifying markets, including more focus on the fast-growing ASEAN economies, the spokesman said. In terms of bilateral trade, the United States has been enjoying a trade surplus with Hong Kong over the years which has been the biggest among all its trading partners, the spokesman said. In 2019, total trade in goods between Hong Kong and the United States stood at 517 billion Hong Kong dollars (about 67 billion U.S. dollars), whereas Hong Kong's domestic exports to the United States were a modest 3.7 billion Hong Kong dollars. According to the U.S., the United States enjoyed a trade surplus of over 200 billion Hong Kong dollars with Hong Kong in 2019. (1 USD equals 7.75 HK dollars) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SUZHOU, China, May 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovent Biologics, Inc. (Innovent) (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines, jointly announced with Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) (NYSE: LLY) the research results of TYVYT (sintilimab injection) ORIENT-1 study for the treatment of relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin's lymphoma (r/r cHL), at the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Abstract # 8034, Poster # 367, 8:00 AM 11:00 AM, U.S. Central Time, Friday, May 29, 2020). The ORIENT-1 study is a multicenter, single-arm, Phase 2 clinical trial, assessing the efficacy and safety of sintilimab in r/r cHL. Subjects received 200 mg of sintilimab every three weeks in this study until disease progression. A total of 96 subjects with r/r cHL were enrolled, and the study's primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) assessed by an independent imaging assessment committee (IRRC). In addition, the complete response (CR) rate was a secondary endpoint in the ORIENT-1 study. As of the data cutoff on September 30, 2019, the ORR was 85.4% (82/96) based on IRRC review, of which 41 patients (42.7%) achieved complete response (CR). Professor Yuan-kai Shi, Associate Dean from the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Director of the Department of Oncology, said: "Treatment options for patients with r/r cHL remain limited, and new drugs with long-lasting efficacy and good safety are urgently needed. The results of long-term follow-up of the ORIENT-1 study showed that sintilimab can bring relatively more long-term benefits to r/r cHL patients." About TYVYT (Sintilimab Injection) TYVYT (sintilimab injection), an innovative drug developed with global quality standards jointly developed by Innovent and Lilly in China, has been granted marketing approval by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for relapsed or refractory classic Hodgkin's lymphoma after second-line or later systemic chemotherapy, and included in the 2019 Guidelines of Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology for Lymphoid Malignancies. TYVYT (sintilimab injection) is the only PD-1 inhibitor that has been included in the new Catalogue of the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) in November 2019. TYVYT (sintilimab injection) is a type of immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody, which binds to PD-1 molecules on the surface of T-cells, blocks the PD-1/ PD-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway and reactivates T-cells to kill cancer cells. Innovent is currently conducting more than 20 clinical studies with TYVYT (sintilimab injection) to evaluate its safety and efficacy in a wide variety of cancer indications, including more than 10 registration or pivotal clinical trials. About Innovent Inspired by the spirit of "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action," Innovent's mission is to develop, manufacture and commercialize high-quality biopharmaceutical products that are affordable to ordinary people. Established in 2011, Innovent is committed to developing, manufacturing and commercializing high quality innovative medicines for the treatment of oncology, autoimmune, metabolic and other major diseases. On October 31, 2018, Innovent was listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with the stock code: 01801.HK. Since its inception, Innovent has developed a fully integrated multifunctional platform which includes R&D, CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls), clinical development and commercialization capabilities. Leveraging the platform, the company has built a robust pipeline of 23 valuable assets in the fields of oncology, autoimmune, metabolic diseases and other major therapeutic areas, with 17 in clinical development, five in Phase 3 or pivotal clinical trials, four under NDA reviews by the NMPA (three under priority review status), while TYVYT (sintilimab injection), officially approved for marketing in China in 2018, has been the only PD-1 inhibitor included in the NRDL, since 2019. Innovent has built an international team of advanced talents in high-end biological drug development and commercialization, including many overseas experts. The company has also entered into strategic collaborations with Eli Lilly and Company, Adimab, Incyte, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Hanmi and other international partners. Innovent strives to work with all relevant parties to help advance China's biopharmaceutical industry, improve drug availability to ordinary people and enhance the quality of the patients' lives. For more information, please visit: www.innoventbio.com. About Eli Lilly and Company Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com. About Innovent Biologics' strategic cooperation with Eli Lilly and Company Innovent entered into a strategic collaboration with Lilly focusing on biological medicine in March 2015 a groundbreaking partnership between a Chinese pharmaceutical company and a multinational pharmaceutical company. Under the agreement, Innovent and Lilly are co-developing and commercializing oncology medicines, including TYVYT (sintilimab injection) in China. In October 2015, the two companies announced the extension of their existing collaboration to include co-development of three additional antibodies targeting oncology indications. In August 2019, Innovent entered into an additional licensing agreement with Lilly to develop and commercialize a potentially global best-in-class diabetes medicine in China. Its collaboration with Lilly indicates that Innovent has established a comprehensive level of cooperation between China's innovative pharmaceuticals sector and the international pharmaceuticals sector in fields such as R&D, CMC, clinical development and commercialization. SOURCE Innovent Biologics, Inc. Related Links www.innoventbio.com DENVER, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, about one in two Americans (49%) say they plan to make a significant change to their lives. The most popular change is the adoption of new habits to improve health and wellness. About two in five Americans (38%) indicate this is one of their post-pandemic priorities. Another 10% of Americans report reconsidering or changing their careers in light of the pandemic and its health and economic implications. This sentiment is most prevalent among young adults whose educational and career prospects have been heavily impacted by coronavirus countermeasures. About one in five 18 to 24-year-olds (22%) intend to reconsider or change careers compared to 15% of those in the next age bracket, 25 to 34-year-olds. Some of these changes are driven by inordinately high levels of household stress, whether financial, physical or emotional. Most Americans (59%) report some form of 'serious stress' in their household. The most prevalent type of stress is psychological/emotional (41%), followed by financial (34%) and physical/medical (18%). Younger adultsthose 18 to 24-years-oldare more likely than older Americans to report emotional and/or financial stresses. One source of stress among parents with children at home has been the challenge of working while ensuring their children are engaged in distance learning. About one in five parents (21%) say having children at home has made it much more difficult for them to work remotely during the pandemic lockdown and, on top of that, relatively few (26%) are 'extremely satisfied' with the quality of the distance learning their children have received. On the whole, however, most parents (80%) rate the quality of their parenting during the pandemic as neither appreciably better nor worse than before and only 4% say it's likely they'll separate from or divorce their spouse or significant other. At this point, most Americans regard their particular household stresses as unusually high but tolerable. The open question is, how long will this opinion hold? The longer current stress levels persist, the more likely we'll see spikes in personal bankruptcies, divorces, student absenteeism and other phenomena that will, in turn, extend some of the worst consequences of the pandemic into the distant future. ABOUT THIS RESEARCH This study of 1,003 U.S. residents aged 18 and older was fielded between May 27 and May 30, 2020. The results have an associated margin of error of +/- 3.1% at the 95% confidence level in the most conservative case. This means the results come within plus or minus 3.1% of the results that would have been obtained given a census of all qualified individuals. Sample collection was balanced to U.S. Census figures for gender, age, race/ethnicity and household income. The study is projected to run for another five (5) weeks and include separate, supplemental studies of business leaders and healthcare professionals. Press releases will be issued periodically for these studies as warranted by the results. ABOUT ROI ROCKET Founded in 2007, ROI Rocket is a leading provider of full-service market research, marketing and sales automation, and digital agency support with offices in Denver, CO, Vancouver, WA, and Jacksonville, FL. PRESS CONTACTS For additional information about this study, please contact David McGrath, CEO ([email protected]) or Libby Perkins, General Counsel ([email protected]). SOURCE ROI Rocket Another 76 patients infected with coronavirus died in Moscow over the past day, brining the city's death toll to 2,553 people, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Monday, TASS reports. "76 patients who were diagnosed with pneumonia and tested positive for coronavirus died in Moscow," the report said. Overall, 2,553 people in Moscow died of the confirmed coronavirus. Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 6 mln people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, about 367,000 have died. In Russia, according to the data of the federal operational headquarters for the fight against the coronavirus, there are 405 843 cases of infection registered, 171 883 people recovered, while 4 693 people died In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. The maternal and childrens ward of the Obuasi government hospital has taken delivery of medical equipment worth over GH 9,000.00. The equipment included sphyjmomanometers, fetal-doppler, infant weighing scales, pulse oximeters, and delivery sets, as well as portable autoclave machine for the maternity. The rests were ward and pulse oximeters, suction machine, pediatric sphyjmomanometers, portable nebulizer machine, and patient trolleys (infants) for the childrens ward. They were gifts from the Obuasi Sikakrom Association based in the United Kingdom. Reverend Love Konadu, Ghana Ambassador of the association who made the presentation said the group had already donated books to the Obausi library to help improve education in the municipality. She said the group was committed to the development of Obuasi and that was why it had continuously mobilized resources to support that agenda. Rev. Konadu said plans were ongoing to mobilize resources to support the Obuasi campus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Dr. Kwadwo Nyarko Jeckey, Medical Superintendent of the Obuasi government hospital thanked the association for the gesture and said the items were a big relief to the maternal and children's wards of the hospital. He said the hospital needed many items, especially in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, and urged the people of Obuasi to adhere strictly to all the preventive protocols to prevent the further spread of the virus in the municipality. Madam Leticia Dwumfuor, Principal Nursing Officer at the facility said the items would help improve healthcare delivery at the wards. 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 ABC NewsBy ADAM KELSEY, ABC News (WASHINGTON) -- As nationwide protests over the weekend turned violent in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, President Donald Trump's national security adviser continued to place blame solely on the far left, despite a report from the Department of Homeland Security that finds extremist groups across the ideological spectrum are attempting to exploit the demonstrations. In an appearance on ABC's This Week Sunday, Robert O'Brien echoed statements from Trump and Attorney General William Barr pointing to a militant left-wing group, claiming, "it's the violent antifa radical militants that are coming out under cover of night, traveling across state lines, using military style tactics to burn down our cities." But the administration's own intelligence shows that far-right groups and even white supremacists are also attempting to take advantage of the unrest. "The Department of Homeland Security, which reports to you, has put out intelligence notes over the weekend warning that domestic terrorists from the far-right and the far-left -- both -- are looking to exploit this," ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos said to O'Brien. "It's not just antifa and the left, they're saying they're worried about the far right as well." "Everything I've seen and the reports we're receiving is that this is antifa, they're crossing state lines, and we've seen this happen before," O'Brien responded. "We'll keep our eyes open for anyone else that wants to take advantage of the situation, whether it's domestic or foreign. But right now, I think the president and Attorney General Barr want to know what the FBI has been doing to surveil, to disrupt, to take down antifa to prosecute them." Stephanopoulos pointed to a warning to law enforcement this week in which federal authorities flagged incendiary messages sent Wednesday by a racially motivated group that "incited followers to engage in violence ... by shooting in a crowd." "You said you haven't heard about any other incitement from the right, but the DHS warning that went out this week noted specifically that the white supremacist extremist telegram channel was inciting the violence as well," Stephanopoulos said. "They're saying it is both sides that are inciting violence from the outside." Still, O'Brien insisted the images of destruction, violence and vandalism that played out live on television over the weekend were the fault of left-wing extremists. "I think the actual perpetrators of the violence, the ones that are on the street that are burning down minority-owned businesses and restaurants who have already suffered through this terrible COVID situation and are at risk of losing their business and now they're seeing them burn to the ground, those are antifa radical militants," O'Brien responded. "Look, I condemn all extremists on the right or on the left, but the ones who are out on the streets throwing the Molotov cocktails and attacking our police -- who are acting, you know, for the most part with restraint and heroically -- you know, that has to stop," he continued. Stephanopoulos also asked O'Brien about the role the president's rhetoric is playing in stoking unrest across the country, including an inflammatory tweet Friday morning stating, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Twitter flagged the message with an unprecedented advisory stating that it "violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence." "Does the president -- should he be taking responsibility for those tweets, as well?" asked Stephanopoulos. "The reason he uses Twitter is to get directly to the American people -- I think what he said about those tweets is that he wants to deescalate violence and doesn't want people looting," O'Brien said, after earlier noting that he was with Trump when the president first viewed the video of Floyd's death and that Trump immediately tweeted a demand for an investigation. Stephanopoulos later probed O'Brien about the evidence that "foreign adversaries" are attempting to exploit the unrest, referring to a tweet by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Saturday in which he said he was "seeing VERY heavy social media activity on #protests & counter reactions from social media accounts linked to at least 3 foreign adversaries." "Sen. Rubio is spot on. And I've seen a number of tweets from the Chinese today that are taking some sort of pleasure and solace in what they're seeing here," O'Brien said. He also delivered a message about the difference between the U.S. and its adversaries. "I want to tell our foreign adversaries, whether it's a Zimbabwe or a China, that the difference between us and you is that that officer who killed George Floyd, he'll be investigated, he'll be prosecuted and he'll receive a fair trial," O'Brien said. "There's a difference between us and you, and when this happens, we'll get to the bottom of it. We'll clean it up. It's not going to be covered up," he added. When asked whether the officers who witnessed Floyd's arrest and failed to act should also be prosecuted, O'Brien called it "an absolute outrage." "I can't imagine that they won't be charged. I don't want to pre-judge anything, but what we saw was horrific, and to have stood by and allowed that to happen is, you know, shows a lack of humanity," he said. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Nigeria, on Monday, announced that domestic flights would resume at all airports by Sunday, June 21. To curtail the spread of the deadly coronavirus, the federal government had suspended domestic flights in the country since March. During the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Monday, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said the resumption of flights will be purely premised on the implementation of the approved protocols for safe operations of the airlines. According to a statement by the ministrys spokesperson, James Odaudu, the next three weeks is to enable the operators to adhere to all the necessary industry regulations, without which they cannot take to the skies after being dormant for some time. He said this is because aviation, unlike other sectors, is a highly regulated one. On modalities for the operation of flights when they resume, Mr Sirika said consultations have been on and will continue between the ministry and industry stakeholders on the best ways to operate profitably while at the same time ensure the safety of travellers. He, however, cautioned owners of private aircraft who have been in the habit of asking for permits to fly within the country despite the restrictions in place, to desist. READ ALSO: He said the restrictions are still in place, except for those on essential services which have been clearly defined. He also said approval for flights on essential services are not paid for, while it takes little or no time to grant such approvals. The minister also expressed gratitude for the cooperation of in the aviation sector in spite of their unquantifiable losses occasioned by the lockdown. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Nigerias aviation sector has reportedly been losing about N21 billion monthly. As protests in Boston on Sunday that were sparked by the death of George Floyd turned from peaceful to violent, social media posts captured what happened. The protests were aimed to spread awareness of police brutality and its impact on communities, according to the events Facebook page. Feel free to bring signs, make noise, and spread the word, organizers wrote. This protest is not meant to be violent. As of 3 a.m. on Monday, the Boston Police Department reported that seven officers were taken to nearby hospitals with injuries, 21 police cruisers were damaged, and around 40 individuals were arrested during the protests. See photos and videos posted on social media from the event below. Warning: The following videos are graphic in nature and may not be suitable for all audiences. Things are escalating here in Boston. I just got sprayed (Im OK) and protestors are clashing with cops, things are becoming violent and very hostile #BostonProtests #protests2020 pic.twitter.com/Qmv25S1CLJ Jake Epstein (@jakepstein97) June 1, 2020 A white women used herself as a shield for this man and waited until people came to help during the Boston protest nothing but respect for her #BlackLiveMatters pic.twitter.com/BgtXhqFiWY s (@hopeworldtv) June 1, 2020 Clashes breaking out in downtown #Boston. 9:34 p.m. Lines of law enforcement, some in heavy gear, present. pic.twitter.com/ZBcUB8QLz8 Maysoon Khan (@maysoonkhan) June 1, 2020 Tremont Street, downtown Boston pic.twitter.com/DxRNGc05HQ Tori Bedford (@Tori_Bedford) June 1, 2020 Was just directly sprayed by Boston police #BostonProtests pic.twitter.com/Sx4LrwhyP1 Boston Stringer Media (@StringerBoston) June 1, 2020 Riot squad heading out on Kneeland and Lincoln. Be safe. #BostonProtests pic.twitter.com/7L9j5Ki1L3 Benjamin Cameron (@isotopeofme) June 1, 2020 UPDATE: unfortunately the police began using tear gas against the peaceful Boston protests. Crowds are beginning to disperse. #BostonProtests pic.twitter.com/yaez74ubJq Kaabi (@alkaabimi) June 1, 2020 Peaceful protests throughout the day unfortunately have turned into chaos tonight #BostonProtests pic.twitter.com/VTCSWGskPC Allison Walker (@allison_reports) June 1, 2020 Another protest is scheduled in Worcester Monday night. Related Content: The Family Meeting Game Mental health problems are preventable even in times of extreme stress. Learning resiliency skills can prevent symptoms and other self-defeating behaviors. The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented level of mental health problems. In a report released by the Robert Graham Trust and the Well Being Trust, as many as 75,000 people in the U.S. could die of deaths of despair triggered by psychological problems related to the pandemic. Deaths of despair refer to deaths caused by suicide or drug and alcohol abuse. These problems are largely attributed to massive unemployment and social isolation. While this level of psychological suffering is almost unimaginable, it is only the tip of the iceberg. Stress associated with the pandemic has triggered widespread depression, anxiety, and other severe mental health problems. The American Psychological Association has predicted a rise in domestic violence and child abuse resulting from the stress of social isolation and sheltering in place. However, people need to realize that mental health problems can be prevented, just like physical health problems, explains psychologist and author Lawrence E. Shapiro, Ph.D. For decades, weve known that people can be taught resiliency skills which can help vaccinate them against the effects of depression and anxiety, as well as behavioral problems like using alcohol and food to cope with stress. We can teach resiliency skills to children, teens, adults, and even whole families. These are difficult times, but we have the mental health tools to make a tremendous difference in peoples lives. Like vaccinations against physical disease, these tools can be used to help people fight off the emotional effects of the pandemic as well as the inevitable emotional stressors we encounter throughout our lives. Teaching people resiliency skills has even been shown to improve their physical health by lowering cortisol, the stress hormone, which in turn improves the immune system. Shapiros company, Between Sessions Resources, publishes psychological tools for counselors and psychotherapists to use as homework assignments for their clients. In the last two months, he has turned his attention to downloadable tools, including the interactive workbook Taking Care of Your Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic, which includes 44 worksheets to help people cope with specific pandemic-related problems and develop general resiliency skills. Shapiro notes, Resiliency skills, like optimism and emotional communication, are teachable. These skills not only help protect us from the negative impact of stress and the effects of trauma, research also tells us they can help improve our physical health, lowering blood pressure and even boosting our immune systems. Shapiro is considered an expert on developing emotional intelligence skills, having published more than 100 books, workbooks, and therapeutic games on the subject, including The Depression Workbook, Stopping the Pain: A Workbook for Teens Who Self-Injure, and Bounce Back: A Game That Teaches Resiliency Skills. The company has also produced printable games to help families work together and support each other while dealing with the upheaval caused by the pandemic. The Family Meeting Game is a complete board game used to stimulate communication and positive problem solving. It contains questions specific to the unique family problems caused by the pandemic. The Family Dinner Card Game is intended to promote family support and bonding through humorous and thoughtful questions. There is also a Spanish version of this game. These printable games are available for free on the companys website https://CounselingStore.com. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Monday said that its construction arm has converted under-construction government healthcare units into coronavirus patient care facilities. The Building and Factories business of L&T also said that it could transform large establishments such as marriage halls, schools and hotel rooms quickly into isolation wards. "The construction arm of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) turned around large-scale healthcare infrastructure into COVID-19 care facilities in New Delhi, Champaran and Madhepura in Bihar, Puducherry, Diamond Harbour in West Bengal and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh," L&T also said in a regulatory filing. "We have ace engineering and construction capabilities, yielding a fast turnaround of healthcare infrastructure for COVID-19 care. This is another contribution from the stable of Larsen & Toubro to India's fight against COVID-19 as the company believes in serving the nation through thick and thin. We will continue to accelerate our efforts to aid governments in providing prompt relief to citizens through critical healthcare infrastructure," M V Satish, Whole Time Director and Senior Executive Vice President (Buildings, Minerals & Metals), L&T said. The company further said that the three floors of the L&T constructed 850 bed super specialty, Safdarjung Hospital, have been converted for the care of coronavirus patients. The ground and first floors of the Government Medical Hospital in Champaran, Bihar have been handed over to accommodate 150 beds as isolation wards, it said. In AIIMS Gorakhpur, L&T is constructing a Government Medical College with an intake capacity of 150 students per annum and a 750 bed hospital for the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. Meanwhile, India saw the highest single day spike of 8,392 new coronavirus cases and 230 deaths in the past 24 hours. The total number of cases in the country now stands at 1,90,535, including 93,322 active cases, 91,819 cured or discharged or migrated and 5,394 deaths.The country registered 8,380 new cases on Saturday. Also read: Coronavirus crisis: India now 7th worst-hit country as count nears 2 lakh cases Also read: Another superstorm to hit India on June 3; all you need to know about cyclon 'Nisarga' Gen. Michael Flynn, former national security adviser to US President Donald Trump, leaves Federal Court on December 1, 2017 in Washington, DC. Federal Judge Emmet Sullivan on Monday defended his refusal to immediately grant the Justice Department's request to drop its case against President Donald Trump's former national security advisor, Michael Flynn. Sullivan should not be required to "serve as a mere rubber stamp," his attorneys told a federal appeals court, which is being asked by Flynn's lawyers to force Sullivan to grant the Justice Department's request. Sullivan's lawyers argued in a lengthy brief that the appeals court should not "short-circuit" Sullivan's evaluation of the Department of Justice's motion to dismiss its charge against Flynn. "Mr. Flynn's case has garnered considerable attention. But that is no reason to resolve it outside the normal judicial process," lawyers for Sullivan said. "Because there is no reason for this Court to 'enter the fray now' ... the petition should be denied." The DOJ last month abruptly dropped its prosecution of Flynn, who had repeatedly pleaded guilty in court to lying to the FBI about his conversations with former Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in the weeks prior to Trump's inauguration. Rather than immediately grant the request, Sullivan has appointed retired Judge John Gleeson to make legal arguments on why the case should continue, and to analyze whether he should hold Flynn in criminal contempt for perjury for pleading guilty to a charge of which he now claims he is innocent. "It is unusual for a criminal defendant to claim innocence and move to withdraw his guilty plea after repeatedly swearing under oath that he committed the crime," lawyers for Sullivan said in a 46-page court filing in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. "It is unprecedented for an Acting U.S. Attorney to contradict the solemn representations that career prosecutors made time and again, and undermine the district court's legal and factual findings, in moving on his own to dismiss the charge years after two different federal judges accepted the defendant's plea," Sullivan's lawyers wrote. Flynn's lawyers had asked the appeals court to drop the case and assign any future court proceedings to another judge. A panel of judges on that bench ordered Sullivan to respond to Flynn's request by Monday. Flynn's lawyer did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on Sullivan's brief. Attorneys for Sullivan, a U.S. District Court judge in Washington, D.C., argued in the filing that it would be "extraordinary" and "inappropriate" for the appeals court to force his hand in Flynn's case. The brief argues that the DOJ's sudden reversal presented Sullivan with a slew of "substantial" questions, including what he should do about Flynn's multiple sworn statements "where he repeatedly admitted to the crime and to the voluntariness of his guilty plea, only to now claim that he never lied to the government and was pressured and misled into pleading guilty?" The Justice Department requested to dismiss Flynn's case in May, arguing that the retired lieutenant general's lie in his January 2017 interview with the FBI was not "material" to an ongoing investigation. That conclusion came after Attorney General William Barr asked a U.S. attorney to review the DOJ's handling of Flynn's case. Sullivan noted to the appeals court that this conclusion directly contradicted the DOJ's previous claim that Flynn's lie about his conversations with Kislyak was "absolutely material." The judge's brief also defended his decision to appoint Gleeson to present counterarguments. With Flynn and the Justice Department both requesting dismissal, "Someone needs to fill the adversarial gap to ensure full consideration of the issues, and a former prosecutor and federal judge is well positioned to do so," Sullivan's lawyers said. New Delhi : The Delhi government has ordered restarting registration of diesel cars and SUVs with engine capacity of 2000 cc and above on payment of one per cent of the ex-showroom price of such vehicles as green cess. The move comes after the Supreme Court on August 12 lifted its order banning registration of diesel cars and sport utility vehicles (SUV) of 2000 cc capacity and above upon one per cent of the cost of the vehicle deposited with Central Pollution Control Board by the vehicle manufacturers, dealers or sub-dealers. In an order issued last week, the Transport Department of Delhi government directed all Regional Transport Officers to register these vehicles in the capital. All the registering authorities/motor licensing officer (MLOs) are directed to register diesel cars/SUVs of 2000 cc capacity and above upon production of the proof of the deposit of one per cent of the ex-show room price towards Environment Protection Charge with Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the order said. With the transport departments order, Mercedes Benz, Toyota, BMW, Audi and other makers of high-end cars and SUVs will be able to sell their vehicles having engine capacity of 2000 cc and above. A senior government official said the purchaser has to give one per cent of the cost of the vehicle as Environment Protection Charge to dealers who will be required to deposit this amount with CPCB for pollution mitigation efforts. In August this year, the apex court had vacated the embargo on registration of such vehicles after taking on record the affidavits of Mercedes, Toyota and its dealers as well as that of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) offering to deposit one per cent of the price of the vehicles as EPC before the registration. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Britain has been lucky to benefit from some brilliant American imports. We were blessed to receive prestige TV, muscle cars, denim jeans, and the great American novel. Unfortunately, with the diamonds also came the rough, and we have endured indigestible fast food, the intolerable Meghan Markle, and some inexpressibly risible social-justice culture-warring wokery and the media landscape it has spawned. Thirty years after the rise of shock-jock radio commentators in America, Britons can now tune in to the exhausted sighing of Remainer-in-chief James OBrien on LBC before flicking over to TalkRadio to watch Mike Graham rip up a copy of the Guardian in disgust. The hyper-partisan evolution of American current affairs has also infected our political language and causes, with the rise of the social-justice Left accelerating at a fearsome pace over the past decade. Sadly, the American movement has offloaded a baggage of nonsense onto the British political sphere. One of the most regrettable consequences has been the fraudulent adoption of American-style racial politics. The British clone of the Black Lives Matter movement has been active since the killing of George Floyd, with marches taking place last week and many others planned for the week ahead. Thousands broke coronavirus regulations to gather in Londons Trafalgar Square to mimic protests held in the U.S. Huge crowds flocked to the American Embassy in south London, blocking traffic into the building. Five were arrested, three for breaching virus-related laws, two for assaulting police officers. Some of the activists, I hope, were aware of the irony of chanting I cant breathe while they were breaking the social-distancing regulations introduced to prevent the spread of a virus that floods the victims lungs with liquid, steadily suffocating them. That killer has taken just under 40,000 British lives since it reached our island fortress. But just two people have been killed by British police this year: One threatened officers with a knife, the other had stabbed three people in the London borough of Streatham. Story continues Labour leader Keir Starmer and a host of his MPs and shadow ministers have been vocal on the issue, talking about how we must build a better society. But he seems to have forgotten that the U.S. is not his society, and its violent, nationwide riots and warring factions the militarized police, Antifa, ghetto-based crime gangs, and the enraged, disaffected white leftists created by an oversupply of elites and an undersupply of sensible thinking are not routinely found in England. British people do not face the same injustices felt in America on an even remotely comparable scale, and we do not share the same history. Pretending otherwise is bizarre political live-action role-playing of the highest order, a duplicitous attempt to co-opt the experiences of others into a mythical political narrative. On the issue of police brutality, British policing is, if anything, unusually soft. Police officers do not routinely carry firearms owing to our disarmed populace and reliance on the principles of policing by consent and those who do carry weapons rarely discharge them. The chants of hands up, dont shoot mimicking a popular cry heard in American protests at the Trafalgar Square protests directed toward a group of unarmed police officers perfectly encapsulated this new attempt to borrow some of the attention and political capital enjoyed by rioters in the U.S. What did they fear being shot by? Perhaps some rapid-fire wit or a copper politely asking them to disperse? There were no pistols or rifles to be seen, but that didnt stop the cries of mercy. There are, of course, some incidents of police brutality in Britain. In any institution described as a force that involves thousands of people tackling violent criminal offenders, there will be cases where some officers disgrace themselves by overstepping the mark. But these incidents are rare, and any attempt to completely snuff them out is hopeless. When activists compare the experience of black Britons to events in America, they are misrepresenting history and reality. From the most charitable angle, they are being hopelessly misled after consuming bucket-loads of misinformation and activist-laden political rhetoric. From the least charitable perspective, they are engaging in an offensive, false attempt to bolster trumped-up charges of institutional racism, charges that are being pressed on the British state and its people. Most British minority-ethnic people are not descended from slaves, and yet media commentators and activists demand reparations for Britains slave-owning past, relying on a murky argument about inherited trauma. Social-justice activists regularly make this argument in America, where regardless of its faults it at least has some connection to the nations domestic history. Some British institutions have been smart to get ahead of the coming wave of race-related criticism, with Glasgow University last year deciding to cleverly pay itself reparations for restorative justice. Britain and America have much in common. Our troops have developed close bonds on the beaches and other battlefields, our philosophical texts are stacked side by side in the worlds libraries. But while slavery cursed King Charles IIs Old Dominion of Virginia, the rolling fields of Dorset, Surrey, and Somerset were never littered with the same plantations. The cultural messages coming from America and spreading across the globe might promote a sense of shared values and experiences, but we must not sink into believing that our histories and contemporary societies are identical. More from National Review Stunning video captured the moment a Seattle cop removed a fellow officer's knee from the neck of an alleged looter as they took him into custody amid riots against police brutality. Photojournalist Matt Mills filmed the confrontation on Saturday night as cities across the country were roiled by protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died while Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck during an arrest. Mills posted the video on Instagram, explaining in the caption that the officers were responding to a call about looters inside a T-Mobile store in downtown Seattle. 'When Seattle Police Department officers arrived the group attempted to escape without being captured,' Mills wrote. 'In this video, one officer decided to use a knee-on-neck tactic with the first looter he captured, and then diverted to use it again on yet another when the person tried to make a run for it. 'It was only when the crowd started screaming at the officers to stop that his colleague then moved the officer's knee off his neck and onto his back before they carried him off to arrest.' Stunning video captured the moment a Seattle cop removed a fellow officer's knee from the neck of an alleged looter as they arrested him amid George Floyd riots on Saturday night. The looter (above in orange) repeatedly tried to escape from the grips of two officers Several people were arrested for looting the T-Mobile store in downtown Seattle (pictured) Seattle was one of 25 major US cities that were roiled by violent protests on Saturday following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died when Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck during an arrest. Pictured: Protesters torch cars in downtown Seattle Lots of little bubbles of protesters now. Cops moving around in smaller mobile groups trying to contain them #seattle #seattleprotests #seattleprotest https://t.co/s6mdN8VViT Shawn Whiting (@ShawnRecRoom) June 1, 2020 In the video at least a dozen people are seen streaming out of the T-Mobile store as police scramble to catch them. Two officers are seen grabbing one man in a bright orange hoodie and pushing him face-down on the ground while he struggled to get away. One of the officers pulled the man's arms behind his back to handcuff him while the other placed his knee on the man's neck to hold him down. Protesters behind the camera immediately began shouting at the officer to stop the dangerous hold. 'Take your f***ing knee off his neck!' one man yelled. 'Get your knee off his neck!' another shouted. 'Take your f***ing knee off his neck! Take your f***ing knee off his neck!' yet another onlooker yelled over and over. After several seconds, the handcuffing officer looked up at the bystanders before placing his hand on the other's officer's knee and pushing it off the suspect's neck. The cops then pulled the man off the ground and led him away in handcuffs. Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best said at least 55 people were arrested on Saturday night 'for a variety of offenses from assault, to arson, to destruction and looting' A protester is seen trying to put out a fire outside a store in downtown Seattle Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best said at least 55 people were arrested on Saturday night 'for a variety of offenses from assault, to arson, to destruction and looting'. Several cars, including police and transit vehicles, were set on fire with incendiary devices such as Molotov cocktails, while dozens of businesses were vandalized, damaged and looted. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan sought to prevent further violence on Sunday night by implementing a curfew from 5pm to 5am Monday. The Washington city was one of 25 across the country where riots spiraled out of control on Saturday night - six days after Floyd was killed during an arrest on May 25. Viral video showed four Minneapolis cops pinning Floyd, who was handcuffed, to the ground as they arrested him for allegedly attempting to buy cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill. Floyd was heard pleading: 'I can't breathe' while officer Chauvin pressed a knee into his neck for eight minutes. The 46-year-old did not have a pulse when he was placed in an ambulance, and was pronounced dead at a hospital. The footage sparked nationwide outrage as thousands demanded that Chauvin and the other officers be charged with murder. George Floyd (above) died on May 25 after a Minneapolis cop knelt on his neck during an arrest A viral video captured the moment Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck while the handcuffed suspect repeatedly cried out that he couldn't breathe Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter on Friday. But protests persisted into the weekend as activists railed against police brutality and racial injustice. The demonstrations led to numerous clashes between protesters and police seeking to keep things from spiraling out of control - often using rubber bullets and tear gas. More than 1,300 people have been arrested during protests in cities across the country as several governors mobilized the National Guard for assistance. A man holds an image of a fist in front of burning cars during protests in Seattle on Saturday People walk past an Old Navy store in downtown Seattle that was looted during a riot on Saturday night after a peaceful rally expressing outrage over Floyd's death Ms Bachelet said she was dismayed to have to add Mr Floyds name to that of Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Michael Brown and many other unarmed Africa-Americans who died over the years at the hands of the police as well as Ahamaud Arbery and Trayvon Martin who were killed by armed members of the public. Herald 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. 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. 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. Topics Mergers Carriers Catastrophe Natural Disasters Texas Windstorm Hurricane A team of scientists from the Crop Research Institute (CRI) at Fumesua has appealed to the Government to take a critical look at the prospects of growing apples in Ghana. The scientists said it was becoming clear that some areas with temperate-like weather conditions could be of great importance to the growth of the fruit. The humid areas in the country could also tolerate apple varieties common in India and other Asian regions. The scientists made the call after visiting a site at Atimatim-Taaboum in the Afigya-Kwabre South District, where an apple tree had been planted and started bearing fruits. The tree is said to have been planted by a Ghanaian resident in Belgium in his house in 2016, and it had now started bearing fruits. The euphoria that greeted the discovery of a similar plant at Wiamoase in the Sekyere South District, which was later confirmed by research scientists as a fig tree, prompted caretakers of the house to inform the authorities of the presence of an apple tree in the Atimatim-Taaboum Community. This compelled the team, led by Mr Beloved Mensah Dzomeku, Principal Plant Physiologist at CRI, to visit the site to take samples and conduct further investigations to ascertain the truth. Mr Dzomeku confirmed to the Ghana News Agency that the plant at Atimatim-Taaboum was truly an apple. On site, the leaves and the fruits were subjected to the mobile app, PlantSnap, and results indicated that the plant was edible apple Malus domestica, he said. Mr Dzomeku said the fact that the plant was doing well in that area, with reports of the presence of apple trees in other areas such as Abetifi, Amedzofe and Teiman-Abokobi, was an indication that given a little bit of attention the fruit could be planted on a larger scale in the country. He, however, indicated that humid areas could only tolerate the tropical apple varieties common in India and other Asian countries. He said the CRI of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was capable of using tissue culture techniques to further evaluate and confirm the experiment as well as the propagation of the plant. What was needed now was a policy initiative by the Government to support research to help develop appropriate varieties that would help large scale production of the fruit 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 Federal Liberal MP Gladys Liu Questions Victorian Premier Over Belt and Road Australias first Chinese-Australian member of Parliament Gladys Liu has criticised the Victorian state governments decision to be involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. Speaking to the Age on May 31, the state Liberal representative said that there was a definite lack of transparency around Victorias Belt and Road agreement. Premier Andrews didnt talk to the federal government, so we didnt know about it, Liu said. Noting that the Commonwealth should be the judge of trade deals, Liu called on Victoria to work with the federal government. Liu questioned which Australian companies are benefitting from it so far. The most important thing is, what are Victorians, what are Australians getting out of it? How many jobs have the projects been able to provide? What are these companies getting these projects? Have [the projects] been put up for public tender? Do they pay Australian tax? We dont know. If there is a benefit, then show us, said Liu. Born in Hong Kong, Liu was formerly the multicultural advisor to the Former Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu from 2007-2013 before she was elected to the national parliament in 2019 representing the electorate of Chisholm. In 2019 Liu was embroiled in a political scandal over her previous ties to organisations linked to the Chinese Communist Party. According to Liu, she had been involved with the United Chinese Commerce Association of Australia, the Australian Jiangmen General Commercial Association Inc, and the Guangdong Overseas Exchange Association which had ties to the Chinese Communist Partys United Front Work Department. Liu has since resigned from all of these organisations and has been critical of the Chinese Communist Party. In a media release on May 28, Liu expressed grave concern over the Hong Kong National Security legislation and called on the Chinese regime to respect the legally binding Joint Declaration of 1984 that ensured Hong Kong freedoms. Victorias BRI Deal Still Going Forward Despite Delays Speaking to the Epoch Times on June 1, a spokesperson for the Victorian government said that the Belt and Road Initiative would be delayed because of the coronavirus. The spokesperson also said: There will be a road map developed that will determine the way forwardbut as the Premier has said any next steps will be focussed on Victorian jobs. According to the spokesperson, all building projects are done by Victorian workers and are publicly available. The Victorian government has come under increasing scrutiny for its involvement in the Belt and Road Initiative and the Andrews governments ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The prime minister said on May 26 that the federal government did not support the decision of the Victorian government to join the Belt and Road Initiative. Continuing Morrison said: Its always been the usual practice for states to respect and recognise the role of the Federal Government in setting foreign policy. And I think thats always been a good practice. The leader of the Nationals and the leader of the Liberal opposition in Victoria have jointly announced their intention to withdraw Victoria from the Belt and Road Initiative if Michael OBrien is elected. Arguing that the deal with China commits Victoria to increase the participation of Chinese state-owned companies in the new infrastructure development program. The Liberals and Nationals explained there was no equal commitment for Victorian firms in China. The media released stated: While Chinese Government-owned companies have been given contracts to build the Metro Tunnel, the botched West Gate Tunnel and remove level crossings, Victorian farmers have been slugged by a punitive 80 per cent tariff on barley exports to China. OBrien said that the Liberal Party had assessed the Belt and Road deal and said the party believed that it is not in Victorias interests. Victorias interests must come first. A dud deal that compromises jobs, security, and sovereignty is not a deal that I can support, said Obrien. We will maintain a strong trading relationship and partnership with China, based on genuine mutual interests, not secretive political deals. Victorian National Party leader Peter Walsh said: A deep economic and cultural engagement with China is in Victorias interests but first we need to get out of this secret MOU that binds Victoria to the political interests of the Chinese Government against the advice of the Australian Government and independent observers. Turkey announced the resumption of a limited number of domestic flights starting Monday, June 1 as the country eases restrictions imposed since March to contain the coronavirus pandemic, Daily Sabah reports. The countrys Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu said Saturday that the first flight will be from Istanbul to the capital city Ankara. Other flights will be conducted from Istanbuls airport to three other major cities, southwestern Izmir province, the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya and Trabzon, off the Black Sea. Flights to other cities are expected to restart starting Wednesday, June 3 according to the statement. "Enough of this longing! As of June 1 we will be in the skies again, where we belong," tweeted Turkish Airlines' spokesman Yahya Ustun. Passengers will need a code from a government mobile tracking application, said Bilal Eksi, the national flag carrier's chief executive. Among other things, the app called Hayat Eve Sgar (Life fits inside the home) confirms that the passenger is neither sick nor being monitored for the virus. A young girl who is doing a course of mass communication was allegedly harassed by a Sub Inspector of the Delhi Police posted with the Crime Branch. According to the victim, she had tweeted a few things on nationalism which allegedly irked the SI and he harassed her. The victim who lives in West Delhi has lodged a complaint in this respect with the Delhi Police. She also complained to the National Commission for Women. According to the information, the NCW has asked the Delhi Police to take action in this matter. READ | Cop Injured, Police Vehicle Damaged In Stone Pelting By Villagers: SP READ | Delhi Court Seeks Details From Rohini Jail On Treatment Provided To COVID-19 Patient Cop's threat As per the complaint, the name of the accused SI is Ravi Saini. The complaint reads that he texted the victim and threatened her of dire consequences. "Pakistan will see you. Revenge will be taken. We want revenge we are fighting for our Jihad," read the message sent by the SI. The victim had blocked him on call, but he again called her using a different number. The girl was frightened and decided to approach the police and NCW. Meanwhile, the SI said that his WhatsApp was hacked by someone who might have texted the victim. The police said that they have received the complaint from the victim and are looking into the matter. READ | Tis Hazari Court Clash: Delhi HC Extends Time Till Dec 31 To Complete Probe READ | NCW Seeks Inquiry Against Doctor For Sexually Harassing Female Staff Member In Faridabad Full of compelling stories of individuals seeking community and grappling with inequity, harassment, and discrimination, and featuring a distinctive trove of historical photographs, Out in Central Pennsylvania is a local story with national implications. It brings rural and small-town queer life out into the open and explores how LGBTQ identity and social advocacy networks can form outside of a large urban environment. Drawing from oral histories and the archives of the LGBT Center of Central PA History Project, this book recounts the innovative ways that LGBTQ central Pennsylvanians organized to demand civil rights and to improve their quality of life in a region that often rejected them. Outside of major metropolitan areas, the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights has had its own unique and rich historyone that is quite different from the national narrative set in New York and California.highlights one facet of this lesser-known but equally important story, immersing readers in the LGBTQ community building and social networking that has taken place in the small cities and towns in the heart of Pennsylvania from the 1960s to the present day. From the Introduction Most people automatically associate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) communities with large urban areas. Cities such as New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Boston all feature iconic gay enclaves: Greenwich Village, the Castro, West Hollywood, and the South End. The majority of LGBTQ people migrate to major urban centers because they are considered safe havens and have a large number of bars, clubs, and organizations that cater to the way they live. Such cities provide anonymity (for those who want it) and social support that LGBTQ people often cannot find in smaller and more conservative places. Many cities have distinct gay neighborhoods, and a number have passed antidiscrimination laws that protect LGBTQ citizens jobs, homes, and access to public services. In addition, big cities are usually more progressive in their social and political views, making it easier for LGBTQ people to live openly and to create a thriving community. I was one of those young gay men who left his home (in my case, Arizona) and moved to Houston in 1974at the time the nations fifth-largest city. Although Houston was located in a red state, there I found a gay neighborhood, the Montrose District, with more than a dozen gay bars and clubs and a thriving gay and lesbian community. In the early 1980s I relocated to Boston, where I found a utopian existence: a progressive city and state, a gay neighborhood, and a well-established gay and lesbian community, with plenty of bars, clubs, restaurants, bookstores, activist organizations, and medical facilities all catering to LGBTQ people. In 1989 Massachusetts became the second state in the nation to pass an antidiscrimination law protecting gays and lesbians in employment, housing, and all public accommodations. After living in Houston and Boston, I moved to Philadelphia in 2015. This was my third city with a well-established gay district, the Gayborhood. There I became aware of the LGBT Center of Central PA History Project, headquartered in Harrisburg. In coordination with the Dickinson College Archives and Special Collections in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the all-volunteer organization was in the midst of collecting and archiving oral histories, photographs, artifacts, and ephemera of the LGBTQ community in central Pennsylvania. I met Barry A. Loveland, the founder and chair of the project, who gave me fifty transcripts of oral histories. They both shocked and mesmerized me. There were stories of rejection, prejudice, discrimination, threats and acts of violence, and the daily minutiae of simply coping with the challenges of being LGBTQ in central Pennsylvania. These stories captured how the LGBTQ community evolved and how its social networks developed, but predominantlyand this is what startled mein a nonurban environment. The challenges faced in these contexts had not yet been well documented or researched. It was a story that needed to be told. At the same time I realized that I had been living in a bubble for the past thirty years. I had endured none of these hardships because I had been living in environments that were safe havens. LGBTQ people who live in smaller or rural communities face very different circumstances that require different survival skills and support systems. In rural and even urban central Pennsylvania, there were no laws to protect LGBTQ people. Much of the region is culturally conservative and has stereotypically been seen as backward. This dismissive caricature, however, fails to do justice to the actual experience of inhabiting central Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have long had thriving LGBTQ communities and neighborhoods protected by antidiscrimination laws. But throughout the rest of the state and even in Harrisburg, the state capital, few such laws existed. The vast majority of central Pennsylvanias LGBTQ citizens remain unprotected to this day. I told Barry that no book had ever been written about the varied geographic cross-sections of LGBTQ communities outside of a large city. To be sure, books have been written about growing up or living as an adult gay or lesbian in rural America. Those books focus mainly on the southern and midwestern rural gay and lesbian experience and center on the development of queer identity, gender nonconformity, and the particular characteristics of each region. They detail how race, class, religion, and gender affect gay identity. Some share coming-out stories, while others explore how gays and lesbians meet and socialize. None of these books, however, has explored the development of a gay and lesbian community in a rural and conservative area in the eastern United States. Out in Central Pennsylvania: The History of an LGBTQ Community is the story of the people and the LGBTQ community that formed over decades in central Pennsylvania in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Gay life has always existed outside of large urban areas, but generally in secret and hidden from public view. As Nan Alamilla Boyd and Horacio N. Roque Ramirez state in their book Bodies of Evidence: The Practice of Queer Oral History, Recognizing that queer histories often go unmentioned in mainstream historical texts, activists and scholars have used a variety of methods to gather data and, thus, evidence of the existence of queer lives. This book uses oral histories to understand and document the history of the development of the LGBTQ community in central Pennsylvania. More specifically, it takes up a suggestion from Bodies of Evidence that oral history transcripts might allow historians to comprehend better how a person or group of people make sense today of successful or disappointing experiences that took place years ago. Like Making History: The Struggle for Gay and Lesbian Equal Rights, 19451990, by Eric Marcus, Out in Central Pennsylvania uses oral histories and an assortment of recollections to represent a cross section of people, from high-profile leaders to little-known and largely forgotten contributors, who built this community. The communities that settled in the fertile lands of central Pennsylvania still remain embedded in their agricultural and industrial past and retain their religious inheritances. Like much of the rural United States, many families in the region hold morally conservative values. Growing up gay or lesbian in a smalltown environment in central Pennsylvania meant that many people never had the opportunity to have homosexuality explained or even acknowledged. Many, too, endured discrimination and harassment. Without the benefit of urban attitudes, protections, amenities, or defined neighborhoods, sexual minorities in central Pennsylvania had no choice but to find other ways to unite and build their community. LGBTQ residents of small cities and towns such as Lancaster, Harrisburg, Lebanon, Williamsport, State College, and York formed grassroots support organizations that reached gay people beyond the bar scene. The primary focus of this book is the region generally known as southcentral Pennsylvania, or the Lower Susquehanna Valley. The geographic range of this book occasionally ventures beyond this territory to provide a broader context, but the primary area of study comprises the three small cities that are the heart of this region: Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg, with their populations of 59,000, 43,000, and 49,000, respectively, as of 2018. These cities are in turn surrounded by associated suburbs and other small boroughs and towns. The Susquehanna River is a defining geographic feature, as are the mountains of the Alleghenies, which provide a picturesque forested break in the landscape from towns and farms. Harrisburg, York, and Lancaster have been sanctuaries, in some ways, offering more liberal politics and inclusive communities. But beyond these areas, hostility often remains acute. Out of this inhospitable environment, both urban and rural, have emerged brave pioneer gay and lesbian activists who managed to find one another, create networks, and build a community that enhanced the quality of life in the region. The stories chronicled in this book are of coming out, contending with family reactions, navigating bars and social life from the 1960s to the 1980s, facing AIDS, and dealing with a culturally conservative society. They tell how the LGBTQ residents of central Pennsylvania organized for their civil rights protections and how they secured their quality of life. Amid inequities, harassment, and discrimination, courageous but unheralded leaders stepped forward to create social networks and political organizations that would ensure their treatment as citizens with equal dignity under the law. (Excerpt ends here.) With two-thirds of Americans worried about a second wave of the coronavirus, a new ABC News/Washington Post poll finds nearly 6 in 10 people are unready to resume their pre-pandemic activities, underscoring continued public unease as the nation seeks a return to normalcy. Impacts of the pandemic are vast. Seventy-nine percent in this national survey say their lives have been disrupted. Fifty-nine percent report severe economic impacts in their community -- up from 43% two months ago. Among those employed before the pandemic began, 24% have been laid off or furloughed. See PDF for full results, charts, and tables. For all that, 57% say it's more important to try to control the spread of the virus than to try to restart the economy. And as states move to reopen, most people are hesitant. Asked if they're willing at this time to go to stores, restaurants and other public places the way they did before the pandemic, 58% say it's too early for that. That result reflects concerns about becoming infected. Sixty-three percent remain very or somewhat worried they or someone in their immediate family may catch the coronavirus. (It was 69% in late March.) And 68% in this poll, produced for ABC News by Langer Research Associates, are worried about a possible second wave of infections. Greater worries are associated with reluctance to resume normal activities. Among people who are very worried about a second wave 1 in 3 Americans 91% say it's too early to return to public places as they did before the pandemic. Reluctance also is higher among people living in counties with more diagnosed cases, among other groups. MORE: What's your state's coronavirus reopening plan? Worries rise in some groups. Eighty-one percent of Hispanics and 75% of blacks are worried they or a family member might catch the disease, for example, compared with 58% of whites. Further demonstrating the extent of the pandemic, 42% of Americans now know someone personally who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, up nearly fourfold from 11% in late March. That rises to 54% among blacks and the same among those in the Northeast. It also peaks among higher-income and more-educated adults, possibly reflecting disparities in health care access. Story continues PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion with industry executives on reopening businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., May 29, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Employment/Economy Work loss is a pervasive impact of the crisis. Among Americans who were working full or part time before the pandemic, 24% report that they're now unemployed or furloughed without pay. (Additionally, among those who were previously working full time, 10% are now on part time.) Job losses and furloughs peak in economically vulnerable groups, including 41% among women without college degrees, 36% among people with household incomes less than $50,000 a year and 32% among racial and ethnic minorities. Those compare with 2 in 10 whites, 17% of people earning $50,000 or more and 16% of college graduates. While work losses differ among groups, there's broad agreement on community-level economic impacts. Sixty-one percent of blacks, 60% of whites and 54% of Hispanics all report severe economic impacts of the coronavirus outbreak on their community. So do 56% to 62% across regions of the country and roughly 6 in 10 in cities and suburbs (it's lower, 49%, in rural areas). This even crosses generally sharp partisan lines: Fifty-seven percent to 63% of Republicans, independents and Democrats alike report severe economic impacts locally. PHOTO: The Fremont Street Experience Viva Vision canopy attraction displays a countdown leading to the June 4 reopening of hotel-casinos, which have been closed due to the statewide shutdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic on May 29, 2020, in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Policy Americans give far higher marks to their state's governor's handling of the outbreak -- 66% approve -- than to President Donald Trump's (as reported Sunday, 46% approve). More than 6 in 10 approve whether the governor is a Republican (63% approval) or a Democrat (69%), and whether Americans live in areas with higher or lower infection rates. The most popular response at the federal level is the effort to provide financial help for people in need; 57% rate the Trump administration positively in this area. In a related result, 58% support extending the current $600-per-week boost to unemployment benefits past its current expiration in July. In addition to wide partisan and ideological differences, support for extending higher benefits peaks among less well-off groups. It's 79% among blacks and 77% among Hispanics versus 48% among whites; 66% among people with less than $50,000 incomes versus 51% among those earning more; and 65% among women versus 50% among men. MORE: Tracking what's happening in states as they reopen Fifty-four percent also say the administration has done an excellent or good job providing small-business loans. Positive ratings slip in two other areas -- coordinating federal and state responses (49%) and making a test available to anyone who wants it (46%). These views are highly partisan. In terms of testing availability, for example, 81% of Republicans rate the administration positively; that drops by almost half to 42% of independents, and then by half again to 21% of Democrats. It's lower, also, in states and counties with the most cases. And it ranges from 55% in the South to 35% in the Northeast. Groups There are other divisions among groups, many also based on partisanship. Just 27% of Republicans say it's more important to stop the spread of the virus, even if that hurts the economy, than to try to restart the economy, even if that hurts efforts to stop the spread. By contrast, battling the spread is prioritized by 59% of independents and 81% of Democrats. Similarly, 77% of both blacks and Hispanics put a higher priority on stopping the spread of the virus; that drops to 49% of whites. Priority on stopping the spread also is higher among lower-income Americans, and it's 66% among women versus 48% among men. It's also vastly higher, naturally, among people who are more worried about catching the disease and about a second wave. Notably, too, people who've been laid off or furloughed nonetheless say stopping the spread is more important than restarting the economy -- by an over 2-1 margin, 64-31%. PHOTO: A sign asking guests to practice social distancing is posted outside a locker area at Cowabunga Bay Water Park, which was allowed to open for the first time this weekend because of the coronavirus pandemic on May 30, 2020 in Henderson, Nev. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Partisanship even relates to degrees of life disruption. Sixty percent of Democrats say their lives have been disrupted "a lot" by the pandemic, compared with 47% of independents and 39% of Republicans. Part of the reason is that major disruptions peak among blacks (at 62%) and women (55%) -- both more Democratic groups. Many of these gaps are also reflected in willingness to resume activities. Sixty-seven percent of Republicans say they're willing to go to shops, restaurants and other public places as they did before the pandemic; that falls to 40% of independents and just 18% of Democrats. It's nearly 20 points higher among men than women, 50% versus 31%; and 48% among whites compared with 27% among racial and ethnic minorities. Worry and experience are strong factors, as noted. Among those who are most worried about a second wave, a mere 9% are willing to resume their pre-pandemic activities now; it's 33% among those who are somewhat worried and jumps to 79% of those who are less worried. And among people in the quartile of counties with the fewest cases, 50% are willing to resume now. That drops to 29% in counties with the most diagnosed cases. Methodology This ABC News/Washington Post poll was conducted by landline and cellular telephone May 25-28, 2020, in English and Spanish, among a random national sample of 1,001 adults. Results have a margin of sampling error of 3.5 points, including the design effect. Partisan divisions are 31-24-37%, Democrats-Republicans-independents. The survey was produced for ABC News by Langer Research Associates of New York City, with sampling and data collection by Abt Associates of Rockville, Maryland. See details on the survey's methodology here. Hesitancy to resume activities marks reopening challenges: POLL originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The growing protests have now extended for five days, possibly the biggest coast to coast demonstrations in the U.S. since the extended anti-Vietnam war protests of the 1960s. Authorities in recent days, including President Donald Trump, said they understood the rage over the death of George Floyd, but called for peaceful protests and condemned violence, vowing that it would be met with force. Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was held handcuffed while face down on a Minneapolis street, repeatedly saying he could not breathe as a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck. Floyd died, and the police officer was charged with third degree murder several days later. The cellphone images of Floyd's death have sparked global outrage, with protests spreading across the country. Many of the protesters ignored early evening curfews imposed by mayors in dozens of cities to march in the streets and clash with police. But protesters in some cities were peacefully hemmed in by police who arrested them one by one for the curfew violations. Police cars and government buildings were set afire. Windows of stores were smashed, while looters escaped with high-priced consumer goods. Monuments in parks were spray painted and vandalized. Police and authorities in riot gear often stood guard with restraint as boisterous but largely peaceful street demonstrations swelled in size throughout Saturday. But as some of the protests turned violent as night fell, the authorities fired pepper pellets, tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators. Fires, looting and chaos erupted in dozens of American cities Saturday night as demonstrators clashed with police in protests sparked by the death last week of an African-American man while in police custody in the midwestern city of Minneapolis. The governors of Minnesota, where St. Paul, an adjoining city of Minneapolis, is the capital, and 14 other states called up National Guard troops to face another night of violent protests. In all, about 5,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated across the country, with another 2,000 prepared to activate if needed. For the past five nights, initially peaceful protesting has degenerated into looting, arson and other violence in Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as other cities across the U.S. "We are under assault," first-term Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said as he promised "full strength" would be used to restore order. In New York City, the police commissioner said nearly 350 people were arrested during protests Saturday night. More than 30 officers sustained minor injuries and there was some property damage and burning of police vehicles. More protests are expected Sunday, but Mayor Bill de Blasio said he has no plans to impose a curfew on the city of 8.6 million, which is still fighting the coronavirus pandemic. He said most of the protesters have been peaceful. He attributed the pockets of violence to what he described as a small, well-organized group of people, some associated with anarchist movements, who coordinated online. Some people live locally, while others came from outside the area. "What we do know, is there is an explicit agenda of violence and it does not conform with the history of this city in which we have always honored non-violent protest," de Blasio said. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles, where protesters were in the street late Saturday as fires burned. In downtown Indianapolis, there were multiple shootings Saturday during a second night of protests. One person was killed and two people were wounded. Police Chief Randal Taylor urged residents who did not live in the area to leave because, he said, "Downtown is not safe at this time." Nearly 1,400 people have been arrested across the country, according to an Associated Press tally Saturday. The actual total is probably higher as the protests continued through the night. Mayors across the U.S. have instituted nighttime curfews after violence occurred in their cities, including Los Angeles; Seattle; Atlanta; Denver; Philadelphia; Portland, Oregon; and Columbia, South Carolina. While some protests have led to violence -- including arson and looting in Minneapolis and Portland -- others have remained peaceful, as in Wilmington, Delaware, and Greenville, South Carolina. Protests near the White House in Washington erupted into violence late Saturday. Some protesters set off fireworks and threw bottles at the Secret Service and the U.S. Park Police, who used pepper spray. Later, hundreds of protesters circled the White House and looted nearby stores as a fire erupted near the historic Hay Adams Hotel. President Trump spoke about the unrest Saturday afternoon at the Kennedy Space Center, where he watched the SpaceX launch. "The death of George Floyd on the streets of Minneapolis, was a grave tragedy. It should never have happened. It has filled Americans all over the country with horror, anger and grief," he said. "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 mission at hand." But he added that Minneapolis cannot let chaos rule as it did early Friday when officers abandoned a police station and ignored protesters for several hours. Police eventually used tear gas to disperse the crowds. The president has blamed most of the violence on "Antifa and other radical left-wing groups," and offered Minnesota federal military assistance. Attorney General William Barr said in a statement, "The outrage of our national community about what happened to George Floyd in Minneapolis is real and legitimate." "Accountability for his death must be addressed," he continued, "and is being addressed, through the regular process of our criminal justice system, both at the state and at the federal level. That system is working and moving at exceptional speed. Already initial charges have been filed. That process continues to move forward. Justice will be served." Minnesota Governor Walz said organized agitators from outside the state were responsible for some of the violence, including white supremacists, anarchists and people associated with drug cartels. Numerous Minneapolis businesses suffered extensive property damage as protesters randomly looted stores in a Minneapolis neighborhood near the site where Floyd died. Somali-American business owner Ahmed Siyad Shafii told VOA that vandals attacked all his of his stores overnight. "They broke the glass, the doors, the windows," he said via Skype, "and take whatever they can take." Shafii, the owner of a restaurant and clothing store in South Minneapolis, called it "unacceptable" for anyone to destroy personal property and suggested peaceful protests. The full mobilization of the Minnesota National Guard increases its presence beyond the 700 soldiers previously deployed. Major General Jon Jensen said there would be more than 1,700 National Guard in the area by Sunday. The National Guard is a reserve military force with units in each of the 50 states, most of whose members serve part-time. The units can be activated in emergencies by the state governors to help deal with natural disasters or civil unrest. Derek Chauvin, the officer seen restraining Floyd in the video, was fired on Tuesday from the Minneapolis Police Department. He was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Bail was set at $500,000. Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades. Trump spent nearly an hour in the bunker, which was designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks, according to a Republican close to the White House who was not authorized to publicly discuss private matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The account was confirmed by an administration official who also on condition of anonymity. The abrupt decision by the agents underscored the rattled mood inside the White House, where the chants from protesters in Lafayette Park could be heard all weekend and Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers struggled to contain the crowds. Fridays protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. The demonstrations in Washington turned violent and appeared to catch officers by surprise. They sparked one of the highest alerts on the White House complex since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 . The White House does not comment on security protocols and decisions, said White House spokesman Judd Deere. The Secret Service said it does not discuss the means and methods of its protective operations. The presidents move to the bunker was first reported by The New York Times. The president and his family have been shaken by the size and venom of the crowds, according to the Republican. It was not immediately clear if first lady Melania Trump and the couples 14-year-old son, Barron, joined the president in the bunker. Secret Service protocol would have called for all those under the agencys protection to be in the underground shelter. Trump has told advisers he worries about his safety, while both privately and publicly praising the work of the Secret Service. Trump traveled to Florida on Saturday to view the first manned space launch from the US in nearly a decade. He returned to a White House under virtual siege, with protesters some violent gathered just a few hundred yards away through much of the night. Demonstrators returned Sunday afternoon, facing off against police at Lafayette Park into the evening. Trump continued his effort to project strength, using a series of inflammatory tweets and delivering partisan attacks during a time of national crisis. As cities burned night after night and images of violence dominated television coverage, Trumps advisers discussed the prospect of an Oval Office address in an attempt to ease tensions. The notion was quickly scrapped for lack of policy proposals and the presidents own seeming disinterest in delivering a message of unity. Trump did not appear in public on Sunday. Instead, a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time said Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators. On Sunday, Trump retweeted a message from a conservative commentator encouraging authorities to respond with greater force. This isnt going to stop until the good guys are willing to use overwhelming force against the bad guys, Buck Sexton wrote in a message amplified by the president. In recent days security at the White House has been reinforced by the National Guard and additional personnel from the Secret Service and the US Park Police. On Sunday, the Justice Department deployed members of the US Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, according to a senior Justice Department official. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Washington: The US capital is a city transformed, jolted out of its coronavirus slumber by an adrenaline shot of righteous rage. Over the past two months, Lafayette Square, a park directly in front of the White House, has been a site of eerie desolation stripped of its usual crowds of tourists and business people by the pandemic. Then came the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, triggering America's biggest surge of nationwide protests since 1968. Demonstrators near the White House in Washington start a fire as they protest in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers. Credit:AP On Sunday night (Monday AEST) thousands of people gathered in Lafayette Square for the third consecutive night to protest police brutality against African-Americans. As day morphed into night, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald witnessed the peaceful demonstration turn violent. Police fired tear gas into the crowd as protesters set fire to cars and office buildings and a historic church. The White House surrounds resembled a war zone. Melanie Holmes began her day protesting at Howard University, the famous historically black college where she studies history. From there, she and hundreds of others made their way through the city streets until they reached the White House. High drama was witnessed at the ESI hospital near the Bharat Nagar Chowk here after the wife of a drug addict, who tried to commit suicide, alleged that her husband was not treated at the hospital. The issue escalated after a patient at the hospital recorded the video and uploaded it on the social media. The woman, identified as Shalu, a resident of Jain Colony in Haibowal, said her 35-year-old husband was a chronic drug addict and hooked to chitta. She said he attempted to commit suicide on Monday by hanging himself from a ceiling fan after a drug peddler, despite taking money, refused to give him the daily dose of drug. Shalu said she reached the room on time and managed to save him She said she rushed him to the ESI hospital, but the doctors there refused to treat him. I took him back home after a wait of two hours, Shalu added. Later, the matter was brought to the notice of civil surgeon Dr Rajesh Bagga, who said he had sought an explanation from hospital authorities. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio hardened his tone about a police officer who drew his gun on protesters Sunday and two police cruisers that drove into a crowd in Brooklyn. At a news conference Monday, de Blasio, a Democrat, added to his previous explanation of officers' decision to drive into protesters who had gathered in front of them. He said he tried in his initial comments to criticize the officers while noting that some police were in danger earlier in the day. "There is no situation where a police vehicle should drive into a crowd of protesters or New Yorkers of any kind," de Blasio said Monday. "It is dangerous, it is unacceptable. This is an extremely aberrant situation, and there were extenuating circumstances, I believe, because of what happened earlier." The mayor also said he had temporarily removed the gun and badge of an officer who pointed his weapon at demonstrators outside Strand Bookstore. City officials were investigating the incident to determine whether there should be other consequences, de Blasio said. READ MORE: Philly to enforce curfew Monday night; protests begin in Spring Garden; National Guard troops arrive In response to news reports that his 25-year-old daughter, Chiara de Blasio, had been arrested while protesting, the mayor said that he did not believe she did anything wrong and that he admired her advocacy. He said that he found out about her arrest when a reporter asked about it and that his daughter told him she was acting peacefully. "She was very clear that she believes she was following the instructions of police officers and doing what they were asking," the mayor said. De Blasio also said the officers who told reporters about the arrest had done "something unconscionable" and that the Sergeants Benevolent Association, which represents the city's current and former police sergeants, regularly violated people's privacy. SBA leaders did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 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 New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) Roche Diagnostics India on Monday said it welcomed Indian Council of Medical Research's communication regarding its COVID-19 antibody test for seroprevalence studies in India. Dr Shravan Subramanyam, Managing Director, Roche Diagnostics India said, "Roche Diagnostics India welcomes ICMR's communication that cites making available Roche COVID-19 antibody test for seroprevalence studies in India." According to Subramanyam, the study includes those on high-risk groups like healthcare workers - to plan the country's pandemic management efforts in the future. The lab-based antibody test that runs on fully automated Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA) analysers with estimated peak testing capacity of 0.5 million tests a day is being made available across National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) approved and government sites in India. The Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 serology test that supports detection of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 has received the Import License issued by the Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), due to the emergency health situation in the public interest. The test is CE IVD certified and has received USFDA emergency use authorisation (EUA). Subramanyam said that this world-class COVID-19 antibody test is already deployed in UK, Singapore and other countries to test for COVID-19 antibodies. "We are committed to explore public-private partnerships to build scale and thereby access to Roche COVID-19 antibody tests in India." --IANS sfm/kr An MIT spin-out company is planning to cross the commercial nuclear fusion finish line before anyone else, and big money is backing this game-changing tech that will dictate our energy future by promising unlimited zero-carbon energy--the holy grail. By 2025, Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS)--an MIT spin-out--plans to see is SPARC project become the first fusion reactor to show "net energy gain" by 2025. By 2030, it intends to make nuclear fusion a commercial reality, disrupting all those nuclear fusion experiments elsewhere in the world that have been working towards this a lot longer, and disrupting energy--forever. Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates believes it. He was the first big backer of CFS. And now, Norway's oil giant--Equinor--is throwing money behind it. Last week, CFS--founded only in 2018--raised another $84 million from investors in Europe and Asia, bringing the total raised by the nuclear fusion startup to $200 million. Singapore's Temasek Holding Pte was also among the key investors for this cash round. "We're entering the next phase," CFS CEO Bob Mumgaard said. "It's time to put down some roots, get us all under one roof, and build some hardware for the future fusion business line." Nuclear Fusion: How It works A bit of disambiguation is required here: Nuclear fusion is not to be confused with "nuclear fission" or with "cold fusion". Nuclear fusion is essentially how the sun and the stars power themselves--naturally. It means harnessing the sun for unlimited, on-demand, clean energy. Nuclear fission--conventional nuclear power production--is expensive, messy, and dangerous. Cold fusion is still a pipe dream. Nuclear fusion is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet against climate change because it's wildly efficient, totally clean, and doesn't leave radioactive waste in its wake. Nuclear fusion requires only hydrogen--a naturally occurring fuel--while nuclear fission requires enriched uranium. Fusion is also many times more powerful than conventional nuclear fission is. Related: Turkey Headed For An Unexpected Victory Libya's Oil War As described by ReCharge, nuclear fusion "involves changing a gas to a plasma at temperatures of tens of millions of degrees, aided by superconducting magnets, to create collisions between hydrogen atoms, tapping the energy that's produced." Why Big Money Is Excited about SPARC Equinor isn't the only oil giant throwing money at American nuclear fusion--Italian Eni is also an investor. But when it comes to big oil, American giants are less forward-thinking than their European counterparts who tend to view energy as energy, whether it's clean or dirty. Eni was the first big oil believer in nuclear fusion. Back in the spring of 2018, Eni joined forces with the National Research Council (CNR) for joint research in nuclear fusion and committed to investing more than $28 million over five years to establish a fusion research center in Sicily. That same spring, Eni signed agreements with CFS and MIT to help develop fusion power generation tech, eyeing the first-ever commercial power plant producing energy by fusion. Under the agreement, Eni acquired a "significant share" in CFS with an initial investment of $50 million and a spot on the board. Equinor--which has a major and growing portfolio of clean energy--is the second one to jump on the nuclear fusion bandwagon with an $84-million commitment. "Equinor is a broad energy company and we will continue to invest in promising and potentially game-changing zero-carbon energy technologies. We are investing in fusion and CFS because we believe in the technology and the company, and we remain committed to providing energy to the world, now and in a low carbon future," said Sophie Hildebrand, Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President for Research and Technology at Equinor. They're on board--in America--because, despite the fact that CFS got a later start than its counterparts elsewhere in the world, it suddenly seems to be the one to reach the finish line first. Related: Have Oil Traders Abandoned Fundamentals? Founded only in 2018, CFS' SPARC project--a program to develop high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets and design and build the world's first net-energy-gain fusion system--is said to be "on schedule and below budget". And it will use the money just raised from Equinor and other European and Asian investors to further accelerate progress, and build a new CFS headquarters and manufacturing facilities. As Mumgaard noted in a press release: "This funding is further evidence of a growing fusion industry and the important transition that is taking place as fusion expands from public-funded research to the private companies that will drive commercial fusion to market to help solve climate change." Source: MIT news And the next major milestone looks set to come in 2021 when CFS plans to demonstrate a successful 20 Tesla, large-bore magnet. It will be the first such test in history. But will it be the holy grail demonstration that convinces American oil to pump money in to diversify their energy portfolios? American oil is still stubbornly clinging to fossil fuels, though under increasing pressure from investors to broaden the energy net in order to mitigate risk. That pressure has grown exponentially under the twin threats of a coronavirus pandemic and an oil-price war that has killed demand. They may be the last to jump on the nuclear fusion bandwagon, which might mean waiting until 2025 when CFS/MIT plan to demonstrate the first "net energy gain" from nuclear fusion by generating 50-100 megawatts thermal to produce power in a conventional steam cycle. That achievement would be the signal that nuclear fusion is commercially viable. And it would be a global first--and an American first--that Big Oil isn't going to want to miss out on. By. Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: While it appeared to some that the looting went unchallenged over the weekend, Trump, who has used racially divisive language to criticize the citys response, on Monday accused some governors of being weak and told them they should dominate unruly protests. The Justice Department ordered federal riot-control police into the District and Miami. In his address Monday evening, Trump said some governments have failed to take necessary action to safeguard their residents. Gurugram, June 1 : Gurugram registered its fourth death due to COVID-19 on Monday as a 68-year-old patient succumbed to the infection. Dr J.S. Punia, civil surgeon of Gurugram said the victim also had co-morbid conditions like heart problem and diabetes. Besides, district administration also detected 129 fresh cases on Monday. The spike in numbers keeps rising in the city with 619 cases registered in last one week. It is worrying for all age groups especially senior citizens as infection appeared from every place in the district. The total cases have now reached 903, more than 2.5 times higher than Faridabad with 392. A of total 265 cases emerged in Haryana on Monday. As per the data of health department, 33 infected persons were detected on May 26, 20 on May 27, 68 on May 28, 115 on May 29 and 157 on May 30, 97 on May 31 and 129 on June 1. The doubling rate of cases is now 6 days in Gurugram. Besides, 615 patients are currently admitted in isolation wards of different hospitals while 284 patients are discharged till now. Official believes that interstate movement between Delhi and Gurugram has been responsible for the spike. The Haryana government has sealed the borders with Delhi, but still a large number of people sneak through. On Monday morning, there was some strictness on the borders as police checked vehicles. Though, it was not the case throughout the day as commuters easily crossed the border in the afternoon between 12 to 4 pm. A Celltrion researcher looks at a monitor in this file photo, Monday. Courtesy of Celltrion By Kim Yoo-chul South Korea's top-tier pharmaceutical company Celltrion said Monday its in-house COVID-19 experimental treatment has shown "positive results" in animal testing, such as improvement in lung lesions. In a statement, the Incheon-headquartered company added its drug for COVID-19 "specifically demonstrated a 100-fold reduction in viral load" in animal testing. Regarding the timing of the first human clinical tests for the Celltrion candidate, the statement said, "We are set to start in July, this year." The South Korean manufacturer also added the latest test results indicated Celltrion's candidate "could be a potential treatment for COVID-19" only if the results are replicated in clinical trials. Leading global pharmaceutical companies are teaming up to develop possible treatments and vaccines for the virus which has so far caused over 370,000 deaths, globally. Celltrion teamed up with Chungbuk National University College of Medicine for the latest trial. "The trial set out to assess the efficacy of two dosage amounts for the antiviral antibody treatment. In comparison to the placebo-controlled group, the team observed improved recovery in terms of clinical symptom scores such as runny nose, cough and body aches, after the first day of treatment. From the fifth day, significant clinical remission was observed," said the release. Celltrion said reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) measurement and cell culture-based viral diagnosis were used to analyse specimens from the upper respiratory tract (nasal discharge and nasal turbinate) and the lungs. "The samples from the high-dose group saw the viral load reduce by 100-fold. Furthermore, lung biopsy showed that both dosage groups saw inflammation returning to normal lung tissue histopathology within six days as well as a shortened recovery time, whereas the placebo-controlled group experienced sustained levels of lung inflammation and complications," according to the statement. Celltrion has research capability with other types of COVID-19 conditions such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), said Kwon Ki-sung, chief of the company's research and development (R&D) unit, in the statement. "Celltrion has the capability to roll out mass production of the therapeutic antibody treatment once it is ready." Then-22-year-old Shane Rader returned home to Gilbert, Arizona, from a three-year deployment in the U.S. Army, and he gave his adoring teenage sister the shock of a lifetime when he walked into the house. Their emotional reunion, caught on camera, was memorable. Rader had gone off to serve in the Army and had spent three years deployed in Italy. He and his brother, John Rader, then 37, had decided to keep Shanes return a secret from their younger sister, Elizabeth Copeland, who was 16 at the time. Shane and Elizabeth had shared a close bond since childhood, and Elizabeth had missed her brother dearly during his long absence. They grew up together, they always lived together, John later explained to Inside Edition. John and their older sister were already grown up and had moved out of the house, he said, adding, so they were the only siblings they had growing up. In a video that has since been published on YouTube, John and Shane entered the family home with the video camera rolling. The dog starts barking, and Elizabeth is unaware of what is about to happen. She is watching television in the living room. Take a look at the beautiful moment a soldier returned home after three years to surprise his sister Credit: Caters News Agency NTD Television Shane, in plain clothes, strides unexpectedly into the room, giving his sister a bit of a scare as she turns and sees him right next to her. Then she realizes who it is and lets out a gasp as her jaw drops. Shane! she cries out, as she leaps onto him for a full-body hug that lasts a good minute or so. Finally letting go, Elizabeth, in tears, asks her brother: I was just talking to you; how, were you on a plane? And the brothers confess their premeditated surprise. He played it off through Snapchat, John admitted to Inside Edition, and made it seem like he was still in Italy and would be there for a while. He let me know, but he didnt want to tell anyone else. Since being shared on YouTube in March of 2017, the clip has garnered nearly 1 million views. According to Military.com, it can be hard for the family when imminent deployment looms on the horizon. The soldier is preparing to go, so he is pulling back from the family, explained Navy captain Daphne Brown, who is also a clinical psychologist at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. He has to invest in the mission. The lack of communication, Brown added, can be frightening for the families left behind. Keeping the family together and communicating regularly is paramount, the military website advises. Many families make videos to share online or send care packages to their loved ones overseas. This communication is critical to expressing love and appreciation over long distance, say the experts. Not to mention staying in touch via personalized mail allows the soldier to continue feeling involved in family life, minimizing the shock of reintegration upon coming home. Reintegration aside, the biggest shock in the Rader-Copeland household at Shanes homecoming was Elizabeths. I loved Elizabeths reaction, older brother John later told the Daily Mail. You can tell just how excited and overcome with emotion she was, he added. Both my family and I all cried at the reaction, it was such a lovely moment to witness. Male, May 31 (IANS) Maldives Minister of Health Abdulla Ameen has called for any vaccine or treatment invented to combat COVID-19 to be made accessible to all countries, local media reported. In a statement representing the Maldives at the Solidarity Call to Action for Global Access to COVID-19 Technologies on Saturday, Minister Ameen said that the pandemic has shown the necessity for global cooperation, Xinhua news agency reported. Ameen said that COVID-19 had exposed the vulnerabilities of many countries and that support for developing countries in particular must be strengthened. All countries should share vital healthcare information and technology while working together to protect the fundamental human right to healthcare, Ameen said. The Solidarity Call to Action for Global Access to COVID-19 Technologies was initiated by Costa Rica with help from the World Health Organisation (WHO). --IANS rt/ United Nations, June : As the global organisation reaches its landmark birthday of 75 years and looks to the sprint to a century mark, it must provide the world with hope "without which we cannot survive as a human race," according to Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, the president of the UN General Assembly. He said during an exclusive interview to IANS that the UN has to "continue to give hope that the multinational system is key to the survival of the world. And (what) we must address as we look at the future is hope, without which we cannot survive as a human race. We need to have hope and this is key. Now without hope nothing happens." Amid scepticism among some about multilateralism and the UN itself, he was asked about what he thought were the achievements of the UN. "We have had with the support of the United Nations an end to apartheid as you know, an end to colonialism, which is important," he said. But the most important achievement is the absence of a major world conflict like World War II, he said. "What is important is that if you absent the United Nations, the failure you have is really anarchy," he said. "And the moral burden for all of us if we are unable to cooperate with other human beings is huge." He added, "Even if it doesn't exist, United Nations will be created if we are going to have peace." "Even though we have regional conflicts, we haven't had the kind of crisis that brought about the creation of the United Nations," he said. He said that in addition, the UN has brought "the attention of the world to issue of rights of minorities, rights of individuals, the issue o respect. These norms are extremely important for all countries." Muahmmad Bande spoke exclusively to IANS in New York via video-teleconference as the UN headquarters is under a COVID-19 lockdown. An educator who was the vice-chancellor of the Usman Danfodio University and the director-general of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Nigeria before becoming a diplomat, he is steering General Assembly, which is the most representative body of 193-member organisation, through its most serious crisis since World War II because of the COVID-19 pandemic that has paralysed the world. He has had to devise new methods of conducting the essential businesses of the General Assembly as it deals with the crisis. The UN, which was founded in 1945 over the ruins wrought by World War II, is set to celebrate its 75th anniversary in September. Even though it was still a British colony, India was a founding member of the world organisation. The celebrations of the 75th anniversary are under the cloud of the coronavirus pandemic which has disrupted world travel and is likley to continue into September to require social distancing muting the observance. Under these circumstances, all nations "must come together to send a message that the United Nations is important," he said. The pandemic has shown the interdependency of countries, he added. (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text WASHINGTON The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced that it had limited states ability to block the construction of energy infrastructure projects, part of the Trump administrations goal of promoting gas pipelines, coal terminals and other fossil fuel development. The completed rule curtails sections of the U.S. Clean Water Act that New York has used to block an interstate gas pipeline, and Washington employed to oppose a coal export terminal. The move is expected to set up a legal clash with Democratic governors who have sought to block fossil fuel projects. Specifically, it limits to one year the amount of time states and tribes can take to review a project and restricts states to taking water quality only into consideration when judging permits. The Trump administration has accused some states of blocking projects for reasons that go beyond clean water considerations, such as climate change impacts. Andrew Wheeler, the administrator of the E.P.A., said the agency was moving to curb abuses of the Clean Water Act that have held our nations energy infrastructure projects hostage, and to put in place clear guidelines that finally give these projects a path forward. States, he said, would no longer be allowed to use the law to object to projects under the auspices of climate change. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Labour has accused Dominic Raab of being "weak and wrong" for refusing to condemn Donald Trump's statements in the wake of the death of a black man in police custody. Fierce protests continued for a fifth night in the United States over the death of George Floyd, who died on Monday after a white police officer knelt on his neck whilst restraining him. The foreign secretary said Mr Floyd's death was "very distressing" but refused to comment on a series of explosive statements from the US president, including a tweet where he said "looting leads to shooting". But Lisa Nandy, the shadow foreign secretary, condemned his silence over Mr Trump's response. She said: "This is weak and wrong. The world must not look away. #blacklivesmatter". She later told The Independent: "The UK has a moral obligation to call out discrimination and injustice wherever we see - no matter where in the world it occurs. "The foreign secretarys refusal to unequivocally condemn the killing of George Floyd was wrong. "In trying to avoid creating a media distraction, he risks undermining the UKs commitment to upholding the fundamental principles of fairness and equality, both here and around the world." Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Alaistair Carmichael also criticised Mr Raab, saying: "The foreign secretary's cowardly failure to condemn the president's inflammatory language demonstrates a government incapable of standing up to Donald Trump. The governments silence is shameful and indefensible." Mr Trump threatened protesters outside the White House with the "most vicious dogs and most ominous weapons I have ever seen" if they breached the fence. On Friday, Mr Trump tweeted: "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." 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 In further social media posts on Saturday, Mr Trump praised the National Guard deployment in Minneapolis, declaring "No games!", and said police in New York City "must be allowed to do their job!". Asked about his response, Mr Raab told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "I'm not going to start commenting on the commentary or indeed the press statements that other world leaders make, or indeed the US president. "What I would say is that obviously, as you said, the footage of what happened to George Floyd was very distressing, as has been the scenes across America of the rioting and some of the violence. "And what we do know is that the lead suspect has now been charged with murder, there is a federal review and we want to see de-escalation of all of those tensions and American come together." He said it would be a "media distraction" to offer his thoughts on Mr Trump. They both rose to fame when they went looking for romance in the Love Island villa. And Georgia Steel and Elma Pazar looked in good spirits as they enjoyed the sunshine while on a bike ride in London on Sunday. The reality stars were dressed for the warm weather with Georgia, 22, donning a cream sleeveless top that showcased her bronzed hue. Out and about: Georgia Steel, 22, and Elma Pazar, 27, looked in good spirits as they enjoyed the sunshine while on a bike ride in London on Sunday The beauty also sported a pair of denim shorts which she paired with white trainers and a matching hat. Styling her tresses into a ponytail, Georgia completed her look for the day with a printed handbag. Elma looked sensational as she sported a pale pink crop top with a scooped neckline that highlighted her figure. The Essex native, 27, and Georgia appeared to match each other's sense of style as Elma also opted for a pair of denim shorts. Outfit: The pair were dressed for the warm weather with Georgia donning a cream sleeveless crop top that showcased her bronzed hue Letting her brunette locks fall loose down her shoulders, Elma wore a pair of white trainers and carried a large brown handbag. Georgia's outing comes after she broke her silence on the breakdown of her relationship with Callum Izzard. In a recent interview on FUBAR Radio, she revealed she's in no rush to jump into a new relationship. Looking good: The beauty also sported a pair of denim shorts which she paired with white trainers and a matching hat Stunning: Elma looked sensational as she sported a pale pink crop top with a scooped neckline that highlighted her figure Lookalike: Elma and Georgia appeared to match each other's sense of style as Elma also opted for a pair of denim shorts Casual: Letting her brunette locks fall loose down her shoulders, Elma wore a pair of white trainers and carried a large brown handbag She said: 'Im a good believer in everything happens for a reason and Im just rolling with it to be fair.' Callum and Georgia's whirlwind romance began in August 2019 when they met during the filming of Ex on the Beach: Peak Of Love, with the couple becoming engaged just a month later. But despite her fast-paced courtship, Georgia admitted she's in no hurry to dive headfirst into a new romance. Fame: Elma appeared on the 2019 series of Love Island where she coupled up with Anton Danyluk Fun in the sun: Elma was all smiles as she got some exercise on her bike ride with Georgia When asked if she's had many guys sliding into her DMs, the beauty explained: 'I just want some time now to just focus on myself and Im not really wanting to rush into anything. Im just wanting to take every day as it comes!' Speaking of moving on from Callum, she went on to add: 'Obviously I want to get over that whole thing firstly.' Georgia was recently living with her ex-fiance in Essex, but it appears lockdown got the better, leading to their split. A source told The Sun Online: 'Callum has moved out of their Essex apartment during lockdown. 'They were recently flat hunting in Manchester together, but it's been called off. Georgia is now planning to move up to Manchester alone.' President Akufo-Addo has eased the restrictions on public and social gatherings by announcing the commencement of religious activities from June 5. This is in spite of the fact that the country's recorded cases of the novel Coronavirus has hit 8,070. In his 10th address to the nation on measures being taken against the spread of COVID-19, the President said effective 5th June, churches and mosques can start meeting with a maximum congregation of 100. "An abridged format for religious services can commence. Twenty-five per cent attendance, with a maximum number of 100 congregants, can worship at a time in church or at the mosque, with a mandatory one metre rule of social distancing between congregants. ". . in addition to mandatory wearing of masks, a register of names and contact details of all worshippers must be provided; maximum duration of one hour per service," he said. Pray For Ghana President Akufo-Addo also entreated religious bodies to dedicate their first worship days to "prayers for the nation in these challenging times." "I would appeal to them, in the case of Christians, on the first Sunday of re-opening, [7th June], in the case of the Adventists, Saturday, [6th June], and in the case of Muslims, on the first Friday, i.e. ?al?t al-Jumu?ah [5th June], to dedicate their worship to prayers for the nation in these challenging times," he noted. Whiles revealing that the Minister for Religious Affairs will from tomorrow, Monday, 1st June, outline, in detail, the specific guidelines for the safe reopening of our churches and mosques, the president stressed that all religious institutions that are desirous of opening their premises to their members, must disinfect, fumigated and put in place the requisite logistics needed to guarantee safe opening and operation. "They must work with the designated, regulatory bodies and undertake test runs of the protocols I have outlined," he added. E.I. 64 Until 31st July However, he disclosed that other social gatherings such as sporting activities, political rallies, crusades, beaches, festivals, drinking bars, nightclubs are still prohibited. "I have, by Executive Instrument, provided for these new directions, and extended the suspension of the remaining public gatherings, as set out in E.I. 64 of 15th March, until 31st July. In here, I refer to the suspension of sporting events, nightclubs, cinemas, drinking spots, bars, beaches, festivals, funerals, political rallies, and large religious gatherings such as crusades, pilgrimages and conventions," the President indicated Private burial Meanwhile, private burial directives are still in place with a maximum of 100 people. Borders still closed The countrys borders; land, sea and air remain closed until further notice, the President stated. "Our border, by air, land and sea, remains closed until further notice for human traffic. However, given that there are Ghana residents stranded abroad, special dispensation is going to be given for their evacuation back to Ghana, where they will be subjected to the mandatory quarantine and safety protocols," he said. Source: 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 SBS and Screen Australia have announced the commission of The Tailings, a short-form online drama series for SBS On Demand. Directed by Stevie Cruz-Martin (Pulse, Marrow), the 6 x 10 minute series follows a daughters investigation into her fathers death. It takes place in her tight-knit, remote community in the wilderness of the West Coast of Tasmania. SBS Director of Television and Online Content, Marshall Heald, said: SBS is committed to telling impactful stories that cultivate audiences and resonate with diverse communities. The Tailings gives an insight into life in regional Tasmania, a community that is rarely represented on-screen. The Tailings is a continuance of our response to the growing audience appetite for short-form content and joins AACTA-award winning series Robbie Hood in our premium offering of bite-sized digital dramas. Screen Australia Senior Online Investment Manager, Lee Naimo, said: We are delighted to support exciting new talent with writer Caitlin Richardson and director Stevie Cruz-Martin both working on their first episodic project with The Tailings. Together with such a seasoned team in Liz Doran, Richard Kelly and Stephen Thomas, they are set to deliver a well-crafted mystery set against the stunning Tasmanian scenery, that Im confident will captivate viewers on SBS On Demand. Producer, Liz Doran, said: Im really delighted to be working with my producing partners Richard Kelly (2 Jons) and Stephen Thomas (Roar Film) in association with SBS, Screen Tasmania and Screen Australia on this wonderful project for SBS On Demand. Caitlin Richardson is an exciting emerging writer who has scripted a dramatic and emotional story set against the rugged, wild West Coast of Tasmania and we know that the cinematic style of director Stevie Cruz-Martin will be a perfect match for this series. Tasmanian State Minister for The Arts, Elise Archer said: The Tasmanian Government is excited to partner with SBS and Screen Australia for the production of The Tailings. By partnering with broadcasters and highly credentialed production teams, our Government, through Screen Tasmania, can support local emerging writers, like Caitlin Richardson, to tell their unique stories to national and international audiences. As Tasmania starts to recover and rebuild The Tailings will provide much needed employment opportunities for local cast and crew, as well as economic benefits to our community and businesses. The Tailings will premiere on SBS On Demand in 2021. The Tailings is a Liz Doran Productions production for SBS, in association with 2 Jons and Roar Film. Principal production investment from Screen Australia in association with SBS. Financed with support from Screen Tasmania. Photo: stock image Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken out against Ukraine's involvement in the U.S. presidential election campaign over tapes released by MP Andriy Derkach, which allegedly contain the recordings of conversations between former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. Zelensky said this in an interview over Skype with British newspaper The Telegraph. "Why is it necessary to drag Ukraine into this, again? Now we are enjoying bipartisan support in the United States both in Congress and the Senate. We have the support of the president. These tapes are not a priority," he said. Zelensky emphasized the importance of the strategic partnership between Kyiv and Washington and added that "Ukraine doesn't want to influence the internal political situation or external political situation in any country, or the election process in any country." He also denied involvement in last month's leak of his predecessor's conversations with Biden. According to Zelensky, he is only interested in how it was possible to eavesdrop the presidential administration. "Look, I don't know anything about the details of that agreement [between Biden and Poroshenko]. And whether that agreement was reached or struck or even if this agreement existed. The only thing I am interested in is how it was possible to eavesdrop, to tape the office of the president of Ukraine," Zelensky said. On May 19, MP Derkach released tapes that may indicate Biden's alleged influence on Poroshenko. According to Derkach, the conversations date back to 2015-2016. In particular, they are about the receipt of "$1 billion in exchange for keeping in place Burisma schemes and international corruption," the need to dismiss then-Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin "who investigated the Burisma case and got in touch with Biden." Zelensky said at a news conference on May 20 that Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova had registered criminal proceedings over audio materials released by Derkach. On May 25, the State Bureau of Investigation opened proceedings in connection with possible wiretapping of Ukraine's former president, Petro Poroshenko, which could harm state interests. Given the situation surrounding Derkach's tapes, former U.S. ambassadors to Ukraine issued a joint statement warning of the danger of Ukraine's involvement in U.S. domestic policy during the presidential election. Last year, Ukraine was already involved in U.S. domestic policy. On September 25, the White House released a phone call between the presidents of the United States and Ukraine, which led to the U.S. House of Representatives launching the impeachment inquiry, as it appears from the text of the conversation that Donald Trump pressured Volodymyr Zelensky to persuade Ukraine to launch an investigation against Biden's son, Joe Biden. op JACKSON, Miss., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- EastGroup Properties, Inc. (NYSE: EGP) (the "Company", "EastGroup" or "we") announced today that in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Company is providing an update on its portfolio occupancy, rent collections and rent relief requests. As previously reported in the Company's press release on April 30, 2020, COVID-19 did not have a material adverse impact on the Company's revenues during the first quarter of 2020. The updates contained herein provide information on the impacts to date during the second quarter of 2020. Commenting on the current market conditions and company performance, Marshall Loeb, CEO, stated, "While we acknowledge the pandemic is far from over, we are pleased with our results to date. Specifically, the strength of our monthly rent collections as reflected below, tenant rent relief requests only rising by 2% in May, the pickup in prospect leasing activity we're seeing as markets re-open, and internally, how well our team was able to shift our operating strategy and work remotely. Longer term, we remain optimistic about increased demand for industrial space given the anticipated accelerating growth in e-commerce, higher inventory levels, nearshoring and reshoring of manufacturing as a result of the pandemic; and continued population shifts to our fast-growing Sunbelt markets." As of June 1, 2020, EastGroup's operating portfolio is 96.9% leased and 96.5% occupied. The Company's rent collections for March, April and May 2020 are as follows: 99.3% of March rents have been collected; 0.7% of rents are uncollected. 97.7% of April rents have been collected; 0.7% of April rents have been deferred for collection in future periods; 1.6% of April rents are uncollected and no deferral agreement has been reached. 95.0% of May rents have been collected; 0.9% of May rents have been deferred for collection in future periods; 4.1% of May rents are uncollected and no deferral agreement has been reached. EastGroup's properties in the Houston market contain approximately 5.9 million square feet, representing just under 14% of the Company's total annualized base rent. The Company's portfolio in Houston is currently 97.2% leased and 97.0% occupied. EastGroup's rent collections for its Houston properties for March, April and May 2020 are as follows: 99.9% of March rents have been collected. 99.9% of April rents have been collected. 99.7% of May rents have been collected. No deferral agreements have been executed to date. During April 2020, the Company received rent relief requests from approximately 26% of the Company's customers. During May, EastGroup received requests from an additional 2% of its customers for a total of 28% to date. The majority of these requests have been denied while others are currently being evaluated. Approximately 6.5% of the requests have been granted some form of rent deferment. The requests are being handled on a case-by-case basis and the Company's responses are largely dependent on our understanding of the financial strength of the customer, the operational and earnings impacts being experienced by the customer, and the customer's ability or inability to obtain capital through debt or equity issuances, government assistance programs or by other means. EastGroup is scheduled to present at the Nareit REITweek Virtual Investor Conference on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at 11:20 a.m. EDT. Information regarding attending REITweek may be accessed on the Events page at www.reit.com. EastGroup, an S&P MidCap 400 company, is a self-administered equity real estate investment trust focused on the development, acquisition and operation of industrial properties in major Sunbelt markets throughout the United States with an emphasis in the states of Florida, Texas, Arizona, California and North Carolina. The Company's goal is to maximize shareholder value by being a leading provider in its markets of functional, flexible and quality business distribution space for location sensitive customers (primarily in the 15,000 to 70,000 square foot range). The Company's strategy for growth is based on ownership of premier distribution facilities generally clustered near major transportation features in supply-constrained submarkets. EastGroup's portfolio, including development projects and value-add acquisitions in lease-up and under construction, currently includes approximately 45.7 million square feet. EastGroup Properties, Inc. press releases are available at www.eastgroup.net . SOURCE EastGroup Properties Related Links http://www.eastgroup.net Former president Barack Obama is urging those angered by the death of George Floyd to focus their efforts on state and local elections and to push officials on those levels for specific reforms to the criminal justice system. "If, going forward, we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action, then this moment can be a real turning point in our nation's long journey to live up to our highest ideals," Obama said in a Medium post on Monday. At a time when protesters are gathering nightly outside the White House, Obama said those seeking change should be fighting for a president and other federal officials who recognize "the corrosive role that racism plays in our society and want to do something about it." But he argued that "the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels." "It's mayors and county executives that appoint most police chiefs and negotiate collective bargaining agreements with police unions," Obama wrote. "It's district attorneys and state's attorneys that decide whether or not to investigate and ultimately charge those involved in police misconduct. Those are all elected positions." Obama also cited documents developed during his presidency and by the Obama Foundation that he says can provide guidance on reforms to seek. "The more specific we can make demands for criminal justice and police reform, the harder it will be for elected officials to just offer lip service to the cause and then fall back into business as usual once protests have gone away," he wrote. In the post, he said the waves of protests have been driven by "genuine and legitimate frustration," but he also urged those seeking reforms not to "excuse violence, or rationalize it, or participate in it." In Indias capital, New Delhi, a sprawling city of more than 20 million people, coronavirus cases continue to rise. And the police are seemingly everywhere. Theyre manning hundreds of checkpoints, and running patrols all across the city. Im Jeffrey Gettleman, the South Asia bureau chief for The New York Times, based in Delhi. Were riding with a team rushing to a Covid distress call. Now when someone gets sick, police are often the first to respond. We arrive at this densely populated neighborhood. People have gathered to watch. This kind of call is completely new for the police. Theyre now coordinating medical transport, preparing and serving meals to lockdown communities, sewing and distributing masks, and whatever else is deemed necessary to respond to a city in the throes of a major crisis. Ive been covering India for three years, and I have to say, I was surprised to see the police in this completely different role. Just a few months ago, members of the same police force were caught on camera, beating students at a mostly Muslim university. Those big sticks are called lathis, and the Delhi police have a reputation for using them. This incident sparked nationwide protests, and religious violence between Hindus and Muslims. Police in the Indian capital, Delhi, acted alongside Hindu rioters. This Muslim man was beaten to death by the police. The police were roundly vilified for siding with Hindu mobs. Many Indians see the force as an agent of what they consider the governments anti-Muslim agenda. So I wasnt sure what to think when all of a sudden I started seeing signs all over the city that said Delhi Police, Dil Ki Police, or the police of heart. Its a whole new campaign to rehabilitate the reputation of whats probably the most powerful police force in the entire country. Theyve put up billboards along major highways, and theyve been making slick social media videos. Its like theyre saying the Delhi police arent the enemy here. The virus is, and were here to help. The police are responding to a staggering need. One of the hardest edges of Indias virus crisis has been the poverty. You see hungry people everywhere, lining up for food in the sweltering heat. Reporter: Are you feeling hungry right now? Interpreter: Yes. Reporter: When was the last time you ate? Interpreter: I ate last night. For millions of Indians, the lockdown has left them jobless. But there are some signs that the new campaign is working. Reporter: When you get older, what kind of work would you like to do? But still, there is a lot of fear. And I wanted to see how people were feeling in the parts of the city that had been hit by the riots where many Muslims were killed. This whole part of the city still feels wounded. You see the scars of the violence almost everywhere you look. Shahjad is a Muslim shopkeeper who still remembers the evening when a Hindu mob burned down his shop. He says the police did nothing. Reporter: Im sorry. He had lost everything. His entire shop was burned. Shahjad says that its impossible for him to forget how the police abandoned him, and many others here, at their time of need. We talked to the chief of the Delhi police, who continues to insist his officers did nothing wrong during the unrest. You see, the officers, then, with all the good intentions, with all the information, intelligence that they had, they acted as per the situation. But off camera, police commanders told us that the criticism of the polices role and the religious violence lowered morale among the rank and file. Some told us that this was one of the main reasons why the new police-of-heart campaign was started. Still, its unclear if the rebranding effort will work. I met N.K. Singh. Hes a former police chief himself and an ex-politician. He was skeptical. As the strict lockdown orders begin to ease, Delhis police will have a new challenge: enforcing social distancing in one of the worlds most crowded cities. And that might make their new campaign harder to maintain. As we stopped by this neighborhood where a liquor store had reopened for the first time in weeks, we saw a long line of people, and with lathis in hand, the police, back to business as usual. Lewis Howlett, 25, died after going swimming in the River Aire on Saturday evening A teacher described by his school as an absolute rising star has died while swimming in a river. Lewis Howlett, 25, who was an English teacher at The Farnley Academy in Leeds, died after going swimming in the River Aire on Saturday evening. His death has prompted warnings about the dangers of swimming in open water. Officers were called at 8.30pm on Saturday by friends who said Mr Howlett, pictured, had gone missing while swimming in the river in Kirkstall, Leeds. Emergency services recovered his body on Sunday morning. Mr Howletts family said in a statement: We are devastated by the loss of our son Lewis. He was loved by all who knew him and our lives will never be the same without him. The family now ask for privacy so we can grieve. Chris Stokes, principal of The Farnley Academy, said: At just 25 years old, Lewis was an absolute rising star. Lewis promoted literacy and a love of reading to all and had a unique ability to engage even the most disengaged reader. Detective Inspector James Entwistle of West Yorkshire Police said: This is an absolutely tragic loss of the life of a young man and his family and friends have been left completely devastated. Our sympathies are very much with them and with the school community at what will be an understandably difficult time. Officers were called at 8.30pm on Saturday by friends who said Mr Howlett, pictured, had gone missing while swimming in the river in Kirkstall, Leeds Mr Entwistle also said that Mr Howletts death does appear to starkly illustrate the dangers of swimming in open water. In another incident last weekend, police said a 12-year-old girl was taken to hospital after trying to swim at Ardsley Reservoir in Leeds. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service have also warned about swimming in open water. District Commander Andy Farrell said: With the recent good weather its tempting to go for a swim in rivers, lakes or reservoirs but you can quickly get into trouble with devastating consequences. Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of a 100 level Microbiology student of the University of Benin, Miss Vera Uwaila, who died from injuries sustained after she was gang-r.a.p.e.d and hit with a fire extinguisher in her church last Wednesday. It was gathered that the 22-years-old undergraduate was attacked and beaten to a pulp at the Ikpoba Hill branch of Redeemed Church God, in Benin, Edo State, where she had gone to read. The assailants, it was further gathered, left her for dead, but she was later rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) where she reportedly died Saturday. On the fateful day, the church security officer had gone to collect keys to the church from its keeper when he was told that there was someone already in the church. He reportedly got to the church only to find the girl in a pool of blood with the blood-stained fire extinguisher near her. It was gathered that after careful observation, it was noticed that she moved her hand and was rushed to the hospital where she was said to have faintly explained what happened to her in the course of treating her before she died. In a statement, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, said Governor Obaseki has mandated the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other relevant security agencies to fish out the culprits, who perpetrated the dastardly act and bring them to justice. The governor is deeply saddened by the news of the death of Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa. We have been in consultation with the Edo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and have mandated thorough investigation of the matter to ensure that those who are responsible for this heinous crime are brought to justice. He added that the state government would ensure that the full weight of the law run its course and that the Violence Against Persons (VAP) Law and other such laws related to rape and sexual abuse are exploited to get justice for the deceased. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates People gathered at the GPO on O'Connell Street and marched to the United States Embassy in Ballsbridge protesting over the death of George Floyd Pic: Mark Condren People gathered at the GPO on O'Connell Street and marched to the United States Embassy in Ballsbridge protesting over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week Pic: Mark Condren People in Dublin protesting over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week Pic: Mark Condren People in Dublin protesting over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week Pic: Mark Condren People in Dublin protesting over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week Pic: Mark Condren People in Dublin protesting over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week Pic: Mark Condren People in Dublin protesting over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week Pic: Mark Condren People in Dublin protesting over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week Pic: Mark Condren People in Dublin protesting over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week Pic: Mark Condren Bethany Jordan marched to the US Embassy in Ballsbridge protesting over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis Pic: Mark Condren People gathered at the GPO on O'Connell Street protesting over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week Pic: Mark Condren People protesting in Dublin over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week Pic: Mark Condren Caoimhe O'Reilly marched to the United States Embassy in Ballsbridge protesting over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week Pic: Mark Condren People in Dublin protesting over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week Pic: Mark Condren People protesting in Dublin over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week Pic: Mark Condren Thousands march in Dublin in Black Lives Matter protest after death of George Floyd Close Demonstrations have taken place across Ireland following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Crowds gathered at Belfast City Hall on Monday afternoon hours before a demonstration took place outside the US Embassy in Dublin. Protests have taken place across the world, including a large gathering in London on Sunday, in the wake of Mr Floyd's death after a white officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck last Monday. Read More Video footage showing Mr Floyd, a black man, pleading for air, has sparked outrage across the world. In Belfast a vigil took place at Writers' Square on Sunday before a demonstration at City Hall on Monday during which protesters held aloft signs which read "Black Lives Matter" among others. Hours later in Dublin the streets around the US Embassy were filled by protesters who chanted 'No Justice, No Peace', 'Silence is Betrayal' and 'Black Lives Matter' before kneeling for a minute's silence and then singing Ireland's Call. Some of the American protests were marred by violence in cities from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and close to the White House in Washington. Expand Close People gathered at the GPO on O'Connell Street and marched to the United States Embassy in Ballsbridge protesting over the death of George Floyd Pic: Mark Condren / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp People gathered at the GPO on O'Connell Street and marched to the United States Embassy in Ballsbridge protesting over the death of George Floyd Pic: Mark Condren Earlier, Downing Street has raised concerns about "very alarming" violence and the arrest of journalists covering the unrest sparked by the death of Floyd. Boris Johnson's administration said people must be allowed to protest peacefully and reporters should be free to do their job. In the last week, protests have erupted across the country in response to the murder of George Floyd, and food businesses everywhere have spoken out in solidarity. Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske, the chefs and owners of Wildair, Contra, and wine shop Peoples Wine in New York City, were two of those who took a stand. Last Friday, they posted one image with no comment: an announcement that weekend sales would go toward the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which helps those whove been arrested post bail, and Reclaim the Block, a Minneapolis-based organization focused on decreasing funding towards police and increasing community-based safety measures. They were one of the first restaurant owners I saw do this; since then, many more have pledged donations. These efforts feel especially poignant given how much the industry has been devastated by COVID-19. I imagined that this small act was a big thing for Stone and von Hauskes little restaurant group. So, yesterday, I hopped on the phone with Stone to talk about what led him to take action and how the pandemic made him realize that now was the time. Elyse Inamine The future of restaurants, the future of our restaurants, the economy: It all feels so messed up. Right now, were not making a profit, and I wont pretend that we are. Between our two restaurants, were doing one-twentieth of our usual business. But once I heard about the murder of George Floyd, I was just like, things are getting even worse. I saw it on social media, this image of someone with their knee on someones neck. Within a few seconds of seeing it, you could feel the oppression, even if you didnt read the story. I was pretty shocked, but unfortunately I knew this kind of police behavior was so commonso common that an incident like this was recorded and being shown on every news outlet. Racial injustice and police brutality are as old as time, but in my lifetime, they still feel like issues that are so overwhelming and you dont know where to start to be involved. As I watched at home, I felt restless. With social media, its all talk and no action. And I just felt defeated. Story continues Im a cook. Its what Ive been doing for the last 16 years, and its all I know. I didnt even go to college. I dont feel like Im the person to affect policy change or something like that. But I know I can make food. I know we can control the money we make from that food and have it go to people who need it. So I started to think about what we can do as a small business thats obviously struggling. We dont have a lot that we can offer. Were working everyday; were trying to be responsible for our staff and those theyre supporting. So I thought, maybe we could give a little bit of what were making in sales to causes that are supporting the protesters in Minneapolis. We were already making so little, and the margins were so tight, that it seemed like not the smartest thing to do. On the other hand, everything feels so uncertain anyway, so why not just do it? So last week, I called Fabian and Daryl [Nuhn], our partner at Peoples, and asked them, What do you think about donating the money that we make from the weekend to the Minnesota Freedom Fund and Reclaim the Block? Both of them had George Floyd on their mind. They were like, yes, yes, yes. Albert Cheung Photography LLC We basically gave away everything we made over the weekend at the restaurants except for what we owe in terms of delivery fees and food costs. At Peoples, we gave away the margin we made from the wines we sold, and some of our favorite wine importers matched our giving. After we did the calculations, we raised $20,000 in total. We apparently had double the amount of wine sales we usually have because people bought to support. But this isnt just about money; its about bringing awareness and attention to this issue of racial injustice. Money is just the vehicle. Fabian and I talk about race a lot, with him being Mexican and me being Chinese. But this is the first time that weve responded as a restaurant in this way. I dont think we did anything heroic. I just wanted to make a point. I grew up in a very diverse area in Maryland, just outside of D.C. So Ive always felt like its important to stand behind a cause like this because Im a person of color. As an Asian American, you grow up confused. There is a privilege and unspoken passability at times, but also a sense of not being fully accepted as well. Around this time last year, we were at Dooky Chases in New Orleans. It was amazing to hear the granddaughter of Leah Chase [the legendary chef and co-owner who passed away last year] tell us stories and show us the dining room where tons of civil rights activists have eaten. There was a picture of MLK at Dooky Chase. Obviously, our restaurants are not the Dooky Chase of New York. But Ive always felt like we were given our spots for a reason. At its core, a restaurant should be a place that serves people. Anything that gets in the way of being hospitable to everyone is against what a restaurant stands for, or at least thats what I think. I dont know if our restaurants are going to make it through the next year or the next couple years. So if were going to go out, if this is the last thing we ever do, it might as well mean something. Were not going to talk about how broken the industry is or how little support were getting from the government. That seems silly right now. Now, more than ever, were going to do what represents us. Were going to support the people on the front lines of change. Originally Appeared on Bon Appetit The president and his family have been shaken by the size and venom of the crowds, according to the Republican. It was not immediately clear if first lady Melania Trump and the couples 14-year-old son, Barron, joined the president in the bunker. Secret Service protocol would have called for all those under the agencys protection to be in the underground shelter. Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Dozens of firefighters battled two major gorse fires in the Belfast area at the weekend. Since Friday morning there have been 729 calls about fire, resulting in a response to 396 incidents across Northern Ireland - and 134 of these have involved grass and wildfire. Forty firefighters using nine appliances and a high volume pump were tackling a large gorse fire in the nature reserve at Belfast Harbour Estate in north Belfast yesterday evening. Large plumes of dark smoke from the blaze could be seen for miles, with much of it drifting onto the M2 motorway. Police asked residents in north and west Belfast to close their windows to keep out the ash cloud. Four fire appliances were dispatched and a command vehicle also attended. Expand Close The blaze seen from Holywood / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The blaze seen from Holywood NIFRS group commander Brian Stanfield said a drone was used to evaluate the extent of the fire. He continued that, while the cause of the blaze has not yet been determined, areas of gorse are incredibly dry during bouts of hot weather and the public should exercise caution when lighting any fires outdoors. On Saturday, firefighters fought a blaze at White Mountain on the western edge of the city. One resident claimed parties had taken place in the area prior to the incident. Expand Close Smoke causes visibility problems on the M2 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Smoke causes visibility problems on the M2 Firefighters battled through the dark, climbing through brambles to reach the blaze on the mountain just before midnight. A resident said: "All I could hear was techno music all night, that noisy stuff with no words. "They have been drinking up there all night and then just as I went to check on the doors, I saw this almighty fire. This has to stop. I know these kids are bored but they can't keep terrorising the residents up here." Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:53:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close By Arison Tamfu, Alain Georges Lietbouo YAOUNDE, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Primary and secondary school students in their final year started returning to class on Monday in Cameroon after schools were suspended since March 18 due to the outbreak of coronavirus. The country's Minister of Secondary Education, Pauline Nalova Lyonga, said the move to progressively reopen schools will help children catch up on missed lessons and assist parents gradually returning to work. "Most classes are effective and turnout is encouraging. The gradual reopening of schools is starting in the context of the easing of the measures the government has implemented," Lyonga told reporters after an inspection tour of schools in the capital Yaounde. Temperature checks, mask-wearing, customized school buses, designated routes to classrooms to prevent the gathering of crowds, the first school day back seemed special and safe for the students and pupils. Among the schools reopening on Monday was Government Bilingual High School Deido, in the commercial capital, Douala, which had over 100 students in attendance. Chanceline Olinga, 42, was in a socially distanced queue of parents as she dropped off her fourteen-year-old daughter Neola at the school gates. "I was a bit anxious. It was great for me that she started school and more so for her because she really wanted to go back to school," she said. When Neola arrived school, it was anything but familiar: classrooms were scrubbed, hand-sanitizing dispensers installed in hallways, desks configured one and half meters apart and stickers lined the floors to remind students to keep their distance. But the hardest thing for her was staying away from her friends. "It has been hard not to hug and greet each other. I will strictly follow the social distancing instructions for my own safety and that of my family," Neola told Xinhua. Schools must ensure physical distancing and host no more than 24 people per room. The use of outdoor spaces is also encouraged, according to government guidelines. "Make sure all the students are tested or screened before they enter the campus. This is compulsory," governor of the Littoral region, Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua instructed some head teachers as he toured some schools in Douala. At Government Bilingual High School Ekounou in Yaounde like in most schools nationwide, once students are screened, they are given a squirt of hand sanitizer before entering the school building at designated entrances. The school was disinfected on the eve of the school resumption, said Roger Mendo Foumane, Principal of the school. "For the safety of children, we have installed 25 water points and bought six thermoflash for taking temperatures before any access to the school campus," he told Xinhua. Students of the same class are divided into two groups and classrooms are cleaned before and after every group session and bathrooms are cleaned hourly, he said. Similar measures were taken at Foundation Nursery and Primay School in Douala where kindergarten teacher, Lilian Mulah planned a "special first lesson" to help her pupils with physical distancing. "Our first activity is going to be making some butterfly wings," she told Xinhua. Pupils will be wearing butterfly wings with some little balloons at the end that's intended to give them a visual and physical cue they may be too close. "If my balloon is touching someone else's, then we are just too close to each other," she said. Mulah said she was inspired by schools in China that have implemented similar methods to help children grasp how far to stay apart. Roughly half of her pupils returned to school. However, some parents could not let their children come in the first week, expressing concerns that government was making the wrong judgment by reopening schools too quickly. "Coronavirus cases are increasing daily and people are not respecting social distancing. There is no guarantee that my child will be safe in school," Ignatius Ndasah, father of a student told Xinhua. Lyonga said she understood some parents' concerns over sending their children back to class, but added that the government had not undertaken a "dash" to restart schools. "This is not a dash. The measures we have taken in schools are very cautious steps intended to keep the students safe," she said. The government hopes returning to school will provide students some structure and normalcy during an otherwise unusual time. Cameroon reported its first coronavirus infection on March 6, an imported case from Europe, and has closed national borders and applied social distancing since March 18. On April 30, Cameroonian Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute announced that, the government decided to ease some of the social distancing restrictions by allowing bars and restaurants to run after 6 p.m., and lifting passenger number restriction in public transport. Cameroon has reported more than 6,000 COVID-19 cases so far. Enditem Scott Disicks love life has been on full display for more than a decade, and it has given fans a chance to closely watch the choices he has made and the actions he has taken. Now that the news is out that he and Sofia Richie have split, many people are watching carefully to see what happens next. Will this break be a temporary one? Will Disick and Kourtney Kardashian reunite? One thing that many fans are noting is a pattern to Disicks behavior. They think hes making the same mistakes again. Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian have a long history Back in 2006, Disick and Kardashian met at a party in Mexico. Keeping Up with the Kardashians premiered the following year, which means that fans got to see much of Kardashian and Disicks relationship as it developed in real-time. This included their break-ups amid cheating allegations and their reunions when they patched things back up. In December 2009, the nature of their relationship changed forever when they welcomed their first child: Mason. There were more break-ups and make-ups, but Kardashian and Disick welcomed their daughter Penelope in 2011 and son Reign in 2014. Shortly after the birth of their third child, Disick checked himself into rehab. Struggling with substance abuse and reeling from the death of both of his parents, Disick recognized he needed help. The relationship, however, seemed beyond repair. Amid more cheating allegations, Kardashian and Disick split in 2015. Each went on to new relationships and then the pair argued about their new dating lives as they still appeared alongside one another as co-parents on Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Fans have been watching this complex dynamic play out for years. People were skeptical of Scott Disicks relationship with Sofia Richie RELATED: Sofia Richie Was Determined to Show Shes More Than Scott Disicks Girlfriend Disick was first linked to Richie in May 2017, and especially since he had been spotted snuggling up to other much-younger women in the same week people were very skeptical of the relationship. As things between the pair progressed, Richies own father the famous musician Lionel Richie spoke out against the relationship. Critics cited the age gap and Disicks past experience with substance abuse as red flags. They, too, had their ups and downs with some short splits and reconciliations, but they weathered the storms. That is. until now. Disick once again sought therapy as he was falling back into old habits, and when he returned from the stay, he and Richie decided to take a break. Multiple outlets are now reporting that the pair have instead embarked on a full-fledged break-up. As reports surface that Disick will be vacationing with Kardashian and his kids in Utah, many wonder what role Kardashian played in the break-up and what the next stage of this messy web of love lives will look like. Fans think Scott Disick is making the same mistake again Scott Disick | Gabe Ginsberg/FilmMagic It is no secret that Disick and Richie didnt have the biggest fan club for their relationship. However, even fans who had been critical had started to come around as the pair made it clear this was no casual fling and that they were actually good for one another. Now that their relationship has ended, those same viewers are drawing comparisons between Disicks time with Kardashian and this breakup with Richie. Ultimately, many fans actually like Disick. They think he is a good person with a troubled past who cant quite find a good path forward. Khloe Kardashian even weighed in about her views on Disicks development over time: He still falls off or makes mistakes, which everyone does. I dont expect anyone to be perfect, but what I like about Scott is that hes honest about his weaknesses and his strengths, said Kardashian. Fans do think, though, that Disick is making the same mistakes with Richie that he did with Kardashian. Between partying too hard and going through a series of breakups and make-ups, Disick is showing that not enough has changed. Plus, recent reports suggest he has residual feelings for Kourtney Kardashian. Scott is always going to be in love with Kourtney, and thats something Sofia has had to face since even before she got serious with him, a source told Us Weekly. Its been an ongoing thing. It just became more apparent that his family was more of a priority than she was, and his family would be his main priority over anything and anyone. Advertisement George Floyd's brother on Monday called for an end to the violent riots in an emotional speech on the spot where his sibling died a week ago. Terrence Floyd told those looting and rioting their actions would 'not bring his brother back' and implored people to take their frustrations to the voting booths. Protests erupted across the country last week after video emerged of Floyd, 46, pleading for air as white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed a knee into his neck for almost nine minutes. His younger brother Terrence broke down at the spot where his brother was taken into custody, telling the crowds: 'I understand you are all are upset. But I doubt you are half as upset as I am. 'So if I'm not over here wilding out, if I'm not over here blowing up stuff, if I'm not over here messing with my community, then what are y'all doing? Y'all doing nothing, but that's not going to bring my brother back at all. 'My family is a peaceful family. My family is God-fearing. Let's switch it up and do this peacefully, please. I know he would not want y'all to be doing this.' Scroll down for video George Floyd's brother Terrence called for an end to the violence as he delivered emotional speech on the spot where his sibling was 'murdered' by white cop Derek Chauvin a week ago. Terrence is pictured at the scene, center Terrence broke down at the spot where his brother was taken into custody, telling the crowds: 'I understand you are all are upset. But I doubt you are half as upset as I am' Terrence Floyd, brother of George Floyd, reacts at a makeshift memorial honoring his sibling Terrence Floyd told those looting and rioting their actions would 'not bring his brother back' and implored people to take their frustrations to the voting booths In an emotional speech Terrance told protester: 'In every case of police brutality, the same thing has been happening: you protest, you destroy stuff, and they don't move' A memorial site where George Floyd died May 25 while in police custody has been created with hundreds of floral tributes Terrence (right, with his brother) was overcome with emotion as he spoke about his brother being a 'motivator' who 'always saw the brighter side of things' In an emotional speech Terrance told protester: 'In every case of police brutality, the same thing has been happening: you protest, you destroy stuff, and they don't move. 'You know why they don't move? Because it's not their stuff, it's our stuff, so they want us to destroy our stuff. So let's do this another way.' Surrounded by flowers at the makeshift memorial to his brother at the spot where he was arrested, Terrance added: 'Let's stop thinking that our voice don't matter, and vote. 'Not just for the president but vote for the preliminaries, vote for everybody. Educate yourself. Don't wait for somebody else to tell you who's who. Educate yourself and know who you're voting for.' Terrance had earlier called for the 'destructive unity' to come to an end in an appearance on Good Morning America. He was overcome with emotion as he spoke about his brother being a 'motivator' who 'always saw the brighter side of things'. Terrence said his brother 'was about peace' and believes the violence happening during demonstrations is 'overshadowing' Floyd's memory. Cellphone video footage showed that Floyd was handcuffed as four police officers pinned him down. Terrence visits the site where his brother George was taken into police custody and later died People gather at site where George Floyd died May 25 while in police custody a week after his death Surrounded by flowers at the makeshift memorial to his brother at the spot where he was arrested, Terrance added: ' Let's stop thinking that our voice don't matter, and vote' George Floyd's brother Terrence Floyd (white t-shirt) joins protesters as they gather near the intersection of 38th and Chicago in front of the Cup Foods on the seventh day of protests Terrence Floyd, center, the brother of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while while being arrested and pinned to the ground by the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, sits as people gather at the site where his sibling died Since last Thursday, authorities across the nation have arrested more than 4,100 people. At least three people have died since the protests began. When asked what he thought about the violence at the protests, Terrence told GMA: 'I do feel like it's overshadowing what's going on. Like I said he [Floyd] was about peace. He was about unity. But the things that's transpiring now... they may call it unity but it's destructive unity. 'That's not what my brother was about,' Terrence added. 'It's OK to be angry, but channel your anger to do something positive or make a change another way because we've been down this road already,' Terrence told GMA. 'The anger, damaging your hometown is not the way he'd want,' he added. Terrence also revealed that he is currently in Minneapolis after traveling from Brooklyn, New York. Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white cop who has since been arrested, was seen in footage kneeling on Floyd's neck for eight minutes as the victim repeatedly said he could not breathe (incident pictured) Since last Thursday, authorities across the nation have arrested more than 4,100 people in 17 cities. At least three people have died since the protests began When asked what he thought about the violence at the protests, Terrence said: 'I do feel like it's overshadowing what's going on. Like I said he [Floyd] was about peace. He was about unity. But the things that's transpiring now... they may call it unity but it's destructive unity' EXCLUSIVE: George Floyds brother Terrence says he feels like violent protests are overshadowing what is going on because he was about peace .... [this is] destructive unity. Thats not what he was about. https://t.co/we0hSARItv pic.twitter.com/ko8aT2MiWo Good Morning America (@GMA) June 1, 2020 Floyd is pictured above right. He died after white cop Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes Timeline: George Floyd's death at the hands of 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 and 46 seconds. Two minutes and 53 seconds of this was after Floyd was unresponsive. 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 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!' People hold up their fists after protesting near the spot where George Floyd died while in custody of the Minneapolis Police, on May 26 in Minneapolis, Minnesota 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. Friday, May 29 Officer Chauvin is charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter over Floyd's death. Mayor Frey declares a nighttime curfew in Minneapolis that begins Friday at 8pm and extends until 6am Saturday. Saturday, May 30 At least 25 cities impose emergency curfews as protests and demonstrations continue into the weekend. Eleven states and DC activate the National Guard as tensions flare. The National Guard is deployed to Los Angeles amid protests - the first time in nearly 20 years since the 1992 Los Angeles Riots The National Guard is activated at the White House as Secret Service agents struggle control demonstrators in Washington D.C. Police in riot gear walk through a cloud of blue smoke as they advance on protesters near the Minneapolis 5th Precinct, Saturday Sunday, May 31 At least five people are killed during protests in Indianapolis, Chicago, Oakland, Detroit and Oakland as around 140 cities hold a sixth night of protests. Federal Protective Services Officer Patrick Underwood is shot dead outside a federal courthouse during late night demonstrations. The historic St. John's church, built in 1816, is set ablaze near the White House in Washington D.C. as more than 50 Secret Service agents are injured. President Trump urged states 'get tough' by calling the National Guard to oversee protests and demands 'Law and Order!' Trump announces on Twitter that he will designate Antifa, a loose but radical far-left group, as a terrorist organization after blaming them for protest violence. More than 250 people are arrested in New York City as six NYPD officers are injured and looters target luxury stores in SoHo George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests have spread internationally, with demonstrations in London and Berlin. Derek Chauvin is moved to one of the US's most secure prisons ahead of his first court appearance on June 8. Advertisement Terrence said he visited the area where his brother was arrested with the hope of 'connecting with him again' and feeling Floyd's spirit. Rev Kevin McCall also joined Terrence during the interview on GMA. 'We can be able to call for justice, but we need peace as well,' McCall said. 'Nobody is more angry than the family.' Demonstrators have taken to the streets since Floyd's death demanding justice. Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white cop who has since been arrested, was seen in footage kneeling on Floyd's neck for eight minutes as the victim repeatedly said he could not breathe. Chauvin was taken into custody on Friday after protesters called for him to be arrested. He has been charged with third-degree murder. Floyd's family, as well as protesters, are calling for the three other officers involved in the arrest - J Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao - to be charged, too. In Washington, DC, the National Guard was activated as almost 1,000 protesters surrounded the White House Saturday night and squared off with Secret Service agents, DC police and United States Park Police. Law enforcement struck protesters with batons and sprayed pepper spray into the crowds as demonstrators responded by hurling fireworks and bottles at the officers. An emotional Terrence Floyd, second from right, is comforted as he sits at the spot at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis, Minn., where his brother George Floyd, encountered police and died while in their custody Terrence Floyd looks at a mural near where his brother George was taken in Minneapolis police custody and later died Terrence Floyd, center, attends a vigil where his brother George Floyd died in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Floyd called for peace and justice after his brother's death, thanking those who continue to protest and imploring people to cease the damage and destruction which has followed Clashes broke out between the crowds and Secret Service agents as they surrounded the president's residence and at least three Secret Service vehicles were seen with their windows smashed and profanities scrawled on the side of them in graffiti. In addition to DC, a total of 26 states have activated the National Guard as law enforcement buckled under the strain of the protests. States calling for Guard assistance included California, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington state. At least 25 cities rolled out emergency curfews to try to bring rioting and looting under control, including San Francisco, Atlanta, Louisville, Los Angeles, Portland, Columbia, South Carolina, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Seattle. Sure, it might be warm Wednesday, but what about the rest of the week? local Even when a business is losing money, it's possible for shareholders to make money if they buy a good business at the right price. For example, although software-as-a-service business Salesforce.com lost money for years while it grew recurring revenue, if you held shares since 2005, you'd have done very well indeed. But while the successes are well known, investors should not ignore the very many unprofitable companies that simply burn through all their cash and collapse. So, the natural question for Canadian Palladium Resources (CVE:LAN) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of cash burn. In this report, we will consider the company's annual negative free cash flow, henceforth referring to it as the 'cash burn'. First, we'll determine its cash runway by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves. View our latest analysis for Canadian Palladium Resources When Might Canadian Palladium Resources Run Out Of Money? You can calculate a company's cash runway by dividing the amount of cash it has by the rate at which it is spending that cash. As at March 2020, Canadian Palladium Resources had cash of CA$3.0m and such minimal debt that we can ignore it for the purposes of this analysis. Looking at the last year, the company burnt through CA$4.3m. Therefore, from March 2020 it had roughly 9 months of cash runway. To be frank, this kind of short runway puts us on edge, as it indicates the company must reduce its cash burn significantly, or else raise cash imminently. You can see how its cash balance has changed over time in the image below. TSXV:LAN Historical Debt June 1st 2020 How Is Canadian Palladium Resources's Cash Burn Changing Over Time? Canadian Palladium Resources didn't record any revenue over the last year, indicating that it's an early stage company still developing its business. So while we can't look to sales to understand growth, we can look at how the cash burn is changing to understand how expenditure is trending over time. With the cash burn rate up 46% in the last year, it seems that the company is ratcheting up investment in the business over time. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but investors should be mindful of the fact that will shorten the cash runway. Admittedly, we're a bit cautious of Canadian Palladium Resources due to its lack of significant operating revenues. We prefer most of the stocks on this list of stocks that analysts expect to grow. Story continues How Hard Would It Be For Canadian Palladium Resources To Raise More Cash For Growth? Given its cash burn trajectory, Canadian Palladium Resources shareholders should already be thinking about how easy it might be for it to raise further cash in the future. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. Commonly, a business will sell new shares in itself to raise cash to drive growth. By comparing a company's annual cash burn to its total market capitalisation, we can estimate roughly how many shares it would have to issue in order to run the company for another year (at the same burn rate). Canadian Palladium Resources has a market capitalisation of CA$8.6m and burnt through CA$4.3m last year, which is 50% of the company's market value. That's high expenditure relative to the value of the entire company, so if it does have to issue shares to fund more growth, that could end up really hurting shareholders returns (through significant dilution). So, Should We Worry About Canadian Palladium Resources's Cash Burn? We must admit that we don't think Canadian Palladium Resources is in a very strong position, when it comes to its cash burn. While its increasing cash burn wasn't too bad, its cash burn relative to its market cap does leave us rather nervous. After looking at that range of measures, we think shareholders should be extremely attentive to how the company is using its cash, as the cash burn makes us uncomfortable. Separately, we looked at different risks affecting the company and spotted 5 warning signs for Canadian Palladium Resources (of which 4 don't sit too well with us!) you should know about. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts) 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. VANCOUVER, Wash., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As summer approaches, and after months of being home with pets, some people and pets struggle to relax and adapt to changing routines. As people go back to work, some pets will suffer distress from being home alone. Dr. Tripp's easy, self-help eCourse and Basic Plan are free for the month of June only for any pet lover with internet access. Tripp wants pet parents to know how to help pets relax and become more enjoyable companions at home. When pets are anxious, they tend to bark too much, scratch or lick themselves too much, jump up on people, show fear or aggression, and even eliminate in the home. Rolan Tripp, DVM, CABC, a graduate of U.C. Davis, owned and operated the La Mirada Animal Hospital in Southern California for ten years before starting AnimalBehavior.net, online pet behavior education provided to pet parents and veterinary hospitals in 26 States, Canada, and worldwide. Dr. Tripp learned that pet parent education is more important than pet training, although both are needed. Tripp's special interests are the emotional causes of scratching and licking disorders (psychodermatology), and pet separation distress. Many families and pets have already benefited from Tripp's PetHappiness.net, affordable, online, self-help education. His pet happiness analysis teleconsultations are popular with pet parents wanting to learn more about their pets and needing extra help. Tripp's free eCourse is now available using the promo code, PetHap. Learn more and start easy access at BehaviorVet.net. No bank card information or charges are collected for the Free Pet Happiness Basics plan and eCourse, designed for people and pets to learn at their own pace. Daniel Skibicki from Florida says, "Words cannot begin to express our gratitude for you or the plan that you developed for Nova. When brought home from the shelter, Nova was scared of everyone and everything. She would continuously bark and defecate around the house when left alone. Most pet behaviorists around Orlando were a minimum of $1700 for their basic packages. We discussed taking out a loan. Thanks to Dr. Tripp, Nova is now the dog we had hoped for. We are eternally grateful." PetHappiness.net is on a mission to help pets worldwide become happier members of a human family. The company motto is "Happy Pets, Happy Life!" Press Contact: Julie Bonn Blank 503-828-4456 [email protected] SOURCE PetHappiness.net Related Links http://PetHappiness.net WASHINGTON - As mass demonstrations protesting the death of a black man in police custody continue in cities across the nation, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has introduced a digital program exploring race, racial identity and its influence on American society. "Talking About Race" is a web-based initiative that uses videos, role-playing exercises and question-based activities to explore the origins and definitions of race and identity. Built on the museum's long-standing educational work, the project was released Sunday to respond to the current crisis, according to Candra Flanagan, the Smithsonian museum's director of teaching and learning. "There's a moment of possibility and change, and this a resource for thinking in different ways, acting in different ways," Flanagan said. "But it's a process. It takes steps and practice and commitment to work." Lonnie Bunch, the museum's founding director who is now secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, issued a statement Sunday acknowledging the troubled times. "Not only have we been forced to grapple with the impact of a global pandemic, we have been forced to confront the reality that, despite gains made in the past 50 years, we are still a nation riven by inequality and racial division. The state of our democracy feels fragile and precarious," he said. Bunch added that lessons from the past can help. "History is a guide to a better future and demonstrates that we can become a better society - but only if we collectively demand it from each other and from the institutions responsible for administering justice," he said. The museum's new project explores inequality and racial division through eight content areas: bias; race and racial identity; the historical foundations of race; whiteness; being anti-racist; community building; social identities and systems of oppression; and self-care. Each section features interviews with authors and activists, questions and exercises, and resources for deeper engagement. The videos include activist Verna Myers outlining ways to acknowledge and overcome biases, author Ibram X. Kendi defining anti-racism, writer Eric Liu on understanding power, and late-night television host Trevor Noah interviewing social psychologist Jennifer Eberhardt. Its exercises encourage the exploration of such terms as white fragility, implicit bias and systemic oppression. Links to scholarly essays and interviews are embedded throughout. Since the museum opened in 2016, the most common question from its 7 million visitors concerns the difficulty of talking about race, especially to children, said Spencer Crew, the museum's interim director. "We're trying to be sensitive to each other, to our life experiences, and in the process we're worrying about offending and being offended," Crew said. "What we offer is a beginning, a conversation about understanding a different set of experiences, different ways of understanding the American experience. The more open we are to understanding, the better off we'll be as a nation." The website's questions and exercises are intended to reach even the youngest students, said Anna Hindley, the museum's director of early-childhood education. Just like the museum's exhibitions and programs, the website emphasizes the importance of storytelling, listening and embracing multiple perspectives. "We try to balance the uplifting [stories] and celebrating differences and talk about systemic parts, the oppression and what happens when we are not listening to each other, don't fully see each other," Flanagan said. "How to relate to each other with a sense of humanity. That's a big part of our philosophy." "Talking About Race" is being released as the museum and its Smithsonian counterparts are closed to the public because of the coronavirus pandemic. Crew said the program expands the museum's mission to a broader audience. "One of our goals has been to provide information and data to help navigate the world," he said. "This portal is a perfect example of where the work is headed. It's a wonderful way to connect to the larger world. More people can access this than can come to the museum." The Order of Malta's "Doctor to Doctor" project provides experts with the opportunity to share information on the fight against Covid-19 Virologists, immunologists, ICU staff and government health authorities get together online for sessions aimed at tackling the Covid-19 crisis in the best possible way for specific countries and situations. By Linda Bordoni The new coronavirus pandemic is global but challenges can be very different from country to country. Thats why the Order of Malta, that runs medical, social and humanitarian projects across the world, has launched a project called Doctor to Doctor. The initiative aims to help countries enduring occupation, political unrest, widespread poverty or other situations exacerbating the effects of the pandemic, to address the crisis in the best possible way. High on its agenda is how the Covid-19 pandemic is impacting conflict areas in some Middle Eastern countries where access to medical care and distribution of sanitary items is scarce. Like in Palestine where social distancing and isolation measures are problematic because of high population density and the scarcity of Intensive Care Units. Marianna Balfour, Diplomatic Public Affairs and Press Officer at the Order of Malta, told Vatican Radio that so far workshops have been convened or are scheduled for medical professionals in Palestine, Yemen, Lebanon, Jordan and perhaps South Africa. During the online meetings, they have the opportunity to ask questions and receive specially-tailored advice from a pool of experts working in different fields of the Covid-19 frontline. Listen to Marianna Balfour Explaining that the Doctor to Doctor project was launched in collaboration with the Diplomatic Department of the Order of Malta, Balfour said that basically it puts together in an online meeting, scientific experts, doctors, virologists, immunologists from European countries that have been dealing with Covid, (starting from Italy, but also from Germany and Ireland so far), with Middle Eastern countries where there is a problem in population density, refugee camps and so forth. Opportunity to share information and best practices Balfour said the project is proving extremely interesting because not only is it an opportunity to promote and to share the latest knowledge on the management of the Covid-19 crisis from a medical point of view, it's also very interesting and constructive because it provides participants a forum in which to share and promote information regarding necessary behavioural changes to contain the virus. So far, she continued, especially for those who participate from densely populated areas in the Middle East (like Gaza, Bethlehem, Jerusalem), who are struggling to support vast numbers of refugees (Jordan and Lebanon) or are dealing with the effects of conflict (Yemen), it's been incredibly useful because it also provides extremely practical information: what to say to people; how to encourage people to wash their hands 10 times a day; how to encourage people to use masks and to practice some form of social distancing even in extremely difficult places, where it's very, very challenging to do so. She said the project has been so successful, health authorities and doctors in Palestine have asked for a third meeting, scheduled to be held later this week. Tailored for specific needs Balfour also explained that the project has come to life in collaboration with an English think tank called Forward Thinking that works to promote an inclusive Middle East peace process and facilitates political dialogue and understanding between the Arab/Muslim and Western worlds. She said the organisation organises the logistics, setting up and moderating the meeting. It's an online, very interactive discussion, she concluded, stressing that its not a conference, so people get to ask questions and the doctors answer: It's very fitted for the specific country with its specific needs. Founded in Jerusalem in 1113, the Sovereign Order of Malta is a lay religious order of the Catholic Church. Today it is active in 120 countries, caring for people in need. It is especially involved in helping those living in war-torn areas or struck by natural disasters, in caring for refugees and distributing medicines and basic equipment for survival. Rhode Island resident Drew Grande's smartphone shows notes he made for contact tracing. AP Photo/Steven Senne Public health experts say the US needs an "army" of contact tracers who can help contain coronavirus outbreaks by tracking down everyone patients have come into contact with. in late April, CONTRACE Public Health Corps was launched to help with the nation's contact tracing needs. They've already fielded 80,000 applicants. The US has gone from 2,200 contact tracers nationwide to 36,000 since the coronavirus began to spread, but CONTRACE co-founded Steve Waters believes the country will need between 100,000 and 300,000. Waters told Business Insider successful contact tracers are empathetic, enjoy talking on the phone, and are adept at talking to people in times of crisis. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. A company that was established fewer than five weeks ago and has already received nearly 80,000 job applications shows just how much the coronavirus is reshaping the world. CONTRACE Public Health Corps, a social enterprise headquartered in Washington, D.C., since April 22, is the brainchild of social entrepreneur Steve Waters. He created it in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far infected more than 1.7 million Americans and killed at least 102,000, according to Johns Hopkins data. "Based on the massive scale of contact tracing efforts needed to safely reopen the economy, I was surprised that there wasn't a national contact tracing strategy or a centralized resource where the tens of thousands of individuals needed to perform this work could register their interest in contact tracing," Waters said of the company's genesis. CONTRACE is a two-man show: Waters and Matt Leger, the senior director of strategy, who are working seven days a week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say contract tracing is "a key strategy for preventing further spread of COVID-19." As "part of a multipronged approach" to tackle the pandemic, staff work with patients "to help them recall everyone with whom they have had close contact during the timeframe while they may have been infectious." Story continues Contact tracers "rapidly and sensitively" convey this information to anyone who may been exposed to the virus, without revealing who exactly they came in contact with, according to the CDC. Empathy, compassion, and being able to talk to people in times of crisis are crucial for contact tracers Rebecca DeCarlo does contact tracing for the Georgia Department of Public Health on April 22, 2020. AP Photo/Russ Bynum CONTRACE comes into play by helping to identify and screen people who want to work as contract tracers and then connecting them with organizations that are building contact-tracing teams. "People who are in close contact with someone infected with COVID-19 are more likely to get infected themselves, and then also potentially infect others," Waters said. "But [by] identifying close contacts and encouraging them to self-quarantine, you can use a targeted approach that helps prevent further spread of the virus." The goal is to help "safely reopen the US economy," he said, and "connect Americans with jobs that are both desperately needed and critical to public health." Contact tracers can earn $18 to $25 an hour, depending on where they're located. People with backgrounds in nursing, public health, medicine, and social work are preferred. Waters said he looks for candidates that demonstrate "strong interpersonal skills, empathy and compassion." It's also beneficial if they speak multiple languages. Bottom line: It's essential that a contact tracer feel "comfortable talking to people in a time of crisis," Waters said. Once they are hired, he said "contact tracers spend their days on the phone." Waters believes that "there is definitely an art to contact tracing" because "gaining the trust of someone you have cold-called can be challenging, particularly individuals with paranoid, conspiratorial or anti-government attitudes." 'Cultural literacy' helps facilitate effective communication with groups severely impacted by the pandemic Waters urges organizations to hire locally, and to ensure that contact tracers belong to communities that are hard-hit by the pandemic. These groups tend to be plagued by high poverty and unemployment rates, and a lack of education and housing, Fast Company reported. According to the Economic Innovation Group's Distressed Communities Index, 50 million Americans call distressed communities home, while 86.5 million residents live in prosperous communities. Minorities who represent 38% of the US population make up 56% of the population in distressed communities. The pandemic has exacerbated the challenges these groups face. For instance, research shows that black Americans are coming down with COVID-19 and dying at disproportionately high rates. Counties in which at least 13% of residents are black which make up 22% of US counties account for 52% of the nation's coronavirus cases and 58% of its fatalities, according to amfAR, a non-profit that works on HIV prevention and AIDS research. The US as a whole mirrors what Georgia found more people of color are being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. Shayanne Gal/Business Insider To that end, Waters said state and local organizations should "prioritize a percentage of contact tracing jobs be allotted to residents of distressed communities." This can help in two ways. First, it can provide some "badly needed economic relief" in the form of jobs. Second, it ensures that contact tracers have the necessary cultural literacy to be able to communicate with the people they're tasked with helping. "For contact tracers to be effective, they need to gain the trust of the people they are calling, and be viewed as the ally that they are someone that is looking out for the recipient of the call and the community they live in," Waters said. "To increase the likelihood of that process being successful, tracers should have a strong cultural understanding of the people in the communities they are contacting." Waters has integrated the Distressed Communities Index with CONTRACE's applicant database to help employers pin-point residents in these hard-hit areas. "Having tracers from these areas is important," he said. "We're not suggesting that organizations exclusively hire tracers from distressed communities, rather that they should ensure that residents of those communities are included in their overall hiring mix." Politics shouldn't overshadow the need for contact tracing A healthcare worker tests people at a drive-thru testing station run by the state health department, for people who suspect they have novel coronavirus, in Denver, Colorado, March 11, 2020. Jim Urquhart/Reuters The US as a whole only had 2,200 contact tracers when the coronavirus hit. Waters said that number is now up to 36,000, but the need ranges from 100,000 to 300,000, especially since the US has the worst outbreak on Earth. Waters believes the country will "end up near the top of that spectrum" since "the likelihood of proximity-tracking contact-tracing apps being widely adopted in the US is quite low, which will increase the need for human contact tracing." He added: "People who are in close contact with someone infected with COVID-19 are more likely to get infected themselves, and then also potentially infect others. But [by] identifying close contacts and encouraging them to self-quarantine, you can use a targeted approach that helps prevent further spread of the virus. Health experts agree. They have said reopening the country safely relies on widespread testing and contacting tracing to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Johns Hopkins University and the University of Houston are even offering free online courses to teach people how to become contact tracers. However, concerns about privacy and civil liberties have dogged key public health tools like stay-at-home orders and contact tracing. "Contact information can be abused by immigration authorities, by law enforcement, advertising companies and potentially stalkers or other abusers," Jennifer Lee, the technology and liberty project managers at ACLU of Washington, told KOMO News. CONTRACE doesn't have access to patient information because it is helping to set up and expand contact tracing teams. But Waters believes that "the utmost care should be taken to protect patient privacy, and that any organizations with access to patient information should be held to the highest privacy standards that govern them." That said, those who participate in contact tracing do so of their own volition, he said. "This is not an effort to control people," Waters said. "It's a voluntary effort to reduce the transmission of a highly infectious virus in your community. I'm hopeful that is something that we can all get behind, regardless of our views on politics or government." Read the original article on Business Insider CONTACT: Pamela D. Wilson 303-810-1816 Email: Inquiry_For_Pamela@pameladwilson.com Golden, Colorado June 1, 2020 The Caring Generation Elder Care Workplace Solutions COVID19 Golden CO- Caregiving expert Pamela D. Wilson hosts The Caring Generation radio program for caregivers and aging adults this coming Wednesday, June 3, on the Bold Brave Media Network. The program airs live at 9 p.m. EST. The Caring Generation aired initially from 2009 to 2011 on 630 KHOW-AM in Denver, Colorado. The Impact of COVID-19 on Caregiving and Caregivers in the Workplace It's no secret that COVID-19 has changed everyday life. Changes in daily routines, schedules, and standard ways of doing things have taken many of us out of our comfort zones. In a recent Society of Human Resource Management survey, employees in the workplace and remote workers are confirming more significant stress as a result of COVID-19 About 40% of all employees report experiencing symptoms of depression. Thirty-five percent report feeling tired or having little energy. Nearly 1 in 4 employees or about 23% report feeling bad about themselves or feel that they are a failure who has let themselves or their families down. Of this 23%, 2 in 3 or about 65% -- are working caregivers with healthcare workers or elderly loved ones living with them who are concerned bout COVID19 and the effects on their family. The Effect of Caregiving Stress on the Immune System We've all heard that chronic disease and a weakened immune system make us more susceptible to COVID-19 and other illnesses. The guest for this caregiving radio program is Dr. Christopher Fagundes, Associate Professor from Rice University in the Department of Psychology, who will talk about how stress "gets under the skin" to impact health and disease. Dr. Fagundes has authored more than 100 articles and book chapters and is working to develop theoretically-based interventions to improve the negative physical health consequences of stress. He will share the links between stress chronic disease and the immune system offering insights into the health of elders that may benefit family caregivers. The Link Between Workplace Performance and Caregiving Human resource departments are challenged to identify elder care workplace solutions and elder care programs that meet the wide-ranging needs of the working caregiving population. According to writer Annie Dillard, the average person spends 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime or 1/3 of our life working. Jobs have a considerable impact on the quality of life. Other research confirms that education has a positive effect on population health. Until the workplace begins to support working caregivers through elder care programs, the U.S. may not make substantial improvements in chronic disease management, health, or well-being. Employees need access to systems like computer labs in the workplace and online eldercare workplace solutions to have 24/7 access to wellness, healthcare, elder care, and caregiving education. Becoming a caregiver is a life transition that almost everyone will face. Pamela D. Wilson offers online family caregiving education programs and caregiver courses. More information about her online course, Taking Care of Elderly Parents: Stay At Home and Beyond, provided through corporations for working caregivers is available on her website. Join Pamela on The Caring Generation to learn the answers to these and other questions about living with elderly parents. The Caring Generation radio program airs live at 6 p.m. Pacific, 7 p.m. Mountain, 8 p.m. Central, and 9 p.m. Eastern every Wednesday night. Replays of the weekly programs are available in podcast format with transcripts on Pamela's website and all major podcast sites. More information about Pamela and her support programs are available on her website. # A normal day of reporting on labor in America is busy. But these are not normal days. Precarious labor conditions under the Trump administrationincluding the repeal of the Fair Play and Safe Workplaces Executive Order, the appointment of a corporate-friendly labor secretary, and numerous other anti-worker policieshave turned catastrophic. Since mid-March, one in five Americans has filed for unemployment benefits. Employees who can work from the safety of home tend to be wealthier, while those who cant have planned and executed unprecedented actions across multiple industries. As Hamilton Nolan, labor reporter with In These Times (and CJRs public editor for the Washington Post), puts it, Theres a crisis in every single workplace at the same time. And too few reporters to cover them all. Several labor journalists expressed their concerns to CJR that the current lack of labor reportersand a corresponding deficit of watchdog coverageposes an exceptional threat to workers rights. Paired with a halted legal system and lax accountability standards, this deficit means that new injustices might go unnoticed, while previous ones could reappear. Its not as if covid has dismissed all the other issues that were already occurring in the worker safety world, Fatima Hussein, a Bloomberg Law reporter, says. So long as no one is watching or covering a certain issue or agency, theres always opportunities for accountability to slip. Its a life-or-death situation, and theres a lot of desperation in these emails. People are dying to have their stories told. LABOR REPORTINGbusiness reporting from the perspective of human beings, as Nolan puts it has traditionally been a critical check on power and exploitation. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, labor journalists such as Mary Heaton Vorse and Eva McDonald Valesh reported on poor working conditions in factories and participated in historic strikes both as journalists documenting the action and as allies standing with workers. That tradition continues today, though in a diminished form. Many newspapers have cut back on, or entirely eliminated, the labor beatthe one beat that talked about the life of the working class, Christopher Martin, author of No Longer Newsworthy, previously told CJR. Sarah Jaffe, a freelance labor reporter and cohost of the Belabored podcast, says the very nature of labor reporting is at odds with journalisms faltering business model, which for a time seemed to thrive on advertisingand which the current pandemic has once more pushed into the spotlight. [Labor reporting] is not a thing you can attach to ads very well, Jaffe says. Usually, youre saying bad things about companies. Were not a revenue-producing stream. The recent unionization wave in news media has arguably heightened the industrys awareness of class and labor issues. Still, space allocated for this reporting remains scarce, says Kim Kelly, a freelance journalist who writes the No Class column for Teen Vogue and serves on the Writers Guild of America, East council. For media workers, theres also a sense of irony in reporting on exploitative working conditions, Kelly says. Theres just too much happening on top of the precarity inherent in journalism, especially when youre freelance and budgets are being slashed, she says. Theres a dreadful sort of hopelessness that comes from trying to report on mass layoffs and spiraling unemployment numbers when youre also constantly refreshing your own states unemployment website in another tab, hoping you finally get through this time. The labor beat is a way to understand the experiences of immigrants and other marginalized populations, Bernice Yeung, an investigative journalist at ProPublica, says. Its such a fundamental American value, arguably, that so many people from around the world come here specifically to work, Yeung says. Otherwise disparate groups of people are tied together, she adds, through work, the search for work, or the lack of work. Just as the pandemic has expedited the decline of many news outlets, its presented new hurdles to labor reporters at the time when their work is most needed. The physical isolation necessitated by the pandemic is uniquely trying for local labor journalists, Juliana Reyes, who covers labor for the Philadelphia Inquirer, says. Youre writing about people that live all around you and work in places around you, she says. Im not just calling people in other parts of the country. Typically, Reyes would cover worker actions in person, in order to build trust with her sources. Public health measures have made such intimate journalism impossible. In early April, Reyes covered a grocery store workers action. She had to follow along via Instagram. Dave Jamieson, a labor reporter for HuffPost, says he was contacted recently by a worker at a factory in a midwestern American city where a coronavirus outbreak has led to at least one death. The worker couldnt find a local reporter to cover the outbreak because the citys paper of record had been decimated by layoffs. Jamieson says hes never seen anything like the volume of emails hes receiving about workplace issues. Its a life-or-death situation, and theres a lot of desperation in these emails, Jamieson says. People are dying to have their stories told. IN LABOR REPORTING, says veteran reporter Mike Elk, we have what we call a dead worker story. The phrase means what it says: a story about a worker who has died during work. Elkthe founder of Payday Report, an independent labor journalism websitesays such stories challenge labor reporters to expose how the death occurred and how it might have been prevented before a similar death occurs. During the pandemic, he says, were actually trying to prevent deaths in real time, which is a new challenge. The industry is shifting according to these needs. Journalists from other desks have been reassigned to the labor beatsomething labor reporters are generally enthusiastic about. The fact that thousands of regular reporters are now getting pulled onto writing about labor is a healthy thing, says Nolan. You can write good labor stories just by listening to people. Jamieson has observed more collaboration between otherwise competitive journalists: Conversations [with worker sources] these days sometimes end up being, Well, if we cant take on this story then Ill tell other reporters to try. Independent labor reporting like that done by Payday Report, In These Times, Ricochet, Rank and File, and others often demonstrates correctives and industry best practices. In recent weeks, Elk and Payday Report have mapped more than a hundred strikes in more than thirty statespart of an ongoing effort by Payday Report to track labor actions. The tool is partly intended to counter labor coverage that focuses primarilyor exclusivelyon workers who are suffering. You dont often see workers depicted with any sense of agency, says Elk. I think reporters have an obligation to present some sort of hope for people. You really need to paint a picture of what the options are of workers fighting back. Grassroots reader-funded outlets reporting on labor are the reason for, and a necessary supplement to, the surge in mainstream labor journalism, labor journalists say. These outlets are more likely to offer stories that are more nuanced and solutions-based. They might not hold the average news readers attention, but they service the community theyre reporting on: workers. This nitty-gritty labor reporting, says Elk, is critical for those who are low income and underprotected. Whats uplifting to working-class folks like me is reading about other workers taking actions into their own hands, he says. RECENTLY: A reminder to editors: Be kind to your writers Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Luke Ottenhof is a freelance writer based in Toronto, Ontario. His work has been published by The Guardian, Globe and Mail, Pitchfork, and CBC. For those feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone, Pichai said, sharing a screenshot of the Google search home page which said, We stand in support of racial equality, and all those who search for it. (Photo | Flickr - Maurizio Pesce) Washington: Google stands in support of racial equality, the tech giants Indian-American CEO Sunder Pichai has said, expressing solidarity with the African-American community in the US in wake of protests sparked by the death in police custody of African-American George Floyd. Floyd, a 46-year-old African American restaurant worker, died in Minneapolis on Monday after a white police officer pinned him to the ground. Video footage showed the officer kneeling on Floyds neck as he gasped for breath, sparking widespread protests across the US. The police officer has been fired, and on Friday was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Pichai said that the company has decided to share its support for the racial equality in solidarity with the black community and in memory of Floyd on Google and YouTube home pages in the US. Today on US Google & YouTube homepages we share our support for racial equality in solidarity with the Black community and in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery & others who dont have a voice, Pichai wrote on Twitter on Sunday. For those feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone, Pichai said, sharing a screenshot of the Google search home page which said, We stand in support of racial equality, and all those who search for it. Pichai has been consistent in his stand against discrimination in the United States. Earlier when President Trump had imposed a ban on immigrants from Muslim nations, Pichai had said, It is disheartening to see the intolerant discourse playing out in the new...But we must speak out particularly those of us who are not under attack. However, he has steered cleared of commenting on similar issues in India, where the Citizenship Amendment Act paves way for people of every religion except Islam from Indias neighbouring countries to seek citizenship in India. Combined with the National Register of Citizens, the home minister of India hinted, the CAA would disenfranchise the Muslim community. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. A huge number of protesters staged violence, vandalism, and looting just blocks away from the White House, according to a recently published article. Unrest Near the White House The death of 46-year-old African-American was the main reason why people across the country staged different protests. It can be remembered that George Floyd was pinned down to the ground by a white American police officer who knelt on his kneck. The unrest and protest have now reached near or just blocks away from the White House. Hundreds of protesters were chanting the name of George Floyd. Additionally, the protest started during the morning hours on May 31. According to a recently published report, hundreds of protesters retaliated when the police and the National Guard escalated the situation. One of the protesters claimed that it was supposed to be a peaceful protest when a pepper spray was thrown to them. This led the protesters to vandal and smashed the windows of Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, two banks, and numerous other businesses just blocks away from the White House. Not only that, two restaurants were also set into fire. Moreover, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce building which was under construction was also lit into fire. Along with these were vehicles that were parked on the streets in the neighborhood were vandalized and burned Secret Service Officers Were Harmed by the Protesters Protesters threw bricks and rocks at the uniformed Secret Services between Lafayette Square and the White House. They also repeatedly knocked on the security barriers on Pennsylvania Avenue. According to the report of the Secret Service, numerous officers and agents were injured. In the official statement released by the Secret Service, it said: "No individual crossed the White House Fence and no Secret Service protectees were ever in danger," Due to the security threat brought by the protesters that might harm the life of the president, they enlarged the protective perimeter around the White House. Pres. Trump Gave a Comment About the Protest Meanwhile, Pres. Donald Trump was in the White House on Friday and Saturday night. He praised the initial action and response of the Secret Service and tweeted that if the protesters had come closer to the White House they will be forced to release the vicious dogs and to use weapons. Trump said during his visit to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, "The memory of George Floyd is being dishonored by rioters, looters, and anarchists. The violence and vandalism are being led by Antifa and other radical left-wing groups who are terrorizing the innocent, destroying jobs, hurting businesses, and burning down buildings." He also added that the government will not "give into anarchy, abandon police precincts, or allow communities to be burned to the ground. It won't happen," Pres. Trump was in Florida at that time to witness the first launch of a commercial craft into space. The unrest in the country continues following the death of African-American whose video arrest went viral online. Many well-known persons also gave their comments particularly the African-Americans and they felt that the arrest made by the White-American police officers that led to George Floyd's death was very disappointing. Read a related article: President Donald Trump View Photo President Trump spoke over the weekend about the death of George Floyd. Trump was Mondays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his remarks while he was at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida: I want to say a few words about the situation in Minnesota. The death of George Floyd on the streets of Minneapolis was a grave tragedy. It should never have happened. It has filled Americans all over the country with horror, anger, and grief. Yesterday, I spoke to Georges family and expressed the sorrow of our entire nation for their loss. 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 mission at hand. (Applause.) The police officers involved in this incident have been fired from their jobs. One officer has already been arrested and charged with murder. State and federal authorities are carrying out an investigation to see what further charges may be warranted, including against, sadly, the other three. In addition, my administration has opened a civil rights investigation, and I have asked the Attorney General and the Justice Department to expedite it. I understand the pain that people are feeling. We support the right of peaceful protesters, and we hear their pleas. But what we are now seeing on the streets of our cities has nothing to do with justice or with peace. The memory of George Floyd is being dishonored by rioters, looters, and anarchists. The violence and vandalism is being led by Antifa and other radical left-wing groups who are terrorizing the innocent, destroying jobs, hurting businesses, and burning down buildings. The main victims of this horrible, horrible situations are the citizens who live in these once lovely communities. The mobs are devastating the lifes work of good people and destroying their dreams. Right now, America needs creation, not destruction; cooperation, not contempt; security, not anarchy. And there will be no anarchy. Civilization must be cherished, defended, and protected. The voices of law-abiding citizens must be heard, and heard very loudly. We cannot and must not allow a small group of criminals and vandals to wreck our cities and lay waste to our communities. We must defend the rights of every citizen to live without violence, prejudice, or fear. We support the overwhelming majority of police officers who are incredible in every way and devoted public servants. They keep our cities safe, protect our communities from gangs and drugs, and risk their own lives for us every day. No one is more upset than fellow law enforcement officers by the small handful who fail to abide by their oath to serve and protect. My administration will stop mob violence and will 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 into anarchy, abandon police precincts, or allow communities to be burned to the ground. It wont happen. Those making excuses or justifications for violence are not helping the downtrodden, but delivering new anguish and new pain. From day one of my administration, we have made it a top priority to build up distressed communities and revitalize our crumbling inner cities. We fought hard with Senator Tim Scott and many others to create Opportunity Zones, helping to draw a surge of new investment to the places in our country that need it most. We must all work together as a society to expand opportunity and to create a future of greater dignity and promise for all of our people. We must forge a partnership with community leaders, local law enforcement, and the faith community to restore hope. Radical-left criminals, thugs, and others all throughout our country and throughout the world will not be allowed to set communities ablaze. We wont let it happen. It harms those who have the least. And we will be protecting those who have the least. The leadership of the National Guard and the Department of Justice are now in close communication with state and city officials in Minnesota. And were coordinating our efforts with local law enforcement all across our nation. In America, justice is never achieved at the hands of an angry mob. I will not allow angry mobs to dominate. It wont happen. It is essential that we protect the crown jewel of American democracy: the rule of law and our independent system of justice. Every citizen in every community has the right to be safe in their workplace, safe in their homes, and safe in our city streets. This is the sacred right of all Americans that I am totally determined to defend and will defend. My administration will always stand against violence, mayhem, and disorder. We will stand with the family of George Floyd with the peaceful protesters and with every law-abiding citizen who wants decency, civility, safety, and security. We are working toward a more just society, but that means building up, not tearing down; joining hands, not hurling fists; standing in solidarity, not surrendering to hostility. When Americans are united, there is nothing we cannot do. From day one of my administration, we put America first. The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Lori Loughlin's daughter Olivia Jade took to Instagram Sunday with an impassioned plea to her 1.3 million followers to correct all acts of racism. The 20-year-old social media influencer wrote, 'Need to understand that just "not being racist is not enough" if you hear people saying disrespectful things, correct them.' Jade made her case less than a week into a national unrest with rioting over dozens of cites in response to the death of 46-year-old security guard George Floyd in Minneapolis. Saying her piece: Lori Loughlin's daughter Olivia Jade, 20, took to Instagram Sunday with an impassioned plea to her 1.3 million followers to correct all acts of racism Floyd died at a nearby hospital shortly after an exchange caught on camera in which he was handcuffed and pleading for his life as police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on the back of his neck, rendering him unable to breathe; Chauvin has since been fired and charged in the incident. Olivia, who's sister to Bella, 21, and daughter to designer Mossimo Giannulli, 56, said that everyone should be offended when another racial, religious or cultural group is spoke about poorly or made fun of. 'Don't sit there & allow this to continue happening,' she said. 'And if someone says something like "no one is around that offense" or "it's a joke" it should offend ALL of us speak because it's outright wrong and disgusting that humans talk/treat each other humans THE way we've seen. Olivia said that big changes have to be made at the ground floor and people shouldn't hesitate to set someone straight when it comes to jokes and slurs said in private. Sea change: Olivia said that big changes have to be made at the ground floor and people shouldn't hesitate to set someone straight when it comes to jokes and slurs said in private Focused: Olivia said that her newfound awareness makes her want 'to learn more and do more and be better for all [her] beautiful black friends and any other person who faces discrimination' 'Explain how it's not funny at all,' she said. 'How ignorant how actually ignorant it sounds. How uneducated you sound when u are undermining with black people have had to deal with for generations. Speak up!!!' Olivia said that it's not only words but actions that play into changing things in the future. 'If you see something that doesn't look right do something!!!!!' she said. 'THIS NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. FOREVER! And as a person who is born into privilege based on my skin color & financial situation I was not always aware that these issues were still so present. And that makes me feel awful. But that also fuels me. Olivia said that her newfound awareness makes her want 'to learn more and do more and be better for all [her] beautiful black friends and any other person who faces discrimination.' She noted: 'I'm not racist and I never have been but I need to speak up about this because just not being racist isn't enough. It out rages me. It makes me feel sick. It brings me to tears. THERE SHOULD NOT BE SUCH A GAP BETWEEN PEOPLE LIKE THIS.' Jade said that it's time other social groups to align with the black community until these major societal problems are addressed. 'We need to support and stand up and speak and USE OUR WHITE PRIVILEGE TO STOP THIS. We need to stop complaining about the smallest things because the black community are fearful of dying and being oppressed every single day just on the way they look and how they were born. Time to step up and keep making noise because this cannot continue to happen. It's disgusting.' Jade made her case less than a week into a national unrest with rioting over dozens of cites in response to the death of 46-year-old security guard George Floyd in Minneapolis Simpler times: Bella, Lori Loughlin and Olivia posed at a July 2017 event in LA Olivia's been in the headlines after her parents admitted they tried to lie and bribe scholarships for her and her sister earlier this month in a federal court in Massachusetts. Both admitted to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and are slated to be sentenced in August. In the incident leading to Floyd's premature death, arresting officers said he matched the description of a forgery suspect, and subsequently resisted them when they took him into custody. In an accompanying clip, Chauvin was seen pinning his knee into the back of Floyd's neck as Floyd pleaded with him to relent. 'Please, please, please, I can't breathe,' Floyd said. 'Please, man ... my stomach hurts, my neck hurts, everything hurts ... I can't breathe.' Floyd later died in police custody in a nearby hospital. Chauvin faces charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, though the trio of officers he was with, who were also fired, haven't been charged in connection with the incident. In the wake of the jarring sequence of events, riots began in Minnesota and spread both nationwide and internationally, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets, even amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In the three straight nights of rioting, The Associated Press reported that at least 4,100 arrests were made in connection with the demonstrations in major metropolitan areas nationwide. The incident has drawn parallels to the Los Angeles riots of 1992 which broke out after police were acquitted in their trial over the beating of Rodney King, which was caught on videocamera. In the five days of rioting, more than 60 people died, 2,000-plus were hurt and damages to destroyed property topped $1 billion. You dont know how to feel, she said. "On the one hand, I have empathy for the cause and am very aware of just how frustrating it is to not have any progress in this country. But on the other hand I just feel it pushes the cause back when you have extremists who are looking at it as an opportunity to go crazy. Agility and two partner companies have moved to help retailers and small businesses start or grow online sales through efficient, easy-to-build digital stores and easy-to-use shipping, fulfillment and delivery services. The partnership teams ExpandCart, one of the Middle Easts leading e-commerce enablers, with Shipa, Agilitys digital innovation arm. ExpandCart lets small businesses and retailers move online quickly by building branded stores in English and Arabic, then plugging into the simple Shipa platform so they can manage first-mile, fulfillment, freight movements, customs clearance and last-mile deliveries, said a statement. Henadi Al-Saleh, Agility Chairperson and leader of Agilitys logistics venture strategy, said the partnership would help traditional retailers and others that have seen store traffic, in-person sales and overall revenue plummet as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. E-commerce and logistics have become lifelines to consumers who are confined at home and to businesses that have lost all or part of their in-store revenue, Al-Saleh said. Were seeing a surge in online sales across the region that could signal a permanent shift in the way people buy in the future. Companies must recognize the need to strengthen their online sales through trusted partners who can guide them and help them grow. The Agility partner group - Shipa Ecommerce, Shipa Delivery and ExpandCart can help merchants and social sellers with no technical expertise establish online stores in as little as a couple of hours and choose their own shipping, fulfillment and delivery solutions so they can get up and running right away. ExpandCarts six-month free trial allows sellers and merchants to build their websites and online presence with mobile-responsive online templates available in Arabic and English, and a suite of services including: integration with more than 20 payment and shipping options; digital marketing; handling and fulfilment; a point-of-sale system; branded native mobile apps; and after-sale service. The free trial is good for six months for customers who register during June 2020. Shipa Ecommerce gives online merchants easy access to some of the worlds fastest-growing and most complex e-commerce markets. Shipa Ecommerce offers integrated freight, fulfillment, delivery and returns solutions across the Arabian Gulf, with additional reach into the EU and Africa in the near future. Customers are cross-border retailers based in the US, EU and Asia, as well as regional merchants based in the Middle East. Shipa Ecommerce solutions are underpinned by easy-to-use digital integration: APIs and web interfaces such as checkout integration with customer portals, websites and apps, it said. Shipa Delivery offers businesses and consumers on-demand same-day, next-day or cross-border delivery across the Arabian Gulf. Intuitive and easy-to-use, the platform is accessible by mobile or directly integrated with its business customers systems, and provides solutions to optimize for speed, convenience, and affordability. Agility has invested more than $100 million in Shipa.com to allow businesses and consumers to manage freight, e-commerce and urban deliveries online. Through the ExpandCart partnership, the company aims to help get more businesses trading online and across borders. TradeArabia News Service MIAMI, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Crystal Capital Partners has created a FREE alternative investment content library that helps financial advisors share timely and credible industry insights with their clients, using their brand identity. Easily share timely and credible industry insights with clients. "With over 25 years of experience in alternative investments, we are not only poised but also keenly determined to constantly evolve our offering in order to adapt to advisors' needs in the face of an ever-changing landscape," said Steven Brod, CEO of Crystal Capital Partners. "There is an onerous amount of work and expenses associated with creating continuous client-facing educational content research, copywriting, graphic design, compliance, and more. Advisors leverage our in-house team of finance, technology, and marketing professionals and instantly gain access to our alternative investment content library at no cost to their business." Crystal's timely, relevant and credible alternative investing content is designed to help advisors understand and communicate the benefits of the asset class to clients, and simultaneously help advisors increase their brand visibility and build credibility on alternative investments. Since the launch of the content library, Crystal has published multiple educational campaigns supporting Crystal's community of advisors who span across the United States and Europe and advise over $100 billion in assets collectively. Beyond supporting advisors with their client communications, Crystal helps advisors navigate the entire alternative investment journey. They provide exposure to institutional private equity and hedge funds at low minimums supported by CrystalTools, the company's proprietary alternative investment software, and a streamlined operational workflow. CrystalTools includes quantitative analytics, qualitative research, portfolio optimization technology, liquidity and rebalancing software, and private equity call tracking. Recognizing that investing in individual feeder funds is time-consuming and overwhelming, Crystal has simplified the process of subscribing to multiple funds by offering a single one-time electronic subscription document. Clients, in turn, receive a consolidated account statement, audit, and K1. Crystal is fully integrated with the major custodial platforms and data aggregators. By joining the Crystal advisory network, advisors benefit from a high-touch experienced partner, in tandem with institutional alternative investments, technology, and execution. Explore the content library at https://www.crystalfunds.com/insights. Some of the more favored insights include Private Equity Opportunities Arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic, Seeking Opportunity in Turbulent Times, Financial Peace of Mind with Institutional Alternative Investments, and Demystifying Private Equity. Media Contact Natalie Brod (305) 868-1500 [email protected] Related Files alts-sharing-vid.mp4 Related Images alternative-investment-client.jpg Alternative Investment Client Education Technology Easily share timely and credible industry insights with clients. Related Links Insights Website Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvbKUdsg71o SOURCE Crystal Capital Partners An Australian police officer on the front line of protests that have engulfed dozens of cities across the US says the chaos playing out after the death of George Floyd may force him to leave policing after a decade. Vadim Dale, 44, from Melbourne, moved to Louisville, Kentucky, to be with his now-wife Natalie after the pair met on reality TV show Outback Jack more than a decade ago. Vadim Dale is an Australian-born police officer now living in Louisville, Kentucky, with his young family. The city best known for the Kentucky Derby horse race, is among those across America engulfed in mass protests, violence and destruction after the death of Floyd in custody in Minneapolis last week. Locally, protesters are also on the streets in the name of Breonna Taylor, a black woman allegedly killed by police in her Louisville home in March. The novel coronavirus has plunged the world into a host of social and economic difficulties since it was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation in March 2020. Its effects have ranged from minor inconveniences to vastly devastating circumstances to many, depending on the country in which they live as well as the resources that have been available to them when new precautionary regulations were enforced in an attempt to control the spread of the disease. Tasia Matlala The price of data The battle of data Recovery plan These regulations which are based on the elimination of close contact between people as well as rigorous hygiene practices, include stay-at-home orders and countrywide lockdowns to those whose work is not an essential service.Although the level of alert varies from country to country, it is clear that they have been a mandatory measure of survival as well as a moral obligation. However, it is also clear that they cannot be sustained indefinitely for a number of reasons. One of which being the fact that studying and working from home in a seamless, comfortable and effective manner is a privilege very few possess. This refers to the fact that a daily established internet connection has been a requirement between all students and educators as well as employees and employers.In a country with a volatile currency such as South Africa, along with millions who are poverty-stricken, unemployed and therefore unable to access basic needs at times, it has been difficult to establish the aforementioned daily internet connection due to the prices of data.South Africans have been subjected to unreasonably high prices of data by mobile telecommunication companies such as Vodacom, MTN and Telkom, among others for quite some time. These prices have greatly surpassed those offered in other emerging economies.They are also responsible for creating public outrage through social media campaigns such as the #datamustfall movement, which has been a battle between consumers, politicians and network providers for several years. Moreover, a telecoms comparison site, Cable.co.uk has recently released the results of a massive investigation covering data pricing in 228 countries.South Africa has consequently, performed poorly, ranking at 148th place. In reaching this conclusion, the site collected 5,554 mobile data plans, focusing on the pricing of one GB of data across the globe.According to a article , the reason for South Africa's high prices of data is due to the fact that there is too little spectrum supply, for which the Global System for Mobile communication Association (GSMA) is responsible. This association relates the radio frequencies that are allocated to the mobile industry as well as other sectors of communication over the airwaves. The limited supply of radio frequency spectrum is, therefore, the reason that prices are constantly pushed up.According to a statement made by Paris Mashile, the councillor of Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), the ability of South African network providers to roll out services as well as to reduce costs of communication has been hindered by this lack of spectrum.However, it has been stated by analysts under the hashtag "#datawillfall" that the costs of data, as well as other forms of communication, are to be slashed in 2020. This is due to the role played by the aforementioned Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) as well as the Competition Commission, in mandating price reductions. The Competition Commission is defined as one of three independent statutory bodies established in terms of the Competition Act, No. 89 of 1998 to regulate competition between firms in the market.According to a Businesstech article, South Africa's dominant mobile operators, Vodacom and MTN which control around 70% of the cellular services industry were instructed to lower their prices by 50% as of January 2020. They were also instructed to provide free daily lifeline data to prepaid users in order to ensure that all South Africans have access to the internet, regardless of income levels.After a settlement with the Competition Commission, Vodacom is, therefore, set 1 April 2020. MTN has also announced major changes to be made in terms of data costs, after discussions with the commission. These changes will include more affordable prepaid bundles, lifeline data as well as the zero-rating of data for public benefit service websites. Furthermore, according to the Competition Commission, these cuts will save the consumer up to R2,4 billion.Although these reductions are currently benefiting millions of people in South Africa, there is still a large number of young scholars who have been unable to receive an education during the pandemic. According to a World Bank blog, billions of young scholars are experiencing an education crisis, which is taking place not only locally but globally as well.Some of the challenges within this crisis include an expected increase in dropout rates, losses in learning, children missing their most important meal etc. These challenges are being encountered disproportionately by children from low-income households. Additionally, these are children who unable to access the internet due to a lack of adequate devices which can be used to foster effective online learning.However, the minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, has announced a set of recovery plans issued by the National Coronavirus Command Council which will include the reopening of schools on 1 June 2020. She has also instructed that the schools observe and adhere to the health and safety protocols which will be put in place, as the safety of learners, teachers and workers in the schools is paramount, whilst ensuring that the virus does not spread further.However, most South African university students will continue to learn remotely, as only final-year undergraduate students in programmes requiring clinical training will be returning to campuses. This refers to MBChB (medical) students, according to Businesstech.Furthermore, those who are not returning to campus will be receiving free 30GB of data from their respective universities. This includes universities such as the University of Cape Town, University of Johannesburg, University of Pretoria, Wits, as well as UNISA.These universities have concluded deals with South Africa's mobile network operators to allocate the aforementioned free data to their students in order to ensure that the students are able to access and download their learning material, prepare for online exams etc. It has also been said that this data is not restricted to student portals and can be used on a number of sites across the internet. This has been undoubtedly necessary, as education is a fundamental driver of personal, national and global development. Karnataka's Channapatna craftspersons lead precarious lives like any other artisan in the country. And with the onset of the pandemic-induced lockdown, their woes have only increased through the months. Subah huyi phir din nikla, raat aa gayi aur phir agli subah aa gayi (The morning was followed by the day and night and then came the next morning)," Shah Salim, a 58-year-old Channapatna craftsman, is not stating the obvious. He was answering my question on his Eid celebrations this year, and his response was deceptively insipid, as behind it lay pain and agony. Udhaar ki zindagi jee rahe hain. (We are steeped in debt). This is not just my story; all of us are going through this, the artisan added. Sixty kilometres from India's Silicon Valley Bengaluru, is the town of Channapatna in Ramanagara district. Known as the 'toy town' of Karnataka, it is home to 3,000-5,000 artisans who practice the unique craft of making wooden toys protected under a GI (Geographical Indication) tag. Like any other craft practitioner in the country, artisans in Channapatna too lead precarious lives. The pandemic has only added to their woes. It has been some years since Lucknow-born designer Atul Johri shifted base to Channapatna, to live and work among the artisans. His brand Atul Johri Designs is all about innovation and revival of the craft, particularly the complex lacquering technique. Johri is witness to their plight. An artisan who I had worked with earlier walked seven kilometres to borrow money from me. I distributed food items and other essentials among 35 artisans, especially women artisans, and I didnt want it to spread but it did, and I started getting calls from artisans I had never known. They wanted ration but hesitated to say it. A few came to meet and asked for money upfront, and others couldnt. Their faces have been haunting me. The situation has always been bad, but COVID-19 has hit them really hard, the designer says. The lockdown meant pulling the brakes on the functioning hundreds of units and factories in the town, which in turn meant loss of income for thousands. 44-year-old Syed Hameed underwent one year of training in lacquerware crafts under a government programme, to become the first in his family to take up Channapatna crafts. He works independently for various units and charges per piece. On an average, he would earn anywhere between Rs 8,000 and Rs 15,000 per month, but during the lockdown, the artist remained without any work. During the first lockdown, we got by on loan. During the second lockdown, Atul Johri gave us rations, and in the third phase, I had no option but to look for work to support my family of five, and then worked for a few days in a local food stall making samosas that are consumed during Ramzan. But Eid is also over now. Everyone is trying to earn a livelihood by doing odd jobs. So many of us are plucking mangoes, but what will happen after the mango season gets over, ruminates Hameed, who is awaiting the payment of a 15-day training session he conducted. The lockdown was announced the day after the training session concluded. Twenty-two year old Pallavi, one of the few female artisans in the craft, supports a family of six with her monthly salary of Rs 12,000. During the lockdown, she didnt receive any salary. I received ration from Atul sir and the government, but I still had to take a loan of Rs 8,000 for our expenses, says Pallavi. The Bengaluru-Mysore Road is home to a plethora of Channapatna toy shops attracting a steady stream of tourists. Several artisans supply their wares to these shops that have remained shuttered during the lockdown. Even when they open, the demand wont be like before. People will spend on essentials first and then on decorative stuff, says Shabir Mohammed. The 32-year-old craftsman earns anywhere between Rs 15,000-20,000 per month, but April onwards, he had to dig into his savings to get by. We got ration from the government rice, pulses and sugar. But you need much more than that. I have a toddler and a five-year-old girl. To earn a livelihood, I have been engaged in plucking mangoes and loading the fruits into vehicles transporting them, but it cant sustain me forever. Maya Organic, a social enterprise that works for the upliftment of artisans by generating livelihood, has been operational in Channapatna since 2004. Their unit resumed work this month, but is working with 30 artisans as opposed to 60 artisans that it usually works with. Firstly, we have to maintain SOPs which mandates distancing, and then there arent any new orders. 20-30 per cent of our products are exported to European countries, and due to COVID-19, our orders have been cancelled. For business to get back on track like before would require a year. Right now, we are just creating a stock of regular items in order to help the artisans, says Shaheda Noorie of Maya Organic. She further adds that in order to bail out the artisans, Maya Organic distributed dry ration and gave 30-40 per cent of the salaries to its workers. Noorie is now the CEO of Artisanpride Producer Company Limited formed in 2019. We are trying out a model in which artisans are the owners, with 100 per cent stakes. Only self-help groups of artisans could become members. The company had started generating good sales but, then COVID-19 struck us, she says. The average monthly income of a Channapatna craftsman is between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000. It does seem enough, but in reality is far from it, as a large section of artisans are debt-ridden. Sharing insights on the situation, Johri reveals that as they "keep taking loans, the interest keeps piling up and the loan never gets over." "Within this money, artisans also have to buy the raw material, and for all those who work independently, the income varies, depending on the orders they receive. So there is no surety. After agriculture, textiles and handicrafts sector is the second largest employer in the country. According to a 2019 press release by the Ministry of Textiles, Indias textile exports, including handicrafts in 2018-19, amounted to roughly Rs 2.5 lakh crores. M Bhupathy, secretary of Channapatna Crafts Park and CEO of Shilpa Trust, a manufacturer, exporter and supplier of lacquerware, is not satisfied with the governments help to the sector. The BJP-led government in the state has announced Rs 1,610 crore package for flower farmers, weavers, industries, construction workers, auto and taxi drivers, barbers and washermen. The toy-making cluster of Channapatna, a stronghold of JD(S), is missing from the list. The central government too hasnt announced anything for the handicrafts sector. The Indian Railways, however, undertook an initiative to support local craftspeople. As part of its put back the smile programme, the Bengaluru division of South Western Railway distributed over 700 Channapatna toys to children of migrant workers who have left Bengaluru by Shramik trains so far. No government cares about artisans and weavers. There should have been some help, says Bhupathy. Shilpa Trust has been operational in Channapatna since 1992 and employs 35 artisans. It has extended help to around 60 members of the community through advance payments. We raised Rs 60,000 to help the artisans, and have also done health insurance that covers COVID-19, he adds. The unit has resumed operations and is currently working on a sample order for the Government of Karnataka, and another export order for Germany, besides finishing a pending order. While things are not too bleak for Shilpa Trust, individual artisans are staring at difficult times ahead. Since people couldnt repay their loans, moneylenders have stopped giving fresh loans to them. So they dont have the funds to buy the raw material. To make matters worse, prices of raw material like shellac, a natural varnish used to paint over wood to give it sheen, have been raised by sellers. They are not even selling it to artisans who want 2-3 kilograms. These hoarders are waiting for the lockdown to open entirely, and then sell it at exorbitant prices to them, because then the artisans will pay up anything to resume work. Right now, it is being sold to bigger manufacturers. According to me a one-time package is not a solution. We have to make it a sustainable model, Johri says in conclusion. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 1 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The potential of bilateral energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Ukraine is far from exhausted, Sergey Shteluk, economic adviser at Ukrainian embassy in Baku, told Trend. "Participation of Azerbaijani companies in the development of hydrocarbon fields on Ukraines territory, as well as their involvement in privatization of energy facilities and implementation of new infrastructure projects could be a promising area of cooperation," said Shteluk. He recalled that it is planned to jointly implement the project for construction of a service hub at Chongar checkpoint under the memorandum of cooperation signed by Ukraines deputy prime minister Oleksii Reznikov, infrastructure minister Vladislav Krikli and sales operations director of SOCAR Energy Ukraine Sergiy Kolenchenko on May 5, 2020. The adviser noted as of the key spheres of Ukraine-Azerbaijan strategic partnership, energy sphere has been developing rapidly in recent years. "Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR has been the major oil supplier for Ukrainian oil refining enterprises since 2016," he said. In this regard, Shteluk highlighted diversification of SOCARs operation in Ukraine, which is not limited to oil supplies to Ukrainian refineries. "SOCAR actively participates in Ukraines oil products retail market. More than 60 filling stations under SOCAR brand name operate in all regions of Ukraine. SOCAR has recently become a full-fledged operator of Ukraines gas market, taking a leading role among commercial companies supplying natural gas to Ukrainian consumers," he said. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn His first performance, Portias quality of mercy speech in The Merchant of Venice, drew rousing applause. Robert had found two of his callings: theatrical performance and Shakespeare; lifelong passions whose expression in public places was completely uninhibited. He credited poetry and Shakespeare with giving impetus to his remarkable memory. The younger of two sons born in Perth to Ellen and Sydney, he excelled at Victoria Park East Primary School, but had to leave Perth Modern School early in second year. His love for the English language blossomed after he received elocution lessons from a friend of his mother. Roberts many fields of distinction might seem unlikely for a boy whose humble family circumstances compelled him to leave school at 14. Over the next decade he worked as clerk, shop assistant, fettler on the Fremantle docks, electrical fitters assistant, glassworks designer, and weighbridge officer. But even as a boy Robert was destined for other things. As a teenager Robert began a decade-long involvement in amateur theatre in Perth, giving him experience of all its specialised tasks. He started at Patch Theatre, an environment whose social and intellectual activity stimulated him. Among those he met were poet Dorothy Hewett, Anti-Fascist League broadcaster Edward Beeby and author Katherine Susannah Prichard, founder of a club whose meetings Robert attended. Through those meetings he met people whose political awareness and commitment to social justice inspired him. His left-wing activism began through Patch, intensified in two other theatre groups, and continued for the rest of his life. After adult matriculation, Robert completed a bachelor of arts degree at the University of Western Australia, majoring in history and English with a weighting towards drama. In 1956 and 1957, his extracurricular activities were president of the universitys dramatic society and founding editor of a literary magazine. Robert named it Westerly, not just to denote regional identity but a refreshing breeze blowing away conventional thinking. In the final stage of his studies, Robert began working as curatorial assistant at the Art Gallery of Western Australia. Between July 1958 and February 1960, he wrote 22 individual titles in a series published by the gallery. During this time, he was art columnist for The West Australian and later art critic for Perths Sunday Times. In 1960, the Queensland Art Gallery appointed him assistant director with responsibilities for research, cataloguing, display, public relations, design, writing and administration. He also made radio and television presentations on behalf of the gallery. In 1965, Flinders University appointed him founding head of art studies. In a ground-breaking step, he made it an essential component of the course for students to have hands-on studio experience across a range of art media, ensuring that when they wrote about an artwork they knew the methods and problems involved in its creation. He was regarded highly by students, often drawing applause for his lectures. Yello, the leader in early talent acquisition software, today debuted upcoming virtual recruiting functionality that will help companies continue to recruit college students despite an uncertain recruiting season this fall. The company expects the virtual enhancements to be available later this summer, giving teams time to implement before the fall recruiting season. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused universities around the world to take unprecedented actions. After most campuses shut down earlier this year, classes have moved online and graduation ceremonies have been conducted remotely allowing students and faculty to safely social distance. Those schools are now looking to the fall semester, where the future of campus recruiting activities like career fairs and on-campus interviews is unknown. In addition to existing virtual campus recruiting functionality, Yello will make the following enhancements to popular existing products to ensure companies have the flexibility to continue meeting candidates whether theyre on campus or off: Host Virtual Events: Seamlessly generate and share video conference invites directly from Yello Live Video Interview Collaboration: Share ideas with built-in screen sharing and participant chat Linking Third-Party Conferencing Tools: Engage candidates on third-party webinar tools, with all candidate info captured in Yello Track Virtual Event Metrics: Report on attendance, event performance and conversion to measure virtual ROI Live Video Interviews from Mobile Devices: Connect with candidates in seconds, from any device What weve been hearing over the past few months is that companies are looking to plan for every possible scenario, says Yello Executive Vice President of Sales, Michael Megerian. Even if they want to be back on campus next semester, the career fairs will probably not look exactly like they used to. Thats why a lot of companies are turning to virtual to supplement their on-campus strategies. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, nearly 1 in 3 universities are not planning for in-person instruction in the fall. These schools are either planning to move classes online, proposing a hybrid virtual/physical model, or considering a range of scenarios before making a final decision. Major institutions like the California State University system have led the charge in planning for online instruction this fall. Even at schools that do reopen, however, large recruiting events like career fairs and interview days may be impacted by local social distancing regulations. Campus recruiters are scrambling not only to plan for the fall season but also to create backup plans if they cant be on campus. Many of Yellos clients have been combining virtual campus recruiting efforts with more traditional on-campus activities for years even before COVID-19. Recruiting teams like BDO and Kearney have actually been able to meet more candidates by adding virtual efforts, while reducing costs associated with career fair events and recruiter travel. Yello believes that this hybrid virtual and on-campus recruiting strategy is not only necessary to help companies get through COVID-19, but will be the key to campus recruiting success moving forward. Companies have been moving to virtual campus recruiting for the last several years, says Yello Co-Founder, Dan Bartfield. The pandemic has accelerated this change, but many companies already relied on virtual efforts to stand out from the competition or continue hitting recruiting goals with limited internal resources. With virtual engagements, companies can grow their campus presence beyond the career fair booth, maintain a high-quality candidate experience, and ultimately meet more candidates all while saving time and significantly reducing cost to recruit. To learn more about Yellos virtual campus recruiting solution, please visit: yello.co/virtual-campus-recruiting/. About Yello: Yellos early talent acquisition platform allows the worlds leading brands to deliver personalized candidate experiences to every job seeker, resulting in quality hires and faster fills. The centralized platform is easy to use, enabling recruiters to collaborate with one another to attract and engage top talent. Key hiring statistics provide meaningful insights that lead to more accurate, data-driven decisions while staying on budget. For more information about Yello, visit https://www.yello.co. Judicial Watch has taken an in-depth look at the members of Facebooks recently-appointed oversight board that will decide which posts get blocked. It found that the board is stacked with leftists, including a close friend of leftwing billionaire George Soros who served on the board of directors of his Open Society Foundations (OSF). Indeed, more than half of the 20 board members have ties to Soros. The standout among the Facebook-Soros all-star team is probablyAndras Sajo, the founding Dean of Legal Studies at Soros Central European University. According to Judicial Watch: Sajo was a judge at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for nearly a decade. He also served on the board of directors of OSFs Justice Initiative. Sajo was one of the ECHR judges in an Italian case (Latusi v. Italy) that ruled unanimously that the display of a crucifix in public schools in Italy violates the European Convention on Human Rights. The decision was subsequently overturned. Sajos deep ties to Soros are also concerning. Through his OSF Soros funds a multitude of projects worldwide aimed at spreading a leftist agenda by, among other things, destabilizing legitimate governments, erasing national borders and identities, financing civil unrest and orchestrating refugee crises for political gain. Incredibly, there is a financial and staffing nexus between the U.S. government and Soros OSF. Sajo will have plenty of Soros-funded company on Facebooks censorship board: At least 10 other members of the Facebook oversight board are connected to leftist groups tied to Soros that have benefitted from his generous donations, according to Judicial Watchs research. Alan Rusbridger, a former British newspaper editor and principal at Oxford University, serves on the board of directors of the Committee to Protect Journalists, which received $750,000 from OSF in 2018. Rusbridger also served as a governor at a global thinktank, Ditchley Foundation, that co-hosted a conference with OSF on change in the Middle East and North Africa as well as understanding political Islam. Afia Asantewaa Sariyev, a human rights attorney, is the program manager at Soros Open Society Initiative for West Africa. Her research includes critical race feminism and socio-economic rights of the poor. Sudhir Krishnaswamy, an Indian lawyer and civil society activist, runs a progressive nonprofit called Centre for Law and Policy Research that focuses on transgender rights, gender equality and public health. The group is a grantee of a justice foundation that received $1.4 million from OSF between 2016 and 2018. Krishnaswamys Centre also received money from a radical pro-abortion group, Center for Reproductive Rights, generously funded by the OSF. Theres more: Julie Owono is the executive director of a Paris-based nonprofit, Internet Sans Frontieres, that advocates for privacy and freedom of expression online. In 2018, Internet Sans Frontieres became a member of the Global Network Initiative, an internet oversight and policy consortium handsomely funded by Soros. Nighat Dad is a Pakistani attorney and the founder of the Digital Rights Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Pakistan that has received $114,000 in grants from OSF. Dads group also gets funding from Facebook Ireland. Ronaldo Lemos, a Brazilian law professor, served on the board of directors of the Mozilla Foundation, which collected $350,000 from OSF in 2016 and was also a board member at another group, Access Now, that also got thousands of dollars from Soros. Tawakkol Karman, a journalist and civil rights activist, sits on the advisory board of Transparency International, which gets significant funding from Soros OSF. Rounding out the Soros-affiliated field on the new Facebook censorship board are Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Catalina Botero-Marino and Maina Kiai. Thorning-Schmidt, Denmarks former prime minister, sits on the board of the European Council of Foreign Relations, which took in more $3.6 million from OSF in 2016 and 2017. She is also a trustee at the International Crisis Group which has collected over $8.2 million from OSF and includes George and Alexander Soros on its board. The former Danish prime minister is also a member of the Atlantic Councils International Advisory Board, which received approximately $325,000 from OSF in the last few years and the European Advisory Board of the Center for Global Development, which got north of half a million dollars from OSF in 2018. Botero-Marino is the dean of a Colombian law school called Universidad de Los Andes that obtained more than $1.3 million from OSF between 2016 and 2018, the records obtained by Judicial Watch show. Botero-Marino also sits on the panel of experts at Columbia Universitys Global Freedom Expression Project, which gets funding from OSF, and she was a board member at Article 19, a group that got about $1.7 million from OSF between 2016 and 2018. Kiai is the director of the Global Alliances and Partnerships at Human Rights Watch, which accepted $275,000 from OSF in 2018. He is also a member of OSFs Human Rights Initiative advisory board and was the founding executive director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission, which got $615,000 from Soros in the last two years. The Facebook board contains some hardcore leftists with no know connection to Soros. (You dont need such connections to be a lefty, it just helps if you want to monetize your leftism.) They include Katherine Chen, Nicolas Suzor, Jamal Greene, and Pam Karlan. Readers probably recall that Karlan took a cheap shot at President Trumps teenage son during House impeachment hearings (she later apologized). Personally, I dont think the cheap shot reflects who Karlan is, nor was it the end of the world. However, Karlans leftism isnt in doubt. With Facebook set to ban content based on the say-so of a board this slanted to the hard left and this connected to George Soros, calls to roll back its protection from defamation suits will become louder. By naming this board, Facebook is basically saying to hell with conservatives. Conservatives should answer by saying to hell with Facebook. People swim at Burleigh Heads beach in Gold Coast, Australia on May 16, 2020. (Chris Hyde/Getty Images) Queensland Tourism Ready for Holiday Boom Tourism operators in northern Queensland say their phones have been running hot as travellers shore up holidays with a further easing of COVID-19 restrictions. Industry chiefs predict that lifting the limit early on how far Queenslanders can travel will flush tourism towns with cash, and get the sector back on the move after months of COVID-19 lockdown. With the states borders still closed to interstate travellers, Tourism Tropical North chief executive Mark Olsen has welcomed the governments announcement on Sunday that internal travel is back. Its going to inject an extra $50 million into this economy, he declared on Monday. Our industry is ready to go, we are here, ready to receive the calls. Phones have been ringing non-stop over the past 24 hours with hopeful travellers from the southeast corner confirming accommodation and activities, Olsen added. To them he said: Jump in the car. We look forward to welcoming you here in Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. They will face stiff competition from the Gold Coast, where businesses have been hit hard by a border closure that blocks southern neighbours seeking warmth during winter. However, Destination Gold Coast chair Paul Donovan said he supports the border being reopened only when its safe to do so. He wants to see the popular theme parks back up and running. Just up the road we have more than two million people in Brisbane who we know are looking for a breaktheyll be our first target market, he said. A marketing campaign that has laid dormant will now get into full swing to coax Queenslanders to tourism pockets across the sunshine state. Businesses are grateful that they can open their doors again, Donovan said. Many have already started taking bookings from visitors throughout Queensland who are keen to come and visit the Coast. The premier says it is now up business to decide how quickly theyll take advantage of travel restrictions being lifted. Theres so much to explore, I dont know where to begin, Annastacia Palaszczuk said. Qantas says it will be watching bookings on intra-Queensland routes closely, putting on more flights where needed. It currently operates at least two return flights per week to Queenslands regional towns and cities. The enthusiasm from tourism businesses comes as the state celebrates a fourth consecutive day of zero coronavirus cases. From Monday, Queenslanders can gather in groups of 20 in pubs, gyms and even travel throughout the state, but the borders will remain closed through June. However, Queenslands Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said travel restrictions regarding remote and vulnerable Indigenous communities remained in place. By Sonia Kohlbacher BRATTLEBORO, Vt., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SIT Graduate Institute is launching its first doctorate program, a hybrid EdD in Global Education grounded in SIT's experiential learning model and combining online coursework with brief summer residencies in Vermont. "This three-year degree fits the needs of professionals seeking to accelerate their careers in global education, whether in their local communities or abroad," Dr. Sophia Howlett, president of School for International Training (SIT), said in a statement. The EdD program, which is accepting applications through Nov. 1 for the first cohort beginning June 2021, draws from SIT's brand of in-depth, reflective practice and intensive research training. It allows students to pursue their own specializations in education at any level, in any subfield, at any location. The program offers immersive doctoral seminars; case studies; theory; data collection; research methods; written projects and reflective practice tied to students' ongoing work experience. "I am excited to lead our first doctorate at SIT in Global Education for its three unique strengths: its rigorous research training; intentional curriculum of reflective practice and doctoral seminars; and its flexibility of online and in-person education to meet the demands of professionals who wish to advance in their leadership positions while researching and improving educational issues anywhere in the world," said Dr. Alla Korzh, EdD program chair. The 60-credit degree offers flexible courses primarily online, with short summer residencies at SIT's campus in Brattleboro, Vermont. Throughout the program, students will receive one-on-one guidance from SIT advisors who, along with their doctoral colleagues, will collaborate closely on research topics of their choice as they work toward their dissertation. Prospective students holding a master's degree in education or a master's in International Education from SIT Graduate Institute may apply for the transfer of up to 12 credits. The EdD expands on SIT Graduate Institute's growing stable of global master's degrees in Climate Change and Global Sustainability; Development Practice; International Education; and Humanitarian Assistance and Crisis Management, among others. SIT's doctorate, combined with its hybrid master's degrees ranging from Sustainable Development, to Peace and Justice, to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), puts it at the forefront of global institutions sending effective leaders, professionals and change-makers into the world. "These one-of-a-kind global degrees build on SIT's nearly 90-year history of training the next generation of intelligent, compassionate global leaders at a time when the world faces unprecedented challenges," said SIT President Howlett. For more information, visit https://graduate.sit.edu. SIT faculty will be available to answer questions about the new EdD program during a June webinar series. Scroll down to "Virtual Events" here: https://graduate.sit.edu/admissions/eventsvisits/. For more on SIT's student programs on every continent.: https://www.sit.edu/ SIT is part of World Learning, a global NGO that advances education, development, and cultural understanding throughout the world.: https://www.worldlearning.org/. Contact Info: Kate Casa, SIT Director of Communications +1 916-396-0036 [email protected] SOURCE World Learning, Inc. Related Links http://www.worldlearning.org Thierry Delaporte, the former Chief Operating Officer (CCOO) for the Capgemini Group, is the new CEO of Wipro - India's fourth-largest IT major. He will take charge on July 6. Current CEO Abidali Neemuchwala will step down on June 1. According to his LinkedIn profile, Delaporte is an economy and finance graduate from Sciences Po in Paris. He started his career as an external auditor in Arthur Andersen & Co, in Paris, France in July 1992 right after graduation. After three years, he joined Capgemini where he spent close to 25 years. Delaporte's journey in Capgemini Delaporte joined Capgemini Group in 1995 as the Group Internal Auditor of its subsidiary Sogeti. Till 2010, he held the chief financial officer portfolio for various geographies such as Asia Pacific, North America and Australia-New Zealand. He was later elevated to COO and Head of Sales Application Services for two years till December 2012, post which Delaporte became the Head of Capgeminis Global Financial Services Strategic Business Unit. He also oversaw Capgeminis operations in Latin America as well from 2016. Delaportes elevation to Group Chief Operating Officer came in January 2018. In his 25-year career in the company, Delaporte held a diverse portfolio across the geographies. Having spent most of his career with Capgemini, Thierry has driven Capgeminis operations and strategic planning in several of its key businesses, based in various countries, and has participated in number of key transformation programs, reads his profile in Capgemini. Geoffrey Cronin, an executive, describes Delaporte in his Linkedin testimony as someone who balances financial discipline required to deliver the results with a balance on investing in the growth objectives. "His style is one of open collaboration, firm accountability and transparency," the testimony adds. Is he the right fit for Wipro? Unlike multinationals, Indian firms are conservative, and this move to bring in a non-Indian CEO may give Wipro the momentum and stability it probably needs to bring in the growth. He is probably the first non-Indian CEO in any of the top four IT firms in the country. Pareekh Jain, the founder of Pareekh Consulting, said, Delaporte will be able to bring in large deals, which Wipro needs. In addition, having headed the financial services business unit, the experience will come in handy given that banking and financial services happen to be one of the largest portfolios accounting for about 31 percent of the overall revenue. There will be aggressive focus on sales as that will be needed to stimulate the growth with larger deals, he added. Thousands more autoworkers across North America are being called back to work this week despite a rising number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in factories. On Monday, General Motors resumed three shift operations at its Wentzville, Missouri; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Flint, Michigan, assembly plants and added second shifts in Ingersoll, Ontario, and Spring Hill, Tennessee. Several other GM plants are reopening with one shift. Fiat Chrysler is expanding production to three shifts this week at a number of plants including at Sterling Heights, Michigan, and at Jefferson North in Detroit. It is also reopening its Belvidere, Illinois, factory. (Image Credit: White House Flickr) Ford is restarting its Dearborn Assembly plant Monday after it had to temporarily close Thursday evening when it ran out of seats for the F-150 truck. The Ford Kansas City plant was also forced to close last week after a worker tested positive and other undisclosed reasons, but was set to restart Monday. Nearly every major auto company operating in North America has now reported COVID-19 cases among their workforce. Workers on the A Crew at the Ford Dearborn Truck plant forced a temporary halt to production May 20 after it was discovered that a worker on their shift had tested positive for COVID-19. There were also brief production stoppages at Ford Chicago Assembly. Fiat Chrysler and General Motors have acknowledged that there have been confirmed COVID-19 cases at their factories, but they have not halted production even for cleaning. Neither company has reported how many workers were taken ill or at what factories. The United Auto Workers said that Ford and GM had at least six cases and that Fiat Chrysler had five. Meanwhile, both Toyota and Honda said they had unspecified numbers of COVID-19 cases at their plants and that they had carried out brief pauses in production for cleaning. At latest count at least 25 workers employed by the Detroit Three have died from the disease, along with one Hyundai worker in Montgomery, Mississippi. An undisclosed number of auto parts workers have also died. Workers contacted by the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter denounced the auto companies and the UAW for enforcing an early return to work under conditions where the COVID-19 pandemic is still spreading. A lot of workers feel Chrysler is putting our lives in danger, a worker at Sterling Heights Assembly told the Autoworker Newsletter. We dont know if our co-worker may have the virus, he continued. The six feet rule is impossible in an assembly plant. It takes two people to do certain jobs. At Jefferson North at least four workers became ill while working on the assembly line Thursday evening. Production was not halted, and the UAW and management have refused to supply workers with any explanation of what happened or if the affected workers were tested for COVID-19. Temporary Part Time (TPT) workers are being forced to work 60-hour work weeks to make up for absenteeism. Also, protocols to shut the line 15 minutes before the end of the shift for cleaning are largely being ignored, and the extra time added to breaks, supposedly to clean, is being used by exhausted workers to rest and try to catch their breaths because of difficulties of working in a hot area with a mask. The information blackout by the UAW and auto company management makes it ever more imperative for workers to organize independently to protect their health and safety through the building of rank-and-file workplace and factory safety committees. These committees should be democratically controlled by workers and monitor all conditions in the plants including full testing, social distancing, expanded break times and slower line speeds. In opposition to the increase in production and speed up, which will inevitably lead to the subordination of safety to profit, rank-and-file safety committees must assert their control over production and safety. A worker at the FCA Windsor Assembly plant in Ontario, Canada, said, workers were being starved back to work. I believe this is the beginning of the end for freedom in every aspect of the word freedom. I am not shocked whatsoever, just very disappointed. My heart goes out to every single person working on the assembly line having to deal with less than standard safety measures. We have gone backwards a millennium. Everything our grandfathers fought for is all but lost. A major factor driving the premature reopening of auto plants is financial pressures from banks and investors. Auto sales in April were down 46 percent from one year ago. Some forecasts see a year-over-year decline of 30 percent. Cox Automotive predicted that sales of pickup trucks would be down 18 percent in May. Auto companies are heavily leveraged and must service an increasing debt load. On April 17, Ford sold $8 billion in high yield junk bonds, that is, bonds below what Wall Street considers investment grade. GM also recently sold $4 billion in high yield bonds in an attempt to shore up its increasingly shaky financial position. They are thus seeking to squeeze every ounce of profit and production possible off the backs of workers to pay off these debts. A worker at the FCA transmission plant outside Kokomo, Indiana, denounced the demand by management that workers pay back Supplemental Unemployment Benefits (SUB) they received during the shutdown. Taking away our SUB pay is an injustice because FCA is asking for the money back before they even gave it to us. Some had it taken in a lump sum, and others are having it taken back $100 per check. I had to pay back $480.00. We need that money because we are struggling to pay our bills since we went back to eight-hour shifts. When it came to applying for unemployment many people did not know what to do because they had never done it before. The UAW [United Auto Workers] was not any help because the union website was unclear on what we needed to do to get unemployment. I dont want to give this to my family members. There was an engineer who had died of COVID-19 and another worker who was diagnosed with it. What was this all for? Their numbers. They thought nothing through. Theyre going to have to shut it down all over again. A worker at the GM foundry in Bedford, Indiana, wrote to the Autoworker Newsletter, They have stated and written the importance of distancing and minimizing contact. However, they have mandated and forced employees to work excessive hours including weekends. They have exhausted and not replenished the cleaning supplies for the work areas. Much of the staff and leadership are either not present or working from home. Most of the affected employees are aged 50 plus. He continued, My point is, forcing extra contact by excessive overtime, exposing at-risk employees to toxins, not having replenished cleaning supplies, managers not being exposed to extra hours or even being present. General Motors mandates are self-serving. They are willing to trade lives for auto parts. The FCA transmission plant worker described the lack of serious safety precautions and unhealthy conditions in the plant since it reopened for production in mid-May. Every time we start and end a shift we wait in line, pre-screen, then get the infrared temperature check. And in the line, you cant social distance. Then we need to go through three doors just to get inside of the plant. First of all, there is not enough hand sanitizer or gloves in the plant. There is one hand sanitizer set up at the beginning of the line, and one sink, and its hard to find soap. We have disinfectant cleaner, but not enough paper towels, so I had to buy some of my ownbut we cant be expected to keep doing that. There is no way to do social distancing at all. One shift goes in as another comes out, so there are always thousands of people in the plant. It is causing the parking lots to be overcrowded which is dangerous because since weve opened there have been multiple times people have nearly gotten into accidents. We now get one ten-minute break each hour with only fifteen minutes for lunch, and just walking to the bathroom to wash your hands takes five minutes. Managers are handing out cheap masks with their bare hands. The masks rip easily, and the elastic hurts our ears, so we need to buy or make the ear loops that attach them to your glasses or hat. Its hard to breathe with them on. Weve been getting lightheaded and have phlegm building up in the back of our throats. Queenslanders are being encouraged to take a road trip in the next few weeks, with travel restrictions within the state now fully lifted. There were again no new coronavirus cases in Queensland on Monday, as the state saw the complete lifting of all travel restrictions for the first time since the pandemic began. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has urged Queenslanders to pack up the car for a road trip if they can. With just five active cases and multiple days without any new cases, authorities are now confident that travel within the state can be relaxed fully, while people are still required to maintain social distancing. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk took advantage of the lifting of restrictions to travel nearly the length of the state to Cairns on Monday to showcase what was now possible again. Celebrity trainer Steve 'Commando' Willis returned to work on Monday after leaked texts laid bare his feud with a former client he claims owes him $1,350 in unpaid fees. Private messages obtained by Daily Mail Australia last week show Willis, 43, telling a woman named Margaret to pay him the money in one hour or he'll contact the authorities. 'I will go to the police if you do not pay,' the former Biggest Loser star writes in one of the texts, before the woman claims there has been a 'misunderstanding'. Back to business: Celebrity trainer Steve 'Commando' Willis returned to work on Monday after leaked texts laid bare his feud with a former client he claims owes him $1,350 in unpaid fees. Pictured in Sydney with his girlfriend, Harika Vancuylenberg Despite her protests that she will pay in cash at the start of the next session, Willis says: 'No Margaret - you have one hour to transfer the money.' The dispute between the pair escalated on Sunday when Margaret, whom Willis accuses of stalking him, reported him to police over a supposed breach of social distancing rules at one of his outdoor bootcamps in Sydney's north-west. The trainer's spokesperson said officers had been called to Willis' home 'regarding a reported breach of social distancing' but he denied any wrongdoing. 'You have one hour': Private messages obtained by Daily Mail Australia last week show Willis, 43, telling a woman named Margaret to pay him the money in one hour or he'll call the police Teamwork: The dispute between the pair escalated on Sunday when Margaret (not pictured), whom Willis accuses of stalking him, reported him to police over a supposed breach of social distancing rules at one of his outdoor bootcamps. Pictured: Willis and Vancuylenberg 'He confirmed with local police that he was operating as per current regulations,' they added. The representative claimed that police had been called out of spite 'because [Willis] had made a formal complaint to them about a woman identified as "Margaret"'. 'Steve has been in contact with the police again today regarding ongoing stalking from Margaret. We are in the process of seeking appropriate legal measures against her,' they said. Working hard: During their session on Monday, Willis and Vancuylenberg directed clients through a series of exercises, some of which involved lifting heavy weights Ready for action: He wore a black T-shirt, matching Nike sweatpants and a pair of sunglasses Fit figure: F45 instructor Vancuylenberg opted for a black singlet and Lorna Jane leggings A NSW Police representative told Daily Mail Australia: 'About 1pm today [Sunday], an officer from The Hills Police Area Command attended a home in Beaumont Hills, following reports a woman was seen in the area. 'Police spoke to the occupant to discuss any possible further action. However no further information is available at this time.' Margaret told The Daily Telegraph she had reported Willis for 'breaching social distancing rules at his classes' but denied she had been 'stalking' him. Willis shared a number of photos and videos to Instagram on Sunday that appeared to show the training session in question. Meanwhile, it was business as usual for Willis on Monday as he and his girlfriend, Harika Vancuylenberg, ran an outdoor fitness class in Sydney. Hands-on: Willis assisted his clients by carrying a large weight across the park During the session, the fitness-loving couple directed clients through a series of exercises, some of which involved lifting heavy weights. The powerhouse pair worked seamlessly as a team throughout the session, and were regularly spotted convening with each other from the sidelines. They even shared a drink bottle and wore matching outfits emblazoned with the logo of Willis' brand, CommandoFit. He wore a black T-shirt, matching Nike sweatpants and a pair of sunglasses, while F45 instructor Vancuylenberg opted for a black singlet and Lorna Jane leggings. Documenting: The father-of-four took photos of his dedicated clients during the bootcamp Last Sunday, Willis, Vancuylenberg and Margaret had been filmed getting into a heated argument at a park in Sydney's north-west over alleged outstanding fees. Margaret claimed she did not owe Willis the $1,350 he was asking for. Video footage later went viral showing Willis and Vancuylenberg angrily confronting his former client. Police visit: It comes after police were called to Willis' home 'regarding a reported breach of social distancing' at one of his outdoor training sessions - but he denied any wrongdoing Margaret was filmed approaching the pair as they packed equipment into their car following a group fitness session. 'You are not engaging with him. You pay him what you owe him,' Vancuylenberg screamed in the footage. 'No money, no talking! He has told you $1,300. That is what you owe him.' Allegations: Willis had allegedly led a bootcamp at a park in Sydney's north-west at which the participants had not been sufficiently spaced apart Margaret responded: 'If you don't agree we can go to court, because I have the record that I paid you.' Margaret - who wished for her last name not to be published - insisted she had already paid Willis, who has been training her since April last year, and provided Daily Mail with their Instagram messages. 'Until this is done there will be no further training,' Willis wrote in one message. Dispute: The woman who made the complaint is a former client of Willis' who has been embroiled in an ongoing dispute with him over 'unpaid fees' the trainer claims she owes The back and forth between the pair continued, before Margaret asked Willis to meet up with her face to face to pay him in cash. 'No Margaret - you have one hour to transfer the money,' he said. Margaret responded: 'I didn't say or mean I'm not paying you - you just get angry and [run] away.' 'Morning workout': Willis shared a number of photos and videos to Instagram on Sunday that appeared to show the training session that was the subject of Margaret's complaint to police Margaret, who saw Willis two to four times a week since last April, claims she paid him in cash at the start of every session. In messages to Margaret on May 20, Steve claimed she owed him $200 for each personal training session on April 17, and April 21, May 1, May 4 and May 5. Margaret continued to ask to meet up with Steve in person to pay him in cash, but Steve insisted she simply bank transfer the unpaid money and call it a day. Too close? Margaret told The Daily Telegraph she had reported Willis for 'breaching social distancing rules at his classes' but denied she had been 'stalking' him Margaret said the public spat had broken out shortly after she drove to the public reserve to confront Steve about the payments. 'When I parked my car in the car park and still in the car, Harika sent her two kids, a boy and a girl, to come around my car to check me,' she claimed. 'There was nobody else around my parking spot so it was very obvious. I didn't want to get involved with any kids. So I drove off to get a coffee. 'When I came back I parked in a different spot, I saw in my mirror that Harika came to the rear of my car and started to take photos of me when I was sitting inside.' Margaret said this is when the confrontation was sparked, before she pulled her phone out to film the incident. 'I paid him, I have record': Willis (left) had been confronted by Margaret about a dispute regarding her alleged outstanding fees in Caddies Creek Reserve last Sunday. Footage showed Vancuylenberg (right), stepping in on his behalf, claiming Margaret owed him $1,350 'This is my business, go away': During last Sunday's confrontation, Vancuylenberg threatened that Willis (pictured) would take legal action against Margaret after he told her to 'go away' Willis is yet to confirm his relationship with Vancuylenberg, who works as a trainer at popular fitness franchise F45. They were recently pictured holding hands in Sydney, following his break-up with fellow celebrity trainer Michelle Bridges in December after eight years of dating. It has been reported the pair met in November on a fitness retreat in Tahiti, but did not start dating until February, after he'd split from Bridges. Trump supports Global Coptic Day, stresses importance of religious freedom Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment President Donald Trump issued an official message in support of the second annual Global Coptic Day, expressing his support for the persecuted Christian denomination. In a message released Monday, Trump noted that his administration called the observance an opportunity for the world to mark the contributions, legacy, and ongoing challenges facing the largest Christian group in the Middle East. This year, as we celebrate the second annual Global Coptic Day, we recognize the vital role faith, prayer, and service have in our lives, especially as we continue to face the challenges posed by the novel coronavirus pandemic, stated Trump. We join with people of faith from every corner of the world in asking God to place his healing hand on those fighting the virus and to comfort those who are mourning the loss of a friend or a loved one. The president went on to focus on the importance of international religious freedom, saying that far too many people the world over face persecution on account of their faith. We must ensure that we are using every tool at our disposal to ensure that every man, woman, and child feels safe and secure to worship according to their conscience and beliefsno matter where they live, he continued. I hope todays observance is filled with prayer and joy, and provides those celebrating with a renewed sense of purpose and faith. May God bless each of you. The Global Coptic Day observance was founded in part by Egyptian-born Nader Anise, who launched the Coptic American Chamber of Commerce. A major goal of the observance is to spread awareness about the Coptic Church and contributions it has made to history and culture. In Coptic tradition, June 1 is the Flight of the Holy Family, referencing how Jesus, along with his parents Mary and Joseph, fled to Egypt to escape King Herod. A branch of the Orthodox Church largely based in Egypt, the Coptic Church has long experienced both state-sponsored repression and violence from Islamic extremists. In 2015, the Islamic State released a video online showing 20 Coptic Christian men and one Ghanaian Christian being decapitated on a beach in Libya for their beliefs. In February, a museum dedicated to that group of executed Christians was opened at the Church of the Martyrs of Faith and Homeland in the village of Al-Aour. For its part, in recent times the Egyptian government has granted legal status to a growing number of churches that have increased, with 70 being approved in May. Egypt was ranked number 16 on the Christian persecution watchdog group Open Doors USAs list of worst persecutors of Christians in the world. There are violent attacks that make news headlines around the world, but there are also quieter, more subtle forms of duress that burden Egyptian believers, noted the organization. Particularly in rural areas in northern Egypt, Christians have been chased from villages, and subject to mob violence and intense familial and community pressure. This is even more pronounced for Christians who are converts from Islam. With the social distancing restrictions necessitated by the global pandemic, the prom is just one of the many things that high schoolers have had to forgo. But that didnt sit right with a 7-year-old North Carolina boy. When Curtis Rodgers heard that his favorite babysitter, high school senior Rachel Chapman, had had her prom dreams canceled, he and his mom decided to improvise a celebration of their own. It all started when the pandemic separated Curtis from Rachel, who had been watching him for a year. The lockdown restrictions have kept the two apart for two months. When Rachels school, Sanderson High School, decided to cancel prom for health and safety reasons, Curtis and his mother, Elissa, hatched their plan to re-create all the prom ritualsfrom dressing up, to a fancy meal, to dancing in their backyard. And the creative first-grader spared no effort to make it special. Curtiss elaborate backyard prom even included a special invitation, which Rachel gladly accepted. Theyre awesome together, Elissa told WTVD. They have tons of fun. Shes really become a special part of our family. We love 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. For Rachel, getting a chance to wear her dress and feel special for one night meant a lot. 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, the proud mom said. When Rachel arrived, Curtis escorted her to the decked-out yard with a pool noodle, which the two use to keep a safe distance between them. Elissa said that she was glad that Curtis planned this prom. [I]t was the first time I had seen him in two months, it was like, really fun, she said. After some photoshoots, they proceeded to a very carefully chosen meal. He even remembered Rachels favorite drink flavors and sauces. Once they had their meal, the two even had some traditional prom dancing, albeit at a distance. They used Google voice to be able to queue up their favorite songs without having to touch anything. It was a fitting tribute to his favorite babysitter as she prepares to head off to college at Eastern Carolina University. Curtis, meanwhile, will be starting 2nd grade. Regardless of the distance, the prom showed just how tight their bond was. Curtis is such a fun kid and weve spent some much [sic] time together, Rachel told WNCN. It was really sweet, really thoughtful. I decided that we should just do this now because the coronavirus has people down in the dumps, the inspiring first-grader said. Most importantly, the experience helped put a smile on the high school seniors face. What her school couldnt provide for her due to the pandemic her first-grade friend definitely could. I was kind of like bummed putting my dress on because I was sad; I dont get to wear it to my senior prom, she told WTVD. As for Curtis, he emphasized that love will always win out, no matter what the circumstances. It doesnt matter what happens to you, he told WNCN. It matters what happens to the people you love. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 31) Authorities arrested 90 Chinese nationals in Bacoor City, Cavite on Friday night for violating quarantine protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic. The police operation was prompted by reports of Chinese nationals frequently seen loitering in front of an apartelle in Bacoor City, without wearing upper garments and face masks, and disregarding physical distancing protocols mandated by the Inter-Agency Task Force. Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Anti-Organized Crime Unit detectives were dispatched to the area, later identified as the Mariche Apartelle in Brgy. Mabolo 1, Bacoor City, Cavite. The police said a large group of Chinese men ran inside the apartelle when they saw the responding officers coming, prompting the police to enter the building. Inside, authorities said they found several Chinese nationals disregarding quarantine protocols, with some allegedly engaged in illegal online gambling. Ninety Chinese nationals and two Malaysians were arrested. Police said 48 of them claimed to work for an online gaming company, but failed to provide pertinent records such as passports and working permits. Seized in the operation were 5.3 million in cash, 53 laptops, 102 cellphone units, a passport, and a keyboard, the police added. The foreign nationals are currently detained at the said apartelle in Bacoor City while authorities process the evidence for proper documentation and investigation. The arrested foreigners face a number of charges, including violation of Republic Act 11332, or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act, and Presidential Decree 1602, which prescribes stiffer penalties on illegal gambling as amended by RA 9287, both in relation to RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. 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 Dozens of cities across the United States extended curfews through Sunday night and many deployed National Guard soldiers, amid continuing unrest on the streets. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets again on Sunday after days of protests over the death of George Floyd. Scenes of looting and arson emerged in the evening and the police increasingly militarised their response. In Los Angeles and nearby cities, looting was taking place by Sunday evening. Multiple fires broke out in Washington as protests continue in front of the White House, local media, including NBC reported. The cities of Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Washington were all put under curfews, while the south-western state of Arizona instituted a state-wide, week-long curfew after demonstrators took over city streets and battled the police on Saturday, some of whom responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. The restrictions impacting millions of people came as over 5,000 National Guard soldiers were activated in 15 states and the U.S. capital to back up local law enforcement responses. Minneapolis In Minneapolis where Floyd died in police custody a tanker truck barrelled into a crowd of thousands of people protesting on a highway on Sunday, according to a video shared on social media. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety called the incident very disturbing and said the driver has been arrested. There appeared to be no injuries among the demonstrators. Many local authorities struggled to strike a balance in their response to what they say is rightful outrage at Floyds death, while also condemning mob violence, saying it does not further the cause of racial justice. As the sunset in our beautiful city last night we saw some of the ugliest images in a generation, Los Angeles Mayor, Eric Garcetti, said on Sunday. They are hijacking a moment and movement and changing the conversation. Pent-up rage The outpouring of rage across the U.S. has forced yet another reckoning with the police treatment of African-Americans in the country. Generations of police brutality towards black people appear to have combined with pent-up frustrations over the coronavirus pandemic and a string of viral videos showing mistreatment of African-Americans. Videos on social media, showing police officers appearing to push demonstrators to the ground and a New York police car ramming people after being surrounded, have fed criticism of police actions. In Atlanta, two police officers were fired for excessive force on Sunday after a video went viral showing officers approaching a vehicle, smashing the drivers window and teasing two college students inside, before violently pulling them from the car. Patrisse Cullors, a founding member of the racial justice activist movement Black Lives Matter, said on Twitter that the police are escalating force in what appears to be a unified effort to repress Black resistance. President Donald Trump has taken a highly partisan tone, calling on Democrat mayors and governors to get tough and accusing Antifa a loose network of people that often promotes far-left militancy of sowing the unrest. Mr Trump said on Sunday he would designate Antifa a terrorist organisation, although it appears the president has no authority to declare a domestic terrorist body. Cities had woken up to smouldering streets after a wave of Saturday night protests sparked by the killing of Floyd, a black man who pleaded for breath while a police officer kneeled on his neck. Advertisements Outrage at Floyds death spread from Minneapolis, with local news outlets reporting deaths linked to demonstrations in Chicago and Indianapolis, Indiana. Los Angeles saw trendy stores looted while a courthouse in Nashville, Tennessee, was set on fire. A police building was ransacked in Ferguson, Missouri the city that was itself the site of violent protests in 2014 after the shooting to death of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a police officer. New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio, said 300 arrests had been made in his city overnight Saturday, as he continued to defend a police vehicle that rammed demonstrators that surrounded it. Police in Los Angeles arrested nearly 400 on Saturday, Police Chief, Michel Moore, said on Sunday. The unrest and protests have also sparked concerns that massive crowds largely flouting social-distancing guidelines will exacerbate the U.S. public health crisis. The first protests came nearly immediately after the video surfaced on Tuesday of a white police officer kneeling on Mr Floyds neck for minutes as he pleads I cant breathe. The 46-year-old eventually lost consciousness and his limp body was loaded onto an ambulance stretcher. Mr Floyd was pronounced dead shortly after the incident. The officer, who kneeled on Floyd, Derek Chauvin, was charged with third degree murder and manslaughter on Friday. (dpa/NAN) live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Biocon started enrolling patients in early May to test whether its biologic drug Itolizumab, used in treatment of psoriasis, could cure COVID-19 patients with high cytokine levels. The trial, conducted across six hospital sites, will be an open-label, randomised controlled study. Open label refers to patients and investigators of clinical trial know who got the drug. Controlled arm refers to people who don't get the drug, this is done to compare efficacy and safety. How does the drug work? It has been found that 'cytoskine storm' is the leading cause of deaths of COVID-19. Cytokines stimulate immune system to kill virus. But in COVID-19, the virus tricks our body to produce uncontrollable flood of cytokines, which while helping in fighting virus, also worsens a patient's condition and causes multi-organ failure. Even young people are susceptible to cytokine storms. Researchers at Biocon, who are screening their drug pipelines in response to COVID-19, have started to see potential in Itolizumab - a first-in-class humanised monoclonal antibody. T-cells secrete cytokines, Itolizumab works by targeting a marker on T-cell called CD6, and thereby regulating production of inflammatory cytokines. Drugs like Itloizumab are called as immunomodulators. 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 Track this blog for latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak "We started enrolling patients. We have seen very early data, it's been good. This drug is given more in a combination with other drugs. Right now it is not established in isolation," Siddharth Mittal, Managing Director and CEO, had said in an interview to Moneycontrol. Cuban connection It isn't Biocon alone that is testing the drug. The drug is now being tested by Cuba. Mittal said Cuba has seen little more data and are quite encouraged by the outcome. Itolizumab was originally developed by Cuban's state-owned research laboratory CIM (Centre for Molecular Immunology). The molecule was developed for treating cancers like lymphomas and leukemia, but it had found use in autoimmune disorders, where immune system attacks our own body. Reuters reported that Cuban government is testing two drugs, one is Itolizumab, and the other is an experimental peptide (protein) drug discovered by its biotech industry for rheumatoid arthritis against COVID-19. Some 80 percent of patients who end up in critical condition are dying. In Cuba, with the use of these drugs, 80 percent of those who end up in critical or serious condition are being saved, President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Thursday in a meeting shown on state television, Reuters reported. The Communist party ruled Cuba has done well in ensuring universal healthcare access to people and indigenously developed biopharmaceutical drugs targeting the diseases its population is vulnerable to. Biocon partnered with CIM and its commercial branch CIMAB SA in 2003 to develop monoclonal antibodies for cancer treatment primarily in the Indian and other highly regulated markets like US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The Indian drug maker had in-licensed Itolizumab drug in 2006 and has put in significant effort and investment on clinical trials. Biocon launched the drug under the brand name Alzumab to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in 2013. But beyond India, Biocon had a tough time developing the drug especially for US market, because of the Cuban link. The US government enforces economic and trade sanctions against certain targeted foreign countries and regimes that includes Cuba. The US regulations restrict US companies from engaging in any transaction in which a Cuban entity has at any time since July 1962 had any interest whatsolver, whether direct or indirect. Currently Biocon has out-licensed Itolizumab to US biotech Equillium for development in US and Canada. Equillium has been awarded fast track and orphan drug designations for the molecule in both prevention and treatment of Graft-versus-host disease (GHVD) by the USFDA. An analyst told Moneycontrol that if the drug is found to be useful against COVID-19, it will be beneficial to patients as Itolizumab is more affordable than other immunomodulator biologic drugs in the market. Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak The King and Queen of Bhutan have released the first photos of their three-month-old son. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 40, and Queen Jetsun Pema shared their first photos as a family-of-four on Facebook yesterday. The couple are already parents to four-year-old Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, known as the Dragon Prince, who is seen smiling proudly at his baby brother in the new photographs. The baby's name has not yet been announced. The snaps were taken in the grounds of Lingkana Palace in the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu and were released to mark the queen's 30th birthday this week. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 40, and Queen Jetsun Pema shared their first photos as a family-of-four on Facebook yesterday. The couple are already parents to four-year-old Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, known as the Dragon Prince, who is seen smiling proudly The snaps were taken in the grounds of Lingkana Palace in the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu and were released to mark the queen's 30th birthday this week. Pictured, the family together Sharing the photos on the official King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Facebook page, the royal family wrote: 'To commemorate the 30th Birth Anniversary of Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen on the 4th of June, it is our privilege to share a wonderful collection of photographs of the Royal Family. 'These Kupars were taken at the Lingkana Palace grounds on the 29th of May. His Royal Highness name will be announced in the coming days. 'With deepest gratitude and love on this special occasion, we offer our prayers for the lasting happiness and health of our Beloved Queen, Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen.' Their oldest son, Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, is the heir to the Bhutanese throne. King Jigme, the hugely popular fifth Druk Gyalpo, studied in the UK and the US and ascended the throne in 2006, aged just 26 after his own father abdicated. The King, known as the Dragon King, with both of his sons. The couple's oldest son, Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, pictured right, is the heir to the Bhutanese throne Unlike his son, who plans to have a monogamous marriage, the former King, who introduced democracy to Bhutan during his reign, has four wives, all sisters who he married on the same day. But despite his own upbringing, the current monarch has made clear that he only plans to have one wife, whom he married on October 13, 2011, when she was still an international relations student at Regent's College in London. The match made headlines at the time because the young King was more openly affectionate with his wife than citizens were used to - leaving the couple to be called 'the William and Kate of the Himalayas'. However, his very public displays of affection - which included kissing his wife on the cheek and holding her hand - was well-received by young people, with many even choosing to follow the royals' example. PDC Energy puts on an annual fundraising event called Faces of Freedom, which funds the Operation Freedom program at Freedom Service Dogs. This program places custom-trained, life-changing service dogs with veterans and active-duty military. In the back row from left are Anne Clark, Drew Hetherington, Mark Seligman, Dusty Madison, Michael Weaver, Ryan Martin and Peter Behler. Kneeling from left are Brianna Schaefer, Kaitlin Schwartz, Morgan McCabe and Kimberly Luce. Inside the White House, the mood was bristling with tension. Hundreds of protesters were gathering outside the gates, shouting curses at President Donald Trump and in some cases throwing bricks and bottles Washington: Inside the White House, the mood was bristling with tension. Hundreds of protesters were gathering outside the gates, shouting curses at President Donald Trump and in some cases throwing bricks and bottles. Nervous for his safety, Secret Service agents abruptly rushed the president to the underground bunker used in the past during terrorist attacks. The scene on Friday night, described by a person with firsthand knowledge, added to the sense of unease at the White House as demonstrations spread after the brutal death of a Black man in police custody under a White officers knee. While in the end officials said they were never really in danger, Trump and his family have been rattled by protests that turned violent two nights in a row near the Executive Mansion. After days in which the empathy he expressed for George Floyd, the man killed, was overshadowed by his combative threats to ramp up violence against looters and rioters, Trump spent Sunday out of sight, even as some of his campaign advisors were recommending that he deliver a nationally televised address before another night of possible violence. The building was even emptier than usual as some White House officials planning to work were told not to come in case of renewed unrest. But while some aides urged him to keep off Twitter while they mapped out a more considered strategy, Trump could not resist blasting out a string of messages Sunday once again berating Democrats for not being tough enough and attributing the turmoil to radical leftists. Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors, he wrote. Referring to his presumptive Democratic presidential opponent, former vice-president Joe Biden, he added: These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW. The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe. Is this what America wants? NO!!! The president said his administration will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organisation, referring to the shorthand for anti-fascist. But antifa is a movement of activists who dress in black and call themselves anarchists, not an organisation with a clear structure that can be penalised under law. Moreover, US law applies terrorist designations to foreign entities, not domestic groups. By targeting antifa, however, Trump effectively sweeps all the protests with the brush of violent radicalism without addressing the underlying conditions that have driven many of the people who have taken to the streets. Demonstrations have broken out in at least 75 cities in recent days, with governors and mayors calling the National Guard or imposing curfews on a scale not seen since the aftermath of the assassination of the Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr in 1968. While Trump has been a focus of anger, particularly in the crowds in Washington, aides repeatedly have tried to explain to him that the protests were not only about him, but about broader, systemic issues related to race, according to several people familiar with the discussions. Privately, Trumps advisors complained about his tweets, acknowledging that they were pouring fuel on an incendiary situation. Those are not constructive tweets, without any question, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the only Black Republican in the Senate, said in an interview Sunday. Im thankful that we can have the conversation. We dont always agree on any of his tweets beforehand, but we have the ability to sit down and dialogue on how we move this nation forward. Dan Eberhart, a Republican donor and supporter of Trump, said the president, with election looming in five months, is focused on catering to his core supporters rather than the nation at large. Trump is far more divisive than past presidents, Eberhart said. His strength is stirring up his base, not calming the waters. Robert OBrien, the presidents national security advisor, said the president would continue to take a strong stand for law and order even as he understood the anger over Floyds death. We want peaceful protesters who have real concerns about brutality and racism. They need to be able to go to the city hall. They need to be able to petition their government and let their voices be heard, OBrien said on State of the Union on CNN. And they cant be hijacked by these left-wing antifa militants who are burning down primarily communities in the African-American sections and the Hispanic sections of our city, where immigrants and hardworking folks are trying to get a leg up. But Trumps absence rankled the Democrats he was criticising. What Id like to hear from the president is leadership, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta said on Meet the Press. And I would like to hear a genuine care and concern for our communities and where we are with race relations in America. Some officials were urging Trump to hold events intended to show Black voters enraged over the latest videotaped act of brutality that he heard their views. But others have counselled that the president should take a hard line, one that is not quite as aggressive as his tweets but that sends a message to business owners whose property has been destroyed that he is willing to defend them. Some in the presidents circle see the escalations as a political boon, much in the way Richard Nixon won the presidency on a law-and-order platform after the 1968 riots. One advisor to Trump, who insisted on anonymity to describe private conversations, said images of widespread destruction across the country could be helpful to the law-and-order message that Trump has tried to project since his 2016 campaign. The advisor said that it could particularly appeal to older women at a time when Trumps support among seniors has eroded amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately affected them. The risk, this advisor added, is that people are worn out by the presidents behaviour. Other advisors said most top aides were unhappy with Trumps 1 am tweet on Friday invoking a 1967 quote from a Miami police chief about shooting black people during civil unrest. Those advisors said it was far from certain that Trump could use the violent outbreaks in cities to improve his weak standing with suburban women and independent voters. The election was clearly on the presidents mind on Sunday. In response to questions about what he was doing to address the tumult, Trump forwarded a reply through an aide that focused on the upcoming campaign. Im going to win the election easily, the president said. The economy is going to start to get good and then great, better than ever before. Im getting more judges appointed by the week, including two Supreme Court justices, and Ill have close to 300 judges by the end of the year. (So far he has confirmed about 200.) An administration official said Trump met Sunday with generals to discuss a variety of matters and talked with world leaders as he considered how to restructure the annual Group of 7 international summit that he decided to postpone. Vice-President Mike Pence is scheduled to hold a conference call with governors on Monday as part of the coronavirus response, and the unrest seems likely to be discussed. Most of the presidents top advisors were not around for the weekend, including Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, and Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and senior advisor. Some campaign advisors were pressing for a formal address to the nation as early as Sunday. But White House officials, recalling Trumps error-filled Oval Office address in March about the spread of the coronavirus, cautioned that it was not necessary. Trump already tried to recalibrate by ripping up his speech at the Kennedy Space Centre on Saturday after the launch of the new crewed SpaceX rocket and adding a long passage about Floyd. In the speech, Trump repeated his calls for law and order, but in more measured terms and leavened by expressions of sympathy for Floyds family, whom he had called to offer condolences. Aides were disappointed that the remarks, delivered late on Saturday afternoon as part of a speech otherwise celebrating the triumph of the space programme, did not get wider attention, but they said they hoped they would break through. Several administration officials said Trump was genuinely horrified by the video of Floyds last minutes, mentioning it several times in private conversations over the last few days. Trump and his team seemed taken off guard by the protests that materialised outside the White House on Friday night. Hundreds of people surged toward the White House as Secret Service and US Park Police officers sought to block them. Bricks and bottles were thrown, and police responded with pepper spray. At one point, an official said, a barricade near the treasury department next door to the White House was penetrated. It was not clear what specifically prompted the Secret Service to whisk Trump to the Presidential Emergency Operations Centre, as the underground bunker is known, but the agency has protocols for protecting the president when the building is threatened. Former vice-president Dick Cheney was brought to the bunker on 11 September, 2001, when authorities feared one of the planes hijacked by Al-Qaeda was heading toward the White House. President George W Bush, who was out of town until that evening, was rushed there later after a false alarm of another plane threat. The bunker has not been used much, if at all, since those early days of the war on terrorism, but it has been hardened to withstand the force of a passenger jet crashing into the mansion above. The president and his family were rattled by their experience Friday night, according to several advisors. After his evening in the bunker, Trump emerged on Saturday morning to boast that he never felt unsafe and vow to sic vicious dogs and ominous weapons on intruders. Melania Trump, anxious about the protests, opted at the last minute not to travel to Florida for the rocket launch Saturday. After Trump returned to the White House from Florida on Saturday, he found a White House again under siege. This time, security was ready. Washington police blocked off roads for blocks around the building, while hundreds of police officers and National Guard troops ringed the exterior perimeter wearing helmets and riot gear and holding up plastic shields. Protesters shouted no justice, no peace, and black lives matter as well as a chant targeting Trump with an expletive while a phalanx of camouflage-wearing troops marched through Lafayette Square to reinforce the police lines. Crowds surged toward the riot troops, and some threw objects. Fires were set in a dumpster and a sport-utility vehicle, while glass windows were shattered at Washington icons like the Hay Adams Hotel and the Oval Room restaurant. Graffiti was spray-painted for blocks, including on the historic Decatur House a block from the White House: Why do we have to keep telling you black lives matter? By morning, the damage was being swept up, clearly contained to a couple of blocks and nothing like the 1968 riots that devastated Washington. Inside the White House, the president waited for nightfall to see what would happen. Peter Baker and Maggie Haberman c.2020 The New York Times Company Google may have pushed back the Android 11 beta launch again, but it still has some new features for Pixel phone users. The company is announcing a set of updates today that promise to extend battery life, improve your sleep and give more people access to safety tools during emergencies. The most timely of these is the rollout of the Pixel 4s Personal Safety app to all Pixel devices. The existing version of the app will let you share medical information with first responders, set emergency contacts and send a short message with your current location to them. On a Pixel 4 and Pixel 3, the system will be able to detect when youve been in a car crash and alert emergency services in your area. Those are the only two devices compatible with this feature for now. Google is also adding a Safety Check tool that lets you schedule a check-in from the app at a later time. So say youre attending a peaceful protest (or a solo hike or run) you can set a check for three hours later. If you dont respond at the scheduled time, the app will alert your emergency contacts. Google Another update that could come in useful in fraught situations is the new integration between the Recorder app and Google services like Assistant and Docs. When you need to start a voice note in a hurry, you can now just tell your device Hey Google, start recording my meeting. You can also use this to look for transcripts by asking Hey Google, show me transcripts about dogs. When you need to share a transcript with someone, you can now export it to Google Docs. Since the Recorder app performs its transcriptions on-device, instead of relying on cloud processing like similar services like Otter.ai, its documents used to be hard to access as they were saved to the app on your phone. This update should make it easier to copy and paste quotes for use in articles or even when dictating project proposals. We always welcome features that can squeeze more juice out of our phones, especially given the Pixels notoriously short battery lives. With this update, Google is enhancing its existing Adaptive Battery feature, which learns your favorite apps to cut power consumption by those you rarely use. The new version on Pixel 2 and newer devices will predict when youll run out of battery and further reduce background activity so get even more runtime. When its finally time to rest, the new Bedtime feature should help. Its a page in the Clock app that lets you set your daily sleep and wake times, and displays information like upcoming calendar events and what apps you typically stay up past your bedtime to use. You can have the Pixel play you calming sounds before you go to bed and limit interruptions overnight. A sunrise alarm feature lets you wake up to a track of your choice or a gradually brightening display. Google The rollout appears to be slated for the immediate future, though the company said in a statement that users should check out the Pixel forum to see when these updates will land on their phones. Oil prices fell nearly 1% on Monday as traders hedged bets with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) considering meeting as soon as this week to discuss whether to extend record production cuts beyond end-June. Brent crude fell 34 cents to $37.50 a barrel, in the first day of trading in the contract with August as the front month. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for July delivery were at $35.17 a barrel, down 32 cents, by 0123 GMT. The price falls come after front-month Brent and WTI prices posted their strongest monthly gains in years in May. Gains were boosted by OPEC crude production dropping to its lowest in two decades with demand is expected to recover as more nations emerge from coronavirus lockdowns. "The focus is very much on OPEC+," OCBC economist Howie Lee said, referring to the grouping of OPEC and its allies including Russia. OPEC+ agreed in April to reduce output by an unprecedented 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd) in May and June after the coronavirus pandemic ravaged demand. "We might see a cautious pullback in (crude) prices given that downstream prices haven't caught up ... but if OPEC+ does come up with a three-month extension, there's a possibility that prices may hit the $40 level," Lee said. Still, tensions between the United States and China weighed on global financial markets while traders are also keeping an eye on riots over the weekend that have engulfed major U.S. cities. Saudi Arabia is proposing to extend record cuts from May and June until the end of the year, but has yet to win support from Russia, sources have told Reuters. Algeria, which currently holds the OPEC presidency, has proposed an OPEC+ meeting planned for June 9-10 be brought forward to facilitate oil sales for countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait. Russia has no objection to the meeting being brought forward to June 4. Meanwhile supply in North America is also falling as data from Baker Hughes Co showed that the U.S. and Canada oil and gas rigs count dropped to a record low in the week to May 29. New Delhi: Two Pakistan High Commission officials caught red-handed trying to source information as part of espionage will be crossing border later today. They were declared persona non grata on Sunday by India for spying in the country. The two officials of Pakistani High Commission, Abdi Hussain Abid (42) and Tahir Khan (44) were nabbed in a restaurant in Delhi's Karol Bagh while trying to source sensitive document on a specific tip. A trap was laid and they were apprehended. They had come in a diplomatic car of Pakistan mission and visuals showed a broken windshield of the vehicle. WION had accessed exclusive video of the operation which was carried out on Sunday. In the video, Abid can be seen crossing the road while Tahir keeping an eye from a distance. WION was the first channel to break the story on Sunday evening and had also reported how they had roamed around with fake Indian identity. The authorities recovered a fake Aadhar card by the name of Nazir Gotam, resident of Geeta Colony. Other than this, authorities recovered two Apple iPhone and Rs 15,000 in cash. Explaining how two officials were apprehended by "Indian law enforcement authorities for indulging in espionage activities" the ministry of external affairs in a release said, "the government has declared both these officials persona non grata for indulging in activities incompatible with their status as members of a diplomatic mission and asked them to leave the country within 24 hours." The Pakistani Charge de Affaires was issued a demarche in which India strongly protested "with regard to the activities of these officials" and "asked to ensure that no member of its diplomatic mission should indulge in activities inimical to India or behave in a manner incompatible with their diplomatic status." Last time such an incident happened was in 2016. Back in 2016, India had declared one Pakistani high commission official Mehmood Akhtar as persona non grata after being apprehended by Indian law enforcement authorities while receiving sensitive documents. Abid Hussain Abid (42 year) and resident of Shekhpura, Punjab, Pakistan and Mohd Tahir (44 yrs) is resident of F-11/6, Islamabad, Pakistan. According to the Indian government in a statement made in Parliament on December 2016, during his interrogation, Akhtar revealed that he belonged to Baloch Regiment of Pakistan Army and had joined Pakistan's spy agency Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) on deputation. He was posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi since September 2013. The Pakistan High Commissioner was summoned by the Foreign Secretary with India registering a strong protest on the activities of Mehmood Akhtar. That day itself, in an apparent tit-for-tat, Pakistan declared an Assistant Personnel and Welfare Officer in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad Surjeet Singh as persona non-grata. Protests against police brutality following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis are planned throughout New Jersey over the next few days. Saturday marked the first protests in New Jersey with thousands of people marching through the streets of Newark chanting No justice, no peace! and I cant breathe in a demonstration against racism and police brutality. The protests continued into Sunday, with police officers in Atlantic City and Trenton kneeling with protestors while in Camden there was a peaceful protest with police, including Police Chief Joseph D. Wysocki, walking side-by-side with demonstrators. Sunday evening came reports of groups taking to the streets of Trenton and Atlantic City to smash window, loot stores and set vehicles on fire. Some communities that saw protests earlier in the day, including Glassboro, Pitman, Rahway and Linden, did not report in violence afterward. Some of the protests planned in New Jersey this week: NOTE: NJ.com has removed information about a protest in Summit, Short Hills and New Providence Thursday because it could not be verified Protests over Floyds death spread across the country into early Sunday, spilling into New York City, Atlanta, Detroit, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Portland and Washington, D.C. Four police officers who were at the scene of Floyds death have been fired, and one, Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the case. In New Jersey, all 21 N.J. county prosecutors offices call images of George Floyd death deeply disturbing and said police are not exempt from law. In a statement Saturday, New Jersey State PBA President Pat Colligan condemned Chauvin and the four officers also at the scene. The actions that we saw on video are contrary to all our training and does harm to the good reputation of the overwhelming number of brave men and women in law enforcement trying to do their job in an honorable and lawful manner," Colligan said. Nobody in law enforcement can look at that video and justify the actions of those officers. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Health officials have confirmed that one more person in Ireland has died from Covid-19 while the number of confirmed cases here has now passed 25,000. There have now been 1,650 Covid-19 related deaths here. A further 77 cases were also announced. It is the tenth day in a row in which the number of new cases remained below 100, but the number of new cases increased daily over the weekend. There are now 25,062 confirmed cases of Covid-19. Dr Tony Holohan, chief medical officer, said 90% of patients have recovered but more work is needed. "As restrictions ease and we begin to resume social and economic life, we must do all we can to prevent a second wave," he said. "It is vital that we continue to practice hand and cough hygiene and social distancing, with the additional hygiene measure of face coverings in appropriate settings. It is important to give space to our vulnerable people when out and about. We must continue to do all we can to interrupt the spread of this virus. Some 57% of cases are female and 13% of all cases have resulted in hospitalisation. With 7,968 cases associated with healthcare workers, Siptu has called on Health Minister Simon Harris to release information on infection rates in those workers without delay. Paul Bell, the union's health division organiser, said workers "have a right to the truth". "The reality is that Siptu representatives have been seeking answers as to why nearly 8,000 of health workers have contracted the Covid-19 virus, why nearly a third of all Covid-19 infections are health workers, and why six of health workers died of the disease, for weeks now," Mr Bell said. Siptu wants a breakdown of the location of cases associated with healthcare workers, as well as gender, age and the grade of the worker. There is no need for any further obstruction or drama on this specific matter. This is not only in the public interest, but in the interest of the health and safety of all health workers. Workers we all rely upon to protect us, in this time of anxiety and uncertainty," Mr Bell said. Security forces and police have busted a narco-terror module in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir and arrested six associates of banned Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), an official said on Monday. According to the police, the militant associates were in close connection with Pakistan-based handlers and involved in drug trade, supply of weapons and assisted financially to active militants of JeM, he said. Acting on a credible input, a joint team of police, army and CRPF apprehended them from Chadoora area of the district, a police official said. He said the arrested persons have been identified as Mudassir Fayaz, Shabir Ganaie, Sageer Ahmad Poswal, Issaq Bhat, Arshid Thoker and a minor whose identity has been withheld. "Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition, including a Chinese pistol, a hand grenade, Rs 1,55,000 cash and one kilogram of narco heroine, were recovered from their possession," the official said. He said the "recoveries have exposed the connection between drug dealers and terrorists". , We're sorry, this article is not currently available The Presbyterian Church of Ireland will officially welcome its 175th Moderator tonight, as Reverend David Bruce will be endorsed at a special ceremony at Stormont. Due to the coronavirus regulations, the occasion will be live streamed from 7pm with just four people taking part in the Assembly Hall. The installation usually coincides with the opening night of the General Assembly and the 900 attendees would have included past moderators, civic dignitaries and representatives from other churches across Europe, Africa and Asia. In what has been a week of celebrations for Dr Bruce's family, he and his wife, Zoe, welcomed the birth of their new grandson, Malek, on Tuesday, while he was also awarded with an honorary Doctorate of Divinity by the Presbyterian Faculty of Ireland. Outlining tonight's service of installation, the Clerk of the General Assembly and General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church, Rev Trevor Gribben, explained that those present will include himself, the outgoing and incoming Moderators, Rt Rev Dr William Henry and Rev Bruce (62), and the Deputy Clerk of the General Assembly, Rev Jim Stothers. All appropriate health and safety precautions will be followed, including observing government guidance on social distancing in the large hall. "It is the Presbyterian family coming together, and as far as I am aware a meeting has never been cancelled, only postponed, due to a different kind of national emergency in 1940," stated Rev Gribben. "We have found it necessary to find different ways of working to do what needs to be done, and this includes the installation of our new Moderator." Those watching tonight's event will hear the outgoing Moderator, Dr Henry, give an address, before Dr Bruce will outline his plans and hopes for 2020/21. To watch tonight's installation visit www.presbyterianireland.org. Washington, June 1 : Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Sunday night she was imposing a citywide curfew amid rising tensions between protesters and police outside the White House over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed in Minneapolis police custody. Bowser said in a statement the curfew would last "from 11 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, until 6 a.m. on Monday, June 1." She had also activated the D.C. National Guard to support the local police, Xinhua news agency reported. Sunday marked the third day in a row of protests in the U.S. capital over the death of Floyd. While the clash between protesters and law enforcement officers was less severe than that in other parts of the country, D.C. Chief of Police Peter Newsham said on Sunday the Metropolitan Police Department still arrested 17 people Saturday night and that 11 police officers were injured during the protests. Floyd, aged 46, died on May 25 after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "please, I can't breathe." Chauvin was arrested and charged with three-degree murder and manslaughter earlier on Friday. Floyd's plea before his death evoked African Americans' painful memories. In 2014, a cellphone recorded an unarmed black man, Eric Garner, 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. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Hong Kong is burning again. A new round of anti-mainland unrest has started in Hong Kong as opposition has gathered momentum against the anthem bill, which would criminalise insulting Chinas national anthem, and the security law, which many fear will take away Hong Kong of basic freedoms. This is the second stage of these protests which were fuelled last year by an extradition law which was later scrapped under pressure. In 1997, under the principle of one country, two systems, Hong Kong became part of China with an understanding that it would enjoy a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs for 50 years. That very principle came under challenge with an extradition law last year that would have allowed extradition from Hong Kong to mainland China. There was a massive backlash against this law as hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers took to the streets to protest against the extradition bill which they feared would be used to target political dissidents. And then in a stunning rebuke to the Communist Partys handling of the Hong Kong crisis, pro-democracy forces made massive gains in local elections held last year in November with pro democracy councillors getting the control of 17 of the 18 district councils in an election that saw an unprecedented voter turnout of more than 71%. But for Xi, Hong Kong is important. He held the Hong Kong portfolio on the Communist Partys Politburo Standing Committee before he became Chinas de facto emperor. He seems to have an implicit faith in his unyielding tough stance, and as he has centralised power to an unprecedented level, there is no one else to share any blame for the policies enunciated by Xi. Not surprisingly, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had underlined that no matter what happens, Hong Kong is a part of China and warned that any attempt to mess up Hong Kong, or even damage its prosperity and stability, will not succeed. And so after a few months of lull, Xi is back with a new security law proposed for Hong Kong which would ban treason, secession, sedition and subversion which China argues is required to combat violent protests that have grown in the territory. This is an extraordinary assertion as the original protests were a response to China going back on its 1997 commitment to the people of Hong Kong. But in the age of Xi, this does not matter. What matters is an assertion of Chinese authority on all those who defy it. At a time when China is facing global pressure and indignation over its mismanagement of the initial stages of coronavirus, tightening screws on Hong Kong gives Xi Jinping a nationalistic boost and potentially rallies the nation around the flag. At a time when China is facing global pressure and indignation over its mismanagement of the initial stages of coronavirus, tightening screws on Hong Kong gives Xi Jinping a nationalistic boost and potentially rallies the nation around the flag. This despite growing global condemnation of Chinese moves vis-a-vis Hong Kong. While countries like the UK, Canada and Australia have publicly expressed their concerns, the US has upped the ante with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo certifying to the US Congress that no reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China, given facts on the ground and that the new security law was only the latest in a series of actions that fundamentally undermine Hong Kongs autonomy and freedoms. This can potentially pave the way for the US Congress revoking Hong Kongs special trade status which it enjoys under the US law. US President has announced that he was beginning the process to end preferential treatment for Hong Kong when it comes to trade and travel. Arguing that China has replaced One Country, Two Systems with One Country, One System, Trump has declared that sanctions would be imposed on Chinese and Hong Kong officials who were believed by Washington to be working towards eroding the territorys autonomous status as well as suspending the entry of foreign nationals from China identified by the US as potential security risks. New Delhis firm military and diplomatic posturing has made it clear to Beijing that India is in for the long haul. But it is unlikely to deter the Communist Party of China (CPC) from making its moves in Hong Kong. While there might be economic costs to China due to Washingtons moves, for the CPC it is imperative that it is seen as managing the crisis in Hong Kong forcefully. Any weakness in Hong Kong can be seen as a precursor to pro-democracy sentiment elsewhere on the mainland. And at a time when Chinese economy has slowed down and unemployment levels are at an unprecedented level, the basic bargain between economic prosperity and political legitimacy of the CPC is being threatened like never before. The situation is Taiwan has already become precarious with the COVID-19 pandemic acting as a new springboard for Taiwans global integration much to Beijings discomfiture. So it is not surprising that as the situation in Hong Kong has become more precarious, Beijing has dialled down the rhetoric on the Indian border tensions with Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong underlining that China and India should never let their differences shadow the overall bilateral ties and must enhance mutual trust. New Delhis firm military and diplomatic posturing has made it clear to Beijing that India is in for the long haul. Given its own problems at home and the focus on Hong Kong over the coming days, de-escalation on its borders with India suits China well. But make no mistake; China under Xis leadership is one of the most assertive and aggressive powers the world has encountered in a long time. Hong Kongs woes are only likely to get worse and India should be prepared for a long protracted tussle with a neighbouring power that is revisionist to the core. UPDATED Monday, June 1: At least 12 arrested as thousands gather for third round of Portland protests *** Protests in Portland have stretched into a fourth day, and Portland Police declared a civil disturbance early in the evening during a confrontation with demonstrators downtown. Meanwhile, another group has roved peacefully through much of Portlands east side. Demonstrations, some destructive or violent, have broken out across the country after the death of George Floyd, the Minneapolis man prosecutors say was murdered by a police officer. Video showed Floyd, handcuffed, cried for help as an officer knelt on his neck, pinning him to the pavement for at least eight minutes. The protests have spread nationally and internationally. Floyds death and the subsequent protests have drawn new attention long-simmering anguish over the deaths of black men and women at the hands of police officers. Protests began Thursday with a peaceful march. On Friday, after hours of peaceful demonstration in various locations around the city, a riot broke out in downtown Portland. Several fires were set downtown, and the Justice Center was ransacked at set ablaze. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has imposed a curfew that takes effect at 8 p.m. and lasts until 6 a.m. Monday. Officials have shut down transit through downtown and closed off key freeway access points ahead of expected protests. Heres the latest from Portland on Sunday. 11:59 p.m. | Protests continue, live updates conclude We will have more coverage of the nights events Monday morning on OregonLive. 11:56 p.m. | Portland police order protesters to leave, meet with two protesters Portland police declared the gathering of remaining protesters a civil disturbance and ordered people to leave downtown. Earlier, Police Chief Jami Resch met inside the Justice Center with two people with whom police liaisons had been speaking near the fence surrounding the building. Chief Resch and Capt. Lovell just met with some of the leaders involved in tonight's protest. They asked PPB to get the message out that the violent acts were not what was intended for tonight. They asked for people to leave. pic.twitter.com/ALmj7rICVA Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 1, 2020 11:26 p.m. | Police fire tear gas again at Justice Center Police have again ordered a crowd to disperse from outside the Justice Center, saying fireworks are being set off in officers direction. More tear gas has been fired, according to reporters on the scene. Now seeing fireworks, flashbangs and tear gas outside of the Justice Center in Downtown Portland #LiveOnK2 pic.twitter.com/pYbjBu9t5J Dan McCarthy (@DanMcKATU) June 1, 2020 Demonstrators are setting off numerous fireworks and aerial mortars at officers. Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 1, 2020 10:50 p.m. | Police say demonstrators have broken windows at the federal courthouse The Portland Police Bureau said demonstrators have broken windows at the federal courthouse. The agency initially said protesters had broken in, but officials corrected themselves. Police are telling the large crowd to leave to the west. Cops tear gassed people at courthouse, saying the were breaking windows. At Justice Center, cops asked peaceful protestors to move south. But at courthouse, they are swarming. pic.twitter.com/Bn7iJ2kEAk Molly Harbarger (@MollyHarbarger) June 1, 2020 10:29 p.m. | Large crowd still gathered outside downtown Justice Center A large group is outside the Justice Center packing two blocks and the surrounding streets. 9:21 p.m. | Portland community listening session draws more than 320 participants As marchers took to the streets for a third night in Portland, more than 320 city residents joined together via video conference to grieve George Floyds killing in Minneapolis police custody and talk about how to hold local police accountable. The Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing, a community oversight group required under a city settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, organized the special meeting Sunday night. It drew the most attendees since the groups inception. Read more. 9:18 p.m. | As large group enters downtown, police say march will set the tone Police are broadcasting a message to a large crowd entering downtown: The city of Portland wants to protects your first amendment rights. The tone of your demonstration will set the tone for this evening. Please demonstrate but do not destroy your city. If you cant hear this, the police are saying the city of Portland wants to protects your first amendment rights. The tone of your demonstration will set the tone for this evening. Please demonstrate but do not destroy your city. pic.twitter.com/G6Y6q0dsmm Molly Harbarger (@MollyHarbarger) June 1, 2020 Some demonstrators are trying often successfully to stop others from vandalizing buildings. 8:55 p.m. | Another large crowd heads into downtown As police use tear gas in an attempt to disperse protesters throughout downtown, another large group is headed into downtown. Part of the group of protesters that met at Laurelhurst Park is headed across the Burnside Bridge into downtown. Here we go pic.twitter.com/BtIdb1iAfg Molly Harbarger (@MollyHarbarger) June 1, 2020 The Portland Police Bureau said officers are continuing to work with the marchers and described the demonstration as peaceful. Members of the Demonstration Liaison Team are continuing to work with the large number of marchers as they proceed westbound downtown in what is now a peaceful march. Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 1, 2020 8:42 p.m. | Police deploy tear gas across downtown Police have used tear gas in an attempt to disperse lingering groups throughout much of downtown, including Pioneer Courthouse Square. Loudspeakers can be heard ordering protesters to leave or face arrested. 8:09 p.m. | Police order downtown protesters to disperse, fire tear gas Police fired tear gas near the Multnomah County Justice Center downtown Portland shortly after an 8 p.m. curfew took effect. Police said people in the crowd had thrown water bottles.Jeff Manning/Staff Police fired tear gas near the Multnomah County Justice Center downtown Portland shortly after an 8 p.m. curfew took effect. Police said people in the crowd had thrown water bottles. Police warned via loudspeaker that police now consider the protest an unlawful assembly and ordered people to leave. 8 p.m. | Thousands of demonstrators remain as curfew arrives Large groups of protesters remain out as Mayor Ted Wheelers 8 p.m. curfew takes effect. Thousands are gathered near Laurelhurst Park in Southeast Portland. Hundreds more are outside the downtown Multnomah County Justice Center. Another large group had gathered outside a former Portland Police precinct at East Burnside Street and 47th Avenue. Police said that group was now marching along Burnside. Police warned in a tweet that people still out are subject to citation or arrest. The Mayor has ordered a curfew of 8:00 p.m. Refusal to obey this order may result in citation or arrest. Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 1, 2020 7:30 p.m. | Half hour from curfew, protesters continue to march A group of thousands that gathered at Laurelhurst Park has roved through Portlands east side. Its now headed west on Northeast Halsey Street in the Hollywood District. Some remain near the former Portland Police Bureau precinct at 47th and East Burnside. Significant amount of demonstrators near the former SE Precinct. PPB will protect the safety and security of our building. Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 1, 2020 The other large group remains in downtown Portland near the Multnomah County Justice Center. That group has grown as curfew nears. 7 p.m. | Curfew takes effect in one hour. Sundays curfew takes effect at 8 p.m. and will last until 6 a.m. Heres how it works. 6:54 p.m. | Large crowd eastbound on East Burnside Street, blocking traffic A crowd of thousands is headed east on East Burnside Street after gathering at Laurelhurst Park. The group was headed toward a former Portland Police Bureau precinct at 47th and East Burnside, now a Multnomah County Sheriff office, prompting a tweet from the police bureau: We will maintain the safety and security of our building. It appears as if demonstrators are headed toward the former SE Precinct on SE 47th and Burnside. We will maintain the safety and security of our building. Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 1, 2020 Indeed, a line of police officers blocked access to the former precinct, squaring off with some of the demonstrators. But most of the crowd has continued east past 52nd Avenue. The destination is unclear. Traffic is blocked on East Burnside and at cross-streets. 6:39 p.m. | Police talking with demonstrators near Justice Center, trying to clear street Police are negotiating with some of the most vocal demonstrators to try to clear the street near the Multnomah County Justice Center. Things nearly escalated when, as a demonstration leader asked the crowd to move off the streets and into the adjacent parks, someone threw an object at police, who used pepper spray. But other demonstrators removed the person who threw the bottle. The crowd, meanwhile, continues to grow. 6:22 p.m. | Second group gathers on east side at Laurelhurst Park A larger group of thousands of people has gathered in Laurelhurst Park and has just started set off marching, chanting George Floyd. Hello, Im back on the protest beat. Im with thousands of people in Laurelhurst Park who just started moving. Everyone is chanting George Floyd. Ill keep you updated if that changes. Molly Harbarger (@MollyHarbarger) June 1, 2020 6:01 p.m. | Downtown protesters head to Pioneer Courthouse Square, gather numbers Portland Protesters gather for a fourth night in the wake of the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. Jeff Manning/The Oregonian A group of protesters marched to Pioneer Courthouse Square, then back to the downtown Justice Center, where some lay down and chanted, I cant breathe," a reference to the words of George Floyd shortly before his death in police custody. The crowd has grown and now numbers at least 400. 5:32 p.m. | Police says protesters clear street, officers wont interfere with peaceful march Police said demonstrators were obeying an order to vacate the street near Southwest Third Avenue and Main Street. The Portland Police Bureau tweeted that its officers will not interfere with the peaceful march as long as it remains civil. Demonstrators are complying with the order to vacate the area of SW 3rd Avenue and SW Main Street. Portland Police will not interfere with their peaceful march as long as it remains civil. Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) June 1, 2020 5 p.m. | Police, protesters face off in early confrontation; police declare a civil disturbance The early Sunday confrontation in Portland took place at Southwest Third Avenue and Main Street near the Multnomah County Justice Center, which serves as Portland Police Bureau headquarters and the county jail. Earlier, protesters and several police officers there shared a moment of apparent goodwill, as armored police took a knee in what Assistant Police Chief Mike Frome said was a show of compassion and respect. The confrontation broke out in the same location shortly after. Police declared a civil disturbance, saying police officers were being pelted with objects downtown. They used pepper spray on protesters and ordered them to clear the street. -- The Oregonian/OregonLive ALBANY Former investment brokers Timothy M. McGinn and David L. Smith, who were convicted of defrauding hundreds of clients in a massive fraud scheme, have both been released from federal prison and are being held in halfway houses. McGinn, 71, and Smith, 75, had been sentenced in 2013 by a federal judge to 15 and 10 years in prison, respectively, for their convictions on fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion charges. The U.S. attorney's office in Albany, which prosecuted the case, cited more than $30 million in losses to at least 250 victims and had asked the judge to sentence the men to life in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth C. Coombe, a lead prosecutor in the case, had said the defendants' argument that their crimes were caused by a collapsing financial market was misplaced. "After persuading investors to part with their money, defendants used it as if it were their own. Not only did they secretly skim large percentages of investor funds to line their own pockets, but they did their very best to make sure that the investments would keep coming in by using new investor money to pay old investors," Coombe wrote in a 13-page memorandum filed in 2013 with U.S. District Judge David N. Hurd. It's unclear whether the men were released early from prison due to concerns about COVID-19 infections in prisons. U.S. Attorney General William Barr has said that federal prison inmates must serve at least half of their prison sentences before being eligible to be released early due to concerns about the coronavirus. McGinn would not have served half of his 15-year sentence until next year. Smith has served more than half of his sentence. McGinn is at a federal reentry facility in Pittsburgh and Smith is at a reentry facility in Phoenix, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. McGinn and Smith co-founded their Albany brokerage, McGinn, Smith & Co., more than 30 years ago, and built a clientele that included some of the region's wealthiest residents. But court records indicate that their clients also included many people with moderate assets and whose savings were wiped out when the firm shut down at the end of 2009. In April 2010, federal agents raided the homes and offices of McGinn and Smith here and in Florida. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. That same month, the SEC filed a civil complaint accusing McGinn, Smith and their various investment entities of securities fraud. A federal grand jury in Albany began reviewing evidence in early 2010 and heard testimony from about 40 witnesses for almost two years before McGinn and Smith were indicted in January 2012. Smith and McGinn blamed an economic collapse in 2008 and poor record-keeping for a series of financial misdeeds that government regulators, in a separate civil case, have said left hundreds of investors defrauded of up to $136 million. Coombe, in the government's sentencing memorandum, said McGinn and Smith cannot blame economic conditions, in part, because they "concealed their fraud by directing the creation of false accounting entries. They also directed the movement of money in a circuitous manner to cover their tracks." Hundreds of people made their way along the Windsor riverfront today and turned their intentions across the Canada-America border to show their solidarity with protests happening in the U.S. in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. "Everybody's heart was hurting," Joi Hurst of the Coalition for Justice Unity Equity said. "They had nowhere to place this fear, the anger, the hurt in their heart so we've come together and said, 'Let's do a pleasant, peaceful walk." Floyd died after being taken into police custody last Monday. A video shows Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, pressing his knee into the back of Floyd's neck as he pleaded for air. Chauvin has since been charged with 3rd degree murder. The incident sparked large protests in Minnesota and across the U.S. including in Detroit. "It's disheartening, it's dehumanizing, so I'm trying to make sure that my voice is heard not only in the states but also in Canada," Flo Bandi said. "I'm black and I matter." Courtney Henderson said she wishes she could have crossed into Detroit to be with protesters there. "We're here because of George Floyd and we want to remember him as the human being that he was," Henderson said. Jacob Barker/CBC "It's important to me because I see innocent people losing their lives at the hands of police hands of systemic oppression and institutionalized racism and it doesn't just happen in America, it happens here in Canada." 'We're all one' Most wore masks and were asked to keep distance from one another as they made their way west down Riverside from Oullette Avenue toward the Ambassador bridge for several kilometres and then back. "We want them to know we're a part of you, we're right across the river," Hurst said, as she gestured at city of Detroit skyline. Jacob Barker/CBC "We support what's happening. We support anti-racism... we're all here together, we're very diverse here as you can see which is beautiful -- that's what Windsor is all about." Story continues Tony Anderson grew up across the water in Detroit. He said he was harassed by the police when he was in the army in the 90s. He said he would have to choose which route he would take home from work to avoid the police. "Which night were we going to be lucky where we're going to miss the police so we wouldn't get harassed," Anderson said. "I understand the frustration." Jacob Barker/CBC The march ended with a moment of silence in honour of George Floyd as well as with chants of "say his name" answered with "George Floyd" chanted in the direction of the Detroit City Skyline. "They need to see that we care about them just as much as they care about us," Keisha Pauze said. "We're all one." Protests of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police were well underway by late Sunday afternoon, with the City of Walnut Creek quickly declaring a curfew beginning at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, following looting at at least two major stores in that city. A woman was shot in the arm in the downtown area, according to reports from the San Francisco Chronicle and other local outlets. Social media posts showed looters at both the Macy's store in the Broadway Plaza shopping center downtown and at the Target store on Main Street near Ygnacio Valley Road. BART, as of about 6:10 p.m., closed its Walnut Creek station, with no trains stopping there until further notice. Pleasant Hill officials as of 6:30 p.m. are warning of protest-related police activity in that city's downtown area west of the Interstate Highway 680/Monument Boulevard interchange. BART has in fact closed several of its stations Sunday night in the face of either current or expected protests, and the threat of violence. ALSO Target temporarily closes most Bay Area locations In downtown Oakland, BART's 12th Street station is crowds have been reported at several places along Broadway downtown, including "sideshow" activity at the intersection of Broadway and 14th Street. There also were large crowds gathered at Middle Harbor Road and Maritime Street near the Port of Oakland. The downtown was a hotbed for vandalism both Friday and Saturday nights, with Friday night especially destructive. In San Francisco, where a curfew will take effect starting at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, crowds had gathered at Beale Street in the Mission District, but had been relatively peaceful. BART's Civic Center station was closed, and trains are not stopping there until further notice. BART's Bay Fair station in San Leandro was also closed Sunday night in response to a protest at the BayFair Center mall late Sunday. San Leandro police report protest-related activity at several other retail shopping centers in that city, including Marina Square and Walmart. Police in all these places ask that the public stay away from these areas Sunday night. 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. Rhoda Starzyk is a legal secretary, mother, grandmother, and New York native presently living with her husband and their two mischievous cats in the Hudson River Valley. Jolie Robinson is an amazing seven-year-old who loves school, reading, and writing stories with her Nana. They have published their new book The Adventures of Jolie and Her Best Friends Hamilton and Bacorama: A Lesson for Freddie: an uplifting childrens story inspired by Jolies magical imagination. Jolie and her two best friends, Hamilton and Bacorama, who just happen to be pigs, go on a camping adventure with Nana to see their friends Squeak and Freddie Squirrel. During their trip, they get to visit Mrs. Hoots Learning Academy where the animal children go to school to learn how to live in the forest. Squeak meets a new squirrel friend named Pip and spends all her time with her and brags about all the great things that Pip can do. Freddie gets jealous that Squeak isnt playing with him and says that Pip isnt special and that they shouldnt play with her because she is a black squirrel. Squeaks feelings get hurt and Freddie runs away. Jolie, Hamilton, and Bacorama go looking for him. When they find him, they help him to see that his feelings are from jealousy and not because Pip is different and that you always have room for more than one friend. Published by Page Publishing, Rhoda Starzyk and Jolie Robinsons charming book is a delightful addition to any childrens library. Readers who wish to experience this engaging work can purchaseThe Adventures of Jolie and Her Best Friends Hamilton and Bacorama: A Lesson for Freddie at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues to focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. Antipodes Partners recently released its Q1 2020 Investor Letter, a copy of which you can download below. The Antipodes Global Fund posted a return of -5.3% for the quarter, outperforming its benchmark, the MSCI AC World Net Index which returned -9.7% in the same quarter. You should check out Antipodes Partners top 5 stock picks for investors to buy right now, which could be the biggest winners of the stock market crash. There werent a lot of funds who could deliver these kinds of returns without shorting the market or using aggressive put options. In the said letter, Antipodes Partners highlighted a few stocks and General Electric Co (NYSE:GE) is one of them. General Electric is an industrial company. Year-to-date, General Electric Co (NYSE:GE) stock lost 40% and on May 29th it had a closing price of $6.57. Here is what Antipodes Partners said: "Industrials including Siemens, General Electric (GE) and Continental. All these companies have been penalised by perceived general economic sensitivity. GE was also impacted by concerns relating to the near-term hit to aerospace related earnings as airlines temporarily pull capacity in response to travel bans. Auto components company Continental was impacted by the hit to industry volumes. While investments in future-proofing the business (e.g. electronics, software) are an additional drag on near-term profits, they place Continental in a strong competitive position. This, along with a robust balance sheet, will enable the company to emerge from the current crisis as a survivor while others may not." In Q1 2020, the number of bullish hedge fund positions on General Electric Co (NYSE:GE) stock decreased by about 3% from the previous quarter (see the chart here). Our calculations showed that General Electric Co (NYSE:GE) isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds. The top 10 stocks among hedge funds returned 185% since the end of 2014 and outperformed the S&P 500 Index ETFs by more than 109 percentage points. We know it sounds unbelievable. You have been dismissing our articles about top hedge fund stocks mostly because you were fed biased information by other media outlets about hedge funds' poor performance. You could have doubled the size of your nest egg by investing in the top hedge fund stocks instead of dumb S&P 500 ETFs. Below you can watch our video about the top 5 hedge fund stocks right now. All of these stocks had positive returns in 2020. Story continues Video: Top 5 Stocks Among Hedge Funds At Insider Monkey we leave no stone unturned when looking for the next great investment idea. For example, we believe electric vehicles and energy storage are set to become giant markets, and we want to take advantage of the declining lithium prices amid the COVID-19 pandemic. So we are checking out investment opportunities like this one. We interview hedge fund managers and ask them about their best ideas. If you want to find out the best healthcare stock to buy right now, you can watch our latest hedge fund manager interview here. We read hedge fund investor letters and listen to stock pitches at hedge fund conferences. Our best call in 2020 was shorting the market when the S&P 500 was trading at 3150 after realizing the coronavirus pandemics significance before most investors. You can subscribe to our free enewsletter below to receive our stories in your inbox: [daily-newsletter][/daily-newsletter] Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Photo: (Photo : Photo by Oles kanebckuu from Pexels) Husband and wife from Chicago is now part of the list of recoveries from COVID-19. The family recognizes that the recovery of the two is brought by the plasma that they received and the prayers for healing. The two have been married for more than forty years, and surely they are true to their promise of sticking together, in sickness and in health. The husband, Baltazar Rosales, and his wife, Margarita, went home last Saturday after their recovery from the deadly coronavirus. In an interview with WGN9, Baltazar shares that he feels better and is ready to go home. READ ALSO: Mom Tested Positive for COVID-19, Gives Birth to Twins While In Coma The journey before being part of the recoveries from COVID-19 The 62-year-old husband first tested positive of COVID-19. His wife, who is 59 years old, was hospitalized a few days after Baltazar was admitted to the hospital. The husband did not know that his wife was already hospitalized as well. It was a choice made by their daughter Yari Rios. She was working at the hospital and did not want her father to worry about his wife. Even if Rios is working at the hospital, she was still not allowed to see her parents up close. All she could do was look at them through the hospital window. Desperate to have her parents out of the hospital, and be one of those who are part of the recoveries from COVID-19, Rios decided to enlist her parents to get plasma. How did they become part of the recoveries from COVID-19? Three weeks ago, the Rosales couple received the plasma that has antibodies from those who have recovered. Although Rios was not sure about what was going to happen, she was very nervous about the treatment that her parents had. Doctors are still in the process of knowing whether it was the plasma that led to the recovery of the husband and wife. Though the reason behind the recovery of her parents is still uncertain, Rios is still very happy that her parents received the plasma. Baltazar Rosales shared that after his painstaking battle against the coronavirus, he is excited to become a part of the world again and see his family whom he misses dearly. READ ALSO: Houston Baby Recovers From Covid-19 After 9 Days Blood plasma is from those who are part of the recoveries from COVID-19 Recent studies show that transferring the plasma of those who already recovered from COVID-19 affects the risk of death of those who are still sick. It appears that having the plasma transferred to sick patient dow not increase the risk of dying from COVID-19. The initial results were gathers from nationwide clinical trials in the United States. Researchers suggest that the plasma may serve as vaccine-like protection to healthcare workers and first responders. That protection is known as "passive immunity". Although the antibodies are only temporary. The studies regarding this are still in its early stages, however, the results are very promising. The Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) will by the end of the 2019/2020 academic year disburse GH32.3million to beneficiaries in tertiary institutions across the country. It is expected that a further GH35 million will be paid before the academic calendar ends, according to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ministry of Education, Vincent Assifuah. He was reacting to concerns raised by the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) that about 2,000 students under the scheme had not received their first and second semester tranches of the loans they had applied for. According to Mr Assifuah, the trust fund was well grounded even though there had been some delays in the periodic disbursement of loans in the current academic year. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, he said, the fund had created an avenue for loan applicants to use part of their loans to acquire laptops to enable them access the e-learning due to the closure of schools to contain the virus. He explained that the delay in disbursement was not intentional and that For the 2019/2020 academic year, the fund has been paying in tranches as and when funding is available. Mr Assifuah, said management of the fund would continue to engage the leadership of NUGS and other students associations as well as the general student body to address their concerns. It is recalled that at a press conference last week, the leadership of NUGS said certain concerns brought to the attention of the government in relation to e-learning system, had been ignored. The concerns included the inclusion of students in the disbursement of the COVID-19 National Trust Fund stimulus packages, the provision of subventions in the form of free bundles to enable them take their end of semester exams. They also called on the government to waive off the loans of students under the SLTF at least for this year. We wish to remind government that none of the concerns and recommendations we tabled before the president and during our subsequent pressers, have been met even as the semester is coming to an end, they said. Source: Ghanaian Times 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 1 Jun After months of speculations, Pia Wurtzbach and businessman Jeremy Jauncey finally confirmed that they are indeed in a relationship. As reported on Rappler, the reveal was made in the June issue of Tatler Philippines, in which both Wurtzbach and Jauncey were selected to grace the cover which was shot by photographer Nigel Barker. "There was definitely an immediate spark. We couldn't stop talking. I found him to be such a warm person and I like that he was always smiling," Wurtzbach said of her first meeting with Jauncey in London. The beauty queen stated that Jauncey respected the space she wanted as she was just coming out of her relationship with racer Marlon Stockinger at the time. "She sets the parameters and I happily accepted. It was a chance to show that I was serious about her and that I want to be a gentleman about it, which was very important to me," said Jauncey. The beauty queen added, "We wanted to make sure we set a good foundation for our relationship before we came out in the open. I've made a mistake of sharing too much too soon before, and I wanted to make sure I did it right this time." Rumours of romance between the two sparked early this year when both Jauncey and Wurtzbach shared similar photos from their vacations. (Photo Source: Tatler Philippines Instagram) The group also prayed the court to declare that refusal of the DSS and the Police to investigate Omo-Agege would be deemed wrongful and tantamount to dereliction of duties under the relevant laws that established them. By PTI NEW DELHI: A senior scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has tested positive for novel coronavirus following which the entire ICMR building is being sanitised, sources said. The scientist, who is from Mumbai, had come to Delhi a few days ago and tested positive for the virus on Sunday morning. The scientists is from the National Institute for Research in Reproductive health in ICMR, Mumbai. The ICMR building will be sanitized and fumigated for two days, a source said. The scientist had last week attended a meeting in which ICMR Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava among others were present. A message from the administration was sent to a section of employees, urging them to work from home as the ICMR headquarters is under fumigation, the sources said. "Only the COVID-19 core team may come, if absolutely necessary. Others should work from home only," the message said. Meanwhile, a CRPF deputy inspector general posted at the Ministry of Home Affairs control room here has tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Sunday. They said the test report of the officer was received on Saturday. The deputy inspector general (DIG) was attached with the Union home ministry to monitor the work of its control room located in North Block, they said. Two persons who worked with him have been quarantined and all safety protocols are being followed, an MHA official said. The officer has been admitted to an isolation facility for treatment, they said. Earlier, two CRPF jawans attached with the ministry had tested positive for the disease. They have now recovered, officials said. Doctors in Italy claim the coronavirus has weakened and become a shadow of the disease that rapidly spread around the world. Italian medics say the infection - which has killed 370,000 worldwide - is much less lethal than it was and 'no longer clinically exists'. Patients are showing much smaller amounts of the virus in their system, compared to samples taken during the peak of the crisis in March and April, they said. Infections and deaths caused by Covid-19 have been falling in Italy for weeks. It was, at one point, the centre of Europe's escalating outbreak. Scientific theory suggests viruses may become weaker over time in a bid to survive - if they kill or cripple all their human hosts they will run out of road. But virologists have today cast doubt on the Italian doctors' claims, saying there is no evidence the virus is losing potency anywhere. One called them 'bulls***'. Viruses known to have mutated in this way, such as HIV and the common cold, have been around for decades and thousands of years, respectively, while the coronavirus was only spotted in humans in December last year. Another scientist said it was possible that the coronavirus would mutate in this way but it was dangerous to assume it was happening simply from swab samples. The coronavirus is thought to kill around one in every 100 people who catch it and more than six million people have been diagnosed with it since January, with considerably more known to have had it but never been tested (Pictured: Medical workers process a test sample in Beijing, China) Doctors in Italy, which has been one of the countries hit hardest by the coronavirus, say the virus has changed in the past couple of months and appears in much smaller quantities in patients' bodies (Pictured: Staff outside the Colosseum wearing protective gear) Professor Alberto Zangrillo, head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan in the northern region of Lombardy, made the claim to the RAI TV channel. Calling on politicians to get Italy back to being a normal country, he said: 'In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy.' He said that swabs taken from patients during the last 10 days have an 'infinitesimal' - extremely small - viral load, compared to ones carried out a month ago. The viral load is the quantity of virus that is detected in someone's swab sample - a greater load has been associated with worse symptoms. The Italian government urged caution over the claims, warning it was far too soon to claim victory in the absence of scientific evidence. But the head of the infectious diseases clinic at the San Martino Hospital in Genoa told reporters that he was also seeing the virus weaken. Matteo Bassetti told the ANSA news agency: 'The strength the virus had two months ago is not the same strength it has today. 'It is clear that today the COVID-19 disease is different.' But leading academics today questioned the claims, which has sparked hope among thousands of people longing for an end to the pandemic. Dr Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, from the University of Wollongong in Australia, told MailOnline that the idea the virus has disappeared 'seems dubious'. The epidemiologist warned Italy - which was the centre of Europe's coronavirus crisis in March - is still recording new Covid-19 cases and deaths, showing it is still a danger. Coronaviruses are so named because their structure has jagged edges which look like a royal crown corona is crown in Latin (Pictured, an illustration of the SARS-CoV-2 virus released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Italian health chiefs yesterday recorded just 355 cases, a fraction of the 6,000-plus that were being declared daily at the peak of the outbreak. And officials announced 75 more Covid-19 deaths - significantly fewer than the 919 recorded on March 27, the darkest day in Italy's crisis. Other experts slammed the report, with one virologist saying the SARS-CoV-2 virus has not attenuated and saying the claim was 'awful'. HOW AND WHY CAN VIRUSES LOSE POTENCY OVER TIME? Viruses are known to change over time because they are subject to random genetic mutations in the same way that all living things are. These mutations can have various effects and many will only happen briefly and not become a permanent change as newer generations of viruses replace the mutated ones. However, some of the mutations might turn out to be advantageous to the virus, and get carried forward into future generations. For example, if a virus becomes less dangerous to its host - that is, it causes fewer symptoms or less death - it may find that it is able to live longer and reproduce more. As a result, more of these less dangerous viruses are produced and they may go on to spread more effectively than the more dangerous versions, which could be stamped out by medication because more people realise they are ill, for example. The mutation may then be taken forward in the stronger generations and become the dominant version of the virus. In an explanation of an scientific study about HIV, the NHS said in 2014: 'The optimal evolutionary strategy for a virus is to be infectious (so it creates more copies of itself) but non-lethal (so its host population doesnt die out). 'The "poster boy" for successful long-living viruses is, arguably, the family of viruses that cause the, which has existed for thousands of years.' Advertisement Dr Angela Rasmussen, based at Columbia University, tweeted: 'There is no evidence that the virus is losing potency anywhere.' She added less transmission means fewer hospitalisations and deaths - but warned: 'That doesn't mean less virulence.' The virulence of a virus is how dangerous the illness is but may not directly relate to how contagious it is. Dr Seema Yasmin, an epidemiologist from Stanford University, called for the original report to be deleted, saying it was 'bulls***'. Dr Oscar MacLean, of the University of Glasgow, said: 'These claims are not supported by anything in the scientific literature, and also seem fairly implausible on genetic grounds. 'The vast majority of SARS-CoV-2 mutations are extremely rare, and so whilst some infections may be attenuated by certain mutations, they are highly unlikely to be common enough to alter the nature of the virus at a national or global level. 'As testing efforts are scaled up across the globe, asymptomatic and mild infections which previously would not have been detected, are now much more likely to be identified. It's important not to confuse this with any weakening on the virus's part. 'Making these claims on the basis of anecdotal observations from swab tests is dangerous. Whilst weakening of the virus through mutations is theoretically possible, it is not something we should expect, and any claims of this nature would need to be verified in a more systematic way. 'Without significantly stronger evidence, no one should unnecessarily downplay the danger this highly virulent virus poses, and risk the ongoing society-wide response.' New cases and deaths have fallen steadily in Italy, and officials are finally unwinding strict lockdown restrictions imposed to control the outbreak. A decline in cases and deaths, however, is not proof that the virus is becoming less dangerous, but proof that the social distancing and lockdown measures have worked. No matter how virulent a virus is, if people act to stop it spreading between them, the scale of the effect it can have on the population will be dramatically reduced. Less human contact will automatically lead to fewer infections which will in turn result in fewer deaths. Some viruses do lose their virulence over time, though, meaning the Italian doctors' claims are not without scientific basis. Some viruses may do this in a bid to survive by becoming less deadly so they do not run out of people to infect. Viruses can only continue to spread if they have an unprotected population of people - or other hosts if they infect animals - to move through and reproduce. An extremely deadly virus which killed everyone who caught it would run out of road because the patient would likely not infect many others if they died quickly. All viruses change the longer they exist because of random genetic mutations which happen to all living things. If a mutation turns out to be of benefit to the virus - for example, if being less dangerous means it can survive for longer and reproduce more - it may be that this mutated strain becomes more widespread and eventually the dominant type. A study of HIV in 2014 found that HIV samples in Botswana seemed to show that patients had less of the virus in their blood when infected, even though the disease was more common. In an explanation of an article about HIV, the NHS said in 2014: 'The optimal evolutionary strategy for a virus is to be infectious (so it creates more copies of itself) but non-lethal (so its host population doesnt die out). 'The "poster boy" for successful long-living viruses is, arguably, the family of viruses that cause the, which has existed for thousands of years.' A study published last month suggested that the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which has only been known about for six months, is changing but does not appear to be getting weaker. Dr Fang Li, from the University of Minnesota, said: 'Typically when a virus develops mechanisms to evade immune responses, it loses its potency to infect people. 'However, SARS-CoV-2 maintains its infectivity using two mechanisms. 'First, during its limited exposure time, the tip of the viral key grabs a receptor protein on human cells quickly and firmly. Second, the pre-activation of the viral key allows the virus to more effectively infect human cells.' India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday (May 31) said that a low-pressure area over Arabian sea is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm and reach near north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts on Wednesday (June 3) morning. The low pressure Area over Arabian Sea to intensify into Cyclonic Storm during next 48-hours. It would reach near north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts around 3rd June morning. IMD Weather (@IMDWeather) May 31, 2020 IMD has also forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over south coastal Maharashtra for June 2-4, on north coast on June 2-3 and in Gujarat, Daman and Diu and Dadar and Nagar Haveli on June 3-5. According to IMD, a low pressure area has formed over southeast and adjoining east central Arabian sea and Lakshadweep area on Sunday and it is very likely to concentrate into a depression during the next 24 hours and intensify further into a cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours. Sunitha Devi, in charge of cyclones at IMD, said, "A low-pressure area has formed over the southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area. It is very likely to concentrate into a depression during the next 24 hours and intensify further into a cyclonic storm during the subsequent 24 hours." As per IMD, monsoon will arrive in Kerala on June 1 and in Maharashtra on June 8 this year. IMD said that two storms are forming over the Arabian Sea, one lies off the African coast and is likely to move over Oman and Yemen, while the other is placed close to India. The development comes around 10 days after Cylone Amphan caused destruction in several districts of West Bengal and Odisha in the fiercest cyclone in the region in the last three decades. As many as 91 people were dead and thousands were left homeless due to Cyclone Amphan. 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 Uttar Pradesh government has released the guidelines the the fifth phase of lockdown, often dubbed as the first of the three-part exercise to ease the severe restrictions imposed to check the spread of Covid-19. The Uttar Pradesh government has largely followed the guideline released by the Centre. According to the new order, the government has permitted inter-state travel, but said people from Covid-19 hotspot areas/containment zones in Delhi will not be allowed to travel to Noida and Ghaziabad. Though the lockdown will remain in place in the state till June 30, shopping malls, religious places and hotels and restaurants will open from June 8. The decision on reopening schools and colleges will be taken in July. Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Awanish Awasthi, said that if any Covid-19 positive case is found, an area of 250 metres around it will be declared a containment zone. And if there are more than one case, the containment zone will be increased to 500 metres. Only essential services and goods will be allowed in containment zones during this period. Here are the important points from the guidelines issued by the Uttar Pradesh government: All offices are allowed to open from Monday, June 1 Markets can open on rotation basis from 9 am to 9 pm Supermarkets, beauty parlours and salons are allowed to open No passes are required for inter-state travel, but this rule is not applicable for Noida and Ghaziabad Taxis and rickshaws can take passengers as per the seating capacity in the vehicle Roadways buses are allowed to ply, but no passenger is allowed to stand in these buses Sweet shops have been allowed to open, but without the dining space International flight services and metro trains will remain shut till the next order The health department can conduct door-to-door surveys and other essential services are also allowed Wedding halls can open, but they are not allowed to accommodate more than 30 people Two people (rider and pillion) are allowed on two-wheelers but with face masks All the restrictions will continue in containment zones, as pet the Union Home Ministrys guidelines Squeezed from Both Sides Ways to Encourage Savings A Harder Time Finding Work If you were born in 1960, it turns out you had bad timing. A portion of the Social Security benefit formula is based on national average wages for each cohort of 60-year-old workers. Its not yet certain how long double-digit unemployment rates will last, but its a safe bet that record job losses will bring down average wages this year. That means a middle-income worker who was born in 1960 could see her Social Security benefits reduced in retirement by 14 percent, or $3,900 a year, according to a study from the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School Older workers, regardless of their birth year, are suddenly having a harder time. In most recessions, they have been largely shielded from job losses. That isn't the case in 2020. This time, the data show older workers are getting hit harder than those who are 25 to 54, says Alicia Munnell, director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.Workers nearing retirement age have been buffeted by numerous factors. Millions who havent lost their jobs have still seen hours or wages cut. Their retirement accounts have been dragged down by the market, or been drained to pay for more immediate expenses. Dozens of companies have suspended their 401(k) match programs, affecting more than 400,000 workers. The Social Security trust fund, already projected to run dry by 2035, could be depleted earlier due to the spike in unemployment, which means fewer workers and employers are paying payroll taxes.As is common during recessions, older individuals struggling now are applying for Social Security early, before reaching the full retirement age. The bad thing thats coming out of this is that people are going to claim their Social Security benefits early, Munnell says. Theyre going to be living on reduced monthly income for the rest of their lives.In April, 13.6 percent of Americans 55 and older were unemployed, compared with 2.6 percent in January. To be counted as unemployed, they had to be actively seeking work. Thats not the case for many older Americans, who have decided to retire early or are choosing not to work due to potential health risks. The share of people not looking for work who have declared themselves retired increased from 53 percent in January to 60 percent in April, according to one large survey As part of the CARES Act, a stimulus package passed in March, Congress made it easier for individuals to tap into their tax-shielded retirement accounts. Those younger than 59 and a half can withdraw up to $100,000 without paying the usual 10 percent penalty. Were looking at retirement savings as a rainy-day fund, and thats not its purpose, says Angela Antonelli, executive director of the Center for Retirement Initiatives at Georgetown University.The result of all this is that workers who were on the verge of retirement are more likely to live in poverty in old age. More than 24 million people over the age of 62 will be living in poverty, compared to a pre-pandemic estimate of 21 million, according to a projection from the New School for Social Research Such an increase may not be surprising, given the scope of the economic downturn. Still, it represents a descent into downward mobility, following roughly half a century during which older Americans had been better protected from poverty by Medicare and other programs.Every generation of older workers was really destined to do a bit better than the previous generation, says Teresa Ghilarducci, a labor economist at the New School. Now, were seeing a reversal.Even before the recession, the share of the population in homeless shelters who were 62 or older, while still relatively small, had roughly doubled over the past decade. Meanwhile, the share of private-sector workers covered by traditional, defined-benefit pension plans fell from 56 percent in 1994 to 14 percent in 2018.Tax preferences and automatic enrollments have made it easier for people to save for retirement than expenses. But they dont always have short-term accounts they can draw from in a pinch. The retirement savings account, for way too many Americans, is their only form of savings, says Karen Biddle Andres, director of the Aspen Institute Retirement Savings Initiative.One of the most commonly cited statistics about savings is the Federal Reserves annual survey looking at how many Americans can cover an unexpected $400 expense with cash or savings. In 2018, 39 percent of those surveyed didnt even have that modest sum handy a decline from 50 percent in 2013. Hence, individuals drawing down their 401(k)s. People dont plan around a steep decline in income, says Monique Morrissey, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute, a progressive think tank in Washington.Regardless of their balances at the start of the year, many people have lost money, at least on paper, in the stock market. Despite recent gains, most of the major stock indices remain down for the year.They will recover, whether sooner or later. But those who have withdrawn funds from 401(k)s will not realize those gains. If a young person, a couple of decades from retirement, takes out $3,000, thats actually closer to $50,000 in lost retirement income, says Antonelli, the Georgetown professor.In 2017, Oregon created a state-supported retirement plan known as OregonSaves. Its a Roth IRA program that automatically enrolls workers whose employers do not offer retirement savings vehicles, unless workers decide to opt out. As many as two-thirds of eligible workers participated in 2018, according to the Boston College Center for Retirement Research Similar plans have since been introduced in 10 other states. As the economy recovers, they represent a way to get people back to savings much more quickly, Antonelli says. About a third of households today either dont have a defined-benefit plan or a retirement savings account.For policymakers, state-facilitated plans offer a clear benefit: They dont cost much money. There may be some administrative costs involved, but its a lot cheaper than offering any kind of direct assistance. This is people saving their own money, noted Andres.She says that investing has become more automatic thanks to other retirement plans that require workers to opt out, rather than having to opt in. One innovation that may be protecting some workers nearing retirement age is target date funds. Portfolios of funds keyed to a particular retirement date say, 2024 become less aggressive over time, buffering investors from some of the downside risk when the stock market is volatile.But Congress ending the penalty for early withdrawals was a signal from the federal government that retirement accounts could be raided early. If you look at Fidelity and Vanguard, there have already been a significant number of people who have withdrawn the $100,000 limit, says Antonelli, the Georgetown professor.Even before Congress waived the penalty for early withdrawal, plenty of people dipped into their retirement savings early. There are estimates of 40 percent of retirement plan leakage every year, says Aspens Andres.If people havent saved enough for retirement, its not about to get easier for millions of Americans. Following the Great Recession, older workers who lost their jobs had a much harder time finding new ones than younger ones. Only a third of those 62 or older who lost their jobs were working again within a year, and only 41 percent were re-employed within 18 months, according to the Urban Institute As businesses reopen, will they rehire older workers? Experienced employees tend to draw higher salaries. Theres also a unique dynamic during this pandemic. COVID-19 can affect anyone, but its much likelier to kill individuals who are older. Age discrimination is illegal, but that doesnt mean it wont happen. Older workers themselves, if they dont feel its safe to work, may opt to stay out of the labor market.What is worse than the Great Recession, so far, is that older workers, especially older women, are overrepresented among people losing jobs, says EPIs Morrissey. Employers may pick and choose which workers theyre bringing back.What all this means is that people are going to rely heavily on Social Security in retirement. Thats nothing new, but the system was meant to be part of a stool, along with private pensions and personal savings. Now, all three legs are at risk. If and when the Social Security trust fund runs out of money, the system will only be able to pay out 75 percent of promised benefits.This just absolutely clarifies that theres no room for cutting Social Security benefits, says Munnell, the Boston College economist. Its the only source of income for people who would otherwise be extremely vulnerable.People born in 1960 may find themselves out of luck. During the 1970s, there was a notch in Social Security benefits due to a formula change that gave people born between 1910 and 1916 substantially larger lifetime benefits than those born between 1917 and 1921 (coincidentally, including those born during the Spanish flu pandemic). Despite congressional attention to the issue, those born in 1917 ended up lagging behind those born in 1916 for the rest of their lives.If the average national wage remains depressed for a couple of years, today's 60-year-olds will be in bad shape. That part of the Social Security benefits formula freezes at age 62. Boulder, Colo., USA: A common message in use to convey the seriousness of climate change to the public is: "Carbon dioxide levels are higher today than they have been for the past one million years!" This new study by Brian Schubert (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and coauthors Ying Cui and A. Hope Jahren used a novel method to conclude that today's carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) levels are actually higher than they have been for the past 23 million years. The team used the fossilized remains of ancient plant tissues to produce a new record of atmospheric CO 2 that spans 23 million years of uninterrupted Earth history. They have shown elsewhere that as plants grow, the relative amount of the two stable isotopes of carbon, carbon-12 and carbon-13 changes in response to the amount of CO 2 in the atmosphere. This research, published this week in Geology, is a next-level study measuring the relative amount of these carbon isotopes in fossil plant materials and calculating the CO 2 concentration of the atmosphere under which the ancient plants grew. Furthermore, Schubert and colleagues' new CO 2 "timeline" revealed no evidence for any fluctuations in CO 2 that might be comparable to the dramatic CO 2 increase of the present day, which suggests today's abrupt greenhouse disruption is unique across recent geologic history. Another point, important to geological readers, is that because major evolutionary changes over the past 23 million years were not accompanied by large changes in CO 2 , perhaps ecosystems and temperature might be more sensitive to smaller changes in CO 2 than previously thought. As an example: The substantial global warmth of the middle Pliocene (5 to 3 million years ago) and middle Miocene (17 to 15 million years ago), which are sometimes studied as a comparison for current global warming, were associated with only modest increases in CO 2 . ### FEATURED ARTICLE A 23 million-year record of low atmospheric CO 2 Ying Cui; Brian A. Schubert; A. Hope Jahren CONTACT: Brian Schubert, schubert@louisiana.edu URL: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/doi/10.1130/G47681.1/586769/A-23-m-y-record-of-low-atmospheric-CO2 GEOLOGY articles are online at http://geology.geoscienceworld.org/content/early/recent. Representatives of the media may obtain complimentary articles by contacting Kea Giles at the e-mail address above. Please discuss articles of interest with the authors before publishing stories on their work, and please make reference to GEOLOGY in articles published. Non-media requests for articles may be directed to GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org. https://www.geosociety.org A senior scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has tested positive for novel coronavirus following which the entire ICMR building is being sanitised, sources said. The scientist, who is from Mumbai, had come to Delhi few days ago and tested positive for the virus on Sunday morning. The scientists is from the National Institute for Research in Reproductive health in ICMR, Mumbai. The ICMR building will be sanitised and fumigated for two days, a source said. The scientist had last week attended a meeting in which ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava among others were present. A message from the administration was sent to a section of employees, urging them to work from home as the ICMR headquarters is under fumigation, the sources said. Only the Covid-19 core team may come, if absolutely necessary. Others should work from home only, the message said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Ex-Chinese Official Extradited to US, Faces Charges for Laundering Millions A former Chinese official and fugitive has been extradited to Los Angeles from Sweden for allegedly laundering millions of dollars of stolen money, the U.S. Department of Justice said on June 1. Prosecutors held Qiao Jianjun, 56, in federal custody over the weekend for five charges, including international transport of stolen money, immigration fraud, and engaging in financial transactions in criminally derived property. If convicted, Qiao could spend a maximum of 55 years in federal prison. Qiao, also known as Li Feng, is the former head of a state-owned Chinese grain storehouse, the Zhoukou Municipal Grain Reserve in Henan Province. He was on the run in Sweden for more than five years from U.S. and Chinese prosecutors. Also called Sinograin, the Beijing-headquartered company manages the countrys grain reserves, according to the companys official website. Food security is considered a national security issue by Chinese authorities. State-run food companies fill warehouses with grain purchased from local farmers, and prices are kept low with subsidies from the central government. US Charges The United States first indicted Qiao in 2015 in his absence. Qiao was arrested in Sweden on behalf of U.S. authorities in June 2018. The 2018 indictment recorded nearly 40 fraudulent transactions that Qiao allegedly initiated to siphon funds through his bank accounts in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore, some of which he used to purchase two properties in Monterey Park, California. He is also wanted by Chinese authorities on charges of embezzlement. Qiao first fled China in November 2011, after embezzling a total of $98 million, making him one of the most wanted Chinese corrupt officials, according to allegations in Chinese media reports. China had also sought to extradite Qiao in June 2018, a request that the Swedish supreme court blocked, citing a risk that he could face persecution and mistreatment because of his political affiliation, which would constitute a violation of the European Convention. Qiao appeared in court on June 1 in Los Angeles. According to court filings, Qiao and his ex-wife Zhao Shilan are also accused of committing visa fraud. Zhao entered the United States in 2008 and later filed for immigration status. By pretending to still be Zhaos spouse, Qiao obtained an EB-5 immigrant investor visa that allows him to stay in the United States for two years before applying for permanent residency. However, the couple divorced years ago, in 2001, according to U.S. prosecutors. Zhao also forged documents to show purported interest in investing in two Chinese flour companies and lied about Qiaos source of investment for the visa application. Zhao pleaded guilty to the charges in 2017. The United States is seeking to confiscate Qiaos property in Newcastle, Washington, and may seize other substitute assets from the defendant up to the propertys value if the real property cannot be located or has substantially declined in value. Zhao also owns a condo in the Flushing neighborhood of New York City, according to a 2017 Los Angeles Times report. Corrupt Chinese Officials The Chinese regime has sought to crack down on fugitive grafting officials since 2015 amid an anti-corruption campaign whereby many of current leader Xi Jinpings political rivals were ousted. The initiative to catch officials on the run was dubbed Operation Skynet. That year, Chinese anti-corruption investigators submitted to U.S. authorities a priority list of 150 Chinese officials that they would like to apprehend, according to a report by China Daily, the English-language mouthpiece for the Chinese regime. The lowest bar to clear in addressing the death of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis police is to understand that it shouldn't have happened. To decry Floyd's death is better than to accept it, certainly, but it's hardly a mark of moral fortitude. When even institutions like the Fraternal Order of Police are willing to criticize the actions of the arresting officers, doing so becomes less a political statement than a starting point. In his repeated comments over the past several days, President Donald Trump has reached that starting point - and gone no further. While he criticizes Floyd's death, he has made repeatedly clear his lack of understanding of the resulting protests. To show empathy to black Americans (an effort indistinguishable from his political intentions), he instead shows not only how little empathy he holds but also how much he actually empathizes with the system the protests are targeting. In remarks made during his visit to Florida on Saturday, Trump came close to expressing a grasp of the driving motivation for the ongoing unrest. Expand Close A Minneapolis police officer kneels on the neck of George Floyd (47) who was pleading that he could not breathe. Photo: AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Minneapolis police officer kneels on the neck of George Floyd (47) who was pleading that he could not breathe. Photo: AP "My administration will always stand against violence, mayhem and disorder," he said, reading from his prepared remarks. "We will stand with the family of George Floyd, with the peaceful protesters and with every law-abiding citizen who wants decency, civility, safety and security." Read More "We are working toward a more just society," he continued, "but that means building up, not tearing down." What the Floyd family and peaceful protesters want is not immediately a decent and civil society. It is, in fact, a just one, one in which Floyd's life isn't more at risk because of the color of his skin. One in which incidents like Floyd's death are rare and one in which it doesn't take days or weeks - or forever - for the perpetrators to be held accountable. A society in which interactions between people of color and law enforcement are not exceptional, and a society in which the ability of people of color to thrive generally is itself not exceptional. A decent society would be great, but the need for a just one is what's motivating people to march in the streets. At no point has Trump ever spontaneously demonstrated an understanding that race undergirds the enforcement of law in the United States and, therefore, justice itself. Even setting aside his unique understanding of justice as it pertains to his own whims, Trump has made repeatedly clear he sees no justification in opposing the death of Floyd beyond the death itself. His commentary on Floyd and the protests is broadly and repeatedly dismissive. When an angry crowd arrived at the White House on Friday, he described them as "so-called 'protesters,'" using scare-quotes to suggest the concerns being expressed were insincere and that their attendance was somehow stage-managed. (In the same tweet, he tried to gin up a demonstration of his own, hinting that maybe Saturday could be "MAGA NIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE." It wasn't.) In his infamous tweet suggesting looting might result in shooting, he described protesters as "THUGS," drawing no distinction between those committing acts of vandalism or violence with those expressing indignation at Floyd's death and at the system that they believe led to it. Expand Close President Donald Trump. Photo: Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp President Donald Trump. Photo: Getty Images There's no reason to think Trump believes the system of law enforcement in the country has systemic problems with race. Speaking to CNN on Sunday morning, national security adviser Robert O'Brien said explicitly he himself didn't believe there was systemic racism in American law enforcement. His explanation, though, didn't actually address racism within the system. He instead said "99.9 percent of our law enforcement officers are great Americans," as though systemic racism was solely about racist views of individuals within the system. Racist police officers, whom he acknowledged, were simply "bad apples" - a by-now-familiar rejoinder to the complaints of protesters. The protesters' point, of course, is that the design and administration of the system yield unequal results for black Americans. That the difference in the likelihood of black Americans to be considered as suspects, their treatment as suspects, the way in which the criminal justice system handles their cases and the punishments it levies are not equal. Are not just. This is intertwined with other ways in which American society disadvantages people of color, often by explicit historical design. The protests aren't about Floyd's death, as such, but his death is a reminder that the endpoint of the system is too frequently the death of a black man. Many white Americans don't accept there are demonstrated differences in the ability of black and white Americans to succeed. The emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement following the deaths of black men at the hands of police in 2014 shifted the views of many white Americans, mostly Democrats. But a Pew Research Center poll conducted in late 2016 found most Americans - 57 percent - believe the country has made changes giving black Americans the same rights as whites. Among white police officers, a conservative segment of the white population, 92 percent held that position. Trump, it is safe to assume, joins them. It's likely many of his most fervent supporters do, as well, given polling from the 2016 election that repeatedly indicated Trump's base was more likely than other groups to see white Americans as oppressed. Trump's response to the protests has not been to "build up and not tear down" in order to build the just society that was written on his teleprompter. It has, instead, been to use the protests as an opportunity to build up his own toughness and his demonstrated support for police while tearing down Democrats and other political opponents. Over and over, he has praised - celebrated - police and the military as enforcement agents. He has repeatedly criticized Democratic mayors and governors as being unduly wishy-washy in responding to the protests, suggesting, as he did in the 2016 campaign, that he'd be super-extra-mega-tough, given the opportunity. Never mind tweets like this one from 2014, declaring the weakness of Barack Obama's White House was leading to protests that year: "Our country is totally fractured and, with our weak leadership in Washington, you can expect Ferguson type riots and looting in other places". Part of this is opportunistic, certainly. But part of it, too, reflects the extent to which Trump doesn't, won't or can't understand the concerns of the protesters. Just as he has expressed his belief that black Americans should vote for him because he oversaw a continued reduction of the black unemployment rate, he seems to think simply acknowledging Floyd's death as an unacceptable aberration should be enough. That he can speak for Floyd's family - which seems unlikely, given his actual conversation with them - or that he can articulate the terms under which Floyd's death can be considered. Here, in a nutshell, is how Trump sees the moment: "These are 'Organized Groups' that have nothing to do with George Floyd. Sad!" Protesters are inherently illegitimate gatherings of people organized by some unnamed entity who, he can assure us, are not reflecting the meaning of Floyd's death. Through his other comments, Trump tells us what that meaning is: Bad things happen sometimes and the organized group that is law enforcement must be defended in the face of "violence, mayhem and disorder." This message may resonate with those who support him but it will by no means prompt any reconsideration from those frustrated by the system he leads. The Delhi High Court Monday asked the AAP government and the three municipal corporations to give details of the number of sanitation workers in their jurisdictions and the number of PPE kits provided to them on a day-to-day basis during COVID-19 pandemic. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad issued the direction after noting that the affidavit and status reports filed by the Delhi government and the three municipal corporations were incomplete. The court said the affidavits did not disclose the "the number of safai karamcharis in their jurisdiction visa-vis the number of masks, gloves and other PPE kits that are provided to them on a day to day basis". It said the affidavits also do not indicate the number of containment zones declared in each of their jurisdiction so that the court can ascertain whether the requirements of the workers in those areas have been adequately met. It gave the Delhi government and the three municipal corporations one week''s time to file affidavits highlighting the points raised by the bench, The court also told them to inform it "whether sanitizing cubicles have been installed by the civic authorities in each ward and if not, what steps have been taken to ensure that after the safai karamcharis complete their duty for the day, they are adequately sanitized". The bench said the issue of disposal of bio-medical waste also needs to be addressed, saying it was a "critical area" in view of the petitioners contention that such waste was being dumped in common dumping grounds which in itself can become a breeding ground of COVID-19 infection. "This is particularly a matter of concern as scavengers will be the first ones to be exposed to infection," the court said and also directed that one officer from each of the authorities be present on the next date to assist the bench in the matter. With the direction, the court listed the matter for next hearing on June 9. The order came on the pleas of social activist Harnam Singh and the All India Municipal Corporation Staff Union seeking direction to the authorities to provide personal protective gear to sanitation workers who are carrying out their work during the coronavirus pandemic. Advocate Mehmood Pracha, appearing for petitioner Harnam Singh, during Monday's hearing told the court that while the authorities claim to have distributed the PPE kits, the workers on the ground do not appear to have received them. Delhi government, in the affidavit filed through its additional standing counsel Gautam Narayan, has said that a PPE kit comprises of coveralls, masks, gloves and goggles and it has been receiving these components separately from HLL Lifecare Ltd, a government of India enterprise. It has also said that using the different components, it has made 2.77 lakh PPE kits till May 22 out of which 2.75 lakh kits have been issued to chief district medical officers, Delhi government hospitals and health institutions, municipal hospitals and zonal offices if different municipalities where the sanitation workers have been employed. The Delhi government has also said in its affidavit that if somebody is afflicted with COVID-19, it does not necessarily mean that it as due to non-supply of the kits. "It is respectfully submitted that the PPE kits are not a fool-proof safeguard against the virus, but are only measures taken as a precaution to prevent contracting the virus to the best possible extent," it has said in its affidavit. Machiyoshi Lim Dao Jian, 28, pleaded guilty to one of two charges of molestation. SINGAPORE A 28-year-old man repeatedly touched a secondary school students buttock on board a public bus in March, a court heard. After he was arrested, Machiyoshi Lim Dao Jian admitted to touching other boys in their school uniforms or physical education shorts on public buses, although he could not recall how many victims he had touched. At the State Courts on Monday (1 June), the molester was jailed for 14 weeks after he pleaded guilty to one of two charges of molestation. The remaining count was considered in sentencing. Culprit boarded bus with victim On 16 March, Lim and the victim boarded bus service 976 in Teck Whye at about 5pm. The victim, who was in his school uniform, sat at the left corner seat on the last row of the bus. The perpetrator sat next to the victim and started to touch his right buttock, the court heard. Deputy Public Prosector Derek Ee said, The victim felt a pressure on his right buttock, which lasted for about a minute. He saw that the accused was sitting very close to him and that the accuseds left leg was touching his right leg. The victim said excuse me to the accused and moved his right leg away from the accused. Lim then shifted a bit to the right. However, just a few minutes later, Lim moved closer to the victim and again touched his buttock. The victim reacted by leaning forward, said DPP Ee. The accused then placed his hand on the chair, behind the victims buttocks. When the victim sat back, his right buttocks was on the accuseds left hand. The boy then said excuse me and went up to the bus captain, who locked the bus and called the police. Lim admitted to his crime. Just a week earlier, on 11 March, he had also rubbed the thigh of a 15-year-old on board bus service 187 in Bukit Batok at about 8am. The molester also said that he began having the inclination to touch young boys on public buses since October 2019, said DPP Ee. He stated that this was not the first time he had touched boys inside a bus, and that he usually touched boys who were in their school uniforms shorts or physical education shorts. He did so by sitting beside them in a public bus and using his hand to touch their thighs. He was unable to remember the number of times he had done so, added the prosecutor. Story continues A government psychiatrist found that Lim suffered from paraphilic disorders, and his offending was likely to be a maladaptive coping mechanism to deal with emotional stress and social isolation. For using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a person, Lim could have been jailed for up to two years along with a fine and caning. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Other Singapore stories: WEEKLY ROUND-UP: Sports happenings in Singapore (25-31 May) Parkway Parade added as public venue visited by COVID-19 cases Construction of Singapore-KL high-speed rail deferred till 31 Dec Federal authorities are keeping close tabs on unrest in Birmingham, especially after rioters damaged the Robert S. Vance Federal Building and the Hugo L. Black U.S. Courthouse. Both federal buildings, along 5th Avenue North, sustained broken glass during the overnight unrest throughout Birmingham. Federal agencies are using all of our tools to investigate the perpetrators and who is behind the damage to federal property and those individuals will be brought to justice, said Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Jay Town. "The right to free speech and assembly are cornerstones of our American freedom. Do so freely. Do so responsibly. Do so lawfully,'' Town said. Those who hijack this peaceful process by organizing, inciting or participating in riotous behavior and civil unrest will be brought to justice. A peaceful rally Sunday afternoon that started in Kelly Ingram Park ended a short distance away in Linn Park with protesters trying to remove a confederate monument, spray-painting and chiseling at its base. Demonstrators then moved from the park and began breaking windows in banks, offices, bars, restaurants and salons. Gunshots could be heard into the early hours. Fires were lit in streets, dumpsters and gutted the California Fashion Mall. Heavily armed police and angry protesters filled the streets through the night. Police said the riots resulted in burglaries at 14 businesses with another 13 businesses that had significant damage ranging from broken windows to vandalism to looting. Authorities said 24 arrests were made in Birmingham. Town, FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr. and U.S. Marshal Marty Keely on Monday issued a joint warning about possible federal crimes, which bring longer prison sentences than state convictions. Those who cause any damage to federal property have committed a federal crime and will be prosecuted in a federal court. We have zero tolerance for those who incite, organize, encourage, or engage in civil unrest, violence, and destructive behavior anywhere in the Northern District of Alabama. And make no mistake, we will bring those individuals to justice who do. Town said its very important that local and state agencies share crime intelligence with their federal partners so they can determine whether individuals are coming in from outside of the state or using any facility in interstate commerce such as cell phones, social media, and the internet to direct, organize or participate in the civil unrest. We have a federal interest, a federal stake in that type of information and there are a number of federal offenses as it relates to riots, civil unrest, the use of incendiary devices or participating in any type of arson of these buildings, Town said. The FBI along with other federal agencies are working around the clock and, frankly, so is my office to ensure that we have up-to-date crime intelligence and that were using it to pursue these individuals so that we can bring them to justice in a federal court. She's been enjoying a rare break away from Albert Square as she isolates with her family amid the coronavirus pandemic. And Maisie Smith stepped out for some fresh air as she walked her pet pooches in Essex on Monday afternoon. The EastEnders actress, 18, flashed a hint of her toned abs as she slipped into a neon green crop top, teamed with a navy tracksuit. Out and about: Maisie Smith stepped out for some fresh air as she walked her pet pooches in Essex on Monday afternoon Mixing style with comfort, the soap star's co-ords featured a hooded jumper and classic joggers, which she dressed with box-fresh trainers by Nike. The Tiffany actress ditched her regular glamour in favour of a make-up free appearance, and wore her ginger mane in its naturally curly pattern. Elsewhere, Maisie has made sure to have some fun while not working due to the coronavirus crisis. Ab-flashing: The EastEnders actress, 18, displayed a hint of her toned midsection as she slipped into a neon green crop top, teamed with a navy tracksuit Sporty chic: Mixing style with comfort, the soap star's co-ords featured a hooded jumper and classic joggers, which she dressed with box-fresh trainers by Nike The TV star recently enlisted her mother, Julia Smith to join her to perform a perfectly choreographed routine to Britney Spears song Toxic, for Tik Tok. Maisie is currently quarantined at home with her family at home since the UK went into lockdown. The thespian, who joined EastEnders as Tiffany aged seven, has since shared a beautiful self-penned song with her social media followers. Maisie opened up about her battle with body dysmorphia in the lyrics, admitting she remembers 'wishing she was thinner' from a young age. She said that she has been feeling 'anxious' and 'trapped in her thoughts' while in isolation she penned the song in a bid to 'heal her mind'. The song began: 'When I was little I would look in the mirror, holding in my stomach wishing that I was thinner. Suggesting it is something she struggles with, Maisie added: 'Guess I had a case of body dysmorphia - and I still haven't shaken it off.' Boston, MA - JUUL and similar pod-based e-cigarettes have been popular with teenagers and young adults since they came on the market in 2015, but little has been known about their health effects. A new systematic review led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that while the products may contain lower levels of harmful ingredients than conventional cigarettes, there is no evidence that even these lower levels are safe for youth. The study also found that the devices' efficient delivery of nicotine fosters greater dependence than other types of e-cigarettes. This is the first paper to synthesize research findings on pod-based e-cigarettes, said first author Stella Lee, formerly a National Cancer Institute Cancer Prevention postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences and currently an assistant professor at Konkuk University in South Korea. "We found that pod-based e-cigarettes have a higher potential to get youth and young adults addicted than other devices," she said. "To prevent this from happening, we need stronger health communication messages that alert people to these findings." The study will be published online June 1, 2020 in JAMA Pediatrics. Pod-based e-cigarettes are sleekly designed and easy to conceal. Users pop in replaceable nicotine cartridges that come in appealing flavors like mango and mint. JUUL has dominated retail sales, although other pod-based products are now on the market, including Suorin, Bo, Phix, and Vuse Alto. Recent data have shown that e-cigarette use in adolescents has increased substantially since the introduction of pod-based e-cigarettes, prompting the U.S. Surgeon General to declare youth vaping an epidemic. For this study, the researchers reviewed recent peer-reviewed scientific literature on pod-based e-cigarettes. They identified 35 English-language articles that presented primary data on pod-based e-cigarettes from June 2015 to June 2019. Studies looked at product design and biological effects, marketing and social media messaging, and population use and perception. According to the new study, the design of pod-based e-cigarettes ensures the delivery of high doses of nicotine in a low pH form, which is less harsh compared to the higher pH nicotine found in most other e-cigarette brands, thus encouraging deeper inhalation. In one study, the level of nicotine exposure in adolescents (as measured by urinary cotinine) using JUUL or other brands of pod-based e-cigarettes was higher (245 ng/ml) than levels detected in adolescents who smoked regular cigarettes (155 ng/ml). Study findings also suggested that adolescents using pod-based e-cigarettes were more likely than other e-cigarette users to vape daily and to have more symptoms of nicotine dependence. The researchers also found that pod-based e-cigarette social media marketing campaigns have targeted youth and young adults more than campaigns for other e-cigarette devices. Messages focused less on use of these products as smoking cessation devices and more on ease of use and lifestyle appeal. The researchers were surprised to find that no study has yet focused on knowledge and perceptions of pod-based e-cigarette use among parents of teenagers, said senior author Andy Tan, assistant professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences. "Learning parents' perspectives and their information needs around pod-based e-cigarettes is important to address the vaping epidemic among young people," he said. "This is because we will then be able to empower parents with accurate information and tools to communicate with their children that pod-based e-cigarettes are extremely addictive, and to avoid using these products." ### Other Harvard Chan School authors of the study included Vaughan Rees, Noam Yossefy, and Karen Emmons. This study was supported by a gift from Roslyn and Lisle Payne, and by awards R25CA057711 and 2T32CA057711-26 from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health. "Research on JUUL and Other Pod-Based E-Cigarettes Relevant to Youth and Young Adult Use 2015-2019: A Systematic Review," Stella Juhyun Lee, Vaughan W. Rees, Noam Yossefy, Karen M. Emmons, and Andy S.L. Tan, JAMA Pediatrics, online June 1, 2020, doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.0259 Visit the Harvard Chan School website for the latest news, press releases, and multimedia offerings. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health brings together dedicated experts from many disciplines to educate new generations of global health leaders and produce powerful ideas that improve the lives and health of people everywhere. As a community of leading scientists, educators, and students, we work together to take innovative ideas from the laboratory to people's lives--not only making scientific breakthroughs, but also working to change individual behaviors, public policies, and health care practices. Each year, more than 400 faculty members at Harvard Chan School teach 1,000-plus full-time students from around the world and train thousands more through online and executive education courses. Founded in 1913 as the Harvard-MIT School of Health Officers, the School is recognized as America's oldest professional training program in public health. Qantas has rejected suggestions that it buying a 19.9 per cent stake in rival charter operator Alliance Aviation has damaged the airline industry, as the competition regulator continues its 16-month probe into the transaction. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on Monday said it was concerned more than ever about the ability of smaller airlines to compete with larger carriers amid the upheaval brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, which has already pushed Virgin Australia into administration. Alliance Aviation competes with Qantas primarily on regional routes and fly-in, fly-out services for the resources sector. Credit:Glenn Hunt In response to queries by "various stakeholders", the ACCC said on Monday that it was forging ahead with its investigation into Qantas buying the 19.9 per cent stake in ASX-listed Alliance for $60 million in February. Qantas said at the time it intended to take a majority stake in Alliance, which operates fly-in fly-out (FIFO) routes for the mining industry in Queensland and WA, and also runs regional services on behalf of Virgin Australia, with its fleet of Fokker aircraft. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. New report Commercial Kitchen Appliances Market. The report provides an extensive qualitative and quantitative analysis of the market trends and growth prospects of the Global Commercial Kitchen Appliances Market, 2017-2026. This report comprises a detailed geographic distribution of the market across North America, Europe, APAC and South America, and MEA. North America is further segmented into U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Europe is divided into Germany, UK, Italy, France, and Rest of Europe. Asia-Pacific is bifurcated into China, India, Japan, and Rest of Asia-Pacific. worldwide commercial kitchen appliances market is anticipated to reach USD 138.5 billion by 2026. In 2017, the refrigerator segment dominated the global market, in terms of revenue. North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the global market revenue during the forecast period. The significant increase in food establishments, and the growing tourism industry are the major factors driving the growth of this market. The changing lifestyles and hectic schedules of the working professionals are leading to higher instances of dining at restaurants and other food establishments. Rising disposable income is one of the factors responsible for the growth of the market. Get Sample Copy @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/commercial-kitchen-appliances-market/request-for-sample Restaurants are increasingly adopting technologically advanced kitchen appliances to simplify kitchen activities and offer enhanced services to consumers. Restaurant businesses prefer compact and space efficient appliances, which encourages market players to launch new products in the global market. Increasing spending on the hospitality sector, and tourism activities encourage restaurant owners to improve their infrastructure and offer enhanced services. The market is also driven by increasing need to use kitchen appliances that consume less energy and provide faster kitchen services. Growing concerns regarding environment and increasing adoption of energy efficient kitchen appliances are expected to offer numerous growth opportunities in the future. However, high costs associated with commercial kitchen appliances, high installation prices, and strict regulations on production of commercial cooking appliances restrict the growth of the market. Segment Analysis By Product (Cooking Appliances, Dishwasher, Refrigerator, Others); By Fuel Type (Cooking Gas, Electricity, Others); By End-User (Full Service Restaurants, Quick Service Restaurants, Hotels and Resorts, Commercial Kitchens, College and University Kitchens, Others); By Structure (Built-in, Free Stand); By Region : (North America [U.S., Canada], Europe [Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Rest of Europe], Asia-Pacific [China, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Rest of Asia-Pacific], Latin America [ Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Rest of Latin America], Middle East and Africa [Israel, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Rest of MEA]) Browse summary of this report with TOC @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/commercial-kitchen-appliances-market Increasing disposable income coupled with rise in number of working class population has changed the lifestyle pattern of consumers. The commercial kitchen appliances market has witnessed considerable growth in the recent years due to improved lifestyle, changing consumption patterns of people and rising number of social events. The disposable income of people in the developing countries has increased owing to the improving economic conditions in these regions. High disposable income increases the spending capacity of consumers encouraging them to dine at restaurants and attend social events. These factors support the growth of the global commercial kitchen appliances market. Competitive Landscape: The well-known companies profiled in the report include Meiko International, AB Electrolux, Hobart Corporation, Fujimak Corporation, Duke Manufacturing Co. Inc., Ali Group Company, Hoshizaki Corporation, Fagor Industrial, Rational AG, Carrier Corporation among others. 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. The different types of commercial kitchen appliances include cooking appliances, refrigerators, dishwashers, and others. In 2017, refrigerators accounted for the highest market share owing to increasing need to conserve edible items at a range of different temperatures. Restaurants are increasingly adopting technologically advanced refrigerators to meet high storage demands and to offer fresh & high quality food. Food establishments are also inclined towards using energy efficient refrigerators owing to growing environmental concerns. Get Exclusive Discount on This Report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/commercial-kitchen-appliances-market/request-for-discount-pricing Increasing disposable income coupled with rise in number of working class population has changed the lifestyle pattern of consumers. The commercial kitchen appliances market has witnessed considerable growth in the recent years due to improved lifestyle, changing consumption patterns of people and rising number of social events. The disposable income of people in the developing countries has increased owing to the improving economic conditions in these regions. High disposable income increases the spending capacity of consumers encouraging them to dine at restaurants and attend social events. These factors support the growth of the global commercial kitchen appliances market. Regional Analysis: North America generated the highest revenue in the market in 2017, and is expected to lead the global market throughout the forecast period. The high living standards along with high disposable income in the region drive the market growth. Other factors supporting market growth in North America include different eating habits, increasing popularity of different cuisines, and a multi-cultural environment. Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period owing to the increasing population and improving living standards. Else place an Inquire before Purchase @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/commercial-kitchen-appliances-market/inquire-before-buying (Note: If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.) About Polaris Market Research Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. 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 Chinese President Xi Jinping cares a lot about children. Around International Children's Day each year, he either joins celebrations with children, meets with their representatives or extends greetings to them in letters or statements. In addition, during his inspection tours, he always spends time with children. Click on the video to review those warm moments. DPRK fully supports China's decision on national security legislation for Hong Kong Global Times Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/5/30 19:03:03 The Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has said that it fully supports China's decision on national security legislation for Hong Kong, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Saturday. It is a legitimate step that China has adopted the Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to Safeguard National Security, which is based on the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and the Basic Law of the HKSAR, at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), the KCNA quoted a spokesperson for the ministry as saying. "We fully support the measures taken by the Party and government of China for safeguarding the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the country and achieving stability and prosperity of Hong Kong based on the policy of 'one country, two systems,'" the spokesperson said. A difficult situation is being created in Hong Kong in recent years, which threatens the principle of "one country, two systems" and the national security of China, he noted. "This is the product of a plot by the external force and its vassal forces that seek the division and disintegration of China by tarnishing the image of a socialist country and fomenting and escalating a social disorder," the spokesperson added. "Since Hong Kong issue is one pertaining thoroughly to the internal affairs of China, any country or force has no rights to say this or that about it. We categorically oppose and reject foreign interference detrimental to the security and the social and economic development of Hong Kong," the report continued. On Thursday, deputies to China's 13th NPC voted overwhelmingly to approve the decision on national security legislation for Hong Kong. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Former Obama adviser Susan Rice has blamed the violent protests that rocked major American cities over the weekend on foreign actors, and even suggested that Russia could be involved in stirring them up. Im not reading the intelligence today, or these days but based on my experience, this is right out of the Russian playbook, Rice, who served as national-security adviser to president Obama, said in a CNN interview on Sunday. But we cannot allow the extremists, the foreign actors, to distract from the real problems we have in this country that are longstanding, centuries old, and need to be addressed responsibly. Anchor Wolf Blitzer responded, youre absolutely right on the foreign interference. Blitzer then asked Rice if she thought the Russians were attempting to embarrass the U.S. by promoting the racial divide in our country. Well we see it all the time, weve seen it for years, including on social media where they take any divisive, painful issue . . . and they play on both sides, Rice said. I would not be surprised to learn that they have fomented some of these extremists on both sides on social media . . . [or] that theyre funding it in some way, shape, or form. Meanwhile, current national-security adviser Robert OBrien on Sunday pointed to a number of countries that were attempting to foment unrest via social media. Chief among those countries is China, however OBrien also mentioned Iran, Russia, and Zimbabwe as possibly using social media to enflame tensions in the U.S. Pressed by @GStephanopoulos on evidence that foreign adversaries are exploiting U.S. unrest, OBrien points to social media activity from China coming straight from the government. He also names Zimbabwe, Iran and says there may be Russian activists. https://t.co/8NuFvYRECl pic.twitter.com/nApMWEuMfs ABC News (@ABC) May 31, 2020 The protests were sparked by the death of Minneapolis, Minn., resident George Floyd during his arrest on May 25 by former officer Derek Chauvin. Chauvin, who is white, has since been charged with third-degree murder in the death of Floyd, who is African American. More from National Review Akshay Kumar recently slammed reports of him booking a charter flight for his sister and her kids, said fake from the start to end. Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, who recently slammed the reports of Filhall 2, rubbished the reports of booking a chartered flight for his sister Alka Bhatia and her child during the outbreak. Recently, there were rumours that the actor has booked an entire flight for his sister to travel from Mumbai to Delhi looking at the current scenarios. Reports also suggested that the flight had four crew members to look after them. The report made the actor quite upset as he took to Twitter to slam the reports and said that all this is fake from the start to end. Akshay Kumar revealed that his sister has not traveled anywhere since the lockdown began and she has only one kid. Later, he said he is contemplating legal action for putting out fake reports. Not just this, recently Akshay Kumar also rubbished the reports of the actor collaborating with Nupur Sanon to recreate Filhall for the second installment. Akshay Kumar said that all these are fake reports and he is in no plan for the second part. Akshay Kumar is currently locked up at his Juhu residence with wife Twinkle Khanna and his kids Aarav and Nitara. Recently, he also shot for an awareness campaign with director R Balki. On the work front, he also had a script reading session with Jackky Bhagnani and Nikkhil Advani for their film Bell Bottom, which is his upcoming spy-thriller film. Also Read: Natasa Stankovics ex Aly Gony congratulates her on new beginning with Hardik Pandya This news about me booking a charter flight for my sister and her two kids is FAKE from start to end.She has not travelled anywhere since the lockdown and she has only one child!Contemplating legal action,enough of putting up with false, concocted reports! https://t.co/iViBGW5cmE Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) May 31, 2020 Due to coronavirus pandemic, Akshay Kumars Sooryavanshi which was supposed to release in March starring Katrina Kaif, Ranveer Singh, and Ajay Devgn has also been postponed. Moreover, his highly anticipated film Laxmmi Bomb with Kiara Advani has been bought by an OTT platform reportedly. For all the latest Entertainment News, download NewsX App T he UK must continue lifting its coronavirus lockdown despite fears that restrictions are being eased too soon, Dominic Raab has said. Speaking on Sky News' Sophy Ridge programme, the Foreign Secretary said that the UK "is making steady progress" but is in "a sensitive moment." But he added: We cant just stay in lockdown forever. We have got to transition." He also said, if there an "uptick" in cases, "we will have to take further measures again and target the virus wherever it may appear". His comments come the day before people in England are allowed to gather in groups of six outside, while keeping to social distancing rules. UK lockdown heatwave - In pictures 1 /134 UK lockdown heatwave - In pictures Primrose Hill Matt Writtle People enjoy the sunny weather in Scarborough PA A dog plays in the sea with its owner at South Gare near Redcar Getty Images People kayak along the River Cam in Cambridge PA Elley from Bexley Heath indulges in some early morning sunbathing in Primrose Hill Matt Writtle People enjoy the sunny weather in Scarborough PA Givences cools off today in Trafalgar Square Jeremy Selwyn People relax on Crosby Beach PA Hot weather in London Nigel Howard A gardener in Regents Park gives the plants and flowers an early morning drink Matt Writtle Hyde Park Jeremy Selwyn People enjoying the hot weather in Cullercoats Bay, Tyne and Wear PA Lifeguards on Crosby Beach put out warning signs PA Julie cools down in Hyde Park Jeremy Selwyn A man enjoys the sunny weather in Scarborough PA A couple of dawn risers meditate as the sunrises over Primrose Hill Matt Writtle Vapours trails over London Matt Writtle Hot weather in London Nigel Howard Hot weather in London NIGEL HOWARD Hot Weather, runners close to Lambeth Bridge Nigel Howard Sunshine by the Thames Jeremy Selwyn Sunrise over Northala Fields in Ealing Jeremy Selwyn A couple of dawn risers meditate as the sunrises over Primrose Hill Matt Writtle People take advantage of the hot weather in Hyde Park Nigel Howard Dawn rider Alex Wukovich of Paddington rides along the top of Primrose Hill Matt Writtle Primrose Hill Matt Writtle Dawn risers watch the sunrise Primrose Hill Matt Writtle A busy beach in Margate, Kent PA Early risers take pictures of the sunrise at 4.27am at Tynemouth Pier on the North East coast PA A lady relaxes in the sunshine on the beach in Margate, Kent PA Hyde Park sunshine Jeremy Selwyn People enjoy the sea in Margate, Kent PA People visit the beach in Bournemouth, Dorset PA Hyde Park sunshine Jeremy Selwyn A busy beach in Margate, Kent PA Hyde Park sunshine Jeremy Selwyn A busy beach in Margate, Kent, PA Hyde Park sunshine Jeremy Selwyn A boat on the River Ouse in York PA A woman exercises in York PA People enjoying the good weather at Ruislip Lido in London PA People enjoying the good weather by Three Shires Head on the River Dane PA People sunbathe in St James Park, PA A cyclist does a wheelie outside Buckingham Palace PA A lone Squirrel sits close to Waterloo Station awaiting some breakfast Nigel Howard People enjoying the warm weather at the Botanic Gardens in Belfast PA People enjoying the good weather on the beach at Durdle Door, near Lulworth in Dorset PA Cyclists ride along the Mall, as people enjoy the good weather in London PA People enjoy the sun in Hackney Wick Getty Images People play with a football as they enjoy the sunny weather in Shoreditch Park AFP via Getty Images An ice cream van is seen as people enjoy the hot weather on the bank of the River Thames in London REUTERS People enjoy the hot sunny weather on Brighton Beach Getty Images Southend beach has been flooded with sunbathers under the bank holiday Monday sun AFP via Getty Images Paddle boarders practise social distancing as they make their way along the Basingstoke Canal near to Dogmersfield in Hampshire PA People enjoy the hot weather at Bournemouth beach in Dorset, as people flock to parks and beaches with lockdown measures eased PA Two women sunbathe as people enjoy the hot weather in Greenwich Park, London PA Gridlock stretches on a road in Burnsall in the Yorkshire Dales PA Southend, Essex SOLO Syndication A man jumps into the sea at the Forty Foot in Sandycove, Dublin, PA Southend, Essex SOLO Syndication People enjoy the hot weather in Holland Park Playing Fields, London PA People enjoy the hot weather at Bournemouth beach in Dorset PA Men playing football as they enjoy the hot weather at Weston-super-Mare PA Regents Canal Matt Writtle Cyclists enjoy the hot weather in Greenwich Park, London PA A woman plays frisbee as people enjoy the hot weather in Greenwich Park PA Sunbathers enjoy the hot weather at Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire PA People walk beside Regent's Canal AFP via Getty Images People queuing for food as they enjoy the hot weather at Weston-super-Mare PA Runners and walkers climb Primrose Hill Matt Writtle Sunshine in Hyde Park Jeremy Selwyn A women exercises in the early morning sunshine Nigel Howard Sunshine in Hyde Park Jeremy Selwyn Sun seekers out and about in Primrose Hill Matt Writtle Running in the sunshine at Hyde Park Corner Jeremy Selwyn Running in the sunshine at Hyde Park Corner Jeremy Selwyn Runners climb Primrose Hill Matt Writtle Sunshine in Hyde Park Jeremy Selwyn Cyclists ride under a clear blue sky in Blyth, Northumberland PA Bathers swim in the Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park, London, on Tuesday AFP via Getty Images Tennis in the sunshine at Sale Sports Club Getty Images A woman runs beneath the trees along the Mall in central London PA A dog jumps into the water as families relax at a Lido in London AP Margate, Kent PA People ride bicycles on the Mall in central London PA Women exercise in a central London Nigel Howard Margate, Kent PA Kayakers braved the overcast weather at Woolacombe Beach, Devon PA Pine Ridge Golf Club Getty Images Families sunbathe and relax at a Lido in London, AP A couple enjoy their beach hut during the sunny weather in Broadstairs, Kent PA Sunbathers in Greenwich Park, London, PA Bathers swim in the Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park, London AFP via Getty Images Walkers enjoy Virginia Water in Surrey PA Families sunbathe and relax at a Lido in London AP People enjoy the warm weather in Guildford, Surrey PA People sit in Battersea Park PA Families sunbathe and relax at a Lido in London AP Bathers swim in the Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park AFP via Getty Images People enjoy the warm weather on the beach in Margate, Kent, PA People at Whitley Bay beach on Saturday PA Many schools will also reopen for some year groups on Monday, while open-air markets and car showrooms will also be allowed to trade again. All non-essential shops will be able to open their doors again from June 15. But some experts have warned that the UK may be easing lockdown too soon. New case levels still high at around 8,000 per day and the track and trace system is not expected to be fully ready until the end of June. Professor Devi Sridhar told Sky: If your objective is to contain the virus, to drive numbers down and to try to in a sense get rid of it so no-one is exposed to it, then it is not the right measure right now to open up. Its a big risk and gamble for exiting lockdown with a larger number of deaths than we did when we actually entered lockdown months back. Professor John Edmunds of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who is advising the Government on its coronavirus response, also questioned the move to lift lockdown. Describing the rate of new coronavirus cases, he told the Guardian: If you look at it internationally, its a very high level of incidence. The issue is, clearly theres a need to try and get the economy restarted and people back to their jobs and so on, and also theres a social and a mental health need to allow people to meet with their friends and families. Ruislip Lido in west London on Saturday / AFP via Getty Images I think many of us would prefer to see the incidence driven down to lower levels because that then means that we have fewer cases occurring before we relax the measures. I think at the moment, with relatively high incidence and relaxing the measures and also with an untested track and trace system, I think we are taking some risk here. Mr Raab said that the lockdown would continue to be eased gradually and remain under constant monitoring. Referring to the deputy chief medical officer, he told Sky: As Jonathan Van-Tam has said, with a precarious moment we can ease up, we can protect life, but also livelihoods, get life back to something resembling normal, but we must monitor it very carefully. Hyde Park / AFP via Getty Images If there is any up-tick in the number of cases, if we stop making the progress I described, we will have to take further measures again and target the virus wherever it may appear. The foreign secretary's comments come after a week of political criticism of the Government, with adviser Dominic Cummings keeping his job despite breaking lockdown rules. And Mr Raab said on Sunday that he wasn't aware of where the senior adviser was at the time, despite being the de-facto Prime Minister, with Boris Johnson ill with coronavirus. He told Sky: I just knew that he was out of action because he had come down with coronavirus and, given the situation we were in with the Prime Minister taken ill, and very seriously ill as it later emerged, I was just focused with the Government and with a great Cabinet team on making sure we continued to focus relentlessly on dealing with the virus. I mean I knew Dom was unwell and he was out of action, and obviously I wanted him and the Prime Minister to get well soon, but I wasnt focused on his movements at all and I wasnt aware of them. Now, more than three decades later, an acrylic painting that Haring gifted to a young man during the trip will be auctioned at 12 p.m. on Friday, June 19 at EJ's Auction & Appraisal in Glendale, Arizona. The image measures 35.75" x 25.5" and it is signed on the bottom right with a personalized note on the back of the canvas along with a second signature. EJ's Auction & Appraisal retained the services of Bart Baggett, a renowned forensic document examiner and an experienced expert witness, to examine the handwriting. On March 25, 2020, Mr. Baggett provided EJ's with his professional expert written opinion that the handwriting was by the hand of Keith Haring. Mr. Baggett's report, video and photos of the painting, and provenance can be found on EJ's Auction & Appraisal's website, and EJ's will schedule private viewings of the painting at its Glendale, Arizona auction house through Thursday, June 18. EJ's will also open for a public preview at 9 a.m. on auction day, Friday, June 19. A starting bid of $50,000 must be met for bidding to begin, and bidders must pre-register at www.ejsauction.com. Erik Hoyer, CEO of EJ's Auction & Appraisal, said the full-service auction house researched the painting extensively. "We're confident that this is an original Keith Haring painting," Hoyer said. "Everything points to it being an original, and we encourage serious collectors to schedule an appointment to examine it." Keith Haring's charismatic life was cut short when he died of AIDS-related complications in 1990. He was just 31 years old, but his art and persona were so striking, his legacy lives on with tens of thousands of fans worldwide today. For details, visit www.ejsauction.com or call (623) 878-2003. SOURCE EJ's Auction & Appraisal Related Links https://www.ejsauction.com/ Chicago police have said that 16 people were shot and killed and at least 30 were injured in shootings across the city over the weekend. The most recent fatal shooting involved two men driving down East 95th Street at approximately 1.41pm yesterday. A person in a dark-colored SUV opened fire, striking both victims. According to police, a 39-year-old man and a 31-year-old man were shot in the head, and both men were pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives are investigating but so far no suspects are in custody. The unrest fanned out after a weekend of chaos in Chicago, as peaceful protests devolved into clashes with police, fires and property damage following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Chicago police have said that 16 people were shot and killed and at least 30 were injured in shootings across the city over the weekend. It comes after unrest following the death of George Floyd. Pictured are protests in central Chicago yesterday Protesters have a standoff with Chicago police officers outside police headquarters in Chicago Protesters gather in Daley Plaza in Chicago yesterday as violence erupted across the city this weekend The city's first fatal shooting of the weekend happened on South Lamon Avenue at around 12.41pm on Friday afternoon. Police responding to a ShotSpotter alert in the area and found a 31-year-old man lying on the street with multiple gunshot wounds. Police say the man was pronounced dead at the scene, and detectives are continuing to investigate the incident. At around 4pm on Friday on South Michigan Avenue a 28-year-old man was inside a property when a woman fired shots at him, hitting him in the chest. The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The woman was taken into custody and detectives recovered a weapon from the scene. The city, under Mayor Lori Lightfoot, recently also saw its deadliest Memorial Day weekend in years, which included 10 deaths and 39 were wounded. The unrest fanned out after a weekend of chaos in Chicago, as peaceful protests devolved into clashes with police. Pictured: Protesters gather in Daley Plaza in Chicago yesterday People confront police officers during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Chicago on Saturday People hold signs as they march during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Chicago on Saturday Then at 7pm on West 70th Street, a 23-year-old man was walking along the side of the road when a vehicle approached and a person inside opened fire, hitting the man in the chest and on his side. The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital. Detectives are investigating but currently no suspects have been arrested. On Saturday morning on East 115th Street, a 21-year-old man was traveling in a vehicle when a person in a passing car opened fire, striking him in the neck and chest. The victim was pronounced dead in hospital. On South Woodlawn Avenue a 30-year-old woman was shot and killed at around 3am and a 39-year-old man was found lying unresponsive on the street by police in the 800 block of North Lorel. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Other fatal shootings occurred on West 63rd Street, North Meade, North Mason, Downtown Chicago and East Huron. Protesters have a standoff with Chicago police officers outside police headquarters in Chicago A destroyed car with anti-police graffiti is seen in Downtown Chicago yesterday after tensions boiled over While Chicago officials took extraordinary steps Sunday to patrol and restrict access to downtown in the hopes of preventing further chaos after tense weekend protests over the death of George Floyd, destruction and unrest spread to the city's neighborhoods and suburbs. Vandals smashed windows at a shoe store in the heavily-Mexican Little Village neighborhood. Crowds broke into a Family Dollar store at a South Side strip mall. Multiple suburban shopping malls were closed, including in Calumet City, where the mayor declared a 'state of emergency.' A burned out business on Michigan Avenue in Chicago yesterday following George Floyd protests Protesters gather in Daley Plaza in Chicago yesterday to protest against death of George Floyd Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who ordered an indefinite nightly 9pm curfew, said the Illinois National Guard had been requested to help keep order. She said access to the central business district would be restricted to only essential workers and people who live there. Public transportation was temporarily suspended, major streets blocked with sanitation trucks and Chicago River drawbridges allowing traffic into downtown remained lifted. 'Seeing the murder of George Floyd sickened me and it still does,' Lightfoot said at a news conference, taking several breaks to compose herself. 'But rather than respond to his death as we should and focus our energy toward doing the hard work to create the change that we need, we have instead been forced to turn our focus and energy toward preventing wanton violence and destruction' Police Superintendent David Brown said officers were working 12-hour shifts to respond. Lightfoot made an appeal last month after another outbreak of violence in the city and asked residents to help police respond to shootings. Under pressure from Beijing, Hong Kong is extending its COVID-19 lockdown through June 4, which happens to be the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre of peaceful protesters by the Chinese military. The annual Hong Kong vigil is typically the largest such gathering in China, and the new restrictions leave in doubt its residents ability to commemorate the 1989 tragedy. In addition to using the pandemic to crack down on this years anniversary observances, government censors annually block Chinese citizens from searching online for keywords related to the massacre. Even terms as simple as "June 4 are blocked on the mainland. Now Beijing is pushing to amend the de facto constitution of Hong Kong, granting mainland authorities broad power to classify protest and free speech activities as subversive to national security. This has implications for protesters, journalists, and everyday citizens who simply express dissatisfaction with Beijing. Leveraging the current pandemic for repression is cynical and manipulative. But it is also ironic. The Communist Party justified its actions 31 years ago, and continues to justify censorship of the massacre, by saying its necessary to immunize the country against turmoil. Despite years of censorship, people still remember. Top-down restrictions on the free flow of information cant crush an idea any more than they can kill a virus. In China and elsewhere, these restrictions do more harm than good both for civic health and public health. Beijing is hardly the only government on Earth responding to dissent with censorship. It has plenty of company exploiting the coronavirus pandemic to impose draconian restrictions on speech and assembly. Even though it makes disease outbreaks worse, authoritarian countries and some not so authoritarian are silencing journalists, health officials, and human rights groups under the guise of addressing misinformation in the name of public health. Hungary, Iran, and others have imposed new and more stringent sanctions for sharing what officials deem to be false information. Hungarys measures criminalize sharing falsehoods or distorted truths about the governments handling of the pandemic and risk further silencing members of the press and academy. Irans approach has resulted in arrests of several journalists who challenged official claims of the virus spread. Legal protections are much stronger in America, compared not only with authoritarian regimes but even to other democracies. But as partisan tensions rise and us vs. them mentalities stifle discourse, opportunities for open dialogue diminish. The more we talk past each other instead of with each other, the less likely we are to sustain the idea that others have a right to disagree with us. Its a dangerous trend. Two years before the Tiananmen Square massacre, astronomer Carl Sagan wrote in a famous essay about the necessity of creating an exquisite balance between two conflicting needs: the most skeptical scrutiny of all hypotheses that are served up to us and at the same time a great openness to new ideas. We must be able to sustain the tension between those two notions and to apply them as needed. To do that, contrarian speech must be protected. That doesnt mean every idea has equal value. But it does mean that it will be much more difficult to find the ones that do have value, to separate the wheat from the chaff, discrediting the bad ideas and popularizing the ones that improve the world. Skeptical scrutiny and openness to new ideas are what we need right now. The machinery for distinguishing them is an essential tool in dealing with the world and especially in dealing with the future, Sagan continued. And it is precisely the mix of these two modes of thought that is central to the success of science. But not just for science. In Hong Kong, in Beijing, across America, and around the world, well-functioning intellectual machinery is essential for the health of each and every one of us. Sarah Ruger is director of free expression at the Charles Koch Institute and vice president of free expression at Stand Together. The views expressed are the author's own. Deputy Information Minister, Pius Enam Hadzide has commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for opening schools for final year students. According to the Minister, the President's ease of restrictions on educational institutions is a good step because it will help the final year students to prepare well for their final examinations. Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Pius Enam Hadzide stated that the opening of schools is also an opportunity for the Education Ministry and stakeholders in the education sector to assess the impact of the digital learning platforms on the students while they were at home due to the restrictions. He further supported the President for not allowing all school children back to the classrooms, revealing that the student population in Ghana is over nine (9) million; therefore the need for a systematic easing of the restrictions to safeguard them against the COVID-19 pandemic. To him, beginning with the final year students will help in facilitating the social distancing protocols as there will be adequate spaces in the various classrooms to occupy them. "About 9.4 million are school children in this country; from kindergarten through to University and other institutions of learning in the country. We can't therefore say due to COVID-19 and the fact that we don't have vaccines or cure yet, so the education of these 9.4 million school children has come to an end. No! We have to put measures in place for gradual progress," he said. 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 New York Outside Brooklyn's Barclays Center, thousands of protesters churned this weekend in tightly packed crowds, casting aside social distancing to express their rage and grief. In Minneapolis, ungloved demonstrators held hands as they marched. In Las Vegas, demonstrators roared their anger into the faces of police lined up a few feet away. And in nearly two dozen U.S. cities, police grappled physically with more than 2,500 people arrested during often-violent protests over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in the custody of Minneapolis police on Memorial Day. The rules of the coronavirus pandemic have been discarded on the streets in recent days. Protesters frequently find it impossible to stay six feet apart, to avoid hand-to-hand contact or to dodge the respiratory droplets of their shouting, chanting comrades. And because the virus can be spread by people with no symptoms, it's impossible to figure out whom to avoid. Officials are clearly worried about the possible impact of the protests on the health crisis. As of Sunday, the United States had recorded 1.7 million coronavirus infections and 103,000 deaths from COVID-19, the disease it causes a disproportionate number of them black and brown people. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, said she is concerned about renewed outbreaks caused by large demonstrations in the nation's capital. And Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, urged her city's demonstrators to seek tests for the virus. "If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week," Bottoms said at a news conference Saturday. "There is still a pandemic in America that's killing black and brown people at higher numbers." Experts said it remains to be seen whether the protests will produce a surge in infections. Given the behavior on the street, they said, there is cause for concern. "Crowded protests, like any large gathering of people in a close space, can help facilitate the spread of COVID-19, which is why it's so important participants wear masks, eye protection and bring hand-gel," Saskia Popescu, an infectious-disease epidemiologist at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government, wrote in an email. "Shouting and screaming, as some studies have shown with singing, can project droplets farther, which makes the use of masks ... and eye protection ... that much more important." On the other hand, several circumstances play to the protesters' benefit, experts said. The most critical is being outside; open space and breezes dilute and disperse the virus. In one study, which has yet to be peer reviewed, of 7,324 infected people in China, two contracted it outdoors. Researchers in Japan who looked at a small number of cases concluded that the chances of transmitting the virus are nearly 19 times greater indoors than out. That study also is awaiting review by other scientists. "Outdoor contact is far, far less risky than indoor contact," said Tom Frieden, former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "When outdoors within 6 feet, a mask will further reduce risk." The Uttar Pradesh administration has been tracking incoming migrant labourers and have found over 1,000 symptomatic for Covid-19, state principal secretary (Health), Amit Mohan Prasad told reporters on Monday. We are tracking migrant labourers returning to the state with the help of ASHA workers. 11,47,872 labourers have been tracked till now, out of which 1,027 are symptomatic. Their samples have been collected for testing, Prasad said. Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Awanish Awasthi, said that so far 1587 trains carrying migrants have arrived in the state. Sixteen trains are arriving today. 60 trains will be arriving in 2-3 days. With this, the number of people arriving in UP by trains will reach around 22.5 lakh, Awasthi said. We are tracking migrant labourers returning to the state with the help of ASHA workers. 11,47,872 labourers have been tracked till now, out of which 1,027 are symptomatic. Their samples have been collected for test: State Principal Secretary (Health), Amit Mohan Prasad https://t.co/cY7qknsv4V ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 1, 2020 Prasad also said that the state has reported 373 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours after the which Uttar Pradeshs number of active Covid-19 cases jump to 3,083. As many as 4,891 people have been cured or discharged while the death toll stands at 217 in the state. Uttar Pradesh has seen over 7,800 total cases of Covid-19 infection till date. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday held a review on the prevailing coronavirus situation in the state and directed officials to ensure the availability of thermal scanners at all railway stations as 200 interstate passenger trains resumed operation today. Till 2 pm today,1587 trains carrying migrants have arrived in Uttar Pradesh, 16 trains are arriving today. 60 trains will be arriving in 2-3 days. With this, the number of people arriving in UP by trains will reach around 22.5 lakh:UP Additional Chief Secy (Home), Awanish Awasthi https://t.co/EG6tUZg7UO pic.twitter.com/PSnPzNes5m ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 1, 2020 Everyone going inside stations should be thermally scanned and handbills regarding coronavirus prevention should be given to the passengers, Adityanath said. The chief minister also emphasised the cleanliness of hospitals and proper power supply to all medical facilities to avoid any inconvenience to the patients amid the Covid-19 crisis. Both health and medical departments should make good arrangements at COVID hospitals, the chief minister said. In its guidelines on the fifth phase of Covid-19 lockdown, the Uttar Pradesh government largely stuck to the directions issued by the Centre. While inter-state travel has been permitted, people from Covid-19 hotspot areas/containment zones in Delhi will not be allowed to travel to Noida and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. Shopping malls, religious places, hotels and restaurants will open from June 8 while the decision on reopening schools and colleges will be taken in July. Advertisement Two young women have been revealed as organising the London protests over the killing of George Floyd which sparked violence on the capital's streets. Thousands of Black Lives Matter protestors defied a ban on mass gatherings to rally at Trafalgar Square on Sunday before making their way to the gates of Downing Street and then south of the river towards the US Embassy. Today 18-year-old Aima and Tash, 21, were named as posting a series of hard hitting social media messages slamming Britain for being a 'racist country' and claiming that 'police brutality' will kill black people before coronavirus does. But their claims are not grounded in evidence, as analysis by the charity Inquest reveals there has been 99 BAME deaths in Metropolitan Police custody, or following officer contact such as shootings in the last 30 years. In contrast, Covid-19 has killed 5,956 people in London since the start of the pandemic and data in late April found that BAME victims accounted for 16 per cent of overall deaths - which extrapolated to today's total would be around 953. Two 18-year-olds Aima (left) and Tash (right) have been revealed as organising the London protests over the killing of George Floyd which sparked violence on the capital's streets. They've posted a series of hard hitting social media messages slamming Britain for being a 'racist country' and claiming that 'police brutality' will kill black people before coronavirus does TRAFALGAR SQUARE, LONDON, ENGLAND: Hundreds of demonstrators were packed into Trafalgar Square on Sunday, chanting 'I can't breathe,' the words Floyd was heard gasping as a white police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis On her website, Aima, who is believed to have spent part of her childhood growing up in the US, describes herself as 'teenage creative,' adding: 'I am a 18-year-old girl who lives just outside of London. I have a passion for photography and content creating as a whole.' In a Twitter video, posted after Sunday's demonstration, she declared: 'You guys are saying that the corona pandemic will kill us, but police brutality will kill us first. I'm already risking my life on a daily basis. Corona's not going to kill me before the police kill me.' In a video of her addressing the crowd at Sunday's demonstration, which was captioned 'A young black queen' Aima declares: 'The reason that I'm out here is that I'm scared for all my brothers and sisters. I want us all to spread the message that our lives bloody matter, black lives matter. And I'm tired of all the abuse and harassment and brutality from the police.' Tash, a student from London, told MailOnline that neither her nor Aima are willing to divulge any personal details about themselves. In response to a Twitter post criticising protestors for not socially distancing, she said: 'The UK is so racist it's blaming activism on something the government has failed to protect us from since March.' In another post, she wrote: 'When I was growing up, it was all my wh*te friends shoplifting and that we learned violence from you.' The teenagers have been described as 'the amazing sisters of this protest' who have been using social media to help build a supporter base across the UK. The two young women have organised another demonstration outside the US embassy for this weekend while others they are involved in are taking place in other British cities this week. One supporter tweeted to Tash: 'I am so f***ing proud of you, you are leading a revolution. A proud black young woman is leading the f***ing UK protests, you are creating history and I will be here to support you in any way I can.' People carrying banners gather during a protest over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after being pinned down by a white police officer in USA BAME deaths in Metropolitan Police custody or shootings BAME deaths in Metropolitan Police custody or following contact with the police are tracked by the charity, Inquest. The charity says: 'Fourteen per cent of deaths in police custody or otherwise following contact with the police since 1990 were BAME. This is proportionate to the population as at the 2011 census. 'However, BAME people die disproportionately as a result of use of force or restraint by the police, raising serious questions of institutional racism as a contributory factor in their deaths.' Below are the number of deaths each year since 2010: 2020: 1 shooting 2019: 1 shooting, 1 in custody 2018: 2 in custody 2017: 2 in custody, 4 shootings 2016: 1 in custody 2015: 2 in custody, 1 shooting 2014: 1 in custody, 1 shooting 2013: 0 deaths 2012: 1 in custody 2011: 2 in custody, 1 shooting 2010: 1 in custody Total: 22 Source: Inquest Advertisement Sunday's demonstration was largely peaceful but led to scuffles between police and protestors. One group of officers were seen tackling protesters on Kensington High Street, with reports some activists threw traffic cones at police. Dozens of American cities have been set ablaze over the last week amid deadly clashes with police officers over the killing of Floyd, whose death is seen as a symbol of systemic police brutality against African-Americans. A source close to protests that are being organised in Britain said: 'Aima and Tash have done an incredible job. They are only young, but they've kicked off this whole movement and really tapped into people's anger. 'They've made it clear that they just want peaceful protest and that everybody needs to maintain social distance. That's not quite happened because people get very passionate at these demonstrations, but you can't blame the two of them for that. They are both amazing women.' Following Sunday's protest, Aima was also interviewed by the BBC World Service claiming that she never expected so many people to attend. 'It was quite incredible the amount of people that came. There were all kinds of people there and that shows me that people in the UK are united,' she said. She also accused the Metropolitan Police of being 'institutionally racist' claiming that she had decided to organise the protest because she wanted to 'take a stand.' Aima claimed that British police 'looked at her differently' compared to her white friends and that it 'dehumanised' many young black men in particular. Referring to the killing of George Floyd she said: 'I think it really made me take a look at the police system all around the world. I have always been focusing on institutional racism in America but it really made me look in the UK. I have realised that there's so much institutional racism in the UK police.' Macys will reopen its store at the Capital City Mall in Lower Allen Township next week. The store will open on Monday, June 8. The store was permitted to open as early as May 22, when Cumberland County moved into the states yellow phase. Macys had closed all of its stores in Pennsylvania in March after Gov. Tom Wolf ordered that all non-essential businesses close due to COVID-19. Macys store in the Harrisburg Mall in Swatara Township was permitted to open on Friday but has not yet reopened. Macys announced in January that the store would hold a clearance sale starting in May for about 10 to 11 weeks before permanently closing. But of course that announcement was made before the states shutdown. Its not clear when the store will reopen and what the plans are regarding the clearance sale. As far as the Capital City Mall itself goes, the mall must remain closed in the yellow phase. Only tenants with external entrances may reopen. Sportsmans Warehouse and Dicks Sporting Goods reopened on May 22. The state liquor store and Mavis Discount Tire are currently open. JCPenney will reopen on Wednesday. Outback Steakhouse and Primanti Bros. currently offer takeout but their dining rooms remain closed and are not permitted to open in the yellow phase. --Business Buzz --Sign up for PennLives newsletters 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. You can follow Daniel Urie on twitter @DanielUrie2018 and you can like PennLives business page on Facebook at @PennLiveBusiness This week, we round up celebrity read-alouds that you can tune in to. Happy reading/listening! We love stories, and even in the age of Netflix-and-chill, there's nothing like a good book that promises a couple of hours of absorption. This week, we round up celebrity read-alouds that you can tune in to. Happy reading/listening! For more of our weekly book recommendations, click here. *** Harry Potter at Home Global icons record videos of themselves reading the first of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone/Sorcerers Stone. The first chapter is read by Daniel Radcliffe, with more readings by Stephen Fry, Eddie Redmayne, and Alia Bhatt among others. See the videos here. #ASonnetADay by Patrick Stewart Receiving a positive response to his reading of Shakespeares 'Sonnet 116', Patrick Stewart decided to start with the first of his 154 sonnets, reading one each day. 2. When I was a child in the 1940s, my mother would cut up slices of fruit for me (there wasn't much) and as she put it in front of me she would say, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." How about, A sonnet a day keeps the doctor away? So...here we go: Sonnet 1. pic.twitter.com/kDoMNhdqcI Patrick Stewart (@SirPatStew) March 22, 2020 Emilia Clarkes poetry reading series Game of Thrones actor Emilia Clarke has started a poetry reading series on her Instagram account, inviting more performers to read and talk about a poem, and discuss the work of a charity that means something to them. So far, besides her, there have been readings by Idris Elba, Helena Bonham Carter, and Andrew Scott, among others. Andy Serkis Hobbitathon In an effort to raise funds for NHS Charities Together and Best Beginnings, Andy Serkis, on 8 May, embarked on a 11-hour live storytelling endeavour, reading the entire The Hobbit. To help the charities, Harper Collins and the Tolkien Estate have given permission for 'Chapter Five: Riddles in the Dark', to be released on YouTube. This video will only be available till 14 June. James and the Giant Peach with Taika and Friends In support of Partners in Health, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi reads Roald Dahls James and the Giant Peach across 10 episodes. Joined by guest readers on each episode, videos release every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Save with Stories To help the almost 30 million vulnerable children in the US who depend on school for food and are now struggling because of COVID-19 related school closures, Jennifer Garner and Amy Adams launched Save with Stories in March on Instagram. The account now has over 250 posts, of different celebrities reading childrens books, not only to entertain kids while theyre at home, but also to support Save the Children and No Kid Hungry. Mondays with Michelle Obama Former US First Lady Michelle Obama has been reading picture books for children every Monday since 20 April. I'm thrilled to share some of my favourite children's books and give kids an opportunity to practise their reading (while giving families a much-needed break!), she said in a tweet. Julies Library Julie Andrews, with her daughter, bestselling childrens author and educator Emma Walton Hamilton, launched the podcast called Julies Library in April. Aided with sounds, music, activities, and special guests, they read their favourite childrens books, with the podcast aiming to inspire conversation and a lifelong love for reading. Listen here. Tom Hardy and CBeebies Bedtime Stories 2020 When Tom Hardy began reading aloud for CBeebies Bedtime Stories back in 2016, it proved to be incredibly popular among young fans. As coronavirus crisis imploded, the Mad Max actor decided to return with new readings to keep children engaged during a difficult and confusing time (while also giving their parents a break). His weeklong "storytelling residency", from 27 April to 1 May, including titles like The Problem With Problems (by Rachel Rooney and Zehra Hicks) and Under the Same Sky (by Robert Vescio and Nicky Johnston). Goodnight with Dolly Tucked into bed, Dolly Parton reads bedtime stories for children, chosen from Imagination Library books. I think it is pretty clear that now is the time to share a story and to share some love. It is an honour for me to share the incredible talent of these authors and illustrators. They make us smile, they make us laugh and they make us think, she says about the 10-week initiative. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat revealed on Monday that as per her consultations with Metro Manila mayors, tourism activities in the area will resume if the region is placed under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ). Weve been talking to the different local government units and they are more comfortable when NCR (National Capital Region) is already under the modified GCQ. So thats when tourism will be allowed, Puyat told CNN Philippines Rico Hizon. Puyat said domestic tourism will be highly prioritized to help the 5.4 million workers in the tourism sector affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. She also noted the country welcomed 8.3 million tourists last year. It is quite important for us to start slow but sure, said Puyat. She mentioned that most of the businessmen in the countrys tourism sector benefitted from the Small Business Wage Subsidy Program of the Department of Finance to help them cope with the economic impact of COVID-19. But still this is not enough. Currently now in the Senate, we are working with Senator Sonny Angara for a P10 billion stimulus program so that we can help our tourism stakeholders right now with zero interest loans, Puyat explained. In areas under MGCQ, tourism activities are allowed to resume up to 50 percent of its full capacity but are still expected to comply with the minimum health standards to avert the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Puyat highlighted that Boracay is one of the tourist spots that resumed its operations as Aklan province is now under MGCQ. However, she emphasized that only locals are allowed to swim in the world famous white-sand beach. They still have to observe physical distancing and there are certain parts that they are allowed to swim. And before they can swim, the temperature has to be taken, she said. Puyat hopes the national tourism industry can get back on its feet, projected to happen in mid-2021. It will definitely take time before we can get back to what our targets were. So, were still working out how this new normal will be, she said. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has refuted reports of data breach on BHIM App. It added that NPCI follows a high level of security to protect the app's infrastructure. "We have come across some news reports which suggest data breach at BHIM App. We would like to clarify that there has been no data compromise at BHIM App and request everyone to not fall prey to such speculations. NPCI follows high level of security and an integrated approach to protect its infrastructure and continue to provide a robust payments ecosystem," said the NPCI in a statement on Monday. Reports of BHIM App data breach came after a third-party research report flagged vulnerabilities that might have put crucial data of millions of users at risk. Israeli cybersecurity website vpnMentor said that the security flaw in the CSC BHIM website left data of millions of users exposed to hackers. It was initially reported on April 28 and NPCI fixed the issue by May 23. The vulnerability that was left unattended by the developers exposed key user details such as Aadhaar card, fund transfer proof, caste certificates, residence proof and a host of membership details, as mentioned in a report in India Today. According to vpnMentor, the CSC BHIM website was created to garner more memberships for the BHIM App. Some of the data of the memberships were stored on a misconfigured Amazon Web Services S3 bucket that was publicly available. The S3 bucket is a form of cloud storage. This one contained records from as early as February 2019. "The sheer volume of sensitive, private data exposed, along with UPI IDs, document scans, and more, makes this breach deeply concerning. The exposure of BHIM user data is akin to a hacker gaining access to the entire data infrastructure of a bank, along with millions of its users' account information," cybersecurity researchers at vpnMentor Noam Rotem and Ran Locar said. Also read: Zoom, Houseparty under scrutiny for privacy violations Also read: DoT orders internet service providers to block Chinese website WeTransfer 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 Guard Carry Live Ammo After FBI Notes Credible Threat: General A senior Army official said the Minnesota National Guard has been armed following detection by the FBI of a credible lethal threat, specifically targeting the men and women serving in its ranks. Army Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen, the head of that states Guard, told reporters in a recent call that federal authorities on May 28 notified Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz about the threat. Jensen said Walz approved arming the Guard in response to the warning and that troops were now carrying ammunition on their persons. Our soldiers are currently carrying ammunition in their magazine pouches, Jensen said, according to Military.com. We dont talk about rules of engagement, he said, adding that troops, as a rule, cannot greatly exceed the force with which they may be threatened. Jensen also said he didnt see the need for immediate deployment of federal active-duty troops. At this time, we have not asked for the Department of Defense to give us active-duty forces to support this operation, he said, adding that if violent protests continue, there may come a call for help from National Guard units in other states in the form of military police. At least 4,400 people have been arrested nationwide as peaceful protests expressing grief and anger over the police custody death of George Floyd have in many cases been marred by looting, violence, and arson. Struggling to cope with the civil unrest, local law enforcement was reinforced by around 5,000 members of the National Guard, which deployed to 15 states and Washington, according to Air Force Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau. The hardest mission we do is responding in times of civil unrest, Lengyel said in a statement. The Minnesota National Guard wrote on Twitter that it had deployed more than 4,100 personnel to the area and expected this would increase at least twofold. This is a significant increase over the 700 on duty Friday. We live here. We work here. We serve here. Were all in, the tweet stated. We now have more than 4,100 quickly moving toward 10,800 Minnesota Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen supporting our friends and neighbors in the Twin Cities. This is a significant increase over the 700 on-duty Friday. We live here. We work here. We serve here. Were all in. pic.twitter.com/WorKOI9ZCa MN National Guard (@MNNationalGuard) May 31, 2020 Lengyel said Guard members perform various mission sets including traffic control, support to law enforcement, and assistance with extinguishing fires burning as a result of the rioting. Aircrews were using forest fire equipment, including helicopter water buckets, to put out building fires at protests last night, Lengyel said, adding that the overall mission of the Guard members is to ensure safety. Were here to help and assist local authorities, Lengyel said. Our troops are here to protect life and property, and preserve peace, order and public safety. Over the weekend, thousands marched peacefully in Phoenix, Arizona, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, with some calling for an end to riots and looting, while fires burned near the White House, stores were looted in Southern California, and disturbing footage of violent acts flooded social media, including of a mob beating an elderly female shop owner in Rochester, New York. Another disturbing incident caught on camera took place in Dallas, Texas, where a man reported to be a store owner defending his shop with a sword was set upon by a mob and beaten unconscious. The unrest began with peaceful protests over the May 25 death of Floyd, a black man, who gasped for air as Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, restrained him with a knee to the neck and head area for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin, fired from the Minneapolis Police Department, was later charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, though that did little to stem the fury. President Donald Trump, in a May 30 speech at Floridas Cape Canaveral, said he spoke to Floyds family to express sorrow for his death. He added that the officers involved in the incident have been dismissed, one of them had been charged with murder, and that charges could be brought against the other three. I stand before you as a friend and ally to every American seeking justice and peace, he said. 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 mission at hand, Trump said. I understand the pain that people are feeling. We support the right of peaceful protesters, and we hear their pleas, Trump said, calling on law enforcement to get tough on those responsible for acts of violence and vandalism, adding that the memory of George Floyd is being dishonored by rioters, looters, and anarchists. The National President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Philipa Larson says the association is satisfied with the new directives by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for final year students. She told NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie in an interview that, their earlier proposal to the President was exactly what the President announced in his 10th Address to Ghanaians on COVID-19 situations. We are grateful to have a listening President who has implemented our proposal, Philipa Larson told host Kwesi Aboagye. Final-year JHS, SHS, Uni. students to resume school June 15 President Nana Addo announced the reopening of schools for final-year students, as part of governments first phase of opening up the country after restrictions were imposed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Effective Monday, 15th June, 2020, schools and universities would be reopened to allow final-year junior high, senior high and university students to resume classes ahead of the conduct of their respective exit examinations. The President announced this in a televised address to the nation on Sunday, 31st May 2020. Final-year university students are to report on 15th June, final-year SHS students together with SHS 2 gold track students on 22nd June and final-year JHS students on 29th June. JHS 3 classes will comprise a maximum of 30 students, SHS classes a maximum of 25 students, and university lectures will take place with half the class size. Non-final year student to stay home Nana Addo also maintained that students who are not due for exams are to remain home until further notice 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 China blasts US for seeking UN meeting on national security legislation for Hong Kong Global Times Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/5/30 10:01:14 China on Friday slammed the United States for demanding a video conference by the UN Security Council on national security legislation for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), calling the U.S. demand "utter nonsense" and urging Washington to "immediately stop the meaningless political maneuvers." "This is utter nonsense and making trouble out of nothing," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a daily press briefing. Zhao stressed that the HKSAR is a special administrative region of China and a local administrative region directly under the administration of the Chinese central government. Establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security is for defending national sovereignty, security and development interests and for the steady implementation of "one country, two systems" policy, said Zhao. "This is purely China's internal affair, and no foreign country has the right to interfere," he said. Noting that the duty of the UN Security Council is to safeguard international peace and stability, Zhao said the national security legislation for the HKSAR is not within the purview of the responsibilities of the UN Security Council. Non-interference in internal affairs is one of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and a basic norm of international relations, said Zhao. "The U.S. side blatantly interfered in China's internal affairs and wantonly undermined the basic norms of international relations by requesting a meeting on a Hong Kong-related issue at the UN Security Council," said Zhao. "China has all the reasons to firmly oppose it and their attempts are doomed to fail," he said. The UN Security Council is not a tool that can be manipulated by the United States. China and other countries which believe in justice will not allow the United States to hold the UN Security Council hostage for its own political purposes, Zhao said. "We urge the United States to immediately cease these meaningless political maneuvers and do things that are beneficial to the international community," Zhao said. Enditem NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 1 By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend: The size of the land allocated for autumn sowing of vegetables in Turkmenistan has been declared, Trend reports with reference to Turkmenistans State News Agency. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov signed a decree, according to which, 21,000 hectares of land are allocated for sowing potatoes, vegetables and other agricultural crops in the country. The document also charges the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of the country to ensure the conclusion of agreements with land tenants, users and owners on the sowing of the above-mentioned crops in 2020, the report says. The ministry should also guarantee the production and purchase of manufactured products, as well as timely settle payments with its manufacturers. In general, the decree prescribes the Ministry and the relevant branch departments, as well as the administration of the municipal formation of the regions, to ensure the cultivation of high yields of these crops. Agriculture in Turkmenistan is developing rapidly. It is one of the most important sectors of the country's economy. The main types of agricultural crops grown on the territory of Turkmenistan are wheat, cotton, rice, sugar beet, fodder, vegetable and fruits. The development of agriculture is carried out on a scientific basis. Various types of agricultural crops are grown taking into account the characteristics of the country's regions. Special attention is paid to increasing the volume of products in Turkmenistan. As a result, in recent years, the country has increased the production of vegetables and fruit and berries and enlarged the area of perennial plants, vineyards and greenhouses. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva Indian researchers are making strides in the search for coronavirus vaccine, the Indian government said recently. The government was optimistic that Indian researchers would find a corona vaccine by the end of the year -- way faster than the stipulated time of 10-15 years that goes into finding a vaccine. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that human trials of a coronavirus vaccine would start within six months. India so far has 30 groups working on a coronavirus vaccine. The government has said that around six vaccine candidates have made significant developments. The Chinese government has also said that it is optimistic that the country would find a vaccine by the end of the year. The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SAASAC) said in a social media post on WeChat that a COVID-19 vaccine would be ready for the market as early as the end of the year. Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: Serum Institute, CCMB, ICMR researches, other updates from India More than 2,000 people have been administered coronavirus vaccines developed by the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products and the Beijing Institute of Biological Products. So far, China has five vaccine candidates under trial, including Sinovac. The pharmaceutical company has said that its candidate CoronaVac would be 99 per cent effective against SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19. The company has entered Stage 2 of the trials with around 1,000 people volunteering. Last month, SinoVac published their findings in a peer-reviewed academic journal Science and said that the vaccine candidate is safe and provides protection to rhesus macaques from coronavirus infection. China's CanSino has also completed the first phase of its trials for coronavirus vaccine, Ad5-nCoV. According to the team, the vaccine candidate appears to be safe and is touted to be effective. Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: Indian researchers make breakthrough; 6 candidates in the works, says govt Meanwhile, Russian government has said that scientists plan to start clinical trials within two weeks for the country's first coronavirus drug -- avifavir, developed from the more well-known favipiravir. Additionally, the Russian government said that the nation is working on almost 50 different coronavirus vaccine projects. "The tests are under way and we plan to start clinical trials in the next two weeks," Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said. In UK, five new coronavirus drugs will go under trial across 30 hospitals. This comes days after trials of hydroxychloroquine was stopped. Heparin used for blood thinning is one of the drug that will undergo a clinical trial. These trials are part of the Accord (accelerating Covid-19 research and development) programme that involves doctors and scientists, industry, the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation. Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: 30 groups in India working on candidate vaccines Canada has also approved its first clinical trial for a coronavirus vaccine. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently said that the federal health authority has given the nod to Canadian Center for Vaccinology at Dalhousie University to begin clinical trials of the COVID vaccine candidate. Japan, on the other hand, has delayed the approval of an anti-flu drug as potential coronavirus treatment. The results for Fujifilm Holdings' drug Avigan showed no solid evidence of effectiveness. Avigan has a more generic name, favipiravir. Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: ICMR says clinical trials within 6 months; Moderna moves to Phase 2 No, 5G Cellular Technology Does Not Cause COVID-19 Or Facilitate Its Spread By RFE/RL May 31, 2020 In an official statement on May 20, the synod of the Orthodox Church of Moldova urged the government to make any eventual vaccine against the deadly coronavirus voluntary. "Societies in many European countries are protesting against the mandatory use of vaccines, particularly vaccines against COVID-19, because they view them as an opportunity for the global system of anti-Christs to introduce microchips into the human body and control people with the help of 5G technology," the statement said. It was a bizarre cocktail of fashionable conspiracy theories, many of which have coalesced around the development of the next generation of wireless data services known as "5G." And the church in Moldova is not alone in such thinking. On May 2, the head of Russia's North Ossetia region, Vyacheslav Bitarov, told journalists that vandals had destroyed a cell-phone tower in the village of Nogir out of fears of some connection between 5G technology and the coronavirus. "A lot of people are saying there is no coronavirus and there is no danger, but that it is all organized by some global forces that are interested in forcing people...onto reservations and then irradiate them from 5G antennae so that they would lose consciousness and then be implanted with microchips," Bitarov was quoted by TASS as saying. "There are a lot of people who think like that." Such unfounded allegations play upon and bolster widespread public skepticism of governments in matters of health and safety. And they are particularly insidious during the current global health crisis, as they threaten to drown out necessary, science-based information about the deadly COVID-19 pandemic and how to effectively combat the spread of the coronavirus. Any link between 5G technology and COVID-19 is "complete rubbish," Simon Clarke, an associate professor of cellular microbiology at the University of Reading told the BBC. Stephen Powis, England medical director of the U.K.'s National Health Service, has said the claims of a link are "the worst kind of fake news." The Origin Story Fifth-generation (5G) cellular-network technology began being deployed globally in 2019. It promises greater bandwidth and much faster data transmission, up to 10 gigabits a second -- or about 100 times faster than current 4G technology. This is achieved, however, by using a higher radio frequency than 4G networks. Some of the frequencies used only travel about 1.6 kilometers and have trouble penetrating certain construction materials. As a result, a 5G network requires a much denser deployment of antennae. As of April 2019, operators in 88 countries had begun deploying 5G technology. Almost immediately, however, anti-5G groups began forming on social media. People posted fake photographs of radiation-warning signs supposedly attached to 5G antennae, for instance. Unsubstantiated and debunked claims ran wild that the technology caused cancer or mental illness, that it killed trees and wildlife, and so on. The anti-5G movement found eager allies in the larger movement of people who oppose all types of mandatory vaccinations -- anti-vaxxers -- and in many countries, such as Romania, the movements virtually merged. Small protests were seen around the world. A May 2019 feature in The New York Times noted that RT America, the Russian state-funded broadcast network in the United States, had published one anti-5G story in 2018, but seven in the first four months of 2019, including one claiming that children were particularly susceptible to cancer and other illnesses purportedly caused by radiation from 5G systems. "Hundreds of blogs and websites appear to be picking up [RT's] 5G alarms, seldom if ever noting the Russian origins," the Times piece argued. "Analysts call it a treacherous fog." The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) has conducted a long-running study that has concluded there are no health hazards associated with the types of radio-wave radiation used by 5G Along Came Coronavirus When the global COVID-19 pandemic emerged in early 2020, numerous unfounded conspiracy theories attempted to link the virus with 5G technology. Some argued that 5G radiation weakened the immune system and left people vulnerable to the illness. Others went further and claimed the virus was actually transmitted by 5G signals. Some, like the Orthodox Church in Moldova, argued that 5G technology and an eventual coronavirus vaccine were part of a massive mind-control plot. A number of celebrities, including actor Woody Harrelson, boxer Amir Khan, television celebrity Amanda Holden, and others, posted the dubious claims on their social-media accounts. Some have claimed erroneously that a new design of Britain's 20-pound note contains secret symbols of a 5G tower and the coronavirus. Such misinformation, which has been dubbed "the coronavirus infodemic," spread like wildfire, according to the Swedish data firm Earhart Business Protection Agency. Earhart tracked 35 of the most popular 5G-coronavirus videos that appeared on social media in January and found that within weeks they had been viewed nearly 13 million times. The popular video-sharing application TikTok has emerged as "a very powerful tool" targeting younger audiences, the study found. The unfounded rumors sparked a global wave of vandalism against 5G antennae and objects believed to be connected to 5G networks. More than 70 5G masts have been damaged or destroyed in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the Department of Homeland Security issued a warning that such conspiracy theories linking 5G and COVID-19 "are inciting attacks against the communications infrastructure." "Violent extremists have drawn from misinformation campaigns online that claims wireless infrastructure is deleterious to human health and helps spread COVID-19, resulting in a global effort by like-minded individuals to share operational guidance and justification for conducting attacks against 5G infrastructure, some of which have already prompted arson and physical attacks against cell towers in several U.S. states," the warning said. StratCom, the European Council's task force on disinformation within the European Union and its neighborhood, concluded in a report in April that such conspiracy theories have found "fertile soil in the Western Balkans, where disinformation that the 5G network is causing the [COVID-19] pandemic has spread on social networks and portals." Chernobyl Syndrome The World Health Organization (WHO) and others have responded to the 5G misinformation by actively countering it. The WHO has created a page on its website devoted to debunking 5G conspiracies, as have other fact-checking organizations. The British fact checker Full Fact, for instance, regularly examines bogus 5G claims. However, such baseless conspiracy theories often gain traction because of growing public mistrust of governments in the areas of health and safety. Such mistrust has been exploited and cultivated by the anti-vaccination movements. In a recent interview with RFE/RL, Nobel Prize-winning Belarusian author Svetlana Alexievich seemed to endorse the 5G conspiracy theories. The pandemic "is the biggest challenge since Chernobyl," she said, referring to the 1986 accident and meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union. "It remains to be seen whether this is really the flu or whether 5G affects the human immune system. In my opinion, scientists have no definitive conviction." Although no reputable scientific study has confirmed any of the conspiracy claims about 5G and coronavirus, Alexievich's comparison to Chernobyl is noteworthy. That incident has become notorious as an example of government indifference to public health, as the Soviet government hid the scope of the disaster for weeks and exposed its own citizens to grievous immediate and long-term health hazards. It is an example often cited by 5G conspiracy theorists -- along with others such as the thalidomide scandal of the 1950s and 1960s, and the Tuskegee syphilis experiment -- when arguing that governments are not to be trusted. The Full Fact fact-checking website has argued that "simply asking Internet companies to delete this content is not an adequate response in a free society, is unlikely to work, and could even make things worse." "People are understandably scared, stressed, and confused, and we need to take that into account in any response," the website concluded. "Not everybody will be convinced: some people just like conspiracy theories, and they may not be persuaded by the facts. But as the fears around 5G have entered the mainstream, it's on all of us to counter these arguments head on with clear, high-quality information to convince those who have questions and concerns, rather than simply dismiss them as foolish." COVID-19 is a serious, infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus that emerged in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. The virus is transmitted primarily through droplets of saliva or nasal discharge dispersed when an infected person coughs or sneezes. According to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center, there have been more the 6 million confirmed coronavirus infections globally as of May 31 and more than 365,000 fatalities. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/no-5g-cellular -technology-does-not-cause-covid-19-or- facilitate-its-spread/30644285.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 CLEVELAND, Ohio Mayor Frank Jacksons administration on Monday clarified the mayors civil emergency proclamation, which had left some morning commuters mistakenly believing they could drive to work downtown or in parts of Ohio City. The revised order, issued Monday afternoon after police turned away thousands of commuters trying to enter restricted areas, states that commuters will continue to be banned from downtown and parts of Ohio City on Tuesday and asks that businesses remain closed. The revised order also makes clear that credentialed media workers are among the essential personnel allowed to go to their jobs and may report events from the restricted area. And the containment area, initially set up to reach east to East 30th Street, has been pulled in to East 18th Street. Jackson, in an interview with cleveland.com, said the smaller geographic area will make it easier for people to access the freeways from downtown and allow activity to resume in some areas. Jackson declared the civil emergency Saturday and instituted a curfew after protests over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African American who in the custody of police in Minneapolis, devolved into riots in the downtown. On Sunday the mayor extended the curfew to 8 p.m. Tuesday. The initial order made no mention of media personnel. A cleveland.com reporter reporting live on Facebook in Ohio City was told she had to leave the restricted zone. Jackson, in his interview with cleveland.com, said the city did not intend that credentialed media be barred from the area. The citys initial civil emergency proclamation also said that persons traveling to and from their place of employment during regular business hours were exempted from restrictions that bar people from moving about in the security zone. Jackson said the language was intended to apply to residents who live in the restricted areas and who were mentioned immediately before that line in the proclamation. Residents in the restricted area are encouraged to stay at home, but they can come and go if necessary, so long as they have ID to show they live there. Essential personnel, such as first responders and medical workers, along with credentialed media personnel are allowed in the restricted zone. The covered area now includes the central business district of downtown Cleveland to East 18th Street, as well as the Market District in Ohio City between Detroit and Lorain avenues along West 25th Street and a few blocks to the west. This map released by Mayor Frank Jackson's administration shows the new boundaries for an area in downtown in which travel is restricted in the wake of rioting following protests Saturday. Jackson said the curfew was a deliberate move to prevent further gatherings downtown and to allow Cleveland police to increase their presence in neighborhoods as a deterrent to further violence. Jackson and police Chief Calvin Williams said neighborhoods are believed to be the next target for violence. We didnt do a curfew just because we felt like doing a curfew. Were not doing a curfew out of fear, Jackson said. Our strategy was this [the downtown violence] was going to be a one-time thing. Youre not coming back to the city of Cleveland to do that again. Ohio National Guard troops were deployed to Cleveland, and to other cities in Ohio, to assist enforcement if further violence erupted. Were there in a backup role, Lt. Col. Thomas Butler told cleveland.com. Were here to provide tactical support if things were to escalate. Capt. Matt Eck said the Guard would remain as long as deemed necessary. Monday morning, traffic backed up on highways entering the downtown, prompting the city to send out an alert: "A Curfew AND Parking Ban for Downtown and the area of W 28th to W 25th from Lorain Ave to Superior Viaduct is in effect starting at 8am on June 1st and ending 8 p.m. on June 2nd. All highway entrances to downtown are closed. Please avoid the area. Ideastream producer Rachel Rood tweeted that she was turned away from driving to the office on Playhouse Square, even after telling the office that the Mayors order allowed essential employees to work during their business hours. I drove to another intersection and was able to get in. Very confusing. Cleveland.coms Hannah Drown was broadcasting on Facebook live Monday at West 25th Street when a Cleveland officer told her she would have to move out of the restricted zone. The administration apologized to both Rood and Drown later. The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) on Monday welcomed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos Directive that religious services could commence with 25 per cent, or maximum of 100 congregants, to worship in church or at the mosque. Reacting to the Presidential Directive, the Most Reverend Bishop Paul Kwabena Boafo, the Chairman of the CCG, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, urged the churches to adapt to the temporary one hour service duration. The churches should endeavour to manage with the one hour because this is the new normal and so we should be able to adapt to these things since we cant have the luxury as with previous times, Rev. Dr Boafo said. He noted that previously we did not have any time limitation to worship, but now as part of measures to stop the spread of COVID-19, we are limited to an hour for service, we should be able to manage and operate within that for now. Rev Dr Boafo, who doubles as the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church, Ghana, said church leaders were preparing to meet the sector Minister soon to discuss the details of what has been put forward. The President only mentioned 25 per cent, or maximum of 100 people, one hour and other things, but we want to clarify the issues further with the Minister. Rev Boafo said the leadership would, however, discuss the one hour duration per service since it would be a bit of a challenge for most churches, adding that for some churches the one hour is just for warming up. He advised churches not to rush in opening up their premises for service but take some time in putting their auditoriums in place, sanitise and disinfect the premises, and educate their ushers on the dos and donts. Rev Isaac Obed Asamoah, the Head Pastor of the Gospel Faith Ministry, also added his voice to welcome governments first phase of measures to ease the COVID-19 restrictions. He said he believed the President announcement was based on scientific advice so the churches would endeavour to abide by the one hour per service directive until we are finally out of this. President Akufo-Addo, during his 10th COVID-19 National Address on Sunday, outlined an abridged format for religious services to commence from June 5 amid the Coronavirus pandemic as part of Ghanas quest of easing the restrictions on social gatherings and safety protocols. The directives require that religious leaders ensured a mandatory one metre rule of social distancing between congregants. In addition it is mandatory for the wearing of masks for all persons at all times in churches and mosques. Each religious facility is also mandated to keep a register of names and contact details of all worshippers, fixed handwashing facilities and make provision for sanitizers. According to the Presidential Directives each service is to last a maximum of one hour. Religious institutions that were desirous of opening their premises to their members, such as churches, mosques and others, must disinfect, fumigate and put in place the requisite logistics needed to guarantee safe opening and operation. They must work with the designated, regulatory bodies and undertake test runs of the protocols outlined. President Akufo-Addo said the Minister of Religious Affairs would, from Monday, June 1, outline in detail the specific guidelines for the safe reopening of the churches and mosques. He explained that the decision to gradually ease the COVID-19 restrictions was reached by consensus, which emerged from consultations with various stakeholders who advised that the country should embark on a strategic, controlled, progressive, safe easing of restrictions to get our lives and economy back to normal. Ours is going to be a phased approach, involving a selected list of public gatherings, based on their risk profile, socio-economic impact, and, most importantly, our capacity to enforce and to respond in the event of a flare up in our number of infections. 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 Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 1, 2020 15:15 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb4eeb2 1 City South-Tangerang,TPA-cipeucang,landfill-facility,Tangerang-regency,collapse,waste Free The administration of South Tangerang has decided to dump the citys waste in Tangerang regency's landfill to prevent further damage to the wall of its own landfill in Cipeucang, Serpong. South Tangerang Environment Agency secretary Yepi Suherman said he had coordinated with the central government and the Tangerang administration to execute the plan. "The South Tangerang administration has sent letters to the Tangerang regency, asking for permission to temporarily dispose of our waste in [the Tangerang regency] landfills," Yepi told kompas.com on Sunday. Read also: Skyscraper of waste: Greater Jakarta drowning in mountains of trash Yepi explained that the decision was made after evaluating the capacity of the Cipeucang landfill. "The advice was that the Cipeucang landfill should not receive any more waste until the reconstruction and rearrangement projects are completed," he added. A support wall of the Cipeucang landfill collapsed on May 22, spilling around 100 tons of waste into the Cisadane River. The landfill receives approximately 300 tons of waste on a daily basis and is on the brink of being overloaded with mounds of trash as high as 16 meters. Several days of heavy rainfall had caused the waste to absorb water and expand, adding pressure and weight to the support walls that resulted in their collapse, said Yepi. As of Monday, about 60 percent of the trash spilled into the Cisadane river had been removed. The clean-up is expected to finish next week. Yepi said that, besides reinforcing the support walls, the South Tangerang administration also planned to build another landfill section near the Cipeucang landfill. "We'll build a new landfill [section], the third one, to accommodate more waste," he said, adding that the new section would be able to accommodate around 350 tons of waste per day. (nal) US Astronauts Dock SpaceX Rocket at International Space Station By VOA News May 31, 2020 U.S. astronauts Douglas Hurley and Bob Behnken docked SpaceX's newly designed Crew Dragon capsule at the International Space Station on Sunday. Hurley, 53, and Behnken, 49, both former military test pilots who joined NASA in 2000, lifted off into space at 3:22 p.m. EDT, Saturday afternoon, from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. It was the first spaceflight on a private rocket, nearly a decade after the last launch of astronauts from American territory. "Let's light this candle," commander Hurley said before liftoff, words used by Alan Shepard on America's first human spaceflight, in 1961. Meet NASA Astronauts Taking America Back to Space from US Soil A SpaceX rocket will carry a Dragon capsule with astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station The California-based SpaceX is owned by its founder, billionaire Elon Musk. "I'm really quite overcome with emotion," Musk said. "It's been 18 years working towards this goal. "This is hopefully the first step on a journey towards civilization on Mars," the SpaceX founder said. U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence flew to Florida for the launch, the second time this week. They were joined by more than 3 million viewers online, according to NASA's count, and more spectators who lined beaches and roads nearby to witness the launch. "I'm so proud of the people at NASA, all the people that worked together, public and private. When you see a sight like that it's incredible," Trump said after liftoff. At a rally held a short time later at NASA's massive 525-foot-high Vehicle Assembly Building, the president added his congratulations and an update on the astronauts. "Today, as we gather in this special place to celebrate not only the launch of a new spacecraft but also our nation's triumphant bold and triumphant return to the stars," he said. "It's a special day. Moments ago, the world bore witness to the flight of the first new manned U.S. spacecraft in nearly 40 years since the space shuttle launched in 1981 a long time ago. I am thrilled to announce that the SpaceX Dragon capsule has successfully reached low Earth orbit and that our astronauts are safe and sound." The vice president commended Musk for a "job well done." Pence said that as the nation deals with the coronavirus and the racial strife, "I believe with all my heart that millions of Americans today will find the same inspiration and unity of purpose that we found in those days in the 1960s" during Apollo. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said it was a "great day" for NASA and SpaceX and an "important milestone for the nation." Bridenstine cautioned, however, saying "we're not celebrating yet. We will celebrate when they're home safely." The first launch attempt scheduled for last Wednesday was postponed because of stormy weather in the vicinity of the Kennedy Space Center in the southeastern state of Florida. Astronauts were last launched into space from the U.S. in 2011, when the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, retired its space shuttle fleet, forcing the U.S. to rely on partnerships with Russia's space agency to carry U.S. astronauts to the orbiting ISS, 402 kilometers above earth. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Phukets 24 piers get green light as all tourism-related businesses allowed to reopen PHUKET: Phuket Marine Office Director Wiwat Chitchertwong has confirmed that ferries and tour boats, including dive and island tours, can start resuming operations as of today (June 1), following the provincial order issued last night that lifted a slew of travel restrictions on Phuket. COVID-19marinetransporttourismCoronavirushealth By Tanyaluk Sakoot Monday 1 June 2020, 06:47PM Passengers on each boat must be separated by one allocated seat space. Photo: Phuket Marine Office Passengers on each boat must be separated by one allocated seat space. Photo: Phuket Marine Office Passengers on each boat must be separated by one allocated seat space. Photo: Phuket Marine Office Among the final pages of the 37-page order issued last night is the confirmation that all businesses and enterprises and tour companies that are legally registered under the Tourist Business and Tour Guides Act of B.E.2551 (2008) and other similar business such as tour agents, services regarding room rental, car or boat rental, companies providing transportation by land or sea, scuba diving companies or other recreational business for example are allowed to open. Mr Wiwat explained that all people entering or leaving Phuket by boat are to notify officials of their travel plans through the Phuket Provincial Police PhuketSmartCheck-in app,as explained by Phuket Provincial Police Maj Gen Rungrote Thakurapunyasiri earlier today. The online form for registering travel by boat can be found here. Mr Wiwat explained that although the form asks for specific details such as the times when the person will be entering or leaving Phuket, people are not to worry and to just complete the form to the best of their understanding, especially with tour boats that technically exit Phuket waters and return on the same day. There will be no legal consequences if the times entered are not entirely accurate. This is just for health officials records in case they need to track down a patients previous movements and travel history later, he said. All boat operators are required to enforce social distancing rules on their boats, and comply with other health regulations to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Mr Wiwat said. All seats on the boats must be sanitised regularly and passengers must be seated to occupy every second seat, he said. All passengers will have their body temperature checked before they will be allowed to board a boat, and they must provide identification and travel details to officials before they will be allowed to join their trip, he added. Mr Wiwat said that all 24 piers in Phuket were now allowed to resume operations, but added that he expected very few ferries and tour boats to resume services immediately. Today was just the first day, and very few people were boarding boats today. I think that will remain the same for at least the coming week, he said. If the number of passengers wanting to travel on boats grows quickly and becomes a problem in the near future, we will look at our options of what we can do about this then, Mr Wiwat added. Bachelor In Paradise alum Jenna Cooper has welcomed her first child. The 30-year-old gave birth on Saturday May 30, welcoming daughter Presley Belle Hudson with boyfriend Karl Hudson IV. 'We can't even describe the overwhelming love and happiness we feel meeting our little sunshine!' the couple said in a statement to Us Weekly. New parents: Bachelor In Paradise alum Jenna Cooper and boyfriend Karl Hudson IV have welcomed a baby girl together 'We are so thankful for everyones support, and cant wait to share more fun updates.' the social media manager said. They also revealed that little Presley weighed 7lbs 7oz and is 20.75 inches long. Jenna, who lives in North Carolina, announced on Instagram in January that she had a baby on the way writing, 'I hope you know that I already love you more than I could have imagined possible, 'I hope you chase all of your dreams, and Ill be there supporting you the whole way. I hope you get my spirit and sense of humor, and never stop laughing. I hope you get your daddys thoughtfulness and work ethic, and never stop being curious. 'We can't even describe the overwhelming love and happiness we feel meeting out little sunshine!' the couple said in a statement to Us Weekly 'I hope you can ignore the negativity of the world, and always stand up for yourself. I hope you love Jesus with all your heart, and never forget how special you are.' The Indiana born beauty ended her caption message with 'See you in a few months.' The post came just days after Jenna officially introduced her followers to boyfriend Karl, a commercial real estate broker and Raleigh native. She shared a collection of photos of their travels together and gushed, 'I cant imagine life without him. He has shown me what its like to be with a real man. With real morals. And with an unselfish and loving heart, and Im never going back.' Fit mom: Jenna announced on Instagram in January that she had a baby on the way writing, 'I hope you know that I already love you more than I could have imagined possible,' Media scrutiny: In January Jenna revealed she started dating Karl a year prior but kept the romance under wraps for fear of criticism Familiar face: Jenna starred on Arie Luyendyk Jr.'s season of The Bachelor in January 2018. Karl is not connected to the franchise Jenna revealed she started dating Karl a year prior but kept the romance under wraps because 'its hard when there are people out there who have made it their goal to make sure [she] cant be happy.' Jenna starred on Arie Luyendyk Jr.'s season of The Bachelor in January 2018. She went on to appear on season five of Bachelor in Paradise and got engaged to Jordan Kimbal, but they split in September 2018 amid allegations she cheated on him. Bachelorette alum Jordan, 28, has since moved on with his girlfriend, Christina. First the Wuhan Virus pandemic, now an epidemic of looting and violence. You think this mayhem is spontaneous? Not on your life. Everything with the left is a political calculation. They see this tragedy, and I am convinced that in the hearts and minds of leftist elitists is the question of how this violence will hurt President Trump. This, instead of preparing for the lawlessness perpetrated by Antifa and Black Lives Matter (BLM) that has used the peaceful and justified protests as a cover. However, an amazing dichotomy has been evident by the mayors of these liberal cities, and that is their incompetence in clamping down on rampant criminality. The Wuhan Virus pandemic revealed their authoritarian tendencies toward law-abiding citizens while these riots have revealed their leniency toward law-breaking thugs, emptying jails. Local law enforcement in these liberal jurisdictions have also come up short in the past three months. We've seen cops just following orders when citing people for violating pandemic lockdown orders and now we see cops retreating from marauding thugs because of following orders. What good does it do to have a police force when liberal mayors order them not to engage criminal wanton destruction of property (including police property) and violence toward innocent citizens (and police)? Sad to say, this has been nauseating to watch. Thank God we have the Second Amendment, because during incidents like this, you are not likely to get police help for minutes or hours if you need to defend your home from looters or worse. Now back to my original point. Everything is political with the left. The question is not whether an organized force is behind the violence, but who? Nothing just springs up organically when it comes to the left. There are no coincidences. What we are witnessing is a massive psychological operation (psy-ops) to demoralize Americans into voting Democrat this November. Psy-ops are tactics used primarily by the military to dishearten the enemy without firing a shot. These operations can also be used by non-military entities. One primary goal of psy-ops is to get the intended target to think and act in a certain way. Americans have been bombarded psychologically, spiritually, and emotionally in the past three months all in an effort to get them to react and vote as leftists wish. For the left, these riots serve the purpose of reminding an already frazzled citizenry that America is still a racist country where police brutality is commonplace and that opening up led to the murder of George Floyd by Officer Derek Chauvin. This is being implied. This anarchy not only serves to demoralize Americans, but also serves as a deflection. Consider the timing of this nationwide looting spree. More information has been coming out showing that the response to the Wuhan Virus by experts was most likely the wrong response. Even Dr. Fauci was walking back some of his previous stances before this latest nightmare broke out. The spotlight was also on the incompetence of blue-state governors, and it was becoming evident to more and more people. Also, do not forget the bombshells that had been released recently in the Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn case, that have implicated Obama administration officials and even former president Barack Obama. And finally, consider that America is back in space with the successful launch of the NASA/Space X Crew Dragon Falcon 9 rocket this past weekend. However, this latest spree of race-related violence has taken the pride and patriotism of this space mission off the front pages. Imagine what it would have been like if Americans, still reeling from the lockdowns, had been able to experience the magnitude of that joint space achievement instead of the images of pillaging hordes. The left may have had nothing to do with the Minneapolis Police custody death of George Floyd, but its fingerprints are all over the aftermath. And guess what: it is only June. One can only imagine what is next as we draw closer to the presidential election. Buckle up! Dex Bahr is the author of the book No Christian Man is an Island. He is also a freelance writer and lecturer. Image credit: YouTube screen shot. Intel joined other prominent U.S. companies Monday pledging to do more to address systemic racism in the wake of the killing of an African-American man, George Floyd, by a police officer in Minneapolis. Black lives matter. Period, CEO Bob Swan wrote in a memo to employees Monday, embracing the rallying cry of contemporary civil rights activists. While racism can look very different around the world, one thing that does not look different is that racism of any kind will not be tolerated here at Intel or in our communities. In his memo, Swan pledged $1 million in support of efforts to address social injustice and anti-racism across various nonprofits and community organizations. Many other companies have issued similar messages. Over the weekend, Nike released an ad, Just Dont Do It, playing on the Oregon companys famous tagline. "For once, Don't Do It, the company declared. Don't pretend there's not a problem in America. Don't turn your back on racism. Don't accept innocent lives being taken from us. Don't make any more excuses. Don't think this doesn't affect you. Don't sit back and be silent. Don't think you can't be part of the change. Let's all be part of the change." Intels headquarters are in Silicon Valley, where Swan works, but its largest and most advanced operations are in Washington County. The company is Oregons largest corporate employer with 20,000 employees in factories, research labs and administrative offices in and around Hillsboro. Like other tech companies, Intels workforce is predominantly white and Asian, and disproportionately male. African-Americans represent fewer than 5% of Intels U.S. workforce. Intel has made a priority of diversifying its hiring, though, and is taking additional steps to retain those more diverse workers. On Monday, Swan encouraged Intel workers to talk about the strains in American society and think about ways to improve the situation. Have empathy and compassion for one another and seek to understand. Inform your thinking with diverse points of view, Swan wrote. For all the managers at Intel, let's check in on our teams and have open conversations about what's happening because we know what happens outside of work impacts the work we do inside. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. There are no major festivals in June and banks will be functioning all days, except specified, during the month. However, several banks have reduced their working hours to promote social distancing in the midst of nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Both private and public sector banks remain closed on the second and fourth Saturday and all Sundays of each month, as per the guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). According to the RBI website, banks in some states will be closed to observe certain regional holidays. Jammu and Kashmir will observe Guru Hargobind Jis birthday and Remna Ni and YMA Day will be celebrated in Mizoram. Heres a list of June bank holidays in different states: June 5 (Friday) There will be a bank holiday in Sikkim on the occasion of Saga Dawa, which is celebrated to mark the birth, enlightenment and the attainment of nirvana of the Buddha. June 15 (Monday) Banks will be closed in Mizoram on YMA Day, a regional public holiday which commemorates the establishment of the Young Mizo Association, an important voluntary association, in the state on this day in 1935. In Odisha, banks will be closed on the occasion of Raja Sankranti. June 18 (Thursday) Jammu & Kashmir will observe Guru Hargobind Jis birthday and banks will not open on this day. June 23 (Tuesday) Banks in Odisha will not open on this day due to Ratha Yatra. June 30 (Tuesday) Mizoram will be banks closed on Remna Ni, a regional public holiday which commemorates the signing of an agreement on this day in 1986, that brought peace to the region. The flavors and types of barbecue vary widely from state to state, partly because of the variety of wood available in each region. While northern states lean hard on hickory, oak and mesquite are usually the default in the pits of South Texas, with a few outlier devotees of pecan. Not everyone likes mesquite because it produces a heavy smoke that can overpower meat and produce a duller color. Oak is popular throughout the Hill Country and is featured as the classic Lockhart-style of barbecue, and its also the wood most often used in competition barbecue circles. But south of that, its all mesquite. Truthfully, I think its one of those things where you are either an iPhone or an Android guy, and you will argue for or against whatever you prefer, said Vincent Cervantes, who grew up cooking with mesquite in Poth. Anything you eat as a kid is going to be remembered as being better. And for me, that was the food cooked by my dad with mesquite. Cervantes owned and operated the San Antonio food trailer Mesquite Shack BBQ for nearly two years, and it was considered one of the top barbecue destinations in the city before he suspended operations. He has earned the King of Mesquite nickname and is considering a comeback. On ExpressNews.com: 52 Weeks of BBQ: Mesquite Shack BBQ Ernest Servantes, a champion competition barbecue competitor based out of New Braunfels who has been featured on the Food Network, said that mesquite is the gateway wood for all barbecue cooks in the area. In South Texas, we were all educated with mesquite ... I know I was, Servantes said. If somebody is cooking out in the backyard on the weekend, that is the wood you will find 95 percent of the time. Mesquite is also favored by barbecue restaurants throughout the San Antonio area, such as BBQ Life, The Smokehouse and Eds Smok-N-Q on the East Side, as well as the Old Smokehouse on Fredericksburg Road on the North Side, among others. In Seguin, Davilas BBQ has been using the wood since it opened more than 60 years ago. You could definitely say that this is the part of Texas where oak, which is more identified with Central Texas, gives way to mesquite. This is the dividing line, said Adrian Davila, who runs the restaurant with his father Edward. On ExpressNews.com: Davilas BBQ owner still smoking after more than 60 years in Seguin Still, mesquite has its detractor for a reason, and that smoke is intense. After speaking with three expert pitmasters, here are some ways to avoid the pitfalls often associated with the wood: Wood selection: If the mesquite logs have a greenish-looking band around them, or the pieces feel overly heavy, dont use them. Properly seasoned logs need about nine months of drying time before they are ready for a pit. So limbs taken from a downed limb should not be used. Thats usually the most common error and reason why people dont like the flavor, Cervantes said. Starting with wood that hasnt been seasoned is just as bad as cooking meat that isnt seasoned. You are doomed from the start. Good mesquite wood has tiny holes in the texture of it, and it should smell slightly sweet, like chocolate. Bark: Wood has bark as a natural fire defense, so its hard to burn. While there are a few advocates who argue it adds flavor, its best to remove it when you can, even though the process can be laborious. Start out hot: Grayish smoke can produce bitter meat that tastes like an ashtray, and that is produced when the wood is applied at low heat. The goal should be a light bluish smoke out of the exhaust pipe, or ideally, nothing at all outside the heat waves. So dont toss the first logs on until the pit has a firmly established bed of coals. This can be done by burning down wood in a separate area and transferring the glowing orange embers into the pit, or you can go ahead and start with lit mesquite charcoal (this will save you some time). You will need about 45 minutes to one hour for a proper heat bed. Start small: Just like a good Boy Scout, start with the small logs on the coals and build your way up to the bigger ones as needed to keep your desired temperatures consistent. When I see somebody toss on a big log right away, I just cringe, Servantes said. Keeping the heat: The golden window for most low-and-slow barbecue is a pit temperature set between 225 and 250 degrees. Mesquite tends to work better at higher temperatures set closer to 300 degrees or even up to 325. Its a different style of cooking for sure, to go more hot and fast, Davila said. Thats an adjustment that you have to make. All wood burns a little differently. Mixing it up: Just because you have mesquite wood doesnt mean thats all you use. Servantes said that he likes to mix it with pecan for contrasting flavor elements, favoring the pecan at a 70/30 ratio. Meat selection: Which proteins pair best with mesquite an entire column onto itself. What I will say is that if Im cooking chicken or fish, its my go-to wood. If Im cooking pork, its hickory or pecan. Both Cervantes and Davila have served me some of the best slices of brisket Ive eaten, but I favor oak for my beef. Still, as I look at my backyard mesquite tree, its comforting to know that with the next downed limb in a thunderstorm, there is a future supply of backyard barbecue fuel. Because thats how we do it in South Texas. 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 Donald Trump asserted Monday that Joe Biden will be controlled by the 'radical left' if he becomes president, claiming the presumed Democratic nominee is 'clueless' after his staffers donated to a fund that's helping pay bail for those arrested during the Minneapolis riots. 'Sleepy Joe Biden's people are so Radical Left that they are working to get the Anarchists out of jail, and probably more,' the president tweeted Monday morning. 'Joe doesn't know anything about it, he is clueless, but they will be the real power, not Joe.' 'They will be calling the shots!' Trump asserted. 'Big tax increases for all, Plus!' He also urged people to vote simply by tweeting the date of the 2020 presidential general elections: 'NOVEMBER 3RD.' Although Biden has not officially clinched the nomination, it became all but official in April when the remaining Democratic contender, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, ended his campaign and endorsed the former vice president. Trump has claimed that a Biden presidency would exacerbate the type of rioting and violence happening in cities across America in the wake of George Floyd's death claiming his campaign is already seeking to get 'anarchists' out of jail. Donald Trump claimed Monday morning that Joe Biden's campaign is trying to 'get the Anarchists out of jail' and asserted the presumed Democratic nominee would be controlled by the 'radical left' if he became president He then urged people to vote by simple tweeting the date of the presidential primary: 'November 3rd' Trump also quoted Newt Gingrich in expressing that the riots are organized suggesting the far-left has something to do with it He also has asserted that the riots are organized by an outside group, blaming the violence, arson, looting and confrontations with law enforcement on the radical left-wing anti-fascist group Antifa. He quoted former House Speaker Newt Gingrich from a Fox & Friends interview where he echoed that the rioters are organized and not spontaneous outrage over the killing of Floyd. Trump's quote of Gingrich on Twitter read: 'These were the people that trashed Seattle years ago. Who's paying for these people. I was appalled that 13 of Joe Biden's staff were donating money to bail people out in Minneapolis. They should have stayed in jail until this is over (and beyond).' The president's comments about his Democratic rival came after it was revealed Sunday that at least 13 of his campaign staff donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which helps pay the bail fees of those arrested in the city. The fund specifically opposes the practice of cash bail, or making people pay to avoid pre-trial imprisonment, and uses donations to pay bail fees in Minneapolis. Reuter confirmed the donations from social media posts, where the staffers revealed they were making donations to call attention to U.S. inequities based on race and income. 'It is up to everyone to fight injustice,' Colleen May, who identified herself as an campaign organizer for Biden in South Carolina, Wisconsin and Florida, tweeted on Sunday. She included an image of her receipt from donating $50 to the Minnesota Freedom Fund. Riots broke out in several cities across the country after George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed while being detained by a white police officer during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Memorial Day. Presumed Democratic nominee Joe Biden called on Sunday for an end to the violent riots that broke out in the wake of the killing of a black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer On the other hand, it was confirmed Sunday that at least 13 of his campaign staffers donated to a fund that helps pay bail for those arrested in Minneapolis While figures within Biden's campaign are donating to help violent protesters get out of jail, the candidate himself is calling for an end to the nationwide riots. In a statement posted to Medium on Sunday and sent out to his supporters through a campaign email, Biden demanded demonstrators stop 'burning down communities' in the midst of their protests. 'Protesting such brutality is right and necessary,' Biden admitted in the statement. 'It's an utterly American response.' 'But burning down communities and needless destruction is not,' he continued. 'Violence that endangers lives is not. Violence that guts and shutters businesses that serve the community is not.' 'The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest. It should not drive people away from the just cause that protest is meant to advance,' Biden urged. The riots broke out after video emerged of a black man, George Floyd (pictured), being killed during an arrest after a white police officer held his knee on his neck for eight minutes in Minneapolis, Minnesota Several different cellphone and surveillance videos emerged last week of four police officers holding down Floyd until he went limp and he was later declared dead after an ambulance took him from the scene. Derek Chauvin, a white cop, can be seen in the video kneeling on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes as he repeatedly says his body was in pain and that he couldn't breathe. The 44-year-old police officer was fired after the video emerged and was taken into custody on Friday following days of protests calling for his arrest. The victim's family continues to call for a more serious charge than third-degree murder, that charge with which Chauvin is facing. The preliminary autopsy report, however, reveals that there is no indication that Floyd's death was the result of 'traumatic asphyxia or strangulation.' Doctors note that Floyd had underlying conditions that contributed to his death, including coronary artery disease and hypertension, as well as 'potential intoxicants in his system' at the time he was being restrained by police. Many activists, including those within Biden's camp, have revealed they are helping get rioters out of jail as they are detained as they loot and destroy stores and set fire to cars and buildings. It is unclear how many people have been jailed after four nights of protests, but Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said on Saturday that many of those arrested have been from out of state. Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates affirmed that the former vice president opposes the institution of cash bail as a 'modern day debtors prison,' but he declined to answer questions on whether the donations were coordinated within the campaign, underscoring the politically thorny nature of the sometimes violent protests. Bates instead pointed to Biden's comments that protesters have the right to be angry but that more violence won't solve justice problems. In his statement, Biden sympathized with those experiencing loss and economic hardship in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and in the black community even seeming to point to his own experience with loss. 'I know that a grief that dark and deep may at times feel too heavy to bear,' Biden wrote. 'I know.' Biden lost his first wife Neilia and their one-year-old daughter Naomi in a car accident in 1972 just one week after winning his Senate election. In 2015, he lost his 46-year-old son Beau to brain cancer. 'We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us,' Biden continued in his statement. 'We are a nation enraged, but we cannot allow our rage to consume us. We are a nation exhausted, but we will not allow our exhaustion to defeat us.' Trump, who has previously described himself as a 'law and order' president, criticized violent protesters on Friday as 'thugs' and threatened to respond with deadly force. The president has also, on the other hand, expressed sympathy over Floyd's death. Minnesota could be critical in determining the winner of the November 3 presidential election. The Democratic candidate in the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton, narrowly won the state by a 1.5 percentage point margin. Trump hopes to win the state this year and held a large rally in Minneapolis in October. Trump has struggled to attract African American voters, with only 8% of African Americans voting for him in 2016, according to a Reuters/Ipsos Election Day poll. However, a nationwide decline in black voter turnout in 2016 was widely seen as contributing to Trump's victory. With his country experiencing its worst race riots since the 1960s, the standing of United States (US) President Donald Trump continues to shrink both at home and abroad. Over 40 cities are locked down in the original sense under curfew for law and order reasons. And all this even as the country struggles with the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed over 100,000 lives. Both crises have shown up Mr Trumps minimal leadership capacities. After the horrific manner of George Floyds death, the US presidents first tweets seemed to encourage police to shoot demonstrators. Though he has occasionally sought to rise above the occasion, Mr Trump continues to be a president with minimal presidential qualities. Mr Trumps political success is partly attributable to deliberate polarisation. He has repeatedly sought confrontation with the supposed enemies of his white working-class base. The present riots, many of which have inevitably devolved into wanton destruction, may yet help his flagging poll figures. But even Republican strategists fear independent and suburban women, two key swing votes, will see things differently. Overseas, the riots have been gleefully highlighted by China. Beijing has been in the news for the wrong reasons recently, whether due to the pandemic or the crackdown on Hong Kong. Watching its geopolitical rival fumble the ball repeatedly will come as a relief. More worrying, it may encourage an already heightened sense that the Middle Kingdom faces no real check or balance in the international system. The US can do better and, for reasons well beyond its borders, it needs to. Jerusalem: Hundreds of people attended the funeral on Sunday of a Palestinian who was fatally shot by Israeli police in an incident for which Israel's new defence minister later apologised. A police spokesman had said officers killed a Palestinian they suspected was carrying a weapon in Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday, but according to Israeli media, the man was later found to have been unarmed. Palestinian officials said the 32-year-old man, Iyad Khayri, suffered mental health issues and they decried his killing. Rana, mother of Iyad Halak, 32, holds his photo at their home in East Jerusalem's Wadi Joz. Credit:AP In comments at Israel's Sunday cabinet meeting, Defence Minister Benny Gantz said: "We are really sorry about the incident in which Iyad Khayri was shot to death and we share in the family's sorrow - but I am certain this matter will be investigated swiftly and conclusions will be drawn." Arctic ground squirrels (Urocitellus parryii) are highly vulnerable to climate change but might persist in climate-change refugia in Denali National Park, Alaska. Credit: UMass Amherst/Toni Lyn Morelli The notion of conserving climate change refugiaareas relatively buffered from current climate change that shelter valued wildlife, ecosystems, and other natural resourcesis only about 10 years old, but the field has matured enough that a leading journal has prepared a special issue on the topic. It offers "a look back at how far we've come and a view forward to the work that is still needed," says editor Toni Lyn Morelli, a research ecologist at the U.S. Geological Survey's Northeast Climate Adaptation Center (NE CASC) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. "I believe this is the first time there has been a special issue devoted to climate-change refugia" she adds, "so we think it will spur conservation and innovation." The 100-page issue of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment organized by Morelli features a new synthesis of developments in refugia science, plus eight articles by experts in the field and an editorial by paleo-ecologist and director of the Southwest and South Central Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Stephen Jackson. Jackson says, "As in the case of the Covid-19 pandemic, our best hope is to render the climate change wave low and slow, reducing impacts and buying time to study, prepare, understand and adapt." The introductory article outlines how climate-change refugia can serve as a "slow lane" to protect native species and ecosystems from the negative effects of climate change and as safe havens for biodiversity and ecosystems in the longer term. The special issue covers a variety of topics, including refugia related to fish and wildlife, rivers and wetlands, mountains and forestsplus conceptual advances and examples of the successful application of refugia maps and data to management questions. Author Diana Stralberg at the University of Alberta, Canada, points out, "We are trying to find those areas where things are moving a bit more slowly in terms of climate change and where plants and animals have more opportunity to survive, whether they are already living there or could shift into those areas." Morelli is a founding member of the Refugia Research Coalition (RRC), a network of scientists, resource managers, and others associated with the Climate Adaptation Science Centers, particularly the Northwest CASC hosted by the University of Washington and its Northeast counterpart hosted by UMass Amherst. "We formed the RRC about five years ago to share ideas, hold workshops, engage with practitioners, and share our science," Morelli recalls. The group's diversity of research, expertise and approaches gave her the idea for a special issue. "We wanted to synthesize the science around climate change refugia over the last 10 years, to identify gaps and opportunities for the future, and highlight successes in applications that have been developed for management and conservation," she notes. "I was extremely fortunate to work with such a dynamic and accomplished group of co-authors," Morelli adds. Explore further Scientists pinpoint areas in boreal forests that offer refuge to plants and animals as climate gets warmer and drier Despite the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria, the countrys minister of labour (state), Festus Keyamo, on Sunday said the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, in the last five years, has done well in job creation. Mr Keyamo made this known while appearing on Channels Television Sunday Politics programme. Responding to questions by the anchor, Seun Okinbaloye, on how well the government has kept its job creation promise, Mr Keyamo said his principal has performed well. He argued: The Buhari administration has performed well in its job creation promise. The basic thrust of this government in job creation is to skill up people so they can be self-employed and create jobs. Mr Keyamo argued that what makes the efforts of the government unnoticed is because Nigerias population grows faster than the rate of jobs. The population grows faster than the rate of job creation. On job creation, we have done creditably well, he added. Also, speaking on the efforts made to cushion the effect of coronavirus on workers, the senior lawyer said: The FG has made a special fund available to cushion the effect of COVID-19. People at the grassroots; the unskilled labourers are a big part of the economy. As of February, the President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Saratu Aliyu, disclosed that 23 million Nigerians are presently unemployed. The number is believed to be much higher now with the numbing impact of COVID-19 on the economy. Also, the National Bureau of Statistic (NBS) data on unemployment in 2019 shows that the country had hit the 23 million mark. There have been various reports on the alarming rate of unemployment in Nigeria. For instance, PREMIUM TIMES also reported how SMB Intelligence reported how the rising levels of youth unemployment is a major factor responsible for the rise in kidnap cases in Nigeria. WASHINGTON (JTA) Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared an end to all agreements with Israel, including security cooperation, effectively turning over to Israels government the running of the entire West Bank. The Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine are absolved, as of today, of all the agreements and understandings with the American and Israeli governments and of all the commitments based on these understandings and agreements, including the security ones, Abbas said in a speech in Ramallah, which functions as the capital of the Palesti... A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A solidarity vigil for George Floyd takes place at Writer's Square in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Thousands of people have marched across London to protest against the death of a black man restrained by police in America. And more than 100 people gathered at Writers' Square in Belfast for a solidarity vigil for George Floyd. Some people carried banners and held posters stating 'Black Lives Matter'. An address was given by the Connolly Youth Movement before a minute's silence was held. The Black Lives Matter demonstration in London yesterday was organised after Mr Floyd died when a white officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck in Minneapolis last Monday. The protest started in Trafalgar Square around lunchtime, where people chanted Mr Floyd's name and knelt on the floor en masse, before heading to the US Embassy in Battersea. Five people were arrested at the Nine Elms site, the Metropolitan Police said, including three for coronavirus breaches and two for assault on police officers. Those detained were all between 17 and 25, Scotland Yard said. One demonstrator said the protests were "very important because it is sending a clear message that we have had enough racial injustice in our country". Isabelle Orsini (20) is originally from New York, but now lives in Kensington. She said: "The US obviously has a much deeper and darker history of black discrimination compared to the UK. "The reason people are so angry is because this is reopening wounds that go back hundreds of years. "It is very important that we do whatever it takes to tell our government that racism will not be tolerated." After Battersea protesters - many wearing masks - crossed the river again and headed through affluent Chelsea, Knightsbridge and Notting Hill, before gathering at the base of Grenfell Tower, where 72 people died in a 2017 fire. A reverend at a church on Trafalgar Square, where the protest started, said she was "very sympathetic" towards those marching but expressed some concern about how close they were. Rev Sally Hitchiner, associate vicar at St Martin-in-the-Fields, said: "It's showing there are people in the UK who care passionately about the situation in the US. Clearly, they're not following lockdown and social distancing, but I think there's a huge amount of passion there and that's overriding their concerns. "It's an issue that requires passion but, at the same time, there's a huge amount of risk in what they're doing." The demonstrations in Belfast and London come after tens of thousands of people joined nightly protests across the United States since 46-year-old Mr Floyd's death, with at least 1,600 people arrested in 22 cities as some demonstrations descended into violence. In the late 1970s, the San Antonio Independent School District put a young first grade teacher named Shelley Potter in a school with boarded-up windows and no air conditioning. No one knew what they had set in motion. Potter went to her first teachers union meeting to fight for air conditioning across the district. She steps down Monday as president of the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel, the citys largest public sector union, after more than 35 years in leadership across its various incarnations. I didnt set out to be a union leader, said Potter, 66. I began to realize the power of collective action and that my union was actually a vehicle through which I could work to make changes to benefit kids. Potter shepherded her union through independent formation, a merger and subsequent growth. Her tumultuous tenure has included bumpy relationships with seven SAISD superintendents, varying degrees of success helping get friendly school board members elected, a constant struggle with public educations biggest challenges and a romantic subplot. Robin Jerstad / Potter went to St. Marys University after graduating from high school in Waco. She began teaching in 1975 at SAISDs former Johnson Elementary on the West Side. After a year, she moved to nearby J.T. Brackenridge Elementary, where she stayed for 12 years. Brackenridge didnt have air conditioning when she arrived, and a replacement school was being built so close that classroom windows were boarded up because of the construction. Potter started agitating for fans in the classrooms. When the new air-conditioned building opened, the relief was instantaneous. Potter noticed that her students were no longer sleepy in the afternoons. Then she found out that 75 of the districts 92 schools didnt have air conditioning, which propelled her to attend her first meeting of the San Antonio Federation of Teachers, which had 300 members at the time. Tom Cummins, a fellow Brackenridge teacher, was running the meeting. Potter raised her hand and said something had to be done about the sweltering classrooms. Cummins asked her to head up a committee. I was young and naive and said yes, and had no idea what that actually entailed, Potter said. She started researching the effects of heat on learning, contrasting optimal learning temperatures with San Antonios highs. After three years of presentations and advocacy, her committee got the school board to place a Cool Schools bond just for air conditioning on the ballot, and voters approved it. J. MICHAEL SHORT /SPECIAL TO THE EXPRESS-NEWS In the meantime, Potter and Cummins were doing a lot of block walking together for political campaigns. They married in 1984 and have remained a local teachers union power couple ever since. Potter choked up last week thinking about the encouragement she received, from Cummins and others, when she led the air conditioning committee. Somebody saw in me something I didnt see in myself, she said. One of the things Ive always tried to do is that to help others get in touch with and see the power they have, to see the leadership qualities they have, and to help them grow and develop as leaders. When Potter became vice president of the federation, it was the largest chapter of the Bexar County Federation of Teachers, which Cummins led. She became interim president of the San Antonio Federation when the president resigned to run for a school board seat, and she reluctantly ran for and won the permanent job, counting on others promises of help. Do you bring it home with you? Laura Lippman, now a famous author, asked Potter in 1987 in an interview for the San Antonio Light. I do, Potter told her. He doesnt and he wont let me talk about it at home. Theres a joke among the staff here that if Tom is given a message to give to me at home, Ill never get it. Years later, the San Antonio Federation of Teachers became its own local union. Potter and Cummins, who still leads the Bexar County Federation, have been among the longest-serving teachers union presidents in the state. The San Antonio Federation had been dwarfed by a larger SAISD union, the San Antonio Teachers Council, and the rivalry was bitter as the two groups competed for consultation rights, or the power to represent teachers in formal discussions with the administration. Under Potters leadership, the federation grew to eclipse the Teachers Council and won consultation rights in the 1990s for teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff. That squared them off against then-Superintendent Diana Lam, a reform-oriented leader whose widespread curriculum changes won national acclaim but were criticized by teachers as too quickly imposed to be successful. The conflict put San Antonio on the national stage, as a divided school board decided against buying out Lams contract. The board reversed itself after Potters union in 1998 successfully campaigned for new trustees who took control. Lam went on to controversial terms as superintendent in small Northeastern cities and deputy chancellor of New York City schools. Three years later, Potter led a national task force for the American Federation of Teachers on union-sponsored professional development, producing a widely used report. In 2003, the two SAISD unions merged to create the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel, with more than 3,000 members and Potter at the head. Teachers had come to realize that there was no sense in two competing unions, she said, adding that the real enemies were on the outside, and we were fighting each other. Staff cuts have reduced the alliances numbers since the merger, but membership has risen slightly in recent years, to 2,600, Potter said. It remains one of the states largest teachers unions. The new mega-union partnered with district administrators to start popular training programs for new teachers. The organization put off deciding whether to term-limit its president until eight years ago, when members voted to limit their leader to two four-year terms. June 1 became Potters end date. She was named in 2016 to a national AFT racial equity task force, and the alliance and SAISD board agreed on a resolution to protect undocumented students after President Donald Trump was elected. Then, in some of the most contentious years of Potters career, the unions relationship with district leaders unraveled. In a two-month period in 2018, the board followed Superintendent Pedro Martinezs recommendations to contract with a New York-based charter network to run an elementary school, then addressed a budget shortfall by laying off 132 teachers around the district. The union opposed both decisions vociferously and called for Martinezs resignation. The next spring, it campaigned hard for three board challengers, but this time, only one of them was victorious, and the superintendent still enjoys the boards support. On ExpressNews.com: Backlash against San Antonio ISDs direction fuels election challenges Potter said the intensity of 2018 might have been exceeded by two weeks last March, as the coronavirus pandemic spread and schools closed. Teachers could work from home, but essential personnel, including cafeteria and maintenance staff, were still reporting to buildings. Some were immuno-compromised, and others had family members at risk. Safety protocols were fluid, and national leaders deemed masks unnecessary at the time. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, expanding paid leave, hadnt passed. Panicked employees flooded the union with questions and messages. It was just that sense that if we didnt get this right, if we didnt advocate strongly enough around safety issues and health issues, that somebody could die, Potter said. Martinez, who is credited improved student achievement in the district, described his monthly meetings with Potter as cordial and respectful, noting the times they found common ground. I really appreciate all the service Ms. Potter has done for the community, he said. I know, in her heart, that she cares about students. The union elected Alejandra Lopez, 34, a second grade teacher at Hillcrest Elementary, to take up Potters mantle. A Southwest High School and Stanford University graduate, Lopez grew up in a labor family. Her father retired from the local ironworkers union. When I got hired by SAISD, I was personally very excited that that came with the opportunity to join our alliance and to become part of a really strong union within our county, Lopez said. Her first year teaching at Stewart Elementary left no time for union involvement, but after the 2016 election, Potter put out a call for people who wanted to work on immigration issues. Lopez jumped at the chance. She was Stewarts union representative when trustees decided to hand management of the school to Democracy Prep, a charter network based in New York. Lopez quickly mobilized a meeting and helped lead the unsuccessful charge against the agreement. Lopez said Potter always developed and empowered leaders within the union. Shelley has always been at the heart of the broader San Antonio labor movement, Lopez said. When you multiply that by decades, how unwavering she has been in her commitment is really awe-inspiring. The breadth of time has been so long that its hard for me to conceptualize. Potter said shes considering a couple of career possibilities to stay involved in public education advocacy. She has been serving on an advisory committee of the Texas State Teachers Association, the state National Education Association affiliate. Shes always been a teacher, TSTA President Noel Candelaria said. Shes always been a mentor and always been a teacher to other leaders across the state. It just speaks to who Shelley is and what she stands for. Alia Malik covers several school districts and the University of Texas at San Antonio. To read more from Alia, become a subscriber. amalik@express-news.net | Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN Children from Hejiazhuang primary school paint in Hejiazhuang Village of Wangba Township in Kangxian County, northwest China's Gansu Province, May 30, 2020. [Xinhua] BEIJING, May 31 (Xinhua) Chinese President Xi Jinping has greeted children of all ethnic groups across the country on International Children's Day, which falls on June 1. Xi, also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, called on children to study hard, firm up their ideals and convictions and develop strong bodies and minds to prepare for realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Xi noted that children nationwide have experienced a special period during the country's fight against COVID-19 as all Chinese people stand united. Children paint elephants at the Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, May 27, 2020. Two female Asian elephants gave birth to two babies respectively on April 30 and May 12 in the Chimelong Safari Park in Guangzhou, adding the total number of the Asian elephants here to 27. [Xinhua] Witnessing the great feats of Chinese people working together and rising to challenges, the children have followed the call of the Party and the government to support the anti-epidemic battle with their concrete actions, demonstrating the fine spirit of the country's children, Xi said. He stressed that China's children today are not only undergoing and witnessing the realization of the country's first centenary goal, they are also a new force for achieving the second centenary goal and building China into a great modern socialist country. Xi urged Party committees and governments at all levels as well as the society to care for children and create favorable conditions for their growth. (Source: Xinhua) Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Musavi says Tehran will continue to export fuel to Venezuela if the South American country requests more supplies. Both Iran and Venezuela are under U.S. sanctions and Washington has sought to deter such shipments. "Iran practices its free trade rights with Venezuela and we are ready to send more ships if Caracas demands more supplies from Iran," Musavi told a weekly news conference on June 1 that was broadcast live on state television. Iran has sent five tankers of fuel to Venezuela, once South America's top oil producer, which is suffering from a gasoline shortage amid a ravaging economic crisis. The United States has warned governments, seaports, shippers, and insurers that they could face measures if they aid the tankers. So far four tankers have entered Venezuelan waters, with the Refinitiv Eikon analytical company saying on May 31 that the first two tankers that delivered fuel to Venezuela have started the return journey. Tensions have been on the rise between longtime foes Tehran and Washington since 2018, when U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and reimposed crippling sanctions that have battered the Iranian economy. Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP Shaheed El-Hafed, 1 June 2020 (SPS) - The Permanent Office of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front has condemned the blatant contradiction in the attempts by European parties, particularly France and Spain, to pass agreements with the Moroccan occupier, including the occupied parts of the Sahrawi Republic, in violation of international law, international humanitarian law and resolutions of the European Court of Justice. In a statement concluding its meeting on Sunday chaired by President of the Republic, Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, Mr. Brahim Ghali, the Permanent Office recalled the historic, political, legal and moral responsibility of the Spanish State toward the decolonization of Western Sahara and enabling of the Sahrawi people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and independence. On this occasion, the Permanent Office expressed its deepest gratitude and appreciation, on behalf of the Sahrawi people, to Algeria under the leadership of Mr. Abdelmajid Taboune, for its principled positions of support alongside the struggle of the Sahrawi people. The Permanent Office hailed the level of cooperation and coordination between the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and the Sahrawi Republic, particularly to tackle the dangers of the Coronavirus pandemic. (SPS) 062/SPS/T The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, has deployed more investigative and forensic support to the Edo State Police Command regarding the death of UNIBEN undergraduate, Vera Uwaila Omozuwa. Uwaila who was a 100 level student of the microbiology of the institution, was raped and killed in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Miracle Sanctuary Mega Parish, Edo Province 10, Ikpoba Hill area of Benin City, by unknown attackers. According to the report, the deceased was raped and her head struck with a fire extinguisher. In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, on Monday, the IGP promised the perpetrators would be arrested and brought to book. Advertisement Read Also: Ize Iyamu Reacts To Death Of Uniben Undergraduate, Uwa As part of deliberate and concerted efforts by the Nigeria Police High Command to unravel the circumstances surrounding the brutal attack and unfortunate death of Miss Vera Uwaila Omosuwa in Benin, Edo State on 28th and 30th May, 2020 respectively, the Inspector General of Police has deployed additional investigations aids and forensic support to Edo State Police Command to complement and expedite actions in the ongoing investigations into the unfortunate incident. The IGP, while condemning the attack, commiserates with the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased. He calls for calm and assures that the Force will surely bring the perpetrators of the callous act to book in the shortest possible time, the statement read. I felt so strongly about doing this, so we decided to just go ahead and get the word out on social media, and we could figure out the rest, said Skuldt, a senior at Rolling Meadows High School. SIKHUPHE A community in the lowveld is desperate for clean running water while a water tank donated to assist them is kept at the regional administrators home. The 5 000 litres water tank was donated to the community of Mbalenhle, Sikhuphe, about a month ago and it is yet to benefit the residents. The water tank was donated by the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) to assist the community with the most valuable asset in the era of COVID -19, water. Mbalenhle is located about 55 kilometres east of Manzini and about 35 kilometres north of Siteki. It is about five kilometres away from the King Mswati III International Airport. The community has about 150 homesteads. The lack of this resource is glaring such that there is no running water and the community claims that their borehole has been dysfunctional for an extended period of time. Premises Meanwhile, a tank requisitioned from the NDMA was set at the premises of the Lubombo Regional Administrator (RA), Themba Msibi. The RA, who is the former Speaker of the 10th Parliament, was recently awarded land, which is more or less three hectares in size. The land is about three kilometres from the main road and has few neighbours residing next to it. Most of the neighbours to Msibis property are yet to construct their homesteads. The land, which is fenced and has locked gates, has the tank erected within the property in close proximity to piles of river sand, crush stone, and a structure that is still at foundation level. The tank has a black hose extending from it to the fence where a tap is mounted. This could be meant to cater for the few passers-by to wash their hands while another hose with a tap hangs from a tree seemingly for use within the property. Above the tap, there is a two-litre container with pink liquid soap presumably for the public to use when washing their hands. In the 20 minutes spent by this reporter in the vicinity of the property, there was no person who passed by; yet two kilometres away, women were found walking on the dusty road. One of the women is a local resident, Thandaza Nguni. She pleaded with the NDMA to assist her community with a water tank as water was a scarce commodity in the area; yet, essential due to the coronavirus. She said in recent weeks, a team of males was registering names of residents, informing them that they would get a water tank to assist with the supply of clean running water as means by government to fight the coronavirus which requires that people regularly wash their hands with running water and soap. Nguni said there was a shortage of water in the area such that they shared the source of water with cattle in a local pond (inkelebha). We wake up at 5am to fetch water from the pond so that we can have clean water before the livestock messes it up, she said. She said the community did not have any facility to wash their hands frequently. She said this was a challenge in the community for many people, mostly when they alighted from public transport from congested towns. We just dont wash hands easily as water is scarce. Alternative The resident said an alternative they had for getting clean water was to pay E400 or E450, so that a tractor could ferry a 5 000-litre water tank to Mbuluzi River where they fill it up. According to Nguni, if one was broke, the only source of water was to walk to the pond. Supporting her assertion was Thandi Nkambule. During a visit to the area last Friday, the family of Nkambule was preparing for a funeral. She said for the family to have water for the mourners, they had to hire a tractor to connect water from Mbuluzi River. This is expensive and it is not sustainable given the ravaging effects of the pandemic on the economy, Nkambule said. Also weighing in was Thulani Matsenjwa. He said there was a challenge within the community with clean running water. He stated that the community needed help from the NDMA as soon as possible as the Lizzie Nkosi-led Ministry of Health promoted that the public regularly washed hands. As you can see, there is no water in the area, the little that is available could be a source of germs, Matsenjwa said. He said until they were assisted with a water tank, they were at the mercy of God and their ancestors. In vernacular, he said: Sisindzela umusa waNkulunkulu nemadloti kwanyalo. Worth noting is that Siteki is the closest town to Sikhuphe while Manzini is the biggest nearby town. Both towns have positive cases of COVID -19 with the latter being the epicenter. Mystery as hundreds of fish die in the Tevere river in Rome. Hundreds of dead fish have been seen bobbing on the surface of Rome's river Tiber over the weekend, according to Italian news agency ANSA. The macabre discovery was first noted by a member of the Rome branch of OIPA, the International Organisation for Animal Protection, who photographed the scenes and alerted the police. The dead fish have been sighted in various sections of the Tevere, with reports from under Ponte Vittorio, all along the stretch between Ponte Milvio and Ponte Marconi, and near Ponte della Musica. Health authorities will conduct tests on 1 June to ascertain the cause of the death of the fish, reports ANSA, while police are checking for evidence of spills of harmful liquids or chemicals into the river. "We have seen episodes of this type in the past, and we ask once again for light to be shed on this serious episode affecting the biodiversity of the capital," - Rita Corboli, Roman delegate of OIPA Italia, told ANSA. "Today on the cycle path that runs along the Tiber people were stunned: hundreds of fish of different species died from causes that we ask to be immediately ascertained with adequate sampling of the water and in-depth analysis", Corboli concluded. Photo RomaFanpage United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that he is certain that China would use the riots in America as a tactic to take the situation on the ground for their benefit and gain more territory. In a recent interview with an international media outlet, Pompeo also accused the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of being in the process of invading Taiwan for an awfully long time. However, the US diplomat has assured that for the first time, the country has US President Donald Trumps administration that is buckled up to take measured response against CCP. US Sectretay of State said, The Chinese Communist Party has been on this effort, on this march, for an awfully long time. Theyll certainly use a tactical situation on the ground to their advantage. But each of the problems that you identified there are threats that they have been making for an awfully long time. For the first time, we have an administration thats prepared to actually respond to say this is unacceptable and to take responses that are measured, appropriate, but reflect the seriousness with which we take the obligation to protect the American people from these Chinese Communist Party efforts, he added. Read - Pompeo Notifies US Congress That Trump Admin No Longer Regards Hong Kong As Autonomous Read - Pompeo Welcomes 3-day Ceasefire Declaration By Taliban, Afghan Govt During Eid Situation in Hong Kong, US are different While the US is currently rocked with the violent protests across the nations over the tragic death of George Floyd in police custody, Pompeo noted that the situation is being used to fuel disinformation by the Chinese government and trying to equate citation in America with that in Hong Kong. Even though the angry demonstrations being dealt with tear gas by the US army, are causing a similar scene to month-long anti-government unrest in the former British colony, US Secretary of State believes that the situation is completely different. The thousands who are on the streets of major cities in the US amid a pandemic, according to Pompeo, are decent Americans who are troubled with the incident that took place in Minnesota on May 25. He accused China of preventing freedom of expression. Pompeo said, Theyre out using disinformation about whats taking place in American cities and trying to equate that somehow to whats happening in Hong Kong. These are completely different. We have the rule of law. We have decent Americans all across this country who are troubled by what happened, and they have the opportunity to speak freely about that." None of that exists inside of China. The Chinese Communist Party prevents that kind of freedom of expression. And the results, the risk to America as a result of that are real, and were going to respond to them, he added. George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, died in police custody and the video of the incident spread rage across the United States while the country was already battling the fatal coronavirus outbreak. In the viral footage, the police officer, who has now been arrested, could be seen kneeling over Floyds neck while he was struggling for breath while being handcuffed. All four police officers involved in 46-year-olds arrest have been fired and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched a federal civil rights inquiry. Read - 'Largest Donor': Pompeo Claims US Contributed 30% Of Govt Donations For Global COVID Fight Read - Pompeo Says China's Security Law 'death Knell' To Hong Kong's Autonomy Image Source: AP Students in Tokyo started to return to school Monday, with fitness gyms, saunas and cinemas among businesses reopening their doors in the capital after nearly two months under a loose lockdown. Japan has been slowly reopening economic activity across the country after a state of emergency to tackle the coronavirus was lifted nationwide last week. Schools in the capital are resuming, albeit with staggered student attendance, for the first time in about three months, after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for their closure at the end of February. In Tokyo, Governor Yuriko Koike has laid out a three-stage reopening roadmap for when businesses can resume operations, with the city entering stage two of the plan on Monday. That's allowed gyms to resume -- with operators asking for patrons to exercise in masks -- as well as a range of businesses from private cram schools and department stores. There were five new cases of coronavirus reported in Tokyo on Sunday. Key words such as "crowded trains", "remote work", and "resuming business" were among the top trending phrases on Twitter in Tokyo Monday, with many commenting that trains and stations in the city were busier than they had been recently. The seven-week state of emergency gave regional governors the power to ask firms to close and urge residents to stay home to contain the coronavirus. Despite having no penalties for disobedience, many firms and citizens complied. Even without the hard lockdown seen in other parts of the world, Abe last month was able to lift the state of emergency earlier than expected, with new infections having dropped to zero in many prefectures. Many businesses in Tokyo, ranging from karaoke boxes and theme parks to mahjong parlors and strip clubs, will be asked to remain closed for longer. Night clubs, hostess bars and small music venues, which had been identified as sites of infection clusters, will stay shut until the national government decides on guidelines to reopening. Tokyo Disney Resort will also stay closed for the time being, its operator said Monday. Meanwhile, the city of Osaka has gone ahead and removed restrictions on all business sectors as of June 1, contingent upon businesses following the prefectural government's guidelines on how to operate using social distancing measures. Hilary Teachout, my beloved wife and lifes companion,, and her ashes were returned to me a week and a half ago. Save for that bleak landmark, nothing much has happened to me since her death. Yes, the rest of the world has been turned upside down, but I have discovered that profound grief makes all else seem dim by contrast. I follow the news and register its unfolding horrors, but my sorrow has muted their clamor, and I receive them as if from a great distance. Otherwise, I remain alone in my apartment, waiting for New York to open up again, communicating electronically with friends and family but never seeing them in person. It struck me a few days ago that Id spent the past year and more deprived of any sense of a future. As Hilary grew sicker and her health crises more frequent, I was forced to devote a fast-growing part of my time and energy to taking care of her from day to day, putting out fires and doing my best to anticipate the next thing that might go wrong. We had all but lost hope by March that she would ever receive the double lung transplant that we had long believed would change her life, and without that hope, I could no longer see anything but what was directly in front of me. Now that I have lost Hilary, all that has changed. Impossible though it is for me to imagine a life without her, the fact remains that I cannot help but have onethat it has, indeed, already begun. Ive even made a plan for the future: Im going to drive down to Floridas Sanibel Island come December, and I will scatter Hilarys ashes not far from the beach bungalow on the Gulf of Mexico that was the place she loved best. Id always wanted to take a few days off and drive to Florida, stopping along the way to visit friends and see whatever there might be to see, but her increasingly fragile health made any such adventure impossible. Instead Ill do so by myself, and my trip will be a kind of pilgrimage, the fulfillment of a promise to lay my spouse to rest in the best of all possible places. And what will I do between now and then? I know there is no knowing, for the pandemic is firmly in the saddle and rides mankind. In any case, my imagination as yet extends no further than to the simplest of possibilities: I want to see my friends, not on a computer screen but face to face. I want to talk endlessly to them, not just about my own grief but about whatever comes to our minds, and I want even more to listen to them. More than anything else, they are my future, and their love is the source of my shaky but nonetheless abiding belief that I will have some kind of life after Hilary, perhaps even a truly happy onedifferent, to be sure, but not without possibilities of its own. When Dylan Thomas died in 1953, his widow plunged herself into drunken, self-destructive mourning, later writing a memoir called Leftover Life to Kill. That is not the way I want to spend the rest of my life, nor is it the way Hilary would have wanted me to spend it. She made that clear: she expected me to go on without her. Youd better not fall apart after I die, she told me more than once. I did for a time, but Im finally starting to pull myself together again, slowly and haltingly butI trustsurely. After the British army turned back Rommels Nazi troops at El Alamein, Winston Churchill told his people, Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. I hope with all my heart that the same is true of me as well. * * * Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny play Henry Mancinis Two for the Road: Winston Churchill speaks before the Lord Mayors Luncheon at Mansion House on November 10, 1942: Children are one of the most vulnerable groups in society and demand daily attention, love and protection, especially in these difficult times of global pandemic. Galaxy Group of Companies, in cooperation with the SOS Children's Villages Armenia Charitable Foundation, aimed its June 1st social responsibility program to the children of Kotayk and Tavush children's villages this year. Within the context of the project, 50 beneficiaries of SOS, in addition to gifts and surprises, were provided with tablets and a permanent Ucom connection, so that they do not miss the school curriculum. Today, a generation of bright and talented children is growing up in our country, and it is our duty to ensure and guarantee their right to education, to create equal opportunities especially for children in vulnerable groups. Our social responsibility programs are, first of all, development projects. We believe in the potential of children and we hope that with small steps, with our approach and care, we will bring a positive change, said Aram Khachatryan, co-founder and CEO of Galaxy Group of Companies. The joint project of Galaxy Group of Companies and SOS Children's Villages Foundation has an educational and motivating component in addition to social support. Within the framework of the project, the successful leaders and employees of the group of companies shared their stories with the children in handwritten letters, assuring and inspiring them that everything is possible with education and hard work. It is very important for the children of our villages to continue their education remotely because most of the children are of school age. We are very happy that in today's difficult situation, when education is carried out in a remote way, Galaxy Group of Companies, with its support, takes care of the children's needs related to education. It is very important that the organizations operating in our country cooperate with us, try to lighten our burden with charity and donations, and help realize childrens right to education from afar, said Spartak Sargsyan, Director of the Armenian Office of the SOS Children's Villages Charitable Foundation. Naturally, children perceive June 1 as a holiday, so books, sweets and smiles were sent to the children as well. Naturally, in order not to reveal the identities of the children in the vulnerable groups, they will not be shown in any of the campaign videos. Galaxy Group of Companies was founded in 1999 by Aram, Gurgen and Artyom Khachatryans. As a result of 20 years of operation, Galaxy Group has grown from a team of 30 employees to Armenias number one employer, having over 3,000 highly paid employees and over one million subscribers and clients. According to the latest published data, the annual tax portfolio of the group of companies is 13 billion AMD and a significant portion of the group of companies revenues is devoted to implementing social responsibility programs aimed at supporting education, innovation and arts to improve people's quality of life. SOS Children's Villages Armenian Charitable Foundation started its activities in the Republic of Armenia immediately after the devastating Spitak earthquake in 1988. The Foundation is a child-centered organization whose mission is to provide care and support for children in difficult life situations by surrounding them with family. Today, SOS Children's Villages operates in 136 countries and territories around the world, supporting hundreds of thousands of children each year through alternative care, strengthening families, schools, health centers, and other community-based jobs. A relief rally on D-Street helped benchmark indices to climb above their crucial resistance levels on June 1 as the government eased lockdown rules. Investors ignored the weak GDP data for the March quarter as well as muted factory activity for the month of May. Investor wealth grew by over Rs 3 lakh crore in a single trading session. The average market capitalisation of the BSE-listed companies grew from Rs 127.06 lakh crore as on May 29 to Rs 130.10 lakh cr on June 1, BSE data showed. Positive global cues, along with expectations of economic activity coming back to normal, and forecast of a normal monsoon lifted investor sentiment, suggest experts. The S&P BSE Sensex rallied over 1000 points in intraday trade while the Nifty50 witnessed profit taking above 9900 levels. Lets look at the final tally on D-Street the S&P BSE Sensex rose 879 points to 33,303 while the Nifty50 rallied 245 points to close at 9826. "Markets ended positive, in sync with global cues, after relief over the opening up of the economy with some restrictions. All major sectoral indices were positive, with the banking index leading the gains," Vinod Nair- Head of Research- Geojit Financial Services told Moneycontrol. "The positive sentiment is being driven by hope of situation getting back to normalcy, aided by the steady opening up of the economy and further stimulus measures to boost demand. Economic data coming in over the next 2 days may have an impact," he said. All the sectoral indices closed in the green. The action was seen in consumer durables, metals, finance, banks, auto and energy stocks. On the broader markets front the S&P BSE Midcap index was up 2.6 percent while the S&P BSE Smallcap index rose over 3 percent in line with benchmark indices. Top Nifty gainers include names like SBI, M&M, Titan Company, Bajaj Finserv, and Bajaj Finance which rose 5-10 percent. Top Nifty losers include names like Nestle India, UltraTech Cements, Bharti Infratel, and Dr Reddys Laboratories fell more than 2 percent each. Stocks & Sectors: Sectorally, the S&P BSE Consumer Durables index rose over 6 percent, followed by the S&P BSE Metal index which was up 3.9 percent, and the S&P BSE Finance and Bankex were up more than 3 percent each. Volume spike of more than 100% was seen in stocks like PNB, Escorts, Adani Power, Bank of Baroda, Sun TV, Voltas, and PVR. Long Buildup was seen in stocks like Shriram Transport Finance, Canara Bank, Voltas, Apollo Tyres, and UBL. More than 50 stocks on the BSE hit their fresh 52-week high that include names like Bayer Cropsciences, Dixon Technologies, Divis Laboratories, Escorts, Cipla, Biocon, and Adani Green etc. among others. Stocks in the News Voltas | Share price surged 12 percent after the company reported a 12.5 percent jump in its consolidated Q4 FY20 net profit at Rs 159.5 crore against Rs 141.74 crore in the year-ago period. Biocon | Stock price gained 8 percent after the company received favourable ruling from US Patent and Trademark Appeal Board (US PTAB). PVR | The stock price was up 6 percent after the board of directors will meet on 8 June to consider and approve audited standalone and consolidated financial results and raising of funds by way of issue of equity shares of the company. Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers | The stock price was up 13 percent after the company reported a standalone profit after tax of Rs 142 crore in the March quarter, marking an increase of 193 percent from Rs 48 crore in the previous year. Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services| Shares was up over 3 percent after the non-bank lending arm of Mahindra group said that it will raise up to Rs,3,500 crore through a rights issue. Adani Power makes an up move of over 9% ahead of board meet Dr Reddy fail to cheer EIR for Srikakulam unit, stock slips 3% Technical View: Nifty50 made a strong bullish candle on the charts but could face resistance near 9,950-10,050. This is the fourth consecutive bullish candle made on daily charts Nifty failed to hold onto 9900 levels SuperTrend indicator gave a buy signal on the daily charts which suggest the momentum could well continue MACD triggered a bullish crossover last week The Nifty closed above 5-Days SMA If Nifty closes above 9931 levels then next target shall be around 10159 levels, says Mazhar Mohammad of Chartviewindia.in Considering almost a 10% of the rally in just 4 sessions from the lows of 9004 9931 levels bulls may be in need of some breather and hence traders are advised to remain neutral for next one or two trading sessions and wait for dips into the strong support zone to create long positions, he said. CHICAGO, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- June marks the beginning of hurricane season. While anticipated higher-than-normal storm activity is always a cause for concern, this year, state officials and insurance providers are potentially facing a unique set of challenges in managing claims and public safety in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. WNC Insurance Services, a leader in the private flood insurance market for more than 25 years, has taken appropriate steps to prepare for such a scenario and ensure that insureds, agents and brokers receive the dedicated support and personalized service they have come to expect. Through WNC's wholly owned claims administrator, Precise Adjustments, experienced adjusters are equipped with the resources and tools to manage claims promptly in any situation. "Our robust continuity plan ensures we are adequately staffed and that our field adjusters have the voice and data systems they need to work in any remote environment," said Jeff Garretson, Chief Claims Officer. "Precise utilizes a direct web-based communication adjustment process through a custom portal to facilitate both claim speed of handling and customer metric reporting. All of our field resources are also prepared to comply with any local, state and federal COVID-19 guidelines." WNC's compliance team developed a pandemic questionnaire for all companies and individual contractors who work with the Precise Adjustments team to ensure their understanding of guidelines for personal protective equipment, social distancing and other measures that have been put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In addition, all companies and contractors were required to provide WNC with updated business continuity plans. Lauren Savage, Executive Vice President of WNC's Private Flood Services Division, said the seamless collaboration with the Precise Adjustments team enables claims to be closely managed every step of the way. "The value of our integrated model is speed to service," she said. "The claims team is able to respond faster and more effectively with earlier notification of loss and the ability to tap into the long-standing client relations of WNC. The steps we have taken to address potential COVID-19 scenarios are another way to deliver on our commitment to our clients and ensure peace of mind in these challenging times." WNC provides a wide range of innovative private flood solutions with higher limits, broader coverages and more stable and competitive rates than what is available from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). To ensure the right coverage for your insureds this hurricane season, visit our website or contact us today at [email protected] to have us quote your potential target risks. About WNC Insurance Services WNC Insurance Services is a leading property and casualty underwriting agency that offers specialty risk management solutions, including private flood, construction and lender-placed products. We offer superior service and deep expertise in private flood program administration, and provide specialized Primary and Excess Flood solutions, which are available in 49 states. Founded in 1962, WNC is a wholly owned company of Tokio Marine Kiln, one of the largest carriers in the Lloyd's of London insurance market and a member of the Tokio Marine Group. WNC's corporate office is located in Chicago, Ill., with operating centers in Dallas, Texas, Irvine, Calif., Miami, Fla., Naperville, Ill., and South Pasadena, Calif. For more information, visit our website at www.wncinsuranceservices.com . Follow WNC Insurance Services on LinkedIn . Media Contact: Joshua Clifton Vice President, Marketing and Communications 312-736-2351 (office) 773-230-1304 (mobile) [email protected] SOURCE WNC Insurance Services, Inc.; Precise Adjustments Related Links www.wncinsuranceservices.com A meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs scheduled for June 3 to discuss the impact of the lockdown has been postponed after a majority of the members expressed their inability to attend, said sources. Home Secretary was scheduled to appear and brief the committee on the ongoing lockdown and its impact on the country. This was supposed to be the first meeting of a Standing Committee after the announcement of the lockdown on March 24. The Chairman of the committee is Congress Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma who had called the meet. Earlier in April the move of the virtual meet of the Committee was stalled by Rajya Sabha secreteriat on the ground that the standing committee procedure can't be held virtually as there is a secrecy clause attached to it. The Congress has been demanding parliamentary oversight on the government functioning. This meeting would have paved the way for other standing committee meetings. The central government on Saturday had adopted an exit strategy for the 67-day nationwide lockdown, declaring that the restrictions will be limited to only containment zones upto June 30 and prohibited activities will be opened in a phased manner in areas outside these zones. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued the order with expanded fresh guidelines to be implemented from June 1. SHOWS: INTERNET (MAY 31, 2020) (STILL IMAGES-MUTE) (SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE - ACCESS ALL) 1. STILL IMAGE OF LEWIS HAMILTON'S INSTAGRAM PAGE WITH FIRST PART OF STATEMENT ON F1, GEORGE FLOYD, AND PROTESTS 2. STILL IMAGE OF FIRST PART OF LEWIS HAMILTON'S INSTAGRAM STATEMENT, SAYING: "I see those of you who are staying silent, some of you the biggest stars yet you stay silent in the midst of injustice. Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white dominated sport. I'm one of the only people of colour there yet I stand alone. I would have thought by now you would see why this happens and say something about it but you can't stand alongside us. Just know I know who you are and I see you..." 3. STILL IMAGE OF LEWIS HAMILTON'S INSTAGRAM PAGE WITH SECOND PART OF STATEMENT ON F1, GEORGE FLOYD, AND PROTESTS 4. STILL IMAGE OF SECOND PART OF LEWIS HAMILTON'S INSTAGRAM STATEMENT, SAYING: "I do not stand with those looting and burning but those who are protesting peacefully. There can be peace until our so called leaders make change. This is not just America, this is the UK, this is Spain, this is Italy and all over. The way minorities are treated has to change, how you educate those in your country of equality, racism, classism and that we are all the same! We are not born with racism and hate in our hearts, it is taught by those we look up to." BERLIN, GERMANY (FILE - NOVEMBER 7, 2019) (REUTERS) 5. LEWIS HAMILTON SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT GQ GERMANY 'MEN OF THE YEAR' EVENT SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - FEBRUARY 14, 2020) (MERCEDES VNR - ACCESS ALL) 6. HAMILTON DRIVING 2020 MERCEDES ON TRACK 7. MERCEDES CEO TOTO WOLFF (ON LEFT) AND DRIVER VALTTERI BOTTAS WATCHING HAMILTON DRIVE PAST STORY: Six times Formula One motor racing champion Lewis Hamilton has criticised his sport for its silence on the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white U.S. police officer knelt on his neck. The death in Minneapolis triggered a wave of outrage and violent protests in the United States. Story continues Hamilton, Formula One's first black world champion, spends much of his time in America and spoke out on the issue in an Instagram story on Sunday (May 31). "I see those of you who are staying silent, some of you the biggest of stars yet you stay silent in the midst of injustice," wrote the Mercedes driver. "Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white dominated sport. I'm one of the only people of colour there yet I stand alone," he added. "I would have thought by now you would see why this happens and say something about it but you can't stand alongside us. Just know I know who you...are and I see you." In a second post, Hamilton added: "I do not stand with those looting and burning buildings but those who are protesting peacefully. There can be no peace until our so called leaders make change." McLaren driver Lando Norris, Hamilton's compatriot, was one of those who did comment, adding a line to his profile on the Twitch streaming platform that said "sign the !BLM petitions #BLACKLIVESMATTER" Canadian Nicholas Latifi, who is due to drive for Williams this season, said on Twitter 'This has to stop #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd." Hamilton has spoken out before about the lack of diversity in motor racing. "There really is the most minimal diversity within this sport and I really somehow want to be a part of shape-shifting that with Formula One," he said a year ago. (Production: David Grip) The UK broker SSL Endeavour has rebranded as Oneglobal Broking. The business is led by Chairman Jonathan Palmer-Brown and Chief Executive Officer Mike Reynolds. The new business will bring local expertise and knowledge direct to the client or retail broker with Oneglobals specialist team connecting them to the international re/insurance market. Free of legacy costs, complex corporate structures and bureaucracy, Oneglobal will offer straightforward advice, consulting, risk placement and most importantly, claims management delivered by the same senior expert team, who will be directly accountable to clients, the broker said in a statement. Oneglobal said it has ambitious plans for organic growth and the acquisition of like-minded broking businesses. It said it wants to reinvigorate the broking experience by putting clients at the heart of everything it does. Our name, Oneglobal, reflects both the global reach of our business and the one team focus we bring to serving our clients wherever they are located around the world, said Jonathan Palmer-Brown, chairman of Oneglobal, who joined as chairman of SSL Endeavour in August 2019. The loyalty of our outstanding team of brokers and professionals to their clients and our business values will be crucial to our success. I am energized to be announcing our new name and to be getting on with our expansion and growth as we all look to the future despite the current challenges presented by COVID-19, he added. We are unencumbered by legacy processes or remuneration structures and freed of these constraints we will focus relentlessly on doing the right thing for our clients, commented Mike Reynolds, chief executive officer of Oneglobal, who joined SSL Endeavour in April 2020. By building an open and accountable business on a platform of deep technical capability, Oneglobals ambition is to become the risk management adviser and employer of choice, said Reynolds. Source: Oneglobal Broking Topics Agencies Residents in the Kumasi metropolis have expressed mixed reactions over the partial easing of some restrictions imposed by the government to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. While they are very happy about the reopening of schools for final year students to prepare for their final examinations, they are not in agreement with the President for the opening of churches and mosques. Mr Osei Kusi, a businessman in Adum, told the Ghana News Agency that, the opening of the churches could further escalate the spread of the virus. He explained that it would be very difficult for church members to maintain social distancing, especially during singing and dancing in a church. Mr. Kusi said the probability of an infected person passing the virus in the church was very high and wondered why the rush for the reopening of churches. You can be in your house and worship God, we have not been in Church getting to two months, and nothing has happened, so why are we in a rush to go to church at this time when the cases keep on rising every day, he quipped. Madam Mavis Opoku, a trader who spoke with the Ghana News Agency team, pointed out that, out of fear and panic, people wont even come to church because they might think they will get infected by the coronavirus. She said the President should have allowed only the final year students to go back to school to prepare for their final exams, rather than lifting the ban on churches and mosques. Other residents were also worried about the foreign students who left the country when schools were closed, to their various countries before the closure of the borders. Mr Mark Obeng, a trader at the Kumasi Central market questioned how the final year foreign students would be able to return to school. Right now, that the borders are closed, how will the foreign students get into the country whiles the countrys borders are still closed, he asked He stressed the need for the government to come out clear of how the foreign students would get into the country and how they would be able to take care of themselves in the midst of the virus. 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 Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:15:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's anti-corruption watchdog announced on Monday that it has arrested six people in connection with taking bribe from a prospective candidate for the October 2020 general elections. Pilly Mwakasege, the head of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) for Kinondoni in Dar es Salaam, said in a statement five of the six suspects were arrested at Ubungo on Sunday, adding that the sixth suspect surrendered himself to PCCB on Monday. Mwakasege said PCCB officials arrested the suspects shortly after the prospective candidate dished out envelopes containing 50,000 Tanzanian shillings (about 22 U.S. dollars) each for the suspects who are leaders of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party Mbezi ward on the outskirts of the commercial capital Dar es Salaam. "The prospective candidate bribed the suspects so that they can help him to campaign in the initial electoral process," said Mwakasege in a statement. Mwakasege said PCCB was still holding the six suspects, including the prospective candidate, for questioning. John Mbungo, the PCCB Director General, in January 2020 vowed to stop electoral fraud in the October general elections. Mbungo said PCCB will leave no stone unturned toward the investigation of corrupt candidates or political parties in the course of the electoral process, adding that offenders will face full force of law. According to Tanzania's electoral body, more than 30 million voters have their information updated in the voter registry between July 2019 and February 2020. Enditem Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) - Senator Ronald Bato Dela Rosa tried to get himself off the hook as he showed up Monday in the Senate after his fellow senators asked him to attend physically. Bato complied with the order of his colleagues and was one of the eight senators who were at the Senates session hall. Meanwhile, 15 others attended the session virtually. He delivered sponsorship speeches on the two bills he co-authored: one on increasing the quota requirement of female cops, and one which modifies the height requirement for law enforcers. Before he continued with his second sponsorship speech, Senate President Vicente Sotto III told him jokingly: You work double time. Bato replied with a laugh, Thank you, Mr. President. Quota na ako (I already reached my quota). Sotto and some other senators asked Dela Rosa to physically go back to work in the chamber after his remark last week drew the ire of netizens. Bato, who was attending sessions and hearings via video call, was heard saying, Ang sarap ng buhay! Sana ganito na lang tayo palagi, after the Senate adjourned its session early on Tuesday last week. [Translation: This is a good life! I wish we're always like this.] The Congress will have its last day of sessions on Wednesday (June 3) as it goes on a break. A new study by researchers from Waseda University and the University of Tokyo found that orbital ordering in a vanadate compound exhibits a clear nucleation-growth behavior. "We believe that this is the first observation of its kind, where electrons in an inorganic solid created two soft phases similar to vapor and water, and where a nucleation-growth behavior was observed due to the surface tension created between the phases," says Takuro Katsufuji, professor of physical sciences at Waseda University and principal investigator of this study. The researchers published their peer-reviewed findings in Nature Communications on May 11, 2020. When water vapor condenses, the vapor turns into dew as water nuclei form and grow, transitioning phases from gas to liquid. This formation and growth of the nuclei is called the nucleation-growth process, and it occurs in various types of phase transitions. Though phase transitions also occur in solids, a nucleation-growth behavior has never been observed during electron-based phase transitions in inorganic materials. The most likely explanation is because there needs to be surface tension for this behavior to occur, but the hard solids could only create negligible surface tension compared with a bulk elastic energy. In their study, Katsufuji and his team used the vanadate compound BaV 10 O 15 , an oxide with vanadium and barium. Previously, they found that at 130K, or approximately -140C, the direction of orbitals possessed by the vanadium's electrons align, triggering a phase transition known as orbital ordering in this compound. "Knowing this, what we did in our recent study was to partially replace vanadium with titanium, a chemical element located on the left of vanadium on the periodic table, to control the transition temperature of the orbital ordering," Katsufuji explains. "We revealed that the nucleation-growth process was happening by measuring the time dependence of the electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, and the strain in the orbital ordering of this vanadate, and discovered that the electrons had created two vapor-water like soft phases in this organic solid and that there was surface tension between the two phases." In the past, methods to obtain desirable characteristics with two-phase coexistence in solids have been tested with various materials and devices, but in most cases, it has been difficult to control the volume ratio and the forms of the two phases. However, it is expected that for these newly discovered soft phases, controlling the volume ratio and its forms could be done more easily. Also, BaV 10 O 15 is known for its excellent performance as a thermoelectric material that can generate electricity from temperature difference, making this compound with two phases coexisting an attractive material. Katsufuji adds, "The reason why nucleation-growth process occurs in BaV 10 O 15 is because the surface tension between the two phases is quite large as a result of the coupling of degrees of freedom called orbitals and spins in electrons. We hope to progress research from the perspective that this is a new phenomenon that arises from such coupled degrees of freedom of electrons." The researchers plan to measure various physical quantities of the vanadate compound at a state where the two phases coexist and understand how its physical properties can change as well as how its characteristics can improve as a functional material. Further, BaV 10 O 15 is the first material as an inorganic compound where nucleation-growth process was observed, but it will be necessary to find whether there are other materials that exhibit nucleation-growth behavior. ### Reference Journal: Nature Communications Article title: Nucleation and growth of orbital ordering Authors: Takuro Katsufuji, Tomomasa Kajita, Suguru Yano, Yumiko Katayama, and Kazunori Ueno DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16004-2 About Waseda University Located in the heart of Tokyo, Waseda University is a leading private research university that has long been dedicated to academic excellence, innovative research, and civic engagement at both the local and global levels since 1882. Today, the student body at Waseda is approximately 50,000, nearly 8,000 of whom are from overseas, hailing from 125 countries. To learn more about Waseda University, visit https://www.waseda.jp/top/en News vehicles vandalized, set on fire amid unlawful assembly KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A 41 Action News vehicle was vandalized and set on fire Sunday night after peaceful protests were declared an unlawful assembly. Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department crews responded just after 10 p.m. to the area of 46th and Main streets to extinguish the blaze. Again, by far this news org reached out to protesters and attempted to tell their story . . . For their trouble, they'll have to replace their news van . . . Checkit: United Nations, June : Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, the president of the UN General Assembly, has said world leaders must plan for eliminating poverty and strengthening cooperation when the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic that every country has suffered. "If there was a need or demand for interconnection between human beings, as human beings regardless of their circumstances, this pandemic has made this very clear to us," he said in an exclusive interview to IANS. All countries are getting the lessons of interdependency, "and some are slower in getting the lessons than others," he said without taking names. He spoke of the importance of South-South cooperation among developing countries that could be a model for nations to work together to tackle global problems. Muhammad-Bande, 62, a Nigerian diplomat and educator, presides over the General Assembly, the truly representative body of the 193 members, at a time when the organisation - like the world - faces the most traumatic crisis since World War II. Unable to hold in-person meetings because of the lockdown at the UN headquarters and in New York, he had to quickly innovate ways to have the General Assembly continue to function. Under his leadership, the Assembly adopted new methods of voting and holding elections and transformed its agenda to meet the crisis. All the countries realised that "even with difficulties, especially with difficulties, they must come together to send a message that the United Nations is important," Muhammad-Bande said. The crisis "really brought us to think of a way to continue to work even if at times not physically, to continue to have ideas that we share with countries all over the world in relation to very urgent matters that deal with the fundamentals but also deal with the fallout of the pandemic, which has really brought limitations of the current system very clearly to the fore," he said during the interview conducted through video-teleconferencing in New York. He said that while there is an urgency for financing for development which is important for dealing with poverty, there is also a need for "cooperation including (on) technical issues, in terms of learning from others." As an educator who was the vice-chancellor of the Usman Danfodio University and director-general of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Nigeria before becoming a diplomat, Muhammad-Bande emphasised education, which has been disrupted world over by the pandemic, and said that technology inequalities must be addressed to ensure universal education. He said, "Hundreds of millions of children around the world have their education disrupted. In some countries, some means of continuation of education are available and in others not so. And this in itself is an issue of serious importance to the world." "The issue of differences in access to technology and the spread of technology for agriculture, for education, for all aspects of life is also important because this is another big issue that this pandemic has brought clearly to the fore," he said. He also stressed the importance of giving scholarships, especially by developing countries, for citizens from other parts of the world. "That creates bonds of friendship and makes it easier for countries to know better the conditions of other countries," he said. While there was an urgent need for all types of cooperation including North-South between developed and developing countries, and bilateral, he said, "I think South-South cooperation (among developing countries) is extremely important. Its moral compass is certainly a bit different. We learn easier from our peers and this has worked very strongly." He said, "Countries like yours have also shown the ability of countries to push this agenda not only in relation to the region but around the world. Nigeria has done so and other countries are doing this." He added, "It is very important that we are able to privilege South-South cooperation and I think the principles are very clearly understood in terms of respect, in terms of the cooperation of South-South countries to help themselves but also to give a model of cooperation that should help multilateral organisations more broadly." "I think all countries must show responsibility, those that are able to give support should continue to give support (for each other)," he said. Muhammad-Bande said it was important for developing countries to work with regional organisations like the African Union, and with others such as the Commonwealth and the Non-Aligned Movement. It was essential to learn the lessons of the experience of others through these channels as well for nations to share lessons from their own experiences, he said. (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text 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 Since its outbreak in the Wuhan city of China, coronavirus scourge has dived the world into distress and interestingly, Africa has also had its own share of the damaging effect of the ravaging pandemic. PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed The virus came to Africa through the desert widow of Egypt and has successfully spread to 57 countries and territories of the continent with South Africa bearing the huge burden with 32,683 official cases. According to Worldometre, a reference website that provides counters and real-time statistics for diverse topics, 149,661 cases have been totally reported in Africa. 4,252 patients have died due to complication from the virus while 64,111 recoveries have been recorded with total active cases standing on 81,298 figure. Meanwhile, among the 57 countries hit by coronavirus pandemic in Africa, only nine nations have less than 100 cases. Amazing! The countries by cases According to data obtained from John Hopkins University and Africa CDC, these countries with less than 100 cases have a lesser population compared to Nigeria and other top ten Covid-19 hit African countries. They include: Angola: 84, Eritrea: 39 Botswana: 35, Burundi: 63, Gambia: 25 Namibia: 25 Lesotho: 2, Seychelles: 11 Western Sahara: 9 Angola with 84 cases has 30.81 million leads countries with less than 100 Covid-19 cases in Africa. Credit: Google Source: Twitter Going by their population, Angola with 84 cases has 30.81 million, Eritrea with 39 cases has 3.214 million population. Botswana with 35 cases has 2.254 million population, Burundi with 63 cases has 11.18 million population. The Gambia with 25 cases has about 2.28 million population, Namibia with 25 cases has 2.448 million. Lesotho with 2 cases has 2.108 million, Seychelles with 11 cases has 96,762 population. Western Sahara with 9 cases has its population estimated at just over 500,000, of which nearly 40% live in Laayoune, the largest city in the territory. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Nigeria on Sunday, May 31, confirmed 307 new COVID-19 cases in the country, taking the total of infections in the country to 10,162. The new cases were announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on its twitter handle. The data from the NCDC showed that the cases were spread across 15 states with Lagos accounting for the highest number of infections for the day with 188 cases, Abuja 44, Ogun 19, Kaduna 14, Oyo 12, Bayelsa 9, Gombe 5, Kano 3, Delta 3, Imo 2, Rivers 2, Niger 2, Bauchi 2, Plateau 1 and Kwara 1. COVID-19: Parents speak on allowing their children return to school | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng Add Motley Crue and Def Leppard to the growing list of postponed Hershey summer concerts. Hersheypark Stadium announced today the scheduled Aug. 11 Stadium Tour concert is on hold until summer 2021. Those who purchased tickets are asked to hold onto them until a new date is announced. The official decision has been made to move all 2020 North American Stadium Tour dates into the summer of 2021, reads a statement from the Stadium Tours social media channels. The new stadium dates are being rescheduled, your tickets will be honored for all postponed shows and refund policy information will be made available shortly. Stay tuned, be safe and we will see you next year! it continued. The 28-stadium tour was supposed to start June 23 and includes Poison and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Other canceled Hershey concerts include Rod Stewart, July 31; Nickelback, June 11; Zac Brown Band, June 20; Dead & Company, July 29; Sam Hunt, Aug. 29; and Journey, Sept. 11. Concerts postponed with no new dates include Disturbed, was Aug. 1; Santana and Earth, Wind and Fire, was Aug. 8; The Hella Mega Tour, was Aug. 16; and Maroon 5, was Sept. 5. Chinese government officials told major state-run agricultural companies to pause purchases of some American farm goods including soybeans as Beijing evaluates the ongoing escalation of tensions with the U.S. over Hong Kong, according to people familiar with the situation. State-owned traders Cofco and Sinograin were ordered to suspend purchases, according to one of the people, who asked not to be identified discussing a private matter. Chinese buyers have also canceled an unspecified number of U.S. pork orders, one of the people said. Private companies haven't been told to halt imports, according to one of the people. The halt is the latest sign that the hard won phase-one trade deal between the world's two biggest economies is in jeopardy. While Chinese Premier Li Keqiang last month reiterated a pledge to implement the agreement that was inked in January, tensions have continued to escalate since then amid a standoff over Beijing's move to tighten its grip on Hong Kong. Beijing's move eroded the risk-on sentiment that had been prevailing over markets. S&P 500 Index futures gave up gains to trade 0.6% lower, while U.S. 10-year bonds erased declines. The onshore yuan reversed its advance, while soybean futures in Chicago, which had been as much as 1% higher, were little changed. The measures to halt imports come after President Donald Trump on Friday lobbed a barrage of criticism at Beijing after it moved to impose controversial new national security legislation on Hong Kong. Critics say it will crack down on dissent and undermine the "one country, two systems" principle that has kept Hong Kong autonomous of the mainland since the 1997 handover from the British. Cofco and Sinograin are China's key importers of farm goods. They had been making pricing inquiries for 20 to 30 cargoes of U.S. soybeans on Friday but held off on going through with purchases after Trump indicated he would punish Chinese officials, one of the people said. Beijing is waiting to see what steps Trump takes before deciding its next move, one of the people said. Nobody from the commerce ministry responded to a fax seeking comment. Officials from Sinograin and Cofco also didn't respond to calls. Trump said the U.S. would begin the process of stripping some of Hong Kong's privileged trade status, without detailing how many changes would take effect and how many exemptions would apply. He also promised sanctions against Chinese and Hong Kong officials "directly or indirectly involved" in eroding Hong Kong's autonomy, though stopped short of giving specifics. Equity investors had reacted positively to Trump's remarks, as he didn't provide any details or time-frame for what actions might come next. It's unclear how soon the U.S. would move on a range of options, from sanctioning Chinese officials to imposing tariffs on Hong Kong to attacking the territory's financial stability. While Trump has periodically threatened to call off the "phase one" trade deal, his top economic advisers have suggested it would continue. Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council, told CNBC on Thursday that the trade agreement "does continue to go on for the moment and we may be making progress there." The two sides have traded blows over a range of issues from the coronavirus to Taiwan in recent weeks, and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned during high-profile legislative meetings in Beijing that some in America were pushing relations to a "new Cold War," and urged the U.S. to give up its "wishful thinking" of changing China. China had agreed to buy U.S. farm goods worth about $36.5 billion for 2020 as part of the phase-one trade deal signed in January. However, the coronavirus outbreak roiled those plans, with China only managing to import $3.35 billion in American agricultural products in the first three months of the year, the lowest for that period since 2007, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Still, as China started to gradually reopen its economy from the virus-led lockdown, it had increased its pace of imports, including a more-than 1-million ton cargo of American soybeans in just two weeks in May, and rare purchases of U.S. soybean oil and ethanol. But then tensions between the U.S. and China began escalating, with Trump blaming the Asian nation for misleading the world about the scale and risk of the coronavirus outbreak. The fallout filtered through to the commodities markets, with China opting to buy Brazilian soy instead of American beans. Delaware Countys independent public wastewater authority on Monday moved to block the countys attempt to take over its operations, calling the move an illegal money grab of proceeds from the authoritys pending $276.5 million sale to private operator Aqua Pennsylvania. The Delaware County Regional Water Quality Control Authority, or DELCORA, filed for a preliminary injunction to block the takeover attempt ahead of Wednesdays scheduled vote by the County Council to terminate the authority and to assume operations under the countys control. DELCORA, in documents filed with the Delaware County Common Pleas Court, said the transfer of the authority is illegal because it requires the advance approval of state and federal environmental regulators, as well as the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC). It said the takeover would also violate state law, which prohibits the termination of a municipal authority while it has outstanding bond debt. DELCORA has about $170 million in debt. The ordinance scheduled for a vote this week would blatantly violate existing law and needlessly create a nightmare scenario of irreparable harm that jeopardizes wastewater conveyance and treatment services for the citizens of Delaware County and beyond, the authority said in its request for a preliminary injunction. DELCORAs legal action is the latest escalation in a politicized battle over the sewer authority, which was created in 1971 and controlled for almost all of its existence by the countys entrenched Republican Party. Last year the County Council, facing an imminent change of political power in the November election, moved to sell the sprawling public sewer system to Aqua Pennsylvania, the company that provides drinking water service to much of the county. Aqua Pennsylvania, a subsidiary of Bryn Mawr-based Essential Utilities, says it has a sales agreement with DELCORA that Delaware County cannot break. We intend to enforce the contract and proceed with the sale, the company said in a statement. The sale of DELCORA, which serves 165,000 customers in 42 towns in Delaware and Chester Counties, has not yet closed and is pending approval by the PUC. The complex transaction has become even more complicated with the involvement of warring political parties over who has the power to authorize the sale. DELCORA executive director Robert J. Willert, who is also president of the Ridley Township Board of Commissioners and head of the townships Republicans, called on the county to postpone the Wednesday vote and conduct public hearings to review the countys plan for operating the system and determine what is in the best interest of DELCORAs ratepayers. The public deserves to know councils plan and to provide comment on it, Willert said in a statement. The newly installed Democrats last month introduced legislation to terminate DELCORA and also filed suit challenging DELCORAs creation of a trust that would hold the proceeds from the sale. The trust a critical part of the deal the outgoing Republicans structured would use the proceeds from the sale to reduce the impact of expected rate increases on consumers. DELCORA, in its request for an injunction, alleged that the countys proposed ordinance is designed to retain the funds from the sale rather than use them for rate relief. Councils attempt to terminate DELCORA via the ordinance is simply part of its efforts to keep that money for itself, it said in the court filing. The county, through a spokesman, said Monday that it would move ahead with plans to dissolve DELCORA and return the authority to its rightful owners," the people of Delaware County. General Motors Company GM plans to significantly increase production at several U.S. factories and reopen others, beginning today, which had been idled since mid-March amid the coronavirus outbreak, due to lower supply of pick-up trucks on dealer lots. The company will resume manufacturing operations in the North American plants that manufacture pick-up trucks, such as the Chevrolet Silverado, at full capacity. It also plans to add a second shift of workers to the three factories in the United States and Canada today, which produce the popular line of crossover SUVs, including Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Acadia. General Motors will also begin the re-opening of five other U.S assembly plants on a single shift, including the Texas factory that builds large SUVs, such as the Chevrolet Silverado and Cadillac Escalade. Plants in Michigan, Indiana and Missouri, which reopened on May 18, are likely to increase from one to three shifts from now on. While General Motors manufactures the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pick-ups at its Michigan and Indiana plants, mid-size pick-ups, such as the Chevrolet Colorado and large vans, are produced in the Missouri plant. These plants were anticipated to increase production last week, which got delayed due to shortage of parts as some of its Mexico-based suppliers required more time to boost production. With this spike in demand, majority of General Motors 48,000 hourly employees are likely to be back at work by next week. To keep workers safe, automakers have rolled out policies, which include keeping the staff at least 6 feet apart, sanitizing work areas and tracking employee temperature regularly. These companies have also installed plastic screens or partitions along assembly lines to isolate the staff, redesigned workspaces for less encounters and made wearing face masks or shields compulsory. Moreover, the automakers have revamped their lunch and break areas, developed new procedures for entering and exiting the facilities, and arranged testing protocols for coronavirus suspects. Story continues Several industries as well as government officials are closely monitoring the reopening of plants to test whether social-distancing and coronavirus-safety protocols are preventing the spread of the virus. Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider General Motors currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Shares of the company have depreciated 29.3%, year to date, as against the industrys rise of 22.2%. Some better-ranked stocks in the same sector are Tesla, Inc. TSLA, Arcimoto, Inc. FUV and Halfords Group Plc HLFDY, each carrying a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Shares of Tesla have appreciated 99.6%, year to date, compared with the industrys rise of 22.2%. Shares of Arcimoto have gained 41%, year to date, as against the industrys decline of 16%. Shares of Halfords have rallied 44.2%, year to date, as against the industrys decline of 16%. Zacks Single Best Pick to Double From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each picked their favorite to gain +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Zacks Director of Research, SherazMian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all. This young companys gigantic growth was hidden by low-volume trading, then cut short by the coronavirus. But its digital products stand out in a region where the internet economy has tripled since 2015 and looks to triple again by 2025. Its stock price is already starting to resume its upward arc. The skys the limit! And the earlier you get in, the greater your potential gain. Click Here, See It Free >> 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 General Motors Company (GM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Halfords Group Plc (HLFDY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Arcimoto, Inc. (FUV) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Vladyslav Krykliy reported that the number of trains heading to popular resorts in Ukraine would be increased this summer, as Ukrinform reported. On the resort directions, we will add trains. Understanding that the inner tourism will be extremely active this year; that is why, despite the fact that we start to restore the regular international traffic from June 15, the number of countries, which will be open is in the limited number, Krykliy reported. Besides, he noted that there is a unique possibility to discover Ukraine by inner tourism. As we reported, the Infrastructure Ministry and Foreign Ministry hold talks about the renewal of the flights abroad. Besides, June 1 marked another important date in the chronology of the Covid-19 quarantine in Ukraine. The railway and interregional bus connection resumed work in Ukraine on this day. However, these restrictions are lifted only in the regions, which the Healthcare Ministry considers to be meeting the criteria in terms of the number of infected people. In the last few months, both Canadians and Americans have witnessed a series of troubling incidents involving the police. Such incidents have raised concerns about police conduct, particularly towards minorities. Accordingly, society needs to utilize police body cameras (that collect both video and audio) to a greater extent. Simply put, police body cameras provide an objective account of what transpired, allowing for greater transparency and more accountability. If people know they are being watched, they will adjust their behaviour, ensuring that it meets community standards. Police officers would do the same through the use of body cameras. In many legal cases, there is essentially a credibility contest between the parties involved. In this context, it would be between police officers and civilians who witnessed or were involved in the event. Judges are then forced to make credibility assessments based on who they believe. According to the academic literature, humans are notoriously bad at credibility assessments. Body cameras would make the task of determining what occurred far easier. It would provide an objective, verifiable account of what transpired. Even if a camera did not capture everything, it would still enhance the fact-finding function of the court. We would like to think that we know when a person is lying. Perhaps their eyes go towards a certain direction, their demeanour changes or they begin to sweat nervously when not being truthful. However, the academic literature suggests otherwise. In the recent case of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, resulting in the tragic loss of life as she fell from her apartment, the investigation by the Special Investigations Unit will try to determine what transpired. But if the police officers had body cameras, which they did not, the investigation would be easier and the result would inspire more confidence. In the U.S., plain clothes police officers executed a warrant to enter the home of Breonna Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, in the middle of the night. Although this was a special no-knock warrant, allowing the police to enter without notice, police officers must follow a specific procedure to lawfully execute a warrant. Police body cameras would provide important information about how the warrant was executed and what happened inside the house. Unfortunately, the officers did not have body cameras, so there will be a credibility contest. Notably, in the incident involving Amy Cooper, it was the camera footage taken by Christian Cooper, a black man who was being threatened with a call to the police, that resulted in Amy Cooper being held accountable for her actions. Police body cameras can do the same. Admittedly, however, police body cameras pose their own set of challenges. Some are logistical: will the batteries last long enough? Will the cameras be durable enough? Other challenges are about privacy and effectiveness: do we as a society want more surveillance? Will the cameras be always on or can the be turned on and off by a police officer? Some of these questions can be addressed through comprehensive, evidence-led policy around the use of police cameras. Fortunately, there is an increasing number of empirical studies, examining the effects of body cameras and possible risks, which can guide policy-makers. Of course, body cameras will not be an automatic fix. There are other ways to ensure that the police are properly equipped to deal with situations and act appropriately. Further training on mental health and de-escalation tactics would be beneficial, along with banning tactics that obstruct a persons airway. Lastly, while many police officers are doing their best to protect society, these incidents have a corrosive effect on how society views the police, especially for those who belong to minority groups that have a long and painful history of being on the receiving end of police misconduct. Thus, it is in everyones interest, even the police, to ensure that society can minimize occurrences such as the ones mentioned above. Canadian police forces, along with other police forces around the world, have already begun to experiment with police body cameras. Police Chief Mark Saunders has advocated for the use of police worn cameras. Indeed, the integration of police body cameras cannot come soon enough. Stephanie Pratt has been slammed by Twitter users after she shared a post which said 'shoot the looters' amid the protests over George Floyd's death. National unrest across America began less than a week ago in Minneapolis when Floyd died after police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on the back of his neck. The Hills star, 34, has come under fire for 'inciting violence' as well as being accused of caring more about business than human lives amid the protests. Under fire: Stephanie Pratt has been slammed by Twitter users after she shared a post which said 'shoot the looters' amid the protests over George Floyd's death (pictured 2019) Some commenters also reminded the reality personality that she was previously arrested for stealing $1,300 of clothes from department store Neiman Marcus. In May 2006 Stephanie was arrested and charged with second-degree theft and had to pay $5,000 in bail, as well as being put on a three-year probation. Stephanie, who is yet to publicly condemn the death of Floyd, tweeted on Sunday: 'Shoot the looters - using this tragedy as their excuse to rob and burn all of our towns down.' While a follow up tweet said: 'My heart breaks for all of these businesses around LA affected. First the quarantine & now this.' History: Some commenters also reminded the reality personality that she was previously arrested for stealing $1,300 of clothes from department store Neiman Marcus (pictured in her 2006 mugshot) Tweet: Stephanie, who is yet to publicly condemn the death of Floyd, tweeted on Sunday: 'Shoot the looters - using this tragedy as their excuse to rob and burn all of our towns down' The former Made In Chelsea star was met with backlash from her followers on Twitter following her tweet suggesting that any shoplifts should be 'shot'. American reality star Angela Babicaz shared a picture of Stephanie's mugshot and tweeted her to say: 'Oh cause I thought the thief who shoplifted more than $1,300 worth of clothing from Neiman said some...' Many others agreed and also shared their distaste, with one person writing: 'Pratt. Stay out of this sweetie. We all know your past of looting.' Reaction: American reality star Angela Babicaz shared a picture of Stephanie's mugshot and tweeted her to say: 'Oh cause I thought the thief who shoplifted more than $1,300 worth of clothing from Neiman said some...' Charged: In May 2006 Stephanie was arrested and charged with second-degree theft and had to pay $5,000 in bail, as well as being put on a three-year probation (pictured 2018) A different person added: 'We don't kill people for stealing. As a once-arrested thief, aren't you grateful for that?' A third said: 'like... didn't you get arrested for the same thing!?! lmao.' While another said: 'It's such a white privilege that you, an actual shoplifter, can advocate for shooting these people.' Tragic: National unrest across America began less than a week ago in Minneapolis when Floyd died after police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on the back of his neck Comments: Many others agreed and also shared their distaste, with one person writing: 'Pratt. Stay out of this sweetie. We all know your past of looting' Others slammed Stephanie's 'stupid' tweet and questioned where her outrage was for the loss of Floyd's life. One person's response said: 'Can your heart break for all the black bodies that have been looted in America's history?' While another said: 'She's unbothered because it doesn't affect her life, sadly she tweets about 'business'. A third wrote: 'Why would you tweet something so stupid? Have you not learned anything from your commander and chief's tweets? Your in sighting more violence.'[sic] Reaction: Prostesters took to the streets around the 3rd Precinct Police Precinct in Minneapolis, Minnesota last week Outrage: Others slammed Stephanie's 'stupid' tweet and questioned where her outrage was for the loss of Floyd's life Another angry critic wrote: 'I'm disgusted. You're promoting killing people over material objects. YOU. ARE. THE. PROBLEM.' Another person said: 'She clearly letting it be known she cares more for material things than actual lives. Where was her outrage when a man was killed on camera?? 'It took for them to loot your stores in your cities to realize wtf is going on. Sounds about white.' One person said: 'Not for nothing, but that's kind of disturbing. I'm all for premise defense, but seemingly wishing for something like that to go down belies a pretty dark pathos on your part. 'Having to kill another person in self defense is a pretty sad situation all around.' Another person agreed, and said: 'This was my thought too. Why would anyone wish to be put into a situation where they might have to take another person's life, for any reason.' Backlash: Stephanie's tweets sparked a huge backlash online Outrage began when Chauvin, who has since been fired and charged in the incident, kneeled on Floyd's neck (while he was handcuffed), rendering him unable to breathe in a horrifying incident that was caught on camera. In the incident, arresting officers said Floyd matched the description of a forgery suspect, and subsequently resisted them when they took him into custody. In an accompanying clip, Chauvin was seen pinning his knee into the back of Floyd's neck as Floyd pleaded with him to relent. 'Please, please, please, I can't breathe,' Floyd said. 'Please, man ... my stomach hurts, my neck hurts, everything hurts ... I can't breathe.' Floyd later died in police custody in a nearby hospital. Chauvin faces charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, though the trio of officers he was with, who were also fired, haven't been charged in connection with the incident. In the wake of the jarring sequence of events, riots began in Minnesota and spread both nationwide and internationally, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets, even amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The latest: Among many others, Khloe Kardashian gave an impassioned and detailed statement in response to the nationwide riots in the death of Floyd In the three straight nights of rioting, it was reported that at least 4,100 arrests were made in connection with the demonstrations in major metropolitan areas nationwide. Countless celebrities and public figures have now spoken out against the injustice shown towards Floyd, who died aged 46. Among many others, Khloe Kardashian gave an impassioned and detailed statement in response to the nationwide riots in the death of Floyd. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star, 35, said in the caption that she'd 'rewritten this so many times,' and that while 'words feel empty, or somehow not enough,' she 'can't sit silently' amid the national crisis. Determined: Khloe said she's focused on spreading awareness against racial inequality The Good American entrepreneur, who's mother to two-year-old daughter True with ex Tristan Thompson, said she's 'angry, heartbroken and disgusted by the murder of George Floyd' and the similar incidents that preceded it. 'We have seen this too many times,' she said. Black people have been discriminated against, victimized and murdered for too long, and have shown superhuman resiliency in the face of constant adversity.' 'It is incomprehensible to me that it's 2020 and people continue to restrict, stereotype, damage and oppress people of color, and that racism is a constant reality. It breaks my heart to think about parents having to teach their children how to stay alive.' Khloe said that she was praying 'equality for all, understanding and love' and 'hopeful that together we can get help get justice for George and his family, and every black American who has been murdered, mistreated, abused and ignored.' Khloe acknowledged her large platform as a celebrity and vowed to continued to spread social awareness against the systemic injustices that doomed Floyd and many before him. 'I will use that privilege to fight for you,' she said. 'I will not let George Floyd's name be forgotten. I will speak up and speak out against discrimination fearlessly and louder than ever before.' She wrapped up in writing, 'Change MUST happen! Black Lives DO matter! We can, we must, and we will change the future.' Moving: The reality star added art to her social media to depict the tragic injustices More cleaning of equipment: For its cleaning franchises, Neighborly has advised that cleaners use new mop heads for every job and liberally use disinfectant, not only on all surfaces where they've worked but on the tools they've used. "There's lots of wiping down of equipment between jobs with sanitizer," Bidwell said. Health status and paid sick leave: Both the client and theservice provider will have to be honest with each other about their health status and that of anyone else living in the home before the scheduled date of service. Walsh, for instance, emails his clients beforehand asking them to please let him know three things: Have you been sick recently? Do you think you've been exposed to coronavirus? And have you traveled out of state? If you're going to hire someone through a service, ask whether they get paid sick leave. At Handy, for instance, pros will get paid for 14 days if they get sick or are just exposed to the coronavirus. "They're not incentivized to come to work and it discourages them from taking unnecessary risks,"Hanrahan said. "It's the right thing to do." Mexicos government has come under pressure not only from businesses and the unemployed nearly 1 million people have lost jobs amid the countrys outbreak but from the Trump administration. Mexico was more aggressive in shutting down some industries than in the United States, leading to shortages of parts for U.S. auto and aerospace manufacturers. Black people, the world over, are shocked and distraught by the killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer in the United States of America. It carried with it an all too painful familiarity, and an ugly reminder. It cannot be right that, in the 21st century, the United States, this great bastion of democracy, continues to grapple with the problem of systemic racism. On behalf of the people of Ghana, I express my deep condolences to the family and loved ones of the late George Floyd. We stand with our kith and kin in America in these difficult and trying times, and we hope that the unfortunate, tragic death of George Floyd will inspire a lasting change in how America confronts head on the problems of hate and racism. - Facebook Source: Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo/facebook 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 Wireless carriers voluntarily broadcast the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) over their networks in cooperation with state and federal authorities under the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) program, but only after extensive testing and certification by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). C Spire received final FEMA approval in 2014 to begin broadcasting the text-like, 90-character messages designed to warn consumers about severe weather threats, missing persons or Presidential alerts during national emergencies. Customers can opt out of weather and missing person alerts by adjusting their device notification settings, but Presidential alerts are mandatory. C Spire CTO Carla Lewis says the alerts play an important role in keeping central Mississippi residents updated about flooding threats. Without the alerts, C Spire and emergency response officials say injuries and deaths could result and damage totals could be much higher. "Alerts received at the right time can help keep you safe during an emergency like a flood," Lewis said. "With WEA, warnings are sent to your phone when you're in harm's way without the need to download an app or subscribe to a service. We know that these messages delivered over our network help save lives." The alerts helped keep Mississippi residents updated about weather threats during a rash of tornadoes, severe storms, and record backwater flooding that swept through the state in recent months, killing 15 people and damaging or destroying thousands of homes and businesses. Without the alerts, more injuries and deaths may have occurred, and damage totals would have been much higher, according to emergency response officials. The company currently offers 90 WEA-capable devices, including smartwatches and other connected devices, which are identified with a special logo both in stores and online. All smartphones manufactured and introduced after 2012 are WEA-capable. Lewis said the WEA messages feature a special tone and vibration that is repeated twice so users can easily identify these types of emergency alerts. In many smartphone models, there is an audible warning. Alerts are targeted to impacted geographic areas, some smaller than counties, where threats occur and Lewis said customers will receive the message if they travel into an area where an alert has been issued or if they are already within the area using a WEA-capable device. The alerts are required under the Warning, Alert and Response Network (WARN) Act, a 2006 law that established a voluntary, national emergency alert system called for by President Bush in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 al-Qaeda terrorist attacks on the U.S. that killed more than 3,000 people, damaged the Pentagon and destroyed the World Trade Center in New York City. For more information about Wireless Emergency Alerts and CMAS on the C Spire network, go to www.cspire.com/cmas. About C Spire C Spire is a diversified telecommunications and technology services company that provides world-class, customer-inspired wireless communications, 1 Gigabit consumer Internet access as well as a full suite of dedicated Internet, wireless, IP Voice, data, cloud and managed services for businesses. This news release and other announcements are available at www.cspire.com/news. For more information about C Spire, visit www.cspire.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cspire or Twitter at www.twitter.com/cspire. SOURCE C Spire Related Links http://www.cspire.com Homeschool attorney responds to Harvard professor's claims that homeschooling is dangerous Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Harvard Law School professor's assertion that homeschooling is dangerous for children and must either be heavily regulated or banned is wrong, says Home School Legal Defense Association attorney T.J. Schmidt. In a recent interview with The Harvard Gazette, Elizabeth Bartholet, who's also the faculty director of Harvard Law School's Child Advocacy Program, elaborated on her view that homeschooling in the United States poses many dangers to children. While Bartholet noted that the growth of homeschooling was partly fueled by conservative evangelicals who were unsuccessful in their battles with secular education in public schools, she also accused them of having bad motives. She said homeschooling parents are racist, misogynist, and "extreme ideologues" who are not adequately educating their children at home. Bartholet blamed the homeschooling lobby for the lack of regulations in many states. In an interview with The Christian Post, Schmidt of HSLDA said states do have regulations in places and parents who aren't educating their children face penalties. "While each state is different in how homeschooling is regulated, every state requires parents to ensure that children are being educated. And without exception, every state has penalties for failing to do so," he said. "There are extremely few cases of parents keeping their children home and not educating them. In these cases, there are many other problems occurring. And when a child is being neglected or abused in any way, every state can and should intervene on behalf of the child." Bartholet also blamed the homeschool lobby for what she sees as lax state regulations and laments that homeschooling parents have been successful at engaging and persuading lawmakers on the issue when new regulations are considered. Homeschooling parents and advocates are indeed vigilant when it comes to state encroachment on home education, Schmidt said. People often forget that in the 1980s and '90s, parents were being prosecuted all over the country for teaching their own children without a state-approved teaching credential, Schmidt noted. HSLDA was instrumental in removing those restrictions. "Homeschool families and advocates (local and state homeschool groups, HSLDA, lovers of school choice, etc.) often do respond when legislators introduce measures that seek to limit the flexibility and freedom of private home education. Homeschooling is most successful when parents, acting in the best interest of their child, are free to develop an individualized educational program best suited to the needs and abilities of their child," Schmidt said. "We believe that no one cares more for a child than their parent. However, HSLDA understands that the state does have a responsibility to ensure that a basic education is taking place to ensure that every individual is literate and self-sufficient." HSLDA's position, he said, is that the state's responsibility does not kick in unless the parent is unwilling or unable to ensure these basic needs are met. Bartholet contended that unregulated homeschooling endangers children because they are at risk of not learning basic academic skills. She argued that studies that show homeschool students perform just as well as kids in "regular schools" are "junk social science." Schmidt disagreed, arguing that government regulation can limit the creativity and flexibility that's vital to homeschooling. "No research has shown that increased regulation of home education has a significant effect on standardized test scores," he said. "Research has shown that parental involvement is one of the main keys to academic success. Parents who want the best for their children and are willing to commit to educating them at home is what makes homeschooling successful. Government regulation often limits the creativity and flexibility that is so vital to homeschooling." Homeschooling, Schmidt said, offers flexibility where children can pursue their passion and interests while immersed in real life. He added that it's centered around a "growth mindset" and a desire to ignite a love of learning instead of merely teaching to a standardized test. In an earlier interview with Harvard magazine, Bartholet said homeschooling in its present form should be banned. But after most public and private schools nationwide were closed and moved to online education in a home setting during the coronavirus pandemic, survey data has shown that an increasing number of parents are considering homeschooling after public schools reopen in the fall. Additionally, one in five teachers said they're unlikely to return to reopened classrooms this fall, according to a USA Today/Ipsos poll. Bartholet has also criticized what she's calls "parents' rights absolutism" and wrote a piece published last June in the Arizona Law Review on the topic, titled "Homeschooling: Parent Rights Absolutism vs. Child Rights to Education & Protection." She told Harvard magazine, "The issue is, do we think that parents should have 24/7, essentially authoritarian control over their children from ages zero to 18?" "I think that's dangerous. I think it's always dangerous to put powerful people in charge of the powerless, and to give the powerful ones total authority." Bartholet was scheduled to host an invite-only conference about homeschooling at Harvard this summer, but the event was canceled due to concerns about spreading the coronavirus. The National House of Chiefs (NHC) say it was worried about the rising political tension in the country at the time of escalating covid-19 infection, and other socio-economic challenges in the country. According to the chiefs, it seemed political leaders in the country appear to be more concern about winning power than the development needs and happiness of our people. These were contained in a statement jointly signed by Togbe Afede XIV, President and Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII, Vice President of the House and issued in Kumasi, on Sunday evening. According to the statement, what Ghana needed now was absolute peace and unity to fight the further spread of covid-19 and other development challenges facing the nation. The House stressed the need for the Electoral Commission to ensure that every qualified person was registered in the upcoming voters registration exercise to ensure that all eligible Ghanaians exercised their franchise in a free, fair and transparent manner, in the December elections. The statement called on Ghanaians to make a sober reflection and evaluation of the countrys progress over the years and recommit themselves to the ideals that inspired the founding fathers of the nation. It said as chiefs, they had a responsibility and duty to speak objectively on national issues and in defense of national interest. The statement called on all Ghanaians to subordinate individual interest and political party loyalty to the national desire for peace, unity and development. 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 TORRINGTON When churches open in the coming weeks, coronavirus pandemic guidelines and rules likely will change the atmosphere of worship services and other activities. How those changes will affect parishioners was discussed Friday morning when the citys faith community met on Zoom. The meeting, dubbed a Tele Town Hall Meeting, drew about 26 people including ministers from the First Congregational Church of Torrington, Unity in the Foothills, First United Methodist Church, Northwest Hills Community Church and others in and around the city. The meeting was organized by Mayor Elinor Carbone and Economic Development Director Rista Malanca. They were joined by Torrington Fire Chief Peter Towey, City Planner Martin Connor and Tom Stansfield, deputy director of the Torrington Area Health District. I miss my Sunday morning routines, getting to church and spending a little time for reflection, Carbone said. Its such an important part of our recovery, bringing our residents back into our churches. We wanted to reach out to all of you ... to open a line of communication with you. Carbone noted that the religious leaders have a connection to the community that others dont. You have a direct line with residents. You can help us identify needs, whether its food, job training, employment benefits. ... This is a chance to establish this ambassadorship with you. We hope this will be the first of many meetings with you, she said. Were here to support your activities Like previous similar meetings, officials were assembled to answer questions and guide church leaders as they reopen. Towey said the rules surrounding reopening of the state, specifically concerning social distancing with larger groups of people, are constantly changing. Were here to support your activities, Towey said. Things are rapidly evolving, and we want to stay on top of whatever you need. Like other organizations, churches are eligible to receive supplies of personal protective equipment as well as non-contact thermometers. Some leaders, Towey said, have taken a training session to understand the requirements for group gatherings. A serious reminder The Rev. Ximena Diaz-Varas, pastor at First United Methodist Church, shared a story with the group. I had COVID-19, and Im recovering, she said I have asthma, and I was being careful. I dont know where I got it. My doctor said maybe in the supermarket. Diaz-Varas said she was hospitalized, then quarantined for three weeks away from her family and her home. Its been six weeks now, and Im still feeling pain in my lungs and my kidneys, she said. What Im saying is, you cannot be too careful. People who are high risk are very susceptible. How many people? One of the longest discussions during the meeting surrounded the number of people allowed in church. For the houses of worship, I hope we are all understanding that we can have groups of up to 50 people at one time, Stansfield said. Thats the number were all using right now. But its rapidly changing. Right now, were looking at June 20 for our next phase of reopening the state. I hope those rules will continue to raise the number of people allowed. Stansfield asked the church leaders to maintain social distancing. Families that live together can sit together, but if you have groups that are disassociated, they should maintain that social distancing, he said. Apply common sense. Ventilate the areas of worship. Just like restaurants and offices, we want to make sure the population stays as safe as they possibly can. Malanca read several letters and emails from people who didnt attend; one in particular involved Sunday school. The writer wondered whether it could be held outside. Sunday schools a difficult one, Stansfield said. All schools are closed. ... If youre holding a day camp, look at what your instructional situation would be. Call yourself a day camp with 10 or less children, for Sunday school. See how these outdoor camps with small groups are being handled. Stansfield said there were no state guidelines involving religious institutions. If you come up with some way to handle it, great, but it should be no larger than a group of 10. Malanca suggested churches contact the fire marshal or health department, but Towey said these departments were not regulators, and could only provide guidance based on the states orders. Our approach is to partner and work through it. Were frustrated by that lack of guidance. Hopefully, houses of worship may even be able to open next week. Masks or no masks Others asked whether masks were mandatory during a religious service or church activity. Stansfield responded, If youre indoors, youre wearing a mask. Large social gatherings are still discouraged, he said. Social gatherings are limited to five people, with the exception of religious services, which are limited to 50. Some churches want to hold outdoor services to allow more people and others asked whether a service could be held on city property. There was some speculation that by June 20, the group number would go from 50 to 100 people. But Towey was hesitant to be specific. It would be awkward to speculate at this point, he said. We can all be hopeful that those numbers are going to change for the better. If you want to have something on city property, contact me directly. Well need a social distancing plan ... and Ill guide it to the right department, Malanca said. The Rev. Michael Ambrose from Northwest Hills Community Church said his congregation of about 150 people had many young families who were chomping at the bit to get back to church. Our sanctuary can seat up to 300 people, and we have other large rooms, Ambrose said. Could you have closed-circuit TV, so more people can participate and if all social distancing rules are being met? Stansfield suggested having more than one service to acommodate everyone. Thats a tough one, he said. I dont know how to answer that. But, think about how youre going to get 150 to 300 people back into their cars without having a big crowd. Consider the entire event. The Rev. Steve Darr said his church was planning to hold two services, and had a team to sanitize the sanctuary after each one. He wondered what to do about enforcing masks. If we have a guest who comes to church, or church members who wont wear a mask, do we have any authority to say you cant enter unless you wear one? Darr asked. A business owner has a right to ask customers to comply its No shoes, no shirt, no mask, no service, Towey said. You as churches can limit your facility and require masks. Why are churches different The Rev. Carolyn Swift Jones also asked why church gatherings were different. Were not gathering in our building until we know its safe. Our community is one of high risk people, she said. We are able to feed our congregation spiritually, and were (using) Zoom. But if public gatherings of five are the rule, why are church gatherings allowing 50? The 50-person limit was a way to acknowledge the importance of the spiritual connection, and allow those gatherings if its safe, Towey said. Michael Clark from Northwest Hills Community Church also was frustrated by the lack of guidance for churches. The states essential places are bars, casinos, salons, gyms, theaters, in this next phase of reopening, he said. If all these other businesses are considered essential for the phase 2 reopening ... were probably going to decline the guidelines. Well follow the protective guidelines, but not the wisdom of opening these other places, that are considered essential or non-essential. No disrespect to anyone, but its up to whoevers deciding to have a gathering, Clark said. We respect our church president, who regards us as essential. Retail openings The city held a second meeting for retail businesses, but no one showed up for the Zoom forum. Malanca encouraged any business owner with questions to contact her or visit the citys website, torringtonct.org, for information. Malanca can be reached at rista_malanca@torringtonct.org. Were trying to keep our website up to date with links for supplies, guidelines, on the home page, she said. TAHD is also updating their website often. Our message is the same we just want to help. Connor said if retail businesses wanted to sell on their sidewalks outside or in an adjacent parking lot they were free do to so, as long as they didnt block anything and let the city know their plans. We will be respectful of the governors executive order to encourage retail, Connor said. If it works for them to do some outdoor sales, well work with them. Mumbai needs more human resources in terms of medical staff. A team of 16 doctors from Kerala is expected to reach Mumbai on Monday, Dr Santhosh Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram siad. Mumbai : More than 100 doctors and nurses from Kerala are expected to reach Mumbai in the next few days to join the medical staff here in the battle against COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 50 doctors and 100 nurses from Kerala will be in Mumbai in the next few days, said Kumar, who has already reached in Mumbai along with two other doctors. "We will be working in the Seven Hills Hospital. It is safe for medical practitioners here and they should volunteer in this effort to fight COVID-19. All doctors who are coming to help the medical staff in Mumbai are working in the private sector back home (Kerala) and have volunteeredto assist their fraternity members here," he said. Kumar said he is working with a Kerala government hospital, but he also volunteered along with private doctors from his state to assist doctors in Mumbai in the fight against COVID-19. The Seven Hills Hospital, located in Mumbai's Andheri area, is well-equipped and safe for medical staff, he said. "What is lacking is the human resources. Even doctors from Maharashtra should join in," he said. Kumar rejected comparisons between the COVID-19 situation in Kerala and Mumbai. "There is no place in Kerala like Mumbai. This is a huge city with 30 million people and slums. Reasons for the infection in both the places are different and hence, strategies to deal with the virus are different," he said. Versiti Blood Center of Michigan asks Michiganders to help save lives now by donating life-saving blood. All types are needed, especially O-negative blood, the universal blood type used in trauma situations, to ensure hospitals have the blood and blood products they need. Donating blood is a safe experience. Versiti requires all employees and donors to wear cloth face coverings. Donors are asked to bring their own face mask or covering if they have one. Social distancing is being practiced at all Versiti donation centers and community blood drives. The temperature of all donors is taken prior to their appointment; employees are also monitored. Versiti has also implemented increased cleaning and disinfecting procedures at all centers and local community donation sites. Donating blood takes about an hour. Anyone age 17 or older in good health who meets eligibility requirements is encouraged to give. Parental consent is required for donors age 16 to give. Donors should bring a photo ID that includes their birth date. Appointments are encouraged but walk-ins are welcome. To schedule an appointment to donate blood, call 1-866-642-5663 or visit Versiti online at http://www.versiti.org/Michigan. Versiti Blood Center of Michigan, formerly Michigan Blood, has collected blood throughout the state since 1955. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, the non-profit organization provides blood products and services to more than 80 Michigan hospitals, collects nearly 115,000 units of blood each year at eight donation centers and conducts more than 3,400 local community blood drives throughout the state. For more, visit versiti.org/Michigan. - Processed by Victoria Ritter, vritter@mdn.net Extended parenting helps young birds grow smarter Humans are unusual, even among primates, in the length of our "extended childhood." Scientists think that this period of childhood and adolescence, which gives us lots of time to explore, create, and learn, is a key reason why we are smart enough to learn skills that take years to master. But humans are not the only species with an extended childhood. Elephants, some bats, whales, dolphins, and some birds - especially corvids - also have them. But does an extended childhood make other species smart too, and if so, what is the role of parenting? A team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, the University of Konstanz and the UK tackled these questions by combining the results of their own fieldwork on two corvid species - Siberian jays and New Caledonian crows - with published data from 127 corvid species and several thousand species in the passerine (songbird) order. The study, published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, offers a groundbreaking new view on the evolution of intelligence, where parenting takes center stage. Parenting pays the costs of extended childhoods Researchers spent years observing two bird species in the wild to understand how young birds' learning is related to parenting received during adolescence and survival in adulthood. At a study site in Sweden, researchers used field experiments to test the ability of young Siberian jays to learn crucial life skills: recognizing a dangerous predator and opening a puzzle box to access food. Across the northern Palearctic, Siberian jays live in family groups which can include not only the young of a breeding pair, but also young that were born in other groups. These young can stay with the family group for up to four years. Young that stayed with their parents longer benefitted from being with their parents. They learned faster by watching their parents and received more food from their parents. As a consequence, they were more likely to live longer and to start their own family. At a study site in New Caledonia, researchers followed New Caledonian crows to track how juveniles learn a key survival skill: making tools for food retrieval. It takes about a year to learn this skill - a costly time investment for the parents who still have to feed the young. Surprisingly, these crows can stay with their parents for up to three years, allowing for a much longer "childhood" than most other crows. Parents and other adults are extremely tolerant to young crows. While adults are using a tool to get food, they feed the juveniles, let them watch closely, and even tolerate tool theft and physical contact by juveniles. As a result of this tolerant learning environment, New Caledonian crows have the largest brain size for their body size of all corvids. Extended parenting affects intelligence The authors argue that the key role of parenting on the evolution of cognition has been overlooked so far. Often thought of as merely an inevitable chore, parental care is the reason children can spend their childhood learning and making mistakes. "Extended parenting has profound consequences for learning and intelligence," explains Michael Griesser of the University of Konstanz. "Learning opportunities arise from the interplay between extended childhood and extended parenting. The safe haven provided by extended parenting is critical for learning opportunities. It creates extended developmental periods that feed back into the extended childhood." In addition to benefitting young learners, extended parenting helps pay for the costs of an extended childhood. Having to feed extra mouths is costly, but when there is enough food available in the environment, parents can afford to keep on feeding the young for longer. With a safe haven, young birds have the time to grow a larger brain, learn difficult skills, and access vital food resources. These acquired skills lead to better survival, and possibly also allow the species to expand into new environments. Corvids are unusual birds, but are similar to humans The researchers used phylogenetic comparative methods to analyze the differences between corvids and all other passerines. Corvids have much larger brains relative to their body size, like humans. They also have prolonged developmental periods, both in the nest and after they leave - another characteristic of humans. "Both humans and corvids spend their youth learning vital skills, surrounded by tolerant adults which support their long learning process," explains Natalie Uomini of the Max Planck Institute. "Moreover, corvids and humans have the ability for lifelong learning - a flexible kind of intelligence which allows individuals to adapt to changing environments throughout their lifetime." In the light of this study, the importance of parenting comes into even greater focus. Parents have a vital role in helping young brains grow smarter. Children, like young birds, cannot learn skills in isolation. Instead they need a nurturing, supportive environment that allows the full potential of their large brains to develop. ### This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) George Floyds brother pleaded for peace in the streets Monday, saying destruction is not going to bring my brother back at all, while President Donald Trump berated most of the nations governors as weak for not cracking down harder on the lawlessness that has convulsed cities from coast to coast. The competing messages one conciliatory, one bellicose came as the U.S. braced for another round of violence at a time when the country is already buckling because of the coronavirus outbreak and the Depression-level unemployment it has caused. We are a country that is scared. We are a country that is angry, said Sam Page, county executive in St. Louis County, Missouri, where the city of Ferguson has been synonymous with the Black Lives Matter movement since the 2014 death of Michael Brown, a black 18-year-old, in a clash with a white officer. And we are a country that is holding out for the promise of justice for all. Terrence Floyd (center) attends a vigil where his brother George Floyd was killed by police one week ago on June 1, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Floyd called for peace and justice after his brother's death, thanking those who continue to protest and imploring people to cease the damage and destruction which has followed. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images/TNS)TNS In Minneapolis, Floyds brother, Terrence, made an emotional plea at the site where Floyd was pinned to the pavement by an officer who put his knee on the handcuffed black man's neck until he stopped breathing. Lets switch it up, yall. Lets switch it up. Do this peacefully, please," Terrence Floyd said. The crowd chanted, Whats his name? George Floyd! and One down, three to go! in reference to the four officers involved in Floyd's arrest. Officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with murder, but protesters are demanding that his colleagues be prosecuted, too. All four were fired. The gathering was part rally and part impromptu eulogy as Floyd urged people to stop the violence and use their power at the ballot box. If Im not over here messing up my community, then what are you all doing? he said. You all are doing nothing. Because thats not going to bring my brother back at all. The country has been beset by angry demonstrations for the past week in some of the most widespread racial unrest in the U.S. since the 1960s. Spurred in part by Floyd's death, protesters have taken to the streets to decry the killings of black people by police. A Statue of Liberty painting is seen through a smashed Dolce and Gabbana store window, Monday, June 1, 2020, in the SoHo neighborhood of New York. Protesters broke into the store Sunday night in reaction to George Floyd's death while in police custody on May 25 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)AP While most of the demonstrations have been peaceful, others have descended into violence, leaving neighborhoods in shambles, stores ransacked, windows broken and cars burned, despite curfews around the country and the deployment of thousands of National Guard members in at least 15 states. Trump told the nations governors in a video conference that they they look like fools for not deploying even more National Guard troops. Most of you are weak, he said. He added: Youve got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and youll never see this stuff again. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, dismissed Trump's comments as the rantings of an insecure man trying to look strong after building his entire political career on racism. Chief Jeffrey Maddrey takes a knee during a solidarity rally for George Floyd, Sunday, May 31, 2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Protests were held throughout the city over the death of Floyd, a black man in police custody in Minneapolis who died after being restrained by police officers on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)AP Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate, vowed to address institutional racism in his first 100 days in office. He met in person with black leaders in Delaware and also held a virtual meeting with big-city mayors. Biden said hate emerges when you have somebody in power who breathes oxygen into the hate. Meanwhile, an autopsy commissioned for Floyds family found that he died of asphyxiation from neck and back compression, the familys attorneys said. That distinguishes it from the official autopsy, which said he died from the effects of being restrained along with underlying health problems and potential intoxicants in his system. The official autopsy found nothing to support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation. The second autopsy was done by a doctor who also examined the body of Eric Garner, a New York man who died in an officers chokehold six years ago. As it girded for more violence, New York joined other cities in announcing a curfew, set to begin at 11 p.m. The move followed a chaotic Sunday night in which groups of people broke into Chanel, Prada and Rolex boutiques and electronics stores. At the same time, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the law-breaking in the city of 8.3 million people was fomented by a very small number of violent protesters. Protestors conducted a peaceful demonstration in front of the NYPD's 120th Precinct in St. George. (Staten Island Advance/Joseph Ostapiuk) At least 4,400 people nationwide have been arrested over the past week for such offenses as stealing, blocking highways and breaking curfew, according to a count by The Associated Press. Police officers and National Guard soldiers enforcing a curfew in Louisville, Kentucky, killed a man early Monday when they returned fire after someone in a large group shot at them, police said. In Indianapolis, two people were reported dead in bursts of downtown violence over the weekend, adding to deaths recorded in Detroit and Minneapolis. While police in places tried to ease tensions by kneeling or marching in solidarity with the demonstrators, officers around the country were accused of treating protesters with the same kind of heavy-handed tactics that contributed to the unrest in the first place. Cities struggled to keep police in line. In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, an officer was suspended for pushing a kneeling woman to the ground during a protest. In Atlanta, two officers were fired after bashing in the window of a car and using a stun gun on the occupants. In Los Angeles, a police SUV accelerated into several protesters, knocking two people to the ground. In New York, the police commissioner said about six incidents were being investigated by the departments internal affairs bureau, including a weekend confrontation in Brooklyn in which two police vehicles appeared to plow through a group of protesters. In another incident, an officer pointed a gun at protesters, drawing condemnation from the mayor. I think some of the actions of the NYPD have exacerbated the anger, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. There are videos of some NYPD actions that are very disturbing. There are videos of NYPD cars driving into a crowd that are very disturbing. Pulling a mask down off a person to pepper spray them. Throwing a woman to the ground. Its on video! Its on video! Former National Security Advisor Susan Rice speaks at the Center for American Progress Ideas Conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Monday rejected accusations it had played any role in protests rocking the United States, after former U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice raised the possibility of Russian involvement. Unrest has swept U.S. cities since last week, after peaceful protests over the death of a black man in the custody of a white police officer turned violent. On Saturday Rice told CNN that fostering violence at protests was "right out of the Russian playbook". "We see it all the time, we've seen it for years and frankly every day on social media where they take any painful divisive issue....and they play on both sides," she said. "Their aim is to divide us, to cause us to come into combat with each other, and to disintegrate from within." "I would not be surprised to learn they have fomented some of these extremists on both sides using social media. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they are funding it in some way, shape or form and that's something that we need to take seriously." Asked about Rice's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We have never interfered in international affairs and we don't intend to interfere now." "Any insinuations that have been mentioned are absolutely wrong, erroneous, and, as far as we understand, such insinuations can in no way reflect Washington's official position," said Peskov. Russia has previously denied U.S. allegations it meddled in the 2016 presidential election to try to help Donald Trump get elected and says it is keen to try to rebuild battered ties with Washington. (Reporting by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Peter Graff) In the week since George Floyd was killed when a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis, protests and demonstrations have erupted across the nation. That includes episodes over the weekend in Philadelphia that showcased peaceful crowds made up of those protesting police brutality, especially against black people, and that also saw hundreds arrested, businesses damaged, and clashes between civilians and local police forces. Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com) In Philadelphia and cities across America, the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis unleashed decades of frustration with the mistreatment of black people by police. The smoke that hung over the city yesterday from burned stores and tear gas overshadowed the peaceful demonstrations of those who gathered earlier in the day and on Saturday to grieve Floyds death. Although Center City was the focal point of the chaos Saturday night, it spilled into 52nd Street in West Philadelphia yesterday. Among the differences between the two settings is that 52nd Street is part of a business corridor that serves a predominantly black neighborhood where recent and controversial revitalization efforts have helped support storefront improvements and sidewalk merchants. Almost all the businesses on 52nd are small or locally owned, and about half are black-owned, according to Jabari Jones, the president of the West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative. As stores were looted, Philadelphia police fired tear gas. But by early evening, the police were shooting canisters at people who were simply standing on the street. The peaceful protests that turned into unrest prompted questions about whether Mayor Jim Kenneys administration and city police had adequately prepared for what unfolded yesterday. Officials ordered new restrictions on movement and the National Guard arrived in the city last night to bolster police deployment. Gov. Tom Wolf left open the possibility that the violence in Philadelphia following the peaceful protests and grieving of Floyds death might mean that the city wont be able to start loosening its coronavirus-related restrictions as originally planned on Friday. Mayor Kenney late last week presented a reopening plan called Safer at Home." You can expect hand sanitizer to be offered when you walk into a business, employees cleaning surfaces every few hours, drastically limited capacity, and more. Some counties in Pennsylvania are already in the green phase of Gov. Tom Wolfs plan, where people have been able to get haircuts, attend workout classes, and go out for drinks. Tomorrows primary election in Pennsylvania will look a lot different from those of the past. The coronavirus pandemic shifted the primary from April 28 to June 2. Almost two million Pennsylvanians have requested mail-in ballots, with Democrats requesting mail ballots at higher rates than Republicans in every county. Plus, election day traditions wont happen this year and many polling places wont be open. Even so, here are the races my colleagues are watching, from the states auditor general to the congressional races. What you need to know today Photo gallery: Tensions continue in Philadelphia The tension that began during Saturdays protests continued on Sunday, with both peaceful demonstrations and violence unfolding across the city. Heres what it looked like. Thats interesting Opinions I dont condone the looting and violence that took place over the weekend. But I certainly understand where it comes from ... And until people stop feeling the need to take to the streets to voice their discontent over how black people are treated in Americas criminal justice system, the risk that this kind of unrest will break out will remain. columnist Jenice Armstrong writes about this weekends protests. Temple student Madison Karas writes about how George Floyds death in her hometown brought back memories of her classmate Khaleel Thompson, who was shot more than 18 times by local police. Its time for racist policing to become history in Philadelphia, The Inquirer Editorial Board writes. What were reading Your Daily Dose of | Foraging Chef Philip Manganaro, who owns Park Place in Merchantville, doesnt really face ingredient shortages, high prices, or struggle to be socially distant while shopping. The reason: He forages to fuel his restaurants unconventional menu. The news is most definitely not a rumor as it comes directly from the Chief Operating Officer of Nissan, Ashwani Gupta. Nissan has just confirmed outright that the next generation of the Navara pick-up as well as the next-generation Mitsubishi Triton/L200/Strada will be very closely related. As we know that Mitsubishi is very strong in the pick-up which is Triton, and now we are working very closely with Mitsubishi to use the common powertrain, common transmission, but also to have common modules on the next Triton and next Navara. said Nissan's COO during last Thursday's financial briefing and press conference announcing the changes to the company's mid-term plan. That's about as straight from the boss as it gets. Also, the fact that it's Ashwani Gupta saying is very interesting too: he was also COO of Mitsubishi Motors prior to his return to Nissan under CEO Makoto Uchida. Before that, he was a senior executive of Nissan's LCV program, and he was present in the Philippine regional launch event for the Navara's SUV cousin: the Terra. Car companies working together for a common vehicle platform are not new, and it makes particularly great sense in the pick-up segment where it's theoretically simpler to do it given the body-on-frame nature of the vehicle's construction. Sharing the chassis, suspension, transmissions, parts, engines, and other bits and pieces is a very viable strategy in the auto industry to significantly reduce development and production costs between two or more companies. Each company then designs its own top (or body) for the frame. It is interesting to note that both the current generation models of the Navara and Triton (AKA: Strada or L200) are very much independently engineered vehicles. The Navara was initially launched in mid-2014, while the L200/Triton/Strada came in late-2014, thereby pre-dating Mitsubishi's entry into the Renault Nissan Alliance. Nissan acquired 34% of Mitsubishi in 2016, gaining the latter entry into the new Renault Nissan Mitsubishi Alliance with Carlos Ghosn as the first chairman. Other carmakers that used the platform sharing strategy include the Ford Ranger T6 and Mazda BT-50 (when Ford and Mazda were still together). There's also the Chevrolet Colorado and Isuzu D-Max (when General Motors and Isuzu were still together, mostly). Those two automotive couples have since divorced (or dissolved their ties) and actually swapped partners: Isuzu worked with Mazda to develop the all-new D-Max pick-up, though Mazda has yet to launch their own new-generation BT-50 based on the new platform. Mitsubishi's entry into the Alliance with Renault and Nissan is definitely significant for the Philippine market and the wider ASEAN region. Mitsubishi has been tasked as the leader for the Alliance in the region given the brand's strength and success in South East Asia. Nissan and Renault will effectively follow Mitsubishi's lead in this region, based on their latest announcements. Mitsubishi did try to leverage the purchasing advantage of being an Alliance member when they came out with the facelifted Strada in 2018, but that was only with the supplier of the multimedia unit: Clarion. We were able to confirm that with a senior Mitsubishi executive given that the bird's eye camera display in the Strada was eerily similar to the Around View Monitor from Nissan. But there are other synergies that Alliance companies are utilizing to enhance their profitability worldwide such as sharing production sites, training facilities, logistics facilities, and services, so on, and so forth. At the same press conference, Nissan's COO also confirmed that they are looking at utilizing the Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) factory in Santa Rosa, Laguna to produce frame-based vehicles: namely the pick-up and the SUV, which would be the Navara and Terra. If the vehicles are jointly developed, that would make production simpler if there is a good degree of parts commonality. But we'll end with this thought: if the Navara and Triton/Strada are to be platform brothers, it stands to reason that the next generation Terra and Montero Sport will be platform brothers too. How's that for reasonable speculation? Advertisement President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday received the fourth reports of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, applauding the team for a job well done. Speaking to State Correspondents at the end of the closed-door meeting, PTF Chairman, Boss Mustapha, said he presented the progress and challenges recorded by the PTF to the President. According to him, the team also offered suggestions on ways forward in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus in the country. Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, quoted the President as applauding the achievements of the PTF and other frontline workers and stakeholders. Advertisement What we basically did was to submit the fourth interim report to him and to appraise him of the progress that has been achieved in the course of the last two weeks of the extension of the eased phase one of the lockdown. We also discussed some of the challenges that weve had and suggested what we need to put in place, going forward. As far as the work of the PTF is concerned, he was upfront with commendations. He (Buhari) assured us that the nation is fully behind us in the work that he has charged us to do and that hes also appreciative of the work of the frontline workers, particularly the medical personnel, the security personnel and the people who come in contact with the patients in the time of collection of samples, the testing and the care that they are giving, Mustapha said. According to him, PTF also discussed the issue of compliance and the President said we should continue to appeal to Nigerians and drive home the point that its a personal responsibility for each and every Nigerian to undertake to ensure that he keeps himself safe and by extension keeping his family, loved ones and community safe. He assured that the PTF would continue to drive the message. Its a message of persuasion; its a message that should make people take personal responsibility for their own protection and health and we will not relent on that. On the deliberate refusal of Kogi and Cross River states to be in tune with the present reality in the fight against the spread of COVID-19, Mustapha said that the issue was discussed during the PTF meeting with the president. We discussed challenges generally and I believe that in the context of those discussions, certain steps will be taken. We are doing everything to ensure that the entire nation is on the same page with one response. It is very important that we realise that no state is an island unto itself, when you deal with public health matters. Whatever happens in a particular locality has the consequences of spilling off to other constituencies. That is the message that well continue to drive in our pursuit of getting everybody to be on board. I can assure you that theres no island that exists as far as COVID-19 is concerned in this country. We must integrate all the responses from the different segments of the community and the state and have everybody to be on the same page. We will continue to pursue that and we must also ensure that it happens. The fog of war. It's real. It's been hiding the truth that civil war has been upon us for years now. Here is a prescient definition, first made by Prussian military analyst Carl von Clausewitz, who defined the fog of war concept in the mid 1800s: War is the realm of uncertainty; three quarters of the factors on which action in war is based are wrapped in a fog of greater or lesser uncertainty. A sensitive and discriminating judgment is called for a skilled intelligence to scent out the truth. Example: Hitler not scenting out the truth is how we prevailed on D-Day. The allies used the fog well. So here we are, and the left is engaging us with its fog. We have been fighting the left in a multi-front war, one front being the mysterious war against the Wuhan virus. Others are fighting a degenerate Democratic Party and an even further degenerate media. As the fog lifts on the mystery of the virus, we are beginning to see more clearly. We know multiple things. First, we can beat it. Whether we mitigated correctly, or the models were entirely wrong, or it never was as bad as advertised, we don't know yet. But we do know that we know how to beat it. This, in spite of the nonsensical Democratic Party lockdown governors. We also know that the hard-left apparatchiks know we have beaten it. We also know that these same apparatchiks know that the economy will rebound strong and have better numbers than ever before the election. It's pretty clear: these leftist party leaders failed miserably trying to blame the virus on Trump. Polls show he is the one most trusted, not they. Their own failed policies in their states and cities are legion. They not only failed, but consigned tens of thousands of seniors to death with their horrifying nursing home edicts and failed policies. Manslaughter in plain sight. Now the hard left has opened up another front for us to fight. The leftists are trying to scare us with violence dressed up as racial protest. They are using the horrible death of George Floyd to foment racial division. They want us to believe that these are organic protests, when they are fomented by Antifa and paid for by George Soros. Oh, for sure, there are common looters joining them, but this is the leftists' plan: foment violence so they can once again claim that Trump is causing violence in America and deal the race card as hard as they can. America, understand one thing: this is a civil war, one that is upon us from the hard left. It is stoked by leftist leadership, stoked by leftist media toadies, and unfortunately bought by too many of the Democrat Party voters. Do not be deceived: the war has one end, and one end only: the removal of Donald Trump and his coalition and the ascendance of the hard left to power and dominance. The fronts all have the same hope: each one hopes to isolate Trump, to tear down his support, to delegitimize his presidency and accomplishments. Here are some of those battles: the Russian collusion story. The hate Trump personally story. The Ukraine hoax. The Mueller team vitriol, inclusive of destroying Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, and Roger Stone (a warning to anyone supporting Trump). The blame Trump rather than China for the virus narrative. And now the transparent attempt to stoke violence, with Trump to be blamed as the initiator of the violence, and the racial hatred. This is an awful war, brought to us by awful people. They do not care whom they hurt, what laws or mores they break, nor that they themselves are the reprobates in all of this. They have no shame, never have, never will. Let's unwrap a few of their incivilities: The set-up of people in the Trump campaign, and Trump himself with a made-up narrative, fabricating crimes to excuse their own hard-left madness. They destroyed Michael Flynn and others as examples of what they can do. They did it with Russia, and then the impeachment over the Ukraine hoax. They tried to use a pandemic to further their political power. Instead of helping, they stoked fear, disinformation, and blame. They tried to blame it on Trump, tried to hang it around his neck like a noose. Their governors have extended their lockdowns well beyond the flattening of the curve, and it's clear they hoped to further depress economic numbers that they could then hang around the president's neck. Consider how awful these people are to have perpetrated the above. Failing in all of these attempts, now they want to hang Donald Trump with their violence and their charges of racism. Make no mistake: this is a planned series of events coordinated and funded by the hard left. There is nothing spontaneous about it other than those foolish looters who help the left's narrative. Once again: An awful war, brought on by awful people who simply do not care about anything other than their own political power. It's clear now that they will do anything to hold on to the power that Trump is denying them. It's clear that all these fronts are part of their war their war on America, their war on us. But the fog has lifted. They can be seen for what they are: a group attempting a naked political power-grab. One more attempt to sow chaos in the American system. One more attempt to take over from an American public that wants to bring the normal processes of American life back. One more attempt to shock America into rejecting the Trump presidency. One more attempt for them to overthrow us. One more attempt to sell their utopia to us. All these fronts were staged by a criminal left (and these people are criminal), pushed by a politically motivated FBI, a rogue bureaucracy, and a series of horrible leftist politicians. Their tactics and plans are being exposed, one by one. If you are a normal citizen who wants to do something positive in this war, know that you must simply stand fast. Know this latest violence for what it is. Know that this isn't going to be their last front opened. Gird yourselves; they will try to pull off several more things in their attempt to fog over everyone's ability to see. They will muddy the waters until Election Day and beyond. Stand up, because now is the time. Stare these people down. Get rid of as many as we can by voting them out. Stop pretending these are nice, civil people to discuss things with. Stop pretending, or fearing, they have won because of all the chaos they are sowing. They have won nothing. They win only if American stops standing against them. They win only if we let them. They win only if we fail to stand against them, point them out, and send them into irrelevance. We have until November to execute a decisive blow to them. This is a call to stand, a rallying call to oust them, a call to stop fearing them. We must work as hard as we can to beat them. We must mock them and out them as the criminals they are. They will not go gently into the night, so let's usher them out decisively. Use their fog and their tactics against them. Make them live up to their own rules. That, or they will destroy anything left of decency in this country. Hangzhou,: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on sunday met his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull who assured his country's support to India's bid for the NSG membership and the two leader agreed to deepen the bilateral defence and security cooperation. Prime Minister Modi thanked Turnbull for Australia's pro-active support to India's membership of the elite nuclear trading club when the two leaders met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup told reporters here. "Prime Minister Turnbull assured that Australia will continue to support India's inclusion in the NSG," he said. India's efforts to join the grouping suffered a setback in June when the NSG plenary held in South Korea decided against accepting its membership application after China and some other nations opposed entry of a non-NPT signatory. "The two leaders discussed defence and security cooperation. In this context, both the sides positivelyaccessed the recent Naval exercises held between the two sides and agreed to remain in touch," Swaup said after their talks. "The issue of terrorism was also discussed during the meeting and Prime Minister Modi said that it is important for all the democratic forces to come together to counter thischallenge," the spokesperson said. Swarup said the Prime Minister told Turnbull that India's neighbourhood, in particular, is suffering from the destabilising effects of terrorism. "Even Russia, China, Afghanistan were all facing terrorism threat emanating from our region and it wasimportant for us to identify the suppliers, exporters and financiers of terrorism. Otherwise, the world is going to face a huge challenge in coming weeks and months," Modi said, apparently referring to Pakistan from where terror groups such as Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Taliban operates. "Prime Minister Modi's overall message was that we need a unified approach on countering terrorism," Swarup said. Modi said India-Australia relations are full of energy and the implementation of the mutually agreed projects and programmes have been considerably speeded up under Turnbull'sguidance. The two leaders also discussed the possibilities of trade and investment ties between India and Australia. In the context of trade, both the sides felt that much more can be done and if the comprehensive economic cooperation agreements between Australia and India could be speeded up that would certainly provide much more momentum to their ties. Modi also sought the support of Turnbull in encouraging the Australian pension funds to invest in India. He also sought Turnbull's support for clean coal technology. "Because of India's clean energy targets, it is important for us to adopt as much clean coal technology as possible and this is an area in which Australia has proven expertise. Whether it is underground mining or other form of mining, Australian companies can provide us those technologies," headded. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Atlanta Mayor: 2 Officers Fired in Excessive Force Arrests ATLANTATwo police officers have been fired and three others placed on desk duty over excessive use of force during a protest arrest incident involving two college students, Atlantas mayor said on May 31. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said at a news conference that she and police Chief Erika Shields made the decision after reviewing body-camera footage of a Saturday night incident that first gained attention from video online and on local news. Use of excessive force is never acceptable, Bottoms told reporters. Shields called the footage really shocking to watch. Police on Sunday night identified the fired officers as Investigator Ivory Streeter, who was hired in December 2003, and Investigator Mark Gardner, who was hired in August 1997. Bottoms said the woman, Taniyah Pilgrim, was released without charges. She said the man, Messiah Young, was released, too, and shes ordering the charges against him dropped. She didnt specify what charges he faced. A police report says Young was charged with attempting to elude police and driving with a suspended license. Dramatic body camera video that police released Sunday night shows police taking another young man into custody in a downtown street alongside a line of stopped cars. The man is pleading with police to let him go, saying he didnt do anything. Young, sitting in the drivers seat of a car stopped in the street holds up his phone, appearing to shoot video as an officer approaches and pulls the drivers side door open. Young pulls the door shut and says repeatedly, Im not dying today. He urges the officers to release the other man and let him get in the car as the dark sedan advances a bit. The car gets stuck in traffic and officers run up to both sides of the car shouting orders. An officer uses a stun gun on Pilgrim as shes trying to get out of the car and then officers pull her from the vehicle. Another officer yells at Young to put the car in park and open the window. An officer repeatedly hits the drivers side window with a baton, and another officer finally manages to break it. Police detain demonstrators for being in the street during a protest in Atlanta, Ga., on May 30, 2020. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images) As the glass shatters, an officer uses a stun gun on Young and officers pull him from the car as officers shout, Get your hand out of your pockets, and, He got a gun. He got a gun. He got a gun. Once hes out of the car and on the ground, officers zip tie Youngs hands behind his back and lead him away. Police reports do not list a gun as having been recovered. The mayor said she had delayed the news conference several hours to review all the body-camera footage because she and Shields wanted to be certain about what happened. I really wanted to believe that the body-worn camera footage would provide some larger view that could better rationalize why we got to this space, Shields said. And having spent most of the afternoon with the mayor, reviewing the footage exhaustively, I knew that I had only one option, and that is to terminate the employees. Bottoms said she had spoken to leaders at Spelman College and Morehouse College, where she said the the young people were students. She said shed also spoken to representatives for the students but hadnt yet spoken directly to them. People look at burning cars, including at least one police car, during a protest in Atlanta, Ga., on May 29, 2020. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images) Shields offered an apology and said she knows the officers behavior was unacceptable and caused further fear. Sometimes the best thing, the only thing you can do as a police chief is come in and clean up the mess thats before you, Shields said. When wrong is wrong, we have to, as law enforcement, start dealing with it in the same manner that we would deal with it with non-law enforcement, Shields said. For some reason, weve fallen into a gray area where theres a separate set of rules for law enforcement, and if we want to get out of this space that were in now we have to change how we manage internally. Shields said she experienced a broad range of emotions as just a few hours before she saw the video, another of her officers was seriously injured. A preliminary investigation indicates the officer was in an intersection on foot to block traffic from passing into an area where there were protesters when a person on an ATV approached at a high rate of speed and hit him. Officer Maximilian Brewer suffered significant injuries to his legs and remained in the intensive care unit Sunday evening, Shields said, adding that she hopes hell be able to walk again. The ATV rider was taken into custody at the scene and to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police on Sunday night identified the driver of the ATV as 42-year-old Avery Goggans. He has been charged with DUI, serious injury by vehicle, reckless driving, possession of marijuana, and several other traffic charges, police Sgt. John Chafee said in an email. Bottoms imposed a 9 p.m. curfew for Saturday and Sunday. Gov. Brian Kemp authorized up to 3,000 National Guard troops to be deployed in cities across the state to respond if needed to protests over the deaths of George Floyd in Minnesota and Ahmaud Arbery in coastal Georgia. Atlanta police said Sunday they had arrested more than 150 people as protesters threw rocks at officers and broke windows in the downtown area. The curfew was initially imposed after demonstrations Friday night turned violent with people setting fires and smashing windows at businesses and restaurants. By Kate Brumback A local resident trains a pigeon at an area, near the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, background, in Istanbul, Saturday, May 30, 2020. The UEFA Champions League final soccer match was scheduled to be hosted at Ataturk Olympic Stadium May 30 but is postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic and a new date for the final has yet to be announced amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.(AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Workers in white coveralls and face masks swept Istanbuls Grand Bazaar with disinfectant Saturday as Turkey prepared to lift many remaining coronavirus restrictions, including the suspension of domestic flights. Turkish Transport Minister Adil Karaismailoglu said flights between Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya and Trabzon would resume Monday and others gradually added after that. The 15th century Grand Bazaar has been closed since March 23 and got its floors scrubbed before other parts of business and social life restart in Turkey on Monday. Fatih Kurtulmus, chairman of the bazaars board of directors, said shoppers would have their temperatures checked for fevers upon entry and the number of people allowed in at one time would be restricted. In preparation for the end of some restrictions and the introduction of new operating rules, officials were dispatched across the country to check the spacing of restaurant tables and sun loungers at beach resorts. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said Turkey had 983 new coronavirus cases between Friday and Saturday evening, taking the national total to 163,103. The country also reported 26 more virus-related deaths, for a total of 4,515 since the pandemic started. Turkey imposed a range of measures after recording its first case on March 11, including weekend and holiday curfews, travel bans and closures of restaurants, bars and cafes. A weekend lockdown was reimposed in 15 provinces, including Istanbul and Ankara. A stay-at-home order for people age 65 and older and minors also remains in place. A limited number of mosques held communal prayersFriday, a day after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said announced the reopening of many businesses starting Monday and a return to work for most public sector workers. Retaining the GST rate assumes importance since states are under pressure to increase their revenues, hit hard by lockdown. Also, the Centre has not fully compensated states for their revenue losses on account of GST for 2019-20. Top government officials recently hinted 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. Tax-related measures will be taken up for discussions in the GST Council meeting. "After the lockdown is lifted, economic activity has to improve on all counts. "Though demand for essential items hasnt been affected much, a top government official said, requesting anonymity. But the government will have to find ways in which essential and non-essential items can be segregated. The present lockdown norms, which have considerably allowed economic activities, were in force till May 31. Retaining the GST rate assumes importance since states are under pressure to increase their revenues, hit hard by lockdown. Also, the Centre has not fully compensated states for their revenue losses on account of GST for 2019-20. Compensation is to be released to states on a bi-monthly basis. However, due to the falling GST compensation cess collection, the Centre held back fund transfer to states beginning August. Following this, states raised the matter with the Centre, and in December 2019, Rs 35,298 crore was released as compensation for August-September. Also, Rs 34,053 crore was released in two instalments in February and April as compensation for October-November. On the other hand, industries such as automobiles are demanding cut in the GST rates to increase their sales. After easing curbs on economic activities, the governments feedback from the industry is that in manufacturing hubs, factories are operating at 20-35 per cent capacity. Economic activity is beginning to start slowly. "There is difficulty in terms of bringing back the workforce but business models are being re-cast in such a manner that they are now hiring locals at higher cost, offering them some incentives, the official said. The labour and employment ministry is gathering data on the potential job loss as a result of the national lockdown enforced in March and it will hold discussions with the state governments on mobilising on how to bring back the migrant workers to factories, the official said. The government is not ruling out monetising the fiscal deficit. We will try to cross that bridge when it comes, the official said, on being asked if the government is considering monetisation of fiscal deficit. With revenues dipping and expenditures rising, the Centre's fiscal deficit is expected to cross five per cent against 3.5 per cent pegged in the current financial year. Also states have been given leeway to increase their fiscal deficit till 5 per cent with some riders. Even as the Centre has increased its proposed market borrowings by Rs 4.2 trillion for FY'21, many experts believe that this would not be enough and the RBI will have to directly buy the government bonds or in other words monetise the fiscal deficit which means printing more currency notes. The official explained that the government had weighed the option of cash transfers while announcing the economic stimulus package, which was officially pegged at Rs 20 trillion, but decided against it due to large possible exclusions. We wanted the money to reach a point which triggers economic activities, the official said. The government is actively discussing the idea of a bad bank which was also taken up briefly in the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) meeting chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday. Though it is being regularly discussed but the idea has not moved forward, the official said. State Bank of India chairman Rajnish Kumar had said earlier in May that banks are discussing the idea to create a bad bank in the form of an asset reconstruction company to deal with stressed assets. The FSDC meeting also discussed ways in which the Securities and Exchange Board of India can bring in systematic reforms to bring down stock market volatility. If you look at the recent SEBI circulars, it took measures to curb speculative trade. "More steps will be taken on those lines, another finance ministry official said. It discussed ways in which domestic investors can be given some support and how international investors can connect with joint venture partners in India. Flipkart is planning to re-apply for permission from the government. The Indian government on Monday rejected Walmart-owned Flipkarts proposal to venture into the food retail business citing regulatory hurdles. As per a TechCrunch report, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), which is a part of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, told the e-retailer that its proposed plan to enter the food retail business does not comply with the countrys regulatory guidelines. The department, however, did not elaborate on its decision. At Flipkart, we believe that technology and the innovation-driven marketplace can add significant value to our country's farmers and food processing sector by bringing value chain efficiency and transparency. This will further aid in boosting farmers' income and transform Indian agriculture," a Flipkart spokesperson said in a statement to the publication adding that the company was evaluating the departments response and it intended to re-apply soon. Flipkart Group CEO Kalyan Krishnammurthy back in October last year had announced the companys plans of investing $258 million in a new venture called Flipkart Farmermart. The aim of the venture was to invest in the local agricultural ecosystem and supply-chain and work with farmers, Farmer Producers Organisations (FPOs) and the food processing industry in the country for the same. In line with the government of Indias FDI (foreign direct investment) policy, which allows 100% FDI in food retail for food produced and manufactured in India, Flipkart is applying for appropriate licences from the government, Krishnamurthy had said in a statement at the time. But now, the companys plans have been derailed owing to the organisations decision. It is worth noting that, Flipkart is not the only e-retailer that aims to foray into the food retail business. Amazon secured an approval from the government back in 2017. In addition to this, retail outlets such as Grofers and BigBasket too have been granted the permission by the government. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Interior Minister of the Libyan government of national accord (GNA), Fathi Bachagha, has called on security officials to step up efforts to protect the country's land, sea and air borders from the dangers of illegal migration and associated activity of organized crime and all other crimes Facebook employees are increasingly speaking out against the companys inaction over US president Donald Trumps incendiary posts. The views of Facebooks employees through the ranks reflect a stance closer to what has been adopted by rival social media platform Twitter, which in recent times put a fact-check label on one of Trumps tweets, and a promoting violence label on another. In contrast, the same messages that were cross-posted by Trump on Facebook as well, remained as is. Freedom of speech vs Accountability The issue at hand seems to be a long-rooted viewpoint of Mark Zuckerberg, who has, in the past, tried to steer his company away from political debates as far as possible. However, while that may have mostly served Facebook so far, its employees are taking note of the fact that Facebook as an entity is extremely powerful in todays world, and its silence on the matter can be taken as being complicit. Some of their protests against Facebooks official stance have been fairly direct. For instance, Ryan Freitas, director of product design for Facebook News Feed, wrote on Twitter earlier today: Mark is wrong, and I will endeavour in the loudest possible way to change his mind. I focused on organising 50+ like-minded folks into something that looks like internal change. However, the decisions being made inside Facebooks hierarchy do not appear to have reflected what its employees feel. On the contrary, Facebook has a completely different logic altogether if President Trump is making proclamations of violence, then the common people need to know, and Facebook as an intermediary should not exert its judgement on whether it is right or wrong. In other words, Facebook is refusing to take a stance on whether one of the worlds most powerful politicians right now is right or wrong it wants its billions of users to make that call. In an internal post on Facebooks employee-only social medium, Workplace, the companys global policy management VP, Monika Bickert, opined on Thursday, May 28: We reviewed the claim and determined that it doesnt break our rules against voter interference because it doesnt mislead people about how they can register to vote or the different ways they can vote. If it had, we should have removed the post from our platform altogether because our voter interference policy applies to everyone, including politicians. That said, we do not believe that a private technology company like Facebook should be in the business of vetting what politicians say in the context of a political debate. As is the case with the Presidents tweets, speech from candidates and elected officials is highly scrutinised and debated. We think people should be allowed to hear what politicians say, make up their own minds and hold politicians to account. Bickerts post was about the mail-in ballots post made by Trump, which was the first to be called out by Twitter. In the following days, a report by The Verge states that many employees started posting on Workplace, demanding an answer from Facebooks policy heads about how Trumps when the looting starts, the shooting starts post did not violate the platforms standards on anti-violence. According to sources that The Verge spoke with, the post was deemed to not be a violation of Facebooks community standards, but that message was not even clearly communicated to employees who were clearly concerned with what was going on. Voices of internal dissent Over the past few days, Twitter has been rife with posts from employees, both present and ex, expressing dissent over Facebooks stance. Andrew Crow, head of design for Facebook Portal, wrote earlier today, Censoring information that might help people see the complete picture *is* wrong. But giving a platform to incite violence and spread disinformation is unacceptable, regardless who you are or if its newsworthy. I disagree with Marks position and will work to make change happen. Internally we are voicing our concerns, so far to no avail. I personally will continue to bring it up until something has is changed. https://t.co/JE8SYttOM1 Sara Zhang (@superrrsara) May 29, 2020 Jason Toff, director of Facebooks product management, also said, I work at Facebook and I am not proud of how were showing up. The majority of coworkers Ive spoken to feel the same way. We are making our voice heard. Even ex-employees are chipping in to this. Chris Masterson, who previously worked with Facebook and Instagram, wrote on Twitter, Honestly embarrassed to say I ever worked at Facebook. Learned a lot from some great people, but wow, f*ck that company. I don't know what to do, but I know doing nothing is not acceptable. I'm a FB employee that completely disagrees with Mark's decision to do nothing about Trump's recent posts, which clearly incite violence. I'm not alone inside of FB. There isn't a neutral position on racism. Stirman (@stirman) May 30, 2020 With the extent of dissent rising steadily, the long-debated topic of accountability for social media intermediaries have risen again. While the more recent debates have been around how platforms such as Facebook and Twitter could prevent misrepresentation and propaganda in light of elections, the discourse has now shifted to holding figures of power accountable for what they say. While freedom of speech is a critical aspect, certain messages transcend boundaries, especially at times when riots engulf American communities over George Floyds killing by ex-cop, David Chauvin. How Zuckerbergs stance differs Earlier today, Zuckerberg posted on his page that he will commit $10 million to those who are working on racial justice. He wrote, We're working with our civil rights advisors and our employees to identify organisations locally and nationally that could most effectively use this right now. He further added, The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has been one of the largest funders, investing ~$40 million annually for several years in organisations working to overcome racial injustice. This, however, does not directly address the concerns that Facebooks employees have raised about the company as a platform. Alphabets chief, Sundar Pichai, stated earlier today that via Google and YouTube, it will be raising support for the black community, and contribute towards efforts of racial justice. Streaming giant Netflix, as well as internet mogul Amazon, also joined in their support for the community. However, what differentiated each of them is how their support was expressed as a platform, Facebook has still chosen to remain apolitical in times of serious dissent. It had only been two days since Lilliannia Ayers reopened her Queen Hippie Gypsy store in downtown Oakland, California, before her front window was smashed and her storefront was spray painted Friday. On Saturday night, she and neighbors stayed up all night to protect their stores - hopeful the protest movements across the U.S. would not destroy her business so soon after it suffered a devastating hit from the pandemic shutdown. "It goes beyond the window," she said. "We're losing sales every day. We've already been impacted by covid. We've lost so much more." Similar scenes of destruction have created chaos and concern along the path of the nation's protests over the death of a black man in police custody in Minneapolis. That's pushed brick-and-mortar retail and restaurant industries, already hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, to the center. Retailers and other businesses in cities across the U.S., including the Bay Area, the District of Columbia, New York, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Minneapolis, experienced broken windows, thefts and other violence over the weekend. The actions prompted a number of businesses to shut their doors and raised questions about how exactly the actions relate to the protesters, many of whom were peaceful. Walmart on Sunday closed several hundred stores due to potential protests. Amazon said it had adjusted routes or scaled back delivery operations in some cities, while Apple closed an unspecified number of stores on Sunday. Target said it temporarily closed six stores in California, Minnesota, Illinois and Pennsylvania. The Mayor of Philadelphia ordered all retailers to shut down Sunday. The closures come after many U.S. retailers and restaurants already cut back on operations or shut completely in March due to restrictions implemented to protect people from the coronavirus pandemic. Those weeks of closures have already pushed some companies into bankruptcy, including J.C. Penney and Neiman Marcus, plus smaller businesses that couldn't survive a prolonged downturn. "In normal times, businesses would probably take it in their stride," said Neil Saunders, a retail analyst at GlobalData Retail. "But coming off the back of the pandemic, it's devastating." Destruction is adding a new economic wrinkle for businesses already struggling. But the actions across the U.S. in protest of police brutality has also prompted many affected businesses to speak out in support of the protests. "Since we opened our doors, Target has operated with love and opportunity for all. And in that spirit, we commit to contributing to a city and community that will turn the pain we're all experiencing into better days for everyone," Minneapolis-based Target chief executive Brian Cornell wrote in a public memo. Starbucks executives hosted forums for employees to talk about the issues and their feelings. Best Buy's senior leadership team - which stated "We are as a group, by and large, not people of color" - penned a note pledging to commit to diversity and inclusion goals. "Another black man in America died senselessly on Monday, and it happened only miles from where many of us live," the note read. Best Buy is based in the Minneapolis suburb of Richfield. Meanwhile, as Saturday turned into Sunday, Brooklyn's Atlantic Avenue thoroughfare was dotted by shattered windows and piles of glass. Collateral included a TD bank, a Men's Wearhouse, and the Apple Store, where a single panel of its tempered glass facade had cracked but not broken. The walls along the route were filled with graffiti. Along Broadway in New York's SoHo neighborhood, retail stores including the North Face and Journeys were looted, storefront windows smashed through by skateboards or other heavy objects. Several banks had shattered or completely smashed out windows. Later Sunday, New York's famous Fifth Avenue shopping area took a hit, as windows at retailers including Kate Spade, Tory Burch Sport and Victoria's Secret were smashed. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, D, delivered an impassioned appeal to protesters Friday, saying more than half of business owners in the metro area are minorities. "You're not protesting anything running out with brown liquor in your hands and breaking windows in this city," she said. "So when you burn down this city, you're burning down our community." In Los Angeles, looters ran off with pricey sneakers from the boutique Flight Club after that city's protests turned violent, according to media reports. In Scottsdale, Arizona, YouTuber Jake Paul was caught on video watching looters pick apart a mall. And in Seattle, there was the widely shared video on Twitter of a young woman walking down the sidewalk carrying an entire strawberry-topped cheesecake on a plate after a Cheesecake Factory was looted during protests. The theft of T-shirts, computers and food can appear to run counter to the message from demonstrators who have filled streets in cities and towns from coast to coast following the death of George Floyd, some professors who study the topic said. The looting also can feel distinct from the unrest's vandalism and property destruction. But, said UCLA historian Robin Kelley, "every single rebellion and uprising has included it." Looting is often the result of normally law-abiding people taking advantage of a chaotic moment, especially when they are suffering economically, Kelley said. It occurred often during the violent unrest in American cities of the late '60s and early '70s. It happened after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. It was a part of the 1917 East St. Louis riots, when white people killed and stormed the homes of black residents - stealing rugs and lamps, Kelley said. Now, during the covid-19 pandemic and 40 million people having filed for unemployment, "I was shocked there wasn't more looting," Kelley said of the current protests. "We're dealing with an economic crisis." Stanford sociology professor Matthew Clair said the term "looting" isn't the best word to use for many of the protesters' actions. That term can mischaracterize what is really going on. "Many of these protests, at least those motivated by the killing of George Floyd, should be understood as black people's refusal to stand by while their brothers and sisters are murdered by the state," he said. "If the history of this country is any guide, protests like these are often necessary to bring about positive, transformative social change." Ayers, who is African American, said she didn't believe the people protesting Floyd's death were the ones that damaged her store, which depicts an African-American woman on its front window. "Why on earth if people were here for the movement, why would they destroy my business-front?" she asked. Most businesses will be able to rely on insurance for much of the damage, said Forrester retail analyst Sucharita Kodali. Fewer people are shopping in stores right now, so lost sales are less problematic in a way. The impact will be less ruinous for big companies that were damaged such as Apple and Target, retail analyst Saunders pointed out, because they can afford to repair and close stores for a while. But for small businesses insurance money may still not be enough to survive combined with the pandemic. "Kicking a man once he's down, that's what it comes down to," he said. The weekend's actions were reminiscent of the Los Angeles Rodney King protests in 1992, said Darnell Hunt, dean of social sciences at UCLA. In this case, though, the destruction did seem to take place in more affluent neighborhoods, he said. Some business owners put up signs noting it was a minority-owned store to try to be spared damage. Not all of them were saved, according to reports on social media. The protests are not just a critique of police brutality, Hunt said, though that is the main issue at play. "It's an explosion of frustrations and anger about a range of interconnected structures in our society that have disproportionately undermined the livelihoods of people of color, particularly African Americans," he said. Kelley, the historian, lives just a few blocks from where several stores were looted in The Grove neighborhood of Los Angeles, including an Apple store. He said looters are often distinct from protesters. But they can be driven by the same things. "They are taking out their frustrations and depravations," Kelley said. "It's not a good strategy, but I understand it." Many business owners continued to rally for the cause, even amid damage. Michelle Brown tweeted a strong message as her D.C. restaurant Teaism burned. "Before anyone puts a single word in our mouths. Black lives matter," she wrote. "It was heartbreaking," Brown said. "But this moment is not about us." Brown wants her customers to stay focused on the intense suffering sweeping the country instead of the damage done to her restaurant, which she says will recover in time. "Any kind of issue like this seems pretty minor," she said. "We have been through three months of being closed, we have seen 100,000 people die. I think the protests are great, and I think they are warranted." - - - The Washington Post's Emily Davies, Jada Yuan and Shayna Jacobs contributed to this report. 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. MAY 1 MOVEMENT TOWARDS A CONTINUING SUMMER STRIKE DAY The Sydney May 1 convoy proved to be a huge success on account of an independent May 1 Movement committee that simultaneously faced police repression and drew the masses. Hundreds of cars and bicycles surrounded the Liberal Party HQ and the bosses show court of the Fair Work Commission. How do we address the illogical actions of union officials who revoked their support after the first sign of police pressure citing COVID-19 restrictions on public assembly? Not one COVID-19 fine was received on May Day convoy just like the last two convoys executed by May 1 Movement. Do we take the traditional Marxist point that they are simply labour aristocracy, not truly interested in fighting for the working class, more interested in waiting for their safe ALP electoral seat? A true point given their liberalism, but not entirely! The whole truth is more insidious and philosophical: in fact, scapegoating union officials has no real utility. Attempts to influence labour aristocrats into militancy throughout Australian history reveals an inconvenient truth. This inconvenient truth is that attempts to influence labour aristocrats into class struggle unionism is a sign of philosophical poverty. Why do we concentrate on convincing union officials on the validity of political displays when our power lies solely in the mobilisation and organisation of the unionised industrial masses and their capacity to withdraw their labour? How then, do we collectively overcome such collective philosophical poverty, attempting to fix something that is broken? The answer is simple and was carried out by the May 1 Movement. The crucial point came about when some union officials revoked their in-principle support for May 1. How did we respond? Questions and theories abounded. Anxiety grew, discussions turned into arguments, and ultimately there were calls to call off the action given the lack of broader union endorsement. At this crucial point, we identified a core truth that all the broader union movement had only ever offered us was words, and that in fact nothing had materially changed. Our grassroots support from workers if anything had grown stronger. As we publicly announced to press on with May 1 Movement action, I could not help but notice that we had created a lively division in the Sydney union community. This discussion was in fact, overwhelmingly a positive phenomenon for the May 1 convoy. Masses of people who I previously considered to be shackled to the current conservative unions reached out in a comradely and extremely productive manner. As we built momentum, on the backdrop of incessant calls and letters from the police, as we were chided by the union officials who disapproved what then, can the May 1 Movement offer us that is new? Of what are we the creator moving forward? Criticising the failed ACTU electoral Change the Rules campaign has no real creative utility. Likewise, simply criticising labour aristocrats has no real creative utility. The May 1 Movement is the creator of a scission within the Australian union movement that has the capability to execute a Summer strike day later in the year once COVID-19 subsides. We already have the organising core from the Maritime Union of Australia Sydney Branch, the United Workers Union, NTEU New South Wales, the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union and the CFMEU Construction & General NSW to make this happen. 2020 represents a unique possibility to create a summer strike day that will continue in the coming years. There is no reason other than lacking the will, organising determination and courage of conviction to oppose a summer strike day later in the year. We will continue with regular convoys around winnable union disputes to build confidence and momentum across the working class as a whole, opposing the artificial and false barriers placed between unions by the Australian industrial relations system. The defining criterion for our success will be our willingness to constructively break away from the predominant business contract unionism. This predominant business contract unionism shackles the masses into accepting their predetermined place and alienates groups of workers from creating wider solidarity. Worst of all, it strongly discourages unity in struggle. This ensures the eternal return of the same benefiting the ruling class at the expense of all else. Our work is only beginning. All are welcome as we strive towards an event of creative novelty, against the world that encourages us to remain as a collection of alienated single entities. True union work at its core requires an unconditional solidarity for all workers everywhere. In order to have the courage to break down artificial barriers, we must remain vigilant that we are all united in only one fight. Disagreements, and mistakes, will happen and are necessary, as long as they occur within the parameters of unity in struggle. JERUSALEM Having crushed his political opponents and won a new term, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cleared a path to fulfilling his most polarizing campaign promise: annexing occupied West Bank territory, the long-held dream of right-wing Jewish settlers. Yet with a month until he says he will apply Israeli sovereignty over large stretches of land the Palestinians have counted on for a future state, Mr. Netanyahu is suddenly facing stiff resistance, including a surprising rebellion in the ranks of the settler leaders who have been agitating for annexation for years. Mr. Netanyahus plan, they argue, would open the door for a Palestinian state while ending any expansion of Israeli settlements in much of the West Bank, killing the religious-Zionist project to achieve dominion over the entire biblical homeland of the Jews. Its either or, Bezalel Smotrich, a firebrand lawmaker who has led the push for annexation, said in an interview. Either the settlements have a future, or the Palestinian state does but not both. Remove China Apps has been doing the rounds of the Internet with a single purpose, it helps you remove Chinese apps from your Android smartphone. [Update: Remove China Apps taken down for violating Google Play Stores Deceptive Behaviour Policy] Remove China Apps has been doing the rounds on the Internet with a single purpose, it helps you remove Chinese apps from your Android smartphone. The app was released on Play Store on May 17 and has gathered over a million downloads ever since. It claims that it can automatically detect apps that originate from China and offer the user an option to uninstall those apps from their phones. The latest app comes at a time when Indians are riding high on anti-China sentiments due to a political dispute between two nations and also the push by Prime Minister of India to do away with Chinese products by going vocal for local. As a result, the Indian populace has been finding ways to boycott Chinese products with many celebrities and individuals leading the forefront. At the time of writing this article, Remove China Apps has 4.8 ratings on Google Play Store with more than one million downloads and is ranked numero uno in the list of top free apps on Play Store. Interestingly, the app overthrew the Aarogya Setu contact tracing app to become the top free app on the Android app store. How does Remove China Apps work? Remove China Apps has been developed by Jaipur-based OneTouch AppLabs that cites it as an educational category application. The app identifies the country of origin of apps installed on your smartphone and offers users a way to uninstall these apps if they choose to do so. Having said that, the developers have warned that they are not responsible for any of the information provided by the app whether correct or incorrect and users should act only at their own will. This is because the app detects the country of origin of an application based on market research. Moreover, the developers have clarified their stance on the increasingly popular app by stating that the app does not force people to uninstall any applications. This brings us to the question of why we need a dedicated app to remove apps from our phones. Why does Remove China Apps exist? Given the current situation, the political dispute between India and China and the push to adopt Made in India goods, citizens are actively protesting by using apps like Remove China Apps in order to get rid of any and all Chinese influences in their lives. There has been much furore online over boycotting Chinese products including mobile phones and apps. As per a recent survey conducted by Manoj Kewalramani of the Takshashila Institution, more than 67 per cent of Indians believe China to be responsible for the Coronavirus outbreak across the world. While the sample size recorded responses of 1299 individuals, a large majority of online chatter now revolves around boycotting Chinese goods and services from India. This is after Prime Minister of India actively asked citizens to go Vocal for Local products and Made in India goods and services. This resulted in a severe backlash of Chinese products, companies and services. Should you download Remove China Apps to uninstall other apps? Remove China Apps scans your phone for pre-installed apps and notifies you of the apps that have a Chinese origin. Having said that, every Android smartphone comes built-in with an uninstaller which helps you remove the app without having to download another third-party app. Remove China Apps doesnt seek any permission to start and run a scan. Though we recommend our readers to only download the apps that they use often and are trustworthy. The Remove China Apps application recommends users to uninstall apps such as ShareIt and TikTok, both of which have over one billion downloads on Play Store. Interestingly, the app doesnt identify PUBG Mobile as a possible Chinese app even when the developers Tencent Games are based out of China. So, in the end, its a users call if they want to uninstall apps that originate from China, though we will still recommend you to go through the regular uninstallation process rather than relying on a third-party app remover as its a much more secure and hassle-free way. Lawyers are warned to mind social media comments, a young man is tortured to death by the government, no progress made in Idleb and an activist arrested in Lebanon. Catch up on everything that happened over the weekend. 1. The head of Syrias Bar Association, al-Firas Fares called for the creation of a committee that would monitor what lawyers post on social media, and hold them accountable for any content that the association disapproves of. Fares told Al-Watan that some lawyers had been expressing ideas that are damaging to the profession, their colleagues, or to judges, or that they are simply commenting on a decision issued by the association. 2. The Syrian government tortured to death a young man from the Deir ez-Zor governorate, in a prison run by the Syrian governments forces. According to Smart News the Syrian government tortured Abdul Hadi Ahmad al-Radawi to death in its prisons after arresting him in 2012. The source added that Radawis family was informed that Abdul Hadi was executed by the Syrian government forces in 2016. 3. On Saturday, clashes killed and injured Syrian government forces members while they were trying to advance into opposition factions-controlled sites near Hersh Binin in the al-Zawiya mountain area, south of Idleb. A military source, who preferred to remain anonymous, reported to Smart News that National Liberation Front fighters clashed with Syrian government forces members, while the latter was trying to advance to new sites. The clashes killed and injured a number of members of the Syrian governments forces. 4. Zaman Al Wasl reported that the Lebanese Internal Security Forces arrested Syrian activist Fawaz al-Marsoumi in the northern city of Tripoli, according to a local news site on Saturday. No further details were revealed about the arrest of Marsoumi who fled his hometown in eastern Deir ez-Zor province to Lebanon at the early days of Syrian revolution. 5. Syria has received from the Russian Ministry of Defense the next batch of advanced and modernized MiG-29 warplanes. A military source quoted by SANA stated on Saturday that, In the context of military and technical cooperation between the Syrian Arab Republic and the Russian Federation, and with a special ceremony held at the Hemeimeem Airbase, the Russian side delivered the next batch of advanced and modernized MiG-29 warplanes to the Syrian Arab Army. 6. On Saturday morning, the Turkish military launched a fresh attack against the Syrian army, targeting the latters positions in the western countryside of Aleppo. According to Al-Masdar, the Turkish military launched an unprovoked attack on the Syrian armys positions in western Aleppo, which resulted in some material damage, but no casualties. 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. Advertisement The National President of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, COEASU, Comrade Nuhu Ogirima, has described the performance of Nigerias President Muhammadu Buhari in the area of education as a total failure. Speaking on Buharis five years in office, Ogirima, expressed disappointment in his government for failing to make significant effort, at tackling the multitude of problems facing the education sector since he came into power in 2015. The academic union leader, wondered why the retired Army General turned politician, has not considered it necessary for him to do something meaningful, that will immensely turn around the fortunes of the education sector of the country. Advertisement He particularly lamented the deliberate neglect of Colleges of Education by the government, stressing that such portends serious implication for the countrys education system. The present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has in the last five years done nothing meaningful to address the various issues that have hampered the advancement of the countrys education sector. Virtually all the problems he met upon assumption of office five years ago in the area of education have remained unresolved. Look at the needs assessment report for Colleges of Education. It is yet to be implemented. Other agreements and promises made have not been fulfilled. It is really sad that matters concerning education have not got the kind of attention they deserve from this government. The government failed to understand that education is the bedrock for a nations economic growth and development as well as the most important resource for human development. Any serious-minded government should not hesitate to make education a top priority in its policy formulation and implementation, Ogirima remarked. The COEASU helmsman asked Buhari to declare a state of emergency in education to squarely deal with the numerous challenges bedeviling the sector. He said: The way forward is for the federal government to declare a state of emergency in the education sector. This has been the call by well-meaning Nigerians and stakeholders in the education industry including those appointed by the President to oversee the affairs of education in the country. For instance, the current education minister has repeatedly emphasized the need for a declaration of state of emergency in the education sector. Declaration of state of emergency in education is simply the way to go if we want to holistically solve the problems militating against the progress of our education sector. We must ignore protocols to effectively tackle the enormous challenges confronting Nigerias education sector. That is why a state of emergency declaration is very important. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said this morning rioting that broke out in Birmingham Sunday night at a protest over the death of George Floyd could not be tolerated. The governor said she authorized Adjutant General Sheryl Gordon with the Alabama National Guard to activate up to 1,000 guardsmen if needed to respond to violence. While there is no immediate need for us to deploy our Guard, I have given authorization to Adjutant General Sheryl Gordon to be on standby, should our local and state law enforcement need additional support," Ivey said. The Alabama National Guard stands ready to assist when peaceful protests become violent and dangerous to our public safety. I will always support the right of the people of Alabama to peacefully lift your voices in anger and frustration. However, we will not allow our cities to become a target for those, especially from other states, who choose to use violence and destruction to make their point. Ivey said she was on a conference call with President Trump and other governors this morning. The Associated Press reported that Trump criticized some governors for not responding forcefully enough to violence. Most of you are weak, Trump said, according to AP. You have to arrest people. Ivey Press Secretary Gina Maiola, asked about Trumps comments, said the governor has shown by her statements and actions that, "the governor and president are on the same page." Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin declared a state of emergency and a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in the city this morning. Woodfin said the city had been in contact with Alabama Law Enforcement Secretary Hal Taylor and requested support from ALEA. The governor issued a statement in response to the rioting that erupted at a protest triggered by the death of Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in handcuffs with the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer pressed against his neck, as well as other recent deaths of African-Americans in encounters with police. Here is the governors statement: "Like so many others throughout the country and around the world, I, too, was shocked and angered by the tragic actions that led to the senseless death of George Floyd last week in Minneapolis, Ivey said. It is a death that should have never happened, and it is a tragedy for which that too many people, especially African Americans, are all too familiar. "Regretfully, the natural anger and frustration of Mr. Floyds death has now spread to our state and what started out as peaceful protests in some of our cities yesterday afternoon turned ugly last night. "While no state has a richer history than Alabama in terms of using peaceful protests to lead the country and the world to positive change, I agree with Alabama native, Congressman John Lewis, who this weekend said rioting, looting and burning is not the way. "Congressman Lewis marched alongside other Alabamians who would go on to become heroes of the movement. They were young, brave and determined. Many were beaten, arrested and jailed. But they all -- Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Ralph David Abernathy, Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, attorney and civil rights activist Fred Gray and others led the fight for change in a peaceful way. "I will always support the right of the people of Alabama to peacefully lift your voices in anger and frustration. After all, our great country was born out of the desire to be free and the desire for freedom has repeatedly led to making positive change for the betterment of society. "However, we will not allow our cities to become a target for those, especially from other states, who choose to use violence and destruction to make their point. What I saw happen last night in Birmingham was unbecoming of all those who have worked to make Birmingham the great city it is. Going forward, this cannot be tolerated. State assets are available to any local government that makes the request. We will show respect to ourselves and to each other through this process. Updated at 11:06 a.m. to say Ivey authorized up to 1,000 National Guard troops to respond to violence if needed. Updated at 3 p.m. to add information about President Trumps call with governors. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Colombo [Sri Lanka], June 1 (ANI): Indian Naval Ship (INS) Jalashwa on Monday departed from Colombo with 685 Indian nationals for Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin. The ship, on her third trip under the Indian Navy's Operation Samudra Setu, has been engaged in bringing stranded Indian nationals home from foreign shores by the sea route. The ship is expected to arrive in Tuticorin on Tuesday. INS Jalashwa entered the port of Colombo today morning and began embarkation of Indian citizens at the East Container Terminal. All personnel were screened medically, allotted IDs, and their baggage sanitised before boarding the ship. The 685 personnel embarked today include 553 men, 125 women and seven children. They have been accommodated onboard the ship within specially earmarked zones to ensure proper quarantine during the voyage. Other social distancing, disinfection and safety protocols are also being strictly adhered to by the ship's crew. (ANI) It's official - anonymous is back. Once a feared collective of hacktivists, Anonymous had largely remained silent in recent years. Since May 31st, Sunday, they claim to have suddenly become more expressive. The claims have been put forth courtesy a viral video posted originally on Anonymous own Facebook page itself, where the once-feared silhouette of a black hooded jacket and the signature Guy Fawkes mask has appeared after years of relative inactivity. In the video, the figure speaks out against police brutality in light of the recent murder of George Floyd by ex-officer of the Minneapolis Police Department, Derek Chauvin. In the video, the figure says, Police brutality and murder is a widespread problem in the United States, which has undoubtedly infected nearly every jurisdiction in the country. But, the Minneapolis police department is among the worst and has a horrible track record of violence and corruption. This weeks brutal killing of George Floyd, which has sparked protests and national outrage, is just the tip of the iceberg in a long list of high profile cases of wrongful deaths at the hands of officers in your state. But that's not the only thing Anonymous has done so far - they've also furbished 'proof' against everything the Internet has asked - Donald Trump, Jeffery Epistein, Princess Diana's death, the Royal Family, Bill Gates, Naomi Campbell's involvement, and many, many, more. What does Epstein have to do with Black Lives Matter? it's a testament to the impunity given to those in power that believe that we are property they can sell & destroy as they please. Their impunity is why they murder black people and traffick children. We can all stop them. Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) May 31, 2020 However, since late last night, some tweets of Anonymous 'exposing' the said people have been disappearing off Twitter. But Netizens had already saved, and taken screenshots of it. ANONYMOUS RELEASED PROOF THAT OUR CURRENT PRESIDENT WAS INVOLVED IN A CHILD RAPE AND SEX TRAFFICKING LAWSUIT https://t.co/52e4irNeNf kennybeats (@kennybeats) May 31, 2020 And are ready for more. Me waiting for #Anonymous to appear on TV and interrupt all programs in the USA #Anonymous pic.twitter.com/f7nTttJVgS Jesus Rodriguez (@JessRod82642857) June 1, 2020 Me, waiting for #Anonymous to interrupt my local broadcast. pic.twitter.com/D4M8OSOE89 Justin Gendron (@Gendron07) June 1, 2020 me waiting for Anonymous to leak Donald Trump's credit cards infos #Anonymous pic.twitter.com/knuYUvtl1u ash | #BlackLivesMatter (@vivaciouslyours) June 1, 2020 Me waiting for #Anonymous to tell us the truth about Corona virus. pic.twitter.com/F7XEhVHGFU (@httpshugs) June 1, 2020 I cant believe im witnessing a whole presidents Files get exposed like this. Mann this year is insane! #Anonymous pic.twitter.com/RKnDXDkBu7 PAPAO (@AGAPESEDIBE) June 1, 2020 What more does 2020 have in store? An elite Manhattan prep school is being sued over historic abuse allegations. One alleged victim Peter DeFeo, 59, has told how when he was just eight years old he was molested by one teacher Robert Ludlow when he was at the prestigious Saint David's School. He says that during one incident he made eye contact through an open classroom door with a female administrator in the hall, who then proceeded to walk away. DeFeo detailed the abuse in a $20 million Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit filed on Saturday against the elite school, according to the New York Post. Fees for the Upper East Side school - where Tom Brady's son is a student and the late John F. Kennedy Jr. an alum - are $50,000 a year. The elite Manhattan prep school Saint David's School (pictured) is being sued over historic abuse allegations DeFeo alleges that administrators of the all-boys school knew of pedophiles like Ludlow operating and failed to act. He says that he often left class unsupervised for offsite tutoring because he was dyslexic. The fourth-grade teacher Ludlow - who died in the 1990s - found the boy in the hallway and rattled off addresses for his home and his father's office. DeFeo also alleges that Ludlow threatened to kill his family then groped him, according to court papers. The abuse continued for two years, until Ludlow suddenly disappeared from school in 1971 after another victim's parents came forward. The teacher Reynold Buono (pictured) also worked at Saint David's from 1967 to 1975. Buono, 74, eventually left Saint David's to work at the Milton Academy in Massachusetts, where in the 1980s he allegedly sexually assaulted more than a dozen students DeFeo told the New York Post: 'I knew everything that was going on was wrong, but I didn't have anybody I trusted that I could turn to. 'I thought I was the only one. I can't stress enough how this incident really shaped my entire life.' After his time at the prep school he moved to a boarding school. He began drinking at age 12, took drugs, and has been hospitalized for depression. The teacher Reynold Buono also worked at Saint David's from 1967 to 1975. Buono, 74, eventually left Saint David's to work at the Milton Academy in Massachusetts, where in the 1980s he allegedly sexually assaulted more than a dozen students. In December Saint David's sent a letter to alumni, which 'encouraged any individual who had experienced or was aware of inappropriate conduct by anyone while at the school to contact us.' The school added that it is 'committed' to investigating allegations and 'we recognize that as a school community we have a responsibility to make sure victims of sexual abuse are heard.' New Delhi, June 1 : The government has launched a two month special drive, in mission mode, for providing Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) to 1.5 crore dairy farmers belonging to milk unions and milk producing companies, an official statement said on Monday. The campaign will run from June 1 to July 31, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying statement said. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, in association with Department of Financial Services, has already circulated relevant circulars and KCC application format to all State Milk Federations and milk unions for implementing the same on a mission mode, it said. The special drive to provide KCCs to 1.5 crore dairy farmers is part of the Prime Minister's Atma Nirbhar Bharat package for farmers. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had, on May 15, announced that 2.5 crore new farmers will be covered under the KCC scheme. This will provide an additional liquidity of Rs 5 lakh crore in the hands of farmers, who are suffering from the recent downturn of economy. Under the dairy cooperative movement, approximately 1.7 crore farmers are associated with 230 milk unions in the country. In the first phase of this campaign, the target is to cover all farmers who are members of dairy cooperative societies and associated with different milk unions and who do not have KCC, said the statement. Farmers who already have KCC based on their land ownership, can get their KCC credit limit enhanced, though interest subvention shall be available only to the extent of Rs 3 lakh, according to the statement. Although the general limit for KCC credit without collateral remains Rs 1.6 lakh, but the case of farmers whose milk is directly procured by milk unions falls under tie up arrangements between the producers and processing units without any intermediaries, and hence the credit limits without collateral can be upto Rs 3 lakh. This will ensure more credit availability for dairy farmers associated with milk unions as well as assuring repayment of loans to banks, according to the department. As the dairy sector is among the fastest growing sectors of the economy with a CAGR of above 6 percent in the last 5 years, providing short term credit to dairy farmers for meeting their requirements for working capital, marketing etc. will boost their productivity tremendously, said the statement. WASHINGTON - The Trump administration on Sunday intensified its effort to pin blame on the far-left "antifa" movement for violent demonstrations over police killings of black people as the president vowed on Twitter to designate antifa a terrorist organization and Attorney General William Barr asserted that it and other groups' activities constituted "domestic terrorism." Trump cannot, for practical and legal reasons, formally designate antifa a terrorist organization, and neither he nor his attorney general has made public specific evidence that the far-left movement is orchestrating the fiery protests that have erupted in dozens of U.S. cities. In Minnesota, where the unrest began after 46-year-old George Floyd died after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes, officials have said the violence was fueled by different external forces, including white supremacists and drug cartels. They have not offered detailed evidence to support those claims. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Protests - especially those of the scale seen in the United States in recent days - are complicated affairs, often drawing participants with a range of political ideologies and motivations, including some with bad intentions. But some observers said they see in Trump's targeting of antifa an attempt to shift focus from what sparked the demonstrations: outrage over killings of black people by police. "The idea of antifa 'masterminding' what's happening over the last few days - if you know anything about the subject - is ludicrous," said Mark Bray, a historian and author of the 2017 book "Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook." "There's a real investment on the part of the administration and their allies in portraying these recent protests as organized from the top down, and not a spontaneous outpouring of rage." At nightfall in Minneapolis, a dichotomy between the violent and the nonviolent often emerges, with brief arguments ensuing at the appearance of shattered bricks clutched in palms or glass bottles filled with accelerant and a dangling rag. In conversations with The Washington Post over the past several days, protesters from southern Minneapolis to California have listed varied motivations for the unrest, from a desire to see additional officers charged in Floyd's death, to general frustration with the police, to boredom during the coronavirus pandemic. "They cancel the state fair, and this is what happens," said one protester, who spoke on the condition of anonymity and said he was from Mankato, Minnesota. Trump first pointed to antifa on Saturday, tweeting, "It's ANTIFA and the Radical Left. Don't lay the blame on others!" Soon afterward, Barr appeared on TV in apparent support of the president, saying, "In many places, it appears the violence is planned, organized and driven by anarchic and left extremist groups, far-left extremist groups, using antifa-like tactics, many of whom travel from outside the state to promote the violence." Antifa, short for anti-fascist, is not a national group but instead more of a far-left ideology spawned as a reaction to the far right, Bray said. In some places across the country, though, there are groups that call themselves "antifa" that "are very well organized and tightly knit," he said. Some coordinate with one another. The groups do not make their membership rolls public, so tracking their scope is difficult, but they generally have about five to 15 members in a given city, Bray said. That, he said, is why it is so difficult to believe they are primarily responsible for engineering the violence in so many places across the country. "If antifa on its own could orchestrate a national campaign of burning down police stations and burning down malls, they would have done it years ago," Bray said. "They agree with these kinds of actions. But the number of people involved is so small." T.V. Reed, a Washington State University professor who studies protests and social movements, said conservative politicians have long "exaggerated the importance" of interlopers infiltrating protests, and they "are clearly doing it again." But the matter, he said, can be complicated because violent, right-wing extremists might see an opportunity to discredit the protests, and petty thieves seize the occasion to loot. "There is simply no way at this stage to separate out all these competing elements," Reed said. "But, bottom line, the heart of the protest is legitimately angry but nonviolent folks with a real set of grievances." A Justice Department spokeswoman said Barr's allegation about far-left groups was based on "information given to us by state and local law enforcement." State and local officials in Minnesota, though, have given a different account. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, suggested that white supremacists or drug cartels were responsible for the violence. The claim about white supremacists, state officials said, was based on a review of online postings, which showed far-right activist groups encouraging their followers to descend on the state. Federal law enforcement officials said they were not aware of cartel involvement. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, a Democrat, told Fox News on Sunday, "We have evidence that outsiders have been present and, in some cases, have played a very negative role. "But I've been talking with protesters and trying to get a sense of who some of these folks are, and I've heard mixed things," Ellison said. "Some of the negative stuff has come from people in Minnesota and some of it has come from people on the outside. What I'd say is we've got enough to handle on our own and that what we really need to do is refocus on justice for Mr. Floyd." Jeremy Zoss, a spokesman for the Hennepin County, Minnesota, Sheriff's Office, said in an email that 41 of the 52 people arrested on protest-related charges from 8 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday listed a Minnesota address. The others listed addresses in Wisconsin, Iowa, Oregon, Nebraska, North Dakota, Illinois and Australia. Zoss said of that of the 73 people cited for curfew violations in the same period, 50 had Minnesota driver's licenses. A dozen did not have a license, and one license could not be matched to the person carrying it. The rest came from California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, South Dakota and Texas, Zoss said. Speaking in a conference call with reporters on Sunday, Army. Maj Gen. Jon Jensen, adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard, said he had recommended to Walz that his troops be armed after the FBI alerted him to what he described as a "credible, lethal threat" against the Minnesota National Guard. It was not clear what the threat was. Walz's and Ellison's offices did not respond to a request for additional information. The FBI declined to comment. Although Trump vowed Sunday to designate antifa a terrorist organization, legal observers say it is impossible for him to do so with any domestic group. Barr's Sunday statement did not say antifa would face such a label - which would give law enforcement greater ability to target its members and supporters for investigation and prosecution. Rather, he said, the FBI's 56 regional joint terrorism task forces would work with state and local authorities to "identify criminal organizers and instigators" in the demonstrations. "The violence instigated and carried out by antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly," Barr said. Some observers noted that Trump has not taken a similarly aggressive posture toward white supremacists. After the 2017 "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, when an Ohio man who supported white supremacists plowed his car into a crowd of counterprotesters - killing a woman - Trump said there were "very fine people on both sides." "The critics will say, 'Why are you only doing this for antifa now? Why weren't you designating these far-right groups - Atomwaffen and The Base - before?" said Javed Ali, a former senior White House counterterrorism official who left in 2018. The Justice Department charged the driver of the car in Charlottesville with federal hate crimes. The department in 2018 also brought federal rioting charges against several members of the racist and anti-Semitic group known as the Rise Above Movement who traveled to the rally. Barr said Saturday that he would take similar steps for those who cross state lines to riot. The FBI has in recent months brought charges against several members of Atomwaffen and The Base. Observers fear that in Trump's push against antifa, though, he is trying to criminalize a political ideology that is radically opposed to his own. Last year, two Republican senators pushed a nonbinding resolution to label antifa as "domestic terrorists" in 2019. The resolution, co-sponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Bill Cassidy, R-La., received pushback from civil liberties groups who expressed concerns over the mislabeling of all counterprotesters. "Terrorism is an inherently political label, easily abused and misused," ACLU National Security Project Director Hina Shamsi said in response. "There is no legal authority for designating a domestic group. Any such designation would raise significant due process and First Amendment concerns." Bray, the historian and author, said that while it might not be possible for Trump to formally declare the ideology a terrorist organization, his wanting to do so was troubling. "If you were to hypothetically make that broad spectrum of radical left and anti-capitalist political activity terrorism, you would have an excuse to clamp down upon pretty much anything that is further to the left than the Democratic Party," he said. - - - Klemko reported from Minneapolis. The Washington Post's Missy Ryan, Shane Harris and Ellen Nakashima contributed to this report. Sydney and Melbourne house prices have fallen by $10,000 in one month despite the easing of coronavirus restrictions on open homes and public auctions. Property prices in Australia's biggest cities have been resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic so far. While the worst of the lockdowns may be over, the effects on real estate are only just beginning, with worse forecast to come as six-month mortgage repayment holidays end. Median house prices in Sydney fell by 0.6 per cent in May, marking the first monthly drop in a year, CoreLogic data showed. Scroll down for video Median house prices in Sydney fell by 0.6 per cent in May, marking the first monthly drop in a year, CoreLogic data showed. Home values dropped by almost $10,000 in just four weeks to $1.017million. Pictured is a unit that was sold at Cronulla in Sydney's south Home values dropped by almost $10,000 in just four weeks to $1.017million. How COVID-19 rules are affecting house prices Sydney: down 0.6 per cent or $9,692 to $1,016,726 Melbourne: down 1.1 per cent or $9,532 to $809,274 Brisbane: flat at $559,975 Perth: down 0.6 per cent or $4,155 to $461,366 Adelaide: up 0.4 per cent or $2,045 to $478,294 Darwin: down 0.9 per cent to $473,861 Hobart: up 0.8 per cent to $514,496 Source: CoreLogic Hedonic Home Value Index data for median house prices, May 2020. Dollar figure movements based on April 2020 data before revisions Advertisement Melbourne's mid-point house prices fell by an even more dramatic 1.1 per cent in May, with values dipping for the second consecutive month to $809,274 - or also by almost $10,000. The Victorian metropolis was the only mainland capital city market to suffer a decline in April but in May, property prices also dropped in Sydney, Perth and Darwin. The slide in house prices occurred even though state governments last month allowed public auctions and open home inspections to resume with social distancing and crowd limits in place. The news about the coronavirus effect on property was released amid speculation the federal government would offer $40,000 handouts to first-home buyers to either build or renovate as part of a possible $4billion package. Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed his Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was working on a stimulus measure to prop up the home construction sector. 'We've been looking closely at the residential building sector,' he told Sydney radio 2GB broadcaster Ben Fordham. Melbourne's mid-point house prices fell by an even more dramatic 1.1 per cent in May, with values falling for the second consecutive month to $809,274 - or also by almost $10,000 'We're not making announcements on that today but the Treasurer's been doing some good work with some of the states as well who are interested in working on those issues.' CoreLogic head of research Tim Lawless said the end of six-month mortgage repayment holidays in September could spark a further decline in house prices later this year. 'Eventually, government stimulus will wind back and borrower repayment holidays will expire,' he said. 'In the absence of these policies, housing values could come under some additional downwards pressure if economic conditions haven't picked up towards the end of the year.' In Brisbane, house prices were last month flat at $559,975 while in Perth, they fell 0.6 per cent to $461,366. Pictured is a house inspection at Bulimba in May 2020 as COVID-19 restrictions were eased The early stages of coronavirus are particularly affecting New South Wales, with the value of construction work diving by 17.3 per cent in the year to March. This was the worst annual decline in 19 years, the Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed. The COVID-19 pandemic is also affecting house prices in other capital cities, although to a lesser extent. In Brisbane, house prices were last month flat at $559,975 while in Perth, they fell 0.6 per cent to $461,366. Darwin suffered the biggest drop of 0.9 per cent, with median house prices now at $473,861. The early stages of coronavirus are particularly affecting New South Wales, with the value of construction work diving by 17.3 per cent in the year to March. This was the worst annual decline in 19 years, the Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed. Pictured is Sydney's city centre House prices, however, continued to rise in some cities with Hobart's median value rising by 0.8 per cent to $514,496, after a 0.2 per cent decline in April. Canberra's equivalent price last month rose 0.7 per cent to $716,663 in the national capital where the federal public service is the main employer. Despite the prospect of weaker capital values, capital city auction clearance rates have doubled from a low of 30.2 per cent in late April to 62.7 per cent in the week to May 24. 'We have seen a sharp reduction in the number of auctions being withdrawn and more vendors are testing the market under auction conditions rather than accepting an offer prior to the auction,' Mr Lawless said. Then one police officer started pointing at me and started to shoot, he said. Mr. Chang was hit with something in his chest, and then in his elbow. Part of his press card was blown off. I was staying in the same spot, Mr. Chang said, emphasizing that he had been standing near the police for some time while holding cameras and equipment. I think they know Im a photographer. Carolyn Cole, a Los Angeles Times photographer, was covering a protest in Minneapolis on Saturday when the police moved to disperse a crowd, she said in a text message. A group of roughly 20 journalists standing apart from the protesters moved aside, but the police attacked them directly with pepper spray and rubber bullets, she said. A colleague, the reporter Molly Hennessy-Fiske, shouted, Were reporters! Ms. Cole was wearing a press pass around her neck and a flak jacket with TV on it, she said. She was pepper-sprayed in her left ear and eye, and her cornea was damaged, she said. Ive been covering conflict both nationally and internationally for many years, so I know the dangers involved in these situations, especially when you get between riot police and protesters, Ms. Cole said, but I wasnt expecting them to attack us directly. Ed Ou, a video and photojournalist for NBC News who was next to Ms. Cole, was pepper-sprayed and hit with what he believes was a baton and a projectile fired by the police, he said in an interview. The pandemic has impacted the life of a student in many ways. From online classes to online tests, most of the worlds students are studying from home. And thats the new normal for us all! Recently, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray announced that the final year students will be promoted based on an aggregate marking system.He said, Institutes must use the previous semester grades to pass the candidates. We don't want the academic year of students to get wasted. So, we have decided that students will get aggregate marks based on their performance in the previous semesters for that academic year. This is because there is no clarity on when the exams can be held. The future of students should not be kept hanging because of this. CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) May 31, 2020 He also said how the Coronavirus has led everyone to uncertainty and that nobody knows when the situation will get better so the students shouldnt suffer due to this. Can examinations be held in June? No. Can they be held in July or August? I cannot say. Hence, students and their future should not suffer because of this," he added. But, if a student wants to appear for the final exams to improve their previous performance, they can be given an opportunity in September, October or November, based on how the situation evolves. CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) May 31, 2020 Now, most of us at some point in our student life have prayed for the exams to get postponed or cancelled and it came through this year. Nobody imagined that it would take a pandemic to make this happen. However, as soon as the news broke, students started sharing memes as a sigh of relief on social media. And here are the best memes thatll give you a laugh riot. #examscancelled When they say, "last year students will be passed on *average marks basis*" Last benchers to toppers: pic.twitter.com/xELdGqKhP2 Tweeterera (@Tweeterera) May 31, 2020 1st & 2nd Year Students - Finally we are promoted 3rd Year Students - We graduated without exams#MumbaiUniversity #ExamsCancelled pic.twitter.com/oy15DjAqTy Sauru K (@Saurabh___K) May 31, 2020 Other states students after announcement of #examscancelled in Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/raP85Uj1lV Komal Verma (@bae_shaq) May 31, 2020 At least, students have something to cheer about in the global pandemic. Though, many students are worried that they are graduating into an economy that is filled with unemployed and zero job opportunities. But, the demand of the situation is such that exams cannot be held and this is the best possible outcome at the moment. The CM also mentioned in his address that the state was further restarting with a new life and is calling it Mission Begin Again. U.S. officials are investigating whether extremist groups have infiltrated police brutality protests across the country and deliberately tipped the demonstrations towards violence after chaos erupted in dozens of American cities this weekend. Demonstrations in response to the death of 46-year-old George Floyd began in Minneapolis last week before spreading to the White House, New York City and to numerous other states across the weekend. Though the protests began peacefully, the majority have since turned violent with Federal law enforcement officials insisting far-left groups are to blame. Numerous political leaders, including President Trump, have pointed the finger towards the left-wing extremist group ANTIFA, citing them to be a Terrorist Organisation. Meanwhile, experts who track extremist groups have reported evidence that far-right groups are also at work. Authorities are additionally working to determine if foreign adversaries, such as Russia, have been working to deliberately share disinformation about the protests on social media in an effort to stoke tensions. U.S. officials are investigating whether extremist groups have infiltrated police brutality protests across the country and deliberately tipping the demonstrations towards violence (Pictured: Police officers advance on protesters after they set three cars on fire during a DC protest) Though the protests began peacefully, the majority of have since turned violent with Federal law enforcement officials insisting far-left groups were to blame (Pictured: Protestors confronted police officers in New York during protests for George Floyd on Saturday) Police confront a man after the Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia Protest in Philadelphia on Saturday night Officials have seen a surge of social media accounts with fewer than 200 followers created in the last month that have posted graphic images of the protests, material on police brutality that appeared designed to inflame tensions across the political divide, according to three administration officials. The investigations are an attempt to identify the network of forces behind some of the most widespread outbreak of civil unrest in the U.S. in decades. Protests erupted in dozens of cities in recent days, triggered by the death of George Floyd, who died in custody last Monday after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. Pandemic-weary Americans were already angry - about COVID-19 deaths, lockdown orders and tens of millions of people out of work. The pandemic has hit African Americans harder than whites in the U.S., and the killings of black people by police have continued over the years even as the topic faded from the national stage. But there are signs of people with other disparate motives, including anarchist graffiti, arrests of some out-of-state protesters, and images circulating in extremist groups that suggest the involvement of outside groups. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Sunday that state authorities were hit with a cyber attack as law enforcement prepared to diffuse protests in Minneapolis and St. Paul, the epicenter of the unrest. He described it as a very sophisticated denial of service attack on all computers. Echoing the cries of President Donald Trump, Attorney General William Bar has also insisted that ANTIFA is to blame. Short for anti-fascists, ANTIFA is an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups that resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations. Barr on Sunday said the FBI would use its regional joint terrorism task forces to identify criminal organizers, and Trump threatened again to name ANTIFA a terrorist group. George Floyd (left) was accused of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill at a grocery store after he was laid off in the pandemic. Disturbing video showed him prone on the street, while a white police officer (Derek Chauvin, right) pressed his knee into Floyd's neck even as he cried he couldn't breathe Protesters stand on a barricade in front of the Third Police Precinct in Minneapolis on May 28, as the building burns The investigations are an attempt to identify the network of forces behind some of the most widespread outbreak of civil unrest in the U.S. in decades (Pictured: A demonstrator uses a skateboard to vandalize a restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles on May 30) Though the demonstrations are being held in the name of George Floyd, there are signs of people with other disparate motives, including anarchist graffiti, arrests of some out-of-state protesters, and images circulating in extremist groups that suggest the involvement of outside groups (Pictured: Police grapple with a protestor in Times Square, New York City) The Justice Department is also deploying members of the U.S. Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration on Sunday to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, a senior department official said. The addition of the federal agents, who will have armored vehicles, came as Barr warned that prosecutors could seek to use terrorism statutes against violent radical agitators who attempt to hijack protests to cause destruction. An ANTIFA activist group disseminated a message in a Telegram channel on Saturday that encouraged people to consider Minnesota National Guard troops easy targets, two Defense Department officials said. The message encouraged activists to steal kit, meaning the weapons and body armor used by the soldiers As a result, soldiers with the Minnesota National Guard were armed during their mission at protests across the state Sunday, the officials said. The soldiers are sometimes armed but had not been since they moved into parts of the state that had been besieged by riots in the last few days. The troops do not have the authority to make arrests, and are there to act mostly as extra security for police. Others have seen evidence of right-wing extremists. J.J. MacNab, a fellow at George Washington University's Program on Extremism, has been monitoring chatter about the protests among anti-government extremists on social media platforms. MacNab has access to dozens of private Facebook groups for followers of the loosely organized Boogaloo movement, which uses an 80s movie sequel as a code word for a second civil war. She also has been poring over images from the weekend protests and spotted some boogaloo bois in the crowds, carrying high-powered rifles and wearing tactical gear. They want to co-opt them in order to start their war. They see themselves as being on the side of protesters and that the protesters themselves are useful in causing anarchy, MacNab said. She also sees signs that the Three Percenters militia movement appears to be taking an interest. AG William Barr on Sunday said the FBI would use its regional joint terrorism task forces to identify criminal organizers, and Trump threatened again to name ANTIFA a terrorist group (Pictured: Police engage with protesters in the Brooklyn borough of New York, on Saturday) The NYPD has arrested 786 people related to protests since May 28 and 1 in 7 of them were not from New York City, officials have said A protester throws a traffic barrel at police during a protest in Brooklyn on Saturday night Megan Squire, an Elon University computer science professor who tracks online extremism, saw images of at least four members of the far-right Proud Boys group on the periphery of a protest Saturday night in Raleigh, North Carolina. Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators, said a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Trump administration has largely remained silent on local reports that far-right protesters were also involved. Meanwhile, Democratic mayors said Trump's handling of the crisis was reminiscent of one of the darkest moments of his presidency - when he said there were good people on both sides of protests in 2017 over white supremacists demonstrating in Charlottesville, Virginia. America's racial fault lines are a perfect opportunity for foreign adversaries looking to sow discord and portray the U.S. in a negative light, according to James Ludes, director of the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy at Salve Regina University in Rhode Island. This is a real issue and Americans are legitimately upset about it, said Ludes, who studies foreign disinformation tactics. That's one of the hallmarks of these campaigns. You dont create new issues, you exploit existing issues. There's a history of this. In 2016, another black man, Philando Castile, was killed by police in a Minneapolis suburb, his death livestreamed on Facebook. Russians used a fake Black Lives Matter page to confuse and stoke anger among the protesters. There were nearly 700,000 followers, but it's not clear how many were real. One debunked example from this week: That Atlanta had deployed a child militia. On social media, users participating in the protests have reported large stashes of bricks randomly appearing at rallying sites The discovery of the piles of bricks and rocks have prompted a number of theories online about their origin, with some believing them to have been planted by police so rioters could be issued more severe charges, to outside agitators attempting to stir up more trouble Floyd was accused of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill at a grocery store after he was laid off in the pandemic. Disturbing video showed him prone on the street, while a white police officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck even as he cried he couldn't breathe. Floyd died shortly afterwards. The four officers involved have been fired from the Minneapolis police department; Derek Chauvin, the officer who pinned Floyd, has been charged with murder. At first there were peaceful demonstrations, but violence soon erupted. A Minneapolis police station was torched and protests took off around the country, growing increasingly tense. Video showed a police vehicle ramming into demonstrators in New York. Meanwhile, a van with four New York Police Department officers inside was hit with a Molotov cocktail and torched. Thousands have been arrested nationwide and cities are braced for more protests. But booking information from the county jail in Minneapolis, for example, showed that out of 59 protest-related arrests, 47 people had a home address in Minnesota, with the majority coming from the Twin Cities. Before protests began in New York City, organizers of anarchist groups began raising money for bail, recruited medical teams to deploy for violent interactions with police and planned how to target high-end stores, said John Miller, the NYPD's deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism. Scouts on bicycles would also move ahead of the groups to report where the police would be and then direct small breakaway groups to areas where they could torch police cars or throw Molotov cocktails, Miller said. The NYPD has arrested 786 people related to protests since May 28 and 1 in 7 of them were not from New York City, he said. In a statement, Miller said the NYPD has a 'high degree of confidence anarchist groups planned violent interactions and vandalism. 'Complex network of scouts were in place to direct breakaway groups to commit vandalism with rocks and accelerants,' he said. In Washington, where protesters raged outside the White House, most of the 17 people arrested were from the area. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the groups seemed, at the least, organized to destroy with tools to break windows and distribute materials. In Washington, where protesters raged outside the White House, most of the 17 people arrested were from the area In Dallas, Instagram user RuebenGotSoul documented a large pile of bricks stacked up in front of the city's courthouse. 'The Dallas protest was a lot of things. But I was very disappointed to see this RANDOM stack of bricks in front of the courthouse. #setup,' he remarked On social media, users participating in the protests have reported large stashes of bricks randomly appearing at rallying sites. Police in Kansas City said in a tweet Sunday that they had discovered large piles of bricks and rocks in and around the Country Club Plaza and Westport that had been placed strategically to be used in the riot. If you see anything like this, you can text 911 and let us know so we can remove them. This keeps everyone safe and allows your voice to continue to be heard, the Kansas City Police Department wrote. Similarly, in New York City, video captured the moment rioters in Manhattan chanced upon a cache of bricks between St. Marks Place and Seventh Street on Sunday evening, though no construction site appeared to be nearby. The account that uploaded the clip remarked that videos continue to surface showing protesters stumbling upon pallets of bricks or pavers in areas with no construction taking place. In Dallas, Instagram user RuebenGotSoul documented a large pile of bricks stacked up in front of the city's courthouse. 'The Dallas protest was a lot of things. But I was very disappointed to see this RANDOM stack of bricks in front of the courthouse. #setup,' he remarked. The discovery of the piles of bricks and rocks have prompted a number of theories online about their origin, with some believing them to have been planted by police so rioters could be issued more severe charges, to outside agitators attempting to stir up more trouble. Looks like a set up to me, tweeted protest supporter ICE T, who has often spoken out against police brutality. Theres ALWAYS more than meets the eye, he continued. Mayank Singh By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Ladakh LAC is ready for yet another exercise towards improving the tensed atmosphere with the Chinese Army and Indian Army scheduled to hold a high-level meeting on Tuesday. The Higher Commander Level Meeting (HCLM) between the two militaries is scheduled for Tuesday confirmed a source. This is going to be the third Higher Commander Level Meeting which is held between the Major General rank officers of the two sides. The meetings between the two militaries are held at three levels at the borders which includes the Local Commander or the Colonel level, Station Commander (Delegation Level) or the Brigadier Level and the Highest is the Major General Level called the HLCM. These are emergency meetings which happen when something emergent is required to be discussed as otherwise there are scheduled meetings on important days apart from the meetings at fixed intervals. ALSO READ | India-China border stand-off shifts to social media with video, photo leaks The officer added that it is a good sign as we are able to communicate our point of view. said the source but added that in the first meeting both sides had only put their points across and in the second meeting there was agreement on some pints but many were left without any decision. It was after the second HCLM meeting that heavy vehicles from both sides were moved back, as first reported by this paper. The Ladakh standoff, also as reported first by this paper, began on the intervening night of 5-6 May when the soldiers of the two countries clashed with each other at the location of Finger Five which falls on the Northern Flank of the Pangong Tso lake which straddles between India and China. ALSO READ | Sino-India border standoff: China says situation with India 'stable and controllable' A large number of soldiers from both sides were injured in the clash. On Friday India had moved more troops to match the deployments on the Chinese side. Sunday also saw an acrimonious battle of words on Social Media after the leaks of videos and photos of the two sides purportedly of the day of incident at Pangong Tso. The officers feel such leaks vitiate the atmosphere. But, Indian forces have been instructed to maintain peace but remain firm with the endeavor to find a solution through talks between the military and at the diplomatic level. An Egyptian military plane loaded with large quantities of medical supplies, sanitisers, and protective suits has been dispatched to the Republic of the Congo and Zambia to help them fight coronavirus as per the directives of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, the military spokesman announced on Monday. "The aid comes in light of Egypt's efforts to help the brotherly African countries overcome the crisis and limit its repercussions on the continent's peoples," the spokesman said. The Congolese and Zambian sides expressed their appreciation and said the move underscores the "strong ties" with Egypt in various fields, he added. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, Egypt has sent several shipments of supplies and medical aid to some of the worst-stricken countries, including China, Italy, the US, and Sudan. Egypt has recorded 24,985, coronavirus cases and 959 fatalities since the first case was recorded in the country in February. Congo has detected a total of 611 coronavirus cases including 20 deaths, while Zambia has had a total of 1,089 coronavirus cases and seven deaths. Search Keywords: Short link: By Nichola Saminather TORONTO, June 1 (Reuters) - Toronto-Dominion Bank's chief executive on Monday called for "zero tolerance" of racism after violent protests raged across the United States for a sixth straight night over racial inequities and excessive police force. "The events over the last few weeks are the latest, but by no means the only, examples of racism and violence against Black communities," Bharat Masrani, who heads up Canada's second-biggest lender, wrote in the statement. "As a society we must have zero-tolerance for racism of any kind, in any form." The unrest began with peaceful protests over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in police custody in Minneapolis last Monday, with video footage showing a white police officer kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes before he died. "At a time when we are all fighting COVID-19, we must remember that racism too must be eradicated," Masrani said. "So many TD colleagues and customers have been directly impacted. Their pain is real, and their heartbreak is deep." TD Bank's U.S. retail business accounted for 22% of earnings in the quarter ended April 30, and its employees there made up nearly 30% of its total workforce. Masrani, of Indian descent, was born in Uganda, according to a 2014 profile of him in the Globe and Mail newspaper. He held leadership roles in Europe, India and the United States before becoming CEO in 2014. (Reporting By Nichola Saminather; Editing by Richard Chang) OH NO! NOT ANOTHER POEM! (written by "Yours Truly") Hello, my friends, I'm still at home... I guess I'll write another poem, I have a mask, I have a glove, And lots of chocolate (that I love,) But I need more, especially laughs, I'm tired of living life in "halves," I'm going to take my friends to eat, A fancy restaurant sounds real neat, We'll celebrate my birthday night, And drink until the morning light, I'll stumble home and I'll feel free, (Until I try to find my key), I'm elderly, a senior gal, A label that caused me pain, Instead of "young and beautiful," "OLD" makes me go insane,... Minn. megachurch pastors offer biblical response to George Floyds death Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The lead pastor of the Minnesota-based Crossroads Church called racism the elephant in the living room in America right now. There is a racial divide and it breaks Jesus heart, Pastor Phil Print said, adding that Jesus died so that theres no more of that. It should also break our hearts as followers of Jesus, the megachurch pastor said. What happened to George Floyd happens far too frequently in our country. And its unacceptable. And we have to do better. Theres an unlevel playing field today when it comes to people of color. Discrimination, racial stereotyping, racial bias is alive. Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died last Monday after his neck was pinned down by a white police officer in Minneapolis. Though Floyd repeatedly stated that he couldn't breathe, the officer, identified as Derek Chauvin, did not remove his knee until several minutes after Floyd stopped moving. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Pastors across the nation have spoken out against Floyds death. Southern Baptist leaders released a statement Saturday, grieving the misuse of force and inequitable distributions of justice, according to Baptist Press. Stressing that all human beings are sacred beings that God values and loves, the Southern Baptists said Christians cannot remain silent when our brothers and sisters, friends and/or people we seek to win for Christ are mistreated, abused or killed unnecessarily. Crossroads Church had prerecorded its Sunday online service, including the sermon, before Floyds death. Feeling prompted by Gods Spirit to speak out, the Minnesota churchs pastors decided to record a special video message on Saturday to help congregants respond to Floyds death and its aftermath. Pastor Print acknowledged that as leaders and pastors who are white, he and his colleagues did not have the right to speak. We have no idea what its like to be an African American pastor, leader, or person. The lead pastor then said, We are so, so sorry We grieve with you, and we do not look away. He shared 1 Corinthians 12:26, If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. We need to stop being ignorant. We need to stop being defensive. We need to stop being passive. What happened with Floyd was evil, he emphasized. Whats clearly evil is when we hate other people. Whats clearly evil is when theres a senseless abuse. Whats clearly evil is violence and murder and racism. Print cited Romans 12:9, which reads, Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. He also denounced violence and rioting in response to Floyds death, saying it is not the only way for the community to be heard and noting that the Bible asks us to never pay back evil for evil. Protests that erupted in Minneapolis and St. Paul spread to several other cities, including Memphis, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, New York City, and Washington, D.C., by the weekend. While many demonstrators remained peaceful, others resorted to violence, including looting businesses and burning cars and buildings. Crossroads Executive Pastor of Campuses Erik Anderson shared that his daughter is of color. The last few days have been hard, he said, struggling to hold back tears. Shes having to process things in a whole new way as a teenager. He said as his family was watching events unfolding on the news, his daughter turned to her mother and asked, Is this what its going to be like for me? Would that happen to me? Would that be my reality? Ive never felt more ill-equipped as a dad to answer that question, he admitted. He realized that he needed to do more work to seek to understand her. Addressing all Christians, Anderson said, We need to seek to understand more and more of our brothers and sisters of color and the realties they go through so that we can be part of the solution. Its not our context. Its not where we come from. But we got to get our hearts right. We got to get informed. We got to put people around us to help us be part of the solution when it comes to this tension and this issue. Agreeing, Print stated, We need to understand and listen better to see the world through the lens of someone of color. We have to work for peace and justice, Print said, adding that the key word here is work. Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers, he continued. Its the hard, hard work of peacemaking. Anderson offered Christians a prayer of lament as many are unsure of what to pray for. Heavenly Father, my soul is heavy from what Ive witnessed in our community, so give me the strength to pray. I lift my eyes to you for you are my mighty rock, fortress, and refuge. Help me, God. Please help us. We mourn the tragic loss of George Floyd. Your beloved child was senselessly taken. We grieve with his family, friends, his community, and all who loved him. Help us who are angry and sad not to let his death be in vain. God, we do not pray for vengeance, but we do thirst for justice, healing, and peace. We hope for healing between our neighbors and the officers called to protect and serve. We long for the day when families will not have to say goodbye to their children too soon. My hope is in you. Father, come quickly to help us. Lord, come quickly to save us. Hear our cry. Amen. MUMBAI, May 31 (Reuters) - India on Sunday expelled two officials working at the Pakistan High Commision in New Delhi after they were held for espionage, the foreign ministry said in a statement. "Two (Pakistani) officials were apprehended on Sunday by Indian law enforcement," the ministry stated adding that the Indian government declared them "persona non grata" for indulging in activities incompatible with their status as members of a diplomatic mission. Both were expected to leave the country within 24 hours. Officials at the Pakistan embassy in New Delhi were not immediately available for a comment. (Reporting by Rupam Jain; Editing by Giles Elgood) Photo credit: CARLA CARRASCO OCAMPO From Town & Country When Shirien Damra first heard about the death of Ahmaud Arbery, she started to think about softness. The 33-year-old freelance designer was horrified to hear about the young black man in Georgia who was gunned down while out for a run in broad daylight. She couldnt bring herself to watch the video of the encounter, which quickly circulated online, and incited protests and finally an arrest. But she did want to create somethinga gesture of solidarity with black communities in their time of grieving, an art piece to raise awareness about what had happened, a tribute to combat the racist stereotypes that are often used to justify the killing of black men. I was afraid that people would only see the video and remember his soul being taken away from him, Damra told ELLE.com over the phone from her home in Chicago. So she set out to make something soft, something with humanity that would celebrate his life. She played around with different color palettes to see what kind of emotions they evoked. In the end, she chose bright colors and florals for her portrait of Arbery, attributes that she says are rarely seen in depictions of black men. There's this demonization that exists, she says. I wanted to challenge that. What resulted was a simple and beautiful tribute, a digital illustration of Arbery, eyes closed, wearing a tuxedo. Hes surrounded by a ring of pink, yellow, and blue flowers with the words Justice for Ahmaud written in a gentle script above his head. Damra posted the portrait to her Instagram, and it quickly took off. As of now, its received more than 325,000 likes and has been shared widely across the platform. In the following weeks, she made similar portraits after the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, all black Americans unjustly killed by police. Story continues I wanted to not only have the art for myself to process, but also in the hopes that other people that are facing similar things can identify with it and help them process, too, she told ELLE.com. This was always the goal for her account, which she started about a year ago. Damra wanted a place to explore her own artistic style while also holding herself accountable to creating art as a form of healing, for herself but also hopefully for others. I want to use my art to reimagine what we want in this world. Art was one of Damras first loves, but for a while, she left it alone. As the daughter of Palestinian Muslim immigrants who come from a refugee family, she was acutely aware of racism growing up. But when September 11th happened during her freshman year of high school, something shifted. There were a lot of intense hate crimes and really negative portrayals of Arabs and Muslims in the media, she says. [That] got me to read more about systems of oppression, Islamophobia, racism across the board. When she got to college, she started out as an art major but decided she needed to learn about social issues and switched to sociology, eventually getting her master's degree. After graduation, Damra did advocacy work, but started to burn out after a few years. Then, in 2015, she was diagnosed with cancer and, for the first time in a while, had to step away from her job. That time of reflection helped Damra realize she needed to start creating again, though this time around, she wanted to combine her art with her social justice work. I decided I need to use art again as a promise to take care of myself. But it could also be used as a tool for raising awareness. It would take care of two things at once. Since starting her Instagram, Damra has posted art in support of Indigenous Peoples' Day, art in solidarity with people in Sudan, art to celebrate International Women's Day and frontline workers. But it's her portraits that have drawn the eyes of politicians, activists, and influencers. (I was surprised to see people I really look up to, like AOC, sharing it.) She says overall the feedback has been positive and affirming, and shes glad that her tributes might be receiving more recognition than the negative imagery that's out there. The work has also opened up other opportunities, like when the Georgia NAACP contacted her to create a piece specifically for Arberys family. "Art is a tool," she says. "It's not the end. Its a means to an end, not an end in itself. Ultimately, the real work comes when we all come together." Damra says that since the pandemic, she's come to see social media as a more powerful tool than before. "But at the same time, I don't want people to think a like and a share and a comment is it," she added. You Might Also Like A gin distillery has been subject to criticism online after posting a tweet that appeared to suggest rioters favoured their gin due to its flammability. The now deleted tweet from Bristol Dry Gin, based in central Bristol, read: 'When the shooting starts the looting starts. Voted No.1 gin by rioters for its complex botanical mix and high flammability.' An image of a flaming gin shot and two gin bottles, one with a rag hanging from the neck like a Molotov cocktail, accompanied the tweet. The now deleted tweet from Bristol Dry Gin, based in central Bristol, read: 'When the shooting starts the looting starts. Voted No.1 gin by rioters for its complex botanical mix and high flammability' Twitter users called out the tweet for glorifying violence during a time of unrest as Black Lives Matter protests continue across America and in some European capitals following the death of George Floyd. One user by the name of Nostradoggus tweeted in response to the companies post: 'Explain this. Don't just delete it. Explain what went through your heads to post something as absolutely tone deaf. No "we're sorry we offended". Lay it out. The thought process, how do you ok this c***?' While Trishie D tweeted: 'Hi Bristol Dry Gin, your tweet seems to be deleted by it's still on Instagram. Just wondering when you're going to make a donation to Black Lives Matter and apologise. You're not edgelords - you're just really s***** people.' Twitter users called out the tweet for glorifying violence during a time of unrest, as protests over George Floyd's death continue across America and in some European capitals The quote 'when the shooting starts the looting starts' was recently referenced in a tweet President Donald Trump in a tweet regarding the Minneapolis protests A user by the name of Needsy called out the company for its tweets, sharing screen grabs of their Facebook responses to the criticism Others criticised the company's use of the situation for marketing purposes Mr Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on Memorial Day, May 25, as he was arrested by four police officers over allegedly trying to buy cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. He was seen in a video pleading that he couldn't breathe as white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck, sparking protests across the world. The quote 'when the shooting starts the looting starts' was recently referenced in a tweet President Donald Trump in a tweet regarding the Minneapolis protests. President Donald Trump used the quote in a post about Minnesota protests on Friday It is believed to have originated from 'bigoted' Miami police Chief Walter Headley in 1967 during a hearing discussing the treatment of black community during protests in the Florida county. PC Headley had a 'history of bigotry against the black community', reports NPR. Bristol Dry Gin told MailOnline: 'We sincerely apologise for any offence caused by our recent social media posts in which a a phrase from Donald Trump's recent tweet was twisted to reflect the very strong nature of our Gin. 'We do not condone violence or racism in any form, and we are sorry that this post has upset social media users.' When the rumbling began, Xie Haifeng thought someone was shaking his bed. Perhaps one of the other 800 children in the school dormitory was being naughty. Or maybe it was a small quake. Then came the unmistakable sound of screams. Xie, then a 15-year-old pupil at Muyi Town Middle School in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan, started running. He fell as the dorm building collapsed around him. When he tried to stand up, he realised something was missing. His left leg was gone. What Xie thought was a small quake turned out to be one of the most devastating disasters in modern Chinese history. The Sichuan earthquake of May 2008 left at least 87,000 people dead and shook the country to its core. It was less than three month before Beijing would host its first Olympic Games, an opportunity to show the world its strength and ambition. Instead, 7,444 schools had crumbled like tofu in an area known to be seismically active. Their rubble was a stark demonstration of the weak foundation of Chinas progress and its tragic consequences. At Xies school, the shoddily built walls and ceilings crushed 600 children. Only 300 survived. It still frightens me to recall the earthquake. Xie Haifeng, dancer Xie considers himself lucky. If I had run just one second more slowly, I would have been dead. If I had run one second faster, I would have been completely fine. But anyway, I am lucky to be alive, he said. A dozen years later, his story is also one of resilience. Defying all the odds, Xie is now a professional dancer for a troupe in Sichuan and has made it his mission to help others through adversity. The journey from his hospital bed to the stage was long and difficult and even though many years have passed, it still frightens me to recall the earthquake. But, he said: I have forgiven fate and accepted the reality that I have only one leg. Xies trauma was a particularly difficult blow to his family. His older sister was already handicapped, after injuring her arm in an accident. When his mother, a migrant worker in the northwestern province of Gansu, arrived at the hospital a few days after the earthquake, she had no idea of the extent of Xies condition. Story continues When I woke up in the evening, I saw my mother weeping beside my bed. I told myself I should be strong, Xie said, adding that his mother initially thought he had suffered only bruises. He was sent for treatment to a hospital in the prosperous southern city of Shenzhen, along with other survivors who had been left with disabilities by the earthquake. Defying all the odds, Xie Haifeng is now a professional dancer. Photo: Handout It was there that Xie was inspired to make the most of his life. A team of athletes visited the hospital and he was shocked to see one of them, a volleyball player, walking on a prosthetic leg. Xie began to wear a prosthesis and after rehabilitation training returned to his hometown in 2009 where he was admitted to Qingchuan High School. At first, he was self-conscious and felt inferior to his peers. He did not dare to wear shorts in summer and said he seldom talked to the other students. The following year he was introduced to members of the Chengdu Disabled Peoples Art Troupe, where he found a new and welcoming home. Xie quit school and joined the troupe, despite his parents opposition. They were convinced study was the only way for rural students like their son to get out of poverty. Xie learned Sichuan opera and was soon performing its art of bian lian, or face changing a skill that requires rapid mask changes in a dazzling sleight of hand on stage until the troupe was disbanded in 2011, leaving him unemployed for six months. But the misfortune led to an improbable opportunity when he was hired by the Sichuan Provincial Disabled Peoples Art Troupe and trained to dance. At 19, and with no experience, Xie found the training far more difficult than those who had started at the more usual age of five or six. His body was too stiff, he said, and in the first months he spent 10 hours each day just stretching and building flexibility. It was just the beginning of a long and often arduous process. That agony is too much to be described, Xie said about the pain of dancing on a prosthetic leg. During the first six months training, I broke three artificial legs. More than once, he wondered whether he had chosen the right path. But, ultimately, his gruelling effort paid off and Xie has performed in Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau. In 2013, he won a gold medal at a national dancing competition for people with disabilities. My dances won me applause and recognition from the audience. I feel relieved and I think my heart belongs to the stage, he said. Xie broke three artificial legs during his first six months of dance training. Photo: Handout Xie said he owed part of his success to Hong Kong which in 2008 donated HK$20 billion (US$2.5 billion) in aid to Sichuan and sent doctors to treat the injured. Among the volunteers was Poon Tak-lun, a Hong Kong orthopaedist who flew to Sichuan every two weeks from 2008 to 2013 to treat patients. At a gala show in 2013 to express gratitude from the people of Sichuan to Hong Kong, Xie met Poon and the two became good friends, thanks to their common interest in the arts. Dr Poon promised to pay for all the costs of installing and repairing my artificial leg in the future. He told me to focus on dancing without worrying about the legs costs, Xie said. Xie Haifeng (pictured left with friend Poon Tak-lun) gives a speech to students in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout Grateful for the help he received from Poon and Hong Kong, Xie has sought to return the favour by doing what he does best. I have no other skills except dancing and performing. So I thought of sharing my experience to encourage young students in Hong Kong, he said. Xie travels to Hong Kong about twice a year to perform and visit schools. In 2019, he visited the city four times, performing dances and Sichuan opera, and giving speeches at more than 10 primary and secondary schools. I encourage them to study hard. I said there are many people in this world who have more difficulties than them but still insist on pursuing their dreams, so they should not give up their dreams, Xie said. When he is not dancing and giving inspirational speeches, Xie said he lived a life like everyone else climbing mountains, swimming and proudly walking on the leg he gained after almost losing everything in Sichuans deadly earthquake. 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 Boy who lost a leg in Chinas 2008 Sichuan earthquake now dances to inspire first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. About 150 or so people gathered at a northwest Houston church on Sunday for a sunset vigil honoring George Floyd, the African American who was killed my Minneapolis, Minn. police officers. Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church has for decades been a place that's welcomed marginalized groups -- particularly the LGBTQ community -- and church leaders used the event to condemn political and physical violence against all communities of color. "White supremacists, often wearing and sullying uniforms, holding public office and pretending to be allies, attack black, brown, read and yellow communities of color," said Rev. Vickey Gibbs. Church leaders also invited attendees to yell the names of those who've been killed nationwide by police, but whose deaths did not spark widespread protests because they were not videotaped. Darrel Mayon, 53, was among those who yelled a name. He broke down a few minutes later during an eight minute moment of silence -- the time it took Floyd to be killed -- occasionally crying "oh God" while others consoled him. He declined to into specifics about the person whose name he'd yelled earlier, but said that his emotional outburst was prompted by thoughts of Floyd's last moments of life. "I felt the emotion that he may have felt thinking that he was about to die," Mayon said. A few minutes later, a young man, maybe 25, approached Mayon. "Brother, I just want to thank you for your tears," the younger man said. "It gave me permission to cry, too." Floyd, a longtime Houston resident, was well-known in some parts of the local faith community for his work as a mentor in the city's Third Ward and other places. Floyd moved to Minneapolis in 2018 for a discipleship placement program, his pastor told Christianity Today. George Floyd was a person of peace sent from the Lord that helped the gospel go forward in a place that I never lived in, Patrick PT Ngwolo, pastor of Resurrection Houston, told the outlet. The platform for us to reach that neighborhood and the hundreds of people we reached through that time and up to now was built on the backs of people like Floyd." robert.downen@chron.com The Indian Navy Ship (INS) Jalashwa on Monday morning arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to continue with the mission of bringing back stranded Indian citizens amid the Coronavirus lockdown. The ship is expected to embark on approximately 700 Indian Nationals. Earlier, the INS Jalashwa had repatriated 1286 citizens from Male, Maldives. The repatriation is a part of the 'Operation Samudra Setu', which is a part of the 'Vande Bharat Mission' to bring stranded Indians back home from various countries like the UK, the UAE, the US, Maldives, Bahrain, and Singapore. The INS Jalashwa is the country's second-largest warship of 16,900-tonnes after aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. The ship can carry around 800 to 1000 people. Read: Indian Navy's INS Jalashwa arrives at Kochi Harbour with 698 evacuees from Maldives Under #operationsamudrasetu INS Jalashwa arrives in #Colombo, Sri Lanka today morning to continue with the Mission of bringing back Indian Citizens stranded Overseas. The ship is expected to embark approximately 700 Indian Nationals today. pic.twitter.com/T6Mf7Zno8B Ravinder Singh Robin (@rsrobin1) June 1, 2020 Read: Indian Navy launches 'Operation Samudra Setu' to repatriate Indians from Maldives 'Operation Samudra Setu' Earlier last month, the Indian Navy in an official statement had said that three Naval warships have sailed out to bring back Indian citizens from Maldives and United Arab Emirates (UAE) who are stranded due to Coronavirus pandemic. These warships include INS Jalashwa, INS Magar, and INS Shardul and these will return to Kochi. The INS Magar and INS Shardul are Southern Naval Command ships, while INS Jalashwa is from Eastern Naval Command. The Centre is also operating flights to repatriate stranded Indians across the globe. The first phase of evacuation by air had started on May 7. Read: First among 200 special trains departs from Mumbai for Varanasi as Railways charges ahead Read: UP's Agriculture department cautions 15 districts against possible threat of locust attack Two prominent Houston rappers and Mayor Sylvester Turner will join the family of George Floyd in a downtown march Tuesday afternoon that officials are expecting to be widely attended but peaceful. Trae Tha Truth, a longtime friend of Floyd, and Bun B are coordinating with Floyds nephew Brandon Williams to organize the rally and subsequent march to City Hall, according to Bun B, whose real name is Bernard Freeman. Turner and Police Chief Art Acevedo are participating in the event, which is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. at Discovery Green downtown. Its important that we fight for justice, said Trae Tha Truth, whose given name is Frazier Thompson III. We cant stand back and watch. We have to protect each other. Though Turner and Acevedo are participating in the rally, the mayor said Thompson and Freeman are the principal organizers. It is not an official city event, the mayor said, but city officials certainly will support the efforts to make sure that things are done in a peaceful and orderly fashion. Turner said city officials are ramping up for a large crowd tomorrow but did not anticipate violence or destructive behavior that was seen at times during protests here Friday evening. This is a salute to George and an acknowledgment that he should not have died the way he did, Turner said. If you are standing for George Floyd, why would you want to create problems for his family? And if you are true to the cause, why would you want to do anything to take away from this special, emotional moment for his family and for his friends? Houston police will continue to oversee the march and rally in coordination with the Harris County Sheriffs Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and federal agents, Turner said. The mayor also kept open the possibility of enacting a city curfew, a measure implemented in some other large cities but not in Houston so far. There was no need to do it on Saturday, there was no need to do it last night, and Im hoping there will not be a need to do it tonight or in the days to come, Turner said. Floyd, a 46-year-old black man whose death in Minneapolis police custody last week was captured in a widely viewed video, grew up in the Third Ward and graduated from Yates High School in 1993. Floyd died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as the handcuffed man pleaded for air. The incident has sparked outrage and protests across the country and world. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was fired and faces charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter. In Houston, protests remained largely peaceful Saturday and Sunday after a chaotic Friday evening that saw eight police officers injured and at least a few damaged businesses. Gov. Greg Abbott activated National Guard troops Saturday to manage protests throughout the state, and Acevedo assigned officers to alternate on 12-hour shifts, though no major violence appeared to unfold here during the weekend. Turner said a large majority of the more than 400 people arrested by Houston police from Friday to Sunday were locals, with many charged with obstructing roadways. The mayor said he did not have any information to reveal about Acevedos warning that police were monitoring the threat of white supremacists coming to Houston to create havoc. Meanwhile, the city recorded 337 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and Monday, for a total of 5,753 active cases and 7,743 since the pandemic began. There have been 131 deaths from the disease in Houston. The mayor repeatedly has warned of the continuing threat of the coronavirus, imposing new requirements Monday that people wear masks and undergo temperature checks before entering city facilities. Officials were not planning to enforce any similar measures at the rally, though Turner urged people to wear face coverings and as best as possible engage in social distancing. Ashton Woods, the founder and lead organizer of Black Lives Matter Houston, said he was not troubled by the involvement of Acevedo and other city officials in the march, despite his movements overriding message against police violence toward black people. Its all of us coming together. Everyone working on this is black, Woods said. Though we may not share some of the same sentiments and we may not always agree, every black voice matters. So, this is community, and Black Lives Matter Houston will support. Thompson, for his part, said he has invited the entire city to participate. Organizers said they are waiting to reveal the route of the march until protesters arrive Tuesday to protect those involved. My vision is that all of humanity, everyone in this city will come out and march, Thompson said. Lets show the world what we are capable of doing. Nicole Hensley contributed to this report. jasper.scherer@chron.com marcy.deluna@chron.com New Delhi, June 1 : Budget airline AirAsia India will give away 50,000 free domestic flight tickets to doctors under the 'AirAsia RedPass' initiative which acknowledges their contribution in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. "Doctors have been at the forefront of the nation's fight against the pandemic, working tirelessly to save lives without fearing for their own," the airline said in a statement. "As part of this initiative to pay a tribute to doctors, AirAsia India will give away 50,000 free seats on flights across its domestic sectors to doctors as a gesture of gratitude for their commendable efforts in support of the nation." Under the initiative, doctors have to submit their contact details and desired sector and date of travel between July 1, 2020, to Sep 30, 2020, with their registration number or ID to the airline (https://air.asia/GCs2R). "Applications are open till 12 June 2020 with up to 50,000 AirAsia RedPasses available for doctors across the country who would also be given special privileges like priority boarding at the airport," the statement said "The RedPass would be valid for a one way flight for the successful applicant doctors on the AirAsia India domestic network." RTHK: Tanker drives into crowd, curfew in more US cities A tanker truck drove into a throng of protesters on a closed interstate near Minneapolis, with the driver pulled from his vehicle and beaten, as major US cities imposed curfews in fear of another night of demonstrations against police brutality descending into violence. It did not appear that any marchers were struck by the truck as it moved through the crowd on the westbound lanes of Interstate 35, honking. The freeway was closed to traffic at the time. A witness said the truck driver was dragged out of the cab of his tractor-trailer rig and beaten by protesters before he was taken into custody by Minneapolis police. A Reuters photo showed him shirtless and covering his face as he stood next to a police officer. "Very disturbing actions by a truck driver on I-35W, inciting a crowd of peaceful demonstrators," the Minneapolis Department of Public Safety said on Twitter. "The truck driver was injured & taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He is under arrest. It doesnt appear any protesters were hit by the truck." The incident marked the latest outburst of violence following what began as peaceful demonstrations over the death of George Floyd. Floyd, an unarmed black man, died on last Monday after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck, sparking outrage that has swept across a politically and racially divided nation. Protesters have flooded streets after weeks of lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic that threw millions out of work and hit minority communities especially hard. As demonstrators broke windows and set fires on Saturday night, police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse crowds in many cities. In some cases, bystanders and members of the media were targeted. In one video from Minneapolis on Saturday, a National Guard Humvee rolled down a residential street followed by what appeared to be police officers wearing tactical gear. An officer ordered residents to go inside, then yelled: "Light 'em up" before shooting projectiles at a group of people on their front porch. The city's curfew does not apply to residents outside on their private property. In New York City, police arrested about 350 people overnight and 30 officers suffered minor injuries. Mayor Bill de Blasio said police conduct was being investigated, including widely shared videos showing a police sport utility vehicle in Brooklyn lurching into a crowd of protesters who were pelting it with debris. De Blasio said he had not seen a separate video showing an officer pulling down the mask of a black protester who had his hands in the air, then spraying a substance in his face. The closely packed crowds and demonstrators not wearing masks sparked fears of a resurgence of Covid-19, which has killed more than 100,000 Americans. Violence spread overnight despite curfews in several major cities rocked by civil unrest in recent days, including Atlanta, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Denver, Cincinnati, Portland, Oregon, and Louisville, Kentucky. Protests also flared in Chicago, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Cleveland and Dallas, where rioters were seen on video beating a store owner who chased them with a large machete or sword. Police said on Sunday he was in stable condition. (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. 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. Flexible foam insulation, a kind of foam insulation, has open-cell structure giving it flexibility and reducing its weight. The Spray is the most commonly used application technique for flexible foam insulation, which has major usage in the building sector. Acoustic and thermal insulation are key application areas that utilize the benefits of better properties offered by the flexible foam products. Flexible foam insulation is used as part of the advanced infrastructure solutions in building construction owing to their superior properties to insulate from noise and heat. Low weight of the foam also helps to reduce the overall weight of the structure. Flexible foam insulation has major application in the construction industry as a roof or wall insulation material to insulate from heat or noise. Transportation and consumer appliances are other key areas for the flexible foam to be used for insulation. Research Methodology The flexible foam insulation market has been analyzed by utilizing the optimum combination of secondary sources and in-house methodology along with an irreplaceable blend of primary insights. The real-time assessment of the market is an integral part of our market sizing and forecasting methodology, wherein our industry experts and panel of primary participants helped in compiling the best quality with realistic parametric estimations. Further, the participation share of different categories of primary participants is given below: Request for Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/10300 Key Market Insights Currently, Asia Pacific is the global leader in the Flexible Foam Insulation Market. China and India have big manufacturing bases and thus they contribute the highest to the APAC market revenue. Europe is the second major consumer owing to extensive infrastructural developments. Countries in North America and Middle East & Africa will show a high growth rate during the forecast period due to increasing industrialization in these regions. Globally, the demand for flexible foam insulation is growing consistently, especially in the Asia Pacific and European markets. This growth is supported by the increased building and construction projects along with several automotive industries in these regions. Thermal insulation is the dominant application segment for flexible foam insulation products at the global level due to their better properties and higher adoption. Other than thermal insulation, the flexible foam insulation acquires a major market in hybrid and acoustic insulation segments. New upcoming technologies based on novel bio-based materials are giving a tough competition to the flexible foam insulation market. The study of the global Flexible Foam Insulation Market provides the market size information and market trends along with the factors and parameters impacting it in both short and long-term. The study ensures a 360 view bringing out the complete key insights of the industry. These insights help the business decision-makers to make better business plans and informed decisions for the future business. In addition, the study helps venture capitalists in understanding the companies better and take informed decisions. Request for Report Discount: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/10300 According to Infoholic Research, the Global Flexible Foam Insulation Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.0% during the forecast period to reach $6.84 billion by 2022. The Thermal Flexible Foam Insulation segment is expected to maintain a global dominance in the application segments driven by China and India. Asia Pacific is expected to contribute the highest growth toward the market growth. Some of the key players in the market include PolyOne Corporation, DoW Chemicals, Owens Corning, and K-Flex. Report Scope: Applications Acoustic insulation Thermal insulation Hybrid insulation End-user Building and Construction Transportation Consumer Appliances Regions Asia Pacific Europe North America Rest of the World Industry outlook: Market trends and drivers, restraints, and opportunities More Info of Impact Covid19@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/10300 President Muhammadu Buhari has given the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 approval to lift the ban on religious gatherings based on guidelines and protocols. Chairman of the Committee and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, made the announcement on Monday during the regular briefing. He said: The PTF submitted its recommendations and the President has approved the following for implementation over the next four weeks spanning 2nd 29th June 2020, subject to review. Cautious advance into the Second Phase of the national response to COVID-19; application of science and data to guide the targeting of areas of on-going high transmission of COVID-19 in the country; Mobilisation of all resources at State and Local Government levels to create public awareness on COVID 19 and improve compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions within communities; sustenance of key non-pharmaceutical interventions that would apply nationwide and include: ban on gatherings of more than 20 people outside of a workplace; Relaxation of restriction on places of worship based on guidelines issued by the PTF and protocols agreed by state governments. The post COVID-19: Buhari approves lifting of ban on religious gatherings in Nigeria appeared first on . Share this post with your Friends on JNS) If you think youve seen this movie before, youre right. Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas has declared that he is abrogating all agreements with Israel so many times its a wonder that he could do so again with a straight face. Indeed, he started making these threats as soon as he succeeded PLO chairman Yasser Arafat and has never really stopped during the course of the 15 years of his four-year term as leader of the P.A. The latest occasion for his usual theatrics is the possibility that Israel might extend sovereignty into parts of the West Bank, as envisioned... RICHMOND, Va., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The F.M. Kirby Foundation of Morristown, New Jersey, has given United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) $75,000 to help promote organ donations and increase the number of organ transplants during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has been impacting transplants, with the number of transplants nearly cut in half. Fortunately, the numbers are rising again as hospitals, transplant programs and organ procurement organizations (OPOs) adjust to the ever-changing environment. Support of UNOS from the F.M. Kirby Foundation dates back to 1998. President S. Dillard Kirby says his father, Fred M. Kirby II, felt private philanthropy should play a vital role in meeting demand for organ donations. In 2000, the Kirby Foundation awarded UNOS a $2.5 million grant to help fund the building of UNOS' headquarters in Richmond. "After the capital project was complete, we focused our support in terms of professional development for doctors and nurses in soliciting and securing donations," S. Dillard Kirby said. "Now with UNOS Labs, we see data, technology and human expertise together is the key toward advancement." Giving to UNOS means investing in programs focused on solutions aimed at making the system better and more effective, so more lives are saved. Funders can choose to support the National Donor Memorial, UNOS Labs, or help fund the free educational materials patients and their families use to help navigate the complexities of transplant. About The F.M. Kirby Foundation The F. M. Kirby Foundation is headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey. Endowed in 1931 by Fred Morgan Kirby, one of the founders of the F.W. Woolworth Company, it was designed to continue in perpetuity through generations of the family. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded over $720 million in grants. Five Kirby family members, currently spanning two generations, serve on the Board, as well as two non-family directors. About UNOS United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a non-profit, charitable organization that serves as the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) under contract with the federal government. The OPTN helps create and define organ allocation and distribution policies that make the best use of donated organs. This process involves continuously evaluating new advances and discoveries so policies can be adapted to best serve patients waiting for transplants. All transplant programs and organ procurement organizations throughout the country are OPTN members and are obligated to follow the policies the OPTN creates for allocating organs. SOURCE United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Related Links www.unos.org The Morrison government is standing by its policy that allowed the early release of superannuation to more than 1.8 million people despite much of the cash being spent on gambling and alcohol, arguing people are exercising their free choice. As Labor likened the scheme to "another robo-debt" that would cost people in retirement and benefit overseas-based gambling companies, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the released money was helping Australians when they needed it most. Josh Frydenberg cheers former AFL footballer Matthew Richardson. The Treasurer says people have every right to spend their super money any way they like. Credit:AAP As part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic, the government is enabling people to withdraw up to $10,000 from their superannuation this financial year with a similar amount available between July 1 and September 24. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority on Monday said 1.8 million people had so far used the scheme, withdrawing more than $12 billion. Less than one per cent of applications have been rejected. Nikita Sharma By Express News Service In this lockdown, many enterprises are giving you the chance to turn into a Good Samaritan. You can donate towards feeding migrants, the homeless, strays, and the marginalised the cause that resonates with you the most. Amidst Ketto, Milaap, ImpactGuru, GiveIndia, Fuel A Dream, is the PM CARES Fund. Despite it being a topic of controversy, after the PMO rejected an RTI application seeking details of the Fund, celebrities, corporates and many from the public continue to donate towards it. A few tell us why they have or why they wont choose to contribute to PM CARES. Delhi-based photographer Ashish Sulkh has auctioned his three photographs to gather funds for the PM CARES Fund. The first one of a family decking up to attend a wedding at a village in Spiti was auctioned for Rs 1 lakh + 1,300 USD. It was clicked using a Leica and was a part of my interview with the company. It would have been difficult to convince the buyers of my artwork to donate to the NGO of my choice. There can be a 1,000 ways better than donating to the government, but how do you convey it? PM CARES is like the ISI mark, adds Sulkh. Evolvere Salon Solutions has pledged to give free haircare and other complimentary services to frontline professionals and those who donate to PM CARES. Yes, there has been a storm about PM CARES, but this is not the time to doubt the capabilities and initiatives, says Founder Praver Kachroo. The PMs package of Rs 20 lakh crores, which is a 10 per cent of the total GDP to be allocated to the economy, should quash all rumours. These funds will also be audited by the third party to maintain transparency. From top: A photograph auctioned by Ashish Sulkh (inset) to gather funds for PM CARES; volunteers from Vikas Dayals NGO Aadharshila distributing dry ration Alka Kapur, principal of Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, has donated Rs 4 lakh to PM-CARES Fund Rs 2 lakh from her personal savings and Rs 2 lakh from teachers one-day salary, which they voluntarily donated. I am sure the PM will spend the money in the best possible way. However, Vikas Dayal, founder, NGO Aadharshila Social Development Society, is skeptical to donate to PM Cares. His team of 50 volunteers has been working to provide meals to 350 people per day from Day 1 of the lockdown. We have spent Rs 5 lakh on the relief work, and provided dry ration to over 1,200 people. If these funds were donated to the PM CARES, we would not have been able to do the relief work we are doing at the ground level. Moreover, the irony is that process of the relief from the PM CARES to reach people is too lengthy. If a person is dying without food, we cant wait for the PM Fund to help them. Imran Khan, owner of IT company CSS Founder Pvt Ltd, is self-sufficient in raising his own funds. Khan has been providing food to the needy for the last four years. During the lockdown, in April alone he distributed packed meals to 2,500 people, and in May, he spent Rs 1lakh on dry rations. I am not sure when the money donated to that Fund will reach people. I want to directly help the people because that is more satisfying. Moreover, there is no audit happening for the PM CARES. Even if I donate to it, I wont know how my money is being spent? See also: It's an insurrection, no longer just protests President Trump, who put in a stellar leadership performance with the coronavirus crisis recognizing the danger, rendering aid with record speed, deregulating, leading on the cure, bringing in many players, and (unlike the blue-city and blue-state satraps) moving to close the operation as the curve flattened. It was Trump's classic "hotel manager" crisis management at its best. But something's gone wrong with his strange silence and ineffectual tweets with this crisis. I'm not the only one who's noticed the Daily Wire has an impressive wrap-up of this worrisome development here. Its premise is quite twisted. One racial incident in a solid blue city with all blue players, and suddenly Trump's the one being blamed. It had to be unnerving for him and maybe easy to dismiss since it was all so meritless; it was blue-city awfulness at its worst. The left hammered on. The entire media establishment and Hollywood chi chi crowd stayed with this line and stepped up their encouragement of protests, painting him with the racism narrative. He seems to be on the defensive. Now the protests have became a vehicle for criminals, using color of race, for some kind of national "devil's nights." It's the Detroitification of America, a neglected, miserable place, except going for multiple nights, with global markets and all the world watching. This is not a good look for Trump. Organized riots and disorder on a scale never seen in this country have plummeted the country into chaos. The worst of it is in the big cities, where citizens are disarmed, cops are standing down with no support from local leaders, organized criminals and Antifa fanatics are doing the great looting and burning of their long held dream, and cell phone video is everywhere. The monstrosity is being fueled in part by impunity, the belief that law and order are a thing of the past and one can commit these beatings and property crimes and get away with them with no consequences at all. After all, blue-city and state governments had just let huge numbers of criminals let out of jail on the "logic" that they might catch COVID-19, so forget about paying for crimes. Now all hell is breaking loose, with each hour revealing a new low. It's horrifying to all of us. It's coming as the economy was just beginning to get back on its feet, and now suddenly no one's entirely sure if that's really going to happen. Small and large business, all weakened by the coronavirus lockdowns, is suddenly wondering if private property is still operative. More terrifying still, nothing is sacred. Unlike past riots, rich areas are being specially targeted now leftists on Twitter have for days been shouting their fantasy of looting Beverly Hills. Affluent Santa Monica, led by leftist elected leaders, is a smoldering hellhole, with many beloved businesses, such as one Japanese teahouse, completely trashed and burned. Say goodbye to quality of life, Santa Monica all you have left now is high taxes, which are now going to go higher. Historic churches have been targeted. I don't even want to say the name of the church I'm worried about. Beautiful, treasured national monuments really big ones, such as the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II memorial, have been vandalized. And now the White House itself is under physical attack by these leftist savages, with President Trump supposedly spirited off into some kind of safe room for occasions of foreign attack. This is not a good look. This does not evoke strong leadership. It's not the Trump we know and that's disturbing. Is President Trump, after weathering attack after attack and crisis after crisis, now going to go down just by disgusting leftists? If he does, it will leave these maggots triumphant and pretty well spell the end of America its rule of law, its opportunity, its goodness. America will become Nicaragua. It's never been more urgent to stop this, and it calls for loud strong leadership, a speech, some kind of presence. Trump needs to come out with fangs and claws naming names, sending troops, defending the defenseless, and making it stop. We need to know it's going to be OK. There was President Trump's vow to declare Antifa a terrorist organization, but we need more. We need to see the order. We need to see the declaration to the terrorists that they are hunted thugs now, that everything they ever try to do now subject to surveillance and Gitmo, with no left-wing lawyers to defend them a distinct possibility. Share Froot Loops with Khalid Sheikh Muhammad. We need to hear this speech and see the same kind of speed and expedition we saw with the coronavirus huge government resources employed to restore order and make private property a thing again. People need to know that there are at least a few constants. They need to know that the property they have will be there tomorrow because the right to property, as Hernando de Soto noted, is the absolute basis for invisible architecture of capitalism and its critically imprortant rule of law. Without this, we're a Brazilian favela, ruled by thugs. Trump must terrorize the terrorizers who are attacking us now. Publicly arresting the worst of them, parading them for cameras, holding them up to scorn, and more important, these beasts' finances must be hunted down and used to make their victims whole the trashed shopkeepers, the old people beaten in the streets. These leftists and their rich foundations financing this must become extremely sue-able. Most of all, we need strength and reassurance, because right now the ship of state doesn't look too steady, it looks downright Venezuela-like, which might be sustainable the U.S. were a dictatatorship backed by the world's rogue states. But it's not. There's an election on and this challenge calls for humongous leadership. We need to see it. We can only hope it's coming. We can't have a disappearing president at a time like this. We can't have Obama doing the tweets that get the coverage. We need Trump, and we need to know that help is on the way. Photo illustration by Monica Showalter with use of image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. The new normal during COVID-19 is different for everyone. For longtime pastor Billy Richards, it means delivering his sermons from the rooftop of his church. Worshippers arriving in more than 100 cars on Sunday filed into the parking lot of Church on the Queensway in Etobicoke. In a parking lot large enough to hold 900 vehicles, drivers spread their cars out for the sake of physical distancing. Then senior pastor Billy Richards took the stage not in his church but atop it. As Richards spoke, his words were blasted out of large speakers toward worshippers, many of them choosing on a sunny morning to roll down their windows to listen. Ill be honest, its a lot of work but its worth every cent, its worth every minute, because were seeing people happy, being touched with love, Richards later told the Star. Church on the Queensway began offering drive-in service the week before, as the Ontario government gradually started to relax coronavirus-related restrictions. Church goers can choose between a 9:30 a.m. service or a later one at 11:11. During this weeks service, some people stood up through sunroofs and others poked their heads out of their windows to sing and rejoice; a few hung banners from their cars. One person held a sign out of their window that read simply, Jesus loves you. Richards, who pre-pandemic would speak to more than a thousand people during each service, spoke Sunday about healing and held up signs that read power and praise. A band played live music and at one point actors walked across the roof carrying a man on a stretcher, to help illustrate a biblical story Richards was telling. It was a thrilling experience, said Richards, who for the past few weeks had been delivering his sermons solely online. The livestreams of the sermons have attracted an average of nearly 9,000 views every Sunday, he said, but theres nothing like speaking to worshippers in person. It was great, it was exciting. You know what, its always nice to see the people, he said. Although we werent allowed to get out the car, it was nice to get the family together again, just in the church parking lot. Minneapolis's Chief of Police said the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd was a 'violation of humanity'. Medaria Arradondo, the city's first black police chief, fired all four officers involved in Floyd's death because he didn't need 'processes or bureaucracies' to tell him that it was wrong, he said. Footage showed white police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck last week. Floyd passed out and later died. Minneapolis's Chief of Police Medaria Arradondo said the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd was a 'violation of humanity' Arradondo said he had a 'visceral' reaction to the shocking footage of Chauvin pressing Floyd down until he cried 'I can't breathe'. Footage showed white police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck last week. Floyd (pictured) passed out and later died. He told CNN: 'It was an emotional reaction that I have never experienced in my career.' He added: 'In my mind this was a violation of humanity. This was a violation of the oath that the majority of men and women that put this uniform on, this goes absolutely against it. 'This is contrary to what we believe in. What occurred to me it was an absolute truth that it was wrong. Period.' He added: 'Mr. Floyd died in our hands and so I see that as being complicit.' 'Silence and inaction, you're complicit. If there was one solitary voice that would have intervened ... that's what I would have hoped for.' Chauvin, 44, was arrested Friday on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter. The other officers involved in his death - Tou Thao, J Alexander Kueng and Thomas K. Lane - were also fired from the force but have not been arrested. When asked why Chauvin, along with the three other officers, were fired so quickly, Arradondo replied: 'There are absolute truths in life. 'We need air to breathe. The killing of Mr Floyd was an absolute truth that it was wrong. Chaos continued to unfold in cities across America late Sunday night including Washington DC, just steps from the White House, where police and Secret Service deployed tear gas as they faced off with protesters during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd Police and Secret Service pictured standing guard in front of the White House as protesters edge closer on Sunday Demonstrators pictured flipping a car over and smashing its class windows during a protest near the White House on Sunday A protester raises their first near a fire outside the White House as protests engulfed the country for another night 'And so I did not need days or weeks or months or processes or bureaucracies to tell me that what occurred out here last Monday. It was wrong.' Arradondo added: 'At the end of the day our community members need to know that the men and women who put this badge on are doing so in service to them and they should not have to doubt their integrity and if they are going to be treated in a compassionate way.' Last night Chauvin was transferred to Oak Park Heights Prison - Minnesota's only Level Five maximum-security facility and one of the most secure in the country. Chauvin was due to appear in court on Monday but, with Minneapolis still gripped by unrest, the appearance was pushed back until June 8. Protesters and Floyd's family continue to call for the arrests of former officers Kueng, Lane and Tou Thao and for a more serious charge to be brought against Chauvin. Chauvin, 44, was arrested Friday on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter (left). A viral video (right) captured the moment Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck while the handcuffed suspect repeatedly cried out that he couldn't breathe and ultimately suffocated The historic St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington DC was set ablaze in protests on Sunday. Police form a line in front of the church late Sunday By Sunday night the church was engulfed in orange flames, but it's not clear how the blaze started Protesters set an American flag on fire at Lafayette Park in front of the White House as they rallied against police brutality on Sunday evening Over 1,000 protesters gathered around a fire ignited near the White House on Sunday evening Floyd's death is seen as a symbol of systemic police brutality against African-Americans sparking outrage and protests country-wide. The demonstrations have marked unparalleled civil unrest in the US that hasn't been seen since the 1968 assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tens of thousands of people gathered nation-wide as the National Guard was deployed to over half the states in the country on Sunday. Protests that have seen 4,100 people get arrested this weekend alone. The fire grew into a massive blaze in the middle of the park last night, where protesters gathered and raised their fists in solidarity Police armed with plastic shields, bulletproof vests, and weapons pictured at Lafayette Park on Sunday night as demonstrators gathered for the sixth night on Sunday evening Police officers charge forward during a protest outside the White House on Sunday But the threat of heavy police presence didn't deter demonstrators in Washington D.C. where a fire was set in the historic St. John's Episcopal Church and Lafayette Park in front of the White House late Sunday. It is not clear how the fire started in the church, which was opened in 1816, but it was put out shortly after 11pm. At least 40 cities have imposed curfews in light of the riots and violence and National Guard members have been activated in 26 states and Washington, DC. Washington state governor Jay Inslee was among those to send for the National Guard after vandalism and looting in multiple cities, calling the riots 'illegal and dangerous' but adding they should not 'detract from the anger so many feel at the deep injustice laid so ugly and bare by the death of George Floyd'. A man raises his fist in front of the White House as smoke envelopes the capital's front lawn on Sunday Police pictured wearing protective gear as they arrest protesters at a rally in Minneapolis on Sunday In total at least five people have been killed in protest violence after gunfire rang out in Detroit and Indianapolis and in Omaha a 22-year-old black protester was killed in a struggle with a local business owner. Two Atlanta police officers were fired Sunday after video emerged showing them using excessive force during protests this weekend, including tasing and dragging two college students from a car. The protests spread globally over the weekend with 23 people arrested in London yesterday as thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters peacefully marched on the US Embassy in London. Hundreds more took to the streets of Cardiff and Manchester. CNN commentator Van Jones has claimed that the black community in the US should be more worried about the white liberal Hilary Clinton supporter than a racist white person. During an appearance on CNN last week, Mr Jones spoke about white woman, Amy Cooper, who was fired from her job last week, after footage emerged of her calling the police on black man, Christian Cooper, in Central Park, when he told her to put her dog on a lead. In the video she falsely claimed that Mr Cooper was threatening her, and made reference to his race during her call to the police. Campaign contribution information showed that Ms Cooper had previously donated to Democrats, including former president Barack Obama and most recently Pete Buttigieg. Speaking on CNN on Friday, Mr Jones claimed that the black community in the US needs to worry about white people who say they arent racist, but whose actions tell a different story. Its not the racist white person who is in the Ku Klux Klan that we have to worry about, Mr Jones said. Its the white, liberal Hillary Clinton supporter walking her dog in Central Park who would tell you right now, Oh I dont see race, race is no big deal to me, I see all people the same, I give to charities. But the minute she sees a black man who she does not respect, or who she has a slight thought against, she weaponised race like she had been trained by the Aryan Nation. In the footage, Ms Cooper called the police and told Mr Cooper: Im going to tell them theres an African American man threatening my life. In reference to this, Mr Jones said: A klansmember could not have been better trained to pick up her phone and tell the police its a black man. Recommended Bank fires woman who called police on black birdwatcher in park The incident in Central park is one of many in the last few months that has put the spotlight back on racism in the US. Protests were held in Georgia last month, after footage was released of the shooting of black man, Ahmaud Arbery, by two white men, Gregory and Travis McMichael. Last week, George Floyd died after former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck while detaining him, sparking protests across the US and outcry from politicians, including New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Protests continued over the weekend, and Mr Jones added that in the US at the moment, what youre seeing now is a curtain falling away. Those of us who have been burdened by this every minute, every second of our entire lives are fragile right now. We are tired. PROVIDENCE, R.I., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TRWH) (the "Company" or "Twin River") today announced the reopening of its Dover Downs Hotel and Casino in Dover, DE ("Dover Downs") effective June 1st. The Company also announced that it plans to reopen its two casinos in Rhode Island, including its flagship Twin River Casino Hotel ("Twin River Casino"), on June 8th, at which time over 90% of the Company's current portfolio will have resumed operations. Today's announcement follows the successful reopening of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Biloxi ("Hard Rock Biloxi") on May 21st. The Company has been encouraged by the strong initial results of its operations at Hard Rock Biloxi, which points to strong pent-up demand in regional markets. Through the first ten days of operations, this property experienced slot and table win results that were up approximately 30% and 150% compared to the same period in the prior year, respectively. As part of Twin River's overall COVID-19 reopening plan, the Company has committed to meeting or exceeding all guidelines established by the CDC. As such, the Company has implemented property-specific comprehensive health and safety protocols, developed in close consultation with applicable state regulators and public health officials in local jurisdictions. More details on these health and safety protocols can be found on the property specific website, a link to which can be found at https://www.twinriverwwholdings.com. At Dover Downs, the Company reopened with 30% of capacity which will allow for approximately 950 VLT machines to be in operation. Table games and the hotel will not be opened in the first phase of reopening. In Rhode Island, the Company will initially open to invited guests with 1,570 VLTs available at Twin River Casino, and approximately 375 VLTs at Tiverton Casino Hotel. Table games and the hotels will not be open in the initial re-opening phase; however, stadium gaming positions, with appropriate social distancing, will be open to provide customers with a live dealer experience. "We are very excited to continue to progress on our reopening plan and with the prospect of having our full portfolio opened by the beginning of July," said George Papanier, President and Chief Executive Officer. "As evidenced by our successful reopening at Hard Rock Biloxi, there is strong market demand for which we are well-positioned as a regional gaming company focused on local and regional visitation. I am thankful and excited to welcome back our valued team members and loyal customers to safe and secure environments that meet or exceed CDC guidance." The Company also announced today that it believes its previously announced acquisition of Isle of Capri Kansas City in Missouri and Lady Luck Vicksburg in Mississippi, both of which have resumed operations, will close in early July, pending Missouri regulatory approval. Mr. Papanier continued, "As we continue to reopen our properties, we are also looking forward to closing our previously announced acquisitions to expand our geographic footprint in attractive markets. Along with our recently closed acquisition in Black Hawk, Colorado, the five new properties we now have under contract are expected to drive sustained growth and enhance our already strong free cash flow profile." About Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc. Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc. owns and manages seven casinos, two in Rhode Island, one in Mississippi, one in Delaware, and three casinos as well as a horse racetrack that has 13 authorized OTB licenses in Colorado. Properties include Twin River Casino Hotel (Lincoln, RI), Tiverton Casino Hotel (Tiverton, RI), Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Biloxi, MS), Dover Downs Hotel & Casino (Dover, DE), Golden Gates Casino (Black Hawk, CO), Golden Gulch Casino (Black Hawk, CO), Mardi Gras Casino (Black Hawk, CO), and Arapahoe Park racetrack (Aurora, CO). Its casinos range in size from 695 slots and 17 table games combined for its Colorado facilities to properties with over 4,100 slots, approximately 125 table games, and 48 stadium gaming positions, along with hotel and resort amenities. Its shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "TRWH." Investor Contact Media Contact Steve Capp Liz Cohen Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Kekst CNC 401-475-8564 212-521-4845 [email protected] [email protected] Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains "forward-looking" statements as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than historical facts, including future financial and operating results and the Company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, legal, economic and regulatory conditions are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are sometimes identified by words like "may," "will," "should," "potential," "intend," "expect," "endeavor," "seek," "anticipate," "estimate," "overestimate," "underestimate," "believe," "could," "project," "predict," "continue," "target" or other similar words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are based upon current plans, estimates and expectations that are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. The inclusion of such statements should not be regarded as a representation that such plans, estimates or expectations will be achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such plans, estimates or expectations include, among others, (1) uncertainty surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including uncertainty regarding its extent, duration and impact, the resulting closure and length of closure of Twin Rivers' properties (all of which are currently scheduled to be open by end of July, pending regulatory approval); (2) the duration of time Twin River's facilities are required to be closed and the time it will take Twin River to re-open its facilities once it is permitted to do so and the restrictions that will be applicable to its facilities when they are re-opened; (3) the costs to comply with any mandated health requirements associated with the virus; (4) customer responses when Twin River's facilities are re-opened including the time it takes customers to return to the facilities and the frequency with which they visit Twin River's facilities; (5) the economic uncertainty and challenges in the economy resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including the resulting reduced levels of discretionary consumer spending; (6) challenges Twin River may face in bringing employees back to work once its facilities are re-opened; (7) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the recently completed acquisitions; (8) uncertainty of the expected financial performance of Twin River, including the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of its acquisitions; (9) Twin River's ability to implement its business strategy; (10) evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes; (11) the effects of competition that exists in the gaming industry; (12) the actions taken to reduce costs and losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which could negatively impact guest loyalty and our ability to attract and retain employees; (13) risks associated with increased leverage from Twin River's proposed acquisitions; (14) the inability or unwillingness of the lenders under our revolving credit facility to fund requests that we may make to borrow amounts under the facility; (15) increased borrowing costs associated with higher levels of borrowing and (16) other risk factors as detailed under Part I. Item 1A. "Risk Factors" of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 13, 2020 and the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2020 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 14, 2020. The foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this communication. Twin River does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or development, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. SOURCE Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc. Related Links https://www.twinriverwwholdings.com This is the horrific moment a young girl screams as milk is poured over her face after she was pepper-sprayed by cops at a George Floyd protest in Seattle, Washington, on Saturday. The youngster screams and yells 'I can't see' as frantic onlookers rush over to help her and she is comforted by someone who appears to be accompanying. Protests erupted nationwide over the last week in response to the death of unarmed black man Floyd in Minneapolis. A fellow protester poured a carton of milk over the young girl's face after she was allegedly pepper-sprayed during a protest in Seattle, Washington The child shouts and screams as if in pain as people in the crowds try to help soothe her Someone who appeared to be accompanying her try to restrain her as she screams out 'I can't see' and try to calm the clearly distressed girl down White police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, despite Floyd's desperate repeated pleas for help crying, 'I can't breathe'. Floyd passed out and later died. The latest video to emerge from the protests shows the young girl clearly distressed, crying and screaming in pain, as people try to calm her down. A fellow protester sprays something from a bottle onto her face to try and soothe her before another pulls out a carton of milk and pours it over her head. In response, protesters confront the police officers who are blocking the street, with one person asking them if they were responsible and making note of their names. It is not clear who the child was accompanied by at the protest. Protesters confront police officers, who are blocking the street, after they allegedly pepper-sprayed the youngster Police block the street during a protest in Seattle, Washington Saturday against the death of George Floyd, a black man who died May 25 in the custody of Minneapolis Police On Saturday thousands of people gathered downtown in the rain to protest, with Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announcing a citywide 5pm curfew after police pepper-sprayed demonstrators and reportedly used flash bangs and tear gas. Officers with bicycles were also seen pushing people to move back when they got too close to police lines. The mayor declared an emergency and issued an order banning weapons. Although many dispersed soon after, dozens remained downtown in defiance of the curfew, setting fires, breaking into retail stores and taking items while police fired tear gas. The governor said he had activated up to 200 members of the Washington National Guard in response to a request from the city to help protect property, as well as manage crowds and traffic. Guard personnel will be unarmed and work under the direction of city leadership, the statement from the governor's office said. People set fire to vehicles during the George Floyd protest in Seattle on Saturday In a statement released yesterday, Seattle Police chief Carmen Best said officers had arrested 27 people for a variety of offences, including, assault, arson, destruction and looting. She added that multiple officers and civilians had been injured as a result of the protests and stated the priority for the police department was 'protecting life and ending the destruction'. 'The Seattle Police Department was prepared to facilitate the peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights. 'In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd we all are rightfully angry, sad, frustrated, and heartbroken. 'Due to the actions of some groups who wanted to take advantage of this situation what started peacefully around Noon, became violent and destructive around 2:40pm.' Read what is in the news today: Society Vietnam logged no new cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Monday morning. The national tally remains at 328, with 279 recoveries and no deaths. A person was killed and seven others injured in a house fire on Le Trong Tan Street in Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday. Police in the northern province of Bac Ninh on Sunday initiated legal proceedings against a fraud ring led by a 12th-grade student who used phishing to obtain sensitive information of over 100 victims, appropriating more than VND10 billion (US$430,000). The health of a British pilot who is the sickest COVID-19 patient in Vietnam has further improved, with him now displaying a stronger cough reflex and muscle strength, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control said on Monday morning. More than 340 Vietnamese citizens from Singapore arrived at Can Tho International Airport in the namesake Mekong Delta city on a repatriation flight on Sunday. Business Ho Chi Minh Citys consumer price index (CPI) in May went down 0.33 percent from the previous month and 1.38 percent compared to December but it rose 1.4 percent year-on-year, according to the citys statistics office. Thi Vai International Port Co. Ltd has announced its investment of more than VND2.7 trillion ($115.7 million) in upgrading the Thi Vai international port in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. Lifestyle The contemporary art exhibition Lunar Breccia featuring five Vietnamese artists Nghia Dang, Do Thanh Lang, Hoang Duong Cam, Hoang Nam Viet, and Vo Tran Chau and French artists Sandrine Llouquet and Keen Souhlal is underway at Galerie Quynh in Ho Chi Minh City. Sports The Vietnam Mixed Martial Arts Federation (VMMAF) was officially established at its first congress held in Hanoi on Saturday. The meeting elected a 21-member executive board for the 2020-25 tenure, led by chairman Ngo Duc Quynh, three vice-chairmen, and a general secretary. World news COVID-19 has sickened over 6.26 million people and claimed more than 373,800 lives around the world, according to the Ministry of Healths statistics. Over 2.84 million patients have recovered from the disease. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Court of Appeal in Abuja has been asked by police to uphold the death sentence ruling on Maryam Sanda by an Abuja High Court for killing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello. The police in its brief of argument filed in response to the appeal filed by Sandas legal team submitted that the trial court was right in finding her guilty of intentionally killing her husband. Police counsel, James Idachaba, noted that the trial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu, took proper evaluation of the evidence before him before rendering the judgement that found Sanda guilty and sentenced to death. Speaking further, he said setting aside the trial courts decision would mean any angry spouse could easily take the life of their partner at will without consequence. Advertisement According to Idachaba, Sandas conviction and subsequent punishment was meant to serve as a deterrent to others who wish to commit the crime of culpable homicide. Read Also: Husband Killer, Maryam Sanda Sentenced To Death By Hanging He further submitted that Sanda was guilty of taking her husbands life and that her appeal was baseless, frivolous and lacking in merit, praying the Court of Appeal to dismiss it with a cost. Justice Halilu had on January 27, 2020, found Sanda guilty of stabbing her husband with a kitchen knife with a clear intent to kill. The judge said he reached his verdict by relying on the compelling circumstantial evidence and testimonies of the six witnesses called by the police; the relatives of the convict who cleaned up the scene of the crime; a post-mortem examination on the deceaseds corpse; and the contradictory statements of the convict. INDIANAPOLIS, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- National Commander of The American Legion James W. "Bill" Oxford issued the following statement today: "The desecration of national war memorials, which honor veterans of all races, is an absolute disgrace. The heroes honored by these monuments fought for social justice and freedom for all. Moreover America's veterans, who witnessed horrific violence in theaters around the world, should not have to see the same death and destruction here at home. The American Legion has always believed in equality for all. We also believe in the decency of the vast majority of law enforcement officers. Those who break the law, whether they are police officers or violent protesters, should be arrested and prosecuted. America, you can do better than this." 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 A person runs from a police officer spraying a chemical on 52nd Street in Philadelphia on Sunday, May 31, 2020. Read more Tear gas wafted through her neighborhood and helicopter rotors roared overhead as Pamela Blanding-Godbolt waited anxiously Sunday for her daughter to come home. LATEST: National Guard troops arrive in Philadelphia to help police following two days of unrest, looting; officials struggle to assess response to violence Im on pins and needles for her, said Blanding-Godbolt, who lives on Lindenwood Street, about a block away from 52nd Street, one of the centers of conflict . Her daughter, Courtney, 27, was driving to Philadelphia from Kentucky, and was scheduled to arrive after the citys 6 p.m. curfew began. Her mother wasnt sure how she would be able to get into the city, and if she would be safe once she arrived. The outrage and vandalism that shattered Center City on Saturday waited a day to spread to West Philly, where about 150 people took to the street. This time, though, the damage came to a business corridor that serves a predominantly black neighborhood, one that had been in the midst of finding its footing. At 52nd and Chestnut, looters climbed a trashed police cruiser to break into a Foot Locker store. A few blocks away, at Arch Street, two police vehicles smoldered. Tear gas fired from a police SWAT vehicle fogged the street. Businesses are already driven to this point of making the decision of whether theyre going to shut down for good because of the coronavirus," said Jabari Jones, president of the West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative, the largest coalition of small businesses in the neighborhood. "And now this might be the straw that breaks a lot of camels backs in terms of businesses saying, Look, I cant reopen. Sixty years ago, 52nd Street was one of the most thriving African American neighborhoods in the city. It has since struggled to regain its former vibrancy. Redlining kept African Americans from investing in the community, and in the last 20 years, a highly disruptive SEPTA repair project on the Market-Frankford Line, along with high crime, left the corridor in shambles. More recently, revitalization efforts through the city have supported storefront improvements and small kiosks for merchants along the sidewalk. Work was underway to bring tenants to some of the abandoned buildings along the corridor. Almost all the businesses on 52nd Street are small or locally owned, and about half are black-owned, some for multiple generations, Jones said. "Seeing decades of investment, of community planning, of support from grant-making agencies, and seeing so much of that great work literally be thrown away in the course of an afternoon is really devastating, Jones said. Jessie Joseph, who for 20 years has operated the Caribbean restaurant Brown Sugar at 52nd and Chancellor Streets, watched the damage on television from his home in Delaware and hoped for the best. He had pulled down the metal shutters on his business when he last closed, he said, and he believed the restaurant would be undamaged. Like so many others along the corridor, he felt deeply conflicted by the destruction to the neighborhood. He didnt approve of the looting, but he understood it. People are tired of the way things are, of black folks getting killed, he said. Thats what happens when people get frustrated. They start doing crazy things. That similar sentiment came from others in the neighborhood. George Floyds death on Monday while in police custody in Minneapolis stirred a new round of rage over decades of black lives perpetually marked by anxiety and fear. Theres no way that you can act that doesnt end up with us being in a space where our lives are forfeit, said Serita Lewis, who lives and runs a business on 50th Street organizing community engagement programs. You have all these insecurities and people are just lashing out blindly to make their voices heard. READ MORE: Center City retailers endure an epic night of looting on top of coronavirus closures Police initially fired tear gas as the Foot Locker was looted. But by early evening they were shooting tear gas canisters down 52nd Street at people simply standing on the street. Two neighborhood doctors, Vijay and Elizabeth Bhoj, who sought to help people affected by tear gas or injured, said one family had to evacuate their home when a tear gas canister landed on their porch. Among those they treated for tear gas exposure were young children. Its hard seeing people trying to find a voice who have had theirs taken away, Elizabeth Bhoj said. The McDonalds across the street from the Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library had its window smashed. Near 52nd and Walnut Streets, a drugstore, a store that sells medical scrubs, and a beauty shop were looted. I work there, and I gotta clean that up tomorrow, said a young woman outside. Revitalization efforts on 52nd Street were already controversial. Residents and business owners feared revitalization could mean remaking the community more friendly for whites and less welcoming for the people who call it home now. If this weekends damage does drive out businesses, Lewis worried that gentrification could be encouraged. So many of the properties that are owned on 52nd Street, those are not people that live in our community, she said. Some of them will decide its not worth it for them to rebuild, and itll turn into a fire sale. Jones agreed that there was a risk the twin tragedies of the pandemic and Sundays destruction could threaten efforts to encourage locally owned business on the corridor. We need city, state, and federal or otherwise resources to help us rebuild those community corridors, he said. Joseph, who planned to visit his restaurant Monday morning, was more optimistic. The damage, though stark, was confined to a few blocks. Well overcome, he said. We are strong people. We always find a way out. By 7:20 p.m. Sunday, Blanding-Godbolt had heard from her daughter. She had arrived safely at her fathers home. The news brought some calm, but didnt fully ease her unsettled mind. A sense of relief, she texted about her daughters safe return, but disturbed by all that has taken place. 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. Two Americans arrested for attempting to smuggle ammunition over Sonora border Nogales, Sonora Elements of the National Guard arrested two Americans and seized their vehicle after finding more than 9,900 cartridges and 37 long gun magazines. Elements of the Guardia Nacional (GN) made the capture at the Garita 1 Puerta de Mexico in Nogales during a custom inspection to fight the flow of illegal weapons entering Mexico from the United States. The arrest of the two Americans was carried out when a pick-up truck with Arizona license plates attempted to flee during an inspection at customs. The incident occurred when officials discovered the pickup truck had a concealed compartment in the back of the cabin. Upon that discovery, the pair attempted to flee, only to hit a concrete wall after the driver lost control of the truck. The two, who were US citizens, were arrested and their load of illegal cargo seized along with their vehicle. Both have been registered in the National Detention Registry. Chinese state-run newspaper Global Times has warned that India needs to be careful about being involved in the United States-China rivalry. In an article, the newspaper, considered the Chinese governments mouthpiece, said: With nationalist sentiment on the rise in India, there have been some voices calling for the Indian government to join the new Cold War and exploit its position for more gains. Such irrational voices are nothing but misleading, which should not represent the mainstream voices and sway the Indian government's stance, the article said. It claimed that India has "little to gain" from engaging in a US-China conflict and had "more to lose which is why the Modi government needs to face the new geopolitical development objectively and rationally. The article further warned that under the current circumstance, India needs to be careful not to include the US factor in its handling of any problem in its relations with China, otherwise it will only complicate the issue. It pointed out that the same is true of the recent China-India border tension. It said the United States offer of mediation was unnecessary and it was the last thing the two sides could use. It reiterated the Chinese governments stand that China and India have the ability to resolve their problems, and there is no need for any third-party intervention. On May 29, China had 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 May 27 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. These developments and the latest article by Global Times comes amid escalating tension, Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane had paid a quiet visit to the headquarters of 14 Corps in Leh on May 22 and reviewed with the top commanders the overall security scenario in the region including in the disputed areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) the de-facto border between the two countries. On May 26, President Xi Jinping ordered the Chinese military to scale up the battle preparedness, visualising the worst-case scenarios and asked them to resolutely defend the country's sovereignty. It was unclear if the comments were linked to the rising tensions between India and China. The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 that extended into 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. Earlier last month, local commanders of both the sides held at least five meetings during which the Indian side took strong note of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) erecting large numbers of tents in areas in the Galwan Valley which India felt belonged to its side of the LAC. By Ayya Lmahamad The volume of passenger traffic by all types of transportation means in Azerbaijan dropped by 18.9 year-on-year in the period of January-April amounting to 509.8 million people, local media reported citing the State Statistics Committee. The drop in passenger traffic is due to the special quarantine regime over the COVID-19 , resulting in the suspension of trains in the subway and of entry and exit to the territory of the country by land and air. In total, the carriers served 509.8 million passengers. Out of them, 89.7 percent were transported by automobile transport, 10 percent - by subway, while the rest were transported by other means of transport. In the reporting period 1.1 million people were transported by rail (11.9 percent growth compared to the same period last year), 5.800 people by sea (5.5 percent growth), 439.000 people by air (33.8 percent drop), 50.9 million people by subway (34.1 percent drop). Moreover, 457.3 million passengers were transported by road, which is the largest share of the transport volume (with 16.8 percent drop compared to the same period last year). Out of this, 96.2 percent of passengers used buses and 3.8 percent used taxis. Azerbaijan first introduced special quarantine regime on March 24 and the fourth stage of quarantine regime easing came into force May 31, although the ban on transportation of passengers by buses and rail from Baku to other regions of the country remains in force. As of June 1, Azerbaijan has registered 5.494 COVID-19 cases and 63 coronavirus- related deaths so far. The total number of recovered patients is 3.428. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Donald Trump's offer to 'mediate' between India and China took everyone by surprise, as did his claim to having spoken to Narendra Modi on the issue It's truly a curious phase in India's history that finds the country in a continuing war with a catastrophic virus; a bloody and almost daily war with Pakistan; and in a very serious and threatening crisis with China which is so absent from news headlines that one might very nearly miss it altogether. Yet those who did know marvelled that a country that was responsible for nearly two lakh people being infected in India leading to a complete grinding to a halt of the economy was crass enough to resort to violence in the remote north. That began inoffensively enough with a few pushes and stones thrown. Now satellite imagery seems to indicate that China is digging in, rather rapidly expanding its footprint in the remote but sensitive area, in an attempt to deny India its rapidly increasing infrastructure development along the Line of Actual Control. As of now, it seems that China is using a salami-slicing approach for tactical advantage. Salami-slicing refers, as the term suggests, to small incremental steps to improve one's position or territorial space. Indeed, General Bipin Rawat, the then-army chief had warned of just such tactics after the Doka La standoff. This is what Beijing does, in the South China Sea and along its Himalayan borders. But a question that has to be asked is whether tactical advantages point to aggressive future plans, under what former foreign secretary and scholar Vijay Gokhale describes as the newly overconfident and arrogant leadership. This is the first question. Faced with its inordinately large neighbour, Delhi has chosen to handle the whole quietly, without public noise and fury, even while keeping all its friends informed on the situation. That incidentally, is standard practice that has been followed ever since Jawaharlal Nehru's time. It's true that some friends are closer than others, not due to any particular affection but due to the fact that both have common enemies namely China and common interests, that include keeping the world's one remaining territorially predatory power in check. Donald Trump's offer to 'mediate' between India and China took everyone by surprise, as did his claim to having spoken to Narendra Modi on the issue. The Ministry of External Affairs politely but firmly declined the offer, observing that the Asian nations were 'fully engaged' to resolve the issue. Embarrassingly, 'sources' also made it clear that the last call with the US president had been on 4 April. The Chinese foreign ministry fumed, and Global Times ran a piece that warned that the US "exploits every chance to create waves that jeopardise regional peace and order". China has since then made an effort to soothe the diplomatic waters, even while it continues to augment its strength on the border, which is being matched by India soldier-for-soldier. That raises the second question. Trump and the White House bureaucracy have been pushing India towards the "Indo-Pacific" construct, to Beijing's dismay. The Department of State's chief South Asia official Alice Wells has repeatedly praised the end of Indian diffidence in working with the US. Trump is wooing India consistently, with his latest being a statement in which he said that the G-7 needs to include India and others to make it more representative. He's also steadily increasing the pressure on China; abruptly quitting the WHO, removing certain Chinese firms from the bourses, even while Congress has passed a bill calling for sanctions on China on account of the ill-treatment of the Uighurs. Then there is the most vexing of all, the move to give Taiwan a seat at the WHO. There is indeed a section of opinion that views (without much proof) the present conflict as arising from India taking over the chair at the world body. The question then is this: Given rising Chinese strength on the border, how much should India actually come out of the closet and become a virtual ally of a country that is determined to annoy China in every way possible? Its all very well for the foreign minister S Jaishankar to say that India's relations with other countries will be issue based, but does the defence of India's sovereignty call for coming out of the closet, for a closer relationship with the US? That brings matters to the most important question of all. There is little information or a tabulation of the series of actions that India has been taking however legitimately in terms of infrastructure on the border. Apart from the engineering feat in the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi Road that brings connectivity right up to the border, together with link roads thereof, two bridges in Arunachal Pradesh were also recently inaugurated. Recent news that 11 trains are to bring 12,000 workers to continue road building on the China border indicates that this thrust will continue. Which then means that China will also bring up more forces across, and this cycle will lead to more incidents. View Survey Indeed, the steady increase in border clashes is precisely due to this. The bottom line is that despite the talk of 'mirror deployment', China can bring up a lot more troops and equipment than India can for both monetary and terrain reasons. The third question then is this: Is India choosing the right border to show its strength? Look at the map from Beijing, and what is immediately apparent is that large peninsula jutting outwards into the sea. India has a huge advantage at sea, and where 'allies' are also available. Is it better to shift away from a strategy of strength on the border to one that emphasises capability at sea, that too in a budget-constrained environment? Impassable forests and mountains may be a better defence than anything else India can provide, particularly when the country has a string of airfields along those borders. A decision on such a shift will may well decide the answers to the other three questions. Militaries are slow to change things from the way they were. But politicians and strategists need to reconfigure. It's time to bring out the maps. ALBANY The Capital Region and western New York are on track to further loosen restrictions on businesses shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic this week, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Monday. He expects western New York to move to phase two on Tuesday, with the Capital Region following the next day. Both regions have been in the first reopening phase for about two weeks, and in the second phase can begin reopening retail stores, hair salons and barbershops with certain safety and social distancing restrictions. "All the numbers look good there," Cuomo said of the Capital Region. "We're going to run them by our global team to make sure they're as good as we think they are." The governor has enlisted two international public health experts to review regional data before giving local officials the greenlight to move through phases. That setup had caused mass confusion last week, as local leaders in five regions of upstate New York including the Mohawk Valley and North Country had expected for days to begin phase two on Friday, only to be told the night before on a regional call with state officials that they would not be allowed. Cuomo stepped in the next day and permitted the regions to reopen that afternoon, saying the experts had reviewed the data that morning. For weeks, coronavirus statistics have been on the decline in New York, with 54 individuals succumbing to the virus on Sunday the lowest number since the beginning of the crisis. The state has scaled up testing capacity to test more than 50,000 people per day, and just about 2 percent are returning positive. Latest coronavirus-related cancellations, postponements The latest coronavirus numbers in NY Sign up for the Times Union coronavirus newsletter Full coronavirus coverage But Cuomo said he worries that recent protests statewide which have drawn thousands to the streets not only in New York City but upstate as well may hurt progress that the state has made to keep the virus under control. Demonstrators have turned out for days to protest police brutality, spurred by the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis last week. Some of the protests turned violent over the weekend, including in Albany, and many individuals were not wearing masks. While Cuomo reiterated that he "stand(s) with the protesters," he again urged them to remain peaceful, wear masks and socially distance. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "We just spent 93 days limiting behavior, closing down no school, no business," Cuomo said. "Thousands of small businesses destroyed. People will have lost their jobs, people wiped out their savings, and now mass gatherings with thousands of people in close proximity one week before were going to reopen New York City? What sense does this make?" But as Cuomo cautioned against mass gatherings for the sake of public health, President Donald Trump on Monday urged governors to crack down on violent demonstrations, which he blamed on the "radical left." White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany reiterated the sentiment at an afternoon press briefing. It is their responsibility to police their streets, McEnany said of governors. They have quite clearly, many of them, failed to do their job. Cuomo spent the second half of his briefing Monday discussing the fight against racism and police abuse. He again called for a national ban on excessive force and chokeholds, as well as independent investigations of police misconduct. He also said police officers who are investigated for misconduct should have their disciplinary records released. Those documents are currently shielded by a state statute known as 50-a, which both Democratic majorities in the Senate and Assembly are discussing Monday in conference. Emilie Munson contributed reporting. YEREVAN, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan addressed a congratulatory message on the International Day for Protection of Children on June 1. The message says: Dear children, I congratulate all of you on June 1 the International Day for Protection of Children, wishing you a happy childhood, happy family and reliable future. We must do everything for you to live in families with love and solidarity and to be able to freely express your opinion on matters concerning you. Children having high value system, educated, informed and treating one another with respect are our future. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan Sheikh Salah Hamdan Albluewi (pictured), 52, who is accused of failing to settle his 2 million gambling debt with a London casino, sent the establishment 17 cheques which bounced A Saudi Sheik who is embroiled in a 2 million gambling debt with a London casino 'sent 17 cheques that bounced' as he tried to settle his alleged feud with the establishment. Sheikh Salah Hamdan Albluewi, 52, who is accused of failing to settle the large debts he ran up last September, had said he would pay his bill before returning to Saudi Arabia, the exclusive Les Ambassadeurs Club in Mayfair claimed. The Park Lane casino, which featured in the 1962 James Bond film Dr No, went on to claim that the Sheik had an extensive 'tariff card' during his 26 years as a member there. On Friday, the dispute, which has reached now reached the High Court, saw a judge remove a freezing order on the property tycoon's global assets which was imposed in February. The freezing order was enforced after the casino claimed it had been unable to contact the Sheikh and that he had 'gone to ground' after his cheques bounced in September last year, The Evening Standard reported. 'It has also become apparent that Mr Albluewi has run up significant gambling debts with other London casinos and has simply walked away from them,' court documents from the casino's lawyers seen by The Times revealed. The club added that the Sheikh had gone to Saudi Arabia in October last year 'where such debts are completely unenforceable.' The club claims that the Sheik, whose company SAB Ventures owns a 45 million mansion in Carlton House Terrace, had assured them he would pay the money back but then returned to Saudi Arabia before doing so. The Sheikh accepted responsibility for the cheques not clearing but said he had warned the casino this would happen. He also denied that he had 'gone to ground' and said he regularly travels between Saudi Arabia and London and had not picked up the initial communications from the casino. Mr Albluewi's lawyers told the court their client denied any wrongdoing. The exclusive casino in Park Lane, Mayfair, claimed that the property tycoons had an extensive 'tariff card' The casino in London featured in the 1962 James Bond film Dr No with actor Sean Connery During the dispute, the court heard the Sheikh was a 'significant player' at the casino since signing up as a member in 1993. He is said to have bought around 14 million of gaming chips and sustained losses of around 5 million. In his ruling last week, Mr Justice Freedman said casino staff know the Sheikh is very wealthy and had visited his home in Carlton House Terrace. He said the Sheikh had not been 'frank' about the state of his debts to other casinos, but that given his wealth and ties to London and Jersey there was little risk of that the casino wouldn't be able to retrieve its money. Mr Albluewi's company website, SAB Group, describes him as the Chairman of SAB Holding and a world-leading entrepreneur. He has a raft of companies operating in the Middle East along with investment arm, SAB Investment, that 'has created market defining businesses in the Communications. Logistics, Retail, Real Estate, Medical, Travel, Construction and Luxury goods sectors.' Keeping one metre apart can slash the risk of catching coronavirus by 80 per cent, according to a major study funded by the World Health Organization (WHO). Researchers found there was roughly a 1.3 per cent chance of contracting the virus when two metres from an infected patient. But halving this gap raised the risk to only 2.6 per cent. This means the disease would spread to fewer than three in 100 people, against 13 in 100 without any social distancing at all. That equates to an 80 per cent reduction in risk. The study showed nothing could provide complete protection, although face masks have a strong shielding effect reducing the risk of catching the virus by up to 85 per cent. The research, published in medical journal The Lancet, will add to the clamour for Britains two-metre rule social distancing rule to be relaxed. Guidance from WHO stipulates one-metre social distancing and Britain is one of only a handful of countries going farther. France, Sweden, Singapore and Austria all follow the UN agencys advice and Germany, Australia and the Netherlands have opted for 1.5 metres. Politicians and business leaders have claimed the small increased risk from relaxing the two-metre restriction would be worth the economic benefits of allowing more businesses to reopen. Housing minister Simon Clarke today revealed the government is 'determined' to keep the two-metre rule - despite growing pressure. He told Sky News this morning: 'The 2m rule is something which we are determined to maintain. 'It's something we believe keeps the public safe and keeps the risk at a manageable level and allows us to start getting our economy back to normal.' Researchers found there was roughly a 1.3 per cent chance of contracting the virus when two metres from an infected patient. But halving this gap raised the risk to only 2.6 per cent. This means the disease would spread to fewer than three in 100 people, against 13 in 100 without any social distancing at all. That equates to an 80 per cent reduction in risk Housing minister Simon Clarke today revealed the government is 'determined' to keep the two-metre rule - despite growing pressure What is the science behind two-metre social distancing rule? The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a one metre distance between two people from separate households. The reason for this, as stated on its website, is that: 'When someone coughs, sneezes, or speaks they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person has the disease.' But other countries have taken advice from their own health experts and social distancing varies from two metres (in the UK) down to one metre (in France) The two metre rule can be traced back to research in the 1930s that showed droplets of liquid from coughs or sneezes would land within a one-two metre range. Social distancing varies between different countries: TWO METRES: UK, Switzerland, US, Spain, Italy 1.5 METRES: Germany, Poland, Netherlands ONE METRE: Austria, Norway, Sweden, Finland SO, WHAT HAVE THE STUDIES SHOWN? ONE METRE Number 10's chief scientific adviser - Sir Patrick Vallance - has said that the one metre rule is up to 30 times more risky than the two metre rule. He told MPs earlier this month the risk of spending a minute next to a Covid-19 patient for two minutes was 'about the same' as being within a metre of a Covid-19 case for six seconds. The latest evidence, published in The Lancet, found there was roughly a 2.6 per cent chance of catching the virus when one metre from a Covid patient. But doubling the gap cut the risk to only 1.3 per cent. TWO METRE One of the top scientific advisers to the British Government said the two metre social distancing rule is based on 'very fragile' evidence. Professor Robert Dingwall, a member of Nervtag, referred to it as a 'rule of thumb' rather than a scientifically proven measure. Other experts have said the distance may be a non-scientific estimate that just caught on in countries around the world. IS TWO METRES ENOUGH? The UK's coronavirus social distancing limit is four times too short and the gap should be 26 feet, said experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in March. They found viral droplets expelled in coughs and sneezes can travel in a moist, warm atmosphere at speeds of between 33 and 100ft per second. This creates a cloud in the atmosphere that can span approximately 23ft to 27ft (seven metres to eight metres) to neighbouring people, the team said. Another study by scientists in Cyprus, published a fortnight ago, added to the evidence when it found the two-metre rule may not be far enough. Researchers found even in winds of two miles per hour (mph) - the speed needed for smoke to drift - saliva can travel 18 feet in just five seconds. And scientists from the universities of California Santa Barbara and Stanford last week said the two metre rule may have to be trebled when winter strikes. They found droplets that carry SARS-CoV-2 - the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 - can travel up to 20feet (six metres) in cold and humid areas. Advertisement Writing in yesterdays Daily Mail, former chancellor Norman Lamont said halving the rule to one metre was the single most important measure we must take to avoid devastating mass unemployment. The WHO only recommends staying one metre apart. In France and Italy, the recommended social distance is just one metre, while Germany and Australia have implemented a 1.5 metre rule. Yesterday's study, published in the Lancet, was conducted to inform WHO guidance and reviewed data from 172 existing studies on the spread of Covid-19, SARS and MERS. It concluded: Keeping a distance of over one metre from other people was associated with a much lower risk of infection compared with less than one metre. However, the modelling suggests for every extra metre further away up to three metres, the risk of infection or transmission may halve. The study also adds to evidence that face masks should be worn on public transport and in busy areas, and highlights the importance of PPE for healthcare workers. It found that the risk of catching the virus when wearing a mask was just three per cent, compared to 17 per cent when not wearing a mask. Co-author Dr Derek Chu, from McMaster University, said: We believe that solutions should be found for making face masks available to the general public. However, people must be clear that wearing a mask is not an alternative to physical distancing, eye protection or basic measures such as hand hygiene, but might add an extra layer of protection. Former ministers Mr Lamont and Theresa Villiers are among a growing chorus of politicians calling for the two metre social distancing rule to be reduced to save jobs. They have pointed to the smaller social distancing recommendations in other countries. Figures from the British Beer and Pub Association figures show that, with the current two metre rule, only 20 to 30 per cent of premises will be able to open at a sustainable level. However, if the rule was reduced to one metre, 70 per cent would be able to open. Mr Lamont said: The onus is on the (Government's) advisers to explain why it is that, while Britons must stay two metres apart, the World Health Organisation recommends one metre - as do many other European countries, acting on their scientists' advice. Miss Villiers, a former environment secretary, tod BBC Radio 4: I think we should take comfort from the World Health Organisation that one to two metres is safe and the fact that many other countries have taken the approach of one or 1.5 metres, that demonstrates that can be managed safely. Unless we ease the two metre rule, the hospitality sector is likely to stay closed. The former ministers' comments come days after chairman of the Commons Science Committee Greg Clark said he had written a letter to Boris Johnson urging the Prime Minister to relax the two metre rule. Mr Clark said: 'The difference between 2m and 1.5m may seem small but it can be the difference between people being able to go to work and losing their jobs.' On Thursday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson reiterated his support for the two metre rule, saying: I must stress that to control the virus, everyone needs to stay alert, act responsibly, strictly observe social distancing rules, and stay two metres apart from those who you do not live with. Commenting on the new study, Professor Trish Greenhalgh, from the University of Oxford, said: On average, staying one metre away from other people appears to reduce your chance of catching COVID-19 by 80 per cent. Wearing a mask or face covering appears to reduce your risk by up to 85 per cent. And wearing goggles or a face shield seems to reduce it by up to 78%. Whilst all these results are subject to uncertainty, the overwhelming message is that physical measures are effective in preventing COVID-19. Professor Linda Bauld, from the University of Edinburgh, said the study showed how physical distancing matters and argued that the current two metre rule should be maintained where possible. She said: There have been plenty of complaints that the guidance in the UK on two meters distance is excessive because it is more than in other countries. But this review supports it. Maintaining this distance is likely to reduce risk compared to 1 meter. Thus where possible, this is the distance that retailers and employers should use as more premises and workplaces reopen in the future. 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 newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now. UPDATED: June 1, 12:56 p.m. As protests over the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer stretch into their fifth night, KPCC/LAist reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez was shot in the throat with a rubber bullet by Long Beach police officers. Guzman-Lopez was among many people present at the protests -- including some of our other reporters -- to witness or be injured by aggressive acts by law enforcement officers. Among jarring incidents nationwide was video of officers in Minneapolis firing paint rounds at people sitting on their own front porches. The contrast between police response to these protests and how people protesting the pandemic restrictions -- many of whom came armed to rallies -- were treated has been notable. Under the law, reporters are specifically allowed access to protests in order to do their jobs. Prior to sending reporters into the field, KPCC/LAist had confirmed with officials from L.A. County and the cities of Long Beach, Los Angeles and Santa Monica that journalists were among those exempt from the curfew. UPDATE: Long Beach Mayor and Police Chief respond to the incident. 'STARTING TO HURT' The incident occurred at approximately 6:30 p.m. near 3rd Street and Pine Avenue in Long Beach, shortly after Guzman-Lopez had interviewed a protestor. In a tweet time-stamped 6:40 p.m., Guzman-Lopez wrote: "I just got hit by a rubber bullet near the bottom of my throat. I had just interviewed a man with my phone at 3rd and Pine and a police officer aimed and shot me in the throat, I saw the bullet bounce onto the street. OK," he said, "that's one way to stop me, for a while." In a follow-up tweet he wrote: "The rubber bullet hit stings like a mf, and is starting to hurt, talked to doctor friends, said if not having trouble breathing then ok. Going home." I just got hit by a rubber bullet near the bottom of my throat. I had just interviewed a man with my phone at 3rd and Pine and a police officer aimed and shot me in the throat, I saw the bullet bounce onto the street @LAist @kpcc OK, thats one way to stop me, for a while pic.twitter.com/9C2u5KmscG Adolfo Guzman-Lopez (@AGuzmanLopez) June 1, 2020 About an hour earlier, Lopez told KPCC host A Martinez by phone that it had been a "rollercoaster" at 3rd Street and Pine Avenue, where about 200 people kneeled on one knee as they faced about two dozen police officers in riot gear. Guzman-Lopez told Martinez that nearby, people broke into a men's shop, just out of sight of police officers. Eventually police were alerted; they arrived at the scene and fired rubber bullets. However, Guzman-Lopez said, "Right now it's peaceful." Guzman-Lopez, after icing his throat, was able to speak on air about what happened on 89.3 KPCC. "I'm okay. I'm breathing," he told Larry Mantle. Power our courageous reporters: please keep local non-profit journalism alive with an impactful donation today. Guzman-Lopez said he had just finished interviewing one of the protesters who'd been kneeling. He noted that he was one of the only people standing. "I talked to him for about a minute and just as I was finishing talking to him -- right after I said: 'Thank you,' I heard a pop and I felt something, you know, the bottom of my throat and I saw something bounced onto the ground, and then I ran." "As I was running, I did start to feel its sting, and then I put my fingers to my throat and there was blood on my fingers." He asked people nearby what his injury looked like. "They said: 'Oh, man, it looks bad. Looks bad.' And so I took some pictures, and sure enough, so I am upset because of the sequence of events." He said he had previously witnessed a police officer firing rubber bullets and believed that officer likely fired the rubber bullet that hit him. He also said he believed it was purposeful. "I've been in these kinds of situations. I've covered protests with, you know, with police officers in riot gear," he said, including a 2007 May Day protest that sent one of his colleagues to the hospital. He said he was shot Sunday "only after I was obviously interviewing somebody. Nobody else in that intersection was doing anything like I was doing there." "It just doesn't square up with, you know, what is the policy towards using rubber bullets. OK, so you're trying to clear, you're trying to disperse. You're trying to stop people committing violent acts or that sort of thing. I was doing none of that... and I was nowhere near anybody engaged in any kind of, you know, taking, stealing or whatever." Guzman-Lopez also noted that he was wearing his press credentials in a lanyard around his neck, but he also noted that in the past those credentials had been far more visible than the current version. LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW 'IT JUST STARTED BLOWING' Yesterday, on Beverly Boulevard near Fairfax, KPCC/LAist's visual journalist Chava Sanchez was documenting protests when officers with LAPD "baton-checked" him, pushing him away from a barricade. "I identified myself as press and they kind of backed off a bit. Eventually they let me through," Sanchez said. Moments later, when LAPD and the L.A. County Sheriff's Department fired tear gas canisters, Sanchez said he was "caught in crossfire." He said the crowd had been peaceful, many with their hands in the air and chanting, "Hands up, don't shoot." One of the canisters landed right near me and it just started blowing," he said. "I couldn't see. I had to put my camera down." So thankful for all the folks who helped me after the police started shooting tear gas into the protest. pic.twitter.com/bkamzDom52 Jose Salvador (@chavatweets1) May 31, 2020 At that point, he said, a protestor sprayed baking soda and water on his face to stop the burning, while another poured milk on his eyes for the same purpose. He said officers fired three rounds of tear gas on the peaceful crowd. In the same part of the city, KPCC/LAist reporter Josie Huang had to flee from a barrage of rubber bullets fired at what she described as a peaceful crowd. At Fairfax and Beverly, LAPD appears to fire blanks into crowd. Forgive the shaky video, it was really unnerving. pic.twitter.com/KtWEJx9kcX Josie Huang (@josie_huang) May 30, 2020 'WE TOLD THEM WE WERE WITH THE PRESS' And on Sunday evening in Santa Monica, Sanchez and reporter Emily Guerin were in an alley near Broadway and 5th in Santa Monica attempting to document an arrest when police pointed rifles at them. "We heard arrests were happening and asked an officer if we could go closer. He said yes and instructed us to go down an alley," Guerin said. She wasn't sure if the officer giving instructions was with Santa Monica police or another agency. "We got about halfway down the alley when officers -- wearing different uniforms -- told us to stop. We stopped and put our hands in the air. We told them we were with the press. That's when they trained their guns on us." Guerin and Sanchez said they were unable to determine which law enforcement agency the officers were with. NATIONWIDE, POLICE AGGRESSION TOWARD PRESS As protests erupted over the past five days, numerous reports have surfaced of law enforcement officers acting aggressively toward members of the press, even when they were showing credentials, identifying themselves as journalists or clearly doing the work of journalists. Below is an incomplete list of such incidents: Also in Los Angeles: Lexis Olivier-Ray (who contributes to LAist) says he was hit in the stomach by an LAPD officer after identifying himself as a journalist. An LAPD officer hit me in the stomach after I clearly identified myself as a journalist multiple times. Lexis-Olivier Ray (@ShotOn35mm) May 30, 2020 Cerise Castle, a reporter with KCRW, was shot with a rubber bullet while holding her press badge above her head. LAPD just shot me and protestors gathered at Beverly & Fairfax with rubber bullets. I was holding my press badge above my head. pic.twitter.com/9YCXq3rUvc Cerise Castle (@cerisecastle) May 30, 2020 Samuel Braslow, a reporter for Los Angeles Magazine, was grazed by a rubber bullet. It is unclear whether he had identified himself as a journalist. Grazed by a rubber bullet while covering protests in Los Angeles. Police opened fire on protesters who hand their hands up outside CBS gate. pic.twitter.com/sAiG5q7193 Samuel Braslow (@SamBraslow) May 31, 2020 In New York: Christopher Mathias, a reporter for Huffington Post, was "roughed up" and possibly arrested while clearly engaging in the work of a journalist, with his press credentials showing, according to Danny Gold, a PBS NewsHour contributor on the scene. Law enforcement also used riot shields to rush Gold and freelance reporter Phoebe Leila Barghouty, who say they were complying and credentialed, according to Barghouty's Twitter account. Watched reporter @letsgomathias get roughed up and led away, possibly arrested, by police with his press pass clearly dangling on his neck. Danny Gold (@DGisSERIOUS) May 31, 2020 Keith Boykin, with CNN, was arrested after identifying himself as press. So heres what happened today. The NYPD arrested me at 96th Street and West Side Highway while I was taking photos and video to post to Twitter. I told the police I was with the Press, they walked by me and then turned around and arrested me. Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) May 31, 2020 In Minneapolis: CNN's Omar Jimenez, his photojournalist, and producer were arrested while live on air and attempting to comply with officers. Molly Hennessy-Fiske, with the Los Angeles Times, was hit with two rubber bullets and tear gas "at point blank range," according to her account on Twitter. Minnesota State Patrol just fired tear gas at reporters and photographers at point blank range. pic.twitter.com/r7X6J7LKo8 Molly Hennessy-Fiske (@mollyhf) May 31, 2020 Hennessy-Fiske later wrote in the LA Times, "I've covered protests involving police in Ferguson, Mo., Baton Rouge, La., Dallas and Los Angeles. I've also covered the U.S. military in war zones, including Iraq and Afghanistan. I have never been fired at by police until tonight." Madeleine Baran, a reporter with APMReports (APM is part of APMG, the parent company of KPCC/LAist), said police pointed weapons at her and her producer's heads. A Minneapolis police officer pointed a weapon at me at @sfreemarks heads, while we were standing on Nicollet and 32nd covering the protests. I yelled that Im a journalist. He did not lower his weapon, so we ran. Calling it a night. Madeleine Baran (@madeleinebaran) May 30, 2020 Linda Tirado, a photographer with the Guardian newspaper was blinded by a rubber bullet. Speaking with the New York Times, she said: "I would say there is no way that anyone had looked at me and not known that I am a working journalist," she said. "That said, police have been pretty clear that they don't care if you are working journalist." Ali Velshi, with MSNBC, said he and his crew were shot twice -- once after the crew members identified themselves as media.Velshi was hit in the leg. .@AliVelshi explains identifying himself and crew clearly and basically being told to F off. https://t.co/2dPSxRiXNX https://t.co/HKbHF25Ge8 Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) May 31, 2020 Maggie Koerth, a reporter with FiveThirtyEight.com, tweeted that law enforcement officers pointed weapons at her and other journalists they screamed that they were press. We just had MPD with support from outside sheriffs point weapons at us while we screamed that we were press. Shut up! one yelled back. We are safe. Maggie Koerth (@maggiekb1) May 31, 2020 Michael Anthony Adam, a reporter with Vice, tweeted: "Police just raided the gas station we were sheltering at. After shouting press multiple times and raising my press card in the air, I was thrown to the ground. Then another cop came up and peppered sprayed me in the face while I was being held down." Police had weapons trained on a group of us. We held up our press passes. One kept his rifle on us while the others continued to fire foam baton rounds. pic.twitter.com/duZu5zzzZI Michael Anthony Adams (@MichaelAdams317) May 31, 2020 Susan Ormiston, a correspondent with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., was shot in the shoulder with a rubber bullet. "She reports she and her camera operator were in a parking lot that had been cleared of protesters when she was shot," according to a colleague. CBCs @OrmistonOnline reports she was shot in the shoulder with a rubber bullet in Minneapolis. She reports she and her camera operator were in a parking lot that had been cleared of protesters when she was shot. And yet she delivers her live hit like a pro. pic.twitter.com/6yxhuSOO2U Laura McQuillan (@mcquillanator) May 31, 2020 John Marschitz, with CBS Newspath, was hit with rubber bullet as police fired on his team members, who he says were showing credentials and had cameras out. Police in Minneapolis are firing on us (press) with rubber bullets. Our sound engineer John Marschitz was hit. He is ok. We were not standing within 500 feet of any protesters at the time, and we had credentials displayed and cameras out. #cbsnews pic.twitter.com/Ai6Qd8gLjz Michael George (@MikeGeorgeCBS) May 31, 2020 In Detroit: JC Reindel, of the Detroit Free Press tweeted: "Several of our @freep journalists got pepper-sprayed tonight by Detroit Police, one directly in the face as he held up his media badge. A photographer had her livestream camera slapped out of her hand by another DPD officer as she tried to do her job." Several of our @freep journalists got pepper-sprayed tonight by Detroit Police, one directly in the face as he held up his media badge. A photographer had her livestream camera slapped out of her hand by another DPD officer as she tried to do her job. This is not OK. See this: https://t.co/PMq8IAnawi Jim Schaefer (@DetroitReporter) May 31, 2020 In Louisville: Sara Sidery, a TV Reporter with Fox Affiliate WDRB, said she was tear-gassed shortly before going live. Shortly before going live, police threw tear gas w/o warning. I got separated and ran out of instinct. I couldnt breathe or see. A group of #Louisvilleprotest protesters stopped to help me and poured baking soda solution in my eyes so I could see again. Thank you. @WDRBNews pic.twitter.com/PNDQwzQF6B Sara Sidery (@SaraSideryWDRB) May 31, 2020 In Chicago: Freelance journalist Jonathan Ballew says he was pepper-sprayed while holding up press pass. Just got pepper sprayed directly while holding my press pass up and screaming PRESS#chicagoprotest https://t.co/QomkORSs8D Jonathan Ballew (@JCB_Journo) May 31, 2020 UPDATES: June 3, 7:45 a.m.: This article was updated to correct the description of the Minneapolis video of police firing on residents, it appeared to be with paint rounds, not rubber bullets. Thirty people who returned to Assam from Kuwait by air on Friday were among the 124 new Covid-19 cases reported from the state on Monday taking its tally to 1,464 with the numbers more than tripling in a week. Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted about the 30 passengers from Kuwait testing positive for Covid-19. Assam now has 1,179 active cases while 278 have recovered and four have died. Three patients migrated to their own states before recovery. As part of Vande Bharat mission to bring back Indians stranded abroad, a Jazeera Airways flight carrying 155 passengers from Kuwait had landed at Guwahatis Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport on May 29. Click here for full Covid-19 coverage. This was the first international commercial flight which landed in Guwahati since the lockdown started on March 25. Nearly 100 of the passengers from that flight were quarantined in hostels of Gauhati University. Seven more flights from foreign countries including Philippines, Ukraine, Russia, Singapore, UK, USA and Kyrgyzstan carrying Indians are expected to land in Guwahati by June 14, according to Assam chief secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna. Over 2.3 lakh people have returned to Assam since ban on inter-state movement was lifted on May 4. This year has been a tough one for dividend investors. More than 175 public companies have reduced their dividend by at least 50%, with many of them suspending their payout. They made these moves to preserve cash so that they can survive the current challenging economic conditions in the fallout of the COVID-19 outbreak. However, not all dividend stocks are cutting their payouts these days. Several expect to keep growing them despite the current market conditions. Five of these dividend standouts are water utility American Water Works (NYSE:AWK), infrastructure operator Brookfield Infrastructure (NYSE:BIP)(NYSE:BIPC), electric utility NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE), industrial REIT Prologis (NYSE:PLD), and pipeline giant TC Energy (NYSE:TRP). Given the resilience of their dividends, I'd buy any one of them right now. Stable cash flow backs this dividend growth strategy American Water Works has delivered high-end dividend growth over the last six years, increasing its payout at a 10.4% compound annual rate. It expects that trend to continue, targeting dividend growth at the high end of its 7% to 10% yearly range through 2024. It has already delivered on that pledge this year because it recently provided investors with another 10% increase, boosting its dividend yield to around 2%. That payout is rock solid given the company's stable rate-regulated revenue, conservative payout ratio target of 50% to 60% of its cash flow, and top-notch credit profile, which includes one of the highest credit ratings in the utility sector. A durable dividend Brookfield Infrastructure has grown its dividend -- which currently yields around 5% -- at least once per year for more than a decade. The current level is on a firm foundation since Brookfield generates stable cash flow backed by regulated rates at its utilities and long-term, fixed-rate contracts at most of its other operations. It further supports its dividend with a strong investment-grade balance sheet and a conservative dividend payout ratio of less than 70% of its cash flow. That's why Brookfield Infrastructure believes it can continue increasing its payout at a 5% to 9% annual rate over the long term. High-powered dividend growth NextEra Energy also has a long history of growing its dividend, which it expects will continue in the coming years. In its view, it can increase its payout by about 10% per year through at least 2022. Powering that view is the stability of its cash flow, its conservative 60% payout ratio, and one of the strongest credit ratings in the utility space. Those factors provide it with the financial flexibility to invest in opportunities that grow its earnings, supporting its dividend growth plan. Delivering dividend growth Prologis has also done an excellent job of growing its payout at an above-average pace. Over the past five years, the company has increased it at an 11% compound annual rate, which is above the average pace of other logistics REITs and the broader market. The company expects to continue growing its payout -- which currently yields around 2.4% -- as it expands its logistics footprint. Further supporting that view is its top-notch balance sheet and a relatively low payout ratio of about 65% of its cash flow. A fully fueled dividend growth strategy TC Energy has an elite history of increasing its payout. The Canadian pipeline giant has boosted its dividend annually for the last 20 years, growing it at a more than 7% compound annual pace. It expects that trend to continue for the foreseeable future. In its view, it can boost its payout -- which currently yields 5.5% -- by 8% to 10% next year and then at a 5% to 7% yearly pace after 2021. Fueling that outlook is a massive backlog of expansion projects, a low 40% dividend payout ratio, and one of the strongest credit ratings in the pipeline sector. Rock-solid options for any income portfolio These five companies have a long history of delivering consistent dividend increases. Even better, each one expects to continue growing their payouts in the future despite the current market turmoil. That's because they all generate relatively stable revenue backed by government-regulated rates or long-term, fixed-fee contracts, have conservative payout ratios for their sector, and top-tier balance sheets. That gives them the financial flexibility to grow their operations and stable cash flows, which supports their ability to increase their dividends even during challenging market conditions. It would have no problem buying any one of them these days. Bollinger Shipyards LLC (Bollinger) has delivered the USCGC MYRTLE HAZARD to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Florida. This is the 162nd vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 39th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program. Bollinger Shipyards LLC (Bollinger) has delivered the USCGC MYRTLE HAZARD to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Florida. This is the 162nd vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 39th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Coast Guard Cutter Myrtle Hazard of U.S. Coast Guard. (Picture source Bollinger Shipyards) The USCGC MYRTLE HAZARD is the first of three (3) FRCs to be home-ported in Apra Harbor, Guam, increasing the presence for the U.S. Coast Guard in the Indo-Pacific Theater. Additionally, later in 2020, Bollinger will be delivering the first of six (6) FRCs that will be home-ported in Manama, Bahrain, which will replace the Island Class Patrol Boats supporting the Patrol Forces Southwest Asia, the U. S. Coast Guard's largest unit outside of the United States. Our latest delivery of the USCGC MYRTLE HAZARD is an important milestone in the FRC Program as it is the first of several vessels that will expand and support the Coast Guards operational presence and enhance the U.S.s mission in the Indo-Pacific region a focal point emphasized by both President Trump and Admiral Shultz, said Bollinger President & C.E.O. Ben Bordelon. Building ships for the U.S. Coast Guard provides critical assets to bolster our national security interests, both domestic and abroad. We are proud and humbled to be partners in the FRC program. The homeporting of three FRCs in Guam is part of the U.S. Coast Guards "doubling down on Oceania," allowing more frequent and longer patrols in an area where the U.S. Coast Guard has increased its presence over the past 18 months and is aligned with the priorities set in the 2018 National Defense Strategy on countering strategic competitors such as China and Russia. U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz stressed the strategic importance of the services presence in the region saying, "We're on a trajectory where the geostrategic importance of the Oceania region has not been higher here in decades, and it's a place that the Coast Guard's looking to be part of the whole-of-government solution set." While the last 12 weeks of the USCGC MYRTLE HAZARDs build occurred during the COVID-19 global pandemic, Bollinger undertook precautions to ensure the health and safety of employees and maintain its delivery schedule. In addition to increased and enhanced sanitization practices across the shipyard, Bollinger enacted more liberal leave and remote work policies as well as altered shift schedules to promote social distancing. Bordelon continued, Delivering vessels on schedule and on budget to the Coast Guard in these unprecedented times given the COVID-19 challenges that we are all facing shows the resiliency and dedication of our incredibly capable workforce. The FRC hot production line continues to produce and provide stability in the industrial base for the U.S. Government and our Bollinger workforce, assuring economic benefit for the Lafourche Parish Louisiana region, our vendor partners in the 40-plus states that support the FRC program, and our country. Each FRC is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished himself or herself in the line of duty. A young mother in 1918, Myrtle Hazard answered a help-wanted ad for a qualified radio operator after graduating from a radio and telegraphy class at the Baltimore YMCA. Extremely skilled in telegraphy and proficient in Morse code, the Coast Guard enlisted Ms. Hazard on January 21, 1918 and she became the services first female electrician.Ms. Hazard worked at U.S. Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, D.C. as an electricians mate 3rd class and was later promoted to electrician, 1st class, before being demobilized after the wars end. Mumbai: Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani addressed AGM on Thursday on Jio's 4G roadmap and signal culmination of the USD 42-billion capex cycle it had earmarked for its other businesses three years ago. Highlights of Mukesh Ambani's speech at Reliance AGM-: #12:05pm: Jio to be launched on 5th September, Mukesh Ambani says, "from 5th September India will be changed" #11:59am: Healthy competition is the lifeblood of a vibrant economy, its the engine that drives innovation and customer value. #11:58am: Team Jio aims to achieve 100 million customers in least time and set a record. #11:55am: Every Indian can do data-giri from September 5, 2016. #11:52am: Indians have come to appreciate "Gandhigiri", now every Indian can do "Data-giri". #11:51am: Data packs have a rate of Rs250/GB &with JIO, you can optimise to Rs50/GB, if you use more data, then you can go all the way down to Rs25/GB. #11:48am: Data packs available in market have an effective rate of Rs250/ GB & with JIO, you can optimise to Rs 50/GB. #11:44am: JIO tariffs are designed to give full freedom and flexibility to use more data. #11:43am: No roaming charges across the nation for Reliance Jio customers. #11:41am: Reliance Jio data tariff plans introduced by Mukesh Ambani. pic.twitter.com/25BgMQWNVa a ANI (@ANI_news) September 1, 2016 #11:40am: JIO makes India the highest quality lowest price data market in the world #11:35am: Our data plans go further with a tariff of Rs.50/GB. The more data you use, lower will be the rate. #11:33am: JIO's app booking, worth Rs15,000 for an annual subscription, will be available free for all active JIO customers till Dec 31, 2017. #11:32am: Great pleasure to announce a revolutionary concept for Indian market , all voice calls for Jio customers to be absolutely free. #11:30am: By March 2017 we will cover 90 percent of India's population. Will transform India to lowest price data market. #11:25am: We are now introducing a line of super affordable 4G smart phones #11:20am Jio is an entire eco-system thatall allow Indians to live digital life to the fullest. #11:15am Jio will transform the lives of Indians, it will realize potential of every Indian. #11:10am Mission of Reliance Jio is to take India from data shortage to data abundance. #11:05am With JIO we aim to enrich life of every Indian. Demand for digital oxygen, data, is incerasing. #11:03am JIO is dedicated to our PM Modias vision for 1.2 bn people. #11:00am Indians can't be left behind as the world enters a new era. Give the youth the right environment and they will surprise us. The AGM on Thursday comes at a time when the new entrant is locked in a dispute with the existing cellular operators on the points of interconnect. Reliance Jio has accused incumbent players of not releasing sufficient interconnection ports during its test run of services while the existing operators (under the aegis of COAI) have dubbed its testing of network as an effort to bypass regulations. At the previous AGM in June 2015, Ambani had stated that 2016-17 would be the first full year of operation of the company's telecom arm, Reliance Jio Infocomm. Besides shedding light on the telecom venture, he may spell out completion details of the USD 30 billion worth of petrochemical and downstream projects. Even as it is engaged in a spat with incumbent operators over points of inter-connection, Reliance Jio has been expanding its free 90-day unlimited calls and high-speed mobile broadband trial offer to 4G smartphone users of brands such as HTC, Intex, Vivo, Gionee, Karbonn and Lava. Jio service is already available on Sony, Sansui, Videocon, LG, Samsung, Micromax, Panasonic, Asus, TCL, Alcatel 4G smartphones, and the industry estimates that its reach may now extend to about potentially 75-80 per cent 4G phone users. Under the offer, the owner of a 4G-compliant handset from any of these brands can carry it to Reliance Digital stores, including Digital Xpress and Digital Xpress Mini, and other retail stores for a free Reliance Jio SIM. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 13:27:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, June 1 (Xinhua) -- China has done its best to prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19 disease, Cambodian Princess Norodom Arunrasmy has said in an interview with Xinhua. Arunrasmy, who is a privy councilor for the Supreme Privy Council to Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, said China's efforts to combat the virus were praiseworthy and that China had responded to the outbreak timely with effective measures. "The optimum use of resources for the optimum result during such an urgent situation was the best choice the Chinese authority has made," she said. The princess, who has recently visited Beijing, said what impressed her in particular was that Chinese people are very resilient after heavy losses due to the pandemic. "I also admire their efforts to support and cooperate individually and collectively with the authorities' advice," Arunrasmy said. "Without those individual disciplines and consciousness from the people, China would not have seen such a remarkable success during this stressful time in the whole China." Sharing her view on China's economy and its role in helping rebuild economies in other countries in a post-COVID-19 era, the princess said China will remain an important place for countries to do business with, due to its infrastructures and market size. "I am optimistic in China's huge capacity for resilience," she said. "The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) plan may restart progressively and remains well received in its partner countries." JOINT COVID-19 FIGHT ADDS NEW IMPETUS TO CAMBODIA-CHINA TIES Arunrasmy said since the COVID-19 outbreak, Cambodia and China have been supporting each other and cooperating closely to battle with this invisible enemy, and this mutual help has elevated the bilateral ties to new heights. "The bond of friendship between our two countries has moved closer after we have shared difficult circumstances and experiences together for a long time," the princess said. She added that the two countries have become "a friend in need is a friend indeed" in all crucial circumstances, in particular, in the time that the world is being ravaged by the pandemic. Speaking about the cooperation between the two countries in a post-COVID-19 era, the princess said Cambodia and China are effective partners and both countries need to continue to further promote and strengthen the existing cooperation in all spheres. She said Cambodia highly values the BRI since it is a new source of economic growth through infrastructure development, industrialization, trade and investment expansion, and tourism growth. "Personally, I believe, in the economic aspect, the BRI reflects an important aspect of friendship and partnership between the two countries," she said. "It defines the long-term strategic partnership policy that China and Cambodia wish to design." WORLD NEEDS UNITY, SOLIDARITY IN WAKE OF GLOBAL PANDEMIC Arunrasmy said it was sad to see the rise in anti-globalization sentiments and unilateralism in the wake of global health crisis brought by the COVID-19. "We live in a globalized world that provides peace and prosperity," she said. "It is sad to see populism, nationalism and extremism on the rise and to see globalization and international involvement in widespread rejection." Unilateralism meant withdrawal from international law, cooperation, trust, peacekeeping and building, the princess said, adding that it will increase existing distrust and tensions among countries. Humanity needs a world where the rule of law replaces the rule of the jungle, so that the strong and the weak can cooperate effectively with mutual respect, she said. The princess added that Cambodia always works hand-in-hand with China to promote multilateralism. Enditem Growing awareness regarding health benefits associated with coffee drives the growth of the global organic coffee market.North America contributed the highest share in 2018, and will maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period.The demand for organic coffee is likely to increase during the COVID-19 pandemic as it boosts the immune system of the body and guards it against the coronavirus. Portland, OR, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research,the global organic coffee market generated $6.8billion in 2018, and is estimated to reach $12.6billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 8.2% from 2019 to 2026.The report offers anextensive analysis of changing market dynamics, key winning strategies, business performance, major segments, and competitive scenarios. Growing awareness regarding health benefits associated with coffee and change in shift toward sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices drive the growth of the global organic coffee market.However,higher pricing of organic coffeehinders the market growth. On the other hand,reduced side-effects of organic coffee and rise in social media arelikely to create new opportunities for the market player in the coming years. Download Sample Copy Of Report@ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/6450 Covid-19 scenario: The demand for organic coffee is likely to increase during the COVID-19 pandemic as it boosts the immune system of the body. The government of various countries has kept hypermarket/supermarket opened during the lockdown to continue the supply of daily essential good to the public. The revenue generated from online sales channels is likely to surge during the COVID-19 pandemic as consumers dont have to gooutside to buy organic. The report offers a detailed segmentation of the global organic coffee market based on type, packaging type, sales channel, and region. Based on type, the arabica segment contributed to the largest share in 2018, accounting formore than three-fifths of the total share, and is estimated to maintain its dominant position during the forecast period. However, the robustasegment isestimated to portray the highest CAGR of 8.8% during the forecast period. Story continues Send Me Enquire@ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/6450 Based on sales channel, the hypermarket/supermarket segment accounted for the largest share in 2018, holding more than one-thirdof the total share, and is expected to maintain the largest share throughout the forecast period. However,the online sales channel segment isexpected to register the highest CAGR of 10.6% from 2019 to 2026. Based on region, North Americacontributed the highest share, accounting formore than two-fifths of the total market sharein 2018, and will maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period.However,Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 10.3% from 2019 to 2026. Leading market players analyzed in the research include The Kraft Heinz Company, Nestle S.A.,Jims Organic Coffee,Starbucks Corporation, Wessanen,FS Gourmet Private Limited,Luigi Lavazza S.p.A,Complete Coffee Limited,Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. (Green Mountain), and Java Trading Co. LLC. Avenue Basic Plan | Library Access | 1 Year Subscription | Sign up for Avenue subscription to access more than 12,000+ company profiles and 2,000+ niche industry market research reports at $699 per month, per seat. For a year, the client needs to purchase minimum 2 seat plan. Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenue/trial/starter Get more information: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions. AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Toll Free (USA/Canada): +1-800-792-5285, +1-503-446-1141 International: +1-503-894-6022 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-855-550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allied-market-research/ BISHKEK -- Dozens of people have been injured in the latest clashes between Kyrgyz and Uzbek citizens in a disputed border region. The Kyrgyz Health Ministry said on June 1 that 25 Kyrgyz nationals had been injured in the clashes that erupted the day before near Uzbekistan's Sokh exclave in Kyrgyzstan's southern Batken region. According to the ministry, four of the injured people are hospitalized in the town of Aidarken, with two in very serious condition after surgery. Residents of the exclave told RFE/RL that 16 locals were injured in the clashes. There was no official confirmation of the claim from the Uzbek authorities. The Uzbek Border Guard Service said in a statement on May 31 that the situation was under control. The incident ignited around noon on May 31 after residents of the Kyrgyz village of Chechme and residents of the Uzbek village of Chashma argued about the ownership of a spring located in the area. RFE/RL correspondents reported from the scene that the villagers started throwing stones at each other before several houses on each side were set on fire. The Kyrgyz government's press service said on June 1 that Deputy Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov and Uzbek Prime Minister Abdula Aripov had met at a border checkpoint in the area and discussed ways to resolve the tensions. Many border areas in Central Asia have been disputed since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The situation is particularly complicated near the numerous exclaves in the volatile Ferghana Valley, where the borders of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan meet. One such exclave is Sokh, an ethnic Tajik-populated Uzbek territory within Kyrgyzstan's Batken region, where clashes have been common for years. In 2013, border crossings through Sokh were closed for several weeks after Sokh residents clashed with Kyrgyz border guards over the installation of electric power lines to a new Kyrgyz border post. Five Sokh residents were reportedly wounded by Kyrgyz border guards and at least 30 Kyrgyz citizens were subsequently taken hostage. The latest clashes occurred as Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have accused each other of escalating tensions near another disputed segment of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border. New Delhi, June 1 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Monday that the borders of the national capital will be sealed for a week given the rising number of coronavirus cases, adding that further decision on the same will be based on the suggestions received from the public. To decide on whether borders should be opened, Kejriwal has sought suggestions from people through WhatsApp or email till 5 p.m. on Friday, saying that he also needed suggestions and guidance on whether Delhi government hospitals should be reserved for the residents of Delhi. Addressing the media, Kejriwal said that until now, his government could do so much work in Delhi because of the support of the people and their trust, saying the guidance of the people helped him implement many important decisions in the city. For the time being, he said, the Delhi government is sealing the borders for one week. "Essential services will remain functional and government officials can travel showing their identity cards. Based on the suggestions received from you, we will talk to the experts and decide on our future course of action on opening of borders," Kejriwal said. "Covid-19 positive cases are rising in Delhi, which is a matter of worry but there is no need to panic. I say this because the AAP government has invested a lot in developing the healthcare infrastructure of Delhi in the last five years," the Chief Minister said. Kejriwal said there has been holistic development of the health infrastructure in Delhi and assured that when the world is fighting to strengthen its healthcare systems against the Covid-19 pandemic, the Delhi government is ready to provide adequate health facilities and "a bed if you are ever infected by coronavirus". Kejriwal said that the decision to open Delhi borders can be a challenging one because of the large influx of people from across the country for medical treatment. "People from all across the country come to Delhi for medical treatment because, first, Delhi's healthcare system is better than the healthcare system of any other state in the country. Secondly, the medical services in the government hospitals in Delhi are free. People can avail free of cost treatment in the government hospitals even if the treatment costs Rs 10 lakh," he said. "As soon as we open the borders, people from across the country will come to Delhi for better treatment. We have a capacity of 9,500 beds for coronavirus treatment in Delhi hospitals as against 2,300 patients today, but all the beds will be occupied in just 2-3 days if we have an influx of patients from across the country. What should we do? Should Delhi borders be opened," he asked. Kejriwal said some people believe that the borders should be opened, but medical treatment in the hospitals should only be provided to the residents of Delhi. "But how can we do that? Delhi is the national capital and it belongs to all. How can Delhi deny treatment to all these people now? Some people believe that this practice should be adopted only for the coronavirus pandemic. We have various suggestions and we need your guidance on what should be done," he added. Kejriwal asked people to send their suggestions through WhatsApp (8800007722), email (delhicm.suggestions@gmail.com) or call (1031). Delhi shares its border with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. While Delhi has so far allowed people from its satellite cities -- Gurugram, Sonepat, Faridabad (in Haryana) and Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad (in Uttar Pradesh), the neighbouring states have blocked the movement. However, from Monday, the Haryana government opened its inter-state borders with Delhi. The Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad authorities, on the other hand, said that their borders with Delhi will remain sealed and only those from essential services or having valid passes can pass through the borders. Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre (Tadweer) has conducted an intensive pest control programme as part of its preventive measures against the Covid-19 pandemic and to help control disease-carrying pests at construction sites across the emirate. As part of the drive, Tadweer said its Pest Control Projects Department had launched an awareness campaign targeting real estate contractors, consultants, and developers in the emirate in close collaboration with the Environment, Health and Safety Department at the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City. The move was aimed at ensuring the highest environment, health and safety standards in controlling pests at construction sites, while helping the emirate preserve its aesthetic appeal. Mohammed Al Marzouqi, Pest Control Projects Director at Tadweer, said: "Our latest pest control drive covered a total of 559 construction sites in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra, and found 216 sites affected by pests." "This includes 102 sites infested by rodents, which accounted for 18 percent of the total infestation, 122 sites infested by mosquitoes, which accounted for 22 percent of the infestation and 99 sites infested by flies, which accounted for 17 percent of the infestation," he stated. Warning of potential pest infestation risks to construction sites, Tadweer reiterated the need to take all necessary precautions to prevent the proliferation of mosquitoes, flies and rodents by ensuring that sewage tanks, water tanks, and water bodies are tightly covered besides preventing leakage of sewage pipes. It also warned that random dumping of construction waste, used tyres and scrap create a breeding ground for pests and stray animals. Tadweer had inspected 50 construction sites on the Abu Dhabi mainland and found 14 percent of them infested by pests. Of the 263 sites inspected in the northern sector of Al Ain city, 71 sites were found infested, with an infestation rate of 27 percent. In the southern sector of the city, Tadweer inspected 50 sites and found 10 sites infested, representing an infestation rate of 20percent. In Al Dhafra region, a total of 57 sites were inspected, and 16 sites were found infested, registering an infestation rate of 28 percent.-TradeArabia News Service Maruti Suzuki Alto | 17,850 | And like September, Maruti Suzuki features in the top-3 starting with the Alto in third spot selling 17,850 units, barely a change from last years sales, however. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Five of six Indian automotive companies from a list of top 100 Indian brands lost their brand value due to COVID-19 as per the latest Brand Finance India 100 2020 report. Maruti Suzuki, Indias biggest car maker suffered a 27.1 percent drop in brand value as per the report. The brand of the Delhi-based carmaker, which is the most valued among the automotive pack, is valued at $2.8 billion down from $3.8 billion recorded in 2019. Maruti slipped eight positions in the ranking to settle at 19th from 11th Munjal family-promoted Hero Motocorp, which is Indias biggest two-wheeler manufacturer, was the second most valued company from the automotive industry. However its brand value slipped 12.4 percent to $1.62 billion in 2020 compared to $1.85 billion recorded in 2019, according the report. The Delhi-based company also suffered a fall in ranking by five positions to 27th from 22nd. Hinduja Group flagship Ashok Leyland which makes light and heavy trucks and buses also saw a brand erosion but to a lesser degree. Brand value of the Chennai-based company dropped 2.6 percent to $775 million during 2020 as against $796 million clocked in 2019. Ashok Leyland slipped six positions in the ranking to 39th from 33rd. Motors-controlled Royal Enfield, the maker of niche motorcycles saw 23.4 percent drop in brand value to $551 million in 2020 compared to $719 million recorded in 2019. The Delhi-based company, which has bike brands like Classic and Thunderbird, suffered a massive 21 spot slippage in ranking to 58th from 37th. Motherson Sumi, the only auto parts manufacturer in the top 100 list, saw 25.6 percent reduction in brand value to $332 million in 2020 as against $447 million in 2019. The company suffered the biggest drop in rankings to 86th from 63rd. TVS Motor Company was a stand out in the valuation study as it was the only automotive company to clock a growth in its brand value. The Chennai-based two and three-wheeler maker gained 8.2 percent in brand value to $678 million in 2020 compared to $627 million in 2019. Despite this the brand suffered a drop of one position to 47th from 46th. Find the full Brand Finance India 100 2020 Report here Read our entire coverage on India' Most Valuable Brands 2020 here. Desert locust swarms entered in two villages in Chhattisgarhs Koriya district bordering Madhya Pradesh on Sunday evening, prompting the agriculture department to issue an alert and set up a control room. DM Rathore, Koriyas collector, said a chemical was sprayed in Kirri and Jwaratola under the Bharatpur block and the administration has managed to control the movement till now. On Sunday, it was a small swarm and we managed to contain their movement by spraying chemicals and using sirens of fire brigades. Most of them have died. We have not been affected till now, Rathore said. On May 27, the Chhattisgarh agriculture department and farmers of districts bordering Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra had been alerted after swarms of locusts attacked crops in the neighbouring states. India is currently seeing the worst locust attack in more than seven decades as locust swarms from Pakistan now threaten to devastate crops and vegetables over thousands of hectares in states like Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh. Rajasthan is now the most affected state. The desert locust is a species of locust, a swarming short-horned grasshopper that devours everything in their path. Entomologists have said the current swarm of locusts contains immature locusts that could gorge on the crops before getting ready for mating. Besides, villagers have been advised to form groups and make noise by beating plates and tin boxes to drive away the crop-destroying insects. Every bordering district of Chhattisgarh is on alert. Since they dont have any fixed trajectory, it is wind direction which carries them. Every morning they track the wind direction and move forward, Maninder Kaur Dwivedi, principal secretary (agriculture), said while speaking to HT. Earlier Bhandara (Maharashtra) locust swarm was expected to arrive in Kawadha district but the wind changed direction so it went towards Nagpur. On Friday, a swarm of locust which was reported in Balaghat and Mandla (Madhya Pradesh) went towards Mirzapur (Uttar Pradesh). On Sunday, one of the swarms reached Koriya, Dwivedi added. 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 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. And, now eastern states such as Jharkhand and Odisha have been asked to remain on alert against the locust swarms. Jharkhands agriculture department has issued an alert across all 24 districts in the state and has set up state, district and block level task forces to deal with the impending threat. Hong Kong police have banned the annual candlelight vigil commemorating the Tiananmen Square massacre, the deadly 1989 crackdown on students demanding democracy in Beijing, just as tensions rise in the city over controversial national-security legislation. Police denied an application by the group that organizes the vigil in Victoria Park on Hong Kong Island, stating in a letter that the decision was due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. The letter said that violations would be punished by imprisonment and fines, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. This year would mark the first time the event has not been held in three decades. We are extremely disappointed and strongly object to this decision, said Richard Tsoi, secretary of the organizing group, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. The freedom of assembly is enshrined in the basic law. We think its a political decision, Tsoi said. The decision comes as China on Thursday approved a controversial national security law that would allow Beijing to wield expanded power over Hong Kong. Pro-Democracy activists and other critics say the national security laws would effectively scrap the one country, two systems policy that has allowed Hong Kong its political freedoms and civil liberties despite still being technically governed by China. China claims that the laws are necessary to crack down on separatism, subversion, terrorism, and foreign intervention in Hong Kong in the wake of the pro-democracy protests against Beijing that have upended the city since last summer. The measure would also allow Chinas state security agencies to operate in the territory. The Tiananmen Square vigil typically draws tens of thousands of people, who gather to commemorate the pro-democracy protests that began in April, 1989. On June 4, six weeks after the protests began, martial law was declared, and tanks fired at unarmed protesters in Tiananmen Square, with the resulting death toll estimated at between several hundred to several thousand. More from National Review Google is now apparently killing off its long-awaited Duet feature for Android Chrome. Thats based on reports that the company has removed associated tags for Duet in the Beta variant of Chrome 84. Specifically, the company appears to have removed the #enable-duet-tabstrip-integration and #enable-chrome-duet flags. Those havent been replaced. Users can force the flags to reappear by activating the #temporary-unexpire-flags-m82 and #temporary-unexpire-flags-m83 flags. But even with those flags being forced back into existence, they no longer appear to do anything. Theres also a note on those above-mentioned flags indicating that theyll be removed soon. What is Duet in Chrome for Android? Now, Duet was first discovered to be in the works years ago. The search giant added it, at least initially, to the Chromium code under the name Duplex. Advertisement Duplex was later renamed Duet to alleviate branding confusion following the launch of an Assistant-based AI calling feature for making reservations. That change happened way back in 2018 and was followed by the feature appearing in the Beta and Canary channels just weeks later. But the features found in the initial release evolved over the years too. Duet, in Chrome for Android, can be best defined as an innovative bottom-bar UI. Summarily, the company decided to move the home button, tab switching, Google search, and menus to the bottom of the interface. That made those elements easier for users to reach with the advent of larger screens. More specifically, thats with the advent of larger screens being more widespread. The feature was tucked behind several experimental flags in Googles experimental settings. Those are found at the chrome://flags URL. Those flags have changed over the years as Duet was iterated on but with the new change, as noted above theyve disappeared entirely. Advertisement Why is Google removing Duet and is this permanent? Now, because Google has previously removed and then re-added the feature and because it has a tendency to remove and add features back its possible that Duet isnt gone from Chrome on Android forever. But there are plenty of good reasons why that would be the case anyway. At least one of those can be traced back to a new UI thats making its first appearance with a new Chromebook bearing the same name as the feature. The Lenovo Chromebook Duet introduces new top-bar navigation that closely resembles Android. Namely, it does away with multiple-tabs at the top of the page when the device is in tablet mode. And it tucks those behind a tab-icon similar to the one found in the current iteration of Chrome on Android. Users can click that tab and interact with a UI thats similar to Android too, in terms of tab switching. The key difference, of course, is that the new Chrome OS UI scrolls horizontally while Androids scrolls vertically. Advertisement With the introduction of that new UI, Google may be forced to abandon Duet in favor of parity across platforms. The previously-expected Android UI may simply be too different from the Chrome UI elsewhere. Conversely, Google may simply have decided that it isnt worth pursuing or cant be accomplished in the way it was initially intended to be. Unless the company releases some kind of statement on the matter though, its going to be impossible to know for sure. 'Lemon' or not, Trump stuck with Phase 1 China trade deal for now FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He during U.S.-China trade signing ceremony at the White House in Washington By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has little choice but to stick with his Phase 1 China trade deal for now despite his anger at Beijing over the coronavirus pandemic, new Hong Kong security rules, and dwindling hopes China can meet U.S. goods purchase targets, people familiar with his administration's deliberations say. The U.S.-China trade negotiations took more than two years, heaped tariffs on $370 billion of Chinese products, whipsawed financial markets and dimmed global growth prospects well before the coronavirus outbreak crushed them. In recent weeks, suggestions that Trump may cancel the deal have emanated from the White House almost daily, and businesses, investors, and China trade watchers are hanging onto every word and tweet. But on Friday, when Trump said the United States would start dismantling trade and travel privileges for Hong Kong, he did not mention the deal. Stock markets heaved a sigh of relief, with the S&P 500 reversing losses. Talking tough on China and criticizing the Obama administration's more measured approach is a key part of Trump's re-election strategy. Sticking with the pact may mean accepting that China is likely to fall short of purchase commitments for U.S. agricultural goods, manufactured products, energy and services - goals that many said were unrealistic https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china/china-to-ramp-up-u-s-buys-under-trade-deal-but-skeptics-question-targets-idUSKBN1ZD0FN even before the pandemic. In response to Trump's Hong Kong announcement, China told state-owned firms to suspend large-scale farm purchases including soybeans and pork, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Such a halt will put China further behind in making good on its pledges to boost U.S. purchases by $200 billion over two years. But canceling the deal would reignite the nearly two-year U.S.-China trade war at a time U.S. unemployment is at its worst since the 1930s Great Depression. Story continues The next U.S. step would likely be reviving previously planned but canceled tariffs on some $165 billion worth of Chinese consumer goods, including Apple Inc cellphones and computers, toys and clothing - all ultimately paid by U.S. companies and passed on to consumers. Beijing would retaliate with tariffs on U.S. goods, fueling more market turmoil and delaying recovery. "He's stuck with a lemon. He gets an empty agreement if he sticks with it, and he gets more actions that create an economic drag and more volatility if he abandons it," said one person briefed on the administration's trade deliberations. U.S. goods exports https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html to China in the first quarter were down $4 billion from the trade war-damaged levels a year earlier, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The Peterson Institute of International Economics estimates https://www.piie.com/research/piie-charts/us-china-phase-one-tracker-chinas-purchases-us-goods that during the first quarter, China made only about 40% of the purchases it needed to stay on target for a first-year increase of $77 billion over 2017 levels, implying an extremely steep climb in the second half. Leaving the deal now would not buy a lasting political bounce for Trump in manufacturing-heavy swing states with five months to go before the presidential election, analysts say. COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP Trump said on Friday that China was "absolutely smothering Hong Kongs freedom," but refrained from harsh sanctions that could put the trade deal in jeopardy, taking milder steps to revoke the territory's separate travel and customs benefits from China. Claire Reade, a former U.S. trade negotiator, said Trump's "peripheral steps" would not deter Beijing from proceeding with the security law, as it regards Hong Kong as a core national security issue. "Probably the most significant thing from the trade perspective is that the Phase 1 trade deal is for now anyway - unaffected," said Reade, senior counsel with Arnold and Porter law firm in Washington. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has recently cited https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2020/may/usda-and-ustr-announce-continued-progress-implementation-us-china-phase-one-agreement "continuing progress" in the deal, after China welcomed U.S. blueberries, barley, beef and dairy products. U.S.-China flashpoints on Hong Kong, Taiwan and other issues did not derail negotiations that resulted in new concessions from China, said Jamieson Greer, who served as Lighthizer's chief of staff until April. "Some of these security and human rights challenges have certainly complicated the atmosphere, but the trade agreement can still provide a set of rules governing important aspects of the trade relationship," said Greer, now an international trade partner at the King and Spalding law firm. Another person familiar with USTR thinking said the agency "needs to make Phase 1 look good. They want to show that progress is being made. The president looks at the China relationship much more broadly." (Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Heather Timmons, Chizu Nomiyama and Lisa Shumaker) BY TAFADZWA KACHIKO A ZIMABWEAN-OWNED African car brand Mureza Auto Company, headquartered in South Africa is set to start assembling its vehicle, Prim8 (pronounced Primate) re-badged from Irans SAIPA Quick at Willowvale Motor Industries (WMI) assembly plant next year. Mureza-Zimbabwe events co-ordinator and public relations officer Chidochemoyo Nemhara told NewsDay that the vehicles selling price will be US$13 500 and the auto company would aim to manufacture 100 cars per month. We are undoubtedly going to start assembling our vehicles named Prim8 (pictured) at W MI assembly next year. Our components are manufactured in Iran and South Africa, but Murezas ultimate objective is to design and manufacture vehicles for Africans. We are targeting to produce 100 units per month and the vehicles selling price will be US$13 500 each. Arrangements for Zimbabwe dollar purchases will be made, she said. The Prim8 features a 1,5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine, producing 87 kW. As one would expect from a hatchback of its size, the vehicle is front-wheel drive. Best trim option for the local range will include keyless entry, a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system, SatNav, rear-view camera, parking sensors and air-conditioning. - Advertisement - Motorists will also get electronic stability control, tyre-pressure monitoring, a powered drivers seat and two airbags. Nemhara said although the current economic situation was unfavourable, Murezas efforts would help to create employment and promote investment. Of course, economic conditions are not favourable for some businesses to thrive, but establishing a plant here would in a way promote job creation for the locals and its a form of the much-needed investment. It means value creation within the market and it gives us ground to establish and train local labourforce as well as to promote regional trade, she said. Nemhara was also confident that their brand would rise to the limelight despite that the market is currently dominated by well-established international brands. We are not worried much about how our brand will perform on the market, but we aim to solve transport challenges in Africa by creating highly competitive and affordable vehicles that suit the continents conditions. That means reduction of grey imports and endorsement of local value chain. Just as the flag rises, eventually Mureza will rise, she said. The current vehicle assemblers in Zimbabwe are WMI, Quest Motors, Deven Engineering and AVM Africa. Like this: Like Loading... The Hamilton County Fund for Children and Public Education, a political action committee affiliated with the Hamilton County Education Association (HCEA), has endorsed four candidates for School Board. Officials said, "The committee has identified Stephen Vickers, Marco Perez, Tiffanie Robinson and Joe Wingate as Public Education Champions. These candidates have also received the support of the HCEA local school association representatives through a scheduled vote. The candidates have demonstrated through questionnaires, interviews, and in some cases experience on the school board, that they are dedicated to achieving positive and equitable outcomes for Hamilton County students." It is important to have a school board that considers all constituents: students, parents, teachers, and community members, said committee president Tracy Davis. The future of public education in Hamilton County depends greatly on our local elected officials supporting our public schools and prioritizing the best interests of all Hamilton County children, said Jeanette Omarkhail, president of HCEA. After interviewing candidates, we believe we have endorsed the candidates that will be the strongest advocate for our students and educators. The group gave this synopsis: Stephen Vickers, who is challenging incumbent Rhonda Thurman for the District 1 seat, is a lifelong resident of Soddy Daisy. Stephn is an active member of District 1 and has volunteered at school and sporting events all across his district. With his degrees in conflict management and organizational management, Stephen Vickers brings collaborative skills and an ability to communicate ideas clearly. In his words, I see the school system through the lens of a parent, a teacher, a student, and a member of the community. I believe that this is something that is valuable to bring to the school board, so that all the dynamics are taken into consideration when making critical decisions. Marco Perez is running against Tom Decosimo in the open race in District 2. Perez is a parent of a public school graduate and two current students in Hamilton County Schools. He brings his strong public advocacy involvement in the areas of small business development, housing, and support of our immigrant populations. Additionally, he brings a valuable background in finance as a business consultant and small business owner, along with his board experience as a Board Chair and Board Treasurer for CNE and La Paz Chattanooga. In his words, My involvement in the community as well as my business and finance knowledge give me the skills to greatly contribute to the strategy, stewardship, and support of our school district. Tiffanie Robinson, who is finishing her first term on the school board, is running unopposed in District 4. Tiffanie continues to create relationships with the community and elected officials. She has shown her passion for improving policies that benefit students and employees. Joe Wingate from District 7 is currently the chair of the school board and has a firm grasp on educational policy and a clear vision for seeing the district through the current pandemic. Joe has shown strong leadership during his time as chair and continues to foster a positive relationship between the board and district administration. The committee said it reached out to Rhonda Thurman, Tom Decosimo, and Debbi Meyers, "but all three declined to participate." Early voting starts July 17 and election day is Aug. 6. Seven more bodies have been retrieved from the Volta Lake, following last Thursdays boat disaster on the lake in the Afram Plains North District of the Eastern Region. This brings to a total of eight bodies retrieved so far, after a 60-year-old woman was found earlier on. Speaking in a telephone conversation with the Ghanaian Times, the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) Coordinator, Mr David Nyarko said as of 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, seven more bodies had been retrieved from last Thursdays boat disaster on the Volta Lake in the Afram Plains area of the Eastern Region. They include the boat operator, six females including one pregnant woman and a little girl. The assembly man for Anidzi electoral area, Raphael Kporxah said apart from the 60-year-old woman whose body was retrieved last Friday and deposited at the Donkorkrom Presbyterian Church Hospital, all the other seven bodies retrieved had since been identified and buried by their families because the bodies had started decomposing. He said they were retrieved from the lake through a combined effort of local fishermen, divers and NADMO officials in the area, in the company of the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the Kwahu North District, Mr Samuel Kena. He said the boat operator, believed to be between 20 and 25 years and the small girl were both buried at Agalakope, a nearby community where the bodies were found decomposing. The disaster occurred on the Volta Lake last Thursday when a boat carrying an unspecified number of passengers capsized. One body was recovered on Friday, while emergency teams, including local divers continued the search for the remaining passengers. The boat, which was carrying mostly traders from Dzemeni in the Volta Region, was heading to Sokpe Agalekope in the Afram Plains North District of the Eastern Region when it capsized midway through the journey near Anivizi, a village along the Volta Lake. Earlier reports said the sad incident occurred at about 5:00 pm last Thursday when the outboard motor powering the boat stopped functioning in the middle of the lake amidst a heavy rainstorm. Source: Ghanaian Times 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 : The government is likely to drop a clause of evaluating plant machinery for electronics manufacturing in the recently notified 48,000 crore worth incentive schemes to ease shifting of base for companies like Apple and contract manufacturers to India, according to sources. The Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) wants to go full throttle to capitalise on sentiments of the US, Japan, Taiwan and other nations looking to shift their companies' base out of China amid the COVID-19 crisis. "Meity is likely to drop the clause to evaluate plant machinery and other capital goods at 40% of the original value in the recently announced incentive schemes. The changes are likely to be notified in a day or two," a source said. On April 1, the government notified three schemes comprising total incentives of around 48,000 crore to boost electronics manufacturing in the country. The electronics manufacturing companies will get 4 -6% incentives based on certain incremental sales every year. Apple's iPhone assembly partner Pegatron is also planning to set up a plant in India to take benefit of the new schemes. Pegatron will be the fourth partner of Apple to set its footprint in India after Wistron, Foxconn and Compal Electronics. At present, only Wistron and Foxconn assemble iPhones in India. Wistron has already announced to expand its operation by increasing the manpower by about 10 times to 20,000 people over the next 2 years with an initial investment of around 2,000 crore. Under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, an electronic company has the potential to get an incentive of around 7,500 crore if it scales up production to worth about 1.5 lakh crore over next five years. The government expects to generate manufacturing revenue potential of 10 lakh crore and create direct and indirect jobs for 20 lakh people by 2025 through these schemes. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 14:29:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Villagers weed a field at Gechougou Village, Shenmu County of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, May 29, 2020. In 2003, Zhang Yinglong resigned his work and returned to his hometown Shenmu County, which located in an isolated desert. He contracted a land of 192,000 Mu (about 12,800 hectares) and made up his mind to plant trees and control sands here. Over the 17 years, Zhang has contracted accumulated 428,000 Mu (about 28,533 hectares) of lands and developed ecological planting and livestock raising industries that can lead the local villagers to increase earnings while preserving the environment . (Xinhua/Tao Ming) The notion of conserving climate change refugia - areas relatively buffered from current climate change that shelter valued wildlife, ecosystems, and other natural resources - is only about 10 years old, but the field has matured enough that a leading journal has prepared a special issue on the topic. It offers "a look back at how far we've come and a view forward to the work that is still needed," says editor Toni Lyn Morelli, a research ecologist at the U.S. Geological Survey's Northeast Climate Adaptation Center (NE CASC) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. "I believe this is the first time there has been a special issue devoted to climate-change refugia" she adds, "so we think it will spur conservation and innovation." The 100-page issue of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment organized by Morelli features a new synthesis of developments in refugia science, plus eight articles by experts in the field and an editorial by paleo-ecologist and director of the Southwest and South Central Climate Adaptation Science Centers, Stephen Jackson. Jackson says, "As in the case of the Covid-19 pandemic, our best hope is to render the climate change wave low and slow, reducing impacts and buying time to study, prepare, understand and adapt." The introductory article outlines how climate-change refugia can serve as a "slow lane" to protect native species and ecosystems from the negative effects of climate change and as safe havens for biodiversity and ecosystems in the longer term. The special issue covers a variety of topics, including refugia related to fish and wildlife, rivers and wetlands, mountains and forests - plus conceptual advances and examples of the successful application of refugia maps and data to management questions. Author Diana Stralberg at the University of Alberta, Canada, points out, "We are trying to find those areas where things are moving a bit more slowly in terms of climate change and where plants and animals have more opportunity to survive, whether they are already living there or could shift into those areas." Morelli is a founding member of the Refugia Research Coalition (RRC), a network of scientists, resource managers, and others associated with the Climate Adaptation Science Centers, particularly the Northwest CASC hosted by the University of Washington and its Northeast counterpart hosted by UMass Amherst. (hyperlink: climaterefugia.org). "We formed the RRC about five years ago to share ideas, hold workshops, engage with practitioners, and share our science," Morelli recalls. The group's diversity of research, expertise and approaches gave her the idea for a special issue. "We wanted to synthesize the science around climate change refugia over the last 10 years, to identify gaps and opportunities for the future, and highlight successes in applications that have been developed for management and conservation," she notes. "I was extremely fortunate to work with such a dynamic and accomplished group of co-authors," Morelli adds. ### Support for the special issue came from the Northeast, Northwest, and National Climate Adaptation Science Centers of the U.S. Geological Survey. Chad Johnson is trying to make his X-rated dreams a reality. The former Bachelorette contestant, 32, was spotted out house hunting with his friend Nick Hogan and adult film star Tana Lea in Las Vegas over the weekend. Johnson appeared to be on the prowl for the place to put his latest venture: a porn studio. XXX: Chad Johnson was out looking for a place to put his 'porn palace' with friends Nick Hogan and adult film star Tana Lea over the weekend Chad was dressed in a floral shirt and jeans as he checked out the location with the son of wrestler Hulk Hogan and his performer girlfriend. Johnson was the only one with anything to protect his face, and still he kept his bandanna around his neck instead of using it. After taking a tour of the house the group stepped outside. They seemed to be interested in the spot, continuing their conversation with the realtor. Real estate agent-turned-reality star Chad is planning to start up his own subscription-based website and app called ChadsPlayHouse, which will release two episodes of adult content per week, according to TMZ. Approval: The former Bachelorette star seemed to be interested in the spot, where he was planning on putting an adult film studio In the house! Real estate agent-turned-reality star Chad is planning to start up his own subscription-based website and app called ChadsPlayHouse, which will release two episodes of adult content per week, according to TMZ Where it's gonna happen: Johnson is promising episodes full of sexy, uncensored parties where girls, YouTubers and other personalities visit the house for some wild NSFW times Raunchy: Chad also says he has an X-rated Bachelor-inspired project in development, telling TMZ that he's currently taking offers from multiple companies Adult: Johnson has already been dabbling in the adult industry. He already has an OnlyFans account, where he had been peddling raunchy content with his ex Annalise Mishler Johnson is promising episodes full of sexy, uncensored parties where girls, YouTubers and other personalities visit the house for some wild NSFW times. No stranger to a dating game, Chad also says he has an X-rated Bachelor-inspired project in development, telling TMZ that he's currently taking offers from multiple companies. Johnson has already been dabbling in the adult industry. He already has an OnlyFans account, where he had been peddling raunchy content with his ex Annalise Mishler. According to him, he was raking in $40k a month for his saucy premium content. Chad's porn venture isn't the only thing on his plate. Jogging: Later he was seen running around in the 100 degree heat Isn't that stuffy? He was shirtless but kept thick sweatpants on NSFW: Some of Chad's 'content' is seen above Johnson is currently awaiting trial after a February domestic assault incident with Mishler. He was charged with one count of corporal injury, one count of battery, one count of trespassing, two counts of vandalism and one count of witness intimidation. The controversial star, who is facing up to six years in jail, was arraigned on March 20 at a courthouse in Los Angeles amid the ongoing pandemic and a pre-trial hearing has been pushed back to May 22 this year. Chad admits to throwing Annalise's phone after accusing her of filming their argument, but insists he didn't get physical with her, telling DailyMail.com in April he would never hit a woman and hopes to be found not guilty. Bad temper: Johnson is currently awaiting trial after a February domestic assault incident with Mishler, seen together in 2019 above Controversy: Chad was arrested on Monday, February 24 following a drunken encounter where he punched a hole into Annalise's wall the night before 'Every dude I've ever met from Oklahoma where I'm from has punched a hole in the wall,' he said. 'We're country boys, we don't lay our hands on women, but we'll punch some dry wall, it costs like 20 bucks to fix it. 'I just want to get it over with. Normally, it would have been a month [until the hearing], but because of the whole corona situation they pushed it back two months, so now I just have to sit here and wait, which sucks. He continued: 'In the meantime, there are people out there that are thinking I'm an actual abuser, and they're putting me into that category. 'I have all these people freaking out like, 'If you punch a wall you'll punch a person'. That's not true, so not true. I'm not the poster boy for beating women. 'I lost everything I had, my sponsorships, and the whole thing will cost me probably $30,000, all because I got drunk and punched a wall.' MIAMI - A tropical depression that formed Monday in the Gulf of Mexico is forecast to become a tropical storm in coming hours that could bring heavy rains and flash flooding to parts of southern Mexico and Central America. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the depression was centred late Monday about 95 miles (150 kilometres) west-southwest of Campeche, Mexico. At 11 p.m. EDT, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 30 mph (45 kph) and was crawling westward near 7 mph (11 kph). Forecasters said it could reach tropical storm status during the night or sometime Tuesday. The government of Mexico has a tropical storm warning in effect from Campeche to the port of Veracruz on that countrys Gulf coast. The warning means tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere in that warning area within 36 hours. The Miami-based hurricane centre said the storm is expected to unleash heavy rains with potential accumulations of 10 to 15 inches (25-40 centimetres) over parts of the Mexican states of Tabasco and Veracruz and adjacent portions of Guatemala. Forecasters added that 5 to 10 inches (12-25 centimetres) of rain could fall on parts of El Salvador and Honduras with possibly higher amounts in isolated areas. A pigment that was popular with Renaissance artists develops a wasting disease over time that causes blue parts of historical masterpieces to turn grey, scientists say. The costly pigment ultramarine, made from a dazzling blue metamorphic rock, catalyses its own chemical reaction that reduces colour intensity. This affects legendary paintings including Johannes Vermeer's 'A Young Woman Standing at a Virginal' and Jan Steens 'Woman Scouring Metalware'. But researchers think the application of red hot temperatures during the manufacturing process may prevent the pigment from losing its brilliant blue colour over time. Using intense X-rays, scientists can now determine whether 400-year-old paintings are at risk of this ultramarine disease'. The results are important for future research on how to prevent the disease, and stop blue sections of priceless centuries-old paintings becoming dull and grey. Alessa Gambardella, a researcher at the Rijksmuseum The Museum of the Netherlands - in Amsterdam, using a stereomicroscope looking at ultramarine blue in Hendrick per Brugghens The Adoration of the Kings (1619) In the case of ultramarine, the dull and flat appearance is due to the degradation in the medium the blue of the pigment is still there and the greyish appearance in the degraded ultramarine paint is part of the original paint, research leader Katrien Keune at the University of Amsterdam told Chemistry World. Weve already seen in the lab that this activity is reduced after the heating, so you might expect a painting to be less prone to the ultramarine disease if the pigment is made of heated lapis lazuli. Thats something we want to research further. The blue semi-precious stone lapis lazuli, which was taken from mines in modern-day Afghanistan, produces the costly pigment ultramarine blue which was more expensive than gold in the 17th century. 'Lady Standing at a Virginal', painted by the Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer some time between 1670 and 1672, which now stands in the National Gallery, London. Pigments that received the heat treatment, as revealed by X-rays, could be a significant 'marker' of paintings vulnerable to the disease Highly valued for its vibrant colour, ultramarine has been used in artworks for centuries, and it was eventually produced synthetically for the first time in the early 19th century. Before the availability of the synthetic form, lazurite was extracted from lapis lazuli as early as the 13th century a process motivated by a desire for the deepest blue hue. THE STUDIED HISTORICAL PAINTINGS Paint samples for the study were taken from five 15th and 17th-century paintings (location in brackets): - Maelwaels Pieta with the Holy Trinity, ca. 1400, recto (Louvre) - Henri Bellechoses The Last Communion and Martyrdom of Saint Denis, 1416 (Louvre) - Rogier van der Weydens The Lamentation of Christ, ca. 14601464 (Mauritshuis) - Jan Brueghel (II)s Still Life with Flowers in a Glass, ca. 1625ca. 1630 (Rijksmuseum) - Jan Steens The Life of Man, ca. 1665 (Mauritshuis) Advertisement Its blue colour is due to the mineral lazurite, but more than half of lapis lazuli is comprised of all sorts of other minerals that are grey, yellow and white. To remove the mineral impurities and obtain a luminous blue, the painters used the laborious and time-consuming pastello extraction. This involved grounding the lapis lazuli stone to powder and then kneading it with a paste of resin, beeswax and oil to create a fist-sized ball. After a week or two, the ball would be rinsed out under water with kneading motions to release the ultramarine, while the impurities would remain behind in the paste. After filtering and drying, painters would be left with bright blue pigment, ready to be used to create their stunning artworks. Following historical recipes, scientists at the University of Amsterdam recreated the pastello extraction in the lab. The team followed the instructions to the letter, even when they were pretty strange for example, they specified that the pigment should be washed out by the hands of a young girl. This actually turned out to be a good tip, said Keune. The men in our team were unable to cleanly isolate the ultramarine, but the female students succeeded in doing just that. It seems that this requires a certain subtle skill. Some ultramarine recipes also mention heating the lapis lazuli stone to incredible temperatures before its ground to a powder. We were really curious to find out what effect this treatment which involves heating the stone until it glows red hot would have, said Keune. Images of the studied historical paintings, anticlockwise from the top left: Johan Maelwaels Pieta with the Holy Trinity (also showing a coat of arms on its back, top right); Henri Bellechoses The Last Communion and Martyrdom of Saint Denis; Rogier van der Weydens The Lamentation of Christ; Jan Brueghel (II)s Still Life with Flowers in a Glass; Jan Steens The Life of Man. Relative sizes have not been preserved In very practical terms, it soon became clear that heating the stone positively influenced the isolation of the ultramarine without heating, the extraction process was significantly more difficult. So this is an important indication of why some historical recipes say you need to heat the lapis lazuli. Its not as if this heating results in deeper blue paint, but we do see the effect on the stone itself, and the ultramarine itself is a deeper blue after the extraction. The team then used X-ray techniques at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France to reveal chemical insights. One technique in particular using soft X-rays called ZANES X-ray absorption near edge structure let researchers view the atomic structure of the lazurite, including a characteristic atomic fingerprint. A sample of Lapis lazuli, which is taken from mines in Afghanistan. In its day it was more expensive than gold Using XANES, you can show details that are very specific to the geographic origin of lapis lazuli, said Keune. Now weve been able to demonstrate a clear spectral fingerprint for the lazurite, the actual ultramarine. You will only find this fingerprint if the rock was heated during the preparation of the pigment. Chemical changes in sulfur atoms in the heart of the lazurite structure lead to this small but unmistakable distinction. The results of the homemade lab pigment were then compared to XANES analysis results for paint samples taken from five 15th and 17th-century paintings by Henri Bellechose, Jan Brueghel (the Younger), Johan Maelwael, Jan Steen and Rogier van der Weyden. These five paintings, which are not all established to be suffering from ultramarine disease, originate from the Louvre (Paris), the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam) and the Mauritshuis (The Hague). In order to reveal the heating retrospectively, Keune and her team used the advanced analysis method XANES (X-ray absorption near edge structure). This method uses soft X-rays that are generated at the ESRF in Grenoble Not only was the characteristic XANES pattern clearly present in the historic paint samples, but ultramarine used by the old masters was prepared using lapis lazuli that had first been heated. Thanks to X-ray examinations of paint samples, they can now look back more than 400 years to determine whether the blue stones were brought to a red heat during the pigment extraction process. Through analysis of a pigment mineral, we have found a marker that tells us something about the preliminary treatment in the painters studio, which is amazing,' she said. The result is also important for follow-up research into the feared ultramarine disease as blue sections of a painting tragically fade to grey over time. Degradation does not always occur in all paintings that use ultramarine however meaning finding a marker for pigment preparation is a first step toward determining a method to treat ultramarine disease. The research has been published in Science Advances. According to a new report published by Allied Market Research titled, ANZ industrial protective footwear Market by Standard, Type and Distribution Channel: Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20192026, ANZ industrial protective footwear provides protection from variety of hazards encountered by the workforce in various industries. Workers exposed to hazards such as falling objects, electrical contacts, moving machinery, and similar incidences may be at risk of various foot injuries. The ANZ industrial protective footwear market size was valued at $55.0 million in 2018 and is projected to reach $77.2 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 4.5% from 2019 to 2026. The waterproof footwear market held about 82% of the total ANZ industrial protective footwear market demand in 2018, followed by non-waterproof footwear. The rapid industrial development coupled with rise in the number of worker accidents has increased the demand for safety footwear across various industries. The stringent government rules and regulations regarding worker safety have increased the demand for various TYPE of innovative protective footwear to avoid worker accidents. Rise in health concerns regarding personal protection enforces footwear manufactures to make innovative safety footwear alternatives. Untapped geographical regions offer ample of opportunities for the development of ANZ industrial protective footwear market. Request For Report Sample@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/13300 On the basis of application, the market is segmented into construction, manufacturing, mining, oil & gas, chemicals, food, pharmaceuticals, and transportation. The construction segment held the highest market share in the ANZ industrial protective footwear market in 2018. There is an increase in the demand for personal protective footwear in various industries, such as the construction, petrochemicals, oil & gas, and manufacturing industries, for the protection and safety of the workforce. In addition, rapid growth of industrialization in countries such as Papua New Guinea is expected to increase the demand for ANZ industrial protective footwear market. Moreover, strict government rules and regulations in countries such as Australia and New Zealand is expected to contribute toward the market growth. Industrial accidents at workplaces arise due to the unsafe behavior or unsafe conditions in factories. An accident at work is a mishap during the course of work, which leads to physical or mental harm. Non-fatal accidents at work are those that mean at least four full calendar days of absence from work (also called serious accidents at work). Fatal accidents at work are those that lead to the death of the victim within one year. There are some industries such as construction and mining where individuals are majorly exposed to occupational hazards as compared to other type of industries. Get Access to sample pages: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/13300 This has the highest rate of fatal injuries out of all other industry sections. To avoid the accidents in the industrial working environment, government has laid strict rules and regulations for the usage of industrial protective footwear which is expected to have positive impact on market growth. The government has mandated several regulations related to occupational safety for workers, which encourages people to use personal protective footwear at the workplaces. The increase in regulatory actions with the support from International Labour Organization (ILO) help in the adoption of protective footwear. Moreover, increase in labor force due to rapid industrial development has enforced the government to impose strict rules for worker safety. Worker safety issues being addressed and industrialists are focused on improving the safety standards, which further increase the demand for safety footwear in Australia and Papa New Guinea country. In developing countries, such as Papua New Guinea, several small- and mid-level industries avoid and neglect use of industrial protective footwear. This is due to lack of awareness about the preventive and protective applications of the footwear. Poor safety practices at construction sites are health hazardous. Moreover, accident cases that occur on the workplaces can be reduced through worker education and training programs by building awareness about footwear among the employees. According to Aniket Kadam Research Analyst, Consumer Goods at Allied Market Research, The increase in regulatory actions with the support from International Labour Organization (ILO) help in the adoption of protective footwear. Worker safety issues being addressed and industrialists are focused on improving the safety standards, which further increase the demand for safety footwear in Australia and Papa New Guinea country Key findings of the study In terms of value, the standard segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% during ANZ industrial protective footwear market forecast Australia is expected to dominate the market in the future, registering CAGR of 4.6%, in terms of value, throughout ANZ industrial protective footwear market analysis period. The waterproof footwear segment accounted for more than 82% share of the total ANZ industrial protective footwear market share in 2018. Detailed market analysis of factors driving and restrict the ANZ industrial protective footwear market growth is provided. The construction segment accounted for more than 28% share of the total ANZ industrial protective footwear market in 2018. Papua New Guinea industrial protective footwear market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1%, in terms of value. Key players operating in the ANZ industrial protective footwear industry are Bata Industrials Australia, Blundstone Footwear, Dewalt, Dunlop, Honeywell International Inc., ofTENRICH HOLDINGS COMPANY LIMITED, Redback boots, Safeworx, Skellerup Industries Limited, and Steel Blue. After the incident, authorities said Lambert left the station and headed to a gas station on State Street, where he bought a 2-liter bottle of Sprite. He then returned to the train station, approached an officer who was investigating the incident, pointed to the train and confessed to being involved in the death. He also admitted to being a schizophrenic who was off of his medication, prosecutors said. A $2 million US lobbying effort and petitions from European lawmakers are piling pressure on Saudi Arabia to release a philanthropist prince jailed for two years without charge amid an intensifying royal crackdown. The detention of Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz and his father since January 2018 is part of a clampdown under de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that has ensnared not just potential rivals but also figures posing no visible challenge to his hold on power. The dangerous power plays have also swept up family members of Saad Aljabri, a former aide to another detained prince and top intelligence official, who fled to Canada and holds key state secrets. The most unlikely target is Prince Salman, a multilingual 37-year-old educated at Paris's Sorbonne University, who apparently espoused no political ambitions and earned a reputation of being a "walking blank check" for funding development projects in poor countries. "This is not just an unlawful arrest," an associate of the prince told AFP. "This is daylight kidnapping. This is a forced disappearance." After being detained for around a year in the high-security Al-Ha'ir prison near Riyadh and later in a private villa with his father Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the prince was moved to a secret detention site in March, multiple sources told AFP. He was mysteriously returned to the villa last week to be reunited with his father, three of those sources said. It remains unclear why he was moved to the secret site. His telephone calls to his family are monitored by Saudi intelligence, the sources said. But his return may be a tentative sign that international pressure for his release is working. Saudi authorities did not respond to a request for comment on the case. - Pressure campaign - A delegation from the European Parliament implored Saudi authorities to release detained royals including Prince Salman during a visit to Riyadh in February, according to a source and an internal report of the tour seen by AFP. "The European Parliament already asked for information about the case in a letter addressed... to the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which (remains) unanswered," Marc Tarabella, a vice chairman of the parliament's delegation for relations with the Arab peninsula, wrote to the European Commission. "I would like to ask you to raise this issue... with the highest relevant authorities in Saudi Arabia appealing for Prince Salman's release. "I remain confident that the release would positively impact the relations of the European Parliament with Saudi Arabia," he wrote. Separately, leading Washington lobbyist Robert Stryk's Sonoran Policy Group signed a $2 million contract in May to advocate for the prince's release "with the governments of the United States, United Kingdom, France, and the European Union", according to a US justice department filing seen by AFP. Stryk, known to have close connections with the administration of US President Donald Trump -- an ally of Prince Mohammed -- was recruited by Hashim Mughal, a Paris-based confidant of Prince Salman, according to the filing. A source described Mughal, a Pakistani national, as the prince's former financial advisor who raised $2 million from his personal wealth and by tapping the influential royal's friends. The international effort is a gamble that could backfire in a kingdom whose authoritarian rulers are strongly averse to public criticism. But as private appeals to the rulers go unheeded, the campaign may be the only hope at a time when the kingdom is grappling with a coronavirus-led economic slump and amid unease in Washington with Prince Mohammed's aggressive policies. - 'Game of thrones' - Prince Salman is among a wave of royals detained as Prince Mohammed, known as MBS, eliminates potential rivals to amass power unseen by previous rulers. In March, authorities arrested the Saudi king's brother Prince Ahmed and nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who was edged out as heir to the throne by MBS in 2017. Two adult children and a brother of Saad Aljabri, once a senior aide to Prince Nayef, were also detained in March, with a source close to the family calling them "victims of a Saudi game of thrones". Aljabri, exiled in Canada, earlier attempted to get his children to leave Saudi Arabia but authorities had placed them under a travel ban, the source told AFP. Princess Basmah bint Saud, another royal perceived to be close to Prince Nayef, has been jailed in Al-Ha'ir for a year without charge along with her daughter. Her family lost all contact with the princess after they posted a desperate Twitter appeal for her release in April, a source has told AFP. More baffling is the detention of Prince Salman, whose non-political philanthropic work makes him an unlikely rival to MBS. What may have rankled the royal court is the prince's meeting with Congressman Adam Schiff, a Democrat and Trump critic, just before US elections in 2016. His associates say "nothing political" was discussed. Schiff's office told AFP he does not recall specifics of the discussion but they may have talked about "Saudi Arabia generally". "Those who pushed for this arrest gravely misread US politics," Kirsten Fontenrose, a former White House official responsible for policy towards Saudi Arabia and now with the Atlantic Council, told AFP. "Jailing someone for meeting with a vocal Democrat will only make it more difficult for Trump to maintain close ties to the Saudi ruling family leading up to the US election. "And it will certainly come back to bite the kingdom if the next administration is led by Democrats." Jailed Saudi Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz apparently espoused no political ambitions Saudi Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz (R) seen in this 2017 picture greeting the mayor of the German city of Dresden has been detained by Saudi authorities for two years without charge Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia under whose watch the kingdom has cracked down on potential rivals and critics Credit: CC0 Public Domain The unprecedented economic and educational shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic could inflict long-term damage to young people's prospects in life, a new study finds. According to academics from the University of Exeter and the LSE, the 'COVID generation' young Britons currently under the age of 25face declining social mobility unless bold moves are made to create a fairer societyincluding a job guarantee scheme for those facing long-term unemployment and catch-up tutoring for disadvantaged children. The new reportCOVID-19 and Social Mobilitypoints out that before the crisis, younger generations were already facing declining 'absolute mobility': falling real wages, fewer opportunities and stagnant or declining living standards. Now that the crisis has drastically worsened economic and education inequality, young people are even less likely to fare better than past generations, less likely to climb the income ladder and less likely to fulfil their potential regardless of their background. There is a genuine concern that these inequalities could become entrenched for some time. But, the authors say, rebuilding after the pandemic also offers an opportunity to give serious consideration to radical policies that will create a more mobile society and a better functioning economy. The report, published by the LSE's Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), calls for: The introduction of job guarantees for people who are unemployed for more than six or 12 months. A one-off progressive wealth tax on the net worth of the top 1% of richest individuals. Living wages for key workers. A national tutoring service, with undergraduates and graduates helping children to catch up during the next school year. A dual approach to upper secondary schools, with a credible vocational stream alongside current academic routes. Random allocation for school and university admissions, where candidates have met a threshold of selection criteria. Professor Lee Elliot Major, from the University of Exeter, co-author of the report, said: "There are serious concerns that the pandemic will plunge the COVID-19 generation into a dark age of declining social mobility because of rising economic and educational inequalities. The effects of the crisis and lockdown vary across age groups: while the coronavirus health shock has particularly affected the over-60s, the longer-term economic and social damage is likely to hit young people disproportionately, especially the under-25s. "The growing divides in our society were apparent before the crisis. But, as social movements following the Second World War demonstrate, it is possible that fairer and more collective societies can emerge from hard times." CEP's director Professor Stephen Machin, co-author of the report, said: "We need to develop bold policies for now and the longer term to ensure the economic recovery also creates a more socially mobile society that is fairer for all. "We owe it to our young people to ensure that our post-COVID-19 economy is more local, sustainable, inclusive and productive. There is scope and, we believe, demand and appetite to do it." More information: COVID-19 and social mobilityCEP (LSE): COVID-19 and social mobilityCEP (LSE): cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/cepcovid-19-004.pdf Hangzhou: A group of Indians today gathered at a hotel here to greet Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he arrived in this Chinese city for the crucial G20 summit. The Prime Minister was greeted with chants of Modi, Modi by the group of Indian men and women when he reached the hotel here after his arrival. As he went around greeting the people, a number of them raised Modi, Modi slogans. The group came from neighbouring Yiwu, the commodity hub which has several hundred businessmen residing there. The Prime Minister greeted the people after getting out of his vehicle and then walked into the hotel. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Srinagar, June 1 : The Jammu and Kashmir government has exempted defence and central armed forces returning to their duties from compulsory RTPCR testing and administrative quarantine, a government order said on Monday. The order stated that the personnel of Defence and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) returning to duty are exempted from 100 per cent RTPCR testing and administrative/ institutional quarantine in any facility authorised by the government of Jammu and Kashmir. "The said personnel shall be allowed to proceed for institutional quarantine of their respective units/formations as per their internal procedures," the order stated. It added that the government of Jammu and Kashmir has laid down the protocol for 100 per cent RTPCR testing of all incoming passengers by train/air/road to Jammu and Kashmir and quarantine procedures to be followed thereof. The said protocol also specifies certain categories of passengers to be exempted from compulsory administrative quarantine. S pain is set to lift the 14-day quarantine rule for foreign tourists on June 21 as the country seeks to attract holidaymakers despite the Covid-19 crisis. Transport Minister Jose Abalos said the rule was being lifted earlier than the previously proposed July 1 date so test runs can take place involving holidaymakers from countries and places with low coronavirus contagion rates. The new June 21 deadline will also coincide with the end of Spain's state of alarm after a sixth extension, meaning peoples movement in the country cannot be restricted. Regions will thereafter have the power to decide whether residents can move between provinces once as the country moves into phase three of its Covid-19 lockdown exit plan. Mr Abalos comments came after Tourism Minister Maria Reyes Maroto said on Sunday that holidaymakers from Germany and some Nordic countries were in the running to be allowed to take part in the pilot tourism schemes in places like the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands. In a slap-down for British holidaymakers hoping of being among the first foreigners to visit Spain again, she was quoted as saying: There the health situation still has to improve. For us it is important to guarantee that people arrive healthy and leave healthy. Coronavirus: Colosseum reopens in Rome after three months Mr Abalos stressed the idea behind the pilot was to prepare Spain for a full opening to international tourism in July with flights that have as their origin and destination places with low levels of coronavirus contagion. He also confirmed inter-provincial travel in Spain could be possible in those areas which reach phase three of the country's four-phase coronavirus recovery programme next Monday. Most of Andalucia, as well as all the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands, are expected to move onto phase three and enjoy a relaxation of existing coronavirus restrictions in a weeks time. Spain's coronavirus outbreak has killed more than 27,000 people to date. Equity inflows worth $3.7 billion came from the sunny Caribbean jurisdiction in 2019-20, a 267 per cent increase from the $1 billion registered in 2018-19 making it Indias 10th largest source of FDI. Famous offshore tax haven Cayman Islands is now the 10th largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for India, leaving behind major nations like South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. While inbound FDI from tax havens have risen over the past few years, estimates released by the DPIIT show it spiked unprecedentedly in 2019-20. Foreign direct equity investments in 2019-20 grew by 14 per cent, a four-year high, to a record $49.8 billion, according to the data released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The figures are expected to comfort policymakers who were worried about tepid growth in equity investments, which had contracted by 1 per cent in 2018-19 and risen only 3 per cent in the year before that. But sources say the DPIIT is wary of inflows shooting up from tax havens, generally defined as a country or place with very low effective rates of taxation for foreign investors. We have noticed the increasing incidence of potential round tripping of profits by Indian companies. This will be discussed with the Corporate Affairs Ministry, said a senior official. Even if seen as pure investments by foreign entities, these flows tend to be volatile and unsustainable, he added. Equity inflows worth $3.7 billion came from the sunny Caribbean jurisdiction in 2019-20, a 267 per cent increase from the $1 billion registered in 2018-19. Located nearby, the tiny British Virgin Islands pushed in $262.5 million, a small figure until someone considers that it only sent $46 million in 2018-19. The two United Kingdom dependencies were ranked first and third in the Corporate Tax Haven Index (CTHI) released last year by the Tax Justice Network, an independent international network advocating against tax avoidance. The CTHI ranks the worlds most important tax havens for multinational corporations which erode the tax revenues of other countries around the world. Larger nations present It also lists larger, more formalised tax heavens like the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Cyprus as being major hubs for hiding corporate profits. As of March 2020, the Netherlands and Cyprus continue to be in the top-10 sources of historical FDI for India. In particular, Netherlands is the 3rd-largest source of historical FDI for India, accounting for an impressive 7.2 per cent of all FDI into India since 2000. In the last financial year, it sent $6.49 billion, a handsome 67 per cent increase over its tally from the year before. Investments from Cyprus, the eighth-largest source FDI, also accelerated. Equity worth $879.4 million came in from the Mediterranean nation, up from $296 million a year back. Figures presented by the government to Parliament in 2018 showed that FDI from nations widely regarded as tax havens began spiking in 2017-18. Investment flows from European principalities such as Luxembourg also rose. In FY20, the liberal tax hub of the Singapore continued to be the largest source of FDI for India for the second consecutive year, pushing in $14.6 billion, followed by Mauritius at $8.2 billion. Singapore has long been the highest source of foreign funds for India, pumping in around $97.6 billion since 2000, constituting a fifth of all inbound FDI over this period. Inflows from Mauritius have been affected after the agreement on double taxation avoidance was signed in 2017. "Now, significant FDI is coming from Singapore because of round tripping, said Biswajit Dhar, senior trade policy expert and professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Interestingly, inflows from China's special administrative region of Hong Kong have remained subdued. Investments from Hong Kong rose just 15 per cent in FY20, after contracting by more than 40 per cent in 2018-19. FDI from mainland China stood at only $163.78 million in FY20. Chinese investments have attracted a lot of controversy recently after the Centre mandated in April that all FDI from China will need to have prior government approval. In 2019-20, total FDI into India, which includes equity capital of unincorporated bodies, reinvest earnings, and other capital, stood at $73.4 billion, up from $63 billion a year ago, an 18 per cent jump. Photograph: Dado Rubic/Reuters Nineteen hours after a spectacular Florida launch, SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule caught up with the International Space Station early Sunday and glided in for a problem-free docking, bringing veteran astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken to the outpost in SpaceX's first piloted space flight. The historic mission marks a major milestone in NASA's push to end the agency's sole reliance on Russian Soyuz spacecraft for carrying astronauts to and from the lab complex, the first piloted launch to orbit by a privately owned and operated spacecraft since the dawn of the space age. 053120-approach.jpg The Crew Dragon capsule on final approach to the International Space Station. NASA TV "Welcome to Bob and Doug," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said to the crew in a call from mission control at the Johnson Space Center. "The whole world saw this mission, and we are so, so proud of everything you've done for our country and, in fact, to inspire the world." "We sure appreciate that, sir," Hurley replied, floating in the space station's Harmony module, flanked by crewmate Behnken, space station commander Chris Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner. "It's obviously been our honor to be just a small part of this," he said. "We have to give credit to SpaceX, the Commercial Crew Program and, of course, NASA. It's great to get the United States back in the crewed launch business, and we're just really glad to be on board this magnificent complex." Following a picture-perfect climb to space Saturday atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Hurley and Behnken monitored an automated rendezvous with the station Sunday, approaching the lab complex from behind and below. Executing a precise series of thruster firings, the Crew Dragon looped up to a point directly in front of the station and lined up on the lab's forward docking port, the same one once used by visiting space shuttles. Story continues Hurley, a former Marine test pilot, briefly took over manual control, firing thrusters by tapping high-tech touch-screen cockpit displays to verify a crew's ability to fly the spacecraft by hand if needed. The ship's flight computer than resumed the approach and the Crew Dragon's docking mechanism engaged its counterpart on the space station at 10:16 a.m. ET, about 15 minutes ahead of schedule. A few minutes later, the capsule was pulled in and locked in place by 12 motorized latches. 053120-crew3.jpg The combined Expedition 63 crew, back row, L-R: cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin, space station commander Chris Cassidy, cosmonaut Ivan Vagner; front row, L-R: Crew Dragon joint operations commander Robert Behnken and vehicle commander Douglas Hurley. The American flag on the hatch above the astronauts first flew in space on the shuttle Columbia's maiden flight in 1981; it was left aboard the station by Hurley and his Atlantis crewmates during the last shuttle mission in 2011. Hurley and Behnken plan to bring the flag home at the end of their current mission. NASA TV Cassidy, a former Navy SEAL, followed naval tradition and rang the ship's bell aboard the station to announce the Crew Dragon's arrival. "Dragon, arriving," he said. "The crew of Expedition 63 is honored to welcome Dragon and the Commercial Crew Program to ... the International Space Station. Bob and Doug, glad to have you as part of the crew. Well done. Bravo zulu." "We here at SpaceX are honored to have been part of ushering in this new era of human spaceflight," said Anna Menon, the spacecraft communicator at SpaceX's Hawthorne, California, control center. "On behalf of the SpaceX and NASA partnership, congratulations on a phenomenal accomplishment. And welcome to the International Space Station." During the post-docking welcome aboard ceremony, Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas asked the Crew Dragon astronauts "how does she handle?" "It flew just like it was supposed to," Hurley said. "We had a couple of opportunities to take it out for a spin, so to speak (flying manually), and my compliments to the folks back at Hawthorne and SpaceX for how well it flew. It's exactly like the simulator, and we couldn't be happier about the performance of the vehicle." 053120-cockpit.jpg A camera mounted in the Crew Dragon capsule looks over the shoulders of astronauts Douglas Hurley, left, and Robert Behnken, right, showing the ship's high-tech touchscreen displays in the moments after docking with the International Space Station. NASA TV Representative Brian Babin, a Texas Republican who represents the Johnson Space Center, asked the astronauts to describe their impressions of launching atop a Falcon 9 rocket. Behnken, who flew twice aboard the space shuttle, recalled a fairly rough ride on the orbit while its two solid-fuel boosters were firing, but a smooth ascent after that with the shuttle's three liquid-fueled engines. He and Hurley expected the Falcon 9 ride to smooth out after the rocket's first stage, powered by nine engines and generating 1.7 million pounds of thrust, was jettisoned about two-and-a-half minutes into flight. The Falcon's second stage is powered by a single engine. "We were surprised a little bit by how smooth things were off the pad," Behnken said. "The space shuttle was a pretty rough ride heading into orbit with the solid rocket boosters, and our expectation was as we continued with (our) flight into second stage, that things would basically get a lot smoother than the space shuttle. "But Dragon was huffin' and puffin' all the way into orbit, and we were definitely riding a Dragon all the way up," he said. "So it was not quite the same ride, the smooth ride as the space shuttle was up to MECO [main engine cutoff], a little bit less Gs but a little bit more 'alive' is probably the best way I could describe it." The Crew Dragon is expected to remain docked to the station for six weeks to four months, allowing Behnken and Hurley to help Cassidy with a full slate of NASA and partner agency research and, possibly, with one or more spacewalks to install new solar array batteries and complete installation of a European experiment platform. SpaceX Falcon-9 Rocket And Crew Dragon Capsule Launches From Cape Canaveral Sending Astronauts To The International Space Station NASA astronauts Bob Behnken, right, and Doug Hurley give a thumbs-up on their way to the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on May 30, 2020. Getty Cassidy said he looked forward to the help. "We've got a few things to take care of tonight, make sure we're all safe and we know the plan in case something bad happens," he said, referring to a standard emergency briefing given to all newly arrived crew members. "And then we're looking forward to some operational stuff later in the month, maybe we'll get outside and do some spacewalks. So we're all super excited to have two more crewmates to the Expedition 63 team." NASA originally planned a short one-week to 10-day test flight for the first piloted Crew Dragon. But delays in the agency's Commercial Crew Program and scaled-back production of Russian Soyuz spacecraft forced NASA to reduce the lab's U.S. and partner agency crew to just one Cassidy. NASA managers are holding off on making a decision on when the Crew Dragon will return to Earth until they get a better idea of how atomic oxygen in the extreme upper atmosphere might affect the capsule's solar cells. No matter how that works out, engineers want time to thoroughly evaluate the capsule's performance before proceeding with the first operational flight. NASA and SpaceX hope to launch that flight, carrying an international three-man one-woman crew, in the late August timeframe. Authorities suspect white supremacists and far-left extremists are behind violence at protests Trump responds to George Floyd protests SpaceX makes history with successful rocket launch As upheaval continues in the nations capital and other cities a week after the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis, the District of Columbia National Guard has been fully activated, said senior defense officials, who like other officials spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity to describe the governments plans. In addition to those approximately 1,200 troops, up to 800 additional National Guard members from five other states also will be sent to the nations capital, the officials said. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and the Harris County Department of Public Health announced Wednesday, May 28, that the countys two biggest COVID-19 testing sites in Baytown and Katy will be moved to new locations beginning June 2. The test sites will relocate to San Jacinto College Central in Pasadena and Pridgeon Stadium in the Cypress area in order to provide added testing options for residents in northwest and southeast areas of Harris County and begin services that Monday, weather permitting, according to a May 28 press release. HELPING HANDS: Cypress nonprofit makes and donates 4,500 masks amid COVID-19 pandemic These are FEMA supported testing sites, operated by the local health departments and we wanted to provide opportunities to other county residents to have easy access to testing, said Dr. Umair A. Shah, executive director at Harris County Public Health. Harris County currently runs six testing sites all over the county with the capability to test up to 1,700 residents each day, according to Harris County Public Health, and has offered testing at 29 locations across the county, to date. The two new sites opening in June can conduct 750 tests per day each, an increase from 500, and Shah said they will be there for at least a month. The new locations are large enough to provide the set-up for the required services and convenient for residents (parking accessibility), Shah said. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Fact check: Gov. Abbott says almost 75 percent of Texas coronavirus fatalities are 65 or over Shah said the Cy-Fair and Pasadena locations have easier access to the east and south part of the county and are densely populated. But added that residents must take the self-assessment to get an authorization code for a testing site. Residents who think they may have been exposed to or have COVID-19 are encouraged to get tested. Harris County Public Health encourages as many people as possible to get tested, even if they dont have symptoms. Testing identifies new cases of COVID-19 so contact tracers can determine the sources of infection and help prevent further spread of this contagious disease, Shah said. In addition, infected people often dont have symptoms but are still contagious. Without knowing it, they can infect older people and those with underlying health conditions who may get extremely ill or die. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Retired Harris County bailiff Hilbert Nunez Jr. dies of COVID-19 Throughout the screening process residents will be able to select a date and time to get tested after receiving an authorization code and walk-ups will be denied at entry, according to the release. However, residents from other counties can get tested at any of these sites and those wanting to get tested the following day can call or register online. Smaller mobile sites will continue to visit the Baytown and Katy areas occasionally, according to the release. But since Saturday, May 30, is the final day the locations will be available, people near those areas who need to be tested have been encouraged by Harris County Public Health to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. The Baytown location started March 21 and the Katy location opened March 22. Shah said the operation in both sites went very well overall. However, having such a large county, we knew that we needed to move to other areas to provide the same opportunities to more residents, Shah said. MORNING REPORT: Get the top stories on HoustonChronicle.com sent directly to your inbox Shah said testing is free, easy to register and quick, due to the six drive-through sites in Harris County. For testing, residents can register by using the self-assessment tool accessible at www.readyharris.org, www.hcphtx.org or calling 832-927-7575. To get tested the next day, call or register online after 6:30 p.m. Testing will be available six days a week, Monday-Saturday. Sign up, take the self-assessment and drive to the test site, Shah said. alvaro.montano@chron.com Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) is an organic polymer consisting of aromatic rings linked with sulfides. The distinguished properties of PPS such as flame retardant, chemical resistant, corrosion resistant, dimensional stability, and low moisture absorption are responsible for substitution of heavy metals, mainly required in major end-use industries such as automotive and aerospace. The surging demand for the product in the automotive and electrical industry is expected to propel the market growth during the forecast period. The increased fuel efficiency and weight reduction potential by the use of PPS in automotive are one of the major drivers of the global polyphenylene sulfide market. Additionally, increasing consumption of the product in electrical and electronic appliances such as non-stick cookware, fans & blowers, and hairdryer components are likely to favor the market growth. It is an entirely recyclable, environment-friendly compound and a fine alternative to other polymers such as epoxy, ABS, PTFE, PEI, PVDF, and others. Radical improvements in advanced avionics, operating efficiency, and use of new electrical systems are rapidly changing the manufacturing of the aircraft. Advanced platforms, which are already in the production such as Boeings 787, 737 MAX including A330, and others are expected to boost the market growth. The extensive use of filter bags in steel, chemical, and thermal plants is fuelling the global market of polyphenylene sulfide. Furthermore, the product provides sterilizable healthcare and laboratory equipment, which may effectively rise the market growth. However, rising demand for substitutes such as PEI, polyamide, and PEEK coupled with the high cost of polyphenylene sulfide may restrain the market growth. Market Segmentation The global Polyphenylene Sulfide Market is segmented on the basis of type, applications, and region. Commercially, the PPS is manufactured in two types: virgin and recycled. The virgin type PPS is costly and contains lesser impurities and environmental risks as compared to the recycled type. On the basis of the application, the market is segmented into automotive, electrical & electronics, filter bags, industrial applications, aerospace, coatings, and others. Regional Analysis The global polyphenylene sulfide market is segmented into five major regions of Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. The Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region in terms of value on account of the presence of a large number of automotive, and electrical and electronics industries. Countries such as China and India are the major contributors to the regional market growth due to the increasing demand for advanced and efficient automotive. The presence of renowned automotive manufacturers such as Honda, Nissan, and Toyota in Japan has fuelled the market growth in this region. High production of automobiles in countries such as Thailand and South Korea is further anticipated to favor the market growth in coming years. North America is another substantial contributor to the global market growth owing to the mature automotive sector and growing aerospace sector. Increasing demand for the product from the established aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing, GE Aviation, Northrop Grumman in the U.S is the major driver of the market in this region. The growth of the market is sluggish in Europe due to the stringent Government regulations for environmental safety despite the presence of coal and thermal plants in this region. Latin America is expected to join hands with the leading region's growth in the coming future due to the growing automotive industries, especially in Mexico. Competitive Analysis Some of the major market players in the global polyphenylene sulfide market are Tosoh Corporation (Japan), TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC. (Japan), Celanese Corporation (US), SK Chemicals (South Korea), Solvay (Belgium), KUREHA CORPORATION (Japan), Polyplastics Co., Ltd. (Japan), DIC CORPORATION (Japan), Chevron Phillips Chemical Company (US ), Haohua Honghe Chemical Co., Ltd. (China), Kotec Corporation (Japan), TEIJIN LIMITED (Japan), NHU Materials Co. (China), SABIC (Saudi Arabia), and Aetna Plastics Corp. (US). Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/polyphenylene-sulfide-market-5642 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. Houston rapper Trae tha Truth will join the family of George Floyd in a march Tuesday afternoon starting at Discovery Green. City officials on Monday said the march is the same rally it will be hosting for the slain Houstonian, whose death in Minneapolis has sparked nights of protests across the country. The march begins at 3 p.m. and will end at City Hall, according to the rapper's Instagram post. SERVE AND PROTECT: Houston officials to honor George Floyd with march, rally and offer to escort body Police chief Art Acevedo announced the city's plan to honor Floyd with a rally and march, as well as an offer for the police department to escort his body. The funeral is slated to happen in Houston. Mayor Sylvester Turner said Sunday that he spoke with members of Floyds family about funeral arrangements but those details had not been finalized. NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 17:33:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A worker disinfects a check-in kiosk at Ankara Esenboga Airport in Ankara, Turkey, on June 1, 2020. Turkey's airline companies resumed their domestic operations on Monday with a limited number of flights. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) ISTANBUL, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's airline companies resumed their domestic operations on Monday with a limited number of flights after two months of closure over the COVID-19 pandemic. Turkey's national flag carrier Turkish Airlines (THY) and the Pegasus Airlines currently only resume the flights from Turkey's biggest city Istanbul to a few major cities. The THY's first aircraft departed to the capital Ankara from Istanbul Airport, and a plane with Pegasus Airlines flew to the western province of Izmir from Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Istanbul in the morning. The THY will begin to fly to other cities on June 4 and launch its international flights on June 10. Pegasus administration, meanwhile, said the company would soon start its domestic and international flights without revealing further details. Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey would enter a new normalization period on June 1 as the figures related to COVID-19 cases tend downwards. The death toll from the coronavirus in Turkey has climbed to 4,540 and the number of confirmed cases totaled 163,942, according to the figures announced by the Health Ministry on Sunday. Story Highlights 22% "very concerned" about visits to doctor/hospital, down 22 points Men, older adults less concerned than their counterparts about visits Doctor/Hospital visits within past 24 hours doubled in one month to 12% WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As the national COVID-19 curve has flattened in the U.S., fewer Americans are concerned about being exposed to the virus while receiving necessary medical treatment. Although 64% of Americans are very (22%) or moderately (42%) concerned, this marks a 20-percentage-point drop from late March/early April. Americans' Concern About Exposure to COVID-19 at Doctor's Office or Hospital Wanes If you needed medical treatment right now, how concerned would you be about being exposed to coronavirus at a doctor's office or hospital? Mar 28-Apr 6 May 14-24 % % Very concerned 44 22 Moderately concerned 40 42 Not too concerned 13 26 Not concerned at all 3 11 GALLUP PANEL, 2020 The latest data are from an online, probability-based Gallup Panel survey conducted May 14-24. Americans' concern about COVID-19 exposure while getting medical treatment was previously tracked March 28-April 6. Whereas Americans have become much less likely to say they are very concerned between the two field periods, there has been no appreciable change among those who are moderately concerned. At the same time, the percentage of U.S. adults who are not concerned has more than doubled, from 16% to 37%. Differences in Levels of Concern Among Demographic Subgroups Although concern about office visits has dropped among all major demographic subgroups, the differences are particularly notable by gender and age -- involving two groups that are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Several studies have found that men are dying from COVID-19 in greater numbers than women, yet men are less concerned than women (55% vs. 70%) about the risk of going to a medical office during the pandemic. Likewise, the CDC has been clear that adults 65 and older are at greater risk than those in younger age categories, but older adults are significantly less likely to say they are very concerned about in-person medical visits than those aged 18-64. Both men and older adults are typically Republican-leaning groups. Gallup has found that the public's views about many aspects of the coronavirus are colored by their party identification, and this measure is similarly affected. Currently, 80% of Democrats but far fewer Republicans, 42%, are concerned about exposure to the virus in a medical office. Gender, Age Differences in Concern About In-Person Medical Visits During Pandemic If you needed medical treatment right now, how concerned would you be about being exposed to coronavirus at a doctor's office or hospital? Very concerned Moderately concerned Not too/Not at all concerned % % % Gender Male 16 39 45 Female 26 44 29 Age 18-44 years old 24 43 33 45-64 years old 22 39 39 65 and older 16 43 40 Party identificaton Republicans 10 32 58 Independents 20 41 39 Democrats 31 49 19 GALLUP PANEL, May 14-24, 2020 Differences in results by two other characteristics -- region and personal health status -- are less surprising than gender and age, but noteworthy nonetheless. New York and New Jersey have more cases and deaths from COVID-19 than any other states, and concern about going to a medical office in the Northeast region of the U.S. is higher than in any other region. Seventy-four percent of those in the Northeastern U.S. currently say they are concerned compared with 65% in the West, 61% in the South and 57% in the Midwest. U.S. adults who say they have medical conditions considered high risk for serious complications from the coronavirus are more likely than those who are not to say they are very concerned about visiting a medical office (27% vs. 20%). Another 42% of each group say they are moderately concerned. Slight Increase in Americans' Self-Reported Medical Office Visits Americans' use of virtual doctor appointments as a substitute for in-person visits has increased during the pandemic, yet the percentage of U.S. adults who say they have visited a doctor's office, hospital or treatment center has begun to bounce back -- from 6% in mid-April to 12% May 18-24. Line graph. Americans'; self-reported visits to a doctor's office, hospital or treatment center within the past 24 hours. Gallup's May 18-24 survey found 12% of Americans had visited one of these locations, an increase of six points from one month prior. Implications Now that the infection curve in the U.S. is flattening and states are re-opening their economies, many medical offices nationwide are encouraging patients with medical needs not related to the coronavirus to come back for care. Getting potentially life-saving vaccinations, screenings and crucial medical care for people with chronic conditions needs to be coupled with staying safe from COVID-19. Americans' concerns about capacity at hospitals have eased, and the use of face masks is up, both of which may be contributing to the public's lessened concern. Learn more about how the Gallup Panel works. In a targeted campaign of gutter journalism, Germanys right-wing Bild tabloid is seeking to discredit the world-renowned virologist Christian Drosten. Despite knowing better, Bild denounced his academic work so as to justify the political race to lift lockdown measures and create the greatest possible confusion among the population. On May 25, Bild published the following headline online, Dubious methods. Drosten study about infectious children totally wrong. How long did the star virologist know about this? This was the introduction to a video that allegedly presented the criticisms of various academics before stating, In his most important study, Drosten got it wrong. The Bild sought specifically to ridicule a study in which Drosten found that children may be just as infectious when they have coronavirus as adults. Drostens study is backed up by further international research and confirms what has been tragically visible in Wuhan and other parts of the world: children carry large quantities of virus. As a result, they can easily transmit the virus and become severely ill themselves. But according to Bild, the Charite researcher worked dishonestly. The study was erroneous and reached false conclusions. Christian Drosten (Image Credit: Twitter C_drosten) In addition, Bild reporter Philipp Piatov points out that Drosten is a well respected virologist who is listened to closely by politicians, including the chancellor herself, i.e., he has considerable political influence. Politicians must now answer the question of if and to what degree they listened to this study from the Charite, if they have investigated the doubts ... and if the schools policy over recent months needs to be revised. In an attempt to hold the proverbial gun to Drostens head, Piatov sent him an email at 3 p.m. on Monday in which he confronted him with four citations from various academics torn out of context. The virologist should state his position on the citations and defend his study within an hour, by 4 p.m., the email stated. Entirely appropriately, Drosten refused to assume the role crafted for him in this disgraceful spectacle. He published the email from Bild s politics desk on Twitter with the remark, Interesting: the #Bild is planning a tendentious report on our pre-print on virus loads and is using chunks of citations torn out of context. Im supposed to state my position within an hour. I have better things to do. The academics upon which the Bild based its report were the statistics professors Dominik Liebl (University of Bonn) and Christoph Rothe (University of Mannheim), Professor Leonhard Held (Institute of Epidemiology, Zurich), and Jorg Stoye, an economics professor from Cornell University in New York. Within a short period of time on Monday evening, all four academics distanced themselves from the Bild report. Christoph Rothe wrote, Nobody from #Bild spoke to me, and I explicitly reject this type of reportage. Jorg Stoye added, I dont want to be part of an anti-Drosten campaign. I did not and do not have any contact with Bild. I of course have great respect for Christian Drosten. Germany can count itself lucky to have him and his team. Dominik Liebl tweeted, I knew nothing about the request from Bild and reject putting people under pressure in this way in the strongest terms. We can consider ourselves much more fortunate to have Christian Drosten and his research team in the German scientific community. They saved lives! These objections did not stop the Bild newspaper from emblazoning its Tuesday edition with the bold headline, Schools and kindergartens closed due to false coronavirus study. This alone shows that what is involved is a deliberate campaign of defamation. The Bild tabloid has no interest in clarifying right from wrong, but pursues a definite political agenda. By attacking Drosten, the newspaper wants to intimidate anyone who tries to oppose the ever more far-reaching lifting of restrictions with scientific facts and reason. The enrichment of the super-rich is not to be interrupted with warnings about mass fatalities and the risk of death. Bild is the newspaper with the largest circulation in Germany and is owned by Axel Springer Publishing, which has close ties to the top echelons of the corporate and political elites. The Deutsche Bank holds a large portion of Springers shares, and the publishing houses heiress, Friede Springer, is close friends with Chancellor Angela Merkel. Axel Springer Publishing regularly brings together the creme de la creme from the government, political parties, big business, show business, and sport at its gatherings. Springer has used the Bild tabloid as a useful propaganda tool with a multi-million readership to popularise the politics of the far-right Alternative for Germany, Pegida and others. Even in the post-war era, Bild slandered engaged democratic intellectuals as the left-wing mob, an abscess, academic layabouts, rabble and neurotics. Its aggressive agitation against the student movement led to an assassination attempt on German student activist Rudi Dutschke in 1968. More recent examples of how the tabloid constantly seeks to promote backwardness and poison the political climate in the interests of the ruling elite include propaganda about a sex mob on New Years Eve in Cologne in 2017 and agitation for war against Syria. Under editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt, this despicable approach has become even more pronounced. He recently led the anti-China campaign with the Bild newspaper, as the WSWS reported. With its targeted campaign against Drosten, the tabloid is contributing to agitation against science in general and mobilising a dangerous mob against one of its most well-known representatives. On Tuesday, Drosten wrote on Twitter that he and the Social Democrats health expert, Karl Lauterbach, received packages with bottles labelled CoV-positive and containing the anonymous message, Drink this and youll be immune. Already in April, Drosten said in a Guardian interview that he has received death threats due to his role in the coronavirus crisis. By contrast, he enjoys broad support on social media. Typical comments read, Bild is beyond the pale, and thats not journalism, but just a squad of character assassins. Polls show that most people oppose the premature lifting of the lockdown measures. Drosten and other academics are increasingly valued and respected by the population. They have provided the public since the beginning of the pandemic with scientifically grounded information. Under conditions where big business and the political establishment are prepared to walk over corpses, this is increasingly viewed as a necessity of life. As the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei and the World Socialist Web Site note in their latest statement on the pandemic, The maintenance of a safe working environment is an immensely complex task that can only be achieved through a scientific and rational plan, in active consultation with health care experts in every workplace. It added, The costs necessary to ensure safe working conditions, as well as to provide health care and full income for all workers, must be borne by the corporations and the capitalist ruling elite. For his part, Drosten explained once again on Tuesday in the podcast Coronavirus Update that teachers and childcare workers must be tested regularly and all measures to combat the pandemic must be followed. The virologist remarked on the main point of his study that Bild criticised, The statement is quite clear: children have high loads of virus. That is all that we wanted to say. In principle, it could have been published without any statistical analysis. From his entire research, the very clear conclusion is that children have the same concentration of virus as other age groups. There is nothing to criticise about that. It is precisely this clarity that is a thorn in the side of the ruling elite. The capitalist economy must soon boom again, regardless of what it costs. To enforce the interests of the super-rich, banks, and big business, lockdown measures are being lifted so that autoworkers, teachers, childcare workers, retail workers, meatpackers, and others have to return to unsafe workplaces with inadequate personal protection. Accelerating this process still further is the goal pursued by the Bild tabloids latest campaign against Christian Drosten. - Global landmark in the successful treatment of COVID-19 - Avifavir is the first direct-acting antiviral drug registered in Russia that has proven effective against COVID-19 in clinical trials - Avifavir has become the first Favipiravir-based drug in the world approved for the treatment of COVID-19 MOSCOW, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia's sovereign wealth fund, and the ChemRar Group will deliver 60,000 courses of Avifavir to Russian hospitals in June. Avifavir is Russia's first COVID-19 drug and has shown high efficacy in treating patients with coronavirus during clinical trials. Avifavir has received a registration certificate from the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Thus, Avifavir has become the first Favipiravir-based drug in the world approved for the treatment of COVID-19. In early June, the first batches of Avifavir will be sent to Russia's Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare (Roszdravnadzor) for approval for use. Deliveries of the first batches of the drug to Russian hospitals are expected on June 11, 2020. The high quality of Avifavir is due to more stringent requirements for its active pharmaceutical ingredient, compared with the requirements for active pharmaceutical ingredients in international markets. Avifavir, which disrupts the reproduction mechanisms of coronavirus, is the first Russian direct-acting antiviral drug that has proven effective in clinical trials. The drug has been well studied, since it has been used in Japan since 2014 against severe forms of influenza. The intermediate data from the Avifavir clinical trials confirm its high efficacy against COVID-19. The final stage of Avifavir clinical trials involving 330 patients, approved by the Russian Ministry of Health on May 21, 2020, is ongoing. The number of medical centers approved for the participation in Avifavir clinical trials has increased from 30 to 35 across Russia's regions. The drug proved to be highly effective during the clinical trials involving I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Lomonosov Moscow State University and other medical and academic institutions. According to the results of the 10 days of the clinical trials, Avifavir demonstrated safety with no new or previously unreported side effects detected; Median elimination of the virus took four days compared to nine days with standard therapy, according to the study; Efficacy of the drug is above 80%, a criterion for a drug with high antiviral activity; Following the first four days of treatment, 65% of the 40 patients who took Avifavir tested negative for coronavirus, which is twice as many as in the standard therapy group. By day 10, the number of patients whose tests returned negative results reached 90%; The body temperature of 68% of patients taking Avifavir returned to normal earlier (on the third day) than in the control group (on the sixth day); The drug is undergoing trials in Moscow , Saint-Petersburg , Tver, Nizhny Novgorod , Smolensk, Ryazan, Kazan, Ufa and in the Republic of Dagestan. Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said: "RDIF and ChemRar, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, have swiftly produced and registered a drug that surpasses its global peers not only in terms of effectiveness, but also of safety. Avifavir more than halves the duration of the disease, ensuring most patients are free of infection after the fifth day of treatment, which helps to more successfully fight the virus and protects Russian hospitals from being overwhelmed. Afivavir is not only the first antiviral drug registered against coronavirus in Russia, but it is also perhaps the most promising anti-COVID-19 drug in the world. It was developed and tested in clinical trials in Russia in an unprecedented short period of time, enabling Afivavir to become the world's first registered drug based on Favipiravir." Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is Russia's sovereign wealth fund established in 2011 to make equity co-investments, primarily in Russia, alongside reputable international financial and strategic investors. RDIF acts as a catalyst for direct investment in the Russian economy. RDIF's management company is based in Moscow. Currently, RDIF has experience of the successful joint implementation of more than 80 projects with foreign partners totaling more than RUB1.8 tn and covering 95% of the regions of the Russian Federation. RDIF portfolio companies employ more than 800,000 people and generate revenues which equate to more than 6% of Russia's GDP. RDIF has established joint strategic partnerships with leading international co-investors from more than 15 countries that total more than $40 bn. RDIF takes active steps to counteract COVID-19: RDIF and partners have launched the production of the unique Russian-Japanese EMG diagnostic system , which generates results in 30 minutes with a very high accuracy in both stationary and unmatched portable mini-laboratories. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has joined the project through the Russia-Japan Investment Fund; , which generates results in 30 minutes with a very high accuracy in both stationary and unmatched portable mini-laboratories. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has joined the project through the Russia-Japan Investment Fund; RDIF and the ChemRar Group have produced the first batch of Favipiravir , a drug that has proven effective in the treatment of infected patients in China and in clinical trials in Russia . Preparations are currently underway for the mass production of the drug; , a drug that has proven effective in the treatment of infected patients in and in clinical trials in . Preparations are currently underway for the mass production of the drug; RDIF has launched a project to diagnose and detect pneumonia, including that caused by coronavirus, using CT scans combined with the Russian-UAE artificial intelligence (AI) technology developed jointly by Group 42 (G42), RDIF and Medscan Group; developed jointly by Group 42 (G42), RDIF and Medscan Group; RDIF has provided support to the public in observing the lockdown restrictions and self-isolation regime, driving a several-fold increase in telemedicine consultations via the Doctis service , as well as in access and subscriptions to the ivi online media library , delivery of Elementaree meal kits and demand for products and services of other RDIF portfolio companies; , as well as in access and subscriptions to the , delivery of and demand for products and services of other RDIF portfolio companies; The Mother and Child Group , an RDIF's portfolio company, has repurposed its largest clinical hospital Lapino to treat patients with COVID-19 symptoms. , an RDIF's portfolio company, has repurposed its largest RDIF was one of the initiators of the Alliance against coronavirus, which also includes the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RUIE), Yandex, Mail.ru Group and the Rossiya Segodnya international news agency. RDIF is actively involved in key initiatives and charity projects. Further information can be found at www.rdif.ru ChemRar Group unites R&D service and investment companies in the field of innovative pharmaceuticals for the development and commercialization of innovative medicines, diagnostics, preventive care and new treatments of life-threatening diseases in Russia and abroad. ChemRar Group celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2020. Throughout its history, the company has maintained and improved the achievements and quality of its medical chemistry and has built a team of world-class employees and scientists. Their efforts have made ChemRar one of the global leaders in the industry today. Further information can be found at http://en.chemrar.ru/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1140939/Russian_Direct_Investment_Fund_Logo.jpg Related Links http://www.rdif.ru SOURCE Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Senior public health officials have accused the government of lifting coronavirus restrictions too quickly and risking a second wave of infection. In a last-ditch intervention, the Association of Directors of Public Health said ministers were misjudging the decision on easing the lockdown at a critical moment. The organisation, which represents officials from councils across the UK, also questioned whether the relaxation of the rules and guidance was supported by the science. And it urged the government to reconsider implementing Phase Two of its plan until the NHS Test and Trace system is able to cope. Now is the time for steady leadership, careful preparation and measured steps, wrote ADPH president Jeanelle de Gruchy in her official blog on Sunday evening. The risk of a spike in cases and deaths and of the social and economic impact if we have to return to stricter lockdown measures cannot be overstated. This needs to be understood, not only by the public but also by the government. Ms de Gruchy also highlighted the apparent increase in the number of people failing to abide by lockdown rules over the weekend. We are at a critical moment, she wrote. We need to weigh up the balance of risks between easing restrictions, to enable more pupils to return to school, more businesses to open and more social connections to happen, with the risk of causing a resurgence of infections. Directors of Public Health are increasingly concerned that the government is misjudging this balancing act and lifting too many restrictions, too quickly. Based on what is currently known, several leading scientists and public health experts have spoken out about a string of recent national policy announcements affecting England which project a degree of confidence that many including ADPH members do not think is supported by the science. Over the weekend we have seen signs that the public is no longer keeping as strictly to social distancing as it was along with this, we are concerned that the resolve on personal hygiene measures, and the need to immediately self-isolate, if symptomatic, is waning. A relentless effort to regain and rebuild public confidence and trust following recent events is essential. The test and trace programme was currently far from being the robust operation that is now urgently required as a safeguard to easing restrictions, she added. It came after the deputy chief medical officer, Professor Jonathan Van Tam, warned the UK was at a very dangerous moment as it eased restrictions. However housing secretary Robert Jenrick said at the daily briefing on Sunday the government were reasonably confident that the measures it had announced were manageable. A 30-year veteran of HSBC, Linda has an extensive background in commercial and retail banking. She has been Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial banking for Canada since 2012, is a member of the HSBC Group's global Commercial Banking Executive Committee and a longstanding member of the Canadian bank's Executive Committee. Linda succeeds Sandra Stuart who informed HSBC Holdings plc and the HSBC Canada Board of Directors of her retirement plans in late 2019, triggering succession plans and a search process. June marks two career milestones for Sandra: five years as President and CEO of the bank in Canada, and 40 years with HSBC. Throughout her career, Sandra has been a recognized champion for diversity and inclusion and was named Catalyst Canada Honours Champion in 2019. HSBC Canada's Commercial Banking unit accounts for the majority of the bank's profits in Canada. Under Linda's leadership, it ranks among the top performing commercial regions in the HSBC Group with a focus on helping Canadian businesses expand across the world's trade corridors. She joined HSBC in 1988 and has held progressively senior roles in Commercial Banking, Retail and Wealth, Operations and Risk. Linda is the national Executive Sponsor of HSBC Canada's Balance Network which supports the recruitment, development, advancement and engagement of a gender-balanced workforce. Stephen Moss, Regional Chief Executive Officer for Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, Latin America and Canada said: "We thank Sandra for her strong contribution over the past 40 years. As CEO, she led the Canadian business through a period of significant change and growth with assets now sitting at $125bn. We are confident that Linda will build on HSBC's position as the leading international bank in Canada and a significant contributor to the Group. With the extreme demands of this unusual environment, we are especially pleased that we have a deeply experienced leader with her own track record of growth who also brings continuity for our customers and our people." Seymour said: "Canada is a key market for HSBC and, as a Canadian, I am extremely proud of our role in the HSBC Group. Our vast international network means we offer something unique and powerful to Canadian individuals and companies with international aspirations. As we have for almost 40 years, we will be here to help them stay strong in the coming months and work together for the country's economic recovery. Longer term, I look forward to continuing to work with our customers and our people as we invest and grow in Canada for years to come." Notes to editors: HSBC Bank Canada, a subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, is the leading international bank in the country. We help companies and individuals across Canada to do business and manage their finances internationally through three global business lines: Commercial Banking, Global Banking and Markets, and Wealth and Personal Banking. HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. HSBC serves customers worldwide from offices in 64 countries and territories in our geographical regions: Europe, Asia, North America, Latin America, and Middle East and North Africa. With assets of US$2,918bn bn at 31 March 2020. HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organizations. SOURCE HSBC Bank Canada For further information: Media enquiries to: Sharon Wilks, 416-868-3878, [email protected] Related Links www.hsbc.ca Donald Trumps administration says it has sent 2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine to Brazil to help fight coronavirus, despite a lack of solid evidence for its efficacy and even some suggestions it could be harmful. The US president claimed last month that he was taking the anti-malarial drug as a prophylactic, after weeks of touting it from his White House podium as a magic bullet. Trials are underway to determine whether hydroxychloroquine can in fact help prevent or treat Covid-19, while some research has already reported that it can be dangerous for some patients, potentially increasing their risk of death. The World Health Organisation temporarily suspended its own trial of the drug over safety concerns. The White House said in a statement on Sunday: Hydroxychloroquine will be used as a prophylactic to help defend Brazils nurses, doctors, and healthcare professionals against the virus. It will also be used as a therapeutic to treat Brazilians who become infected. Further, in continuation of the two countries longstanding collaboration on health issues, we are also announcing a joint United States-Brazilian research effort that will include randomized controlled clinical trials. These trials will help further evaluate the safety and efficacy of hydroxychloroquine for both prophylaxis and the early treatment of the coronavirus. Mr Trump and Jair Bolsonaro, Brazils president, have spoken twice since March, when Mr Bolsonaro visited the Mar a Lago resort, the White House added. Mr Bolsonaros government relaxed the rules on using hydroxychloroquine to fight coronavirus in mid-May, allowing it to be given to people with less severe symptoms. There is still no scientific evidence, but it is being monitored and used in Brazil and worldwide, he said at the time. The far-right premier previously likened coronavirus to a little flu and has chafed against the lockdown measures implemented by some regional governments much like his neighbour to the north. The US has blocked entry to travellers from Brazil as the outbreak there has worsened. The Latin American nation has the second-highest number of coronavirus cases in the world, at about 515,000, and more than 29,300 people there have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. Copper Hareesh V Copper, the industrial red metal, recuperated much of its earlier losses on optimism of a swift turnaround in the global economy. LME copper has climbed more than 22 percent since prices hit a four-year low of $4371 a tonne during mid-March. Meanwhile, prices remain well below the level of $6,000 prior to the coronavirus crisis. Optimism over developing coronavirus vaccines and better industrial sentiments from China fuelled hopes of a quick turnaround of the global economy. A turn around in equities and reopening of several economies after coronavirus lockdown are also hinting at more demand for industrial commodities. Copper is often used as a gauge of global economic health. The negative impact of coronavirus on the global economy is even larger than analysts feared. Industrial and manufacturing activities in many large economies like China, US, Europe and Japan have declined to decade low levels recently. A sharp plunge in demand and fears of recession hit the prices of all industrial commodities including copper. However, the recent indicators are showing a fair picture of Chinas industrial outlook. Industrial activities in the worlds largest trading nation are picking up while consumption and imports continued to shrink. Since China remains depend heavily on exports for growth, weak global demand and simmering trade tensions with US capped major gains. Weak demand outlook is likely to push the global copper market to a surplus for this year and next. As per the forecast of International Wrought Copper Council, global copper market will face a surplus of 285,000 tonnes this year and 675,000 tonnes in 2021. The agency also noted that the economic disruption and its impact on the copper industry had resulted in greater uncertainty in the factors affecting supply and demand for copper. Copper demand from the top consumer China has fallen by 2.8 percent to 11.87 million tonnes this year but is expected to rise by 2.6 percent in 2021. China accounts for almost half of worlds total copper consumption widely used in the power and construction sectors. Demand from other key consumers like Europe, North America including US, Canada and Mexico is also expected to deteriorate this year. On the supply side, mine production would decrease by 4 percent to 19.65 million tonnes this year. Meanwhile, the forecast for 2021 is an increase of 6.7 percent. Copper inventories monitored by ShFE and LME warehouses have shown an increase recently. ShFE inventories are rising for the first time in two months due to lower imports. In April, copper stocks in ShFE warehouses saw their biggest monthly decline since September 2017. Inventories at LME monitored warehouses are currently at six month high due to moderate global demand. Going forward, a swift turnaround in demand is least expected. Global industrial activities remain on the lower side due to the negative impact of the pandemic. Looming tensions between US and China is likely to worsen their trade relations further that may on weigh demand from the worlds largest Copper consumer China. Meanwhile, massive economic boosting measures from various Central Banks could offer lower level support to metal later. On the price front, LME rates continue to trade below $6,000 a tonne mark with key support placed at $4,350 a tonne. In domestic futures market, present recovery moves likely to gather momentum but strong upside obstacles are placed at Rs 440 per kg and Rs 458 levels. Downside reversal point is seen at Rs 378. The author is Head Commodity Research at Geojit Financial Services. : 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. Trawinski said she can still get help with what is sent by email, but I can't get things read, I can't take care of snail mail, I don't have activities. What used to take three steps now takes eight steps to get accomplished. They are really integral to our lives. Gov. Gavin Newsom met with faith leaders Monday and urged peace as the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis continued to ignite protests by day and violence and looting by night in many cities across California and the nation. Newsom implored Californians to show empathy to one another in his first news conference since before he deployed the California National Guard to Los Angeles early Sunday morning, marking the third time in more than half of a century that troops have responded to unrest in the city over violence against a black person in police custody. Youve lost patience. So have I. You are right to feel wronged. You are right to feel the way you are feeling, Newsom said to protesters, adding that society has a responsibility to you to be better, and to do better. Hours earlier, President Trump spoke with governors and called for a harsher police crackdown. Asked several times about the president's comments, Newsom declined to directly respond to Trump or criticize him. In just his second year in office, Newsom faces the delicate task of helping to lead California through yet another crisis, this time brought on by decades of pain and suffering in the black community. Standing at the Genesis Church in South Sacramento with Pastor Tecoy Porter Sr., Newsom committed to addressing "systemic problems" in the United States. In Sacramento, the Bay Area, Los Angeles and San Diego, and in smaller cities in between, protests gave way to the looting of small businesses, large retail storefronts, markets and grocery stores over the weekend just as businesses were beginning to reopen from the COVID-19 pandemic that had forced them to shut their doors. Police cars burned, and hundreds of people were arrested as anger, frustration and sadness over unequal police treatment devolved into chaos on the streets. In videos from the front lines of the protests, organizers decried the looting and sought to distinguish their groups from the bands of vandals and thieves that shattered windows and made many Californians fear public security was spinning out of control. Story continues Newsom said Monday that outside groups were seeking to "create havoc," but he declined to name specific groups. Residents of Los Angeles complained of lawlessness and a lack of police presence, while others said law enforcement had escalated violence toward peaceful protesters. In Oakland, police arrested three people early Monday in a shooting at Police Department headquarters, and a woman was shot in the suburb of Walnut Creek in connection with the unrest, police told the Chronicle. California closed state offices in downtown or city locations on Monday, and the state Legislature canceled nearly all of its scheduled hearings. Newsom largely remained quiet over the weekend and after he held a news conference on Friday. The governor released a statement late Saturday on the deployment of the National Guard and commented again on the protests midday Monday. The governor began his Friday news conference with a monologue that delved into his own privilege, his children's response to Floyd's death and their attempts to understand what it all meant. "We've got to fundamentally change who we are and recognize what we're capable of being," he said. The governor echoed that message Monday. "You've got to change hearts, minds," Newsom said. "You've got to change culture, not just laws. And we have to own up to some very difficult things. The black community is not responsible for what's happening in this country right now. We are. We are. Our institutions are responsible. We are accountable to this moment." In response to a request from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, the governor agreed Saturday to deploy the National Guard. The guard was previously sent to Los Angeles in 1965 over the Watts riots and again in 1992 after police officers were acquitted for the beating of Rodney King. A spokesman for the Governor's Office of Emergency Services said this time the guard would focus on the protection of critical infrastructure, such as electrical substations and water treatment plants. Newsom said he's called up 4,500 National Guard members who are available to be deployed to other places if necessary. The popular Netflix show Vikings recently launched in India. Several scenes from the show were, however, missing. Even as the show released on Netflix India, many viewers reported that scenes from the show containing nudity and meat were censored from the platform. It appears that the historical show that premiered on the History TV18, had blurred out the images of two cooked pigs in the episode titled "Murder Most Foul", the sixth in the Nordic drama series. And now, Netflix is using that video to stream on its platform. An image of the photo by journalist Aroon Deep has been going viral on Twitter. Netflix India has censored meat (among quite a few other things) from Vikings. Same scene from India and Italy. pic.twitter.com/NXCE9Kzmh4 Aroon Deep (@AroonDeep) May 31, 2020 @NetflixIndia still watching vikings s5 e12 and in one scene cooked meat on the table is censored...?what is up with that! pic.twitter.com/d0vFDxU8aH Sanjay vg (@SJvg21) April 25, 2020 As per a reports, viewers have been witnessing such deletions since January. @NetflixIndia Vikings censored on Netflix .... is this Netflix or pvr now? Used to love Netflix for being uncensored and not ruining content.... pic.twitter.com/tl6ZLfbVMI Eashan Parekh (@EP2511) January 28, 2020 Some even posted images of the show's original version that ran in UAE. This is from UAE. An Arab country. Not censored here. FYI https://t.co/J68hN0fguE pic.twitter.com/HmkFFIEpv2 SID (@ssaig) June 1, 2020 Many wondered why the platform was taking a censored copy and could not simply ask the channel for a version of the film where the meat was not removed. I am against censorship in general - as in, it really, really gets under my skin.That apart, it is interesting to note just what is being censored. What next, I wonder.https://t.co/JOND066sG0 oddservations (@AnandaRay17) June 1, 2020 Dear @NetflixIndia if this news is true, you will loose lots of subscriptions including mine.https://t.co/UwmTlS8vS7 Godfather (@The_Godfather1) June 1, 2020 However, Netflix has responded to the matter. Aroon Deep also shared the message by the platform on Twitter which cited Netflix's sensitivity to local preferences, needs, laws in the markets that they operate in. Netflix customer care's comment on this: pic.twitter.com/1ivwhlEq3f Aroon Deep (@AroonDeep) May 31, 2020 This is not the first time that Netflix has come under scrutiny for censorship. In 2019, director Sanal Kumar's film 'Sexy Durga' was refused release by Netflix. The video-streaming platform has formerly been in news for censoring the Jammu and Kashmir map from comedian Hasan Minhaj's comedy show 'Patriot Act'. On Sunday, Netflix took to Twitter to condemn the viral police killing of George Floyd. The Lancet study used data only up to 2010, and since then the short-lived coincidence between trends in unemployment and suicide has broken spectacularly so. From 2010 to February of this year, the unemployment rate fell from above 9 percent to 3.5 percent. Suicides therefore should have declined (or at least risen less rapidly than before the Great Recession). What happened was just the opposite. Suicides increased unabated as the recession unwound, with deaths rising from 38,672 in 2010 to 48,631 in 2018, the last year for which data is available. If the American economy was being made great again, the news didnt reach those who were destroying themselves. We obviously should not conclude that the recovery led to thousands of additional suicides. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 1, 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 John Carlesso FenixOro Gold Corp 350 Bay St., Suite 700 Toronto, ON Email: info@FenixOro.com Website: www.FenixOro.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/56956 The sector saw a softer contraction than in April as the Covid-19 pandemic was brought under control in Vietnam. The Vietnam Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose ten index points in May, posting 42.7 up from April's record low of 32.7, signaling a much softer decline in business conditions than in the previous month, according to a joint report by Nikkei and IHS Markit. The 50 neutral mark indicates no change from the previous month, while a reading below 50 indicates contractions and above 50 points to an expansion. The latest data, however, indicated that the health of the sector continued to deteriorate at a rapid rate. Disruption from the Covid-19 pandemic led to a sixth successive monthly decline in manufacturing production, and one that was substantial. That said, the fall was much softer than seen in April as some firms resumed operations. Similar trends were seen with regards to new orders, with the rate of contraction remaining rapid but easing from the record seen in April. Some respondents highlighted particular weakness in demand for new export orders, which fell more quickly than total new business. A further sharp reduction in new orders meant that spare capacity remained evident in the sector. As a result, manufacturers maintained a cautious approach to hiring, often opting not to replace workers who had resigned. Staffing levels decreased for the fourth month running. Manufacturers also continued to scale back their purchasing activity and inventories of both purchases and finished goods, albeit in each case to lesser extents than in April. Supply-chain disruption due to Covid-19 remained a key feature of the survey in May, with vendor delivery times lengthening markedly again. Panelists reported particular difficulty in securing imported items. The scarcity of some materials placed some upwards pressure on input costs during the month. Input prices decreased for the second month running, but only marginally. Where a fall in input costs was recorded, respondents often linked this to lower oil prices. Manufacturers reduced their own selling prices, as has been the case in each month since February. Although easing from that seen in April, the rate of decline in charges was marked. According to respondents, discounts were offered to try to attract new business. With Covid-19 brought under control in Vietnam, there was tentative optimism among manufacturers that production would increase over the coming year. This followed a negative outlook in the previous month. That said, sentiment was still the second-lowest since the question was added to the survey in April 2012 amid concerns that the impacts of the pandemic will linger. The success Vietnam has had in bringing the Covid-19 outbreak in the country under control means that the economy can begin along the road to recovery. That said, the PMI data for May suggest that the road will be a long one, with the manufacturing sector remaining in contraction mode midway through the second quarter of the year, albeit the decline was much softer than the record seen in April, said Andrew Harker, associate director at IHS Markit, which compiles the survey. The return to growth will likely be gradual, with little support coming from export markets in the near-term at least as the pandemic continues to affect large parts of the world," he added. Hanoitimes Nguyen Tung Covid-19s impact on Vietnam's manufacturing sector intensifies Vietnam's manufacturing sector saw an unprecedented downturn in April as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a survey by IHS Markit and Nikkei. ALBANY Protesters shut down Henry Johnson Boulevard and confronted Police Chief Eric Hawkins Monday in the latest rally against police violence that was prompted by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died during an encounter with a white Minneapolis police officer. Hawkins, who was out of town during a number of protests Saturday, one of which resulted in a confrontation with police behind the South Station, was surrounded by protesters who wanted to speak with him about holding local police officers accountable for violence against black residents. I want you to charge police correctly, said Lukee Forbes, a community coordinator at PULSE, a local nonprofit organization. If you cant do it, let us do it. Because we know the law. You charge us all the time. Protesters were dissatisfied with Hawkins initial responses to their questions and demands, saying to him, Im tired with the political responses, and Youre not here to be silent, chief. The crowd started chanting to the police chief to take a knee if he supports them. Almost a full minute later, Hawkins lowered one knee to the ground. I get social injustice because Ive heard the stories from my parents, Ive heard it from my grandparents, I lived it, Hawkins said. Thats one of the reasons why I wear a uniform. Because change comes from the inside many times in many types of institutions So how do I take whats personally inside of me and use it to help my organization relate better to my communities? After Hawkins passed along the megaphone, a protester said the purpose of the gathering is not to hear the chiefs story. Were out here because George Floyd couldnt tell his story, said Lajas, the protester. Were talking about the stories that weve been trying to tell yall for years and yall not listening to those stories. Though Floyd's death was a focal point of Monday's rally, protesters also spoke of Ellazar Williams, the Albany teenager who was left paralyzed when he was shot by city police on Aug. 20, 2018. Williams contends a city detective shot him in the back from a distance of 20 feet away as he was running away; police said he lunged at a detective. Earlier: Lawyer: Video shows teen running from cops before shooting Lajas continued, Although the police chief may have taken a knee, we wont be pacified by that symbolism. Because an apology is changed behavior. Others who took the megaphone began sharing their own stories. Shalaeko A. Banks said he observed a number of new, black faces among police officers he does not normally see. The white police is out here all day, but when this happens the black police come out, he said. Chief, youre saying theres justice, youre saying were trying, but the ones that are out here every day are not out here right now. Other protesters chimed in, asking, Where are they? Emrys Young, one of the organizers of the protest and owner of Kitchen 216, said each time she or her husband leave their home, she is worried and scared. We are scared for lives, she said. Another person interjected, Cause we black. We should not have to fear walking down the block, we should not have to fear being pulled over, we should not have to be scared for our kids to go to the neighborhood basketball courts, Young said. We are being overly policed and they are being underly policed. Thats the issue. Young said such confrontations with Hawkins, at the end of the day, are not useful. Its not going to work. It aint worked for 390-something years, she said. It doesnt work. Teach your kids how to deal with them thats a way easier fight than trying to teach them how to deal with us. Saturday's protest behind South Station turned violent in downtown Albany, but no such clashes occurred between Sunday night and Monday morning. Albany police set up barricades around South Station - the scene of a confrontation between police and protesters on Saturday - and there were few reports of vandalism by Monday morning. A different scene unfolded in Schenectady on Sunday. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Hundreds rallied outside that city's police station and City Hall during the afternoon, reciting the names of people killed by police and taking a knee in front of both buildings. The rally was inspired by the recent death of Floyd, who died as he struggled to breathe while a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck, and Admaud Arbery, the 25-year-old man shot and killed by white men while he jogged in a Georgia suburb. Outside Schenectady police headquarters, protesters chided Police Chief Eric Clifford for not coming out to speak with them, noting he said he wanted to open up lines of communication. But later in the day, Clifford came out the back of the police station and after speaking with protesters, kneeled down with other officers in a show of solidarity with protesters who demanded an end to police brutality. Clifford later marched with them. The turn of events happened to a police department that was once a focal point of police brutality complaints. Twenty years ago, the U.S. Justice Department investigated the Schenectady police department for a series of civil rights abuses with federal lawyers, finding the department had no policy outlining when officers were justified in using deadly physical force. The probe grew out of a dossier of civil rights complaints FBI agents collected while they investigated allegations of corruption among patrol officers. The U.S. Attorney's office in Albany - in a prosecution led by John Katko, who later went on to be a Congressman from Syracuse - eventually convicted four officers on unrelated corruption charges and several others, including former Police Chief Gregory T. Kaczmarek, who served prison time for a variety of other crimes. By evening Sunday, protesters returned to downtown Schenectady as Mayor Gary McCarthy issued a curfew in anticipation of violence similar to what happened in Albany the prior night. Some protesters mocked police who stood on the station house roof with rifles and cameras. The group eventually moved to the rear of the parking lot and gathered across a barricade from officers in riot gear. Many of the officers were called in from neighboring Niskayuna. The scene was not tense, and at points the protesters and the police talked about their different perspectives on policing and justice. One of the Niskayuna cops hugged a protester and urged the group to use the power of the vote to make changes. Overnight, Schenectady police and firefighters investigated a car fire, but the mayor said it does not appear to be related to protests. KAMLOOPS, B.C. - Trans Mountain says it has reached another "key milestone" in the project to triple capacity of a pipeline moving oil from the Edmonton area to port in Burnaby, B.C. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Pipe for the Trans Mountain pipeline is unloaded in Edson, Alta. on Tuesday June 18, 2019. The Trans Mountain Expansion project says it has reached another "key milestone" as it works to triple capacity of a pipeline moving oil from the Edmonton area to port in Burnaby, B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson KAMLOOPS, B.C. - Trans Mountain says it has reached another "key milestone" in the project to triple capacity of a pipeline moving oil from the Edmonton area to port in Burnaby, B.C. A statement says construction on a seven-kilometre section of the line has begun in Kamloops. It says a crew of up to 50 is preparing the area, but the workforce will grow to about 600 during peak construction later this summer or early fall. The federal Crown corporation says completion of the Kamloops section of pipeline is expected in about seven months. Kamloops is part of Trans Mountain's Interior construction area that is to see 185-kilometres of pipe laid from just north of the city to the summit of the Coquihalla Highway. 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. Trans Mountain delivers about 300,000 barrels of petroleum products daily, but expansion is expected to boost that to 890,000 barrels and increase the number of tankers through Vancouver's harbour to more than one a day. "It is good news for workers in the region and an important step forward on the path to building this critical piece of infrastructure," Ian Anderson, president and CEO of Trans Mountain, says in the statement. Construction spending in the Kamloops area is expected to be more than $450 million over the next two years, with additional workforce spending of more than $40 million. Pipe installation began in Alberta late last year and the first section of pipe, near Edmonton, is 60 per cent complete, the company said last month. The estimated cost of completing the entire expansion project was originally estimated at $7.4 billion, but Anderson said in February the budget had grown to $12.6 billion. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2020 - Incidents of fuel smuggling have sharply risen at Ketu North in the Volta Region - The smugglers buy the fuel from Ghana at cheap costs and transport them to Togo for sale - A lack of action from the security services is helping to entrench this illegal act Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in Fuel smuggling, an illegal activity in the country, is sharply on the rise in some parts of the Ketu North Municipality in the Volta Region, YEN.com.gh can report. The fuel smugglers buy petrol in numerous 'Kuffour gallons' at some filling stations on the Dzodze to Denu Highway and smuggle them to Akepe in Togo, a country that shares a border with Ghana to the east. In Togo, where fuel is more expensive, the smugglers sell the smuggled fuel at cheaper costs for profit. Fuel smuggling on the rise in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region Source: Original READ ALSO: Angel FM: Captain Smart, Kofi Adomah, Nana Yaa Brefo unveiled; Obaapa Christy, Patience Nyarko others perform at launch (videos) The smugglers are using illegal and unknown entry routes to prevent detection and possible arrest by the security forces, YEN.com.gh's correspondent in the region said. Some of these illegal routes used by the smugglers are located at Akpatoeme, a small farming community on the Dzodze to Denu Highway and its immediate environs. The transportation of the fuel according to eyewitnesses is done by the smugglers mostly using tricycles and at times motorbikes in the evening or at times deep in the night. A few weeks ago, a tricycle full of smuggled oil was en route to Akepe in Togo when it got into an accident causing a huge fire that destroyed an electric pole, and stores close to the accident scene. READ ALSO: 2020 graduate who had no ceremony joins Black Lives Matter protestors in graduation gown The people transporting the fuel suffered some burns but managed to flee the scene of the accident to prevent arrest by the security agencies. The tricycle which was burnt beyond recognition was moved from the accident scene the next day by police officials who vowed to investigate the incident and come up with strategies to clamp down on the illegal activities of the smugglers. Fuel smuggling is said to be a lucrative business that keeps attracting people. The failure of the government to arrest and prosecute the offenders has helped to keep this illicit activity to thrive. READ ALSO: Meet Pamela Ofori-Boateng, a renowned Ghanaian Wikipedian Ghana News Today: No tenant should pay rent advance exceeding 3 months - Rent Control Boss | #Yencomgh Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh SEATTLE, WA Gov. Inslee addressed the state Monday following a weekend of occasionally turbulent protests, expressing solidarity with protesters in their grief and desire for justice, but asking for an end to looting and property damage. "I know that people are justifiably outraged at the killing of George Floyd," said Inslee. "The denial of one person's liberty, in this case was the denial of one person's life and when that happens everyone's liberty is reduced." But, while the governor says outrage over police brutality and bias is justifiable, damage to the community is not. "Violence and destruction has no place in this, it is not productive and it is not constitutionally protected," said Inslee. "We know that those folks need to be criminally prosecuted as appropriate." Late Sunday the governor ordered a statewide activation of the National Guard following unruly protests in Bellevue and Seattle. Monday, Inslee took time out of his conference to thank the guard for their quick response, and stress that the guard's deployment is not intended to suppress the message of the protest. "The members of the guard are not some occupying force, they literally are our neighbors," said Inslee. "I should stress that the guard are unarmed peacekeepers." When asked why the National Guard remained unarmed, state leaders defended the choice, saying more firepower could only escalate tensions higher. "We're not armed because we don't want somebody shot by accident, and the more weapons there are at a site, the more likely you are to have an accidental shooting," said Washington National Guard Commander Major General Bret D. Daugherty. Despite the deployment of the guard and the reports of looting and damage, Inslee says it remains essential that the many peaceful demonstrators have their voices heard. "We just can't allow violence to hijack peaceful protest," said Inslee. "We will not allow that to obscure the justice of the underlying protest." Story continues Inslee also noted that the coronavirus has had a disproportionately damaging effected on minorities, making this an especially fraught time for communities of color. "This has been a hard time for the state of Washington, and it's been the hardest for folks of color," said Inslee. As for violence against protesters, Inslee said he supports and expects full independent investigations into police use of force. The Seattle Office of Police Accountability has received more than 12,000 complaints of police misconduct since protests began Friday. Finally, Inslee dismissed President Trump's recent calls for governors to crack down on protests. "They have been rooted in the desire to fan the flames of division," said Inslee. "I think the best thing the president can do right now is enjoy silence." Related stories: Inslee Orders Statewide National Guard Activation After Protests 12,000 Complaints Allege Police Misconduct At Seattle Protests This article originally appeared on the Seattle Patch The Zimbabwean government has summoned US ambassador Brian Nichols to explain remarks by the US national security adviser that Zimbabwe was stoking anti-racist protests in the country. Violence has erupted in cities across the US sparked by the death in police custody of African-American George Floyd. US National Security Adviser Robert OBrien, in an interview with American broadcaster ABC, had said foreign adversaries were taking advantage of the ongoing protests and mentioned Zimbabwe and China. Mr O'Brien said that he had seen tweets from Chinese who were "taking pleasure and solace in the chaos in America", but did not provide details on Zimbabwe's alleged role to the protests. But he said all foreign adversaries involved would not "get away with it". In response, Zimbabwe's Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo is quoted by state-run Herald newspaper as saying that the US ambassador was expected to honour the summons, but gave no details about when the meeting would be held. He said the government intends to remind the ambassador that Zimbabwe respects the sovereignty of other nations. Government spokesman Nick Mangwana tweeted that the country did not consider itself an adversary of the US Zimbabwe-US relations have deteriorated over Zimbabwes poor human rights record. Pro-government social media accounts in the country have suggested the US has lost its moral high ground as a result of the death of George Floyd and its treatment of protesters. In a rare move the African Union last week condemned the death of Mr Floyd, urging the US to intensify its efforts to ensure the total elimination of racial discrimination. 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 President Donald Trump on Monday derided the nations governors as weak and demanded tougher crackdowns on protesters in the aftermath of another night of violent protests in dozens of American cities. Trump spoke to governors on a video teleconference with law enforcement and national security officials, telling the local leaders they have to get much tougher amid nationwide protests and criticizing their responses. Most of you are weak, Trump said. You have to arrest people. The days of protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. They turned violent in several cities, with looting and mayhem, and fires ignited in the historic park across from the White House. The president urged the governors to deploy the National Guard, which he credited for helping calm the situation Sunday night in Minneapolis. He demanded that similarly tough measures be taken in cities that also experienced a spasm of violence, like New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Youve got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and youll never see this stuff again, said Trump. Were doing it in Washington, D.C. Were going to do something that people havent seen before. The president told the governors they were making themselves look like fools for not calling up more of the National Guard as a show for force on city streets. Attorney General Bill Barr, who was also on the call, told governors that a joint terrorist task force would be used to track the agitators and urged local officials to dominate the streets and control, not react to crowds, and urged them to go after troublemakers. Trumps angry exhortations at the nations governors came after a night of escalating violence, images of fires and looting and clashes with police filling the nations airwaves and overshadowing the largely peaceful protests. The protests grew so heated Friday night that the Secret Service rushed the president to an underground bunker previously used during terrorist attacks. Trump continued his effort to project strength, using a series of inflammatory tweets and delivering partisan attacks during a time of national crisis. As cities burned night after night and images of violence dominated television coverage, Trumps advisers discussed the prospect of an Oval Office address in an attempt to ease tensions. The notion was quickly scrapped for lack of policy proposals and the presidents own seeming disinterest in delivering a message of unity. Trump did not appear in public on Sunday and was not scheduled to so Monday either. Secret Service agents rushed Trump to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades. Trump spent nearly an hour in the bunker, which was designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks, according to a Republican close to the White House who was not authorized to publicly discuss private matters and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The account was confirmed by an administration official who also spoke on the condition of anonymity. The protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. The demonstrations in Washington turned violent and appeared to catch officers by surprise. They sparked one of the highest alerts on the White House complex since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. The White House does not comment on security protocols and decisions, said White House spokesman Judd Deere. The Secret Service said it does not discuss the means and methods of its protective operations. The presidents move to the bunker was first reported by The New York Times. The president and his family have been shaken by the size and venom of the crowds, according to the Republican. It was not immediately clear if first lady Melania Trump and the couples 14-year-old son, Barron, joined the president in the bunker. Secret Service protocol would have called for all those under the agencys protection to be in the underground shelter. Trump has told advisers he worries about his safety, while both privately and publicly praising the work of the Secret Service. Demonstrators returned Sunday afternoon, facing off against police at Lafayette Park into the evening. Trump continued his effort to project strength, using a series of inflammatory tweets and delivering partisan attacks during a time of national crisis. On Sunday, Trump retweeted a message from a conservative commentator encouraging authorities to respond with greater force. This isnt going to stop until the good guys are willing to use overwhelming force against the bad guys, Buck Sexton wrote in a message amplified by the president. In recent days security at the White House has been reinforced by the National Guard and additional personnel from the Secret Service and the U.S. Park Police. The Justice Department deployed members of the U.S. Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, according to a senior Justice Department official. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. ___ Lemire reported from New York. Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report. _______ We are pleased to be part of a think tank of experts to brainstorm and share new ideas during and post Covid-19. A collaborative effort like this is tantamount as we pave a pathway to provide resources to older adults. Kevin Carlin of Meridian Senior Living joins more than 160 industry thought leaders to provide guidance for communities throughout North America as they prepare to emerge from a period of quarantine and plan for a new post-COVID era. Participants in the ICAA COVID-19 Senior Living Task Force include representatives of for-profit, not-for-profit, and affordable housing -- organizations providing active-adult and independent living, continuing care retirement communities/life plan, assisted living, long-term care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation. Participating industry associations include, among others, LeadingAge, American Senior Housing Association (ASHA), Argentum, American Medical Directors Association (AMDA), Pioneer Network, National Council on Aging (NCOA), The National Association Directors of Nursing Administration in Long-Term Care (NADONA), and the American Society on Aging (ASA). We are pleased to be part of a think tank of experts to brainstorm and share new ideas during and post Covid-19. A collaborative effort like this is tantamount as we pave a pathway to provide resources to older adults, says Kevin Carlin. "The health, wellness and quality of life of our residents and staff are paramount as we chart a path forward in the midst of uncertainty," said ICAA founder and CEO Colin Milner, who conceived the initiative. "The Task Force will generate and provide ideas, tactics, strategies and messaging suggestions that organizations can consider as they begin to plan for a new post-COVID era." Milner will co-chair the task force with Richard H. Carmona, MD, MPH, FACS, 17th US Surgeon General, Chief of Health Innovations, Canyon Ranch, and psychologist/gerontologist Ken Dychtwald, PhD, best-selling author, founder and CEO of Age Wave. "Organizations need to make their way through the pandemic and have a game plan to come out of it," Milner said. "Importantly, all key stakeholders are coming together as a group to address COVID-19's impact on the industry, and help ensure that organizations will continue to be viable and meet residents' expectations and desires while also ensuring their safety now and into the future." Task force members and panelists at the May 27 and May 28 launch sessions will address fundamental issues such as social distancing and its impact on the built environment, infrastructure needs and engagement. About Meridian Senior Living Meridian Senior Living, a privately held company based in Bethesda, Maryland, owns and operates seniors housing communities across the country and provides operational consulting to 24 communities in China. With more than 70 communities in 21 states and more in development, Meridian is one of the largest seniors housing operators in the U.S. The company prides itself on providing the highest quality care, exceptional lifestyle programming and a distinctive dining experience for its residents. For more information on Meridian Senior Living, visit meridiansenior.com. About the ICAA COVID-19 Senior Living Industry Task Force ICAA COVID-19 Senior Living Industry Task Force will generate and provide ideas, tactics, strategies and messaging suggestions that organizations can consider as they begin to emerge from a period of quarantine and plan for a new post-COVID era. This includes, but is not limited to, the impact of the built and virtual environments, social activities and food/beverage services, technology, education and security that impacts the health and well-being of staff and residents; challenges to current and future business models; and approaches to build confidence in living in and visiting senior living properties. About the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) http://www.icaa.cc ICAA is a professional association that leads, connects and defines the active-aging industry and supports professionals who aspire to develop wellness cultures for adults over 50. This support includes creating wellness environments, programs and services. The association is focused on active aging-an approach to aging that helps older adults live life as fully as possible within all dimensions of wellness-and provides its members with education, information, resources and tools. As an active-aging educator and advocate, ICAA has advised numerous organizations and governmental bodies. The moving moment a brother and sister who were both abandoned as babies by their mother - and left in identical red tartan bags - are reunited more than 50 years later is shown in tonight's special of ITV's Long Lost Family, Born Without Trace. David McBride, 58, who lives in Birmingham, was found in a bag in 1962, while six years on, in 1968, Helen Ward, 52, from Dublin, was found also found in a checked bag, by a truck driver in a phone box - who saw a woman drive off in a car shortly after he parked nearby. Their extraordinary story, of both being born foundlings to a Protestant father and a Catholic mother in 1960s Northern Ireland - at a time of deep sectarian conflict - is being hailed as one of the reunion show's best ever stories. Ahead of the show tonight, the pair appeared on This Morning from their respective homes, the pair recounted their remarkable individual stories - and their 'amazing' discovery of both each other, and a further 14 half-siblings since Long Lost Family researchers matched their DNA last year. They also explained how their birth parents had had a 40-year long affair but that religion had kept them forever apart. While their father was a married protestant with 14 children in Dublin, their mother, 17 years his junior, was a Catholic living in Northern Ireland. The moving moment a brother and sister who were both abandoned as babies by their mother - and left in identical red tartan bags - are reunited more than 50 years later is shown in tonight's special of ITV's Long Lost Family, Born Without Trace. Pictured: David McBride, 58, meeting his sister Helen Ward, 52, from Dublin, for the first time Joy: Helen describes meeting her brother as 'amazing' and said the journey the pair have been on, discovering 14 more half-siblings on their father's side had been 'wonderful' On tonight's episode of Long Lost Foundlings, David is seen flying from Birmingham to Dublin, where Helen admits: 'I can't believe the day has come - you spend you life hoping and wishing, and now it's finally happening. I can't believe it'. Meanwhile David admits: 'I can't wait. The only sad part is that if police had put two and two together at the time, maybe we would have grown up together. We've got to make up for a lot of lost time'. Both siblings admit being abandoned has given them trust issues, and hope the meeting will help. A nervous-looking David is seen waiting, as Helen walks in and they hurry towards each other beaming, before embracing. 'How are you?', they both exclaim, as David adds: 'A bit of a shock?', before Helen breaks down into tears. And the pair sit down to catch up, with Helen revealing she had wonderful adoptive parents whom David 'would have loved', while David adds: 'I hope you had a good life'. Helen exclaims: 'You were left in exactly the same circumstances', and David agrees: 'It's bizarre that we were left in identical bags and so well looked after'. He continues: 'What was going through their head? It's bizarre that they left a baby before so why do it again?'. The story of David's discovery on a freezing cold January evening in 1962 - he was left in the front seat of a car in a shopping bag - made the newspapers at the time They then correctly ponder: 'Was it one parent from the South and one from the North, different religions?'. David adds: 'The main thing is that we've found each other, after all these years', before later admitting: 'She's absolutely wonderful. She was everything and more than I expected. It's wonderful.' The pair then marvel over how much their own teenage daughters resemble each other. Speaking of her new brother, Helen later says: 'It's a miracle, it's a strange feeling, sitting there opposite your real family. It's a strange and exciting to meet your brother after 51 years'. David: 'Having met you has helped me to put my barriers down'. David McBride, who lives in Birimingham, and sister Helen Ward, from Dublin, found each other after more than 50 years after the show Long Lost Family matched them via a DNA test - the siblings had both been abandoned as babies in Northern Ireland in the 1960s The pair later discover both their parents have sadly passed away, and their mother, whose face is not shown, was 34 when she had David, and 41, when she gave birth to Helen - never marrying or having any more children. The pair reveal it has brought them peace knowing religion and the stigma attached to being an unmarried mother resulted in them being given up, but admit it's sad they never got to meet her, as they visit her grave - after she passed away at the age of 90, in 2017. Meanwhile their father died in 1993, aged 82, and Davina reveals their parents had a '30 or even 40 year affair', and both lived in Dublin. 'They must have really loved each other for it to go on for that amount of time', they say, discovering they had 4 older sisters and 10 older brothers. Seen left: Foundling Helen Ward as a young girl; Right: Foundling David McBride on a swing as a young boy Pictured: Foundling Helen Ward as a young girl with her adoptive mother Davina (seen with David) reveals their parents had a '30 or even 40 year affair' and both lived in Dublin Speaking to This Morning hosts, Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield this morning, David explained how he first found out about his extraordinary past when he tried to get a birth certificate at the age of 15 to join the army. He said: 'I didn't know much until I was about eight years old when I went to a family court and I found out I was going there to be adopted. 'The information about me being a foundling though, I didn't really know much until I was about 15 years of age. I went to get a birth certificate for joining the army and I couldn't get hold of one and when I got hold of one, it said 'on or about the 6th January 1962.' He reveals his father explained the vague date of birth was because he was a foundling and David was told that he had been discovered on the 16th January that year in the front seat of a car in Dunmurray, on the outskirts of Belfast, in a red tartan shopping bag on a freezing cold night. He said: 'The lady who owned the car found me in the front seat. She took me into the house and put me on the table. She ran across the road to get a neighbour and then called the police. They took me to the hospital in Belfast.' The distinctive red tartan bags that both David and Helen were left in by their mother; the pair say they appreciate how hard it must have been for her to keep babies born to a Catholic man in a time of deep sectarian conflict Speaking on This Morning today, Helen Ward explained how her adoptive father had told her to 'let sleeping dogs lie' when she became curious about her roots The siblings, pictured with Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, on This Morning today revealed how they were finally reunited as brother and sister after David got in touch with a researcher on Long Lost Family - who asked him to take a DNA test David explained that his parents had had an illicit affair for almost 40 years - unable to be together because they were born into different religions David's sister Helen has a remarkably similar backstory - being found abandoned, this time on the other side of the Irish border in a telephone box in Dundalk, in a tartan bag on 11th March 1968. She explains that while she always knew she was adopted, her curiosity about another possible family grew as she got older. She told Holly and Phil: 'My parents were very open from an early age. They told me with plenty of love and care that I was adopted.' Helen's daughter (left) and David's daughter (right) bear a striking resemblance to each other While her father told her to 'let sleeping dogs lie' when she expressed at the age of 18 that she wanted to know more, she says she couldn't rest, and by 2003 she was determined to find out her true origins. We started one journey and now we are on another, getting to know each other and our family... David McBride Finally, in 2003 and with three children of her own, Helen found the courage to visit an adoption centre in Drogheda in southern Ireland. But sadly her birth certificate had only the simple words child found exposed. Then last year she took a DNA test and posted it on an online database in a last-ditch attempt to find a blood relative. Within months, producers on Long Lost Family uploaded Davids DNA onto the same system and found he had a match for a full sister. Finding Helen was one of the greatest gifts, says David. When we sat down and started talking, the world around us didnt exist. Helen holds up a picture of their late birth father next to David. Their father was a married protestant with 14 children in Dublin David as a young boy (left). David learned a little about his background when he was 15 and applied to join the military, only to discover his birth certificate stated he was born on or about 6 Jan After pursuing other genetic matches, researcher Ariel Bruce, a social worker on Long Lost Family, traced their parents after David got in touch saying he was keen to track down his birth family. They learned their father was a shop manager from Dublin who died in 1993, while their mother had passed away in 2017. Behind those stark facts lies a heartbreaking story. Their father was a married protestant with 14 children, but he had an affair with their mother, 17 years his junior and a Catholic. That would have been scandalous in a time of huge sectarian conflict, so their mother gave her babies up. The siblings admit it's sad they never got to meet their birth mother, as they visit her grave - after she passed away at the age of 90, in 2017 The siblings have visited their late mother's grave and expressed regret that she didn't have any more children Poignantly, she never married or had more children, and learning this left her children feeling huge compassion for her. Theyve been to her grave, and spoken on the phone to three of their 14 half-siblings. We started one journey, says David, and now we are on another, getting to know each other and our family. Helen told Holly and Phil that it was 'so fantastic that I met David first' saying they now had the support of each other to meet their new family. Long Lost Family Special: Born Without Trace is on 1 -2 June at 9pm on ITV Killing Eve star Jodie Comer was spotted catching a train from Liverpool back down to London on Monday. The actress, 27, opted to go without a protective mask or gloves as she headed into Liverpool Lime street station, as the finale for series three of the beloved show aired overnight. Jodie's outing came after it was confirmed there are no plans to start production on the fourth series of Killing Eve just yet, after much of the television industry was ground to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. Back to the capital: Killing Eve star Jodie Comer, 27, was spotted catching a train from Liverpool back down to London on Monday Jodie cut a casual figure in a black jacket as she chatted to station staff on her way to the train. The actress - who has earned critical acclaim for her performance as serial killer Villanelle - carried her essentials in a leather cross-body bag as she headed to catch the train south. The TV star looked as though she planned on staying in London for some time, as she was wheeling along a large navy suitcase by AWAY as she made her way into the station. Government advice states that UK residents should wear face coverings when using public transport, but it is not mandatory. Casual: The actress opted to go without a protective mask or gloves as she headed into Liverpool Lime street station Off she goes: Jodie cut a casual figure in a black jacket as she wheeled her large navy suitcase by AWAY into the station to catch her train Friendly: The star chatted to station staff as she arrived for the lengthy train journey south to London Although it had been claimed that Jodie was heading back to London to resume filming for Killing Eve's fourth series, there are no plans for production to start anytime soon. Viewers were left 'in tears' following an emotional series finale - that was released in the UK on Monday morning - that saw Eve and Villanelle decide to 'walk away' from each other. The 'will-they-won't-they' storyline that dominated the plot of this series appeared to come to an end when Villanelle and Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh) stood back-to-back on Tower Bridge and agreed to walk away and 'never look back'. Rules: Government advice states that UK residents should wear face coverings when using public transport, but it is not mandatory Rumours: It's been claimed that Jodie was heading back to London to resume filming for Killing Eve's fourth series Moving: Viewers were left 'in tears' on Sunday following an emotional series finale that saw Eve and Villanelle decide to 'walk away' from each other However in the final moments of the episode both Villanelle and Eve turned back around to look at each other - suggesting the two characters might still end up together. The promise of a future relationship delighted fans, who begged for the next series - which has already been confirmed - to start with the two characters together. The episode also tied up some loose ends of the series, including revealing Konstantin as Kenny's apparent killer, despite his insistence his death was an accident. Hinting: The 'will-they-won't-they' storyline that dominated the plot of this series appeared to come to an end when Villanelle and Eve chose to go their separate ways Distanced: Jodie admitted at the start of the coronavirus lockdown that she was 'enjoying' the isolation Time off: She said it came as a welcome break for her to stay at home after she has spent the past months filming at different locations Jodie admitted at the start of the coronavirus lockdown that she was 'enjoying' the isolation. She said it came as a welcome break for her to stay at home after she has spent the past months filming at different locations. Jodie told the Press Association: 'I've actually been able to come home, unpack like seven suitcases because I haven't been here, and I've thrown out so much rubbish. 'And, actually, to have a bit of stillness, and be stationary, I'm actually really kind of I'm a bit embarrassed to say I'm kind of enjoying it. 'It's week one for me, and I've got friends who are on week three, and they're pulling their hair out, so, you can come back and ask me that in a couple of weeks and I'm sure the answer may be very different.' Having fun: It comes after the Liverpudlian said she's spending lockdown watching films she's 'embarrassed' not to have seen, while eating chocolate for breakfast and crisp butties for lunch Messing around: She also revealed 'Fergalicious' is her song of choice to sing when needing an afternoon pick-me-up, while in self-isolation Positivity: Jodie also gave her advice for how to get through the lockdown, saying: 'Move your body as much as possible and stay connected with loved ones' It comes after the Liverpudlian said she's spending lockdown watching films she's 'embarrassed' not to have seen, while eating chocolate for breakfast and crisp butties for lunch. Jodie also revealed 'Fergalicious' is her song of choice to sing when needing an afternoon pick-me-up, while in self-isolation. The actress told Vogue how she's spending her time, saying: 'Watching a long list of movies that as an actress I've been too embarrassed to admit that I haven't seen.' Jodie gave her advice for how to get through the lockdown, saying: 'Move your body as much as possible and stay connected with loved ones.' Five new cases of Ebola have been declared in the north-western region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Health Minister Eteni Longondo, who said four of the five cases had already died. "The National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) has confirmed to me that samples from Mbandaka tested positive for Ebola," Longondo announced at a press conference on Monday. A sixth case has been added since Monday morning. "We will send them the vaccine and medicine very quickly," he added, saying that he was going to visit Mbandaka, the capital of Equateur Province, at the end of the week. Ebola, a deadly hemorrhagic fever, had already hit the region in May 2018, when 33 people died and 21 recovered in the span of three months. Scientists believe that the swift use of a new vaccine helped to end the outbreak quickly. The World Health Organzation's head Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus reaffirmed on social media that there is already a WHO team in place to support the government health team already there. "This is a province that has already experienced the disease. They know how to respond. They started the response at the local level yesterday," Longondo said. Mbandaka is a bustling transport centre on the Congo River with a population of more than one million. In the east of the country, the epidemic has killed some 2,280 people since August 2018, mainly in North Kivu province, and later hit Ituri. Complicating health matters further, the eastern regions have been dealing with violence for more than 20 years as armed groups operate in the area. Officials had initially hoped to declare Ebola over in the east by April, but a new case was declared. In order to declare an area Ebola-free, there must be no new cases for 42 days. This is the 11th Ebola outbreak in the DRC since 1976. It comes at a time when DRC is also battling the Covid-19 pandemic, with 3,195 people ill with the virus and 72 deaths reported in official figures out Monday. A measles epidemic is also ravaging the eastern part of the country, where some 310,000 suspected cases have been reported. I ask the population to be calm and to continue to respect hygiene measures. Regularly wash your hands with soap. Don't greet with your hands. Don't touch ill or dead people who had a fever or bleeding, added Health Minister Longondo. Ethiopian soldiers try to stop protesters in Bishoftu, during a declared state of emergency, in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. on Oct. 2, 2016. New Report Alleges Killings, Mass Detentions in Ethiopia ADDIS ABABA, EthiopiaA new report by the rights group Amnesty International accuses Ethiopias security forces of extrajudicial killings and mass detentions even as the countrys reformist prime minister was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The report issued May 29 says security forces killed at least 25 people in 2019 in the East Guji and West Guji zones of the restive Oromia region amid suspicions of supporting a rebel group, the Oromo Liberation Army, and a once-exiled opposition group. And at least 10,000 people under suspicion were detained between January and September, with most subjected to brutal beatings. The government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who was awarded the peace prize in December for sweeping political reforms and restoring ties with neighboring Eritrea after two decades of hostilities, acknowledged that the reform process has at times experienced bumps but called the report a one-sided snapshot security analysis that fails to appropriately capture the broader political trajectory and security developments. The government statement rejected malicious claims of extrajudicial killings and the mass detentions but said if rights violations occurred, an investigation will be conducted at the appropriate time. Tensions among some of Ethiopias more than 80 ethnic groups have risen, along with some calls for more autonomy, and the new report also documents some of the intercommunal violence in the Oromia and Amhara regions, the countrys most populous. Such violence is a concern as the country faces a crucial national election, now delayed because of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, that will be a measure of support for the countrys changes since Abiy took office in early 2018. With no election date set and mandates for the executive and regional and federal legislatures ending in October, political parties are disagreeing on strategies for how to avoid a potential constitutional crisis. Amnesty acknowledged that Ethiopian authorities have made notable progress in changing the countrys bleak human rights record. But with elections on the horizon, these violations and abuses could escalate out of control unless the government takes urgent measures to ensure security forces act within the law, said Deprose Muchena, the groups director for East and Southern Africa, adding that authorities must also recognize that holding diverse political views and opinions is legal. The new report blames a range of actors for the violence during 2019 including regional police special forces, local administration officials, and armed youth and vigilante groups. The rights group noted that in the new, wider political space some politicians have been stirring up ethnic and religious animosities, sparking violence in five of the countrys nine regional states. The research finds a horrendously botched security operation at work in Amhara and Oromia regions characterized by impunity that is difficult to imagine in present-day Ethiopia, Amnesty said. Former detainees told the rights group about multiple cases of arbitrary arrest and detention of family members, including children, when security officials couldnt find the person they sought to arrest. In the Oromia region, the government in January 2019 launched a law enforcement offensive against the Oromo Liberation Army, which had staged armed attacks in the region. The armed group broke away from the political wing of the once-exiled Oromo Liberation Front, which under Ethiopias reforms returned to the country to pursue a peaceful political agenda. In the Amhara region, at least 150 people were killed in inter-communal conflict in which the security forces were complicit, the report said, noting that at least 58 ethnic Qimant, who seek more autonomy, were killed within 24 hours in January 2019. The attacks and counter-attacks led to internal displacement of thousands of ethnic Amhara and Qimant people. The deputy head of the Amhara Regional Peace and Security Bureau told the rights group that more deaths could have occurred if the security forces had not been deployed and rejected the claim that security forces were complicit in some of the attacks. Two opposition groups reacted to the new report with further allegations. The report covers the period up to the end of 2019. However, the situation in the Oromia region specifically has gotten progressively worse in 2020 with a substantial rise in mass incarcerations, extrajudicial killings, and destruction of property in provinces that were not previously affected, said a joint statement issued by the Oromo Liberation Front and Oromo Federalist Congress. The report is further proof that the new administration has not parted ways with the practice of forcefully stifling dissent. By Ellas Meseret Hamilton County sheriffs deputies hoisted a thin blue line flag Sunday outside the Hamilton County Justice Center, replacing a United States flag that Sheriff Jim Neil said had been stolen by protesters. In a tweet posted hours after the photo went viral on Twitter and Reddit, Neil wrote that deputies raised the flag in honor of a Cincinnati police officer whose ballistic helmet had been struck by a bullet early Sunday morning. The flag has been removed and we will replace it with the American Flag in the morning, he wrote. REUTERS Cities across the US have seen another night of chaotic protests over American racial disparities and police brutality against black men. National Guard troops were deployed in 15 US states and Washington, DC, as darkness fell on Sunday in major cities still reeling from previous days of violence and destruction that began with peaceful protests over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in police custody. Floyd, 46, died last week after video showed a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes. It touched off outrage that has swept across a politically and racially divided nation in the midst of a polarising presidential campaign and recently released from strict stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic that threw millions out of work. Please all the blog a moment to load 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. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:07:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Tam Yiu-chung (L), one of the organizers of the United Front Supporting National Security Legislation, hands in the petition in support of the national security legislation for Hong Kong to Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, in south China's Hong Kong, June 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Gang) "We saw Hong Kong residents, many of them young people, enthusiastically participate in the petition," said Tam Yiu-chung, a member of the NPC Standing Committee. The legislation will prevent, stop and punish acts and activities endangering national security, maintain Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, and better protect the legitimate rights and interests of Hong Kong residents, said Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR. HONG KONG, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 2.93 million Hong Kong residents have signed a petition in support of the national security legislation for Hong Kong during an eight-day campaign. Organizers handed in the petition to Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Monday afternoon. The large number of those signing the petition has fully demonstrated that the national security legislation is an essential move that meets the aspirations of Hong Kong residents, Luo said as he received the petition. China's National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature, on May 28 overwhelmingly adopted a decision to institute Hong Kong national security laws. The decision will also allow the central government's national security organs to set up agencies in Hong Kong when needed. Luo said he had noticed some sensational rumors online saying that Hong Kong residents would lose their freedom of speech, press and assembly and be arrested for traveling abroad and dining with foreigners when the legislation is being enforced. "By confounding the legal rights of the vast majority of residents with few crimes endangering national security, such rumors are aimed at causing fear and inciting hatred," he said, urging residents to see through those tricks and oppose such political conspiracies. Organizers of United Front Supporting National Security Legislation and guests attend a press conference in south China's Hong Kong, June 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai) Luo said the legislation will prevent, stop and punish acts and activities endangering national security, maintain Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, and better protect the legitimate rights and interests of Hong Kong residents. He also stressed that the threat of sanctions by the United States "underscores the urgency of opposing external interference with the national security legislation." The U.S. threat of sanctions proves that "they do not care about the future of Hong Kong at all, but regard Hong Kong as a pawn to contain the development of China," he added. "We will fight back with strong counter-measures," he said with regards to all external interference. "Hong Kong's achievements today are the result of its own hard work and the support of the motherland, not a gift from any foreign country," he said, stressing that under the protection of the national security legislation, Hong Kong will surely overcome difficulties and usher in a new era. The petition campaign, launched on May 24 in Hong Kong, was organized by a newly established organization named United Front Supporting National Security Legislation. According to the organizers, 2,074 people from all walks of life in Hong Kong society have joined the organization as co-sponsors, with 1,023 groups from various sectors becoming supportive groups. Tam Yiu-chung, one of the organizers of the United Front Supporting National Security Legislation and a member of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, speaks at a press conference in south China's Hong Kong, June 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai) "Through the petition, we hope to express the Hong Kong residents' full support for the correct decision on establishing and improving at the state level the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security," one of the initiators of the campaign, Tam Yiu-chung, said at a press conference on Monday. "We saw Hong Kong residents, many of them young people, enthusiastically participate in the petition," said Tam, a member of the NPC Standing Committee. Major officials of the HKSAR government have also joined the campaign. Chief Executive of the HKSAR Carrie 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," Lam said, expressing hope that the national security legislation will help Hong Kong restore stability and then revitalize the economy. Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 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) Hong Kong, with a population of over 7.5 million, has suffered from violent protests and social unrest since last June. Hong Kong's GDP in 2019 posted the first negative growth in 10 years and its credit rating was downgraded by a global rating agency. Starry Lee, a member of the HKSAR Legislative Council, said that over the past year Hong Kong has seen a large amount of illegal activities that undermined "one country, two systems" and challenged national sovereignty, which necessitates national security legislation. During the petition campaign, organizers set up more than 5,400 street stands across Hong Kong to collect public signatures and 25,000 people volunteered to work at these stands. A resident signs in a street campaign in support of the national security legislation for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in Hong Kong, south China, May 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu) Nearly 1.84 million signatures have been collected at the street stands and another 1.09 million people have signed the petition online. "It has become a consensus in Hong Kong that the national security legislation should be enacted as soon as possible, so as to lay a solid foundation for Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability," head of Kowloon Federation of Associations Connie Wong, one of the co-sponsors of the organization, said. Dr. Kevin Hogan, Dentist in Mt. Pleasant, SC, Offers Comprehensive and Caring Dentistry Smiles by Hogan is filled with a team that puts their patients first. Offering one-on-one care and building lasting relationships, they were eager to reopen and continue to help their patients the best way they know howthrough life-changing dentistry. Respected dentist serving Mt. Pleasant, SC, Dr. Kevin Hogan, reopens his practice, offering necessary emergency dentistry, routine dental care, and additional safety precautions. 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He is also a past member of the American Straight Wire Orthodontic Association, Maxillofacial Orthopedic Growth and Development, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the Functional Orthodontic Society. He and his team are dedicated to providing exceptional oral care to patients through personalized treatment plans. To learn more about the services offered by Dr. Hogan, please visit his website at http://www.smilesbyhogan.com or call 843-216-0908. UPDATE: Grand Rapids protesters scatter after police, backed by Michigan National Guard, move in UPDATED 7:15 p.m.: Shortly after the curfew went into effect at 7 p.m. Grand Rapids police officers with bicycles moved in and began dispersing the crowd. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Payne made it clear Monday evening that police would enforce the citys 7 p.m. curfew, even as a crowd of protesters continued to swell against a Michigan National Guard blockade downtown. Speaking to journalists less than two hours before the curfew Monday, June 1, Payne said his number one priority is the safety of residents and, secondly, the safety of property. The damage that was done on Saturday was not acceptable, he said. Payne spoke against a backdrop of, about two blocks away, crowds shouting black lives matter at a barricade of Michigan National Guard Humvees, guardsmen and state police in riot gear. Earlier, Payne briefly spoke to the protesters from behind the barricade. Protesters asked the chief to march with them. Payne said he declined because the demonstration was not permitted. While protesters cheered Payne on as he approached, they yelled black lives matter at him as he walked away after a few minutes. Id be willing to walk with them, he said. This is an unpermitted demonstration. If they wanted to organize, then we can sit and talk about that, how that can be done. He said attempts at reaching organizers failed earlier Monday. The chief pointed to another protest, scheduled for Wednesday, that he plans to march with because organizers reached out ahead of time with their plans and intent ahead of time. Payne went on to allege that a lot of people in the unorganized protest arent from Grand Rapids. He cited intelligence as the reason for this belief and said the majority of those rioting on Saturday werent from Grand Rapids as well. Related: Heavy police and National Guard presence in downtown Grand Rapids for Day 2 of curfew On Saturday, multiple businesses and government buildings in downtown were damaged and police cruisers burned during late-night riots. The riots were preceded by several protests against police brutality -- part of nationwide demonstrations sparked by the death of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than seven minutes. Sunday, the first night of the 7 p.m. curfew, was effective in curbing any further rioting. Though a handful of arrests were made Sunday evening in an effort to enforce the curfew, downtown was almost entirely empty. Mayor Rosalynn Bliss issued the citywide curfew order earlier in the day Sunday as part of a civil-emergency proclamation. She requested support from the Michigan National Guard, as well, to enforce the curfew law and protect property. While guardsmen and their vehicles were on the outskirts of the city Sunday, those troops are now barricading multiple streets Monday throughout downtown with members of law enforcement. Payne declined to comment on the departments reason behind the show of force. Read more: Downtown Grand Rapids quiet under curfew after night of rioting Teen faces felony rioting charge in Grand Rapids violent weekend Grand Rapids police brace for possible rally after weekend riot Chinese state media has urged Scott Morrison to 'muzzle' a group of anti-China MPs known as the Wolverines to avoid 'irreversible damage'. The group including Liberal MPs Andrew Hastie and Tim Wilson, Liberal senator James Paterson and Labor senator Kimberley Kitching is concerned about the growing power of China and often speaks out against the communist superpower. The members last year informally branded themselves the Wolverines, the name of an American high school group who fought off a Soviet invasion in the 1984 film Red Dawn. Small stickers with wolf claws have been spotted on their office windows in parliament. Earlier this year Mr Hastie (left) and Kimberley Kitching (right) went for dinner with the US ambassador Arthur B Culvahouse (centre) in Canberra. The Global Times accused them of making him an 'honorary' member of the Wolverines Liberal MP Tim Wilson (left) and Liberal senator James Paterson (right) are said to be members of the Wolverines Members of the group aim to push back against Chinese influence in Australia and have been particularly vocal since China slapped tariffs on barley and suspended some meat imports after Canberra called for a coronavirus inquiry. Over the weekend, the state-owned Global Times newspaper published an article saying the government should silence these anti-China politicians or face further economic punishment. Liu Qing, director of the Department for Asia and the Pacific Study at the China Institute of International Studies, said: 'If Australia allows such negative powers to hurt China-Australia relations, irreversible damage will be caused to economic cooperation and trade with China, and would hammer Australia's interests amid the coronavirus fallout.' He added: 'The Morrison government should release more positive signals to restore bilateral ties with China. If Australia can make more concrete efforts, the bilateral ties could be brought back on track.' 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 The article said that if the Wolverines keep speaking out then 'Australia could find itself involved in a China-US 'Cold War' due to cheap tricks from second-rate politicians.' Mr Hastie, a former solider turned MP for Canning, said he would not back down in the face of such threats. 'Won't be intimidated and we won't be silenced,' he told Sky News on Sunday night. He also said that backbenchers do not represent the government and are entitled to voice their opinions as part of the democratic process. 'Our public rhetoric is very low key, and it's not inflammatory at all,' he said. The Global Times article notes that the government has not supported the Wolverines, but accuses Scott Morrison of 'indulging' them. Chinese President Xi Jinping applauds during the closing ceremony of the third session of the 13th National People's Congress on 28 May Last year Mr Paterson and Mr Hastie were both denied visas to China after speaking out against the mass internment of Muslims in western China. Mr Wilson even went to Hong Kong to support pro-democracy protesters and has been vocal about the situation there since. At the start of the year, the Wolverines issued a statement to The Times newspaper in London voicing anger that the UK government had allowed Huawei equipment to be part of the country's 5G network. 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 has called for a ban on wildlife wet markets. Pictured: Xihua Farmers' Market in Guangzhou CHINA'S COVID-19 'COVER-UP' China's President Xi Jinping knew about the coronavirus on January 7 yet China only shut down the epicentre of the outbreak, Hubei province, on January 23, after 5million people had left to travel through China and the world China has since admitted destroying early samples of coronavirus in January, but claims it was acting in the interests of public health and denies stonewalling sample requests from other countries The US has accused China of concealing the severity of the virus, and hoarding medical supplies while the world was still unaware of the threat China is also accused of silencing doctors, making whistleblowers 'disappear', hiding the true death toll, suppressing information and censoring news reports during the early stages of the outbreak, and pressuring the World Health Organisation to delay public warnings and downplay the risks of the epidemic A German intelligence report claims President Xi personally asked WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to hold back information about human-to-human transmission and delay a pandemic warning The report claims China's information policy cost the world four to six weeks of vital time needed to fight the virus China filed a patent for the drug Remdesivir, seen as one of the best potential weapons against COVID-19, the day after it finally confirmed human transmission of the disease. The application was made by Wuhan Institute of Virology, the top-secret bio-laboratory at the centre of concerns about a possible leak of the disease from its research on bats, and the countrys Military Medicine Institute China has strenuously denied accusations of a cover up, insisting it has always shared information with the WHO and other countries in a timely manner Advertisement 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. In mid May 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 largest iron-ore supplied, shipping $63billion worth in 2019. On 22 May 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 Australia 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. People in Northern Ireland who are shielding will be allowed to socialise outside from next Monday, First Minister Arlene Foster has said. Those shielding will be able to spend time outside with members of their own household or one person from another household from June 8. Mrs Foster said the virus still presents a significant risk to what she described as "an extremely vulnerable group" but said this was a "reasonable and proportionate first step". Those who previously received a letter advising them to shield for 12 weeks - up to the first week of July - will be contacted in the form of another letter. The first minister said if the rate of transmission continues to fall, they will consider easing further restrictions. It comes after the Department of Health announced one further death from Covid-19 in Northern Ireland. It brings the Northern Ireland death toll to 524. There were also 1,147 tests carried out involving 824 individuals with 12 returning positive. Six people remain in intensive care and there are 72 confirmed Covid-19 outbreaks at care homes, with 57 closed cases. Earlier on Monday Economy Minister Diane Dodds announced plans to allow hotels and other tourist accommodation, including B&Bs, to re-open from July 20. There was an outcry last week when the Executive announced it would allow bookings to take place, but did not give a time for when they could accept guests. Mrs Dodds said that progress on re-opening will depend on controlling the rate of transmission of the virus. Read More Caravan sites, holiday home parks and self-catering properties will also be allowed to re-open from July 20, although it may be even earlier depending on scientific advice. Here's how Monday unfolded: [June 01, 2020] IBM Q Hub - L'Institut quantique at Universite de Sherbrooke joins IBM Q Network SHERBROOKE, QC, June 1, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - L'Institut quantique (IQ) at Universite de Sherbrooke (UdeS) has agreed to join the IBM Q Network as an IBM Q Hub, the first in Canada. With the financial support from the government of Quebec, UdeS will greatly expand its quantum computing capacity as an IBM Q Hub, which will give its members exclusive cloud-based access to IBM's most advanced quantum computing systems and software, including a 53-qubit system, currently the largest universal one available in the industry. "The IBM Q Hub at IQ is a tool for both fundamental research and the development of practical applications, explains Alexandre Blais, IQ Scientific Director. We want to build a quantum community of users where academia, private companies and startups meet and connect." The IBM Q Hub at IQ is already announcing its first official member, CMC Microsystems, which has a national network of universities and companies working in micro-nanotechnology innovation. "This collaboration is a perfect fit for the researchers in our network, says CMC Microsystems President and CEO Gordon Harling. We firmly believe that the quantum space will be strategically important and with this initiative, many Quebec organizations will be positioned to be global leaders." "Hubs such as the one at UdeS are essential to growing the quantum computing community necessary to discover practical quantum applications that drive business and scientific breakthroughs, says Dr. Anthony Annunziata, Director of the IBM Q Network. The research, education, and industry collaborations through UdeS will play a key role in Canada, and the world in developing this quantum computing ecosystem." Driven by scientific and tchnical breakthroughs, quantum computing has gained momentum in recent years. Quantum's potential for solving problems with a complexity that exceeds the computing capacity of conventional supercomputers opens up new possibilities for applications across different fields including biochemistry, finance, logistics and artificial intelligence. Expertise, complexity and infrastructure are major challenges for most companies and research institutions wishing to explore and develop applications based on quantum computing. "We have several industries that can benefit from advances in quantum technologies and whose design, manufacturing and distribution capabilities will support the development of new systems and devices. By adopting new technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, Quebec is building a decisive competitive advantage that will enable it to shine even brighter on the international scene. With the creation of this IBM Q Hub, Universite de Sherbrooke, to which the government has granted 4.5 million dollars, is undeniably confirming that collaboration between researchers and entrepreneurs can make Quebec even more innovative," mentions Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy and Innovation and Minister Responsible for the Lanaudiere Region. The IBM Q Hub at IQ is yet another initiative that consolidates Universite de Sherbrooke's position as a key center in Quebec and Canada for quantum computing research, know-how and technology. "This agreement attests to our IQ researchers' talent and the exceptional research environment of our university's ecosystem combining quantum science and technological applications," says Vincent Aimez, Vice-President for Partnerships at Universite de Sherbrooke. CMC Microsystems is a not-for-profit organization managing Canada's National Design Network.? CMC reduces barriers to technology adoption by creating and sharing platform technologies. IBM Quantum is an industry-first initiative to build commercial universal quantum systems for business and science applications. IBM Q Network is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Institut quantique (IQ) is a research institute at Universite de Sherbrooke with more than 200 members working to help the transition from science to quantum technologies, particularly in quantum computing, materials and engineering. IQ has state-of-the-art experimental research and digital computation infrastructure, managed by qualified technical and professional teams. For any inquiries on the IBM Q Hub at IQ : [email protected] SOURCE Universite de Sherbrooke [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Original Big Brother star Pete Timbs has reflected on his time as a housemate in the first season of the show back in 2001. Appearing on Channel Seven's The Morning Show on Monday, the former reality star, now 48, spilled on his experience in the house. Pete admitted himself and the rest of the cast, which included Sara-Marie Fedele and Blair McDonough, didn't think the show would work. Where are they now? Original Big Brother star Pete Timbs, 48, (pictured) has reflected on his experience as a housemate nearly 20 years after the show aired on The Morning Show 'We could hear the crowd in the background but we thought Big Brother was messing with us,' Pete admitted. He explained the cast believed the noise was simply canned laughter and cheering, with them unaware the show was a phenomenal hit. 'We thought there's no way this show is going to work. We're just playing volleyball, swimming in the pool and just reading books. It can't be interesting to watch.' Changes: Pete, now 48, is living in the Byron Bay area where he runs an Italian cafe, with him still getting recognised from his time on the show Pete, who lives in the Byron Bay area where he runs an Italian cafe, says he still gets recognised from his time on the show. He explained he originally went on the series after he won a competition on radio station Triple M. 'I was between jobs at the time, and I was looking to move to WA, and this came up,' he said of the chance encounter. Vintage: 'I was between jobs at the time, and I was looking to move to WA, and this came up,' Pete said of the chance to get on the show. Here: April, 2001 He added that the competition win got him to the final 200 auditions. He went on to last 49 days in the house before being evicted. He placed eighth in the first season. Tim finished by saying he still keeps in touch with a number of the first season's stars including Blair McDonough and that season's winner Ben Williams. Original stars: Big Brother first premiered in 2001. Here: cast shot 'Blair lives literally 10 minutes from my house, so I speak to him every couple of weeks,' Pete said. Pete added he also keeps in contact with Jemma Gawned, as well as Johnnie Cass, who was one of the first openly gay men on Australian television. Big Brother 2020 will premiere Monday, June 8 at 7.30pm on Channel Seven She was recently quarantining with her siblings and famous parents Bruce Willis and Demi Moore in Idaho. But now Scout Willis seems happy to be back home in Los Angeles as she stepped out on Monday for an iced coffee. The 28-year-old looked stylish and casual in a dark grey crop top, washed out black denim jeans and black ballerina flats. Cool toned: Scout Willis looked stylish and casual in a dark grey crop top, washed out black denim jeans and black ballerina flats as she headed for coffee in Los Angeles on Monday The short sleeve crop top featured a white hem, while her jeans were ripped at the knee. She carried a small black leather handbag on her arm that featured a long, colorful yarn key fob hanging off the side. The middle daughter of Demi and Bruce was sure to follow local guidelines requiring face coverings in public amid the coronavirus pandemic. She wore a blue face mask adorned with red floral design as she carried a large Starbucks back to her car. But first coffee: She wore a blue face mask adorned with red floral design as she carried a large Starbucks off back to her car The young actress still looked glamorous with her raven locks down in a sleek middle-part style and as her blue eyes peered over her mask. Scout seems to have returned to Los Angeles recently after having a mixed family quarantine in Idaho at her moms estate. Along with her famous parents and siblings Tallulah, 26, and Rumer, 31, her father's second wife Emma Heming also joined the family. Happy Mother's Day! Demi shared a snap from the holiday, as she shared it with her three daughters, ex Bruce Willis, his wife Emma Heming and their two daughters, to Instagram, at the time she wrote 'Thankful to be with family today (and every day): @brianbowensmith #bbsdrivebys.' [sic] Bruce reportedly was visiting his adult children in the Gem state when the pandemic forced travel restrictions. Emma was in Los Angeles with their daughters Mabel, eight, and Evelyn, six, and opted to stay a bit longer before joining the family in Idaho. Bruce spent Mother's Day with Emma, his ex-wife Demi, who he was married to from 1987 until 2000, and his five daughters. Demi shared a snap from the holiday with the whole gang to Instagram, at the time she wrote 'Thankful to be with family today (and every day): @brianbowensmith #bbsdrivebys.' [sic] Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 2, 2020 06:01 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb62e10 1 City MRT-Jakarta,COVID-19,Jakarta-transportation,Greater-Jakarta-commuters Free Indonesias first MRT service, MRT Jakarta, has called on its passengers to avoid having conversations while riding on its trains in a bid to break the chain of COVID-19 transmission on public transportation. As we all know, COVID-19 is transmitted through droplets that can come from infected people who cough, sneeze and talk, said the management of MRT Jakarta on its official Instagram account @mrtjkt. Therefore, besides requiring its passengers to wear masks, MRT Jakarta is also urging them not to engage in conversation while commuting, whether directly with other passengers or through phone calls. "It [the policy] is being imposed to provide comfort for the passengers and maintain hygiene within the trains, the caption of the post reads. As the central government works toward adopting new normal measures to cope with the pandemic and to weather its severe economic impacts, the Transportation Ministry through the Greater Jakarta Transportation Agency (BPTJ) is formulating a detailed regulation on public transportation. Read also: Commuter line keeps physical distancing measure during COVID-19 new normal The regulation for the new normal approach for public transportation is actually in place Ministerial Regulation No. 9/2020 issued by the Health Ministry on large-scale social restrictions (PSBB). But the more specific regulation will be issued soon, BPTJ managing director Edy Nursalam said last week. Previously, the Jakarta administration issued a string of policies for public transportation operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, including cutting the operational hours of its city-owned services such as MRT Jakarta, LRT Jakarta and Transjakarta, as well as reducing the number of fleets for each of the services. The administration also limited the number of passengers in each fleet, imposed physical distancing and conducted temperature checks for passengers. (asp) Express News Service BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called for advances in telemedicine and condemned the attack on doctors in the past. The PM's virtual pat on the back comes as a morale booster to healthcare professionals who have been facing several hardships amidst the fight against coronavirus While virtually addressing the 25th foundation day of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, the PM called for maximum discussion and participation, advances in tele medicine, new models that will make telemedicine popular on a larger scale. The PM also referred to the Make in India programme and said domestic manufacturers have supplied about 1 crore PPEs to COVID warriors and 1.25 crore N95 masks to all states PM Modi stressed on the development of IT-related tools for heathier society and called it a necessity. The Arogya Setu app has been downloaded by 12 crore health-conscious people and it has been very helpful in the fight against COVID, he said. Addressing mob attacks on doctors and healthcare personnel, the PM said that violence, abuse and rude behaviour of any kind is not acceptable. Steps have been taken to protect you from all forms of violence, and we have provided an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakhs for those on the frontline, he said. "Medical council of India has been relaced by a new national medical commission by an act of the Parliament and will go a long way in improving the quality of medical education, bringing it at par with international standards", the PM said. 01.06.2020 LISTEN As a major aspect of measures utilized in the checking and controlling of the novel Coronavirus, H.E Nana Akufo Addo has lifted that restriction on places churches and mosques. The president made this known during his update number 10 on measures taken against the deadly virus. As indicated by him, at least 25 and a maximum of 100 individuals are relied upon to be in either a congregation or mosque with social distancing protocol duly observed. Effective Friday 5 June, all places of worship and Mosques can venerate. He, regardless, approached Muslims and Christians to appeal to God for Ghana the principal day of love. The protests near the White House on Sunday turned to riots, with demonstrators throwing plastic bottles at the police officers, and they in return fire at the protestors with so-called "pepper balls" with tear substance, TASS correspondent reports from the scene of the protests on Monday. Earlier, protesters marched in the city center, chanting, among other slogans, the name of George Floyd, an African American man, who died as a result of detention by the Minneapolis (Minnesota) police last week. Protesters called for an end to police brutality against African Americans and the rejection of racial prejudice. Earlier, the mayor of Washington D.C. Muriel Bowser imposed a curfew from 23:00 Sunday (06:00 Moscow time Monday) to 06:00 Monday (13:00 Moscow time) due to the unrest caused by the situation surrounding Floyd's death. The National Guard has also been called in to ensure safety. Mass protests and broke out in Minnesota and several other U.S. states after a video of Floyds May 25 detention was posted online. Floyd, suspected of paying with counterfeit money at a local shop, was handcuffed by a white police officer, who put him to the ground and pressed his knee firmly against his neck. Floyd pleaded that he cannot breathe, but the police ignored him. Floyd died at the local hospital, shortly after the incident. The four arresting police officers were fired on May 26. One of them - Derek Chauvin, the officer who had his knee on Floyd - was arrested on Friday afternoon and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Protests in several major U.S. cities by Saturday evening turned into riots and looting. Federal and local authorities are urgently trying to pacify the demonstrators, imposing curfews, and involving the U.S. National Guard to help the police. According to the Associated Press, nearly 1,700 people have been detained during the protests over the past three days. The Saudi-led coalition engaged in Yemen shot down two drones launched in the direction of Saudi Arabia by the Houthi group, Saudi state news agency SPA reported, citing a coalition spokesman. The two drones were launched toward the border town of Khamis Mushait, SPA said, accusing Houthi forces of targeting civilian facilities and residential areas. A unilateral ceasefire announced by the Saudi-led coalition in April expired last week without leading to a permanent truce, after the Houthi movement rejected the offer. Violence has continued in several provinces. However, missile and drone attack against Saudi cities have decreased significantly this year thanks to peace efforts led by United Nations' special envoy Martin Griffiths and to indirect talks between the kingdom and Houthi officials. Search Keywords: Short link: Fairley said shes also reduced the number of people in the salon at the same time by roughly half. Theres only one client per stylist, she said. Typically, stylists double or triple book, but that practice has been eliminated, for the time being. We have all disposable coverings and capes, which is something we never had before, she said. We typically have capes and drapes you can throw in the washing machine, and we have plenty to last throughout the day, but we chose to move to disposables just to make it easier and more sanitary. New York City imposed a late-night curfew Monday that failed to prevent another night of destruction, including arrests at the iconic Macys store on 34th Street, following protests over George Floyds death. With an 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, New York joined other cities around the country in imposing such measures after days of unrest. The limit on a city of more than 8 million people comes after months of restrictions already imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic. But enough mayhem happened before the curfew took effect that Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted that it would move up to 8 p.m. Tuesday. As the deadline to get off the streets approached, bands of protesters marched through Manhattan and Brooklyn, and police simultaneously responded to numerous reports of roving groups of people smashing their way into shops and emptying them of merchandise. The doors of Macys flagship Manhattan store were breached, and police pulled two handcuffed men out and put them in a van. People rushed into a Nike store in Manhattan and carried out armloads of clothing. Near Rockefeller Center, storefront windows were smashed and multiple people arrested. Wreckage littered the inside of an AT&T store. Video posted on social media showed some protesters arguing with people breaking windows, urging them to stop, but instances of vandalism and smash-and-grab thefts mounted as the night deepened. We worked hard to build up the business, and within a second, someone does this, said the owner of a ransacked Manhattan smoke shop, who identified himself only by the name Harri. Really bad. De Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the outbreaks of violence the previous two evenings which left stores ransacked and police vehicles burned gave them no choice to impose a curfew, even as they insisted they stood with the throngs of peaceful demonstrators who have spoken out for several days against police brutality and racial injustice. We cant let violence undermine the message of this moment, de Blasio said in a statement. Cuomo blamed people who are looking to distract and discredit the protests and said they couldnt be allowed to undermine public safety. The two leaders, both Democrats, said many more police officers would be deployed Monday night. Big crowds rallied in Times Square and Brooklyn on Monday afternoon and marched through the streets for hours. As in previous days, the demonstrations held in daylight hours were peaceful with officers mostly keeping their distance from marchers. A nighttime march through Brooklyn was also peaceful, with limited action with police. But midtown Manhattan descended into chaos as night fell. Earlier in the day, one Times Square demonstrator, Giselle Francisco, considered the curfew necessary. There are people who have ulterior motives and theyre trying to hijack the message, the New Yorker said. Police Commissioner Dermot Shea expressed doubts earlier Monday about whether a curfew would be heeded. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a retired police captain whose borough has been a focal point for demonstrations and some damage, also had doubts. There are real deep, legitimate wounds, and if were not going to put the same level of energy into correcting those wounds as were going to put into telling people not to come out at 11, then were going to fail, and this is going to prolong the problem, said Adams, a Democrat. The New York City Liberties Union said it was deeply problematic that our leaders are imposing a curfew and essentially silencing New Yorkers from expressing their outrage at the racism that permeates the nation. After largely peaceful protests Sunday, groups of people poured down the sidewalks in Manhattans chic Soho neighbourhood and other areas overnight, breaking into Rolex, Kate Spade and Prada boutiques and electronics stores. Hundreds of people were arrested. People are doing this so next time, before they think about trying to kill another black person, theyre going to be like, Damn, we dont want them out here doing this ... again, New York City resident Sean Jones said as he watched the destruction. A 21-year-old man was shot in chic SoHo around 12:30 a.m. and was taken to a hospital with injuries that werent life-threatening, police said. On Monday morning, police were visible on some of SoHos hardest-hit streets as stores boarded up. Its disturbing because Im 100% behind the protesters and against police brutality and bad cops killing people of colour whenever they fricking want to, but this is a different story, said Ruby Packard, a teacher and longtime SoHo resident. There are people using this as a reason to create chaos and be violent, she added. Sunday was the third night in a row of mainly peaceful daytime demonstrations, chaotic nights, hot spots of violence and arrests, with the mayors daughter among those arrested over the weekend. Chiara de Blasio, 25, refused to leave a Manhattan street officers were clearing Saturday because people were throwing things. She was released with a court summons. Her father said Monday she told him shed behaved peacefully and believed she had followed police officers instructions. Thousands of people have taken to the streets around the nation to express outrage over Floyds May 25 death and other killings of black people, particularly by police. Floyd, who was black, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck. On Sunday, some New York City police officers knelt with protesters. But officers have also clashed with demonstrators. Shea said the department is investigating officers behaviour in about six confrontations, including one in which two police vehicles plowed through a group of protesters Saturday in Brooklyn. During Sunday nights demonstration, video posted to social media showed a police officer pulling a gun and pointing it at demonstrators on a debris-littered Manhattan street moments after a protester used an object to deliver a crushing blow to another officers head a few yards away. That officer should have his gun and badge taken away today, de Blasio said. There will be an investigation immediately to determine the larger consequences. Cuomo said some officers had exacerbated tensions with some very disturbing actions. Police union president Patrick Lynch said Cuomo was wrongly blaming the chaos on the cops. ___ Contributing were Associated Press writers Larry Neumeister, Brian Mahoney, Jake Seiner, Maria Sanminatelli, Michael R. Sisak and Deepti Hajela and video journalist Robert Bumsted in New York and Marina Villeneuve in Albany. Toronto paramedics responded to more suspected opioid overdoses deaths in April in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic than any month since September 2017. That data is at the centre of a report to be considered by the board of health next week that recommends asking the federal government for help as part of the citys overdose prevention plan to prevent further deaths. The ongoing opioid poisoning crisis in Toronto and across Canada has intensified and been further compounded by the COVID-19 global pandemic, the staff report says. These dual public health crises are having significant impacts on people who use drugs in our community as well as their families, friends and loved ones. Services that people rely on, many of them lifesaving, have closed or significantly reduced their service hours and/or capacity. During the first four months of this year, paramedics responded to 1,307 suspected opioid overdose calls, including 71 involving deaths, the report says. There were 25 calls involving deaths in April alone. The recommendations include asking the federal government to make an exemption for people to possess all currently illegal drugs for personal use during the pandemic while increasing harm reduction and treatment services. It also recommends the board ask the federal government to approve opioid therapy at a city-run site. The report, signed by medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa, says in order to achieve substantive change related to drug use, decriminalization is needed something the board has previously requested. The city is also looking at ways to address the issue of tainted drug supply, such as offering injectable opioid agonist therapy (iOAT) and oral programs that have been piloted in Toronto in smaller initiatives already, the report says. A funding application made to Health Canada in 2019 for the iOAT program at The Works a supervised consumption site run by the city was earlier rejected. It has been resubmitted, Toronto Public Health staff say in the report, in the context of the pandemic. The federal government has said that the cost of the program about $8.5 million over five years, which is largely for the drugs not covered under provincial drug benefits is too high. Safer supply programs (along with other prescribing practices and harm reduction services) reduce the risk of overdose, the report says about the renewed request for funding. They also facilitate self-isolation or quarantine for people who use drugs with COVID-19 by reducing the risk of the negative health consequences associated with withdrawal, and therefore contribute to preventing community transmission of COVID-19. Coun. Joe Cressy, who chairs the citys board of health, said its no coincidence the number of overdoses have spiked during the pandemic. In the context of COVID-19, we have seen an acute and dangerous challenge with overdoses. The combination of reduced harm reduction services coupled with an extremely dangerous tainted drug supply has created havoc on the streets for people who use drugs, he said. These deaths are preventable if we employ a public health approach to stop them and thats what our medical officer of health is calling on us to do. Toronto opened its first legal supervised injection site, The Works located on Victoria Street, in 2017. That site was closed in March and part of April after an outbreak at the site, which is also home to Toronto Public Healths headquarters. Though changes have been made at supervised consumption sites to prevent further virus spread, including reducing the number of booths available where people can inject drugs under the supervision of trained staff and turning to appointment-based models, that reduced capacity and fewer open hours as well people staying away due to concerns over infection have all led to fewer visits overall, the report says. Jennifer Pagliaro is a Toronto-based reporter covering city hall and municipal politics for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @jpags US President Donald Trump was rushed to the underground bunker for around an hour as violent clashes erupted between the protesters and security forces outside the White House on Friday night in Washington, DC, CNN quoted a White House official as saying. It is learnt that President Trump remained inside the bunker for around an hour before returning to his office in White House. A law enforcement source told CNN that first lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, were also taken to the bunker as protests intensified outside the president's official residence. A second source told CNN that "if the condition at the White House is elevated to RED and the President is moved" to the Emergency Operations Center "Melania Trump, Barron Trump and any other first family members would be moved as well." The protests erupted in several cities of the US against the death of black man George Floyd in Minneapolis with the protesters demanding that action be taken against the police officers responsible for the murder of Floyd. It is to be noted that four police officers in Minneapolis have been sacked for their involvement in Floyd's death. The incident took place on Monday (May 25) when the officers responded to a call about an alleged forgery and found the suspect sitting inside a car. One of the police officers later pinned Floyd on the ground and put his knee on Floyd's neck despite him claiming that he is finding it tough to breathe. 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 Floyd, who "appeared to be suffering medical distress." Police added that the man died at a hospital after few hours. In a related development, Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser imposed a city wide curfew on Sunday to keep situation under control. Bowser also announced that she is activating the DC National Guard to support the Metropolitan Police Department. President of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Arayik Haroutyunyan posted on his Facebook page information about his meeting with newly appointed Secretary of the Security Council and shared a video of the meeting. A short while ago, I had a meeting with newly appointed Secretary of the Security Council of Artsakh Samvel Babayan. We discussed several major issues facing the country and attached importance to the fact that we need to combine efforts and try to implement the memorandum signed by our political parties, he wrote. During the meeting, Haroutyunyan reminded that the second point in the decree on appointing Samvel Babayan states that the latter needs to submit recommendations on the new statute and structure of the Security Council of Artsakh within a one-month period. I believe the Security Council has to play a larger role. The Security Council must become one of the countrys major platforms for discussions on all the issues that are a matter of concern for our people and country, Haroutyunyan said. In his turn, Babayan expressed gratitude for the trust and promised that his political party will do everything it can to make sure the memorandum is implemented. VANCOUVERFor Kayla Murtaza, it was straight for the playground. The elementary student in North Vancouver was so excited to be back at school Monday that she and her mom showed up half an hour early just in time to have the swings and play set to herself for a couple of minutes. Yeah, Im excited, she said from atop the play set, where she had a clear view of her classmates arriving. It was an odd sort of back-to-school day in British Columbia, one that comes just as the last month of the school year begins and with strict new guidelines on distancing, cleaning and schedules that could become a part of school life next fall, or until a vaccine is found for the coronavirus. Officials in B.C. have called the optional return to class a trial run for the fall. While classes in most of Quebec returned last month, B.C. is the first Canadian province to open all of its schools, although attendance is optional, and most of the kids who do attend will only do so part time. And despite the presence of certain back-to-school hallmarks crossing guards in place, kids grasping their parents hands before nervously joining peers they havent seen in months, teachers sipping coffee out of tumblers in the staff parking lot B.C. kids arrived at school Monday under unprecedented circumstances. Some teachers and students wore face masks as they got organized for the day, and commented on each others chosen mask designs. And the chatter on the playground was different: Where is everybody? Are they coming? And somehow, the same: Is it summer yet? The key feature of B.C.s June back-to-school plan, aside from the swath of classroom and logistical adjustments that will need to be made at school levels to guarantee physical distancing and twice-daily cleaning is that students will return on a part-time basis, dramatically reducing the number of students in class at any particular time. For kids from kindergarten to Grade 5, that means going to school about 50 per cent of the time, while students in grades 6 and above will only attend class in-person once a week although it is up to each individual school to plan the details of when students will be in class or learning online. Changes will also be made to how school buses operate, with one student per seat, and Plexiglas barriers put up to protect drivers. In the case of Queen Mary Elementary in North Vancouver, teachers for kindergarten to Grade 5 will be in classrooms every weekday except Wednesday, when theyll continue with online learning for students whose parents choose to keep them at home. For the students who do attend, half will go to school the first two days of the week, and half will attend the last two. Kaylas mom, Farah Kaboodani, said that brings the number of kids in her daughters class down to eight at a time, from the normal 20. At the beginning, I didnt want her to go back, Kaboodani said. But I just kept checking the status, the number of coronavirus cases, and I feel confident that its OK. Monday morning, teachers at Queen Mary spread out across the schools large lawn and spaced out pylons in large circles one for each of the students attending class that day. When everyone had arrived, the classes took turns going into the school, with teachers reminding students to keep two metres apart. Lauren Shaw, whose daughter, Sehera, also returned to school Monday, said shes glad schools are reopened in B.C., even if its just for the end of the school year. I think they jumped the gun on shutting schools to begin with, she said, describing how the major change in kids routines added layers of anxiety for parents and kids alike. We all just need to take care of ourselves. But shes not brushing off the risk of the coronavirus. Shaw said shes told Sehera its important to remain cautious, because COVID-19 is still out there. Read more about: Imperial Valley News Center Department of Justice Files Statement of Interest in Support of Businesses Suffering from Arbitrary and Irrational Restrictions of COVID-19 Orders Detroit, Michigan - The Department of Justice Friday filed a statement of interest in a Michigan federal court in support of a lawsuit filed by seven businesses challenging the restrictions imposed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The statement of interest is part of Attorney General William P. Barrs April 27, 2020 initiative directing Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division, and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, Matthew Schneider, to review state and local policies to ensure that civil liberties are protected during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor of Michigan has, over the past two months, issued over 100 executive orders that impose sweeping limitations on nearly all aspects of life for citizens of Michigan, significantly impairing in some instances their ability to maintain their economic livelihoods. According to the lawsuit, the governors orders are arbitrary and discriminate against their businesses by treating them differently than other similarly situated businesses. Although the governors actions have required the plaintiffs to close or significantly restrict their businesses for over two months, the orders have allowed similar occupations to operate. The plaintiffs include a real estate brokerage, a lawn and property maintenance company, an automotive glass exporter, an engine oil and auto parts distributor, a small jewelry store, a dental office, and an association of car washes. The plaintiffs brought their case in the Western District of Michigan. Our Constitution is enduring, and it is critically important that government comply fully with the Constitution in times of crisis, said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. The Constitution permits appropriate state and local government restrictions to protect the health and safety of Americans, but it does not permit arbitrary limits that limit the right of all people in our country to be treated equally and fairly by the government. While we appreciate the governors serious responsibility to safeguard public health through this pandemic, the Department of Justice has an obligation to call attention to the contours of the rights enshrined in the federal Constitution and to counsel against arbitrary restrictions on liberty, said Andrew Birge, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. I have no doubt about the governors good intentions, but the Executive Orders arbitrarily discriminate by allowing some businesses to operate while similar businesses must close or limit their operationsand if they refuse, they face fines and possible jail time, said Matthew Schneider, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, who, with Assistant Attorney General Dreiband, is overseeing the Justice Departments effort to monitor state and local polices relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the Governors Orders, its ok to go to a hardware store and buy a jacket, but its a crime to go inside a clothing store and buy the identical jacket without making an appointment. Thats arbitrary. As important as it is that we stay safe during these challenging times, it is also important to remember that we do not abandon our freedoms and our dedication to the rule of law in times of emergency." In its statement of interest, the United States explains that the facts alleged by the plaintiffs could amount to violations of the Commerce Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. The federal case is Signature Sothebys International Realty, Inc., et al. v. Whitmer, No. 1:20-00360. Nearly 10,000 sea turtles transferred to Yucatan Peninsula after Profepa seizure in Oaxaca Santo Domingo Tehuantepec, Oaxaca The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) reports the successful transfer of nearly 10,000 live turtle specimens that were seized in the state of Oaxaca. La Procuraduria Federal de Proteccion al Ambiente (Profepa) says the seizure came after the live sea turtles were discovered durng a wildlife inspection in Santo Domingo Tehuantepec, Oaxaca bound for a market in China. Three people were found attempting to illegally ship 10,375 Olive Ridley sea turtles out of Mexico. The seized turtles were transferred to the Center for the Conservation and Research of Wildlife in Los Reyes La Paz, State of Mexico, however, due to their deteriorated physical condition, officials made the decision to transfer the 9,888 turtles to the Yucatan Peninsula. The sea turtles were transferred to Yucatan and Quintana Roo to increase their chance of survival Several government agencies participated in the transfer of 158 wooden crates of turtles to management units in Chetumal, Quintana Roo and Merida, Yucatan to improve their rate of survival. Two women and one man aged 23, 27 and 31, originating from the municipality of Huamelula, Oaxaca, were arrested and handed over to the Federal Public Ministry of the Attorney Generals Office (PGR) based in Salina Cruz. All marine turtles that reproduce in Mexico are protected by NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, in which they appear with the category P, that is, in danger of extinction, for which the extraction, possession and commercialization is prohibited, including products, parts and derivatives of sea turtles. The Federal Penal Code establishes in article 420 that whoever captures, damages or deprives of life any specimen of a sea turtle or mammal, or in its case collects or stores its products or by-products in any way, could receive a sentence of one to nine years in prison. Bethlehem officials are eying a three-modeled approach for reopening outdoor dining and retail in time for the state to enter the yellow phase and ease stay-at-home coronavirus restrictions. The models call for street closures, the creation of parklets," and the use of public land or neighboring right-of-way areas. The outdoor areas will allow restaurants and retail establishments to set up sales racks and tables and chairs outdoors while adhering to strict social distancing and safety guidelines. Alicia Miller Karner, director of the citys Community and Economic Development, said the methods only will be enacted once the Lehigh Valley gets the thumbs up from Gov. Tom Wolf to enter the yellow phase. Wolf in April outlined a three-tiered approach, color-coded by red for the current, most restrictive approach to yellow and, finally, green. The Lehigh Valley is expected to move to the yellow phase this Friday. To date, Karner said the city has received emails and phone calls from interested business owners wanting to move their establishments outdoors. Some, she said, have begun to put out tables and chairs. However, specifics on how many permit applications have been filed is unclear with City Hall closed Tuesday due to the Primary Election. In Bethlehems Central Business District, street closures would come at the request of the Downtown Business Association or SouthSide Arts District, which is part of the Bethlehem Economic Development Corporation. The organizations are being used to help coordinate the placement of businesses in the area. Additionally, local street closures can be requested by individual businesses not located in the downtown area. Maps and diagrams are part of the permit process. Social distancing and adhering to the recommended occupancy requirements as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state Department of Health also is being required. The following streets are proposed to be shutdown and used by restaurants and retailers as part of the outdoor reopening plan: Walnut Street (at Main Street mid-block east) Adams Street (from Second Street to Third Street) Adams Street (from Fourth Street to mid-block south) New Street (from Fourth Street to mid-block south) First Street (at Founders Way East) The city currently is discussing closing these streets from 4 p.m. Thursday to 7 p.m. Sunday. Sidewalk extensions currently are under construction in the city, said Alicia Miller Karner, the city's director of the Department of Community and Economic Development. The city on Friday began constructing parklets, which essentially are sidewalk extensions providing more space for businesses. Upon request by the Downtown Business Association or SouthSide Arts District, the city also would allow the creation of additional parklets in existing parking spaces. The parklets can be requested by both individuals and businesses, Karner said. Those applying would need to show a map and diagram of where product racks or tables and chairs would be placed. Applicants also are required to adhere to social distancing and the occupancy requirements as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state Department of Health as part of the permit process. Parklets currently are under construction at these locations: Main Street (from Walnut Street to Market Street) Broad Street (from New Street to mid-block east) Fourth Street (from Vine Street to mid-block east; New Street to mid-block west) Vine Street (via angled parking south of Fourth Street) The use of parking lots and other public spaces are being determined by request. The use of parking lots and other public spaces would be determined upon request by the Downtown Business Association or SouthSide Arts District or an individual business. City officials plan to review requests to use public spaces and right-of-ways to assist the business in expanding operations. Public spaces considered for use include: City land in front of the Blacksmith Shop on Main Street City and Redevelopment Authority Land at the Sun Inn Courtyard Public sidewalks or right-of-ways not used by existing first-floor businesses (requested right-of-ways, however, must be contiguous with the right-of-way of the requesting business) Parking spaces in the Bethlehem Parking Authority surface parking lots (Third Street lot; Corner of Third Street and Webster Street; and Third and Fahy streets) Parking spaces in privately-owned surface parking lots or open spaces that can be used if permission is secured by the property owner. Those who want to apply for a closed street or parklet can contact the citys Department of Public Works. Other health and safety regulations say that tables and backs of chairs (when people are seated in them) must be six feet apart and six feet from doors, streetlights, ADA ramps and other obstacles. Tables and chairs must be proper sanitized and garbage must be disposed of properly. 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. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Protesters clash with police in Chicago, on May 30, 2020 during a protest against the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while while being arrested and pinned to the ground by the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. Jim Vondruska | NurPhoto | Getty Images Protests over the death of George Floyd entered their seventh day on Monday as cities across the country imposed curfews and deployed police in riot gear to control demonstrators. Floyd, a black man, was killed in police custody in Minneapolis one week ago. Video taken by bystanders showed a white police officer kneeling on Floyd's neck as the unarmed man lay handcuffed and cried out that he could not breathe. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with murder. The criminal complaint, issued on 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. Chauvin and three other officers involved in the arrest have been fired. The protests against police violence that have erupted across the country have mirrored those that followed the killing of Eric Garner in 2014. Garner, a black man, died after being choked by a white New York City police officer. Garner's plea, "I can't breathe," became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement. No comprehensive official database exists for tracking police violence, though there have been efforts at the federal level to create one. But data compiled by researchers have served as an important source of information about how often people in the United States are killed by police, and who is most likely to be killed. Last year, more than 1,000 people were killed by police, according to Mapping Police Violence, one research group. Black people were disproportionately among those killed, the group found. Black people accounted for 24% of those killed, despite making up only about 13% of the population. Scientists have struggled to study whether racial bias is directly responsible for the disproportionate killing of black people, given limited data on the race of those with whom police regularly come into contact. Mapping Police Violence, which says that it is able to track more than 90% of killings in the U.S., defines a police killing as any time someone dies as a result of "being shot, beaten, restrained, intentionally hit by a police vehicle, pepper sprayed, tasered, or otherwise harmed by police officers, whether on-duty or off-duty." The data from Mapping Police Violence is sourced from three databases killedbypolice.net, fatalencounters.org and the U.S. Police Shootings Database as well as original research focused on social media, obituaries, criminal records databases, police reports and other sources, according to the group. Three charts below characterize violence attributed to police, while a fourth depicts attacks carried out against police. Police killed 3 people per day last year Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards American police forces killed three people per day in 2019, for a total of nearly 1,100 killings. Those numbers are far higher than in other wealthy western countries. In comparison, The Guardian newspaper reported in 2015 that there was a total of 55 fatal police shootings in England and Wales between 1990 and 2014. Only 15 people were shot fatally by German police in 2010 and 2011 combined, the newspaper reported. The U.S. population is about six times that of England and Wales, and four times that of Germany. According to Mapping Police Violence data, December and January were the months with the most police killings last year. In December, 110 people were killed by the police. In January, the figure was 105. In February, the month with the fewest deaths, 80 people were killed by the police. There were only 27 days in which no police killings were reported, according to the data. Killings per capita vary across cities Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Police killings per capita vary dramatically across America's largest cities, the data shows. The rate of police killings is highest in St. Louis, where police killed about 18 people per million residents annually between 2013 and 2019. In New York, where the rate of police killings was the lowest, police killed about 1.3 people per million residents in those years. St. Louis is also significant because of its proximity to the site of one of the police killings that was key in catalyzing the Black Lives Matter movement. In 2014, Michael Brown, a black 18-year-old, was shot by the white police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo., located about 10 miles outside St. Louis. Wilson was not charged with a crime and a 2015 report by the Department of Justice found that his actions were not "objectively unreasonable." But Brown's killing, and the phrase "Hands up, don't shoot!" became symbols of the Black Lives Matter movement that developed over subsequent years. Police are almost never charged after killings Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Despite the large number of police killings annually, police are almost never charged for excessive force violations. Between 2013 and 2019, 99% of killings resulted in no charges, according to Mapping Police Violence. Prosecutors are often wary of bringing charges against police because of the steep hurdles to obtaining a conviction. A doctrine known as "qualified immunity" also protects police from excessive force lawsuits in cases that don't involve a "clearly established" violation of the law. An investigation by Reuters published last month showed that, over the past three years, police won more than half of the excessive force suits in which they claimed qualified immunity, a sharp increase from prior periods. Qualified immunity was "making it easier for officers to kill or injure civilians with impunity," the news service reported. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, who announced the charges against Chauvin, acknowledged the difficulty of bringing charges against police officers in a press conference on Friday. "This is by far the fastest we've ever charged a police officer," Freeman said. Floyd's family has called for charges to be brought against the other three officers involved in his arrest, and for Chauvin's murder charge to be escalated from third degree to first degree, which would carry steeper penalties. Dozens of police killed annually Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards (JNS) A young Israeli soldier, Amit Ben-Yigal, was stoned to death last week by Palestinian Arab terrorists. The response of the American Jewish left was appalling. However, the response of the rest of the Jewish community wasnt much better. Every Arab terrorist murder of a Jew is an outrage. But a death by stoning has unique implications that should merit additional comment and introspection by Jews around the world. Most Jews who are murdered by Arab terrorists are killed by gunshots or as in the case of my daughter, Alisa by bombs. Some terrorists use knives or axes. And s... FILE PHOTO: The Toronto-Dominion bank logo is seen outside of a branch in Ottawa By Nichola Saminather TORONTO (Reuters) - Chief executives of Toronto-Dominion Bank and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce on Monday called for action to tackle racism, as violent protests raged across the United States over racial inequities and excessive police force. The unrest began with peaceful protests over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in police custody in Minneapolis last Monday, with video footage showing a white police officer kneeling on his neck before he died. "Tragedies like these are far too common, where people in our communities - in particular those who are black or indigenous - senselessly lose their lives," CIBC CEO Victor Dodig wrote on LinkedIn. "We need to find solutions, together." CIBC's U.S. commercial banking and wealth management business accounts for about 11% of revenues. "As a society we must have zero-tolerance for racism of any kind," TD CEO Bharat Masrani said in a statement. "At a time when we are all fighting COVID-19, we must remember that racism too must be eradicated," Masrani said. TD's U.S. retail business makes up 27% of revenues. (Reporting By Nichola Saminather; Editing by Richard Chang and Cynthia Osterman) Therein lies my covetous secret. That bunker isnt for my children. Its for me. Because, if something terrible happened to them, I wouldnt survive. I realize now what my mother had been referencing, so many years ago what could be worse than being raped or murdered: those unspeakable things happening to ones child. Thats the fear that comes with loving someone almost to the point of irrationality. Less than an hour after Id asked about the pay phone, my traveling companions and I scrambled free of Yosemites cellular dead zone, the sun bearing down as we cleared the forest and hit a straight patch of highway. I watched as my cellphone came back to life: Twenty-two new messages my father, siblings, best friends, a boyfriend, all trying to track me down at my mothers behest. The final message came at 2 a.m. saying simply: This is your mother and I am NOT asleep. I spent that three-hour drive to San Francisco, half terrified, half resentful of the tether that felt more like a noose around my neck. But 20 years later, my indignation has dimmed. My reflection, these days, is about the sheer magnitude of maternal love: That if you set off into the world, there is someone who loves you so fiercely, so irrationally, that they will find you in the wilds of California. That the attendant in a campsite sundries hut will know your name. That, without knowing youre safe at 2 a.m., your mother will not be asleep. At the time, I couldnt dream of a world in which Id ever feel comforted knowing someone cared about my exact location. That I would ever marvel at a love so encompassing that it expressed itself through stashed business cards and all points bulletins. I want to call my mother and explain all of this, but, of course, I cant. She died at 64, not from the risks shed feared for me, but from cigarettes smoked in her youth an enemy from which her own mother didnt even know to protect her. And so here I am, motherless, left to navigate the wilds of this deranged love, unable to ask her: Would she have done it any differently? And should I? The past few months, Ive contained my children in the equivalent of that bunker our small, quarantined rowhouse shielded from nearly every outside variable. I finally have my protective bubble, but its far from satisfying. Lost is the glimmer in their eyes encountering something new, the growth that comes with testing out the world on their own. But eventually, well leave these confines. Someday theyll make their own decisions. Will I really be able to watch them pull out of our driveway in somebody elses old Chevy and sleep in an unprotected tent? Will I be able to stand in the doorway as they embark on an adventure, knowing that inherent in every adventure is risk? Thats when I remember: Mrs. Worst Case Scenario herself stood in that doorway and sent me out into the wild albeit with her own irrational parameters. The selfless side of mothering won out, even if I couldnt recognize it then. It was a truth I never considered as we drove west out of Yosemite, the lines of sequoias fading into the horizon line, thinking only of ourselves, the possibilities of the open road, and what adventures the night held in San Francisco. Maggie Master, a writer based in Baltimore, is working on her first novel for young adults. German chancellor Angela Merkel. Photo: MARKUS SCHREIBER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Germany is working on a coronavirus recovery stimulus package worth up to 75bn ($92.6bn). The coalition government led by chancellor Angela Merkel would provide 58bn whilst the nation's regional states would stump up the rest, according to Sunday newspaper Bild am Sonntag. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz from the co-governing Social Democrats (SPD) and Economy Minister Peter Altmaier from Merkels Christian Democrats (CDU) are expected to present the economic recovery package next week, reports Reuters. The scheme could include tax cuts, cash handouts to families, additional funds for small companies, debt relief for local districts and subsidies for the car industry, in line with policy maker proposals. The fiscal stimulus package would be in addition to a 675bn rescue scheme agreed in March. Both initiatives are attempts to prop up Europe's largest economy, which is expected to plunge into the steepest recession since World War Two. Wolfgang Schaeuble, president of the German parliament, urged for the stimulus plan to focus on climate policy, digitisation and innovation. READ MORE: Coronavirus, dire data, geopolitical unrest: Markets brace for turbulence It is crucial not just to announce large sums of money, but to do the right thing, he told Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (FAS). Some people think that climate policy must now take a back seat. But that cannot be seriously advocated, he said. One sticking point has been cash incentives for customers buying new cars, a scheme already implemented in France. Schaeuble said such an initiative was unimaginative echoing comments from industry groups that have spoken out against environmentally contentious schemes. Read next: Top 10 health insurance companies in the US All healthcare providers are exposed to human error, whether theyre practicing in a physical or a virtual setting. As telemedicine is still fairly new and a lot of physicians are trying it out for the first time amid COVID-19, many healthcare providers are erring on the side of caution, according to Greg Ferrell (pictured), vice president of professional liability for Admiral Insurance Group, a Berkley Company. That caution, Ferrell noted, is first and foremost for the safety of the patient and for the continuance of care that patient might need. In the context of COVID-19, I think healthcare providers using telemedicine will err on the side of caution and advise people to self-quarantine if theres any question whatsoever of exposure to the virus, Ferrell told Insurance Business. Right now, telemedicine is being used in a very efficient manner, with providers and practitioners going above and beyond to help out in a time of crisis and when theres a shortage of medical professionals. I dont think it can be sold high enough that the relief this activity gives to hospitals and urgent care clinics is massive. If everyone who was using a telemedicine platform to see a provider right now was standing in line at the hospital, the healthcare system would be completely overwhelmed. Our hope at Admiral Insurance Group is that everyone looks at telemedicine [in the context of a global pandemic] the way that we do, which is that people are doing their best. Inherently, in any kind of a crisis situation where everybodys scrambling, there are going to be gray areas, and there are going to be things that slip through the cracks but we understand their intent was to do good and use telemedicine to help someone who otherwise wouldnt have had help, or to help them in as safe or as controlled of an environment as possible. Claims are going to come out of this. I dont care how much immunity is granted. Unfortunately, there are always folks that try to take advantage of it, but our hope is that the overriding principle of this is: everyone is trying to do their best. Read more: Zurich North America offers COVID-19 product that gets cash in hands of hospitalized patients Its not just potential errors and omissions in diagnosis that cause concern for underwriters considering telemedicine. The HIPAA privacy rule is the other elephant in the room. Questions arise like: Will a video consultation be saved? Is it a secure connection? Can consent be obtained over a virtual setting? How is the private health information obtained via a telemedicine consultation kept secure? Is data disposed of in the same way that it would be in a physical setting, for example, by shredding? Is there a standard or consistent manner for how someone handles their home office? That answer is no, said Ferrell. But there are also deviations from that in a typical office setting. My hope is that healthcare providers who are doing telemedicine consultations from home are doing everything almost entirely electronically. That adds a given amount of security so that my five-year-old, for example, is not going to walk in, pick up a piece of paper with somebodys delicate medical information and walk outside with it. In a way, the emergence of COVID-19 and the practice of telemedicine to address it came at a good time in that telemedicine has been ramping up so much over the last few years that the technology is really pretty spot on, and so is the security. The technology is readily available, whether its cloud-based or otherwise, and there are several different pieces of software that are universally accepted and that have made provisions and changes to address any HIPAA concerns and provide security. If the pandemic had happened five-years-ago, we would have had gigantic concerns on the security front just because telemedicine was not being widely practiced. But we all know how fast technology can move. The telemedicine business evolved in the past five-years and the technology was ready and waiting for it it just needed to be adapted. Vgetable farmers at Akomadan in the Offinso North District, have participated in a small farmer group meeting to observe the performance of improved varieties of tomato, pepper and onion. They also received training and capacity building in vegetable production, as well as best agronomic practices to enable them to produce quality and healthy vegetables for the market. The trial which involved showcasing the performance of improved varieties of tomato, pepper and onion, was implemented by the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) under the Ghana Agricultural Technology Evaluation (GATE) Project, with financial support from SNV Netherlands Development Organization and African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF). Dr. Leander D. Melomey, GATE Project Officer and a Research Fellow at WACCI, said the aim of the project was to enhance smallholder farmers access and uptake of improved seeds of the three vegetable crops. This would boost vegetable production in the country and improve farmers livelihood. It also aimed at assisting seed companies to deploy high yielding, well adapted and appropriate varieties of vegetable seeds to farmers in the country. Mr. Louis Davis, Sales Officer for Louis Dreyfus Company Limited, a seed supply company, said the project would help improve farmers access to quality improved seeds and best agronomic practices. Mr. Bismark Nyarko, a vegetable farmer and beneficiary of the project, said he could now produce healthy, quality and high yielding vegetables as a result of the training programme. 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 Express News Service CHENNAI: As many parts of the State will have lockdown relaxations, Chennai will continue to have stringent norms in place, as ten more people died of COVID-19 in the city and recorded 804 fresh cases. The containment zones in the city came down from 254 to 201. Except for a 39-year-old with chronic kidney disease, rest of the people who died were aged above 50 and all of them had comorbid conditions.Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar announced that 161 labourers including 43 fishermen returned to Chennai by sea on May 31. About 250 more fishermen stranded in the shores of Goa will also be returning soon. Currently, the Goa government is taking care of the fishermen by meeting their basic needs. The TN government is working on bringing them back soon, the Minister said. The Minister also said that talks were on with the Centre to facilitate the return of TN fishermen stranded in Iran. Officials said that there will not be any change in the containment strategy for the people in Chennai from June 1. Restrictions for shops will remain in the containment zones and we will continue to barricade individual houses, where positive cases are recorded, said the health department official. Ironically, despite high number of cases from Tondiarpet, it has only one containment zone. This is mainly due to the are not meeting the States revised criteria requiring the presence of at least five index cases in a street for it to be contained. Ironically, despite high cases in Tondiarpet, the Corporation zone only has one containment zone. This is mainly due to the area not meeting the States revised criteria of presence of at least five index cases in a street for it to be contained. Security forces and police have busted a narco-terror module in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir and arrested six associates of banned Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), an official said on Monday. According to the police, the militant associates were in close connection with Pakistan-based handlers and involved in drug trade, supply of weapons and assisted financially to active militants of JeM, he said. Acting on a credible input, a joint team of police, army and CRPF apprehended them from Chadoora area of the district, a police official said. He said the arrested persons have been identified as Mudassir Fayaz, Shabir Ganaie, Sageer Ahmad Poswal, Issaq Bhat, Arshid Thoker and a minor whose identity has been withheld. "Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition, including a Chinese pistol, a hand grenade," Rs 1,55,000 cash and one kilogram of narco heroine, were recovered from their possession," the official said. He said the "recoveries have exposed the connection between drug dealers and terrorists." China said on Monday the United States was addicted to quitting following a US decision to leave the World Health Organization (WHO) and said the withdrawal reveals a pursuit of power politics and unilateralism. Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters during a daily briefing that the international community disagreed with what he described as the selfish behaviour of the United States. The U.S. has become addicted to quitting groups and scrapping treaties, said Zhao. President Donald Trump announced on Friday the United States would cut ties with the WHO, accusing the UN. agency of becoming a puppet of China. The WHO has denied Trumps assertions that it promoted Chinese disinformation about the virus. Trumps decision came after a pledge by Chinese President Xi Jinping to give $2 billion to the WHO over the next two years to help combat the novel coronavirus, which emerged in China late last year. The EU on Saturday urged the United States to reconsider its decision. China calls on the international community to provide more political support and funding for the WHO, said Zhao. The US decision to quit the Geneva-based agency comes amid growing tension between the United States and China over the coronavirus outbreak. Since taking office, Trump has questioned the value of the United Nations and scorned the importance of multilateralism as he focuses on an America First agenda. He has quit the UN Human Rights Council, the UN cultural agency UNESCO, a global accord to tackle climate change, the Iran nuclear deal and opposed a UN migration pact. HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2020 / Namibia Critical Metals Inc. ("Namibia Critical Metals" or the "Company") (TSXV:NMI) announced it has reached agreements ("Debt Settlement Agreements") with certain senior management and directors to fully settle an aggregate of $377,103 of unpaid compensation with the issuance of common shares in the Company. Pursuant to the Debt Settlement Agreements, the Company will issue 1,508,412 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.25 per share being a 25% premium to the closing price of the common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange on May 29, 2020. The Debt Settlement Agreements are subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued will be subject to a four month hold period. About Namibia Critical Metals Inc. Namibia Critical Metals holds a diversified portfolio of exploration and advanced stage projects in the country of Namibia focused on the development of sustainable and ethical sources of metals for the battery, electric vehicle and associated industries. The Company also has significant land positions in areas favourable for gold mineralization. The Lofdal Heavy Rare Earth Project is the Company's most advanced project having completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment in 2014 and full Environmental Impact Assessment in 2017. An application has been made for a mining licence at Lofdal. The project is now in joint venture with JOGMEC who are funding the current $3,000,000 drilling and metallurgical program with the objective of doubling the resource size and optimization of the process flow sheet. At the Erongo Gold Project, stratigraphic equivalents to the sediments hosting the recent Osino gold discovery at Twin Hills have been identified and detailed soil surveys are planned over this highly prospective area. The Epembe Tantalum-Niobium Project is also at an advanced stage with a well-defined, 10 km long carbonatite dyke that has been delineated by detailed mapping with over 11,000 meters of drilling. Preliminary mineralogical and metallurgical studies including sorting tests (XRT), indicate the potential for significant physical upgrading. Further work will be undertaken to advance the project to a preliminary economic assessment stage. The Kunene Cobalt-Copper Project comprises a very large area of favorable stratigraphy ("the DOF") along strike to the west of the Opuwo Co-Cu-Zn deposit. Secondary copper mineralization over a wide area points to preliminary evidence of a regional-scale hydrothermal system. Exploration targets on EPLs held in the Kunene project comprise direct extensions of the DOF style mineralization to the west, sediment-hosted cobalt and copper, orogenic copper, and stratabound Mn and Zn-Pb mineralization. Earlier stage projects include the Grootfontein Project which has potential for magmatic Cu-Ni mineralization, Mississippi Valley-type Zn-Pb-V mineralization and Otjikoto-style gold mineralization. The Kunene Light Rare Earth Project is a recently announced discovery where selected grab samples have outlined areas of high grade bastnaesite mineralization carrying significant concentrations of neodymium. Donald M. Burton, P.Geo. and President of Namibia Critical Metals Inc., is the Company's Qualified Person and has reviewed and approved this press release. The common shares of Namibia Critical Metals Inc. trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "NMI". 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. For more information please contact - Namibia Critical Metals Inc. Don Burton, President Tel: +01 (902) 835-8760 Fax: +01 (902) 835-8761 Email: Info@NamibiaCMI.com Web site: www.NamibiaCriticalMetals.com The foregoing information may contain forward-looking information relating to the future performance of Namibia Rare Earths Inc. Forward-looking information, specifically, that concerning future performance, is subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. These risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the appropriate securities commissions. SOURCE: Namibia Critical Metals Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/592247/Namibia-Critical-Metals-to-Issue-Shares-for-Debt A team of scientists from the Crop Research Institute (CRI) at Fumesua has appealed to Government to take a critical look at the prospects of growing apples in Ghana. The scientists said it was becoming clear that some areas with temperate-like weather conditions could be of great importance to the growth of the fruit. The humid areas in the country could also tolerate apple varieties common in India and other Asian regions. The scientists made the call after visiting a site at Atimatim-Taaboum in the Afigya-Kwabre South District, where an apple tree had been planted and started bearing fruits. The tree is said to have been planted by a Ghanaian resident in Belgium in his house in 2016, and it had now started bearing fruits. The euphoria that greeted the discovery of a similar plant at Wiamoase in the Sekyere South District, which was later confirmed by research scientists as a fig tree, prompted caretakers of the house to inform the authorities of the presence of an apple tree in the Atimatim-Taaboum Community. This compelled the team, led by Mr Beloved Mensah Dzomeku, Principal Plant Physiologist at CRI, to visit the site to take samples and conduct further investigations to ascertain the truth. Mr Dzomeku confirmed to the Ghana News Agency that the plant at Atimatim-Taaboum was truly an apple. On site, the leaves and the fruits were subjected to the mobile app, PlantSnap, and results indicated that the plant was edible apple Malus domestica, he said. Mr Dzomeku said the fact that the plant was doing well in that area, with reports of the presence of apple trees in other areas such as Abetifi, Amedzofe and Teiman-Abokobi, was an indication that given a little bit of attention the fruit could be planted on a larger scale in the country. He, however, indicated that humid areas could only tolerate the tropical apple varieties common in India and other Asian countries. He said the CRI of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was capable of using tissue culture techniques to further evaluate and confirm the experiment as well as the propagation of the plant. What was needed now was a policy initiative by the Government to support research to help develop appropriate varieties that would help large scale production of the fruit in Ghana. --GNA By Jon Queally, staff writer. Originally published at Common Dreams Police driving their SUV cruisers into protesters in Brooklyn, New York. National Guard and local officers firing paint gun rounds at people standing on their own front porch in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Massive armored S.W.A.T. vehicles and lines of riot police in Columbia, South Carolina and elsewhere. Police units firing rubber bullets and tear gas at kneeling, non-violent demonstrators in Dallas, Texas. Riot police knocking an elderly man walking with cane to the ground in Salt Lake City, Utah. These were just some of the outrageous and violent scenes captured on video Saturday night amid demonstrations and uprisings in cities across the U.S. in protest of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week and the long history of police violence and social neglect in the country. This is the first accurate headline Ive read tonight. https://t.co/sbjvxcGZzE Ayelet Waldman (@ayeletw) May 31, 2020 Heres what happened in Brooklyn: Shocking scenes of two police cars in Brooklyn just driving through a crowd of protesters. pic.twitter.com/ZuZjhOHoNY redfish (@redfishstream) May 31, 2020 This is what it looked liked when people standing on their front porch in a quiet neighborhood in Minneapolis when the National Guard marched down the street telling everyone to Get in you house, now! before ordering Light up em and opening fire with paint pellets: Share widely: National guard and MPD sweeping our residential street. Shooting paint canisters at us on our own front porch. Yelling light em up #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #JusticeForGeorge #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/bW48imyt55 Tanya Kerssen (@tkerssen) May 31, 2020 This is what it looks like when police officers push down an elderly man in Salt Lake City: Police knock an elderly man with a cane to the ground without provocation, Salt Lake City #protests2020 pic.twitter.com/Uoza3BVDiX Natural Health Source (@OverAllCareTips) May 31, 2020 This was the scene Columbia which left a commentator to declare we are living in a police state: Found the source of the flash bangs. Police line moving down Gervais now from Park. pic.twitter.com/R44l7PAh3j WIS News 10 (@wis10) May 31, 2020 And here non-violent demonstrators in Dallas, Texas kneeling down and chanting hands up, dont shoot just before riot police open fire with tear gas: on our knees with our hands up, still hit with tear gas and rubber bullets #DallasProtests pic.twitter.com/H2NgSMIlQJ megs lil pony (@almondbabyal) May 31, 2020 Condemning the widespread militarized response by the National Guard and local police forces as an affront to human rights and international law, Amnesty International early Sunday morning condemned the behavior of U.S. law enforcement agencies. U.S. police across the country are failing their obligations under international law to respect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest, exacerbating a tense situation and endangering the lives of protesters, said Rachel Ward, national director of research at Amnesty International USA. In city after city, we are witnessing actions that could be considered unnecessary or excessive force. We call for an immediate end to any excessive use of force and for law enforcement to ensure and protect the legal right to protest. Ward said that all unnecessary or excessive force must cease immediately, and all instances of potentially excessive or unnecessary force against protesters must be investigated and any officers who broke the law must be held accountable. Ward argued that it is equipping police officers with military gear and asking them to behave as soldiers in the first place is what often leads to more violent clashes. Police must engage in de-escalation, before the situation worsens, she said. They should de-militarize their approach and engage in dialogue with protest organizers to reduce tensions to prevent violence or to stop it quickly as soon as it breaks out in order to protect the right to peaceful assembly. Amnesty also singled out President Donald Trump by name for sowing further division and violence: Racism and white supremacy are fueling these killings and the police response to the protests. The federal government should set up a national commission to address all aspects of this crisis including killings by police, the right to protest and ending discrimination. Amnesty International USA (@amnestyusa) May 31, 2020 In a widely shared commentary on Friday night, philosopher and social justice activist Dr. Cornel West argued that what is being witnessed right now in the U.S. is a perfect storm of discontent that blends the fresh outrage of Floyds killingand the similar killings of others by policewith the underlying injustice of an American capitalist system that cannot fulfil the human needs of its people and that is soaked in racism and inequality. When you talk about the masses of black peoplethe precious poor and working-class black people, brown, red, yellow, whatever colortheyre the ones left out and they feel so thoroughly powerless, helpless, hopelessthen you get rebellion, West said. Worth repeating that all of the police violence you see happening right now has been happening for a long time before there were any camera phones to record it. Its a daily phenomenon in communities across the country. Its structurally embedded into how these forces operate. Clint Smith (@ClintSmithIII) May 31, 2020 Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a viral video post on Saturday afternoon said that anyone calling an end to the so-called unrest sweeping the nation in the wake of Floyds death is being nothing but hyppocritical and empty if they are not pairing that demand with calls to reform that systems that fuel such anger and despair. If youre trying to call for the end to unrest, but you dont believe healthcare is a human right, said Ocasio-Cortez. If youre afraid to say Black Lives Matter. If youre too scared to call out police brutalitythen you arent asking for an to unrest. You are asking for injustice to continue and for your people to continue to endure the violence of poverty, the violence of lack of housing access, the violence of police brutality and not say a damn thing. Thats what youre asking for. In response to the specific of police violence displayed Saturday in Brooklyn when the police vehicles tried to mow down protesters, Ocasio-Cortez rejected the argument put forth by New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio and others that such use of force was justified. NO ONE gets to slam an SUV through a crowd of human beings, she tweeted. Running SUVs in crowds of people should never, ever be normalized. No matter who does it, no matter why. Update: This post was updated to include comment from Amnesty International. Poland on Monday resumed domestic flights, with the inaugural flight after the coronavirus hiatus safely landed in the north-western city of Szczecin, Polands flagship airline LOT said. As of Monday, LOT resumed flights from Warsaw to seven cities in the country as well as between Gdansk and Krakow, a total of 30 flights per day. Air travel resumes under a new sanitary regime to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Only passengers are allowed to enter terminals and all of them have their temperature measured. Keeping a distance of 1.5 metres from others and wearing face masks is obligatory, including on the plane. On LOT flights only every second seat can be taken, it noted. Poland suspended passenger air travel in mid-March. After that, only special flights to bring back citizens stranded abroad were allowed. Some 55,000 citizens travelled back home that way. Cargo flights went on uninterrupted amid the pandemic. While domestic passenger flights resumed, the ban on international air travel is in force until June 6. According to the report, LOT plans to resume international flights as of June 14. In 2019, Polish airports serviced some 49 million passengers, up by 7 per cent year on year. (dpa/NAN) Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/5/2020 (599 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Three members of Gambler First Nation say they refuse to be muzzled after receiving cease and desist letters from a lawyer representing Gambler leadership and Gambler companies. A copy of a cease and desist letter sent to Gambler First Nation band members. (Submitted) The leadership, Gamblers chief and council, are directors and officers of those companies. Gordon Ledoux, Vernon Kalmakoff, Darlene Labelle Gerula, Peter Vermette and an unconfirmed fifth party each received letters alleging defamatory statements. The parties seeking to stop band members from speaking out on perceived wrongs on the reserve are: Chief David LeDoux; his daughter, councillor Kellie LeDoux; his wife Rose LeDoux; Gambler Management Ltd.; Gambler Brandon Ventures Ltd.; and Gambler Gas and Convenience Store Ltd. Some of the alleged defamatory statements against the LeDouxs and the companies refer to Facebook posts, in the case of Gordon and Kalmakoff. The recipients of the letters must cease and desist from making comments about the LeDouxs and the businesses, as well as provide written apologies, which will be made public, according to the letters. Gordon, who is still engaged in court actions with his brother David as to who is the legitimate Gambler chief after a May 2018 election, received three letters. He wasnt surprised because hes still involved in a court action regarding several human rights tribunal rulings against his brother. Though he won those cases, he now needs to have them enforced as his brother refuses to acknowledge the defeat. Gordon said he has no intention of apologizing. "Ive been posting quite a bit, but everything Ive posted is verifiable and truthful," Gordon said. The ongoing power struggle between two factions at Gambler, positioned with one brother or the other, has proved devastating to some members there are allegations of elder abuse on reserve, as well as members being kicked out of their homes. Food insecurity is rampant. Since the land designation referendum about the urban reserve in Brandon held in February, discord has only increased among Gambler members. The result and the process leading to it is now under review by Indigenous Services Canada. The referendum vote was 72-70 in favour of leasing the lands. Gerula requested the federal review, alleging various breaches of the Indian Referendum Regulations by David and his entourage. Gordon, Kalmakoff and Gerula have been vocal amongst the membership about these matters. "It has come to the attention of the directors and officers of Gambler Brandon and Gambler Gas that you have made numerous false statements about the ownership, structure and business dealings of Gambler Brandon and Gambler Gas," wrote Regina lawyer Alexander Shalashniy, who represents David, his wife Rose, and his daughter Kellie, in one of the three letters to Gordon. He also represents the businesses, under authority of the LeDouxs and a second councillor, in the letters to Gordon. One letter alleges Gordons statements have caused delays to Gamblers Brandon urban reserve project, resulting in excess of $2 million in losses. Gordon says he has no idea what losses the newly minted companies might have incurred. The Brandon Sun contacted Shalashniy, but was told he could not answer question due to attorney-client privilege. "Gordon and I have been struggling for years to deal with the injustices happening out there (at Gambler)," said Kalmakoff. As an example among many involving other band members, Kalmakoff and Gordon allege David took Gordons house on the reserve and gave it to someone else. Gordon, who is ill, is now couch surfing, they said. Kalmakoff, who lives in Brandon, also has no intention of apologizing to David. In his conversation with the Sun, he talked about the mistreatment of members on the reserve. He and others wonder how its possible that Gambler money is being used to take legal action against Gambler members. "Its upsetting for everybody," Kalmakoff said about receiving the cease and desist letter. "I dont have anything to apologize for. Anything that Ive said is always whats happening. I stand behind everything that I say. The community says it would be behind me if it goes to a court of law. I cant shut up." Kalmakoff also alleges that last summer, David and Rose apologized to him. He thought, at the time, that it was a sincere apology. They also offered him money, he said, which he refused. According to him, he told them, "Lets just move forward." Each cease and desist letter mentions a land claim settlement, estimated at more than $300 million, which is apparently forthcoming for the First Nation. David intends to have a public apology or sue for damages, with damages coming from whatever portion Gordon and the others might receive. The Sun sent written questions to David by email, as previously instructed, and did not receive answers by deadline. In a May 26 video posted to Facebook, David said these few disgruntled members are seeking to profit off the hard work done related to Gamblers urban reserve in Brandon, and "are attempting to insert themselves into band politics for personal profit and to gain control over the settlement monies that will be coming in." Gerula, who was originally tasked with finding the land in Brandon and establishing a relationship with the city, said she has no intention of apologizing. She documented the land designation process and requested the review of the referendum. 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. Qatar Petroleum (QP) said on Monday it has signed agreements with South Korea's "Big 3" shipyards to secure more than 100 ships costing more than 70 billion Qatari riyals ($19.23 billion). The agreements signed with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, Hyundai Heavy Industries and Samsung Heavy Industries will occupy much of the three companies' liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship construction capacity through 2027. Under the deal, described by QP chief executive as the largest LNG shipbuilding program in history, the three companies will reserve a major portion of their LNG ship construction capacity for Qatar Petroleum through the year 2027. "We have secured approximately 60% of the global LNG shipbuilding capacity through 2027 to cater for our LNG carrier fleet requirements in the next 7-8 years, which could reach 100+ new vessels with a program value in excess of 70 billion Qatari Riyals," said Saad al-Kaabi, QP's chief executive and Qatar's energy minister. QP, the state-run LNG producer in the world's top supplier of the fuel, wants to lift output to around 126 million tonnes per annum by 2027 from today's 77 mtpa. Exploration work in the expanded North Field mega project showed confirmed gas reserves there exceed 1,760 trillion cubic feet, Kaabi said in November. "We are moving full steam ahead with the North Field expansion projects," he said in Monday's statement. "The agreements will ensure our ability to meet our future LNG fleet requirements to support our expanding LNG production capacity and long-term fleet replacement requirements." Though plans to start production from its new gas facilities were postponed to 2025, due to a delay in the bidding process and the impact of the coronavirus, Kaabi had told Reuters in April his company will not scale back a plan to build six new LNG production trains. The three South Korean companies' CEOs were cited in the QP release, but did not issue statements of their own on the deals. No community cases in 408 COVID-19 cases in Singapore on June 1 There were no new community cases of COVID-19 as of 12 pm on June 1, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a statement. 408 new COVID-19 cases were reported, all of whom are work permit holders residing in foreign work dormitories. The total number of cases in the country stands at 35,292. Photo courtesy: Facebook/Lawrence Wong Meanwhile, 767 more cases of COVID-19 infection have been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities. Singapore also reported its 24th death from the novel coronavirus. A 51-year-old male Chinese national has passed away from complications due to COVID-19 infection on May 31. He was diagnosed with lymphoma complicated by multi-organ failure while he had been warded in the intensive care unit in end-April. Despite being treated for lymphoma, his condition had deteriorated and he subsequently passed on. He was confirmed to have COVID-19 infection on May 1. On Sunday, Parkway Parade was added to the list of public places visited by COVID-19 cases during their infectious period. The list now includes: Jurong West 505 Market and Food Centre (505 Jurong West St 52); Don Don Donki outlets at 100AM mall and JEM shopping centre; Mayflower Market and Food Centre (162 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4); Parkway Parade (80 Marine Parade); NTUC FairPrice outlets at Jurong Point, Taman Jurong Shopping Centre, Bukit Panjang Plaza, Hillion Mall and Junction 8; Japanese Food Street @ Jurong Point; Wet market at Block 963 Jurong West Street 91; Jurong West 505 Market and Food Centre (505 Jurong West St 52); Food Junction at Junction 8 (9 Bishan Place) ; and Giant (418 Yishun Avenue 11). Phase 1 of the lifting of circuit breaker measures in Singapore is set to begin on Tuesday. This phase will see the reopening of: The two-story pink and red hotel that caught fire in Catarina last weekend was for many Laredoans a striking roadside attraction on the way to Eagle Pass. Surrounding a grove of tall palm trees and sitting right against Highway 83, the Palm Suite and Inn was a seemingly random blip of preserved history among large expanses of flat ranch land. The hotel was built around 1925. Charles P. Taft half-brother of President William Howard Taft and his wife Ann inherited hundreds of thousands of acres of land in Dimmit County in the early 1900s and headquartered the ranch in Catarina. A land promoter convinced them to let him build a railway line through the property, which was completed in 1910, and around which blossomed a depot, bunkhouse, post office, school house and other buildings. The town became famous for the three-story mansion the Tafts built with over-sized bathtubs to fit his brother, the president, and which has since been moved 15 miles away to the nearby ranch of former Gov. Dolph Briscoe. In the 1920s, a group of Kansas land promoters purchased the ranch, renamed it Catarina Farms, created a water system, a palm-lined boulevard and park, and began to parcel out the land to prospective fruit and vegetable farmers. As chronicled in the book More Ghost Towns of South Texas, a man hired to sell the ranches ordered an entire orchard of full-grown citrus trees loaded with fruit to be shipped to Catarina. Buyers had the impression they were purchasing fruitful, productive farms. It worked. People bought the ranches and built hundreds of homes. In the town of Catarina a church, a drug store, bakery, bank, cafes, a swimming pool and grocery stores popped up. And of course, the two-story brick hotel was its centerpiece, described by a local newspaper as a credit to a city many times the size of Catarina. At its peak, Catarina was home to as many as 2,500 people, but its population fell continuously after the Great Depression. The two-story brick hotel was one of the last standing pieces of the citys former glory. Ownership has exchanged hands a gazillion times, joked Alvin Burns, who himself was a former proprietor of the hotel and whose family owned Catarinas water for decades. He purchased the hotel around 2011 and sold it to a group of investors called Peony River in 2013. Fiona Fan, one of Peony Rivers eight partners, said her aunt was just driving by one day and saw the building. It was run down, but she could see the historical value of the structure. It was a piece of heritage. At this time the nearby oil fields were booming, so it made sense as a business investment. They set out to restore the property, which was in disarray. The roof was leaking, and there was nothing on the second floor. Fan said she had done this kind of historical renovation work in China, but this was her first project in the U.S. The work took them about two years to complete, doing most of the labor themselves and taking special care to be historically accurate. Fans cousin Matthew, now 14, even put his Christmas money toward the project, they noted. They opened in 2015, selling Chinese food and hamburgers in their restaurant on the first floor and opening up 24 rooms on the second floor. The family went from being renovators and construction workers to being cooks, cashiers and managers for the business. At first, their parking lot was packed with visitors, Fan remembers. But then the oil boom busted, and their project began to lose money. Family members moved back to California and New York and sent money back to Catarina to keep the hotel afloat. They ended up having to close it a couple of years ago. Last Sunday night, the only person on the property was a truck driver who was staying in an RV behind the hotel. There was a thunderstorm, and smoke started coming into the RV through his air conditioning unit, according to Alvin Burns, who had been speaking with the truck driver. He walked out and saw that part of the hotel was on fire. Burns called Fan when he heard the news that night and told her that there was no point in driving over there while it was burning. Several fire departments had responded to the fire. Fan couldnt go back to sleep for hours. And when she work up Monday morning, for a moment she thought it had been a literal nightmare. She put off calling her elderly family members for fear of giving them a heart attack. All the work they had put into the building was gone. Peony River was not able to insure the Palm Suite and Inn because the building was so old, making it too expensive, Fan said. Whats left of the hotel is essentially its exterior walls. But they want to fix it up again. Peony River is seeking grants and aid that would help them accomplish this. And it might take years, but they want to rebuild, she said. Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com Below please find summaries of new articles that will be published in the next issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. The summaries are not intended to substitute for the full articles as a source of information. This information is under strict embargo and by taking it into possession, media representatives are committing to the terms of the embargo not only on their own behalf, but also on behalf of the organization they represent. 1. Long-term use of rituximab associated with lower rates of AAV relapse Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M19-3827 Editorial: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-2853 Patient Summary: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/P20-0008 URL goes live when the embargo lifts An extra 18 months of rituximab infusions were associated with lower rates of relapse compared with standard maintenance therapy in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). These findings suggest that long-term rituximab use should be the standard of care. Findings from a randomized trial are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Prognosis of AAV, a life-threatening illness in which there is inflammation of the blood vessels in the body, has improved with treatment that includes glucocorticoids and rituximab to get the disease into remission. Patients are then given 4 infusions of rituximab over 18 months to maintain remission, but relapses of AAV are still common. Researchers from Cochin Hospital, Paris, France randomly assigned 97 patients in 39 centers in France to receive infusions of either rituximab (n=50) or placebo (n=47) every 6 months over an 18 month period after they had already achieved complete remission and after a first phase of 18-month rituximab maintenance therapy in a previous trial. Participants were examined for disease activity and asked to report side effects. At month 28, the percentage of participants who experienced a relapse was lower in the rituximab group (4 percent) than in the placebo group (26 percent). Twelve participants in the rituximab group reported a serious side effect (including 6 who had serious infections) and 14 participants in the placebo group reported a serious side effect (including 4 who had serious infections). According to the researchers, these findings suggest that long-term use of rituximab is effective and probably safe and should be considered the standard of care for patients with AAV. The author of an accompanying editorial from Cleveland Clinic recognizes that the authors make a convincing argument for long-term use of rituximab therapy, but raises the question of how long therapy should continue. Rituximab therapy was associated with some serious side effects for some patients. The author suggests that individual patient characteristics and risk factors should be considered when determining who would benefit from long-term therapy. Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To speak with the lead author, Pierre Charles, MD, please contact pierre.charles@imm.fr. 2. Prolonged exposure to heat may lead to metabolic alkalosis in patients with cystic fibrosis Patient working long hours in the hot sun may have been right that his job "was killing him" Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/L20-0038 URL goes live when the embargo lifts In rare cases, prolonged exposure to heat may lead to metabolic alkalosis in patients with cystic fibrosis. A case report is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Chloride-deficient metabolic alkalosis usually has an obvious cause, but the situation can be more complicated in patients with cystic fibrosis. Researchers from Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center report the case of a 32-year-old man with known cystic fibrosis who complained of weakness, fatigue, and failure to thrive for several days. He worked long hours in the sun as a painter and felt that his job "was killing him." Laboratory tests showed severe metabolic alkalosis. Most patients who develop chloride-deficient metabolic alkalosis lose chloride in their gastrointestinal tract or urine. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disorder characterized by excessive chloride content in sweat. According to the researchers, this patient illustrates how sweat can be an important loss of electrolytes that can occasionally lead to chloride-deficient metabolic alkalosis in patients with cystic fibrosis. This patient also shows that otherwise normal persons can develop similar problems in extremely hot environments. Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To speak with the lead author, Sudip Ghimire, MD, can be reached at Sudip.Ghimire@hitchcock.org. 3. Physician practices face challenges adopting behavioral health integration Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-0132 Editorial: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-2887 URL goes live when the embargo lifts While one in five adults has a clinically significant mental or substance use disorder, behavioral health integration into U.S. physician practices is still uncommon. Findings from a qualitative study published in Annals of Internal Medicine shed light on what physicians say are the barriers to adoption. Stigma and behavioral health workforce shortages result in a substantial mismatch between the prevalence of mental health disorders and the proportion of persons who receive effective treatment. One potential solution is integrating behavioral health into medical care. As such, determining barriers to adoption is critical. Researchers from Rand Corporation conducted semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of 47 physician practice leaders and clinicians, 20 experts, and five vendors at 30 physician practices to describe factors influencing physician practices' implementation of behavioral health integration. The yielded important insights about the motivations and barriers to integration. Practices were motivated to integrate behavioral health care to better meet the needs of their patients, as well as to enhance the reputation of their practice. Their approach to integration was tailored to their local resources, financial incentives, and patient populations. Barriers to integration included cultural differences and incomplete information flow between behavioral and nonbehavioral health clinicians and billing difficulties. Payment for service was an issue related to integration, as few saw a positive financial return on investment. In an accompanying editorial, Sue Bornstein, MD of Texas Medical Home Initiative says that the value that primary care and cognitive services bring to the U.S. health care system is underappreciated. She suggests that fundamental changes must occur in payment and delivery systems in order for primary care to reach its full potential for achieving better health for persons and populations. The current pandemic has exposed the fragile state of primary care and underscores the need to strengthen the foundations of our system. Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To speak with the lead author, Peggy G. Chen, MD, MS, can be reached through Warren Robak at robak@rand.org. 4. Supplement to Annals provides guidance on conducting research on issues related to the use of electronic health records Intro Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M19-0870 URL goes live when the embargo lifts Over the past decade, Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have become ubiquitous in the United States, but their implementation with regard to care delivery, reporting, and research has not reached its full potential. A supplement published in Annals of Internal Medicine aims to guide those carrying out improvement and innovation efforts in the EHR era toward more robust approaches that will in turn provide more robust results. In addition, it aims to provide guidance as to how to describe findings in ways that are rigorous and understandable. And finally, the articles contained in the supplement should frame a more useful and actionable body of literature about how to implement change in the digital era. Andrew Auerbach, MD, MPH from the University of California, San Francisco, and David W. Bates, MD, MSc from Brigham and Women's Hospital, solicited a group of papers that cover key issues in translating research into the digital era, focusing on cross-cutting issues in the new era. The papers answer questions such as, What are the factors that define high-quality research of this type? What should researchers be attentive to when designing, conducting, and reporting their work? What should clinicians, administrators, patients, and policymakers be looking for as they consider the application of the results of such research into their own endeavors? Content includes: Getting Value From Electronic Health Records: Research Needed to Improve Practice Designing, Conducting, and Reporting Clinical Decision Support Studies: Recommendations and Call to Action Using Electronic Health Record Portals to Improve Patient Engagement: Research Priorities and Best Practices Reporting and Implementation of Interventions Involving Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Randomized Controlled Trials of Electronic Health Record Interventions: Design, Conduct, and Reporting Considerations Context and Approach in Reporting Evaluations of Electronic Health Record-Based Implementation Projects Recommendations for the Conduct and Reporting of Research Involving Flexible Electronic Health Record-Based Interventions Research and Reporting Considerations for Observational Studies Using Electronic Health Record Data Studying Workflow and Workarounds in Electronic Health Record-Supported Work to Improve Health System Performance Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To speak with the lead author, Anand Vaidya, MD, MMSc, please contact Elaine St. Peter at estpeter@bwh.harvard.edu. ### Also in this issue: Transparent Reporting of Multivariable Prediction Models in Journal and Conference Abstracts: TRIPOD for Abstracts Pauline Heus, MSc; Johannes B. Reitsma, MD, PhD; Gary S. Collins, PhD; Johanna A.A.G. Damen, PhD; Rob J.P.M. Scholten, MD, PhD; Douglas G. Altman, DSc; Karel G.M. Moons, PhD; and Lotty Hooft, PhD Research and Reporting Methods Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-0193 Should You Recommend Inhaled Corticosteroids for This Patient With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease? | Grand Rounds Discussion From Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center B. Burns, MD, MPH; Asha Anandaiah, MD; Mary Rice, MD, MPH; and Gerald Smetana, MD Beyond the Guidelines Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-1058 In The Clinic: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Update Marianthi Kiriakidou, MD; Cathy Lee Ching, MD In the Clinic Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/AITC202006020 WATERLOO Supportive Housing of Waterloo will receive $200,000 from the City of Waterloo to help buy an affordable housing building in the city. Waterloo council unanimously approved the one-time grant to go toward the purchase of 144 Erb St. E. The property, which has 24 units for seniors, has been owned and operated by the Kitchener Waterloo Civitan Club since it was built in the 1970s. Supportive Housing of Waterloo said it will keep rent at the same level for the existing tenants. The money from the city matches a grant from Waterloo Region, approved last week by regional council. The Queensland man thought to be Australia's youngest COVID-19 victim has tested negative to the virus after his death. Nathan Turner's death last week had baffled authorities and placed residents in his central Queensland town of Blackwater on notice after an initial coronavirus test following his death returned a positive result. Nathan Turner, who was thought to be Australia's youngest COVID-19 victim, has tested negative to the virus after his death, Queensland Health has confirmed. But a workmate of Mr Turner's fiancee on Monday revealed a second test conducted after his death came back negative. "We have just got word from our staff member Nathan's partner that his autopsy report has come in and Nathan has been CLEARED as COVID 19 NEGATIVE," Kelly Bunyoung posted on Facebook. By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Patient readers, I was trying to get my head round the riots, if riots we should call them, and so I got a very late start. I will add more links in due course. lambert UPDATE All done! #COVID19 At reader request, Ive added this daily chart. The data is the John Hopkins CSSE data. Here is the site. Today I thought I would look at big states not in the Acela Corridor: California, Texas, Florida: The vertical scale is scaled to the highlight. All the curves are calendar-, not inception-based. Its clear that this country cannot be said to have the pandemic under control. Politics But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? James Madison, Federalist 51 They had one weapon left and both knew it: treachery. Frank Herbert, Dune They had learned nothing, and forgotten nothing. Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord * * * 2020 Biden (D)(1): Biden meets with black leaders at local church amid unrest [Associated Press]. [A]fter another night of violent protests, Biden gathered with roughly a dozen local black leaders during an intimate hometown meeting [in Wilington, DE] ahead of a virtual meeting with mayors from Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and St. Paul, Minnesota If elected, [Biden promised to deal with institutional racism and set up a police oversight body in his first 100 days in office. In an election that is likely to be a referendum on the sitting president, some Biden aides say privately that the best plan may be to let Trump do himself in. Yet there is also a recognition that Biden needs to do more than simply wait for voters who may be turned off by Trump to turn toward him. All the attendees, including Biden, wore face masks but lowered them as they spoke. In an indoor space, so the masks were purely performative. Biden (D)(2): Bidens in one of the best positions for any challenger since scientific polling began [Harry Enten, CNN]. But its important to put individual polls into context, and that context continues to show Bidens in one of the best positions for any challenger since scientific polling began in the 1930s. There were more than 40 national public polls taken at least partially in the month of May that asked about the Biden-Trump matchup. Biden led in every single one of them. Hes the first challenger to be ahead of the incumbent in every May poll since Jimmy Carter did so in 1976. Carter, of course, won the 1976 election. Bidens the only challenger to have the advantage in every May poll over an elected incumbent in the polling era. Biden remains the lone challenger to be up in the average of polls in every single month of the election year. His average lead in a monthly average of polls has never dipped below 4 points and has usually been above it. Biden hasnt trailed Trump this entire year in a single telephone poll in which at least some voters were reached via their cell phones historically the most accurate. The ABC News/Washington Post poll is the latest example of these polls. In fact, Bidens never been behind in any of these polls since at least January 2019. No other challenger has come close to that mark. Indeed, the stability of Bidens edge has been what is most impressive. The May polls had Biden up by 6 points on average. This stability was the case in the primaries, too. UPDATE Biden (D)(3): Why Val Demings May Be the Best Running Mate for Joe Biden Right Now [Vogue]. Yes, America needs to heal. One of the ways this can happen is by having representation at the highest levels of government by African Americans. Representation is one of the ways we can heal. It also may be the easiest way back to the White House. Luckily, there are a number of incredible African American women in that VP pool. My preference, however especially now would be the inspirational Val Demings, who has an amazing life story. Born in a two-room, wooden framed home in Jacksonville, Fla. the youngest of seven children to a maid and janitor Demings was the first in her family to graduate from college. She began her career as a social worker, then joined the Orlando police department, eventually moving up to be the city first-ever female police chief. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2017, and this year was one of the House impeachment managers. So shes a cop. That should play well in the suburbs. Sanders (D)(1): Fear Pervades Black Politics, and Makes Us Agents of Our Own Oppression [Black Agenda Report]. From March, still germane: Black voters in South Carolina kicked off Joe Bidens political resurrection last Saturday, and stuck with the worthless corporate hack through Super Tuesdays primary contests. Although the craven Black Misleadership Class will no doubt shout hallelujahs that hands that picked cotton now pick presidents and claim Black voters exercised brilliant strategic judgment in making themselves indispensable to the corprate Democratic party establishment, the true motivator of Black Biden supporters is a pervasive and deeply corrosive fear. Not just dread of four more years of Trump, although that is central to Black political behavior, but abject terror at the very thought that the Democratic Party our party, in many Black folks minds might fracture under the challenge of the Sandernistas. Voluminous data over many years has shown that African Americans are to the left of Hispanics on issues of bread and butter and, especially, war and peace, and far to the left of white Democrats. But, unlike Hispanics, Blacks cannot be depended on to uphold their own historical political consensus in Democratic Party primary elections for fear of weakening the chances of defeating The White Mans Party. Hyper-conscious of their minority and despised status and surrounded by hostile, race-obsessed white Republicans in the southern states older Blacks cling to Democratic Party structures as if their lives depend on it. The ascent of Donald Trump has only tightened the duopoly trap, causing Blacks to invest their votes in candidates they perceive as good for the party, as if that is synonymous with Black interests. Ruling class panic at the prospect of losing control of the top of Democratic ticket has deeply infected the partys most loyal constituency. Thus, Black folks over 40, and many younger ones, are behaving like Malcolm Xs house Negro, who asks with genuine concern, Is we sick, boss? when the master is feeling poorly. Ouch. And here we are! Trump (R)(1): Trump slams governors as weak, urges crackdown on protests [Associated Press]. Trump spoke to governors on a video teleconference that also included law enforcement and national security officials, telling the state leaders they have to get much tougher. Most of you are weak, Trump said. You have to arrest people. Youve got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and youll never see this stuff again, said Trump. Were doing it in Washington, D.C. Were going to do something that people havent seen before . Attorney General Bill Barr, who was also on the call, told governors that a joint terrorist task force would be used to track agitators and urged local officials to dominate the streets and control, not react to crowds, and urged them to go after troublemakers.' One wonders where this will play well. Anyhow, I dont know why we militarized the police if we dont want them to use their toys. UPDATE Trump (R)(2): Trump Leads Biden in the States He Won in 2016: Campaign Update [Bloomberg]. President Donald Trump leads Joe Biden 51% to 44% in the so-called red states he won in 2016, according to an ABC News/Washington Post survey released on Sunday. Biden had a wide, 65% to 32% lead in the states won by Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016. The results highlighted the difference between a raw national poll in which Biden led Trump by 10 points, 53% to 43% among registered voters and the Electoral College, which will decide the victor in November. Clinton won the popular vote over Trump in 2016 by about 65.85 million to 62.95 million, but Trump triumphed in the Electoral College, 304 to 227. Bidens national lead was also halved to five points, 51% to 46%, among people who say theyre certain to vote in November, underlining the importance of generating enthusiasm to drive voter turnout. Potential Trump voters were more enthusiastic. 65% to 32% seems insurmountable, and clearly Trump is doing little to move those numbers. By the same token, Democrats seem to be doing little to move the needle in Red States. I dont think I can take another four years of whinging about the Electoral College if Bidens brain trust blows it as badly as Clintons did. Warren (D)(1): Warren as Bidens running mate makes no electoral sense [Harry Enten, CNN]. Combining our last two CNN polls (March and May) that asked about Warrens favorability finds that she gets about a -20 point net favorability (favorable unfavorable) among Democratic leaning voters who say they are not voting for Biden at this point. That makes sense when you look at the groups Biden is doing well with and the voters Warren generally appealed to during the 2020 primaries. Bidens actually doing quite well on his left, for example. An average of recent live interview polls shows that Bidens getting 85% among self-described liberal voters. Like with liberals, Biden is performing very well for a Democrat among white college educated women. This is not to say all is well with Biden and the Democratic base. Biden does have problems with three key parts of the Democratic coalition: black voters (particularly young ones), Hispanic voters and young voters generally. Biden holds large leads among all, but not to the same degree that Clinton held at the end of the 2016 campaign. These are mostly groups that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders did well with in the primary, but theres little sign Warren has any special appeal to them. She underperformed with all of them in the primary. Realignment and Legitimacy What a legitimacy crisis looks like? Worth a listen (via DG): Liberal Democrats have lost their minds: Susan Rice, at the end of this clip, suggesting the uprising is a Russian plot. You cannot make this shit up. Fucking deranged. pic.twitter.com/CN4AOUa93R Eoin Higgins (@EoinHiggins_) May 31, 2020 To be fair, Rice, as a [x] black [x] woman, is on Bidens short list, so she has to conform to RussiaGate lunacy (as did Sanders, sadly). Bright ideas (1): Heres an idea: Why dont @JoeBiden, along with @BarackObama and @GeorgeHWBush and @BillClinton and @CarterLibrary address to the nation together? Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) June 1, 2020 Bright ideas (2): If any public-spirited billionaire out there is wondering how they can leave a legacy in America, consider buying newspaper chains and empowering non-profit trusts of journalists to run them https://t.co/4ZutVet7de Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) June 1, 2020 Look at all that air. They cant even fill their news hole! UPDATE Thanks, Obama: A basic point but its worth remembering that for all the red-baiting Bernie was the mild, soft-spoken answer to these problems. Any ruling class with half a brain would have been thrilled with him taking some heat but also cooling things down.The freakout was totally out of touch Nathan Tankus (@NathanTankus) May 29, 2020 UPDATE The Golden Rule Is Dying of Covid-19 [John Authers, Bloomberg]. [G]etting people to sacrifice in the name of the golden rule requires trust in governments to make sure that those sacrifices are not wasted. In many places, that doesnt exist. Other than in countries where the state could rely on its ability to coerce people, like China, lockdowns worked most effectively under governments perceived to be trustworthy and efficient, like Germany or Norway. Or South Korea and Taiwan, Hong Kong being the exception unless you think of the protest movement as a parallel government. More: For people in the densely populated cities of the Acela corridor, who tend to be politically liberal, wearing masks and following government instructions seems like a good idea. For the more sparsely populated states in the middle of the country, whose citizens are philosophically more inclined to distrust the government, it is different. But see todays #COVID19 map: Both California and Texas are in trouble. Anyhow, interesting article, well worth a read. Stats Watch At reader request, I added some business stats back in. Please give Econintersect click-throughs; theyre a good, old-school blog that covers more than stats. If anybody knows of other aggregators, please contact me at the email address below. Construction: April 2020 Construction Spending Declined But Was Only Marginally Affected By The Coronavirus [Econintersect]. Construction spending is trending downward but remarkedly strong considering the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Private construction had been fueling construction growth but currently, public construction is fueling the growth.Consider this a slightly worse report relative to last month even with the decline reported by Census. Manufacturing: May 2020 ISM and Markit Manufacturing Surveys Remain Deep In Contraction [Econintersect]. Based on these surveys and the district Federal Reserve Surveys, one would expect the Feds Industrial Production index growth rate to decline. Overall, surveys do not have a high correlation to the movement of industrial production (manufacturing) since the Great Recession. No question these surveys suggest the economy is contracting all thanks to the coronavirus. * * * The Bezzle: Elon Musk vs. Bay Area officials: These emails show what happened behind the scenes in the Tesla factory fight [MarketWatch]. [Alameda County Interim Health Officer Erica Pan] requested police ensure several specific precautions were being taken, including screening of employees entering the facility, frequent cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces, and ensuring employees wear masks and maintain physical distancing. My understanding is they only plan to have ~10% of their employees (~1500 employees during day shift) working this week to begin to prepare for increased operations as soon as next week, Pan wrote. The next afternoon, [Fremont Police Lt. Brian] Shadle and another officer arrived at the Fremont factory at 4:20 p.m. Pacific, and found a bit more activity than what Pan expected. During the visit it was extremely apparent that the manufacturing plant was NOT operating at full capacity it appeared that they were only operating between 25-30 percent of functions, Shadle wrote. The rest of Shadles report noted changes to employee shuttles, extensive hand sanitizer and personal protective equipment readily available, and abundant signage regarding social distancing and proper procedures during a nearly two-hour tour. The facility is huge and overall the safety measures that have been instituted exceeded the safety measures outlined by the Alameda County Health Department, Shadle concluded. I am impressed at the length of the visit and the details of the report, Pan wrote in response to the report. I realize this is not typical law enforcement work so I greatly appreciate the time, detail, and assistance.' This seems odd. Why wasnt there a heatlh officer along with the cops? * * * Mr. Market: Dow claws back early losses as U.S. manufacturing data suggests worst of economic downturn is past [MarketWatch]. Evidence of rising tensions between the U.S. and China and social unrest in America helped to create some headwinds for markets early Monday, but the bearish sentiment gave way after economic data underlined the progress from states taking away measures implemented to stem the spread of the COVID-19 disease. All 50 states are under some stage of reopening from forced shutdowns due to the pandemic. Todays Fear & Greed Index: 58 Neutral (previous close: 52 Neutral;) [CNN]. One week ago: 50 (Neutral). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated May 29 at 1:18pm. Last updated Jun 1 at 1:02pm. So Mr. Market came back from the Nineteenth Hole on Sunday, and decided to get bullish? Rapture Index: Closes down one on earthquakes. The lack of activity has downgraded this category [Rapture Ready]. Record High, October 10, 2016: 189. Current: 185. Remember that bringing on the rapture is a good thing. I feel apocalyptic. Why dont these guys? The Biosphere No asteroids needed: ancient mass extinction tied to ozone loss, warming climate [Science]. The end of the Devonian period, 359 million years ago, was an eventful time: Fish were inching out of the ocean, and fernlike forests were advancing on land. The world was recovering from a mass extinction 12 million years earlier, but the climate was still chaotic, swinging between hothouse conditions and freezes so deep that glaciers formed in the tropics. And then, just as the planet was warming from one of these ice ages, another extinction struck, seemingly without reason. Now, spores from fernlike plants, preserved in ancient lake sediments from eastern Greenland, suggest a culprit: The planets protective ozone layer was suddenly stripped away, exposing surface life to a blast of mutation-causing ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Just as the extinction set in, the spores became misshapen and dark, indicating DNA damage, John Marshall, a palynologist at the University of Southampton, and his co-authors say in a paper published today in Science Advances. Its evidence, he says, that all of the ozone protection is gone. Scientists have long believedat least before humanity became a force for extinctionthat there were just two ways to wipe out life on Earth: an asteroid strike or massive volcanic eruptions. But 2 years ago, researchers found evidence that in Earths worst extinctionthe end-Permian, 252 million years agovolcanoes lofted Siberian salt deposits into the stratosphere, where they might have fed chemical reactions that obliterated the ozone layer and sterilized whole forests. Now, spores from the end-Devonian make a compelling case that, even without eruptions, a warming climate can deplete the ozone layer, says Lauren Sallan, a paleobiologist at the University of Pennsylvania. Because the evidence is so strong, it will make people rethink other mass extinction events.' Health Care UPDATE Introductions and early spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the New York City area [Science]. Based on genetic similarity and phylogenetic analysis of full-length viral genome sequences, most cases diagnosed during the 18 days after the first-reported COVID-19 case in NY State appear to be associated with untracked transmission and potential travel-related exposures. Notably, the majority of introductions appear to have been sourced from Europe and the USA. Well worth reading in conjunction with the next article from the Globe UPDATE The viruss tale [Boston Globe]. Interesting tick-tock. The story takes care not to begin with the massive Biogen outbreak, due to a corporate conference sponsored in Boston at the Marriott Long Wharf hotel. By March 11, Massachusetts had 95 confirmed cases of the virus. Of these, 77 were tied to the Biogen conference. Globalization, and globalizers, as I have said. This really frosts me: By Friday, March 6, [Mass General] was in full emergency response mode, following two days of mounting tensions around the Biogen outbreak. It had started on Wednesday, after Biogen announced that two conference attendees tested positive following their return home to Europe. Five rattled Biogen employees soon showed up at the MGH emergency room, demanding to be tested. Panic among Biogen workers got so bad that the companys Global Security Operations Center sent out an urgent e-mail telling employees to refrain from showing up at Mass. General to demand to be tested for the Coronavirus. Ominously, the companys warning concluded with this sentence: Hospital leaders have warned Biogen that they may need to have the Hospital Police Department intervene to prevent Biogen employees from entering the emergency room . Yikes (and a second appeal to the police, after Fremont v. Tesla). Most people are in no position at all to demand to be tested. Sheesh. The case for doing everything outside [The Week]. Its not impossible to catch the coronavirus outdoors, but public health experts consider outside transmission extremely unlikely if people take appropriate precautions. This means two things. First, people going to the beach, pool, or park arent being reckless if theyre maintaining distance from others and practicing proper hygiene. And second, if we want to safely move toward normalcy before theres a vaccine, reliable treatments, or widespread natural immunity, we should move life outside as often as we can.. Education isnt the only activity we could shift outdoors. Already some cities are considering closing parking lanes or entire streets to give restaurants more room for patio seating Gathering outside could work for churches and other religious assemblies, too. Not in the winter. For those who have winter Mass gatherings, erosion of trust upend coronavirus control [Associated Press]. Its unclear if the protests themselves will trigger large new outbreaks. The protests were outside, where infections dont spread as readily as indoors. Also, many of the protesters were wearing masks, and much of the contact was likely less-hazardous transient moments of people moving around, passing each other, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University. But, still, experts worry that public efforts to contain the disease in the future could be undermined. And then theres this: In a press conference Saturday, Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington used the term contact tracing when describing an investigation into arrested protesters there. He said the goal is to see if there are crime or white supremacy organizations that have played a role and to understand how do we go after them, legally, Harrington said. So even contact tracing, the term, is going viral and spreading, we know not where. Guaranteed it wont stop with application to white supremacy organizations. Black Injustice Tipping Point UPDATE Map of the protests: Protests have erupted in at least 140 cities across the United States over racism and police brutality. Some of the demonstrations have turned violent, prompting the activation of the National Guard in at least 21 states. https://t.co/IgDntKt02K pic.twitter.com/srpBanf3dS The New York Times (@nytimes) June 1, 2020 Tellingly, this story degenerates into a photo essay. Not that theres anything wrong with photos, but I want data. Size of protests. Location of protests, ideally mapped to neighborhoods city by city. Breakdown of protesters by demographic categories. Targeted buildings. A timeline. And so forth. All we have at this point is anecdote (and rhetoric (and RussiaGate ffs))). UPDATE Serve and protect. Transcript and thread: This is just a partial transcript of 3 minutes while Floyd is pinned on the ground. The police had multiple warnings that they were doing something extremely dangerous to Floyd, and they never stopped. pic.twitter.com/y7hvorrFFn Evan Hill (@evanchill) June 1, 2020 The whole thread is worth reading; I found the Times video timeline almost incomprehensible, and this thread is a useful supplement. UPDATE Videos, threats, but few signs protests have been stoked by outsider extremist groups [NBC]. Unrest, violence and property destruction in cities across the U.S. on Saturday showed few signs of having been stoked by organized extremists despite a growing narrative from several political figures that outside groups are to blame for some of the worst scenes of recent protests. And anecdotal reports of white supremacists and other extremist groups fomenting violence have been amplified by similar claims from authorities, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who tweeted on Saturday that the city is now confronting white supremacists, members of organized crime, out of state instigators, and possibly even foreign actors to destroy and destabilize our city and our region.. That claim was later boosted by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who claimed outside protesters, white supremacists and drug cartels were part of the protest groups in Minneapolis. Nice job on the outside agitators, liberal Democrats. More: [L]ittle evidence for those claims have been put forward, and a previous statement by the mayor of St. Paul that most of the people arrested on Friday in Minneapolis were from out of town was later walked back. NBC News reached out to police departments in several major cities that were the scene of protests, but thus far none have said whether outside groups had been found to be operating during the protests. But Im sure the DHS fusion centers are on it! UPDATE Nothing fundamental will change: Reached out to half-dozen Hill aides Tl;dr: Nobody thinks Congress will move anything at all in response to mass protests across major cities House is out in June. Senate may confirm more judges. No chance, one says of a legislative response Jeffrey Stein (@JStein_WaPo) June 1, 2020 Yes, McConnell controls the Senate, but have the Democrats presented any program? Aside from blaming outsiders and the Russians? Column: What images of burning buildings and broken windows tell us, and what they dont [Los Angeles Times]. A common sentiment I hear is that rioting is not the answer. But the painful truth is that rioting is not supposed to be an answer to anything. It is explicitly an expression of anger and frustration, a fire whose sparks land indiscriminately. A city burning is what happens when people have abandoned hope for answers.. In Los Angeles, many residents remember what its like to try to answer the questions that images of a burning city raise. And if we have found a meaningful answer to the questions raised by the 1992 riots, or the Watts riots, or the Zoot Suit Riots. UPDATE News you can use. Thread: PSA For ANYONE who might be interested in how to pull down an obelisk* safely from an Egyptologist who never ever in a million years thought this advice might come in handy *might be masquerading as a racist monument I dunno Sarah Parcak (@indyfromspace) June 1, 2020 Riot vs. rebellion: We have a ways to go MMT Cornerstone Speech [Alexander H. Stephens, Battlefield Trust]. Killer Mike has been telling us to read this speech by Confederate Vice President Stephens, and its a humdinger that completely demolishes the Lost Cause propaganda propagated by the Daughters of the Confederacy, which protesters set on fire the other day in Richmond, in a case of property damage, though one might question whether karma is damage. In any case, here are Stephens views on the Federal budget, which are quite up to date, if one is a mainstream economist. Stephens is analyzying the correlation of forces between the Union and the Confederacy: The debts of the seven confederate States sum up in the aggregate less than eighteen millions, while the existing debts of the other of the late United States sum up in the aggregate the enormous amount of one hundred and seventy-four millions of dollars. This is without taking into account the heavy city debts, corporation debts, and railroad debts, which press, and will continue to press, as a heavy incubus upon the resources of those States. And: In Georgia, for instance, we have done as much for the cause of internal improvements as any other portion of the country, according to population and means. We have stretched out lines of railroads from the seaboard to the mountains; dug down the hills, and filled up the valleys at a cost of not less than $25,000,000. All this was done to open an outlet for our products of the interior, and those to the west of us, to reach the marts of the world. No State was in greater need of such facilities than Georgia, but we did not ask that these works should be made by appropriations out of the common treasury. The cost of the grading, the superstructure, and the equipment of our roads was borne by those who had entered into the enterprise. In other words, Georgia built a railroad to send cotton to ports for export. Big [family blogging] deal. The railroad system the North built knit the entire industrial economy together. I mean, Alex, come on, man. Everybody knows the Confederacy had a lousy rail system; thats one reason their interior lines of communication were inferrior. Groves of Academe Risky Strategy by Many Private Colleges Leaves Them Exposed [New York Times]. See Yves on this topic here. Mr. Ducoff, a former administrator at Northeastern University, and Ms. Manville, a former administrator at Southern New Hampshire University, looked for a credible list of financially vulnerable colleges and couldnt find one. So they decided to create their own, using publicly available information about trends in colleges revenues, expenses, debts and cash reserves. They assembled and were preparing to release a list of colleges that were headed toward insolvency. But when Inside Higher Ed, working on a news article to accompany the data, began to contact the colleges affected, angry emails and phone calls started pouring in. Making such information public would be grossly irresponsible and would cause great harm to the college, one lawyer wrote, demanding that Mr. Ducoffs and Ms. Manvilles small start-up firm, called Edmit, refrain from publication. Edmit didnt have the money to fend off multiple lawsuits. It put the list in a drawer. That was in November 2019, shortly before the first recorded coronavirus victim began showing symptoms in China. Universities will never be the same after the coronavirus crisis [Nature]. As universities face major changes, their financial outlook is becoming dire. Revenues are plummeting as students (particularly international ones) remain home or rethink future plans, and endowment funds implode as stock markets drop. The universities that are likely to fare best are those that are rich and powerful. But even those face challenges. All institutions are facing major financial problems, however. Wealthy private US universities, such as Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, expect to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in the next fiscal year. UK universities collectively face a shortfall of at least 2.5 billion (US$3 billion) in the next year because of projected drops in student enrolment, according to the UK consulting firm London Economics. And Australian universities could shed up to 21,000 full-time jobs this year, including 7,000 in research, a government report said in May. So. just as with a functional press, well be losing university research, exactly when we need it most. Class Warfare Why wealth gap has grown despite record-long economic growth [Associated Press]. From July, 2019, still germane. Ive been looking for a chart with this breakdown for some time: Breaks down rather neatly to the Democrat base; you can see why they genuinely would thank Obama. The dead end of racial identity politics [Intransigence]. The most recent manifestation of this phenomenon is an activist network in the United States that calls itself Black Lives Matter, which has become synonymous with the movement against racialized police violence, a clear-cut example of capitalists and their lackeys co-opting the authentic resistance of black workers. This organization, whose ties to the Democratic Party-NGO complex are fairly well-established at this point, attempts to harness the explosive spontaneity of the proletarian element within these social movements, which often takes the form of riots and looting, into forms of engagement with the capitalist system that do not interfere in any way with profitmaking.10 It is unsurprising, therefore, that their manifesto reads like the DNC platform, but with demands for reparations and investment into black-owned businesses effectively income redistribution for black capitalists thrown in for good measure. Black Lives Matter are modern-day Garveyites, only they have traded in the overt homophobia and misogyny of the latter for hollow social justice rhetoric that throws a veneer of radicalism over their essentially capitalist politics. Bracing, albeit from a tiny groupuscle. NY State Legislature Drops Rent Cancellation Bill, Takes Up Totally Inadequate Measure Instead [Gothamist]. Notably absent from the agenda: legislation to waive rent for tenants facing hardship during the pandemic. That bill, introduced in March by Queens State Senator Mike Gianaris, wont get a vote this week, despite its 21 co-sponsors in the Senate and 22 in the Assembly. Instead, legislators are poised to vote Thursday on a far more modest form of tenant relief. Dubbed the Emergency Rent Relief Act of 20201, the bill would provide vouchers to landlords on behalf of a small subset of rent-burdened tenants who lost income during the pandemic. To be eligible, a landlords tenants must earn below 80 percent of an areas median income, and have been paying more than 30 percent of their household income in rent before March 7th. Mark Ames comments: Means testingcore Dem Party ideology. News of the Wired Normally I wouldnt run an animal (I run plants) but this seems to capture that Monday feeling so well, especially now: * * * Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here . Todays plant (WB): WB writes: You wondered where umbrellas come from? Umbrella trees, of course. Add oil? * * * Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. So if you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldnt see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals: Here is the screen that will appear, which I have helpfully annotated. If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you! Ajay Devgn is a hero not just in reel, but in real life as well! As per a report in Mumbai Mirror, the Singham actor has paid for all the oxygen cylinders and portable ventilators at the new 200-bed COVID-19 field hospital in Mumbai's Dharavi. The place, described as Asia's largest slum, has proved to be the civic body's biggest challenge in the battle against the Novel Coronavirus. The tabloid stated that Ajay made the contribution through his Ajay Devgn foundation. Earlier, the superstar had provided ration kits to 700 families in Dharavi. Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner of G-North was quoted as saying by Mumbai Mirror, "We told him (Ajay Devgn) we needed oxygen cylinders for all 200 beds and two portable ventilators. He readily agreed to pay for them." However, the authorities refused to disclose the cost to the leading daily. The Mumbai Mirror report further stated that the 200-bed quarantine facility has been constructed in 15 days, and it will house four doctors, 12 nurses and 20 ward attendants. The facility will be used as a dedicated COVID-19 health centre and will treat all patients, except those who are very critical. Earlier, Ajay Devgn had urged people to make donations for COVID-19 relief work and tweeted, "Dharavi is at the epicentre of the Covid19 outbreak.Many citizens supported by MCGM are working tirelessly on ground through NGOs to provide the needy with ration & hygiene kits. We at ADFF are helping 700 families. I urge you to also donate." Meanwhile, speaking about the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in Maharashta as on Monday, the state has around 34000 active cases, according to Maharashtra Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray. ALSO READ: Ajay Devgn Gets Emotional On Dad Veeru Devgan's First Death Anniversary: I Can Feel You Beside Me ALSO READ: Ajay Devgn, Kajol, Akshay Kumar And Others Name Their Favourite 90s Bollywood Movies, Tag Others The big problem: If no COVID-19 surges in opening states, then what? By Mark Alexander My research for this column began in March under the original title, "The Coming Great COVID-19 Debate: Under- or Over-Reaction?" That title related to the polar political sides that mainstream-media outlets have been relentlessly churning to keep their consumers tuned in and their ad revenue flowing. According to the MSM, everyone on the Right advocates unmitigated reopening: It's all a conspiracy, disregard the CDC, and let's party! Meanwhile, everyone on the Left advocates unmitigated total lockdown: Reopening is akin to "human sacrifice" and we should all stay hunkered down while receiving government checks for a couple years. These two positions constitute a false dichotomy of extremes. However, leftists are quietly hoping for more deaths, knowing that this would enable Joe Biden and Democrat Party Senate candidates to claim that President Donald Trump and his fellow money-grubbing Republicans placed economic interests above American lives. That's a BIG Lie, of course, but one that will be repeated frequently ahead of the November elections in order to hang every death like a Haitian necklace around Trump's neck. If the body count isn't mounting after reopening, then the Demo claims about Trump's "slow and inept" response to the COVID-19 outbreak will fizzle. And their "nightmare scenario," as an Obama economic adviser recently lamented, would be that the nation is on a path to strong economic recovery by the November elections. In mid April, the White House Coronavirus Task Force released its guidance for restarting our economy as the nation's idled workforce blew through Great Depression levels and kept on sinking headline unemployment is now more than 14.7% with real unemployment nearing 18%. Seeing state economies on life support early in May, several Republican governors asserted their authority to reopen. This group included, most notably, Texas and Georgia. These two governors, Greg Abbott and Brian Kemp, respectively, joined other Republican governors (Asa Hutchinson Arkansas; Pete Ricketts Nebraska; Doug Burgum North Dakota; Kristi Noem South Dakota) who never shuttered their state economies in the first place. Ahead of those openings, I warned in "America Must Prepare for the Consequences of Economic Restoration" that "President Trump and Republican governors, who get high marks for how they have handled the pandemic thus far, need to make clear that the consequences of having a functional society and economy will include more disease and death." I declared then: "It is important that Americans understand that nothing about the SARS-CoV-2 virus has changed it is still out there claiming casualties, and it will continue to do so until an effective vaccine, combined with effective treatments and herd immunity, can slow it. And ... it will reemerge again next fall." In fact, Trump began to manage the nation's expectations in early May by saying that, as the economy reopens, the deaths will exceed the current estimates and could be as high as 135,000 or more. For his part now as the nation's advocate of economic recovery, Trump says, "States should open up ASAP. The transition to greatness has started, ahead of schedule. There will be ups and downs, but next year will be one of the best ever!" But we are now confronted by a critical question, one that is the most consequential of all in the debate about our national pandemic response, which few dare to ask. For the record, we heard a lot about "flattening the curve" during the initial stages of the pandemic, and to that end we can say both the infection and economy were flattened. But the unspoken reason for the disastrous partial economic shutdown over the last two months was to protect the nation's most vulnerable citizens from the "idiot factor" those of all ages who would not abide by the basic CDC guidelines to help contain the contagion. Had governors been confident that the idiots among us would follow the CDC guidelines especially people in densely populated urban areas the guidelines alone would have provided adequate protection, and far less damaging economic and social restrictions would have been required. That notwithstanding, here's the question: After tens of millions of Americans have lost their jobs, hundreds of thousands of businesses have closed (many forever), and Congress has saddled future generations with another $3 trillion in debt (and counting), what if there are not significant increases of COVID-19 infections and deaths as states reopen economies? As I asked in March, "Is the cure right-sized for the disease?" We are about to find out the answer to that question. I still believe that there will be spikes in the number of COVID-19 infections over the next eight weeks I hope not, but that will be the case if what we've been led to believe about the virus in the timeline since its discovery last December is reasonably accurate. Even at best, COVID-19 has proven highly transmittable and deadly for certain demographic groups more so than a bad flu year. Thus, unless warmer weather slows the viral spread until herd immunity sets in, infection spikes must be the outcome of reopening our economy. However, if that dire consequence is not the outcome, then what we've been led to believe is disastrously flawed. If that's the case, then the handful of "medical experts" we trusted those Beltway bureaucrats who've led us down this path of enormous human and economic suffering and associated national-security risks should live in eternal infamy. On Tuesday, our analyst Thomas Gallatin noted that the CDC has, once again, revised its modeling. The current "best estimate" is that the COVID-19 fatality rate will fall below 0.3%, far lower than the previous estimate. The CDC's latest modeling also includes five "Pandemic Planning Scenarios" which is to say that CDC bureaucrats have covered their epidemiological butts with a wide range of potential outcomes moving forward. In a recent meeting of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, Dr. Deborah Birx told CDC Director Robert Redfield, "There is nothing from the CDC that I can trust." Think about that for a moment. Moreover, there is emerging evidence that the COVID-19 virus wormed its way through many of the dramatic lockdown measures, such as those in New York, where Governor Andrew Cuomo recently reported that 66% of those newly infected had been locked down. As for the efficacy of economic shutdowns in other countries, in a recent study in the European medical journal The Lancet, the researcher concluded that the "full lockdown policies in Western Europe countries have no evident impacts on the COVID-19 epidemic." He added, "I expect that when we count the number of deaths from COVID-19 in each country in one year from now, the figures will be similar, regardless of measures taken." And what about Third World nations? Nobody should believe anything China reports given that Xi Jinping orchestrated the COVID-19 cover-up. But if the virus is as deadly as it's estimated to be and indeed it proved deadly to aging populations in Italy and some other nations we should be hearing tragic reports of mass burials in India and other impoverished nations where we have thousands of American mission and aid workers on the ground. But as of yet there are no such reports. Even the primary medical adviser to the White House Task Force, Dr. Anthony Fauci, declared at the end of May, "We can't stay locked down for such a considerable period of time that you might do irreparable damage and have unintended consequences, including consequences for health." He added, "I don't want people to think that any of us feel that staying locked down for a prolonged period of time is the way to go." Frankly, these constitute the first words I've heard from Fauci that indicate he has any empathic or public-health concern for those who've been affected by his policy recommendations. What tempered Fauci's tone-deaf pandemic tune may have been a letter from 600 physicians nationwide to the White House insisting that the "national shutdown" end. The letter warned: "Millions of casualties of a continued shutdown will be hiding in plain sight, but they will be called alcoholism, homelessness, suicide, heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure. In youth it will be called financial instability, unemployment, despair, drug addiction, unplanned pregnancies, poverty, and abuse." And, of course, these policies have destroyed large swaths of the healthcare sector it was allegedly designed to save. Yes, Dr. Fauci, actions have consequences, and humans are not lab rats. So let me reiterate: I still believe there will be spikes in the number of COVID-19 infections over the next eight weeks. Of course, we must account for a spike in cases due to more tests administered. To be statistically significant, the percentage change of infections discovered must substantially exceed the percentage change of tests administered. Unfortunately, that's a distinction the MSM has so far been too dullard to make. If in eight weeks we're asking, "Where are the spikes?" then we'll know that the global lockdown was one of the worst mistakes in human history, and there will be political hell to pay for those who continue to foist it upon us. Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post. This time last year Delia Donovan was trying to keep White Ribbon Australia alive. The embattled domestic violence charity had lost its way, churning through three chairmen in less than a year and slipping into the red by more than $840,000. Ms Donovan had been appointed chief executive months earlier, in an effort to save the organisation aimed at engaging men and boys in ending violence against women. New head of Domestic Violence NSW Delia Donovan. Credit:Louise Kennerley By October White Ribbon announced it had gone into liquidation and the company would be wound up. It was later sold to Perth-based service organisation Communicare. A male suffered minor injuries early Monday when Hayward police officers shot him while responding to a report of looting at a CVS, authorities said. Officers responded around 4 a.m. to a report of looting at the CVS on Harder Road and Mission Boulevard, police said in a statement. For 54 years, Shawn Dromgoole's family has lived on the same corner in the same neighborhood in Nashville, Tennessee, and the 29-year-old, who's black, has walked down those streets all his life. In the wake of George Floyd's death, however, Dromgoole didn't feel at home or even safe in his own community. He worried what would happen if one of his white neighbors saw him, didn't recognize him and called the cops, he told TODAY. Floyd died May 25 after Minneapolis police arrested him and an officer pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes. A bystander recorded the altercation with a cellphone. Dromgoole took to social media to share "what was on my heart," he said. He posted Wednesday on Facebook and later on Nextdoor, an app that connects people living in the same neighborhoods. Nashville neighbors walk with man who was scared to leave his house alone (Courtesy of Shawn Dromgoole) "Yesterday I wanted to walk around my neighborhood but the fear of not returning home to my family alive kept me on my front porch," he wrote. "Today I wanted to walk again and I could not make it off the porch. Then I called my mother, Lynetra, and she said she would walk with (me). I still kept my ID on me and my phone in my hand but I walked." Before posting, Dromgoole wasn't a fan of Nextdoor because he often saw messages on it about "suspicious black men walking in the neighborhood," he said. "It was terrifying to me. ... I'm like, 'These people hate me in this neighborhood.'" He added that his neighborhood has been gentrifying in recent years and that he's been stopped by police for "walking while black" before. "It's not a new reality," he explained. Nashville neighbors walk with man who was scared to leave his house alone (Courtesy of Shawn Dromgoole) But the flood of responses to his post on Nextdoor didn't align with his expectations. He said the day it went up, 150 strangers who lived nearby answered, offering to walk with him, apologizing for making him feel the way he did and thanking him for his honesty. Story continues He asked the people who wanted to walk with him to meet in the parking lot of a local restaurant. About 75 showed up, he said, and they all went for a stroll together. "It was such an amazing feeling," Dromgoole recalled. "My neighbors were behind me, and they had my back. That was my reaction. Im still dumbfounded by all the support." Related: Need a dose of good news? TODAY brings you one good thing each day to lift your heart and make you smile. Sign up to get One Good Thing delivered to your inbox daily. Because the first gathering was impromptu, Dromgoole is planning to host another group walk through his neighborhood this Thursday. Nashville neighbors walk with man who was scared to leave his house alone (Courtesy of Shawn Dromgoole) "I just want to walk, not parade, not march," he said. "I remember just walking as a kid. In a world that's so complicated with technology and things, sometimes you just need to walk off your front porch and say hey to your neighbor." Dromgoole's concerns over how people perceive him as a black man are not unique, he stressed. "When Ahmaud Arbery got killed for running in his neighborhood, that could be me very easily in my neighborhood," he said, referring to a black man in Georgia who was shot dead in February. "But now I feel safe on my street. It feels completely different." YEREVAN, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sent a congratulatory message to Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on birthday. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Offic eof the Prime Minister of Armenia, the message runs as follows, ''Honorable Nikol Vovayevich, Armenia successfully implements important social-economic transformations under your leadership, which help to ensure sustainable growth and raising the reputation of the country in the international arena. Kazakhstan highly appreciates your personal contribution to the strengthening of Atmrnian-Kazakh relations, based on friendship, good traditions of mutual assistance. I am confident that thank to our joint efforts, the comprehensive cooperation between Kazakhstan and Armenia will continue to develop dynamically, both on bilateral format and in the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Union. Honorable Nikol Vovayevich, On this remarkable day I sincerely wish you future success and new achievments, and welfare and prosperity to the friendly people of Armenia''. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan Boris Johnson will veto any attempt by Donald Trump to bring Russia back into the G7, Downing Street said today. The PM's spokesman said the was no evidence of 'changed behaviour' from Moscow since it was suspended from the bloc in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea. Mr Trump said over the weekend that he will postpone a G7 summit from this month to the Autumn amid the coronavirus turmoil, despite previously suggesting it would be a good symbol that things were getting back to normal. The president also revived the idea of expanding the group, saying Russia, Australia, South Korea and India could be invited. Mr Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he returned to Washington from Florida that the current makeup of the group was 'very outdated' and did not represent 'what's going on in the world' Donald Trump (pictured at the White House on Saturday) has said he wants to expand the G7 to include Russia again Boris Johnson (pictured in Downing Street today) will veto any attempt by Donald Trump to bring Russia back into the G7, his spokesman said The G7 members are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The groups presidency rotates annually among member countries. The PM's spokesman pointed out today that any expansion had to be agreed unanimously. 'We will look at the detail of what the US is proposing. It is customary for the country that holds the G7 presidency to invite other leaders to participate as guests in the summit,' the spokesman said. 'Decisions on G7 membership need to be made unanimously by all G7 leaders. Russia was removed from the G7 group of nations following its annexation of Crimea and we are yet to see evidence of changed behaviour that would justify its re-admittance. 'We wouldn't support it being readmitted as a member of the group.' Canada's Justin Trudeau has also signalled his opposition. 'Russia has yet to change the behavior that led to its expulsion in 2014, and therefore should not be allowed back into the G7,' he said at a news conference. Mr Trump postponed the G7 after German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office said she would not attend unless the coronavirus was more under control. The leaders of the world's major economies had been slated to meet this month at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland. Mr Trump announced in March he was canceling the summit because of the pandemic and that the leaders would stage a video conference instead. But he then switched course, saying a week ago that he was again planning to host a face-to-face meeting. 'Now that our Country is 'Transitioning back to Greatness', I am considering rescheduling the G-7, on the same or similar date, in Washington, DC, at the legendary Camp David,' Trump tweeted. 'The other members are also beginning their COMEBACK. It would be a great sign to all - normalization!' Russia had been invited to attend the gathering of the world's most advanced economies since 1997, but was suspended in 2014 following its invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. Mr Trump said he wanted to invite other countries including Russia to the meeting. Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen above in Moscow on Thursday Kristina Young, brand manager at All Spoked Up bike shop, which was not vandalized, said she thought downtown had finally reached a tipping point in a positive direction earlier this year. The opening of the new downtown restaurant Stolp Island Social would encourage people to invest in Aurora and get the ball rolling, she said. On this weeks episode of Working, Isaac Butler spoke with actors, writers, and directors Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, who are also a married couple, about their work creating documentary theater. They have written The Exonerated, about death row exonerees; Aftermath, about people who were exiled by the American invasion of Iraq; and most recently Coal Country, about the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster, with music by Steve Earle. They spoke about their processes, the challenges of the genre, and the emotional toll it exacts. This partial transcript of their conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Advertisement Isaac Butler: What is documentary theater? How does it work? Jessica Blank: Different documentary theatermakers work in different ways, but I can talk about what we do. We conduct interviews with people. We record and transcribe those interviews, word for word. We then bring those transcripts into a rehearsal room with actors and have the actors read them out loud, and we edit by ear. Then we go home and enter changes and bring new pages back the next day, over and over and over and over again, until gradually we start making monologues. And then we start putting those monologues up against other monologues, finding the shape of the play. So its like documentary film, in the sense that the primary source is not something that comes out of our imagination, its based directly on interviews we do with people. Its unlike documentary film in that we then create a script from that material where the roles are played by actors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erik Jensen: Youre playing theatrical DJ in a way. Youre mixing different samples and bits together and a new internal meaning pops up when you do that. What was the real-life story of Coal Country? Blank: In 2010, there was an explosion at a coal mine in West Virginia, the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster. Twenty-nine miners were killed, but they thought several of them might still be alive for a period of time, so it was front-page national news for the week or so that it was going on. We were very moved by the story as it was happening, and it stuck with us. We had a newborn baby at the time, so we were not ready to embark on the research process for a new documentary play, but it stuck with us until we were. So in 2016, we went down to Raleigh and Boone counties in West Virginia, and we interviewed family members of miners who were killed in the disaster, as well as a couple of miners who survived it. Advertisement One challenge, Id imagine, is getting subjects to agree to talk with you, to be confident that youre going to take good care of what they tell you, to trust you, to open up to you, particularly when youre interviewing them about truly horrible things that they have been through. How do you approach that problem? Advertisement Blank: We dont try to talk to anyone who isnt enthusiastic about talking to us into doing so. We dont chase interviews. Thats one way in which our work differs from investigative journalism, where youve got to get the interview at all costs. We are very much aware that were talking to people about extraordinarily traumatic things. And if they say, Ive been through it with the media, Ive talked about this enough, it brings up too much, I want to leave it alone, we say, Thank you very much. Were sorry to have bothered you, and we go on our way. Were looking for the peopleand we find that they are always out therewho are enthusiastic about telling their stories, where it feels like theres something in it for them. Theyre enthusiastic about having a platform or getting to speak their mind and the idea of being heard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So first we look for those people. And then once were sitting in a room with them, our interviews last four to five hours. We generally go to peoples homes unless they request to meet somewhere else, but that tends to be where people are most comfortable. We think about it like a dialogue, so Erik will often share his personal experiences with people. We have different rolesI tend to sort of hold the space and create the container and sit back. Erik leans forward and shares with folks. That is an intentional leveling of the playing fieldwere not remaining invulnerable and asking them to make themselves vulnerable to us. Advertisement Advertisement Jensen: Its surprising what we get into because the interviews go on for so long and it gets so personal. Im always surprised at how much people reveal without any prodding from me. One of the most poignant lines from Coal Country is one in which Dr. Judy Peterson describes the condition of her brother after receiving him from the mine. She felt that she needed a conduit, I think, for that message to come through loudly and clearly, and it was our responsibility to be that conduit. Advertisement Im very interested in how you write and revise a work like this when you cant actually change the words that people say. Its all about cutting and arranging and the flow of ideas and structure. How does it happen? Blank: With The Exonerated, it was pretty intuitive. Wed worked as actors and had an intuitive sense for what worked, but we didnt know how to do it. So we transcribed all these interviews, and then we got our actor friends together in a room and had them start reading out loud, and we edited by ear. We each would have a copy of the transcript in front of us, and we would be crossing out the same things and circling the same things. We were hearing the same stuff, what was not theatrical, what was not dramatic, and pulling out what was. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jensen: When the two of us are in a room together and its just us tossing the lines back and forth, themes start to emerge. The parts that are the most interesting are the parts that the public never gets to see, where Jess and I pace around for two hours and discuss what this monologue or exchange suddenly means if its set next to this monologue or exchange. Its like having a jam session and inviting other musicians to join in. To listen to the full episode of Working, click the player below or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Republican candidates competing for the 2nd Congressional seat took a few shots at the person they are trying to unseat, Democratic incumbent Xochitl Torres Small, during an Albuquerque Journal-KOAT candidate forum that aired Sunday afternoon. Roswell oil and gas executive Claire Chase, former state Rep. Yvette Herrell and Las Cruces businessman Chris Mathys also criticized Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and her public health orders to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. But for most of the forum, they fired at one another in a race that has been far from civil. The candidates are aiming to recapture the seat for the Republicans in one of the most watched races in the country in 2020. For much of the campaign, Chase and Herrell have questioned each others loyalty to Donald Trump. The closest shot may have been during the period when candidates were allowed to ask one another questions. Chase questioned Herrell over Democratic-linked super PACs Patriot Majority and Women Vote spending more than $250,000 on advertisements that seemed to support Herrell. Herrell said the groups attacked both of us. No Democratic group has contributed to my campaign, she said, noting the support her campaign received from conservative Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. But Chase said the ads raised questions about Herrells electability. I know that I can beat Xochitl Torres Small, she said. The candidates were questioned about their views on a variety of issues, including Lujan Grishams public health orders. Mathys accused the governor of being disconnected and not being present in southern New Mexico where people are unemployed and not working. Herrell said people seem really frustrated, adding that Lujan Grishams orders were an an overreach and criticizing her for picking winners and losers. Chase took a stab at the governors controversial jewelry purchase, saying there were different sets of rules for her and for the rest of the state. She said that she supported a regional approach and that the state shouldnt be under the same regulations as New York. The three praised the coronavirus relief efforts by both the president and Congress. But Herrell voiced opposition to the more than $3 trillion HEROES Act recently passed by the Democratic-controlled House but likely to die in the Republican-controlled Senate. Mathys said he is opposed to any more bailouts. We need to get people back to work, he said. Each candidate supported Trumps decision to renegotiate a trade agreement with China. Herrell said the U.S. was too much at Chinas mercy for imports of pharmaceutical, medical and agricultural equipment. Weve got to relocate our supply chains back to the United States, Chase said. On the issue of health care, Herrell and Mathys said they favored a free market approach that gave people more of a choice in physicians and health care plans. Chase expressed support for being able to purchase health insurance across state lines and voiced the need to expand coverage for people living in rural areas, including the use of telemedicine. All three voiced support for the oil and gas industry but said they also supported measures to protect the environment. Mathys said he favored a balanced approach, saying he supported the oil and gas industry, while also supporting the expansion of solar energy. Chase said the oil and gas industry was very good at reducing greenhouse gas emissions without a lot of government regulations. We have to make energy options affordable for all consumers, Herrell said. When it came to the opponent that each hopes to face in November, Chase said she could do a better job of reaching across the aisle and working with the other party than Torres Small, who she said voted with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York 80% of the time. Mathys criticized Torres Small for being in self-isolation when she should have been meeting with local governments in the district working on ways to get residents back to work during the pandemic. And Herrell insists she would have beaten Torres Small in 2018 had it not been for low voter turnout and that absentee ballot fiasco. Protesters gesture with five fingers, signifying the "Five demands, not one less" in a shopping mall during a protest against China's national security legislation for the city, in Hong Kong on June 1, 2020. (Vincent Yu/AP Photo) Lawyer Says Beijing Could Bar Exit of Dual Canadians From Hong Kong OTTAWAA Canadian legal activist is warning the federal government to grant asylum to democracy activists in Hong Kong and expanded settlement to those with links to Canada before China prevents them from leaving. The warning came Monday from Avvy Go, the director of the Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic, which has already helped bring Hong Kong pro-democracy activists to Canada. There are 300,000 Canadians of Hong Kong descent in China, and Go says if Ottawa doesnt act now to accommodate those who want to leave, Beijing will prevent them from leaving in the future. The time to act is now. As China continues to crack down on the democracy movement in Hong Kong, it may soon find ways to prohibit Hong Kong activists from leaving that city, period, Go said Monday at a joint video press conference hosted by Amnesty International. Even with those who are Canadian citizens, China may refuse to recognize their dual citizenship status and deny their exit from Hong Kong. MPs from the four major Canadian political parties and one independent senator stood in solidarity with the proposals Go put forward at a virtual press conference convened by Amnesty International. Canada, along with the United States, Britain, and Australia, have condemned Beijings imposition of a new national security law that they say violates Hong Kongs freedom from Chinese communist interference. This is the Beijing governments most breathtaking, threatening, and callous attack yet discarding any pretence of fulfilling Chinas international promises made when Hong Kong was handed over in 1997, said Alex Neve, the secretary general of Amnestys Canadian branch. Go called on the federal government to implement several immigration and asylum measures, to help people get out of Hong Kong before it is too late. They are: Expediting family sponsorship applications by Canadians with spouses and parents in Hong Kong. Expanding family-reunification sponsorship programs beyond parents and spouses. Issuing more temporary-resident permits, work visas, and student visas. Granting refugee status to democracy advocates, and offering them stepped-up resettlement options. Last year, Hong Kong residents took to the streets in mass protests against a proposed extradition law from Beijing that was eventually abandoned. During that unrest, Gos clinic received requests from Canadians of Hong Kong descent whose relatives participated in pro-democracy protests, she said. Since Beijing announced the new security law, the clinic is getting calls from Canadians who are worried about their families even though they may not have been involved with the democracy movement, said Go. These are our people. And as parliamentarians dedicated to promoting and protecting democracy, we cannot stand by silently. I endorse all of the actions, said Independent Sen. Marilou McPhedran. McPhedran said she has travelled across Africa and seen the effect of Chinas massive development spending, an influence-buying effort that many analysts say is a power play by Beijings ruling communist party. The weaponization of economic support is something that we need to understand better as we look at what is happening in Hong Kong, said McPhedran. The violation of the Hong Kong Basic Law, which is the essence of what China is saying it is going to do, is in fact a precursor to threats to democracies in many other countries as well. Conservative MP Kenny Chiu, who was born in Hong Kong, said the people of his homeland respect human rights and the rule of law, and they are prepared to commemorate Thursdays anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre that saw the Chinese army kill scores of pro-democracy student protesters in 1989. Were witnessing in Hong Kong basic dictatorship in disguise, exerting its power out of fear for these values, said Chiu. By Mike Blanchfield The number of Palestinians living below the poverty line could more than double this year, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to exacerbate the existing financial crisis in the West Bank, the World Bank warned in a report June 1. Going forward, the outlook for the Palestinian economy looks grim especially after the COVID-19 outbreak, the Washington-based bank said. At this point, it is not possible to say how long it will take for the economy to recover from the current containment measures." The Palestinian Authority (PA) faces a financing gap of more than $1.5 billion this year, due in part to years of decreased donor support, declining revenues and increased spending on health care, the World Bank report said. The World Bank further warned the Palestinian economy is expected to shrink by at least 7.6% in 2020, and in the event of a slower recovery, up to 11%. The economy grew by just 1% in 2019. Rampant unemployment has worsened amid the COVID-19 crisis in the Palestinian territories, where a lack of tourism and other coronavirus-related restrictions have left many without an income for months. More than 100,000 Palestinians are no longer crossing into Israel for work. Before the COVID-19 crisis, the number of Palestinians in the West Bank living below the poverty line stood at 14%. The bank estimates the percentage of poor households will increase to 30% in 2020. The report said actions by the PA wont be enough to stimulate the economy, and it called on the government of Israel to do more to support the regions finances. The World Bank also recommended the Palestinian territories further develop digital infrastructure. With just three deaths out of 450 confirmed cases, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have recorded relatively low coronavirus numbers compared to neighboring states. Amid a declining number of infections, the Palestinian territories have eased restrictions in recent weeks. All businesses, mosques and churches were given permission to reopen, and public transportation has resumed. The World Bank forecast comes as Israel prepares to annex parts of the West Bank, which the United Nations warned could trigger a fresh round of violence and more extremist politics on both sides will inevitably result." The UN called on international donors to support the Palestinian economy amid the COVID-19 crisis, writing that different and bolder action is required to avert economic collapse." Advertisement The Vatican Museums have re-opened to the public after being closed for nearly three months because of the coronavirus lockdown. The Museums, which house some of the world's greatest Renaissance masterpieces as well as ancient Roman and Egyptian artefacts, opened from today, but can only be visited by making online reservations in order to control the number of people attending at one time. Visitors have their temperatures checked by remote thermal scanners and have to wear masks. ) Vistors view the Sistine Chapel frescoes at the Vatican Museums on June 1 in Vatican City. The Vatican Museums reopened today to the public, while following the safety guidelines prescribed by Italian and Vatican health officials Visitors walk in the Vatican Museum during the reopening after three months of shutdown on Monday. The Museums, which house some of the world's greatest Renaissance masterpieces as well as ancient Roman and Egyptian artefacts, can now be visited only by making online reservations in order to control the number of people attending at one time Visitors walk in the 'Gallery of the Maps' of Vatican Museum during the reopening after three months of shutdown. Museum visitors have their temperatures checked by remote thermal scanners and have to wear masks Still, that was a small inconvenience in exchange for being one of only about 25 people at a time on Monday in the Sistine Chapel, with its famous ceiling and Last Judgement panel painted by Michelangelo in the 16th century. 'The Vatican Museums are usually inaccessible because of the huge crowds of tourists, particularly foreigners,' said Marisa, a Roman who declined to give her surname. 'We took advantage of the fact that there are not many tourists to see the beauty that is in here, and it was very emotional,' she said. A Vatican employee checks the staircase of Vatican Museums designed by Renaissance architect Donato Bramante during the reopening day after three months of shutdown on Monday Vistors enter the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican Museums on June 1. 'The Vatican Museums are usually inaccessible because of the huge crowds of tourists, particularly foreigners,' said Marisa, a Roman who declined to give her surname A nun takes a photo at the Raphael Rooms in the Vatican Museums today. The Museums received some 7 million visitors last year and are the Holy See's most reliable source of income, previously generating an estimated $100 million annually ) Vatican employees wait to open the main entrance of Vatican Museums to visitors on June 1 The Museums received some 7 million visitors last year and are the Holy See's most reliable source of income, previously generating an estimated $100 million annually. That number probably will not be seen again for some time because of the pandemic's effect on the travel and hotel industries. During the closure, art lovers could visit the Museums via virtual tours online, but most would agree there's nothing like the real thing. Visitors looks the Raphael Rooms frescos in the Vatican Museums on June 1. The Vatican Museums reopened today to the public, while following the safety guidelines prescribed by Italian and Vatican health officials Vatican employees wait to open the main entrance of Vatican Museums to visitors on June 1 Vistors view the Sistine Chapel frescoes at the Vatican Museums. During the closure, art lovers could visit the Museums via virtual tours online, but most would agree there's nothing like the real thing istors enter the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican Museums on June 1 in Vatican City. 'Of course a digital tour is important, but a real visit to the real art works can never be substituted by a virtual tour of our patrimony,' said Barbara Jatta, the Museums' director A vistor takes a selfie infront of the School of Athens fresco in the Raphael Rooms. Across town, Rome's other big attraction, the Colosseum, also opened its ancient doors, but it appeared there were more television crews than tourists on hand 'Of course a digital tour is important, but a real visit to the real art works can never be substituted by a virtual tour of our patrimony,' said Barbara Jatta, the Museums' director. Across town, Rome's other big attraction, the Colosseum, also opened its ancient doors, but it appeared there were more television crews than tourists on hand. It comes after Pope Francis yesterday advised people not to be pessimistic as the world makes a slow departure from the coronavirus lockdown and adjusts to a new way of life during his first noon address for three months. During Mass in St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, to mark Pentecost Sunday, Francis departed from a prepared script - speaking of how people are more important than the economy as countries prepare to reopen. Standing in his window he noted people's tendency to say 'nothing will return as before' and that that kind of thinking, he said, guarantees 'the one thing that certainly does not return hope'. For the first time in three months Pope Francis led the first noon address at the St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, to mark Pentecost Sunday Speaking from a window, Francis departed from a prepared script encouraging people not to be pessimistic as we enter into a new post-coronavirus era During the address, which was possible for the first time in three months as Italy's lockdown draws to an end, he took to task his own church for its fragmentation, saying it must pull together. 'The world sees conservatives and progressives,' he said, but instead all are 'children of God'. 'Healing people, not saving (money) to help the economy (is important), healing people, who are more important than the economy. We people are temples of the Holy Spirit, the economy is not,' Francis said. Instead of being pessimistic about the future holds, Francis told the faithful to focus on what unites them, he added: 'In this pandemic, how wrong narcissism is. 'The tendency to think only of our needs, to be indifferent to those of others, and to not admit our own frailties and mistakes.' Pope Francis was greeted by people in St. Peter's Square as he resumed his practice of speaking to the faithful there for the first time since lockdown began in Italy Pope Francis celebrated the Solemnity of Pentecost with a Mass in St. Peters Basilica, with a limited number of the faithful in attendance Francis did not mention any countries. Many governments are deciding whether to reopen their economies to save jobs and living standards, or whether to maintain lockdowns until they are sure the virus is fully under control. The pope's words were met with applause by hundreds of people in the square, many of whom wore masks and kept several metres from each other. The square was reopened to the public last Monday. Normally tens of thousands attend on a Sunday. While the Vatican has reopened the basilica to tourists, the rank-and-file faithful are still not allowed to attend Masses celebrated by the Pope to avoid crowding. The last time the pope delivered his message and blessing from the window was March 1, before Italy, where more than 33,000 people have died from the virus, imposed a lockdown. The last restrictions will be lifted on Wednesday. Francis led the crowd in silent prayer for medical workers who lost their lives by helping others. Eighteen persons who got into contact with a coronavirus patient in the Agona East District of the Central Region have tested negative. The woman in her early 50s who tested positive was said to have entered Ghana from Niger through illegal routes after the country's entry points were closed by the President to check the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. Mr Dennis Armah-Frempong, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Agona East who disclosed this to the Media at Nsaba said the woman who was placed in an isolation center after testing positive on April 27, had now tested negative. He said the good news is that the woman and all the 18 people she interacted with on arrival in Agona East have all tested negative. He said the COVID-19 Team in Agona East was anxiously waiting for the last test that will be conducted in the next couple of weeks by the Noguchi Memorial Institute to ascertain the next line of action. Mr Armah-Frempong dispelled fears among the citizens and assured them that the frontline workers were on top of issues and were working round the clock to check the spread of the disease in the district. Mr Armah-Frempong who is also the Chairman of COVID-19 Risk Health Emergency Team said, notwithstanding the negative results received after an active contacts tracing, the team would not relax. He said the coronavirus pandemic was real and asked the chiefs and people in Agona East to endeavor to observe the social distancing and other health restrictions. The DCE said the Assembly has supplied more nose masks, veronica buckets, tissue papers, alcohol based hand sanitizers and others to people free of charge as part of the efforts to support the fight against COVID-19 pandemic spread. He said the COVID-19 team has also intensified its educational campaign in the various communities of the district to enable the people to know about the dangers pose by disease. The DCE urged the people in the district to strictly follow the health restrictions pronounced by the President and Ghana Health Service to help overcome the spread of the disease. Mr Armah-Frempong expressed appreciation to Mr. Stephen Amoaning, a native of Agona Nsaba who donated some masks and other PPEs to the Assembly for onward distribution to citizens in the district to protect them from contracting the virus. The DCE praised the Paramount Chief of Nsaba Traditional Area, Osabarima Bishop Boappiah AfriyieIII, Queenmothers, Divisional Chiefs, and Sub-Chiefs for their sterling roles in the crusade against the disease. Mr Armah-Frempong commended the entire Muslim community in the district for observing social distancing and other protocols during the just ended EID celebrations. ---GNA Communitys response to children in CPS care has been heartwarming To the editor, As we find ourselves in the midst of a pandemic, the citizens of Montgomery County are showing up to support kids that are in the custody of Child Protective Services. Despite the closures in businesses, the employees that are being laid off or furloughed, our community is still shining bright! As a member of the Montgomery County Child Welfare Board, we look forward to any opportunity to serve and support our frontline workers with Montgomery County CPS and the children in their care. We received a call in March, informing us about circumstances causing children to reside within the CPS offices until placements were secured. We heard the request for additional support and quickly allocated duties among our board for outreach opportunities. I received the assignment to seek donations for food and to assist with coordinating delivery. Thus, I rushed home to begin a MealTrain. Over the past two months, there is rarely a meal that is overlooked when I post the needs for the kids who are staying in the CPS offices until moving to their placement. Not only am I so blessed to be a part of a team that lives to serve and strives to make a difference, Im grateful to live among the most generous people here in this community. People have been signing up to provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day so the kids in foster care at the CPS offices are well nourished with real food! Our very first volunteer to bring a meal was Debbie Glenn, the owner of The Red Brick Tavern. Judge Kathleen Hamilton began sending messages immediately, asking what the kids needed and rushed up to the CPS offices to deliver activities and food. People were calling, texting, and emailing around the clock eager for charitable opportunities. Learning more about the circumstances these children are born into, as a mom, my heart broke in ways that I never knew existed. However, witnessing the impact with the outpouring of philanthropy and how the childrens lives were being changed, leaves me beaming with pride to be a resident of this amazing county! The acts of altruism across the county have been so substantial that listing the donations of food, groceries, laundry services, sleeping bags, supplies, computers, etc would consume the entire paper. Together, we have given the kids a sense of belonging and what it feels like to be truly loved. There are so many facets involved in providing for these kids and ensuring they are not only cared for, but safe. The CPS staff members lead the way with making profound sacrifices. They are some of the most amazing people I could ever imagine. They work endless hours and show up with loving arms to greet these kids. As a counselor, I have worked and volunteered with kids in foster care since 2007, and I learn new things all the time. This experience has taught me more in the past two months than words can describe. Thank you to everyone for being such a heartwarming inspiration. We are all overflowing with gratitude! As our community begins to open up, children in foster care will continue to need your help. Please consider a donation to the Montgomery County CPS Board, PO Box 1984, Conroe, TX 77305. You can also join our Facebook group: Texas Council of Child Welfare Board of Montgomery County. Rebecca Smith, MA, LPC-S Montgomery County Child Welfare Board Owner of Counseling Center of Montgomery County Texas Child Welfare Board of Director member since 2019 Authorities have decided to conduct Covid-19 test on all 280 post-graduate students of the Osmania Medical College (OMC) in Hyderabad after three more students tested positive on Monday. The fresh cases pushed the total number of students testing positive to seven. OMC officials said that samples from all post-graduate students residing in the hostels on the college campus will be collected and sent for testing. The college authorities hope to complete the testing in two days. The two hostels have declared as containment zones. Personnel from the Health Department and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) swung into action to take up disinfection of hostels. A woman gynaecology PG student was infected while discharging duties at the Government Maternity Hospital in Petlaburj and other medicos were suspected to have picked up the virus from her. Her roommate was among those tested positive. All the seven medicos have been admitted to King Koti and Gandhi Hospital for treatment. Medicos suspect that the virus might have spread in the hostels as they had been interacting with each other while preparing for PG examinations scheduled from June 28. The Telangana Junior Doctors' Association (TJUDA) has demanded that the examinations be postponed. New Jersey residents clamoring for a haircut, a manicure, the chance to eat a meal outside a restaurant or play a hand of blackjack in Atlantic City could learn Monday or in the coming days when those things will again become possible. "Were going to announce a whole lot more (Monday), which will be effective sometime over the next couple of weeks, Murphy said Sunday morning during a radio interview on the AC Mike Show with Mike Lopez on WOND. Murphy also said Sunday his administration is working on rules that would allow Atlantic City casinos to reopen gaming floors by July 4, but no date has been set and the restrictions necessary to make that work are still under review. Murphys daily coronavirus briefing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. in Trenton on Monday. Hes likely to also be asked about the ongoing protests in New Jersey of the death in police custody of George Floyd in Minnesota. Multiple peaceful protests were held over the weekend in New Jersey. Additional peaceful protests in Atlantic City and Trenton on Sunday, however, were followed by groups smashing windows and clashing with police. When Murphy allows nonessential businesses to reopen, there will be rules like capacity limitations and requiring customers to wear masks. Nonessential retail businesses have been closed since March 21, though they were allowed to start offering curbside pickup in mid-May. On Sunday, Murphy announced 66 additional deaths and 868 new positive tests, though officials have warned of lags in updating those numbers over the weekend. There are about 2,469 patients in 70 of the states 71 hospitals with coronavirus or a suspected case of the virus, according to the most recent figures published. More than 8,000 were hospitalized at the peak of the pandemic in mid-April. There have been at least 11,698 COVID-19 related deaths with 160,445 total cases. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage Heres a roundup of coronavirus news: Students from rival N.J. high schools plan protest over districts cancellation of in-person graduations: Students from Middletown High School North and Middletown High School South are jointly gathering on Monday outside the board of education building to protest the district superintendents decision to scrap a traditional graduation for an online ceremony, scheduled for June 18. Hundreds of cars line up for free meals as coronavirus struggles persist: The economic downturn brought on by the coronavirus was apparent Saturday as thousands of meals were handed out to people in cars lined up at Kean University. Two thousand families pre-registered to pick up the meals, a county spokesman said. The meals were provided in a partnership between the County of Union, Community FoodBank of NJ and the United Way of Greater Union County. N.J. health official Murphy fired was target of probe over coronavirus leaks, sources say: A state Department official fired this week for allegedly failing to disclose a side job also was the target of an investigation by Gov. Phil Murphys administration into leaking confidential information to the press about the states response to the coronavirus, three sources told NJ Advance Media. Will N.J. downtowns survive the pandemic? Coronavirus puts one towns identity at stake: Like countless small communities across New Jersey, Somerville has weathered many financial threats to its existence before. The rise of the mega malls that devastated downtowns for decades, the Great Recession of the late 2000s and its lasting stagnation. But will the Somervilles, Cranfords, Haddonfields, Montclairs and Westfields withstand a contagion that has upended everything? Where can I get a coronavirus test in N.J.? See the latest list of testing centers, requirements. Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid locations. Where is the coronavirus in N.J.? See the latest map, update on county-by-county cases. Worldwide cases: More than 372,000 of the 6.19 million to test positive as of 7 a.m. Monday have died, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. About 2.65 million have recovered. U.S. cases: More than 1.79 million have been infected with in excess of 104,400 deaths as of 7 a.m. Monday, the center reports. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. NJ Advance Media staff writers Brent Johnson, Noah Cohen, Katie Kausch, Avalon Zoppo, Rebecca Panico, Susan K. Livio and Riley Yates contributed to this report. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Only three individuals have been jailed from over one hundred animal welfare cases prosecuted before the courts since the Animal and Welfare Act 2013 came into operation. That is according to figures provided by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed on the operation of the Animal Welfare Act to Sinn Feins Eoin O Broin. In a written Dail reply, Minister Creed confirmed seven persons have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment and that these sentences were suspended in four cases. Minister Creed also stated that fines in excess of 60,000 have been imposed while the Probation Act was applied in eight instances. The Minister also revealed that 16 persons have been disqualified from keeping animals under section 58 of the Act. Minister Creed stated that a number of cases remain before the courts and further files have been sent to the Chief State Solicitor with a view to be instituting proceedings. He stated that other files are currently being examined in his Department with a view to pursuing a prosecution. Minister Creed stated that the Act came into operation on March 6th 2014 and replaced a number of enactments dating back over a century. Minister Creed told Deputy O Broin: My policy and the policy of the Government has always been clear and consistent. Where instances of abuse, cruelty or neglect of animals are encountered, evidence is gathered and those responsible are prosecuted through the Courts. One of those to recently escape jail in an animal welfare case was west Clare farmer, Martin Gerald Foley (66) of Lislanihan, Kilkee. In March at Ennis Circuit Court, Mr Foley who dumped 12 carcasses from a 300 ft high spectacular west Clare cliff-top and left other animals in his control to die in excruciating pain walked free from court. Judge Gerald Keys imposed an 18 month suspended jail term for the dumping of 12 animal carcasses over Cliffs at Baltard, Doonbeg in west Clare in April 2014. Mr Foley also paid over 7,372 to cover the Council costs of disposing of the animal carcasses and the clean up operation. Judge Keys also imposed an 18 month suspended jail term for 20 sample animal neglect charges out of a total of 193 charges first brought against Mr Foley to reflect the seriousness of the offences. Judge Keyes imposed a life-time prohibition order on Mr Foley having any animals in his care. Judge Keys stated that he could see no benefit in jailing Mr Foley as he is no longer a threat to animals and is no threat to society. The Dept of Agriculture was spared a 25,000 bill to clear all horses from the lands of Mr Foley after Mr Foley disposed of all of the remaining horses on the lands. The animal welfare charges relate to cattle and horses at locations in west Clare at Lisdeen, Lislanihan, Donoghboy, Dough and Baltard on dates between March 2014 and April 2016. ALBANY Mayor Kathy Sheehan on Monday strongly defended Police Chief Eric Hawkins absence from the city during Saturday protests that turned violent, saying the chief was at a previously scheduled out of town event and worked remotely. He was gone before the protest was even scheduled. He has been out of town, the mayor said during a news conference in City Hall Monday. He was working from a remote location but he did not return from his trip nor did I ask him to. Sheehan explained that the chief was prepared to return to Albany if a protest in Townsend Park on Saturday afternoon erupted into disorder. Hundreds gathered to protest police brutality after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Sheehan said the protest was peaceful. It was not until later Saturday night, the mayor told reporters, that the destruction began following an initially peaceful interaction outside South Station. Saturday evening people began to throw rocks and bricks at police vehicles - and then officers - at South Station. The situation devolved into fires being set, and windows being smashed and stores looted along South Pearl Street and Central Avenue. Sheehan said Hawkins, upon learning of the violence, got in his car, and drove back to Albany and commanded the handling of the incident on his drive back. Asked if Hawkins was in Michigan, where he lived before coming to Albany officially in September 2018, the mayor said: I dont know where he was. I didnt ask him. When I go on vacation I dont necessarily tell people. ... Its not a secret. I just dont know. She said it was a family-related "previously scheduled out of town event." City Treasurer Darius Shahinfar, who was at the mayor's news conference with other city officials, said afterward that he was outraged at the criticism of the chief and that the line of questioning from people about it was "ridiculous." "Why is this an issue?" Shahinfar asked the Times Union. "He was out of town on a previously scheduled vacation and he's in constant contact with his command staff and he's here the next morning. What's the issue?" Shahinfar added moments later: "I'm personally outraged you see what's going on on Facebook I'm outraged at that line of questioning and attack on the chief of police who's done nothing but work his rear end off here for years to make the city a better place." On Sunday morning outside City Hall, when asked if he was on the scene on Saturday night, Hawkins told reporters he had "other business" and that he had been communicating all day with his command staff. When asked where he was at the time, the chief repeatedly said "I was not at the scene" without elaborating. "I think as a leader, leaders sometimes have other obligations that occur before a crisis hits and I think a leader has an obligation, once they understand that there's a crisis, to get back to the city and lead the city as expeditiously as possible and that's exactly what I did," Hawkins said on Sunday. Hawkins did not appear at an Albany County press conference a few minutes later Sunday with County Executive Dan McCoy, Sheehan and Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple, where the trio discussed the violence. But on Monday, Hawkins was at a protest of about 100 people who blocked Henry Johnson Boulevard at Livingston Avenue near the citys police headquarters. Hawkins was surrounded by protesters who wanted to speak with him about holding local police officers accountable for violence against black residents. We should not have to fear walking down the block; we should not have to fear being pulled over; we should not have to be scared for our kids to go to the neighborhood basketball courts, said Emrys Young, one of the organizers of the protest and owner of Kitchen 216, a Central Avenue restaurant. We are being overly policed and they are being underly policed. Thats the issue. Protesters expressed dissatisfaction with Hawkins initial responses to their questions and demands, saying to him, Im tired with the political responses, and Youre not here to be silent, chief. The crowd started chanting to Hawkins to take a knee to show his solidarity with them, which he did about a minute later. I get social injustice because Ive heard the stories from my parents, Ive heard it from my grandparents, I lived it, Hawkins told the crowd through a megaphone. Thats one of the reasons why I wear a uniform. Because change comes from the inside many times in many types of institutions So how do I take whats personally inside of me and use it to help my organization relate better to my communities? After Hawkins passed along the megaphone, a protester said the purpose of the gathering is not to hear the chiefs story. Were out here because George Floyd couldnt tell his story, said one protester, who identified himself as Lajas. Were talking about the stories that weve been trying to tell yall for years and yall not listening to those stories. The protester continued, Although the police chief may have taken a knee, we wont be pacified by that symbolism. Because an apology is changed behavior. On Monday night, Hawkins spent at least a couple of hours off and on talking to protesters who had returned to police headquarters. Common Council President Corey Ellis, who was with Shahinfar at the Monday city press conference, said he did not see an issue with Hawkins absence during Saturday's upheaval given that the chief was away and returned as soon as possible. He said it might be different if the violence broke out at 1 p.m. and the chief did not return as soon as possible. "We've never had a riot break out in our protest, so you're looking at history," Ellis said. Sheehan said: I think that there are some who have said, Well, if the chief had been here, would he have been able to dissipate the violence or the people who were throwing bricks and rocks, the mayor said. The people who were throwing bricks and rocks probably wouldnt have known who the chief was had he walked onto the scene. Sheehan said it is a disservice to Hawkins deputies because questions about Hawkins' absence suggests that they did not do an exemplary job in the chiefs absence. They demonstrated tremendous restraint and their goal was not only to keep our residents safe but to keep the rioters safe, Sheehan said. They succeeded in doing that, to their peril. Sheehan said the city is working with the FBI to investigate what happened after the situation escalated Saturday. She said there were people who were traveling in caravans and a lot of activity officials observed that is not typically seen in the city. McCoy witnessed people committing vandalism who he did not recognize and were not from this community who were not people of color, Sheehan said. I dont know. Im not going to spin conspiracy theories, the mayor said. What I do know is that there were certainly people who were not known to people here in the city of Albany. We believe they were not from the city of Albany here and who participated in the violence. George Floyds Family to Release Independent Autopsy The family of George Floyd, the black man whose death sparked sometimes violent demonstrations in numerous U.S. cities, said they will release the results of an independent autopsy on Monday. Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, who carried out an independent autopsy of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, was one of two doctors hired by Floyds family to carry out a review. It came after prosecutors said a preliminary finding on his cause of death found that the combined factors of him being restrained by an officer, who had a knee on his neck, as well as possible intoxicants and underlying health problems, such as heart disease, likely contributed to his death. A 911 call obtained by news outlets said Floyd was suspected of having counterfeit money and seemed awfully drunk and not in control of himself. Prosecutors said that the autopsy revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation. A former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, is accused of keeping his knee on Floyds neck for about 8 minutes. A video of the incident went viral on social media, which included Floyd saying he cant breathe. Floyds family confirmed Badens involvement and the scheduled release of the autopsy to The Associated Press. Benjamin Crump, a high-profile attorney representing Floyds family, told CBS News that Chauvin may have known Floyd beforehand. The two had worked at a nightclub as recently as last year. Rioters set fire to a Wells fargo bank across the street from the Minneapolis Police 5th Precinct during the fourth night of protests and violence following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) [Floyds] family has been notified by the owner of a club that Derek Chauvin was an off-duty police officer while George Floyd was a security guard. And so they had to overlap, Crump remarked. That is going to be an interesting aspect to this case and hopefully upgrading these charges to first-degree murder because we believe he knew who George Floyd was. It comes as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order on Monday to extend a nighttime curfew in Minneapolis and other areas amid days of looting, arson, vandalism, and rioting. The curfew on Friday and Saturday night allowed our law enforcement to target those who meant to do harm to our communities, said Walz in a statement. Law enforcement made several arrests and seized weapons, narcotics, long guns, handguns, magazines and knives. We have reason to believe that bad actors continue to infiltrate the rightful protests of George Floyds murder, which is why we are extending the curfew by one day. The spread of misinformation on social media can result in the public breaking the lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, a new study has found. The NUI Galway study also found that while social media networks can be useful for staying informed about the crisis, once users are "overloaded" with content, they are more likely to believe unverified information. Misinformation is defined as false information which is intended to deceive the public. The study, which focused on the triggers leading people to share misinformation online during the pandemic, was carried out by the JE Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUIG. "We have already seen the impact misinformation spreading through social media can have in political elections. Now, we are witnessing its harmful effects on public health in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic," said study co-author Dr Eoin Whelan, senior lecturer in business information systems. "Our study suggests when people become overloaded with social media content, they are not only more likely to believe unverified Covid-19 information, but will further contribute to the problem by spreading the misinformation on to others." The study also examines 'cyberchondria', which is the unfounded concern around common symptoms based on online searches of those symptoms. The data shows that those who are more susceptible to Covid-19 spend more time searching online for symptoms, which increases their stress and anxiety. Dr Whelan said social media companies can play a part in curbing misinformation by restricting the amount of Covid-19 information. Arid soil in the Binh Phan water pumping station of Cho Gao District in Ben Tre Province, March 21, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa. Prolonged drought and increased summer demand are exerting great pressure on the electricity industry as water levels in several major dams drop significantly. Doan Tien Cuong, director of Ialy Hydropower Company, told local media that water level at the 720 MW Ialy Hydropower Plant in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai, the third largest hydropower project in the country with an average annual production of 3.68 billion kWh, is just nine meters above the dead water level. This has happened because water flows to the reservoir during this years dry season, which normally lasts from late November to late April, was 27 cubic meters per second, just one third of the previous years volume. According to the Dai Ninh Hydropower Company, the plant in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong seriously lacks water. The plants water level was at just 1.6 meters above the dead water level on May 21. For 2020, the plant had targeted an output of 495 million kWh of electricity but as of end May, the figure stood at 138 million kWh, just 28 percent of the years plan. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has said that water levels in rivers and streams in the northern, central and Central Highlands regions are set to be 20-60 percent below average from January to July. Vietnam currently relies largely on hydropower and thermal power for its electricity needs. EVN said that total electricity production in the first four months of this year reached 18.54 billion kWh, down 9.5 percent compared to the same period last year. Of this, electricity generated from hydropower plants was 11.6 billion kWh, a 36.5 percent year-on-year drop. Meanwhile, scorching summer weather has seen electricity demand surge, exerting more pressure on the power industry. Vietnam's electricity consumption peaked at 789.6 million kWh on May 21, surpassing the previous record of 782.9 million kWh set on June 21 of last year. National power utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN), Vietnams monopoly electricity distributor, said that the surge in electronic consumption was caused by the hot and humid weather across many northern and central provinces. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), the 2020 electricity demand forecast for the system is 255,613 billion kWh, an increase of 6.5 percent compared to 2019. Use less power, please As the country faces growing threat to energy security, state agencies have called on all sections of society to reduce power consumption and are seeking solutions in thermal and solar power. Vietnam plans to import 12 million tons of coal this year, 30 million tons in 2025 and 50 million tons in 2030 to fuel thermal power plants. MoIT has also asked investors of coal-fired power plants to proactively prepare fuel sources including plans to use mixed coal, ensuring the highest availability of units. On the other hand, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc signed a new decree, effective May 22, to further push solar power development in Vietnam. EVN Deputy General Director Vo Quang Lam affirmed that the new rooftop solar power was the way forward for tapping renewable energy sources in Vietnam. The country is preparing plans to pay consumers who produce rooftop solar power and send it to the grid. Lam said there were 27,990 customers who have installed rooftop solar power systems with a total capacity of 578 MW in Vietnam, of which 22,900 are households and 5,096 are businesses. EVNs is hoping to have more customers install the rooftop systems. It has said that it would create favorable conditions for people to install rooftop solar power systems to reach a total capacity of 1,000 MW this year. Vietnam now aims for 10.7 percent of its total electricity output to be generated from renewable energy by 2030. Recently appointed Ambassador of Ukraine to Japan, Director of the Diplomatic Academy at the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Sergiy Korsunsky has said he hopes for the strengthening of bilateral cooperation, especially in the field of technology. He said this in an interview with Ukrinform. "I hope that we will be able to formulate certain new elements of cooperation with Japan. [...] I know that Japan rose after the war precisely due to technology and intellectual property. So I see everything related to technology as the number one priority," he said. According to Korsunsky, he has repeatedly criticized the fact that since 2014 Ukraine has not actually paid enough attention to the Asian region. At present, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is developing a strategy for Asia, and he is also involved in this work. Korsunsky said that the first consultations on this topic with the involvement of the best experts on Asia had shown that the region is very heterogeneous. "Today we are trying to classify where our priority is in terms of pragmatic economic relations, and where there is a clear political affiliation," the diplomat said. According to him, Japan remains an extremely important and promising partner for Ukraine. At the same time, he added that the technological potential of Japan and Ukraine is difficult to compare but, at the same time, cooperation in space, defense and health care sectors and many other things can be very useful. Korsunsky said that science would be a priority "because I see prospects here." In particular, the diplomat said that he would have a meeting on the Chornobyl-Fukushima project. According to him, the project is very interesting and important because it shows that the Ukrainian experience of solving problems after the Chornobyl accident can be useful for Japan. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Korsunsky as Ukraine's ambassador to Japan in March 2020. op SAN ANTONIO, Texas, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- GlobalSCAPE, Inc. (NYSE American: GSB), a worldwide leader in the secure movement and integration of data, today announced Roberto R. Garcia, vice president of product strategy and engineering, received a Bronze Stevie Award in the Information Technology Executive of the Year category in this year's American Business Awards program. The American Business Awards are the country's premier business awards program. Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word meaning "crowned," the awards will be virtually presented to winners during a live event on Wednesday, August 5, 2020. More than 230 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year's winners. "Despite the toughest business conditions in memory, American organizations continue to demonstrate their commitment to innovation, creativity, and bottom-line results," said Stevie Awards president Maggie Gallagher. "This year's Stevie-winning nominations are full of inspiring stories of persistence, ingenuity, resourcefulness, and compassion. We celebrate all of their stories and look forward to showcasing them during our virtual awards ceremony." "Roberto plays a vital role in leading our ongoing commitment to innovation and answering the needs of our global client base," said Mark Hood, Chief Operating Officer at GlobalSCAPE. "Roberto represents the best of GlobalSCAPE. This American Business Award recognition underscores his leadership and I congratulate him on behalf of the entire GlobalSCAPE team." Garcia has more than 20 years of experience in defining, architecting, managing and implementing a broad range of information systems and applications, focusing on computer security and IT compliance. He is responsible for strategic and tactical product planning as well as the entire product life cycle for GlobalSCAPE products. About the Stevie Awards Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com . About GlobalSCAPE GlobalSCAPE, Inc. (NYSE American: GSB) is a pioneer in securing and automating the movement and integration of data seamlessly in, around and outside your business, between applications, people and places, in and out of the cloud. GlobalSCAPE provides cloud services that automate your work, secure your data, and integrate your applications while giving visibility to those who need it. GlobalSCAPE makes business flow brilliantly. Visit www.globalscape.com. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The words "would," "exceed," "should," "anticipates," "believe," "expect," and variations of such words and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not a forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Among the important factors that could cause the actual results of the operations or financial condition of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the overall level of consumer spending on our products; general economic conditions and other factors affecting consumer confidence; disruption and volatility in the global capital and credit markets; the Company's ability to protect patents, trademarks and other intellectual property rights; any breaches of, or interruptions in, our information systems; legal, regulatory, political and economic risks in international markets and global public health crises that reduce economic activity (including the recent coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak); the results of our reduction in force; the discovery of additional information relevant to the internal investigation; the possibility that additional errors relevant to the recently completed restatement may be identified; pending litigation and other proceedings and the possibility of further legal proceedings adverse to the Company resulting from the restatement or related matters; the costs associated with the restatement and the investigation, pending litigation and other proceedings and possible future legal proceedings; and our decreased "public float" (the number of shares owned by non-affiliate stockholders and available for trading in the securities markets) as a result of share repurchases. More information on potential risks and other factors that could affect the Company's financial results is included from time to time in the Company's public reports filed with the SEC, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based upon information available to the Company as of the date of this press release and speak only as of the date hereof. GlobalSCAPE Investor Relations Contact: [email protected] GlobalSCAPE Public Relations Contact: Zintel Public Relations Matthew Zintel [email protected] SOURCE GlobalSCAPE, Inc. Related Links http://www.globalscape.com Keller Group plc TOTAL VOTING RIGHTS In accordance with the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rule 5.6.1, Keller Group plc ("the Company") advises that, as at 1 June 2020, the total issued share capital of the Company consisted of 73,099,735 ordinary shares of 10p each, of which 1,001,590 shares were held in Treasury. Accordingly, the total number of voting rights in the Company's ordinary shares is 72,098,145. The above number 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 to their interest in, the Company under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules. Kerry Porritt Group Company Secretary and Legal Advisor LEI number: 549300QO4MBL43UHSN10 Classification: 2.5 (Total number of voting rights and capital) Thought crime By Robert T. Smith In George Orwells frightening novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, thought crimes were a persons thoughts that contradicted, or generally did not agree with the approved ideology. The ability to assess a persons thoughts and mete out punishment for thoughts and not actions obviously poses, in most instances, an almost impossible task. In 1998, a black man, James Byrd, was beaten by white men and then dragged to his death behind a pickup truck in Texas. This event was used extensively in emotionally charged television ads in the year 2000 presidential campaign by the Democrats, to allege that George W. Bush was a racist because he was governor at the time and did not support hate (thought) crime legislation. In true Texas fashion, the two main actors in this murder were quickly tried and executed for their actions. Since they were executed, the rationale, thoughts or reasoning for their murdering Mr. Byrd were inconsequential, as is appropriate. They were executed for what they did, not what they thought. There would be no point in executing them twice, once for murder and then a hate (thought) crime, dead is dead. It is juvenile to believe that all people are good, that they will act morally or legally. There are bad people who will do bad things, and situations where even good people can end up involved in a bad outcome. Bad people are not confined to any race, color, creed, or job title. There are bad people who are doctors, politicians, airplane pilots, mechanics, housewives, black, white, Hispanic, ad infinitum. In the most recent example, George Floyd died following his arrest by the Minneapolis police. It would be difficult to find any reasonable person who is not outraged at the lack of humanity demonstrated by the policeman who knelt on George Floyds neck for an extended period of time, even though Mr. Floyd was already in custody and handcuffed. That police officers actions, not thoughts, are unacceptable, and should be punished as appropriate through our legal system. Emotional reporting by the media and allegations by many others serves to divide us by claiming that our entire country (apparently except them) is racist. George Floyd was arrested by the Minneapolis police and died (apparently) as a result of that arrest because he was black. Trayvon Martin was shot while fighting with the countrys first white Hispanic because he was black. Eric Garner died following his arrest by the New York police because he was black. Michael Brown was killed by a policeman in St. Louis as a part of an altercation with that police officer because he was black. Ahmaud Arbery was followed and killed by a father and son while fighting over a gun because he was black. no other rationale or situational consideration allowed, simply because he was black. Assigning racial motivation to any of these instances is thought crime. Nobody can determine any of the involved persons motives that may have or did contribute to these persons deaths. It is only the actions that can be known and punishable, if appropriate. This cant always end with you got one of ours, we get one of yours, regardless of the facts, not the emotions, the facts. Actions and not thoughts need to be the measuring stick for our social compact to work. There is no legitimate rationale for thought crime and punishment, this is not 1984. The ridiculous notion that Mr. Floyd was purposefully killed by the policeman because he is black cannot translate into illegal actions, loot the local stores, start building fires, assault people, and destroy property. To allege that the illegal looting and rioting actions are appropriate is the worst form of racism, alleging that because of their color, these people are incapable of controlling their behavior. The actions of rioting and looting must be aggressively shut down to maintain an orderly society, anarchy cannot be an appropriate answer. Regardless of the mainstream media instigators and Democrat agitators who wish to use these occasional tragic events to their political advantage, the vast majority of Americans are not racist. The history of America included hundreds of thousands of dead white people in the Civil War, decades of white-led civil rights struggles, altering of the very foundation of Americas constitution and laws facilitated by white people, billions and probably trillions of white people dollars poured into the black communities. Based on these facts, if we are as racist as the race hustlers would like us to believe, we are not particularly good at our moral depravity. In America, we established in our founding documents and celebrate inalienable rights for all men, endowed by our creator, not arbitrarily assigned rights based on race. We inhabitants of America dont wake up thinking about how to stick-it to other Americans based on color. It is our hope that all citizens would be Americans, no hyphenated citizens. Our preferred organization is the National Association for the Advancement of American People (NAAAP). We encourage all American citizens to join our group and become active members. The group benefits are the best in the world, and we celebrate and embrace our open-to-all citizens organization and exceptionalism. Robert T. Smith is an environmental scientist who spends his days enjoying life and the pursuit of happiness with his family. He confesses to cling to his liberty, guns and religion, with antipathy toward the arrogant ruling elites throughout the country. Home New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the Union Cabinet meeting a short while ago on Monday (June 1) as the country entered the first day 'Unlock 1' Centre's three-phased unlocking plan. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) meeting was held at the Prime Minister's residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi. This is the first Union Cabinet meeting to be held after the Modi-led NDA government marked its first anniversary. The meeting also assumes significance as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued new guidelines for phased re-opening of 'all activities outside containment zones for the next one month beginning June 1'. Meanwhile, some significant decisions are expected as Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Narendra Tomar and Prakash Javedkar would brief on the meet at 3 pm today. In Unlock 1, announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs on May 30 evening, the government significantly eased restrictions and made provision for reopening of various sectors, including religious places of worship, malls, hotels and restaurants, salons and barbershops among others. Issuing the guidelines, the MHA had observed that the current phase of reopening, Unlock 1, will have an economic focus. Notably, the GDP had slumped to 3.1 per cent in the March quarter a low not seen in the country in the last 17 years, with private investment and manufacturing hit hard. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister addressed the nation briefly to reiterated the need to maintain discipline and avoid rude behaviour with health workers at the frontline of COVID-19. "I want to state it clearly- violence, abuse and rude behaviour against front-line workers is not acceptable," PM Modi said today. "The country has seen rapid progress in setting up 22 more AIIMS. Over the last five years, we have been able to add over 30,000 seats in MBBS and 15,000 seats in post-graduation," he added. The Congress on Monday asked the government to take all political parties and the country into confidence over restoration of the status quo ante on the border with China. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said there can be no compromise on India's security and territorial integrity and posed a set of questions to the government on the situation at the border in Ladakh. He questioned the "silence" of the government on the "brazen Chinese transgression" into Indian territory. The Congress leader also expressed concern over issues raised by Nepal and hoped the government would find a lasting solution to it. Troops of India and China were engaged in a major standoff for over three weeks in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh, in what is turning out to be the biggest confrontation between the two countries after the Doklam episode in 2017. The Centre has extended the lockdown by another 30 days till June 30 in containment zones across India while opening other areas with phased unlocking of activities. Like the nation-wide lockdown, the unlocking will also be done in three parts. The guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday comprised guidelines for phase 1 of re-opening of areas. These guidelines will come into effect from June 1, 2020, and will be effective till June 30, 2020. The current phase of re-opening will have an economic focus. Maharashtra Despite the Narendra Modi-led Centre issuing a phased exit plan to resume economic activity after a two-months-long nationwide lockdown on June 1, the Maharashtra government has extended the lockdown by 30 more days whole focusing on 'Mission Begin Again'. As per the Centre's guidelines, only essential activities will be allowed in the containment zones in the state along with a strict perimeter control to ensure that there is no movement in or out of these zones, except for medical emergencies, and supply of essential goods and services. Also read: Lockdown 5.0: Fifth phase of coronavirus lockdown from June 1, all you need to know about unlock 1.0 Additionally, there will be intensive contact tracing and house-to-house surveillance in the containment zones. Uddhav Thackeray government has encouraged people to work from home but those coming to office will have to adhere to certain rules. Only a minimum number of employees will be allowed in offices, that too for emergencies. The decision on reopening of temples, shrines, hotels, restaurants, and malls in Maharashtra will also be taken after reviewing the infection graph. Tamil Nadu The Tamil Nadu government has announced an extension of the over two-month-long lockdown (ending May 31) until June 30. The state, however, has given more relaxations this time comprising partial opening of public transport as well as permitting more employees at offices. State Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami informed that the restrictions on the metro, suburban rails, religious places, and inter-state bus transport would continue. Public transport will resume with reduced services from June 1, but buses will not operate in Chennai, Kancheepurm, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpet districts which have the highest concentration of COVID-19 cases in the state. Bihar Bihar has announced that lockdown restriction will continue till June 30 to contain spread of the deadly virus. In line with Centre's move, Bihar government is likely to continue restrictions in containment zones till June 30, with a slew of relaxations in other areas. As per additional chief secretary Amir Subhani, Bihar will follow the relaxation guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Gujarat All shops and business units outside of containment zones will remain open in the state on alternate days. Only three people will be allowed in four-wheelers, while buses can operate with 60 per cent capacity. The state government has also allowed pillion riders. Uttar Pradesh Inter-state travel has been allowed by the state government. However, those coming from hotspots or containment zones in Delhi will not be allowed to enter the state via Noida and Ghaziabad. Rajasthan The state government has allowed the functioning of all government and private offices with full capacity. The private companies have been advised to encourage people to work from home. The government has also approved the inter-state and intra-state movement of vehicles. Also read: Coronavirus crisis: India now 7th worst-hit country as count nears 2 lakh cases Telangana The state has also extended lockdown by 30 more days while allowing activities such as inter-state transport. The state will follow the Centre's guidelines for containment zones. Karnataka The state has allowed reopening of hotels, shopping malls, restaurants and hospitality services. The state will also follow the Centre's guidelines for containment zones and there will be a curfew from 9 pm to 5 am daily on the movement of people. Punjab Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has announced the extension of the coronavirus lockdown till June 30. Though experts have advised against the opening of hospitality services and shopping malls in the state, the chief minister said his government will take into account the Centre''s guidelines for lockdown 5.0. Singh announced his decision after an on-ground assessment of the COVID situation through a video conference with health experts and cabinet ministers. India saw the highest single-day spike of 8,392 new COVID-19 cases and 230 deaths in the past 24 hours. Total cases in the country now stand at 1,90,535, including 93,322 active cases, 91,819 cured or discharged or migrated and 5,394 deaths, according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. With this, India has become the world's seventh worst-hit country in terms of coronavirus cases. Treehugger and our third-party partners use cookies and process personal data like unique identifiers based on your consent to store and/or access information on a device, display personalized ads and for content measurement, audience insight, and product development. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Treehugger.com, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, click below. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. List of Partners (vendors) The city of Hoover saw a second round of protests Sunday afternoon, with about 300 protesters and a strong police presence. Police said 25 arrests were made. Of those, 20 were for disorderly conduct; one was for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and assault; one was for harassment, resisting arrest, and assault; and three were for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, Lt. Keith Czeskleba said. One police officer sustained minor injuries. There were no reports of property damage as a result of the protest, Czeskleba added. The Hoover protest, on the grassy hill on Highway 31 in front of the Hoover Library, started around 4 p.m. Traffic was impacted, with the northbound lane on Highway 31 down to one lane through the first part of the protest, but southbound traffic allowed to pass freely. Related: George Floyd killing protests: Latest photos, videos; protesters target monuments Traffic in the northbound and southbound lanes was blocked by police as the protest continued. Protests have been ongoing for many days since George Floyd died May 25 while handcuffed after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes. The incident was captured on video and sparked outrage across the country. The officer involved in the death, Derek Chauvin, is charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other officers have been fired. Multiple protests were held across Alabama on Sunday, and protests turned violent in Mobile and Birmingham. Windows were shattered in downtown Birmingham and journalists from AL.com were attacked by rioters late Sunday night. The police shooting of E.J. Bradford on Thanksgiving night in 2018 at the Riverchase Galleria was ever present, with protesters chanting, "Hoover killed E.J.," and protesters asking for the full video of the shooting to be released. Hoover protesters chanting No justice, no peace. pic.twitter.com/3UuDN8jOQU Trisha Powell Crain (@Trish_Crain) June 1, 2020 The protest was mostly peaceful, chanting "Black lives matter" and "No justice, no peace," and at one point protesters yelled at Hoover police, asking them, "What if it was your daughter?" in reference to the March killing of Breonna Taylor by Louisville, Mo., police. The FBI recently announced they will investigate Taylor's killing. Protesters are praying here in Hoover. pic.twitter.com/vsUxVNPhlk Trisha Powell Crain (@Trish_Crain) May 31, 2020 At one point, there was a clash between protesters and police, resulting in the police charging up the hill and arresting one of the protesters. On Saturday, 20 protesters were arrested in protests in front of the Hoover Municipal Center, just down the road from the site of Sundays protests. One man with I run with Ahmaud written on his shirtless back ran laps throughout the library complex for hours throughout the protest, cheered on by protesters. Keep it up, they yelled. At one point, as many as three other people ran with him. Authorities said Ahmaud Arbery was chased down by Gregory McMichael, a former police officer, and his son, Travis, before Travis shot Arbery twice with a shotgun. Both father and son were arrested May 7 and charged with murder and aggravated assault. This protester has been running laps for a while, with I run with Ahmaud Arbery written on his back. This is the scene looking up and down Highway 31 in front of the Hoover Public Library. pic.twitter.com/wi6LIL9K29 Trisha Powell Crain (@Trish_Crain) June 1, 2020 Protesters were warned to stay on the grass and that rule was enforced throughout the afternoon and evening and mask were worn by many of the protesters. Cars on the highway honked support for the protest as they did during Saturday nights protest. Hoover protesters reacting to cars honking support on Hwy 31. pic.twitter.com/5YVJIFiJsf Trisha Powell Crain (@Trish_Crain) May 31, 2020 A truck full of police supporters came by the Hoover protest just now. pic.twitter.com/FtNpGUa1Ir Trisha Powell Crain (@Trish_Crain) May 31, 2020 Protesters dispersed as Hoover police announced cars parked at nearby places of business would be towed. The final group of protesters left just before 10 p.m. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:52:00|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close COLOMBO, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka reported its 11th COVID-19 related death and six new confirmed cases on Monday, bringing the country's total case count to 1,639, according to data from the Health Promotion Bureau. Local media reported that the latest COVID-19 related death was that of a 45-year old male who recently returned to Sri Lanka from Kuwait and was being treated at the ICU of the Homagama Hospital in Colombo District. Prasanna Ranatunga, Minister of Industrial Export, Investment Promotion, Tourism and Aviation, told local media on Monday that all arrivals at the country's main Bandaranaike International Airport will be subjected to PCR tests henceforth. Ten more COVID-19 patients recovered and were discharged from hospital today, bringing the country's total recoveries to 811. A curfew used to contain COVID-19 was eased on May 26 to allow the resumption of economic activity. Curfew is currently enforced daily between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. Enditem Delaware is officially open for out-of-state visitors, which means Pennsylvanians can once again soak up the rays on the beaches of Rehoboth, Dewey, Lewes and Bethany. As of June 1, out-of-state visitors are now allowed to come and explore Delaware. Just keep in mind that Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf discourages leaving the state, saying that by doing so you put yourself at risk. A Tamil poem, a Kollywood music director, and a Chinese ensemble: Uniquely Singapore arts in COVID-19 times The arts people in Singapore are coming together, in these trying times, to uplift the spirits of migrant workers who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Migrant Support Coalition, in collaboration with local Tamil music talent Mohamed Shabir Tabare Alam and The TENG Ensemble, have produced music video Thedichoru as part of a series of musical webisodes titled LETTERS. "We hope that by sharing these webisodes and co-creating our content with our migrant friends, we will be able to demonstrate solidarity and encourage resilience in the migrant community," the COVID-19 Migrant Support Coalition said in a post. The song Thedichoru also caught the attention of Minister S Iswaran, who shared it on his Facebook page, and said it was a uniquely Singapore creation "A meaningful Tamil poem, sung by a Singaporean Indian musician and accompanied by a Chinese ensemble." He also said the poem Thedichoru, by Tamil poet Mahakavi Bharathiyar, "encourages us to remain resilient in the face of adversity. It is a poignant message that all of us can get through these tough times, together." Shabir starts by sharing his feelings about the poem, nay anthem, by Bharathiyar and recites the words before proceeding to sing it to the accompaniment of the TENG ensemble. He concludes his video with the poignant lines written by a migrant worker in Singapore from Tamil Nadu. Hear Shabir's words, recitation and song below: New Impartner Journey Builder makes it possible to curate every step of a partner's journey: Critical to directing 75 percent or more of revenue for companies worldwide Company's Spring '20 Release also features re-engineered BI engine, Channel Intel, which uniquely answers the two golden indirect sales questions: which actions drive partner revenue and what makes a partner profitable SALT LAKE CITY, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Impartner, the world's fastest-growing, most award-winning pure play Partner Relationship Management (PRM) and channel management platform provider, today announced its Spring '20 release featuring Journey Builder, a ground-breaking solution that moves beyond just automating transactions to automating the partner journey and curating the behaviors that determine success. With Journey Builder's intuitive, "help-ticket free" interface, Channel Account Managers (CAMs) can curate partners' journeys through every stage of their lifecycle, taking the variation out of partner outcomes and making it easy for CAMs to see what has and hasn't happened without having to follow up with partners. The spring release also features Impartner's new Business Intelligence (BI) engine, Channel Intel, which elevates companies' ability to answer the two most important questions about partners: Which actions drive revenue and what makes a partner profitable. The right journey delivers the right result "In today's market, it's not enough to just automate transactions," said Impartner Vice President of Product Management Gary Sabin. "Out of the box, companies need to be able to move new partners to first dollar consistently. Journey Builder gives CAMs a low-touch, scalable, repeatable way to automate their partners' journeys - taking the 'success roulette' out of the process and delivering consistent results from every partner." Sabin stresses that the simple, linear, intuitive interface is designed for CAMs, not IT, putting the control of creating partner journeys in the hands of those closest to partners. Answering the two golden questions Impartner's new Channel Intel BI engine, another key feature in the release, also breaks new ground in its ability to visualize the actions that are truly driving partner revenue and profitability, using Impartner's SegmentAI segmentation engine to segment partner performance and profitability in unlimited variations - not just gold, silver and platinum. The engine both enhances data visualization in Impartner's core, out- of-the-box PRM solution but also, in an add-on module, Channel Intel+, allows CAMs to create unlimited new reports to present data in the way that's most meaningful for organizations and schedule and share reports to internal stakeholders. "BI tools are not new," said Sabin. "But the front edge of the challenge is always finding a better way to show what really matters, and to Channel Chiefs, knowing which partner actions drive revenue and partner success are really the golden metrics. Whether you're managing tens or tens of thousands of partners, you're continually looking for the recipe for the perfect partner - the perfect set of actions which drive the most successful partners and, ultimately, accelerate your mutual channel revenue. Channel Intel delivers on that promise." On the innovations, Sabin continues, "Our global team of engineers, designers and channel strategists in our Channel Innovation Labs is always excited to release new solutions, but these two are particularly exciting. For months in beta previews, our customers have literally been chomping at the bit for this release. We're sincerely excited by the value they will bring to our new and existing customers in elevating their partners' journeys and redefining the visibility with which they can truly see what's driving the most success for their partners." To learn more about how Impartner's Journey Builder, Channel Intel, and full suite of channel management solutions can help you accelerate the performance of your channel, click here. About Impartner Impartner delivers the industry's most complete SaaS-based Channel Management Platform, helping companies worldwide manage their partner relationships and accelerate revenue and profitability through indirect sales channels. Impartner's flagship Partner Relationship Management (PRM) solution is the industry's most award-winning PRM technology and one of the industry's only turnkey solutions that can deploy a world-class Partner Portal in as few as 14 days. For more information on Impartner, which is based in Utah's tech hotbed, the Silicon Slopes, visit www.impartner.com , or in the United States call +1 801 501 7000, for EMEA general call +33 1 40 90 31 20, for London call +44 0 20 3283 4465, and for LATAM call +1 954 364 7883. Follow Impartner on LinkedIn , Twitter and Facebook . Contact: Kerry Desberg Impartner +1 425-231-9529 Kerry.desberg@impartner.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/701684/Impartner_Logo.jpg Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan alleged on Sunday that white men were responsible for many of the riots that have occurred in the course of protests over the death of George Floyd. I want to acknowledge that much of the violence and destruction, both here in Seattle and across the country, has been instigated and perpetuated by white men, Durkan wrote on Twitter. These individuals experience the height of privilege and are co-opting peaceful demonstrations that were organized by and meant to center people of color, particularly Black Americans. Demonstrations erupted in Minneapolis, Minn., last week after Floyd, who is African-American, died during the course of his arrest by white officers. Former officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyds neck for several minutes while Floyd said I cant breathe. Chauvin has since been charged with third-degree murder. The protests over Floyds death have spread to major American cities and in many cases turned violent, with widespread rioting and looting reported in Washington D.C., New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and elsewhere. NYPD counterterrorism head John Miller said on Sunday that organized anarchist groups coordinated the looting of wealthy neighborhoods, using scouts to direct rioters to areas with a light police presence. Floyds younger brother Terrence on Sunday condemned the violence. Sometimes I get angry. I want to go crazy. My brother wasnt about that. Youll hear a lot of people saying, He was a gentle giant,' Terrence Floyd told reporters. More from National Review The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is asking the Auditor-General to conduct a special audit into the GHS280.3 million that was allocated by the government for the provision of food, water and sanitation under the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP). The party is further asking the Trustees to account for the Fund regarding the amount allocated among others. Addressing journalists at the party's weekly press briefing in Accra on Monday, the Ranking Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Cassiel Ato Forson, said the media must hold the government to account for huge financial resources entrusted into its hands during the COVID-19 period. He said this is important in view of the unprecedented levels of profligacy, waste and corruption Ghanaians have witnessed under the Akufo-Addo government in the last three and a half years. On 8th April 2020, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, presented to the Finance Committee of Parliament the government's Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP) in which he indicated that the government was going to spend GHS1.2 billion to cushion Ghanaians against the socio-economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The breakdown of the GHS1.2 billion included an allocation of GHS40 million for the provision of food packages and hot meals and an allocation of GHS40 million to the Ghana Buffer Stock Company for the provision of dry food to support vulnerable communities in lockdown areas. A further GHS200 million was allocated for the provision of water and sanitation, including the mobilisation of all publicly and privately owned water tankers to ensure the supply of water to all vulnerable communities. All the three allocations amounted GHS280.3 million. Information on expenditure not yet provided Mr. Ato Forson said even though the lockdown, which was imposed on Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Greater Kumasi lasted for three weeks, and ended over a month ago, the government has not provided any information to either Parliament or the general public on how the funds were utilised. The low coverage and haphazard implementation of these interventions during the lockdown period, specifically the distribution of free hot meals and dry food to the vulnerable, as well as the supply of tankers of water to deprived households, give us cause for concern that these funds were not judiciously utilised by the government, he added. He stated that a special audit into government's expenditure under the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme was imperative given media reports that state-sponsored COVID relief items meant for the vulnerable, have found their way onto the market. Indeed, we have in our possession, an audio recording from Kumasi based Silva FM, in which Market women at Tafo Pankrono have confirmed that eggs meant for the vulnerable under the CAP have been diverted and sold on the market by persons associated with certain government functionaries in the area, he said. Mr. Ato Forson, therefore, called on the Auditor General to carry out a special audit into the expenditure of the said GHS280.3 million allocated under the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme. Government hiding behind COVID-19 to borrow recklessly Mr Ato Forson accused the government of hiding behind the coronavirus situation in the country to engage in reckless borrowings and expenditures, which portend great danger for the country's economy. He said, only last week, we found out that the government is printing GHS10 billion through the Bank of Ghana to finance the budget on the blind side of Parliament and without any legitimate justification. Indeed, Governor of the Bank of Ghana has confirmed that the first tranche of GHS5.5 billion has already been advanced to the government in clear violation of the Bank of Ghana Act, 2002 (Act 612) and the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), Mr Ato Forson added. ---citinewsroom A British woman who was convicted of killing her husband after decades of emotional abuse is entitled to the familys estate, a judge has ruled the latest development in a case that has gripped Britain for years and exposed the challenges of confronting domestic abuse. The woman, Sally Challen, 66, was found guilty in 2011 of having murdered her husband the year before, but her conviction was thrown out last year after new evidence showed that she had been subjected to coercive control, a criminal offense in Britain since 2015. In a groundbreaking appeal, Ms. Challen pleaded guilty to the lesser crime of manslaughter and was released last June after a judge sentenced her to nine years and four months in prison time served. Judge Paul Matthews of the High Court in Bristol ruled last week that Ms. Challen could inherit the estate of her deceased husband, Richard Challen, which is valued at 1 million pounds, or $1.2 million. She had initially been stripped of the inheritance under a provision known as the forfeiture rule, which prevents a convicted killer from inheriting from the deceased. The inheritance initially went to the couples two sons, but because the facts are extraordinary, tragic and, one would hope, rare, Judge Matthews ruled, it is being handed to Ms. Challen. TDT | Manama A popular beach has closed after large crowds turned up in recent days, raising concerns for health and safety amidst the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Mumtalakats real estate investment arm Edamah announced last night that following record numbers at Bilaj Aljazayer beach over the weekend, it has resolved to close the beach for the time being, pending more rigorous protocols with the relevant parties. The decision was taken in close coordination with the Southern Governorate and the Ministry of Interior. According to a statement issued by Edamah, it is to better limit the numbers and tighten boundary security to dissuade people who are not complying with the safety, social distancing and sanitisation protocols already in place at the beach. The statement added : Edamah is committed to the physical and mental wellbeing of society, greatly enhanced by a peaceful beach experience, and is keen to re-open the facility upon agreement of the enhanced policies and procedures between the concerned parties. Edamah CEO Amin Alarrayed said: We are determined that guests to the beach have a safe and enjoyable experience whilst following nation-wide protocols that keep them and their families safe, by observing the simple rules as outlined by the government. Our close working relationship with the Southern Governorate will hasten implementation of the new policies and it is with thanks to His Excellency the Governor that we look forward to re-opening Bilaj Aljazayer soon. In response to the large numbers of people gathering at Bilaj Aljazayer beach, where many members of the public did not comply with the required social distancing measures, a meeting was held yesterday between Alarrayed and representatives from the Southern Governorate security directorate. Alarrayed added: With a shortage of public beaches on the Island, our vision with one of Bahrains oldest landmarks was to transform the beach into a prime and pristine destination, in order to create a wholesome public space that is safe for the entire community to enjoy. For this reason, we allowed Bilaj Aljazayer to remain open over the Eid holiday, with strict protocols and precautionary measures put into place. Leaflets with the COVID-19 regulations were distributed to every entrant of the beach, and it is unfortunate that amongst the visitors, on this occasion, some people did not respect the rules; however, we are determined that people, who do respect the tighter protocols, once in place, will again have a beautiful destination that they can enjoy in safety Naomi Campbell is one of the original supermodels of the 90s and has continued to walk the runways and make headlines today. Recently her name has been in the news for accusations that she had ties to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Heres more on the actress and model and what shes said about any connection to the late billionaire financier. Naomi Campbell | Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for The Fragrance Foundation Claims that Naomi Campbell was good friends with Ghislaine Maxwell After the release of the Netflix documentary Filthy Rich, questions surfaced about Epstein and the high-profile people in his inner circle. On May 31, Glamour Mexico noted which celebrities the group Anonymous claimed were associated with Epstein, and Campbells name was on the list. Campbell previously said in a YouTube video that she had no knowledge of Epsteins abuse and that she stands with the victims. However, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew of having sex with her when she was a minor, alleged that Campbell saw her on multiple occasions and much have known what was going on. You saw me at your parties, you saw me in Epsteins homes, you saw me on the plane, you saw me get my haircut, you saw me on the streets, you watched me be [sic] abused, Giuffre wrote in one tweet and in a later tweet claimed that Campbell was best friends with Ghislaine Maxwell, the girlfriend of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Reps for Campbell have denied that she was part of Epsteins social circle. Campbells connection to royals Naomi Campbell and Albert II, Prince of Monaco | Pool BENAINOUS/LAFARGUE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Following those claims, fans started questioning if Campbell ran in the same circles as royalty. The London-born beauty has known Prince Andrews ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York for a number of years. According to Harpers Bazaar Australia, shes been on vacations with the Duke of Yorks daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, in the past and was a guest at Eugenies 2018 wedding to Jack Brooksbank. Campbell was also friends with Princess Diana. On April 6, the supermodel recounted how she helped the Princess of Wales surprise her son, Prince William, on his 13th birthday. She described Diana as humble and down-to-earth. Campbell is friendly with the royal family in Monaco as well. She reportedly dated Albert II, Prince of Monaco for a while and later attended his wedding to former Olympian Charlene Wittstock in 2011. What is Campbells net worth? Naomi Campbell at Princess Eugenies wedding | Gareth Fuller WPA Pool/Getty Images Another thing fans were curious about is the models career and what her net worth is. Over the years Campbell has done campaigns for fashion brands Ralph Lauren, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Victorias Secret. Shes also been featured in a number of music videos and commercials. In addition, she covered magazines such as Essence, Cosmo, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Playboy, W, and remains one of the highest-paid models today with a net worth of $60 million. RELATED: Naomi Campbell Was Once the Matchmaker Behind a Royal Marriage Washington had another day of mass protests on Sunday, as more than 1,000 people gathered in Lafayette Square to chant, raise their fists, and kneel in a peaceful demonstration that began in front of the White House. At 11 p.m., as a curfew implemented by Mayor Muriel Bowser began, police pushed demonstrators back to the streets and a majority of the protesters cleared out. Some of those who remained spread out across the downtown area, smashing windows, setting fires, and scrawling graffiti. Police met them with pepper bullets and tear gas, and protesters repeatedly pushed back, trying to break through the barricades around the White House. Advertisement Exterior lights at WH turned off just before 11pm as protests continued in vicinity. pic.twitter.com/EiqH0TfmOw Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 1, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump, meanwhile, said nothing. The White House had gone dark, further proving to some of the protesters that the president was unwilling and unable to listen to the black communitys pain and take on a leadership role during a moment of crisis. The New York Times reported on Sunday that Trump had been whisked away to an underground bunker on Friday night, when the protesters had gathered around the White House gates. The bunker had previously been used for potential terror attacks. The next morning, Trump claimed that he had never felt worried about his safety. Advertisement Advertisement According to the Times, several of his advisers had recommended that Trump address a grieving and worried nation, but others disagreed, concerned about him making things worse with any missteps in the speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 7 p.m., the president tweeted, LAW & ORDER! Before then, he had complained about the insufficient number of arrests and LONG TERM jail sentences and criticized city and state leaders for not calling in the National Guard. He retweeted a number of his own tweets blasting the news media as the enemy of the people and promising to have antifa designated a terrorist organization. (Under law, only foreign groups can be designated as terrorist groups. Also, antifa is at most a movement, not an organization with any structure.) But by 11 p.m., he had gone silent. In the morning, when the city was once again quiet, he began tweeting out quotes from Fox and Friends, attacks on Joe Biden, and boasts about his poll numbers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the weekend, the protests over the death of George Floyd spread globally, with demonstrations in London, Berlin, and Toronto. There have been demonstrations in at least 75 cities in the past few days. For more of Slates coverage of George Floyds death and the protests nationwide, listen to What Next. Canberra, June 1 : A referendum on constitutional recognition for the the indigenous people of Australia could be held by 2022, a Minister said on Monday. Ken Wyatt, the first indigenous person to serve as the Minister for Indigenous Australians, told News Corp Australia that he was optimistic that a referendum would be held before the next general election in 2022 despite delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, reports Xinhua news agency. If successful, the referendum would change the wording of the Australian Constitution to recognize the indigenous people as the first inhabitants of the continent. Wyatt acknowledged that the coronavirus pandemic has had a "significant impact" on the referendum process but said it was still realistic within 18 months. "If we have got the right set of words, then yes, it is feasible," he said. "I still remain optimistic. But part of the problem with constitutional questions is the education of the broader Australian public, preparing them for a yes vote. I would not want to see us go but then fail." Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared his support for constitutional recognition but told the Parliament in February that the process could be delayed. Wyatt also declared that an indigenous "voice to parliament", an independent body that would advise governments on indigenous issues, would be established before the next election. AFFTON Up to 10 thieves worked together to burglarize an Affton pawn shop over the weekend and steal 32 handguns and two rifles, police said Monday. The crime was reported at 1:10 a.m. Sunday at Southside Pawn and Jewelry, at 8101 Gravois Road. Police have made no arrests and havent recovered any of the weapons. The burglary occurred a day after the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sent an email alert to federally licensed firearms dealers that possible civil unrest may result in looting of businesses. The ATF urged those businesses to secure firearms and report suspicious activity to police. It wasnt clear how the pawn shop had been storing its weapons. The owner of the shop declined to discuss the burglary Monday when contacted by the Post-Dispatch. Firearms were displayed in a glass counter during the day, but a police spokesman wasnt sure how the shop stored them at night after closing. St. Louis County police Sgt. Benjamin Granda said weapons were secured in display cabinets but didnt know if the cabinets were made of glass. Based on the structures layout and other factors present, Granda said, it seems like it was responsible. The suspects took remarkable steps to carry out their crimes. A nearby resident who first notified the Post-Dispatch about the burglary said she was concerned about guns ending up in the hands of rioters. Im worried they burglarized the gun store, period, and that its near me, said the woman, who didn't want her name used for safety reasons. We dont know how much worse this rioting will get, and I have no way to protect my home. Granda said he doesnt know who may be behind the burglary. The relationship, if any, to the rioting is unknown at this time, Granda said in an email. Would be presumptuous to make that connection without more information. Sunday was the fourth night of protests in the St. Louis area stemming from the death of a black man while in police custody in Minneapolis. Police used tear gas on protesters in Ferguson and arrested three protesters in Richmond Heights, and several businesses were vandalized across the St. Louis area. The St. Louis County Police Departments burglary unit and the ATF are investigating the pawn shop burglary. Granda said the suspects apparently got into the store by hurling concrete to shatter a window. Granda said as many as 10 thieves in six vehicles may have been involved in stealing the weapons. St. Louis police, concerned the suspects might be heading into the city, issued an alert for officer safety on Sunday. Three of the cars were white vehicles and three were dark-colored, but police werent sure of a make and model of the cars. Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to call St. Louis County police at 636-529-8210. Tipsters who want to remain anonymous can call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-8477. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Grim has been attacked by Neera Tanden, a former Obama administration official who is the president of the Center for American Progress, a liberal-leaning think tank. Weve had story after story that demonstrates massive inconsistencies at best and lies at worst by Reade. And silence by @ryangrim, who pushed this story online for weeks, she tweeted May 21. Tanden went on to accuse him of being among a group of journalists who spend years pushing a certain candidate, he loses the primary, and then those journalists push stories to torpedo the candidate who won. Protests against police brutality have raged across the country since the death of Minneapolis, Minnesota resident, George Floyd. And Atlanta has not been immune. In the interest of public wellbeing, rap star and advocate, Killer Mike, addressed his city with an emotional speech, calling for accountability, action, and justice. Heres what the public figure had to say. Killer Mike | JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images Peaceful protests turned tense in Atlanta On May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 46-year-old Floyd became the latest in a long line of African Americans to die while in police custody. A bystander recorded the incident, which involved Floyd and four law enforcement professionals. In the video, an officer kneeled on Floyds neck for several minutes until he became motionless. Paramedics arrived on the scene to take him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The video went viral, igniting explosive protests across the country. By May 29, CNN, which is headquartered in Atlanta, had been vandalized, fires had been set in the city, and tensions rose between enraged demonstrators and the police force. Killer Mike, a pillar of the Atlanta community, addressed the city in a press conference. He acknowledged his own anger over Floyds death but pled with his fellow Atlantans to go home and come up with real solutions. Killer Mike gave Atlanta a lesson about duty RELATED: Killer Mike Wants Racism Burned to the Ground, Not the City of Atlanta, as Protesters Rage Over George Floyds Death Flanked by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Police Chief Erika Shields, Killer Mike explained how historical details about the Confederate South and the Civil Rights Movement can provide insights into todays social climate. He said this: I didnt want to come, and I dont want to be here. Im the son of an Atlanta City Police officer, my cousin is an Atlanta City police officer, and my other cousin is an East Point police officer. And I got a lot of love and respect for police officers, down to the original eight [Black] police officers in Atlanta, that even after becoming police, had to dress in a YMCA [uniform] because the White officers didnt want to get dressed with [N-word]. And here we are 80 years later. I watched a White officer assassinate a Black man and I know that tore your heart out. And I know its crippling, and I have nothing positive to say in this moment, because I dont want to be here. But Im responsible to be here because it wasnt just Dr. [Martin Luther] King and people dressed nicely who marched and protested to progress this city and so many other cities. It was people like my grandmother, people like my aunts and uncles, who were members of the SCLC and NAACP, and in particular, Reverend James Orange, Mrs. Alice Johnson, and Reverend [Albert] Love, who we just lost last year. So, I am duty-bound to be here to simply say that it is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy. It is your duty to fortify your own house so that you may be a house of refuge in times of organization. And now is the time to plot, plan, strategize, organize, and mobilize. Killer Mike in a press conference for the City of Atlanta Killer Mike called the viral video of George Floyds death murder porn ATL, Ill ride and build with yall forever. Hit me up and let me know what youre doing for A? #Itsa404thing #ad #attcollab pic.twitter.com/feSbuFF6QA Killer Mike (@KillerMike) April 4, 2019 RELATED: I Said What I Said: John Boyega Is Calling out People on Twitter and the Internet Is Here for It Killer Mike described his feelings about the death of George Floyd in vivid detail and appealed to citizens and lawmakers to improve the current state of affairs. He said this: Im mad as h*ll. I woke up wanting to see the world burn down yesterday because Im tired of seeing Black men die. He casually put his knee on a human beings neck for nine minutes as he died like a zebra in the clutch of a lions jaw. And we watch it like murder porn over and over again. So, thats why children are burning it to the ground. They dont know what else to do. And it is the responsibility of us to make this better right now. Killer Mike in a press conference for the City of Atlanta Viewers can watch Killer Mikes entire speech here: KILLER MIKE ADDRESSES ATLANTA Ashis Senapati By Express News Service KENDRAPARA: Several migrants, after returning to the district from their work places, have turned farm workers to make ends meet. One such returnee, 32-year-old Amar Behera of Iswarpur village worked as a binder in a construction firm in Mumbai. He returned two months back due to the lockdown and after spending three weeks in a quarantine centre, started working as a farm worker. Similar is the state of 27-year-old Jagannath Das of Bharatapur village, who worked as a salesman in a shop in New Delhi. The lockdown forced him to quit his job and return. Now he works as a labourer in a farm in his village. Sarpanch of Bharatapur gram panchayat Chittaranjan Das said 60 youths of the village worked in cities across the nation and were rendered jobless due to the lockdown. We used to hire farm workers from distant places. But now most of the returnees are working in farms, he said. The abundance of manpower has brought cheer to the farmers as they are expecting a bumper crop this year. The recent rains have readied the farm lands for cultivation and the workers are being used for sowing work by the farmers. We have no time to waste. We are now clearing our fields to sow seeds, said Ramesh Rout of Garadapur, who has engaged three migrants for his three acre farmland. A few migrants are content with their new jobs. Alok Sahoo of Bharatpur used to work as a waiter in a hotel in Hyderabad. I was betrayed by the hotel owner who did not pay his staff any salary as soon as the lockdown was announced. I am happy to work as a farm worker in my village. I will try to build a new life here despite the economic difficulties, he said. But Jagannath Rout of Pattamundai, who worked as a plumber in New Delhi, is looking forward to return once the lockdown is over. I cannot work as a farm worker, he said. Around one lakh workers of the district worked in other states. Around 25,418 persons from other states have returned from their work places to the district till date. They have been put under quarantine in different centres. We are determined to provide them jobs under MGNREGS and other schemes of the Government, said Collector Samarth Verma. The Delhi University has asked students not to consider unauthentic sources for information regarding the details of the admission process. In a statement issued on Sunday, the varsity asks students only to rely on its official website for any latest updates. The university is likely to begin its admission process for undergraduate, postgraduate, MPhil, and Ph.D. courses by June 8, according to a tentative schedule shared by the administration with the standing committee of the academic council. In this regard, all aspirant students of the University of Delhi are informed that the details of the admission process and the schedule will be put up on the official website of the University of Delhi. The applicants are advised not to use or consider any other unauthentic source of information. For latest / updated information please regularly visit the University of Delhi website i.e. www.du.ac.in, as any official information will only be provided on this website, reads the statement issued by the varsity. The university on Friday released the tentative datesheet for open book examinations for all students on its official website. The date sheet has been released for the semester/annual mode July 2020 exams. Wilmington: Joe Biden met with community leaders at a predominantly African American church in Delaware on Monday morning, leaving home for a second consecutive day to address exploding racial tensions that have begun to reshape the upcoming presidential election. Biden, the former vice-president who will represent Democrats on the ballot against President Donald Trump this fall, has struggled in recent weeks to be heard from his basement television studio over the noise of duelling national crises. Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden holds his notes as he speaks to members of the clergy and community leaders at Bethel AME Church in Wilmington, Delaware. Credit:AP But after another night of violent protests, the 77-year-old Democrat gathered with roughly a dozen local black leaders during an intimate meeting in his hometown ahead of a virtual meeting with mayors across the nation. That low-key, high-touch approach marked a sharp contrast to that of Trump in recent days, who has made little effort to unify the country. Eighty-year-old Christina Aloos thin legs lie straight out as she sits up on a mattress in the corner of a dark classroom scattered with other peoples belongings. I cant walk, she says. The floodwater came into my mud house at night and my grandson picked me up and helped me to escape. Kenya is experiencing some of the worst flooding for generations, adding a third layer of crisis to a nation buckled by the threat of Covid-19 and battling a massive locust invasion that is destroying vast areas of crops. About 233,000 people have been affected by the floods, including more than 116,000 displaced, according to the Kenya Red Cross, after record-breaking rains caused rivers to burst their banks, devastating towns and villages. In the west of the country, Africas largest inland body of water, Lake Victoria, which is shared by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, is at its highest level ever recorded 13.42 metres and has enveloped whole villages around its shores. The Kenyan government says 237 people who were unable to escape the water have died from the flooding. These are the worst floods Ive ever seen, weve lost everything, says Aloo, who has a breathing condition that causes shortness of breath when there is humidity in the air. Schools in Kenya were closed in March because of fears of the spread of Covid-19. Now more than 100 are full again, packed with families whose makeshift houses are flooded or completely destroyed by water. Social distancing is not possible for the hundreds, like Aloo, sleeping on classroom floors in Nyambare Secondary School in Siaya County. Outside in the schoolyard, James Owende is shouting desperately in the middle of a tight circle of onlookers. My house was drowned. All my animals my cows, my hens, my goats have all drowned. I cant work, he says. Owende earned a living by digging sand, used for construction, out of the lake, but the mines have been overwhelmed. For many in the area, it is the only source of income. Im just begging the government, they have to do something for me. We need food, someone in the crowd calls. We need houses, says another. Flooding near Lake Victoria in Busia County (Ed Ram) The Kenya Red Cross is giving out emergency food parcels and basic living items such as pots, pans, thick plastic sheets to make temporary shelters, face masks and mosquito nets. Last Sunday, Kenyas president, Uhuru Kennyatta, said the government is dispatching 250m Kenyan shillings (190,000) every week to vulnerable families impacted by the economic crisis and 1bn shillings has been set aside for flood control measures, he said. James Okumbe, deputy governor of Siaya county, told The Independent about plans, which have been delayed, to build a dam and dykes to control the flow of rivers that burst their banks. It could have been finished, but the national government has not completed the compensation of the landowners [who need to be relocated and] live along the river banks, says Okumbe. The unknown threat of Covid-19 hangs over the displaced and defenceless communities. Im worried about corona, Owende continues. Kids are asking their mothers: Mum am I going to die? Nyambare Secondary School, where displaced people are living (Ed Ram) Kenya has recorded 63 deaths from Covid-19 and 1,888 confirmed cases, as of Saturday. Movement has been restricted in and out of big cities and a national 7pm to 5am dusk-until-dawn curfew has been enforced, with police using violence and teargas. Informal labourers make up 83.6 per cent of the Kenyan workforce, many of whom are struggling to find work in an economy on its knees. This is the worst business we have ever had, says Eddie Ochieng, who gives boat rides to tourists in the port city of Kisumu on the shores of the vast lake. Even if riverside hotels werent submerged, they would be largely empty. Kenyas tourist industry evaporated when international flights were grounded on 25 March, leaving tens of thousands of jobs in jeopardy. People are really suffering, says Ochieng, who is also living in school: Floods arent unusual in this region, but normally the water doesnt wash away houses then stay high for weeks. Weather scientists point to global warming to explain the increasing frequency of record-breaking climate systems over the past decade. Guleid Artan, director of the Nairobi-based Climate Prediction and Application Centre, explains that the higher temperatures in the western Indian ocean heat water and suck moisture into the atmosphere; this moisture is then dumped over the higher ground in east Africa, causing record-breaking rainfall. Now there is more water going into the lake than coming out, says Artan. The land is saturated with water and rivers leading out of the lake are also full, so the water gets backed up, he says. A flooded hotel in Kisumu, on the edge of Lake Victoria (Ed Ram) On Lake Victorias shores in Uganda, chunks of farmland have broken away to form floating islands and have been clogging dams that generate much of east Africas power and drain the lake. Stepping from a road into a long wooden boat in Debani, Busia County, Gertrude Nerima explains that her mud house has been destroyed. Shes going to stay with some friends with her husband and four children. Bony cows perch on a dry spit of grass surrounded by water and roads taper off into the new shores of the muddy lake. Like tens of thousands of others around the lake, Nerima is homeless. Her small farm and recently planted crops have been completely swept away. Ill have to rebuild my house and replant crops when the water goes down in the next couple of weeks, and well try to get back to normal. Around her feet, the flood can be seen sliding backwards inland towards a river. The World Meteorological Organisation has warned that above-normal rainfall is predicted between June and September in the region. In Homa Bay county, 100km away, Owiena Hezekiah, assistant chief of Kogembo tells The Independent: This is the worst situation that the community has experienced the worst. Three villages in the area are now partially underwater. There are more mosquitoes which cause malaria and aggressive hippos have come inland, he says. We are worried about sanitation and cholera. People relied on pit latrines which are now overflowing with water. On the floor in Nyambare Secondary School, Aloo says the community needs to build houses on higher ground. I worry about younger generations. We cant keep living in these areas, but without government support we have no choice, she says. In the classroom next door, which is now home to 20 people, Kennedy Oduor sits with his wife and eight children. Im stressed. My life is broken now; I cant work and I have nowhere to live, he says. Our fathers and grandfathers have lived by this lake, but its getting too dangerous. The problem is we dont have money to buy land so there is nowhere else to go. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jesse Vad (The Jakarta Post) California, United States Mon, June 1, 2020 15:51 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb4f9dd 1 News COVID-19,stranded,Canada,Nepal,travelers,travel,coronavirus Free Sonam Topgyal and his family left Canada and arrived in Nepal in the beginning of March after months of planning. It was their first family vacation and Topgyal, his wife and two children couldnt have been more excited to visit their relatives in Nepal. What was supposed to be a month-long vacation then turned into a stay without an end in sight. After Nepal was locked down on March 24 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Topgyal and his family were stuck. The situation became more stressful as the family ran low on supplies, such as diapers and baby formula. Now, Topgyals 7-month-old daughter is overdue for her immunizations. Hundreds of Canadians have been stranded in Nepal for over two months since the country shut down in March. Aside from one repatriation flight organized by their government, the Canadians havent been offered many other ways to get back. The only option for those stuck now is to hope for a way home through expensive, private charter flights. Sandwiched between China and India, the small, landlocked country of Nepal is host to a portion of the towering Himalayan mountains that draw tourists from all over the globe. In 2018, the Nepali government reported over 1 million tourists, the majority of whom came for trekking and mountaineering. Nepal has suffered relatively minor impacts of COVID-19 with six recorded deaths and 1,401 confirmed cases. The government has, however, reported a steady increase in cases as it began administering more tests this month. Read also: Nepal closes Mount Everest for climbers because of coronavirus fears A lack of options Many of the Canadians visiting Nepal are largely trekkers and those seeking mountain adventure tourism. Others are Nepali Canadians who have come back to Nepal to visit family and friends. Now, both are stuck. On April 11, the Canadian government organized a repatriation flight with Qatar Airlines that flew 143 Canadian citizens and permanent residents out of Nepal. Since then, there havent been any other flights organized by the government. What we were feeling was abandoned, really abandoned. And thats how people feel for the moment still, said Carl Kouri, a Canadian who was stuck in Nepal until he got out on the repatriation flight. Kouri, assistant director in film production, now helps manage a Facebook group called Canadians Stranded in Nepal, where those stuck have come together for advice, brainstorming and questions. While there are travelers from many countries still stuck in Nepal, Kouri said other foreigners have had much better government communication and repatriation efforts compared to the Canadian community. The United Kingdom, United States, France and Germany were among other countries that managed to schedule multiple repatriation efforts out of Nepal. Why is it that other nationalities are getting consular services and consular protection and were getting nothing? asked Kouri. The Canadian department of Global Affairs told The Jakarta Post there were 795 people currently within the Registration of Canadians Abroad in Nepal, a service that signs people up for updates from the government. We are doing everything we can to provide assistance under these unprecedented circumstances, said a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada. To help Canadians return home, the Government of Canada is working with airlines and foreign governments to facilitate flights to Canada from locations where there is a lack of international flights. Global Affairs Canada also said some Canadians may remain out of the country for an indeterminate period but that they would provide advice and support to those who cant return. Read also: Empty trails and deserted villages: Pandemic brings Nepal mountain economy to a standstill Waiting for a way home There hasnt been any word of more government facilitated flights in Nepal, despite the Global Affairs statement. Many of the Canadians have been reaching out to embassies, the Honorary Consul of Canada in Nepal and Members of Parliament for help but with no success. The only option now seems to be to wait for private, chartered flights. Over the past few weeks, some have contacted President Travel and Tours, a local Nepali travel company, to help arrange flights back to Canada. Perhaps the biggest issue with these flights, though, is cost. Families who are stuck simply cant afford the extraordinary commercial prices. Im just really disgusted for all these families, said Kouri. Kouri has been trying to help organize private flights but he said part of the problem was companies often could not disclose a price until everything is finalized. And families cant commit to buying a ticket until they know the price. Without a guaranteed number of passengers, the flights are often canceled. Meanwhile, Topgyal and his family are staying with a relative, waiting. We do not have hope, Topgyal said about getting help from officials. Topgyal already tried to get on a flight scheduled by President Travel and Tours but couldnt get seats. He argued with the company and tried to explain that he needed to get his child home for immunizations but it was too late. Now, he has no choice but to wait until another private flight comes along, purchase tickets with a credit card and try to pay off the costs later. Jetsun Zilnon Khartheng, Topgyals 9-year-old son, still attends school remotely from Nepal. For a recent homework assignment, Khartheng wrote a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, asking for help. My dad has been trying to get us back home but he has not succeeded, the letter reads. If you could help us that would be great. We are scared of COVID-19. (wng) ------------------------------ The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post. Last week Joe Biden made an off-the-cuff joke that could be interpreted as taking African American votes for granted. It wasnt a big deal Biden, who loyally served Barack Obama, has long had a strong affinity with black voters, and he has made a point of issuing policy proposals aimed at narrowing racial health and wealth gaps. Still, Biden apologized. And in so doing he made a powerful case for choosing him over Donald Trump in November. You see, Biden, unlike Trump, is capable of admitting error. Everybody makes mistakes, and nobody likes admitting having been wrong. But facing up to past mistakes is a crucial aspect of leadership. Consider, for example, changing guidance on face masks. In the initial phase of the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Americans it wasnt necessary to wear masks in public. In early April, however, the CDC reversed course in the light of new evidence on how the coronavirus spreads, in particular that it can be spread by people who arent showing any symptoms. So it recommended that everyone start wearing cloth masks when outside the home. What would have happened if the CDC had refused to admit it had been wrong, keeping its initial recommendations instead? The answer, almost surely, is that the death toll from COVID-19 so far would be much higher than it is. In other words, refusing to admit mistakes isnt just a character flaw; it can lead to disaster. And under Trump, thats exactly what has happened. Trumps pathological inability to admit error and yes, it really does rise to the level of pathology has been obvious for years, and has had serious consequences. For example, it has made him an easy mark for foreign dictators like North Koreas Kim Jong Un, who know they can safely renege on whatever promises Trump thought they made. After all, for him to condemn Kims actions would mean admitting he was wrong to claim he had achieved a diplomatic breakthrough. But it took a pandemic to show just how much damage a leader with an infallibility complex can inflict. Its not an exaggeration to suggest that Trumps inability to acknowledge error has killed thousands of Americans. And it looks likely to kill many more before this is over. Indeed, in the same week that Biden committed his gaffe, Trump doubled down on his bizarre idea that the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine can prevent COVID-19, claiming he was taking it himself, even as new studies suggested the drug actually increases mortality. Yet Trumps strange foray into pharmacology pales in significance compared with the way his insistence that hes always right about everything has crippled Americas response to a deadly virus. We now know that during January and February Trump ignored repeated warnings from intelligence agencies about the threat posed by the virus. He and his inner circle didnt want to hear bad news and in particular didnt want to hear anything that might threaten the stock market. Whats really striking, however, is what happened in the first half of March. By then the evidence of an emerging pandemic was overwhelming. Yet Trump and company refused to act, persisting in their happy talk largely, one suspects, because they couldnt bring themselves to admit their earlier reassurances had been wrong. By the time Trump finally (and briefly) faced reality, it was too late to prevent a death toll thats about to pass 100,000. And the worst may be yet to come. If you arent terrified by photos of large crowds gathering over Memorial Day weekend without either wearing masks or practicing social distancing, you havent been paying attention. Yet if there is a second wave of COVID-19 cases, Trump who has insistently called for a relaxation of social distancing despite warnings from health experts has already declared that he wont call for a second lockdown. After all, that would mean admitting, at least implicitly, that he was wrong to push for early reopening in the first place. Which brings me back to the contrast between Trump and Biden. In some ways Trump is a pitiful figure or would be, if his character flaws werent leading to so many deaths. Imagine what it must be like to be so insecure, so lacking in self-regard, that you not only feel the need to engage in constant boasting but have to claim infallibility on every issue. Biden, on the other hand, while he may not be the most impressive presidential candidate ever, is clearly a man comfortable in his own skin. He knows who he is, which is why he has been able to reconcile with former critics like Elizabeth Warren. And when he makes a mistake, he isnt afraid to admit it. Over the past few months weve seen just how much damage a president whos never wrong can do. Wouldnt it be a relief to have the White House occupied by someone who isnt infallible? @paulkrugman GREENSBORO A crowd of about 80 people remained along South Elm Street shortly after the 8 p.m. citywide curfew took effect on Monday, with one person playing a drum. Shortly thereafter, police began moving about, asking people to get off of downtown streets. As of 9 p.m., protesters appeared to leave the area peacefully. At 7:30 p.m., about 150 protesters had gathered in front of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum and heard several speeches. About half of those gathered left the area right before 8 p.m. People who disobey the newly issued citywide curfew could face a misdemeanor charge, Greensboro Police spokesman Ron Glenn said Monday. The citywide curfew was announced by Mayor Nancy Vaughan on Monday afternoon. The curfew, which restricts citywide travel between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., follows two days of protests in various parts of the city, spurred by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died while in the custody of Minneapolis Police on May 25. The city of High Point also declared a curfew during the same hours. George Floyd and Derek Chauvin, the former police officer charged with killing Floyd, worked security at the same local club for much of the year before their fatal encounter on a Minneapolis street last week. The owner of El Nuevo Rodeo said the two were in close proximity once a week for their Tuesday night shifts, though she did not know if they ever actually met while working at the club. Maya Santamaria said she had been paying Chauvin, when he was off-duty, to sit in his squad car outside El Nuevo Rodeo for 17 years. She said Floyd worked as a security guard inside the club frequently in the last year. In particular, they both worked on Tuesday nights, when the club had a popular weekly dance competition. Santamaria reflected Friday evening on how her business suddenly became central to a death that sparked anguished waves of protest, first in Minneapolis and then in cities across America. Chauvin was fired from the police department last week and charged with third-degree murder for pinning Floyd by the neck. She said Floyd was well known and liked by her patrons. He was "beloved in the Latin community because he worked at another Latin club too." george-floyd.jpg George Floyd When she'd check in during work, she said Floyd would ask her, "How are you?" or cheerily, "How you doing, boss lady?" Outside the club which burned down last week as protests against police violence flared into civil unrest she'd meet with Chauvin after each shift. "We would wrap up at the end of the night and do a review," Santamaria said. They'd discuss the times Chauvin was called in to the club to remove a patron, or dealt with someone outside the club. She said employees never complained about Chauvin, but sometimes patrons would complain about how he handled them. Derek Chauvin Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin Ramsey County Sheriff's Office Santamaria said Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has contacted her to discuss Floyd's and Chauvin's employment. She has also reached out to Floyd's family, whose attorney Benjamin Crump said Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation" that he believes Chauvin and Floyd's El Nuevo Rodeo connection means Chauvin should face tougher charges than the third-degree murder and manslaughter counts that led to his arrest on May 29. Story continues "That is going to be an interesting aspect to this case and hopefully upgrading these charges to first-degree murder because we believe he knew who George Floyd was," Crump said. "We think that he had intent." Video taken by bystanders on May 25 showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes while Floyd pleaded, "I can't breathe." The criminal complaint against Chauvin said Floyd was "non-responsive" for the final two minutes and 53 seconds of time Chauvin was on top of him. Santamaria said she wants her former employee punished. "We have to make Derek Chauvin an example so that police around the country realize that it's not OK, and they're not going to get away with it and there will be repercussions. Otherwise it's going to continue to happen," Santamaria said. Christian Cooper on Amy Cooper's phone call to police: "Pulled the pin on the race grenade" "Justice for All" full CBS News special Santa Cruz resident pins down Air Force sergeant accused of killing Northern California deputy Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Waruna Karunatilake (Reuters) Colombo, Sri Lanka Mon, June 1, 2020 18:06 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb57bea 2 News Sri-Lanka,tourism,travel,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic Free Sri Lanka plans to reopen its tourism sector on Aug. 1 by allowing only small groups of visitors to begin with, a tourism official said on Sunday. Kimali Fernando, chairperson of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, a government body, denied a report in the local Sunday Times that said the sector would re-open in mid-June. A limited number of small groups from around the world would be allowed to visit from August and stay in approved five-star hotels that have put strict safety measures in place, Fernando told Reuters. He confirmed that tourists will be required to carry a COVID-19-free certificate issued either by their governments or a reputed agency, as reported by the Sunday Times which quoted Sri Lanka's Tourism Ministry Secretary S. Hettiaarachchi. Tourists would also need to wait on arrival at the airport for coronavirus testing. Fernando also confirmed that individual travelers will still not be allowed to enter the country. Sri Lanka reported another 20 cases of the virus on Saturday, taking the total number of cases so far to 1,613, including 10 deaths. Read also: Sri Lanka offers visa-free travel to Indonesian tourists The country attracted around 2 million tourists last year and the sector contributes around 11 percent to the nation's gross domestic product. President Rajapaksa discussed the proposals at a meeting with representatives of the tourism industry this month, Fernando said. The main tourist season typically begins in around November. If the government approves the plan, Bandaranaike International Airport and Mattala International Airport, which have been closed under coronavirus restrictions, would partially reopen. Testing facilities would be set up at the airports and private hospitals are expected to provide assistance to tourists as part of the plans, Fernando said. Popular sites such as the Yala national park, Udawalawe, Arugam Bay, Trincomalee and selected beach areas would be among those open for tourists, whose temperatures would be monitored daily, he added. Renowned investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala said he remains a bull on the investor market. I am very bullish on the market and remain fully invested, Jhunjhunwala told CNBC-TV18 in an interview. From being a sure bull, I have become a hopeful bull, he added. Jhunjhunwala, however, said that he feels frustrated with the slow pace of the progress on land and labour reforms and underscored the need to focus on ease of doing business. "Only this (ease of doing business) will allow us to achieve our full potential, he said. Jhunjhunwala, who is based in Mumbai, step foot in the stock market with only a few thousand rupees but went on to become a billionaire, who has amassed significant fortune by investing in stocks. While the noted investor has frequently lauded the Centre's pro-business policies, he said in the interview that a lot more action is required. He said that the world is seeing an unparalleled surge in liquidity, which will inevitably reach India. If we do the right thing, we will grow at 8-10-12 per cent. Even if we dont, earnings will grow at 5-6 per cent, which would be enough to create a bull market, he told CNBC. Still, I am hopeful that we are at the start of a long-term bull market, he added. Indian shares have nosedived about 20 per cent from record highs this year due to the lockdown necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic, which has battered the economy. Jhunjhunwala, however, said that he feels that the Covid-19 crisis has been blown out of proportion, and called it a "flu that Indians will manage to live with." He added that as an investor, he wasnt bothered much about the effect of the lockdown on corporate earnings. "This year, I am only concerned about which companies will survive. As long as they survive, I have no problem with them, he was quoted as saying. Relations between India and Australia will scale greater heights following the summit-level meeting between the two countries, the Australian high commissioner said on Monday. Barry OFarrells comment came ahead of a virtual meeting on June 4 between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Soctt Morrison. Calling both the prime ministers people person, the high commissioner also said that the two Premiers will discuss how to work together to improve peoples lives. Both (Prime Minister Modi and PM Morrison) are people person; theyll be talking about how to work together to improve the lives of people. Both believe that the government is not about the number of agreements signed but improving the lives of citizens and generating jobs, news agency ANI quoted OFarrell as saying. Apart from bilateral ties, the two leaders are expected to discuss the prevailing situation due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Australian PM told reporters on Sunday that he was looking forward to discussing the countries responses to the Covid-19 pandemic, said PTI quoting a report in Australian Associated Press. Prime Minister Modi and I will also discuss new opportunities in defence, trade, maritime safety and security, science and technology, and education, Morrison said. As like-minded democracies and natural strategic partners, Australia and India are in full agreement that our strong bilateral relationship is key to a more open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific, he said. Thursdays meeting will be Prime Minister Modis first bilateral summit to take place virtually given the embargos on travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Australian High Commissioner said it will be like a virtual interview between two friends. The virtual summit meet will be like a virtual interview between two friends, discussing how each country is dealing with Covid-19. They may share commentary on the hard task of how to ease restrictions, ANI quoted Barry OFarrell as saying. Australia has reported a total of 7,193 confirmed Covid-19 cases along with 103 deaths so far, according to PTI. Indias Covid-19 tally, on the other hand, is inching towards the two lakh-mark. With more than 8,000 new cases and 230 deaths between Sunday and Monday morning, Indias tally rose to 190,535 on Monday. On Sunday, the two Premiers indulged in some light-hearted banter on Twitter when Scott Morrison shared images of ScoMosas and mango chutney made by him on his Twitter feed. Sunday ScoMosas with mango chutney, all made from scratch - including the chutney! A pity my meeting with @narendramodi this week is by videolink. Theyre vegetarian, I would have liked to share them with him, Morrison posted on Twitter and tagged PM Modi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to his Australian counterparts offer, saying they look delicious. Connected by the Indian Ocean, united by the Indian Samosa! Looks delicious, PM @ScottMorrisonMP! Once we achieve a decisive victory against COVID-19, we will enjoy the Samosas together. Looking forward to our video meet on the 4th, PM Modi tweeted. Morrison, who was due to visit India in January this year, had to cancel his trip following the bushfire crisis in south-eastern Australia. More than 6,200 Michiganders applied to help redraw Michigans political districts, using 2020 U.S. Census data, ahead of the 2022 elections. State officials have processed 6,262 completed and notarized applications for the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, and anticipated more coming in before the 5 p.m. deadline Monday, June 1. Following the nine-month application window, a third-party firm will select 200 semi-finalists at random before the commission members are selected in August. Our goal during this first phase of the process was to ensure every Michigander knew about this opportunity to be a part of our states history and had the information and resources they needed to apply, said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in a prepared statement. The sheer volume of applications weve received tells us we were incredibly successful in achieving that goal. The redistricting commission was approved by voters in 2018. Proposal 2 aimed to thwart gerrymandering by taking the redistricting process out of the hands of legislators. The responsibility would instead be given to a 13-member commission made up of four people affiliated with the Democratic party, four people affiliated with the Republican party and five not affiliated with either party. Among the first 6,000 applications received, state officials said applicants were from 82 of the states counties, and most applicants were not affiliated with a political party. Eighty-five percent of applicants were white, 61 percent were male, and 43 percent were 65 or older. According to July 1, 2019 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, Michigans population is 79% white, 50.8% female and 17% over the age of 65. Random selection of semi-finalists will be done by the independent accounting firm Rehmann LLC. The semi-finalists will be posted online and delivered to legislative leaders by the end of June. Legislators will be allowed to strike up to 20 applications per the Michigan Constitution. As part of the application process, 250,000 applications were randomly mailed out on Dec. 30, 2019, according to the Secretary of States Office. Two periods of public comment were also held, as well as 59 in-person events across the state and 11 virtual town halls in the last month of the application period. The 2018 Voters Not Politicians ballot proposal passed with 61.27 percent of votes (2.5 million) in favor of the proposal. For more information, visit the states frequently asked questions page for the initiative. Read more on MLive: Gov. Whitmer to lift stay-at-home order, allow in-person dining at Michigan restaurants Michigan reports lowest 24-hour coronavirus case increase in months Things feel so dark, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says on riots, coronavirus and Midland flooding Whats allowed to reopen in Michigan and what isnt? Why is Michigans coronavirus death rate so high? Technavio has been monitoring the ethyl alcohol market and it is poised to grow by USD 21.56 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost 7% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005477/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Ethyl Alcohol Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Advanced BioEnergy LLC, Archer Daniels Midland Co., BP Plc, Cargill Inc., Green Plains Inc., INEOS Group Holdings SA, LyondellBasell Industries NV, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp., Pacific Ethanol Inc., and Solvay SA are some of the major market participants. Although the increasing demand for ethanol in the food processing industry will offer immense growth opportunities, increasing demand for electric vehicles will challenge the growth of the market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. The increasing demand for ethanol in the food processing industry has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. However, increasing demand for electric vehicles might hamper the market growth. Ethyl Alcohol Market 2020-2024: Segmentation Ethyl Alcohol Market is segmented as below: End-user Automotive Food And Beverages Personal Care Pharmaceutical Others Geographic Landscape APAC Europe MEA North America South America 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=IRTNTR40046 Ethyl Alcohol Market 2020-2024: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our ethyl alcohol marketreport covers the following areas: Ethyl Alcohol Market size Ethyl Alcohol Market trends Ethyl Alcohol Market industry analysis This study identifies the growing demand for ethyl alcohol in the automotive industry as one of the prime reasons driving ethyl alcohol market growth during the next few years. Ethyl Alcohol Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the Ethyl Alcohol Market, including some of the vendors such as Advanced BioEnergy LLC, Archer Daniels Midland Co., BP Plc, Cargill Inc., Green Plains Inc., INEOS Group Holdings SA, LyondellBasell Industries NV, Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp., Pacific Ethanol Inc., and Solvay SA. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the Ethyl Alcohol Market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Ethyl Alcohol Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024 Detailed information on factors that will assist ethyl alcohol market growth during the next five years Estimation of the ethyl alcohol market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the ethyl alcohol market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of ethyl alcohol market vendors Table Of Contents : PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT 2.1 Preface 2.2 Preface 2.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE Market ecosystem Market characteristics Value Chain Analysis Market segmentation analysis PART 04: MARKET SIZING Market definition Market sizing 2019 Market Outlook Market size and forecast 2019-2024 PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY END-USER Market segmentation by end-user Comparison by end-user Automotive Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Food and beverages Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Personal care Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Pharmaceutical Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Others Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by end-user PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024 APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024 MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Key leading countries Market opportunity PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 11: MARKET TRENDS Reduction in arable land Growing demand for ethyl alcohol in automotive industry Increase in government initiatives supporting the use of ethyl alcohol PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Advanced BioEnergy LLC Archer Daniels Midland Co. BP Plc Cargill Inc. Green Plains Inc. INEOS Group Holdings SA LyondellBasell Industries NV Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp. Pacific Ethanol Inc. Solvay SA PART 14: APPENDIX Research methodology List of abbreviations Definition of market positioning of vendors PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO About Us 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/20200601005477/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/ Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 2 2020 Midwife Yati Maryati, 37, is worried about interacting with her children every time she returns home from the community health center (Puskesmas) where she works in Jakarta. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she has worn a mask everywhere she goes, even at home. But Yati and her husband have to keep working to pay for loans and living expenses for their family, while keeping their three children entertained at home as schools are closed. Maybe we need a work-from-home policy so that we have more time to take care of the kids, said Yati, suggesting that she work remotely two or three days a week. 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 The south-west monsoon made an onset over Kerala on Monday morning, keeping its normal arrival date of June 1, with heavy to very heavy rains and strong southwesterly winds blowing many parts of the state. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast on Monday that the monsoon this year was likely to be normal at 102% of long period average (LPA) with a model error of (+/-) 4% According to IMDs second long-range forecast update for the monsoon, north-west India is expected to receive excess monsoon rainfall at 107% of LPA; Central India is likely to get 103% of LPA, while south peninsula and north-east India area likely to receive 102% and 96% of LPA respectively with a model error of (+/-) 8%. The forecast added that there is a 41% probability of a normal monsoon, 25% probability of an above normal monsoon, and only 5% probability of deficient rains. In its first long-range forecast released in April, IMD predicted that monsoon rain will be 100% of LPA this year. Normal is defined as 96 to 104% and above normal as 104 to 110% of LPA. Monsoon rains are critical for farmers in India, where nearly half the people directly or indirectly depend on agriculture for a living. Around 60% of the countrys net-sown area does not have any form of irrigation. Millions of farmers wait for the rains to begin the summer sowing of major crops such as rice, sugar, cotton, coarse cereals and oilseeds. Half of Indias farm output comes from summer crops dependent on these rains. We are expecting very good rains this year. As you can see the forecast is skewed towards the positive side, said M Rajeevan, secretary, Union ministry of earth sciences. According to global weather experts, El Nino Southern Oscillation (Enso) neutral conditions are prevailing over the equatorial Pacific, and neutral Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) conditions are prevailing over the Indian Ocean. El Nino is a climate pattern characterised by high sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean. El Nino years in India are linked to below-normal monsoon rains and higher-than-normal heat waves. Last year, weak El Nino conditions prevailed, leading to the delayed onset of monsoon. Global models are also indicating cool Enso conditions are likely to prevail this monsoon with some possibility of development of weak La Nina conditions, characterised by low sea surface temperatures across the east-central Equatorial Pacific in the later part of the monsoon season. La Nina is good for the monsoon unlike El Nino. This is good news, said M Mohapatra, director general, IMD. We cant say anything this year because we havent made a forecast. Conditions are favourable for a good monsoon because of Enso neutral conditions. In fact, personally I think there will be above normal rains, said Mahesh Palawat, vice president (climate and meteorology) at Skymet Weather, which couldnt release a forecast this year because of logisitical issues related to the national lockdown and because they are in the process of updating their models. According to IMDs national weather forecasting centre, the monsoon has already advanced into all of the South Arabian Sea; Lakshadweep, most parts of Kerala and even some parts of Tamil Nadu. Kozhikode received 15cm rain from Sunday morning to Monday 8.30am, while Trivandrum and Kannur received 6cm rain each. Kerala received very good rains and monsoon is advancing well. The winds are south-westerly and westerly, very strong winds. There are convective clouds over south-east Arabian Sea. All parameters for monsoon onset are now met, said K Sathi Devi, head of the National Weather Forecasting Centre. He added that the monsoon winds were strengthened by the depression formed over south-east Arabian Sea, which is likely to develop into a cyclone on Tuesday. More than 70% of the 14 rainfall monitoring stations used to declare the monsoon onset over Kerala have reported rainfall during last 48 hours. Westerly winds have strengthened in the lower levels (wind speed up to 20 knots) and deepened up to 4.5km over the south Arabian Sea, IMD said. IMDs onset guidelines include a clause that says 60% of 14 stations enlisted in Lakshadweep, Kerala and Coastal Karnataka should report rainfall of 2.5mm or more for two consecutive days. The south-west monsoon normally sets in over Kerala around June 1. It advances northwards, usually in surges, and covers the entire country around July 15. The Electoral Commission (EC) and the National Identification Authority (NIA) will soon go ahead with their registration exercises following the lifting of the ban on public and social gatherings. Nana Akufo-Addo in an address on Sunday urged such bodies to adhere to safety protocols during their activities. Statutory bodies such as the Electoral Commission, the National Commission for Civic Education, and the National Identification Authority, whose activities were exempted from the outset from these restrictions, must conduct their activities in accordance with social distancing and the necessary hygiene and safety protocols, he said. President Akufo-Addo, on March 15, 2020, banned all public gatherings including conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, political rallies, church activities, and other related events as part of measures to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country. The National Identification Authority which was organising its Ghana Card registration exercise at the time was compelled to suspend the exercise. At the time, Ghana had recorded six cases of COVID-19. Ghanas COVID-19 case count As of Sunday, May 31, 2020, Ghana has recorded 8070 cases with 2947 recoveries and 36 deaths citinewsroom SACRAMENTO Gov. Gavin Newsom urged restraint in protests against the Minnesota police killing of George Floyd, sidestepping calls for a crackdown from President Trump even as California mobilized thousands of National Guard troops in anticipation of additional unrest across the state. Following a weekend of tense demonstrations, Newsom said Monday that there would be accountability for law enforcement officers who have been accused of using excessive force against protesters, as well as for rioters and looters whom he characterized as hell-bent on creating violence and drowning out the voices of legitimate protests. We want restraint. We want as much expression of respect with law enforcement and protesters as humanly possible, the governor said during a news conference at a predominantly African American church in south Sacramento. But we also need peace. And we need to protect small businesses. And we need to protect people that are scared. Newsom said he had called up more than 4,500 National Guard members and 7,000 California Highway Patrol officers in recent days to deploy to communities requesting assistance with crowd control. But he declined to publicly address Trumps appeal Monday for governors to dominate protesters or risk having them run over you. Mario Tama / Getty Images Newsom, who took part in a video call with Trump and other governors, told reporters that I can choose to focus on a message that is so much more powerful and, I hope, more resonant to people watching and that is: I care more about them than some of the noise I heard on a morning phone call. Protests against police brutality erupted nationwide over the weekend after a white Minneapolis police officer killed Floyd, a black man, by kneeling on his neck during an arrest last week. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been fired and charged with murder. In the Bay Area, demonstrators and police clashed amid widespread looting and hundreds of arrests. Cities across the region have implemented curfews in an attempt to keep protesters home. Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County on Saturday night and deployed the National Guard. In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed said the Guard was put on standby to help subdue unrest after an outbreak of looting Saturday, but Sunday night was relatively peaceful and Guard troops were not called out. The situation in California and elsewhere infuriated Trump, who railed on Twitter throughout the weekend against leftist agitators he said were stirring up the protests and the media, which he accused of fomenting hatred and anarchy. In the video call with governors Monday, Trump lambasted their weak response to the weekend of unrest, according to news reports. Trump called Minneapolis, where the protests began, a laughingstock all over the world and railed against the destruction seen in cities including Los Angeles. Mario Tama / Getty Images Whats going on in Los Angeles I have a friend lives in Los Angeles they say all the storefronts are gone, the president said in audio obtained by CBS News. Theyre all broken and gone. The merchandise is gone. Its a shame. He urged governors to use the National Guard to maintain control. If they dont do whats needed to keep order in their states, Trump said later in a Rose Garden address, he will send military troops to police the streets and solve the problem for them. The last time the federal government took such action was in 1992 in Los Angeles during riots after police officers were acquitted in the beating of Rodney King. Now Playing: From peaceful protest to mass arrests: Police in Oakland fires tear gas at protesters condemning the killing of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer during the fourth night of demonstrations in the Bay Area. Video: Matthias Gafni, Mallory Moench, Erika Carlos You have to dominate. If you dont dominate, youre wasting your time, Trump told the governors on the video call. Theyre going to run over you. Youre going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate. Newsom did not directly respond to those comments Monday, but he said the protests were the result of the conditions created by a society thats about dominance and aggression. He said the country had ignored institutional racism and the complaints of African Americans for generations, though he did not offer any specific policy changes for California. The black community is not responsible for whats happening in the country right now. We are. We are, Newsom said. People have lost patience because they havent seen progress. Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff In a piece of welcome news, a group of doctors in Italy have said the coronavirus is losing its potency and has become much less lethal. The swabs that were taken for testing in Italy in the past 10 days showed, in quantitative terms, infinitesimal viral load compared with those taken a month or two ago, said the head of San Raffaele Hospital in Milan. 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 Oakland police on Monday morning reported that about 60 people were arrested during Sunday's demonstrations over the death of black man George Floyd under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer last week. The arrests were for crimes including shooting at officers, vandalism, looting and illegal possession of firearms, according to police. One specific incident reported at 12:09 a.m. Monday involved shots fired at the Oakland police headquarters at 455 Seventh St. No injuries were reported, and police detained three people on suspicion of the shooting. Lootings and break-ins were was reported around the city, which also had multiple reports of sideshow activity that led to an arrest of one person and towing of a vehicle, police said. One Oakland police officer suffered injuries not considered life-threatening during the demonstrations and was taken to a hospital. More for you San Francisco police report 80 arrests, looting and trash fires San Leandro police also reported looting of numerous shopping centers in their city overnight, with several dozen businesses impacted. Police encourage businesses to take inventory of losses prior to calling the Police Department or filing a report online. People can call the San Leandro police dispatch line at (510) 577-2730, ext. 1, and should only call 911 if there is an emergency. The online reporting website for San Leandro police can be found at http://sanleandro.org/depts/pd/fileapolicereport/start_report.asp. The protests and looting over Floyd's death prompted the Alameda County Sheriff's Office to advise all residents to stay home Sunday night and early Monday morning. 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. OPEC and Russia are moving closer to a compromise on extending current oil output cuts and are discussing a proposal to roll over supply curbs for one to two months, three OPEC+ sources told Reuters on Monday. OPEC+ decided in April to cut output by a record 9.7 million barrels per day, or about 10% of global output, to lift prices battered by a demand drop linked to lockdown measures aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus. Rather than easing output cuts in July, sources told Reuters last week that de-facto OPEC leader Saudi Arabia was leading discussions on sustaining them until the end of the year. However, it was yet to win support from Russia, which believes curbs could be eased gradually. "It is the proposal now, but it is yet to be finalised," one OPEC+ source said of the 1-2 month extension. "It's for a month or two, not for half a year," one Russian oil source said, on the rollover of the existing cuts. Another OPEC+ source said there was support for Russia's proposal for an extension of one month, but "we still do not have consensus over it". The OPEC+ group is likely to hold an online meeting on June 4 to discuss output policy, after Algeria, which currently holds the presidency of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), proposed a meeting planned for June 9-10 be brought forward. Reduced production from OPEC+, combined with a record decline in output from non-members such as the United States and Canada, have helped to lift oil prices towards $35 per barrel, but they remain at only half the level of the start of the year Olivia Holt was slammed as tone deaf after sharing anecdote about what she did with a Black Lives Matter sticker she came across. The Cloak & Dagger actress, 22, took to Twitter on Sunday with a picture of a Black Lives Matter sticker appended to her refrigerator in a move she said was sparked by the death of George Floyd and subsequent societal unrest that led to nationwide riots over the weekend. 'I walked into my kitchen this morning and looked at my fridge,' the Tennessee native tweeted. 'A few months after i moved into my home i found this sticker in a bag. and instead of throwing this sticker away i threw it up on my fridge bc this, this is not just a sticker. this is important and this is real.' The latest: Olivia Holt was slammed as tone deaf after sharing anecdote about what she did with a Black Lives Matter sticker she came across. She was snapped in NYC last year Some questioned why she initially wanted to toss the sticker, or only now said something about the organization, while others implied that the tweet came across as vapid. One person wrote, 'would you like a cookie or something....' while another said, 'you did it. you ended racism.' One user said, 'can we talk about how she considered throwing it away and thought it was courageous to keep it? girl' In a follow-up tweet - ostensibly to quell the skeptics, Holt said she felt the time is now to talk about what is going on in regards to the issues presented in the case. Speaking out: Holt said she felt the time is now to talk about what is going on in regards to the issues presented in the case Support: In addition to the sticker, Olivia used a BLM hashtag in making clear she stands with the organization in their drive for social equality 'Im devastated over all of this. but w that being said i know that to be silent is to be complicit. and just feeling devastated and all of the other feelings we have felt in the last couple days, months, and years, isnt enough, said Holt, who on her Instagram bio added the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter along with a link to ways to donate. The Kickin It star added a third message on the topic, writing: 'so i choose to speak up. for my black and brown friends, sisters, brothers and fellow humans. i choose to do my part as i know the privilege i stand in. and i stand with u. i support u. i value u. i hear u. i see u. u matter. #BlackLivesMatter.' Holt's remarks came nearly a week after 46-year-old restaurant security guard George Floyd died after since-fired police officer Derek Chauvin held him down with a knee to the back of his neck. Floyd died Monday after Chauvin - who has since been fired and charged in the incident - kneeled on the back of his neck while he was handcuffed, rendering him unable to breath in a horrifying incident that was caught on camera. Say what? Some questioned why she initially wanted to toss the sticker, or only now sad something about the organization Unimpressed: Some users implied that Holt's anecdote was vapid and self-serving In the incident, arresting officers said Floyd matched the description of a forgery suspect, and subsequently resisted them when they took him into custody. Floyd pleaded to Chauvin, 'Please, please, please, I can't breathe. Please, man ... my stomach hurts, my neck hurts, everything hurts ... I can't breathe' before passing out. He later died in police custody in a nearby hospital. Chauvin faces charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, though the trio of officers he was with, who were also fired, haven't been charged in connection with the incident. In the wake of the jarring sequence of events, riots began in Minnesota and spread both nationwide and internationally, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets, even amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The incident has drawn parallels to the Los Angeles riots of 1992 which broke out after police were acquitted in their trial over the beating of Rodney King, which was caught on video camera. In the five days of rioting, more than 60 people died, 2,000-plus were hurt and damages to destroyed property topped $1 billion. The daughter of a woman who died after contracting the coronavirus at a Portland long-term care facility filed a $1.8 million lawsuit last month claiming elder abuse. Angela Brown says her 75-year-old mother, Judith Jones, contracted coronavirus and died because of Healthcare at Foster Creeks negligence, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. In the complaint, Brown listed problems state investigators found at the nursing home, now connected to 29 deaths and 119 cases of COVID-19. The Oregon Department of Human Services recently suspended the homes license. Foster Creek is run by Benicia Senior Living and is owned by St. Jude Operating Company, and both are named in the lawsuit. A Benicia co-owner didnt immediately respond to a request for comment and St. Jude representatives couldnt be reached. Jones, who had dementia, lived in a locked unit at Foster Creek. For Brown, that afforded some comfort, because staff said workers werent going from unit to unit, the lawsuit says. But state inspectors findings said the outbreaks spread to the locked unit was likely due to staff working across units. On April 18, Jones was taken to a hospital emergency room with a fever, according to the lawsuit. She tested positive for the coronavirus and died April 25. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits COVID-19 Oregon Former National Security Adviser Susan Rice Claims Russia Could Be Behind George Floyd Riots The last national security adviser of the Obama administration claimed on May 31 that the violent demonstrations across the United States which followed the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis could be funded by Russia. In an interview with CNN on Sunday, Susan Rice said she believes there is a pattern in the nationwide demonstrations against police brutality following Floyds death, and that Russia could be behind the widespread violence and riots. This is right out of the Russian playbook as well, Rice said during a televised interview, without offering evidence to back up her claims. We cant allow the extremists, the foreign actors, to distract from the real problems we have in this country. She told the news outlet that foreign actors have been trying to sow discord in the United States for years during chaotic periods. They take any divisive, painful issue and they play on both sides, she said. Their aim is to not simply embarrass the United States, their aim is to divide us. I would not be surprised to learn that they have fomented some of these extremists on both sides using social media, Rice added. I wouldnt be surprised to learn that they are funding it in some way, shape, or form. Her comments followed an announcement from President Donald Trump Sunday that his administration will declare Antifa, a far-left group that is closely tied to communist and quasi-Marxist movements, as a terrorist organization as violent protests continue to grip cities nationwide. The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization, Trump wrote in a series of messages on Twitter blaming rioting during police brutality protests on Antifa and other radical left elements. Members of an anti-fascist or Antifa group march as the Alt-Right movement gathers for a Demand Free Speech rally in Washington, on July 6, 2019. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds//AFP/Getty Images) To designate Antifa a terrorist organization, fine, but lets also focus on the right-wing terrorist organizations, Rice said Sunday. We have peaceful protesters focused on the very real pain and disparities that were all wrestling with that have to be addressed, and then we have extremists whove come to try to hijack those protests and turn them into something very different, she continued. And theyre probably also, I would bet based on my experience, Im not reading the intelligence these days, but based on my experience this is right out of the Russian playbook as well. The Epoch Times has previously linked the extremist anarchist-communist group Antifa to tactics modeled on the Russian Soviet regime. The organization was initially part of the Soviet Unions front operations to bring about communist dictatorship in Germany, and it worked to label all rival parties as fascist. The organization can be traced to the united front of the Soviet Unions Communist International (Comintern) during the Third World Congress in Moscow in June and July 1921, according to the German booklet (pdf) 80 Years of Anti-Fascist Action by Bernd Langer, published by the Association for the Promotion of Anti-Fascist Culture. Langer is a former member of the Autonome Antifa, formerly one of Germanys largest Antifa organizations, which disbanded in 2004. The idea of the united front strategy was to bring together left-wing organizations in order to incite communist revolution. The Soviets believed that following Russias revolution in 1917, communism would next spread to Germany, since Germany had the second-largest communist party, the KPD (Communist Party of Germany). Protests erupted across much of the United States last week over the treatment of Floyd, who died in the custody of Minneapolis police. The protests in some cases have shifted to violent riots in cities nationwide. Protesters march along the freeway that exits St. Paul on their way to US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis via the Saint Anthony Falls bridge on the fourth day of protests and violence following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) A widely circulated video showed Floyd, 46, lying down and handcuffed as a police officer was seen kneeling on the mans neck for nearly nine minutes. The footage showed Floyd telling officers that he cant breathe before his body went motionless. According to a Minneapolis Fire Department report (pdf), Floyd was unresponsive and pulseless when he was being transported into an ambulance by paramedics from the site of his arrest to the hospital. The police officer who was seen kneeling on the mans neck, Derek Chauvin, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter on Friday. Chauvin and three other police officers involved in the arrest have since been fired. According to preliminary autopsy findings by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, there was no sign that Floyd died due to strangulation or traumatic oxygen deprivation. The autopsy report cited in the complaint (pdf) against Chauvin suggests Floyd died from a combination of heart disease and potential intoxicants in his system that were aggravated by the restraint placed on him by officers. Atlanta, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Denver, Cincinnati, Portland, Oregon, and Louisville, and Kentucky are among regions which have been heavily rocked by civil unrest in recent days. Joshua Philipp and Janita Kan contributed to this report. The startup has signed up more than 300 doctors from various fields, for smart care management Mumbai based CliniVantage Healthcare Technologies has launched CliniQ which is a complete practice management solution with telemedicine & advanced features that encompasses a mobile application for patients and the integration of smart IoT devices. The solution launched a week back has signed up more than 300 doctors and has been successful in revolutionizing the synergy between patients and doctors by plugging intuitive technology to provide real-time care during COVID-19. Currently what India needs is a quality healthcare system that is affordable and accessible to most of Indian citizens. With all the possible uncertainties we dont have a clear picture of how to mitigate the spread of pandemics like COVID 19 in vulnerable populations. At present, technology is turning out to be our best bet for enabling early detection of the disease and supporting remote monitoring. The right use of technology will enable physicians to do real-time monitoring of the health data to accelerate the treatment in time with improved effectiveness. Nilesh Jain, Co-Founder & Managing Director, CliniVantage Healthcare Technologies, said, The fear surrounding the spread of the pandemic COVID 19 has increased the engagement with digital health throughout the world. The outbreak is an example of how a country like India needs to speed up the adoption of technology to address the need of the masses. The idea behind the launch of CliniQ is to bridge the gap between people, physicians, and health systems, enabling everyone, especially symptomatic patients, to stay at home and communicate with physicians through virtual channels, helping to reduce the spread of the virus to mass populations and the medical staff on the frontlines. CliniQ helps practitioners to build, scale, and optimize their practice by providing service through virtual examination, he added India's healthcare system is inadequate to provide quality infrastructure and workforce to millions of its citizens is well known. CliniQ has unified all the roles of doctors practice so that they can provide advanced clinical care, and bypass various redundant tasks to seamlessly communicate, exchange medical records, and information. CliniQs patient app will allow patients to notify doctors at the time of emergency and access as well as renew the diagnostics orders & e-prescription. The startup plans to connect patients, physicians, and specialists on one platform in order to take the second opinion which is required for the right treatment. Rapid growth of the construction industry and flourishing automotive industry drive the growth of the global advanced glass market. Based on region, North America contributed to the highest market share in 2019, and would maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. The revenue generated from the building & construction segment is likely to decline for a few months of coronavirus pandemic as construction activities have been stopped amid lockdown. Portland, OR, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global advanced glass market generated $57.6 billion in 2019, and is estimated to reach $103.8 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 7.6% from 2020 to 2027. The report offers an extensive analysis of changing market dynamics, key winning strategies, business performance, major segments, and competitive scenario. Rapid growth of the construction industry, flourishing automotive industry, and surge in need for better infrastructure due to rapid urbanization drive the growth of the global advanced glass market. However, complications involved in the implant and high cost of advanced glass implants hinder the market growth. On the other hand, strict government legislation regarding the use of energy-efficient products and desire to use renewable resources create new opportunities in the coming years. Request Report Sample at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2038 Covid-19 scenario: The lockdown situation has suspended the manufacturing activities across various industries such as automobile, defense equipment, and electronics, which reduced the demand for advanced glass. The revenue generated from the building and construction segment is anticipated to decline for a few months amid lockdown as construction activities have been stopped to avoid spread of coronavirus among construction workers. Advance glass manufacturers across China and India have huge opportunities to grow and generate maximum revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic effect in these countries is receding slowly and governments are now lifting the lockdown to start the industrial activities. Story continues Get Detailed COVID-19 Impact Analysis on the Advanced Glass Market @: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/2038?reqfor=covid The global advanced glass market has been segmented on the basis of function, product type, end-use industry, and region. Based on function, the safety & security segment contributed to the largest share in 2019, accounting for around two-fifths of the total share, and is estimated to maintain its dominant position during the forecast period. However, the solar control segment is estimated to portray the highest CAGR of 8.6% during the forecast period. Based on product type, the coated glass segment accounted for the largest share in 2019, holding nearly one-third of the total share, and is expected to maintain the largest share throughout the forecast period. However, the laminated glass segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 8.5% from 2020 to 2027. For Purchase Enquiry at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/2038 Based on region, North America contributed the highest share, accounting for nearly one-third of the total market share in 2019, and will maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 9.9% from 2020 to 2027. Leading market players analyzed in the research include Asahi Glass Co., Advanced Glass & Mirror Inc., Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co. Ltd., Corning Inc., Koch Industries, Huihua Glass Co. Limited, Saint Gobain, Sisecam Group, Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Ltd., and Tyneside Safety Glass. Interested in Procuring this Report? visit: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/advanced-glass-market/purchase-options Avenue Basic Plan | Library Access | 1 Year Subscription | Sign up for Avenue subscription to access more than 12,000+ company profiles and 2,000+ niche industry market research reports at $699 per month, per seat. For a year, the client needs to purchase minimum 2 seat plan. Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenue/trial/starter Get more information: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business -consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Toll Free (USA/Canada): +1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022, +1-503-446-1141 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-855-550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Lori Van Buren/Times Union Imagine a world without small businesses. You're right, it doesn't exist. Tiny tech start-ups can become global innovators and create thousands of jobs. Small restaurants add to the spice of life and can give young people their first job. Our many small businesses inject character and charm to our main streets and downtowns, creating a thriving sense of community that doesn't exist with big box stores. This pandemic has been brutal on small businesses. Many shuttered, resulting in thousands left without jobs and paychecks. Hopes and dreams of entrepreneurs who built their businesses, and built our communities, now down the drain. I know first-hand the struggles, having helped my mother start a small flower and gift shop, and my sister start a tech business. We must help small businesses survive and emerge stronger from this health care crisis. More than just our purchases, we need to give them a lifeline. One measure, in addition to deferring sales tax payments, is the New York Forward Loan Fund, recently announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The loan fund will make more than $100 million available in loans to small businesses that did not receive federal COVID-19 assistance, and will support businesses with 20 people or less, and with less than $3 million in gross revenues. Businesses interested in applying should visit esd.ny.gov/nyforwardloans. A world without small businesses? Not in New York. As we emerge from this unprecedented crisis, our new post-pandemic economy can and must be built back by our small businesses. Kathy Hochul Albany British photographer Adam Gray from SWNS, currently working in New York: Adam Gray / SWNS A British photographer has become one of the first members of the media to be arrested and charged for unlawful assembly while working at the George Floyd protests. Adam Gray, 33, said he had been taking photos of demonstrators near Union Square in New York City on Saturday evening when he was thrown to the ground by one police officer before several other officers climbed on top of him and forced him into handcuffs. Despite telling the New York Police Department (NYPD) officers he had a foreign press card issued by the US State Department, Mr Gray was arrested and put into a police vehicle. He spent the night in custody along with dozens of protestors and was later charged with unlawful assembly. The New York-based photojournalist for the South West News Service (SWNS) agency said: The whole time that I was being arrested, I was shouting that I was press and showing them my foreign press card but they just didnt seem to care. British photographer Adam Gray, currently working in New York (Adam Gray / SWNS) Mr Gray added: Ive worked in many other countries doing work like this and never has it gone as far as this. I couldnt believe it. The photographer had been walking along 13th Street near Union Square when he was detained. I walked down the street taking photos as I went and then the cops rushed the crowd, he said. I photographed the pandemonium that ensued of them pushing and grabbing protesters before one big cop came at me and pushed me to the ground with his truncheon to my chest. I smashed into the floor with my three cameras as three or four cops then got on top of me, restraining me and putting me in handcuffs as I shouted repeatedly that I was press. Mr Gray said the police claimed that they had made several orders for people to leave the area before he had arrived on the street. The photographer was put into a police van with about 20 other protesters where they had to wait for half an hour before being driven to the police station. I got searched, processed, had my photo taken and then put into a large holding cell of 50 to 70 people at its fullest with zero social distancing, he said. Police had removed masks from some protestors for their photo but then refused to give them back and did not offer any extra masks. Story continues Mr Gray was held in custody for eight hours until around 9:15am on Sunday, 31 May, when he had his fingerprints and photos taken. He was charged with unlawful assembly and given a ticket for a court date on 10 September 2020. CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and several members of his crew were arrested live on air when covering Friday evenings protests in Minneapolis. However, they were released without charge about an hour after his arrest and returned to cover the protests. Minnesota State Patrol just fired tear gas at reporters and photographers at point blank range. pic.twitter.com/r7X6J7LKo8 Molly Hennessy-Fiske (@mollyhf) May 31, 2020 Mr Gray said: I was really shocked when they arrested me, I was just in total disbelief Thankfully, I do not have any injuries but I am in disbelief at what happened. His employer SWNS vowed to help him fight the charge every step of the way. The agencys editor-in-chief Andrew Young said: This is an affront to press freedom and goes against every principle held dear by all journalists and those it aims to inform. Adam Gray has been on the front line daily covering the pandemic To be arrested for simply doing his job, at considerable risk to himself, while chronicling the violence that ensued following the tragic death of George Floyd is frankly outrageous. Washington last night. And our brilliant cameraman Pete Murtaugh clearly targeted by the police/a policeman https://t.co/WtDKS5Gjcc Jon Sopel (@BBCJonSopel) June 1, 2020 At least a dozen journalists were injured in cities across America this weekend. CNN cameraman Leonel Mendez and producer Bill Kirkos were both hit by rubber bullets as they were covering the street protests in Minneapolis. MSNBC anchor Ali Velshi was hit in his leg with a rubber bullet fired by police in Minneapolis, while Los Angeles Times photographer colleague Carolyn Cole was struck in the face by a rubber bullet. The BBCs North America editor Jon Sopel shared footage of BBC cameraman Peter Murtaugh being rushed by a police officer close to the White House in Washington DC on Monday night. Mr Sopel said he had been clearly targeted. Read more Journalists in several cities injured and arrested covering protests The World Health Organization stressed Monday that the new coronavirus has not suddenly become less pathogenic, following claims by a leading Italian doctor that COVID-19 had lost some of its potency. "That is not the case at all," WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan told a virtual press briefing. The claims by Alberto Zangrillo sparked a furore on Monday, with the Italian government urging caution. "In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy," said Zangrillo, head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, the capital of the northern Lombardy region, which has been the worst-hit by the pandemic. "The swabs performed over the past 10 days have showed a viral load that is absolutely infinitesimal in quantitative terms compared to those carried out a month or two months ago," he told RAI television on Sunday. That prompted cries of disbelief from other experts, who said Zangrillo may have mistaken a higher detection rate of asymptomatic cases for diminished potency of the virus. Still 'killer virus' The WHO's Ryan, an expert epidemiologist, spelled out the dangers in believing that the virus is becoming less potent. "New viruses in human populations can do one of two things: they can evolve and become less pathogenic, or sometimes they can become even more pathogenic," he explained. Ryan said it was not in the interests of the virus to kill everyone it infected because it could survive better if it can keep transmitting between people. "We need to be careful: this is still a killer virus," he said. "We need to be exceptionally careful not to create a sense that, all of a sudden, the virus, by its own volition, has now decided to be less pathogenic. That is not the case at all." 'We're doing better' Ryan detailed a possible explanation for what Zangrillo claimed he had observed. "It may, in some ways, have something to do with the dose and length of intensity of exposure," the Irishman explained. "In other words, the absolute amount of virus you're exposed to can determine how severe, ultimately, your illness can be.That has been proven with other diseases; we don't know that that's the case for COVID-19." "It may not be that the virus itself is becoming less potent: it may be that we are, as a community, successfully reducing the number, intensity and frequency of exposure to that virus. "On the face of it, the virus then looks weaker, but it may be weaker because we're doing better, not because the virus is weakening." WASHINGTON Members of Congress from the Capital Region are among the most bipartisan in Washington, according to a new list of rankings from Georgetown University. Although their districts vary from red to purple to blue, U.S. Reps. Antonio Delgado, D-Rhinebeck, Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, and Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, all scored in the top 50 most bipartisan members of the House out of 437. Although partisanship plagued Congress on issues including impeachment and immigration in 2019, the rankings show these lawmakers worked across the aisle more often than not on legislation. Stefanik was ranked the most bipartisan of the three, snagging 14th overall and a positive score of 1.41,indicating that she works with Democrats on legislation more than the average representative. She regularly works with Democrats on agriculture and veterans issues, although she also emerged as a staunch defender of President Donald Trump during his impeachment. "When I ran for Congress in 2014, I promised to work with anyone with ideas regardless of party lines to deliver results to the North Country," Stefanik said. "I have kept that promise since I was sworn into office. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., was ranked at number 65 of 98 senators and received a negative index score of -0.19, indicating that she works with Republicans on legislation less than the average senator. Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., were excluded from the rankings because of their leadership positions. I am proud to work across the aisle to get results," Gillibrand said. "Now, with millions of families facing the economic and public health fallout from this pandemic, it is critical that we work together to deliver for New Yorkers and the American people. Delgado, who won his seat in 2018 from a Republican, was ranked at 33 overall in the House, with a score of 1.06. "I am pleased to earn a ranking that reflects a genuine willingness to seek common ground for the betterment of NY-19 a district that is one-third Democrat, one-third Republican and one-third independent, he said. Although he's often pushing the House for more progressive climate policies, Tonko, who represents the solid blue Albany area, ranked at 48 overall, with a score of 0.86. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "While I will never compromise on my progressive principles and ideals, I have never believed in the politics of winners and losers," Tonko said. "Nearly every piece of legislation I have introduced in all my years in Congress has carried the name of a Republican colleague." Eleven New York representatives scored in the top 50 most bipartisan lawmakers in the House. The most bipartisan were Reps. John Katko, R-Camillus, and Pete King, R-Seaford, who took second and third respectively. The least bipartisan New York House member was Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-Bronx. The rankings from the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University incorporate data from all Congresses since 1993. They are based on the frequency with which members work with members of the other party on their bill sponsorships and co-sponsorships. Many functions and decisions within Congress remain bitterly partisan, especially those pitting the leadership of the parties against one another, said Dan Diller, Lugar Center policy director. Yet the Bipartisan Index continues to find an undercurrent of bipartisan cooperation between individual members of Congress on introducing and co-sponsoring legislation. - Uhuru said he shared in the pain of learners who were set to sit for their national exams but had not set foot in class since schools were closed in March - He stated he also understood the anguish of faithfuls who could no longer congregate and worship together despite Kenya being "a God-fearing country" - Uhuru directed Ministry of Health, Education and Interior to hasten consultations that will enable reopening of schools and churches without putting citizens at risk - The president is expected to issue fresh directives on June 6 when existing COVID-19 containment orders are set to expire President Uhuru Kenyatta has hinted at possible reopening of schools and places of worship that were closed in March 2020 to help curb spread of coronavirus in the country. Speaking during the 57th Madaraka Day celebrations at State House, Nairobi, Uhuru directed the ministries of health and education to fast-track consultations and come up with regulations to help in the gradual reopening learning institutions. READ ALSO: Madaraka Day: Ruto, wife Rachel among dignitaries celebrating national holiday at State House Uhuru said he shared in the pain of learners who were set to sit for their national exams. Photo: State House Kenya. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Jubilee Party endorses Senator Margaret Kamar to replace Kindiki as deputy speaker The president said reopening of schools was going to help candidates prepare for their national exams which were scheduled to kick off towards the end of the year. "I appreciate the anxiety weighing heavy on the minds of parents and children particularly those preparing for national examinations. In that regard, and conscious of the emerging trend of infections, I direct the Ministry of Education to fast-tracks and finalise the ongoing consultations with stakeholders. The regulations should provide an appropriate calendar for a gradual resumption of education in the country. The guidelines should also include protocols to be followed by all learning institutions to guarantee the safety of our children," said Uhuru. READ ALSO: Looters who stole iPhones from Apple stores won't be able to use them President Uhuru Kenyatta said guidelines needed to be developed to allow learners back at school and worshipers back in places of worship. Photo: State House Kenya. Source: UGC READ ALSO: 10 journalists among recipients of Uhuru's Uzalendo award In a separate story, TUKO.co.ke reported the Ministry of Education led by Cabinet Secretary (CS) George Magoha, had constituted a team of experts to chart a way forward on how education could be resumed in the country without exposing learners to the risk of contracting the virus. Magoha had hinted at the possible resumption of learning in September 2020. In his speech, Uhuru also stated he understood tribulations of many faithfuls who could no longer congregate and pray despite Kenya being "a God-fearing nation". As such, the head of state directed the CS Fred Matiang'i-led Interior Ministry to hasten its engagements with the health docket and come up with policies that will guide congregants during worship. The Head of State said he understood the anguish of faithful who could no longer congregate and worship as a result of COVID-19. Photo: State House Kenya. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Picha ya katibu wa Cotu Francis Atwoli akionekana mpweke Ikulu yasambaa "That conscious of Kenya as a God-fearing nation, I direct the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Health to hasten their engagement with religious leaders; with the objective of developing protocols that will be adopted to guide a more participatory way of worship while guaranteeing the safety of worshipers. I share the heavy hearts of all the faithful who can no longer congregate and share in worship of the Almighty," said Uhuru. Photo: State House Kenya. Source: Twitter READ ALSO: 9 captivating photos of foul-mouthed "female Andrew Kibe" King Kalala Since schools were closed in March, a section of schools resorted to continue covering the syllabus through online classes. Though some institutions had made strides in delivering the curriculum online, this had heavily disadvantaged students and pupils from poor backgrounds and those who can not access the internet. Earlier, Uhuru had hinted at restarting the economy soon urging the country could not continue being locked down. If the economic meltdown lasted longer, the President expressed fear many livelihoods will be devastated. READ ALSO: Kenyan newspapers review for June 1: Ruto expected to meet Uhuru as country marks Madaraka Day President Uhuru poses for a photo with his wife Margaret Kenyatta. Photo: State House Kenya. Source: Twitter READ ALSO: Keroche heiress Anerlisa, TZ lover finally wed in beautiful intimate ceremony To be able to resume some level of normalcy, the president urged every citizen to continue adhering to high standards of hygiene lest the country plunged into a second wave of infection. The President is expected to issue fresh directives on June 6 when existing COVID-19 containment measures, which include cessation of movement and dusk to dawn curfew orders, are set to expire. Here are some of the reactions to Uhuru's directives: 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. Why I beat my own mother- Lucy Nyawira | Tuko Talks | Tuko TV. Source: TUKO.co.ke Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on March 31 announced there wont be any examinations for final-year college/university students across the state due to coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. However, implementing this could be tough with the human resource development ministry and its body University Grants Commission (UGC) saying final year exams will be held. Thackeray said final-year students will be awarded aggregate marks depending on their performance in the past semesters. Maharashtra is the first state to cancel exams. However, Moneycontrol spoke to a few state-level professors and national-level vice-chancellors who said while holding examinations right now is not possible, cancelling them altogether may not be a viable option. Also Read: Maharashtra CM orders final-year exams to be cancelled Students will apply for further education programmes in India and abroad. If aggregate marks are taken, candidates may lose out on getting entry into prestigious institutes. Some form of testing is necessary, said the economics department head at a Mumbai-based college. The union HRD ministry and minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank have clarified on multiple occasions that is not feasible to cancel examinations for final year students. In an interaction with higher education institutions on May 28 as well, Nishank said if the COVID-19 situation does not improve by July, new modes of conducting exams will have to be looked at. However, he reiterated that institutions cannot cancel examinations and have to conduct it for all final-year students. The vice-chancellor of a West Bengal university said it would be tougher for students from Maharashtra to apply for courses in other states with aggregate marks. Exams have not been cancelled across the country. Hence, students from Maharashtra may lose out compared to someone from maybe Bengal or Tamil Nadu who will be able to present better scores for the final term, he added. He also said UGC guidelines do not allow granting of degrees without conducting examinations. Hence, the VC said it would be tough to allow this scenario by the central government and its allied bodies. While the Maharashtra CM has given an option to students to appear at examinations at a later date if they want better marks, once the new academic sessions begin this could be challenging. If a student has been given say 65 percent as aggregate, how will they even apply for admissions to say a course where 75 percent is the cut-off. Even if he/she is able to improve their marks to 80-85 percent by September/October, how will this be useful? By then, admissions would have closed, said the director of a Chennai-based technical institute. As far as implementation is concerned, the performance of a candidate in the previous semester of the academic year has to be followed. It is not yet clear whether the final grade will be a simple average of past grades or whether some other formula will be used. Further, clarification is awaited for programmes mandatorily requiring separate marks for field projects. "Students who may have scored poorly due to absence or illness in the previous semester will lose out. He/she must be given an opportunity to appear at least for an oral test though the use of mobile, said the placements in-charge and deputy director of a Pune-based institute. Though a few institutes across India have started conducting examinations online, students without access to laptops and computers cannot access these systems. What did the Maharashtra CM say? During his public address on May 31, Thackeray said there is uncertainty around when examinations can be held in the state. The state has 67,655 cases of COVID-19 with 2,286 deaths so far. "Can examinations be held in June? No. Can they be held in July or August? I cannot say. Hence, students and their future should not suffer because of this," he added. But, if a student wants to appear for the final exams to improve their previous performance, they can be given an opportunity in September, October or November, based on how the situation evolves. CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) May 31, 2020 Thackeray said there was a meeting held with Vice-Chancellors (VCs) on May 30 regarding final year college exams. They (VCs) unanimously said the present circumstances do not allow for examinations to be held immediately as it is risky for lakhs of students to come together for exams, he added. It is estimated that 500,000 students across Maharashtra will benefit because of this announcement. Once the lockdown completely lifts, students who have a grievance with the aggregate marking system will voluntarily appear for examinations at a later date. Another water safety warning has been issued after two girls were rescued after getting into difficulty while swimming in the River Lee. The girls were among a large group of teens who had gathered in the Regional Park in Ballincollig, west of Cork city, on Saturday afternoon as temperatures soared. Several went swimming close to the parks weir but the alarm was raised when two of the girls got into difficulty. Onlookers threw a lifebuoy into the water as a local teenage boy with lifesaving skills went into the water to help them. Emergency services were also alerted but the girls were brought to safety. Both were taken to hospital for observation. They are expected to make a full recovery. The incident has prompted a water safety from Cork City Council, which manages the park, urging people not to swim in the river at this location. A spokesman said no swimming signs have been erected at this location for several years because the area can experience treacherous currents at any time. It is particularly prone to fast-flows and dangerous currents if the ESB discharges water from its hydroelectric dam at Inniscarra a few kilometres upstream. Locals familiar with the river said when such dam discharges occur, vast volumes of fast-flowing water can arrive at the weir area of the Regional Park minutes later without warning, catching people unaware. There was another near miss on Wednesday when a teenage girl crossing the river got into difficulty. The law has as a general principle, writes Francis, "the diligence of a good family father". Article 5, listing the fundamental principles, indicates "ethics in the orientation of economic choices and interlocutors on parameters of respect for the Church's social doctrine". There are also measures against conflict of interest, illicit competition agreements and corruption. So as to avoid "any distortion of competition and ensure equal treatment between all economic operators" Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Pope Francis has issued with a Motu Proprio a legal framework for awarding public contracts and contracts stipulated by the Holy See and the Vatican City State. The purpose of the legislation is to allow better management of resources and reduce the danger of corruption. The code, entitled "rules on transparency, control and competition in the procedures for awarding public contracts of the Holy See and Vatican City State" consists of 86 articles to which are added another 12 relating to jurisdictional protection in cases of litigation, has as general principle, wrote Francis, "the diligence of the good family father". The purposes of the new law are: the sustainable use of internal funds, transparency of procedures in awarding public contracts, "guarantee the same operators equal treatment and the possibility of participation through a special Register of economic operators and specific procedures ". Article 5 is of particular note where listing the fundamental principles, it indicates "ethical guidance in economic choices and interlocutors based on parameters of respect for the Church's social doctrine". There are also measures against conflict of interest, illicit competition agreements and corruption. So as to avoid "any distortion of competition and guarantee the same operators equal treatment among all economic operators" Francis explains that the possibility of achieving savings through the selection of multiple offers is decisive "in the management of public goods, where the need for faithful and honest administration is even more felt and urgent". The norms, the Motu proprio states, serve "to promote transparency, control and competition in the procedures for the awarding of public contracts stipulated on behalf of the Holy See and the State" of the Vatican. Companies that supply goods, services, works and works will be guaranteed "equal treatment and possibility of participation through a special register" and specific procedures. Companies that are subject to investigations, preventive measures or convictions at first instance for "participation in organized crime, corruption, fraud, terrorist offenses", for " money laundering" and "exploitation of child labor" will be excluded from the register and public competition. Causes for exclusion also include the failure to comply with "the obligations relating to the payment of taxes or social security contributions according to the regulations of the country in which the company is established", as well as residing or having established the fiscal seat in States "with privileged tax regimes ". A list of employees and part-time professional consultants authorized to perform the function of expert assessor and member of the adjudicating panel has also been established by the Secretariat for Economic Affairs. They are chosen and will rotate on the commissions, always based on their specific professional qualifications. The "incompatibilities" with the inclusion on this list are very detailed, and include family relationships "up to the fourth degree" or affinity "up to the second degree" of a subject referable to a tenderer who has submitted an offer or being a partner or having been a partner of a tenderer who has submitted a bid in the previous five years. Contact tracers have warned the NHS system designed to curb the spread of Covid-19 in Britain is 'obviously not ready' - and revealed they are being paid up to 27-an-hour to do nothing. Health officials warned 'key bits' of the programme for England were not yet up-and-running when it went live on Thursday, four days ahead of the billed start date of June 1. Scores of the 25,000 employees hired by the Government have come forward to say they have had no positive cases allocated to them since the launch, with one even suggesting there was a fault with the system. Contact tracers say the system remains 'shambolic' and unfit for purpose as millions of pupils return to school today. Workers last week also complained they hadn't had any training by the time it launched and had waited weeks for log-in details. The tracing programme aims to halt the virus and control local flare-ups by asking anyone who has been in contact with a Covid-19 positive case to self-isolate for 14 days. But there are concerns Britons will refuse to give friends or relatives details, and one call handler revealed two of the three potentially infected contacts she rang went straight to voicemail. The goal is to rapidly test anyone who logs Covid-19 symptoms - but antigen testing figures have barely budged in the past few days, and many Brits have to wait days to get their swab results. Around 8,000 Brits have been diagnosed with the disease since the system was launched. The head of the NHS Test and Trace has said test timings need to improve, and top experts say the system will only work if cases are turned around quickly - otherwise the virus will continue to spread. The Government has failed to reveal exactly how many people have been tested for eight days now, and has yet to provide information for how many people have been traced so far. A government diagram explain how the NHS Test and Trace system will work Contact tracers say the system in England is 'obviously not ready' while admitting they are being paid up to 27 per hour to do nothing. Pictured, operators in Belgium The government insisted yesterday that the system was running efficiently and had the capacity to handle 10,000 new cases per day. For comparison, statistics suggest fewer than 8,000 Brits are being struck down each day. Boris Johnson said the programme would be 'world beating' but evidence suggests the contact-tracing army has been left ill-prepared and, in many cases, workers have nothing to do at a cost to the taxpayer of 1.6million per day. ONE IN TEN BRITONS WILL IGNORE SELF ISOLATION RULES At least 10 per cent of Britons will ignore requests to self-isolate when contacted by NHS Covid tracers, a health chief has warned. Professor Isabel Oliver helped design the Government's tracing app to track those who are at risk of being infected. The Director of the Field Epidemiology Service at Public Health England told the Sunday Telegraph that though most people are willing to comply, a minority will disobey instructions. It is thought that lockdown fatigue will cause people to ignore advice offered to them. 'This has been a very prolonged outbreak,' she said. 'Invariably we find that everyone is very willing to help, but these are exceptional circumstances, with an outbreak that has been so prolonged and had such an extensive impact on the people's lives, so it is understanding that some people will be resistant. 'But having said that we are finding that lots of people are supportive and we are very grateful for that because for the programme to be successful in controlling the virus - we need that support from the nation as a whole.' Test and trace launched in England on Thursday and Professor Oliver's team immediately hit a wall of IT problems. But she stressed that any delays to having tracers logged in was down to the fact that the app is run on a 'very secure system'. Advertisement On a public Facebook group for clinical contact tracers, several reported spending most of their shifts waiting to be assigned cases through the system, called CTAS. It is supposed to show the patients assigned to a tracer along with unassigned cases that can be picked up. One tracer said he had not had any cases on Saturday, while another said two of three calls she made went straight to voicemail, The Times reports. One of the 3,000 clinical case workers hired by Public Health England said she had completed three four-hour shifts, at 27-an-hour, but hadn't made any calls yet. She told The Times: 'I have had absolutely nothing to do.' The nurse said she had seen 'zero cases' on the system throughout three shifts and felt 'tremendously guilty about doing the shifts and being paid and not having anything to do really'. 'It's very obviously not ready,' she said. 'Something is not working between CTAS and the test results that are coming in.' Another contact tracer said he was still waiting for login details to access training, and said the system had been 'chaotic'. His job as a 'tier three' call handler should be to ring the contacts of positive cases and tell them to self-isolate and curb the potential spread of Covid-19. Details of those who test positive are passed to a company called Sitel, which is running the track and trace handling across the UK. Agents read from a prepared script when they are given the name and telephone number of a person who has been diagnosed with Covid-19. They ask for the details of friends and family the infected person has come into contact with during the previous two weeks. The tracing agent then makes contact with those on their list and informs them they have to self-isolate. One tracer said colleagues who were on shift were 'sitting there all day waiting and just refreshing their screens'. He said: 'They've got nothing to do.' A Department of Health and Social Care Spokesperson said the 'overwhelming majority' of workers have had no concerns and that the claims do not represent the 'huge amount of work already underway' for the service. 'All staff have been trained and are fully supported in their work following procedures designed by public health experts,' they said. The public have not been given much confidence so far that they will not be phoned by a scammer and told to self-isolate. When asked how members of the public can be sure a phone call is genuine, Dr Jenny Harries, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, said it was 'highly unlikely with all the confidentiality around the data systems that you will be contacted inappropriately by anyone'. Speaking at yesterday's Downing Street briefing, she said: 'I think it will be very obvious in the conversation you have with them that they are genuine in that regard. 'I think it will be very evident when somebody rings you these are professionally trained individuals and sitting over them are a group of senior clinical professionals.' It followed a warning from a health official that at least 10 per cent of Britons will ignore requests to self-isolate when contacted by NHS Covid-19 tracers, due to lockdown fatigue or having to keep working. Professor Isabel Oliver, who helped design the Government's tracing app, told the Sunday Telegraph that though most people are willing to comply, a minority will disobey instructions. The government has so far refused to say exactly how many Brits have been contact traced. Matt Hancock claimed the 200,000-a-day coronavirus testing target had been met yesterday - but the number of people who have actually been tested has not come close to that figure. The Department of Health said only 115,725 tests had been carried out yesterday. But it has not been giving out the number for how many individuals were actually tested for eight days now. Some tests are carried out twice. The Health Secretary said the UK had the 'capacity' for 205,634 tests daily as of yesterday, describing it as 'one of the greatest national mobilisations we have seen'. But the level was also only reached by including 'capacity' to conduct 40,000 antibody tests - which tell if someone has previously had the infection, and not if they have it currently. Scientists have repeatedly said the contact tracing system will only work if testing is rapid because the aim is to find and isolate contacts of a positive case before they become infectious and spread the virus to others. Head of NHS Test and Trace Baroness Dido Harding has said test timings have 'got to get better and better'. The launch in England on Thursday came as a shock to some workers who hadn't been told what to do. Many contact tracers had no idea the system was launching that day. Others hadn't completed basic training. 'People are panicking as there is no information on the websites/systems to make the calls,' wrote one test and trace caller at 9.39am, on the day test and trace went live, in an internal chat seen by the Daily Mail. Others reported being sent their link for training at 8pm the night before the launch, while a manager said the instructions for what to do would 'cascade' down from the top on the day of the launch while admitting the process had been 'frustrating'. An internal chat seen by the Daily Mail says, 'People are also panicking as there is no information on the websites/systems for them to make the calls' BRITAIN ABANDONED TEST AND TRACE IN MARCH BECAUSE IT COULD ONLY HANDLE FIVE NEW CASES PER WEEK Britain abandoned test and tracing for the coronavirus earlier in the pandemic because the system could only cope with five cases a week, it has emerged. Official documents from the Government's Sage advisory committee reveal that the routine testing and tracing of contacts of people with the virus was stopped because Public Health England was facing a desperate shortage of capacity. Since the first Covid-19 cases were confirmed in York on January 31, 272,826 people in the UK have since tested positive for the virus. This week the Government launched the NHS England's Test and Trace programme, with 25,000 contact tracing staff and the capacity to trace the 10,000 contacts per day. The decision to scrap routine testing for those displaying symptoms 12 weeks ago is now being seen as a major factor for how the UK has the fifth-highest total number of infections. Sage documents show how, in a meeting on February 18, advisors said that Public Health England (PHE) could only manage the contacts of five Covid cases a week, hoping to possibly increase this to 50 people. Minutes from the meeting say: 'Currently PHE can cope with five new cases a week (requiring isolation of 800 contacts). Advertisement Some 10,000 call handlers were employed by Serco, one of which approached the Mail last week concerned that the system was catastrophically under-prepared. 'There's absolutely no chance it's ready,' the 38-year-old whistle-blower from Manchester said. 'If it does happen [this week] there will be catastrophic and continued failings from that day onwards. This is serious it's a pandemic, and lives are at risk. I'm genuinely worried about how we are about to be set loose on the public.' On Thursday an ex-shop worker now paid 10-an-hour as an NHS coronavirus 'track and tracer' claimed she had nothing to do. The call handler, who asked not to be named, told MailOnline she had been paid to sit and do nothing, and warned there was 'nothing we can do' about infected Brits who refuse to hand over the names and telephone numbers of people they came into close contact with. She said: 'Everything is voluntary and if they refuse to give us the names and telephone numbers there is nothing we can do,' said the track and trace agent. 'We work from a script and try to persuade the person to be co-operative but if they hang up we just move on to the next person. It seems a major flaw, but there is nothing we can really do about it.' One contact tracer told LBC radio on Friday it had been a 'complete shambles' so far, and they had not received their logon details for the site. And before 11am, medical phone handlers reported that the system had crashed, and were greeted with the message that 'this has been reported as a critical incident'. A Department of Health spokesman denied that the whole system had crashed. 'Anyone in the country can log on and book a test if they have symptoms and we have tracers logged on to do their vital work to help stop the spread of coronavirus and save lives,' the spokesman said. 'As with all large scale operations of this kind, some staff did initially encounter issues logging on to their systems and these are rapidly being resolved.' There are concerns about the fact the local aspect of the tracing system will not be ready until at least the end of June - as told to MPs by Baroness Dido Harding. One of the contact tracers said she had not been told how to escalate cases, something she is required to do when there is a larger public health concern, such as if a Covid-19 patient has visited a care home or school. It comes as reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils in England return to schools amid anxiety that the move has come too early. Several scientists have criticised major changes in the lockdown today, suggesting it is too early to lift restrictions and could cause infections to rapidly rise again. So what do you need to know about the NHS Test and Trace system for England? And how will it affect you and your loved ones? Where do I get a coronavirus test? Anyone with coronavirus symptoms - a fever, cough or loss of smell and taste - can now apply to get tested for the infection through the NHS. Officials offer Brits with tell-tale symptoms the chance to either test themselves at home, or to get swabbed at a drive-through centre. The test involves taking a swab of the inside of your nose and the back of your throat, using a long cotton bud. Anyone going to get tested must drive themselves, or be taken to their local site by someone they live with to prevent unnecessarily spreading the virus. The NHS says you can take up to three other people you live with to be tested at the same time. Home-tests - which involve you taking the swab yourself - are sent through the post and should arrive within 24 hours. Officials admit the test is best taken within five days of symptoms starting, and say that you may not get a test if you apply because of supply issues. Essential workers, such as NHS or social care staff, apply to be tested on a different government-run website. How long will it be before I know if I have the coronavirus? The aim of the scheme is to get all test results processed and returned within 24 hours but it is unlikely to hit that goal right at the start of the rollout. That means some people could face lengthy waits to find out if they have tested positive, potentially delaying the tracing process and allowing the virus to spread. Baroness Harding said of the test timings so far: 'Yesterday, the turnaround time of our tests - we returned 84 per cent of all tests in our drive-in centres within 24 hours. 'And 95 per cent of all tests within 48 hours. I still don't think that's good enough. It's got to get better and better.' Can employers ask for proof someone has been quarantined? For the first seven days, employees do not need to offer their bosses any proof that they are sick or self-isolating. But workers who have placed themselves in quarantine need to follow their firm's usual sickness reporting policy, lawyers say. Employers can seek evidence that a member of staff has been quarantined after a week off work, the government says. Officials launched an NHS scheme that allows Brits to get an isolation note, in case they are asked for proof of absence from their employer. Am I entitled to sick pay while I am self-isolating? Many Brits who have no symptoms and can work from home will be expected to do so, if they are told to self-isolate. But statutory sick pay (SSP) is available for people who are unable to carry out their job while they are self-isolating - either because they are sick or their job cannot be done at home. The SSP - 95.85 a week - is available from the first day you are off and can be paid for up to 28 weeks. Before coronavirus, SSP was only a legal requirement on the fourth day of absence. Many companies pay employees more than the SSP and have their own policies for how long this can be claimed for. Workers on zero-hour contracts must prove they earn at least 120 per week before they can claim SSP. Those who earn under that threshold can access Universal Credit. Brits who are self-employed cannot claim SSP but can apply for an Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if they are ill. Who is a 'close contact'? A close contact is anyone who has been within two metres (6ft 6in) of the infected person for more than 15 minutes without protective equipment. The government hopes the requirements of the system will focus the minds of the public on the importance of maintaining social distancing. When the coronavirus app is up and running, the victim's mobile phone should automatically identify anyone they have come close to. Until that happens, patients will identify likely contacts via an online process. What about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland? Scotland has announced its own system will start today. Wales' system is set to start in early June, while Northern Ireland has its own version of the NHS Test and Trace system up and running. Can I choose where to isolate if I have a small child? The government is encouraging people not to follow the example of Boris Johnson's aide Dominic Cummings, who travelled to Durham during lockdown. Officials want people to stay at home, while councils will offer support to parents who do not have relatives or friends who can help. A MailOnline chart explains how the new NHS Test and Trace system is expected to work Are there any pitfalls? If so, what are they? Yes there are pitfalls. This scheme has been cobbled together as quickly as possible by ministers and officials working under extreme pressure. Experts immediately said the complexity of the programme meant there could be 'several points of failure' while the government's political opponents said ministers should never have largely ditched contact tracing in the first place. Without the app, contact-tracking will be based on the say so of people who have tested positive. That means people will need to remember exactly where they have been and who they have been close in the days leading up to their positive test. If people forget or remember inaccurately who they've seen, the virus could spread. Baroness Harding told the Downing Street briefing: 'We have 25,000 contact tracers ready to start work tomorrow - that is easily enough to trace down the contacts today when the vast majority of us are in lockdown.' She said data from the Isle of Wight suggests people have been within two metres of fewer than five others at the moment. How important is contact tracing to beating coronavirus? The Royal Society believes that contact tracing reduces infection by up to 15 per cent and will miss cases, but even a marginal effect could be crucial in bringing the R infection rate below one and as close to zero as possible. However, world-leading experts from the prestigious scientific academy warned the scheme was 'not a silver bullet'. They said if compliance is low and testing times don't come down, infection rates may only drop by 5 per cent. What happens if people refuse to isolate? Will they be fined? The government has said that it is relying on the British public to voluntarily self-isolate if they display symptoms of Covid-19. But it has warned that it will impose penalties if people do not follow its orders. Spot checks could be made to households and fines could be issued. It is not known how much people would be fined if caught flouting self-isolation. A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care told MailOnline: 'We are confident that the public will want to play their part in reducing the spread of the virus to keep themselves, their families and communities safe and to protect the NHS. This means complying with advice to self-isolate. 'However, if we find that people are not complying with isolation instructions, we will not hesitate to introduce tougher measures, for example making visits to check they're at home or issuing fines if they are found outside the house.' At yesterday's press conference, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the government is 'confident' that when told to self-isolate, people will, adding: 'Now of course we could also mandate that, but in the first instance we're not going to. 'This will be voluntary at first because we trust everyone to do the right thing. 'But, we can quickly make it mandatory if that is what it takes. Because, if we don't collectively make this work, then the only way forward is to keep the lockdown.' Could people end up having to self-isolate repeatedly? Yes. The government has discussed imposing 'local lockdowns' on whole towns if there are future regional flare-ups of coronavirus cases. Mr Hancock said that the ability to tighten restrictions in individual regions will be part of the NHS test, track and trace system. This could lead to local schools, businesses or workplaces being closed in areas with high prevalence of infection, according to the government's 'exit strategy'. However, part of the rationale for the Test and Trace system is to allow local, small-scale action to be taken where there appears to be an outbreak. Will I have to self-isolate if I've already had a positive antibody test? Yes, even people who have tested positive for antibodies will have to adhere to the rules. NHS and care homes workers have been receiving the tests, which scour the blood for the infection-fighting substances, over the past week. Thousands of private antibody tests were also being sold to Britons on online pharmacies such as Superdrug. Antibodies are substances produced by the immune system in response to an infection, and their presence is thought to provide some protection against the illness. But scientists are still uncertain how long this immunity lasts, or how much protection the COVID-19 antibodies provide. Private antibody tests are also not 100 per cent accurate, meaning there are some people who will test positive but have never actually had the disease. This might give them false confidence that they cannot be infected and prompt them to take unnecessary risks. Will people who have had coronavirus be exempt from self-isolating if they come into contact with a new Covid-19 sufferer? No. Even people who have had positive tests for coronavirus will have to stay at home for 14 days if they come into close contact with a new sufferer. The government has said that the scientific advice remains that it is uncertain if people who have had the virus are immune to it. What checks are in place to stop it being open to abuse, or pretending to have the disease as a joke? The emphasis of the entire scheme is on testing people. So people claiming to have the disease will be tested. There will be very little wriggle room. Although if those who test positive fail or refuse to reveal who they have been in contact with, without the app there is very little the contact tracers can do to tell if people are telling the truth. Who is in charge of the operation where I am? Councils and public health officials will be tasked with cracking down on local outbreaks of Covid-19, but it is not clear who will lead those efforts. It is also not clear today how many staff members would be available to help or if local authorities will get extra funding and powers to act appropriately. Why not simply keep going the way we are? Though the government claims that lockdown has dramatically reduced Covid-associated deaths, the national restrictions are destroying the economy. Millions of workers have been furloughed by small businesses and big companies since tough restrictions on movement were introduced by the government. Over half of the adult population of the UK is now being paid by the state in some capacity, whether in the public sector, on furlough, or benefits. Business and companies have received hundreds of billions of pounds in emergency loans to date from Chancellor Rishi Sunak. But this state of affairs cannot continue forever. Economists estimated in early April that lockdown, which began on March 23, is costing Britain around 2.4billion per day. The Bank of England forecast that UK GDP contracted by two per cent in the first quarter, and is set to shrink by 30 per cent in the second quarter. Bank staff believe the economy could 'bounce' by around 15 per cent by the end of the year, meaning the UK would be around 15 per cent poorer than before lockdown. Faced with what the Bank called the biggest economic nosedive in 300 years, the government is trying to restart the engines of UK plc. The PM has committed himself to bringing Britain out of lockdown safely by managing the risk to public health posed by coronavirus. The NHS Test and Trace system is meant to help do just that. Mr Hancock told the press briefing: 'Until an effective treatment or vaccine comes through how can we get back to doing more of the things that make life worth living without risking safety or putting lives at risk? NHS Test and Trace is a big part - not the only part - but a big part of the answer to that question.' What is this app people are talking about? The NHS Trace and Test system is being launched without its NHS contact-tracing app centrepiece, prompting concerns that without the new technology the government could struggle to tackle the spread of Covid-19. Experts believe the app will be crucial to the success of the programme because it can identify contacts much quicker than human contact tracers. The smartphone app uses bluetooth to register other phones it has been near for a prolonged period of time. A date has not been set for the nationwide roll out of the app but without it contact tracing will not be as swift as it would be with it. Matt Hancock said it is 'not technical problems' which are preventing the test and trace app from being rolled out nationwide. He said: 'It is that one of the things we learnt about in the Isle of Wight is that rolling out the system where people are asked to isolate, even if they have no symptoms, starts better when it comes in human form from the contact tracers.' Mr Hancock added that 'the app is working in the Isle of Wight', and said that when the government has 'successfully embedded' the new NHS Test and Trace system, 'then that is the time to bring the app to bear'. He continued: 'Because the app is a compliment to this system, even without it this system would be successful, but it is a compliment because there are some contacts that you don't know that you might have made.' Have other countries used contact tracing? South Korea has monitored credit card transactions, CCTV footage and mobile phone locations, while Singapore has used police investigations and detective work to piece together where people have been and who they've seen. Iceland saw 40 per cent of the population download its app, though its government says manual tracing is just as important. Austria introduced a decentralised app operated by the Red Cross, which users can manually control. It was the first to roll out this app. How long will the contact tracing scheme run for? Ministers have not put a time limit on the programme, but it will likely remain in place in some form until a vaccine is developed - which might not be until 2021. Government scientists are studying how much immunity people have against coronavirus if they've previously been infected. If it turns out that they are completely immune for months then people who have already had the disease may not have to adhere to the rules. What class as symptoms of coronavirus? Anyone with a new, continuous cough, a high temperature or a change in their sense of smell or taste is asked to immediately book a test. But researchers have linked 11 other symptoms to the virus, including fatigue, chest pain and diarrhoea. Experts have previously accused ministers of 'missing the ball' by only listing three official symptoms. Ryan Welch, Beuamont Enterprise / The Enterprise Hancock Whitney has pledged a $40,000 investment to local food pantries and programs as part of the banks COVID-19 community relief efforts. It has dedicated $10,000 to Southeast Texas Food Bank for an estimated 30,000 meals to those in need. $10,000 was also earmarked for the Nutrition & Services for Seniors (Meals on Wheels) in Southeast Texas, which will provide an estimated 1,465 meals to seniors in their own homes. A "staggering" amount of litter was left at Durdle Door after hundreds of sunseekers flocked to the beach to enjoy the warm weather at the weekend, local volunteers have said. Pictures shared on social media show plastic bottles, bin bags and food containers strewn across the beach in Dorset. Hundreds descended on the beach again on Sunday despite police declaring it closed after three cliff jumpers were left seriously injured on Saturday evening. In extraordinary photos on the local police Facebook page, thousands of beach-goers were crammed into two pens while air medics rushed to attend to the casualties. Following the incident, Dorset Police said the area was closed and warned that people would be turned away. A post on Sunday morning said: Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove remain closed today along with approach roads to the area. Please do not travel as you will be turned away. Dorset Council said: You will not be able to visit the beaches there and will be asked to turn around if you try and access the villages. But crowds of people defied orders to stay away from the beauty spot, near Lulworth, and pictures from the beach showed scores of sunbathers sprawled across the sand under scorching sun, while some were jumping off the 200ft arch that dominates the beach. Posting pictures of the aftermath on social media on Monday morning, local volunteers and residents were left stunned by the "heartbreaking" amount of litter left behind. One said on Twitter: "Local volunteers have worked tirelessly to clean up #durdledoor after a weekend of littering from people outside of Dorset. "It's a staggering amount of litter and heartbreaking to see our beautiful coast treated this way." A council leader has now called for stricter travel rules following the weekends chaotic scenes. The car park rammed at Durdle Door, near Lulworth in Dorset / PA Councillor Vikki Slade, the leader of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, has written to local MPs and the chief constable of Dorset Police after widespread scenes of irresponsible behaviour witnessed across the areas beaches. She said she had witnessed first-hand incidents of people failing to adhere to coronavirus social distancing rules, illegal parking, widespread barbecues and staff facing abuse when going about their work. Ms Slade said many of the visitors to the beaches were people who had travelled from outside of the county. We saw the most awful scenes in Durdle Door with the arrival of two helicopters to deal with the stupidity of people jumping from the top of cliffs, cheered and clapped by thousands of beachgoers," she said. Pictures of the mass evacuation at Durdle Door beach / Purbeck Police We saw the kettling of people to give space to the helicopters and the closely packed paths as people were told to leave. We have seen crowds on our beaches, in large groups clearly not from the same household, we have had council officers spat at, abused and intimidated as they go about their work, and I am asking you all to go back to ministers in Westminster and ask them to put a travel restriction on England, as they have done in Wales and Scotland. In those devolved nations you can only travel five miles from home for reasons other than work or risk fines, and I am asking that a similar policy is brought in for England with immediate effect. There are no mileage limits set for how far you are allowed to drive in England 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 are not allowed to travel more than five miles from their home for any reason except work or to purchase essentials. THE WOODLANDS, Texas, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) has published its 2019 corporate sustainability report titled, "Innovating Toward a Circular Economy: Transform, Reduce Eliminate," on its web site at Huntsman.com/sustainability. The report discusses how Huntsman is adopting a circular mindset in its business. This GRI-compliant sustainability report includes Huntsman's annual Communication on Progress to the United Nations Global Compact, as well as its first formal materiality assessment and a robust reporting of its environmental, social and governance performance. "In our operations today, Huntsman is revising manufacturing processes to reduce energy use and CO emissions and to recycle waste byproducts," said Corporate Sustainability Officer Ron Gerrard. "We're also developing new chemistries to use waste as a resource or to eliminate it altogether. In this report, we share how we're already moving from a linear 'cradle-to-grave' approach toward a circular mindset that transforms, reduces and eliminates waste and moves us closer to a more sustainable future. "We are committed to the principles of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to provide regular, reliable and transparent reporting on our sustainability performance, and continue to look for ways to elevate our sustainability reporting to better meet the needs of our stakeholders." This is Huntsman's ninth sustainability report since launching its corporate sustainability initiative in 2010. About Huntsman: Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and specialty chemicals with 2019 revenues of approximately $7 billion. Our chemical products number in the thousands and are sold worldwide to manufacturers serving a broad and diverse range of consumer and industrial end markets. We operate more than 70 manufacturing, R&D and operations facilities in approximately 30 countries and employ approximately 9,000 associates within our four distinct business divisions. For more information about Huntsman, please visit the company's website at www.huntsman.com . Social Media: Twitter: www.twitter.com/Huntsman_Corp Facebook: www.facebook.com/huntsmancorp LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/huntsman Forward-Looking Statements: Certain information in this release constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations. The forward-looking statements in this release are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances and involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the company's operations, markets, products, services, prices and other factors as discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Huntsman companies' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Significant risks and uncertainties may relate to, but are not limited to, volatile global economic conditions, cyclical and volatile product markets, disruptions in production at manufacturing facilities, reorganization or restructuring of Huntsman's operations, including any delay of, or other negative developments affecting the ability to implement cost reductions, timing of proposed transactions, and manufacturing optimization improvements in Huntsman businesses and realize anticipated cost savings, and other financial, economic, competitive, environmental, political, legal, regulatory and technological factors. The company assumes no obligation to provide revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by applicable laws. SOURCE Huntsman Corporation Related Links http://www.huntsman.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 04:15:51|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ATHENS, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of the youth members of the Greek Communist party KKE protested peacefully on Monday outside the U.S. Embassy in Athens and the U.S. Consulate in the northern city of Thessaloniki. Demonstrators denounced the suffocation to death of the unarmed black man by a police officer in Minnesota on May 25, which has sparked waves of rallies and riots across the United States. Raising banners with Floyd's last words caught on video "I can't breathe," protesters outside the U.S. Embassy chanted slogans such as "No to a system giving birth to crises, wars, and racism." "We join Greek peoples' voice with the voices of all people across the world against the barbarity... We join our voice with the U.S. people who are giving a struggle these days for their rights, to be able to breathe," KKE General Secretary Dimitris Koutsoumbas said earlier. "It is undoubtedly a shocking killing," commented Adonis Georgiadis, Minister of Development and Investments, on local MEGA TV on Monday, calling it a "condemnable incident." The developments in the U.S. after Floyd's death are being followed closely by Greek media which have extensive coverage on the issue on a daily basis. "A country out of control. Rage and blood on U.S. streets for George Floyd's killing," read a headline on news site in.gr on Monday. "No justice, no peace. It was not the first killing of a U.S. citizen by suffocation at the hands of police officers... There cannot be peace in a society when there is no justice," read another headline on Kathimerini (Daily) newspaper. Enditem Fantastic voyage: The crew of SpaceX are welcomed by the current astronauts in the International Space Station as they enter through the docking hatch. Photo: NASA via AP Two US astronauts boarded the International Space Station from their SpaceX capsule, marking the first time humans have travelled to orbit on a private firm's craft, forging a new era for Nasa and billionaire Elon Musk. The Dragon craft carrying Nasa astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley arrived at the orbiting lab yesterday afternoon Irish time, about 19 hours after lifting off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida. They entered the station three hours later after completing a series of checklists on pressure and leaks. "We have to congratulate the men and women of SpaceX," Mr Hurley said after the docking. "Their incredible efforts over the last several years to make this possible cannot go overstated." The milestone flight is the first time American astronauts have flown from US soil since the space shuttle programme ended in 2011. The achievement comes 18 years after Mr Musk founded Space Exploration Technologies with the ultimate goal of populating other planets. Mr Hurley called it "an incredible time to be at Nasa", with three manned-vehicle programmes in the works and progress toward a return to the moon. "Welcome to Bob and Doug," Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine told the astronauts from Mission Control in Houston shortly after the two men entered the station. "The whole world saw this mission and we are so, so proud of everything you have done for our country and to inspire the world," he said. The highest-profile US rocket launch in decades captured interest around the globe, watched live on Saturday by approximately 10 million people. "This is just one effort that we can show for the ages in this dark time that we've had over the past several months to kind of inspire, especially the young people in the United States, to reach for these lofty goals and work hard and look at what you can accomplish," Mr Hurley said from the space station. President Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence were among those who gathered at the Kennedy Space Centre with Mr Musk to watch the spectacle. Mr Trump spoke with the two astronauts prior to the launch and later referred to Mr Musk as one of the "great brains". The launch and the initial phases of the journey proceeded smoothly. The main rocket booster flew back to Earth and landed perfectly on a drone ship - a once-remarkable feat that has now become routine for SpaceX. The two astronauts were met after docking by the Expedition 63 crew members already in residence on the space station. Their voyage, known as Demo-2, is the final major test of SpaceX's human spaceflight system before the Nasa certifies the company to fly regular missions to the space station. Successfully carrying humans to space marks the latest breakthrough for a company known for setting audacious goals. In the decade since the first Falcon 9 rocket reached orbit, SpaceX has eclipsed rivals like Europe's Arianespace and United Launch Alliance, a Boeing-Lockheed Martin venture, to grab the lead of commercial launches. WASHINGTON At the gates blockading Lafayette Square park near the White House Saturday, hundreds of protesters chanted as they faced a line of riot-shield-equipped Secret Service and National Guard officers. I cant breathe, they shouted, echoing the dying words of George Floyd as the knee of a Minneapolis police officer on his neck took his life last week. The sentiment also summed up the suffocating sense that a nation in crisis was lurching toward chaos. In the midst of an ongoing pandemic that has claimed more than 100,000 American lives and seen people consigned to their homes for months, and during a parallel economic contraction that has sent unemployment rates to their highest levels since the Great Depression, protests and riots spread to dozens of cities across the country over the weekend many accompanied by scenes of police brutality, landmarks on fire, and widespread looting. Police and protesters alike mostly wore COVID-19 masks on the weekend, though the concept of social distancing seemed wholly abandoned in the crowds. On H Street at the north end of the park in Washington, some protesters had pulled a metal garbage bin up to near the fences that marked the police line, and set it ablaze: a dumpster fire. That too seemed a darkly humourous commentary on the state of the nation nearly halfway through 2020, but one underscored by a tense sense of danger as the acrid, choking scent of whatever was inside mingled in the air with the sting of pepper-spray liberally fired into the crowd periodically by police. Those on the street, often chanting No justice! No peace! and Hands up, dont shoot! pelted the police line with water bottles, traffic cones, flaming items from the dumpster, fireworks and occasionally bricks dug up from the sidewalk often as other protesters chastised them and called for peace. Thats what they want! one protester said to a man hoisting a wooden traffic sign and preparing to throw it, before he returned it to the ground. Some protesters shouted at police, Why are you protecting Trump? He doesnt care about you! He needs you to protect him but he wouldnt protect you! Many focused their taunts at a Black officer in the line, Would you protect my son? Do you think they would? and If you didnt wear that uniform they would kneel on your neck! For hours, a push-and-pull took place in which protesters pulled down barricades and police restored them seemingly poised on the verge of an open clash that never quite came, though some cars were burned, windows smashed, and stores looted in parts of downtown Washington and the adjacent, affluent Georgetown neighbourhood in the early morning hours of Sunday. Late Sunday night, several fires erupted in Lafayette Square. In other cities across the country, the situation was even more violent and volatile: police drove a car into a crowd of protesters in New York City, officers fired paint canisters at residents sitting on their front porch in Minneapolis, in Philadelphia 13 police officers were injured and looting continued into Sunday, prompting the city to order businesses shut down. Curfews had been imposed in more than three dozen cities as of Sunday morning, and the National Guard had been activated to try to restore order in 15 states and the District of Columbia. According to the New York Times, at least 75 cities had seen protests after the death of Floyd, and many of them were smouldering after the experience, an experience not seen on such a scale since 1968. As people across the country were left to fear and debate fires and looting as protest tactics, many protesters decried what they called the co-opting of their peaceful movement by those with violent ends. A protest planned for Austin, Texas Sunday was called off by organizers due to fears the event would be hijacked by white people committing violence in the name of Black Lives Matter. Others pointed out dozens of reports and videos of police instigating violence against protesters and members of the press, seemingly unprovoked. Benjamin Crump, the lawyer for the family of George Floyd, whose death kicked off the protests, decried the violence on a CBS program Sunday, saying neither he nor the Floyd family agree with violence. But, he said, Elected officials have to understand that it is not these protesters that started these fires across America. It is police brutality and a racist criminal justice system. And the only thing that can put out these fires are police accountability and equal justice. As politicians across the country appealed for peace, President Donald Trump seemed to send mixed messages over the weekend, at one point promising severe police tactics by tweeting when the looting starts, the shooting starts (he claimed later that he did not want shooting, but was saying protesters would shoot each other), and promising any protesters breaching the White House fence would be greeted by vicious dogs and ominous guns. On Saturday he suggested his own MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement might show up to meet protesters near the White House, though there was no sign of them Saturday night. Many commentators suggest that Trump might see benefit politically from a protest movement becoming associated with mass unrest, and being seen to meet violence with violence. He has denied that he is encouraging violence, however, claiming for instance MAGA loves black people, and expressing his horror at police brutality. On Sunday he tweeted that he would designate ANTIFA as a terrorist organization, a promise that may be hard to keep as Antifa is not an organization in any conventional sense, but a loosely aligned set of self-described anti-fascist people who prefer direct confrontational tactics in protests. The president spent part of Saturday watching the launch of the NASA/SpaceX mission to the International Space Station, the first crewed space flight launched in the U.S. in nine years. It was a strangely triumphant contrast to the unfolding chaos in the streets and ongoing tragedy in hospitals and boardrooms across the country. A bit of hopeful business as usual. Its becoming less clear, however, if or when anything like usual life will be restored in this country. The protests and the accompanying civil unrest only grew over the weekend. The harsh scenes of severe police response at the protests would only seem to deepen the message of the protesters about brutality, and the ensuing protester response might only lead to more conflict. Theres reason to fear the crowded protests themselves, and the conditions of arrests and detentions alongside them, would lead to a renewed outbreak of coronavirus. Even as states across the country try to reopen for business, the expiration of some emergency government benefits and ongoing fear of the virus may mean the worst of the economic hardship lies ahead. Even if Trump were inclined to try to heal the nation with some kind of address, as some have called for him to do, it is hard to imagine anything he could say that would de-escalate the situation rather than be read as a provocation by the protesters. There is no obvious end point to the unfolding crisis. After months of the coronavirus and days of civil unrest, Americans are bracing themselves for more chaos in the days and weeks ahead. The Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, has been petitioned to investigate what has been described as unsubstantiated payments at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. Petitioning the Special Prosecutor is a pro-NDC pressure group, Strategic Thinkers Network (STRANEK). According to the organization in a petition signed by its Executive Director, Nii Tettey Tetteh, the Ministry has been indicted by the Auditor-General for failure to substantiate certain payments with the relevant payment vouchers and those deserves to be probed. On June, 20, 2019, the Auditor-General published a report entitled The Public Accounts of Ghana, Ministries, Departments and Other Agencies-MDAs for the Financial Year Ended 31st December, 2018. On pages 186 to 189 of the Report it is indicated that after a review of payment records of the Ministry of Gender Children & Social Protection, six payments totalling GHC 1,556,691.00 and US$266,660.00 have been made by the Ministry, but requests for the relevant payment vouchers to substantiate the expenditure incurred have proven futile, according to the petition. Per the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), we have a duty to petition your office on matters that involve or may involve corruption and corruption related offences, the petition read. We would like you to investigate this matter and ensure that the necessary sanctions are meted out where appropriate. We fervently hope our petition will be dealt with expeditiously and conclusively, the group said. However, it is not clear if the OSP has the mandate to probe infractions from Auditor Generals report since the reports are always submitted to the Parliament for the sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The PAC makes recommendations for the possible recouping of the misapplied funds if indeed that is the case. DGN Online could not established if the payments in question were carried out by the previous minister, Otiko Afisah Djaba or the current minister, Cynthia Mamle Morrison. Interestingly the same ministry under Nana Oye Lithur during the NDC administration had its funds about GHC 5million locked up in the vault of her brothers company in a conflict of interest situation with group raising no whimper. ---Daily Guide National Defence Academy (NDA) 138th course passed out on May 30, 2020, completing their rigorous three-year training at the tri-services academy. A total of 335 cadets graduated from the NDA which includes 226 Army cadets, 44 Naval cadets and 65 Air Force cadets. The course also included 20 cadets from friendly foreign countries (Bhutan, Tajikistan, Maldives, Vietnam, Tanzania, Mauritius, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Turkmenistan, Fiji, Uzbekistan, Sudan, Mongolia and Bangladesh). The restrictions and protocols in place due to coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak meant that unlike the previous courses, the 138th was attended only by the cadets of the passing out course and a limited number of NDA faculty members. The Passing Out Parade was not held on the Khetarpal Ground but in the historic Habibullah Hall with all the cadets, faculty members and defence officials present maintaining social distancing and sporting face masks. With NDA Commandant Lieutenant General Asit Mistry, AVSM, SM, VSM presiding over the Passing Out Parade, the medals to the best cadets, too, were awarded without any physical contact. Battalion Cadet Captain Shivam Kumar stood first in overall order of merit winning the Presidents Gold Medal while Battalion Cadet Captain Mukesh Kumar won the Presidents Silver Medal for standing second. The third place and the Presidents Bronze Medal for standing third in overall order of merit was bagged by Battalion Cadet Captain Paarth Gupta. The prestigious Chiefs of Staff Banner for being the Champion Squadron went to Kilo squadron. "While keeping the sentiment and symbolism of the lifetime occasion for the cadets fully intact, the military procedures were improvised and adapted to ensure Do Gaj ki Doori, the mandated social distancing," the press release on the NDA Passing Out Parade stated. Even the parents of the cadets passing out were not invited. "Traditionally, the parents of passing out cadets are invited and accommodated in the Academy for about three days, during which, they witness various facets of training that a cadet undergoes in the academy, which not only gives them a sense of pride but also reassures them that their wards are in best hands in the country," the statement added. In yet another departure from the norm, the cadets will not go home but instead report to their respective pre-commissioning training academies directly. While the Army cadets will report to the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, the air force and navy cadets will join the Air Force Academy, Dundigal and Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala respectively. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) says the easing of the restrictions on public gatherings is motivated by the President's parochial political interest and not in the interest of the nation. It is very clear, that the easing of restrictions was motivated by the President's parochial political interest and not the interest of the nation, National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi said. He made the remark at the maiden edition of the NDC's weekly press briefing in Accra today, Monday, June 1, 2020. Sammy Gyamfi told the media that the President's decision to ease the restrictions is mainly intended to pave way for the Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission (EC) to carry out its rigging agenda through the needless and wasteful new voter registration agenda. He said the fact that church and mosque gatherings are not supposed to have more than 100 people in attendance, and are supposed to last for just an hour but the National Identification Authority (NIA) and EC have been given the freedom to register an unlimited number of people from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, that's for a period of 10 hours, shows clearly that the so-called partial reopening of schools, churches and mosques was only a ruse to the Presidents main agenda. The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announcing the lifting of the Coronavirus-induced restrictions on the country yesterday, Sunday [May 31, 2020]. He said churches and mosques could hold activities but with about 100 persons in attendance. He among other things lifted restrictions on political activities but still banned political rallies. The President also urged the Electoral Commission and the National Identification Authority to conduct their registration activities but adhere to the COVID-19 safety protocols. The NDC's National Communications Officer at the briefing said the NDC is appalled by the Jean Mensa-led EC's alleged to honour the invitations of the National House of Chiefs, which were intended to promote dialogue on the matter of the EC's decision to compile a new voters' register for 2020 general elections. Our traditional authorities are key stakeholders in Ghana's peace architecture and have contributed enormously to the peace, stability and democracy of this country. The refusal of the Jean Mensah-led EC to honor their invitations is highly disrespectful and an insult to the values and customs of this country, and must be condemned by all well-meaning Ghanaians, he added. Mr Gyamfi warned that the NDC shall employ every legitimate means to stop the EC's attempt to foist on Ghanaians a needless and wasteful voter register that is intended to disenfranchise millions of eligible voters, mostly in NDC strongholds. ---citinewsroom Vietnam has reported no single coronavirus-related deaths and the country is gradually returning to normal. Vietnam is the most outstanding in containing the novel coronavirus as it has been listed one of few countries flattening their coronavirus infection curves, Singapore-based The Business Times reported. Vietnam examplary in handling Covid-19. Photo: Nhandan London-based specialist risk consultancy Control Risks has made the remark in a recent report, in which Steve Wilford, the author, said South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong are the four most obvious members of a club he dubbed the learners. The four above-mentioned countries and territories are wealthy and have learnt lessons from the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) crisis of 2003, he said. But I would also bestow this honor on Vietnam which has managed to achieve similar results to its far wealthier neighbors using a clever mix of toned-down Chinese authoritarianism and very targeted resourcing, Wilford said. Vietnam has taken a highly sophisticated, low-cost, low-economic impact campaign of deep quarantine and mobile testing, coupled with blanket but relatively high-touch social distancing measures. These are then boosted by a very strong focus on keeping the countrys export-oriented manufacturing sector open for business. This leaves the country arguably even further down the road to recovery than its much-vaunted northern neighbor. Countries with limited resources but a reasonably efficient bureaucracy should be looking to Vietnam rather than China for their pandemic battle plan, he said. Vietnam is gradually returning to normal. Photo: Zing Successful example CNN has reported that when the world looked to Asia for successful examples in handling the novel coronavirus outbreak, much attention and plaudits were paid to South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. But theres one overlooked success story Vietnam. The country of 97 million people has not reported a single coronavirus-related deaths and has confirmed just 328 cases, despite its long border with China and millions of Chinese visitors it receives each year. At the time of writing, the country reported no local infections for 45 consecutive days. This is all the more remarkable considering Vietnam is a low-middle income country with a much less-advanced healthcare system than others in the region. It only has 8 doctors for every 10,000 people, a third of the ratio in South Korea, according to the World Bank. After three weeks beginning in early April, Vietnam has lifted social distancing rules and reopened the economy. Businesses and schools have reopened, and life is gradually returning to normal, CNN said. Hanoitimes Linh Pham The world in the post-Covid-19 era (Part 6) Despite the best scenario, the consequences that the invisible Covid-19 enemy has caused to nations and international relations are severe, which will affect the world decades later. Formula 1 is not about to enter the era of the so-called 'pay-driver', according to Christian Danner. As a result of the corona crisis, which is also threatening established midfield teams like McLaren and Renault, it is feared that teams may need to lean even more heavily on drivers who can take substantial funding to their seats. But former driver Danner doesn't think the impact of that will be significant. "Money always helps in Formula 1," he told RTL. "But nothing will change about the classic pay-driver. I assume that the driver market will be as balanced as in previous years. "The drivers who leave will be replaced by other talented drivers." Danner said it is even unfair to use the pay-driver label on drivers like Lance Stroll, whose billionaire father owns Racing Point, and Nicholas Latifi, whose father Michael is linked with a buyout of the Williams team. "Latifi was runner-up in Formula 2 last year and Stroll won Formula 3 in 2016. They are really good racing drivers," he insisted. Also linked with potentially buying Williams is Russian oligarch Dmitry Mazepin, whose son Nikita races in Formula 2. And the Chinese driver Guanyu Zhou is connected with Daniel Ricciardo's Renault seat for 2021. Danner said: "Mazepin really impressed Mercedes with his work in the simulator and in testing, and Zhou was the best rookie in Formula 2 in 2019. "Ultimately, almost all Formula 1 drivers are pay-drivers in a certain way. Sebastian Vettel was promoted by Red Bull long before Formula 1, and Hamilton was financed by McLaren during his karting times. "It might not be super-rich daddies in the background, but huge companies," Danner continued. "Mick Schumacher also brings a lot of sponsors to help him in Formula 2. "Latifi brings money, that's for sure, but George Russell is from Mercedes so there is definitely a financial benefit for Williams, such as engine discounts." (GMM) NEW YORK New York City imposed a late-night curfew Monday that failed to prevent another night of destruction, including arrests after a break-in at the iconic Macys store on 34th Street, following protests over George Floyds death. As the 11 p.m. deadline to get off the streets approached, bands of protesters marched peacefully through Manhattan and Brooklyn, but police simultaneously responded to numerous reports of roving groups of people smashing their way into shops and emptying them of merchandise. The doors of Macys flagship Manhattan store were breached. Police pulled two handcuffed men out and put them in a van. People rushed into a Nike store and carried out armloads of clothing. Near Rockefeller Center, storefront windows were smashed and multiple people arrested. Bank windows were smashed. Wreckage littered the inside of an AT&T store. Video posted on social media showed some protesters arguing with people breaking windows, urging them to stop, but instances of vandalism and smash-and-grab thefts mounted as the night deepened. We worked hard to build up the business, and within a second, someone does this, said the owner of a ransacked Manhattan smoke shop, who identified himself only by the name Harri. Really bad. New York joined other cities around the country in imposing a curfew after days of unrest. It comes on top of months of restrictions on public gatherings already imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Enough mayhem happened before the curfew took effect that Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted that it would move up to 8 p.m. Tuesday. The curfew lifts at 5 a.m. De Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the outbreaks of violence the previous two evenings which left stores ransacked and police vehicles burned gave them no choice to impose a curfew and boost police presence, even as they insisted they stood with the throngs of peaceful demonstrators who have spoken out for several days against police brutality and racial injustice. We cant let violence undermine the message of this moment, de Blasio said in a statement. He and Cuomo are Democrats. Big crowds rallied in Times Square and Brooklyn on Monday afternoon and marched through the streets for hours. As in previous days, the demonstrations in daylight were peaceful, with officers mostly keeping their distance from marchers. A nighttime march through Brooklyn was also peaceful, and police let it continue for hours after the 11 a.m. curfew passed. But midtown Manhattan descended into chaos as night fell. There were dozens of arrests, police said. De Blasio tweeted at 1 a.m. that there were also real problems in the Bronx, which had largely escaped previous nights of unrest unscathed. Video posted on social media showed multiple piles of rubbish on fire on a debris-strewn street and people smashing into stories. Another video showed a group of men beating a police officer who was alone and down on the ground, smashing him with pieces of wreckage until he pulled his gun and they ran. After the curfew took effect, police moved more actively to clear the streets, chasing after and knocking down some people who wouldnt comply as they streamed toward Times Square. At the same time, the citys elected public advocate, Jumaane Williams, and some other officials held a news conference in Brooklyn criticizing the curfew. In the black community, every time we ask for resources or assistance, they send police, said Williams, a Democrat. Earlier in the day, one Times Square demonstrator, Giselle Francisco, considered the curfew necessary. There are people who have ulterior motives, and theyre trying to hijack the message, the New Yorker said. Police Commissioner Dermot Shea expressed doubts earlier Monday about whether a curfew would be heeded. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a retired police captain whose borough has been a focal point for demonstrations and some damage, also had doubts. There are real deep, legitimate wounds, and if were not going to put the same level of energy into correcting those wounds as were going to put into telling people not to come out at 11, then were going to fail, and this is going to prolong the problem, said Adams, a Democrat. Bystander Sean Jones, who watched as people ransacked luxury stores in Manhattans chic Soho neighborhood Sunday night, explained the destruction this way: People are doing this so next time, before they think about trying to kill another black person, theyre going to be like, Damn, we dont want them out here doing this again.' Monday marked the fourth night in a row of mainly peaceful daytime demonstrations, chaotic nights, hot spots of violence and arrests, with the mayors daughter among those arrested over the weekend. Chiara de Blasio, 25, refused to leave a Manhattan street officers were clearing Saturday because people were throwing things. She was released with a court summons. Her father said Monday she told him shed behaved peacefully and believed she had followed officers instructions. Thousands of people have taken to the streets around the nation to express outrage over Floyds May 25 death and other killings of black people, particularly by police. Floyd, who was black, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck. On Sunday, some New York City police officers knelt with protesters. But officers have also clashed with demonstrators. Shea said the department is investigating officers behavior in about six confrontations, including one in which two police vehicles plowed through a group of protesters Saturday in Brooklyn. During Sunday nights demonstration, video posted to social media showed a police officer pulling a gun and pointing it at demonstrators on a debris-littered Manhattan street moments after a protester used an object to deliver a crushing blow to another officers head a few yards away. That officer should have his gun and badge taken away today, de Blasio said. Cuomo said some officers had exacerbated tensions with some very disturbing actions. Police union president Patrick Lynch said Cuomo was wrongly blaming the chaos on the cops. ___ Contributing were Associated Press writers Larry Neumeister, Jake Seiner, Maria Sanminatelli, Michael R. Sisak, Karen Matthews and Deepti Hajela and video journalist Robert Bumsted in New York and Marina Villeneuve in Albany. The Jaipur authorities on Sunday used fire engines to spray insecticides to kill swarms of locusts at Ghati Ghanshyampur village in the Ramgarh area. Massive swarms of locusts have entered Rajasthan recently from adjoining areas of Pakistan. According to the state agriculture department, it is the "biggest attack in 27 years". Notably, the first locust attack of this year was reported from Ganganagar, a district in north Rajasthan bordering Pakistan on May 11, and has now spread to Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. The desert locusts are a species of locust, a swarming short-horned grasshopper, and are known to devour everything in their path, posing an unprecedented threat to the food supply and livelihoods of millions of people. Read: Locusts enter Chhattisgarh forest area from Madhya Pradesh Centre steps up locust control 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). Read: UP's Agriculture department cautions 15 districts against possible threat of locust attack India on High Alert over Locust Attack India has issued a high alert after the Locust Warning Organisation (LWO), under the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, warned of another attack in May-June this year. The country's food security is at severe risk as a large swarm of locusts is entering India after breeding and maturing in Iranian provinces and Pakistans Balochistan province. The authorities have also started deploying drones, satellite-derived tools, special fire-tenders, and sprayers at pre-identified border locations. Read: Varanasi: Locusts attack warning raised in parts of the district, authorities prepared Read: DGCA issues advisory for domestic flights to tackle locust swarm threat A key watchdog is launching an investigation into how Premier Doug Fords government handled the tragic situation in Ontario nursing homes, where almost 1,700 residents have died from COVID-19 despite promises of an "iron ring" of protection from the virus. Provincial ombudsman Paul Dube said his move follows a military report that detailed horrific conditions at five homes to which it sent medical teams, including accounts of patients being fed forcefully to the point of choking and left for days in soiled diapers, crying for help. The Canadian Armed Forces report painted a stunning portrait of the situation in long-term care during this crisis, Dube added in a statement Monday as Ontario topped 30,000 cases of COVID-19 with 2,336 deaths. Our investigation will look at the systemic issues that led to it, and will make constructive recommendations for corrective action, he said, citing grave concerns about the situation in long-term care. Never has it been more important to ensure that these systems are working as they should, the ombudsman added, noting the independence of his office from government. Ford said he welcomes the investigation and opposition parties applauded it, saying the probe could shed more light on what went wrong than an independent commission the premier promised will begin next month. I need answers. I want answers, Ford told his daily news conference. We need to get this fixed. Rivals said they have little faith in Fords commission, for which no leader has been named nor terms of reference \released. I remain worried that a government-controlled commission will not be transparent, could downplay the governments contributions to the crisis and will not have a broad scope of investigation, said Green Leader Mike Schreiner. New Democrats repeated their call for a full public judicial inquiry. Thats the only way well spark the overhaul thats needed, said NDP Leader Andrea Horwath. The risks at the outset were obvious to many in Ontarios threadbare and rarely inspected homes. Critics say the government overprepared for COVID-19 in hospitals and underprepared in long-term care, where group living in close quarters left residents highly susceptible, and that the government waited too long to stop staff from working in more than one home. Investigators from the ombudsmans office will review Ontarios standards and policies for nursing homes as well as the adequacy of oversight mechanisms to ensure compliance. The probe will look at how complaints were handled, inspections by the Ministry of Long-Term Care and its staff, emergency planning, steps taken to support nursing homes during the pandemic, collection of data on COVID-19 cases, rates of infection and death and communication by nursing homes with residents, staff and the public. Ford has acknowledged the long-term-care system is broken and last week accused the governments own inspectors of refusing to do in-person inspections at the height of the pandemic in April a charge the Ontario Public Service Employees Union denied, saying that decision was made by managers. The premier attempted to mend fences Monday, telling inspectors infuriated by his remarks that I know we had a little bump there I appreciate everything you do. Troubles continue at a number of Ontario nursing homes. The latest facility to be hard-hit is Woodbridge Vista Care Community, which Ford is under pressure to take over under emergency powers after administrators sent 18 patients to hospital with COVID-19 on the weekend. This is why the province should not be keeping secret its list of code red nursing homes, with the biggest problems handling the highly contagious virus, Horwath said. Ford said Ontarians deserve to know what he knows, Horwath said in a statement. He knows this home has a massive outbreak of COVID-19. Ontario must take over its management immediately to ensure seniors are getting the same care the private operator is failing to provide. The nursing home sent 18 residents to several hospitals on Saturday night. It is owned by Sienna Senior Living, which also owns Altamont Community Care in Scarborough and Camilla Care Community in Mississauga, which were both taken over temporarily by the province last week. There are now seven homes under government control. Altamont was a subject of the scathing military report. Woodbridge Vista Care has 224 beds, with 65 residents sick from COVID-19, 17 dead from it and 20 staff infected, according to an Ontario government tally. Long-term care can manage to a certain extent, but when you get many people sick with COVID-19 symptoms you want to do everything possible, said Sienna vice-president Joanne Dykeman. The number of nursing homes with outbreaks of COVID-19 has declined to 112. A total of 306 have had outbreaks, 184 of which have been resolved, according to Ontario government figures released Monday morning. There are still 1,154 nursing home residents and 978 staff members with active cases of the novel coronavirus, both slight declines from the previous day. Seven workers have died. At least 5,097 residents of nursing homes have tested positive for COVID-19. The number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 has also been declining and is down to 781, with 125 in intensive care and 89 of them on ventilators. Labs across the province processed 14,379 tests Sunday, with another 6,427 people awaiting results. More than 66 per cent of cases have been in the GTA, where the majority of new infections are still taking place. About three-quarters of the new cases announced by the government Monday were in Toronto and Peel. As of Monday at 5 p.m., Ontario had 30,044 cases of COVID-19 since the outbreak began in late January with 2,336 deaths, according to a Star compilation of data from health units in the previous 24 hours. There were 458 new and probable cases of the virus with an increase of eight deaths. Across Canada, there have been 91,351 cases and 7,305 deaths. New Delhi: Microsoft has sacked dozens of journalists as the US multinational technology company decided to replace them with artificial intelligence software. As many as 27 individuals employed by PA Media formerly the Press Association were told on Thursday that they would lose their jobs in a months time, according to The Guardian report. Employees were reportedly told Microsofts decision to end the contract with PA Media was taken at short notice as part of the company's decision to shift away from humans in favour of automated updates for news. Microsoft has decided to stop employing humans to select, edit, and curate news articles on its homepages. The employees who used to maintain the news homepages on Microsofts MSN website and its Edge browser used by millions of Britons every day came to know that robots will now do their jobs. The decision by Microsoft to replace humans with software is reportedly being seen as risky because the existing staff was careful to stick to very strict editorial guidelines. This ensured that users were not presented with violent or inappropriate content when opening their browser, of particular importance for younger users. Although the Microsoft team working on the website did not report original stories, it, however, exercised editorial control, selecting stories produced by other news organisations and editing content and headlines where appropriate to fit the format. Some of the journalists, who had longstanding experience in the industry, would now face a tough challenge to get jobs elsewhere when the whole industry is looking to cut costs. Notably, other teams are also expected to be affected by Microsofts decision to automate the curation of its news sites. Like other news organisations, PA Media is reportedly facing tough financial challenges and has had to furlough some staff and ask others to take pay cuts. The company has expanded outside its traditional newsagency business, as it has reportedly bought stock image business Alamy shortly before the pandemic devastated the media industry. Like all companies, we evaluate our business on a regular basis. This can result in increased investment in some places and, from time to time, re-deployment in others. These decisions are not the result of the current pandemic, a Microsoft spokesperson was quoted as saying. Inside the White House, government officials are filled tension as hundreds of protesters took to the gates to express their dissatisfaction with the administration's response to the surge of protests. Some were seen hurling bricks and bottles at the building. The president of the United States recently shared his perspective of the ongoing protests amid George Floyd's death. Trump previously posted a tweet that looting would later result in shooting, causing an uproar among citizens. Hiding away The Secret Service team has immediately taken the president into the underground bunker, which was used for past terrorist attacks as they were concerned about Trump's safety. On Friday night, someone at the scene described the events that added to the sense of unease felt by the White House as the protests continued to expand across the nation, as reported by the New York Times. The officials revealed that the president was never in any real threat or danger but that Trump, along with his family, has been shaken by violent movements that lasted for three nights near the Executive Mansion. President Trump expressed his grief and condolences to Floyd in the wake of his death but soon uttered threats to increase violence against looters and thugs. On Sunday, the president kept out of sight of the public eye even through recommendations from his campaign advisers that he address the situation before another potential night of violent riots. When night came on Sunday, protesters gathered again on the scene as sirens wailed through the vicinity as local law enforcement officers arrived to support the Secret Service and National Guard. The mayor of Washington implemented a curfew to curb the amount of damage that could be done as a result of the violence. According to Triblive, Trump stayed within the underground bunker for less than an hour while a group of protesters outside demolished metal barricades placed on the gates of the White House. The rioters then proceeded to push police officers while the Secret Service restored the barricades. Also Read: Trump May Assume Control on Minneapolis Chaos Amid George Floyd Protests Continuous protests The violence resulted in some officers walking away with minor injuries, and some agents replied with the use of pepper spray to quell the violence. Protesters chanted throughout the night their support for Floyd and their apparent disapproval of Trump and his administration. The event started at around 10:00 p.m. ET on Friday night outside the gates of the White House and had mostly calmed down by 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday morning. The Secret Service was able to reach out and expand their perimeter when the crowd slowly thinned out throughout the day. Law enforcement arrested six people during the protests, which the Secret Service confirmed on Saturday afternoon in a statement, as reported by CNN. The US president's top allies have divided over what course of action they should take to combat the violent protests that have lasted through several nights. Some advisers have urged the president to condemn the actions and to be more forceful in his retaliation or risk losing middle-of-the-road voters. Related Article: Trump Calls George Floyd Protesters as "Thugs," Saying That Looting Will Lead to Shooting @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. As Thailands daily tally of new COVID-19 cases has fallen to single digits most days over the past two weeks, authorities continue to ease restrictions put in place to combat the pandemic. Previous routines are both familiar and new as Thais return to daily life. Buddhist monks are in streets at dawn collecting alms, having added face masks to their garb. Businesses such as shopping malls have reopened, checking customers for fevers and dispensing sanitizing gel for their convenient use. Food courts and restaurants serve up their usual spicy delights, but diners must keep their distance from one another. Its a case of same-same but different, as a saying popular with locals and tourists goes. Thailands parliament approves $58 bln economic package to ease virus impact Thailands parliament passed a 1.9 trillion baht ($58 billion) economic support package on Sunday to ease the impact of the coronavirus. The legislation, comprising three bills, include a government plan to borrow 1 trillion baht and central bank measures worth another 900 billion baht in soft loans and support for corporate bonds. Of the 1 trillion baht of borrowing, 600 billion baht will be for public heath works and relief measures, and the rest for rebuilding the economy and job creation. The bills must next be approved by the upper house Senate, which is expected to convene in early June, before they can become law. The latest steps follow billions of dollars of stimulus measures introduced earlier this year to cope with the impact of the coronavirus on the Thai economy, which is heading into a recession. Thailand began this month to gradually ease some restrictions introduced to contain the virus. More businesses classified as medium to high risks, including cinemas and gyms, will be allowed to reopen on Monday. Thailands central bank has said it expects the economy to sharply contract this year as the pandemic hit businesses and households. Thailand reported four new coronavirus cases on Sunday. The country has confirmed 3,081 cases and 57 deaths since the outbreak began in January. (With inputs for Associated Press and Reuters.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Organisations that support women are invited to apply to a new $1,000,000 fund as part of the Governments COVID-19 response. We know women, and organisations that support women, have been affected by COVID-19. This new money will ensure funding for groups that support women and womens rights, says Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter. Issues related to gender equality can take a backseat during emergencies and crises, and this results in worse outcomes for women and girls. Greater loss of income, increased instances of domestic violence, and increased caring responsibilities all impact on women. Many NGOs that support women have reduced income and volunteer numbers due to the impacts of COVID-19, and at the same time, they have many more people needing their support and/or services. I particularly want to encourage groups that work with wahine Maori to apply. We welcome applications to improve outcomes for women and girls which have not been covered by other government funds. This may include initiatives such as opening a community centre for an additional day in order to provide extra services, or supporting a womens centre to deliver counselling services. Organisations will be able to apply for funding to support the government priorities of healthy and safe communities, reducing family and sexual violence, and improving child wellbeing. This funding supports NGOs and womens organisations to be sustainable and make the difference we need in communities to empower women and girls in Aotearoa New Zealand, says Julie Anne Genter. Applications are available for the fund from the Ministry for Women, and will close on Monday, June 15. More information on the fund can be found at https://women.govt.nz/news/covid-19-and-women/covid-19-community-fund 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. With the mayhem following the last Monday death of arrestee George Floyd, many have pointed out that protesting is fine, but rioting is not. While obviously true, something equally so is left unsaid: There is nothing to protest. It's not as with the murder of Justine Damond, where it took eight months to arrest the trigger-pulling Minneapolis police officer, Mohamed Noor. It's not as with the killing of Virginian John Geer, where it took 18 months to arrest the cop who killed him and later pleaded down to involuntary manslaughter, Adam Torres. Of course, Damond and Geer were both white. So not only were there no protests, riots, looting, or burning, but the incidents weren't even covered nationally. Nothing to see here move along. In contrast, it took mere days for the officer in the Floyd case, Derek Chauvin, to be fired, arrested, and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, and the other three cops involved have also been axed. So what would satisfy the protesters? A summary execution? (In some cases, yes.) Oh, but there's the big picture, many say. There sure is, and it's this: far more white than black suspects are shot every year by cops. This isn't merely due to whites being far more numerous, either. After all, research finds that police are actually more likely to shoot whites relative to the races' different homicide rates and the rates at which they feloniously shoot police. A study also showed that cops are, in reality, more willing to shoot white suspects than black ones. Black suspects are as likely to shoot at police as to be shot at. According to FBI statistics, 46 percent of those who murder police officers are black. White police officers are actually less likely than non-white officers to shoot and kill non-white suspects. Police shootings of black suspects have declined 75 percent in recent decades. Note also that approximately 90 percent of black homicide victims are killed by other black people and, here's what most don't know, most of the rest are likely killed by Hispanics. (Hispanics are generally included in the "white" category in crime statistics.) Non-Hispanic white-on-black murder is relatively rare. So, again, what's there to protest? Of course, media propaganda ensures that not only won't most people know the above truths, but they'll live in an inverted world of unreality in which they think the truth is precisely the opposite. This is why the mainstream media are largely responsible for the rioting, destruction, and death currently plaguing our country. Actually, though, there is something to protest: the lockdowns, which, despite being revealed as a cure far worse than the disease, are perpetuated by ignorant, corrupt politicians who know that an admission of error indicts their judgment. Speaking of which, if the shut down businesses' owners created mayhem the way the miscreants destroying some of their businesses currently are, would they get the kind of sympathy the establishment left shows the rioters? Actually, the ignorant, corrupt politicians would probably enjoy rolling over them with a tank and would be cheered on by their talking-monkey public-relations team (AKA the media). In reality, it's likely that many rioters couldn't even tell you the name of the guy who died in police custody last Monday, and many couldn't care less about him. They're driven by their own twisted passions (and there's astroturfing at work here, too) and should be brought to heel with extreme prejudice. Instead, all the feckless Minneapolis authorities could do was declare "racism" a national emergency to justify the violence. Our real national emergency is widespread lack of virtue, with, in particular, the virtues of honesty, courage, and justice in terribly short supply. Contact Selwyn Duke, follow him on Gab (preferably) or Twitter, or log on to SelwynDuke.com. Image credit: YouTube screen shot. New Delhi, June 2 : The revised definition will give micro, small and medium Enterprises (MSMEs) confidence to grow and will promote their expansion, Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) Chairman T. Rajkumary said on Monday. The industry body welcomed the decisions of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing economic support to MSMEs, farmers, street vendors and the agricultural sector. He said MSMEs, which have a 29 per cent share in the country's GDP and 48 per cent share in the country's exports and provide employment to millions of people, will receive maximum benefits from the change in the definition of MSME under which turnover limit for medium enterprises has been revised upward. Under the new definition, the distinction between manufacturing and services enterprises has also been eliminated. The CITI Chairman pointed out that in the revised definition, even small weaving mills may be able to come and because of this, many garment manufacturers will be benefited. The Centre's revision in the definition of MSMEs will give MSMEs the much-needed confidence to grow and will promote its seamless expansion in the country, he said. He also welcomed the decision of Distressed Asset Fund of Rs 4,000 crore created to help weaker MSMEs that are struggling through NPA norms due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. This fund will bring them back into the business and they can start the business activities afresh with the help of this fund, he said. Further Rs 20,000 crore subordinated debt for stressed MSMEs is likely to benefit 2 lakh stressed MSMEs. As per the new definition, businesses with investment of less than Rs 1 crore and turnover of Rs 5 crore would be classified as micro enterprises while, the businesses with investment of Rs 10 crore and the turnover of less than Rs 50 crore will come under small enterprises. Similarly, companies with investment of Rs 50 crore and turnover of up to Rs 250 crore would be classified as medium enterprises. President Donald Trump makes an announcement about U.S. trade relations with China and Hong Kong in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on May 29, 2020. (Reuters/Jonathan Ernst) Trump Signs Never Again Holocaust Education Act Into Law President Donald Trump signed the holocaust education bill H.R. 943 into law on Friday, according to a statement issued by the White House, coinciding with the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. The Never Again Education Act will create a fund for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to expand middle and high school educational materials to promote a better understanding of the events that happened during the Holocaust, according to the White House. This legislation will help ensure that future generations know and remember the tragic history of the Holocaust, reflect accurately on how evil and intolerance briefly overcame humanity, and how the strong march of American-led freedom across Europe ended the genocide of the Jewish people. The statement further indicated that anti-Semitism continues to exist in the world and anti-Semitic incidents have increased in America since 2013, and that the problem needed to be addressed and confronted, and ultimately, condemned. The issue had been prevalent back prior to the events of the Holocaust, and together with the totalitarian National Socialist German Workers (Nazi) regime, led to the events of an annihilation on a scale the world had never known. The White House added that through proper education of the events that had unfolded, people could prevent similar atrocities from happening again. Consistent with this bills name, the United States will not stand for the mass persecution and mass murder like that perpetrated during the Holocaust, the statement read. This Administration will always work to ensure future generations never forget the Holocaust, that they condemn racial hatred of all types, and that they always work to protect the right of all people to worship freely. From NTD News CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. SpaceX delivered two astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA on Sunday, following up a historic liftoff with an equally smooth docking in yet another first for Elon Musks company. With test pilots Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken poised to take over manual control if necessary, the SpaceX Dragon capsule pulled up to the station and docked automatically, no assistance needed. The hatches swung open a few hours later, and the two Dragon riders floated into the orbiting lab and embraced the three station residents. Unlike the SpaceX and NASA flight control rooms, where everyone was spaced well apart, there was no social distancing or masks needed in orbit since the new arrivals had been in quarantine for many weeks. The whole world saw this mission, and we are so, so proud of everything you have done for our country and, in fact, to inspire the world, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a call from Mission Control in Houston. Hurley credited SpaceX and added, Its great to get the United States back in the crewed launch business. It was the first time a privately built and owned spacecraft carried astronauts to the space station in its more than 20 years of existence. NASA considers this the opening volley in a business revolution encircling Earth and eventually stretching to the moon and Mars. NASA is not going to purchase, own and operate rockets and capsules the way we used to, Bridenstine said. Were going to partner with commercial industry. The docking occurred barely 19 hours after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off Saturday afternoon from Kennedy Space Center, the nations first astronaut launch to orbit from home soil in nearly a decade and drawing a Washington delegation led by President Donald Trump. NASA said peak viewership online hit 10 million. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands jammed surrounding beaches, bridges and towns as SpaceX ended a nine-year launch drought for NASA. The achievement, years in the making, is expected to drive down launch costs so more people might be able to afford a ticket to space in the coming years. Behnken told the welcoming committee at NASAs Johnson Space Center that the Dragon was a slick vehicle and said he was surprised at how rough the ride was on the latter part of ascent, compared with the space shuttle, which he and Hurley rode twice. Dragon was huffing and puffing all the way into orbit, he said. Two Texas members of Congress at Johnson for the docking Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Brian Babin said the flight offered inspiration and hope during a particularly tough time of protests and pandemic. Having it go off without a hitch was a tremendous blessing for our country, Babin told the astronauts. Gleaming white in the sunlight, the Dragon was easily visible on NASA TV from a few miles away from the space station, its nose cone open and exposing its docking hook as well as a blinking light. Hurley and Behnken took over the controls and did a little piloting less than a couple hundred yards (meters) out as part of the test flight, before putting it back into automatic for the final approach. Once on board the space station, Hurley said the capsule, newly named Endeavour after the retired shuttle, handled extremely well. He was the pilot on the last U.S. spaceship to visit the space station the last shuttle flight, by Atlantis, in July 2011. Restoring American launch capability nine years later, he noted, is just one effort that we can show for the ages in this dark time that weve had over the past several months to kind of inspire, especially the young people in the United States, to reach for these lofty goals. There was one small glitch: Hurley bumped his head entering the space station and frequently wiped his forehead during the welcoming ceremony. NASA turned to private industry to pick up the slack following the shuttle fleets retirement, hiring SpaceX and Boeing in 2014 for space station taxi services. Boeings first astronaut flight isnt expected until next year. Until Saturday, SpaceX had launched only space station supplies or satellites. The companys employees took to calling the astronauts dads to drive home the fact that two lives were at stake in this highly technical effort. Clearly relieved, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted a big welcome home to the Dragon fliers Americas two favorite dads. NASA has yet to decide how long Hurley and Behnken will spend at the space station, somewhere between one and four months. While theyre there, theyll join NASAs Chris Cassidy and two Russian station residents in performing experiments and possibly spacewalks to install fresh station batteries. While U.S. astronauts will continue to catch a ride on Russian Soyuz rockets, it will be through a barter system now that NASAs commercial crew program has finally taken flight. NASA had been shelling out tens of millions of dollars for every Soyuz seat. In a show-and-tell earlier Sunday, the astronauts gave a quick tour of the Dragons sparkling clean insides, quite spacious for a capsule. The blue sequined dinosaur accompanying them their young sons toy, named Tremor was also in good shape, Behnken assured viewers. Tremor was going to join Earthy, a plush globe delivered to the space station on last years test flight of a crew-less crew Dragon. Behnken said both toys would return to Earth with them at missions end. An old-style capsule splashdown is planned. After liftoff, Musk told reporters that the capsules return will be more dangerous in some ways than its launch. Even so, getting the two astronauts safely to orbit and then the space station had everyone breathing huge sighs of relief. As always, Musk was looking ahead. This is hopefully the first step on a journey toward a civilization on Mars, he said Saturday evening. ___ 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. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:58:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RIGA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Latvia's government coalition decided on Monday to inject 2 billion euros (2.22 billion U.S. dollars) in the national economy over the next couple of years to fuel its recovery from the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins announced at a news conference following the coalition meeting. The prime minister said the coalition agreed at Monday's meeting on a strategic investment intended to promote an economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. "While last week we decided on how to invest, now there is an agreement on particular categories," Karins said. The prime minister explained that the money to be invested in the economy over the two-year period will be divided into three equal portions and spent on benefits, infrastructure and modernization. Around 660 million euros will be made available for projects in each category. Of that amount, 32 million euros will be allocated to culture-related projects and 42 million euros to scientific research. Support is also being planned for the tourism industry, which has been hit especially hard by the COVID-19 crisis, as well as other activities. The prime minister said that the solution agreed on by the government coalition would benefit both the state and the economy. (1 euro = 1.11 U.S. dollars) Enditem Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Sofia, Bulgaria Mon, June 1, 2020 12:02 599 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb46ae3 2 Art & Culture Bulgaria,united-states,artist,arts,Christo-Vladimirov-Javacheff,Germany Free The artist known as Christo, who made his name transforming landmarks such as Germany's Reichstag by covering them with reams of cloth, died on Sunday aged 84, his official Facebook page announced. Christo Vladimirov Javacheff died of natural causes at his home in New York City, the statement said. The Bulgarian-born artist worked in collaboration with his wife of 51 years Jeanne-Claude until her death in 2009. Their large-scale productions would take years of preparation and were costly to erect; but they were mostly ephemeral, coming down after just weeks or months. "Christo lived his life to the fullest, not only dreaming up what seemed impossible but realizing it," said a statement from his office. "Christo and Jeanne-Claude's artwork brought people together in shared experiences across the globe, and their work lives on in our hearts and memories." In accordance with Christo's wishes, the statement added, a work in progress, "l'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped", would be completed. The event is now scheduled to be shown from September 18, 2021, having been postponed from this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Born on June 13, 1935 in Gabrovo, Bulgaria, Christo left his home country in 1957, living briefly in several countries before arriving in Paris, where he met his future wife, a fellow artist. But in their subsequent collaborations, he was credited more as the artist and Jeanne-Claude as the organizer. "This is not the work of Christo, it's the work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude," she would say. To finance their massive, ambitious projects and thus maintain their artistic freedom, the couple would sell their preparatory work, including collages and drawings, at exorbitant prices. Read also: Artist Christo launches 7,500 floating barrels in London An 'enchanter' Next year's work in Paris will be accompanied by an exhibition at the city's Pompidou Centre about their time in the city. That show is due to start in July this year, running until the end of October 2020. A statement sent to AFP by the Pompidou Centre on Sunday paid tribute to the artist as an "enchanter" who was "essential to the history of art of our time". "Christo was a great artist, capable of giving new depth to our everyday," said the Pompidou Centre's president, Serge Lasvignes. The center's director, Bernard Blistene, said they had worked "passionately" with Christo's team to put the exhibition together in parallel with the Arc de Triomphe project. "Let the exhibition that we will be opening on July 1 pay tribute to this exceptional body of work, bestriding all disciplines and so essential to the history of art of our time," he added. The exhibition will focus on the time Christo and his wife spent in Paris, 1958 to 1964, during which they developed their signature style. As well as the German Reichstag, another of their major projects was wrapping the Pont Neuf, Paris's oldest bridge, in 1985. Sunday's statement from Christo's office concluded: "In a 1958 letter Christo wrote, 'Beauty, science and art will always triumph'. We hold those words closely today." Retirement fund body EPFO on Monday said it has released Rs 868 crore pension along with Rs 105 crore arrears on account of restoration of commuted value of (higher) pension New Delhi: Retirement fund body EPFO on Monday said it has released Rs 868 crore pension along with Rs 105 crore arrears on account of the restoration of commuted value of (higher) pension. On the recommendation of EPFO's apex decision making body Central Board of Trustees, the government had accepted one of the long-standing demands of workers to allow restoration of commuted value of pension after 15 years, a labour ministry statement said. "The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) released Rs 868 crore pension along with Rs 105 crore arrear on account of the restoration of commuted value of pension," it added. Earlier, there was no provision for restoration of commuted pension and the pensioners continued to receive reduced pension on account of commutation lifelong, it said. This is a historical step for the benefit of pensioners under EPS-95 (Employees' Pension Scheme-1995). The EPFO has more than 65 lakhs pensioners catered through its 135 regional offices. EPFO officers and staff battled all odds during this COVID-19 lockdown period and processed pension payment for May, 2020 to ensure credit of pension in the pensioners bank account on schedule. Earlier in February, the labour ministry has implemented EPFO's decision to restore pension commutation under EPS-95, benefitting 6.3 lakh pensioners. Pension commutation refers to part-withdrawal of fund in advance by a subscriber, who then gets reduced pension amount for 15 years. With the ministry's decision, these pensioners are entitled to receive their full pension after completion of 15 years. On 20 February, the ministry notified the decision of EPFO to restore pension of those who opted for commutation of their pension on or before September 25, 2008. As many as 6.3 lakh pensioner had opted for commutation of their pension and got a lump sum at the time of retirement from their pension fund on or before September 25, 2008. The provision for pension commutation has been withdrawn by EPFO. Now, the facility has been restored for all those who opted for it on or before September 25, 2008. Under the commutation, monthly pension used to be cut by one-third for the next 15 years and the reduced amount was given in lump sum. After 15 years, pensioners were entitled to get the full pension. In August 2019, the EPFO's apex decision-making body -- Central Board of Trustees headed by the labour minister -- approved the proposal to restore commutation of pension for 6.3 lakh pensioners who had opted for the benefit. Nigerians, outraged by the murder of a female university student inside a church in Edo State, are demanding the killers be brought to justice. The victim, Vera Omozuwa, a 100-level Microbiology student of the University of Benin, was beaten inside a hall in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City on May 13, where she went to study. She died on May 31, 18 days after, at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, the police said. She was 23 years old. Using the hashtag #JusticeForUwa on Twitter, several Nigerians have condemned the brutal murder of Ms Omozuwa. They are calling on the Nigerian police not to allow the case slip into the list of unresolved murders in the country. Contrary to the opinion expressed by Nigerians that Ms Omozuwa was raped by her attackers, the police in Edo, South-South Nigeria, said such conclusion could only be drawn after a medical report is received from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and one other hospital, the first hospital she was taken to. The police spokesperson in Edo State, Chidi Nwabuzor, told PREMIUM TIMES, Sunday evening, that they are searching for people who probably witnessed the attack on the student. The police in the state have, therefore, requested people to give to the police useful information that would lead to arrest of those behind the murder. #JusticeForUwa The hashtag #JusticeForUwa trended on Sunday on Twitter because of the large number of Nigerians that took to the microblogging site to express their anger, as well as demand action from the Nigerian authorities. We demand justice for Uwa, the Mirabel Centre, which provides assistance to rape victims, said in a tweet, on Sunday. It is our collective responsibility to ensure Uwa gets justice! Nse Ikpe-Etim, a Nollywood actress, said on Twitter, Uwas dream of becoming a nurse has now been dashed by rapists and murders. All she wanted to do was read. When will girls feel safe again? she added. A renowned Nigerian cleric, Johnson Suleman, condemned the murder of Ms Omozuwa and also called for the arrest of her killers in a statement he posted on Twitter on Sunday. Kiki Mordi, a Nigerian journalist tweeted, My heart is broken into a million pieces. Right group, Amnesty International, condemned the murder of Ms Omuzuma in a Twitter post on Sunday, and called on the Nigerian authorities to discard discriminatory laws that condone rape or prevent its successful prosecution. Although rape is a crime in Nigeria governments response to it continues to be, woefully inadequate Rising cases of rape across Nigeria was a result of the failure of law enforcement to ensure that rapists face justice. We are deeply concerned that perpetrators of rape in Nigeria invariably escape punishment, the group said. I used to be afraid of chewing a gum inside church or stepping in with dirt on my shoes but nowadays people have the guts to go in there to rape and kill? One Twitter user (@staarrgirlll) commented. The evil men will never go unpunished, she added. Meanwhile, the General Overseer of the RCCG, Enoch Adeboye, has said that the church management would cooperate with the police in its investigation into the murder. I and members of my family condemn this act strongly and urge everyone to stay calm as we are already looking into the matter and cooperating with the police to establish the facts of the shocking situation, Mr Adeboye said in a Twitter post on Sunday. The Narendra Modi government on Monday announced policy changes for the MSME sector as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat package. In the first Cabinet meeting in the second year of the Narendra Modi government, it approved changes to the definition of MSMEs. According to the new definitions, MSMEs with an investment of Rs 1 cr and turnover of Rs 5 cr will be classified as micro-units. Units with an investment of Rs 10 cr and turnover of Rs 50 cr will be classified as small units while those with an investment of Rs 50 cr and turnover of Rs 250 cr will be classified as medium units. ... Mr Roland Affail Monney, the President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), on Monday urged journalists to synergise in the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). He said: The battle against the virus is winnable if all media practitioners will put their energies and resources together, focus on the same direction and tailor programmes targeted at challenging the minds of the citizenry in the fight against the dreaded virus. Mr Monney said this during the donation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) worth GHC76,480.00 by JN Products, a cosmetic and detergent manufacturing company, to the Association in support of the fight against the virus. The items included sanitizers, liquid soaps, nose masks and dispensers. He said the easing of the restrictions by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo did not defeat the fact that the virus was still prevalent and that journalists must adhere to the protocols to keep safe. As journalists we need to scale-up our efforts to sensitise and educate the public on the realities of the pandemic because some people are of the view that the virus is not real, he said. Additionally he said journalists were not immune to the virus in anyway and could get infected when exposed to it adding; Journalists in Togo and other African nations have died of the virus. He gave the assurance that all media houses would receive their share of the PPE and called on other organisations and individuals to support the Association and its members in the fight against the virus. Mr Joseph Nyarko, the Chief Executive Officer of JN Products, said the donation was in recognition of the role journalists played at the fore front of educating and informing the public on what they needed to know about the pandemic. He said the items would help protect men and women of the inky profession against the dreaded virus. Mrs Linda Asante-Agyei, the GJA Vice-President, expressed gratitude to the company for the kind gesture and that it would go a long way to protect members in their role to educate and inform the public on the dos and don'ts of the COVID-19 pandemic. ---GNA By Lee Min-hyung An escalating sign of the United States-China currency conflict is expected to become a "very serious" fear factor that determines the valuation of Korea's currency, but the scale of the looming challenge remains unclear for the time being due to its infancy, experts said Monday. The outlook came at a time when the world's two largest economies are stirring their renewed trade dispute into a potential large-scale currency war. Last Tuesday, Beijing's central bank set its reference rate for the yuan at its weakest point in 12 years, in what Washington views as China's move to step up pressure against the U.S. over their deepening trade feud. The external political uncertainty has also raised a sense of concern in the local currency market. The Korean won is considered a proxy currency for the Chinese yuan due to the close economic connection between the two countries. For this reason, the valuation of the won tends to move in the same direction as that of the yuan. Against this backdrop, the latest step by People's Bank of China will likely result in the depreciation of the Korean currency. The short-term impact from the U.S.-China currency dispute appears to be minimal for the Korean currency market. On Tuesday, the won-dollar exchange rate closed at 1,234.3 won per dollar, down 9.9 won from the previous trading day, despite the decision by the Chinese central bank. Some business owners in Charleston, South Carolina, swept up broken glass, boarded windows and took stock of ransacked shelves Sunday morning after protests erupted into violence in South Carolina. Broken glass littered sidewalks outside storefronts in downtown Charleston, where restaurants and shops just recently reopened after being shut down because of the coronavirus. Hundreds turned out Saturday for what began as peaceful protests, but spiraled into vandalism and violence overnight. Brian Lucier found a large stone used to smash the front windows of his shop, Kings Lead Cigar Lounge. All this just adds insult to injury, Lucier told The Post and Courier. Weve been bleeding for three months now and then this happens. Charleston Police Chief Luther Reynolds said 10 people had been arrested in relation to the protests. He said there were no serious injuries. However, diners and restaurant staff at the Stars Rooftop & Grill Room were rattled at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday when protesters started throwing chairs at the front window, said Heather Green, one of the restaurants operators. She said staff locked the front door and evacuated customers through a back entrance before protesters smashed their way inside and ransacked the managers office. It started to feel like everything was going to be OK, and that we were finally getting back to normal, Greene said. And now this happens. In the state capitol of Columbia, Police Chief Skip Holbrook said Sunday more than dozen arrests were made overnight and 15 police officers and sheriffs deputies suffered injuries during volatile demonstrations. The State newspaper reported that some protesters threw rocks at police and set fire to at least two police cars, ignoring pleas from fellow demonstrators to refrain from violence. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Law Enforcement South Carolina In December 2017, the annual conference of the Association for Jewish Studies, the largest gathering of Jewish scholars in the world, took place in downtown Washington. There were panels on medieval Jewish philosophy, Russian refugees and migrants, and divorce. But none generated quite the amount of heat as the one about the Museum of the Bible, which had opened a month earlier, just south of the Mall. Many prominent Jewish scholars had criticized the museum for what they called a "supersessionist" approach, wherein Christianity supplants Judaism. And there were the problems with some of its artifacts. Four months before the museum opened, federal prosecutors announced a settlement with the big-box craft chain Hobby Lobby, whose evangelical owners, the Green family, set up the museum. The Greens had amassed one of the world's largest Bible collections, which forms the basis of many of the displays inside the $500 million, 430,000-square-foot museum. But some 5,500 artifacts that were bought for the Green Collection had been looted from Iraq, prosecutors said, and Hobby Lobby, which owns the Green Collection and loans the items to the museum, agreed to return the illegally acquired objects and to pay a $3 million fine. But at the Jewish studies conference, criticism of the museum went well beyond the provenance of its artifacts. Attendees packed a session on the museum's role as a "mediator of Judaism." No one was more strident than the panel's formal respondent - the speaker designated to react to presentations - Mark Leuchter of Temple University. With New York University Dead Sea Scrolls expert Lawrence Schiffman, an Orthodox Jew and consultant for the Museum of the Bible, in attendance, Leuchter said colleagues in the museum's employ were "court Jews," who had "taken their 30 pieces of silver from the Green family." In Christian Scripture, that is the price for which Judas betrayed Jesus. "It does for intellectual honesty what Jonestown did for Kool-Aid," he went on, to some snickers from the audience. "The top brass at the museum felt they covered their a--es by finding a few Jews who were willing to say okay." Leuchter's talk drew enough laughs that at one point he said, to more laughter, "I'm not trying to be funny here." He concluded by saying of the museum, "I'm sure there are very fine people on both sides," which drew several surprised "oohs." In the 2 years since the conference, Leuchter's opinion has not changed. He told me in November that he hasn't been back to the museum and he believes it has "done virtually nothing to address our concerns as scholars." However, other Jewish scholars have started to see the museum in a more measured light. Schiffman, who remains a consultant, and other prominent Jewish scholars say the institution's reputation is changing with new staff, stricter acquisitions policies and some prized additions. When someone complained to Schiffman that the exhibit "Jerusalem and Rome: Cultures in Context in the First Century CE," which ran from June 2018 until June 2019, reflected an evangelical view, he pointed out that the Hebrew University of Jerusalem curated it. "The people from Hebrew University must have converted," he said to me sarcastically. "Something funny must have happened before they created the exhibit, because they put it together. They shipped it. They wrote the labels. They put it in the cabinets." Perhaps the most prominent acquisition that has Jewish scholars taking notice is a medieval Hebrew manuscript that the museum calls the Washington Pentateuch. Few people had laid eyes on it before it went on display in the fall. (The museum was forced to close on March 15 because of the coronavirus pandemic, cutting short the manuscript's temporary exhibit. A spokesperson says there are plans to display it as part of the permanent collection later this year.) The Washington Pentateuch doesn't answer every criticism that has been raised about the museum, such as its emphasis on the Bible's Christian context. But for some scholars, the manuscript is a significant symbol of the institution's commitment to putting its mistakes behind it. I got to see the Washington Pentateuch on a crisp November morning. I watched as two art installers clad in turquoise gloves built mounts and tweaked the manuscript's resting spot for the next few months. Stephen Gorman, lead museum registrar, told them which side of the manuscript was the top before they placed it carefully in the glass vitrine. First the binding didn't sit right, which Gorman speculated was because it had been taken out and shown so many times. The handlers fixed that before stretching sheets of plastic to secure the pages. Weighing 20 to 30 pounds and consisting of 247 folios (or about 500 single-sided pages), it's a kind of collage, about 90% of which one scribe penned around the year 1000. Another scribe, Joseph ben Jacob, wrote 21 folios - in Deuteronomy, Genesis and Numbers - in 1141, and it's unclear when these replaced original ones. A different medieval hand wrote seven other folios at an unknown time, said Herschel Hepler, associate Hebrew manuscripts curator and exhibit curator. The museum conservatively dates this Hebrew Bible to 1000, making it one of the world's oldest such books. Pentateuch, from the Greek, refers to the five books of Moses, or Torah, the first section of Jewish Scripture. It is the centerpiece of the exhibit "A Fence Around the Torah: Unveiling an Iconic Jewish Bible," which was originally scheduled to close on March 29. The Pentateuch may seem unremarkable initially to Hebrew readers, to whom it may look like any Hebrew Bible they would buy at a bookstore. Marginal notes flank biblical passages, which form the center of the page and have trop (cantillation marks) and nekudot (vowels). But those two additions that biblical readers so take for granted today were innovations of sixth- to 10th-century Babylonian and Palestinian Jewish scribes, known as Masoretes. Before this Masoretic Pentateuch, and a few others like it, biblical texts looked more like today's Torah scrolls, which lack notes and vowels. Everyone who has read the Torah at age 12 or 13 for a bat or bar mitzvah knows how difficult it is to chant a text without those symbols, said David Stern, professor and director of Harvard's Center for Jewish Studies and content adviser for the exhibit. Today's young Jews often memorize difficult Hebrew passages, because the Torah must remain, per rabbinical law, stripped of the useful symbols the Masoretes pioneered in Pentateuchs like this one. Since a book like a Pentateuch isn't a valid ritual object to use for a Torah reading in traditional services, it needn't conform to the same standards as a Torah. "These books are usually viewed as sort of the final stage in the stabilization of the biblical texts," Stern says. "It's a kind of crazy project - sort of like half bookkeeping, half sort of connoisseurship." Gary Rendsburg, professor of Jewish history at Rutgers University, tells students, who don't tend to know Hebrew, that they can read disemvoweled text messages ("txt msgs") and vanity license plates (VNTY PL8) because they understand the system. Such modern-day shorthand gives a sense of what it is like to read Torah scrolls and the ways that medieval and ancient readers had to work through biblical texts before the Masoretes revolutionized them. "These books are usually viewed as sort of the final stage in the stabilization of the biblical texts," says David Stern, professor and director of Harvard's Center for Jewish Studies and a content adviser for the exhibit featuring the Pentateuch. To understand how crazy the Masoretic process is, I put more than a decade of biblical Hebrew and rabbinical Aramaic training to use by closely examining the spread, spanning Exodus 14:28 to 15:21, to which the Pentateuch was open in the exhibit. This is a common choice, as it includes the "Song of the Sea," whose white space evokes poetry and is an unusually interesting graphic in an otherwise dry Torah design. The magic lies in the margins. Masoretic notations, here arranged in triangular configurations, respond on the displayed spread to an unusual word in Exodus 15:2. Working through faded ink and confusing penmanship, I realized the scribe detailed other biblical iterations of the rare word's root: Isaiah 33:10, Daniel 4:34, Nehemiah 9:5, Isaiah 33:3, Ezekiel 10:17 and Psalm 118:28. If this was a Christian rather than a Jewish manuscript, being made more than 500 years before Martin Luther, illuminators might have adorned margins with stunning biblical scenes or beastly "grotesques." Why did these Masoretes allocate so much valuable real estate, in an era when parchment was nearly worth its weight in gold, to idiosyncrasies? How did they have all of these verses at their fingertips centuries before the first alphabetical listings of biblical words and the passages in which they appear (called concordances)? "The notations serve as a cross-referencing system for every noteworthy feature of Scripture - grammatical, phonetic, orthographic, syntactic - and thus serve both to unify Scripture and simultaneously to make sure all those features are faithfully transmitted," Stern explains. Such notations helped to preserve the integrity of the text by trying to eliminate human error in copying and transmitting the Bible. You could say the Washington Pentateuch is having a similar effect on the Bible museum's reputation. When it comes to salvaging the museum's standing, the acquisition of the Washington Pentateuch could not come a moment too soon. "Let's face it. Everything has not always been perfect," Schiffman says. "I've had honest questions from some people about the museum, which of course makes perfect sense." Even after the museum paid that $3 million fine for illegally imported Iraqi artifacts, questions about the provenance and authenticity of its objects continued. In March, it was revealed that all 16 of the museum's Dead Sea Scrolls fragments are fake, and the institution announced it was returning some 5,000 papyrus fragments and 6,500 clay objects with "insufficient provenance" to Egypt and Iraq, respectively. And as recently as May 18, federal authorities said the Gilgamesh Dream tablet, for which the museum paid $1.6 million six years ago, entered the country illegally. The museum is suing Christie's, from which it purchased the rare cuneiform tablet, claiming fraud and breach of contract. To be sure, even the world's top museums have faced blowback over possessing artifacts and art that are fundamental to another culture's identity and stories. For their part, Bible museum officials say they sought to correct those errors as early as 2016. The board adopted an acquisitions policy that year and in 2017 engaged Thomas R. Kline, a cultural heritage lawyer, to review all acquisitions and internal processes, says Jeffrey Kloha, the museum's chief curatorial officer. Since 2017, staff members have reviewed every provenance to ensure objects meet "rigorous standards" and "best museum practices," he adds. (The objects discovered to be fakes in March were bought before 2014.) "There's no question to me that the museum is trying to be extremely careful in what they're buying now. They're buying only the best and then making sure that the provenance is squeaky-clean," says Sharon Liberman Mintz, curator of Jewish art at the library of the Jewish Theological Seminary, Conservative Judaism's flagship educational institution. "They don't want to repeat any of the mistakes that they made in the past." The Pentateuch is "such a rare survival that any institution would be chomping at the bit to be able to acquire this," she continues. Even the JTS library, one of the world's best repositories of Jewish books and manuscripts, lacks a nearly complete Masoretic manuscript. Mintz believes Jewish scholars who denounced evangelical tones in the museum may have done so because they don't see eye-to-eye with its politically conservative owners. But, she notes, the museum itself caters to Jews. She cites a time when it arranged kosher food for an event in which her husband, an Orthodox rabbi, participated. "They were just nice about it," she says. "While the family and the leadership were shockingly naive, the museum has learned a lot from those missteps," says Aaron Koller, who describes those missteps as "serious breaches" in ethics and law. Koller, professor of Near Eastern and Jewish studies at Yeshiva University, offered the museum "three cheers" for preserving and highlighting the Washington Pentateuch, noting that the manuscript and other reputable acquisitions "are not from the murkier ancient world that tripped them up in the early days." So far, there have not been the same kinds of clouds hanging over the Pentateuch's provenance as there were around its Dead Sea Scroll fragments, and the Pentateuch appears to have a stellar provenance. Some scholars didn't want to guess what the museum paid in 2017 to reputable London dealer David Sofer, who had owned it since 1990. Others estimated in the low millions, perhaps up to nearly double the $3.61 million the Green Collection paid at a 2015 Sotheby's auction for another Hebrew star of the museum, Codex Valmadonna I, which dates to 1189. The museum's spending itself has also attracted some controversy. Some critics have accused it of trying to "colonize" the field. But Stern argues the museum is free to buy what it pleases. And while he considers the Green family's politics "detestable for someone like myself," he doesn't think any of that should affect the museum. He called the 2017 session at the Association for Jewish Studies conference, which he attended, "short of machine guns" and "a disgusting talk." "While the family and the leadership were shockingly naive, the museum has learned a lot from those missteps," says Aaron Koller, professor of Near Eastern and Jewish studies at Yeshiva University. Rendsburg, of Rutgers, says he enters the museum knowing the Greens footed the bill. "No one else has ever created such a thing. They had a vision and the money to implement the vision," he says. "I know I'm not going into the Israel Museum in Jerusalem." Aaron Rosen, professor of religion and visual culture at Wesley Theological Seminary in the District, cautioned against what he called the "genetic fallacy" of assuming the museum's past dictates its future: "There are some reasons for optimism, especially in the ecumenical and intercultural outlook of its section on the Bible in America, which could be at home in the Smithsonian." Steven Fine, Jewish history professor and director of Yeshiva University's Center for Israel Studies, who describes himself as "a museum person turned academic, who is still a museum person," thinks much of the remaining criticism comes from academics without museum expertise. "I would not want to talk about engineering, because I know nothing about it," he says. He brushes aside charges that the museum staff missionizes. "Do they think that I'm going to burn in hell at the end of days? Some of them might," he said. "So, what do I care what they believe? Until then, we're friends." A brief look at all the news you need to start the day with during the time of social distancing. Follow live updates on COVID-19 here. Villagers repair their house damaged by cyclone Amphan in Satkhira on May 21, 2020. (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty Images) 'Worse than Coronavirus': Mamata Banerjee on Cyclone Amphan impact An extremely severe cyclone packing winds of up to 190 kmph roared into West Bengal, dumping heavy rain and leaving a trail of destruction. Read More Railways to run 200 mail and express trains from June 1 Only online e-ticketing will be done through the IRCTC website or through the mobile app, and no tickets will be booked across the reservation counter on any railway station. Check the full list India calls Nepal's new map unjustified cartographic assertion India's angry reaction came hours after the Nepal government released a revised political and administrative map of the country laying claim over the strategically key areas along the border. Read More Trump considers hosting G-7 summit despite coronavirus spread The announcement was the latest effort by Donald Trump to signal to the nation that the US economy is humming again. Read More Mystery solved: IAF test flight behind sonic boom in Bengaluru The sound was heard across the city from Kempegowda International Airport off Devanahalli in the north to Kengeri and Electronic City in the South. Read More People should learn to live with COVID-19: Imran Khan We have to live with this virus for some time until a vaccine is developed, the Pakistan PM said, adding that even advanced countries with much more resources were unable to cope with the situation. Read More Will take some practice to not put saliva on ball: Ashwin The ICC Cricket Committee recommended a ban on use of saliva in its meeting earlier this week. Read More ALBANY After President Donald Trump issued the travel ban in 2017, hundreds of attorneys rushed to John F. Kennedy Airport to assist travelers from seven majority Muslim countries who were suddenly thrust into a legal gray area as they tried to gain entry into the U.S. Through that effort, the Immigrant Advocates Response Collaborative (I-ARC) was born. The collective consists of more than 80 immigration legal service providers across New York state. Although the collaborative has existed for years now, Camille Mackler, founder and executive director will announce Monday that the group will become an Albany-based nonprofit. A physical location for the nonprofit has yet to be determined, Mackler said. The nonprofit will function as a law training and policy institute that will support immigration lawyers across the state, and educate the public on the real-life impact of immigration laws by tracking trends, putting out white papers and working with the press, among other things. Mackler said the decision to base the nonprofit in Albany was to send a clear message: From our perspective, this is New York coming together to support New York immigrant communities, Mackler said. We thought putting it in the state capital close to its political centers and not in New York City sends that message. While the 80 member organizations are from all over the state, local groups involved include the Albany Law School Immigration Clinic, Prisoners Legal Services, The Legal Project, and the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. Since 2017, the organization has led trainings and did a great deal of its work on a volunteer basis. The group helped mobilize hundreds of volunteers to provide legal services to asylum seekers transferred to the Albany County jail in the midst of the family separation crisis. The group also played a part in exposing the U.S. governments decision to reject nearly 2,000 timely filed applications to renew Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Mackler said. Mackler said she looks forward to seeing what the organization can accomplish as a nonprofit. Now she will be able to fundraise and hire a staff to work toward their goals. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. We were all trying to make it a part of jobs. It was all pretty stop and go, Mackler said. She said the group has been meeting frequently as COVID-19 related issues arise. Theyve been troubleshooting for everything from how to get passport photos and how to convince courts to extend deadlines. We are going to be working really hard to ensure immigrant communities are supported during this COVID process, and dont come out in an even worse position, Mackler said. Photograph: Amy Harris/Rex/Shutterstock Police officers in Cincinnati, Ohio, stoked tensions with groups protesting against police brutality by raising a provocative flag that represents police officers outside a law enforcement building in place of the stars and stripes. Related: 'He is a destroyer': how the George Floyd protests left Donald Trump exposed The so-called Blue Lives Matter flag is a black-and-white US flag with a blue stripe replacing one white stripe. Thin Blue Line USA, the group that sells the flags, says the thin blue line represents officers in the line of duty and the black represents fallen officers. Pictures of the flag flying outside a local justice complex went viral, stoking anger nationwide among people protesting the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, the latest case to fuel the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality. Cincinnati, has like scores of other major cities, been the setting for protest over the last three nights which has seen protesters and officers injured. The Cincinnati police pulled down the American flag at the justice center and replaced it with the thin blue line. Infuriating. Picture from a friend. pic.twitter.com/1bM0ovH0T6 Pokes (@P0kes) May 31, 2020 On Sunday, the Hamilton county sheriff, Jim Neil, said on Twitter the American flag that usually flies outside Cincinnattis county justice center was stolen during the vandalism of the Justice Center. The Thin Blue Line was raised by our deputies to honor the CPD Officer who was shot. The flag has been removed and we will replace it with the American Flag in the morning. Local media reported that the officer in question had been struck on his helmet by a bullet, but was not injured. Chris Seelbach, chair of the Cincinnati city council, tweeted that the raising of the flag would make unrest worse in the city. [It] should have been replaced with American flag immediately. Not replaced with a politically charged blue lives matter flag when thousands are protesting in our streets because #BlackLivesMatter. Sheriff Neil has only made things worse. Again. The flag has been a previous center of controversy. In Portland, Oregon, last year, a government employee won $100,000 in a settlement after she alleged she was bullied by fellow employees who displayed the flag in her office. As the Associated Press reported then, in her lawsuit against Multnomah county, Karimah Guion-Pledgure said the flag demeaned the Black Lives Matter movement. Amid record unemployment, millions of Americans are expected to struggle to pay their rent or mortgage in June. Already, more than 8 percent of U.S. homeowners, about 4.7 million households, have signed up for mortgage relief programs, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. That is up more than 2,000 percent since early March. The crisis facing the country's 40 million renters is even more dire, sparking calls for rent strikes across the country and a $100 billion bailout. The number of tenants not paying their rent on time has doubled since the crisis, industry officials say. Amherst, a data and analytics real estate firm, estimates up to 28 million renters, or 22.5 percent of all U.S. households, are at risk of eviction or foreclosure because of the coronavirus. Here are some answers to common questions about moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures passed due to the pandemic. Q: I'm a renter. Can I be evicted? A: It depends. The $2 trillion economic rescue legislation passed by Congress, the Cares Act, prohibits rental evictions for 120 days on certain properties. Once that ban expires on July 25, landlords must give tenants 30 days notice before eviction, according to the law. Among those covered by that moratorium are properties that receive federal assistance or have loans backed by the government-controlled mortgage companies, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. About 30 percent of renters fall into those groups, according to the Urban Institute. Renters' level of protection can vary widely by state, with some people covered by overlapping eviction bans established by governors, state legislators or the courts, said Emily A. Benfer, director of the Health Justice Advocacy Clinic at Columbia Law School. In some states landlords are still allowed to file eviction notices even if the courts are closed, and in others late fees can continue to accumulate through the moratoriums, said Benfer, who has been maintaining a database of eviction policies during the coronavirus crisis. Seven states, including Arkansas, Oklahoma and Ohio, never enacted state-level eviction bans, and the majority of moratoriums, including in Colorado, Rhode Island and several other states, are set to expire in a few weeks, she said. Q: How can I determine whether my home is covered by the federal moratorium? A: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have created new online tools for renters to determine whether they live in properties covered by the Cares Act moratorium. The site for Fannie Mae can be found at https://www.knowyouroptions.com/rentersresourcefinder. The site for Freddie Mac can be found at https://myhome.freddiemac.com/renting/lookup.html. Q: How can I determine whether I am covered by a state-level eviction moratorium? A: Ask local officials whether there are any eviction bans in place and when they expire. The National Consumer Law Center is also maintaining a list of what states are doing to help local residents, including protection from eviction. It can be found at https://www.nclc.org/issues/foreclosures-and-mortgages/covid-19-state-foreclosure-moratoriums-and-stays.html. Q: Is there a federal program to help renters? A: Some Democrats have called for a $100 billion national rental assistance program, but it is unclear whether it will gain enough support among Republicans to make it into the next stimulus bill. Housing advocates say they are hopeful, arguing that it is the only way to avoid a major crisis in the rental market. Either Congress gets ahead of the problem and establishes a rental assistance program now or it waits until an emergency emerges, said David M. Dworkin, who was a senior adviser in the Treasury Department on housing finance during the Obama and Trump administrations. If Congress waits "the resulting crisis costs us much more money as well as the personal and community-wide devastation that comes with it," said Dworkin, chief executive of the National Housing Conference. In the meantime, renters who have lost their jobs or are sick because of the virus should immediately contact their landlord and alert them - in writing - of their hardships. Many states have also established local rental assistance programs. Utah launched a $4 million program to help tenants cover their rent payments, for example. Nevada is using $2 million from a state settlement with Wells Fargo for a renter assistance program, while the city of Austin, Texas, is determining who is eligible for its $1.2 million program through a lottery. Q: What if I am a homeowner facing foreclosure? A: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have directed mortgage servicers to halt all new foreclosure actions and suspend those already in progress. The HUD order applies to single-family homeowners unable to pay their Federal Housing Administration-backed mortgages. There are 8.1 million active FHA loans. The moratorium also applies to loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which covers about half of the country's mortgages, or about 28 million borrowers. (The government seized control of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2008 as the housing market unraveled, and the firms' losses piled up. The companies, which play a critical part in the housing market, remain under federal oversight.) The moratoriums were recently extended and now don't expire until June 30. Q: How do I figure out if my mortgage is backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac? A: Homeowners can look up whether their loans are backed by the mortgage companies through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's websites. Fannie Mae's online form can be found at https://www.knowyouroptions.com/loanlookup. Freddie Mac can be found at https://ww3.freddiemac.com/loanlookup/. Q: What if I don't have an FHA loan or one backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? A: About 5 million homeowners with loans valued at $3.7 trillion are not covered by the HUD or FHFA moratoriums, according to Inside Mortgage Finance, an industry research group. These homeowners should ask their mortgage servicer, the company that collects their loan payments, who owns their mortgage and what options are available to borrowers. "Document every conversation and follow up in a letter or email noting what was discussed in your phone call. This will help you and the next person you talk to when you call back or they call you," said Dworkin of the National Housing Conference. Q: I haven't missed a mortgage payment yet but just lost my job. What are my options? A: While it can take months or years for someone to lose their home through the foreclosure process, many Americans fell behind as companies shuttered their doors to guard against the spread of the coronavirus and laid off workers. If you fear falling behind on your payments, don't ignore the problem, said Andrea Bopp Stark, an attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. "It is easy to get overwhelmed right now with everything that is going on but a borrower having trouble paying their mortgage must be proactive in trying to resolve the delinquency," Stark said. "There is most likely help available." For borrowers with loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, mortgage servicers have been ordered to offer generous forbearance programs allowing borrowers to skip their mortgage payments for as long as a year. Many people in forbearance programs will not have to make another mortgage payment until 2021, according to industry analysts. Borrowers must apply for the mortgage relief through their mortgage servicer, which collects monthly payments, and will decide how long the assistance will last. But, again, the level of relief a homeowner receives depends on who owns their loan. A borrower having trouble navigating the process could contact a non-profit housing counselor. HUD-certified housing counselors can be found at https://www.hud.gov/findacounselor%20[hud.gov]. Q: If my lender allows me to temporarily skip my mortgage payments, do I have to repay the payments I skip? A: Mortgage servicers are expected to allow millions of borrowers affected by the crisis to skip some mortgage payments. But the money will have to be paid back. Think of it as a loan rather than a gift. Some borrowers will be told to repay the entire past due amount all at once, while others will be given several months to catch up. But regulators are encouraging banks to simply extend the length of the borrower's mortgage rather than forcing them to catch up in a short amount of time. Mortgage deferral is the "gold standard," said Dworkin. That means the borrower doesn't pay it back until they sell their house or at the end of their mortgage term, he said. "The tricky part is that they can't offer it to you until you are able to pay your mortgage again, so stay in touch while you are out of work, and be assertive about deferral when you are ready to resume your mortgage payments," said Dworkin. Asia US Launches First NASA Astronauts From American Soil Since 2011 The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the manned Crew Dragon spacecraft attached takes off from a launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center on May 30, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. / GETTY / KYODO Destroying the environment to save it By Paul Driessen We had to destroy the village in order to save it. The infamous Vietnam era quotation may or may not have been uttered by an anonymous US Army major. It may have been misquoted, revised, apocryphal or invented. But it quickly morphed into an anti-war mantra that reflected attitudes of the time. For Virginians and others forced to travel the path of clean, green, renewable, sustainable energy, it will redound in modern politics as We had to destroy the environment in order to save it. Weeks after Governor Ralph Northam signed Virginias Clean Economy Act, which had been rushed through a partisan Democrat legislature, Dominion Energy Virginia announced it would reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. To do so, the utility company will raise family, business, hospital and school electricity bills by 3% every year for the next ten years as these customers and state and local governments struggle to climb out of the financial holes created by the ongoing Coronavirus lockdown. Just as bad, renewable energy mandates and commitments from the new law and Dominions integrated resource plan will have major adverse impacts on Virginia and world environmental values. In reality, Virginias new clean economy exists only in fantasy land and only if we ignore clean energy CO2 emissions, air and water pollution, and other environmental degradation around the world. Dominion Energy plans to expand the states offshore wind, onshore solar and battery storage capacity by some 24,000 megawatts of new renewable energy by 2035, and far more after that. It will retain just 9,700 MW of existing natural gas generation, and only through 2045, build no new gas-fired units, and retire 6,200 megawatts of coal-fired generation. This will reduce in-state carbon dioxide emissions, but certainly wont do so globally. The company intends to keep its four existing nuclear units operating. To replace some of its abundant, reliable, affordable fossil fuel electricity, Dominion intends to build at least 31,400 megawatts of expensive, unreliable solar capacity by 2045. The company estimates that will require a land area some 25% larger than 250,000-acre Fairfax County, west of Washington, DC. That means Dominion Energys new solar facilities will blanket 490 square miles (313,000 acres) of beautiful croplands, scenic areas and habitats that now teem with wildlife. Thats almost half the land area of Rhode Island, eight times the District of Columbia, 14 times more land than all Fairfax County parks combined blanketed by imported solar panels. Still more land will be torn up for access roads and new transmission lines. All this is just for Dominion Energys solar panels. The panels will actually generate electricity maybe 20-25% of the year, once you factor in nighttime hours, cloudy days, and times when the sun is not bright enough to generate more than trifling electricity. Dominion and other Virginia utility companies also plan to import and install 430 monstrous 850-foot-tall bird-chopping offshore wind turbines and tens of thousands of half-ton battery packs, to provide backup power for at least a few hours or days when the sun isnt shining and the wind isnt blowing. The batteries will prevent the economy from shutting down even more completely during each outage than it has during the Corona lockdown. Similar policies across America will impact hundreds of millions of acres. Most of these solar panels, wind turbines and batteries or their components, or the metals and minerals required to manufacture those components will likely come from China or from Chinese-owned operations in Africa, Asia and Latin America ... under mining, air and water pollution, workplace safety, fair wage, child labor, mined land reclamation, manufacturing and other laws and standards that would get US and other Western companies unmasked, vilified, sued, fined and shut down in a heartbeat. It is those minimal to nonexistent laws and regulations that govern most of the companies and operations that will supply the clean technologies that will soon blight Virginia landscapes and serve the new clean Virginia economy. As Michael Moore observes in his new film, Planet of the Humans, other states that opt for clean energy will face the same realities. Thus far, no one has produced even a rough estimate of how much concrete, steel, aluminum, copper, lithium, cobalt, silica, rare earth metals and countless other materials will be needed. All will require gigantic heavy equipment and prodigious amounts of fossil fuels to blast and haul away billions of tons of rocky overburden; extract, crush and process tens of millions of tons of ores, using acids, toxic chemicals and other means to refine the ores; smelt concentrates into metals; manufacture all the millions of tons of components; and haul, assemble and install the panels, turbines, batteries and transmission lines, setting them on top of tens of thousands of tons of concrete and rebar. All of it beyond Virginias borders. No one has tallied the oil, natural gas and coal fuel requirements for doing all this Virginia Clean Economy work nor the greenhouse gases and actual pollutants that will be emitted in the process. Nothing about this is clean, green, renewable or sustainable. But Virginia politicians and Dominion Energy officials have said nothing about any of this, nor about which countries will host the mining and other activities, under what environmental and human rights standards. Will Virginians ever get a full accounting? Just because all of this will happen far beyond Virginias borders does not mean we can ignore the global environmental impacts. Or the health, safety and well-being of children and parents in those distant mines, processing plants and factories. This is the perfect time to observe the environmentalist creed: think globally, act locally. Will that be done? Will Dominion and Virginia require that all these raw materials and wind, solar and battery components be responsibly sourced? Will it require independently verified certifications that none of them involve child labor, and all are produced in compliance with US and Virginia laws, regulations and ethical codes for workplace safety, fair wages, air and water pollution, wildlife preservation, cancer prevention and mined lands reclamation? Will they tally up all the fossil fuels consumed, and pollutants emitted, in the process? Science journalist, businessman and parliamentarian Matt Ridley says wind turbines need some 200 times more raw materials per megawatt of power than modern combined-cycle gas turbines. Its probably much the same for solar panels. Add in the millions of wind turbines, billions of solar panels and billions of backup batteries that would be required under a nationwide Green New Deal, and the combined US and global environmental, human health and human rights impacts become absolutely mindboggling. If you ignore all the land and wildlife impacts from installing the wind turbines, solar panels, batteries and transmission lines you could perhaps call this clean energy and a clean economy within Virginias borders. But not beyond those borders. This is a global issue, and the world would likely be far better off if we just built modern combined-cycle gas turbines (or nuclear power plants) to generate reliable electricity and avoided all the monumental human and ecological impacts of pseudo-renewable energy. When its time to select sites for these 490 square miles of industrial solar facilities, will Virginia, its county and local governments, its citizens, environmentalist groups and courts apply the same rigorous standards, laws and regulations that they demand for drilling, fracking, coal and gas power plants, pipelines, highways, timber cutting and other projects? Will they apply the same standards for 850-foot-tall wind turbines and 100-foot-tall transmission lines as they demand for buried-out-of-sight pipelines? Virginias Clean Economy Act will also plunge almost every project and jurisdiction into questions of race, poverty and environmental justice. Dominion Energy and other utility companies will have to charge means-tested rates (even as rates climb 3% per year) and exempt low-income customers from some charges. They will have to submit construction plans to environmental justice councils even as the companies, councils and politicians ignore the rampant injustices inflicted on children and parents slaving away in Chinese, African and Latin American clean energy mines, processing plants and factories. Government officials, utility industry executives, environmentalists and anyone else who promotes wind, solar, battery and biofuel energy need to explain exactly how they plan to address these issues. Future town hall meetings and project approval hearings promise to be raucous, entertaining and illuminating. Paul Driessen is senior policy analyst for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (www.CFACT.org) and author of books and articles on energy, environment, climate and human rights issues. Home Turkey has repatriated 12 Finnish Islamic State detainees, the Interior Ministry has revealed, part of an ongoing process of transferring jihadi captives back to their countries of origin. Extradition of foreign terrorist fighters continues. In this context, 12 Finnish nationals were flown back to their countries, the ministry said in a May 31 tweet. The ministry did not specify whether the Finns were men, women or children. Turkey began repatriating foreign jihadis in November of last year, mostly to Europe. Those repatriated include fighters from Germany, France, Ireland and Denmark. Ankara also deported a US IS fighter that month. Finnish IS fighters rarely if ever made headlines when the terror group butchered its way across Iraq and Syria. Yet Finland, with a population of 5.5 million, produced one of the highest jihadist rates per capita, according to Anne Speckhard, director of the International Center for Countering Violent Extremism at Georgetown University. There are 11 Finnish women and 30 Finnish children currently at the Al-Hol and Roj camps in northeast Syria, which are home to around 70,000 IS fighter dependents, most of them Syrians and Iraqis. Around 10,000 of them are from 60 other countries, including Turkey. Turkey wants to deport roughly 700 foreigners of a total 1,172 IS militants in its custody, the pro-government Yeni Akit reported. But to Ankaras growing ire, European governments have largely declined to take them back, and in the cases of dual nationals revoked their citizenship, rejecting responsibility for them. They justify the moves on the grounds that IS returnees pose a security threat. Some 2,000 women around the world renounced their citizenship to follow their husbands to Syria, according to CENTCOM. However, some countries, Finland among them, have begun to relent on the repatriation of children, with France taking back 18 of a total 300 children born to French IS-linked parents, The New York Times reported. The NYT also reported that some Turkish IS wives and children had been repatriated to Turkey. They are likely among several hundred IS detainees who broke free from camps when Turkey launched its latest cross-border operation against the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) last October. Turkey has started repatriating scores of Turkish IS detainees being held in the towns of Tell Abyad and Ras al-Ain, which it wrested from the SDF. According to Yeni Akit, 327 foreign IS fighters and their family members were captured during Turkeys Operation Peace Spring. It remains unclear whether the figure includes those in SDF-run prisons that fell under Turkish control. Of them, 278 were reportedly foreigners. The Finnish foreign fighters may have been among them. The Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria wants all foreign IS operatives to be repatriated, saying it lacks the means to hold them indefinitely. There have been a series of riots and attempted breakouts at several detention facilities. The administration now has a policy of refusing to allow the repatriation of children without their mothers. The autonomous administration is not recognized by the central government in Damascus. While Western governments engage with it, they do not accord it any formal status and the administrations calls for an international tribunal to try IS fighters from foreign countries within the area under its control have been spurned. MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's vegetable oil imports are likely to surge from June onwards as New Delhi eases coronavirus curbs, the head of a trading body said on Monday. The south Asian country is the world's biggest importer of edible oils and higher purchases could support Malaysian palm oil prices. India could import 1.14 million tonnes of vegetable oils in June, up from an average of 865,000 tonnes during April-May, said Sudhakar Desai, president of the Indian Vegetable Oils Producers Association (IVPA). "Vegetable oil import needs could be 1.3 to 1.4 million tonnes per month during the July to September period," Desai said after a webinar with industry officials. India extended its lockdown until June 30 in high-risk zones but permitted restaurants, malls and religious buildings to reopen elsewhere from June 8 despite a record high number of cases detected nationwide on Saturday. India buys palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia and other oils, such as soyoil and sunflower oil, from Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine and Russia. The country's edible oil consumption could drop by nearly 7% to 21.7 million tonnes in the 2019/20 marketing year ending Oct. 31 as demand was squeezed during the lockdown, Desai said. (Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; editing by Nick Macfie) A fresh delay in the trial production of 3nm chipsets from TSMC could leave an open opportunity for Samsung. Thats based on recent reports out of China, suggesting that TSMCs trials, conducted at its Section 18 plant could be delayed by more than a full quarter. Such a delay would push back 3nm chipsets from the company as far back as 2021. The delay itself, the report indicates, is the result of ongoing global health concerns. Thats led to disruptions in the supply chain. But its also led to difficulties in personnel movement and other logistics surrounding the trials. TSMC had been slated to finalize its tests as of this year. As of mid-May, TSCM was reportedly expecting to begin production of 5nm chipsets and 5G modems in June. Advertisement Samsung could step in to fill the 3nm void left by TSMC Following the arrival of 5nm chipsets to production lines, there are really two main contenders in the 3nm space. Those are Samsung and TSMC. The latter company was holding a definitive lead over Samsung in terms of trialing the upcoming next-gen chipsets. Thats atop its current lead on 5nm and 7nm processes. TSMC was also well-placed in terms of US operations, following reports that it could build a plant in the US in order to appease the US government. The move would make it a more viable competitor in terms of working with US companies. With 3nm chips expected to enter full production by 2022-2023, driving the next wave of flagship handsets, a slip on the 3nm front could be particularly damaging to its position. Samsung, conversely, could be well poised to step in and take a dominant role in the next-gen chips. The South Korea-based competitor is still planning to mass-produce its own 5nm process chips beginning in Q2 2020. And its reportedly said it will start focusing on the development of the GAAFET-based 3nm process node this year. Advertisement The result could be Samsung working more with TSMC partners As noted above, the real impact of a delay from TSMC if Samsung steps up quickly enough wouldnt be felt until the next generation of devices. Right now, the former company holds a dominant position in the chip industry, with partners from Apple and HiSilicon to AMD, Qualcomm, and others. Those are partners that Samsung could potentially steal away. This wouldnt be the first time that Samsungs chip-related business has taken center stage either. It temporarily took away Intels crown in the semiconductor industry back in 2017 before subsequently losing ground in 2019. So Samsung is a capable player across multiple facets of the chipset market. None of that necessarily means that Samsung will be able to overcome and surpass TSMC. But it does give the company a significant window of opportunity. Advertisement Whether or not the company can take advantage of that is another matter entirely. Not only will that depend on how long it takes to develop its 3nm process node and begin trial production. But it also depends on whether or not the same supply chain and health-related concerns impact Samsung to the same degree as TSMC. HEBRON, Ky., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Last November it was announced that the Pomeroy brand was being reintroduced in North America as part of a separation from Getronics. Today, while finalizing the separation from Getronics, we are announcing the formation of Pomeroy Technologies, LLC. led by Chris Froman, President and CEO. Pomeroy Technologies, under new ownership made up of a consortium of investors with experience investing in the technology industry, is also announcing the formation of an independent Board of Directors with extensive technology industry experience, led by Chairman James Dixon, formerly CEO and Chairman of CompuCom Systems, Inc. The Board also includes Christopher Hjelm, formerly CIO of Kroger and FedEx, Sandeep Dadlani, currently Global Chief Digital Officer at MARS and formerly President at Infosys, and Sarah Hagan, currently CFO at ECi Software Solutions and formerly Vice President of Finance, Airline Solutions at Sabre. "The Pomeroy brand has long been known for delivering excellent service based upon enduring client, partner and employee relationships", said James Dixon. "I'm looking forward to working with our new Board and our leadership team to further expand and enhance Pomeroy Technologies' delivery across North America and beyond." Chris Froman added, "It's great to have a new Board, new ownership and a new way to deliver value through automation to our clients. The cumulative effect of integrated technologies and proven methodologies will further enhance our already industry leading capabilities. This is the first step in a very bright future for Pomeroy Technologies, our clients, employees and partners." About Pomeroy Technologies Pomeroy Technologies partners with clients to help optimize and enhance their digital infrastructures to transform the workplace experience with the resources required to assess, design, deploy and continually innovate an agile, flexible IT environment along with a comprehensive portfolio of managed services that includes Workplace, Network, Hybrid IT, Technical Staffing and a full range of procurement & logistics services. Media Contact Pomeroy Technologies: Michael James - 859.657.2109 SOURCE Pomeroy Technologies, LLC Related Links https://www.pomeroy.com Arizona News Phoenix, Arizona - Governor Doug Ducey yesterday released the following statement on the Ocotillo Fire near Cave Creek, which is estimated at 750 acres and has already burned multiple structures. Earlier today, a fast-moving brush fire broke out in Cave Creek, immediately threatening multiple homes and structures. State and local fire officials are working to contain the blaze, and our office is in close coordination. Fire officials have issued an evacuation order for select areas of Cave Creek, and we urge residents to remain alert and follow orders from public safety officials. The Red Cross has established a shelter for displaced residents at Cactus Shadows High School. We continue to pray for the safety of all firefighters and first responders working to protect people, pets and property as well as everyone in the area. Currently, evacuations are in place for Cave Creek residents in the area north of Grapevine Road, south of Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area, east of Seven Sisters Mountain and west of School House Road. American Red Cross representatives are assisting evacuees and providing information at Cactus Shadow High School, 5802 E. Dove Valley Rd., Cave Creek, Arizona. Effective ways on how to create a positive environment and stay connected to employees who work-at-home amid the global pandemic, according to a published article. Changes Brought by the Global Pandemic in the Workforce The global pandemic has brought many changes today. One of these is putting more or less half of the employees to work at home to reduce the chances of the virus contagion. As most of the countries are now in the stage of reopening the economic activities and planning to reopen the school, many will be working in their homes. Life will look very different in the coming days due to COVID-19. From the traditional face-to-face meeting, conference, having lunch with co-workers, and more, these activities will not happen maybe a year or more as long as there is no vaccine. However, the move to reopen the economy amid the global pandemic is of the toughest decisions that the government made. It is a matter of weighing the economy against life because reopening means putting more lives at risk. Additionally, working at home is one of the alternatives that the government and private companies are seeing in an attempt to reopen the economy. If work will not resume in the coming days, millions will be forced to poverty even before the year ends. Meanwhile, either to workk-at-home or not, the most important thing is to create an environment where everyone has the chance to feel safe and not intimidated, to feel secure and not harmed, and to stay connected with one another. In a recently published article, here are some ways on how to have a healthy environment while a person works remotely: Acknowledge Workforce Diversity Everyone comes from a different background which means that each and one has a different perspective over a certain subject. This is somehow to cause conflict within the group that is not good for professional development. It is important for the employers to acknowledge that each employee is unique and that while others may enjoy working at home, there are others also who don't like it. In these trying times, it is important to look for the well-being of the employees. Ask Empathy-Building Questions During Meetings There are employers who are one-sided or insensitive. Even the world is not in a global pandemic, it is important that employers need to listen to how their employees feel. Make them feel part of your family and not making them apart from it. Susan Milligan, Patient Experience Director at Ensemble Health Partners, said: "Being sensitive to the needs they have never shared with you is the essence of empathy." Employers do not need to have all the answers, just listen and show your support to them. Simple questions like "How are you?" and "How are you feeling?" will make them feel that care for them. Build a Sense of Community This is what most of the companies failed, a sense of community. Communicate with your people in the most comfortable way. Make sure that you have programs that will help or assist them in these tough times. Work is the top priority but to make sure that your employees are productive, have a video message on a regular basis, and have them balance their work and their home responsibilities in the most constructive way. Don't push them too hard. Be a Safe and a Trusted Resource David DeSteno, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University, said: "Do something that makes them believe that you are one of them. Even though you are the boss, in the end you're all in this together." This means that you have to build a strong rapport with employees. Engage with them on a personal level and do not be afraid to show your vulnerability. To relate with your employees and to empathize with them will help strengthen individual ties that construct your team. New Delhi: Prime Minitser Narendra Modi on Saturday announced a new defence Line of Credit of US$ 500 million for facilitating deeper defence cooperation between India and Vietnam. Adressing the joint press conference after a bilateral meeting with Vietnams Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in Hanoi, PM Modi said that India and Vietnam signed total 12 agreements for cooperation in areas, including defence and IT, to boost bilateral ties. PM Modi, who flew to Hanoi on Friday, is on a two nation diplomatic tour and is scheduled to fly to China for G20 summit later in the day. Speaking at the conference, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the warm and ordial welcome by the host President Tran Dai Quant at his presidential palace on Saturday morning. He thanked his counterpart Nguyen for personally escorting him to Ho Chi Minh's house in Hanoi. PM Modi further revealed that the India-Vietnam delegation level talks covered the full range of bilateral and multilateral co-operation issues, including defence and security engagements. Terming Vietnam as rapidly developing strong ecoomy, the Prime Minister also announced that India has offered a grant of US$5 million for the establishment of a software park in the Telecommunications University in Nha Trang in Veitnam. He expressed hope that under Vietnam's leadership as ASEAN Coordinator for India, the two nations will work towards a strengthened India-ASEAN partnership across all areas. Also Read: PM Modi gets ceremonial welcome in Hanoi; meet with Vietnams PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc underway Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome in front of the majestic Presidential palace in Hanoi on Saturday morning. Modi, the first Indian prime minister to visit the communist nation in 15 years, was welcomed by Vietnamese president Tran Dai Quant. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Shares of Adani Power rose 10 per cent to Rs 40 on the BSE on Monday after the Gautam Adani- promoted electric utilities company said its board will meet to consider delisting the company from the stock exchanges. The meeting of board of directors of Adani Power to be held on Wednesday, June 03, 2020 to consider the proposal for voluntary delisting of the equity shares of the Company received from the promoter company, Adani Power said in an exchange filing. 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 She has been focused on life in the country since her high-profile split from Paul Hollywood last year. And Summer Monteys-Fullam looked incredible as she gave her horse a bath in a fun video on Instagram on Sunday. The equestrian, 24, slipped into a scanty black bikini top and tiny hotpants to showcase her moves to Harry Styles' Adore You while giving her beloved horse a wash in a field. Wow: Summer Monteys-Fullam looked incredible as she gave her horse a bath in a fun video on Instagram on Sunday The star displayed her ample cleavage and washboard abs as she danced while giving her horse a scrub. The beauty showcased her natural beauty with her signature fringe pinned back from her visage to reveal her make-up free complexion. The star drew the eye to her lithe legs in a tiny pair of denim hotpants as she frolicked in the field. Summer has been focusing on her horses and spending time with her family after her split from Paul, 54, last year. Fun: The equestrian, 24, slipped into a scanty black bikini top and tiny hotpants to showcase her moves to Harry Styles' Adore You while giving her beloved horse a wash in a field Last month, Summer made a thinly-veiled dig at her Bake Off judge ex after it was reported he has already moved his new lover into the house they shared in Kent. Summer took to Instagram stories to share a snap of the view, which she accompanied with the track Savage by Megan Thee Stallion. The lyrics appeared to be quite pointed: 'B***h, that's my trash, you the maid, so you bagged him, ah I'm a savage (yeah), Classy, bougie, ratchet (yeah); Sassy, moody, nasty (hey, hey, yeah)! Busty: The star displayed her ample cleavage and washboard abs as she danced while giving her horse a scrub Pet: The star drew the eye to her lithe legs in a tiny pair of denim hotpants as she frolicked in the field 'Acting stupid, what's happening? B***h (whoa, whoa) What's happening? B***h (whoa, whoa). I'm a savage, yeah! Classy, bougie, ratchet, yeah!' The post comes after friends of Paul's revealed his new girlfriend - pub landlady Melissa Spalding, 36 - is self-isolating with him in his 1 million farmhouse, just eight months after splitting from Summer. Friends say she immediately accepted his invitation to relocate from the nearby Chequers pub in the village of Smarden where she lived, amid the COVID-19 lockdown. Paul bought the Grade II-listed house last year for him and Summer to live in. A friend told The Mail on Sunday: 'Paul and Melissa got together soon after his split from Summer and they are really happy together. Actually its looking like this one could very well last for Paul.' Paul became close to twice-engaged Melissa after spending time in her pub when he split from Summer in August. The two women are understood to have previously been friends, but they no longer speak. Summer moved out of the 18th Century farmhouse amid claims Paul asked her to sign a non-disclosure agreement and back into her family home. Very few people work 50 years for the same company. On Monday, Gene Pike celebrated his 63rd anniversary at the Chattanooga Funeral Home. Mr. Pikes father was also a funeral director, so he said he began helping with funeral arrangements before he was 13 years old. His son, Stephen, also followed him into the business. Gene is president and Stephen vice president of Chattanooga Funeral Home. Mr. Pike has been married to Patricia Gail Pike for almost as long as he has been at the funeral home - 62 years. His daughter-in-law, Lea Pike, is Librarian at Silverdale Baptist Academy. His granddaughter, Mary Elizabeth Pike, is on staff at Ronald McDonald House Chattanooga. I work with my father as well at Chattanooga Funeral Home. I am Vice President and he is President of Chattanooga Funeral Home. My mom, his wife, Patricia Gail Pike has been married to Mr. Pike for 62 years as well. Back when he reached his 50th milestone, Mr. Pike said he does not plan to retire. I enjoy what I do. I like helping families get through the worst day of their life. He recalled at the time that he has encountered a variety of both funny and sad stories from his experiences. He always urges people to think about pre-planning. The greatest gift a parent can give to their children is to get all of the funeral details worked out. Dont leave that up to them. Make this a celebration of a life. Mr. Pike attended the University of Chattanooga, obtained an associate's degree in education at a junior college in Nashville, and is a graduate of John A. Gupton Mortuary College. A licensed funeral director and embalmer since 1959 in the states of Tennessee and Georgia, he oversees four funeral homes, two cemeteries, a florist and the Chattanooga Care Center. Mr. Pike is a member of the Chairman's Council since 1985 and has served as a longtime chairman of the board for John A. Gupton Mortuary College. Serving in various organizations in Chattanooga through the years, he is the past president and board member of the Walter B. Boehm Birth Defect Center, Big Brothers/Bis Sisters of Chattanooga, Contact of Chattanooga Telephone Ministry and the Half Century Club of Chattanooga. He currently serves as the vice-president of Awards for the Freedom Foundation of Valley Forge-Chattanooga Chapter, a half-century member and past president of the Civitan Club and a lifetime honorary member of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chattanooga Chapter. In 2002, Mr. Pike received the East Brainerd Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award. He serves as a deacon and past finance chairman and president of the Friendship Sunday School Class at Ridgedale Baptist Church, where he and his wife attend church. (TNS) The University of Texas at San Antonio is in talks with the Energy Department to establish a $70 million cybersecurity research institute at the schools downtown campus, its mission to safeguard manufacturers who rely heavily on automation.The institute would be the latest breakthrough in UTSAs effort to make its mark in cybersecurity, one of San Antonios fastest growing industries.Details remain scant on the agreement to develop the Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute, which university and government officials say will play an important role in modernizing network security for advanced manufacturers in the U.S.UTSA has entered into negotiations with (the Energy Department) and will work toward finalizing the cooperative agreement, university officials said in a statement. At that time, more information will become available about the institute, its partnerships and the scope of work.The institutes aim would be to research and address cybersecurity vulnerabilities within manufacturing supply chains and automated technologies. A key focus also would be ensuring manufacturers are secure as they shift to more energy efficient technology.The institute is slated to be housed in the National Security Collaboration Center on UTSAs downtown campus.Construction of the NSCC facility is scheduled to finish in 2021, though its unclear if the coronavirus pandemic has slowed work on the project.The Energy Department selected UTSA to lead the institute because of its core expertise in cybersecurty, and the breadth and depth of its relationships with industry professionals around the nation, university officials said.With the help of city leaders, UTSA has sought to leverage the strong military presence in San Antonio including Security Hill at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland to develop a specialized, high-wage industry in cybersecurity here.The NSCC, headed by retired Brig. Gen. Guy Walsh, will act as a hub for cybersecurity educators and professionals.The NSCC so far has agreed to work with organizations such as Raytheon, the National Security Agency and Air Forces Cyber, the U.S. Air Force component of U.S. cyber command.The NSA operates a sprawling installation in Northwest San Antonio.U.S. manufacturers in recent years increasingly have brought advanced technologies, including automation, into their operations.One of these technologies, smart sensors placed throughout the supply chain, can indicate parts shortages or hiccups in production but they also can offer entryways for hackers to access the system.Once inside, hackers can steal or manipulate data to cause the making of faulty products or disrupt the system.In February 2019, the Energy Department announced its intention to launch a major initiative focused on improving cybersecurity in manufacturing. The push was based on recommendations from the White House in its Strategy for American Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing report published in fall 2018.The White House report found that manufacturing requires unique cybersecurity protections.While many businesses rely on authentication and passwords to protect cloud-based information, physical manufacturing technology cant be easily updated with new security features or patches.New research efforts are needed to develop and/or update standards and guidelines for implementing emerging technologies for cybersecurity in manufacturing systems, the report states, including AI for threat detection and handling, blockchain for security of sensitive manufacturing information, and security of... devices when deployed in smart manufacturing systems.The introduction of a large institution dedicated to enhancing cybersecurity in manufacturing could be a boon for the regional manufacturing industry, said Rey Chavez, president of the San Antonio Manufacturers Association.In addition to helping area manufacturers improve their network security practices, Chavez said the institute could make the region more attractive to outside manufacturing companies and suppliers.If theyre able to see that we have this cybersecurity component through UTSA, that could be a (reason) in selecting to relocate to our region, which is all the better for our economic development, Chavez said.We have these capabilities, and if you combine that with our location, our road infrastructure, the weather, our workforce, Port San Antonio, Brooks , were really becoming a super location for manufacturers to think about moving to, he said.UTSA also will work with private companies and the Idaho, Oak Ridge and Sandia National Laboratories to establish the institute.Advanced manufacturing technologies, including novel industrial control systems, hold promise to improve the energy efficiency and competitiveness of the U.S. manufacturing sector, said Daniel Simmons, assistant secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, in a statement. The Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute will address a range of cybersecurity challenges to enable the increased adoption of next generation energy-efficient technologies in American manufacturing. It had been envisaged that the Government would be moving on plans to adopt an opt-out approach to organ donation in early 2020. But this has been understandably delayed by the Covid 19 pandemic. At present, those wishing to donate organs for transplant after death have to sign in to allow this to happen. If the current law is changed, it would be replaced by an opt-out register and it would be deemed that people were giving consent unless they had formally opted out. There are understandable concerns about both the opt-out and opt-in positions that have emerged during the debates in other countries like Britain, where an opt-out policy because law two weeks ago, and Germany which rejected this last year and maintained the opt-in status quo. Under the present system, there is a shortage of donor organs while the demand has increased. Donor support groups have been wanting changes that will facilitate an increase in willing donors for these life-saving procedures. But there are ethical worries about consent if the law is changed. Some are concerned changing the law to an opt-out one would give the State excessive control over bodily integrity in death and it would intrude upon individual autonomy. People may not want to donate an organ but have simply been unaware of the requirement to opt out. Organ donation is a deeply altruistic and admirable action and some would say that a change to the law will amount to enforced philanthropy. Yet the good that would come in the form of an increase in life-saving measures surely outweighs the questions about autonomy and altruism. Is there a way in which more organ donation could be achieved while satisfying the concerns of those opposed to the opt-out law that is envisaged? It is worth examining how other countries approach this. Spain is cited as the model as it is the world leader in organ transplantation, with the highest donor rate in the world at 46.9 per million. It is claimed the country's change from an opt-in to an opt-out model in 1979 was responsible for the dramatic increase in donors. The Spanish Government itself insists the change in law was not responsible for the increase but a change in practice in intensive care units in particular. For the first 10 years of the new law, there was even a slight decrease in donors, but in 1989 a national transplant organisation was established and an active campaign to encourage people to donate organs was initiated. This rested upon the appointment of medically qualified donor co-ordinators in every hospital who approached those with end-of-life illnesses and their families - along with those of the already deceased from accidents or sudden deaths - to canvass the possibility of organ donation. Spain has more ICUs per head of population than any other European country, enhancing the prospect of success. The impact was immediate and has continued to be hugely successful. In fact, Spain has never instituted an opt-out register so the 1979 law is, in reality, not operational and the success stems from the co-ordinator system. Other countries such as Croatia, Italy, Portugal have adopted the Spanish model and have high donor rates of 30-40 per million. Greece, which also has an opt-out policy, has a much lower donor rate of six per million inhabitants. Other countries, such as Australia, the US and Israel, have retained the opt-in system. But the choice isn't just between opt-in or opt-out. An opt-out may be "hard" or "soft". A hard opt-out means that only the person directly concerned has a say and the view of the family is not considered. This was tried in Austria and Singapore and has not been successful. This is also the scenario opponents worry about in respect of government interference in autonomy. A soft opt-out would deem the person to have given consent but also take account of the family's wishes. One of the problems with the opt-out system overall, is that because it is taken as given that a person is willing to donate, the relatives may not be aware of the deceased's wishes or preferences, With the current opt-in method, it is likely there will have been a discussion with family prior to getting a donor card. This is one of the areas of dispute in Ireland. Some studies have suggested a dual register and say being able to opt in or opt out enhances the number of donors because relatives are clearly aware of the deceased's wishes and are unlikely to dispute them. The Spanish model using co-ordinators working with patients at the end of life is appealing and one that the Government should work towards if the proposal becomes law. It should also take account of the world-wide evidence that exists. The Welsh government has prepared an excellent systematic review examining the legal, ethical and medical issues. Crucial to any changes will be awareness among the public, knowing the implications of the changes for the management of organ donation and when an organ can and cannot be removed. Ireland has a poor track record in this regard as we know from the organ retention scandal. More transparency and honesty are required. Lives depend on it. Patricia Casey is consultant psychiatrist in the Mater Hospital and Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at UCD The Maharashtra Government has permitted shooting for films, TV serials, and advertisements to resume with immediate effect. According to media reports, the decision follows several appeals from the film industry and a delegation of Bollywood bigwigs who personally reached out to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray last week. The State Government has issued a separate set of guidelines, which the film industry will have to adhere to, initiated under #MissionBeginAgain. A 16 page document has been issued, addressed to all stakeholders about managing Coronavirus risk. This document addresses measures to mitigate risk on sets/studios and editing facilities, casting and artist management, production offices, trailers, tents, crowd control and physical distancing, handling of equipments, operations controls, actors and junior artistes, contestants for non-fiction shows, staffing, location departments, shoot management, art department, wardrobe, on-set communication, camera, video village setup, sound, electric/grip departments, catering, and travel. According to the guidelines, travel is to be minimised with at least one month stay wherever possible and 14 days quarantine after return. Those intending to resume shootings will be required to submit their applications to the Maharashtra Films, Theatre and Cultural Development Corporation at the Dadasaheb Phalke Film City, Goregaon, or at the district collectorates concerned across the state, said an official. After checking the applications, the concerned authority will give the green signal for the shooting proposals. They will have to stick to the Covid-19 guidelines issued separately for the purpose, according to media reports. After a delay in his security clearance, Meli landed in Boston on Sept. 10, 2001. Terrorists attacked the US early the next morning, prompting unprecedented scrutiny of recent arrivals from the Middle East. Meli soon had to submit to a government registry tracking his movements. But it didn't end there.Every time he flew, the Iranian emigre was singled out for more rigorous checks. Even years later, while jet-setting with Goldman bankers to set up billion-dollar trades, the airport ordeals continued. So he solved it in a way only the wealthy would - he went passport shopping. Meli settled on St. Kitts and Nevis, a haven for the rich where a property investment can buy citizenship outright. When Goldman published its full list of partners last year, he was the sole member of the group professing ties to the island nation. Loading Ali Meli's name is itself a bureaucratic mishap. Someone in the Social Security office misspelled the fairly common Iranian name "Melli." He chose to live on with the new identity, not wanting to get into any paperwork battle that could jeopardise his status in the U.S. Harvey's office For Meli, the worry of being sent back to Iran was paramount. His response was insane work hours. During his early days at Goldman, after other traders went home, Meli would sneak into one of the plush partner offices to sleep. He often found refuge on the office couch belonging to Harvey Schwartz, then a senior deputy to trading co-head Gary Cohn. Both men nearly went on to become the bank's CEO. Meli's justification: "Harvey had an open-door policy.""I was worried about losing my job because it would have meant deportation to Iran," Meli said. "I didn't want to risk that. But I wasn't stupid -- I never slept on Gary's couch." Cohn, known for his hard-charging ways, eventually joined President Donald Trump's White House.Word of Meli's antics started making the rounds soon after his arrival. The reception he got on the trading floor in the mid-2000s wouldn't fly today. He was branded "Smelly Ali" - a riff on his name, Ali S Meli - and "Chemical Ali" - after Saddam Hussein's trusted adviser accused of gassing Kurds and executed in 2010. Meli said he revelled in the attention. "I had a few nicknames and I enjoyed it," he said. There were also awkward moments. At one point he copied lyrics from a love ballad into a performance review of his manager, to express adoration. He was promptly told off. Yet Meli charted quick success, becoming a pillar of Sundaram's group. Known as PFI, it had latitude to use Goldman's own money to take on positions that wouldn't be easy to quickly offload. Some of its big-ticket financings around the 2008 credit crisis generated massive gains for Goldman even as the rest of Wall Street struggled. The group came to be seen as a clique inside Goldman's trading operation. Once a loose coalition of fewer than a dozen executives, it has been at the forefront of some of the most knotty transactions that can churn out big "P&L," jargon for profits and losses. Its deals ranged from helping Sprint raise cash backed by airwaves, to financing Mexican toll roads. The group even structured bonds for Malaysia's 1MDB investment fund after Goldman investment bankers clinched the troubled business. Officials in the country later looted the money. He was unusually bright and eccentric. It was a business of natural conflict. He could be very formidable and he was a tough guy to go up against. Joe McNeila, a former colleague at PFI Insulated from the rest of the trading division, PFI's stature grew as it tackled outsize risks and generated eye-popping returns. Meli just happened to be its quirkiest and most outspoken member, unafraid of challenging colleagues' views. Some senior partners came to rate others based on how they fared in confrontations with him. $US10 million payday Just a few years into his banking career, Meli was already eyeing big risks. He encouraged his team to pile on short positions as the housing market headed into the 2008 credit crisis. "Bottom line: housing is in free fall," he wrote in an email in August 2006 after poring through reports. Sundaram's crew ramped up wagers against asset-backed indexes and bond-insurance companies. Meli said he framed a printed copy of that email after the hedges paid off for Goldman. Meli also had a hand in another incident that reverberated across financial markets. He helped his team come up with the valuation for marking down positions in its swaps transaction with AIG, which forced the insurer to put up more cash as others followed suit. AIG insisted for years that Goldman's aggressive move was what led to its failure."It's one of those things you wish you weren't right," Meli said. "But what caused the marks to go down was not because we put the marks down, but a real housing recession had started to hit." Some of the most profitable transactions were trades Goldman designed with the likes of CIT Group and European banks. That helped Meli score his giant pay cheque for 2009. But as his success mounted, so did his skirmishes. Often passionate, he wouldn't hold back in disagreements over transactions - incidents that sometimes left more-senior colleagues red-faced. "He was unusually bright and eccentric," said Joe McNeila, a former colleague in the PFI group. "It was a business of natural conflict. He could be very formidable and he was a tough guy to go up against." Meli was one of the youngest people in Goldman's class of new partners in 2014, but looking back, he figures that his combativeness probably slowed him down. During his early days at Goldman, after other traders went home, Meli would sneak into one of the plush partner offices to sleep. Credit:AP "There was a period when I would get into these arguments sometimes with people more senior than me," he said. "I was told I needed to learn to be more humble, and it was a valuable lesson." Days after he was named partner, he bought his first car: a second-hand Mercedes. Over the years, people familiar with the situation said, his bosses fielded grievances that ranged from the ordinary to the bizarre.For a stretch of time, Meli tried commuting daily from Toronto to New York, raising concerns among colleagues about his manic schedule. He launched a crusade to support higher pay for junior bankers, which raised hackles. He proposed transactions that, while legal, were so novel or aggressive that bosses would sometimes squirm, worried about the optics. His political views on government overreach and the impact of regulation on daily life also made some colleagues uncomfortable. Loading He jumped on the Trump train before many on Wall Street. And since becoming a permanent resident in 2018, he's become a prolific political operative, dispensing more than a quarter million dollars to mostly conservative and libertarian candidates. Meli gave up butting heads at Goldman and officially exited the bank last year. This year, markets are presenting a once-in-a-century opportunity for brave credit traders. Meli's firm has already announced a transaction, a credit line to a fintech company in Colombia. He's named his new venture Monachil Capital Partners after a Spanish village that traces its name to the word monastery - to try to denote inner calm, he said. The unemployment rate of California almost tripled to 15.5 percent in April as the country's most populated state lost employments in one month from COVID-19. This, based on the data released on Friday, is in comparison with the Great Recession ten years ago. A couple of months ago, the state boasted what it considered, an unmatched "economic expansion" as it reported to have added over 3.4 million jobs over one decade. Specifically, the said expansion accounted for 15 percent in the job growth of the country. Annie Ellis, Employment Attorney recently joined Good Morning San Diego to explain unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on reports, "California accounted for 11.4 percent of all employments" lost across the country in April as jobless rate soared a little over 10 percentage points for months. The said percentage was the largest one-month increase since 1976 when California started to use its present formula to measure employment losses. All 11 industry sectors of the state saw drops last month, led by hospitality and leisure, having over 860,000. Country-wide, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics said, "the jobless rate reached 14.7 percent as all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia," reported growth in job losses. The California Unemployment Statistics The joblessness statistics of California which the state Employment Development Department released, only state part of the story as the report is based on a survey which was conducted near mid-April. In relation to the said statistics, residents of the state have become unemployed since then, with a report from the department that more than five million peopled have applied for unemployment benefits since March. Former State Employment Agency Director Michael Bernick, who is currently an attorney with Duane Morries said, businesses that have attempted to hold on to employees who decide that "they cannot do so any longer," others have decided that they cannot remain operational without knowing what lies ahead in the future. Bernick added it is only when there are "confident and aggressive reopening" in the state that job reconstruction can be expected to actually start. Also according to reports, the state has been under an obligatory, statewide stay-at-home directive since Mid-March. However, Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom has recently altered the directive to let a lot of businesses to restart their operation as long as they abide by certain safety guidelines. Drop in Unemployment Claims Signs are already appearing that the California citizens are going back to work. Finance and economics professor at Loyola Marymount University, Sung Won Sohn said the weekly unemployment claims of the state have declined from over one million during the latter part of March to just more than 240,000 last week. The professor added, there are some favorable results for California. Its early implementation of lockdown in the Bay Area "followed by Southern California has reduced contagions and saved a lot of jobs." Nevertheless, the surge of unemployment claims has exhausted the joblessness trust fund of the state, obliging it to borrow from the federal government, billions of dollars for an amount. And, even when people who applied for joblessness claims get approved for such payments, they are reportedly often delayed for more than one month. Check these out: Syracuse, N.Y. Onondaga County and Syracuse have declared a curfew that will run from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily through Friday, according to orders signed by Mayor Ben Walsh and County Executive Ryan McMahon. These emergency orders are meant to quell chaos and violence that broke out Saturday night amid protests about police brutality. Theyre meant to keep people off the streets and out of public areas. But what about late-night workers or early-morning dog walks? Heres what we know so far about how the curfew works: What communities are covered by the curfew? It is countywide, all of Onondaga County is under the curfew orders. Who is exempt? All emergency workers, such as police, firefighters and heath care workers. Journalists who are working at night are also exempt, Walsh said today. What about other workers? Anyone who is going to and from work is able to do so at any hour of the day, he added. If you work at night or in the early morning, you can still travel to get to and from your job between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m., Walsh said. We understand people need to get to and from work, Walsh said. They are not prohibited to do so under these emergency declarations. What about transportation? Transportation companies such as Uber and Lyft are allowed to operate during curfew hours, Syracuse spokesman Greg Loh said. Centro, at the police departments request, has decide to stop operations following the 7:40 p.m. Sunday lineup at the downtown hub and will resume service on Monday morning. What about late-night dog walks or early morning jogs? No. Those are not allowed, even in your own neighborhood, city and county spokesmen said this afternoon. Once we get to 8 p.m., you should be home, Walsh said. Thats not something that we take lightly. Thats so we can ensure the public safety of the city and the entire county, he said. What about any crowds protesting after 8 p.m.? They are breaking the law, Walsh said. Will those protesters be arrested? Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner will use his discretion, Walsh said. The police have the authority to do that, he said. In our experience, the vast majority of our community does the right thing, the mayor said. MORE ON THE PROTESTS 100+ protesters against police brutality gather again, march in Syracuse; Mayor talks with them Looters targeted 2 Syracuse shoe stores after police brutality protests; 2 people charged City, county leaders: A few bad actors hijacked peaceful protests in Syracuse against police brutality Onondaga County declares state of emergency, countywide curfew starting tonight Cuomo puts NYs National Guard on standby as he expects more protests tonight Got a story idea or news tip youd like to share? Please contact me through email, Twitter, Facebook or at 315-470-2274. Continuano le azioni di Fondo di Garanzia Pmi e prestiti garantiti Sace a sostegno di credito e liquidita per famiglie e imprese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (centre) and officials inspect the Phuoc An Bridge project in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province on May 30 (Photo: VNA) He made the remarks while chairing a meeting in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province between permanent Government members and officials of the eight localities in this region, which comprises Ho Chi Minh City and the seven provinces of Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Tay Ninh, Long An, and Tien Giang. The southern key economic region is the only of its kind in Vietnam that boasts sufficient conditions and advantages for industrial and service development to achieve a fast, efficient and sustainable growth. It is currently the largest FDI magnet of the country, a leading economic driver, and a gateway for Vietnams trading with the world. Addressing the event, PM Phuc applauded the eight localities attainments in COVID-19 prevention and control, social security ensuring, and economic development, which have joined the entire countrys efforts to defeat the pandemic. He also highly valued their resolve in economic development and persistence with the initial targets set for this year. Regarding the regions development goal, he emphasised that this is the key among the four key economic regions of Vietnam, describing it as a diamond octagon in Southeast Asia as well as Asia given its economic development and healthy living environment. The PM pointed out that the strength and competitiveness of this region outpace the others, asking the localities to bring into play their solidarity and join hands to innovate and hold responsibility for national development. Responding to proposals submitted at the meeting, PM Phuc assigned relevant agencies to devise special mechanisms for key economic regions, especially the southern one. He told the Ministry of Planning and Investment to consider an aid package from the Government for the localities to invest in urgent infrastructure and transport facilities a factor of leading importance in local socio-economic development. Meanwhile, the State Bank of Vietnam and the Ministry of Finance need to work on solutions to facilitate credit institutions engagement in infrastructure development projects, particularly those under the private-public partnership (PPP). The Ministry of Transport has to establish projects on boosting transport connectivity among industrial parks and economic zones in the region. The eight localities need to prioritise developing digital economy, e-commerce, and the 5G network, which are crucial for high technology development, according to him. At the session, the PM also asked them to implement the Governments recently-issued Resolution 84/NQ-CP well so as to further tackle production and business difficulties and stimulate consumer demand which is an important driving force for GDP growth. Prior to the meeting, PM Phuc had made a fact-finding tour of Cai Mep-Thi Vai Port in Phu My town, Phuoc An Bridge, the location of the Cai Mep Ha logistics project, and Hyosung Industrial Park in Ba Ria-Vung Tau. After three nights of demonstrations in Portland, Mayor Ted Wheeler held a news conference Monday morning to address the citys response, adding that he has asked Gov. Kate Brown to activate the Oregon National Guard in the city. Portland police said early Monday that 12 adults had been arrested and two youths had been detained after Sunday nights protest. They later corrected that figure, saying 10 adults were arrested and booked into jail. Two adults and two youths were also detained and released. Wheeler lauded the mostly peaceful protesters who turned out Sunday, while decrying those who chose to engage in violence. They were a small handful from amongst thousands of peaceful demonstrators, Wheeler said. But Billy Williams, the U.S. District Attorney for the district of Oregon, said law enforcement agencies in the city needed outside assistance. We need help, Williams said. I am asking the governor of Oregon to activate the National Guard. We need action now. This cant go on. Wheeler said he had asked Brown to deploy the guard Sunday, but shed suggested other alternatives, including additional resources from the Oregon State Police. If troops were to be deployed in the city, Wheeler said, they would be focused on protecting property and buildings, like the Justice Center, so local police would be able to focus on crowd control. Two main groups gathered Sunday in Portland: One in Laurelhurst Park and another near the downtown Justice Center. Thousands of peaceful demonstrators marched from the Southeast Portland park to the Portland Police Bureaus old Southeast Precinct on East Burnside Street, according to police. Part of that group eventually made its way downtown, where a large group had already gathered. Deputy Chief Chris Davis of the Portland Police Bureau said the group was allowed to continue marching, despite violating a city-wide curfew, because there was no sign of violence and because police wanted to give protesters space. The tenor changed downtown after the two groups came together, Davis said, and an order to disperse was given after some in the crowd began throwing objects and fireworks at officers. But Wheeler and Davis also noted some moments of unity between protesters and police, with officers at one point taking a knee in solidarity with demonstrators and Portland Police Chief Jami Resch meeting with rally leaders. Wheeler said the rally leaders told Resch that violence was not the intent of the vast majority of those who came out to protest. Davis noted that the anger within the African American community is not misplaced. We acknowledge the pain in our communities of color, that our profession has had a role in, he said. We remain committed to the change we need to make. Demonstrations, some destructive or violent, have broken out across the country after the death of George Floyd, the Minneapolis man prosecutors say was murdered by a police officer. Video showed Floyd, handcuffed, crying for help as an officer knelt on his neck, pinning him to the pavement for at least eight minutes. Floyds death and the subsequent protests have drawn new attention to long-simmering anguish over the deaths of black men and women at the hands of police officers. Portlands protests began Thursday with a peaceful march. On Friday, after hours of peaceful demonstration in various locations around the city, a riot broke out in downtown Portland. Several fires were set downtown, and the Multnomah County Justice Center was ransacked and set ablaze. Wheeler set an 8 p.m. curfew Saturday, but it did not keep protesters from turning out for the second night of large-scale protests. The curfew returned Sunday, and protesters did the same. Wheeler has extended the curfew to Monday night. Watch the news conference here: -- The Oregonian/OregonLive 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. Coronavirus patients could be left short of breath for months after their battle with the disease, according to government scientists. SAGE, a panel of exerts who advise Number 10 in emergencies, also warned Covid-19 survivors may endure weeks of fatigue. Concerns about the lasting effects of the illness were discussed in a SAGE meeting which took place on May 7. Boris Johnson raised fears for his health in his first Downing Street briefing after he was discharged from intensive care following his bout of Covid-19. The Prime Minister leaned on his lectern with both arms and his opening remarks on April 30 were punctuated by strained inhalations. Other Brits who have fought off the virus have revealed throughout the outbreak that they have been wiped of energy and left struggling to walk up the stairs. Boris Johnson was bereft of his characteristic ebullience on April 30, during a strained first Downing Street briefing since his period of intensive care for coronavirus Scientists are currently clueless as to how long it takes infected patients to fully recover from Covid-19, which has killed 370,000 people worldwide. The more serious someone's illness is, the longer it takes, and those who end up in intensive care may be left with permanent damage to their lungs and liver. Physiotherapists also warn patients can suffer a loss of mobility, if they are stuck on hospital wards for weeks, or endure flashbacks and emotional distress. Scientists think it is likely people become immune to the virus in at least the short term, meaning they won't catch it twice, but they are not certain. SAGE called for studies to investigate the lasting effects of the illness, which some experts have branded 'post-Covid disability' and likened to polio. How long does it take to recover from coronavirus? Doctors say it's unclear how long it takes people to truly recover from COVID-19, however anecdotal evidence suggests it can take months. Indeed, when the Prime Minister was rushed to intensive care, experts issued grave warnings about how long he would be out of action for. One medical precept holds that for every week a patient is in intensive care, there will require double that time to fully recover once discharged. The more serious someone's illness is, the longer it takes, and those who end up in intensive care may be left with permanent damage to their lungs and liver. Scientists think it is likely people become immune to the virus in at least the short term, meaning they won't catch it twice, but they are not certain. COVID-19 is caused by a virus which mainly attaches to and attacks cells in the lining of the airways and the lungs, which is why sufferers find it so difficult to breathe. The body's immune reaction is what causes symptoms - swelling in the areas where the virus is attacking makes the airways close up and make it hard to breathe, and patients cough to try and expel the viruses and dead lung tissue from their bodies. The immune system also causes a high temperature and aches and pains as it tries to make the body too hostile for it to survive. And patients become exhausted as the virus makes the lungs unable to get enough oxygen into the blood, depleting muscles' energy supplies. While the vast majority of people who catch the coronavirus survive - some with medical help, but many without - the effects of it can linger on for weeks afterwards. Advertisement Officials published a trove of meetings and scientific papers on Friday, laying bare the advice ministers were given during the crisis. Minutes from the meeting on May 7 read: 'SAGE also noted the existence of longer-term health sequelae.' This, the team said, included the 'persistence of extreme tiredness and shortness of breath for several months'. Advisers also warned of rare symptoms such as strokes and kidney disease, both of which have been linked to Covid-19. One scientific advisor to the Government told The Telegraph 'a very high proportion' of Covid-19 survivors 'cannot get back to a normal life'. The meeting was attended 50 people, including Sir Patrick Vallance and Professor Chris Whitty - Number 10's most senior advisers. Seven observers and government officials also attended - but the names of four of them were hidden. The boss of NHS England last week warned the UK was seeing a 'substantial new need for rehab and aftercare'. Sir Simon Stevens revealed some patients need psychological treatment for 'post-intensive care syndrome'. His comments came as the NHS launched its first hospital to help patients recover from the long-term effects of the illness. More than 100 staff were recruited to work at the Seacole Centre in Leatherhead, Surrey, which opened its doors on Friday. Physiotherapists fear a 'tsunami of demand' in the wake of the pandemic, with one group saying it was 'incredibly worried' about a post-Covid spike. SAGE met for the first time in January as a 'precautionary' measure, 22 days after the virus was reported in China. The committee noted testing capacity in Wuhan was already 'overwhelmed' and said there is evidence of person-to-person transmission. They also talked about the then lack of evidence on whether patients can spread the virus before showing symptoms and what the viral incubation period is. LOUISVILLE, Ky. Mayor Greg Fischer said Monday afternoon that police officers involved with National Guard personnel in the early morning shooting of the owner of a barbecue business had not activated their body cameras during the incident. Fischer said Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad, who announced his resignation in May, has been fired, and a nightly 9 p.m.-to-6:30 a.m. curfew has been extended to June 8. Gov. Andy Beshear ordered Kentucky State Police to investigate the fatal shooting by police and National Guard personnel. The man killed was David McAtee, owner of a barbecue business next to the Dino's Food Mart parking lot where the shooting took place, McAtee's nephew told The Louisville Courier Journal of the USA TODAY Network. Who was David McAtee? Community praises Louisville business owner killed Monday by authorities Louisville, Ky., resident Lenora Moore yells, "My mouth is a weapon" at the intersection of 26th and Broadway on June 1 after a man was shot and killed outside Dino's Market. Police and National Guard troops, who have been monitoring protests, were breaking up a "large crowd" in the food mart's parking lot around 12:15 a.m. local time when someone shot at them, Conrad said Monday morning. They returned fire, killing McAtee. No one else was injured. Conrad said it is unclear if the deceased was the person who fired at officers. Police gave few details about the circumstances and didn't indicate whether multiple officers or guardsmen opened fire. They haven't identified the victim. Statement from Governor Andy Beshear: pic.twitter.com/MyHxcE3Ntn Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) June 1, 2020 George Floyd protests continue nationwide: 4,400 arrests reported; St. John's Church in DC set on fire McAtee's body was still at the scene of the crime Monday afternoon. A group of LMPD officers in face shields formed a line behind the crime scene tape, facing neighbors and protesters. Story continues Many of the observers said they either knew McAtee or had eaten his barbecue. About 100 people lined the sidewalk across the street from the LMPD line. Many lived in the neighborhood, and some said they'd been at other protests over the weekend. Monday afternoon, the Rev. Steve Frank, president of the Interdenominational Ministerial Coalition, spoke with McAtee's family across the street from where he was killed. "(His) mother wants to see her son," Frank told The Courier Journal. For much of Monday morning, McAtee's body hadn't been moved, Frank said. "Right now, we understand he has been removed from outside and he's inside the (nearby) gray building," Frank said. "It's a forensic investigation. He's the primary evidence in the situation, so it may take a few hours before they get that taken care of." Louisville Metro Councilwoman Barbara Sexton Smith said state police were at the scene and that their investigations typically take more time. Louisville police were on guard inside police tape at the intersection of 26th and Broadway on June 1 after a man was shot and killed by police and National Guard personnel outside Dino's Market. George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor: What do we tell our children? "Right now, I can't tell you the feeling I have. All I can say -- when a mother loses her child, a piece of you goes along with that child." -- Odessa Riley, #DavidMcAtee's mother #Louisville #BreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/jdtI4mqcZL Philmonger (@phillipmbailey) June 1, 2020 Conrad said police had "several persons of interest" who were interviewed after the shooting. The shooting outside Dino's Food Mart came after a curfew at 9 p.m. Sunday as protests and unrest over the death of Breonna Taylor continued for the fourth straight night. Taylor, 26, an ER technician was fatally shot in March by Louisville police officers serving a warrant inside her apartment. Beshear announced Saturday morning that he was sending roughly 350 Kentucky National Guard personnel to Louisville to "ensure the safety of everybody" and "help keep peace." "We cannot let Breonnas legacy be marred by violence and we cant let our streets turn violent," Beshear said. I hope everybody knows that this is a big step and a tough step. Its not one intended to silence any voice because I want to hear," the governor said, "but I want to make sure, at the end of the day, that we are all safe. Although protests in downtown Louisville started out peaceful each evening, the scenes turned chaotic and violent as the sun set. Sunday night had the fewest protesters overall, police said. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Family IDs David McAtee: Man shot by Louisville police, National Guard MINNEAPOLIS Protesters took to the streets across America again Sunday, with violence flaring in pockets of largely peaceful demonstrations fueled by the killings of black people at the hands of police. A truck driver apparently deliberately drove into demonstrators in Minneapolis nearly a week after former Houston resident George Floyd died there after pleading for air as an officer pressed a knee into his neck. The Minnesota State Patrol tweeted that the driver was apparently trying to provoke protesters and was arrested. The officer who pressed his knee onto Floyds neck for several minutes has been charged with murder, but protesters demand the other three officers at the scene be prosecuted. All four were fired. Minn. Gov. Tim Walz announced Sunday that the state attorney general, Keith Ellison, will take the lead in any prosecutions in the death of George Floyd. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman earlier Sunday said he had asked Ellison to help in the prosecution. Freeman has been criticized by civil rights activists and some city officials, who say there is a history of mistrust between Freemans office and members of the community. For a second day, the protests reached the White House, where chants could be heard from around 1,000 demonstrators just across the street in Lafayette Park as they faced police in riot gear behind barricades. Across America, demonstrators called again for an end to police violence. The scale of the protests, sweeping from coast to coast and unfolding on a single night, rivaled the historic demonstrations of the civil rights and Vietnam War eras. They keep killing our people, said Mahira Louis, 15, who marched with her mother and several hundred others through downtown Boston. Im so sick and tired of it. Disgust over generations of racism in a country founded by slaveholders combined with a string of recent racially charged killings to stoke the anger. Adding to that was angst from months of lockdowns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately hurt communities of color, not only in terms of infections but in job losses and economic stress. Overseas rallies In Europe, thousands gathered in central London to offer support for American demonstrators. Chanting No justice! No peace! and waving placards with the words How many more? at Trafalgar Square, the protesters ignored U.K. government rules banning crowds because of the pandemic. Police didnt stop them. Demonstrators then marched to the U.S. Embassy, where a long line of officers surrounded the building. Protesters in Denmark also converged on the U.S. Embassy on Sunday. The U.S. Embassy in Berlin was the scene of protests on Saturday under the motto: Justice for George Floyd. Several hundred more people took to the streets Sunday in the capitals Kreuzberg area, carrying signs with slogans such as Silence is Violence, Hold Cops Accountable and Who Do You Call When Police Murder? No incidents were reported. Curfews were imposed in major cities around the U.S., including San Antonio, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. About 5,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated in 15 states and Washington, D.C. But still trouble flared. There was looting on both ends of California, with video in San Jose showing several people in hoods and masks fleeing a Macys department store with large bags, while people in Long Beach carried away armloads of clothing and other goods from the smashed windows of stores at a shopping mall after curfew. As police moved in to try to restore order, some protesters ran in to confront the thieves and condemn them for undercutting the message of the demonstration. In tweets Sunday, President Donald Trump blamed anarchists and the media for fueling violence, and threatened again to name antifa a terrorist organization. Short for anti-fascists, antifa is an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups that resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations. Attorney General William Barr vowed that federal prosecutors across the country would use federal riot statutes to charge protesters who cross state lines to participate in violent rioting. A Justice Department spokesperson said the attorney generals assertion was based on information provided from state and local law enforcement agencies but did not detail what that information entailed. Meanwhile, experts who track extremist groups also reported seeing evidence of the far-right at work. Investigators were tracking online interference and looking into whether foreign agents were behind the effort. Officials have seen a surge of social media accounts with fewer than 200 followers created in the last month, a textbook sign of a disinformation effort. Minnesotas governor said Sunday that state authorities were hit with a cyberattack as law enforcement prepared to diffuse protests in Minneapolis and St. Paul. He described it as a very sophisticated denial of service attack on all computers. Out-of-town protesters? While the motives behind the violence over the past few days were unclear, there was firmer evidence that some of the protesters were coming to the demonstrations from outside the urban centers that have been the epicenter of the rallies. In Detroit, 37 of the 60 people who were arrested in overnight protests did not live in the city and many came from nearby suburbs, police Chief James Craig said Saturday. Although Detroit is about 80 percent black, many of those arrested were white. I think about a third of the people are from out of town here to make the city burn, said Justin Terrell, executive director of the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage. It is just putting black people in a crossfire not just between fascists and anarchists but putting us in a crossfire with the National Guard. Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators, said a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time and spoke on condition of anonymity. At the Minneapolis intersection where Floyd was killed, people gathered with brooms and flowers, saying it was important to protect what they called a sacred space. The intersection was blocked with the traffic cones while a ring of flowers was laid out. Among those descending on Minneapolis was Michael Brown Sr., the father of Michael Brown, whose killing by a police officer in Ferguson, Mo., set off unrest in 2014. I understand what this family is feeling. I understand what this community is feeling, he said. It appears that the tables have turned for Prince William and Kate Middleton after Tatler magazine's controversial cover story concerning the Duchess of Cambridge's role in the British monarchy. Following their successful function in carrying out the royal family's duty amid the coronavirus crisis, the couple is now facing destructive and malicious accusations being thrown by the said publication. It was recently reported that Kensington Palace is suing Tatler over its "sexist" and "disgusting" representation of the 38-year-old royal. On behalf of Duchess Kate, the palace has sent legal letters to the fashion and lifestyle magazine, advising it to have the article titled "Catherine the Great" taken down from its site, according to Mail on Sunday. Prince Harry, Meghan Markle "Almost Forgotten" With that, one TV presenter pointed out that Prince William and Duchess Kate's controversy is eclipsing the Sussexes, who were "almost forgotten" by the British public following their decision to exit the firm and seek independence outside the monarchy. "The Cambridge's shouldn't worry. Everyone's loved them in lockdown, with their cheery Zoom bingo calling and their charming children sweetly clapping for carers. The Sussexes are almost forgotten, but Will and Kate have had a good war," host Judy Finnigan wrote in her Daily Express column. While the Cambridges are planning to take legal actions against Tatler, Prince Harry, Meghan and their 1-year-old son Archie are isolating in a Beverly Hills mansion owned by media mogul and Madea creator Tyler Perry. Tatler's "Catherine the Great" Cover Story On the other hand, a source of the Daily Mail cited that Tatler's story was "full of lies" and a total wreck in Kate's image as a royal. "That is such an extremely cruel and wounding barb. It's disgusting. It's sexist and woman-shaming at its very worst. The piece is full of lies. There is no truth to their claim that the Duchess feels overwhelmed with work, nor that the Duke is obsessed with Carole Middleton. It's preposterous and downright wrong," the source said. To recall, the royal mom was featured for the cover story of Tatler for their July/August issue; however, it gained backlash from the Kensington Palace after they accused Duchess Kate of feeling "exhausted and trapped" by the workload left by the Sussexes. Apart from her alleged increased royal duties, an anonymous source told Tatler writer Anna Pasternak about the "row" between the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex during Meghan's royal wedding in 2018. The incident reportedly happened before the nuptials, during which Kate and Meghan argued whether the young bridesmaids should wear tights on the big day. The bridesmaids include Prince William and Kate's only daughter Princess Charlotte, as well as the Duke of Sussex's goddaughters Zalie Warren and Florence van Cutsem and Meghan's goddaughters Remi and Rylan Litt. Police in Nigeria's northwestern state of Katsina said they have launched a manhunt for gunmen who shot dead a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the national ruling party, following a failed attempt to kidnap him. Abdulhamid Sani, a local government chairman of the APC in Katsina, was shot dead on Sunday by the gunmen, believed to be bandits, said Gambo Isah, a spokesman for the state's police, in a statement early Monday. Isah said the gunmen in their numbers had stormed the Batsari local government area of Katsina where the 55-year-old Sani was a leader of the governing party, and began shooting sporadically with sophisticated weapons. The deceased party leader had resisted being kidnapped when he was shot dead by the gunmen, he said. They later fled into a nearby forest. The police are combing the forest with a view to nabbing the gunmen, Isah 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 Unidentified gunmen opened fire at a cattle market in eastern Burkina Faso, killing at least 25 people in the deadliest attack in a particularly violent weekend in the volatile country, authorities and witnesses have said. In the country's north, in a separate attack, a humanitarian convoy came under fire in Sanmatenga province, claiming the lives of five civilians and five security forces, according to a government statement. An untold number of people went missing. Both attacks took place Saturday. Violence linked to Islamic extremists, and the local defence groups and military fighting them, is surging across Burkina Faso. Some 2,000 people died last year, and large swaths of land are increasingly being cut off due to insecurity. The weekend attacks came a day after 15 others died in the north when authorities said extremists ambushed a convoy of traders on Friday that included children. While it's unclear who is behind these new massacres, civilians are one more time caught in the middle of a violent conflict and remain the main victims," said Rida Lyammouri, senior fellow and Sahel researcher at Policy Center for the New South, a Morocco-based think tank. Cattle market attack Authorities said on Sunday the cattle market attack in Kompienga province on Saturday was carried out by extremists. However, one survivor told the Associated Press he recognised the assailants as being members of the Burkinabe military. "People were terrified and started running away, said the man, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. He also said the death toll was more than 50 victims, double the official figure was given. Read: Afghan Transit Trade Through Paks Gwadar Port Begins Read: Afghan Government Says Taliban Attack On Checkpoint Kills 14 An army officer who was not authorized to speak to journalists denied that the military was responsible. The violence is becoming increasingly complex amid the battle to stop the jihadists: In April, the military reportedly killed 31 unarmed men in the country's north, according to Human Rights Watch. Civilian defence militias have also been accused of killing civilians. Read: 15 Killed As Extremists Attack Traders In Burkina Faso Read: Militants Increasing Attacks On Burkina Faso Mines File photo 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 Voters in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and certain other parts of Pennsylvania will have an additional week for elections officials to receive their primary mail ballots if they are sent on Tuesday, officials said Monday. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf initially suggested he had extended the deadline for the entire state. The current deadline requires elections officials to have received mail ballots by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, when polls close. The count will continue for seven days after tomorrow," Wolf said Monday, as days of civil unrest and violent clashes over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis had officials scrambling to conduct Tuesdays election safely. I cant do anything about the election day, but I am extending the time to actually get votes in, Wolf said at a news conference in Philadelphia. So if you vote and the vote gets in by next Tuesday itll count. An extra seven days. READ MORE: Live coverage of what's happening Tuesday, Pennsylvanias primary day But Wolf apparently misspoke. His executive order, which allows mail ballots to be counted if they are postmarked by Tuesday and received within a week, will apply only to Philadelphia and Delaware, Montgomery, Allegheny, Dauphin, and Erie Counties. The civil disturbances in these affected counties have created one or more barriers to voters returning their ballots, the order said, including travel and public transportation disruptions, road closures and blockages, lack of access to ballot drop boxes, alteration of mobile ballot collection schedules, evacuations of buildings, and curfews. Coming little more than 13 hours before polls open Tuesday, Wolfs surprise announcement and its bungled delivery led to major confusion. Elections officials in three of the six counties said they had no advance notice and learned of the news either from reporters or others calling with questions. Delaware County elections officials decided Monday not to mail 400 ballots out to voters due to the timing and staffing constraints. But County Council member Christine Reuther, a Democrat, said they would have done so if they had known in advance about the governors order. If Id known this was coming we wouldve found a way to keep printing our ballots," she said. The county sent its final batch of 6,000 mail ballots Monday, to be delivered to voters Tuesday. But those ballots do not include return postage, Reuther said, because officials did not believe any of those voters would be able to mail them back. Now, with Wolfs order, those voters will be able to receive their ballots Tuesday and, if they return them immediately, have them postmarked and counted. Reuther and a number of county elections officials across the state had warned that thousands of voters would likely be disenfranchised under the deadline set in state law, which does not allow postmarks to count. The existing deadline may work under normal circumstances, officials said, but the coronavirus pandemic and a change in state law led to an unexpected flood of mail ballot requests that county officials struggled to handle while also preparing an in-person election. READ MORE: Thousands of Pa. voters might not get their mail ballots in time to actually vote Wolfs order drew immediate criticism from Republicans, who said the Democratic governor had overreached and was violating the state and federal constitutions by changing election policies in only some counties. I want the governor to explain to Pennsylvania how this is constitutional, said Matt Haverstick, a Philadelphia-based lawyer who has represented Republicans who control the state Senate in legal challenges involving the states election law. Specifically, how does what hes doing treating voters differently depending on where they live comport with the Free and Equal Elections Clause? Id be fascinated to hear the answer. The state Constitution guarantees that elections shall be free and equal. Election lawyers generally warn that creating a patchwork system of election policies across a state runs the risk of violating the equal protection clause of the federal Constitution, as the U.S. Supreme Court said in Bush v. Gore would occur if recount policies differed across counties. The facts on the ground may indeed differentiate some localities from others, but it is a statewide election, and it is always treacherous under Equal Protection principles to give some voters in the same election extra voting opportunities than other voters, said Edward B. Foley, who heads the election law program at Ohio State Universitys Moritz College of Law. Lawrence Tabas, an election lawyer who heads the state Republican Party, put out a statement calling for Wolf to immediately withdraw this invalid order and consult with the legislature. The U.S. and Pennsylvania Constitutions clearly give the legislature the sole authority for the conduct and timelines of an election, he said, adding that both constitutions require that all laws governing an election must be uniform throughout the state. Every step of the vote-by-mail process has been delayed and complicated by the pandemic, county elections officials across the state said, and mail delivery has been uneven. As a result, they said, some voters would receive their ballots too close to election day to return. Bucks and Montgomery Counties put their last ballots in the mail Friday. Officials said they hoped those would arrive Monday. (Bucks and Chester Counties were not included in the governors order.) Chester Countys last ballots were mailed Wednesday morning. Philadelphias went out Thursday. I am thankful that this has come to fruition. As a result, there will now be thousands of voters whose votes will count which otherwise wouldnt have, said Lisa Deeley, chair of the Philadelphia Board of City Commissioners, the office which runs elections. She was among the first elections officials to call for an extension of the mail-ballot deadlines. READ MORE: Philly will have mail ballot drop boxes for voters today and on election day. Find yours here. The mail ballot deadline has been challenged in court several times. There are two statewide lawsuits currently before state courts, both against the Pennsylvania Department of State and seeking one week mail-ballot deadline extensions for the entire state. The department, which oversees elections and is part of Wolfs administration, has defended the deadlines. Separately, Montgomery and Bucks Counties have gone to their respective county courts to request deadline extensions. Montgomery County was denied and appealed before the governors order. Bucks Countys request will be heard in court Tuesday. Its a little confusing" that Bucks was left out of the governors order, said Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, chair of the county commissioners. She noted that Wolfs order cited the civil unrest as its justification. "I guess it was good that Bucks County went down and helped Philly, and we went over and helped Trenton, but we didnt have enough damage here, she said. Some Bucks County police officers were sent to Philadelphia and Trenton to assist Sunday night. Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA contributed to this article. The old order of dividend-paying companies has been overthrown by the coronavirus pandemic. The task now, writes James Dow, joint manager of the Scottish American Investment Company (SAINTS) and co-head of Baillie Giffords equity income strategies, is to take a long hard look at the potential winners of the future. All investment strategies have the potential for profit and loss, your or your clients capital may be at risk. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. UK dividends are forecast to reduce by 62 per cent this year compared to 20 per cent in 2008 Unprecedented. That is the only word to describe the ongoing collapse of corporate dividends. At the time of writing, UK dividends are forecast to reduce by 62 per cent this year compared to a drop of 20 per cent globally in the Great Financial Crisis just over a decade ago. UK dividends are forecast to reduce by 62 per cent this year. Behind the collapse we have witnessed British banks, which constitute 13 per cent of dividends in the UK market, cancel their payments indefinitely. Rightly they have been instructed to conserve cash in order to survive the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile BP and Shell, which together constitute 19 per cent of the UK markets income, came under severe pressure to cut dividends as the oil price plummeted in April. As the month drew to a close, the latter announced it would shelve dividend payments for the first time since 1945. We saw dividends slashed by banks and oil producers during the Great Financial Crisis, but we did not simultaneously witness dramatic cuts across other sectors. In this crisis we have already seen several retailers cancel their dividends again understandable given that many currently have no revenues. Likewise restaurants, hotels, airlines, travel companies, manufacturers: the list is as wide as it is deep. Even Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS), which exist primarily to provide an income stream to investors, are suspending their dividends in the face of drastic reductions in the rents they are managing to collect. The Bank of England told banks to cut dividend payments and conserve cash Equally shocking is the speed of the reversal: often dividend payments proposed only weeks ago are being withdrawn from annual general meeting schedules in April and May. Again, unprecedented. What on earth can be done by dividend investors in the face of this crisis? Whether they are individuals investing on their own account, or income fund managers serving the charities, universities, and savers of all descriptions who rely on dividends to finance their expenses, our views are the same. Lets start with what we think they should not do There will be a great temptation in the weeks and months ahead for dividend investors to trade into high-yielding stocks to plug the income gap. Wherever a company has withdrawn its dividend and there is a hole in the investors income stream, there will be an impulse to sell that company and reinvest the capital into another high-yielder, whether that be an oil company, a retailer, a tobacco company or a REIT, most of which now trade on high dividend yields. In our view, this is a mugs game. Many of these seemingly high-yield dividends will prove to be a mirage. There will be an impulse to sell that company and reinvest the capital into another high-yielder...this is a mugs game. In the current environment there is unprecedented uncertainty about which companies will pay their dividends and which will not. Selling a dividend-cutter to buy a company which subsequently reduces its dividend will simply incur trading costs. To take an example that has already played out, selling Hammerson and buying British Land in its place would not have plugged the gap, as British Land too postponed its dividend. Established trends are simply being accelerated Airlines were already under serious pressure There is also a high risk that trying to plug the income gap will end up destroying capital value. Why? Because earnings and dividends ultimately determine capital value, and many high-yielding companies suffering large drops in earnings and dividends will simply not, in our view, see a bounce-back to the levels they enjoyed before the coronavirus struck. For many such companies we anticipate a permanent impairment of their dividend paying ability. It is important for dividend investors to remember that before COVID-19, high street shops and retail REITs were already under intense pressure from ecommerce. Oil companies were already fighting a losing battle against the long-term decline in hydrocarbon consumption. Banks were riding an unusually long wave of near-zero loan losses. Carmakers and airlines, viciously competitive industries for decades, were in most cases making no economic profit. In other sectors, many companies were simply over-distributing capital, whether in buybacks or excessively high dividends. Once the world defeats COVID-19, these companies are highly unlikely to see their earnings and dividends resume at pre-crisis levels. Once the world defeats COVID-19, these companies are highly unlikely to see their earnings and dividends resume at pre-crisis levels. Established trends are simply being accelerated by the current crisis. There will be no reversion to the mean. Many companies are facing a dividend reset, not a V-shaped bounce. Purchasing these troubled companies in the hope they will pay high dividends that plug the gap is therefore a doubly dangerous game. Not only is the dividend uncertain in the near-term, but as investors digest the reality of these companies permanently impaired earning power and dividend-paying ability, their capital value post-crisis is unlikely to rebound. This is true risk the permanent impairment of capital value. Traditionally defensive stocks face weak growth Oil companies were already fighting a losing battle against the long-term decline in hydrocarbon consumption What about the less cyclical high-yielding sectors that income investors have traditionally turned to, such as utilities, tobacco, and telecoms companies? Unfortunately these are mature sectors, fraught with regulatory risk, and with weak long-term growth prospects. They may offer some near-term security of income. But the investor who piles into these sectors to plug this years income hole will face the near-certainty of very dull long-term profit growth. It is not a coincidence that many companies in these low-risk sectors, from Vodafone to Centrica, have failed to deliver profit growth over long periods and in many cases have had to rebase their dividends. Now for the good news Pictured: Lloyd's of London. Well run insurance companies will be vital in future Happily, there is also a huge opportunity in the current environment. It does, however, require the right mindset. The beauty of equity markets is that, as an active investor, you can avoid the companies and business models of yesterday and invest instead in the shares of the future. That may limit your dividend income in 2020, as these companies have a lower yield than others which are ex-growth. But in the long-term, if you find these companies, it is likely to pay off in far higher levels of income, together with strong capital appreciation. For every company facing a prolonged period of troubled times, there is another for which COVID-19 will ultimately prove transitory. Great companies with relevant business models will undoubtedly see earnings and dividends bounce back. Well-run insurance companies, for instance, will continue to play a vital role in protecting policyholders against disasters and the value of that insurance may well be higher in a post-pandemic world. Innovative manufacturing companies, with products that genuinely enhance the efficiency of their customers, will see their earnings bounce back too. Delivery companies will find their services in ever-greater demand. Restaurants which are happy to deliver as well as host diners will surely thrive. Even in the property sector dividend investors can anticipate that well-invested residential assets, in a post-virus world of Zooming and flexible home-working, will generate solid rental income. Pick future dividend payers The challenge is to make sure that you, as an investor, or else your dividend fund manager, exercise the discipline to invest in these businesses of the future, rather than clinging to the high-yielders of the past. Even if doing so means moderating dividend income in the short term. The question for dividend investors to ask therefore is not 'What companies can I buy to plug this years income gap?' It is rather: 'What companies do I believe have a strong future once this crisis has passed?' Our mantra as income managers at Baillie Gifford is 'long-term income, not short-term yield'. The yields on the funds we manage are by no means the highest in the income universe, because we have been longstanding advocates of sacrificing short-term yield in the pursuit of better long-term income and capital growth. We have shunned many of the sectors and companies that are now struggling profoundly. Even in the property sector dividend investors can anticipate that well-invested residential assets , in a post-virus world of Zooming and flexible home-working, will generate solid rental income. Be demanding of the businesses you invest in If youre investing for long-term income, set a high bar that only accepts genuine growth businesses. In our experience companies that can grow their earnings to support higher dividends in five or 10 years time are far more rewarding investments than short-term yield plays. That is why we largely avoid the mature, ex-growth companies that have propped up the markets yield. In assessing dividend resilience, we aim to avoid companies that are capital-intensive, or highly cyclical, or are simply distributing cash in a way that is not in the long-term interests of their business. We use a checklist for dividend dependability which penalises companies for these and other weaknesses. Discipline in observing these risks, focusing instead on companies with stable, cash generative business models, will greatly enhance your long-term income and capital prospects. Accept mistakes and move on Despite our best efforts we still make mistakes. An example is Bankinter, the Spanish retail bank. As the highest quality bank in Spain we had foreseen it taking market share from its weaker local competitors. But we now expect that government support for the entire banking sector will put pressure on balance sheets and dividends for a long period of time. We mis-calibrated the regulatory risk here, and we do not anticipate that Bankinters recently suspended dividend will bounce back any time soon. We therefore sold our holdings and, in reinvesting the proceeds of our sale, we asked ourselves the question posed above: which companies have a strong future once this crisis has passed? We invested into companies where we have great confidence in their long-term prospects, even if they dont have the same high yield that Bankinter had before recent events. We added to our holdings in Deutsche Borse, Nestle and Roche, for example. Dow: We added to our holdings in Deutsche Borse, Nestle and Roche for future growth Do be careful about the UK market A UK-only approach to dividend income is extremely narrow. There are roughly 250 dividend-paying companies in the UK, not a huge number for an active stock picker, and the market is dominated by companies in structurally challenged industries. Many are paying out too much in dividends rather than re-investing for the future. Many are paying out too much in dividends rather than re-investing for the future. Worldwide, there are about 4,500 dividend paying shares that you, or your dividend fund manager, can choose from. Many of these are great companies with strong business models that will remain relevant for years to come. Again, you have an opportunity to take the long-term view. Going global, as we did for our own funds in 2011, will allow you the chance to escape from the risks of the UK oil companies, the banks, the high street retailers, and the other troubled companies that make up so much of the UK dividend sector. Instead you will become free to choose the well-run insurers, the value-add manufacturers, the delivery companies and so on that will thrive in the future. Your portfolio will be far more likely to bounce back from this crisis. Our own experience has been that going global is incredibly liberating and rewarding. Dividend investors can survive this unprecedented setback. They can do so by exercising the discipline of a long-term approach and actively picking the winning companies of the future. With a global portfolio of these names, there is a terrific opportunity for your income. A version of this article was originally published on the Baillie Gifford website in April 2020. Important Information and Risk The above article has been written by James Dow, co-head of Baillie Giffords equity income strategies - Baillie Gifford Global Income Growth Fund, the Baillie Gifford Responsible Global Equity Income Fund and Scottish American Investment Company P.L.C. The views expressed should not be taken as fact and no reliance should be placed upon these when making investment decisions. They should not be considered as advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a particular investment. The value of your investment and any income from it is not guaranteed and may go down as well as up and as a result your capital may be at risk. If you are unsure whether an investment is right for you, please contact an authorised intermediary for advice. This article contains information on investments which does not constitute independent investment research. Accordingly, it is not subject to the protections afforded to independent research and Baillie Gifford and its staff may have dealt in the investments concerned. Investment markets and conditions can change rapidly. The funds invest in overseas assets, priced in foreign currencies and changes in the rates of exchange may cause the value of your shares to go down. The funds invest in emerging markets where difficulties in dealing, settlement and custody could arise, resulting in a negative impact on the value of your investment. The Global Income Growth Funds and the Responsible Global Equity Income Funds share price can be volatile due to movements in the prices of the underlying holdings and the basis on which the funds are priced. Baillie Gifford & Co Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Baillie Gifford & Co Limited is the OEICs Authorised Corporate Director and is the authorised Alternative Investment Fund Manager and Company Secretary of the Trust. The investment trusts managed by Baillie Gifford & Co Limited are listed UK companies. Scottish American Investment Company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The information and opinions expressed within this article are subject to change without notice. This information has been issued and approved by Baillie Gifford & Co Limited and does not in any way constitute investment advice. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. All data is current and source Baillie Gifford unless otherwise stated. Product details, including a Key Information Document and the possible effect of charges on an investment, are available on request from Baillie Gifford. JAMES DOW James was appointed joint manager of The Scottish American Investment Company P.L.C (SAINTS) and co-head of the Global Income Growth team in 2017. He joined Baillie Gifford in 2004 on the Graduate Scheme and became an investment manager in our US Equities Team. Previously, James spent three years working at The Scotsman newspaper, where he was the Economics Editor. He is a CFA Charterholder, graduated MA (Hons) in Economics-Philosophy from the University of St Andrews in 2000 and MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics in 2001. Anuja Susan Varghese By Express News Service KOCHI: Many a time, in the face of medical crises, nurses are hailed as angels in white for their selfless and efficient service in patient care. However, while the praise is plentiful, many hospitals in the country have not walked the talk with regard to providing even basic support to nurses to safely carry out their duties. So pitiable is the condition in which some of them are forced to work even during these dangerous Covid times -- without as much as the basic Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) -- that cases of nurses even attempting suicide in hospitals in northern India have surfaced lately. Junior nurses and staff are seen making requests for PPE at the departments. But they are not provided the same. They are made to attend suspected cases and collect swabs, with just a surgical mask on. While social distancing is the key to check Covid spread, here nurses are made to travel in an ambulance without any distancing thus endangering everyone, said a nurse from Kerala employed in a top corporate hospital in the National Capital Region(NCR)for the last 10 years. The fear of contracting the virus while dealing with patients without the necessary protective gear is very real for these nurses. Only those treating infected patients at the isolation wards are given PPE. The rest of the procedures, including the collection of swabs, handling asymptomatic patients and fever cases, are done without any protective gear. There were times when staff were made to wear one set of PPE for 12 hours. The stress we undergo is beyond words, said the nurse, who did not want to be identified. The authorities and the government are not taking adequate measures to address the issue of nurses on the frontline of the anti-Covid battle. If the nurses do not feel secure in the circumstances they work, how can they feel confident. At many private hospitals in Mumbai, Rajasthan, and Delhi, nurses are not provided with the necessary PPE kits and many are asked to reuse them. They are forced to work in such conditions. It is as if they are being pushed into death, said Roy K George, president, Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI). There are over 10,000 Malayali nurses working in various hospitals in Delhi and Mumbai. Their transportation and accommodation are also a serious issue. We are fully aware that we have to live with this virus for a while. It will not be going away soon. But if the nurses, who work on the frontline to treat Covid patients do not feel secure, it will lead to a dire situation, said George. Recently, a 22-year-old Malayali nurse attempted suicide after testing positive for Covid. She was working at the emergency department of a hospital in Gurugram. The Punalur native had tested positive on May 28. Another Malayali nurse working at Delhis Kalra Hospital died after contracting the virus. Greece Blocks British, American, Italian Travelers from Vacationing in June By Anthee Carassava May 31, 2020 Greece may be a top vacation destination, but for the British, Americans and Italians dreaming of getting away, the country will be off limits for some time. The government in Athens has left them off a list of 29 countries from which Greece will start accepting visitors, as it scrambles to mitigate the damage that the COVID-19 pandemic has spelled for its biggest money-making industry: tourism. Greek tourism officials say travelers from the permitted countries will be able to enter Greece beginning June 15... allowed to touch down only at the capital's main international airport... and the northern metropolis of Thessaloniki... not other sun-kissed destinations. The list of 29 countries was drafted following a strict review of global airport regulations and COVID-19 infection rates. Tourism minister Harris Tehoharis explains why. He says the so-called safe list is part of a plan stitched together to best secure both foreign travelers and the country after the government in Athens managed to successfully handle the pandemic by taking draconian lockdown measures early on ... keeping registered infection rates under 3,000 and the death toll at 175. All 29 countries, including several Balkan nations, Israel and even China and Japan, boast low infection rates. Travelers coming in from them will be screened for COVID-19 but allowed to vacation freely without the need of lockdown requirements or quarantines. Depending on changes in infection rates, the list of countries could change before all travelers will be allowed to the country on July 1. But with the US, Britain and Italy hit hardest by the pandemic, health experts like Gikas Magiorkas warn it may be months, even beyond the July date, before travelers from those countries will be able to visit. "I don't see them visiting any time soon, he says. Depending on how the first wave of entries goes, authorities may increase the number of screening tests for those coming in from high-risk countries, to boost security and tracking levels," said Magiorkas. British and American travelers normally make up the biggest and most affluent pool of visitors to Greece... bringing in billions each year in hard currency. Italy, meantime has snapped back at Greece's designs, saying blacklisting countries and travelers isn't fair, and that Italy would not allow itself to be viewed and treated as what one leading official called "a leper colony." Despite Greece's scramble to open for tourism, many industry officials remain reluctant. Grigoris Tassis, president of the Greek hotel owners association, explains He says hotel owners have not received fundamental directives from the state, including information on how to deal with COVID-19 cases that may emerge while travelers are on holiday here. On the island of Crete, a favorite holiday destination, many large hotel chains are choosing to open just a fraction of their facilities... adjusting as the summer and the spread of the pandemic proceeds. Surveys indicate that some 65% of Greek hotels could go bankrupt if they fail to break even this summer. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Paul Zacharia By In a state perennially given to fruitless political strife, ingrained bureaucratic arrogance and rampant corruption, the sheer earnestness of Keralas recent face-off with Covid-19 surprised Malayalis more than anyone else. In the post-Independence history of governance in Kerala, nothing similar had ever happened: The government actually made moves in a consistent manner to attend to the well-being of people. The handling of the massive floods in August 2018 had elements of this, but that was essentially an area-focussed, intensive rescue effort. The adversary, water, was right there under ones nose. The coronavirus, however, had put the whole state under its alien shadowand it was invisible. The response of the LDF government to the virus threat was remarkable in its determination and zeal. It is possible to argue that sheer existential terror brought about the shift from lethargy, incompetence and indifferencewhich has characterised governance in Kerala ever since the state came into existenceto committed involvement. There certainly could be truth in it. But even to channelise fear into a combat mode, a spark is needed. However much one may dislike to say it in times of totalitarian dreams sprouting everywhere including India, that spark could be leadership. The state everywhere is a leviathan with a hazy mind. It cannot be a leader. A person becomes the face of the state. One can say emphatically that in the corona crisis, Keralas CM Comrade Pinarayi Vijayan represented that leadership. He became the face of Keralas corona resistance. His daily press conferences came to be more eagerly watched than The Ramayana reloaded. The person directly in charge of the Covid battle, Comrade K K Shailaja, the health minister, complemented Vijayan in her own unadorned but firm style. She is a natural leader minus the weight of seniority and patriarchal authority that Vijayan commands. In a Kerala thats slowly but inevitably shifting from its male supremacy paradigm, being a woman has only worked in her favour, if that mattered at all. What sets both these communists apart from the usual politician, communist or non-communist, is a simple trait: a grave, no-nonsense approach to issues. If Vijayan is ponderous and magisterial, Shailaja is sprightly and unpretentiousand tough. Vijayans style, along with obedience, triggers fear and caution. He has the additional advantage that he controls both the party and governmentwith an iron hand. That goes a long way in the smooth transmission of the processes of decision-making and implementation. You could call him a dictator if you wish. But the description wouldnt exactly fit, either. Shailajas leadership has a feminine forcefulness that inspires teamwork. Both are communists first and communists last. Virus or no virus, the party comes first. Theyve worked hard. And considering the corona predictions for the immediate future, its going to be a long haul for them. Surely they must be enjoying the rewardswords of appreciation that rarely come a politicians way. Both Kerala and Shailaja hit international headlines several times. One suspects it was not just the spirited fight Kerala put up against the virus that attracted media attention. The capitalist media seems to have been fascinated by the fact that communists were accomplishing such a feat. And that a lady comrade was the field commander. Ranged behind these two were the government personnelthousands of officials, health workers and police who didnt go by the clock and often risked their lives in the physical handling of patients. In the no-mans land of Keralas bureaucratic quagmire, health professionals had always stood apart as a different breed who, in general, stayed committed to their responsibilities to the people. They were the foot soldiers leading the corona fight from the front. The participation of thousands of women, in various capacities, gave the battle a different synergy. Platforms of womens empowerment like Kudumbashree and ASHA delivered priceless service. The police, not always extolled for humanitarian concerns, was exemplary in carrying out their new role as guardians of public health. Add to it over 2,00,000 volunteers who provided hands-on support at the grassroots. That is only one part of the story. The other part derives from Keralas historical tryst, in the sixties and seventies, with a development model born out of socialist ideals and democratic convictions. Arising from a humanist perception that could be described as Left and Gandhian, it sought to directly touch the lives of the people in key areas like education and health. That was how a multi-level healthcare network was created which, in a poor society like Kerala, produced results equalling developed nations in the human development index. Equally radical was the broadening and strengthening of democratic institutions at the ground level through a process of decentralisation in which women, for the first time, occupied key roles. These two networks of democracy, despite being battered by vested interests both inside and outside successive governments, have precariously survived and today they are the backbone of the fight against corona. The success of Keralas corona battle is much more than the sum of its parts. In the final analysis it was underwritten by the progressive values infused into the Malayali psyche by Keralas historic Enlightenment spearheaded by great humanists like Narayana Guru and Ayyankali. Those values have survived murderous onslaughts by sectarian forces and underlie all civilisational leaps in Kerala. The corona fight was such a leap. it was an expression of Keralas democratic commitment, however flawed; secular credentials, however bruised; communal harmony, however besieged; scientific temper, however cornered. Thats why to each one of those women and men be they SC/ST, BC, Dalit, Hindu, Moslem or Christian who fought the corona war, it was beyond the pale of imagination to segregate hospital beds on a religious basis as happened elsewhere in India. Paul Zacharia Award-winning fiction writer (paulzacharia3@gmail.com) Deepak NG, Managing Director, Dassault Systemes, Bengaluru, India talks about the impact of COVID-19 By when do you think India will become COVID-19 free? The COVID19 pandemic outbreak in India has had a widespread and unprecedented impact on people, businesses and economy. While, the entire healthcare ecosystem and Life Science industry is putting in endless efforts to contain the proliferation of this virus, it is difficult to predict about the timelines. Extensive research have been conducted in India and almost every country that has been impacted so far, while we are yet to see conclusive evidences we hope to see potential vaccines soon. The current priority should be to flatten the curve of the infection spread, at the earliest. Usage of masks, gloves and strict personal hygiene practices can prevent new cases whereas setting up of new facilities for testing and treatment will ensure effective and quick recovery of the infected patients. It is also important to equip the hospitals with the right set of equipment and infrastructure. As a pioneer of innovations for Life Sciences industry, we, at Dassault Systemes, are helping the ecosystem with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and brands like BIOVIA, SIMULIA for our customers in research and drug discovery, quality and manufacturing of vital medical equipments and patient care. How is Dassault Systemes India contributing to this fight against COVID-19? Dassault Systemes is putting in concerted efforts to fight the impact of COVID-19 on multiple fronts. Dassault Systemes 3DEXPERIENCE Lab supported the Indian startup Inali in the rapid development of a safe, affordable smart ventilator that could be quickly manufactured and deployed for emergency use. Using cloud-based digital applications, Inali was able to rapidly design a 3D model of the smart ventilator, engineer it, simulate its function, and manufacture and validate a prototype. This development took less than eight days. The smart ventilator is designed to identify performance metrics for parameters such as air velocity and air pressure that are needed to function, and adjust its operating parameters accordingly, as well as to identify the appropriate oxygen level for an individual patient and the safety metrics required for reliable and safe use. Inali will publish the complete ventilator design and manufacturing details as open source information. It can be used by anyone by downloading the information and manufacture the ventilators. Smart Ventilator could be available at an affordable cost. Our SIMULIA team in India has made 3D printed face shield frames and supplied them to a Chennai based medical college. 3D Printers installed in 3DEXPERIENCE Innovation Center in Andhra Pradesh are being used by the local authorities to manufacture critical medical equipment components in treatment of COVID-19. General Aeronautics, a startup that designs UAVs and Drones on Dassault Systemes 3DEXPERIENCE Platform, has supported the Government of Karnataka in fumigation and sanitation of key areas in Bengaluru. Many of our customers are using BIOVIA Discovery Studio and Designed to Cure Industry Solution Experience to work re-purposing of existing drugs and design of antibodies that can help in combating COVID-19. We are actively involved in major initiatives and projects to fight COVID-19 pandemic in other countries as well. Dassault Systemes fluid simulation application SIMULIA XFlow was used by designers of Wuhans newly built Leishenshan Hospital in China to design and simulate its air supply and exhaust systems. Air flow simulation powered by SIMULIA, was used for a collaborative project to reduce the risk of virus propagation inside the St. Francis Hospital in Marange-Silvange in northeastern France the countrys second largest region impacted by COVID-19. Aden Group, one of Asias largest integrated facility management companies, will be collaborating with Dassault Systemes on the development of a turnkey, ready-to-use infectious disease hospital solution, Akila Care. This solution could be quickly deployed and easily maintained in countries severely impacted by COVID-19 and urgently in need of high quality medical facilities. Dassault Systemes is using scientific simulation of the human sneeze to support the development of personal protective equipment (PPE) projects in the 3DEXPERIENCE Lab OPEN COVID-19 online community. Sneezing is one way that pathogens, including COVID-19, spread. The simulations are used to demonstrate what happens when a person sneezes, to better understand the effectiveness of different PPE being developed and deployed, and to aid in improving their design. Dassault Systemes used SIMULIA PowerFLOW simulation applications to develop a computational simulation of a sneeze to provide insight into the flow physics of sneezes. The online community comprises of engineers, designers, manufacturers, scientists, makers and fabbers, who can share design projects as 3D models with each other. The Open COVID-19 Community includes members from the USA, UK, India, France and the Netherlands. What more needs to be done so that India is prepared for a future pandemic? Various initiatives by the Government to ensure and enable social distancing has helped to bring the crisis to a manageable level. Nationwide lockdown, isolation of cases and quarantining the contacts of the COVID-19 infected patients across the country has been quite successful in the recent weeks. These measures have also raised awareness of COVID-19 and instilled a sense of personal hygiene among people. To prepare for such future pandemics, India needs to pre-empt potential scenarios and build capacity for healthcare facilities and drug discovery, as well as sustain the awareness level among people and communities. We should be able to leverage collective intelligence to source, qualify, design, engineer and manufacture rapid solutions during the pandemic. It will be crucial to scale up testing, provide life-support equipment such as ventilators and ensure adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers. Life Sciences will have a key role in such preparations as it can facilitate high value research, advance the discovery of new medicines and improve healing solutions. What will be the impact of this outbreak on the Indian economy? How is Dassault Systemes India preparing itself? The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world around us, forever, and we cant expect to go back to the way things were before the outbreak. Indias GDP has decelerated significantly, due to a slowdown in private consumption, investments and external trade. The one thing which is clear is the fact that the current downturn in the economy is fundamentally different from recessions that we have seen in the past. While we are all trying to comprehend and scale and impact of this pandemic, we are looking at certain permanent, structural changes in the way we live and work. Use of Digital/virtual platforms is no more an option, and rather an imperative to enable engagement between people or between people and machines (shop floor). Our focus will be to drive increased adoption of 3DEXPERIENCE platform through sustained growth in Manufacturing sector, enablement of Infrastructure, Construction and Architect community and expansion of footprint in Life Sciences industry in India. The Life sciences industry in India is expected to gain momentum, especially in pharma research, drug discovery, and prosthetics. We are already working with leading pharma companies, associations, research institutes and several startups to drive relevant innovation in this segment. Contactless technologies will gain prominence in the upcoming future and our 3DEXCITE solutions can help to enhances visualization aspects, sales & marketing channels of our customers. James Cameron and Jon Landau (Credit: Instagram) James Cameron and his producer Jon Landau have arrived back in New Zealand to recommence filming of Avatar 2. The pair landed in Wellington on a flight from Los Angeles, and were then immediately ordered to self-isolate for 14 days, per the government's stringent guidelines for incoming travellers on COVID-19. Read more: Avatar 2 producer teases movie plot In a post to Instagram by Landau, both he and Cameron are wearing masks and protective face shields at the airport. He captioned: Made it to New Zealand. Our 14-day government supervised self-isolation now begins. Production on the ambitious movie being shot back-to-back with the third Avatar film was halted in mid-March as countries around the world locked down amid the developing pandemic. New Zealand in particular has been praised for its swift and decisive response to the virus, with cases of infection barely over 1000 and 22 deaths. Speaking about going back to work last week, Landau told Kiwi news site RNZ: We feel very comfortable because of the actions of your government and also the responsibility the people took to really curb the virus there. Read more: How will social distancing work in cinemas? So we feel we're coming back to the safest place in the world possible thanks to a team of people that we've worked with. We believe we have a very thoughtful, detailed and diligent safety plan that will keep everybody as safe as possible in these unprecedented times. I think with Avatar, we have an opportunity to allow people to escape to an incredible world with incredible characters that they will follow, in much the same way as Peter Jackson was able to do with Lord of the Rings, so that's what we're looking forward to doing. Avatar 2 is set for release in December, 2021. There's no word yet as to whether the filming hiatus will affect the release date. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 19:18:57|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SHANGHAI, June 1 (Xinhua) -- On the International Children's Day, science fiction fans in China mourned and bid farewell to renowned Chinese writer Ye Yonglie, whose science fiction books are childhood memories for many. Ye died of cancer in Shanghai on May 15 at the age of 80. In 1978, Ye published his well-known science fiction "Xiao Lingtong's Travels in the Future" at a time when China was just to start reform and opening-up. In the book, the protagonist "Xiao Lingtong" -- meaning "little smart" in Chinese -- is portrayed as a time traveler in a city called "Future." The book features the bold imagination of achievements in science and technology such as robots capable of playing chess and factories producing manmade food. It was an epochal book that not only opened the door to a brand-new world for Chinese 40 years ago, but also inspired the imagination of young readers of that generation. "The book opened a window to the world for me; I felt like one day I could go to the beautiful future it described," said An Ruoshui, now a writer in her 40s who read the book when she was in junior high school. Contrary to high-tech scenes portrayed in his books, Ye used to live in a small house in Shanghai in the early 1980s, spending most of his writing time in an attic. When writing during hot summer days, he would wrap his arm up with a towel to avoid sweating on the manuscript. Ye is a prolific writer and has never stopped writing despite his age. He left behind over 35 million words of works in various genres including science fiction, novel and documentary writing, which were translated into more than 10 languages. The complete collection of Ye's popular works was published in 2017, containing 28 volumes and more than 14 million words. Born in 1940 in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Ye showed talent in writing at an early age and got the chance to co-write "One Hundred Thousand Whys," when he was a chemistry student at Peking University. The book series later became classic scientific literature for children in China with a total circulation of over 100 million copies. His "Xiao Lingtong's Travels in the Future" is also regarded as one of the most influential children's science fiction works and more than 4 million copies have been printed since its first publication in 1978. "Some details Ye described in the city of 'Future' have already turned into reality, which seems to be a beautiful vision of 'building a moderately prosperous society in all respects,'" said Chinese sci-fi writer Han Song. Many writers have paid tribute to Ye after learning of his death. "He is like a mentor who has ignited a torch and passed it on to younger science popularizers like us," said Lu Chao, another sci-fi writer. "I felt sad after learning about the passing of Ye. He was an explorer and pioneer of the first generation of Chinese science fiction," said Masaya Takeda, a Japanese scholar studying the history of Chinese science fiction and also Ye's foreign student in the 1980s. Ye donated most of his research materials to the Shanghai Library. He once said that children should be encouraged to love science and be imaginative at an early age as they are the hope of a country and a nation. Enditem YouTuber Jake Paul found himself at the heart of another controversy after several videos showed him in a crowd of people looting the Scottsdale Fashion Square mall in Arizona on Saturday night. The looting came amid a wave of protests across the nation after the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes. Video posted to the Instagram story of Paul's videographer Andrew Blue shows the YouTube star wearing a mask and wandering around the mall as rioters smash store windows and, in one instance, strike a car on display. Paul is not shown stealing or breaking anything. In one video, Paul said he was hit with tear gas by police officers, whom he called "idiots." The video prompted waves of criticism on social media from people accusing Paul and his team of taking advantage of the nationwide protests to gain attention, with one user calling him the "epitome of white male privilege" who is "creating chaos just for content." One user tweeted that she was so "angry" because the looting "was not part of" the larger Black Lives Matter protest. Instead, she continued, Paul and "his other rich white friends are capitalizing off of this for attention [and] notoriety while doing nothing to support the actual movement." Musician Lauren Sanderson wrote: "to the jake paul's of the world, those embodying white privilege, publicly victimizing themselves for being tear gassed yet showing up with vlog cameras only to loot and trash the city is beyond unacceptable. if you're not coming to fight for black lives, don't come at all." Paul responded to the criticism Sunday in a statement released on Twitter. "To be absolutely clear, neither I nor anyone in our group was engaged in any looting or vandalism," Paul said. "I do not condone violence, looting or breaking the law; however, I understand the anger and frustration that led to the destruction we witnessed and while it's not the answer, it's important that people see it and collectively figure out how to move forward in a healthy way." Blue released a similar statement on his Instagram story. "My job is to document virtually everything," he wrote. "We were strictly documenting the situation and doing our part to use our platform to raise awareness about this horrific event and the overall injustice," adding that no one in his group was involved in vandalism. Though known mostly for performing stunts online, the YouTuber has a long history of inserting himself into national tragedies, often prompting outrage from those who accuse him of co-opting others' pain to gain followers. When Hurricane Harvey devastated the Houston area in 2017, he and his crew drove to the city to "save thousands of lives." "We are gonna get them supplies, we are gonna save their lives, and we're gonna flippin' vlog it all at the same time!" he said. The resulting trip was something of a disaster, as he invited his fans to gather in a Walmart parking lot to help him fill two trucks without consulting the store. More than a thousand fans showed up. A year later, after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people, Paul visited the town and came up with a five-point plan to end school shootings. Paul has not posted a vlog to YouTube about the looting in Scottsdale or the protest that preceded it. If you thought the volume on the Trump-Twitter-Fox noise distraction machine was turned up extra loud in the past few weeks, it was not only to deflect attention from the nearly 100,000 Americans whove died from COVID-19, but also from the confirmation that on President Donald Trumps watch our country suffered the first deadly terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11 that was planned abroad. You read that right. Last week, Attorney General William Barr and the FBI said that data from cellphones of a Saudi air force trainee who killed three U.S. sailors and wounded eight others at a Navy air base in Pensacola, Fla., on Dec. 6 confirmed that it was an act of foreign-planned terrorism. The phone data definitively establishes that the trainee, Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, had significant ties to al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula not only before the attack, but before he even arrived in the United States in August 2017. He had actually joined the Saudi military to carry out a special operation. That Alshamrani was able to kill three sailors at an American base was a massive failure of U.S. and Saudi intelligence. I mean, who should be getting more scrutinized before they come train in the U.S. on an air base than Saudi pilots? The Trump administration clearly had no idea what was happening under its nose. As the Washington Post noted: After the attack, investigators found evidence that 17 fellow Saudi students had shared Islamist militant or anti-American material on social media, and others had possessed or shared child pornography. As a result, 21 cadets from Saudi Arabia were disenrolled from the training program and sent home. That sort of intelligence failure the first foreign-planned terrorist attack on U.S. shores since 9/11 is something youd expect Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to be particularly upset about. After all, it was Pompeo, when he was in Congress, who spearheaded the investigations into then-Secretary of State Hillary Clintons supposed responsibility for the death of four U.S. diplomats in a terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11, 2012. Oh, you forgot about Congressman Pompeos endless campaign to nail Hillary with Benghazi? Well, let me jog your memory. Here is how the Guardian described the conclusion of the 800-page House select committee investigation on Benghazi, led by a Republican representative, Trey Gowdy, and issued on July 28, 2016: It found no new evidence to conclude that Hillary Clinton, secretary of state at the time, was culpable in the deaths. A few hours later, the Obama White House noted tersely that this was the eighth congressional committee to investigate the attacks and went on longer than the 9/11 Commission and the committees designated to look at Pearl Harbor, the assassination of President John F Kennedy, the Iran-Contra affair and Watergate. So, lets do some math here: Then-Congressman Pompeo led the utterly contrived campaign to blame Hillary for the Benghazi deaths a charge that a Republican-led committee found to be without merit. But Pompeo used his crusade to gain the attention, via Fox News, of Trump and was named Trumps CIA director. And now we learn that while Pompeo was CIA director, the first foreign-planned terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11 was being organized here and abroad, and while he was secretary of state it was carried out. Now thats something worth investigating. Pompeos two most notable accomplishments as secretary of state are, metaphorically speaking, shooting two of his senior State Department officials in the back. One was the distinguished U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, whom Pompeo removed on the orders of Trump and Trumps lawyer Rudy Giuliani. The other was the departments inspector general, Steve Linick, whom Pompeo got Trump to fire, reportedly because he was investigating Pompeos own efforts to evade a congressional ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia and for improperly asking a State Department employee to run errands for him and his wife. But thats not the only slimeball story that Pompeo wants to distract attention from. On May 19, NBC News revealed that since 2018 he and his wife, Susan, had held two dozen elaborate, unpublicized dinners in the historic Diplomatic Reception Rooms on the governments dime. State Department officials involved in the dinners said they had raised concerns internally that the events were essentially using federal resources to cultivate a donor and supporter base for Pompeos political ambitions. With a president, a Senate majority and Fox News always at the ready to defend him, Pompeo couldnt care less about any of these stories. He just smirks and marches on. But every American should care. The morale and effectiveness of our State Department and our standing in the world are both the worse for him. @NYTFriedman hans buetow Do you mind if ask you a couple questions here? amanda bowlin No, sure. hans buetow My names Hans. Im from The New York Times. amanda bowlin Hi. hans buetow So can you tell me where we are right now? amanda bowlin Were on Lake Street, at the Arbys that burned down, cleaning up. A bunch of us are just cleaning up all the steel and grabbing glass, getting anything we can, cleaning up. Yeah. hans buetow Yeah, can you describe the building for me? amanda bowlin Um, demolished, pretty much. Its pretty much just soot and bricks and melted glass, melted steel. You couldnt really tell that there was ever a building here. hans buetow Your hands are black. amanda bowlin Yeah. hans buetow Even through the gloves. amanda bowlin Yeah, went right through the gloves. hans buetow Thank you very much. Tell me your name. amanda bowlin Amanda, Amanda Bolin. Yeah. hans buetow Thank you very much. Really appreciate it. amanda bowlin Yeah, thank you for being here. background chatter South Minneapolis, and after I got back from living in hans buetow Hi. speaker Youre the leader. Hi. hans buetow So talk to me about what were looking at. speaker Well, mass destruction. This is, again, the language of hurt, pain, oppression, fear. I mean, this is all everything bundled up. This is a symptom. This is an outcome. This is the result. And I mean, its nothing anybody wants, but I cant say I couldnt see it coming. [music] michael barbaro From The New York Times, Im Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily. Today: Over the weekend, protests erupted in at least 140 cities across the U.S., following the death of George Floyd in police custody. My colleagues were on the ground, chronicling the past 72 hours. Its Monday, June 1. mike freeman OK. Good afternoon. Im Hennepin County attorney Mike Freeman. Im here to announce that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is in custody. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged by the Hennepin County attorneys office with murder and with manslaughter. Questions? speaker Yes, what charge of murder? mike freeman He has been charged with third-degree murder. We are in the process of continuing to review the evidence. There may be subsequent charges later. I failed to share with you michael barbaro On Friday afternoon, after three nights of protests in Minneapolis, and the night after the third precinct was burned down, Mike Freeman stepped out to a podium and announced charges against officer Derek Chauvin. It was one of the fastest charges that the county had ever brought in the case of an officer-involved killing. And politicians and police in Minnesota had not expected the protests to grow for a fourth night after Chauvin was charged and after a curfew went into effect for 8:00 p.m. They were wrong. archived recording (leslie redmond) What youre witnessing in Minnesota is something thats been a long time coming. I cant tell you how many governors Ive sat down with, how many mayors weve sat down with. And weve warned them that if you keep murdering black people, this city will burn. We have stopped the city from burning numerous times, and we are not responsible for it burning now. archived recording (protestor) What do we want? archived recording (crowd) Justice! archived recording (protestor) When do we want it? archived recording (crowd) Now! archived recording (protestor) What do we want? archived recording (crowd) Justice! archived recording (reporter) The anger is just as great. The crowd here has been growing for some time now. Given that these charges came so late, and only after a night of wanton destruction, no one is putting much belief in what authorities here say right now. michael barbaro The protests in Minneapolis ballooned, and their tactics escalated. And police struggled to cover the city. archived recording 1 For another night, the skyline is on fire, this time, though, both in Minneapolis and St. Paul. archived recording 2 More buildings around the third precinct are on fire at this hour. Its a continuation of what we saw out there today, which included cars burning and officers rushing into the middle of everything with gas masks on. archived recording (officer) You are ordered to cease your unlawful behavior and disperse peaceably from the area immediately. michael barbaro Gunshots rang out. 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 the firefighters had gone. At one point, the National Guard retreated from protesters. archived recording (protestors) Hands up, dont shoot! michael barbaro That same night, protesters poured into the streets of Atlanta, New York, Dallas and Washington, where they clashed with police. archived recording (erin burnett) Other cities tonight also on high alert. Protests have been building all day. archived recording (protestor) Fuck the police, fuck the police! archived recording (erin burnett) Live pictures out of Washington, D.C., protesters there marching to the White House. [SHOUTING] Protesters also blocking a major highway in San Jose, California. All of this, of course, in the time of coronavirus. Many of those masked and social distanced, not all of them, these two stories meeting tonight. archived recording (protestor) Get his badge number! Get his badge number! michael barbaro At the White House, the Secret Service was so worried about the crowds gathered outside that they rushed President Trump into an underground bunker thats usually used during a terrorist attack. archived recording [SCREAMING] michael barbaro On Saturday morning, there was a dramatic change in tone. archived recording (tim walz) Last night is a mockery of pretending this is about George Floyds death, or inequities, or historical traumas to our communities of color. michael barbaro Top officials in Minnesota, who had expressed sympathy and understanding for the protesters, now expressed outrage at their behavior. archived recording (tim walz) Because our communities of color and our indigenous communities were outfront fighting hand-in-hand to save businesses that took generations to build. So lets be very clear. The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd. It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cities. michael barbaro At a news conference, governor Tim Walz vowed that more National Guard troops would be deployed, said that the authorities would not let the destruction continue, and did not rule out the possibility of bringing in the U.S. military. He also said that the majority of those protesters had not been from Minnesota. There was suddenly a lot of talk about who exactly these protesters were. Some were blaming the far-right. Others said it was just the opposite. archived recording (william barr) In many places, it appears the violence is planned, organized and driven by anarchic and left extremist groups, far-left extremist groups, using antifa-like tactics, many of whom travel from outside the state to promote the violence. michael barbaro Attorney General Bill Barr claimed that the protests had been hijacked by radical left-wing groups like antifa, a claim that was echoed by the presidents conservative allies. archived recording They specialize in masking themselves behind genuine protesters, and exploiting these opportunities to agitate and destroy. These are professional antagonizers. michael barbaro And while it was hard to know at the time, what was clear was that the protests were growing, in size and tactics. archived recording (protestor 1) I want to hear him say it out his mouth! archived recording (protestor 2) And Im gonna say it. archived recording (protestor 1) Lets hear him say it! Lets go, lets go. michael barbaro In Baltimore, demonstrators marched to the police headquarters, where a reporter for The Baltimore Sun captured them persuading a police lieutenant to join them in reciting the names of victims of police brutality. archived recording (protestor) Trayvon Martin! archived recording (crowd) Next name! archived recording (protestor) Freddie Gray! archived recording (crowd) Next name! archived recording (protestor) Eric Garner! archived recording (crowd) Next name! archived recording (protestor) Kevin Hicks! archived recording (crowd) Next name! archived recording (protestor) Keith Scott! archived recording (crowd) Next name! archived recording (protestor) Terrill Thomas! archived recording (crowd) Next name! archived recording (protestor) Randy Evans! archived recording (crowd) Next name! michael barbaro In Denver, thousands of people lay face down in front of the Colorado state capitol building, with their hands behind their backs, chanting some of George Floyds final words. In cities across the country, a tension played out in these protests between symbolism and force. archived recording (crowd) I cant breathe! I cant breathe! I cant breathe. I cant breathe! nikole hannah-jones This is Nikole Hannah-Jones. So Saturday evening, I was at home in Brooklyn, watching the news and social media obsessively, as Im sure most Americans were doing. archived recording Were following the breaking news across the country right now. nikole hannah-jones And it was clear that we were going to be in for another long night of unrest all across the country. archived recording Very violent confrontations between protesters and police over the death of George Floyd. nikole hannah-jones As always in these situations, there were calls for protesters to remain nonviolent. Which, when it comes to civil unrest, tends to mean not to destroy and take property. The worry here, of course, is that unless protesters remain nonviolent, theyre going to hurt their calls for justice. And Ive been thinking about how theres always this tension about the right and best, and just approach for these protests to take, often even amongst the protesters themselves. archived recording (speaker) Im tired of seeing this shit, man. nikole hannah-jones And so as Im sitting in my living room, this video comes across my screen. And its a video shot out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Someone had taken the video on their cell phone. archived recording (speaker 1) Were worried about this archived recording (speaker 2) I understand. nikole hannah-jones And theres a crowd of mostly black people gathered around. Many of them are filming on their cell phones. And in the center of the crowd are two men. And theyre standing nose to nose. And theyre yelling. archived recording (45-year-old man) Well, we wont stand up for archived recording (31-year-old man) I understand! archived recording (45-year-old man) that get killed on the archived recording (31-year-old man) I understand. nikole hannah-jones And one man says archived recording (31-year-old man) How old are you? archived recording (45-year-old man) Im tired of this shit, man. archived recording (31-year-old man) How old are you? archived recording (45-year-old man) Im 45 years old, man. nikole hannah-jones Im 45, and Im tired of putting up with this. archived recording (31-year-old man) 45, and Im 31. archived recording (45-year-old man) And Im tired of seeing this shit, man. archived recording (31-year-old man) And you the older generation than me, and I am, too. archived recording (45-year-old man) Right, and weve been standing around as the older ones taking all this bullshit, always hoping for a kumba [EXPLETIVE] ya. nikole hannah-jones He wants to fight. archived recording (45-year-old man) Always standing around for a kumbaya. Aint nobody coming to protect us. nikole hannah-jones And the other man is 31, and he says fighting is not the way. archived recording (45-year-old man) We gotta start out own [EXPLETIVE] archived recording (31-year-old man) I understand. nikole hannah-jones So the question that these two men, who are circling each other in the parking lot, are really arguing about, ultimately, is how do you get enough white Americans to care? What strikes me to the core in this video is that both of these men are right, and both of them are wrong. The truth is that we know Americans pay attention to violence. Had there been no fires, had there been no looting, no physical confrontations with the police, these stories of police protests right now would have garnered maybe a few minutes on the local news cycle, but we wouldnt see the wall-to-wall coverage that were seeing every day. archived recording (31-year-old man) I understand. Well, let me tell you something right here. Hes 16 hes 16! nikole hannah-jones The other truth is that, the truth that the 31-year-old is grappling with. Its that that quote-unquote violence is going to be used as an excuse not to sympathize with black struggle. That the communities who are already suffering in the end are going to suffer more when this is all over with. archived recording (31-year-old man) Hes 16! archived recording (45-year-old man) What we gonna do? nikole hannah-jones At that moment, a tall, rail thin teenager comes into view, and the 31-year-old grabs him with both of his hands around his waist. And hes forcing him to make eye contact with him. archived recording (45-year-old man) What we gonna do? archived recording (31-year-old man) You tell me. archived recording (45-year-old man) What we gonna do? archived recording (31-year-old man) But this aint the way. Because they running around loose. If the United States president say if you loot, we shoot nikole hannah-jones And he tells that boy that the president of the United States said that looting will lead to shooting. And if he goes out there and does that, hes going to find himself in harms way. archived recording (45-year-old man) But its time to stand up. archived recording (31-year-old man) So dont get it going with him. archived recording (45-year-old man) At this point, Im ready to die for whats going on. archived recording (31-year-old man) Let me tell you something. archived recording (45-year-old man) Thats the problem that we got. archived recording (31-year-old man) What you see right now is gonna happen 10 years from now. And at 26, youre gonna be doing the same thing Im doing. You understand that? nikole hannah-jones And the boy stands there with his hands clasped behind his back, and hes listening so intently, nodding vigorously as the man talks to him. Really completely honed in on the 31-year-old. archived recording (31-year-old man) 10 years! Youre gonna be right here, too! archived recording (45-year-old man) He also gotta stand up for what he gotta stand up for. archived recording (31-year-old man) So what I need yall to do right now at 16 is come up with a better way. Because how we doing it, it aint working. He angry at 46. Im angry at 31. You angry at 16. archived recording (45-year-old man) Its old, man. its old, man. archived recording (31-year-old man) You understand me? Putting yourself in harms way is not the way. archived recording (speaker) I know its not. archived recording (31-year-old man) You and other of your counterparts the same age that has the same power, yall come up with a better way, because we aint doing it! [CRYING] archived recording (woman) Oh my god. archived recording (31-year-old man) And I have a 5-year-old son, and it aint happening! I marched four years ago, Keith Lamont Scott, did the same shit yall doing. The same exact thing night, after night, after night. It dont matter. Come up with a better way. You understand me? nikole hannah-jones And many people saw this as an inspirational moment. But I didnt. I watched it, and I actually felt an utter hopelessness. Because as that older man tells that teenager that he can come up with a better way, his voice cracks as he says it. You see these hot tears start to well up in his eyes. And his face grows flushed and he stares into the boys eyes. And I just know at that moment he doesnt believe what hes saying. Black people have protested peacefully, and black people have burned it down. And in the end, the cycle of police violence, it all remains largely unchanged. So that man knows the futility of what hes arguing. But he also knows that in spite of that futility, in that moment, he has to offer that child hope. Because if he doesnt offer that hope, why on earth would that 16-year-old, standing there with all that pain etched in his face and heaving from his chest, not just go out there and try to burn it all down? archived recording (31-year-old man) You and other of your counterparts the same age that has that same power, yall come up with a better way, because we aint doing it! archived recording (woman) Oh my god. archived recording (31-year-old man) And I have a 5-year-old son, and it aint happening! I marched four years ago, Keith Lamont Scott. michael barbaro Well be right back. mike baker Were past 5 oclock here in Seattle. The city has issued an emergency alert on everyones cell phone, telling them there is a curfew established now. Theres plenty of people, hundreds, probably thousands still remaining out here. Walking down Sixth Avenue, most of the storefronts have their windows smashed out. Police are trying to force people down the street to get them away from the main retail area of town. Theres a half dozen police officers walking down the street. People are throwing stuff at them right now. Someones walking by me, has a Starbucks sign in their hand pulled off one of the buildings. People are throwing everything at the officers cones, cans, water bottles. So yeah. Sorry. Do you mind introducing yourself? Whats your name, how old you are, and where youre from? jordan davis miller My name is Jordan Davis Miller. Im from Seattle, Washington. And Im 20 years old. mike baker And what do you do? jordan davis miller Im a performing artist in Los Angeles, California. mike baker So for you, what was the thing that brought you out here today? jordan davis miller I just want to stand up for myself and for other people that have been murdered and killed. And I want to make a change. And I just, I dont want to die. mike baker So when you showed up today, how did you feel about seeing the crowds out? jordan davis miller I didnt have a lot of words. To be honest, I felt very, very, very just emotional. Ive just been feeling very emotional about a lot of things, and people trying to show up and do the right thing. But two different types of people are coming to these things, and some people are here to actually protest and do the right thing. And other people are here to just cause destruction and loot and continue to give us a bad name. As we look at white people in the store, people just doing what they want. And thats not what were here about. It makes sense to be angry, it makes sense to want to destroy things and take things. Because thats all thats ever been happening with any people of color. Our land, our homes, our livelihoods have been taken from us. And it makes complete sense that we want to take all that back. But looting Nordstrom and small stores, thats not going to do anything for us. Its not. Its just going to cause more flame to the fire, and its going to give black people and people of color bad names. And its not what were here for. mike baker What are these? I dont even know what theyre taking over there. I cant even tell what that is. jordan davis miller It looks like cologne, makeup, purses. mike baker So how do you balance what you want to see out of police, what you want to see from the community here? What do you want to see going forward? jordan davis miller Thats a hard thing, because police got to do their job, and they got to keep their livelihoods, especially from stuff like this. But when you see cops pushing people and trampling people, and shooting tear gas at people, and trying to make people scared, what message are they really giving? Are they really here to protect us, or are they just here to shut us up? Hey, man, I got to go. mike baker Yeah. Hey, thanks a lot. mike baker So as the night progressed, things continued to escalate in pockets throughout the city. Authorities brought out their armored tactical vehicles. There were clouds of smoke and tear gas billowing between the buildings downtown. Looters were continuing to target various stores. And so by about 10:00 p.m., were five hours past curfew at that point, video captured by one of the local journalists here shows a group of people going into a damaged T-Mobile store. And then as the group crowds inside, 10 officers on bicycles roll up, so people start running. archived recording [SCREAMING] mike baker Officers knock some of them to the ground, including this guy in an orange sweatshirt, who was brought down right in the middle of the street. archived recording (officer) On the ground! On the ground! mike baker So these two officers begin arresting the guy. And one of them puts his knee right on the back of his neck. And almost immediately, the observers in the crowd start shouting. archived recording (observer) Get your [EXPLETIVE] knee off his neck! Get your [EXPLETIVE] knee off his neck! mike baker Get your knee off his neck. And then the other officer arresting the man looks around, reaches over and grabs his partners leg, and actually just pulls it away from the guys neck. archived recording [SHOUTING] mike baker So I saw two really stark reactions emerge from the video. On the one hand, how is it possible that just a few days after the death of George Floyd, that a police officer would promptly resort to shoving a knee on the neck of a man lying face down in the middle of the road? And then, there was this other reaction. Here was a sign of progress. And unlike with the George Floyd case where the officers at the scene allowed the knee-on-neck technique to continue here in Seattle was the second officer in the middle of handcuffing a suspect, willing to take a second to assess the situation and to force his colleague to make some sort of adjustment. archived recording (reporter 1) Tens of thousands taking to the streets overnight in more than 75 cities across the country. archived recording (reporter 2) Many cities imposing curfews, governors declaring states of emergency. archived recording (reporter 3) As police cars were torched and businesses looted from coast to coast. archived recording (reporter 4) It was a very different atmosphere here tonight, mainly because of two things. You had a curfew that went into effect at 9:00 p.m., and you had a much heavier, a much stronger police presence. archived recording (reporter 5) 5,000 National Guard troops have been activated across the country. More than a dozen states, as you can see, that are affected. Thousands more on standby. archived recording (reporter 6) The city of Los Angeles is seeing not just skirmishes with the police and protests across the city, but also fires at businesses. archived recording (reporter 7) Now we turn to Washington. Protesters gathered just blocks from the White House, some setting fires in dumpsters that they dragged onto the streets. archived recording (reporter 8) At least three people were reported shot and one dead amid protests in downtown Indianapolis on Saturday night. archived recording (reporter 9) Now here in Atlanta, police arrested 51 people during Saturday night protests. archived recording (reporter 10) Portland and Denver are among those restricting movement. archived recording (reporter 11) But fires, property damage, clashes with police, and arrests happening in many more cities across the country. archived recording (reporter 12) More than 1,600 people have been arrested, demonstrations spiraling out of control overnight. archived recording (reporter 13) Were not gonna allow yall to go up there and start causing chaos and confusion. Its just not gonna happen. archived recording (protestor) Look at this! archived recording (reporter) One of the most unforgettable videos showing a man holding a bow and arrow as well as a machete, and pointing those weapons at protesters. archived recording (protestor 1) Oh my god! archived recording (protestor 2) Thats right, but they wont dont you dare! This is his car. This is his car. archived recording [HONKING] archived recording (speaker) Get out of here! Get out of here! Get out of here now! archived recording (reporter) Press, press, I am press. archived recording (speaker) I dont care. Get down. archived recording (reporter) OK, Im down, Im down. archived recording (speaker) Stay. archived recording (reporter) I am press. Please archived recording [COUGHING] archived recording (protestor) These are cops right here. Theyre destroying everything! Youre gonna take the materials from us trying to peacefully protest? archived recording [SCREAMING] archived recording (tim walz) Good morning, everyone. Good morning, Minnesota. The past week was one of the most difficult and trying weeks in the history of our state. michael barbaro Back in Minnesota on Sunday morning, Governor Walz held yet another news conference, where he took questions from reporters. archived recording (reporter) Weve heard multiple times from officials its outside agitators, from outside Minnesota, outside the area, driving the violence. Do you guys still believe thats the case? And the arrests you made last night, are those folks from within the state, within the metro area, or beyond it? michael barbaro Including a follow-up on his claim from the previous day that outsiders were largely responsible for the violence in the state. archived recording (tim walz) I just think candidly, I certainly think I want to believe its outside more. And that might go to the problem that we have of saying, Cant be Minnesotans. michael barbaro And Walz basically said it may have been wishful thinking. archived recording (tim walz) In saying that I think, and I know there are outside folks in there, whether predominance, whether theyre leading it or not, Ive been very clear, and Ill say it again this morning. The catalyst that started all of this was the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota, and that was our problem. john eligon This is John Eligon, national correspondent at The New York Times. Its Sunday night. And I am in downtown Minneapolis. Im sitting across the street from a gas station, right next to an interstate. And Im surrounded by a bunch of police officers. Theres police cars with the lights flashing. Theres officers with their protective gear on. And they set up kind of a roadblock to block off this part of the road. And every now and then, a car pulls up to the roadblock, and they fire off a couple non-lethal rounds at the cars to make them turn around. [shouting and commotion] john eligon And this evening, I followed some protesters who were marching down the streets down Washington, in downtown Minneapolis, past the stadium. They were out there after 8:00 oclock, which was the curfew time. And they went on the highway initially. But as they got down to the highway, there was already a line of cops waiting there, both in the front and the back of them, with their clubs out, their masks on, and their shields and all that. And they were waiting for them. So there was a line already formed there. And then eventually came the tear gas. [shouting and commotion] speaker Everyones running, because theyre tear gassing us and throwing stuff in the air. john eligon And the cops moved in. The protesters ran to this parking lot next to a gas station. The cops surrounded them on all sides, and basically told them all, youre all under arrest. You have to get down. And I actually saw some protesters who were like, Can I leave, can I go home, can I go home? And they said, No, youre out after 8:00. Youve already violated the curfew. Youre all under arrest. And so they made about 200 arrests. And it was interesting. When they were arrested, they had to line them all up and wait to process them, to get them all on buses to take them into the jail. And they were just having these it was these quiet moments between the police officers and the protesters, these pleasant and quiet moments that you dont expect. Some of them were laughing. They were sharing stories. And then I talked to a young woman, Maya Haynes, who was out here. And she knew there was a risk of getting arrested, but it was important enough for her. john eligon Excuse me. Do you mind sharing with me your experience tonight? Im with The New York Times. What was it like for you tonight? maya haynes Fucked up. It was scary. Its sad. Youre scared, but you want to stand up for something right, so you keep going. john eligon Why was it important for you to come out? I mean, you knew what they were going to do. Why was it important for you? maya haynes My younger brothers. Theyve been profiled since they were eight years old. A white woman got her bike stolen, and they took my brothers while they were riding their bikes on the way to get a haircut and put them in the back of a police car. And taunted my baby brothers, asking and pulled this white woman up to let her be the judge if they were guilty or not. Thats why Im out here. john eligon That was in Minneapolis? maya haynes That was in St. Paul. john eligon St. Paul. maya haynes Yes. john eligon When did that happen? maya haynes That happened, what, 2009, 2008? This is not a new problem. john eligon Yeah. maya haynes And what I know is, these people right here arresting us, theyre not our enemies either. These people are here trying to keep us calm right now. But everybodys doing their job on both ends. And it is what it is. And theyre on this side, and Im on that side. And theyre not backing down, and Im not backing down. That doesnt mean I want them hurt. That doesnt mean I hate them. But Im going to stand up for what I believe in. john eligon You said theyre not the problem. Whats the problem? maya haynes The problem is the system. The power. Were fighting the power. So until everybody is out here, and we outnumber everybody on the other side, things will never change. Things havent changed in hundreds of years. Im a black American. john eligon And did you figure this would be the outcome for you tonight, coming out here? maya haynes Honestly, no. I didnt. But now that it is, it is what it is. john eligon Have you ever been arrested? maya haynes No. john eligon No? maya haynes Have you ever been arrested? john eligon No. maya haynes OK. And the only difference between me and you is, you got them white people behind you and that camera. Thats the only difference. john eligon And I have my gas mask. maya haynes Oh, OK. Same thing. And your little phone recorder or whatever. I hope The New York Times is treating you right, brother. john eligon Do you think its necessary to keep the peace, to keep the order in the city? speaker Youre a black man looking in my eyes. Does this look necessary? john eligon I feel your frustration. speaker Does this look necessary? john eligon I understand your frustration. speaker It could have been you. You could have been at Cup Foods. It could have been me. And instead, youre holding the phone, and Im getting arrested. john eligon And one thing that struck me as I talked to two of the protesters who were being arrested is, they said that I was black just like them, but the only thing that was different was that I had a press badge on. And I really didnt know what to say to that, in some ways, because in a way thats true, right? The difference between us is that I did have a press badge, which confers a certain amount of privilege. The way I contextualized it with them is that for me, Im a storyteller, so I really have to take their words, and tell them, and tell them in an honest way, in as honest a way as I can. And thats really where my role fits in. So while, yeah, it may not end up with me being in flex cuffs, it still is part of this larger picture of whats going on right now, is who tells the story, and how they tell it, and you need credible messengers. And thats what I was hoping to be to them. Whether they saw it that way or not, Im not sure. [music] michael barbaro The 'cruel nun' stereotype has become a stock figure in contemporary narratives, and a real stinker appears in Marie Hargreaves' recently published memoir The Convent. She's called Sister Isobel O'Brien, and she beats children with wooden coat hangers, pulls their hair, pinches them viciously and, in a special humiliation, abolishes their Christian names, telling them "you have no family". Marie Hargreaves was born in Oldham, Lancashire, to an Irish mother who went on to have 10 children. Her mother, though loving, was mentally unstable, and Marie and her brother were committed to an orphanage at Our Lady's Convent at Billinge, in Merseyside. Marie, then six, was subjected to a reign of terror by Sister Isobel, who named her "Kibby" because her surname was "Kibblewhite" and described her as a "rag and tag orphan", although her parents were alive and would eventually reclaim her. This was 1959-60, and the nun's constant physical and verbal abuse was accompanied by sanctimonious exhortations about a loving God. Sister Isobel also encouraged older girls to bully and beat up Marie, and there was some sexual abuse from another girl too. Marie had a terrible few years in the convent institution, from which some children were adopted, and others, eventually, returned to their families. The children were taken on holiday to Ireland, where there were no beatings, although they had to spend most of the time praying. Now a mother and grandmother, Marie eventually took her story to the police, as part of investigations into historic abuse. In 2015, the authorities told her that there had been many other witnesses to Sister Isobel O'Brien's conduct: she was dead, but she would have faced serious charges had she survived. The Archdiocese of Birmingham is now handling all claims, but Marie feels that this exceptionally cruel nun, of the Sisters of Charity of St Paul the Apostle, "got away with it". Now for a contrasting nun story. Recently, a retired librarian in Co Kildare, Anne McNeill, wrote to me to tell me about a wonderful nun, Sister Caoimhin Ni Uallachain, who had done so much good work among troubled youngsters in Dublin. Sister Caoimhin, who died in 2018 aged 90, set up the Ballyfermot Support Group, the Candle Community Trust and the Matt Talbot Trust, among other schemes, to support youngsters in trouble with the law and struggling with addiction. Anne first encountered Sister Caoimhin as a schoolgirl at the Dominican school Scoil Chaitriona, then in Eccles Street, Dublin. The nun was an inspirational school principal and, in contrast to the 'bad nun' stereotypes, these Dominicans "brought out the best in us. They taught us we were unique and grounded us in self-confidence". Sister Caoimhin had been a bit of a rebel herself. Soon after she went to teach at the girls' secondary school in Ballyfermot, she became interested in the plight of troubled street youngsters, often using drugs. She started bringing these lads back for tea to the convent, which didn't always go down well with all the sisters. She also started visiting Mountjoy Prison, where the governor, John Lonergan, came to admire her work. She famously coaxed protesting prisoners down from the prison roof - they actually requested her intervention. Her care for "her poor boys", as she called these often difficult adolescents, prompted her to establish a reception site around Ballyfermot church (supported by Father Peter Lemass, a priest known for his social concerns). Expand Close Marie Hargreaves / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Marie Hargreaves Sister Caoimhin established a FAS training scheme - Anne McNeill says that she "took these youngsters under her wing", and many of them went on to learn trades and to qualify for decent jobs. The Dominicans provided Sister Caoimhin with a small suburban house, and the young people used to visit her there, where she fed and supported them. This evolved into the Matt Talbot Community Trust Project. A group of lads "planted hanging baskets, sowed seeds and sold vegetable plants around their own community - all mostly transported by Sister Caoimhin in her very old Toyota Corolla", wrote Eoin Hickey in a short history of the Matt Talbot project. The goal was to empower younger people, and adults, who had been in trouble with the criminal justice system and often had drug and addiction problems. Matt Talbot himself was a famous Dublin reformed alcoholic. Many people supported Sister Caoimhin in the care she gave to those on the margins. She had been a very spiritual person since the age of 12, but she also felt herself to be an unwanted child as she was born a second, unexpected twin, and she really identified with youngsters who had problems in their lives. Anne McNeill feels there should be some form of public monument to her memory - there certainly should be some public affirmation of admirable nuns like Sister Caoimhin at a time when the spotlight is so often on the negative. Matt Talbot's feast day on June 19 might be an appropriate occasion. An hour before the 11 pm curfew, police in Washington DC fired a major barrage of tear gas stun grenades into the crowd of more than 1,000 people, largely clearing Lafayette Park across the street from the White House and scattering protesters into the street. Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across America again Sunday, with peaceful demonstrations against police killings of black people overshadowed by unrest that quickly ravaged parts of cities from Pennsylvania to California. City and state officials had deployed thousands of National Guard soldiers, enacted strict curfews and shut down mass transit systems, but that did little to stop many cities from again erupting into unrest. An hour before the 11 pm curfew, police in Washington, DC, fired a major barrage of tear gas stun grenades into the crowd of more than 1,000 people, largely clearing Lafayette Park across the street from the White House and scattering protesters into the street. As the protests grew, President Donald Trump retweeted conservative commentator Buck Sexton who called for overwhelming force against violent demonstrators. Trump was briefly rushed to the White House underground bunker, used in the past during terror attacks, by a nervous Secret Service, The New York Times reported. CNN reported that the DC Fire Department was extinguishing a blaze in the basement of St. John's church. The church, which is just a few blocks from the White House, is known as the "Church of Presidents" because many presidents have attended services there. Protesters piled up road signs and plastic barriers and lit a raging fire in the middle of H Street. Some pulled an American flag from a nearby building and threw it into the blaze. Others added branches pulled from trees. A cinder block structure, on the north side of the park, that had bathrooms and a maintenance office, was engulfed in flames. Several kilometres north, a separate protest broke out in Northwest DC, near the Maryland border. The Metropolitan Police Department says there were break-ins at a Target and a shopping centre that houses Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue Mens Store, TJ Maxx, a movie theatre and speciality stores. Police say several individuals have been detained. The entire Washington, DC, National Guard roughly 1,700 soldiers was being called in to help control the protests, according to two Defense Department officials who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter. At least 4,100 people have been arrested over days of protests, according to a tally compiled by The Associated Press. Arrests ranged from looting and blocking highways to breaking curfew. Protesters in Philadelphia hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police, officials said, while masked crowds broke into upscale stores in a San Francisco suburb, fleeing with bags of merchandise. In Minneapolis, a truck driver drove into a massive crowd of demonstrators nearly a week after the death of George Floyd, a black man who pleaded for air as an officer pressed a knee into his neck. 'They keep killing our people' In Salt Lake City, a leading anti-police brutality activist condemned the destruction of property but said broken buildings shouldnt be mourned on the same level as black men like Floyd. Maybe this country will get the memo that we are sick of police murdering unarmed black men, said Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah. Maybe the next time a white police officer decides to pull the trigger, he will picture cities burning. Yet thousands still marched peacefully, with some also calling for an end to the fires, vandalism and theft, saying it weakened calls for justice and reform. They keep killing our people, said Mahira Louis, 15, who marched with her mother and several hundred others through downtown Boston. Im so sick and tired of it. The officer who pressed his knee onto Floyd's neck has been charged with murder, but protesters are demanding the other three officers at the scene be prosecuted. All four were fired. Were not done, said Darnella Wade, organiser for Black Lives Matter in neighbouring St. Paul, where thousands gathered peacefully in front of the state Capitol. They sent us the military, and we only asked them for arrests. Minnesota governor Tim Walz brought in thousands of National Guard soldiers to help quell the violence that had damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings in Minneapolis over days of protests. On Sunday, in a display of force, long lines of state patrolmen and National Guard soldiers lined up in front of the Capitol, with perhaps a dozen military-style armoured vehicles behind them. Curfews across the US Disgust over generations of racism in a country founded by slaveholders combined with a string of recent racially charged killings to stoke the anger. Adding to that was angst from months of lockdowns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately hurt communities of colour, not only in terms of infections but in job losses and economic stress. The droves of people congregating for demonstrations threatened to trigger new outbreaks, a fact overshadowed by the boiling tensions. The scale of the coast-to-coast protests rivalled the historic demonstrations of the civil rights and Vietnam War eras. Curfews were imposed in major cities around the US, including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. About 5,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated in 15 states and Washington, DC. Thousands of demonstrators marched peacefully through Boston in several protests during the day, but some clashed with officers as night fell, throwing rocks, bricks and glass bottles and torching a police vehicle. Authorities fired volleys of tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators in downtown Atlanta as a curfew took hold. Some on the fringes of a largely peaceful protest set off fireworks and burned construction materials near a park where police and National Guard troops turned out in force. In Indianapolis, two people were reported dead in bursts of downtown violence this weekend, adding to deaths reported in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days. In tweets Sunday, Trump blamed anarchists and the media for fueling violence. Attorney-General William Barr pointed a finger at far left extremist groups. Police chiefs and politicians accused outsiders of coming in and causing the problems. At the Minneapolis intersection where Floyd was killed, people gathered with brooms and flowers, saying it was important to protect what they called a sacred space. The intersection was blocked with the traffic cones while a ring of flowers was laid out. Among in Minneapolis was Michael Brown Sr, the father of Michael Brown, whose killing by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, set off unrest in 2014. I understand what this family is feeling. I understand what this community is feeling, he said. With inputs from agencies The delivery time is expected to be after two years, according to sources The Ordnance Factory (OF), at Medak in Telangana, which is under the state-run defence manufacturer, will build the upgraded version of BMP II Kolkata: In what appears to be a major boost to the Centre's "Make In India" initiative, the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) has received an order of around Rs 1,100 crores to build 156 units of the Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty (BMP) II, the infantry combat vehicle (ICV), with upgraded features for the Indian Army to meet its requirement. The Ordnance Factory (OF), at Medak in Telangana, which is under the state-run defence manufacturer, will build the upgraded version of BMP II. The delivery time is expected to be after two years, according to sources. OFB spokesperson Uddipan Mukherjee said, "The ministry of defence has cleared the proposal for procurement of the 156 BMP II vehicles, to be manufactured by the OF, Medak, under the OFB." Powered by 300 HP Engine, the present version of BMP II, a highly-mobile to meet all tactical requirements of mobility in a battlefield, can speed at 65 km ph with easy steering ability in cross country terrain, according to OFB. It is an amphibian vehicle that can travel at 7 km ph in water and can overcome slopes upto 35 degree and can cross obstacles of 0.7 meter. Due to its low weight it can also be easily transported. Protected with armoured plates all around there by ensuring a high degree of protection to the combatants, the BMP II offers a chameleon like camouflage with the help of smoke grenades creating a smoke screen. Equipped with a rapid fire 7.62-mm medium coaxial machine gun, a 30-mm cannon and a second generation homing type anti tank guided missile, it can neutralise all kinds of land based and low flying military objects. Its is installed with sharp night vision devices and a low silhoutte. Things began falling into place shortly after Barsoums next promotion. In her new role as a business analyst, she still had a foot in the IT world, but the other was planted firmly in a new one wealth management that scratched all the itches IT could not. She realized that a further move into wealth management would allow her to continue solving problems, but in a more interactive, dynamic environment where every client required a unique solution. Its much more interesting than writing code, she laughs. Barsoum dove headfirst into wealth planning, completing an MBA in finance at Dalhousie University while carving out a niche for herself in the space. But even the sharpest minds in wealth management were blindsided by the 2008-09 financial crisis. It was a wake-up call that would change Barsoums life forever. I lost money, she says of the 2008 meltdown. I felt I didnt have much control over my portfolio at that time, so I made a move into real estate. From crash to cash flow For a woman who never met a challenge she didnt like, real estate investment was a perfect fit. Rather than simply chasing down rent cheques and building a respectable portfolio, Barsoum looked at real estate through the lens of wealth management and saw the spaces big-picture potential: deals feeding deals feeding deals, each one dependent on the success of the one that came before it. Barsoum took her long-term, goal-oriented approach to the masses in 2011 when she founded Streetwise Mortgages, a boutique brokerage dedicated to servicing investors in Ontario. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz apologized for the shooting death of an unarmed autistic Palestinian man by Israeli police in Jerusalems Old City on Saturday. Thirty-two-year-old Iyad Halak was shot by Israeli police near a school for people with special needs where he studied and worked. Israeli police said they suspected Halak may have had a pistol and ran when he was ordered to stop near the Lions Gate. He was later found to have been unarmed. We are really sorry about the incident in which Iyad Halak was shot to death and we share in the familys grief, Gantz said, according to the Associated Press. I am sure this subject will be investigated swiftly and conclusions will be reached. Hundreds of mourners called for revenge during processions in East Jerusalem on Sunday. At least one Israeli police officer was placed on house arrest over the weekend during an investigation into the shooting, The Times of Israel reported. A lawyer for Halaks family called the incident murder, saying that that eight rounds had been fired at him, according to the Jerusalem Post. Individual Palestinians have attempted a number of car-ramming and knife attacks on Israeli security forces in recent years. Rights groups have accused Israeli police and the IDF of excessive force. On Friday, IDF soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian driver near a settlement in the West Bank, saying he had attempted to ram them. The incidents come as tensions build over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus plan to annex swaths of the West Bank with the approval of the US administration. FITCHBURG, Mass., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Defcon Products, LLC, manufacturer of the TeacherLock TL-II / SaberLock TL-II lockdown devices, is pleased to announce today that the Massachusetts Building Code Appeals Board (BCAB) voted unanimously in the affirmative that both TeacherLock II (TL-II) and SaberLock II (SL-II) brand devices satisfy the building code requirements as set forth in section 1010.1.9 of the International Building Code (IBC). This is a statewide code interpretation that the devices meet the requirements of the standard without the need to apply for a building code variance. TeacherLock Product Salvatore Emma, Vice President of Operations commented, "TeacherLock II was designed to address building and fire code requirements in those states which require a single operation to unlatch and unlock a door in a fire emergency. We are delighted that TeacherLock is now available for use in Massachusetts. To our knowledge, TeacherLock is the only retrofit device on the market found to satisfy the building code requirements in the IBC." "We would also like to thank the Mayor of Fitchburg, MA, the Honorable Stephen L. DiNatale, his staff, the Fitchburg Fire Department, the Fitchburg Building Department, Fitchburg Public Schools, and others who provided valuable guidance during this process. The City of Fitchburg has taken the lead on an important public safety issue in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts." TeacherLock is designed to meet the needs of school, healthcare, and businesses to swiftly and effectively lock down a room in the event of an emergency. TeacherLock enables the user to quickly prevent or delay access by intruders. TeacherLock is exponentially faster to deploy than barricade devices or standard door locks, saving critical time in situations where every second counts. The TeacherLock/SaberLock brand of emergency lockdown devices feature: Intuitive - no fumbling with a traditional key Heads-up, single-handed operation so the teacher can attend to students BullyProof only authorized individuals control the door First responder key A single operation simultaneously unlocks and unlatches ADA compliant Building and Fire Code compliant in 50 states Listed and Labeled UL10B, UL10C, NFPA252, CAN/ULC S104 Preferred by School Resources Officers TeacherLock and SaberLock are trademarks of Defcon Products, LLC. All rights reserved. Press and Contact Information: Defcon Products, LLC https://www.teacherlock.com 808 Main Street, Fitchburg, Massachusetts 01420 t:(978)286-8855 Marc Bingham, VP Business Development [email protected] Salvatore Emma, VP Operations [email protected] (978)286-8855 SOURCE Defcon Products, LLC Related Links https://teacherlock.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 1, 2020) - Origen Resources Inc. (CSE: ORGN) (the "Company" or "Origen") is pleased to announce that it has signed a Definitive Agreement whereby it has acquired a 100% interest in the 26,771 hectare (ha) LGM property and an option to acquire a 100% interest in the 3,971 ha Wishbone property located in British Columbia's renowned Golden Triangle from Orogenic Regional Exploration Ltd. (the "Vendor" or "Orogenic"). The LGM project hosts three highly prospective exploration zones comprising the Red, Grizzly and Lucifer zones, and borders Evergold Corp.'s Snoball project1. In the Red Zone area the newly exposed gossanous exploration targets lie within Hazelton Group rocks along the Northmore Fault and bear geological and structural similarities to mineralization on the adjacent Snoball property immediately to the northwest. The Grizzly prospect is a Cu-Au porphyry target defined by a 1200 m x 500 m Cu-Au soil anomaly and the Lucifer target consists of a 300 m x 300 m gold-in-soil anomaly discovered by Noranda in 1991 and has only experienced minimal field exploration to date. The Wishbone project, located 12km to the west of LGM, hosts numerous high-grade precious metal showings and has only seen sporadic exploration work since the 1980's. "We are very pleased to have completed the acquisition of such a prospective and large land package in the highly competitive Golden Triangle. Opportunities like this are not available very often and Origen is excited to get to work unlocking the potential of these projects," states Gary Schellenberg, CEO. 2020 Exploration plans The Company's geologist are continuing to compile the extensive amount data from the newly acquired assets with the goal of planning and implementing an aggressive exploration program for this year. As a result of this process, a large amount of new data has been uncovered that is leading to new robust exploration targets being identified. The Company is in the process of verifying this newly uncovered data and will provide an update shortly. (1)Referenced nearby historic resources, deposits and mines provide geologic context for the Project, but are not necessarily indicative that the Project hosts similar potential, size or grades of mineralization. J. Harrop, P. Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release and has verified the data disclosed herein. Terms of the Acquisition The Company has acquired a 100% undivided right, title and interest in and to the 42 mineral tenures that constitutes the LGM project, and the right to assume the option agreement dated May 19, 2019 between the Vendor and Lorne Warren to acquire an undivided 100% right, title and interest in and to the 10 mineral tenures that constitute the Wishbone project. In exchange, Origen has advanced by way of a loan to the Vendor, $25,000 (the "Loan") repayable in 90-120 days and will make a one-time issuance of 5,000,000 shares of Origen within 10 days of the date of execution of the Definitive Agreement. Upon receipt of the payment by the Vendor, an undivided 100% interest in and to the LGM project will vest to Origen and the Wishbone Option will be assumed by Origen subject to underlying Net Smelter Royalties (NSR's) payable to previous property owners of the LGM. Change of Directors The Company is pleased to announce it has appointed Mike Collins to its Board of Directors. Mr. Collins has an exceptional skill set in project development and analysis which is supported by a wide industry network. Through his work as a geologist and running a mining engineering office in Vancouver, he has developed an understanding of numerous mineral camps and deposit types around the world. His experience steps beyond mineral deposits with a breadth of expertise in the feasibility process and the pitfalls of project construction and optimization. With over 14 years as an officer and director of public companies, Michael understands the intricacies of building corporate structure, marketing and value accretion. Michael graduated with a BSc. Honours from Dalhousie University in 1996 and is an accredited P.Geo. with EGBC. In order to facilitate the addition of Mr. Collins to the Board, the Company has accepted the resignation of William Wishart as a Director. The Company wishes to thank Mr. Wishart for his years of service to the former parent Company Explorex Resources Inc. and for his assistance in launching Origen as a newly listed company. As part of the recent Raffles Financial Group Limited/Origen transaction, Mr. Wishart's management contract was assumed by Origen. The Company has entered into a termination agreement in respect of this management contract and settled all future contractual obligations by issuing 275,000 shares of the Company and paying $25,000. Incentive Stock Option Grant Origen wishes to announce that it has granted 1.8 million incentive stock options exercisable into common shares of the Company to its Directors, employees and consultants of the Company. These options have been set in accordance with the Company's stock option plan and are exercisable at a price of $0.15 for a 5 year period. About Origen Origen is an exploration company engaged in generating, acquiring and advancing base and precious metal properties. The Company currently holds a property portfolio of four 100% owned precious and base metal projects in southern British Columbia and recently acquired a 100% interest in the 26,771 ha LGM project and an option to acquire a 100% interest in the 3,971 ha Wishbone property in the mineral rich Golden Triangle of British Columbia. On behalf of Origen, Blake Morgan President For further information, please contact Blake Morgan, President at 236-878-4938 or Gary Schellenberg, CEO at 604-681-0221. 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 press release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56955 As companies' margins collapse, Goldman tells clients to buy this portfolio of profit growers Published Mon, Jun 1 2020 9:57 AM EDT Before Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube made their entry in the media market, the PatnaDaily had already registered its presence in... A supercar driver has been mocked by police after he crashed his 150,000 motor into a wall. The motorist left the 204mph McLaren 570S embedded in bricks as he stood next to the wreckage with a woman. The 550bhp vehicle - which can do 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds - crashed near Staines, Surrey, late last night. A photograph from the scene, near Thorpe Park, shows the bonnet bent around a pole sticking out from the wall with police standing nearby. The motorist left the 204mph McLaren 570S embedded in bricks as he stood next to the wreckage with his apparent partner in Staines, Surrey, late last night Social media users noticed how annoyed the woman looked in the police tweet last night Surrey Police's Roads Policing Unit tweeted: 'Somehow the driver of this McLaren couldn't keep the car on the straight road in a 40 limit. Investigations continue.' Social media users also mocked the driver and his partner under the force's social media post at 11.46pm. Joe Zampa, who lives near the crash site, commented: 'His Mrs doesn't look too happy either.' John Schluter linked the post to the Dominic Cummings lockdown breach row that emerged last week. The Prime Minister's chief aide said he drove to Barnard Castle in County Durham to test his eyesight ahead of a trip back to London. Mr Schluter said: 'I'm guessing an eyesight problem. Should've Gone to Barney Castle.' Claire Webb posted 'Oops! He clearly ran out of talent,' to which Surrey Police replied: 'If he had any at all.' And another joked: 'I can't help notice that that wall's not wearing hiviz though. Or lights.' The McLaren 570S was launched in 2015 and the model is assembled 10 miles down the road from the crash in Woking. ***Have you been contacted by a Covid-19 NHS tracer? Email stephen.matthews@mailonline.co.uk or ring 020 361 51181*** Prime Minister's spokesman refused to reveal how many people contacted so far There are 25,000 contact tracers who have been hired across the UK Some report being unable to get through basic training because of glitches Staff unable to start work say they have been told they 'will be paid anyway' The Government's coronavirus test and trace system remains in chaos today with staff battling against a failing operating system and unable to start work. People working in the system, which was supposed to be fully operational by June 1, say they have not contacted anyone in the two weeks since they started work. And employees say they are having to repeat training they have already done because glitches in the system mean they cannot register that they have completed it already. Those keen to get started say they have been sat twiddling their thumbs and they have been stuck in queues of over 350 people waiting for technical help. Sent laughing emojis by bosses who can't help them, contact tracers say the system remains 'shambolic' and unfit for purpose as millions of pupils return to school today. Other lockdown rules have lifted this week, and people are now allowed to meet outdoors in groups of up to six people and outdoor businesses may reopen. But there are concerns the test and trace won't work if Britons refuse to give friends or relatives' details, and one call handler revealed two of the three potentially infected contacts she rang went straight to voicemail. One source, who has been employed by Sitel since May 13 was today still waiting to make their first call while earning 75-a-day for doing nothing. Experts say the success of the project is crucial to banishing the virus from our lives and a 25,000-strong army of 'test and trace' call-handlers have been recruited by companies like Sitel and Serco for the task. The source, who is based in the West Midlands, said: 'Each day we login and it's the same thing over and over again. We ask what we are going to be doing today only to be told to hold tight and chill out and, "you're still getting paid".' It is the latest development in a string of mis-steps over the past week as the system has been set up, with some staff saying they were only told the night before that it would start. The Prime Minister's spokesman this afternoon refused to reveal how many people the programme had contacted so far, but said it would be 'published shortly'. In a chat where staff discussed technical problems one of the senior moderators said 'surprise surprise, another technical glitch', accompanied by laughing face emojis Staff report having to wait in queues of hundreds to get technical support for an operating system that doesn't work The contact tracer, who declined to be named, said: 'It is so chaotic. You complete the online training but that doesn't register on the system. 'You can have a problem with a log-in to one of the many different systems we are using and you are put in a queue with upwards of 300 people for help. 'I like to be productive when I'm supposed to be in work but the various technical situations have prevented it. 'We had to complete online training but when we completed it, the system didn't register that we had done it.' Text messages seen by MailOnline show the frustration being felt. In one a group moderator writes: 'No seriously, I know its crazy but if you have done all the training then there isn't much more you can do at the moment until they give you more training. 'So use this time to chill, your still getting payed so cant complain. You wont have this chilled time when we go live so enjoy (smiley face).' In another message the same moderator says: 'Guys, I understand the frustration but may (sic) of the systems are currently down. Kronos being one of them so many people cannot log in, I appreciate this is very annoying. They have told me that clients will be payed (sic) anyway even if you cannot log into Kronos to stamp your time.' ONE IN TEN BRITONS WILL IGNORE SELF ISOLATION RULES At least 10 per cent of Britons will ignore requests to self-isolate when contacted by NHS Covid tracers, a health chief has warned. Professor Isabel Oliver helped design the Government's tracing app to track those who are at risk of being infected. The Director of the Field Epidemiology Service at Public Health England told the Sunday Telegraph that though most people are willing to comply, a minority will disobey instructions. It is thought that lockdown fatigue will cause people to ignore advice offered to them. 'This has been a very prolonged outbreak,' she said. 'Invariably we find that everyone is very willing to help, but these are exceptional circumstances, with an outbreak that has been so prolonged and had such an extensive impact on the people's lives, so it is understanding that some people will be resistant. 'But having said that we are finding that lots of people are supportive and we are very grateful for that because for the programme to be successful in controlling the virus - we need that support from the nation as a whole.' Test and trace launched in England on Thursday and Professor Oliver's team immediately hit a wall of IT problems. But she stressed that any delays to having tracers logged in was down to the fact that the app is run on a 'very secure system'. Advertisement Responding to staff saying they have completed their training but it is not being acknowledged by the system, the moderator replies: 'Don't worry. Ive heard its coming up like that for everyone. Surprise, surprise another tech glitch (4 laughing faces).' Warnings have had to be issued to bored staff telling them not to use the calling software to make personal calls. They were warned: 'It is worthwhile mentioning that 100 per cent of calls are monitored through a Speech Analytics Software System. Absolutely nothing can fall through the net in that regard. 'I cannot begin to advise what sort of conversations we have listened to since this programme started but needless to say they are not all appropriate.' The source went on: 'Now most of us have been cleared to make calls but are finding there is no data on the system or if they do get through it's to a person who has already been contacted multiple times. 'Meanwhile our bosses have told us to expect things to get 'very busy' if a second peak of the virus occurs.' When the calls start in earnest, the handlers, paid around 9-an-hour will read from a script designed to enforce the Government's measures. These mean that anyone listed as a recent 'contact' of someone who has tested positive for the virus must immediately self-isolate for 14 days. But those receiving the calls are not obliged to co-operate and if they refuse, staff must attempt to read out a statement: 'Following up contacts will enable us to check that the individuals are well, to provide them with advice if they are unwell or if they become unwell and will also help us to protect your friends, family, the community and NHS by containing the spread of the virus. 'Thank you for taking the time to speak to me. If you need any further information, please visit our website at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.' The script, seen by Mailonline, takes staff through various scenarios they may face when trying to make telephone contact with someone needing to self-isolate. If they obtain consent for the call, they take the 'contact' through a questionnaire concerning their personal and contact details as well as their state of health. People are not obliged to give over these details although it is explained that it can help to divert them to local support services. The key message is that they must, 'immediately self-isolate at home for 14 days from the date of their last contact' with the infected person. They will then have the message reiterated: 'Stay at home for 14 days. Do not go to work, school, or public areas, and do not use public transport or taxis.' If they develop symptoms they should arrange for a test online if possible or by ringing the NHS on 119. Other people sharing a house with those contacted do not have to self-isolate unless the contact is already showing symptoms in which case they must. Things are more difficult if you live with somebody who is shielding having received a letter from the Government. In that scenario you will be told: 'Where possible, move anyone who is clinically vulnerable and clinically extremely vulnerable out of your home, to stay with friends or family for the duration of your home isolation period. 'If you cannot move vulnerable people out of your home, stay away from them as much as possible.' An internal chat seen by the Daily Mail says, 'People are also panicking as there is no information on the websites/systems for them to make the calls' If the person being asked to isolate lives on their own then the caller asks if they will need help with provisions. If they have internet access, they are told to visit their local authority website and if they don't the caller finds a number for local support and passes it on. But before any of these messages can be delivered, call handlers must first sensitively plot their way to a consensual call with the correct person, knowing that they are powerless should those on the end of the line object. BRITAIN ABANDONED TEST AND TRACE IN MARCH BECAUSE IT COULD ONLY HANDLE FIVE NEW CASES PER WEEK Britain abandoned test and tracing for the coronavirus earlier in the pandemic because the system could only cope with five cases a week, it has emerged. Official documents from the Government's Sage advisory committee reveal that the routine testing and tracing of contacts of people with the virus was stopped because Public Health England was facing a desperate shortage of capacity. Since the first Covid-19 cases were confirmed in York on January 31, 272,826 people in the UK have since tested positive for the virus. This week the Government launched the NHS England's Test and Trace programme, with 25,000 contact tracing staff and the capacity to trace the 10,000 contacts per day. The decision to scrap routine testing for those displaying symptoms 12 weeks ago is now being seen as a major factor for how the UK has the fifth-highest total number of infections. Sage documents show how, in a meeting on February 18, advisors said that Public Health England (PHE) could only manage the contacts of five Covid cases a week, hoping to possibly increase this to 50 people. Minutes from the meeting say: 'Currently PHE can cope with five new cases a week (requiring isolation of 800 contacts). Advertisement Barriers include a contact who can't speak English, concerns over the authenticity of the call, concerns over privacy and data and an answerphone. The script tells the call-handlers how to handle each situation, something many of them are sadly yet to experience. The government insisted yesterday that the system was running efficiently and had the capacity to handle 10,000 new cases per day. For comparison, statistics suggest fewer than 8,000 Brits are being struck down each day. Boris Johnson said the programme would be 'world beating' but evidence suggests the contact-tracing army has been left ill-prepared and, in many cases, workers have nothing to do at a cost to the taxpayer of 1.6million per day. On a public Facebook group for clinical contact tracers, several reported spending most of their shifts waiting to be assigned cases through the system, called CTAS. It is supposed to show the patients assigned to a tracer along with unassigned cases that can be picked up. One tracer said he had not had any cases on Saturday, while another said two of three calls she made went straight to voicemail, The Times reports. One of the 3,000 clinical case workers hired by Public Health England said she had completed three four-hour shifts, at 27-an-hour, but hadn't made any calls yet. She told The Times: 'I have had absolutely nothing to do.' The nurse said she had seen 'zero cases' on the system throughout three shifts and felt 'tremendously guilty about doing the shifts and being paid and not having anything to do really'. 'It's very obviously not ready,' she said. 'Something is not working between CTAS and the test results that are coming in.' Another contact tracer said he was still waiting for login details to access training, and said the system had been 'chaotic'. His job as a 'tier three' call handler should be to ring the contacts of positive cases and tell them to self-isolate and curb the potential spread of Covid-19. Details of those who test positive are passed to a company called Sitel, which is running the track and trace handling across the UK. Agents read from a prepared script when they are given the name and telephone number of a person who has been diagnosed with Covid-19. They ask for the details of friends and family the infected person has come into contact with during the previous two weeks. The tracing agent then makes contact with those on their list and informs them they have to self-isolate. One tracer said colleagues who were on shift were 'sitting there all day waiting and just refreshing their screens'. He said: 'They've got nothing to do.' MailOnline has contacted the Department of Health for comment. UPPER THUMB As Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Monday that she was lifting her stay-at-home order and would be reopening more of the state's economy, Tuscola County reported a new COVID-19 death and two new confirmed cases in the state report for June 1. That brings Tuscolas numbers to 189 confirmed cases and 24 deaths. Huron County remained at 48 cases and one death and Sanilac County was still at 41 cases and five deaths. Across Michigan, the number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths slowed down on Monday, with 135 new cases and 25 deaths reported. The state now has 57,532 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 5,516 deaths. As of May 29, 38,099 Michiganders have recovered from the virus. Ann Hepfer, the health officer for Huron and Tuscola Counties, previously reported that Huron County has 24 recovered cases and Tuscola County has 96 recoveries. As of May 29, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported that 2,404 residents in Tuscola County have been tested and 1,091 residents in Huron County have been tested. The testing could have been done in either hospitals, clinics, drive-thru clinics, long-term care facilities, and health departments. There is still drive-thru testing in Huron and Tuscola Counties, with Hurons still at the Great lakes Bay Health Care Center parking lot in Bad Axe. Starting on June 3, Wednesdays hours will be from 4-6 p.m. Monday's and Friday's hours will still be from 10 a.m. to noon. Tuscola Countys testing, starting on June 4, will only take place on Thursday from 9-11:00 a.m. Hepfer said in a press release that this was due to the lack of people coming through the clinic. For both Huron and Tuscola Countys testing, people need to provide the following demographic information written clearly on a piece of paper: Full name Date of birth Address Telephone number Insurance information and numbers Drive-thru testing in Sanilac County takes place from 9-11 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Sanilac County Health Departments parking lot in Sandusky. Appointments are required, with the number to call being 810-206-0682. The final round of the 19th "Chinese Bridge," an annual Chinese language proficiency competition, for southern Vietnam was held in Vietnam's southern Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday. A total of 26 students from 12 colleges in southern Vietnam participated in three sections of quiz, speech and talent show in the nearly 10-hour-long competition, themed "One World, One Family," winning applause and cheering from the audience with their fluent Chinese and outstanding talent. Vo Nguyen Quynh Nhu, a student at Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities, won the first prize of the contest and will represent the country together with the winner of northern and central Vietnam in the "Chinese Bridge" competition in China. Nhu said she started to learn Chinese by coincidence and had been fascinated by the beauty of Chinese language and culture ever since. "I will work harder to learn Chinese and understand the Chinese culture more deeply and comprehensively. After graduation, I would like to work in fields related to Vietnam-China friendship and improve cultural exchanges between the two countries," she said. Pham Tan Ha, vice president of Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities, said in a speech at the competition that the "Chinese Bridge" competition is expected to help students deepen their understanding of Chinese language and culture, adding that the contest was organized despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and had attracted many students who have passion for Chinese study. Chinese Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Wu Jun told Xinhua that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the China-Vietnam diplomatic ties and is of great significance, and that the increasing exchanges and cooperation between China and Vietnam have brought the two peoples closer. The young generation of China and Vietnam should improve the cultural exchanges and mutual understanding and jointly promote the shared future of humanity for the two countries, he said. The contest was co-sponsored by the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) and the Chinese Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and organized by Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities. New Delhi, June 1 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday held a meeting to take stock of the situation and preparedness to deal with Cyclone 'Nisarga' brewing in the Arabian Sea. Shah held the review meeting with senior officials of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Minister of State (Home Affairs) Nityanand Rai was also present in the meeting. Days after the country's eastern coast was battered by Amphan, a fresh cyclone has begun brewing over the Arabian Sea on the western coast and is expected to hit some parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The IMD on Monday sounded a 'Yellow' warning for north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coast. Cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' will affect the coastal districts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, more than Gujarat and other neighbouring states, the MD cautioned on Monday. It said that the depression in the Arabian Sea is slated to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' and cross north Maharashtra and Gujarat coasts between Harihareshwar in Raigad district and Daman on June 3. Press Release June 1, 2020 SPONSORSHIP SPEECH COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 95 Senate Bill No. 1563 An Act Lowering the Minimum Height Requirement for Applicants of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and Bureau of Correction. Mr. President, esteemed colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat: William G. Bentrim in one of his books said that (quote) "Physical size cannot measure the ferocity and compassion of the heart, spirit and soul. Truly in the measure of a person, short or tall doesn't matter at all." (unquote) Mr. President, it is my privilege to sponsor Senate Bill No. 1563 under Committee Report No. 95. This bill is entitled "An Act Lowering the Minimum Height Requirement for Applicants of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and Bureau of Correction, amending for the purpose Republic act No. 6975, as amended, Republic Act No. 8551, Republic Act No. 9263 and Republic Act No. 10575. " Sabi sa commercial ng isang kilalang margarine, "Iba na ang matangkad!". Ang isang vitamins naman ang sabi "Tangkad Sagad!" Noon pa man, marami nang consumer products ang nagsasabi na mapapatangkad nila tayong mga Pilipino. Ngunit mukhang kahit gaano karaming margarine ang ating kainin, o inumin ang bote-boteng vitamins, mahihirapan tayong maabot ang height ni Lebron James o ni Michael Jordan. Genetically, sadyang may limitasyon ang height nating mga Filipino. Mr. President, when the National Police Commission in 2018 declared that there shall be no height requirement for the Philippine National Police entrance exam applicants, it was positively accepted by our countrymen. Filipinos being known to be small but terrible (Terrible in a good way ha. If there is such. Just a figure of speech, Mr. President.) rejoiced at the thought that most of us might be accepted as police officers. However, the delight was short-lived as the height requirement for the PNP cannot be waived by the NaPolCom, as it is still written in stone which is the Republic Act No. 6975, as amended. Mr. President, with that in mind, this representation and our good majority floor leader, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, filed legislative measures that seek to remove or repeal the height requirement for our uniformed personnel. We both reasoned that there should be equal employment opportunity for all regardless of height. However, during the hearing conducted by your Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs on February 12, 2020, the PNP, BFP, BJMP and BuCor, unanimously appealed not to remove the height requirement for their agencies, but to merely lower it to such level acceptable for them to effectively perform their given mandate. The PNP reasoned out that they need to maintain a minimum height requirement for their respective applicants for practical considerations in law enforcement and military operations. On one hand, BJMP manifested that height is a necessary requirement considering their daily exposure to persons deprived of liberty with various body builds, attitudes and behaviors. BuCor concurred. Additionally, BFP argued that they need to retain a minimum height requirement since they respond to fire incidents and emergencies. Their duty involves carrying of huge and heavy fire protection, suppression and rescue equipment and transporting of fire and emergency victims. We listened to the agencies that will be tasked to implement the proposed legislation once enacted into law, Mr. President. Given their justification, the Committee decided to lower the height requirement for the applicants of PNP, BFP, BJMP and BuCor instead of removing the same as originally proposed. The approval of this bill will now allow said agencies to accept male applicants with 5 feet and 2 inches' height and female applicants with 5 feet height. This compromise will still enable us to achieve the purpose of broadening the pool of prospective applicants and addressing the height equality as most of the Filipinos are within the height range of 5 feet. Waiver of height requirement for applicants belonging to the cultural communities will still be retained in consideration of the limits of genetic height potential. Hindi po natin binababa ang standard na kailangan para makapagsilbi bilang pulis, firefighter, jail at correction officers. Ninanais lamang po nating mabigyan ng pagkakataong makapagsilbi ang mga hindi nabiyayaan ng katangkaran. I still believe that sacrifice, dedication and service to the country cannot be measured by height nor by any physical characteristics given by the unseen hand of our Supreme Being. However, given the required mandate of our uniformed personnel, and for practicality in accomplishing tasks, we still need to retain a minimum height requirement so they can perform their duties and responsibilities exceptionally. Given the aforementioned reasons, I urge this august body for the immediate approval of this measure. Thank you. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who turned 45 on Monday, said he and his family had tested positive for the new coronavirus and that he would be working from home. Pashinyan, said in video message posted on Facebook that his "coronavirus test was positive yesterday" and that his wife and four children were also infected. He did not have any "visible symptoms" and would be working from home "to the best of my ability", Pashinyan added in the clip he recorded himself. The ex-Soviet republic with a population of around three million people has registered 9,492 coronavirus cases and 139 deaths. COVID-19 patients have overwhelmed hospitals and health officials last week said that intensive care beds could be soon reserved for patients with the best chance of survival. Health Minister Arsen Torosyan has said that out of 186 intensive care units in the country reserved for virus patients, only 32 are empty and those would soon be filled. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Pashinyan to congratulate him on his birthday and to offer "words of support" for a speedy recovery, the Kremlin said. - 'Dangerous disinformation' - Pashinyan's announcement came nearly one month after Armenia lifted a state of emergency imposed in March to slow the spread of the coronavirus. He has acknowledged failings in his government's coronavirus response including efforts to enforce anti-virus measures. He told a cabinet meeting several days ago that "false rumours that the pandemic is a fiction" were to blame for widespread quarantine violations. "People don't believe that the virus exists, because 70 percent of cases are asymptomatic," he said. Analysts said conspiracy theories and disinformation on social media had undermined government efforts to fight the outbreak. "Quarantine didn't work in Armenia," virologist Nuneh Bakunts told AFP, because people believed disinformation and so didn't "take the threat seriously." An investigation by the UK-based website openDemocracy revealed that controversial local news portal Medmedia.am had been spreading "incredibly dangerous" virus disinformation. Medmedia.am reported the pandemic was fake and falsely claimed that a local morgue offered money to a dead patient's relatives to sign documents saying the death was caused by the coronavirus, openDemocracy said. - Dashed hopes - The pandemic has badly impacted the poor ex-Soviet country. The economy grew by 7.6 percent last year but the International Monetary Fund has forecast GDP to fall by 1.5 percent in 2020. Armenia's central bank has said all sectors of the economy will suffer, especially tourism and construction. In March, the government came up with an economic stimulus package worth $303 million (277 million euros), offering enterprises direct financial aid and a three-month tax holiday, among other measures. Pashinyan was elected prime minister in the wake of mass popular protests he led two years ago against veteran leader Serzh Sarkisian and his Republican Party. He has since led a relentless crusade against graft and initiated sweeping judicial reforms. Search Keywords: Short link: After a few years of silence, the society of online hackers who are deemed as activists, Anonymous, made a resurgence. On May 29, 2020, Anonymous took to Facebook and posted a video threatening to expose the Minneapolis Police Department's crimes after the murder of George Floyd. The resurgence of Anonymous took the internet by storm as the online hacking society evidently follows a cult following. A few days after the video released by Anonymous, the Minneapolis Police Department's website witnessed malfunctions as it crashed and later asked users to send in a captcha to catch bots. The Anonymous group allegedly carried out this hack and has also reportedly breached into the security of Minneapolis Police Department. With many people on the internet celebrating the reappearance of Anonymous after a few years, people are also reportedly looking into knowing who is Anonymous and what is its history. Also read: Did Anonymous hack Minneapolis police website? Hacktivist group makes a resurgence Who is Anonymous? Image courtesy - Still from Anonymous' latest video (Facebook) Anonymous is one of the most famous collaborations of online hackers around the world. It is a decentralised organisation which is spread across the world and does not follow any form of hierarchy. The hackers are reportedly spread across the world and come together from time to time to typically send a political message. The operations carried out by Anonymous are often anti-establishment and receive a substantial amount of support from people around the world. Also read: Tanker drives into crowd in Minneapolis Anonymous' Moto We are Anonymous. We are legion. We do not forgive, we do not forget. Expect us Biggest operations The Anonymous in the past has held cyber attacks against companies working towards copyright preservation. The hacking society has been vocal about their hate towards copyright preservation as it restricts free speech. Back in 2010, Operation Payback carried out by Anonymous targetted various movie and art studios along with production houses of American and copyright protection groups. The group has also backed the efforts of Julian Assange and became supporters of WikiLeaks. Also read: Thousands converge in Chicago for Minneapolis death protest To counter the efforts taken by various authorities to take down WikiLeaks, Anonymous targetted various corporate entities. Among those corporations was PayPal which lose over $5 million due to a cyber DDoS attack. Anonymous later also targetted vocal criticizes of WikiLeaks through a series of cyberattacks. Also read: Minneapolis police fire rubber bullets at protesters This Reuters Investigates piece looks at how the US Supreme Court uses a "little-known legal doctrine called qualified immunity" to protect cops who use excessive force to maim and kill people. The Supreme Court's role is evident in how the federal appeals courts, which take their cue from the high court, treat qualified immunity. In an unprecedented analysis of appellate court records, Reuters found that since 2005, the courts have shown an increasing tendency to grant immunity in excessive force cases rulings that the district courts below them must follow. The trend has accelerated in recent years. It is even more pronounced in cases like Leija's when civilians were unarmed in their encounters with police, and when courts concluded that the facts could convince a jury that police actually did use excessive force. Reuters found among the cases it analyzed more than three dozen in which qualified immunity protected officers whose actions had been deemed unlawful. Outside of Dallas, Texas, five officers fired 17 shots at a bicyclist who was 100 yards away, killing him, in a case of mistaken identity. In Heber City, Utah, an officer threw to the ground an unarmed man he had pulled over for a cracked windshield, leaving the man with brain damage. In Prince George's County, Maryland, an officer shot a man in a mental health crisis who was stabbing himself and trying to slit his own throat. OTTAWAInjured Canadian veterans are being forced to wait on average twice as long as promised to find out whether they qualify for financial help from the government, even as the backlog of unprocessed applications for assistance continues to grow. Veterans are told the vast majority will know within 16 weeks whether they qualify for compensation and assistance for service-related injuries after filing an application with the federal government. Yet the average wait time at the end of April was 34.5 weeks an increase of nearly two weeks since the start of the year and more than double what has been promised. Veterans Affairs did not say how much the COVID-19 pandemic is contributing to the problem. The department has said officials are continuing to process applications while working at home due to the crisis. But the federal government has long been accused of causing added frustration and stress to many injured veterans because of the growing wait times, which have in turn contributed to a growing backlog of requests for help. More than 46,200 applications were in the backlog at the end of December, according to Veterans Affairs. That represented an increase of 1,600 from September and 6,000 from March. The number, which is expected to only increase due to the pandemic, includes more than 20,000 applications that the department says are incomplete and awaiting further information. Veterans advocacy groups in recent months have been asking the Liberal government to automatically approve all applications for assistance from injured ex-soldiers and conduct an audit after the fact to catch any illegitimate claims. They have specifically said many veterans are facing a hard time collecting all the necessary information due to various lockdowns, and noted such an approach has been adopted for some of the federal emergency programs set up due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has so far resisted such calls. Then-veterans ombudsman Guy Parent blasted the federal government for the wait times and backlog in September 2018, at which point the average turnaround time for disability-benefits applications was between 23 and 29 weeks. Now is the time to ensure that the planning and resources required to deliver disability benefits, both equitably and in a timely manner, are in place, the ombudsmans report said. Lengthy turnaround times for disability benefit decisions is about more than monetary compensation for pain and suffering. Many applicants have unmet health needs that can be exacerbated by waiting for adequate treatment. The federal government actually considered in 2018 whether to extend the 16-week target, saying it wanted to provide veterans with a more realistic idea of when their application would be processed. But it abandoned the controversial plan last year following criticism that Veterans Affairs was trying to move its own goalposts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that violence, abuse and rude behaviour against frontline workers like doctors, nurses, and sanitation workers is not acceptable. Speaking at the 25th foundation day of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bengaluru via video conference, Modi said: "I am aware of an area that is of great concern to you all. Due to a mob mentality, those working on frontlines, those on duty be it doctors, nurses, safai workers are subject to violence." "I want to state it clearly -- violence, abuse and rude behaviour against frontline workers is not acceptable. Steps have been taken to protect you against any form of violence. We have also provided an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh for those on the frontline," he added. In April, the Central government had brought an ordinance to end violence against health workers, making it a cognizable, non-bailable offence with imprisonment up to seven years for those found guilty. The prime minister also termed the coronavirus as "invisible enemy" and called India's corona warriors as "invincible" asserting that they will win the battle against the virus. "Today the world is facing one of the biggest crises since the two world wars. Like the world changed pre and post-world wars, in the same way, pre and post-Covid world will be different. During such a time the world is looking up to our doctors, nurses, medical staff and scientific community with hope and gratitude," Modi said. "The world seeks both care and cure from you. In the root of India's brave fight against COVID-19 is the hard work of the medical community and our corona warriors. In fact, doctors and medical workers are like soldiers but without soldiers' uniform. The virus may be an invisible enemy but our corona warriors, medical workers are invincible. In the battle of invisible against invincible, our medical workers are sure to win," he said. He also said the world must unite and focus on "humanity-centric" aspects of development, noting that advancements nations make in the health sector will matter more than ever as countries battle the COVID-19 pandemic. Seeking a global approach to deal with the health crisis, the prime minister said earlier, the debates on globalisation have focused on economic issues. "Now, the world must unite and focus on humanity- centric aspects of development. Advancements nations make in the health sector will matter more than ever before," he told the gathering. He said there were three things on which he would urge "maximum discussion and participation" and these include telemedicines, Make in India products in the health sector and use of IT-based tools. He proposed work on new models that make telemedicine popular on a larger scale. "The other is related to 'Make in India' in the health sector. The initial gains make me optimistic," he said. Domestic manufacturers have started production of personal protective equipment and have supplied about one crore PPEs to COVID warriors, he pointed out. He said similarly, manufacturers have supplied 1.2 crore 'Make in India' N-95 masks to all the states. He also referred to the Aarogya Setu app to drive home his point on the use of IT tools for healthier societies. "Twelve crore health conscious people have downloaded it. This has been very helpful in the fight against coronavirus," Modi said. -- With inputs from PTI [June 01, 2020] Harris Williams Advises Carolina Marine Terminal, Inc. on its Investment from Transportation Infrastructure Partners, a Joint Venture Between Ridgewood Infrastructure and Savage Harris Williams, a global investment bank specializing in M&A advisory services, announces that it advised Carolina Marine Terminal, Inc. (CMT), a leading privately owned port facility, on its investment from Transportation Infrastructure Partners, a joint venture between Ridgewood Infrastructure and Savage. The transaction was led by Jeff Burkett, Jonathan Meredith and Brett Bordlee of the Harris Williams Transportation & Logistics (T&L) Group and is a testament to the ability to achieve successful outcomes despite today's uncertain market. "This transaction deepens our firm's experience advising companies across the highly attractive transportation infrastructure space," said Jeff Burkett, a director at Harris Williams. "Co-founders Mike McCarley and Kevin Walker have designed and grown CMT into a truly unique marine terminal asset. We believe Savage and Ridgewood Infrastructure will continue to build upon CMT's legacy of premier quality, efficiency and customer service." "We continue to see strong interest in strategic infrastructure assets with compelling competitive advantages," said Jonathan Meredith, a vice president at Harris Williams. "We are proud to have represented CMT on this transaction and look forward to following the company's next chapter in partnership with Transportation Infrastructure Partners." "Unique essential businesses that own or provide critical services to strategic infrastructure asets are attractive platform and add-on M&A opportunities for a myriad of investors. Providing world-class advisory services to infrastructure businesses like CMT is the focus of our transportation infrastructure services (TIS) sector initiative. We expect this transaction will be the first of many coming out of our TIS efforts," said Frank Mountcastle, co-head of the Harris Williams T&L Group. CMT is a privately owned marine terminal specializing in dry bulk cargoes. Located in Wilmington, North Carolina, the company offers a full range of services that span stevedoring, storage and warehousing, and distribution via both truck and rail. Transportation Infrastructure Partners is a joint venture between Ridgewood Infrastructure and Savage, focused on acquiring and operating critical transportation and logistics infrastructure throughout the United States. Savage will be the operator of investments made by the joint venture. Ridgewood Infrastructure invests in essential infrastructure in the U.S. In addition to Transportation Infrastructure Partners, some of Ridgewood's recent investments include the Vista Ridge Regional Water Supply Project, a long-term contracted 142-mile water pipeline, which is expected to supply the city of San Antonio, Texas with approximately 20% of its fresh water; Undine LLC, which owns and operates regulated water and wastewater utilities in several major U.S. markets; and SiEnergy, which is among the largest and fastest growing regulated natural gas local distribution companies in Texas, serving approximately 25,000 customers. Ridgewood Infrastructure is part of the affiliated Ridgewood Companies, a leading real asset investment manager with $6 billion in total capital and commitments focused on investments in infrastructure and energy. Established in 1946, Savage moves and manages critical materials for Customers using rail, trucks and marine vessels, and through the design, construction and operation of terminals and other industrial facilities across North America and internationally. The company's purpose is to enable Customers and Partners to "Feed the World, Power Our Lives, and Sustain the Planet." Savage provides comprehensive services across Customers' supply chains in the agriculture, energy and chemical and environmental sectors. Harris Williams, an investment bank specializing in M&A advisory services, advocates for sellers and buyers of companies worldwide through critical milestones and provides thoughtful advice during the lives of their businesses. By collaborating as one firm across Industry Groups and geographies, the firm helps its clients achieve outcomes that support their objectives and strategically create value. Harris Williams is committed to execution excellence and to building enduring, valued relationships that are based on mutual trust. Harris Williams is a subsidiary of the PNC (News - Alert) Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). The Harris Williams T&L Group serves companies in a broad range of attractive niches, including automotive and heavy duty vehicle, transportation equipment, third-party logistics (3PL), and truck, rail, marine and air transportation. For more information on the firm's T&L Group and other recent transactions, visit the T&L Group's section of the Harris Williams website. Harris Williams LLC is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is a private limited company incorporated under English law with its registered office at 8th Floor, 20 Farringdon Street, London EC4A 4AB, UK, registered with the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales (registration number 07078852). Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Harris Williams & Co. Corporate Finance Advisors GmbH is registered in the commercial register of the local court of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, under HRB 107540. The registered address is Bockenheimer Landstrasse 33-35, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany (email address: [email protected]). Geschaftsfuhrer/Directors: Jeffery H. Perkins, Paul Poggi. (VAT No. DE321666994). Harris Williams is a trade name under which Harris Williams LLC, Harris Williams & Co. Ltd and Harris Williams & Co. Corporate Finance Advisors GmbH conduct business. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005628/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] SpaceX has successfully carried two of NASA's astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday. The endeavor marked the first time a space launch was conducted on US Soil in nearly ten years. The weekend launch marked a new era of space travel as onlookers gazed at the space agency's Falcon 9 rocket lift off with two passengers on board. After a 19-hour journey through space, the pair of astronauts safely arrived at the ISS, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. A historical meet-up Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley were at the front seat and monitored the Crew Dragon capsule's systems as it made its way to the station. At 10:16 a.m. ET, the capsule linked up with the ISS and made the first step in history in having a privately owned company to send people into space. Crucial parts of the journey went with problems, including the initial take-off and the manual controls, as they approached the ISS as well as the docking of the capsule. Head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Jim Bridenstine, said that the whole world was the audience of the historic launch. They shared their pride in all the efforts everyone involved has done to support the mission. Bridenstine also said that the prospects of the event would give the people of the world something to be positive about amid the coronavirus pandemic, saying it will help them "look at the future and say things are going to be brighter." Also Read: [Video] SpaceX Launches NASA Astronauts Into Orbit, Marks a First for the Agency According to the New York Times, Christopher Cassidy, a NASA astronaut, along with his team on the ISS, welcomed Behnken and Hurley as they arrived. Bridenstine addressed the pair in a welcoming ceremony and revealed to them everyone on Earth witnessed their journey and asked if they got any sleep during the 19-hour trip. Behnken replied that they both got about seven hours of sleep, and he, in particular, was successful in getting some rest. Not over yet The mission itself will not be completed until Behnken and Hurley make their round trip back to Earth aboard Crew Dragon, aptly named "Endeavour," which was inspired by the decommissioned space shuttle that they flew on which made its last trip in May 2011. Bridenstine shared in a news conference that the mission had gone as well as they could have hoped for. NASA has revealed that these sorts of missions still face significant financial and technical challenges, including uncertainties about future corporate profits. The agency's current plans of getting humans back on the Moon are severely underfunded. Behnken and Hurley's arrival on the ISS happened at around 1:00 p.m. Sunday after nearly three hours from docking of the capsule. The pair crawled through a hatch that connected the Crew Dragon with the station. Elon Musk announced on Saturday that even with the safe docking of Crew Dragon, he is turning his attention towards the potential hazards of the capsule's re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. "We don't want to declare victory yet," said Musk to reporters as he was filled emotions of working for nearly 18 years to carry humans into space aboard its spacecraft successfully. He added that they have a duty to bring the pair back home safely. Related Article: US Space Force X-37B Space Plane Embarks on Its Longest Mission Yet @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. China's authoritarian system has been promoting itself as superior to American democracy for more than a decade. The global financial crisis devastated the US economy while China emerged largely unscathed, and Beijing's propaganda machine seized on the contrast: "The 'China model' has created miracles, opened a unique path of development and superseded belief in a superior 'America model,' marking its demise," proclaimed the People's Daily in 2009. It was around the same time a notable pro-democracy think tank in the US, Freedom House, declared a "democratic recession". In its latest annual pulse-taking, published in March, it found that the recession of democracy worldwide was entering its 14th consecutive year. Twice as many countries suffered declines in freedom as enjoyed improvements, Freedom House reported. It counts the US among the countries in democratic decline. Freedom in America had declined in the last 10 years by 8 points on its 100-point scale. Today the Chinese Communist Party hardly need press its case against the US. All Beijing need do is sit back and let the daily US news tell the story. More than 100,000 Americans dead from coronavirus. Some 40 million Americans thrown out of work in the last couple of months. Race riots descending into chaos in America's major cities. While its President promotes yet more division. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 1, 2020 18:26 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb58d6f 1 National COVID-19,new-normal,traditional-market,shopping-mall,Trade-Ministry Free The Trade Ministry has issued a circular requiring, sellers at traditional markets, retail stores and shopping malls to wear masks, face shields, and gloves while conducting their activities in the upcoming new normal. The circular, which was issued on May 28, also requires buyers to wear masks. The circular further stipulates that both sellers and buyers must be screened for COVID-19 before being allowed to enter public areas. Anyone with a body temperature above 37.3 degrees Celsius and exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, such as shortness of breath and coughing, will be asked to leave the area to avoid any possible COVID-19 transmission. Read also: Indonesian designers, brands make chic face masks for the fashion-forwards In addition, sellers and buyers must maintain a physical distance of at least 1.5 meters from each other. The circular also states that the new regulations will be enforced by "a joint team, comprising regional administration officials and association members. "Every violation [of the new rules] will be firmly addressed and may be sanctioned according to prevailing laws," the circular said, without elaborating. The protocols in the circular will also be applicable to restaurants and other recreation venues, such as zoos, museums and art galleries. The Trade Ministry circular is the latest in a series of guidelines issued by the government in preparation for the new normal. Last week, the Religious Affairs Ministry issued a similar circular containing guidelines for the reopening of houses of worship. Earlier in May, Health Minister Terawan also issued a ministerial decree containing new health protocols for the reopening of workplaces. Following a weekend of protests in parts of Roanoke, city council members voiced their support for both local police officers and for the protesters. In sometimes emotional comments near the end of Mondays council meeting, members called for Roanoke to lead the way in solving racial problems that, as council member Bill Bestpitch put it, go back 400 years. The comments came as the council approved an emergency declaration that gives City Manager Bob Cowell the ability to access state resources following Saturdays protests that swept through the city. Roanokes protests were part of a wave that rolled over the country in the wake of Minneapolis resident George Floyds death in police custody last week. Floyd died after an officer kept his knee on the mans neck for more than eight minutes. In Roanoke, about a half-dozen people were arrested Saturday after protests that stretched from Valley View Mall, Target and the Valley View Walmart back to downtown just before midnight. The protests did not feature any looting or wide-scale property damage or injuries as in some more violent protests in larger cities. Roanokes emergency declaration also allows the city manager to impose a curfew if necessary, which is something that Roanoke did not do Saturday and currently has no plans to do, Cowell said. Council members lauded both police and protesters, but maintained that Roanoke must take steps to heal the citys racial wounds. We cannot just keep on throwing lip service, council member Anita Price said. We have to actively work on the things we know that are abundantly evident. ... We know we have some things weve got to move forward and enough is enough. Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea said that he accompanied Roanoke police to Walmart, Target and Burlington Coat Factory, where protests flared Saturday evening. He credited police and new Chief Sam Roman for keeping protests and law enforcement response peaceful. Our police officers were in charge. ... I thought they did an excellent job, Lea said. He added that there are some things that people said went astray, and were going to deal with those. But our men and women were on the forefront protecting the businesses and the people. Cowell said that Roman has talked to some of the people who protested in order to determine what went well and what did not following Saturdays events. For the most part, council members sympathized with the protesters. Council member Michelle Davis said that she was proud of the people who took a stand this weekend and said that theyve had enough. Holding back tears, Price said she understood peoples anger, especially after talking to male members of her family who told her about their experiences of being racially profiled and followed by police because they are black. Price commended the peaceful demonstrators who were able to articulate the pain and frustration that were going through not only here in Roanoke but across the country. She said Roanokes racial problems cannot be dealt with until the city comes to terms with the fact that problems exist. You cannot address what you dont first acknowledge, Price said. White-Boyd said she felt a little helpless as events unfolded Saturday. I appreciate what protesters are trying to say and how they were trying to express themselves. ... Personally, I wanted to say that I understand what theyre feeling. She urged the council to send a letter of condolences and public sympathy to Floyds family. Davis said she was no longer certain the answer to racism would come from government, although she is encouraged by the number of prominent African-Americans in leadership roles in Roanoke a roster that includes Lea, Roman, Sheriff Tim Allen and incoming superintendent of Roanoke schools Verletta White. Our highest positions are led by strong African American leaders, Davis said. I am so grateful that we have that and we in Roanoke City have a unique opportunity to take action in a way that almost no other community in our country has right now. Vice Mayor Joe Cobb said that people had told him that a racist, inequitable system was not broken, because indeed thats the way the system was built. We as a city have to create a new way of being, Cobb added before reading the poem A Black Mans Tears by Roanoke poet and performer Bryan Hancock. Bestpitch noted how the country talks about fixing racial problems without doing anything. Theres a big part of me that says shame on us that we havent done more, shame on us that we havent worked harder to overcome some of these difficulties, he said. We cant solve all problems in this country, but we can work together to make things better in the city of Roanoke, Virginia, and by golly its time for us to quit fooling around and get to work. 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. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 1 By Nargiz Ismayilova Trend: The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) sold $334 million in foreign exchange auctions in May 2020, Trend reports citing SOFAZ on June 1. SOFAZ sold $300.2 million at foreign exchange auctions organized by the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) In January 2020, $543.4 million - in February 2020, $1.9 billion - in March 2020, and $531.1 million - in April 2020. In general, SOFAZ sold $3.6 billion through foreign exchange auctions from January through May 2020, which is 36.1 percent more compared to the same period of 2019. Currency sale is carried out within the framework of SOFAZs transfers to the state budget of Azerbaijan, which are envisaged for 2020 in the amount of 11.3 billion manat ($6.6 billion). --- Follow the author on Twitter: @IsmailovaNargis WATERBURY - Twenty-eight people were arrested in Waterbury after a peaceful protest in downtown Waterbury. Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo, who called the protest wonderful, said those arrested were not part of the group that organized the demonstration. The Waterbury demonstration Sunday was one of several largely peaceful protests throughout Connecticut is response to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died last week after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee onto Floyds neck for more than 8 minutes. Sundays protests sites included New Haven, Stamford and Norwalk, and the rallies came amid demonstrations around the country against police brutality. In a video message on the departments social media sites Spagnolo said he was grateful for the officers and the work they did to today, Im grateful that no citizens property has been damaged and no citizens have received injury, he said. Lt. David Silverio said Monday the 28 people arrested included 18 female adults, eight adult males and two male juveniles. After the organized protest, some demonstrators blocked both sides of I-84 for about an hour. State Police reported no arrests from that incident. The Republican American reported tensions flared when an initial standoff occurred between some demonstrators at the intersection at Long Hill Road and Wolcott Street at around 4:30 p.m. About an hour later, police, some wearing padded vests and face shields, arrested a group of demonstrators on charges of disorderly conduct and interfering with police after officers said they were told to move from Wolcott Street but refused, Rep-Am reported. Blake Shelton is showing fans how much he loves Gwen Stefanis oldest son, Kingston. The couple is currently quarantining at his Oklahoma ranch, where they recently celebrated Kingstons birthday. While Stefani posted a photo in honor of Kingstons birthday, Shelton showered him with love in a sweet video. Kingston Rossdale, Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, Apollo Bowie Flynn Rossdale, and Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale | Steve Granitz/WireImage Gwen Stefani and her children get back to basics during the quarantine Stefani has lived most of her life under the bright lights of Hollywood, but she looks completely at home at Sheltons sprawling ranch. The No Doubt alum and her three boys have been quarantining with Shelton in Oklahoma during the coronavirus pandemic and appear to be making the most of it. According to Closer Weekly, an inside source claims that Stefani actually prefers Oklahoma to Los Angeles because there are more opportunities to keep her kids occupied. She prefers being there because theres more space and plenty of things to do to keep the kids occupied, the source revealed. Shelton owns a massive ranch in Oklahoma that features heavily wooded areas and a lake. As long as the weather cooperates, Shelton and Stefani frequently take her boys out for a boat ride and or a long hike. Gwen Stefani praises Blake Shelton for being a good stepfather Shelton and Stefani started dating in 2015 following their respective divorces from Miranda Lambert and Gavin Rossdale. It didnt take long for Shelton to develop a strong bond with Stefanis sons, Kingston (13), Zuma (11), and Apollo (6), whom she shares with Rossdale. In an interview from last fall, Stefani opened up about Sheltons relationship with her boys and revealed that he is pretty amazing a being a stepdad. He is a good dad, actually, Stefani shared. Hes been helping me out a lot, so I literally get to the point where Im like, You gotta get home, I need help. Its hard. I got three boys. RELATED: Inside Blake Sheltons Ranch Where He Is Quarantining With Gwen Stefani and Her Boys Stefani added that Shelton is a magical person and admitted that she is so obsessed with her boyfriend. She went on to say that she would have never guessed that she would have ended up with a cowboy. Although they have plenty of differences, Stefani says their relationship works perfectly. Blake Shelton shows fans how much he loves Stefanis oldest son Its no secret that Shelton shares a strong bond with Stefanis sons, and he put it on full display during Kingstons 14th birthday. Taking to Instagram, Stefani posted an adorable video of Shelton and Kingston sharing a hug and kisses in honor of his birthday. happy b day kingking gx, Stefani wrote alongside the clip. Stefani later shared a photo of Kingston, whom she delivered in 2006, along with the caption, happy 14th bday to my first born son -thank u God for marking me HIS MAMMA GX. A few years ago, Stefani opened up about being a parent and revealed that having Kingston was the most amazing that that she has ever experienced in her life. While it is clear Shelton loves Stefanis boys, they also enjoy spending time with The Voice star especially at his ranch in Oklahoma. One big happy family Stefani and her three sons often spend time at Sheltons ranch during holidays and on weekends. According to Taste of Country, the boys enjoy Oklahoma because they can explore a more adventurous side of life. Shelton has fully embraced being a stepfather, but he still respects Rossdale and likes to view himself as a bonus dad to Stefanis boys. RELATED: Gwen Stefanis Youngest Son Apollo Has an Incredible Bond With Blake Shelton The boys have really grown immensely by spending time with Blake, a source dished. Blake Shelton has been married twice but does not have any children of his own. There has been plenty of speculation that Shelton and Stefani want to start a family together, but, almost five years into their romance, the two have yet to make any moves on that front. As a new documentary follows Cork native and Glamour editor-in-chief Samantha Barry in the run-up to the Women of the Year Awards, she takes time to talk to Ruth O'Connor At one point in Fearless, Samantha Barry says: When my heart is in my throat, that feels like success to me. It is this fearlessness that gives the documentary its title but its also the characteristic which has pushed Barry to embrace new challenges and technologies throughout her career. I dont know whether my brain confuses fear with excitement and thats why I am always jumping into things that seem a bit of a stretch, says Barry on the phone from New York, in a call interrupted briefly by none other than Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. That has got me further than playing by rules that pre-date me. I get a little bit of enjoyment out of the fear, and (the twinkle in her eye is audible) out of breaking the rules. (L-R) Tobin Heath, Christen Press, Megan Rapinoe, Samantha Barry, Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris attend the 2019 Glamour Women Of The Year Awards at Alice Tully Hall on November 11, 2019 in New York City. Picture: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Glamour A turning point in Barrys career was a period spent in Papua New Guinea with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation working with local radio journalists. Her early adopter status was apparent in her introduction of text messaging and Facebook into the stations there. This experience helped forge Barrys path as a journalist with many tools at her disposal not least social media. I left that country thinking of myself as a multimedia journalist from a career perspective it was formative. Her 18-month stint in Papua New Guinea also brought issues such as domestic violence into stark relief for her. It was the first time in my career that I had what was a quintessentially a womens story and I had to think about how I was going to tell it in a bigger way. I knew I could tell it, but also, I could help the women there to tell it. It was Barrys global perspective, as well as her innate curiosity, that made her an ideal candidate for the job as editor-in-chief of Glamour according to colleagues such as Anna Wintour. News and information is hyper-local in many places. In Ireland the news has always been international, she says. From a young age in Ireland we are taught that the world is bigger than just Cork or Dublin. In Barrys first year as the digital-first editor of Glamour, she covered the drought in Cape Town, South Africa, and wrote an editorial on the Repeal campaign in Ireland. She says its about telling big stories in a way that connects with the Glamour reader: Its about asking: How do I tell a global story but through a Glamour lens? At the BBC and CNN she learned how to break through the noise but she also had to unlearn the breaking news agenda of being first and fastest for her role at Glamour. At Glamour its not about breaking news but about finding out what women care about, she says. Charlize Theron and Samantha Barry attend the 2019 Glamour Women Of The Year Awards at Alice Tully Hall on November 11, 2019 in New York City. Picture: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Glamour While the casual observer might see Glamour as a fashion and beauty media outlet only, Barry says that it has always been a trailblazer. Its tagline in the 1940s was: For the girl with a job. It was the first place to pay Andy Warhol for an illustration and we were the first fashion magazine to put a black woman on the cover. Glamour has always been forward-thinking about the stories they want to tell around women. Barry cites CNN editor-in-chief Meredith Artley as a mentor and guide. I learned a lot about running a crew and about what motivates different personalities at CNN, she says. I think that equipped me to be editor at Glamour. You have to be considered and aware of your own flaws too. In Fearless the viewer is introduced to Barrys New York friends. My friend Orla talks about going to Annas house, my friends come to the Women of the Year Awards or go to movie premiers with me. Whats the point in having all of these amazing things happen if you cant share it? Absolutely my friends ground me but theyre also people with whom I can share in the delight of things. Barry is described variously in Fearless as courageous, vulnerable, tenacious, hardworking, honest, connected and curious. She credits a lot of her confidence to her mother. As children she always said to us: Youre a smart girl. What are you? and we had to say: Im a smart girl back. My family never made me feel like there was anything I couldnt do whether that was pretending I was Anne Doyle as a kid or working at RTE or at the BBC. I think it is very important that kids are allowed to dream big. Barry says that she speaks to her sister by phone three times a day. My sister said to me: Give this documentary everything because how cool would it have been for us aged 11 or 12 and to see someone from Ballincollig up there like that?. I would love to think that a young girl watching this would see all the possibilities that are out there. You are here: World Flash A team of Chinese medical experts on Sunday ended their mission to help tackle the COVID-19 epidemic in Tajikistan after eight days' work. Upon the group's departure at the Dushanbe international airport, Chinese Ambassador to Tajikistan Liu Bin said the experts' work marked a new chapter for China-Tajikistan friendship and contributed to the development of comprehensive strategic partnership between the two neighbors. Tajik First Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection Umarzoda Saida said the Tajik side valued their guidance in the fight against COVID-19. Saida said Tajikistan is ready to continue working with China in the fight against the disease and boost medical cooperation between the two countries. At the airport, the Chinese experts also received a letter of appreciation from Rustam Emomali, chairman of the National Assembly of Tajikistan and mayor of Dushanbe. The 14-member medical team, from China's northwestern Shaanxi Province, arrived in Dushanbe on May 24 with medical supplies. The experts visited infectious disease hospitals and isolation points, and held seminars and training sessions with Tajik health workers. They also offered advice to Tajik health authorities on disease prevention and control measures. Tajikistan has reported 3,807 confirmed cases and 47 deaths as of Sunday. India, China moving heavy weapons to bases near Eastern Ladakh India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 01: The Indian Army and the Chinese military are moving in heavy equipment and weaponry including artillery and combat vehicles to their rear bases close to the disputed areas in eastern Ladakh. The two sides remain engaged in a standoff along the troubled region for over 25 days, military sources said on Sunday. The enhancement of combat capabilities by the two armies in the region came even as both countries continued their efforts to resolve the dispute through talks at military and diplomatic levels. India maintains aggressive posturing against Chinas moves at LAC The Chinese Army has been gradually ramping up its strategic reserves in its rear bases near the Line of Actual Control or LAC in eastern Ladakh by rushing in artillery, infantry combat vehicles and heavy military equipment, the sources said. Cabinet meet: 'Big decisions' expected as govt completes 1st year of 2nd term| Oneindia News The Indian Army has also been moving in additional troops as well equipment and weapons like artillery to aggressively match up to the Chinese build-up, they said, adding that India will not relent till status quo is restored in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley and a number of other areas. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been keeping strict aerial surveillance in the disputed region. A sizeable number of Chinese Army personnel entered into the Indian side of the de-facto border earlier this month and have been camping in Pangong Tso and Galwan Valley since then. The Indian Army fiercely objected to the transgressions by the Chinese troops and demanded their immediate withdrawal for restoration of peace in the area. The Chinese Army has ramped up their presence in Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie too - the two sensitive areas with a history of skirmishes involving the two sides. The Chinese Army is learnt to have deployed around 2,500 troops in Pangong Tso and Galwan Valley, besides gradually enhancing temporary infrastructure and weaponry. However, there is no official figure about the numbers. Sources said satellite images have captured significant ramping up of defence infrastructure by China on its side of the de-facto border including construction activities at a military airbase around 180 km from Pangong Tso area. Will not allow any dilution of out International borders says Shah The assessment by the Indian Army is that the build-up is aimed at putting pressure on India. "We are well aware of the Chinese ploy. The Indian Army is firm on its stand that we are not going to accept anything less than restoration of status quo in the area," said a senior military official. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said bilateral talks were on at military and diplomatic levels with China to resolve the row. The trigger for the face-off was China's opposition to India laying a key road in the finger area around Pangong Tso Lake, besides construction of another road connecting Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie road in Galwan Valley. The sources said China was also laying a road in the finger area, which is not acceptable to India. The sources said military reinforcements including troops, vehicles and artillery guns were sent to eastern Ladakh by the Indian Army to shore up its presence in the areas where Chinese soldiers were resorting to aggressive posturing. The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a face-off on May 5, which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage". However, the standoff continued. A primary school has confirmed it has a case of coronavirus just days before millions of pupils across the country returned to the classroom following their enforced closure in March. Woolaston Primary School in Lydney, Gloucestershire wrote to parents to explain how a individual, thought to be a pupil, who attended a holiday club at the school has returned a positive test, but insisted the school would reopen as planned on Monday. Pupils across the UK in Year 1, Year 6 and Reception were set to resume school again on Monday but up to a million children were likely to be kept at home by concerned parents, while some were turned away at the school gates as teachers were not ready. A case of coronavirus was confirmed at Woolaston Primary School, Lydney, Gloucestershire Pupils in Year 1, Year 6 and Reception are back in classrooms with strict hygiene measures In a letter sent to parents on Saturday, May 30, acting headteacher Emma Gomersall said: 'I can confirm that an individual who attended the holiday club at the school has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently getting all necessary support and advice from health services.' It is believed that the individual who tested positive was retested on Sunday and tested negative but is now isolating for 14 days as advised by government rules. Ms Gomersall also confirmed the school had undergone a deep clean on Thursday and Friday and was continuing with the plans to reopen. 'Whilst I fully understand this will cause anxiety amongst the school community, I can assure you all necessary steps are being taken to minimise risk to others.' Pupils are returning to school, including those at Queen's Hill Primary School, Norfolk (above) The acting headteacher went on to say: 'I would urge you to remain calm and continue to be responsible with your comments and actions, so as not to cause unnecessary anxiety for our pupils, staff and the wider area.' She added: 'The school remains open and providing your child remains well they can continue to attend school as normal. We will keep this under review.' The government's plans for reopening schools have faced objections from teaching unions and schools over safety concerns. However, the resumption has started, with secondary schools also due to offer face-to-face contact from June 15. One parent said: 'My son will re returning to School due to his mental health! The government has seeked advice and feel its safe. I personally feel 60 School days that have been missed is not good on their educational and social needs. 'Everyones circumstances are different and I can sympathise but my son is missing the routine and I am not a teacher (with other Children at home) I can not offer him the same structure a School does. 'The government have lifted certain measures and I find it baffling that parents dont want their children at school but will mix with other family or friends, take them to a supermarket and social distance at a park so whats the difference.' Are your children going back today? Or staying at home? Email james.ayles.mol@mailonline.co.uk Chaos at school gates as some children are TURNED AWAY because teachers 'aren't ready for them' and others haven't opened at all despite up to two million heading back to classes in England today Millions of children set to return to class on Monday but many schools are only partially reopening or not at all Teachers shared messages of solidarity as they prepared for work - many admitted they're anxious to go back Some schools had told parents they would reopen only to say they weren't ready when parents arrived today Ministers have said it is safe for schools to return - but unions have said this isn't true and should be delayed Is your child's primary school opening today? Email martin.robinson@mailonline.co.uk Up to two million pupils were due to return to primary school today but some were turned away because headteachers 'weren't ready' for them while around half of parents have chosen to keep their children at home because of safety fears. Up to 1,500 primary schools in England are estimated to be defying the Government's plan to get all reception, year 1 and year 6 children back in the classroom from June 1 as teachers admitted they were 'anxious' to work and unions demanded the date be pushed back to June 15 at the earliest. Parents have revealed that many schools will remain closed for at least another week or more, while some have not yet set a date at all. In other cases schools decided they can only increase the number of places for key workers' children, not for everyone. At least two dozen councils, most run by Labour, have refused to reopen their schools or left it up to headteachers, who are trying to find ways to ensure social distancing in their school buildings and ensuring they have enough teachers to teach 'bubbles' of up to ten children. But while hundreds of thousands of young students are back in class and reunited with their friends and teachers today, MailOnline can reveal there was confusion at several schools in London with some parents arriving with their children only to be informed they couldn't come in and had to go home again. Winsor Primary School in east London sent a letter to parents last week informing them the school would reopen today for nursery, reception, year one and year six today. But parents and children arriving were turned away and told teachers are still making arrangements. Glauciane Conti was turned away at the school gate this morning with her son who is in year one. The 35-year-old, a cleaner from Forest Gate, said: 'My son just went in to ask the teachers and they say it is not open as they are still making arrangements. I don't understand. Now I have to go to work'. Gallions Primary School, also in Beckton, plans to remain closed to the general public this week. Hanif Hazari, 58 accompanied his son Mahmamudullabi who is a year 6 pupil at Havelock Primary School in Southall, west London after being informed via a text message that it was reopening following the easing of the lockdown. Mr Hazari said: 'The playground was completely deserted so I went into the school office and they told me that the school has now decided to remain closed and they don't have a date as yet as to when it will open. It's very confusing, I don't know what's going on. The Government appears to be saying one thing and the schools another.' Mahmamudullabi, 11, added: 'I hope the school opens soon because I'm getting really bored at home.' Jaswinder Grover, who arrived at the school with his daughter Simran, a year 6 pupil said: 'I was initially told that the school would reopen today but as you can see, hardly anybody has turned up. And now the school is telling me something completely different. The Government needs to be a clearer about what's actually going on and when our kids can go back to school, which I hope is soon.' A Havelock Primary official told MailOnline that the school is now not scheduled to reopen until June 15 at the very earliest. He added: 'Some parents were under the impression that we were opening on June 1. We're very sorry for any confusion that's been caused, and parents will be notified as soon as possible.' As schools reopened for the first time in ten weeks, it also emerged today: Public health officers warn lockdown is being eased to fast and police say the rules are becoming impossible to enforce. Beaches have been crammed because of continuing good weather; Britain have been handed a host of new freedoms from today including meeting with friends and family, the reopening of some shops and pupils returning to school. But health experts warn there is 'no rationale' in letting two million people who were 'shielding' from Covid go back outside; Huge queues formed outside Ikea as the Government allowed more shops, markets and car showrooms to open; A child has his temperature taken at Harris Primary Academy in south London as up to 2million pupils were due to return to class A child is dropped off at Queen's Hill Primary School, Costessey, Norfolk as reception, year 1 and year 6 pupils return across England today Teacher Samantha Hockney, from Teesside. tweeted a selfie of herself in a visor with the caption 'back to school' Reception pupil Braydon washes his hands whilst watching an electronic timer at Queen's Hill Primary School, Costessey, Norfolk. Children will be asked to wash up regularly through the day Children arrive for their first day back at Watlington Primary School (left) in Oxfordshire and at St Michael in The Hamlet Community Primary School in Liverpool (right) 2m social distancing markings and signs at Ashton Gate Primary School in Bristol as children return after lockdown However, Children's Commissioner Anne Longfield believes that schools will need to hold summer schools to enable pupils to catch up on work they have missed during the enforced break. Ms Longfield said in The Telegraph: 'Based in school buildings and running throughout the holidays, summer schools could provide activities of all kinds, meals and potentially some learning too,' she said. 'The idea is also likely to be popular with parents, who however well-intentioned and motivated may need a break from home schooling and may also be in desperate need of childcare as they return to work.' One teacher wrote this morning: 'Lots of us are going to feel very apprehensive and anxious about the new changes, however that looks in our school. We stand with each other.' Queen's Hill Primary and Nursery School near Norwich reopened to reception children on Monday, with 46 attending out of a total of 75 in the year group. The school has been open to children of key workers throughout the coronavirus lockdown, with plans to reopen to nursery children next week and to children in Years 1 and 6 from June 15. Emma Corps, 39, was in a socially distanced queue of parents as she dropped off her five-year-old daughter Isla at the school gates. 'I was a bit anxious but she was excited and I think they need to go back to school as there needs to be some sort of normality back in their lives,' she said. 'For the 10 weeks she was saying 'when am I going back, when am I going back?' then at 6.30am this morning it was 'mummy, quick'!' A teacher during an outdoor class at Watlington Primary School as some schools re-open as the lockdown eases Schools, like this one in Norfolk, are using fruit to mark out where children should sit in their class bubbles, which are less than ten A year 6 sturent returns to a Bristol school with his mother today - most children are not wearing uniform to ensure children wear clean clothes each day Jo Frost, 37, who was dropping off her five-year-old son Max at Queen's Hill Primary and Nursery School near Norwich, said: 'It's obviously a difficult decision but you've got to weigh up everything in life. 'You can't just shut yourself away and wrap yourself up in cotton wool. You could just walk out the door and anything could happen. 'The school have really thought about it. They've sent out lots of letters, pictures and given us all the information we need. I feel confident that they're doing everything right. We were quite relieved, to be honest, as it's quite a long time that he's been off and at his age it's really important to be with his peers. Penny Sheppard, head teacher of Queen's Hill Primary and Nursery School near Norwich, which reopened to reception children on Monday, said: 'I think if I'm honest a lot of headteachers were quite surprised about June 1 because I think we'd been doing a lot of reading about things in the media. 'Probably a lot of us had thought 'OK, we won't be having children back until September'. But then like anything you take it in your stride don't you? 'You think OK, right, after that little bit of a shock announcement, let's think about this logically and then just start a plan of action to work towards that. 'We've been open throughout this and I've had 60 children (of key workers) in childcare so I know that the systems I've put in place are workable and the children, I've been keeping them in their separate 'pods'. 'I knew it was just an extension of that'. Summer camps may be set up to enable children to catch up on lessons after the closures. Queen's Hill Primary School, Costessey, Norfolk opened today Pupils will begin returning to classrooms across England today, at Heath Mount Prep School in Watton-at-Stone, desks have been moved further to maintain social distancing rules Desks have been taped off with smaller classroom sizes at some schools, including Holywell Village First School in Northumberland Freddie Noble, six, and his little brother Will, three, are returning to school in West Norfolk today Ministers are in discussions over summer camps to enable disadvantaged children, along with a 'catch-up premium' that will grant schools extra funding for initiatives to help the most affected pupils. This comes as Education Secretary Gavin Williamson acknowledged the recent school closures would have the biggest impact upon the poorest children. An announcement is due to come in the next few weeks, despite objections from teaching unions if the plans involve working over the summer. This could lead to another row between the government and unions, in the face of Ms Longfield's concerns that pupils may be absent from schools for up to six months. History teacher Chris Beach said: 'First day back in school today. We in Guernsey are blessed to have no active cases, but I am worried for friends and ex-colleagues in the UK - stay safe everyone.' Another commented 'Anxiety through the roof for many,' as primary school children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 are able to return to school after 10 weeks out. Schools have been preparing for classrooms to reopen for weeks, corridors have been marked off to keep pupils apart as they go about their school day, while desks have also been moved to maintain a distance of two metres between schools. Bowie Cool, four, and her mum Lozzie Cool from West Sussex, took a practice walk to school on Sunday to prepare for a return to the school run this morning Children as young as four are being put in social distancing bubbles in classrooms and playgorunds to prevent the spread of Covid-19 germs Most teachers have reduced class sizes, which will operate in bubbles, with no interaction with other classes. Corridors have been marked off to keep pupils apart at a school in Northumberland For younger years, toys have been taken out of classroom and are being kept in storage out of fear they could hold Covid-19 germs. Brian Walton, head teacher at Brookside Academy in Somerset, spoke to Good Morning Britain ahead of pupils' arrival from 7.30am. He said: 'Like headteachers up and down the country we've been planning this probably from when lockdown started really. It's taken meticulous plans consultation with staff and parents. 'Like most of the teachers right now I'm glad it was a really early start because I probably wouldn't have slept anyway.' Children are at an extremely low risk of catching coronavirus. The majority of hospital admissions are people over 60. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Hertford has prepared its classrooms for pupils' return The main concern over pupils returning to school is the potential spread of germs between different households, while teachers who may be at risk could also be exposed. Headteachers have also predicted that more than one in five teachers will be forced to work from home because of health conditions, their age or because members of their family are vulnerable. Co-headteacher Matt Ferris of Kingsholm Primary School has explained many of the new features in response to parents' questions over how their children will adapt to social distancing measures, They will be given a designated time slot and and allotted area - or pen - where they leave their child before heading off along a designated walkway. Pupils will be told to maintain social distancing between others, and they will only be allowed to mix with a small number of others. Students who do not conform with the social distancing rules will also be sent home on a three-strikes policy. In a video published on the school's website, Mr Ferris talks parents through what they can expect when Year 6, Year 1 and Reception and nursery children return on June 1. Drop off and collection times will be staggered with queues and marked walkways for parents and pupils to follow. What can I do as lockdown measures ease in England? Coronavirus rules are changing in England from today, here are some important things to bare in mind. Can I meet more people? From June 1 you will be able to meet up to six people from separate households, in outside spaces. This means that you can meet limited numbers of family and friends in gardens and parks, but you must continue to follow social distancing rules. You can play sports with the people that you meet, but only if it is possible to keep a two-metre space between you, such as tennis or football. Will my children go to school? Primary schools can begin to open for pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 from Monday. Vulnerable children and children of key workers can still go to class, and teaching can start for older pupils in Year 10 and Year 12 in two weeks time, Monday June 15. Will any more shops be open? Most non-essential shops will remain closed on Monday, but car showrooms and outdoor markets will be allowed to reopen. Other non-essential shops can start to trade again from June 15. Can I go on a day out? Day trips to outdoor spaces are allowed as long as you do not stay the night. While on a trip people have to maintain social distancing and hotels are still closed. Will there still be punishments for breaking the rules? Yes, and fines for rulebreakers have been increased. Penalties for a first offence are now set at 100 (reduced to 50 if paid within two weeks) and double for every subsequent rule breach, up to 3,200. If I am shielding can I leave the house? From Monday, the two million people who have been shielding in England can now leave the house to spend time with people outdoors. Those considered extremely vulnerable will be able to go outside with members of their household, while continuing to follow social distancing guidelines. And those who live alone can meet outside with one other person from another household, also adhering to social distancing guidelines. What are the rules in Wales? From Monday people from two households in Wales will be able to meet outdoors, as long as they do not travel more than five miles and observe social distancing. People who have been shielding will also be able to exercise outdoors and meet people from another household, but must not go into another house or share food. What are the rules in Scotland? Since Friday, people north of the border have been allowed to meet in groups of eight, outdoors in parks or gardens, but these gatherings can only include members of two separate households. There have been no changes to rules for people who are shielding. What are the rules in Northern Ireland? Some rules will be relaxed in Northern Ireland on June 8. In a week, some more shops such as car showrooms can open, and outdoor weddings will be able to take place, but limited to fewer than ten people. Pets can also go to grooming parlours, and outdoor sport facilities will be allowed to open. Advertisement Kingsholm is using timeslots based on surnames, with parents being asked to drop children off alone, without siblings or other children. Pupils will be dropped off by parents in to pens that will be sectioned with barriers as they arrive. Parents have raised their own concerns however, Vix Lowthion wrote: 'My children are not going back to school tomorrow. I have spent weeks trying to influence this govt's pathetic handling of the pandemic. 'It's now got to the point I have to protect my own kids and their teachers and families. It's the responsible thing to do.' Other parents are happy with a return to school life though, with one father saying his child was going 'stir crazy,' during the lockdown. Ministers last night reassured parents that reopening primary schools today is safe amid fears that up to a million children may be kept away. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said it was 'extremely important' children went back to school. It comes as a study suggested up to half of families may shun sending their youngsters to lessons due to worries about the spread of coronavirus. This means that a million children, half of those in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6, could be kept off, in a blow to the government's hopes of getting back to normal. The majority of primaries are expected to open from today, despite fierce opposition from the National Education Union. At the 11th hour, the union again attempted to scupper openings, claiming they should be delayed until June 15 to protect youngsters and teachers. Unions are also vehemently opposed to rumours of summer school classes being set up for vulnerable children. Minsters are thought to be considering it as a possibility to make sure pupils get the best opportunities. Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), told Sky teachers should not have to work over the summer holidays. She told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday: 'Teachers have been working flat out to provide education for children at home. 'So what should happen is and we do support this clubs and activities on a volunteer basis.' But Education Secretary Gavin Williamson attempted to allay parental and staff concerns, insisting that Government decisions throughout the pandemic are 'based on the best scientific and medical advice'. He said: 'While there might be some nervousness, I want to reassure parents and teachers that the welfare of children and staff continues to be at the heart of all of our considerations. 'For the past three weeks the sector has been planning and putting protective measures in place.' Speaking at the Downing Street briefing, Mr Jenrick said ministers believe it is 'possible to open schools safely'. He pointed out that 80 per cent of schools have been open throughout the pandemic, with thousands of teachers already educating children of key workers as well as vulnerable pupils. Mr Jenrick said: 'It may be that there are some parents out there today who have not yet made the decision to send their children back to school but will do so in the days ahead when they've seen other people make that step and schools manage to reopen safely. 'I certainly hope so, because it's extremely important that we do get children back to school. 'All of the evidence suggests that it is children from the most deprived, the poorer households, who are losing out by not having that crucial face-to-face contact that you get in a school setting. I don't want to see that continue for any longer.' Government safety measures include returning primary pupils having access to coronavirus testing, along with symptomatic members of their family. They will be kept in small, socially distanced groups of no more than 15 throughout the day, with staggered breaks, lunchtimes, drop-offs and pick-ups. Dr Jenny Harries, deputy chief medical officer, told the press conference that testing capacity across the country 'is now very significant' at up to 200,000 a day. She pointed out that the 'risks of social interactions are reduced' as pupils will be kept in small groups. Boris Johnson wants nurseries and early years providers to reopen today, and primary schools to allow back their Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 groups. Some students in Year 10 and 12 will be allowed to meet face-to-face with their teachers at secondary school from June 15. The majority of primaries are expected to reopen. But many are only admitting a fraction of eligible pupils, with the introduction of rotas, as they struggle to adapt to smaller classes and reduced teacher levels. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said it was 'extremely important' children went back to school The National Foundation for Educational Research surveyed 1,233 head teachers in state primary and secondary schools in England. They expect nearly half (46 per cent) of families to keep their children at home because of their concerns around coronavirus or the need to self-isolate. The figure is slightly higher for primary schools (47 per cent) compared to 42 per cent in secondary schools. Across all schools, those with the highest proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals an indicator of poverty estimate the figure to be 50 per cent. This compares to 42 per cent in schools which have low levels of disadvantaged students. Mothers who could sue the Government over pupils' human rights By Jim Norton for the Daily Mail Three mothers may sue the Government over school closures, claiming it may have breached children's human rights. They have written to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson to ask whether the mental welfare of pupils has been considered. They also fear draconian social distancing rules planned for returning schools could cause long-term psychological damage. Welfare fears: Campaigners Liz Cole, 46, left, and Christine Brett, 48, right, are two mothers who could sue the government over school closures Campaigner Christine Brett, who has two children, said: 'These are healthy children who have been quarantined for 12 weeks they shouldn't be treated like they're germs, disinfected on entry and separated on to individual tables.' Schools will return today for select year groups for the first time since March 20. The three mothers launched the Us for Them campaign for parents who say they were made to feel like pariahs for disagreeing with children being kept at home because of Covid-19. Molly Kingsley, 41, Liz Cole, 46, and Mrs Brett, 48, all from Cambridgeshire, have one child returning to school and another still at home. They said evidence the lockdown harms youngsters' well-being may have been overlooked. The group is also arguing against extreme distancing as it may breach the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Former lawyer Molly Kingsley (pictured) is one of three mothers who said evidence the lockdown harms youngsters' well-being may have been overlooked They have instructed lawyers to examine whether Government actions so far and the distancing plans may have been unlawful. Former lawyer Mrs Kingsley said if it failed to take into account children's welfare, they are prepared to sue. Almost 2,000 parents and teachers have backed the campaign. A Department for Education spokesman insisted the welfare of children had been 'at the heart of all considerations'. Children and young people will experience high levels of loneliness and depression for up to NINE YEARS after lockdown ends Children and young people are likely to experience high rates of depression and anxiety long after the lockdown ends, according to a review. The research draws on more than 60 pre-existing, peer-reviewed studies into topics spanning isolation, loneliness and mental health for young people aged between four and 21. It concludes that young people who are lonely might be as much as three times more likely to develop depression in the future, and that the impact of loneliness and mental health could last for at least nine years. Authors of the study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, said clinical services need to be prepared for a future spike in demand. It concludes that young people who are lonely might be as much as three times more likely to develop depression in the future The study comes as NHS England's top doctor for children and young people's mental health has urged parents to be alert to signs of anxiety, distress or low mood as some pupils return to school on Monday. Dr Maria Loades, clinical psychologist from the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath, said: 'From our analysis, it is clear there are strong associations between loneliness and depression in young people, both in the immediate and the longer term. 'We know this effect can sometimes be lagged, meaning it can take up to 10 years to really understand the scale of the mental health impact the Covid-19 crisis has created. 'There is evidence that it's the duration of loneliness as opposed to the intensity which seems to have the biggest impact on depression rates in young people. 'This means that returning to some degree of normality as soon as possible is of course important. 'However, how this process is managed matters when it comes to shaping young people's feelings and experiences about this period. Schools should be resourced and given clear guidelines on how to support children's emotional wellbeing during the transition period as schools reopen, the experts say 'For our youngest and their return to school from this week, we need to prioritise the importance of play in helping them to reconnect with friends and adjust following this intense period of isolation.' Members of the review team were also involved in a recent open letter to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson. They suggest that the easing of the lockdown should be done in a way that provides children with time and opportunity to play with peers. Schools should be resourced and given clear guidelines on how to support children's emotional wellbeing during the transition period as schools reopen, the experts say. They call for play - rather than academic progress - to be the priority during this time. Their letter concludes: 'Poor emotional health in children leads to long-term mental health problems, poorer educational attainment and has a considerable economic burden.' Professor Prathiba Chitsabesan, NHS England's associate national clinical director for children and young people's mental health, said the return to school may cause anxiety for some pupils as well as those who remain at home feeling isolated or left out. She stressed that NHS mental health services remain available for children and young people. 'Children and young people may be experiencing a variety of feelings in response to the coronavirus pandemic, including anxiety, distress and low mood, and it is important to understand that these are normal responses to an abnormal situation,' Prof Chitsabesan said. 'The NHS offers a large amount of mental health support for children and young people, and if a child needs urgent mental health support or advice, check nhs.uk for services in your area, including 24/7 crisis support.' NHS England issued advice on what parents should look out for and steps they can take to look after their child's mental health. Signs include finding children are more upset or struggling to manage their emotions, appearing anxious or distressed, increased trouble with sleeping and eating, appearing low in mood, reporting worried thoughts or more bed wetting in younger children. Parents can help by making time to talk to their children, allowing them to talk about feelings, trying to understand their problems, helping their child do positive activities, trying to keep a routine and looking after their own mental health. Nadine Dorries, minister for mental health, said: 'As many children start to return to school, it's vital we continue to give them the support they need to maintain their mental health and wellbeing and deal with any feelings of uncertainty or worry they may be experiencing. 'The NHS remains there for those who need it and our mental health services are adapting to best support families and children as we all get used to these changes in routine.' Mary Robinson is a former President of Ireland and UN Human Rights Commissioner. She is chair of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working together for peace, justice and human rights. Here, she writes about how the coronavirus pandemic proves it is possible for human behaviour to change. 2020 was set to be a significant year for global climate action, but the COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption in all walks of life. It has affected lives, livelihoods and it has exacerbated inequalities. With the postponement of the pivotal COP26 climate summit, and the derailment of so many other linchpin events in 2020, at first it might seem as though there is no hope of achieving the kind of climate action needed. Yet, the pandemic has also shown that the international community can come together when the need arises. It has demonstrated that it is possible for human behaviour to change at pace on a global scale. While COVID-19 has intensified prevailing inequalities, these issues are all parallel to those with which we must grapple to overcome the climate crisis too. At the start of 2020 I was dejected, we lacked any sign of the kind of leadership needed to meet the climate commitments. Now, however, the response to the coronavirus by ordinary people - who have reflected with empathy on how their actions impact those on the front lines of the crisis - has given me more optimism for the future. Government also matters. I am encouraged by the way women who are leading countries - such as Germany, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, New Zealand and Taiwan - have been able to both take tough decisions quickly, and then bring their people with them on the steps to be taken. It is imperative that the recovery from COVID-19 is completely aligned with addressing the urgency of the climate crisis. We need to listen to the young people, to climate-vulnerable states, to indigenous peoples, to women, to the scientists, to environmental defenders, and we need to ensure the global community is supportive of their needs, including action on the provision of climate finance. Story continues Furthermore, a postponement of COP26 cannot be reflected in a delay on climate action. We must avoid at all costs returning to "business as usual" in our COVID-19 recovery, we must oppose any attempts to lock in high-carbon and unsustainable development through recovery packages. Leaders must ensure that climate-positive policies and investments lie at the very heart of COVID-19 response measures and stimulus packages The pandemic has shown us how crucial international collaboration is to tackle global crises, it has also exemplified the inextricable links between public health and planetary health. Health professionals and scientists are telling us that health systems are not resilient enough to cope with the existential threat of the climate emergency. Some individual country responses to the COVID pandemic have also demonstrated the dangers of sidelining the science - it has given us a glimpse of the human cost. Scientific convergence of opinion on what is needed to fight climate change is so strong that any failure to urgently act now, even in the face of other crises, would be a grave injustice to our children and future generations. Whilst we need to acknowledge that governments and people around the world are still dealing with this devastating health crisis, as we start looking to the future we must advocate for climate justice and resilience. The only sustainable solutions to both the coronavirus pandemic and to the exigent global climate crisis are ones where the world works together. With the multiple threats facing our world I've learned from former Chair of The Elders, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, to be a "prisoner of hope", a wonderful expression that he uses. However, with this looming climate crisis hope is not enough unless we accompany that hope with action. Now is the time to act. This week Dermot Murnaghan will be hosting After the Pandemic: Our New World - a series of special live programmes about what our world will be like once the pandemic is over. We'll be joined by some of the biggest names from the worlds of culture, politics, economics, science and technology. And you can take part too. If you'd like to be in our virtual audience - from your own home - and put questions to the experts, email afterthepandemic@sky.uk Birmingham, Ala. Protesters on Sunday evening began trying to tear down a Confederate monument in a downtown Birmingham park. Later, the protest turned violent as demonstrators turned and attacked several members of the media, including from syracuse.coms sister site AL.com. At least one TV reporter was struck in the head with a bottle. The monument withstood attempts to bring it down before Birminghams mayor asked the crowd to leave before police were to step in. The Thomas Jefferson statue at the Jefferson County Courthouse, adjacent to the park, was damaged about 10 p.m. after someone set a fire at its base and several windows in the courthouse were broken by rocks thrown in the demonstration. Police moved into the park minutes later and demonstrators moved a block south of the park on 6th Avenue North at 20th Street North where they burned a flag on a pole at the Wells Fargo building. Demonstrators also spray painted windows and broke out windows in the ground floor of the skyscraper where some entered the building. Windows were also broken out of the neighboring Harbert Plaza as the protesters continued marching south. Demonstrators also broke out windows at the Alabama Power building at 18th Street and 6th Avenue North and entered the building. At 1:40 a.m. Monday, firefighters and police were putting out a fire in the California Fashion Mall store at 1901 3rd Ave N. There were several other businesses along Third Avenue that had windows smashed. [Video here]. Protestors gather in front of the Confederate monument at Linn Park. Posted by al.com on Sunday, May 31, 2020 The effort began after a speaker at a rally for George Floyd on Sunday afternoon called for its removal. Comedian Jermaine FunnyMaine Johnson, called for demonstrators to tear down the monument. Weve got a lot cities around the country. Theyre tearing down Target. Theyre tearing down city hall. We cant do that. We gotta protect our city," Johnson said. We cant tear down 16th Street Baptist Church. We cant tear down the civil rights museum. We cant tear down Carver. We cant tear down A.G. Gaston Plaza. But what Im not telling you to do is walk to Linn Park. Im not telling to walk to Linn Park after this rally. Im not telling you to tear something down in Linn Park. Im not telling you that Im going to be over there after this rally, he said. Birmingham protestors say they will tear down a Confederate monument in Linn Park. Posted by al.com on Sunday, May 31, 2020 The monument in Linn Park has been the subject of a legal fight between Birmingham and the Alabama Attorney Generals Office over historical monuments. The City of Birmingham has wanted it removed, but has lost a legal fight with the Alabama Attorney Generals Office. It wasnt the first legal fight over the monument. Save Our South filed a lawsuit a month after the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board unanimously approved a resolution in July 2015 to remove the Confederate Soldiers & Sailors monument. At first protesters on Sunday took down a plywood barricade at the base of the monument, placed there by the city before the legal fight. Then demonstrators began to chip away at the monument with anything they could find. Ropes were then placed around the monument in an attempt to bring the large monument down. Demonstrators also spray painted the base and chipped away at the inscriptions at the bottom. Chains or ropes were also placed around the monument and people were trying to pull the monolith down. A pickup truck also was being used to help pull. The rope broke on the first attempt. Birmingham police officers stood by watching the protesters and did not attempt to stop them. Officers later pulled back further from the scene. Protesters also turned their attention - and were successful - in taking down a metal statue of the parks namesake. Protesters then chanted one more to go," referring to the main granite Confederate monument. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin appeared at the park, and using a bullhorn next to Johnson, asked the crowd to stand down. The crowd was angered at the request. I understand the frustration and the anger that you have, he said. Allow me to finish the job for you. The mayor didnt explain how he would finish the job. Woodfin said if the crowd continued police would move in. He said he didnt want anyone in the crowd to get arrested. Johnson said that Woodfin was asking for 24 hours and that the mayor deserves to get that time. If the monument isnt down by Tuesday Johnson said he would be back out. The protesters have been a part of demonstrations and rallies around Alabama and the nation over the death of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer who kept his knee on Floyds neck until he couldnt breathe. > Police shoot pepper balls at Mobile activists as peaceful protest turns violent > Here is the earlier reporting from this afternoon telling of protests around the state 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. Egyptian hotels that have hygiene safety certificates will be allowed to increase their occupancy cap to 50 percent as of Monday in accordance with health safety requirements issued by the Tourism and Antiquities Ministry to curtail the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Hotel services in Egypt had been closed to the public since international flights were suspended in March, along with other drastic measures put in place to contain the pandemic. However, over the past two weeks, up to 78 hotels have been allowed to reopen to local guests at 25 percent capacity and under specific requirements put in place by the government, including acquiring health safety certificates. The move came as part of the country's efforts to restore normalcy and boost domestic tourism. The tourism industry, one of Egypt's main sources of hard currency, has been significantly affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Abdel-Fattah Al-Assi, deputy to the Tourism and Antiquities Minister, said in a statement on Monday that the hotel occupancy rate during the Eid Al-Fitr holiday did not exceed the 25 percent cap. He added that the average occupancy rate at hotels reached 8 percent in South Sinai, 13 percent in the Red Sea governorate, 25 percent in Suez's Ain Sokhna city, 25 percent in Alexandria, 4 percent in the North Coast and Matrouh, and 9 percent in Greater Cairo. All these hotels have been subject to "constant inspections" during the religious holiday by inspection committees formed by the ministry to guarantee that all the requirements had been met, Al-Assi added. Last month, 78 out of 172 hotels who submitted reoperation requests had received the health safety certificate after demonstrating that they had followed the health guidelines laid out by the government. According to the newly-announced regulations, the hotels are not permitted to hold parties, weddings, or overnight activities. Their restaurants can only serve pre-set menus, as buffet services are banned, and dining tables should be set at a safe distance to reduce the risk of virus transmission. The regulations also state that a small facility or an entire floor at every tourist resort is to be allocated for isolating confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases. After the partial resumption of operations, Egypts Red Sea governorate announced on Saturday the detection of the first coronavirus case in one of the operational hotels. The case was detected at one resort affiliated to a hotel with a lower occupancy, according to Governor Amr Hanafy. Egypt has recorded 24,985 coronavirus cases and 959 fatalities since the first case was recorded in the country in March. Search Keywords: Short link: What started on Friday afternoon as peaceful protests turned to be chaotic in the evening, Oakland and San Jose. There were the deployment of rubber bullets and tear gas, looting of some businesses, and fires set in commercial buildings and streets. Then, reports came out that similar incidents took place simultaneously with the protests in Oakland though they are not confirmed to be directly connected. In the latter-mentioned occurrence, according to reports, two federal building officers were shot and one of them was killed in downtown Oakland. The images of protests were later on followed by several images of devastations and confrontations with police which was mirrored throughout the nation on Friday night. Along with these were protests in several cities that amounted to a considerable rebellion against the so-called "police brutality" that targets "people of color." That particular night of demonstration followed an equally devastating protest on Thursday in Minneapolis, the third night of demonstrations in the city over the police killing of George Floyd. Peaceful Demonstration Intended Notably, Oakland has a momentous "recent history" that has peaceful political demonstrations which the so-called opportunistic anarchists use so they can commit "acts of vandalism" later at night. And, many people on the street last Friday night said, it has happened again. Protesters assembled outside the San Jose City Hall on Friday at around 2 p.m. Meanwhile outside Citi Hall in Oakland, protesters gathered at 8 p.m. Both incidents started peacefully and turned out to be more unruly in the latter part of the night. As reported by various media organizations, demonstrations in Oakland started with only a few hundred protesters that grew to roughly 5,000 along the "streets of downtown and down Broadway or Auto Row." In the Oakland rally, protesters reportedly marched onto 880 Freeway and at one point, blocked the traffic, much way the San Jose demonstrators had done on Friday afternoon on 101 South. One woman, according to a media report, was riding a horse to the picket saying, "Horses bring attention." Later that night, a Walgreens was vandalized, looted, and broken into. A fire inside the store, located on the 14th and Broadway in Oakland was also set. According to the news report, also looted was a Target store, via "an assembly line" and at least one vehicle was set on fire, as well. Arrests, Detaining and Police Injury Oakland police were able to make 22 arrests after detaining at least 60 individuals for looting. In relation to this, 13 police officers of the city were reportedly injured after they were thrown objects by the protesters. According to Susan Manheimer, the Interim Oakland Police Chief, they have had demonstrations a night before and they began peacefully. She added, they "stood peacefully with the community in Oakland" to ensure safe and respectful spaces for the protesters. However, Manheimer said, what they saw later that evening became disruptive and violent and thus, "we want to call on everyone" intending to come to the city and stand with them to "respect the memory of George Floyd" and the community to guarantee that they are both respectful and peaceful to Oakland, especially the downtown businesses which have suffered since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. According to the police department in Oakland, it remained unknown if what happened on Friday night was linked to the protests several blocks away. Currently, agents of FBI, Homeland Security, and the US Marshals are leading the investigation into murder and shooting. Check these out! [June 01, 2020] OMNIQ's Artificial Intelligence-Based Quest Shield Solution Selected by the Talmudical Academy of Baltimore Quest Shield security package provides a proactive ground-breaking cloud-based solution for crime prevention on campuses and in schools using automatic Machine Vision detection and identification of vehicles by license plate, make and color via an AI-based identification algorithm Real-time alert and notification to law enforcement authorities to actively prevent potential tragedies Technology developed in Israel, previously deployed with success in sensitive security zones in the U.S., Middle East and elsewhere Addressing COVID-19 concerns, students will be equipped with a contactless, readable ID tag verifying pre-screened temperature test clearance Talmudical Academy in Baltimore has over 1,000 students and is part of the Chofetz Haim educational chain with more than 35 locations in the U.S., Canada and Israel SALT LAKE CITY, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OMNIQ, Inc. (OTCQB:OMQS) (OMNIQor the Company), announces that it has been selected to deploy its Quest Shield campus safety solution at the Talmudical Academy of Baltimore in Maryland. The Quest Shield security package uses the Companys AI-based SeeCube technology platform, a ground-breaking cloud-based/on-premise security solution for Safe Campus/School applications. The platform provides unique AI-based computer vision technology and software to gather real-time vehicle data, enabling the Quest Shield to identify and record images of approaching vehicles including color, make and license plate information. The license plate is then compared against the schools internal watch list and law enforcement data bases such as the Maryland Coordination & Analysis Center (MCAC), to provide immediate notifications to security and administrative personnel. In addition to providing a vehicle identification and recognition solution to the Talmudical Academy, the Quest Shield comprehensive security platform addresses other security concerns including controlling access to the buildings and visitor management as well as the ability to pre-register guests for school activities. Additionally, as part of COVID-19 mitigation, parents in Maryland will be asked to take and record their childs temperature each day before they leave for school. Quest Shield will automate this process, by providing parents an online form where they may record the temperature. All Talmud Academy students will be equipped with an ID tag that will have a QR code that can be read with a barcode scanner. As students enter campus, faculty equipped with Quest handheld scanners will read the barcode to confirm that the students temperature has been taken that day; if the form has not been filled in, faculty will check temperatures before allowing students inside. Shai Lustgarten, CEO of OMNIQ commented: It is our privilege to work with the Talmudical Academy to provide our solution to enhance safety at their Baltimore campus. Quest Shield is an extension of the homeland security solution we designed for the Israeli authorities to fight terrorism and save lives. Rabbi Yaacov Cohen, Executive Director, Talmudical Academy of Balimore commented: Mr. Lustgarten added: The Quest Shield has been tailored to provide a proactive solution to improve security and safety in schools and on campuses as well as community centers and places of worship in the U.S. that have unfortunately become a target for ruthless attacks. Were pleased to work with a forward-thinking organization like the Talmudical Academy, it is gratifying that the Academy selected the Quest Shield platform to strengthen its security precautions. Additionally, many schools and communities are expressing concern around children returning to school in the fall due to COVID-19. With that in mind, Talmudical Academy will also employ the Quest Shield to provide an automated screening process to confirm that students have had their temperatures checked, per Maryland regulation, upon their arrival on campus and prior to them entering the school facilities. Mr. Lustgarten concluded: We are proud to be able to improve student safety in the U.S., as well as in other vulnerable communities. Quest Shield has previously been implemented by a pre-K through Grade 12 school in Florida and at a Jewish Community Center in Salt Lake City. We look forward to working closely with the Academy and other institutions to promote the health and safety of students, faculty and support personnel. About OMNIQ, Corp. OMNIQ Corp. ( OMQS ) provides computerized and machine vision image processing solutions that use patented and proprietary AI technology to deliver data collection, real time surveillance and monitoring for supply chain management, homeland security, public safety, traffic & parking management and access control applications. The technology and services provided by the Company help clients move people, assets and data safely and securely through airports, warehouses, schools, national borders, and many other applications and environments. OMNIQs customers include government agencies and leading Fortune 500 companies from several sectors, including manufacturing, retail, distribution, food and beverage, transportation and logistics, healthcare, and oil, gas, and chemicals. Since 2014, annual revenues have grown to more than $50 million from clients in the USA and abroad. The Company currently addresses several billion-dollar markets, including the Global Safe City market, forecast to grow to $29 billion by 2022, and the Ticketless Safe Parking market, forecast to grow to $5.2 billion by 2023. Information about Forward-Looking Statements Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this press release relating to plans, strategies, economic performance and trends, projections of results of specific activities or investments, and other statements that are not descriptions of historical facts may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This release contains forward-looking statements that include information relating to future events and future financial and operating performance. The words anticipate, may, would, will, expect, estimate, can, believe, potential and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which that performance or those results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time they are made and/or managements good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in demand for the Companys products particularly during the current health crisis , the introduction of new products, the Companys ability to maintain customer and strategic business relationships, the impact of competitive products and pricing, growth in targeted markets, the adequacy of the Companys liquidity and financial strength to support its growth, the Companys ability to manage credit and debt structures from vendors, debt holders and secured lenders, the Companys ability to successfully integrate its acquisitions, and other information that may be detailed from time-to-time in OMNIQ Corp.s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Examples of such forward looking statements in this release include, among others, statements regarding revenue growth, driving sales, operational and financial initiatives, cost reduction and profitability, and simplification of operations. For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting OMNIQ Corp., please refer to the Companys recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which are available at http://www.sec.gov. OMNIQ Corp. undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless otherwise required by law. Investor Contact: John Nesbett/Jen Belodeau IMS Investor Relations 203.972.9200 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Saving Advice is a community built around the notion that saving money is good. We offer free articles and information on all aspects of personal finance including debt reduction, how to save money, how to make money and how to invest. If you need any money saving advice, you have found the right place. Sindiswa Masuta is Grey Advertising Africa's new strategic business director Grey Advertising Africa has appointed Sindiswa Masuta as its new strategic business director. She is responsible for all the business of strategy, including - South African Tourism, Mazda, and Distell. Masuta was previously a business unit director in account management at DDB where she worked on brands such as Honda, African Bank, Samsung, MTN and Unilever. She has 10 years' experience in the advertising industry having graduated with an honours degree in strategic brand communications from Vega. "This is an area of advertising that I've always been intrigued by, so I'm thrilled that my career has now taken a more decisive turn in this direction. Advertising is an exhilarating industry to be a part of, and the strategy side of the business will allow me to make even more of an impact on my clients' campaigns," says Masuta. The world has been turned upside down because of the COVID-19 pandemic but the mining sector appears to be weathering the storm as one fund sees capital slowly flowing back into the sector. In an interview with Kitco News, Lisa Davis, chief executive officer at PearTree Securities, said that larger producers, due to increased cash flow and higher gold prices, are in better shape than junior explorers. She added that one thing that could help the junior exploration sector is a few changes to the flow-through funding program. Flow-through funding is a tax-based financing incentive that exploration companies can use to raise capital. The company can issue common shares with the full amount of the investment being tax-deductible against all sources of income. About 70% of Canadian resource companies rely on flow through funding to raise capital. One big issue that has come up with the flow-through regime is the deadlines by which companies have to spend that capital. Government lockdowns in the last two months have made it difficult for companies to access their projects, putting their project deadlines at risk. In normal times, like 99.9% of the time isn't really an issue, said Davis. Along with lobbying the government to extend the deadline, Davis said that her firm is also asking the government to relax some of the rules around how the flow through money can be spent. Davis added that it could take some time for the Canadian government to address the issues faced by the exploration sector. I think that the proposals are good ones. I just think that there's been so many emergency measures that have taken priority. They've had to triage and, and this one hasn't been one that they've been able to get to the top of the list as quickly as the industry would like, said Davis. Having said that, I'm quite confident that we're going to get the results that we're hoping for. Looking at activity in the sector, Davis said that her firm has been fairly busy in helping companies raise capital; however, she warned that one quarter doesnt make a trend. I dont want to say that weve dug out of the hole yet, but indicators are actually quite good, she said. I am optimistic, but, you know, at the same time, I'm, I'm realistic and it's, there's still lots of challenges and the flow through share regime is really a critical part of this whole ecosystem to make it all work. MIT Undergraduate Association Danielle Geathers When college student Danielle Geathers returns to campus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the fall, itll be in historic fashion as the schools first black female student body president. Geathers, 22, was recently elected president of the Undergraduate Association alongside her running mate Yu Jing Chen, marking the first time in the schools 159-year history that a black woman was elected to the coveted post. It didnt surprise me that no black women had been president, Geathers told MITs student newspaper The Tech. Someone asked if the UA president was a figurehead role [during the debate]. I think no, but minimally, a black female in that role will squash every perception that MIT is still mostly white and male. Minimally, the immediate image of that will make MIT a more welcoming and inclusive place, she added. Geathers is majoring in mechanical engineering with a concentration in product design, and minoring in African and American diaspora studies. She previously served as the UAs diversity officer. RELATED: Princeton University Names First Black Valedictorian: It Feels Empowering The rising junior told The Tech that she was initially afraid of running for president, as she felt, Who am I to be president? I talked to a couple of people who said, That is the problem with America. People who care about equity never want to run for the main role because they think theyre not for it, she recalled. Geathers, a Miami native, felt it was important to address both her own race and that of her running mate during her campaign, largely because she works in diversity. RELATED: 14-Year-Old Chicago Girl Earns Her Master's Degree: 'You Have to Be Dedicated' We try to ignore the communities that people are from, but thats whats gonna make them good, she said. Six percent of MITs undergraduate students are black, and 47 percent are women, according to the school. The Cambridge, Massachusetts, university was founded in 1861 its first female graduate, Ellen Swallow Richards, did so in 1873, while the first African-American graduate was Robert Robinson Taylor in 1892. 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... The family of the unarmed black man who died in police custody, George Floyd, rejected the initial results released by the medical examiners who did the autopsy on Floyd. The family had a private autopsy conducted and the results will be sent on June 1. Cause of death The lawyer of the family, Atty. Ben Crump, said that they do not believe that the conclusion of the autopsy is correct. The autopsy was done by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office, and it showed that they did not find any physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation even though in the gruesome viral video, Officer Derek Chauvin had his knee of Floyd's neck for 9 minutes. According to CBS News, the report also stated that Floyd had underlying health conditions including hypertensive heart disease and coronary artery disease. The report concluded that Floyd's underlying health conditions, Chauvin's restraint, and possible intoxicants in the victim's system contributed to his death. Atty. Crump released a statement on May 31 that he and Floyd's family reject the notion from the Minneapolis Medical Examiner that the knee from Officer Chauvin on Floyd's neck was not the cause of his death. Also Read: Trump Calls George Floyd Protesters as "Thugs," Saying That Looting Will Lead to Shooting George Floyd died on May 25 after Officer Chauvin, who is now fired from the force along with the other three police officers on the scene, restrained him by placing his knee on his neck for almost 9 minutes. The video immediately went viral on social media, and Floyd can be heard pleading for help and telling the officer he can't breathe. The incident has sparked anger and it set off protests across the United States. Former officer Derek Chauvin is now facing third-degree murder and manslaughter charges. Atty. Crump stated on Face the Nation that Chauvin's sentence was not enough as he should be charged with first-degree murder. Black Lives Matter protest go global Aside from the nationwide Black Lives Matter protest in the United States, other countries have voiced out their support and their disdain on police brutality. In the United Kingdom, hundreds of demonstrators were gathered at Trafalgar Square in London. People were kneeling in solidarity at 1 p.m. on May 31. Although mass gatherings were prohibited due to the coronavirus pandemic, the demonstrators were still able to show their support by being socially distant from one another. The people were seen carrying signs that read, "Racism has no place," "Justice for George Floyd", "I can't breathe," "Enough is enough" and "Black lives matter." The crowd chanted "No justice, no peace." The crowd also marched to the US Embassy located in Battersea, according to BBC, and they were also seen in Cardiff and Manchester. In Germany, people also gathered to support the Black Lives Matter movement. A crowd gathered at the US Embassy in Berlin on May 30. On May 31, they demanded justice for Floyd's death in front of the Brandenburg Gate. Their signs read "Black future matters," "Suffocate the racists," "Justice can't wait," and "We are all the same and equal," and "We will not be silent." Pictures taken from the protest showed people standing with their hands around their necks, the line "I can't breathe" written on their face masks and people kneeling. Related Article: Celebrities Speak Out About George Floyd's Death, Offers Help to Bail Out Protesters @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Advertisement Kiwis have taken to the streets in New Zealand in support of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. Nigerian-born mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya was one of about 4,000 demonstrators who gathered in Auckland on Monday afternoon to demand justice for the death of Mr Floyd. Protests have erupted around the world over the killing of the African-American man who was restrained, handcuffed and suffocating on the ground, by three police officers in Minneapolis, USA, as one of them, a white man, knelt on his neck as he died. UFC Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya was vocal in the crowd in Auckland during Monday's demonstration About 4,000 people protested in New Zealand on Tuesday to demand justice for African-American man George Floyd, killed in the US city of Minneapolis by police including a white officer who knelt on his neck as he died The protesters marched to the US Consulate chanting for justice on Monday Derek Chauvin, the white officer filmed with his knee on Mr Floyd's neck, has since been charged with murder. There have not yet been any charges against the other three officers involved though all have been sacked. The peaceful Black Lives Matter march went from Aotea Square to the US Consulate, with deafening chants of 'no justice no peace', 'I can't breathe' and 'justice for Floyd' echoing through the city streets. The march culminated with the protesters kneeling outside the US embassy and a minute of silence in memory of the 46-year-old father-of-two. A similar march planned for Sydney's Hyde Park on Tuesday evening was cancelled on Monday after organisers said troublemakers had threatened the safety of the event. 'We have had some people intending to wreck havoc and protest against the event,' wrote organiser Paige Roy on Facebook. A demonstrator walks to protest against the killing of George Floyd. Derek Chauvin, the white police officer filmed with his knee on Mr Floyd's neck, has now been charged with murder Demonstrators flooded the streets with hand made signs in protest against Mr Floyd's death in police custody Protesters in Auckland on Monday hold handmade signs demanding justice over the US police killing that shocked the world after footage of it went viral on social media 'This event was meant to be a time for Aboriginal voices to be heard, but due to uncertainty of safety for all involved, we would like to make advise a cancellation of the protest.' More than 1,500 people had signed up to attend the march while 3,900 people had said they were interested in attending. Originally the event was called 'BLM (Black Lives Matter) & George Floyd Peaceful Protest Sydney' before it was changed to target Australians. 'This is a PEACEFUL PROTEST for the misrepresentation of our Indigenous population in the legal system, as well as in solidarity to George Floyd,' the Facebook event read. A woman stands proud among protesters on the street in Auckland with a sign that reads 'my skin colour is not a threat' The protest has been replaced by a vigil to be held on Saturday in Sydney's inner west suburb of Chippendale. The replacement vigil is organised by the Anticolonial Asian Alliance, the Indigenous Social Justice Association and the USYD Autonomous Collective Against Racism, a radical leftist group that describes itself as: 'Anti-racist, anti-colonial, anti-fascist, anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist'. At the demonstration in New Zealand on Monday, organisers called for demonstrators to be vigilant and practice social distancing during the protest, which became difficult as the crowd numbers swarmed into the afternoon. Tamaki Makaurau based rapper and organiser of the Auckland Black Lives Matter protest Mazbou Q told The NZ Herald the same levels of racism seen in the United States are prevalent in New Zealand. 'We recognise what is going on in the United States is not just about George Floyd, but the ongoing persecution of the black community is an ongoing phenomenon,' he said. 'The same white supremacy which has led to disproportionate killings of black people in the US exists here in New Zealand.' Demonstrators held up signs reading 'I can't breathe' and 'no justice no peace' as chants echoed through the city on Monday afternoon An estimated 4,000 protesters gathered for the Black Lives Matter march, while other events happened in Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington Rob Gaitau attended the protest in Auckland with his sons Noah and Moses. He said he was taking a stand with his family to stop the same level of violence from reaching New Zealand. 'We are here because when things like that happen over in the United States you need to speak out, in case it happens here,' he said. Protests were also held in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin on Monday in unity with cities around the world including London and Berlin, while chaotic scenes have continued in the United States. Protesters took the knee and raised a fist outside the US embassy in Auckland in protest against the death of George Floyd Many protesters wore face masks during the peaceful demonstrations which united a broad mix of Kiwis in support of justice for George Floyd Many peaceful protests have turned into full scale riots, with at least 75 cities in America experiencing their sixth consecutive night of demonstrations, with many featuring raids and looting. At least 40 cities have imposed curfews in light of the riots and violence in a devastating display of civil unrest, with National Guard members being activated in 15 states. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison does not believe violent protests in the United States will bring change after Mr Floyd's shocking death. Mr Morrison said the footage from the US was disturbing. A man raises his fist while wearing a face mask at the protest. Event organisers called for protesters to practice social distancing, which became difficult as crowd numbers grew Protests have continued into the evening, with a vigil being held in Wellington and around 500 people outside Parliament. Pictured: a protester in Auckland 'I saw a good meme on the weekend - Martin Luther King didn't change anything by burning anything down or by looting any shops,' he told 2GB on Monday. Mr Morrison said video of the officer kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck was awful. 'As upsetting and terrible that the murder that took place - and it is shocking, that also just made me cringe - I just think to myself how wonderful a country is Australia.' He cautioned against similar demonstrations in Australia turning violent, with local protests planned for later this week. 'There's no need to import things happening in other countries here to Australia,' Mr Morrison said. 'Australia is not the United States. The United States is a great country. 'They're a great friend of Australia and they're going through a difficult time. We wish them all the best as they deal with that.' A minute of silence was held for Mr Floyd before the protesters made their way from Aotea Square to the US embassy Milltown Cemetery bomber Michael Stone is being unfairly punished by having to remain in jail until 2024, the Court of Appeal was told on Monday. Lawyers for the ex-loyalist paramilitary argued that six years he spent out on licence should count towards the 30-year tariff he received for waging a sectarian murder campaign. Strict social distancing measures were in place as the first case of its kind since the Covid-19 pandemic got underway at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast. Attendance numbers were limited, with legal representatives and press assigned seats and then individually called into the pilot physical hearing. Stone is seeking to overturn a ruling which means he still has to serve another four years behind bars. He was freed early under the Good Friday Agreement in 2000, but returned to prison in 2006 for attempting to kill Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness at Stormont. In January 2019 the High Court held that the Department of Justice had wrongly determined Stone is eligible for potential release on parole. According to that ruling he must remain behind bars until July 2024 at the earliest. The finding came in a legal challenge mounted by the sister of one of 64-year-old Stone's victims. Deborah McGuinness's brother, Thomas McErlean, was murdered with fellow mourners John Murray and Kevin Brady in the grenade attack on an IRA funeral at Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast in March 1988. Expand Close Michael Stone during the Milltown Cemetry attack in 1988 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michael Stone during the Milltown Cemetry attack in 1988 The former UDA man was also the gunman in another three murders. Milkman Patrick Brady was murdered in south Belfast in November 1984, 12 months before joiner Kevin McPolin was shot in the head in Lisburn, Co Antrim. In May 1987 Dermott Hackett, a bread server, was found dead in his van between Drumquin and Omagh. He had been shot up to 16 times with a submachine gun. Stone's return to prison followed his infamous assault on Parliament Buildings in 2006. He denied it had been a bid to kill the Sinn Fein politicians, instead claiming it was an act of performance art. Expand Close Michael Stone is tackled by security officers as he entered Stormont in 2006 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michael Stone is tackled by security officers as he entered Stormont in 2006 In 2013 he was told that he must serve the rest of the 30-year tariff on his life sentence. Stone's case was then referred to Parole Commissioners on the basis that he had completed that minimum term. However, Ms McGuinness claimed the Department unlawfully included the six years he spent out on licence before the attack on Stormont. The High Court backed her case that he should not be considered eligible for release until 2024 - when a full 30 years will have been served in custody. Appealing that ruling, counsel for Stone argued that those six years should count. David Scoffield QC said: "When someone is released on licence their sentence continues to tick by," he submitted. The barrister was pressed on the requirement for his client to serve a tariff aimed at ensuring retribution and deterrence. He claimed, however, that Stone only had a "qualified liberty" during a six-year period of release when he complied with licence conditions. "There's nothing in the statutory scheme that says if you breach your licence you have to step back in time and re-serve that time," Mr Scoffield submitted. "We say that is retrospective penalisation." But according to Ronan Lavery QC, for Ms McGuinness, public confidence in sentencing arrangements would be undermined if Stone spent less than 30 years in jail. "There's a large section of the population who believe that life should mean life," he said. "If they are not sentenced to the rest of their lives in prison, at the very least a period which represents retribution and deterrence should be spent in custody." Reserving judgment in the appeal, Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan thanked the parties for observing the protocols put in place. A COVID-19 outbreak at a farm in Norfolk County has seen more than 120 migrant workers test positive and sent seven to hospital, but local officials say the health-care system is holding. Currently, the hospital has capacity to care for patients, and that capacity was developed by reducing the number of surgeries and outpatient procedures that we do, said Tom Thomson, interim CEO and president at Norfolk General Hospital in Simcoe. Thomson confirmed on Monday that seven workers from Scotlynn Group, a farm and trucking operation headquartered in Vittoria, were currently being treated for COVID-19 at the Simcoe hospital. Three workers are in the intensive-care unit, which normally has six beds. However, given the pandemic, weve increased our physical spaces to 18 beds, 15 of which can be used for patients that have to use a ventilator, Thomson said. He couldnt say whether any of the migrant workers have needed a ventilator, but said the hospital could handle an influx of COVID cases requiring that treatment. We have the capacity to ventilate significantly more patients than we normally would, Thomson said. The outbreak at Scotlynn affected workers in three bunkhouses. The health unit ordered tests for all 207 migrant workers on the farm, as well as Canadian labourers who commute daily. Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, Haldimand-Norfolks chief medical officer of health, said it was too soon to know how the virus got onto the farm. According to Scotlynn CEO Scott Biddle, all workers had completed their mandatory two-week quarantine after arriving from Mexico. When asked at a press briefing on Monday whether the province could do something to address migrant farm workers living in close quarters, Premier Doug Ford said he would consider it. Thats something we can put on the table, Ford said. Ive been there, Ive seen the congregate living in these farms. Can we do it within a month or so? I just dont think thats reality. What we can do is go in and test frequently. Its critical we do. Well continue to test to keep those people safe and keep the food supply chain safe as well. Dr. Allison McGeer, a microbiologist and director of infection control at Mount Sinai Hospital, said the progression of the outbreak at Scotlynn was not the least bit unexpected. McGeer was asked about the outbreak during her testimony before the Ontario Health Services Appeal and Review Board on Friday, at an appeal hearing into the health units order limiting bunkhouse occupancy during the mandatory quarantine. She said Norfolks hospital should expect another spike in COVID patients. My guess would be that before this outbreak is over, one or two of those hospitalized patients will move to the ICU, and that another five to 10 people will require hospitalization. And if this is an average outbreak, maybe two of these people will die, she said. Lessons can be learned from this situation to better prevent future outbreaks, McGeer added. Theres not much we can do, I dont think, about the severity of the people getting infected, but we should be able to reduce the size of the outbreaks and improve control, she said. The Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) will by the end of the 2019/2020 academic year disburse GH?32.3million to beneficiaries in tertiary institutions across the country. It is expected that a further GH?35 million will be paid before the academic calendar ends, according to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ministry of Education, Vincent Assifuah. He was reacting to concerns raised by the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) that about 2,000 students under the scheme had not received their first and second semester tranches of the loans they had applied for. According to Mr Assifuah, the trust fund was well-grounded even though there had been some delays in the periodic disbursement of loans in the current academic year. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, he said, the fund had created an avenue for loan applicants to use part of their loans to acquire laptops to enable them to access the e-learning due to the closure of schools to contain the virus. He explained that the delay in disbursement was not intentional and that For the 2019/2020 academic year, the fund has been paying in tranches as and when funding is available. Mr Assifuah said the management of the fund would continue to engage the leadership of NUGS and other students associations as well as the general student body to address their concerns. At a press conference last week, the leadership of NUGS said certain concerns brought to the attention of the government in relation to e-learning system, had been ignored. The concerns included the inclusion of students in the disbursement of the COVID-19 National Trust Fund stimulus packages, the provision of subventions in the form of free bundles to enable them to take their end of semester exams. They also called on the government to waive off the loans of students under the SLTF at least for this year. We wish to remind government that none of the concerns and recommendations we tabled before the president and during our subsequent pressers have been met even as the semester is coming to an end, NUGS said. Source: The Ghanaian Times 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 governments of Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to extend the deferment of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project to 31 December 2020. This comes after Malaysia has informed Singapore of its desire to propose some changes to the HSR project, while requesting for a seven-month extension. The proposed changes covers some of the projects commercial and technical aspects, said Senior Minister cum International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali. He revealed that the two governments will resume discussions on the project in the near future, reported Bernama On 5 September 2018, Malaysia and Singapore agreed to suspend the projects construction until 31 May 2020 to find the best way forward for the project. The Malaysia government, along with MyHSR Corporation Sdn Bhd, have been reviewing the project to identify cost reduction options, like reviewing and optimising the rails alignment, station locations as well as business model. Are you interested to know how will HSR benefit Malaysians? Then read this guide! Meanwhile, Singapores Transport Ministry said it agreed to a final extension of the HSR project in the spirit of bilateral cooperation. We look forward to receiving Malaysias formal proposal on the changes to the HSR project soon, so that both sides can begin discussions immediately, said the ministry in a statement. Singapores Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan noted that the extension should provide Malaysia with sufficient time to clarify its proposal and for the two countries to assess the proposed changes implications. Covid-19 pandemic does inconvenience the discussions but tele-conferencing can largely overcome the difficulty. The key is joint commitment to the projects vision and mutual trust, said Khaw, who also serves as Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure, in his Facebook page. Nevertheless, the HSR is a complex project, and both sides have to be convinced that the changes do not undermine the original intent of the projectI remain optimistic that an HSR linking our two capitals will benefit both our peoples. Story continues Image source from My HSR Corp Check out these latest project reviews today! Or read our helpful Guides to learn all about the various property buying, selling and renting tips! Iran, Turkmenistan to reopen borders June 10 as COVID-19 restrictions ease ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Sun / 31 May 2020 / 16:40 Tehran (ISNA) - Following gradual easing restrictions due to the global outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Iran and Turkmenistan have agreed to reopen borders next week (on June 10), according to Iranian ambassador to Ashgabat. Gholamabbas Arbab Khales announced on Sunday that the rail and road borders between the two countries will be reopened while fully observing health protocols. He said that Iran and Turkmenistan had previously agreed to reopen borders on June 1, but the date was then postponed to June 10 for disinfecting operations to protect road and railway transportation. The ambassador noted that the decision to reopen borders was made on Saturday by a joint working group thorough video conference, IRNA reported. He also said that in a ministerial meeting among Iran, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as negotiations between heads of railway companies of the three countries, they agreed to reopen borders while installing sanitizing tunnels at both sides of the borders and fully observing health protocols. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Summary The report Global Iced RTD Coffee Drinks Report 2019 acts as an essential tool for companies active or planning to venture in to Global Iced RTD Coffee (Soft drinks) market. New York, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Iced/RTD Coffee Drinks 2019 - Key Insights and Drivers behind the Iced/RTD Coffee Drinks Market Performance" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05903141/?utm_source=GNW The comprehensive statistics within the research handbook provides insight into the operating environment of the market and also ensures right business decision making based on emerging trends and industry model based forecasting. The analyst considers Iced RTD Coffee Drinks as primarily non-carbonated packaged ready to drink (RTD) and non-ready to drink (non-RTD) coffee-based drinks which may be cold- or hot-filled, based on brewed coffee or coffee extract. Rapid urbanization in locations across the globe, encouraged the iced/RTD coffee category, particularly with the younger demographic. The popularity of the category in China was aided by the strong urban demographic in the country, which is also the case for Kuwait, which is 100% urban. Furthermore, higher-than-average temperatures across Western Europe boosted demand for iced/RTD coffee beverages, in particular for on-premise locations in Austria, Finland, and Denmark.This is interesting as Finland and Denmark are hindered by extremely high sugar taxes, which in turn should elevate strong preference away from the category, In Austria, the weather aided category blurring from its hot coffee counterpart, which is a vital element of Austrian culture. Strong private label and discount presence in Germany also contributed to category success, as this trendy, and premium category was affordable to a larger majority. Volume surges for the category were a result of strong performances in China, Canada, and Saudi Arabia which all benefited from a rise in economic power driving consumer buying behavior. Eastern and Western Europe also saw upsurges, influenced by the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, and Croatia as product launches and a rise in all pack sizes for Western Europe signaled adoption. Continued success in Asia is expected for category development, followed by strong gains in North America.Growth over 20192024 is forecast to lend itself well to Middle East North Africa and Western Europe, with gains forecast specifically in Kuwait, Qatar, and Republic of Ireland. North America experienced strong competition, with McDonalds introducing their RTD beverage under the McCafe brand. This launch signified the importance of the category, where QSR already dominates near 50% of all consumed iced/RTD coffee drinks in the region. Innovations have prospered in this category, with manufactures adapting to future trends in flavor and variety.Coffee blended with innovative mixtures - such as lime in Japan, an added cookie in Austria, and lemonade/blood orange mix in the United States - meets consumer desires to expand into the unknown. Development of flavor trends will keep this category ahead of competition. Trends in grab-and-go across the globe have not only increased off-premise consumption, but have amplified the need for single serve pack sizes.Sizes over 20cl gained the most traction, promoting the need for on-the-go caffeine fixes. Interestingly, large pack sizes also gained volume, particularly in Latin America, Australasia, and Middle East North Africa, where consistent warm weathers have a strong influence. Scope Global Iced RTD Coffee Drinks Report 2019 report covers over 8 global regions comprising of Africa, Asia, Australasia, Easter Europe, Western Europe, Latin America, North America, Middle East and North Africa, provides - - Top line value and volume growth data, % share by flavor, key companies, packaging and distribution (on-/off-premise), with forecasts. - Details of key new product launches by region. - Overview of the competitive landscape in the Iced RTD Coffee Drinks market, with analysis of key company performance. - Insightful and valuable analysis of the drivers behind both current and emerging trends in the Iced RTD Coffee Drinks market. Reasons to Buy - The Global Iced RTD Coffee Drinks report allows you to evaluate forecast projections, enhancing your understanding of the evolving trends and consumption patterns. - The report is arranged by region, giving a comprehensive view of current and emerging trends and opportunities to support corporate strategic planning. - Identify the current and emerging trends and future growth opportunities in the global Iced RTD Coffee Drinks market to assess the likely impact on companys performance. - Interrogate the data to understand both the historic and likely future performance of the global Iced RTD Coffee Drinks industry by region to support long-term strategic planning. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05903141/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 Donald Trump, the old man version of Veruca Salt from Willy Wonka/President of the United States, is seeking to label ANTIFA a terrorist organization. I say, "seeking" because despite him releasing this tweet: It doesn't appear he has the power to do this. But I'll get to that later because first, I have to talk about how stupid this even is. ANTIFA, which means "anti-fascist," is not an organized movement, but rather, a moniker that people who fight fascist groups apply to themselves. There is no initiation process. You could wake up tomorrow and say, "I'm ANTIFA," and, guess what, you're ANTIFA. Go punch Nazis or kick a Klan member in the nuts ya little scamp. Or do nothing, because again, there are no official rules to be in ANTIFA because ANTIFA isn't a thing you can be "in." To label ANTIFA a terrorist organization is akin to labeling fans of Phish a drug cartel on the presumption that each individual member will do LSD. Sure some of them will, and they'll talk to you about it for days after, but there's no requirement they actually do that. But even then, this analogy fails to address the greater issue here. Before now, Antifa was a response to white-supremacist groups and Neo-Nazi groups like "the Proud Boys" and the Ku-Klux-Klan, etc. (which, by the way, our President has not labeled as terrorist organizations). But for Trump to equate the anti-fascists to terrorists is to suggest that his own government is fascist. It's the type of "self-own" you'd dream of when you were a kid on the playground, where the bully loudly proclaims he's the best at sucking farts. Of course, eventually, the bully realizes he misspoke and that sucking farts is embarrassing, but the worry here is that Trump has no shame about being a fascist. The double worry is that by Trump labeling ANTIFA as terrorists, he can arrest anyone who politically opposes him with impunity. Retired Army Staff Sgt. Raymond "Chip" Lynch of Nassau, a highly decorated 101st Airborne Division soldier in the Vietnam War, has been selected to receive this year's Rev. Francis A. Kelley Hometown Hero Award. Lynch will receive the award during a ceremony held by the Rev. Francis A. Kelley Society of Saint Joseph's Church, Troy, during a ceremony at a time, date and place to be announced. John W. Mullen and David O. Barnum of the Rev. Francis A. Kelley Society will present the award to Lynch. A Rev. Francis A. Kelley Society committee selected Lynch on the basis of his military and community service, according to Mullen, committee chairman. The award commemorates Kelley, a World War I veteran, Army chaplain and recipient of a Distinguished Service Cross, who advocated for veterans upon his return to the Capital Region. Lynch joins other highly decorated veterans who earned the award before him. The distinguished group includes former Army Capt. Jacob Ashby, former Marine Sgt. David T. Fox, former Army Sgt. David O. Barnum, former Army Capt. William B. Allendorph, former Army Lt. Col. John Brownrigg, and retired Army Brig. Gen. Richard L. Butterfield. Lynch originally enlisted in the Army for training as a heavy equipment operator and mechanic. After graduation from basic combat training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and advanced individual training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he earned his Silver Parachute Wings upon graduation from Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was assigned to the 50th Signal Battalion of the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as the Vietnam War was heating up. But he had to battle his way to get a Vietnam assignment. After numerous attempts to get a transfer to Vietnam, he said he realized the only way he could get to the war zone was by changing his military occupation speciality to 11-B infantry. Also, he added, the quickest way to earn promotions was via combat duty. After he re-enlisted as an infantryman, Spc. 4 Lynch was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry (Strike Force) of the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. While in combat he worked his way up from being a machine gunner to sergeant, squad leader and then to staff sergeant. He ended his combat tour as platoon leader. He performed so well during combat against the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong that he earned two Bronze Star Medals with V devices for valor, two Army Commendation Medals with V, numerous Air Medals, three Purple Hearts, and a Combat Infantry Badge. He also earned Vietnamese Jump Wings. Lynch earned one of his Bronze Star Medals on Feb. 1, 1968, during a combat operation near Song Be, South Vietnam. After his squad was pinned down by intense automatic weapons fire, he rushed to the front of his squad and directed a counterattack. After the unit was pinned down again, Lynch disregarded his own safety, rushed an enemy bunker and dropped a grenade inside. But the enemy quickly threw the grenade away before it exploded. Lynch then ran to the top of the bunker and fired his M-16 rifle, killing the enemy. He earned his first Purple Heart when he was wounded in left arm during a night ambush. During his recovery at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines, Gen. Westmoreland's wife, who was assisting the Red Cross, and movie actor Hugh O'Brien, who starred as Wyatt Earp, visited Lynch. Upon recovery, he returned to Vietnam, where he was wounded two more times. After he recovered from gunshot wounds to both legs, he successfully persuaded Congressman Carleton King to assist him in getting another Vietnam War assignment. This time he became a pathfinder, someone who guides helicopters during landings and unloading with the 160th Aviation Group of the 101st Airborne Division. But lingering afteraffects of his previous wounds forced him to retire from the military. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. After he returned home in 1970, he founded R.A. Lynch Excavating and Trucking Company. Since then, he has been active in veterans affairs. He helped charter the J.J. Yager AMVETS Post in Nassau in 2012, and re-established the Chandler-Young Veterans Association in 2015. The Chandler-Young incorporates Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8162, the American Legion Post 1268 and the AMVETS Post 797 into one veterans organization. Lynch is finance officer of Chandler-Young. He had a setback in 2015 during an operation on one of his knees. The operation, he said, was unsuccessful and resulted in his right leg being amputated in 2017. But that didn't stop him from being active in veterans affairs. Talented Mom: Chip is quicker to talk about his mother than about himself. He has plenty of reason to be proud of his mom, Caroline (May Hartwig) Lynch of Nassau, who died earlier this year. Her maiden name was May Hartwig before taking the stage name "Caroline." She had a highly successful career as an entertainer as a dancer and skater. She appeared on stage in Atlantic City and elsewhere, in Broadway musicals, and as a Radio City Rockette in New York City. Among the stars she knew or worked with were Cary Grant, Danny Kaye, Jackie Gleason, June Allison, Dick Powell, Gene Kelly, Betsy Blair, Van Johnson, Ray Bolger, Billie Burke, Lucille Ball, Doris Day, Patti Page, and Dorothy Lamour, as well as musicians/conductors Tommy Tucker, Al Donahue, Horace Heidt, Jan Garber, Les Brown, Bob Chester, Bob Allen, Tony Pastor, Artie Shaw, Sammy Kaye, Abe Lyman, Jimmy Dorsey, Charlie Spivak, Lee Castle and Johnny Long. After she married in 1946, she moved to the Capital Region, where she taught dance and choreographed many local stage productions. News of your troops and units can be sent to Duty Calls, Terry Brown, Times Union, Box 15000, Albany, NY 12212 or brownt@timesunion.com. Malaysia is set to slip into an economic recession in the following four to six months, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) has said in its Malaysian Economic Statistics Review (MESR). According to the report, this prediction was made based on the latest leading indicators, such as the countrys marginal gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 0.7% in the first quarter of 2020 (Q1 2020). The figure is significantly lower than the 3.9% to 4.2% expansion previously expected; in fact, it is the lowest since the third quarter of 2009, after the global financial crisis between mid-2007 to early 2009. This is compounded by estimated losses of RM22.8 billion in economic output during Q1 2020 due to the movement control order (MCO) enforced to combat the spread of Covid-19. The outbreak has caused the temporary closure of businesses, where they faced the risk of immediate cash flow constraints as their earnings decreased, noted the report, stating that the tourism industry was the first to be impacted. This was subsequently followed by the accommodations and aviation industry. The real estate industry, too, was brought to a halt, as was the retail segment as people withhold from purchasing during this challenging period. The report also predicted that this trend is likely to persist throughout the first half of 2020, given Malaysians uncertainty and lack of confidence in the nations situation. The report further commented that dynamic measures are necessary to help the nation transform its current economic structure. It is currently heavily dependent on commodities-based industries and low value-added industries that hire low- and semi-skilled workers with low pay. New ways of doing business and diversifying the economy is highly required by embracing technological advances, such as the Industrial Revolution 4.0 and digitalisation of business ecosystem, said the report. This is evident as more businesses have leveraged on digital platforms to sustain themselves during the MCO, and e-commerce will become the new norm. The adoption of new technologies will also create a more conducive and sustainable labour market. Meanwhile, the chief economist of IHS Markit Asia Pacific, Rajiv Biswas, also shared a similar forecast for Malaysias economy. First quarter GDP contracted on a quarter-on quarter basis, and 2Q20 GDP is also expected to show a sharp contraction due to the impact of the protracted lockdown. This is expected to push the Malaysian economy into a recession for the 2020 calendar year, he said. However, Biswas believes that the economy will gradually improve in the second half of the year as domestic industrial production and consumption recover along with the easing of lockdown restrictions domestically and globally. (Sources: Malay Mail, Free Malaysia Today, The Malaysian Reserve) 0 0 votes Article Rating SHARE The first echelon of the 16th Chinese peacekeeping construction and engineer detachment to Lebanon prepares to board a chartered flight at the Bao'an International Airport in Shenzhen of south China's Guangdong Province on May 17, 2017. (81.cn/ Peng Xi) By Wang Jiangang BEIJING, June 1 -- Chinese peacekeepers including civilian, military and police have played a valuable role in several UN operations over the past 30 years, and I commend them for their service under the blue flag, said Jean-Pierre Lacroix of France, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, in a written interview on May 28. I extend my gratitude to all the Chinese peacekeepers past and present on the occasion of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, which we mark on May 29 each year, said Lacroix. Lacroix said that China ranks eighth among the top 10 troop-contributing countries, with more than 2,500 Chinese peacekeepers currently serving in UN peace operations at present, and he is grateful for their dedication. China has participated in UN peacekeeping operations for 30 years since China first sent five PLA military observers to the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) in April 1990. Over the past 30 years, it has sent more than 40,000 peacekeepers to participate in 25 UN peacekeeping operations. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China is the main troop-contributing country and the second-largest contributor to the UNs peacekeeping budget. Because of strict discipline, excellent quality, hard work, and the record of zero repatriation for disciplinary reasons, all Chinese peacekeepers have been awarded the UN Peacekeeping Medal. Over the decades, Chinese peacekeepers have participated in a wide range of missions and in a number of important capacities, ranging from medical and engineering contingents, to the police and infantry units, Lacroix noted. Noting that UN Peacekeeping is a unique global partnership, he said that we look forward to continuing this partnership with all stakeholders. It has been a little over two months since President Nana Akufo-Addo imposed restrictions on social gatherings and ordered the closure of all schools and churches and mosques. These restrictions were among the President's first steps to hold the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in Ghana. This evening, the President will deliver his 10th address to the nation on the way forward to stop the spread of the virus in the country. There are speculations that the president may announce a lifting of the ban on social gathering and church activities. But ahead of the Presidents address today, reactions are varied. Rev. Father Andrew Campbell, Parish Priest of the Christ the King Church, said although the Catholic church has instituted measures that will enable social distancing and other safety protocol, the church remains committed to supporting the President in whatever decision he announces today. Pastor Samuel Oppong Quinine of the Jubilee Temple of the International Central Gospel Church at Palas Town in Awoshie backs calls for churches to resume. He also outlines measures instituted by the church, including the setting up of handwashing and sanitising bay, reducing the number of people in a pew, among others, should his church get the greenlight to resume. However, a Catholic family of three that had come to the Christ the King church for prayers, told the GhanaWeb team theyd prefer the restrictions to remain in place. Mrs Doris Eshun and her two children believe although the number of people who have died from the virus is low compared to other countries, the number of active cases keep rising. They want the government to tread cautiously. As the President readies to deliver his much-anticipated address, we can only keep our fingers crossed to hear what he has to say. 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 Business travellers can once again take to the skies as South Africa enters level 3 of the lockdown. Oz Desai, general manager for Corporate Traveller, has welcomed the resumption, but warns that the travel experience will be very different for now. "Business travellers can and should expect that the travel rules and regulations will change constantly as risk levels are continuously re-assessed. Working with a professional travel consultant will become a non-negotiable as these experts will be able to advise travellers on the documentation that is required, the airline regulations and requirements as well as the safety guidelines put in place by hotels and other accommodation establishments," says Desai."Booking your own travels is all good until something goes wrong. The past few weeks have shown us exactly just how much can go wrong."Desai outlines what business travellers can expect and how they can prepare for their next business travels:As South Africas borders remain closed, international passenger flights are still off the cards for now. Only local business travel can resume.Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula has clearly outlined that travel for recreational, leisure or tourism purposes is not allowed for now. Air travel will, therefore, be for business travel only.The Ministry has revealed that Cape Town International Airport, King Shaka International and OR Tambo International Airport will open for domestic flights from Monday, 01 June. Lanseria International Airport will open as soon as the availability of Port Health Officers has been confirmed.At a later stage during Level 3, Kruger Mpumalanga, Polokwane and Bram Fischer International Airports could open followed by Kimberley, Upington, East London, Umtata and Port Elizabeth."We are in talks with suppliers to establish which airlines will resume operations under Level 3," explains Desai."Airlines have told us they are meeting, discussing and evaluating both their readiness to fly and the commercial viability of doing so. We will continue to update our platforms including our website with the latest updates on which airlines are starting as well as the documentation that will be required."Drop off and pick up is only permitted outside the terminal building.Any traveller who enters the airport will need to wear a face mask and carry documentation from their company outlining the reason for their travels. Without this documentation, travellers will be denied boarding.All travellers will be screened before entering the terminal building, and will be denied access should they have elevated temperature or present with signs of being infected with Covid-19. Any suspected cases will be reported to health officials. After the flight, upon landing, all passengers will once again be screened and suspected cases referred to health officials.In a briefing to parliament, the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) outlined further measures at the airport. This included the possibility of luggage sanitation for both carry-on and checked luggage, strict social distancing and self-scanning of boarding passes. Boarding will also be staggered to ensure social distancing.Airlines will be allowed to operate at full capacity. Minister Mbalula ensured the public that the risk of contracting Covid-19 on aircraft is much lower than in other confined spaces and public transport. He explained that all aircraft are fitted with high-level HEPA filters that eliminate all viruses, including the coronavirus.To further mitigate the risk of contracting the virus, travellers will be asked to wear masks onboard flights. No catering will be provided onboard, and there will be no onboard magazines available. The last row of the aircraft will be reserved for isolation purposes in the event that a passenger needs to be isolated.All aircraft will be thoroughly disinfected after each flight.Hotels and accommodation establishments will be open for business travellers only. The establishment will therefore likely ask travellers to confirm that they are travelling on business prior to accepting your booking.Hotels will have stringent health measures in place. Buffets will likely be scrapped, while room and linen cleaning frequency may be reduced to lower contamination risks and turndown service might be eliminated. To reduce surfaces in rooms, all excess softs cushions, throws, extra blankets etc., and decor items could be removed. Mini-bar stock will have been reduced to a minimum.The new travel landscape could lead to uncertainty and anxiety for travellers and companies.Desai suggests that companies get in touch with their travel consultant to discuss the possibility of compiling a clear and transparent travel policy. With unprecedented times comes the need for flexibility, especially with something as important as travel policy. An interim travel policy created for this specific situation is the best way forward and will highlight responsibilities, duty of care and destination restrictions. San Francisco: As protests against the death of African-American George Floyd gain momentum in the US, top tech CEOs have come out in expressing solidarity with people of colour, especially the African-American community. In a note to Microsoft employees, CEO Satya Nadella said that every-day racism, bias and hatred in the news today is not new and we must have empathy for those who are scared and uncertain. "I know it's not enough to just have empathy for those impacted, for the communities who are experiencing this hate, firsthand, who are scared for their safety, and for their loved ones," Nadella said . At this moment, "people can start by checking in with each other, ask colleagues how they're doing and what they need, have empathy for what others are feeling". Demonstrations and riots have spread to cities across the US after a video went viral of Floyd being suffocated to death by a white police officer in Minneapolis on May 25. Several thousand people of colour currently work at big tech companies globally. "Have empathy for those who are scared and uncertain, and join me and everyone on the senior leadership team, in advocating for change in our company, in our communities, and in society at large," said Nadella. Apple CEO Tim Cook stressed that right now, there is a pain deeply etched in the soul of the nation and in the hearts of millions. "To stand together, we must stand up for one another, and recognize the fear, hurt, and outrage rightly provoked by the senseless killing of George Floyd and a much longer history of racism," Cook said in a memo to employees. "That painful past is still present today e not only in the form of violence, but in the everyday experience of deeply rooted discrimination," he added. Cook said that there has been progress since the America he grew up in, "but it is similarly true that communities of colour continue to endure discrimination and trauma". "At Apple, our mission has and always will be to create technology that empowers people to change the world for the better. "For all of our colleagues hurting right now, please know that you are not alone, and that we have resources to support you," Cook noted. Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted: "Today on US Google & YouTube homepages we share our support for racial equality in solidarity with the Black community and in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery & others who don't have a voice. "For those feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone," Pichai added. Google and YouTube have put a black ribbon on its home page in the US, showing solidarity for protests against the death of Floyd, an unarmed black man, in police custody. TWIN FALLS Narcisse Mubibya fell in love with animals when he was a child living in Uganda and hes wanted to work with them ever since. We couldnt afford any animals at that time, he said. Its just a dream that I had, and I wanted to realize it and accomplish it one day in my life. This fall, Mubibya will attend University of Idaho to study animal and veterinary science with help from the Chobani Scholars program. Hes one of four Magic Valley students to get the University of Idaho scholarship this year. Its the next step toward his goal of becoming an animal nutritionist. But it wasnt always certain that he would make it to college. Mubibya and his family came to Twin Falls from Uganda in 2016 as refugees. He knew little English and had never attended school before. That steep learning curve caused him to fail all his classes during the first semester at Canyon Ridge High School. That winter break, he decided to research the subjects he had struggled in and began improving his English. Thats when it all started making sense and I started picking up on stuff, he said. But even with the academic improvements, Mubibya couldnt afford to go to college on his own. That changed when he found out he was selected by Chobani for their scholarship program. Education is the main opportunity Mubibya hoped for in America and hes grateful for the ability to continue learning. When I got that scholarship I thought there is still hope, there is still something I can do, there is still a way to learn, he said. Mubibya, the fourth of seven children, will also be the first in his family to attend college. The chance to set an example for his younger siblings means a lot, he said. Its a big step for anyone in my family, he said. This is a lifetime opportunity, and I cant risk blowing it off. Scarrow continues family legacy Katlyn Scarrow grew up working on a dairy farm that her great-great-grandfather started in the early 1940s. Next fall, Scarrow will join the animal and veterinary science program at University of Idaho with help from the Chobani Scholars program. Scarrow plans to eventually work in a dairy laboratory. As part of a dairy familys fifth generation, shes developed a love and passion for the industry. It really has shaped who I am, she said. Scarrow will graduate in June from Kimberly High School, where she served as an officer in FFA. During her time, she participated in a variety of areas, including showing horses at the fair, doing community service and working at a dairy laboratory. That engagement helped her earn a State FFA Degree the highest award Idaho can give out. Its also provided her with the experiences and connections necessary thrive in school and the workforce. It feels good to see all my hard work pay off, she said. I want to help dairymen in the future be the best that they can be. Chobani Scholars The Chobani Scholars program started in 2018 at University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences to encourage students to pursue a variety of careers in the dairy industry, including veterinary sciences, agricultural systems management and agribusiness. The success of the next generation of dairy farmers is incredibly important to us, and through this program we can help invest in some of the most talented and passionate young people out there, Jason Rahlan, director of social impact and philanthropy at Chobani, wrote in a statement. Through this partnership with the University of Idaho, these students will learn the valuable skills needed to one day become the dairy leaders of tomorrow. Chobani awards scholarships of $20,000 each year to four students. The money is spread over the course of a four-year degree. The 2020 recipients, including Mubibya and Scarrow, are the second group to receive the award. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 16:55:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Students enter the teaching hall at the No. 103 High School in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, June 1, 2020. Students in their first and second grades of junior high schools and fifth and sixth grades of primary schools returned to school for this semester in Changchun on Monday, which marks the International Children's Day. (Xinhua/Lin Hong) What could be better than the sun shining? There's no doubt summery weather boosts your mood, but it could also be having an impact on your skin. Despite all the benefits of vitamin D, a warmer climate has the potential to suck all the moisture out of your skin. That's why it's a good idea to add moisturising, soothing and cooling products into your regime - which is where hydration sprays come in. There's a reason drinking lots of water is the worst-kept secret in skincare; the more hydrated your skin, the plumper it will look, reducing the appearance of fine lines. In the summer, you might be losing more fluids due to the warmer weather and a dry atmosphere, leaving your skin feeling like the Sahara. So, how can a hydration spray battle this? Of course, you still need to make sure you're drinking plenty of water - but a mist could be the secret to keeping your skin bouncy and dewy. Why does the skin need hydration? "Hydration is one of the most important factors for the skin," explains facialist and skin expert Fiona Brackenbury. "The gatekeeper for healthy skin is the skin's barrier. Part of the skin's barrier is the NMF (natural moisturising factor) - the NMF ensures the outer layer of the skin remains hydrated. "The challenge we have is the NMF takes water from the air, and the drier the air, the lower the humidity, the less moisture is in the atmosphere - which will cause a depletion of the NMF, and the skin can feel dehydrated and thirsty." Dry skin can disrupt the skin's barrier and have an impact on your complexion as a whole - particularly if you're prone to sensitive skin. Many things can deplete the NMF, whether it's age, over-cleansing or the climate, which Brackenbury says can make the skin feel "tight, dehydrated, dry and sensitised. "Replenishing the skin with natural components of the NMF can rebalance the NMF and alleviate these conditions." How do hydrating sprays fit in? If you're living in the UK or Ireland, your skin could be particularly suffering. "We are not known for our high humidity levels, and that is when hydrating mists and sprays can support the skin," Brackenbury explains. She refers to these products as "the easiest way to support the skin's barrier and the NMF of the skin, and to increase your skin surface hydration levels". At its core, Brackenbury sees hydrating mists as skin enhancers, because "a healthy skin is a hydrated skin". It's not like splashing water on your face, though - Brackenbury says a lot of these products are "now packed with ingredients to give your skin a moisture top-up, not just in the morning but throughout the day". You can incorporate the product into your skincare routine, and keep it in your bag in case your skin feels like it needs a moisture top-up at any point. What ingredients should you look for? With so many different products and ingredients, the world of skincare can be overwhelming. "The key to hydration is to lock in and limit moisture evaporation, so hydrating sprays that contain plant oils, as well as hydrating ingredients, support the skin brilliantly," notes Brackenbury. She recommends looking for products which contain natural ingredients like argan oil, olive oil and avocado. If you want to try a new ingredient - maybe you've heard about the benefits of niacinamide or hyaluronic acid for your complexion - a hydration spray is a great way to do so. And equally, they're great for anyone who needs a little TLC to reduce redness, restore the skin's pH and strengthen the skin's barrier. In Italy, they sing from balconies. In the UK, they place pictures of rainbows in windows. In India, they chant "Go corona." Around the world, solidarity in the face of the coronavirus is taking many forms. In Japan, that form has three legs, a beak, scaly skin and floor-length hair. Meet Amabie, the 19th century half-fish, half-human that's resurfaced to keep people safe. The mermaid-like creature began appearing on social media in Japan in early March and was soon being tagged in upwards of 30,000 posts a day. Manga artists rendered the creature in their own styles, sharing images alongside messages wishing for an end to the virus. Amabie then got official recognition when Japan's health ministry made it the face of its public safety campaign. After that, it started appearing on cookies, face masks, candy, bread rolls, the obligatory Starbucks logo pastiche, and even statues in parks. According to a woodblock-printed news sheet dated April 1846, the creature made its first and only appearance in the sea off Higo Province, now Kumamoto Prefecture, on the southern island of Kyushu. As the story goes, a government official went down to the beach to investigate reports of something shining in the water. When the official arrived, a mermaid-like creature emerged, introduced itself as "Amabie who lives in the sea," and issued two predictions. "For the next six years, there will be a bountiful harvest across Japan, but there will also be an epidemic." Amabie then told the official, "Quickly draw a picture of me and show it to people," and disappeared back into the sea. Nagano Eishun, librarian of the Fukui Prefectural Archives and an expert on ancient spirits, says Amabie is one of more than a dozen prophecy beasts reported during the Edo period, and it probably derives from an ape-like creature with a similar name. In 1843, three years before Amabie first appeared, there were reports of a three-legged simian in the same province. The furry beast went by the name Amabiko and its origin story was strikingly similar. A woodblock printed news sheet from the era said a man went down to the sea to investigate reports of glowing lights. Amabiko introduced itself, predicted a rich harvest and an epidemic, then claimed that people would survive and live long, healthy lives if they saw the creature's image. Among the eight northeastern states, only Mizoram on Sunday extended the ongoing lockdown for another month till June 30, officials said. An official release said that in view of the continued increase of Covid-19 cases in different states, especially its neighbouring northeastern states and the return of huge numbers of stranded residents of Mizoram from other states, it is necessary to further extend the lockdown till June 30 in a bid to prevent the spread of the disease in the state. It said that the state government also issued new guidelines for the fifth phase of the lockdown with special emphasis on maintenance of social distancing and strict vigilance along the 318-km long Bangladesh and 510-km-long Myanmar borders as well as the inter-state borders with Assam, Tripura and Manipur. Out of the eight northeastern states, only Mizoram is a green state and became Covid-19 free after its lone patient recovered from the disease and was discharged from the Zoram Medical College and Hospital on May 9. Under the new guidelines, standalone shops and other business establishments are allowed to transact business till 5 p.m. while shops at shopping complexes and commercial hub within Aizawl municipal area and district headquarters would open on alternate days. "Screening tests of all passengers and returnees are must at the time of arrival and they have to be put in 14-days institutional or home quarantine," the guidelines said. The night curfew would continue to remain inforce from 7 p.m. to 4.30 a.m. and gathering of more than five people is prohibited. Mizoram Home Department officials said that more than 6,000 people have so far returned from different parts of the country and another 700 people are on the way to Mizoram from Goa. Around 1,440 Mizoram residents stranded in Delhi and other north Indian states returned to the state by train on Sunday. Chief Minister Zoramthanga, meanwhile, commended the officials, doctors, police and other frontline workers for their hard and sincere work. Press Release 1 June 2020 Japan Injects JPY1.35 Trillion to Stimulate Domestic Tourism Advertisements The Japanese government has announced a plan to incentivise domestic tourism by offering financial aid for locals to travel when the coronavirus subsides. The Japan Tourism Agency, an agency of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, will be running a JPY1.35 trillion (USD12.5 billion) programme aimed at reinvigorating Japan's tourism industry. According to a member of the agency, the state-run Go to Travel Campaign will offer a 50% discount off air, sea, and land transport, and halve the costs of overnight stays. Details on the implementation have yet to be set. The launch and phased rollouts are expected to be slow, and dependent on the coronavirus situation in each prefecture. The coronavirus situation will be closely monitored during the campaign with indications that the plans might first be made available for travel to nearby prefectures, followed by regions and, finally, nationwide. The campaign will be available through large and small travel companies. Airlines in Vietnam Seeks to Resume Domestic and Several International Flights Vietnam-based Vietnam Airlines Group, comprising of Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific, and Vietnam Air Services Company ("VASCO"), is planning to gradually restore all domestic network by the beginning of June. On the other hand, the Vietnam's Civil Aviation Authority ("CAAV") is seeking government approval to partially resume international flights from 1 June 2020. According to Vietnam Airlines, it is estimated that by June 2020, the Vietnam flag carrier will completely recover its domestic flight network after the resumption of Danang to Van Don and Danang to Can Tho routes. Vietnam Airlines has also mentioned its intention to launch new routes to "diversify its product portfolio". The carrier said from 16 May 2020, it will increase its flight frequency for all its domestic routes in Vietnam. Similarly, Jetstar Pacific and VASCO will also increase the flight frequency for all domestic routes. However, the flight schedule adjustment will still be subjected to actual situation and functional authorities' approval. According to Vietnam Airlines, all passengers will have to wear face masks throughout the flights and adhere to health and safety protocols. Additionally, all the carriers will continue to disinfect the entire aircraft and remove in-flight meals on domestic flights according to the regulation from CAAV. Korean Airline Seeks to Resume Flights on 19 International Routes from June South Korea-based national flag carrier, Korean Air, is planning to resume several international routes from 1 June 2020. The 19 international routes included Washington, D.C., Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto, Frankfurt, Singapore, Beijing and Kuala Lumpur. Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, Korean Air flights were down to 55 per week on 13 international routes. Before the pandemic, the airline would operate 900 flights on 110 routes. With the gradual opening of routes, Korean Air flights will increase to 146 on 32 international routes. The decision was made as demand grows following ease in coronavirus restrictions by many countries. Emirates' outgoing president has said it could take the state carrier up to four years to resume flying to its entire network, which has been decimated by the coronavirus pandemic. The Dubai-based airline, which flew to 157 destinations in 83 countries before the pandemic, grounded passenger flights in March and has since operated a few, limited services. 'I think probably by the year 2022/23, 2023/24 we will see things coming back to some degree of normality and Emirates will be operating its network as it was and hopefully as successfully as it was,' Tim Clark said in a webcast interview with aviation consultant John Strickland. Emirates' outgoing president has said it could take the state carrier up to four years to resume flying to its entire network Emirates has warned that the current period would be the most difficult in its 35-year history and on Sunday said it had made some staff redundant due to the impact of the pandemic. Clark, who is to become an adviser to the airline this month when he steps down as president, said the industry could start to recover by the summer next year if a widely available vaccine was successfully developed by early 2021. 'We will start to see an uptick, quite a large uptick in demand for travel,' Clark said, adding that Emirates would be able to get its fleet ready within 48 hours if it had to. Demand would likely continue to increase into 2023 and 2024 unless there was another major trauma to the global economy, he added. However, Clark warned that physical distancing on planes was not economically and environmentally practical because it would mean flying aircraft half empty. Emirates will for now continue to ask passengers to wear gloves and face masks onboard, he said. Emirates is currently asking passengers to wear gloves and face masks onboard. Pictured is the economy cabin on one of its A380s Clark also added that contractual obligations mean that airlines cannot continue to keep their fleets grounded. 'We must get this business back on its feet as quickly as possible,' said the Emirates boss, whose own fleet includes 115 Airbus A380 superjumbos. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimated last week that global airlines will lose $314billion in 2020 revenues, a 55 per cent dive from last year. A Virgin Atlantic captain, meanwhile, has urged travellers to 'buy airline tickets like you bought toilet paper'. Captain Chris Pohl, 56, who has been flying for 38 years, posted a picture of himself holding up a piece of cardboard carrying the message to his Instagram profile and it has now received over 4,100 'likes'. And he said he'd received messages of support from all over the world. Virgin Atlantic Captain Chris Pohl has been urging travellers to book tickets. He posted this image to his Instagram page Customers are even using the hashtag #buyairlineticketslikeyouboughttoiletpaper in WhatsApp exchanges with Virgin Atlantic customer service teams. Captain Pohl, who has logged 24,000 flying hours, explained that the inspiration came from Instagram sensation @dudewithsign, whose similarly styled pronouncements have led to 7.5million followers, and @pilotcharlotte, who posted a similar message. The Australian, who lives in south-west France, near Toulouse, hopes that the photo, which was taken at the top of his son's BMX ramp at their home, will help to 'get the world flying again'. A Cessna SkyCourier during a test flight. Textron Aviation Cessna's newest aircraft, the SkyCourier, has taken to the skies for the first time. The SkyCourier is a multi-use utility turboprop designed for both cargo and passenger use, building upon the popular Cessna Grand Caravan. FedEx Express has already placed a 50-aircraft order for the new model valued at over $500 million. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The newest turboprop from Cessna has taken to the skies for the first time. The Cessna SkyCourier was first announced in 2017 as a highly durable utility aircraft intended to build upon the capabilities of its tried and true predecessor, the Cessna Grand Caravan. While boasting the versatility to carry 19 passengers or 6,000 pounds of cargo with its large cabin, the SkyCourier is also designed for high utilization operations even at airports with subpar conditions, making it a true workhorse. The twin-turboprop departed for its first test flight from Textron Aviation's Wichita, Kansas facility on the grounds of Beech Factory Airport on May 17. Its aerial jaunt around Kansas' skies was the first step in a flight-testing campaign that will test the performance of the aircraft on its way to certification. Awaiting that milestone is FedEx Express, which has already placed 50 orders for the aircraft with an option to extend that number to 100. The shipping giant's airline plans to use the SkyCourier to transport freight to remote destinations that do not warrant or cannot accommodate its larger aircraft, replacing its aging fleet with the new and highly capable turboprop. Take a closer look at the Cessna SkyCourier, America's soon-to-be newest freighter and airliner. Production on the SkyCourier was kicked off by a 50-aircraft order from FedEx Express in 2017. A Cessna SkyCourier rendering. Textron Aviation Source: Textron Aviation Cessna's newest turboprop aims to one-up an existing iconic in the manufacturer's product line, the Caravan series. Story continues A Cessna Grand Caravan. Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Source: Textron Aviation The Caravan is a proven workhorse that's seen use in numerous aspects of the industry ranging from commercial seaplane flights to cargo. A Cessna Grand Caravan seaplane. Getty Its freighter variant is currently used by the likes of DHL and FedEx to reach remote communities or serve short routes not feasible for larger aircraft. A Cessna Grand Caravan. Fabrizio Gandolfo/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty But it's tiny compared to the SkyCourier, making the new turboprop a step up for FedEx, the largest customer, as it can carry twice the load. A Cessna Grand Caravan. Enrico Powell / Shutterstock.com Source: FreightWaves A true utility aircraft, the twin-engine plane is capable of carrying freight or passengers. 19 passengers can be seated in the cabin with a 1-2 configuration, A Cessna SkyCourier rendering. Textron Aviation Source: Textron Aviation Or three standard LD3 shipping containers, the same that are loaded into the belly of commercial airliners and freighters, weighing up to 6,000 pounds in total can fit into the main cabin, loaded via the large cargo door in the rear of the plane. A Cessna SkyCourier rendering. Textron Aviation Source: Textron Aviation The plane will be flown by two pilots when flying for a passenger operation but the cargo version will have the option to be flown by only one pilot, reducing overall operating costs and making more efficient use of a pilot base. A Cessna SkyCourier after a test flight. Textron Aviation Source: Air Cargo World The first flight for the SkyCourier took place on May 17, less than three years following the deal between Cessna parent company Textron Aviation and FedEx. A Cessna SkyCourier rendering. Textron Aviation Source: Textron Aviation The freighter version is the cheapest coming in at $5.5 million per aircraft while the passenger version will cost slightly more at $6.3 million. A Cessna SkyCourier rendering. Textron Aviation Source: FreightWaves and Air Cargo Week The FedEx deal for 50 planes was estimated to cost $550 million based on the cost price of the aircraft, though the shipper might have received a bulk discount. FedEx Express and Textron Aviation marking a deal for the purchase of 50 SkyCouriers. Textron Aviation Source: FreightWaves The passenger variant is slated to receive passenger-friendly features not commonly found on most turboprop airliners, Textron Aviation's fleet sales manager Mike Haenggi told Air Cargo Week, including USB charging ports at each seat. A Cessna SkyCourier rendering. Textron Aviation Source: Air Cargo Week The SkyCourier's range will be approximately 900 nautical miles, roughly equivalent to the distance between New York and West Palm Beach, Florida. A Cessna SkyCourier rendering. Textron Aviation Source: Textron Aviation When fully loaded with freight, however, the range drops to under 400 nautical miles. A Cessna SkyCourier rendering. Textron Aviation Source: Textron Aviation Durability and high utilization will also play a key role, with the manufacturer implementing a stronger landing gear system to handle poorly maintained runways and also simplifying the fueling process for quick turnarounds. A Cessna SkyCourier rendering. Textron Aviation Source: Textron Aviation Having taken its first flight, the SkyCourier will now begin flight testing and certification with a delivery goal of later this year. A Cessna SkyCourier during a test flight. Textron Aviation Source: Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Read the original article on Business Insider The Boston Police Department released the names of the 53 people who were arrested after violence erupted on city streets following the Sunday night protests. The people were primarily arrested in the downtown area. Boston Police Commissioner William Gross said 27 people arrested were from Boston while 24 people were from other Massachusetts communities. Two people were from other states. Another person, who lives out of state, will be issued a summons. Three were three demonstrations in Boston held protesting the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on the 46-year-old victims neck for more than eight minutes last week. Violence took over Sunday night in Boston after the largely peaceful protests. Several bystanders and police were injured while monuments were damaged, and a police cruiser was set on fire. Those arrested have been identified as: Leonil Pena, 23-year-old, of Boston, charged with willful and malicious destruction of property. Darryle Thompson, 29-years-old, of Taunton, charged with assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest Darren Dupree, 32-years-old, of Boston, charged with assault and battery on a police officer, Inciting a riot, and disorderly conduct. Brian Pulliam, 35-years-old, of Lowell, assault and battery on a police officer and disorderly conduct. Marchies Porcher, 21-years-old, of Dorchester, charged with willful and malicious destruction of property. A 17-year-old juvenile male of Brockton, charged with willful and malicious destruction of property, inciting a riot, and disorderly conduct. Matthew OBrien, 26-years-old, of Roslindale, charged with willful and malicious destruction of property, larceny over $1,200 and reckless operation of a motor vehicle. Diakhari Roberts, 21-years-old, of Mattapan, charged with breaking and entering of building nighttime for a felony. A 20-year-old male of East Providence, Rhode Island, will be summonsed for larceny under $1,200 and receiving stolen property. Mario Fiume, 31-years-old, of Stoneham, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Aly Joseph, 27-years-old, of Quincy, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Stephanie Mathurin, 23-years-old, of Malden, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for Felony. Elliot Strassman, 27-years-old, of Jamaica Plain, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Antonio Cardona, 36-years-old, of Wakefield, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Edward McColgan, 28-years-old, of Roxbury, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Keyshaun Taylor, 24-years-old, of Fall River, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony, possession of burglarious tools, larceny over $1,200, and willful and malicious destruction of property. Derelle Felix, 22-years-old, of Mattapan, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony, possession of burglarious tools, larceny over $1,200, and willful and malicious destruction of property. Jeremiah Lenoch, 28-years-old, of Brighton, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony Dallas Walenty, 23-years-old, of Berwick, Maine, charged with disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. Charlotte Hannum, 23-years-old of Belmont, charged with disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. Cadence Stoloski, 20-years-old, of Plymouth, charged with assault by means of a dangerous weapon. Patsy Newton, 18-years-old, of New Bedford, charged with disturbing the peace. Shauntee Garcia, 29-years-old, of Attleboro, charged with receiving stolen property. Ryan Maloney, 33-years-old, of Winthrop, charged with larceny from a building and disorderly conduct. Jason Portillo, 22-years-old, of South Boston, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Jose Figueroa, 30-years-old, of Lynn, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Roshaun Ladouceur-Pettway, 28-years-old, of Boston, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Elest Reve, 22-years-old, of Watertown, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony and disorderly conduct. Robert Audette, 25-years-old, of Oxford, charged with disorderly conduct. Rene Rodriguez, 21-years-old, of Boston, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony and disorderly conduct. Terrell Harris, 25-years-old, of Boston, charged with receiving stolen property. John Boampong, 37-years-old, of Dorchester, charged with six counts of armed assault with intent to murder, discharging a firearm within 500 Feet of a building, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, and failure to stop for police. Chana Harris, 35-years-old, of Boston, charged with carrying a firearm without a license. Kay Grant, 24-years-old, of Boston, charged with receiving stolen property. Keyana Wilson-Smith, 25-years-old, of Brighton, charged with disorderly conduct. Teionya Desire, 23-years-old, of Quincy, charged with disorderly conduct. Luxury Lee, 24-years-old, Fall River, charged with disorderly conduct. Shaquille Manago, 26-years-old, of Dorchester, charged with disorderly conduct. Isaiah Johnson, 22-years-old, of Cambridge, charged with disorderly conduct. Curtis Lockett, 23-years-old, of Winthrop, charged with disorderly conduct and larceny over $12,00 Val Postell, 19-years-old, of Plainville, charged with disorderly conduct and larceny over $1,200 Elijahquan Sheffield-Manago, 24-years-old, of Boston, charged with disorderly conduct and possession of burglarious tools. Ryonn Finklea, 30-years-old, of Dorchester, charged with disorderly conduct. Jamal Chalas, 21-years-old, of Dorchester, charged with disorderly conduct. Abdi Ali, 20-years-old, of Portland, Maine charged with disorderly conduct and breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Sean Berry, 29-years-old, of Brockton, charged with Larceny Over $1,200, breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony and resisting arrest. Edgar Esturban, 24-years-old, of Dorchester, charged with larceny over $1,200 and breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Cody Dinoi, 28-years-old, of Worcester, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Apheilia Wolfe, 25-years-old, of Hyde Park, charged with larceny over $1,200 and breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Arturo Cruz, 35-years-old, of Boston, charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Edmilson Barros, 25-years-old, of Brockton, charged with trespassing. Darren McFadden, 36-years-old, of Roxbury, charged with larceny over $1,200 and breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Steven Soto, 22-years-old, of Dorchester, charged with larceny over $1,200 and breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony. Carl Rabouin, 45-years-old, of Boston, larceny over $1,200, breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony and resisting arrest. Related Content: WOODS HOLE, Mass. -- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is one of the most devastating adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases. Patients, including the late actor/playwright Sam Shepard, become progressively weaker and eventually paralyzed as their motor neurons degenerate and die. To find a cure for ALS, which is fatal, scientists need a deeper understanding of how it interrupts motor neuron communication channels. Because motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord, and from the spinal cord to the muscles, when they die, the brain can no longer initiate muscle movement. Yuyu Song of Harvard Medical School was a Grass Fellow at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), Woods Hole, when she took advantage of a powerful research organism in neuroscience, the local squid, to start asking how a mutant protein associated with familial ALS behaves under controlled conditions. Her study, recently published in eNeuro, clarifies the mechanisms underlying neural dysfunction in ALS, and also suggests a novel approach to restoring the health of motor neurons in patients with the disease. Song focused on how this mutant protein, called G85R-SOD1, affects neurotransmission at the squid "giant synapse," the junction where neurons transmit chemical signals to muscle fibers, causing the muscle to contract. The squid giant synapse is one of the few mature nervous systems that mimics human neuromuscular junctions, while allowing precise experimental manipulations and live measurements. Song showed that the presence of misfolded mutant SOD1 inhibits synaptic transmission and diminishes the pool of synaptic vesicles, whose job is to deliver neurotransmitters critical for neuronal connections. Surprisingly, synaptic function was restored by intermittent, high-frequency stimulation, which suggested aberrant calcium signaling may underlie SOD1 toxicity to normal synaptic transmission. To test this hypothesis, Song used calcium imaging to capture the abnormal calcium influx in the presynaptic terminal and confirmed the protective role of a calcium chelator, which corrected the calcium imbalance without affecting neurotransmission. This suggests a new approach to therapeutic intervention for ALS, in which chemical or electrical regulation of calcium and its downstream signaling pathways may restore the health of motor neurons. "Altogether, our results not only demonstrated synaptic dysfunction related to ALS and its underlying molecular pathways, but also extended our understanding of fundamental synaptic physiology," Song says. ### The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is dedicated to scientific discovery - exploring fundamental biology, understanding marine biodiversity and the environment, and informing the human condition through research and education. Founded in Woods Hole, Massachusetts in 1888, the MBL is a private, nonprofit institution and an affiliate of the University of Chicago. Harrisburg officials pinpointed one person Sunday - an as-yet-unidentified white woman - as striking the match that pushed a boisterous but peaceful protest over the death of George Floyd into a few minutes of violence that would eventually leave two Capitol Police officers with minor injuries and three city police vehicles damaged. The woman was not the only person who assaulted officers and vandalized police vehicles Saturday, Mayor Eric Papenfuse said at a Sunday debriefing on the Saturday protests. But her actions were the spark. The starting point of the violence. And it did encourage others to hurl bricks ... and do other things. She should be charged and if we can, we will. That spark, the mayor said, occurred shortly after 3 p.m. when the woman part of a crowd of 100 or more protesters who converged on a group of six Harrisburg officers near Front and North streets for crowd and traffic control reportedly slammed a pole onto the front windshield of an occupied Harrisburg police squad car, cracking it. She then, Papenfuse said, struck one of the officers outside the vehicle in the face. Someone else in the crowd threw a brick through the rear windshield of the car, and a third person apparently used a knife or key to carve the epithet pig into the rear of the vehicle. Badly outnumbered, the Harrisburg officers - one in the car and five outside it - made a decision to radio for back-up and started to slowly advance through and with the crowd to Forrester Street. It was there where they were joined by Capitol Police in riot gear, who used pepper spray to disperse the crowd. In the ensuing melee, one Capitol Police officer was struck in the head with a brick, another suffered a hand injury and at least two other city police cars were vandalized. "It was a chaotic scene. It was a scary scene. But the violence started when this one individual struck and shattered the windshield, Papenfuse said during a joint briefing with Harrisburg Police Chief Thomas Carter that the mayor said he wanted to call to dispell posting on social media that blamed police for instigating Saturdays violence. The police officers were just trying to get out of there safely. They were professional and really I would say, heroic, in their response to not be baited by the protestors and not have this escalate into something even worse," Papenfuse said. Their goal at that point was simply to get out of harms way without adding any fuel to the fire." In that, they were largely successful, the mayor said, noting that while the demonstration took several tense turns through the rest of the day, there were no other episodes of violence and Harrisburg was spared the kind of property damage that was seen in multiple other American cities as crowds demonstrated in anger over the May 25 death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, while being restrained by police in Minneapolis. Floyd, 46, died after he was detained in connection with the passing of counterfeit bills at a Minneapolis food store. Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was caught on video with his left knee pressing down on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes as the man was in custody and in prone position in front of him, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Papenfuse said the Harrisburg police officers were primarily there for crowd control, at the protests perimeter, when they were surprised by the crowd of protesters coming at them. At some point, the mayor said, the woman smashed the front windshield of the vehicle parked at intersection of Front and North streets for traffic control, and struck an officer in the face. Now, our officers, rather than overreacting at that point, called for back-up and support, Papenfuse said, "and slowly began to sort of surround the vehicle and try to move forward, out of the crowd out of harms way and head towards Forrester Street to try to escape what was starting to be an ugly scene... They all were terrified, and very much scared for their own well-being. He also defended the Capitol Polices actions Saturday, noting they were responding at Harrisburgs request to extricate the police from a bad situation. The officials also contended Sunday it wasnt practical for police to detain the woman right away. Papenfuse said that as the situation escalated, she sort of disappeared into the larger crowd and the officers - who were not in riot or other kinds of protective gear - decided to keep their focus on getting out of that situation without further escalation. The woman has not been identified, though Papenfuse and Carter both said they are hopeful she will be in the coming days as investigators are able to sift through body cameras, dashboard cameras and other video footage. Were not going to rush just to charge somebody. Were not going to rush just to appease people," Carter said. "Were going to do things right. Play things by the numbers and if we can come up with an identification of this person then the final call will come from the DAs office if they feel we have enough evidence that can lead to charges. We note that a Shougang Concord International Enterprises Company Limited (HKG:697) insider, , recently sold worth of stock for per share. On the bright side, that's just a small sale and only reduced their holding by . See our latest analysis for Shougang Concord International Enterprises The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Shougang Concord International Enterprises President of Regional Development & Service Group and Executive Director Wei Li made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for HK$720k worth of shares at a price of HK$1.80 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being HK$1.29). It's very possible they regret the purchase, but it's more likely they are bullish about the company. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock if insiders have bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price. Shougang Concord International Enterprises insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. Their average price was about HK$1.40. This is nice to see since it implies that insiders might see value around current prices. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! SEHK:697 Recent Insider Trading June 1st 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 Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. From what we can see in our data, insiders own only about HK$5.4m worth of Shougang Concord International Enterprises shares. However, it's possible that insiders might have an indirect interest through a more complex structure. It's always possible we are missing something but from our data, it looks like insider ownership is minimal. Story continues So What Do The Shougang Concord International Enterprises Insider Transactions Indicate? It is good to see recent purchasing. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. While the overall levels of insider ownership are below what we'd like to see, the history of transactions imply that Shougang Concord International Enterprises insiders are reasonably well aligned, and optimistic for the future. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Shougang Concord International Enterprises. In terms of investment risks, we've identified 4 warning signs with Shougang Concord International Enterprises and understanding these should be part of your investment process. 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. Zimbabwe has dismissed as baseless claims by United States president Donald Trumps top security advisor that the southern African nation is among some countries that are fueling current public protests in USA following the death of a black person, George Flyod, in the hands of the police. In a statement, Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo, who summoned U.S Ambassador to Zimbabwe over remarks made by National Security Advisor Robert OBrien, said his country is not an adversary of the United States. On behalf of the government, I have informed the US Ambassador that Mr Obriens allegations are false, without any factual foundation whatsoever and that they are deeply damaging to a relationship already complicated by years of prescriptive megaphone diplomacy and punitive economic sanctions. Zimbabwe is not and never has been an adversary of the United States of America. Even in the face of repeated interference in our own internal affairs, Zimbabwe has been unwavering in its support for Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter which expressly urges all member states to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of other states. Moyo further noted that Zimbabwe was currently seeking to normalize relations with USA following the imposition of targeted sanctions on some Zanu PF officials over claims of human rights abuses and election rigging. I informed the ambassador that Zimbabwe seeks a normal, cooperative relationship with the USA based on mutual understanding, mutual respect and non-interference in each others internal affairs the very opposite of the characterization voiced by Mr. OBrien. I informed the ambassador that the government of Zimbabwe derives no pleasure at all from the scenes of violence and hatred which have erupted in cities and towns across the United States of America. He condemned the manner in which Flyod died, adding that the current protests in USA are worrying. We unreservedly condemn the violence, arson and looting which have turned usually quiet neighborhoods into scenes of chaos and destruction and where, tragically, further innocent lives have been lost. At the same time, USA Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Brian Nichols, confirmed that he was summoned by Moyo. Nichols said he urged the Zimbabwean government to respect the rule of law following the recent abduction of three Movement for Democratic Change Alliance by suspected state security agents and previous disappearances of some local people. I again urged Zimbabwes government to end state-sponsored violence against peaceful protesters, civil society, labor leaders and members of the opposition in Zimbabwe, and to hold accountable those responsible for human rights abuses. He said America and Zimbabwes constitutions have provisions allowing people to exercise their right to freedom of speech and peaceful protests. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. Yet peaceful protesters Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova were arrested, assaulted and left for dead. To those who deny Americas right to speak out on their fate, let me remind you Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Nichols indicated that Flyods death has filled Americans with horror and anger. Every American official from our president to Minneapolis African American Police Chief Medaria Arradondo has vowed to deliver justice. Zimbabweans surely wonder when, after so many years, Patrick Nabanyana, Itai Dzamara and Paul Chizuze will get justice. Americans will continue to speak out for justice whether at home or abroad. We can meet the ideals of our founding, we will change this world for the better. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter Chiara (pictured) was reportedly arrested at a George Floyd protest in Manhattan on Saturday night New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter was reportedly arrested at a George Floyd protest in Manhattan on Saturday night. Chiara de Blasio, 25, was taken into custody around 10.30pm after cops infiltrated an 'unlawful assembly' at 12th Street and Broadway in Lower Manhattan. A police report obtained by DailyMail.com showed that she was among about 100 protesters who were arrested after they refused to move out of the roadway and were throwing objects at officers. 'That was a real hotspot, police cars were getting burned there, people were throwing and yelling, fighting with cops,' a source told the New York Post. 'There were thousands of people in that area at that time.' Chiara gave 181 East End Avenue - the mayor's residence at Gracie Mansion - as her address, according to the report, but sources claimed she didn't tell arresting officers who her father was. She was reportedly released at about 8am Sunday after receiving a desk appearance ticket. Chiara's arrest came about an hour before de Blasio urged protesters to disperse. 'We appreciate and respect all peaceful protests, but now it is time for people to go home,' the mayor said at a 11.30pm press conference in downtown Brooklyn. 'If you went out peacefully to make a point about the need for change, you have been heard and change is coming in the city. I have no doubt about that. It's time to go home so we can all move forward.' De Blasio didn't mentioned Chiara's arrest during either of the two press conferences he held on Sunday. The mayor is pictured with his wife Chirlane McCray, son Dante and daughter Chiara at the New York City Pride Parade in 2015 Police in riot gear walk down a street during protests in Brooklyn on Saturday night. Chiara's arrest came about an hour before de Blasio urged protesters to disperse A police report obtained by DailyMail.com (pictured) showed that Chiara was among about 100 protesters who were arrested after they refused to move out of the roadway and were throwing objects at officers New York City police said that nearly 730 people have been arrested since protests erupted in the city late last week. De Blasio did not mention that his daughter had been arrested during either of the two briefings he held about the protests on Saturday night and Sunday morning. At the Sunday morning briefing, he said that officers had showed 'tremendous restraint overall' during the weekend's demonstrations and appointed two city officials to review how the protests unfolded and how they were handled by police. He also promised an investigation into a video showing two police cruisers lurching into a crowd of demonstrators in a Brooklyn street, knocking people to the ground. 'We all better get back to the humanity here,' de Blasio said. 'The protesters are human beings. They need to be treated with tremendous respect. The police officers are human beings. They need to be treated with tremendous respect.' New York City police said that nearly 730 people have been arrested since protests erupted in the city late last week At a press briefing Sunday morning, de Blasio said that officers had showed 'tremendous restraint overall' A protester throws a traffic barrel at police during a protest in Brooklyn on Saturday night Protesters are seen vandalizing an NYPD vehicle near Union Square on Saturday night De Blasio also suggested that the protests had been co-opted by 'people who came to do violence in a systematic, organized fashion'. He said that the 'small' number of people were motivated by 'the anarchist movement' rather than the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis cop knelt on his neck during an arrest on May 25. Chiara graduated from Santa Clara University in 2016 and planned to pursue a career in social work 'They plan together online, they have very explicit rules,' he said, noting how officers have gotten their teeth knocked out and have been targeted by projectiles. 'Some come from outside of the cities, some are from inside the city. Some are from the neighborhoods where the protests take place, some are not. 'But what we do know is there is an explicit agenda of violence and it does not conform with the history of this city.' He added: 'Thank God, there was no loss of life, there were no major injuries.' After the news of Chiara's arrest broke, the NYPD's Sergeants Benevolent Association tweeted an attack on de Blasio's handling of the protests. 'How can the NYPD protect the city of NY from rioting anarchist when the Mayors object throwing daughter is one of them,' the SBA said in a tweet. 'Now we know why he is forbidding Mounted Units to be mobilized and keeping the NYPD from doing their jobs.' City Hall did not immediately respond to requests for comment about Chiara's arrest. Chiara graduated from Santa Clara University in 2016 and planned to pursue a career in social work. The 25-year-old has been open about how she struggled with drug and alcohol addiction after her father became mayor in 2014. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday congratulated the children's ombudswoman for giving birth to her seventh child last week and complemented on her 'form'. The Kremlin's ombudswoman for children's rights Anna Kuznetsova confirmed she had given birth to her son on Friday after Putin extended his congratulations. 'How do you manage to keep such a form?' Putin asked, smiling. 'May 28 was so recent.' Russia's President Vladimir Putin during a video conference meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence in Moscow today, with winners of the Orders of Parental Glory, an award given to parents of large families Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Anna Kuznetsova (centre left panel) during a video conference meeting today of Russia's President Vladimir Putin with winners of the Orders of Parental Glory, an award given to parents of large families The exchange came just ahead of a meeting to award winners of the Orders of Parental Glory, a prize given to parents of large families. Under Russian law parent of large families are entitled to a variety of benefits and are sometimes awarded medals. 'I want to thank you for your conscious decision... in favour of a large, strong family,' Putin said during the call. Pictured: Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Anna Kuznetsova at the Kremlin in 2019 The Russian government has extolled the virtues of large families against the backdrop of a population decline and a general pivot toward 'traditional' family values and the Orthodox church. Appointed in 2016 and reappointed last year for another five-year term, Kuznetsova is married to an Orthodox clergyman and has called for policies limiting abortions in Russia. She said in a report submitted to Putin last week that clinics performing abortions should receive less state funding than clinics that do not perform the procedure. The best summer reads for June 2020. (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. June isnt just bringing the sun, its also bringing a jam-packed month of great summer novels. Typically, the summer is a great time to pick up a good book with people opting to spend lazy summer afternoons getting lost amongst the characters. Is there any better way to spend a day? Weve got a real mix to enjoy this June. From Japans award-winning literary sensation Keiichiro Hiranos first book - A Man - being translated into English and the heartwarming story of friendship and ghosting from Suzy Krause called Sorry I Missed You. If You Must Know, Jamie Beck | 1 June 2020 Jamie Becks latest novel is all about secrets and how they can impact a family. If You Must Know is about two sisters - who are different in every way - and how they have to come together to confront an uncomfortable family secret. This is a masterclass from Beck on how to write about family life and she captures the bickering and the love between family members - sisters specifically - so effortlessly. A Man, Keiichiro Hirano | 1 June 2020 Keiichiro Hirano has been described as a literary sensation in Japan, and A Man is the first of his books being translated into English by Eli K.P. William. The psychological thriller follows a web of lies as he searches for his own personal identity. It has a Catch Me If You Can feel to it, but with a more psychological twist and its written so fluidly you cant help but hope it never ends. Liar, Lesley Pearse | 25 June 2020 Amelia, who is selling advertising at a local newspaper, dreams of being a reporter. So, when she falls upon the body of a murder victim around the corner from her home, everything changes as the truth unravels. We were hooked from the start and its a great read if youre looking for something to get thoroughly addicted to during a free weekend. Story continues Pearse is a fantastic storyteller, which is also evident in her bestselling book, Youll Never See Me Again. A Decent Family, Rosa Ventrella | 1 June 2020 Beautifully written and beautifully translated, weve been treated by a couple of excellent imports from overseas writers this month. A Decent Family is a story of a woman who fights back against her oppressive small town. Rosa Ventrella is a passionate writer with a vivid imagination for storytelling. A large part of the novel is written as if by a child and the way Ventrella and translator, Ann Goldstein, capture the emotions of the child is refreshingly unique. Sorry I Missed You, Suzy Krause | 1 June 2020 This novel is everything we look for in a good summer read; the characters are original and the writing is witty in a way that makes the whole book a joy to read. Mackenzie, Sunna, and Maude become housemates. Theyre complete strangers before they live together with just one thing in common - important people in their lives have ghosted them. The trio grow closer by trying to untangle why these people have disappeared from their lives. Its a very heartwarming read and a truly unique plot. Golden Poppies, Laila Ibrahim | 1 June 2020 From the bestselling author of Yellow Crocus and Mustard Seed (which are must-reads if you havent given them a read already), Laila Ibrahim is releasing this empowering novel. It follows two groups of American women in 1894 who are fighting for a better future without harsh racial divides. Theres so much to unpack in this book, itll make a fantastic book club read so you can really delve into the plot. The Catch, T.M. Logan | 11 June 2020 You might remember that T.M. Logan brought us The Holiday last year. The book was hugely popular and has received - with good reason - thousands of five star reviews. Now, T.M. Logan is back with The Catch and what a follow up it is. When Ed meets his daughters boyfriend for the first time, hes really not sure about him - even if everybody else seems to love him. This new thriller is completely enthralling from start to finish with a jaw-dropping twist half way through. T.M Logan is the master of thriller writing. The House Guest, Mark Edwards | 3 June 2020 From one brilliantly written thriller to another, we really are spoilt for choice with thrillers this month. Ruth and Adam are given the chance to house sit in New York, but when Eden arrives at their doorstep claiming to be a friend of the family, things start to take a turn for the unfortunate. If youve read Mark Edwards Here To Stay, youll love The House Guest - buy it alongside The Catch for a month of unputdownable thrillers. Out Of Love, Hazel Hayes | 11 June 2020 This book is our favourite romance novel of June and with very good reason. Hazel Hayes tells what can only be described as a love story in reverse. It takes us through the arguments to the honeymoon stage of the relationship, carefully unravelling an intricate web of love and the difficulties that come with it. Its a really unique take on a romance novel and although it covers common themes, its done in a way we havent seen before. The Other Passenger | Louise Candlish | 25 June 2020 You might remember Louise Candlishs fantastic writing from Our House, which also went on to win the crime and thriller book of the year. The Other Passenger is Candlishs newest novel and its a gripping story about the lives of people who commute to work by river bus. It reminded us of one of our favourite novels, The Sleeper by Emily Barr in all the very best ways. A suspenseful must-read. Handle With Care, Rachael Hearson | 11 June 2020 Weve seen a rise of confessional books lately and theres a good reason for that - theyre fascinating. You just have to look at the success of This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay, a former doctor, to see the appeal. Handle With Care is written from the perspective of an NHS health visitor and its an eye-opening read. Rachael Hearson has been threatened with a knife, chased by pimps and had to visit brothels, and thats just the start. The Guardians, John Grisham | 11 June 2020 John Grishams thriller writing credentials are pretty solidified at this point, so when we saw The Guardians was dropping in June, we knew this would be a good one. We werent wrong. 22 years ago Quincy Miller was sentenced to life without parole for killing a lawyer. Now, after all this time Miller has one chance at freedom for the murder he didnt commit. Grishams approach to this novel is layered, looking at America from all angles and gripping you in the way that only he can do. Children in areas where councils have so far refused to reopen schools must be allowed to return to classes, the Education Secretary says today. Primary pupils across England were welcomed back by their teachers yesterday despite warnings from the hardline National Education Union. Up to 70 per cent of eligible youngsters returned after a ten-week absence. Just checking: A teacher takes a temperature at the Harris Academy Primary School in Croydon. Schools across England reopened to Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children yesterday, with many classes split in half and attending on different days However, dozens of councils mainly Labour-controlled authorities in the North of England are refusing to implement the Government's reopening schedule, leaving hundreds of thousands of pupils missing out. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson praised the dedication of heads and teachers that has allowed pupils to return safely, but said he feared some children could be 'left behind'. He said the break in their education caused by the lockdown was the 'biggest disruption' since the Second World War. Writing in the Daily Mail today, Mr Williamson says: 'We hope those local authorities still not convinced will now work with us to overcome any remaining practical issues. Primary pupils across England were welcomed back by their teachers yesterday despite warnings from the hardline National Education Union. Parents are seen dropping off children at Queen's Hill Primary School, Costessey, Norfolk 'One of my greatest fears all along has been that all the work we have done to narrow the attainment gap over the last ten years could be undone. 'For each day that children miss out on formal lessons, their hopes and future chances are put at risk.' Schools across England reopened to Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children yesterday, with many classes split in half and attending on different days. One pupil, Grace, is seen arriving at primary school in Norfolk. Official figures for the turnout in England will not be available for some weeks James Hollinsley, head teacher at Longwood Primary Academy in Harlow, Essex, said: 'The mood of pupils, staff and parents has been really positive they are happy that school is back.' Official figures for the turnout in England will not be available for some weeks, but a survey by the National Foundation for Education Research indicated the rate was expected to be 53 per cent or around 1million pupils. The Association of School and College Leaders reported seeing a 'very mixed' situation, with an anticipated attendance rate of between 40 and 70 per cent of England's more than 2million eligible children. But a swathe of Labour-run councils rejected the Government's call for schools to resume lessons yesterday, prompting accusations of political point-scoring. Last night some parents whose schools were not reopening said they feared their children's future would suffer as a result. Research by the Daily Mail and the Press Association found that out of at least 25 authorities which backed schools continuing to restrict lessons to only vulnerable children or those with key worker parents, all but four are in the North, and 21 have either a majority or minority Labour administration. Last night Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, warned: 'Labour councils are prepared to sacrifice the interests of children from working class families who are the ones who are losing out the most.' Ignoring advice from the Government's scientific advisory group, Sage, the National Education Union has warned that school reopenings were 'unsafe and untenable' in a campaign backed by Labour MPs. The Association of School and College Leaders reported seeing a 'very mixed' situation, with an anticipated attendance rate of between 40 and 70 per cent of England's more than 2million eligible children. Students at the Harris Academy Primary School in Croydon are pictured above The Mail previously exposed how the union admitted its stand against reopening was merely a 'negotiating position' meant to inflict political pain on the Tory government. Kevin Courtney of the NEU said the union still thought 'it would have been safer for all schools to begin the move to a wider reopening in a couple of weeks time'. Yesterday there were kisses and hugs at the school gates as usual for children returning to classes but there was also a great deal that would have seemed unfamiliar. Schools rose to the challenge with a mixture of formal measures and practical ideas. These included removing soft furnishings that might harbour germs, and using marquees for extra space. I fear for the youngsters who will be left behind if they do not return to school soon, writes Education Secretary GAVIN WILLIAMSON The past weeks have been a challenging time for parents, children and teachers alike, as families adjusted to school closures and millions of youngsters faced life without the structure of the school day, the support of their teachers or the friendship of their classmates. So how heart-warming it was to see pictures from across the country yesterday as the first tranche of children made their way back to school in the sunshine. Their smiles said it all. And for parents too, no doubt, there were a few sighs of relief. For teachers, who love their job as much as children love their school, there would also have been joy, even if mixed with some trepidation. Gavin Williamson, Education Secretary, arrives at Downing Street Slowly but surely, life is returning towards something more normal, albeit with measures to ensure the virus is kept in check. That has taken considerable work behind the scenes, and it is thanks to the dedication of heads, teachers and other staff that so many pupils were able to get back into their classrooms yesterday. I was determined if the science allowed to make sure that children could be with their friends and teachers again. Yet, while it has been wonderful to see so many happy faces back in school, what pains me is the thought of children being left behind in the wake of this dreadful outbreak. Some of them are among the ranks of the most vulnerable children in our society. We have hopefully answered the questions and concerns posed by those who have opposed the return of more pupils. And we hope those local authorities still not convinced will now work with us to overcome remaining practical issues. One of my greatest fears has been that all the work we have done to narrow the attainment gap over the last ten years could be undone. For each day that children miss out on formal lessons, their hopes and future chances are put at risk. Williamson: Our youngest children and those preparing for exams next year are those who need most to be back in school We've seen the biggest disruption to education since the Second World War. But, crucially, now is the time for recovery, not recriminations. Our youngest children and those preparing for exams next year are those who need most to be back in school. At times, there have been some who appeared to look for difficulties instead of safe, deliverable solutions all of them based on the best scientific and medical advice, and with strict safety rules in place. Schools and the armies of marvellous teachers who nurture our children offer pupils a springboard of optimism and opportunity. It is one that all pupils deserve. Four travel agents were arrested in connection with immigration frauds, wherein several Haryana residents were illegally sent to the US, police said on Monday. The action came three days after Karnal police had registered 25 FIRs against such agents on the complaints of 26 local youths, who were recently deported from America. As per the police, those arrested are Ravinder of Jundla village and Hardeep Singh of Kabulpur Khera village in Karnal district, Rajkumar alias Raju of Kaithals Dhand village and Deepak Narwal of Panipats Joshi village. Karnal superintendent of police Surender Singh Bhoria said the accused were booked under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Emigration Act. He said, These agents used an illegal way, popularly known as donkey flights, to send local youths to the US and the UK. They used to lure youths by promising them a brighter future. These youths used to be sent to the US via Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Mexico. SP Bhoria said of the 76 people who were recently deported from the US, 25 belonged to Karnal district. PROVIDENCE, R.I., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE: UNFI) will release financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2020, ended May 2, 2020, prior to market open on Wednesday June 10, 2020. Management will host a conference call on the same day at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss results. To access the conference call, please dial (877) 682-3423 (U.S. toll-free) and reference conference ID number 4623118. An audio webcast of the conference call, and materials referenced during the call, will be available via the Investors section of the Company's website www.unfi.com. An online archive of the webcast will be available for 120 days. About United Natural Foods, Inc. UNFI is North America's premier food wholesaler delivering the widest variety of products to customer locations throughout North America including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, ecommerce retailers, and food service customers. By providing this deeper 'full-store' selection and compelling brands for every aisle, UNFI is uniquely positioned to deliver great food, more choices, and fresh thinking to customers everywhere. Today, UNFI is the largest publicly-traded grocery distributor in America. To learn more about how UNFI is Moving Food Forward, visit www.unfi.com. Investor Contact Steve Bloomquist 952-828-4144 [email protected] Media Contact Jeff Swanson 952-903-1645 [email protected] SOURCE United Natural Foods, Inc. Related Links https://www.unfi.com THERE have been more than 60 complaints of price gouging by retailers across Northern Ireland since lockdown began, Sunday Life can reveal. The hiking of the cost of products was flagged by members of the public with the Trading Standards Service (TSS). Since movement restrictions came into force in the last week of March, 68 instances of potential profiteering were made known to the TSS. The TSS told this newspaper they have now opened seven investigations as a result which are ongoing at the time of going to press. It has also shared the information with the Covid-19 taskforce of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which is monitoring the price of goods across the UK during the pandemic. When panicky shoppers decided to start piling up the likes of toilet rolls, rice and flour, there were reports of some shops jacking up the price of these products. There were anecdotal reports of individual toilet rolls being sold for 1 and bottles of hand sanitiser going for the price of a bottle of whiskey. But those who feel they have been taken for a ride when asked to fork out over the odds shouldn't get their hopes up. The consumer advice from the government warns that a business can charge what it likes for any product "as long as the price is made known to consumers beforehand". It adds: "However, the Competition and Markets Authority wants to make sure that businesses do not exploit the current health emergency to take advantage of consumers, and is advising consumers to report instances of price gouging to them." Although price controls were ditched in the UK over 40 years ago, there are fair trading laws. Late last month, the chief inspector of the TSS in Northern Ireland, Damien Doherty, said the body had issued some enforcement notices to retailers. "Those inflating prices to profit off the backs of their communities are adding to their distress and may be severely damaging their reputation," he said. Mr Doherty added the CMA had received more than 21,000 complaints about pricing across the UK since the start of lockdown and issued 250 enforcement notices. After a night of rioting and looting, the morning seems like a scene from some kind of alternate reality: a quiet serenity descends over the Hollywood Hills, morning hikers walk into the canyons, neighbours talk with their dogs at their feet. There has always been something insular about the different parts that make up Los Angeles. Neighbourhoods tend not to overlap. And a long-standing joke about Californians suggests they would rather fly to New York than drive two suburbs for dinner. A police car burns during protests in Los Angeles over the death of George Floyd. Credit:AP Protests in the past have not really breached these borders. On my first working trip to the city in 1992, in the wake of the riots triggered by a jury acquitting four LAPD officers for beating Rodney King, there was obvious unease. But those riots were contained largely to one section of the city. Living in the same city almost three decades later, as the disenfranchised turn their individual cries for justice into a terrifying chorus, something has fundamentally changed. Glued to our television screens, watching live images of looters on Melrose Avenue, just 10 blocks away from my home, the unease gives way to real fear. The city had only just taken its first breath after a 70-day stay-at-home order to flatten the Covid-19 curve when it was hit with a more restrictive curfew enforced by the National Guard, army reservists in armoured trucks, transforming the city of Angels into a police state. Where strong state leadership had restored confidence during the preceding crisis, there is now the dismay that America has been left behind the rest of the world, thanks to failing federal leadership and a peculiarly American emphasis on individual liberty: that is, the freedom to place others at risk rather than wear a face mask in public. My friends and I talk more frequently now. Some are frightened. One predicted we were on the eve of a historic moment, a day before that historic moment came in a crown of fire. And the conversation topics have shifted, from supermarket delivery slots and baking sourdough to monitoring hyper-local news apps. I think this is near you, texts a friend, attaching a screenshot of a nearby hotspot. Read the full story here Capt Amarinder Singh Chandigarh: Faced with a huge revenue losses resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic and the prolonged lockdown in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday gave the go-ahead to the imposition of Covid Cess on liquor with effect from June 1. The move will help the state mop additional revenue of Rs 145 crore in the current fiscal. Advertisement Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder The state is facing a revenue shortfall of Rs 26000 crore, which is 30% of the total budget revenue estimates, for FY 2020-21, necessitating some tough measures to generate additional revenue, said the Chief Minister, accepting the recommendation of the Group of Ministers, which was constituted on May 12 to examine the matter, to levy Addl. Excise Duty and Addl. Assessed Fee on liquor during the current financial year. The proceeds of the additional levy shall be utilized entirely for Covid related expenditure, said the Chief Minister, directing the Department of Excise and Taxation to charge the cess in the current year, at the time of issuance of permits for transportation of liquor from L-1/L-13 (wholesale licenses). Advertisement PhotoCaptain Amarinder had earlier asked the Group of Ministers (GoM), comprising the Finance Minister, the Education Minister, the Housing & Urban Development Minister and the Forests & Wildlife Minister, to examine the proposal regarding levy of Special Cess/COVID Cess on the sale of liquor, to partially recoup some of the revenue losses amid this unprecedented crisis. In line with GoMs recommendations, the Department of Excise & Taxation has decided to impose Additional Assessed Fee on imported foreign liquor and imported beer, and Additional Excise Duty on other types of liquor, as per the details shared below. Ankara, June 1 : Turkey on Monday partially resumes domestic flight operations after a two-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. National flag carrier Turkish Airlines and the Pegasus Airlines currently only resumed flights from Istanbul to a few major cities, reports Xinhua news agency. The Turkish Airlines' first aircraft departed to the capital Ankara from Istanbul Airport, and a plane with Pegasus Airlines flew to the western province of Izmir from Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Istanbul in the morning. Turkish Airlines will begin to fly to other cities on June 4 and launch its international flights on June 10. Pegasus administration, meanwhile, said the company would soon start its domestic and international flights without revealing further details. Last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey would enter a new normalization period on June 1 as the figures related to COVID-19 cases tend downwards. The death toll from the coronavirus in Turkey has climbed to 4,540 and the number of confirmed cases totalled 163,942, according to the figures announced by the Health Ministry. Le Meridien Saigon associates took a hands-on approach to cleaning up our local environment The focus of this cleanup activity was to beautify and remove trash from hotel facade areas as well as to spread the hotel's spirit of caring to the community around. A major component of the cleanup was picking up and disposing of trash on Ton Duc Thang Street. Meridien Saigon associates divided into five groups. The team members picked up trash and categorised them while the team leaders recorded the quantity and types of trash. At Marriott International, we have a very strong spirit to serve, and that includes not only serving our guests and associates but also serving the community around us. And as Ho Chi Minh City starts to slowly relax its lockdown measures, we want to show our strength of community spirit by do this clean-up activity. Besides, we would like to let our guests know that were open for business with the necessary precautions to protect and welcome our guests after the lockdown,Justin Malcolm, general manager of the hotel shared. Standing modestly next to the gently flowing Saigon River of Ho Chi Minh City, Le Meridien Saigon awaits the fascinating arrival of the curious and creative-minded travellers seeking an uncommon yet authentic way to explore this destination. At the heart of the central business district, the hotel offers convenient access to popular attractions of the city with exciting stories to tell, from ancient pagodas and French colonial structures such as the Saigon Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the General Post Office, to modern shopping centres and Nguyen Hue walking street. Tan Son Nhat International Airport is conveniently located just seven kilometres away. Le Meridien Saigon welcomes guests back after each day of discovery with contemporary and stylist rooms that offers either panoramic river vistas or views of the bustling cityscape, along with its state-of-the-art fitness centre and sensoral experience at Explore Spa. She resides in West Los Angeles with her beloved Golden Retriever Emmie. And on Sunday, Diane Keaton was spotted out for a walk with her dog. The actress, 74, who won an Oscar for Annie Hall, was bundled up for the stroll in a long puffer coat over plaid trousers. Exercise: Diane Keaton was spotted out for a stroll with her Golden Retriever Emmie in West Los Angeles on Sunday Keaton stepped out in black heeled boots and wore a derby hat pulled down over her hair that was tied back from her face in a ponytail. She sported a pair of black-framed spectacles and carried a poop bag in one hand. Emmie has been the star's faithful companion for more than 15 years. Her style: The actress, 74, wore a long puffer coat over plaid trousers and stepped out in black leather boots. She added a derby hat pulled down over her hair that was styled in a ponytail Keaton found fame as Kay Adams, the girlfriend and then wife of Al Pacino's character Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 masterpiece The Godfather. She reprised the role in the 1974 sequel and again in the third installment of the trilogy released in 1990. The LA native served as muse to Woody Allen in his early film career and starred in several of his movies including Sleeper, Manhattan and Annie Hall. Her other well-known roles were in Reds, Baby Boom, Father Of The Bride, First Wives Club, Marvin's Room and Something's Gotta Give. Classic film: Keaton found fame as Kay Adams, the girlfriend and then wife of Al Pacino's character Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 masterpiece The Godfather Famous role: She won an Oscar for her leading role in Woody Allen's Annie Hall, released in 1977 In February, it was announced that Keaton will reunite with her First Wives Club co-stars Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler for the film Family Jewels. The comedy revolves around three women who are forced to spend the holidays together with their children and grandchildren after the man they were all once married to dies suddenly right before Christmas. Speaking about the project, producer Bradley Fischer said: 'The chemistry of Diane, Bette and Goldie is unmatched and irresistible, and Im thrilled to help reunite them on screen for generations of fans.' PV Power will start by building rooftop solar systems on top of PetroVietnam's facilities PetroVietnam is supporting PV Power to implement this project. According to the representative of PV Power, the company has distinct advantages due to its experience in management, operation, as well as partner relationship with EVN. Besides, the company has the available infrastructure to help connectivity. In the first year, the firm expects to generate 50MW of solar power. Although this figure is rather small compared to other projects in the power industry, however, with its advantages in infrastructure and human resources, numerous businesses expressed intentions to co-operate with PV Power. According to PV Power's recently published business statement, its net revenue in the first quarter decreased by 6 per cent to VND7.97 trillion ($346.5 million) and its after-tax profit saw a plunge by 45 per cent to VND505 billion ($21.96 million). The company said that this bleak result is still within its plans and was mainly due to a plunge in the capacity of its two hydropower plants. Besides, it has yet to add the profit from Nhon Trach 2 thermal power plant. Regarding other projects invested by PV Power, Nhon Trach 1 thermal power plant has seen decreasing gas sources and PV Gas plans to take gas from Sao Vang Dai Nguyet field to offset the lack. Besides, PV Power is considering using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as an alternative. In addition, PV Power completed the feasibility study for the implementation of large-scale projects, including Nhon Trach 3 and 4 thermal power plants, and has mobilised capital to develop projects located in Ong Keo Industrial Zone in the southern province of Dong Nai. According to information published by PV Power, the consultancy agency of Nhon Trach 3 and 4 Power Engineering Consulting JSC 2 completed the feasibility study. PV Power will submit the basic report to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for approval and send a document to EVN to discuss grid connection. Besides, the company will work with Electric Power Trading Company and PV Gas to negotiate power and gas purchase agreements for the two projects. Regarding the investment capital, along with loans from banks and credit funds, as well as equity, PV Power announced that the Thai investor B.Grimm Power expressed intention to invest in these two projects, as part of their MoU on investment co-operation. Post-COVID urban governance discussed between Shanghai & Mumbai By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-06-01 15:50 As international metropolises, Mumbai and Shanghai are highly populated, diversified and closely connected to the rest of the world. How can the two cities turn crisis into opportunity and usher in a new chapter of urban governance under the threat of COVID-19? A webinar between Chinese and Indian think tanks was held on May 29 to discuss COVID-19 and planning and governance capacity building of Mumbai and Shanghai. The webinar was attended by Consul General of China to Mumbai Tang Guocai; Chen Dongxiao, president of the Shanghai Institutes of International Studies (SIIS); Manjeet Kripalani, executive director and co-founder of Gateway House; Sifra Lentin, Bombay History Fellow at Gateway House; and several experts on urban planning and governance and public health. India went into a nationwide lockdown starting from 00:00on March 25. However, the government decided to resume its economic activities in April to reduce the pandemics impact on its economy. In this context, how can a city manage public health? What are the immediate ideas that Shanghai can provide in this regard? Facing the coronavirus outbreak, China has proved itself to be the most efficient in managing its cities, said Manjeet Kripalani, who believes that how a city manages itself, gets intellectual support and how the leadership adjusts its role under the pandemic is where a citys soft power lies. In response, Yang Xubo, head of the Division of Foreign Investment Administration, Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, voiced his opinion about when a city can reopen its economic activities. As he said, before making the decision, the government should ask itself several questions: Has the daily cases of infection dropped to the lowest level? Does the government offer support to enterprises in preparation for the resumption of work? Is there a flexible adjustment of policies? How can the balance between economic growth and peoples health be realized? At the webinar, Zhang Zhijie, associate professor at the Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics of Fudan University, mentioned two different non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI) strategies for controlling COVID-19 since we still have not found effective treatment drugs or vaccines. According to Zhang, the strategies differ in whether we aim to reduce the reproduction number, R0, to below 1 (suppression strategy) and thus cause case numbers to decline or to merely slow spread by reducing R, but not to below 1 (mitigation strategy). The former strategy is the one adopted by China. Its been very successful till now, he added. Talking about the inadequacies to be addressed in the future in terms of a citys public health system, Zhang said, One is to strengthen the technology and capabilities of disease monitoring and early warning, especially on the novel or emerging infectious diseases. The other is to strengthen the research capacity of health institutions, especially the new scientific and technological methods or tools, such as big data analysis, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, etc. to build a more modern, more powerful, more sensitive, and more easily used early warning information system. The coronavirus has put us in the same boat, said Liu Youfa, former ambassadorial consul general of China to Mumbai and Non-Resident Senior Fellow at SIIS. China and India, as the biggest two developing countries, ought to work together in fighting against the crisis. Post-epidemic economic recovery and development are major concerns for people from all walks of life. By giving examples in the pharmaceutical sector and in the energy industrial chain, Liu gave a brief introduction to the areas that the two countries can work on for future cooperation. To sum up the seminar, Chen Dongxiao, president of the SIIS, said there is no one-for-all solution to epidemic prevention and control and urban governance, due to the differences in Chinese and Indian cultural, political and economic backgrounds. But, as he said, the two countries should maintain cooperation and dialogue, to learn from each others best practices and plan for a better era. The webinar was held in Shanghai and Mumbai. Sistership ties between the two cities were established in September 2014, since when there have been exchanges and communication in various fields, which have become stepping stones for the strong friendship between the two countries. Two active-duty airmen with the 319th Reconnaissance Wing at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, are dead following a shooting incident on base, the Air Force said Monday. Base emergency services responded to the scene following the shooting, which occurred around 4:30 a.m. local time, according to a release. Read next: Guard Members, Police Open Fire and Kill a Man in Louisville, Authorities Say "The incident happened on base in one of our dorms," Staff Sgt. Elijaih Tiggs, a spokesman for the base, told Military.com. He explained that the dorms are set for first-term, unaccompanied airmen. "An investigation is ongoing," he added. The service is withholding the identities of the deceased for 24 hours until family members are notified. There is no risk to other personnel at this time, officials said. The 319th executes intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, including those that support Customs and Border Patrol. The CBP operates the "MQ-9 Predator B aircraft out of Grand Forks and provides high-quality streaming video to first responders," according to the wing's fact sheet. The CBP's drone is unarmed. The wing also assists in the 69th Reconnaissance Group's RQ-4 Global Hawk operational mission. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related: Sailors Who Stopped Corpus Christi Terror Attack May Receive Awards Nine-year-old Pedro will never forget his first plane trip. Last Friday, he was seated very reluctantly in the aisle seat of row 36, a few spots away from his mother and his 11-year-old sister on a flight from Madrid to Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands. According to his mother Lucia, who preferred not to use her real name, every so often Pedro tried to look out the window at the sea. The window seat was occupied by a 53-year-old man who, just minutes before takeoff, had learned that he had tested positive for Covid-19 via a PCR lab test taken on Wednesday. The man did not inform the crew of the Iberia Express flight, despite earlier reports by the Canary Island regional health department that he had told the pilot and that he had been seated in the last row of the plane. The regional health department has since corrected this information. My son was sitting next to him and I cant stop crying from the impotence when I think of such irresponsibility, says Lucia. Since landing in Lanzarote, Lucia and her two children, as well as 11 other passengers, have been placed in a compulsory 14-day quarantine in three hotels provided by the local government. Another 36 passengers voluntarily decided to self-isolate, 23 of them in their own homes. I dont have words to describe that man, but the first thing I will do when I get out will be to file an official complaint against him, says Lucia. I cannot arrive there without knowing whether or not I have the virus. I dont want to put my family at risk Yolanda Ferreira, passenger in self-quarantine The 42-year-old mother and her two children had flown to Lanzarote to make a new home there, together with Lucias partner. But Lucia has had to cancel several interviews for jobs in the cleaning sector, and says she has been having a hard time. I was terrified, she explains. The man didnt wear gloves and did not wear a mask for long periods of time during the flight next to my son. Other passengers confirmed this but did not want to be named. Lucias children dont understand the situation, but they can tell that their mother is worried and upset. It is not fair that we are paying for the irresponsibility of another person, says Lucia. The 53-year-old passenger had traveled to Madrid and then to Manzanares, in the Castilla-La Mancha region, to attend his mothers funeral. Although the man had not been in contact with his mother, according to regional authorities from Castilla-La Mancha, he was in contact with the rest of the family, at least one of whom had tested positive for coronavirus. It was this diagnosis that prompted the man to get tested. Health officials realized the man was flying to Lanzarote when they tried to inform him of his test results. That was when they alerted Canary Island authorities, who jumped into action to contain the situation. When the flight landed in Lanzarote, a group of Civil Guard officers equipped with personal protective equipment entered the plane to organize the disembarkment and minimize passenger contact with the 53-year-old man. The health team gathered people who had been sufficiently close to the infected individual to be at risk of infection and transported them to three hotels offered at no charge by the local government. During the two-week quarantine, these passengers will also be provided with a free catering service and medical attention. It is not fair that we are paying for the irresponsibility of another person Lucia, mother of a child who traveled next to an infected passenger Maria Dolores Corujo, the head of the local government of Lanzarote, says that PCR tests will be carried out on all the affected passengers this coming Friday to ensure everyones health. The official, however, noted that the lab results from the 53-year-old showed that he had a very low viral load of the virus. Corujo also called on the public to act responsibly and not undo the privileged condition of the archipelago, which has not recorded a single positive coronavirus case since April 30. Despite the incident, the Canary Island regional government is expected to request to move to Phase 3 of the coronavirus deescalation plan on June 8. We trust in the protocols and in the effective regional response, said Corujo. Yolanda Ferreira is another passenger who has been confined to a hotel. Although she was seated in Business class, 34 rows away from the infected man, she has decided to self-quarantine to make sure she is not a danger to her neighbors on the island of La Graciosa. This Canary island, along with El Hierro, La Gomera and Formentera (in the Balearic Islands) entered Phase 3 of the national deescalation plan on Monday. I cannot arrive there without knowing whether or not I have the virus. I dont want to put my family at risk, she explains. Although she is grateful for the treatment they are receiving at the hotel, she believes the protocols should be even stricter. When we got on the bus [to the hotel] we were all crowded in, and thats not how it should be done, she says. However, she says that on the Iberia Express flight passengers had been placed one seat apart from one another. At least it was not like on other flights, she says. In May, an Iberia Express flight between Madrid and the Canary Island of Gran Canaria drew criticism for being close to full capacity with no possibility of observing social-distancing measures recommended in order to avoid coronavirus contagion. Agoney Gonzalez is another passenger who has voluntarily gone into quarantine. The 34-year-old will have to wait another 14 days before seeing his family. He had been spending the lockdown in Madrid at a friends house and is frustrated that he has gone from confinement to confinement. Authorities gave him the option of returning home because he had not been seated near the affected passenger. But Gonzalez does not want to expose his family or the people that his mother cares for. She works in a senior residence. How could I return home? Everyone has to think about their own responsibility, he says. English version by Melissa Kitson. Washington: American officials are seeking to determine whether extremist groups have infiltrated police brutality protests across the country and deliberately tipped largely peaceful demonstrations towards violence - and if foreign adversaries are behind a burgeoning disinformation campaign on social media. As demonstrations spread from Minneapolis to the White House, New York City and overseas, federal law enforcement officials insisted far-left groups were stoking violence. Meanwhile, experts who track extremist groups also reported seeing evidence of the far-right at work. Protesters in Los Angeles on Saturday night. Credit:AP Investigators were also tracking online interference and looking into whether foreign agents were behind the effort. Officials have seen a surge of social media accounts with fewer than 200 followers created in the last month, a textbook sign of a disinformation campaign. The accounts have posted graphic images of the protests, material on police brutality and material on the coronavirus pandemic that appeared designed to inflame tensions across the political divide, according to three administration officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) supports the Ukrainian government's initiatives on gas and electricity tariffs, Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko has said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. "The issue of transparent tariff formation has always been of interest to the IMF. Now we see the IMF's support for government initiatives on this issue," Marchenko said. He said the issue of electricity tariffs in the new program with the IMF was not under consideration now. The IMF's requirements for Ukraine included the equalization of gas prices for households with market prices, the reform of the banking sector, and a reduction in the size of the state budget deficit. The price of natural gas for the population, according to the IMF's requirements, should be formed on the basis of two factors - the cost of Ukrainian natural gas and related services as well as natural gas imports. As natural gas in Europe has become cheaper and Ukraine can buy it for less money, the state can reduce the tariff for the population without violating the agreement with the IMF. Photo: NV/Natalia Kravchuk The Trudeau governments early delivery of some previously promised cash wont help Torontos pandemic-ravaged finances, says Mayor John Tory, but he expects a substantial bailout for cities soon. Tory said Canadas biggest city will get $166 million of $2.2 billion in gas-tax revenues the federal government is sending to municipalities now rather than making them wait for instalments. Torontos share is equal to a single week of lost revenues and extra expenses due to COVID-19 and is nowhere near the extra $1.5 billion Toronto needs this year, Tory said. And theres another catch to the frustration of municipal leaders, Mondays funding can only be spent on infrastructure projects, rather than addressing pandemic-related operating losses that threaten services in towns and cities across the country. It does not represent the comprehensive response needed and it is not new money, Tory said. He blamed the delay for Ottawa and the provinces hammering out a full bailout package on an arcane constitution that pits them against each other, but added that Ontario cabinet ministers tell him the main event is imminent. Hopefully the constitutional dancing, the constitutional fencing, will come to an end very soon and they will come forward with a significant package that will help us produce a more robust recovery for the whole country, Tory said. In April, municipalities asked the provincial and federal governments for $10 billion $7.6 billion to cover operating losses suffered by towns and cities and $2.4 billion for losses related to transit operations. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau portrayed moving forward on the gas tax funding as a start, but he made clear that any further aid would depend on the co-operation of the provinces, which have constitutional responsibility for municipalities. And in comments that buoyed municipal leaders, he acknowledged the serious funding woes facing municipalities. I'm very concerned about the funding level for cities ... There's a range of services offered by cities that are (in) danger of disappearing, he said. We need to do more and we will do more, but doing more needs to happen hand in hand with the provinces, who have jurisdiction over the municipalities, Trudeau said, adding that they need to step up as well. As municipalities contemplate cuts to services such as police, fire departments, garbage collection and transit, Infrastructure and Communities Minister Catherine McKenna confirmed that the federal funds could not be used to address any of those pressures. Its not for operational costs. Its for capital expenses, she told a briefing. The Prime Ministers Office said such projects might include improvements to high-speed broadband, water and road systems and cycling and walking paths. RELATED STORIES Star Exclusive Ottawa to pledge billions to aid cash-strapped cities Thats like saying in the family, Look, we want brighten up the outside of the house and we want to fix this and that but gosh, we dont have money today for groceries, said Bill Karsten, president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. We look at that as the economic stimulus recovery, not as the direct concern, crisis, dire need we are in today, said Karsten, a councillor with the Halifax Regional Municipality. Still, Karsten, who has spoken with Trudeau on the issue, said hes convinced that the prime minister grasps the seriousness of the financial crisis. I believe the prime minister gets it. I believe he understands how important municipalities are to economic recovery. There is no recovery if our cities, towns and villages are suffering financially, Karsten said. We are encouraged by his public commitment to come forward with additional federal support, said Karsten, who issued a plea for provinces to step forward. David Rider is the Star's City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering city hall and municipal politics. Follow him on Twitter: @dmrider Read more about: Spike Lee recognizes how relevant his 1989 film "Do the Right Thing" continues to be. The Oscar-winning filmmaker shared a short film Sunday night called "3 Brothers," referring to Eric Garner and George Floyd, black men who died in police custody, and Radio Raheem, a character killed in Lee's feature film. The 94-second video cuts back and forth between Radio Raheem's on-screen death and cellphone footage of officers choking Garner, who died six years ago, and Floyd, who died last week. Before his death on May 25, Floyd echoed Garner's final words: "I can't breathe." Lee released the short during an appearance on CNN, where he told anchor Don Lemon that "the attack on black bodies has been here from the get-go." He said that, while he does not necessarily condone violence, he understands why people are reacting to Floyd's death - as well as other instances of police brutality - the way they are. Protests such as the ones happening nationwide are "not new," Lee continued. "We saw this with the riots in the '60s, with the assassination of Dr. [Martin Luther] King. Every time something jumps off and we don't get our justice, people are reacting the way they feel they have to, to be heard." "People are fed up, and people are tired of the debasing, the killing of black bodies." The four Minneapolis officers involved in Floyd's death were fired the next day, but it was not until Friday that Derek Chauvin, who was captured on video pressing his knee into a handcuffed Floyd's neck, was arrested and charged in his death. Last year, after nearly half a decade of legal proceedings, the Justice Department declined to bring federal charges against anyone involved in Garner's death - including Daniel Pantaleo, the former New York officer seen on video with his arm around Garner's neck. Demonstrations after Floyd's death summoned questions that, as Lee noted, have been asked many times before: "Why are people rioting? Why are people doing this, doing that?" In "Do the Right Thing," Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn), who is arguably positioned as the moral center of the film when he speaks to Mookie (Lee) about the struggle between love and hate, chokes to death at the hands of a New York officer after getting into a fight with a local pizzeria's white owner. After this climactic moment, Mookie throws a trash can through the pizzeria window, sparking a riot that leads to additional arrests. On CNN, Lee criticized initial reviews that claimed the film would encourage viewers to riot. (He also spoke about this on its 25th anniversary, telling Rolling Stone that he could not recall "people saying people were going to come out of theaters killing people after they watched Arnold Schwarzenegger films.") After Lemon asked Lee to respond to accusations made nowadays against public figures like them, who say they understand why some demonstrators are behaving as they are, the filmmaker said, "The reason why people are out is because black people are killed left and right. It has nothing to do with you and I." This is not the first time Lee has revisited "Do the Right Thing" to highlight events. After Garner died in 2014, Lee shared a different video comparing the cellphone footage with Radio Raheem's death. The film itself was inspired by real life, according to The Washington Post's Elahe Izadi, who noted that it concludes with a dedication to the "families of Eleanor Bumpurs, Michael Griffith, Arthur Miller, Edmund Perry, Yvonne Smallwood and Michael Stewart," black New Yorkers killed before the film's release. In a T-shirt reading "1619," a reference to the year enslaved Africans were first brought to the English colonies, Lee told Lemon that "it's been the same thing, and now we have cameras." "The foundation of the United States of America is built upon the stealing of the land from native people and genocide, coupled with slavery," he said. "George Washington, the first president, owned 123 slaves. So this stuff is not new. And people are fed up." Paytm Mall, the online shopping arm of Paytm, has said that it will hire 300 people in product and technology roles in a bid to expand across business categories. The decision came as the company shifted operations from Noida in Uttar Pradesh to Bengaluru. Vijay Shekhar Sharma-led e-commerce platform said this move will help it tap into the rich talent pool available in the city's consumer internet and start-up ecosystem. The existing workforce of the company has been given the option to either shift to Bengaluru or work from their current location in various roles. Paytm Mall has also appointed Abhishek Rajan as the new Chief Operating Officer of the company. Meanwhile, Srinivas Mothey has been elevated to Senior Vice President Merchants Solutions at Paytm. He would be working on innovative retail solutions for merchants in his new role. Rajan, an IIM Ahmedabad alumnus, has been working with Paytm's travel business for the past four years. He will continue to lead Paytm's travel vertical until a new business head is appointed. In his new role as the Paytm Mall COO, Rajan will oversee the operations across categories, products, technology, supply chain, marketing and finance with specific focus on strengthening the customer experience and expanding the hyperlocal merchant base, enabling more kirana stores to join Paytm. His appointment comes at a time when Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries is foraying in the offline to online (O2O) segment, trying to bring as many neighbourhood brick and mortar shops as possible under the ambit of its recently launched JioMart. This is expected to spur competition among e-commerce platforms trying to tap into the local unorganised retail segment. "In the post-COVID world, we want to bring commerce to even more customers and serve the SMEs across the country. We are well-capitalised, have a great team, and a massive network of customers to make our O2O model penetrate further in India. I am confident Abhishek will take Paytm Mall to new heights," said Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma on Rajan's appointment. With a sharp focus on profitability, Paytm Mall said it has significantly reduced its quarterly cash burn from $17 million to $2 million during the last financial year. The e-commerce platform currently offers products across categories including mobiles, computers, apparel, footwear, consumer electronics, home appliances, health and fitness, and general merchandise. It has partnered with BigBasket for the supply of groceries on its platform. "We would like to think of Paytm's e-commerce business as a Series A start-up with $200 million cash in the bank, where key technology and operations components required for running a commerce business have already been built. In the last 3 quarters, the team has done an incredible job of bringing down the cash burn to $2 million per quarter. There cannot be a better starting line for us, as we look ahead to scale the business in a profitable manner," Rajan said after his appointment. ALSO READ: Infosys to cut multiple senior roles, ensure faster decision-making ALSO READ: Coronavirus impact: Oyo allots ESOPs worth Rs 130 crore to furloughed employees ALSO READ: RIL rights issue: How to subscribe or sell entitlement on BSE, NSE Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Charlotte Plantive (Agence France-Presse) Alexandria, United States Mon, June 1, 2020 22:03 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb5d5fe 2 Lifestyle love,pandemic,coronavirus,COVID-19,marriage,united-states Free "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. Read also: Flouting the fever: Love in the Time of Coronavirus '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 Tabital Pulaaku International Ghana Chapter and Danbaki Royal family representing the Fulani community have expressed worry over the compilation of the new voter register. According to the Fulani community, they will be disenfranchised because they have been discriminated against and denied the opportunity to acquire passports and NIA cards. The Electoral Commission has laid in parliament a Constitutional Instrument (CI) which seeks to use only the passport and NIA card as requirement for registration for the new voter register. A statement signed by the General Secretary for the Fulani Community, Yakubu Musah Barry, called on parliament to amend the Constitutional Instrument (CI) to include other National documents such as the Birth certificate , Voter ID card among others to enable them register and vote. We the entire membership of the Fulani community in Ghana call on Paliament to reject the CI , accepting the CI in its current state amounts to disenfranchising the entire Fulani community in Ghana . Mr. Barry indicates that the Fulani community will resist any attempt by any national public institution that tries to de-nationalize Fulanis in Ghana. Plans are far advanced by the EC to commence the compilation of a new voters register for the 2020 elections. ---Daily Guide ASCO 2020: UK-first study shows feasibility of genetic screening for prostate cancer Genetic screening for prostate cancer in GP surgeries could be effective at picking up otherwise undiagnosed cases of the disease, a new pilot study shows. Researchers 'barcoded' men for their genetic risk of prostate cancer by testing each for 130 DNA changes - and gave those at higher risk follow-up checks. Their study found that population screening was safe and feasible, and identified new prostate cancers in over a third of apparently healthy men who were found to have the highest levels of inherited risk. The pilot was the first ever in the UK to assess genetic screening for prostate cancer in the general population, and will now be followed by a larger-scale study that could prove the potential of a new screening programme for the disease. The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust worked with GPs to invite more than 300 healthy Caucasian men aged 55-69 to participate in screening. The findings of the pioneering study will be presented today (Friday) at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) virtual annual meeting. The study was funded by the European Research Council with additional support from Cancer Research UK and the National Institute for Health Research. The researchers collected DNA from saliva samples of 307 men and looked at for more than 130 genetic changes that can influence the risk of developing prostate cancer, each by a small amount. They combined the effects of the genetic changes to assign each man an overall risk score. This in turn allowed men to be placed in different risk bands depending on how their level of risk compared with others in the population. Men in the top 10 per cent of risk - 26 out of the 307 - were selected for screening and contacted by the researchers. Of these, 18 men accepted and underwent an MRI scan and a biopsy, and of these 18 apparently healthy men, seven were diagnosed with prostate cancer. The good level of uptake among men and effectiveness at detecting undiagnosed disease show that population screening is possible and could be reproduced on an even larger scale. Researchers also looked at how aggressive the cancers of those within the top 10 per cent of the genetic score were. All seven prostate cancers turned out to be manageable by active surveillance, with a mean prostate-specific antigen (PSA) score of 1.8 - a level between 0 and 2.5 is considered safe. Now that the initiative has been shown to be feasible, a full pilot study, called BARCODE1, is ready to be launched. This study will involve 5,000 patients from 70 GP practices, and aims to provide a definitive answer on the potential role of population genetic screening for improving detection of prostate cancer. Researchers believe that genetic screening could detect potentially aggressive cancers more effectively than PSA testing - which is controversial because of its high rates of over-diagnosis. Study leader Professor Ros Eeles, Professor of Oncogenetics at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Consultant in Clinical Oncology and Oncogenetics at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: "A man's risk of prostate cancer is determined in part by which combination of at least 170 different genetic changes they happen to inherit. "Our pilot study assessed men's genetic risk by testing for more than 130 genetic changes that have been linked to prostate cancer. We showed that genetic barcoding of men can safely and effectively identify those at the highest level of risk for prostate cancer, so they can be targeted for follow-up checks. "We were able to identify prostate cancers in over a third of the 18 apparently healthy men who we found to have the highest levels of inherited risk. Our hope is that the larger BARCODE-1 pilot study will now be able to definitively show that population genetic screening for prostate cancer can cost-effectively improve diagnosis and ultimately save lives." Professor Paul Workman, Chief Executive of The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: "It's vital that we find ways of putting our increased knowledge of the genetics and biology of cancer to work not only to find new treatments, but also to identify targeted methods for early detection of the disease. "This is an exciting early pilot study which for the first time in the UK demonstrates that genetic screening for prostate cancer is safe, feasible and potentially effective. It's great to see that this research is now progressing into a larger-scale pilot, which if successful could show the potential of genetic screening to be a life-saver." Patient Remy Smits, 59, said: "I signed up for the trial after seeing the details advertised at my local GP Practice. Although I met all the criteria for joining, I did not think I would be in the high-risk group. I had a PSA test not long before joining the trial and it was relatively low (2.1) so I was quite surprised when I got called back for further investigations. I had another PSA test, followed by an MRI scan and then finally a biopsy where they detected cancer the size of a grain of sand which is quite remarkable. "I have been put under 'active surveillance' and come into the clinic at The Royal Marsden every six months for repeat PSA testing and MRI scans. "Whilst the realisation that I have cancer came as a shock; I feel better knowing that it has been identified at a very early stage. I also feel that I am now in a much better position to make an informed decision about any future treatment options. I also like the fact that being part of this trial will make a difference for many men in the future." Professor David Cunningham, Director of Clinical Research at The Royal Marsden, said: "Earlier and faster diagnosis is often the key to successfully treating cancer. Using genetic screening for men most at risk for prostate cancer will mean we have a much greater chance of being able to treat the disease successfully at an earlier stage, often with less invasive procedures and fewer long-term side effects." ### For more information please contact Diana Cano Bordajandi in the ICR press office on 020 7153 5021 or diana.cano@icr.ac.uk. For enquiries out of hours, please call 07595 963 613. The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is one of the world's most influential cancer research organisations. The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) has an outstanding record of achievement dating back more than 100 years. It provided the first convincing evidence that DNA damage is the basic cause of cancer, laying the foundation for the now universally accepted idea that cancer is a genetic disease. Today it is a world leader at identifying cancer-related genes, discovering new targeted drugs and developing new high-precision forms of radiotherapy. The ICR is a charity and relies on support from partner organisations, funders and the general public. A college of the University of London, it is the UK's top-ranked academic institution for research quality, and provides postgraduate higher education of international distinction. The ICR's mission is to make the discoveries that defeat cancer. For more information visit http://www. icr. ac. uk About The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust The Royal Marsden opened its doors in 1851 as the world's first hospital dedicated to cancer diagnosis, treatment, research and education. Today, together with its academic partner, The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), it is the largest and most comprehensive cancer centre in Europe seeing and treating over 59,000 NHS and private patients every year. It is a centre of excellence with an international reputation for groundbreaking research and pioneering the very latest in cancer treatments and technologies. The Royal Marsden, with the ICR, is the only National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre for Cancer. This supports pioneering research work carried out over a number of different cancer themes. The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity raises money solely to support The Royal Marsden, a world-leading cancer centre. It ensures Royal Marsden nurses, doctors and research teams can provide the very best care and develop life-saving treatments, which are used across the UK and around the world. From funding state-of-the-art equipment and ground-breaking research, to creating the very best patient environments, The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity will never stop looking for ways to improve the lives of people affected by cancer. About the ERC The European Research Council, set up by the European Union in 2007, is the premiere European funding organisation for excellent frontier research. Every year, it selects and funds the very best, creative researchers of any nationality and age, to run projects based in Europe. It offers four core grant schemes: Starting, Consolidator, Advanced and Synergy Grants. With its additional Proof of Concept grant scheme, the ERC helps grantees to bridge the gap between grantees' pioneering research and early phases of its commercialisation. To date, the ERC has funded more than 9,000 top researchers at various stages of their careers, and over 50,000 postdocs, PhD students and other staff working in their research teams. The ERC strives to attract top researchers from anywhere in the world to come to Europe. Key global research funding bodies, in the United States, China, Japan, Brazil and other countries, have concluded special agreements to provide their researchers with opportunities to temporarily join ERC grantees' teams. The ERC is led by an independent governing body, the Scientific Council. The overall ERC budget from 2014 to 2020 is more than 13 billion, as part of the Horizon 2020 programme, for which the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Mariya Gabriel is responsible. This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Upper Haight Photo: Camden Avery/Hoodline Skates on Haight is one of the neighborhood's oldest businesses, keeping San Francisco supplied with roller skates, skateboards, snowboards and all the necessary ephemera since 1974. But even prior to the pandemic, the brick-and-mortar retail crisis was slowing Skates' roll. A year ago, we reported that Skates was seeking a co-tenant to help shoulder its rent burden, as most of its business shifted to online sales. "Out of legacy," owner Carol Sloan has held fast to the business originally founded by her late partner Lee Cole, who died in 2009. But with foot traffic to the neighborhood dropping, "our best prospects aren't in the Haight," she told us last year. "They're not even in San Francisco." It appears that prediction may have come to pass. Though some rental bicycles are visible inside Skates, the storefront has been closed since before the shelter-in-place order came down. The inventory on its website is barren. And Sloan has not been reachable; the store's voicemail box is full. Two tipsters from outside of San Francisco have written Hoodline to report that Skates which owns the websites skates.com and rollerskates.com took their web orders, but didn't fulfill them. Kathryn H. of Minneapolis says she purchased a $300 pair of skates from the company early this spring. Her purchase was confirmed and her account was charged, but the order was never completed. The issue is surprising, because Skates is one of the Web's most prominent skating retailers. Sloan told us last year that even if she had to give up her Haight storefront, she would likely keep the online business going. Kathryn said successive calls and emails to Skates have gone unanswered, leaving her no recourse but to mark the charge with her bank as fraudulent, and report the shop to the Better Business Bureau. "It would be interesting to know where that money is going," Kathryn said. We'll continue to seek out Sloan, and get to the bottom of whether Skates' disappearance is permanent or a shelter-in-place blip. The editor-in-chief of a Chinese state-run newspaper has accused U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of 'humiliating the US and the West' as he stepped up his rhetoric against Washington's politicians. The news comes after Pompeo claimed that the Chinese Communist Party 'has come to view itself as intent upon the destruction of Western ideas, Western democracies, and Western values.' 'It puts Americans at risk, whether it's stealing American intellectual property or destroying jobs here in the U.S.,' Pompeo slammed in a tweet yesterday. Meanwhile, Beijing threatened to retaliate against Washington over a U.S. decision to revoke special treatment for Hong Kong due to the city's fast diminishing freedoms. Hu Xijin (pictured), the head of Communist propaganda outlet the Global Times, lashed out at U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo today after Pompeo criticised China's Communist Party Hu also trolled Pompeo (pictured on May 20) by urging him to 'stand with the angry people of Minneapolis' after the latter repeatedly voiced his support for the Hong Kong demonstrators Hu lashed out at Pompeo on Twitter, a platform Chinese citizens are not allowed to use China warns the U.S. it will retaliate on moves over Hong Kong China said on Monday that Washington's attempts to harm Chinese interests would be met with firm countermeasures. Beijing was criticizing a U.S. decision to begin ending special treatment for Hong Kong as well as actions against Chinese students and companies. China's parliament last week voted to move forward with imposing national security legislation on Hong Kong. U.S. President Donald Trump said the move was a tragedy for the people of the city and violated China's promise to protect its autonomy. Trump ordered his administration to begin the process of eliminating special U.S. treatment for Hong Kong to punish China, ranging from extradition treatment to export controls. But he stopped short of calling an immediate end to privileges that have helped the former British colony remain a global financial center. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China firmly opposed the U.S. steps. 'The announced measures severely interfere with China's internal affairs, damage U.S.-China relations, and will harm both sides. China is firmly opposed to this,' Zhao told reporters during a regular briefing. 'Any words or actions by the U.S. that harm China's interests will meet with China's firm counterattack,' he said. Advertisement Hu Xijin, the outspoken head of Communist propaganda outlet the Global Times, lashed out at Pompeo today. 'Did Beijing publicly support US protests and give aid to radical left-wing forces, like the political infiltration Washington has done to China?' Hu wrote on Twitter, which is banned in China. He continued: 'You spoke as if destroying the US ideas, US democracy and US values is a piece of cake. 'You are humiliating the US and the West.' Chinese state media outlets and spokespeople have aimed at the U.S. government, comparing the protests and clashes in America with the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. Beijing has long been infuriated by criticism from Western capitals, especially Washington D.C., over its handling of the pro-democracy protests that shook Hong Kong last year. Unrest has erupted across the U.S. after starting in Minneapolis over racial inequality and police brutality after the death during the arrest of an unarmed black man named George Floyd. Chinese media circulated video clips suggesting Hong Kong police were 'restrained' compared to actions seen in the U.S. On Friday, Hu trolled Pompeo by urging him to 'stand with the angry people of Minneapolis' after the latter repeatedly voiced his support for the Hong Kong demonstrators. The pro-democracy unrest erupted in the Asian financial hub last June and is ongoing. 'Stand with Hong Kong' is one of the protesters' slogans. Chinese state media have taken aim at the US government over the weekend as many American cities were gripped by raging protests and clashes. Pictured, NYPD police officers detain a protester on May 30 as they clash during a march against the death of George Floyd Chinese state-run media seized on the opportunity to compare the violence to Beijing's handling of the pro-democracy protests that shook Hong Kong last year. Pictured, protesters clash with police in Philadelphia on May 30 during a rally over the death of George Floyd Chinese media also circulated video clips suggesting Hong Kong police were 'restrained'. Pictured, police take part in a crowd dispersal operation in the Central district of Hong Kong on May 27 as the city's legislature debates over a law that bans insulting China's national anthem Hu, an influential Chinese state editor, tweeted a question to Hong Kong protesters, asking them if they would demonstrate in the U.S. under its response to George Floyd demonstrators 'US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi once called the violent protests in Hong Kong 'a beautiful sight to behold.'... US politicians now can enjoy this sight from their own windows,' Hu mocked US politicians again on Saturday in a column on his paper. He added it was 'as if the radical rioters in Hong Kong somehow snuck into the US and created a mess like they did last year.' He also tweeted, a question for 'violent protesters in Hong Kong and their supporters there,' asking 'Would you stand with angry Minneapolis demonstrators who attacked police station, or would you stand with President Trump who threatens to shoot 'These THUGS'? China has insisted that 'foreign forces' are to blame for the turmoil in Hong Kong, where pro-democracy protesters - described by Beijing as rioters - have marched in the millions since June last year and often clashed with the police. One clip posted by the People's Daily compared the recent on-screen arrest of a CNN reporter with scenes of Hong Kong police appearing to back away from journalists in the city last year Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying also took aim at Washington, tweeting 'I can't breathe,' with a screenshot of a tweet by US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus that had criticised the Chinese government over its Hong Kong policy Beijing sparked outrage and concern earlier this month with a plan to impose a law on Hong Kong that it said was needed to protect national security and curb 'terrorism.' Pro-democracy activists and Western nations condemned the move as another attempt to chip away at the city's unique freedoms. China's rubber-stamp approved the law last Thursday, sparking waves of opposition from Western countries. Following President Donald Trump's announcement that he would strip Hong Kong of its special privileges, a commentary published Sunday in China Daily - a mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party - said U.S. politicians dreamed of 'victimizing' China. 'Better give up that dream and come back to reality,' it said. 'Violence is spreading across the US... US politicians should do their jobs and help solve problems in the US, instead of trying to create new problems and troubles in other countries.' Lack of transparency The back-and-forth over Hong Kong has exacerbated U.S.-China tensions, which were already high over a number of issues - including trade and the coronavirus pandemic, over which Trump has accused Beijing of a lack of transparency. As violence broke out in the U.S. over the weekend, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying also took aim at Washington. 'I can't breathe,' she said on Twitter, with a screenshot of a tweet by U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus that had criticised the Chinese government over its Hong Kong policy. The back-and-forth over Hong Kong has exacerbated US-China tensions, which were already high over a number of issues - including trade and the coronavirus pandemic, over which President Donald Trump (pictured) has accused Beijing of a lack of transparency Hua was quoting the words George Floyd was heard saying repeatedly before his death - after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes - which sparked the current unrest in the United States. Over the weekend, Chinese media also circulated video clips of the U.S. violence, accompanied by the hashtag 'How restrained are the Hong Kong police' on the Twitter-like platform Weibo. One clip posted by the People's Daily on Sunday compared the recent on-screen arrest of CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez, who was covering the unrest in the U.S. city of Minneapolis last Friday, with scenes of Hong Kong police appearing to back away from media personnel in the city last year. The accompanying caption said 'reporters used their professional identities to obstruct law enforcement.' Police in Hong Kong have been accused by rights groups of using excessive force during pro-democracy protests last year. They have been accused of using tear gas, water cannons and making mass arrests at the protests. By Lee Min-hyung Hana Financial Group launched Monday a digital-driven non-life insurer, Hana Insurance, formerly The-K Non Life Insurance, about a month after finishing legal procedures to take over the mid-tier insurance company. Hana Insurance is Hana Financial's first non-life business affiliate, with the newly launched entity becoming the group's 14th financial subsidiary. The acquisition came as part of Hana's group-wide efforts to strengthen its insurance business and diversify its revenue sources in the non-banking area. Hana Insurance came into being about half a year after the financial holding firm decided to acquire the insurer in January. Hana Financial then purchased a 70 percent stake of The-K Non Life Insurance for 77 billion won ($62.6 million) in February. "We are going to create synergy with other affiliates by developing new, innovative and digital-oriented insurance platforms," Hana Insurance CEO Kwon Tae-gyun, who served previously as vice president of Hana Capital, said in an event celebrating the launch of the new insurer. The company said it would introduce a series of new mobility-focused platforms by pushing for digital transformation in its car insurance business. The insurer also plans to launch differentiated products in less popular insurance areas such as tourism and leisure activities through online channels. Hana Financial Group Chairman Kim Jung-tai said he would not spare any group-wide support for the new company to strengthen its foothold in the industry and enable the group to maximize profits in the non-banking sector. By 2025, Hana Financial expects its non-banking businesses to make up 30 percent of the group's total revenue. "Hana Financial will keep up support and investment for the insurer, so the company serves not just shareholders, but the local community," Kim said. INSECURE WORK LEADING CAUSE OF VICTORIAS CORONAVIRUS CASES In early May, Fawkner McDonalds, located in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, was forced to close after a handful of staff tested positive for COVID-19. The Maccas branch shut down for five days after a second positive case was tested. Later, the number grew to 10, and almost 1,000 workers were sent into self-isolation. The causes of McCluster outbreak are unpaid pandemic leave and casualisation of staff. Currently, there are two options for workers who have to self-isolate: unpaid pandemic leave or annual leave at twice the length, but half the pay. For casuals, which make up a large amount of McDonalds staff, the second choice is simply not an option. Any signs of COVID-19 or sickness in general! represent a choice between pay or no pay. When pay means making rent, going to the doctors, eating food, and basic survival, then its pretty obvious workers are going to choose to come to work. As Josh Cullinan of RAFFWU said, its take it or leave it take the shift or not work. The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) was quick to respond to the situation, condemning McDonalds bullying tactics to keep the Fawkner store open. While Fawkners usual workers were isolated, McDonalds brought in other workers from different chains to keep the store open. After a few days, the outbreak spread to the nearby Craigieburn store and then to twelve other McDonalds locations. Maccas claim they are going above and beyond hygiene measures. However, RAFFWU has reported, along with photographic evidence, that the franchise has been handing out hand sanitiser with 30 per cent ethanol content as opposed to the sixty per cent minimum required to neutralise the virus. Instead of giving workers effective hand sanitiser, they are selling seventy-five per cent ethanol hand sanitiser! The outbreak came at the same time as the current attack on fast-food workers under the shoddy amendments to the Fast Food Award that the May 1 Movement fought against alongside RAFFWU, see: Guardian issue #1916. Also, during this time, the outbreak connected to an abattoir, Cedar Meats, located in Brooklyn, a suburb west of Melbourne, has been steadily increasing. As of 25th May, there are 111 COVID-19 cases connected to Cedar Meats. While many meat workers are migrant workers, the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) stated that there were few, if any, visa-workers on site at the time of the outbreak at Cedar Meats. In AMIEUs statement on the outbreak, it is also mentioned how the meat industry has been a hotspot for coronavirus outbreaks in America and Canada. The AMIEU called for paid pandemic leave in order to prevent similar outbreaks. Initial clusters in Melbourne occurred in the wealthy suburbs of the south-east, with many cases linked to people returning from overseas travel. Now, we are seeing clusters break out in Melbournes working-class suburbs as a direct result of insecure work and a lack of paid pandemic leave. If the current working conditions remain, it can be expected that while the country is beginning to open up, workplace clusters will only increase. (TNS) Back in March, Cleveland's University Hospitals was on the verge of rolling out a peer-support program at UH Parma Medical Center, where people recovering from opioid addiction could offer guidance to patients with substance use disorder. Then the coronavirus pandemic struck.The hospital system suddenly faced a question health care providers across the U.S. have been dealing with throughout the COVID-19 crisis: How do you continue treating the opioid epidemic during a global pandemic?While Ohios stay-at-home order closed non-essential businesses and kept most people indoors, the opioid epidemic did not go away. Statistics show drug overdose deaths have remained fairly steady over the past three months in Cuyahoga County. The medical examiner issued a warning last week after nine people overdosed and died in the first 48 hours after the state government eased coronavirus restrictions.The dual crises forced UH and Thrive Peer Support of Beachwood to quickly adapt to a new telehealth model, using videoconferencing to assist patients with substance use disorder. UH Parma Medical Center started offering the new Thrive ED program recently, and the early results have been encouraging, said Dr. Jeanne Lackamp, the director of the UH Pain Management Institute.A pandemic doesnt wait for you, and you cant wait on a pandemic, Lackamp said. There is no good justification for postponing or delaying care that can be provided I think University Hospitals has definitely been proving it can provide excellent care in a creative way.The coronavirus pandemic may be increasing the need for programs like Thrive ED. Experts believe prolonged periods of isolation could increase the risk of drug addiction and disrupt access to services for people in recovery.Thrive ED, like similar peer-support programs, connects patients who come through the emergency room to people in recovery. Other hospitals in Greater Cleveland, including MetroHealth and St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, also offer peer-support programs through their emergency departments.Many of those ER patients have recently overdosed, so peer supporters listen to them and offer guidance, said Melissa Carter, a Thrive peer supporter who has been in recovery for alcohol and opioid use since 2014.We arent there to tell people they need to detox and they need to quit, because people told me that for 20 years and I didnt, Carter said. Im there to listen to them and share my story and my recovery journey with them, to give them the hope that its a possibility.UH Parma Medical Center, like many other hospitals, restricted visitors when the coronavirus crisis struck. Those restrictions kept Thrive peer supporters out of the hospital, forcing the Thrive ED program to pivot to telehealth.If an ER patient chooses to speak to a peer supporter, UH will give them a laptop or tablet computer for videoconferencing. The ER staff will notify Thrive, and a peer supporter will be able to have a one-on-one video chat with the patient, Lackamp and Carter said.Carter, a Parma native who previously worked with the Thrive ED program at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, said the switch to a telehealth model will also have some benefit. She thinks patients may be more comfortable talking to peer supporters via video, because so many of them routinely use videoconferencing services like Apples FaceTime.Im hopeful that the ability to have someone there, like a phone-a-friend, but not in your space while everything else around you seems like chaos I think thats actually going to be a good thing, Carter said.University Hospitals has previously offered outpatient services and some inpatient services to patients with substance use disorder, but Thrive ED will be the first services offered through a UH emergency department, Lackamp said. The health system also plans to roll out the Thrive ED program at UH Cleveland Medical Center and other other Cuyahoga County facilities sometime in the future.Were really pleased that were able to offer this, and we didnt let the pandemic stop our progress, Lackamp said. We couldnt ignore that it was happening, but we didnt want to delay offering this service to our patients. Nova breakfast radio host Kip Wightman revealed his 10-month-old son Rafael's finger was severed after a laptop fell on his hand. The co-host from the Ash, Kip, Luttsy & Susie O'Neill show in Brisbane relived the horrifying moment live on-air Monday. Wightman said he and a friend were going on a bike ride when they were forced to turn back home after a pedal broke. But when Wightman got back home, he saw his wife Amber holding Rafael with 'blood everywhere'. Nova breakfast radio host Kip Wightman revealed his 10-month-old son Rafael severed his finger after a laptop fell on his hand. Pictured with his wife Amber 'Amber was holding Raf, there's blood everywhere, she's covered in blood, he's covered in blood, he's screaming and she's panicking going ''you've got to call an ambulance, he's chopped his finger off'',' Wightman said. The popular breakfast host said the incident happened in the 'blink of an eye' after a an aluminium Macbook fell on Rafael's pinky finger - completely slicing it off. 'There was a Macbook, the laptop, sitting on the kitchen bench and Amber had plugged it in there to charge,' Wightman said. 'Well she put him down and turned around to put on the kettle, and then heard a scream, looked back, and he'd already gone over to the cord, grabbed the cord and pulled it down on himself. 'Amber was holding his finger on, it wasn't gone, it was like dangling.' Rafael was rushed to hospital, where plastic surgeons managed to reattach his finger. Wightman said his son is recovering well, but his wife has been left traumatised by the bloody incident. 'Amber is still pretty rattled to be honest, I heard her tell a friend that 'Raffy has forgotten about it and I'm traumatised for life,' he told the Courier Mail. 'Now the real issue is giving him antibiotics three times a day, it's cherry flavoured but you'd swear he thinks it's poison. 'Can't praise the doctors and nurses at the Children's Hospital enough, it's those moments make you appreciate being a Queenslander more than ever.' Thanks to robust outbreak control, both Japan and South Korea may commence limited international routes, including to Vietnam. Japan is planning to allow travelers from Vietnam, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand entry starting this summer, Japanese national newspapers said. Reduced Covid-19 infections in the aforementioned four countries, as well as growing calls from businesses to resume traffic, all factor in the decision, Yomiuri Shimbun reported Sunday, citing several government officials. The government is considering allowing business travelers from the four nations to enter if they prove Covid-19 negative in two separate tests conducted upon departure from their home country and arrival in Japan, Asahi Shimbun reported. Once permitted into the country, visitor movements would be restricted to areas including place of stay, company offices and factories, the newspaper said, adding use of public transportation would be banned. Japan has banned entry by foreigners to limit the spread of the virus from overseas. Around 17,000 novel coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Japan as of early Monday, with roughly 900 deaths. Vietnam has responded well to the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of health and economic impact, receiving praises from across the world. The country, with a population of over 96 million and sharing a land border with China, where the first novel coronavirus cases were reported last year, has reported only 328 infections and no deaths. Meanwhile, several South Korean airlines have stated they would reconnect international flight routes to several locations to help citizens stranded in foreign countries to return home, local media reported. Asiana Airlines said it would reconnect 27 out of 73 international routes, while increasing flights from 53 to 110 per week. Particularly, the airline would recommence three flights per week to Hanoi and seven per week to Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam has banned entry of foreign nationals since March 22 and suspended all international flights since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. The country has not officially confirmed when it would resume international flights, though the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control said Vietnam could consider welcoming foreign visitors from countries and territories where there have been no new cases for at least 30 days and launch a pilot plan to bring them to some islands with strict safety measures. Vietnam has only 49 active Covid-19 cases left. It has recorded no community transmission in over one and a half months. Watching the video of George Floyds death broke Efrem Smiths heart. Again. Floyd died slowly after a police officer constricted his airway with a knee on the back of his neck. His death was another case of an unarmed black American killed in an encounter with police, following other high-profile deaths like Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Botham Jean in Texas, and Philando Castile in St. Paul, Minnesota. Another unarmed African American killing, Smith wrote on Twitter. This time in South Minneapolis in the neighborhood where I grew up. The heartbreak continues. I shouldnt have to fear for my life because of the color of my skin. Growing up, Smith lived not far from Cup Foods, the shop near where Floyd died, and he has fond memories of visiting the drug store that used to occupy the same space that Cup Foods now stands. He later became a church planter and served as founding pastor of Sanctuary Covenant Church, a multiethnic congregation in North Minneapolis. Author of The Post-Black and Post-White Church: Becoming the Beloved Community in a Multi-Ethnic World, he is now co-pastor of Bayside Church Midtown, an intentionally diverse congregation of 3,500 in Sacramento. He spoke by phone with Religion News Service editor in chief Bob Smietana. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What did you experience when you watched the video of George Floyd? It broke my heart. Because youre listening to a man that is losing his life. And it doesnt have to be. I dont understand. If a guy is unarmed and hes handcuffed and there are multiple officers on the scene with weapons. Hes saying he cant breathe. He is saying that his stomach hurts. This grown man is, at one point, crying out for his mother. To see bystanders that are filming it on their phones and theyre crying out to the police officers to let up, and yet to see that the officer just keeps (his knee) on the neck and the back of the head of George Floyd. I dont know how you can look at that video and your heart not be broken. What kind of response have you seen from faith leaders? I would say that on the one hand, those that have been involved in ministry that includes initiatives of justice and reconciliationthe response has been consistent: a call for justice, the call for love, a call for reconciliation, a call for changes through public policy. But theres also a segment of the body of Christ that, unfortunately, has consistently remained silent. Ive been encouraged, especially in the evangelical wing of the church, to see more pastors speaking out, being brokenhearted, calling for change. But then theres also a significant segment of evangelicalism that is either silent or late to the party when it comes to the church calling for justice. In a recent Facebook Live conversation with other pastors, you talked about how the New Testament story of Jesus and the woman at the well shows an example of how pastors and other Christians can start talking about the issue of race. Can you explain that? We forget that Jesus, the savior, came as a marginalized, oppressed Jew. He came as an Israelite, Palestinian, brown-skinned human being. The main ways in which Jesus declared and demonstrated the gospel that the kingdom of God is near was among the most vulnerable in the society that he navigated. And Jesus going to Samaria in John chapter 4 is another great example of that. But its not just that he went. Its how he went. The son of God goes to Samaria and he sits down at a well. And he looks up at a marginalized outcast woman, who was despised by the religious leaders and asks her for a drink. And so if Jesus can do this, why cant my white brothers and sisters in the evangelical church come and sit at the well of the African American church, the church that was birthed from slavery, from oppression, and sit at the well and ask for a drink? I think that would make a significant transformative difference as we attempt to navigate the issue of race and bring a solution. What does that look like in practice? That posture of humility puts you in a position of receiving, not just giving. I think the posture of evangelicalism to under-resourced communities, black and brown communities, has for the most part been a giving posture. A looking down posture. In John 4, Jesus begins with the receiving posture. May I have a drink? And so, what if evangelicalism was willing to drinkto receivethe pain, the grief, the stories, the experiences of the African American church? To receive its preaching, its worship, its theology of how the gospel emerges among the sufferinghow the gospel empowers those at the bottom of the social structure? Evangelicalism needs a more humble posture of receiving and learning. Allow the church that has been deemed the other, the marginalized church, to be the teacher at this moment, and to have the most dominant form of the church in America be the student who is learning to share power. Some of the debate going on within evangelicalism about race, thats just some people preserving what they already believe. Thats them not gaining insight from the African American church that, historically, has believed in the authority and the centrality of Scripture, that on many issues outside of race would share some similar values and positions with evangelicalism. Evangelicalism must be willing to hear terms like white supremacy and white privilege and white nationalism and the impact that not only those words, but the actions behind those words, have had on African Americansthe impact they are having on African Americans todaywithout getting offended, without becoming defensive, without walking away from the table. If you were talking to faith leaders right now, what would you tell them to do? We need to look at our preaching and teaching and use this as an opportunity to insert into our preaching and teaching the elements of justice and reconciliation that are a significant part of the gospel message. Righteousness and justice are deeply, deeply connected in Scripture. We also need to reflect on how God wants to grow our current relationships so they become more diverse, more multiethnic. So that we are more consistently digesting the stories, the dreams, the pain of those that have been the victims of oppression in our nation. We need to be better listeners. Then, finally, we need to look at the places of power and privilegethose need to become places where theres a greater sense of diversity. Because if the tables of power were more diversified, we would have better conversations, we would have better community. We would reimagine what it means to truly be people of faith in this nation. Theres been a lot of talk in recent years about the multiethnic church. And some pulling back from it out of concerns that nothing will change. Are you hopeful about the future of the multiethnic church? Im hopeful. There are more expressions of the multiethnic church being led by people of color. And Im not saying Im totally against white brothers and sisters being the lead pastors of multiethnic churches. I think white senior pastors of multiethnic churches need to consider co-pastoring or (have) multiple senior leaders that make up a diverse, multiethnic senior leadership team. Because many multiethnic churches, although theyre diverse, are still calling for people of color to assimilate into white culture. Thats why so many people are being critical of the multiethnic churchbecause they see diversity but they dont see reconciliation and justice being expressed. Its just people of color assimilating into the white church. I believe you need more multiethnic churches led by people of colorwhere white people are willing to sit under the spiritual, pastoral authority of non-white people. Where men are sitting under the authority of women. The best gift I can give to the body of Christ, to the church, is to be my full Christian African American self. And we also need to get beyond the idea that white Christianity doesnt exist. In our country, white Christianity has been deemed normative Christianity. White Christians dont think theyre doing white Christianity. The white church doesnt believe its a white church because its come to believe its the normative, universal churchbecause its the dominant form of church. I need my dear white brothers and sisters to admit theyre actually participating in the white church. Because theyll say, why did you call that black church? Why did you call that black theology? Because they think white theology doesnt exist. They think its just orthodox theology and then all other theologies. U.S. Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden wears a protective face mask as he arrives to visit the Bethel AME Church in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. June 1, 2020. REUTERS/Jim Bourg Jim Bourg | Reuters Joe Biden's options for his running mate may have narrowed even further in the wake of mass protests across the country in reaction to the killing of George Floyd, who died as a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on the neck of the unarmed black man for nearly nine minutes. As the Floyd protests continue five months ahead of Election Day and President Donald Trump's response to the crisis comes under fire, political observers are now paying more attention to Biden's potential running mate. The protests have sparked a new wave of public lobbying for Biden to pick a black woman to be vice president. Biden has said he will make his choice by Aug. 1. He is ahead of Trump in a Real Clear Politics national polling average by close to 6 points. Three of the women on Biden's shortlist, Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. and Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., all have track records of working in or with law enforcement. Political strategists say their past legal work could push them out the running to be Biden's vice president. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., on the other hand, has openly said she would agree to be Biden's VP choice if he asked. A Morning Consult poll shows voters believe she would give the apparent Democratic nominee the biggest boost with voters under 45, and blacks and Hispanics. Here is a look at these four top contenders to be Biden's vice presidential pick: Sen. Amy Klobuchar Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks into the microphone as his former rival for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, Senator Amy Klobuchar, endorses him during a campaign event in Dallas, Texas, U.S., March 2, 2020. Eric Thayer | Reuters Klobuchar's recent campaign for president in the 2020 Democratic primary was largely based on the platform that her moderate approach to governance would help her party overtake Trump in key Midwest swing states that he won four years ago, such as Michigan and Wisconsin. Still, her ability to appeal to Democrats and independents who backed Trump in those states may be overshadowed by her record as a Minnesota prosecutor before she made her way to the U.S. Senate in 2007. Klobuchar was the Hennepin County attorney, where she declined to bring cases against multiple police officers and instead pushed them to a grand jury. That piece of her past, according to people close to her, may have all but ended her chances of becoming vice president. "It's very bad and not good," an ally of Klobuchar's who was recently pushing her to Biden's team as the ideal choice, told CNBC. "The pickings are slim and this could push Val Demings up," this person noted, who declined to be named because these efforts have been made in private. In a recent interview with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell, Klobuchar admitted that, in hindsight, she made a wrong choice not to take on those cases herself as a prosecutor. "I think that was wrong now. I think it would've been much better, if I took the responsibility and looked at the cases and made the decision myself," she said, while later brushing off the idea that she is going to drop out of consideration for the VP slot, noting that it's Biden's decision to make. That hasn't stopped progressives from publicly calling on her to pull out of the running to be on the ticket with Biden, including the liberal organization MoveOn. Rep. James Clyburn, a black congressman from South Carolina and one of Biden's most loyal supporters, appeared to pour cold water on Klobuchar getting picked in recent comments he made to reporters. "This is very tough timing for Amy Klobuchar," he said. Sen. Kamala Harris Democratic presidential candidate , U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) speaks during the Nevada Democrats' "First in the West" event at Bellagio Resort & Casino on November 17, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. David Becker/Getty Images Harris was California's attorney general before she was elected to the Senate in 2016. Her record came under fire as the state's top law enforcer when she went against Biden and a plethora of other Democrats in the primary. And political strategists believe that her record as a prosecutor may come under siege again in the wake of Floyd's death. "She already had the scraping of her own record as attorney general during the presidential campaign. What does it look like in the wake of this?" Democratic strategist Mary Anne Marsh said. "She's got some challenges with her own record as AG, too." During a CNN primary debate last year, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, took on Harris' record as district attorney of San Francisco and later the leader of the state attorney general's office, including cases that went after people who were charged with marijuana possession. Harris' supporters, though, argue that she would be the best pick to appeal to the black community and women across the country, especially in the wake of Floyd's death. "In my view, Biden will satisfy more of the Democratic base by choosing a black woman energized women of all races and energized black men and women than he does from a Midwest white woman," said Julie Zebrak, a political fundraiser and Harris supporter. Harris has also apparently been angling for the job in public. She recently tweeted out a photo of Biden's deceased son, Beau, in honoring the five year anniversary of his death. Beau Biden and Harris were close friends. She also went to a protest in front of the White House this weekend and has called Floyd's death a "public execution." Tweet Rep. Val Demings In this screenshot taken from a Senate Television webcast, Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) answers a question from a senator during impeachment proceedings in the Senate chamber at the U.S. Capitol on January 30, 2020 in Washington, DC. Senate Television via Getty Images Following Floyd's death, Demings, who was chief of the Orlando Police Department before she made it to Congress in 2017, came out with an op-ed in The Washington Post calling for changes to hiring and recruiting police officers. "As a nation, we must conduct a serious review of hiring standards and practices, diversity, training, use-of-force policies, pay and benefits (remember, you get what you pay for), early warning programs, and recruit training programs," she wrote last week. Demings has publicly confirmed that she is on Biden's VP short list. Yet she has no experience running for president, and some strategists argue that even if she is chosen to be Biden's running mate, Democrats still aren't likely to win Florida, a critical swing state that Trump and Biden are vying for. "Can she bring in Florida? Nobody can bring in Florida," Marsh said. Demings will have her work cut out for her if she wants the electorate to get to know her. A Morning Consult poll shows that voters believing she would be a net negative for Biden's chances against Trump. Three in 5 participants of that survey say they've never heard of or have no opinion of Demings. She did serve as an impeachment manager for Trump's Senate trial that ended in acquittal. Sen. Elizabeth Warren Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) speaks at a campaign Get Out the Vote Event in Charleston, South Carolina, February 26, 2020. Brian Snyder | Reuters AS lockdown restrictions ease, a critical question looms: When do we reopen schools? Parents and others weighing COVID-19s risk to children and the adults they may infect, directly or indirectly, should consider emerging evidence that suggests children are not significant transmitters of COVID-19. These data, coupled with the enormous adverse impacts of continuing closures, argue for reopening schools by fall. Of about 360 000 COVID-19 deaths worldwide, only about two dozen children are known to have died. For all the recent reports of serious complications among young people, these are statistically rare and, if detected early, most afflicted youths recover within weeks. While most countries have shuttered schools, others such as Taiwan have achieved effective responses without closures. Decreased In Denmark and Norway, where schools began reopening in mid-April, COVID-19 cases and deaths have decreased. Normally, gregarious youngsters are efficient spreaders of respiratory pathogens. But this appears not to be the case with COVID-19. Emerging evidence suggests that, much like with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in 2003, children are less likely to become infected with this coronavirus. Resistance From February 12 to April 2, just 1.7 per cent of US cases for which age is known occurred among people younger than 18. Some researchers theorise that some resistance has been conferred by previous exposure to other coronaviruses, such as those that produce the common colds that children frequently acquire. Additionally, a study published in JAMA found that youths are less prone to infection because they produce smaller quantities of a protein, ACE2, which both SARS and the novel coronavirus use to enter cells. A German study that warns against reopening schools found viral loads in infected children at levels comparable to adults. There is evidence, however, that as with the earlier SARS outbreak, children who have COVID-19 are less contagious than adults. Many children with COVID-19 are asymptomatic; in the absence of coughing and sneezing, they emit fewer infectious droplets. Remarkably, contact tracing studies in China, Iceland, Britain and the Netherlands failed to locate a single case of child-to-adult infection out of thousands of transmission events analysed. A review of studies from several Asian countries identified few cases of children bringing the virus home, and a recent analysis of COVID-19 interventions found no evidence that school closures had helped contain the epidemic. Some of this data likely underestimates childrens potential to infect others because information was collected after lockdowns and other mitigation measures were implemented. Still, the findings from contact tracing and the significant biological differences between COVID-19 and more common respiratory ailments suggest that children are not major sources of infection. Warned Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, recently warned against reopening schools too early, and noted complications in some children that resemble Kawasaki disease. The emerging condition, known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, is troubling and must be monitored. But it also appears rare; so far, only several hundred US cases have been reported. Other consequences of school closures include recent surges in child abuse; hunger from missed subsidised meals; greater anxiety, depression and isolation. Students with autism, Down syndrome, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and other special needs are at particular risk. But months away from friends and school structure takes a toll on all students, as beleaguered parents everywhere can attest. Thousands of people have joined in demonstrations worldwide in the aftermath of the killing of 46-year-old George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis on Monday 25 May. Protests, marches and vigils have been held in the US and internationally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, with activists demanding justice in the wake of Mr Floyds death and calling for an end to police brutality against black people. On 29 May, Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis police officer, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The officer had been filmed kneeling on Mr Floyds neck for over eight minutes. Second-degree murder was later added to his charge, while the three other officers at the scene were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. On Sunday 31 May, thousands took part in an anti-racist protest in London, which saw many protestors kneel and repeat: No justice, no peace and Say my name, George Floyd. Placards were also held aloft with statements including: Racism has no place and I cant breathe, the latter in reference to the words Mr Floyd said as the officer knelt on his neck. Further protests were held throughout the week across the UK, including in London at Parliament Square on Saturday 6 June and at the US Embassy on Sunday 7 June. Huge crowds joined in the organised protests. However, not all who wished to attend may have been able to do so. This may have been because they were unable to travel to the location of a demonstration, were instructed to stay home and continue shielding due to a health condition, or they felt concerned about standing among a large crowd due to the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown rules. If you were unable to attend the protests, there are still several ways you can take action to demonstrate your support, such as by donating to a bail fund or by donating to a fundraiser set up in support of Mr Floyds family. Donate The Minnesota Freedom Fund is a non-profit organisation that provides funds for protesters who have been arrested and need to pay bail in order to avoid being imprisoned. We will walk with transparency and accountability to use those funds to first and foremost pay bail for those who have shown up in love and grief and rage to demand justice for the murder of George Floyd, and then to post bail in our community for those who are held pretrial simply because they cannot pay and to post bonds to free people from ICE detention, the organisation said. To donate, click here. The Bail Project also provides funds to pay bail to prevent incarceration and combat racial economic disparities in the bail system. To donate, click here. You can ensure your donation is split among several bail funds on the ActBlue website. These 37 bail funds include the Philadelphia Bail Fund, the LGBTQ Freedom Fund, the Community Justice Exchange National Bail Fund Network and the Mississippi Bail Fund Collective. To donate, click here. Two fundraisers have been set up in Mr Floyds memory by his family. The first, which was created by his brother Philonise Floyd, was created in order to raise money to cover funeral and burial expenses, to pay for counselling, to cover accommodation and travel expenses during court proceedings and to provide assistance for the family. To donate, click here. The second fundraiser was launched by Mr Floyds sister, Bridgett Floyd, to provide further care for the family. To donate, click here. There are several local Minnesota-based organisations that are in need of donations, including Black Visions Collective, a black, trans and queer-led organisation that is dedicated to Black liberation and to collective liberation. To donate, click here. Reclaim the Block, which was founded in 2018, is committed to moving money from the police force to help support other areas of the community in Minneapolis. We do not believe that increased regulation of or public engagement with the police will lead to safer communities, as community testimony and documented police conduct suggest otherwise, the organisation states. To donate, click here. You can help to provide medical supplies to those in need during protests by donating to the North Star Health Collective, a Minnesota-based organisation that coordinates and provides health care services, resources and training. To donate, click here. You can donate directly towards the Black Lives Matter movement, in order to support the organisations ongoing fight to end state-sanctioned violence, liberate black people, and end white supremacy forever. To donate, click here. A fundraiser has been set up on GoFundMe for Black Lives Matter UK (BLMUK), a coalition of black activists and organisers from around the UK. The fundraiser is asking for donations in order to support UKBLMs work with black communities in the UK. To donate, click here. In April, Belly Mujinga, a black railway worker, died two weeks after being spat at while working at Victoria station in London by a man who claimed he had coronavirus. The British Transport Police recently confirmed that no further action is being taken in relation to her death, stating that there is no evidence to substantiate any criminal offences. A fundraiser has been set up on GoFundMe in order to support her family, including her daughter. To donate, click here. The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, is named after Stephen Lawrence, a black teenager who was killed in southeast London in 1993 in a racist attack. The organisation aims to be a fitting legacy to Stephens memory by supporting young people to transform their lives by overcoming disadvantage and discrimination, encouraging greater diversity in businesses and continuing to campaign for fairness and justice. To donate, click here. The Movement for Black Lives is a global initiative that aims to create for black organisations to conduct conversations about current political conditions. We believe that prisons, police and all other institutions that inflict violence on Black people must be abolished and replaced by institutions that value and affirm the flourishing of black lives, the organisation states. The current systems we live inside of need to be radically transformed, which includes a realignment of global power. To donate, click here. Stop Watch UK, an organisation that has been running for the past decade, is committed to promoting fair and accountable policing, making sure the public is informed about the use of stop and search and providing legal support challenging stop and search. A fundraiser, titled National Campaign for Fair and Accountable Policing, has been created on behalf of the charity following recent requests. To donate, click here. Sign petitions Several petitions have been gaining traction in the past week demanding for justice in the wake of Mr Floyds death. One petition, on the website for Color of Change, has accumulated 4.5 million signatures, surpassing its 4 million target. To sign the petition, click here. On Change.org, a petition titled Justice for George Floyd has gained more than 10 million signatures. We are trying to reach the attention of Mayor Jacob Frey and DA Mike Freeman to beg to have the officers involved in this disgusting situation fired and for charges to be filed immediately, the petition states. Please help us get justice for George and his family! To sign the petition, click here. Another petition, launched on the website wecantbreathenational.org, states that it is calling on Hennepin County District Attorney Mike Freeman to arrest and charge the police officers involved with Mr Floyds death with second degree murder. To sign the petition, click here. The NAACP, a US civil rights organisation, has created a petition demanding the immediate arrest of the three officers who were present when Chauvin kneeled on Mr Floyds neck. The petition is also demanding the appointment of an independent special prosecutor to lead the federal governments full and impartial investigation of the murder of George Floyd, the resinstitution by the Department of Justice of consent decrees on police departments and municipal governments across this country that have demonstrated patterns of racism towards and mistreatment of people of colour and the sweeping police reformfederal legislation mandating a zero-tolerance approach in penalising and/or prosecuting police officers who kill unarmed, non-violent, and non-resisting individuals in an arrest. To sign the petition, click here. A petition calling for justice for Ms Mujinga has been set up on Change.org, garnering more than 400,000 signatures. The aim of the petition is to find the person who assaulted Ms Mujinga at Victoria station and to ensure that frontline workers within Transport for London are provided with necessary protective equipment. Recommended Mother of black Louisville shooting victim calls for peaceful protest At this time, we are not pursuing a prosecution but are still campaigning to secure protection and support for those working at GTR [Govia Thameslink Railway]. Please sign to help us, it states. To sign the petition, click here. In March, Breonna Taylor, a black emergency medical technician, was fatally shot by the Louisville Metro Police Department in her apartment, after officers entered the property while serving a no-knock warrant. Her family is seeking reprimand for the killing in a lawsuit, accusing the police officers of wrongful death, excessive force and gross negligence. A petition has been launched on the dedicated website standwithbre.com. Were calling on the Louisville Metro Police Department to terminate the police involved, and for a special prosecutor to be appointed to bring forward charges against the officers and oversee all parts of this case, the petition states. To sign the petition, click here. LAKEWOOD, Colo., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) is excited to invite the public to its free Spring 2020 Virtual Graduation Exhibition Opening Reception on June 5, 2020. RMCAD and Denver Digerati have joined in a new partnership to present our Spring 2020 Graduating Students' final projects in a virtual art exhibition through the streaming service Supernova.video (powered by Denver Digerati, a 501 (c) (3) organization). The Philip J. Steele Gallery on RMCAD's campus is creating a unique opportunity to digitally display artwork in a meaningful fashion for its alumni that just graduated this past spring. The exhibition will feature dynamic videos of students' work from a variety of disciplines and mediums. To prepare students for this experience, the Philip J. Steele Gallery is working remotely with students to convert student-captured documentation of 2D/3D work into an engaging motion-based video. At the beginning of the exhibition, RMCAD will be hosting a virtual opening reception via Zoom. Students and guests will join the reception to view students' works and have the opportunity to communicate with one another. The purpose of the virtual opening reception is to give students and guests the opportunity to come together as a community in one location and celebrate the hard work of Denver's newest artists and designers. Those who cannot make the opening reception will be able to view it on the RMCAD website in its entirety. For all media inquiries, please contact Rick Dailey at [email protected]. ABOUT THE PHILIP J. STEELE GALLERY The Philip J. Steele Gallery is the largest dedicated gallery space on RMCAD's campus. The Gallery exhibits student, alumni, and faculty work in addition to nationally and internationally renowned visiting artist, scholars, and designers. The Gallery mission is to create a space for dialogue, using contemporary art as a vehicle for critical discourse. Due to COVID-19, the gallery hours are closed until further notice. ABOUT ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE OF ART + DESIGN A premier arts school in the Denver area, Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design is an innovative, rigorous, and community-oriented global learning environment that inspires passion for critical thinking and prepares learners to be forces of change in the creative industries, our communities, and the world. Find more information at www.RMCAD.edu or by calling 800.888.ARTS. MEDIA CONTACT: Rick Dailey [email protected] 425.765.0532 SOURCE Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design Related Links http://www.rmcad.edu The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] Find out when and where one of the oldest international holidays appeared, how it is celebrated and why is it called a children's holiday for adults On June 1, Ukraine and over 60 countries celebrate International Children's Day. The holiday, which is associated with ice cream, amusement parks, and the beginning of long-awaited summer vacation, actually has some serious undertones. History of the holiday It is one of the oldest international holidays. According to some reports, the idea to celebrate it appeared on June 1, 1925. On this day, the Consul General of the People's Republic of China in San Francisco found Chinese orphans in the city and held special events for them on the occasion of the national holiday, which symbolizes the beginning of summer - Duan-wu-Jie (Dragon Boat Festival). The diplomats idea did not go unnoticed. Children's Day Open source And by an interesting coincidence, another significant event took place on June 1, 1925: the first international conference was held in Geneva, during which the problems of children were discussed. It is believed that these two events became decisive in choosing the date of the holiday. At the same time, the official year of birth of the International Children's Day is considered not 1925, but 1949. It was then that a special session of the Women's International Democratic Federation in Paris, it was decided to establish a children's holiday. This was due to the terrible situation children were in around the world in the post-war period: many minors were left orphans, without shelter, food, and sick. This could not go unnoticed by the international community. Children's Day Open source Celebrations of the holiday began already next year: in 1950, festive events were held in 51 countries. In 1959, the UN adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, which called on parents, civil society organizations and governments to recognize and promote children's rights. True, this document was, rather, a recommendation. And in 1989, the organization introduced the first relevant international document - the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Children's Day in Ukraine In 1991, Ukraine joined the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, however, it began to mark the holiday since 1998 - after President Leonid Kuchma signed the Decree On Children's Day on May 30. Children in Ukraine Open source Holiday symbols The official symbol of International Children's Day is a special flag. The green background symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. In the middle, it has the sign of the Earth - a symbol of the common home. The red and yellow, black, and white figures represent diversity and tolerance. Children's Day flag Open source How International Children's Day is celebrated? Usually, on this day various entertaining events are arranged for children: contests with gifts, concerts, exhibitions, quizzes. However, this holiday is more focused on adults, because the main goal is to talk about the problems and difficulties of children around the world, to emphasize the importance of protecting their rights. On June 1, anti-abortion campaigns are taking place in many countries around the world. There can be marches, rallies, prayers, etc. However, in 2020 on this day will have to do without mass actions due to the coronavirus epidemic and quarantine restrictions. In addition, funds are being raised for the treatment of children with cancer. On this day, the international community also calls to stop domestic violence, conducts educational campaigns for children to teach them where they can go if their rights are violated. In connection with the hostilities, Ukraine faced new challenges in the field of protecting the rights of children. Today, the issues of orphans, IDPs, children from single-parent or dysfunctional families are very acute. The main appeal of the majority of actions that are held on this day in more than 60 countries of the world is that only adults can solve the problems of children. What else is celebrated on June 1? Since 2013, at the initiative of the UN, another family holiday is celebrated on this day - world Parents Day. Since 2001 (as proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations), World Milk Day has also been celebrated. Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis. More than 372,000 deaths The pandemic has killed at least 372,047 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year, according to an AFP tally at 1100 GMT on Monday, based on official sources. There have been more than 6.1 million cases registered in 196 countries and territories. The United States is the worst-hit country with 104,383 deaths. It is followed by Britain with 38,489, Italy with 33,415, Brazil with 29,314, France with 28,802 and Spain with 27,127. Latin America tops 1 mn cases In a grim new landmark, infections in Latin America and the Caribbean surge past one million. Peru and Chile in particular register sharp increases. 'Myth!' In Brazil, the pandemic hotspot in Latin America, controversial President Jair Bolsonaro rallies his supporters in the capital Brasilia, appearing before a crowd chanting "myth! myth! myth!" in an echo of the leader's dismissal of the virus outbreak. Spike in Iran Iran announces almost 3,000 new infections, its highest daily count in two months, as it warns of another "dangerous peak" in the Middle East's deadliest outbreak. Europe eases measures Britain's children return to classes as schools partially reopen amid concern the government is moving too fast. Shopping malls and parks reopen in Moscow, despite the still-high number of cases. Greece opens some hotels, schools, pools and tattoo parlours, while in Slovenia a mandatory rule to wear masks is eased as the country declares the end of the outbreak there. Rome's Colosseum opens to Italian nationals only, drawing sparse crowds. Parisians prepare for restaurants, cafes and bars being allowed to serve on sidewalks and terraces in the city as of Tuesday. Unproven drug The White House says the US has delivered two million doses of the antimalarial medicine hydroxychloroquine to Brazil, though the drug has not been proven effective against the virus. No Tiananmen vigil Hong Kong police ban the July 4 vigil marking the Tiananmen crackdown anniversary, citing the pandemic -- the first time the gathering has been halted in three decades. Police reject permission for this year's rally, which usually attracts huge crowds, saying it would "constitute a major threat to the life and health of the general public", according to a letter of objection to organisers obtained by AFP. Armenian PM tests positive Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he and his family have tested positive for the virus. Speaking in a self-recorded video message on Facebook, he says he has no "visible symptoms" and will be working from home. Racing returns Zodiakos is the first winner for 76 days as horse racing became the first major sport to return in Britain with a meeting behind closed doors at Newcastle. Pigeon racing and snooker also return on Monday with Premier League football scheduled to resume on June 17. Search Keywords: Short link: VANCOUVER, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Maverix Metals Inc. (the "Company" or "Maverix") (NYSE American & TSX: MMX) announces its Annual General Meeting ("AGM") will be held on Tuesday, June 30, 2020, commencing at 2:00 pm Vancouver time. This year, in response to COVID-19, the Company will hold its AGM with a virtual component via live audiocast. All interested investors are invited to participate in the AGM using the details below: AGM Commencing at 2:00 pm Vancouver time Toll-free in U.S. and Canada: 1-800-319-4610 International callers: +1 604-638-5340 Callers should dial into the AGM at least 15 to 20 minutes prior to the scheduled start time and then ask the operator to join Maverix's AGM. Maverix will utilize the notice and access model for the delivery of the materials for the AGM. Registered and beneficial shareholders will receive a notification that will contain information on how to access the AGM materials. The AGM materials and information regarding how to participate in the meeting will be distributed to shareholders and will also available for download on Maverix Metals' website at www.maverixmetals.com. About Maverix Maverix is a gold-focused royalty and streaming company with a globally diversified portfolio of over 100 assets. Maverix's mission is to increase per share value by continuing to add new precious metals royalties and streams. Its shares trade on both the NYSE American and the TSX under the ticker symbol "MMX". SOURCE Maverix Metals Inc. Related Links http://maverixmetals.com Ellen Bercovitz is one of the lucky Airbnb hosts. She bought her Victorian-era house in South Portland 14 years ago and is selling it because her life has changed, not because bookings have dried up due to the coronavirus pandemic. Across the country, people who went out on a limb to purchase a property with the idea that temporary renters could help pay the mortgage have been hurting since travel suddenly stopped in March with stay-at-home orders. A new survey by real estate company IPX 1031 found that part-time and full-time Airbnb hosts have dropped their daily rates as much as $90 on average and 45% of hosts say they wont be able to sustain operating costs if travel restrictions and tourist disinterest last six more months. To counter the slide in vacation rental revenue, owners are promoting longer stays at discounted rates to generate income. Some are hosting medical workers. Guests who booked Airbnb stays and experiences before March 15 can receive a full refund for check-in date through June 30. VRBO, HomeAway, Booking.com, Flipkey and other online travel agencies have waive cancellation fees as hosts, who process the changes, offer credit for a flexible date or a refund. Even before the economic, health and cultural crises caused by the coronavirus pandemic, B&Bs had been suffering for a decade, as short-term rentals became more popular. Tourist-centric Ashland once had about 70 bed-and-breakfast inns; now there are less than a dozen, according to Travel Ashland director Katharine Cato. Many former B&Bs have become whole house rentals. For about $600 a night, a group of 10 people can book the 1892 Queen Anne-style Nunan Mansion in Jacksonville in southern Oregons Jackson County, which reopened under Phase 1 guidelines. But Bercovitz is optimistic. When competition from vacation rentals affected her B&B business, she listed her Victorian home on different sites to attract more travelers. She is licensed to rent out five rooms on a short-term basis either as a B&B or through Airbnb. I have great neighbors, says Bercovitz of residents of Corbett and Lair Hill neighborhoods, two of the oldest settlements in Portland. Instead of finding roommates to help pay the mortgage when she bought the property in 2006, she spent three years extensively remodeling and restoring this historic house and opened Bellaterra Bed and Breakfast. The decor for the five guest rooms was inspired by Romantic Eramusic and literature, as well as the Arabian Nights, Classical Greece and landscapes of the Cascades and Alaska, she says. Bercovitz, a classical musician who started traveling the world as a child with her Presbyterian missionary parents, learned on the job about renovating a century-old structure and locating materials and furniture for the uniquely themed rooms. She installed glass tile, green granite, sunset-colored slate, white marble or red onyx in each of the five guest bathrooms. The former attic, which was used as a studio by the previous owner, Northwest artist Evelyn Sheehan, is now Bercovitz private quarters with a kitchen, bathroom and sleeping loft. The ceiling rises 14 feet at the peak; two of the seven skylights frame peek-a-boo views of Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens. Mount Hood and the Willamette River are visible from the attics east bank of windows as well as several others in the house. Evelyns husband, Ray Sheehan, had a wood shop in the basement, and the couple used the upper two levels of the house as a gallery. Evelyns work hung in every room, including a bathroom. In fact, one of her paintings still hangs in Ellen's third floor bathroom. Throughout, walls and decorative transom windows above doors were covered in rough-cut plywood, siding and painted paneling. Bercovitz removed the wood as well as the lowered, false ceilings to restore the original 10-foot ceiling height on the first two levels. My goal was to provide a beautiful space to spark imagination and encourage guests to feel welcomed and comfortable, says Bercovitz of her house with two-story chamfered bays, recessed porches and scrollwork. If someone wanted to go a step further and offer the luxury B&B experience, this space would gracefully lend itself to that. It was designed with that option in mind. Bercovitz has moved to St. Helens and decided to put her property on the market so she can focus on music, writing and local pursuits, particularly spending time with grandchildren who live there. The 4,791-square-foot property at 3935 S. Corbett Ave. is for sale at $899,900 as a large family home, a co-housing arrangement where individuals live together or an investment supported by renters, says listing agent Timothy Manickam of eXp Realty. Manickam says he has sold residential properties to young tech professionals who rely on roommates to cover the low-interest mortgage. This dwelling, built in 1893, has two kitchens, seven bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms and 5,198 square feet of living space including a full basement, with a wine cellar and a separate door to the street. This location is perfect for the biker/no-car community that wants to commute downtown or really in any direction, says Manickam. Someone wanting a turn-key B&B business could buy the property. Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072 jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories Want to search Oregon real estate listings and use local resources? Click here. Abid Hussain and Muhammad Tahir were caught red-handed on Sunday from Karol Bagh in a joint operation by Military intelligence, Special cell and IB team while obtaining documents of Indian security establishment from an Indian and handing him over money and a phone.The FIR against them says the two were trying to get information about Indian Railways and the armed forces on the basis of money on the directions of ISI.It says that when the two were caught, the ISI agent who was working as driver tried to flee under a plan and the glasses of Pakistan Embassy vehicle were broken. He was caught with some difficulty."Card recovered from Abid was bearing number 568285962134 in the name of Nasir Gotam 5/0 Nayyar Gautam R/o 32/7, B Block, Geeta Colony Delhi and was containing a photograph of Abid. Three classified documents and Aadhaar Card recovered from Abid were seized separately and were taken into police possession through seizure memo," reads the copy of FIR."Two classified documents recovered from Tahir were seized and were taken into police possession through seizure memo. They further revealed that since long they were cultivating many sources in Indian Railway, Indian Armed Forces on the directions of their ISI mentor. The recovered documents are of confidential nature related to the Indian army, are illegally in the possession of Abid and Tahir," it says.Abid wanted to lure and trap the railway staff and then acquire information about the movement of Army units via trains, Delhi Police said on Monday.They said that investigation in the espionage case revealed that Hussain operated under several fake identities to lure persons working in organisations and departments to get information.Officials said that he posed by the name of Gautam and said he was brother of a media person to establish contact with an individual working in Indian Railways.They said he tried to gain his confidence by pretending that he needed information about rail movements for his brother who was supposedly doing a story on Indian Railways and for which he was willing to pay money.The real motive, they said, was to lure and trap railway staff and then acquire information about the movement of Army units and hardware via trains.Sources said the Military Intelligence laid a trap for two Pakistan High Commission (PHC) employees who eventually turned out to be working for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).An audio-video has also been gathered by the Military Intelligence where Abid can be seen meeting a decoy (a person from the Indian security whose purpose was to gather information from the spy).He can be heard falsely stating that he is an Indian Army Field Post Office (FPO) Employee and went for exercise in a forward area. He offers job to the decoy and mentions that four clerks in the Indian Army were working for him.The Military Intelligence laid a trap to capture the two ISI spies and traced their contacts. They also captured audio/video of meetings of spies and the first meeting of Hussain was recorded on February 16 this year.They initially claimed to be Indian nationals and produced their fake Aadhar cards but later confessed to be officials of the High Commission (PHC) working for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). (ANI) ITAI Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 1, 2020 17:58 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb577ff 1 National COVID-19,tomy-winata,charity Free While there are many private initiatives that are helping the government to deal with COVID-19 through donations, Artha Group tycoon Tomy Winata has taken the lead in an effort to directly fight the pandemic. His charitable foundation Artha Graha Peduli has opened a field hospital in North Jakarta dedicated to conducting rapid tests on targeted segments of society, in addition to providing beds and possible treatment for COVID-19 in the event of a spike in the number of patients requiring hospitalization. The field hospital, which is run by Artha Graha Peduli with support from numerous institutions and business entities including Buddha Tzu Chi Foundation, food giant Indofood and property giant Sinarmas, is manned by eight specialist doctors, 15 general practitioners, 34 nurses and 209 volunteers. The field hospital also has five isolation rooms equipped with 16 beds where COVID-19 patients could stay before being transferred to a government-run emergency facility in Wisma Atlet Kemayoran, Central Jakarta. The Artha Graha-run facility has conducted extensive rapid testing for members of the public. As of April 15, the facility had conducted 3,900 rapid tests. The field hospital has also dispatched medical workers to conduct rapid tests outside of Greater Jakarta, including in Kendal, Central Java; Cianjur, West Java; and Kubu Raya, West Kalimantan. "In this facility, we conduct tight screening on those who have a high or low potential of getting infected. We then conduct a rapid test and if they are found to be positive, we then take PCR and swab tests here as well," said Ridwan Purwanto, a Navy doctor who now serves as head of the field hospital. The North Jakarta city administration has given its approval for the Artha Graha Peduli field hospital to serve as a facility that can handle COVID-19 patients. North Jakarta Mayor Sigit Wijatmoko issued credentials for the field hospital in early April during a ceremony at the facility. During a visit to the facility in late April, Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy said the field hospital could serve as a back-up facility in the event a spike in COVID-19 cases leads to greater number of hospitalizations. Speaking on Saturday, Tomy said the initiative for setting up the hospital began in December, when news broke out from China that an illness caused by a virus started to infect people in Wuhan, China. It just so happened that Artha Graha Peduli would focus on health as its primary agenda for 2020. "You could say that we had marshaled our resources six months before the pandemic struck," Tomy said. In January, when COVID-19 was still concentrated in Wuhan, Artha Graha Peduli ordered the construction of a quarantine facility on Sebaru Island, off the coast of North Jakarta, which the government later used to house 69 Indonesian crewmen who were airlifted from the coronavirus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama, Japan. Tomy said the field hospital and Artha Graha Peduli would be in it for the long-haul. "Even after we have a vaccine, it will be another three years before life can get back to normal. We have to manage our lives to live with COVID-19," Tomy said. According to the Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children's Rights, more than 80% of children born of surrogate mothers are taken abroad The Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children's Rights Mykola Kuleba Unian Mykola Kuleba, the Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children's Rights, said that foreigners should be banned from using surrogacy services. He stated this during a briefing, Strana.ua reported. Kuleba added that more than 80% of children born of surrogate mothers were taken abroad. "We need to close this market for foreign couples. The situation with Ukrainian couples needs to be discussed, then we can talk about the regulation of this activity. If we talk about those children who are born of surrogate mothers, more than 80% of them are taken abroad, he stated. The Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children's Rights added that commercial surrogacy is prohibited in most countries (in this case the child is positioned as a commodity). The United Nations has said that commercial surrogacy is tantamount to selling children. Surrogacy is generally banned in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, France and some US states. As we reported earlier, on June 1, Ukraine and over 60 countries celebrate International Children's Day. BEIJING, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Autohome Inc. (NYSE: ATHM) ("Autohome" or the "Company"), the leading online destination for automobile consumers in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020. First Quarter 2020 Highlights [1] Net Revenues in the first quarter of 2020 were RMB1,546.6 million ( $218.4 million ), in line with the Company's guidance. in the first quarter of 2020 were ( ), in line with the Company's guidance. Online Marketplace and Others Revenues in the first quarter of 2020 were RMB309.9 million ( $43.8 million ), which contributed to 20% of total revenues, compared to 15% in the corresponding period of 2019. Data Products in the online marketplace and other business achieved revenue growth of over 80% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2020. [1] The reporting currency of the Company is Renminbi ("RMB"). For the convenience of readers, certain amounts throughout the release are presented in US dollars ("$"). Unless otherwise noted, all conversions from RMB to US$ are translated at the noon buying rate of US$1.00 to RMB7.0808 on March 31, 2020 in the City of New York for cable transfers of RMB as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have been, or could be, converted into US$ at such rate. Mr. Min Lu, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Autohome, stated, "We kicked off 2020 with a solid first quarter, reporting revenue of RMB1.55 billion. During the quarter, we witnessed an increasing demand for online marketing services as automakers and dealers shifted their focus from offline to online channels. To capitalize on this trend, we introduced a suite of data products and tools that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of online marketing programs for our customers. In addition, we launched the spring virtual auto show, providing access to the event to a much broader consumer audience as well as automobile enthusiasts. These efforts and initiatives result in an increase in the customer base for our data products. With 2020 well underway, I am confident in our ability to maintain our undisputed market leadership given our well-defined long-term strategic plan and sharp focus on delivering value to both our customers and the auto industry." Mr. Jun Zou, Chief Financial Officer of Autohome, added, "In the first quarter, we maintained our sound profit profile with a non-GAAP net margin of 41.8%, despite the unfavorable macroeconomic conditions brought on mainly by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our solid financial performance once again demonstrated the resilience of our core business as well as the strength of our new initiatives and disciplined approach to managing costs. As we fulfill our commitment to maximizing shareholder value, we were pleased to pay our first regular annual dividend to shareholders in April 2020 as scheduled. Going forward, we will continue to expand our footprint in auto-related sectors while enhancing operating efficiency across each of our business lines, all with the ultimate goal of generating sustained long-term value for our shareholders." Unaudited First Quarter 2020 Financial Results Net Revenues Net revenues in the first quarter of 2020 were RMB1,546.6 million ($218.4 million), compared to RMB 1,611.9 million in the corresponding period of 2019. Media services revenues were RMB566.3 million ( $80.0 million ), compared to RMB643.2 million in the corresponding period of 2019. The decrease was attributable to the decrease of average revenue per automaker advertiser amid the challenging macroeconomic environment in China related to the COVID-19 pandemic. revenues were ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2019. The decrease was attributable to the decrease of average revenue per automaker advertiser amid the challenging macroeconomic environment in related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leads generation services revenues were RMB670.5 million ( $94.7 million ), compared to RMB 734.1 million in the corresponding period of 2019. The decrease was primarily due to the decrease in the number of paying dealers under the difficult operating conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. revenues were ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2019. The decrease was primarily due to the decrease in the number of paying dealers under the difficult operating conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Online marketplace and others revenues increased by 32.1% to RMB309.9 million ( $43.8 million ) from RMB234.6 million in the corresponding period of 2019. The increase was primarily attributable to the increased contribution from data products. Cost of Revenues Cost of revenues was RMB177.9 million ($25.1 million), compared to RMB184.5 million in the corresponding period of 2019. In addition, cost of revenues included share-based compensation expenses of RMB5.1 million ($0.7 million) during the first quarter of 2020, compared to RMB3.9 million in the corresponding period of 2019. Operating Expenses Operating expenses were RMB905.3 million ($127.9 million) in the first quarter of 2020, compared to RMB846.1 million in the corresponding period of 2019. Sales and marketing expenses were RMB524.2 million ( $74.0 million ) in the first quarter of 2020, compared to RMB509.7 million in the corresponding period of 2019. Sales and marketing expenses for the first quarter of 2020 included share-based compensation expenses of RMB11.0 million ( $1.5 million ), compared to RMB13.2 million in the corresponding period of 2019. expenses were ( ) in the first quarter of 2020, compared to in the corresponding period of 2019. Sales and marketing expenses for the first quarter of 2020 included share-based compensation expenses of ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2019. General and administrative expenses were RMB89.2 million ( $12.6 million ) in the first quarter of 2020, compared to RMB67.8 million in the corresponding period of 2019. General and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2020 included share-based compensation expenses of RMB18.9 million ( $2.7 million ), compared to RMB14.9 million in the corresponding period of 2019. expenses were ( ) in the first quarter of 2020, compared to in the corresponding period of 2019. General and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2020 included share-based compensation expenses of ( ), compared to in the corresponding period of 2019. Product development expenses were RMB291.9 million ( $41.2 million ) in the first quarter of 2020, compared to RMB268.6 million in the corresponding period of 2019. Product development expenses for the first quarter of 2020 included share-based compensation expenses of RMB22.9 million ( $3.2 million ), compared to RMB21.2 million in the corresponding period of 2019. Operating Profit Operating profit was RMB585.9 million ($82.7 million) in the first quarter of 2020, compared to RMB657.5 million in the corresponding period of 2019. Income Tax Expense Income tax expense was RMB125.5 million ($17.7 million) in the first quarter of 2020, compared to RMB119.5 million in the corresponding period of 2019. Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc. and EPS Net income attributable to Autohome Inc. was RMB587.2 million ($82.9 million) in the first quarter of 2020, compared to RMB646.3 million in the corresponding period of 2019. Basic and diluted earnings per share/per ADS or "EPS," were RMB4.93 ($0.70) and RMB4.91 ($0.69), respectively, compared to basic and diluted EPS of RMB5.47 and RMB5.41, respectively, in the corresponding period of 2019. Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc. (Non-GAAP) and Non-GAAP EPS Adjusted net income attributable to Autohome Inc. (Non-GAAP), defined as net income attributable to Autohome Inc., excluding share-based compensation expenses and amortization expenses of intangible assets related to acquisitions, was RMB646.2 million ($91.3 million) in the first quarter of 2020, compared to RMB700.6 million in the corresponding period of 2019. Non-GAAP basic and diluted EPS were RMB5.43 ($0.77) and RMB5.40 ($0.76), respectively, compared to non-GAAP basic and diluted EPS of RMB5.93 and RMB5.87, respectively, in the corresponding period of 2019. Balance Sheet and Cash Flow As of March 31, 2020, the Company had cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments of RMB13.30 billion ($1,878.4 million). Net cash provided by operating activities in the first quarter of 2020 was RMB498.9 million ($70.5 million). Employees The Company had 4,057 employees as of March 31, 2020. Business Outlook Autohome currently expects to generate net revenues in the range of RMB2,220.0 million ($313.5 million) to RMB2,320.0 million ($327.6 million) in the second quarter of fiscal year 2020. This forecast reflects the Company's current and preliminary view on the market and its operating conditions, which are subject to change, particularly as a result of uncertainties surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Conference Call Information The Company will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time on Monday, June 1, 2020 (8:00 PM Beijing Time on the same day). Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows: United States: +1-855-824-5644 Hong Kong, China: +852-3027-6500 Mainland China: 8009-880-563 / 400-821-0637 United Kingdom: 0800-026-1542 International: +1-646-722-4977 Passcode: 97828568# Please dial in ten minutes before the call is scheduled to begin and provide the passcode to join the call. A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following numbers until June 7, 2020: United States: +1-646-982-0473 International: +61-2-8325-2405 Passcode: 319333411# Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available at http://ir.autohome.com.cn. About Autohome Inc. Autohome Inc. (NYSE: ATHM) is the leading online destination for automobile consumers in China. Its mission is to enhance the car-buying and ownership experience for auto consumers in China. Autohome provides original generated content, professionally generated content, user-generated content, AI-generated content, a comprehensive automobile library, and extensive automobile listing information to automobile consumers, covering the entire car purchase and ownership cycle. The ability to reach a large and engaged user base of automobile consumers has made Autohome a preferred platform for automakers and dealers to conduct their advertising campaigns. Further, the Company's dealer subscription and advertising services allow dealers to market their inventory and services through Autohome's platform, extending the reach of their physical showrooms to potentially millions of internet users in China and generating sales leads for them. The Company offers sales leads, data analysis, and marketing services to assist automakers and dealers with improving their efficiency and facilitating transactions. Autohome operates its "Autohome Mall," a full-service online transaction platform, to facilitate transactions for automakers and dealers. Further, through its websites and mobile applications, it also provides other value-added services, including auto financing, auto insurance, used car transactions, and aftermarket services. For further information, please visit www.autohome.com.cn. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will", "expects", "anticipates", "future", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, Autohome's business outlook, Autohome's strategic and operational plans and quotations from management in this announcement contain forward-looking statements. Autohome may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Autohome's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Autohome's goals and strategies; Autohome's future business development, results of operations and financial condition; the expected growth of the online automobile advertising market in China; Autohome's ability to attract and retain users and advertisers and further enhance its brand recognition; Autohome's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products and services; competition in the online automobile advertising industry; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Autohome's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Autohome does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures To supplement net income presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we use Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc., Non-GAAP basic and diluted EPS and Adjusted EBITDA as non-GAAP financial measures. We define Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc. as net income attributable to Autohome Inc. excluding share-based compensation expenses and amortization expenses of intangible assets related to acquisitions. We define Non-GAAP basic and diluted EPS as Adjusted Net Income attributable to Autohome Inc. divided by the basic and diluted weighted average number of ordinary shares. We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income attributable to Autohome Inc. before income tax expense/(benefit), depreciation expenses of property and equipment and amortization expenses of intangible assets and share-based compensation expenses. We present these non-GAAP financial measures because they are used by our management to evaluate our operating performance, in addition to net income prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We believe these non-GAAP financial measures are important to help investors understand our operating and financial performance, compare business trends among different reporting periods on a consistent basis and assess our core operating results, as they exclude certain expenses that are not expected to result in cash payments. The use of the above non-GAAP financial measures has certain limitations. Share-based compensation expenses have been and will continue to be incurred in the future and are not reflected in the presentation of the non-GAAP financial measures, but should be considered in the overall evaluation of our results. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Reconciliation of non-GAAP and GAAP Results" set forth at the end of this press release. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China: Autohome Inc. Investor Relations Anita Chen Tel: +86-10-5985-7483 Email: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Xi Zhang Tel: +86-10-6508-0677 E-mail: [email protected] In the United States: The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi Piacente Tel: +1-212-481-2050 E-mail: [email protected] AUTOHOME INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS DATA (Amount in thousands, except per share data) For three months ended March 31, 2019 2020 RMB RMB US$ (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Net revenues: Media services 643,235 566,310 79,978 Leads generation services 734,087 670,459 94,687 Online marketplace and others 234,606 309,860 43,761 Total net revenues 1,611,928 1,546,629 218,426 Cost of revenues (184,454) (177,862) (25,119) Gross profit 1,427,474 1,368,767 193,307 Operating expenses: Sales and marketing expenses (509,724) (524,221) (74,034) General and administrative expenses (67,758) (89,152) (12,591) Product development expenses (268,573) (291,938) (41,230) Total operating expenses (846,055) (905,311) (127,855) Other income, net 76,038 122,471 17,296 Operating profit 657,457 585,927 82,748 Interest income 114,221 137,391 19,403 Loss from equity method investments (1,582) (1,455) (205) Fair value change of other non-current assets (4,026) (9,116) (1,287) Income before income taxes 766,070 712,747 100,659 Income tax expense (119,525) (125,484) (17,722) Net income 646,545 587,263 82,937 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (236) (84) (12) Net income attributable to Autohome Inc. 646,309 587,179 82,925 Earnings per share for ordinary shares Basic 5.47 4.93 0.70 Diluted 5.41 4.91 0.69 Weighted average shares used to compute earnings per share attributable to common stockholders: Basic 118,229,887 119,069,088 119,069,088 Diluted 119,385,615 119,647,226 119,647,226 AUTOHOME INC. RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP AND GAAP RESULTS (Amount in thousands, except per share data) For three months ended March 31, 2019 2020 RMB RMB US$ (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Net income attributable to Autohome Inc. 646,309 587,179 82,925 Plus: income tax expense 119,525 125,484 17,722 Plus: depreciation of property and equipment 25,326 32,405 4,576 Plus: amortization of intangible assets 2,917 3,230 456 EBITDA 794,077 748,298 105,679 Plus: share-based compensation expenses 53,187 57,857 8,171 Adjusted EBITDA 847,264 806,155 113,850 Net income attributable to Autohome Inc. 646,309 587,179 82,925 Plus: amortization of acquired intangible assets of Cheerbright, China Topside and Norstar 1,139 1,139 161 Plus: share-based compensation expenses 53,187 57,857 8,171 Adjusted net income attributable to Autohome Inc. 700,635 646,175 91,257 Non-GAAP earnings per share for ordinary shares Basic 5.93 5.43 0.77 Diluted 5.87 5.40 0.76 Weighted average shares used to compute earnings per share attributable to common stockholders: Basic 118,229,887 119,069,088 119,069,088 Diluted 119,385,615 119,647,226 119,647,226 AUTOHOME INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET (Amount in thousands, except as noted) As of December 31, As of March 31, 2019 2020 RMB RMB US$ (Audited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 1,988,298 2,024,801 285,957 Short-term investments 10,806,812 11,276,016 1,592,478 Accounts receivable, net 3,231,486 2,953,583 417,126 Amounts due from related parties, current 29,501 16,276 2,299 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 302,285 385,454 54,437 Total current assets 16,358,382 16,656,130 2,352,297 Non-current assets Restricted cash, non-current 5,200 5,200 734 Property and equipment, net 281,773 297,395 42,000 Goodwill and intangible assets, net 1,532,024 1,529,327 215,982 Long-term investments 71,664 70,209 9,915 Deferred tax assets 27,782 27,782 3,924 Other non-current assets 879,040 1,004,957 141,927 Total non-current assets 2,797,483 2,934,870 414,482 Total assets 19,155,865 19,591,000 2,766,779 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities Accrued expenses and other payables 2,417,438 2,002,986 282,876 Advance from customers 95,636 84,102 11,877 Deferred revenue 1,370,953 1,463,192 206,642 Income tax payable 45,489 150,253 21,220 Amounts due to related parties 36,387 28,484 4,023 Dividends payable - 651,121 91,956 Total current liabilities 3,965,903 4,380,138 618,594 Non-current liabilities Other liabilities 45,534 109,354 15,444 Deferred tax liabilities 538,487 477,090 67,378 Total non-current liabilities 584,021 586,444 82,822 Total liabilities 4,549,924 4,966,582 701,416 Equity Total Autohome Inc. shareholders' equity 14,629,097 14,647,490 2,068,621 Noncontrolling interests (23,156) (23,072) (3,258) Total equity 14,605,941 14,624,418 2,065,363 Total liabilities and equity 19,155,865 19,591,000 2,766,779 SOURCE Autohome Inc. Related Links http://www.autohome.com.cn The contentious Primary Election race in the state Senates 17th District between Democrats Daylin Leach and Amanda Cappelletti will come to a head Tuesday when voters in parts of Montgomery and Delaware counties decide whether they want to stay the course or vote for change. Leach has been a fixture of Pennsylvania politics for nearly 20 years, formerly representing the 149th District in the state House of Representatives from 2003 through 2009 before securing the Senate seat, a position he holds now as the incumbent. Leach, of Lower Merion, earned a degree in political science from Temple University and a law degree from University of Houston Law Center before going on to practice law for 17 years. He has championed numerous progressive causes during his tenure in government, including marriage equality, campaign finance reform and environmental stewardship, and has been responsible for several notable pieces of legislation, including a medical marijuana bill that became law in 2016 and a bill that banned shackling of pregnant prisoners. But Leach has been a person-non-grata in many Democratic circles since late 2017, when allegations first surfaced from eight women of numerous instances of inappropriate touching and making sexually charged jokes. An independent investigation carried out by a law firm on behalf of Senate leadership ultimately concluded Leach engaged in joking and humor that was immature and unprofessional, but at no time did any such behavior actually create a hostile work environment and nothing criminal had taken place. Calls for his resignation have only increased since 2017, however, as new allegations arose that he sexually assaulted a woman in 1991 when she was 17 years old. Leach strenuously denies the allegation and has filed two defamation suits related to the accusations. A spokesperson for Leach said there was also a complaint filed by Delaware County residents with the state Democratic Committee concerning the county Democrats endorsing Cappelletti in February. Montgomery County Democrats failed to endorse anyone in January. Among those demanding Leachs resignation are Gov. Tom Wolf, and U.S. Reps. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-5 of Swarthmore and Madeliene Dean, D-4 of Abington, all of whom have endorsed the challenger along with many of Leachs colleagues, including state Sen. Tim Kearney, D-26 of Swarthmore. Leach said that he has put the issues behind him legislatively, though the two defamation suits are still pending. He noted motions to dismiss both have been denied in both cases and said he expects both will go to trial. I cant speak for Gov. Wolf, but Ive moved on, Leach said. Im doing other things, focusing on other things. Im very proud of what weve accomplished all through this, all while under siege, and I think that says a little something about our perseverance and our character. And when I say our I mean my staff and my family who went through everything just as hard as I did and really showed their metal through it. But Cappelletti, who currently serves as vice chair of the East Norriton Board of Supervisors, has not put it behind her. In fact, she said those allegations and Leachs response were the chief reasons she got into the race to begin with. Its made him completely ineffective and its also behavior that is unbecoming of a state senator to admittedly do some of the things hes been accused of, as demonstrated in the Senate report, and then to react in this very intimidating and bullying manner toward those attempting to hold him accountable and towards his Senate colleagues, she said. Its just not behavior that I want out of my state senator. I didnt want to sue anybody, Leach said in defense. I endured this for a year and a half, but when people are busting into my events and chanting horrible things, when theyre attacking my friends and family when they post something online nice about me and calling them horrible names you cant live like that forever. No one can live like that. So, at a certain point, I owe it to myself, my family, my staff, my constituents to stand up. Ive always stood up to injustice and I have to stand up to injustice even when it involves me. Leach said that when the accusations first began to fly, he learned that many people he believed he was close with were not willing to stand by him, while others he did not have social relationships were willing to take a hit to defend him. He framed the issue as one of due process, but Cappelletti noted politics is all about relationships and she views Leachs relationship in Harrisburg as damaged beyond repair. I have those relationships, she said. Ive developed them over a number of years that Ive worked in Harrisburg, beginning with (state) Rep. Donna Bullock and the ACLU of Pennsylvania, as well as being a William Penn Fellow through the governors office and director of policy for Planned Parenthood. I have a strong foundation for understanding policy, legislation, advocacy and thinking about what legislation looks like once its passed and set to be implements, because Ive done that work as well, she continued. I have what it takes to push for progressive values in a way where Im working with my colleagues and a partner with advocacy organizations in the state. When asked about the most important issues facing their constituents and the state, both Leach and Cappelletti responded health care and the environment. As we see increasingly dire reports coming in from the U.N., from climatologists all over the world even the Trump administrations own internal documents we should be trying hard to rise to the challenge, said Leach. Instead were doing the opposite and were actually making it legally easier to pollute, and emit fossil fuels and were doing nothing really to try to address the situation that is not only going to have dire consequences in the future but already is having significant consequences with species extinction, with coral reef disintegration, with coastal flooding and all kinds of other things. Many people are very concerned about protecting Pennsylvanias environment and doing what we can to combat climate change and I stand with them, said Cappelletti. I stand with them in bringing a green new deal to Pennsylvania, and really making sure that we figure out how to transition off of the oil and gas industry and into renewables. Cappelletti, who holds an undergraduate degree from Hill College, as well as a law degree and Masters in Public Health from Temple University, noted there have been some dramatic examples of a world with less pollution already during COVID-19 lockdowns, where smog was reduced or eliminated due to less burning of fossil fuels. Both candidates also said that the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the inequalities with health care in the United States on an undeniable scale and pledged to make changing that system a top priorty. This pandemic has really only highlighted our need for change and the way we handle health care, not just in Pennsylvania but in the country, said Cappelletti. We need a public option because we are seeing unprecedented unemployment levels right now, which means that many people are losing their employer sponsored healthcare, so when something happens to them that is not COVID-19 related and they need to seek medical treatment, theyre either not going to go or its going to push them into even more debt and perhaps bankruptcy. Leach said political reform is also at the forefront of his campaign, because without the ability to sit down as people rather parties, nothing will get done. We have become increasingly frozen in sort of partisan tribal battles that have nothing to do with problem solving and everything to do with making everyone else look bad and winning the next election, and I think that is an unfortunate dynamic in our society now, he said. Thats why every vote on significant issues is party line. And again, neither party has a monopoly on wisdom, but we are not having actual discussions and debates anymore and we have so many problems that we need to address that were not solving. Leach said there needs to be some creative think to bridge that divide and an attempt to appeal to different motivations for courses of action so that something actually gets done. While he might be in favor of increasing the minimum wage so that workers can make a decent living, for instance, others who oppose programs like Welfare might be convinced that they should not have to supplement insufficient salaries with public funds, he said. Both sides have to do that, said Leach. Both sides have to stop being such team players and start fighting for the actual causes they got elected to fight for. Cappelletti said she learned the importance of constituent services from Bullock and hopes to implement those same efforts should she become elected. As a member of the East Norriton Board, she said she has understands the importance of having good relationships with state elected officials to be able to get things done and take care of local municipalities. I look forward to being a partner that state reps., schools boards, commissioners and borough councils and supervisors can really lean on and come to when theres an issue, and know that I understand that because I have been there with them, having served locally as well, she said. The district is made up of Haverford and Radnor townships in Delaware County, as well as Bridgeport, East Norriton Township, Lower Merion Township, Narbert, Norristown, Plymouth Township, Upper Merion Township, West Conshohocken and Whitpain Township in Montgomery County. Republican Ellen Fisher is running unopposed. Most of us still have a few unanswered questions regarding the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. For example, do we know how long people are infectious after transmission? And just how long do microdroplets hang in the air? How careful should be when unpacking our groceries? And then, of course, theres the sex toy question. Can we catch the virus by using someone elses sex toys? Should we be covering them with a condom? Ever wonder about that? Yeah, me neither. But that didnt stop the City of Torontos public health department from answering those questions with its Safer Sex During COVID-19 fact sheet. In case you dont have time to read it, the document advises against sharing sex toys. You should also clean that rabbit and, if youre in doubt, put a condom on it. Now you know. The guidelines for safer pandemic sex also discourage people from hooking up, despite the fact that its pretty pro-sex, overall. Monogamous couples living in the same household, for example, may discover that sex may be a way of dealing with anxiety and/or fulfil the need for intimacy. More questions answered. If you arent lucky enough to have a partner in your house to help you out with that, the guidelines suggest its time to start consensual sexting, hanging out in chat rooms and having virtual sex. Of all the surprises 2020 has delighted us with so far, state-sanctioned cybersex and masturbation is the one we didnt see coming. State-sanctioned sex acts arent new in Canada its just that heterosexual monogamous sex has historically been the only one to get the thumbs up. That changed a little in Canada in the late 1960s, after Pierre Elliott Trudeau famously declared the state would get out of the nations bedrooms. It didnt change completely, though. As Toronto researcher Tom Hooper discovered, even though the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1968-69 has been credited with decriminalizing homosexuality, arrests for gross indecency actually went up in Toronto for a complicated cluster of reasons, including the fact that group sex and bathhouse sex, which were pretty common, were still illegal. The law was based on somebodys idea of what queer sex might look like, as opposed to the reality. I cant help but wonder if theres an echo of that in these guidelines. Is this a realistic path to safer sex during COVID-19? The statement from Toronto Public Health just says dont have sex with anyone unless you live with them, says Alexander McClelland, a post-doctoral fellow in the University of Ottawas department of criminology whose previous work has focused on the criminalization of people with HIV-AIDS. So, this isnt very helpful because there are going to be people who are still going to be hooking up with people whether we think its irresponsible or not. This doesnt really give people any realistic practical tactics. More useful, perhaps, would be some suggestions for harm reduction strategies rooted in a more realistic idea of what sex actually looks like. In the Netherlands, for example, people were recently told to find a sex buddy and partner up. New York Citys sex fact sheet recommends not having sex with people outside of their residence but, if they do, to have sex with as few people as possible, since having close contact including sex with only a small circle of consenting people helps prevent spreading COVID-19. Also, New Yorkers are advised it would be prudent to skip rimming till the pandemic is over. As we move past the initial shock and lockdown stages of the pandemic, people with experience in assessing safety in relation to contagious diseases are urging people to adopt more nuanced ideas about risk. Theres a lot of room in between total self-isolation and, say, sharing bottles with strangers at an underground party in someones basement. That same thinking can be applied to sex, an idea that Toronto group Fagdemic is working to promote through social media (@fagdemic on Instagram and Twitter) by offering harm reduction for a coronaworld. People are having sex, says Jonathan Valelly, one of the artists and activists behind the harm reduction project. They are meeting on Tinder, Grinder and Scruff, so rather than thinking of things as being either inherently safe or unsafe, what if we think about that in-between space? Sure, theres a higher risk when you meet someone versus when you dont but acknowledging and using a harm-reduction framework like this can also reduce risks. One of the most important components of harm reduction in relation to sex under COVID-19 is communication. People have to open up a dialogue about the number of partners they have, as well as other risk factors, such as their exposure at work. For this to work, though, its important that we steer clear of stigmatizing or policing people, which might force people to hide the truth. We made that mistake when it came to dealing with HIV-AIDS. Its important we avoid making it again, which is why the recent news that authorities in the United Kingdom have criminalized the act of sex with anyone outside of your household is disturbing news. To avoid it, clear language, frank discussions and moving away from black and white assessments of risk are key. The Toronto Public Health guidance fails on at least one front here. I think one wonders Who is reading that one-sheeter and really taking it to heart, you know? says Valelly, who created the project with fellow artist Mikiki. We are all autonomous individuals who are making our decisions around COVID-19 similar to the way we make decisions around our sexual health in non-pandemic times, and I think public health messaging from a number of different agencies are often written in the hope that it really hits somebody. But we actually have a pretty engaged public right now and people are listening to virologists with gusto and making their own informed decisions, so I think saying something like physical contact is high risk for transmitting the coronavirus is kind of like, well, duh, he says. 'Buy airline tickets like you bought toilet paper.' That's the plea from the most senior A350 training captain at Virgin Atlantic, Chris Pohl. And his request has gone viral. Captain Pohl, 56, who has been flying for 38 years, posted a picture of himself holding up a piece of cardboard carrying the message to his Instagram profile and it has now received over 4,100 'likes'. And he said he'd received messages of support from all over the world. 'Buy airline tickets like you bought toilet paper.' That's the plea from the most senior A350 training captain at Virgin Atlantic, Chris Pohl. He posted the above image to his Instagram profile, and it's gone viral Customers are even using the hashtag #buyairlineticketslikeyouboughttoiletpaper in WhatsApp exchanges with Virgin Atlantic customer service teams. Captain Pohl, who has logged 24,000 flying hours, explained that the inspiration came from Instagram sensation @dudewithsign, whose similarly styled pronouncements have led to 7.5million followers, and @pilotcharlotte, who posted a similar message. His Instagram caption reads: 'I have been following @dudewithsign since I started on Instagram and I saw @pilotcharlotte posted a similar message. I put them together to make my own version.' The Australian, who lives in south-west France, near Toulouse, hopes that the photo, which was taken from an iPhone video filmed at the top of his son's BMX ramp at their home, will help to 'get the world flying again'. The caption continues: 'Please re-post and pass this message to everyone you know, because it's real. We need the world to start booking tickets, which will allow airlines to fill aircraft and get us all flying again. 'The only thing holding us back, is you, our loyal customers/passengers, without you, we're grounded. Let's get the world flying again.' Captain Pohl, pictured, who has logged 24,000 flying hours, explained that the inspiration for his photo came from @dudewithsign, whose similarly styled pronouncements have led to 7.5million followers, and @pilotcharlotte, who posted a similar message Captain Pohl told MailOnline Travel: '[Since posting the picture] I've had hundreds of DMs, texts, emails, WhatsApp messages and Facebook messages, plus many calls. Messages arriving from all over the world. Many travel agents are asking to use the image, and of course, the answer is yes. This photo is not about me, it's about sending a fun message to get people motivated to buy airline tickets.' Frequent flyer Gilbert Ott, who runs the travel tips site God Save The Points, gave the post his backing. He said: 'I think he got the timing right. Safety concerns are on the way down, borders are opening... We need to get confidence back up and get the travel bug going.' Captain Pohl explained that the Covid-19 crisis had hit travel and aviation 'like nothing ever before'. He said: 'In all my years flying, I have never experienced a crisis like this, including 9/11 and Sars. 'My colleagues and I at Virgin Atlantic are optimistic. We know that as the Covid-19 crisis subsides, air travel will be a vital enabler of the UK's economic recovery and as the Covid-19 crisis stabilises and demand gradually returns, we are looking forward to welcoming our customers back onboard and flying them safely to their favourite destinations. 'Our teams are working really hard to ensure the health and safety of our people and our customers, and when we resume flying, we'll be implementing new measures to offer peace of mind for our customers and our people when taking to the skies. 'There's so much uncertainty created by the 14-day UK quarantine that people are not sure if or when they can fly.' Captain Pohl explained that the Covid-19 crisis had hit travel and aviation 'like nothing ever before'. Pictured is a Virgin Atlantic A350 Captain Pohl said Virgin Atlantic has been operating repatriation flights and vital cargo runs. He added: 'We're assisting the FCO with repatriation flights, bringing stranded Britons back to the UK. Most recently bringing people back from Lagos. 'And also, for the first time in our history, we're flying cargo-only flights, keeping global supply chains running and transporting essential supplies around the world. We're also partnering with the Department for Health and the NHS, working with them on cargo charters from Shanghai and Beijing, bringing in essential PPE that the teams here in the UK urgently need to care for patients.' NINGBO, China, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- AUX, a Chinese home appliance maker with air conditioner sales ranked among the world's top three for both 2018 and 2019, rolled out a solution on June 1. On that day, AUX formally debuted its washable air conditioner with removable core during its online event themed "keeping your air conditioner's core clean and creating a healthy indoor environment" at which the company's new product lineup was announced. At the event, Gu Tangtang, Vice President of Home Appliances at AUX, said, "The washable air conditioner is the fruit of AUX Japan R&D Center's two years of research and development. AUX incorporated the concept of 'building blocks' into the air conditioner assembly and leveraged the futuristic technology behind some 1,300 patents to make the core removable and, hence, washable. Disassembling one air conditioner can easily be done by just one person in five easy steps with the entire process being completed in 30 seconds." AUX Japan R&D Center engineer Yasuaki Miyama added, "AUX has completely overturned the structural design of the air conditioner, breaking away from the entire concept of how a traditional cooling device was designed, by fully deconstructing and re-imagining the entire internal composition of the cooling unit. We finally made a breakthrough in the structure after countless technological iterations with the result being the washable air conditioner with a removable core. The new design has overcome the challenges that air conditioner owners faced when it came to how to wash and clean the unit." Besides the removable core feature, the new model comes with a wind-free mode and 56 C high temperature sterilization. AUX has set the sales price for the highly customizable and configurable unit with the highest rating in terms of energy efficiency at 3999 yuan for the 1.5P version, an excellent cost for value when compared with quality products of the same class. The launch of the new washable air conditioner with removable core will undoubtedly promote the rapid development of the world's HVAC industry and give a much-needed boost to manufacturing in general. This year, the spread of COVID-19 has forced everyone to think of the importance of maintaining one's respiratory health and the importance of indoor air quality. When using an air conditioner to cool or ventilate a space, keeping the cooling unit clean is a common pain point due to the structural problems associated with traditional equipment. Air conditioner cores, including the air duct, the wind wheel and the tubes that transport the water are all areas where massive amounts of dirt and other pollutants collect. Especially in the cooling unit's core, these are all areas that can easily turn into breeding grounds for germs as well as the source of indoor air pollution, turning the air conditioner into the "invisible killer" that endangers human health. SOURCE AUX Rajesh Asnani By RAJASTHAN: Despite the lockdown, it has been busy two months for Omprakash Saharan, a sub-divisional officer (SDO) in Jaipur districts Chaksu, and his wife. The couple wakes up at 4 am and cuts 23-24 kg vegetables and makes rotis with the help of their cook. Saharans wife, Vikas, also cooks rice and then puts the prepared food into small packets. Later their two daughters Navya and Purva join in help. The family spends around six hours in the kitchen to prepare. At 10 am, the SDO leaves home with the packed food for 121 needy people. The lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus has led to a humanitarian crisis which the state has struggled to handle. As stranded workers and poor families run out of food, cash and patience, Saharan along with his wife has stepped in this wide breach. Making hundreds of rotis and kilos of vegetables for these needy people has been a daily routine for Vikas for more 60 days now. The couple spends around Rs 5,000 per day to buy the food items. We are from a farmers family, so, we get wheat from our village. Rest is bought from the market by my husband. In total, we make 484 rotis daily. This feels good as the poor people get help. Sometimes when my husband is busy I go distribute the food myself in a car, Vikas said. When the lockdown was announced, I couldnt just watch the plight of the migrant workers. I appealed to many temple and gurudwaras but to come forward to help them but to no avail. When I shared my desire to provide food the migrants with basic need like food, the wife didnt give a second thought. She said she would make as much food as she can. That is how it all started. To begin with, we distributed food packets to 100 people. Now, we are providing them to 121 people. Each packet contains four rotis and vegetables. At times, we make rice in place of rotis. It wouldnt have been possible without my wife, Saharan said. The family started the service on March 23 and has been constantly trying to raise awareness about the disease through social media and appealing to people to provide food to at least two poor people in their vicinity. We are campaigning through social media and motivating others to feed at least two needy people. We will continue the work till the lockdown is lifted and people are in desperate, the sub-divisional officer said. RTHK: Cambodian PM says foreign military bases not allowed Cambodia's prime minister on Monday invited foreign powers to conduct military drills in the country as he called for overseas funding to build a pier and relocate an army training centre. But the strongman premier insisted that the country would not allow a foreign "military base on its territory". The Wall Street Journal reported last year on a draft deal allowing China to dock warships and store weapons at the Ream naval base near the coastal city of Sihanoukville. Hun Sen a staunch ally to Beijing has previously denied the claims, pointing to Cambodia's constitution which forbids any foreign military base within its borders. "Anyone wants to hold exercises on Cambodian territory, please come. We open the door," Hun Sen said on Monday in Sihanoukville. He said the country would "welcome all aid from the US, France, Japan and China" to move a military training centre from the Ream base to a "new location". The kingdom also has aspirations to build "a new pier to repair our warships and other transportation ships from our people", said Hun Sen, though he did not specify where it would be located. "Frankly speaking, we need funds from China to build this one but if you all want to give money, we would welcome it," he said. China has lavished billions of US dollars in soft loans, infrastructure and investment on the poor Southeast Asian country. Military exercises between China and Cambodia have also stepped up in recent years the most recent one on counter-terrorism was held in March. The Ream base has generated scrutiny for its strategic location in the Gulf of Thailand, which would provide ready access to the fiercely contested South China Sea a key global shipping route. Beijing claims the majority of the resource-rich sea, vying with six other claimant countries. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. In Wake Forest, North Carolina, a town of about 40,000 near Raleigh, a sweeping national survey of COVID-19 symptoms has exposed a staggering ethnic divide. Nearly two-thirds of Wake Forests Hispanic homes surveyed reported suffering the combination of symptoms most closely tied to the coronavirus, compared to less than 1% of everyone else. The survey by a marketing research company is believed to be the largest measurement of symptoms of the virus. Since March, 1.6 million people have answered the basic question: Is anyone in your home experiencing symptoms ranging from a dry cough to difficulty breathing? Across the nation, Hispanic households said yes to symptoms of COVID-19 the lung disease caused by the virus nearly a third more often than others, a USA TODAY analysis found. When the list of symptoms is narrowed to what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently identified as the most serious pairs of ailments dry cough and difficulty breathing, or fever and loss of taste or smell the differences were far starker: Hispanics experienced them almost twice as often. Overall, 1 in 12 Hispanic households said someone in their home experienced those combinations at least once from late March to late May, compared with 1 in 21 non-Hispanic households. Those findings made perfect sense to Clarissa Martinez de Castro, deputy vice president of the nations largest Latino nonprofit advocacy group, UnidosUS. Data is now emerging that matches the reality that were seeing, Martinez de Castro said. There are lots of factors at play, but among the biggest is the overrepresentation of Latinos in front-line jobs that dont allow working from home. The gap between Hispanics and the rest of the population is even wider in the symptoms data than in confirmed coronavirus case counts across 33 states that break down their tallies by race and ethnicity, USA TODAYs analysis found. That was true in the Wake Forest area, too, where the proportion of Hispanics reporting symptoms far exceeds their showing in coronavirus case counts both locally and statewide. Roughly a tenth of Wake County and North Carolina residents are Hispanic, but they account for a quarter of cases in the county and a third of cases across the state, according to Wake County spokeswoman Leah Holdren. Story continues The grim picture has only magnified health inequities that we have been aware of for a long time, said Jose Cabanas, Wake Countys director of emergency medical services. When I meet with patients in our community, its clear that their jobs make it difficult for them to social-distance, Cabanas said. Add to that a language barrier, the need to provide shelter for large families and it ends up being hard to follow official recommendations. As the pandemic progresses, evidence is mounting that the virus has hit people of color the hardest for reasons ranging from chronic health issues to service sector jobs. The symptoms survey, however, offers a unique window into the hidden prevalence of COVID-19, public health experts said. USA TODAY analyzed the responses, through an agreement that kept respondents anonymous, from a COVID-19 Symptom Map created by Dynata, an international data and market research company. Dynata said the goal is to leverage the companys strength the reach of 62 million consumers worldwide recruited to respond to its surveys to help solve the biggest challenge of our time. The symptoms data may offer a more complete picture of the viruss true toll, said Daniel Lopez-Cevallos, associate professor of Latino/a/x Studies, Ethnic Studies and Health Equity Studies at Oregon State University. The gap between symptoms reported and cases, he said, suggests Latinos may be less likely to seek testing for reasons that include mistrust in health care systems. In Latino homes where some family members are undocumented, add to that a fear of being reported to and monitored by government agencies. "We have already seen that the consequence of all these barriers is delaying care until it is absolutely necessary, Lopez-Cevallos said. That same logic applies here. Wake Forest resident Michael Torres, 18; his parents and his 12-year-old sister have managed to stay healthy so far. But hes worried. Like many of the other Hispanics in the area, his family hasnt had the luxury of working from home during the pandemic. Since the remainder of his senior year of high school was canceled in mid-March, Torres has been working full time with his father in his painting and construction business to help pay the bills. His mother, a hairstylist, has been out of work for two months. I realized, this is serious, and this is how life is going to be, Torres said. Theres no more waking up and going to the bus, seeing your friends at school, doing assignments every day. Now the only reason to get up early is to work and try to support my family. Torres thinks about catching the virus each time he and his father go to a job or the store to pick up materials. His mother is nervous about returning to work, lest she falls ill and infects others back at home. That Hispanic families in Wake Forest have reported serious symptoms at a much higher rate than non-Hispanic came as no surprise to Torres. We dont really have a choice, he said. Most of the Latinx community are undocumented and work in construction. We cant get money from the government. We cant get help, basically. Were forced to go out and work and risk getting infected. Virus data catching up with reality The rate of serious symptom pairs reported by Hispanics exceeded the non-Hispanic rate in every U.S. state except Wyoming, the survey data show. Both rates have decreased since the survey began and started to plateau in recent weeks but the Hispanic rate remains more than twice as high. High symptom rates have tracked with outbreaks in some major cities, including New York City, where 22% of Hispanic and 11% of non-Hispanic households reported experiencing the most serious symptom combinations. More than 20,000 people have died there, and the outbreak has been worse in lower-income areas, like Brooklyn, where 1 in 5 people live in poverty and 1 in 47 have been confirmed positive, according to city and census data. Lopez-Cevallos notes that Latinos make up a large percentage of the nations essential workers jobs such as grocery clerks, hotel staff and restaurant cooks and often live in more confined spaces because of their low pay. Hispanic households also tend to be larger, including extended family, he said, which coincides with higher symptom rates in the data. Households of at least three people experienced the most serious symptoms at almost twice the rate of those with at most two people, the survey shows. More than half of Hispanic homes surveyed had three or more people. Eiran Zomara Arriaza, a 48-year-old restaurant worker, and lives with four other family members in Oakland, California. All tested positive for the coronavirus and quarantined together. Eiran Zomara Arriaza, a 48-year-old restaurant worker, lives with four family members in a three-bedroom apartment in Oakland, California. Across the surrounding county of Alameda, 6.2% of Hispanic homes reported serious symptoms roughly twice the rate of non-Hispanic homes in the area. Arriaza shares a room with her daughter and disabled brother. In April, Arriaza was the first to run a high fever. Soon everyone in the apartment was ill. All five eventually tested positive for COVID-19. They quarantined themselves, living for a month mostly on the limited amount of rice, beans and tuna they had on hand. A church group occasionally left vegetables, water and other food items on their doorstep. While all have recovered, Arriaza says she can't erase the memory of when one member of the household, another brother, became so ill with pneumonia that she feared he would die. "This all has affected me emotionally, physically, and financially," she said. 'We are only as strong as the most vulnerable among us' Factors behind the spread of coronavirus in communities of color, and its potential for being far worse than is known, span all of peoples lives, from health care to work. A recent CDC report showed death rates among hospitalized coronavirus patients in the U.S. were substantially higher for black and Hispanic patients. The symptoms data also show higher symptom rates among black, Native American and Pacific Islander households, in addition to Hispanic. In this May 14, 2020 photo, Erendira Martinez and her daughter stand outside their home in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago. Chicagos Little Village neighborhood is known as the heart of Mexican culture in the city. Its also located in the zip code area with one of the highest rates of positive coronavirus cases in the city. Both Martinez and her daughter, along with Martinez' husband, tested positive for COVID-19. All have since recovered. (AP Photo/Noreen Nasir) ORG XMIT: RPNN104 A poll released May 20 by UnidosUS, in conjunction with SOMOS Healthcare and MoveOn, shows that one in four Latino respondents said they knew someone who wanted to but was not able to get tested for coronavirus, while half said they knew someone ill with COVID-19 symptoms who could not get tested. Among the polls other results: a quarter of respondents said their employers were still not providing personal protective equipment or hand sanitizer; a quarter felt unsafe going to work,; and half were very concerned they or someone they knew would fall ill to coronavirus. Im sad, angry and frustrated to hear this data, but its not news, said Jose Quinonez, founder of San Francisco-based Mission Asset Fund, which has raised $12 million in emergency funds for those left out of various federal virus stimulus packages. Arriazas family received assistance from the fund while they were in group quarantine. Working in front-line jobs and living in households with little space, the likelihood of exposure to coronavirus increases, said Quinonez, a financial services innovator who was awarded a MacArthur genius grant in 2016 for his work in low-income lending. Adding to the stress for many Latinos, he said, is growing unemployment, as the pandemic has decimated many service-oriented businesses. The people coming to us for our $500 grants mostly say they have no income, they have kids depending on them, they have no relief and theyre scared, he said. So, many of them are going hungry. Ultimately, the plight of Latinos in the U.S. needs to be addressed if only because it is inextricably linked to the fate of the nation as a whole, says Priscilla Gonzalez, campaigns director at Mijente, a national social justice organization. Whats happening to Latinos has to do with not having access to the usual public safety nets, which allows the virus to tear through our community, Gonzalez said. We are only as strong as the most vulnerable among us. If the world wants a full recovery, we need relief for communities that are hardest hit. A public housing complex apartment of a family that had two members fall victim to coronavirus overlooks a tribute to the Marcy House residents who died in Brooklyn, New York. People of color are being disproportionately affected by the virus. According to recent data, for each 100,000 Americans (of their respective group), 42.8 Blacks have died, along with about 18.4 Asians, 19.1 Latinos and 16.6 Whites. Follow USA TODAY investigative reporter Kenny Jacoby @kennyjacoby and national correspondent Marco della Cava @marcodellacava. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Latino homes report serious COVID-19 symptoms nearly twice as often Mother of killer Luka Magnotta begs for his release, worried her son could contract COVID-19 in prison Luka Magnotta, the Canadian convicted of a first-degree murder and subject to an Interpol-led manhunt, wont be released from prison early despite fears that COVID-19 could have a disastrous impact on prisoners. Magnottas mother, Anna Yourkin, is begging for her sons release, concerned that her son might contract the virus while imprisoned. Yourkin told TMZ that shes constantly worried about her sons safety as hes currently in a maximum-security prison in Quebec, with no chance of parole. Yourkin also said her son deserves a second chance, suggesting hes been rehabilitated after serving a quarter of his sentence. TMZ reported that the Port-Cartier Prison saw 15 inmates contract the virus as of May 14. Mr. Magnotta is not eligible, under law, for parole until June 4, 2034, Correctional Services Canada said in a statement obtained by the National Post. Magnotta was convicted for the murder of Jun Lin, a Chinese international student at Montreals Concordia University. The case drew international coverage in large part due to the brutal manner of the murder as Magnotta dismembered Lins body and posted a video featuring several gruesome acts. The case became the subject of a Netflix docuseries entitled Dont F*** with Cats in which a group of internet sleuths attempt to find the elusive criminal in a worldwide, years-long operation. The 37-year-old mailed parts of Lins severed body to the Conservative Party of Canada among other institutions, while Canada Post foiled an attempt for him to deliver Lins body parts to the Liberal Party of Canada. During the manhunt, Magnotta fled from Montreal to Paris. He was eventually captured in a Berlin cafe and was sent back to Canada in June 2012. 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 Mumbaikars and people in neighbouring areas woke up to cloudy weather and light rain on Monday morning following the formation of a low pressure area in the Arabian Sea. The depression in the Arabian Sea is likely to intensify into a severe cyclone and cross the north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts on June 3, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said. The light showers/drizzle in parts of Mumbai city, its suburbs and neighbouring districts of Thane and Palghar on Monday morning brought some respite to people from the sweltering heat and humidity. Dharavi, the slum pocket of Mumbai, recorded the highest 31.46 mm downpour in the past 24 hours, according to IMDs website. On Sunday also, some parts of the state, including Pune, witnessed rain with thunderstorm and gusty winds. Maharashtra state experienced rain with thunderstorms associated with gusty winds especially in interiors in last 24 hours, IMD Mumbais deputy director general of meteorology K S Hosalikar said in a tweet on Monday. Light rain coupled with thunder and lightning was reported in parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) since 4 am on Monday. But, the rain intensity reduced considerably after 7 am in most parts of the city. In the last 24 hours, 0.2 mm rain was recorded in suburban Santacruz and 2 mm rain at Colaba in south Mumbai, according to IMDs website. The highest 31.46 mm rain was recorded at Dharavi during the period, it said. No untoward incident related to rain was reported, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday appealed to fishermen not to venture into the sea. The state government has stepped up safety measures along the Konkan coast to tackle any eventuality. Thackeray last week held a meeting on monsoon preparedness with officials of the government, IMD, BMC, and the Army, Navy and Air Force. Midland County added no new coronavirus cases on Monday, its pandemic total remains at 82 cases and eight deaths, according to the daily afternoon state report. Bay County added two cases and one death, raising its total to 312 cases and 24 deaths, while Gladwin County remained at 18 cases and one death. Isabella remained at 77 cases and seven deaths, while Saginaw County added 10 cases, now standing at 1,048 cases and 108 deaths. The state added 135 new cases and 25 deaths on Monday. Overall, Michigan is at 57,532 cases and 5,516 deaths. The average death age is 75.4, 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 38,099 cases, as of May 29, which represents COVID-19 confirmed individuals with an onset date on or prior to April 29, 2020, according to the state website, mich.gov. The numbers will be updated every Saturday. As of Monday, the MidMichigan Health system has completed 4,730 tests. Of those, 4,267 were negative, 295 positive and 168 are pending. 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 and 52% women. 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. Insurance group, Hollard Ghana, in support of the fight against the spread of COVID-19 has donated hundreds of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to the Kamina Barracks Hospital, Northern Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (NEDCo), Regional office of the Ghana Education Service, staff and management of the Tamale Airport, and the Tamale-Bolgatanga Transport Union all in the Northern Region to ensure their safety. The kind gesture was Part of Insurance Groups nationwide COVID-19 Support and awareness campaign to help curb the spread of the disease. The Presentation The presentation was made by the Branch Manager, Regional Markets Hollard Insurance Ghana, Mr. Sulley Mohammed Ali, in the presence of the Hollard Life Assurance Sales Manager, Mr. Mutaru Abdul-Hamid. The Medical Superintendent of the Kamina Barracks Hospital, Dr. Aaron Anos, received the items on behalf of his outfit. In his speech, Mr. Ali said, Every frontline health worker must be kept safe particularly in a pandemic such as COVID. This donation aligns to our purpose to treat everyone with care and dignity and is a part of our companys comprehensive initiative to safeguard essential service providers while creating awareness about the viral disease. Appreciation Receiving the items, Dr. Anos thanked Hollard for distributing the nose masks to the institution's staff, which he said would go a long way to protect them and their patients. We are grateful to Hollard Ghana for considering our safety and donating these PPE to us. As a health institution, the PPE remain most sought-after during this trying time. With these in hand, we shall continue to do our best to deliver the best of health care services to the people of Tamale, he added. Free COVID-19 Cover for all existing and new customers The PPE donation and awareness campaign comes as Hollard Ghanas Life Insurance subsidiary, Hollard Life Assurance announced a free COVID-19 cover for all its existing and new customers on individual and group policies. Hollard Life can be reached via the following means 0302220966, [email protected], [email protected], and www.hollard.com.gh. Hollard Ghana combines its deep local knowledge of the market with the world-class expertise of an international insurance brand. With feet firmly planted on the Ghanaian soil but Headquartered in South Africa, Hollard delivers innovative insurance solutions customized to the unique risks Ghanaians face. Hollard was previously Metropolitan Insurance which operated in Ghana for over 25 years. 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 (Natural News) Intelligence analysis from Mike Adams, NaturalNews.com, now 100% blacklisted by all communist-run techno-fascist platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Google, all of which are working for China to destroy the United States of America. Due to censorship, you will only be able to share this story from the following Trump.news URL: Trump.news/2020-05-31-trump-declares-antifa-a-terrorist-organization.html Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intention to designate Antifa the radical left-wing violence instigators who are heavily involved in the spread of violent rioting across the nation a terrorist organization. The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization, he wrote on Twitter, the very platform now run by communist China that is censoring Trump and the American people while protecting Antifa terrorists and communist operators who are attempting to undermine the United States of America. As a reminder, for America to be free, techno-fascists like Twitter must be completely shut down and their CEOs arrested and charged with treason. That may happen this year (see below) Following the presidents statement, Attorney General Bill Barr followed up with his own affirmation: The violence instigated and carried out by Antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly. According to my sources, the word is going out via DHS that this terrorist designation is a real thing and is about to be put into place. Once in place, it will change everything. Additional intel sources tell us this designation will be combined with invocation of the Insurrection Act of 1807 which will see soldiers deployed to the worst-hit rioting areas within days. We now put Trumps re-election chances, if elections are even held, at 4 out of 5, given that Americas reaction against the violence and destruction of the Antifa left-wing looters will translate into far more votes for Trump than any Democrat. Analysis highlights of what happens next: This terrorism designation is a necessary step for Trump and America to stand up to the lawlessness, violence and property destruction of the radical Left, which is being coordinated and funded by communist forces. It will be combined with the President invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807 to deploy U.S. soldiers on the streets of the worst-hit cities. With the designation in place, conservative media will begin rapidly documenting which left-wing news operations, left-wing politicians and university professors have either donated money to Antifa or are involved in supporting Antifa operations. All those with ties to Antifa will be designated as aiding and abetting terrorist operations in America. This may, in fact, be a strategy to take down CNN, which is completely run by anti-America communists and radical left-wing traitors to America. Once the designation goes live, federal law enforcement agents will shift from their current backing down stance to a, stand your ground stance. This means rioters will be shot in large numbers as they attempt to attack federal buildings, law enforcement infrastructure and officers of the law. This will happen all at once as the order goes out that law enforcement (and soldiers) should begin fighting back instead of abandoning buildings and territory. The sudden increase in the shooting of left-wing rioters / Antifa operators will of course, result in the left-wing media whipping up a second wave of outrage against Trump, and the media will call for ten times as many protesters to hit the streets and attack government buildings. Understand that this is exactly what the radical Left wants: An escalation into war, martial law and economic collapse. They are willing to bring America down to avoid Trump winning another term, and theres nothing they wont do to cause total chaos and destruction in the months leading up to the election. At this point, America will quickly descend in a state of full-blown civil war. In this state, you will see: Antifa running roadside bombs / EIDs, and carrying out targeted assassinations of patriots and political leaders. Coordinated left-wing attacks on key infrastructure, including power substations, to escalate mayhem and collapse. Brazen attacks against law enforcement officers nationwide, including ambushes set by Antifa terrorists. Race-based violence carried out by the Left, targeting cisgendered white males, whom the Left has decided are all Nazis. Coordinated raids on white-owned businesses, white neighborhoods and white business leaders, who will be targeted for kidnap and ransom operations. The left-wing media will celebrate Antifas actions as a revolution against the military dictator of Trump, as the president will have no choice but to declare martial law and use the National Guard as well as various military elements (via the Insurrection Act) to protect Americas infrastructure. At some point in all this, China will activates the narco-terrorist cells that have been prepositioned across the USA. These cells, trained by communist China and funded by narco profits, will immediately move to sabotage infrastructure nationwide. Their targets will include the power grid, water supplies, telecommunications, emergency response services, refineries, ocean ports, airports, railways and other transportation infrastructure. America will experience severe outages in power, fuel, telecommunications and other critical services. The communist-run techno-fascists (Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Vimeo, Apple, Wikipedia, etc.) are all-in with China and will operate in coordination with communist China to undermine America, censor the voices of the American people and attempt to worsen the chaos. At some point, these techno-fascists will likely be designated enemy combatants by President Trump, and they will be dealt with by elements of the U.S. military. (If the U.S. Army begins to launch artillery shells into the headquarters of Google, somebody please upload the video footage to Brighteon.com.) As soon as America reaches peak weakness, China will move on Hong Kong and Taiwan. This will evoke a rapid escalation of military conflict in the Southeast Asia regions, notably involving U.S. Navy and Air Force resources. Expect to see President Trump (and Pompeo) quickly declare a state of war with China, while establishing a strong military presence on Taiwan, with aggressive nuclear submarine posturing against China. There will be kinetic conflicts between the U.S. and China in that region. China will activate its ground assets in Mexico to invade the U.S. Southern border and attempt to occupy Southern states. Near the same time, the United Nations will attempt to occupy the United States with peacekeeping forces that will immediately move to confiscate firearms from the American citizenry. Once this occurs, we will be in a full militia-centric defense response against invasions by foreign troops on U.S. soil. Many key cities across Southern states like Arizona, California and Texas will be overrun by communist Chinese troops working in conjunction with narco-terrorists. Dave Hodges has written extensively about this topic at TheCommonsenseShow.com. Across the United States, food and fuel shortages will become severe. FEMA camps will be in full operation. Those citizens who failed to stockpile food, ammunition and other emergency supplies during the covid-19 pandemic will quickly find themselves completely dependent on the government for assistance. At some point during all this, food stamps will stop functioning and the financial transaction system will be hit hard. Once the food stamps stop, the inner cities explode in yet another wave of riots and looting. Its no stretch to say that nearly every retail operation in the inner cities will be looted, destroyed or burned to the ground. There wont be much left standing thats still operating. Once the inner cities have run out of food and supplies, the looting gangs will fan out, heading into the suburbs. There, each community will need to decide for itself whether it wishes to surrender to the looters (i.e. what Democrats will tend to do), or defend the community with firearms (what Republicans will tend to do). This will result in nationwide blood-in-the-streets fighting, block by block, door to door, with law enforcement practically non-existent. National Guard troops will attempt to control key transportation checkpoints to prevent the mobilization of violent rioters, but this will only have a limited effect. Notably, over two years ago I warned that a scenario was coming in which the cities would be abandoned by law enforcement and military operators would be deployed at transportation choke points to effectively wall off the cities. This scenario looks like it will unfold in the months ahead. There arent enough law enforcement and Guard resources to police every block of every city in America. At some point, troops are simply ordered to abandon the cities and try to prevent the violent rioters from reaching the suburbs. Obviously, the U.S. economy will suffer another major collapse as this unfolds. Thats the plan of the radical Left. They want maximum economic damage to be inflicted while the nation is held hostage by Big Tech, the lamestream media and Democrat mayors and governors who do nothing to discourage the rioting. Max chaos is the goal. We are urging all citizens to arm up immediately in order to defend life and property against aggressive Antifa terrorists. Acquire night vision capability (head worn, not mounted on your rifle), and use an infrared designator on your rifle so you can engage targets at night. Prepare a bugout plan if you live in the suburbs. Make sure all your firearms are loaded with expanding rounds. Swap out all batteries of red dot sights, weapons lights and other electronic gear. Lubricate all weapon systems. Prepare chest rigs and ballistic protection if you own them. Acquire and practice with necessary comms equipment to you can communicate with family or neighbors. Citizens should note that local law enforcement may be your friend in the initial stages of this situation, but in many areas, they will soon come for your firearms as they attempt widespread firearms confiscation in Democrat-run areas. We cant tell you the appropriate way to respond to such an effort, other than to say if you give up your rifle, youre as good as dead anyway once the Antifa terrorists come your way. So you might as well fight to keep your rifle no matter what. Law enforcement would be wise to avoid attempting to take away firearms from the American patriots who are fighting to defend this nation rather than destroy it. The more good citizens that are armed, the better chance we have at defeating this attempted communist revolution / lawless insurrection. Along those lines, do not forget that if we lose this battle, we lose America. The communists will roll in. China will occupy America, and the first thing they will do is execute all the Leftists who helped them achieve victory, by the way. Fight like your life, your country and your familys future depends on it because it does. Once Trump declares a state of war with China which technically, we know, must be declared by Congress, but nobody is going to wait around for that to happen the China-run tech giants will be operating as enemy combatants, committing treason against America. We fully expect Trump to order the military or State Dept. to take decisive action against the tech giants to shut them down or force them to respect the First Amendment. The designation of war with China will allow the President to seek military police arrests of all corporate leaders who are complicit in cooperating with China, a designated enemy of the United States of America. We want the President to know that we fully support the arrest and prosecution of all the leaders of the techno-fascists corporations, as they are deliberately undermining America and working directly for China, against Americas interests. This includes Apple, by the way. It is likely that the November elections will be postponed, as America will be in a state of either civil war or international war with China. (Perhaps both.) This means the impact of the second wave of the coming economic collapse will not be relevant to the November elections if those elections are not taking place on time. America will likely be in a state of war and domestic martial law, with Antifa terrorists running terror operations nationwide. Until the rest of America eliminates all the terrorists, we will never be able to return to peacetime existence and the economic recovery that will follow. So identifying and eliminating all terrorists and communist sympathizers will be the key to real recovery. President Trump desperately needs our support to defend America and defeat this communist uprising President Trump has put his neck on the line, laying down the gauntlet against China, Antifa, the tech giants and even the W.H.O. He is betting that the American people will back him up. Thats why he needs our show of support. Heres how you can help support the President as he goes to war with the true enemies of America, our Constitution and the future of freedom for We the People: 1) Join counter-protests to make a public show of force against the Antifa terrorists and left-wing rioters. Do not initiate violence, and do support local law enforcement. Make your presence known. 2) Use alternative online ecosystems to share your pro-America messages. These include video sites like Bitchute.com and Brighteon.com. You can also share your views on Gab.com, AllSocial.com and various alternative platforms that bypass the censorship of the communist-run tech giants like Facebook. 3) Call your representatives in Washington and voice your support for defending America against Antifa, China and Big Tech censorship. Some Senators (like Cruz and Hawley) are fighting for your right to speak, but they need more support. 4) Prepare to defend your communities against Antifa violence, which will greatly accelerate across America. Meet with local law enforcement and coordinate your responses, if possible. The future of America depends on defeating the terrorists. 5) Stockpile supplies so that you can make it through the coming food shortages and infrastructure disruptions without experiencing emergency shortages. Stay informed. We will continue to cover the riots at Rioting.news and other sites we publish, some of which are not yet banned by Facebook. We double down on our call for President Trump to seize and shut down the techno-fascists, all of which are now operating as agents of communist China, actively working against the interests of the United States. BISHKEK -- A judge in Bishkek has barred former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev from being present at his high-profile trial after the ex-leader of the Central Asian nation refused to sit together with other defendants in the courtrooms caged area. Judge Marat Sydykov of the Birinchi Mai District Court in Bishkek announced the decision on June 1 as the trial over deadly clashes with security forces last year at Atambaev's compound in a Bishkek suburb resumed. Atambaev's lawyer, Sergei Slesarev, told reporters that guards had taken his client out of the courtroom after the judge ruled that Atambaev will not be present in the courtroom until the trial is over. Slesarev said that Atambaev, who had sat at an open desk next to his lawyers in the trial's previous sessions, had a right not to sit together with other defendants because he was charged in another case as well. Dozens of Atambaevs supporters and opponents rallied in front of the court's building as the trial resumed. On May 11, the judge sustained the prosecutor's demand to have Atambaev seated with other defendants on the bench in the glass-caged compartment. The high-profile trial has been postponed several times since March due to Atambaevs health problems, the failure of some defendants' lawyers to show up, and because of the state of emergency imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Last August, security officials were sent to Atambaev's compound in Koi-Tash near Bishkek after he refused to obey three subpoenas calling him to the Interior Ministry for questioning in an investigation into his alleged involvement in the illegal release of a jailed organized-crime boss in 2013. Atambaev was arrested on August 8 after he surrendered to police following a violent two-day standoff. The standoff involving the former president and his supporters resulted in the death of a 47-year-old security officer, Usenbek Niyazbekov, and injuries to more than 170 others, including 79 law enforcement officers. Atambaev and the 13 co-defendants were charged with murder, attempted murder, threatening or assaulting representatives of authorities, hostage-taking and the forcible seizure of power. All 14 defendants have pleaded not guilty and call the case against them politically motivated. Five more defendants in the case made plea deals with investigators and will be tried separately. The 63-year-old former president currently faces a separate trial for charges linked to the release of the crime boss Aziz Batukaev, who had been convicted for several high-profile crimes, including the murders of a Kyrgyz lawmaker and an Interior Ministry official, before his illegal release in 2013. Kyrgyzstan saw a smooth and peaceful transfer of power from Atambaev to his ally, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, a move welcomed by the international community after presidential transitions in 2005 and 2010 came following violent rioting. However, the deadly clashes in August at Atambaev's compound underscored a power struggle between him and Jeenbekov. Police vehicles park outside Macys flagship Herald Square store in New York city after it was broken into on June 1, 2020. (Wong Maye-E/AP Photo) Macys Hit as New York Imposes Curfew Amid George Floyd Protests NEW YORKNew York City imposed a late-night curfew Monday that failed to prevent another night of destruction, including arrests after a break-in at the iconic Macys store on 34th Street, following protests over George Floyds death. As the 11 p.m. deadline to get off the streets approached, bands of protesters marched peacefully through Manhattan and Brooklyn, but police simultaneously responded to numerous reports of roving groups of people smashing their way into shops and emptying them of merchandise. The doors of Macys flagship Manhattan store were breached. Police pulled two handcuffed men out and put them in a van. People rushed into a Nike store and carried out armloads of clothing. Near Rockefeller Center, storefront windows were smashed and multiple people arrested. Bank windows were smashed. Wreckage littered the inside of an AT&T store. People carry things out of a smoke shop through a broken window in New York City, on June 1, 2020. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo) Video posted on social media showed some protesters arguing with people breaking windows, urging them to stop, but instances of vandalism and smash-and-grab thefts mounted as the night deepened. We worked hard to build up the business, and within a second, someone does this, said the owner of a ransacked Manhattan smoke shop, who identified himself only by the name Harri. Really bad. New York joined other cities around the country in imposing a curfew after days of unrest. It comes on top of months of restrictions on public gatherings already imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Enough mayhem happened before the curfew took effect that Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted that it would move up to 8 p.m. Tuesday. The curfew lifts at 5 a.m. These protests have power and meaning. But as the night wears on we are seeing groups use them to incite violence and destroy property. Our first priority is keeping people safe, so Im extending the curfew to Tuesday. It will begin at 8pm. Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) June 2, 2020 De Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the outbreaks of violence the previous two eveningswhich left stores ransacked and police vehicles burnedgave them no choice to impose a curfew and boost police presence, even as they insisted they stood with the throngs of peaceful demonstrators who have spoken out for several days against police brutality. We cant let violence undermine the message of this moment, de Blasio said in a statement. He and Cuomo are Democrats. Big crowds rallied in Times Square and Brooklyn on Monday afternoon and marched through the streets for hours. As in previous days, the demonstrations in daylight were peaceful, with officers mostly keeping their distance from marchers. A nighttime march through Brooklyn was also peaceful, and police let it continue for hours after the 11 a.m. curfew passed. But midtown Manhattan descended into chaos as night fell. There were dozens of arrests, police said. De Blasio tweeted at 1 a.m. that there were also real problems in the Bronx, which had largely escaped previous nights of unrest unscathed. Video posted on social media showed multiple piles of rubbish on fire on a debris-strewn street and people smashing into stories. Another video showed a group of men beating a police officer who was alone and down on the ground, smashing him with pieces of wreckage until he pulled his gun and they ran. After the curfew took effect, police moved more actively to clear the streets, chasing after and knocking down some people who wouldnt comply as they streamed toward Times Square. Monday marked the fourth night in a row of mainly peaceful daytime demonstrations, chaotic nights, hot spots of violence and arrests, with the mayors daughter among those arrested over the weekend. Chiara de Blasio, 25, refused to leave as Manhattan street officers were clearing an area because people were throwing things. She was released with a court summons. Her father said Monday she told him shed behaved peacefully and believed she had followed officers instructions. Chiara de Blasio, daughter of New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio supporting her fathers campaign before he was elected on Primary Day in New York on Sept. 10, 2013. (Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times) Thousands of people have taken to the streets around the nation to protest against Floyds May 25 death. Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck. On Sunday, some New York City police officers knelt with protesters. But officers have also clashed with demonstrators. Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said the department is investigating officers behavior in about six confrontations, including one in which two police vehicles plowed through a group of protesters Saturday in Brooklyn. During Sunday nights demonstration, video posted to social media showed a police officer pulling a gun and pointing it at demonstrators on a debris-littered Manhattan street moments after a protester used an object to deliver a crushing blow to another officers head a few yards away. Cuomo said some officers had exacerbated tensions with some very disturbing actions. Police union president Patrick Lynch said Cuomo was wrongly blaming the chaos on the cops. By Brian Mahoney and Jennifer Peltz CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio About a fifth of storefronts in the quaint Chagrin Falls downtown have closed their doors and boarded up windows in preparation for a now-canceled Black Lives Matter rally. Chase Tuller, a sophomore at Kenston High School, organized the event, originally set for 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Riverside Park. He said he pulled the plug after a peaceful protest in downtown Cleveland on Saturday erupted into violence and looting. People are scared, some businesses in downtown Chagrin already started preparing. I dont want to be the cause of any violence of any sort and that was never the intent, Tuller wrote on his Facebook page. Chagrin Falls Police Chief Amber Dacek said her 20-member department is continuing to prepare as if the rally was still going to take place. The organizer of the rally has canceled it and while he is pushing the word out there via social media, we stand ready should folks show up and plan on causing trouble, Dacek said. Mayor William Tomko sent out an email Sunday pre-cancellation suggesting Chagrin Falls businesses consider closing for the day. There is a lot of concern seeing what happened in Cleveland over the weekend, Tomko said. As a village, we have taken all precautions to assure we will be at the ready to protect our citizens and our businesses if need be." Tuller said the decision was entirely his own. He was not influenced or pressured into canceling the protest. Many business owners refused comment about their decision to board their businesses. The owner of Passport to Peru on Washington Avenue said it was his landlords decision. My personal hope is that people would exercise their voices. That is what this country was built on, Robert said in a phone interview. We need to speak up for change in this country, but its been hard having been closed for so long due to the pandemic, and now to have to close again even for a day makes things even more difficult for small business owners. This is our livelihood. We have to protect it, to take care of our families. Geigers, an 88-year-old family-run business, had its downtown location looted Saturday. But there was no sign of boarding up the still-closed Chagrin Falls location. Gordon Geiger, said that although he is concerned, he has no plans to board up the Chagrin location. We are just hopeful that lightning doesnt strike twice," Geiger said. Nicola Sturgeon speaking during the Scottish Government's daily briefing - AFP Nicola Sturgeon has warned Scots she is ready to put a five-mile travel limit into law after thousands of people flouted her guidelines on the first weekend of lockdown being eased. The First Minister said she would not hesitate to act if "there is continued evidence of even a minority" of people continuing to ignore guidance on staying within five miles of home. She warned that a recommendation that groups be limited to eight people could also be enshrined in legislation, while an existing law that no more than two households can meet "will be enforced" by police. In an extraordinary threat, she also raised the prospect of reintroducing restrictions that were only relaxed on Friday if the coronavirus "figures start to go in the wrong direction." But she was forced to deny that people would simply ignore her if she attempted to reimpose a strict lockdown so soon. The number of cases increased by only 18 and the death toll rose by only one. She was also undermined by Calum Steele, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, who said any new laws would damage relations with the public and "most of it would be unenforceable. From my constituency experience this message from @NicolaSturgeon is spot on. While many, many people followed the rules too many took day trips - or overnight trips - to beauty spots in #Perthshire. We need to follow the rules to keep #Covid_19 under control. https://t.co/4EnTf3qXTM John Swinney (@JohnSwinney) June 1, 2020 Her vow to get tough on the lockdown miscreants came as it emerged Police Scotland had to disperse 797 groups on Saturday alone, moving people on for not complying with the rules. This was five times higher than the previous Saturday's total. Story continues A total of 1,391 groups were dispersed between Friday and Sunday, including 650 cases where an official police warning was issued. However, only 16 fines were handed out and no one was arrested. Transport use was up 60 per cent on Saturday compared to the previous week, while a 70 per cent rise was recorded on Sunday, with even larger spikes recorded in some beauty spots. Ms Sturgeon said traffic on the A82 by Loch Lomond was around three times higher on Saturday than seven days previously, with a similar sharp rise at Glencoe. Despite the Scottish Government guidance stating that people should stay within five miles of their home for leisure, she said that in some cases "people were staying overnight in tents, caravans or motorhomes." Parked cars next to Loch Lomond on Saturday - Getty Images Europe The widespread defiance of the newly-relaxed lockdown rules came as Scots cooped up for almost 10 weeks flocked to beaches and parks in temperatures as high as 28.3C (83F). Hundreds of day trippers travelled far beyond the five-mile limit to Luss, a village near Loch Lomond, leaving their cars by the side of the road after car parks remained shut. Public lavatories also remained closed. Concerns were raised in Gullane, East Lothian, after the town was apparently overrun with visitors leaving rubbish and "human waste" on the street. Highlighting the surge in traffic levels at her daily press briefing, Ms Sturgeon said: "Im going to be blunt here - it is very hard to see how all of that can have been caused by local residents, or by people travelling a reasonable distance to meet loved ones." She added: "I have a duty to be clear with you, that if there is continued evidence of even a minority not abiding by those guidelines and travelling unnecessarily if people meet up in larger groups or make journeys which risk spreading the virus - we will have to put those restrictions, on group size and travel distance, into law. "And we wont hesitate to do so if we think it is necessary for the collective safety and wellbeing of the nation." Members of the public sunning themselves at Loch Lomond at the weekend - Getty Images Europe She said Scots had "no excuse" for not knowing the rules and warned she would not wait until the next lockdown review date on June 18 to introduce any new laws. However, she denied that they would be ignored by a populace weary of lockdown, saying this represented a "counsel of despair" and the evidence of the past two months was that Scots would comply. Ms Sturgeon reminded Scots hosting barbecues that guests from the other household should bring their own food and utensils. They should also not go inside the host's house to use the toilet. The First Minister argued that the "only way" of avoiding restrictions being reimposed was to "comply with the rules". Groups are supposed to be limited to eight people, two more than permitted in England. Speaking "very directly to young people" following reports of much larger groups from multiple households, she warned the virus "can still be harmful to you" and they could pass it onto their parents or grandparents. Ms Sturgeon illustrated that the virus remains a threat by disclosing that at the weekend she discovered for the first time that a friend or family member had been diagnosed with it. "It's still there - it's ready to pounce, and jump across any bridges we offer it. If we want to stop that, we must, must stick to these guidelines," she said. Deputy Chief Constable Will Kerr said: "The figures from the last 72 hours high numbers of dispersals and no arrests relating to coronavirus show how we are continuing to engage with the public, explain the legislation and guidance and encourage compliance. "We will only use enforcement as a last resort only where there is a clear breach of the legislation, and our overall approach will continue to be one based on common sense and discretion." Louisiana is loosening its restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus, allowing bars to reopen and expanding the occupancy requirements to 50% for a host of businesses, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Monday. The decision, made after consultation with state health officials, comes three weeks after Edwards said he would end the states stay-at-home order and start a phased reopening. The first phase of that reopening allowed a host of businesses, like restaurants, retailers and casinos, operate at 25% occupancy. The second phase will begin Friday, Edwards said. The new rules let businesses that have been operating at 25% capacity boost that to 50%. Bars that dont serve food will be allowed to open for the first time since March, albeit under a stricter 25% capacity. Some other businesses that have been shuttered, including spas, massage establishments and tattoo parlors, will be allowed to reopen with restrictions. +4 As Louisiana moves to Phase 2 of coronavirus rules, bars can reopen with these restrictions Louisiana bars will be allowed to reopen this weekend after they were shuttered months ago amid the growing coronavirus pandemic. We still have work to do, Edwards said. We still have restrictions that have to be in place. Dr. Alex Billioux, assistant secretary for the Office of Public Health, pointed to largely positive signs in the states coronavirus data. New cases, reports of COVID-19-like illnesses and hospitals have all fallen statewide. Still, some areas of the state are seeing increasing or plateauing metrics. New Orleans is experiencing a plateau in cases, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. Central Louisiana is seeing spikes in cases and hospitalizations, and Monroe has increasing hospitalizations as well. Some health experts have cast doubt on the states ability to accurately determine whether it is ready to move into Phase 2. New Orleans Health Department Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno said last week it was a little premature for the city to make the call this early. On Monday, Mayor LaToya Cantrell confirmed the city once a major hotspot nationally for the virus would not follow the states lead and instead wait to enter into such a robust loosening of restrictions. +3 Louisiana entering Phase 2 means recreational pools can reopen for the summer As Louisiana moves to Phase 2 of reopening amid coronavirus, the new rules allow for recreational pools to open for the summer. But Billioux pointed to the fact that the state has dramatically ramped up testing and contact tracing a key part of the reopening strategy. Louisiana exceeded its goal of 200,000 coronavirus tests deployed in May, and has hired 613 people to conduct contact tracing. While some regions are not improving, Billioux said hes confident the state has the ability to track infections, and he said some of the problems are related to congregant settings like nursing homes and prisons that dont generally pose a risk to the public. Despite this generally good trend we must continue to double down on the measures we know work, Billioux said. The goal should still be to stay six feet away from each other. The state is still not mandating people wear masks while in public. But Edwards administration is urging restaurants to deploy temperature checks at the door as restrictions are loosened further. And public-facing employees will continue to be required to wear masks. 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 Billioux also encouraged people to avoid businesses where people arent following health advice, like wearing masks. High-risk individuals the elderly and those with underlying health conditions are encouraged to continue to stay home, in the new phase. Everyone is encouraged to wear masks when outside of the home, and businesses are urged to keep employees working from home if possible. Dont put your life at risk for something like a bowling game, Billioux said. The loosened rules come as Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry and more than 50 Republican state lawmakers, along with one Democrat, signed a letter urging Edwards to open up all businesses, and to have the same set of regulations for all. House Republican Delegation Chairman Rep. Blake Miguez said Monday businesses are struggling with a patchwork of rules from different boards and regulatory bodies. He also echoed concerns of other Republican lawmakers that the restrictions on occupancy are arbitrary. Business has sacrificed for eight weeks now and hasnt been able to open like theyd like to, Miguez said. Were taking the American dream away from some of our citizens. Louisiana was hit harder and earlier than most states by the coronavirus, experiencing the fastest growth rate of cases in the world at one point, according to one estimate. In March, Edwards became the ninth U.S. governor to issue a stay-at-home order. Since then, unemployment has soared, and economists have raised alarms about a hard road to recovery for a state hammered by a simultaneous crash in the price of oil. Miguez led an effort earlier in the session to undermine Edwards ability to enforce his stay-at-home order, but backed off after the governor began reopening the states businesses. That section of law is not included in a special session call issued by lawmakers, meaning they cannot take it up during the session that began Monday evening and runs the entire month. The governor said he based his rules on White House guidance for reopening, and said that guidance treats businesses differently depending on the level of risk. In explaining the decision to have bars operate at a reduced capacity in the new phase 25%, instead of 50% for other businesses Billioux pointed to South Korea, which saw an explosion of cases at bars during its reopening that prompted officials to shutter bars in Seoul. In Louisiana, bars will have to operate like restaurants, with patrons sitting at tables that are spaced out. Were doing what we can to strike the right balance between re-engaging as much of our economy as we can with the demands that we have based on the public health emergency, Edwards said. Staff writers Jessica Williams and Jeff Adelson contributed to this story. Sirous Asgari was accused of stealing trade secrets in the United States but was acquitted last November. Iranian scientist Sirous Asgari, who is jailed in the United States, will return to Iran within days, Irans foreign ministry said on Monday. Asgari was accused by a US court in 2016 of stealing trade secrets while on an academic visit to Ohio. But the 59-year-old scientist from Tehrans Sharif University of Technology was acquitted in November. Dr Sirous Asgaris case has been closed in America and he will probably return to the country in the next two or three days, ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi was quoted as saying by ISNA news agency. That is, if no issues or obstacles come up, he added. There was no immediate comment from the US. If he returns to Iran, the scientist would become one of the few detainees held by either side not to have been released in a prisoner exchange. COVID-19 stricken Irans foreign ministry said last month that Asgari had contracted coronavirus while in US custody. The scientist told British newspaper The Guardian in March that the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency was keeping him in a detention centre in Louisiana without basic sanitation and refusing to let him return to Iran despite his exoneration. Both countries hold a number of each others nationals behind bars and have recently called for them to be released amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Iran is battling what is the Middle Easts deadliest outbreak, while the US has reported the highest total number of virus deaths worldwide. Iran is holding at least five Americans and the US has 15 Iranians in detention, according to a list compiled by AFP news agency based on official statements and media reports. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Why didnt Cleveland police arrest rioters as soon as violence began at the George Floyd protests Saturday? This Week in the CLE Monday is all about the riots that ravaged downtown. Listen live here. Editor Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour coronavirus news podcast, with help from editors Jane Kahoun and me, as well as reporter Adam Ferrise, who covered the protests. We answer many of the questions youve sent through our text message platform. Youve been sending Chris lots of thoughts and suggestions on our from-the-newsroom account, in which he shares once or twice a day what were thinking about at cleveland.com. You can sign up for free by sending a text to 216-868-4802. And youve been offering all sorts of great perspective in our coronavirus alert account, which has 13,000-plus subscribers. You can sign up for free by texting 216-279-7784. Here are the questions were answering today: 1. When what had been a peaceful demonstration in downtown Cleveland turned violent Saturday, why didnt Cleveland police arrest the people committing the violence? Good question. Police did arrest 65 people, but many of those were after Mayor Frank Jackson imposed a curfew at 8 p.m. Police largely responded with pepper spray, tear gas and flash-bangs. 2. Is Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams providing evidence to back up his claim that it was out-of-towners who committed the violence during Saturdays riots in downtown Cleveland? Cleveland officials have provided no evidence to back statements made by Police Chief Calvin Williams that those who rioted in downtown Cleveland in the wake of volatile protests were from out of town. 3. Was the violence that occurred during the riot in downtown Cleveland Saturday spontaneous or organized? Black Lives Matter Cleveland, which organized the protests, condemned violence and advised people to arrive prepared, with a list of more than a dozen guidelines. When the peaceful protest devolved into violence, some protestors were ready with radios, water bottles and solutions to flush out pepper-sprayed eyes or put out tear gas canisters. 4. How did cleveland.com photographer John Kuntz get those jaw-dropping photos of the riot in downtown Cleveland Saturday? Hes really good. He has 97 incredible photos, from protestors making their own signs around the Free Stamp to men pouncing on a police car outside the Justice Center. 5. What does the riot in Cleveland Saturday mean for the future of downtown? Plenty of Cleveland businesses are pledging to come back strong, but after they were closed for weeks because of the coronavirus, its going to be tough. Geigers said its evaluating its future. 6. What is Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine doing about the violence that is popping up in reaction to the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, and what is he saying? DeWine on Saturday deployed the Ohio National Guard, as well as the Ohio State Highway Patrol, to keep order amid protests in Cleveland and Columbus. We do this today so that love and kindness, compassion and peace can triumph over hate and violence," he said. Thats it for Monday. Well be back Tuesday with more news. Meanwhile, find all our past episodes here. Do you get your podcasts on Spotify. Find us here. If you use Stitcher, we are here. RadioPublic is another popular podcast vehicle, and we are here. On Google Podcasts, we are here. On PodParadise, find us here. And on PlayerFM, we are here. Derry City and Strabane District Council is aiming to boost the local bee population through a new grass management system. The 'Don't Mow, Let it Grow' initiative is part of the council's Pollinator Plan and will see temporarily reduced cutting on selected sections of the council's parks and greenways network. The strategy aims to create grasslands rich in wild flowers to create a more favourable habitat for bees in the summer months. The Pollinator Plan forms part of Council's pioneering Green Infrastructure Plan and Biodiversity Officer, Christine Doherty, said it could play a key role in fighting the extinction of many species of bees on the island of Ireland. "A third of the bee population in Ireland is potentially at risk of extinction and that poses a huge problem for us as we rely on bees to pollinate the majority of our crops and wildflowers," she noted. "With a reduction in the bee population we'll have less variety of foods and costs will increase. "This trial in grass management will initially be piloted at ten of our key parks meaning that we won't be cutting grass as frequently and we will use a special type of machinery that cuts and lifts the grass in late August or early September. "This action will create grasslands rich in native wild flowers thereby increasing the amount of food available for bees and providing them with shelter hopefully leading to an increase in the bee population which is good for our economy and our environment. "The change will also prevent 1.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from the reduction in grass cutting which is a positive step in mitigating against the impacts of climate change." "Don't Mow, Let it Grow is also linked to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan which encourages all of us to play our part in bringing back the bees." Hocking has been fighting since 2016 to access the letters written by Kerr to the queen through her then private secretary, Martin Charteris. 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. The High Court's 6-1 majority decision in historian Jenny Hocking's 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 Whitlam's government were personal and might never be made public. 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 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 queen's son and heir, Prince Charles, in a comparable case in Britain that was fought through the courts for five years. Britain's 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 king's political neutrality. Years of dogged research by journalists and historians have pieced together answers to many of the questions surrounding how and why Whitlam's government was dismissed and who was behind it. Kerr, who died in 1991, rejected in his memoirs media speculation that the CIA ordered Whitlam's 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 defense 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 Whitlam's 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 movement's Chair Peter FitzSimons said. Philip Benwell, national chairman of the Australian Monarchist League and a vocal advocate of the British monarch remaining Australia's head of state, had warned before the High Court decision that releasing the letters would create a constitutional crisis "if the queen's personal opinions became known." He said after the ruling that the letters' exposure will strengthen Australia's ties to the monarchy. "It will show that the queen had done everythi'g that she could to protect the people's interests," Benwell said. Church delivers powerful protest over George Floyds killing with hymns, Gospel Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment While images of looting and burning buildings have filled television screens across the country amid protests over the killing of George Floyd, many Christians also joined the chant for change this past weekend, including members of the Church of God based in Greenville, Ohio, who expressed their outrage while singing hymns and sharing the Gospel. The Church of God, which says it is not a denomination but the church of the living God, as we read about in the New Testament, has emerged with a video of them singing with placards that has racked up more than 23 million views on Twitter alone. Members of the church have been shown in pictures also listening to hurting members of the black community and comforting them with hugs. Days earlier, the church, led by Chief Apostle Ray Tinsman, released a statement declaring Proverbs 29:2, which says: When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. As the Church of God, we send our deepest heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of George Floyd, as well as to the people of Texas, Minneapolis, and the entire United States who are touched by this tragedy. The video footage of this killing is absolutely inhuman, and this senseless act must be condemned by all people, the church said. Tragically, many other African Americans have fallen victim to similar violence without the benefit of having it documented via video recording. What happened to George Floyd is not a single and isolated act of brutality but evidence of a system which mass-produces these heartbreaking results. Racism is not dead in our country. This tragedy affects all of us. Injustice and oppression will be defeated only when we stand together in solidarity as one human family for the cause of truth. Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, died in police custody on May 25, after he was restrained for several minutes by Minneapolis Police Department officers. One of the officers, Derek Chauvin, was caught on video kneeling into Floyds neck as he begged for his life until he stopped breathing. Last Friday, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman charged Chauvin, who has since been fired along with three other colleagues, with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Protesters are demanding that the other officers involved in Floyds death also be arrested. Other spiritual leaders like Pastor Micaiah Young with Life Center Church in Milwaukee also joined peaceful protests on Sunday, seeking to counter rioting that he believes detracts from the fight for justice. "We're crying out, saying we're not going to take it anymore, but we're peacefully using what we have to make an impact," he told Fox 6. "If we are not peaceful, then we will have chaos, and in chaos, nothing significant can be accomplished." Kay Warren, co-founder of Saddleback Church in California, tweeted Sunday that Floyds death had left her in tears. The somber, grief-filled makeshift shrine to George Floyd brings me to tears. In my minds eye, Im there too, kneeling in tears, asking for forgiveness, praying he is the last black man to die this way in America, she said. Carl Lentz, senior pastor of Hillsong Church NYC who joined peaceful protesters in West Harlem, Manhattan, on Saturday said Sunday that Americas system of justice needs to change because it isnt working for everyone. When people say the system is broken, thats wrong. The system is working well. And thats the problem. We need a new system. Despite that, there are good men and women that have taken an oath to serve and protect. Its a high calling that has been severely tarnished due to evil and murder and systemic injustice, he wrote in a post on Instagram. If you cant understand the vitriol towards law enforcement, its because you have never been victimized by it. The reports of overt brutality at these protests are REAL. Ive seen it. And the reports of police men and women doing the exact opposite are true to. We pray for them in the middle of this madness. We need our police to fight WITH US for justice. Uproot the evil and demand change. To those doing that, I salute you. Im thankful for you. Im praying for you, he said. Charles Blake Sr., presiding bishop of the Church of God in Christ who also leads the West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles, said in a recorded statement shared on Facebook Sunday that the impact of racial violence on the black American community was worse than the coronavirus, which has killed more than 100,000 Americans and disproportionately impacted the black and Hispanic communities. Over the past three months, this country has put forth cautionary restrictions and attention to stop the spread of a deadly virus and to save lives. But within the last 30 days, three black lives Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd have all been brought to prominence with the common thread of having their lives snuffed out and snatched by a plague even more vicious than COVID-19, he said. This plague unlike COVID-19 is not invisible. Were seeing it far too much. And its time for every legislator, leader of a city, state department, government agency to put forth the same effort and urgency that has been put into the cure for COVID-19. We as black people deserve better. We are human beings, created in the image and the likeness of God. Just like all people. No one has the right to crush the very life out of us. Our black, brown, young men and women of color were not created to be executed in the streets by those whove taken an oath to protect life or by anyone else for that matter. Our lives are worth protecting. The leader of COGIC, which is the largest Pentecostal denomination in the U.S., urged protesters to send their message peacefully and avoid looting and destroying buildings. The Rev. Jamal Bryant of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia, who turned his first drive-in service into a parking lot protest on Sunday with his congregants, agreed. "Peaceful protests have accomplished more than violence," Bryant said during his sermon, according to Fox5. "You cannot find in the history of this county one thing that riots have accomplished." He further noted that the Church cannot be absent in the path toward a solution. "The civil rights movement was birthed out of the Church. So while we are in this crisis, the Church cannot be distant, invisible and mute, but the Church has got to lend its voice," Bryant said. "So in the tradition of Dr. King who is the son of Georgia's soil, it was appropriate for us to speak to the times." Prominent New York City megachurch preacher A.R. Bernard, who is founder, senior pastor and CEO of the 40,000-member Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, said in a statement Sunday that while he doesnt condone the rioting, he understands it. This week in America, a Black man was tortured and murdered right before our eyes, by a white police officer whose actions represent a cancer in the American social system. The nation reacted with both peaceful and violent protests. I dont condone the violence, but I understand the violence. Because when change is necessary, failure to change becomes destructive, he wrote on Twitter. The pictures coming from American cities of riots in the wake of the killing of George Floyd are both shocking and, from a Northern Irish perspective, depressingly familiar. Years of hard work in community relations are being undone in hours as people's legitimate anger at injustice descends into looting, burning and, inevitably, violence. What's even more shocking is that people's personal fury at the scourge of racism and police brutality seems to be shaping how they see the brutality that's being carried out nightly. Put bluntly, those who think the rioters in America are on the "right" side are willing to make excuses for criminal misbehaviour, however dangerous; but, if they think the rioters are on the "wrong" side, then they blanket condemn it, without bothering to also denounce the social conditions which brought tensions to a head in one of the most racially divided countries in the world. Everything is, quite literally, in the case of the United States, either black or white, with no room for nuance inbetween. Indeed, to think that the issues can only be understood in varying shades of grey is to risk being caught up in the madness, as both extremes demand that you pick a side and take up cudgels in the fight. Social media has exacerbated this tendency, as complex social and political problems are reduced to crude slogans and people shout at one another from across the digital canyon, rather than talk. Rolling outrage and mutual loathing have replaced the traditional effort to find compromise and respect competing opinions. It ought to be possible to state that the treatment of black people by the police in the United States is appalling and also to believe that the violence which has erupted is not just counterproductive, but wrong in itself; and yet huge numbers of people who'd otherwise regarded themselves as educated and enlightened almost seem to be egging on the rioters, as if they're getting some kind of vicarious thrill from seeing the violence close up each night on their HD television screens. Protestors chanting "f*** the police" outside Downing Street yesterday in solidarity with what's happening in America even appear to be itching to import some of that mayhem onto British streets as well. By the same token, it should be possible to want to see law and order swiftly restored to American streets, while also deploring President Trump's continued refusal to use his position as leader of the country to put out, rather than stoke, the fires. This is not how Presidents should talk as people are dying. Was this what it was like at the beginning of the Troubles, when the civil rights movement turned all too quickly into pitched battles between two irreconcilable tribes, deepening a rift that still hasn't healed? If so, that's not exactly an encouraging precedent. Of course, it's not just in America that these divisions are being played out. The culture war over Brexit continues to poison the political water on this side of the Atlantic, too, and Covid-19 has only added to the disaffection, as people peel off into opposing camps over the best way to tackle the coronavirus, seeing those on their side of the argument as saints and those on the other as villains. Should the lockdown be lifted more quickly, or kept in place? Should Boris Johnson's right-hand man, Dominic Cummings, be sacked for driving to a beauty spot near his parents' farm while the rest of the country was being urged to stay at home and save the NHS? Expand Close Emily Maitlis PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Emily Maitlis Was Emily Maitlis right to use her position as presenter of BBC's Newsnight to berate the Tory Government for its handling of the Cummings affair, despite the corporation's commitment to political neutrality? Increasingly, these questions are not being decided on their merits, but on which side of the ideological divide you happen to fall. Either the BBC is impartial, or it isn't. Either Cummings should go, or he shouldn't. Either lockdown should be lifted, or not. Expand Close Dominic Cummings PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dominic Cummings The answers can't depend on whether you like or dislike the people making the statements. Tragically, everything is now politicised in the same illogical way. That's why, in Ireland, despite the 11th-worst death rate in the world, the ruling Fine Gael party, which badly lost the country's general election in February, but remained in power as a caretaker government, is soaring in the opinion polls, simply because the country is doing a bit better than the UK. In Scotland, where new analysis suggests the death rate is worse than in England, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is similarly popular, purely because she's not Boris. Are we really that easily swayed? Apparently, we are. Justin Webb, the presenter of Radio Four's Today programme, who started out in journalism at Radio Ulster in the early 1980s, recently wrote an essay in which he tried to understand why political debate was now so polarised and came upon a psychological study from Brigham Young University in Utah, which found that "group loyalty is the stronger motivator of opinion than any ideological principles". Basically, it doesn't matter if a particular position contradicts everything you previously claimed to believe. You'll still go along with it if other people with whom you strongly identify support it. This is tribalism at its most unsophisticated and it rarely leads anywhere good, as Northern Ireland knows only too well. Right now, it's hard to escape the conclusion that, instead of learning from the tragic experience of Ulster, the whole world is turning into Northern Ireland writ large, with everyone retreating into hermetically sealed factions based on the sectarian identity and a one-sided grasp of the facts, while batting away all uncomfortable moral and political dilemmas with whataboutery. Expand Close Mary Lou McDonald / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mary Lou McDonald Here, it's considered entirely normal by her supporters for Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald to describe the IRA's murderous campaign as "justified" and to say there's "every possibility" she would have got stuck in, too, given half a chance, while simultaneously believing that anyone else who killed in a different cause had no right to do so. Elsewhere, it's becoming just as normal to man the barricades based solely on what you think about Trump, or Brexit, even when the issues at hand have nothing to do with them. One can only shudder to think how much worse the situation would have been here during the Troubles if social media had been around. The pressure to identify with a particular group and to keep quiet about the failings of one's own tribe was oppressive enough as it was. With Twitter and Facebook adding fuel to the fire, the flames would surely have been even harder to put out. Tens of thousands of people protested across the United States and in major world cities for a sixth night as outrage over police brutality intensified over the death of George Floyd. Floyd, 46, an unarmed black man, died last Monday after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck as he pleaded I cant breathe, sparking outrage that has swept across a politically and racially divided nation. In Minneapolis on Sunday, a tanker truck driver drove into a massive crowd of demonstrators. The driver was pulled from his rig and beaten. No protesters appeared to be injured and the driver was later arrested. I hate to see my city like this but at the end we need justice, said 18-year-old Jahvon Craven as he stood on an overpass watching protesters below in downtown Minneapolis. Protesters in Philadelphia hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police, while thieves in more than 20 Californian cities smashed their way into businesses and ran off with as much as they could carry. Major US cities imposed curfews in fear of another night of demonstrations descending into violence and looting. In Washington, DC, protesters set fires near the White House, the smoke mixing with billowing clouds of tear gas as police sought to clear them from the area. Sporadic violence broke out in Boston following peaceful protests as activists threw bottles at police officers and lit a police 4WD on fire. Several hundred demonstrators marched through downtown Miami chanting: No justice, no peace, past a detention centre where inmates could be seen in the narrow windows waving shirts. The Minneapolis Police Department said on Twitter about 150 protesters who remained out after the 8pm curfew were arrested. Protests spread around the globe with events in London and Berlin on Sunday, and others on Monday including in New Zealand, Australia and the Netherlands. Coronavirus fears The closely packed crowds and demonstrators not wearing masks sparked fears of a resurgence of COVID-19, which has killed more than 100,000 Americans. Demonstrators have flooded streets after weeks of lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic, which threw millions out of work and hit minority communities especially hard. Sundays protests demonstrated that the arrest of Derek Chauvin, the police officer seen kneeling on Floyds neck, failed to satisfy protesters. Three officers who stood by as Floyd died have yet to be charged. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said Attorney General Keith Ellison will take the lead in any prosecutions over the death of Floyd. Walz told reporters that Ellison needs to lead this case. He said he made the decision after speaking with Floyds family who wanted to believe that there was a trust, and they wanted to believe that the facts would be heard. Protesters holding a large banner with George Floyds name in Brooklyn, New York [Justin Heiman/ AFP] In San Francisco, more than 1,000 people marched through the streets, carrying signs and chanting George Floyd and Black Lives Matter. Los Angeles County declared a 6pm curfew to prevent a repeat of the violence that broke out on Saturday night. But fires were lit in Long Beach and National Guard troops were called in. The county and city of Los Angeles declared states of emergency on Sunday after a night of looting, vandalism and arson that followed mostly peaceful protests. Philadelphia announced a 6pm curfew and ordered all businesses to close as local news showed images of groups of protesters attacking police cars. Other people went into nearby stores and came out with armfuls of merchandise. One closely watched protest was outside the state capitol in Minneapolis twin city of St Paul, where several thousand people gathered peacefully before marching down a highway. We have black sons, black brothers, black friends, we dont want them to die. We are tired of this happening, this generation is not having it, we are tired of oppression, said Muna Abdi, a 31-year-old black woman who joined the protest. In St Paul, state troopers surrounded the state capitol building. About 170 stores in the city have been looted, its mayor said. In response to the protests, Target Corp announced it was temporarily closing 100 stores, about 30 of them in Minnesota. World is watching The administration of President Donald Trump, who has called protesters thugs, will not federalise and take control of the National Guard for now, national security adviser Robert OBrien said. The National Guard said on Sunday that 5,000 soldiers and airmen had been activated in 15 states and Washington, DC, but that state and local law enforcement agencies remain responsible for security. A presidential move to federalise National Guard troops is rare, occurring about 12 times since the mid-1900s, mostly during the Civil Rights era of the 1960s, according to the National Guard press office. It was not invoked in protests following the deaths of other Black men in recent years in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore. Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors. These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW. The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe. Is this what America wants? NO!!! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020 Trump said on Sunday the US government would designate anti-fascist group Antifa as a terrorist organisation. It was not clear how many of the protesters participating in demonstrations are from Antifa. Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors, Trump said on Twitter on Sunday afternoon. These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW. The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe. Is this what America wants? NO!!! Sleepy Joe is Trumps nickname for Democrat Joe Biden, his presumptive rival for the presidency in the November election. One closely watched protest was outside the state capitol in Minneapolis twin city of St Paul, where several thousand people gathered before marching down a highway. We have black sons, black brothers, black friends, we dont want them to die. We are tired of this happening, this generation is not having it, we are tired of oppression, said Muna Abdi, a 31-year-old black woman who joined the protest. India on Sunday ordered two officials of the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi to leave the country in 24 hours after they were apprehended on charges of spying, according to several media reports. India on Sunday ordered two officials of the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi to leave the country within 24 hours after they were apprehended on charges of spying, according to several media reports. The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said the Indian government had declared the officials persona non grata for indulging in activities incompatible with their status as members of a diplomatic mission. The MEA said a strong protest was lodged with the Charge de Affairs of the Pakistan High Commission over the activities of its two officials against India's national security. The Delhi Police's special cell detained Abeed Hussain and Tahir Khan, who work in the visa section of the Pakistan High Commission, NDTV reported. The two worked for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and used fake identity papers to move around, sources told NDTV. Officials of the special cell of Delhi Police, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Hindustan Times that three officials of the Pakistani mission were detained at Bikanervala Chowk in Karol Bagh at 10.45 am on Sunday while allegedly trying to obtain classified materials on the Indian security establishment. Hussain, 42, an assistant in the Pakistani mission, Khan, 44, a clerk in the mission, and Javed Hussain, 36, a driver were under surveillance for the past few months, officials told Hindustan Times. They were caught red-handed while obtaining documents on the Indian security establishment from an Indian national and handing over cash and an iPhone to him, an official said. The two initially claimed they were Indians and even produced fake Aadhaar cards, officials told the newspaper. Later, during interrogation, they confessed they were officials at the Pakistan High Commission and worked for the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), a second official said. They were trying to extract information regarding the Indian Army and Indian Railways, The Economic Times reported. Those familiar with the investigation told The Economic Times Tahil would 'proactively' scout for contacts in the Delhi establishment. "He was actively pursuing officers and middle-rung employees using money and in some cases honey-trap them using social media accounts. The details regarding Indian officials to be contacted were shared by his senior in Pakistan. Personal social media accounts of government officials in India were monitored closely, a senior police official told the newspaper. Pakistan condemned India's decision, saying the action has been accompanied by a negative, pre-planned and orchestrated media campaign. Pakistan's foreign office said that the two staff members of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi were lifted by the Indian authorities on 31 May on "false and unsubstantiated charges". They were, however, released on the High Commission's intervention, it said. "The Indian action has been accompanied by a negative, pre-planned and orchestrated media campaign, which is a part of persistent anti-Pakistan propaganda," Pakistan's Foreign Office said in a statement. "We condemn the detention and torture as well as threatening and pressuring of the diplomatic officials to accept false charges," it said. It said the Indian action is in "clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as well as the norms of diplomatic conduct especially in an already vitiated atmosphere". The action against the two officials came in the midst of frayed ties between the two countries over reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir by India and fierce fighting along the border earlier in the year. Pakistan had downgraded diplomatic ties by expelling the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad following India's decision to withdraw special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two Union Territories in August. With inputs from agencies A lawyer for the family of George Floyd, whose death sparked unrest across the US, has accused a police officer of "premeditated murder". Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder, but lawyer Benjamin Crump told CBS news it was a case of first-degree murder. "We think that he had intent... almost nine minutes he kept his knee in a man's neck that was begging and pleading for breath," he said, the BBC reported. Several US cities have imposed curfews. The Floyd case has reignited US anger over police killings of black Americans. It follows the high-profile cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Eric Garner in New York and others that have driven the Black Lives Matter movement. "The fact that officer Chauvin kept his knee on his neck for almost three minutes after he was unconscious. We don't understand how that was not first degree murder. We don't understand how all these officers haven't been arrested," lawyer Crump said. Three other officers present at the time have also since been sacked. For many the outrage over George Floyd's death also reflects years of frustration over socio-economic inequality and segregation, not least in Minneapolis itself. In video footage, Chauvin, 44, can be seen kneeling on Floyd's neck for several minutes on Monday. Floyd, 46, repeatedly says that he is unable to breathe. There have been five nights of arson and looting in Minneapolis and the adjacent city of St Paul. Minnesota's Governor Tim Walz said on Saturday he was deploying the full Minnesota National Guard for the first time since World War Two. Governor Walz said racism in his state had created the conditions for Mr Floyd's death. The National Guard - the US reserve military force for domestic emergencies - said on Sunday that 5,000 of its personnel had been activated in 15 states and Washington DC. It added that "state and local law enforcement agencies remain responsible for security". In the CBS interview, lawyer Benjamin Crump also said "we now have the audio from the police bodycam and we hear where one officer says 'he doesn't have a pulse, maybe we should turn him on his side', but yet officer Chauvin says 'no, we're going to keep him in this position'. That's intent. "Also, the fact that officer Chauvin kept his knee on his neck for almost three minutes after he was unconscious." The lawyer also said Chauvin and Floyd already knew each other before Floyd's death in custody. He said the Floyd family was "notified by the owner of a club that Derek Chauvin was an off-duty police officer where George Floyd was a security guard, and so they had to overlap". NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES TORONTO, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FAX Capital Corp. (FAX or the Company) (TSX: FXC & FXC.WT) is pleased to announce that it has acquired ownership of an additional 3,182,000 common shares (the Shares) of Hamilton Thorne Ltd. (Hamilton Thorne) (HTL.V) through a non-brokered private placement transaction which closed on May 29, 2020 (the Private Placement). The Shares were acquired at an average price of $1.10 per Share and an aggregate purchase price of $3,500,200. Immediately prior to the closing of the Private Placement, the Company owned 12,574,700 Shares, representing 9.5% of the issued and outstanding Shares. Following the completion of the Private Placement, FAX now owns 15,756,700 Shares, representing 11.4% of the total number of issued and outstanding Shares of Hamilton Thorne. Pursuant to applicable securities laws, the Shares acquired through the Private Placement are subject to a hold period of four-months plus one day from the date of closing. FAXs investment presentation in respect of Hamilton Thorne will be available on the Companys website at www.faxcapitalcorp.com . The Company currently has no plans or intentions with respect to the acquired Shares of Hamilton Thorne and the Shares are being held for investment purposes. In the future, the Company may acquire additional Shares, or dispose of its holdings, both as investment conditions warrant. We are pleased to add to FAXs investment in Hamilton Thorne, a well managed company with a solid track record serving an important need in a large and growing industry, said Blair Driscoll, FAXs Chief Executive Officer. The global In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and fertility market is a recession resistant industry with expected market growth of up to 10%, driven by secular tailwinds such as rising maternal age of first pregnancy, broader insurance reimbursements, a rising middle class, and technological advancements to support increasing IVF success rates. Story continues As one of the market leaders, Hamilton Thorne is well positioned to benefit from this growing market, added Marc Robinson, FAXs Managing Director and co-head of the Companys Investment Team. The company has a proven management team and sustainable competitive advantages driven by regulatory protection and high customer switching costs. Financially, the company has a 10-year track record of sales growth that has been accelerating, has margin expansion opportunity, and has a strong balance sheet and free cash flow generation to facilitate further organic growth and M&A within a consolidating industry. Hamilton Thorne is a Boston, Massachusetts based manufacturer, marketer and distributor of equipment, precision instruments, consumables, software and services to the global Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) market. The companys products, marketed under the Hamilton Thorne, Gynemed, Embryotech and Planer brands, are cleared for sale in the US, Europe, China, and Canada and are sold to a customer base that includes pharmaceutical and biotech companies, fertility clinics, research centers and others. The head office of Hamilton Thorne is located at 100 Cummings Centre, Suite 465E, Beverly, MA, 01915, U.S.A. The Company has today filed an early warning report under National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues in respect of the Private Placement. A copy of the early warning report will be available under Hamilton Thornes profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com , or may be obtained by contacting Ryan Caughey, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at (647) 696-4679. The Company is a corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada and its head office is located at TD Tower West, 100 Wellington Street West, Suite 2110, Toronto, Ontario, M5K 1H1. About FAX Capital Corp. The Company is an investment holding company with a business objective to maximize its intrinsic value on a per share basis over the long-term by seeking to achieve superior investment performance commensurate with reasonable risk. The Company intends to invest in equity, debt and/or hybrid securities of high-quality businesses. The Company initially intends to invest in approximately 10 to 15 high-quality small cap public and private businesses located primarily in Canada and, to a lesser extent, the United States. Further information about the Company is available at www.faxcapitalcorp.com . For additional information please contact: Investor Relations Sophia Tang, Investor Relations Telephone: (416) 860-6108 Email: IR@faxcapitalcorp.com Website: www.faxcapitalcorp.com Media Relations Tim Foran Telephone: (416) 986-8515 Email: tim.foran@loderockadvisors.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information or statements (FLS) are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Any such FLS may be identified by words such as proposed, expects, intends, may, will, and similar expressions. FLS contained or referred to in this press release includes, but is not limited to, the Companys continuing views on Hamilton Thornes operations and the prospects of its associated industry; the Companys expectations in respect to the acquisition or disposition of Shares or other securities of Hamilton Thorne and the Companys continued intentions in respect of the Companys Shares of Hamilton Thorne currently held. FLS is based on a number of factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such statements and information, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such FLS is reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on FLS because the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such FLS include, but are not limited to, the timing and terms associated with any further potential investment opportunities in Hamilton Thorne and other identified companies, the continued impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on targeted investments, the economy and markets generally, as well as the identified risk factors included in the Companys public disclosure, including the annual information form dated March 26, 2020, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Companys website at www.faxcapitalcorp.com . The FLS in this press release reflect the current expectations, assumptions, judgements and/or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company, and are subject to change without notice. Any FLS speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any FLS, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. The FLS contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. For more information on the Company, please review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com . No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The Toronto Stock Exchange accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Auburn, N.Y. Josh Geissel said many told him a march through the streets of Auburn to protest the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, would be a bad idea, a waste of time. They were wrong, he said. The march drew more than 200 people, including Auburn Police Chief Shawn Butler who walked along with the protesters. Several carried signs and many were chanting black lives matter. Auburn Police officers led and brought up the tail end of the march with patrol cars, and officers marching alongside to ensure things proceeded safely and peacefully. Butler said it was a grassroots event to protest the death of Floyd and offered an opportunity for many to express their feelings. Speeches were given by several people beforehand at the small park along the Owasco Outlet (River). Geissel noted at one point Butler even took a knee with us during one of the speeches. It was symbolic of where he stands. In addition to the chief, the other police officers at the march also took a knee, a spokesman for the Auburn police said. In a statement posted on the City of Auburn website, Butler noted: "Though we dont have all the facts yet, it is our belief that the Minneapolis Police Chief Arradondo has more intimate details than we the general public have, and acted correctly with his swift decision to immediately terminate every officer involved with this incident because like Chief Arradondo, we firmly believe that those who stood idly by and did not intervene to stop the actions of Officer Derek Chauvin are as liable and responsible for the senseless death of George Floyd as he is. This incident is tragic and senseless and affects all of us regardless if it occurred so far away from where we live here in Auburn, NY. Read Butlers complete statement. The march following the speeches weaved through city streets for about 45 minutes, ending at the New York State Equal Rights Heritage Center across from city hall. Was it a waste of time? No, said Geissel, a SUNY Brockport student and sales associate, who organized the event with Kyle Weissman, another Auburn resident. You look at pure numbers and turn out. Just by the numbers, Ill waste every day of my life to fight for that cause, he said. The event concluded with live music at the city park along the outlet where the event began. See the following Facebook live video lasting nearly two hours of the event posted on Kyle Weissmans Facebook page, Posted by Kyle Weisman on Sunday, May 31, 2020 MORE ON PROTESTS Onondaga County declares state of emergency, countywide curfew starting tonight Heres who was charged in police brutality protests, riot in Syracuse How George Floyd protests in Syracuse went from peaceful to chaotic Violence, looting in Upstate NY: Protests turn ugly in Buffalo, Albany, Rochester (videos) (Newser) A tanker truck driver who drove into a crowd of protesters on I-35 in Minneapolis Sunday was confused, not homicidal, according to state authorities. State Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington says driver Bogdan Vechirko apparently failed to realize the road was closed and did not go around any barricades before reaching the bridge, where he drove into a crowd of thousands of protesters, Star Tribune reports. "He saw the crowd initially and he panicked," Harrington says. The commissioner says Vechirkowho had been speedingtold investigators he hit the brakes after seeing a woman on a bike fall down in front of him. story continues below Vechirko, 35, was pulled from the truck by protesters, and Fox9 reports some began to beat him. But other protesters apparently intervened to protect the driver until police arrived. The network points to a video that captures someone saying, "We cannot hurt him. It defeats our purpose." Vechirko was arrested on suspicion of assault and is being held in the Hennepin County Jail. No serious injuries were reported among protesters, who had been marching on the bridge to protest the death of George Floyd. Insider reports that records show Vechirko has a relatively clean driving record in Minnesota, with one conviction for a seat belt violation in 2009. (Read more Minneapolis stories.) The new coronavirus is changing business in ways that will last long after COVID-19 is gone, and one Texas entrepreneurs commercial real estate start-up could solve a lot of problems. Reda Hicks started Got Spot Inc. to help military spouses like herself find commercial space for their businesses. Because the Pentagon can transfer a servicemember unpredictably, their partners cannot sign commercial leases with confidence. As a result, spouses end up working from home. But a lawyer, like Hicks, sometimes needs a conference room in which to meet clients. A baker needs a commercial kitchen. A massage therapist needs a quiet place. Hicks also knew from experience with bankruptcy cases that the most significant financial weight on many small businesses was rent on spaces that are frequently empty. Conference rooms are often empty, and restaurant kitchens are idle in the off-hours. What if, Hicks wondered, she could connect people who need space by the hour with businesses that could use extra income? Lots of businesses dont need a traditional space anymore, but if they want their businesses to grow, they need access to space they can borrow, Hicks told me. Main Street has all this amazing space, but theres a disconnect between the need for that space and the ability to find it. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Time for some kind bargaining in commercial real estate At first, Hicks made these connections informally, helping her fellow military spouses on a case-by-case basis. But she discovered the true scale of the problem while working for a logistics and warehousing company when Hurricane Harvey hit. She and other employees fielded dozens of calls from government officials, relief agencies and business owners asking for space to store supplies or set up operations. What I realized was this disconnect between whats in the built environment and what people need to keep organizations running and keep businesses running. Its an acute problem as well as an everyday problem, and it needs fixing, she said. Using simple software, Hicks built and launched a prototype website in 2018. She recruited small businesses that had space and began connecting them with small-business owners. You can imagine the Frankenstein technology that a lawyer with no training builds, Hicks said of that early effort. But she took the prototype to business plan competitions, and at one, she met a technologist who became Got Spots chief technology officer. Last fall, Hicks was accepted into Presidential Leadership Scholars, a prestigious fellowship that requires a community impact project. She decided to develop a version of Got Spot to help first responders during emergencies like Hurricane Harvey. She dubbed it Rescue Spot and hoped to have it ready May 1. The new coronavirus pandemic began on March 10. Organizations began calling her for warehouse space to store and distribute personal protective equipment and commercial kitchens for food preparation. Rescue Spot is up and running. But as more people work from home, and experts question the future of the offices, the original Got Spot service also has heightened relevance. My friend Jon Roberts, an economic development consultant, and I have been debating the future of commercial real estate. He thinks companies will shrink their footprint but still keep a permanent office where employees meet intermittently. TOMLINSONS TAKE: During COVID-19, landlords need a break, too But why, I wonder, would a company pay a monthly lease for a conference room that employees only use a few hours a week? Why not rent space by the hour? And rather than pay for an expensive coworking space like WeWork, why not pay a larger firm that is looking for helping pay the rent? This is a model that a lot of businesses are going to because they have dispersed teams, or they are nonprofits, and they cannot justify the overhead anymore, Hicks told me. The pandemic has accelerated this a little bit by showing to businesses that traditionally rely on face time that they can run efficiently without it. Got Spot was just getting started, making hundreds of matches for nonprofits and startups in Houston, when COVID-19 forced most people onto video conferencing software. But eventually, people will want to meet again in person. And a lot of companies will want help with the rent. Ive had a number of different companies in Houston, but also in Austin and San Antonio, reach out to me because theyre realizing their footprint is too big, Hicks said. They still have their long-term lease, and they are looking for ways to make money from it until they can downsize, she added. The COVID-19 pandemic has damaged many sharing economy businesses like Uber or Airbnb. But when it comes to office space, Got Spot may hold the solution for many different companies. Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and policy. twitter.com/cltomlinson chris.tomlinson@chron.com South Africa: Schools to reopen on 8 June Schools will reopen on 8 June 2020 for grade 7 and 12 learners to allow for the orientation and training of teachers. The Council of Education Ministers (CEM) took a decision to continue to reopen schools on 01 June 2020, but with School Management Teams (SMT), teachers and non-teaching staff only arriving to prepare for the arrival of learners. Provincial and district officials should ensure that health, safety, and social distancing requirements, are strictly adhered to when teachers arrive. This whole coming week must be used for the proper orientation and training of teachers, the mopping and ramping of all supply chain matters, and final touches to the readiness of each facility for the arrival of learners, said the Basic Education Department (DBE). The department had initially planned to kick start its phased reopening from 1 June 2020 provided that health, safety, and social distancing requirements are in place. Following meetings over the weekend with various stakeholders in the education sector, the department said reports indicated that a substantial number of schools would not be ready to reopen. In its assessment on the state of readiness for the reopening of schools, the CEM received a report from the consortium of service providers coordinated by the National Education Collaboration Trust on the external evaluation and monitoring of the state of readiness. Rand Water, as an Implementing Agent delivering water to 3 500 schools, also presented its report. The Heads of Education Departments Committee (HEDCOM), also presented its technical report. All three reports converged on the fact that a substantial number of schools would not be ready for the reopening tomorrow, albeit tremendous progress had been made by most provinces, which overall reflected 80% state of readiness, said the DBE in a statement. According to the department, the CEM was concerned that in some provinces personal protective equipment for learners in particular had not been received and some schools had not been made ready for the arrival of teachers and learners. CEM then took decisions, which have since been shared with teacher unions, school governing body associations, independent schools associations, the SA Human Rights Commission, Principals Association, South African National Association for Specialized Education, and other stakeholders. With the late change on the postponed reopening, the DBE said it received reports that some learners in boarding schools have already arrived at schools. We urge the schools to continue with orientation of the learners in terms of the health and safety procedures that should be in place, said the DBE. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga will hold a media briefing on Monday at 11am at Sunrise View, Rustenburg on the reopening of schools. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. King Abdulaziz International Airport in Saudi Arabia operated 40 domestic flights as it reopened on Sunday, said a report. A total of 40 flights arrived and departed from the airport's Terminal 1, including 16 flights for Saudi Airlines, 12 flights for flyadeal and 12 flights for flynas all headed to or arriving from Riyadh, Dammam, Abha and Jazan, said a report in Saudi Gazette citing the airport's general director, Essam Nour. Saudi Arabia resumed domestic flights after more than two months since suspending local travel as part of measures to fight the spread of coronavirus. Local media reports carried pictures of the airport staff placing precautionary measures and regulations set by the Kingdoms General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), in cooperation with other relevant authorities, which included checking on passengers and airport visitors with thermal cameras, installing sterilisng devices for stairs, electric walkways with ultraviolet technology and floor stickers in waiting areas urging people to follow social distancing while at the airport, the report said. 01.06.2020 LISTEN The Board of Directors, Management and Staff of CalBank have donated a set of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) valued at GHS 230,000.00 to four Hospitals in Ghana. The beneficiary hospitals are the University of Ghana Medical Centre in the Greater Accra Region, the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in the Ashanti Region, the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western Region and the Tamale Teaching Hospital in the Northern Region of Ghana. The items which included Gloves, Face Shields, Surgical Masks, Hand Sanitizers, Disinfectant Bleaches, Disposable Gowns, Nurse Caps, Anti-bacterial Liquid Soaps, Alcohol-based Surface Disinfectants, Rubbing Alcohol, Infra-red Thermometer Guns, Goggles, and Rubber Boots were funded entirely from the generous contributions from the Board members and staff of CalBank and were presented concurrently on 1st June 2020 to all the selected hospitals. In April this year, CalBank donated GHS 200,000 to the Covid-19 National Trust fund. In addition to the GHS 200,000 CalBank earlier contributed to the GHS 10million presented by the Ghana Association of Bankers to support the fight against the COVID-19pandemic. Commenting on behalf of Staff of CalBank, Chief Risk Officer, Mrs. Barbara Banson remarked: As rooted in our core value of Responsibility, it is imperative to support one another in the quest to improve lives in the society in which we operate. Realizing that these hospitals play a cardinal role as referral healthcare facilities in the management of Covid-19 cases, the Board of Directors, Management and Staff generously raised funds to purchase PPEs for use by the healthcare staff who are working tirelessly to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. It is our fervent belief that this gesture will go a long way to help ease frustrations on inadequate protective gears, boost their response rate to the ongoing fight against the coronavirus and protect these frontline workers who are faced daily with the harsh realities of dealing with these cases. She added. The Medical Directors of the respective facilities expressed their profound appreciation to staff of CalBank for raising the funds to purchase the PPEs for the respective health institutions. They assured that the items will be put to judicious use and encouraged corporate bodies and organizations to continue to support the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. Mrs. Barbara Banson further reiterated the solutions that CalBank has put in place to support clients during these difficult times. These include increased transaction limits, waiver of some charges on digital channels and deferred loan repayments for certain categories of clients. She further urged Ghanaians to continue to adhere to the hygiene protocols of wearing Face Masks, practicing social distancing, washing hands frequently with soap under running water or using alcohol-based hand rub and use of the CalBank App, USSD code *771# and other CalBank digital channels for Banking transactions. United Nations, June : The world body is firmly committed to fighting terrorism and all member countries have agreed it is an urgent issue, according to Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, the president of the UN General Assembly. Counter-terrorism "is the one element that all agreed as urgent" and the UN has developed ways to facilitate it, he said in an exclusive interview to IANS. Asked about the inability of UN members to come up with a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, Muhammad-Bande said, "You may not have had what you all a convention. Definition questions may have stalled this but in truth, UN has led in the fight against terror." "In practical terms," he said, "the United Nations has a very strong body of practices and rules relating to the war on terror." He cited the work of the Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, Vladimir Voronkov, and his office. The UN Office of Counter-Terrorism set up by the General Assembly in 2017 "brings together heads of intelligence agencies around the world to discuss what methods and rules should help and it is the one element that all agreed as urgent," Muhammad-Bande said. "It is a very important element of the world system," he added during a video-teleconference conducted in New York because of the lockdown of the UN headquarters due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Convention proposed by India in 1996 has stalled over differences on defining acts of terrorism and terrorists as some countries claim certain actors as "freedom-fighters." However, the UN has managed to adopt three conventions dealing with the suppression of terrorist bombings; financing of terrorism, and acts of nuclear terrorism. Muhammad-Bande, 62, who was unanimously elected president of the General Assembly was an educator and strategic thinker before he became a diplomat of Nigeria. The reform of the Security Council, which has also stalled in the General Assembly for about two decades, Muhammad-Bande said was one of the most difficult tasks because of the need for getting a consensus of the General Assembly as well as of the five permanent members of the Council who have veto powers. "It has taken longer than anybody had thought, had wanted," he said. The General Assembly "went through this very well during the beginning of this session, but the current situation of meetings being difficult to conduct, negotiations are extremely tough and it is certainly easier to conduct them in person and that has delayed some of the achievements of the current process", he said. The reform issues to be resolved include determining the size of an enlarged Council for effective performance, the regional representation and its membership, and whether the veto itself will remain and, if it does remain, is it going to be amended, he said. About the relationship between the General Assembly and the Council, he said, "The United Nations Security Council is the Security Council of the United Nations, is not a standalone issue. It must feed and learn from what the organs are doing and move in the same direction." "The General Assembly is most representative because every member state has an equal vote, equal voice and collegiality," he said. He said, "The main organs must cooperate to get the work of the United Nations done. They may have different remits, but none is a system just unto itself." (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2020 / Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. ("PacRoots" or the "Company") (PACR.CN), is pleased to announce the execution of a binding letter of intent to form Rock Creek Farms, a proposed 100 acre commercial hemp operation, slated for production this spring in Rock Creek, British Columbia. On May 29, 2020, PacRoots entered into a binding letter of intent with a private British Columbia company ("BC Co.") for the formation of the Rock Creek Farms joint venture, which will be owned 60% by Pac Roots and 40% by BC Co. PacRoots contribution to the joint venture will be an aggregate of $450,000 in capital, of which $100,000 was funded upon the execution of the letter of intent. BC Co. will contribute two commercial leases for over 100 acres of growing space, consulting services, cultivation equipment, agricultural infrastructure and intellectual property relating to commercial scale hemp operations and proprietary biomass storage techniques. Profits generated from the joint venture will be distributed first to PacRoots until its capital contributions have been repaid and thereafter in accordance with the interests in the joint venture held by the parties. It is anticipated that the letter of intent will be replaced with a formal joint venture agreement governing the operations of Rock Creek Farms on or before June 30, 2020. BC Co. is controlled by Marc Geen, Alexander Kaulins and M&J Orchards, a Geen family company and has provided a commercial lease to BC Co. for 50 acres of M&J owned land, with the remaining 50 acres under commercial lease through Speakeasy Cannabis Club. Rock Creek is a well establish agricultural mecca situated in British Columbia's 'Golden Mile' in the South Okanagan Valley. It is celebrated for its ideal climate conditions, honouring this region's tradition of excellence and a family legacy that has grown here for more than 120 years. PacRoots is delighted to be involved with such a rich heritage and years of agriculture expertise to apply to this 100-acre CBD Hemp Project. In accordance with the Industrial Hemp Regulations of the Cannabis Act (Canada), an industrial hemp license from Health Canada was issued on May 22nd, 2020 for the addresses relating to the acreages noted above. The license allows the collective to cultivate, sell, import, export, possess and process industrial hemp until March 15th, 2021. Story continues "This a major entrance for PacRoots to be positioned to generate cash flow from the 2020 summer growing season; representing the Company's first production cycle. The Company is thrilled to offer this opportunity to its shareholders to be exposed to such a substantial outdoor project accompanied by industry leading expertise in one of Canada's preeminent growing regions." President and CEO, Patrick Elliott Figure 1 Commercial hemp operation, upper 50 acres in Rock Creek, British Columbia Industrial hemp follows a different set of regulations than those related to the production of cannabis and is subject to a simpler licensing regime, providing for the production of hemp with less than 0.3% THC. Rock Creek Farms intends to grow a premium grade CBD Hemp variety through traditional and customized farming techniques while utilizing the rich native soil. As Marc Geen is a controlling shareholder of BC Co. and a director of the Company, the joint venture transaction constitutes a "related party transaction" as such term is defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements under MI 61-101. The Company relied on Section 5.5(a) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the formal valuation requirement and Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 for an exemption from the minority shareholder approval requirement of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the consideration to be contributed by the Company represented less than 25% of the Company's market capitalization. Mr. Geen abstained from voting on the resolutions approving the joint venture transaction and declared his interests in BC Co. to the board. Figure 2 Aerial photo of commercial hemp operation lower 50 acres in Rock Creek, British Columbia In other news, the Company announces the resignation of William Fleming as a director, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary. The Company thanks Mr. Fleming for his contributions to the Company during its transitional stages. In order to fill the vacancy left by Mr. Fleming, the Company is pleased to appoint Jim Henning as its Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary. Mr. Henning is a Chartered Accountant and the founder and president of Corpfinance Advisors Inc. since 1984. Mr. Henning has solid expertise and practical experience in valuating businesses in a broad range of industries. He has assisted companies in financing, public offerings and restructuring. Areas of expertise include retail cannabis, manufacturing, telecommunications, software, biomedical, oil and gas services, and renewable energy industries. Mr. Henning has served as a Chief Financial Officer and director for a number of TSX Venture Exchange and Canadian Securities Exchange-listed companies for several years. ON BEHALF OF PAC ROOTS CANNABIS CORP. (signed) "Patrick Elliott" Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. www.pacroots.ca Telephone: 604-609-6171 Certain statements included in this press release constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "should" and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its management. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect current expectations regarding future results or events. This press release contains forward looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and various estimates, factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Statements about the Company's joint venture plans with BC Co and its intended industrial hemp license application are all forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain an industrial hemp in a timely manner or at all, the continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions, including the effects of COVID-19. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. 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 the statements will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law. Readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Pac Roots Cannabis Corp. View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/592198/PacRoots-Announces-Industrial-CBD-Hemp-Joint-Venture An initially peaceful demonstration in New York City over the death of George Floyd, a black man killed by police in Minnesota, spiraled into chaos as night fell Friday, as protesters skirmished with police officers, destroyed police vehicles and set fires. In Brooklyn, activists who had marched from Manhattan chanted insults at officers lined up outside the Barclays Center and pelted them with water bottles. Police sprayed an eye-irritating chemical into the diverse crowd multiple times, then cleared the plaza. Video posted to social media showed officers using batons and shoving protesters as they took people into custody and cleared streets. One video showed on officer slam a woman to the ground as he walked past her in the street. Later in the evening, what had been a tense situation turned worse. Demonstrators rocked a police van, set it ablaze, then scrawled graffiti across its charred hulk and set it on fire a second time as officers retreated from the area. Blocks away, protesters used a club to batter a police cruiser. At another location near the arena, a shouting mob of protesters, some wearing helmets and carrying makeshift shields, advanced on officers shouting and throwing objects, and police retaliated with batons and arrests, leaving the roadway strewn with debris. Numerous people were arrested and police brought in buses to take them away. We have a long night ahead of us in Brooklyn, Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted. Our sole focus is deescalating this situation and getting people home safe. There will be a full review of what happened tonight. We dont ever want to see another night like this. The police department said numerous officers were injured, including one who had a tooth knocked out. The demonstrations were held in defiance of a ban on gatherings, imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed thousands of New Yorkers including dozens of members of the NYPD. I voted in every election, city, state, national, and I always read the news, but its been decades and nothing has changed, so I dont know how much these protests help but I know everything else Ive done hasnt for me its rage and exhaustion one protester, Lucy Saintcyr, said as she headed home on the bus. Protests around George Floyds death have taken place around the country and were not quelled by the news Friday that the Minneapolis officer recorded kneeling on his neck would face criminal charges. Our country has a sickness, said Brianna Petrisko, among those demonstrating earlier in the day in lower Manhattan. We have to be out here. This is the only way were going to be heard. New York Civil Liberties Union Legal Director Christopher Dunn blamed the police department for provoking the confrontations in Brooklyn. The mayor needs to take accountability for the NYPDs provocation, aggression, and violence on display tonight. If hes serious about his demands for accountability in Minnesota, he needs to show leadership here in New York City, he said in a statement. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo earlier in the day on Friday said he stood with the Minnesota protesters. Nobody is sanctioning the arson, and the thuggery and the burglaries, but the protesters and the anger and the fear and the frustration? Yes. Yes. And the demand is for justice, Cuomo said. Anticipating demonstrations Friday afternoon, De Blasio said police officers had been told to respect peaceful protest, but he also had a message for demonstrators: If you are angry with the government, if you are angry with the elected leaders, direct that anger to all of us, because if we havent done enough, we are the ones who should be held responsible, he said. But the police officer in front of you is a working man or woman just trying to do their job. Associated Press reporters Robert Bumsted, Julie Walker and Deepti Hajela contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics New York Law Enforcement Minnesota Jess Liemantara was eliminated from MasterChef Australia: Back to Win on Sunday night. And on Monday's episode of The Project, the 22-year-old revealed who she hopes will make it to the end of the series. 'It's really hard to tell, but I definitely want Brendan [Pang], Reece [Hignell], Reynold [Poernomo] and Sarah Tiong to go all the way! Fingers crossed!' she said. 'It's hard to tell!' MasterChef's latest evictee Jess Liemantara, 22, revealed on Monday's episode of The Project who she hopes will win the series. Pictured When the panel remarked how she was 'split' on her vote, Jess joked: 'I'll just list the entire lot!' Jess was eliminated during Sunday's episode of MasterChef, after failing to meet the brief with her Shiraz berry sorbet. After her eviction, the pastry chef shared a number of behind-the-scenes photos to Instagram showing her having fun with her pals on the show. Will they make it? 'It's really hard to tell, but I definitely want Brendan [Pang] and Reece [Hignell] and Reynold [Poernomo] and Sarah Tiong to go all the way!' she said Happy memories: After her eviction on Sunday, Jess (far left) shared a number of behind-the-scenes photos to Instagram showing her having fun with her pals on the show She wrote at length in the caption alongside the photos: 'Life is all about memories, and this one is definitely one not to forget. I'm devastated but leaving very happy. 'The amazing adventure MasterChef has given me is absolutely life changing. The friendship, challenges, adrenaline, mentoring, growing and learning stages throughout this competition is the best thing I could ever receive. 'I thank the judges for playing such a big part in my cooking career this year, to hear your critiques and words of encouragement is the reason why you judges are what makes this show a big success. Cute! One photo showed Jess posing in a Polaroid with Reece Hignell (L) and Brendan Pang (R), who she hopes make it to the end of the series Mates: Another showed her with some of her female co-stars, including Amina Elshafei, Sarah Tiong, Rose Adam and Tracy Collins Cooped up! Jess, Sarah and Reynold Poernomo, who she also hopes makes it to the end, posed up a storm in a hotel room 'Couldn't have asked for a better trio then you amazing people. But what I will cherish is my new MC family who not only help me grow and mature but have taught me to make it count and don't let anything get in your way. 'Thank you everyone for the amazing support, love and care you all give, my heart is bursting with gratitude,' she concluded. One photo showed Jess posing in a Polaroid with Reece Hignell and Brendan Pang, while another showed her with her female co-stars including Amina Elshafei and Sarah Tiong, beaming in the street. What's cooking? One more photo showed Jess, Reece and Brendan doing some cooking for themselves for once as they whipped up dinner Fun! In another picture, the trio laughed as they wore face masks in a hotel All together now! Another image shared by Jess showed the entire cast She wrote at length in the caption alongside the photos: 'Life is all about memories, and this one is definitely one not to forget. I'm devastated but leaving very happy' Another image showed the entire cast, while in another Jess, Sarah and Reynold Poernomo posed up a storm in a hotel room. One more photo showed Jess, Reece and Brendan doing some cooking for themselves for once, as they whipped up dinner. In another picture, the trio laughed as they wore face masks in a hotel. MasterChef Australia: Back To Win continues Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten Highlights As per a Twitter user by the name of Ice Universe, the picture has wreaked havoc on many Android phones If the wallpaper is used on an Android phone, it will make the smartphone crash immediately and will not let it reboot The reason behind the wallpaper crash is not known yet. A beautiful wallpaper, doing the rounds on social media, could crash your phone. No, this is not just another a piece of fake news being spread on social media it is indeed true and has happened with many users. As per a Twitter user by the name of Ice Universe, the picture has wreaked havoc on many Android phones especially Samsung. The picture that appears like any other wallpaper and you would be tempted to use it but don't as it can harm your android phones in many ways than you can imagine. As per tipster Ice Universe, if the wallpaper is used on an Android phone, it will make the smartphone crash immediately and will not let it reboot. People using Google, Nokia, and Samsung smartphones have complained of experiencing it. Ice Universe wrote on Twitter, "WARNING! Never set this picture as wallpaper, especially for Samsung mobile phone users!It will cause your phone to crash! Don't try it! If someone sends you this picture, please ignore it." As per him and many others who tested the wallpaper, that image when set as a wallpaper prohibits users from entering the lock screen. In a follow-up tweet, the tipster said that the picture became less harmful when uploaded on Weibo as it changed its color but when uploaded on Twitter, it remained the same, which means still harmful. "When I tried to upload the original image (left) to Weibo, I found that its color to change (right). At this time, the image became harmless, but when uploaded to twitter, the original image still does not change color, still harmful. So I suspect it may be related to color gamut," he wrote. A user played it safe and drew a line on the image before making it his wallpaper and it didn't cause any damage while some users tried it in the heat of the moment and lost access to their phones. When the image is set as a wallpaper, the phone enters a state of being soft-bricked, which means that the device can no longer be used. The screen constantly goes on and off and enters a loop. Despite repeated warnings, if you end up trying the wallpaper, you should either change the wallpaper quickly or factory reset your phone. This would mean that you will have to let go of all your data. The reason behind the wallpaper crash is not known yet. Note: Please do not try this setting the image as your wallpaper as it can truly damage your phone. Fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pile up on Tyson Foods' (NYSE:TSN) plate after tests last week showed 555 employees at the company's Storm Lake, Iowa, pork packing facility are infected with the novel coronavirus. The highly infectious virus is now confirmed to be present in at least 22% of employees at the facility, coming hard on the heels of other recent outbreaks. Clusters of infection have appeared at meatpacking plants across the country, even in remote rural areas where the general infection rate from the pandemic is believed to be extremely low. The crowded working conditions at meatpacking facilities help explain the phenomenon. Other factors also play a role, as Dr. Lisa Gralinski of the University of North Carolina's school of public health describes: "The cold air is going to be very conducive to keeping the virus viable for longer, so it's just kind of a bad situation." According to an article posted on Tyson's blog, The Feed, one of the company's responses is introducing a new role, "Social Distancing Monitor." According to one of these monitors, Maddie Nguyen, these personnel provide education on safety measures to employees, make sure workers are keeping proper distance from each other, and check on correct wearing of face coverings. Nguyen states: "Everyone I encounter during my daily walk-arounds appreciates the nod of reassurance I give them letting them know they are doing everything right. They know I've got their back." As a result of the company's troubles, Argus Research downgraded Tyson's stock last Friday, giving it a "hold" rating in place of its previous "buy." The firm expects a long-term rebound post-pandemic, however. The study of Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market is a comprehensive analysis of this business space and entails details regarding present as well as future market evaluation while focusing on the growth prospects prevailing in the industry during 2020-2025. Selbyville, Delaware, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With inception in Wuhan in December of 2019, COVID-19 has rapidly spread across the globe. As the number of positive and suspected coronavirus cases multiply, the demand for COVID-19 diagnostic testing kits will also surge, depicting a golden phase for market growth. Global COVID-19 diagnostic testing industry is estimated to accumulate more than USD 44481 million in the year 2020, while the total number of COVID-19 tests is projected to reach 329.17 million. These tests are vital for the management of existing pandemic situation as they provide accurate diagnosis and enables in preventing the spread of the infection. As per the report, the market has been categorized into segments based on test type, end-user, region, and country. Data with respect to industry share held by each segment and their individual revenue contribution is documented. The report delivers insights about the vaccine development and leading vaccine candidates. With an exhaustive documentation, the research aims to help regulatory authorities, investment banks & equity firms, government & policy makers, consulting & advisory firms, global healthcare agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and COVID-19 diagnostic test kit dealers, manufacturers, and suppliers to make informed decisions. Request Sample copy of this Report @ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/2679121/ Test type spectrum: In terms of test type, worldwide COVID-19 diagnostic testing market is divided into serology tests and molecular tests. The latter segment is poised to gain substantial traction over the analysis timeframe, on account of undeterred emphasis towards development of COVID-19 symptomatic products. Public and private entities are backing molecular diagnostic organizations with heavy funding for fast-track discovery. Story continues End-use landscape: COVID-19 diagnostic testing market share from private or commercial labs is anticipated to record significant growth over 2020-2025. Surging pervasiveness of coronavirus has compelled the governments across the globe to involve public or commercial firms in order to amplify the testing capacity and address the immediate issue of pandemic. Market players: Taking into consideration the seriousness of this pandemic, World Health Organization (WHO) is encouraging healthcare institutes to emphasize on COVID-19 indicative testing. Companies like Chembio Diagnostics and Abbott are coming up with care commercial centers. Likewise, Cepheid received EUA (Emergency Use Authorization) from FDA (Food & Drug Administration) for POC test Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 test in March 2020. Healthcare majors are further undertaking different strategies to enhance their market stake. Citing an instance, Quest Diagnostics entered into a collaboration with Ortho Clinic Diagnostics in May 2020 to amplify COVID-19 antibody testing across 20 laboratories in the United States. To access a sample copy or view this report in detail along with the table of contents, please click the link below: https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-covid-19-diagnostic-testing-market-analysis-by-test-type-molecular-serology-end-user-by-region-by-country-2020-edition-market-insights-competition-and-forecast-2020-2025 Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market Test Type Analysis (Revenue, USD Million, 2020-2025) Serology Tests Molecular Tests Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market End-user Analysis (Revenue, USD Million, 2020-2025) Private or Commercial Labs Public Health Labs Others Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market Geographical Analysis (Revenue, USD Million, 2020-2025) Americas Brazil Canada United States Europe Russia Italy Spain United Kingdom France Germany Asia Pacific Singapore South Korea India Japan China Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market Competitive Landscape Analysis (Revenue, USD Million, 2020-2025) PerkinElmer Seegene BGI Genomics Cepheid Thermo Fisher Scientific Becton Dickinson Abbott Laboratories Siemens Healthineers Roche Holding AG BioMerieux Table of content: 1. Report Scope and Methodology 1.1 Scope of the Report 1.2 Research Methodology 1.3 Executive Summary 2. Strategic Recommendations 3. Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market: Product Outlook 4. Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market: Sizing and Forecast 4.1 Market Size, By Value, Year 2020-2025 4.2 Market Size, By COVID-19 Tests, Year 2020-2025 5. Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market Segmentation By Test Type 5.1 Competitive Scenario of Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing: By Test Type 5.2 Molecular Tests a?? Market Size and Forecast (2020-2025) 5.3 Serology Tests a?? Market Size and Forecast (2020-2025) 6. Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market Segmentation By End-User 6.1 Competitive Scenario of Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing: By End-User 6.2 Public Health Labs a?? Market Size and Forecast (2020-2025) 6.3 Private or Commercial Labs - Market Size and Forecast (2020-2025) 6.4 Others - Market Size and Forecast (2020-2025) 7. Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market: Regional Analysis 7.1 Competitive Scenario of Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing: By Region, By Value 8. Americas COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market: Segmentation By Test Type, End-User (2020-2025) 9. Europe COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market: Segmentation By Test Type, End-User (2020-2025) 10. Asia Pacific COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market: Segmentation By Test Type, End-User (2020-2025) 10.1 Asia Pacific COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market: Size and Forecast (2020-2025), By Value 10.2 Asia Pacific COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market: Size and Forecast (2020-2025), By COVID-19 Tests 10.3 Asia Pacific COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market a?? Prominent Companies 10.4 Market Segmentation By Test Type (Molecular Tests, Serology Tests) 10.5 Market Segmentation By End-User (Public Health Labs, Private or Commercial Labs, Others) 11. Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market Dynamics 11.1 Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market Drivers 11.2 Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market Restraints 11.3 Global COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Market Trends 12. COVID-19 Vaccine Development 12.1 Overview of Vaccine Development 12.2 Overview of the leading vaccine candidates 13. Competitive Landscape 14. Company Profiles (Business Description, Financial Analysis, Business Strategy) Related Report: Global Cardiac Biomarker Diagnostic Kits Market Size and Regional Forecasts 2020-2026 Global Cardiac Biomarker Diagnostic Kits Market is valued approximately USD 2.33 billion in 2019 and is anticipated to grow with a healthy growth rate of more than 5.4% over the forecast period 2019-2026; as per new research report. Cardiac Biomarker diagnostic kits is a subset of tools and instruments those are used to measure and evaluate heart functions. It has remarkable role in early prediction or diagnosis of heart related diseases. Therefore, increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases across the globe is the factor attributed to drive the growth of market over the forecast years. For instance: As per the World Health Organization, Cardiovascular diseases are estimated as the primary reason of death due to disease across the globe which accounts for over 17.9 million, 31% of worldwide death each year due to cardiovascular disease About US: Market Study Report, LLC. is a hub for market intelligence products and services. We streamline the purchase of your market research reports and services through a single integrated platform by bringing all the major publishers and their services at one place. Our customers partner with Market Study Report, LLC. to ease their search and evaluation of market intelligence products and services and in turn focus on their company's core activities. If you are looking for research reports on global or regional markets, competitive information, emerging markets and trends or just looking to stay on top of the curve then Market Study Report, LLC. is the platform that can help you in achieving any of these objectives. Contact Us: Corporate Sales, Market Study Report LLC Phone: 1-302-273-0910 Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150 Email: sales@marketstudyreport.com The Congress on Monday said the hopes of farmers were dashed after the Centre announced new MSPs for crops, adding that if such is the attitude of the government, the promise of doubling farmers' income would turn out to be another "jumla". Congress leader Ahmed Patel said farmers are facing an unprecedented crisis due to the lockdown, a locust attack and natural calamities. "Unfortunately, all hopes of farmers expecting much needed respite dashed today by the Government. "Forget about Profit, this so-called raise in Kharif MSP won''t even cover their losses and debts," he wrote on Twitter. "If this is going to the government's attitude towards farmers, their promise to double farm income by 2022 will end up becoming another 'jumla'," Patel said in another tweet. Another senior Congress leader, Jairam Ramesh, said first the prime minister says the finance minister will announce a package. "Second, FM announces package. Third, Gadkari regurgitates what PM and FM have said. This is Maximum Headlines, Minimum Deadlines," the former Union minister said in a tweet. The government raised the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy marginally by Rs 53 per quintal to Rs 1,868 per quintal for the 2020-21 crop year on Monday, while the rates for oilseeds, pulses and cereals were hiked substantially. Among commercial crops, the MSP of cotton was increased by Rs 260 per quintal to Rs 5,515 for the medium staple variety and by Rs 275 per quintal to Rs 5,825 for the long staple variety for the current crop year (July-June). 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 Hyderabad: The Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE) has postponed the pending papers of Class 10 and 12 board exams supposed to start from June 5 in view of lockdown in containment zones till June 30. This is for the second time that the exams have been postponed in the state after the announcement of the lockdown. Last month, in May, The board had resceduled the examination in consultation with the Tripura government. The exams were to be held between June 5 and June 11. However, with examination dates being postponed for the second time, Class 10 and 12 students will have to wait for the board to release the fresh exams dates. For Class 10, pending examinations for Physical Science and Life Science were to be held on June 5 and June 6 respectively. The Class 12 students were supposed to sit for examinations of Sanskrit and Statistics on June 5, Economics on June 6, Psychology on June 8, Arabic and Music on June 9, Geography on June 10 and Home Management and Home Nursing and Nutrition on June 11. Meanwhile, candidates are advised to visit the official website of the Tripura education board, which is http://tbse.in/new/welcome.html, for regular updates on the same. People in Japan enjoyed outside activities on Saturday and Sunday, as the country marked the first weekend since its state of emergency over the COVID-19 epidemic was fully lifted on May 25. Mount Takao, a popular spot for hikers in the western Tokyo city of Hachioji, saw scores of visitors over the weekend. According to a local railway operator there, around 10,000 climbers visit the mountain every weekend day in normal years. But while the number of visitors is agradually recovering,a the figures were astill staying at around 20 percent of the usual level,a stationmaster Shinya Machida said. One 47-year-old company employee from Tokyoas Nakano Ward said he chose to visit the nearby mountain instead of traveling outside of Tokyo. The man said he took an early-morning train to come to the mountain, and noticed drunk passengers aboard. SUMMERVILLE A few hundred protesters gathered in town this afternoon and marched to Hutchinson Square. It was the second protest the town has seen in as many days in recognition of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. A similar demonstration was held Sunday. But today, hundreds of protesters in Summerville chanted hands up, dont shoot and no justice, no peace as they walked along U.S. Highway 17A. The protest was followed by three armored police vehicles and several transport vehicles, and a police helicopter circled overhead. A Walmart by the start of the march route barricaded its doors and many stores closed early and boarded up their windows, but the protest was peaceful as it progressed toward downtown. Outside of the North Main Street Walmart starting point, protesters gathered near the sidewalk and were met with many residents honking their horns, waving and cheering in recognition of the demonstration. While there, attendees made sure to emphasize to other protesters not to step out into the street and remain on the sidewalk. Prior to the march, one organizer could be heard advising protesters not to have any weapons like bats, and to ensure the people around them weren't causing trouble. One protester's sign read PEACEFULLY marching for GEORGE FLOYDs un-peaceful DEATH. Traffic on the roadway slowed to a crawl at points, allowing drivers in both directions of the roadway to hold up fists in solidarity and shout chants, giving restaurant workers the opportunity to record the walkers on their phones and leading tractor-trailer operators to blare their horns in support. The latter caused some of the loudest cries of approval. People held out water bottles for walkers along the route as some sweltered in the 80-degree afternoon. One lifelong Summerville resident, Kaneisha Smalls, brought her 3-year-old son, Jerel, and 6-year-old daughter, Naviya, to the protest. She wants the two of them to remember just how diverse the group of protesters were and that the black community isn't alone. She knows that with being a black mother raising a black son, her community is tired of seeing deaths similar to Floyd's. "There's somebody out there that sees it just like we do," she said. She often works the voting polls in the area, and with upcoming local elections next week, she hopes to see many of the demonstrators voting. She said change happens in the voting booth. "You have to get out and vote," she said. As protesters gave speeches in the center of downtown Summerville, a pair of armored SWAT vehicles formed a backdrop. Behind them, officers holding plastic shields guarded town hall, though the crowd did not approach it. All around them, businesses were boarded up as if for a hurricane. Messages of support were spray painted on several storefronts: We stand with you We hear you Seek justice The protestors were focused on police practices and accountability for fatal encounters with police and racism in America. A start would be for police departments to police themselves and root out officers accused of misconduct, said Laila Conway, a 16-year-old from Ladson. But the nations problems run far deeper than employment practices. Her father, Kevin Conway, 49, was frustrated by changing criticisms of protesters as the nation struggles to address deep-seated disparities: When protests gave way to riots and looting last week, they were criticized for not protesting peacefully. But when former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick silently protested police violence, he was shunned. Until we want for each other what we want for ourselves, well always have a problem, Kevin Conway said. The conversations we have to have with our son about going out are conversations we shouldnt have to have in 2020. We have to have them. Its ridiculous. The protesters gathered in Summerville mostly wore masks in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Many wrote messages on them in marker: I cant breathe No justice, no peace Are my kids next? Omar Muhammad, executive director of the Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities, came to the square in Summerville to support other people calling for systemic changes. He said more affordable housing, higher wages, increased economic opportunities and educational reform could help lessen some of the frustrations people are feeling. Theres definitely a myriad of issues, he said. On top of over policing and aggressive policing. The Dorchester County alumni chapter of the Phi Bet Sigma Fraternity organized a voter registration booth at the starting point of the march. They also hope the current protests spark an increase in voter turnout. "We need to be making a stronger impact by changing bills and laws," said Bakri Jackson, the vice president of the alumni chapter. A recent surgery on her left foot, and the fact that she still needed a scooter to get around, didnt stop Doris Dinkins from joining in on the beginning of the protest. Dinkins son, Rashad Smith of Moncks Corner, claimed in 2018 that Berkeley County Sheriffs Office deputies used excessive force when responding to a complaint of child abuse. Smith said he was hit with a stun gun and broke his nose during the encounter. He denied allegations from the Sheriffs Office that he bit one deputys finger, bit a second deputy in the arm and kicked another in the groin. He was charged with three counts of assaulting police officers at the time. Dinkins said she was out on Monday supporting the lives of Floyd and her son, who died in February, at the age of 38. Racism is everywhere, she said, after joining in with chants of no justice, no peace. Plywood covered the windows and entrances of businesses on either side of the square, including a law firm, jeweler, and yoga studio. Some had messages like: We Hear You and Stay SAFE. Outside of those packed into the crowd, speakers were largely drowned out by the idling law enforcement vehicles and a helicopter circling overhead. But call and response chants of I cant breathe, broke through the rumbling engines. Summerville officials had earlier announced that the curfew in response to protests would be extended into Tuesday morning. Town Council voted during a special called meeting on Sunday to implement a curfew to limit the potential of violent protests. Mayor Ricky Waring was also given authority to adjust the curfew through June 11. The town's curfew will go from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday. As a result, Summerville's Town Hall and the Annex Building is scheduled to close to the public at 3 p.m. Officials are encouraging businesses in the Main Street area to close or remove any furniture or debris to secure their properties and parking lots. On Monday, some businesses in the Main Street area remained closed because of both the novel coronavirus pandemic and impending protests. Many owners in the historic downtown area opted to board up their windows Sunday morning after demonstrations turned violent and destructive in downtown Charleston on Saturday night. Janice Vick, the owner of Hippie Soul, even decided to decorate some of the wood boards on her windows with peace symbols and the words "We are all in this together." "Yesterday morning when I got up, I didn't realize I would be boarding up my store," she said Monday. She and other owners were relieved that yesterday's protests in Summerville were pretty peaceful. She hopes that continues today. She also said she hopes the protests get the recognition that they deserve. "I think protests are needed; riots are not," she said. Mike Shinall, the husband of the owner of Katie Mae's Klassy Flea and Antique Mart, agrees. He said he's not too worried about the protests today and he believes the peace will continue. "I got confidence in the local law enforcement to handle everything," he said. The Summerville Police Department said it supports and will protect residents' constitutional right to peacefully assemble and protest. "However, if one chooses to step out of line and break the law, they will be placed under arrest and criminally charged immediately," said Lt. Shaun Tumbleston. Dorchester County held an emergency council meeting on Sunday to implement a State of Emergency for the county. Until further notice, unincorporated areas of the county will have a nightly curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. The county's human services building on Main Street in Summerville closed at 1 p.m. Monday. Berkeley County also issued a State of Emergency, with a curfew between the hours of 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. Tuesday. The county's sheriff and County Council said they find the curfew necessary to protect residents and businesses. The decision was also made based on isolated incidents from Sunday and anticipation for additional protests in Summerville on Monday. Strict measures will be imposed when cultural venues reopen in mid-June Tunisia has decided to cancel the 2020 editions of two of its most important cultural events, the international festivals of Carthage and Hammamet, due to the coronavirus pandemic. After consultation with medical authorities, the Tunisian culture ministry announced on Sunday the postponing of the two events until 2021 for the first time in their history since the mid-1960s. However, cultural activities in the North African country are scheduled to resume gradually starting mid-June when indoor venues reopen with a limited attendance of 30 visitors. Outdoor performances will resume with a maximum of 1,000 people while strictly following precautionary measures like obligatory facemasks and social distancing. Since 1964, the Hammamet International Festival has gained popularity as a music and arts event occurring annually in July and August. The International Festival of Carthage is also a famous music event, running since 1966 in the other Mediterranean city in early November. Tunisia has reported over 1,000 cases of coronavirus and the deaths of almost 50 people. 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: There's a new normal landing at Toronto's Pearson International Airport on Monday. As Ontario begins to slowly reopen, the airport has announced new and enhanced policies affecting both passengers and employees to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Here's what you need to know if you're planning on travelling through the airport in the near future. Masks now mandatory, terminal access restricted According to a release issued by the airport last week, the following policies are in effect as of June 1: All passengers and airport employees must wear masks in public spaces, except when eating or drinking. Terminal access is restricted to passengers who are travelling on the same day, as well as airport employees on duty. "Meeters and greeters," or those dropping friends and loved ones off at the airport, are not permitted to enter the terminals. Passengers arriving at Pearson Airport are asked to exit the terminal buildings immediately upon collecting their luggage. Employees are not allowed to dwell or gather in passenger areas for non-work reasons. In additional to those changes, passengers are "as always" encouraged to follow in-terminal signage and maintain at least two metres distance from others whenever possible. Jonathan Castell/CBC There are some exceptions to the new rules; travellers under two years old or those who have trouble breathing are not required to wear masks. Additionally, friends or family members of someone who requires mobility assistance, or those accompanying a minor travelling alone, are allowed access into the public spaces of terminal buildings. "The less that people are in the terminal using shared facilities it's going to help eliminate further spread of the virus," said Antonio Modarelli, of the Toronto Airport Workers Council (TAWC) a group that is made up of six unions, representing some 50,000 workers at Pearson Airport. 18 positive cases reported at airport so far Story continues With hundreds of different employers under one roof, Modarelli says TAWC has created a voluntary reporting log to track new positive cases of COVID-19 something most employers have already committed to doing. "If there's an active case within one group, we all share the same workspaces," he said. To date, Modarelli says a total of 18 cases have been confirmed. Over the next month, Modarelli says the airport will likely see an increase in passenger travel within the terminals and public corridors. In preparation of that slight surge, he said TAWC has been working with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority to enact Monday's new measures, "something that both parties felt was very important." Those changes also including the addition of plexiglass to act as barriers in some areas, as well as enhanced cleaning services. "I think most of our workers here at Pearson are satisfied with the latest changes," Modarelli said. Refunds must be guaranteed, advocate says Though the rules vary across Canada, Ontario isn't banning travellers from other provinces or mandating that they self-isolate for 14 days. But Gabor Lukacs, the founder of Air Passenger Rights, says that won't matter unless Canadians and the federal government decide to reopen their wallets. John Rieti/CBC "[If] people are concerned about losing their money, they will not travel," he told CBC Toronto. "As long passengers cannot be assured that they're going to get a refund if their flight is cancelled, people will not be travelling." And pressure is mounting on the federal government to do just that. The minister of transport's office has been hit with a growing number of complaints to make it mandatory for Canadian airlines to refund passengers for flights cancelled due to pandemic travel restrictions if those companies are receiving aid from taxpayers. The federal government is expected to deliver an update on airline refunds in the coming weeks. Tourism Toronto receives $8M Meanwhile, Ottawa has earmarked millions of dollars to promote holiday travel inside Canada as it seeks to help the tourism industry weather the COVID-19 pandemic. Of those funds, just under $8 million will be dedicated to boosting Tourism Toronto. The tourism sector across the country, which employs about one in 11 Canadians, has been hit hard by the pandemic as international travel bans and border restrictions have choked off the flow of visitors. Ontario is set to lose just over 50 per cent of its revenue this year, which sits at around $36 billion annually, according to the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO). Well over half of the province's businesses have temporarily closed with many saying they won't reopen and some 38 per cent of jobs have been lost. TIAO says Toronot's allocated funds will be dedicated toward marketing businesses that have partially reopened and promoting travel within Ontario's borders. "We're really pushing Ontarians to get out and explore this summer, to go parts of the province you haven't been to," Beth Potter, president and CEO of TIAO, told CBC Toronto Sunday. Kate Hudson confirmed that Fabletics "terminated" a partnership with Myka Stauffer. Rich Fury/Getty Images Kate Hudson confirmed last week that her sportswear company, Fabletics, was no longer working with Myka Stauffer. Stauffer, an influencer and YouTuber, had posted a video where she and her husband, James, explained that their son Huxley, whom they adopted in 2017, had been placed in a new home. The Stauffers said they weren't equipped to meet Huxley's needs, including his autism, and they faced a fierce backlash from the public. Hudson replied to a fan asking about Myka Stauffer, who had partnered with Fabletics, saying Stauffer had been "terminated," according to People magazine. The Fabletics Instagram account also further clarified that the company was no longer working with Stauffer. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Kate Hudson informed a concerned fan on Instagram last week that her athleisure company, Fabletics, was no longer working with the influencer and YouTuber Myka Stauffer. Stauffer, 32, and her husband James, 34, had posted a video where they tearfully explained how their son Huxley, whom they adopted in 2017, had been placed in another home. In the video, called "an update on our family," the couple said Huxley, who is autistic, had gone to live with another family better equipped to deal with his needs. They said that he was happy and doing well and that the new home was "a really good fit." However, not everyone responded with sympathy. The Stauffers were met with fierce criticism that they "rehomed" their son and were unethical and selfish. They were accused of not being transparent about what really happened and of trying to hide that Huxley hadn't been a part of their family for months. Stauffer and Huxley. Myka Stauffer / YouTube Concerned fans also flocked to the social-media pages of companies that partnered with Myka Stauffer, including Fabletics. "She was terminated," Hudson replied to one comment, screenshots shared by People magazine on Friday showed. "Thank you for your awareness and care." Story continues Fabletics' Instagram account further clarified the situation on Monday. "Great colors!" one person commented. "Drop Myka Stauffer like she dropped her autistic adopted child after years of making money off of himself thanks!" Fabletics thanked the person for their "concern about the recent backlash circulating through social media," adding, "I would like to inform you that we are no longer working with Myka Stauffer." Stauffer appears to have deleted all her posts associated with Fabletics, and a page on Fabletics' website detailing their partnership was taken down. Several other companies have also said they've halted their agreements with Stauffer, including Playtex Baby, Chili's, and Danimals, People reported. The couple has not publicly responded to the backlash. In a since-deleted comment under her YouTube video, Stauffer said Huxley wanted the decision "100%," according to Us Weekly. She added that they "would never just give up a child with special needs" and that this was "a personal matter" that had nothing to do with Huxley's autism. "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," she wrote, according to Us Weekly. The couple, from Columbus, Ohio, has four other children under 8 years old: Kova, Jaka, Radley, and Onyx. Stauffer added in the comment that they "saw that in family time" with other people that Huxley "constantly chose them and signed with and showed tons of emotion to show us and let us know he wanted this." "Huxley never had a say in his adoption," she said, "and he needed more help and also wanted this and we know that 100%." Read the original article on Insider Pune, Jun 1 (UNI) With the Southwest Monsoon further advancing into entire south Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep area, remaining stretches of Maldives area, most zones of Kerala & Mahe, some nooks of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal, some more spots of Comorin area and southwest Bay of Bengal, it has set in over Kerala on Monday, coinciding with its normal date of onset over the southwestern state, said the India Meteorological Department today. Meanwhile, squally wind (with speed reaching up to 50-60 km per hour and gusting up to 70 kmph) is likely to blow over eastcentral Arabian Sea along & off Karnataka-Goa coats during next 24 hours, the Met warned. It is (with speed reaching 40-50 kmph and gusting up to 60 kmph) likely to sweep across Lakshadweep area and along & off Kerala coast and eastcentral & adjoining southeast Arabian Sea during the period. By Online Desk ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday summoned a senior Indian diplomat to register strong protest over India's decision to expel two officials of its High Commission in New Delhi on charges of espionage. Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) said the Indian Charge d'Affaires was summoned for a "strong demarche", conveying Pakistan's condemnation of the decision to declare two officials of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi persona non grata and rejection of all "baseless" allegations against them. Pakistan also conveyed that the Indian action was in "clear violation" of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the diplomatic norms, the FO said in the early hours of Monday. Earlier, Pakistan's Foreign Office said that the two staff members of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi were lifted by the Indian authorities on May 31 on "false and unsubstantiated charges". They were, however, released on the High Commission's intervention, it said. The officials in New Delhi were apprehended by law enforcement officials for their alleged involvement in espionage and have been asked to leave the country within 24 hours. "The government has declared both these officials persona non grata for indulging in activities incompatible with their status as members of a diplomatic mission and asked them to leave the country within twenty-four hours," a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs stated. According to sources, the two persons have been identified as Abid Hussain and Tahir Khan. While Abid is a resident of Sheikhpura in Punjab, Tahir is a resident of Islamabad. Sources said the duo was apprehended in a joint operation by the Delhi Police and Military Intelligence. They have been handed over to the MEA now. Officials said a third Pakistani, a driver with the mission, was also detained during the operation. According to the statement, Pakistan's Charge de Affaires was issued a demarche and a strong protest was lodged against the two officials whose activities were against India's national security. ALSO READ | 'Part of persistent propaganda': Pakistan condemns India's action expelling 2 High Commission officials "The Pakistan Charge de Affaires was asked to ensure that no member of its diplomatic mission should indulge in activities inimical to India or behave in a manner incompatible with their diplomatic status," the statement added. "Pakistan strongly rejects the baseless Indian allegations and deplores the Indian action which is in clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as well as the norms of diplomatic conduct especially in an already vitiated atmosphere," it said. The two officials were, however, released on the High Commission's intervention, it said. The officials, working at the visa section of the Pakistan High Commission, confessed during the interrogation that they worked for Pakistani spy agency ISI, official sources in New Delhi said. The punitive action against the two officials came in the midst of frayed ties between the two countries over the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir by India. Pakistan had downgraded diplomatic ties by expelling the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad following India's decision to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two union territories in August last year. Pakistan and India were almost on the brink of war in 2019 following the Pulwama terror attack on February 14 that killed dozens of CRPF soldiers and prompted India to carry out airstrikes on terror camps in Pakistan. On February 26, Indian fighter jets entered deep inside Pakistan and bombed JeM terror camps in Balakot. It was for the first time that Indian jets entered Pakistan to drop bombs after the 1971 War. The airstrike was followed by aerial combat between air forces of the two countries on February 27 when Pakistan jets entered India. The MEA said a strong protest was lodged with the Charge de Affairs of the Pakistan High Commission over the activities of its two officials against India's national security. The sources said the two officials were handing over Indian money and an iPhone for providing them the sensitive documents. They initially claimed that they were Indian nationals and even produced fake Aadhaar cards, the sources said. (With ENS and PTI Inputs) Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Overview: Globalization has made companies to focus more on digitalization both in the business and consumer market places. Over the past few years, IoT has been reaching milestones in the world of technology and it has paved the path for the evolution of various new technologies for enterprises. Digital twin is one such technology which is changing the industry dynamics. Digital twin refers to simulation modules of a physical object. Request For Report Sample@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/10358 This technology is capable of supporting conceptualization, comparison, and collaboration for high-end innovations and problem-solving. Further, the technology provides real-time status and working conditions of the physical objects by accessing data from the sensors installed in the objects. Industry players benefit from this technology in terms of efficiency, higher productivity, lean manufacturing, and cost-effectiveness. Digital twin works on a simulation platform connected to a predictive analytics platform and it integrates several manufacturing assets, underlying parts, and system processes in real-time with the help of sensors and communicates to the operator in a simulation module. The system senses data from a wide range of devices/machines and analyzes the work. Digital twin is currently used for reducing operational loss, designing and repairing of airplanes and turbines, controlling supply chain loss in a manufacturing plant, and others. Market Revenue and Segmentation Analysis: The digital twin market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.7% during the forecast period 2017-2023. The market is analyzed based on digital twin types, verticals, deployment type, applications, and regions. The digital twin types considered are product twin, part twin, process twin, and system twin, wherein the process and systems twins are at a high demand in the end-user industries owing to its wide functionalities. The deployment type segment includes, cloud-based, on-premises, and hybrid. Currently, cloud deployment is expected to contribute a major share followed by the on-premises and hybrid during the forecast period 2017-2023. Exclusive Discount Offer on Quick Purchase @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/10358 The applications covered are business optimization, operation optimization, asset performance management, edge computing, cyber security, and others. The business and process optimizations are set to bring the innovations in the digital twin technology as they control supply chain loss and offer better lean manufacturing capabilities and data driven solutions to improve the productivity. Regions and Vertical Analysis: The regions covered in report are Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, and ROW. Among these, Americas is expected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period 2017-2023. The US, Canada, the UK, Germany, and Japan are expected to adopt more digital twin technologies, and Brazil, Switzerland, and Poland are the emerging countries for the digital twin technology adoption owing to the policy changes for the development of their manufacturing capabilities and the rising trend for spending on industrial digital technologies. Digital twin is used across industries, such as manufacturing, power, oil & gas, BFSI, healthcare, aviation, smart cities, and others. The manufacturing industry could receive a wide range of benefits from digital twin, from product designing to monitoring the plant operations, load forecasting, fleet dispatch, monitoring production losses, and expected delays in the production and others. In aviation and power industries, digital twin is used to monitor the working of machines such as propellers, turbines, and others. Predictive diagnostics, asset condition monitoring, and finding new revenue streams are the popular functions of digital twin in the end-user industries. Benefits and Vendors The report contains an in-depth analysis of vendor profiles, which include financial health, business units, key business priorities, SWOT, strategy, and views; and competitive landscape. Digital twin technology is expected to change the way industries work by 2030 with its wide range of capabilities. The report covers an in-depth analysis of Infosys, General Electric, Siemens, AT & T, IBM, and others. The study offers a comprehensive analysis of the Global Digital Twin Market. Bringing out the complete key insights of the industry, the report aims to provide an opportunity for players to understand the latest trends, current market scenario, government initiatives, and technologies related to the market. In addition, it helps the venture capitalists in understanding the companies better and take informed decisions. <<< Get COVID-19 Report Analysis >>> https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/10358 Workers at a Chinese company have been forced to gobble down live earthworms as punishment after failing to achieve their sales goals, according to reports. Social media footage uploaded by a self-proclaimed employee shows a staff member holding the wiggling bug in her palms as another worker wolfed it down with water while covering her mouth in disgust. The whistle-blower told reporters that other punishments included eating live pond loaches or cleaning the office toilets. Workers have been forced to stomach live earthworms as punishment for underperforming and failing to achieve their sales goals at a company in China. Pictures above show the screenshots of the video leaked by one of the company's employee over the weekend A manager said that the bizarre punishment was part of the company's new disciplinary policies which had been agreed by all staff members. Local officials told the press that they are investigating the incident. The video reportedly was filmed last Monday at an interior design company in Bijie, Guizhou province of south-western China. Members of the company's sales team are captured on camera standing in a line at a staff meeting as they receive the cruel penalty. Social media footage uploaded by an employee shows a staff member holding the wiggling insect in her palms as another worker wolfed it down with water while covering her mouth in disgust. Pictured, one of the staff member attempts to swallow the live earthworm The whistle-blower said that other punishments included eating pond loaches or cleaning the office toilets, Chinese media report. Picture above reportedly show the worm and pond loach One female worker can be heard asking: 'Does it have parasites?' Another staff member comments: 'It sometimes explodes in your mouth when you bite it.' A screenshot released by the local press shows a chart titled 'The third stage penalty list', detailing different types punishment the company workers are assigned to. Some of the staff initially believed the new policy was 'only a joke', according to Guiyang Web. The employees could choose to be fined with 500 yuan (57) and buying breakfast for the whole company. But many could not afford the fine and resorted to eating worms instead. The worker who leaked the video said that they called police after receiving threats from the company for uploading the viral footage. Local officials said that they are carrying out an investigation for the incident. A spokesman for the Qixingguan District Bureau of Market Regulation told The Paper: 'We're investigating the incident, but I have no details to disclose. 'The results of the investigation will be published by the district government when it is concluded.' 90 Day Fiance has turned into a cult phenomenon that has branched off into multiple spin-offs. Though the premises of the spin-offs are all different, the root draw is still the same. Its the couples and their nearly impossible love stories that keep fans coming back for more. But there is always the question of whether the couples are really on the show for love or if it is just for the fame. So, who is still together? Nicole Nafziger and Azan Tefou Instagram via alwayssnicole RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: Will Babygirl Lisa Hamme be on The Other Way? Season 1 Alan and Kirlyam met when Alan was on a missionary trip to Brazil. Fans were a little bit creeped out by the fact that Kirlyan was just 12 when she first met Alan, but the couple is still married now and have one child together. Russ and Paola Mayfield fell in love while Russ was on a trip to Colombia. They have a son together named Axel and appeared on a season of 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? Mike and Aziza met on a dating website and are still married. Aziza gave birth to their first child, Olivia in January of last year. Season 2 Brett married Daya from the Philippines despite Bretts mothers disapproval. The two are still together and have a daughter, Isabelle. Justin and Evelyn met at a hot dog stand in Colombia and are still together after all of these years. They are expecting their first child soon. Danny and Amy got married in 2014 and are living in Texas together. The two have started a church and have two children together, Jedidiah and Anna. Season 3 Mark and Nikki were a controversial couple on their season as Mark is almost 40 years older than Nikki. They stayed together despite it causing discord in Marks family. Fernando and Carolina are also still together. They have one child together. Kyle and Noon and Melanie and Devar are all together, as well. Melanie and Devar even have a three-year-old daughter together named Avah. Josh and Aleksandra were able to make it work as well and are still together. The couple now lives in Australia. RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: Caesar Mack Did Meet Maria Off Camera and Heres What Went Down Season 4 Season 4 had a bit more drama. Narkyia and Olulowo split up briefly but are still married and Jorge and Anfisa are still together but Jorge just finished serving a prison sentence after he was found with 300 pounds of marijuana. Matt and Alla are still together and recently had their first child. Chantel and Pedro got married despite all of the drama from their families. Their story was so interesting that they now have a spinoff show called The Family Chantel. Season 5 Evelyn married David from Spain when she was just 18. The two are still together and live in LA so Evelyn can pursue her music career. Josh married Aika from the Philippines that same season. They are still together. Elizabeth and Andrei are also still married and live in Florida. They are set to appear on Happily Ever After? David and Annie have become one of the most popular couples of the series and are now on Pillow Talk. Season 6 Leida and Eric had a very tumultuous relationship that caused Eric to stop talking to his daughters completely. Eric and Leida are still together but Eric and his daughter Tasha still do not speak to one another. Steven and Olga got married after Olga became pregnant. They are still together. Ashley and Jay go back and forth between being together and separated but they are still married. RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: Leaked Footage Proves David Murpheys Girlfriend Lana Is Real Season 7 Tania received a lot of criticism for the way she treated Syngin but the two are still together and will be returning for Happily Ever After. Emily and Sasha are also still together and are on 90 Day Fiance: Self Quarantined. Robert and Anny are still married and are expecting their first child together. Michael and Juliana are still married despite naysayers who thought Juliana was just in it for the money. Anna and Mursel from Turkey, are still married and are trying to find a way to have a baby via surrogate. Theater artist Anna De Luna was thrilled to learn that shed be able to perform Carmen from Mexico, her latest solo show, as part of Centro Cultural Aztlans El Gran Mes de Los Artistas. The big question was how shed present it. I went back and forth wondering, should I do a livestreaming thing, but theres nothing like the energy from the audience to make the show pop, and so I decided to show this pre-recorded version, De Luna said. Safety was another big consideration, since she would have needed a tech person to handle lighting and perhaps some other folks, as well, if she streamed it. She decided it was better to show film from an earlier performance. Carmen from Mexico, which details the immigrant experiences of De Lunas mother and grandmother, kicks off El Gran Mes de los Artistas, a monthlong series that marks Centro Cultural Aztlans 43rd anniversary. On ExpressNews.com: Blue Star Contemporarys Mosaic program helps young artists express themselves The community arts organization typically celebrates its anniversary on the last Saturday in June. This year, since an in-person event seemed unlikely because of restrictions on gatherings put in place to try to stem the spread of COVID-19, the staff shifted gears. We thought, what do we do? What can we do?, said Malena Gonzalez-Cid, the centers executive director. We said, lets do these microgrants of $300. And they can submit something they already had, already filmed or made, and we just show them live. It was important to make sure the series reflects the organizations multidisciplinary programming. So there is a theater piece, some visual arts offerings, some music and some film. This is how were trying to stay focused on who we are and what we do, Gonzalez-Cid said. Were pivoting, and were here. Well see better days. De Luna first performed Carmen from Mexico at Luminaria in 2018, and she did it again at Jump-Start Performance Co. last year. She plans to continue developing the work, which is rooted in stories shes heard all her life. I just always listened to stories my mother would tell us about her experiences as a child coming across the border, and some of them were harrowing, and some of them were comical, she said. Ive always wanted to share them with people, so I interviewed her a couple of times over the years. She came here when she was 8 years old, and she struggled, but she also is a survivor. I felt like it was important, with everything that is happening in the world, with regard to immigration and detaining children. This is an older story, but its still relevant. In some ways, its for everyone, but I think it speaks to people like me who are second- or third-generation Mexican American or Latinx, and who should not forget where they came from. On ExpressNews.com: SAs Hearts Need Art connects with people across the country The film features music by Mike Ryan and multimedia elements by Robb S. Garcia. It will stream at 7 p.m. Friday on Centro Cultural Aztlans Facebook page, @CentroCulturalAztlan. The rest of the series holds Law in Identity: Reality and Imagination, a short film and seminar by Jonathan Trevino, on June 12; The Mexican Experience through Loteria, a livestream by visual artist Israel Rico about his Mexican roots and his contemporary take on loteria cards, on June 19; and a livestreamed performance of Son Jarocho music by El Tallercito de Son on June 26. In addition, the organization will present Mascaras de Aztlan, a virtual art exhibit spotlighting hand-painted masks created by more than 20 local artists. The wearable works will be displayed and available for sale on Centro Culturals Facebook page on June 20. dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN Deborah Martin is an arts writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Deborah, become a subscriber. dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN By Siegfrid Alegado and Andreo Calonzo The coronavirus pandemic is giving Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte a reason to reduce overcrowding in Manila, which in recent decades has swelled into one of the most heavily populated areas on Earth. Duterte is offering cash and goods to induce city-dwellers to move out of the greater capital region in an ambitious program called Back to the Province, one of the most aggressive attempts in decades to lure Filipinos to the countryside. With the pandemic exposing how swift population growth and urban migration have overstretched Manilas transport, utility and health services, the government is now attempting to alter long-entrenched patterns of labor mobility. FILE PHOTO: Vehicles pile up at the boundary of Manila and the North Luzon Expressway Mindanao Avenue exit during rush hour in Manila on March 16, 2020, with temperature and identification checkpoints as part of measures to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo: MARIA TAN/AFP via Getty Images) The program is designed to help people like Joel Gortina, a 38-year-old electrician, who wants to return to Cebu province after 15 years studying and working in Manila. With work drying up amid the outbreak, Gortina planned to leave Manila in mid-March, but got stuck when much of the country was placed on lockdown. I have no work. I have no money left. I was kicked out of my boarding house, said Gortina, who has been sleeping mostly under roadway overpasses. Its a crisis here. More than 2 million jobs had been lost in the Philippines through April 24, about one-third of them in Manila, according to the Labor Department. The densely packed capital region is home to more than 13 million people, and accounts for about two-thirds of the countrys coronavirus cases. With the economy staring at its deepest contraction in three decades and unemployment forecast to reach double digits, many are finding life in the capital less appealing. Manila has reached its maximum, said Marcelino Escalada, executive director of Back to the Province. Sustained migration to the capital will not help us in this current pandemic, he said. Province-Bound Families approved for the program can receive as much as 110,000 pesos ($2,173) in money and goods. Almost 60,000 people have applied since the plan began in mid-May, Escalada said, with priority given to the unemployed, homeless and those living in disaster-prone areas. Thousands more are believed to have left Manila in the days leading up to the lockdown, sometimes with help from non-profit groups. Story continues The big challenge will be finding work in the countryside, with the program at risk of becoming a temporary solution for many until the economy recovers. FILE PHOTO: At a fishing village in El Nido, Palawan, the Philippines, young men play basketball at the end of their work day. (Photo by Jonas Gratzer/LightRocket via Getty Images) Unless and until people perceive a more balanced regional development, it may be difficult to draw them to rural areas, researchers at Manilas University of the Philippines Population Institute wrote in a recent report. And when migrants indeed move back, we need to give them enough reason to stay there for good. The government can tap those who move to the countryside for local infrastructure programs, Labor Department Director Dominique Rubia-Tutay said at a May 27 congressional hearing. The department also has said returnees can be hired for short-term jobs such as disinfection and sanitation. Regional Trend The Philippines isnt the only country in Southeast Asia grappling with over-urbanization. With Jakarta suffering massive gridlock and slowly sinking below sea level, Indonesia is planning to carve a new capital out of the Borneo jungle -- although thats on hold for now because of the economic crisis. Before that, Malaysia and Myanmar relocated their capitals to newly built cities, partly to relieve the strain on Kuala Lumpur and Yangon. Governments have tried to reduce the concentration of wealth and people in Manila since the time of Ferdinand Marcoss rule from the 1960s. As the seat of politics and business, Manila accounts for one-third of the Philippine economy, making it a magnet for people from the provinces. Back to the Province Incentives to Move Out of Manila: 60,000 pesos worth of basic needs 35,000 pesos for transportation 15,000 pesos to set up livelihood in the provinces The population of the capital region, which comprises 16 cities and a municipality crammed between the Sierra Madre mountains and Manila Bay, has ballooned from about 4 million in 1970 to 13.7 million as of last year. Including neighboring towns on the edge of Manilas sprawl, the total urban area contains about 23 million people, according to a report by Demographia. Resettlement on a large scale requires a comprehensive plan, from ensuring adequate social services to creating jobs and may even require new laws around land use, said Maria Ela Atienza, a professor of health politics and local governance at the University of the Philippines. The success of Back to the Province hinges on the readiness and support of many agencies and local governments, which are already strained by the pandemic, she said. Its possible that many of the lofty goals will not be achieved. Farming, Infrastructure Even if city-dwellers move to the countryside, keeping them there is another issue. In the villages its cheaper to survive for the time being, but the workers will eventually go where the jobs are, said Chua Hak Bin, a senior economist at Maybank Kim Eng Research Pte. in Singapore. Like it or not, thats Manila or the rest of the world. FILE PHOTO: Man preparing the land to cultivate rice, Panay island, Philippines. (Photo: Jorge Fernandez/LightRocket via Getty Images) Boosting sustainable employment in the provinces will be crucial. Duterte wants to industrialize the farm sector and build more infrastructure in the countryside, and businesses could be offered incentives to relocate. Still, jobs must match migrants skills and the needs of the communities they return to, according to Alvin Ang, director of the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development. For people like Gortina, this isnt the time to worry about the long term. After two months begging for food, he said he dreams of the home he grew up in. Gortina now is housed in a shelter run by a Catholic university in Manila. The school, along with other Christian groups, is helping him prepare to leave for his hometown, the small fishing village of Oslob in the central Philippines. I dont know what Ill do when I get back. Ill take care of my aging father for sure, Gortina said. But work? Whatevers available. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. The systematic review and meta-analysis was commissioned by the World Health Organization Hamilton, ON (June 1, 2020) - A comprehensive review of existing evidence supports physical distancing of two metres or more to prevent person-to-person transmission of COVID-19, says an international team led by McMaster University and St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton. Face masks and eye protection decrease the risk of infection, too. The systematic review and meta-analysis was commissioned by the World Health Organization. The findings were published today in The Lancet. "Physical distancing likely results in a large reduction of COVID-19," said lead author Holger Schunemann, professor of the departments of health research methods, evidence, and impact, and medicine at McMaster. Schunemann is co-director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases, Research Methods and Recommendations. He also is director of Cochrane Canada and McMaster GRADE Centre. "Although the direct evidence is limited, the use of masks in the community provides protection, and possibly N95 or similar respirators worn by health-care workers suggest greater protection than other face masks," Schunemann said. "Availability and feasibility and other contextual factors will probably influence recommendations that organizations develop about their use. Eye protection may provide additional benefits." The systematic review was conducted by a large, international collaborative of researchers, front-line and specialist clinicians, epidemiologists, patients, public health and health policy experts of published and unpublished literature in any language. They sought direct evidence on COVID-19 and indirect evidence on related coronaviruses causative of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The team used Cochrane methods and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach which is used world-wide to assess the certainty of evidence. They identified no randomized control trials addressing the three coronaviruses but 44 relevant comparative studies in health-care and non-health-care (community) settings across 16 countries and six continents from inception to early May 2020. The authors noted more global, collaborative, well-conducted studies of different personal protective strategies are needed. For masks, large randomized trials are underway and are urgently needed. The scientific lead is Derek Chu, a clinician scientist in the departments of health research methods, evidence, and impact, and medicine at McMaster and an affiliate of the Research Institute of St. Joe's Hamilton. "There is an urgent need for all caregivers in health-care settings and non-health-care settings to have equitable access to these simple personal protective measures, which means scaling up production and consideration about repurposing manufacturing," said Chu. "However, although distancing, face masks, and eye protection were each highly protective, none made individuals totally impervious from infection and so, basic measures such as hand hygiene are also essential to curtail the current COVID-19 pandemic and future waves." ### The work was funded by the World Health Organization and involved close collaboration with the American University of Beirut, Lebanon and many international partners. Editors: Photos attached of Holger Schunemann and Derek Chu. Photo captions: Holger Schunemann is a professor of the departments of health research methods, evidence, and impact, and medicine at McMaster. He is also co-director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases, Research Methods and Recommendations. Photo by Gerli Sirk Derek Chu is a clinician scientist in the departments of health research methods, evidence, and impact, and medicine at McMaster and an affiliate of the Research Institute of St. Joe's Hamilton. Photo by McMaster University Post embargo link to the paper: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext For more information: Veronica McGuire Media Relations McMaster University vmcguir@mcmaster.ca 289-776-6952 While no official figures are kept on how many women behind bars have children, its estimated that more than half have dependent children aged 15 or younger. Transforming the lives of those mothers is the goal of a major new project collaboration between Griffith University and Queensland Corrective Services. A new Griffith University study will look at ways of better supporting mothers behind bars. Credit:Greg Henderson By her mid-30s, she was in prison, one of an increasing number of mothers who are being incarcerated in Australia. By the time she turned 30, Kate (not her real name) had lived in 30 different houses, all with four young children in tow. Professor Susan Dennison from the Griffith Criminology Institute is heading the new project, which has been given funding for 18 months to look at where the system is failing incarcerated mothers and work with them to develop appropriate support systems. "We're looking at what are all the needs of women in prison and their children and find out where their needs are not being met, and to fill those gaps," Professor Dennison said. "The project will be a 'creation' model, so we will bring together not just our research but also all the departments and services women and children would be accessing, as well as women and their children with experience of incarceration." Professor Dennison said she had spoken to Kate as part of her preliminary work on the project, and said her example, while extreme, was not unique among jailed women. "Mothers in prison are very different to men in prison, they bring with them a whole history of victimisation, both child abuse as well as domestic violence, and they also have higher rates of mental health problems," she said. City Manager Robert Eads will be asking Laredo City Council to approve his selection for one or two assistant city managers at their Monday meeting. As of May 15, at least 56 people from all over the country have applied for this position. But there are familiar names among the applicant pool as well. Steve Landin, who retired as Laredos fire chief in May, has thrown his name in the hat, along with Utilities Director Riazul Mia, Information Technology Director Homero Vazquez and Beto Ramirez, the current animal care services director who has previously served as interim city secretary and IT director. The City of Laredo has been without assistant city managers for over two and a half years. In October 2017, former City Manager Horacio De Leon did away with the position and instead created five executive directors who would each oversee four or five city departments. City Council did not like this organization structure, and after De Leon retired in January 2019, the typical administrative hierarchy was reinstated, with the city manager at the top, then deputy city manager, then two assistant city managers. One assistant city manager will typically focus on operations, overseeing nine to 10 departments, while the other would focus on administration, overseeing seven to eight departments. Council named Eads and Rosario Cabello to serve as co-interim city managers in February 2019 as they embarked on a lengthy journey to fill the role permanently. So the lead administrative office for the city was cut from a staff of four to two, as it has remained since Eads was selected for the city manager job in March. Even before the city faced a multi-million dollar budget shortfall this year brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, Eads had implemented a hiring freeze due to low revenue projections. However he had maintained that filling these assistant city manager positions remained a priority. Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com Shantanu David By Express News Service The latest tranche of do and donts, while not very voluminous, is not very illuminating either. Restaurants and malls are allowed to operate from June 8 under new timings, while cinema halls and bars are not. P laces of worship are opening, while public gatherings remain restricted. In the meantime, restaurants and hospitality businesses, already desperate, are left scrambling for clarity in the new conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic hasnt defined a generation as much as it has destabilised the entire globe. Forget bending the rules, or playing fast and loose with them, the new paradigm hasnt settled enough anywhere in the world for there to be any. International bodies pass recommendations to national authorities that impose them on state governments, which push them on to municipal levels that exhort them to us. As India stumbles into Lockdown 5.0, or Unlock 1.0, the Centres tacit trust in State authorities to implement a final solution (never a pleasant term) has left one of the largest industries in the country blind-sided, especially in the Capital. Restaurants have been among the most affected businesses in the new post COVID reality, and while the national government hasnt given the industry the bouquet of sops it needs, restaurant owners are still hoping for a soupcon of relief. This is worse than lockdown. Bars have been told to remain closed, while restaurants need to shut by 9:00pm. That means we need to start taking last orders by 6:30-7:00pm in restaurants, which do most of their business at night. Do you know how much that business that works out to, asks Capital restaurateur Priyank Sukhija rhetorically, before calculating out the depressing total. Zorawar Kalra of Massive Restaurants, says, Rents are among the highest cost for our business, and the margins are already razor thin. While there is still time to figure out the exact permutations we hope we can come to an agreement with landlords and authorities that doesnt result in the potential shutting down of a large number of restaurants. Rents are among the ruinous of restaurants expenses.While the previous government-mandated closure of businesses premises had given operators some leeway with their landlords in terms of leases, under the new regulations, which allow restaurants to operate in set, but sub-optimal times, in which they wouldnt normally do the best business.There is of course also the psychology of going out to eat itself. Restaurateurs are worried that the optics of opening eateries too soon, along with a smorgasbord of other businesses that will statistically drive up the risk of infections, will come rest firmly on their shoulders, despite all the government and WHO regulations they employ. I would only like to comment on the situation after the Delhi state government has announced its own set of measures to complement those of the Centre. That being said, we would like to welcome back our guests with all due pomp once circumstances permit and they feel more secure, says Vikrant Batra of Cafe Delhi Heights.And with owner-operated restaurants present in markets as well as malls, theres not a lot of cohesion in the initial set of guidelines issued by the government. While some of them have liquor licenses and thus may come under bars, others may be counted as just eateries. Who knows which is which? Well have to wait and see.Earlier, while the exact mechanisms of the new phase of lockdown were still in suspense, restaurants had been coming out with a slew of ways (watch this space for more on that) to engage with their former patrons in the comfort and security of the latters homes. The idea being that since people wouldnt be very comfortable about dining out in style, they could at least eat in in comfort. The potentially premature opening of dining establishments could spoil that broth. QSR formats like McDonalds and Barista will definitely benefit from the opening of kiosks and outlets in malls within the set time limits, but for restaurants and bars like us its definitely not a positive. We hope the Delhi government takes this into account when making their decision and perhaps allows us to open in the next iteration, along with other places like cinema halls and swimming pools, says Sukhija. If youre still hungry for more, well let you know what they say tomorrow. The steam-emitting disinfection machine can also be used for other purposes such as cleaning vegetables or as a steamer for moisturizing the skin, depending on the need Hong Kong-based Chilli International has launched for the first time in India, Killer 100 Blue Ray disinfection machine. A light weight, multipurpose machine, Killer 100 is ideal for home, workplace, mall, car, or personal use for unparalleled disinfection. An exclusive model of Chilli International, the Killer 100 has been designed in Japan and assembled in China. With this product the company aims to bring life back to normal. As the world defends itself against the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak, maintaining utmost hygiene is our greatest weapon. Currently, the products available in the market are the likes of Disco fog machines which are incompatible for regular home & personal usage. Chillis Killer 100 aims to disrupt the market and ensure bacterial removal & disinfection possible at home with ease in day-to-day life. Killer 100 Blue Ray disinfection machine comes equipped with a 280 ml bottle with a spraying capacity of 22 ml per minute. It operates on 1300 w power and requires a preheating time of 1 min before use. The disinfection machine is suitable for use on human skin when sprayed from a distance of atleast 2-3 feet and can be used with a liquid disinfectant prescribed by a medical professional or doctor. The bottle should not be filled with a flammable liquid under any circumstance. Sufiyan Motiwala, CEO, Chilli International holding (HK) limited said, The idea behind creating this product is to further the cause of restoring normalcy and bringing everyone be it individuals or companies back to their feet. It is the result of combined efforts and hard work put in by both Indian and international experts. Currently, we aim to sell 100K units in the next two months in India. Delivering quality products with warranty has always been our key priority and we are focused to become synonymous with disinfection machine as 3M & Venus are in the mask manufacturing market. We will launch more such innovative products and solutions focused on health and hygiene in the times to come." The steam-emitting disinfection machine can also be used for other purposes such as cleaning vegetables or as a steamer for moisturizing the skin, depending on the need. For this, users just have to fill the bottle with the required solution a combination of water and vinegar, for instance - if you need to clean doorknobs, telephones, or any other surface. All you need to do is spray and wipe off. The brand has also planned to launch the products on all the leading e-commerce channels so that the product can reach the maximum number of customers sooner in these crucial times. The company is associated with Staunch, one of the leading players in this industry to ensure the availability at all platforms like Flikpart & Amazon at a price point of Rs. 6999/- inclusive of all taxes. It will also be available at B2B platform; Udaan and offline markets by next week. The machine is very handy and lightweight, and comes with a 6-month warranty; terms and conditions applied. Five months have passed since Parris Hopson left her grandparents house in Massillon, Ohio on Christmas Day in 2019 to go for a walk. She never returned. Her mother, Rochelle Arnold-Hopson, told Dateline her anguish grows the longer Parris is missing, but said she refuses to give up. I just dont want to lose hope, Rochelle said. I just want to know that shes OK. Parris Hopson Parris, who lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her mother, walked away from the Christmas Day family gathering at her grandparents house on Shriver Avenue in Massillon. She was 26 years old at the time of her disappearance. Rochelle told Dateline Parris told the family she was going to walk to clear her head. Her mother, who was also at the family gathering that day, added that Parris had not been acting like her normal outgoing self, and had trouble sleeping recently. She was just going to walk to a park thats nearby, Rochelle said. I texted her and told her not to worry about anything. Just get some fresh air. Just pray. But I never got a response. And when she didnt return later that evening, thats when I started to really worry. Rochelle discovered her daughters cell phone was left behind hooked up to a charger in her vehicle, which was parked at her grandparents house. Her debit card and drivers license were also inside the car, she said. I know she needed some time away and thats why she went for a walk, Rochelle told Dateline. But for her not to come back, to leave her stuff behind, it makes no sense. It makes me think something really bad happened to her. Massillon Police Department Detective Jason Gohlike told NBC affiliate WLWT they are continuing to investigate Parriss disappearance, but have not received many tips or leads recently. According to a press release from the Ohio Attorney General, authorities do not suspect foul play, but say they are concerned for Parriss safety. Searches by both law enforcement and the community have been conducted in the Massillon area, but no trace of Parris has been found. Story continues Rochelle told Dateline she was asked about her daughters mental health, but assured them Parris did not have any mental health or drug issues. Shes extremely intelligent and has many goals in life, Rochelle said. And she was determined to find out what happened to her brother, Perry. Perry Hopson Jr., Parriss brother and Rochelles only other child, suffered life-threatening injuries in a car crash on June 17, 2017. According to the local Canton, Ohio newspaper, CantonRep.com, an unidentified person was driving Perrys Oldsmobile Alero and passed another vehicle in a no-passing zone on Southway Street SW in Perry Township, Ohio, causing a head-on collision. The driver fled the scene and has never been identified. Perry remained on life support in the hospital for over a year until his death in April 2018. He was 23 years old and had a long-time girlfriend and two children. Parris was determined to find out what happened to her brother, Rochelle said. For our family and for her niece and nephew. She would never walk away from them. Rochelle describes Parris as an excellent writer with a bright future. She had previously worked as an event planner and was working in an administrative position with Nationwide in the Columbus area at the time of her disappearance. Rochelle told Dateline that the community in Massillon, where Parris grew up, has shown up by the hundreds to search for her and show support for their family. Friends of the family created a Facebook page Help Find Parris Hopson with the hope of bringing in tips. We just want some answers, Rochelle said. Something to help us find out where she is. Someone to come forward with some sort of information. I just dont want to lose hope. Parris is described as being 52 tall and weighing 220 lbs. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing blue jeans, black boots, a burgundy shirt, and was carrying a black purse. Anyone with information about Parriss whereabouts is asked to call the Massillon Police Department at 330-830-1735. At least three Amazon workers in Ohio fell sick after management sprayed industrial strength chemicals to disinfect a warehouse while workers were still inside, according to information provided to the International Amazon Workers Voice. Amazon workers from the Cincinnati, Ohio area told the IAWV that company officials first tried to conceal the fact that four workers at the facility had tested positive for COVID-19. Once word began to spread among workers that there were confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the warehouse, management decided to have the warehouse decontaminated. According to workers, this meant spraying industrial-strength disinfecting chemicals in the workplace while workers continued to work. The HR [human resources] team has neglected to notify employees that there were four cases of positive COVID-19 until time had passed and the word was getting out, said an Ohio worker with first-hand knowledge who was interviewed by the IAWV. Amazon has fired numerous workers who have spoken out about safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, so this worker asked to remain anonymous. At the beginning of May, there was a text sent to employees stating a coworker had tested positive in April and the HR team was taking precautions. The management had a company come in to spray industrial strength sanitizer during work hours without closing the facility down for the recommended two hours, the worker said. Two employees had to leave because they came in contact with the chemical resulting in hives, rash, itchy skin and one employee became nauseous and had to leave, the worker continued. The company who sprayed had their employee in hazmat gear including respirators. Not once did it dawn on the management that the employees should not be in contact with the chemical or breathe it in. Since that incident, management has required the company to spray at 4:30 AM while employees wait to start, sitting in the break room (6ft apart) for 30 minutes. The company hired to do the disinfecting recommends that no employees work in the area for two hours, and then only with proper ventilation. Amazon has still not acknowledged the recommendations of the company spraying the facility, said the worker. The Amazon worker was not able to identify what specific chemical was used at the facility, but recommendations associated with several major chemicals that used as airborne disinfectants are for the area to be sealed for two hours followed by another two hours of ventilation. The Centers for Disease Control, the US federal agency responsible for promulgating guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic, recommends that anyone who comes in contact with someone who has been infected with COVID-19 needs to self quarantine for 14 days to prevent the spread of the disease. If this guideline had been followed, Amazon would have placed the entire shift on a 14-day leave. In addition, the CDC recommends that areas where an infected person worked should be ventilated for 24 hours before cleaning begins. Since the beginning of the pandemic Amazon seems to think they are above the law and do not have to follow the stay-at-home order or the temp [temperature] checks as requested by our governor Mike Dewine, the Ohio worker said. I have not returned to work yet and Im not sure Im going to. From what I know, my Amazon facility started temperature checks and is requiring face masks at the start of every shift. Throughout the pandemic, Amazon has continued to rake in billions in profits. While many businesses are going bankrupt, Amazons wealth has increased dramatically. While seeing an initial fall in the value of its stock at the beginning of the pandemic in the United States, the company stock has fully recovered and continued to grow. In January, the company stock stood at a little less than $1,900 per share, and in February, the stock rose to a high of $2,170 before falling to less than $1,700 per share in March. Since mid-March Amazon stock has climbed to over $2,400 per share, a rise of greater than 25 percent since the beginning of the year. Amazon oligarch Jeff Bezos saw his personal wealth has increase by more than $34 billion. Amazon has plenty of money. When management refuses to slow down the pace of work to address a safety issue, it is a deliberate decision to place corporate profit ahead of workers lives. Its not right that Bezos is making tons of money while us employees had nothing to fall back on, the Ohio worker said. A coworker emailed Jeff Bezos and asked him these exact questions. They got a s response from one of his senior management, the worker said. Amazons commercials are lies, what they speak are lies and how good we are treated are lies. Especially the facility I work in, the worker said. If you are a tier 1 employee in an orange vest you are considered unworthy of honest communication. The worker was also very concerned about the treatment of workers who had to take time off because their children were now home from school. He has two children in school, including one in elementary school. Amazon is penalizing employees for taking off due to the schools being closed, the worker said. Amazon did not care about employees who had to take time off for school closures. We had to take unpaid time off in order to home-school our kids. The worker explained that Amazon has some benefits that are attractive, particularly to students, and he has enjoyed his job and meeting his co-workers. But the mental anguish that we suffer is uncalled for and unacceptable. The Socialist Equality Party and the International Amazon Workers Voice are working to assist Amazon workers around the world with the formation of rank-and-file safety committees, which will enforce the necessary self-defense measures to protect workers lives from management indifference during the pandemic. We encourage all Amazon workers to read the recent statement posted on the World Socialist Web Site, sign up for the IAWV newsletter, and contact us to get involved today. The freestanding inpatient rehabilitation hospital is the first in Iowa to be part of the state's only comprehensive academic medical center as well as the first hospital in the state for Encompass Health. "The University of Iowa Health Network Rehabilitation Hospital brings much needed, high-quality rehabilitative services to the eastern Iowa region," said Barb Jacobsmeyer, executive vice president and president of inpatient hospitals at Encompass Health. "Through our work with University of Iowa Health Care, we look forward to delivering individualized care that truly makes a difference in our patients' lives." The hospital features 40 private patient rooms, a spacious therapy gym with advanced rehabilitation technologies, an outdoor courtyard, a large dining area and an activities-of-daily-living suite. Care will be provided by highly specialized nurses and therapists staffed by Encompass Health, with medical direction and oversight provided by UI Health Care physicians. "This collaboration provides patients with access to Encompass Health's specialized inpatient rehabilitation services, as well as the world-class care and cutting-edge research that come along with oversight from a comprehensive academic medical center like UI Health Care," says Brooks Jackson, MD, MBA, University of Iowa Vice President for Medical Affairs & the Tyrone D. Artz Dean, Carver College of Medicine. "Iowans needed more options for rehabilitation services in our area and this new hospital allow us to provide Iowans with more convenient options for optimal recovery." The hospital serves patients recovering from a variety of debilitating illnesses and injuries including strokes and other neurological disorders, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations and complex orthopedic conditions. It offers physical, occupational and speech therapies as well as 24-hour nursing care that aim to restore functional ability and quality of life. The University of Iowa Health Network Rehabilitation Hospital is Encompass Health's 135th hospital and its first location in Iowa. About University of Iowa Health Care University of Iowa Health Care is the state's only comprehensive academic medical center, dedicated to providing world-class health care and health-related outreach services to all Iowans. Based in Iowa City, UI Health Care includes University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, and University of Iowa Physicians, the state's most comprehensive multi-specialty physician group practice. About Encompass Health As a national leader in integrated healthcare services, Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) offers both facility-based and home-based patient care through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies. With a national footprint that includes 135 hospitals, 245 home health locations, and 83 hospice locations in 38 states and Puerto Rico, the Company is committed to delivering high-quality, cost-effective, integrated care across the healthcare continuum. Encompass Health is ranked as one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For. For more information, visit encompasshealth.com, or follow us on our newsroom, Twitter and Facebook. Encompass Health Media: UI Health Care Media: Hillary Carnel | 205 970-5912 Laura Shoemaker | 319 356-3945 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Encompass Health Corp. Related Links http://www.encompasshealth.com If you think investors have had a tough time staying the course in the stock market over the past three-plus months, take a gander at the cannabis industry. Following a blazing-hot first quarter in 2019 that saw more than a dozen popular pot stocks gallop higher by more than 70%, marijuana stocks have spent the majority of the past 14 months stuck in a vicious downtrend. Many have seen between 50% and 95% of their market value evaporate before shareholders' eyes. And yet, cannabis remains an intriguing long-term opportunity. Even though the industry has suffered from some expected growing pains, we're seeing tens of billions of dollars in sales conducted annually in the black market. With Canada being the first industrialized country to legalize adult-use weed in the modern era, and numerous U.S. states legalizing cannabis to some extent, it wouldn't be difficult to steadily transition these North American black-market consumers over to legal channels. The big question is, what marijuana stock should you buy to take advantage of this long-term growth opportunity? After perusing dozens of potential candidates, my top marijuana stock for the month of June is U.S. multistate operator Cresco Labs (OTC:CRLBF). Here are the risks Cresco Labs' shareholders need to be mindful of While I believe there are a number of reasons to be excited about Cresco's future, it's important to understand the reasons behind its struggles in recent months. Therefore, let's begin by looking at some of the risks investors will be taking on if they choose to invest in Cresco Labs. First of all, there's going to be some degree of operational inefficiency when purchasing a U.S. MSO. Since marijuana remains a Schedule I drug at the federal level (i.e., it's entirely illicit), MSOs like Cresco are only allowed to operate in states where pot has been legalized to some degree. Further, the interstate transport of pot products isn't allowed. This means the need to set up potentially redundant cultivation, processing, and retail operations in multiple states in order to keep costs down and quality up while controlling the seed-to-sale process. A second issue to take into consideration is that, due to this Schedule I classification for cannabis, many U.S. MSOs are struggling to gain access to nondilutive forms of financing. Short of selling their own stock and diluting their existing shareholders, MSOs have not had an easy time finding a bank or credit union that's been consistently willing to provide them basic financial services. That's because, under a strict interpretation of the law, banks and credit unions that assist cannabis companies could be hit with criminal and/or financial penalties. Third and finally, investors need to understand that Cresco Labs is intricately tied to the health of the California market via its Origin House acquisition. Although California is the largest marijuana market in the world by total sales, it's had significant issues contending with the black market. A combination of inefficient dispensary licensing and high levels of taxation on legal pot products has made California a disappointing cannabis market in the early going. Now that you have a better idea of what challenges Cresco could face moving forward, let's take a look at why it's the marijuana stock to buy in June. Here's why Cresco Labs should be on your buy list The most obvious reason to consider Cresco Labs is the company's position as a major player in the U.S. cannabis space. While most eyes have been focused on Canada, there's no question that the U.S. has become and will remain the leading marijuana market in the world, by total sales. If you're an investor who's following the money, then it makes sense to focus your attention on the clearly superior U.S. weed market. Another reason to be really excited about Cresco Labs' future is the company's aforementioned all-share acquisition of Origin House. While the transaction was completed under less-than-ideal circumstances (i.e., cannabis stock share prices were imploding around the time the deal closed), Origin House adds indoor cultivation and, more important, broad-scale wholesale distribution. Origin House is one of a select few companies that possesses a cannabis distribution license in California, the largest pot market in the world by sales. This means Cresco Labs instantly gained access to more than 575 licensed Californian dispensaries with which to market its products when it closed this deal. Investors can also take solace in the fact that Cresco Labs isn't in a cash crunch like some other U.S. MSOs. To begin with, the company closed a $100 million senior credit facility in early February offered by a consortium of investors, with a mutual option to double this credit facility in size (to $200 million). Cresco is among a small handful of cannabis stocks that hasn't had to solely lean on selling stock to raise cash. What's more, Cresco Labs has been willing to enter into sale-leaseback agreements with Innovative Industrial Properties (NYSE:IIPR) to bolster its balance sheet. In a sale-leaseback agreement, an MSO like Cresco sells a cultivation or processing asset to Innovative Industrial Properties in exchange for cash. Innovative Industrial then leases the property right back to the seller for an extended period of time (usually 10 to 20 years). By doing this, Innovative Industrial gains a long-term tenant and hearty rental income, while Cresco receives an instant cash infusion. This is a company that's also demonstrating better fiscal prudence. In late April, Cresco paid $1.25 million in equity consideration to Tryke Companies to terminate a previously announced acquisition in September 2019. Terminating this $282.5 million deal saves the company the $55 million in cash it was to have paid as part of this acquisition. Lastly, Cresco Labs looks to be on the cusp of operational profitability. It's still in the process of incorporating Origin House into the fold, and is liable to face some growth disruptions in the short-term tied to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, it's also on track to be one of the first U.S. MSOs to reach $1 billion in annual sales, and could reach recurring profitability by as early as next year. Patient long-term investors looking for the green in the cannabis industry probably can't go wrong with Cresco Labs. Children and adolescents are likely to experience high rates of depression and anxiety long after current lockdown and social isolation ends and clinical services need to be prepared for a future spike in demand, according to the authors of a new rapid review into the long-term mental health effects of lockdown. The research, which draws on over 60 pre-existing, peer-reviewed studies into topics spanning isolation, loneliness and mental health for young people aged 4 - 21, is published today (Monday 1 June 2020) in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. According to the review, young people who are lonely might be as much as three times more likely to develop depression in the future, and that the impact of loneliness on mental health could last for at least 9 years. The studies highlight an association between loneliness and an increased risk of mental health problems for young people. There is also evidence that duration of loneliness may be more important than the intensity of loneliness in increasing the risk of future depression among young people. This, say the authors, should act as a warning to policymakers of the expected rise in demand for mental health services from young people and young adults in the years to come - both here in the UK and around the world. Dr Maria Loades, clinical psychologist from the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath who led the work, explained: "From our analysis, it is clear there are strong associations between loneliness and depression in young people, both in the immediate and the longer-term. We know this effect can sometimes be lagged, meaning it can take up to 10 years to really understand the scale of the mental health impact the covid-19 crisis has created." For teachers and policymakers currently preparing for a phased re-start of schools in the UK, scheduled from today, Monday 1 June, Dr Loades suggests the research could have important implications for how this process is managed too. She adds: "There is evidence that it's the duration of loneliness as opposed to the intensity which seems to have the biggest impact on depression rates in young people. This means that returning to some degree of normality as soon as possible is of course important. However, how this process is managed matters when it comes to shaping young people's feelings and experiences about this period. "For our youngest and their return to school from this week, we need to prioritise the importance of play in helping them to reconnect with friends and adjust following this intense period of isolation." Members of the review team were also involved in a recent open letter to UK Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson MP, focusing on support for children's social and emotional wellbeing during and after lockdown. In their letter they suggested that: - The easing of lockdown restrictions should be done in a way that provides all children with the time and opportunity to play with peers, in and outside of school, and even while social distancing measures remain in place; - Schools should be appropriately resourced and given clear guidance on how to support children's emotional wellbeing during the transition period as schools reopen and that play - rather than academic progress - should be the priority during this time; - The social and emotional benefits of play and interaction with peers must be clearly communicated, alongside guidance on the objective risks to children. Acknowledging the trade-offs that need to be struck in terms of restarting the economy and reducing educational disparities, their letter to the Education Secretary concludes: 'Poor emotional health in children leads to long term mental health problems, poorer educational attainment and has a considerable economic burden.' ### The study 'Rapid Systematic Review: The impact of social isolation and loneliness on the mental health of children and adolescents in the context of COVID-19' is published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Generation Z is the group defined as growing up in the era of connected technology. Born between 1997 and 2012, most importantly, this is the generation entering the worlds tertiary education systems today. In his article A Tsunami of Learners Called Generation Z, D Rothman writes: The brains of Generation Zs have become wired to sophisticated, complex visual imagery and, as a result, the part of the brain responsible for visual ability is far more developed, making visual forms of learning more effective. So, auditory learning, such as lectures and discussions, is strongly disliked by this group, whereas interactive games, collaborative projects, advance organisers, and challenges, are appreciated. Important factors to consider in the approach to teaching, facilitating and educating this generation. Their perceptions on the world and themselves calls for adapted and specific teaching strategies and focused approaches toward mentoring. The learning experience matters for a Gen Z student. Why would they be inclined to sit through a long lecture, when they can watch to the same content through multiple engaging podcasts, or videos? How can we engage this learner without compromising the educational process? Find a way to do it digitally. As our technology rapidly evolves, it becomes a part of daily life for this generation, as does the expectation of using it in daily activities including learning. Consider how well you make use of technology in teaching strategies and how it could be better incorporated into the learning process. Allow them to use technology and take advantage of their drive for self-learning. Instead of taking away devices in the classroom, incorporate them into activities that promote searching for credible information. Be faster at feedback. This generation values a faster pace of classroom, practice and career advancement that provides frequent feedback for meeting certain benchmarks. Think about how you can offer more frequent benchmarks during the learning process to help them see and measure personal improvement. Feedback plays a key role in motivating personal growth. Be more fluid and flexible. The more flexible you can come across to them, in adapting to their personal preferences for learning, the faster youll engage them. You will appear more authentic and organic in your relationship with them and your dedication to their success. Offer more frequent rewards. While we must equip our students to sustain their interest - even when the rewards are not initially visible - we can prepare them for this lifestyle through offering frequent rewards or benefits to incentivise them to stay and keep working. Affirmation for reaching a goal, or a reward / praise for hitting a deadline can impact greatly on their perception of their progress. Break up classes and learning into smaller segments. We have learned that splitting up long sessions into smaller more frequent segments often results in more engaged learners. Think about how you can divide your time with students into smaller bites and segments of content to enable them to stay engaged more hours in the long run. Be concise and capture their attention with visuals. Gen Z prefers microlearning; with so much information trying to get past their filter, standing out from the noise is key to engagement. Build a social community beyond the walls of the classroom. Gen Z learners are tethered to their social networks. Make facilitators and lecturers available through social apps for questions. For some learners, this may be the only medium through which they feel comfortable asking questions. Show them the content they are learning has relevance on a global scale. Gen Z learners are aware of our global connectedness. Gear learning to reflect a greater purpose and global relevance. Empower learners to create. In a survey conducted by Barkley, Inc. and Futurecast, Generation Z said: We want to work for our success, not to be discovered. They are curating and creating as artists who want to express themselves. The more we can empower them to mix and match ideas and then create an idea that represents their own self-expression, the more engagement we will experience. These strategies can all be embodied through adopting blended learning as an approach to learning with Generation Z, in traditional education spaces and in workplaces. Blended learning can make use of multiple types of content and can take place on multiple platforms, aside from e-learning and learner management systems specifically designed for blended and online learning, content can be delivered through webinars, conference calls, live streams, other media and events such as social media (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, You Tube, etc., email, blogs, forums, podcasts and video calling) and even through gaming, making it accessible, exciting and interactive. The beauty of making use of blended learning models in the hospitality and culinary environment is the students ability to self-pace their learning. Blended learning models make learning more accessible to learners in workplaces, and have the potential to maximise the efficacy of learning programmes both in the theoretical and practical components. When watching a practical demonstration in the kitchen for example, the learners can rely only on what they observed during the session. In a pre-recorded blended learning model, the learners can access the content and watch the demonstration as many times as they would like. This can result in the student having more control over their learning pace, the skills and knowledge they acquire and the opportunity to engage with the content in a manner that works best for them as individuals. Blended learning models provide instant feedback and generally offer the ability to reward learners through recognition, some learner management platforms have badges or medals that are either automatically awarded based on coded result expectations or can be allocated to learners by facilitators. The blended approach almost always includes a social aspect, satisfying the need for social engagement and relationship building through approaches such as forum engagement, chats, direct messaging and group engagement activities. The structure of blended learning approaches is often broken into small segments which allow for bite sized information dissemination, speaking to the need for smaller segmented learning with Gen Z. These smaller condensed classes still cover all the essential learning and add up to the same approach as a two-hour lecture by adapting the delivery of information via videos, activities, articles, puzzles, quizzes, etc. via a delivery system often referred to as a learning path. This methodology satisfies their need to create and be a part of their learning journey. Generation Z is revolutionising the educational system in many aspects. Thanks in part to a rise in the popularity of entrepreneurship and advancements in technology, institutions across the globe are including entrepreneurship in their curriculum. According to the World Economic Forum, over one in five members of Generation Z are interested in attending a trade or technical school. The hospitality, culinary and tourism educational fields are particularly well geared to take advantage of the style of learning that best suits them. The careers in fields within the greater hospitality, travel and tourism industries require well developed and honed skills, good business acumen and feed the need for human interaction, relationship development and balance. The expansive variety of career paths open to learners entering the field provide a multitude of income generation opportunities, opportunities for travel and self-development as well as encouraging holistic wellbeing the industry has become increasingly aware of mental and physical health and encourages balance across all aspects of ones career and life. The main objective of pedagogy is to inspire, nurture and encourage young minds to question and absorb information, and to develop skills and intellect that provide the best stepping-stones into their futures. As each generation enters our educational channels, we must adapt to ensure we achieve our objective. By Candice Adams, Academic Head, Capsicum Culinary Studio and The Private Hotel School Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 18:41:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ABUJA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Police in Nigeria's northwestern state of Katsina said they have launched a manhunt for gunmen who shot dead a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the national ruling party, following a failed attempt to kidnap him. Abdulhamid Sani, chairman of the Batsari local government area of the state, was shot dead on Sunday by the gunmen, believed to be bandits, state police spokesman Gambo Isah said in a statement early Monday. The gunmen stormed the Batsari local government area of Katsina, where the 55-year-old Sani was a leader of the governing party, and began shooting sporadically with sophisticated weapons, Isah said. Sani had resisted being kidnapped when he was shot dead by the gunmen, who later fled into a nearby forest, the spokesman said. In a separate statement Monday, Gambo Isah said a group of gunmen, armed with AK 47 rifles, also attacked on late Sunday the residence of a district head in the Dan Musa local government area of Katsina. Abu Atiku, the district head, was shot by the gunmen alongside his bodyguard during the attack, Isah said. The bandits escaped later into a forest while the victims were taken to a local hospital. Atiku was confirmed dead while his bodyguard was admitted and responding to treatment. "Investigation is ongoing," the state police spokesperson said. The late district head is the second senior official killed by gunmen within the last 24 hours in the state. Many people have been killed in northwestern Nigeria in recent months in a series of attacks by gunmen who also carried out robberies, kidnappings and cattle rustling. Nigerian military has stepped up operation against gunmen groups in the northwest area, with scores of gunmen killed and their hideouts destroyed, according to recent statements from the defense headquarters. Enditem The National Bank of Cambodia announced on Friday a new plan to phase-out circulation of small-denominated U.S. dollar bills in the countrys highly-dollarized economy, creating some confusion among citizens if these bills had been banned outright. In a press release, the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) said it would phase out the $1, $2, $5 bills, while pushing for the use of the Cambodian riel. The statement was released after a meeting with bank and MFI representatives. This would be done by giving commercial banks and microfinance institutions three months, ending August 31, to send small bills in their possession back to the NBC, thereby removing them out of circulation. While the NBC said small denominated bills were still legal tender, banks and MFIs would be expected to incur costs of transporting these bills after August 31. Cambodia has to encourage the use of its riel more. So, allowing the circulation of small U.S. bills is an obstacle in urging the use of the riel, the NBC press statement read. Cambodia has a highly dollarized economy due to various factors such as the low confidence in the riel following the Khmer Rouge regime and the huge influx of U.S. dollars, to the tune of $1.7 billion, during the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia in 1991-1992. NBC added that in the last six months the riel and other regional currencies had decreased in value compare to the U.S. dollar. This had caused a reduction in demand for the riel, the NBC explained, affecting economic activity, especially in rural farming households. The decision did create some confusion as to whether the $1, $2, $5 bills mainstays at Cambodian markets were being banned with immediate effect. Social media posts showed that some vendors were hesitant or refusing to accept these bills. Prime Minister Hun Sen, the Association of Banks in Cambodia and the Cambodia Microfinance Association were quick to release statements ensuring consumers and citizens that small denominated bills were still legal and that people should continue to use them. The $1, $2 and $5 notes are still ordinarily used in Cambodia, he said in a post on Facebook last Friday. There is no prohibition like rumor being spread. Financial experts and economists agreed that the move benefit promote the use of Cambodian Riel and help NBC on the cost. Stephen Higgins, a managing partner at Mekong Strategic Partners, supported the move and said Cambodians could easily substitute the use of smaller U.S. dollar bills with existing riel denominations. Over time, people will find less of these notes in circulation, but they will still be around. Plus, people can easily use KHR5000 and KHR20000 notes anyway. It really shouldnt have much impact on people, he said in an email. He added that while the U.S. dollar had served the economy well, the transition to a riel-dominated financial system was needed to give the National Bank of Cambodia more control over managing the economy. Jayant Menon, a visiting senior fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, a think tank based in Singapore, said the challenge would be to phase out the U.S. dollar, with the aim of eventually having an all-riel economy, but at the same time trust and confidence in the Khmer riel needs to be increased. But to fully de-dollarise, the riel needs to be trusted as a reliable store of value. This will take more time, and will involve improving economic, financial and governance issues. It also has to happen naturally, and cannot be legislated. Ou Virak, president of public policy organization Future Forum, told VOA that the move would require some adjustment for small traders, who uses these bills, as well as tourists. They have to change money to riel first, and then they have to change from riel back to their own currency, he said. Prince said when he took over, there were claims of police brutality pending. Those matters are still pending resolve. He said he believes from the bottom of my heart and soul the vast majority of police officers in the city are dedicated public servants who care about the city and its residents. However, some officers may make bad decisions and some may still do so with ill intent in their hearts. 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. Celebrities have used their platforms in recent weeks to start a conversation on race in America, as the country has erupted in protests over the death of George Floyd. And Shay Mitchell spoke out about the matter once again as she posted a photo of her seven-month-old daughter Atlas and partner Matte Babel onto Instagram on Monday. 'I am hopeful that the next generation will abandon the prejudices of the past,' the Pretty Little Liars star wrote. 'And embrace and accept people based on who they are, versus the colour of their skin.' Speaking out: Shay Mitchell continued her string of posts discussing race as she posted a photo of her daughter Atlas, seven-months, and her partner Matte Babel, who is black, to Instagram on Monday Discussing her daughter, the Canadian actress wrote: 'Black or White. It doesnt matter. All she sees are people who love her.' 'Racism is a learned behavior,' the 33-year-old continued. 'It starts and stops at home.' Shay has been with Matte since 2017 and they welcomed Atlas last fall, after suffering a miscarriage in 2018. Her post comes as protests continue across the country, with many large cities, including Los Angeles, being put under curfew, with some beginning at 1 p.m. It stars at home: 'Racism is a learned behavior,' the 33-year-old continued. 'It starts and stops at home' Acceptance: Discussing her daughter she said who she welcomed with Matte last fall, the Canadian actress wrote: 'Black or White. It doesnt matter. All she sees are people who love her' Protests erupted last week after four ex-Minnesota police officers were video taped restraining Floyd until he became unconscious, and ultimately died on Memorial Day. Derek Chauvin, the officer who kneeled on Floyd's neck, was charged with third degree murder and manslaughter. Shay also shared a series of digital artwork over the weekend of Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, the man who was shot and killed by civilians during a run in rural Georgia, and Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot in her home while sleeping by police. Alongside the art and graphics she shared an essay by a friend Courtney. Work for justice: Shay also shared a series of digital artwork over the weekend of Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, the man who was shot and killed by civilians during a run in rural Georgia, and Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot in her home at night by police Speak out: Alongside the art and graphics she shared an essay by a friend Courtney. 'Everyone has a voice, you have a voice and it matters,' the essay said. 'If everyone used their voice in times like these, maybe just maybe it would help improve things. When you sit there quiet it helps nothing' 'Everyone has a voice, you have a voice and it matters,' the essay said. 'If everyone used their voice in times like these, maybe just maybe it would help improve things. When you sit there quiet it helps nothing.' The rest continued to encourage all people to get involved by signing petitions, donating to organizations who work for justice, and educate themselves and others. 'It kills me to hear that stuff like this is still happening in todays society,' the post read. 'People we are in 2020. This should not be happening at all, someones skin colour should NEVER define the.' 'Im not black, but I see you, Im not black, but I hear you, Im not black, but I mourn with you, Im not black, but I will fight for you,' the post ended as Shay wrote herself it was 'well said.' RIP: Protests erupted last week after four ex-Minnesota police officers were video taped restraining George Floyd until he became unconscious and ultimately died on Memorial Day Don't be silent: While a Martin Luther King Jr. quote was written over different skin tone hands 'Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter' The other graphics she shared sent messages of anti-racism and acceptance. 'If you are neutral in situations of injustice you have chosen the oppressor,' one wrote from a Desmond Tutu quote. While a Martin Luther King Jr. quote was written over different skin tone hands 'Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.' Shay has been vocal about the protests and incidents of racial injustice encouraging fans to donate to multiple causes that help fight for justice or help protestors. United States President Donald Trump has postponed a G7 meeting that was scheduled for late June. He now wants to extend the gathering of the world's most advanced economies to four other countries, including Russia, while pursuing his anti-China agenda. The G7 meeting was initially due to be held in March but delayed to late June because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the week-end, aboard Air Force One, Trump announced it has now been postponed to at least September or until after the US elections in November. He said he wants to expand the G7 to include Russia, India, Australia and South Korea as he considers the G7 to be "very outdated group of countries" in its current format. "I'm postponing it because I don't feel that as a G7 it properly represents what's going on in the world," Trump said. Most European countries offered no immediate comment on the proposal, with a spokesman for the German government saying Berlin was "waiting for further information". On 28 May, in a phone call to Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told him that she could not attend the face-to-face summit of G7 leaders the US President called for because of health risks. "As of today, considering the overall pandemic situation, she cannot agree to her personal participation, to a journey to Washington," German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said. Russia in, China out The G7 brings together United States, Japan, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada and Italy. Russia was expelled from what was then the G8 in 2014 after Moscow annexed the Crimea region from Ukraine. Russia still holds the territory, and the annexation has never been recognised by the international community. I cannot see how Russia can be reintegrated [within the G7] while excluding other world powers, Bertrand Badie, Sciences Po lecturer and CERI researcher told RFI. White House spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said Trump wants the countries to discuss China at the summit. His aides indicated he was seeking a larger group that could act as a counterweight to China, whose relationship with the United States is at its worst over disputes over coronavirus and Hong Kong. An extended G7 without China is a coalition against the absentee. Donald Trump is being true to himself in pursuing an agenda against multilateralism and concertation, Badie said. It is highly unlikely the other existing G7 members would want to follow Trump in an active anti-China policy. Europe has so far contrived to mediate between China and the USA, it will be difficult to expect them to follow the White House boss. As for Japan, even if China is its rival, it is highly unlikely that it will want to pursue any anti-China moves. The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Turkmenistan, Dmytro Kuleba and Rasit Meredow, agreed to establish direct contact between Ukrainian and Turkmen companies. The ministers discussed this issue during a phone conversation on June 1, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's press service reported. "The foreign ministers of Ukraine and Turkmenistan agreed to organize virtual negotiations between Ukrainian and Turkmen companies interested in cooperation," the report reads. Kuleba noted the importance of direct business contacts between the two countries, which will help increase trade and investment. According to him, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry creates opportunities for Ukrainian companies abroad, in particular in Turkmenistan. In turn, Meredow expressed great interest in reviving trade and investment, especially involving Ukrainian companies in infrastructure projects in Turkmenistan. The parties also agreed to develop cooperation between the two countries in political, trade, investment, cultural and humanitarian sectors. In this context, they agreed to strengthen the dialogue between the Foreign Ministries of Ukraine and Turkmenistan and sign a program of cooperation between the two ministries in the near future. ish By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following reports of a shocking lapse allegedly on the part of authorities at the Government Medical College Hospital here, in which a person who had arrived from abroad was allowed to go home after his swab samples were collected, Health Minister K K Shailaja sought a report from MCH superintendent M S Sharmad. The 42-year-old from Karavaram in Alamkode was confirmed Covid positive on Sunday. He had arrived from Kuwait on May 30. As per the protocol, the person must undergo institutional quarantine, other than home quarantine, if he doesnt belong to the exceptional categories. According to the district medical officer, the patient was sent directly to the MCH from the airport. But it was later reported that he had got discharged from the hospital after providing swab samples. Also, there were reports that instead of waiting for the results to arrive, the person was allowed to go home and that too in a private vehicle. According to the minister, if indeed any lapse had occurred, action will be taken against those responsible. At the same time, another positive case reported from the district that of a 33-year-old painting worker from Aanadu has become a major headache for the department as it will have to trace the contacts and the source of infection. The person, who first sought treatment at Nedumangad district hospital, is said to have hosted a liquor party on May 28. He had visited Tamil Nadu on May 27. Additionally, four positive cases were reported from the district on Sunday. The other cases include that of a 54-year-old woman from Kattakada, who had flown in from Kuwait via the Kochi airport on May 27 and of another woman from Kattakada, 40. She had arrived from Kuwait on May 28. If indeed any lapse had occurred, action will be taken against those responsible. As per protocol, person must undergo institutional quarantine, if he is not under exceptional category live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Hinduja flagship firm Ashok Leyland on Monday reported 89 per cent decline in total commercial vehicle sales at 1,420 units in May. The company had sold 13,172 in the same month last year, Ashok Leyland said in a statement. Domestic sales stood at 1,277 units as against 12,778 units in the year-ago month, down 90 per cent, it added. Sales of medium and heavy trucks in the domestic market fell by 98 per cent at 151 units as compared to 7,325 in May last year, while sales of medium and heavy busses were nil in May this year as against 1,310 units a year ago. Light commercial vehicle sales in the domestic market last month stood at 1,126 units as compared to 4,143 units in May 2019, down 73 per cent, the company said. Taking action against illegal constructions, the building branch of Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC) demolished illegal structures of three commercial buildings, including a hotel, and sealed four commercial shops, on Monday. An RTI activist had complained to chief minister Captain Amarinder Singhs office against one of the buildings in the Jawahar Nagar camp area recently, following which the action was taken. Mohan Singh, assistant town planner (ATP), Zone D, said illegal portions of a hotel and a commercial shop were demolished, and four illegal shops were sealed, in Jawahar Nagar camp area. He added that an illegal commercial building at Malhar road was also razed. An official, pleading anonymity, said a meeting of the MC committee for fixing change of land use (CLU) charges has been scheduled for Tuesday. He said the action was taken by the building branch to avert action by the committee, who had warned the officials in a meeting held last week. In a virtual press conference Monday, San Francisco Police Chief William Scott addressed ongoing protests and events of post-curfew looting in San Francisco over the weekend, saying that while he and the SFPD understand and empathize with the protesters, "our officers are out to protect the city and do a job." While daytime protests were largely peaceful, he said, those that carried on past the 8 p.m. curfew in the city at times resulted in vandalism. "These are very challenging times," he said. "To see the loss of life of Mr. [George] Floyd has caused an enormous and now worldwide response in people expressing their frustration and anger. I'll speak for myself I share those emotions. And we know there's a lot of work to be done in policing in our country and reform and change is needed and its a very, very important topic. When those changes occur, it won't bring back the lives of people ... who have lost their lives at the hands of law enforcement. But it will provide hope for the future." During the initial protests on Saturday, the city's police officers "felt overwhelmed." But the addition of 208 additional officers brought in from other counties around California enabled the SFPD to better patrol the city Sunday night, Scott said. Still, he said there "were instances of violence from the beginning." According to police, two officers were assaulted one by a person wielding a skateboard and another by someone using a sort of stun gun and a crowd asked to disperse from Civic Center at the onset of curfew Sunday grew "hostile." On Sunday night, officers arrested 87 people for violating curfew and cited an additional 33. From those arrested, officers recovered a loaded firearm and a backpack of fireworks and explosives. Scott also noted they found other tools he believed were intended for looting, and said officers observed a person in a van passing out bricks to protesters to throw at police. Twenty-three individuals are still in custody, and the jail is at 50% capacity, noted Sheriff Paul M. Miyamoto. "We embrace peaceful protesting, the city of San Francisco, to express themselves," Scott said. "We will not embrace violence against anyone, against protesters, against police, against property ... This is almost unprecedented in this city but this is something we have to do to keep order in current times." Scott noted there had been "extensive damage" to stores around Union Square, but that much of it has already been cleaned up, with Public Works still working to board up store windows. The curfew in San Francisco will still be in effect Monday night from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. and the SFPD is "fully deployed" to ensure cooperation, Scott said. "We're going to go back at it tonight," Scott added. "We have squads ready to respond to any criminal activity, particularly in the midst of a public protest." Alyssa Pereira is an SFGate digital editor. Email: alyssa.pereira@sfgate.com | Twitter: @alyspereira Laboratory workers at Washington University School of Medicine process blood samples. Blood tests for antibodies against the COVID-19 virus are becoming more available, but no test is perfectly reliable, so results must be carefully interpreted, experts say. Credit: Matt Miller/School of Medicine As stay-at-home orders are lifted around the country and public life begins to return, health experts continue to emphasize the importance of testing for COVID-19 to prevent a secondand potentially worsewave of infections. There are two kinds of COVID-19 tests, and both are critical to controlling this pandemic. Molecular diagnostic tests, first developed in January, detect parts of the COVID-19-causing virus on swabs from people's noses or throats. Such tests can identify people with active infections, even when they have no symptoms. With widespread and rapid diagnostic testing, people with the virus can be identified quickly and isolated, and anyone who came into contact with them quarantined and tested. Such surveillance and isolation measures can prevent a few cases from mushrooming into an outbreak. Antibody, or serology, tests became available in April. They are performed on a blood sample and detect antibodies produced by the body in response to the virus. A positive test indicates that a person was infected at some time in the past. In a paper published recently in the journal Clinical Chemistry, Neil Anderson, MD, assistant professor of pathology and immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the assistant medical director of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and Christopher Farnsworth, instructor of pathology and immunology at the School of Medicine, emphasized the importance of ensuring that antibody tests are used appropriately. Here, they discuss further how such tests shouldand should notbe used. Why are antibody tests for COVID-19 important? Farnsworth: Antibody testing is really helpful in monitoring how widely a virus has spread within a community. Such testing could help determine how many people have recovered from the virus, even if they never had symptoms. For many viruses, once about 70% of the population is immuneeither because they have had a natural infection or, better yet, received a vaccinationinfected people are less likely to encounter a susceptible person and give them the virus, so transmission goes down and the epidemic ends. That's called herd immunity. Now, estimates suggest about 1% to 2% of people in the U.S. have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, so we are nowhere close to achieving herd immunity. If my antibody test is positive, does that mean I've had COVID-19 and won't get it again? Anderson: A positive test just means your body has produced antibodies in response to a past infection; it doesn't tell us whether those antibodies will protect you from getting re-infected. The only way we'd know for sure is if we followed patients who are antibody-positive for months or years to see whether they get re-infected. Those studies are underway by scientists at other institutions, but there is no answer yet. Can antibody tests decide who can safely go back to work? Farnsworth: Many people are anxious to get people back to work, but antibody tests may give some people a false sense of security. The problem is that even a highly accurate antibody test like the one we use in our laboratory has false positives and false negatives. When the true rate of infection in a community is very low, you will have more false positives than true positives, no matter how good the test is. In Missouri, we think that fewer than 1% of the population has been infected. In our research, we estimated that if we screened asymptomatic individuals, only one out of seven positive antibody tests in Missouri would be true positives, even with a highly accurate test. So, the other six people may think they're protected and let their guard down, and then they could get infected and spread the disease. Widespread antibody testing could do more harm than good if people do not understand the limitations of such testing. How should antibody tests be used? Anderson: There have not been formal guidelines at the national or local levels regarding how exactly these tests should be used. And, in the absence of such guidelines, many people are anxious to get antibody testing. The way I look at such tests is that they're a tool. People develop antibodies a week to two weeks into an infection, so antibody tests can support diagnostic tests in identifying current infections. They also can be used for screening or public health surveillance. But, for all these purposes, antibody tests should not be the sole source of information for decision-making. As we learn more about the tests and what they're capable of, I think we'll be able to make some evidence-based guidelines to indicate who should be tested and what we should do with the results. More information: Christopher W Farnsworth et al. SARS-CoV-2 Serology: Much Hype, Little Data, Clinical Chemistry (2020). Journal information: Clinical Chemistry Christopher W Farnsworth et al. SARS-CoV-2 Serology: Much Hype, Little Data,(2020). DOI: 10.1093/clinchem/hvaa107 Sahaya Novinston Lobo By Express News Service CHENNAI: With most migrant workers having left for their home states, many restaurants in the city are struggling to reopen for business even as the lockdown restrictions are being relaxed. The government order mentioning the relaxations said restaurants can allow customers to eat inside their premises from June 8 as long as they follow the norms including social distancing. However, as it turns out, most eateries were highly dependent on migrant workers and are now desperately seeking alternative options. "We had 13 workers from Assam and Meghalaya and five local employees. I tried to convince the migrant workers not to go home but didn't have the money to hold them. We tried to make food just for home deliveries and parcels but ended up making losses. Now that things are coming back to normalcy, we don't have enough manpower," says A Rajendran, who runs a restaurant in Kutchery road in Santhome. Many restaurants which were owned by people from neighbouring states like Kerala and Andhra Pradesh also remain closed as employees rushed back to their hometowns just before the lockdown. "We are trying to get e-passes to get back our main cook and some others to restart the business. There is a lot of work to be done but we lack manpower," says Nithin Praveen from Kerala who runs a Kerala special food restaurant in Adyar. Meanwhile, some restaurant owners are trying to employ local residents who are out of a job. But the locals demand higher wages, lament the owners. "It has been tough for all since the lockdown and our restaurant is in a bad shape with rotten vegetables and dusty rooms. We have to restart the business and lack the manpower we used to have. Our employees have gone back to their places and have promised to return once transport resumes. As an alternative option, we looked into hiring local residents until everything returns to normal. But they demand higher salaries and some even demand permanent employment," said G Kanagavel Raja from Egmore. He said that local workers demand Rs 700 to Rs 1000 per day and with the outlook for business remaining uncertain, it was a risk. But some other restaurants in the city managed to keep their workers here by taking care of their needs during the lockdown. "I convinced them that going to their hometowns is not going to change things and took care of their payments during the lockdown. We were delivering food with parcels and online applications and now that people can sit inside, we are prepared for it," says T Srinivasan Rao who runs a restaurant in Royapettah. Meanwhile, after almost 60 days of intensive hair growth, men and women started flooding saloons and spas in the city for a makeover. Hairdressers in the city used hand sanitizers, wore masks and gloves and sprayed disinfectants before customers entered the shop. Those entering the saloon also had to sanitize their hands. Many people had to return home disappointed after finding that the saloons were packed and were asked to come back the next day. The new lockdown allows autorickshaws and private taxis to ply across the city with conditions. Since Sunday, after the announcement, many drivers took their vehicles to mechanic shops to ensure they were roadworthy. Weather today: Southwest Monsoon hits Kerala, rain likely in northwest India from June 3 India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, June 01: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said that southwest monsoon has set in over Kerala. During the next 24 hours, conditions are becoming favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of south Arabian Sea, Maldives-Comorin area, southwest and southeast Bay of Bengal, it said. IMD said that the current spell of rain/thunderstorm over northwest India is likley to reduce from tonight while isolated rainfall activities will continue to occur during the next two days. Northwest India is likely to receive a fresh spell of scattered to widespread rain from June 3, except Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir. Cyclonic storm in Arabian Sea; IMD issues red alert to coastal Maharashtra, Gujarat for June 4 Cabinet meet: 'Big decisions' expected as govt completes 1st year of 2nd term| Oneindia News In its daily weather bulletin, the agency said that the low pressure area over Southeast and adjoining East-central Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area now lies as Well Marked Low Pressure area and is likely to concentrate into a Depression over Eastcentral and adjoining Southeast Arabian Sea during the next 12 hours. It is likely to further intensify into a Cyclonic storm over Eastcentral Arabian Sea during the subsequent 24 hours and move northwards till June 2 and recurve north-northeastwards, reaching north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts around June 3. A migo, the finance company which lends to people with poor credit histories, faced a fresh blow today when the City watchdog launched a probe into how it assesses whether its customers can afford to repay their loans. The Financial Conduct Authority is investigating whether the subprime lender has been complying with regulations since November 2018. Amigo sells guarantor loans to people with poor credit history whose friends or family will step in if they default. Founder James Benamor has already accused the business of having reckless lending practices. He has said he will not back a 100 million sale of the firm to a so-far unnamed potential buyer. Benamor wants to remove the board, whom he has accused of slow motion suicide by irresponsible lending. Amigo put itself up for sale in January. The shares have crashed from around 290p a year ago. Today they fell 1% to 18.6p. The company, once valued at more than 1 billion, is now worth just 88 million. The lenders chairman, Stephan Wilcke, said: The board has offered to leave, and will do so, but it must be through an orderly process. We cannot risk the Amigo groups ability either to conduct its FCA regulated activities or to continue as a London-listed company operating in accordance with the UK corporate governance code. John Cronin, a financial analyst at stockbroker Goodbody, said: Benamor has been extremely vocal about the lending standards applied at Amigo since his initial departure His concerns expressed, and actions taken have likely caught the attention of the regulator, and it remains to be seen whether the lending standards used in the period in question will stand up to scrutiny from the FCA. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 19:07:57|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran's confirmed novel coronavirus cases rose to 154,445 on Monday after an overnight registration of 2,979 new infections, according to official IRNA news agency. During his daily briefing, Kianush Jahanpur, head of Public Relations and Information Center of the health ministry, said, "Out of the new cases in the past 24 hours, 652 were hospitalized." The pandemic has so far claimed the lives of 7,878 Iranians, up by 81 in the past 24 hours. So far, 121,004 have recovered and been discharged from hospitals and 2,578 remain in critical condition. According to Jahanpur, 955,865 lab tests for COVID-19 have been carried out in Iran as of Monday. Iran's health officials have urged the public to wear facemasks in crowded places, particularly while using public transports. All employees have returned to work since Saturday and high-risk places such as gyms and beauty salons have opened for business. Mosques, malls and holy sites have opened while observing social distancing rules. Wedding ceremonies remain banned. Iran announced its first cases of COVID-19 on Feb. 19. Iran and China have offered mutual help in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. In mid-February, at the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak in China, Iran lit up the Tehran Azadi (Liberty) Tower to show its solidarity with China, and donated three million masks to China. Besides delivering medical supplies to Iran, China on Feb. 29 sent a five-member Chinese medical team to Iran for a month-long mission to help fight the pandemic. Enditem The Council on Aging of Central Oregon, in partnership with the Latino Association, has come up with a project to help Latinos aged 60 years and older pay their bills and put food on their table. Funding for the program is coming from the federal Older Americans Act. An amount of $15,000 was contributed by the Council to the COVID-19 emergency fund of LCA from which its staff can allot to elderly individuals who are in need of help so they can pay their utilities, not including rent, as well as their medical bills. This collaboration by the LCA and the Council will be piloted by providing the "older Latinos in Madras," with staples and fresh produce in weekly food boxes. Madras is a place where there are only limited pantries and food banks. How the Project Works The plan is to offer a pickup and possible delivery every week, to home-bound seniors in Prineville and Madras. Also helping to make the project possible is the Jefferson County Health Department that provides not just space, but the personnel too, to assist with the initiative. Meanwhile, LCA will help in publicizing the "Grab-N-Go" project, featuring hot meals cooked and prepared for Latino seniors and older, in Bend, Madras, Sisters, and LaPine in Spanish. These meals are offered while the centers for seniors remain closed. Aside from the free hot meals, also part of this joint initiative is the help for the elderly Latinos to pay for their medicine and utilities. In relation to the support provided, the partnering organizations encourage the elders or their family members to visit the LCA office or call 541 382-4366. According to Council on Aging Executive Director, Susan Rotella, "The Latinx population has been severely affected by COVID-19," and they find the LCA as an ideal partner to help them reach out to more community members who are vulnerable. What the Council and the LCA Do The Council on Aging has been functioning as the selected "Area Agency on Aging for Aging for Deschutes, Jefferson counties and Crook" since 1975. As such, it has offered adult individuals, 60 years old and above, and their loved ones an array of support services. The Council, a nonprofit organization, guides, empowers and advocates for elderly individuals and their loved ones to live independently and with well-being in age-friendly environments where policies, practices, and infrastructure are developed to make the community worthy to live in. It also aims to make the environment responsive and accessible to every need of individuals regardless of age, though, particularly of older adults. Meanwhile, the LCA has been empowering both the Latino children and families since 2000. For two decades now, it has also built bridges across cultures in order to "create a more resilient Central Oregon. In collaborating with caring businesses, public agencies, individuals, and community organizations, LCA stays dedicated to guaranteeing Latinos' full participation in their communities. The organization's programs include "Healthy Families, Workforce Education and Training, Youth Rising and Cultural Enrichment, and Family Empowerment." Notably, LCA's services, for quite some time now, have impacted more than 8,000 people each year. Check these out! 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In a statement issued Sunday evening, Lavora Barnes said Trump and his supporters are racist. If you support Donald Trump, you are a racist. Here is where it gets tricky and uncomfortable. Donald Trump is a racist, and if being a racist is not a dealbreaker for you, you are the reason Black people are being murdered for being Black, Barnes wrote in a statement. It came during a weekend of protest in Michigan and across the nation against police brutality. The protests were sparked by the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man in Minneapolis who, in video shared widely on social media, is shown with a white police officer kneeling on his neck for several minutes. Barnes also wrote that its time to put friendships at risk if it means speaking up and knows people are angry. Barnes said she doesnt want to hear the pleas for understanding. Here is what I want to see: I want the economic oppression of Black communities to stop, including holding the oppressors accountable. I want meaningful criminal justice reform. And I want law enforcement to actually do their jobs and prosecute hate crimes, and when law enforcement participates in racist conduct I want them held accountable not by the prosecutors and colleagues they work with every day, but by an independent body, that they hold no sway over, Barnes wrote. Laura Cox, the Chair of the Michigan Republican Party issued a statement of her own Monday, condemning the statement by Barnes, saying that calling two million Michiganders racist is unacceptable. Lets be perfectly clear, there is nothing good about racism. It is a form of pure evil and calling someone a racist is akin to calling that person evil. Lavora Barnes remarks claim that millions of Michiganders are evil, Cox wrote. "It implies that they cannot be reasoned with, and that our differences cannot be resolved peacefully through discourse and not violence. I refuse to accept this inflammatory statement from my counterpart. As leaders in our state at this trying time, I believe it is imperative that we forge a path forward to better circumstances for every American. Fanning the flames that are burning our cities down does not accomplish that." Cox went on to argue that Trump has done more to help African-Americans during his presidency than Democratic leaders have in the past through reform. And while Democrats have spent trillions trying to bring African Americans out of poverty, under President Trump, the African American unemployment rate hit an all-time low, and the black poverty rate was at its lowest level in our nations history, Cox wrote. In response to Coxs letter, Barnes issued another statement accusing Cox and the GOP of attempting to shame her for speaking truth to power. I should be surprised that Laura Cox and the Michigan Republican Party would take this moment in history to attempt to shame me for speaking truth to power. But I am not surprised. This is right on message for the Michigan GOP. Deflect, blame, and lie, Barnes said. The complete hypocrisy of Republicans saying they wont accept inflammatory statements, while the leader of their party tweeted ...when the looting starts, the shooting starts is outrageous. As Americans, we dont have time for these political games. Black women and men are being killed. Related stories: Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing under curfew as police brutality protests continue Organizers call for seat at the table with police during second night of protests in Flint Things feel so dark, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says on riots, coronavirus and Midland flooding Lady Seeks Help For Her Brother Who Is Being Abused By His Pregnant Wife A Nigerian lady took to Twitter to seek for help for her elder brother who is reportedly being abused by his pregnant wife in Abuja. @iffy_ifey_ described the victim as someone so dear to her and further disclosed that his wife locks him up in the house, takes possession of his phones and sometimes uses a belt on him. She Tweeted; By Akbar Mammadov Azerbaijani Air Forces frontal and army aviation have held combat shooting tactical-flight exercises, the Defence Ministrys press service reported on June 1. The ministry noted that during the drills the pilots, using the terrain, bombed combat positions of the hypothetic adversary by avoiding air defences and manoeuvring at different heights. In addition, during the exercises, the hypothetic adversarys command and observation posts, artillery firing positions, observation posts, as well as single and group targets imitating armoured vehicles have been destroyed. During the training, the pilots have also conducted air reconnaissance by determining the coordinates of the imaginary enemys ground targets. The exercises were held in accordance with the combat training plan for 2020 approved by the Defence Minister and aim to improve the combat skills of military pilots. In the framework of military training, the airmen of the combat aircraft of Air Forces have made practical shots. The Air Forces are a special division of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Although formally established back in 1919, they started to form as a national military unit in 1992. In 1997, the Azerbaijan High Military Pilot School graduated its first class of military pilots. Today the Air Forces and Air Defense Troops complete with the state-of-the-art aeroplanes and helicopters is fully capable of defending Azerbaijan's skies against any kind of assault. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz MOSCOW -- Acclaimed Russian film and theater director Kirill Serebrennikov and his co-defendants might have embezzled 129 million rubles ($1.86 million), a Moscow court heard on June 1 as their high-profile trial resumed. The 50-year-old Serebrennikov and three co-defendants are accused of embezzling state funds that were granted from 2011 to 2014 to Seventh Studio, a nonprofit organization established by Serebrennikov, for a project called Platforma. Serebrennikov, who has denied wrongdoing, had taken part in anti-government protests and voiced concern about the growing influence of the Russian Orthodox Church. His arrest in August 2017 drew international attention and prompted accusations that Russian authorities were targeting cultural figures who are at odds with President Vladimir Putin's government. The new expert assessment presented to the court on June 1 was the third such evaluation in the case. The initial study in 2017-2018 said the group might have stolen 133 million rubles ($1.92 million). But the figure was questioned by Moscow's Meshchansky District Court trying the case and Judge Irina Akkuratova ordered a second assessment, which concluded that Platforma needed much more financial support than the amount allocated by the Culture Ministry. The defense said at the time that the second assessment actually proved that Serebrennikov and his associates were innocent. Akkuratova sent the case back to prosecutors in September, but Akkuratova's decision was overturned by the Moscow City Court, which returned the case back to the Meshchansky District Court. The new presiding judge in the case ordered the third assessment. Serebrennikov and two co-defendants -- producer Yury Itin and former Culture Ministry employee Sofia Apfelbaum -- were released from house arrest in April last year, but ordered to remain in Moscow. The other defendant, Aleksei Malobrodsky, was also barred from leaving Moscow. Members of the 104th Air National Guard unit in Westfield were called into Boston Sunday to help quell riots that erupted in the states capital. A Barnes ANG Base official confirmed to The Republican that its members were deployed to Boston on Sunday. Protests have taken place across the United States over the killing of a black man, George Floyd, in Minnesota last week during his arrest by white police officers. An officer, Derek Chauvin, has since been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Multiple protests were held throughout Boston on Sunday. But the largely peaceful protests turned violent at Winter and Washington streets by 9:30 p.m. and officers had frozen water bottles, bricks and rocks thrown at them, according to Boston police. There was an additional report of violence against officers on Tremont Street, and calls shortly after 10:30 p.m. for crowds to disperse at Boston Common and Downtown Crossing. There were widespread reports of looting. Those now protesting in the streets of Boston have surrendered the moral high ground as efforts to hurt and harm police officers continue to intensify in our city. Men and women of BPD doing their best to restore order and keep the peace, the BPD tweeted. They added, Every law abiding citizen in Boston should be praying for the safety and well-being of our officers. To be clear, our officers are fighting to protect our city from those who came to Boston looking to disrupt a peaceful protest and hurt and harm police officers. Several police vehicles were reportedly damaged and at least one set on fire, according to an Associated Press photographer and a Boston TV station. The arrival of National Guard vehicles in Boston was captured on video and shared on Twitter after 11 p.m. On social media, there were calls for crowds to disperse with the arrival of the National Guard. One user tweeted, The National Guard and SWAT teams are being deployed in Boston, BE SAFE AND WATCH OUT. By early Monday morning, approximately 40 arrests had been made and seven officers taken to area hospitals for injuries, Boston police told WCVB-TV. In a statement, Mayor Marty Walsh said, I want to thank the officers of the Boston Police Department and all of the public safety agencies for their professionalism tonight. They are working hard, as they always do, to keep our city safe and treat our residents with respect. I am angered, however, by the people who came into our city and chose to engage in acts of destruction and violence, undermining their message. If we are to achieve change and if we are to lead the change, our efforts must be rooted in peace and regard for our community. Gov. Charlie Baker called the actions by looters and rioters criminal and cowardly. I am deeply thankful for their voices and their positive, forceful message," Baker said in a statement. "I also want to express my gratitude to all the police officers and other first responders working to protect the people of Boston from the individuals whose violent actions, looting and property destruction was criminal and cowardly and distracted from the powerful statement made today by thousands of Massachusetts residents. Chopper footage captures shocking image of an apparent Boston Police cruiser burning in the midst of a protest on Boston Common that has turned violent. #boston #boston25 #bostonprotests pic.twitter.com/4PCboNIlSU Boston 25 News (@boston25) June 1, 2020 NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley arrived at the International Space Station on Sunday aboard the first commercially built and operated American spacecraft to carry humans to orbit, opening a new era in human spaceflight. The Crew Dragon arrived at the station's Harmony port, docking at 10:16 a.m. EDT while the spacecraft were flying about 262 miles above the northern border of China and Mongolia. Following soft capture, 12 hooks were closed to complete a hard capture at 10:27 a.m. Behnken and Hurley, the first astronauts to fly to SpaceX's Crew Dragon to the station, were welcomed as crew members of Expedition 63 by fellow NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and two Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner. The docking followed the first successful launch of Crew Dragon with astronauts on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 3:22 p.m. EDT Saturday from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space in Florida, the same launch pad used for the Apollo 11 Moon landing mission. After reaching orbit, Behnken and Hurley named their Crew Dragon spacecraft "Endeavour" as a tribute to the first space shuttle each astronaut had flown aboard. Endeavour also flew the penultimate mission of the Space Shuttle Program, launching in May 2011 from the same pad. This flight, known as NASA's SpaceX Demo-2, is an end-to-end test to validate the SpaceX crew transportation system, including launch, in-orbit, docking and landing operations. This is SpaceX's second spaceflight test of its Crew Dragon and its first test with astronauts aboard, and will pave the way for its certification for regular crew flights to the station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Jif Squeeze Creamy peanut butter will be available online and at retailers nationwide starting in July. To be notified the moment this squeezable, peanut-buttery goodness is available, visit Jif.com and sign up for an email notification. "Jif lovers enjoy their Jif in a variety of waysin smoothies and snacks, as a key ingredient in cooking and baking, or even eating it 'straight up' with a spoon," said Rebecca Scheidler, Vice President, Marketing for the Jif Brand. "With our new squeezable pouch, we're making it even easier and quicker for Jif lovers everywhere to get their Jif fix. No more 'peanut butter knuckles' when you're trying to get the last ounce of goodness from the bottom of the peanut butter jar No knife. No spoon. No problem!" Jif Squeeze Creamy Peanut Butter comes in a 13oz. pouch (multiple servings in the pouch). About The J. M. Smucker Company Inspired by more than 120 years of business success and five generations of family leadership, The J. M. Smucker Company makes food that people and pets love. The Company's portfolio of 40+ brands, which are found in 90 percent of U.S. homes and countless restaurants, include iconic products consumers have always loved such as Folgers, Jif and Milk-Bone plus new favorites like Cafe Bustelo, Smucker's Uncrustables and Rachael Ray Nutrish. Over the past two decades, the Company has grown rapidly by thoughtfully acquiring leading and emerging brands, while ensuring the business has a positive impact on its 7,000+ employees, the communities it is a part of and the planet. For more information about The J. M. Smucker Company, visit jmsmucker.com. SOURCE The J. M. Smucker Company Related Links http://www.jmsmucker.com Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the media at the State Department in Washington, DC, on May 20, 2020. (Nicholas Kamm/Pool via Reuters) Pompeo Says US Considering Welcoming Hong Kong People, Entrepreneurs WASHINGTONThe United States is considering the option of welcoming people from Hong Kong in response to Chinas push to impose national security legislation in the former British colony, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in remarks released on June 1. Speaking to the American Enterprise Institute on Friday, Pompeo gave no details about immigration quotas or visas, and merely said: We are taking a look at it. 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 immediately ending privileges that have helped the territory remain a global financial center. Last week, Britain has said it was prepared to offer extended visa rights and a pathway to citizenship for almost 3 million Hong Kong residents. Asked if Washington was considering following suit to welcome Hong Kong people to come here and bring their entrepreneurial creativity, Pompeo replied: We are considering it. I dont know precisely how it will play out. The British have, as you know, a different relationship. A lot of these folks have British national passports. Theres a long history between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom; its very different. But were taking a look at it. Last year, Trump signed legislation stating that Hong Kong residents may not be denied visas because they have been subjected to politically motivated arrest, detention, or other adverse government action. On Friday, Trump also issued a proclamation suspending entry of Chinese nations identified as potential security risks, something sources said could affect thousands of Chinese graduate students. In a statement on Monday, Pompeo said the move would apply only to graduate students and researchers targeted, co-opted and exploited by the Chinese regime, representing only a small subset of such applicants. By Humeyra Pamuk and David Brunnstrom I am a Waspi woman born in November 1954. My husband and I receive pension credit, and he receives attendance allowance for a neurological condition, hence I receive a carer's allowance. I stopped my full time work at age 60 to better care for him. When I receive my government pension in November, do you think it will be deducted from our pension credit? Unfortunately the Department for Work and Pensions do not give me a clear answer. Retirement finances: What will happen to our pension credit payments when I start drawing a state pension? In other words, may I look forward to an increase in our monthly income, or do I presume my pension will be offset with pension credit and our income remain the same? I think I sense that it will remain the same and pension credit is just to top up income to what the Government feel a couple ought to live on monthly? SCROLL DOWN TO FIND OUT HOW TO ASK STEVE YOUR PENSION QUESTION Steve Webb replies: Thank you for your question. Starting to draw a state pension will indeed affect your pension credit. Whether you are any better off overall will depend on how much you are currently receiving and how it has been worked out. But it might be helpful for you and other readers if I explain how pension credit works, as there are large numbers of people not even claiming and missing out on large sums of money. Steve Webb: Find out how to ask the former Pensions Minister a question about your retirement savings in the box below The idea of pension credit is to bring your household income up to a minimum level. For a single person in 2020/21 the target level is 173.75 and for a couple it is 265.20. Higher rates can apply to those who have disabilities or are carers, though the rules are complex. Pension credit is designed as a 'top up' to the other sources of income that you have. If your total income from earnings and pensions is short of the target level then you will generally be entitled to a top up payment to bring your total income to that level. A consequence of this is that each pound of state pension you receive is likely to mean one pound less of pension credit. Some sources of income are ignored when your pension credit is worked out and this includes attendance allowance. The first 5 per week of any earnings is also ignored. The target level of income I have referred to is delivered through something called the 'guarantee credit'. In addition, for those who reached pension age before 6th April 2016 there may be an additional payment known as the 'savings credit'. The way in which this is worked out is complex, but it is designed to make sure that those who have done some saving during their working life (for example, into a company or private pension) do not get a pound-for-pound deduction from their pension credit. Pension credit assessment also takes account of your capital this is things like shares, Isas and money in the bank. Capital under 10,000 is ignored but every extra 500 of capital above this level is deemed to generate 1 per week of income regardless of how you are actually investing it. There is no upper capital limit. What is a 'Waspi' woman? Many women born in the 1950s face financial hardship while they wait longer than they expected to draw the state pension. The Women Against State Pension Inequality - or Waspi - campaign argues women in their 60s now were not given adequate warning their state pension age would rise, or that the change would subsequently be sped up as well. A different women's campaign group, BackTo60 lost a landmark case against the Government at the High Court last year, but has launched an appeal. One of the big advantages of claiming pension credit (and in particular, receiving the guarantee credit) is that it can act as a 'passport' to various other forms of help. This can include getting your rent paid, getting a free TV licence when you are 75 (once the BBC goes ahead with its planned changes) and help with fuel bills through the Warm Home Discount scheme. It is difficult to give you a precise answer as to what will happen to you because as well as starting to receive the state pension I assume your entitlement to carer's allowance will cease (because of the so-called 'overlapping benefits' rules). I also do not know if you are getting any savings credit which would change the calculation. Probably the best thing to do is think what your income from different sources is likely to be in November and put that into an online calculator such as www.entitledto.co.uk and this should help you to see what pension credit you will be left with. Two officials and a driver of Delhi's Pakistan High Commission caught on charges of spying by Indian authorities on Sunday (May 31) were actually linked to Pakistan Army, sources said. The three were caught red-handed from New Delhi's Karol Bagh in a joint operation of Military Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau and Special Cell of Delhi Police. Sources told Zee Media that the two officers identified as Abid Hussain and Tahir Hussain started working in the visa section of the high commission as per a secret plan of Pakistan's ISI. The third person started working as a driver as directed by the ISI. Abid and Tahir used to identify themselves as clerk of Indian Army and used to claim that they were posted in Indian Army's Central Board Post Office in Delhi to collect confidential information. The three spies were paid a huge amount of money by ISI every month for their nefarious anti-India activities. They were tasked by the ISI to collect confidential information related to the deployment of Indian forces along the border and about the arms and ammunition of Indian Army. It is learnt that the two officers of Pakistan High Commission had succeeded in forging ties with some junior jawans of India Army and were looking for opportunities to trap them in order to get confidential information from them. The two Pakistani High Commission officers had assumed fake Indian identities too as the Indian authorities recovered a fake Aadhaar card by the name of Nasir Gotam, resident of Geeta colony from them. Also, two Apple iPhone and Rs 15,000 in cash was recovered from them by the authorities. The two officials, Abid, aged 42 and Tahir Khan, aged 44 had come in a Pakistani diplomatic car. Details reveal that the Pakistan high commission was in the process of selling the car. The Ministry of External Affairs said in a press statement that India lodged has strong protest in the matter and Pakistan's Charge de Affaires was issued a demarche. Meanwhile, Pakistan rejected the allegations leveled against its staff members as baseless and condemned the act of declaring them as Persona Non Grata and called it a 'a negative pre-planned and orchestrated media campaign'. Paramjit Kaur, a 78-year-old resident of Jharkhands Dhanbad district, has recovered from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), which has affected lakhs of people and claimed thousands of lives across the country. Kaur is among the more than 250 people who have been cured of the highly-infectious disease in the eastern state. However, as a cancer patient, Kaur from Jharia stands out in that list. Kaur and her 39-year-old son, Manjit Singh, were discharged from the dedicated Covid-19 hospital in Dhanbad on Sunday evening following 23 days of treatment after they tested positive for Sars-Cov-2. Trauma of being infected from Covid-19 was more horrifying than cancer as everyone including doctors said there is no treatment for this disease, Kaur said. She added, even after being released from the hospital, it yet to sink in that she has recovered from the coronavirus infection. Kaur and her son were declared positive after they returned to the coal city on May 8 from Mumbai after she received treatment for cancer for eight months. Report of corona infection was shocking as the doctors in Mumbai asked me to return to Dhanbad immediately as the situation of Covid-19 there (in Mumbai) was taking an alarming shape, especially because it has no treatment, said Kaur. Kaur was lived in a gurdwara during her treatment in Mumbai and they were screened when they left for Dhanbad by an ambulance. We dont know where and how did we pick this infection, Singh, her son, said. His son said Kaur is suffering from bone metastatic cancer. Besides, she also has other medical condition such as TB, hypertension and epileptic complications. Kaur gave all the credit to Dr Alok Viswakarma, the nodal officer of the Covid-19 hospital, and his team for helping her overcome from the trauma. Doctors attending to her in the Covid-19 hospital said because of cancer, her body was deteriorating day by day. But doses of vitamin, food intake and protein helped in recovery. It was a rare case and we had to take telemedicine services from expert doctors at Apollo Hospital in Hyderabad when her condition was not improving. However, our team under Dr UK Ojha of Patliputra Medical College Hospital (PMCH) succeeded in curing her, Dr Vishwakarma said. Kaur and her son are now at their Digwadih home under Jharia police station after being discharged from the hospital. Official figures show, 610 people have tested positive in Jharkhand and five have died. Till Sunday evening, 256 Covid-19 people had recovered and discharged from hospitals and 349 people were undergoing treatment across the state. A U.S. citizen and former high-profile Egyptian political prisoner filed a federal lawsuit Monday asserting that he was shot, beaten and tortured over 643 days of imprisonment by Cairo's military regime to crush dissent and reporting by journalists. Mohamed Soltan, 32, an Egyptian-American raised mostly in the American Midwest, filed suit in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia alleging he was "targeted" for assassination and "barbaric" abuse over more than 21 months in prison because he "dared to expose to the world the Egyptian military government's" suppression of Islamist and liberal dissidents that led to massacres in Cairo in August 2013. A 46-page complaint names as a defendant former interim prime minister Hazem el-Beblawi, asserting that he directed and monitored the treatment of Soltan, an Ohio State University economics graduate who lived in Cairo for five months and worked with protesters after the military-led ouster of Egypt's former president Mohamed Morsi. Soltan's suit seeks "justice and accountability" under a 1991 U.S. law that permits torture survivors to seek damages from their tormentors under certian circumstances. The lawsuit also names as "unsued-defendants" Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, former Sissi chief of staff and now Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, and three former top interior and security ministry leaders, saying they could be served if they travel to the United States. Foreign governments and leaders are typically immune from civil suits in U.S. courts. However, the Torture Victim Protection Act allows suits against those allegedly liable for torture or inhumane treatment anywhere in the world if they are in the United States and no longer heads of state. In a twist, Beblawi, an 83-year-old politician and Sorbonne-trained economist, serves on the executive board of the International Monetary Fund in downtown Washington, three blocks from the White House, and lives in McLean, Virginia, just miles from Soltan, putting him under federal court jurisdiction. Soltan lives in neighboring Fairfax, studies at Georgetown University and works as a human rights advocate for his foundation in Washington. "It's unusual to think that in this day and age in the United States, you could have a scene out of another country and another time, where a torturer and a victim could pass by each other in the street," Soltan attorney Eric L. Lewis said. "That means Mr. el-Beblawi is amenable to U.S. justice, and that's what this case is about." Beblawi did not immediately respond Monday to a request through the IMF, nor did the Egyptian embassy in Washington, D.C. Soltan was shot in the bloody crackdown by security forces authorized by Beblawi's cabinet after a military coup ousted Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood backers. The brutal sweep of opponents culminated in the mass shooting deaths of nearly one thousand people on Aug. 14, 2013, and the arrest of tens of thousands of political prisoners including activists, journalists and political opponents. Soltan was shot that day and arrested later with three journalists at his family's home by police looking for his father, a Muslim Brotherhood member and former Morsi deputy minister. Soltan was later held within earshot of his father's beatings, who remains in prison. The younger Soltan, who is not a member of the brotherhood, was deported on May 30, 2015, after relinquishing his Egyptian citizenship and following Obama administration criticism of his prosecution and appeals for his humanitarian release. "You don't get to fully put back the pieces of your life after a horrendous experience like that," he said in an interview. But Soltan said his father, who knows nothing about the lawsuit, has often sent letters and messages from prison conveying "how extremely proud he is" of their work. "The fights for human rights, democracy and rule of law are noble fights," Soltan said. Soltan was burned, beaten and repeatedly denied treatment for a bullet wound to his arm. His ribs were broken, metal nails that held his bones together began to tear out of his elbow and skin, and screws shifted near his ulnar nerve causing "excruciating pain," the lawsuit asserted. "What kind of medical attention would you need once you had a bullet in your head?" an Egyptian security officer asked Soltan, who eventually shed 160 of his original 270 pounds of weight on a 15-month hunger strike in Cairo's Tora prison complex for political prisoners, the lawsuit said. While there, Soltan suffered a pulmonary embolism and at least 12 hypoglycemic comas, the suit asserted. At one point, it said, two cellmates, both doctors, used pliers and a razor to operate on him without anesthetics or sterilization to prevent further injury, while others held him down. Guards later allegedly gave him razor blades with instructions to slit his wrists vertically, and on another occasion exposed electrical wires in his cell and told him to "make sure you grab [the wires] with two hands," the suit alleged. Legal watchers say the Torture Victim Protection Act, the law cited by Soltan, could become an intriguing deterrent for authoritarian leaders who enjoy impunity at home for abuses committed abroad, and who U.S. foreign policy is reluctant to counter for whatever reasons. Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck has said "the specter of being served with a TVPA claim while on U.S. soil may well be reason enough for [former leaders] to end such trips," at least until the law's 10-year statute of limitations expires. Vladeck referred to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom the CIA concluded ordered the assassination of Washington Post contributing columnist and Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018. Khashoggi's death sparked global outcry but limited legal consequences for senior leaders of the strategically located oil kingdom. "Today, we send a message to the torturers and human rights abusers of Egypt's corrupt and brutal regime that they cannot commit crimes against humanity and then seek safe haven in the United States and walk the streets of America's cities with impunity," said Lewis, of Lewis Baach Kaufmann Middlemiss. Lewis added that the IMF's employment of "a torturer and human rights abuser" of thousands of free speech advocates is "a stain on the organization." The IMF had no immediate comment. Soltan asserts in his lawsuit that Beblawi authorized the Egyptian cabinet and the then-interior minister , to violently disperse the protests. Beblawi later confirmed to Egyptian media that "close to 1,000" deaths resulted, adding, "We expected much more," the lawsuit said. Soltan was interrogated by Egypt's chief of state security prosecutions and singled out for helping foreign media "embarrass Egypt before the world," for his U.S. citizenship and his father's status, the suit states. "They knew who he was," Lewis said. Soltan was convicted in a mass trial and sentenced to life in prison after being charged with broadcasting "false news," spreading "terror," damaging the state's prestige and disturbing national and public security. Since returning to the United States, Soltan has become an advocate for Egyptian prisoners - including five U.S. citizens - arguing that silence by Washington is taken by regimes as consent. He said it is in America's interest to counter the radicalization of a generation of Egyptian dissidents, who may differ on many fronts but agree on "hatred of the United States" for enabling Sissi. Amid a bleak landscape of injustice and authoritarianism in 2020, Soltan said of the lawsuit, "It's sort of a little light in a very, very dark time." Soltan is recently married and lives in Fairfax near three of his four siblings. He said he continues to get "calls in the middle in the night" about friends or an uncle arrested; his father punished; and prisoners in cases he is working on - including one who recently died from medical neglect. He also still bears burn marks on his neck, bullet scars, and limited strength and motion in his left arm. But worse he said is a "perpetual trauma" that includes nightmares of the inmate who guards put in his cell to die beside him, the screams of other prisoners being beaten, and the torture of his father within earshot. "Living with this is extremely painful," Soltan said. "Having firsthand knowledge of the level of brutality and inhumanity" prisoners face, of having freedom, will and dignity "stripped away from you," Soltan said, "I have to attempt to get some justice." Shuttered stores along Chestnut Street near 16th Street in Center City Philadelphia are among the nonessential businesses Pennsylvania ordered to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more As Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and other states emerge from social and economic lockdown, inconsistent or unclear messages most recently about how best to determine Philadelphias readiness to proceed create confusion for an already frustrated public. Trust and cooperation between the government and the governed are essential to fighting COVID-19; in a public health crisis, confusion about when or what is safe erodes that trust. By late last week, it became clear Gov. Tom Wolf and Philly Mayor Jim Kenney have different takes on whether the city should move from the states red, or lockdown status, to yellow, or partially reopened, on June 5. Thats in part because Wolfs statewide red/yellow/green system may have worked well initially, but he has since backed away and loosened the criteria for opening, urging all counties to move to the yellow phase. Kenney and Health Commissioner Thomas Farley, meanwhile, see firsthand the pandemics virulence in the city where more than 1,200 people have died and want to slow things down. Naturally, the pressure from businesses to reopen especially the tens of thousands of small- and medium-sized firms that remain closed in the region is enormous. As the lockdown remains in force, an analysis by Drexel Universitys Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation projects the pandemic will reduce annual city wage tax revenue alone by $19.6 billion. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported in May that the regions economy continues to contract at a moderate or steep pace across virtually all sectors, with tourism at a near zero-level. And New Jersey retailers report sales declines as high as 89%. The good news: The restrictions have generally worked to flatten the curve of new cases, hospitalizations, and fatalities. But as much as businesses would like the certitude of firm reopening dates so they know when to bring back employees and order stock, its unrealistic to expect absolute certainty. All the more important, then, for leaders to be consistent and clear. The pandemic had just begun to unfold when Wolf and his administration suffered serious, self-inflicted wounds. An opaque waiver system that enabled certain businesses to stay open while similar firms were ordered to shut down and the governors insistence on secrecy about the process consumed time, energy, and political capital better spent on fighting the pandemic. Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has been able to weather protests by some Shore communities, churches, and a Camden County gym seeking to supersede his reopening guidelines. The super-regional convocation of six coronavirus-fighting Northeast/Mid-Atlantic governors that made headlines in April and the regularly televised pandemic briefings have promised more than they have delivered. Still, efforts at unity and transparency that fall short are surely preferable to the divisive messages emanating from the White House, where fighting the pandemic often takes a backseat to promoting conspiracy theories and quack remedies. Wolf, Murphy, Kenney, and other elected and appointed leaders deserve credit for attempting to balance public health and a healthy economy. Businesses deserve transparency and clarity in how decisions about reopening get made. They also need to understand that certainty is something no one can promise. Anyone that finds his car vandalized will immediately feel shocked. Drivers that own comprehensive insurance will be relieved knowing that this coverage will reimburse the damage done by vandals, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. Compare-autoinsurance.org has launched a new blog post that explains how vandalism is covered by car insurance. For more info and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/vandalism-car-insurance-coverage/ Businesses across the country suffered destruction over the weekend as protesters unleashed their anger over the death of George Floyd on commercial enterprises from the offices of major multinational corporations to local, family-owned small shops. Numerous cars were also destroyed by rioters, for simply being parked at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Car owners are advised to remove their cars from areas where riots may start, typical popular places and governmental buildings. Many may wonder who pays for the damage caused by rioting and civil unrest. Can auto or homeowners insurance cover the damage? Is it covered the same as vandalism or other criminal activity? The short answer is yes. Insurance can cover the losses, less a deductible, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. On a standard personal auto policy, the vehicles comprehensive coverage covers damage caused by riot and civil unrest, just is it does for vandalism or theft. Why the need for the disclaimer, subject to the terms and conditions of your policy? In order for any loss to be covered it must not violate any of the terms and conditions. This can include prompt reporting of the loss and it was accidental, not intentionally nor invited by the insured. The insured has an obligation to mitigate losses by taking reasonable measures to protect their property. What steps to follow after discovering that the car was damaged by looters: Document the scene of vandalism. Dont clean up the damage and take photos of any damage done to the vehicle. This will strengthen the police report and validate the claim to the insurer. Call the police and file a report. Insurance companies will require a police report. Official documentation will also help victims if they plan filing a lawsuit later. Contact the insurance company. The insurance agent will answer any questions will provide further assistance. Speak to a claims adjuster. The insurance company may send a claims adjuster to assess the damage. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, the owner will be asked to provide the pictures, so that the damage is evaluated. Repair the damage. The insurance company will make recommendations or instructions about where to repair the vehicle, if thats possible. Negotiate a claim settlement. Keep in mind that companies pay for the cars Actual Cash Value. Do not accept the first offer, since it is usually the lowest offer, but bring arguments for settling to a higher reimbursement value. 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. Kate Moss has been sober for two years as she maintains a healthy lifestyle following decades of partying. The supermodel, 46, was once known for her wild ways, but her longtime friend, DJ Fat Tony, has revealed she is now clean, with the pair having more fun now than ever before. Her producer pal, 54 - who himself has been sober for 13 years - said in a new interview: 'Kate's been clean for over two years. Me and my sober mates now have a better time than we ever did when we used to drink and take drugs.' 'She has a better time now than she ever did': Kate Moss has been sober for two years as she maintains a healthy lifestyle following decades of partying (pictured in September) Kate was a member of The Primrose Hill Set - a name given to the all-star group of edgy residents of the leafy neighbourhood, who were known in their heyday for their raucous behaviour with stories of their antics becoming the stuff of legend. After attending a week-long detox in Turkey back in June 2015, the runway sensation wound up being escorted off an easyJet flight home after her airport drinking session took a heavy turn. The turnaround may come as a shock given that Kate's love of boozing, which reportedly extended to flutes of prosecco at 8am and glasses of wine and vodka at lunch, saw friends coin her the nickname 'The Tank'. The catwalk queen recently admitted she's tried to cut down on caffeine and nicotine, and enjoys having more quiet nights in. Changing for the better: The supermodel, 46, was once known for her wild ways (pictured in May 2016) Close: Her longtime friend, DJ Fat Tony (pictured in September), has revealed she is now clean, with the pair having more fun now than ever before Speaking to NBC's Megyn Kelly in 2018, the fashion icon revealed: 'I go to bed, I drink lots of water, not too much coffee, and I'm trying to cut down on cigarettes.' Kate - who shares 17-year-old daughter Lila with former partner Jefferson Hack - has also credited her friends for keeping her 'sane'. The media personality told told Selfridges.com in 2017: 'I keep sane with my friends, all of them I've known for 20 years, so they know me very well, and I know them very well.' DJ Tony - whose real name is Tony Marnach - also claimed he helped Boy George get sober 12 years ago. Wild: Kate was a member of The Primrose Hill Set - a name given to the all-star group of edgy residents who were known in their heyday for their raucous behaviour (pictured in April 2007) U-turn: The catwalk queen recently admitted she's tried to cut down on caffeine and nicotine, and enjoys having more quiet nights in (pictured in September) He told the Sunday Times Style magazine: 'I've been best friends with him since I was 13. I moved in with him and got him clean. I got lots of people clean, people we've talked about, but I won't name names.' The musician's own addiction destroyed his relationships and let him to being declared bankrupt. He explained: 'It was the 1980s, the 1990s. Drugs were everywhere -- everyone did them -- and you could get away with anything because there was no social media. '[I spent] over 1m on drugs. That's a warning. I'm not bragging. I lost houses, I lost my sanity and I was bankrupt.' A developmental nongovernmental nonprofit organization the No Business as Usual Hub has called for consolidated efforts in the fight against the novel COVID-19 In a statement, the European-union offshoot called on all entities to devise means and strategies to protect their staff against the novel disease. "The fight against COVID-19 requires a stronger force. Let us make it a civic responsibility to support existing protocols in flattening the curve" parts of the statement reads The No Business as Usual (NBU) is a project under the SOS Children's Villages Ghana, funded by the European Union with support from the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly. Since 2017 the hub has been instrumental in the training of over 500 youth geared towards helping them to acquire jobs and to start their own business. Due to the pandemic, training sessions at the hub have been on hold in preventing the virus spread. The hub has since resorted to using virtual platforms such as a Facebook live feature in delivering essential topics to their trainees. Topics being treated include, "How to find jobs during a pandemic, CV review, Preparing for an interview, Email etiquettes, Business model canvas and tips to sustaining business in a pandemic. "We reaffirmed our position in ensuring that our trainees and staff adhere to all existing protocols outlined by His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo" the statement concluded. 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) - Monarch Gold Corp. (TSX: MQR) has agreed to sell the Fayolle property to Iamgold Corp. (TSX: IMG; NYSE: IAG) for $11.5 million, Monarch said Monday. The Fayolle property consists of 39 mineral claims in an area of 1,373 hectares in Aiguebelle and Clericy townships in Quebec. Monarch said consideration will include shares of Iamgold totaling $9.7 million based on a 10-day volume weighted average price, a $0.3 million cash payment upon transfer of ownership of a parcel of land to Iamgold, and a $1.5 million cash payment 90 days after the initial transport of ore from the Fayolle deposit. This is a profitable short-term transaction for Monarch, allowing us to significantly strengthen our financial position without dilution and with the potential for appreciation if the share value of Iamgold increases, especially in the current gold bull market, said Jean-Marc Lacoste, president and chief executive officer of Monarch. While Fayolle has potential, the fact remains that Wasamac is our priority project and the recent signing of the MOU [memorandum of understanding] with Glencore Canada has raised the outlook of our 2.6-million-ounce gold flagship project, which includes 1.8 million ounces of reserves. The funds from this transaction will allow us to advance the Wasamac project at a faster pace, while simultaneously pursuing exploration programs on our Beaufor and McKenzie Break properties. The transaction is expected to close in the coming weeks, Monarch said. 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... Advertisement The easing of lockdown restrictions should be done in a way that provides all children with the time and opportunity to play with peers, in and outside of school, and even while social distancing measures remain in place; Schools should be appropriately resourced and given clear guidance on how to support children's emotional wellbeing during the transition period as schools reopen and that play - rather than academic progress - should be the priority during this time; The social and emotional benefits of play and interaction with peers must be clearly communicated, alongside guidance on the objective risks to children. This, say the authors, should act as a warning to policymakers of the expected rise in demand for mental health services from young people and young adults in the years to come - both here in the UK and around the world.Dr. Maria Loades, a clinical psychologist from the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath who led the work, explained: "From our analysis, it is clear there are strong associations between loneliness and depression in young people, both in the immediate and the longer-term. We know this effect can sometimes be lagged, meaning it can take up to 10 years to really understand the scale of the mental health impact the COVID-19 crisis has created."For teachers and policymakers currently preparing for a phased re-start of schools in the UK, scheduled from today, Monday 1 June, Dr. Loades suggests that the research could have important implications for how this process is managed.She adds: "There is evidence that it's the duration of loneliness as opposed to the intensity which seems to have the biggest impact on depression rates in young people. This means that returning to some degree of normality as soon as possible is, of course, important. However, how this process is managed matters when it comes to shaping young people's feelings and experiences about this period."For our youngest and their return to school from this week, we need to prioritize the importance of play in helping them to reconnect with friends and adjust following this intense period of isolation."Members of the review team were also involved in a recent open letter to UK Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson MP, focusing on support for children's social and emotional wellbeing during and after lockdown. In their letter, they suggested that:Acknowledging the trade-offs that need to be struck in terms of re-starting the economy and reducing educational disparities, their letter to the Education Secretary concludes: 'Poor emotional health in children leads to long term mental health problems, poorer educational attainment and has a considerable economic burden.'Source: Eurekalert India Meteorological Department (IMD) authorities announced the onset of monsoon in the country on Monday morning, keeping its annual date with June 1. According to IMDs National Weather Forecasting Centre (NWFC), the monsoon has advanced into all of the south Arabian Sea; Lakshadweep, most parts of Kerala and even some parts of Tamil Nadu. Kozhikode in Kerala received 15 centimetres (cm) of rainfall from Sunday morning till Monday 8:30 am, Thiruvanthapuram and Kannur also received 6 cm each. Kerala received very good rains and monsoon is advancing well. The very strong winds are moving towards the westerly and south-westerly direction. All the parameters for the onset of monsoon have been met, said K. Sathi Devi, head, NWFC. IMDs monsoon onset guidelines stipulate that 60% of its 14 stations enlisted in Lakshadweep, Kerala and coastal Karnataka must report rainfall of 2.5 millimetres (mm) or more for two consecutive days after May 10 along with strong westerlies. Usually, southwest monsoon sets in over Kerala around June 1. It advances northwards and spreads across the country by July 15. Monsoon rains are critical for the countrys farmers. Around 60% of the countrys net-sown area does not have any form of irrigation. Millions of farmers wait for the rains to begin sowing of major Kharif crops such as rice, sugar, cotton, coarse cereals, and oilseeds. Half of Indias farm output comes from summer crops dependent on monsoon rains. The Gujarat and Maharashtra coasts have been put on pre-cyclone watch amid the onset of monsoon in the country on Monday. The well-marked low-pressure area over the south-east and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area have concentrated into a depression on Monday morning. It is located about 370 kilometres (km) southwest of Panjim; 690 km south-southwest of Mumbai and 920 km south-south-west of Surat. The depression likely to intensify into a deep depression in the next 12 hours and a severe cyclonic storm, called Nisarga, by Wednesday. IMD authorities show that Nisarga will cross very close to the Mumbai coast while entering the land. Initially, Nisarga is likely to move nearly northwards till Tuesday morning and then recurve north-northeast wards and cross north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts between Harihareshwar (Raigad, Maharashtra) and the Union Territory of Daman on Wednesday evening. When it crosses the coast as a severe cyclonic storm it will have a wind speed of 105 to 115 km per hour (kmph) gusting up to 125 kmph. Very heavy to extremely heavy rain is expected in Konkan, Goa, parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat till Thursday, according to IMD. Atlantic Records, Capitol Music Group, Warner Records, Sony Music and Def Jam were among the many organizations vowing that #TheShowMustBePaused amid mass protests rocked US streets for days Major music industry labels are pledging to halt business Tuesday, in solidarity with anti-racist demonstrators demanding structural social change and an end to police brutality. Atlantic Records, Capitol Music Group, Warner Records, Sony Music and Def Jam were among the many organizations vowing that #TheShowMustBePaused, as mass protests have rocked US streets for days following the killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, at the hands of police in Minneapolis. "It's hard to know what to say because I've been dealing with racism my entire life. That said, it's rearing its ugly head right now & by God it's time to deal with it once & for all," the legendary producer Quincy Jones said in a statement. "As gatekeepers of the culture, it's our responsibility to not only come together to celebrate the wins, but also hold each up during a loss." Columbia Records emphasized Tuesday "is not a day off" but rather a moment to "figure out ways to move forward in solidarity." "Perhaps with the music off, we can truly listen." Many labels also committed donations to civil rights advocacy organizations. Largely peaceful marches nationwide voicing fury at racist police brutality repeatedly turned violent over the weekend, as police used tear gas, pepper spray and flash bang grenades to control crowds amid outbreaks of looting. The music industry blackout comes after dozens of celebrities including Rihanna, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Billie Eilish and Killer Mike have voiced anger and solidarity as actor Jamie Foxx and pop superstar Ariana Grande joined advocacy marches. Actor John Cusack, who joined protests in Chicago, tweeted that police had hit him with a baton as he attempted to film a burning car. "For the last few days, the magnitude of devastation, anger, sadness I've felt has been overwhelming to say the least! Watching my people get murdered and lynched day after day pushed me to a heavy place in my heart!" said Rihanna on Instagram. Beyonce posted a video saying "we all witnessed his murder in broad daylight ... We're broken and we're disgusted. We cannot normalize this pain." She urged signatures to a petition demanding #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd, which the platform Change.org said became the largest in its history. The superstar's mogul husband Jay-Z said via his Roc Nation company that he had spoken with Minnesota governor Tim Walz and applauded the appointment of the state's attorney general Keith Ellison to handle prosecutions in the Floyd case. "I am human, a father and a black man in pain," said the rapper born Shawn Carter. "I am more determined to fight for justice than any fight my would-be oppressors may have," he continued. "I prevail on every politician, prosecutor and officer in the country to have the courage to do what is right." "Have the courage to look at us as humans, dads, brothers, sisters and mothers in pain and look at yourselves." 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 Senior Pastor of the Household of God Church International Ministries, Chris Okotie, on Sunday kicked against the Christian Association of Nigerias (CAN) proposed social distancing guidelines for churches. Mr Okotie, who was the presidential candidate of Fresh Democratic Party, frowned at CANs decision to allow what he described as the Idol of Coronavirus determine the scope of congregational worship in churches in Nigeria. This was contained in a statement he posted on his official Facebook page. The cleric referenced a report published in the Sun Newspaper on Sunday wherein CAN unveiled guidelines for the reopening of churches in the first week of June. He said, Social distancing in the Church of Jesus Christ is tantamount to blasphemous infidelity and an impeachment of the integrity of the Word of God. Healing is fundamental to the redemptive work of Jesus. To allow the idol of Corona Virus to determine the scope of congregational worship in the house of God is an abomination of gargantuan proportions. No true minister of the gospel will succumb to such travesty of the faith. This is a summary of my objections. I have sent this message hoping that you would respond as one who bears the burden of the Cross of Jesus. I have restrained myself from making a public outcry of this desecration and profanation out of respect for you and the CAN hierarchy. But be assured that this position is transient. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 in Nigeria, a ban has been placed on social and religious gatherings in the country to curb the spread of the virus. But some Nigerian pastors have challenged the directive. A popular pastor, Chris Oyakhilome, recently berated his colleagues, (Nigerian pastors) that complied with the governments ban on large gatherings because of coronavirus. Mr Oyakhilome, who is the general overseer of Believers Love World, popularly known as Christ Embassy, said such leaders were not true Christians as they did not ask the government for time to pray and consult with their congregation. CAN GUIDELINES The Christian Association of Nigeria recently expressed hope that the ban on religious gatherings in the country may be lifted by the first Sunday of June. CAN President, Samson Ayokunle, a reverend, gave the indication in a statement. Mr. Ayokunle said churches will disinfect their premises, as well as make provisions for alcohol sanitisers, among others. He also suggested the use of face masks and adherence to other social distancing measures. The suggested guidelines are stated below: Churches should disinfect their premises first before they are reopened for services. Churches should provide alcoholic sanitizers, temperature readers, soap, and water in their premises to be supervised by medical professionals in the Church. Every worshipper must either use soap to wash their hands or apply sanitizers. The temperature of every worshipper must be taken before admission into the church and people with high temperatures should not be allowed into the church but be advised to go and see their doctors. Every worshipper must wear a face mask. Social distancing should be observed in the sitting arrangement with a one-meter gap between two worshippers. One and a half-hour service is enough for a start. There should be a gap of 25 or 30 minutes between one service and another where there are multiple services to avoid the crowd. Advertisements Churches can make use of classrooms and multipurpose halls for services where available, especially in big churches in order to accommodate more worshippers at a go. TV circuits and speakers can be used for those who are not inside the main auditorium. Handshaking and hugging should be avoided before, during, and after the service. Prayers should be offered to God for a speedy end of COVID-19 and quick recovery of all that are afflicted by the pandemic. Prayers should also be offered for those frontline workers for divine protection. CAN in each state and local government should constitute a committee together with law enforcement agencies in their area to enforce full compliance. Such civilian compliance officials should be given backing by the governments to apprehend those who contravene the worship regulations and hand them over to law enforcement agents. Churches observing Holy Communion service should use a separate cup for each participant. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing a meeting of the Union Cabinet as the country entered the first day of the Centres three-phased unlocking plan throughout the country. This is also be the first meeting of the Union Cabinet after the central government entered into its second year in office. During the meeting, several important decisions are expected to be announced, according to officials. There were 8,392 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and 230 deaths in the last 24 hours pushing Indias tally to 190,535 on Monday. Also read | Covid-19: What you need to know today India has reported a daily rise of more than 8,000 Covid-19 cases for the second day in a row as the Union health ministry data showed there were 8,392 new Covid-19 cases between Sunday and Monday morning. There are 93,322 active cases of the coronavirus disease in the country so far, the Union health ministrys Covid-19 dashboard showed. The death toll stood at 5,394 and the number of people who have been cured of the highly-infectious disease went up to 91,818 from 86,983 from Sunday. It brings the rate of recovery in the country to 48.18%. With the coronavirus making headlines all over the world for months, most know to look out for its tell-tale fever, cough and loss of taste or smell. Some may be surprised to learn, however, the respiratory infection can trigger diarrhoea. The NHS does not recognise loose bowels as one of the three main symptoms but the symptom is acknowledged by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the World Health Organization. With the coronavirus considered an infection of the airways, some people may be puzzled as to how it impacts our gut. Early research suggests the infection is mild in four out of five cases, but it can trigger a disease called COVID-19. A woman wears a mask in Moscow. (Getty Images) Coronavirus: How does it cause diarrhoea? The coronavirus only emerged at the end of 2019, and there is still relatively little that scientists understand about the pathogen. While the NHS identified fever and cough as symptoms early on, a loss of taste or smell was only recently added to the list. Other signs of infection have also been noted, ranging from pink eye to discolouration of the fingers and toes. We call it a respiratory virus but it doesnt only affect the airways, Dr Nathalie MacDermott from Kings College London told Yahoo UK. Any viral infection can cause an array of symptoms. We call them a respiratory virus, [but] thats just where it primarily affects or where it enters [the body]. Although not a coronavirus strain, seasonal flu can also cause diarrhoea. Traces of the coronavirus have been detected in stool samples, suggesting it may spread in faeces. There is evidence [the coronavirus] can infect the intestine by detection of viral RNA in stools, Professor Paul Hunter from the University of East Anglia told Yahoo UK. The coronavirus is an RNA virus. In simple terms, RNA is a precursor to the more well-known DNA. Professor Hunter pointed out, however, that diarrhoea is a relatively uncommon symptom, with UK hospital studies suggesting just 10% to 15% of patients suffer. Story continues So [the] mechanism is probably infection of the gut and cell damage, he said. Dr MacDermott wondered whether the coronavirus invades the bowel wall. It may then trigger an inflammatory process that leads to abdominal pain, spasms and diarrhoea. Viruses alter the body, said Dr MacDermott. They trigger an inflammatory process [and] the body produces chemicals to fight that virus, which can alter how the bowel or gut moves. Inflammation is also a protective action launched by the immune system as it works to fight off a pathogen. Diarrhoea is not the only non-respiratory symptom the coronavirus has been linked to. Patients particularly children have complained of chilblains, rashes and COVID toes. [The coronavirus] fosters a huge immune response so it can affect every part of the body, Dr Veronique Bataille, a dermatologist at The Medical Chambers, previously told Yahoo UK. It could give kidney damage, heart damage. I would, as a medic, recommend anyone who has anything during this current climate like a rash or extreme fatigue or diarrhoea that is unusual for them to say, uh oh I think Im a carrier. Its better to be overcautious and not infect other people. A healthcare worker wears a mask in Rome. (Getty Images) What is the coronavirus? The coronavirus is one of seven strains of a virus class that are known to infect humans. Others cause everything from the common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), which killed 774 people during its 2002/3 outbreak. Since the coronavirus outbreak was identified, more than 6.1 million cases have been confirmed worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. Of these cases, over 2.6 million are known to have recovered. Globally, the death toll has exceeded 372,100. The coronavirus mainly spreads face to face via infected droplets expelled in a cough or sneeze. There is also evidence it can survive on surfaces. The coronavirus has no set treatment, with most patients naturally fighting off the infection. Those requiring hospitalisation are given supportive care, like ventilation, while their immune system gets to work. Officials urge people ward off infection by washing their hands regularly and maintaining social distancing. Coronavirus: what happened today Read more about COVID-19 How to get a coronavirus test if you have symptoms How easing of lockdown rules affects you In pictures: How UK school classrooms could look in new normal How public transport could look after lockdown How our public spaces will change in the future Help and advice Read the full list of official FAQs here 10 tips from the NHS to help deal with anxiety What to do if you think you have symptoms How to get help if you've been furloughed "Justice 4 George Floyd." "I can't breathe." "Black Lives Matter." Marchers across Connecticut marched have been holding signs with phrases like these in protest of the death of George Floyd, the black man who died on Memorial Day after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee onto Floyd's neck for more than 8 minutes While there have been outbreaks of violence across the country, Connecticut is seeing largely peaceful protests. Scroll to see scenes from the state's marches. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but apparently one image is worth potentially thousands of headaches for Android users recently. The noted tech information leaker Ice Universe this weekend posted a warning about an image that if set as wallpaper will soft-brick Samsung and Google Pixel phones. Soft-bricking triggers Android devices to continuously loop an action or freeze the unit. This generally requires a factory reset. The image, a seemingly innocuous sunset (or dawn) sky above placid waters, may be viewed without harm. But if loaded as wallpaper, the phone will crash. The fault does not appear to have been maliciously created. Rather, according to developers following Ice Universe's Twitter thread, the problem lies in the way color space is handled by the Android OS. The image was created using the RGB color space to display image hues, while Android 10 uses the sRGB color space protocol, according to 9to5Google contributor Dylan Roussel. When the Android phone cannot properly convert the Adobe RGB image, it crashes. Attempts to fix the problem by restarting the phone in Safe Mode and holding the volume button on start-up did not succeed. The problem was replicated on devices by Google, Samsung, OnePlus and Nokia running Android 10. WARNING Never set this picture as wallpaper, especially for Samsung mobile phone users! It will cause your phone to crash! Don't try it! If someone sends you this picture, please ignore it. pic.twitter.com/rVbozJdhkL Ice universe (@UniverseIce) May 31, 2020 The image may be installed without problem on a Pixel 4 XL running Android 11, which appears to properly convert Adobe RGB colors. The sRGB (standard Red Green Blue) format was designed in 1996 to codify a spectrum of colors that would be viewed the same on monitors, printers and the Internet. Two years later, Photoshop was born and, soon after, its own RGB specifications were created. The sRGB format is the standard color profile for most software. But Adobe RGB is often viewed as generating colors that create more polished prints. Although both formats accommodate a large portion (but not the entirety) of the color spectrum, with both handling the same number of colors16.7 millionAdobe allows the display of brighter and dimmer versions of each individual color than sRGB does. Ice Universe said Samsung was informed of the bug last month and is working on an update. The warning posted by Ice Universe ironically prompted some in the Android community to go out of their way to install the image to see what happens, and wound up suffering crashes. One flabbergasted Twitter user commented to Ice Universe, "You asked people to not set this as their wallpaper with a warning, and all of a sudden everybody is trying it. What a stupid world [we] are living in." The bug is reminiscent of a similar situation four years ago. An MP4 video file played on iPhones running iOS 10.1 caused the devices to crash 10 seconds after playing. Recovery was possible only after a hard reset. Another comparable problem arose recently when it was discovered that a text message containing the emoji for the Italian flag and a Pakistani Sindhi character caused Apple iPhones running iOS 13 to crash. Also affected were Macs, Apple Watch and iPads. According to Ice Universe, Samsung contacted him saying they are resolving the issue and urging everyone to be patient. "Just wait for the subsequent firmware update and do not take the risk," he said Samsung tweeted. 2020 Science X Network A top Russian police forensic expert suffering from coronavirus fell to her death from a fifth floor hospital window in Moscow. Lt Col Natalya Shcherbakova, 45, was put on a life support machine but later died, say police sources. Her death from 'multiple traumas' follows two senior female Russian doctors sustaining fatal injuries after falling from hospital windows. Moscow State Clinical Hospital Number 24, where a top Russian police forensic expert suffering from coronavirus fell to her death from the fifth floor window Lt Col Natalya Shcherbakova, 45, was put on a life support machine but later died, say police sources. Above, Moscow State Clinical Hospital Number 24 Dr Natalya Lebedeva, 48, (left) plunged 60ft to her death from the sixth floor of a Moscow hospital after colleagues said she was unfairly blamed for the spread of coronavirus at her clinic in Star City, near Moscow, the training centre for cosmonauts. Dr Yelena Nepomnyashchaya, 47, (right) a mother of two from a medical family, sustained fatal injuries after falling 60ft from a window at her Krasnoyarsk hospital A male medic suffered serious wounds in a similar fall - and a doctor colleague has denied he jumped voluntarily. All three doctors had warned about PPE shortages. The reasons for the police colonel's weekend fall from a fifth floor corridor window in Hospital Number 24 remain unexplained. One of Russia's top forensic experts, she had been treated in a ward along with two other female coronavirus patients after a Covid-19 diagnosis on May 23. News outlet RBC reported the circumstances of her fall were being established. Earlier three doctors who had all warned about PPE shortages fell from hospital windows in separate locations in Russia. The reasons for the police colonel's weekend fall from a fifth floor corridor window in Hospital Number 24, above and below, remain unexplained One of Russia's top forensic experts, she had been treated in a ward along with two other female coronavirus patients after a Covid-19 diagnosis on May 23 Dr Natalya Lebedeva, 48, plunged 60ft to her death from the sixth floor of a Moscow hospital after colleagues said she was unfairly blamed for the spread of coronavirus at her clinic in Star City, near Moscow, the training centre for cosmonauts. She had become infected from Covid-19. Dr Yelena Nepomnyashchaya, 47, a mother of two from a medical family, sustained fatal injuries after falling 60ft from a window at her Krasnoyarsk hospital. Colleagues said she had complained about an 'acute shortage' of personal protection equipment for doctors and nurses. Dr Alexander Shulepov, 37, remains in hospital with head injuries after plunging from a second floor window sustaining skull fractures. He had taken part in in a video which claimed he was ordered to work despite testing positive for Covid-19. Voronezh ambulance doctor Alexander Shulepov, 37, remains in hospital with head injuries after plunging from a second floor window sustaining skull fractures Maria Shulepova, the wife of Voronezh ambulance doctor Alexander Shulepov and a mother of three He and colleagues also warned about PPE shortages in Voronezh city. Later - lying in a coronavirus hospital bed - Shulepov made a second video to retract the claims amid suspicions he was pressured to do so. Sources say his family has been banned from speaking to the media. But now a colleague has voiced the opinion that he would not have jumped of his own volition. Dr Maksim Boyev posted: 'I know this man personally. 'He is kind-hearted, understanding and positive. 'Something is wrong here, 100 per cent. 'I believe that law enforcement agencies must thoroughly study everything. 'My opinion is that Alexander would never have done this from his own will. 'He has a wonderful family.' Whats the best way to say I love you to the most special people in your life? Get Barry from EastEnders to do it? Have Big Keith from The Office compose a poem? Maybe pay a fake Taylor Swift to sing Shake It Off to your nan? Celebrity video messaging sites have an A-lister or a Z-lister for every occasion and have been popular for a while but since lockdown began, their rise into everyday consciousness has been as meteoric as Barnard Castle-based attempts to insult the publics intelligence. Bookings at US site Cameo, whose roster varies from Snoop Dogg to Love Islands Josh Kempton, have shot up sevenfold, piling on 63,000 extra customers a week since January. Ten times as many people want the services of Paul Chuckle, Winston from Ghostbusters and Rebecca Adlington, according to video messaging service Celeb VM. Another site, Studio 54 home to ex-Holby City star Leslie Ash, Crabbe from Harry Potter plus the mother-in-law of Grindah from People Just Do Nothing said, in an interview, that it had seen a 60 per cent rise in business. And the content that people are requesting is much more personal than youd expect. A lot of people want to send a hug to people that they cant go and see their uncle, their granny, even their children, says Boycie from Only Fools and Horses, real name John Challis. Hes Celeb VMs most-booked celebrity, ahead of Danny John Jules and Lord of The Rings/Lost actor Dominic Monaghan. Hes been recording video messages for six years since being approached about it at Wales Comic Con and has seen a massive rise in requests, particularly motivational messages to keep people struggling through difficult times. You get a lot of stories of people whove lost loved ones and are feeling very alone. You think: Im just a comedy actor, what am I doing? But people keep saying theyre cheered up by it. Even celebrity impersonators have found themselves asked to help people stay strong. It always strikes me as odd, laughs Mike Osman, who spends 70 per cent of his time recording messages as Donald Trump, replete with a puppet version of Kim Jong Un. Hes stained himself orange and informed parents that their child is having a baby. Hes used a whiny presidential accent to thank loved ones just for being themselves. And one of his more memorable recent requests for an inspirational video was to reassure a 14-year-old girl whose father was trapped abroad by coronavirus. And he chose Donald Trump! laughs Osman. When his daughter sees that video she will be filled with either horror or delight, but itll be a talking point for the rest of their lives: the day that dad was stuck in Dubai and he chose Donald Trump to deliver a message to a 14-year-old girl. Recommended How lockdown has led to the creation of brilliant art There are virtual graduation celebrations available from Natasha Bedingfield, who will don a mortarboard and sing a couple of verses of her hit Unwritten for 249. There are porn stars, Instagram-famous chihuahuas and Anthony Scaramucci. One of the real breakout hits of Covid-19, though? On Cameo, its the videos being supplied by bit-part players in Netflixs Tiger King. You can book messages from two of Joe Exotics husbands, the poor zookeeper whose forearm was bitten off by a tiger and the scary guy who most definitely did not head to Florida to murder Carol Baskin. These types of videos have become increasingly popular in the Instagram age but Cameo CEO Steven Galanis thinks that the appetite for video messages from reality TV stars has been around since much, much earlier. This is a trend thats as old as humankind, he says. Look at the ancient Greeks: since they were doing the first Olympics, people have been leaving their mark on cuneiform tablets. People have always looked up to people and always wanted some memento of meeting them. This is just the next evolution. With the addition of a price list, its also the source of some brilliant celeb maths. If you trawl the human menus of various websites, where you can see how much it costs per video per celeb, you can conclude that: 1. Katie Hopkins is only as valuable as someone pretending to be Joe Exotic (41.50); 2. Paul Danan thinks hes worth twice as much as a two-time gold-medal-winning Olympic athlete (67 v 30); 3. People will pay more money for Paul Chuckle than they will for Jesus Christ (30 v 23.24). While theres something slightly strange about seeing the precise price tag put upon a celebrity appearance, some of the stars see this as one of the best things about the phenomenon. I think its encouraging for people to think: Ive seen him on the telly and hes in the same boat as me, hes just trying to make a living as well, says Challis. Now that theatres are closed, my whole livelihood has just disappeared. Were all in this together and I think this shows that. Some celebrity video message creators have gone even further to promote our national togetherness in the face of an unstoppable virus. Ex-model Linda Lusardi is waiving all fees for Celeb VM messages going to NHS staff and coronavirus sufferers and is ambassador for an online memorial site for victims called Rainbow Remembers, having nearly died of the disease in March. I think it helps to hear from someone whos been very close to losing their life to it, she says of her video messages where she urges people on the brink to imagine themselves healing or returning home to their loved ones. Although sometimes you get requests that say: This person hasnt got long left. Those messages can be quite difficult to word. Celebrity video messaging bizarrely turns out to be a surprising force for good in the fight against an international pandemic. Cameo raised $725,000 (586,000) to support Covid-19 relief efforts in a three-day livestream featuring the likes of Mike Tyson, Akon and Mandy Moore. Coronation Streets Steve McDonald is also offering free Celeb VM messages to NHS workers and Covid-19 victims after going through the disease himself. Even Natasha Bedingfields graduation ceremonies are to raise money for charity. I did one recently for this poor mum whose son was in a coma after coming off a motorbike, says Challis, who also does zero-fee videos to lift the spirits of NHS and care home staff. Hes an Only Fools and Horses fan, so they asked me if Id do a message to try to coax him out of it. Theyre going to keep playing it to him over and over. Not all the requests are quite so inspirational, though. Comedians are often requested to do insults (I get a lot of Trump bookings for people who hate Trump, says Osman). Challis once had to turn down a divorcees request to taunt their ex-partner on the anniversary of their split (I thought it was a bit much!). And the customer that Cameo staff talk of most frequently is the foot fetishist whod trawl their roster, asking for videos where they wiggle their toes. S**t like that happens, but we bring people together and people are weird, chuckles Galanis. Eventually, though, lockdown will end. Does that mean celeb video messages will start to peter out? Actually, I think youll see bigger and bigger names come on to the platform, says Galanis. Stars are increasingly turning to their fans for direct monetisation. And frankly, the talent really enjoy this. It doesnt matter how big or small you are, any time you can get closer to your fans, thats great. Whether the public will want to use these platforms as much is another matter. But so long as Barry from EastEnders is still on there, theyve got a chance. Egypts aviation ministry will operate exceptional flights in the upcoming two weeks to repatriate Egyptians stranded abroad, Al-Ahram reported. The flights will be sent to eight cities: Beirut, Oman, Muscat, Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh, Baghdad and Sydney. The repatriated nationals will be medically examined at airports, and the health ministry will decide how and where they will be quarantined, Al-Ahram added. Egypts suspension of air traffic aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic continues until further notice. Egypt is mainly keeping its airspace open to cargo and domestic flights, during the flight suspension, which has been in place since mid-March. Egypt is just operating flights to repatriate its citizens abroad and has returned home at least 12,000 Egyptians so far. Cabinet Spokesman Nader Saad said on Saturday that Egypt is considering a gradual resumption of international flights in the second half of June or the first half of July. Search Keywords: Short link: Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:12:06|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WINDHOEK, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's beef exports to international markets have not been affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic, a major beef export company said Monday. According to Mwilima Mushokobanji, CEO of the Namibia state-owned meat processing firm Meatco, some of the countries hard hit by the pandemic have since closed their meat processing plants thus experiencing a deficit in food supply, which has resulted in a high demand for Namibia's beef. "Our logistical routes remain competent and open and we can still export to China, Norway and the United States through Capetown," he said. He said he however fears that export beef availability might reduce as farmers did not restock enough after the drought. "This is going to be a tough year because the throughput has been very low because farmers de-stocked in bigger numbers last year so some of the farmers are busy rebuilding their herds," he said. Namibia's main beef export countries are China, European Union and the United States of America. Enditem A pair of Indian dancers are winning the hearts of fansand the judgesof the talent-spotting show Americas Got Talent. The show got into its 15th season this week, and a video of the spellbinding performance by dancers Sonali Majumdar and Maraju Sumanth who call themselves Bad Salsa has gone viral since the duo appeared on the auditions of the premiere episode. Members of Kolkatas Bivash Academy of Dance (BAD), the duo travelled from the City of Joy to Hollywood. Their style, a combination of dance and acrobatics, won people over. They performed their routine on the Dhating Naach from Shahid Kapoors Phata Poster Nikhla Hero to loud and nonstop applause. So impressed were the audiences that the video has garnered over 7.2 million views on Facebook and has been shared over 50,000 times. It has also been widely shared across other social media sites. And it is not just the audiences who were left stunned. Apart from nodding away their approvals to the dancing pair, the judges unanimously extended a standing ovation to Sonali and Sumanth. The dance platform love is not new to the 15-year-old Sonali, who won Indias Got Talent as a child in 2012. Thereafter, she also delivered electrifying performances on the show Jhalak Dikhla Jaa along with Sumanth, 21. They are trained dancers, ready to take on the world. Netizens were all praise for the duo, saying they deserved a golden buzzer and naming the performance one of the best dancing acts on the show. Some of the comments included: Omg that was awesome. Well done to you both. We want to see more of both of you, thoroughly enjoyed it. India should be very proud, and, we think that bad salsa is great!! so we want more bad salsa!!! And the love just kept pouring. Also Read: Lisa Kudrow, Like All Friends Fans, Cant Wait For The Reunion Episode India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the southwest monsoon has arrived has arrived over Kerala on Monday, (June1) exactly on the day it was predicted to hit the south Indian state. Most parts of Kerala have reported heavy to very heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours, according to IMD. Kozhikode recorded 9 cm of rain but Vadakara in Kozhikode reported 15 cm of rain. Trivandrum meanwhile saw 6 cm of rain. "As forecast earlier, Monsoon has arrived in Kerala today," said Anand Kumar Sharma, Deputy Director-General, IMD. On Thursday (May 28), the IMD had predicted that the monsoon would arrive in Kerala around its normal onset date of June 1. The arrival of monsoon in Kerala marks the beginning of the rainy season when India receives 70% of its annual rainfall. IMD director general Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra had expressed hope that favourable conditions for monsoon would develop from June 1. As per our first stage of monsoon forecast, which was issued on April 15, we are expecting normal monsoon condition with 100% rainfall over the country during September. However, we will be releasing the second stage of the monsoon forecast tomorrow, said Mohapatra, according to news agency ANI. To declare the onset of monsoon, a set of guidelines is followed by the IMD. According to IMD, "If after 10th May, 60% of the available 14 stations including Minicoy, Amini, Thiruvananthapuram, Punalur, Kollam, Allapuzha, Kottayam, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Thalassery, Kannur, Kudulu and Mangalore report rainfall of 2.5 mm or more for two consecutive days, the onset over Kerala be declared on the 2nd day, provided the following criteria are also in concurrence." It is to be noted that around 50% of agricultural land in India depends on monsoon rains to grow crops such as rice, corn, cane, cotton and soybeans. In May, the IMD had forecast that India would get average monsoon rains in 2020, which is a good news for farmers across the country as it would definitely raise the farm output. Hong Kong's Beijing-backed government has been accused of 'stifling freedom of expression' of its people after police banned an upcoming vigil which will mark the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown. Residents in the Asian financial hub have mourned the victims of the bloody event yearly since 1990, and this is the first time the city will not be allowed to hold the commemoration. The city's police rejected permission for this year's rally, claiming it would 'constitute a major threat to the life and health of the general public' amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a letter of objection to organisers obtained by AFP. The candlelight June 4 vigil usually attracts huge crowds and is the only place on Chinese soil where such a major commemoration of the anniversary is still allowed. The file picture taken on June 4, 2019 shows people holding candles during a Tiananmen Square vigil in Hong Kong Hong Kong police on Monday banned an upcoming vigil marking the Tiananmen crackdown anniversary over health concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic. The picture was taken by AP photographer Jeff Widener from a sixth-floor balcony of the Beijing Hotel near Tiananmen Last year's gathering was especially large and came just a week before seven months of pro-democracy protests and clashes exploded onto the city's streets. Candlelight vigils in Hong Kong marking the anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown in Victoria Park The candlelight June 4 vigil usually attracts huge crowds and Hong Kong has been the only place on Chinese soil where such a major commemoration of the anniversary is still allowed. Last year's Tiananmen vigil was especially large and came just a week before seven months of pro-democracy protests and clashes exploded onto the city's streets, sparked initially by a plan to allow extraditions to the authoritarian mainland. The ban on this year's rally comes as waves of pro-democracy protests have been erupting in Hong Kong for nearly two weeks after China's rubber-stamp parliament approved a controversial national security law for the former British colony. Human rights organisation Amnesty International urged the Hong Kong authorities to lift the ban. 'COVID-19 must not be used as an excuse to stifle freedom of expression,' said Joshua Rosenzweig, Amnesty Internationals East and South East Asia Deputy Director. 'In recent weeks, we have seen the Hong Kong police repeatedly clamp down on peaceful protests with arbitrary mass arrests and excessive force - including the use of tear gas and pepper pellets. 'With this ban, and a disastrous national security law looming, it is not clear if Hong Kong's Tiananmen vigil will ever be allowed to take place again.' The picture taken on June 4, 2019, shows thousands of people take part in a candlelight vigil to mark the 30th anniversary of the crackdown of pro-democracy movement in Tiananmen FILE: In this June 3, 1989 file photo, a young woman is caught between civilians and Chinese soldiers, who were trying to remove her from an assembly near the Great Hall of the People Johnny Patterson, Director of UK-based human rights group Hong Kong Watch, said the pandemic 'has been consistently used as a pretext to crackdown on the rights of Hong Kongers.' 'First, with the world distracted, the Chinese government has fast-tracked the national security law; now, for the first time, the peaceful candlelit Tianenman vigil has been banned. 'The sadness is that, once the national security law is passed, this vigil may never be legal again,' he warned. Hong Kong has managed to keep the virus mostly in check, with just over 1,000 infections and four deaths. Bars, restaurants, gyms and cinemas have largely reopened in recent weeks. In the last two days five local infections were reported, breaking nearly two weeks of zero tallies. Organisers of the annual event accused police of using the virus as an excuse to ban the rally. 'I don't see why the government finds political rallies unacceptable while it gave green lights to resumption of schools and other services ranging from catering, karaoke to swimming pools,' said Lee Cheuk-yan, chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance which has organised every vigil since 1990. The alliance called on residents to instead light a candle at 8pm on Thursday and observe one minute of silence wherever they can. 'If we are not allowed to light a candle at a rally, we will let the candles be lit across the city,' Lee said. Organisers of the annual event accused police of using the virus as an excuse to ban the rally. FILE: In this June 5, 1989 file photo, Chinese troops and tanks gather in Beijing, one day after the military crackdown that ended pro-democracy demonstration on Tiananmen Square The ban on this year's rally comes as waves of pro-democracy protests have been erupting in Hong Kong for nearly two weeks after China's rubber-stamp parliament approved a controversial national security law for the former British colony. Pictured, police officers are seen guarding an MTR station exit near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on May 27 Lee also vowed that the alliance would continue to chant the slogan 'end one-party rule' during the commemoration despite Beijing's recently announced plans to impose a law criminalising acts of subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign interference. Beijing says the law - which will bypass Hong Kong's legislature - is needed to tackle 'terrorism' and 'separatism'. Opponents fear it will bring mainland-style political oppression to a business hub supposedly guaranteed freedoms and autonomy for 50 years after its 1997 handover to China by Britain. The 1989 Tiananmen crackdown occurred when China's leaders sent tanks and troops to quell student protesters calling for democracy and an end to corruption. Hundreds were killed, with some estimates suggesting that more than 1,000 perished. Pictured, police personnel (back) stand guard outside Prince Edward MTR underground train station as people (front) wait to collect flowers from passers by in Hong Kong on May 31 Pro-democracy supporters gather at a shopping mall during a Lunch With You rally on June 1 Three decades on, it remains one of the most sensitive subjects in mainland China and any mention of it is strictly censored. But in Hong Kong the memory of what happened is kept alive. The annual vigils swelled before the 1997 handover to China and have become especially charged in recent years as many Hong Kongers chafe under Beijing's rule. This year's anniversary is likely to coincide with Hong Kong's pro-government stacked legislature voting for a law banning insults to China's national anthem. Sharon Stone has given her 2.1M Instagram followers tips on how to stay safe at home during a riot. The Basic Instinct actress raised a good point when she suggests worried people might want to lock themselves in their bathroom as it usually has the least amount of windows while offering some essentials like a toilet and water. The 62-year-old beauty filmed the clip on Sunday at her Beverly Hills mansion, which was not far from where looters cleared out Gucci and Chanel on Rodeo Drive. Wise words: Sharon Stone has given her 2.1M Instagram followers tips on how to stay safe at home during a riot A role of a lifetime! Sharon as Catherine Tramell opposite Michael Douglas in 1992's blockbuster thriller Basic Instinct The Total Recall star was in a gray T-shirt with yellow writing that said SUNSHINE and which matched nicely with her yellow head scarf. And her red lipstick coordinated with the mother-of-three's red beaded necklace as she added brown sunglasses. 'Hello people. Okay, so we're in the middle of a riot,' said the icon who has made over two dozen movies, working with directors such as Martin Scorsese and Sidney Lumet. 'And if you are anywhere where you feel unsafe in your home, this is what I want you to do,' the Muse star went on. Smart: The Basic Instinct actress raised a good point when she suggests worried people might want to lock themselves in their bathroom as it usually has the least amount of windows while offering some essentials like a toilet and water She had reason to worry: The 62-year-old beauty filmed the clip on Sunday at her Beverly Hills mansion, which was not far from where looters cleared out Gucci and Chanel on Rodeo Drive 'We're going to make a safe room for you. Probably the safest bet that you have might be your bathroom because you have maybe the least windows or you're the most tucked in there. And if that's the case, the least windows and the place that you could lock yourself in the most.' Stone then brought up some useful tips. 'If it is your bathroom, you want to put some blankets and pillows in the tub in case you're going to need to sleep there,' she added. Always chic: The Total Recall star was in a gray T-shirt with yellow writing that said SUNSHINE and which matched nicely with her yellow head scarf. And her red lipstick coordinated with the mother-of-three's red beaded necklace as she added brown sunglasses Riot advice: 'Hello people. Okay, so we're in the middle of a riot,' said the icon who has made over two dozen movies, working with directors such as Martin Scorsese and Sidney Lumet 'If you feel like you might get broken into or you have nowhere else to go, especially if you're trying to self-quarantine and you want to take a cooler, you want to put water in there and a few, you know, non-perishable things that you can eat, some fruit or some protein bars and you want to put your cell phone or your computer chargers in there and your computer, your extra cell phone.' And then the college graduate went even further. 'If you're in a rioting area or an area that is locking down because they fear for rioting, so this is what you do,' said Stone. 'You make a safe place for yourself. Don't panic. And if you think you're going to panic, take any panic medications or anything that you would like to have in there and just have that place prepared for you or you and your family. Okay. All right. Better days: Just last month Stone had fun by her swimming pool, proving her bikini body is still hot stuff Another bikini moment: And the siren was seen here with one of her pet pooches 'And stay safe. Don't be overreactive this will come and go like all things do. Okay. Alright.' The caption for the post read: 'Stay calm and carry on" Stone captioned the video. "Make a safe room here's how.' Last month the siren said during a video chat with supermodel Naomi Campbell for her show No Filter With Noami that she was writing a tell-all called The Beauty Of Living Twice. 'I've written a book, it's out of the end of the year or the beginning of next year,' the Agent X actress said. She did not say what the book would include, but the blonde did almost die of a stroke in 2001, which is what her book title seems to refer to. With her dog Bandit: On Memorial Day the movie icon was curled up on a sofa The book will also likely cover her career-making role in 1992's Basic Instinct, her scene-stealing role in Casino and her relationships with John Kennedy Jr, Phil Bronstein and Dwight Yoakam. Also in her wide ranging interview she talked about staying home. 'I think we have an opportunity to not just be in our home place but in our home selves. We all have a core self and if we can get back to that it would be great,' she said. And it is the simple things that make her feel good: 'Frankly I love to clean my house, don't you love the feel of taking warm clothes out of the drier?' she said. Noami said she is cleaning her own sheets and using Ajax. And Stone added it was 'great' making Beef Stroganoff with one of her sons. She has been staying in her Beverly Hills mansion with two of her sons. Her eldest boy is with his father in San Francisco. Surprise! Stone is writing a tell-all book. During a video chat with supermodel Naomi Campbell for her show No Filter With Noami, the star broke the news This comes after the Sliver actress admitted there was a time a couple of decades ago where she really didn't 'accept' her body, but now she is older, she feels much more content with her figure. 'There was a point in my forties when I went into the bathroom with a bottle of wine, locked the door, and said, "I won't get out until I can fully accept my body,"' she told Vogue Germany. Meanwhile, Sharon previously admitted she loves her body 'so much more' now she is older. Naomi, a budding journalist! The supermodel, right, landed the scoop that Sharon has penned the book The former fashion model said: 'I like my body so much more. I'm so grateful to my body. When I was younger, everybody was telling me what was wrong with my body - too this, too that.' The beauty still looks fantastic and often takes to Instagram to share bikini photos of herself where she looks toned and flawless. Sharon hated it when she was plastered in make-up for her role as Catherine Tramell in 1992's Basic Instinct and revealed she wasn't able to pick her own look for the part. She said: 'When I got on Basic Instinct, they hired a make-up artist that put on pounds of make-up every day, and every day I went to my trailer and took the make-up off. 'But I wasn't allowed to choose my make-up artist, nor was my name [above the title] on the poster.' Donald Trump has slammed state governors as weak during a fiery call where he implored them to crack down on protesters taking to the streets in cities across the United States. The presidents harsh words came during a video teleconference on Monday between himself, state governors, law enforcement and national security officials. Cities across America experienced mostly peaceful, but sometimes violent, protests in the last six days following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Most of you are weak, Mr Trump said. You have to arrest people. He added that state governors would look like jerks if they didnt get a handle on their cities. You have to dominate, if you dont dominate youre wasting your time, he said. Theyre going to run over you, youre going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate. In recent days, the president has focused on law and order to handle protesters, including deploying the National Guard to states like Minnesota. He told local officials on Monday they must get tougher in managing the protesters, adding they should track people and put them in jail for 10 years so youll never see this stuff again. Were doing it in Washington, DC Were going to do something that people havent seen before, he said. 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 Washington DC also experienced trouble with protesters as multiple buildings were set on fire across the district over the last couple of evenings and people surrounded the White House. Mr Trump was taken into an underground bunker on Friday evening by Secret Service agents, The New York Times reported. Minneapolis was a target of the presidents fury after protesters were left largely on their own on Thursday evening as they burned the Minneapolis Police Departments third precinct. The city then employed tougher action against the protests for the evenings following. What happened in the state of Minnesota ...They were a laughing stock all over the world, Mr Trump added about heightened protests, according to CNN. Ive never seen anything like it, and the whole world was laughing. He praised Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Defence Secretary Mark Esper for getting control of the situation on the call, The Washington Post reported. Minnesota was an experiment. First part was weak and pathetic. Second part was domination, Mr Trump added. Attorney General William Barr was also on the teleconference with the president and the governors. He reportedly told governors they needed to dominate the streets and go after troublemakers instead of reacting to crowds. On the call, the president also encouraged states to pass laws that would prevent people from burning American flags in protest, a position hes previously brought up during past protests. Im not a believer in flag-burning, the president said on the call. And I would think that if a state wanted to try to pass a law that youre not allowed to burn flags, with a certain punishment -- a strong punishment -- I would think that the United States government would be backing you up all the way. Flag burning has previously been determined a form of symbolic speech, a freedom awarded in the First Amendment, by the Supreme Court. State governors responded to the president on the phone call, with some slamming Mr Trump's rhetoric for only escalating the violence and anger among Americans. Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois was one to speak out against the president, according to CNN, saying: "I have been extraordinarily concerned with the rhetoric coming out of the White House making it worse. People are feeling real pain out there. We have to have national leadership in calling for calm. Mr Trump has not appeared in public since Saturday after he attended the launch of the SpaceX rocket in Florida. His schedule on Monday lists no public appearances. But the president did speak with Russia President Vladimir Putin on Monday before his teleconference with state governors. 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. A coalition of undocumented Connecticut residents has created a relief fund to support others in their community. The CT UndocuFund is seeking to raise $75,000 to benefit between 75 and 150 undocumented families statewide who have suffered due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since launching April 15, more than $70,000 have been raised. Applications for aid from the fund were closed within 10 minutes on May 20 because the number of applicants exceeded the total amont of grants that could be distributed. We are centering the voices and experiences of Connecticut undocumented folks and working to provide relief to our populations that has been excluded from all government relief efforts during, and prior to, the COVID-19 pandemic, said Carolina Bortoletto, a co-founder of CT Students for Dream and of the CT UndocuFund. Lets remember that it is the work of our immigrant community that has helped to build our state, but we rarely get to profit from its prosperity. Bortoletto noted that undocumented people are among the most likely to earn hourly wages, and that many have lost hours, or lost their jobs completely, due to the virus and are unlikely to have access to health insurance. According to Anthony Barroso, Bortolettos co-founder of the UndocuFund, the money will help undocumented people to pay for food, healthcare and bill relief. First, we are asking allies and individuals who have or will soon receive a stimulus check but who are lucky enough to not need it to cover immediate expenses to share part of their check with those who will not receive it and are in dire need, Barroso said. A donation to the fund will put funds directly in the hands of those most suffering the financial impacts of this pandemic. Barroso said the grassroots group is also looking for community organizations and other partners to raise more moeny. The fund is one of many statewide that is meant to provide aid to families who otherwise have been denied state and federal relief. Under the federal Cares Act, undocumented people and their families are not able to receive stimulus checks. Most undocumented immigrants do not have access to health care, unemployment and food benefits like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). They also tend to live in the hardest-hit areas and are disproportionately represented in the essential worker population. The UndocuFund is one of many similar relief funds created in recent months. Groups like Make the Road CT, Building One Community, Family Centers, the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants and the Connecticut Immigrant Rights Alliance have all started similar funds to provide aid to their constituents. Petitions have also circulated online asking Gov. Ned Lamont to create a disaster relief fund specifically for undocumented immigrants. But, according to Bortoletto, the UndocuFund is unique since it was created by undocumented residents to benefit other undocumented people. The groups motto is The People Help Each Other, according to Bortoletto. For more information, or to donate, visit the GoFundMe page. justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586 (HealthDay)More evidence has surfaced that the COVID-19 coronavirus was circulating in the United States as much as a month prior to the first confirmed local case in February, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. Genetic analysis of early cases suggests a single line of coronavirus imported from China began circulating in the United States between Jan. 18 and Feb. 9, followed by several importations from Europe, according to research from the CDC's COVID-19 Response Team. That means the new coronavirus entered the United States weeks before the first documented case of COVID-19 infection from unknown originsa California resident who fell ill on Feb. 13 and was confirmed on Feb. 26, the researchers reported. The data "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," the report states. Three other early cases, involving people who hadn't traveled internationally prior to their illness, bolster the genetic evidence, the study authors said. These include: A California woman who fell ill on Jan. 31 and died on Feb. 6. Another resident of the same California county who died at home between Feb. 13 and 17. A third person who fell ill aboard a Pacific cruise ship that left San Francisco on Feb. 11. These cases confirm "circulation of the virus by early February," according to the report. Genetic analysis of the early Washington state strains of coronavirus also indicate that they sprang from a common ancestor, estimated to have existed between mid-January to early February, the researchers reported. That sequence is consistent with the first known travel-related U.S. case of COVID-19, which occurred in a man who arrived in Seattle from Wuhan, China on Jan. 15, and fell ill four days later, the study authors noted. However, the contact tracing that public health officials conducted in that case was very thorough and the Seattle man did not wind up causing other documented cases of COVID-19, the researchers believe. Still, based on the genetic evidence, the researchers speculate that the Seattle man might have: Infected others who did not develop symptoms of COVID-19. Passed the virus on to others before he developed symptoms, and those contacts were not identified through tracing. Been accompanied on his flight home by at least one other person who was infected with the coronavirus. It's also possible that the Washington state coronavirus strains were "imported into the United States by another unknown person around the same time," the researchers added. The findings highlight the fact that, in many cases, coronavirus can be spread by people who show few or no symptoms, said Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency medicine physician with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "The ability of both asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission provides an explanation for the rapid spread of the virus throughout the community, prior to clinical detection of symptoms," said Glatter, who wasn't involved in the new report. The findings also underscore the importance of an immediate and fierce public health response in the United States to any future epidemic on foreign soil, he said. "Viruses do not know borders," Glatter said. "Going forward we must be more vigilant when considering how rapidly global travel can spread a viral respiratory disease." The report was published May 29 in the CDC journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about Journal information: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about COVID-19 Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Belgiums Prince Joachim, son of Prince Lorenz, has issued a public apology for flouting restrictions and attending a party in Spain amid the lockdown after he tested positive to the novel coronavirus. In a statement, the 28-year old prince acknowledged that he did not respect all quarantine measures. Further, in an email accessed by local news agencies sent through his lawyer, Joachim said that he fully accepted the consequences of his actions. Stating that he would like to apologize for violating the confinement guidelines to contain the COVID-19, the prince asserted that he did not mean to offend or disrespect anybody, according to the email. As the national police forces are investigating people who attended the party and got exposed in the southern city of Cordoba, in Andalucia, prince Joachim declared his regret to the local media. Statement from Prince Joachim of Belgium: I apologize for not respecting all quarantine measures during my trip. In these difficult times I did not want to offend anyone. I deeply regret my actions and will accept the consequences.https://t.co/F0DCWR1BAu RoyalArjan (@RoyalArjan) May 31, 2020 According to a Spanish daily, Joachim, King Philippes nephew, flew to Madrid onboard a commercial plane and was allowed into the country despite the border regulations. He had stated earlier, that he flew in context to an internship with a local company in Spain. However, in another violation of Spains coronavirus restrictions, he did not go into the mandatory 14-day quarantine on arrival from abroad but instead was seen immediately on a train to Andalusia. Joachim, as well as 26 other travellers were ordered for a mandatory self-isolation by the authorities at the airport. Read: Spain To Mourn Pandemic Victims For 10 Days Read: Spain Hospital Denies Finding Snake In Operation Theatre, Says There Was Only A Monkey Princes actions put Spain at risk In a statement to a local daily, representative of the central government in Cordoba, Rafaela Valenzuela, was quoted saying the princes actions put at risk everything that Spain achieved during the state of a health emergency. Further, criticizing Joachims behaviour, Andalusian president Juanma Moreno reportedly said that now that the country was, for the first time, controlling the rapid spread of the pandemic, 40 or 50 people in a party jeopardized the safety creating fear for fresh cluster outbreak. As of May 31, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that the nationwide state emergency would be extended for the sixth time until late June while speaking at the national COVID-19 briefing. Further, he added, Spain would soon achieve the results and ease measures in place since mid-March. Read: Nissan To Close Indonesia, Spain Auto Plants After Losses Read: Spain Might Extend Nationwide Lockdown Until June 21 To Avoid New Cases (Image Credit: Instagram/eugeniagaravani) He had debated whether to go to the demonstration at all, because he feared being exposed to the novel coronavirus and because of the violence that erupted on the previous two nights. As the community quarantine measures started to ease up in May 2020, people also started searching for their prospective smartphones. Google Analytics recorded more than 2.28 million pageviews on PINOY TECHNO GUIDE! Around 60% of that (1.35 million) landed on the smartphone specs pages which is the basis for this ranking. Top 10 Smartphones in the Philippines (May 2020) Top 10 smartphones in the Philippines based on pageviews of individual smartphones specs pages on the Pinoy Techno Guide database Related: Top 10 Smartphones in the Philippines (April 2020) Congratulations to realme Philippines for getting the 1st place with the realme 5i. Its a budget smartphone that Ive highly praised in my review. The brand also got the second place with the new realme 6i, fourth place with the realme C3, and fifth place with the realme 5 Pro. The new realme 6 Pro almost made it to the list at 12th place but since it was launched towards the end of the month, the numbers were just not enough. Huawei has a single smartphone on the list this month. Its the Huawei nova 7i which dropped two places to 3rd place after getting the first place in April 2020. They also launched new smartphones recently and those might join the list for June 2020. Meanwhile, vivo got two spots with the vivo Y11 in 6th place and vivo Y15 in 9th place. vivo Y11 is their affordable smartphone while the vivo Y15 got a huge price drop. Of course, this wont be complete if the very popular OPPO A5s doesnt show up. It just passed one year of being released here in the Philippines but maintains the 7th place in the list! Xiaomi got 8th place and 10th place with the new Redmi Note 9s and older Redmi Note 8 respectively. The brand launched the other Note 9 variants and Note 10 Lite later in the month so those might show up in the June 2020 list. Do you agree with this list? Im sure some of you wont but this is based on PTG pageviews as measured by Google Analytics and filtered to views from the Philippines only. New Delhi : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday issued its second attachment order for assets worth Rs 6,630 crore against beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya as it seized his farmhouse, flats and FDs in connection with its money laundering case against him and his associates. The agency had recently expanded the probe in this regard as it took over investigation into the alleged loan default of Rs 6,027 crore availed from a consortium of nationalised banks led by SBI, in which a fresh case was also filed by CBI last month. The latest action against Mallya is in the aftermath of the new case. The total attachment made by the agency in this case has now shot up to Rs 8,041 crore as it had attached assets worth Rs 1,411 crore few months back. The provisional attachment order, issued under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), said it has ordered for seizing a farm house in Mandwa in Alibaugh worth Rs 25 crore, multiple flats in Kingfisher tower in Bengaluru worth Rs 565 crore, fixed deposits of Mallya with a private bank to the tune of Rs 10 crore and shares of USL, United Breweries Limited and Mcdowell Holding company, jointly held by the liquor baron and UBHL and his controlled entities, worth Rs 3,635 crore. The total attachment under todays order is worth Rs 4,234.84 crore but the present market value of these properties and assets is Rs 6,630 crore approximately, the agencys order said. The agency alleged these assets were the proceeds generated out of criminal activity of the alleged default of bank loans as it claimed Mallya criminally conspired with Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) and United Breweries Holdings Limited to obtain funds through the consortium of banks and out of this total amount, the principal fund of Rs 4,930.34 crore still remains unpaid. In addition, huge number of shares were also being held in the name of various other group companies controlled directly or indirectly by Mallya. Hence, it appeared that even though sufficient funds were available with the promoters of KFAMallya and UBHLthey had no intention to make payment towards the bank loans from the consortium banks. They deliberately and intentionally kept the huge numberof shares approximately worth Rs 3,600 crore pledged with UTI Investment Advisory Services Ltd and other financial institutions without substantial underlying liabilities and thus kept the consortium in dark, the ED said in the order, accessed by PTI. The CBI also, early last month, filed this fresh case under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and cheating against Mallya on the basis of a complaint received from SBI on behalf of the consortium of lenders for allegedly causing a loss of Rs 6,027 crore to them by not keeping repayment commitments of loan taken during 2005-10. By registering the fresh case, ED wants to strengthen its probe against the liquor baron and expedite a slew of actions it has initiated against him, including getting issued a global arrest warrant by Interpol and invoking the India-UK Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to force the businessman to return and join the investigation. Besides Mallya, his companies Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) and United Breweries Holdings Limited have also been named as accused in the CBI FIR which is now part of the ED case. The agency wants Mallya to join the investigation in these cases in person and has virtually exhausted all legal remedies like seeking an Interpol arrest warrant and getting his passport revoked. Mallya and others are alleged to have diverted a part of the loan to some of their offshore businesses as the ED alleged he created a complex web of shell or investment companies in the name of his family members and employees with dummy directors. An attachment order under PMLA is aimed to deprive the accused from taking benefits of his or her ill-gotten wealth and it can be challenged before the Adjudicating Authority of the said Act within 180 days. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. In unprecedented remarks a senior commander of the Iranian regular Army has implicitly lambasted Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard for meddling in the countrys political and economic affairs. The Coordinating Deputy of the Islamic Republics Army (Artesh), Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, bitterly expressed his dissatisfaction for the army being ignored by the country's state-controlled media. The Islamic Republic government's official news agency, IRNA, published a short video of its interview with the Rear Admiral. The video, entitled "Untold stories of the Army by General Amir Sayyari," was removed from IRNA's website on Sunday, May 31, a few hours after it was posted. IRNA has not explained the reason behind its decision. The Insaf News website says IRNA's Director-General of Domestic News, Pedram Alvandi, has declined to comment. However, about fourteen minutes of the videotaped interview has been republished on other websites. As a rule, commanders of the regular Army have always been careful to avoid commenting on political and economic affairs of the country, let alone criticizing the IRGC, which is said to be the dominant force in Iran's internal and international affairs. During the interview, Rear Admiral Sayyari insisted that the army respects rules and does not step into political and economic activities, adding, "Does this mean that we do not understand politics? Not at all. We grasp politics well, we analyze it well, we understand it well, but we don't get into politics since politicization is harmful and damaging for the Armed Forces." Meanwhile, Sayyari has not missed the chance to sharply criticize the Islamic Republic propaganda outlets, including the monopolized state-owned Radio&TV (Seda va Sima) networks, for disregarding the regular army's achievements. Sayyari disclosed that immediately after state TV aired some "false comments about Iran's territorial waters" accusing the Army of "negligence", "I filed a legal complaint against Seda va Sima, and wrote a letter to its director," Sayyari said, adding, "Yet, nobody responded (to my letter)." An Iran-Iraq war (1980-88) veteran and seasoned navy man, Syyari has gone even further asserting that "something is going on behind the scenes at Seda va Sima." Sayyari, who has served in the Iranian Army since 1974, first in the Imperial Army, was directly appointed by the Islamic Republic Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as the Chief Commander of the Iranian regular Navy in 2007. After a decade at the position, he was installed as the Coordinating Deputy of the Army, in 2017. In his interview with IRNA, Sayyari also criticized the Army's absence from the state propaganda, including movies, while religious men are falsely presented as "heroes" who were capable to wipe out a division with only one single machine gun. If that was the case, Sayyari quipped, "Why the war took eight years?" Moreover, Sayyari expressed disappointment with the portrayal of Brigadier General Valiollah Fallahi in the movie, Che', directed by the so-called "Islamic revolutionary film director", Ebrahim Hatami Kia. Valiollah Fallahi (1931 29 September 1981), was Chief-Commander of the Iranian Army commander ground forces and prominent figure during the first year of the IranIraq War. He died in a plane crash on 29 September 1981 along with three other senior commanders of the Army. The portrayal of Commander Fallahi in the movie, Che', was so disappointing, Sayyari says, that he personally told the director, Hatami Kia, "This is n-o-t my Commander's image, and it has brought me to tears." In the movie the crucial role of the army is played down while the role of the Revolutionary Guard, a nascent force, is glorified. The existence of discrimination against Iran's regular Army and preventing it from coming out of the IRGC's long shadow has been frequently referred to in the past four decades. Proponents of the Islamic Republic note that the army's duty is "defending the country" while the IRGC's is "defending the ruling system," meaning the regime. New Delhi, June 1 : Director Patrick Graham has chalked out a "solid second season" of his hit horror mini-series "Ghoul", and would like to revisit the story. Graham recently returned to OTT with the horror series "Betaal" but, unlike "Ghoul", his new show was not universally applauded. For the limited series "Ghoul", a hit among horror buffs, Graham drew inspiration from Arabic folklore to create shape-shifting, cannibalistic Jinn Ghoul. The 2018 project starred Radhika Apte and Manav Kaul. "Well, I would love to do that," Graham told IANS, when asked if he would like to revisit the hit show, which ended on an open ended note. "I actually planned out a quiet solid second season. But for various different reasons, it didn't kind of come about, but of course, yes, I'd always love to revisit that story, because there's such a range of things that you could do with it," he added. Meanwhile, Graham is using the lockdown period to work on new stories. "The lockdown has afforded all writers a lot of time to be able to either work on projects they've already been working on or create new ones. So I've actually spent the last few weeks just creating new ideas for potential theories and films," he said. The director continued: "I've just been kind of preparing a whole bunch of different pitches and I'm hoping that eventually some of them might get picked up. So that's how I've been spending the lockdown. So, I've got lots of lots of new horror projects, sci-fi ideas and a bit of adventure here and there." For his new show "Betaal", Graham dived into Indian mythology. "Betaal" delves into themes of an age-old cure, haunted tunnel, army of undead and how "evil is eternal". Graham has created and written "Betaal", and co-directed with Nikhil Mahajan. The show is co-written by Suhani Kanwar. Set in a remote village, the show narrates the story of a hired military squad, on a mission to destroy a cursed cave, so that a greedy contractor can carry on with his plan to build a highway. In the process, they draw the wrath of the undead. Starring Viineet Kumar, Aahana Kumra, Suchitra Pillai, Jitendra Joshi, Jatin Goswami, Manjiri Pupala, and Syna Anand, the series, backed by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, released on Netflix on May 24. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2020 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating potential claims on behalf of purchasers of Coty, Inc. ("Coty" or "the Company") (COTY). Investors who purchased Coty securities are encouraged to obtain additional information and assist the investigation by visiting the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/coty. The investigation concerns whether Coty and certain of its officers and/or directors have violated federal securities laws. In November 2019, Coty announced its acquisition of a majority stake in Kylie Cosmetics. Then, on May 29, 2020, Forbes reported that Kylie Jenner, the founder of Kylie Cosmetics, had provided the magazine with misleading financial information about her company. On this news, Coty's stock price fell $0.56 per share, or 13.4%, to close at $3.63 per share on May 29, 2020. If you are aware of any facts relating to this investigation, or purchased Coty shares, you can assist this investigation by visiting the firm's site: www.bgandg.com/coty. You can also contact Peretz Bronstein or his Investor Relations Analyst, Yael Hurwitz of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC: 212-697-6484. Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a corporate litigation boutique. Our primary expertise is the aggressive pursuit of litigation claims on behalf of our clients. In addition to representing institutions and other investor plaintiffs in class action security litigation, the firm's expertise includes general corporate and commercial litigation, as well as securities arbitration. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. CONTACT: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC Peretz Bronstein or Yael Hurwitz 212-697-6484 | info@bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz and Grossman, LLC View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/592264/COTY-Investor-Alert-Bronstein-Gewirtz-Grossman-LLC-Announces-Investigation-of-Coty-Inc-and-Encourages-Investors-to-Contact-the-Firm THE head of the largest umbrella group of business organizations representing some 30,000 large and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country has sought the immediate congressional passage of the proposed Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (Create), to give the Philippines a fighting chance in attracting more foreign direct investments under the new normal. Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president Benedicto Yujuico said the revisions to the original Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (Citira), which is now known as the Create bill, will boost the recovery of firms reeling from the economic slowdown spawned by the coronavirus crisis. Yujuico said the immediate reduction of the corporate income tax from 30 percent to 25 percent will bring the countrys rate closer to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations average, and help draw in multinational firms seeking alternative sourcing markets and manufacturing base. The damage Covid-19 and the corresponding lockdown imposed to mitigate its spread has seriously damaged the economy. The business sector needs the package of reforms introduced under Create to help businesses recover, ensure their resilience and create more sustainable economic opportunities, Yujuico said. We therefore call on the Senate and the House of Representatives to accelerate the enactment of the law, he added. (PR) A dingo snaps at European wasps swarming a carcass site. Credit: Emma Spencer, author provided The impacts of invasive mammals such as feral horses and feral cats have featured prominently in the media over the years. But the recent discovery of the infamous "murder hornet" (or giant Asian hornet Vespa mandarinia) in the US has shone a spotlight on a similar invasive insect in Australia, the European wasp (Vespula germanica). Our recent study showed this aggressive insect swarming decayed corpses, decapitating its prey and picking fights with dingoes. Invasive plants and animals can have catastrophic impacts on wildlife. And along with habitat loss and overexploitation, they are the greatest threat faced by native Australian species. The rise of European wasps European wasps are native to Europe, Northern Africa and parts of Asia. But hibernating queens stowed unintentionally in ships or trucks can colonise new areas, and this is how they arrived in Australia. They were first discovered in Tasmania in 1959, and by the 1970s had reached mainland Australia. Today, European wasps are found in every state and territory, and are considered an agricultural, urban and environmental pest. The species is firmly established in the eastern parts of the country, and constant vigilance is required to keep numbers down in other areas. European wasps have no predators (other than humans) in Australia. And they tend to forage more efficiently than their native counterparts, such as the common paper wasp Polistes humilis. Although they are typically most active in late summer and autumn, Australia's warmer climate means not all European wasp queens hibernate over winter as they do in Europe. This allows some wasp colonies to build "super nests" of up to 100,000 individuals. European wasps are commonly encountered in urban areas and, unlike bees, can sting multiple times. They also release a pheromone when threatened that quickly attracts more wasps. So if you bother a nest, you may have to contend with the whole hive. Wasps as ruthless scavengers Our research looks into the role of European wasps as scavengers. In Australia, animal carcasses aren't in short supply. Millions are produced each year due to culling, vehicle collision and drought. The recent bushfires also added to this. European wasps can be found swarming animal carcasses. Most carcasses are left to rot and provide perfect "free feed" stations for wasp colonies foraging for protein. For our study, we monitored 20 kangaroo carcasses at Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales. Wasps congregated in large numbers around each, and ruthlessly attacked blowflies that attempted to approach. We could sit next to a carcass and watch fly after fly tackled to the ground by wasps. Many flies showed signs of mutilation. To our surprise, some were even missing their heads. In an effort to protect "their" carcass, the European wasps were decapitating the flies. This may have simply been defensive behaviour, but they could have also been taking bits of flies back to their nest for larvae to feed on. We also observed the wasps bothering animals much larger than them, and our camera trap images showed dingoes snapping at wasps circling carcasses. Many of these animals retreated without feeding on the resource, presumably because the wasps were stinging them. This unlucky blowfly was decapitated by a European wasp. Credit: Emma Spencer, author provided We can't ignore the flow on effects Our recent study is just the start of our investigations into European wasp impacts in Kosciuszko National Park. But it has raised important points about the fate of carcasses dominated by wasps. For one, it seems the wasps are preventing blowflies and dingoes from doing their job of "cleaning up" carcasses in the landscape. Also, flies are major pollinators, and decapitation isn't helpful for pollen transfer. Moreover, if European wasp numbers are supported by prevalent carcass resources (including those resulting from culling) this may suggest a need to cull pest species when the wasps are not active, such as during the coldest times of the year. Are wasps and 'murder hornets' a danger to us? Like the European wasp, the "murder hornet" also threatens insect pollinators. The hornets have raised alarms in the US because they decimate honeybee populations, and have a nasty sting. A European wasp attacks a blowfly. Similarly in Australia, there has been a focus on the threat European wasps pose to humans. But as is the case in the US, this focus is largely misguided. While both insects have painful stings that can result in severe allergic reactions, fatalities are rare. And we would do well to redirect our concerns towards the impacts such species have on our ecosystems. Explore further European wasps gather strength in Kalgoorlie This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Traders making unhedged bets in Indias equity derivatives market will have to pay higher prices upfront from today, June 1, as per the new norms of the National Stock Exchange. According to the new norms, market participants betting on the directional movement of any index or stock will have to shell out more margin, while traders who hedge their positions will see initial margins drop. Hedging is a risk management strategy employed to offset losses in investments by taking an opposite position in a related asset. However, the benefit of lower margin will not be available to traders who are trading in derivatives as a hedge against their share portfolio. The margin call for risk-takers can shoot up to 20-25 percent. Meanwhile, hedged strategies will become cheaper by 50-70 percent, suggested media reports. This could, however, dry up liquidity in the derivatives segment of the Indian market, they added, quoting experts. The key purpose of the increasing the margin could be to dissuade traders from making riskier bets at a time when the volatility is high due to concerns relating to the coronavirus. In theory, traders buying or selling futures or options contract without hedging their positions are exposed to unlimited losses which can be detrimental to their financial well-being. Beniamin Osipciuc, 6, drowned after falling into a latrine at his home in Hincesti, Moldova A six-year-old boy drowned in faeces after wearing his older sister's flip-flops and slipping while climbing onto the toilet seat above a latrine at his home in Moldova, police believe. Beniamin Osipciuc disappeared last Tuesday in the small town of Hincesti, in the central part of the country. Local reports said the boy fell in the afternoon while he was at home with his sister, 14, and brother, 9. The older children were busy with their homework and noticed his disappearance only later. They then told their parents, who had been at work when he fell. Failing to find the boy on their own, the family reported him missing. Police and volunteers who around 500 in total searched for the boy for the next two days. After failing to find him, police officers decided to take a closer look at the family's house and courtyard. Senior officer Igor Zglavuta said to local media: 'We broke the outside lavatory and found the boy's body in the pit latrine.' Forensic examinations showed no marks of violence on the child's body, police said. The older children were busy with their homework and noticed his disappearance only later. They then told their parents, who had been at work when he fell Prosecutor Remus Moroz told: 'There are no doubts that it was an accident. 'The boy put on his older sister's flip-flops and climbed onto the toilet seat. 'We believe he slipped from the seat, fell in the drop hole and drowned.' Police spokeswoman Kristina Vikol added: 'The victim suffocated in faeces after falling in the outside lavatory in the courtyard of his family's house.' Police and volunteers who around 500 in total searched for the boy for the next two days. Pictured: Police at the family home After failing to find him, police officers decided to take a closer look at the family's house and courtyard. Pictured: Residents and police gather near the home According to police reports, the boy's older siblings were in the house and could not hear his screams because the toilet's walls are made from cement Detectives say Beniamin fell in the toilet on the day of his disappearance. According to police reports, the boy's older siblings were in the house and could not hear his screams because the toilet's walls are made from cement. Beniamin's relatives cannot believe what happened. His father Fyodor Osipciuc said: 'We cannot imagine how he could fall through the drop hole. He used the toilet on his own since he was three...' The child, affectionately called Bibi by his family, was buried yesterday, local media added. Former actress Zaira Wasim's tweet relating the locust attacks to people's arrogance, by quoting a religious verse, caused netizens to react with anger. The furore caused Zaira to quit social media for a couple of days. However, she has now returned, and written a lengthy note on how her tweet was taken completely out of context. Zaira responded to a tweet by Canadian journalist Tarek Fateh, who wrote, "Indian Muslim actress @ZairaWasimmm mocks her own countrymen as being victims of Allah's wrath. This is how she explains locust swarm." Zaira started off, "While I too agree making claims like this is wrath or a curse' when the world is going through so much is a really insensitive one, I wish to also emphasise that making a claim on our own as big as It's a wrath or curse of Allah upon any land* is a statement one is making on behalf of Allah, which is actually a religiously irresponsible one and a sin and also a claim I never made, let alone mock anyone." She added, "My tweet was completely taken out of context and blown out of proportion and none of the opinions, whether good or bad, define the reality of my intentions, for that is between me and My Rabb, and something which I'm not even going to explain, for I'm only accountable to Allah and not His creation," she added. "The world is going through a tough time and a lot of hatred and bigotry already, the least we could do is not add more to it." "P.S I am not an actress anymore," signed off Zaira. So We sent upon them the flood and locusts and lice and frogs and blood: Signs openly self explained: but they were steeped in arrogance- a people given to sin -Quran 7:133 Zaira Wasim (@ZairaWasimmm) May 27, 2020 Zaira quit her career as an actress after The Sky Is Pink, a 2019 film directed by Shonali Bose, also starring Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar and Rohit Suresh Saraf. ALSO READ: Zaira Wasim Returns To Twitter, Says 'I'm Just A Human, Allowed To Take A Break' Press Release June 1, 2020 SPONSORSHIP SPEECH SB 1561: Bayanihan to Recover As One Act Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto 01 June 2020 We have just emerged from the world's longest lockdown--75 days--when 109 million of us in the 13th most populous country in the planet hunkered down to stop the virus. Although it spared us from digging mass graves, it, however, buried businesses in unpaid bills, our people in hardship, and our government in debt. While the coronavirus does not suffocate all its victims, it sure can choke an entire economy, including ours, the 36th biggest in the world. In our bid to flatten the curve, the needles of our economy moved to alarming lows. 2.79 million workers lost their income, putting them overnight into welfare. 103,653 firms shuttered--most temporarily, but some for good. The quarantine cost our economy P18 billion a day. Tax collections plummeted so much that an intaxicated government saw its April excise tax take dip from P28.6 billion to P7.2 billion year-on-year. We can read the state of our economy from reports with numbers dripping with red ink. Or we can see it in human form - drivers begging on the streets, the long queues for cash aid, and construction workers who walk under the sun and under the stars for weeks to return empty handed to their families in the provinces. And yet, our agony is not over. The virus remains an enigma. No cure is in sight. Ahead is the great unknown. This measure is the "bill of lading" of the provisions that we will bring in our journey to the uncertain future, our survival tools. Mr. President, the easy way forward is to simply extend the validity of the existing bill, which requires nothing more than changing the timestamp of its effectivity. Or we can strengthen it, make it more potent, so that the end product is a bill that is not merely given a fresh lease on life, but is loaded with new features drawn from what our people have experienced over the past 75 days. May I remind you, my dear colleagues, that this was the approach we had taken in tackling the bare bones bill which we collectively improved on to become the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act. Our friends in the other House were expecting that we will rubber-stamp the Palace proposal--so much so that they didn't even bother to order lunch. But what did we do? In the time-honored tradition of the Senate, we crossed party lines and worked until dawn to craft a vastly superior version more attuned to what our people needed. Why did we do it? Because it has been our practice that given a proposal full of generalities, we do not call for a vote until we have the bill granular. Instead of sweeping powers, we in the Senate fleshed out a to-do list for the executive. We mandated cash aid for 18 million families. We required PhilHealth to pay the full cost of COVID-19 treatments. We decreed that health frontliners be given hazard pay. We compelled the prompt testing of PUIs and PUMs. We instituted a moratorium in paying loans, rents and utilities. We directed credit flow to key sectors of the economy, like food production. We relaxed the procurement rules for medical supplies. We enumerated where the anti-pandemic funds should go. We institutionalized work-from-home arrangements. And many, many more--because there is a Senate that does not automatically say yes to bills they ask for, but think on how these bills could be made better. Mr. President, this pandemic is a tragedy of many acts. As we begin a chapter, so must we write a new playbook. When the pandemic mutates, we adapt. We may not be able to fully flatten the curve, but we must always be ahead of it. What are the challenges we face? No less than an economic Armageddon. Our GDP will contract by 15 percent, according to one estimate. Instead of a nominal GDP of P21.4 trillion, it could be in the neighborhood of P18.9 trillion, a value-added loss of two and half trillion pesos. This will, of course, tow down revenues, from 16.8 percent of GDP to 13.6 percent, and that is seen from a rose-colored glasses. As a result, national government debt will spike from 39.6 percent of GDP to 49.8 percent, at least. But beyond dashboard economic indicators is the pandemic's harsh impact on Filipino lives. The transport sector is grounded, service workers are furloughed, manufacturing has ground to a halt, and construction has ceased. One estimate puts at 7.5 million to 10 million the number of people who will lose jobs this year. They will be joined by 300,000 Filipinos overseas who want to go home. Also in the displaced column are 33 million students whose schooling is now interrupted, plus the 3 million teachers and auxiliary workers in education. Throughout history, hunger has marched lockstep with pandemics, and poverty a dangerous comorbidity. Already, the number of GNP--or Gutom na Pilipino--doubled from the 2.1 million families surveyed in December 2019, to 4.2 million families in May 2020. If these are the ills we face, then this bill is the bag of cures. Band aids aren't enough. What is needed is a medicine cabinet approach. This bill sets up a social safety net for those who will fall in the cracks, crank up stalled enterprises, rev up food production, ramp up virus testing that is essential for safe workplaces, so we will know when to pull the circuit breaker that will stop its spread. In addition to programs under the Bayanihan Act, this bill authorizes the following: To displaced workers, a wage subsidy in the amount of P30 billion, in which a qualified individual can receive up to two months of minimum wage. To farmers, fishermen and other frontliners against hunger, various forms of production assistance through a P20 billion grant to the D.A. To workers, P20 billion for cash-for-work activities that will boost our defense against the pandemic, like contact tracing, health facilities construction, and nutrition activities. To the DOH, P20 billion for improving public health care, so that it can respond to other diseases and health emergencies simultaneous with managing COVID-19. To COVID-19 testing, P10 billion for Trace-Test-Treat, a shot-in-the-arm of the health imperative for more and massive testing. To MSMEs, agri-fishery, tourism and export enterprises, P70 billion--P35 billion to the Land Bank, P15 billion to the DBP, P20 billion to the Philippine Guarantee Loans--for low interest loans. For workers in education, transport, health, including repatriated OFWs, and those displaced in other sectors, P80 billion in assistance. To private school teachers and part-time faculty of state colleges, a one-time cash aid of P5,000 to P8,000. To consumers with loans, utility bills, and other payroll taxes, a 30-day grace period. Unpaid credit card and utility bills can be settled by instalment, free of interest and charges, until the end of the year. Yes, the above will be financed largely by borrowings, but with a debt-to-GDP ratio below 50 percent, we're far from maxing out the national credit card. If the economy were a patient in ICU, there is nothing morally wrong and no fiscal canon is violated in using credit to save it. Mr. President: For our people, let us craft and pass this bill in true Senate bayanihanfashion. The 49ers who panned for gold during California's Gold Rush didn't really know where they might strike it rich. They had word of mouth and not much else to go on. Researchers at the University of Central Florida want to give prospectors looking to mine the moon better odds of striking gold, which on the moon means rich deposits of water ice that can be turned into resources, like fuel, for space missions. A team lead by planetary scientist Kevin Cannon created an Ice Favorability Index. The geological model explains the process for ice formation at the poles of the moon, and mapped the terrain, which includes craters that may hold ice deposits. The model, which has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Icarus, accounts for what asteroid impacts on the surface of the moon may do to deposits of ice found meters beneath the surface. "Despite being our closest neighbor, we still don't know a lot about water on the moon, especially how much there is beneath the surface," Cannon says. "It's important for us to consider the geologic processes that have gone on to better understand where we may find ice deposits and how to best get to them with the least amount of risk." The team was inspired by mining companies on Earth, which conduct detailed geological work, and take core samples before investing in costly extraction sites. Mining companies conduct field mappings, take core samples from the potential site and try to understand the geological reasons behind the formation of the particular mineral they are looking for in an area of interest. In essence they create a model for what a mining zone might look like before deciding to plunk down money to drill. The team at UCF followed the same approach using data collected about the moon over the years and ran simulations in the lab. While they couldn't collect core samples, they had data from satellite observations and from the first trip to the moon. advertisement Why Mine the Moon In order for humans to explore the solar system and beyond, spacecraft have to be able to launch and continue on their long missions. One of the challenges is fuel. There are no gas stations in space, which means spacecraft have to carry extra fuel with them for long missions and that fuel weighs a lot. Mining the moon could result in creating fuel , which would help ease the cost of flights since spacecraft wouldn't have to haul the extra fuel. Water ice can be purified and processed to produce both hydrogen and oxygen for propellent, according to several previously published studies. Sometime in the future, this process could be completed on the moon effectively producing a gas station for spacecraft. Asteroids may also provide similar resources for fuel. Some believe a system of these "gas stations" would be the start of the industrialization of space. Several private companies are exploring mining techniques to employ on the moon. Both Luxembourg and the United States have adopted legislation giving citizens and corporations ownership rights over resources mined in space, including the moon, according to the study. "The idea of mining the moon and asteroids isn't science fiction anymore," says UCF physics Professor and co-author Dan Britt. "There are teams around the world looking to find ways to make this happen and our work will help get us closer to making the idea a reality." The study was supported by NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute cooperative agreement with the Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science (CLASS) based at UCF. After working six days a week for five years straight, Kevin McCann got an unexpected 2 1/2 month break. After deciding to close his butcher shop out of safety concerns during the coronavirus pandemic, he got a chance to reflect on his business. When McCann's Local Meats reopens on June 1, it will have implemented some changes that would have been more difficult during the unrelenting flow of day-to-day business. The most obvious change will greet customers when they open the front door of the shop in the South Wedge neighborhood in Rochester, New York. Standing in the shop's reconfigured vestibule will be a large refrigerated vending machine. Its nine levels of revolving shelves will be stocked with things like freshly cut uncooked steaks, burgers, sausages, pork chops, chicken and bacon. There might also be some of the shop's prepared foods, such as mac salad, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, baked beans and soup. The machine will accept credit cards and Apple Pay, but no cash. Kevin McCann stands with the new meat vending machine in the lobby of McCann's Local Meats, a butcher shop on South Clinton Avenue. McCann sees the vending machine as a way to serve customers who want minimal contact during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as to sell products when the shop is closed. Laid-off workers: Start side hustles, business ventures to survive amid COVID-19 pandemic Rebuilding America: Will grocery shopping ever be the same after the pandemic? McCann got the idea from Joshua Applestone, with whom McCann worked in the past. Applestone owns Applestone Meat Co., which has two shops in the Hudson Valley that offers fresh-cut meat from vending machines and are open 24/7 Hes been a bug in my ear for five years," McCann said. This was a cool opportunity. Its absolutely opportunistic on my end. Other changes at McCann's Local Meats will include: Limiting the number of people in the building to five. Requiring face masks in the building. Observing guidance on the floor for six-feet spacing. A sanitizing system for pens used to sign credit card receipts. An online ordering system for ready-to-eat food such as sandwiches, French fries and pancakes. New hours: It will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Story continues While McCann may be excited to embrace relatively new ideas like a meat vending machine and online ordering, he still is passionate about the old-fashioned philosophy he has had from the beginning. He continues to source his meats from local farmers a practice that may put him at a competitive advantage during a meat shortage. Many of the country's large-scale meat production facilities have had to close due to coronavirus illnesses, reducing the availability of meat. As a result, prices have risen dramatically. That is not the case at McCann's Local Meats. The shop's prices are usually competitive with the higher-priced natural, organic meats sold at grocery stores. His costs have remained stable; he continues to pay farmers a fair price for their products. He plans to increase prices slightly by as much as a dollar a pound for some cuts to cover expenses like increased packaging costs, face masks and extra work brought on by the coronavirus. "We wont see any shortages," he said. "Our supply chain is great. Our farmers are happy were coming back. Our supply is going to be 100%. Follow Tracy Schuhmacher on Twitter or Instagram as @RahChaChow. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Meat vending machine installed at McCann's Local Meats in New York Retired colonel and former military administrator of Kaduna, COL. DANGIWA UMAR, says President Muhammadu Buharis ways of appointing people from his section of Nigeria into office will ruin the country. Dangiwa in an open letter he wrote to president Buhari, cited the case of the acting appeal court president whose appointment has not been confirmed. Buhari had extended the protem appointment of Monica Dongban-Mensem, who is a Christian, as the president of the court of appeal without formalising her position as substantive head of the appellate court. The president has not sent her name to the senate for the confirmation of her appointment. This has raised questions regarding the reasons behind the decision of the president. In the open letter, Dangiwa who served as military governor of Kaduna between 1985 and 1988 under the regime of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, asked Buhari to emulate some past Nigerian leaders who showed great statesmanship. Dangiwa is renowned for opposing the annulment of the June 12 election in 1993 by the government in which he served. He was arrested for his dissent against the regime but was later released, afterwards he resigned from the army. Read the Retired Colonels letter to Buhari below; OPEN LETTER FROM COL. DANGIWA UMAR (RTD) TO PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI Muhammadu Buhari, President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Dear Mr. President, MR. PRESIDENT; PLEASE BELONG TO ALL OF US. One of the swiftest ways of destroying a Kingdom is to give preference of one particular tribe over another or show favor to one group of people rather than another. And to draw near those who should be kept away and keep away those who should be drawn near Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio. I have been prompted to write you this open letter, Mr. President, by the loud sounds of drums, singing and dancing that erupted within many groups in the last few days on the grounds that you attained the 5th year in office as President of Nigeria. It comes as no surprise that enthusiasm for the celebration is not shared equally by segments of the public. While your admirers and supporters believe you have performed well, many others believe the five years you have been in office as our President has not met the yearnings, expectations and change promised Nigerians. Mr. President, you know me well enough and my position on issues to realize that I can be neither a rabid supporter nor a fanatical opponent of yours. I believe being a responsible citizen is enough reason to wish you well and to work for your success. As we have seen all too clearly these past few years, your success is ours as is your failure. We swim or sink with you! You might wish to recall that after the results of the 23rd of February 2019 presidential elections were announced, giving you victory, I addressed a press conference during which I urged the runner-up, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, to concede defeat. The reason was clear: tensions were running high and little missteps by the leaders might ignite violence, as often happened after major elections. Some supporters of Abubakar Atiku disagreed with me and told me off. As it happened, Alhaji Atiku went ahead to mount a legal challenge to the outcome of the elections up to the Supreme Court. Mercifully, his actions did not result in an outbreak of violence as we feared. At the same occasion, I counselled the declared winner, your good self, to use the opportunity of your second term to redeem your pledge of being a leader and president of all Nigerians. On the occasion of the first-year anniversary into your second four-year term, I feel there is an urgent need to revisit this subject matter. Mr. President, you have often expressed the hope that history will be kind to you. It is within your competence to write that history. But you have less than three years in which to do it. You may wish to note that any authentic history must be devoid of myth. It will be a true, factual rendition of the record of your performance. And truth be told, Mr. President, there are quite a lot of things that speak to your remarkable accomplishments, not least of which is that for the first time in our democratic history, a sitting President was defeated. That feat was achieved by Muhammadu Buhari. The reason was the public belief of you as a man of integrity. The corollary to this is that at the expiration of your 8-year tenure in 2023, your achievements will not be measured solely by the physical infrastructure your administration built. An enduring legacy would be based on those intangible things like how much you uplifted the spirit and moral tone of the nation. How well have you secured the nation from ourselves and from external enemies? At this time and in the light of all that have happened since you took office, any conversation with you Mr. President cannot gloss over the chaos that has overtaken appointments into government offices in your administration. All those who wish you and the country well must mince no words in warning you that Nigeria has become dangerously polarized and risk sliding into crisis on account of your administrations lopsided appointments which continues to give undue preference to some sections of the country over others. Nowhere is this more glaring than in the leadership cadre of our security services. Mr. President, I regret that there are no kind or gentle words to tell you that your skewed appointments into the offices of the federal government, favoring some and frustrating others, shall bring ruin and destruction to this nation. I need not remind you, Mr. President, that our political history is replete with great acts of exemplary leadership which, at critical moments, managed to pull this nation back from the precipice and assured its continued existence. A few examples will demonstrate this: In February, 1965, the NPC-led Federal Government was faced with a decision to appoint a successor to the outgoing Nigerian Army General Officer Commanding (GOC), General Welby Everard, a Briton. Four most senior officers were nominated; namely, Brigadiers Aguiyi Ironsi, Ogundipe, Ademulegun and Maimalari. The first three were senior to Maimalari but he was deemed to be more qualified due to his superior commission. He was the first Sandhurst Regular trained officer in the Nigerian Army. His being a Muslim Northerner like the Minister of Defense, Alhaji Muhammadu Ribadu and the Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa granted him added advantage by todays standards. But to the surprise of even the Igbos, and opposition from some senior NPC members, Minister Ribadu recommended Ironsi, pointing to his seniority. The Prime Minister concurred and Aguiyi Ironsi was confirmed as the first indigenous GOC of the Nigerian Army. When on 13 February 1976, the Commander-in-Chief, General Murtala Muhammed, was assassinated in a failed Coup de tat, General Olusegun Obasanjo, his deputy and the most senior officer at the time, was sworn in as his successor. The Chief of Army Staff, General T.Y Danjuma, a Northern Christian, was next in line to succeed Obasanjo as the Chief of Staff, SHQ and Deputy Commander in Chief. General Danjuma however waived his right and recommended a much junior officer, Lt. Col. Shehu Musa Yaradua, for the post. Shehu was promoted two steps up to the rank of Brigadier and appointed Chief of Staff SHQ and Deputy Commander-in-Chief. Lt. Col. Muhammadu Buhari was appointed Minister of Petroleum. This was done to placate Muslim North which was deemed to have lost one of its own, Murtala Muhammed. Both the chief of staff, Mr. Sunday Awoniyi, and the personal physician Dr Ishaya Audu to the Premier of Northern Nigeria, Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello, a direct descendant of Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio, were Christians. Barely nine years after the civil war in 1979, the NPN Presidential candidate, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, picked an Igbo, Dr Alex Ekwueme, as his running mate. They enjoyed a truly brotherly relationship as President and Vice President. President Shagaris political advisor, Dr Chuba Okadigbo and National Assembly Liaison, assistant, Dr K.O Mbadiwe, were both Igbos. His economic advisor, Prof. Emmanuel Edozien and his Chief of Personnel Staff Dr Michael Prest, were of Niger Delta extraction. Remarkably, all his military service chiefs were Christians with the exception of his last Chief Army Staff, General Inuwa Wushishi under whose tenure he was removed in a military coup de tat. Mr. President, as a witness and beneficiary, it is our expectation that you would emulate these great acts of statesmanship. Which is why we have continued to engage with you. You may wish to recall that I had cause to appeal to you, to confirm Justice Onnoghen as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria a few days before the expiration of his three months tenure of acting appointment to be replaced by a Muslim Northerner. We were saved that embarrassment when his nomination was sent to the senate by the then acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo. When he was finally confirmed a few days to the end of his tenure, he was removed after a few months and replaced by Justice Muhammed, a Muslim from the North. May I also invite the attention of Mr. President to the pending matter of appointment of a Chief Judge of the Nigerian Court Appeal which appears to be generating public interest. As it is, the most senior Judge, Justice Monica Dongban Mensem, a northern Christian, is serving out her second three-month term as acting Chief Judge without firm prospects that she will be confirmed substantive head. I do not know Justice Mensem but those who do attest to her competence, honesty and humility. She appears eminently qualified for appointment as the substantive Chief Judge of the Court of Appeal as she is also said to be highly recommended by the National Judicial Council. If she is not and is bypassed in favor of the next in line who happens to be another northern Muslim, that would be truly odd. In which case, even the largest contingent of PR gurus would struggle to rebut the charges that you, Mr. President, is either unwilling or incapable of acting on your pledge to belong to everyone and to no one. I hope you would see your way into pausing and reflecting on the very grave consequences of such failure not just to your legacy but to the future of our great country. Thank you for your time, Mr. President. COL. ABUBAKAR DANGIWA UMAR (RTD) By Humeyra Pamuk and David Brunnstrom WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is considering the option of welcoming people from Hong Kong in response to China's push to impose national security legislation in the former British colony, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in remarks released on Monday. Influential Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell also said on Monday he hoped the Trump administration would soon identify specific ways to "impose costs on Beijing" for curbing freedoms in Hong Kong. McConnell said the United States should mirror the response of other democracies and open its doors to people from the territory. Addressing the Senate, McConnell said the United States had "a rich heritage of standing as a beacon of light" to refugees from war and communism. "We should exercise it again for the people of Hong Kong," he said. President Donald Trump on Friday ordered his administration to begin the process of eliminating special U.S. treatment for Hong Kong to punish China for curbing freedoms there, but stopped short of immediately ending privileges that have helped the territory remain a global financial center. Last week, Britain said it was prepared to offer extended visa rights and a pathway to citizenship for almost 3 million Hong Kong residents. While speaking to the American Enterprise Institute on Friday, Pompeo was asked if Washington was considering welcoming people from Hong Kong "to come here and bring their entrepreneurial creativity". "We are considering it. I dont know precisely how it will play out," he replied in remarks shared by the State Department on Monday. "The British have, as you know, a different relationship. A lot of these folks have British national passports. Theres a long history between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom; its very different. But were taking a look at it," he added. When asked about Pompeo's comments, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday that China would not tolerate any foreign interference in Hong Kong. Story continues "We wish the U.S. would do more to benefit Hong Kong's stability and prosperity and the development of China-U.S. relations," he said, speaking at a daily news conference in Beijing. Last year, Trump approved legislation stating that Hong Kong residents may not be denied visas because they have been subjected to politically motivated arrest, detention, or other "adverse" government action. On Friday, Trump also issued a proclamation suspending entry of Chinese nationals identified as potential security risks, something sources said could affect thousands. In a statement on Monday, Pompeo said the move would apply only to graduate students and researchers "targeted, co-opted and exploited" by the Chinese government, representing "only a small subset" of such applicants. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and David Brunnstrom; additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by David Gregorio & Simon Cameron-Moore) Over the weekend, several Twitter users had reported the website of Amazon U.K. after seeing racial comments from a user on the Apple Airpods listings page. Interestingly, the said comments were not deleted right away by the online store. This caused controversy between the customers that had seen the discriminatory words and the fact that they don't know how long these racist posts were flashed on the page before Amazon deleted it. Amazon UK website bombarded with 'N-Word'; Store now deletes them As reported via BBC on Sunday, May 31, multiple listings on the Amazon UK website contained insensitive and racist comments on their pages. If you happen to search for 'Apple Airpods' and similar products over the weekend, here's what you might have seen in the online store. Several racist remarks are saying the 'N-word' had been all over the place on the website. It was unclear whether how long the posts were active on the Amazon U.K. website before it gets reported and deleted by the management. However, it seemed like it had been a long period since screenshots of the posts already circulated on Twitter. If you search airpods on @amazonuk you're greeted with pictures calling you a nigger. And it's been up like this for a couple of hours. Despite Amazon being a 24 hour company. I'm tired. aji (@ajibolajosiah) May 30, 2020 Nadine White, a journalist for the Huffington Post, tweeted that the abuse "needs to be acknowledged, removed, explained, apologised for asap. Being Black right now is hard enough; we don't need to be called the 'N-word' while shopping online, to boot". Amazon now deleted the listings with 'N-Word' The Amazon website said that a 'bad actor' did all the changes on the listings. The management did not elaborate on the details about the said 'bad actor.' "We investigated, removed the images in question, and took action against the bad actor," Amazon told the BBC. George Floyd's case stirs racism in the U.S. Racism is now one of the most-talked-about issues in the United States over the story of the Black man George Floyd's death circulated online. Law enforcement has been in total lockdown on Minneapolis, Minnesota to control the extreme violence that is still happening right now on the state. Shots fire, looting of stores, and multiple injuries were already reported. The issue of racial discrimination was also heightened during the event. Even the U.S. Pres. Donald Trump was bashed online for posting phrases like "when looting starts, shooting starts." Some Twitter users connected this issue to this past event. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An entire session of the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation was devoted to this topic for the first time The illegal actions of the occupying power in Crimea since 2014 have been the main factor in the continuous deterioration of the security situation in the Azov and Black Sea region, which is characterized by instability and a tendency to worsen. The rise in tension was caused by the Russian Federation's efforts to legitimize the attempted annexation of the peninsula and to assert its dominance in the maritime areas. The prospect of the possible transformation of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea into "Russian lakes" is a direct consequence of the occupation of Crimea. This is how Anton Korynevych, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, started his speech at the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation during the latest online meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation. The Ukrainian delegation and partner countries constantly raise the issue of the ongoing occupation of Crimea at meetings of both policy-making bodies of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe - the Permanent Council and the Forum for Security Cooperation. However, for the first time, a separate session of the Forum's security dialogue was devoted to the situation in the Azov-Black Sea region. This was achieved primarily due to Ukraine's chairmanship of the Forum, which lasts from April to August. Ukrinform has already reported how the Russian delegation to the OSCE tried to block the "inappropriate" speeches of the two main speakers at the meeting - independent British expert James Sherr and Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Anton Korynevych. Ukrinform proposes examining the main theses of the speech of the speaker from Ukraine at the virtual meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation, which was closed to journalists. CURRENT THREATS TO SECURITY IN AZOV-BLACK SEA REGION The challenges and threats to security in the Azov-Black Sea region can be summarized as follows: the political sphere is characterized by Russia's attempt to overcome international isolation after the military invasion to Crimea by developing relations with individual Black Sea countries and influencing them in the form of "soft power," unlike the direct military aggression against Ukraine and Georgia with the occupation of parts of their territories; military direction is characterized by comprehensive militarization of Crimea from pre-school education to deployment of missile systems S-400, increasing and upgrading of the naval composition of the Russian Federations Black Sea Fleet which is equipped with cruise missiles "Caliber." The Russian Federation uses the peninsula as the main logistical base for Russian military operations in Syria, the increase in naval exercises and closure of maritime areas, including the exclusive maritime economic zone of Ukraine around the occupied Crimea. There are also signs of the reproduction of nuclear military facilities on the peninsula; the international legal sphere has been marked by the termination of the recognition of the powers of the International Fact-Finding Commission under Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions; promotion by the Kremlin of Crimean collaborators abroad and involving of pro-Russian foreigners into activities on the peninsula; forced naturalization of the Crimean residents by the Russian Federation and deprivation of property rights of Ukrainian citizens and foreigners on the peninsula; the economic direction is characterized by the creation of artificial obstacles to free commercial navigation and endanger maritime transport in the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov as a result of the illegal construction of the so-called "Crimean Bridge" by the Russian Federation; the involvement of foreign vessels into illegal marine commercial transportation to the Crimean closed ports; increasing gas supplies via the Black Sea which creates an environmental hazard at the Black Sea depths saturated with hydrogen sulfide. WHAT HAPPENS TO HUMAN RIGHTS The issue of security in the Azov and Black Sea region is not strictly limited to a military component. No less important for understanding and assessment of the Russian hybrid war against Ukraine are large-scale and serious violations of international humanitarian law by the Russian Federation in the territory of the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. According to reports by a number of international organizations (OHCHR, OSCE ODIHR, Council of Europe), the human rights situation in the occupied Crimea has dramatically deteriorated. Reports confirm the existence of widespread abductions, enforced disappearances, tortures, politically motivated persecution on ethnic and religious grounds, and discrimination. The basic rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, religion and education are being violated, the media are being persecuted and banned, the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar identities are being destroyed, and illegal conscription to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is being conducted. Many of these acts by the occupying power are classified as war crimes and crimes against humanity and are within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. HOW RUSSIA VIOLATES TREATY ON CONVENTIONAL ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE Russia's occupation of Crimea has led to a drastic increase in the number of conventional weapons and military equipment in the Black Sea region exceeding the limitations proscribed by the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty). The long-range missile weapons on the Peninsula are capable of striking the entire southern part of Ukraine and the territories of neighboring countries. The security of the Black Sea littoral states, of which two are already affected by foreign aggression, are also at stake. The occupied territories of Ukraine and Georgia had been turned into gray zones inaccessible for verification and inspection activities under the CFE Treaty, Open Skies Treaty, the Vienna Document on Confidence and Security Building Measures and other arms control and non-proliferation regimes. This state of affairs continues to erode military transparency, predictability and trust in the region. WHAT THREATS COME FROM RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE "CRIMEA" Dominating in the actions of the Russian Federation are exclusively military and political interests of the transformation of captured Crimea into a military base, along with the intentions of the Kremlin to spread expansion beyond the Black Sea. The militarization of the peninsula was unleashed almost immediately after the illegal occupation of Crimea. It included, in particular, destabilizing transfers of weapons and military equipment, including nuclear capable aircraft and missiles, weapons, ammunition and military personnel to the territory of Ukraine. The occupation and subsequent militarization of Crimea led to the expansion of the area of use of warships and military aircraft in the Black Sea region and far beyond in the entire Mediterranean basin. Thus, such activity has far-reaching consequences for security not only in the Black Sea area, but in the whole South Europe, as well as in the North Africa and the Middle East. Multiple illegal military exercises conducted in Crimea and around it reflect aggressive military posture towards Ukraine and other Black Sea littoral states. Such exercises also entail considerable long-term negative environmental consequences in the region. The Sea of Azov region has been also intensively militarized. The number of warships with their expansion to the whole territory of the Sea has significantly increased. The progressive militarization of the Sea of Azov has implications not only for maritime trade and supplies into Ukraine, but also poses an additional military threat to Ukraine and leads to escalation of security situation in the region. The illegal construction of the Kerch Strait bridge has substantially contributed to this threat, in particular by facilitating further militarization of Crimea and involvement of additional maritime and other forces to the area under the pretext of protection of the bridge and its infrastructure. WHAT RUSSIA'S DEPLOYMENT OF NUCLEAR FORCES IN CRIMEA MEANS What is more alarming is that the occupying power is taking steps to renuclearize Crimea, in particular by deploying carriers and other means capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as by actively developing nuclear infrastructure on the peninsula. Taking into account the strategic location of Crimea in the region, as well as Ukraine being part of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear-weapon State, deployment of nuclear forces in Crimea constitutes a serious challenge to the existing non-proliferation regime and must meet due response by the international community. UN AND OSCE EFFORTS IN COUNTERING MILITARIZATION OF CRIMEA Given the current volatile security situation in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov region and its possible far-reaching negative implications, the issue of the militarization of Crimea must be high on the agenda of all international organizations concerned, in particular the UN and the OSCE. The international community should redouble its concerted actions to restore security and full compliance of international law, OSCE fundamental norms and principles in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov region. These efforts must be based on full respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, refraining from the threat or use of force, non-intervention in internal affairs, fulfillment in good faith of obligations under international law. Ukraine remains one of the main targets of Russian aggression, and Russia will not stop. The more Moscow talks about the desire for peace, the more the Kremlin prepares for war. WHY OSCE SHOULD IMPLEMENT ITS MANDATE BOTH IN CRIMEA AND AT SEA The OSCE can play a greater role in monitoring and responding to the degrading security and social and economic situation in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea region. The SMM has already confirmed the negative impact of the impediment of navigation on the social and economic well-being of Ukrainians residing in areas located on the coastline of the Sea of Azov. The SMM reports confirm that "delays and reduction in ships willing to navigate through the Kerch Strait have led to reduced business, including canceled contracts and an inability to acquire new contracts due to ongoing uncertainties" and increased costs of insurance policies. This monitoring is important and must continue on a daily basis. The SMM is regularly denied access to the temporarily occupied areas in the southern Donetsk region adjacent to the Sea of Azov. This is an area of established supplies routes of weaponry and manpower to the conflict area. We believe that more vigilance and reporting by the SMM are needed on activities related to the militarization of the occupied Crimea and adjacent territorial waters, the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. The consequences of such destructive policy to the local population, security of Ukraine and environment should be also reflected in its reports. Amid constant infringement of the SMM mandate, the tool of distance monitoring is of particular relevance to this end. Vasyl Korotkyi, Vienna Oakville, Ontario, Canada - July 25, 2019: A Reitmans store in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Reitmans Ltd. is a Canadian retailing company, specializing in women's clothing. Reitmans Ltd. will shutter two of its fashion brands and lay off 1,400 employees as the clothing retailer restructures its business under creditor protection. The Montreal-based company, which filed for protection from its creditors on May 19, announced on Monday that it will permanently close 77 Addition Elle and 54 Thyme Maternity stores over the course of the summer. The retailer also said it will lay off 1,100 employees at its retail stores and 300 workers at its head office as it continues the restructuring process. The decision leaves Reitmans with its namesake brand, Penningtons and RW&Co. Reitmans chief executive Stephen Reitman said in a statement on Monday that the decision to close Addition Elle and Thyme Maternity was not made lightly but necessary for the business to move forward as a profitable organization. All of the efforts we put forth to turn these brands around were derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic and, unfortunately, we can no longer afford the required resources to bring them back to profitability, he said. As we forge ahead with these three flagship Canadian brands, our intention is to write the next chapter of our Company's history for a stronger and brighter future. Reitmans said it will liquidate inventory and shut down physical and e-commerce Thyme Maternity stores by July 18. Addition Elle stores will shutter by Aug. 15. After the closures, the retailer will be left with 445 stores, including 259 Reitmans, 106 Penningtons and 80 RW&Co locations, and approximately 5,400 employees. The company currently operates 576 stores and employs approximately 6,800 people. Reitmans sought protection from its creditors under the Companies Creditors Arrangement Act on May 19 after the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated ongoing issues at the struggling retailer. The companys net loss for the year ending Feb. 1, 2020 was $51.7 million, or a loss of $1.06 per diluted share, compared to a loss of $8.9 million last year, or a loss of 14 cents per share. Story continues Addition Elle has been an underperforming brand for Reitmans. The company said in its annual report released in May that strategic brand changes implemented at the beginning of its 2020 fiscal year failed to resonate with the companys plus-sized banners, leading to disappointing financial performances at Addition Elle and Penningtons. The retailer said that it will offer an enhanced product offering at its plus-sized Penningtons brand as it looks to retain Addition Elle customers. We are committed to the plus-size market in Canada with both a size-inclusive offering at Reitmans, and dedicated expertise and service at Penningtons, the company said. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android and sign up for the Yahoo Finance Canada Weekly Brief. In a note to Microsoft employees, Nadella said that every-day racism, bias, and hatred in the news today is not new. "It's far too often the experience and reality in daily lives, particularly for the Black and African American community," he said. "I know it's not enough to just have empathy for those impacted, ... 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 Rapper Saweetie is using her influence to help the cause. The My Type hitmaker, 26, and fashion brand PrettyLittleThing have teamed up with a pledge to donate all of the proceeds from their clothing collaboration to Black Lives Matter. Sharing their message on PLT's social media, they said 'We believe that every voice has a right to be heard and we stand with everyone fighting for justice and equality.' Putting their money where their mouths are: Rapper Saweetie and the fashion brand PrettyLittleThing are donating all the proceeds from their collaboration to Black Lives Matter 'Like so many around the world we have been shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of George Floyd and we send our love and prayers to all of those affected,' the brand's message began. 'We believe that every voice has a right to be heard and we stand with everyone fighting for justice and equality. 'Today we will be standing with @Saweetie as we launch At Home with Saweetie and in light of recent events well be donating the entire proceeds from this collection to Black Lives Matter.' Prices range from $12 to $58 for the sexy 30-piece collection. PrettyLittleThing will also be donating $10,000 to both Dress for Success and Sacramento Loaves & Fishes, two of Saweetie's other favorite charities. Equality: Announcing their donation to Black Lives Matter, PLT wrote: 'We believe that every voice has a right to be heard and we stand with everyone fighting for justice and equality' Affordable: Prices range from $12 to $58 for the sexy 30-piece collection The day before the girlfriend of Migos rapper Quavo took to her personal social media to encourage fans to donate. She invoked one of her catchphrases while sharing a heartbreaking collage of just some of the black lives taken by police brutality, writing: 'Pretty Girl Tap In!!!! ' 'We have been tappin in with our favorite filters, degrees, our mamas but now ITS TIME to tap in with donation. Actions speak louder than words, and its up to us to make that change.' She offered a more personal perspective on Friday, tweeting: 'When I watch these videos its hella hard not to imagine this being one of my family members.... Lives lost: The day before the girlfriend of Migos rapper Quavo took to her personal social media to encourage fans to donate by sharing a collage of just some of the black people who have been killed by police brutality Close to home: She offered a more personal perspective on Friday, tweeting: 'When I watch these videos its hella hard not to imagine this being one of my family members.' 'Crying face Its traumatic and makes me so angry!!! I am thankful God has blessed me and I am able to use my resources toward a solution. 'With your help I am looking for community... organizations to give to so pls share some below. I continue to pray for the family of GEORGE FLOYD and the MANY lives lost at the hands of police violence.' George Floyd was killed last Monday, May 25 by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. The unarmed black man was detained after being accused of trying to use a fake $20 bill. Floyd's death was captured on camera, inciting widespread outrage and demonstrations across the USA. Chauvin has since been arrested on charges of third degree murder and manslaughter. Australians have hit out at at chocolate giant Mars after discovering some of the nation's most popular chocolate bars are now being made overseas, including in China and Egypt. Mars - the nation's second largest confectionery manufacturer - has made brands including Maltesers, Twix, M&Ms and Snickers for the Australian market for more than 40 years. But a Daily Mail Australia investigation has found just three of Mars' products on a standard supermarket shelf now claim to be made Down Under. Other products said they were made in China, Egypt and as far away as the Netherlands. Twix bars for the Australian market are produced in the African country - where Mars announced they were investing $83million in 2013 to build a production line in Cairo. It is not known how long the products have been made in overseas countries but eagle-eyed customers made the discovery recently before claiming they tasted nothing like the originals on Facebook. Chocolate manufacturer Mars has prompted outrage from customers for making some of their most popular brands in China (pictured M&Ms blocks, which are made in China) Pictured: Daily Mail Australia news reporter Brittany Chain enjoys a Maltesers Teasers chocolate bar - which launched last year and is also manufactured in China WHERE YOUR MARS CHOCOLATE BARS ARE MADE Maltesers chocolate bag - Australia Maltesers Teasers bar - China Bounty - The Netherlands Twix - Egypt Pods - Australia Snickers - China M&Ms bag - Australia M&Ms bar - China Mars bar - Australia Maltesers Buttons - Australia Based on a standard supermarket shelf at a Sydney Coles Advertisement Maltesers and M&Ms bars - which were launched globally in 2013 and 2017 - are made in China, although the classic ball-shaped Maltesers are still made at Mars' Ballarat facility in Victoria. The company has also shifted production of its Snickers bars to a Chinese factory while its normal production line in Ballarat is being upgraded. 'The Snickers line at our factory in Ballarat is currently undergoing an upgrade and Snickers production has moved to our China facility while we make this important investment,' Mars Australia said in a statement in November. 'Some of our products (including Twix and Bounty) have moved permanently overseas.' Mars' rival Cadbury meanwhile boasts its products are 'made in Australia from imported ingredients'. Lolly manufacturer Allens - whose factory is in Melbourne - says its 'ingredients are sourced from suppliers all around the world'. An investigation by Daily Mail Australia found while some Mars products were made in Australia, others were manufactured in Egypt, China (right) and the Netherlands MARS WRIGLEY'S STATEMENT ON THE SOURCING OF THEIR PRODUCTS Australia is, and will continue to be an important manufacturing base for Mars Wrigley. We have a long history and ongoing commitment to manufacturing in Australia, spanning more than 100 years. We are a significant employer in regional Australia and are proud of our role and contributions to these local communities. We continue to invest in local manufacturing, and the majority of Mars Wrigley products that are enjoyed by Australians are made locally. There are instances where we do not have the capability to manufacture particular brands or product variants locally, or where we need to make upgrades to local facilities. In these instances we source products from other facilities within our Mars global network. Snickers has said it has shifted production of its Snickers bars to a Chinese factory while its production line in Ballarat, Victoria is being upgraded We are currently upgrading our Snickers manufacturing line in Ballarat, for instance, and are temporarily sourcing Snickers from our Jiaxing facility near Shanghai, China. No jobs have been lost as we carry out these upgrades and we are working hard to bring back the capability to return SNICKERS to Australia in 2021. Mars Wrigley is proud of the role we play in creating regional jobs and contributing to local economies, and have a strong track record in upskilling, training and retaining our valued Associates. There can be slight differences in the taste profile of products made in different markets due to slight variations in specific ingredients and some small variations in recipes. Mars Wrigley uses consistent production methods across markets to minimise this wherever possible. We apply consistent quality standards at all our global manufacturing facilities to make sure we produce high quality products which conform to specifications, with world-class food safety and in full compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. We are fully transparent about where our products are made. This is a requirement set out by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. The country of origin is listed on every product label. Advertisement A spokesman for Mars-Wrigley Australia told Daily Mail Australia the company remained committed to manufacturing its products domestically. 'We continue to manufacture our much-loved Maltesers, M&Ms, Pods, Mars, and Milky Way products at our Ballarat factory in regional Victoria,' the spokesman said. 'To ensure we can continue to manufacture our products in Australia, we continue to invest in the factory, this includes ongoing upgrades to our Snickers manufacturing line. 'During this time we are sourcing Snickers from our Jiaxing facility near Shanghai, China.' Customers criticising the company moving production overseas said they were 'sacrificing Australian jobs in the pursuit of higher profits' It comes as 600,000 jobs are lost across Australia during the coronavirus pandemic and the unemployment rate jumps to 6.2 per cent. Customers of the popular brands have accused Mars of sacrificing Australian jobs in the pursuit of higher profits by moving manufacturing overseas. 'What a horrific thought - you probably saved 10 cents to make this ... you have no issue cutting jobs in Australia just to save a few cents,' one dissatisfied Maltesers customer wrote. The manufacturer's M&Ms chocolate block - which was first launched in Australia in 2017 and is also made in China - also drew the ire of customers. Many reviewers weren't impressed with the taste of the Chinese equivalent either. Mars Australia's Twix bar is also made in Egypt before being imported to the company's Australian facility in Ballarat, Victoria 'The new taste is horrible. Everyone can tell,' one said on discussion forum Whirlpool, while one complained that the product 'didn't even taste like chocolate'. 'Utter garbage,' another said. 'Bought the hazelnut block and was very unimpressed.' 'I paid $2.40 and that is still a rip-off for cheap garbage made in China. Never again...' Eagle-eyed customers have also noticed Mars' Maltesers bars are manufactured in China rather than domestically 'At $5 a block they should be made in Australia,' another added. Mars have also admitted Australians eating Twix bars would detect a 'subtle change' in the sweet treat. 'Twix is now made using the global signature recipe and has a more satisfying crunch in its biscuit, alongside the chewy, creamy caramel; a recipe which is loved by consumers around the world.' Social media commenters were also unimpressed with the quality of the company's chocolate overseas, as well as the potential impact on the Australian economy Mars' Ballarat factory - which celebrated its 40th year of manufacturing last year - is part of the global Mars Wrigley company headquartered in the US. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mars Australia for comment. It comes as manufacturing in Australia continues to shrink with the rise in outsourcing. The president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Michele O'Neil in April blaming the shift in the Australia's manufacturing scene on big businesses and the Federal Government who she's called on to support local businesses. Mars has said Twix is now being made using a 'global signature recipe' and Australians would notice a subtle change in taste The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) estimates there was once 24,000 tonnes of steel work in Australia, there is now reportedly a mere 860 tonnes. 'It doesn't have to be this way. When we get Government policy right, manufacturing thrives in Australia, as we have seen with the Victorian rail projects that are currently underway. There is significant potential for Australian manufacturing to grow and provide people with jobs they can count on in coming years,' Ms O'Neil told Daily Mail Australia. 'If the Federal Government supports Australian manufacturing through a coherent industry policy, procurement decisions that support local manufacturers, early adoption of advanced technologies and integrating resources and manufacturing supply chains.' (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday the U.S (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday the U.S. government will designate anti-fascist group Antifa as a terrorist organization. The announcement, made by Trump on Twitter, comes amid violent nationwide protests about police brutality following the death of a black man seen on video gasping for breath as a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck. U.S. Attorney General William Barr said on Saturday "outside radicals and agitators" have hijacked protests in U.S. cities over the killing. "Groups of outside radicals and agitators are exploiting the situation to pursue their own separate and violent agenda," Barr said in an on-camera statement. It is not clear how many, if any, of the protesters participating in demonstrations across the country are from Antifa. John Harrington, the head of Minnesota's Department of Public Safety, told a news conference on Sunday that about 20% of Saturday's arrest records were for people out-of-state, though he did not yet have the total for Saturday night's arrests. Trump's tweet Sunday is not the first time the president has described Antifa as a terrorist group. Other conservative politicians, such as Texas Senator Ted Cruz, have made similar statements. It is also unclear whether the Trump administration is seriously pursuing the designation through formal channels, which would typically require coordination across multiple federal agencies. (Reporting by Christopher Bing; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. British Columbia and Alberta have become the latest provinces in Canada to investigate cases of an unusual syndrome in children, which doctors around the world are studying to see if theres a definitive link to COVID-19. The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and Montreals Sainte-Justine Hospital are each examining 20 possible cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C. Earlier this week, Albertas chief medical officer of health announced doctors are looking into one suspected case in the province, while British Columbia said it is investigating half a dozen cases. Because there isnt really a definitive, one specific test that says, yes, you have Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome or you dont, I dont think that the cases themselves are 100 per cent clearly defined from children who might have some other type of infection, said Dr. Jeremy Friedman, the associate chief of pediatrics at SickKids. It might take a little bit of time to really be absolutely certain about how many cases that are being investigated are actually truly related to COVID. Friedmans team at the Toronto hospital have also been in contact with the study at Sainte-Justine run by Marie-Paule Morin, a pediatric rheumatologist. This month, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert to doctors about MIS-C. The agencys case definition includes current or recent COVID-19 infection or exposure to the virus, a fever of at least 38 C for at least 24 hours, severe illness requiring hospitalization, inflammatory markers in blood tests, and evidence of problems affecting at least two organs that could include the heart, kidneys, lungs, skin or nervous system. The CDC said some children may have symptoms resembling Kawasaki disease, a rare condition that can cause swelling and heart problems. In other parts of the world, the illness is also called Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome (PIMS). Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Albertas chief medical officer of health, said Wednesday that while little is known about MIS-C, it seems to be more something that happens as a result of (a childs) immune system going into overdrive after an infection and causing this inflammatory response in multiple organs. Hinshaw gave little information about the provinces first suspected case, other to say that the child is stable in hospital. In Toronto, Friedman said one of the 20 children had to be admitted to an intensive care unit. All have responded well to treatment and have gone home. There have been no reported deaths linked to MIS-C in Canada, but some children have died from the illness in New York, France and the United Kingdom. Friedman said it is highly suspicious that there seems to be an increase in children presenting MIS-C symptoms about a month after the peak in the number of COVID-19 infections in their communities. That seems to be a consistent time that people are seeing this uptick, he said. But Friedman noted that none of the children at SickKids tested positive for an active coronavirus infection. His team has blood samples from each child that will then be tested for COVID-19 antibodies. Although Health Canada has recently approved two serological tests, Friedman said he is waiting to hear from provincial experts on which one is most accurate. The Canadian Paediatric Society recently published MIS-C guidelines for clinicians and caregivers and is tracking and studying the illness nationwide. This syndrome is still very new, and scientists and doctors are learning about it in real time, the society said in an email Friday. The CPSP study will provide essential, timely information about how children are being affected, which children are at highest risk, and will enable us to adjust best practices for prevention and care based on evidence. Friedman said parents should be vigilant about signs of MIS-C, but they shouldnt be alarmed since the numbers are low and the condition is treatable. This is definitely going to add to what we know about COVID and hopefully some aspects of what we learn will inform the development of vaccines, he said. Its quite reassuring to know that we can all learn from each other and that is happens in a pretty rapid sequence. Over 620 million people, 85 per cent of them in Sub-Saharan Africa, are likely to lack access to electricity and renewable energy in 2030, a report has shown. The report was published on Thursday, by the International Energy Agency (IEA) the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the World Bank, and the World Health Organization (WHO). An estimated 620 million people would still lack access in 2030, 85 percent of them in Sub-Saharan Africa. SDG 7 calls for universal energy access by 2030, it said. The five custodian agencies of the report were designated by the UN Statistical Commission to compile and verify country data, along with regional and global aggregates, in relation to the progress in achieving the SDG 7 goals. According to the World Bank, the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 focuses on a concerted global effort to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Despite accelerated progress over the past decade, the world will fall short of ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030 unless efforts are scaled up significantly, it said. According to the report, significant progress had been made on various aspects of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7, prior to the start of the COVID-19 crisis. This includes a notable reduction in the number of people worldwide lacking access to electricity, strong uptake of renewable energy for electricity generation, and improvements in energy efficiency. READ ALSO: An SDG 7 calls for universal energy access by 2030, the report said, under policies that were either in place or planned before the start of the COVID-19 crisis. This report, however, highlighted that despite these advances, global efforts remain insufficient to reach the key targets of SDG 7 by 2030. Other details According to the report, the number of people without access to electricity declined from 1.2 billion in 2010 to 789 million in 2018. Other important elements of the goal also continue to be off track. Almost 3 billion people remained without access to clean cooking in 2017, mainly in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The report revealed that a largely stagnant progress since 2010 has led to millions of deaths each year, from breathing cooking smoke. The share of renewable energy in the global energy mix is only inching up gradually, despite the rapid growth of wind and solar power in electricity generation. An acceleration of renewables across all sectors is required to move closer to reaching the SDG 7 target, with advances in heating and transport currently lagging far behind their potential, it said. Following strong progress on global energy efficiency between 2015 and 2016, it said the pace, however, has reduced. It said the rate of improvement needs to speed up dramatically, from 1.7 per cent in 2017 to at least 3 per cent in coming years. Way forward While seeking to accelerate the pace of progress in all regions and sectors, the report called for stronger political commitment and long-term energy planning. The report highlighted that increased public and private financing, adequate policy and fiscal incentives to spur faster deployment of new technologies is required. It called for an increased emphasis on leaving no one behind. The report presents policymakers and development partners with global, regional and country-level data to inform decisions and identify priorities for a sustainable recovery from COVID-19 that scales up affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy. This collaborative work highlights, once more, the importance of reliable data to inform policymaking as well as the opportunity to enhance data quality through international cooperation to further strengthen national capacities. The report has been transmitted by SDG 7 custodian agencies to the United Nations Secretary-General to inform the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Developments annual review. Family Carers Ireland, Longford/Meath/Westmeath Resource Centre is pleased to announce a new free online counselling service available to family carers funded through the Dormant Account Fund administered by Pobal. Launched on Thursday, May 28, the service was set up in recognition that family carers often live with higher levels of anxiety, depression and stress than the general population. A recent study reveals that 48% of carers are diagnosed with mental ill health and 68% of carers felt that their health had suffered as a result of their role as a family carer. This pressure on family carers is amplified in the current Pandemic as fear for their vulnerable loved ones is much greater. There are 3,137 family carers in Longford. Through their caring role and sacrifice family carers save the State 10 billion each year by caring for their loved one at home and thereby significantly easing pressure on the health care service this has never been more important than during the current Pandemic. Those wishing to access this service can do so through one of the 22 Family Carer Resource Centres nationwide or via the National Freephone Careline 1800 24 07 24. Cassandra Heffernan, Carer Supports Manager, Family Carers Ireland, Longford/Meath/Westmeath Resource Centre, said, Our Careline has been inundated with calls from family carers who are struggling with their emotional well-being at this time. With much of the supports and services now closed the demands of their caring role and the additional challenges faced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic is taking its toll on their mental wellbeing. Family Carers Ireland is pleased to announce the introduction of a free online counselling service to help support our members. The Counselling Service offers a safe, non-judgemental space for family carers to talk about and work through any problems or difficult feelings they are experiencing such as stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, burnout or depression with a qualified professional. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, no face-to-face counselling is taking place in Ireland, however family carers can engage with a qualified counsellor by phone or through a secure video link. The new Counselling Service is one of many supports that family Carers Ireland has put in place including liaising with other national bodies to deliver services to vulnerable family carers across its network. Other supports include: National Freephone Careline 1800 240724 Online Weekly Carers Coffee Club on the charitys Facebook page each Thursday at 11am offering expert advice during the Covid-19 crisis from some of the countys top health experts. Emergency Care Plan booklet that is available to download from www.familycarers.ie with soon to come 24/7 emergency response service to support family carers in crisis Online training (e.g. Patient Moving and Handling theory) Distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to family carers in need Intensive Carer Support programme involving assessment of family carers needs and provision of services to support them in their caring role. Family carers wishing to avail of this service or who need support with any other aspect of their caring role, can contact the National Freephone Careline 1800 24 07 24 or see familycarers.ie for more. Law enforcement officers near the County-City Building in Lincoln briefly detained Journal Star reporter Chris Dunker while attempting to enforce a city-ordered curfew on Sunday evening. Dunker, who was providing coverage of the protests on the Journal Star's Facebook page, was detained around 9 p.m. by a Lancaster County Sheriff's Deputy despite wearing an orange vest labeled "PRESS." Dunker did not immediately identify himself by name to deputies. He was released moments later and resumed coverage on Facebook Live. Earlier Sunday, Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird issued a state of emergency, including an 8 p.m. curfew. Lincoln Police, when asked earlier Sunday about press coverage after the curfew, said media members with proper identification would be allowed to cover events. Watch Now: Protesters defy curfew; tear gas and rubber bullets used to disperse Law enforcement officers near the County-City Building in Lincoln arrested a handful of people Sunday night who defied a city curfew that began at 8 p.m. Young men who grabbed fire extinguishers to help during Lincoln Mall riot briefly detained The Beatrice high school graduates said police were apologetic after they and other bystanders explained what they had been doing. WATCH NOW: Thousands gather for peaceful rally outside Capitol Speakers called for justice -- but also repeatedly urged the crowd to remain peaceful, after what began as peaceful protests turned violent Saturday night and prompted the mayor to issue an 8 p.m. curfew Sunday and the Nebraska National Guard to offer support. Protester slain by downtown Omaha bar owner Someone was shot and killed near a downtown Omaha demonstration over the death of George Floyd in which protesters clashed with police in riot gear, authorities said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Looters target a store in the Manhattan borough of New York City on June 1, 2020. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters) Unrest Spreads as George Floyd Grief Morphs Into Looting and Violence Anger raged across America this weekend, as an outpouring of grief over the death of George Floyd in police custody devolved into riots, looting, and violence against property and people. Fires burned near the White House, stores were looted across the country, and disturbing footage of violent acts flooded social media, including of a mob beating an elderly female shop owner in Rochester, New York. The unrest began with peaceful protests over the May 25 death of Floyd, a black man, who communicated trouble breathing as Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, restrained him with a knee to the neck and head area for nearly 9 minutes. Chauvin, fired from the Minneapolis Police Department, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, though that did little to stem the fury. I understand the pain that people are feeling. We support the right of peaceful protesters, and we hear their pleas, said President Donald Trump, at a speech following Saturdays launch of a rocket that sent two NASA astronauts into space. But what we are now seeing on the streets of our cities has nothing to do with justice or with peace, Trump continued, saying that the memory of George Floyd is being dishonored by rioters, looters, and anarchists. The weekends unrest saw the Nashville City Hall set on fire, and stores along Beverly Hillss famed Rodeo Drive and along Chicagos Magnificent Mile looted and vandalized. The violence and vandalism is being led by Antifa and other radical left-wing groups who are terrorizing the innocent, destroying jobs, hurting businesses, and burning down buildings, Trump said. Struggling to cope with the civil unrest, local law enforcement was reinforced by around 5,000 members of the National Guard, which deployed to 15 states and Washington, D.C., according to Air Force Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau. The hardest mission we do is responding in times of civil unrest, Lengyel said in a statement. Guard members performed various tasks, including putting out fires set ablaze by rioters. Aircrews were using forest fire equipment, including helicopter water buckets, to put out building fires at protests last night, Lengyel said. Among the early casualties of the riot-fueled fires was a six-story building under construction in Minneapolis, the epicenter of the violence, which 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 was 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. Elsewhere in the country, a protest along the historic Route 66 into downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, turned violent early Monday after police reported demonstrators setting small fires and officers said they were fired upon. A Sunday afternoon of mostly peaceful protests in Boston broke at nightfall when protesters clashed with officers, throwing rocks, breaking into several stores, and lighting a police vehicle on fire. Boston police tweeted that at least 40 people had been arrested as of 3 a.m. Monday. Police said seven police officers had been hospitalized and 21 police cruisers were damaged. Trump, in separate remarks on Saturday ahead of his departure for Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard Marine One, called on law enforcement to get tougher on violent protesters. Theyve got to be tough. Theyve got to be strong. Theyve got to be respected, because these people, the Antifatheres a lot of radical-left, bad people. And theyve got to be taught that you cant do this, Trump said. The main victims of this horrible, horrible situation are the citizens who live in these once lovely communities. The mobs are devastating the lifes work of good people and destroying their dreams, the president said in a speech after the launch. Right now, America needs creation, not destruction; cooperation, not contempt; security, not anarchy, the president said. And there will be no anarchy. Civilization must be cherished, defended, and protected, he added. Trump also said he spoke to Floyds family to express sorrow for his death. He added that the officers involved in the incident have been fired, one of them had been charged with murder, and that charges could be brought against the other three. I stand before you as a friend and ally to every American seeking justice and peace, he said. 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 mission at hand, Trump said. Meanwhile, protests spread around the globe, with events in London and Berlin on Sunday and others on Monday including in New Zealand, Australia, and the Netherlands. Children and youngsters are returning to school, but some attend only once or twice a week to maintain social distancing, and jitters remain high as authorities are sending them back if new infections are detected nearby. Some of the fears are psychological rather than founded in fact. Song Min-jae at Korea University Guro Hospital said, "It's important to tell students that anxiety is a natural response, and that we're not the only ones in the world experiencing these problems." Song cautioned against parents communicating their stress too palpably to their children, overreacting to the latest coronavirus-related news. As we have noted before, despite delays to rollout or spectrum auctions in some countries due to measures to control the coronavirus, other countries are going ahead with 5G plans, virus or no virus. For example, in the Philippines mobile operator Globe Telecom says it is moving ahead with its 5G network rollout, focusing on key areas in the capital. 5G should be available to a wide range of mobile customers who are within 5G coverage areas in the coming weeks and may be accompanied, eventually, by affordable 5G-ready smartphones. This is all happening despite the ongoing lockdown known as the General Community Quarantine measures. Elsewhere, MTS Belarus has demonstrated its 5G standalone architecture (SA) network in test mode in the Minsk-Arena complex, using equipment supplied by Huawei. This took place soon after another local operator, A1 Belarus, confirmed its own test mode launch in the capital. The 5G SA network operates in two bands, 1800MHz and 3500MHz, useful for MTS, which says it can use its existing radio frequencies. Slightly further behind is Lithuania, which has approved a draft plan for the development of 5G mobile communications services across the country, according to local reports. Guidelines are said to be provisional at the moment, but, following a spectrum auction, rollout should begin next year. A 5G network should be launched in at least one of Lithuanias five largest cities by 2022 and should be available in all five by 2023. 5G services should cover all urban areas and main transport routes and hubs by 2025. Much of this depends, however, on the resolution of spectrum interference issues in border areas. Talks with Russia about this are ongoing. Top Boy actor Ashley Walters broke down on Sunday evening as he recalled being stabbed by racist thugs while furiously addressing claims that he has not been vocal enough following the brutal death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Racial tensions and rioting have escalated across the United States since footage emerged of a handcuffed Floyd choking to death while being restrained by white police officer Derek Chauvin, who was filmed pinning the 46-year old to the ground by pressing a knee into the back of his neck. Walters, best known for his starring role in crime drama Top Boy, has since lashed out at activists for claiming he has not used his platform as a successful black actor to condemn Floyds death on May 25th. Speaking out: Top Boy actor Ashley Walters broke down as he recalled being stabbed by racist thugs while addressing claims that he has not been vocal enough following the death of George Floyd Taking to Instagram, Walters, 37, told followers: 'Ive spent the evening in my feelings and my thoughts, about this George Floyd situation, and not necessarily about what happened to him. 'Thats devastating, and its terrible, and theres no words to explain or describe how that s**t makes us feel; black people around the word, oppressed people around the world, how that makes us feel. 'This s**t has been going on in America for a while, its been going on here for a while, and Im sure other places in the world. It just hasnt been addressed and not a lot of people are doing anything about it.' Becoming increasingly emotional, Walters insisted he had encountered racism both personally and professionally, including a near fatal stabbing when he was a teenage boy. Emotional: Walters lashed out at activists for claiming he has not used his platform as a successful black actor to condemn Floyds death on May 25th Moving: Comforted by wife Danielle, Walters insisted he had encountered racism both personally and professionally, including a near fatal stabbing when he was a teenage boy Unhappy: The actor addressed those who have attacked high-profile stars for staying silent with hashtags such as 'silence is betrayal' Addressing the faction of protesters who have attacked high-profile stars for staying silent with hashtags such as 'silence is betrayal,' he added: 'My point of coming on here today is that no one can tell me I am complicit because I havent posted anything about the scenario for several reasons, but the main one is I have been fighting this f**king thing all my career. 'Ive seen black people and big corporations posting stuff about your silence is a betrayal. Dont ever tell me my silence is a f**king betrayal, where Ive been left for dead on the street by white men. Stabbed and left for dead, and these people have never been brought to justice. 'Ive f**king worked hard, put my life on the line for all these f**king men, out here while this s**t has been going on, and I aint said nothing. Im talking now because Ive had enough of this s**t. 'People are being killed out there and treated like s**t, and all people can complain about is whos posting or whos f**king not.' Anger: 'Dont ever tell me my silence is a f**king betrayal, where Ive been left for dead on the street by white men. Stabbed and left for dead, and these people have never been brought to justice,' he revealed As wife Danielle moved in to comfort her husband, he said: 'You dont know what Ive been through for this thing. Half of you wouldnt be working now if I hadnt been out here doing my thing for the last however many years, being bullied and held back by white people in this game. 'Dont ever question my loyalty for this this thing. These people are cold blooded killers and no one aint doing s**t, but Ive been going through this for years, f**king years. 'Look at the scar on my neck where they left me for dead. I was 15-years old, like a little piece of s**t, and no one went to jail for that, and Ive dealt with that forever. 'So the moral of my story is dont ever tell me that because I dont post I dont have passion of feeling for anything, You people are really slow and stupid to be turning on each other at a time like this.' Horrifying: Racial tensions and rioting have escalated across the United States since footage emerged of a handcuffed Floyd choking to death while being restrained by white police officer Derek Chauvin In this together: Protests have been held all over the United States following the death of Floyd Protests began after the death of George Floyd, a black man who lost his life after a white police officer who is now charged with murder, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air. As racial tensions grip the nation, officers have since been criticised for their use of force in controlling the enormous crows that have gathered to protest in key cities all over the country. Further protest marches have since been held across the United Kingdom, Europe, New Zealand and Australia. [June 01, 2020] Best's Review Examines How COVID-19 Is Reshaping the Insurance Industry The June issue of Best's Review looks at how insurers are responding to COVID-19 and other catastrophes. The global pandemic is on track to be the costliest event in insurance history. " The COVID Catastrophe " compares the pandemic to other catastrophes. The article addresses industry stress tests run by AM Best and looks at steps insurers took years ago that helped them prepare for this event, as well as how the industry may change going forward. " compares the pandemic to other catastrophes. The article addresses industry stress tests run by AM Best and looks at steps insurers took years ago that helped them prepare for this event, as well as how the industry may change going forward. " [Still] Open for Business " looks at some of the challenges facing agents and brokers who sell life, property/casualty, health, employee benefit plans and retirement products. Many are small businesses that normally would meet with customers face-to-face, and many have encountered government-mandated closings and restrictions as the country moved into lockdown mode. " looks at some of the challenges facing agents and brokers who sell life, property/casualty, health, employee benefit plans and retirement products. Many are small businesses that normally would meet with customers face-to-face, and many have encountered government-mandated closings and restrictions as the country moved into lockdown mode. In "Serving His Country," Best's Review spoke with John E. King, Georgia's top insurance regulator and a major general in the National Guard. King was on the front lines in the pandemic earlier this year, helping to build makeshift medical facilities and increase hospital capacity for patients in New Jersey. " Weather Alert " reports on the insurance, regulatory and building code changes that California, Florida and Texas have made in response to recent natural catastrophes, including wildfires, floods and hurricanes. " reports on the insurance, regulatory and building code changes that California, Florida and Texas have made in response to recent natural catastrophes, including wildfires, floods and hurricanes. "On the Way Out" examines the phasing out of the London Interbank Offered Rate and some of the alternatives available to insurers. Full access to the complete content of Best's Review is available at www.bestreview.com. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing 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 Company, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005578/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 31, 2020] YouTrip Partners Withlocals to Bring Virtual Travel to Singaporeans With Over 100 Unique Experiences in 50 Destinations YouTrip launches partnership with Withlocals to bring travel closer to Singaporeans through 100 virtual experiences by local hosts of each city Travel demand has been pent up since travel came to a standstill and online experiences is an outlet for travellers to experience different parts of the world and its culture whilst at home Withlocals boasts over 100 online experiences in 50 destinations and growing To help keep the travel spirit alive, a free for all YouTrip x Withlocals live event will be held on 6 June at 5 to 6 pm , where users can experience a virtual tour of Berlin , Pompeii and Amsterdam , where users can experience a virtual tour of , Pompeii and YouTrip users can enjoy 10% off bookings on all Withlocals experiences from 6 June onwards SINGAPORE, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- YouTrip, Singapore's leading multi-currency mobile wallet today launches a partnership with Withlocals, bringing online experiences to help curb pent up travel demand as the COVID-19 travel restrictions ensue. Withlocals is a travel marketplace based in Eindhoven, the Netherlands that connects travellers to local hosts through unique online experiences during this pandemic. YouTrip has experienced a strong desire to travel among its community of users, many of whom had their travel plans this year deferred or cancelled. This partnership hopes to bring back the spirit and some parts of the travel experience to Singaporeans through live hosted tours online. When the pandemic hit, Withlocals brought their experiences online to cater to the global travel ban. Similar to offline experiences, travellers can take private or group tours and activities hosted by local hosts through video conferencing in the comforts of their own homes. Caecilia Chu, Co-Foundr and CEO of YouTrip, said: "The pent up demand for travel will continue to grow as the fight against the pandemic carries on. Even with travel restrictions, it's great to be able to travel and explore the world through various online experiences from Withlocals. Most importantly, it reminds us of our love for travelling and encourages us to look forward to our next adventure once this is over." Matthijs Keij, CEO of Withlocals, reaffirms Caecilia's words and adds: "The Withlocals mission has always been about connecting people with cultures. Even without travel, we can give everybody an opportunity to meet and interact with people across the globe. We're thrilled to do this together with the YouTrip community and let them explore the world from the comfort of their homes." Enjoy a City Like a Local With over 100 experiences from 50 destinations to choose from, travellers can pick unique and curated experiences from top destinations like Amsterdam, Rome, and Athens. Guided by passionate local hosts, travellers can expect online experiences in the form of street-walking tours, cooking classes, mythical storytelling, or just an exchange of local cultures. Each online experience can cater to group sizes of 1 to 14 participants, and the price starts from 22 onwards (~S$34) for a 1 to 2 hours session. From 6 June 2020 onwards, YouTrip users can enjoy a 10% discount on all online and offline experiences when they make a Withlocals booking with their YouTrip card. More information will be announced during the YouTrip x Withlocals online live event. Keeping The Travel Spirit Alive To mark the launch of the partnership, YouTrip and Withlocals will be a launching a free for all live event on 6 June for attendees to experience virtual travel from Withlocals. During this interactive session, attendees can expect to experience the culture of Berlin, Pompeii and Amsterdam through local hosts of each city. YouTrip x Withlocals Online Live Event Date: 6 June 2020, Saturday Time: 5.00 - 6.00pm For more information, please visit: https://go.you.co/YouTripXWithlocals Featured Withlocals Hosts Drive Around & Explore Historic Berlin With Miha Time travel into Berlin's past and enjoy the sights of Berlin while hearing about this city's rich history from its origins to WWII with Miha, who has been living in Berlin for the past 16 years Time travel into past and enjoy the sights of while hearing about this city's rich history from its origins to WWII with Miha, who has been living in for the past 16 years Discover Pompeii: Hidden Stories With Raffaele Get ready to explore the cursed city, its beautiful ruins and remains and go on a journey back in time with Raffaele, who is also a Neapolitan Archaeologist. Get ready to explore the cursed city, its beautiful ruins and remains and go on a journey back in time with Raffaele, who is also a Neapolitan Archaeologist. Amsterdam Without the Crowds With Otto Take a unique virtual trip to Amsterdam and see it side-by-side with informal comedian and history passionate, Otto, who will share all about its history and local life ABOUT YOUTRIP YouTrip is a regional financial technology startup, dedicated to creating the best mobile financial services for travellers across Southeast Asia by simplifying overseas spending and creating a fuss-free travel experience. YouTrip first launched in Singapore in 2018 and subsequently in Thailand in 2019. For more information, please visit www.you.co ABOUT WITHLOCALS Withlocals is a travel market place that connects travellers to local hosts all over the world through unique experiences, both online and offline. From cooking classes to things to do in a destination, or virtual city tours, to online workshops such as a yoga session or an origami workshop, all our experiences are crafted by local experts driven by their passions. Withlocals is offering over 2000 unique experiences with verified locals in 88 destinations. For more information, please visit www.withlocals.com Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200514/2804174-1LOGO SOURCE YouTrip [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has expressed concern over the number of rising cases of coronavirus in the East African nation. In an interview aired by local broadcaster NTV, he said experts were predicting Kenya's peak would be in August or September and said Kenyans had an individual responsibility to stop the spread of the virus. The country has been reporting hundreds of new cases every day as it scales up its testing capacity. The total number of confirmed cases stand at 1,962, including 64 deaths. President Kenyatta said the number of infections were low because a majority of Kenyans were following safety measures. The president lauded health-care workers for their response to the pandemic. The country has been on a nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew for more than two months. Travel in and out of the capital, Nairobi, and three other coastal counties with a high number of cases is restricted. 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 SAN FRANCISCO, CA, May 30, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Acquiring the first years of work experience in the United States is forever an understated challenge for recent graduates as they enter the economy. It is a jaw-clenching situation that generally applies to us all yet proves to be unique from generation to generation - often slipping into hazy memory once the hurdle is cleared and thus little guidance ever seems to pass on. While some were able to acquire an entry-level job thanks to friends and family or internships through school, inking the first few lines of a resume can sometimes be an arduous process that relies on more than luck and simple favors. Imagine then how much more complicated things can become for international students from China, often lacking the same roots within the domestic market and already dealing with the disadvantages of assimilating into a new country - affected by politics, short on time, drawn out by geographic distances.Shanghai native, Delysia Song lived through these difficulties herself and decided that others should not face them alone. Just as many in the internet era, Delysia sought to use technology as a game-changing tool. And like others of the entrepreneur generation, Delysia's approach to an age-old dilemma is to redefine the entire process to present a new solution. The result was Song's 2017 co-founding of the I-intern Career Consulting Group in San Francisco, a platform focused on providing students from abroad with internship opportunities and career advancement.She elaborates, "The initial job search is a problem faced by every graduate, particularly if they lack experience. Traditionally, we looked at it as a step towards basic survival. Finding a job so you can feed yourself, manage to cover your expenses, and if you're lucky, provide for your family. It was rarely looked at as more than that. However, for those that undertook this journey of leaving their homes to study and live overseas, the job search isn't and shouldn't be that simple. If our goal was a better overall life and we sacrificed so much to achieve it, then the first step in our careers instead becomes a means of improving ourselves and realizing our potential. What used to be a scramble for a paycheck becomes more about gaining expertise and honing a vision of our future."To that end, Delysia built upon the years she spent in Silicon Valley as a talent supplier and HR consultant for top companies that hire on both sides of the Pacific, such as Alibaba, Google, LinkedIn, Huawei among others. Noteworthy is a lesson Delysia quickly realized, that these employers do not simply try to fill ranks. Human resources development, empowerment, and the fostering of fresh ideas have led to countless breakthroughs in the respective organizations therefore tech employers, perhaps second to no other industry, see the value of newcomers. As the practice of venture capitalism and tech incubation suggests, if the idea is great enough even those with marginal experience are given valuable resources and powerful support. Delysia dubs this, "a progressive social and hiring trend."Expanding her network from there, in particular as veterans shifted to their own startups and other growing companies in the San Francisco Bay area, Delysia saw demand for top talent increase and the need for a new kind of company.I-intern, after all, took the premise of simple recruiting and staffing beyond the crude method of flooding candidates to job openings and vice versa, hoping that among all the shifting tides something useful washes ashore. Ms. Song instead looks at the students and soon-to-be graduates she helps as treasured participants, a relationship that can carry over into the employee/employer dynamic, "Talent, skillsets, and entrepreneurship itself are the result of long-term perseverance. The most important assets across all companies are ultimately the people. Products can be adjusted, the market constantly fluctuates, changes are inevitable. Only a unified team can successfully navigate these transitions. Therefore it only makes sense that we attach the rightful importance to each individual, we want to care for them just like family and be conscious of their needs, thoughts, and emotions. At I-intern we hope to pass along and contribute our own transition and job search experiences one-on-one."In that regard, I-intern promotes a variety of methods to best gauge and understands candidates. Delysia explains, "The experience of studying abroad alone is not enough to find the best opportunities. We look instead to additional means like online coursework, career development planning, occupational and professional analysis, solutions for personal development, to provide a multi-dimensional diagnosis of an individual's abilities and interests. Only from there can we move into something as life-changing as their internship and job search."And while I-intern is now successfully backed by CRCM, cooperates with top Chinese schools such as Nankai University and West Normal University, and is recognized as a valuable bridge for China-US campus recruiting, building from the ground up imparted many lessons on Delysia. She reflects, "There is certainly a lot you won't learn at university. It is not like homework where there's a given solution someone can refer you to. In a lot of ways there isn't ever a standard answer. Especially when you're a young team starting on something that's built from the ground up. For us, in the beginning, everything was done by hand. It can be imposing because entrepreneurism does not tolerate shortcomings. What helps is to accept that something as demanding as starting a company will require skills that are simply too much to learn by yourself. Building a team allows you to support each other, to collaborate, and face things together."It is likely this shared knowledge that shaped I-intern's approach to caring customer service and business development. On a personal level, Delysia points to support from Kai-Fu Li, eminent AI specialist and tech pioneer, and others that imparted meaningful enlightenment along the way."When you are a young leader, it's difficult to gain recognition from most industries, from society as a whole. At some point people would call me 'the persistent Shanghai girl' and so I embraced that. Persistence plays a major factor in being acknowledged. Persistence is vital when you step away from the stable, comfortable path to go into the wild.""Then I had the dream of I-intern becoming the most trusted institution in the field of career development and building it to be a full-scale platform for students. When you start moving into the issue of trust, there is no substitute for working with people one-on-one and proving yourself. You can't market trust, you build it through repeat customers and word of mouth. You prove to people that you'll be there for them."This attitude is reaping rewards with I-intern doubling its sales figures in less than three years and literally, as Delysia was selected as one of the All American Chinese Youth Federation's "California Chinese 30 Under 30" in March.Contact:Delysia Songdelysia@iintern.comI-intern Career Consulting Grouphttp://www.iintern.comSource: I-intern, LLCCopyright 2020 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. VANCOUVER, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. ("ITH" or the "Company") - (TSX: ITH, NYSE American: THM) announces the appointment of Christopher Papagianis to the Company's board of directors effective June 1, 2020. Mr. Papagianis was nominated for election as a director in accordance with an investor rights agreement with the Company's largest shareholder, Paulson & Co. Inc. ("Paulson"), and fills a vacancy created by the June 1 resignation of Damola Adamolekun, the previous Paulson designee. Mr. Papagianis has been appointed to serve as director of the Company until its next annual general meeting. "On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank Mr. Adamolekun for his service and welcome Mr. Papagianis to the Board" said Marcelo Kim, Board Chairman. "As the Company announced on May 8, 2020 that we will be updating our NI 43-101 and advancing the Livengood Gold Project towards future permitting, Mr. Papagianis's public policy and regulatory experience will become a valuable contribution to our Board." Mr. Papagianis is a Partner at Paulson working on both public markets and private investments and also leads the firm's government affairs. Mr. Papagianis last served in government as Special Assistant for Domestic and Economic Policy to President George W. Bush. In this role, he guided the collaborative process within the White House to develop and implement policies, legislation, and regulations across numerous agencies. Among other issues, Mr. Papagianis was responsible for briefing President Bush directly on public finance, infrastructure policy, and crisis-related financial stability initiatives. Mr. Papagianis has also worked in the U.S. Senate as a top policy adviser for Senator Jim Talent (R-MO). Mr. Papagianis is a graduate of Harvard College and also serves as a director of Midas Gold Corp. About International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. controls 100% of the Livengood Gold Project located along the paved Elliott Highway, 70 miles north of Fairbanks, Alaska. On behalf of International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. (signed) Karl L. Hanneman Chief Executive Officer This news release is not, and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States. SOURCE International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. Related Links http://www.towerhillmines.com President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday held closed door meeting with Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, over the forthcoming governorship primary election of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Edo election in September. Details of the meeting which held Monday afternoon were not given at the time of this report. A media aide in the Presidency, Bashir Ahmad, revealed the meeting at the State House in a tweet. Perhaps, the meeting could be a follow-up to the Sunday meeting between nine APC governors and APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, at the Lagos State House, Marina. Tinubu declined to endorse Obaseki and insisted on direct primary election. By Laman Ismayilova Children are the future. Nurture them right, so that they grow up to be able leaders and lead the world towards light. Every year, Childrens Day is celebrated in many countries across the world at different dates. June 1st is called International Childrens Day, while November 20th is known as World Childrens Day, or Universal Childrens Day. Azerbaijan celebrates International Day for Protection of Children on June 1. The holiday was proclaimed by the Women's International Democratic Federation during its 1949 congress in Moscow. The first celebration took place on June 1, 1950. Protection of childrens rights is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan and a number of other laws. Childrens rights embrace legal, social and other issues concerning children. The State Committee for Family, Women and Children is responsibly for protecting children, developing their welfare, providing their rights and freedoms as well as coordination of state policy in this sphere. The Committee conducts regular monitoring in state-controlled institutions, investigates applications made by citizens and holds acknowledging campaigns. Azerbaijan adopted the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (1993), the Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages (1996), the European Social Charter (2004), and the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination in Education Sphere (2006). Moreover, the country successfully cooperates with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The organization has been operating in Azerbaijan since 1993. In Azerbaijan, International Childrens Day is traditionally marked with various activities aimed at raising awareness of children's rights. A series of events are organized in Baku and other cities as part of the celebration. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Oppo, the global smart device brand, and T-Hub, innovation ecosystem, on Monday announced their partnership to support the startup ecosystem in India Oppo, the global smart device brand, and T-Hub, innovation ecosystem, on Monday, announced their partnership to support the startup ecosystem in India. The collaboration will bring in scale-up opportunity for some of the most innovative startups in the areas of Artificial Intelligence, 5G, battery, camera and image processing, gaming, and system performance. The selected startups will receive incubation support from Oppo along with technical mentorship and access to new markets. The startups would be selected based on the innovative prototypes and strategic fitment with Oppo products which has the potential to accelerate, according to a press statement. Click here to follow LIVE news and updates on stock markets Tasleem Arif, Vice President, and Head R&D, Oppo India said, The startup community in India has pushed all boundaries of innovation and are going at light speed to make a difference. This collaboration is to provide impetus to startups, and for them to develop innovative solutions and products. We are also hopeful that this collaboration would accelerate the development of indigenous and localized offerings. Ravi Narayan, CEO, T-Hub, said, It is expected that by the end of 2020, worldwide 5G wireless network infrastructure revenue will reach $4.2 billion. It is not new that Indias vibrant startup ecosystem has already started disrupting the 5G space. Their innovative solutions using emerging technologies such as AR/VR, AI, System Performance, will soon direct the 5G show with their unique ideas and approaches. Oppo India aims to provide impetus to the Governments Startup India program and explore the potential of Indian Startups to develop customer-centric innovations. Earlier this year, it signed an MoU with IIT Hyderabad, to promote collaborative research in the field of science and technology. Additionally, similar MoUs were signed with the Government of Telangana and Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) signed last year. Sex scenes could disappear from Australian television screens because actors will need to adhere to social distancing in a post-coronavirus world. The screen industry has issued a set of COVID-19 guidelines as the cameras once again begin rolling on film and television productions around the country. The framework means scenes that involves being close physically - such as parties, fights, and sex scenes will change dramatically. The 41-page guideline document suggests productions should employ an 'intimacy coordinator' to oversee any raunchy scenes and make sure actors are retaining physical distancing. Australian soap Neighbours resumed filming in early May but cast and crew were required to keep 1.5 metres apart Home and Away actors Jake Ryan (left) and Samantha Frost (right) in the type of scene that would be written out of scripts of the show Screen Producers Australia said about 120 productions were affected when the industry was shutdown amid the coronavirus in March at a cost of $2 billion, according to The Australian. Hollywood star Tom Hanks tested positive for coronavirus while on the Gold Coast filming an Elvis Presly biopic by Australian director Baz Luhrmann. After a brief stint at Gold Coast University Hospital he was given the all-clear and has returned to California while the movie remains on hold. The Australian Screen Sector Task Force - made up of Screen Australia, SBS, ABC, major productions companies, and state film agencies, developed the new guideline document. The document covers each step of the production process from initial meetings, to casting, on-set shoots, and editing. In the beginnings of a production, meetings and castings could be done remotely by video calls and location scouting could be done online. Once on set, cast trailers would be restricted to minimum personnel with the actors encouraged to dress themselves and do their own hair and makeup. Props and equipment would need to be sanitised and catering would need to ensure hygiene standards are met. Outdoor locations would be preferred and any scenes requiring close proximity of cast and crew should be filmed in blocks rather than spread out to minimise the risk of infection. Producers and directors are also encouraged to think of creative ways to get the shots they want - including 'technological solutions' like computer generated images. Neighbours actress Bonnie Anderson kneels beside a co-star as an outdoor scene is filmed for the show in early May Australian soap Neighbours was one of the first shows in the world to resume filming after COVID-19 forced mass shutdowns of businesses across the globe. Its production company Fremantle Australia has already instituted social distancing on set with both cast and crew required to keep apart and scripts requiring close contact rewritten. Actor Ben Hall, who plays Ned Willis, confirmed that scripts had to be rewritten to accommodate the COVID-19 restrictions. 'There's been hundreds, if not thousands, of changes by the script department to make sure there are less people in each scene, and also that there is no kissing, hugging, touching of any sort.' he said. 'So, if you are in a relationship in Neighbours, it's going to be a socially distanced relationship.' Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The Smart Glass market is anticipated to reach around USD 8,223 million by 2026 according to a new study published by Polaris Market Research. In 2017, the automotive segment dominated the global smart glass market, in terms of revenue. North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the market revenue during the forecast period. The well-known companies profiled in the smart glass market report include Asahi Glass Co., DuPont, Gentex Corporation, SPD Control Systems, View, Inc., Corning Incorporated, Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd., RavenBrick LLC, Switch Materials Inc., Scienstry, Inc., ChromoGenics AB, and Innovative Glass Corporation. 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. Several stringent energy consumption regulations passed by governments worldwide have boosted the adoption of smart glass. Growing concerns regarding environment, increasing need to reduce energy consumption, and growing demand from the automotive sector further support the growth of this market. Additionally, the increasing adoption of energy efficient buildings and reducing operation costs would boost market growth during the forecast period. Other factors supporting market growth include supportive government regulations, increasing awareness, and technological advancements. Increasing investments by vendors in technological advancements coupled with research and development further boost the market growth. Download Sample Copy @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/smart-glass-market/request-for-sample The smart glass market is majorly driven by factors including increasing energy concerns, and environment consciousness across the globe. The decreasing cost of electrochromic materials has encouraged consumers to switch to smart glass. Limited awareness among consumers had restricted the adoption of smart glass in the past. However, with significant government initiatives and substantial investments, the development of smart glass market has accelerated significantly. North America generated the highest revenue in the smart glass market in 2017. The increasing awareness among consumers, and rising awareness regarding energy efficient buildings drive the market growth in the region. Consumers are adopting smart glass owing to stringent government regulations regarding energy consumption, and the need to reduce operation costs. Numerous key players have adopted partnership and expansion strategies to increase their share in the North America smart glass market. Get Offer @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/smart-glass-market/request-for-discount-pricing The different end-users of smart glass include automotive, architecture, consumer goods, and others. In 2017, the automotive segment accounted for the highest smart market share. The use of smart glass in windows, doors, and windshields in automotive reduces the heat accumulation in vehicles. The consumer electronics segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR. Contact Us: Polaris Market Research Phone: 16465689980 Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com Web: http://www.polarismarketresearch.com After an afternoon of peaceful protests followed by violence and looting in Atlantic City, efforts were underway Monday morning to clean up the damage. Despite windows to storefronts at the Tanger Outlets being boarded up, looting was still occurring mid-morning not long before the mayor planned to address a crowd. The city of Atlantic City was under siege yesterday, Mayor Marty Small said during a press conference on The Walk at 11 a.m. He apologized to the businesses for the people who took advantage of the city and said the administration would support their efforts to rebuild. Dozens of people gathered near the corners of Arctic and Michigan avenues for the mayors address. They were diverse -- young, old, multiracial -- many with brooms and face masks. Theresa Quinones-Albertson said she came from Somers Point to help. She said she has worked here in the casino industry for more than 30 years and her husband grew up here. This is my city, she said. Quinones-Albertson said she was concerned about safety but planned to leave before nightfall. Seems like most of the craziness happens at night, she said. I got my head on a swivel. As soon as I hear or see something getting out of control Im getting out of here. Hundreds of protestors gathered peacefully Sunday afternoon, marching from the steps of Atlantic Citys public safety building, down the boardwalk and back again during a two-hour-long march that at one point saw a city police officer kneel beside some of those who were demonstrating. But the calmness gave way to destruction Sunday evening as a crowd smashed windows and looted stores at the outdoor mall. The violence was in stark contrast to what had been days of peaceful protests elsewhere in New Jersey, over the death of Minnesota man George Floyd who was killed by police last week. Police were deployed with helmets and shields and a citywide curfew was enacted. That 7 p.m. curfew will stay in place until June 8, Small said. Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small talks to volunteers before a city clean up the day after protests gave way to looting, Monday, June 1, 2020. Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Small was interrupted several times Monday by hecklers in the crowd while he spoke. Others in the crowd urged the hecklers to let the mayor speak. He waited out the catcalls at moments and continued speaking. Our city is not perfect, our government is not perfect, nothing is perfect," Small said. "But one thing I can tell you about our city is were a bunch of resilient people. Every time were counted out, we always come back. Small said more than 100 state troopers were dispatched to Atlantic City Sunday night to assist with crowd control, while more were sent to Trenton where similarly peaceful protests turned to looting and violence. Dominic Alcaro said he closed Barbera Seafood Market two blocks away from Tangers Outlet shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday. He said everything seemed normal. The people of our city are good people, said Alcaro, whose family has operated the fish market for over 100 years. I do think were in a tough time right now. I believe our city is going to overcome this. I think the good people outweigh the bad people." Small said of the 17 arrests made in Atlantic City, six were from the city. A lot of the perpetrators were participating in the looting and they were participating in filming someone tearing down our city, Small said. Clean up begins after protests in Atlantic City gave way to looting at The Walk outlet stores, Monday, June 1, 2020. Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com The vandalism happened hours after Gov. Phil Murphy announced on a morning talk radio show that there could be plans to roll back some of the restrictions put in place from coronavirus and reopen Atlantic Citys casinos by July 4. Were still dealing with COVID-19. As soon as we started to open up businesses to give our economy some sense of normalcy, this happened, Small said. "This is our business district. They provide jobs for our children.... what if they dont open back up? That puts them in jeopardy. This is not going to stop us from thriving, he said. 45 Peaceful Atlantic City protest turns to looting, May 31, 2020 Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. At one point, it says, two cellmates, both doctors, used pliers and a razor to operate on him without anesthetics or sterilization to prevent further injury, while others held him down. Guards later allegedly gave him razor blades with instructions to slit his wrists vertically, and on another occasion exposed electrical wires in his cell and told him to make sure you grab [the wires] with two hands, the suit alleges. But politicians tend to be split along partisan lines over their reasons for reforming the law. While Democrats supporting reforms generally aim to hold tech platforms to similar standards as publishers when it comes to what they see as objectionable content, Republicans have taken issue with what they claim is a biased method of removing content that silences conservative voices. Tech platforms have repeatedly denied removing content based on partisan beliefs. Carr, who was nominated by President Donald Trump in 2017, made the charge during a Monday interview on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" about Trump's new executive order on social media . The order targets a 1996 law that shields tech companies from liability for their users' posts and empowers them to engage in "good faith" content moderation. Members of Congress from both parties have criticized the law, known as Section 230, in recent years as tech companies have grown in size and influence while attracting greater scrutiny for their competitive practices and content moderation standards. "I think Zuckerberg is right, Facebook is wrong. It's kind of veered from some of Zuckerberg's instincts from time to time," Carr said. "I think there's been a big distinction that last couple weeks between Facebook and Twitter where Mark Zuckerberg has said, look, put my political beliefs to the side and he's been expressing them and good for him, that's not how I'm going to support my business, my business is about supporting free speech. Contrast that with Jack Dorsey who looks like he's now weaponizing his corporation to pursue his own partisan political beliefs." Twitter placed a "public interest notice" over a recent tweet by Trump for the first time, obscuring a message about the protests in Minneapolis over the killing of George Floyd while in police custody. Twitter said Trump's post, which said, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts," violated its policies about glorifying violence. While the company would normally remove such a post by other users, Twitter invoked its June 2019 carve-out for world leaders, which allows it to maintain posts from such figures that are in the public interest but otherwise violate its policies. Facebook, by contrast, left the same message up on its platform, angering usually quiet employees who took to Twitter to share their disagreement with the company's decision. Zuckerberg spoke with Trump on the phone about the protests on Friday, a source confirmed to CNBC. Axios, which first reported the news, said both parties characterized the call as productive. Still, Carr criticized Facebook on other grounds, including the makeup of its new oversight board that's charged with adjudicating complicated content decisions on the platform. He called out the inclusion of Pamela Karlan, a constitutional law expert at Stanford University who testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee as part of the impeachment inquiry into Trump. Addressing the question of how the perceived political makeup of tech companies should factor into the assessment of bias, Carr said, "I think at least from a public policy perspective, if you were holding yourself out there as a neutral platform, at least from a political perspective, and then you stack the deck with hardened partisans, I think that undermines -- putting the government hat aside -- I think that undermines the user-base's confidence." Facebook did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment. Karlan and Twitter declined to comment. Trump's executive order was widely criticized by the tech industry, which claimed the order would backfire by forcing tech platforms to further limit speech to stem their liability risk. Democrats, even those who have supported potential reforms to the law, claimed the order was a distraction from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that has taken more than 100,000 lives in the U.S., disproportionately impacting black Americans. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. WATCH: Trump to sign executive order aimed at cracking down on Facebook, Twitter Anyone can own a dam in Michigan. Any resident, private company or public entity can operate a dam in the state. But what does that mean for the rules they need to follow while running the dam? THE STATE There are about 2,500 dams in the state, according to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). The state considers about half of those too small or insignificant to regulate. The state defines a dam as an artificial barrier that impounds, diverts, or is designed to impound or divert water or a combination of water and any other liquid or material in the water and is taller than 6 feet high and has an impounding capacity of 5 surface acres or more. About 33% of dams in Michigan fall under the states dam safety regulations and about 9% are regulated by the state for their inland lake level mandates, according to EGLEs numbers on its dam safety part of its website. There are 99 hydroelectric dams in Michigan that are overseen by federal regulations. The Peters Bayou Dam in Manistee, the Midland Storage Basin owned by the city of Midland and Edenville Dam owned by Boyce Hydro are listed as examples of several dams EGLE regulates, according to EGLEs online map of dams it oversees. Anyone planning to construct, enlarge, repair, alter, remove, abandon or reconstruct a state-regulated dam must get a permit from EGLE. While a dam can be public or privately owned, all owners need to hire a licensed professional engineer to do the required inspections, said Nick Assendelft, public information officer for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. They conduct the more thorough inspections that they report to EGLE and then our dam inspectors review that report, Assendelft said. We have two dam inspectors essentially, for the whole state. Even on a schedule where dams need to be inspected every three years type of thing, and thats not the case for all of them, but even at that kind of schedule they cant get to them all. Inspection reports are required every three to five years for state-regulated dams based on their hazard potential rating, and are often done by third party companies. And then if theres anything that raises a flag based on that report, then we go back to the owner and say this report says X, you need to do Y to fix that situation, Assendelft said. How frequently a dam needs to be inspected is determined by its hazard designation, which indicates what downstream impacts might be if a flood occurs. The designations are not based on a dams condition. If a dam is high hazard, where environmental degradation would be significant or where danger to individuals exists with the potential for loss of life, inspection reports are required at least every three years. More Information Hazard designations definitions High hazard potential dam: A dam located in an area where a failure may cause serious damage to inhabited homes, agricultural buildings, campgrounds, recreational facilities, industrial or commercial buildings, public utilities, main highways, or class I carrier railroads, or where environmental degradation would be significant or where danger to individuals exists with the potential for loss of life. Inspection reports are required at least every three years Significant hazard potential dam: A dam located in an area where its failure may cause damage limited to isolated inhabited homes, agricultural buildings, structures, secondary highways, short line railroads, or public utilities, where environmental degradation may be significant or where danger to individuals exists. Inspection reports submitted to the state once every four years Low hazard potential dam: A dam located in an area where failure may cause damage limited to agriculture, uninhabited buildings, structures, or township or county roads, where environmental degradation would be minimal, and where danger to individuals is slight or nonexistent. Inspection reports are required once every five years. See More Collapse Dams deemed as having significant hazard potential downstream are required to have inspection reports submitted to the state once every four years. For low hazard potential dams, the report is required once every five years. Dams that report information are required to have inspection reports that include an evaluation of the dams condition and structural integrity, whether deficiencies could lead to failure and maintenance and repair recommendations. Assendelft said if an issue persists, there are several enforcement options. He said EGLE can issue a violation notice or notice of intent with potential financial penalties attached. Another step to enforce compliance is to issue a unilateral order or a dam safety order. If an inspection indicates deficiencies that endanger a dam, EGLE confirms with their own site inspection, and then can order the owner to take immediate action to alleviate the danger, Assendelft said. Usually, (this) includes language requiring repair, rehab, modification or removal. He said EGLE could also request a court order or an emergency order, if needed. Assendelft said violations are considered part of the public record with EGLE-regulated dams. However, to access any related information, one would need to file a Freedom Of Information Act request from the state. A note on EGLEs website section on FOIA requests said it has suspended all in person record viewing as of March 20, due to COVID-19 concerns. Instead, people are encouraged to submit all FOIA requests electronically. FERC SIDE When it comes to dams, anything hydropower is going to mean oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Does the dam generate electricity? Thats the first question, said Mark Breederland, of Michigan Sea Grant Extension and the Northwest Michigan Grand Traverse MSU Extension. Because if it does generate electricity, then it falls under the (Federal) Regulatory Commission. However, in some cases like systemic noncompliance, regulation can be transferred back to the state. The dams are always regulated but it transfers if FERC somehow says, OK, we are done, weve revoked your license, then instantly, state laws on the dam safety act take over within the state of Michigan, Breederland said. In some instances, the Department of Natural Resources plays a role within the management responsibilities on rivers that have hydroelectric facilities on them, according to the DNRs website. Jessica Mistak, of the DNRs Fisheries Division, said FERC issues 30-, 40- or 50-year licenses. That license will cover everything from how they operate to how they take care of land, how they provide recreation, how environmental and natural resources issues are addressed, Mistak said. Owners of a hydroelectric project go through a National Environmental Policy Act environmental impact statement or assessment, and part of the process means there will be a notice of intent sent. And anyone who wants to be engaged in the license and especially those who have standing, can apply for legally recognized standing as a participant in the license process, Mistak explained, adding the Michigan DNR always opts to participate in the license processes. She said there are also other entities like tribal governments, non-governmental organizations and interest groups, that tend to want to participate in the process. There are a lot of groups that care, she said. Were part of that process from that ground floor, and recommending the different types of studies that need to be done to understand what exists at the project and how proposed operations could impact the environment, natural resources, recreation, impact the water itself. She said the DNR makes recommendations on how the facility should be operated and how the operators should provide for recreation, water quality and how it takes care of fisheries and wildlife. After the DNR makes those recommendations, a decision on the hydrodam licensing is up to FERC and the DNR remains involved. Mistak said the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission weighs the recommendations and decides if it will issue a license for 30, 40 or 50-years on a dam. For example, if part of the license stipulates the dam has a wildlife plan that requires nesting boxes for waterfowl around the impoundment or that the area needs to monitor for invasive species the DNR will monitor those reports from the dam holder and give feedback. Although the agencies governing these operations are public, requesting information on violation history and the current status of dams under FERCs regulation may return few results, as the Homeland Security Act can be cited as the reasoning for limiting public information on hydropower dams. FERC could not be reached by press time Monday morning for a clarification on which part(s) of the Homeland Security act apply to excluding some or all hydrodam reports and information from the public. The construction, use and repair of hydroelectric dams are inspected and supervised by FERC or that agencies authorized representatives, as are periodic safety inspections, according to guidelines posted on the FERC website. Those guidelines indicate that inspections are once a year for high and significant hazard dams, and every three years for others. CCA For Social Good, a division of CCA Global Partners, is proud to announce their partnership with the Mississippi Early Learning Alliance (MELA), to customize a shared resources online knowledge hub designed to support the success of early childhood education professionals. Focusing on its strategy of engagement, connection and mobilization, MELA sees the platform, MS Early Learning Resources, as a conduit between their organizations mission and the early childhood education community throughout the state. With the demand for quick access to relevant support and meaningful cost savings opportunities growing in the early childhood community during the current crisis, the shared resources platform serves as a one-stop location for the tools and guidance a child care professional needs to continue to thrive. Additionally, it supports providers as they continue to strive to meet the needs of children and families and build a strategy for success after the pandemic. We see the platform as not only an extension of our mission but an essential resource for Mississippi providers working through these tumultuous times, stated Angela Bass, Executive Director, Mississippi Early Learning Alliance. MELA is committed to ensuring we are doing everything we can to support the overall well-being of child care and early education programs by offering them access to current tools on COVID-19 and ensuring they have quick access to pertinent early childhood information. It is important that programs have access to resources and information that enables them to focus on meeting the needs of children and families they serve, all while taking care of their own business and the teachers and staff that depend on them. We see the shared resource platform as an essential tool in these efforts. The ECE Shared Resources platform provides early education professionals access to thousands of resources that support programmatic and operational business practices which impacts positive outcomes for children in both center and family-based child care programs, stated Denise Sayer, Vice President of CCA For Social Good, the innovator of the online shared resource platform. The platform is especially helpful in the current child care environment because of its ability to adapt and respond to the ever-changing needs of this professional community. The online knowledge hub was developed in 2009 to support child care business sustainability by offering a one-stop location for child care directors, business owners, teachers and staff access to guidance, tools and resources on important topics such as budgeting, business best practice, human resources handbooks and policies, safety policy and procedures, and cost savings through pre-negotiated savings programs. The goal of the platform is to aid child care business owners and staff in saving time and money so they can focus attention on providing high quality child care. Currently the platform is expanding to include up-to-the-minute business and classroom supports to strengthen child care operations amidst the COVID-19 crisis. Mississippi joins 30 other states that have adapted the shared resources platform as a one-stop resource for early childhood education professionals. For more information about CCA For Social Good and ECE Shared Resources, please contact Erin Holt at eholt@ccaglobal.com. For more information about Mississippis shared resource platform, please visit http://www.msearlylearningresources.org, or contact Angela Bass at angela@msearlylearning.org. About CCA For Social Good CCA For Social Good is an operating division of CCA Global Partners, a privately held cooperative that has supported small businesses for over 30 years. CCA For Social Good provides web-based platforms that help thousands of nonprofit organizations and early childhood education (ECE) centers manage the administrative aspect of their organizations. The platforms (integrated password-protected websites) deliver a set of powerful tools and shared resources resulting in more efficient and successful operations. CCA For Social Good puts time and money back in the hands of directors and managers of ECE programs, allowing them to focus where it matters most: on the children in their care. To view a sample platform, please visit http://www.ecesharedresources.com. About the Mississippi Early Learning Alliance The Mississippi Early Learning Alliance (MELA) was established in 2018 through the vision and support of the Tallahatchie River Foundation. MELA drives collective impact with diverse stakeholders to achieve systemic change leading to the holistic development of Mississippi children in their first 8 years of life. MELAs work is centered around coalition-building, disseminating pertinent information about Mississippis early childhood system, and achieving shared goals with partners for positive early childhood system change. PM Modi speaks to SAD leader Parkash Singh Badal after he tests positive for Covid-19 Violence, abuse and rude behaviour against front-line workers not acceptable: PM India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, June 01: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lauded doctors, nurses and frontline corona warriors for their relentless service to the nation during the crisis. Inaugurating the Silver Jubilee celebrations of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, through video conferencing, the Prime Minister said that violence against corona warriors will not be tolerated. COVID-19 recovery rate in India stands at 48.19 percent "The virus may be an invisible enemy. But our warriors, medical workers are invincible. In the battle of Invisible vs Invincible, our medical workers are sure to win," says PM Modi while inaugurating the Silver Jubilee celebrations of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in Karnataka. Cabinet meet: 'Big decisions' expected as govt completes 1st year of 2nd term| Oneindia News The country has seen rapid progress in setting up 22 more AIIMS. Over the last five years, we have been able to add over 30,000 seats in MBBS and 15,000 seats in post-graduation, Modi said. Modi also condemned violence against frontline workers during his address ''I want to state it clearly, violence, abuse and rude behaviour against front-line workers is not acceptable,'' Modi said. Sales tax revenue in May fell by more than 13 percent, adding to already historic declines amid the coronavirus pandemic and an unrelated crash in global oil prices. The drop is the largest year-over-year since January 2010, and is the first full glimpse into the financial fallout from the coronavirus. Though the revenue totals are for May, they mostly represent transactions in April, when a statewide lockdown was in place to slow the spread of the virus. March sales were down 9.3 percent, state records show. Sales tax is the largest source of funding for the Texas state budget, including public education and health care. It typically brings in about $3 billion monthly. Significant declines in sales tax receipts were evident in all major economic sectors, with the exception of telecommunications services, Comptroller Glenn Hegar said in a statement. The steepest decline was in collections from oil and gas mining, as energy companies cut well drilling and completion spending following the crash in oil prices. FOR SUBSCRIBERS: I lost my job, now Im losing my house. Houston-area evictions set to pick up in June Revenue from other major taxes was also down, including a 38-percent hit in motor vehicle sales and rental taxes, and a 30-percent decline in motor fuel taxes. Tax revenue from oil and natural gas production also had steep declines. Hotel occupancy taxes brought in just $8 million, the lowest amount on record. The business closures and restrictions and stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic spurred deep drops in collections from restaurants, amusement and recreation services, and physical retail stores, Hegar said. These declines were offset in part by increases from big box retailers and grocery stores that remained open as essential businesses, online retailers and restaurants that could readily pivot to takeout and delivery service. While the state has begun reopening, many businesses are still closed or operating at reduced capacity. Unemployment remains high and the drop in energy prices in March has been compounded by a fall in demand as Texans remain largely indoors. Hegar said the slump in tax revenue will likely last for months. Some state and local officials have called for cuts in response to the downturn. Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republican leaders have asked most state agencies to plan for five percent reductions through next year. Cities and towns are bracing for difficult budget cycles in the fall. "This is going to be a hit," said Bennett Sandlin, head of the Texas Municipal League. The organization is expecting equally grim numbers for local sales tax revenue when they're released in the coming days. "I think it's going to be difficult to provide any full level of services without some cuts," Sandlin said. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Going into this fiscal year, the state had planned for a 5-percent increase in sales tax revenue. Its now on track to fall short of that; Hegar has said he will formally lower revenue projections later this year. Hegar can use the states rainy day fund to plug temporary shortfalls until lawmakers return to Austin next January. It has about $8.5 billion available. The state has also received billions in federal relief funding for the pandemic. Donna (Thatcher) Moore Springville, Utah, formerly Sioux City Donna J. (Thatcher) Moore, 67, of Springville, formerly of Sioux City, lost her long battle with liver disease and passed away peacefully Tuesday, May 19, 2020, surrounded by the love of her family, at her home. For those of you who knew and loved Donna, you will understand that she did not want a funeral but more of an Irish wake, a celebration of her life with those whom she loved and cherished. This event will be on June 27 in Hobble Creek Canyon at the Drown home. For details please contact her sons, Daniel or Kevin Moore. Donna was born on May 6, 1953, in Sioux City. She was the youngest of four children in the Thatcher household. She would tell stories of her time working at the local grocery store as a checker, and the Cookie Factory as a "cookie elf" who was very fast at packing graham crackers. She met her future husband, Kenneth Moore, at the factory. They eventually migrated to Utah, where she worked side by side with her husband, Kenny, where they developed and managed the beautiful Hobble Creek Canyon Park for Springville City's parks department. During those years, she also raised her two sons, Daniel and Kevin, whom she often called her Minions since they would do her bidding when she asked. Being the genius that she was, she would end brotherly misunderstandings with a directed water hose or a cold bucket of ice water. She loved her boys so much, which she often pointed out, but on many occasions their behavior would drive her to say, "I can see why some animals eat their young." She was a stellar cook. She could scour a nearly empty pantry and assemble a meal that was second to none. People would beg for her recipes for rolls, carrot cake, chicken noodle soup, and other specialties. She would write them up as best she could, but she would often chuckle at these requests simply because she was never done refining her cooking over the years. Her love of arts and crafts throughout the years was the way she would unwind or wind up, depending on the project. Her interests were diverse, from the Christmas carousel horse created from an old rocking horse her kids once played on, to making stunningly detailed dresses for Barbie. People admired her unique cards and her ability to create such special memories from a few pieces of paper and glue. She would get a childlike demeanor as she would cut, sprinkle, and assemble. Allowing her to escape the confines of any stresses she was under. Creativity allowed her to express her thoughts and show her talents, which she shared freely with her friends and family. She would work with worlds of color and designs would emerge as beautiful as she was. Each crafted piece would carry with it her love, her heart and her soul. She was also a talented musician who had such an aptitude for music that she was chosen as church pianist and organist while still in high school. She co-wrote several road shows and was always first choice for many holiday programs. She is now in the arms of her loved ones who have gone before her, including her family, friends, and pets that she finally gets to see again. She is survived by her two sons, Daniel (Shalene) of Springville, and Kevin (Melissa) and their children, Lilyan, Harrison, and Kenna of Provo, Utah; her sister, Diana Rosapepe of Roanoke, Va.; her brother, Donald Thatcher of West Valley City, Utah; and countless nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Guy D. Thatcher and Ruth E. Linn; her loving husband, Kenneth Moore; and her sister, Darlene V. Michel. Hameed Alli, Zainab Abdullahi Yahaya A Nigerian man claiming to be the ex-boyfriend of the new wife of the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs, Hameed Alli, Zainab Abdullahi Yahaya, has filed a lawsuit against her in which he is demanding a refund of all the money he claims to have spent on her while they were dating. Hameed and Zainab had a low key wedding in Kano over the weekend. According to the court papers making the rounds on social media, the man identified as Zubairu Malhamatu Malamai, accused Zainab of lying to him while they allegedly dated for three years. According to Zubairu, he invested over N9 million on Zainab who promised to get married to him but ended up with somebody else. The lawyer, Sir Isa Wangida, who authenticated the letter alleged that his client, Zubairu, has been picked up by the SSS. He confirmed that the document came from his chambers but insisted he has no idea how it was leaked to the public. Yes its true. They dated for almost three years and they started preparing for marriage only for her to pick unnecessary fight. Unknown to him, she was out to marry a different man. She sent him a text and sent him out of their house, that he should go and calculate all that he has spent on her. Islamically, he has the right to demand for every penny he spent on her when they started the relationship to when she decided to withdraw. If he is the one that decline, he is not entitled to ask for anything but for her to have deceived him for all this number of years, he is entiltled to all that he spent on her. So we demanded for that. We gave her a week, she refused and so we took the matter to court.Wangida said When asked if the case has been fixed for hearing, he said ; No. For now she has decided to take a fight. The DSS came and arrested him on Friday, threatening him. She said he threatened her and that he has defamed her character. When the date is served we will let you know. We are yet to serve her with the court process because she is already married and we have to follow the Islamic procedure Asked if the lady in question is the new wife to the Customs boss as has been reported, Wangina answered Yes! See The Court Papers Below; IN A surprising development at the weekend, the interim leader of the MDC Thokozani Khupe paid a visit to the rural home of the main opposition partys late founding father, Morgan Tsvangirai, as the mindless bloodletting within the party escalates, the Daily News reports. The unannounced trip to Humanikwa Village, in Buhera where Khupe met Tsvangirais mother and also visited the former prime ministers grave came as her MDC group has been buoyed by a string of court victories over their party foes. It also comes as Nelson Chamisa and his allies have appeared to be in significant disarray over the past few months, ever since the Supreme Court ruled the charismatic politicians hotly-disputed ascendancy to the leadership of the countrys main opposition party following the death of Tsvangirai in 2018 to have been illegal and, therefore, null and void. But it was Khupe and her lieutenants Saturday visit to Tsvangirais resting place which excited and was weaponised by her MDC rivals who went on to claim that the trip had been for ritualistic purposes. This was after Khupe spoke at the graveside, in the company of Tsvangirais mother, which is a common practice in Zimbabwe. What may have riled her party opponents is the fact that Khupe was not on good terms with Tsvangirai by the time he passed on after the much-loved late MDC leader unilaterally elevated Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri to VP level. Also noteworthy in this regard is the fact that Khupe and the likes of re-instated party secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora were almost burned in a hut during Tsvangirais burial by MDC hooligans said to be loyal to Chamisa. Speaking through her spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni, Khupe told the Daily News yesterday that there was nothing amiss about her decision to appeal to the late Tsvangirai when she visited his grave at the weekend. Khupe, like most Africans, believes in the immortality of the soul and accordingly, she saw it fit to update the president (Tsvangirai), in line with her beliefs, on the current status of the struggle and also appealed for his assistance against the G40 element which is determined to hijack the MDC for their selfish ends, Phugeni said. On his part, Mudzuri said they had gone to Humanikwa to apologise to their late leaders mother for the abuse she endured at the hands of MDC supporters during her sons funeral in February 2018. We had just gone to see Tsvangirais mother given that she was abused when her son died and we never had the opportunity to say sorry. She understood us and responded well. Khupe and I had never been to the grave because we were chased away from his funeral. So, it was not really an issue of appealing to the spirit of the dead. It is the African way to do because what happened at the funeral was not good, Mudzuri told the Daily News. We felt we had to say sorry. I had earlier approached Chief Makumbe regarding that. All we wanted was to make peace with the Tsvangirai family. Some of us have been in pain for a long time. So, we wanted to relieve ourselves of the pain by saying sorry, he added. A former Australian reality TV star, who is now working as a police officer in the United States, says the ongoing unrest surrounding the death of George Floyd has left him heartbroken and wanting to quit the force. Vadim Dale, 44, was once known as Outback Jack on a short-lived reality show in 2004 that saw 12 American women vying for the heart of a 'rugged Aussie bloke'. As of 2020, Vadim and his winning contestant Natalie Dale, nee Franzman, are still together, happily married with three daughters. The pair moved to Natalie's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky in 2005, and in 2010 the Melbourne-born man joined the Louisville Metro Police Department. Vadim and his winning contestant Natalie Dale (nee Franzman) are still together, happily married with three daughters Outback Jack ran for one season on TBS in 2004. It followed 12 American women vying for the heart of 'rugged Aussie bloke' Vadim Dale (pictured) But now the city is among the dozens in the United States which are seeing violent protests following the death of black man in custody. Mr Dale said the death of George Floyd last week was 'disgusting'. 'No one dislikes bad cops more than good cops,' he told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. 'I can guarantee I've probably had more contact with the African-American community than that cop, and more encounters that required physical contact, but I've never had the need to place my knee on someone's head or neck for a long time,' he said. With widespread rioting and looting unfolding in major cities nationwide, officer Dale said it's 'all hands on deck' for every police department across the country. 'When I first started I loved it, I was so passionate, I thought I was one of God's angels doing his work. Now it breaks my heart. That stigma - that I'm a racist or a pig - when all I want to do is help people, is the hardest thing in the world when you know you have the right intentions,' he said. Vadim Dale, from Melbourne, joined the Louisville Metro Police Department in 2010 Minneapolis officer, Derek Chauvin is pictured kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, who is handcuffed. Mr Floyd died moments later and officer Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder Having a broad Australian accent in the heartland of the United States is something officer Dale said helped him build a rapport with the local community. During his time in law enforcement he has been involved in several shootings and received 19 commendations, two Medals of Valour and one life-saving award. In 2012, he was forced to shoot an armed African-American woman. Cheetara Goldsmith had just shot and killed a young mother, Makeba Lee, and began firing at police. Goldsmith was eventually detained and sentenced to 25 years' jail for the murder. Vadim and Natalie Dale (pictured) moved to Natalie's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, in 2005 after meeting on Outback Jack Although officer Dale admits there are some racist elements within American police ranks, he says protesters are 'stereotyping' all cops as racist. 'I've told my wife all the hate is probably going to force me out of a job I love. We all need to realise how, why and what we can do better for the way society and police interact. We really need calmer heads to prevail at the moment,' he said. As well as working as a police officer, Mr Dale spends his time reviewing cars on his YouTube Chanel. Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound, Islam's third holiest site, reopened Sunday after a more than two-month-long coronavirus lockdown, but tensions marred the event which came hours after a deadly police shooting. Before dawn, worshippers in protective masks waited outside chanting "God is greatest, we will protect Al-Aqsa with our soul and blood", before they were let in for the first prayers of the day. Israeli soldiers were stationed at the gates to the site, which has often been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and police said eight arrests were made throughout the day. A day earlier Israeli police shot dead a Palestinian disabled man in annexed east Jerusalem, where the compound is located. They mistakenly thought Iyad Khairi Hallak was armed and the killing prompted furious condemnation. The Palestinian leadership demanded that the shooter face the International Criminal Court while the social media hashtags #PalestinianLivesMatter and #Icantbreathe echoed anger in the United States against police violence. Eight Muslim residents were arrested by Israeli police Sunday at the religious site for "disrupting general visits" and chanting "nationalistic calls" against Jewish Israelis, said police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. The Al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock had been closed in March as part of measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, which has claimed 284 lives and infected more than 17,000 people in Israel. Fewer than 500 infections and just three deaths have been confirmed in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, which have a combined population of around five million. With the number of COVID-19 cases declining, restrictions have been eased in both Israel and the Palestinian territories. - Shooting sparks protests - As part of ongoing efforts to tackle the virus, worshippers' temperatures were taken and staff distributed masks. Tape on the floor inside the mosque and on the stones outside marked where people should pray at a safe distance. Muslims believe the Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven from Al-Aqsa, Islam's third holiest site after Mecca and Medina. The location is also the holiest site for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount, the reputed location of two biblical temples, the second of which was destroyed in 70 AD. Saturday's shooting happened nearby, in the alleys of the walled Old City near Lions' Gate, an access point mainly used by Palestinians. Defence Minister Benny Gantz said he was sorry for the death of 32-year-old Hallak and certain "the incident will be investigated swiftly" as police announced a probe. "We will make every effort to use the appropriate amount of force, with the goal of reducing the amount of casualties as much as possible," said Gantz, who is due to become prime minister in 18 months under an agreement with current premier Benjamin Netanyahu. Hundreds of people protested on Saturday evening outside the Jerusalem police headquarters and in Tel Aviv, carrying placards in Hebrew reading "Police violence kills" and "Justice for Iyad". Earlier this month, scuffles broke out at Al-Aqsa between Israeli police and Palestinians worshippers who tried to break through barriers to enter the compound on the first day of the Eid holiday, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Muslim leaders had asked worshippers to pray at home. At the time Firas al-Qazzaz, whose family has led prayers at Al-Aqsa for more than 500 years, told AFP that "for me as a muezzin, when I say at the end 'pray in your homes', it breaks my heart." Known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif, the site is under the custodianship of neighbouring Jordan, which controlled the West Bank, including east Jerusalem, up until occupation by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967. There are fears of further violence if Israel takes advantage of a controversial green light from US President Donald Trump to annex swathes of the West Bank. Known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif, the site is under the custodianship of neighbouring Jordan Israeli demonstrators chant slogans during a demonstration condemning the shooting of Iyad Hallak, a disabled Palestinian man who was shot dead by Israeli police after they mistakenly thought he was armed with a pistol Palestinian Muslim worshippers enter the al-Aqsa mosque compound for early morning prayers Muslims believe the Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven at the site On May 29, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, Inc. PFE said that a vaccine to treat COVID-19 could be ready by the end of October 2020. Pfizer is working with German firm BioNTech SE BNTX for several possible vaccines in Europe and the United States. Although treatment for COVID-19 is yet to be found, a large number of drugmakers and biotech companies have made remarkable progress in developing a vaccine over the past couple of months. Of these, many have also started their clinical trials and are expecting preliminary results over the next few days. Also, some have started ramping up production of their vaccine candidates, anticipating huge demand if they prove successful. Pfizer Hopeful About Early Vaccine Pfizers CEO Albert Bourla said that a COVID-19 vaccine could be ready by October 2020, according to a The Times of Israel report. Bourla also said that the company has enough evidence of safety and efficacy for the FDA to feel comfortable about a vaccine on time. Pfizer is conducting clinical trials in the United States and Europe for the BNT162 vaccine program to prevent COVID-19. The report also quoted the AstraZeneca boss who said that the company, which is working in collaboration with the University of Oxford, expects at least one vaccine by the end of this year. All Focus on COVID-19 vaccine Clinical trials of non-COVID-19 drugs and vaccines have taken a backseat as most drugmakers and biotechnology companies are speeding up development of a vaccine for the novel coronavirus. On May 29, former FDA chief Scott Gottlieb said that clinical trials of drugs not related to coronavirus could get delayed as most of the agencys staff is focus on work related to COVID-19. Of more than 100 labs across the world working toward a vaccine against the deadly virus, 10 have made to the clinical-trial stage. Also, many big companies have joined forces to develop a vaccine. However, the World Health Organization has said that to increase chances of success, it is critical to test all candidate vaccines until they fail. Story continues Our Choices Although the FDA is yet to approve a drug or treatment for the novel coronavirus, it would be prudent to invest in companies focused on developing a coronavirus vaccine or treatment. Each of our picks has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Amgen, Inc. AMGN is one of the biggest biotech companies in the world, with a strong presence in the oncology/hematology and cardiovascular disease, neuroscience. In April, Amgen and Adaptive, Inc. ADPT collaborated to work on antibodies that can be used to prevent or treat COVID-19. Amgen also plans to test Otezla as a COVID-19 therapy treating respiratory distress in late-stage patients in the coming days. Amgens expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 5.1%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 0.2% over the past 60 days. BioNTech SE collaborated with Pfizer in March to develop a vaccine for coronavirus. The 360 patients in the U.S. trial started to receive the first doses of the four vaccine candidates included in the study as of May 5. Dosing in 200 participants in the German trial began on Apr 23. The companys expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 15.8%. Shares of BioNTech SEhave jumped 4.3% over the past 30 days. Gilead GILD earlier this month received an emergency-use authorization from the FDA based on preliminary results from two clinical trials of its experimental coronavirus drug remdesivir. Results showed that patients taking the drug had a median recovery time of 11 days compared with 15 days for those taking placebo. The companys expected earnings growth rate for next year is 3.1%. Its shares have rallied 19.8% year to date. GlaxoSmithKline plc GSK has announced a string of wide-reaching collaborations during the pandemic, most notably with Sanofi. The company expects to launch clinical trials in the second half of the year. The expected earnings growth rate for next year is 1.4%. Its shares have gained 3.4% in the last three months. Zacks Single Best Pick to Double From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each picked their favorite to gain +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Zacks Director of Research, Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all. This young companys gigantic growth was hidden by low-volume trading, then cut short by the coronavirus. But its digital products stand out in a region where the internet economy has tripled since 2015 and looks to triple again by 2025. Its stock price is already starting to resume its upward arc. The skys the limit! And the earlier you get in, the greater your potential gain. Click Here, See It Free >> 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 Pfizer Inc. (PFE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) : Free Stock Analysis Report GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amgen Inc. (AMGN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation (ADPT) : Free Stock Analysis Report BioNTech SE Sponsored ADR (BNTX) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research George Floyd couldnt breathe, but the Minneapolis police officer who had his knee on Floyds neck for eight minutes kept his hand casually in his pocket. He didnt help a man begging for his life. Days later he was arrested, charged with murder. When I watched the clip last week, this was my initial thought: Here we are almost six years since Eric Garner said he couldnt breathe as a New York police officer held him in a choke hold, and theres another video of a black man telling a police officer he cant breathe before he died. Video of both incidents spread on social media. I know this is another teachable moment for the United States but, honestly, Im tired of teachable moments because it seems like nothing is ever learned. Weve got to talk more openly about race, because what happened to Floyd isnt an isolated incident. The fragility of blackness hangs over my head every time I leave the house. In March, Breonna Taylor was fatally shot during a police drug raid in her Kentucky apartment. No drugs were found. In February, Ahmaud Arbery was fatally shot by two white men in Georgia while he was out jogging. And last month, a black boy was thrown to the ground and repeatedly punched by a police officer in Rancho Cordova, a city in the Sacramento metro area. And just last week, a Louisiana police officer was fired for commenting on a Facebook post that it was unfortunate more black people didnt die from the coronavirus. Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Protests rippled across the Bay Area and country over the weekend as people expressed their indignation by shutting down highways, breaking storefront windows, lighting fireworks, and setting buildings and cars on fire. Frustration erupted into vandalism and theft. If you lack perspective on why people are in the streets, ask yourself this: If black people werent fatally shot by police at a disproportionate rate, would people be shouting Hands up, dont shoot and I cant breathe as they marched through cities? We just seem to be circling back to places that we thought wed overcome, said Delores Jones-Brown, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and an expert in police-community relations. You build a nation on racism, youre left with that legacy. The president that we have now has made it OK for people to act on the racism that has always been a part of this nation. The president has his knee on the neck of democracy. Hes a product of the American political, judicial, financial and social systems, which are all infected by white supremacy. 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 Since this country was founded, blackness has been scrutinized and criminalized with nominal consequence. Blacks were enslaved for almost 250 years. After emancipation, the Jim Crow laws enacted to enforce segregation ruled for a century until crumbling under the weight of the civil rights movement. Still, the disenfranchisement of black and nonwhite communities remains the American way. White people have been socialized to abhor and fear blackness, and to view racism as an individual prejudice and not a systemic constraint. Racism, like the coronavirus, isnt going to simply magically disappear. Today, Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland is scheduled to introduce legislation calling for the formation of a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Commission to address the legacy of slavery and racism in the United States. Paul Kuroda / Special to The Chronicle The legacy of segregation and discrimination, slavery and the policies that were put in place subsequent to that havent all been really shattered, she told me last month. Weve made a lot of progress, but weve got a long way to go and the country has got to understand they have got to join with us everybody to repair the damage of the past. Lees commission is a start, but in order to have fewer teachable moments there needs to be more consistent teaching. Lately, Ive been wondering if racism could be taught in schools because its apparent thats theres not enough discussion happening at home. Jen Lumanlan, a Berkeley mom who hosts Your Parenting Mojo, a podcast for parents of young children, produced a series on the intersection of parenting and race. White Privilege in Parenting is the title of an episode. Parents find talking about race really difficult, so they avoid doing it, she said. Parents think of themselves as being colorblind, and as seeing everyone the same, when in reality none of us do that. By avoiding these conversations with our children, were teaching them that racial relations are too difficult to discuss, that differences between people exist but they are irrelevant to our childrens lives when children can clearly see that this is not true. Now Playing: East Bay columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. talks about the rage and unrest that's followed the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, and his experience covering the protests as a black journalist. Video: San Francisco Chronicle David Canton, an associate professor of history and director of Africana studies at Connecticut College, believes that school instruction is necessary. 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. You need to develop a critical, nuanced way of seeing society, he said. There should be some level and not just cultural competency where you know about Kwanzaa but a systemic understanding of racism and systems of inequality. Matthew Kincaid, the founder of Overcoming Racism, an organization that provides racism and equity training in schools, said that not teaching about racism is part of the problem. It is a deliberate act to uphold and maintain the structure of white supremacy, he said. Aaron Lavinsky / Minneapolis Star Tribune But just teaching about racism alone isnt enough, because policies written to disadvantage people of color, like voting rights legislation and gerrymandering, are still on the books. Bakari Sellers, a CNN political commentator, pushed back on my thoughts about racism education. He told me people have two clear choices: Either they can be racist or anti-racist. He sees a direct parallel from Carolyn Bryant, the woman who accused Emmett Till of flirting with her, which led to his lynching, to Amy Cooper, the woman who is accused of falsely telling police that a black man, Christian Cooper, threatened her in Central Park last week. Now Playing: From peaceful protest to mass arrests: Police in Oakland fires tear gas at protesters condemning the killing of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer during the fourth night of demonstrations in the Bay Area. Video: Matthias Gafni, Mallory Moench, Erika Carlos She utilized her privilege, so when the police come, theyre already in a position of, I have to protect this damsel in distress from this big, threatening black guy, Sellers said of Amy Cooper. It makes you question a lot of these cases that we have in this country knowing the history that we have. We should all be questioning our shared history, because before a solution to racism can be implemented, the existence of racism must be widely acknowledged. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays and Thursdays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr Young readers and their parents from around the world are benefiting from the philanthropic website Life Tree Books, initiated by Zhang Mingzhou, president of IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People). Eleven original works by China on the fight against COVID-19 were translated into 13 languages, including Japanese, French and Russian, are available for readers to enjoy, all free of charge. Here are some of our recommendations. Happy International Children's Day to all young readers! Visit the website at www.lifetreebooks.org.cn [China Daily] Ten Tips to Fight Monsters Author: Dong Ruihan Description: Dad leaves 10 tips to help us fight the virus. Who will win the battle? The story will gently teach children how to prevent the disease in a language that they can easily understand. It will help kids remain calm in this the epidemic, and encourage them to help family members to prevent the disease. [China Daily] Waiting for Dad to Come Home Author: Chen Ying Description: The book pays a tribute to the front line medical workers for their fighting spirit in battle against COVID-19 who are heroes in harm's way with strong sense of social responsibility, depicting the familial affection and love supporting them. Besides, the book combines the basic knowledge of COVID-19 in a story of how a doctor's family fights against the virus. The emotional resonance with readers may promote them to increase their self-protection awareness and take protective actions. The book touches readers with storylines and characters having strong sense of social responsibility, trying to plant that responsible seed in their mind. [China Daily] A Brief History of Viruses for Children Author: Changsha White-flag Dolphin Children's Book Workshop Description: A popular virus book dedicated to all children and juveniles. This book, in the form of story-telling and picture-based presentation, tells the origin of the virus and its impact on human society, so that the readers can understand the history of the virus. The book specifically sets up a "Ten Questions about COVID-19" section, which explains in detail the relevant knowledge and preventive measures of the novel coronavirus, helping children and juvenile readers to rationally understand and scientifically prevent it. [China Daily] Virus, Virus, You Cannot Scare Me! Author: Mu Xiangzhen Description: This is an original pop-up book for children that integrates mood-lifting techniques with knowledge about virus prevention and control. Designed with many interesting and movable paper elements, the book enables parents and children to learn in a fun interactive way about how viruses spread and what people can do to protect themselves effectively. Thus it helps relieve children's fear for viruses and improve their ability to prevent infection. Besides, it also introduces the idea of harmonious coexistence between human and nature, in hope of raising children's awareness of protecting wildlife as well as the natural environment. [China Daily] Agan Will Win Author: A Jiao (original name: Zhang Xuejiao) Description: Told by Chun Ni, famous anchor of China Beijing Television Station and Xue Ying, founder of Xue Ying Reading Club, Agan Will Win is a story about how Agan, Wuhan's well-known street food hot dry noodles personified as the protagonist, fights against the virus and finally wins. Unfortunately infected with the virus, Agan remains positive, optimistic and compliant to the doctors, and at last he defeats the cunning virus. This is a warm and caring picture book that consoles people who are having a difficult time during the epidemic. [China Daily] There is Nothing Much More Than the Virus That Wears a Crown Author: Huang Yi, etc. Description: This book is designed in the form of Q&As to address some possible COVID-19-related psychological problems of children, with a view to helping them learn to cope with such problems while enjoying themselves in reading. In addition, this book is carefully illustrated by a group of young artists who have applied psychological intervention techniques into their illustrations. Also, with the help of this book, parents can learn how to explain the outbreak to their children in a proper way. [China Daily] Fight Bacteria Author: Wan Jinghua, adapted by Chen Yuanshan Description: Humans have a long history of fighting against diseases. But in a long period of time, people were still in the dark regarding the fact that many diseases caused by bacteria were unseen by the naked eyes. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed due to these microscopic bacteria. Afterwards microscopes were invented so that human beings were able to know bacteria and started studying it. Scientists finally invented various medicines such as antibiotic and the likes, despite trials and tribulations, achieved glorious accomplishments, brought many scary diseases under control. This comic book consists of a series of stories, vividly records the battle between humans and bacteria . [China Daily] A Special Spring Festival Author: Gao Jing Description: This book pictures a special Spring Festival during the outbreak of COVID-19. It tells a story of an ordinary family in China, centering around the little boy's confusion: why he is not allowed to play outside home. Integrating science knowledge with comforting words, the book illustrates some basic knowledge on coronavirus disease as the story develops, including what coronavirus is, how it spreads, and how we can protect ourselves from it. The pictures in light watercolor convey love between family members, friends and everyone, and the story demonstrates how Chinese people are fighting together against the coronavirus in a soft yet powerful tone. Through reading, both children and grown-ups may cherish more the simplest pleasure in life, be grateful and try to do all they can do to help. (Source: chinadaily.com.cn) The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the reason President Buhari did not address the nation on the May 29 Inauguration day is because he must have assessed his administration and rightly adjudged it a failure. President Buhari marked 5 years in office on May 29. The presidency had in an earlier statement, said the celebration will be quiet due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in a statement released today by PDP spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, tsaid President Buhari must have been persuaded that he had nothing to tell Nigerians and saw reason to avoid making false performance claims, which are wholesomely at variance with the situation on the ground. Massachusetts State Police are deploying troopers and assets across Massachusetts Monday night as more protests are planned. In the Greendale Mall parking lot in Worcester, a fleet of cruisers was spotted as a protest is planned in the city Monday night. But rumors of another group heading to the city to cause violence and upheaval has prompted authorities to keep watch on Worcester. There are reports that some buildings in the downtown area are locking down. Some troopers at the Greendale Mall could be seen carrying riot gear. Worcester City Councilor Khrystian E. King is leading a solidarity protest for George Floyd Monday evening in downtown Worcester. The planned peaceful protest begins at Worcester City Common at 6 p.m. This peaceful protest is to call attention to racial injustices being committed against our black communities and to inspire systemic change, a press release stated. In Northampton Monday, people walked up and down Main Street after a protest ended. Some police cars were damaged. Police lined up outside the station to stop people from accessing more cruisers. Pepper sprayed was used to keep people from entering the station. Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, was killed in police custody on May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds causing Floyd to suffocate to death, prosecutors say. Derek Chauvin, the arresting officer, was charged with murder and manslaughter. State police said troopers and assets will be in Boston Monday night to assist Boston police. Troopers will also be on duty at the State House. State police said assets will be available in every region of the state to help local police in responding to civil unrest if needed. Violence erupted in Boston Sunday night after protests ended. Boston police arrested 53 people as dozens of bystanders and police were injured. State police arrested two people who jumped a fence outside the State House. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said monuments were damaged and police officers were hit with sticks, bottles and fireworks. Stores were smashed up and robbed. More than 20 law enforcement cruisers were damaged, and one was lit on fire, according to the mayor. Related Content: 3 1 of 3 Mike Goodwin / Times Union Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Will Waldron/Times Union Show More Show Less 3 of 3 SCHENECTADY -- Mayor Gary McCarthy ended the city's nightly curfew order Monday after initially declaring that it would last until Friday in the face of worry over violence erupting in cities across the nation as part of protests of police brutality. On Sunday evening, we issued a Local Emergency Order as a precautionary measure instituting a curfew based on actionable intelligence of specific threats within the City of Schenectady," the city's statement read. "These specific threats were unrelated to the peaceful protesters from the community earlier in the day. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday requested fishermen to avoid venturing into the sea as the cyclone is expected to hit the Arabian Sea Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday requested fishermen to avoid venturing into the sea as a cyclone is expected to hit the Arabian Sea. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has informed that a low-pressure area has formed near the southeast Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep. While addressing a press conference, Thackeray said, "In the next 2-3 days, a cyclone is expected to hit us. I request fishermen to avoid fishing in the sea for the next 3-4 days." Thackeray said that the government has received a complaint that beds are falling short in the hospitals. "We received a complaint that beds are less, I don't deny these complaints. There were some instances where we lacked beds. Earlier, we had only three hospitals for infection cases and now we have 2,500 hospitals. Earlier, we had only 400 beds and now we have 2.5 lakh beds all over the state, including those which are in quarantine centres. Out of these, 25,000 beds have oxygen facility," he said. The Chief Minister thanked railways minister Piyush Goyal for the trains and said that around 11 lakh migrant workers have been sent to their native places. "Last time, when I spoke about trains, Piyush Goyal got angry, but today I want to thank him for arranging trains. Nearly 11 lakh migrants have returned to their homes by 800 trains," Thackeray said. Speaking on the exam of the students, he said that the government has decided that it will take the average of semester exams and will allot marks to the students. "The situation is not conducive to take exams. Several lakhs of students will come to take the exam, distancing will be difficult. We have decided that we will take the average of semester exam and will allot marks to the students. Those who still want to sit in exam will be given the opportunity in November or October when the situation gets safer," he said. Thackeray said that he was not worried about government and no one can harm his government. "Now, the time has come that responsibility and precautions together have to put together. You (people) have taken many precautions and if we stand together, there won't be any danger to us. There is no danger to this government, it won't collapse," he said. Were doing everything we possibly can to be well-prepared for any type of incidents we may encounter, said Park Ridge Police Chief Frank Kaminski. We have been in touch with local, federal and state partners about additional resources we may need (if something occurs). We are doing as much as we can to review intelligence and be ahead of the curve. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 17:25:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SANAA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- A child was killed and 21 others were wounded in shelling in the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, the international aid agency Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said on Twitter late on Sunday. It said the shelling targeted a public place crowded with families and playing children on Sunday afternoon. It said that "22 wounded were received in the MSF supported Al Salakhana hospital due to shelling attacks in Al-Zuhur neighborhood in Hodeidah city...16 patients were children, one of them died." The aid agency condemned the attack but it did not identified the attacker. It called for "urgent measures to ensure that civilians are protected in the ongoing conflict." Al-Zuhur neighborhood is located in the center of the port city. Part of the port city is under the control of the Houthi rebels, while the government forces have advanced to the southern and eastern outskirts. Hodeidah port city, a vital lifeline for millions facing starvation, has seen a shaky cease-fire between the warring parties since both sides reached a UN-sponsored truce agreement in Stockholm in December 2018. Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi group seized control of much of the country's north and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. Enditem SACRAMENTO Gov. Gavin Newsoms medical mask deal with a Chinese manufacturer could be canceled after the company failed to obtain a federal safety certification. Sunday was the deadline for supplier BYD to secure safety certification for its N95 particulate-filtering respirators. But it did not meet that deadline, which had been extended after federal officials denied the companys previous application. Katie Shahan, a spokeswoman for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the agency that inspects masks, said Monday there has been no change in BYDs certification status. There are no additional updates at this time, she wrote in an email. Californias contract with BYD, or Build Your Dreams, states that the deal is void and the company must forfeit all $495 million that the state prepaid for the N95 masks if it failed to obtain federal certification by the deadline. Newsoms administration was silent on the contracts fate Monday a deal he cheered less than two months ago as the state scrambled to buy personal protective equipment for medical workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. The Governors Office of Emergency Services did not respond to requests for comment about the fate of the deal Monday. Newsom said Friday that federal officials were very close to a certification decision. Then, he downplayed the financial risk to the state. We have not spent one penny on anything we havent received, Newsom said. California wired $495 million to BYD in early April, half the cost of a larger, $990 million contract that also included surgical masks. The company was supposed to provide the state with 300 million of the N95 masks. But the deal quickly hit trouble: BYD refunded half of the states prepayment for the N95 masks last month after it failed to obtain safety certification by the original April 30 deadline. California extended the deadline to May 31. At the time, Newsom said certification had merely been delayed. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health contradicted him, saying it had denied BYDs safety certification because of a number of factors. Officials with the federal agency wont say why certification was denied because government rules prohibit the agency from disclosing such details. However, the agency said a review of the documentation provided to NIOSH for the design, manufacturing and quality inspection of the device was concerning. BYD spokesman Frank Girardot declined to comment Monday. He has said the federal agency had denied safety certification for the N95 masks because of a documentation control issue. The company said its masks have already passed quality tests, including inhale and exhale tests. BYD is also sending 100 million lower-grade surgical masks to California as part of the deal. The federal government does not need to certify those masks, and Newsom said it has delivered more than 50 million so far. But the company faces a swift fiscal penalty for not meeting the N95 certification deadline. Under its contract with California, BYD has until June 5 to refund the states remaining $247.5 million prepayment. California officials could decide to extend the deadline again. If they do not get the certification thats required in the contract, we wont be out a dollar and well find other ways of procuring those masks, Newsom said last week. BYD mainly manufactured electric buses until the coronavirus pandemic struck. It then branched into personal protective equipment for medical workers. Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner The World Hypertension Day is globally celebrated each year on May 17th 1.1 million deaths in India each year. What could have claimed such an inordinate number of lives? While one might immediately blame cancer or lung disease, hypertension or high blood pressure has affected nearly 234 million, only in India. This condition occurs due to an increase in the blood pressure applied on the walls of the arteries. Although there are no exact causes of hypertension, a few factors highly responsible for this condition include obesity, stress, old age, genetics etc. Modernization has imbibed in us a lifestyle of less exercise, smoking and unhealthy eating habits which could lead to higher instances of obesity. This has greatly augmented hypertension, globally, stimulating the research of various drugs to help combat this life threatening disease. Despite a great prevalence of this disease, in India, only about 10-20% of adults are diagnosed and are receiving treatment to reduce the risks that are brought by hypertension. The major causes for this are a lack of awareness and fewer screening facilities. According to research conducted in large cities and rural areas, - the prevalence of awareness of hypertension is only in a quarter of rural and two-fifths of urban Indians, and only a quarter and a third of those identified in rural and urban India receive treatment for it. Moreover, a large percentage of adults disregard the instructions given or are not advised correctly. This could be due to a number of reasons, the most common being an increase in the price of medicine, which discourages people from tending to this disease. However, geriatricians have estimated that developing countries like those in Asia and Africa will face an increase in the number of patients with this condition. This would lead to higher production of these drugs which could decrease their price drastically. Thus more will be encouraged to seek help. Being asymptomatic, hypertensions effects could manifest without one realising, and ultimately cause strokes, heart disease and even death. Thus negligence by patients has to be curbed through more screening facilities as well as the development and sale of antihypertension drugs. In terms of medication, monotherapy, where a patient is administered a single drug, is the most common method used while treating mild hypertension. Containing substances such as calcium blockers, ACE or angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, vasodilators, diuretics, beta-adrenergic blockers, these drugs are effective while lowering any tension and circumventing strokes and cardiovascular diseases. It is estimated that amlodipine is normally used by most patients. This drug falls under the class of CCBs, or calcium channel blockers. In an attempt to lessen the pressure exerted on the arteries, they allow them to dilate. Extended periods of use and consistent blood pressure with smaller doses make this type of medicine popular and extremely effective. Apart from these, beta blockers including atenolol and carvedilol can be prescribed. By preventing norepinephrine and epinephrine (hormones produced by the body), these drugs are able to curb their effects, resulting in a lower heart rate and less pressure. Certain risks associated with this drug make it more likely to be prescribed to younger patients. Furthermore, those suffering from other ailments such as diabetes or heart disease are advised to take ACE inhibitors. Through the inhibition of angiotensin II, a protein that promotes the contraction of the arteries, these drugs are able to reduce the pressure endured by circulatory system. Despite the vast array of drug treatments available, on taking the drug, nearly 30% of patients experience no, or little change in their blood pressure. Thus scientists across the world have explored new medicines, ones that no longer directly target the arteries. By ingesting a drug called firibastat, a pathway in the brain is impeded from producing angiotensin III. Since this protein proliferates the activity of neurons which cause constriction as well as hinder the hearts ability to change the strength at which it pumps blood, this drug has had many successful trials in France and USA. Moreover, scientists have observed that the severity with which it affects the body changes with the amount of abnormalities in blood pressure. Receiving reinforcement due to its positive results even in otherwise unaffected patients, this drug moved into further testing, and will hopefully change the course of treatment of this precarious condition. While scientists have been working on promising drugs, production during the recent COVID-19 pandemic has seized. India, being one of the largest suppliers of antihypertensive drugs in the world, needs to import about 70% of the raw materials from China. Bans on trade and shutdown of factories could lead to a shortage of these drugs in the future. The seriousness and prevalence of this disease accompanied with fewer drugs, could pose an immense threat to the adult population in India and around the world. Due to numerous implications and risks associated with hypertension, the development and usage of drugs is vital, especially in developing countries. This will not only reduce the mortality rate, but also create a necessary awareness in people from all part of the world. Thus, on this World Hypertension Day, measure your blood pressure, control it, live longer. Nysa Adurkar, Mumbai In a brief display of unity amid the chaos and anger that has enveloped America since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, a group of around 10 Oakland police officers knelt on the front line with protesters Sunday night. The moment came in stark contrast to other actions from OPD over the weekend, including turning rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray on demonstrators. Many protesters on Twitter claimed that the non-violent gesture by the police was merely performative, as similar scenes played out in other major cities. There is a serious push to send a ballot to every registrant, said Jason Snead, a conservative policy analyst who has led the Honest Elections Project since it launched in February. I think there is a serious concern that so many registrations are outdated and ballots are being mailed out at great public expense to voters who may be deceased or have moved away or are ineligible to vote. Governor Kate Brown held a press conference on Monday after three nights of demonstrations in Portland. She was joined by Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, Sen. Lew Frederick, Rep. Janelle Bynum and Oregon State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler held a news conference Monday morning to address the citys response, adding that he had asked Brown to activate the Oregon National Guard in the city. Portland police said early Monday that 12 adults had been arrested and two youths had been detained after Sunday nights protest. The figure isnt final, and no information about the people arrested was immediately available. Wheeler lauded the mostly peaceful protesters who turned out Sunday, while decrying those who chose to engage in violence. They were a small handful from amongst thousands of peaceful demonstrators, Wheeler said. But Billy Williams, the U.S. District Attorney for the district of Oregon, said law enforcement agencies in the city needed outside assistance. We need help, Williams said. I am asking the governor of Oregon to activate the National Guard. We need action now. This cant go on. Watch a replay of the press conference in the video above. -- The Oregonian/OregonLive Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday said he was moved by the thousands of people who protested peacefully in New Jersey over the weekend to call for an end to police brutality and racial injustice, but he also acknowledged more is needed in dismantling systemic racism. The insidious effects of racism are not new to us, even in New Jersey, the Democratic governor said his daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton. Racism exists here. It has held back generations of black and brown citizens, and still threatens the generations yet to come inequalities in economic mobility, health care support that we speak to almost every day ... accessible housing, and educational opportunities. And on and on and on. And now, all across our country, people are demanding transformational and systemic change in a way we have not seen in perhaps 30 years, Murphy continued. We must listen, and we must act. I support these protests, and I thank the thousands of residents who peacefully and respectfully took part, he said. Protests and rioting have spread across the nation in response to the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died in Minneapolis earlier this month after a police officer held his knee on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest. Multiple demonstrations were held across New Jersey over the weekend. Most were notably peaceful compared to more violent protests in other U.S. cities. But looting in Atlantic City and pockets of violence in Trenton on Sunday left multiple businesses and police vehicles damaged. Col. Patrick Callahan, the superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, said Monday there were a total of 39 protestors arrested in the state over the weekend 12 in Atlantic City and 27 in Trenton. Contrary to reports in other cities, most of the people arrested were local residents, Callahan said. Murphys comments Monday came shortly after President Donald Trump held a much-publicized phone call with governors from across the country, telling them they need to be tougher in cracking down on violent protests by arresting more demonstrators. If you dont dominate, youre wasting your time, the Republican president said, according to a recording of the call. Theyre going to run all over you. Youll look like a bunch of jerks. Most of you are weak, Trump added. Asked his reaction to Trumps remarks, Murphy said the call was very heavy, if not entirely, about law enforcement and dealing with the vast minority of folks who have been out there protesting. I would have liked to have seen a lot more about social injustice and systemic racism in America and how we got to this point and where do we go from here, the governor said, adding that he spoke to the president with great pride about what we had seen to date in New Jersey. Murphy said he watched with pride" as protestors took to the streets in Newark over the weekend. And he applauded the chief of the Camden County police force, Joseph Wysocki, who marched alongside residents in Camden. The governor also chided the small number of protestors who turned to violence. I was moved to see communities throughout our state, big and small, stand up, and lie down, for what they believe, he said. We will not let a small number in our state who wish to harm our communities distract us from the greater message lifted up by the literally tens of thousands of others. Meanwhile, Murphy commended the people with privilege who are now recognizing the pain of those without. We are seeing our common humanity, he said. We know that our work is far from over. Murphy was asked if these mass protests should be happening during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Public gatherings in New Jersey are currently limited to 25 people under the governors orders to fight the virus spread, and a woman was charged with violating those orders after organizing a protest in Trenton against Murphys lockdown last month. But Murphy painted a sharp contrast between the lockdown protests and this weekends demonstrations. I dont want to make light of this, and Ill probably get lit up by everybody who owns a nail salon in the state," the governor said. But its one thing to protest what day nail salons are opening. Its another to come out in peaceful protest overwhelmingly about somebody who was murdered right before our eyes and the trail of data points that highlights systemic racism and the stain that slavery still leaves in our country today. I put those into different orbits." Still, Murphy said he was encouraged to see many protestors over the weekend wearing masks and encouraged demonstrators to not only wear face coverings but practice social distancing. I would say to anybody who goes out: You have the absolute right to go out and peacefully, rightfully protest, he added. But please, be smart about your health. Murphy was also asked if hes concerned vandalism will continue during the protests. I view those as a tax on our communities, the governor said. Its not just a window. Its not just a door. A community is a living thing. People live there, they work there, they buy their groceries there, their neighbors are there. I view the attacks less in material concerns and I dont make light of the material loss but more in frankly a bigger sense. Whether or not theres more of it, we hope there isnt. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank PJSC has announced the resignation of its Chief Executive Officer has resigned adding that Chief Operation Officer (COO) will take over as caretaker, Bloomberg reports. The bank did not provide reasons for Mazin Mannas resignation. Manna. COO, Sandeep Chouhan has been appointed to serve in the capacity until appointment of a new chief. The bank is fully engaged in securing the CEOs successor within the briefest delays, the institution said in a statement. Before joining the bank, Manna led the Middle East and North Africa at Credit Agricole CIB and Group Senior Country officer for the UAE. He also worked for five year at Citi Bank NA in Bahrain. The resignation occurred following a report of decrease in net profit Q1, from AED600.3 million to AED269.7 million same period last year. The bank chalked the decrease on an increase in provisioning due to the challenging operating environment, as well as the result of lower revenues, given unprecedented market conditions. Overnight reports from Jacksonville police: Mud tires for a truck were stolen from a residence in the 700 block of North East Street, according to a report filed at 1:36 p.m. Sunday. They were all together valued at $400. Bradley M. Hayes, 42, of 1005 N. Fayette St. was arrested at 1:56 p.m. Sunday on a disorderly conduct charge after being accused of yelling threats at his neighbors. Amy J. Murphy, 28, of 537 Strafford Lane was booked into the Morgan County jail at 8:41 p.m. Friday on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Jonathan M. Treadway, 36, of 261 N. Main St., Chandlerville, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 9:20 p.m. Friday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while license is revoked or suspended. Andy J. White, 27, of 654 S. Diamond St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 10:04 p.m. Friday on a charge of resisting a peace officer. Tad M. Mitchell, 34, of 623 N. Clay Ave. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 2:35 p.m. Saturday on charges of mob action and resisting a peace officer. Howard S. Mitchell, 42, of 602 N. Clay Ave. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 2:43 p.m. Saturday on charges of mob action and resisting a peace officer. Gabriel N. Dewitt, 21, of 26 Harmony Drive was booked into the Morgan County jail at 6:36 p.m. Saturday on a domestic battery charge. Bradley M. Hayes, 42, of 1005 N. Fayette St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 8:52 p.m. Saturday on a disorderly conduct charge. Tanner J. Ring, 28, of 505 N. State St., Arenzville, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 8:40 p.m. Sunday on a criminal damage to property charge. Alexis M. Crafton, 20, of 115 Richards St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 12:31 a.m. Monday on a charge of resisting a peace officer. Sidney R. Bondi, 27, of 10 Greenbriar Drive, Apt. 3C, was arrested at 8:17 p.m. Sunday on a charge of criminal trespassing. Donald G. Emily, 52, of East Alton was arrested at 6:12 p.m. Sunday on an Illinois Department of Corrections warrant accusing him of violating parole. Law enforcement officers near the County-City Building in Lincoln arrested a handful of people Sunday night who defied a city curfew that began at 8 p.m. About 150-200 people gathered near the state Capitol shortly after 10 p.m. chanting "Don't shoot" and "Hands up" as they faced off with officers, who periodically used tear gas and rubber bullets to try to disperse the crowds. A Nebraska State Patrol helicopter and police drone hovered overhead as law enforcement and Nebraska National Guard members attempted to keep Sunday's protest from devolving into the violence and vandalism that marred two previous nights. Mark Nielsen, who lives near County-City building, said the tone from the protesters was more peaceful on Sunday night than the night before, but the police response was swifter, stronger and in his view, uncalled for. "Tonight, the police are the aggressors," he said. Nielsen stood outside his home watching the protest, as he said tear gas had made its way inside his home and would not dissipate. While he condemned the property damage that occurred Saturday night, he said the police response caused him to lose faith in local law enforcement. "I felt unsafe last night," Nielsen said, "but now the people who are supposed to be protecting me are making me feel unsafe." Stacy Stabler followed protesters looking for her son. The curfew, she said, combined with escalating violence in the area, made her feel like the situation was unsafe, and she wanted to get him out of the area. "I'm going to pull him by his ear and tell him we're going home," she said. Riots in Lincoln the previous two nights mirrored those around the country over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd, who was black and was handcuffed, died after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, used his knee to pin down Floyds neck for several minutes while Floyd pleaded for air and eventually stopped moving. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder in the death; the other officers have not been charged. Dario Rossin, a 17-year-old Lincoln High student, said he was helping organize the protests because he and many others are tired of systemic racism and prejudice in this nation, which was highlighted by Floyd's death. Around 8:30 at the Capitol building, Rossin spoke calmly to officers along with other protesters. He reiterated through a megaphone repeatedly that the demonstration was to remain peaceful. Rossin said he intends to continue organizing protests every night in Lincoln until the four officers involved in Floyd's killing are convicted of first-degree murder. He said he thinks protesters will continue to meet at the Capitol in the evenings and then move through the city as they did Sunday. Earlier in the day, Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird issued a state of emergency that was to end at 6 a.m. Monday. During the curfew, only people who had to go to work, seek medical attention or support law enforcement were allowed on public streets or to gather in public spaces. Many businesses made the decision to close early Sunday evening. Sunday afternoon, thousands of people had gathered for a 90-minute rally that spilled beyond the steps of the Capitol, filling the street for a block in front of the Capitol and part of Centennial Mall, while other protesters lined 16th Street, where passing motorists honked and cheered. The decision to impose a curfew, city officials said, was necessary to keep those who are lawfully gathering safe, to keep the city's streets safe and protect city staff and public and private property. The protesters in Lincoln over the past few days have largely been peaceful and respectful, and I fully support their calls for justice, Gaylor Baird said in making the curfew announcement Sunday afternoon. Last night, however, a smaller handful of people who apparently have other agendas committed terrible acts of destruction. Violence in Lincoln is not acceptable. We will take the necessary steps to protect everyone in our community from harm, including our residents, our police and our peaceful protesters. Journal Star reporter Chris Dunker, who was providing coverage of the protests on the newspaper's Facebook page, was detained at about 9 p.m. by a Lancaster County Sheriff's deputy despite wearing an orange vest labeled "PRESS." Dunker did not immediately identify himself by name to deputies. Lincoln Police, when asked earlier Sunday about press coverage after the curfew, said media members with proper identification would be allowed to cover events. During the news conference announcing the curfew, Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister said he hoped people would comply and they wouldn't need to issue citations or make arrests. We remain optimistic that there will not be the issues that we have seen in Lincoln, Nebraska, the last two nights, and hopefully this 10-hour window this one night will be able to provide us an opportunity to bring some peace. In a news release, Sheriff Terry Wagner applauded the mayor's decision "so our officers have a tool to deal with those criminals who seek to use the protest process to commit their crimes." Law enforcement and the National Guard in Omaha also battled protesters Sunday night in Omaha who defied that city's state of emergency, which includes a nightly 8 p.m. curfew for 72 hours. There, a protest Saturday night turned deadly when a private citizen shot a man to death in the city's Old Market area at about 11 p.m. Omaha police are investigating the death of James Scurlock, a 22-year-old protester. Police said they arrested someone within the hour in connection with the shooting. In both cities, peaceful protests turned violent over recent nights, Gov. Pete Ricketts said, reaching alarming levels. Speaking at Sunday's news conference in Omaha, Ricketts said residents and visitors to Omaha's Old Market "are scared to death." Gaylor Baird said officials in Lincoln and Omaha will continue to work together in response to riots in both cities. The last thing we want is for us not having a curfew to send a signal that people should come to our city to bring violence and destruction, Gaylor Baird said. So we are looking to have a unified front to try to keep all of our residents of our two major cities as safe as possible, and that includes our protesters. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 LOS GATOS, California, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Impetus Technologies Inc., a leading software products and services company, announced that it is now an Advanced Consulting Partner in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner Network (APN). The new status validates the company's ability to help customers design, architect, build, migrate, and manage their workloads and applications on AWS, accelerating their journey to the cloud. It recognizes Impetus' expertise in delivering world-class cloud services, including cloud engineering, end-to-end cloud advisory, and cloud-based data lake creation. Impetus has helped several Fortune 100 companies embrace the cloud with the right strategy, technology, and migration approach, in line with their digital transformation objectives and business goals. "Our endeavor is to enable intelligent, data-driven decision-making for our customers by creating a single source of truth, and AWS plays a critical role in this journey," said Praveen Kankariya, CEO, Impetus Technologies. "As an APN Advanced Consulting Partner, we're strongly positioned to help our customers' journey to AWS and realize its many advantages including unmatched scalability, agility, and reliability." To earn the APN Advanced Consulting Partner badge, partners must undergo a rigorous approval process and demonstrate their capabilities across several criteria, including knowledge, experience, and customer success. Impetus has a proven track record of helping customers make the right choices for transformation to the cloud. Enterprises can quickly get started and migrate their data warehouses using the Impetus automated workload transformation solution. Impetus customers also benefit from mature implementation expertise enabling adoption and management of AWS technologies. About Impetus Technologies Impetus is focused on enabling a unified, clear, and present view for the intelligent enterprise. For more than a decade, Impetus has been the 'Partner of Choice' for several Fortune 500 enterprises in transforming their data and analytics lifecycle by enabling data warehouse modernization, unification of data sources, self-service ETL, advanced analytics and BI consumption. The company brings together a unique mix of software products, consulting services, and technology expertise. Our solutions include industry's only platform for automated transformation of legacy systems to cloud/big data environment; and StreamAnalytix a self-service ETL and machine learning platform. To learn more, visit www.impetus.com or write to [email protected]. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for latest updates. Media Contact: Pankaj Bagzai Impetus Technologies [email protected] +1-408-252-7111 SOURCE Impetus Technologies NEW HAVEN It took six hours of waiting and some protesters getting hit with pepper spray as they tried to get inside the police station, before the mayor then stepped outside. Mayor Justin Elicker told the protesters, who had begun Sundays march against police brutality some nine hours earlier, that he was open to a dialogue, something he had already said in a statement that afternoon. We deeply care about addressing inequality, about addressing police brutality, he said, but for the most part he was shouted down. It was a one-way interaction. Most of the 1,000 marchers peacefully walked through city streets and shut down the highway earlier in the day. Some of the crowd, led by Kerry Ellington, a social justice organizer in New Haven, and Black Lives Matter New Haven leaders continued their demonstration, late into the evening outside police headquarters. But with black women leading the way, the protesters had begun the march against police brutality around noon on Sunday. They shut down Elm Street, then Church Street and then they shut Interstate 95. It was the second day of protests in Connecticut over the deaths of black people in the state and across the country, including George Floyd, a black man who died Monday after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on Floyds his neck until he stopped breathing. Protests also took place Sunday in Norwalk, Stamford and Waterbury. The New Haven event had been peaceful until some protesters, saying they wanted to bring their demands to the mayor who was inside, tried to enter into New Haven Police Department Headquarters. The demonstration continued peacefully until officer went inside and thr crowd eventually dispersed around midnight. Demonstrators tried to get past a line of officers in body shields and enter the New Haven the building at around 6:30 p.m., and were met with pepper spray and pushed down the steps, according to another video CT Bail Fund posted to Facebook. I cant see. I cant see, a woman can be heard yelling in the footage. United in protest But the march had begun peacefully, as people gathered near the Apple Store on Broadway. The flyer circulating social media detailing Sundays event wasnt put out by the Black Lives Matter New Haven organization, members said. The organization took over the protest partly hoping whoever initially organized it would come forward, but no one did, one member said. Demonstrators were black and white, Asian and Latino. Some said they were new to protesting, and nervous to come out. One mentioned the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But they showed up anyway, decked out in face masks. Id rather risk being here and getting the virus than not represent at all, said Kamaya Bilheimer, who is from New Haven but lives in Hamden. Bilheimer said she has not been a regular at protests in the past. The same went for Lydine Leger, who said she came into the city from Stratford. For me I feel like its a historic moment, Leger said. I just wanted to be a part of it. There were seasoned activists, like Marshall Cruz. When asked whether this protest felt different, he said it did not, because were still talking about the same things. I think what people fail to remember is this country was built on protests, rebellion. ... Change doesnt happen unless you disturb the status quo. And then there several black women who led the march, including Amelia Sherwood, an organizer with Black Lives Matter New Haven and Ala Ochumare, a cofounder of the organization. On Broadway, Ochumare rallied the crowd with her megaphone. They have chased us down and painted the concrete with our blood, and we are tired, she said. I cant watch another black person die. I refuse. Throughout the day, she would ask people at the front of the crowd to pass messages to those at the back of the crowd. And they did. She would tell demonstrators to make sure everyone had enough water. And they did. One stranger offering another a bottle of water was common. Stands, like those seen at marathons, were set up. Ochumare urged protesters to proceed peacefully, and until the evening no violent events were reported. One white protester even called out another white protester who had been knocking down traffic cones. Thats how Ochumare and her colleagues organized, all the way down Elm Street and around the corner of the New Haven Green to City Hall, past a line of police cars on Church Street, and onto the Oak Street Connector. The whole time, chants resounded. I cant breathe, part of the crowd yelled on Elm. I cant breathe, the rest responded, echoing Floyds last words. No justice, no peace, the protesters cried on Church Street. Hands up. Dont shoot, they said in another call and response as they walked toward I-95, a line of police cars ahead of them. But they made it to the highway. These are our streets, they yelled. Police had stopped cars in both directions. The protesters filled I-95 south. And they sat down. Bracing for conflict Thats when, believing a large police presence might be on the way, an organizer asked white people to line the sides of the protest and protect black people from harm. Although there were lines of state cop cars in the distance, the large police presence never showed up on the highway. But non-black folks did quickly move to the edge of the crowd. The protesters held the highway for about an hour, with a line of cars stopped on the other northbound side. Eventually, Sherwood announced they would going to the New Haven Police station. As they left the highway, some protesters begged state troopers to take a knee or raise a fist to show support. The troopers declined, remaining stoic. But as part of the crowd remained behind, a couple officers spoke with the marchers. One indicated he didnt think it was appropriate that they had occupied a highway. Another trooper thanked a protester for coming out that day, saying it was needed. Although most protesters wore masks, only one of around half a dozen state police troopers lined up toward the connector had a face covering. Up ahead, the main contingent of the protest headed toward the station. They stood packed outside the entrance, speaking about past instances of police brutality. They criticized Elicker for not coming outside the police department, and for not taking more action with regard to police from other jurisdictions entering New Haven. Last spring, Stephanie Washington, a black woman, was injured after a Hamden cop, Officer Devin Eaton, opened fire at the car she was in with her boyfriend. Neither she nor her boyfriend had a firearm at the time of the shooting, according to a warrant for Eatons arrest. Eaton is facing charges of assault and is on paid leave. They also spoke about Jarrelle Marquise Gibbs, a passenger in a vehicle that Hamden police pursued in a chase in August of 2018. Gibbs died after the driver crashed the car into a tree in New Haven. While the officer had crossed city lines, state police concluded he was not at fault, contending he had not been engaged in active pursuit at the time of the crash. No arrests About the confrontation at about 6:30 p.m. at police headquarters, New Haven Police Capt. Anthony Duff issued a statement saying, Officers formed a crowd control line after several protesters attempted to forcibly enter the building. Approximately 300 protesters remain at 1 Union Avenue. Duff said no arrests had been reported from that clash, and that as of 7:45, about 150 protesters remained. The protesters had told police they wanted to share their demands with Elicker, who had posted a tweet indicating he was inside. We will go in because this is a public building and we are doing nothing wrong, Ellington said in the CT Bail Fund video. Before coming out to speak the protesters at 9:30 p.m., Elicker had issued a statement. The killing of George Floyd is an outrage and I stand with the police chief (Otoniel Reyes ) and the New Haven Police Department against police brutality, he said. I am angry and so many members of the community are angry. Now is the time to protest, but those protests have to be peaceful. Now is the time for dialogue so we can listen and learn and better understand each other. There were some calls for me to come out to speak with the protesters today and anyone who has followed me in the years since I was involved in New Haven knows that I have a strong record of openness to dialogue, interest in learning, being accessible, Elicker said. Im willing to have conversations with anyone who wants to have a productive dialogue. Earlier, before deciding to address the crowd, the mayor said he was torn on what the right decision was. But later, outside the police station, Theres our m..... mayor, someone shouted from the crowd, that officials said was a combination of local activists and outside protesters. Wheres Kerry? they shouted. Justin showed up. He dont get no megaphone, Vanesa Suarez said. The event was captured on video posted to the Ct Bail Fund Facebook page. If you want me to speak, Ill speak, Elicker said. I am open to having a dialogue, I am open to listening, I am open to working with you in a collaborative way to address systemic racism, to confront police brutality. The mayor stood on the steps in front of the line of officers next to Hill Alder Ron Hurt, D-3. They asked that he acknowledge that some people were pepper sprayed as they tried to get into the headquarters. A woman talked about a young man who was allegedly chased by police last week down Grand Avenue and she saw the bruises on his face. She kept yelling at Elicker when he tried to indicate he did not know what she was referring to. You have allowed this ... forever. Dont stand there and tell me you dont know, she taunted. Elicker has been mayor for five months. Dont you not think we have the same emotions, that you do? Do you not think that we love our black and brown children like you love your pale faced blonde-headed children? Do you not think our kids are precious to us, like yours are to you? she asked. Im right in front of you now. Im not hiding, Elicker said. We can work on these issues. Will you please let me speak? You refuse to let me speak. Ellington said, Let me talk. Dont white man me right now. You are not being respectful. The demonstration at Police Headquarters continued around midnight. Ellington and Suarez were among some 70 people, according to the New Haven Independent, who showed up outside Elickers house Friday night from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday to protest the arrest of Richard Smith on Wednesday outside Walmart. 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. . Meghan.Friedman@hearstmediact.com [June 01, 2020] Australia's largest insurer partners with Socotra to power newly-launched direct-to-consumer product SAN FRANCISCO, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IAG, Australias largest general insurer, has announced that Socotras core platform is powering its recently-launched Poncho Insurance brand and new auto insurance product. Poncho Insurance was developed in 2019 by IAG Satellite to help Australians protect against the unexpected with an easier, simpler and more flexible car insurance product. IAG Satellite was formed to serve fast-growing customer segments for IAG, both through an existing portfolio of brands and by creating a new accelerator model to fast-track scaled-up innovation. Socotra is an API-driven and cloud-native platform which provided IAG with the agility needed to build a product on-budget and with an accelerated timeframe. Socotra was able to offer IAG a tailor-made solution to create a multi-car, multi-driver monthly auto insurance product, that works in a similar way to a monthly subscription, and that could be purchased online. Ponchos user-friendly digital platform, powered by Socotra, makes buying insurance less daunting by allowing customers to buy monthly car insurance policies instead of the traditional annual policies. Policyholders can also change or cancel their coverage as needed online without incurring traditional cancellation fees. Socotras platform has helped IAG drive business continuity, at a time when customers cannot easily leave their homes. Ponchos self-service model has also minimised the reliance on more traditional customer service channels while increasing operational efficiencies. This new model was enabled by the adoption of a series of new technologies, including Socotra. IAG Satellite Executive anager Phil Wilson-Brown said the partnership with Socotra has enabled them to deliver an innovative insurance service through Poncho Insurance. With Socotra, we were able to develop Poncho Insurance, a unique customer proposition for comprehensive car insurance in the Australian market, in a short timeframe. The platform is super flexible and low-cost allowing us to continually improve the product and deliver it at a great price to customers. Were excited to further leverage this partnership as we look to expand our customer offerings. IAG recently won an Innovation Execution award for Poncho Insurance at the Celent 2020 Model Insurer awards. Celent, a leading financial services research and advisory firm, awards companies for the innovative development of technology best practices in different areas critical to business success. Were pleased that IAG has chosen Socotra to power its vision for transforming insurance, said Socotra CEO and Founder Dan Woods. This partnership integrates technology and product design to make affordable, accessible, and self-serve insurance products. We look forward to continue partnering with IAG as they use Socotras platform to deliver new and innovative products. Notes to editors About Poncho Insurance Poncho Insurance offers a monthly policy, with an easy monthly charge and no cancellation fees, similar to a monthly subscription, created to offer customers a simple and flexible insurance product for their changing needs. One policy can cover multiple cars and multiple drivers, and cars and drivers can be added and removed on a flexible, month-to-month basis. Other benefits for customers include alternative transport or car hire options when a customers car is being repaired or recovered; a transparent independent car valuation model; a user-friendly PDS as well as a visual product guide which is designed to make it easier for customers to understand whats covered and be more accessible for everyone. To learn more about IAG Satellites innovative new Poncho Insurance, please visit https://ponchoinsurance.com.au/. About Socotra Founded in 2014 and based in San Francisco, Socotra is a modern, enterprise-grade core system that enables global insurers to accelerate product development, reduce maintenance costs, and improve customer experiences. Socotra is trusted by insurers to provide them with modern technology to rapidly develop products that better serve their customers and manage their existing book of business. Socotras flexible, radically open, cloud-native solution unifies underwriting, rating, policy management, claims, billing, reporting, and more. To learn more, visit www.socotra.com . About IAG IAG is the parent company of a general insurance group with controlled operations in Australia and New Zealand. The Groups businesses underwrite over AUD 12 billion of premium per annum, selling insurance under many leading brands, including: NRMA Insurance, CGU, SGIO, SGIC, Swann Insurance and WFI (Australia); and NZI, State, AMI and Lumley (New Zealand). IAG also has an interest in a general insurance joint venture in Malaysia. For further information, please visit www.iag.com.au. Media Contact Zara Andrabi [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The government is likely to drop a clause of evaluating plant machinery for electronics manufacturing in the recently notified Rs 48,000 crore worth incentive schemes to ease shifting of base for companies like Apple and contract manufacturers to India, according to sources. The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) wants to go full throttle to capitalise on sentiments of the US, Japan, Taiwan and other nations looking to shift their companies' base out of China amid the COVID-19 crisis. "Meity is likely to drop the clause to evaluate plant machinery and other capital goods at 40 per cent of the original value in the recently announced incentive schemes. The changes are likely to be notified in a day or two," a source said. On April 1, the government notified three schemes comprising total incentives of around Rs 48,000 crore to boost electronics manufacturing in the country. The electronics manufacturing companies will get 4 -6 per cent incentives based on certain incremental sales every year. 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 Apple's iPhone assembly partner Pegatron is also planning to set up a plant in India to take benefit of the new schemes. Pegatron will be the fourth partner of Apple to set its footprint in India after Wistron, Foxconn and Compal Electronics. At present, only Wistron and Foxconn assemble iPhones in India. Wistron has already announced to expand its operation by increasing the manpower by about 10 times to 20,000 people over the next 2 years with an initial investment of around Rs 2,000 crore. Under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, an electronic company has the potential to get an incentive of around Rs 7,500 crore if it scales up production to worth about Rs 1.5 lakh crore over next five years. The government expects to generate manufacturing revenue potential of Rs 10 lakh crore and create direct and indirect jobs for 20 lakh people by 2025 through these schemes. Haiti - Social : Happy birthday to all Haitian mothers As part of the celebration of Mother's Day (last Sunday of May) we invite you to share a few special messages: President of Haiti Jovenel Moise : "The Nation, on this special day, expresses its gratitude to the Haitian mothers for their courage and their commitment to the challenges they face. We will always remember the role they play in the building of our country and the development of our society. Nan moman espesyal sa, Nasyon an koube li byen ba pou salye kouraj ak angajman Manman yo, ki toujou kanpe djanm devan defi ak peripesi lavi a. Nou pap janm bliye wol Manman yo jwe nan mete nasyon sa a kanpe e nan konba yap mennen chak jou pou fe lavi fleri anndan sosyete a." Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe : On this occasion so badly marked by the great covid-19 crisis, I salute the courage and dedication of Haitian mothers. They are the foundation of the family and of society. I salute their sense of responsibility, of duty, their unconditional love for their children, and above all their capacity for resilience in the face of the hardest and most difficult moments. Haitian mothers are the symbol of the beautiful, the wonderful. They are our refuge. At this time of great challenge for the nation and all of humanity, I wish you Happy Mother's Day, with the conviction, the determination that our dear Haiti will triumph ! Haiti is counting on your resilience to continue to amaze the world." Former President of Haiti Michel Martelly : Where there is mother, there is love; Where there is mother, there is hope; The mother is the remedy for all pain. Happy birthday to all mothers in Haiti and the diaspora." United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA-Haiti) : 3 to 4 women die every day in Haiti because of complications linked to pregnancy (Source - EMMUS VI-2017). Women who choose to be mothers should not lose their lives by giving birth. Protect women, protect mothers by ensuring they have access to quality health care. Happy Mother's Day !" HL/ HaitiLibre Super fund shareholders of ME Bank have thrown their support behind the embattled lender as it prepares to face a second emergency hearing to explain the handling of its now-reversed mortgage redraw policy change. But former ME Bank chief executive Anthony Wamsteker said the boutique lender is not above criticism and the crisis could force a rethink of the lender's governance. ME Bank CEO Jamie McPhee has been summoned to appear before the economics committee after allegations he misled the previous hearing. Credit:Jesse Marlow ME Bank will appear before the federal parliamentary economics committee this week to address inconsistencies in the involvement of regulators over the changes to its redraw policy that ultimately left 20,000 customers without access to cash during a global pandemic. The lender is owned by 26 industry super funds backed by major unions including Hostplus, AustralianSuper, HESTA and Media Super. Gerard Noonan, chair of Media Super said the criticism of ME Bank is politically motivated. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and LAPD officers kneeled with peaceful protesters in downtown Los Angeles following days of unrest that prompted a curfew to be imposed from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday. The crowd chanted "Defund the police!" as Garcetti knelt, per the Los Angeles Times. The big picture: There have been days-long clashes across the U.S. between law enforcement and demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd and other black people in police custody. But police and officials in several cities have taken to kneeling with protesters in recent days. One sheriff even marched alongside demonstrators in Michigan. A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. Los Angeles officers take a knee with clergy and marchers at LAPD Headquarters during a demonstration on Tuesday. Photo: Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images Sheriff Chris Swanson with protesters in Flint, Michigan, posted to his Facebook page Sunday with the caption, "Building trust, and bringing our community together. Lets create a path forward, for everyone." Photo: Sheriff Swanson/Facebook New York City police officers show support during a Times Square protest Sunday. Other officers kneeled with protesters elsewhere in the city, after which NYPD Brooklyn assistant chief Jeffrey Maddrey asked demonstrators to remain peaceful, saying, "I dont look at you as anything but my brothers and sisters." Photo: Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images A man screams with emotion as a police officer takes a knee while hundreds protest in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. Several other officers later briefly took a knee in front of a line of protesters, before several fires and clashes with police began after the city's curfew came into effect. Photo: Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images A New York City police officer takes a knee during the Times Square protest. Photo: Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. Editor's note: This article has been updated with the gestures in L.A. Thomas Barwick | Getty Images On Thursday, the SBA announced it will be giving an another $6.8 billion in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds to Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). These nonprofit lending institutions are central to the effort to get relief loans to small businesses in underserved, low-income areas. The forgivable loan program, PPP, is dedicated to providing emergency capital to sustain our nations small businesses, the drivers of our economy, and retain their employees, SBA administrator Jovita Carranza said in a press release. CDFIs provide critically important capital and technical assistance to small businesses from rural, minority and other underserved communities, especially during this economically challenging time. Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) said it has joined hands with a consortium led by the Metito, a leading provider of total intelligent water management solutions, to reach the financial closing of the kingdoms first independent sewage treatment plant (ISTP) being set up at an investment of $245 million. The consortium comprises key partners Saudi-based Mowah and Egypt's Orascom Construction. The project, located at Dammam West, will be awarded to the private sector under the Build Own Operate Transfer (BOOT) concession model with a tenor of 25 years. The $245 million investment for the project will come from a combination of equity and debt. Announcing the achievement, SWPC said the financial close of this first of its kind project comes in spite of the global Covid-19 pandemic, which has frozen many large-scale projects around the world. The Dammam ISTP has a designed capacity of 350,000 cu m per day will serve the western region of Dammam. It boasts an initial capacity of 200,000 cu m per day. CEO Khaled Al Qureshi said: "Despite global volatility and liquidity issues, and ever-changing market conditions, we have been able to successfully reach financial closing with the consortium, in close cooperation with the lenders group." "This is a testament of SWPCs commitment to support and encourage private sector participation in sustainable development by providing lucrative opportunities for local and foreign investors to participate in the implementation of lifeline water projects," remarked Al Qureshi. "This will achieve sustainable development, provide job opportunities for young people, and support local output and balanced development, in line with the strategic goals of the Kingdoms Vision 2030 and the initiatives approved by the Saudi Council of Ministers to encourage private sector participation in economic development," he added. The consortium's scope of work covers the entire investment and includes the EPC and O&M which will be executed by a wholly-owned Saudi-based company established by the Consortium to serve the project the Dammam West Company for Water. The National House of Chiefs is urging the Electoral Commission to ensure that no Ghanaian is disenfranchised in the 2020 General Elections. The Chiefs in a statement bemoaned the EC's failure to honour their invitation to dialogue, on the new voters register which they say is central to the escalating tension in the country. Central to the escalating tension is the decision of the Electoral Commission to compile a new voters register. Unfortunately, the EC failed to honour invitations to the National House of Chiefs, when our traditional leaders wanted the opportunity to promote dialogue in the interest of peace. We want to call on the EC to make peaceful conduct of this year's general elections its primary objectives. It would require, among others, that no qualified Ghanaian is disenfranchised, and that the elections are free and fair, the House of Chiefs said. The call by the House of Chiefs come at a time when the Electoral Commission (EC) has issued a roadmap for the compilation of a new electoral roll. The House of Chiefs in the statement signed by its President, Togbe Afede XIV urged the EC to ensure that the December Polls are peaceful and the processes leading up to the polls reflect the ideals of the framers of the constitution. Read the full statement below: We are very concerned about the growing tension in our country, at a time when we are confronted with a lot of challenges COVID19 pandemic, CSM epidemic, flooding, joblessness that naturally require that we stick together and work towards finding the appropriate solutions In the face of these challenges, what Ghanaians need is hope, not fear. But sadly our airwaves are filled with intimidation, and threats of anarchy, mayhem, war. Our political leaders appear to be more concerned about winning power, than the development needs and the happiness of our people. Central to the escalating tension is the decision of the electoral commission to compile a new voter's register. Unfortunately, the EC failed to honour invitations to the national house of chiefs, when our traditional leaders wanted the opportunity to promote dialogue in the interest of peace. We want to call on the EC to make peaceful conduct of this year's general elections its primary objectives. It would require, among others, that no qualified Ghanaian is disenfranchised, and that the elections are free and fair. We all have to remember that power is not exercised in a vacuum, and so it would be naive of anyone to think that a constitutionally created independent body has unbridled power. That cannot be the intention of the framers of our constitution. We humbly ask for sober reflection, an honest evaluation of our progress as a nation over the past 63 years, and a recommitment by all Ghanaians to the ideals that inspired our founding fathers. We need to give substance to their claim that the black man is capable of managing his own affairs. At this time when unimaginable atrocities are being visited on the black man in various parts of the world, we need to work together to strengthen the peace, and create harmonious living conditions at home, so that xenophobic isolation abroad would not be preferred by our people. As chiefs, we have the responsibility, and the duty, to speak objectively on national issues, and in defense of the national interest. So at this crucial time, we owe a sacred duty to our people to remind all of us about the pledge to be faithful and loyal to Ghana, my motherhood. That is why we are asking all Ghanaians to subordinate individual interest and political party loyalty to the national desire for peace, unity and development. Signed Togbe Afede XIV, President Signed Dasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII, Vice President 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. --citinewsroom 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. 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. 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The Mental Health and Well-Being Foundation (MHWBF), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has constructed a ten-seater disability-friendly water closet toilet for the Ho Cured Lepers Village. The over GHC100,000 project was funded by the Australian High Commission with support from the University of New Castle, Australia, which also includes the extension of water to the facility. Mr Andrew Barnes, the Australian High Commissioner, said the efforts of well established local organisations helped the Commission identify and support community development through its Direct Aid Project. He said under the Direct Aid 12 projects had been executed in the country this year, with other countries in the West African Sub-region being beneficiaries. Mr Barnes promised a more sustained relationship between Australia and Ghana, which, he said, would enhance development and urged stakeholders including the community to ensure the facility served its purpose. I will urge you all to take ownership of it and treat it as your own. Togbe Afele II, Divisional Chief of Ho Hliha, said the Community had been grappling with sanitation challenges until the timely intervention of the NGO and the Australian High Commission. He said the intervention brought to an end years of open defecation and appealed to organisations to support such communities. Togbe Afele said the Covid-19 pandemic left no chance to sanitation irresponsibility and that traditional authorities must support maintenance of good sanitation practices with strong by-laws. Mr Divine Kporha, the Volta Regional Project Manager of the NGO, said the facility would help the Community realise some crucial Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and acknowledged the commitment of various stakeholders. I hope it will be maintained to really meet the direct sanitation needs of the people of this community, he said. Dr Francis Acquah, the President of MHWBF, provided food items, nose masks and hand sanitizers to the cured lepers and the aged. 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 Spanish politics this week, amid the winding down of Covid-19 restrictions, was dominated by the Interior ministry's decision to remove two officials at the top of the Guardia Civil from their posts. A senior lieutenant-general also resigned. On Sunday, Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, replaced the colonel in charge of the force in Madrid, Diego Perez de los Cobos. The number two of the Guardia Civil nationally, lieutenant-general Laurentino Cena then resigned his post in protest. On Wednesday, the ministry also sacked the head of operational control at the force, lieutenant Fernando Santafe. The minister suggested that the two dismissals were down to a loss of confidence and that replacing them was "a normal, reasonable policy". However reports from those close to the removed officers said that the changes were due to the government's unhappiness that the Guardia Civil had prepared a report without its knowledge for a judge investigating its decision to allow the Women's' Day marches in Madrid to go ahead on 8 March. An inquiry is under way into whether ministers acted recklessly in authorising the mass gathering knowing about the risk of coronavirus contagion. The government's official representative for the Madrid region is to be formally interviewed by the judge. The Guardia Civil are regularly asked to submit police reports with evidence on cases. However judicial independence means they cannot discuss details with their political bosses. Reports this week said the government had tried to see the contents of the report, although the Interior minister strongly denied this. Fresh state of alarm While ministers sought to defuse the row over the Women's Day report, they were announcing plans to extend the state of alarm for one more two-week period. This would run from 7 to 21 June. Deputy prime minister Carmen Calvo said that any extension would have "important changes" and that regions virtually recovered from Covid-19 may come out of it earlier. The government is fearful it won't have enough MPs' votes to win another state of alarm extension to control movement between provinces. It believes it may have to publish a softer, alternative decree instead. New Delhi: India will soon sign treaties with Russia and South Africa for film production, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said on Friday. He said this at the inaugural ceremony of BRICS Film Festival here. This festival is the time when filmmakers and technicians (from different nations) can interact with each other and develop collaborations and friendships. This is the time when they can think about producing movies together. We have already signed co-production treaties with China and Brazil and now soon we will have treaties with Russia and South Africa, he said. Rathore further said such a festival also widens market for Indian films in Brazil, Russia, South Africa and China. Last year itself, 1,000 Indian films did a business of more than USD 2 billion. Now a 43 per cent of the world population (BRICS nations) could be the market for Indian films and even for movies from other four nations. Imagine what sort of potential ere is for the cultures of these five nations to reach out to the world. This is the reason we are celebrating this festival, he said. BRICS was opened by Kunal Kapoor-starrer Veeram and Chinese superstar Jackie Chans Skiptrace will bring cutains down on the festival on September 6. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. KYODO NEWS - Jun 1, 2020 - 20:30 | All, Japan, Feature A national university in northeastern Japan on Monday ended in principle the long-standing custom of requiring documents be stamped with seals, in a bid to promote workplace efficiency and teleworking among its staff. With the abolishment, Tohoku University said more than 100 documents will no longer require "hanko" seals and administrative work will be reduced by 80,000 hours a year. The university in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, said it will switch over to online procedures in stages by the end of this year, with an official saying, "We will thoroughly review what we have previously perceived to be 'administrative norms' in the wake of the new coronavirus." Although a number of companies across Japan have begun to abolish the custom as part of labor reforms, the practice is still common among universities. Tohoku University said the abolishment will enable its approximately 1,600 administrative employees to work more flexibly and give them the choice to work remotely. Furthermore, the university plans to introduce online procedures and support for students in the future. Related coverage: Japan to review seal-stamping custom to better contain coronavirus 60% still go to office despite state of emergency over virus: survey The southwest monsoon has arrived over the coast of Kerala on Monday on the onset date of June 1, marking the start of the four-month season, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. IMD had said last Thursday the monsoon was likely to arrive in Kerala, which marks the beginning of the four-month rainy season when India receives 70% of its annual rainfall, around its normal onset date of June 1. It said there were new developing patterns that could speed up the progress of the rain system. The weather department had said on May 15 the onset was likely to be delayed by four days and the monsoon was expected to arrive on June 5. IMD director general Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra had said they are expecting favourable conditions to develop from Monday, June 1. As per our first stage of monsoon forecast, which was issued on April 15, we are expecting normal monsoon condition with 100% rainfall over the country during September. However, we will be releasing the second stage of the monsoon forecast tomorrow, said Mohapatra, according to news agency ANI. Nearly half of the countrys farmland depends on annual June-September rains to grow crops such as rice, corn, cane, cotton and soybeans. The IMD said last month India is likely to get average monsoon rains this year, raising expectations of higher farm output. The Indian economy, Asias third-biggest, is reeling from lockdown measures to curb the coronavirus pandemic. The monsoon normally sets in over Kerala around June 1 and advances northwards, usually in surges, and covers the entire country around July 15. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Advertisement A Fox News reporter was pummeled and chased by protesters who had gathered outside the White House early Saturday as part of nationwide unrest following the death of George Floyd. For several journalists across the country, the demonstrations were taking an ominous, dangerous turn. A television reporter in Columbia, S.C., was hurt by a thrown rock Saturday and a journalist in Minneapolis was shot in the thigh by a rubber bullet. A television news photographer in Pittsburgh said he was beaten by demonstrators, and police in Louisville, Kentucky, apologized after an officer fired what appeared to be pepper bullets at a television news crew. Foxs Leland Vittert was rattled following the Washington attack that he said was clearly targeted at his news organization. Advertisement We took a good thumping, he told The Associated Press. A live shot he was doing was interrupted by a group of protesters who shouted obscenities directed at Fox. Flanked by two security guards, he and photographer Christian Galdabini walked away from Washingtons Lafayette Park trailed by an angry group before riot police dispersed them. Vittert said there were no markings on him or the crews equipment to identify them as from Fox. But he said during the demonstration, one man continually asked him who he worked for. He didnt answer, but the man found a picture of Vittert on his cell phone and shouted to other protesters that he was from Fox. The protesters stopped protesting whatever it was they were protesting and turned on us, he said, and that was a very different feeling. He compared it to when he was chased away from a demonstration in Egypt during the Arab Spring of 2011 by a group that shouted, Fox News hates Muslims. A correspondent from the website The Daily Caller followed Vittert and the demonstrators as they left the park. At one point, someone took Vitterts microphone and threw it at his back. One woman chasing him wore a t-shirt that said, I cant breathe, a reference what Floyd said earlier this week when a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against his neck. Vittert said he was extremely grateful to the Daily Caller for documenting the scene; Galdabinis camera was smashed. They were putting themselves at risk, he said. It makes me proud to do my job and to be a journalist, he said. Im proud to be an organization that is unyielding in our coverage. Were going to keep on telling our story and doing exactly what were doing. Suzanne Scott, CEO of Fox News Media, said in a memo on Saturday that Fox was taking all necessary security precautions to protect its journalists covering the story. We are truly living in unprecedented and transformative times and freedom of the press is a vital element to the foundation of our society, Scott wrote. On Friday, CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and his two-person crew were arrested while covering overnight protests in Minneapolis. They were quickly released, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz apologized to CNN. CNNs headquarters in Atlanta was damaged later Friday by a group of protesters who also fought with police and set cars afire. While police tried to keep them away from the CNN Center, demonstrators broke windows there and scrawled obscene graffiti on the networks logo. Ian Smith, a photographer for KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, said that he was attacked by protesters who stomped and kicked him at a demonstration there. Smith, who said other protesters jumped in to save him, posted a picture on Twitter showing him with a bruised face and bloody hand. In Louisville, WAVE-TV was on the air covering a demonstration when video showed a police officer aiming a rifle at reporter Kaitlin Rust and her crew. She was heard yelling, Ive been shot! Ive been shot! and described them as pepper bullets. Louisville Police spokeswoman Jesse Halladay apologized for the incident, and said police would review the video for potential discipline. Two Associated Press photographers have been hit by projectiles while documenting protests, one in Minneapolis on Thursday and another in Los Angeles on Friday. Neither was seriously injured. Demonstrators surrounded the police department headquarters in Columbia, S.C. on Saturday and a scuffle broke out with someone wearing a Make America Great Again hat. Rocks were thrown and Miranda Parnell, a television reporters from WIS-TV, was injured and taken to the hospital, according to a tweet from network anchor Judi Gatson. It was not clear who threw the rock that hit Parnell. In Minneapolis on Saturday, a Swedish journalist was shot in the thigh with a rubber bullet, apparently from a police gun, while covering a protest, according to the Norwegian newspaper VG. Later Saturday night, a CNN crew said some of its members were hit with rubber bullets. The Dubai-based airline Emirates has reportedly let go of some flight attendants and pilots. The major international carrier is trying to maintain flights as it deals with the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent downturn in global travel. Emirates laid off trainee pilots and cabin crew employees, Reuters reported May 31. In a statement sent to Al-Monitor, the airline confirmed the cuts but did not specify how many jobs were lost Emirates said it is working to lose as few employees as possible. We do not view this lightly, and the company is doing everything possible to protect the workforce wherever we can, read the statement. The Reuters report also did not include information on the number of employees losing their jobs. Last month, the financial news outlet Bloomberg reported that the airline was considering cutting 30,000 jobs. Emirates has experienced losses during the pandemic just as other Middle Eastern airlines have. In March, nearly all of its flights stopped during the virus-related shutdown in the United Arab Emirates. In late May, Emirates resumed passenger flights to some North American, European and Australian destinations. Emirates has implemented rapid coronavirus testing on its flights from the Abu Dhabi hub, allowing departing passengers to see results within minutes. Emirates is working to drum up business now that its flights have resumed. The airline introduced a program last month in which customers can earn miles by shopping in the United Arab Emirates. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 22:34:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Security guards check people's temperature as they enter a shopping mall in Beirut, Lebanon, on June 1, 2020. Lebanon's number of COVID-19 cases increased on Monday by 13 to 1,233 while the death toll remained at 27, the National News Agency reported. Lebanon reopened businesses on Monday amid the general mobilization measures adopted by the government to curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Photo by Bilal Jawich/Xinhua) BEIRUT, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's number of COVID-19 cases increased on Monday by 13 to 1,233 while the death toll remained at 27, the National News Agency reported. Lebanon reopened businesses on Monday amid the general mobilization measures adopted by the government to curb the spread of the coronavirus. However, childcare centers, gyms, pubs, parks, playgrounds, theaters and places for social events remained closed. The Lebanese are required to use a mask and other precautionary measures during work and while walking on the streets. SHANGHAI, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Shanghai Henlius Biotech, Inc. (2696.HK) and Accord Healthcare Limited (Accord) jointly announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion, recommending marketing authorisation for biosimilar HLX02 (trastuzumab for injection), for the treatment of HER2 positive early breast cancer, HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer and previously untreated HER2 positive metastatic adenocarcinoma of the stomach or gastro-oesophageal junction. According to the EMA CHMP summary of positive opinion, HLX02 is highly similar to the reference product Herceptin (trastuzumab). Data show that HLX02 has comparable quality, safety and efficacy to Herceptin. HLX02 is a biosimilar monoclonal antibody (mAb), that was developed and manufactured by Henlius in accordance with biosimilar guidelines, and will be distributed and marketed across Europe by Accord. The CHMP's opinion will now be reviewed by the European Commission (EC), with a regulatory decision anticipated in the next 2-3 months. Once approved, a centralised marketing authorisation will be granted for all EU Member States, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. Dr. Scott Liu, co-founder and CEO of Henlius, said, "We are very proud to receive CHMP positive opinion for HLX02 and that Henlius' quality in the development and manufacture of biologics has been recognized by an international drug regulatory agency. We look forward to launching HLX02 to provide an alternative high-quality and affordable treatment option for patients with HER2 positive breast cancer and gastric cancer. We will continue to work with Accord to improve the accessibility of HLX02 in Europe and other regions and strive to benefit patients all over the world." Dr. James Burt, Executive Vice President, Accord, Europe and MENA said, "We are committed to ensuring oncology patients get access to safe, cost effective medicines and this CHMP positive opinion builds on our established expertise and extensive oncology treatment portfolio. Our agreement with Henlius reflects our strategy of long-standing commitment to biopharmaceutical development, research and manufacturing." About Henlius Henlius (2696.HK) is a global biopharmaceutical company with the vision to offer high-quality, affordable and innovative biologics for patients worldwide with a focus on oncology and autoimmune diseases. Since its inception in 2010, Henlius has built an integrated biopharmaceutical platform with core capabilities of high-efficiency and innovation throughout the whole product life cycle. It has three R&D facilities in Shanghai, Taipei and California and a Shanghai-based manufacturing facility certificated by China and the EU Good Manufacturing Practice. Henlius has built a product pipeline covering over 20 monocolonal antibodies (mAb) and has continued to explore immuno-oncology combination therapies with HLX10 (anti-PD-1 mAb) as backbone. In addition to HLX01 rituximab launched and two products (HLX02 trastuzumab and HLX03 adalimumab) under NDA review, Henlius has conducted over 20 clinical studies for 10 products and 8 combination therapies worldwide. Products have been licensed out to nearly 100 countries and regions. About Accord Healthcare Headquartered in the United Kingdom, Accord Healthcare Europe is one of the fastest growing pharmaceutical companies in Europe. Accord has one of the largest market footprints of any European generic and biosimilars companies selling generic medicines in over 80 countries around the world. This global footprint enables us to deliver vital, affordable medicines to national health systems supporting healthcare professionals to transform patient lives worldwide. The approach of Accord is agile and inventive, always seeking to improve products and patients' access to them. Accord are driven to think differently and deliver more for the benefit of patients worldwide. Related Links www.henlius.com SOURCE Henlius Some governors of Nigerias ruling party, the APC, under the umbrella of the Progressives Governors Forum, have met with a leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, to deliberate on the internal crisis rocking Edo and Ondo chapters of the party ahead of the governorship elections in both states. The Edo State governors spokesperson, Crusoe Osagie, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that seven governors met with Mr Tinubu in Lagos on Sunday but he could not categorically confirm all that was discussed at the meeting. Im aware that some governors met with Tinubu yesterday in Lagos, where they were sort of doing consultation ahead of the coming elections in Edo State, he said. He said he believed the feud between the governor and Adams Oshiomhole must have topped the discussions at the closed-door meeting, since everybody knows that Oshiomhole has been at dagger-drawn with the governor for almost a year and half now. The power tussle between the party national chairman, Mr Oshiomhole, and Mr Obaseki has created factions within the state branch of the party. Amidst this feud, the party has slated June 22 for its direct primary election, a method the Obaseki-led faction chairman in the state, Anselm Ojezua, earlier kicked against. However, in his recent interview, Mr Obaseki, expressed indifference on the mode of party primary as he boasted of emerging victorious. It doesnt matter whether it is direct or indirect primary, I will win because I know what we have done in Edo State, this newspaper had reported him saying. In recent development, a faction believed to be loyal to Mr Oshiomhole adopted Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a founding member of the party in the state, as its consensus candidate. Quoting an unnamed source, the Punch newspaper reported that the seven governors making a case for Mr Obaseki before Mr Tinubu admitted that mistakes had been made, especially with the governors refusal to pave the way for the swearing in of 14 elected APC members as members of the state Assembly. The governors in attendance reportedly include the chairman of the party governors forum, Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State; the governor of Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje; the governor of Lagos, Babajide Sanwu-Olu; the governor of Jigawa State, Mohammed Abubakar, and the governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola. The Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, alongside the governor of Ogun state, Dapo Abiodun, and Mr Obaseki were also reported to have attended the meeting. Efforts to reach Mr Tinubus spokesperson, Tunde Rahman, through phone calls and text messages for comments were not successful. No deal with Tinubu PREMIUM TIMES learned separately that the governors departed Mr Tinubus home on Sunday dejected after the partys national leader insisted there would be no automatic candidate ahead of the gubernatorial election in Edo. The governors had hoped to secure an automatic ticket for Mr Obaseki, a source who was privy to the discussions at the meeting told PREMIUM TIMES. The governors visited Asiwaju (Tinubu) to plead that Obaseki be given the right of first refusal for the governorship ticket, a source, who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said. Obaseki himself told Asiwaju that if he had offended him in any way, that he should forgive him. Asiwaju said he has not offended him. The governors, it was learnt, also asked why the party was pushing for direct primaries, instead of the indirect method Asiwaju told them that when there are more than two candidates running for a position, there has to be a primary. That he can only guarantee them that the primary will be free and fair, a source said. The source said having failed to convince Mr Tinubu, the governors left the party leaders home dejected. In a role reversal, Irans Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi issued a statement expressing support for protests taking place across the United States. Mousavi, speaking in English, said, To the American people, the world has heard your outcry over the State oppression; the world is standing with you. He continued, The American regime is pursuing violence and bullying at home and abroad. We are greatly regretful to see, along with people across the world, the [violent] incidences of US police that have recently unfolded. We deeply regret to see [that] the American people who peacefully seek respect are suppressed indiscriminately and met [with the] utmost violence." Mousavi added, To the American officials and police, stop violence against your people and let them breathe. Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also took to Twitter to call out the United States over the protests. Reprinting a US State Department press release about protests in Iran and crossing out Iran and replacing it with the United States in the title, Zarif tweeted May 30, Some dont think Black Lives Matter. To those of us who do: it is long overdue for the entire world to wage war against racism. Comments by Zarif and Mousavi are aimed primarily at the United States and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for expressing support for protests in Iran. Iran has always maintained that protests in their country were an internal affair and have rejected any comments and/or statements by either the United States or countries within the European Union. Interestingly, at this moment, the current interior minister took the time to talk about the number of Iranians killed in last year's November protests that erupted when President Hassan Rouhani suddenly ordered a reduction in fuel subsidies. The country underwent a near total shutdown of the internet, and much of what happened during that time has remained a mystery. Officials have not been forthcoming about the total number killed in those protests despite calls by members of parliament to release the actual death tolls. During a television interview May 30, Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said the death toll was 200 to 225. He added that 20% of the deaths were due to guns not used by the security forces, suggesting armed groups had killed them, and he considered those who died to be martyrs. Comparing the responses to protests, Rahmani Fazli then said of President Donald Trumps tweets, They state publicly youll be encountered with our vicious dogs and our weapons. Trump himself is giving orders to shoot. Mojtaba Zolnour, who was head of parliaments National Security and Foreign Policy commission during the Iranian protests, said June 1 the exact number killed during the countrys protests is 230. He said nearly 500 government and private buildings were damaged during those protests. Zolnour added that outside figures given about the number of deaths were lies. Opposition Green Movement's website put the number of deaths at more than 600, and Reuters claims the number is 1,500. Washington Protesters took to the streets for a sixth night Sunday as anger over the Memorial Day death of a black man in police custody burned across a country already reeling from the deadly coronavirus and the resulting economic crisis. As the violent and chaotic weekend drew to a close, officials in more than two dozen cities had imposed sweeping curfews, including in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the epicenter of the crisis. Governors in 26 states called in the National Guard. And Secret Service agents clashed for a second day with demonstrators outside the White House, where President Donald Trump used social media to assail Democrats and threaten protesters. At least five people were killed in violence that flared as demonstrations in parts of the country devolved into mayhem. Gunfire rang out from Detroit to Indianapolis to Omaha, where authorities said people were slain in shootings connected to the protests. By Sunday evening, police had arrested 2,564 people in two dozen cities over the weekend, according to a tally by The Washington Post. The events put the country at a precipice. And the question, as May turned to June, was whether the events of the weekend which saw police escalate their tactics against protesters as parts of cities were set ablaze would mark the climax of the unrest, or its onset. "We're at a crossroads," said Melina Abdullah, a co-founder of the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter and a professor at California State University at Los Angeles. "Either the existing system of repressive and brutal policing is going to continue to assert itself, and the powers that be will sign off on it, or they will get the message that the people are sending, that we cannot continue with this form of policing in this country." She added, "People are going to have to figure out what side they stand on. Black people we're fed up. And there's really very little to lose at this point." That sentiment was echoed in dozens of cities across the country as authorities strained to respond to the eruption of protests over the killing of 46-year-old George Floyd. In Philadelphia, where retail stores were ordered closed and the Center City area was locked down after widespread looting, protesters returned to the streets Sunday to march toward City Hall. Wilmer Wilson, draped in a white sheet spray-painted with the words "what is justice," joined hundreds of peaceful protesters in defying the city's stay-home order, designed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, because of "the continuing state of disaster that is unfolding across the country and across black bodies." Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "As long as people are coming out, I'll be here," the 30-year-old artist vowed. Authorities promised to step up their presence; officers clad in riot gear used rubber bullets, pepper pellets and tear gas to quell uprisings, sometimes firing at bystanders and journalists. In addition to the mobilization of National Guard units, Mark Morgan, the acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said Sunday that his agency was deploying "officers, agents and aviation assets across the country." The nation's top law enforcement official, Attorney General William Barr, echoed Trump in blaming "far-left extremist groups" while furnishing no evidence about the cause of the uprisings. Video of the May 25 arrest captured by a bystander showed Floyd, who was handcuffed, repeatedly telling officers, "I can't breathe." The cry is again echoing across the country, and around the world. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, launched an investigation after city police officers on Saturday appeared to drive two vehicles into a throng of protesters, though he also said he would not "blame" the officers involved. Meanwhile, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, said Sunday that two police officers had been fired for using excessive force over the weekend. Beijing: A cautious India on Saturday said it has warded off pressure from the US and China to set this year as the deadline to ratify the Paris Agreement, even as the two countries ratified the climate deal ahead of the G20 summit in Beijing on Sunday. India besides several other countries felt that they can not ratify the Paris Agreement due to various legal impediments, the Vice Chairman of NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog, Aravind Panagariya said. UN Secretary General has earlier suggested that the Paris climate deal be ratified this year so that it could be implemented. There is no deadline to my mind but we will make submissions of progress, said Panagariya, summing the feeling of India and many other countries in this regard. Also read: China, US jointly ratify Paris climate deal ahead of G20 meet The joint statement to be released at the end of the G20 summit on September 5 will take into consideration the difficulties in this regard, he said. My stand is we could not commit for 2016, Panagariya, Indias official representative at the G20 summit, said. His comments came as China and US in a bid to put pressure on other countries ratified the deal today and handed over their countries instruments of joining the Paris Agreement separately to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Chinese President Xi Jinping said that climate change concerns the well-being and future of humanity. The Paris Agreement has charted the course for post-2020 global cooperation against climate change, and it indicates that a cooperative, win-win, equitable and fair climate governance mechanism is being shaped. Depositing the documents together, China and the US have displayed their ambition and determination to jointly tackle a global challenge, Xi said. Developed countries should honour their commitments and provide financial and technological support to developing countries and enhance their capability in climate actions, Xi added. Panagariya said besides the climate change, the draft joint statement also refers to refugees, terrorism and anti-microbial resistance. G20 members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States and the European Union. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. She has been defending her innocence over the past few days, after she and her sister Mandi were seen getting into a fight with teens in a London park last Monday. And Anna Vakili, 29, appeared keen to put the drama behind her on Monday, when she took to Instagram to share a glam snapshot of herself posing in a busty checked crop top with matching bottoms. The Love Island star looked chic in the trio of shots, in which she proudly showed off her curvaceous physique as she added the caption: 'Too blessed to stay stressed.' Glamorous: Anna Vakili took to Instagram to share a glam snapshot of herself posing in a busty checked crop top with matching bottoms on Monday Wearing her chestnut brown locks in long, voluminous waves, the pharmacist highlighted her looks with a rich palette of makeup, while she accessorised with a gold bracelet and matching pendant. The image, which was shared as a promotional advertisement, attracted almost 25,000 likes in just four hours, as well as approving comments from a host of her Love Island co-stars, including Amber Gill, Belle Hassan, and Joe Garratt. Anna's post comes days after she and her sister Mandi insisted that a new video uploaded by a girl involved in their bank holiday fight proved their innocence. Waves: Wearing her chestnut brown locks in voluminous waves, the pharmacist highlighted her looks with a rich palette of makeup, while she accessorised with a bracelet and pendant 'Too blessed' for all the stress: Appearing keen to put her recent drama behind her, she captioned the images, 'Too blessed to stay stressed' Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Anna and Mandi, 28, shared several clips from the teen, who threatens to shoot them, boasts about making them bleed and admits to taking drugs. The girls said they have been trolled ever since they were filmed embroiled in the fight, with Anna pulling one girls hair and Mandi kicking another out of 'self-defence.' The teenager said: 'I said to her cousin, when I catch you outside, I will end up shooting you myself. If I don't shoot you, there will be different weapons involved.' A girl filming her said: 'You had a gun, you gangster.' She replied: 'Don't say that man, you don't know if there are feds man, I am being serious. If I catch these Love Island girls... 'We were telling the truth': Anna and sister Mandi shared a video of a girl involved in their bank holiday fight on Instagram on Wednesday as she admits to threatening to shoot them Worrying: The girls both shared the video which a fan had sent to them after the teen had posted as a live video 'I don't care if I go to prison this time for a whole M. Everyone provokes me so what the f***. I always fight people, you get me. I'm not scared to fight no one. 'My girls f***ed her s**t up. Anna, Mandi and the cousin were left bleeding. They looked like monsters. Someone [laughing] ripped her eyelashes off. 'Apparently someone had a gun on them. Do you really think someone had a gun on them? And don't say it's likely to be me. I wouldn't pull a gun out.' The other girl said: 'Especially in Hyde Park, that's bait.' The girl smirked and said: 'Maybe somewhere else, but yeah. But they got scratched up, bruv. I already know where she lives, so it's come.' Still with more to say, she says: 'The feds can come, they can do a drugs test. They are not going to find anything in our system. Maybe me, maybe me.... Relieved: Her sister Mandi, who can be seen kicking one of the girl in the fighting video has said she is happy that the truth has come out More to come: Mandi had made notes on the bottom of the screen as she shared the teen's post, highlighting things that had been said 'At that point, none of them had drugs in them. Maybe some of them smoked blem [a joint] and did shisha but that does not f*** you up. 'She said [I took] class A drugs, but what I took was not class A so what are they talking about?' After sharing the video, Anna said: 'I am shaking right now, I have evidence that these are the people, who threatened to shoot me. One of my fans screen recorded it. 'I am shaking because we have been through hell the past through days, with people asking me how I could hit, I didn't even hit her, I pulled her away and Mandi kicked her. 'These are the sorts of people I have been dealing with, they admitted to having a gun, smoking weed, they f***ed us up. They admitted all these things.' Mandi then said: 'I am so emotional right now because we have the truth and I feel like we can finally prove to everyone that we're telling the truth. Bragging: The girl had said she would happily go to prison Shocking: The girl filming had said the teen had a gun but she denied it saying the Feds could be listening 'They won't get away with it': Anna shared this message to say that the footage is now in the hands of the police 'I just feel so happy that God is so great. I just want to say thank you so much to our friends, our followers, our fans, our family, everyone who has been extending so much love and support.' Anna concluded with a final post which read: 'I just want to end this here. I have reported everything to the police. I will not let them get away with this. 'I shouldn't be as scared to leave my house or have a peaceful picnic. I shouldn't have to have online trolls sending me threats. 'You can call me plastic, you can call me any names you like. But don't come at me, or my family physically, don't threaten me with a gun and don't try steal my belongings. 'Say what you want about my looks but one thing I won't allow is for you to try and taint my heart. I KNOW I HAVE THE BEST HEART.' Brawl: Anna (pictured far left), Mandi (pictured far right) and her cousin were embroiled in a fight in London's Hyde Park against a group of women on Bank Holiday Monday She continued: 'I have never had a physical fight, I have never done drugs. I am always kind to my friends and strangers. I shouldn't have to deal with just because I'm famous. 'If these clips didn't come out, people would still be attacking me on my DMs just because of a 5 second clip THEY wanted you to see. 'I have had the worst anxiety since the attack, I couldn't even get out of bed or eat. But I won't let them win. I won't let these "innocent teens" think they can treat people this way.' Anna also released a statement on Instagram on Tuesday, insisting she was forced to act in 'self-defence' after a 'drug-using' teenager 'swung' at her cousin Asal - a claim her family have firmly denied. In a video shared on social media, the TV personality can be seen dragging a young woman by her hair across the concrete, before her younger sister Mandi kicks her in the head following the heated exchange. Attacked? The Love Island star, 29, released a statement on Instagram on Tuesday, insisting she was forced to act in 'self-defence' after they 'threatened them with illegal weapons' The pharmacist kicked off her post by referring to abuse she's been met with online, stating: 'Since coming out of Love Island it's become my normal for people to shout abuse at me in the streets and I have learned to turn a blind eye and remove myself from the situation.' Anna later said she, Mandi, her cousin and her boyfriend were approached by a group, who 'subjected them to continuous verbal abuse' and claimed they possessed a gun. The TV star added: 'Yesterday I was having a picnic in the park with my sister, boyfriend and cousin when we were subjected to continuous verbal abuse from a group who came near us who were doing drugs. 'Wanting to remove ourselves away from them we packed up to leave they came over swung at my cousin and threw her by her hair leaving her bleeding. Out of self defence we had to get them off of her and leave. Vicious: Anna can be seen dragging a young woman by her hair, before her sister Mandi kicks her in the head Sharing her side: In a statement released on Instagram on Tuesday, the Love Island star, 29, insisted she was forced to act in 'self-defence' after a group 'swung' at her cousin 'There was a large group of them and not many of us. These are not 'innocent children' the guys with them kept shouting they have a gun, and they tried to steal my sisters phone. Claiming she's 'never had a physical fight ever', she added: 'The violent attack has been reported to the police.' 'If you watch the long video that's from far slowly. You will see they started attacking my cousin and swinging her on the floor by her hair. All these DMs and messages from people that weren't even there. 'Why would we randomly attack anyone ???? Use your brains. We were attacked verbally and physically first because they knew me. 'Everything we done was to protect ourselves and my cousin. Can't even enjoy a picnic in peace. Ive just had enough.' [sic] 'People will do anything to villainize us': Mandi took to social media to share a bruise she sustained from the fight A representative for Anna told MailOnline: 'Anna and Mandi Vakili and others in their group were involved in an unprovoked violent and verbal attack on Monday in Hyde Park which included Mandi and their cousin being hit and punched and the group of attackers attempting to steal their belongings. 'The very serious matter is now being dealt with the police as they were threatened with illegal weapons during the attack.' The family of the teenager have since spoken out on social media, insisting the fight kicked off when Asal told the fans to 'shut up' after they recognised the reality star from the ITV2 dating series. Her cousin Nisrine said: 'Basically my cousin and sister went to Hyde Park, not far away from them were Anna and Mandi, the group of girls. 'They were just chilling or what not, my sister's friend saw her, approached and said Eid Mubarak. You as a famous person, people will approach you, so she kept calling Anna. Injured: The make-up free social media influencer pictured with a cut on her forehead The Asa girl told her to shut up, my sister's friend walked off. My sister and cousin stayed by themselves. The Asal girl approached my sister and told her to shut up. 'My sister was confused, she thought do I even know you? What have I done to you? She said I'm going to punch you up.' Urging their fans to 'be aware of the people you look up to', she added: 'Obviously when someone comes to your face, you're going to defend herself. Asal kept saying I'm going to F you up. 'Asal pushed her, then Anna and Mandi went rushing to my cousin and put her on the floor, Anna ripped her shirt open, Mandi kicked her. 'This could have been anyone's sister or cousin, we are not doing this for followers, people using them as a brand, what are you guys doing? These are the kind of influencers that you're shouting out. Calm before the storm: Anna and Mandi pictured enjoying ice cream before the incident 'We just saw the message Anna posted, wallahi [I swear to God] she is the biggest liar. It was only my cousin and sister, there were no drugs, no guns, no nothing. She has the audacity to lie, we have the evidence. 'What drugs are you saying? If you want to talk about drugs, you do a drug test sunni. You got caught!' A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told MailOnline: 'We are aware of an allegation of assault in Hyde Park, on Monday, May 25, at approximately 20:00. We will attempt to contact the complainant to establish the circumstances.' Since her stint on the ITV2 reality show in the summer of 2019, the brunette has spent the last few months working as a social media influencer and TV personality. Last month, however, Anna revealed she would be returning to her job as a pharmacist, as due to the global coronavirus pandemic it 'felt wrong not to'. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- For once, it was good to be the Forgotten Borough. Staten Island was a sanctuary amid fiery demonstrations throughout New York City and the nation fueled by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. While protesters set fires and looted stores in other boroughs and cities, Island demonstrations against the police-involved death were organized and peaceful. Police made no arrests on Saturday or Sunday in connection with any of the rallies. Graffiti that marred a police vehicle on Bay Street near the 120th Precinct stationhouse in St. George was the only significant vandalism thought to be linked to the protests. On Monday, Assistant Chief Kenneth Corey, the NYPD borough commander, praised Island activists. We need to give all of the credit to the young people who organized these marches and rallies, who continually stressed the need to protest peacefully, who came, as they said, in peace and love, and who are committed to engaging in constructive dialogue, Corey told the Advance. "We too are outraged at the death of George Floyd, a death that was completely unnecessary, avoidable and absolutely criminal. Let Staten Island be an example for others to follow. Let leaders from all walks of life come together so we may continue to see each other as members of one community. We have built so many relationships here in Staten Island these past few years. We need to continue to build and strengthen these relationships. Working together, we can find a way forward and create a better Staten Island for all of us. Police officers stop to look at a burned out police car, Monday, June 1, 2020, in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan. Protesters burned the car in reaction to George Floyd's death while in police custody on May 25 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)AP Protests began shortly after a video surfaced allegedly showing Derek Chauvin pressing his knee into Floyds neck while the victim repeatedly said that he couldnt breathe during an attempted arrest. Chauvin was fired from the Minneapolis Police Department and charged with murder. The encounter was prompted by an allegation that he tried to pay with a counterfeit bill at a store. The case sparked outrage and comparisons to the death of Eric Garner who died in July 2014 on Bay Street in Tompkinsville while police were trying to apprehend him for allegedly selling loose cigarettes. Garner was videotaped repeatedly saying, I cant breathe," after Officer Daniel Pantaleo put his arm around the victims neck while bringing him down to the ground. An Island grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo, who was fired by the NYPD in 2019. On Sunday, a march for civil rights began at the Park Hill Apartments and ended at the 120th Precinct stationhouse in St. George, where the boroughs top cop and a protester found common ground. Im not the problem, Im trying to bring about a solution, shouted 21-year-old Isaiah Buffong. So lets work together and find a solution, Corey said. The Park Hill apartment complex was where 22-year-old Ernest Sayon was killed in 1994 during an encounter with police. He died right here," said Al Harley, 41, a lifelong resident who watched that incident unfold. It was a head injury. They used a walky-talky." Gwen Carr, Garners mother, and the Rev. Al Sharpton led a prayer vigil on Saturday at the Tompkinsville site where her son died. We have to send a message -- were not just going to sit still while they kill our people, Carr said to a crowd of more than 500 people. This is too much. Sharpton, Carr and others in the crowd called for the prosecution of three other officers who were present but did not intervene on Floyds behalf. People walking by spoke up. How could people walking by see what they couldnt see? Sharpton said. We dont want just one -- we want all four. Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, speaks to the media after a rally for George Floyd at the scene of Eric Garner's death in Tompkinsville. May 30, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon) After the Sharpton-led prayer vigil, the crowd marched along Bay Street and Richmond Terrace to the front of the 120th Precinct stationhouse in St. George. Organizers, mostly from Sharptons National Action Network, insisted that participants remain peaceful and not take part in any violent agitation. Cynthia Davis, the president of the Staten Island chapter of the National Action Network, addressed the crowd in front of the stationhouse, lending her support to some members of the NYPD and asking protesters to pray for peace. We dont have to be violent to shut it down, Davis said. Were not going to disrespect all police officers because of a few bad ones. However, an NYPD vehicle was vandalized with F---12 -- a reference to the police -- spray-painted on the side. Poignant moment during a speech outside the precinct: As Buffong said, Im not the problem. Im trying to bring about a solution, an NYPD community affairs officer said, So lets work together and find a solution. pic.twitter.com/G2RzTX5JVn Joseph Ostapiuk (@OstapiukJ) May 31, 2020 After Saturdays march to the precinct, the Lily Pond Avenue entrance and exit ramps on the expressway were closed in both directions as about 100 people gathered in the area to protest Floyds death. The group was met with a large police presence on School Road, which deterred the protesters from trying to continue onto Lily Pond Avenue and potentially onto the expressway. The crowd chanted, No justice, no peace, as other members held signs. The crowd then staged a sit-in where they blocked Bay Street between Victory Boulevard and Minthorne Street for about an hour. Participants in Saturdays march in Harrisburg to protest the killing of George Floyd are rebuking reports that suggest the protest turned violent as a result of their actions. Three participants, one of them an organizer of the event, said police provoked what was up until then a peaceful crowd leading it to turn violent. They said the march was unfolding peacefully but that mid-afternoon it spiraled into a violent clash with police after police in riot gear arrived at the scene and aggressively confronted and instigated protesters, many of them teenagers. The protesters seem to agree with the account from city officials that an unidentified woman part of a crowd of 100 or more protesters who converged on a group of six Harrisburg officers near Front and North streets for crowd and traffic control around 3 p.m. reportedly slammed a pole onto the front windshield of an occupied Harrisburg police squad car, cracking it. But the participants who spoke to PennLive said the crowd was responding to the police car, which had arrived on the scene and was being handled in an aggressive and threatening manner against protesters. Joe Berg, a Harrisburg resident who described the event as peaceful and empowering up to that point, said that seemed to mark a shift in the tone of the rally. The car was going the wrong way down the street. He seemed to me to want to disrupt the march and prove a point that could walk through the middle of everybody, he said. Berg said police seemed to use excessive force on the crowd. Police moved aggressively on people, he said. I wasn't worried that police would run anyone over but after seeing the video out of New York, you never know. People were getting upset. Police officers in the vehicle were initiating more anger. They could have easily stood there and let the march move on..it was moving. It was not going to block traffic. But it escalated very quickly. Up to that point protest participants had been chanting protest slogans such as, no justice, no peace, and hands up dont shoot, many of them with their hands up in the air. Berg said he saw an officer threaten people with pepper spray. He said people were not yelling obscenities at police. That is not at all what I saw, he said. The participants said that as soon as police in riot gear arrived, things got out of control. Berg, who was hit with pepper spray, said he saw a young girl of about 14 hit the ground after also being sprayed. An older woman was having difficulty breathing as a result of the spray. I saw a police officer shove a few people, Berg said. Even before I saw anyone taking part in the protest do anything violent. My view is that the police had no reason to use force on people. Brianna Dow said she was just marching peacefully along with others when police used pepper spray for no reason. The police completely initiated everything, she said. It was honestly very unbelievable. I have never been to a rally or protest that got out of hand. It was new and surprising. Dow said she was shooting video of the unfolding scene and posting it live on Instagram. I got pushed down and peppered spray, she said. I got hit with a club by a cop when I was literally just walking. She said some in the crowd began to run. At some point she realized some people were throwing bricks. Police were in full riot gear. They had helmets. They were completely protected, she said. It was such a blur but that night I went back and looked at my video and watched police unprovoked flip out their baton and hit people. Cops were going out of their way, pushing people who were just walking. Then they started firing rubber bullets. It was just unbelievable. People were yelling, who are you supporting, who are you serving right now, why are did you bring riot gear, why do you have weapons drawn? Eamonn Wrightstone, one of the organizers of Saturdays event, described the police vehicle in question as being driven in a very aggressive way towards protesters. It tried to run over people...these were young people, 15, 16, he said. Thats when people surrounded the vehicle and a white protester hit the windshield. I m not going to lie and say that wasnt an issue...but it wasnt until that moment with the vehicle that things went downhill. I feel very strongly that if it had been for that the protest would have remained peaceful. READ MORE: Head of NAACP Harrisburg condemns violent protest, blames outside agitators All three noted that police officers were noticeably antagonistic towards the protesters. Its important to note that police that were there to protect us were wearing blue lives matter masks and had very smug attitudes, said Wrightstone, who is biracial and said he uses his white privilege to amplify black voices and the outcry for social justice. People were trying to have calm conversations with them and they were having attitude with them. That could be seen as antagonistic. Is that something you thought about? Berg and Dow, both of whom are white, said it was important for them to participate in the march to lend their voices to the protest. The whole time who is calling in the state police and the National Guard and all these other forces? Dow said. Thats what made people freak out. Until they started to see other units come in, it was fine...it was fine until police started walking around with shields and with weapons and tear gas. It was unnecessary. I live in the city and a couple of weeks ago there were how many white people armed with automatic weapons roaming the streets and there was no police presence. It was insane that people with no weapons but their signs and voices were being treated this way because they are not white. Dow said she was horrified at one point to see a military style tank, which had the Derry Township insignia. All three said they could not understand why Harrisburg Police had called for back up from other local departments and state police when the event had been playing out peacefully. They called for back up way before anything happened, said Wrightstone, who quickly headed in the direction of the report he had received from another organizer about the arrival of police in riot gear. It was pretty much an ambush, he said. It was a scene out of a movie. I have never seen anything like it. The protesters were marching with their hands up and you have these cops with batons and tear gas pointed at them, standing there facing these people that are in so much pain. To see so many police officers smiling and smirking, its just deplorable for our mayor to twist the entire narrative. It is disappointing." Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse on Monday said he would strive for greater communication with organizers of future events and increase the involvement of local officials. The mayor, who up until Monday, had not commented on Saturdays rally, met with local Black Lives Matter activists. One of the lessons of the last rally was there wasnt communication between the organizers and the city ahead of time, the mayor said. No plan, no marked routes, no clear agenda. Thats something we really want to try to see because it helps everything run smoothly. Police Commissioner Thomas Carter will speak at arally on Monday night while Papenfuse plans to join a march against injustice and gun violence planned for Wednesday. Carter arrived at Saturdays protest after it had turned violent, but his presence seemed to calm things down. He wore a mask as protection from COVID-19 but none of the riot gear or shields worn by other law enforcement at the scene. Dow and Wrightstone excoriated Papenfuse for his lack of engagement. He could have come down and walked with us, Dow said. "He was very loudly supporting the Occupy Movement but on the Black Lives Matter movement he is completely silent. This city is majority black. Thats whats insane to me. It would have been so easy for him, with the power he has, to take control. That was a complicit choice." Wrightstone noted that a few weeks ago, amid the pandemic, a majority white crowd protested in support of reopening the state against the Wolf administrations guidance aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus. They were screaming in cops faces way closer than anyone did Saturday and they didnt get tear gassed, Wrightstone said. Our mayor didnt call backup from other and put the city on lockdown. It was wild. He said he believed the protest would have remained peaceful had it not been for police presence. Lancaster officials say armed agitators, white nationalists inciting violence at George Floyd protests 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. Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo state, met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa in Abuja on Monday. The meeting... Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo state, met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa in Abuja on Monday. The meeting held while seven other governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) met with Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the ruling party. The meetings held 24 hours after the governors met with Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the ruling party, to intervene in the crisis between Oshiomhole and Obaseki. The rift between the duo has split the Edo chapter of the APC. While the national working committee (NWC) headed by Oshiomhole has settled for direct primary in the state, Obaseki and his loyalists are seeking indirect primary. At the meeting with Tinubu, the APC national leader was said to have told them that direct primary would allow aspirants test their popularity. Obaseki and Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who is believed to have the backing of Oshiomhole, would vie for the partys governorship ticket on June 22. More to follow NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE T hree months ago, Senator Chuck Schumer stood outside the Supreme Court building and warned Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh that they would pay the price and would not know what hit them if they upheld a Louisiana law requiring abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. Last week, that same Chuck Schumer and two other Democratic senators released a 54-page broadside against their Republican colleagues titled Captured Courts: The GOPs Big Money Assault on the Constitution, Our Independent Judiciary, and the Rule of Law. If Senator Schumer is concerned about the integrity of the Constitution and the independence of the judiciary, threatening justices like a third-rate mafioso on the steps of the Supreme Court in the name of abortion rights is a strange way of showing it. The reports executive summary states that Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans have prioritized packing the judiciary with far-right extremists and are packing our courts with politicians in robes. If they really were concerned about judges acting as politicians in robes, Senate Democrats would insist that judges restrain themselves to a neutral mode of construction that is constrained by the written text and its original public meaning. Paragraphs later, however, Senate Democrats reject originalism out of hand. They first claim that originalism is a political project, not a legal or constitutional one, used as a shield to achieve political and policy ends that serve corporate interests, social conservatives, and ultra-rich Americans. The objection here is that originalists are insufficiently committed to originalism that their professed fealty to the written text is undermined by their willingness to deviate from the written text in pursuit of corporate interests, social conservatives, and ultra-rich Americans. On the very same page, however, the senators sneer at the notion that the Constitutions meaning should be treated as frozen in time at the moment of its ratification. They trumpet instead the liberal idea that our centuries-old Constitution must be interpreted to account for the needs of an evolving society. Which is it, then? Is originalism bad because it fails to vest judges with the power of philosopher-kings to account for the needs of an evolving society when interpreting a written instrument of law? Or are self-proclaimed originalists bad because they fail to adhere to their own standards? Story continues The report then objects to the supposedly undemocratic instincts of the Republican-appointed majority on the Supreme Court and the Republican appointees in the judiciary writ broad. Here, too, Schumer and the other senators cannot seem to make up their minds about the substance of their objection to conservative jurisprudence. First, they claim that the Supreme Courts Republican-appointed majority have abused their power of judicial review to thwart the will of real people: In furtherance of its corporate agenda, the Courts Republican majority finds rights in the Constitution that make it difficult for Congress to pass laws that real people want; the majority casts aside the bipartisan work of Congress where it gets in its way. For example, in Citizens United, the Supreme Court invalidated a bipartisan campaign finance law based on a constitutional right to corporate political speech a right found nowhere in the Constitutions text. It is certainly amusing to see three senators committed to upholding Roe v. Wade express their concern about abuses of the Constitutions text and frustrations of the popular will. One wonders what these three tribunes of real people think the cattle ranchers of Union City, Okla., would do if given the chance to implement prayer in the public schools or vote for their own abortion laws. They are not actually concerned about legal fictions that deprive ordinary people of the right to democratic engagement, of course. Several pages later, Schumer et al. object to the unwillingness of the Court majoritys to defer to the interpretative guidance and judgments of unelected bureaucrats: For decades we have relied on agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Department of Labor to protect our environment, our financial security, and our workplaces. These agencies are designed to rely on expertise and evidence to make rules that benefit all Americans. The Roberts Court puts this system in jeopardy, undermining agency independence and the determinations of scientists, economists, and other experts. Simultaneously, the report accuses Republican appointees of undermining the democratic process by inventing a constitutional right to corporate political speech supposedly found nowhere in the Constitutions text; undermining the right to an abortion, which is not found in the Constitutions text, but is still worthy of protection; and undermining the authority of unelected scientists, economists, and other experts by handing lawmaking power back to a democratically accountable legislature. These complaints, of course, are irreconcilable. The senators then rattled off a series of scattershot indictments of the Supreme Courts Republican-appointed majority. Citing the Roberts Courts more than 80 partisan 54 decisions, Schumer et al. accuse the Republican majority of fostering a divide that undermines long-term confidence in the Court as an institution, though the Roberts Five dont seem to mind. If such divides undermine long-term confidence in the Court, perhaps one of the four liberal judges could join the conservative majority for the sake of our institutions. If voting in lockstep is evidence of partisanship, it is unclear why the Courts four Democratic appointees would not be similarly partisan for voting in unison against the 80 decisions cited. Apparently, Ruth Bader-Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor are fearless independents, but Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch are unthinking toadies to the Republican agenda. Their parting indictment of the Republican majority is its purported view that the individual right to own a gun is more important than the right of Americans to be safe from gun violence; a religious employers right to religious liberty deserves more protection than an employees right to access statutorily mandated contraceptive care. This might be a compelling argument if statutorily mandated contraceptive care were a constitutional right and the free exercise of religion were not but, alas, the opposite is true, regardless of three Democratic senators use of scare quotes in a half-baked report on the judiciary. The drafters of this report mock the supposed inconsistency of originalist judges, but the senators themselves offer no coherent, substantive critique of originalist jurisprudence beyond callow and reflexive partisanship. Surely, that is the Federalist Societys fault. More from National Review OTTAWA - Military investigators are pointing to video footage as the reason they suspect a bird strike was been responsible for last month's deadly Snowbird plane crash in British Columbia. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Flags are carried at a tribute ceremony to honour Capt. Jennifer Casey at the Kamloops Airport on May 21, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff Bassett OTTAWA - Military investigators are pointing to video footage as the reason they suspect a bird strike was been responsible for last month's deadly Snowbird plane crash in British Columbia. The crash was May 18, shortly after two of the Snowbirds' iconic Tutor jets took off from the Kamloops Airport while participating in a cross-country tour aimed at boosting Canadians' morale during the COVID-19 pandemic. Capt. Jenn Casey is seen in this undated handout photo from the Royal Canadian Air Force Twitter page. The family of Capt. Jenn Casey says the member of the Snowbirds aerobatic team died while supporting an important mission "that seemed to be designed for her." THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Twitter-@RCAF_ARC Video posted to social media shortly after the crash showed one of the planes climbing a few seconds after leaving the runway before rolling over in the air and plummeting into a residential neighbourhood. The crash killed Capt. Jenn Casey, the Snowbirds' public-affairs officer who was riding as a passenger, while the pilot, Capt. Richard MacDougall, sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Both ejected from the plane seconds before it hit the ground. No one on the ground was seriously hurt. Canadian Forces Snowbird Captains Erik Temple, centre, and Joel Wilson survey the crash scene of a Canadian Forces Snowbird plane in Kamloops, B.C., Sunday, May 17, 2020. The Royal Canadian Air Force says it's focusing on a bird-strike as the reason for the crash of a Snowbird plane in British Columbia last month. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward In a preliminary report released Monday, investigators confirmed that a close examination of video showed a bird very close to the plane's right engine intake "during the critical phase of take-off." "The investigation is focusing on environmental factors (birdstrike) as well as the performance of the escape system," the reported added. The crash was the second for the Snowbirds since October, after another one of the aerobatic team's Tutor jets went down during an airshow in the U.S. state of Georgia. That had prompted questions about the safety of the Tutors, which are 57 years old. 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. But the preliminary investigation report appears to confirm the suspicions of former air force officers that a bird was likely to blame for the crash in Kamloops, which came only a few weeks after a military helicopter went down off the coast of Greece. Six people died in that crash. The Snowbirds remain temporarily grounded while the cross-country tour, nicknamed Operation Inspiration, has been suspended. "While we might quickly understand what happened in an accident, the most difficult work of an investigation begins as we peel back the layers to understand why and how this happened," said Col. John Alexander, director of flight safety. "We are laser-focused to understanding everything we can about the accident so we can recommend effective preventative measures to help reduce the risk of future occurrences." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2020. Ankara's goal is to present the claims on the areas natural resources as a "fait accompli" and revive the idea of an "economic caliphate". The agreement establishes "exclusive" research rights. The risk of a clash with Europe that has already threatened sanctions for exploration in Cyprus. Istanbul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan intends to promote a series of maritime explorations off the Libyan coast, in order to transform the claims - so far verbal - on the natural resources present in the area into a "fait accompli". In a context of deep tension and violence, the news that has rebounded in international chancelleries is destined to create further divisions fueling the winds of war and the project for a new "economic caliphate" dreamed by Ankara. Turkey is therefore pressing for the application of an agreement that would guarantee it the right to start explorations in search of oil and gas, with an exclusive economic zone (Eez). A pact reached last year, in the context of agreements on maritime borders signed with the Libyan government in Tripoli, which triggered a further escalation of tension. In the complicated Libyan chessboard, the Turkish leader expressed full political and military support to Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, at the helm of the National Accord Government recognized by the international community. According to Ankara, the agreement establishes the "exclusive" right to exploration and research in an area between the Turkish south coast and the north-eastern Libyan coast. However, Greece, Cyprus and the European Union (EU) have defined the trade pact as "illegal" adding that it represents a further source of confrontation with Brussels already at loggerheads for maritime exploration off the territorial waters of Cyprus. For the latter controversy, Europe has already threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey. To date, the Turkish government has not clarified in exact terms where it intends to start the explorations. According to experts, the first operations should start shortly off Tripoli and near the area adjacent to the coast of Sirte. Zenonas Tziarras, a researcher from the Prio Cyprus Center, reports that "from a tactical point of view, Turkey could test the scenario of a crisis with Athens with which an escalation is taking place". Afterwards, in a context of "easing" of tension, the two nations "could discuss and negotiate their positions". According to Mona Sukkarieh, political consultant and co-founder of Middle East Strategic Perspectives, explains: " If we take Turkish operations off the Cypriot coast as an indicator, operations off the Libyan coast might start off on the less provocative part of the spectrum and grow bolder with time toward the more provocative part of the spectru". The goal, the expert concludes, is "to demonstrate a resolute determination in order to extract concessions or, at the very least, to impose itself as a player to reckon with. Several thousand people marched in New Zealands largest city on Monday to protest the killing of George Floyd in the U.S. as well as to stand up against police violence and racism in their own country. Many people around the world have watched with growing unease at the civil unrest in the U.S. after the latest in a series of police killings of black men and women. Floyd died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed his knee on Floyds neck until he stopped breathing. The officer was fired and charged with murder. The protesters in Auckland marched to the U.S. Consulate, where they kneeled. They held banners with slogans like I cant breathe and The real virus is racism. Hundreds more joined the peaceful protests and vigils elsewhere in New Zealand, where Monday was a public holiday. In Iran, which has in the recent past violently put down nationwide demonstrations by killing hundreds, arresting thousands and disrupting internet access to the outside world, state television has repeatedly aired images of the U.S. unrest. Also read | Double whammy: After Covid-19, the US now grapples with protests Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi urged the U.S. government and police to stop the violence. To American officials and police: Stop violence against your people and let them breathe, Mousavi said at a news conference in Tehran on Monday. He also told the American people that the world is standing with you. He added that Iran is saddened to see the violence the U.S. police have recently set off. At a gathering in central London on Sunday, thousands offered support for American demonstrators, chanting No justice! No peace! and waving placards with the words How many more? In other places, too, demonstrators wove solidarity with the U.S. protesters with messages aimed at local authorities. In Brazil, hundreds of people protested crimes committed by the police against black people in Rio de Janeiros working-class neighborhoods, known as favelas. Police used tear gas to disperse them, with some demonstrators saying I cant breathe, repeating Floyds own words. In Canada, an anti-racism protest degenerated into clashes between Montreal police and some demonstrators. Police declared the gathering illegal after they say projectiles were thrown at officers who responded with pepper spray and tear gas. Some windows were smashed and some fires were set. In authoritarian nations, the unrest became a chance to undermine U.S. criticism of their own situations. Iranian state television repeatedly aired images of the U.S. unrest. Russia said the United States had systemic human rights problems. And state-controlled media in China saw the protests through the prism of American views on Hong Kongs anti-government demonstrations, which China has long said the U.S. encouraged. In a commentary, the ruling Communist Party newspaper Global Times said Chinese experts had noted that U.S. politicians might think twice before commenting again on Hong Kong, knowing their words might backfire. Also read | George Floyd protests: Flames engulf 200-year-old historic church near White House North Koreas official Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Monday reported about the demonstrations, saying that protesters harshly condemned a white policemans lawless and brutal murder of a black citizen. Three large photos from the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Reuters news agency and Agence France-Presse showed protest scenes from recent days in the city where Floyd was killed. The article said hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the White House chanting No justice, no peace, and that demonstrations were occurring in other cities and were expected to grow. It did not make any direct comments about the Trump administration. ___ Follow the APs latest news about the protests in the U.S. at https://apnews.com/GeorgeFloyd Collaboration. Fabrication. Installation. These three words are the building blocks of success in many industries, and recently three of Mid Michigan College's skilled trades programs put these words into practice. Mid's computer aided drafting and design (CADD), welding and advanced integrated manufacturing (AIM) programs collaborated on a project to install a metal version of Mid's logo on a classroom wall. CADD students created fabrication drawings of the M portion of the logo. Welding students then cut the M shapes out of metal in their lab. And finally, AIM students created custom mounting brackets. The project also involved collaboration with the strategic communications department, the keepers of Mid's brand, and the facilities department, who coordinated having the piece powder coated and mounted the project to the classroom wall. "This project illustrates the flexibility, creativity, and dynamic learning experience students can expect when they choose to study in the Skilled Trades at Mid," said Shawn Troy, dean of career and workforce education at Mid. "Faculty members, students, and staff all went above and beyond to get this project completed, and it turned out fantastic!" "Students really got involved in this project and were excited to see it progress from schematic drawing to raw metal and finally to finished piece on the wall of our learning space," said Eric Sander, CADD instructor at Mid. These programs, along with automotive and diesel service, comprise Mid's skilled trades programs, and feature several pathways to different credentials and specialties. Computer aided drafting and design: Ninety-one percent of students who have successfully completed the CADD Associate Degree Pathway have been hired as full-time professional CAD designers or have transferred to a four-year college or university to pursue advanced degrees. Welding: New welding pre-apprentice certificates are now available and allow students to build basic skills before entering an official apprenticeship at a local employer. The Pre-Apprentice Certificate Pathway can be customized for students ready to attend college and for those currently in high school. Advanced integrated manufacturing: The AIM program features five pathways that allow students to specialize in automation and robotics, plastics technology, machine tool, welding or manufacturing management. Automotive and diesel service: With a new automotive learning lab, two pathways, multiple industry-recognized certification milestones and a recent graduate who now works as a Ferrari technician, this program is top notch! Mid Michigan College also offers short-term training opportunities for commercial drivers licensing, drone piloting, drone photo and video, electrical apprentices, precision measurement and welding that take just weeks to complete and lead directly to meaningful careers in the local area. Mid and MiWorks! have also partnered to offer a Trade Apprenticeship Readiness Certificate which provides students with the opportunity to earn 10 college credits toward a company's apprenticeship program. The four college courses tuition and in some cases, wrap around services are funded through MiWorks!. Contact your local MiWorks! Northeast or MiWorks! Region 7B office to learn more about the funding opportunity. Registration for the fall semester is currently underway at Mid and classes start Aug. 31. Interested students can request additional information at midmich.edu, apply online at apply.midmich.edu, or contact Admissions at admissions@midmich.edu or 989-386-6661. For more information about Mid's skilled trades programs, visit midmich.edu/skilled-trades or contact Dean Shawn Troy at stroy@midmich.edu or 989-386-6658. For more information about short-term training, visit midmich.edu/short-term-training or contact the Technical Education Center at training@midmich.edu or 989-386-6614. - Processed by Victoria Ritter, vritter@mdn.net PETOSKEY, MI People who visited a Northern Michigan casino and two restaurants on Friday, May 29, could have been exposed to COVID-19 coronavirus. The Health Department of Northwest Michigan announced on Sunday, May 31, three locations where there may have been low-risk exposure to the novel virus. The public notice was issued because contact tracing could not identify all people the infect person came into close contact with. The person who tested positive for coronavirus visited the following public locations while contagious on Friday: Odawa Casino in Petoskey from 2-5 p.m. Pine Squirrel Bar and Grill in Gaylord from 5-7 p.m. Pauls Pub in Gaylord from 7-9 p.m. Anyone who was at those locations during those times should self-monitor for through June 12 (14 days from possible exposure). That means watching for coronavirus symptoms, including fever, cough and shortness of breath. Less common symptoms include fatigue, loss of taste and smell, and diarrhea. Anyone who develops symptoms should call their primary care physician for testing. Those who do not have a primary care provider should call the health department at 1-800-432-4121. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer allowed Northern Michigan bars and restaurants to reopen under restrictions beginning on May 22, while much of the state remains under a stay-home order through June 12. Odawa Casino a tribal casino that is not under the jurisdiction of state government reopened on Friday, May 29. We understand this is an exciting time to return to public spaces as the weather gets warmer, said Lisa Peacock, health officer. However, this situation is a reminder that we must continue to be vigilant and focus on what each of us can do to protect ourselves and those around us. The health department urges everyone to approach the lessened restrictions with care. If you are sick, stay home. If you choose to visit our local businesses, be aware that some people who test positive for COVID-19 have no symptoms, so we need to continue following masking, handwashing, and social distancing guidelines, the department said. 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: Whats allowed to reopen in Michigan and what isnt? After 102 executive orders, confusion is commonplace on whats allowed in Michigan and what isnt Michigan now has more than 38,000 coronavirus recoveries Nearly 5,000 Michigan coronavirus cases have been in nursing homes, but data remains incomplete It also does not include tourists from the United States and Russia Montenegro has opened its borders to tourists Open source Montenegros Ministry of Health has updated the list of countries whose citizens are allowed to enter and stay in Montenegro starting from 1 June. Ukraine is not included in it. This was reported by the ministrys press service. "Montenegro, adhering to the guidelines and postulates set out in key acts of the European Commission, is gradually coordinating its approach to restoring freedom of movement and abolishing internal border controls," the statement said. According to the Montenegrin government, entry is allowed for those countries where there is a significant slowdown in the spread of coronavirus, a decrease in the number of new cases, as well as where the number of active patients is not more than 25 per 100 thousand population. It is noted that the list includes the countries of the European Union, Africa, and Latin America, as well as China. Ukraine is not on the list. The list also does not include the United States and Russia. As we reported earlier, Montenegro became the first country in Europe that was able to overcome the coronavirus epidemic. ABC NewsBy GARY LANGER (NEW YORK) -- Joe Biden holds a 10-point lead over President Donald Trump among registered voters in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll, but that's sliced in half among those certain to vote, reflecting challenges for Biden in terms of voter commitment and enthusiasm alike. Trump has his own risks, including sharply negative views of the economy and greater criticism of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. His overall job approval rating is back under water, 45-53% among all Americans, with a seven-point rise in disapproval since late March. [ CLICK HERE TO SEE A PDF WITH THE FULL RESULTS FROM THE POLL ] Trump's rating specifically for handling the outbreak is a nearly identical 46-53%, with approval down 5 percentage points and disapproval up 8 in the past two months. The margin worsens in terms of strong sentiment: The number who strongly disapprove of his work on the crisis exceeds those who strongly approve by 15 points, 43 versus 28%. Neither is popular in this poll, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates. Forty-two percent of adults see Trump favorably overall, 46% Biden. But more see Trump unfavorably, 55% versus 48% for Biden. And Trump remains poorly rated on a range of personal attributes: About 6 in 10 apiece don't see him as honest and trustworthy, don't think he understands the problems of average Americans and don't think he has the personality and temperament for the job. That said, 50% see Trump as a strong leader -- shy of a majority but up a slight 6 points from last fall, and more than say the same of Biden, 43%. And even with the economy in dire straits, Trump gets 52% approval for handling it, although that's down 5 points since late March, with disapproval up 6, to 44%. Helpful for Biden is that Americans trust him over Trump to direct the federal government's efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus, 50-42%. The two instead are rated evenly in trust to direct federal government efforts to help the economy recover, 47-47%. But polling this spring has found a greater public priority on controlling the spread of the virus than on restoring the economy. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. I am looking for any kind of donation. Nzara yavakundikunda. Vakuru vakati ukanyara haugwaze, ndabvisa nyadzi dzose ndikauya pano kuzokumbirawo rubatsiro. (I am starving. An old adage says who dares wins, I have swallowed all pride to come here and ask for help). I am a breadwinner and many people are looking up to me but hazvisi kubatana (I am failing to make ends meet). Your assistance will be greatly appreciated. My EcoEash number is *****. Thank you, Wayerera posted on her Twitter handle. LONDON (Reuters) - Hundreds of people protested in London and Berlin on Sunday in solidarity with demonstrations in the United States over the death of a black man shown on video gasping for breath as a white policeman knelt on his neck in Minneapolis. The protesters knelt in central London's Trafalgar Square, chanting 'No justice, no peace', and then marched past the Houses of Parliament and finished up outside the U.S LONDON (Reuters) - Hundreds of people protested in London and Berlin on Sunday in solidarity with demonstrations in the United States over the death of a black man shown on video gasping for breath as a white policeman knelt on his neck in Minneapolis. The protesters knelt in central London's Trafalgar Square, chanting "No justice, no peace", and then marched past the Houses of Parliament and finished up outside the U.S. Embassy. The Metropolitan police said they had made five arrests outside the U.S. Embassy, three for violations of the coronavirus lockdown guidelines and two for assault on police. Several hundred protesters also staged a rally outside the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, holding up posters saying "Justice for George Floyd", "Stop killing us" and "Who's neckst". The death of George Floyd after his arrest on Monday has triggered a tide of protests in the United States, unleashing long simmering rage over racial bias in the U.S. criminal justice system. Some rallies have turned violent as demonstrators blocked traffic, set fires and clashed with riot police, some of whom fired tear gas and plastic bullets in an effort to restore order. (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper and John Sibley in London and Reuters TV in Berlin; Editing by Frances Kerry and Giles Elgood) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. (Photo : Screenshot from: Netflix Youtube Page ) Netflix's Top 6 Movies That Explain 'What is Racism' In the midst of a pandemic, another issue is now dividing the states in America. George Floyd, a black man that died on May 25 after being arrested by police officers, now created a commotion between the government and the nation. Now, the question lies to: Is there still a problem of racial discrimination in the United States? Or what does 'racism' really means? Here are some of the best Netflix movies available today that identify the real meaning of racial discrimination in the country. If you are still looking for another platform to watch, Screenbinge is one of the best place to find it. Which 'racism' movie should you watch this weekend 1. Schindler's List (1993) Schindler's List, one of America's classic movies, directed and produced by remarkable Steven Spielberg, is a must-watch in Netflix right now. This movie tackles the horrifying events of genocide during World War 2. Based on the true story, the plot follows Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who has special interests in the Nazi-occupied Polish State. He sells army utensils and ammunition to the German forces. Upon hiring Jews to be his laborers, he discovers a disturbing truth about the system. 2. Little Boxes (2017) Little Boxes is a film that tackles the racial discrimination in America in a funny and a little lighter way. A family moves from a small town in Washington to go to New York City. This film shows how the difference in racial stigma can be seen between urban and suburban neighborhoods. 3. Dolemite is my Name (2019) Another film worth watching on Netflix this weekend is the 2019 Netflix movie Dolemite is my Name. This film starred comedian Eddie Murphy to untold the history and life of underground sensation and performer Rudy Ray Moore. His life struggles will actually make you understand how race is a factor in American and used on blaxploitation. 4. Moonlight (2016) Moonlight, Oscar's 2017 Best Picture, can now be streamed on Netflix for the weekend.This film tackles not just racial discrimination, but gender discrimination among LGBT group members. While a young Black boy faces his issues on his sexual preference, he met Juan that will teach him what he needs to know about life. 5. Mudbound (2017) The battle of races is one of the most highlighted topics in the 2017 movie Mudbound. This Netflix film tackles all the issues pertaining to racial discrimination that has been going on over the years in America. When two families, the black family of the Jacksons, and the white family of the McAllans, are required to fight against each other to share a land by the social order, the beast of racial stigma eats their way throughout the movie. Mudbound represents how many people still look differently on dark-colored skin and how a friendship can also be an option among them. 6. 13th (2016) Last but definitely, not least, the 2016's documentary film called 13th. Ava DuVernay's 13th is docu-drama shows the "intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States." It also sheds light on the meaning of racial inequality in the court justice system in America and how it affects most dark-colored prisoners. ALSO READ: Minnesota Riot: Facebook Defends Trump's Posts on George Floyd's Death; Drone Sent to Minnesota Returns Quickly to Base 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An Aldo shoe store on London's Oxford Street. (John Keeble/Getty Images) Canadian shoe retailer Aldo has appointed financial services firm RSM as administrators of its UK division, putting the jobs of employees at its 13 stores in the country at risk. In a statement, Aldo noted the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, pointing to historic profitability challenges and the unprecedented collapse in retail spending in the UK and globally. The chain thus said it was necessary to appoint administrators to oversee an insolvency process. It is a difficult decision to close our stores in the UK market, but it is unavoidable given the current business environment and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Aldo chief executive David Bensadoun. We thank our associates, customers and vendors in the UK for being a part of our story since 2002. READ MORE: Eurozone manufacturing recovers slightly but situation still bleak Five of Aldos stores in the UK were closed immediately as a result of the move, while the remaining eight will continue to trade as the administrators assess the viability of their operation. It is not known how many employees have been affected by the closures. The collapse of the companys UK arm does not impact the availability of footwear from its online platform, or where its products can be purchased at other stores, such as Selfridges and House of Fraser. Last month, Aldo filed for bankruptcy protection in Canada, appointing financial services firm EY to oversee a court restructuring process designed to stabilise its business. READ MORE: EU hopes to raise 10bn a year from new corporate tax Commenting on that move, Aldo said it would work to complete its restructuring in a timely fashion and hopes to exit from the process as soon as possible and better positioned for long-term growth. Later in May, Aldo also appointed RSM to oversee the liquidation of its business in Ireland, where it had four stores. The company said that the pandemic had put too much pressure on its operations in the country, and it has since ceased shipping online orders to the country. The coronavirus pandemic has put immense pressure on the retail industry. Non-essential stores were forced to close as part of a UK-wide lockdown, while demand has plummetted. By Jesse C. Nelson It is vitally important to make two things clear regarding the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, before irresponsible journalists and editorialists make incorrect generalizations and draw sloppy conclusions. First, this is not a racial issue. Second, the widespread protests erupting across the U.S. are not spontaneous. They are highly coordinated. The victim, George Floyd, and the former police officer, Derek Chauvin, now accused of third degree murder, almost certainly knew each other prior to this tragedy, both working as security at the El Nuevo Rodeo nightclub at the same time for at least a year. One worked inside security and the other worked outside security. The chances of them working for the same nightclub together for so long and not knowing each other are as slim as a snowstorm in the Sahara. I am sure that the nature of their relationship at this nightclub will be further explored in the weeks that follow, although whether or not it is widely reported depends on how much the irresponsible U.S. media wants to paint this as simply a case of "racism against blacks by whites." This also brings me to the fact that while Derek is "white," two of the other three police officer involved, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, are of Asian American ancestry. As for the fourth officer, Thomas Lane was a police cadet, only having joined the force in 2019, and clearly not making judgment calls in this incident. So for any media outlet to paint this as a case of black versus white racism, I accuse as "false." As for the second point, protests across U.S. cities are being highly coordinated by the group known as Antifa. Taking advantage of the powder keg situation of both COVID-19 lock-down frustrations and future worries about economic uncertainties, this group has been identified by genuine local community leaders as outsiders, who are also leading the rallying calls of public destruction and looting. For those unaware of the roots of Antifa, I will try to make it as simple as possible. They sprang from a group, Refuse Fascism, formed weeks after the election of Trump in 2016. They are linked with the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA. Funding for Refuse Fascism has been traced back to the Alliance for Global Justice, which received a documented $100,000 from George Soros via his Open Society Institute. Antifa has had many practice runs of creating chaos and fanning the flames of riots over the past several years. In direct contrast to their name, which is supposed to be rooted in "anti-fascism," they are quite violent in practices and very intolerant of any viewpoints running counter to their radical ideology. Back in March of this year, Antifa members vowed to carry out violence during the COVID-19 lock-down. And now it has come to pass. So don't be fooled by any oversimplification of what is currently happening in the U.S. The author (razoripress@yahoo.com), currently teaching at Dongseo University, is also a freelance writer and avid traveler, who has visited 104 countries to date. PRESS RELEASE by Peoples Union of Democratic Rights The Lessons of Bhima Koregaon: No Bail, Only Jail 01 June 2020 With the surrenders of Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha on April 14, 2020 in Mumbai and Delhi respectively, the NIA, the investigative agency, has ensured the arrest of all 11 prominent human rights activists in the infamous Bhima Koregaon case under the draconian UAPA. The recent rejection of the bail applications of Varavara Rao, Anand Teltumbde, Shoma Sen and Sudha Bharadwaj, and the sudden transfer of Gautam Navlakha by the NIA, raise significant questions about the rights of political prisoners amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The institution of state-wise High Powered Committees with the mandate to ensure safety of prisoners and their recommendation to exclude temporary bail for those who are held under UAPA, and other serious laws and penal provisions, adds to these concerns. The bail denials are patently callous. The accusations against these prisoners, serious or otherwise, have been used to not only deny them bail but also doubly penalize them by forcing them to live in overcrowded jails despite their age and health issues. The life and health of all prisoners, convicted or undertrial, is the responsibility of the state which must ensure that all prisoners are safe and protected. All five inmates suffer from a range of medical ailments. 81-year-old Varavara Rao was hospitalized on May 28, 2020 after his persistent health issues could not be treated in Taloja Jail. He is a patient of multiple ailments including coronary artery disease. 70- year-old Anand Teltumbde has respiratory problems; 67-year-old Gautam Navlakha is a patient of colonic polyposis, chronic gastritis, and hypertension; 61-year-old Shoma Sen suffers from hypertension and arthritis; and 58-year-old Sudha Bharadwaj has a medical condition of hypertension and diabetes. What is disturbing is that when denying them bail, courts have not even passed orders to keep these prisoners in safe surroundings within the jail, given their advanced age and ailments. Though the NIA admitted before the Mumbai special court on April 25 that one of its officers, in the police station where Teltumbde was kept for interrogation, had tested positive, the court turned down Teltumbdeas bail application and sent him to judicial custody at Arthur Road Jail, a Covid-19 hotspot. Sudha Bharadwaj had drawn the courtas attention to the fact that asocial distancinga was impossible in the overcrowded wards of Byculla Womenas Jail, and that an inmate has recently tested positive for Covid-19. Yet, her bail application was turned down on May 29. And Taloja jail where Varavara Rao and Gautam Navlakha are lodged, also has a confirmed COVID-19 death. Ordinarily, reasons for denying bail rest on the possibility of a prisoner (a) absconding on release; (b) tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses; or (c) committing another offence. However, in the case of these UAPA accused, the prisoners are all public-minded individuals who have never attempted to abscond a two of them in fact surrendered for arrest on court orders. The case against them is based solely on electronic communication, all of which is in the NIAas custody, and the charge sheet has been filed in court. None of them have ever been convicted of any previous offence. In addition to being subjected to a fierce prosecution cum media attack, they have also been victim to surreptitious state actions. On May 25, the NIA whisked Gautam Navlakha from Delhias Tihar jail without informing his lawyer and family. This was done solely to make infructuous his pending bail matter before the High Court. In the process, Navlakha was exposed to the risk of being infected as he was taken on an overnight train journey. Repeated rejections of interim bail petitions make clear that existing medical conditions of political prisoners are not regarded as reasonable grounds for bail, even in the context of a pandemic. These rejections are outcomes of mechanical decisions taken by High-Powered- Committees. The security considerations which prompt these Committees to exclude a section of prisoners based on their alleged offence, has in effect, condemned these elderly and vulnerable inmates to reside in abysmal prison conditions in COVID times. Such denial of bail are acts of persecution committed against those who have existing medical vulnerabilities. The fear of infection is extremely high in overcrowded jails, known for their insanitary and inhuman conditions. In COVID-19 times, especially when Maharashtra has emerged as the state with the highest number of cases (62,228 as of May 29), differentially treating bail petitions by political prisoners is gross injustice. The utter helplessness of the prisoner is evident from the hospitalization of Varavara Rao, and from the case of Gautam Navlakha who was not produced before the court that granted permission for his transfer nor allowed to inform his family or lawyer. The health and safety of political prisoners must be treated with the same urgency as that of other prisoners. Amidst this unprecedented pandemic, a uniform policy is needed to ensure the survival of inmates. Radhika Chitkara and Vikas Kumar Secretaries, PUDR Small and mid-sized companies are in dire straits as the coronavirus epidemic devastates business and forces painful cuts. In a poll of 800 companies with more than five workers by the Korea Small Business Institute, 35.3 percent of small and mid-sized companies said they will reduce their staff in the second half of this year. Only 17.1 percent of SMEs plan to hire more workers. Some 44 percent of them had already laid off staff. Some 72.5 percent forecast business conditions to get worse in the second half. And while 53.6 percent expect the economy to recover from the coronavirus pandemic in 2021, 32 percent saw no improvement ahead in the short term. Only 5.5 percent of predicted an economic recovery in the second half of this year. Most SMEs are not planning to hire more staff even though they are suffering from a shortage. Some 60.5 percent said they will need more workers in the second half, but 33.6 percent of them said they could not afford them. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 21:56:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HONG KONG, June 1 (Xinhua) -- A spokesperson for the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Monday voiced resolute opposition to the U.S. interference in Hong Kong affairs and urged the U.S. side to correct the wrongdoing. The spokesperson made the remarks in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's finger-pointing at China's national security legislation for the HKSAR and his threats to revoke preferential trade treatment for Hong Kong. The U.S. side's hegemonic act on Hong Kong will not benefit the United States itself, nor will it stop the prevailing trend for Hong Kong to embrace greater development, the spokesperson noted. Noting that safeguarding national security is a reasonable measure by all sovereign states in the world, the spokesperson said national security legislation for the HKSAR is purely China's internal affairs and brooks no foreign interference. Stressing Hong Kong's important role in the international economic landscape as a global financial, trading and shipping center, the spokesperson said Hong Kong's status as a separate customs territory is recognized by the World Trade Organization. The status is not given by any specific country, nor will it be changed by the unilateral action of any one country, said the spokesperson. The threat of so-called sanctions over national security legislation for the HKSAR has demonstrated that the United States was never concerned about democracy and freedom in Hong Kong, nor its stability and prosperity. Instead, the United States just sees Hong Kong as a pawn to contain China's development, which has proved the urgency and imperative for the legislation to oppose external interference, the spokesperson added. Hong Kong's achievements were made by generations of hard-working Hong Kong residents with the strong support of the motherland, not given by any foreign country, said the spokesperson, adding that the motherland will always be a powerful backing force for Hong Kong. With joint efforts from all walks of life, Hong Kong will surely overcome difficulties to embrace better development, the spokesperson added. Enditem Related: U.S. lies, intimidation can't shake Chinese people's resolve to safeguard national security: spokesperson THOMPSON FALLS, MT / ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2020 / United States Antimony Corporation ("USAC")(NYSE American:UAMY) reported a thickener circuit is being constructed on-site at the Puerto Blanco mill in Guanajuato, Mexico to increase the production rate and control the pulp density of ore to be processed. During this time, the Company is working to complete the six samples for the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) of the Department of Defense. This involves mining and milling that should be done prior to the completion of the thickener. The samples will be used to determine whether USAC can consistently meet the military specification for antimony trisulfide. Mil spec trisulfide commands a higher price than non-spec product. Flotation of stibnite to make antimony trisulfide for center fired ordnance May production for USAC is as follows: Product May 2020 sales Antimony pounds 108,969 Zeolite short tons 1,129 The average April Rotterdam price of antimony metal was $5,757.94 per metric ton or $2.598 per pound. USAC's May average sales price per pound of antimony contained was $3.112 per pound. CEO John Lawrence said "The trisulfide that has been produced looks good, and the team is anxious to continue on the cyanide leach of the gold and silver Los Juarez ore now that they will have a thickener." Forward Looking Statements: This Press Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events, including matters related to the Company's operations, pending contracts and future revenues, ability to execute on its increased production and installation schedules for planned capital expenditures and the size of forecasted deposits. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties. In addition, other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are discussed in the Company's most recent filings, including Form 10-KSB with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Story continues UNITED STATES ANTIMONY CORPORATION PO Box 643 47 Cox Gulch Rd. Thompson Falls, Montana 59873-0643 406-827-3523 FAX: 406-827-3543 E-Mail tfl3543@blackfoot.net SOURCE: United States Antimony Corporation View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/591856/United-States-Antimony-Reports-Progress-on-Trisulfide-and-the-Gold-and-Silver-Production A photo taken in the late hours of May 29, 2020 shows a sign of the World Health Organization (WHO) at their headquarters in Geneva amid the COVID-19 outbreak, caused by the novel coronavirus. The U.S. decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization in the midst of a pandemic is "disappointing" and "inexplicable," said the World Health Organization's special envoy for the coronavirus. "We've now got the biggest communicable disease challenge that I've ever known, and we really need every single nation working together on it, including the U.S.," Dr. David Nabarro told CNBC's "Street Signs Asia" on Monday. On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would sever ties with the WHO. It was no surprise as Trump had previously issued an ultimatum, warning he would halt funding for the U.N health agency if substantive changes were not made within 30 days. For years, the WHO has benefited from the support and leadership of the U.S., which has helped the world handle massive challenges, according to Nabarro, one of the six special envoys on Covid-19 for the WHO Director-General. If Washington were to step away from its commitments to the WHO, it would be a "really strange thing to do right in the middle of fighting the pandemic," Nabarro said. "It's as though you're in the middle of fighting a forest fire and suddenly 15% of the fire trucks are taken away just at the time when you need them the most," he added. The U.S. is the single largest donor to the health agency and contributed above $400 million in 2019, or about 15% of the WHO's annual budget. The departure of the world's largest economy from the intergovernmental organization means it would be up to the remaining 193 countries that still support the WHO to "work out how to plug the gap," Nabarro said. He hopes that the American people will be able to persuade Trump to rethink the decision, given Washington's participation in response efforts in previous outbreaks such as Ebola, polio, HIV and smallpox. On Saturday, the European Union issued a statement urging the U.S. to reconsider its decision to leave the WHO, Reuters reported. BUNKER HILL More than 70 critical access pharmacies, primarily in rural and underserved downstate communities, will benefit from $1.3 million in payments released on Saturday by Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza under a program championed by state Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill. The payments were released under the Critical Access Pharmacy program for pharmacies that have experienced serious financial difficulty because of lower rates offered under the states managed care program and also because of rate cuts by pharmacy benefit managers. To qualify for the CAP Program, pharmacies must be located in medically underserved areas, as determined by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) on June 1 decided to implement salary cuts for its senior staff and put some junior officials increments on hold. The exchange is taking a slew of measures to reduce cost including re-negotiation with vendors and reduction in sitting fees for directors, sources said. MCX announced its results for the quarter ended March 2020 on Saturday. Its full-year net profit rose by 52.46 percent to Rs 208.52 crore and sales rose by 24.16 percent at Rs 370.44 crore, compared with Rs 298.35 crore last year. However, net profit declined 2.19 percent to Rs 57.15 crore in the quarter ended March 2020 as against Rs 58.43 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2019. The results announced by MCX for the year ended March 31, 2020, are stellar, but I am sceptical about FY 20-21. The crude oil volatility and volumes added to the sheen in the last quarter, but the fracas due to the negative settlement price has resulted in much lower volumes and reduced participation, a market expert noted. According to an exchange official who spoke on condition of anonymity, MCXs cost-cutting initiatives include reducing board-related expenses and slashing business promotion and advertisement expenses. This time, the exchange reduced dividend percentage drastically compared to the previous year. The dividend payout was 73 percent on a standalone basis, which was 90.08 percent last year. A high net worth investor told Moneycontrol, Most HNI investors are not happy with this payout. The company has not laid out any major plan of deployment of money in the next one year. High dividend is the only major attraction of these companies. MCX is cautious about their revenue due to slump in participation of brokers in the crude oil segment, which is nearly 30-35 percent of their total turnover. On the other hand, other exchanges are also trying to grab this opportunity. They are offering brent crude which is used physically also in the country, whereas MCX offers WTI crude which is used for trading purpose only, said another market source. "The negative settlement price for the MCX crude oil contract, which is a globally referenced contract, may have surprised and shocked quite a few people. But this was not outside the realm of possibilities since CME had already announced on April 15, 2020, that they are calibrating their trading systems to allow them to trade at negative values. Something like this was anticipated due to the sudden glut at Cushing, Oklahoma." said market veteran and practising counsel Chirag M. Shah. Shah remains cynical about the growth prospects of exchange-traded derivatives for a few quarters. He believes that trade disputes due to this disruption will rise and enforcing of contracts is going to become more difficult. There is another problem for financial markets. In a bear market, where significant price correction has already happened, where participation is already tepid, even if the same quantities or lots are traded, the Average Daily Turnover Value (ADTV) will be lower and as a consequence, incomes of exchanges, as well as other intermediaries, will be subdued to that extent since their fees are ad valorem, he observed. MCX has more than 95 percent market share in the non-agri segment. The reduction in salaries may upset the morale of employees as the exchange has cash in books and no serious competition in the near future. Security cameras watching a highway in Taiwan captured the moment a white Tesla Model 3 vehicle plowed into truck that was rolled over on its side. Reports say the driver of the Tesla did not see the overturned truck while cruising with the Autopilot driver assistant feature activated. The footage also shows that the cars emergency automatic braking system was applied at the last second, due to smoke coming from the tires moments before the collision. An image of the aftermath shows the entire front-end of the Tesla pierced through the roof of the truck, but reports note that neither of the drivers were injured. The Tesla Model 3 crashed into and embedded inside the container of the overturned lorry The bonnet of the Tesla went straight through the roof of the lorry after it flipped over Tesla's Autopilot features allow the vehicle to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within a lane. Drivers can disengage Autopilot in the vehicle by pushing up a stalk near the steering wheel or by tapping the brakes. They can also take control of the steering wheel to switch away from Autopilot. However, the feature was allegedly active during the incident that occurred in the morning hours on the Taiwan highway on Sunday, May 31. The security footage shows a commercial truck had rolled over on to its side and covered two lanes on Sunday. A few moments later, a white Tesla Model 3 can be seen driving towards the truck and in seconds collides with the overturned vehicle. The impact of force during the crash was so great that the truck shook when the Tesla smashed into it, reports SETN a local Taiwan news source. There is no drunk driving situation, and the relevant transcripts have been completed so far, and the two parties have to face the subsequent compensation matters, SETN reports (translated). The local media source also noted that the driver said the auxiliary system was activated and the self-driving state was not adopted. Security cameras watching a highway in Taiwan captured the moment a Tesla Model 3 vehicle plowing into truck that was rolled over on its side The Tesla appeared to have suffered some significant body damage to its bonnet and door panels in the crash The Tesla was covered in a liquid after the crash, presumably related to the contents of the lorry it ploughed through Although it is not yet clear what the drivers statement entails, it is believed the Tesla was running with some of the Autopilot features on at the time of the crash. And although the emergency brake system appears to have been activated, it was not soon enough to bring the Model 3 to a halt. Tesla's Autopilot system has been referred to as a 'half-baked, non-market-ready product that requires the constant collection of data in order to improve upon the existing virtual world that Tesla is trying to create.' There have been thousands of reports from Tesla owners revealing the many close calls they have had while driving on Autopilot. As part of a four-part series, Bloomberg surveyed 5,000 Model 3 owners about their experiences with Tesla's software for automated driving for parking lots and highways last year. Reports say the driver of the Tesla did not see the overturned Truck while cruising with the Autopilot driver assistant feature activated The footage also shows that the cars emergency automatic braking system was applied at the last second, due to smoke coming from the tires moments before the collision Of that number, 1,600 people shared their close calls with the Autopilot feature that Tesla CEO Elon Musk says will lead the world into a new era of transportation. The stories illustrate the gray area in which the Tesla Autopilot feature finds itself as customers enter a period of automated-driving. The feature can perform lifesaving maneuvers and just as quickly glitch in ways that can put drivers in danger. One Model 3 owner from Alabama described the moment he was driving down a clear highway, with a state trooper cruising right behind him, when the Autopilot sensors suddenly triggered the brakes. Only the driver's quick thinking prevented a rear-end accident when the Tesla owner jammed his foot on the accelerator to override the system. In Florida, a Model 3 driver had a wildly different experience and was saved by his vehicle. Pictured: a Bloomberg graphic that illustrates surveyors thoughts on the Autopilot feature in Model 3 vehicles Reports say the driver of the Tesla did not see the overturned Truck while cruising with the Autopilot driver assistant feature activated. Pictured is after the Tesla collides with the truck, which sent debris into the air The driver describes his car inexplicably braking due to the Autopilot feature. The car in front of them swerved out of the lane and revealed a stopped car was sitting in the lane. The Tesla's sensors had detected the hazard from afar and avoided the crash with no human input. According to the survey, 13 percent of owners say Autopilot has put them in danger while 28 percent say it has saved them from dangerous situations. Six drivers admit Autopilot has contributed to a collision, while nine owners say the system helped keep them alive. The incident occurred in the early morning hours on Sunday, May 31 and no injuries were reported. Thousands of Tesla Model 3 (pictured) owners revealed in a 2019 survey their experiences with the vehicle's autopilot feature in a Bloomberg survey Hundreds of owners shared dangerous system behaviors they experienced while on Autopilot, including phantom breaking, failing to stop for a road hazard and veering. A driver in California said: 'During one of its automatic lane changes into a lane behind a semi, it SLAMMED on my brakes for no reason. The cars behind me managed to avoid rear ending me.' Another said: 'It seemed to make risky choices whenever an unusual situation arises, like a missing lane line or a truck merging suddenly into your lane.' 'Sometimes it catches a car on a different lane and, if that car is going significantly slower, will break violently,' a driver in Minnesota said. Other owners had more positive episodes. Approximately 70 percent of Bloomberg surveyors believe the 'Smart Summon' feature is useful while less than half think it is reliable Hundreds of owners shared dangerous system behaviors they experienced while on Autopilot, including phantom breaking, failing to stop for a road hazard and veering. A driver in California said: 'During one of its automatic lane changes into a lane behind a semi, it SLAMMED on my brakes for no reason. The cars behind me managed to avoid rear ending me.' Another said: 'It seemed to make risky choices whenever an unusual situation arises, like a missing lane line or a truck merging suddenly into your lane.' 'Sometimes it catches a car on a different lane and, if that car is going significantly slower, will break violently,' a driver in Minnesota said. With the weather getting nicer as summer approaches, people will be tempted to spend more time outdoors. More and more stores and businesses are reopening in New Jersey and around the country. Face masks are either recommended or required, depending on the state and business. When the coronavirus pandemic first hit, ski masks, scarves and balaclavas were popular face coverings. Now, though, its too hot outside for those. Here are some online retailers you can find face masks for the summer heat, all of which are reasonably priced and in stock: Amazon Amazon is selling a 50-pack of washable, reusable cotton face masks for $30.99. If you prefer the disposable kind of face masks, this pack of 100 is on sale for $59.99. Kohls Kohls is selling both reusable and disposable face coverings. A 3-pack of washable face masks runs for $19.99, but is buy one, get one 50% off. The disposable face coverings come in packs of 10 ($9.99) and 50 masks ($47.99). CASETiFY CASETiFYs Reusable Cloth Mask with replaceable filters is among the most effective masks. The company pledges to donate a surgical mask to health care workers for every mask sold. Old Navy Old Navy is selling a pack of 5 face coverings for $12.50 via its website. The packs are available for adults and for children. The masks are on back order but expected to ship by June 16 if you order now. Disney Disney is selling face masks with your favorite characters from Star Wars to Marvel to Pixar printed on them. They are selling in packs of four for $19.99. Fanatics Fanatics is selling sports-themed face coverings. Represent your favorite team, be it professional or college. Boohoo Boohoo offers a variety of tie-dyed masks, along with other styles and designs. Buck Mason Buck Mason says its reusable cotton face masks are treated with an anti-microbial coating that will last up to 30 wash cycles. These come in packs of five, or in bulk packs of 250. RELATED CORONAVIRUS RETAIL AND SHOPPING COVERAGE: Le Creuset is having a sale on premium cookware. Here are the best deals. Pier 1 Imports officially going out of business, closing all stores Fun things to do outside, in the backyard to stay entertained at home Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Prince Harry attended the Endeavour Fund awards as one of his last royal engagements. (Getty Images) One of Prince Harrys royal projects has officially been transferred away from the Royal Foundation, it has been announced. Harry set up the Endeavour Fund as a senior royal, to award grants to wounded, injured and sick former service personnel, so they could take on sporting challenges. It was set up while Harry was part of the Royal Foundation, but has now been transferred into the Invictus Games, another of his projects. The Invictus Games is a multi-sport event for injured former service men and women. The Endeavour Fund Awards event in March was one of the last engagements Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, attended before they stepped back as senior royals. Dominic Reid, chief executive of the Invictus Games Foundation said: The Endeavour Fund has been doing incredible things for many years and we believe that together, both organisations will have a positive and sustained impact on the recovery and rehabilitation journeys of many from around the world who have experienced injury or illness during service. The Royal Foundation was set up by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry in 2012, and became the foundation for the Cambridges and the Sussexes when Harry married Meghan in 2018. But the two households decided to split in 2019 and the Foundation reverted to being the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. William and Kate marked one year since another of the projects they ran with Harry and Meghan earlier this year, as Shout, the text-based crisis service, had its first anniversary. The couple regularly attended the awards nights. (Getty Images) Read more: William and Kate's social media switch up: Cambridges using their social media presence more like Meghan and Harry, says expert Harry hinted at changes to the Endeavour Fund when he gave his speech at the awards night in March 2020. He said: I firmly believe that there is an even greater future ahead. Our ambition is to build on what has been achievedto expand the Endeavour Fund further so that its impact can be felt around the world. Story continues There had previously been an announcement that Endeavour Fund and Invictus Games would work together more closely in the future. Harrys background in the Army informed much of his work as a senior royal and is likely to play a big part in what he does now he has stepped back. Several of his final engagements revolved around his military work. He was stripped of his honourary titles when he stood back from royal work, but they have not yet been reallocated. Harry and Meghan in 2018 with award winners Ben Lee (front 3R), Sean Gane (back 2L) and Daniel Claricoates (back 3L) and the award nominees. (Getty Images) Read more: Prince Harry praises coronavirus volunteers during video call from LA home: 'Helping people makes you feel better' Jason Knauf, chief executive of The Royal Foundation said: The Endeavour Fund has played an important role in ensuring that those injured in service have the opportunity to rediscover their self-belief and fighting spirit through physical challenges over the years. The Royal Foundation is proud of its role in creating both Endeavour Fund and the Invictus Games, and the impact that both have had on the WIS community. We look forward to seeing their continued success, together. David Wiseman, who competed in the Invictus Games London 2014, Orlando 2016, and Toronto 2017 has led the Endeavour Fund from the beginning and will transfer to the Invictus Games Foundation with the programme. Read more: Harry continues his mother Princess Diana's work as he praises landmark clearance charity He said: The whole world has changed in recent months, but the spirit of Invictus and the Endeavour Fund has always emanated from overcoming adversity and fostering post-traumatic growth. The Endeavour Fund will evolve in its new home and in the new post-COVID environment but what will not change is our support to recovery, rehabilitation and growth through the power of sport and adventurous challenge. The Invictus Games was due to take place in The Hague in May this year, but had to be postponed until next year because of the pandemic. 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 Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan said Monday that white men are responsible for "much of the violence and destruction" in the city and across the US. "I want to acknowledge that much of the violence and destruction, both here in Seattle and across the country, has been instigated and perpetuated by white men," Durkan tweeted. Her tweet comes amid widespread protests following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan said Monday that white men are responsible for "much of the violence and destruction" in the city and across the US. "I want to acknowledge that much of the violence and destruction, both here in Seattle and across the country, has been instigated and perpetuated by white men," Durkan tweeted. Her tweet comes amid widespread protests following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes. Many of the protests have turned violent, and public unrest has also grown over law enforcement's heavy-handed crowd control tactics. Some have also alleged that undercover police officers are to blame for some of the destruction of commercial properties in Minneapolis. Last week, several observers shared footage on social media of an unidentified man in a gas mask carrying an open umbrella who was filmed breaking store windows with a hammer. The man's actions were so odd that some protesters paused their demonstrations to call him out. "Are you a f---ing cop?" someone yelled at the man, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Last week, Hennepin County prosecutors charged former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was filmed kneeling on Floyd, with third-degree murder in the case. Story continues Attorney General William Barr also on Friday announced a federal investigation into Floyd's death. Barr said in a statement 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. 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." He called video images of the incident "harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing." President Donald Trump also weighed in on the protests last week, 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 The Chase viewers have accused Bradley Walsh of going too far with a joke he made about Anne Hegerty. Walsh, who has presented the ITV quiz show since it began in 2009, is known for poking fun at the chasers, but the latest quip, which was seemingly aimed at Hegertys weight, made viewers feel uncomfortable. During a celebrity version of the episode, actor Adam Garcia was taking on Hegerty when they were asked: The top weekly performer on The Great British Bake Off is often given what title? Walsh asked Hegerty, who once appeared on reality series Im a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, if she would ever appear on the C4 baking show, to which she replied: I dont think so. The presenter then replied: Probably because youd never see the end product, prompting gasps from the audience as well as Garcia. Hegerty laughed the joke off, stating: Thats a very fair point, but viewers of the quiz show complained about the moment on social media. Bradley Walsh dropping fat jokes on the chase to the chasers, one tweeter wrote, adding: Getting a bit boring and rather rude. Another user added: I know he was only joking, but personally I thought that was a bit nasty as he was referring to her being overweight. Anne Hegerty on The Chase Again, Bradley Walsh fat-shaming! someone else said, referencing the fact he has caused controversy in the past with similar jokes about Mark Labbett. One person demanded he stop belittling Hegerty because of her weight. June 1 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index recouped early losses on Monday helped by tentative signs of a rebound in business activity and as a milder-than-feared U.S. response to China also boosted sentiment. * Canadian manufacturing activity contracted for the third straight month in May, but the pace of decline was less severe than in April, data showed on Monday. * Escalating U.S.-China tensions took the shine off a solid month of gains for Canadian equities in May, but late on Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump did not pull out of a Phase 1 trade deal with Beijing, as many had feared he would. * At 10:59 a.m. ET (1459 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 58.66 points, or 0.39%, at 15,251.49. * The energy sector dipped 0.1% as U.S. crude prices were down 1.9% a barrel, while Brent crude lost 0.3%. * The materials sector, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 0.2% as gold futures fell 0.3% to $1,732.5 an ounce. * On the TSX, 136 issues were higher, while 91 issues declined for a 1.49-to-1 ratio favouring gainers, with 70.19 million shares traded. * The largest percentage gainer on the TSX was pot producer Hexo Corp, up 11.2%, after the company's Belleville plant received a sales license. * Canopy Growth Corp fell 9.5%, the most on the TSX, after multiple brokerages lowered their ratings on the stock. * The most heavily traded shares by volume were Hexo Corp, Air Canada and StageZero Life Sciences Inc. * The TSX posted three new 52-week highs and no new low. * Across all Canadian issues there were 17 new 52-week highs and two new lows, with total volume of 126.64 million shares. (Reporting by Amal S in Bengaluru; Editing by Amy Caren Daniel) Three British teenagers who mocked the murder of George Floyd in a Snapchat video have now been arrested on suspicion of committing a hate crime. The trio, all from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, caused outrage after a photo of them recreating how the unarmed 46-year-old black man died at the hands of police in Minnesota was shared on social media. Mr Floyd was killed after police Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for several minutes, with the death leading to riots across the US and protests at cities around the world including London, Manchester and Cardiff. Despite the fury, the three teenagers posted the mocking Snapchat video last week, though they were forced to shut down their social media profiles after it quickly spread. They have also reportedly started receiving death threats and are now thought to be in police protections. Northumbria Police did not confirm this, though a spokesperson did reveal that the trio had been arrested, with the Snapchat video now being treated as a hate crime. Laughing British teenagers sparked outrage by mocking the killing of George Floyd by police in a sick Snapchat photo George Floyd's death caused fury around the globe, with protests in London and several US cities The video of George Floyd's death sparked international outrage. He died after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for several minutes A police statement said: 'We can confirm we are investigating after an image was shared on social media which showed two men imitating the recent death of US citizen George Floyd. 'An investigation was launched and yesterday (Sunday) officers arrested two males aged 19 and another male aged 18 on suspicion of sending communications causing anxiety and distress. 'They have since been released on bail. We understand that this social media post has caused significant upset and we want to reassure the public it is being investigated robustly and is being treated as a hate crime.' The video was shared on a Warwick University freshers Facebook page - where it quickly drew widespread criticism. Rumours circulated that the trio were due to go to the university in September - but a source who went to school with all three dismissed this. The source added today: 'It's all blown up in their faces and they've received death threats. 'They were arrested on Sunday night and have had their phones taken off them and everything. The post was captioned 'brutality' and shows one teen kneeling on his friend's neck - mocking the way the 46-year-old unarmed black man died after being detained in Minneapolis last Monday 'It's turned into a witch hunt and they've had some really nasty threats - some of which have been targeted at their families which isn't right at all. 'It was a sick joke but they don't deserve to die. The police know about it and are protecting them against any vigilante attacks.' Elesha Foord, from Lincolnshire, was outraged when she saw the post and immediately shared it on Twitter - where it quickly garnered thousands of likes, comments and retweets. The 16-year-old student said: 'Honestly when I first saw it I wasn't that shocked. We've seen so much racial prejudice but it's not a shock because we see this so much. 'Everyone is rightly enraged by this. I think these guys should be known and their employers should be known and take whatever action they see fit. 'It is a criminal offence in my view because they are making a mockery of a guy losing his life. These guys will get a second chance but George Floyd won't. 'Imagine being so bold as to post this on your Snapchat and not get anything back - these people need to be named and shamed.' Elesha Foord (pictured), from Lincolnshire, was outraged when she saw the post and immediately shared it on Twitter - where it quickly garnered thousands of likes, comments and retweets A woman who went to school with the trio said they have outraged their local community in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. She said the picture was uploaded among friends of the boys - who all went to Cardinal Hume Catholic School - on Thursday. It only went viral after appearing on Twitter - despite being condemned by numerous people in their local community. The woman, who did not wish to be named, said: 'They are not very sane. 'They were very laddy. They were quite outrageous but not that well liked. I thought the guy who took the photo had his head screwed on a bit more but obviously not because he shared it on social media. 'It's hard not to put the label racist on them for doing this but they never went out of the way to be racist to my knowledge. They were just sick pranksters.' A spokesman for the University of Warwick told MailOnline: 'None of the individuals involved with an offensive photograph circulated yesterday are connected to the University, as was falsely alleged, nor would they be welcomed. 'Such behaviour goes against the University's principles, which emphasise treating others with respect.' We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. This includes cookies from third party social media websites and ad networks. Such third party cookies may track your use on Sharedots sites for better rendering. Our partners use cookies to ensure we show you advertising that is relevant to you. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on Sharedots website. However, you can change your cookie settings at any time. Learn more BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 1 Trend: The Nakhchivan ferry belonging to the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping(ASCO) Closed Joint-Stock Company (CJSC) has been overhauled, a source in ASCO told Trend. The repair work carried out at the Zigh Ship Repair and Construction Yard (plant) was carried out as planned and with high quality. The ferry's main and auxiliary engines, pumps and separators have been overhauled. The pipe installation work has been completed. The hull on the ship was welded, automated, electrical equipment was repaired and new compressors were installed. In addition, the living and service rooms of the ferry were repaired according to modern standards. The underwater and surface parts of the "Nakhchivan" ferry, wagon deck and upper deck were also cleaned and painted. The ferry, that successfully passed the sea test, was put into operation again. The maximum speed of the "Nakhchivan" ship ferry, which is 154.55 meters long and 18.3 meters wide, is 15 knots. Photograph: Richard Tsong-Taatarii/AP The president of the Minneapolis police union has written to its members calling George Floyd a violent criminal, describing those protesting over his death as terrorists and criticizing the citys political leadership for not authorizing greater use of force to stop the rioting. Related: Angry Donald Trump calls for tougher approach against George Floyd protests The letter drew a swift rebuke from a former Minneapolis police chief who called it a disgrace. Lt Bob Kroll, president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, defended the four officers involved in Floyds death, including Derek Chauvin, who kneeled on Floyds neck for more than eight minutes in the lead-up to his death on 25 May. Chauvin is facing murder and manslaughter charges, and the three other officers have been fired. What is not being told is the violent criminal history of George Floyd. The media will not air this. Ive worked with the four defense attorneys that are representing each of our four terminated individuals under criminal investigation, in addition with our labor attorneys to fight for their jobs. They were terminated without due process, wrote Kroll, according to a copy of the letter obtained by the Star Tribune. Floyd had served time in prison for aggravated robbery but Chauvin could not have known that when he detained him. Video footage shows that Floyd was not behaving in a violent manner during his arrest, was not armed, and was not suspected of a violent crime. Following Governor Tim Walzs characterisation of the protests as led by outside agitators, Kroll described the demonstrators as organised extremists. This terrorist movement that is currently occurring was a long time build up which dates back years, he said. At the weekend, Walz claimed that 80% of those arrested during the protests were from out of state and implied they were an organised movement intent on disrupting governance. But arrest records show his claim was false. In fact, 80% were from Minnesota and half of them were from Minneapolis. Story continues While groups of young white people dressed all in black were highly visible in confrontations with the police, alongside young African Americans angered by Floyds death, large numbers of the people involved in looting several miles of Lake street in south Minneapolis were evidently from the surrounding area. Former Minneapolis police chief Janee Harteau swiftly condemned Kroll in a tweet, and suggested that the letter reflected the attitudes that had blocked her efforts at reform of the police department. A disgrace to the badge! This is the battle that myself and others have been fighting against. Bob Kroll turn in your badge! pic.twitter.com/SQmeNIIU3v Janee Harteau (@ChiefHarteau) June 1, 2020 A disgrace to the badge! This is the battle that myself and others have been fighting against. Bob Kroll turn in your badge! wrote Harteau, who resigned from the department in 2017 after a police shooting. Kroll, who has appeared at a campaign rally with Donald Trump and praised him as a wonderful president for his support of the police, has long had run-ins with politicians seeking to reform policing in Minneapolis. In 2007, Kroll called then congressman and now Minnesota attorney general, Keith Ellison who is Muslim and black a terrorist because he pushed for reform of the police. In his letter, Kroll said heroic police officers have been let down by political leaders who failed to authorise the deployment of sufficient numbers of officers on the streets to shut down the protests, and the destruction and looting. What has been very evident throughout this process is you have lacked support from the top Given the right numbers, the right equipment and your ability to use them would have ended this Tuesday night, he wrote. Ive noted in press conferences from our mayor, our governor, and beyond, how they refuse to acknowledge the work of the MPD (Minneapolis police department) and continually shift blame to it. It is despicable behavior. How our command staff can tolerate it and live with themselves I do not know. But Kroll praised the citys police officers. No one with the exception of us is willing to recognize and acknowledge the extreme bravery you have displayed through this riot. You have my utmost respect, he said. [May 31, 2020] Samsung Announces New NAND Flash Facility to Address Future Data Center and Mobile Demands Samsung (News - Alert) Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced plans to expand its NAND flash production capacity in Pyeongtaek, Korea, reinforcing the company's ability to meet demands from emerging technologies. Construction, which began this May, will pave the way for mass production of Samsung's cutting-edge V-NAND memory in the second half of 2021. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200531005009/en/ Samsung Electronics' Pyeongtaek Campus Line 2 (Photo: Business Wire) "The new investment reaffirms our commitment to sustain undisputed leadership in memory technologies, even in uncertain times," said Cheol Choi, executive vice president of Memory Global Sales & Marketing at Samsung Electronics. "We will continue to serve the market with the most optimized solutions available, while contributing to growth of the overall IT industry and the economy in general." In the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (News - Alert) fueled by artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and 5G expansion, the added capacity will play a major role in helping to address mid- to long-term demands for NAND flash memory. As digital lifestyles become more prevalent, Samsung will continue to be proactive in making new investments in order to seize future market opportunities. Samsung's NAND flash production network extends from Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek in Korea to Xi'an, China. Established in 2015, Samsung's Pyeongtaek Campus is a hub for next-generation memory technologies, consisting of two of the world's largest-scale production lines. Leveraging its significant edge in manufacturing and technology, Samsung has held the leadership position in NAND flash memory for the past 18 years, with one recent innovation being the industry-first sixth-generation (1xx-layer) V-NAND introduced last July. Through balanced investment across its global sites, Samsung aims to maintain a robust production network that will further cement its market leadership. Reference: Samsung V-NAND mass production timeline Date V-NAND July 2013 1st-generation (24-layer) 128Gb MLC V-NAND Aug. 2013 1st-generation 128Gb MLC V-NAND 960GB SSD Aug. 2014 2nd-generation (32-layer) 128Gb 3-bit V-NAND Sept. 2014 2nd-generation V-NAND SSD Aug. 2015 3rd-generation (48-layer) 256Gb 3-bit V-NAND Sept. 2015 3rd-generation V-NAND SSD '850 EVO', '950 PRO' Dec. 2016 4th-generation (64-layer) 256Gb 3-bit V-NAND Jan. 2017 4th-generation V-NAND SSD Jan. 2018 4th-generation 512Gb V-NAND 30.72TB SAS (News - Alert) SSD May 2018 5th-generation (9x-layer) 256Gb 3-bit V-NAND June 2018 5th-generation V-NAND SSD June 2019 6th-generation (1xx-layer) 256Gb 3-bit V-NAND July 2019 6th-generation V-NAND SSD About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200531005009/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Rentfish.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team This CoolSocial report was updated on 9 Sep 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the rentfish homepage on Twitter + the total number of rentfish followers (if rentfish has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the rentfish homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the rentfish homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if rentfish has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the rentfish homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the rentfish homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. Basic Information PAGE TITLE Apartment rentals - Houses for rent | Rentfish.com DESCRIPTION Rentfish is the site that lets you search for apartments the way YOU want to search. Our goal is to make looking for a rental easy and as fun as possible. On Rentfish, the search results include a map of exactly where the apartments are in the area you wa KEYWORDS rentfish, rentals, apartment rentals, houses for rent, apartments for rent, apartment finder, property search OTHER KEYWORDS apartment, rentfish, The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. Domain and Server DOCTYPE XHTML 1.0 Transitional CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Microsoft-IIS/7.5 (ASP.NET) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 R2 Operative System running on the server. Character set and language of the site. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Type of server and offered services. The language of rentfish.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for rentfish.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 The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. 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 like website Facebook page. The URL of the found Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND After an extended break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Conroe Jazz Connection returned to practice for the first time on Sunday. One of the first acts of being back was to celebrate the three senior players who received scholarships from Conroe Jazz Connection. A presentation took place on the porch of the Conroe Symphony Centre Sunday with director Bob Price recognizing all three players. The scholarship recipients included Tyrese Bell, Devin McGuyer and Sam Blizzard. Bell is graduating from Conroe High School. Bell is the lead tenor saxophone player with the Conroe Jazz Connection. Hes been with the group for five years. He is the first chair baritone for the Conroe Varsity Wind Ensemble and he placed first at the regional jazz competition this year. Bell will attend Stephen F. Austin university to pursue a degree in music. Blizzard is graduating from Magnolia High School and is the lead keyboard player for the Conroe Jazz Connection and for the Magnolia High School Jazz Band. Hes been first chair trombone for the Magnolia High School Wind Symphony since entering high school. Hes been with the Conroe Jazz Connection for four years. Blizzard also received the Marty Lopez Memorial Scholarship from the Montgomery County Choral Society. Blizzard will pursue Commercial Music at Belmont University. McGuyer is graduating from Conroe High School and is the lead alto saxophone player for Conroe Jazz Connection. McGuyer has played with the Conroe Jazz Connection for six years, since he was in the seventh grade. Hes the first chair alto saxophone for the Conroe Varsity Wind Ensemble. He received a first place all four years of participating in UIL solo and ensemble. He is also graduating eighth in his class. McGuyer will attend Texas A&M University to pursue a degree in Biomedical Sciences. Conroe Jazz Connetion is a community jazz band made up of junior high and high school musicians from across Montgomery County. The group is directed by Bob Price. The group plays at community events across the county. For more information on the Conroe Jazz Connection, visit http://www.jazzconnectionband.com/ shernandez@hcnonline.com Andrew denied that his mother would pay the debt. (Getty Images) Prince Andrew has denied his mother, the Queen, will be paying off the multimillion pound debt owed on the ski chalet he owns with his former wife Sarah Ferguson. Reports over the weekend suggested the Queen was to pay off more than 6m ($7.5m) which the Duke of York owes on a chalet in Verbier, where he and his children, princesses Beatrice and Eugenie spent their winter holidays. However the duke has now quashed those reports, and said he hopes the sale of the lodge will cover the money he and the Duchess of York still owe. A spokesperson for Prince Andrew said: The Queen will not be stepping in to settle the debt owed on the Swiss chalet. The chalet is currently on the market and it is expected that its sale will enable outstanding debts to be met. It comes after reports the duke will never return to public duties, having stepped back in the wake of his disastrous interview about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Read more: Prince Andrew seen in rare Instagram post as Sarah Ferguson praises 'united' family Andrew, 60, and his ex-wife reportedly bought the seven-bedroom holiday home in the ski resort of Verbier for 18.3m in 2014 but allegedly failed to pay off a chunk of the total sum by a deadline of December 2019. The wooden chalet Helora, owned since 2014 by Britain's Prince Andrew, Duke of York and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. (Getty Images) Read more: Prince Andrew 'won't return to public duties' after Jeffrey Epstein friendship scandal Earlier this month, a spokeswoman for the Duke of York said: We can confirm there is a dispute between the two parties in this matter. The contractual details remain the subject of a confidentiality agreement and prevent further discussion. Buckingham Palace has not commented on the matter. The duke stepped back in November after failing to show regret in an interview about his friendship with Epstein, who took his own life in prison. Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein, alleges the royal had sex with her on three separate occasions, including when she was 17. Andrew, who strenuously denies the allegations, has faced calls to talk to the FBI and US prosecutors still investigating Epstein, who say the royal has declined to co-operate with them. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK FORT LAUDERDALE Fort Lauderdale police suspended an officer after video showed he pushed a kneeling black woman to the ground during protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, escalating a clash where bottles were thrown and tear gas was fired. Also in Fort Lauderdale, the state attorneys office fired a prosecutor Monday for calling demonstrators animals at the zoo in a quickly deleted Facebook post. In the officers case, colleagues quickly pushed him away from the woman and down the street Sunday. Police and city officials said it happened as a peaceful demonstration attended by about 1,000 people was dispersing, and smaller groups broke some store windows and sprayed graffiti. Police Chief Rick Maglione did not defend the actions of Officer Steven Pohorence, but said Monday that Pohorence pushed the woman after he and other officers had just rescued one colleague who had become surrounded and another from a patrol car that people began jumping on. Maglione said Pohorences actions will be investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement before an internal investigation is conducted. Maglione said he understands why some believe the shove provoked the crowd to throw bottles, but he said there were people in the crowd with bricks, bottles, fireworks and other weapons who were hoping to start a fight with officers. I dont think (Pohorences) action created what occurred, the chief said. But he said Pohorences actions could have added to what was going on, and he commended Officer Krystle Smith who pushed Pohorence away from the woman. She did what you are supposed to do: When you see either adrenaline or emotion or some kind of interaction going south that is our job to do, is intervene, he said. Police declined to make Smith available for an interview Monday. Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said he felt the Pohorences actions were offensive, and hes happy the department has suspended him. Demonstrator Samantha Sweeting Davis said she didnt see the shove, but heard yelling, then saw about six police cars arrive with sirens on. Then she saw bottles being thrown at officers, heard an explosion, and tear gas burned her eyes and throat. It was upsetting to see that kind of behavior from an officer who is supposed to protect and serve, the 29-year-old high school counselor from Fort Lauderdale said. Suspension is a great first step, but honestly I want to see the officer de-badged. The Fort Lauderdale Fraternal Order of Police, the union that represents the citys officers, declined comment Monday. Meanwhile, the State Attorneys Office in Broward County, fired prosecutor Amy Bloom for writing on Facebook: Act civilized and maybe things will change. Ive never seen such animals except at the zoo. She said her description applied to protesters regardless of race. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Bloom quickly deleted the post, but someone copied it and it eventually reached her bosses. The State Attorneys Office confirmed the firing in a statement, saying her views are entirely inconsistent with its ideals and principles. Bloom said Monday on Facebook that she realized the post could be misinterpreted, deleted it within seconds and that I believe in justice for all and that ALL lives matter. A curfew remains in effect in Broward County. Elsewhere in Florida, mostly peaceful protests were held over the weekend, but some Miami police cars were burned and storefronts damaged. That led Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez to postpone Mondays reopening of the countys beaches after a coronavirus shutdown. Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that 700 national guard troops and 1,300 Florida Highway Patrol troopers are being deployed to help local law enforcement. Florida has zero tolerance for violence, rioting and looting. George Floyds murder was appalling, and the Minnesota perpetrators need to be brought to justice, but this cannot be used as a pretext for violence in our Florida communities, DeSantis said in a statement to media and on Twitter. In Orlando, Police Chief Orlando Rolon said Monday that officers had to fire tear gas Sunday night after some demonstrators started throwing objects found at a highway construction site. He said his officers made 30 arrests Sunday night, including some who broke into stores. At one point during Sundays protests, Rolon and Orange County Sheriff John Mina knelt in solidarity with protesters outside the Orlando Police Department. In Tampa on Monday, six members of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity prayed outside two businesses, Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant and Champs Sports, that were destroyed by arson on Saturday. Pastor James Gallon said the people who were destructive were from elsewhere. Then they leave and drive away on the interstate, he said. ___ Associated Press reporters Adriana Gomez Licon in Miami; Freida Frisaro Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; Tamara Lush in Tampa, Florida; and Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee contributed to this report. Watching the video of George Floyd, in distress, pleading for mercy/help, which he did not receive, saddened and disgusted me," he said. "Condolences to the Floyd family-Npd officers are trained continuously how to de-escalate conflict & render aid to those who need it. I know people are hurting and in pain but we must continue to work together in our community. Novartis AG NVS announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion recommending the approval of breast cancer drug, Piqray (alpelisib). The committee has recommended the approval of the drug in combination with AstraZenecas AZN Faslodex 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. The positive CHMP opinion was based on the results of the phase III SOLAR-1 study, which demonstrated that Piqray plus Faslodex nearly doubled median progression-free survival (PFS) compared to Faslodex alone in these patients. PFS subgroup analyses demonstrated consistent efficacy in favor of Piqray, irrespective of the presence or absence of lung/liver metastases. The European Commission will review the CHMP recommendation and a decision is expected in approximately two months. The drug is already approved in the United States and a tentative approval in Europe should boost sales. The market potential for Piqray is good as PIK3CA is the most commonly mutated gene in HR+/HER2- breast cancer and approximately 40% of patients living with HR+/HER2- breast cancer have this mutation. However, competition is stiff in this space from the likes of Roche RHHBY. The stock has lost 8% in the year so far compared with the industrys decline of 0.5%. Separately, Novartis announced updated results from the COMBI-AD study. The results showed 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 melanoma. Moreover, 52% of patients treated with adjuvant Tafinlar + Mekinist were alive and relapse-free at five years. Data from the five-year follow-up of the COMBI-AD trial were presented at the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program. Story continues Meanwhile, AveXis, a Novartis company, collaborated with Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital, members of Mass General Brigham, for the production of a vaccine for COVID-19. AveXis is contributing its technology, expertise and supply chain to supply the AAV vaccine for COVID clinical studies scheduled to begin in the second half of 2020. AveXis will lead the manufacturing efforts of the new vaccine, utilizing its AAV technology for the treatment of rare and life-threatening neurological genetic diseases. Given the widespread pandemic, quite a few pharma bigwigs have jumped into this race of coming up with a possible treatment or vaccine for COVID-19. Merck MRK recently announced a deal to acquire Austrian private biotech, Themis, which has a COVID-19 vaccine candidate in preclinical development. Merck has also entered into a collaboration agreement with biotech company, Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, to develop EIDD-2801, an orally available antiviral candidate currently in early clinical development for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. The company has also signed a collaboration agreement with a non-profit research organization, IAVI, to co-develop a vaccine to prevent COVID-19. Novartis currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Zacks Single Best Pick to Double From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each picked their favorite to gain +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Zacks Director of Research, Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all. This young companys gigantic growth was hidden by low-volume trading, then cut short by the coronavirus. But its digital products stand out in a region where the internet economy has tripled since 2015 and looks to triple again by 2025. Its stock price is already starting to resume its upward arc. The skys the limit! And the earlier you get in, the greater your potential gain. Click Here, See It Free >> 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 AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Roche Holding AG (RHHBY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Merck Co., Inc. (MRK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Novartis AG (NVS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research FILE PHOTO: Closed entrance of a Primark store on Oxford Street due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in London By James Davey LONDON (Reuters) - Fashion retailer Primark plans to reopen all 153 of its stores in England on June 15 as coronavirus restrictions are eased, encouraged by European stores that have already resumed trading. The faster than expected reopening sent shares in Primark's owner, Associated British Foods, up as much as 8% in early Monday trading. All Primark stores were closed over 12-days from March 11 as the virus spread, costing it 650 million pounds ($806 million) a month in sales. With governments now easing restrictions, Primark is trading from 112 stores across Europe and the United States, or 34% of total selling space. By June 15, it plans to have 281 stores open, or 79% of selling space, including all stores in England. It hopes to have all of its 378 shops open by late June, including those in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. "Trading in our re-opened stores (including in Germany and Spain) has been both reassuring and encouraging, with customer queues outside most stores," AB Foods said. But it cautioned cumulative sales since reopening, on a like-for-like basis, were down on the same period last year. It believes social distancing measures will likely only affect sales to some extent in its busiest stores, representing 10-20% of pre-COVID-19 total Primark sales. AB Foods finance chief John Bason told Reuters Primark had also placed hundreds of millions of pounds of orders with suppliers for autumn/winter stock, adding to existing stock worth 1.9 billion pounds. Bason said Primark had no plans for a fire sale of excess stock as it would store much of it for next year, and would not re-think its lack of an online business. AB Foods said it was too early to resume overall earnings guidance for its 2019-20 fiscal year, but said grocery operating profit would be ahead of previous expectations and it now expected a lower profit from AB Sugar. ($1 = 0.8061 pounds) (Reporting by James Davey; editing by Gareth Jones and Mark Potter) Redmi 10X rakes in the cash in just 5 minutes during its first major sale Five minutes is all it took for Xiaomis Redmi 10X to reach CNY 100 million ($14 million) in sales in its first outing. The Redmi 10X 5G probably accounted for the bulk of the sales as today is its first day of availability (while the Redmi 10X 4G has been available since last week). If youre thinking that 5G ran out of stock, youd be half right Mi.com is showing that its all out of the cheapest version, 6/64GB, but the 6/128GB and 8/128GB options are still available. Suning still has 6/64GB units, though, so you can still get the CNY 1,600 version (JD is completely sold out). Redmi 10X celebrates CNY 100 million in sales (achieved in just 5 minutes) Going by these numbers, Xiaomi sold around 50,000 Redmi 10X units, give or take a few thousand depending on which memory configurations proved the most popular. Expect to see a similar rush five days from now when the Redmi 10X Pro 5G becomes available (on June 6). It will start at CNY 2,230, but that premium will pay for an 8MP 3x telephoto camera, a dedicated 5MP macro cam, a better selfie cam and faster charging (33W vs. 22.5W). Source (in Chinese) | Via More than 4,000 people have been arrested across the US in connection with wild protests over George Floyds murder. At least 40 cities have also reportedly imposed curfews. Additionally, as protests spread across the US, the US National Guard has accordingly been activated across 15 States as well as Washington DC. George Floyd was an unarmed Blackman killed by a white police officer named Derek Michael Chauvin. Chauvin was seen in a video that has since gone viral, kneeling on George Floyds neck for 8 minutes 46 seconds, leading to his death. Derek Michael Chauvin was later charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. However, protesters believe the charge isnt harsh enough, and are demanding charges for the other officers involved. Arrests began on Tuesday, May 26. Floyd died on Monday, May 25, 2020. Solidarity March Thousands of people around the world have marched in solidarity with George Floyd protesters. People in Denmark, UK, Germany, and other places, held placards over the weekend as they joined a spontaneous Black Lives Matter march at Trafalgar Square in London to protest the death of George Floyd on May 31. On Sunday morning, protesters gathered at Trafalgar Square in London, to show their support. A total of 23 protesters were reportedly arrested for a series of offenses including breaches to coronavirus legislation. Also, thousands gathered across several states in New Zealand, for Black Lives Matter demonstrations and vigils for Floyd. The cities included Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Protesters also gathered in Berlin, Germany, in front of the US Embassy on Saturday and Sunday, holding signs that bear slogans of the Black Lives Matter movement like I cant breathe and No justice, no peace. Protests are also being planned this coming week in Australia. One is scheduled in Sydney on Tuesday, one for Brisbane on Saturday, for Melbourne on Saturday, and more. Thousands have marked themselves as attending in each of the protests Facebook event pages. Shots Fired Meanwhile, shots have reportedly been fired at a police building in Oakland, California after midnight local time in Oakland. At 12:09 AM, shots were fired at the Oakland Police Administration Building located at 455-7th Street. No injuries reported. Officers have detained 3 individuals in connection with this shooting in the 1900 block of San Pablo Avenue. pic.twitter.com/wQ5b7tzzND Oakland Police Dept. (@oaklandpoliceca) June 1, 2020 Source: Oakland Police Department 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 Hospitals, especially those that specialize in cancer treatment, are taking additional measures to ensure the safety of patients and reduce exposure to the coronavirus With a deeper understanding of the disease and new drugs available today, breast cancer is no longer a fatal diagnosis. Early detection of breast cancer makes all the difference to a patients survival. If breast cancer is detected at an early stage, the chances of effective treatment and cure are very high. In India, 1 in 2 breast cancer patients die, mostly because they are detected in late stages when it is often too late. Women need to be proactive about their health and seek medical help as soon as possible. If a patient is diagnosed with early-stage disease, they have the chance to opt for breast conservation surgery rather than mastectomy. Many studies have demonstrated that breast conservation is associated with better body image scores and psychosocial outcomes in women when compared with mastectomy. Women also have the option of avoiding chemotherapy if detected with early-stage breast cancer. A study by Verma et al. published in Breast Cancer Research has reported shown that chemotherapy given to treat breast cancer can weaken the immune system of a woman for up to nine months after completion of treatment. It is already known that the case fatality rate increases if cancer patients contract COVID-19. This is because of the immunosuppression caused by the underlying malignancy, cancer treatments and also co-morbidities. De-escalated and shortened duration treatment modalities during this time can make a huge difference. Therefore, early detection is even more important during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Women need to prioritize their health, continue to perform self breast exams and not ignore any symptoms of breast cancer. Fear of visiting a hospital due to coronavirus should not delay getting medical advice, especially when it comes to cancer. Women can make use of teleconsultation facilities offered by most hospitals today, to discuss their concerns with their doctor and get the appropriate tests and scans done if required. Cancer care experts advocate for triaging and prioritizing of patients based on the severity of the disease, underlying health of the patient and also the transmission rate of COVID-19 in the region. For early-stage breast cancer patients, certain de-escalation measures have been suggested in the treatment guidelines issued by bodies like ESMO, ASCO, ASTRO and NCCN: Based on assessment of patients individual risks and co-morbidities, patients can potentially receive neoadjuvant therapies during the pandemic. For example, for patients with early stage hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, neoadjuvant endocrine therapy can be prescribed to defer surgery until after the COVID-19 outbreak. Early stage hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients who are low-risk as per a prognostic test, can be prescribed endocrine therapy alone. There is a prognostic test called CanAssist Breast offered by an Indian company called OncoStem Diagnostics that is affordable and has a quick turnaround time. For patients where chemotherapy is required, chemotherapy schedules may be shortened or modified to reduce accesses to hospital. Patients should receive G-CSF growth factor and, eventually, antibiotics support to minimise effects of immunosuppression. Oral chemotherapy agents should be prioritized, whenever possible, and managed via telemedicine, for the predictable and manageable toxicities. If hypofractionated radiation therapy schedules are considered reasonable, they should be considered. Especially for early stage breast cancer, given the results of clinical trials like FAST- FORWARD, hypofractionated schedules of 1 week can now be considered versus the traditional 3 weeks. Hospitals, especially those that specialize in cancer treatment, are taking additional measures to ensure the safety of patients and reduce exposure to the coronavirus. Patient safety is prioritized by the entire staff at our facility through regular sanitization of surfaces and equipment, restricted entry into the hospital and use of appropriate PPE. Women who have any symptoms of breast cancer including a lump, nipple discharge or rash should not delay seeking medical advice. Early detection can lead to less aggressive treatment and quicker return to good health. Dr Shona Nag, Consultant Medical Oncologist and Director of Oncology, Sahyadri Group of Hospitals, Pune More than 15 people were arrested during protests in Charlotte on Sunday night, the city's police department said. Police said four demonstrators were arrested for assaulting officers, including one for hitting an officer with a rock. Three others were arrested on illegal weapon charges, police said. Shortly after local officials praised what had been a peaceful protest in Kansas City, Missouri, police fired tear gas into the crowd after some demonstrators began lobbing water bottles, law enforcement officials said. READ: DC Businesses Count Cost After Violent Protests A large crowd had gathered at County Club plaza and police had allowed it to slowly dissipate after the city's 8 p.m. curfew took effect. But police used stronger tactics against the smaller crowd that remained when rocks and water bottles started flying and two television station news vehicles were smashed and set on fire. Police declared the scene an unlawful assembly and said the area was clear of activity by midnight. Washington Governor. Jay Inslee late Sunday ordered a statewide activation of the National Guard following vandalism and stealing in stores and shopping malls in multiple cities. Inslee had previously authorized 400 troops for Seattle and 200 for Bellevue. On Saturday night people smashed downtown Seattle storefronts and stole items from many businesses, tossing mannequins into the street. On Sunday there were break-ins and thefts in stores and shopping malls in Bellevue, Spokane, Tukwila and Renton. Inslee''s activation means more troops will be used to help control unrest. We must not let these illegal and dangerous actions detract from the anger so many feel at the deep injustice laid so ugly and bare by the death of George Floyd, Inslee said in a statement. "But we also will not turn away from our responsibility to protect the residents of our state. READ: Thousands Converge In Chicago For Minneapolis Death Protest 29/05/2020 - The second virtual conference on the availability of information on the beneficial owners of legal entities and arrangements and bank accounts was organised by the Global Forum secretariat jointly with the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF). This conference was organised for English speaking countries in Africa following the success of the first virtual conference for French speaking countries in Africa held on 8 and 14 April 2020. The conference, held on 27, 28 and 29 May 2020 brought together 200 delegates from 17 countries (Botswana, Cabo Verde, Cameroun, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Kingdom of Eswatini, Lesotho, Liberia, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania). The virtual conference built upon the Beneficial Ownership Implementation Toolkit that was published jointly by the Global Forum and the Inter-American Development Bank in March 2019. The virtual event aimed at offering practical sessions to discuss the different options for implementing an effective beneficial ownership transparency regime, from a legal and organisational point of view, taking into consideration diverse realities and contexts. More specifically, the virtual conference: Facilitated discussions on the definition of beneficial ownership and explained the transparency requirements of the international standards, especially the Global Forums standards; Facilitated discussions on the various possible legislative and regulatory approaches to ensure the availability of information on beneficial owners; Facilitated discussions on the interaction between AML/CFT legislation, tax legislation, company law and other national legislation on the availability of information on beneficial owners; Shared the experience of jurisdictions whose beneficial ownership systems have been found effective by the Global Forums peer reviews; and Enabled participating countries to discuss the next steps in the implementation of the transparency of beneficial owners in their respective countries. During the COVID-19 health crisis, the Global Forum Secretariat continues to work to strengthen the capacity of its members. New virtual workshops will be organized in the coming weeks on different themes related to exchange of information. The Global Forum is the leading multilateral body mandated to ensure that jurisdictions around the world adhere to and effectively implement both the standard of transparency and exchange of information on request and the standard of automatic exchange of information. These objectives are achieved through a robust monitoring and peer review process. The Global Forum also runs an extensive technical assistance programme to support its members in implementing the standards and help tax authorities make the best use of cross-border information sharing channels. For more information, please contact gftaxcooperation@oed.org. Credit: CC0 Public Domain The halo that surrounds our own Milky Way galaxy is much hotter than scientists once believedand it may not be unique among galaxies. The new findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society, held online this week because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In previous work, researchers at The Ohio State University found that parts of the Milky Way's halothe hazy fog of dust, gas and dark matter that surrounds some galaxieswas at least 10 times hotter than anyone had known before. This new research found that the extreme temperatures the researchers found in the original analysisup to 10 million degrees Kelvin, or about 18 million degrees Fahrenheitcould possibly be found in the entire halo, said Smita Mathur, professor of astronomy at Ohio State. "We can't say for sure that it is everywhere, because we have not analyzed the entire halo," Mathur said. "But we know now that the temperatures we saw in the first study definitely are not unique, and that is very exciting." Mathur, senior researcher on the trio of studies presented, said the findings could help astronomers understand more about how the Milky Way and galaxies like it form and grow. "We are trying to learn about the elements that form these halos, and about the temperatures there," she said. "Knowing those things can help us understand more about how galaxies connect with the rest of the universe, and how they formed and where elements might have come from." Learning more about the halo, which is the final link between a galaxy and the wider universe around it, could help researchers understand the ways a galaxy grows and changes over time. The data they analyzed came from an X-ray observatory telescope run by the European Space Agency. That telescope, called XMM-Newton, collects data in X-rays that would have otherwise been blocked by Earth's atmosphere. The telescope collected that data from within the Milky Way, focused in one direction. "It showed us that the halo was much hotter than we had known, but it didn't show us whether that was the case throughout the galaxy, or if the telescope had picked up an aberration caused by an unknown force coming from the direction where the telescope was pointed," Mathur said. Anjali Gupta, a visiting astronomy researcher at Ohio State, analyzed data from the Japanese X-ray satellite telescope Suzaku, which collected spectrum from the Milky Way's halo in four different directions. That analysis confirmed their earlier finding, that the halo is much hotter than had previously been known, and also showed that the other parts of the halo likely are that hot. The researchers also wondered if the temperatures they found in the Milky Way's halo might be found in other galaxies. Mathur and Sanskriti Das, a graduate student at Ohio State who co-authored the previous study about Milky Way's halo, analyzed data from a galaxy about 200 million light years away from us. That galaxy, NGC 3221, is similar to the Milky Way in shape and size. The analysis found that the halo that surrounds that galaxy is about as hot as the halo surrounding the Milky Way. Mathur, Das and Gupta all presented about the findings in separate presentations at AAS. Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack got full support Monday on a plan to provide residents with a $500 stimulus check as the Montgomery County Commissioners Court directed the Countys Attorneys Office to create a resolution to implement the plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Noack, who first proposed the plan in April, announced last week he would take the idea to fellow commissioners to use $65 million of the countys $105 million from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020, or CARES Act, provided by the federal government, to get tax relief for residents. County Attorney B.D. Griffin said his office would prepare the resolution, which is subject to guidance from the United States Treasury, for approval at the commissioners next meeting June 9. The plan, if approved, would send each homesteaded property owner throughout the county a $500 stimulus check. There are currently 130,721 homesteaded properties in Montgomery County as of April 1, according to Noack's office. To qualify for the stimulus, residents must apply by application, be a U.S. citizen, own a homesteaded property in Montgomery County, apply between July 1 and Aug. 15 and be current on property taxes. County Judge Keough lauded Noacks proposal during the courts special meeting Monday. Commissioner Noack, outstanding job, Keough said. Additionally, the court agreed to provide an additional $10 million to its Community Development Department to help residents with rent. Those funds, divided up between each precinct, will not have income requirements. Residents must show COVID-19 related hardships between April and May and be facing eviction. Residents needing assistance will apply and funds will be available on a first-come first-serve basis. County officials have not yet determined which nonprofit will handle the distribution of the funds. The action by the court comes on the heels of their approval to make $2.4 million in federal funds available to residents facing eviction. Director of Community Development Joanne Ducharme said the funds are specifically to assist residents who were unemployed or on furlough because of the crisis. According to the guidelines for the funds, 70 percent of the funds must go to people at or below 80 percent of the area median income. For individuals that would be a person earning $44,150 or less and for a family of four it would be earning $63,050 or less. This is going to hit an awful lot of people in the county, including teachers and others you might not expect, she said. Additionally, funds will go to the homelessness prevention portion of the program to help with rent and utilities for residents at or below 50 percent of area median income. For an individual that would be for those earning $27,600 or less and a family of four earning $39,400 or less Those are people really struggling, salon workers and many servers in restaurants, she said. Ducharme said in anticipation of the funding, her office surveyed 150 local nonprofits on what and where the greatest needs were in the county. The most need, she added, was in Precinct 4, followed by Precinct 2, Precinct 1 and Precinct 3, outside The Woodlands. Topping the list of greatest needs for residents in those areas was rent and utilities. As part of the program Ducharme explained, residents can receive financial help to cover rent for two months, utilities for two months and assistants with prescription medications. Each household is capped at $2,500, she noted. The funds will be administered by several nonprofits in each precinct. Those include Crisis Assistance Center, $422,988; Mission Northeast, $422,988; Society of Samaritans, $265,000; Interfaith of The Woodlands, $265,000; and Society of St. Vincent de Paul, $265,000. Crisis Assistance Center, Ducharme said, will receive an additional $775,483 as part of the homelessness prevention portion of the funding. cdominguez@hcnonline.com U.S. President Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington from Cape Canaveral, Florida By Steve Holland ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would postpone a Group of Seven summit he had hoped to hold next month until September or later and expand the list of invitees to include Australia, Russia, South Korea and India. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One during his return to Washington from Cape Canaveral in Florida, Trump said the G7, which groups the world's most advanced economies, was a "very outdated group of countries" in its current format. "I'm postponing it because I don't feel that as a G7 it properly represents what's going on in the world," Trump said. Most European countries offered no immediate comment on the proposal, with a spokesman for the German government saying Berlin was "waiting for further information". It was unclear whether Trump's desire to invite the additional countries was a bid to permanently expand the G7. On several previous occasions, he suggested Russia be added, given what he called Moscow's global strategic importance. Russia was expelled from what was then the G8 in 2014 when Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, was U.S. president, after Moscow annexed the Crimea region from Ukraine. Russia still holds the territory, and various G7 governments have rebuffed previous calls from Trump to readmit Moscow. White House spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said Trump wants the countries to discuss China at the summit. Trump has criticised Beijing over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which began in China, and on Friday he ordered his administration to begin the process of ending special U.S. treatment for Hong Kong in retaliation for China's decision to impose a new security law on the former British colony. The decision to postpone the G7 summit is a retreat for Trump, who had sought to host the group of major industrialized countries in Washington as a demonstration that the United States was returning to normal after the coronavirus epidemic, which has killed more than 103,000 Americans to date. Trump had canceled an in-person G7 meeting scheduled for March as the virus spread, but had recently sought to revive it. Story continues French President Emmanuel Macron backed the idea of an in-person meeting, according to the White House. But Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declined to endorse it, saying there were too many health-related questions. This week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she could not attend. South Korea is aware of Trump's invitation and will discuss the matter with the United States, a government official in Seoul told Reuters on Sunday. The G7 groups the United States, Britain, France, Japan, Germany, Italy and Canada, and the European Union also attends. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Additional reporting by Hyonhee Shin in Seoul; Writing by Andy Sullivan and Mike Stone; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Paul Simao, William Mallard and Mark Heinrich) The mining giant Rio Tinto has apologised after blowing up one of Australias oldest known Aboriginal sites, in what has been described as an incomprehensible mistake. The Juukan Gorge caves, in the north of Western Australia, are a sacred Aboriginal heritage site with evidence of human occupation stretching back 46,000 years. The two cave systems were the only inland site in Australia to show evidence of continual human occupation through the last Ice Age and numerous ancient artefacts have been recovered there. But the Juukan Gorge caves were also on the site of Rio Tintos Brockman 4 iron ore mine. Despite a seven-year battle to protect the site by the local custodians of the land, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura People (PKKP), the demolition went ahead on 24 May. The PKKP said last week they had applied to visit the site and negotiate to stop the blast or limit the damage but were told explosives had already been laid and it was impossible to remove them, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. The mining giant was first granted approval for work at the Brockman 4 iron ore project in 2013, but archaeological excavation in 2014 recovered around 7,000 ancient artefacts including grinding stones, a bone sharpened into a tool and a 4,000-year-old braided hair belt, analysis of which revealed a direct genetic link between the PKKP today, and the prehistoric cave-dwelling population. The demolition went ahead with all the necessary approvals in place, despite the archaeological finds indicating the site was even more significant than previously thought. The loss of the caves has sparked international outcry and a pledge by Australias federal government to review the relevant laws. Rio Tintos iron ore chief executive Chris Salisbury apologised for the distress the company has caused. In a statement he said: We pay our respects to the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura People (PKKP), and we are sorry for the distress we have caused. Our relationship with the PKKP matters a lot to Rio Tinto, having worked together for many years. We have operated on PKKP country under a comprehensive and mutually agreed participation agreement since 2011. At Juukan, in partnership with the PKKP, we followed a heritage approval process for more than 10 years. In 2014 we performed a large-scale exercise in the Juukan area to preserve significant cultural heritage artefacts, recovering approximately 7,000 objects. Photos released by the PKKP Aboriginal Corporation show Juukan Gorge in Western Australia on June 2, 2013 (top) and how it was on May 15, 2020, after mining activity but before the blasts which destroyed the ancient caves (PKKP Aboriginal Corporation/AFP) He added: We will continue to work with the PKKP to learn from what has taken place and strengthen our partnership. As a matter of urgency, we are reviewing the plans of all other sites in the Juukan Gorge area. Losing the site was a devastating blow to the traditional owners, tribe representative John Ashburton told Reuters. There are less than a handful of known Aboriginal sites in Australia that are as old as this one ... its importance cannot be underestimated, he said. Our people are deeply troubled and saddened by the destruction of these rock shelters and are grieving the loss of connection to our ancestors as well as our land. In Australia heritage sites fall under the control of states and territories, and Western Australian law allows government approval to be given to destroy culturally significant sites, but does not allow consent to be revoked. Rio Tinto obtained permission to expand their existing iron ore works in 2013 - before the significance of the caves was known and the extensive cache of artefacts was discovered. Peter Stone, who currently holds the Unesco chair on the protection of cultural property, said the destruction of the ancient caves was a tragedy. Speaking on Australian radio, he compared it to the destruction of ancient sites including Palmyra by Isis and the Bamiyan Buddha statues by the Taliban. The federal minister for indigenous affairs, Ken Wyatt, the first Aboriginal person to be appointed to the role, said it was incomprehensible the blasting had gone ahead but said it appeared to be a genuine mistake. I believe that Rio Tinto are very genuine in the partnership they have with Aboriginal communities (and) organisations, he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Beirut, May 31, 2020 (AFP) - An air strike in eastern Syria on Sunday killed five non-Syrian fighters backed by Iran, a Britain-based war monitor said. The strike targeted three military vehicles belonging to Iran-backed paramilitary fighters near the Iraqi border, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The monitor did not say who was behind the attack near the border town of Albu Kamal. But Observatory head Rami Abdul Rahman said that "Israel was likely responsible." Israel has launched hundreds of strikes in Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011, targeting government troops, allied Iranian forces and fighters from the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah. It rarely confirms details of its operations in Syria, but says Iran's presence in support of President Bashar al-Assad is a threat and has vowed to continue its strikes. Iranian-backed militias and their allies command a significant presence in eastern Syria south of the Euphrates Valley. Earlier this month, air strikes on a base controlled by Iran-backed forces near Albu Kamal killed seven fighters, according to the Observatory. The monitor said that military reinforcements for Iranian militias and their allies had arrived in the area days before. Israel did not immediately comment on the attack. When parenting YouTuber Myka Stuaffer finally answered a question from fans about why her adopted son Huxley Stauffer was no longer appearing in her videos, many people were shocked to learn he is living with a new family. In an emotional video posted last week, Stauffer and her husband, James Stauffer, explained that Huxley, who has autism and a sensory processing disorder, is now living with a "new mommy" in a "forever home." The Stauffer family news was reported by many media outlets as "rehoming," the same term used for when a rescue animal is placed in a new home. "As an adoptee, the term 'rehoming' is offensive, because its traditionally used with rescue and shelter animals as if they weren't the initial right fit. In adoptions of children, the term can be associated with placing children in new homes and, if not researched, that can (and has) put children in danger," said Lisa Cleary, author of "How to Survive a Breakup: When All of Your Friends are Birthing Their Second Child." John DeGarmo, director of The Foster Care Institute and a foster care expert, said his initial reaction was, "Oh my goodness. Not again." "I have experienced this in my own home. I had a child come to my home who was adopted by three different families," he told TODAY Parents. myka stauffer youtube huxley stauffer family (Myka Stauffer / YouTube) When DeGarmo's daughter joined his family, he said "she had tremendous issues with trust and attachment." "There is going to be tremendous consequences for all involved. For the parents, Huxley, their other four children. There are feelings of grief, trauma and anxiety," he said. Cleary, who was adopted from Korea by an American couple when she was two months old, said the story makes her uneasy. "Its one more setback for the innocent child and one more failure in a long line of failures to protect the child and accomplish his best interests." "I personally do not know the Stauffers, but what makes me uncomfortable is to wonder: would parents be just as likely to place for adoption their biological children who have special needs? Id lean towards no," she told TODAY Parents. "That then adds a stigma to adopted children, such as to myself, that were 'different than' and perhaps 'less permanent than' biological children." Story continues Chuck Johnson, president and CEO of the National Council For Adoption, said cases of "adoption dissolution," the official term for when an adoptive family gives up their child, are uncommon. "Its one more setback for the innocent child and one more failure in a long line of failures to protect the child and accomplish his best interests. And, yes, its hard for those of us who champion adoption as a viable option for children for the inaccurate message it sends about children, about adoptive families, and about adoption," he told TODAY Parents. Dr. John DeGarmo and his family. (Dr. John DeGarmo) Adopted parents go through the same process of giving up their rights as a biological parent would when giving their child up for adoption, experts said. Families can place the child back in the foster care system or in some cases, they may have found a new family to assume legal responsibility for the child. Related: Danimals, Playtex Baby and others have severed ties after learning Stauffer and her husband gave up custody of their adopted son. It's unclear how the Stauffers found a new home for Huxley, however in their video announcement, she said Huxley is in a new home with a mother who is better equipped to handle his medical needs. "The last couple months have been like the hardest thing I could have ever imagined to going to choosing to do ... after pouring our guts and our heart into this little boy," Stauffer said in the video. "He is thriving, he is happy, he is doing really well, and his new mommy has medical professional training, and it is a very good fit." To the couple considering foster care or adoption: May you be given the courage to say yes (Carly Durham) Experts add that prospective adoptive parents, especially those who are considering adopting a child with special needs, need to reflect and make sure they have the support system in place they will need. They need to ask: Is this a good fit for the family? And is the family a good fit for the child? It works both ways," DeGarmo said. Does the family have the resources and support they need to care for a child with special needs? Do they know there will be a time when there will be challenges? When a child is adopted, they often have questions of loyalty as well and feelings of loss and grief. Is the adoptive family prepared for that?" While stories like this are difficult to hear, the Stauffer's experience is rare, but not the first. Johnson said it is important people remember that "the Stauffer story is not the face of adoption." "The vast majority of them are loved unconditionally and thriving in their families and very few of them or their families are recognized in a public way." "Speaking as an adoptive father, I know most parents who have adopted children love them completely and would never consider giving up on them yet this will be the takeaway by some if this is all they know about adoption," he said. "There are over 2 million children currently in the U.S. who came to their families through domestic, intercountry and familial adoption. The vast majority of them are loved unconditionally and thriving in their families and very few of them or their families are recognized in a public way. Most Americans probably know someone who was adopted but only know them to be doing well and living productive lives." RELATED: Brands who sponsored Myka Stauffer speak out amid adoption controversy YouTube 'influencers' face backlash after giving up custody of adopted son In St. Louis, four officers were struck by gunfire in a prolonged shootout between gunmen at a protest and the police. The officers were taken to the hospital, and their injuries were believed to be non-life threatening, Chief John Hayden of the St. Louis Police Department said at a news conference. Chief Hayden said that after a peaceful protest of a few thousand people, a smaller group had broken off, intent on causing mayhem. Some in the crowd were armed and flourishing pistols, the chief said. Two officers were shot in the leg, one in the foot and one in the arm, he said. Elsewhere, police officers were intentionally struck by vehicles. A New York officer was run over by a black sedan at 12:45 a.m. on Tuesday in the Bronx, according to a police spokesman. The officer was in stable condition on Tuesday morning, the police said. That episode followed an attack on Monday in Buffalo, N.Y., when an S.U.V. mowed down two officers who were policing a protest. Video appeared to show at least one of the officers going under the vehicles wheels. The S.U.V. drove around an armored police vehicle and sped off as shots were fired. The authorities said that the officers condition was stable and that those in the car had been taken into custody. Police officers The Times has reporters on the ground. Heres what they are seeing. Zolan Kanno-Youngs in Washington Its been the last straw, said Janasia Crumpler, 20, at a rally in Washington. Its a pandemic. Im in good health. I came out for those who cant and people who been marching for 50 years. Ms. Crumpler said that like many people her age she first took to social media to give voice to her outrage. But she was compelled to take to the streets by the contrast in the governments response to armed white demonstrators storming state capitals to protest coronavirus restrictions. Polly Pulley makes sure that everyone who walks in the door is served a hot, nutritious meal with an extra helping of good cheer. I dont care what kind of a day they have had before they get here, I want to make sure they have a life-changing experience before they walk out of that door, said the 62-year-old Pulley, who is the director of the Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen in Jacksonville. It makes me feel wonderful. We dont see a stranger come through that door. I treat them the way I want to be treated. Pulley has headed the Soup Kitchen since 2012. The Chicago native followed a friend to Jacksonville in 1992 after she told Pulley that the community was a nice place to raise children. Pulley worked in a group home, a day care center and a nursing home before the former soup kitchen director approached and said, I know a good job for you. Pulley gave it a try and fell in love with it. Im a people person, I love seeing people being treated right and their needs being met, Pulley said. Every time we meet somebody we get an opportunity to impact that persons life. Thats the fulfillment. Pulley recruits and supervises the volunteers from all walks of life who work at the soup kitchen, including college students who are such a blessing. Her own job description is simple and all-encompassing: My main job is to purchase the food, cook the food, help serve the food, then do the cleanup afterwards, Pulley said. During a typical non-pandemic week the kitchen is open Monday through Thursday, with people arriving about 3:30 p.m. and the meal served around 3:45 p.m. A childrens reading program starts at 2:30 followed by play time in the gymnasium before they sit down to eat with everyone else. At the beginning of each month the soup kitchen may average 30 meals per day, Pulley said, but that number can climb to 60 or more by the end of the month when Illinois Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits run out. We feed anyone who comes in and wants a meal, theres no criteria, all you have to do is just make it through the door, Pulley said. And if you cant make it in, well come to you. The daily meal turnout can also fluctuate depending on the menu. Pulley has noticed that some things are particularly popular with her regular diners. Everybody loves my goulash. Whenever I make it I have to fix two giant pans because there is never enough, Pulley said. And we make some dynamite garlic bread. One of our workers would go home and try to make the garlic bread but it would never taste like the soup kitchens. And I asked her if she used hot dog buns, and she said, oh, thats the secret! Soup kitchen visitors are also fond of Pulleys fried chicken. I use a batter sometimes for country fried chicken, and I also do just plain fried chicken, Pulley said. One young lady who lives in the Vas Housing will throw open her door when I pull up and say Miss Pulley, its fried chicken day! When people smell the fried chicken cooking, we usually get a lot of people that day. The soup kitchen receives Prairieland United Way funding and accepts public donations of money and food. The contributions help defray the facilitys utility costs, which are substantial for the large building that houses eight classrooms, a gym, two full restrooms, dining room and kitchen. The soup kitchen is a place to eat, visit, play, learn, seek refuge and in some cases turn your life around. Weve had people contemplating suicide who come through that door, but we hope something inspiring is said or done while they are here so they dont do that, Pulley said. One young man worked for three months with us and he was in tears. He said I had no idea that knowing somebody for such a short amount of time could have such a great impact on your life. Thats the way I feel like every experience should be. I had one young man who came through probation. Sometimes we look at the mistakes they make and we want to judge them, and we forget that we have all been young once, Pulley said. I saw his mother recently and she told me he had changed his life around and gotten married and owned a business in Springfield. When you hear things like that, just to hear how youve made a positive difference in somebodys life, it is such a blessing. Pulley, who is also a pastor, admits that she doesnt need to look for something to do during her free time because its usually spent at the soup kitchen. Her son and four grandchildren always know where they can find her. I think everybody should find their passion in life, because when you find your passion its not like working, you give it your all, Pulley said. I can come here to do one thing and spend four or five hours here and it seems like just minutes have passed, because its my passion. Before she took the soup kitchen job, Pulley contemplated writing a book that she wanted to title Stop and Smell the Roses. Shed still like to write the book, which would follow her transformation from a youth with a busy, joyless life to the ever-smiling and often-laughing woman she is now. We get so stressed and upset about little things, but if you look at them they are just little things, Pulley said. If we take time out to know people we get a chance to experience their uniqueness, to look for the good, the blessing and the gift in them. . If you have a suggestion about someone who should be profiled, send their name and any contact information available to communitynews@myjournalcourier.com. The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Obong Godswill Akpabio, appears to be trapped in the winds of corruption over the investigation of N40 billion scandal and other petitions against the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDD), by the National Assembly as alleged plot to secretly burn the NDDC office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, leaks. A group om NDDC surveillance had raised alarm on Sunday that a move allegedly nearing execution to set ablaze the office of the Executive Director of Finance and Administration of the NDDC in order to destroy some original documents relating to the NDDC probe in the National Assembly has been uncovered. The statement of the surveillance group recalled that Senator Akpabio had earlier announced that the NDDC EDFA, Chief Ibanga Etang, had died of COVID-19 and quickly instructed the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC to shut down the headquarters immediately. The minister is suspected to have purportedly feigned the sudden death of the Executive Director of Finance and Administration under coronavirus to preempt and forestall inquiry into the sudden death of the Director of a sensitive Department in the NDDC at a time investigation is ongoing in the National Assembly, in addition to petitions on more alleged corruption are sent to the federal lawmakers. While it came as a rude shock to many that the Senator has suddenly assumed the role of the NCDC by pronouncing that the late EDFA died of Coronavirus when no Covid-19 symptoms or test was reported before his death; result from NCDC of the deceased, however, came out surprisingly negative upon procession of samples, the statement read. The group further stated: It further became a shocker when the IMC-led management announced a shutdown of its headquarter through a memo signed by Silas Anyawu. This, however, did not go well in some quarters that believed it is Akpabios plot to evade the NDDC probe and destroy some implicating files. Why didnt the Presidency shut down the Villa when the former Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, tested positive to the virus and died later. The statement alleged that investigation revealed that the fire which will be set by some youths who have already received payment, will be blamed on the commission staff failure to turn off electrical appliances. It was noted that it didnt come as a surprise when the instruction to turn off appliances was captured in the IMC memo to create a diversion. The memo was said to have emphasized that Members of staff are to ensure that all electrical appliances in their offices are switched off before leaving the premises. It was indicated that Akpabio has equally been accused of knowing what actually killed his kinsman who is suspected to have been sacrificed to conceal the truth behind the IMC financial misappropriation and to frustrate the effort of the House committee. Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State was said to have lend his voice to the death of Chief Ibanga Etang. He 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), the statement further read in part. There will be a time well start asking questions. I am just waiting, Governor Emmanuel had 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, the Akwa Ibom Governor was cited to have said. It was, however, noted that Governor Emmanuel did not mention the late NDDC director by name in his remarks, but it was apparent he was referring to Etang. Governor Emmanuel had noted: 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. The governor later talked about the passing of Etang. The statement further indicated that Governor Emmanuel said the Akwa Ibom State 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 Etang died of COVID-19. The Akwa Ibom Governor had said: 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. It was noted that breaking news coming in now has it that the Covid-19 test result of the late Chief Ibanga Etang is out and behold its negative. It was said that an investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, took to his twitter handle to tweet: Ladies and gentlemen, the result of the COVId-19 test on Ibanga Bassey Etang, the Acting ED Finance of the NDDC who died yesterday morning, is out. Its negative! It was then demanded: Can the NDDC now please reopen its headquarters for business, including the ongoing probe? The surveillance group promised: We will keep you abreast as more revelation unfolds. Protesters took to the streets of Oakland for a third night Sunday, a crowd defied curfew orders in San Francisco and unrest and looting spread to suburban communities as Bay Area demonstrations intensified over the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. Confrontations between police and demonstrators were tense at times in Oakland and San Francisco, but as night fell some of the most notable clashes were in Walnut Creek. Police declared a curfew and fired tear gas at protesters there after dozens of stores in the downtown Broadway Plaza were looted and a woman was shot and wounded. There was also looting at Bayfair Mall and Marina Square Mall in San Leandro. San Jose, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill and Danville all declared curfews of varying lengths, ordering people to stay off the streets after dark to try to quell the unrest and vandalism that first broke out Friday night in Oakland. Demonstrations racked other California cities over the weekend, including Los Angeles and Sacramento. Late Sunday, officials said all state offices in city downtowns had been told to close Monday. In San Francisco, demonstrations ebbed and flowed around City Hall throughout the day. Some protesters assembled there only to leave to join a swelling crowd near lower Market Street. A crowd of several hundred people gathered there around 6:30 p.m. after an initial rally fizzled. Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle San Francisco police declared the City Hall rally an unlawful assembly after the citys 8 p.m. emergency curfew took effect, and ordered people to disperse and businesses to close. The crowd did so, but police said they later made about 80 arrests. Now Playing: On May 30, 2020, residents from around the Bay Area gathered at United Nations Plaza in San Francisco to march against police brutality. Video: Manjula Varghese In Oakland, chants of, Say his name George Floyd, rang out as a crowd began massing around 6 p.m. at 14th Street and Broadway, a reference to the African American man who died in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes Monday. About 200 protesters were joined briefly by a caravan of a few dozen cars blowing their horns and chanting. The demonstration moved to Eighth and Clay streets at about 6:30 p.m., where they were again blocked by a line of police in riot gear. All of us are not killers, one protester shouted at a police officer in a flak jacket and helmet. Us too, said the officer. The situation intensified after dark. Chants of pigs go home echoed through the streets and someone hurled a firecracker at the line of police. Warnings over a police loudspeaker were drowned out by loud jeers from crowd. But there was also one moment of a confrontation defused: A Twitter video showed multiple officers taking a knee while facing a group of kneeling protesters. Oakland police retweeted the video with the statement, We stand with our community in denouncing all incidents of police brutality. We stand with all in our community who have traditionally been marginalized, oppressed, and who have been harmed by our systems and institutions. Mayor Libby Schaaf and interim Police Chief Susan Manheimer vowed earlier in the day to have a strong law enforcement presence that would take action against any illegal acts. Oakland, chose not to enforce a citywide curfew Sunday, but city officials said on Twitter that it is always an option. Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle For now, city officials said, police will have high visibility in marked and unmarked vehicles. Now Playing: Protesters refused to heed official pleas to stay home Saturday, instead taking to Oakland and Bay Area streets, where police officers in riot gear faced another night of outrage over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Here's an inside look. Video: Matthias Gafni, Erika Carlos In Walnut Creek, a woman was shot and wounded in the arm in connection with unrest that broke out earlier in the Broadway Plaza shopping area, police told The Chronicle. Dozens of stores in the shopping district were vandalized. The city imposed a 6 p.m. cufew and asked all businesses downtown to close immediately. Nearby Pleasant Hill warned people to stay away from that citys downtown and the Crossroads Shopping Center. In Fremont, access to the Pacific Commons shopping center was closed around 9 p.m. due to civil unrest throughout the region and shopping centers being targeted by looters, the Police Department there reported. And in San Leandro, there was widespread looting in and around Bayfair Mall. Dozens of stores were ransacked. BART closed the Walnut Creek, Concord, Lafayette and Hayward stations because of the unrest. The Walnut Creek station is near a Target store, one of several that the chain has temporarily shuttered in the Bay Area because of the unrest. The Walnut Creek Target was among the stores vandalized in that city Sunday. The sound of saws and power tools filled the air downtown as dozens of stores boarded up after seeing the looting at dozens of other establishments, including at Macys in Broadway Plaza. Police in riot gear stood guard at every major entrance to the downtown core, blocking off traffic and telling people to go home before night fell. Weve got a lot of nice places to steal from, so maybe thats why theyre coming here, said police Capt. Jay Hill. I dont see any signs around these smashed stores, just broken glass. Around 7:30 p.m., about 30 protesters started marching down North Main Street yelling, No justice, no peace, and other slogans. About an hour later, police fired tear gas at the group to keep them away from stores at North California Boulevard and Bonanza Street. The crowd ran north and dispersed. I understand protesting, but when it comes to ruining peoples businesses, especially with this pandemic going on how can you do this? said Marc Croke of Pleasant Hill, who came to town to help friends board up the Havana restaurant on Bonanza Street. Its one thing to protest, but this? How does this help racial justice? Id say the police need to be leaning hard on this destruction to prevent it. Paul Kuroda / Special to The Chronicle 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. Paris Peabody, 24, came from Concord to join the protest. He said he wanted to send a peaceful message, not one of vandalism. Its important for people to keep their heads cool, he said. Big corporations like Target in Minneapolis OK, maybe the destruction there you could understand. But little places around here? No. This is about racial justice, not looting. One woman who gave her name only as Bee drove to Walnut Creek in her Toyota SUV, which had been painted with slogans including, Listen to our cries, to join the protest. I live in the East Bay, and I went to Danville and a lot of places where white people need to wake up, she said. They need to hear things are not business as usual. If the cops stopped killing us, this stuff wouldnt happen. San Francisco, where numerous stores were looted Saturday night in Union Square and elsewhere, police tried to avoid a repeat by lining up outside boarded-up businesses on Market Street near the Powell Street cable car turnaround and at the Westfield San Francisco Centre mall. Police from the Central Valley cities of Atwater and Livingston as well as sheriffs deputies from Merced and Mariposa counties were among those represented. There were no reports of new looting. Police said late Sunday that although the majority of Sundays demonstrations were overwhelmingly orderly and peaceful, around 80 arrests were made, mostly for violations of the emergency curfew and for looting. Some of the arrests resulted in the seizure of firearms and explosives, police said. In a news briefing earlier, Mayor London Breed said city leaders feel the hurt and the pain of those outraged at Floyds death. But she also denounced people she said were coming to our city for the sole purpose of destroying our city. Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Protesters gathered outside Breeds home Saturday night, shouting and setting off fireworks. Breed said the protesters outside her home were all white people yelling, Black Lives Matter. But that didnt bother me as much as the taunting of me coming outside with firework torches in their hands looking like what used to happen when the KKK would show up to black peoples houses to burn their houses down. The mayor added, You can disagree with my policies, you can not like me, you can protest me at City Hall all day every day. But dont come for me like that. Dont come to my house. Because at the end of the day, whats more disrespectful is the fact that we have people who are not black chanting Black Lives Matter and dont mean it. San Jose was also taking steps to try to head off more vandalism, including imposing a nighttime curfew. Police Chief Eddie Garcia said protests in the city have resulted in numerous acts of violence against first responders and peaceful protesters and millions of dollars in damage to both public and private property. Garcia said private businesses have been looted and police obtained intelligence of planned looting in other areas of the city that influenced the decision to implement a curfew. San Francisco Chronicle staff writers Rachel Swan and Dominic Fracassa contributed to this report. Lizzie Johnson, Trisha Thadani, Chase DiFeliciantonio and Kevin Fagan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com, tthadani@sfchronicle.com, chase.defeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com and kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa, @lizziejohnsonnn, @TrishaThadani @ChaseDiFelice @KevinChron The wife of 'killer cop' Derek Chauvin followed through with her vow to divorce him today, insisting in a bombshell court filing that she doesn't want a penny from the shamed ex-cop, DailyMail.com can disclose. Kellie Chauvin, 45, said she was divorcing her husband of ten years due to the 'irretrievable breakdown' of their relationship. She also revealed the couple officially split on May 28 three days after he's accused of killing George Floyd by kneeling on his neck during a brutal nine-minute arrest. Despite Kellie, a realtor, stating she is currently unemployed, the mom of two adult sons from another relationship said she did not want any money or financial assistance from Chauvin. 'Respondent is full capable of supporting herself,' the filing reads. The wife of 'killer cop' Derek Chauvin followed through with her vow to divorce him today, insisting in a bombshell court filing that she doesn't want a penny from the shamed ex-cop Chauvin was arrested and charged last Friday over the death of George Floyd 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 She also revealed that the couple officially split on May 28 three days after he's accused of killing George Floyd by kneeling on his neck during a brutal nine-minute arrest Kellie, who came to the US as a child refugee from Laos, also applied to the court to have her name changed. A former Mrs Minnesota America pageant winner, she once worked as a radiology technician at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, the same hospital where Floyd was pronounced dead. The couple met when Chauvin brought a suspect in for a health check before an arrest, returning to the hospital shortly after their initial meeting to ask her out. They married June 12, 2010 in Washington County, Minnesota, the same court where she filed her divorce petition today. Disgusted Kellie kept her silence for several days as video of Chauvins brutal antics went viral, before releasing a statement Friday indicating that her sympathies lay with the victim and his family not with her husband. 'This evening, I spoke with Kellie Chauvin and her family. She is devastated by Mr. Floyds death and her utmost sympathy lies with his family, with his loved ones and with everyone who is grieving this tragedy, attorney Amanda Mason-Sekula said on her behalf. While Ms. Chauvin has no children from her current marriage, she respectfully requests that her children, her elder parents, and her extended family be given safety and privacy during this difficult time. Chauvin was arrested and charged Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of Floyd. Kellie writes in the filing, obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, that they called quits on their marriage one day earlier. The parties have been separated since May 28, 2020, it reads. There has been an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage relationship of the parties within the definition of Minn. Stat. 518.06, and the marriage cannot be saved. The filing explains that while Kellie was recently a realtor with Remax Results she is currently unemployed. A former Mrs Minnesota America pageant winner, she once worked as a radiology technician at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, the same hospital where Floyd was pronounced dead Kellie, who came to the US as a child refugee from Laos, also applied to the court to have her name changed. A former Mrs Minnesota America pageant winner, she once worked as a radiology technician at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, the same hospital where Floyd was pronounced dead But it adds: Petitioner is self-supporting, is not in need of spousal maintenance, and waives her right to receive temporary or permanent spousal maintenance from respondent. She does, however, ask the court to award her ownership of the former couples two homes, one in the leafy Oakdale suburb of Saint Paul, and a second in Windermere, Florida. Both properties have been abandoned for days after they were surrounded by protesters and covered in graffiti. As part of a press push for her bid for the beauty contest Mrs. Minnesota America 2018, Kellie had raved about her husband, telling the St Paul Pioneer Press: 'Under all that uniform, he's just a softie.' She also told the outlet how the shaven-haired ex-lawman was a major upgrade over her previous husband. '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,' she said. Kellie won the contest in October that year and went to Las Vegas in 2019 to compete for the national rounds of the pageant. Today, however, her glamorous life is in ruins, with her husband regarded by many as the poster boy for white police brutality towards African Americans. A shell-shocked relative told DailyMail.com that Kellie did not want to talk with the media and they did not want to stoke tensions further by speaking out on her behalf. Her attorney Ms Mason-Sekula added: Ms. Chauvin is not providing any additional statements at this time. Derek Chauvin has been moved to Oak Park Heights Prison in Minnesota (pictured) Chauvin was moved to one of the most secure prisons in the US Sunday night to ensure he won't be murdered behind bars, DailyMail.com previously revealed. In a highly unusual move, Chauvin, who is facing a murder charge in the death of George Floyd, was transferred late Sunday to Oak Park Heights Prison - Minnesota's only Level Five maximum security facility. He was previously at Ramsey County Adult Detention Center where he was on suicide watch, before being moved to the Hennepin County Jail because of COVID-19 concerns but then moved to the high-security prison. The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) told DailyMail.com that Chauvin was transferred to prison and placed in 'administrative segregation' - solitary confinement - after a plea from the Hennepin County Sheriff. The 407-inmate prison boasts of never having had an escape and is also regarded as one of the country's safest, having only had one homicide in its history. Located on the border with Wisconsin, between the cities of Bayport and Stillwater, it accepts some of America's most hated and high-risk inmates. Chauvin was due to appear in court on Monday but with Minneapolis still gripped by unrest the appearance was pushed back until June 8. Commissioner of Corrections Paul Schnell said Chauvin was moved to prison because of concerns about coronavirus and the huge influx of people being booked into Twin Cities jails on public order offenses. 'First and foremost, we have a COVID situation. Second of all, a large number of people could be booked into Hennepin County Jail,' Schnell said. Privately though, law enforcement sources told DailyMail.com the move was to ensure Chauvin - now America's most hated inmate - was not murdered behind bars. 'If he was in the general jail population he would probably be dead in two minutes,' a source told DailyMail.com. 'This is entirely for security purposes.' MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: People flee for their lives as a tanker truck drives towards thousands of protesters on a highway yesterday. The truck did not appear to have struck anyone WASHINGTON DC: Protesters jump on a street sign near a burning barricade near the White House late on Sunday ATLANTA, GEORGIA: A protester is pinned down by a police officer as cops in riot gear including shields and helmets clash with protesters on Sunday night PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Smoke and debris at a looted hardware store in Philadelphia last night after it was targeted by looters during the George Floyd riots The looters pulled down plywood to get into the stores. They are not thought to have been part of the Floyd protests Chauvin will be held at the prison until next Monday when authorities face the daunting challenge of keeping his first court appearance in downtown Minneapolis shielded from further unrest. It's highly unusual to lock defendants up in prison before they have been convicted, however officials did something similar in the case of disgraced Minneapolis officer Mohamed Noor who shot dead a woman in 2017 while responding to her 911 call. Across the country, protests and riots have broken out as demonstrators protest against police brutality and racism, amid a backdrop of a country that had already been shaken by economic uncertainty and public health fears caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Cities across the nation appear war-torn after rioters set establishments and cars in the middle of streets on fire, smashed windows of local stores and looted their shelves and clashed with law enforcement. Many governors activated the National Guard in their states and sent them to cities being affected by protests turned to violence. The president did not appear publicly on Sunday to address the rioters, who have engulfed the perimeter of the White House as well taken to the streets in several other U.S. cities, he did weigh in on Twitter, claiming that governors need to activate the National Guard in their states. He lauded the improvements over the weekend in Minneapolis, Minnesota by the National Guard's presence and while the demonstrations have appeared less violent since they started at the end of last week, police in the city said they discovered Sunday caches of homemade firebombs around the city. Trump had to flee to the White House bunker to shelter in place for a short period of time on Friday, it was revealed on Sunday. The president has also told aides that he's concerned about his safety as the White House turned off its lights Sunday night while protests and riots continued a few hundred yards away from the residence. Not all heroes wear capes. Some, it turns out, just came to town planning to cruise O Street. Recent Beatrice High School graduates Xavier Packett and Dillon Siebe said they were in Lincoln on Saturday night to do just that. Instead, their night involved impromptu firefighting and a run-in with law enforcement. Packett and Siebe, along with 22-year-old David Lehmkuhl of Crete, followed protesters angry over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis to the County-City Building, where a standoff with police occurred. The situation was peaceful, Siebe said, until items thrown by protesters spurred law enforcement to fire rubber bullets and tear gas canisters into the crowd. Then, Packett and Siebe said, they saw vandals breaking windows and starting a fire inside a nearby office building. "It was honestly just saddening to us," Siebe said. It was a small fire, Siebe said, just a couple notebooks. Packett said the pair hesitated for a moment but then ran inside and extinguished the fire with a bottle of water. Next, Siebe said, the pair saw a larger fire in a nearby building, which they ran to put out with fire extinguishers they grabbed from one of the buildings. That became the pattern of their evening, he said, running back and forth between three buildings along Lincoln Mall, which stretches east from the County-City Building on South 10th Street to the state Capitol. Eventually, Siebe said, Lehmkuhl joined them with a fire extinguisher. Packett said the trio put out about 10 fires, which grew larger and larger as the night went on. They ran back and forth again and again, searching through the buildings for more fires, Siebe said. The tear gas stung their eyes, and Lehmkuhl said he was hit with a rubber bullet. Then, Siebe said, law enforcement moving down Lincoln Mall stopped them, told them to put their hands up and get on the ground. "All I remember is thinking 'Man, I really hope I don't get shot,'" Siebe said. All three were cuffed and taken to a squad car, Packett said, even as others in the crowd yelled to officers that the young men were helping. After they explained what they were doing and bystanders backed them up, Siebe said officers let them go and escorted the two Beatrice teens back to their car. Siebe said they weren't happy to be detained, but understood the officers' intent. "I definitely understand their aggression with everything that was going on," he said. Once released, Packett said, they had a good interaction with the officers, who were apologetic. Siebe and Packett said they are both recent graduates who plan to join the military. Their friend, Alex Ewald of Beatrice, said this is a typical example of the kind of people Siebe and Packett are. "It doesn't surprise me that this is something that they would want to do," Ewald said. Lehmkuhl, an employee of Allo Communications in Lincoln, said he came to see what was going on after watching protests erupt across the nation in recent days. He arrived at the County-City Building before the first tear gas canisters were released. "That's when things really started popping off," he said. It's frustrating, Lehmkuhl said, to see the efforts of legitimate protesters be accompanied by violence and vandalism against properties in the area that have nothing to do with the situation. Packett said he, too, was frustrated with the destruction. "They can protest," he said, "but it's turned away from protesting for George Floyd." Wendy Birdsall, president of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, whose office is in one of the vandalized buildings, called the young men heroes. "They risked life and limb for property. For them to do that is just heroic. They chose to say 'Stop.' All three young men came back to Lincoln to help with the cleanup Sunday morning. Siebe said he and Packett went back to Beatrice to change clothes, but haven't slept since Friday night. As for his help, Lehmkuhl said it's what should be expected. "It's what being a good neighbor means," he said. Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or nmcconnell@journalstar.com. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Public-health and government officials worry ongoing protests against police brutality toward African-Americans and other minority groups, spurred by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Monday, could result in another jump in coronavirus cases in the coming weeks. The new cases could add to the already disproportionate burden the disease has had on African-American and Latino populations across the country, experts said. Its a triple whammy of protests, plus raging pandemic, plus economic instability. Those three things together make for a perfect storm of viral transmission, said Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. He said he expects there will be a spike in cases due to protests. That would mirror patterns seen around the world after governments started lifting lockdown restrictions, but this time on a larger scale, he said, because the protests are happening across the country, often in hot spots of transmission, like the South and West. Officials in cities hit by protests stressed that the country was still in the midst of a health emergency and encouraged the public to continue wearing masks and to adhere to social-distancing guidelines. On average, without social-distancing measures, each infected person transmits the virus to two to four other people, according to several studies. The risk for coronavirus transmission is greatest indoorsin enclosed, poorly ventilated and crowded settings, according to researchers. In homes, the so-called attack rate, a measure of the percentage of people who get infected in a specific place or time, ranges from 4.6% and 19.3%, according to several studies. The protests are happening out of doors, where the risk for transmission diminishes. Air flow helps dilute viral particles, reducing the risk an infectious particle will come in contact with an uninfected person. Yet the protests increase the risks, infectious-disease experts said, because protesters can come into proximity-often for long periods of time-and shout. Outside, theres a lot of dilution, as long as youre not standing right next to a person who is infected, said Lisa Brosseau, a respiratory-protection expert and consultant for the University of Minnesotas Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. People can spread the virus before they experience symptoms, according to infectious-disease experts. These healthy-seeming individuals are more likely to attend gatherings where the risk of transmission is high, like religious services, sporting events, and protests, experts said. The transmission by people without symptoms or before symptoms start is partly responsible for the challenges containing the spread of the virus. Protests can involve a lot of shouting, which adds to transmission risk, according to infectious-disease experts. Screaming can propel virus-laden respiratory droplets further, they said. People may also be less vigilant about personal hygiene, mask-wearing and social distancing. The protests are like having a stadium game every day and everyones going to it, said Dr. Chin-Hong. Because of anger and frustration and sadness, people are willing to minimize the biological risk. The protests could spread the virus in communities already hard hit, infectious-disease experts said. More than half of Covid-19-related deaths in Los Angeles County, where protests raged over the weekend, prompting curfews, have been among blacks and Latinos, according to data from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Statewide, Latinos make up 39% of the states population, but 54.5% of cases and blacks account for 6% of the population, but for 10% of its deaths, according to data from the California Department of Public Health. In New York City, data paint a similar picture. The Minnesota Department of Health said on Sunday that it is concerned about further spread of the virus and is taking a watchful approach to see whether cases increase, noting that any increase likely wont become apparent for at least a week or so. Nationwide, we are one of the communities most vulnerable to rapid increases in the spread of the virus, given where we are in the course of the epidemic, Minnesotas health commissioner Jan Malcolm said in a statement on Friday. We are particularly concerned about people coming into the metro area from other parts of the state and from outside of Minnesota who may not be aware of this. She asked protesters to help protect themselves and the larger community against the virus. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene shared tips on social media Saturday for protesters to reduce the spread of Covid-19. The tips included wearing face coverings and eye protection, using signs and noise makers instead of yelling, sticking to small groups and keeping 6 feet apart from other groups. The department also said it is inviting any person who has been to the protests over the past few days to get tested for Covid-19 at one of the locations set up across the city. The virus is still out there. Theres still the potential for exposure, William Scott, San Francisco chief of police said during a press conference Sunday. The protests might impact Californias plans for reopening, said San Francisco Mayor London Breed during the Sunday press conference, suggesting that businesses might be affected by the 8 p.m. curfew. Its going to be very challenging, she said. Our goal is still to move forward, but timing will depend on how long these protests continue to get unruly. The ambassadors of the G7 countries promised Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal to support Ukraine in overcoming the effects of the pandemic and in advancing reforms to strengthen the countrys economy. The G7 Ambassadors held a productive discussion with Prime Minister Shmyhal on May 28 about the Ukrainian governments reform agenda and the response to COVID-19. The G7 Ambassadors reaffirmed their support for Ukraine in addressing the effects of the pandemic and in advancing reforms to strengthen Ukraines economy and democracy, reads the statement on the Twitter account of the U.S. Presidency of the G7 Ambassadors Support Group in Kyiv. As Ukrinform reported, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and the G7 ambassadors discussed the situation with the fight against coronavirus, economic and healthcare reforms, as well as cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). From the Ukrainian side, the meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Vadym Prystaiko, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov and acting Minister for Energy and Environmental Protection Olha Buslavets. ish Benny Gantz made the apology at the weekly meeting of the Israeli cabinet. Photo: Getty Images Israel's prime minister in waiting has apologised for the police's deadly shooting of an unarmed, autistic Palestinian man. The shooting of Iyad Halak (32) in Jerusalem's Old City on Saturday drew broad condemnations and revived complaints alleging excessive force by Israeli security forces. Benny Gantz, who is defence minister as well "alternate" prime minister under a power-sharing deal, made the apology at the weekly meeting of the Israeli cabinet. He was sitting near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who made no mention of the incident in his opening remarks. "We are really sorry about the incident in which Iyad Halak was shot to death and we share in the family's grief," Mr Gantz said. "I am sure this subject will be investigated swiftly and conclusions will be reached." Mr Halak's relatives said he had autism and was heading to a school for students with special needs where he studied each day when he was shot. Israeli police said they spotted a suspect "with a suspicious object that looked like a pistol". When he failed to obey orders to stop, officers opened fire. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld later confirmed no weapon was found. The officers involved were questioned after the incident as per protocol and a lawyer representing one of them sent his condolences to the family in an interview with Israeli Army Radio. By Eloisa Lopez and Neil Jerome Morales MANILA (Reuters) - Millions of people returned to work in the Philippine capital on Monday as one of the world's strictest and longest coronavirus lockdowns was eased to help resuscitate an economy that has been battered by the closure. Public transport such as trains and shuttle buses were allowed to operate in Manila but on a limited scale, forcing commuters to wait in long queues for hours, and leaving hundreds of workers stranded. "I have to go back to work," said Steven John Cabusao, who walked several kilometres on his first day of work after being confined to his home for 11 weeks. Cabusao, 24, a maintenance planner at an aviation firm, said his need to earn a living outweighed his fear of the coronavirus. "The fear of contracting the virus will always be there." With the third highest number of coronavirus cases and second highest official death toll in Southeast Asia, the Philippines also allowed the reopening of more businesses, and people can now leave home without government permits. The measures were among the world's toughest, on a par with those of the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged, and stricter than curbs at the peak of the contagion in Italy and in Spain, bringing the economy to a sudden halt. Lockdowns were relaxed in smaller towns outside the Manila area earlier. In easing the measures, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte sought to walk a fine line between protecting the country's more than 107 million people and reviving an economy facing its biggest contraction in more than three decades. "This is his biggest gamble yet because whatever happens, it's on him," University of Santo Tomas Political Science Professor Dennis Coronacion told ABS-CBN News. The decision to ease the restrictions came after a spike in the number of coronavirus cases, which health officials attribute to increased testing and clearing of a backlog of tests. Story continues The Philippines recorded 552 more coronavirus infections and three more fatalities on Monday, the health ministry said, raising its tally of confirmed cases to 18,638 and 960 deaths, most in the Manila area. The number of people tested stood at 318,356, or 0.3% of the population, way below a goal of 2%. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the positivity rate, or proportion of tests that come back positive, had been more than halved to 6.5% as of late May from 13.4% in April, suggesting the country was on its way to managing the pandemic. Health officials also said the lockdown had slowed the growth in coronavirus transmissions from three to four people infected by every one person to one. But Dr Jose Santiago, president of the Philippine Medical Association, said the key to a successful transition to a so-called new normal was implementation of the more relaxed rules. "As you know, the implementation is very challenging. I don't know if they can really implement the social distancing and compulsory wearing of masks." (Additional Reporting by Adrian Portugal and Martin Petty; Writing by Karen Lema; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan, Robert Birsel) The Rationalist BHPian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Pune Posts: 653 Thanked: 5,220 Times re: India on full lockdown. Edit: Now extended with relaxations till June 30, 2020 Quote: poloman Originally Posted by So cases are going up and restrictions are going down.Do we need to be concerned about the rise in cases or take this in stride is the moot question? Not heard from people who were dead opposed to lockdown. As a doctor do you still think this could have helped? Kerala is again a sample case. It was officially near zero cases two weeks back. Then the inward migration with quarantine started. The cases are now averaging 50-100 and going up daily. There are many practical difficulties in implementing quarantine with so many asymptomatic cases. Why did the cases go up? Our strategy of testing only those who had symptoms as per ICMR criteria was inadequate. What was needed, test everyone with lower respiratory symptoms. Contact tracing and testing secondary cases was a joke when you were testing primary cases inadequately! Yes, we need to be very very concerned now as essentially the government has no idea how to go ahead. Why are cases increasing in Kerala and Karnataka for example, because all the people of these states working in Maharashtra, Delhi etc are coming back. The problem was too sudden a lockdown. What should have been done? We should have allowed people to return to home states and then lock down. Once majority had settled down it would have been far easier to quarantine and finish the spread. Now with inter state travel allowed, the already exhausted work force will mostly give up. How will people will react to another lockdown? They will mostly show the middle finger! One doesnt need to be a genius or a visionary, or even a college graduate for that matter, to be successful. One just need right framework and apply common sense. There is a saying Just like a garland in the hands of a monkey. We have to look at the reasons and come out with solutions.Why did the cases go up? Our strategy of testing only those who had symptoms as per ICMR criteria was inadequate. What was needed, test everyone with lower respiratory symptoms. Contact tracing and testing secondary cases was a joke when you were testing primary cases inadequately!Yes, we need to be very very concerned now as essentially the government has no idea how to go ahead.Why are cases increasing in Kerala and Karnataka for example, because all the people of these states working in Maharashtra, Delhi etc are coming back. The problem was too sudden a lockdown. What should have been done? We should have allowed people to return to home states and then lock down. Once majority had settled down it would have been far easier to quarantine and finish the spread. Now with inter state travel allowed, the already exhausted work force will mostly give up. How will people will react to another lockdown? They will mostly show the middle finger!One doesnt need to be a genius or a visionary, or even a college graduate for that matter, to be successful. One just need right framework and apply common sense. There is a saying Just like a garland in the hands of a monkey. Last edited by The Rationalist : 1st June 2020 at 06:40 . Testing and contact tracing will play a key role in ending the coronavirus lockdown, Robin Swann has said. The Health Minister said anyone with Covid-19 symptoms should book a test without delay, adding the "full service is now operational". "This is a major long-term programme, given the continuing threat from Covid-19 and the potential for local clusters and outbreaks of infection as we move out of the current phase of our response." Mr Swann also told how the current contact tracing provision will be scaled up to include teams recruited directly to staff the operation. "This will include professionals such as nurses and Environmental Health Officers for contact tracing with lead clinicians and health protection consultants advising on complex situations and local clusters or outbreaks," he said. The Health Minister said there would be a call centre element to the service, and that digital tools will be developed to complement the telephone-based contact tracing, with options under active consideration. "Test, trace and protect will help release the lockdown, keep people safe and protect our health service. Everyone has to play their part. That means getting tested early when we have symptoms, helping contact tracing by providing details of contacts, and self-isolating when advised in order to protect others." Mr Swann's comments came after Arlene Foster told how Northern Ireland could be contact tracing for "up to two years" in the fight against coronavirus. Appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, the First Minister said contact tracing, which has been up and running for two weeks, was going "well", adding people are listening to official advice and taking support offered to them. "The contact tracing is very much part of coming out of the restrictions," she said. "It's about testing, tracing, isolating and then supporting those who we need to contact in relation to the tracing. "We've been very pleased with the way in which, when people are contacted, they listen to the advice, they listen to what we're saying, they take the support that we're offering to them, and it is going well." Speaking yesterday, the DUP leader said around 30 cases per day are contacted and those they have been in contact with are then spoken to. She added: "We are making good progress in relation to that and we're very pleased." Mrs Foster explained a number of staff from health and social care have been put in place, as well as some graduates, retired doctors and nurses and said the system would be scaled up and down "as necessary". "We believe that we're going to have to be involved in this sort of contact tracing for quite some time, possibly even up to two years to make sure that we know where the virus is in our community," said Mrs Foster. "But it's something that is forming very much the cornerstone of coming out of lockdown and being able to relax those regulations, which we understand are very draconian." Virologist at Queen's University Dr Connor Bamford said securing an effective contact tracing app would be crucial. "Testing and contact tracing will help, but we also need things like a contact tracing app," he said. "Scientists around the world have noticed that this virus spreads quite fast and in a difficult way, because people can spread it even if they're not that sick so we need an app or something along those lines. "We need to be pushing for an app that's really effective and gets around the privacy concerns and also in Northern Ireland there is the added difficulty of a shared border with the Republic and any app would have to be working both sides of that border, but with the EU and Brexit, I don't know what way that would work. "Contact tracing, yes it's good that it's happening, but we need to think of the next step, and that's the app." Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visits a site of the protest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, in Wilmington. Reuters Images via Biden campaign Former Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday made an unannounced visit to a site in Wilmington, Delaware where protests against police brutality and racism took place the night before. Leaving his home for the second time in a week, Biden recognized the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed in Minneapolis police custody last week. "The original sin of the country still stains our nation today," Biden said in a video released Friday. "We need justice for George Floyd." Meanwhile, President Donald Trump repeatedly attacked protesters and threatened violence against them on Twitter. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Former Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday made an unannounced visit to a site in Wilmington, Delaware where protests against police brutality and racism took place the night before. Leaving his home for the second time in a week, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee recognized the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed in Minneapolis police custody last week. His campaign posted a photo of Biden kneeling on the ground facing a black man also kneeling with his young son. Biden has attempted to strike a unifying tone in his public statements as demonstrations continued in at least 75 US cities over the weekend. In a five-minute video released on Friday, Biden urged the country to come together and address the "national crisis" of police brutality against black people. "The original sin of the country still stains our nation today," he said. "We need justice for George Floyd." "We are a country with an open wound. None of us can turn away. None of us can be silent," Biden wrote in an accompanying tweet. "None of us any longer can hear those words 'I can't breathe' and do nothing. We must commit, as a nation, to pursue justice with every ounce of our being." Story continues The Biden campaign announced in a Sunday email to reporters that the candidate will meet with community leaders in Wilmington on Monday morning and will hold a virtual roundtable with mayors afterwards. Biden's response to Floyd's death and the ensuing protests has been markedly different than the president's. Over the past few days, Trump tweeted out a slew of attacks on the protesters, including one message quoting a white police officer who sparked a race riot in the 1960s. "When the looting starts, the shooting starts," Trump declared in a message that was later flagged by Twitter for violating the platform's policy against content that "glorifies violence." In a series of tweets on Saturday, Trump warned that the Secret Service was "just waiting for action," and would use "vicious dogs" and "ominous weapons" against protesters who breached the White House security boundary outside his residence. Read the original article on Business Insider Narendra Modi-led NDA government completed the quite eventful first year of its second term on May 30. In terms of the market, the first year of the Modi 2.0 government has been marked with unusual volatility owing to factors like Budget and COVID-19. While the government announced measures that are seen as long-term positive, there were moments of disappointment when the stimulus and steps failed to meet the expectations of the market. The first year of Modi Govt 2.0 has been quite eventful. The government tried its best to stimulate the domestic economy amidst the slowing global economic environment. The government took the historic decision to reduce the corporate tax rate which can help increase Indias economic growth in the long run, Ajay Menon, CEO, Broking and Distribution, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd told Moneycontrol. In terms of market fall, in the first year of Modi 2.0, there were 28 such days when the Sensex fell more than 500 points in a single day on a closing basis, while there were 11 days when the market plunged over 1,000 points, data from Ace Equity showed. On four days, the market fell over 2,000 points and on March 23, 2020, the Sensex fell 3,935 points which is the highest single-day fall in the first year of Modi 2.0. If we talk about the market rise, there were 24 days when the market benchmark rose over 500 points, while on 9 days, Sensex surged over 1,000 points. On April 7, 2020, the Sensex surged 2,476 points which is the highest single-day gain during the first year of Modi 2.0, data from Ace Equity showed. Key events that shook the market Data shows there were many such days during the first year of Modi 2.0 when the market witnessed a steep rise or fall. A sharp fall of 793 points in Sensex was witnessed on July 8, 2019, after the government proposed in Budget 2019 an income tax surcharge for HNIs (high net worth individuals) earnings more than Rs 2 crore. The Budget was presented on a Friday and when the market opened on Monday, July 8, a strong wave of selling engulfed the market. The sell-off was extended to many days and many investors began to fear that the market might come into a bearish phase. The government took cognizance of the market condition and on Friday, September 20, 2019, the government reduced the corporate tax rate to 25 percent. The market cheered the decision and Sensex vaulted for 1,921 points. The gains were extended to the next trading session on September 23 and Sensex logged a gain of 1,075 points, On February 1, 2020, the government presented its second Budget of Modi 2.0, which failed to meet the expectations of the market and Sensex took a plunge of 988 points. Most gains and fall of over 1,000 points in Sensex during the first year of Modi 2.0 occurred in March-April 2020 due to COVID-19, lockdown and stimulus announcements. Such has been the magnitude of market volatility of late, that a 500 points rise or fall have started to appear normal these days. India is struggling to fight against COVID-19. The government has myriad challenges on the fronts of public health and the economy. While the government has announced a series of measures that are seen as long term reforms, the market seems to be expecting more. The market loves stability. When the COVID-19 comes under control and all the stimulus begins to show its impact, the market will see many days of strong gains. 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. The Sunyani COVID-19 Taskforce has commenced door-to-door free distribution of nose mask to residents in farming communities within the Sunyani Municipality. The Municipal Assembly has procured about 4,000 pieces of nose mask ostensibly to help vulnerable groups, especially the aged in those communities to assist in protecting them from being infected by the COVID-19. The beneficiary communities included Nkrankrom, Atronie, Kufuor Camp, Atuahenekrom Banue Nkwanta, and their environs. But the Taskforce extended the distribution to Wamahinso, which is close to Atuahenekrom but located within the jurisdiction of the Asutifi North District. Alongside the distribution, Inspector Robert Obeng Ayeh, the leader of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) team within the Taskforce admonished parents and guardians to make the wearing of the mask a habit to encourage their children and wards to do same. He said the disease is very deadly from unknown source and direction, hence, wearing of mask anytime and observing the other safety protocols are the basic and necessary preventive measures to stop the spread of the disease. Nana Amponsem Darko II, the Chief of Atronie appealed to the Taskforce to frequently visit the community to ensure compliance with restrictions, directives, and protocols against the COVID-19. Nana Darko II stated the education about it must be intensified for them to understand its related issues very well to abide by the protocols and directives to prevent its spread. Meanwhile, as part of its operations, the Taskforce usually stopped vehicles, especially the commercial ones on the major roads liking Sunyani and other towns and cities like Kumasi. Berekum, Techiman, and Goaso to inspect if passengers on board had complied with the nose mask-wearing protocol. 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 Supreme Court just cant seem to quit the Insular Cases, a series of controversial decisions from the era of Plessy v. Ferguson that established a doctrine of separate and unequal status that has justified denying basic constitutional rights and protections to the nearly 4 million Americans living in Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories. On Monday, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the constitutionality of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Ricoan undemocratic, federally appointed body with near-total authority over Puerto Ricos budget and finances. In doing so, the court once again avoided the opportunity to finally overrule the Insular Cases. Parties on both sides called on the court to expunge this shameful remnant of Americas imperialist past from our body of constitutional law. Yet the most the court could muster was an acknowledgment that the Insular Cases are much criticized and that whatever their continued validity, the justices will not extend them in these cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its easy to see why the justices would distance themselves from the Insular Cases. Issued at the height of Americas imperialist expansion in the early 20th century, these controversial decisions broke from prior precedent to create the doctrine of territorial incorporation, allowing Congress to govern residents of so-called unincorporated territories outside the usual constitutional limitations on its power. The expressly stated justification for this discriminatory doctrine was the racist belief that these newly acquired overseas territories were populated by alien races and savages who could not comprehend American Anglo-Saxon principles. Lower courts continue to expand the Insular Cases to diminish the constitutional rights of Americans in U.S. territories. At oral argument in October, when pressed to overrule the Insular Cases, Justice Stephen Breyerwho wrote the opinion for the court on Mondayconceded that the Insular Cases loomed as a dark cloud over the case. But in the end, he agreed with Chief Justice John Roberts, who said at argument, I just dont see the pertinence of the Insular Cases. Advertisement Advertisement Notably, the chief justice and the court took a different approach with respect to another notoriously racist Supreme Court decision just two years earlier. In Trump v. Hawaii, the courts five conservatives upheld the presidents executive order banning travel to the United States from multiple Muslim-majority countries. Writing for the court, Roberts reached out to overrule the infamous Korematsu v. United States, which upheld the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. His action appeared to be a direct response to a powerful dissent by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who drew harsh comparisons between his opinion upholding the travel ban and Korematsu. Advertisement Here, by contrast, Sotomayor was silent on the Insular Cases, both at oral argument and in her concurring opinion, even as she acknowledged that territorial status should not be wielded as a talismanic opt out of prior constitutional constraints. Thus, there was no similar pressure on Breyers majority opinion to explicitly condemn the Insular Cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With this collective inaction and silence, the Supreme Court missed an important opportunity to announce what should already be obvious: The Insular Cases, like Korematsu, were gravely wrong the day they were decided, have been overruled in the court of history, and have no place under the Constitution. (Disclosure: One of us filed an amicus brief in this case urging the Supreme Court to overturn the Insular Cases.) Sadly, unlike Korematsu, the Insular Cases have not been left for dead by lower courts. Despite repeated Supreme Court statements (including todays) implying that the Insular Cases must be read narrowly, too many lower courts continue to apply and even expand the Insular Cases to diminish the constitutional rights of our fellow Americans in U.S. territories. Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit relied on the Insular Cases in U.S. v. Baxter to rule that Fourth Amendment protections against warrantless search and seizures that apply everywhere else in the United States do not apply in the U.S. Virgin Islands and certain other territories. In Baxter, a drug-sniffing dog alerted law enforcement to a package that had been mailed from South Carolina to the U.S. Virgin Islands. The 3rd Circuit conceded that, had that package instead been mailed to Hawaii, the District of Columbia, or even, inexplicably, Puerto Rico, U.S. Customs and Border Protection would have been required to obtain a warrant before opening the package. Obtaining a warrant under these circumstances is standard procedure throughout the United States and is not a significant burden on law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the 3rd Circuits ruling, however, the usual Fourth Amendment protections do not apply. Why? Because under the Insular Cases, the U.S. Virgin Islands is an unincorporated territory, and Congress has created a fictional border between the territory and the mainland United States. So no warrant is neededno matter how easy it would be to obtainand no probable cause required. This conflicts with the Supreme Courts long-standing border-search exception to the Fourth Amendment, which reserves this kind of warrantless search for items entering the United States across a truly international border, not a domestic one. Advertisement The Insular Cases are also front and center in another case, Fitisemanu v. United States, as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit considers the federal governments appeal of a historic decision by a Utah district court applying the citizenship clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to strike down a discriminatory federal statute that labels people born in American Samoa as nationals, but not citizens, of the United States. (American Samoa has been a U.S. territory since 1900 and has the highest rate of enlistment in the U.S. armed forces of any state or territory.) Lead plaintiff John Fitisemanu, born in American Samoa, has been a taxpaying, passport-holding resident of Utah for more than 20 years. But unless his case is resolved in the coming months, he will not be able to vote in November because the federal government unconstitutionally denies he is a citizen. The Insular Cases came into play because the U.S. Department of Justice is relying on them to make a particularly offensive argument: that people born in U.S. territories do not even have a constitutional right to citizenship. (Residents of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands are recognized as birthright citizens by the federal government, but only based on congressional statute.) Advertisement The 10th Circuit will have to decide whether to affirm the district courts narrow reading of the Insular Cases or follow a dangerously expansive reading of the Insular Cases adopted by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in a previous case, Tuaua v. United States. In Tuaua, the D.C. Circuit squarely relied on the Insular Cases to deny the existence of a fundamental right to citizenship for persons born in the United States unincorporated territories. The D.C. Circuits far-reaching reasoning calls into question the existence of many other constitutional rights in the territories, from marriage equality to the right to bear arms to freedom of speech and more. (Disclosure: One of us served as counsel for the plaintiffs in Fitisemanu and Tuaua.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are but two recent cases demonstrating the real-world consequences resulting from the Supreme Courts continued refusal to overrule the Insular Cases. Given the courts inaction today, we can expect some lower courts to continue eroding the enjoyment of constitutional rights in the territories. The Supreme Court missed a ripe opportunity to turn the page on the Insular Cases and extend the principle of equal justice under law to residents of U.S. territories. It is long past time to recognize that the Constitution protects all Americans equally, wherever they live. Two out of the four families in the Takoradi kidnapped girls incident have expressed disappointment at the slow pace at which the course of justice was trending. The two, are also not happy with the delay of the release of the DNA report regarding the body remains removed from the abode of the prime suspect, Samuel Udoetuk Wills at his Kansaworodo base in the Sekondi -Takoradi Metropolis. It would be recalled that in December 2018, the story broke out that suspect Samuel Udoetuk Wills lured three girls: Priscilla Mantebea Koranchie, Ruth Love Quayeon and Ruth Bentum at separate locations and allegedly murdered them. Another alleged victim Rose Abakah's issue came out later when her grandmother, one Evangelist Veronica later made public that she was also missing. The incident which caused some uproar necessitated visits by high profile public officials to the homes of the affected families. A visit by officers of the Criminal Investigations Department and subsequent follow up by the Inspector General of Police after the alleged arrest of the key suspect brought some hope to the families at the time. It would be recalled that in September 2019, the visit by the IGP and consultation with the families resulted in an agreement to conduct a DNA test on the bone remains suspected to be that of the kidnapped girls. Meanwhile, the two families during a visit by the Ghana News Agency seemed to have lost confidence and hope in the whole process of establishing their identities through the DNA tests and the manner in which prosecution had stalled. Mr. Francis Bentum, father of Priscilla Bentum said, "we are really worried about the silence on the case... nobody is speaking with us on the latest development". He said "I was forced to call the CID officer handling the matter and he said maybe the case will be called in early June...infact, i am disappointed at the turn of events, and authorities are not helping us at all". On the DNA results and whether his family had accepted the news of the death of the children, Mr. Bentum queried; "I have written an exams but I have not seen my results and you want me to believe that the score my examiner has given me must be accepted hook, line and sinker, oh madam". He said until, the DNA result were released to the families, it will be difficulty to accept anything... Priscilla Bentum cannot die like that". Micheal Koranchie, brother of Priscilla Mantebea Koranchie who corroborated the above development said, "it is really sad for things to turn out this way, the case has been suspended without any information and we don't also have the report of the DNA test". "Please we really need Justice to put matters to rest and rest our hearts and minds also...the emotional trauma is just too much". Meanwhile, in February 2020, the arrested suspects were charged with murder before His Worship Micheal Ampadu of a Takoradi Magistrate Court. 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 Zach Bush MD and Deepak Chopra MD It is very rare that human beings have a chance to rethink our place in Nature. The modern world is the fruit of a worldview that has placed Homo sapiens reigning supreme over all other life forms. This worldview seems only right and proper to the vast majority of people. In the course of just a few weeks, however, over seven billion peoples lives changed for the worse. Economies were halted, global transportation and supply chains were shut down to a crawl, and hundreds of millions of jobs were lost. More money has been lost globally than in any other moment in history. Amid the shock and panic, the catastrophe of COVID-19 has prompted some radical rethinking. Can a new and better world emerge? Not unless our worldview changes, because in many ways the virus isnt a mindless primitive life form ravaging us, the most superior life form on the planet. Nor did Nature strike back to punish us. Something deeper is going on. To see what it is, we need to consider a worldview based not on humans-as-supreme, but on life-as-supreme. We must realize that our superiority complex has quite literally put us in opposition to life on earth. Climate change can be laid at our doorstep. The prediction of the Earths sixth mass extinction is more than plausible, and 50% of biodiversity in plants and animals has been eliminated in mere decades, while hundreds of indigenous cultures have been virtually wiped out. The destructive human machine has been inexorable so far. The collective voices of Richard Attenborough and one million non-profits and NGOs have proved inadequate agents of change. There was no global pause. Then, in January the world caught news of a virus, a new variant of a coronavirus, a family of viruses that has been with us for well over a thousand years. At no point did any science suggest, nor any public official report, that this virus would poison our ecosystems and threaten the survival of humans and much other life on the planet in the coming years. Instead, we were told that the virus would contribute to the passing of the millions of people that die of a myriad of respiratory illnesses every year. The death toll from the virus (even at its most hyperbolic predictions) would be a fraction of the deaths from chronic diseases that result each year from our polluted and depleted soil, water, air, and food systems. Nonetheless, this new threat was suddenly enough. We paused. If we needed more evidence that we are a shortsighted and self-interested species, it is here, but there is no time for self-condemnation. While the worlds leaders struggle to sort out the true implications of this virus, we have an opportunity to finally learn from our mistakes. The lesson is being taught by the humblest of messengers, a microscopic speck of genetic material. The virus is not our enemyif we let it, it will be our greatest teacher. First, we need to learn that the emergence of this coronavirus adaptation was predictable, and from Natures viewpoint, which oversees all living things, it was even necessary. As the stress levels of an organism increase, the speed of adaptation has to increase if it is to find a solution and survive. Since the beginning of life, the most significant biologic adaptations have been achieved through the viral communication network. Every form of DNA is constantly in touch with every other form. From bacteria in soils and water systems to the cells in our bodies, rapid transmission of new genetic updates can save a species from a new threat. If you adopt the perspective of life itself, earth is dominated by the genes of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa which hugely outnumber any other life forms. This vast microbial genome is the foundation of life on the planet, and its aim, as with all life forms, is to adapt, survive, and foster diversity. To the life force that is in the 1030 bacteria in existence, a major threatwe would argue that it is the major threatis coming from the widespread, indiscriminate use of antibiotics in agriculture via animal feed and the management of poultry, swine, and cattle. As the collective bacterial stress levels increases, DNA misspelling (i.e., mistakes in reproduction) creates billions of trial-and error genetic variations. When a survival advantage is discovered (such as antibiotic resistance in a strain of bacteria), that beneficial gene can be transferred in various ways across many species, but for maximum impact over great distances, viral transfer is the vehicle of choice. Thus, millions of species of microorganisms work toward one goal, which isnt to harm us, but to maintain a stable biodiverse ecosystem everywhere on earth. The upshot is the change of worldview mentioned at the outset. A viable, balanced, dynamic, healthy microbiome (the sum total of all micro-organisms) benefits human beings far more than our self-centered, shortsighted focus on money, power, war, nationalism, endless consumerism chained to massive pollution, and the chemical degradation of our air, food, and water. Viruses have long dispersed their vital genetic information throughout the planet via air and water currents. The messages they carry are picked up by many species, including us., Each individual takes up a viral load on the basis of its own stress levels. For many people there are no clinical signs or symptoms of acute illness as cells of various organ systems integrate or reject the new genetic data, while for others the viral stress signal can call up an immune response from cell populations. Life adapts, and we humans are made more resilient by the encounter. That is how viral communication has worked for billions of years, and the latest findings have revealed that our own genome was built by genetic data from bacteria, fungi and other multicellular species. In concert they created the profound complexity and resilience of human biology. But we have changed the playing field for the critical balance of viral communication, and COVID-19, when seen on a global scale, represents the continued effort of the four-billion-year-old microbiome seeking to put things right. In the old worldview, this is irrelevant. The only measure has been an either-or choice: Either things are good for human prosperity or bad for it. In the new worldview, there is no either-or. What is good for the global microbiome is good for the planet and for us. As self-aware creatures, we can support life or diminish its chance for survival. In short, a new world, if it emerges in the coming decade, will make choices that benefit the microbiome and us at the same time. It will take a shift in worldview for that to transpire. The separate elements for global healing are already present and known to everyone. But humans can be perverse as well as shortsighted. Achieving the abolition of global pesticides, herbicides, indiscriminate antibiotics, and carbon emissions is essential, and only our irrational resistance to reality, bound up with an outmoded, self-destructive worldview, keeps us on the downward path. The pleas for life-enhancing choices has proved ineffectual so far. In the name of healing and the salvation of life on Earth, no one can alter the course of destruction except us. DEEPAK CHOPRA MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His 90th book, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential, unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century. ZACH BUSH, MD is an internationally recognized educator and thought leader on the microbiome as it relates to ecology, human health, and consciousness. Board certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Hospice Care, his published biomedical research ranges from chemotherapy development to the role of the microbiome and agricultural toxins in human health and disease. He is founder and CEO of Seraphic Group, Inc., an IP development firm committed to developing root-cause solutions to bring balance to the biome of our planet. His non-profit, Farmers Footprint, is raising awareness of the synonymous nature of human and soil health, and working to create a roadmap to end chemical food production and ecologic destruction through the universal adoption of regenerative agriculture. Climate change is happening, said Thomas Holzheu, Chief Economist for the Americas, Swiss Re Institute. We have observed the rise of average temperatures and sea levels are rising. We also observe longer and more frequent heat waves, more erratic rain patterns and more extreme weather events. These climate change patterns are affecting catastrophe (CAT) events. Where we see particular evidence of increased losses is in secondary perils, such as wildfires, tornadoes, inland rainfall, and flooding from severe rainfall events, some of which are linked to primary perils. For example, were seeing more and more losses from hurricanes that are tied to rainfall and flooding caused in the aftermath of a hurricane and not just the wind damage and the coastal storm surge, which is the primary impact. Were definitely seeing more of the secondary effect - thats one of the key takeaways of the sigma. Read next: Swiss Re reveals financial condition report Over the last 20-years, secondary perils have caused more than half of insured losses. By the order of magnitude and size of individual events, wildfires, tornadoes and severe rainfall are not secondary in the sense that they should be disregarded, Holzheu stressed. In fact, secondary perils tend to happen more often than primary perils, meaning insurers and data scientists have generated a better understanding of these risks. We have more observations and therefore we have a better understanding that climate change is actually contributing to those events happening more frequently and becoming more severe, Holzheu told Insurance Business. When it comes to some of the secondary perils, we feel more confident in establishing this causal relationship between climate change and rising CAT losses. Thats an easy conclusion to make when the number of CAT losses goes up, but there are other contributing factors that are driving up exposures. The largest one of these complex factors is economic and demographic development, where you have growth in populations and the growth of assets in exposed areas. Economic development and population spread leads to changes in land use resulting in things like deforestation and construction in flood plains and wildland-urban interface all of which can exacerbate the impacts of climate change and result in more extreme weather patterns and events. Read more: Swiss Re offering access to proprietary underwriting manual Were building more and more homes in exposed areas, commented Holzheu. Some of this is by choice because thats where people want to live. In the United States, for example, a lot of people want to live in Southeastern states [like Florida] because its warm and people want to live close to the water. But theres hurricane exposure. If you look more inland through the US and Canada, more and more development is encroaching on the flood plains and the wildland-urban interface, which is increasing flood and wildfire risk. Its the accumulation of homes and businesses [in these areas] that has contributed to [the increase in secondary perils], as well as the interaction that occurs when this development happens in more exposed regions. The Swiss Re Institute believes that weather risks, with adaptation actions, remain insurable. The Institute stressed in the sigma that: Insurers need to adapt to a dynamic risk landscape by closely monitoring and incorporating socio-economic developments, the latest scientific research on climate change effects, and the status of local risk mitigation measures in their modelling. Many of todays catastrophe models are benchmarked against historical loss data, which does not reflect the current level of urbanisation, and hence do not fully account for todays quickly rising exposures, changing socio-economic environment and climate. As Holzheu concluded, theres more work to be done to make sure these trends are identified and quantified properly in todays catastrophe models so that the exposures are properly addressed. 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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 The brother of George Floyd, the black man whose death in police custody last week has sparked several days of protests and riots across the country, is speaking out against the violence that occurred during the demonstrations. Im outraged too. Sometimes I get angry, I want to bust some heads too, Terrence Floyd said Sunday on ABC. My brother wasnt about that. My brother was about peace. Youll hear a lot of people say he was a gentle giant. George Floyd was all about positivity, motivation, his brother said, urging protesters to channel your anger elsewhere. Dont tear up your town. All of this is not necessary because if his own family and blood is not doing it, then why are you? Floyd said. If his own family and blood is trying to deal with it and be positive about it and go another route to seek justice, then why are you out here tearing up your community? Because when youre finished and turn around and then you want to go buy something, you done tore it up. So now you messed up your own living arrangements. So just relax. Justice will be served. Riots broke out last week in Minneapolis and cropped up in cities across the nation to protest George Floyds death in police custody Monday after now-fired police office Derek Chauvin, who is white, knelt on his neck for several minutes, including after Floyd passed out. Floyd could be heard on video footage of the incident pleading with officers that he could not breathe and begging them not to kill him. Four officers including Chauvin have been arrested in connection to Floyds death, and Chauvin has been charged with murder and manslaughter. He would motivate you to channel, if youre angry, its okay to be angry, but channel your anger to do something positive or make a change another way, his brother said. Because weve been down this road already. Rioters smashed storefronts and burned police cars as they clashed with police in Minneapolis as well as in New York City, Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and other cities. More from National Review Schools across the country would be reopened solely for final year students as part of measures to ease restrictions in Ghanas fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. President Akufo-Addo in his 10th televised address to the nation said the move is to prepare and enable the students to take their final examinations. According to him, the reopening is with the appropriate enhanced safety protocols and social distancing adherence. Final year university students are expected to resume school on Monday, June 15, 2020. Whereas final year SHS students return to school on Monday, June 22, 2020, their counterparts in Junior High Schools will go back to school on Monday, June 29, 2020. However, teaching and learning activities for all other levels remain closed. citinewsroom Advertisement By Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has directed that all members of Abia State COVID 19 taskforce and members of the his executive council who might have had contact with the late Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Solomon Ogunji to immediately undergo the COVID 19 test and go into self-isolation, pending the outcome of the result. It will be recalled that Ogunji died recently. Advertisement The decision, according to a release signed by the state commissioner for information, John Okiyi Kalu, is prompted by the outcome of the result conducted on close family members to the late commissioner. The release further said that the governor will also take the test and go on isolation. The release reads:Following the outcome of tests conducted on close family members of a late member of the state executive council (Exco) and member of the Inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19, Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has directed all members of the committee and those of the Exco who might have recently come in contact with the late commissioner to immediately undergo COVID-19 tests and isolate themselves thereafter pending the outcome of the tests. Governor Ikpeazu who is still in mourning will also subject himself to all other necessary protocols as he has directed his Exco members including the Deputy Governor to do. Meanwhile, the government appeals to Abia residents to observe relevant regulations issued by the government and health authorities to stem the spread of the disease. Minnesota Attorney General-elect Keith Ellison speaks during the election night event held by the Democratic Party Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in St. Paul, Minn. AP Photo/Hannah Foslien 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. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appointed state Attorney General Keith Ellison to lead the prosecution of Derek Chauvin, who is charged with the murder of George Floyd. The announcement came two days after 10 members representing Minneapolis in the state House of Representatives asked Walz in a letter to transfer the case from the Hennepin County prosecutor to Ellison, NBC reported. "Unfortunately, our constituents, especially constituents of color, have lost faith in the ability of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman to fairly and impartially investigate and prosecute these cases," the letter said. According to the Washington Post, Walz acknowledged "many people's distrust that authorities would bring justice for Floyd." "It with a large degree of humility and a great seriousness, I accept for my office the responsibility for leadership on this critical case involving the killing of George Floyd," Ellison tweeted Sunday night. "We are going to bring to bear all the resources necessary to achieve justice in this case." Attorney General Keith Ellison (@AGEllison) June 1, 2020 Floyd's family asked for Ellison to take over the case, WCCO reported. Before he became state attorney general in 2019, Ellison represented Minneapolis in the US House of Representatives. "This case is unusual because of the way that Mr. Floyd was killed and who did it: at the hands of the defendant, who was a Minneapolis police officer," Ellison said, according to WCCO. "Prosecuting police officers for misconduct, including homicide and murder, is very difficult. And if you look at the cases that have been in front of the public in the last many years, it's easy to see that is true. Every single link in the prosecutorial chain will come under attack as we present this case to a jury or a fact-finder." Story continues A video circulated on Monday that showed Floyd becoming unresponsive while Chauvin kneeled on his neck for eight minutes. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, but Floyd's family has said he should face heavier charges. The other three officers involved with Floyd's death haven't been charged. Walz said he appointed Ellis as the lead prosecutor after hearing profound messages from protesters: "They believe time and time again, the system works perfectly well as it was designed: to deny those rights and deny justice to communities of color," according to WCCO. In a tweet, Walz said he couldn't think of anyone better to lead the case. Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) June 1, 2020 Ellison will begin working with Freeman on Monday. Read the original article on Insider Ashley Graham has unveiled her first ever magazine shoot since giving birth to her son Isaac in January and she's seen nursing her newborn in the stunning images. The 32-year-old model looks sensational as the cover star for Harpers Bazaar UK's July issue, which was shot by her husband Justin Ervin in her home state of Nebraska, where she's been staying with her family since the COVID-19 lockdown. And in the accompanying interview, the brunette beauty admitted that while she's spent much of her career espousing the value of body positivity, she struggled with the physical changes she experienced after discovering she was pregnant. Oh, shoot! Ashley Graham has unveiled her first ever magazine shoot since giving birth to her son Isaac in January and she's seen nursing her newborn in the stunning images 'That was the wildest part,' she said of adjusting to the changes. 'I thought, "What about the things Ive told myself? What about the affirmations Ive gone through?" 'None of these mattered because my body was changing so rapidly. It really took me some time to figure it out mentally, because it was like there was an alien taking over my body.' However, the joy of motherhood hit the star as soon as she learned she was expecting: 'I was so excited. I knew immediately I was going to be a great mom,' she told the glossy publication. Sensational: The 32-year-old model looks sensational as the cover star for Harpers Bazaar UK 's July issue, which was shot by her husband Justin Ervin in her home state of Nebraska And while her husband of ten years proved to be the best man to do the job when it came to her cover shoot, Lincoln native Ashley admitted that he was left almost twiddling his thumbs when it came to their son's home birth. She recalled: 'Justin wanted to be as helpful as possible, and the midwife told him: theres nothing you can do, nothing! I was in the pool, and I looked over to see him in the kitchen cutting up meat and adding seasoning, because it was all he could do...' Appreciating the value of having a supportive spouse on hand during the baby's arrival has led the star to campaign against stringent coronavirus protocols at hospital, which require women to be alone while giving birth. 'If I hadnt had my midwives or even Justin in the room, the whole experience would have been a very different one for me,' she explained of her stance. Big changes: The brunette beauty admitted that she struggled with the physical changes she experienced after discovering she was pregnant Amid the pandemic, Ashley and Justin took up her mother Linda Graham's offer of leaving New York City in favour of spending lockdown in her home state of Nebraska. 'She [Ashleys mother] talked us into it,' admitted Ashley. 'She said, "Its 20 hours, lets just go and Ill drive all the way." I thought wed only be away a couple of weeks. 'Justin had just made a lamb roast, and he said, "Were not throwing this away", so we put it in the back of the car and that was what we ate on the trip.' Ashley found settling back into life in the Midwest seamless, as she was able to continue working while taking care of her adorable little bundle of joy. Beautiful family: Model Ashley welcomed her son with her husband of ten years, Justin Ervin 'Weve figured out how to shoot my podcast, Pretty Big Deal, remotely,' she said. 'But Im also handling newborn stuff every day. The good thing is if I tilt my computer screen upwards, I can feed the baby without anybody seeing.' She's also embracing the extra layer of meaning her unplanned time back home with her son and husband has given her. 'The silver lining is having all of these incredible, special moments with Isaac, and the nostalgia of being with my son in the home I grew up in,' she told the magazine. 'Ive had time to focus, and Im so grateful.' Ashley has even written a letter to her son about the experience, which reads in part: 'Even though we miss our NYC home, weve had the unexpected opportunity to temporarily raise you in the house where I grew up, with the company and help of your loving grandparents. Home: Amid the pandemic, Ashley and Justin took up her mother Linda Graham's offer of leaving New York City in favour of spending lockdown in her home state of Nebraska 'Whenever Im here, Im reminded of the values my mother instilled in me that I hope to teach you: trust your faith, always treat people with kindness, generosity and respect, and practise gratitude every day.' And while she's enjoyed being around family in a personal sense, she also got the enjoy their professional value when it was time to shoot her new magazine cover. Read all about it: Read Ashley's full interview in the July issue of Harpers Bazaar UK She said: 'Justin saw this one little white house on a hill, and that became the focal point for the whole shoot. I did the styling and help art direct. 'Michael [Ashleys mothers boyfriend] was Justins PA, lighting man, assistant, the guy who did the Starbucks run. 'My mom was taking care of Isaac the whole time, carrying him in a front-facing sling, but she was also holding a light reflector. Everyone knew their role, but man, it was a lot of work!' There was also much nostalgia: 'We took one picture inside my grandfathers truck. He passed away six years ago and my mom left everything inside the same, from his ChapStick to his licence in the visor and the money in the ashtray. 'I remember looking at the photo and thinking, "This is so cool. The four of us put this together, and its so cinematic." Its a beautiful moment to look back on during these weird times, and to remember that we had so much joy.' Read Ashley Graham's full interview in the July issue of Harpers Bazaar UK, on sale from 3 June 2020. Alan Carrs Epic Gameshow Rating: Ella Fitzgerald: Just One Of Those Things Rating: So many of Bruce Forsyths favourite catchphrases would be banned by the Fun Police today. He could hardly bring on his glamorous assistant Anthea Redfern, as he did every week for The Generation Game, and invite her to give us a twirl! Host Alan Carr stumbled over this difficulty straight away in a faithful but plodding take on Play Your Cards Right, the first in his revival series Epic Gameshow (ITV). Alan was gritting his teeth as he introduced his helper, Sam Brown: I cant say you look very lovely tonight, Sam . . . I can say you look very workmanlike and efficient' Brucie used to welcome the croupiers with a jingle: Here they are, theyre so appealing. Come on darlings, do your dealing! The dolly dealers were such a feature of the Eighties show, its impossible to imagine a remake without at least one. Alan was gritting his teeth as he introduced his helper, Sam Brown: I cant say you look very lovely tonight, Sam . . . I can say you look very workmanlike and efficient. Phew another sexist mantrap avoided. Heaven forbid any little girls watching might want to grow up to be gameshow assistants in ballgowns, flashing megawatt smiles and holding out both hands to display the shows prizes. Now ambitious girls can draw inspiration from the Kardashians and Love Island. In fact, one of Alans questions was about Love Island: how many women under 25 would give up a place at Oxford University to appear on the reality show? Before you knew it, thered be bikini models on revolving stages, tempting us to win Austin Allegros and holidays in Benidorm on Sale Of The Century. Thankfully, the MeToo movement has put a stop to all that. Now ambitious girls can draw inspiration from the Kardashians and Love Island. In fact, one of Alans questions was about Love Island: how many women under 25 would give up a place at Oxford University to appear on the reality show? Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford guessed it would be more than 60 per cent. Lower! yelled the studio audience, stabbing their thumbs and fingers downwards like a Colosseum crowd demanding the death of a gladiator. Not many current shows cater for that urge to enjoy a good shout audiences on Pointless, for instance, are expected to laugh obediently in the right places and otherwise stay silent. But the BBC never did like rowdy throngs. Theyre too vulgar. The dolly dealers were such a feature of the Eighties show, its impossible to imagine a remake without at least one Andrew Marr once described the audiences on The Price Is Right as a baying, greedy mob, which neatly expresses the Beebs innate snobbery. Alan Carr is having a bash at The Price Is Right next Saturday, as it happens. Will his version start, as original host Leslie Crowthers did, with dazzling smiles and waves from young female assistants with huge hairdos? Spoiler alert: no, it wont. Girls in need of a stellar role model need look no further than the jazz biography Ella Fitzgerald: Just One Of Those Things (BBC2). The best contributions came from dancer Norma Miller, who died aged 99 in May 2019. She recalled how the raucous audience at the Apollo in Harlem booed Ellas very first appearance on stage until the moment when she started singing. Girls in need of a stellar role model need look no further than the jazz biography Ella Fitzgerald: Just One Of Those Things (BBC2) This respectful documentary put a lot of emphasis on Ellas determination to break free from poverty, after a childhood of dancing in the New York streets for pennies and a spell in reform school. What it didnt manage to explain was the innocence in her voice. Where Frank Sinatra could take a song like Ive Got You Under My Skin and make it sleazy, Ella imbued it with fairytale romance. Near the end of her life, I remember, she appeared on Michael Aspels chat show. He asked her to name a great modern song and Ella sang a few bars of the theme from Neighbours: Everybody needs good neighbours... thats when good neighbours become good friends. Aspel was stunned, but Ella wasnt joking. She really was that pure-hearted. What a wonderful woman. Motormouth of the weekend: Remember when celebs were intelligent, charismatic, even controversial? Muhammad Ali was the favourite guest of U.S. chat host Dick Cavett, recalled in the superb Ali And Cavett (Sky Documentaries). Just unique. Even though over 7,000 people have died from Covid-19 in Canada there is a plus side to a pandemic. Thats the message from Sonya Savage, Albertas energy minister. Now is a great time to be building a pipeline because you cant have protests of more than 15 people, Savage declared in a recent podcast. Lets get it built. Never mind that in both B.C and Alberta, where the controversial Trans Mountain oil pipeline is being built, the limit on gatherings is now 50 people. But there is some truth to her words: for how exactly is legitimate dissent and protest whether it be in aid of environmental or other causes such as anti-racism, or opposition to government cuts to public services, to be made visible and effective given the restrictions imposed because of the pandemic? Its going to be especially hard in Alberta. For as Savage laid bare her contempt for Indigenous and environmental protesters she called environmentalists nut bars during the podcast the UCP government passed a bill on Friday that would levy heavy fines up to $200,000 for individuals or groups that interfere with or blockade what the government deems essential infrastructure. That includes everything from oil sands mining pits to highways to urban rapid transit rails. Most of the infractions are already covered by the federal criminal code. But Premier Jason Kenney was furious during the country-wide rail blockades in February in support of the Wetsuweten hereditary chiefs of northern B.C who opposed a natural gas pipeline in their territory because the blockades hampered rail transportation of Albertas oil and agricultural products. So even though there was only one very brief blockade of a rail line in Alberta he decided to double down on any sort of active protest that might hinder the operations of the petroleum industry in the province. The message to environmentalists: dont even think about publicly protesting anything. It seems eons ago but it was only a few months ago that hundreds of thousands of people across the world marched in peaceful protests inspired by Greta Thunberg demanding more government action on reducing carbon emissions. That made Kenney mad too especially when 10,000 of those protesters showed up in front of the Alberta Legislature on a sunny October day. It will be interesting to see if the Legislature grounds become essential infrastructure the first time any group opposed to the UCP government tries to hold a demonstration there. And what about all those hundreds of oil industry workers who regularly show up to loudly voice their antipathy to Justin Trudeau or any other Liberal politician who sets foot in Alberta? Will they be arrested if they block a road while exercising their freedom of assembly? Not likely. Joe Vipond, the soon-to-be president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment sees the dilemma confronting social movements through the lens of both a Calgary emergency room physician who knows well the dangers of spreading the coronavirus and an environmental activist. Its definitely harder to mobilize and get attention but marching in the streets is only one aspect of the environmental movement, he said during an interview. If we dont want eruptions in our streets as is happening in the U.S, Vipond says, elected representatives must include various stakeholders in their policy decisions not just the ones they agree with. When people feel they are not being listened to, thats when they get frustrated and turn to street protests, he said. For the past 15 years Vipond has been at the forefront of a campaign to phase out coal-fired electricity plants in Alberta because of the dangers to peoples health from breathing in minute particles from the plants emissions. He said he and his fellow campaigners had no trouble arranging meetings with government officials when the Progressive Conservatives and the NDP were in power. But when we ask for a meeting with the UCP health and environment ministers we get no response at all, he said. Hopefully, municipal, provincial and federal governments outside Alberta will be more responsive to social movements as we move through restrictions brought on by the pandemic. Otherwise we too will see bottled up frustration erupt in the streets. GS Gillian Steward is a Calgary-based writer and freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Twitter: @GillianSteward is a Calgary-based writer and freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Twitter: @GillianSteward Read more about: As the COVID-19 pandemic rages out of control in Mexico, the campaign to force workers back into unsafe workplaces has exposed the subservience of every sector of the Mexican bourgeoisie to US imperialism, including the left nationalist president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO). Confirmed deaths from COVID-19 are approaching 10,000 as of this writing, and the increase continues to accelerate, while several investigations have found that the real death toll is several times higher. As hospitals begin to collapse, the AMLO government has refused to impinge on the profit-making activities of transnational corporations to protect workers lives. While ordering a gradual re-opening of the entire economy starting on June 1, the president already declared as essential the production of cars, electronics, and other nonessential goods. He also gave the green light to the reopening of parts plants which were indispensable for reopening the automotive, aerospace, defense and other industries within the United States over the past two weeks. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Mexico City, Friday, April 3, 2020. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Through waves of wildcat strikes and widespread demonstrations across manufacturing maquiladora plants, mines, hospitals and other workplaces, as well as in public opinion polls, Mexican workers have demanded the closing of nonessential businesses and the provision of proper protections to essential workers. The main obstacle to the development of this struggle has been the campaign by the self-proclaimed friends of the working classAMLOs Morena party, so-called democratic and independent unions allied with the American AFL-CIO bureaucracy and their pseudo-left supporters. These forces promote the fatal illusion that workers can achieve their demands through appeals to supposedly left sections of the Mexican bourgeoisie and political establishment, which are no less subservient to Wall Street than AMLOs predecessors. Over the last several years workers have more openly challenged the long-standing domination of the gangster-ridden Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM), whose leaders, known as charros, are bribed by the corporations to suppress worker opposition to poverty wages and sweatshop conditions. This exploded to the surface with the wave of wildcat strikes in early 2019 involving up to 70,000 workers in the border town of Matamoros, across from Brownsville, Texas, and the militant actions of GM workers in Silao in support of last years GM strike in the US. Most recently maquiladora workers in Ciudad Juarez, Mexicali, Tijuana and nurses and health care workers have protested the lack of protections against exposure to the deadly COVID-19 disease. Fearing that this movement will develop independently of the unions and become a catalyst for a broader political movement uniting Mexican and American workers against the dictates of the transnational corporations and Mexican capitalists, sections of the trade union bureaucracy allied with AMLO and his Morena Party have sought to contain and strangle this rebellion. This is consistent with the efforts of the Trump administration and the AFL-CIO union confederation and its Solidarity Center to promote so-called democratic and independent trade unions as a means to subordinate growing unrest in the working class. This is happening across Mexico, but there are some prominent examples: Morena Senator and leader of Los Mineros trade union Napoleon Gomez Urrutia has taken the lead in meeting with mining, metal and steel corporations to apply the return to work after AMLO declared all mines essential. After 44 out of 200 non-unionized workers employed in the state of Guerrero by Equinox Gold during the lockdown contracted the virus, Gomez was compelled to denounce the actions of the company while insisting the authorities must demand that the companies fulfill the health norms before returning to the activity. Gomez is a long-standing partner of the AFL-CIO, which has sponsored the training of the Mineros bureaucrats. The Independent Union of Volkswagen Workers (SITIAVW) at the companys Puebla facility has collaborated with the corporation to cover up that the death of worker Angel Ignacio M. was from COVID-19 after health authorities confirmed it and revealed that some of his family members also tested positive. The union, which has been allied to the AFL-CIO since the early 2000s, has insisted that workers must abide by the order of the Morena governor in Puebla, Barbosa Huerta, who has given VW the green light to open the plant on June 15. At Ciudad Juarez and Matamoros, labor lawyer Susana Prieto and the Political Organization of the People and Workers (OPT), both of whom work with several independent unions and the AFL-CIO, organized twin marches on May 18 to demand that plants and workers abide by AMLOs decree to reopen manufacturing on June 1. Prieto also blatantly lied when she told reporters that the government was unaware that other nonessential maquiladoras were already open, insisting that that workers need to make the president of the Republic see. That evening, the AFL-CIO Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, the OPT and the Morenoite Movement of Socialist Workers (MTS)which publishes La Izquierda Diario and has long promoted Susana Prietos operations in Ciudad Juarez and Matamorosheld a joint press conference to present a letter to supposedly inform AMLO about the early re-openings, which he officially sanctioned. The letter also encouraged workers to leave their fate in the hands of the capitalist government and the profit-driven corporations, pleading that the plants dont re-open until the authorities and corporations guarantee that the workplace is 100 percent free of infections. The criminal response to the pandemic by the AMLO government has been no different than that of the fascistic Jair Bolsonaro administration in Brazil. As for the AFL-CIO, its leader, Richard Trumka, sits on President Trumps corporatist board to reopen the US economy, alongside of billionaires like Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Far from protecting workers from the ravages of COVID-19, which has already claimed the lives of more than 106,000 people in the USthe largest number in the worldthe American unions function as enforcers of Trumps homicidal policies, prompting workers in the auto, meatpacking and other industries to strike and protest in opposition to the unions. The pseudo-left and the democratic trade unions are all aligning themselves behind the AFL-CIO bureaucrats who are on the payroll of Trumps State Department. Currently, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which has long operated as a front for the US intelligence agencies, is preparing a new Global Labor Initiative to expand and add organizations to its already existing Global Labor Program (GLP). Run directly by the AFL-CIOs Solidarity Center since 2010, the GLP has sought to form and strengthen so-called democratic and independent trade unions in 31 countries. According to their latest financial report for 2018, the Solidarity Center received $34.4 million in revenue, 92.6 percent of which came from US government awards. A 2015 program evaluation document states that by establishing strong and meaningful tripartite relationships, between corporations, governments and the trade unions, the GLP is intended to serve USAIDs broader democracy promotion goals. In plain terms, this means promoting the geo-political interests of US imperialism all over the world. Of particular concern is suppressing the opposition of workers in the global supply chain for strategic US industries, including auto and military equipment. The new format under the Global Labor Initiative, according to the grant request, seeks to account for changes in production and supply chains in order to assist in global organizing efforts and international sectoral campaigns, and to engage strategically with private sector stakeholders. The complete subordination of the Mexican ruling class to US imperialismwith billionaires like Carlos Slim who lord over Mexican society also heavily invested in Wall Streetmake it unwilling and unable to provide any concessions to improve living standards oras the pandemic revealseven protecting the lives of the impoverished masses. Susana Prieto, an AFL-CIO collaborator who founded one of the independent trade unions in Matamoros, publicly thanked the Stalinist Communist Party organizations and the MTS for providing a socialist cover for her operations. In the case of the MTS, it has consistently called on workers to appeal and organize within the trade unions that call themselves democratic, a term which appears 153 times in their online outlet, laizquierdadiario.mx. Among the examples they provide, the most prominent are Los Mineros, the National Union of Workers (UNT)SITIAVW and several other trade unions founded with AFL-CIO funds and the New Workers Central (NCT), which has also long collaborated with the AFL-CIO. The only organization opposing these efforts in Mexico and internationally is the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), which is calling on workers to form rank-and-file committees, independent of all the pro-capitalist and nationalist unions, to organize the struggle against the premature return to work and for appropriate protection for essential workers. Such committees should fight to unite with workers across the border and organize a common struggle against the transnational corporations, which are using the pandemic to accelerate their plans for a restructuring of the global auto industry that will result in a new assault on jobs and living standards. The capitalist system is producing death, inequality and state repression in every country. The only answer to this is the struggle to unite the working class on the basis of the program of international socialism and the reorganizing of economic and political life based on human need, not private profit. Uncertainty and lack of time before the end of Brexit transition poses a potent threat to prosperity and stability in Northern Ireland, a report has warned. Businesses in Great Britain could decide it is economically unviable to continue operations across the Irish Sea unless flexibility is shown in the EU negotiations, a House of Lords committee warned. The country will have to follow EU rules on agriculture and manufactured goods, ensuring access to its single market and keeping the border with the Republic of Ireland free-flowing in a key concession maintaining a decades-old peace. The group of peers said: The combination of uncertainty, lack of momentum and lack of time, compounded by the shock of the Covid-19 pandemic, is a potent threat to economic prosperity and political stability in Northern Ireland. The Specialised Committee on the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol is expected to meet today for the first time. In a recent letter to @beisgovuk we highlighted the Protocols #StateAid provisions as a key area of uncertainty 1/2 Lords European Affairs Committee (@LordsEUCom) April 30, 2020 The mechanism ensuring the countrys border with the Republic remains open after the Brexit transition period finishes at the end of this year is known as the Northern Ireland Protocol and was agreed between the EU and UK during the Brexit talks. The UK Government published a document attempting to flesh out some detail in May. It said checks will be needed on some goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK as part of Brexit but bureaucracy will be kept to a minimum. The House of Lords European Union committees report responded: While some detail was provided, the command papers heavy reliance on the future tense underlines how little progress has been made thus far, how many issues remain to be resolved and how much work still needs to be done before the protocol becomes operational on January 1 2021. Unless the joint committee of EU and British officials overseeing the process adopted a flexible definition of goods at risk of ending up in the Republic, checks and processes on those moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland could have a serious detrimental impact, the House of Lords review added. Its report said: There is a real danger that businesses based in Great Britain could conclude that it is economically unviable to continue to operate in Northern Ireland, leading in turn to reduced choice and higher costs for Northern Ireland consumers, thus undermining Northern Irelands economic model, its future prosperity and, potentially, its political stability. Expand Close Ministers said checks will be needed on some goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK as part of Brexit (Liam McBurney/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ministers said checks will be needed on some goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK as part of Brexit (Liam McBurney/PA) Before the Covid-19 outbreak, Northern Irish businesses felt preparing for the protocol to become operational on January 1 next year was a Herculean task, the committee said. That task has become even more difficult, given the impact of Covid-19 on the economy and the capacity of individual businesses to cope with the problems confronting them. Given its refusal to countenance an extension to the transition period, the Government must urgently explain to Northern Ireland stakeholders the practical steps that will be taken to ensure the protocol is operational from January 1 2021. It said the joint UK-EU committee will also need to take the changed circumstances arising from the infection into account. Clarity on the practical measures that will be necessary to implement the protocol, and the steps that businesses based in or trading with Northern Ireland need to take to prepare, is now required as a matter of acute urgency if damage to the Northern Ireland economy is to be avoided. A UK Government spokesman said its priority remains to strengthen Northern Irelands place in the UK and preserve the huge gains from the peace process and Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. He added: Our proposals will deliver unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses to the whole of the UK market, ensuring there are no tariffs on goods remaining within the UK customs territory and no need for any new customs infrastructure in Northern Ireland. We are committed to implementing our obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement and have set out the approach that will guide us as we do. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2020 / StageZero Life Sciences, Ltd (SZLS.TO) ("StageZero" or the "Company") today announced operational results for the three month period ended March 31, 2020 and provided a progress update on its business. The Company is now processing COVID-19 tests and receiving revenue from these tests. This is in contrast to many other labs whose requests for routine diagnostic tests have slowed considerably. The Telehealth Platform that was created to support the Company's cancer screening tests has proven fundamental to facilitating COVID-19 testing. The Company has received requests for 250,000 tests. The Company can currently test at approximately 1,000 tests per day and intends to increase its processing capabilities over time. The Company has initiated testing for multiple parties as disclosed in press releases during the month of May eg the City of Alpharetta, companies under the umbrella of the Mercer VIP program, and through the partnership with UDoTest. The following milestones have recently been achieved: Initiated COVID-19 testing (requests for 250,000+ tests received) City of Alpharetta is offering StageZero COVID-19 testing to its first responders Partnership with UDo Test, connecting the Company to a network of 50,000 physicians Mercer VIP Program has included StageZero COVID-19 testing and already connected the company to employers who have ordered tests Aristotle was shown as a poster during the ASCO annual meeting Participated in the Echelon Wealth Partners: COVID-19: Investment Opportunities In Health Care virtual conference May 4, 2020 Lind closed out its CSFA agreement The unprecedented nature of COVID-19 and its corresponding impact on business globally has been severe. Entire countries and industries have been negatively impacted and, in some cases, irrevocably affected by the quarantine measures that were put in place in Q1 2020. StageZero has felt the impact of this change in business and the Company experienced decreased test volumes during Q1 of approximately 50%. This also affected revenue collection. Simultaneously with this decrease in cancer testing, the Company pivoted to respond to the need for Covid-19 testing. As stated in the Company's press release of April 20, 2020, StageZero Life Sciences Initiates Testing for COVID-19 In the USA, the Company has initiated testing for both the live virus via PCR tests, as well as antibody testing for previous infection via a two-test, confirmatory test. Story continues The Company is using the recent increased exposure of its capabilities to highlight its core cancer screening business and build long term relationships with healthcare service providers, institutional investors and employers. Q1 2020 Financial Results All amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated and results are reported in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards. For the three month period ended March 31, 2020, we reported a consolidated net loss of $2.7 million, or $0.01 loss per common share, as compared with a consolidated net loss of $5.2 million, or $0.03 loss per common share, for the same period in 2019. The $2.6 million decreased loss results from the $2.3 million impact of the revaluation of warrants, the $0.1 million decrease in general and administrative costs and the $0.2 million decrease in cost of goods sold. The Company's financial statements and management's discussion and analysis are available on www.sedar.com. About StageZero Life Sciences, Ltd. StageZero Life Sciences is dedicated to the early detection of multiple disease states through whole blood. The Company operates a CAP accredited and CLIA certified high complexity reference laboratory based in Richmond, Virginia. A specialist in PCR testing for the early identification of Cancer through blood, the Company is uniquely positioned to provide both COVID PCR testing (nasal swab) and blood test analysis (Antibody testing). Our full service, telehealth platform includes access to physicians and phlebotomist who can prescribe and draw samples for individuals and groups. As we provide COVID-19 test during this Pandemic, we continue making progress with our mission to eradicate late stage cancers through early detection. Our next generation test, Aristotle, is a multi-cancer panel for simultaneously screening for 10 cancers from a single sample of blood with high sensitivity and specificity for each cancer. www.stagezerolifesciences.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements identified by words such as "expects", "will" and similar expressions, which reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual events to differ materially from those projected herein. Investors should consult the Company's ongoing quarterly filings and annual reports for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. Revenue projections related to COVID-19 testing assume that COVID will continue to be a major health concern, assume no vaccine or effective control is introduced, and assume StageZero will have access to materials and staff it needs to complete testing. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Company Contacts: James R. Howard-Tripp Chairman & CEO jht@stagezerols.com Tel: 1-855-420-7140 Ext. 1 Rebecca Greco Investor Relations rgreco@stagezerols.com Tel: 1-855-420-7140 Ext. 1838 SOURCE: StageZero Life Sciences Ltd View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/592226/StageZero-Life-Sciences-Announces-Q1-2020-Progress-Update Customers waiting in line receive instruction from an employee at a curbside pickup location outside Nordstrom at Costa Mesa's South Coast Plaza on May 15. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa has postponed its planned reopening following the significant protests, violent clashes between demonstrators and police and looting that have rocked Southern California in recent days. The upscale mall had planned to throw open its doors for customers Monday following a lengthy coronavirus-related closure but, in an online message, officials said the reopening would be delayed to an unannounced date. "We are saddened by the recent events in our country and care deeply for the safety and well-being of our entire community," the message states. A representative for South Coast Plaza declined to comment beyond the website message or to specify what events the statement was referencing. However, Costa Mesa officials said that a curfew would be in effect Monday night starting at 7 p.m. Earlier in the day, the police department had said it had become aware of a "flyer circulating on social media that mentions a planned protest at South Coast Drive and Bear Street" where the shopping center is located. "The CMPD is working closely with its law enforcement partners and continues to provide police services to the city while addressing the situation," police officials wrote in a statement. "While CMPD supports the publics right to peaceably assemble and demonstrate, it does not support vandalism, rioting and looting." Recent days have seen thousands of demonstrators take to Southern California's streets to decry the death of George Floyd an unarmed black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee to his neck for several minutes. The protests have turned violent at times, with clashes between police and participants and widespread looting and vandalism. Hundreds of protesters looted stores in Santa Monica's upscale business district and at the Pike Outlets in Long Beach on Sunday, smashing the windows of businesses before making off with whatever they could carry. Story continues The deteriorating situation, which mirrored similar scenes from Los Angeles the day before, prompted Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva to announce a countywide curfew beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday and ending at 6 a.m. Monday. The National Guard also was dispatched to especially hard-hit cities. Other demonstrations held Sunday in downtown Los Angeles, Huntington Beach and Santa Ana were largely peaceful. Unconfirmed rumors circulating on social media indicated that an unnamed group was organizing some kind of protest at South Coast Plaza on Monday night leading some to speculate that looters could be targeting the center next. Some people are really trying to take advantage of the situation. If you planned a protest at South Coast Plaza youre not protesting youre shopping Eric (@Rippin_) June 1, 2020 The South Coast Plaza representative did not comment on whether the center is taking additional or special measures to protect against looting or vandalism. Costa Mesa previously instituted a local curfew overnight Sunday, with officials saying they had gotten wind of plans to potentially vandalize and loot businesses within the city. What began as a civil peaceful assembly to protest has been co-opted and turned into destruction, chaos and intent to commit criminal acts, Mayor Katrina Foley said in a statement Sunday. Weve learned from multiple sources that people plan to loot in our city. There is a lot of misleading information on social media right now intended to create disruption, but we must still take the necessary precautions to keep our city and our residents safe. South Coast Plaza closed in mid-March after a store employee tested positive for COVID-19. California's subsequent stay-at-home order meant to stem the spread of the disease kept storefronts dark for weeks. The center launched a curbside pickup program last month. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Fusion Marketing Group, a full-service recruitment marketing agency focusing solely on the healthcare industry, is proud to celebrate a decade in business. "Since our inception in 2010, Fusion Marketing Group has consistently attracted, engaged, and converted healthcare professionals into effective new hires for our clients," Marianne Santilli, the co-founder of Fusion Marketing Group, says. "We're immensely pleased to have grown and fostered professional relationships with some of the country's leading hospitals and health systems and look forward to establishing even more in the years to come." The past decade has seen tremendous growth for Fusion Marketing Group, including nearly doubling the company's staff and increasing revenue by over 550%. Clients include Duke Nursing, WMCHealth, Beth Israel Lahey Health, Northeast Georgia Health System, Mary Washington Healthcare, and NCH Healthcare System. "Marianne and I had a vision of what would make healthcare recruitment marketing more effective, and we're so proud of the team and client partners that have made that vision a reality," Georgia Dardick, Fusion's co-founder said. Fusion Marketing Group features a proven track record in both increasing applicants for hard-to-fill positions while improving the ROI on investment budgets. Their evidence-based solutions are driven by an in-depth understanding of the mindsets of healthcare applicants gained through their investment in proprietary market research and marketing analytics. "We know recruiting in healthcare is different," Santilli says. "From formulating the strategy to implementing the tactics and analyzing the results, our mission is Fusion's tagline: "Where Recruitment Marketing Works." About Fusion Marketing Group Fusion Marketing Group, headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, is a full-service recruitment marketing agency that focuses solely in healthcare. Through a combination of research, analytics and creativity, Fusion helps their clients convert candidates into qualified applicants at higher rates and lower costs. Their services include employer branding, website design, traditional, digital, and search marketing, social media, traditional and virtual hiring events, referral programs, and more. To learn more about Fusion Marketing Group, visit fusionideas.com. Media Contact Georgia Dardick, Fusion Marketing Group, Inc. [email protected] 561-706-1073 SOURCE Fusion Marketing Group, Inc. First Eagle Investment Management recently released its Q1 2020 Investor Letter, a copy of which you can download below. The First Eagle Fund of America posted a return of -23.72% for the quarter (without sales charge), underperforming its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index which returned -19.60% in the same quarter. You should check out First Eagle's top 5 stock picks for investors to buy right now, which could be the biggest winners of the stock market crash. There werent a lot of funds who could deliver these kinds of returns without shorting the market or using aggressive put options. In the said letter, First Eagle highlighted a few stocks and Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM) is one of them. Newmont is the world's largest gold mining company. Year-to-date, Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM) stock gained 36.9% and on May 29th it had a closing price of $58.47. Here is what First Eagle said: "The gold price helped support the stock price of Newmont Corporation, a Colorado-based miner with, in our view, highquality assets located in favorable mining jurisdictions in North America, South America, Australia and Africa. With what we consider an impressive portfolio of assets, strong management team, solid balance sheet and history of generating free cash flow, Newmont appears well positioned to withstand the economic disruptions related to the coronavirus pandemic." In Q1 2020, the number of bullish hedge fund positions on Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM) stock increased by about 26% from the previous quarter (see the chart here), so a number of other hedge fund managers seem to agree with NEMs growth potential. Our calculations showed that Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM) isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds. The top 10 stocks among hedge funds returned 185% since the end of 2014 and outperformed the S&P 500 Index ETFs by more than 109 percentage points. We know it sounds unbelievable. You have been dismissing our articles about top hedge fund stocks mostly because you were fed biased information by other media outlets about hedge funds' poor performance. You could have doubled the size of your nest egg by investing in the top hedge fund stocks instead of dumb S&P 500 ETFs. Below you can watch our video about the top 5 hedge fund stocks right now. All of these stocks had positive returns in 2020. Story continues Video: Top 5 Stocks Among Hedge Funds At Insider Monkey we leave no stone unturned when looking for the next great investment idea. For example, we believe electric vehicles and energy storage are set to become giant markets, and we want to take advantage of the declining lithium prices amid the COVID-19 pandemic. So we are checking out investment opportunities like this one. We interview hedge fund managers and ask them about their best ideas. If you want to find out the best healthcare stock to buy right now, you can watch our latest hedge fund manager interview here. We read hedge fund investor letters and listen to stock pitches at hedge fund conferences. Our best call in 2020 was shorting the market when the S&P 500 was trading at 3150 after realizing the coronavirus pandemics significance before most investors. You can subscribe to our free enewsletter below to receive our stories in your inbox: [daily-newsletter][/daily-newsletter] Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Wharton School student David Lebel, 27, lunches with his fiance, Eva Marwaha, at the Huntsman Hall courtyard. The 126-year-old school is part of the University of Pennsylvania. Read more In what school officials believe is the first program of its kind, the Wharton School is funding the $149,000 tuition for one MBA student who is a member of the LGBTQIA community and demonstrates leadership, the business school announced Monday. The Prism Fellowship covers the full cost of tuition for Whartons two-year, full-time MBA program and was established by Jeffrey Schoenfeld, a 1984 Wharton grad and a partner at Brown Brothers Harriman investment firm. Colan Wang, of Toronto, received the inaugural Prism Fellowship. He will join the Wharton MBA Class of 2022 this coming fall and is currently a business consultant at TD Wealth in Toronto. Id like to major in business analytics, said Wang, 26, who will be paying for his own housing. The letters LGBTQIA refer to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual, or allied. I am so honored to be chosen for this. Im pleased its being announced during Pride Month also, since this year were going to celebrate very differently." Wang most recently helped organize TD Wealths first panel and networking event for lesbians, gays, and others and also worked in several community organizations in Toronto helping young people who identify as LGBTQ to join the workforce. Other business schools work with outside organizations to fund scholarships. We could not find another business school that has its own fellowship like this," said Caroline Pennartz, spokesperson for Wharton. Schoenfeld joined Brown Brothers Harriman in 1984. He was named a partner at the firm in 1996 and held investment leadership roles during his 35-year career, including chief investment officer. He is on oversight committees including BBHs diversity & inclusion efforts and is the founding sponsor for the firms LGBTQ affinity group, BBH Pride. Schoenfeld is also the immediate past president of the UJA-Federation of New York and will soon be joining the board of directors of amfAR, a leading cure-focused HIV/AIDS research organization, according to his professional bio. If Wharton is going to compete for the best students, how do they differentiate from Harvard and Stanford? They want to be the place where students are embraced for their diversity, said Schoenfeld, who received his bachelors in economics from the University of California at Berkeley. He lives in New York City with his partner. Wharton, he said, wanted to be the only business school in the country to make a fellowship available for a student in the LGBTQ space, and [the students] are granted a fellowship unknown to them because of their leadership. I loved the idea. He agreed to be the donor. Whats most important is to offer a diverse environment. And Wharton is leading the pack, he said. Schoenfeld said he was openly gay at Wharton, which was rare in 1982. And I have been out mostly throughout my entire Wall Street career. And in 1984, there was a period of 10 years where the rule was dont ask, dont tell.' Thats slowly changed. But in a way I was back in the closet. In 1996 he became a partner at Brown Brothers, which this year marks its 200th year. I do a lot of public speaking, and when I tell my story, I like to say that when I became a partner in 1996, I was the first ... Jewish partner! And one of the first [to be] gay. They got two for the price of one! Two schools in Melbournes north-west remained closed for deep cleaning on Monday after students tested positive to COVID-19 last week, with one school telling families it would revert to remote learning until further notice. But students doing vocational subjects will continue to travel to other campuses to take practical classes, despite one positive case forcing students at three schools into isolation last week. Holy Eucharist Primary School in St Albans South remained closed for deep cleaning on Monday. Credit:Luis Ascui The states health minister and chief health officer expressed optimism on the weekend that the schools would be in a position open, but Premier Daniel Andrews said on Monday that the Victorian government was taking a pretty conservative approach to reopening. Four new cases of coronavirus were reported in Victoria on Monday, including one linked to the Rydges Hotel cluster in Carlton. None were linked to the Keilor Downs community cluster behind the closures of Keilor Downs College and Holy Eucharist Primary School last week. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced that salons, barber shops and all markets will reopen in Delhi as the country enters Unlock 1 to gradually reduce restrictions imposed due to coronavirus. Addressing the media, Kejriwal said the Capitals borders would be sealed till June 8 to deter a possible spike in Covid-19 cases in the region. However, the Delhi CM sought suggestions from the people regarding reopening the borders with other states post June 8. The move comes after the Capital's neighbours --- Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurugram --- shut their borders to prevent infection from Delhi. To decide on whether borders should be opened, Kejriwal has sought suggestions from people through WhatsApp or email till 5 pm on Friday, saying he also needed suggestions and guidance on whether Delhi government hospitals should be reserved for the residents of Delhi. Addressing the media, Kejriwal said until now his government could do so much work in Delhi because of the support of the people and their trust, saying the guidance of the people helped him implement many important decisions in the city. For the time being, he said, the Delhi government is sealing the borders for one week. "Essential services will remain functional and government officials can travel showing their identity cards. Based on the suggestions received from you, we will talk to the experts and decide on our future course of action on opening of borders," Kejriwal said. "Covid-19 positive cases are rising in Delhi, which is a matter of worry but there is no need to panic. I say this because the AAP government has invested a lot in developing the healthcare infrastructure of Delhi in the last five years," he said. Kejriwal said there has been holistic development of the health infrastructure in Delhi and assured that when the world is fighting to strengthen its healthcare systems against the Covid-19 pandemic, the Delhi government is ready to provide adequate health facilities and "a bed if you are ever infected by coronavirus". Kejriwal said the decision to open Delhi borders can be a challenging one because of the large influx of people from across the country for medical treatment. "People from all across the country come to Delhi for medical treatment because, first, Delhi's healthcare system is better than the healthcare system of any other state in the country. Secondly, the medical services in the government hospitals in Delhi are free. People can avail free of cost treatment in the government hospitals even if the treatment costs Rs 10 lakh," he said. "As soon as we open the borders, people from across the country will come to Delhi for better treatment. We have a capacity of 9,500 beds for coronavirus treatment in Delhi hospitals as against 2,300 patients today, but all the beds will be occupied in just 2-3 days if we have an influx of patients from across the country. What should we do? Should Delhi borders be opened," he asked. Along with lockdown relaxation measures, Kejriwal announced that the Delhi government will soon be launching an app to track COVID-19 cases and medical infrastructure. The announcement comes on a day when Centres three-phase unlock plan that will restrict curbs to containment zones came into force. Apart from the reopening salons and barber shops, Kejriwal lifted the odd-even scheme for shops and markets and said that industries can fully open during normal time. Our investment in healthcare has paid off. Our healthcare systems are being able to take on the COVID-19 caseloads. We will soon be launching an app to track coronavirus cases in Delhi and our medical infrastructure, Kejriwal said. Seeking for feedback on further measures that can be taken with regard to the closure of borders, the Delhi CM said, I need your suggestion on whether we should keep our borders open. If we keep the borders open then people from across the country will come in for treatment and we will not have enough beds for them or for the people of Delhi. Please let me know on WhatsApp or email by 5pm on Friday at delhicm.suggestions@gmail.com or call on 1031, Kejriwal said. As the National Capital is battling the pandemic, confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 18,549 with a jump of 1,163 cases on Monday. Delhi has so far recorded 416 coronavirus deaths. Photo taken on Sept. 9, 2019 shows a meeting to commemorate the International Day against Nuclear Tests at the UN headquarters in New York. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged all countries to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), while calling nuclear testing in the 21st century "simply not acceptable." (Xinhua/Li Muzi) By Fang Xiaozhi Defense News, an American website, reported that Drew Walter, performing the duties of the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters, said on May 26 that the military had found a suitable underground testing field in Nevada where the underground nuclear tests could be restarted within months if requested by the President. On May 15, the US President Donald Trump and other senior officials publicly discussed whether to restart nuclear test that had been suspended for nearly 30 years. Information so far indicates that Washington hasnt decided to restart the test yet. Still, the discussion itself sent a dangerous signal that sparked vehement responses in the international community. At present, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) serves as an important pillar of the international nuclear arms control system. After the US detonated the worlds first atomic bomb in the Alamogordo desert of the State of New Mexico in 1945, at least eightcountries have conducted about 2,000 nuclear tests, more than 1,000 of which were in the US. In October 1999, the UN passed the CTBT with an overwhelming vote, which was signed by five nuclear power states, including the US, that all pledged to suspend nuclear test. Although the treaty never took effect, the prohibition of nuclear tests has become an internationally acknowledged norm. The US intention to restart its nuclear test amid the whole worlds opposition aims to cement its absolute strategic superiority in nuclear weapons. In fact, Washington has never given up nuclear weapon development in the past decades, even though it has been advocating for the comprehensive ban on nuclear tests. Boasting unique technological advantages and complete nuclear data, the US is fully capable of conducting nuclear weapon research through 3D simulation, which minimizes the demand for nuclear tests in a realistic environment. Thats the reason why the US took the initiative to stop the nuclear test in 1999. The US has been promoting the development of small-sized and tactical nuclear weapons in recent years. It is even reported that the US has been developing low-yield mini nukes and attempts to use them on the battlefield. But it hasnt accumulated sufficient data in that regard, analyzed foreign media, so nuclear tests have to be conducted to obtain and verify the data. Drew Walter once said better physical and computer models were needed to make up for data deficiency. As far as future development is concerned, once the US restarts nuclear test, it will propel other nuclear states to follow suit, thus triggering an unprecedented nuclear arms race. The amount of nuclear weapons worldwide has been largely slashed after the Cold War, and none of the nuclear powers has conducted a nuclear test since the CTBT was signed, creating a relatively stable historical period for the international community. The CTBT has become the important cornerstone of global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. If restarting the nuclear testing, that US would open the Pandoras box, break the existing nuclear restriction regime, and cast a dark shadow of war over the world today. Moreover, Americas restart of the nuclear test will also send a shock wave to the existing international strategic landscape and nuclear security situation, with a particularly profound impact on the future US-Russia relation. So far, Washington has backed out of a spate of important treaties on international arms control. It even relaunched a new missile development program like Pershing II Weapon System after the US withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Once it exited the CTBT, the US would have free rein to intensify its nuclear deterrence through large-scale nuclear tests, and Russia would definitely counteract against such aggressiveness by, for instance, stepping up the development and deployment of tactical nuclear weapons and resuming nuclear test as well. All these will considerably add to the risk of unexpected warfare between the two powers and are worth our close attention and high vigilance. The Ekiti State Government, on Monday, inaugurated a 400-testing capacity mobile laboratory to ease testing of COVID-19 cases in the state. Governor Kayode Fayemi said this is part of steps to curtail further spread of the pandemic in the state. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the laboratory, installed at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, was in partnership with 54gene, a company set up to provide genomic data for Africa. This is coming barely a month after the government unveiled the state COVID-19 Response Hub, a Geographic Information System-based application, created to manage data on the pandemic in the state. Speaking at the occasion, the governor said with the installation and inauguration of the laboratory, the state now had capacity to test up to 400 cases daily. He said the laboratory was fully equipped with vital testing instruments and bio-safety materials, including an autoclave, bio-safety cabinet, centrifuge, heating blocks, vortexes, pipettes and PCR machines to support COVID-19 testing. He said 54gene would also furnish the government with operational support and molecular scientists, with the necessary skills to handle the instruments in the mobile laboratory. READ ALSO: Mr Fayemi said that the state would now be conducting tests in all the 16 local government areas to facilitate early detection of COVID-19 and ensure timely and adequate treatment of any infected person. He said the laboratory would remain in the state, even after the pandemic might have abated and would be used as a fully-functional molecular laboratory. This, according to him, will bolster the states molecular testing capabilities, adding the facility might be used by medical researchers and clinicians in the state in the event of future outbreak of any disease aside from coronavirus. The laboratory was pioneered by 54gene, a health technology company accredited by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which is already testing for COVID-19 in Lagos, Kano and Ogun states. The initiative is also one of the interventions being facilitated by the state COVID-19 Response Resource Mobilisation Committee, set up by the governor, to attract an effective support base and respond to the threats posed by the global pandemic. (NAN) Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Article body Auburn University has appointed Theresa McCormick, associate dean for academic affairs and an elementary education professor, as the interim dean of the College of Education, effective July 1. She succeeds Betty Lou Whitford, who announced her retirement last fall after serving as dean for 10 years. McCormick, who came to Auburn in 2004, brings a wealth of administrative experience to the position, including serving as associate dean for academic affairs since 2017, as both assistant and interim head of the Department of Curriculum and Teaching from 2014-17, and as program chair of the college's elementary education program from 2007-14. As interim dean, McCormick will oversee more than 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students, nearly 200 faculty and staff, seven academic units and a robust research and outreach portfolio. "Dr. McCormick brings strong experience and enthusiasm to the role of interim dean," said Provost Bill Hardgrave. "Especially as our university continues to navigate the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, I am confident that she will continue to promote the college's goals regarding scholarship, instruction and outreach." Through her leadership roles, McCormick has worked to advance the college's mission of preparing the next generation of teachers by ensuring Auburn students participate in experiential learning opportunities and engage in a variety of research and evidence-based instructional strategies. Her steadfast commitment to students served her well as associate dean, where McCormick was the lead administrator for the Office of Student Services, the assistant dean of Assessment and Certification Officer. In addition, she also coordinated undergraduate student development, graduate student services, clinical experiences and oversaw academic advisors in the college. "I am extremely honored to be asked to serve in this interim role as dean of the College of Education," McCormick said. "I have been impressed by the resilience and creativity of our faculty, staff and students during the COVID-19 pandemic over the last three months. As the university moves toward finding a 'new normal,' I am deeply committed to advancing the college's strategic plan, as well as supporting the mission of the college in the areas of exemplary teaching, impactful research and outreach." As interim department head, McCormick oversaw one of the college's largest units that offers undergraduate and master's-level teacher preparation programs, as well as advanced graduate programs. Working with faculty, McCormick promoted academic partnerships with other colleges and schools and supported the international engagement of faculty through their teaching, research and outreach, something she looks forward to continuing as interim dean. Within the research community, McCormick's scholarly efforts have focused on advancing pre-service and in-service teaching experiences for history and social studies educators in K-12 classrooms. Her research, teaching and mentoring efforts have been recognized with a variety of awards, including the Gerald and Emily Leischuck Undergraduate Teaching Award, the Auburn University Alumni Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award, being named as Outstanding Faculty Member by the Student Government Association for two years and serving as a participant in the Library of Congress Summer Teaching Institute. In addition to her administrative roles, McCormick has either chaired or served on more than a dozen doctoral committees and maintains a robust research portfolio of published chapters and scholarly research papers. McCormick holds a doctorate, education specialist and Master of Education degree in elementary education from the University of Alabama, as well as a bachelor's degree in early childhood education from Jacksonville State University. Founded in 1915, the Auburn University College of Education offers more than 60 degree options in teaching, special education, educational leadership, kinesiology, counseling, adult education, educational technology and educational psychology. All of the college's educator preparation programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, or NCATE, and approved by the Alabama State Department of Education, or ALSDE. Programs in counseling and rehabilitation are accredited by the American Psychological Association, or APA, and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, or CACREP, and music education shares the National Association of Schools of Music, or NASM, accreditation with the College of Liberal Arts. We are really exhausted. The Senegalese government isnt doing anything for us. I live in Senegal but, every month, I do a trip up to Morocco. I sell dried fish and I leave with lots of goods, including traditional soap, essential oils and djellabas (....). I arrived in Casablanca on March 3 and stayed there for a few days, just enough time to sell my wares and buy other goods to bring back to Senegal. When I left Casablanca on March 15, the borders werent yet closed. To get to Guerguerat, which is the Western Sahara border crossing that I was aiming for, you first have to go through the town of Dakhla, where the police give you an authorisation to show at the border. We ended up losing three days in Dakhla, while we waited for the pass. When we finally got to the border on March 19, they were already shut. A few Senegalese citizens were actually stuck in the No Mans Land between Morocco and Mauritania. We held a protest so that the Senegalese authorities would intervene and escort our brothers back to Senegal. But our group was stuck on the Moroccan side, so we didnt get the opportunity for safe passage back to Senegal. Instead, we had to go back to Dakhla. We called the Senegalese Embassy and the Consulate for help but didnt have any success. "We slept in our vehicles" The other traders and I stayed in a hostel at first but, after a week, we ran out of money. We started sleeping in our vehicles. It was a really difficult situation. That lasted two weeks. At that point, local officials in Dakhla got us hotel rooms and started providing us with food. It wasnt until then that the Senegalese Embassy sent a representative to take our names. They started providing housing to people who werent already being housed by the Moroccans. But they didnt give the people they were housing any assistance in terms of food. This van belongs to our Observer, Mor Sall Drame. Photo: Mor Sall Drame There are more than 60 of us stuck here. The government abandoned us. We want to go home. We dont have any money left. Our goods went rotten in the sun. PM Modi speaks to SAD leader Parkash Singh Badal after he tests positive for Covid-19 Key takeaways from cabinet briefing: Cheap loans for farmers, relaxed norms for MSMEs India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, June 01: The Union Cabinet today approved major economic support measures for MSMEs, farmers, agricultural sector employees and street vendors, in what the government claimed were 'historic' decisions. Among the decisions taken today, MSME definition was relaxed, and easier loans for street vendors and farmers were announced. Cabinet decisions: Centre announces relief for MSMEs, support for farmers | Oneindia News Union ministers Prakash Javadekar, Nitin Gadkari and Narendra Tomar are addressing the media on the decisions taken by the Union Cabinet in a meeting today. This is the first cabinet briefing after the Modi government has announced to gradually lift the lockdown restrictions. Relief to farmers: Govt extends crop loan repayment till August Javadekar said that in light of the effect of coronavirus on the economy, some "key steps have boost MSME and farm sector discussed in Cabinet meet". Here are the Highlights: Cabinet has made a road map for implementation of decisions for the MSME sector under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package Cabinet has cleared definition changes for the MSME sector Rs 50 crore investment, Rs 250 crore turnover for medium units Rs 50,000 crore equity investment allowed in MSMEs Relaxation of norms for loans to farmers under Kisan credit card scheme, says Javadekar Provision for more loans for street vendors. 5 million vendors to benefit Cabinet approves MSP for 14 kharif crops; farmers to get 50-83 per cent more than cost Rs 50,000 crore equity investment allowed in MSMEs It is for the first time since India's independence that such a decision has been taken for street vendors and footpath vendors Farmers who will repay their loans timely till August 31, will get a 4 per cent waiver on their loans -- Agri minister. Investment limit on plant and machinery increasedGovt hikes paddy MSP by Rs 53 per quintal to Rs 1,868 per quintal for the 2020-21 crop year Govt increases cotton MSP by Rs 260 to Rs 5,515 per quintal for 2020-21 Cabinet has approved modalities and road map for implementing two packages for MSMEs. Rs 20,000 crore package for distressed MSMEs and Rs 50,000 crore equity infusion through Fund of Funds MSP rate for Paddy now at Rs 1868 per quintal, Jowar-Rs 2620/quintal, Bajra-Rs 2150/quintal, and 50 per cent increase in Ragi, Moong, Groundnut, Soyabean, Til and Cotton, for the year 2020-21 The turnover limit for medium enterprises has been further amended to Rs 250 crore and investment limit has been raised to Rs 50 crore 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) - Lundin Gold Inc. (TSX: LUG) reported Monday that the restart of operations at its flagship Fruta del Norte mine in Ecuador is under way after a temporary shutdown due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The company said it has shipped all of the concentrate and dore that had been stored at site since the suspension of operations on March 22. Also, reagents, spare parts and other supplies that had been accumulating at the port of Guayaquil are being transported to site. Ecuador's national government issued COVID-19 protocols on May 15 setting out guidelines for the mining industry to reopen, as well as establishing logistics corridors for the transportation needs of the mining industry. The company said it has instituted protocols for allowing workers back on the site. The mine had just reached commercial production in February. Despite the shutdown late in the first quarter, the company produced 51,320 ounces of gold during the January-March period, according to Lundins first-quarter earnings report. "The re-establishment of transportation corridors was an important first step in our plan to restart operations at the mine," said Ron Hochstein, president and chief executive officer. We are in the last stages of finalizing the restart of our operations, which is expected to occur early in the third quarter of this year." During the mine suspension, workers carried out several projects and maintenance work in preparation for the restart, Lundin said. Lundin added that it expects to release further details about the start of production within the next few weeks. Former actor Zaira Wasim has reacted to the controversy surrounding her social media posts on locust attacks. Replying to a tweet by Canadian journalist Tarek Fatah, Zaira said her words were taken out of context. Tarek had tweeted, Indian Muslim actress @ZairaWasimmm mocks her own countrymen as being victims of Allahs wrath. This is how she explains locust swarm. In her original tweet, Zaira had mentioned a verse from the Quran about locust swarms. So We sent upon them the flood and locusts and lice and frogs and blood: Signs openly self-explained: but they were steeped in arrogance- a people given to sin - Quran 7:133, read her tweet. When met with excessive trolling and criticism, Zaira decided to temporarily deactivate her Instagram and Twitter accounts. She returned a day later. In response to Fatahs tweet, Zaira shared a long note that began with, Asalamualaykum Uncle Fateh. She wrote that she never claimed that the locust attacks in multiple states of the country were a sign of Gods wrath. While I too agree making claims like `this is wrath or a curse when the world is going through so much is a really insensitive one, I wish to also emphasise that making a claim on our own as big as Its a wrath or curse of Allah upon any land* is a statement one is making on behalf of Allah, which is actually a religiously irresponsible one and a sin and also a claim I never made, let alone mock anyone, she wrote. My tweet was completely taken out of context and blown out of proportion and none of the opinions, whether good or bad, define the reality of my intentions, for that is between me and My Rabb, and something which Im not even going to explain, for Im only accountable to Allah and not His creation, she added. The world is going through a tough time and a lot of hatred and bigotry already, the least we could do is not add more to it, she wrote. Zaira ended her tweet by adding, P.S I am not an actress anymore. Also see | Happy birthday R Madhavan: 10 photos that will rekindle your childhood crush on him. See here The Dangal actor had caused a stir last year when she announced that she was quitting her acting career as she felt that her profession was damaging her relationship with her religion. Follow @htshowbiz for more BERWYN, Pa., June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Annovis Bio Inc. (NYSE American: ANVS), a clinical-stage drug platform company addressing Alzheimers disease (AD), Parkinsons disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative diseases, will hold its 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders in a virtual meeting format on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) at www.viewproxy.com/AnnovisBio/2020/VM . Shareholders of record that attend the Annual Meeting will be able to vote and submit questions during the meeting by using the Virtual Control Number provided with the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials. Shareholders are encouraged to read the Proxy Statement and vote prior to the Annual Meeting to ensure their shares will be represented. For most items, including the election of directors, shares will not be voted unless stockholders provide voting instructions via the Internet or by returning a proxy card or voting instruction card. The Notice of Annual Meeting, Proxy Statement and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 are available at www.AALvote.com/ANVS . About Annovis Bio Headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, Annovis Bio, Inc. (Annovis) is a clinical-stage, drug platform company addressing neurodegeneration, such as Alzheimers disease (AD), Parkinsons disease (PD) and Alzheimers in Down Syndrome (AD-DS). We believe that we are the only company developing a drug for AD, PD and AD-DS that inhibits more than one neurotoxic protein and, thereby, improves the information highway of the nerve cell, known as axonal transport. When this information flow is impaired, the nerve cell gets sick and dies. We expect our treatment to improve memory loss and dementia associated with AD and AD-DS, as well as body and brain function in PD. We have an ongoing Phase 2a study in AD patients and plan to commence a second Phase 2a study in PD and AD patients. For more information on Annovis, please visit the companys website: www.annovisbio.com . Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release contain forward-looking statements that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as anticipate, expect, believe, will, may, should, estimate, project, outlook, forecast or other similar words, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the timing, effectiveness and anticipated results of ANVS401 clinical trials. Forward-looking statements are based on Annovis Bio, Inc.s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled Risk Factors in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Annovis Bio, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law. Investor Relations: Dave Gentry, CEO RedChip Companies Inc. 407-491-4498 Dave@redchip.com SOURCE: Annovis Bio Inc. Sweden will launch an inquiry into the country's handling of the pandemic before the summer. Prime Minister Stefan Lofven made the announcement in a newspaper interview on Monday, amid growing criticism over nursing home deaths and the lack of testing. Lofven, whose Social Democrats rule in coalition with the Greens but also depend on backing from two centre-right parties, had previously said a commission would be appointed once the crisis was over but was under pressure to act sooner. As of Monday, Sweden has recorded 37,814 cases of coronavirus. Eight more people died from the virus overnight bringing the total death toll to 4403. As of Monday, Sweden has recorded 37,814 cases of coronavirus Eight more people died from the virus overnight bringing the total death toll to 4403 Sweden will launch an inquiry into the country's handling of the pandemic before the summer 'We need to take an overall approach to see how it has worked at national, regional and local levels,' Lofven told Swedish daily Aftonbladet in an interview. 'We will make a decision for a commission before the summer,' he said. Sweden has taken a more liberal approach to combating the virus than its neighbours and has left most schools, restaurants and businesses open, relying on voluntary measures focused on good hygiene and social distancing to stem the outbreak. The country, which refused to impose a lockdown, has seen the death rate per capita than any country in the world over the past seven days. Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven made the announcement in a newspaper interview on Monday, amid growing criticism over nursing home deaths and the lack of testing 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. More than 4,000 people in Sweden, roughly half of them nursing home residents, have died in the pandemic, a per capita rate many times higher than in other Nordic countries, all of which imposed tighter restrictions. Screens between the tables protect customers sitting outside at a restaurant in central Stockholm on Saturday, May 30 People enjoy the sunny weather in Tantolunden park in Stockholm on May 30 While the mortality rate over the course of the outbreak has been lower than in some countries that opted for hard lockdowns, such as Italy and Britain, Sweden had the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in Europe relative to the size of the population through parts of May. Testing for the disease has also run well below the level in other Nordic countries, reaching only a third of the government's target of 100,000 tests per week, sparking criticism from opposition parties on both the right and left. Testing for the disease has also run well below the level in other Nordic countries, reaching only a third of the government's target of 100,000 tests per week, sparking criticism from opposition parties on both the right and left. As protests swept the nation over the weekend, several Facebook employees and executives took the unusual step of chastising chief executive Mark Zuckerberg for his hands-off approach to President Donald Trump's post about the demonstrators - and did so on rival site Twitter. Twitter made the unprecedented decision last week to flag the president's tweet as inflammatory. That triggered a major internal debate on Facebook's group messaging boards, as many called on Zuckerberg to follow in Twitter's footsteps. Trump wrote, "when the looting starts, shooting starts" after protests erupted last week in Minneapolis after George Floyd, a black man, died in police custody. Massive and often violent demonstrations have followed, spreading to cities across the country. On Friday, Zuckerberg defended the decision to take no action against the post, writing that "people need to know if the government is planning to deploy force." But many of the social network's 45,000-employees are left-leaning and have criticized senior executives for cozying up to conservatives in the past. Staff members were particularly upset by news reports that Zuckerberg spoke with the president and told him that the wording of the post put Facebook in a difficult position. Trump toned down his language in a subsequent tweet that was reposted on Facebook. The platform then cited the change as a reason not to remove the post. That sparked intense debate on the company's chat system, known as Workplace. "People have been murdered this weekend at the protests and we've hosted content encouraging it," an employee wrote in a companywide chat this weekend. The person suggested, along with others, that Trump's post "violated the spirit" of the company's policies. Others argued that Facebook was making concessions to Trump instead of addressing the pain of black Americans, and that the company should hold him to a higher standard because of his position. Amid the blowback, Zuckerberg announced late Sunday that Facebook would donate $10 million to racial justice organizations. He did not reference Trump's posts or the administration's long-standing ire with social media platforms. On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order that could allow the U.S. government to take oversight of political speech online. Facebook needs to "ensure our systems don't amplify bias," Zuckerberg wrote. "I know that $10 million can't fix this. It needs sustained, long term effort," he added. "This week has made it clear how much more there is to do." On Monday evening Twitter labeled a tweet by Florida GOP Congressman Matt Gaetz, saying that the tweet broke the company's policies on glorifying violence. The tweet referred to a leftist group that Trump labeled as a terrorist organization this weekend after claiming, without evidence, that its members were causing violence at various protests. It said, "Now that we clearly see Antifa as terrorists, can we hunt them down like we do those in the Middle East?" Protests raged in Washington, New York, Los Angeles and other U.S. cities over the weekend, leaving behind smashed windows, looted stores and torched police cars, a new crisis for a nation already gripped by a pandemic and recession. Peaceful gatherings that began in dozens of cities ended with more than 4,000 arrests, millions of people under curfew and over half the nation's governors calling in the National Guard. Facebook's response to the president stands in stark contrast to Twitter, which for the first time limited the public's ability to view or share a Trump tweet because it "violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence." Twitter employees cheered CEO Jack Dorsey's decision, and even more so as the company went further, promoting the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag from the company's main Twitter account, according to four people who work at the company. Facebook and other tech companies have long struggled with how to manage Trump's account. Twitter's decision to label Trump's tweet was two years in the making, part of the long-standing policy of allowing "newsworthy" tweets to stay up - even when they broke the site's rules. Though Facebook is more aggressive overall about policing harmful speech - unlike Twitter, the company has a robust two-year-old fact-checking program and employs more than 15,000 content moderators - Zuckerberg has made the decision time and again not to touch Trump's account. Facebook has several high-ranking conservative executives who often have warned against censoring right-leaning accounts even as those accounts have spread misinformation. Several Facebook employees took part in a virtual walkout in protest Monday, the New York Times first reported, and many expressed anger during a company town hall, according to a person who attended. Several years ago, some Facebook employees staged a walkout over the decision by a conservative executive, Joel Kaplan, to support the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Kaplan attended Senate confirmation hearings, where he sat in a prominent spot near the jurist's family, at a time when Kavanaugh was defending himself against sexual assault allegations by professor Christine Blasey Ford. Silicon Valley workers tend to be vocal, with thousands of Google employees staging a walkout last year amid the #MeToo movement. But the extent to which Facebook employees have taken an internal debate to a public forum is rare, particularly for a company that discourages such behavior. "I don't know what to do, but I know doing nothing is not acceptable," said design manager Jason Stirman. "I'm a FB employee that completely disagrees with Mark's decision to do nothing about Trump's recent posts, which clearly incite violence. I'm not alone inside of FB. There isn't a neutral position on racism." "Censoring information that might help people see the complete picture *is* wrong. But giving a platform to incite violence and spread disinformation is unacceptable, regardless who you are or if it's newsworthy," wrote Andrew Crow of Facebook's Portal product line. Other tech giants weighed in on the crisis. In a memo to Apple employees Sunday, CEO Tim Cook wrote about America's long history of racism and the deeply rooted discrimination evident in the U.S. criminal justice system, health disparities within communities of color and inequalities in neighborhood services and education. Cook said that Apple was donating to the Equal Justice Initiative, along with other groups, and that for the month of June, the tech giant would match two-for-one all employee donations. Apple closed some of its U.S. stores in the wake of the protests, even as the company tries to reopen its storefronts shuttered by the pandemic and economic downturn. Intel CEO Bob Swan said the company pledged $1 million to address social injustice and anti-racism through nonprofit groups and community organizations. Swan also encouraged employees to donate to groups focused on equity and social justice, including those eligible for Intel's donation matching program, like the Black Lives Matter Foundation, Center for Policing Equity and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. D onald Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin to tell him about his proposal to convene an expanded G7 international summit that would involve Russia. The US President had said that he intends to invite Russia, Australia, South Korea and India to a meeting of the G7 nations. Russia had been included in the gathering of the worlds most advanced economies since 1997, but was suspended in 2014 following its invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. The Kremlin said on Monday that Mr Trump told Mr Putin about his idea, but it did not offer any details of the discussion or say whether the Russian leader accepted the invitation. The White House confirmed the call, saying the two men discussed the latest efforts to defeat the coronavirus pandemic and reopen global economies. President Trump also reiterated the need for effective arms control, the White House said, and added: Additionally, the two leaders discussed progress toward convening the G7. The meeting was due to go ahead next month, but Mr Trump said it will now be postponed until the autumn. He told reporters the current make-up of the group is very outdated and does not properly represent whats going on in the world. Donald Trump said the current make-up of the Group of Seven summit was 'outdated' / AP The current G7 members are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday that Russia will not be included in the G7, disagreeing with Mr Trump. Mr Trudeau noted Moscows continued disrespect and flaunting of international rules and norms. The Kremlin also said that Mr Putin thanked Mr Trump for a batch of US ventilators sent to Russia and the two leaders talked about steps their countries have taken to combat the coronavirus outbreak. The Russian president also congratulated Mr Trump on Saturdays launch of two US astronauts aboard the Dragon spacecraft built by Elon Musks SpaceX company, the Kremlin said. The launch put the US back in the business of sending astronauts into orbit from home soil for the first time in nearly a decade during which time it relied on Russian spacecraft to deliver its astronauts to the International Space Station. The Kremlin said the two leaders spoke of the development of mutually beneficial co-operation in space and also talked about the need to intensify a US-Russian dialogue on strategic stability and steps to enhance mutual trust in the military sphere. In March 2019, the former home of the record producer Phil Spector landed on the market for $5.5 million. The infamous residence hasn't attracted a buyer, and its price was recently cut yet again. It's now available for $4,428,000. The reason for the nearly 20% drop in price? It might have something to do with the events of 2003 that took place in this SoCal home, known as the Pyrenees Castle. The actress and model Lana Clarkson was shot dead in the home, after spending a single evening with Spector. Although the music legend maintained that Clarkson's death was an "accidental suicide," he was convicted of second-degree murder in 2009 and sentenced to 19 years to life in prison. He's currently in custody at the California Health Care Facility in Stockton and will be eligible for parole in 2025. Spector bought the European-style manor in the Los Angeles suburb of Alhambra for $1.1 million in 1998. Pyrenees Castle realtor.com Foyer of Phil Spector's mansion realtor.com The lack of buyer interest isn't due to a lack of swanky features within the now-notorious home. Measuring in at 10,590 square feet, the home sits on a wooded 2.66-acre lot. Built in 1925, it's outfitted with all the glamorous bells and whistles that its French architect, Sylvester Dupuy, was known for. Dupuy designed the structure to be the largest private residence in the area, and it remains so nearly a century later. There are turrets, fountains, grand fireplaces, ornate wrought iron, elegant inlaid wood floors and paneling, as well as crystal chandeliers. Luxe features include a hair salon and a pub-style bar. Fountain realtor.com Living room realtor.com Elegant wood paneling realtor.com Dining room realtor.com Extending over two wings, which mirror each other, the grand mansion has a total of 12 bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, and a four-car garage with guest living accommodations above it. Bedroom realtor.com Over the years, upgrades have been made to the home's infrastructure, tile roof, bathrooms, plumbing, and kitchen. It would be a considered a landmark even if it weren't for its infamous history. Kitchen realtor.com Spector, 80, was a hit-making record producer and songwriter who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. He's credited with developing the Wall of Sound technique and worked with a wide range of pop and rock artists over his decades in the music industry. The post Price of the Notorious Phil Spector Mansion in SoCal Sinks Even Lower appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. Boy Scout Uses 3D Printer to Make Mask Ear Guards for Hospital Staff in Need on Front Lines Nightlife festival to spice up citys summer evenings By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-06-01 09:32 The curtain will be pulled up on the first-ever Shanghai Nightlife Festival next weekend on June 6. Activities will run through the whole month to spice up the citys night-time economy. (Anyi Yexiang in Jingan district) Nine iconic nightlife areas like Found 158 in Xintiandi, Huangpu riverside, Jingan Temple, Daxue Road of Wujiaochang and Pudong riverside will host special activities. Night shows and performances will be staged in the areas of Anyi Yexiang (a pedestrian alley in Jingan), Daxue Road, Bund Finance Center (BFC), and Sinan Mansion. The Shanghai Bar Association, working together with more than 300 bars across the city, will launch promotional campaigns to attract customers between 8pm and 2am. Opening hours at Shanghais major business districts like Nanjing Road will also be extended. (Sinan Mansion) (A fair on Daxue Road in Yangpu district) During the Shanghai Nightlife Festival, over 110 brands will gather at the North Square of BFC, including specialty shops, international food, street theatres, and DJ pubs. The BFC will not only be a gorgeous sightseeing place on the Bund, but also one of the most interesting night markets in Shanghai. Starting from June 6, the market will be open from 10am-10pm on weekends. (National Exhibition and Convention Center in Qingpu district) To warm up the exhibition industry, the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC), which is the venue of the annual China International Import Expo (CIIE), will also participate in the first Shanghai Nightlife Festival. Starting from June 6, night markets will be set up in the center, showcasing imported food, consumer goods and medical and health products brought by nearly 50 CIIE participating exhibitors. People can also enjoy art and cultural performances presented by popular bands and techno DJs. (Photos/CFP) On Friday nightas mass protests sparked by the deaths of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, and Black Americans in Kentucky, Georgia, and elsewhere convulsed Americaanchors with wave 3 News, the NBC affiliate in Louisville, Kentucky, were conversing on air with Kaitlin Rust, a reporter who was out covering protests in the city, when Rust cried out twice. Im getting shot, she shouted. Police, Rust said, were firing pepper balls at her. waves camera zoomed in on one officer, who cocked his gun and fired multiple rounds back at the camera. It was a stomach-churning scene, but not an incongruous one; as the weekend progressed and the protests continued, police officers abused journalists in cities across America. Somelike Omar Jimenez, the CNN reporter who was cuffed live on air Friday morningwere arrested for doing their jobs; others, like Rust, became targets for police weapons, sometimes clearly deliberately. In Minneapolis alone, at least a dozen reporters faced some form of violence. On Friday, Linda Tirado, a freelance photographer, lost her left eye after she was struck by what she believes was a rubber bullet fired by police. On Saturday, MSNBCs Ali Velshi, two video journalists with Reuters, a CBS News crew, and Tom Aviles, a photojournalist with local station WCCO, all likewise reported being struck with rubber bullets; police also forced Aviles to the floor and arrested him. Officers teargassed a group of journalists including Molly Hennessy-Fiske and Carolyn Cole, of the LA Times; pepper-sprayed and arrested the writer Simon Moya-Smith; and shot out the car window of Ryan Faircloth, a reporter with the Minneapolis Star Tribune, while he was driving, propelling shards of glass into Faircloths face and arm. Michael Anthony Adams, of Vice, filmed on his phone as police raided a gas station where he was taking shelter. Adams can be heard yelling PRESS at an officer advancing toward him with a gun; the officer can be heard replying, I dont care, get down. A second officer then pepper-sprayed Adams in the face. ICYMI: The many coronavirus conspiracy theories It wasnt just Minneapolis. In New York, police arrested Christopher Mathias, of HuffPost, and Keith Boykin, a commentator on CNN who was documenting proceedings with his phone. In Las Vegas, police arrested photojournalists Bridget Bennett and Ellen Schmidt, who were on assignment, respectively, for Agence France-Presse and the Las Vegas Review-Journal. In Detroit, police pepper-sprayed journalists with the Free Press and slapped away a phone that one of its reporters was using to record. In Los Angeles, Cerise Castle, of the radio station KCRW, was hit with a rubber bullet, and another journalist, Lexis-Olivier Ray, said an officer hit him in the stomach. Yesterday, police in Des Moines, Iowa, pepper-sprayed, then arrested, Andrea Sahouri, of the Register. According to the papers account, Sahouri could be seen on local TV, wailing in pain, her hands zip-tied behind her back. It wasnt just the policein cities across the country, including Denver, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, and Seattle, reporters were attacked by protesters, too. In Washington, DC, demonstrators attacked a team from Fox News and struck Leland Vittert, a Fox correspondent, with his microphone. In Atlanta, protesters vandalized CNNs headquarters; the building also houses a police precinct, but according to CNN, anti-media chants could be heard. Unsurprisingly, media critics blamed President Trumps rhetoric for the wave of anti-media violence. Also unsurprisingly, Trump poured gasoline on the fire, tweeting Saturday that Fake News is the Enemy of the People. Trumps rhetoric clearly doesnt help. But there are much deeper issues at stake hereespecially when it comes to police violence against reporters. Law enforcement have long targeted journalists covering protests. In 2014, for instance, at least eleven reporters were arrested while covering unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, while others faced threats and attacks; oftentimes, as The Intercept founder Jeremy Scahill noted yesterday, reporters at protests are unfamous journalists from non-corporate outlets, so their mistreatment goes unremarked upon. Too often, so does the routine abuse of protesters in America. Many of the journalists targeted this weekend reported that police attacked them even though they were prominently waving their press badges; thats monstrous, but really, the badges are irrelevant. Wesley Lowery, who was himself arrested while covering Ferguson for the Washington Post, tweeted yesterday that the escalating war on the freedom of the press! narrative misses crucial context. Journalists are not a specially protected class of First Amendment users, he wrote. It is no *more* outrageous for a reporter to be targeted with tear gas or rubber bullets or arrest than it is for a citizen peacefully assembling & chanting (no matter how angry) to be met with that same force. Sign up for CJR 's daily email In other words, journalists are people first. The context of these protestsand the racist violence that occasioned themmeans that covering them is, inevitably, much more dangerous for journalists of color than it is for their white colleagues. On Friday, CNNs Josh Campbell, who is white, reported that police in Minneapolis allowed him to stay put at the same time that they were arresting his colleague Jimenez, who is Black; on Saturday, police in Detroit interrogated a Black reporter from the Free Press while leaving his white colleagues alone. As several journalists of color attested over the weekend, having to cover repeat instances of police brutality is emotionally traumatizing, too. In journalism school they teach you the importance of removing yourself from the story, L.Z. Granderson wrote in the LA Times on Saturday. But there arent any courses on managing your mental health when you are repeatedly reflected in gut-wrenching stories. Amanda Barrett, of the AP, wrote of her anger, as an African-American journalist, at having to explain, again and again, how dehumanizing this all is. Despite what our colleagues of color have been saying for years, the clear history of police abusing protesters and the press, and the shocking videos involving Jimenez, Rust, and others, too many outlets continue to cover the police credulously. This weekend, that manifested in ways large and small. Official narratives about the protestsaround outside agitators, for instancepercolated through coverage, even though many of them were misleading, or at least lacking in nuance. (To cite one especially egregious example, the Minnesota State Patrol claimed that Jimenez and his colleagues were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media, despite the journalists repeatedly having identified themselves as such during their live-on-TV arrests.) More broadly, the routine police violence often felt off-center in the weekends grand narratives. A New York Times tweet referring passively to police abuse, but actively to violence committed by protesters, was perhaps an accident, but was held up as telling regardless. Some outlets were forthrightonline, Slate won plaudits for its headline Police Erupt in Violence Nationwidebut such framing was far from ubiquitous. The protest wave were seeing is complex and multifaceted, and thus very hard to cover. Any full account, though, must centrally note the misconduct of police officersboth in the killings of Floyd and other Black Americans, and in the demonstrations that have followedbecause police officers are the actors that the state has authorized to commit violence. That demands sharp scrutiny, not fuzziness or credulity. Its hard to imagine a better reminder of our role here than the particularly widespread abuse of journalists that we witnessed this weekendwhether that was a product of the geographical scale of the protests, Trump-inspired brazenness, the fact some of the abuses were captured on camera, or something else entirely. The video of the Louisville police officer taking aim at a news camera tells a thousand words. Below, more on the police, the protests, and the press: Officials say: For CJRs Fall 2019 print magazine on disinformation, Alexandria Neason explored how police departments plant false narratives in the press . In cases of police brutality, law enforcement still has the upper hand: American culture, including the press, gives cops the benefit of the doubt, Neason wrote. On Friday, Kyle Pope, CJRs editor and publisher, discussed the current protests with Neason and Danielle Belton , editor in chief of The Root , on our podcast, The Kicker . A satirical eye: For the Post , Karen Attiah imagines how Western media would cover the Minneapolis protests if they were happening in any other country. In recent years, the international community has sounded the alarm on the deteriorating political and human rights situation in the United States under the regime of Donald Trump, Attiah writes, satirically. Now, as the country marks 100,000 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic, the former British colony finds itself in a downward spiral of ethnic violence. On Jimenez and CNN: Doreen St. Felix, a TV writer at The New Yorker , reflects on the on-air arrest of Jimenez and his colleagues . CNN made its employees ordeal a story, she writes. The network has spoken out on behalf of its reporter, and in defense of journalism, but we would be remiss not to interrogate how it has wrung the injustice that Jimenez experienced for high-drama TV. CNN makes a spectacle of its own act of watching, which is not the same as neutral investigation. An unprecedented year? In light of the protests, many observers have compared this year to 1968, but thats not quite right. On Friday, Peter Baker, of the Times , noted on PBS that 2020 has already also been compared to 1998 (impeachment), 1918 (a pandemic year), and 1929 (the Great Depression). Taken altogether, Baker said, 2020 looks increasingly like a great national trauma. Other notable stories: ICYMI: Through the Obamagate 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. CBS News reports that Kellie Chauvin, wife of the police officer who killed George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nearly 9 consecutive minutes, has filed for divorce. Sekula Law Offices, the law firm representing Mrs. Chauvin, posted this on Facebook: This evening, I spoke with Kellie Chauvin and her family. 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. While Ms. Chauvin has no children from her current marriage, she respectfully requests that her children, her elder parents, and her extended family be given safety and privacy during this difficult time. According to International Business News, Mrs. Chauvin was born in Thailand in 1974, and spent the first several years of her life in a refugee camp before her family moved to Wisconsin. She entered in an arranged marriage in 1991, and had 2 children before leaving that first husband after a decade for alleged abuse. In 2018, she became the first woman of Hmong descent to be crowned Mrs. Minnesota. She met the man who killed George Floyd when he came in on a work shift while she was working at Hennepin County Medical Center by which he already had an established record of violent conduct that went unpenalized and married him in 2010. The Chauvins also own property in Orange County, Florida where the officer who killed George Floyd cast his voting ballots in 2016 and 2018, despite presumably being a Minnesota permanent resident in order to serve as a police officer (although only 8 percent of Minneapolis police actually live in Minneapolis). The Chauvins' Florida property was allegedly used as an AirBNB as well; the officer who killed George Floyd was apparently a licensed realtor while also serving as a police officer. It is not unheard of for a police officer facing criminal charges for violent misconduct that ended up killing someone to divorce their spouse as a strictly legal maneuver to protect their assets from any financial consequences, forcing the public to foot the bill. But as of now, there's no clear indication or evidence that Mrs. Chauvin is acting under such pretenses; indeed, having been a victim of domestic violence herself, it's not irrational to think that the shocking video of her husband killing George Floyd would be a valid motivation for divorce. (There's even less evidence, that I have seen, to support the probably-racist conspiracy theories on YouTube that Mrs. Chauvin is somehow related to Tou Thao, the police officer who stood by and watched as George Floyd was killed.) Who Is Kellie Chauvin? Wife Of Ex-Minneapolis Cop Arrested In George Floyd's Death Seeks Divorce [James Patterson / International Business Times] Kellie Chauvin biography: 13 things about USOA's Mrs. Minnesota 2019 [CONAN Daily] Wife of Derek Chauvin, officer charged with murder in George Floyd's death, files for divorce [Sophie Lewis / CBS News] Some primary school pupils return to classrooms in England, unlike other parts of UK following 10 weeks of lockdown. The United Kingdom has partially reopened schools after 10 weeks of a coronavirus lockdown despite warnings that one of the worlds worst-hit countries is removing restrictions too quickly. Primary school children in England started returning to classrooms on Monday, but schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland will not reopen until August and September respectively. Wales has yet to make a decision. About 20 local authorities across England have also told their primary schools to stay closed. In some other European countries, pupils returned to school weeks ago. But in the UK, there has been intense debate about the risks to children and teachers, and whether resuming classes might create a second wave of infection. The main teaching union, which represents 450,000 members, wanted UKs reopening postponed for another two weeks. 200503115522182 A poll by the Early Years Alliance education charity found that only 45 percent of the parents whose schools are opening are ready to send their children to class. But communities minister Robert Jenrick said a return was essential because a lack of classes and school lunch provision was hitting disadvantaged families especially hard. All of the evidence suggests that it is children from the most deprived, the poorer households who are losing out, Jenrick said on Sunday. I dont want that to continue. Different environment Al Jazeeras Paul Brennan, reporting from London, said children returning to school came back to a very different environment to the classes that they had left. Desks are socially-distanced, there are face masks and there are much smaller class sizes than before, he said. And amidst all of this, an ongoing debate as to whether children should be going back to school at all, given the fact that test and trace is not fully operational yet. Elsewhere in Europe, most school pupils in Slovakia also headed back to school on Monday. Education Minister Branislav Grohling said between 70 and 80 percent of students were back at primary school and up to 60 percent at kindergartens. HE WHO MUST BE BLINDLY OBEYED President Trump trumpeted that chloroquine has shown very encouraging early results. He also said it may work, it may not work. I feel good about it. Thats all it is. Just a feeling. Australia has always been fully compliant. Why? is the big question. Politicians, with no expertise in science, medicine, or public health (with the help of some media outlets), have been spruiking the use of antimalarial medication as the magic pill for COVID-19. However, the US Food and Drug Administration has warned about the potentially severe side-effects with the use of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine in treating patients with COVID-19. This is a medical disaster waiting to happen, and it leaves us wondering: just how far will our political leaders go salaaming to the American Alliance? Doctors prescribe hydroxychloroquine not just for malaria but also rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The side effects of this drug are well documented in medical journals around the world. AUSTRALIA JUMPS ON BOARD The first clinical trial to determine whether the drug can help prevent COVID-19 is now taking place, with calls for frontline staff to volunteer. Professor Ian Wicks hopes to recruit approximately 2,250 to take part. The duration of the trial is expected to be four months, half will be given hydroxychloroquine, and the others (probably the lucky ones) will receive a placebo. Any volunteer who has had a heart rhythm disturbance or retinal disease of any kind will be excluded because the drug is commonly known to worsen such conditions. All this aside, the Australian government is well informed on the horrors of the side effects. On 24th March, the Department of Health, Therapeutic Goods Administration published a document which lists the effects of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, which include: Cardiac toxicity including fatal cardiomyopathy; Severe hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) with loss of consciousness; QT interval prolongation; Blurred vision, irreversible retinal damage; Skin reactions including rash/itch; GI disturbances including nausea/vomiting/abdominal cramps/ diarrhoea; Muscle weakness; Headache; Alopecia; Blood dyscrasias, monitoring required for long-term treatment. President Donald Trump has made clear that he thinks two old malaria drugs should be deployed quickly against the coronavirus. However, the US Food and Drug Administration and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases have been hesitant for very good reasons. While the chemical trials have shown promise from infected cells in the laboratory, a small and preliminary clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine in France was hardly definitive about whether the drug would benefit coronavirus patients. However, politicians are desperate to use any possible drug for the treatment of COVID-19. In the case of President Trump, hydroxychloroquine, the unproven and probably harmful drug, has been his medicine of choice, as he is supposedly currently taking it for post-exposure prophylaxis. Coronavirus continues to spread around the world and has affected different countries in different ways; how early the pandemic hit the countries has been dictating how health care systems and their government are responding. The US has recorded over 1.5 million cases, and this tally climbs daily. Deaths have risen to over 94,000 and also continue to grow. Russia introduced a lockdown on the 28th March and has now recorded over 300,000 cases and 3,000 deaths. Outside of hydroxychloroquine, systematic trials aimed at identifying safe and effective drugs for early infection with coronavirus are needed now. Drugs such as antibiotic prophylaxis (used for people with artificial heart valves), cefazolin and cefuroxime (most commonly used before surgeries), and prophylactic antibiotics (used after a bout of rheumatic fever or the subsequent development of Sydenhams chorea) are also being trialled. The British Medical Journal reported on a hydroxychloroquine study in China. The study of 150 patients hospitalised with confirmed cases of COVID-19 were treated with 1,200 mg of hydroxychloroquine daily for three days, followed by a maintenance dose of 800 mg for the remaining days (total treatment duration was two or three weeks for mild/moderate or severe patients, respectively). The conclusions were that hydroxychloroquine did not result in a significantly higher negative conversion and adverse events were higher in hydroxychloroquine recipients than non-recipients. The most common adverse event in hydroxychloroquine recipients was diarrhea in ten per cent of patients and two hydroxychloroquine recipients reported serious adverse events. This published BMJ article has not been peer-reviewed. SAFER ACE INHIBITORS ARE AVAILABLE ACE inhibitors are a group of antihypertensive drugs that relax arteries and promote renal excretion of salt and water by inhibiting the activity of an angiotensin-converting enzyme. A trial of an old TB vaccine to help combat the severity of COVID-19 was safely given to millions of babies a year. Frontline health workers are lining up such as thoracic medicine nurses, Womens and Childrens Hospital staff in Adelaide and are co-ordinated by the SA Health and Medical Research Institute. The Melbourne base trial is to see if the vaccine turbocharges the immune system. SA study leader Dr Simone Barry said about 10,000 health care workers (about 700 SA workers) would be involved in Australia, Spain and the Netherlands. Health authorities have known about safe ACE inhibitors for years; the question needs to be answered why wasnt the TB drug used on older seriously ill patients who were predicted to most probably die when they had nothing to lose, but may have had a chance of survival if given the TB drug? Winter Park resident Pam Saffran and her three children know how hard it is to move forward after traumatic loss and the critical role community support plays in keeping dreams alive. The Saffrans have partnered with local nonprofit New Hope for Kids to award $2,000 college scholarships to four local students who experienced the death of a parent and demonstrated perseverance in the face of that adversity. The Dr. Alan J. Saffran Scholarship was created in memory of Saffran's late husband, a beloved local physician who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer nearly seven years ago. This is... It's too easy to miss brilliant streaming shows, movies and documentaries. Here are the ones to hit play on or skip. Space Force Netflix In space no one can hear you stink. Which might be some consolation when it comes to this ill-crafted comedy series starring Steve Carell and John Malkovich. With such a terrific cast, impressive pedigree and obvious topicality it ought to be a rocket ride; instead it collapses on the launch pad on a pile of baffling characterisation and construction, and an ill-fitting decision to more or less endorse the very things it sets out to satirise. At the centre of it all is General Mark Naird (Carell), commander of America's brand-new Space Force. The Space Force is a brain-bubble of a Trump-like president who never appears on screen, and whose desires must be inferred by decoding his tweets. When he says he wants "boobs on the moon" by 2024, for instance, the Space Force interprets this to mean he wants boots on the moon. Ho ho! 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 Protesters hit the streets across Los Angeles and neighboring cities for a fifth day to express rage and mourning sparked by the killing of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd begged for mercy before becoming limp and unresponsive. In the late afternoon, L.A. County implemented a 6 p.m. curfew for the entire county, which supersedes less stringent curfews set by individual cities and unincorporated areas. (The city of L.A. had previously set curfew within city limits for 8 p.m.) .@LacoSheriff Alex Villanueva, & The Chair of @LACountyBOS, @kathrynbarger, have enacted a Countywide curfew for all @CountyofLA in response to civil disturbances. It is effective today, 05-31-2020, starting at 6:00 PM, till 6:00 AM 06-01-2020. Please return home & stay indoors. pic.twitter.com/km0WrYoZlD Alex Villanueva (@LACoSheriff) May 31, 2020 In Santa Monica, demonstrators marched along the coastline and converged at 3rd Street Promenade. The city of Santa Monica called for a 4 p.m. curfew. Crowds there diminished after 4 p.m. but some people remained on the streets. Around 5:15 p.m., some threw objects and yelled obscenities at police and firefighters as they worked to put out a fire. Earlier in the afternoon, protesters marched peacefully while looters ransacked businesses in downtown Santa Monica. 4th and Broadway: I am watching people stuff a backpack with rock climbing gear they got from REI pic.twitter.com/DIlBmJRQcQ Emily Guerin (@guerinemily) May 31, 2020 Heres the actual protestors pic.twitter.com/LjENvkpQQP Emily Guerin (@guerinemily) May 31, 2020 Metro employee Karen Harrison stood on a sidewalk in Santa Monica holding a sign directing protesters to the nearest train station and reminding them of the 4 p.m. curfew. She said the protests she saw had been peaceful. "The looting and everything had nothing to do with the purpose of why people had come out to express themselves," she said. "But there were some opportunists that had come in and decided to loot the businesses here." Harrison, who is black and has three sons, said she can understand the frustration of protesters. She said she wasn't sure whether anything would change because of the demonstrations. "But like I was telling my son, organize and make sure that everyone is registered to vote. And those judges that are not representing everyone, those are the ones you vote out." Protesters also assembled again in downtown Los Angeles, marching up 5th Street toward Pershing Square. Warning: This next tweet has language that some may find offensive. Take a knee and we will leave right now. pic.twitter.com/Hd5oLzctWU Robert Garrova (@robertgarrova) June 1, 2020 Videos taken of protesters gathered at Pershing Square in the early afternoon show a police vehicle slamming into a protester, then backing up and speeding away as people ran after it. Retweet the hell out of this pic.twitter.com/9hG9baMD7c Kait (@kaitnenerz) May 31, 2020 LAPD responded to the videos circulating on social media later in the evening, saying they would investigate. We are aware of video circulating on social media of an LAPD patrol vehicle involved in a traffic collision with a pedestrian, during one of several spontaneous protests occurring throughout the city. A traffic report was taken and the incident is under investigation. LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) June 1, 2020 Stores were closed today in preparation for more unrest. Target said 19 of its stores in L.A. and Orange counties were closed Sunday after the company's Beverly Grove shopping center location was looted Saturday. In Long Beach, around 50 protesters faced off with a row of about 30 police officers clad in riot gear on Pine Ave. between 3rd St. and Broadway. People were ordered to disperse and warned that police could use force. Nearby, looters ransacked stores at the Pike Outlets outdoor mall. KPCC/LAist reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez was hit by a rubber bullet fired by a police officer while interviewing a protester on the street. I just got hit by a rubber bullet near the bottom of my throat. I had just interviewed a man with my phone at 3rd and Pine and a police officer aimed and shot me in the throat, I saw the bullet bounce onto the street @LAist @kpcc OK, thats one way to stop me, for a while pic.twitter.com/9C2u5KmscG Adolfo Guzman-Lopez (@AGuzmanLopez) June 1, 2020 Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia announced at a 9 p.m. news conference that the city had requested help from the National Guard and that troops were on their way. "I love Long Beach. We love Long Beach. And those who are perpetrating crime and destruction against our city, they should be ashamed of themselves," Garcia said. This man got attacked trying to stop people from looting: pic.twitter.com/GHKARN7SZY Ruben Vives (@LATvives) June 1, 2020 Other public protests were scheduled around L.A. County, including candlelight vigils at Compton's MLK Memorial and at Pasadena City Hall. HOW WE'RE REPORTING ON THIS Reporter Josie Huang has been contributing. Reporter Emily Guerin, LAist editor Elina Shatkin and photojournalist Chava Sanchez are covering protests in Santa Monica. Reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez is covering protests in Long Beach. Reporters Frank Stoltze and Robert Garrova are in downtown L.A. Producer Megan Erwin and senior producer Rebecca Nieto are making calls. This story is anchored by Brian Frank and Jessica Ogilvie and edited by Oscar Garza, Adriene Hill, Jill Replogle and Megan Garvey. This is a developing story and will be updated frequently. It was originally published at 2:30 p.m. We fact check everything and rely only on information from credible sources (think fire, police, government officials and reporters on the ground). Sometimes, however, we make mistakes and/or initial reports turn out to be wrong. In all cases, we strive to bring you the most accurate information in real time and will update this story as new information becomes available. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION For the latest information straight from local emergency officials and some of the major groups organizing the protests, check the following websites and social media accounts: MORE ON LA PROTESTS WE ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS Protesters embrace as a demonstrator is arrested Sunday on 5th Street in Santa Monica. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Last night while my city burned and curfew fell, I sat and watched Black Panther and thought about what smug hypocrites white people can be. Myself included, of course. I have spent a lifetime watching cities burn and always over the same damn thing: racism. I am just old enough to remember the 1968 Baltimore riot, one of several violent protests that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. I remember it mainly because the curfew extended to my family's suburban neighborhood, which meant I could not play in the yard as long as I wanted to do, something I found extremely unfair. A reasonable reaction for a 4-year old; not so much for a grown person, though that is the response from far too many white people whenever a city burns for the same damn reason. Including this weekend. It's so much easier to judge a relatively few looters my God, not the Grove! than deal with the fact that the country you live in would rather regularly set itself on fire than address its obvious racism. Even during a global pandemic. Think about that for a second. How furious do people have to be to gather in the streets at a time when a highly infectious disease is killing thousands daily, especially black and brown people, who are dying at disproportionately high rate? Pretty damn furious. We know why: A black man died in the custody of Minneapolis police for the horrifying offense of attempting to pass a fake $20 bill while three of his fellow officers looked on. And the only reason any action was taken by the city's Police Department was that the whole thing was captured on video and circulated on social media. Which is also why Gregory and Travis McMichael were recently arrested after stalking and shooting Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who had the temerity to take a run in a predominantly white Georgia neighborhood. And no doubt the only reason Christian Cooper wasnt arrested when a white woman called the cops to say an African American man was threatening her (after he asked her to leash her dog in a leash-only section of Central Park) was that he had filmed the whole incident. Story continues Seriously, if cellphones turn out to be what saves the soul of America, it will only be what we deserve. Certainly this is a theme of Black Panther that technology, used in pursuit of equality and justice, can be the great leveler. But thats not why I was watching it as Los Angeles, and Minneapolis, and Philadelphia, and New York and a dozen other cities, burned. I was watching because I wanted to remind myself of all the white people who fell all over themselves talking about how wonderful a movie it is just as we had fallen all over ourselves celebrating Get Out the year before. It was literally the least we could do praise two very good films and yet we made such a big deal out of it. Look, white people can enjoy a film with an all-black cast about black empowerment! Look, white people can laugh uncomfortably as the various levels of racism are exposed in a comedy in which all the white people are evil! We are not racists! We paid lots of money to see Hamilton, live-tweeted Scandal, we supported #OscarsSoWhite. Everyone agrees that Idris Elba is the best-looking man ever, even in "Cats," and Beyonce should have won those Grammys because she is a queen. Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther in Marvel's "Black Panther." (Film Frame / Marvel Studios) In L.A., we all mourned the death of Kobe and Gianna Bryant with a depth and ceremony usually reserved for presidents. So its getting better, right? We aren't so racist. Were getting better, its all going to be OK. Nothing like white people managing their own comfort level while black people continue to deal with the crap theyve been dealing with for centuries. And Im just as bad as any. Ive championed diversity in film and television and felt very noble, and occasionally, briefly, frightened, when my inbox filled with often threatening hate mail. Look at me, doing the right thing! Ive tried to support black and brown colleagues, sometimes succeeding, and sometimes failing because I couldnt understand what the problem was. Except sometimes I did understand what the problem was. I just didn't have the energy, or creativity, or intestinal fortitude to deal with it effectively. I am shocked and horrified by George Floyd's death and Arberys death and how Amy Coopers reaction to a perfectly reasonable request immediately exploded straight to racism so obvious and absurd it would have been funny if we didn't all know that the story could have ended a whole other way. With Christian Cooper in custody. Or dead. For asking a white woman to leash her dog. We are all horrified, but only white people have the luxury of being shocked. Being white does not guarantee fair treatment by the police just ask countless white rape victims any more than being white is an automatic protection against COVID-19 or poverty or injustice. But white people do not live our lives in constant, thrumming low- to high-grade fear of the police. We do not worry about getting arrested or killed for being in the wrong neighborhood or because a white person committed a crime and we look like him because we too are white. We dont worry about being pulled over or asked for ID for no apparent reason, or threatened with a drawn gun when we ask What is this about? White people do not worry that any chance encounter with the police could easily end with us, or our children, incarcerated or dead. And we are, or should be, very aware of this. God knows, police harassment of black people has become so normalized it is part of the popular culture. How many jokes/episodes/films/songs have depicted an act of institutionalized racism? How often have white people sat, full of righteous indignation, through stories scripted and personal of black men being asked what theyre doing in a "nice" neighborhood or driving an expensive car, or of a white person being pulled over for speeding, only to be asked if he or she is all right when the officer sees that the person in the passenger seat is black? How many times have we heard a black man say Its fine, while he reaches for his ID and tries to calm us down because we, being white, are allowed the luxury of being furious at a clear example of racism. Actually, for white people the real luxury is that the outrage can pass, or hover at the farthest edge of everyday life. Because it is not part of our everyday life. Except it is. We cannot divorce ourselves from injustice simply because it is not happening at any given moment in front of our very own selves. Not only is that the very definition of morally bankrupt, its just plain wrong. Everything that happens, happens to all of us. Look at the news. Our cities are burning, in the middle of a pandemic, just like they have burned so many times before because systemic, continual injustice is at absolute odds with a peaceful society. Murder will out. The people will rise. If evolution is too slow, revolution will occur. We know this. Never mind history. Look at the stories we tell ourselves in literature, film, television, music justice will prevail, and when it doesnt, the world is a bleak and dangerous place. So it isnt enough for white people to wear Black Panther T-shirts and say Wakanda Forever, it isnt enough to tweet a hashtag or sign a petition or show up for a march if once the fires burn out we all go back to our normal lives. Normal is the problem. Normal is what needs to be changed. Im not going to tell you how white people can help fix this everyone knows what to do when they want something changed. Listen to community leaders, vote, show up at meetings, demand accountability, protest, boycott and dont stop until something gets done. Nobody complains better than white people just ask any city that has tried to put a Metro line or a homeless shelter in a "nice" neighborhood. Suddenly Karen is on the line, pissed off and demanding to speak with her Congress rep. Ah, Karen. Lately weve heard a lot about Karen, a label for white women (and occasionally men) who call the cops or the manager or otherwise hassle people, usually black or brown, for doing perfectly harmless things that these women find outrageous. Women named Karen, and husbands of women named Karen, are pretty annoyed by this The Times just got a slew of letters about how unfair the trope is to actual Karens everywhere. Which just proves my point. Any group of people who can be moved to protest such an innocuous thing with such vehemence is a resource we need. Instead of criticizing what you consider the demonizing of a perfectly good name (as someone named Mary as in Typhoid Mary I promise, you'll live), why not criticize the behavior that the name has come to represent. Why not use those Karen powers for good? Be a Karen for change. Dont demand that the government and the cops put a stop to those horrible protests; demand that they put a stop to the behavior and crimes that led to the protests in the first place. Demand body cams and accountability, demand better training and a zero-tolerance policy, demand that racist cops get fired, abusive cops get prosecuted and good cops get recognized and rewarded. Its that simple. Because you know what no one protests against, peacefully or violently? Justice and equality and freedom. Give people justice, equality and freedom and they will stay at home and watch "Black Panther," which really is a terrific movie. But if white people want to go around saying Wakanda Forever, then we have to be Wakanda. Right now. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has called the oil price crash a 'turning point': AFP via Getty Images Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DNY) slammed New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio over unacceptable remarks in which he defended the citys police department and said it showed "restraint" when responding to protests that erupted during the weekend. The progressive freshman Democrat issued a statement criticising the mayors comments after videos posted online Saturday showed NYPD vehicles driving through a crowd of demonstrators taking part in the nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd. The 46-year-old unarmed black man was killed after pleading for air as a white officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes, according to charging documents. Mr de Blasio said the citys police showed tremendous restraint overall though he added that he was concerned about the reports of NYPD cars going through throngs of protestors. Ive seen that video and Ive obviously heard about a number of other instances. Its inappropriate for protesters to surround a police vehicle and threaten police officers, he said. Thats wrong on its face, and that hasnt happened in the history of protests in the city. The mayor also described video footage of the incident as upsetting but claimed the confrontation was started by a group of protesters converging on a police vehicle, attacking that vehicle. Its unacceptable. @NYCMayor your comments tonight were unacceptable. As mayor, this police department is under your leadership. This moment demands leadership & accountability from each of us. Defending and making excuses for NYPD running SUVs into crowds was wrong. Make it right. De-escalate. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 31, 2020 Many people who watched the mayors press conference quickly pointed to other video footage from the protests in New York City that showed officers engaging in numerous altercations with demonstrators, as well as arresting clearly-marked journalists covering the demonstrations. Story continues Ms Ocasio-Cortez tagged the mayor in a statement posted to Twitter, writing: Your comments tonight were unacceptable. She added: As mayor, this police department is under your leadership. This moment demands leadership [and] accountability from each of us. Defending and making excuses for NYPD running SUVs into crowds was wrong, Ms Ocasio-Cortez continued. Running SUVs in crowds of people should never, ever be normalized. No matter who does it, no matter why. The congresswoman has called for the officers involved in the incident to be brought to justice, writing: They could've killed them, and we don't know how many they injured. Many of those taking part in demonstrations throughout at least 30 US cities have said they were protesting the death of Mr Floyd, as well as the use of excessive police force against minority communities. As the group approached a checkpoint at Cermak Road, more police cars drove alongside them. Some people in a blue car drove up to one of the police SUVs and someone leaned out an open window to bang on the cop car, prompting two young men with megaphones to run toward the car and ask them to stop. This is a peaceful protest! they repeated. And it remained one, as the group moved through the checkpoint, past tan Humvees and National Guard troops holding batons in addition to Chicago officers. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:07:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Djibouti's Ministry of Health on Monday announced 215 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Horn of Africa nation to 3,569 as of Monday afternoon. The Djibouti Ministry of Health in a statement issued on Monday said that from a total of 1,347 people who were tested for COVID-19 during the past 24-hours period, some 215 of them were tested positive for the virus. The ministry also announced that some 1,521 people who have been infected with the COVID-19 have recovered as of Monday afternoon, in which 17 of the COVID-19 patients recovered during the past 24-hours period. Djibouti reported its first COVID-19 case on March 18 and has so far conducted a total of 28,260 COVID-19 tests, according to the ministry. The Djibouti Ministry of Health had on Sunday reported two new deaths due to illnesses related to COVID-19 as the total number of deaths from the virus so far surged to 24. 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 President Donald Trump has seized on destructive nationwide protests against police brutality to portray himself as an icon of law and order, eschewing the soothing role past presidents have adopted in similar moments as he seeks to turn the election-year conversation from his widely panned handling of the coronavirus outbreak. The president on Sunday blamed the protests on Antifa, a loosely organized leftist movement that is a frequent target of conservative critics, and said he would declare the group to be terrorists. His political advisers believe the move pressures his re-election challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden, to either agree with the president -- splitting with the demonstrators -- or side with people that some White House officials regard as rioters. But in choosing to seize on calm the political and racial divisions inflamed by the death of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis police custody last week, the president risks alienating those U.S. voters looking for a leader who will console and unify. The coronavirus outbreak that Trump has sought to relegate to a back burner, meanwhile, continues to infect upwards of 1,000 Americans daily. By painting himself as a purveyor of law-and-order confronting political enemies hes depicted as incompetent or crazed radicals, the president seeks to recreate the 2016 formula that put him in the White House, when the enthusiasm of Trumps forgotten Americans overwhelmed a dispirited and divided center and left. But even some in Trumps camp worry this may be one crisis too many for a president who has seemed to thrive on them. Even as the protests rage, voters are also enduring a coronavirus death toll thats exceeded 100,000 and a U.S. economy in tatters. And people willing to take to the streets in the middle of a pandemic will surely show up to vote in November, one person close to Trumps campaign fretted. Midnight Statement Yet Biden has so far struggled to find his own footing on the protests that followed the death of George Floyd. His first substantive response to the demonstrations was a statement e-mailed to reporters after midnight Sunday morning. It took two days of rioting across the country until Joe Biden finally released a statement, published after midnight this morning, to urge for an end to the violence, Steve Guest, spokesman for the Republican National Committee, said in a statement on Sunday. Trump opted over the weekend against his own national address a venue where hes struggled before to demonstrate empathy. He instead limited his public remarks on the demonstrations that roiled cities across the nation to the preface of a speech in Florida celebrating the first launch of U.S. astronauts from U.S. soil since 2011. Rather than reaching for unity, Trump vowed to end mob violence and confront radical left criminals. On Twitter, the president declared hed name demonstrators as members of a terrorist organization and threatened protesters near the White House with vicious dogs and ominous weapons. His critics said he was purposely evoking racist imagery from the civil rights protests of the last century, when police set dogs on African Americans and their allies. Trump said he would deploy the National Guard to communities where violence erupted and encouraged his supporters to convene for a counter-protest at the White House, all the while blaming the media and Democratic leaders for the strife. While the president offered public condolences and the promise of a targeted federal investigation into Floyds death -- the latest member of a tragic fraternity of unarmed black Americans who have died in interactions with police the president signaled little appetite for the systemic changes demanded by protesters. He egged on law enforcement to react even more forcefully to violent protests and discounted alarm over images of police officers ramming demonstrators with vehicles. Trump defended the overwhelming majority of police on Saturday, saying they were incredible in every way a sentiment echoed by his national security adviser on Sunday. I dont think theres systemic racism, Robert OBrien told CNN. I think 99.9% of our law enforcement officers are great Americans. Not Constructive But Floyds own brother criticized the president for not listening to his pleas for reforms in a phone call earlier in the week, telling MSNBC that Trump didnt give me an opportunity to even speak. And Trumps response drew concern from at least one ally, Senator Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican. He said he had told Trump that some of his tweets on the protests were not constructive. We talked about the fact that there is a constructive way to have a dialogue with a nation, Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, said in an interview with Fox News. He said the tenor of the conversation was similar to concerns he expressed to Trump in the aftermath of a 2017 white supremacist protest in Charlottesville, Virginia. But the president has shown throughout his political career from his grievance-laden campaign to his reaction to Charlottesville, when he famously said there were very fine people on both sides that he sees more advantage in voicing the sentiments of his narrow but electorally potent base of supporters than attempting national unity and healing. And the protests offer Trump another opportunity to try to shift focus from the coronavirus pandemic, which most Americans believe he has handled poorly, according to public polling. A majority of Americans 53% - said in an ABC News/Washington Post poll released Sunday that they disapproved of Trumps performance Since the politically disastrous moment in April when Trump suggested Covid-19 might be treated with light or by injecting disinfectant into patients, Trump has looked to escalate tensions with China -- accusing the country of misleading the world over the pandemic. Hes also publicly sparred with MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, baselessly accusing him of murder while he was a congressman, and with Twitter after the social media company appended two of his tweets with fact-checking links. Trump Enthusiasm Theres some evidence that Trumps strategy may work. While the president trailed Biden by 10 percentage points in the same ABC News/Washington Post poll, the margin was halved when participants were limited to those who say they are certain to vote in November. And while 31% of Biden supporters say they are very enthusiastic about backing the Democrat, more than twice as many Trump supporters -- 64% -- say the same about the president. Those margins suggest Trump remains competitive despite disillusionment with his coronavirus response. And Trumps allies believe Biden is poorly situated to exploit the Floyd protests. Less than two weeks ago, the former vice president was forced to apologize for his remark to a radio host that African Americans who havent decided to vote for him aint black. While Biden largely follows federal health authorities advice and remains home during the coronavirus pandemic, he has only been able to address civil unrest following Floyds death via a video message distributed by Twitter, prior to his Sunday morning statement. The presidents campaign on Sunday said Biden should be asked whether he supported Trumps largely symbolic move to label Antifa a terrorist organization, suggesting the president hopes to either force the vice president to support his move -- or denounce protesters and risk further alienation with left-wing voters. But the presidents decision to increasingly align himself with police and against protesters carries risk as well. Trumps re-election strategy relies on again winning at least one of Michigan, Ohio, or Pennsylvania. Major cities in each of those states saw significant anti-police brutality protests following Floyds death. And the presidents attacks on the Democratic leadership of Minnesota, as well as tweets seen as inflaming tensions on the streets of Minneapolis, may hurt him in a state his campaign had seen as a prime pick-up opportunity. Before the Floyd killing and unrest, Biden held a 5 percentage-point lead in the state, according to a May 25 poll published by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Minnesota Public Radio and the local NBC affiliate, KARE 11. MINNEAPOLIS At the end of a week that roiled this city of 400,000, there were people carrying brooms and garbage bags on a sunny Sunday. Jack Manderscheid, a University of Minnesota senior, exemplified the spirit of the day by meticulously walking through the Uptown neighborhood filling up four trash bags that he carried on his bicycle. Ive never really seen a community come together, said Manderscheid, a native of suburban Edina who woke up Sunday intent on finding one gesture to help put the city. There have been five nights of anguished protests following the Monday death of George Floyd, a black man whose neck was knelt on for nearly nine minutes by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer. Manderscheid had attended a demonstration earlier in the week, but the fumes from tear gas used by police officers bothered him. So had the large crowds during a time when he is trying to keep his distance from people over fears of spreading the new coronavirus. George Floyd protests: How did we get here? He instead decided to clean the streets and sidewalks, only to find that hundreds of others had the same idea. The longer this goes on, the more I realize Im going to remember this the rest of my life, Manderscheid said. Meanwhile, Dan Halvorsen picked up trash and swept away debris along with seven other members of his church in suburban Bloomington. We wanted to perform a good deed. Our hearts are just breaking about this whole situation, he said. By the time we got here, the response has been so amazing, that there wasnt a big need for us. Other residents found a way to help by providing food, diapers and other essentials in a city where most stores and restaurants are closed. Thats how Tracy Gray Knutson found herself an unwitting, but perfectly willing, Santa Claus of sorts. Knutson, 40, sat down on a chair on the sidewalk outside a boarded-up Franklin Avenue cafe, planning to rest her sunburned feet. Above her, a large sign read: Free Food and Stuff. Story continues Tracy Gray Knutson sat down to rest beneath this sign in south Minneapolis on Sunday and soon found herself dispensing a bounty of donated food and diapers. Residents of the south Minneapolis neighborhood surveyed the scene and decided that Knutson was in charge of a popup pantry. Soon, they descended on her with sacks of bread, beans and other groceries, plus diapers, bottled water and even more garbage bags ready to be filled. Knutson, who said she is recently homeless, enjoyed giving the goods away to a line of people who politely approached her, asking if it was really free. Anything you want, brother. Take anything, she implored one hesitant man. I love you. The death of George Floyd: Experts say knee-to-neck restraint is dangerous, but Minneapolis allows it A few blocks away on Franklin Avenue, an east-west thoroughfare lined with stores that now sit empty, Alan Gross oversaw an impromptu food shelf that quickly resembled a warehouse. Gross, 52, jokingly called himself a barista/counselor/bouncer at two businesses that share a building: Powwow Grounds Coffee and All My Relations Gallery. The latter is a large space that typically displays American Indian art. It was shuttered in March after the COVID-19 threat forced the closure of museums and galleries in Minnesota. The art has been relocated, although Gross hopes to reopen soon. On Sunday, the floor was rapidly filling with food brought in by the carload from people eager to help. It all happened over the course of 72 hours, after word went out on Facebook that the gallery would serve as a distribution point for groceries in the neighborhood. Gross was surprised by the amount of donated food but philosophical about the motivation of his fellow Minnesotans. Pitching in, believing that theres a better way to do things, I think thats the draw, he said. Everyones got to have a cause. This article originally appeared on USATNetwork: George Floyd: Minneapolis unites to find 'a better way' after protests Bharat Forge Ltd is quoting at Rs 334.2, up 2.5% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is down 28.05% in last one year as compared to a 18.05% fall in NIFTY and a 22.48% fall in the Nifty Auto index. Bharat Forge Ltd rose for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 334.2, up 2.5% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 3.4% on the day, quoting at 9906.3. The Sensex is at 33598.87, up 3.62%. Bharat Forge Ltd has added around 23.87% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty Auto index of which Bharat Forge Ltd is a constituent, has added around 17.9% in last one month and is currently quoting at 6218.8, up 3.82% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 25.05 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 38.36 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark June futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 334.25, up 5.52% on the day. Bharat Forge Ltd is down 28.05% in last one year as compared to a 18.05% fall in NIFTY and a 22.48% fall in the Nifty Auto index. The PE of the stock is 17.99 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.) Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in Seth Tekper: Former minister slams BoGs report on public debt; gives reasons A former minister of Finance, Seth Tekper, has argued that Ghanas public debt cannot be 659.3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as announced by the Bank of Ghana (BoG). He explained that it can only be so if the government is intent on continuing with the controversial parallel fiscal reporting that it denies. Tekper indicated that both the 2019 Debt Report and the International Monetary Fund show the end-2019 debt level as 63%. READ ALSO: Ghana recorded 6% increase in gold production in 2019 - Report Ghana makes almost $1 million from the export of cassava starch GEPA The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has revealed that Ghana earned almost $1 million from the export of cassava starch two years ago. YEN.com.gh understands that the export of the starch brought in US$935,000 and US$27,000 from exports to the United States of America (USA) and Italy respectively. Information available shows that the two countries accounted for about 96.4% of total cassava starch exports from Ghana. Banks in Ghana give over GHC1.5 billion loan relief to customers - Report YEN.com.gh has learned that customers of banks in Ghana have enjoyed holidays on repayment of loans to the tune of GHC1.6 billion as of April 25, 2020. According to the president of the Ghana Association of Bankers (GAB), Alhassan Andani, the rescheduling formed part of relief measures to support businesses and individuals directly affected by COVID-19 pandemic Andani explained that businesses in the services sector have benefitted from loan deferments for up to a year. COVID-19: Govt to outdoor The Ghana Cares Programme to save the economy 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. YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, revealed that Ghanas economy may take three years to recover from COVID-19. OVER THE WEEKEND: Gold output from large-scale mining sector up six percent in 2019 Gold output from the large-scale mining sector increased six percent to 2.989 million ounces in 2019 from 2.807 million ounces in 2018, according to the annual report of the Ghana Chamber of Mines. During the period, small-scale production decreased to 1.588 million ounces in 2019 from 1.984 million ounces in 2018. The 20 percent fall in the small-scale mining sub-sector resulted in an overall decline in total gold production to 4.577 million ounces in 2019 from 4.792 million ounces in 2018, Eric Asubonteng, President of the Chamber, said in the report during a virtual annual general meeting. Ghana to lose GHS15.85bn in revenue in 2020 Ghana is expected to lose about GHS15.85 billion in revenue as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, a report from the Ministry of Finance has stated. The nation is targeting about GHS67 billion in revenue (tax and non-tax) for this year. According to the Finance Ministry, Ghana's fiscal gap as a result of the COVID-19 will hit about GHS21.42 billion. READ ALSO: Confirmed: Ghanaians to pay more for fuel from June 1 onward 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 Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page or on Instagram with your stories, photos or videos Source: YEN.com.gh Monday, June 1 is a state holiday in Alabama. The day honors Jefferson Davis, who served as president of the Confederate states from 1861-1865. Davis was born June 3, 1808 and is commemorated in Alabama on the first Monday in June. This years holiday falls amid national unrest over the death of George Floyd, a black man from Minnesota who died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes. Protesters trying to take down Confederate monument in Birmingham Most state offices will be closed today for the holiday. Many were already operating on reduced schedules due to the coronavirus pandemic, so check ahead before you go. Federal offices, banks and the U.S. Post Office do not mark the holiday and will be open. Most city and county offices are open as well. Mail will run as normal. Jefferson Davis Davis was born in Kentucky and later represented Mississippi in Congress before serving as U.S. Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce. He was the unanimous choice of the Confederate Convention for president, taking the oath of office in Montgomery, Alabama on Feb. 18, 1861. Davis was captured at the close of the Civil War, accused of treason and imprisoned, though never tried. He was released two years later and spent his retirement years on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Davis holiday is one of three in Alabama that honors Confederate leaders: Robert E. Lee's birthday, which is marked in January on the same day as Martin Luther King Day; Confederate Memorial Day in April; and Davis' birthday in June. Alabama is the last state to have a legal holiday set aside solely to commemorate the birth of Davis. Mississippi marks Davis birthday but includes it in the Memorial Day celebration. In Texas, Davis birthday is part of Confederate Heroes Day while other Southern states, including Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee, have a holiday for Davis on the books but do not give employees a day off. WASHINGTON - When Republican Mike Garcia won a Southern California special election in May - reclaiming a district Democrats had flipped 18 months prior - he gave the House GOP its most encouraging piece of political news since President Donald Trump was sworn into office. The good news might end there. While Trump, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and other GOP leaders have heralded Garcia's May 12 win as proof that they can win the House majority this year, many other indicators suggest that it will be exceedingly difficult to unwind Democrats' 17-seat majority come November. Vulnerable Democratic incumbents have outraised their Republican challengers, national GOP groups have yet to show the ability to make up the fundraising gap, and in several key districts, some of the party's most coveted recruits have opted not to run. Public opinion polls, meanwhile, indicate a Democratic advantage on the congressional ballot in line with what the party enjoyed in 2018, ahead of its sweeping national gains. Nonpartisan forecasters in recent weeks have seen a worsening outlook for House Republicans, saying those structural disadvantages, plus national political obstacles for Republicans, will limit GOP House gains - and potentially allow for further Democratic pickups. "Republicans sincerely believe that 2018 was a high-water mark for Democrats, that it is just not possible that Democrats can improve on their 2018 performance, and I don't know that that's true," said Nathan Gonzales, editor and publisher of Inside Elections, who recently declared the California result an "outlier" and predicted that the November election would leave the House "close to the status quo" with no more than five seats changing hands between parties. GOP leaders see the math differently. Garcia's win, they argue, shows that Republicans can be competitive in the suburban battlegrounds where Democrats built their majority two years ago - on top of the 30 Democrat-held districts where Trump won in 2016. "If we can win in the Los Angeles suburbs, we can win anywhere and everywhere we need to win in the fall," said Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), citing 43 Democratic seats with a heavier GOP tilt than Garcia's. Democrats and nonpartisan analysts are quick to quibble with that arithmetic - starting with the size of the mountain Republicans have to climb. While the gap is now 17 seats, the margin is certain to be wider. A court-ordered midcycle redistricting in North Carolina created two additional safe Democratic seats in that state, and the retirement of GOP Rep. Will Hurd has opened a prime Democratic pickup opportunity in South Texas. Meanwhile, Democrats are eyeing potential gains elsewhere, including suburban districts outside Dallas and Houston where GOP incumbents are retiring, as well as close calls from 2018 in central Illinois, southern Minnesota and suburban Atlanta. That means Republicans may have to flip three or more Democratic seats before they begin to cut into the current majority, and they face obstacles in doing so. The most easily quantifiable is money: More than two dozen Democrats have raised more than $2.5 million each, easily lapping the Republican challengers in all but a few cases. Data compiled by the Cook Political Report's David Wasserman found that, as of March, in the 55 top races targeted by the NRCC, the median Democratic incumbent had raised more than six times what the median leading Republican challenger had raised. And that was before the coronavirus pandemic upended political fundraising, making it more difficult for those behind to catch up. Wasserman declared the GOP's path to the majority as "slim to non-existent" earlier this month. Outside Republican groups such as the NRCC and the Congressional Leadership Fund are likely to raise tens of millions of dollars to supplement individual campaigns, but those groups have also been trailing their counterparts at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the House Majority PAC. Republicans have heavily touted star recruits in several districts - starting with Garcia, a former Navy fighter pilot, son of immigrants and first-time political candidate who skillfully positioned himself as a fresh alternative to his Democratic opponent, longtime state lawmaker Christy Smith. Wesley Hunt, an African American former Army officer, is challenging freshman Rep. Lizzie Fletcher in Texas, and Michelle Steel, a Korean American county official, is running against Rep. Harley Rouda in Orange County, California. "A record number of women running, a record number of minority candidates, 240-some military veterans - these are people with great resumes, and the vast majority of them don't have voting records," Emmer said. "It's basically the Democrats' 2018 playbook that we're using." But some of those diversity gains have been offset by setbacks elsewhere. Democrats were delighted when GOP voters nominated Jim Oberweis, a conservative former state senator, over two women to face Rep. Lauren Underwood in an exurban Chicago district Trump won by four points. This month, party officials moved to distance themselves from Ted Howze, the Republican facing Rep. Josh Harder in a competitive central California district, after Politico reported on racially offensive Internet postings made under Howze's name. And on Tuesday, forecasters are closely watching the outcome of the GOP primary in Iowa's 4th District, where Rep. Steve King is facing a strong intraparty challenge after making racially offensive comments, prompting Republicans to strip him of his committee assignments. A King win, forecasters agree, would leave the seat vulnerable to Democrat J.D. Scholten, who came within three points of beating King in 2018. Meanwhile, Republicans probably will go into November with less-than-ideal candidates in several other races. In New York's 19th Congressional District, which Trump won by seven points in 2016, no credible GOP candidate has emerged to challenge freshman Rep. Antonio Delgado, a Democrat. In Michigan, top potential Republican candidates failed to challenge Reps. Elissa Slotkin, who has raised $3.7 million to defend a district Trump won by seven points, and Haley Stevens, who has raised $2.5 million in a district Trump won by four. The difficulties for Republicans have been on display in Utah's 4th Congressional District, centered on Salt Lake City, where Trump won by seven points in 2016. It leaped to the top of GOP target lists after Democrat Ben McAdams defeated GOP Rep. Mia Love in 2018. The NRCC initially backed popular state Sen. Dan Hemmert, who quickly raised more than $400,000. But Hemmert backed out weeks later, citing the demands of a high-profile campaign. "It's not the right time. I don't know what to say," he told The Salt Lake Tribune in December. McAdams, meanwhile, has raised $2.8 million for his reelection campaign and had $2.2 million left to spend as of early April. The best-funded Republican candidate, state Rep. Kim Coleman, had about $115,000 in the bank at the same point. Meanwhile, it's unclear whether potential GOP attacks against McAdams - highlighting his vote for Trump's impeachment or tying him to far-left Democratic figures - will resonate in a post-pandemic political environment. McAdams, who recently emerged from a bout with the novel coronavirus, said Thursday that he was focused on helping his constituents and not on getting caught up in partisan politicking. "One thing I have going for me is that I work harder than anybody else in the race, and I think a lot of people who were looking at the race knew that it was going to be hard to outwork me," he said Thursday. While there is anecdotal evidence that presidential-year turnout will improve for Republicans with Trump on the ticket, there is little sign that public opinion about control of Congress has shifted since 2018. Democrats won the national House vote in 2018 by about eight points; a Monmouth poll released this month gave them a 10-point lead nationally, and other recent "generic ballot" polls have been in a similar range. Hopes of outsize GOP gains largely rest on Trump's ability to keep the pandemic at bay and recover his political standing in the coming months, giving him the ability to drag underfunded candidates across the finish line on Nov. 3. "President Trump won most of the seats that are on the battlefield now - all he has to do is win them again," said Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, a former NRCC chairman. "And so I don't know if he'll match his performance from 2016, but if he does, we win the majority." But Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., chairwoman of the DCCC, expressed confidence in an interview Wednesday, calling Garcia's win "not a sign of anything" and predicting that Smith would best Garcia in the probably higher-turnout November election. Bustos pointed to her party's fundraising advantage, GOP recruiting woes and a proven Democratic message on health care - "I'd much rather be the party of health care than the party of drinking bleach," she said, referring to Trump's recent musings about injecting disinfectant - as underpinning that confidence. "It's literally failure and failure after failure for them, whether it's the money, the messaging or the mobilization," Bustos said. "By every measurement, I feel really good six months out." TRENTON The young womans face glistened with tears. Her voice grew louder as she shouted at a group of Trenton Police officers, many wearing masks amid the coronavirus pandemic, standing in a line of the parking lot behind TPD headquarters Sunday. Metal barricades blocked protesters from reaching the cops. Some of them flung water bottles in officers direction, shouted vulgarities and accused the cops of committing crimes with impunity. The woman urged the officers to come closer to interact with the crowd but they firmly held their positions from behind the barricades. Your bosses said just in case these animals get wild, lets prepare. Put up the bars, the young woman shouted, her voice cracking. Get ready to lock them up. Your occupation is oppressive. The job you chose kills my people. Systematically. No repercussions. Cops dont go to jail. Cops dont police other cops. You guys dont arrest each other. When you commit a crime, when you commit murder, murder. Murder. Murder. You dont put the zip ties on each other. You dont put the handcuffs on each other. You dont put each other behind bars. You guys protect each other in this oppressive system. More than a thousand protesters descended on the capital city Sunday for the second round of demonstrations against the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. The protest remained peaceful throughout most the day but there were reports of pockets of violence starting around 8:20 p.m. Protesters smashed windows and lit a police vehicle on fire. Plumes of smoke could be seen billowing through the streets. People were seen looting stores on East State Street. Police in riot gear attempted to tame the unruly crowd. It overshadowed what was mostly a sedate demonstration as protesters gathered in Trenton and across the state to call for an end to police brutality after the caught-on-tape killing of Floyd, a black Minneapolis man slain by a white police officer. The officer who put a knee on his neck, Derek Chauvin, was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, and three other officers who were on there and didnt interceded were fired. The video of Floyds death has sparked protests and riots across the county, including in Philadelphia and New York. The National Guard was called in to try to tame the unrest in Minneapolis. Thousands of miles away in New Jerseys capital city, an organized march began at the Statehouse and wound its way to Trenton Police headquarters, where the woman tried getting cops to interact with the disenchanted crowd, many of them holding signs demanding accountability and justice for Floyd. This virus been around for 400 years. Still no vaccine, one sign read. A group gathered around the young distraught woman as a teen rubbed her back while she broke down sobbing. She told the officers she dreamt of graduating from Howard University and attending an Ivy League school. She liked macaroni and her family was from Barbados. I dont know what to tell you that could make you look at me and see a human being, the woman shouted. I want to live. I dont want to die. I am so scared of you. I am so scared of you. One protester, a 23-year-old man from east Trenton, urged Trenton cops to do more to build trust in the community. We just gotta find a better way, he said. We just need better policing in the neighborhood. Everybodys not a suspect. [We need] better understanding of one another. Better policing. As the mass gathering petered out in front of TPD, a group of protesters huddled in the middle of West State Street around 6:30 p.m. They blared hip-hop music and broke out in dance and chants in the middle of the street, holding up traffic. A handful of protesters tossed what appeared to be glass bottles at a police vehicle that pulled up in the area. Other protesters locked arms with each other to keep the few unruly demonstrators from further engaging officers. Officers put the vehicle in reverse and hurried out of the area. A heavily armored military-style vehicle and officers clad in riot gear were posted just across the Trenton Makes bridge in Morrisville, awaiting any surges in activity. A couple protesters stood on the curb with signs in front of the cops. Across the river, violence was starting to break out as night fell on the capital city. A Trenton Police spokesman did not immediately respond to phone call seeking comment about any arrests. US President Donald Trump has blamed the protest violence in the United States on Antifa, saying the leftist activist network will be formally designated "terrorists" on the same level as al-Qaeda and Islamic State. Both White House National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien and Attorney General Bill Barr also singled out Antifa "radical militants" for stoking the rioting. "The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization," Trump tweeted. - Who are they? Antifa stands for anti-fascism, and the name comes from early 1930s Germany, where socialist "anti-fa" groups attempted to stand up to the rise of Adolf Hitler's Nazis. Over the past two decades anti-fascist groups in the United States have campaigned on a range of social justice issues. "We believe in & fight for a world free of fascism, racism, sexism, homo/transphobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia & bigotry," said a Twitter post this week from New York Antifa. But their principle focus has been countering the resurgence of neo-nazi and white supremacist groups. One of the oldest, Rose City Antifa of Portland, Oregon, began in 2007 to shut down a neo-Nazi skinhead music festival called Hammerfest. Their tactics mostly involve publicly outing right-wing extremists and organizing counter-protests. But since Trump's election in 2016 encouraged right-wing groups, Antifa has engaged in direct confrontations with them and destructive civil disobedience. During Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2017 scores of black-clad, mask-wearing Antifa and other protestors smashed windows and burned a car in Washington. In August that year, they were at the vanguard of counter-demonstrations when white supremacists and neo-nazis marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, and engaged in physical fights with the rightists. Since then the two sides have taunted and brawled with each other in several places including Portland and Berkeley, California. But Antifa has no head or national organization, according to a Congressional Research Service analysis. It described Antifa as "decentralized, consisting of independent, radical, like-minded groups and individuals." Mostly they are non-violent, the report says, but "a portion of antifa movement members are willing to commit crimes to promote their beliefs." - Is Antifa driving the violent protests? Aside from Trump and his top allies, US officials and state and local officials say the violence and destruction in cities across the country involves multiple groups, on the right and left, including but not limited to Antifa. "Various domestic terror groups on BOTH far left & right are instigating & committing acts of violence & looting," Senator Marco Rubio, who as chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee receives top level intelligence briefings, said Sunday. ABC News reported that Department of Homeland Security intelligence reports blame actors on both ends of the political spectrum. Officials in Minnesota say their information points to instigators including white nationalists, leftist anarchists, and even drug gangs. Mark Bray, a Dartmouth University historian who wrote "Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook," said Monday that there are certainly Antifa activists involved, though their loose organization and small cells make it impossible to ascertain how many. "Basically, there are nowhere near enough anarchists and members of antifa groups to have accomplished such breathtaking destruction on their own," Bray wrote in the Washington Post. - Can Trump designate Antifa as terrorists? Not likely. The US has no statute that permits designating violent domestic groups terrorists, as they have for international groups like Islamic State or Al-Qaeda. The global terror designation is a powerful tool for law enforcement: it permits the arrest and imprisonment of someone who merely expresses support for those jihadist groups or others. That law has not been expanded to domestic groups for good reason: such a law, many fear, could tempt a leader to deploy it against political rivals. Nevertheless, there is pressure for some sort of elevated designation, especially since several mass shootings of African Americans and Jews by white nationalists in the past several years. In February, FBI Director Chris Wray told Congress that White nationalist groups would be investigated in the way Islamic State sympathizers are, using the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force. While Attorney General Barr also singled out Antifa as instigating the riots, he was likewise limited in putting an investigation in the hands of the same task force. He indicated the legal focus would be on federal crimes involving crossing state lines to participate in the rioting. It is possible that the government might try to use international links of a group like Antifa to apply the terror designation. In April, Washington took that step for the first time, designating a Russia-based white supremacist group, the Russian Imperial Movement, as terrorists. Protests against police brutality in New York: President Donald Trump blames the violence in protests around the country almost exclusively on the loose-knit network of lefits activists known as Antifa. A member of the Antifa group is held back while he argues with a Trump supporter during a rally of right-wing groups in Washington on July 6, 2019. Antifa activists March in Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2018 to commemorate the killing of Heather Heyer one year earlier by a white nationalist. HIV positive Zimbabweans living in countries such as South Africa and Botswana face health-related challenges due to failure to access their anti-retroviral therapy because of travel restrictions imposed under the neighbours' lockdowns. Most patients living in the neighbouring countries rely on cross-border transporters popularly known as Omalayitsha, and long-distance buses to transport their medication from home. Health facilities in hosting countries do not afford foreigners access to Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs). Under their lockdown measures, the countries shut down their borders for all transport except for freight. Some relatives to patients based in the two countries told NewZimbabwe.com they were stuck with the life-prolonging drugs and were clueless on how to relay them to their loved ones. "I always collect ARVs at Mpilo Opportunistic Clinic (OI) on behalf of my husband who is working in South Africa," said a woman who preferred to remain anonymous for fear of stigmatization. "I normally use Omalayitsha who often charge me R100 to transport the drugs to South Africa. Since the lockdown started here and in South Africa, I have not been able to send the drugs. My husband has already skipped his medication for some weeks." Drivers of the haulage trucks plying the South Africa/Zimbabwe routes were reportedly taking advantage of the situation to demand exorbitant payments to transport the drugs. "Last week, I was charged R300 to transport a small container of ARVs to Johannesburg for my brother," said another relative. "I had no choice because he desperately needed the medication." He said he feared his brother could default on treatment and end up being placed on second-line antiretroviral therapy which is very costly. The National Aids Council (NAC) confirmed a lot of HIV patients in South Africa and Botswana were in crisis. "As NAC, we are still trying to make a follow-up on how many patients have been affected by this problem," NAC Bulawayo provincial manager, Sinatra Nyathi told NewZimbabwe.com. "What we have however discovered is that relatives of these patients are still collecting the drugs from the local health facilities." The NAC official advised affected patients to approach approved health facilities in their host countries and present their cases. "Covid-19 is a global pandemic and we encourage all the affected patients to approach approved health facilities in the neighbouring countries and present their cases. I am sure they will be able to assist," said Nyathi. She also advised desperate patients to use other alternative courier services such as Omalayitsha.Com and cross border haulage trucks. Although the NAC official could not give statistics of Zimbabwean HIV positive patients in the two neighbours, a significant number of HIV positive locals are believed to be living in the two countries. "Currently, we do not have a data base of HIV positive patients in the two countries but our records from the local health facilities indicate that relatives are collecting the drugs on behalf of the patients who are based in the diaspora," she added. Health experts recommend timeous, consistent, and correct intake of ARVs for patients already on treatment. Source: allafrica.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 Protests in response to the death of George Floyd rocked the U.S. this past weekend. Demonstrations took place in major cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, as well as in Minneapolis, where Floyd died on May 25 after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during his arrest. Chauvin was later removed from the Minneapolis police force, and has since been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. However, with Floyd's death following the police shooting of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, in March and multiple other incidents, protesters are calling for an end to police brutality against black Americans. While some marches went smoothly, others erupted into violence as protesters and police squared off. Facing widespread looting, arrests and destruction, cities like Philadelphia and Atlanta implemented curfews and at least 12 states activated the National Guard. This national crisis comes as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed the lives of more than 104,000 people in the U.S., according to data from Johns Hopkins University. These packed protests have stoked fears that they will help the virus spread and make the outbreak even worse. Here is a collection of photos that illustrate what happened at these protests as demonstrators demanded justice and fought for change: As fits of violence overshadowed peaceful protesters seeking justice for George Floyd, the black man who died after being kneed on the neck by a Minneapolis police officer, President Donald Trump has claimed that the radical left-wing group antifa is driving the violence. "The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization," Trump tweeted on Sunday. Just hours later, Trump's chief spokesperson, Kayleigh McEnany, vowed on Fox News that -- under a "law and order" president like Trump -- antifa "will be prosecuted as" a "domestic terrorism entity." But senior officials from within the Justice Department, which would prosecute any such cases, have publicly warned against designating any U.S.-based groups as terrorist organizations, with one senior official telling Congress that such a move would be "highly problematic." MORE: 'Just relax': George Floyd's brother condemns violent protesters "Both sides of the aisle would share (the concerns)," Bradley Wiegmann, a top attorney in the Justice Department's National Security Division, told the House Homeland Security Committee during a hearing last year. PHOTO: Smoke rises from a fire on a police cruiser in Center City during the Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia Protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Philadelphia. (Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP) In particular, current and former government officials have repeatedly worried that officially designating a U.S.-based group as a terrorist organization could have significant First Amendment consequences. The First Amendment protects the rights of Americans who like spewing "hateful speech" and "assembling with others who share the same hateful views," so "unless an organization engages solely in unprotected activity, such as committing crimes of violence, any designation of a (U.S.-based) organization as a terrorist organization would likely run afoul of the First Amendment," Mary McCord, the former head of the Justice Department's National Security Division, told a House panel in January. Story continues Such free speech concerns aren't implicated when dealing with groups based abroad, such as ISIS or al-Qaida. After all, foreigners outside of the United States are not protected by the First Amendment. "Designating domestic groups as 'domestic terrorist organization' and picking out particular groups that you say disagree with their views and so forth is going to be highly problematic, in a way that's not when you're designating al-Qaida or ISIS or an international terrorist organization," Wiegmann said last year. PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media as he departs the White House in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, May 30, 2020. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images) In promising to designate antifa as a terrorist organization and to pursue prosecutions, the Trump administration has not made clear what statutes it might use or how it would actually define an antifa member. MORE: Trump, Barr tell governors to 'dominate' streets in response to unrest FBI Director Chris Wray underscored the complexities during testimony before Congress last year. "For us, antifa (is) more of an ideology than an organization," he said. "We don't think of antifa so much as an organization." When it comes to ISIS and other international groups designated as terrorists, U.S. terrorism statutes make it a crime to provide them with "material support" -- such as money or even one's own person. That's how so many Americans who fled the United States to join ISIS in Syria or elsewhere were eventually charged and arrested by the FBI. But no such "material support" statute exists for a U.S.-based group. After last year's deadly assault inside a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, many Democratic lawmakers called for certain white supremacist groups to be designated as domestic terrorist groups. At the time, Justice Department officials explained their concerns. PHOTO: The Department of Justice headquarters in Washington. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) In many cases, though, federal authorities have used other U.S. laws, including weapons-related charges and hate-crime statutes, to prosecute so-called "domestic terrorists." In a statement Sunday addressing the unrest sparked by Floyd's death in Minneapolis, Attorney General Bill Barr said, "The violence instigated and carried out by antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly." Barr's statement did not say that antifa would be designated as a domestic terrorism organization. Nevertheless, antifa followers, white supremacists and other "domestic terrorists" can currently face terrorism charges if they use or attempt to use a homemade bomb. Federal terrorism statutes make it a crime for anyone -- affiliated with a group or not -- to use or attempt to use a weapon of mass destruction, including an explosive device. ABC News' Alexander Mallin contributed to this report. Trump vows to designate antifa a terrorist group. Heres why DOJ officials call that 'highly problematic' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com By Akbar Mammadov Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov held discussions on bilateral relations and the Lapis-Lazuli transit corridor with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Hanif Atmar on May 31. During the online meeting, the parties discussed the existing opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in political, economic, trade and transport spheres. Thus, the ministers noted the strategic significance of the Lapis-Lazuli transport corridor and stressed the importance of discussions at the level of relevant Working Groups to strengthen cooperation in this context. In this regard, the sides also underlined the fact that the construction of a Fiber Optic cable line along the bottom of the Caspian Sea could be a new component of support for the Lapis-Lazuli project. Given the possibility of expanding economic and trade cooperation, Azerbaijani and Afghan ministers touched upon the existing opportunities to ensure the sustainability of mutual trade relations. At the meeting, the Afghan minister noted with satisfaction Azerbaijan's support for international efforts to ensure security in Afghanistan, as well as the participation of Azerbaijani peacekeepers in the framework of the "Resolute Support" Mission, and expressed his gratitude to the Azerbaijani side for its contribution. Congratulating his Azerbaijani counterpart for the successful chairmanship in the Non-Aligned Movement, Mohammad Atmar noted that his country is interested in expanding relations with Azerbaijan and stressed the importance of cooperation in bilateral, trilateral and multilateral formats in order to develop relations between the two countries. On his behalf, Mammadyarov emphasized that Azerbaijani is interested in developing cooperation with Afghanistan on both bilateral and multilateral platforms. Noting the online Summit-level meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group with the initiative of the President of Azerbaijan under the theme of "We are together against COVID-19" on May 4, 2020, Mammadyarov touched upon the proposal of Azerbaijan on holding a special session of the UN General Assembly under the same theme. At the same time, the ministers noted that the chairmanship of Azerbaijan aimed at strengthening solidarity within NAM and increasing the role of the Movement continues in accordance with the identified priorities and taking into consideration the current global issues. The Azerbaijani and Afghan ministers also underlined the importance of strengthening the legal and treaty basis of the relations between the two countries. The parties also exchanged the invitations for mutual visits after the end of the global pandemic. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Australians with health insurance may wait months for procedures usually accessed within weeks in the private system after about 400,000 procedures were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Health funds and surgeons have joined calls by patient advocates for governments to tackle the backlog in private hospitals, which have been allowed to gradually restart elective surgeries after non-urgent procedures were banned for six weeks from March 25. They conduct about two-thirds of elective surgeries in Australia. The backlog from the elective surgery ban means some private patients are waiting months. Credit:Gabriele Charotte Private Healthcare Australia chief executive Rachel David said wait times for surgeries normally performed within weeks in the private sector would go "through the roof" without a plan to catch up, but private hospitals say social-distancing prevents them from reaching full capacity. While private patients normally wait an average 24 days for surgery, compared with 109 days in the public system, the backlog from the elective surgery ban means some private patients are waiting months. She was also finding common cause with Mr. Bidens detractors on the left, many of whom supported Bernie Sanders and believed Russia had been unfairly maligned in coverage of the Mueller investigation. Among them was Katie Halper, a left-leaning podcast host. It was on Ms. Halpers show that Ms. Reade made the assault allegation. This time, her story moved toward center stage, fodder in the online political wars. Mr. Biden denied her allegation even as he defended her right to be heard, while his defenders took to Facebook and Twitter to highlight the change in her account and emerging accusations of deceit from her friends. Republicans in turn accused Democrats of hypocritically ignoring the believe women battle cry of the #MeToo movement even as they gave a pass to the two dozen allegations of harassment and abuse lodged against Mr. Trump. Ms. Reade, deluged with messages of encouragement and threat, was by turns timorous and combative. She gained and then lost a high-profile lawyer, Mr. Wigdor, but quickly procured the pro bono services of a lesser-known consumer protection and civil rights lawyer, Daniel Hornal. When The Times approached her to discuss details of this article, she referred reporters to Maria Villena, her public relations consultant, who asked for written questions. After The Times submitted them, the actress and #MeToo activist Rose McGowan posted them on Twitter, as an example, she said, of the newspapers tactics. Ms. Reade also put The Times in touch with a number of supporters. Among them was a law school classmate, Joseph Backholm, who said she had told him about an assault by an unnamed senator when they were students together. Mr. Backholm has run an organization in Washington State that opposes same-sex marriage and has received funding from local donors to Mr. Trump. Ultimately, Ms. Reade responded in a string of emails and text messages. By coming forward about Joe Biden, she wrote on Friday, I have lost everything again, my job, my housing and my reputation. I have been called every vile name imaginable and presented as a monster by the media for daring to speak about Joe Biden and what happened. But I am free. The majority of protests over the past week calling for systemic reforms to end police violence after the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville have been peaceful. But some have turned violent, with looting in some cities and possible instances of police brutality in others. President Trump has blamed antifa, an umbrella term for radical left-wing activist groups that sometimes engage in street brawls, for the violence. However, antifas ties to the past weeks protests are unclear. While elected officials across the country have pointed fingers at outside agitators for the violence, so far there is limited evidence that outside extremist groups have been involved. For example, Minnesota officials initially said that all the Friday night arrests in the Twin Cities were from out of state, a claim they later walked back. Public protests like this are going to attract people of all kinds, Oren Segal, vice president of the Anti-Defamation Leagues Center on Extremism, told Yahoo News. No extremist is going to miss an opportunity to try to leverage a crisis to amplify their views and push their agenda, said Segal. But we have no evidence none that any extremist movement, or group that embraces extremist tactics, is significantly organizing any of these events. A protester at a demonstration outside the White House over the death of George Floyd, May 31. (Samuel Corum/AFP via Getty Images) While protesters call for reform measures the White House has resisted including Justice Department oversight of police departments with a history of violence, an agreement known as consent decrees, and ending the transfer of military equipment to local police Trump has used his bully pulpit to push for harsher crackdowns, specifically in regard to antifa. A national Oval Office address is not going to stop antifa, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Monday morning. Whats going to stop antifa is action. And this president has committed to acting on this. He has several meetings pertaining to that today. And thats his focus acting and keeping our streets safe. Story continues On Sunday, Trump announced that he was declaring antifa a terrorist organization, even though its not an organization in the formal sense and he does not have the ability to designate domestic terrorist groups. Short for anti-facist, antifa refers to a secretive movement of combative leftists, including many self-described anarchists, who are ready and willing to use violence in order to fight white supremacists, neo-Nazis and others they deem to be fascists. They attempt to deplatform anyone they consider homophobic, racist or xenophobic, a process that sometimes involves shutting down controversial speakers or gatherings through the use of force. Antifa traces its origins to the street fights between European right-wing and left-wing groups in the 1920s and 30s. The American version of the movement is rather new; Rose City Antifa, a group in Portland, Ore., that is one of the most well-known chapters, says it was founded in 2007. But, Segal explained, antifa is not an organized group in the traditional sense. Its not like antifa has card-carrying members, he said, suggesting that in some ways its more of a concept or movement than group structure. Due to the loose, decentralized style of organizing, its impossible to tell how many people are involved in antifa. Segal noted similarities between the fluidity of antifa and other modern extremist movements, such as the far-right Boogaloo, which is also not really a group but rather a concept that means so many different things to different people. This is the challenge [with] designations of any kind against any sort of ideologically motivated movement, he said, referring to Trumps recent pledge to designate antifa as a terrorist organization. Less and less, organizational structure is not the glue that keeps movements together. Its the ideology. As a result, Segal said, antifa activity is much more difficult to track, which, by the way, is by design. A man with an antifa flag draped over his shoulders attends a demonstration in response to the death of George Floyd, May 31. (Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) There are, of course, certain social media channels run by people who self-identify as antifa, but on the internet as well as in the real world, its almost impossible to gauge who, exactly, is involved in this loosely defined movement and to what degree. Basically, Segal said, you are if you say you are. Its quite hard to know the level of on-the-ground engagement because not everybody is going to identify their worldview and their affiliations while theyre at a protest, he said. I think sometimes people assume that black-clad people are antifa, and thats not necessarily the case. We have anarchists, and we have people who are just angry, period. I will say anarchists are opportunistic and they view unrest in society as an opportunity to destroy the corrupt system, in some cases. Segal noted that property destruction is a classic anarchist tactic, and New York City officials have blamed anarchists for the violence there. Antifa generally focuses on those they deem as racist or fascist, taking them on through direct physical confrontation or releasing their personal information in an attempt to cost them their jobs or otherwise shame them. Trump has used antifa interchangeably with anarchists. While some members of antifa would describe themselves as anarchists, the anarchist movement as a whole rejects governments of any kind and has been responsible for protests and violence for decades. Antifa and anarchist groups do, however, share a similar dress code of black clothing and masks. Videos circulating on social media suggest that young, white men the demographic both antifa and Boogaloo tend to draw from are responsible for much of the violence over the last week, although their exact affiliations and ideologies are unknown. This confusion allows for the possibility that both far-left and far-right groups could be involved, although there is little hard evidence to substantiate either claim. Not unlike antifa, the relatively young Boogaloo movement is not a defined group but rather a concept that has been appropriated by a variety of extremist factions who, for different reasons, want to see the destruction of modern society through violent conflict. The term Boogaloo, which is derived from an old internet joke referring to the 1984 break dancing-themed movie Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo, has become code for the impending second civil war. A member of the far-right Boogaloo Bois militia at a demonstration in Charlotte, N.C., May 29. (Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images) The recent protests in Minneapolis and elsewhere have drawn interest from various Boogaloo proponents, from white supremacists and neo-Nazis to more libertarian, antigovernment activists. But J.J. MacNab, a fellow at the George Washington University Program on Extremism, cautioned that the Boogaloo movement is not cohesive. While there are pockets of white supremacist Boogaloos, the younger and bigger groups are generally not, MacNab wrote in a Twitter thread Saturday. Though some Boogaloos strongly support Trump, many others hate him, as well as the police. While there are Boogaloos that want to discredit protests angry at the murder of a black man, there are younger Boogaloos that are incensed by the murder and want to join the protests, wrote MacNab. While the stated goals of different Boogaloo factions may vary, they share a desire to bring about violent conflict, including armed clashes with law enforcement, that will ultimately lead to a civil war. Much of the conversation about the protests in the context of the Boogaloos has taken place online, in Facebook groups and on other social media platforms, but some armed demonstrators across the country have been spotted wearing Hawaiian shirts, which has become a symbol for the movement. Segal said hes been a bit wary about focusing too much on the extremist elements who may be opportunistically drawn to these protests, for fear of distracting from the majority of those whove taken to the streets in legitimate protest against police brutality and structural racism. However, he admitted that with the amount of violence that weve seen night after night, I am concerned that the longer this lasts, the more extremists will actually be the more relevant narrative. At some point these protests may completely devolve into political violence. I hope that does not happen. But as someone who is monitoring extremism, thats my big concern. That these protests morph into something more nefarious than initially, originally intended. _____ 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: Following a weekend in which protests over the death of George Floyd raged in virtually every major American city, President Trump on Monday told U.S. governors they were weak for not being more aggressive in enforcing laws against the demonstrations. You have to dominate. If you dont dominate, youre wasting your time, Trump said during a video teleconference with governors, law enforcement and national security officials, audio of which was obtained by CBS News. Theyre going to run over you, the president said. Youre going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate. Youve got to arrest people, he continued. You have to track people. You have to put them in jail for 10 years and youll never see this stuff again. Trumps comments came after a weekend of unrest over the death of Floyd, a black man who died after being pinned to the ground by a white Minneapolis police officer one week ago. In cities across the country, protesters broke curfews, set fires and looted stores, and police responded with shows of force, lobbing flash-bangs, spraying tear gas and firing rubber bullets. In Washington, D.C., on Sunday, fires burned as demonstrators clashed with law enforcement for the third straight evening outside the White House. On Friday night, Secret Service agents rushed Trump to a White House bunker designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks as hundreds of protesters fought with police about 100 yards from the executive mansion. Protesters rally outside the White House on Sunday. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) The entire Washington, D.C., National Guard was called in to help with the response to protests outside the White House. On the teleconference, Trump suggested there would be a bigger show of force moving forward. Washington was under very good control, but were going to have it under much more control, Trump said. Were going to pull in thousands of people. He added: Were going to clamp down very, very strong. The president has yet to formally address the nation about the roiling discord, instead tweeting various complaints about the medias coverage of the protests and blaming the violence on far-left activists. Story continues He did so again on the call with governors, claiming that the violence is coming from the radical left you know it, everybody knows it. But its also looters, and its people that figure they can get free stuff by running into stores and running out with television sets, he said. I saw it a kid has a lot of stuff, he puts it in the back of a brand-new car and drives off. You have every one of these guys on tape. Why arent you prosecuting them? Now, the harder you are, the tougher you are, the less likely youre going to be hit. In a statement, Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer criticized Trumps remarks. The president repeatedly and viciously attacked governors, who are doing everything they can to keep the peace while fighting a once-in-a-generation pandemic, Whitmer said. The presidents dangerous comments should be gravely concerning to all Americans, because they send a clear signal that this administration is determined to sow the seeds of hatred and division, which I fear will only lead to more violence and destruction. Whitmer contrasted the tone of Trumps call with an essay published by former President Barack Obama calling on protesters to turn their justifiable anger into action. This is a moment that calls for empathy, humanity and unity, she said. Its time for all of us to pull together and do the hard work of building a nation that works for everyone. Read more from Yahoo News: In this article FB Facebook Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies at a House Financial Services Committee hearing in Washington, October 23, 2019. Erin Scott | Reuters Facebook employees have spoken out in anger after CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he planned to take no enforcement action against a post by President Donald Trump following the killing of George Floyd. The staffers said the post has no place on Facebook, adding that they're "disappointed" and "gravely concerned" it has not been removed. At least six Facebook employees took to Twitter to condemn Zuckerberg's decision, with comments like "Mark is wrong" and "doing nothing is unacceptable." Violent protests have erupted in cities across the U.S. over the last few days after a white Minneapolis police officer killed Floyd, an unarmed black man, by kneeling on his neck for nine minutes. As the protests gained momentum, Trump shared the following message on Facebook and Twitter: "Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts." The phrase was used by a Miami police chief in the 1960s and has been widely interpreted as a violent threat against protesters. Twitter last week hid the same post for glorifying violence, with CEO Jack Dorsey taking full responsibility for the decision. The White House's official Twitter account later retweeted Trump's first post with the content that was hidden by the microblogging site for violating its policies. Twitter has now hidden this tweet as well. The White House account hit back at the company, claiming it "has determined that it will allow terrorists, dictators, and foreign propagandists to abuse its platform." It included a picture of a post from Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Trump denied he was inciting violence. Facebook rules say speech that inspires or incites violence is not allowed on its platform. However, it is allowing Trump's tweet, which was cross-posted to Facebook, to remain on the platform. The post has been shared over 71,000 times and reacted to over 253,000 times. The message was also overlaid onto a photo shared on Trump's Instagram account, which has received over half a million likes. On Friday, Zuckerberg wrote: "I've been struggling with how to respond to the President's tweets and posts all day. Personally, I have a visceral negative reaction to this kind of divisive and inflammatory rhetoric. ... But I'm responsible for reacting not just in my personal capacity but as the leader of an institution committed to free expression." He added: "I disagree strongly with how the President spoke about this, but I believe people should be able to see this for themselves, because ultimately accountability for those in positions of power can only happen when their speech is scrutinized out in the open." Speaking out Facebook staff members made their thoughts and feelings known on Twitter. Jason Toff, director of product management at Facebook, said he wasn't proud of how the company was "showing up," adding that most of his co-workers feel the same. Jason Stirman, a design manager at Facebook, said he doesn't know what to do. "I'm a Facebook employee that completely disagrees with Mark's decision to do nothing about Trump's recent posts, which clearly incite violence," he said, adding that he wasn't the only one. Brandon Dail, a front-end engineer at Facebook, said: "Trump's glorification of violence on Facebook is disgusting and it should absolutely be flagged or removed." David Gillis, director of product design at Facebook, said Trump's message "encourages extra-judicial violence and stokes racism." He added: "Respect to @Twitter's integrity team for making the enforcement call." Josiah Gulden, a product designer at Facebook, retweeted Gillis and said he agreed. "I'm gravely concerned that if we're only willing to enforce our standards based on (presumed) intended meaning, and never on apparent meaning, we're always giving bad actors room to play the 'I didn't mean it that way' card," he said. "A very slippery slope." Diego Mendes, a product design manager at Facebook, said "Facebook leadership is wrong" and that he has "voiced his concerns internally." A Facebook spokesperson said the company recognizes the pain its staff are feeling, especially those in its black community. "We encourage employees to speak openly when they disagree with leadership," they said. "As we face additional difficult decisions around content ahead, we'll continue seeking their honest feedback." Trump-Zuck call A serial burglar who was stopped in his tracks after a squawking parrot alerted its owner of the thief's raid has been jailed for two years. Jake Fletcher, 24, from Newport, South Wales, who was jailed for three house burglaries on the same street in Monmouth on June 20 last year, had entered the final house when he was met with the parrot. He was then tackled by the homeowner who was asleep in bed when she heard the her pet making a noise and went to investigate. The mother, who pursued the burglar as he fled and tried to pull him down as he scaled a fence, has now been awarded 500 for her actions which led to Fletcher's arrest. Jake Fletcher, 24, from Newport, South Wales, was jailed for three house burglaries on the same street on June 20 last year Prosecutor Matthew Roberts said: 'During the last burglary, one of the victims was asleep in bed when she heard the family parrot squawking in the front room and she went to investigate. 'She saw the defendant hiding behind the door and confronted him. He pushed past her and ran out of the back door. 'The complainant grabbed hold of a rucksack the defendant had and told him he was not taking her daughter's bag with him. This caused the bag to rip. 'He fled and she pursued him. He tried to scale a fence but she tried to pull him down.' Cardiff Crown Court heard Fletcher dropped the rucksack along with video games, a bottle of prosecco and a bottle of gin before he ran off. Fletcher had entered the final house when he was met with the parrot who raised the alarm Fletcher, of Newport, South Wales, pleaded guilty to the three burglaries in Monmouth, South Wales, on June 20 last year. Defending Suzanne Payne said: 'He says his drink was spiked on the night of the offending and that he lost days of his life.' Judge Richard Williams jailed him for two years and praised the parrot's owner for her bravery. He said: 'There was a struggle for possession of the rucksack with one victim. She tried to tackle you to stop you going over the fence. 'If I were to impose a suspended prison sentence, it would add insult to her injury. 'The victim showed considerable determination and courage. She is commended for her actions and will receive a 500 award.' WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has failed to appear in court via videolink today as he is suffering from 'breathing problems' at Belmarsh Prison. Assange, 48, has been indicted on 18 charges by a US grand jury - 17 of which fall under the Espionage Act. The charges relate to allegations he conspired with army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to expose military secrets between January and May 2010. He was due to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court this morning, but was unable to attend as he was 'unwell,' his lawyer Edward Fitzgerald explained. Julian Assange was too unwell to appear via videolink for a court hearing today. He was seen leaving Westminster Magistrates Court in January The Australian has been at the maximum security prison in South East London since April lat year, after he was escorted out of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he had lived for seven years claiming political asylum. Assange has missed several hearings due to ill health since his last appearance in January. District Judge Vanessa Baraitser had hoped to be able to confirm the location for the resumption of the extradition hearing on September 7 but she is 'still waiting for confirmation about which court that will be'. The judge told Mr Fitzgerald he has until August 25 to submit Assange's skeleton argument, while James Lewis, QC, for the US government, will have until September 1. A psychiatric report is also being prepared and will be submitted by July 31, the court heard. Julian Assange is being held at the maximum security Belmarsh Prison in South East London, where he is reportedly suffering from respiratory problems Judge Baraitser said: 'There is an email from HMP Belmarsh that suggests Mr Assange has refused to attend court via video-link today. Can I confirm he is too unwell to attend?' Mr Fitzgerald replied: 'That is correct. He has had respiratory problems for some time and he is not likely to attend today.' Judge Baraitser added: 'The venue is still being considered, I had hoped to be able to provide you with that information today but I'm still waiting for confirmation about which court that will be.' Assange was granted political asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London in 2012 to avoid onward extradition to the US from Sweden for sexual offence allegations dating back to 2010 which he has always denied. In November Swedish authorities dropped the rape allegations but he was jailed for 50 weeks last April after breaching his bail conditions when the asylum period granted to him expired. Assange will remain in custody with a further administrative hearing set for June 29 at Westminster Magistrates' Court. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As a black man, I rarely feel guiltier than when Im thankful my children are white. You see, Im of mixed race, the product of a white mother and black father. But my skin is dark enough that few people have ever made that distinction. Even when they do, it usually doesnt matter. As someone once told me as a teenager, Part n***er is still a n***er! Im married to a white woman. We have two young boys who, in mathematical terms, are 75 percent white. Most of society will perceive them as white for the rest of their lives. Because of this, my boys wont experience many of the things I did growing up brown. And I reluctantly take solace in that, now more than ever. I was 16 when my brother and I were driving home from school in his beat-up Oldsmobile. A siren lit up behind us. We were minutes away from our neighborhood when we stopped. An officer approached the car with his hand on his gun, before staring at us in shock: Why are you guys dressed up? he asked. We told him we attended a private school. Wearing a shirt and tie was required. Its information that probably changed the way things played out next. Well, I pulled you over because you fit the description of two guys who just robbed the bank up the street, he said. You mean the one were driving in the direction of? my brother responded with a sense of defiance. The officer eventually let us go. When we got home, I was ready to move past the incident. But my brother was incensed. He was about to graduate from one of the most prestigious high schools in our area and nothing he had done in 18 years had prevented him from being harassed by the police because of the color of his skin. My brother never let me forget that incident. Its why he went on to study criminal justice and became a police officer in upstate New York. He was the first person I texted after what happened to George Floyd, the black man who died last week while Minneapolis police officers arrested him. My brothers take every time a person of color is the victim of police brutality: Im sick of these guys in uniform making us all look bad. His perspective is important to me, even if it differs from mine. For instance, when I saw the video of George Floyd, I couldnt help but think, That could have been me. Its the same thought every time a black persons death seems to be motivated by racism. I could have been Ahmaud Arbery going for a jog. I could have been Tamir Rice, playing cops and robbers in the local park when I was a kid. I could have been Trayvon Martin, wearing one of the many black hoodies I owned as a teen. As one of my friends wrote on social media, To be black is equal parts pride, fury, hope and utter heartbreak these days. Trying to navigate that explosive mix of emotions can consume you Im sure it was that way for many protestors in downtown Cleveland this past weekend. The events that happened downtown and around the country were, for lack of a better word, intense. But what I find most shocking is that 31 years after Spike Lees landmark film, Do The Right Thing, people are still wondering why Mookie threw that trash can through the window of Sals pizzeria. In recent days Ive seen a lot of people using the Martin Luther King Jr. quote, A riot is the language of the unheard as an argument against the violence they witnessed. But thats misleading. King delivered the quote during a 60 Minutes interview with Mike Wallace in 1967, less than a year before he was assassinated. America was in the midst of the Long hot summer of race riots throughout the country. That September, King would give a speech at in Washington, D.C. in which hed come to terms with the logic behind protests: Urban riots must now be recognized as durable social phenomena. They may be deplored, but they are there and should be understood. Urban riots are a special form of violence. They are not insurrections. The rioters are not seeking to seize territory or to attain control of institutions. They are mainly intended to shock the white community. They are a distorted form of social protest. The looting which is their principal feature serves many functions. It enables the most enraged and deprived Negro to take hold of consumer goods with the ease the white man does by using his purse. Often the Negro does not even want what he takes; he wants the experience of taking. Does that mean riots and looting are okay? I honestly dont know. But Kings point shouldnt be debated. You cant view the aftermath without acknowledging what led to all of it. Some may see the violence on Saturday as the worst thing theyve witnessed in Cleveland. Perhaps they didnt watch the video of a police officer shooting Tamir Rice. Maybe theyve already forgotten. As I went to write this column, my Facebook memory of the day was a photo of my brother in his police uniform pinning a toy badge on my 4-year-old son. It gave me a sense of pride. But it also made me hope brother is the only police officer my son will ever have to interact with. If not, I want them to treat him with the same level of kindness and respect his uncle does. Then I realized if they do, it may very well be because they see him as white, never knowing the hardships his father and his fathers father had to deal with at the hands of people in the same uniform. And that breaks my heart. Author: Deich Mohamed Saleh 01.06.2020 LISTEN Approximately twenty nine years are accumulated since the UN Peacekeeping has arrived the ground of Western Sahara for a specific mission, which is the supervision of a referendum of self-determination for the people of the territory. Such referendum has not yet seen light due to the UN Security Council's lack of action, despite numerous of the UN and the OAU-AU resolutions and engagement of distinguished personalities. Unfortunately, the one who has been benefiting from the situation of procrastination is the Kingdom of Morocco, illegally occupying the territory, whereas the victim is the legitimate owner, the people of Western Sahara, who are fed up of long wait. The UNs failure, over more than fifty years, in the application of the legitimate right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination and independence left no doubt how the International Communitys action is controlled by interests and not by principles. The Decolonization process The process of the decolonization of Western Sahara dates back to the Spanish colonial era (1884-1976). Since the inscription of the territory in 1963 on the list of non-self-governing territories the UN treatment of the question has been based on the Resolution 1514 (XV) of the UN General Assembly containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. However, the UN General Assembly in its first resolutions on the question of then Spanish Sahara (2072(XX) of 1965 and 2229(XXII) of 1966), consecutively, asked Spain to decolonize the territory through a referendum of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara. Increasing the internal and international pressure made Spain to declare in August 1974 its intention to organize the referendum of self-determination of the territory in early 1975. King Hassan II of Morocco announced that his country could not accept a referendum that included the option of independence to be joined by Mauritania in claiming Western Sahara, calling for arbitration by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to make a judgement on the pre-colonial legal status of the territory. In its resolution 3292 (XXXII) of 1974, the UN General Assembly requested the ICJ to give an advisory opinion on the status of Western Sahara prior to Spanish colonization, and called on Spain to postpone the referendum until the General Assembly was able to decide on a decolonizing process that included an ICJ advisory opinion. However, the ICJ advisory opinion, which was released on 16 October 1975, denied any ties of sovereignty of Morocco and Mauritania over Western Sahara. The ICJ endorsed the decolonization of the territory based on the principle of self-determination. In response to the ICJ ruling, King Hassan II, with the complicity of certain Western powers, ordered the military invasion and occupation of Western Sahara on 31 October 1975. For its part, the Organization of Africa Unit (OAU)/ now African Union (AU) was guided by the principles and objectives of its Charter in dealing with question of Western Sahara since its creation in 1963 , in particular those relating to the total decolonization of the African territories under foreign occupation. The Position of Africa Bloc was reinforced by the status of the territory as UN non-self-governing territory whose people were entitled to exercise their inalienable right to elf-determination in accordance with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV). The African Organization consistently seized the question of Western Sahara calling for immediate decolonization of the territory and showing its solidarity with the people of the territory against Spanish domination. Morocco itself voted on the resolution CM/Res. 272 (XIX) of 1972 adopted unanimously in Rabat, Morocco, by the OAU Council of Ministers endorsing the right of the people of the then Spanish Sahara to self-determination and independence. The decolonization of the Western Sahara has not yet taken place and that Spain remains the administrating power until the completion of the decolonization process. Thus, it has to comply with the obligations set out in Articles 73 and 74 (d) of the Charter of the United Nations. This was reaffirmed by the Legal Opinion of the UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Hans Correll, in 2002. The Saharawi state In the report on its visit to Western Sahara in May and June 1975, the UN Visiting Mission gave evidence that it noted that the population, or at least almost all those persons encountered by the Mission, was categorically for independence and against the territorial claims of Morocco and Mauritania and the Frente Polisario (Polisario Front) appeared as a dominant political force in the Territory. The Mission witnessed mass demonstrations in support of the movement in all parts of the Territory . The Polisario Front (Frente Popular para la Liberacion de Saguia el Hamra y Rio de Oro) founded in 1973 after receiving widespread support among the population of Western Sahara, which made it embrace the people's aspirations in self-determination and independence. Shortly after signing Madrid accord, supermajority of representatives of the then colonial General Assembly (Jama'a) met on 28 November 1975 in Galtat-Zamur to endorse the Polisario Front and dissolve itself to be replaced by the Provisional National Council. On 27 February 1976 in Bir-Lehlu, the Polisario Front proclaimed the Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) to avoid a juridical fait accompli created by the departure of Spain. Moroccan occupation Moroccos military invasion and occupation of Western Sahara on 31 October 1975, involving 350.000 civilians in a march into the territory, was not only in violation of the UN and the OAU/AU resolutions as well as the principle of intangible colonial borders and the ICJ advisory opinion on Western Sahara. But also it was against the will of the people of the territory and constituted an attack on the sanctity and sovereignty of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic. The UN and OAU/AU are in line of the UN General Assembly resolution 2625 (XXV), which recognizes illegal the territorial acquisition by force that Morocco is an occupying power as the UN General Assembly stated in its resolutions 34/37 (1979) and 35/19 (1980). Morocco occupation of Western Sahara generated a tragic situation, which made thousands of the population of the territory flee from the troops and airforces bombard, seeking for a safe place in Algeria. For more than 47 years, those people have lived in exile in hard conditions, waiting for the day they return back home. Morocco has applied since the outset of its occupation a military siege and media blockage in the territories under its control in order to conceal the genocide and crimes against humanity which have been committed by its troops and police forces, resulting in hundreds of deaths, disappeared, disabled due to torture and daily aggression and intimidation. Most of the human right organizations have reported widely on the subject as the UN High Commissioner (OHCHR), the Human Right Council, African Commission on Human rights, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch .etc.. Besides detailed reports from the media. It was explicit that some of the five permanent members of UN Security Council, namely France and United Sates had planned to the illegal Accord of Madrid in November 1975 between Morocco, Spain and Mauritania as well as to occupy Western Sahara. Recently, the USA Intelligence Service revealed hundreds of declassified documents on the issue of Western Sahara (see https://www.cia.gov). Their objectives were not only to circumvent the right of the people of the territory to self-determination and independence but also to destabilize the whole region and enter endless spiral . Both United States and France offered generous support to Morocco in military, political and financial aspects. In 1979 Mauritania abandoned the southern part of Western Sahara, which led to the signing of a peace agreement with the Polisario Front and recognizing the SADR afterwards in 1984. King Hassan II mistook his estimation of occupying Western Sahara when he said that it would last only one week. He realized that it was impossible to achieve a military victory after incurring heavy costs in lives, materials and thousands of prisoners as revealed in the declassified documents of the CIA. Goodwill vs deception The sixteen years of fierce armed struggle almost resolved the conflict in favor of the SADR as its Army had advanced in taking control on the ground and the diplomatic achievements increased, which was crowned by the membership of SADR within the OAU in 1984. The progress of the Saharawi struggle as well as the international calls to prompt solution to the conflict, particularly in Africa, culminated in joining the UN and the OAU efforts. The African leaders played decisive role in reaching an agreement on a settlement plan for the organization of a referendum of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara, underling the cooperation of the SADR in this trend. The OAU resolution AHG/Res. 104 (XIX) of 1983 was effectively instrumental in laying the foundations for the subsequent UN-OAU efforts, which was reflected in the UN General Assembly resolution 40/50 (XXXX) of 1985. This resolution urged the two parties to the conflict, the Polisario Front and the Kingdom of Morocco, to engage in a direct negotiations under the auspices of the UN and the OAU, which led to a ceasefire on 06 September 991 and the deployment of the UN/OAU-AU Peacekeeping. The UN Security Council has taken over running the question of Western Sahara pursuant to its approval, in 1990, of the Settlement Plan and establishment of the United Nations for a referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). Both parties, under the auspices of the UN Secretary and the OAU Chairman, agreed on the cease fire and the organization of a referendum of self-determination by February 1992 in accordance with the timetable approved by the UN Security Council. The referendum was postponed due to Morocco attempt to extend the criteria to include 120.000 Moroccans in the list of voters. It was clear then that Moroccos objective from its engagement in the referendum process was: a) to succeed in changing the electoral body in its favor or b) to maneuver and play for time. The fact that Morocco realized that it was impossible to win the outcome of the referendum, especially when the UN published temporal list of eligible to vote in 1999. The preposterous is that the UN Security Council did not dare to impose sanctions against the Kingdom of Morocco for its obstruction of the referendum. The fact that the UN Security Councils inaction against Morocco tribute to explicit collusion with it inside the Council and the Secretariat. France was behind paralyzing the OAU/AU role in the peace process because of bothering it in achieving its goals. No one of the five permanent members, advocates for the immediate exercise of the inalienable right of the people of the territory to self-determination and independence, just as France defends Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara. Moreover, They remained silent about the crimes committed by Moroccan authorities in the occupied territories of Western Sahara. It is true that there is a fundamental change in the views of USA, Russia, UK and China of the conflict in Western Sahara, but has not yet reached to the point of standing up for France. Significant efforts carried out by distinguished personalities as Special envoys of the UN General Secretary like Mr. James Baker III, former USA Secretary of State and of the Ambassador Cristopher Ross as well as the Ex-President of Germany, Mr. Horst Kohler, who failed due to the five's lack of will. Even the Council was unable to include the report on human rights in the MINURSO mandate because of France, despite of the calls for independent mechanism and the reports on the situation. Beyond that, the Council did nothing against Morocco for the expulsion of the civilian component of MINURSO in March 2016, which drastically affected the ability of the mission to carry out its functions. Five months later, in August 2016, Morocco took advantage of the UN Security Councils inaction to violate the ceasefire by constructing a road across Mauritania in an attempt aiming to annex the Guerguerat region including La-Aguera city. France now uses all its influence to involve many international parties interests in the conflict in order to complicate its solution. It worked hard to implicate the European Union in plundering the natural resources in violation of the decisions of the European Court of Justice of 2016 and 2018. In contrary, all hell broke loose when the SADR and the Polisario Front show resolute to fail out Moroccan maneuvers. If SADR did not respond to the dangerous and provocative move in Guerguerat and exercise its legitimate sovereignty over this liberated area, Morocco would succeeded in striking all Security Council resolutions against the wall and the credibility of the United Nations in general for ever. The Council has never invested the Saharawi party's goodwill or recognize its considerable concessions in finding a durable peaceful solution. The influence of France on the UN Security Council decisions, if continued, may lead to the worst in the Council's history of dealing with question of Western Sahara. Peace or War It is clear that the United Nations Secretariat and the Security Council have never interested in establishing the International legitimacy in the Northwest of Africa through the exercise of the right to self-determination for the people of Western Sahara. Instead, they have been working together over approximately twenty nine years to dispossess the people of the territory and its state of their legitimate right and grant it to the occupier, he Kingdom of Morocco, whose its claims were denied by the Advisory of Opinion of ICJ in 1975. The SASR, represented by the Polisario Front, accepted and still accepts to engage in any process leading to a referendum of self-determination, otherwise it will take the necessary measures, including armed struggle to liberate the rest of its territories still occupied by Morocco. Obviously, France's recent attempts, which were reflected, in particular, in the Security Council resolution 2495 (2019), aimed to change the sense of self-determination to match Moroccos desire. France's trend of colonizing the peoples territories and dominating their natural resources has never stopped. It continued support of Morocco illegal occupation of Western Sahara is a part of larger plans aiming to hit the stability of many countries in North Africa. By the adaptation of that resolution by the UN Security Council, the SADR and the Polisario Front decided to review its engagement in the entire process supervised by the UN. However, There is no significance to the UN's presence in the territory as well as the ceasefire while there is no referendum of self-determination. Decades of tireless efforts and big sacrifices were doomed. The specter of war hangs over again between the two African countries, and nothing will stop it unless there is a serious will for the international community to put a prompt end to this long-standing conflict on the basis of international legitimacy in accordance with the United Nations and the African Union Charters and resolutions. As long as Morocco rejects the referendum of self-determination, there is no other realistic solution than the establishment of relations with SADR as it is a full member of the AU and one of the founders of it. The Sahrawi Republic has made great strides in building modern state institutions which are able to provide services in education, health, stability, justice, modernity and have a unique democratic experience as well as has got a wide range of international relations. Its political arm, Polisario Front, receives strong support among the population. The restoration of AUs pivotal role is crucial in this stage, given that what is happening is on African lands and between two African countries and both of them are members of the same bloc. The AU has to act against the Kingdom of Morocco for immediate withdrawal of the territories which it occupies of SADR, even if it requires military intervention. With its admission to the African Union, the Kingdom of Morocco is obliged to respect the fundamental principles contained in the AU Constitutive Act including, inter alia, (b) respect for borders existing on achievement of independence, and (f)prohibition of the use of force or threat to use force against other AU Member States (article 4). The peace and stability of the region and of the north Africa in general, can not be achieved on the expenses of the legitimate rights of the peoples like what is happening to the people of Western Sahara. The presence of the big five on the ground for more over than twenty nine years are enough to discover the reality of SADR and its commitment to peace and peaceful coexistence. Yes, Western Sahara is rich in natural resources, but they cannot be exploited without the consent of its generous people. CONCLUSION The UNs procrastination and delays in implementing the legitimate right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination and independence for more than fifty unveils ulterior motives of some of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. They planned to the Spanish withdrawal of Western Sahara as well as to Moroccos military invasion and occupation of the territory. The objective was to deprive the people of Western Sahara of their right to self-determination and independence. They are aware of that it was in violation of the UN and OAU/AU resolutions as well as the principle of intangible colonial borders and the ICJ advisory opinion on Western Sahara. Nevertheless, the people of Western Sahara were able to exist and establish their state despite heavy sacrifices and hard conditions. The peace and stability of the region and of the north Africa in general, can not be achieved on the expenses of the legitimate rights of the peoples like what is happening to the people of Western Sahara. The presence of the big five on the ground for more over than twenty nine years are enough to discover the reality of SADR and its commitment to peace and peaceful coexistence. Yes, Western Sahara is rich in natural resources, but they cannot be exploited without the consent of its generous people. 29 May 2020 Deich Mohamed was the Office's Chief of late President Mohamed Abelaziz and former Ambassador to Zimbabwe. mohcheij[at] yahoo.es ALBANY Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Monday claimed that a 44-year-old statute that has been used by New York law enforcement agencies to block the public's access to police disciplinary records has been misapplied, and does not prevent the release of those files. The governor's remarks came as state legislative leaders on Monday announced the Senate and Assembly would reconvene next week and act on a series of criminal justice reform measures, including overhauling the statute known as "50-a" for its section in state Civil Rights Law. Directing his comments to the state's mayors and arguing they could release those records "today," Cuomo failed to acknowledge that the State Police, an agency he controls, has for years invoked the statute to reject public access to its internal files. The governor's comments also ignored a multitude of court decisions through the years expanding the reach of the statute to block public access to the disciplinary records of not only police officers, but also corrections officers and firefighters. The judicial rulings have also extended the authority of the law to block the release of records of former police officers. The law "does not stop you from releasing disciplinary records," Cuomo said. "I said that to every mayor. ... I gave them a legal opinion that says the law doesn't apply. Now, if a mayor wanted to release the records, you know what they would do? Release the records and say, 'I have a governor's counsel opinion that says the law doesn't say I can't release them.'" It's uncertain why Cuomo's remarks targeted only mayors, rather than the multitude of law enforcement agencies controlled by towns, counties and the state. "I dont believe the law ever stopped a mayor from releasing (police disciplinary files); I believe politically they didnt want to," Cuomo said. "Either release the records because the law doesnt stop you, or if thats not enough then the Legislature should repeal the law." Earlier: Court rulings shroud records Judge order Troy to disclose internal report on fatal police shooting Law shielding police misconduct records stymies prosecutors Legislative hearing focuses on access to police records A spokesman for the governor did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Cuomo would direct the State Police, whose superintendent he appoints, to begin releasing internal disciplinary records of troopers. A spokesman for the State Police did not respond to a request for comment on the governor's remarks. In 2011, the State Police cited 50-a when it rejected a request by the Times Union for access to their records from the investigation of an off-duty state trooper, Brian T. Beardsley, who admitted leaving the scene of a fatal crash after his pickup truck ran over a man along an isolated two-lane highway in Fulton County. The decision was later upheld by a mid-level appellate court in Albany. State Police have invoked the statute many other times to deny internal records. Albany County District Attorney David Soares on Monday evening issued a statement urging the governor to sign a law mandating that "all new cases where members of law enforcement are accused of a crime or misconduct" be handled by a special prosecutor. Soares also said that, going forward, his office will request a special prosecutor in any cases in which police officers are the subject of criminal allegations. Soares, along with the state district attorneys' association, had criticized Cuomo's 2015 executive order enabling the state attorney general to take over investigations in which unarmed civilians are killed during encounters with police. "I watched in stunned disbelief the life of a man being taken and streamed repeatedly on social media," Soares said. "These are not unprecedented incidents and yet real solutions are lost as attention is given to the subsequent violence and discussions are reduced to relationships between police and prosecutors. This cannot continue." Cuomo directed some of his commentary on Monday at the New York Police Department, noting the agency had previously released records on police misconduct allegations but reversed course several years ago amid concerns the city was violating 50-a. Cuomo said a former counsel in his office had written an opinion that 50-a should not have prohibited the release of those records by the NYPD, but his office could not immediately provide a copy. The governor's remarks about the statute during Monday's coronavirus task force briefing followed protests and riots across the nation over the weekend prompted by the death of George Floyd, and as the Democratic majorities in the state's Assembly and Senate conferenced privately Monday to gauge members' support for reforming or repealing the statute. Cuomo also gave conflicting thoughts on the topic, saying earlier in his briefing that the disciplinary records of police officers should be disclosed if a police officer is under investigation for misconduct. Later, he said the Legislature should repeal the statute if the records can't be publicly released. "If a police officer is being investigated, how is their disciplinary records not relevant?" he said. "If they have disciplinary records that show this was a repeat pattern, how is that not relevant?" For years, efforts to repeal the statute had failed to gain any momentum in the Legislature, where majority leaders including Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins had not previously lent support for the initiative. As the lawmakers met Monday, a letter was sent to them that had been signed by 76 organizations including labor unions, police-reform groups, civil rights organizations and public defenders associations urging the Legislature to repeal the statute. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "We urge you to stand firmly in opposition to any attempts to water down or offer partial measures that will continue to provide special rights for police officers and allow departments to shield abusive officers and brutality from public view," the letter states. The letter was signed by organizations that include the Innocence Project, New York Civil Liberties Union, Legal Aid Society, New York State Defenders Association, Legal Action Center, Drug Policy Alliance and Citizen Action of New York. Carolyn Martinez-Class, a spokeswoman for Communities United for Police Reform, which also signed the letter, said that during protests and riots in New York and across the nation over the weekend "we witnessed instance after instance of needless, gratuitous violence by police. "Their behavior reflects the absolute lack of police accountability in New York state which is aided by deeply entrenched secrecy in the form of 50-a," she said. "Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Heastie must reconvene the Legislature and fully repeal 50-a no modifications, no amendments. The time for leadership is now." Sen. Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan, said there appears to be momentum following the nationwide protests to overturn the statute. "It's one of several bills that I think would go toward transparency and accountability of law enforcement that so many criminal justice advocates have been calling for," Hoylman said after the Senate majority's conference. "This may be its moment." The pressure to repeal the statute intensified last week as peaceful protests and violent riots erupted in cities across New York and the nation in response to the death of Floyd, who died after a police officer in Minneapolis kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes while he was handcuffed. The officer, Derek Chauvin, who had more than 15 complaints filed against him, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. "Enough is enough. Im done. Im on the bill, Im going to support it," Assembly John McDonald, D-Cohoes, said Monday. "A lot of good cops are saying, 'I dont want this bad cop ruining my job and ruining my reputation.' ... Its now to the point where its ruining it for the rest of the officers." Spokespersons for Heastie did not respond to a request for comment on Monday. While Cuomo has criticized New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and the NYPD for not disclosing its police disciplinary records, the State Police still do not have dashboard cameras in cruisers or require their troopers to wear body cameras. That agency also has for years rejected nearly every request for records on its internal investigations or allegations of misconduct by troopers, including the files of deceased members. Cuomo has said the death of Floyd underscores that racism continues to fuel violent encounters between police officers and people in minority communities. The state attorney general's office, which Cuomo has empowered through an executive order to investigate fatal encounters between unarmed civilians and New York police agencies, has represented the State Police in their court battles seeking to fight the release of records related to internal investigations. Legal interpretations of 50-a have been expanded through the years by both courts and police agencies. The statute prevents the public, and often defense attorneys, from accessing the disciplinary records of police officers, including criminal allegations that may have been handled internally. Advocates for repealing the statute contend it has been used to shield police corruption and cover up civil rights violations. In many departments, civilian police review boards are not allowed to know the identity of the officers whose conduct they are reviewing, including whether an officer has been the target of multiple complaints. Cuomo, in his third term, has never offered his own bill to repeal the statute or directed the State Police to release their personnel files, as he has said New York City should do. Nor has he sought to add legislation to repeal the statute in his annual executive budgets, which he has used as leverage to negotiate for legislative changes on issues ranging from marijuana legalization to criminal justice reforms. Thomas H. Mungeer, president of the New York State Trooper Police Benevolent Association, issued a scathing letter to the governor on Sunday, criticizing Cuomo for considering overturning 50-a and adding that Cuomo had offered "zero support for us" as troopers have responded to the riots across the state. As states consider what reading instruction has covered this spring, and what it will look like in the fall, some have hit pause on their 3rd grade reading laws. In regular school years, these laws prevent students from advancing to the next grade unless they can demonstrate reading proficiency. Many are tied to performance on state tests, which states have canceled in response to the pandemic. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia require retaining students who do not meet these proficiency standards by the end of 3rd grade, though most allow for exemptions under certain conditions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The following states have announced changes to these policies for the 2019-20 school year, or issued new guidance: Arizona : Students do not need to meet the requirements of the 3rd grade reading law to be promoted. District of Columbia : Students should not be retained unless the family and school agree that it is in the students best interest. Florida : As state testing data will not be available this school year, schools promotion decisions should be made in consultation with parents, teachers, and school leaders based on the students classroom performance and progress monitoring data. Georgia : The cancellation of state tests eliminates the requirement to use testing data in 3rd grade promotion decisions. Michigan : The 3rd grade reading law is suspended by executive order. Mississippi : The 3rd grade reading test has been canceled. Current 3rd graders will be promoted to 4th grade for the 2020-21 school year if the student meets all other district requirements for promotion. North Carolina : The state education department recommends that students be promoted unless the retention process was already well underway before the shutdowns. Ohio : The state legislature suspended the 3rd grade reading law for the 2019-20 school year. South Carolina : State testing data is not available this year, so promotion decisions should be based on a collection of data points that may include formative assessments, teacher-made assessments, quarter grades earned, and prior parent notification and input. Sarah Schwartz MONTREALQuebec authorities spoke out Monday about the need to fight racism, while condemning the looting and vandalism that followed a Montreal demonstration demanding justice for a black man who died following a police intervention in Minnesota. Eleven people were arrested after tensions flared between pockets of protesters and police on Sunday night following a demonstration to denounce racism and police impunity in both Canada and the United States. It was one of many protests held across North America following the death of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis last week after pleading for air while a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck. A Montreal demonstration in support of George Floyd, a black Minnesota man who died in police custody, degenerated into violence Sunday night. After the three-hour peaceful protest ended, groups clashed with police and vandalized stores downtown. The death of Floyd, who was seen on video pleading for air while a police officer presses a knee on his neck, has sparked multi-day protests across the United States. (The Canadian Press) Speaking on Monday, Premier Francois Legault called on Quebecers to fight racism even as he denied the existence of systemic discrimination in his province. All humans are equal, are all the same, regardless of the colour of their skin, said Legault, who described Floyds death as shocking and revolting. But in contrast to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who bluntly stated Monday that anti-black racism is real and systemic discrimination is real, Legault continued to deny the existence of systemic racism in his province. I think that there is some discrimination in Quebec, but theres no systemic discrimination, no system in Quebec of discrimination, he said, adding its a very small minority of the people who are doing some discrimination. On Sunday afternoon, thousands of people marched through downtown Montreal, waving signs and chanting Black lives matter as they denounced the treatment of racialized people in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada. While the formal rally took place without incident, the situation later degenerated when some protesters smashed windows and lit fires and were met with pepper spray and tear gas from officers. Montreal police said Monday that nine of the arrests were for breaking and entering, one was for armed assault and one was for mischief. They said more arrests are possible as they investigate some 70 reports of damage to stores and other acts of mischief. Police declared the gathering illegal about three hours in, after they say projectiles were thrown at officers. In a statement on their official Twitter account Monday, the police noted the order and respect shown by thousands of protesters expressing indignation over Floyds death. The event evolved in a peaceful manner until these hooligans took advantage of the situation to commit violent acts, they said. Legault also denounced the few people who smashed windows and looted stores after Sundays protest, calling their actions unacceptable. I dont think it helps the cause to do that, he said. Stephanie Germain, one of the organizers of the protest, described the vandalism as unfortunate but said the focus should remain on police brutality. Unfortunately, when you organize a protest ... theres always going to be a group of people doing that, she said. Nevertheless, she said the demonstration was historic because it helped to start a conversation on racism. What we want, we want the people, the parents, to talk about racism to their child, she said in a phone interview. We want the conversation during dinner at the table. We want people to be uncomfortable. This is a good step. One of the businesses targeted by looters was Steves Music Store on Ste-Catherine Street, where looters smashed windows and stole guitars and other valuable equipment, according to an employee reached by phone. We dont even know (the extent of the damage). It just looks like a hurricane came through here, said Lenny Lanteigne, who added that some protesters used guitars to smash other guitars. Lanteigne said it was regrettable to see what he described as group of hooligans hijacking an important and necessary cause, adding that he was relieved nobody was hurt. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante also denounced the looters, whose actions she said were in contrast with the larger peaceful protest. Demonstrating to denounce racism and demanding that things change is noble and necessary, she wrote on Twitter. I can only denounce the actions of the looters who ransacked the shops and who had nothing to do with this peaceful demonstration. with files from Julian McKenzie and Giuseppe Valiante Read more about: I want to make it well known that the Lake County States Attorneys Office will aggressively prosecute these offenders and anyone in the future who continues along this destructive path that threatens the safety of the people, law enforcement, or businesses of Lake County, Nerheim said. Protests are designed to bring about change, but criminal conduct like this deflects attention from these important conversations and positive changes. An 87-year-old great-grandmother has been left fighting for her life after a fall at a scandal-hit care home, it can be revealed. Iris Hull is unable to walk or talk as a result of a bleed on her brain following an accident at Clifton Nursing Home, which happened on the same day she was diagnosed with Covid-19. It is now one month since Mrs Hull, who saved lives during the Troubles when she carried a bomb out of a shop before it exploded, fell at the Belfast home. Her four children are still waiting to find out how she was so seriously injured. In a further devastating blow, it appears she never received any of the personal belongings they left for her after she moved into the home at the beginning of April. It comes after staff handed back two bags full of cards, gifts, pyjamas, underwear and an Easter egg unopened and in their original wrappings. "We love our mum, she has been the most wonderful mother ever," said her daughter Shirell Hull. "We still need her, we aren't ready to let her go, especially not this way. We're very angry, as a family we are extremely angry and we're also very distressed." Expand Close Being treated in hospital / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Being treated in hospital The nightmare being endured by the family is the latest horrifying story to emerge from Clifton Nursing Home, where nine residents have died with Covid-19, while a nurse who was working there is also critically ill with the virus. Inspectors were so concerned about the way the home was being managed that the Belfast Trust made the unprecedented decision to relocate residents earlier this month. A new provider has subsequently stepped in to take over management of the facility from disgraced care home firm Runwood Homes. Mrs Hull moved to Clifton Nursing Home on April 6 as she recovered from an infection and a broken wrist. The home was in lockdown at the time, so her relatives were unable to visit her to help her settle in. Shirell continued: "Obviously mum was very upset with the move, she settled down that night but the next day she was really upset and distressed. Expand Close A newspaper article about Iris in her younger days / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A newspaper article about Iris in her younger days "I called and they put mum on the phone and she was crying and looking for her own parents, who died in the 1960s. "My brother took up two big bags to the home on April 10 with stuff for her, we sent her wee cards telling her how much we loved her, we made a photo album with pictures of all the family. "We sent stuff we thought would be a comfort to her - there was a wee dementia toy, an Easter egg, some treats we know she would enjoy eating, pyjamas and underwear so she would have clean clothes." But these were returned to the family unopened. Expand Close Clifton Nursing Home in north Belfast PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Clifton Nursing Home in north Belfast The family was subsequently informed there were cases of Covid-19 in the home but they were reassured that the virus was not present in the unit where their mum was living. However, Mrs Hull's sister rang the home for an update on April 30 and was informed that she had tested positive for Covid-19. "Later that day my brother received a call to say mum had fallen and was being taken to hospital as she had hit her head," added Shirell. "That was all they said - my brother could hear my mum in distress in the background. "At the time we were just worried about whether mum was going to survive so we didn't ask any more questions about what happened." Iris was originally taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital but she is now in Musgrave Park Hospital due to her severe head injury. "She is completely bed-bound," said Shirell. "My brother was able to go in and visit her; she couldn't speak but she had a tear rolling down her cheek. "She isn't eating or drinking, she is down to 35kg, she is extremely frail, they're concentrating on her brain injury for now, although she has pneumonia as well. The doctor has said if they can't get her to take more fluids it's going to be a steady decline. "We're just desperate for her to test negative for Covid, and if she does we're going to beg to be allowed in to see her and try and convince her to eat and drink something. "It's horrendous, we don't know what happened to her, but we want answers, we want to know how she fell and why she never got the stuff we left in for her. "My brother went to pick up her belongings and none of what we had left her had been opened. "I know the staff have a lot on their plate, I applaud the NHS for everything they're doing, but to not even give the cards to mum - we can't believe life can be so cruel. Mum was such a strong woman, she was stronger than you and I put together and she was such a beautiful person. She used to cry to me on the phone, telling me she was cold and I would ask them to put her dressing gown on her "The weeks before she fell she was in unfamiliar surroundings with people she didn't know and she didn't have any of her personal stuff. "Now to see her lying there, so close to death, it's horrendous and it makes you question what kind of care she received in the home. "She used to cry to me on the phone, telling me she was cold and I would ask them to put her dressing gown on her." Mrs Hull, from south Belfast, was hailed a hero after two incredible acts of bravery in her younger years. In the first she ran into a burning building in Roden Street to extinguish a fire after the homeowner collapsed in hysterics. In the second she carried a bomb out of a shop in Barton Street and threw it away before it exploded, saving lives in the process. Shirell continued: "We're not sleeping at all, we don't know how mum could have been so badly injured that it might take her life." A spokeswoman from Runwood Homes said: "We are unable to comment on individual residents, though we can provide assurances that their care always remains our utmost priority, and we would certainly welcome dialogue with the family to allay any concerns." The Belfast Trust did not provide a comment. Google and YouTube on Sunday put a black ribbon on its home page in the US, showing solidarity for protests against the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in police custody. "We stand in support of racial equality, and all those who search for it," the message read on the Google home page. The same message was also placed on the US home page of Google-owned YouTube. Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted: "Today on US Google & YouTube homepages we share our support for racial equality in solidarity with the Black community and in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery & others who don't have a voice. "For those feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone," Pichai added. Today on US Google & YouTube homepages we share our support for racial equality in solidarity with the Black community and in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery & others who dont have a voice. For those feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone. pic.twitter.com/JbPCG3wfQW Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) May 31, 2020 Last week, a policeman choked an African-American man Floyd, to death by kneeling on his neck in Minneapolis. Several states in the US erupted in protests after the video went viral. The riots stretching from New York on the east coast to Los Angeles on the west rocked the nation that was just beginning to relax the Covid-19 restrictions threatening to spread the disease. The force of the protests that have turned violent comes from the ongoing brutality against minorities by police with two other recent cases adding to the fury behind the killing of Floyd. News Cape Canaveral, Florida - Remarks by President Trump at Kennedy Space Center: THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much. Please. Please. Big day. This is a big day. And I want to thank our great Vice President for your fearless and tireless commitment to fulfilling Americas destiny in space. Thank you very much, Mike. Great job. Great job. (Applause.) Were also grateful to Mikes wonderful wife, Karen, for being here and for all she does for our country. Thank you. Thank you, Karen. (Applause.) Before going further on this exciting day for all America in space, I want to say a few words about the situation in Minnesota. The death of George Floyd on the streets of Minneapolis was a grave tragedy. It should never have happened. It has filled Americans all over the country with horror, anger, and grief. Yesterday, I spoke to Georges family and expressed the sorrow of our entire nation for their loss. 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 mission at hand. (Applause.) The police officers involved in this incident have been fired from their jobs. One officer has already been arrested and charged with murder. State and federal authorities are carrying out an investigation to see what further charges may be warranted, including against, sadly, the other three. In addition, my administration has opened a civil rights investigation, and I have asked the Attorney General and the Justice Department to expedite it. I understand the pain that people are feeling. We support the right of peaceful protesters, and we hear their pleas. But what we are now seeing on the streets of our cities has nothing to do with justice or with peace. The memory of George Floyd is being dishonored by rioters, looters, and anarchists. The violence and vandalism is being led by Antifa and other radical left-wing groups who are terrorizing the innocent, destroying jobs, hurting businesses, and burning down buildings. The main victims of this horrible, horrible situations are the citizens who live in these once lovely communities. The mobs are devastating the lifes work of good people and destroying their dreams. Right now, America needs creation, not destruction; cooperation, not contempt; security, not anarchy. And there will be no anarchy. Civilization must be cherished, defended, and protected. The voices of law-abiding citizens must be heard, and heard very loudly. We cannot and must not allow a small group of criminals and vandals to wreck our cities and lay waste to our communities. We must defend the rights of every citizen to live without violence, prejudice, or fear. We support the overwhelming majority of police officers who are incredible in every way and devoted public servants. They keep our cities safe, protect our communities from gangs and drugs, and risk their own lives for us every day. No one is more upset than fellow law enforcement officers by the small handful who fail to abide by their oath to serve and protect. My administration will stop mob violence and will 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 into anarchy, abandon police precincts, or allow communities to be burned to the ground. It wont happen. Those making excuses or justifications for violence are not helping the downtrodden, but delivering new anguish and new pain. From day one of my administration, we have made it a top priority to build up distressed communities and revitalize our crumbling inner cities. We fought hard with Senator Tim Scott and many others to create Opportunity Zones, helping to draw a surge of new investment to the places in our country that need it most. We must all work together as a society to expand opportunity and to create a future of greater dignity and promise for all of our people. We must forge a partnership with community leaders, local law enforcement, and the faith community to restore hope. Radical-left criminals, thugs, and others all throughout our country and throughout the world will not be allowed to set communities ablaze. We wont let it happen. It harms those who have the least. And we will be protecting those who have the least. The leadership of the National Guard and the Department of Justice are now in close communication with state and city officials in Minnesota. And were coordinating our efforts with local law enforcement all across our nation. In America, justice is never achieved at the hands of an angry mob. I will not allow angry mobs to dominate. It wont happen. It is essential that we protect the crown jewel of American democracy: the rule of law and our independent system of justice. Every citizen in every community has the right to be safe in their workplace, safe in their homes, and safe in our city streets. This is the sacred right of all Americans that I am totally determined to defend and will defend. My administration will always stand against violence, mayhem, and disorder. We will stand with the family of George Floyd with the peaceful protesters and with every law-abiding citizen who wants decency, civility, safety, and security. We are working toward a more just society, but that means building up, not tearing down; joining hands, not hurling fists; standing in solidarity, not surrendering to hostility. Moments ago, as we witnessed the launch of two great American astronauts into space, we were filled with the sense of pride and unity that brings us together as Americans. That same spirit which powered our astronauts to the Moon has also helped lift our country to ever greater heights of justice and opportunity throughout our history. So today, as we mark a renewed commitment to Americas future in space, a tremendous commitment it is. Let us also commit to a brighter future for all of our citizens right here on Earth. When Americans are united, there is nothing we cannot do. From day one of my administration, we put America first. (Applause.) This afternoon, Im delighted to be with you at Cape Canaveral, in this storied home of American daring, aspiration, and drive. This is the first big space message in 50 years. Think of that. And it is an honor to be delivering it. Today, as we gather in this special place to celebrate not only the launch of a new spacecraft but also our nations bold and triumphant return to the stars, its a special day. Moments ago, the world bore witness to the flight of the first new manned U.S. spacecraft in nearly 40 years since the Space Shuttle launched in 1981 a long time ago. I am thrilled to announce that the SpaceX Dragon Capsule has successfully reached low-Earth orbit and that our astronauts are safe and sound. (Applause.) With this launch, the decades of lost years and little action are officially over. A new age of American ambition has now begun. Past leaders put the United States at the mercy of foreign nations to send our astronauts into orbit. Not anymore. Today, we once again proudly launch American astronauts on American rockets, the best in the world, from right here on American soil. (Applause.) Those of us who saw the spectacular and unforgettable liftoff this afternoon watched more than an act of history; we watched an act of heroism. Every time our astronauts climb aboard a rocket which is many, many stories of only engine and fuel and vault across the sky, they display breathtaking valor. What Colonel Douglas Hurley and Colonel Robert Behnken did this afternoon was pure American genius and courage. They join the ranks of just seven prior American astronauts who have made the perilous maiden voyage to test a new class of spacecraft. The names of Hurley and Behnken will stand in the history books alongside those of legends like Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, John Young. Now these brave and selfless astronauts will continue their mission to advance the cause of human knowledge as they proceed to the International Space Station before returning to Earth. We wish them Godspeed on their journey, and as one proud nation, we salute their fearless service. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. I also want to send our nations gratitude to the wives of these valiant astronauts, both of whom are astronauts themselves: Karen Nyberg and Megan McArthur. We join them in praying for our heroes safe return. As you know, this spring, our nation has endured the pain and hardship of a global pandemic. As we usher in a new era of manned spaceflight, we are reminded that America is always in the process of transcending great challenges. Our nation is blessed with limitless reserves of talent, tenacity, and resolve. The same spirit of American determination that sends our people into space will conquer this disease on Earth. It shouldve never happened. Nothing not even gravity itself can hold Americans down or keep America back. We are grateful to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and Director of the Kennedy Space Center Bob Cabana for welcoming us this evening. Very special. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. Great job. Great job. Come a long way in three and a half years, Jim, havent we? Huh? A long way. To the incredible men and women of NASA, from here at Kennedy Space Center, to the Johnson Space Center in Texas we love you too to NASA Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio: Thank you all for working so hard to make this day a reality. We have many other great days almost ready to happen. Also with us are many members of my Cabinet, including our great new DNI, John Ratcliffe. Thank you, John. Thank you. (Applause.) We have a great friend of mine, a special man, ran a great, great campaign: Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis. (Applause.) Thank you, Ron. Thank you, Ron. Your Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio. Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you. Leader Kevin McCarthy. Kevin, thank you very much. (Applause.) Great job you do, Kevin. And Representatives Matt Gaetz, John Rutherford, Michael Waltz, Bill Posey, Gus Bilirakis, Daniel Webster, Brian Mast, Elise Stefanik, Bill Flores, Brian Babin, Rodney Davis, Roger Marshall, and Steven Palazzo. Thank you very much, fellas. Thank you. (Applause.) What a great group of people. Theyre warriors. Theyre really warriors. They helped so much get this done, and so many other things. With us also is our Air Force Chief of Staff, General David Goldfein. General, thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you, General. Thank you. And Chief of Space Operations the first-ever named and now a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, because we created the United States Space Force General Jay Raymond. Thank you very much. Jay. (Applause.) Thank you, Jay. And senior members, also, of our great United States military. Its never been stronger than it is right now. Also, Attorney General of Florida, Ashley Moody, and Chief Financial Officer of Florida, Jim Patronis, and many other distinguished guests. Thank you very much for being here. (Applause.) We appreciate it. I especially want to congratulate someone who truly embodies the American ethos of big thinking and risk-taking. After achieving success as an Internet entrepreneur, he could have spent his fortune doing anything, including yachting, lots of things. He could do lots of things. But in 2002, he began pouring tens of millions of dollars of his own money into research and development for a new rocket. Hes a little different than a lot of other people. He likes rockets. He assembled a crew of some of the greatest minds and talent in American aerospace. In the years since, SpaceX has become the first private company to develop and successfully launch its own rocket into orbit, the first to launch and recover its own capsule, and of course, moments ago, Space X became the first private company to put humans into orbit around the Earth. Elon Musk, congratulations. Congratulations, Elon. (Applause.) Thanks, Elon. For Elon and 8,000 SpaceX employees, today is the fulfillment of a dream almost two decades in the making. For years on end, they have worked hand-in-hand with NASA, sculpting aluminum, tightening valves, tuning nozzles, testing parachutes, and filling massive tanks with thousands and thousands of pounds of kerosene and liquid oxygen. Today, the groundbreaking partnership between NASA and SpaceX has given our nation the gift of an unmatched power: a state-of-the art spaceship to put our astronauts into orbit at a fraction of the cost of the Space Shuttle. And its much better. From now on, the United States will leverage the fast-growing capabilities of our commercial sector and the finest pieces of real estate on Earth which you need very badly to send U.S. astronauts into space. Under NASAs Commercial Crew program, we will use rockets and spacecraft designed, built, owned, and launched by private American companies, at a fixed price for the American taxpayer. Todays launch makes clear the commercial space industry is the future. The modern world was built by risk-takers and renegades, fierce competitors, skilled craftsmen, captains of industry who pursued opportunities no one else saw and envisioned what no one else could ever think of seeing. The United States will harness the unrivaled creativity and speed of our private sector to stride ever further into the unknown. This launch also marks an exciting turning point for NASA. This agency will now focus its unmatched ex- expertise, like nobody has ever seen, and power and integrity to do what NASA does better than anyone else and its not even close: embark on the most difficult, most daring, most audacious missions in the history of humankind. When I first came into office three and a half years ago, NASA had lost its way, and the excitement, energy, and ambition, as almost everybody in this room knows, was gone. There was grass growing through the cracks of your concrete runways. Not a pretty sight. Not a pretty sight at all. The last administration presided over the closing of the Space Shuttle and almost all of the giant facility that keeps so many people working, so many brilliant minds going. People were crying. They were devastated. But now its the greatest of its kind anywhere in the world and will get greater and greater with years to come. I promise you that. (Applause.) We have created the envy of the world and will soon be landing on Mars, and will soon have the greatest weapons ever imagined in history. Ive already seen designs. And even I cant believe it. The United States has regained our place of prestige as the world leader. As has often been stated, you cant be number one on Earth if you are number two in space. (Applause.) And we are not going to be number two anywhere. (Applause.) Nowhere is this more true than with our military, which we have completely rebuilt. Under my administration, we have invested two and a half trillion dollars in new planes, ships, submarines, tanks, missiles, rockets anything you can think of. And last year, I signed the law creating the sixth branch of that already very famous United States Armed Forces: the Space Force. (Applause.) For every citizen who has eagerly waited for America to reignite those engines of will, confidence, and imagination that put a man on the Moon, I stand before you to say: You need wait no longer. Through NASAs Artemis program, the United States is preparing for a crewed mission to Mars. Earlier this week, I saw the Orion capsules being worked on in this building. As part of the Artemis Moon-to-Mars program, those capsules will soon return Americans to lunar orbit for the first time in over 50 years half a century. By 2024, our astronauts will return to the lunar surface to establish a permanent presence and the launching pad to Mars. (Applause.) And the first woman on the moon will be an American woman. And the first nation to land on Mars will be the United States of America. (Applause.) Since I signed the order to establish these goals shortly after taking office, we have made rapid gains. A new 22,000- pound capsule is already built. The next generation of space suits are already made. Colossal rockets are now being tested. And the contracts for three separate lunar landers have been awarded and signed, and they are magnificent. In the years ahead, America will go bigger, bolder, further, faster, and America will go first. America will always be first. (Applause.) To be certain, we will meet the adversity and hardship along the way. There may even be tragedy, because that is the danger of space. Theres nothing we can do about that. The power that were talking about is unrivaled. Theres nothing we can do about problems. But well have very few of them. We will confront all of those challenges, knowing that the quest for understanding is the oldest and deepest hope in our souls. The innate human desire to explore and innovate is what propels the engines of progress and the march of civilization. We will preserve and persevere, and we will ensure a future of American dominance in space. To that end, over the last three years, I reestablished the National Space Council. I issued a directive cutting red tape for innovative space companies such as SpaceX. We created the worlds first comprehensive space traffic management system. Last month, I signed an executive order establishing U.S. policy for the recovery and use of space resources and minerals. Administrator Bridenstine announced the Artemis Accords to govern the future of space exploration and development. Together, we will assert Americas rightful heritage as the greatest space-faring nation on the planet. And already, its not even close. In the half a century since the United States stopped sending astronauts to deep into space 1972 no other country has ever done it. The reasons are simple: cost, technological complexity, and tremendous danger. For instance, I was told that the rocket you just witnessed had to be launched within one second, or it would be impossible for it to hit its target. And I was here two days ago, and I said to Jim: Jim, its okay. Why dont you wait 5 or 10 minutes? (Laughter.) And he said, Sir, we only have a window of one second. And I walked out of here shaking my head. (Laughter.) Is that true, Jim? Yes, it true. Space travel is not a feat of engineering alone. Its also a moral endeavor a measure of a nations vision, its willpower, its place in the world. Exploration is a test of our values and of our faith. America is a nation defined by its commitment to discovery to solve mysteries, to chart the unknown, to press the limits, to achieve the fullest expression of lifes potential, and to ensure that America is the nation that always leads the way, and especially in space. This evening, I am more confident than ever before that America stands poised to thrive in this grand undertaking. Its incredible. We are a nation of pioneers. We are the people who crossed the ocean, carved out a foothold on a vast continent, settled a great wilderness, and then set our eyes upon the stars. This is our history, and this is our destiny. Now, like our ancestors before us, we are venturing out to explore a new, magnificent frontier. Its called: space. Our most daring feats, our most epic journeys, our biggest adventures, and our finest days are just beginning. Americas proudest moments are still ahead. We are on the verge of our most exciting years, and next year may be the most exciting of all. You just watch. So today, as our brave American astronauts shake the Earth and blaze a trail of fire and steel into the heavens, we proclaim for all to hear that we have not yet tested the full strength of the American character, and the world has not yet seen the full glory of the American spirit. For our country, for our children, and for humanitys march into the stars, the best is yet to come. (Applause.) It was a great honor for me to deliver this speech. God bless our brave astronauts now soaring through the heavens. God bless the men and women of NASA. And God bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PNM Resources (NYSE: PNM) management will meet with analysts and investors virtually this week. During the meetings, management is expected to discuss COVID-19, regulatory and economic development updates, including: 2020 ongoing earnings guidance of $2.16 to $2.26 affirmed, as warmer than normal May temperatures across the PNM service territory partially offset COVID-19 load declines to affirmed, as warmer than normal May temperatures across the PNM service territory partially offset COVID-19 load declines PNM files for decoupling in lieu of a general rate case, requests implementation in 2021 TNMP reaches settlement in principle in first Distribution Cost of Service filing New Mexico announces development of new Amazon fulfillment center COVID-19 Updates Based on the company's planning assumptions, the duration of COVID-19 load impacts has extended into Stage 2 at the beginning of June, with some restrictions lifted as New Mexico and Texas each progress through phased re-openings. No significant supply chain or workforce disruptions have been experienced. Throughout May, customer usage patterns continued to reflect the company's expectations of increases from residential customers and decreases from commercial and industrial customers due to restrictions. At PNM, where the expectation was an overall decrease, these impacts were partially offset by warmer than normal May temperatures. At TNMP, these impacts continued and were in line with expectations. 2020 ongoing earnings guidance of $2.16 to $2.26 is affirmed based on the current environment. Regulatory Updates PNM submitted its expected decoupling filing on May 28, 2020. The full decoupling request is focused on recovering previously authorized fixed costs. Current rate design recovers these fixed costs through volumetric rates, and the energy savings realized from PNM's energy efficiency programs and other customer conservation efforts have resulted in a consistent under-recovery of these fixed costs. TNMP has reached a settlement in principle with parties in its first Distribution Cost of Service filing. On May 20th, the Administrative Law Judge for the case abated the procedural schedule to allow parties to complete the settlement documents. Settlement details, including the amount, are expected to be finalized and filed this month. New rates are expected to be implemented September 1, 2020. New Mexico Economic Development Update The announcement of an Amazon fulfillment center under development in Albuquerque demonstrates the continued focus of economic development efforts in New Mexico. PNM Resources' capital investment plan includes $15 million in 2020 for the integration of the new facility, which is expected to bring 1,000 jobs and increase load in 2021. Presentation materials will be available prior to the meetings at http://www.pnmresources.com/investors/events.cfm. Background: PNM Resources (NYSE: PNM) is an energy holding company based in Albuquerque, N.M., with 2019 consolidated operating revenues of $1.5 billion. Through its regulated utilities, PNM and TNMP, PNM Resources has approximately 2,761 megawatts of generation capacity and provides electricity to approximately 790,000 homes and businesses in New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit the company's website at www.PNMResources.com . CONTACTS: Analysts Media Lisa Goodman Ray Sandoval (505) 241-2160 (505) 241-2782 Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 Statements made in this news release for PNM Resources, Inc. ("PNMR"), Public Service Company of New Mexico ("PNM") and Texas-New Mexico Power Company ("TNMP") (collectively, the "Company") that relate to future events or expectations, projections, estimates, intentions, goals, targets, and strategies are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and estimates. The Company assumes no obligation to update this information. Because actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, the Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these statements. The Company's business, financial condition, cash flow, and operating results are influenced by many factors, which are often beyond its control, that can cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of risk factors and other important factors affecting forward-looking statements, please see the Company's Form 10-K, Form 10-Q filings and the information included in the Company's Forms 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which factors are specifically incorporated by reference herein. Non-GAAP Financial Measures GAAP refers to generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. Ongoing earnings is a non-GAAP financial measure that excludes the impact of net unrealized mark-to-market gains and losses on economic hedges, the net change in unrealized gains and losses on investment securities, pension expense related to previously disposed of gas distribution business, and certain non-recurring, infrequent, and other items that are not indicative of fundamental changes in the earnings capacity of the Company's operations. The Company uses ongoing earnings and ongoing earnings per diluted share (or ongoing diluted earnings per share) to evaluate the operations of the Company and to establish goals, including those used for certain aspects of incentive compensation, for management and employees. While the Company believes these financial measures are appropriate and useful for investors, they are not measures presented in accordance with GAAP. The Company does not intend for these measures, or any piece of these measures, to represent any financial measure as defined by GAAP. Furthermore, the Company's calculations of these measures as presented may or may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. The Company uses ongoing earnings guidance to provide investors with management's expectations of ongoing financial performance over the period presented. While the Company believes ongoing earnings guidance is an appropriate measure, it is not a measure presented in accordance with GAAP. The Company does not intend for ongoing earnings guidance to represent an expectation of net earnings as defined by GAAP. Since the future differences between GAAP and ongoing earnings are frequently outside the control of the Company, management is generally not able to estimate the impact of the reconciling items between forecasted GAAP net earnings and ongoing earnings guidance, nor their probable impact on GAAP net earnings without unreasonable effort, therefore, management is generally not able to provide a corresponding GAAP equivalent for ongoing earnings guidance. SOURCE PNM Resources, Inc. Related Links http://www.pnmresources.com WASHINGTON As a spate of recent killings of black Americans and a weekend of intense protests have left the nation reeling, Rep. Barbara Lee is introducing legislation to create a racial healing commission. The proposal would form a nonpartisan group of experts to confront the legacy of slavery and racism in the U.S. and propose ways forward, the Oakland Democrat and congressional colleagues said Monday in a call announcing the effort. This is really about telling the truth, Lee said. She said she has been working on the idea for three years, and that the current pressures of the coronavirus pandemic and civil unrest only make it more timely. The environment that has been created makes this resolution and this effort more important, Lee said. Lee has been a longtime activist and advocate for addressing inequality, and her Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Commission was set for unveiling Monday before protests erupted in cities across the U.S. in response to the police killing of George Floyd last week. Floyd, who was African American, died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes, during which Floyd pleaded repeatedly that he could not breathe. He lost consciousness and was pronounced dead a short time later. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was fired and has been charged with murder. Video of the incident shocked the national consciousness. But Lee and her colleagues noted that the incident was only the latest example of African Americans dying in police custody, and said the fact that they have a higher rate of coronavirus infection than other groups highlighted their disadvantaged status in society. I know when we talked about this, Rep. Lee and I, several months ago ... neither one of us would have imagined we would be in the place we are right now, said Rep. Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles. Having a resolution like this that calls for healing, that calls for reconciliation, that calls for truth, is exactly what the country needs right now. Bass pointed to the importance of being honest about the nations beginnings as a way of confronting all of the issues, current and systemic, that face African Americans and other people of color. We dont really know our history, our own history very well, she said. Its very hard to identify oppression if youre not aware of the origins. The bill does not get into specifics about the commissions makeup, resolving only to form a group to properly acknowledge, memorialize, and be a catalyst for progress toward jettisoning the belief in a hierarchy of human value, embracing our common humanity, and permanently eliminating persistent racial inequities. Lee said she also supports other legislation creating reparations to African Americans for slavery, but that is not the focus of her proposal. Her resolution has 28 Democratic co-sponsors, including civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, and the chairman of the Rules Committee, Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern, whose committee would clear the way for legislation to come to the House floor. Now Playing: From peaceful protest to mass arrests: Police in Oakland fires tear gas at protesters condemning the killing of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer during the fourth night of demonstrations in the Bay Area. Video: Matthias Gafni, Mallory Moench, Erika Carlos Its unclear if the bill can pass Congress. Lee said in an interview last week she had mentioned it to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, but had not discussed it in depth. Pelosi listed Lees bill as being a way to look at the full picture on ABCs This Week on Sunday, but was noncommittal on moving it forward. Democrats have a majority in the House, but the Senate is controlled by Republicans, who have been critical of discussions of viewing American history through the lens of slavery as an original sin. But Lee said she hoped the effort could be bipartisan, though no Republicans are signed on to sponsor it. The commission should not be viewed as another in a long line of token panels, said Wade Henderson, former president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Lees effort could have a broad scope that looks to examine and then heal the deep wounds in society caused by racism and discrimination, Henderson said. This is not merely about equity and equality and fairness as we understand it. Its also about the national security of the United States, Henderson said. We face three parallel crises that when taken together pose the greatest challenge that our country has faced in a century. Henderson said those three crises coronavirus, police brutality and discrimination writ large are the fruit of a poison tree, namely slavery and racism. Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopan The group recently held its organizational meeting and named Moses the chair of the organization, Streit as vice chair, Deidre Griffin as second vice chair, Brank as the treasurer and Renaldo Williams as the groups secretary. Streit said the group had received interest from Isaac Wilson and Chaquez McCall. Wilson is running against Republican incumbent Wallace H. Jay Jordan Jr. for state House District 63. McCall is one of several Democrats seeking an at-large seat on the Florence City Council. Streit added that the group has received the support of the Florence County Democratic Party but continued to say that the groups are separate and distinct, although members can be a part of both groups. The meeting will be conducted via teleconference to prevent further spread of the COVID-19 virus. For information on how to attend or how to join, visit the Young Democrats of Florence Countys Facebook page, facebook.com/YoungDemsFlorenceCounty. 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. Houston, June 1 : US Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared state of disaster following violent protests in cities throughout the state over the death of George Floyd. The move allows Abbott to designate federal law enforcement officers to respond to the ongoing threats, according to a statement released by the governor's office on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. In a separate release on Sunday, Abbott said he has ordered thousands more troopers to these cities and more than 1,000 National Guard soldiers to assist the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and local law enforcement in their efforts. "Texans First Amendment rights are absolute and will always be protected," said Governor Abbott. "But violence, vandalism, and looting will not be tolerated in this state and those found in violation of the law will be arrested and prosecuted." Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has also deployed tactical teams to assist state and local law enforcement. During the weekend, protest and violence throughout Texas continued as hundreds of protestors were arrested in the past two days. In Dallas, Police Chief Renee Hall on Sunday instituted curfew from 7 p.m. Sunday night till 6 a.m. for the next several days in response to the weekend violent protest. In the state capital of Austin, protesters gathered in downtown area Sunday afternoon. According to local media, protesters marched toward the state Capitol and Austin City Hall, chanting, "No justice, no peace." Demonstrations and riots have spread to cities across the United States after a video went viral of African American George Floyd being kneeled on by a white police officer before he died in the mid-western US state of Minnesota on Monday. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 1 By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Uzbekistan increased by 108 to 3,662, Trend reports on June 1 with reference to the Ministry of Health. To date, 2,837 patients have fully recovered in the country, 15 have died. Uzbekistan has divided the country into certain "red", "yellow" and "green" zones, with regards to the level of COVID-19 pandemic spread level. The Special Republican Commission for the preparation of a program of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Uzbekistan has extended the quarantine until June 15, 2020. Since May 15, the commission has lifted some restrictions on certain activities in Uzbekistan. The "red" zones include Uzbekistan's Karakalpakstan Autonomous Republic, Andijan, Namangan, Fergana, Samarkand, Bukhara, Syrdarya and Tashkent regions (also divided into zones). The "yellow" zones include Khorezm region and Tashkent city. The "green" zones include Jizzakh and Surkhandarya regions. Today, in Kitab district of Kashkadarya region ("green" zone in the past), the quarantine regime has been tightened. Earlier, Navoi region was transferred from "green" zone to the "red" zone. Moreover, Uzbekistan declared Jizzakh and Surkhandarya regions were declared free from COVID-19. The first case of coronavirus infection in Uzbekistan was detected on March 15 in the laboratory of the Research Institute of Virology; it was an Uzbek woman who returned from France. The Ministry of Health later announced that her son, daughter, husband and grandson also tested coronavirus-positive. --- Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini Trump spoke to governors on a video teleconference that also included law enforcement and national security officials, telling the state leaders they 'have to get much tougher.' Washington: President Donald Trump on Monday derided many governors as weak and demanded tougher crackdowns on burning and stealing among some demonstrations in the aftermath of another night of violent protests in dozens of American cities. Trump spoke to governors on a video teleconference that also included law enforcement and national security officials, telling the state leaders they have to get much tougher." Most of you are weak, Trump said. You have to arrest people. The days of protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died when a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. The demonstrations turned violent in several cities, with looting and mayhem, and fires ignited in historic park Lafayette Park across from the White House. The president urged the governors to deploy the National Guard, which he credited for helping calm the situation Sunday night in Minneapolis. He demanded that similarly tough measures be taken in cities that also experienced a spasm of violence, including New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Youve got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and youll never see this stuff again, said Trump. Were doing it in Washington, D.C. Were going to do something that people havent seen before." The president told the governors they were making themselves look like fools for not calling up more of the National Guard as a show for force on city streets. Attorney General Bill Barr, who was also on the call, told governors that a joint terrorist task force would be used to track agitators and urged local officials to dominate the streets and control, not react to crowds, and urged them to go after troublemakers. Trump's angry exhortations at the nation's governors came after a night of escalating violence, images of fires and looting and clashes with police filling the nation's airwaves and overshadowing the largely peaceful protests. The protests grew so heated Friday night that the Secret Service rushed the president to an underground bunker previously used during terrorist attacks. On Monday, Trump also spoke of trying to criminalise flag-burning. The Supreme Court has conservative new members since it last ruled on that issue, and Trump said that I think it's time to review that again. He continued his effort to project strength, using a series of inflammatory tweets and delivering partisan attacks during a time of national crisis. As cities burned night after night and images of violence dominated television coverage, Trumps advisers discussed the prospect of an Oval Office address in an attempt to ease tensions. The notion was quickly scrapped for lack of policy proposals and the presidents own seeming disinterest in delivering a message of unity. Trump did not appear in public on Sunday and was not scheduled to on Monday either. The demonstrations in Washington appeared to catch officers by surprise. They sparked one of the highest alerts at the White House complex since the 11 September attacks in 2001. Secret Service protocol would call for all those under the agencys protection to be in the underground shelter. Trump has told advisers he worries about his safety, while both privately and publicly praising the work of the Secret Service. Demonstrators returned Sunday afternoon, facing off against police at Lafayette Park into the evening. Trump retweeted a message from a conservative commentator encouraging authorities to respond with greater force. This isnt going to stop until the good guys are willing to use overwhelming force against the bad guys, Buck Sexton wrote in a message amplified by the president. In recent days security at the White House has been reinforced by the National Guard and additional personnel from the Secret Service and the U.S. Park Police. The Justice Department deployed members of the U.S. Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, according to a senior Justice Department official. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Bob Jensen, a retired research chemist and manager, said he spends a lot of his free time photographing wildlife and landscape scenes. About a month ago, the Apalachin, N.Y. resident happened upon an oddity in nature a nearly all-white, red-tailed hawk. He spotted it on a nest used by red-tailed hawks that he has been monitoring for the past several years. The nest is located in Tioga County along a busy roadway near the Susquehanna River. He said hes rather not reveal its exact location. I saw the white bird (a female) on the nest about a month ago, he said. Its mate has natural coloring. There are also two, all-white/gray chicks in the nest. Jensen said the female is not an albino, but leucistic, a genetic condition characterized by a partial loss of pigmentation in an animal. The result is white, pale, or patchy coloration of the skin, hair, feathers, scales or cuticles, but not the eyes. True albinos have pink eyes. This bird does not. The white deer at the former Seneca Army Depot in Seneca County are leucistic, he noted. A naturally colored, red tailed hawk at the Hawk Creek Wildlife Center's birds of prey show and exhibit at the 2015 New York State Fair. Jensens photos of the birds were shared with Kevin McGowan, project manager for distance learning in bird biology at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and Laura Erickson, the labs former science editor and author of several books on birds. Both confirmed the white bird is a leucistic, red-tailed hawk. They turn up occasionally," McGowan said. "there was one somewhere between Ithaca and Binghamton that people reported consistently back in the early 2000s. Ive tried to track down a couple around Tompkins County that people had reported, but never had any luck. They vary in the amount of white. This one looks pretty white, but you can see it has some dark markings on the chest and probably in the wings. This nearly all-white, red-tailed hawk was spotted by Bob Jensen of Apalachian in Tioga County. Bob Jensen photo. Red-tailed hawks are probably the most common hawk in North America, according to allaboutbirds.org website. Mammals make up the bulk of most red-tailed hawk meals, the website notes. Frequent victims include voles, mice, wood rats, rabbits, snowshoe hares, jackrabbits, and ground squirrels. The hawks also eat birds, including pheasants, bobwhite, starlings, and blackbirds; as well as snakes and carrion. Jensen said he and his wife have traveled and hes photographed wildlife in such faraway places as Antarctica; Arctic Norway and Canada and the Galapagos Islands. Discovering a leucistic, red-tailed hawk so close to home is an enjoyable find, he said. Will the chicks in the Tioga County nest be nearly all-white as adults like their mother? One cant tell at this point, Erickson said. All red-tail chicks are whitish gray, but those are down feathers, she said. When the true feathers break through, itll be interesting to see what colors they are. MORE: Attracting Baltimore orioles: But a slice of orange and some grape jelly in your bird feeder Yikes! Theres a gray fox in my backyard -- what should I do? Syracuse deer management program: Sharpshooters killed 159 deer this winter OTTAWAPrime Minister Justin Trudeau is rejecting Donald Trumps latest proposal to readmit Russia to the G7. The American president was to host the G7 summit later this month but has postponed it to the fall because of the mass protests rocking the United States, and he has mused that he would like to see Russia, India, South Korea and Australia added to what he calls a very outdated group of countries. Trudeau said Monday that nothing has changed since the G7 ejected Russia from what was then the G8 in 2014, over its annexation of territory from Ukraine. Russia was excluded from the G7 after it invaded Crimea a number of years ago. And its continued disrespect and flaunting of international rules and norms is why it remains outside of the G7, and will continue to remain out, the prime minister said. U.S. President Donald Trump is postponing a planned summit of G7 leaders until the fall but says he still wants to hold it in person, and now wants to include leaders of other countries such as Russia, Australia and South Korea. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the meetings are important but allies and friends need to be able to speak openly with each other and including Russia wouldnt help. Donald Trump is postponing a planned summit of G7 leaders until the fall but says he still wants to hold it in person and now to include leaders of other countries such as Russia, Australia and South Korea. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the meetings are important but allies and friends need to be able to speak openly with each other and including Russia wouldn't help. (The Canadian Press) This isnt the first time Trump has mused about bringing Russia back to the G7 he made similar comments two years ago on the eve of a leaders summit that Trudeau hosted in Charlevoix, Que. That summit ended in disarray with Trump hurling insults at Trudeau over Twitter after he departed Charlevoix. Canada and the U.S. were mired in contentious renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement at the time, and Trudeau reiterated his opposition to U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs at the summits closing press conference. Trump was bound for a historic summit in North Korea when he heard them. Late last month, Trump and White House officials were considering the idea of holding an in-person G7 summit near Washington. Trudeau said then that in-person G7 meetings leaders are more effective than the virtual alternative, but he said he wanted to make sure the U.S. had plans to deal with the health risks posed by COVID-19. Weve always been working with the United States to co-ordinate when we can hold this important G7 meeting. Its really important to keep holding these meetings and co-ordinating internationally in this time of crisis, Trudeau said Monday. The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the U.S., with the presidency rotating annually among member countries. The European Union is also a member. Read more about: "When we learned of the potential of receiving the donation of Hallstein Artesian Water we were both elated and deeply grateful," says Ana Vasbinder, Hospital Clinica Benidorm's Director of International Relations. "Here in HCB, especially in this difficult and stressful time, we really appreciate the possibility to improve the lives of our patients and employees." The donation was facilitated by Spain's preeminent wellness clinic SHA. "We have a long relationship with the Muhr family," says Fernando Rojo, General Manager. "When they contacted us asking where they could achieve the greatest possible impact, we immediately thought of our friends at Clinica Benidorm and their fight against COVID-19." Dedicated to being responsible stewards of the environment, Hallstein's founding Muhr family first ensured their aquifer was self-sustaining and did not impact other water sources, then took steps to attain over 57 permits to protect the surrounding geological terrain. The water is captured directly at the source in BPA-free Tritan bottles and completely uncompromised. "Once the pandemic broke out, we immediately looked at where we could best be of service," says Hallstein CEO Alexander Muhr. "As Spain became one of the most severely impacted regions, we knew we could make a difference at least in one small way. And are humbled to be in a position to do so." For more information or hi-res images, contact: Dawn Moore [email protected] SOURCE Alpine Water GmbH Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:54:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HOUSTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Violent protests over the death of George Floyd erupted early Monday morning in Albuquerque, U.S. state of New Mexico, with vandals damaging businesses and looting stores, local media reported. According to local TV station, after a peaceful gathering and march Sunday night in downtown Albuquerque, the protests turned violent early Monday morning, causing damage to some downtown businesses. Local newspaper Albuquerque Journal reported that protesters taunted police officers, shouting profanities at them. Protesters fired shots, threw what appeared to be a Molotov cocktail toward police. Video from the internet showed protesters smashing windows. Tear gas was also deployed by police. Police said there was no injury reported. A helicopter circled above after midnight, ordering the group of around 100 people to disband or be arrested, the report said. Demonstrations and riots have spread to cities across the United States after a video went viral of George Floyd being suffocated to death by a white police officer in the mid-western U.S. state of Minnesota a week ago. Enditem June 01 : In the month of June 2020, there are no bank holidays on a national level. This time, the only holidays fall on Sundays and the two Saturdays (second and fourth) in the month. Though there are prominent holidays like Nirjala Ekadashi, Vat Savitri Purnima, Kalashtami, Ashadha Gupt Navratri, and few others, these are not allocated as bank holidays. Also, the famous festival of Puri Ratha Yatra will be given as a bank holiday only in Odisha. Apart from this, though the lockdown phase has eased down the restrictions, there have been changes in the working hours of all banks. If you have to go to the bank, kindly take a mental note of all these bank holidays and then make a visit to your nearest branch. Also, browse through the online Hindu calendar to know all the religious observances that will be celebrated in the month of June. State -Wise Bank Holidays for June 2020 June 5, 2020: Saint Guru Kabir Das Jayanti Many States June 7, 2020: First Sunday All India Bank Holiday June 13, 2020: Second Saturday All India Bank Holiday June 14, 2020: Second Sunday All India Bank Holiday June 21, 2020: Third Sunday All India Bank Holiday June 23, 2020: Puri Ratha Yatra Only in Odisha June 27, 2020: Fourth Saturday All India Bank Holiday June 28, 2020: Kharchi Puja: Only in Tripura June 28, 2020: Fourth Sunday All India Bank Holiday Get the complete list here: Public & Bank Holidays in the year 2020 Get important dates of Festivals and Vrats in June 2020 Apart from this, you are also advised to consult with your bank, in case any change has been issued by the Central or State Government. Or else, you can also visit the bank websites in your region to get any updates, if there are any. A soldier in Minneapolis opened fire on a speeding vehicle that posed a threat Sunday night -- the second known instance of a National Guard member discharging a weapon during the nationwide mass protests, the Minnesota National Guard commander said Monday. "Our soldier fired three rounds from his rifle in response to a direct threat" from a vehicle that drove at a position held by local law enforcement supported by the Guard, said Army Maj. Gen. Jon Jensen, adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard. Read Next: Army Vet Lawmaker: Invoke Insurrection Act, Deploy Active-Duty Troops to Riots The driver ignored warnings to stop or turn away before the soldier opened fire, Jensen added. The vehicle "then changed course and fled the scene," he said at a news conference with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. Jensen gave no indication of whether the vehicle or the occupants were hit, and there were no immediate reports of arrests related to the incident. In Louisville, Kentucky, National Guard members and police returned fire after they were shot at while trying to break up a disturbance at a food market, killing an as-yet unidentified man, Louisville Police Chief Steve Conrad said at a news conference Monday. Conrad said it was not immediately known whether the individual killed had fired the shots at troops and police in the incient, which took place around 12:15 a.m. Despite the incident in Minneapolis on Sunday night, Walz said he has ordered the partial deactivation of National Guard members called up to assist local law enforcement following relatively peaceful protests Saturday and Sunday over the May 25 death of George Floyd, who died in police custody. Walz also said the 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew that had been in effect in Minneapolis and St. Paul is being eased to 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday and Tuesday. "I don't want to paint a picture that this is over," he said, but added he believes the crisis has eased to the point where National Guard members can be "sent back to their homes and jobs." Jensen said about 7,000 Minnesota National Guard members had been activated after Floyd's death, but not all had deployed. The partial deactivation will apply mainly to support troops, he said, explaining that the National Guard will maintain a presence in Minneapolis and St. Paul until Walz orders them to stand down. "Our plan will remain flexible," and troops could be recalled in the event of a spike in violence, Jensen said. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Related: Minnesota Guard Carrying Guns and Ammo in Response to 'Credible Threat,' General Says SALT LAKE CITY, UT, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- sPower, a leading renewable energy Independent Power Producer (IPP), is excited to announce the appointment of Michael Belikoff to the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO). As COO, Mr. Belikoff will oversee sPowers pan-renewable operating portfolio of nearly 2 gigawatts and lead sPowers engineering and construction teams as the company builds out its nearly 17-gigawatt development pipeline. Mr. Belikoff will assume the COO role formerly held by Randall Corey, who announced his retirement earlier this year. Mr. Corey joined sPower in 2013 and has been instrumental in building and operating sPowers industry-leading portfolio. Mr. Corey will remain with sPower through the end of the year to support the transition of operational aspects to Mr. Belikoff. I am thrilled to appoint Michael to this important role. Michael joins sPower with a proven ability to safely deliver high-performing renewable energy projects, said Ryan Creamer, sPowers Chief Executive Officer. As our operational portfolio continues to grow, with nearly 650 MWdc of additional capacity coming online this year, it is critical to have leaders like Michael to mentor our growing team and further operational excellence. The dynamics of the renewable energy industry continue to change in the current environment, said Ray Henger, sPowers Chief Development Officer. I am confident that we are now even better positioned for sustained success with Mikes long history of forging innovative solutions, maximizing efficiency, empowering employees, and fostering industry partnerships. Mr. Belikoff added, I am excited to join a company of bright and passionate people who have a strong commitment to safety, performance, and sustainability. The company is at the forefront of the renewable energy transition, and I look forward to working with the team to continue to drive operational success. Mr. Belikoff, a Licensed Professional Engineer, has been a leader in the renewable energy industry for more than a decade and brings valuable expertise to sPowers executive team during a period of rapid growth. Story continues Most recently Mr. Belikoff was Executive Vice President of Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) at Cypress Creek Renewables. Before joining Cypress Creek Renewables, Belikoff served as Chief Operating Officer at Strata Solar. Mr. Belikoff served as Vice President of Global Power Plant Engineering at First Solar, before joining Strata Solar. In addition to his industry experience, Mr. Belikoff is a proven innovator in the renewable energy field, holding several patents for mechanical innovations. About sPower Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, sPower is a leading independent power producer (IPP) that owns and operates more than 150 renewable generation systems across the U.S. We operate a leading wind, solar and storage portfolio of nearly 2.0 GW, with 15 GW of projects under development. sPower is owned by a joint venture partnership between The AES Corporation (AES), Fortune 500 global power company, and the Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo), one of Canadas largest and most diversified institutional investment managers. For more information, visit www.spower.com or follow on social media @sPower_US Lara Hamsher, Government Relations and Communications Manager, sPower sPower 385.415.1455 lara.hamsher@spower.com Nicole Brown is the chief operating officer of the Valley Creek Crisis Center in Exton. The Valley Creek Crisis Center serves people experiencing mental health and psychosocial crises. Read more Even before protesters across the country took to the streets in rage and grief over police brutality, Americans were already facing unprecedented stress, isolation, depression, and fear brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, as the country began to consider relaxing stay-at-home orders and reopening businesses, experts warned that the months of isolation and unemployment prompted by the coronavirus pandemic may increase deaths of despair, a term for an alarming rise in early deaths among young and mid-life Americans, from suicide, drug overdoses, and alcoholism. Such deaths have pushed down overall life expectancy in the United States by roughly three years, according to a 2019 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association. And for African Americans, the stress of experiencing and witnessing police brutality can also worsen mental health. In recent days, prominent medical organizations including the American Medical Association have decried police brutality and warned that racism is in itself a public-health issue. A 2018 study found that police killings harm the mental health of black people living in states where such violence occurs and do not affect white people in the same way. READ MORE: Here's live coverage of what's happening Tuesday That pressure is now piling on top of the toll of an unprecedented pandemic that already had upended life in the United States. As the pandemic has spread, health experts have become concerned about how COVID-19 will affect risk factors for deaths of despair, including increased unemployment and social isolation. Preliminary research from China has shown that people are experiencing higher rates of anxiety, depression, and hazardous and harmful alcohol use due to coronavirus-related stress. In a report released in May by Well Being Trust, a national foundation focused on mental wellness, and the Robert Graham Center, an independent research unit associated with the American Academy of Family Physicians, researchers predicted that additional deaths of despair in the next decade could range from just under 28,000 to over 154,000, depending on the speed of economic recovery. All of this, researchers conclude, is driving a need for more and better mental-health and substance-abuse treatment. READ MORE: Philly to enforce Monday night curfew as National Guard arrives In the United States, statisticians are warning that there will be sobering consequences if COVID-19s effect on behavioral health is inadequately addressed, especially as the country already has one of the highest suicide rates among wealthy nations and substance abuse remains persistent. Though fatal overdoses decreased nationally in 2018, that drop was the first in decades. And in Philadelphia, after a drop in 2018, overdoses ticked back up in 2019. COVID is exacerbating all the worst things Deaths of despair have been increasing since 2008, said Benjamin Miller, the chief strategy officer at Well Being Trust and an author of the report, which includes nine scenarios to predict additional deaths of despair using a baseline number from 2018, projected unemployment rates from 2020 to 2029, and three recovery-rate estimates. READ MORE: In Pa., N.J., overdoses, suicides, and alcoholism are leading Americans to earlier deaths In the reports middle-of-the-road estimate, Philadelphia would see an additional 11.5 deaths per 100,000 residents over the next decade, and suburban Pennsylvania counties would see an average increase of 6.65 additional deaths per 100,000 residents. Across the river, in Camden County, deaths of despair were projected to increase by 12 per 100,000 residents; in Burlington County, by 8.2; and in Gloucester County, by 11.3. The premise was that deaths of despair dont look like theyre going to get better, and COVID is exacerbating all the worst things we know cause deaths of despair, Miller said. For example, avoiding isolation is one of the central tenets of harm reduction, which encourages people with addiction to use drugs as safely as possible until they are ready to quit. Having someone nearby to monitor drug users for overdose can mean the difference between life and death. But during a widespread quarantine, that often isnt possible, leading to fears from outreach workers and treatment providers that their clients could relapse or fall into riskier drug use. Were quite concerned with what were learning from the field, whats going on in communities that have been under stay-at-home orders, said Elinore F. McCance-Katz, the Health and Human Services assistant secretary for mental health and substance use, who runs the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Those are situations in which people have lost employment. Theyve lost their jobs, the structure to their lives. This puts them in a position where they have a lot of time on their hands, stress, anxiety, and boredom." Nationwide, she said, alcohol sales are up substantially, and, anecdotally, her agency has been hearing more about overdose deaths and the use of other substances. Overdoses and unemployment have long been linked in years of research studies. A 2019 study out of the University of Pennsylvania found that manufacturing counties that lost auto plants their economic anchors saw a spike in opioid overdoses in the five years afterward. Those findings, the study authors said at the time, are a window into how economic instability can drive a public-health crisis. How the economy affects suicide risk The Well Being Trust report also cited research that links unemployment and suicide risk. A 2014 study found that during the Great Recession between 2007 and 2009, a one point increase in unemployment rates correlated with a 1.6% increase in suicides. According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide rates have risen 30% since 1999. While its impossible to speculate on projected numbers given that suicide is the result of a combination of factors, the pandemic can increase vulnerability to suicide, said Kelly Green, a senior researcher at the Penn Center for the Prevention of Suicide in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Economic factors like unemployment and financial strain are tied to suicide risk, and were going through an unprecedented time, she said. We havent had a time where so many risk factors have coalesced together before. While its too early to tell what kind of effect the pandemic will have on suicides, Nicole Brown, the chief operating officer at Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems in Exton, said that behavioral-health issues are getting more severe. Were seeing greater cutting behaviors and more suicide ideation," Brown said. "People are really struggling with the social isolation component of this. Brown said theres also been an uptick in referrals for those with substance-abuse issues over the last two weeks. The longer people are isolated and quarantined at home, coupled with preexisting mental-health struggles, the more of a toll its going to take, she said. But Brown said that one silver lining of the pandemic is the widespread shift to telehealth. Before the pandemic, she said between 70% and 75% of patients showed up for scheduled appointments. That has increased to 80% to 90%, thanks to telehealth, which has prevented higher rates of hospitalizations, she said. Strengthening mental-health resources Miller stressed that the report isnt a call to recklessly open the economy and risk more deaths from COVID-19. Rather, he said, he hopes the report will lead state and local officials to see the need for strengthened mental-health and substance-abuse resources. Although budgets are being decimated overnight, he said that training first responders to properly address issues of mental health and addiction and staffing hotlines is crucial right now. We hope that anyone who sees this understands its a big issue, Miller said. These deaths do not have to occur if we invest the right amount of resources and attention into figuring out whats causing deaths of despair. Green, of Penn, said that increased attention on mental health during the pandemic has created an opportunity to strengthen suicide-prevention resources. She said government officials should create ways to reduce financial strain for people during this time and increase funding to nonprofits offering mental-health resources. And hospitals should implement suicide-prevention practices like standardized screenings and suicide-focused treatment, she said. For individuals, she stressed the importance of checking in on family members and friends who might be struggling with isolation and stress. The benefits of connection and care cant be understated, she said. Making an extra effort to reach out to someone you know is struggling can be life-saving. People in crisis can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (-8255) or use the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. Head of a Milan hospital tells RAI TV that recent swab tests show less viral load compared with previous findings. The new coronavirus is losing its potency and has become much less lethal, a senior Italian doctor said on Sunday. In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy, said Alberto Zangrillo, head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan in the northern region of Lombardy, which has borne the brunt of Italys coronavirus outbreak. The swabs that were performed over the last 10 days showed a viral load in quantitative terms that was absolutely infinitesimal compared to the ones carried out a month or two months ago, he told RAI television. Italy has the third-highest death toll in the world fromCOVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, with 33,415 people dying since the outbreak came to light on February 21. It has the sixth-highest global number of cases at 233,019. However, new infections and fatalities have fallen steadily in May and the country is unwinding some of the most rigid lockdown restrictions introduced anywhere in Europe. Zangrillo said some experts were too alarmist about the prospect of a second wave of infections and politicians needed to take into account the new reality. Weve got to get back to being a normal country, he said. Someone has to take responsibility for terrorising the country. The government urged caution, saying it was far too soon to claim victory. Pending scientific evidence to support the thesis that the virus has disappearedI would invite those who say they are sure of it not to confuse Italians, Sandra Zampa, an under-secretary at the health ministry, said in a statement. We should instead invite Italians to maintain the maximum caution, maintain physical distancing, avoid large groups, to frequently wash their hands and to wear masks. A second doctor from northern Italy told the national ANSA news agency that he was also seeing the coronavirus weaken. The strength the virus had two months ago is not the same strength it has today, said Matteo Bassetti, head of the infectious diseases clinic at the San Martino hospital in the city of Genoa. It is clear that today the COVID-19 disease is different. The Singaporean Ministry of Health confirmed 518 more COVID-19 cases on May 31, raising the total infections to 34,884, and most of the new patients are migrant workers residing in dormitories. There are 374 patients still under treatment while 13,242 others under quarantine in the city state at present. The same day, the Health Ministry of Indonesia announced 700 new infections of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, adding up to the total of 26,473 cases. Achmad Yurianto, a health official, also informed about 40 more deaths from the disease, bringing the number of facilities in the country to 1,613. Besides, 7,308 patients have fully recovered so far. Meanwhile, Thailand confirmed four new cases, who are from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and no deaths on May 31. The respective total figures now stand at 3,081 and 57. Panprapa Yongtrakul, a spokeswoman of the Thai Governments Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration, said the community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in her country has slowed down, and about 80 percent of the new cases over the last couple of weeks were Thais returning from overseas. In the Philippines, the countrys flag carrier Philippine Airlines is set to resume some domestic and international flights on June 1 after more than two months of suspension. They include the routes linking with the US, Vietnam, mainland China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Chinas Hong Kong and Taipei, Singapore, Japan, the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. The planned domestic flights include ones connecting Manila with Basco, Laoag, Legazpi, Puerto Princesa, Busuanga, and Bacolod. Relatives of Regis Korchinski-Paquet are expected to be interviewed this week by Ontarios civilian police watchdog, whose investigators are probing her death after falling from a High Park highrise in the presence of Toronto police. Until then and as the investigation continues the Special Investigations Unit said any details from interviews or video footage that has been captured by the security cameras at High Park highrise where Korchinski-Paquet died will not be released in an effort to ensure the memories of other potential witnesses are not tainted, SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon said in a statement Monday. The SIU appreciates the public interest in this case and is doing what it can to get answers to the public as quickly as possible while ensuring that the integrity of the investigation is not compromised, Hudon said. We ask for the publics continued patience, and to avoid making any premature conclusions. So far, SIU investigators have interviewed all of the officers involved in Korchinski-Paquets May 27 falling death from the 24th floor of the 100 High Park Ave. apartment unit she shared with her family. That includes five officers who were witnesses and one officer the SIU has deemed the subject officer, meaning he is a focus of the investigation. Four civilian witnesses have also been interviewed, the SIU said. Korchinski-Paquet, a 29-year-old Afro-Indigenous woman, died Wednesday after falling 24 storeys from her apartment balcony. Her death, alongside with the killing of George Floyd a Black man who died while gasping for breath during an arrest by Minneapolis police prompted thousands of protestors to take to the streets in Toronto and cities across Canada over the weekend, demanding justice and decrying excessive use of force by police against members of the Black community. Amid controversy and allegations police played a role in Korchinski-Paquets death, the SIU, alongside Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders, the Toronto Police Service Board, Mayor John Tory and the Toronto Police Association have urged the public to wait for the results of the SIU investigation before rushing to any conclusions. Saunders said Friday that he legally cannot provide information about his officers conduct while the SIU investigation is underway but said, theres a whole lot I want to say. He added that an information vacuum can be filled with misinformation and a lot of it is lies. Claudette Beals-Clayton, Korchinski-Paquets mother, said she was calling police to get help for her daughter, who was in distress over a family conflict. Beals-Clayton said she wanted officers to take her daughter to Torontos Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). I asked the police yesterday if they would take my daughter to CAMH, and my daughter ended up dead, she told reporters last week. According to Saunders, police received three 911 calls Wednesday evening that sounded frantic and referenced weapons, at least two mentioning knives. The incident was considered an assault call and classified as priority one because there was a high probability of violence, he said. In a statement this weekend, Knia Singh, a human rights lawyer representing Korchinski-Paquets family, said that when police arrived and met Korchinski-Paquet alongside her mother and brother, there was no knife present and no assault taking place. According to the family, Korchinski-Paquet then said she needed to use the washroom and went inside the familys apartment unit. Several police officers followed her in but stopped her brother, Reece, from entering. Korchinski-Paquets mother and brother then say they heard her cry out for help before she fell to her death. The family is distraught over the senseless loss of life and wants Justice for Regis, Singh said in a statement. The family is extremely concerned that in recent times people with mental health issues across North America are ending up dead after interactions with the police. Saunders would not confirm whether mental health was mentioned in the initial 911 calls. Saunders said Friday that Toronto polices mobile crisis intervention team, which includes a mental-health nurse, didnt respond to the call because they are not sent into situations where there is a high probability of violence. In a tweet Sunday, Saunders said the SIU investigation needed to be EXPEDITED & thorough ... so we can move forward together. Tory also called for the probe to be sped up, saying on Twitter that the investigation must include frequent public updates, not usually a feature of SIU investigations, adding that anti-Black racism does exist in our city and in our country. A comprehensive and unprecedented review of police watchdog data compiled by Ontarios Human Rights Commission, released in 2018, found Black Torontonians are grossly overrepresented in cases in which Toronto police have used force, particularly fatal shootings. According to the review, which drew on data from the SIU and Toronto police, a Black person was nearly 20 times more likely than a white person to be fatally shot by police in Toronto, representing seven of the 10 fatal shootings by police between 2013 and 2017. During that same time period, Black people were involved in 25.4 per cent of SIU investigations, 36 per cent of police shootings and 70 per cent of police shootings that resulted in civilian death, despite representing just 8.8 per cent of the population in 2016. With Star files Ghana has achieved a milestone in child eye care with the successful use of Intra arterial chemotherapy (IAC) to treat Retinoblastoma (Rb), a type of eye cancer that affects children under six years. IAC is a method of delivering concentrated doses of cancer-killing medicine (chemotherapy) directly to the affected area of the eye through the eyes main blood supply. A team of eight medical professionals achieved the feat at the Euracare Advanced Diagnostics and Heart Centre, a private hospital in Accra, using a multidisciplinary approach to treat a number of large cancers in the left eye of a 20-month-old female who had advanced and multiple cancers in the right and left eyes respectively. Medical doctors said this was the first time an advanced form of eye cancer (retinoblastoma) in children was treated using IAC in Ghana and the entire West African sub-region. The team which carried out the procedure comprised an interventional radiologist, paediatric ophthalmologists, a paediatric oncologist, a pharmacist and an anaesthetist and an ophthalmic technician. The medical feat was realised through a collaboration between the University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS), the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and the Euracare Advanced Diagnostics and Heart Centre, with the support for the training of the interventional radiologist for this treatment in India by the Himalayan Cataract Project, an International NGO supporting eyecare and training of various cadres of eye care workers to provide quality and specialized eye care in Ghana and other countries. Procedure Speaking to the Daily Graphic at the Euracare Advanced Diagnostic Centre in Accra where the medical procedure was carried out yesterday (27th May, 2020), an Interventional Radiologist at UGMS, who also consults for Euracare, Dr Benjamin Sarkodie, explained that this new treatment involves injecting small doses of cancer- killing drugs directly into the eye of a patient without cutting it open. "The eye receives blood supply from a serving vessel called ophthalmic artery, so what we do in IAC is to try and gain access to that artery so that we can inject the drugs directly into the eye, he said. He explained that as part of the procedure, there was a small incision on the groin where a very thin catheter and a guide wire (a fine, long, flexible tube or thread) was inserted into an artery in the groin and tracked through the bodys network of arteries in the abdomen and the chest into the neck to the opening of the ophthalmic artery, a tiny blood vessel behind the eye, where the cancer- killing drug was given directly into the eye without it being cut open. Dr Sarkodie said once the drug was injected into the eye, it kills the cancer cells directly stopping the spread of the cancer to other parts of the body, thus, protecting the eye from damage and preserving vision where possible. The advantage is that, eyes that would have been removed can now be saved if the cancer is moderately advance, and sometimes vision preserved. Protocols He said the procedure, which was successfully carried out after two years of hard work, followed required protocols. There are protocols to follow because other countries who have done it say we can get maximum effect when we do two or three sessions. So for this child, we are doing the second session for her today after which we will decide whether to do a third one, Dr Sarkodie added. More explanation A Paediatric Opthalmologist at the UGMS and the KBTH, Dr Vera Adobea Essuman, who is the leader of this multi-disciplinary team, also said although the right eye of the child had to be taken out and replaced with artificial eye because the cancer was too advanced, the team was hopeful that the IAC would succeed in preserving the left eye as well as save the child's vision. "The child was brought in with cancer in both eyes. The right eye was removed because the cancer was too advanced and could not be treated with other conservative forms of treatment. She also had multiple cancers in the left eye and that is what we are treating to save the eye and the vision so she does not go blind for life, she said. Dr Essuman said other methods of treating eye cancer in children, including laser which uses light energy and cryotherapy, which uses freezing method, could not be used to treat advanced forms of tumour (more than one centimetre). She said other forms of treatment also available in Ghana are systemic chemotherapy and external beam radiation. Dr Essuman advised parents to look out for early signs of eye cancer in their children so that appropriate treatment could be offered to save their sight and mentioned some of the signs of eye cancer in children to include eyes that looked slanted or squints, white and shiny spots, popularly called cat eyes, and protruding eyes. Team members Other members of the medical team were a Paediatric Ophthalmologist at KBTH, Dr Dziffa-Bella Ofori-Adjei; a Vitreo-retinal Surgeon, UGMS/KBTH; Dr Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, and the Head of the Paediatric Oncology Unit of KBTH, Professor Lorna Awo Renner. The rest were an Anaesthetist at the KBTH, Dr Fred Osei; a Pharmacist at the Eye Department, KBTH, Mr Jatoe Dong, and an Ophthalmic Technician/ Principal Research Officer at the UGMS, Mr. Benjamin Abaidoo. 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 ANCHORAGE, Alaska - An Alaska Department of Administration audit has found that the states National Guard units improved the handling of sexual assault and sexual harassment since 2014, but some problems remain. The administration departments oversight unit said the National Guard increased sexual assault and prevention training, set up new procedures for addressing complaints and created a new military judicial system under laws passed by the Alaska Legislature, The Anchorage Daily News reported Sunday. Citing the results of anonymous annual surveys of National Guard members, the report concluded that training efforts have encouraged soldiers to report problems. We believe one reason were having more reports is that people are now more comfortable in coming forward, said Adjutant General Torrence Saxe, head of the Alaska National Guard. If numbers are going up, we do think that is more trust in leadership. The National Guard conducted 23 sexual assault disciplinary proceedings between 2016 and September 2019. The study included 15 reports that were unrestricted to allow auditor examinations. The 15 reports dealt with seven National Guard members, including five who suffered military punishment. One complaint was unsubstantiated while another remains under investigation. In several cases, civilian prosecutors pursued charges against the National Guard members as the military justice system worked in parallel. The audit recommended greater co-operation between civilian prosecutors and the military justice system, with legislation to allow information information sharing. The report also called for a military judge for the Alaska National Guard. Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered the audit to give Alaskans assurance that the Alaska National Guard Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program is fully implemented and continues to be followed by guard leadership, said Jeff Turner, Dunleavys deputy communications director. Prior investigations by the state and the federal National Guard concluded sexual abuse, assault and harassment were significantly under-reported, in part because commanders actions deterred reporting. They acted like they didnt care about it for a while, said Republican Rep. Steve Thompson, co-chair of the Alaska House special committee on military and veterans affairs. Donor governments and partners make a vital contribution to the EBRDs work by providing funds that act as a catalyst for our investments and support our other activities in countries from central Europe to central Asia and, the southern and eastern Mediterranean region. A wide community of donors is backing the EBRD with more resources than ever before, a sign of support for the Bank and its model of sustainable and inclusive development led by the private sector. From Morocco to Mongolia, from Egypt to Estonia our EBRD donors provide funds that support common activities and act as a catalyst for investments. More videos To help improve the lives of people in the countries where the EBRD invests, donors offer a range of funding instruments through many different channels. The EBRD and its donors share the commitment expressed in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate action. The Bank cooperates closely with other international financial institutions and the global development community. The EBRD ensures that the use of grants and concessional finance fosters sustainable market economies and does not cause aid dependency or market distortions. The EBRD efficiently manages donor funds. It offers: GARY A man died Sunday after he was shot, police said. Darell Townsend, 23, of Gary, was found dead with gunshot wounds in a building in the 2700 block of West Fifth Avenue, according to Gary police and the Lake County coroner's office. Gary police responded about 5 p.m. Sunday to a report of shots fired in the area, Gary police Lt. Dawn Westerfield said. The Lake County coroner's office declared Townsend dead at the scene. Police are investigating the death as a homicide. Police ask anyone with information to call the Lake County Metro Homicide Unit at 219-755-3855 or the Crime Tip Line at 866-CRIME-GP. 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. Beaufort County is Resolved to Protect the Civil Liberties of All Citizens by Enforcing All of Our Laws Regarding the coordinated riots of 2020, is this Lawless Anarchy threatening our American society, and is our Representative Republic being handled properly by the elected authorities in the effected areas? No, violent anti-societal lawlessness must be put down immediately to protect all law abiding citizens. Yes, we must be a more inclusive society that embraces those who are disaffected and disenfranchised, even those who are lawfully challenged. Don't know, don't care. 77 total vote(s) What's your Opinion? I am disgusted by the anarchist insurrection of those that hate our Republic. No Constitutional Republic will continue to exist if this lawless behavior is not immediately ended; arrests made and restitution demanded. This lawless behavior must be immediately quelled; arrests made, organizers discovered, and full restitution sought, including punitive damages.As a Beaufort County Commissioner, I am resolved to fully support those that will stop this anti-community, anti-patriot, anti-humanity, and anti-spiritual behavior; while, offering total unmitigated advocacy for all efforts, including the passing of additional statutes to discover, arrest, and prosecute those who finance, direct and organize this sorry business. Those who would seek to destroy our society and our People, in advocating an insidious evil by provoking others to submit to their will to be their pitiful pawns, must be forever barred from doing untold damage to Beaufort County.On Monday night, the Beaufort County Commissioners will meet in their general session for June, 2020 , and I will ask for, and test my fellow commissioners' resolve to keep Beaufort County's businesses, and its citizens safe.Since this resolution is being prepared at such a late date, due to these recent current events, it remains to be seen whether I may actually be able to get it on the agenda, which is at the privilege of the board.Beaufort County citizens all enjoy the civil liberties of American citizenship purchased by the patriotism of our Forefathers, guaranteed by our United States Constitution, and,Beaufort County citizens' civil liberties, protected by our United States Constitution, affords our citizenry the right to own property, and therefore benefit from that liability of ownership; an ownership under tax lien, taxed with yearly demand for payment, and,Beaufort County citizens' purchase of that public protection of their property, through their representative government's obligation to provide for a Beaufort County Sheriff Department to protect and serve its people, and,since the wanton killing of Minneapolis citizen George Floyd, by certain members of the Minneapolis police department, there has ensued peaceful protests that were quickly hijacked by a criminal element of hundreds of thousands of miscreants, who are substantively discussed to be possibly financed, organized and directed by anti-American anarchists, who, under the guise of large scale rioting, have destroyed and looted businesses across the United States; in many instances undeterred by local authorities, non existent in many cases, and,Raleigh, the state capital of North Carolina, and, far away from Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been attacked by anti-American anarchists for two straight nights, May 30th /31st, with many downtown businesses victimized by these thugs who hate America and its People, and,Beaufort County's Sheriff was elected to serve its citizens, with the responsibility to protect property and preserve the safety of our citizenry, therefore,, that Beaufort County's Commissioners are resolved to protect the civil liberties of all citizens by enforcing all of our laws; thereby promising the Beaufort County Sheriff the Commissioners' full support to employ all of the rightful, and swift force necessary to achieve that charge, and the responsibility to do so, thus prospectively restoring order from lawlessness should anarchist insurrection visit Beaufort County., that Beaufort County's Commissioners request that the Beaufort County Sheriff have the ultimate resolve to plan for action to effectively stop any prospective lawless destruction and theft of property, to and including deputizing capable volunteers, requesting the national guard, etc., or any other feasible stratagem to quell any possible anarchist insurrection here in Beaufort County. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany confirmed President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone Monday. The Kremlin had put out a 'readout' earlier in the day that said Trump called Putin to tell him about an idea to convene an international summit that would include Russia. 'I don't have any details on that call, I wasn't a part of it,' McEnany told the press. 'I'm not entirely certain what was discussed, but the call did take place.' White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany confirmed President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone Monday. A reporter has asked if they talked about the U.S. protests, pointing to Trump's tough talk with governors later Monday morning The Kremlin first put out a statement confirming that President Vladimir Putin had spoken by phone to President Donald Trump on Monday. Hours later press secretary Kayleigh McEnany confirmed the call and the White House later released a readout On Saturday, President Trump told reporters he wanted to include Russia in the G7 conference that will happen on American soil this fall. Previously Russia had been booted from the G7 for annexing Crimea McEnany was asked specifically if Trump had asked Putin for advice on 'how to quell unrest' after days of protests in the U.S. after the police death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black Minneapolis man. The reporter asked the question 'considering what the president said to the governors later in the day.' Trump had gotten on a call with the nation's governors and urged him to snuff out the protests using the National Guard, more policing, prosecutions and long jail sentences. 'If you don't dominate then you're wasting your time, they're going to run all over you, you're going to look like a bunch of jerks,' Trump said. The president likened the protests, some of which have turned violent, to Occupy Wall Street, the 2011 income inequality movement that saw demonstrators camp out in New York and Washington. 'This is like a movement,' he told the governors. 'And it's a movement and if you don't put it down it will get worse and worse.' While the central theme of the protests has been racial inequality - looters have lit fires and ramsacked businesses across the U.S. Trump has pointed a finger at ANTIFA, a loose collective of far-left anti-fascists, while Minnesota officials believe right-wing white supremacists have gotten involved as well, as a way to stir up trouble. The White House's readout of the Putin call didn't say the leaders discussed the current social unrest, instead if confirmed that Trump and Putin 'discussed progress toward convening the G7.' Trump had originally wanted to hold the G7 at the White House and Camp David in late June, but revised that plan saying Saturday he planned to hold it in the fall. He added that he wanted to invite Russia, Australia, South Korea and India to the summit. Trump told reporters that he feels the current makeup of the group is 'very outdated' and doesn't properly represent 'whats going on in the world.' The G7 members are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. R ussia had been included in the gathering of the world's most advanced economies since 1997, but was suspended in 2014 following its invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. The Kremlin said Monday that Trump told Putin about his idea, but it didn't offer any details of the discussion or say whether the Russian leader accepted the invitation. The American readout also didn't include those details. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday Russia will not be included in the G7, disagreeing with Trump. Trudeau noted Russia's 'continued disrespect and flaunting of international rules and norms.' The Kremlin also said that Putin thanked Trump for a batch of U.S. ventilators sent to Russia and the two leaders talked about steps their countries have taken to combat the outbreak. The White House readout said the U.S. gave Russia 200 ventilators for people sickened by the virus. The Russian president also congratulated Trump on Saturday's launch of two U.S. astronauts aboard the Dragon spacecraft built by Elon Musks SpaceX company, the Kremlin readout said. The launch put the United States back in the business of sending astronauts into orbit from home soil for the first time in nearly a decade - during which time it relied on Russian spacecraft to deliver its astronauts to the International Space Station. The Kremlin said that Putin and Trump spoke of the development of mutually beneficial cooperation in space and also talked about the need to intensify a U.S.-Russian dialogue on strategic stability and steps to enhance mutual trust in the military sphere. The U.S. statement didn't mention the spacecraft launch but said the leaders discussed 'effective arms control.' A new kind of alcoholic drink that became the unofficial beverage of the summer 2019 in the US launches in the UK today. Hard seltzer - an alcoholic flavoured sparkling water - became a sensation with American drinkers last year, so much so that there were shortages in stores, rationing was introduced, and a festival was launched in its name. And today White Claw - who account for more than half of hard seltzer sales in the US - is launching in the UK, with shoppers able to get their hands on the beverage in Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons. Today White Claw - who account for more than half of hard seltzer sales in the US - is launching in the UK, with shoppers able to get their hands on the beverage in Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons. The drink is made from a blend of sparkling water, gluten-free triple distilled spirit, and a hint of natural fruit flavour including, raspberry, lime and black cherry. It's particularly popular with health-conscious millennial drinkers at only 95 calories, 4.5% ABV and just 2g carbs in a tin. In December, Bibendum Wine, which supplies alcohol to bars and restaurants across the UK, told FEMAIL hard seltzers and other low calorie drinks will take the UK market by storm in 2020. The retailer monitors the spending habits at restaurants and bars across the country to pick out trends at the early stages and predict what might be the next big thing. The drink is made from a blend of sparkling water, gluten-free triple distilled spirit, and a hint of natural fruit flavour including, raspberry, lime and black cherry. It's particularly popular with health-conscious millennial drinkers at only 95 calories, 4.5% ABV and just 2g carbs in a tin. In the US, White Claw Hard Seltzer has become something of a cultural phenomenon, with consumers in their millions championing the brand online. The hard seltzer earned fast popularity last summer, and was soon such a must-have that the company had trouble keeping up with demand, leaving distraught customers complaining on social media that they couldn't find it stocked in stores. Because there is not enough to go around, some distributors were even rationing out cases, limiting how many each store could get. In the US last year, die-hard fans are took to Twitter to complain about being unable to find the drink in stores 'An employee at total wine told me there's a shortage of white claws due to production issues and ya girl just wants a mango white claw!' one upset customer tweeted in late August. Other brands, including Bud Light, Long Shot and Kopparberg have launched versions but White Claw certainly stood out, with 'clawing' becoming slang with young drinkers who consumed the beverage in troves. The Atlantic, described 2019 as 'The Summer of White Claw' wither sales of the drink surging 300 per cent in a year. A festival called Seltzer Land was set to debut in Minneapolis in April and travel to Chicago, New York, and six more cities - but it was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic. White Claw hard seltzer became the unofficial drink of summer last year in the US. However, it has proven so popular that many retailers sold out When it does go ahead, fans will be able to drink White Claw as well as other popular brands including Natural Light, Smirnoff, and more. Davin Nugent, CEO of Mark Anthony Brands International told FEMAIL: 'We are delighted to launch White Claw Hard Seltzer in the UK, the brand's first market outside of North America. 'Making the decision to come here was an easy one, as consumers familiar with the brand in America have made sure to have their voices heard on our social media channels; demanding we bring White Claw to these shores. 'UK retailers have also been hugely supportive of our plans as we seek to lead the development of an entirely new category in alcohol beverage, just as we have done in the US.' Advertisement Four cops were shot in St Louis last night as America was gripped by a seventh straight night of destruction in the wake of George Floyd's death despite Donald Trump's threats of military force. Rioters opened fire and wounded four officers in St Louis while others hurled rocks, launched fireworks and poured gas over cops in scenes of 'mayhem' on Monday night. An emotional police chief condemned the looters who were 'tearing up cities' with 'no intention of doing anything constructive' as he revealed the four injured officers were in hospital but likely to survive. Another cop was reportedly on life support today after he was shot in the head in Las Vegas in one of two outbreaks of gunfire in the city. Donald Trump showed no sign of backing down last night as he threatened to mobilize 'thousands and thousands' of soldiers in cities across the country to bring the 'riots and lawlessness' to an end. While he spoke, police were firing tear gas to disperse protesters outside the White House - clearing the way for Trump to stroll across Lafayette Square for a photo opportunity at a historic fire-damaged church. In New York City, looters descended on luxury stores for a second night in a row as peaceful protests gave way to looting when the sun went down - including at the Macy's flagship store. The NYPD had dispatched a fleet of officers in a bid to prevent the destruction of the night before but one cop was beaten on a sidewalk while others were powerless to stop the looting. In Buffalo, New York, shocking video showed police confronting a group of protesters in the street before a car rammed into officers. Officials said two people were injured in that incident. Clashes between police and protesters broke out in many other cities including Minneapolis, Washington DC, Philadelphia and in the Chicago suburb of Cicero, where two people were fatally shot and at least 60 others were arrested. BUFFALO, NEW YORK: Shocking video showed police confronting a group of protesters in the street in Buffalo before a car rammed into officers. Officials said two people were injured in that incident NEW YORK: As the sun set on the Big Apple, reports emerged of looting at luxury shops on 5th and Madison avenues that were ransacked the night before. Pictured: Looters smash a storefront in Manhattan WASHINGTON DC: Low-flying military helicopters used a wind-blowing tactic to break up crowds in Washington on Monday night as protests continued past curfew. Videos posted to Twitter showed protesters quaking beneath deafening gusts WASHINGTON DC: Armed officers cleared protesters from around the White House so that Donald Trump could walk across Lafayette Park to pay his respects to St. John's Church, the historic chapel across from the White House WASHINGTON DC: Trump is pictured with US Attorney General William Barr (L), White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows (2nd-L) and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, outside of St John's Episcopal church WASHINGTON DC: Trump raised his fist towards cops as he walked between lines of riot police in Lafayette Park CICERO, ILLINOIS: Two people were fatally shot in the Chicago suburb of Cicero on Monday amid looting linked to protests LOUISVILLE: Kentucky State Troopers detain a man during protests against police brutality in Louisville on Monday night DALLAS: A woman is detained by police after they confronted a group of protesters blocking the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge What is St John's Episcopal Church? St John's Episcopal Church stands across Lafayette Square from the White House - giving it the nickname of 'Church of the Presidents'. The church held its first service in October 1816, when James Madison was president, and every president since Madison has attended a service there. Pew 54 is reserved for the president whenever he visits in a tradition dating back to Madison's day. St John's also has a link to Revolutionary War hero Paul Revere, whose son Joseph cast the bell for the church steeple in 1822. President James Monroe approved a $100 public contribution towards the bell, which has been in constant use ever since. The church also had a set of stained glass windows manufactured in France which were installed at St John's in the 1880s. Advertisement The US has been rocked by six straight nights of tumult since George Floyd, a black man, was killed in Minneapolis after a white police officer pinned him to the ground by kneeling on his neck last Monday. Floyd, who was in handcuffs at the time, died after the white officer ignored bystander shouts to get off him and Floyd's cries that he couldn't breathe. His death, captured on citizen video, has sparked days of protests in Minneapolis that quickly spread to cities across America. Trump told reporters his administration is 'fully committed' to serving justice for George Floyd, but said he believed the looters and violent protests are distracting from that goal. He declared himself the 'president of law and order' and threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 to deploy the military. While Trump spoke, police were heard firing tear gas and deploying flash bangs in an effort to disperse protesters chanting: 'Don't shoot' in Lafayette Park outside the White House. 'All Americans were rightly sickened and revolted by the brutal death of George Floyd,' Trump said. 'My administration is fully committed that for judge and his family, justice will be served. He will not have died in vain. 'But we cannot allow the righteous cries of peaceful protesters to be drowned out by an angry mob. The biggest victims of the rioting is peace loving citizens in our poorest communities. And as their president, I will fight to keep them safe. I will fight to protect you. 'I am your president of law and order and an ally of all peaceful protesters. But in recent days, our nation has been gripped by professional anarchists, violent mobs, arsonists, looters, criminals, rioters, Antifa and others.' He then revealed his intention to invoke the Insurrection Act, saying: 'I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them. I am also taking swift and decisive action to protect our great capitol, Washington, DC. What happened in this city last night was a total disgrace.' 'Those who threaten innocent life and property will be arrested, detained and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I want the organizers of this terror to be on notice that you will face severe criminal penalties and lengthy sentences in jail.' Between 200 and 250 military personnel from a unit at Fort Bragg in North Carolina were reportedly expected to arrive in DC as early as Monday night, three Pentagon officials told CNN. The deployment marks the first time that the Army has been sent in to patrol US streets in nearly 30 years since the 1992 Los Angeles riots sparked by the brutal police custody death of Rodney King. The troops are expected to provide security in the capital but will not perform law enforcement duties such as arrest and detention of protesters or rioters, per CNN. NEW YORK CITY: Looters raided the Macy's store in Manhattan on Monday night before a curfew was imposed on the city at 11pm NEW YORK CITY: Urban Outfitters was one of several stores his at Herald Square. Shown, the aftermath on Tuesday morning NEW YORK CITY: Inside Urban outfitters at Herald Square after it was trashed by looters on Monday night despite a city-wide curfew NEW YORK CITY: A looted souvenir shop in Manhattan on Tuesday morning after another night of looting NEW YORK CITY: Duane Reade stores across the city were also ransacked by the looters LOS ANGELES: Protesters in Los Angeles are surrounded by police as large numbers of people were rounded up after a curfew went into effect LOS ANGELES: Police move through the streets as large numbers of people are arrested after a curfew went into effect on Monday night in Los Angeles WASHINGTON DC: The protesters held their ground as police launched tear gas to clear the roadway WASHINGTON DC: Members of the District of Columbia National Guard are seen driving near the White House on Monday as an active duty military battalion makes its way to the Capitol to help control protests WASHINGTON DC: Protesters run from tear gas used by police to clear the street near the White House on Monday night WASHINGTON DC: A large number of law enforcement vehicles are seen outside the White House after nightfall Monday WASHINGTON DC: Protesters flee after police launched a tear gas canister into crowds gathered near the White House WASHINGTON DC: Protesters are seen sheltering from debris kicked up by low-flying helicopters PHILADELPHIA: Hundreds gathered on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia on Monday before police began launching tear gas and spraying chemicals at protesters to get them to disperse PHILADELPHIA: Demonstrators climb up the side of a highway after police launched tear gas into the crowd PHILADELPHIA: Protesters sit in a line in front of Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers wearing riot gear on Monday MINNEAPOLIS: In Minneapolis, Floyd's brother, Terrence, (center in a black hat) made an emotional plea for peace at the site where Floyd was pinned to pavement by a cop who put his knee on the handcuffed black man's neck for several minutes In St Louis, two officers were shot in the leg, one in the foot and one in the arm after armed rioters opened fire last night. Police chief John Hayden said a peaceful protest had been replaced by rioters who 'obviously had no intention on protesting or doing anything constructive' and started looting 'all over downtown'. 'They were throwing fireworks on officers, fireworks were exploding on officers, there were officers that had gas poured on them, and we're trying to figure out what is going on,' he said. 'All of this because people decided to steal and break windows, that's all they're doing. I don't understand what that has to do with Mr Floyd's death.' His voice breaking, he said: 'Some coward fired shots at officers and now we have four in the hospital, and thank God they're alive.' LOS ANGELES: Protesters kneel in front of a line of police in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles on Monday LOS ANGELES: Looters are seen fleeing from a store in Van Nuys on Monday amid large protests against police brutality LOS ANGELES: A protester raises his arms shortly before being arrested for violating curfew in Los Angeles on Monday LOUISVILLE: Demonstrators protest on the streets of Louisville amid a heavy presence of Kentucky State Troopers DALLAS: Police launch tear gas at protesters blocking the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge on Monday night in Dallas While many of the demonstrations around the country have been peaceful protests by racially diverse crowds, others have descended into violence - despite curfews in many cities across the US and the deployment of thousands of National Guard members over the past week. In Minneapolis on Monday, Floyd's brother, Terrence, pleaded for peace at the site where the black man was pinned to the pavement by officer Derek Chauvin, saying violence is 'not going to bring my brother back at all'. 'Let's switch it up ya'll. Let's switch it up. Do this peacefully, please,' Terrence Floyd said. The crowd chanted: 'What's his name? George Floyd!' and 'One down, three to go!' in reference to the four officers involved in Floyd's arrest. Chauvin has been charged with murder, but protesters are demanding that his colleagues be prosecuted too. All four were fired. During an impromptu eulogy, Terrence Floyd urged people to stop the violence and use their power at the ballot box. 'If I'm not over here messing up my community, then what are you all doing?' he said. 'You all are doing nothing. Because that's not going to bring my brother back at all.' In New York City, peaceful protests on Monday afternoon were followed by reports of looting after sundown. Stores on 5th and Madison avenues were seen boarding up their with plywood to prevent vandals from breaking in while cops stood guard near shops with already shattered windows, including The Nintendo Store, Michael Kors, Kate Spade and Barnes & Noble. One NYPD officer was brutally beaten by protesters and held down on the floor as a man repeatedly hit him with a large object. An onlooker who was filming the attack in the Bronx yelled 'f*** 12', slang criticising the police's drug enforcement unit. Hours earlier New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced an 11pm to 5am curfew for New York City in a bid to curb the violence of the past few nights. Police were seen arresting several people for breaking curfew as the night went on. Philadelphia also announced a curfew beginning at 8.30pm Tuesday after Monday's protests took a chaotic turn with police firing tear gas and spraying chemicals at demonstrators gathered on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. NEW YORK: Looters are seen inside a Verizon store in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood on Monday night NEW YORK: People scramble out of a ransacked Foot Locker store on 14th Street in Manhattan on Monday NEW YORK: A vandal smashes the window of a Michael Kors store to steal merchandise off a mannequin on Monday night NEW YORK: People attend a rally and candle light vigil for George Floyd at Queens Park in Queens, New York, Monday night CICERO, ILLINOIS: People are seen gathered outside a bar in Cicero on Monday as two people were killed in a shooting CICERO, ILLINOIS: Armed vigilantes stood guard outside Cicero businesses as 'outside agitators' engaged in looting To the north in Buffalo, stunning video captured the moment a car rammed into a line of police attempting to break up a protest on Monday night. In Cicero, Illinois - roughly 15 miles outside the heart of Chicago - four people were shot during protests on Monday. Town spokesman Ray Hanania confirmed that two of those people died and said at least 60 people were arrested - including three suspects involved in the shooting. Hanania told WGN that 'outside agitators' have entered Cicero 'after being rebuffed by the closure of downtown Chicago'. He said the only shots fired were by those agitators, and blamed looting in the town on them as well. More than 100 local cops are currently patrolling the streets of Cicero with assistance from about 120 county and state police officers. NEW YORK: NYPD officers watched on Monday as protesters gathered in Times Square to demonstrate against police killings of black people NEW YORK: The protesters in New York City laid on the ground, many with their arms behind their backs, on Monday NEW YORK: Hundreds more protesters watched on brandishing signs that read: 'I can't breathe' during the Times Square protest NEW YORK: Protesters rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd in Times Square on Monday PHILADELPHIA: Hundreds of protesters march past City Hall in Philadelphia amid escalating clashes with local police WASHINGTON DC: A protester holds back a friend overcome with emotion during Monday's rally outside the White House States that have called in the National Guard As of Monday morning, National Guard Soldiers and Airmen were activated in 23 states and the District of Columbia, 'in response to civil disturbances', the bureau said. That brings the total number of Guard members on duty to nearly 62,000. These are the states that, according to CNN, have already called on the National Guard in the wake of George Floyd's death: Arizona Arkansas California Florida Illinois Michigan Nebraska Nevada Oklahoma Oregon Virginia Colorado Georgia Indiana Kentucky Minnesota North Carolina Ohio Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Washington Wisconsin The District of Columbia Advertisement The country has been beset by angry demonstrations for the past week in some of the most widespread racial unrest in the US since the 1960s. Spurred in part by Floyd's death, protesters have taken to the streets to decry the killings of black people by police. While police in some places tried to calm tensions by kneeling or marching in solidarity, officers elsewhere were accused of treating protesters with the same kind of heavy-handed tactics that contributed to the unrest in the first place. Around the country, political leaders girded for the possibility of more of what unfolded over the weekend: protesters hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails at police in Philadelphia, setting a fire near the White House and smashing their way into Los Angeles stores, running off with as much as they could carry. At least 4,400 people have been arrested for offenses such as stealing, blocking highways and breaking curfew. President Trump has berated most of the nation's governors as 'weak' for not cracking down harder on the lawlessness that has convulsed cities from coast to coast. He told the nation's governors in a video conference that they they 'look like fools' for not deploying even more National Guard members. 'Most of you are weak,' he said. 'You've got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you'll never see this stuff again.' Over the weekend the Pentagon reportedly took the rare step of ordering the Army to put several active-duty US military police units on the ready to deploy to Minneapolis. Soldiers from Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Drum in New York had been ordered to be ready to deploy within four hours if called, according to three people with direct knowledge of the orders. Soldiers in Fort Carson, in Colorado, and Fort Riley in Kansas were also told to be ready within 24 hours. 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 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. 'When the White House asks for options, someone opens the drawer and pulls them out so to speak,' the official said. The person said the military units would be deployed under the Insurrection Act, which was last used in 1992 during the riots in Los Angeles that followed the Rodney King trial. Roughly 800 US soldiers would deploy to the city if called. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz ordered 500 of his National Guard troops into Minneapolis, St Paul, and surrounding communities. But a Pentagon spokesman said Walz did not ask for the Army to be deployed to his state. 'The Department has been in touch with the Governor and there is no request for Title 10 forces to support the Minnesota National Guard or state law enforcement.' Title 10 is the US law that governs the armed forces, and would authorize active duty military to operate within the US. Active-duty forces are normally prohibited from acting as a domestic law enforcement agency. But the Insurrection Act offers an exception. The Insurrection Act will allow the military to take up a policing authority it otherwise would not be allowed to do, enforcing state and federal laws, said Stephen Vladeck, a University of Texas School of Law professor who specializes in constitutional and national security law. The statute 'is deliberately vague' when it comes to the instances in which the Insurrection Act could be used, he said. The state's governor could ask Trump to take action or Trump could act on his own authority if he's determined that the local authorities are so overwhelmed that they can't adequately enforce the law, Vladeck said. 'It is a very, very broad grant of authority for the president,' he added. WASHINGTON DC: Crowds gathered in Washington DC on Monday down the street from the White House. Overnight, police and rioters clashed outside the White House WASHINGTON DC: Protesters calling for freedom and carrying signs saying 'I can't breath' gathered in Washington DC on Monday WASHINGTON DC: Protesters hold anti-Trump placards while marching on H Street near Lafayette Square in Washington, DC on Monday PHILADELPHIA: Protesters march in the aftermath of widespread unrest following the death of George Floyd on Monday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania WHAT IS THE INSURRECTION ACT OF 1807? President Donald Trump on Monday suggested he would use federal troops to end unrest that has erupted following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed in police custody last week. '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,' Trump said during brief remarks at the White House. The demonstrations have been largely peaceful, but police in some cities have used force against journalists and protesters, and protesters have clashed with police. Many US cities have set curfews. To deploy the armed forces, Trump would need to formally invoke a group of statutes known as the Insurrection Act. WHAT IS THE INSURRECTION ACT? Under the US Constitution, governors generally have the authority to maintain order within state borders. This principle is reflected in a law called the Posse Comitatus Act, which generally bars the federal military from participating in domestic law enforcement. The Insurrection Act, which dates to the early 1800s, creates an exception to the Posse Comitatus Act. It permits the president to send in US forces to suppress a domestic insurrection that has hindered the normal enforcement of US law. CAN TRUMP SEND IN TROOPS WITHOUT A GOVERNOR'S APPROVAL? Yes. The law lays out a scenarios in which the president is required to have approval from a state's governor or legislature, and also instances where such approval is not necessary, said Robert Chesney, a professor of national security law at the University of Texas. HAS IT BEEN INVOKED BEFORE? Yes. The Insurrection Act has been invoked on dozens of occasions through U.S. history. Since the civil rights movement of the 1960s, its use has become 'exceedingly rare', according to a report by the Congressional Research Service. The Insurrection Act was last used in 1992, when the acquittal of four Los Angeles police officers in the beating of black motorist Rodney King led to deadly riots. Before that, it was invoked in 1989 during widespread looting in St Croix, Virgin Islands, after Hurricane Hugo. In 2006 the Bush administration suggested using the act to intervene in Louisiana's response to Hurricane Katrina - despite the governor's refusal - but that move was deemed unconstitutional. The act was subsequently amended in 2007 to explicitly allow any emergency hindering law enforcement to be a cause for use of the military. In 2008, the amendment was repealed after the governors of all 50 states issued a joint statement against it. CAN A COURT STRIKE DOWN TRUMP'S APPLICATION OF THE LAW? Chesney said a successful legal challenge to Trump's use of the law was 'very unlikely.' Courts have historically been very reluctant to second-guess a president's military declarations, he said. 'The law, for all practical purposes, leaves this to the president with very little judicial review with any teeth,' Chesney said. - Reporting by Megan Sheets for DailyMail.com and Reuters The Insurrection Act was last used in 1992 during the Rodney King riots (pictured) Advertisement Former President Barack Obama on Monday condemned the use of violence at nationwide protests over racial inequities and excessive police force while praising the actions of peaceful protesters seeking reform. The vast majority of protesters have been peaceful, but a 'small minority' were putting people at risk and harming the very communities the protests are intended to help, Obama wrote in an online essay posted on Medium. Obama said the violence was 'compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause.' Obama's latest remarks came three days after his first comments on the Floyd case, which called for justice but did not mention the violent nature of some protests. His shift in tone on Monday came as some protesters have set fires, smashed windows and looted stores, forcing mayors in large cities to impose nighttime curfews. INDIANAPOLIS: Protesters march in the streets of downtown Indianapolis on Monday INDIANAPOLIS: A women addresses the crowd as protesters take a knee at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis on Monday LOS ANGELES: Protesters chant and raise their fists while on a street corner in the Van Nuys section of Los Angeles on Monday LOS ANGELES: A motorist offers support to protesters on a street corner in the Van Nuys section of Los Angeles on Monday According to a report in Moneycontrol, the IMD has also issued an orange code warning for Kerala, coastal Karnataka, Goa and coastal Maharashtra for today. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for coastal Maharashtra and Gujarat for 4 June due to the cyclonic storm Nisarga in the Arabian Sea. The weather department says that "low pressure" formed over the Arabian Sea is expected to move towards Maharashtra and Gujarat and will cause rainfall over both the states. According to a report by Moneycontrol, the IMD has also issued an orange code warning for Kerala, coastal Karnataka, Goa and coastal Maharashtra for today. The same warning has been issued for coastal Maharashtra and Goa for 2 June. Here are 10 things to know about Cyclone Nisarga: IMD's Cyclone E-Atlas, which has been tracking cyclones and weather depressions over the north Indian Ocean, said no weather system has turned into a cyclone and made landfall near Mumbai along the Maharashtra coast during the month of June since 1891. Stronger than usual winds and showers are expected to lash the coast of Maharashtra on the evening of 2 June and in the first half of 3 June, Hindustan Times, citing Akshay Deoaras, an independent meteorologist and PhD researcher at the University of Reading, UK, reported. IMD issued warning of heavy rainfall and rough sea conditions for fishermen and coastal authorities in Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat for Tuesday and Wednesday. Maharashtra may face wind speed of 90 to 100 kmph on 3 June. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has stopped all fishing activities off the coast as wind speed reaching 45 - 55 kmph and gusting at 65 kmph is likely to prevail along the coast of Kerala and over Lakswadeep as well. The KSDMA has also sounded yellow alert in nine districts on Monday, warning them to expect heavy rain. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has requested fishermen to avoid venturing into the sea for the next two to three days as a cyclone is expected to hit the Arabian Sea. The IMD said a low pressure area intensified into depression on Monday morning. It will intensify into a Cyclonic Storm and cross north Maharastra and south Gujarat coast during the evening or night of 3 June. The Low pressure area intensified into depression today morning. To intensify into a Cyclonic Storm and cross North Maharastra and South Gujarat coast during 3rd June evening/night. pic.twitter.com/mQtFqywKk7 India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) June 1, 2020 IMD director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatral told news agency PTI that the cyclone will have an impact on Mumbai. It will cross the coast on the evening of 3 June with a speed of 105 to 110 kmph. The name Nisarga was suggested by Bangladesh and will be the first to be used from the new list of names for North Indian Ocean Cyclones that was released in 2020. Amphan was the last name from the old list that was published in 2004. An amateur chef has shared her recipe for slow-cooked beef and Vegemite pies which Australians are hailing the 'most magnificent' they've ever seen. The woman, who lives on the Gold Coast in Queensland, used pantry staples like dried herbs, tomato sauce, olive oil, stock cubes and flour to make a rich filling for the meat and onion pies in a slow cooker, marinating the mixture for four hours. Facebook photos show how she assembled the pies by piling rich filling into sheets of ready-made puff pastry, covering them with more pastry and baking them until golden. The recipe has been liked by 821 people since it was shared in a cookery group on Saturday, with many saying they looked so delicious, they planned to make their own that night. Scroll down for video The beef and Vegemite pies filled with slow-cooked steak, onion and garlic and covered in oven baked puff pastry The beef and sauce mixture (left) in the Breville 'Fast Slow Cooker' (right), which is currently reduced from $329 to $249 at Myer in its end of financial year sale To make five pies, set your slow cooker to 'sear' mode. Once it's reached searing point, pour a tablespoon of olive oil inside to heat. Add 700 grams of steak in four lots, cooking each batch until full browned. Then set the meat aside to cool. Pour another tablespoon of oil and a knob of butter into the cooker and fry one diced onion and two cloves of chopped garlic until the onion turns transparent. Add a tablespoon of red wine, which should evaporate from the heat in roughly one minute, followed by two tablespoons of flour which should combine in seconds. Add a tablespoon of tomato pasta, a tablespoon of tomato sauce, half a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, half a teaspoon of Vegemite and plenty of salt and pepper, mixing well before throwing the steak in on top. The inside of the pie, which should be moist, tender and packed full of flavour after being slow-cooked for four hours Cook the mixture on a low heat for three to four hours, depending on the settings of your pot, checking the meat's tenderness by sticking a sharp knife into the skin every hour. Once you're satisfied with the consistency, return the cooker to 'sear' and throw one tablespoon of parsley and two tablespoons of cornflour loosened with a drop of water in, stirring until fully combined. Leave the lid off and let the mixture simmer for roughly five minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius and cut the ready-made puff pastry to the size of your pie dish or individual pie tins, with tops and bottoms for each. Fill the bottom with the meat and sauce and cover with a top, taking care to firmly seal the edges. Trim excess dough and press around the edge with a fork to ensure the pastry has fused together. Ingredients for slow-cook meat pies Ingredients 700g diced steak 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1 large onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 beef stock cube 1 1/2 half cups of beef stock 1 tablespoon of red wine 1 tablespoon of tomato pasta 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce 1/2 a tablespoon of Worcestershire 1/2 a teaspoon of Vegemite 1 tablespoon of butter 2 tablespoons of plain flour 1/4 of a teaspoon of dried thyme 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley 1/4 of a teaspoon cracked pepper 2 tablespoons of cornflour 5 sheets of puff pastry 1 egg, beaten Method 1. Set slow cooker to sear and pour oil inside. 2. Add the meat and brown in batches. Remove and set aside. 3. Add the onion and garlic and cook until onion turns transparent. 4. Add wine and heat until it evaporates. 5. Add flour and stir in for one minute. 6. Add the rest of the ingredients except parsley and cornflour and mix well. 7. Return the meat to the pot and cook on a low heat for 3-4 hours until meat is tender. 8. Return slow cooker to sear mode and add parsley and cornflour, stirring well. 9. Leave the lid off and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 10. Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. 11. Cut pastry to fit the size of your tins, tops and bottoms, and fill each bottom with meat and sauce. 12. Put the top on and press a fork around the edges to seal pastry together. 13. Cut a slit in the top of each pie and brush with beaten egg. 14. Oven bake for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp. Source: Slow Cooker Recipes Australia Advertisement Cut a small slit in the top of each pie and brush with a beaten egg, which causes the pastry to brown and crisp in the oven. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes until the pies are puffy and golden. The recipe delighted other home cooks who said they couldn't wait to try it. 'Thank you for this recipe, I would have never tried it in a slow cooker!' one woman said. 'Well done making a recipe from scratch, your pies look absolutely delicious. I am going to try this recipe myself to the letter. Thank you!' said another. The woman who created the recipe said she used the Breville 'Fast Slow Cooker', which is currently reduced from $329 to $249 at Myer, but similar devices are available from other retailers for a fraction of that cost. Kmart sells five litre pots for just $19 while online retailer The Good Guys stock a 3.5 litre Russell and Hobbs machine for $35. Myer also has a Sunbeam slow cooker marked down from $59.95 to $39.95 in its end of financial year sale. VetSuccess has hundreds of stories of how they are helping student veterans. Ilene Combs, a Navy veteran, is just one of many reasons Vantagepoint AI is proud to support their ongoing work. VetSuccess and Vantagepoint share common goals centered around empowerment. VetSuccess seeks to empower student veterans ...Vantagepoint AI has been empowering traders daily worldwide for over 40 years, said Vantagepoint President Lane Mendelsohn. Vantagepoint AI, the first company in the world to empower independent traders with software utilizing artificial intelligence for their home computers, has selected the University of South Florida (USF) Office of Veteran Success (VetSuccess) for a donation in honor of Memorial Day. USF was the first educational institution in the country to partner with the VA to help veterans, service members, and veterans dependents acclimate to campus life and to achieve their definition of success beyond service. VetSuccess, their pilot program, has now been established on over 94 campuses across the country. Read more at: https://www.vantagepointsoftware.com/blog/honoring-those-who-served/ VetSuccess and Vantagepoint share common goals centered around empowerment. VetSuccess seeks to empower student veterans to achieve their definition of success beyond service with a seamless transition from military life, through campus life, and into a meaningful career. Vantagepoint AI has been empowering traders daily worldwide for over 40 years to find financial freedom and create a lasting legacy for their families and communities, said Vantagepoint President Lane Mendelsohn. Vantagepoint recognizes our veterans and active service people and is pleased to be able to make a donation to their success in memory of those who have given so much. Vantagepoint selected VetSuccess for this donation in addition to its regular donations of a portion of revenue to Shriners Hospitals for Children and The Childrens Cancer Center. About Vantagepoint AI, LLC. Headquartered in Wesley Chapel, Fla., Vantagepoint AI, is a leader in trading software research and software development. VantagePoint software forecasts Stocks, Futures, Forex, and ETFs with proven accuracy of up to 87.4%. Using patented Neural Network processes, VantagePoints artificial intelligence predict changes in market trend direction up to three days in advance, giving traders insight into optimal times to make their trades. Named the Most Trusted Online Trading Software Solution and consistently recognized as one of the Top 10 Places to Work in Tampa Bay, Vantagepoint AI and its President, Lane Mendelsohn, have also both been featured by Fortune Magazine. Second-generation, family owned, Vantagepoint employs over 60 team members and is actively committed to giving back in the Tampa Bay community. To see artificial intelligence in action, schedule a demonstration at http://www.vantagepointsoftware.com/demo The Falcon 9 is a slim, slick rocket - a powerful beast, for sure, that unleashes a menacing roar at liftoff that reverberates across the Florida Space Coast. But it also provides a deceptively smooth ride, at least at first, when compared to the Space Shuttle. The Falcon 9's second stage, though, packs a punch. That was the review of the first NASA astronauts to have flown on both Space X's Falcon 9 and its predecessor, the Space Shuttle, manufactured for NASA by contractor Rockwell International. The Falcon 9 was smooth at first, then a bit of a rumble, "like driving fast over a gravel road," said astronaut Doug Hurley, who with Bob Behnken offered thoughts of the rockets' performance for reporters on Monday. The mission was a test flight, and their job was not only to fly to the space station - a goal they achieved Sunday - but to assess how the rocket and spacecraft, which had never before flown humans, performed. Now that SpaceX has shown that it can safely deliver people to orbit, the question becomes how did its system, the first developed entirely by a private company to send NASA astronauts to space, compare to the rockets and spacecraft NASA had engineered before? Space enthusiasts finally have the beginnings of an answer to which system is better. Clearly, SpaceX's vehicles look different. Even the astronauts' spacesuits were sleek and form-fitting departures from their clunky, at times dowdy predecessors. Inside the capsule, SpaceX founder Elon Musk and his engineers simplified the control panels, banishing the dozens of switches that made the shuttle such a complicated vehicle to fly, and instead opted for large touch screens. The Dragon's chairs were inspired by those in race cars, with custom foam molds. Even the launch tower was revamped to look modern and sleek. And for this mission, the first flight of NASA astronauts from United States soil since the Space Shuttle retired in 2011, NASA decided to bring back its "worm" logo from the 1970s, which was painted on the side of the Falcon 9 rocket. The changes were not only a nod to the science fiction that inspired Musk as a child but a deliberate attempt to create an aesthetic and evoke a mood. "If you're a member of the public . . . you don't necessarily know that much about rocket design or how spacecraft work, but you know if it looks cool," Musk said in a recent interview with The Washington Post. "And if it looks futuristic and aesthetically, it seems like something new, that's how people match the perception with the reality." Form is one thing. Function is another. And in spending nearly $3 billion in taxpayer money on the spacecraft, NASA cared far more about the latter, especially since it was the first launch of astronauts from United States soil since the Space Shuttle was retired in 2011. So how did it fly? The reviews were positive for a mission that appeared to go off without a hitch. But there were some surprises. Behnken and Hurley, both of whom had flown the Space Shuttle twice, were prepared for blastoff to be an exhilarating display of brute force - nine engines firing simultaneously for a total of 1.7 million pounds of thrust, or more than five 747s combined. Waves of fire thunder out in what is basically a controlled explosion that sends up a huge cloud and a sound you feel in your chest, even three miles away. The astronauts were expecting a teeth-chattering thrill. "We were surprised a little bit at how smooth things were off the pad," Behnken said during one of several press calls after reaching the station. "The Space Shuttle is a pretty rough ride heading into orbit." One of the main differences, they said, was that the Space Shuttle had two solid rocket motors that thunder on their way to orbit. While powerful, solid motors cannot be turned off once ignited. SpaceX's Falcon 9 uses only liquid propellants, rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen; the result, the astronauts said, was a relatively fluid flight. "It was a very smooth ride, you could see it on the webcast," Musk said after the launch. "It looked quite smooth. In fact a friend of mine who is a filmmaker said, 'You need to put some shake into the camera to make it look more realistic.' " But when the first and second stages separated, and the second stage engine ignited, it gave them a bit of a shimmy - like the flaming engine of the Batmobile, is how Benji Reed, SpaceX's director of crew mission management, put it. "Our expectation was as we continued with the flight into second stage that things would basically get a lot smoother than the Space Shuttle did," Behnken said. "But Dragon was huffing and puffing all the way into orbit. And so it was not quite the same . . . smooth ride as the Space Shuttle was." Another new experience came at the beginning of the mission, when Hurley and Behnken boarded the capsule and sat there through the fueling process. During the Space Shuttle era, the rocket's tanks were fueled before the astronauts boarded. But SpaceX uses extremely cold propellant, so the rocket needs to be loaded just before liftoff to prevent it from boiling off. SpaceX "superchills" its propellant to make it denser, so more of its can be packed into the rocket. But it also means the astronauts can hear the fueling, a process full of grunts and hisses that make the rocket seem like it's stirring to life beneath them. "Hearing the venting and the valve sounds and the little vibrations associated with that operation was a new experience for us," Behnken said. It was one they were prepared for because SpaceX had recorded audio of the sounds and played that for them during training exercises. "We had heard all those sounds pretty much before, and that was extremely helpful" Behnken said. Perhaps one of the biggest surprises was not the noise of the liftoff, or the staging, or the fueling but rather the complete silence when the spacecraft finally did reach the station, some 19 hours after liftoff. The Dragon capsule glided in with such grace that "we didn't feel the docking. It was just so smooth," Hurley said. "That really, really surprised me." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) - Crash Landing On You actor and Korean star Hyun Bin was described as hands-on and professional while shooting a campaign advertisement for a Philippine telco brand. In an online media briefing Monday, Smart Communications said the Korean actor made the shooting of the advertisement very easy amid restrictions brought about by the pandemic. It was a first for the telco brand to produce the material online. The behind-the-scenes footage showed Hyun Bin shooting a number of scenes in South Korea while the team behind the ad campaign was teleconferencing and doing the editing online. Like his character Captain Ri he didn't make a lot of fuss. His team would let us now if what we want is doable or not. One hundred percent of this project was done online from the planning stages to clearing the storyboard with Hyun Bin and his management, to the pre-prod, to the actual shoot, Smart Communications said. Hyun Bin played the role of elite North Korean Captain Re Jeong-hyeok, the son of one of the highest officials in the reclusive state. He fell in love with South Korean heiress Yoon Se-ri, played by Son Ye-jin, who paraglided and accidentally crash-landed in the jungles of the North where she first encountered the military officer. The South Korean actor also expressed his willingness to visit the Philippines, where his latest Korean drama was a huge success. Smart said it finalizing the details the visit considering the prevailing pandemic situation. Its not yet definite when hes coming because we still have to deal with the COVID-19 situation but he is definitely coming. When exactly, we are gonna have to work it out. He will be coming and we will certainly announce it and give you all the advance information when the time comes, the telco said. The company said Hyun Bin signed a one-year engagement. "He would have wanted to be here during the launch of the TVC (TV commercial). So were really really praying that flight restrictions are lifted soon and things go back to normal so we can make more people happy," Smart said. Bhubaneshwar : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday launched the 'Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana' (BKRY) and inaugurated 1,000 anganwadi buildings here as part of the celebration marking birth centenary of legendary Biju Patnaik. "The BKRY will create awareness on gender discrimination against girls, their health, nutrition and education," Patnaik said after launching the scheme. The scheme, announced in the state's budget, will be implemented in Ganjam, Dhenkanal and Angul districts in the first phase. The three districts were identified as the places where the girl child sex ratio at birth is low in comparison to other districts of Odisha. According to the provision of BKRY, the state government will spend Rs 3.5 crore for the three-year planned scheme which is expected to be completed by March 31, 2019. The Yojana aims at providing elementary education to girls, provision of toilets for girls in every school, self defence training for girls, tracking dropout ratio of girls from schools, promotion of access to education, sensitising adolescent girls on sexual and reproductive health issues, training of elected representatives/grassroots functionaries as community champions to mobilise communities to improve CSR and girls' education. Meanwhile, official data shows that the CSR in Odisha has declined from 967 in 1991 census to 941 in 2011 census. The districts of Nayagarh, Dhenkanal, Angul and Ganjam have the lowest sex ratio of 855, 877, 889 and 908 respectively. As Nayagarh is covered under 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme, three other districts will get the BKRY. As part of the state's plan to construct 24,000 new 'anganwadi centres' in next four years, Patnaik inaugurated 1000 such new buildings. While the state has as many as 71,306 anganwadi centres at present, only 31,175 centres have their own buildings even as buildings for 15,650 centres are under construction, the Chief Minister said. Panchayati Raj Minister Arun Kumar Sahoo said his department was optimistic to meet the target by 2018. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Lower Haight Photos: Courtesy of Gio Acosta At least three businesses at Haight and Fillmore streets were damaged by vandals last night, as the downtown protests against the police killing of George Floyd spread into more residential areas of the city. Around midnight, neighbors say, a group of about a dozen people smashed windows at CVS Pharmacy (499 Haight St.), Love Haight Computers (473A Haight St.) and cannabis dispensary Sparc (473 Haight St.) Another dozen or so people stood in the middle of Haight Street to watch. The group, which contained both white and black members, beat down the windows with bottles and skateboards. One could be heard yelling "This is our neighborhood!" In a video posted to Instagram, neighbor Diana Gaffney captured police guarding the CVS, and squad cars with sirens on both sides of the Haight and Fillmore intersection. A CVS representative told Hoodline via email that the store was closed when the damage occurred, and no employees were hurt. "The store will remain closed until we can assess and repair the damage," the representative wrote. "The pharmacys phone system has been rerouted to a nearby open store so our patients will continue to have access to pharmacy care." It's unclear if anything was stolen from the damaged businesses. Representatives of Love Haight Computers and Sparc did not return a request for comment by press time, though Sparc posted on Instagram that it would be temporarily closing all its locations out of safety concerns over the protests. "We hope to return to servicing the community safely again soon, and remain steadfast in our support of dismantling systems that have disproportionately impacted communities of color," Sparc wrote. Mayor London Breed said in a press conference today that a number of businesses and vehicles around the city were vandalized and looted last night, and several fires were set as well. Union Square and Mid-Market were particularly hard-hit. Story continues "That is not something that we can tolerate," she said. "I was extremely upset because unfortunately with some of the vandals they thought this was a game, they thought this was funny." Reached via email, SFPD spokesperson Ofc. Robert Rueca said that police don't currently know how many businesses were affected. "We are still gathering lots of pertinent information," he said. Gio Acosta, a board member of the Lower Haight Merchants and Neighbors Association, said that while LoHaMNA strongly supports the protests they do not want to see violence "from the police or the protestors," he said. With an 8 p.m. 5 a.m. curfew for San Francisco beginning tonight, Acosta hopes that neighbors don't go outside. "If you don't have to be out tonight, please don't be," he said. Eliot Engel, chairman of the powerful US House foreign relations committee, on Monday, slammed Chinese aggression for continuing tensions along the border with India, adding to growing US support for India in this dispute. I am extremely concerned by the ongoing Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control on the India-China border., Engel, a Democrat, said in a statement. China is demonstrating once again that it is willing to bully its neighbours rather than resolve conflicts according to international law. He added: I strongly urge China to respect norms and use diplomacy and existing mechanisms to resolve its border questions with India. The chairman of the committee, which has oversight over the state department, is the latest US official to weigh in on Indias side in this border dispute with China. Alice Wells, the outgoing head of the state departments South and Central Asia department, had earlier said the border flare-ups were a reminder that Chinese aggression is not always just rhetorical. Whether its in the South China Sea or whether its along the border with India, we continue to see provocations and disturbing behaviour by China that raises questions about how China seeks to use its growing power, she had added. Also on the India-China dispute, President Donald Trump made an unsolicited offer of mediation which has been turned down by both India and China. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON "All the Eighteen (18) COVID-19 suspected blood samples sent to Noguchi Medical Research Center from Agona East District for testing have been confirmed Negative" District Chief Executive, Hon. Dennis Arman Frimpong has disclosed According to the DCE, blood samples were collected by the Agona East District Health upon a hint. The Rapid Response Team after moved into action to conduct contact tracing in the suspected community "A Middle-aged woman from Nigeria who had sneaked into the District when borders were closed. She reported to a health facility in the District for a medical check-up. Officials from the Public Health Emergency Committee upon surveillance suspected her illness to be Covid-19 related. Her blood samples were subsequently taken for testing. It proved positive for Covid-19 so she was quarantined for treatment at the Trauma and Specialist Hospital at Winneba The District Rapid Response Team quickly moved in to look for contacts of persons who had a series of contact with the woman. The Eighteen people identified were immediately put into mandatory quarantine while their blood samples were awaiting results" In an interview with newsmen at Agona Nsaba, Hon. Dennis Armah Frimpong noted that the first good news was the first Ten (10) of the results which were confirmed negative The second and the most relief of all was when the rest became negative. "The reflection of all is that the principal person who had tested positive of Covid-19 infection tested negative after her second test. She is waiting for final test, we are hopeful she will recover fully. Agona East District Assembly is not resting, we are on high alert for surveillance in everything community to look for Covid19 suspected cases. We are leaving no stone unturned As I speak, hundreds of Veronica buckets, hand sanitizers have been supplied to every community. Thousands of Nose Masks have also been supplied to individual persons in the district Wear your Nose Masks campaign is going on speedy. Social Distancing is being monitored accordingly. Thank God residents are collaborating in the fight against Covid-19 infections. Agona East District is virtually overcoming the disease. I thank Nananom, Social Society Groups, and Associations as well as individuals for their collaborative effort towards the fight against this global pandemic" Agona DCE again thanked the staff of the District Health Directorate, Rapid Response Team, District Public Health Emergency Committee and individuals for being part of the success story No further coronavirus cases confirmed There have been no further confirmed positive tests for coronavirus on the Island - so the total number of confirmed cases remains 336. There have been 4,846 concluded tests, 46 people are awaiting results and no one is awaiting a test on the Island. There is currently one active case in the community and none in hospital. There have been no further deaths caused by Covid-19. In response, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) family farmer-owners have donated the equivalent of more than 625,000 gallons of milk to the many families faced with hunger who relied on these services over the past few months. Additionally, through the creation of the DFA Cares Farmers Feeding Families Fund , DFA and its farmer-owners are raising money to help provide essential support and deliver much-needed dairy products to community food banks across the country. To date, DFA has raised more than $500,000. "With job losses, food insecurity and the need for additional supplies at food banks at an all-time high, we're grateful for our family farmers, employees, industry partners and friends in the community for all they are doing in the midst of this pandemic to get dairy from the farm to the tables of those in need," said Monica Massey, DFA executive vice president and chief of staff. Starting on Monday, June 1, World Milk Day, DFA is encouraging everyone to join them in the Gallons of Good initiative. For every social post sharing what you're grateful for using #GallonsOfGood during the month of June, DFA will donate $1 to help local food banks purchase milk through the Farmers Feeding Families Fund. "In times like this, when people are trying to feed their families with sometimes scarce resources, they know dairy offers a wealth of nutrition, yet it's one of the least donated items at food banks," said Massey. "As a community of more than 13,000 family dairy farmers, we know initiatives like #GallonsOfGood are more important than ever to get more milk into the hands of people who need it most." To kick off the 20th anniversary of World Milk Day and spread the word about #GallonsofGood, DFA is shining a light on all the dairy industry efforts with a video that's all about dairy goodness. You can learn more and watch the milk jug fill as posts are shared all month long during June Dairy Month at GallonsOfGood.com. Sharing Dairy Goodness Additionally, throughout June Dairy Month, DFA family farmers across the country will deliver more than 10,000 gallons of milk to local communities through milk giveaways, food drives, and donations to local food banks. Follow along throughout the month on @dfamilk on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. About World Milk Day DFA celebrates World Milk Day every year to recognize the importance of milk as a global food. Organized by the United Nations twenty years ago, World Milk Day shares and celebrates the important contributions that the dairy industry adds to nutrition, communities, sustainability, livelihoods, and economic development. Last year, World Milk Day was celebrated with 426 events in 68 countries. About Dairy Farmers of America Dairy Farmers of America is a national, farmer-owned dairy cooperative focusing on quality, innovation, and the future of family dairies. While supporting and serving more than 13,000 family farmers, DFA works with some of the world's largest food companies to develop ingredients that satisfy their customers' cravings while staying committed to social responsibility and ethical farming. For more information, visit dfamilk.com. Media Contact: Kailie Dishong, (858)-334-5509 [email protected] SOURCE Dairy Farmers of America Related Links http://dfamilk.com Athena Systems announced new versions of its Spark Investment Management platform to meet the needs of several growing capital markets segments that are underserved by the current vendors and systems. Underpinning the update is the Spark platforms ability to be quickly configured to meet each firms approach to Portfolio Management, Trading, Risk, and Operations. We have updated and re-organized our Spark product to help several different players on both the buy and sell-side of the street, states Scott Sykowski, Director of Research at Athena. Mr. Sykowski continues, For example, many order/position management system (OMS/PMS) vendors were forcing users into their one-size-fits-all way of thinking about analysis, strategies and workflows; this is clearly absurd, as a managers approach is his competitive advantage and he should not be forced into a vendors narrow vision. Athena Spark has been updated to meet the requirements of the following market segments: Spark Hedge A full-featured, highly flexible Order, E-Trading, and Position Management system (OMS/PMS) that meets the specific requirements of Multi-Strategy, Multi-Prime Hedge Funds and includes superior coverage for alternative assets and their workflows. Spark Institutional A unified platform that integrates Model Management, Rebalancing, Order Management, E-Trading, Compliance, Fund and Investor Accounting, and Client Communication. The platform also includes complete automation for Separately Managed Accounts (SMA). Spark Enterprise Defines a new category in FinTech: A real-time platform that allows large, multi-entity firms like Brokers, Banks, and Managers to monitor exposures, P&L, risk, margin, analytics, netting, and more across the entire enterprise. Spark Lite An entry-level Order, E-Trading, P&L, and Position Management System (OMS/PMS) that can be branded by prime brokers, administrators, outsourced trading desks, and other entities to be distributed to their clients as a value-added service. These four new Spark versions, paired with Athenas existing Cloud for Financial Services and new Mobile Surveillance and Notifications Service, completes Athena Systems full product offering. About Athena Systems Athena Systems is the innovation-focused provider of Athena Spark: the most innovative and flexible platform for investment decision support and automation. Athena provides managers and prime brokers with complete front office and back office functionality to ensure their trading and portfolio management operations are handled as efficiently as possible. Used by 50+ firms globally, Athena uses state-of-the-art technology to provide Portfolio Analytics, Risk, P&L, Compliance, Order Management & Accounting while providing world-class infrastructure and operational risk management. Athena has offices in New York, Boston, Madrid, Austin, Texas, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Malaga, Spain For more information, please visit http://www.athenasystems.com, email info@athenasystems.com or call us at +1 866 655 2663. Norway has presented its financial proposals in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government proposes that NOK 3.6 billion should be spent on a green restructuring programme. This includes NOK 2 billion to Enova, a government owned innovation fund, to support green technology development within the supplier, maritime and renewable energy (i.e. hydrogen, battery technology, offshore wind and green shipping) industries. "We must use this opportunity to learn, innovate, and lay the foundations for green growth that will reduce emissions, said Business Minister Iselin Nyb. A further NOK 15 million will go towards a new environmentally friendly energy research centre focused on the challenges of offshore wind, and NOK 10 million to a project, led by Norsk Industri, aiming to identify and establish supply chains and delivery models adapted for the offshore wind market. "We want to pave the way for business to create green jobs and a more sustainable future. The new research centre will bring together the best in industry, institutes and academia to solve various challenges related to the development of offshore wind power in Norway," said Oil and Energy Minister Tina Bru. "This [project led by Norsk Industri] will help launch a larger project to strengthen industrial cooperation and develop supply chains and delivery models adapted to a rapidly growing market." Among other investments, NOK 120 million will go to the ENERGIX hydrogen programme, to promote innovation and restructuring in Norwegian business and industry. The government is due to publish its hydrogen strategy in early June. "Hydrogen will be an important contribution on the road towards the low-emission society. We are now strengthening several of the instruments that help bring hydrogen solutions closer to the market, said the Minister of Climate and Environment, Sveinung Rotevatn. The financial proposals are still pending final approval from parliament. While Norway has yet to install any offshore wind, Hywind Tampen, which will receive NOK 2.3 billion funding from Enova, was recently approved by the Minister for Petroleum and Industry. The Norwegian government is also finalising legislation to allow the opening of new areas for offshore wind . For more information on offshore wind farms worldwide, click here . The Nigerian Army on Monday in Maiduguri, Borno State laid the foundation stone for a 200-bed capacity reference hospital that will provide healthcare for soldiers injured in the war against Boko Haram insurgency. The reference hospital, according to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Tukur Buratai, would attend to civilians in the host community. The facility is sited adjacent to Maimalari Barracks, headquarters of the armys 7 Division. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, the COAS said the proposed health facility would also provide referral medical care to injured soldiers. Nigerian Army is committed to ensuring the welfare of its personnel and families, including families of deceased colleagues; thats why we are gathered here today to boost efforts at providing effective and efficient healthcare delivery for personal, said Mr Buratai. The army usually transports injured soldiers in need of advanced medical care to the 44 Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna State. READ MORE: Mr Buratai said, the hospital was conceived to reduce the rigors of traveling to 44 Army reference hospitals in Kaduna. Within the Northeast region, the counter-insurgency efforts of the Nigerian Army sometimes resulted in casualty that required special medical care, which currently, the 44 Nigerian Army reference hospital provides. Evacuation of personnel in Kaduna has often resulted in waste of valuable time especially, for emergency reasons. He said it was the reason that the Nigerian Army has decided to establish the 200-bed capacity hospital to deal with the health demands of the troops, their families, and the general public. While praying for the repose of soldiers who laid down their lives in defence of the country, Mr Buratai thanked the government of Borno State for giving the piece of land on which the hospital is being built. Governor Babagana Zulum, who was a special guest at the event, expressed delight over the establishment of the Army referral hospital in Maiduguri. The governor who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Babagana Wakil, said the completion of the hospital will also strengthen military/civil relations. The completion of this hospital will add more values to both troops and communities of Borno state. Let me urge all of you to be well focused, supportive, and patriotic at ensuring that our fathers land remains safe and secured. STAINES-UPON-THAMES, United Kingdom, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt plc (NYSE: MNK), a global biopharmaceutical company, announced today that it will appeal a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in a lawsuit filed by its subsidiary, Mallinckrodt ARD LLC, against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), regarding the Medicaid drug rebate calculation for Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection). The District Court denied the Company's request to reconsider its previous decision that declined to declare unlawful an action by CMS to effectuate a change in the base date average manufacturer price used to calculate those rebates. The Court also denied the company's request that it temporarily block CMS' action pending an appeal. The Company will immediately appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, where it will seek to overturn the lower court decision and temporarily block CMS action during the appellate process. "We are disappointed by the Court's unwillingness to reconsider its previous decision. We believe the Court has misinterpreted the statute that governs the Medicaid drug rebate program and failed to hold the government accountable to a bedrock principle of administrative law that the government must give fair notice and a clear, legal basis for a change in policy, particularly when that policy has been relied upon by a regulated entity such as Mallinckrodt," said Mark Casey, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Mallinckrodt. "We plan to immediately appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Mallinckrodt remains committed to ensuring Medicaid patients have access to Acthar Gel therapy for the long term." In asking the Court to temporarily block CMS' action, the Company described the risk that allowing CMS to move forward could inhibit the Company's ability to fund research and development activities, including COVID-19 related activities, and effectuate its opioid settlement, among other issues. As previously announced, in the absence of court intervention, the company would pay roughly $640 million in retroactive non-recurring charges from January 1, 2013 to March 27, 2020, and the annualized prospective change to the Medicaid rebate calculation would reduce Acthar Gel net sales by roughly $90 million to $100 million. Under a previous agreement with the government, CMS has agreed to not enforce a change in the Medicaid drug rebate calculation for Acthar Gel until at least June 14, 2020. ABOUT MALLINCKRODT Mallinckrodt ARD LLC is a subsidiary of Mallinckrodt, a global business consisting of multiple wholly owned subsidiaries that develop, manufacture, market and distribute specialty pharmaceutical products and therapies. The company's Specialty Brands reportable segment's areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology and ophthalmology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics and gastrointestinal products. Its Specialty Generics reportable segment includes specialty generic drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website. CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS RELATED TO FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Statements in this document that are not strictly historical, including statements concerning the dispute between Mallinckrodt, HHS and CMS with regard to Medicaid drug rebates for Acthar Gel; the litigation filed by Mallinckrodt against HHS and CMS in connection with this dispute including any related appeals; the impact of such dispute and any such litigation on Mallinckrodt's ability to fund research and development activities (including COVID-19 related activities) or on its ability to effectuate its proposed opioid settlement; the impact of any of the foregoing on Mallinckrodt's future financial condition, operating results, ability to fund future investments in Acthar Gel, and patients' ability to access Acthar Gel; and any other statements regarding events or developments that Mallinckrodt believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, may be "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. These factors include risks and uncertainties related to, among other things: the dispute between Mallinckrodt, HHS and CMS, including the outcome of the lawsuit filed by Mallinckrodt and any related appeals, as well as the time and expense of litigating this dispute; the impact of this dispute on Mallinckrodt's expectations for performance in 2020, as well as the potential retroactive financial impact on Mallinckrodt of an adverse outcome or any other impacts; governmental investigations and inquiries, regulatory actions and lawsuits brought against Mallinckrodt by government agencies and private parties with respect to its historical commercialization of opioids, including the non-binding agreement in principle regarding terms and conditions of a global settlement to resolve all current and future opioid-related claims; scrutiny from governments, legislative bodies and enforcement agencies related to sales, marketing and pricing practices; pricing pressure on certain of Mallinckrodt's products due to legal changes or changes in insurers' reimbursement practices resulting from recent increased public scrutiny of healthcare and pharmaceutical costs; the reimbursement practices of governmental health administration authorities, private health coverage insurers and other third-party payers; complex reporting and payment obligations under the Medicare and Medicaid rebate programs and other governmental purchasing and rebate programs; cost containment efforts of customers, purchasing groups, third-party payers and governmental organizations; changes in or failure to comply with relevant laws and regulations; Mallinckrodt's and its partners' ability to successfully develop or commercialize new products or expand commercial opportunities; Mallinckrodt's ability to navigate price fluctuations; competition; Mallinckrodt's and its partners' ability to protect intellectual property rights; limited clinical trial data for Acthar Gel; clinical studies and related regulatory processes; product liability losses and other litigation liability; material health, safety and environmental liabilities; potential indemnification liabilities to Covidien pursuant to the separation and distribution agreement; business development activities; retention of key personnel; the effectiveness of information technology infrastructure including cybersecurity and data leakage risks; customer concentration; Mallinckrodt's reliance on certain individual products that are material to its financial performance; Mallinckrodt's ability to receive procurement and production quotas granted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; complex manufacturing processes; conducting business internationally; Mallinckrodt's ability to achieve expected benefits from restructuring activities; Mallinckrodt's significant levels of intangible assets and related impairment testing; labor and employment laws and regulations; natural disasters or other catastrophic events; Mallinckrodt's substantial indebtedness and its ability to generate sufficient cash to reduce its indebtedness; future changes to U.S. and foreign tax laws or the impact of disputes with governmental tax authorities; the impact of Irish laws; and the impact of the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus. These and other factors are identified and described in more detail in the "Risk Factors" section of Mallinckrodt's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 27, 2019 and the "Risk Factors" section of Mallinckrodt's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 27, 2020. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date hereof and Mallinckrodt does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events and developments or otherwise, except as required by law. CONTACTS Investor Relations Daniel J. Speciale, CPA Vice President, Investor Relations and IRO 314-654-3638 [email protected] Media Inquiries Ron Bartlett H+K Strategies Senior Vice President 813-545-2399 [email protected] Government Affairs Mark Tyndall Senior Vice President, Government Affairs & Chief Counsel, Litigation 202-383-0090 [email protected] Mallinckrodt, the "M" brand mark and the Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals logo are trademarks of a Mallinckrodt company. Other brands are trademarks of a Mallinckrodt company or their respective owners. 2019 Mallinckrodt. 9/19 SOURCE Mallinckrodt plc Related Links http://www.mallinckrodt.com In order to revive businesses of street vendors that have taken a serious hit due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the Centre has launched a special micro-credit facility amounting to a total of Rs 5,000 crore that will provide them Rs 10,000 as initial working capital In order to revive businesses of street vendors that have taken a serious hit due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the Centre on Monday launched a special micro-credit facility amounting to a total of Rs 5,000 crore that will provide them Rs 10,000 as initial working capital. In today's cabinet meeting the government has approved the loan scheme for the street vendors. This scheme was a part of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Rs 20 trillion economic stimulus package, which were announced on 14 May to reboot the Indian economy that has been severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic. #CabinetDecisions | Rs 10,000 loan for street hawkers through PM SVANiDHI (Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi): @nitin_gadkari pic.twitter.com/j5xMiretQG CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) June 1, 2020 The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched a Special Micro-Credit Facility Scheme - PM SVANidhi - PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbharNidhi, for providing affordable loans to street vendors, the government release said. Those who were vending till 24 March this year can avail the benefits of the scheme, the duration of which is till March 2022, the statement said. "The vendors can avail a working capital loan of up to Rs 10,000, which is repayable in monthly instalments in the tenure of one year. "On timely or early repayment of the loan, an interest subsidy of seven per cent per annum will be credited to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries through direct benefit transfer on six monthly basis," the ministry said. It stated that there will be no penalty on early repayment of loan. This scheme will go a long way in enabling them to resume work and earn livelihoods, it said. Over 50 lakh people, including vendors, hawkers, thelewalas, rehriwala, theliphadwala etc. in different areas/ contexts are likely to benefit from this scheme, the release said. The goods supplied by them range from vegetables, fruits, ready-to-eat street foods, tea, pakodas, breads, eggs, textiles, apparel, footwear, artisan products, books/ stationaries etc. The services include barber shops, cobblers, pan shops, laundry services etc, it said. Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak "The Government of India is sensitive towards the problems they have faced in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. In such a time, there is an urgent need to provide affordable credit to them to ensure their business gets a boost," the government press statement said. Urban Local Bodies will play a pivotal role in the implementation of the scheme. This scheme is special due to a number of reasons: 1- A historic first: This is for the first time in Indias history that street vendors from urban/ rural areas have become beneficiaries of an urban livelihood programme, the government release said. The vendors can avail a working capital loan of up to Rs. 10,000, which is repayable in monthly instalments in the tenure of one year. On timely/ early repayment of the loan, an interest subsidy @ 7% per annum will be credited to the bank accounts of beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer on six monthly basis. There will be no penalty on early repayment of loan. The scheme provides for escalation of the credit limit on timely/ early repayment of loan to help the vendor achieve his ambition of going up on the economic ladder. It is for the first time that MFIs/ NBFCs/ SHG Banks have been allowed in a scheme for the urban poor due to their ground level presence and proximity to the urban poor including the street vendors. 2- Harnessing technology for empowerment: In line with the Governments vision of leveraging technology to ensure effective delivery and transparency, a digital platform with web portal/ mobile app is being developed to administer the scheme with end-to-end solution. The IT platform will also help in integrating the vendors into the formal financial system. This platform will integrate the web portal/ mobile app with UdyamiMitra portal of SIDBI for credit management and PAiSA portal of MoHUA to administer interest subsidy automatically. 3- Encouraging digital transactions: The scheme incentivises digital transactions by the street vendors through monthly cash back. 4- Focus on capacity building: MoHUA in collaboration with State Governments, State Missions of DAY-NULM, ULBs, SIDBI, CGTMSE, NPCI and Digital Payment Aggregators will also launch a capacity building and financial literacy programme of all the stakeholders and IEC activities throughout the country during the month of June and loaning will commence in the month of July. (With PTI inputs) JERUSALEM (JTA) The Palestinian Authority rejected a humanitarian shipment of medical supplies sent by the United Arab Emirates because it coordinated the shipment with Israel. The Etihad Airways flight that landed Tuesday night in Israel carrying 14 tons of medical aid to deal with the coronavirus was reported to be the first publicly acknowledged direct flight from Abu Dhabi to Israel. Israel and the UAE do not have diplomatic relations and there is no air travel between the two countries. The UAE authorities did not coordinate with the State of Palestine before sending the aid,... WATERLOO Following Black Hawk County Health Department and distancing guidelines, this years 4-H and FFA fair has removed the following events for 2020. The following events will not take place: carnival, family picnic, STEM fair, 4-H workshops, cookout, pedal tractor pull, games, hotdog supper, and the outdoor concert and movie. We are not allowed to serve any food that we have prepared due to safety guidelines. We are looking into some other options and will let you know when we know more. This also means that the Black Hawk County Fair will be closed to the public this year. Will there be a static judging event? Yes, we will have a static judging day on Tuesday, July 21st at the Pavilion and Estel Hall on the National Cattle Congress grounds. We will follow the State Fair model of nonconference judging. This means there will be no face-to-face interactions. We will set up club drop off times on Monday, July 20th. Families will bring their static projects to the front door of the Pavilion and a Black Hawk County 4-H staff member or Fair Board member will take it and attach a Fair Entry card to the 4-Hers project. It will then be taken to that project area to be judged the next day. The judges will arrive on Tuesday, July 21st and will judge all Black Hawk County 4-H projects. The judges will be filling out their own comment sheets and will attach those to the projects. The 4-H staff will then go around and scan all Fair Entry cards and attach the ribbon to the project. Families will then be asked to come back to the Cattle Congress on Thursday to pick up 4-H static projects. All projects will be videotaped and posted on our website and Facebook page, pending permission from the 4-Her. Will there be a communication event? Yes, we will be having a Communication Event. It will take place on Wednesday, July 15th at the Cattle Congress grounds. We will set up scheduled times for 4-Hers to complete their Educational Presentations, Extemporaneous Speaking, Share the Fun and Working Exhibits. We will have a 15-minute break between exhibitors so our staff can clean and disinfect the area. The judge will practice social distancing and talk to those 4-Hers through a microphone. State Fair exhibitors will be chosen at that time. Only two to four family members can attend this event. This will depend on the group size for the Share the Fun event. No more than groups of ten are allowed in the building at one time. All communication areas will be videotaped and posted to our website and Facebook page, pending permission from the 4-Her. When will photography judging take place? Photography judging will take place on Wednesday, July 15th at the Cattle Congress Pavilion. Again, the families will be asked to drop off their pictures on Tuesday, July 14th. Fair Entry tags will be attached to each photo and will be taken to three judging tables. Judges will fill out their own comment sheets and will attach them to each photo project. Will there be Fashion Revue and Clothing Selection? Yes, both will be judged on Wednesday, July 15th at the Cattle Congress grounds in the Pavilion. 4-Hers will be assigned a time and they will walk across the stage and model their Fashion Revue and Clothing Selection. They will also have a chance to talk to the judge while practicing social distancing. Time slots will be assigned with a 15-minute break between participants to clean the area. Again, videotaping will occur and will be posted to our website and Facebook page, pending permission from the 4-Her. Are there going to be livestock shows at the fair this year? Yes. The Fair Board is working hard on a revised plan of how we might meet our goal of allowing our youth to experience the joy of showing their animal project while meeting the state and local restrictions. All things are being considered right now including, smaller classes, larger show areas, and only allowing immediate family members to attend the shows. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 In the days before COVID-19, Catherine Famega was a regular at her gym, seeing a personal trainer with a friend three days a week. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion In the days before COVID-19, Catherine Famega was a regular at her gym, seeing a personal trainer with a friend three days a week. After the shutdown, Famega bought a couple of kettlebells and signed up for two online fitness platforms, Peloton and Nike Training Club. Both were free to join. Since then, shes been routinely doing her own workouts at home. "I wanted to keep my strength up and didnt want all the work I put in at my gym to lapse," she says. Famega misses the in-person training and motivation, but she has no plans to return when her gym reopens. At least not right away. "I dont think Ill go back immediately, maybe in the fall," she says. "There are a lot of factors at play. Id have to see, once everything opens up, what the (COVID-19) results are before Im comfortable going back." Famega wont necessarily feel safe at the gym again until a significant amount of time has passed with few COVID-19 cases. Shed also like to see gyms impose cleaning protocols. "Its one thing for a gym-goer to wipe something down after they use it but its another thing to have a really deep clean from the facility a couple times a day," she says. "That would make me feel better." Another concern: the close proximity of gym members. "People are breathing hard and sweating. Its not just like walking by somebody," she says. "Six feet in normal life might be fine but six feet at the gym where everyone is breathing really hard is different. I feel like the risks are higher." Famega isnt alone. Many are questioning whether theyll go back altogether. A study conducted by RunRepeat.com asked more than 10,000 gym members if they plan on going back 42 per cent of Canadians said they wont. And of those Canadians, more than a third have already cancelled memberships or say theyre planning to. Famega has adapted well to her new routine of at-home workouts. In fact, shes working out more often at home, strictly because of the convenience. "Im doing five to six days a week now, just because I can fit it in. I just get up, roll out of bed and do it. It takes away the travel time and getting ready at the gym," she says. "Nothing will replace having a real-life trainer but, in the meantime, this is my way to keep active." The COVID-19 pandemic has hit gyms hard but its been an opportunity for businesses like Peloton it added 1.1 million people to digital-only free trials in March and April. The company, which sells home-exercise bikes and treadmills that connect to digital workout classes, also offers at-home workouts that require no equipment. Once her free trial is up, the Peloton app will cost Famega about $20 a month, well under the cost of her gym membership. And if she doesnt have a full hour to dedicate, the online platform offers workouts of varying lengths. "For the number of classes and quality of instruction, Id continue with the Peloton app," she says. "If I have half an hour, its hard not to justify doing the workout, so Ill squeeze in 20 minutes of HIIT (high intensity interval training)." Heres the thing: going to the gym will come down to your personal risk tolerance. In the time of the coronavirus, going to any public place (including gyms) will never be entirely risk-free. And thats something youll have to be OK with if you do decide to go back to a fitness facility. MIKE SUDOMA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Justin Pescitelli leans against the barely used Bowflex TreadClimber in his basement. Despite the viruss continued spread, some people are eager to return. "I was never ready to stop going to the gym," says Justin Pescitelli, who works as a construction supervisor. He feels confident that gyms, including Planet Fitness, where he has a membership, will be safe and clean once they reopen. "My gym was clean to begin with. Im not overly concerned," he says. "If I have any concerns with the machines at the gym, Ill wipe them down before I begin and then clean them when Im done." Pescitelli tried home workouts for the first couple of weeks after gyms locked their doors. Despite having equipment at home, he struggled with motivation and the disruption of his regular gym schedule. "We have a Bowflex TreadClimber. Its a very expensive dust collector and coat rack," he says. "I tried to treat home workouts like the gym. Id come home from work, change, take my runners and water bottle downstairs, but it just didnt feel right and something would get in the way." Pescitelli, whos married with two kids, says going to the gym on his way home from work was an integral part of his everyday routine. "Im very unmotivated when I get home, even more so in the summer. Once Im home from work, Im helping make supper, cleaning and pre-quarantine, I was rushing my kids to after-school sports," he says. "I have to hit the gym at three, after work, because once I get home, Im with my family." Not having access to his gym has also taken a toll on his well-being. Its hard because if you have a bad day at work, you bring it home, or you just have it with you. Thats probably the worst," Pescitelli says. "Everybody preaches mental health but I think they may have dropped the ball with gyms. Its been long and dragged out." The second phase of Manitobas reopening plan, which includes gyms, begins today. Gyms and fitness studios can reopen as long as they adhere strictly to safety and sanitary protocols. Some guidelines include members using a booking system to reserve a block of time in advance. "If I have to book gym appointments, Ill do so Monday to Friday and play it by ear on the weekends," Pescitelli says. "Itll become the new normal and well adapt." One thing is for sure gyms will likely look a whole lot different than they did just a few months ago and itll fall to the gyms themselves to put specific policies in place. Ignite Cycle and Strength on Kenaston opened just 45 days before it had to close because of the pandemic. "It was a huge blow to us. We hadnt been open for long and were just starting to build momentum," says Serena Nelko, who co-owns the facility with her husband, Denis Camracosky. Nelko is also a family physician who works half-time in both Swan River and Winnipeg, mainly at Grace Hospital. "It was a difficult position because, as a physician, Im always putting public safety at the forefront of things," Nelko says. "And as a business owner, especially of a fitness facility, I know how important fitness is to both mental and physical well-being." But when Ignite officially had to close its doors on March 17, reality set in. MIKE SUDOMA / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSs Serena Nelko (left) and Denis Camracosky have ample space to welcome members back to their new fitness centre, Ignite. "We had a freakout," Nelko says. "Wed invested so much of ourselves into the business. There was uncertainty about whether or not wed be able to survive." Members soon started to reach out asking how they could lend support and if Ignite planned to offer online classes. "Having to switch to a virtual platform was never something we intended," Nelko says. "It just happened, mostly, because our members reached out to us." Only a week after closing, Ignite shifted from a studio full of people attending spin and strength-training classes to renting out their bikes and developing an online platform that offers spin, strength and yoga classes at no cost. As their virtual classes evolved, Nelko and Camracosky invested in professional audio and video equipment and transitioned to a monthly paid subscription service called Ignite on Demand. "Our downtime used to be socializing with friends or walking our dog, but most of our nights are now spent working on and editing our virtual product and making it as polished as possible," Nelko says. In the last several weeks, many local gyms and fitness studios have made similar transitions to virtual classes after they were forced to close. For those who are hesitant to go back to the gym, virtual classes arent likely to go away for a while. Even once Ignite officially reopens its doors, its on-demand platform will continue in some capacity. "We recognize that some people will still feel slightly uncomfortable," Nelko says. "We want people to still feel included and connected. Well strive to do that however we can." She adds that nothing quite compares to the social atmosphere of a group workout. "Online workouts are great, but not everyone is motivated by a home workout," she says. "A lot of people enjoy their workouts more as part of a group. Thats one of the unfortunate things COVID has taken away from people." With 5,000 square feet of space, Nelko adds theyll have no problem keeping gym members at least two metres apart in their studio. 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 plan to follow all the protocols and utilize our space to its maximum potential so we can have people enjoying classes in a safe way," she says. In the end, the best thing you can do is stay informed about what your gym is doing, inquire about what measures are being enacted and see how they fit with the advice of health experts. Choose the path that gives you the greatest peace of mind. If youre still on the fence, dont rush to make a decision either way. Your thoughts may change as things continue to evolve, so give yourself the leeway to shift as needed to make the right choice for you. sabrinacarnevale@gmail.com @sabrincsays He brings extensive experience to the firm, including having served as the founding Executive Director of George and Amal Clooney's family foundation, the Clooney Foundation for Justice. He also joins Jenner & Block's long tradition of lawyers moving between public service and private practice*, having served as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Security Council and, before that, as Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security. "Ambassador Pressman spent years negotiating with the Russians and Chinese on some of the toughest international peace and security issues of our time. He brings a depth of experience and perspective that is global, unique, and hugely valuable to our clients as they navigate risks and threats at home and abroad," said Katya Jestin, Jenner & Block's co-managing partner. Added Co-Managing Partner Randy Mehrberg, "There is a reason Ambassador Pressman is routinely called upon by some of the most well-known people in the world to offer advice in challenging times. He has exceptional judgment that has been tested time and time again by crises ranging from lawsuits to armed conflict to impeachment inquiries. When our clients are in trouble, they will be well served by the advice of this exceptional lawyer." Ambassador Pressman's crisis management and litigation practice includes representing high-profile government whistleblowers; significant sovereign wealth funds; Fortune 50 companies; clients held hostage overseas; victims of terrorism seeking to vindicate their rights through litigation in US courts; investors and funds seeking to mitigate risk related to foreign investments; well-known leaders and executives who are the subjects of high-stakes Congressional investigations; and multinational companies navigating serious risk in a wide array of jurisdictions around the world. Ambassador Pressman also conducts sensitive internal investigations and advises clients who are the subject of such investigations. "I have an unusual and diverse background that I bring to bear for my clients," Ambassador Pressman said. "At this very uncertain moment, navigating serious challenges requires examining old problems in new ways. Jenner & Block is a partnership of not only exceptionally talented lawyers, but also exceptionally creative ones who are personally committed to tackling the most significant problems both for our clients and for our world." "David is a masterful strategist and the most tenacious advocate I know," said Samantha Power, former US Ambassador to the United Nations. "He combines exceptional judgment with fearlessness and fierce dedication. I have repeatedly seen him run circles around our country's toughest adversaries and navigate our most challenging disputes." "David comes to the practice of law having served multiple members of the cabinet as we navigated some of the most vexing and trying crises of our time," said Janet Napolitano, former US Secretary of Homeland Security and current president of the University of California system. "He has uniquely good judgment and is able to see around corners that others cannot." Appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the US Senate, Ambassador Pressman represented the United States on the United Nations Security Council and has served as the senior US negotiator on international disputes around the world, including leading US negotiations on Russia, Europe, East Asia and the Pacific, Africa, and Israeli/Palestinian issues, multilateral sanctions regimes and international tribunals. Before his service as US Ambassador, Ambassador Pressman served on the senior leadership team of the US Department of Homeland Security. As Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, Ambassador Pressman led the Department's Office of Policy Development responsible for formulating and advancing policy and regulations on complex legal and security issues, including matters related to sanctions, export controls, customs, foreign investment in the United States, transnational criminal investigations, cybersecurity and related homeland security challenges. In this role, Ambassador Pressman worked closely with counterparts in interior ministries around the world and at the US Department of Justice. As the Director for War Crimes on the National Security Council at the White House, Ambassador Pressman chaired the US Government's interagency committee charged with managing efforts to locate priority fugitive war criminals and bring them to justice. During his tenure, several prominent targets who had long eluded apprehension were arrested. The International Bar Association recently appointed Ambassador Pressman as co-chair of its Human Rights Law Committee. He also co-founded the human rights organization Not on Our Watch with George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon. Ambassador Pressman has worked directly for three Cabinet members under two US Presidents, all in the national security or law enforcement domain. He has delivered the keynote address at major global convenings, including recently delivering the commencement address at New York University School of Law, with appearances at venues including the Milken Institute, McCain Institute Sedona Forum, and Concordia Summit, among others. Ambassador Pressman received his BA from Brown University and his law degree, magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, from New York University School of Law. * Jenner & Block lawyers who have moved between public service and private practice include firm Chair Thomas P. Perrelli (former Associate Attorney General of the United States), Thomas P. Sullivan (former US Attorney), Anton R. Valukas (former US Attorney), Ian Heath Gershengorn (former Acting US Solicitor General), Neil M. Barofsky (former Special Inspector General of the Troubled Asset Recovery Program), David Bitkower (former Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ's Criminal Division), Emily M. Loeb (former Associate Counsel in the Office of White House Counsel), Kali Bracey (former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Torts Branch of the DOJ's Civil Division), Suedeen G. Kelly (former Commissioner with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) and former federal prosecutors Reid J. Schar (Northern District of Illinois), Gayle E. Littleton (Northern District of Illinois and Northern District of Florida), Anthony S. Barkow (Southern District of New York, District of Columbia and Main Justice) and many others. In 2020, the firm hired four lateral partners in this same tradition including Jennifer S. Amerkhail (former in-house lawyer with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission), Dawn L. Smalls (former Commissioner of the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics), Lee Wolosky (former US Ambassador) and Andrew Weissmann (to start July 1, 2020, former Special Counsel prosecutor, former Chief of the Fraud Section in the US Department of Justice Criminal Division, former General Counsel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, former lead prosecutor in the Special Counsel investigation, the Director of the Enron Task Force, and the Chief of the Criminal Division in the United States Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of New York). ABOUT JENNER & BLOCK'S GOVERNMENT CONTROVERSIES AND PUBLIC POLICY LITIGATION PRACTICE Jenner & Block brings to bear lawyers who have extensive experience managing complex issues involving the highest levels of government and the firm's litigation and counseling prowess to turn a seemingly intractable crisis into a manageable problem with solutions in sight. The practice group focuses on advising companies, corporate executives and boards, and government institutions on the most controversial problems they may ever face at the intersection of law, law enforcement and government regulation. The practice group draws on Jenner & Block's strength and depth as a premier litigation firm and its internationally recognized white collar practice to provide a full suite of services to organizations facing multifaceted problems. This includes creating risk management strategies, conducting internal investigations, and advising on crisis management for businesses and organizations facing problems that draw the attention of the state and federal civil and criminal law enforcement authorities, government regulators, inspectors general, congressional committees, state legislators and the media. ABOUT JENNER & BLOCK'S COMPLEX COMMERCIAL LITIGATION PRACTICE Clients from around the world rely on Jenner & Block for their most complex and challenging business cases. With more than 375 skilled litigation lawyers, we have the depth, breadth and experience to handle the most complex and challenging disputes. We count among our ranks 12 Fellows of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers, the former acting Solicitor General of the United States, two former United States attorneys, seven former assistant United States attorneys, a former Illinois Supreme Court chief justice, a former associate attorney general of the United States, more than three dozen lawyers recognized as "America's Leading Lawyers" by Chambers USA and numerous leaders of national, state and local bar associations. Our trial prowess in high-profile litigation is well known. The National Law Journal has described our litigators as "like the Army's special forces: highly trained and ready to deploy anywhere at any time." BTI Consulting has recognized us as a "powerhouse in complex commercial litigation" and an "unparalleled leader in client service." Chambers Global legal directory has described Jenner & Block as a firm with "bedrock strength in trial work," while reporting that our clients "remain steadfast in their support, describing the group as 'absolutely outstanding.'" ABOUT JENNER & BLOCK Jenner & Block LLP is a law firm with global reach, with offices in Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, DC. The firm is known for its prominent and successful litigation practice and experience handling sophisticated and high-profile corporate transactions. Firm clients include Fortune 100 companies, large privately held corporations, financial services institutions, emerging companies and venture capital and private equity investors. In 2019, The American Lawyer recognized the firm as the #1 pro bono firm in the United States for the ninth time in 12 years; the firm has been ranked among the top 10 in this category every year since 1990. In 2019, the publication also recognized the firm as the #3 international pro bono firm, and in 2018, named the firm as its first "Pro Bono Champion." SOURCE Jenner & Block LLP Related Links https://jenner.com Manchester, June 1 : English Premier League giants Manchester United on Monday announced that they have reached an agreement with Shanghai Greenland Shenhua to extend the loan deal for Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo. On the club's official website, along with the announcement, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: "They (Shanghai Greenland Shenhua) have been great towards us, allowing him to play for his dream club. It's been a dream for him and hopefully he can finish what he started and win a trophy with us." The Premier League is set to resume on June 17, subject to government approval after it was stopped in March due to the coronavirus outbreak. Liverpool lead the Premier League table by 25 points with nine games remaining as they chase their first title in 30 years. United are placed fifth with 45 points from 29 matches. Ighalo will now look forward to pick up from where he left, after winning United's Goal of the Month award for March with a stunning strike in the Red Devils' last match, the 5-0 win over Austrian club LASK in the Europa League. Meanwhile, Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard recently picked winning the FA Cup and Europa League with the club as his greatest moments so far. "There are a lot of great memories -- especially the FA Cup, but the European one (the Europa League in 2017) was brilliant as well," Lingard told Manchester United's official website, manutd.com. Dara Khosrowshahi, chief executive officer of Uber Technologies Inc., speaks during an interview in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. Uber, Lyft and DoorDash are suspending operations in some cities during curfew hours across the United States. Protests continue across the US in response to the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in Minneapolis last week. Many demonstrations across the nation have been peaceful, but violence and looting erupted in some cities over the weekend as groups of protesters clashed with law enforcement officers. As a result, some government officials have implemented curfews for residents. Uber has suspended services in Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco and parts of Minneapolis during curfew hours, the company said. "Some cities have requested that we suspend operations completely while others want to ensure Uber is available for essential services," the company said in a statement. "We're also using the Uber app to educate riders and drivers about city curfews and remind them Uber should be used for emergency purposes only during this time." Lyft said it is also following local guidance to comply with curfews. The food-delivery service DoorDash will also pause operations in cities that have curfews in effect. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. This year alone, weve had close to 500 fires that were human caused, and not all of those were campfires. A good majority of them were on Arizona roadways, Garcia said. Some of the fires are determined to be drivers tossing cigarettes out of vehicles while others are directly attributed to the vehicles, according to Garcia, who has worked as a fire investigator. We know its a vehicle and not smoking because we get called to reports of multiple fires over multiple miles sometimes. Thats where we know its something bouncing and dragging causing sparks that are going into the grass on the sides of the road, she said. Wildfires can cause wrecks and prompt road closures during an emergency response. Interstate 17 is a perfect example. We have to close that road multiple times a year for car accidents as well as fires. You can come across a fire and immediately you stop, but the person behind you doesnt stop, youre traveling 75 to 80 miles an hour. It becomes a tragic situation, Garcia said. Down the Road DURHAM, N.H.--Scientists from the University of New Hampshire's Space Science Center will use a $4.6 million grant from NASA to create a project that will offer a diverse group of college students from across the country hands-on research experience designing and building small satellites that will be launched into outer space and collect data for one of NASA's space missions. The Student Collaboration Project, led by Noe Lugaz, a research associate professor of physics, aims to work in conjunction with NASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission and build off of the collected data to provide firsthand research experience for undergraduate and graduate students and help to diversify the field of space science. "We're missing out on so much potential with great people out there," said Lugaz. "Most science projects are publicly funded, and we want to expand access to college students who are qualified and have a passion for science to get involved, no matter what their major. We are hoping to inspire them, even if it's just for one year. We think we can really start to make a difference." Project coordinators will recruit the first group of students from three universities--UNH, Howard University in Washington, D.C. and Sonoma State University in California. During the five-year project, students from each university will design and build a CubeSat--a small satellite the size of a half-gallon of milk--that will have an instrument that can quantify the concentration of oxygen in the Earth's upper atmosphere and provide scientists with clues about the effects of the solar wind. This is the region where many satellites are located and knowing more about the atmosphere's density could help determine their orbit and lifetime. "The students from each university have a variety of strengths and experiences that will allow them all to learn from one another," said Lugaz. "They're not just doing this on their own, they'll be collaborating and interacting with each other via online learning tools and technology so they can talk to one another and learn together." The student built CubeSats will launch in 2024 separately from the main IMAP mission but at the same time in order to collect complementary data. The CubeSats will be in space for about four months and will be located much closer to the Earth than the other IMAP instruments. UNH was chosen as the lead because of its strong space physics program and its history of students developing payloads for numerous rocket science missions. Other UNH SSC scientists involved include Marc Lessard, professor of physics, and Jason Legere, research engineer, who will provide mentoring and Sonya Smith, a UNH project manager, will provide support. ### The University of New Hampshire inspires innovation and transforms lives in our state, nation and world. More than 16,000 students from all 50 states and 71 countries engage with an award-winning faculty in top-ranked programs in business, engineering, law, health and human services, liberal arts and the sciences across more than 200 programs of study. As one of the nation's highest-performing research universities, UNH partners with NASA, NOAA, NSF and NIH, and receives more than $110 million in competitive external funding every year to further explore and define the frontiers of land, sea and space. Broadcast journalist with Despite Media, Afia Pokua has reasons to speculate that the fate of the winner of the upcoming 2020 elections will be decided by the Supreme Court looking at how issues are turning up. Speaking on her evening show on Okay FM dubbed 'Egyaso Gyaso', Vim Lady as she is popularly known in the media asserted that with the back and forth coupled with the entrenched position of the NDC in the compilation of a new voter register, if the 2020 election results do not go their way the Supreme Court will be the final arbitrator. If things get worse, the 2020 elections may go to the Supreme Court for settlement. With what is going on with the NDC, you see that they boycotted IPAC meeting . . . you saw what went on? They issued a statement that they wont attend the IPAC meeting and true to their word they boycotted. If care is not taken, a number of issues will come up for the Supreme Court to determine even before we go to the polls to elect our leaders, she claimed. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in alliance with other political parties and Civil Society groups are not in support of the decision by the Electoral Commission (EC) to compile a new voters' register before the 2020 polls. The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is again accusing the Electoral Commission of being in bed with the governing NPP as the latter supports the move by the EC on the use of passport and Ghana card as the only form of identification to get registered. 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 By Anthony Boadle and Ricardo Brito BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro joined a rally on Sunday on horseback as supporters urged the closing of the Supreme Court for investigating the right-wing leader, as one of its justices compared the risks to Brazil's democracy with Hitler's Germany. Deepening a political crisis during one of the world's worst novel coronavirus outbreaks, Bolsonaro has slammed the top court for investigating his interference in police affairs and opening an inquiry into his supporters' alleged libel and intimidation campaigns on social media. The former army captain and defender of Brazil's 1964-1985 military government has denounced the investigations, suggesting "absurd orders" should not be followed and warning that the court may "plunge Brazil into a political crisis." Bolsonaro flew in a military helicopter over the rally in Brasilia where protesters held banners calling for shutting down Brazil's Congress and top court, known as the STF. One said: "Military Intervention - close Congress and the STF now." Supreme Court Justice Celso de Mello, who is responsible for investigating a former justice minister's allegation that Bolsonaro tried to meddle with law enforcement for personal reasons, said the president's supporters were seeking a military dictatorship. "We must resist the destruction of the democratic order to avoid what happened in the Weimar Republic when Hitler, after he was elected by popular vote ... did not hesitate annulling the constitution and imposing a totalitarian system in 1933," de Mello told other judges in a message seen by Reuters. A person familiar with the matter confirmed the authenticity of the message, which was also reported in Brazilian newspapers. De Mello's office said the message was "exclusively personal." Bolsonaro has said his aims are democratic and that his opponents are trampling the constitution in their efforts to oust him. Story continues After his helicopter ride, the president walked to the rally and shook hands with supporters, wearing no face mask despite its use being mandatory in the capital to fight the coronavirus outbreak. He then mounted a police horse and trotted past the crowd. On Saturday night, a group of masked backers of Bolsonaro marched to the court carrying torches to call for its closure. During Sunday's demonstrations in Sao Paulo, opponents of Bolsonaro took to a main avenue to protest against "fascism" and clashed with riot police who intervened to stop them getting close to a rally by supporters of the president. Police used tear gas to push back stone-hurling youths. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle, Ricardo Brito and Ueslei Marcelino in Brasilia; Additional reporting by Leonardo Benassatto in Sao Paulo; Writing by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Brad Haynes, Peter Cooney and Daniel Walllis) Officials from Florida to Missouri are hurriedly rewriting their disaster plans, worried that crowding large groups of evacuees in shelters could spread coronavirus during whats expected to be a busy hurricane and tornado season. Firefighters in Colorado are working social distancing into their strategy for tackling long-duration wildfires. And New York City is spending $55 million on air conditioners for low-income seniors in public housing, to keep them away from cooling centers that draw hundreds during heat waves. Though President Donald Trump sees the summer as a time of economic revival, emergency management officials fear a terrible combination of natural disasters could lead to a fresh spread of the coronavirus and that the pandemic could, in turn, set back their work. If a hurricane like Harvey hit again in the middle of pandemic, youve got kids maybe going back to school and youve got flu season...from a public health standpoint, its an absolute nightmare, said Carrie Kroll, vice president of advocacy, quality and public health at the Texas Hospital Association. States and cities have never had to respond to a large-scale natural disaster during a global pandemic. The usual support network from neighboring states is frayed because nearly everyone is trying to contain Covid-19. And with FEMA and the National Guard already consumed with supporting the public health response, strapped local officials are improvising as fast as they can. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence attend a teleconference with governors at the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters, Thursday, March 19, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool) "The biggest thing right now, especially for the rural areas, is they are short staffed," said Troy Armstrong, the emergency management director for Johnson County, Missouri. "Those people are already stretched to the limit." Hurricane season officially begins Monday and forecasters from Colorado State University are predicting a higher than normal probability that Florida is hit with at least one major hurricane. There already is historic flooding in Michigan and Illinois, and fires burned tens of thousands of acres this month in Arizona and Colorado. Story continues FEMA Director Peter Gaynor on Thursday told President Donald Trump that his agency has already faced a historic run of disasters this year while assuring the president that it's ready to answer the call. But it doesn't take much imagination to see how natural disasters could collide with the public health crisis. Local volunteers often the bedrock of search, rescue and recovery efforts may be disinclined to help, particularly if they or someone they live with are more susceptible to the virus. Sheltering in stadiums or high school gyms could create hot spots and there isn't time or resources to test everyone before theyre placed in an evacuation site. Coronavirus has also exposed the fragility of the nation's food and transportation networks, which could become bollixed if a hurricane barrels up the east coast and disrupts shipping and trucking. Emergency preparedness experts also worry about the lack of a coordinated message on how to safely evacuate during a pandemic that could leave the public fearful of leaving their homes. We are worried about people hesitating, said Trevor Riggen, senior vice president of disaster services for the American Red Cross. The anxiety around the pandemic itself will cause people to hesitate to evacuate. We want people to know shelters are as safe as they can be. Floridas Division of Emergency Management is trying to get the word out. Before Covid-19, the state encouraged residents to evacuate areas in the path of less powerful storms. Now, it wants them to consider sheltering at home. Wed always say know your zone, as in know when you need to evacuate, said Director Jared Moskowitz. Now were saying know your home. The state has asked FEMA to pre-approve a plan to allow the medically frail to shelter at hotels rather than storm-resistant school gyms where a communal setting could serve as a breeding ground for the coronavirus. FEMA last week released guidance for states and local governments on hurricane response during a pandemic, including a checklist for officials and individuals preparing for a disaster. Included were recommendations on how to communicate to the public about a hurricane and how to prepare for supply chain disruptions that could hinder efforts to get protective gear and testing supplies needed to curb the spread of the virus. A FEMA spokesperson said the agency has replenished food and other emergency supplies in its distribution centers across the country and has more than 3,100 employees working on coronavirus response efforts nationwide with more workers available as needed to respond to emergencies. Public health experts, critical of the administrations response to the pandemic, are less confident. The reality is that the U.S. has been far less prepared for disasters than most people imagined, said Irwin Redlener, an expert in disaster preparedness and public health at Columbia University. Its extraordinary to me that weve had such incompetence in general and the federal government still doesnt get it, and is ignoring, or just doesnt understand, the role it plays and that leaves the states in a lurch. The Trump administration has drawn criticism for its handling of natural disasters prior to the pandemic. The Government Accountability Office in May released a report on the response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, saying the federal health agency responsible for disaster preparedness and FEMA did not communicate efficiently, leaving critical gaps in the response efforts, including how they were evacuating people and utilizing supplies. Our agencies are nowhere near as cooperative as people might think, Redlener said. There has been chronic inappropriate competition between agencies. Local officials also worry that they likely won't be able to turn to neighboring counties and states the way they normally do because everyone is dealing with their own emergency this summer and it may not be safe to move crews of responders from point to point. The demands from the pandemic have already limited the number of resources available from outside jurisdictions and thats the backbone of fire response in Colorado, said Caley Fisher, spokesperson for the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. In Saline County, which has the most coronavirus cases per capita in Missouri, Tony Day, the emergency management director who doubles as the fire chief, said he fears the state Emergency Management agency is overtaxed. There is no way they can help everyone, he said. Day has worked nearly non-stop for eight weeks and exhaustion is another concern for local officials, worried that their hardest days are still ahead. Every frontline worker is exhausted, said Texas Hospital Associations Kroll. To think wed have to push a lot of resources into one area is daunting. Few officials have had the opportunity to practice these new plans or guidelines even with disaster season looming. Most of the time those exercises would be taking place right now, Dan Kaniewski, a former deputy administrator at FEMA during the Trump administration. They havent had that luxury because theyve been busy responding to coronavirus. Kaniewski, now a managing director at Marsh & McLennan, said the combination of coronavirus and a natural disaster is an enormous challenge for local officials that could stretch their capabilities. He believes FEMA needs to shift its focus to hurricanes and other natural disasters while Trump's health department take the lead on coronavirus, so that local and state officials are not caught off guard in the coming months. The National Governors Association on Monday is expected to release a strategy memo on handling concurrent emergencies that will offer governors advice on communications and planning. Lauren Stienstra, the group's program director for homeland security and emergency management who helped draft the memo, said governors need to understand that people may need more time to evacuate. Food banks and construction crews that customarily help in the aftermath of a disaster may not be available, or will need extra protective equipment because of the virus. Emergency crews and hospitals already are adapting to new realities. The Missouri Hospital Association is reminding its members to mask patients and visitors who are relocated to safer spaces and to record people who are put in the same space in case contact tracing needs to occur later on. Coronavirus has also forced firefighters to rethink their camps, bring extra food and water so that they can be more self-sufficient and have less contact with others. Tents are going to be spaced farther apart. And there are going to be more hygiene stations than ever before, Fisher said. Colorados fire teams are relying on federal guidelines issued over the last couple of months, but are adjusting in real-time. It has changed quite a bit the way we operate, she said. When we do have longer duration fires, were going to completely change how they are attacked. The lack of time to prepare is a big concern, said Gerrit Bakker, senior director for public health preparedness at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. A Gulf Coast state would normally be dusting off their hurricane plan, reviewing it, having a table-top exercise and they havent had an opportunity to do that, he said. They havent been able to devote the time. Arek Sarkissian contributed to this report. There certainly was a theme to this years adult book editors buzz picks session: the devastation that secrets can have upon people's lives, their quests for the truth to their existence, and how the rippling effects of trauma can persist for generations.This year, six editors, paired with their authors, introduced the buzz picks to booksellers and others via a live feed on BookExpos Facebook page. Comparing Nadia Owusu to Zadie Smith, Joan Didion, and Sylvia Plath. Dawn Davis, v-p and publisher at S&S/ 37 Ink, introduced Aftershocks: A Memoir (Jan. 2021) a combination literary memoir and cultural history by the daughter of a Ghanian father and Armenian-American mother. Owusus memoir begins with the disclosure that her mother abandoned her family when she was a toddler. The same day her mother comes to visit several years later, a terrible earthquake strikes Armenia. Associating her mothers visit with that earthquake, Owusu became obsessed with them. I began to think of my life as existing on fault lines, she said, listing all the calamities she has survived, including the death of her father. Years later, Owosus stepmother reveals a devastating secret about her father that upends Owosus life. I wrote Aftershocks to process my trauma, Owusu said, I ended writing towards love and connection. There is gratitude, writing through the grief. Davis said, This book ultimately is about hope and a reminder of the power and beauty of language. Tim OConnell, Knopf senior editor, introduced Betty (Aug.) by Tiffany McDaniel, the tale of a girl born in small-town Ohio in 1954 whose father is Cherokee and whose mother is white. Its a coming-of-age story, OConnell said, but its also myth-making about the cycle of real trauma and occasional beauty in the lives of Betty and her family. According to McDaniel, families really are the keys to their secrets, and the novel was inspired by a story told by her mother about her grandmother. I really wanted to show female relationships and sisterhood, McDaniel said, What it means to be a mother, a sister, a daughter, as well as yourself. Betty is also a story of father-daughter relationships, OConnell noted. McDaniel concurred that Betty and her sisters find their way through their fathers storytelling. They see him as an ally, she said. While OConnell said that he would not describe Betty as magical realism, McDaniel does take the real and makes it magic, to which McDaniel added, a story is born in that moment of looking at the thread between reality and the imagination, which is why I believe in the magic of the ordinary moment. Caroline Bleeke, senior editor at Flatiron Books, said that Migrations (Aug.) by Charlotte McConaghy was every editors dream: a debut novel by a complete unknown that pulls in colleagues as it moves through the publishing pipeline. Its protagonist, Franny Stone, travels to remote Greenland in search of the worlds last flock of Arctic terns, but it turns out that there is more to her quest. When I describe this novel, Bleeke said, I like to call it a love letter to the wild places and the creatures that are threatened by our changing world. Its also a love story, and a novel about hope. McConaghy explained that she did not start out writing Migrations as environmental fiction or as a climate change novel: she started writing an intimate story of a womans journey. But, she said, one cannot write about the natural world without addressing climate change, so she decided to lean into it. Impact of Past Upon Present The first question posed by Jessica Williams, executive editor at William Morrow about Plain Bad Heroines (Oct. 20), was to ask author emily m. danforth to sum up her comic tale set at a New England girls boarding school. Featuring a dual timeline narrative alternating between 1902 and today, the plot contains both classic gothic novel and contemporary horror film tropes. It is a story about unsolved deaths that shut down the school. More than 100 years later, the malevolent force behind those deaths may derail a movie about the murders that is being filmed on the long-abandoned campus. Ive been describing it as Sapphic gothic meta fiction, danforth said, Picnic at Hanging Rock plus Blair Witch Project times lesbians equals Plain Bad Heroines. Williams also tried to describe it, noting that it is this unique, complex combination of traits: its got the horror, haunted house, it incorporates slasher films. Its also laugh-out funny. Its got footnotes and its illustrated. Its also filled with Sapphic romance. Even in 2020, theres something really powerful about writing lesbian lives and loves back into history, danforth noted. Sally Kim, senior v-p and publisher at Putnam, introduced The Prophets (Jan. 2021) by Robert Jones, Jr, a debut novel about two African-American slaves on an antebellum plantation in the Deep South. Their forbidden love, Kim noted, has an impact upon everyone else on the plantation, from the other slaves to the master and his family. The story builds up to a crescendo of unbearable tension with an ending, she said, that is unexpected; readers wont see it coming, which is hard to pull off. The Prophets, Kim said, is dark because of all its truths, but it also manages to be light: affirming and hopeful. Its a celebration, in all its forms, of the heroic power of love. Jones, the founder of the social justice- social media community, Son of Baldwin, said that the novel was inspired by his search for information on people who were black and queer during antebellum slavery. After failing to find anything, Jones thought of something Toni Morrison once said: If you cannot find the book you want to write, you must write it. Jones added that one motivation for writing such a novel was to emphasize that even in the most miserable conditions, such as enslavement, you can find joy. The last pair of speakers, Gillian Blake, senior v-p, editor-in-chief at Crown, and Sara Seager presented Seagers memoir about the intertwining between her professional triumphs and personal tragedies, The Smallest Lights in the Universe: A Memoir (Aug.). Seager is an astrophysicist and professor of physics and planetary science at MIT who searches for intelligent life on other planets. When her husband died unexpectedly, Seager became a single parent at age 40, forced to figure out how to do even the most prosaic tasks involved in raising her young children that her husband used to deal with so that she could focus upon her career. The Smallest Lights, Blake said, comparing it to Lab Girl, is a book about getting your life thrown upside down. Its also a book about hope, about how pursuing science is a real form of hope, of optimism. Her memoir, Seager said, is about her personal and professional quests. The Smallest Lights examines her journey of outer space and search for planets. Its about astrophysics and the journey of exploration. Its also, she added, about the journey of inner space and search we all have to do to make our lives meaningful, especially after some kind of major trauma. New Delhi: In what could be hailed as one of the landmark decisions, retirement fund body Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on Monday, released Rs 868 crore pension along with Rs 105 crore arrear on account of restoration of commuted value of pension. On the recommendation of Central Board of Trustees of the EPFO, the government has accepted one of the long standing demands of workers to allow restoration of commuted value of pension after 15 years, an official release said. Earlier there was no provision for restoration of commuted pension and the pensioners continued to receive reduced pension on account of commutation lifelong. This is a historical step for the benefit of pensioners under EPS-95, the official release said. EPFO has more than 65 lakhs pensioners catered through its 135 regional offices. EPFO officers and staff battled all odds during this Covid-19 lockdown period and processed pension payment for May,2020 to ensure credit of pension in the bank account of pensioners on schedule, the release added. The Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd, an unarmed African American man was arrested - AFP A medical examiner in Minnesota has classified George Floyd's death as a homicide, contradicting a preliminary report which found nothing to support strangulation as cause of death. Mr Floyd died after a police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes, despite his cries that he could not breathe. The African-Americans death, captured on video, has sparked protests in Minneapolis that have spread to dozens of cities around America. The Hennepin County Attorney's Offices report, released on Monday, said Mr Floyds heart stopped as police restrained him and suppressed his neck, preventing him from being able to breathe. "Decedent experienced a cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by law enforcement officer(s)," the report read. Under "other significant conditions" it said Mr Floyd suffered from heart disease and hypertension, and listed fentanyl intoxication and recent methamphetamine use. A protester in Minneapolis holds a photo of George Floyd - AP Findings published last week by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office concluded that the "combined effects of being restrained, potential intoxicants in Mr Floyds system and his underlying health issues, including heart disease," likely contributed to his death. It came after the result of an independent autopsy commissioned for Mr Floyd's family found that he died of asphyxiation due to neck and back compression when a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes. The autopsy said the compression cut off blood to Mr Floyd's brain, and weight on his back made it hard to breathe. The new autopsy was released on Monday by forensic pathologist Dr Michael Baden, who also examined the body of Eric Garner, a black man who died in 2014 after New York police placed him in a chokehold and he pleaded that he could not breathe. He found that compression cut off blood to Mr Floyd's brain, and the weight on his back made it difficult for him to get enough oxygen. Story continues Dr Baden said the second autopsy showed that Mr Floyd "had no underlying medical problem that caused or contributed to his death." He said the belief that someone is breathing if they can talk "is not true". "I am talking and talking and talking and not breathing in front of you," he said. The officer, Derek Chauvin, had his knee on Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in total and two minutes and 53 seconds after Mr Floyd was unresponsive, according to a criminal complaint released by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office. Mr Chauvin is charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for the Floyd family, has now called for the Minneapolis police officers to face the more serious charge of first-degree murder, based on the new findings. The other three officers on scene, like Mr Chauvin, were fired the day after the incident but have not been charged. "Beyond doubt he would be alive today if not for the pressure applied to his neck by officer Derek Chauvin and the strain on his body by two other officers," Mr Crump told a press conference. "The ambulance was his hearse." A looter leaps over a barrier while exiting a beauty store on City Avenue at 77th Street in West Philadelphia Read more On Monday morning, merchants and Overbrook Park residents were still waiting for Philadelphia police to show up at their local and looted shopping center, but they were not waiting to clean up. The day before and into the night, locals on both sides of City Avenue at the plaza bisected by 77th Street had watched the daylong looting going on there. On Monday at 7 a.m., they arrived with brooms, dustpans, and trash bags. By mid-morning, they had cleaned up most of the broken glass and debris strewn in front of damaged stores. These included Dollar Tree, Ross, Snipes, a state liquor store, Wingstop, Omnia Nail Spa, and a pair of beauty supply stores. Just north, the CVS Pharmacy at Haverford and City Avenue was also broken into. The cleanup there Monday was a scene repeated across the city as residents and merchants banded together to repair damaged business areas. At the strip mall at 77th Street, Overbrook Park resident Malik Johnson said the impromptu campaign seemed like the right thing to do. This is our community, he said. This is where we live. READ MORE: Here's live coverage of what's happening Tuesday Witnesses said the looters ransacked the stores for hour after hour Sunday into Monday morning, essentially unhampered by any police presence. A reporter at the scene Sunday evening saw a stream of thieves move from store to store and exit laden with goods. In many cases, the looters drove to the plaza in groups and would then ferry goods out to the vehicles, making repeated trips. No Philadelphia police could be seen anywhere near the plaza. For their part, Lower Merion police stood watch Sunday night on the Montgomery County side of City Avenue, lining up in front of township stores and keeping to their side of the county line. The stores on that side of the street were left untouched. Lower Merion Police Superintendent Michael McGrath said township officers had assisted Philadelphia Police at separate locations in other disturbances related to the ongoing unrest. The department has also assisted police in Limerick and King of Prussia in recent days, he said. He said the department is sometimes forced to make difficult decisions about how to deploy limited resources, just as the city has had to do in recent days. And although officers can legally cross into another jurisdiction if they witness a crime, they have to weigh the consequences of leaving their current post unguarded. At one point, Johnson said, a Lower Merion police cruiser took a brief spin through the parking lot, and the looters briefly dispersed but returned as soon as the police vehicle departed. Ritas Water Ice in the plaza was untouched, and a manager provided free treats to the crew of neighbors. Were the one READ MORE: Police shoot tear gas into crowd of protesters blocking I-676 ravine s that care, said fellow cleanup volunteer Larry Singleton, also of Overbrook Park. Further north in the plaza at a TJ Maxx, workers had begun tacking plywood to the storefront. They planned to have all of the stores boarded up by days end. Johnson said he hopes that happens. People were still wandering in and out of the damaged Ross store at 10 a.m., and he said he was worried about a return of bandits in larger numbers. Some looters seemed especially unhinged, he said, at times smashing into each others cars as they hurried in and out of the parking lot. He said he hoped the damage wouldnt get worse and that no one used fuel or lighter fluid to get through the new plywood barriers. My biggest fear is fire, he said, adding that at some point soon, police or private security guards need to show up. Next to the water ice store, Dean Zenedine was cleaning up his computer repair shop, one that hes operated for 18 years. He had watched helplessly on surveillance cameras as thieves hit his store the previous midnight, breaking through a metal grate, then again at 2 a.m. He fixes old computers and cell phones, items of value mainly for the folks who bring them in for repair. Zenedine said it was clear that most of the looters had driven in from other neighborhoods. I know everyone here, he said. These people who did this dont know us. He was appalled by some of what he witnessed such as a woman leaving a baby in a car while she ran into the liquor store to steal. That, he said, is not good. Lee Teng, manager of the damaged Omnia nail salon in the plaza, said that before the looting, he had had tentative plans to reopen in a few weeks. Now, all that is on hold. As he spoke, workers were covering his windows with plywood. We dont know when well be open, he said. As of late Monday evening, the plaza was quiet. Most of the shops were boarded up, and workers were finishing their plywood barricade to the heavily damaged Ulta cosmetics shop. Nearby, two Philadelphia Police officers walked a beat outside the shuttered Dunkin Donuts. THE ongoing wrangle between businessman Frank Buyanga and his girlfriend, Chantelle Muteswa has taken another twist with her father allegedly posting a death threat on social media. The ex-lovers are involved in a bitter child custody battle that has played out in the courts for over a year now. Buyanga feels threatened by a Facebook post by someone using Chantelles father, Lawrence Muteswas account. It could not be independently established if the Facebook account indeed belongs to Chantelles father. The latest incident happened late last week when Buyanga commented on a post by one of his companies, The Cape Mint, following a donation of food to the needy among the eSwatini community in Johannesburg. Your days are numbered, reads part of the post. Lawrence Muteswa is reported to have last communicated with Buyanga on that platform from the period between August 8 2013 and September 3, 2016. Buyanga has a five-year-old son with Chantelle and they once stayed together in Sandton, South Africa before they broke up. The Sandton-based businessman and his feuding ex-girlfriend have been to every court in Zimbabwe, fighting over who should have custody of their five-year-old son. Buyanga is currently with the child in South Africa and the mother is hard on his heels pressing him to bring back the minor following a recent High Court ruling. She won custody of the boy early last year but lost out when she was evicted from a house she resided with her father. The businessman was then granted interim custody mid-last year and was staying with his son since then. Chantelle briefly grabbed the boy from him for a few days over a month ago but this was short-lived after Buyanga grabbed the boy back in a movie style kidnapping. Early this month, Buyanga however, signalled his intention to end his long-running child custody battle with his ex-girlfriend. Through an advertisement in the local media recently, Buyanga said he was aware of the importance of a relationship between mother and child. The statement, which was issued by his Attorney, William Wilcock, added that Buyanga was not opposed to a friendly relationship with Chantelle where they would be able to agree on aspects regarding their child and raise him harmoniously. It has, however, recently become apparent that Ms Muteswa may struggle to have a normal mother-son relationship with her son, not because of any actions of our client, but by the actions of those backing her in her numerous court cases against Mr Buyanga. These parties do not wish for her to come to an amicable arrangement with Mr Buyanga, where both parents can agree on what is best for their son, the lawyer said. The lawyer said there was a fear that if Ms Muteswa were to push for an amicable settlement there would be dire consequences for her in Zimbabwe, and we believe that this fear is what is preventing her from ending the numerous court cases that have been ongoing and becoming amicable with Mr Buyanga. Buyanga said he wishes for no negative consequences to come to the mother of his child and if possible, would love for his son to benefit from having a relationship with Ms Muteswa. The High Court in April ordered Buyanga to return his son to Muteswa until her Supreme Court appeal challenging a court ruling giving both parents custody was finalised, but Buyanga said he was unable to comply owing to the coronavirus lockdown travel restrictions. Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo ripped his protective mask off in apparent frustration over the death of George Floyd during a drive-in church service, where officials on Sunday announced additional plans to honor the slain Houstonian. Speaking to churchgoers outside Living Word Fellowship Church, his eyes red and voice hoarse, Acevedo warned against those determined to ignite violence during downtown Houston demonstrations, where since Friday more than 400 people have been arrested. He blamed a handful of demonstrators for causing the bulk of property damage and unrest late at night. We will not let people come to our city and tear it up, Acevedo shouted. To the fools who think that our kindness is weakness: When you try to tear up our city, youre not going to face the police, youre going to have to face the people of Houston who will not let the memory of George Floyd be hijacked by anarchists that are doing Satans work. A cacophony of car horns responded to Acevedos impassioned speech. He later said his anger stems from Americans who dont see a problem in Floyds death. When you see the cops angry about it, that shows you its really bad, the chief continued at the Acres Homes area-church. In the days to come, Acevedo said the city plans to honor Floyd with a rally and march Tuesday. The police department will also offer Floyds family a police escort as his body is returned to Houston, if they so wish, he said. Mayor Sylvester Turner said he spoke with members of Floyds family Sunday morning about funeral arrangements but those details had not been finalized. Floyd was killed on May 25 at the hands of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who faces a murder and manslaughter charge in the death. Three other police officers were also fired. The in-custody death has sparked days of nationwide demonstrations, even in Texas where Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday declared a state of disaster following protests on Friday and Saturday. The declaration, signed Sunday, stems from what state officials described as violent protests that endanger public safety and threaten property loss and damage amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. The order gives the governor the ability to designate federal agents to serve as Texas Peace Officers, officials said. Abbott also deployed thousands of state troopers and more than 1,000 Texas National Guard members to Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin. Federal law enforcement officers will also aid state and local law enforcement, he said in a statement. In Houston, about 274 demonstrators were arrested on Saturday through Sunday morning doubling the number of those taken into custody during Fridays protests. Earlier on Saturday, Acevedo was the arresting officer for at least one person charged with interference with public duties, according to court records. The bulk of charges were for obstructing the roadway, the chief said. SUBSCRIBE TODAY: Stay informed with accurate reporting you can trust on HoustonChronicle.com Three cases involving firearms were also investigated during the Saturday demonstrations, he said. In one instance, someone had a pistol and a duffel bag with magazines. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will help determine whether federal charges will follow. Thirteen of the latest round of arrests were for burglary, including the looting of stores. The Galleria and some area stores were closed because of the threat of looting, and city leaders warned that peaceful protesters need to stay away from that type of criminal activity. The windows of a Forever 21 store were also shattered during an attempted break-in. But there were no serious injuries or damage to property, officials said. Despite the mass arrests, Turner said Saturday was relatively peaceful and Houston has avoided the type of violence seen in cities across the nation. Turner asked that it stay that way and if people can, stay home. Stay off the streets, Turner said. In Dallas, officials set a 7 p.m. curfew for some parts of the city, and in Austin, police were dispatched around 7:30 p.m. to reports of looting at a Target. NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here Hours of torrential rain soon followed Turners request and appeared to sway another demonstration from stretching into the evening. Dozens among them Acevedo gathered around noon for a peaceful march in Third Ward. At the Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church in the Heights, 150 or so people gathered for a sunset vigil. Attendees shouted the names of those who have been killed nationwide by police, but whose deaths were not videotaped and did not spark widespread protests. In Conroe, about 100 people blocked FM 105 for nine minutes then marched to the courthouse. Gwendolyn Wu and Robert Downen contributed to this report. nicole.hensley@chron.com PITTSBURGH, Penn., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Oncology Nursing Foundation has committed $420,000 over the next two years to support three major research grants that will be led by oncology nurse scientists. The three projects beginning this summer are two-year studies funded at $120,000 to $150,000. Janet Deatrick, PhD, FAAN, of the University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, will lead a project in the growing field of implementation science, drawing on evidence-based nursing interventions to advance cancer care. "Implementation science can help bridge the gap between what we know and how we practice in order to optimize health," says Deatrick. Deatrick's project will further test and implement training in a problem-solving platform for the caregivers of young adult survivors of childhood brain tumors. Nada Lukkahatai, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN, of the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in Baltimore, and Loretta A. Williams, PhD, APRN, AOCN, OCN, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, will each conduct studies that address the assessment and management of side effects associated with immunotherapy used in the treatment of cancer. Lukkahatai will develop and test a program that combines ear points acupressure, which is a traditional Chinese medicine intervention, and personalized home-based exercise to address immunotherapy-related symptoms of fatigue and diminished physical function. Williams will develop a questionnaire that will allow patients receiving immunotherapy drugs for lung cancer to report symptoms of their disease and treatment routinely and consistently, as well as how their daily lives are affected. By testing the questionnaire with many patients, she anticipates that oncology nurses will be able to better understand and manage symptoms that patients are experiencing. The Oncology Nursing Society created the Oncology Nursing Foundation in 1981 to accept charitable contributions to advance these important activities on behalf of oncology nursing. The mission of the Oncology Nursing Foundation is to support oncology nursing excellence. Each of the funded projects aligns with the strategic research priorities of the Oncology Nursing Society. Thanks to the generosity of individuals and institutions, the Oncology Nursing Foundation has awarded more than $28 million in funding since its inception for education, research, and leadership development for oncology nurses. For more information or to donate to the Oncology Nursing Foundation, please visit www.onfgivesback.org. Media Contact: Nicole Lininger [email protected] SOURCE Oncology Nursing Foundation Related Links www.onfgivesback.org The cost of renting an apartment in the Bay Area plummeted in May, as layoffs and the increased flexibility of working from home drove a double-digit drop in some of the nations most expensive housing markets. Rents for a one-bedroom apartment dropped most in the cities richest in high-paying tech jobs, falling 9.2% in San Francisco compared with May of 2019. In Mountain View, home to Google, rents fell 15.9% year over year, while in Apples hometown of Cupertino rents dipped 14.3%, according to the rental search engine Zumper. In San Bruno, where YouTube has its offices, rents tumbled 14.9%. Its a dramatic drop in San Francisco and the South Bay, said Zumper CEO Anthemos Georgiades. This is real. We have never seen anything like it. While rents are down across the country, the drop was more severe in high-priced coastal cities that over the past decade have been most attractive to tech entrepreneurs and their investors, Georgiades said. Several of the biggest employers in those cities, including Facebook and Google, are allowing employees to work from home through the end of the year, while San Franciscos Twitter and Square have said many employees will be allowed to work remotely permanently. This has employees rethinking all sorts of assumptions, including where they live. In a May survey of 2,800 tech workers in Northern California, New York City and Seattle, 66% said they would be willing to work remotely and relocate out of those urban areas. The survey, by the employee messaging app Blind, found that 20% of San Francisco respondents said they would be willing to accept a pay cut of up to 20% in exchange for being allowed to telecommute from a more affordable city. Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle That remote working trend is compounding the job losses and putting significant downward pressure on rents in the Bay Area, Georgiades said. You have all these CEOs talking about how productive their teams are working from home and questioning whether they need to return to the office. The drops in rent were much less severe in Berkeley less than 1% while in Oakland rents are up 4.9% from May of 2019, mostly because that city has seen a big jump in rents in late 2019 and early 2020. Georgiades speculated that the East Bay may become even more attractive post-coronavirus among Silicon Valley employees who want to stay in the Bay Area but dont feel the need to live close to their corporate campuses. And while rents have skyrocketed in Oakland, the average one-bedroom in that city $2,350 a month is still a bargain compared to Menlo Park, where the average unit is $2,980, and Palo Alto, where the average is $2,810. The 9.2% drop in the average one-bedroom San Francisco rent of $3,360 still leaves it unaffordable for the vast majority of city residents. But Georgiades said he could see that number falling below $3,000, similar to New York, where the average one-bedroom goes for about $2,900. He said rents would likely continue to decline through the end of the year. In addition to dropping rents, the large multifamily developers will likely continue to offer more free rent promotions. Some developers are now offering eight free weeks, compared to the four weeks they were giving prior to the pandemic. This definitely has a floor, Georgiades said. We are not predicting that rents will fall to $1,750. Unfortunately for renters, that is not going to happen. Neighborhoods that have a high percentage of college and graduate students could see the highest drops, as landlords rush to attract tenants to buildings that would typically be filled with students. UC Berkeley has yet to announce whether the fall semester will be remote or on campus. Its very unclear if those leases are going to be signed right now, he said. There could be a lot of downward pressure in those ZIP codes. Owen Thomas / The Chronicle He expects landlords to be pragmatic in offering deals, lowering rents and making accommodations to existing tenants. They know there is not a line around the corner of people looking to take their current tenants place, he said. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Georgiades said there has long been an unsupported myth that Bay Area residents are leaving the city in droves because of high cost of living, steep taxes, snarled traffic and homeless issues. It was a narrative that was not supported by the facts, he said until now. Bay Area rents City Average rent, 1 bedroom Annual change, May '19-May '20 San Francisco $3,360 -9.2% Redwood City $3,000 -0.3% Menlo Park $2,980 -14.1% San Bruno $2,980 -14.9% Mountain View $2,900 -15.9% Palo Alto $2,810 -10.8% Cupertino $2,760 -14.3% Santa Clara $2,700 -8.5% Sunnyvale $2,690 4.7% Emeryville $2,620 -8.4% San Mateo $2,620 -1.9% South San Francisco $2,600 4% Milpitas $2,480 -12.4% Berkeley $2,420 0.8% San Jose $2,420 -0.4% Dublin $2,380 -4.8% Oakland $2,350 4.9% Walnut Creek $2,350 9.3% Daly City $2,310 0% Campbell $2,280 10.1% San Rafael $2,200 0% Fremont $2,190 0% Union City $2,190 -11% Alameda $2,130 0% San Ramon $2,000 -5.7% Livermore $1,960 10.1% Richmond $1,900 0.5% Hayward $1,890 -0.5% San Leandro $1,830 -6.2% Concord $1,740 -0.6% Vallejo $1,450 5.1% Source: Zumper See More Collapse Ive lived in the Bay Area for eight years and Ive heard that story for eight years, he said. This is the first time ever the narrative is actually real. The phenomenon of a lot of San Francisco renters turning in their keys and leaving the city is something landlords are seeing, according to Charley Goss of the San Francisco Apartment Association. Lots of renters who maybe dont have roots here, or who dont need to be here for work, or who are frustrated with the city street conditions, are leaving, he said. This, combined with some tenants being unable to pay, would lead some owners to rush to fill vacancies as quickly as they can. In addition a lot of Airbnb listings are being offered as regular apartments now, which could also increase supply and lower rents, Goss said. Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the drop in San Francisco rents. They declined 9.2%. J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen CARBONDALE Several businesses on the east side of Carbondale were vandalized late Sunday night, having windows broken and attempts were made to loot the businesses. The Carbondale Police Department responded to multiple burglaries at local businesses between late Sunday night and early Monday morning, according to a city news release. As officers responded to alarms from businesses at University Mall, they saw several vehicles were seen leaving from the south side of the parking lot near J.C. Penney and found forced entry to the businesses, according to the release. The looters were found to have stolen property from J.C. Penney, Game Stop, Old Navy, Hibbett Sports and Finish Line. After that incident, police responded to a burglary at Main Street Liquors and Tobacco on East Main Street after an alarm sounded. When they arrived, they found the business had been broken into and the property was stolen. It was discovered there had been 5 to 6 suspects who were described as wearing hooded sweatshirts, masks, and gloves, according to the release. Police then responded to an alarm at Blue Fish Liquors on 2335 Sweets Drive in reference to a report of seven suspects inside the store stealing property. Officers arrived and found the business had been broken into and property was stolen. The suspects were described as males and females. At about 3:30 a.m., officers responded to Sallys Beauty Supply in reference to an alarm. Officers arrived and found the business had been broken into and property stolen. The vandalism comes as a contrast to the peaceful demonstrations Sunday in Carbondale, where demonstrators called for an end to police brutality and mourned the death of George Floyd, an African American man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis last week. Local business patrons walked past the Sally Beauty Supply on Monday morning, turning their heads reading closed next to a frowny-face painted on one of the business unbroken windows. Thats where everybody goes shopping at and its just totally messed up, said Dre Long, who said he recently moved from Wisconsin to Carbondale. Why do you have to destroy the community where everybody goes shopping at? Long said businesses are already struggling because of the pandemic and vandals are just making it worse, while adding that Carbondale is a destination for many. He added that he doesnt believe it was right for people to attempt to loot in town. They need to stop the looting thats stolen property. The City of Carbondale thanked those who gathered Sunday for a candlelight vigil at Turley Park honoring the life of George Floyd and thanked the demonstrators who peacefully marched downtown following the vigil through a Monday news release. We understand your frustrations and feel them too, Roni LeForge, City of Carbondale public relations officer, said in the release. The City of Carbondale stands with you in sadness and solidarity. In response to the vandalism and burglaries Sunday night into Monday, LeForge said the city is committed to serving the people of Carbondale in a fair, equitable, and respectful manner but cannot accept vandalism and burglary, or acts of violence that compromise the safety of our community. She asks residents to remain calm during this chaotic time and the city understands citizens needs to demonstrate but they encourage everyone to do so responsibly and peacefully. Local organizers and members of the Black Lives Matter movement also denounced the burglaries and vandalism throughout the night saying, in part, any actions taken by vigilantes after the protest were in no way affiliated with the vigil and march centered in Turley Park. A non-violent approach was maintained before, during, and after each gathering surrounding the BLM and #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd movement, the Black Lives Matter Carbondale statement said. As America continues to see its major cities destroyed by looting, radical rioters, and racial extremists, we in no way stand for the destruction of residences/businesses in the Carbondale community." When asked about details regarding the burglaries, vandalism and the role of the police department during the peace demonstrations, Jeff Grubbs, Carbondale chief of police, declined to comment. Randy Mathis, City of Carbondale community resource officer, said questions would need to be forwarded to LeForge. Carbondale Mayor Mike Henry, responding to the questions, said there doesnt seem to be a correlation between the burglaries and the demonstrations. We think we had some other people trying to take advantage of the situation, Henry said. Our crime scene investigators have been out since early this morning working the scenes and hopefully will come up with enough evidence to track some folks down." The mayor added there have not yet been any individuals detained in relation to the overnight vandalism and burglaries. The City of Carbondale Police Department is investigating the burglaries and anyone with information is encouraged to contact the City of Carbondale Police Department at 618-457-3200. Southern Illinoisans hold demonstrations in response to George Floyd's death Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 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. BEIJING Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD will supply EV batteries to U.S. automaker Ford, a document on the website of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed on Monday. Ford's China venture with Changan Automobile is seeking government approval to build a plug-in hybrid model equipped with BYD's batteries, according to the document. This marks BYD's first-known battery supply deal with a major global automaker. Shenzhen-based BYD, which is backed by U.S. investor Warren Buffett, said it would supply EV components including batteries and power management devices. The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker said last year it planned to launch more than 30 new or significantly redesigned models in China by the end of 2021, of which over a third will be electric vehicles. Ford and BYD did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Related Video: Click here to See Video >> DETROIT, MI Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said that protestors arrested during the unrest in his city over the weekend came from as far away as Nashville, Tennessee. Duggan condemned the actions of those who came to cause trouble while saying he believes the vast majority of protesters that turned out over the weekend were there with good intentions. "think about the person that drove up from Nashville Tennessee, more than 500 miles, Duggan said. How many police departments are within 500 miles of Nashville that have a whole lot more troubled history than anything here? Is the motive really for justice and law enforcement or is it something else?" FOX-2 Detroit reports that on Friday, Duggan said 65% of people who were arrested were not residents of Detroit. On Saturday, 75% of those arrested also did not live in the city. Over 100 arrests were made Sunday, most of those people also coming from outside the city. Residents of Midland, Port Huron, Saline, Shelby Township, Piqua, and Ohio were among those arrested during the protests, according to FOX-2 Detroit. There is a small group of people operating here who are intent on initiating destruction and violence. Duggan said. They are very well organized with walkie-talkies and commands. Theyve got supply vehicles bringing them rocks and bottles and fireworks to shoot at the police. Duggan said that when the city starts seeing higher levels of arrests from outside the city and the state that I have to act. More on MLive: Detroit George Floyd police brutality protest turns violent as police fire tear gas, rubber bullets Flint-area police join protesters marching to seek justice for George Floyd Peaceful protest in Grand Rapids devolves into riot, looting and fires MLive photographer among journalists fired upon with pellets by Detroit police officer during protest coverage Man shot and killed, dozens arrested as 1,500-strong Detroit protest over George Floyd death turns violent Protesters gather Saturday in the Fairfax District. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) As protesters both peaceful and violent took to the streets across Los Angeles County over the weekend to decry the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, new concerns of a possible resurgence in coronavirus cases have emerged. Public health officials continued to warn that the virus has not changed, despite eased restrictions allowing some businesses to reopen. Political protests of up to 100 people are one of two types of mass gatherings allowed under the states updated shelter-in-place order and are also permitted under L.A. Countys latest guidance. But its still unclear how such gatherings could affect the transmission rate of COVID-19. The weekend saw thousands gathered in places like Fairfax Avenue and downtown Santa Monica, both of which were the sites of widespread looting. The coronavirus has claimed the lives of more than 2,300 people and has infected more than 55,000 in Los Angeles County, numbers that account for the bulk of California's infections. County officials on Monday reported 22 additional deaths, including a pregnant woman who had tested positive for the virus and had underlying health issues and a person who was incarcerated in a jail facility. Both deaths are the first of their kind in the county related to the coronavirus, health officials said. Officials also reported an additional 978 cases. Over the weekend, 73 deaths and more than 3,511 cases were recorded. Statewide, the total number of confirmed cases was approaching 113,000 on Monday, with nearly 4,200 deaths. Black communities continue to bear the brunt of the virus impact. The disease has devastated the lives of black people at a higher rate than most other races, accounting for a disproportionate number of deaths, and has placed an incredible economic toll on workers who have lost jobs and hours. It's impossible not to connect this fact with the current protests and outrage, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Monday. She pointed to racism and unequal access to healthcare as a root case of the inequities that put a larger strain on minority communities, noting that the health issues in the black community can be attributed to a "lifetime of stress" connected with oppression and daily fears. Story continues "When I report each week that we have seen elevated numbers of black deaths in this county due to COVID-19, I am reporting on the consequences of these long-standing inequities," she said. Ferrer reminded residents and protesters to wear face coverings and maintain social distancing as much as possible during demonstrations. While the county has seen modest improvements in the fight against the virus, it remains to be seen whether a new upward curve will occur in the coming weeks as more restrictions are eased and in the wake of the disturbances over the weekend. "Im always worried about a surge," Ferrer said. The county declared a state of emergency late Saturday night as violence erupted after a day of protests. The previous day, officials had announced that hair salons, barbershops and restaurants could fully reopen for the first time since the start of the pandemic. A countywide curfew was imposed Sunday, forcing many businesses to close early, some of whom had just reopened. The 6 p.m.-6 a.m. lockdown was extended Monday for a second day. This emergency comes as we are in the midst of battling another emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This taxes our resources, but not our resolve, Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a statement. We will do everything in our power to keep our communities safe and protect lives and property. I continue to call on our residents to maintain calm and seek solutions productively, not destructively. Gov. Gavin Newsom echoed the sentiment Monday, calling racism "a stain on the history of this country that we have concealed." "We have never dealt with it," he said, noting his support for those protesting peacefully. While officials continue to encourage residents to get tested for COVID-19, several testing sites were closed Monday across the county in the wake of protests. Los Angeles County is in the midst of fighting an unprecedented pandemic while also facing a State of Emergency that impacts public safety, L.A. County Department of Health Services Director Christina Ghaly said. "Public health remains a key concern, and testing remains a priority as we continue to battle the coronavirus. We need to ensure our testing sites are safe for both patients and staff." In the city of Los Angeles, testing at Dodger Stadium and Kedren Community Health Center will continue, while other locations are closed. "We expect to reopen all test centers on Tuesday, June 2, 2020," the city posted on its website. To date, more than 598,000 of the county's 10 million residents have been checked for the virus. Of those, 8% of people have tested positive. Times staff writer Kailyn Brown contributed to this report. TORONTO, CANADA / ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2020 / Route1 Inc. (ROIUF) and (ROI.V) (the "Company" or "Route1"), an advanced North American provider of data-centric business empowerment solutions, today reported that its wholly owned subsidiary, PCS Mobile, was awarded a three-year contract with seven, one-year contract renewal option years by the State of California. The contract is to provide the State of California's officers with a state-of-the-art Automatic License Plate Recognition ("ALPR") system that will enhance officer safety and significantly improve operations. Route1's ALPR system partner for this contract is Genetec AutoVu TM. Route1 was awarded the contract based on compliance to solicitation requirements and low cost. Over a period of four days, Route1 and Genetec worked with the State of California and the California Highway Patrol ("CHP") at their headquarters located in West Sacramento to test AutoVu. Tests were conducted using standard law enforcement patrol units and considered the following parameters: (a) low and high speeds read capability, (b) daytime data capture and, even more critically, at night, and (c) demonstration of the AutoVu system's ability to quickly and correctly identify stolen vehicles, amber alert- related vehicles and other vehicles of interest. Route1, working with Genetec and the State of California, successfully demonstrated the AutoVu system's ability to capture plate reads at speeds in excess of 100 MPH accurately and efficiently. Using Genetec's Security Center, California and other agencies can access critical data and analytics which can then be rapidly shared among officers as well as partner agencies. This data is not shared with a third-party agency without explicit permission from CHP and in no situation is the data sold or used by Genetec or Route1 for marketing purposes. Tony Busseri, Route1's CEO stated, "This opportunity allows Route1's subsidiary, PCS Mobile, and the California Highway Patrol to work together throughout the State of California, deploying a cutting-edge ALPR solution that will provide superior investigative and enforcement outcomes for our clients. Agencies throughout the State of California and others can also take advantage of this partnership to purchase ALPR systems for their agencies. In support of making this partnership accessible to statewide and other law enforcement agencies, PCS Mobile is providing a complete catalog of installation, support services and accessories for those agencies that utilize the contract, as well as trade-in capabilities to upgrade to the AutoVu system from their existing ALPR technology. Story continues Route1 and Genetec Route1's wholly owned subsidiary PCS Mobile has been successful as a premier partner for Genetec AutoVu for more than five years in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington. In January 2020, PCS Mobile was named the "Genetec AutoVu Premier Partner of the Year - North America". Genetec AutoVu The Genetec AutoVu automatic license plate recognition system automates license plate reading and identification, making it easier for law enforcement and for municipal and commercial organizations to locate vehicles of interest and enforce parking restrictions. Designed for both fixed and mobile installations, the AutoVu system is ideal for a variety of applications and entities, including law enforcement, municipal, and commercial organizations. About Route1 Inc. Route1 Inc., also operating under the tradenames GroupMobile and PCS Mobile, is an advanced North American technology company that empowers their clients with data-centric solutions necessary to drive greater profitability, improve operational efficiency and gain sustainable competitive advantages, while always emphasizing a strong cybersecurity and information assurance posture. Route1 delivers exceptional client outcomes through real-time secure delivery of actionable intelligence to decision makers, whether it be in a manufacturing plant, in-theater or in a university parking lot. Route1 is listed on the OTCQB in the United States under the symbol ROIUF and in Canada on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ROI. For more information, visit: www.route1.com. For More Information, Contact: Tony Busseri Chief Executive Officer +1 416 509 1496 tony.busseri@route1.com This news release, required by applicable Canadian laws, does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. 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. 2020 Route1 Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, transmitted, or otherwise used in whole or in part or by any means without prior written consent of Route1 Inc. See https://www.route1.com/terms-of-use/ for notice of Route1's intellectual property. This news release may contain statements that are not current or historical factual statements that may constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain factors and assumptions, including, price and liquidity of the common shares, expected financial performance, business prospects, technological developments, and development activities and like matters. While Route1 considers these factors and assumptions to be reasonable, based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the risk factors described in reporting documents filed by the Company. Actual results could differ materially from those projected as a result of these and other risks and should not be relied upon as a prediction of future events. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. Estimates used in this presentation are from Company sources. Past performance is not guarantee of future performance and readers should not rely on historical results as an indication of future results. SOURCE: Route1 Inc. View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/592111/Route1-Wins-State-of-California-Department-of-General-Services-LPR-Contract A beloved pet cat missing for ten years has been reunited with her owner after ten years roaming the streets of Melbourne. Georgia Tsatsaris, 54, last saw her Birman cat, Mishka, when she put her into her outdoor enclosure in Chadstone in the city's southeast in 2010. But when she returned home that night her cat was nowhere to be found. After being missing for ten years Mishka the Birman cat (pictured) was finally reunited with her owner after a construction worker rescued her from the streets Mishka's owner Georgia Tsatsaris (pictured) last saw her cat in 2010 before she went missing, Miss Tsatsaris never gave up hope she would see her beloved pet again one day Last Friday, ten years later, Miss Tsatsaris was contacted by the Peninsula Vet Referral Hospital in Mornington and told Mishka had been found. The Birman cat was rescued by a construction worker who'd seen her hanging around his work site in Port Melbourne. After the cat finally let the construction worker pick her up he could tell she was in need of help so he called the vet. After checking Mishka for an ID chip the vet called Miss Tsatsaris with the good news. She rushed to the vet and as soon as she walked in and saw her long-lost cat she broke down with relief. 'When I saw her looking so defeated and bony, I just broke down. She doesn't look anything like she used to and I couldn't even pick her up, she was so emaciated,' she told the Herald Sun. 'I have no idea what she's been through which breaks my heart but when I went to see her for the first time, I said her name and she let out a soft meow as she curled up to me and rubbed her face against my cheek.' Miss Tsatsaris broke down when she saw Mishka (pictured) for the first time in a decade but was told the cat was in the process of dying if she did not get immediate medical attention In the decade since she'd last seen her cat Miss Tsatsaris had gone through a divorce and left the Chadstone home for Karingal - 40 kilometres away. In a tragic twist, Miss Tsatsaris was told Mishka was in bad health and could die if she wasn't given immediate medical attention. Mishka came to the vet dehydrated, emaciated, and with a severe upper respiratory infection. Miss Tsatsaris took to GoFundMe in a bid to raise the money needed to save Mishka. 'She has been living on the streets for a very long time and now she requires 24 hour care to fight the infection and to gain weight to finally come back home,' she wrote. 'To live her remaining years in a warm, loving home. 'She's been fighting to stay alive but each day she's getting stronger.' New Delhi: A 27-year-old Indian security researcher Bhavuk Jain has grabbed $100,000 (over Rs 75.5 lakh) from Apple for discovering a now-patched Zero Day vulnerability in the Sign in with Apple account authentication. The Zero Day vulnerability could have allowed a hacker to break into an Apple user's account who log into third-party apps like like Dropbox, Spotify, Airbnb and Giphy (now acquired by Facebook) and more. Jain who holds a bachelor's degree in electronics and communication discovered Zero Day bug in iSign in with Apple' that affected third-party applications which were using it, and didn't implement their own additional security measures. "This bug could have resulted in a full account takeover of user accounts on that third party application irrespective of a victim having a valid Apple ID or not," Jain said in a statement on Saturday. "For this vulnerability, I was paid $100,000 by Apple under their Apple Security Bounty programme," he announced. Jain is a full-stack developer interested mostly in mobile app development using React Native. He is currently a full-time bug bounty hunter "trying to make the internet a safer place for everyone". Launched in 2019, iSign in with Apple' is aimed to be a more privacy-focused alternative to third-party logins. Jain disclosed the flaw to Apple which led to an award from Apple's bug bounty programme. Apple has since patched the bug. According to Jain, the iSign in with Apple' works similarly to iOAuth 2.0'. "There are two possible ways to authenticate a user by either using a JWT (JSON Web Token) or a code generated by the Apple server. The code is then used to generate a JWT," he explained. In the second step, while authorizing, Apple gives an option to a user to either share the Apple Email ID with the third party app or not. If the user decides to hide the Email ID, Apple generates its own user-specific Apple relay Email ID. "Depending upon the user selection, after successful authorization, Apple creates a JWT which contains this email ID which is then used by the 3rd party app to login a user," said Jain. He found that he could request JWTs for any email ID from Apple and when the signature of these tokens was verified using Apple's public key, they showed as valid. "This means an attacker could forge a JWT by linking any Email ID to it and gaining access to the victim's account," Jain noted. The impact of this vulnerability was quite critical as it could have allowed full account takeover. A lot of developers have integrated Sign in with Apple since it is mandatory for applications that support other social logins. Before patching the bug, Apple did an investigation of their logs and determined there was no misuse or account compromise due to this vulnerability. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The city of Midland Health Department is currently conducting its investigation on three new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Midland County, bringing the overall case count to 132. The 130th confirmed case is a male in his 30s who was tested by Midland Health. He is currently self-isolating at home. The source of exposure is community acquired. MEXICO CITY - Mexico on Monday lifted a 70-day coronavirus lockdown, but the federal and local governments replaced it with a contradictory patchwork of measures as the country struggles to contain the outbreak. The nation's coronavirus czar, Hugo Lopez-Gatell, took a hard line, saying that federal guidelines on opening businesses would barely budge. Only a few industries - construction, auto manufacturing and mining - would be added to the list of "essential" businesses allowed to operate, he said. "It's vital that society understands that the danger continues," he said. But several governors defied the federal government's orders, allowing shops and hotels in their states to open at least partially. Meanwhile, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador resumed his travel around the country with a visit to the Caribbean coast. "We have to enter a new normality," Lopez Obrador told a news conference. "Our national economy, the well-being of our people need this." Mexico has confirmed nearly 10,000 deaths directly linked to coronavirus, with an unknown number of other people perishing without a test. The Mexico City region has been hit hardest. Lopez-Gatell says it's starting to show signs of a decline in cases, but some scientists believe deaths could continue at elevated levels for weeks. Mexico has suffered the second most coronavirus fatalities in Latin America, after Brazil, whose president, Jair Bolsonaro, has been a global outlier in downplaying the threat. Jesus Silva-Herzog Marquez, a political scientist at the Tecnologico de Monterrey, said Lopez Obrador had failed to establish a coordinated national policy. "He's far from the terrible denialism of Bolsonaro and the brutal lack of responsibility of Donald Trump," he said. But "he's a politician who hasn't managed to fit together the pieces of his strategy." The Mexican leader initially appeared to minimize the coronavirus threat, holding crowded rallies and saying he was protected by religious tokens. He then largely turned over management of the pandemic to Lopez-Gatell, a respected epidemiologist and senior Health Ministry official. On March 23, Mexico ordered businesses, government offices and schools to shut down. Several governors broke with the federal government's strategy from the start, saying it was too lax and imposing quarantines earlier. On Monday, some went in the opposite direction. In the northern state of Nuevo Leon, officials allowed beer factories, hotels and shopping centers to resume some operations. In the western state of Nayarit, authorities permitted car dealerships, clothing stores and paint stores to operate at 30% capacity. "Our state can't survive being paralyzed any longer," said Enrique Alfaro, the governor of the western state of Jalisco, which plans to open its businesses gradually. Several governors cited economic concerns for reopening. In the face of the coronavirus, Lopez Obrador has adopted one of the smallest stimulus packages of any country in Latin America, saying he wanted to avoid debt. "Lopez Obrador's government is not crafting an economic strategy to protect jobs and businesses," said Jose Antonio Crespo, a political scientist at the Center for Research and Economic Policy. "So many governors say, 'I will.' " Mexico's government has come under pressure not only from businesses and the unemployed - nearly 1 million people have lost jobs amid the country's outbreak - but from the Trump administration. Mexico was more aggressive in shutting down some industries than in the United States, leading to shortages of parts for U.S. auto and aerospace manufacturers. By Monday, officials said, more than 5,000 manufacturers of cars or transportation equipment had applied to reopen. Authorities announced weeks ago that the lockdown would be terminated at the end of May. They appear to have underestimated how punishing the coronavirus would be. A month ago, Lopez-Gatell predicted Mexico would suffer 6,000 deaths nationwide. Officials now believe the country's outbreak will probably not be a single, cataclysmic event. Instead, they say, outbreaks are likely to surge in different parts of the country at different times, as they have in the United States. So the federal government has switched to a traffic light system in which states are labeled red, orange, yellow, or green As of Monday, all but one state was red. Zacatecas was orange - some nonessential businesses and public spaces may reopen, but most restrictions remain in place. Some jurisdictions added stricter measures. The mayor 0f Mexico City ordered residents to wear face masks in public. Men were advised to get rid of beards or mustaches, out of concern they could trap the virus. While many Mexicans remained at home, Lopez Obrador was on his first domestic trip in two months. He plans to spend several days in the Yucatan Peninsula, promoting construction of his Mayan train project to link popular attractions and boost tourism and jobs. He has said he'll avoid crowds. The president has been widely criticized for traveling amid a raging outbreak. "It doesn't seem to be a very coherent message," Silva-Herzog Marquez said. MBABANE The resuscitating of the Ngwenya Iron Ore Mine can be a major export boost for Eswatini. This past Friday, this publication reported about plans to resuscitate the Ngwenya Iron Ore Mine. The mine is expected to be operational again after it closed following the liquidation of SG Iron Ore Mining Pty Ltd in 2014, which was popularly known as Salgaocar. Vuka Lilanga Minerals Ltd, which has been identified as the investor in the proposed reopening of the mine, has prepared an Environmental Audit Report in a bid to usher in the project. In the report, there is a section on Eswatini economy impact by the project. The Central Bank of Eswatini reported that the Ngwenya Iron Ore Mine contributed significantly to minerals exports during its operations. Operation At the height of its operation in 2012, it also almost single-handedly contributed E1 billion Emalangeni to Eswatini exports in this sector. There unfortunately has been no activity to substitute this contribution as can be seen in the period following the mines closure in 2014. This gap in the economy is the prevailing status quo. Iron ore production, which commenced in the last quarter of 2011, recorded a 22 per cent increase to 1.26 million metric tonnes in 2013 from 1.03 million metric tons in 2012. The iron ore mining company invested a sum of E300 million in 2012 and 2013 commissioning a treatment plant and grinding plant that was aimed at improving its product quality. The completion of the two plants resulted in more iron (and less waste) extracted and transported compared to the previous year when the project was initiated. The improvement in quality significantly enhanced the value of sales of iron ore. Extracts worth E558.6 million were exported to Mainland China in 2013 compared to E393.7 million exported in 2012, reads the report. According to the report, weak global demand and oversupply kept minerals prices on a downward trend in 2015. Due to the drastic fall in minerals prices particularly iron ore prices, production was terminated in September 2014 and it remained closed. It is estimated that the closure of the iron ore mine resulted in an average loss of at least E400 million worth of revenue in 2016 alone and this figure is projected to have increased over the years Meanwhile, a mining licence was granted to Salgaocar Swaziland Pty Ltd (SSPL)in the year 2011 to reclaim the iron ore from the existing old dumps. However, with the declined mineral commodity prices especially the iron ore, the company went into liquidation in 2014.The project licence was awarded to the liquidated company for a period of seven years to reprocess the waste dumps to a quantum of 32 million tons generated by Anglo American. Permission Out of 32 million tons the previous operations processed 4 895 309 tons between Oct 2011 to Sep 2014. As a new approved investor, Vuka Lilanga Minerals has to be granted the mining licence included a mining lease together with all the necessary statutory permission transferred from SG Iron Ore Mining Pty Ltd to Vuka Lilanga Minerals Pty Ltd in order to resume the operations without any time delays. The liquidator will then clear all the debtors of the SG Iron Ore Mining Pty Ltd from the liquidation proceeds and Vuka Lilanga Minerals Pty Ltd will be free from any liabilities of the previous operator. The past operations liabilities inclusive of environmental liabilities lies with the liquidator. Vuka Lilanga Minerals Pty Ltd is committing a per cent of the cost of production as a budget to cater for the implementation of mitigation measures and all uprising environmental issues during the revival of the project. Guided Planet has emerged from stealth mode where it has been steadily growing over the last number of years. It gained over 300,000 members in its first year - making it the fastest growing global concierge platform. A hybrid messaging platform using AI, bots and automation along with an experienced team of concierges from around the world, Guided Planet can react to member requests in real time and instantaneously fulfill requests such as restaurant bookings, hotel reservations and access to tickets to events around the globe. Everything can be handled on the concierge app from simple information requests right through to buying tickets to your favorite sports events. For companies with existing apps, Guided Planet can seamlessly link into them to offer the service white labelled. "If the request is more complex it is then routed to an experienced member of our team who can deal directly with the member via chat," said Mark Wallis CTO with over 18 years in the tech sector. "We have been very happy with the reaction of the members to date," said Wallis. "The immediate gratification and cost savings we are able to offer make for a winning combination." The management team comprises seasoned entrepreneurs and executives experienced in the lifestyle management and tech sectors. Though tech focused and fast, the service is still highly personalized, with members able to select their preferences on what they would like to hear about. This ensures they are only getting promotions and offers on events that are relevant to them. With success rates of 97% of members first choices, Guided Planet has a lot to smile about. At the moment the service is B2B and B2B2C with global corporate companies. Many corporate clients need to offer an enhanced product package to their clients and lifestyle management is a perfect complement for banks, telecoms companies, airlines, hotels and even other online aggregators like Airbnb and Uber. "The key for many companies is to keep their customers transacting in multiple sectors under their brand," says Lisa Murray the CEO. "The demand for the service white labelled under their clients' brands is strong, we find it really drives brand loyalty for our clients." There is competition, American Express has its black card and Mastercard and other card providers offer discounts on hotels, flights, restaurants and other services. "They are mainly focused on the luxury market whereas we offer services to all demographics," says Murray. "Our platform allows for instant fulfillment and most of our competitors don't have our agility in that regard. They are still focused on email and phone support but people want to be able to do everything quickly nowadays using chat." Market research shows 78% of guests in hotels would rather chat message their hotel concierge from the convenience of the beach or the plane rather than waiting to be seen standing in line at a hotel desk. The market for concierge services is forecast to grow substantially as companies look to cut costs and tighten their belts while also offering broader services to entice customers. Outsourcing these services to Guided Planet allows for increased revenue, lower costs by an average of 75%, targeted offers to customers and a wealth of data on exactly what the customers need. "Time is our most precious commodity and we are able to give that back to customers," says Murray. Guided Planet is firmly in growth mode, principally focused on a brand and market share building phase. For more information please email [email protected] or visit www.guidedplanet.com. SOURCE Guided Planet Related Links https://www.guidedplanet.com SECRET footage of defence personnel training for a nuclear attack on Northern Ireland by the Soviet Union has come to light after more than 30 years. The 1989 recording shows men and women of the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) calmly plotting simulated atomic blasts using computers, maps and telephones at its Lisburn bunker HQ. It was given to Cold War buff Alastair McCann, who bought and restored an ROC bunker outside Portadown, one of more than 1,500 which were dotted across the United Kingdom. "It's quite revealing because it shows people so relaxed and going about everything while training for something they hoped would never occur," Alastair told Sunday Life. Some truly fantastic footage of 31 Group Headquarters in Lisburn recorded in the late 80's. Lots of familiar... Posted by Portadown Post on Saturday, May 16, 2020 "At one point someone says something about 'four megaton' - that's a four-megaton nuclear bomb that has been dropped and the equivalent of four million tons of TNT. "If a four-megaton bomb hit Belfast, you are talking about a blast wave that would not have stopped travelling in all directions until Culcavy, Larne, Ballywalter and places like that. "The way they are just plotting this on a board, it all just comes down to facts and figures when you have been doing the training for so long." Expand Close Royal Observer Corps at its Lisburn headquarters in 1989. Photo:C Woodhouse / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Royal Observer Corps at its Lisburn headquarters in 1989. Photo:C Woodhouse Alastair believes the film may have been made to be shown to potential ROC recruits but someone realised some of what was captured was not meant for public consumption. "There is equipment in that footage which was top secret, which shouldn't have been on video at all," said Alastair. "There's a piece of equipment called AWDREY (Atomic Weapon Detection Recognition and Estimation of Yield), there were 12 of those across the UK and it was definitely top secret, and yet there it is in all its glory." The ROC was a uniform civilian organisation formed just after the First World War to spot enemy aircraft, and proved themselves to be a vital part of the home defence forces during the Battle of Britain. But it wasn't until the Cold War came into being that Northern Ireland, known as 31 Group, got its own ROC units, with the first recruited in 1954 and its first HQ set up in east Belfast. "In 1959 they moved to their new headquarters inside Thiepval Barracks and from their underground bunker there they were in contact with 58 small nuclear bunkers across Northern Ireland," explained Alastair. Expand Close Royal Observer Corps at its Lisburn headquarters in 1989. Photo: C Woodhouse / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Royal Observer Corps at its Lisburn headquarters in 1989. Photo: C Woodhouse Although it was almost entirely made up of part-time members, it was a key arm of the UK's nuclear defence strategy until it was stood down in 1991. It's job was to collect information about the location and power of nuclear "bursts" and the spread of radioactive fallout during an attack on the UK. The ROC network was made up of regional bunkers, like the one in the footage, as well as the some 1,500 small monitoring posts housing two or three people. Based on information made public after the fall of the Soviet Union, it's believed as many as 10 warheads were targeted on Northern Ireland, each one hundreds of times more powerful than the bombs dropped on Japan. Exercises such as the one in the footage were conducted regularly, both internally among the British Armed Forces and civil authorities and right up to multi-national Nato-led mock wars with the USSR. "The crew you see (in the film) is Crew 2 at the headquarters, usually made up of about 30 people, with the entire ensemble around 150 people, split up into three groups," explained Alastair. "They took turns to operate the bunker but if they actually got the four-minute warning the headquarters would be locked and the crew there would be the one that stayed for the period of the nuclear exchange." But just because they were in a semi-sunken bunker away from Belfast doesn't mean they were certain to survive a Russian strike on Northern Ireland. "It would be far enough away from Belfast to survive but I imagine the Russians would have known enough about Thiepval Barracks to make it a target. "So, more than likely the barracks would have been destroyed and if it was a direct hit, either an air burst or a ground burst, it would have been completely obliterated. bleak "If they had survived a war, they would have been opening a blast door onto a world that would have been starkly different to the one they had left four weeks before. "The main places that would have been affected were Belfast, Lisburn, Armagh, Portadown, up around Derry/Londonderry would also have been hit." Military sites on the Russian target list would have included RAF Aldergrove, the early warning radar station at RAF Bishops Court near Downpatrick and the US Navy communication station at Derry port. Another definite target was RAF Ballykelly, near Derry, which was one of the dispersal points for the V bomber nuclear force. Atomic-armed Vulcans, Victors and Valiants would have been flown to the likes of Ballykelly before heading off to their targets behind the Iron Curtain. "In terms of survival, you're talking at least 70-80% of the population of Northern Ireland either dead or dying," explained Alastair. "When you put the pins on the map and figure the size of the warheads that would have been dropped, not much of Northern Ireland would have been missed. "For those who managed to get away from the fallout, probably to the west of the country, what would have there been left after a nuclear war? "Agriculture would have been decimated, cattle would have died and water contaminated, there would have been no power infrastructure or social order. "A very bleak picture forms. "The Royal Observer Corps training manual ends after the initial attack period - there's nothing after that page." You can view the footage on Alastair's Facebook page 'Portadown Post' along with more images of the ROC and Cold War locations across Northern Ireland. TULSA, Okla., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Encore Life, the only practitioner-exclusive professional grade Hemp supplement manufacturer, and WholeScripts, powered by XYMOGEN, the fastest growing supplier of nutritional supplements, have signed a partnership agreement naming Encore Life as the premier Hemp Extract product line offered via WholeScripts' sales channels. This partnership grants the companies' valued practitioner partners easier access to quality Hemp products through one single online platform, streamlining the order process and meeting increasing patient demand. The initial product release will include Encore Life's Broad-Spectrum PRO series oils, available in 750 mg, 1500 mg, and 3000 mg concentrations. "We're thrilled to have WholeScripts offer our professional grade Hemp products as our trusted partner. WholeScripts powered by XYMOGEN, is known for their top-quality nutritional supplements, and this partnership grants the practitioner and their patients complete confidence in the quality of their Hemp product purchase," said Sean DeWitt, CEO of Encore Life. "Encore Life is committed to only offering its innovative products through practitioners, exclusively, and given WholeScripts' shared vision it was an easy decision for our company." "Encore Life, a premier brand of Hemp supplements, was heavily requested by our physicians and representatives," said Mike Mahoney, Senior Vice President of WholeScripts. "Our team is extremely excited to be offering Encore Hemp supplements as one of our first brand partners at WholeScripts. Encore's support of the practitioner market, quality and purity makes them a great fit to continue our mission for a unique and secure practitioner relationship." About Encore Life Established in 2016, Encore Life focuses on innovative, professional grade Hemp Extract products and delivery modalities to ensure a unique and consistent patient experience. Encore uses USA grown, non-GMO, CO2 extracted Hemp oil in the manufacturing process to provide the purest products possible, available exclusively via healthcare practitioners. For more information about Encore Life, please visit www.myencore.life. About WholeScripts WholeScripts, a one-stop site for professional-grade nutritional and herbal supplements, is the fulfillment arm of XYMOGEN and the ONLY site where authentic XYMOGEN formulas can be ordered. Backed by exceptional customer service, WholeScripts offers unique user experiences tailored to both patients and practitioners. SOURCE Encore Life Related Links https://myencore.life Dave Blazek's job is to make you forget life for a few seconds and laugh. Through his syndicated comic, "Loose Parts," he offers quirky observations and absurd scenarios -- but lately, a pressing question has popped into his personal thought balloons as a daily gag cartoonist: Should he let "the new normal" of pandemic life in 2020 invade his strip's silly, sealed-off world? "I understand that the coronavirus -- and all that it has changed -- is tremendous fodder for ideas, and it certainly has the benefit of common experience that so many cartoons tap deep into," Blazek says. "But I just decided to not address it in 'Loose Parts.' " Instead, Blazek is among at least 70 cartoonists who plan to pay visual tribute to first responders and other essential workers in their print and online color art on Sunday. The coordinated "cartoon gratitude" campaign will feature a handful of icons embedded into the strips, to thank everyone from medical personnel (symbolized with a cartoon mask) to scientists (a microscope symbol) to teachers (an apple) to food workers (a fork). The idea began with "Baby Blues" co-creator Rick Kirkman, who contacted some of his fellow cartoonists about coordinating a campaign while sheltering in place. Kirkman's syndicate, King Features, and the National Cartoonists Society helped boost the initiative, as did Andrews McMeel Syndication. June 7 marks the weekend that the NCS was set to hold its Reuben Awards convention in Kansas City, Missouri; the event was canceled because of coronavirus-related concerns. Kirkman hopes readers will get into the spirit of the "big thank-you search" for symbols, like an "I Spy" game. "Each time they find one," he says, "it's a little vibe of gratitude for the people it represents." He hopes that feeling of gratitude in turn will spur readers to give to charities aiding people during the pandemic. Some of the cartoonists will cite specific charities in their comics, and participating strips (including "Mutts," "Rhymes With Orange," "Speed Bump" and "Pearls Before Swine") will be viewable online at ComicsKingdom.com and GoComics.com. In addition to the microscope, apple and fork, Blazek included a "hidden" cart (a nod to grocery workers) and a steering wheel symbol (for delivery and transportation workers) in his "Loose Parts" strip, which is distributed by The Washington Post Writers Group. For the Valley Forge, Pennsylvania-based cartoonist, thanking essential workers hits intensely close to home. Blazek's father-in-law, Ray Beach, died of covid-19 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and his daughter Olivia Blazek is a doctor doing her residency in Charlottesville, Virginia. "One of the more searing memories of my life will be watching my wife say her final goodbye to her dad over an iPhone held up by a nurse we never saw," Blazek says. "There was a part of my brain that was eminently aware that someone who knew none of us was holding that phone in silence." Blazek says he thinks not only about how difficult the pandemic is for patients and their families, but also about "how oddly disorienting it must be" for health-care workers, too." Kirkman says he feels a debt to people who are trying to save lives and keep essential services functioning. "But you can't go around and thank all of them personally and stuff money in their pockets," he says, so perhaps charity donations sparked by the comics will make a difference. Individuals who reside within the designated area and all healthcare workers will be able to gain access in the perimeter on all streets after providing identification or proof, it said. To ensure that all other essential workers have access to the central business district and Loop area, the city has communicated directly with essential industries, organizations and businesses that workers with vehicles can gain access at multiple established checkpoints across the city. 349pp, 699; Westland After decades of dispute, the Supreme Court has finally enabled the building of a Ram temple at the assumed place of birth of the Lord. This is good news, since it not only ends the sterile communal acrimony on this matter, but because a befitting temple for Rama in Ayodhya would be an appropriate way to inspire Hindus to the compassionate, caring, loving and benevolent persona that one of Indias most loved deities represents. However, Ram has been in the news for all the wrong reasons too. Illiterate bigots have weaponized the slogan Jai Shri Ram for wanton acts of violence, crime and hatred, which are anathema to what Ram actually stands for. These lumpen elements do not know that Ram is maryada purushottam, the epitome of rectitude, the touchstone of impeccable behaviour, the role model of the perfect human being, and the very incarnation of saumya rasa, harmonious equilibrium. In the face of the deliberate distortion of the image of Lord Ram, it is particularly imperative now for ordinary people to understand who he is and what he really stands for. This has been brought out in the most lyrical and exemplary manner by Tulsidas (1532-1623 CE) in his remarkable epic Ramcharitmanas. Based on the much earlier Sanskrit epic Ramayana (dated variously between fifth century BCE and the first century BCE) by Valmiki, the Ramcharitmanas is a shorter version of the same story, but with the inimitable stamp of Tulsis loftiness of mind and sheer poetic genius. Although shorter, it is nevertheless an epic, consisting of 12,800 lines divided into 1,073 stanzas, and seven kands or sections. Mahatma Gandhi regarded the Ramcharitmanas as the greatest book in all devotional literature. In north India, in particular, the Manas is equivalent to the Bible for most Hindus. The book also ranks among the greatest works of literature in the world. Given the great impact of the work, especially since it was consciously written not in Sanskrit but in Awadhi, the spoken and understood language of the masses, the historian Vincent Smith has called Tulsi the greatest man of his age in India, greater than even Akbar himself. The linguist Sir George Griffith has described him as the greatest leader of the people after the Buddha. 'Ramavataram', 1828. A lithograph from L'Inde Francais, 1828. From the collection of Jean Claude Carriere. (Print Collector/Getty Images) How does Tulsi profile Ram? For him, Rama is, in the words of the sage Valmiki, sab ke priya sab ke hitkari (beloved of all and loved by all). He is benevolence incarnate, chivalrous and valorous but always gentle and caring, compassionate towards the weak and the vulnerable, and magnanimous towards the enemy even when he chastises them for what is wrong. Countless examples can be given to illustrate this central message of Tulsi, but given the constraints of space I will mention only a few. In Tulsis famous stanza describing the birth of Rama, he writes in the very first line: Bhaye pragata kripala, deen dayala.. The birth of Rama, Tulsi says, heralded the one who is merciful, and who is eternally considerate to the weak and needy. Further on in this stanza, Tulsi describes Ram as karuna sukh sagar, sab guna aagar one who is the very reservoir of kindness and joy, and endowed with every auspicious attribute. He calls him also jana anuragi one for whom each member of the populace is beloved, and for whom he is equally so. When Rama meets Kaikeyi, one of Dashraths queens, who has conspired to unfairly deprive him of his kingdom and banish him to the forest for 14 years, he is not angry or vengeful. On the contrary, he is forgiving, polite, affectionate and the very picture of equanimity. Completely in conformity with his essential character of maryada purushottam, for which he is venerated by millions, he says to Kaikeyi: Suna Janani soi suta badbhagi, jo pitu maat bachan anuragi (Listen mother, that son is blessed who has the opportunity to lovingly obey his mother and father). Pavan K Varma (Courtesy Westland) It is most instructive too to understand Tulsis description of Ram Rajya, that social utopia that every devotee or bhakt of the Lord cherishes. Ram Rajya, Tulsi says, is a place where, Daihik daivik, bhautik tapa, Ram Rajya nahin kahuhi byapa, sab nar karahin paraspar priti, chalahin svadharma nirat shruti niti (None suffers from physical, spiritual or material disability, everyone lives with love and harmony, and each follows their religion peacefully). For the misguided who use the name of Rama to inflict violence and cruelty on others, it is essential that they actually understand what, according to Tulsi, are Rams views in this regard. The Lord himself sums up his conviction and in many ways illustrates the essence of Hindu religion when he tells his younger brother Bharat: Parahita saris dharam nahi bhai, parpida sam nahin athmai (The welfare of others is the greatest dharma, and injury to others the greatest sin). Read more: Review: Adi Shankaracharya - Hinduisms Greatest Thinker by Pavan K Varma The sincere purpose of this book is to bring selections of Tulsidas great ode to Ram to the largest number of readers in a readable, accessible and enjoyable form. The Ramcharitmanas is an epic. It is a brilliant literary work, scintillating from beginning till end. However, since it is an epic, and is written in Awadhi, not everybody may be able to in spite of their best intentions read it from beginning to end, or to comprehend the full meaning of the stanzas. Yet, it is too great a work of literary and spiritual value full of nuggets of sheer wisdom not to be read at all. The attempt, therefore, is to present a briefer version of the epic, with carefully chosen selections that reflect the best examples from my point of view of the greatness of Tulsis writings, and the inspiring profile of Lord Ram. Given the enormous richness of the material, the selection itself was a very onerous task. Along with the selections, translations in both Hindi and English are provided. These have been taken from the Gita Press, which stand out for their fidelity and linguistic quality. Finally, my commentary has been appended to each selection, so that the reader can assimilate not only the text, but also the context, background, characters, reasoning and meaning of the poets narrative. It is only when ordinary Indians realize the real values associated with maryada purushottam Ram, and that too from the pen of Tulsi, one of his most devoted bhakts, that we can genuinely say without the mutilating distortions Jai Shri Ram. Pavan K Varma is an author and politician. His latest book is The Greatest Ode to Lord Ram: Tulsidass Ramcharitmanas, published by Westland, March 2020. He is also the author of Adi Shankaracharya: Hinduisms Greatest Thinker. It is "Taoiseach or toast" for Micheal Martin over the coming fortnight. Things have finally come down to that rather unlovely conclusion as Martin prepares to conclude a three-cornered government deal, help sell it to not just his own foot soldiers, but also to those in the other two parties, and especially to Green Party members. The past almost decade has been tough and lonely for the man long ago dubbed at risk of becoming the first ever leader of the 'Soldiers of Destiny' to never have been Taoiseach. Read More Since January 2011, when he took on the daunting task of leading a party on the brink of extinction, he has come around many tough corners, faced down critics and doubters inside and outside his party, and twice bucked opinion pollsters, all to bring himself to the cusp of power. "A coalition deal is more likely than not at this stage. And again, it is odds on, though far from certain, that the membership will approve such a deal. What is far more uncertain is whether the Green Party membership will get the required two-thirds majority to approve it. We just don't know that." That is the prediction of a shrewd Fianna Fail veteran who was not always a top Micheal Martin fan. Green Party members often tell you that "policy not personality" is what counts in government and politics. In this writer's experience, many Green true-believers firmly believe that maxim. But the realpolitik is that in the coming weeks the Green Party's 2,700 members may decide the fate of not just their own leader, Eamon Ryan, but also that of Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin. It is yet another indicator of the truly pivotal position of the Green Party in Irish national politics. The Greens' current level of power may not be repeated in a political generation. Today marks day 114 since the General Election on Saturday, February 8. It is only 18 days since the three parties finally sat down to talk the difficult business of coalition-making. That level of delay is largely due to the reluctant and late arrival of the Green Party to the negotiating table on May 14. In fact the Green Party's 12 TDs agreed by qualified majority on May 11 to enter talks. But such was the preoccupation with resolving their own internal dilemmas that there was a further three days' delay to allow them prepare for negotiations proper. There is a certain credit due to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, who got over 98 years of sometimes visceral division born of a bloody civil war in 1922-23. On April 14, Martin made a joint announcement with Leo Varadkar that they would be entering coalition talks for a first ever in the State's history. Coronavirus preoccupations and other issues, not least the Green Party's deliberations, meant we almost overlooked a chunk of history in the making. As June kicks off today, it is clear that these coalition-making talks are headed for the business end with all the tough issues left to resolve. Three two-hour talk sessions today will focus on agriculture - a major stumbling bloc. Both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are still unclear about the Green Party's real commitment to getting agreement. The two traditional parties are aware that the head of the talks for the Greens, deputy leader Catherine Martin, is referring a large number of unresolved issues to the party leaders for final decision. "It was a masterstroke by Ryan putting her in as leader of the talks - assuming she wants a deal. But that is an assumption," said one Fianna Fail source. Micheal Martin will face a mountain of detail in the coming days with many hanging threads still to be knitted into the weave. In the meantime he faces a teleconference via Zoom with his party's ard comhairle on Friday as he seeks a modification in the rules to get approval for a postal ballot on any emerging deal. He had initially resisted a postal ballot, preferring consultation with the party's county councillors. He has latterly abandoned that idea, perhaps disabused by a level of resistance from those same councillors, but also forced by the reality that the Green Party is having a vote. Martin will be consoled to some degree that his bar is a simple majority. But he also knows that there is a lot of visceral opposition from Fianna Fail loyalists - and that opposition includes a great distaste for the idea of government-sharing not just with the Green Party, but also with their old Fine Gael foes. "There is a lot of opposition amongst Fianna Fail members about going in with either Fine Gael or the Greens. But the members are thinking with their hearts - not their heads - about this," one seasoned party activist told this writer in recent days. Martin will be building his arguments for his members based on acknowledging their visceral feelings of loyalty shown by years of past service to the organisation. He will be building his arguments to appeal to their heads about the lack of other options. Ironically, one argument by Fianna Fail coalition opponents: that this is all about Micheal Martin becoming Taoiseach, can in fact be inverted and turned to a positive. In some ways the trump sales card could be him becoming Taoiseach and restoring his party's fortunes by increased visibility and deft management of the upcoming crisis. But there is still the little detail of concluding a coalition deal in good order. Smart money is still on Micheal Martin becoming Taoiseach - but a wrong twist of fate could still make him political toast. Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and HarperCollins all confirmed that they will not be sending U.S. staff to the this year's Frankfurt Book Fair. The news came shortly after fair organizers revealed their latest plans to hold the event, plans that will combine in-person activities with online elements. "After careful consideration, and with the health and safety of our employees and industry colleagues foremost in mind, Simon & Schuster has decided that it will not attend the Frankfurt Book Fair this year," Adam Rothberg, senior v-p of corporate communications at Simon & Schuster, told PW. "We applaud the FBFs efforts to develop digital programs, and while we will not have a physical presence, our publishers, rights, and sales groups are very much looking forward to using other means to meet with their with their contacts in the international publishing community." On behalf of Macmillan, spokesperson Erin D. Coffey said, "We can confirm that Macmillan U.S. Trade will not be attending Frankfurt in person, but would consider virtual participation if options were available." Erin Crum, senior v-p of corporate communications at HarperCollins, told PW that "HarperCollins will not be taking a stand or sending representatives to the Frankfurt Book Fair this year as we are limiting business travel for the safety of our staff. It is wonderful that the Frankfurt Book Fair team is developing digital and virtual plans for both now and the future. We look forward to returning to Frankfurt, and to other book fairs, to meet with our international contacts in future years." In the Loop, where many businesses were among the first that encountered wide and devastating damage across the city, people began cleanup efforts. Chicago Loop Alliance President Michael Edwards said people have been eager to help their communities, and he offered advice on how to do so. By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) - A self-driving robot equipped with cameras and an LED screen greets visitors at the lobby in the headquarters of South Korea's largest mobile operator, checking their temperature, dispensing hand sanitiser and disinfecting the floor. "Please take part in social distancing," the white robot firmly but politely reminds three SK Telecom employees who stand chatting nearby. Corporate Korea has long been used robotics for tasks including manufacturing and cleaning, but the technology is getting a boost as more companies strive to reduce human contact amid coronavirus concerns. Having largely managed to contain an epidemic that infected more than 11,000 and killed 269, South Korea is transitioning from intensive social distancing towards what the government calls "distancing in daily life". The robot, developed jointly by SK Telecom <017670.KS> and Omron Electronics Korea, an industrial automation solution provider, transmits data to its server in real time, powered by the telecom company's fifth-generation (5G) technology. It sets off an alarm if anyone's temperature is over 37.5 Celsius (99.5 Fahrenheit), while using artificial intelligence (AI) to detect gatherings and advise people to disperse. Those not wearing a mask will be reminded to put one on. "The robot helps minimise people-to-people contact and reduce time that's taken for temperature checks at the entrance, and the AI technology raises accuracy," said Ra Kyhong-hwan, head of data business cooperation at SK Telecom and one of the developers. Armed with ultraviolet lamps and two disinfectant sprayers, the robot can disinfect 99% of 33 square metres (355 square feet) of surface area in 10 minutes, the company said. The developers added a function to hide faces mirrored in the screen to protect people's privacy, Ra said. "It felt a bit strange when I first saw the robot but I realise it can raise awareness about distancing and also improves accuracy in temperature checks," said Lim Yeon-june, an employee of SK Telecom. Story continues Smaller businesses and retailers are also eyeing robots. At a cafe in the central city of Daejeon, a robot takes orders, makes 60 different types of drinks and brings them to customers at their seats. At CJ CGV, South Korea's largest multiplex cinema chain, moviegoers can buy tickets, popcorns and parking vouchers through robots, which can also guide them to their seats or the bathroom. Last month, Woowa Brothers, the country's top food delivery app owner, began a pilot operation for a self-driving delivery robot that can move freely between floors of an office or apartment building. A customer can place an order through a QR code, and the robot, called Delitower, would pick up food from the restaurant or a delivery rider and bring it straight to the customer's location. "We've been testing delivery robots since last year and are seeking to adopt them at the offices, hotels and residential complexes as more people find robots to be useful amid the coronavirus outbreak and social distancing," an official at Woowa Brothers told Reuters. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by Daewoung Kim, Dogyun Kim and Chaeyoun Won; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine talked about the coronavirus and its impact on long-term care facilities, including nursing homes. About two-thirds of the states coronavirus deaths have occurred in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. In a press conference Monday, Levine said the state is working to update and rewrite its regulations on nursing homes. By their nature, nursing homes are more susceptible to the spread of illnesses such as COVID-19, Levine said. We recognized this virus could easily spread in nursing homes, Levine said. You can watch it here or via the Facebook Live below. June 1 COVID-19 Update Join us for the latest information on COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. Posted by Pennsylvania Department of Health on Monday, June 1, 2020 Levine said when there is an increase in cases in a given area, it can lead to more cases in long-term care facilities. She said nursing home residents who contracted the virus and were sent to a hospital were segregated from other residents when they returned to their nursing home. Levine was asked if it would have been better to have infected nursing home residents to avoid returning to their nursing home after their stay in the hospital ends. In response, Levine said the resident became infected in their nursing home in the first place. Levine also cited another reason those residents wont be barred from their nursing homes. Theres not that many other options, she said. Levine said some nursing homes have turned down assistance from the state. The health secretary speculated that some facilities have been wary of accepting the help for fear that it could lead to being cited for violations of state regulations. The state has sent 1,800 shipments of personal protective equipment to long-term care facilities. The state is implementing a plan to test every resident and employee of nursing homes. Levine said the number of infections and deaths in nursing homes has dropped recently. She said its important to protect workers from being exposed to the virus, so they dont take it into the nursing homes, since they can pass on the virus even if they arent experiencing symptoms. The Department of Health reported 356 new coronavirus cases Monday, raising the statewide total to 72,282. Across Pennsylvania, 5,567 deaths have been tied to COVID-19, including 12 new fatalities reported today. Statewide, 3,557 coronavirus deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, according to the health department. The department said 15,545 residents in long-term care facilities have contracted the virus, along with 2,663 employees. The number of new cases reported today is the lowest since March 25. In his remarks, Torres said the Department of Aging is working to support seniors as Pennsylvania continues to reopen. Currently, 57 of the states 67 counties have been lifted from the states stay-at-home order. The remaining counties, including the Philadelphia area, will be lifted from the order on Friday. Levine said there are no plans to delay allowing Philadelphia and its surrounding counties from entering the yellow phase due to the recent George Floyd protests. Levine said there are concerns about spreading of the virus in the protests. She said there is no specific spike that was seen tied to the protests in Harrisburg several weeks ago with those wishing to reopen the state. The health secretary said she didnt necessarily recommend that anyone at the weekends protests should be tested. She said it could be a good idea but since the incubation period is two to 14 days, those at the protests dont need to get tested immediately. If they have any symptoms, they absolutely should be tested, Levine said. Department of Aging Secretary Robert Torres also participated in the press conference. Torres said the aging department has engaged groups for the reopening of the Area Agency on Aging centers and resuming other services supporting seniors. He said the reopening of some centers may happen at a slower pace, based on local conditions. The aging secretary said seniors who need a meal or other assistance should contact their local Area Agency on Aging. The aging department received $3 million in federal emergency aid, some of which will be used to help seniors obtain technology to connect with families and loved ones. Levine was asked about recommendations on high school sports in the fall. She said there are discussions about guidance for high school sports and more information will come out next week. More from PennLive Whether youre voting by mail or in person, heres what you need to know for Tuesdays primary election Which states have the most confirmed coronavirus cases (6/1/2020): Where does Pa. stand? Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse vows better coordination of George Floyd protests, starting Monday night Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. UK Government faces Tory rebellion over plans for 'blanket' 14-day quarantine on arrivals The UK Government is facing a growing Conservative rebellion over its plans to impose a blanket 14-day quarantine on everybody who arrives in the UK. Former transport minister Theresa Villiers on Sunday night branded the proposals an over-reaction, amid anger from aviation firms and reports that more than 50 Tory MPs are urging a rethink. Home Secretary Priti Patel will this week lay the regulations in Parliament imposing the quarantine. It will see all international arrivals, including people from the UK returning, required to self-isolate for 14 days. Police will be given the power to carry out spot-checks and hand out fines to enforce the measures, which are set to come into force from June 8. But Conservative MPs and representatives of the aviation and tourism sectors have urged the Government to reconsider. Villiers, a former Cabinet minister, told the BBCs Westminster Hour that the quarantine rules should instead be targeted on flights from Covid hotspots. I think we really do need to find ways to ease travel between this country and other countries like Italy and Spain and France where not only are there important business connections but people do desperately want to be able to take their summer holiday, she said. The senior Conservative added: I appreciate why the Government is bringing in quarantine but I do think that applying it in a blanket way across the board is an over-reaction. And my understanding is that the Government is actively looking at air bridges and to try to target this requirement in a more focused way and I really hope theyre able to do that rather than bringing it in across the board. Huw Merriman, Conservative chair of the transport select committee, told The Telegraph: "Personally, I think its the wrong policy at this time and disproportionately impacts the economy. We should ditch blanket quarantine and self-distancing on planes and have different measures such as air bridges, compulsory PPE and temperature testing at airports." Fellow Conservative MP Henry Smith has formed a cross-party group to campaign on the issue, and told The Telegraph the Government should think again and listen to the growing groundswell of opinion against quarantine measures. Conservative MPs reported to be opposed to the quarantine include former ministers David Davis, Iain Duncan Smith, Nus Ghani and Steve Baker. As the changes will be made through a statutory instrument, the quarantine plan will not automatically go to a vote when it is laid before Parliament on Tuesday. But Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle could decide that the issue is contentious enough to merit a debate. The Tory concern over the proposals came as the International Air Transport Association (Iata) published research showing that Brits are relatively keen to travel again. The study found that 48 percent of the public would be willing to travel within a month or two of the Covid-19 threat being controlled - above the international average. Simon McNamara, UK and Ireland country manage at Iata, said: As the concern about Covid-19 recedes, if the quarantine is still in place people are not going to travel. He added: Governments seem to have a stark choice. They cannot pretend that quarantine enables their international travel markets to open up, because the evidence is quite simply not there. If they persist with quarantine it is effectively the same as locking down your country. And Tim Alderslade of Airlines UK said: The quarantine will destroy jobs and put back the recovery at the exact time that other countries are opening up their borders. It is just about the worst thing they could do if the aim is to restart the economy and get aviation and tourism moving again. A government spokesperson said: These cross-government public health measures are designed to keep the transmission rate down, stop new cases being brought in from abroad and help prevent a devastating second wave of coronavirus. All of our decisions have been based on the latest scientific evidence. By Express News Service CHIKKAMAGALURU: An ASHA worker from Sringeri, Chikkamagaluru district, on Covid duty was allegedly sexually assaulted by a youth. She described the incident on social media. I was returning home when a youth blocked my path and tried to assault me. He dragged me forcibly, but I managed to escape and get home, she said. The womans husband was out of town at the time, and only after he returned did the couple file a complaint at Sringeri police station. Photo: (Photo : Photo from Twitter) Curtis Rogers, 7-year-old, was quick on his feet when he learned that his nanny, Rachel Chapman, was sad for not having a Senior Prom. Curtis immediately thought of throwing a prom for his nanny at their backyard. Chapman is a senior at Sanderson High School in North Carolina. Due to the coronavirus, Rachel's prom got canceled, just like the other school activities. Curtis' mom uploaded photos and videos of the mini prom that his son threw. Chapman has been a nanny for this amazing kid for over a year. When Curtis realized she wouldn't have a senior prom, he wanted to throw her one. He planned a socially distant prom, complete with dancing & her favorite foods. @ABC11_WTVD #bestpromever #SomeGoodNews pic.twitter.com/8T8LY3DQZw My daughter has been a nanny for this amazing kid for over a year. When he realized she wouldnt have a senior prom, he wanted to throw her one. He planned a socially distant prom, complete with dancing & her favorite foods. @somegoodnews Becky Chapman (@bhchapman) May 26, 2020 READ ALSO: Oprah Winfrey, Barrack Obama, Other Celebrity Parents Recognize 2020 Virtual Graduates The 7-year-old planned every detail. Before the big night, Curtis invited his nanny through his version of a "promposal." When Rachel came home from the Class of 2020 parade in their neighborhood, she was welcomed by Curtis with a sign that says, "Mini Prom isn't today, but will you go on Monday?" READ ALSO: Graduates Tested Positive For COVID-19 After A Drive-By Graduation in Atlanta The message on the sign was also Curtis' idea. He wanted to make sure Rachel was going to say to his invitation, and she did. Curtis also chose his outfit, which he made sure would match his nanny's. To make it even sweeter, Curtis prepared all of Rachel's favorite food: apples and peanut butter for the appetizer, Chick-fil-A for dinner, and Tropical smoothies as dessert. Rachel finds this gesture sweet, mainly because Curtis remembered it all. Aside from those, the songs played are all of Rachel's favorite too. The 7-year-old made sure it was a socially-distanced prom for her nanny. Since strict protocols on social distancing are still observed, Curtis and Rogers also kept a safe distance from each other. When Curtis welcomed Rachel, he has was at the end of a pool noodle. Rachel stayed on the other end so that they are not too near to each other. At the dinner table, the two were at the opposite ends of the table. They also danced while standing at the two ends of the pool noodle. Nonetheless, Rachel enjoyed her mini prom. READ ALSO: Class of 2020 Alternative Graduations: Drive-in, Virtual, and Other Socially Distanced Ceremonies The 7-year-old says Rachel is one of the best persons in his life. In an interview with ABC11, Curtis said he planned the mini prom because he thinks that Rachel probably wants to see him. Since the pandemic struck, the two have not seen each other for two months. Also, Curtis considers Rachel as one of the best people he has known. Curtis' Mom, Elissa, says that Curtis and Rachel have been bonding so much before the pandemic. Elissa even thinks that Rachel has become a special part of their family. She says, "So, Rachel's like the best nanny ever." How did the 7-year-old's nanny, Rachel, react? From the "promposal" to the minute details of the party that the 7-year-old Curtis prepared, Rachel is stunned. She said that she saw how much effort Curtis has put in everything in the mini prom. Although before coming to the party, Rachel was a little sad putting on her dress. Prom was something she looked forward to attending, and because it was canceled, she was so disappointed. However, when Rachel came home from the prom that Curtis threw, she is very thankful for the gesture of the 7-year-old. "I'm just really glad that he did that," Rachel said. Chapman plans to attend East Carolina University this coming fall. READ ALSO: Deciding During The Pandemic: Is Going to College Worthwhile? Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:46:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People wearing face masks shop at a bazaar in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan on June 2, 2020. The Islamabad district administration has announced to impose a fine of up to 3,000 rupees (about 18 U.S. dollars) on people for not wearing face masks at public places, in a bid to control the spread of COVID-19, the Pakistani capital's deputy commissioner (DC) said Monday. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) ISLAMABAD, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The Islamabad district administration has announced to impose a fine of up to 3,000 rupees (about 18 U.S. dollars) on people for not wearing face masks at public places, in a bid to control the spread of COVID-19, the Pakistani capital's deputy commissioner (DC) said Monday. Wearing mask was already mandatory for the employees of factories, shopping malls and other stores ever since they were allowed to operate after ease in lockdown by the government last month, but now it is also mandatory for the general public under the directives of the health ministry, DC Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat told Xinhua. Earlier on Saturday, Special Assistant to the Pakistani Prime Minister on Health Zafar Mirza said that the government has made it mandatory for general public to wear masks in mosques, markets, shopping malls, on public transport, trains and commercial flights, and in other crowded areas to avoid the spread of the disease. The DC said that initially an awareness campaign will be launched for which special teams have been formed, which will visit the city on daily basis and tell those who are not wearing masks to follow the rules, and after a few days fine will be imposed on those who do not cooperate with the authorities and keep on ignoring the directives of the government. Shafqaat said that health experts have told them that the virus transmission can be stopped by 75 percent by wearing masks, and they are hopeful to control the spread of the virus by encouraging people to adopt it as their lifestyle. The number of COVID-19 cases is at rise in the country including in the capital. A sharp surge in the number of disease infected people has been witnessed since the ease in lockdown by the government. According to data released by the country's health ministry on Monday, 72,460 people have been tested positive of the disease and 1,543 died of it. Islamabad has reported a total of 2,589 cases, and according to hospital sources, most of the patients in the capital are being quarantined at their homes due to their stable condition. By PTI MUMBAI: On a day his government granted a slew of relaxations in non-containment zones while extending the latest lockdown till June 30, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said people should tread cautiously while beginning the "new life". In his televised address to the state, the CM said the "Mission Begin Again", the nomenclature chose by the state government for the fifth phase of the lockdown which it extended till June 30, is aimed at restarting lives again. "The permission for outdoor physical activities, opening of shops and markets, offices is a trial to check on how we should move forward, but we should tread cautiously. Lockdown should now be thrown into dustbin," he said. He said if lockdown is science, lifting it is an art. Thackeray likened the "Mission begin again" to walking in heavy rains with people holding their hands and walking carefully. "But even as we begin afresh, we have to take cautious steps," he said. ALSO READ | Inter-state travel from Maharashtra remains banned with exceptions Under "Mission Begin Again", all markets, market areas and shops, except malls, will be allowed to open from June 5 on the odd-even basis in non-containment zones across Maharashtra. However, religious places, shopping malls, hotels and restaurants will continue to remain closed. Thackeray also said the prevailing situation is not conducive to allow holding of the final year university exams. "Aggregate Marks of semester exams will be taken and students will be given marks," he said. "I held talks with vice-chancellors. I may be the CM and they may be vice-chancellors but we all are also parents. We cannot let our children suffer. Those students who feel they could have done better if they had appeared for the final year exams, they will be given a chance when the situation normalises," he said. The state government is more keen to ensure that the academic year starts on time in June than re-opening schools. "Schools in rural areas where there is no pandemic spread can start whereas in cities online education can be given priority," he said. The CM also said that doorstep distribution of newspapers will be allowed from June 7. Delivery of newspapers was banned in Mumbai and Pune. He further said the state government's consistent focus since the last two months has been on curbing the pandemic. ALSO READ | Maharashtra allows conditional film shoot in non-containment zones "Ramping up the number of laboratories and testing will be priority," he said, adding that 28,000 of 65,000 COVID-19 patients in the state have recovered and discharged. Maharashtra's COVID-19 case count as on May 31 stands at 67,655 with 2,286 deaths, mainly fuelled by Mumbai's case count of 39,686 and 1,279 fatalities, which is the highest in the country. Thackeray listed health and education as the priority areas for his government, saying the COVID-19 pandemic has also taught positive lessons. Taking a swipe at the Opposition, the CM said he felt bad that attempts are being made to "malign" the image of the state. Referring to speculations about a survival threat to his tripartite government, Thackeray, who heads the Shiv Sena, said he wasn't worried since people are backing the ruling dispensation. Meanwhile, he also appealed to fishermen to not venture into the Arabian sea following the Met department's observation of a brewing cyclonic storm that could hit the coasts of Maharashtra and Gujarat by June 3. "People on the west coast should remain alert. The administration is fully geared up to tackle any eventuality," he said. Maharashtra's COVID-19 case count jumped by 2,487 to 67,655 on Sunday while the death toll rose by 89, including 52 in worst-hit Mumbai, to 2,286, state Health Department said. A total of 1,248 COVID-19 patients were discharged in the day, taking the total number of the recovered cases to 29,329, as per the health bulletin. Mumbai now accounts for 39,686 of the total 67,655 cases in Maharashtra and 1,279 fatalities of the total 2,286. The number of active cases in the state stands at 36,040, it said. The number of active containment zones stood at 3,157, it said. Maharashtra coronavirus tally is as follows: Positive cases67,655, discharged cases2 9,329, deaths 2,286, active cases 36,040 and people tested 4,62,176. Earlier in the day, the Maharashtra government decided to extend the ongoing lockdown till June 30, and announced easing of restrictions under the "Mission Begin Again". As per the revised guidelines, all markets, market areas and shops, except malls, will be allowed to function from June 5 on an odd-even basis. The father of late Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, in an interview with TVC, shared his grief as he stated he was shocked when he saw the injuries on his daughters body. Information Nigeria recalls the 100-level microbiology student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) in Edo reportedly died after she was raped inside a church in the state. The bereaved father said he is going to back to being a traditionalist and he only converted to the Christian faith because of his daughter. Family and friends of the deceased are clamoring for justice to be served. Advertisement According to reports, the timely intervention of the police saved the Pastor of the church from been attacked when he paid the family a condolence visit. It was also gathered that the late UNIBEN student and her mother have been attending the church for over 15 years. Read Also: UNIBEN Student Brutally Raped Inside RCCG Church In Edo Watch the video below: Camillus, N.Y. Camillus police are searching for five people they suspect broke a glass door at Target in Fairmount earlier this morning and stole electronics inside. Camillus Police Chief Thomas Winn said the burglary at the department store, which is located at 3657 W. Genesee St., happened around 3 a.m. After making their way inside the store, the group made off with two TVs and several DVDs and video games, Winn said. The store closed early Saturday night and police had blocked off access at one point Saturday evening. Winn said it was too early to say if it was connected to the police brutality protests in Syracuse Saturday night and early Sunday morning, sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, that started peaceful before turning chaotic. Police cars gather outside the Target in Camillus on Saturday May 30, 2020. Police blocked access to the store to protesters.Hank Domin | hdomin@syracuse.com Anyone with information is asked to contact Camillus police at 315-487-0102, or by texting TIPCAM and your tip to 847411. MORE ON PROTESTS Cuomo puts NYs National Guard on standby as he expects more protests tonight George Floyd protests in Syracuse: 7 charged, including 2 on felony burglary charges Syracuse-area ministers to unite today to call for an end to violence How George Floyd protests in Syracuse went from peaceful to chaotic Violence, looting in Upstate NY: Protests turn ugly in Buffalo, Albany, Rochester (videos) The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga has defended the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) concerns against the Electoral Commissions decision to go ahead with the new voter registration exercise in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said although the opposition party had earlier kicked against the ECs decision over financial and other concerns, the recent concerns being raised by the NDC given the risk burden the virus is likely to have on registrants is only legitimate. Speaking on The Big Issue on Saturday, Mr. Ayariga said he cannot fathom why the electoral management body is still pushing for the new electoral roll despite the outbreak of the virus. Why do you want to jettison a well functioning register and put up a new one? They gave all the scientific evidence that the register is bloated. Are there no mechanisms to deal with a bloated register. They have been sitting there as a commission for four years. Within the period, if they really wanted to clean the register, could they not have raced the people who ought not to be on the register? Do they have to subject us to a completely new register? And in the midst of this, there is a pandemic which acts on human movement and interaction. So then the debate then moves away beyond the economics and financing; beyond the suspicion of voter suppression and questions of distrust. The argument then moves to a public health argument. Now we have a pandemic and the reality of the pandemic is that when you are going to have an exercise that close to 15 million people are going to be compulsorily registered of out of the constitutional duty to move around and increase human interaction, there is a danger of escalating our situation within the context of the pandemic. This is a very legitimate argument. People are asking why we are now bringing Coronavirus in our arguments but it is a very legitimate one. The EC'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 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. Although the exercise is currently on hold, the EC says it will observe the necessary safety protocols if the time comes for the registration exercise to commence. Elections over registration Despite kicking the ECs decision to compile a new register, Mr. Ayariga justified why the December 7, 2020 elections must be conducted amidst the pandemic. Constitutionally, we do not have a choice but to vote on December 7. But that is the risk we are going to take out of a constitutional mandate but why do we want to double the risk. If we ask if we can conduct the election with the existing register, no one will say no. Nobody can scientifically prove that the existing register cannot be used to conduct the election with minor amendments and adjustments. Well contest ECs decision The General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said the party will challenge the compilation of the new voters' register. He said the NDC will do all it can to prevent the EC from leading political parties and Ghanaians into a dangerous and confusing situation . That decision [by the EC] goes against the Constitution that actually established the Electoral Commission and so we are going to contest that one. This is the beginning, it is not the end at all, so don't let anybody be confused that when EC comes out to announce anything, even if it is unconstitutional, that settles the disagreement. The disagreement is just about to begin, he said citinewsroom Anonymous is back that appears to be the verdict on social media platforms. On May 29, Anonymous posted a video message on their Facebook page, issuing a warning to the Minneapolis Police Department for the deliberate killing of George Floyd in USA. Along with that, on its social media platforms, Anonymous sounded the alarm on many public figures, stating that it will disclose proof of severe wrongdoing against these people. The collective has since allegedly taken down the Minneapolis Police Department website, and released documents that appear to prove, among other things, the killing of Princess Diana by the English royal family, and allegations of rape of a 13-year-old by now US president, Donald Trump. Many new users of the internet, however, may not be well versed with the lore and internet culture stardom that surrounded Anonymous during its formative years, and the subsequent time around its biggest activities on the internet. On this note, we take a look at who Anonymous is, what their biggest achievements have been so far, how their activity dwindled in the recent years, and what their recent message can signify. Who is Anonymous? One of, if not the most famous collective of online hackers and hacktivists in the world, Anonymous is a decentralised organisation spread across the world. It is not a formal organisation or company, and is known to not follow a set structure of power or hierarchy. In fact, Anonymous members are believed to be spread across the world, and have typically come together under the banner to carry out operations that typically send across a political message. Anarchy has been a consistent theme of Anonymous operations, but its anti-establishment moves have typically received considerable support from the common people, and at times, large chunks of the global media. Prior to making a move, Anonymous has been known to post a video message as a warning against the organisation they target. Their motto, We are Anonymous. We are legion. We do not forgive, we do not forget. Expect us, became a popular signage of socio-political resistance. Anonymous has typically taken anti-surveillance and anti-censorship stances, even though many have often questioned the real world impact of Anonymous activities. Anonymous also popularised the Guy Fawkes mask, a style adopted from V for Vendetta, as part of their identity in both the virtual and the real worlds. Biggest hacks and achievements Anonymous notable actions began with Project Chanology in 2008, where for a period of about three months, they targeted the Church of Scientology as a retaliation against its corporate entity-like behaviour. In the following years, Anonymous switched to companies targeting copyright preservation, interpreting them as those who restrict free speech. One of the companies they targeted at this time was Aiplex, an Indian software firm that used to host DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks against Torrent sites to prevent piracy of movies. These actions soon grew to a wider scale, to a point where it was labelled Operation Payback by Anonymous. The collectives targets included various movie and art studios and production houses of America, as well as copyright protection groups. The operation grew through 2009 and 2010, with Anonymous taking down various entities such as the United States Copyright Office, Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft and many others across the world. The objective behind these operations were to open up the internet and restrict stifling of content consumption via copyrights, which in Anonymous views were largely arbitrary. Anonymous also contributed to the cause of Julian Assange, where it became vocal supporters of WikiLeaks. In response to those who attempted to take WikiLeaks down, Anonymous launched cyber operations against many corporate entities, of which PayPal was the biggest affected. Anonymous DDoS attacks against PayPal are said to have cost the company over $5 million. Anonymous direct attack on those who did not support WikiLeaks caused plenty of noise, revealing private emails and other documents conspiring against Assange. Anonymous also took on Sony for denying hackers to find flaws in its PlayStation 3 console, compromising over 100 million Sony accounts and taking down PlayStation Network for over a month. The collective has been an active voice against homophobia, racism and child pornography, taking down and exposing various figures in these acts. It has also notably acted against the Ku Klux Klan, revealing details of various KKK members. On an isolated basis, Anonymous has been a sharp actor against numerous national governments, from time to time. Arrests and downtime Over the past few years, isolated activities led to arrests of various Anonymous members around the world. These included individuals such as Jake Topiary Davis, Hector Sabu Monsegur, Barrett Brown and others. Many of Anonymous arrests have been linked to their decentralised organisational structure and a lack of unified thought process. Anonymous members have often been known for having diverse, and sometimes sharply different socio-political views, which have reportedly been the reason behind internal indecisions. Because of the way they operate, Anonymous has been difficult to track down by journalists and law enforcement agencies. In recent times, a number of these reasons coming together is what is believed to have caused a decline in the fear and enigma typically associated with Anonymous. Many also started questioning the efficacy of a collective like Anonymous, and started raising questions in terms of how much power their hacks truly wielded now. Regeneration? With protests over the police killing of George Floyd leading to the breakout of riots, Anonymous comeback video suggests that certain key members of the group may still be active. The hacking and divulging style shown by Anonymous have so far been uniform with their previous acts, which have led many to believe that serious repercussions will come from the documents that Anonymous is exposing online. Now, only time will tell if Anonymous second coming has the impact that many around the world are hoping it does. PLANS to install public toilets at Makins recreation ground in Henley have been put on hold by the town council. It comes after a survey of residents found the majority were against the idea but the number of responses was small. The council is exploring the idea of introducing a single unisex toilet, with disabled access, in the car park off Greys Road. A total of 80,000 has been set aside in the capital expenditure budget for this year. The council held the four-week public consultation on the issue in February amid concern among residents about antisocial behaviour at the skate park in the recreation ground. Some skaters, including children, were going into the Saracens Head pub in Greys Road to use the toilets. A virtual meeting of the councils recreation and amenities committee last week heard that just 84 people responded to the consultation and, of those, 64 per cent were against, 32 per cent were in favour and four per cent undecided. Deputy Mayor David Eggleton supported the idea of the toilet, saying he had witnessed young people going in the bushes. He said: It is not a very pleasant sight and Im sure it is not a pleasant sight for people visiting Henley either. The pub across the road used to take people but the landlord didnt want too many people, especially young people, because it doesnt look good. He said that not enough people had taken part in the consultation, adding: It is not just people in Henley that use the skate park people come from Slough, Thame, Maidenhead and all over and they wouldnt have been part of this. The committee was split 4-4 in a vote and chairwoman Kellie Hinton used her casting vote not to pursue the plan at this stage. Members said that providing signage to the nearest toilets at Greys Road car park, which is a six-minute walk away, would be more cost-effective and welcomed by residents. Councillor Glen Lambert suggested having another consultation for more clarity. He said: This would be months in the future. We dont do anything now but at a suitable time gather public opinion properly. The council has received quotes for the toilet from two providers of between 62,000 and 71,000, with annual cleaning and maintenance estimated at another 8,500. Councillor Sarah Miller said: It is a huge amount of money. We can keep sending surveys but I think everyone has said what they feel and from what Ive read they dont want a toilet. Perhaps in time we can look at it again. I think that appropriate signage directing people towards Greys Road would work for now. Use the money for something else. We are coming out of lockdown and it is a heck of a lot of money and we could do something else. Councillor Donna Crook said: If we did another survey and it came back the same, would you want another survey done until you get the right answer? You are going to have to listen to people if they dont want it. Councillor Ian Clark said: You have got to listen to the people. They have voted against it, so please take note. Dont waste taxpayers money. Mayor Ken Arlett said that 84 responses was a tiny proportion in a town with a population of about 12,000. I am in favour of trying to progress it, he said, adding that he would like to discuss the idea with Headway Thames Valley, a charity based at Brunner Hall in Greys Rad, on the edge of the recreation ground. Fifty-four per cent of people who were against the toilet and 23 per cent of those in favour said it would lead to problems such as vandalism, graffiti and drug use. Nearly 20 per cent of all respondents felt the scheme was too expensive and that the money would be better spent in other areas. Speaking on the special economic package announced by the Centre to boost the economy, Shah said that the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative will set the economy on track. Home minister Amit Shah on Monday asserted that India is in a better position to fight coronavirus than other countries, and termed the measures taken in this regard as the Narendra Modi government's 'biggest achievement'. He made these comments in an exclusive interview with Network18 editor-in-chief Rahul Joshi. Shah said, "Till now, 12.6 per lakh people in the country have been affected by COVID-19, which is far better than US, Brazil and other countries. India's recovery rate in is above 42 percent, according to the latest data." The World Health Organisation on Sunday said that India has now become the world's seventh worst-hit country in terms of coronavirus cases with its tally of 1,82,143. The home minister also spoke in detail about the ongoing migrant workers' crisis, and said that if migrant labourers had been sent to the respective states before the lockdown, it would have posed a huge problem for the state governments as they did not have sufficient testing/quarantine facilities at that time. "We wanted to first strengthen the healthcare system in states before sending the migrant workers," he remarked. Shah said that 55 lakh migrant workers have been sent to their native states till now. He added that most migrant workers have now completed their quarantine period and started living with their families. Speaking on the special economic package announced by the Centre to boost the economy, Shah said that the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative will set the economy on track. "Every Indian must use local goods and support Modi's call for 'Vocal for Local'," he said. He also claimed that the policy will not result in reduced foreign investment. He further said, "The pandemic has had an effect on every country's economy...(In India), there have been several reforms and a Rs 20 lakh package has been announced. I have trust in the country's youth and workers, and in the strength of Modiji's leadership." 'Won't compromise on India's borders' Shah also made his views clear on the Indo-China border military stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh. The home minister said, "We can't take the issue of LAC lightly. The government will not compromise one bit on this issue. We are dealing with this both militarily and diplomatically." However, Shah did not respond when asked if China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has entered Indian territory. Listing out other achievements of the Modi governments in the past six years, Shah mentioned the abrogation of Article 370, the rise in Ease of Doing Business rankings and the surgical strikes, among other points. By PTI KARACHI: A 200-year-old temple here in Pakistan's largest metropolis is not only an important place of worship for the minority Hindu community in the country but also a source of livelihood for the young and enterprising Muslim boys in the area. Members of the Hindu community visit the Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir located at the Native Jetty bridge close to the Karachi Port regularly for worship and during religious festivals, and this has given an unusual livelihood for the local Muslim boys. The temple is important for the Hindus as according to Ramesh Vankwani of the Pakistan Hindu Council it is also a sacred place for performing funerals and other religious rituals by the sea. "It is the only temple located at the banks of a creek in Karachi," said Vankwani, who is also a member of the National Assembly. "This temple is important because we Hindus need access to seawater as one of the essential things to perform worship. We throw many objects into the seawater as part of our rituals," said the lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party led by Prime Minister Imran Khan. Shafiq, a local Muslim youth, said Hindus who come to the temple throw many things including valuables into the seawater under the bridge as part of their rituals and this means the local boys can earn their livelihood by collecting them from the Arabian Sea. Shafiq, 20, and 17-year old Ali along with some others dive into the sea from time to time to retrieve the objects thrown by the worshippers and visitors to the temple. According to Shafiq, the boys have found gold jewellery, silver ornaments, coins and other valuable objects from the seawater. "We have now trained ourselves and become expert divers, swimmers and can keep underwater and hold our breath for a long time as we search for the objects, " he said. Asked whether the visitors to the temple or its caretakers object to them retrieving and taking away objects given as part of religious rituals, Ali said sometimes they are shouted at and told to go away. "When the heat is on we disappear for a few days but return to our spot under the bridge. We remain here till the temple is open for worship. Throughout the day we are in the seawater searching for the thrown objects," he said. Asked what they did with the objects retrieved from the sea, he said they sold them. "We have found many things in the sea in the last few years. The Hindus who come here are very devoted in their worship and to their rituals," Shafiq said. But Ali complained that these days there was no rush at the temple due to the coronavirus pandemic and it has made their livelihood more difficult. "Nowadays there is less rush because of the coronavirus problem. We also follow social distancing for the devotees. We don't allow more than four or five people into the temple at same time," explained Vivek, one of the caretakers at the ancient temple. Eight years ago, the Sindh High Court stopped the Karachi Port Trust authorities from demolishing the temple when a big recreation spot and food court, now known as Grand Port, was being built close to the temple. Pakistan is home to several temples revered by Hindus. The Katas Raj temple in the northeastern Chakwal district and Sadhu Bela temple in southern Sukkur district are the two most-visited sites by Hindus, who form the biggest minority community in the Muslim-majority Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country. Majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in Sindh province where they share culture, traditions and language with their Muslim fellows. A bizarre video has emerged showing people ecstatically dancing at a socially distanced rave in penned-off squares. Perhaps a glimpse into the future of raving, the gathering in Slovakia saw revellers busting a move inside their own taped-off allocated spaces to ensure they were keeping a safe distance from each other. But the strange conditions of the rave underneath a bridge do not deter the visitors from having a good time as they are seen dancing and enjoying the electronic music. Ravers gathered under a bridge in Slovakia in the unique rave wearing masks and standing in taped-off squares The camera then pans round to the DJ booth, which has a full setup, complete with pyrotechnics rigged up to dazzle the ravers. To further fight the spread of coronavirus all the ravers had to wear face masks. The video was filmed by Tono Katrencik and has racked up more than 10million views on TikTok. He said: 'We decided to have a party for maximum 100 people but they must wear a face mask. The rave featured a DJ and full booth and Pyrotechnics were also involved to entertain the people dancing below 'That's all legal in Slovakia. These people are all my friends from my village, Oravska Lesna.' Many commenters were enthralled by the video and praised their 'great' idea and coining it the 'future' of raving. However others pointed out that their safety measures were not completely foolproof, pointing out that if two people are standing close to the same rape they are not standing 1.5metres apart. Weallcampshutup also noted: 'If one stands at a corner and the other persons stands at a corner diagnol to it they are 1 foot away or less.' Washington, June 1 (IANS) Some 5,000 US National Guard troops were deployed in major states amid the ongoing protests against the death of the unarmed African-American man, George Floyd in police custody on May 25 in the city of Minneapolis, while also demanding an end to racism and police violence. The troopers would assist law enforcement officers in the states who are in charge of security in the face of riots, and "thousands more stand ready if needed", Xinhua news agency quoted the Chief of the National Guard Bureau Gen. Joseph Lengyel as saying in a tweet on Sunday. Demonstrators in at least 30 cities across 16 states in the US have been protesting against police violence and racism since May 25, when Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old man, died after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe", and "please, I can't breathe". Chauvin has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. On Saturday evening, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy directed the activation of Washington D.C. National Guard in response to the US Park Police asking for assistance with the protests, Commanding General William Walker said in a statement. As many as 25 cities have imposed curfews while at least eight states and Washington D.C. have called on the National Guard to help respond to protests as of Saturday, said a CNN report. Nearly 1,400 people have been arrested during the protests in 17 cities since May 28. But the actual number is likely higher as protests continued over the weekend. According to CNN, among the cities imposing night-time curfews on Sunday are Los Angeles, Denver, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Louisville, Rochester, Cleveland, Portland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Charleston, Nashville, Salt Lake City and Seattle. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Sunday announced another night-time curfew from 8 pm to 6 a.m. in Minneapolis and neighbouring St. Paul, reports Efe news. At a Sunday press conference, Walz explained his decision, saying that it would be "naive and irresponsible to abandon strategy" considering how well the curfew had worked on Friday and Saturday night, combined with the fact that the Minnesota National Guard was fully mobilized on Saturday evening. In Washington D.C. on Saturday night, about 70 Secret Service agents and Metro Police officers were injured during the disturbances near the White House and elsewhere and where police arrested 18 people, both departments reported on Sunday. The law enforcement and presidential protection service personnel were injured by being punched, having bricks, stones, bottles, firecrackers and other objects thrown at them. The Secret Service said that nobody was able to penetrate into the grounds of the White House and none of the people inside the presidential residence, including the President, were ever in danger. A number of popular landmarks of the US capital around the National Mall in central Washington D.C. were defaced with graffiti also on Sunday. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Saturday extended a curfew, which was initially applied only to downtown, to the whole city, requiring everyone within the City of Los Angeles to stay indoors from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sunday. New York authorities on Sunday promised that "rapid" and "independent" investigations will be conducted into the violent confrontations between police and demonstrators on Saturday. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a Sunday press conference that the police had done many things right, but they had also made some mistakes that will be thoroughly investigated. Besides Minnesota and the District of Columbia, the states that have activated their National Guard troops are: Ohio, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said that Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker had ordered - at her request - a National Guard contingent to maintain a limited presence in the city on Lake Michigan to support the local police so that the disturbances that occurred on Saturday night would not be repeated. During the riots and other unrest this week, at least three people have died by gunfire in Indianapolis, Detroit and Oakland, although police evidently were not involved in those deaths. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump lashed out at the media on Sunday, saying on Twitter: "The Lamestream Media is doing everything within their power to foment hatred and anarchy. As long as everybody understands what they are doing, that they are FAKE NEWS and truly bad people with a sick agenda, we can easily work through them to GREATNESS!" In one of a number of tweets, Trump said "congratulations to our National Guard for the great job they did immediately upon arriving in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last night. The ANTIFA led anarchists, among others, were shut down quickly. Should have been done by Mayor on first night and there would have been no trouble!" Trump's mention of "antifa" refers to "anti-fascists" with a radical and anti-capitalist movement in the US, activists who seek to achieve their objectives by direct action and a group that Trump has said he intends to designate as a "terrorist organization". --IANS ksk/ HARTFORD A Superior Court Judge awarded Gloria Farber nearly $2 million Monday after concluding that her son-in-law, Fotis Dulos, fabricated evidence in the lawsuits she had filed against him. Judge Cesar Nobles decision pointedly discredited Fotis Dulos testimony during the two-day civil trial in December when he testified that his father-in-law, Hillard Farber, forgave the business loans before he died in 2017. Noble also contended in the six-page decision that Fotis Dulos fabricated checks entered as evidence to make it appear that he repaid large sums of the loans from the Farbers to his high-end real estate business, Fore Group. The resolution of the lawsuits came months after Fotis Dulos died Jan. 30 from an apparent suicide while he faced murder and other charges in connection with the death and disappearance of Farbers daughter, Jennifer Dulos, who vanished May 24, 2019 and who police have presumed dead. Attorney Kent Mawhinney, who at one point represented Fotis Dulos in the lawsuits, and Michelle Troconis, his former girlfriend, have each been charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the case. Troconis also faces tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution charges. The estate of Fotis Dulos is now in probate as Farber raises the five Dulos children. Justice has been done, said attorney Richard Weinstein, who represented Farber in the lawsuits. I am very appreciative of the judges analysis of the evidence. Weinstein said beneath his polished veneer, Fotis Dulos was a very, very deceitful person who was deceitful about the way he operated his business. He felt he had things coming to him, Weinstein said Monday. The attorney plans to file a claim against the estate of Fotis Dulos for the $1.9 million that Noble awarded to his client. Im going to try and recover as much money as I can for the children, Weinstein said. Attorney William Murray, who represented Fotis Dulos in the lawsuits at the trial, did not return phone calls Monday. Fotis Dulos died deeply in debt with Farber also filing to foreclose on his Farmington home and Danbury Savings Bank moving to foreclose on a New Canaan property that Fore Group was trying to sell. Gloria Farber filed twin lawsuits in 2018 contending that Fotis Dulos owed her family more than $2.5 million in loans her husband made for the Fore Group. Fotis and Jennifer Dulos were also paying on a $500,000 loan that was used to build their Farmington home at 4 Jefferson Crossing until the couple separated and she fled to a rented home in New Canaan in June 2017. Fotis Dulos had stopped repaying the loans when Hilliard Farber died in early 2017, court papers said. In court, Fotis Dulos testified he and his father-in-law had a good relationship. Fotis Dulos also said after his fifth child was born in 2010, Hilliard Farber told him any money he gave after that point would be a gift. Fotis Dulos testified that Gloria and Hilliard Farber had made annual gifts to him and their daughter to bring down the principal balance of the loan. The gifts stopped after Hilliard Farber died and Jennifer Dulos filed for divorce, according to testimony. By the end of the trial, Murray contended the Farbers owed his client $1 million based on an accounting of the Fore Groups records. Noble, however, concluded that the checks were created for the trial and had never been given to Hilliard Farber, the decision said. The court does not credit Dulos testimony claiming diminution of the monies so loaned either by way of checks appearing in exhibit G, which the court finds to have been fabricated by Dulos, his testimony that Farber verbally forgave the loans, and Fotis Dulos claims that he made a simple error in his tax returns that shifted the loan amounts owed to equity. Noble also didnt believe that any part of the outstanding loan balance could be attributed to construction work that Fotis Dulos had done on the Farbers second home in Pound Ridge, N.Y. In the decision, Noble also noted that Fotis Dulos reimbursed himself for gasoline and other items, including vacations with Troconis from company funds without keeping any records as to which costs were legitimate business expenses. The Fore Group paid two law firms, Rome Clifford and Markowitz Mawhinney, for legal work done on behalf of both the Fore Group and Dulos personally, Noble said. The legal work on behalf of Dulos personally included his divorce and representation in the present actions. The Fore Group paid for all legal bills and treated them as business expenses even though part of the work was done on behalf of Dulos personally rather than the Fore Group. Chris Pratt and his pregnant wife Katherine Schwarzenegger, who is due this summer, were spotted enjoying an easy start to their morning with a walk around Santa Monica, California on Monday. The loved-up duo both adhered to the face mask orders throughout their stroll, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This sighting comes just hours after the seaside city was plagued by rampant looting at several stores, both big and small, that led to over 400 arrests. Walk: Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger were spotted enjoying a friendly stroll around Santa Monica on Monday morning Chris kept casual in a gray Rolling Stone T-shirt and a black pair of shorts along with his face mask. The Jurassic World actor teamed the look with Adidas sneakers and protected himself from the sun with both a cap and sunglasses. Katherine concealed her growing baby bump underneath a black scoop neck T-shirt and full length form-fitting tights of the same color. No stress look: Chris kept casual in a grey T-shirt and a black pair of shorts The daughter of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver accessorized with a cap and glasses, like her husband. And she too had on a face mask. Hiding: Katherine concealed her growing baby bump underneath a black scoop neck T-shirt and full length form-fitting tights of the same color Unrest in Santa Monica happened not far from a peaceful demonstration near the city's famous pier as thieves targeted shops near the popular Third Street Promenade. As protesters gathered in Long Beach, thieves swarmed nearby stores and carried away armloads of clothing. Some stopped to change into stolen items. More than 400 people were arrested Sunday, Santa Monica Police Chief Cynthia Renaud said. She said: 'So what we can glean from intelligence online is that there are opportunists who are tracking where peaceful protests are occurring, and they are then going to that city, knowing that resources will be tied up in ensuring First Amendment rights to free speech. 'They take advantage of that. And they loot and they perform criminal activity.' Chris and Katherine's appearance comes after dad, Arnold, shared his excitement over his first grandchild last month while speaking with Jimmy Fallon. 'I mean, that is really exciting news that Katherine now, you know [to] be pregnant and have a babyI dont know when exactly. Sometime this summer,' he dished. Hush hush! Katherine is yet to confirm her pregnancy online. She recently covered her bump to pose in a matching sweater with her mom, Maria Shriver Nearly one year down! Chris and Katherine will be celebrating their one-year-wedding anniversary next week; seen in 2019 Grandpa-to-be! The family appearance comes after dad, Arnold, shared his excitement over his first grandchild last month while speaking with Jimmy Fallon 'And, inevitably, Im really looking forward to playing around with whatever it is, she or he, and have some fun.' Katherine and Chris began dating in 2018 and announced their engagement in January 2019. They went on to marry in June 2019 and are said to be 'getting more excited every day' and 'have been adding items to a baby registry,' according to a People source. This will be the actor's second time as a father. The Avengers star is already dad to seven-year-old son Jack, who he shares with ex Anna Faris. It wasn't a typical flight. Two B-1B Lancers from the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, marked their first-ever flight with Ukrainian Su-27 Flankers and MiG-29 Fulcrums last week over the Black Sea. At the same time, the long-range bombers also trained in launching the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile, known as LRASM, U.S. Air Forces Europe-Africa officials said Monday. Read Next: Army Vet Lawmaker: Invoke Insurrection Act, Deploy Active-Duty Troops to Riots "The rise of near-peer competitors and increased tensions between NATO and our adversaries has brought anti-ship capability back to the forefront of the anti-surface warfare mission for bomber crews," said Lt. Col. Timothy Albrecht of USAFE's 603rd Air Operations Center. "LRASM plays a critical role in ensuring U.S. naval access to operate in both open-ocean and littoral environments due to its enhanced ability to discriminate between targets from long range," Albrecht, also the Bomber Task Force mission planner, said in a release. "With the increase of maritime threats and their improvement of anti-access/area denial environmental weapons, this stealthy anti-ship cruise missile provides reduced risk to strike assets by penetrating and defeating sophisticated enemy air-defense systems." Officials recently told Military.com that practicing deploying LRASM is part of a broader Air Force Global Strike vision: As part of its mission "reset" for the B-1 fleet, the service is not only making its supersonic, heavy bombers more visible with multiple flights around the world, it's also getting back into the habit of having them practice stand-off precision strikes -- especially in the Pacific -- signaling a dramatic pivot following years of flying close-air support missions in the Middle East. During a simulated strike, crews "will pick a notional target, and then they will do some mission planning and flying through an area that they are able to hold that target at risk, at range," Maj. Gen. Jim Dawkins Jr., commander of the Eighth Air Force and the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, said in an interview earlier this month. The flight over the Black Sea with Ukrainian counterparts incorporated Turkish KC-135s, in addition to aircraft from Poland, Romania, Greece and North Macedonia for a "long-range, long-duration strategic #BomberTaskForce mission throughout Europe and the Black Sea region," USAFE tweeted. The latest integration exercises over Eastern Europe have not gone unnoticed. On Monday, Russia's Ministry of Defense noted an uptick in NATO and U.S. activity in the region, to include the B-1 transiting through the Sea of Okhotsk on May 22, and near the Kamchatka Peninsula last month. Col.-Gen. Sergei Rudskoy, chief of the main operational directorate for the Russian General Staff, said U.S. bomber flights alongside NATO partners have "increased sharply" over the last several weeks. "Strategic bombers flew in April #B1B along Kamchatka, and in May, five such flights were recorded," the MoD said on Twitter. Rudskoy also noted the first-ever B-1 flight over Ukraine, which prompted a Russian Air Force Su-27 and Su-30SM to scramble and intercept the bombers. Still considered a "strategic" bomber, the Lancer was originally designed as a nuclear bomber with a mission to fly at low altitude, sneaking into enemy territory in order to avoid Soviet early warning radars. However, in compliance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, the once-nuclear bomber has been disarmed of nukes. Dawkins said countries should expect more Bomber Task Force missions. The shorter flights -- with two to three bombers -- are not the same as a deployment, and are also part of the Pentagon's larger "dynamic force employment" strategy for military units to test how nimbly they can move from place to place, he said. "There is just so much of a bigger signal sent with a bomber than with a couple of [F-16 Fighting Falcons]," Dawkins said. "It just is what it is." -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related: Bombers Take Center Stage in Air Force's New Force Employment Strategy With the state government not allowing gyms to open, the local Gym Ekta Welfare Association staged a protest at the Samrala Chowk here on Monday demanding opening of gyms and handed over a memorandum to Congress MLA (Ludhiana east) Sanjay Talwar. Members of the association said, The government has opened the marketplaces, where a large number of residents gather at a time, but it has not opened the gyms, which help in improving immunity of residents. We are also at the receiving end as we have to pay monthly rent, property tax and GST, etc while gyms are closed. Director of the association Ramesh Bangar said, The fitness sector across the state has been hit hard due to lockdown, but the government has failed to pay heed to the problem. Athletes, trainers, administrative and maintenance staff, gymnasium owners, supplement and other wellness and equipment manufacturers have been affected, as gymnasiums are closed for over two months. If lockdown continued for gymnasiums, it would also result in unemployment. Athletes generally work as trainers in gyms and their salary is the basic source of their income. Gymnasium owners are also burdened with electricity bills, rent of premises, etc for the lockdown period. Talwar said gymnasiums have been closed for the safety of visitors. But, he would take up the matter with the government so that some relief could be provided to the sector, he added. Christopher J. Cassidy was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2004. According to the official website of NASA, he is a veteran of two manned missions into space, one was Expedition 35 and the other one was STS-127. STS-127 marked Chris Cassidy as the 500th person to take a spacecraft into space. The mission of the flight was to send the Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section into the International Space Station. Also Read | NASA-SpaceX Crew Dragon Blasts Off Into Space With 'unique Guest' On Board All about Chris Cassidy During Expedition 35, Chriss Cassidy and co-astronaut from European Space Agency astronaut, Luca Parmitano, had a spontaneous spacewalk to replace a pump controller box cut short when Paramitano had cooling water leak into his helmet as per the official website of NASA. Chris Cassidy is a former U.S. Navy SEAL and been active in MediterraneanAfghanistan. Chris Cassidy has been part of several combat operations including the nine-day operation at the Zharwar Kili Cave alongside Afghanistan-Pakistan border. At the moment Chris Cassidy is the acting commander onboard International Space Station after the Expedition 63 mission. Also Read | NASA Shortlists 3 Indian Firms To Build Low-cost Ventilator For COVID-19 Patients Personal Information of Chris Cassidy Chris Cassidy was born in 1970 in Massachusetts, however, he was raised in Maine. As per reports, he personally believes York in Maine to be his native town. He is married to Julie Byrd. According to the official website of NASA, Chris Cassidy graduated from York High School, in Maine. He completed his official training for navy in the Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, Rhode Island in the year 1989. He acquired his Bachelor in Science in Mathematics in U.S Naval Academy in the year 1993. He also completed his Master of Science in Ocean Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the year 2000. In 2015, he received his honorary PhD from Husson University. Also Read | ISS Crew Welcomes Hurley And Behnken Onboard; NASA Chief Asks 'did You Get Any Sleep?' NASA works Chris Cassidy joined as an astronaut in NASA in May 2004 and since then he has been part of several missions. For the same, he finished his Astronaut Candidate training in the year 2006. Between the years 2006 and 2008, he was the Capsule Communicator in the Mission Control Center. Between the years 2009 and 2011 he was designated to strap in the crew, closing and sealing access hatches for any flight take-offs from NASA. These were the duties of the Closeout Crew that he was part of. Between the year 2014 and 2015, he worked as the chief of Extravehicular Activity and in 2015 he was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Astronaut Office. After working for four months he became the 14th Deputy Chief of the Astronauts Office. He was in charge of several flight tasks and mission prep-work. How long has Chris Cassidy been in space? Chris Cassidy acted as the Mission Specialist aboard the Endeavour during his International Space Station assembly mission 2J/A. Cassidy was the 500th person to go into space to deliver spare parts and batteries and other items for the international space station. Currently, he is onboard the ISS since Expedition 63s launch in April 2020. Cassidy is completing almost two months in the space as of June 2020. He has completed several spacewalks in his time in space. Chris Cassidy's awards and honours As per the official website of NASA, Cassidy has received several awards and honours: Honor graduate of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) Class 192. Awarded the Bronze Star with combat V and, Presidential Unit Citation for leading a nine-day operation at the Zharwar Kili cave complex on the Afghanistan/Pakistan border. Guest speaker at the U.S. Naval Academy Combat Leadership Seminar, 2003 & 2004. Awarded a second Bronze Star for combat leadership service in Afghanistan, 2004. Recipient of NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal. A finisher in the Ironman World Championship triathlon in Kona, Hawaii, 2014." Also Read | Enroute ISS, NASA-SpaceX Crew Give Tour Of 'Dragonship Endeavour'; Show Off Dragon Inside Buying a home in a community with a homeowners association comes with many perkssuch as a maintenance crew to take care of the lawn, gym, swimming pool, or other shared areas enjoyed by HOA members. But the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many HOA-run facilities to close. In a recent survey by the Community Associations Institute, or CAI, 79% of HOA communities said they had closed common areas and amenities. Which begs the question: Do you still need to pay HOA fees? HOA fees to maintain these facilities, after all, typically run between $200 and $300 a month, but can be as much as $1,000. So if they're closed, it stands to reason you don't have to pay for them, right? As much sense as that might make, the answer is typically no. There are very few associations, if any, that are waiving fees" because of the pandemic, says Dawn Bauman, senior vice president of government and public affairs at CAI. Granted, some HOAs have waived late fees or are working with homeowners unable to pay during this pandemic, she explains. But no, they're not granting full-fee reprievesand could even raise fees during this time. Here's why, and what to do if you can't pay your HOA fees. (And since much of the same is true for many condo associations, condo owners should take note, too.) Why you still have to pay HOA fees during COVID-19 More than 25% of the U.S. population lives within an HOA, according to CAI. Living in these communities comes with rules, referred to as covenants, conditions, and restrictions, or CC&Rs. When an owner purchases a home in an association, the deed of that home is restricted, Bauman says. It's restricted because they are part of the homeowners association, so there are restrictions that come with ownership of that home. So, they sign saying, I will pay my assessment and I'm obligated to conform with the rules in the community. In short, homeowners likely have no legal recourse for not paying their feeseven when amenities are closed. However, this doesn't mean that HOAs are just raking in your money and getting rich off the profits. How HOA budgets work Community associations aren't set up to rake in cash; the fees collected pay the associations bills, says Jim Slaughter, real estate broker and partner in the law firm Black, Slaughter & Black in North Carolina. Monies collected by an HOA or condo typically arent retained, but are forwarded to others, such as the power company, plumber, and insurance carrier, he says. Bauman says HOAs operate on a zero-based budget. HOA fees may also be put in reserves for current or future maintenance or capital improvements for the community. Lowering these fees, however, is typically not possible. This is because most HOA expenses are fixed, and will continue through the pandemic. For instance, association pools must be treated even if closed, and some associations have increased costs due to increased cleaning of common areas such as lobbies and elevators, Slaughter says. Plus, associations are usually under contract with vendors for repairs and maintenance. As such, expenses cant be temporarily canceled or reduced unless the vendor allows it, which is unlikely. Another possible expense HOAs may need to compensate for are any homeowners within the community who may not be able to pay dues right now, due to layoffs or otherwise. With the extended health and economic crisis, many HOA and condo association boards are concerned about association finances and how to possibly assist owners financially, Slaughter says. In fact, the CAIs survey found that 50% of HOAs are expecting fee delinquencies to grow in 2020. Why HOA fees might rise due to COVID-19 In some cases, if certain homeowners cant pay their HOA fees for an extended period of time, the HOA could raise the rates for those who can pay, Bauman says, because theres nowhere else for this money to come from. Furthermore, the pandemic is prompting many HOA communities to buy more supplies, such as masks and hand sanitizer, and conduct extra cleanings of common areas. As such, they might even raise fees to cover these expenses as well. Another potential fee hike down the road may involve their reopening amenities that were closed, only with added safety measures that cost more money to maintain. Most associations are trying their best to determine how to open these amenities in a way that is manageable for the residents in their communities," says Bauman. "And that will then lead to potentially additional expenses on the community." What to do if you cant pay your HOA fees If you can't pay your HOA dues, don't panicBauman says many communities will work with you through payment plans or delayed payments. More than 90% of homeowners were still paying their HOA fees at the beginning of May, according to CAIs survey. However, about 20% of communities have said theyve seen more homeowners ask for payment plans or other kinds of reprieve, and many communities are waiving late fees. Homeowners struggling to pay their HOA fees should reach out to the communitys board of directors or management to discuss their situation and find out what their options are, Bauman suggests. Many associations have dealt with this situation before, during the Great Recession of 2008, she says, and likely have policies for payment plans and other ways to help residents. High rates of delinquency could have long-term effects on the community as a whole, however. Lenders, including Freddie Mac, Fannie May, and Federal Housing Administration, will not back mortgages in communities with a delinquency rate of 10% or higher, Bauman explains. This could influence home buyers decisions to purchase in the area. Most HOAs are not pursuing aggressive collection tactics," Bauman says. Instead, "they are trying their best to make it more manageable for the residents who are unable to pay while balancing the interests and the financial need of those residents that are paying. The post If COVID-19 Closed Your Pool or Gym, Can You Skip Paying HOA Fees? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. HOLLAND, MI Residents of a 12-unit apartment building escaped an early Monday, June 1, fire that caused extensive damage to the structure. Holland firefighters responded to a 4:48 a.m. report of a fire at Bay Pointe Apartments at 791 E. 16th Street. Firefighters, who reported heavy fire coming from the back of the building, were told that people could be trapped. The first firefighters on scene kept a stream of water going to contain the fire while others did search and rescue. All of the occupants and three pets got out safely. Firefighters brought the fire under control within an hour. Firefighters said that quick activation of a fire alarm alerted residents to the fire and helped them escape safely. No injuries were reported but one resident was taken to the hospital for treatment of a medical condition unrelated to the fire. A damage estimate was not available. While damage was limited to the west side of the structure residents will not be able to return until damage is repaired. The Holland fire marshal and state police fire marshal determined that the fire started on a second-story balcony. Careless smoking has not been ruled out as a potential cause. Firefighters from Hamilton, Holland Township, Park Township and Zeeland responded while Graafschap firefighters provided covered for other calls in the city. Read more: Heavy police and National Guard presence in downtown Grand Rapids for Day 2 of curfew Businesses grapple with reopening following Grand Rapids riot Teen faces felony rioting charge in Grand Rapids violent weekend The brief video clip, widely circulated on social media and on the national news, seemed to capture a wanton act of police brutality: One police cruiser, and then a second, jolting into a crowd of protesters in Brooklyn, sending people sprawling across the street. But Mayor Bill de Blasios conflicted response to the incident highlighted the challenges he has faced in managing a crisis rooted in issues he has long pledged to tackle in New York City: racial discrimination, police abuses and inequality. At a news conference on Sunday, the mayor called for an investigation, but also took pains to try to explain the officers actions, saying that the situation was created by a group of protesters blocking and surrounding a police vehicle, a tactic that we had seen before in the last few days, a tactic that can be very, very dangerous to everyone involved. He added: And weve seen direct attacks on police officers, including in their vehicles. At different points in his tenure, Mr. de Blasios efforts to turn his campaign pledges into policy and practice have been stymied, often frustrating many in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, whose dissatisfaction with the mayor has mounted. Foundation of Concerned Arts Professionals (FOCAP), a research and advocacy group in the creative arts industry, has proposed the establishment of a National Music Authority. In a statement sighted by DAILY GUIDE, the group said the call for the setting up of a national music authority was based on years of research in the Ghanaian Music Industry, stressing that the proposal is hinged on the gaps and challenges in the local music industry. Our call for the setting up of a National Music Authority is hinged on the gaps in the music industry and how it is affecting job creation and music development in Ghana. We believe that the setting up of this authority will help in aligning the music industry and positioning it to meet the world's standard, the statement said. As a research, pressure and advocacy group, we have taken the time to research into the world blueprint on the creative industry structure and we have recognized the challenges in our local industry and it is our believe that as we move on players and domains in the industry will act practically to make sure sanity, probity and development prevail within the industry, the group iterated. According to them, the music authority would have the oversight responsibility, mandate and legal backing to liaise with other government departments and agencies to address some of the critical issues in the music industry including music education in schools, work permit for musicians, copyright court and international music trade. Others are music categorization, music fund and music archiving and development. The group also called on all industry players to be part of the conversation; appealed to technocrats, music and radio programmers, presenters, pundits, managers and members of the general public to not be spectators. ---Daily Guide A woman wears a mask in Porto. (Getty Images) An expert has explained three ways the coronavirus outbreak may play out. The pandemic has put much of the world on lockdown, with officials slowly starting to ease restrictions. The economy, travel industry and peoples mental health have all taken a battering as the world battles the unprecedented outbreak. With many eager to start a new normal, Professor Mark Woolhouse, from the University of Edinburgh, has outlined three paths the pandemic could take. Early research suggests the coronavirus is mild in four out of five cases, however, it can trigger a respiratory disease called COVID-19. A woman wears a mask in Beijing. (Getty Images) Coronavirus: How may the pandemic play out? The coronavirus seemed to come out of nowhere, with many undoubtedly wishing it would disappear as quickly. Without an effective vaccine, however, this seems increasingly unlikely. Speaking at a Science Media Centre briefing, Prof Woolhouse said: [The] first [scenario] is global eradication of the virus. The coronavirus is one of seven strains of a virus class that are known to infect humans. Of all the strains, it is most genetically similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), which killed 774 people during its 2002/3 outbreak. No Sars cases have been reported since 2004, which initially left some optimistic the circulating coronavirus could be similarly short-lived. Unlike Sars, the new coronavirus does not always cause symptoms. Asymptomatic patients are still able to pass it on, however. Global eradication not looking promising Sars couldnt become seasonal because its transmission only really after symptoms became apparent meant we were able to contain and eradicate it, Dr Michael Skinner, from Imperial College London has previously told Yahoo UK. With [the new coronavirus], theres little confidence well be able to put it back into a stoppered bottle (like Sars) until we have a vaccine. Jabs help to create herd immunity; when a sufficient number of people have been exposed to prevent a virus taking hold in a community. Story continues Herd immunity can occur naturally if patients recover from the virus and have antibodies, immune-fighting proteins, against it. Only a few [people worldwide] have been exposed so far [to the coronavirus], said Prof Woolhouse. Weve got an awful long way to go before most of us have been exposed. Global eradication is not looking promising. Prof Woolhouse stressed this is his personal view and it is not possible to make accurate long-term predictions at this stage of the pandemic. Second coronavirus wave a clear danger The second scenario involves the coronavirus successfully being suppressed during the ongoing initial outbreak, only for an additional wave to emerge down the line. If we have to live with COVID-19, can we prevent epidemics on the scale were seeing now?, said Prof Woolhouse. The coronaviruss R number, the number of people a patient statistically goes on to infect, is thought to be three. Measures [to bring it down] have to be permanent, said Prof Woolhouse. The lockdown was never intended to be permanent; [its] not possible to be permanent. [We] want to get R down with a vaccine, but we dont have one. The conclusion is a second wave is a clear danger. Prof John Edmunds, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, added there is a need to lift restrictions in order to restart the economy, improve mental health and get people socialising again. The governments test, trace and isolate system may compensate for any rise to the R number as a result of this relaxation, he added. Stopping community transition like New Zealand Assuming continued social distancing helps to bring the R below one, the level needed to prevent an outbreak growing, the third scenario is containment. Prof Woolhouse cited New Zealand, which stopped community transmission of the coronavirus in April. He stressed, however, this involves intensive surveillance, large scale screening, quarantining, residual social distancing. That is a possible new normal, said Prof Woolhouse. If we dont like it, we have to find other ways of living with COVID-19. What is the coronavirus? Since the coronavirus outbreak was identified at the end of 2019, more than 6.1 million cases have been confirmed worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. Of these cases, over 2.6 million are known to have recovered. Globally, the death toll has exceeded 372,600. The coronavirus mainly spreads face to face via infected droplets expelled in a cough or sneeze. There is also evidence it can spread in faeces and survive on surfaces. Symptoms include fever, cough and a loss of taste or smell. The coronavirus has no set treatment, with most patients naturally fighting off the infection. Those requiring hospitalisation are given supportive care, like ventilation, while their immune system gets to work. Officials urge people ward off infection by washing their hands regularly and maintaining social distancing. Coronavirus: what happened today Read more about COVID-19 How to get a coronavirus test if you have symptoms How easing of lockdown rules affects you In pictures: How UK school classrooms could look in new normal How public transport could look after lockdown How our public spaces will change in the future Help and advice Read the full list of official FAQs here 10 tips from the NHS to help deal with anxiety What to do if you think you have symptoms How to get help if you've been furloughed By Trend The potential of bilateral energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Ukraine is far from exhausted, Sergey Shteluk, economic adviser at Ukrainian embassy in Baku, told Trend. "Participation of Azerbaijani companies in the development of hydrocarbon fields on Ukraines territory, as well as their involvement in privatization of energy facilities and implementation of new infrastructure projects could be a promising area of cooperation," said Shteluk. He recalled that it is planned to jointly implement the project for construction of a service hub at Chongar checkpoint under the memorandum of cooperation signed by Ukraines deputy prime minister Oleksii Reznikov, infrastructure minister Vladislav Krikli and sales operations director of SOCAR Energy Ukraine Sergiy Kolenchenko on May 5, 2020. The adviser noted as of the key spheres of Ukraine-Azerbaijan strategic partnership, energy sphere has been developing rapidly in recent years. "Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR has been the major oil supplier for Ukrainian oil refining enterprises since 2016," he said. In this regard, Shteluk highlighted diversification of SOCARs operation in Ukraine, which is not limited to oil supplies to Ukrainian refineries. "SOCAR actively participates in Ukraines oil products retail market. More than 60 filling stations under SOCAR brand name operate in all regions of Ukraine. SOCAR has recently become a full-fledged operator of Ukraines gas market, taking a leading role among commercial companies supplying natural gas to Ukrainian consumers," he said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has blamed antifa activists for violence at protests over police killings of black people, but antifa isnt an organization and targeting it isnt so simple. A look at what antifa is and is not: WHAT IS ANTIFA? Short for anti-fascists, antifa is not a single organization but rather an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups that confront or resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations. There is no hierarchical structure to antifa or universal set of tactics that makes its presence immediately recognizable, though members tend to espouse revolutionary and anti-authoritarian views, said Mark Bray, a historian at Rutgers University and author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook. They do different things at different times in different ways, some of which there is evidence of them breaking the law. Other times there is not, Bray said. Literature from the antifa movement encourages followers to pursue lawful protest activity as well as more confrontational acts, according to a 2018 Congressional Research Service report. The literature suggests that followers monitor the activities of white supremacist groups, publicize online the personal information of perceived enemies, develop self-defence training regimens and compel outside organizations to cancel any speakers or events with a fascist bent, the report said. People associated with antifa have been present for significant demonstrations and counter-demonstrations over the last three years, sometimes involving brawls and property damage. They mobilized against a white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017 and have clashed repeatedly with far-right groups in Portland, Oregon, including at a protest and counter-demonstration last summer that resulted in arrests and the seizure of shields, poles and other weapons. WHAT ROLE IS ANTIFA PLAYING IN THESE DEMONSTRATIONS? Trump and members of his administration have singled out antifa as being responsible for the violence at protests triggered by the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after Floyd stopped moving and pleading for air. In a pair of statements over the weekend, Attorney General William Barr described antifa-like tactics by out-of-state agitators and said antifa was instigating violence and engaging in domestic terrorism and would be dealt with accordingly. At a White House appearance Monday, Trump blamed antifa by name for the violence, along with violent mobs, arsonists and looters. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters earlier in the day that antifa is a big element of this protest, though she deferred to the Justice Department on the question of how one could be identified as a member. But its unclear how big its involvement is. Bray said that although he believes people associated with antifa are participating in the demonstrations, it is difficult to establish how big of a role theyre playing since there is no official roster of members and since the movement lacks the numbers to mobilize nationwide in such a dramatic, forceful way. The radical left is much bigger than antifa much, much bigger and the number of people who are participating in the property destruction are much, much bigger than the radical left, Bray said. Others have seen evidence of right-wing extremists. WHAT DOES THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WANT TO DO ABOUT ANTIFA? Trump tweeted Sunday, The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization. Its not the first time hes endorsed that approach. Trump expressed a similar sentiment last summer, joining some Republican lawmakers in calling for antifa to be designated as a terror organization after the skirmishes in Portland. CAN THE ADMINISTRATION DO THAT? For one thing, antifa is not a discrete or centralized group, so its unclear how the government could give it a designation. Beyond that, though, antifa is a domestic entity and, as such, not a candidate for inclusion on the State Departments list of foreign terror organizations. Those groups, which include Islamic extremist organizations and the Real Irish Republican Army, are based overseas rather than in the U.S. That designation matters for a variety of legal reasons, not least of which anyone in the United States who lends material support to an organization on that list is subject to terrorism-related charges. But there is not a domestic equivalent, said Joshua Geltzer, a former senior counterterrorism official in the Obama White House and founding executive director at the Institute for constitutional Advocacy and Protection at the Georgetown University Law Center. There have been periodic calls, particularly after mass shootings by white supremacists, to establish a domestic terrorism law. But no singular domestic terrorism statute now exists. Asked Monday what legal authority the president would have for labeling antifa a terror organization, McEnany pointed to the existing statute under the U.S. criminal code that defines acts of domestic and international terrorism. But defining an act of terrorism is different than designating an entire U.S. group as a terror organization. US law does the 1st. It doesnt permit the 2nd, Geltzer tweeted after McEnanys remarks. Even if antifa is not a designated terror organization, FBI Director Chris Wray has made clear that its on the radar of federal law enforcement. He has said that while the FBI does not investigate on the basis of ideology, agents have pursued investigations across the country against people motivated to commit crimes and acts of violence on kind of an antifa ideology. ___ Associated Press writers Gillian Flaccus in Portland, Ore., and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report. As many as 621 or around 78% of the total 799 special Shramik trains that departed from Maharashtra till May 30 were destined for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Of these, 426 trains went to Uttar Pradesh (UP) and 195 departed for Bihar. Immediately after migrants living in slums at Bandra took to the streets on April 14, demanding transport to their home states, the state government wrote to the Centre for the special trains. The demand was approved in the last week of April and the first Shramik special train departed from Nashik on May 1. Since then, 799 trains have departed to 22 Indian states, transporting 11.54 lakh migrants. Around 9.13 lakh migrants are estimated to have gone back to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and many more are still on the waiting list for Shramik trains. Most of the trains have been operating to Jaunpur and Gorakhpur districts in UP and Darbhanga in Bihar. At least 20 lakh people are expected to have gone back to their respective states from Maharashtra over the last month. Thousands more have registered with the authorities, mostly in Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Most of them are from these two states, said an official from the state government. Ramji Tiwari, former head of the department of Hindi at the University of Mumbai, said that most of north Indians living in Mumbai are from eastern parts of UP. There are at least 25 lakh north Indians living in Mumbai. Most of them are from UPs eastern districts like Gajhipur, Baliya, and Jaunpur, which are comparatively dense in population and less developed. The migrants have left Mumbai in distress after they lost their jobs and were finding it difficult to survive. It is unlikely that they will return to the city anytime soon, he said. The Maharashtra government had made a budgetary allocation of 100 crore for the Shramik train services. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that the state has already spent around 90 crore on train fare. At present, 37,994 migrants workers are living at various camps set up across the state. Before Shramik trains were arranged, the number of migrants living at these camps was more than 5.70 lakh in the last week of April. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Washington: Doug Hurly and Bob Behnken have become the first US astronauts in almost a decade to arrive at the International Space Station directly from American soil. Around 19 hours earlier, Hurly and Behnken launched into Earth's orbit aboard the Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket, both built by SpaceX, a private commercial spaceflight company. The SpaceX Dragon crew capsule, with NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Robert Behnken aboard, docks with the International Space Station. Credit:NASA It was the first mission in nearly a decade to launch astronauts from US territory. After a tense automatic docking sequence successfully linked Crew Dragon to the station's docking adapter, the station's current crew greeted Behnken, 49, and Hurley, 53, at an on-schedule hatch opening. The critical milestone kicks off the crew's potentially months-long stay in the orbital laboratory. Mumbai, June 1 : Director Saumitra Singh, who earlier helmed two award-winning short films, "The Wallet" and "Painful Pride", is all set with his third offering, "Kalabai From Byculla". The short film stars Sharib Hashmi, Shruti Bapna and Padmini Sardesai. Said Sharib: "I play a struggling artiste who is yet to make his mark, though age is not on his side anymore. His younger brother is doing better than him professionally and his granny is worried about him, but his life turns upside down when something extraordinary happens." Sharib is clearly impressed with his director: "I had a great time working with Saum. I loved the way he thinks and the way he executes. He is young and energetic and is always bubbling with ideas. I would love to collaborate with him in future." Actress Shruti Bapna said: "The film tells a beautifully-woven story of an artist's life that will amuse you. The role of Kalabai was fun to play, and working with Sharib and Saumitra raised the fun level." Director Saumitra Singh shared a story behind making this film, which incidentally, has been shot in one day. "I really loved directing this beautiful story and being a part of this creation. (Writer) Himan Joshi shared this concept with me and I was so mesmerised by it that I discussed it with Shashwat Joshi, the producer. He loved the concept and immediately said yes," recalled the director. Producer Shashwat Joshi, who had worked with Saumitra Singh on "The Wallet", said: "I was fascinated when I heard the title, and since I was looking for a good story to produce when I was in Lucknow, I decided to make it. This film is my first as an individual producer." George Floyd, the Minnesota man who died after an officer arresting him pressed his knee onto his neck, died by homicide, according to the results of two autopsies released on Monday one by the county medical examiner and the other by independent pathologists commissioned by Floyd's family. But the two autopsy reports differed on exactly how the man died. Dr. Allecia Wilson, one of the pathologists who conducted the independent autopsy, said Monday afternoon that Floyd died as a result of mechanical asphyxiation. But the report released later Monday by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office said Floyd died of "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression." The manner of death was ruled homicide, but the office noted that "is not a legal determination of culpability or intent." A preliminary autopsy report cited earlier by prosecutors said the county medical examiner's review "revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation." Floyd's death has led to widespread outrage, protests and unrest across the nation. The Minneapolis officer seen kneeling on Floyd's neck, Derek Chauvin, was charged last week with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The independent autopsy was conducted by Wilson and Dr. Michael Baden. Baden is the former chief medical examiner of New York City, and was also hired in 2014 to conduct the autopsy of Eric Garner, a black man who died when an NYPD officer used a banned chokehold during his arrest. Both Garner and Floyd pleaded with officers that they couldn't breathe before their deaths seen on disturbing videos, and "I can't breathe" has become a rallying cry among those protesting police brutality. floyd-chauvin-split.jpg George Floyd, left, and former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with third-degree murder for Floyd's death. Story continues Baden said Floyd died as a result of compression on his neck and back from the officer, which interfered with blood flow and his breathing. "George died because he needed a breath," said Ben Crump, a lawyer representing Floyd's family. "He needed a breath of air." The Hennepin County medical examiner's office, however, said Floyd experienced cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by the officer. The county autopsy said Floyd had "other significant conditions" including "arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease; fentanyl intoxication; [and] recent methamphetamine use." The office had not previously released the findings pending toxicology reports. But Baden said the further testing wouldn't reveal evidence of compressive pressure on Floyd's neck and back since the pressure would have been released when it was no longer applied. He said large areas of scrapes and abrasions on Floyd's face indicated the force that was used to press him into the ground. Baden also said that he could find no underlying conditions that contributed to Floyd's death, saying he was in good health. In a criminal complaint, Hennepin County prosecutors said Chauvin "had his knee on Mr. Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. Two minutes and 53 seconds of this was after Mr. Floyd was "non-responsive." Crump said Floyd's death was the result of that sustained pressure to his neck and the pressure on Floyd's back from other officers holding him down. "What those officers did, as we have seen on the video, is his cause of death not some underlying, unknown health condition," Crump said. "George Floyd was a healthy young man." Crump said Floyd died on the scene. "The ambulance was his hearse," Crump said. Crump said the family understands the "righteous anger" of protesters and said they support the people who want to work towards change, but he called the violence "unacceptable." He encouraged the community to "take a breath for justice, take a breath for peace, take a breath for our country, but more importantly, take a breath for George, since he didn't get the opportunity to take a breath." Another lawyer representing Floyd's family, Antonio Romanucci, said the three other officers involved are also criminally responsible for Floyd's death. All have been fired, but none of the others have been charged. He called those officers "shameless" and said they had every opportunity to prevent Floyd's death, knowing that restricting his airway could kill him. The family has called for those officers to be charged, and for Chauvin to face first-degree rather than third-degree murder charges. Romanucci also blasted the Minneapolis police department for what he described as a failure to properly train officers about chokeholds and restraint. "This was a brutal and public display of an eight-minute prolonged death," Romanucci said. "This was the lowest level of human respect and dignity that any community should ever have to endure. What this really was was the weight of the Minneapolis police department on George's neck." The Minneapolis police department has not responded to requests from CBS News for information about its training. Editor's note: This article has been updated with the results of the county medical examiner's report. Outpouring of support for businesses hurt by small groups of vandals Ex-NFL player Emmanuel Acho on his new series "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man" Arbery family says they are one step closer to getting justice By Associated Press WASHINGTON: Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump to a White House bunker on Sunday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades. Protesters started fires near the White House as tensions with police mounted during a third straight night of demonstrations held in response to the death of George Floyd at police hands in Minnesota. An hour before the 11 p.m. curfew, police fired a major barrage of tear gas stun grenades into the crowd of more than 1,000 people, largely clearing Lafayette Park across the street from the White House and scattering protesters into the street. The entire Washington, DC National Guard was recalled to help with the response to protests outside the White House and elsewhere in the nations capital, according to two Defense Department officials. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said Sunday that she had requested 500 DC Guardsman to assist local law enforcement. Later on Sunday, as the protests escalated, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy ordered the rest of the Guardsman roughly 1,200 soldiers to report. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter. Protesters piled up road signs and plastic barriers and lit a raging fire in the middle of H Street. ALSO READ | George Floyd case: US cities clean up, prepare for another night of unrest Some pulled an American flag from a nearby building and threw it into the blaze. Others added branches pulled from trees. Police say several individuals have been detained. Trump spent nearly an hour in the bunker, which was designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks, according to a Republican close to the White House who was not authorized to publicly discuss private matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The account was confirmed by an administration official who also on condition of anonymity. The abrupt decision by the agents underscored the rattled mood inside the White House, where the chants from protesters in Lafayette Park could be heard all weekend and Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers struggled to contain the crowds. The demonstrations in Washington turned violent and appeared to catch officers by surprise. They sparked one of the highest alerts on the White House complex since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. The White House does not comment on security protocols and decisions, said White House spokesman Judd Deere. The Secret Service said it does not discuss the means and methods of its protective operations. The president's move to the bunker was first reported by The New York Times. The president and his family have been shaken by the size and venom of the crowds, according to the Republican. It was not immediately clear if first lady Melania Trump and the couples 14-year-old son, Barron, joined the president in the bunker. Secret Service protocol would have called for all those under the agency's protection to be in the underground shelter. ALSO READ | George Floyd case: White House on lockdown as protests reach Washington Trump has told advisers he worries about his safety, while both privately and publicly praising the work of the Secret Service. Trump traveled to Florida on Saturday to view the first manned space launch from the U.S. in nearly a decade. He returned to a White House under virtual siege, with protesters some violent gathered just a few hundred yards away through much of the night. Demonstrators returned Sunday afternoon, facing off against police at Lafayette Park into the evening. Trump continued his effort to project strength, using a series of inflammatory tweets and delivering partisan attacks during a time of national crisis. As cities burned night after night and images of violence dominated television coverage, Trumps advisers discussed the prospect of an Oval Office address in an attempt to ease tensions. The notion was quickly scrapped for lack of policy proposals and the presidents own seeming disinterest in delivering a message of unity. ALSO READ | George Floyd protests: Mass gatherings, erosion of trust upend coronavirus control Trump did not appear in public on Sunday. Instead, a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time said Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators. On Sunday, Trump retweeted a message from a conservative commentator encouraging authorities to respond with greater force. This isnt going to stop until the good guys are willing to use overwhelming force against the bad guys, Buck Sexton wrote in a message amplified by the president. In recent days security at the White House has been reinforced by the National Guard and additional personnel from the Secret Service and the U.S. Park Police. On Sunday, the Justice Department deployed members of the U.S. Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, according to a senior Justice Department official. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Floyd Protest // Photo by Joe CareySaturday's protests took an ugly turn when tear gas was deployed on protestors all over the city. From downtown to The Plaza, police clashed with protesters loosing pepper spray and deploying tear gas and flash bangs. According to KCMO police, 85 arrests were made. MCKINLEYVILLE, Calif., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- When seafood industry veteran Bill Carvalho saw the damaging environmental impact of common commercial fishing practices, he made a commitment to only source wild fish in a way that aligned with his strong personal values: respect the planet, take only what it can give, and waste nothing taken. After a particularly eye-opening visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium with his family, the nonprofit's Seafood Watch program became Bill's guiding principle. In 2004, he founded Wild Planet Foods, the first large-scale sustainably focused seafood company in the country. Wild Planet offers a wide array of wild seafood choices with outstanding taste and nutrition. All of their products are sourced according to the highest environmental standards. How fish are caught mattersnot only for the health of the species, but for the health of the surrounding marine ecosystem and our planet as a whole. After all, Earth is an ocean planet with 71 percent of its surface covered with water. What happens in our oceans inevitably impacts our lands and all of us. The oceans are at risk of reaching their breaking point from overfishingand more pointedlyfrom "wrongly fishing." For example, the use of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) is a non-selective harvest method that attracts numerous species, not just a target species. These non-target fish become by-catch, or mortality discard, and are a waste of perfectly suitable meals for a hungry human race. Selective harvest methods for tuna, such as pole & line and trolling, have been the hallmark of Wild Planet's efforts since its inception. These methods rarely catch unintended species like other more conventional commercial tuna fishing methods such as longlining and purse seine fishing. Having created the shelf-stable sustainable seafood category, Wild Planet has set the standard at retail locations across the country. Every Wild Planet seafood product meets or exceeds very specific sustainability criteria: (a) the species must not be overfished; (b) the habitat cannot be damaged by the fishing method; (c) the catch method must be virtually free from by-catch; and (d) any incidental catch of non-target species is utilized, not discarded. Originally a tiny niche brand, Wild Planet Foods has grown into the fourth largest canned seafood company in the U.S. Today Wild Planet offers a wide array of wild seafood choices with outstanding taste and nutrition including tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel, yellowtail and anchovies. The company has been instrumental in encouraging consumers to learn about the positive effect their purchasing power can have on the environment. As part of its mission, Wild Planet takes a leadership role in educating retailers and pressuring the industry at large to adopt sustainable policies and procedures. For more information about Wild Planet Foods or its products, please visit www.wildplanetfoods.com. About Wild Planet Seafood industry veteran Bill Carvalho founded Wild Planet Foods in 2004 to realize his vision of a superior line of seafood products sourced according to the highest environmental standards while providing excellent flavor and unsurpassed nutrition. Based in McKinleyville, California and 100% U.S. owned, Wild Planet is the first large-scale sustainably focused seafood company in the country. As an industry pioneer, the company supports selective harvest through the use of sustainable fishing methods, which helps preserve and protect the delicate marine ecosystem. Wild Planet has been repeatedly recognized for its procurement policies and practices by Greenpeace and provides guidance for corporate environmental standards at some of the nation's most influential grocers. The company proudly supports the livelihood of coastal communities around the globe by partnering with small-scale fishermen and canneries with unparalleled seafood expertise. For more information, visit WildPlanetFoods.com or call 800-998-9946. Press Contact: Danielle Caldwell Crier Communications 310.274.1072 x214 [email protected] SOURCE Wild Planet Foods Vehicles stand damaged by an Acelhuate River flash flood at a neighborhood in San Salvador, El Salvador, Sunday, May 31, 2020. According to the Ministry of the Interior, at least seven people died across the country after two days of heavy rains. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez) Rain from Tropical Storm Amanda has left at least 17 people dead and seven missing while causing extensive damage across El Salvador and Guatemala that pushed thousands of people into shelters amid the coronavirus pandemic. El Salvador interior minister Mario Duran said 7,000 people were scattered across 154 shelters, after a quarter of the rain that the country normally receives in a year fell in 70 hours. That set off landslides and flooding, especially in the western part of the country. A day earlier officials had said at least 900 homes had been damaged. Expand Close The swollen Los Esclavos River (Moises Castillo/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The swollen Los Esclavos River (Moises Castillo/AP) President Nayib Bukele visited one of the most affected communities on the outskirts of San Salvador. Some 50 families lost their homes and Mr Bukele said the government would give them funding to rebuild. One woman whose home was damaged, Maria Torres, said: Weve never experienced this. The rain was so strong and suddenly the water entered the homes and we just saw how they fell. The Legislative Assembly approved the governments use of a 389 million dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund to deal with the pandemic and the storms impact. El Salvador reports more than 2,500 infections and 46 deaths from Covid-19. Expand Close The scene in Cuilapa, eastern Guatemala (Moises Castillo/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The scene in Cuilapa, eastern Guatemala (Moises Castillo/AP) In Guatemala, a nine-year-old boy was swept away by a river and drowned and another person was killed when a home collapsed, said David de Leon, spokesman for the national disaster agency. Amanda pounded El Salvador with rain for days before moving ashore as a tropical storm on Sunday and pushing across Guatemala. It quickly dissipated, but the US National Hurricane Centre said on Monday afternoon that its remnants had formed into a tropical depression in the Bay of Campeche off Mexicos gulf coast and was expected to move through the Gulf of Mexico in coming days. Mexico issued a tropical storm warning from Campeche west to the port of Veracruz, expecting the depression to become a tropical storm on Monday night or Tuesday. The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the state high courts orders reinstating retired IAS officer Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar as the State Election Commissioner (SEC). In a special leave petition filed in the apex court, the state government challenged the high courts order striking down the ordinance promulgated last month which sought to reduce the tenure of the SEC from five years to three years and appointing a judicial officer of the rank of a high court judge as the SEC. The SLP is expected to come up for hearing on Tuesday or Wednesday, a state government official familiar with the development said. Meanwhile, chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is leaving for New Delhi on Tuesday to discuss the issue with legal experts in New Delhi to present the governments case in the Supreme Court. He would also be meeting Union home minister Amit Shah and other ministers to discuss certain issues pertaining to the state, the official quoted above said. On Friday, the high court bench comprising chief justice JK Maheshwari and senior judge Satyanarayana Murthy also struck down two government orders that followed the ordinance removing Ramesh Kumar as SEC and appointing retired judge of Madras high court V Kanagaraj in his place. The high court ruled that Kanagarajs appointment was illegal and Ramesh Kumar be allowed to continue for the rest of his tenure. Challenging the high court judgment, the Andhra Pradesh government argued that it had all the powers to appoint the SEC and the appointment of Justice Kanagaraj was done as per the statute. It appealed to the court to set aside the orders of the high court and allow Justice Kanagaraj to continue as the SEC. The state government, however, ignored the circular issued by Ramesh Kumar, soon after the judgment, that he was resuming charge as the SEC as per the court order and that he would discharge his duties fairly and impartially as he had done in the past and as mandated. State advocate general Sriram Subrahmanyam said Ramesh Kumar had no right to resume charge as the SEC as the high court had not mentioned when he should be reinstated. There are several ambiguities in the high court judgment and we are filing an SLP in the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the high court order, the advocate general said. Ramesh Kumar, however, said the high court had clearly directed the state government to restore his position as SEC and allowed him to continue in office until completion of his tenure which ends on March 31, 2021. In the wake of the high court judgment, Justice Kanagaraju ceases to hold office as SEC. Since the office of SEC, a Constitutional post, cannot remain vacant, my position becomes status quo ante and I stand restored to the office of the SEC. Hence, I resumed the charge and proceedings were issued accordingly, he said. Stating that the stand taken by the government was illegal, he said he was contemplating moving the high court again seeking restoration of his position. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEWTOWN The six-day manhunt through four states to capture homicide suspect Peter Manfredonia in Maryland had nothing to do with the routine arrest two days earlier of George Floyd on a counterfeit bill charge 1,000 miles away in Minnesota. But commentators on Twitter say the two stories directly parallel the racial double-standard in America that has provoked a week of protests and civil disobedience here and across the country. Manfredonia, a white 23-year-old Sandy Hook native, is awaiting extradition to Connecticut after being taken into custody without a fight on May 27. Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died handcuffed on the ground with his neck pinned beneath an arresting officers knee on May 25. Some pointed to a statement by Connecticut State Police Lt. Michael Pendleton, who said absolutely no force was used to effect the arrest, of Manfredonia, who had a gun in a black bag 200 yards away. Notice how the police talk to Peter Manfredonia, a white college senior who was at large after (allegedly) killing two people and (allegedly) stealing guns. Being treated with respect and due process, even if you commit a crime, shouldn't be a privilege, wrote Twitter user Max Lipton. Twitter user Dr. LezAnne Edmond agreed. And alleged murderer Peter Manfredonia was surrounded by heavily armed officers was gently arrested his f shirt wasn't even disturbed!, she wrote. Although Manfredonia is yet to be charged with anything other than being a fugitive from justice in the slayings of 62-year old Theodore DeMers and 23-year-old fellow Newtown High School graduate Nicholas Eisele, the arresting officer in Floyds case has been arrested and charged with murder. By Monday afternoon, there were nearly 100 separate posts on Twitter calling Manfredonia and Floyds disparate treatment the latest case study of a double-standard in the criminal justice system that treats white suspects with restraint and black suspects with contempt. Absolutely, this is what we have been talking about for years and years, said Glenda Armstrong, president of the Greater Danbury NAACP. The double-standard will continue to happen unless people are made aware of it and unless people say to themselves, We need to get better at this. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 Straddling the Chile-Argentina border, Viedma Glacier, pictured here, is, like many other such entities around the world, under increasing risk of rapid melting due to climate change. In a new study, researchers at UCI and NASA JPL demonstrate that the deterioration of glaciers and ice caps threatens a once-reliable source of water for human consumption. Credit: Jeremie Mouginot / UCI The melting of glaciers and ice caps in places as diverse as the Himalayas and Andes mountain ranges, the Svalbard island group and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago has the dual effect of raising global sea levels and depleting freshwater resources that serve millions of people around the world. In a study published recently in the American Geophysical Union journal Geophysical Research Letters, glaciologists at the University of California, Irvine and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory record an average loss of more than 280 billion metric tons of mass per year from these diminishingly icy regions between 2002 and 2019, resulting in a 13-millimeter rise in global sea levels. "In the Andes Mountains in South America and in high-mountain Asia, glacier melt is a major source of drinking water and irrigation for several hundred million people," said co-author Isabella Velicogna, UCI professor of Earth system science and senior scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "Our research revealed that these freshwater resources in glaciers and ice caps are globally dwindling down, faster every year," she said. "And this will increase the risk of water scarcity and water conflicts in many parts of the world." The scientists accounted for the decline using the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellite mission and its successor, GRACE Follow-On, a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center. By "weighing the Earth," as Velicogna put it, the GRACE missions have given scientists a powerful tool with which to monitor and measure the planet's water reserves, including all land ice and groundwater. Since there was a several-month gap between the satellite missions, Velicogna's team has had to rely on other modeling tools for reconciliation purposes. For this project, they used glacier surface mass balance data (a comparison of melting/runoff to snow accumulation) from the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2, from NASA's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office. Lead author Enrico Ciraci, a UCI graduate student researcher in Earth system science, said that the MERRA-2 data lined up amazingly well with the GRACE/GRACE-FO data. Of all the regions studied by the researchers, Alaska lost the most ice, followed by Canada's ice caps, the southern Andes Mountains, high-mountain Asia (the Himalayas), the Russian Arctic, Iceland and Svalbard. These areas made up 94 percent of the total mass loss. The other six percent was distributed in smaller regions of Central Europe, the Caucasus, Central America, North Asia, Scandinavia and the low latitudes. The project accounted for not only the total loss of ice mass but also the acceleration of the decline over the past few decades to the present day. For example, in 2002 the rate of loss was 240 billion metric tons, while in 2019 it was 324 billion metric tons. Velicogna said the paper holds an important message for people around the world. "The GRACE and GRACE-FO missions provide a unique way to survey the freshwater resources locked in remote areas, across political boundaries, with precision data," she said. "The results are bad, bad news for global freshwater from glaciers." Velicogna noted that it's important for scientists such as herself to continually define consistent methodologies to monitor glacier melt, not just to keep track of potential sea level rise but for the management of freshwater resources by local governments. This project, which also involved experts from the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, was funded by NASA. Explore further Greenland shed ice at unprecedented rate in 2019; Antarctica continues to lose mass More information: E. Ciraci et al. Continuity of the Mass Loss of the World's Glaciers and Ice Caps From the GRACE and GRACE FollowOn Missions, Geophysical Research Letters (2020). Journal information: Geophysical Research Letters E. Ciraci et al. Continuity of the Mass Loss of the World's Glaciers and Ice Caps From the GRACE and GRACE FollowOn Missions,(2020). DOI: 10.1029/2019GL086926 The situation in the United States continues to heat up. The situation in the state of Minnesota is completely out of control. Obviously, this explains the helpless statement of its governor Timothy Wals that local law enforcement officers do not have enough resources to restore and maintain order. This despite the fact that in Minneapolis - the main city of the state, units of the US National Guard appeared and a curfew was introduced. We dont have enough people. We cant carry out arrests when protesters show resistance, the governor said. Employees of the National Guard were already involved in policing. Wals announced that he would probably have to mobilize about another thousand troops. "But this may not be enough. The city will have another hard night," he said. President Donald Trump irritably hinted at Wals's inconsistency with his post. But as if Trump did not have to repeat these words in relation to some other heads of state and city administrations. Riots covered more than a dozen cities. Not to mention the petty ones, where anarchy simply reigned supreme, in such cities as Denver and Columbus there were serious clashes between demonstrators and the police. The picketers took to the streets of Los Angeles, New York Houston. Albuquerque, Phoenix, Dallas and other cities. It is noteworthy that in the Big Apple, the protesters supported Mayor Andrew Cuomo: I fully understand the protesters. How many times do we still have to face this lesson in order to learn it. The words were spoken at a briefing, and someone immediately remembered that Cuomo was a Democrat, and immediately suggested that the American Democrats, who were skilled in organizing color revolutions around the world, were now trying to stage a color revolution for Donald Trump and his Republican Party. Such an assumption ceases to seem absurd, if we take into account the actions of CNN, a noticeably one-sided style of work on the side of the rebels, one in one resembling the work of their less eminent colleagues, in particular in the post-Soviet space. Ironically, CNN's headquarters in Atlanta was one of the victims of the unrest that CNN has struggled to portray as fair against the worst President Donald Trump in US history. As a result, the dispersed guardians of "better America" smashed the CNN office, leaving in the process some memories from the popular restaurant located there and turning several police cars into hopeless scrap metal. The actions of yet another mayor Democrat Muriel Bowser in Washington should be taken into account. She actually allowed the protesters to roam, limiting the actions of the police. President Trump sarcastically noted: The same Bowser, who constantly seeks money and help, showed herself on the bad side, preventing the police from doing their duty, [say] not their job. That's great! So, a conflict with a strong shade of racial, who played against Trump on the eve of the presidential election, began to unfold in his direction. He himself, unlike the Democrats, behaves quite restrained and dignified. In particular, a series of his tweets completely absorbed and reflected the atmosphere of what was happening, being in time and place, which happens not so often in similar situations. The president praised the actions of the members of the US Secret Service guarding him, quoting the word protesters exponentially when they began to besiege the White House. "The Secret Service of the USA worked perfectly last night. They were not only completely professional, but also very cool. I was inside, I saw every movement and couldnt feel more secure. They gave me the opportunity to shout and chant anything to" protesters ", but quickly and tidily put things in order when someone crossed the permissible limits. They acted so quickly that they did not even have time to understand what was happening ... Nobody even came close to breaking through the fence. And if they broke through, they would greeted by the most vicious dogs and the most terrible weapons I have ever seen, "Trump wrote. Recall that mass unrest was preceded by the death of 46-year-old black resident of Minneapolis George Floyd from the actions of policemen. He was suspected of making false documents and arrested. During the arrest, one of the police officers, who had previously been convicted of rough handling of colored ones, threw Floyd to the ground and crushed his neck with his knee. In the video frames distributed on the network, the detainee complains of asthma and asks for breathing, but in vain. Floyd, who lost consciousness, was taken to the hospital, but there they could no longer help him. Immediately after this, protests against police brutality began in major state cities. The stock quickly grew into clashes with the police, and from the side there was a feeling that both sides wanted just such a development. Despite the subsequent announcement that a group of four police officers involved in Floyd's detention was fired and the main antihero will face trial on charges of manslaughter, riots spread to other states and cities. This gave rise to talk about their organized character, and the Democrats to be suspected of organizing all this action. The streets of downtown San Antonio hosted a peaceful protest, a night of chaos, and a community cleanup over the weekend. On Saturday, protestors marched in memory of George Floyd, the African American man who died in police custody in Minneapolis. Tear gas exploded hours later as police tried to scatter a crowd of remaining protestors. Rioters broke into the Shops at Rivercenter and smashed the windows of a Whataburger restaurant. On ExpressNews.com: Police out in force in downtown San Antonio Sunday night after violence, looting marred Saturday's George Floyd protest On Sunday, volunteers descended on the city's downtown to help clean up the damage. Demonstrators marched Sunday evening, but there was no violence and the activists dispersed shortly after a 10 p.m. curfew went into effect. Here are 23 photos that captured the weekend's scenes: Chiara de Blasio poses backstage at the Anna Sui fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2015 at The Theatre at Lincoln Center in New York City on Sept. 10, 2014. (Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week) New York Mayor Bill de Blasios Daughter Arrested at George Floyd Manhattan Protest The daughter of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was among some 350 arrested on Saturday night after she participated in demonstrations in Manhattan, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) has confirmed. Chiara de Blasio, 25, was arrested at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday during demonstrations against police brutality in response to the death of George Floyd, NYPD sources confirmed with The Epoch Times. Police sources said de Blasio was arrested for unlawful assembly at 12th Street and Broadway in Lower Manhattan, after allegedly blocking traffic and refusing to move when asked by officers. That was a real hotspot, police cars were getting burned there, people were throwing and yelling, fighting with cops, an unamed law enforcement official told the New York Post. There were thousands of people in that area at that time. NYPD sources told The Epoch Times that the 25-year-old was arrested for unlawful assembly, given a desk appearance ticket, and was later released. The sources declined to comment on when she was released. A police report of the incident obtained by the Daily Mail noted that some 100 protestors, including de Blasio, were arrested after hurling objects at police. The 25-year-old did not inform officers that she was the mayors daughter, but provided his Upper East Side homealso known as the Gracie Mansionas her address, according to the Post. We have a long night ahead of us in Brooklyn. Our sole focus is deescalating this situation and getting people home safe. There will be a full review of what happened tonight. We dont ever want to see another night like this. Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) May 30, 2020 News of her arrest came after mayor de Blasio said a small group of well-organized anarchists were behind much of the violence, echoing comments from Attorney General William Barr on Saturday that the violence within these protests appears to have been planned, organized, and driven by groups of outside radicals and agitators who are exploiting the situation in order to achieve their own separate and violent agenda. The Epoch Times contacted City Hall for comment, but did not immediately hear back. New York City police said that since the protests began late last week, nearly 790 people have been arrested, 33 officers have been injured and 27 police vehicles have been damaged or destroyed by fire. There were no major injuries reported. Mayor de Blasio did not mention his daughters arrest during a press briefing on Sunday, but he noted that city police showed tremendous restraint overall, adding that he does not plan to impose a curfew, unlike other major U.S. cities and smaller cities throughout the state. We all better get back to the humanity here, the mayor said Sunday morning. The protesters are human beings. They need to be treated with tremendous respect. The police officers are human beings. They need to be treated with tremendous respect. A vandalized New York Police Department vehicle is seen after a protest following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis Police custody, in New York City, on May 30, 2020. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters) Police try to contain protesters during a rally at the Barclays Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York on May 29, 2020. (Frank Franklin II/AP Photo) He promised an investigation into a video showing two police cruisers lurching into a crowd of demonstrators in a Brooklyn street, knocking people to the ground. A number of major cities have been rocked by riots and looting in recent days, following Floyds death, including in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Denver, Cincinnati, Portland, Oregon, and Louisville, Kentucky. A widely circulated video showed Floyd, 46, lying down and handcuffed as a police officer was seen kneeling on the mans neck for nearly nine minutes. The footage showed Floyd telling officers that he cant breathe before his body went motionless. According to a Minneapolis Fire Department report (pdf), Floyd was unresponsive and pulseless when he was being transported into an ambulance by paramedics from the site of his arrest to the hospital. The police officer who was seen kneeling on the mans neck, Derek Chauvin, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter on Friday. Chauvin and three other police officers involved in the arrest have since been fired. According to preliminary autopsy findings by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, Floyd did not die due to strangulation or traumatic oxygen deprivation. The autopsy report cited in the complaint (pdf) against Chauvin suggests Floyd died from a combination of heart disease and potential intoxicants in his system that were aggravated by the restraint placed on him by officers. According to a tally compiled by the Associated Press, at least 4,100 people have been arrested across the United States over days of protests. Janita Kan and the Associated Press contributed to this report. The Maharashtra government on Monday sounded an alert in Mumbai and neighbouring districts in view of the approaching cyclonic storm "Nisarga", which is expected to hit the state's coast on June 3. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray through video conference and took stock of the state's preparedness to tackle any eventuality, the latter's office said. Ten units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in vulnerable districts, while six others have been kept on a stand-by, officials said. ALSO READ: Nisarga Cyclone Tracker: Check out route, location, landfall date in Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat Steps are being taken to ensure there is no disruption of power supply at a time when the state is battling the coronavirus crisis and thousands of patients are undergoing treatment in various hospitals, they said. Adequate precautions are being taken to safeguard chemical and atomic energy plants located in coastal Palghar and Raigad districts. Thackeray, in a statement, said an alert has been sounded in Mumbai city, Mumbai suburban district, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts in view of the cyclonic storm developing in the Arabian Sea. The state Disaster Management and Relief and Rehabilitation department is also geared up to face the cyclone, he said. Fishermen have been asked to come back from the sea and respective district collectors have been asked to ensure there is no loss of life, the statement said. Shah held a discussion with Thackeray on video conference to take stock of the state's preparedness. Thackeray apprised Shah about the situation and steps being taken to tackle it, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. Shah told Thackeray NDRF battalions from neighbouring states have been kept on a stand-by for relief and rescue operations, if required, the statement said. Thackeray said shelter homes are being kept ready for those who are required to be shifted to safer places, it said. The Coast Guard has been asked to ensure fishermen come back from the sea. In low-lying areas of Mumbai, slum-dwellers will be shifted to safer places. Non-COVID hospitals will be made available for those needing medical assistance. Thackeray asked authorities to examine if field hospitals can be shifted to safer places. He also asked for generators to be kept in hospitals so that patients do not suffer in case of disruption in power supply. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said the low-pressure area formed over the Arabian Sea has intensified into a depression and it will further intensify into a cyclonic storm in the next 36 hours. It said the the cyclonic storm will cross north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts late in the evening on June 3. Meanwhile, Palghar district collector Kailas Shinde on Monday asked fishermen not to venture into the seat. A similar warning was issued by his Thane counterpart Rajesh Narvekar. Addressing a news conference, Shinde said a total of 577 fishing boats had gone out in the sea of which 100 are yet to return. Efforts were on to get them back with the help of the Coast Guard, Shinde said. He said talukas of Vasai, Dahanu and Palghar have been put on an alert and those living near the coast in 'kutcha' houses would be evacuated and lodged in safer places as a precautionary measures. He said two companies of the NDRF have arrived in Palghar district. Some industries will remain closed on June 3, he said. Shinde also released helpline numbers to be contacted in case of any emergency during the cyclone. These numbers are 02525-297474/02525-252020/8329439902. In Thane district, too, one company of the NDRF has deployed. ALSO READ: Another superstorm to hit India on June 3; all you need to know about cyclone 'Nisarga' Special Representative Hook Calls Iran's Regime 'Marxist Theocracy' Radio Farda May 31, 2020 The "Fact Sheet" published by the U.S. Department of State, highlighting allegations against the Islamic Republic has triggered a war of words between Tehran and Washington. On Friday, May 22, the State Department "Fact Sheet" maintained that the Shi'ite clergy-dominated Iran, since its establishment four decades ago, has carried out more than 360 assassinations, terrorist plots, and terrorist attacks in more than forty countries across the globe. The Islamic Republic Foreign Ministry responded harshly, accusing Washington of "lying", "conspiracy" and "fabrication" to start a new round of "psychological war" and "exerting pressure" on Tehran. Furthermore, Tehran insisted that Washington did not have any "evidence" to prove its allegations. In an exclusive interview with Radio Farda's Baktash Khamsehpour, Special Envoy for Iran, Brian Hook fired back insisting that, not only the United States but many countries around the world have repeatedly raised their concerns over Tehran's activities, including its nuclear ballistic missiles program. Furthermore, for the first time, describing the Iranian government as a "Marxist-theocratic" regime, Hook asserted that the Iranian people are tired of their regime. Here is Radio Farda's Q&A with Brian Hook: Radio Farda: In the fact sheet, the only specific number given of the victims of what you call the Islamic Republic terrorism is 85 killed in a suicide bombing attack on the building of AMIA ( Argentine Israelite Mutual Association), on July 18, 1994, in Buenos Aires. Would you give a breakdown of the remaining number of the victims, especially the number of the dissident Iranians assassinated, the most recent case being the killing Massoud Molavi in Turkey? Brian Hook: Well, we did want to highlight how Iran uses its diplomats for assassinations and terrorist activities. We wanted to put that on the fact sheet so the people can understand the regime uses assassinations like the one you mentioned in Turkey, against Iranian dissidents. Iran's diplomats are agents of terror, and they conducted multiple assassinations and bomb plots all over the world. They conducted acts of terrorism on five continents. The European Union imposed sanctions on Iran's intelligence service, because of the assassination attempts and bomb plots in Europe. I wish the European Union would also put sanctions on what Iran is doing inside the Middle East. But if you look at the time this regime came to power in 1979, it has been implicated in assassinations and other terrorist plots in more than forty countries. That's just extraordinary. Radio Farda: In the international diplomatic scene, the United States has made its position clear regarding the Islamic Republic but, at the same time, the European Union, and specifically the Russian Federation, as well as the People's Republic of China are not in coordination with the United States' position toward Iran. Brian Hook: I challenge a little bit of that question, because when I confer with our European allies, and also with China and Russia, no one wants to see Iran, the Islamic Republic, acquire nuclear weapons; no one is happy about Iran's ballistic missile testing, which is obviously a cover for developing intercontinental and ballistic missiles so that it could send a nuclear warhead wherever it wishes. I do not think anybody's happy with the regime's regional aggression and hostage-taking. And you have seen European nations, especially the permanent members of the UN Security Council, France, and the United Kingdom, repeatedly condemn Iran for terrorism, ballistic missile testing, missile proliferation, terror finance, and money laundering. They have done a lot to face Iran. We do wish they will join our strategy of maximum economic pressure and diplomatic isolation. We run a very successful strategy over the last two years, and the President would like to get to talks with the Iranian regime, and we would like to see China, Russia, and the European countries join us. Radio Farda: The Islamic Republic has rejected the State Department fact sheet by accusing Washington of lying, calling the fact sheet "conspiracy", "illusion" and "fabrication" compiled for "psychological war", and exerting pressure on Tehran. As the State Department official responsible for Iranian affairs, what would you say to that? Brian Hook: We do not pay a lot of attention to the propaganda machine that comes outside of Tehran. This is a Marxist-theocratic regime that peddles in falsehoods and lies. For forty-one years now the Iranian people are tired of it, the international community is tired of it. When we put out our fact sheet, we can back-up everything in it. And the only thing that Iran really has is complaints that this is a psychological operation. But, when you look at so many people who lost their lives because of Iranian violence; I think everybody who has fallen victim to Iranian terrorism around the world understands the truth. Radio Farda: You have recently said because of U.S. pressure, the Islamic Republic leaders have decided either to negotiate with or manage an economic collapse. How possible is negotiation with a regime that the U.S. has designated as the "main sponsor of terrorism in the world?" Brian Hook: One of the reasons that they have been able to get away with so much terrorism is because they have the money to fund it, and what we did when coming to office, we reversed the prior administration's policy of accommodation with the regime and sanctions relief, and even encouraging business with Iran. But since IRGC controls half of the Iranian economy, probably higher than half, if you are investing in Iran, if you are spending money in Iran, that money can go to terrorism just as easily as it can go to commerce. So, we put in place a policy of maximum economic pressure, so that this regime simply doesn't have the revenue that it used to spend on its nuclear program, its missiles, not being in peace with its neighbors, its weapons program; and as a consequence, the Iranian regime is weaker, and so are its proxies. Iran doesn't have the money anymore that it used to, to keep its proxies rich and to keep the regime's elite rich. So, we have been able to affect a change in the regime's behavior simply by denying its revenue. And we have amassed a lot of leverage against the regime, and that leverage is going to be necessary to accomplish the kind of deal we're talking about. We need to get to zero enrichment. Countries that want peaceful nuclear power do not need to enrich. We also need to do something about Iran's ballistic missiles testing and missile proliferation; all of its hostage-taking and attacking its neighbors. And we believe that our diplomacy will be able to accomplish that result. Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/special-representative- hook-explains-iran-face-sheet-detailing-360-terror -attacks-islamic-republic-/30644249.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 London: The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic may be waning. For vaccine developers, that could be a problem. Scientists in Europe and the United States say the relative success of draconian lockdown and social distancing policies in some areas and countries means virus transmission rates may be at such low levels that there is not enough disease circulating to truly test potential vaccines. They may need to look further afield, to pandemic hotspots in Africa and Latin America, to get convincing results. Ironically, if were really successful using public health measures to stamp out the hot spots of viral infection, it will be harder to test the vaccine, said Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health in the United States. A vaccine is seen as essential to ending a pandemic that has killed nearly 370,000 people and infected more than 6 million so far, with world leaders looking at inoculation as the only real way to restart their stalled economies. But running large-scale clinical trials of potential vaccines against a completely new disease at speed is complex, scientists say. Showing efficacy in those trials during a fluctuating pandemic adds extra difficulty - and doing so when outbreaks are waning makes it harder still. For this to work, people need to have a risk of infection in the community. If the virus has been temporarily cleared out, then the exercise is futile, said Ayfer Ali, an expert in drug repurposing at Britains Warwick Business School. The solution is to move to areas where the infection is being spread widely in the community that would be countries like Brazil and Mexico at the moment. Vaccine trials work by randomly dividing people into a treatment group and a control group, with the treatment group getting the experimental trial vaccine and the control group getting a placebo. All participants go back into the community where the disease is circulating, and subsequent rates of infection are compared. The hope is that infections within the control group will be higher, showing the trial vaccine is protecting the other group. With COVID-19 epidemics in Britain, mainland Europe and the United States coming down from their peak and transmission rates of the coronavirus dropping, a key task for scientists is to chase fluctuating outbreaks and seek volunteers in sections of populations or in countries where the disease is still rife. A similar problem emerged when scientists were seeking to test potential new vaccines against Ebola during the vast 2014 outbreak in West Africa. Then, drugmakers were forced to drastically scale back plans for large trials because their vaccines were only test-ready late in the epidemic when case numbers were dwindling. LOOKING ABROAD Among the first COVID-19 vaccines to move into phase two, or mid-stage, trials is one from the U.S. biotech company Moderna and another being developed by scientists at Oxford University supported by AstraZeneca. The United States in July is planning to launch vast efficacy trials of 20,000 to 30,000 volunteers per vaccine. Collins said U.S. health officials will tap government and industry clinical trial networks in the United States first and use mapping to detect where the virus is most active. They will also consider looking abroad if domestic disease rates fall too far, he said. The U.S. government has experience in Africa of testing vaccines against HIV, malaria and tuberculosis. Africa is now beginning to experience lots of cases of COVID-19. We might very well want to run part of the trial there, where we know we can collect the data effectively, said Collins. Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute at Britains Oxford University which has teamed up with AstraZeneca, started mid-stage trials last month which he said would aim to recruit around 10,000 people in Britain. He told Reuters that with COVID-19 disease transmission rates dropping in the UK there is a possibility that the trial would have to be halted if they didnt have enough infections to yield a result. That would be disappointing, and at the moment its unlikely, but its certainly a possibility, Hill said. CHALLENGE TRIALS Underscoring the level of concern in the industry, AstraZenecas chief executive Pascal Soriot said his researchers were even contemplating running so-called challenge trials - where participants would be given the experimental vaccine and then deliberately infected with COVID-19 to see if it worked. Such trials are rare, high risk and hard to get ethical approval for. As a more practical and swifter option, Soriot and others are looking to Brazil and other countries in South America, as well as parts of Africa where COVID-19 outbreaks are still growing and peaking, as ripe drug and vaccine testing grounds. Difficulty recruiting candidates for mid-stage vaccine trials in countries where the COVID-19 pandemic is on the wane may be foreshadowed by the experience of doctors seeking infected cases for the World Health Organizations multi-country Solidarity trial of potential treatments for the disease - including the generic drug hydroxychloroquine and Gileads remdesivir. In the Swiss portion of that trial, for instance, it took three weeks to get all of the ethical and regulatory approvals from authorities, and another week to get all the drugs, said Oriol Manuel, an infectious disease expert and national coordinator of the Solidarity study in Switzerland. We were able to enroll some patients in (one trial centre in) Lausanne, Manuel said. But when all centres were ready, the cases were fortunately disappearing. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Paramedics and members of the Emergencies Ministry wearing personal protective equipment push a stretcher into an ambulance while transporting a patient amid the CCP virus outbreak in the city of Tver, Russia, on May 28, 2020. (Tatyana Makeyeva/Reuters) Russia Approves First Drug for Treatment Against COVID-19 Russia granted approval to a drug for use against COVID-19, the first time authorities have given the green light to a medicine against the new disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Hospitals can soon begin giving favipiravir, a drug traditionally used against the flu, to patients in early June after approval by Russias Ministry of Health, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), and ChemRar Group said on Saturday. Avifavir, Russias version of the drug, is the first Russian direct antiviral drug that has proven effective in clinical trials, RDIF said in a statement. The drug has shown high efficacy in treating patients with coronavirus during clinical trials, it added. Intermediate data from clinical trials testing the drug against COVID-19 helped convince officials to issue temporary approval. Afivavir is not only the first antiviral drug registered against coronavirus in Russia, but it is also perhaps the most promising anti-COVID-19 drug in the world, Kirill Dmitriev, RDIFs CEO, said in a statement. An unprecedentedly short period of time of development and testing in Russia enabled afivavir to become the first registered drug based on favipiravir in the world, he added. Some 60,000 courses are being delivered to hospitals around the country this month, with the first batches going to Russias Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare. The first deliveries are slated for June 11. Russians wont have to pay for the drug. Anti-influenza Avigan Tablets produced by Japans Fujifilm are displayed in Tokyo in a 2014 file photograph. (Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images) Avifavir disrupts the reproduction of the CCP virus, health officials said. One trial found a median recovery time of four days versus nine with standard therapy, along with an impact on body temperature and days to testing negative. Avifavir showed no new or previously unreported side effects, researchers said. The drug was linked to fetal deaths in animal studies. More trials involving the Lomonosov Moscow State University and other institutions are ongoing. No vaccine exists for the CCP virus and scientists around the world are racing to prove the efficacy and safety of existing and experimental treatments against COVID-19. Remdesivir and hydroxychloroquine have both shown positive results in some patients. Concerns about the formers efficacy cropped up, while side effects for the latter indicate the need to avoid giving it to certain groups. Avifavir, also known as Avigan, was developed by Japanese researchers a few decades ago. Fujifilms healthcare arm held the patent but it expired last year, enabling outside development of the medicine. Fujifilm said last month it was boosting production of the drug after researchers in China found it was effective against COVID-19. Researchers in a number of other countries, including Egypt and the United States, have also been testing the drug against the new disease. The son of Minnesotas attorney general declared his support for Antifa in response to President Trumps announcement that his administration would seek to designate it a terrorist organization' as the state's top prosecutor is tapped to lead the prosecution of the officer involved in the death of George Floyd. Jeremiah Ellison, a Minneapolis city councilman and the son of State Attorney General Keith Ellison, tweeted on Sunday: I hereby declare, officially, my support for ANTIFA. Unless someone can prove to me ANTIFA is behind the burning of black and immigrant owned businesses in my ward, Ill keep focusing on stopping the white power terrorist THE ARE ACTUALLY ATTACKING US! Ellison's tweet was in response to Trump's announcement about Antifa. 'The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization,' the president tweeted earlier on Sunday. Minneapolis City Councilman Jeremiah Ellison (left) declared his support for Antifa on Sunday in response to President Trump's (right) announcement that his administration would seek to designate the group as a terrorist organization I hereby declare, officially, my support for ANTIFA,' Jeremiah Ellison tweeted. Unless someone can prove to me ANTIFA is behind the burning of black and immigrant owned businesses in my ward, Ill keep focusing on stopping the white power terrorist THE ARE ACTUALLY ATTACKING US! On Saturday, Trump blamed Antifa for violent nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died in the custody of Minneapolis police. Video of Floyd's arrest shows one of the officers, Derek Chauvin, 44, press his knee onto his neck, cutting off his air supply. The video of Floyd's arrest, his death, and the local prosecutor's decision to wait several days before arresting Chauvin and then charging him with third-degree murder sparked outrage. The anger spread across the country as activists and protesters took to the streets of dozens of cities for days-long demonstrations - many of which turned violent. Looting, arson, vandalism, and destruction of property have been reported, prompting mayors to issue curfews and state governors to call in the National Guard. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz suggested that foreign influences, white supremacists and drug cartels are fueling the chaos. 'It's ANTIFA and the Radical Left. Don't lay the blame on others!' Trump said in a tweet on Saturday, referring to the militant far-left movement, short for 'anti-fascism', that is known for violence. Echoing the president, Attorney General Bill Barr said on Saturday that 'the voices of peaceful protest are being hijacked by radical elements'. Ellison is the son of Keith Ellison (above), Minnesota's attorney general 'Groups of outside radicals and agitators are exploiting the situation to pursue their own separate and violent agenda,' Barr said in an on-camera statement. 'In many places it appears the violence is planned, organized and driven by anarchic and far-left extremist groups using antifa-like tactics.' 'It is a federal crime to cross state lines or use interstate facilities to incite or participate in violent rioting and we will enforce those laws,' he added, saying that the FBI, US Marshals, DEA, ATF and US Attorney's Offices would fully support local and state law enforcement in restoring order and cracking down on violence. In an attempt to calm anger from critics, Walz has asked Keith Ellison, to oversee the investigation and prosecution of Chauvin. There are also growing calls from Floyd's family and others to charge the three other police officers with crimes. 'We are going to bring to bear all the resources necessary to achieve justice in this case,' Ellison said in response. Walzs unusual decision to put Ellison in the lead was a win for local civil rights activists, who say the longtime prosecutor does not have the trust of the black community needed to handle a case that has sparked widespread unrest and a national focus on racism in the criminal justice system. Ellison, who was a vocal progressive congressman before winning state office in 2018, has the experience and community confidence for the job, Walz told reporters Sunday. WHAT IS THE ANTI-FASCIST MOVEMENT (ANTIFA) The anti-fascist protest movement known as antifa gained new prominence in the United States after the white supremacist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, VA, in August 2017. In Charlottesville and at many subsequent events held by white supremacists or right-wing extremists, antifa activists have aggressively confronted what they believe to be authoritarian movements and groups. While most counter-protestors tend to be peaceful, there have been several instances where encounters between antifa and the far-right have turned violent. The antifa sometimes use a logo with a double flag, usually in black and red These violent counter-protesters are often part of 'antifa' (short for 'antifascist'), a loose collection of groups, networks and individuals who believe in active, aggressive opposition to far right-wing movements. Their ideology is rooted in the assumption that the Nazi party would never have been able to come to power in Germany if people had more aggressively fought them in the streets in the 1920s and 30s. Most antifa come from the anarchist movement or from the far left, though since the 2016 presidential election, some people with more mainstream political backgrounds have also joined their ranks. The antifa sometimes use a logo with a double flag, usually in black and red. The antifa movement began in the 1960s in Europe, and had reached the US by the end of the 1970s. Most people who show up to counter or oppose white supremacist public events are peaceful demonstrators, but when antifa show up, as they frequently do, they can increase the chances that an event may turn violent. Antifa have expanded their definition of fascist/fascism to include not just white supremacists and other extremists, but also many conservatives and supporters of President Trump. Because there is no unifying body for antifa, it is impossible to know how many 'members' are currently active. Different localities have antifa populations of different strengths, but antifa are also sometimes willing to travel hundreds of miles to oppose a white supremacist event. Source: Anti-Defamation League Advertisement 'Keith Ellison, our attorney general of Minnesota, needs to lead this case,' Walz said, adding that he made the decision after talking to the Floyd family. 'They wanted the system to work for them. They wanted to believe that there was trust, and they wanted to believe that the facts would be heard and justice would be served.' Walz made the announcement shortly after Freeman released a statement saying he asked Ellison to 'assist' him in the case in a 'joint effort.' 'There have been recent developments in the facts of the case where the help and expertise of the Attorney General would be valuable,' Freeman said. Chauvin, 44, was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Three other officers who were involved have not been charged, though Freeman and Ellison have said additional charges are possible. Floyds death has triggered calls for police reforms, peaceful protests, as well destruction and violence in Minneapolis and cities across the country. Ellison, who is black, said he and Freeman, who is white, will be working together. Both men have sought to set expectations in a case certain to be closely scrutinized. Keith Ellison's office will oversee the prosecution of Derek Chauvin (above), the Minneapolis police officer who dug his knee into George Floyd's neck on Monday evening Floyd's (pictured) heartbroken family have called for Chauvin to be charged with a more serious crime than third-degree murder 'Let me also note a dose of reality, prosecuting police officers for misconduct, including homicide, murder, is very difficult,' Ellison said Sunday. 'We'll come under attack as we present this case to a jury or a fact finder. And we need to make sure that we are absolutely prepared. We intend to be absolutely prepared.' Calling in an outside prosecutor is extremely rare, and typically only reserved for cases in which the prosecuting office has a conflict of interest. The move followed days of criticism from activists, who view Freeman as part of the system they want reformed. He served as Hennepin County attorney in the 1990s and was elected to the post again in 2006. While leading the office, he has charged only one officer in a fatal shooting and that was in the case of Mohamed Noor, a black officer who killed Justine Ruszczyk Damond, who was white. It took four days for Freeman to bring charges against Chauvin, a delay criticized by activists. More than 100 people gathered outside Freemans home Sunday, calling for a special prosecutor, the arrests of all four officers and for Freemans resignation. 'We want somebody whos on our side. Mike Freeman is not on our side,' said Sharaunta Beach, a protester. 'We have to have people who are for the truth and whats right.' In a letter to Walz, Ellison and Freeman, the Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said Sunday that having Freeman investigate the police, which his office works with daily, 'fosters distrust and suspicion in the community.' The letter urged that the case be transferred to Ellisons office, where an attorney qualified to handle such cases could be appointed. The death of Floyd ignited nationwide protests and rioting. The image above shows a crowd of protesters outside the White House late on Sunday 'Doing so would send a strong message to the community that a third party ... will vigorously pursue justice and police accountability,' Minnesota ACLU president John Gordon wrote. Several Minneapolis City Council members also called on Walz to appoint Ellison, who as attorney general helped form a working group on reducing police-involved deadly force incidents. But Ellison also has a national political profile likely to draw partisan criticism. He rose to national prominence as the first Muslim elected to Congress and served as deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee. After he decided to run for attorney general, an ex-girlfriend accused him of abuse, saying he dragged her off a bed during an argument. An investigation commissioned by Minnesota Democrats ruled the accusation was 'unsubstantiated.' As Ellison was discussed for the Floyd case, a January 2018 tweet resurfaced, showing a picture of him holding up the book 'Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.' Ellison tweeted that the book would strike fear in the heart of President Donald Trump. Antifa, short for anti-fascists, is an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups that resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations. Federal officials have suggested the group may be involved in the wave of protests this week. When asked about that on Sunday, Ellison said: 'It means nothing. I was in a bookstore. I saw a book. And I think its just a complete diversion.' Its not clear whether Ellisons involvement will quiet the concerns of activists. Before news that Ellison would take the lead on the case, Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights activist and former head of the Minneapolis NAACP, was among those calling for a special prosecutor, but she did not endorse Ellison for the job. Criminal justice reforms were not his priority when he was a congressman in Minneapolis 5th District, she said. 'There needs to be a completely independent special prosecutor,' she said. GUANGZHOU, China, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On 29th April, just in time for Labor Day, Chinese Huaren Group donated 6,000 kg of Australian lamb to Wuhan Municipal Communications Bureau and other institutes to extend sincere greetings to the front-line workers. Chinese Huaren Group In order to allocate the donation in place as soon as possible, the staff of the three companies, Chinese Huaren Group, Guangcai Intelligent Traffic Technology Inc., and Cloudeal Intelligent Traffic Technology Inc., under the coordination of Mr. Kuang Yuanping, the Director of Australia China Goodwill Association, arranged the early morning assembly at Wuhan Tianhe Airport International Cargo Terminal. The staff voluntarily assisted with the distribution and logistics, and efficiently completed the 6,000 kg of Australian lamb handling work. This donation is the latest of several initiatives that Mr. Kuang Yuanping and his relatives and friends have implemented to provide support in the fight against COVID-19. During the epidemic, they donated more than 20 million RMB. Guangcai Intelligent Traffic Technology Inc. also donated 100,000 medical masks conforming to international standards through Wuhan Municipal SASAC to Leishenshan Hospital, Huoshenshan Hospital, Wuhan Municipal Transportation Authority and other institutes. The donation ceremony is commissioned by Mr. Kuang Yuanping. Gui Yuping, the chairman of Cloudeal Intelligent Traffic Technology Inc., and general manager Zheng Siyuan praised the front-line workers' contributions for fighting against the corona virus with actual deeds. Workers, from medical and education to logistics and local communities, fulfilled critical tasks that supported the society and benefitted our lives. It's no doubt we're saluting their efforts and showing our respects. After receiving the mutton, Wuhan City Management and Law Enforcement Commission, and other units sent letters of thanks as their gratitude, hoping that everyone in this city would maintain firm determination, stay motivated, overcome difficulties and continue to do extraordinary work in their positions to make the city better. In the principle of openness, fairness and justice, these institutes promised to rapidly distribute these materials to the front-line workers. Zheng Siyuan said, he would continue to stick to the jobs to promote economic development and to participate in public welfare activities to combat COVID-19. Related Files Chinese Huaren Group donated 6,000 kg of Australian lamb, conveying greetings to the front line workers fighting against Covid 1 Related Images the-staff-are-distributing-the.jpg The staff are distributing the frozen lamb at Wuhan Tianhe Airport International Cargo Terminal. the-staff-of-australian-chinese.jpg The staff of Australian Chinese Huaren Group The staff of Australian Chinese Huaren Group image3.jpg mr-kuang-yuanping-the-director-of.jpg Mr. Kuang Yuanping, the Director of Australia China Goodwill Association Related Links Chinese Huaren Group SOURCE Chinese Huaren Group GRADUATES of colleges and universities are afraid they face an uncertain future in a world that continues to struggle with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. Their future would take place in abnormal times with limited opportunities. Graduations are about celebrations, the feeling of fulfillment of having completed years of academic hardship. But graduation ceremonies held in the past weeks were different. Schools held first-ever virtual commencement exercises. There were no processionals into auditoriums and gyms, no congratulatory handshakes from school heads and teachers, no going to restaurants for celebrations with family. Officials sought creative ways to hold the ceremony. Schools big and small held virtual graduations through Facebook Live or Zoom, the video conferencing tool that allows up to 100 people to participate in real-time. Graduation ceremonies at the Philippine Military Academy are among the most awaited because its graduates are the future leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. This year, it held closed graduation that excluded the public, family of the cadets and the media. Fort Gregorio Del Pilar in Baguio City has been closed to the public because of the risk of transmission of the new coronavirus. One school decided to have roving graduation with the use of a flatbed vehicle converted into a stage. The school brought the vehicle to where small groups of students were and invited the graduates to go up the stage one by one while maintaining physical distancing. Other institutions delivered the diplomas to individual graduates ahead of time, then asked them to go online at a set date and time for a ceremony via Zoom. Some of these virtual graduations required students to wear their toga and show the diploma. A university involved its alumni in its unique celebration. It asked alumni members to take videos of themselves giving a short greeting or advice to the graduates. Their videos were then stitched and presented during the virtual commencement. The university then promised to hold an in-person celebration for its 2020 graduates in the future, when the pandemic is over and campuses reopen. Story continues Some of the graduates said they see an uncertain future in this time of the pandemic as businesses have shut down and millions of workers have gone unemployed. In the Philippines, the number of jobless people is expected to reach five million by the end of the year. Small, medium and big companies had to resort to pay or benefits cuts to their employees, forced leave or letting some workers go. It is to be expected for graduates to feel anxious about their tomorrow in these abnormal times but no one or nothing, not even the novel coronavirus, can take away their accomplishment. This pandemic will end once a vaccine is developed, then the opportunities for them will be there. Graduates can use the time, for now, to take stock and celebrate their accomplishments. To the graduates--You are going to be fine. Former President Barack Obama on Monday addressed the nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd, praising the overwhelming majority of peaceful demonstrators, condemning the violence brought on by a small minority and calling on a new generation of activists to bring about real change. The waves of protests across the country represent a genuine and legitimate frustration over a decades-long failure to reform police practices and the broader criminal justice system in the United States, Obama wrote in an essay published on Medium.com. The overwhelming majority of participants have been peaceful, courageous, responsible, and inspiring. They deserve our respect and support, not condemnation. The former president then lauded police in Camden, N.J., and Flint, Mich., for publicly supporting peaceful protests before he criticized demonstrators who have been acting violently. On the other hand, the small minority of folks whove resorted to violence in various forms, whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism, are putting innocent people at risk, compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause, Obama wrote. Lets not excuse violence, or rationalize it, or participate in it. If we want our criminal justice system, and American society at large, to operate on a higher ethical code, then we have to model that code ourselves. Obama dismissed suggestions by some activists that only protests and direct action can bring about change, and that voting and participation in electoral politics is a waste of time. I couldnt disagree more, he explained. The point of protest is to raise public awareness, to put a spotlight on injustice, and to make the powers that be uncomfortable; in fact, throughout American history, its often only been in response to protests and civil disobedience that the political system has even paid attention to marginalized communities. But eventually, aspirations have to be translated into specific laws and institutional practices and in a democracy, that only happens when we elect government officials who are responsive to our demands. Story continues The choice isnt between protest and politics, Obama continued. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform. A woman places flowers at a memorial mural for George Floyd in Minneapolis on Sunday. (John Minchillo/AP) He added: If, going forward, we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action, then this moment can be a real turning point in our nations long journey to live up to our highest ideals. His statement came after a weekend when protests raged in virtually every major American city, with many turning destructive and violent. The National Guard has been deployed in 15 states as well as Washington, D.C., where protesters clashed with police outside the White House. On Friday, Obama released a statement condemning the death of Floyd, a black man who died after being pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer. This shouldnt be normal in 2020 America. It cant be normal, Obama said. If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better. In both statements, Obama did not mention President Trump. Trump has yet to formally address the nation about the roiling discord, instead tweeting various complaints about the medias coverage of the protests and blaming the violence on far-left activists such as antifa. On Friday night, Secret Service agents rushed Trump to a White House bunker designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks as hundreds of protesters fought with police about 100 yards from the executive mansion. Cover thumbnail photo: Michael Sohn/AP Read more from Yahoo News: Hamilton County on Monday reported 49 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 1,132. Deaths remain at 15. Patients in Intensive Care have dropped from 17 to 14. The state reported three new deaths from the virus. There were 548 new cases. That brings the total to 23,554. Seventeen more were hospitalized in Tennessee for a total of 1,767. Nashville has had 63 deaths and 5,517 cases - up by 132. Memphis is at 109 deaths and 5,124 confirmed cases. Knox remains at five deaths and has 399 cases. Bledsoe County is at 608 cases after an earlier outbreak at the correctional facility at Pikeville. There has been one death. Bradley County is up to 146 cases - seventeen more - with one death. Rhea County jumped from 13 cases to 188 related to an outbreak among migrant workers at a farm. It is now at 214. Marion County is at 42 cases. It has recorded one death. Sequatchie County is at 18 cases - up three. Grundy County is at 31 cases with one death. Meigs County is at 26 cases. Franklin County has 54 cases with one death. McMinn County is at 142 cases and now 14 deaths. All of those deaths are at the Life Care Center of Athens. Monroe County is at 65 cases and it has had two coronavirus deaths. Polk County is at 18 cases. Sumner County (Gallatin) is up to 893 cases and remains at 45 deaths. There are 558 cases in Williamson County and it has 10 coronavirus deaths. During the week of May 22-28, 4,180 COVID-19 tests were performed in Hamilton County, revealing 422 positive cases, or a 10.1% positivity rate for that week alone. The Hamilton County Laboratory at Baylor School performed 1,871 of these labs with 270 positives for a 14.4% positivity rate. The daily positive cases reported from the May 22-28 time span on the Health Departments data page will not match this number because they post positive counts on the day they receive them, not on the day the specimen was collected, officials said. These results are inclusive of more than 40 laboratories around the region processing samples collected from community testing sites, hospitals, and private providers throughout Hamilton County, it was stated. Officials said, "This testing snapshot demonstrates that many testing options are available in Hamilton County and that people are taking advantage of this availability. More free community testing sites are opening soon." The Health Department wants to find every positive case thats out there, said Health Department Administrator Becky Barnes, We ask that residents continue to cooperate by staying home if sick, follow the Health Departments guidance for quarantine and isolation, practice social distancing outside your household unit, wear masks where its difficult to social distance, and frequently wash hands or use hand sanitizer. These are the only measures we have as a community to contain this virus. The Health Department encourages everyone to get tested. Health Department testing is free, requires no symptoms or referrals, and is conducted as drive-thru or walk-up. The nasal swab procedure only takes a few moments once the patient is seen. Health Department affiliated free COVID-19 testing sites in Hamilton County this coming week (June 1 June 7): Monday, June 1 Brainerd High - Hamilton County Health Department Drive-Thru and Walk-Up Testing Site 1020 N Moore Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37411 Hours: 7AM-11AM Orchard Knob Elementary - Hamilton County Health Department Drive-Thru and Walk-Up Testing Site 2000 E 3rd St, Chattanooga, TN 37404 Hours: 7AM-11AM Homeless Healthcare Center (Hamilton County Health Department campus on 11th Street) Monday - Friday; 7:30 am - 4:30 pm Homeless/Transient clients. Details: (423) 209-5800 Clinica Medicos 1300 E. 23rd Street Open for drive through and walk up testing daily. Please call (423) 760-4000 to make an appointment. More information: https://www.clinicamedicos. org/ Tuesday, June 2 Brainerd High - Hamilton County Health Department Drive-Thru and Walk-Up Testing Site 1020 N Moore Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37411 Hours: 7AM-11AM Orchard Knob Elementary - Hamilton County Health Department Drive-Thru and Walk-Up Testing Site 2000 E 3rd St, Chattanooga, TN 37404 Hours: 7AM-11AM Homeless Healthcare Center (Hamilton County Health Department campus on 11th Street) Monday - Friday; 7:30 am - 4:30 pm Homeless/Transient clients. Details: (423) 209-5800 Clinica Medicos 1300 E. 23rd Street Open for drive through and walk up testing daily. Please call (423) 760-4000 to make an appointment. More information: https://www.clinicamedicos. org/ Wednesday, June 3 Brainerd High - Hamilton County Health Department Drive-Thru and Walk-Up Testing Site 1020 N Moore Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37411 Hours: 7AM-11AM Orchard Knob Elementary - Hamilton County Health Department Drive-Thru and Walk-Up Testing Site 2000 E 3rd St, Chattanooga, TN 37404 Hours: 7AM-11AM Collegedale Community Church 9305 Four Corners Pl, Collegedale, TN 37315 Hours: 10AM to 1PM, for the first 100 individuals Partnering Organizations: Cempa, Clinica Medicos, La Paz Chattanooga, Hamilton County Health Department Homeless Healthcare Center (Hamilton County Health Department campus on 11th Street) Monday - Friday; 7:30 am - 4:30 pm Homeless/Transient clients. Details: (423) 209-5800 Clinica Medicos 1300 E. 23rd Street Open for drive through and walk up testing daily. Please call (423) 760-4000 to make an appointment. More information: https://www.clinicamedicos. org/ Thursday, June 4 Brainerd High - Hamilton County Health Department Drive-Thru and Walk-Up Testing Site 1020 N Moore Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37411 Hours: 7AM-11AM Orchard Knob Elementary - Hamilton County Health Department Drive-Thru and Walk-Up Testing Site 2000 E 3rd St, Chattanooga, TN 37404 Hours: 7AM-11AM Homeless Healthcare Center (Hamilton County Health Department campus on 11th Street) Monday - Friday; 7:30 am - 4:30 pm Homeless/Transient clients. Details: (423) 209-5800 Clinica Medicos 1300 E. 23rd Street Open for drive through and walk up testing daily. Please call (423) 760-4000 to make an appointment. More information: https://www.clinicamedicos. org/ Friday, June 5 Brainerd High - Hamilton County Health Department Drive-Thru and Walk-Up Testing Site 1020 N Moore Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37411 Hours: 7AM-11AM Orchard Knob Elementary - Hamilton County Health Department Drive-Thru and Walk-Up Testing Site 2000 E 3rd St, Chattanooga, TN 37404 Hours: 7AM-11AM Homeless Healthcare Center (Hamilton County Health Department campus on 11th Street) Monday - Friday; 7:30 am - 4:30 pm Homeless/Transient clients. Details: (423) 209-5800 Clinica Medicos 1300 E. 23rd Street Open for drive through and walk up testing daily. Please call (423) 760-4000 to make an appointment. More information: https://www.clinicamedicos. org/ Saturday, June 6 Brainerd High - Hamilton County Health Department Drive-Thru and Walk-Up Testing Site 1020 N Moore Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37411 Hours: 7AM-11AM Mt. Canaan Baptist Church 4801 Hwy. 58 Chattanooga, TN 37416 10:00am to 1:00pm Partnering Organization: Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Hamilton County Health Department Clinica Medicos 1300 E. 23rd Street Open for drive through and walk up testing daily. Please call (423) 760-4000 to make an appointment. More information: https://www.clinicamedicos. org/ Sunday, June 7 Brainerd High - Hamilton County Health Department Drive-Thru and Walk-Up Testing Site 1020 N Moore Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37411 Hours: 7AM-11AM Mt. Canaan Baptist Church 4801 Hwy. 58 Chattanooga, TN 37416 12:00pm to 3:00pm Partnering Organization: Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Hamilton County Health Department Clinica Medicos 1300 E. 23rd Street Open for drive through and walk up testing daily. Please call (423) 760-4000 to make an appointment. More information: https://www.clinicamedicos. org/ Anyone with COVID-19 questions or concerns should call the Health Department hotline (423) 209-8383, or visit their website. HALIFAXThe Nova Scotia government has failed to meet certain statutory duties to protect species at risk says a Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge, who also ordered the provinces minister of lands and forestry to fulfil his obligations under the Endangered Species Act. In a ruling issued Friday, Justice Christa Brothers says the public record has shown a chronic and systemic failure to implement action required under the act. The minister and the department must uphold the law, all the more so when their duties are as plain as they are in this case, Brothers wrote. If they conduct themselves unlawfully without good reason, the court must hold them to account. The judge quoted from the 1971 Dr. Seuss book The Lorax in the preamble to her 58-page ruling: UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. Its not. Brothers also cited a 2016 report by the provincial auditor general that criticized department inaction, a followup report by the department on the auditors recommendations in 2018, and the 2018 Lahey Report on forestry practices to back her conclusion. The ruling is the result of a judicial review application by the Federation of Nova Scotia Naturalists, the Blomidon Naturalists Society, the Halifax Field Naturalists and wildlife biologist Bob Bancroft that was heard last fall. The groups argued that Lands and Forestry Minister Iain Rankin has failed to meet requirements under the act, including requirements to devise and implement recovery plans for species at risk, create recovery teams and identify core habitats. They cited six animal and plant species as examples the mainland moose, Canada warbler, eastern wood pewee, wood turtle, rams head ladys slipper and black ash. Nature won, Bancroft said of the court ruling in an interview Monday. The question is whether they (politicians) will actually do anything or not. Bancroft said he believes nature has been compromised over the years on many fronts because of an industrial agenda within the department, particularly when it comes to forestry practices. At least we got to the bottom of the species at risk issue effectively in law, so Im grateful to the lawyers and Judge Brothers for that. Brothers noted that in the case of the Canada warbler, which was listed as endangered in 2013, the minister had one year to appoint a recovery team under the act. But she said a team wasnt appointed until March 2019, shortly after the naturalist groups filed for judicial review and some five years after the time frame contemplated by the Endangered Species Act. Brothers said little action also occurred when it came to the rams head ladys slipper, a plant listed as endangered in 2007. The minister neither appointed a recovery team nor prepared a plan in 2008, she wrote. According to the record, a draft recovery plan was created in 2009. There is nothing in either the record or submissions to explain why this plan was never finalized. Brothers said a plants recovery team was appointed in May 2019 that included the lady slipper and a recovery plan is pending. What of the 11 years that elapsed between the designation of the species and the appointment of the team? the ruling asks. The judge also said lawyers for the province had cited several somewhat vague suggestions of limited departmental resources as justification for the delay. There is no apparent support in the record for the claim that institutional restraints, such as lack of resources, are at fault for this failure to observe statutory requirements, she said. During two days of hearings last September the lawyer for the naturalist groups, James Simpson, argued that the language in the act, with its use of the word shall, creates an imperative for the department to enforce the existing law. Brothers agreed in her ruling. The minister has no discretion to avoid this duty, she wrote. In an email, Lands and Forestry Department spokeswoman Lisa Jarrett said theres no word yet on a potential appeal of the ruling. The province has just received the ruling and is currently reviewing it to determine next steps, she said. Read more about: Turkey reopening borders to Ukrainians: MFA Ukraine elaborates on date 20:00, 01.06.20 9449 The two foreign ministers have talked over phone. The United Nations (UN) warned against a Palestinian economic collapse on Sunday due to financial and developmental challenges facing their political leadership as a result of coronavirus. In a paper published by the UN special coordinator for the Middle East Process (UNSCO) office, the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 on the Palestinian people was described as immense. The Palestinian Authority needs increased financial and development assistance to address its public health needs, provide essential services, and respond to the socioeconomic impact of the pandemic, said the paper said. The paper also added that considerable concerns regarding the ability of the Palestinian health sector to cope with a surge in cases, especially in Gaza, remain in place. According to figures provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 31 May, the occupied Palestinian territories have 627 cases of coronavirus. Some 523 people have recovered so far, while five others have lost their lives. The paper referred to the relatively successful prevention efforts in the OPT despite its other concerns. In the meantime, the UN document warned that any move by Israel to annex parts of the occupied West Bank or any Palestinian withdrawal from bilateral agreements would dramatically shift local dynamics and most likely trigger conflict and instability in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. All sides must do their part in the coming weeks and months in order to preserve the prospect of a negotiated two-state resolution to the conflict, in line with relevant UN resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements, said UN special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenove. The recent agreement on the formation of a new coalition government in Israel jointly created by Israels Premier Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White Party stipulates that Israel will claim sovereignty over the whole West Bank by 1 July and implement the controversial peace plan that was developed by US President Donald Trumps administration. A couple of months from now, Im confident that that pledge will be honoured, that we will be able to celebrate another historic moment in the history of Zionism, Netanyahu said on 27 April. Despite US backing, such plans have been criticised by both the Arab League and the European Union. Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi today said his mahayatra from Deoria in eastern Uttar Pradesh to Delhi from September 6 is a campaign to help secure rights of the poor, farmers and labourers in government resources. My Yatra from Deoria to Delhi starting September 6 - is a campaign to secure the rights of the poor, farmers and labourers in government resources, he said on twitter. The Congress vice president will launch his month-long mahayatra traversing 2,500-km through Uttar Pradesh, ahead of assembly elections in the state slated early next year, from village Panchlari Kritpura in Rudrapur on September 6. Rahul Gandhi also tweeted his programme for the first day of the yatra, during which he will meet people along the way in a door-to-door campaign collecting kisan maagpatras (farmers demand charters) and will hold one-to-one interactions with farmers at Khaat Sabha in Rudrapur. He will also undertake a roadshow in Deoria and will hold another interaction with farmers in Kanchanpur village and another khaat sabha in Kasia. Rahul will do a night halt in Gorakhpur before embarking further on the journey. He will hold similar interactions with farmers and roadshows the next day and will spend the second night at Basti. During the mahayatra, the Congress leader will cover as many as 233 assembly constituencies to reach out to people ahead of crucial polls slated early next year. The mahayatra comes after successful road show of Sonia Gandhi earlier last month and the two yatras of state party leaders in various districts of the state. Rahul will hold khaat sabhas in 21 districts and also road shows in numerous large towns and cities. In the wake of largely nonviolent protests in Boston over the weekend regarding the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Massachusetts public officials took to social media to condemn people who looted as well as to thank those who demonstrated peacefully. Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, died on Memorial Day after a white Minneapolis police officer, later identified as Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes, leading to him gasping for breath and pleading with officers. Chauvin has been charged with murder and manslaughter, and prosecutors have said they are investigating three other officers who appeared to also pin Floyd down in a video of the incident captured by a bystander. Those three officers have been fired from their positions but have yet to be charged, though Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo told CNN all four officers involved in Floyds killing bear the same responsibility. He called Floyds death a violation of humanity. George Floyd should be alive. Breonna Taylor should be alive. Ahmaud Arbery should be alive. That injustice is unshakable. Peaceful protesters in Boston showed that today, state Attorney General Maura Healey tweeted early Monday morning at 12:26 a.m. Thank you to the @bostonpolice and other law enforcement for protecting the protest. Proud of our city. I know thisthe violent, the looters, the instigators that seek to interfere with this movement will not be successful. Maura Healey (@MassAGO) June 1, 2020 Sundays three protests were held around Boston City Hall, the Massachusetts State House in Beacon Hill, Boston Police Headquarters and throughout Roxbury. As demonstrators marched, officers from the Boston Police Department, Massachusetts State Police and Northeast Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council were posted up near the State House and other areas in the citys downtown, including Boylston, Newbury and Arlington streets. The protests, which organizers sought to keep nonviolent, remained peaceful throughout much of the day but ended at nighttime with dozens of arrests, several injured officers and more than 20 damaged police cruisers, according to authorities. Reports of looting on Newbury Street, a popular, high-end shopping area, were widespread, and The Boston Globe reported that some people threw bottles and cans at officers. A police cruiser was lit on fire at one point as well, according to the newspaper. Healey, who thanked the peaceful protesters Sunday and condemned those who incited violence, tweeted last week that staff in her office talked over the phone to express anger and sadness about Floyds killing. The attorney general called on white people "to do more. To my Black constituents, colleagues, friendsI want you to know that this office will fight like hell for you. I know you feel the acute pain of so many slights, in school, stores, streets, driving, work, and so on. Our office must walk alongside you in those spaces, she tweeted. On Monday, Healey took to Twitter to thank Boston police and others in law enforcement for protecting the demonstrations. I know thisthe violent, the looters, the instigators that seek to interfere with this movement will not be successful, she tweeted. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker also wrote in statements that they were thankful for law enforcements response to the demonstrations and for protestors who remained peaceful. I want to thank the protestors who exercised their right to free speech effectively and peacefully, making sure everyone hears their message, Walsh tweeted. Tonights protests were motivated by a righteous desire for equality, justice, and accountability in our country. I want to thank the protestors who exercised their right to free speech effectively and peacefully, making sure everyone hears their message. Tonights protests were motivated by a righteous desire for equality, justice, and accountability in our country. Mayor Marty Walsh (@marty_walsh) June 1, 2020 The governor noted that the looting and property destruction was criminal and cowardly," distracting from the powerful statement made Sunday by thousands of Massachusetts residents. The murder of George Floyd at the hands of police was a horrible tragedy one of countless tragedies to befall people of color across the United States," Baker said in a statement Sunday. The vast majority of protesters today did so peacefully, toward a common goal of promoting justice and equality. Related Content: Jordan warns UK, US of 'unprecedented danger' of Israel's land grab bid Iran Press TV Sunday, 31 May 2020 5:48 AM Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has cautioned Britain and the United States against the "unprecedented danger" posed by an Israeli scheme to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territory, urging the international community to step in. In a telephone conversation with his British counterpart Dominic Raab, Safadi said the Tel Aviv regime's plan to impose its "sovereignty" over West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley is "an unprecedented danger that threatens the chance of peace." The top Jordanian diplomat called on Raab to prevent Israel from moving forward with the annexation plan. He further stressed the significance of "urgent and active interference" by the international community to "protect the chances of peace." In a separate conversation with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Safadi expressed Jordan's strong opposition to Israel's push for consolidating its occupation of Palestinian lands. The annexation scheme "undermines all peace prospects," he noted. A deal underlying Israel's new coalition administration, sworn in earlier this month, allows the regime to initiate the annexation legislation from July 1. US President Donald Trump gave Tel Aviv the green light for the annexation in his self-proclaimed "deal of the century," which was unveiled in January with the aim of legitimizing Israel's occupation and re-drawing the Middle East map. The US plot calls for the creation of a Palestinian state with limited control over its own security and borders. It also bars Palestinian refugees from returning to their homeland, enshrines Jerusalem al-Quds as "Israel's undivided capital" and allows the regime to annex settlements and the Jordan Valley. Netanyahu vows to annex 30% of West Bank Speaking to the Israeli newspaper Makor Rishon, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Tel Aviv's "sovereignty" would be applied to 30 percent of the West Bank, which is the equivalent of 50 percent of Area C. Asked whether the mapping process of the would-be annexed area was complete, Netanyahu replied, "Not yet, we are still working on it." Netanyahu's pledge to go through with the annexation has sparked condemnations from Palestinians as well as Israeli allies in Europe and across the Arab world. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Do not, for one moment, make the mistake of believing that the violence and vandalism we are seeing in recent riots area are about the horrific death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. This is not to say that there are not protestors among the groups that are genuinely outraged, and who seek to peaceably assemble to petition the government for a meaningful change to police policy and demand justice, all of which is explicitly protected by the First Amendment to our Constitution. But it is to say that any lawful means of protest ends when it violates an innocent persons private property rights. First, the obvious. The vandals who pillaged a Louis Vuitton store werent driven to do so because of their sense of moral indignation about Floyds death. They were driven to do so because they liked the idea of smashing a window to steal designer items more than the idea of working and saving to earn those expensive items. YouTube screen grab But lets imagine for a moment that it actually was Floyds death that drove them to the act. The owners of the business had precisely nothing to do with Floyds death, so even then, in what meaningful sense would this be considered justice? Imagine this moral question differently. Imagine that my friend has his car stolen, and the thief is arrested, awaiting trial. A lot of people like my friend have their cars stolen these days, I conclude, so Im understandably angry about it. Rather than await justice from the courts, I instead find some other innocent person who has some expensive wheels, and assault him and steal his car. Now, I would, and should, go to jail for that crime, and for good reason. And thats because the other person has innate rights to property, and those rights are every bit as important as, say, my right to life and liberty. Many people would consider John Locke the intellectual father of our country, and he held a central political principle: that rights in property are the basis of human freedom and government exists to protect them and to preserve public order. At the time of the nations Founding, and throughout most of our history, it was accepted that government exists primarily to preserve life and property. It might be important to note, however, that the Founders often didnt believe it necessary to denote a distinction between the right to life and the right to property, because they believed them both to be elements of the same natural right. But insofar as the Founders made any distinction between property rights and other individual rights, writes David Upham at the Foundation for Economic Education, they insisted that property rights were at least as important as personal rights, citing Madison in Federalist 54, who states unequivocally that Government is instituted no less for the protection of property than of the persons of individuals. Madison goes on to say at the Virginia Convention: It is sufficiently obvious, that persons and property are the two great subjects on which Governments are to act; and that the rights of persons, and the rights of property, are the objects, for the protection of which Government was instituted. These rights cannot well be separated. The personal right to acquire property, which is a natural right, gives to property, when acquired, a right to protection, as a social right. It is this American social right which the rioters are explicitly challenging, and demanding be replaced by their brand of social justice that is more akin to communism than anything American governance has ever been. For most of the rioters, this isnt about race. Its about unmaking America. And weve been cobbling the path to this moment for a long time. What we do now will determine whether or not Americas future is as a constitutional republic or a new socialist experiment that is based upon countless failed ones. John Adams predicted the path up to this moment, and its logical end, in his three-volume work, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America. Like Madison, he acknowledges the presupposition that [p]roperty is surely a right of mankind as really as liberty, and he goes on to say that the moment the idea is admitted into society, that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. This would occur, he argues, as a sequence of falling dominoes: Perhaps, at first, prejudice, habit, shame or fear, principle or religion, would restrain the poor from attacking the rich, and the idle from usurping on the industrious; but the time would not be long before courage and enterprise would come, and pretexts be invented by degrees, to countenance the majority in dividing all the property among them, or at least, in sharing it equally with its present possessors. Debts would be abolished first; taxes laid heavily on the rich, and not at all on the others; and at last a downright equal division of everything be demanded, and voted. What would be the consequence of this? The idle, the vicious, the intemperate would rush into the utmost extravagance of debauchery, sell and spend their share, and then demand a new division of those who purchased from them. All of this has either happened already, or is being presented by progressives today as a means to transform the country, as even the supposedly moderate Joe Biden is openly offering as his goal. To save whats left of the core essence of the American idea, President Trump, the state governors, and local officials must commit to the notion that property rights are every bit as worthy of protection as the rights to life and liberty, and that there is a force of low and public justice that is capable of protecting it. And if we fail to do that, I fear that America may become what Cornell West suggests it already has become: a failed social experiment. Gov. Tom Wolf spent the day in Philadelphia seeing the damage from the weekends George Floyd protests. Wolf toured some battered areas Monday, seeing first-hand the havoc that spilled out of the protests Saturday and Sunday. So many sad scenes, food stores that have been gutted, pharmacies that have been gutted, Wolf said. The governor said the demand for justice and equality that drove the protests cant be ignored. Racism is wrong, Wolf said. We need to establish a commonwealth that absolutely is fair and decent and equal to every single Pennsylvanian. This is a reminder that we have to do that. But Wolf said the violence cant continue. We need to de-escalate the violence. We need in Harrisburg to rededicate ourselves to the task of making this a better society, Wolf said. Protests in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh over the weekend led to dozens of businesses being damaged and looted. Police officers in both cities suffered injuries. The governor was asked if he should have deployed the National Guard sooner, which arrived in Philadelphia overnight. He said his administration responded to the requests of the mayors of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. We deployed them as quickly as we were asked to deploy them, Wolf said. The governor said the state would offer financial assistance to Philadelphia businesses, but he said hes not sure about the scope of the aid. We need to contribute and invest in the rebuilding of Philadelphia, Wolf said. In Harrisburg, two Capitol police officers were injured in a protest Saturday that began peacefully but grew violent later in the day, Mayor Eric Papenfuse said. Another smaller rally was held Sunday on the Capitol steps with no issues. A rally took place in Harrisburg Monday night. Protests have been held across the state and around the country over the death of Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old black man who died in the custody of a Minneapolis police officer. Floyd was on the ground and handcuffed, with officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck. Authorities say Floyd was detained Monday because he matched the description of someone who tried to pay with a counterfeit bill at a convenience store, and he resisted arrest. Chauvin was arrested and charged with murder Friday. Some protests in the Keystone State, including events drawing hundreds in Allentown and Bethlehem over the weekend, were peaceful. More from PennLive Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse vows better coordination of George Floyd protests, starting Monday night Womans attack on police was spark for violence during Harrisburg protests: officials Erie woman who was kicked by police officer says, I was 100 percent peaceful Seven migrant farm workers are in hospital three in intensive care as more than 120 workers at a Norfolk County farm have tested positive for COVID-19. The outbreak is at Scotlynn Group in Vittoria, a large-scale farming and produce transport operation with six locations in Canada and the United States. The farm, which is about 10 kilometres southwest of Simcoe, employs 207 migrant workers from Mexico. Norfolk Mayor Kristal Chopp said the county is ready for its first on-farm COVID-19 outbreak. We have always understood that this was a risk that our community could face and our health unit has been preparing for this possibility, Chopp said in a social media post late Sunday night. The health unit announced the outbreak at Scotlynn on Friday, saying three workers had been admitted to Norfolk General Hospital with COVID-19 symptoms and one had tested positive. Another 140 workers at three different residences were tested and ordered into self-isolation. The scope of the outbreak worsened over the weekend, with the health unit reporting 85 positive cases by Sunday morning before Chopp updated the number to more than 120. Scotlynn president and CEO Scott Biddle told reporters that the Vittoria operation had been shut down and disinfected. Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, Haldimand-Norfolks chief medical officer of health, said its not clear how the outbreak at Scotlynn started. He confirmed that all workers had completed their two-week quarantine upon arrival to Canada. Once they serve their self-isolation period, the risk of getting COVID-19 from them is likely the same as getting it from any other person in the community, Nesathurai said. Biddle said the workers had been active in the fields for more than three weeks and living on the farm the whole time, save for occasional trips to the grocery store. The workers shop early in the day, before stores open to the general public, he added. Acting out of an abundance of caution, Chopp said the health unit has tested employees of a local store. This action should not be construed as anything other than our health unit undertaking additional testing to provide peace of mind to a limited number of individuals, said the mayor, who did not name the store. Staff from the Delhi Community Health Centre are evaluating workers who show symptoms of COVID-19, and the health unit is tracing workers contacts and testing Canadian labourers who have worked at the farm. The goal of the public health service is to try to contain the number of cases and also identify people who might be exposed, test and isolate them, Nesathurai told reporters. Although this is a challenge, this is a manageable challenge. The health unit said that the liaison official for the Mexican consulate has been briefed and is available to assist workers. The federal agency that oversees the migrant farm worker program is also up to speed on the outbreak. With so many workers in self-isolation, Scotlynns asparagus crop is in jeopardy. The company has put out a call for groups of five workers to harvest the crop, hoping an inflated wage of $25 per hour will attract locals to do the work. Each group would be isolated in a 10-acre asparagus field, where they would work from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is mandatory that you provide your own group of five, read a message posted to the companys Twitter page. There will be no interaction with other groups. Scotlynn is looking for about 30 five-person teams. Those interested can call 1-800-263-9117, ext. 2225. Chopp encouraged residents to pitch in so the spring crop doesnt wither in the fields. Scott Biddle has since the start of this pandemic did everything that was asked of him, and more, by our health unit, including quarantining his workers individually in hotels. Unfortunately, even with the best efforts, he is now dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak and his operations have been severely impacted, the mayor said. So I ask that you please consider stepping up during this time of crisis, get a group of five friends together, enjoy some days under the sun and make a few dollars for your efforts. The company assured prospective workers that every precaution has been taken to make the workplace safe. We have executed isolation plans to eliminate the spread of COVID-19 both on our farms and throughout the community, Scotlynns statement said. Thank you to everyone that has extended kind words and best wishes to the members of our workforce. The support of our community is greatly appreciated through this difficult situation. In terms of active cases, Scotlynn is now the epicentre for COVID-19 in Haldimand-Norfolk, a grim distinction formerly held by Anson Place Care Centre in Hagersville. The health reported 338 lab-confirmed positive cases across the two counties as of Monday, up from 220 on Sunday. Lynchburg officials declared a local State of Emergency for the city Monday and implemented a curfew in the aftermath of a Sunday night protest that led to the destruction of property and the injury of several Lynchburg Police Department officers. Following an emergency meeting of Lynchburg City Council on Monday afternoon, council adopted an ordinance that gives the Lynchburg Police Department the power to issue misdemeanor citations for anyone in violation of curfew. The LPD will begin enforcing the new curfew ordinance Tuesday night between the hours of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. until further notice. Although non-violent protests have been held in Lynchburg in the wake of Floyds death, Sunday nights was the first to escalate. Other localities on Monday said their law enforcement agencies were preparing in case protests begin to organize in the counties, hoping to encourage positive community relations and facilitate safe protests. No protests have been reported in the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, or Campbell as of Monday afternoon. At a press conference Monday, Lynchburg officials and organizers condemned protesters for conducting criminal behavior." Lynchburg Mayor Treney Tweedy called the behavior unacceptable, and called for people to advance the cause of equality without violence. Police Chief Ryan Zuidema said the LPD supports the right to protest, but Sunday night turned into "rioting." He stressed that for much of the afternoon the protests were "peaceful," and it was only after dark that things began to escalate. One officer, Zuidema said, was sent to the hospital after a brick broke his face shield and struck his face. The officer is now out of the hospital with stitches. Three LPD vehicles were damaged, possibly totaled; one vehicle was shot five times. While on the scene, the LPD deployed tear gas and chemical agents against the protesters. He said the police department will maintain a "heavy police presence" for the foreseeable future and is pursuing additional charges related to the incident. Zuidema said local militia members were on the scene inside Fifth & Federal Station but were not invited by police. The Campbell County Militia issued a news release on Monday night thanking the LPD and surrounding law enforcement agencies for their handling of the "riot" at Fifth & Federal on Sunday night. According to the release, the militia was invited by one of the owners of the restaurant, fearing it would be "burnt to the ground." It states the militia followed all orders from local law enforcement, and that no firearms were discharged by its members at any point. Zuidema said police are investigating claims that shots were fired from the roof of the restaurant, and charges will be filed if those claims are found to be true. We cant let [Lynchburg] be destroyed regardless of how you feel about the Lynchburg Police Department, how you feel about a business, how you feel about what took place in Minneapolis, Zuidema said. Nicholas George, organizer of a group called The Listening, that works to provide a platform for dialogue in the community, said he could understand the anger that protesters felt, and said last week he had battled the same feelings. "I was exhausted somehow trying to find the strength, the words, the energy to explain why people are tired. It seems there are a lot of angry and tired people in Lynchburg," George said. He urged for more community care and trauma care for people of color in Lynchburg. "Martin Luther King is very often quoted in these situations, but he has also said that rioting is the language of the unheard, George said. We need to start listening if change is going to happen. Shelby Eubanks was in the sparse audience at the press conference, and left feeling disheartened. She said many black people had to be wary of protesting because of the potential for police violence. "We are just getting attacked, more and more and more, and we need somebody to stand up to it that's not us, [someone] that's not our color. And that's a shame, but that's the reality. That's what kept us in the house," Eubanks said. She said it isn't about the city's response it's about what city leaders are actually going to do. "Everybody loves to say something, but what are you all going to do about it? Eubanks said. Weve been fighting this, but we cannot do it alone. Monday evening, more non-violent protests began to surface around the city from Monument Terrace to Miller Park. More than 100 people gathered at the park around 6:30 p.m., hoisting cardboard signs and waving at passing cars. Cars blared their horns in support, and the audience led call and response chants, like "no justice, no peace," and "I can't breathe." Nicole LeSane, said other protests had been canceled because of threats of violence, but to her, that was all the more reason to gather. "In my opinion, that's letting them silence us. I'm not for that. And I will continue to speak out," LeSane said. Though she added a sentiment echoed by many protesters: if anything turns violent, she's out of there. "I have children, I can't risk that," said Ashley Phetteplace, who was also at Miller Park protesting. "The death of George Floyd sparked it, but that wasn't the first death that sparked outrage, and it won't be the last," LeSane said. "We need to keep standing up and keep speaking until it is the last." Another protest is being hosted by the Lynchburg Branch of the NAACP Tuesday at 11 a.m. Protesters will gather at the top of Monument Terrace downtown. Sarah Honosky covers Appomattox and Campbell counties at The News & Advance. Reach her at (434) 385-5556. 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. BANGKOK - Traffic jams and crowds of commuters returned to the Philippine capital on Monday, as the metropolis relaxed antivirus measures in a high-stakes gamble to slowly reopen the economy while fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Commuter trains, taxis, ride-sharing cars, special shuttle buses and motorcycles rumbled back on the road in metropolitan Manila but were only allowed to carry a fraction of their capacity as a safeguard. Public transport was still limited by the relaxed rules and many commuters waited for hours to get a ride despite the governments deployment of buses. A larger swarm of private cars also helped choke roads. Many people are now allowed to go out and many industries are reopening so youll see a lot of vehicles ... but the situation remains abnormal, said police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar. He warned that police will still go after violators who would not wear face masks and observe physical distancing. Classes remain suspended for the next two weeks. Barber shops and beauty salons can open next week at a third of their capacity. The Philippines remains a Southeast Asian hot spot for COVID-19, with more than 18,000 infections and 957 deaths. In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region: INDIA EASES AS DEATHS CLIMB: India registered 230 coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing its total to 5,394 as the countrys phased plan to ease its lockdown kicked in from Monday. Authorities are moving forward with the easing even as experts say India is nowhere close to the peak of the outbreak. Railways will run 200 more special passenger trains from Monday and some states have reopened their borders, allowing vehicular traffic. Maharashtra, the worse hit state, has allowed shops and offices to open outside containment zones. SOUTH KOREA STRUGGLES TO TRACE CASES: South Koreas top infectious disease expert is pleading for people over 65, pregnant women and other medically vulnerable individuals to stay at home as officials struggle to trace and stem the spread of the coronavirus amid increased public activity. Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, made the comments Monday while addressing 24 new cases linked to a group of churches near Seoul, including the death of a man in his 70s. She also raised concern over hundreds of transmissions linked to workplaces, including call centres and a massive warehouse operated by local e-commerce giant Coupang, which officials say failed to properly enforce preventive measures. South Korea has reported 11,503 cases and 271 deaths. CHINA REPORTS IMPORTED CASES: China on Monday reported an increase in daily confirmed coronavirus cases to 16, all brought from outside the country. Eleven were recorded among travellers arriving in the southwestern province of Sichuan, three in the northern region of Inner Mongolia and two in the southeastern manufacturing heartland of Guangdong. With local transmissions having fallen to virtually zero, much of the country has re-opened for business and Monday saw the further restart of classes in middle and high schools that had previously only allowed those preparing for graduation exams to return to campus. Kindergartens, and fourth and fifth graders will be allowed back next week as part of a staggered opening to prevent the further spread of the virus. BANGLADESH OPENS TRANSPORT: Public transportation across Bangladesh reopened Monday, though with restriction on the number of passengers. In, Dhaka, officials were checking if buses were following health guidelines. Domestic flights resumed on at least three routes, as did ferry services to the southern coastal region. The government says the gradual reopening is crucial to revive the economy, though there are concerns it could lead to a increase in infections when hospitals are already overwhelmed in the capital. ___ Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak Seas around Taiwan to be center of military movements: defense analyst ROC Central News Agency 05/31/2020 09:33 PM Taipei, May 31 (CNA) The seas around Taiwan, including the Miyako Strait, the Bashi Channel, the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea, are expected to become the focus of increased military movements, according to a Taiwanese defense analyst. Su Tzu-yun (), a senior analyst at the government-funded Institute for National Defense and Security Research, made the observation in a paper titled "U.S. Strategic Mobility in Deployment to Ensure Regional Security." In the article, Su said the Indo-Pacific region is facing tensions from the COVID-19 pandemic and China's increased military projection, especially in the South China Sea, where Beijing has built artificial islands, deployed nuclear submarines and announced administrative districts. With the absence from the region of U.S. carrier strike groups over the past months due to the pandemic, Beijing's policy of militarizing, nuclearizing and domesticalizing the South China Sea has impacted regional security, stability and the strategic nuclear balance, according to Su. However, the U.S. Navy announced on May 10 that at least six aircraft carriers have returned to action, including the Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Nimitz, Abraham Lincoln and Gerald R. Ford, ending the military vacuum in different regions, Su said. One thing to watch is how the U.S. adjustments its Indo-Pacific Strategy, Su said, pointing to the shift in rationale from "continuous bomber presence mission" to a "strategically predictable but operationally unpredictable" approach, as indicted in the U.S. 2018 National Defense Strategy. Some examples of this include the introduction of U.S. B-1B supersonic heavy bombers to the East China Sea and South China Sea in recent months, including one instance on May 8, in which two B-1Bs flew to the South China Sea via the Bashi Channel and the Sulu Sea in a pincer formation, the article noted. As to traditional military deployments, the U.S. is seeking to strengthen the battle capabilities of its amphibious assault ships and has deployed anti-ship missiles with its army and marines for waterway blockage when necessary, in support of its navy, Su said. "The U.S. strategic mindset in countering China's air and sea expansions is through exterior-line operations for multi-directional suppressions," Su observed. "In terms of geostrategy, the U.S. is focusing on waters such as the Miyako Strait, Bashi Channel, East China Sea, South China Sea and Philippine Sea," he said. Competition for land and sea power will be crucial to international politics and regional security in the post-pandemic period, he added. (By Matt Yu and Emerson Lim) Enditem/AW NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address According to a recent survey by dQ&A of about 4,800 people with diabetes, nearly 20% said they have lost their jobs since the pandemic beganresulting in loss of health care for many. The survey also showed that 25% of those who lost their jobs due to COVID-19 have experienced difficulty refilling their insulin prescriptions. 30-35% of those hospitalized with COVID-19 also have diabetes; people with diabetes are three times as likely to need hospitalization if infected with COVID-19. Inadequate glucose management during hospitalizations are more likely to result in worse outcomes. Stress management and mental health can impact one's ability to maintain healthy blood glucose levels. Those who still have access to their employee benefits may be able to utilize Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), which can provide various support services during a time of crisis. "It is important to educate and support all those at risk during this pandemic," said Dr. Robert Eckel, president of Medicine and Science for the ADA. Dr. Eckel kicked off the town hall with guidance for diabetes care, such as when to see a doctor for COVID-19 symptoms, managing related chronic conditions like heart disease and hypertension, and the importance of bringing all medications, pumps, or glucose monitoring devices along if going to the hospital. "With properly managed care and knowledge, people living with diabetes can stay safe and healthy during this difficult time," said Dr. Eckel. "The diabetes community is quite vulnerable right now, so we are pleased to be able to bring them and their families important information and insight," said Dr. Tracy Hamill, medical director for Sun Life U.S. In addition to discussing the importance of mental health while managing diabetes, Dr. Hamill talked about her personal experience with her son, who was diagnosed with diabetes a year ago. "I understand how trying this time can be, especially with the day-to-day management of diabetes," said Dr. Hamill. "Whether we are isolating in quarantine, an essential worker, or on the front lines, everyone should continue to seek information and support that can help them thrive and manage their healthboth physical and mental." "We are working hard to support people living with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Christel Aprigliano, vice president of Federal Relations for the ADA. "And we cannot lose momentum on the terrific work our advocates have done over the years to get meaningful legislation passed in support of those with diabetes. I look forward to the continued work we will do with Sun Life's support, whether it's virtually or in-person." Ongoing legislative priorities for Call to Congress include affordable insulin, funding for support programs, and continuation of the Special Diabetes Program, which provides funding for type 1 research at the National Institutes of Health. Sun Life U.S. is the exclusive supporter of ADA's annual Call to Congress, as well as the ADA's health care community webinars on COVID-19 and diabetes care. Access to this year's virtual town hall and additional COVID-19 webinars are available here. Sun Life is strongly committed to the fight against diabetes. In addition to support of the ADA and other diabetes partnerships, Sun Life offers the Team Up Against Diabetes grant program, which funds grassroots organizations around the country that focus on diabetes education, management and support. Globally, Sun Life has given more than $22 million to diabetes causes. To learn more about Sun Life's diabetes support visit www.sunlife.com/usdiabetes. Be sure to visit the ADA's COVID-19 hub at diabetes.org/coronavirus for all the latest information and resources. To learn more about ADA's advocacy efforts and to become a Diabetes Advocate, visit diabetes.org/advocacy. About Sun Life Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individuals and corporate Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2020, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1,023 billion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com. Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF. In the United States, Sun Life is one of the largest group benefits providers, serving more than 60,000 employers in small, medium and large workplaces across the country. Sun Life's broad portfolio of insurance products and services in the U.S. includes disability, absence management, life, dental, vision, voluntary and medical stop-loss. Sun Life employs approximately 5,500 people in its U.S insurance and asset management businesses. Group Insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except in New York, where policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com/us. About the American Diabetes Association Every day more than 4,000 people are newly diagnosed with diabetes in America. More than 122 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes and are striving to manage their lives while living with the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation's leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For nearly 80 years the ADA has been driving discovery and research to treat, manage and prevent diabetes, while working relentlessly for a cure. We help people with diabetes thrive by fighting for their rights and developing programs, advocacy and education designed to improve their quality of life. Diabetes has brought us together. What we do next will make us Connected for Life. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn) and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn). Media contacts: Devon Fernald Sun Life U.S. 781-800-3609 [email protected] Daisy Diaz American Diabetes Association 703-253-4807 [email protected] SOURCE Sun Life U.S. Related Links https://www.sunlife.com The government on Monday limited its export ban on alcohol-based hand sanitisers only to those in containers with dispenser pumps. In a notification, Directorate General of Foreign Trade said alcohol-based hand sanitisers in any other form or packaging are free for exports with immediate effect. Amid COVID-19 outbreak, the government had banned exports of all types of sanitisers in March, but limited the restriction in May only to alcohol-based sanitisers. Now, the export ban has been further relaxed, which sources said has been done to give a boost to domestic manufacturing capabilities for dispenser pumps. Most of these pumps are imported from China as of now and efforts are underway to encourage domestic players to manufacture them locally under the government's Self Reliant India Mission. A notification dated May 6 is amended "to the extent that only alcohol-based hand sanitisers exported in containers with the dispenser pump.....are prohibited for exports", Directorate General of Foreign Trade said. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Fort Lauderdale police suspended an officer after video showed he pushed a kneeling black woman to the ground during protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, escalating a clash where bottles were thrown and tear gas was fired. Also in Fort Lauderdale, the state attorneys office fired a prosecutor Monday for calling demonstrators animals at the zoo in a quickly deleted Facebook post. In the officers case, colleagues quickly pushed him away from the woman and down the street Sunday. Police and city officials said it happened as a peaceful demonstration attended by about 1,000 people was dispersing, and smaller groups broke some store windows and sprayed graffiti. Police Chief Rick Maglione did not defend the actions of Officer Steven Pohorence, but said Monday that Pohorence pushed the woman after he and other officers had just rescued one colleague who had become surrounded and another from a patrol car that people began jumping on. Maglione said Pohorences actions will be investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement before an internal investigation is conducted. Maglione said he understands why some believe the shove provoked the crowd to throw bottles, but he said there were people in the crowd with bricks, bottles, fireworks and other weapons who were hoping to start a fight with officers. I dont think (Pohorences) action created what occurred, the chief said. But he said Pohorences actions could have added to what was going on, and he commended Officer Krystle Smith who pushed Pohorence away from the woman. She did what you are supposed to do: When you see either adrenaline or emotion or some kind of interaction going south ... that is our job to do, is intervene, he said. Police declined to make Smith available for an interview Monday. Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said he felt the Pohorences actions were offensive, and hes happy the department has suspended him. Demonstrator Samantha Sweeting Davis said she didnt see the shove, but heard yelling, then saw about six police cars arrive with sirens on. Then she saw bottles being thrown at officers, heard an explosion, and tear gas burned her eyes and throat. It was upsetting to see that kind of behaviour from an officer who is supposed to protect and serve, the 29-year-old high school counsellor from Fort Lauderdale said. Suspension is a great first step, but honestly I want to see the officer de-badged. The Fort Lauderdale Fraternal Order of Police, the union that represents the citys officers, declined comment Monday. Meanwhile, the State Attorneys Office in Broward County, fired prosecutor Amy Bloom for writing on Facebook: Act civilized and maybe things will change. Ive never seen such animals except at the zoo. She said her description applied to protesters regardless of race. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Bloom quickly deleted the post, but someone copied it and it eventually reached her bosses. The State Attorneys Office confirmed the firing in a statement, saying her views are entirely inconsistent with its ideals and principles. Bloom said Monday on Facebook that she realized the post could be misinterpreted, deleted it within seconds and that I believe in justice for all and that ALL lives matter. A curfew remains in effect in Broward County. Elsewhere in Florida, mostly peaceful protests were held over the weekend, but some Miami police cars were burned and storefronts damaged. That led Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez to postpone Mondays reopening of the countys beaches after a coronavirus shutdown. Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that 700 national guard troops and 1,300 Florida Highway Patrol troopers are being deployed to help local law enforcement. Florida has zero tolerance for violence, rioting and looting. George Floyds murder was appalling, and the Minnesota perpetrators need to be brought to justice, but this cannot be used as a pretext for violence in our Florida communities, DeSantis said in a statement to media and on Twitter. In Orlando, Police Chief Orlando Rolon said Monday that officers had to fire tear gas Sunday night after some demonstrators started throwing objects found at a highway construction site. He said his officers made 30 arrests Sunday night, including some who broke into stores. At one point during Sundays protests, Rolon and Orange County Sheriff John Mina knelt in solidarity with protesters outside the Orlando Police Department. In Tampa on Monday, six members of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity prayed outside two businesses, Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant and Champs Sports, that were destroyed by arson on Saturday. Pastor James Gallon said the people who were destructive were from elsewhere. Then they leave and drive away on the interstate, he said. ___ Associated Press reporters Adriana Gomez Licon in Miami; Freida Frisaro Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; Tamara Lush in Tampa, Florida; and Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee contributed to this report. LogRhythm, the company powering todays security operations centers (SOCs), today announced that it won the American Business Awards (ABA) Silver Stevie for Large Company of the Year in the Computer Software category. This is the second year in a row that the ABA has recognized LogRhythm as a leader in computer software, attesting to its commitment to innovation in the SIEM industry that empowers customers to protect data against the evolving threat landscape. The ABA is the United States premier business awards program, and to select this years winners, more than 3,600 nominations were reviewed by a panel of more than 200 independent judges. LogRhythm was specifically honored for its achievements in innovation since the start of 2019 and the positive reception by customers, who have named LogRhythm a Gartner Peer Insights Customers Choice for SIEM for three years running. These innovations include the release of a complimentary module aligning the LogRhythm NextGen SIEM Platform with MITREs ATT&CK Matrix and the launch of the first True Unlimited Data Plan for SIEM. There was also special emphasis on its development of LogRhythm Cloud, the cloud-based version of the SIEM Platform. Receiving this recognition from the ABA for the second year in a row is yet another testament to LogRhythms position as a leader in software innovation, said Mark Logan, CEO of LogRhythm. It also validates our dedication to creating solutions that address our customers evolving needs, with those needs including a greater presence in the cloud. And this dedication is more important now than ever: just recently it was revealed that cyberattacks have increased 300% since the beginning of the pandemic. Through the release of LogRhythm Cloud, customers have been able to enjoy the same full, best-in-class analyst experience as provided by LogRhythms award-winning on-premise offering, while also realizing the efficiencies, cost savings and other benefits provided by a SaaS solution. As a testament to the inherent value presented by LogRhythm Cloud, one customer noted: Solution maintenance is never on my mind when using LogRhythm Cloud. It just runs. Instead of spending my first week setting up new hardware and software, I identified a new production use case. It was so valuable that were implementing the same technique across multiple other networks. The 2020 Silver Stevie Award win comes on the heels of further developments with LogRhythm Cloud: customers can now implement a version of the solution designed specifically to help security and IT teams achieve enhanced visibility and monitoring into their remote environments amid COVID-19. The Remote Workforce Visibility promotion addresses the challenges created by the sudden shift to a remote workforce and the corresponding spike in cloud data by providing both new and existing LogRhythm customers the opportunity to trial LogRhythm Cloud on a monthly basis with minimal investment. To learn more about LogRhythm Cloud, please visit the LogRhythm website. And for support and resources on securing a remote workforce during COVID-19, please visit the following link: http://explore.logrhythm.com/covid19-resources/ About the Stevie Awards Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com. Sponsors of The 2020 American Business Awards include John Hancock Financial Services, Melissa Sones Consulting, and SoftPro. About LogRhythm LogRhythm empowers more than 4,000 customers across the globe to measurably mature their security operations program. LogRhythms award-winning NextGen SIEM Platform delivers comprehensive security analytics; user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA); network detection and response (NDR); and security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) within a single, integrated platform for rapid detection, response, and neutralization of threats. Built by security professionals for security professionals, LogRhythm enables security professionals at leading organizations like Cargill, NASA, and XcelEnergy to promote visibility for their cybersecurity program and reduce risk to their organization each and every day. LogRhythm is the only provider to earn the Gartner Peer Insights Customers Choice for SIEM designation three years in a row. To learn more, please visit logrhythm.com. Domestic manufacturers have started production of personal protective equipment and have supplied about one crore PPEs to covid warriors New Delhi: The world must unite and focus on "humanity-centric" aspects of development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, noting that advancements nations make in the health sector will matter more than ever as countries battle the Covid-19 pandemic. Modi sought discussion on advances in telemedicine, use of 'Make in India' products and IT tools in the medical sector for a healthier society. Addressing the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in Bengaluru via video, he said today the world is facing one of the biggest crisis since the two world wars. Like the world changed pre and post-World Wars, the same way the "pre and post COVID" world will be different, he said. In these times, Modi said the world is looking up to doctors, nurses, medical staff and scientific community with hope and gratitude. "The world seeks both care and cure from you," he said. Seeking a global approach to deal with the health crisis, the prime minister said earlier, the debates on globalisation have focused on economic issues. "Now, the world must unite and focus on humanity- centric aspects of development. Advancements nations make in the health sector will matter more than ever before," he told the gathering. He said there were three things on which he would urge "maximum discussion and participation" and these include telemedicines, Make in India products in the health sector and use of IT-based tools. He proposed work on new models that make telemedicine popular on a larger scale. "The other is related to 'Make in India' in the health sector. The initial gains make me optimistic," he said. Domestic manufacturers have started production of personal protective equipment and have supplied about one crore PPEs to COVID warriors, he pointed out. He said similarly, manufacturers have supplied 1.2 crore 'Make in India' N-95 masks to all the states. He also referred to the Aarogya Setu app to drive home his point on the use of IT tools for healthier societies. "Twelve crore health conscious people have downloaded it. This has been very helpful in the fight against coronavirus," Modi said. The prime minister also referred to cases of violence against healthcare personnel, saying such behaviour is not acceptable. "Due to mob mentality, those working on the front-lines, those on duty be it doctors, nurses, Safai workers, others are subject to violence. I want to state it clearly - violence, abuse and rude behaviour is not acceptable," he asserted An ordinance was recently issued to punish those involved in such incidents. During the last six years, the government took various initiatives in health care and medical education, he said, adding that the work has been divided into "four pillars". He said preventive healthcare is the first pillar and it includes importance to Yoga, Ayurveda and general fitness. The second pillar relates to affordable healthcare and Ayushman Bharat- the world's largest healthcare scheme -- is a fine example of it. In less than two years, one crore people have benefitted from it.Women and those staying in villages are among the major beneficiaries of this scheme, he noted. "The third pillar is improvements on the supply side. A nation like ours has to have proper medical infrastructure and medical education infrastructure.Work is underway to ensure a medical college or post-graduate medical institute in every district of the country," he said. The country, Modi said, has seen rapid progress in setting up of 22 more AIIMS. "Over the last five years, we have been able to add over thirty thousand seats in MBBS and fifteen thousand seats in post-graduation. This has been the largest increase in the five year term of any government since Independence," he said. The fourth pillar, he said, is "mission mode implementation," of programmes. The central government has recently approved the introduction of a new law for expanding education of more than 50 different allied and healthcare professionals. This law, once passed, will address the shortage of para-medical personnel in the country. It will also help India in supplying skilled resources to other countries, he said. O fficers from the Minneapolis Police Department have rendered 44 people unconscious with neck restraints since 2015, it has been reported. The data, obtained by NBC News from police records, shows the position was used 237 times in five years and in 16 per cent of cases individuals lost consciousness. A lack of publicly available records from other departments makes it difficult to compare Minneapolis to other cities, although police experts have said this number appears to be unusually high. Protests have taken place across the world, including a large gathering in London on Sunday , following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Mr Floyd died after a white officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck last Monday. Derek Chauvin, the police officer who pressed his knee on to Mr Floyds neck, has been charged with murder . Former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin had been charged with 3rd-degree murder and manslaughter / via REUTERS More than a dozen police officials and law enforcement experts told NBC that the particular tactic used is neither taught nor sanctioned by any police agency. A Minneapolis city official also told NBC News that it is not permitted by the Minneapolis Police Department. For most major police departments, variations of neck restraints, known as chokeholds, are highly restricted if not banned outright. The version of the Minneapolis Police Department's policy manual that is available online, however, does appear to permit the use of neck restraints that can render suspects unconscious. The protocol for their use appears not to have been updated for more than eight years. 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Almost half of the people who lost consciousness were injured, according to the reports, which do not spell out the severity of those injuries. Five of the cases involved assaults on officers, while several others involved domestic abuse or domestic assault cases. In most cases, there was no apparent underlying violent offence. The Minnesota Police data showed three-fifths of those subjected to neck restraints and then rendered unconscious were black. About 30 per cent were white. Two were Native Americans. Almost all are male, and three-quarters were age 40 or under. One was a 14-year-old in a domestic abuse incident that was in progress when the officer arrived. Another was a 17-year-old fleeing from a shoplifting incident. Another involved a traffic stop where the suspect was deemed "verbally non-compliant." The online version of the policy manual says: "The unconscious neck restraint shall only be applied 1. On a subject who is exhibiting active aggression, or; 2. For life-saving purposes, or; 3. On a subject who is exhibiting active resistance in order to gain control of the subject; and if lesser attempts at control have been or would likely be ineffective." Demonstrators gather to protest the death of George Floyd / Getty Images The passage includes a date in parentheses of April 16, 2012, with the front of the manual showing the date July 28, 2016. The Minneapolis Police Department did not immediately provide comment on the data, and did not respond to a request to confirm that the dates in parentheses refer to when the manual and its sections were updated. Attorney and County deputy sheriff Ed Obayashi, a national use-of-force expert who trains and advises California police agencies, said police departments across the country have been moving away from the neck restraint option for many years because of its "inherent life-threatening potential" and because officers often misinterpret resistance by a suspect, who may simply be struggling to breathe. Shawn Williams, an assistant professor and professional peace officer coordinator at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, worked at the Minneapolis Police Department for more than 10 years and oversaw training his last two years there, including the use of unconscious neck restraints. He said he understands why other departments do not use the manoeuvre. "If it's used correctly, you can cause the suspect to render themselves compliant and we can take someone into custody without damage internally," he said. "If it's not used correctly, and the arm is placed in the wrong place, you're talking about damage to one's trachea and you're talking about taking someone's life." During his time in the department, he said officers needed to be trained correctly, often and while under stress so they could fully understand how to use the move. The LAPD was one of the first police agencies to address deadly or excessive force incidents that grew out of using chokeholds. In 1982, at the request of then-Chief Daryl F Gates, the department banned the bar-arm chokeholds and limited upper-body controls, then commonplace, after a federal lawsuit. Sixteen people including a dozen African-American men died from various forms of upper-body controls over a seven-year period leading up to the decision. Swarms of locusts, on Monday, entered the forest area of Chhattisgarh from Madhya Pradesh. As per reports, locusts have entered Koriya district of the state. However, no reports of crop-damage have emerged until now. Chattisgarh agriculture department's additional director M S Kerketta said that there was a small group of locusts that entered only around 300 metres inside the jurisdiction of the state. Chhattisgarh authorities have intensified efforts to tackle the menace. The state authorities have already killed some of these short-horned grasshoppers by spraying pesticides. Departments that were already monitoring the movement of pests immediately swung into action and sprayed chemicals through fire brigade vehicles following which most of the insects died or flew away, the official said. Besides, Chhattisgarh's officials are monitoring all the districts which share borders with Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to prevent locusts attack in the state. Farmers have been advised to take steps to protect their crops and trees. Tractor-mounted sprayers have been arranged in all bordering districts. Also, the villagers have been asked to make noise by beating 'thalis' (steel plates), tin boxes and loud sound-producing instruments to drive away locusts. It is for the first time locusts have invaded in the state in the last 58 years. In 1962, locusts entered the Surguja area (in erstwhile Madhya Pardesh). Meanwhile, the Odisha government has also alerted its farmers about a possible locust invasion in the state and advised them to take precautions. The migratory pests might enter west Odisha districts such as Sundergarh, Bargarh, Kalahandi and Bolangir and cause damage to vegetable plantations and trees, the state government said on Sunday. Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 65th edition of Mann Ki Baat also spoke about locusts attack. PM Modi stated, "Be it Centre, state governments, agriculture departments or local administration, everybody is using modern resources to help farmers. I am confident we will be able to deal with the crisis in the agriculture sector". Over the last few days, swarms of locusts have been sighted in Madhya Pradesh, Vidharbha region of Maharashtra and urban areas of Rajasthan. Also read: Locust attack update: Swarm of locusts reaches UP; Prayagraj gets ready against possible attack Also read: Locust attack in India: Local species of grasshoppers, not locusts, damage crops in Tamil Nadu Also read: Locusts attack fear in Delhi, Mumbai: No need to panic, won't enter homes FILE PHOTO: Reuters security advisor Rodney Seward is treated by a medic during nationwide unrest following the death of of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, in Minneapolis By Kenneth Li (Reuters) - On Friday evening, viewers watched as CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and his crew were arrested on live television while covering a protest following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. By Saturday, as protesters and the police clashed across the nation, reporter Kaitlin Rust from Louisville, Kentucky local station WAVE News screamed on air "I'm getting shot! I'm getting shot!" as cameras caught her and her crew being targeted at gunpoint and shot at by local police with pepper balls. Over a three-day period, organizations that track press violence documented about two dozen acts of violence, including an incident on Saturday night in Minneapolis during which Reuters journalist Julio-Cesar Chavez and Reuters security adviser Rodney Seward were struck and injured by rubber bullets. From Los Angeles to Minneapolis to New York, what seemed like isolated attacks on the press at political rallies and protests over the last few years intensified as trust in media is near a decade low, some media experts said. "It is an extremely scary place to be and not a place where journalists have felt since 1968 in this country," said Bruce Brown, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, referring to journalists being harassed at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The numerous, targeted attacks that journalists reporting on protests across the country have faced from law enforcement over the last two nights are both reprehensible and clear violations of the First Amendment," he said. Freedom of speech and the press are enshrined, among other freedoms, in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The attacks, which come amid the anti-media rhetoric of U.S. President Donald Trump, have been leveled at media organizations across the political spectrum. Leland Vittert, a Fox News correspondent with experience in war zones, and his crew were attacked by demonstrators near the White House on Friday after being identified as an employee of Fox News. "It's the most scared I've been since being caught in a mob that turned on us in Tahrir Square (in Cairo, Egypt)," Vittert said in an interview with Reuters on Sunday. Story continues Vittert recalled how the public perception of the media similarly deteriorated during his time covering the Middle East. "We saw that transition happen where those who we reported on went from being glad we were there to tell our stories to viewing us as potential targets," he said. "And now we're seeing that same shift in America which is terrifying." Since taking office in 2017, Trump has frequently lashed out at the media. "There's a campaign of vilification of the media by President Trump," said Courtney Radsch, advocacy director at the Committee to Protect Journalists. Radsch said this is also occurring as protesters "want to control their narrative as well. Everyone wants to go directly to public with their version of events." On Sunday, the president wrote on Twitter: "The Lamestream Media is doing everything within their power to foment hatred and anarchy. As long as everybody understands what they are doing, that they are FAKE NEWS and truly bad people with a sick agenda, we can easily work through them to GREATNESS!" Some Trump supporters in the past have played down the backlash against the media and the president's role in it, saying the media had eroded its own credibility with partisan reporting. "He (Trump) is not the only trigger," Brown said. But, "If he were to stop attacking journalists, that would help a lot." Watching journalists get arrested and attacked on television sends a message to viewers that there are no repercussions for the violence, media experts say. The governor of Minnesota apologized for the arrest of CNN's journalists and the Louisville police department apologized if Rust was singled out for being a reporter. No actions have been taken so far against the officers involved. Fox and CNN both condemned the actions taken against their journalists and other members of the media. A Reuters spokeswoman said the news organization strongly objects to police firing rubber bullets at its crew in Minneapolis and is addressing the situation with authorities. "It was clear that both our reporter and security adviser were members of the press and not a threat to public order. Journalists must be allowed to report the news without fear of harassment or harm," the spokeswoman said in a statement. (Reporting by Kenneth Li; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - From a recent peak of 1379 recorded on May 27, the daily coronavirus death rate in the United States continued to show a downward trend. With 605 new deaths reporting in the last 24 hours, the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the country rose to 104683 as of John Hopkins University's 11:00 a.m. ET update Monday. However, there is not much difference in the number of new infections. With 21703 additional cases reporting, the total number of infections in the country rose to 1,790,191. The number of states where COVID-19 deaths crossed 1000 has risen to 19. New York (29784 deaths, 370770 infections), New Jersey (11698 deaths, 160445 infections), (Michigan (5491 deaths, 57397 infections), Massachusetts (6846 deaths, 96965 infections), Louisiana (2791 deaths, 39916 infections), Illinois (5390 deaths, 120260 infections), Pennsylvania (5555 deaths, 76129 infections), California (4172 deaths, 111921 infections), Connecticut (3944 deaths, 42201 infections), Texas (1675 deaths, 64652 infections), Georgia (2053 deaths, 47063 infections), Virginia (1375 deaths, 44607 infections), Maryland (2532 deaths, 52778 infections), Florida (2451 deaths, 56163 infections), Indiana (2134 deaths, 34574 infections), Ohio (2155 deaths, 35513 infections), Colorado (1445 deaths, 26364 infections), Minnesota (1050 deaths, 24850 infections), and Washington (1118 deaths, 21702 infections) are the other worst-affected states. Meanwhile, civil unrest that is raging across the nation over the death of George Floyd is raising fears of new coronavirus infections. The country's top health officials expressed concern that the large gatherings will spark new coronavirus outbreaks. Globally, there have been more than 6.2 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 372,000 deaths linked to the deadly disease as of Monday. 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. Jenkintown Road closed from Monday through May Worried officials are increasingly imposing curfews to try to quell the nightly unrest that has gripped American cities, a drastic measure that tacitly acknowledges how police departments have struggled with the size and intensity of protests over officer misconduct. After several nights of violent clashes and fiery vandalism, officials in Washington moved up their nightly curfew to 7 p.m., while New York City imposed its first nightly curfew since the protests began last week in response to the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd. Dozens of U.S. cities have imposed curfews in recent days as they seek to contain the anger, violence and destruction spreading around the country. "Curfews are the last resort, when police feel like they are out of options," said Tamara Herold, a professor at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas who studies criminal justice and crowd management. "Curfews are a tool when things have become so chaotic that it's no longer possible for police to protect our basic constitutional rights to free speech." The intensity of the unrest appears to have taken many police officials by surprise. Unlike many other countries, Herold said, the U.S. does not have a national standard or national model for dealing with mass protests that turn confrontational, and it seems as if many police departments were "caught off guard and are doing their best to restore order." A curfew telling citizens they cannot be on the street between certain hours - usually at night - is a blunt instrument to help police distinguish between peaceful protesters and those intent on harming officers or damaging property. The thinking behind nighttime curfews is that they allow peaceful protesters to have their say, then leave. Those who do not go home, the theory goes, intend to make trouble. For that reason, curfews can be a signal to law enforcement to get more aggressive with whoever remains on the street, regardless of what those individuals are doing. "So many cities are imposing curfews because so many cities are on the verge of rioting," said Dennis Kenney, a former police officer who is a criminal justice professor at John Jay College in New York. "We are one more video away from a lot of cities burning." The protests began last week after a video emerged of Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, pleading for air as a white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes. Floyd was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter; protesters have demanded that charges also be filed against three other officers who were at the scene and did nothing to intervene as Floyd said, "I can't breathe." The expansion of curfews also comes as the federal government has pushed city and state officials to more aggressively pursue lawbreakers at such protests. Police in several cities have intensified force, wielding batons, rubber bullets and pepper spray. The FBI issued a statement Monday, asking the public for any tips, videos or photos that might help them identify "violent instigators who are exploiting legitimate, peaceful protests and engaging in violations of federal law." In a conference call with governors, President Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr urged officials to move forcefully against the small element of criminals operating in the larger sea of law-abiding protesters, using military terminology to describe the situation. "Law enforcement response is not going to work unless we dominate the streets," said Barr, who has said labeled the violence "domestic terrorism." He added, "We have to control the crowds and not to react to what's happening on the street and that requires a strong presence." Defense Secretary Mark Esper told governors, "the sooner that you mass and dominate the battlespace, the quicker this dissipates." (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump unleashed an executive order targeting social media companies like Twitter Inc. that have drawn his wrath -- an effort subject to immediate doubts about its constitutionality and whether it would actually deliver its intended punch. Yet the order on 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 hes tussled with since taking office, while sending an encouraging message to his political base, less than six months before the election. 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 Friday 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 the public, is stoking the fight just as his re-election is increasingly at risk over his handling of the pandemic, which has killed more than 100,000 people and forced tens of 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. Story continues 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 follows a multi-year effort by Trump to rein in 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. It 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 U.S. Constitutions First Amendment. Singles Out Schiff It also revives Trumps anti-Obama rhetoric, and singles out a specific critic in the Democratic Party: 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 2% in New York trading, while Facebook shares were little changed. 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 failed to 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. On Friday morning, Trump suggested that he wanted to go even further than the order, tweeting simply, REVOKE 230! That would require action by Congress, which has viewed the provision with increasing skepticism in recent years. While Republicans have complained about alleged bias, liberals have objected to what they see as a proliferation of harmful content, including election-meddling and race and gender hate speech. Both sides have also complained about drug trading, terrorist content and the online sex trade, which prompted changes to the law in 2018. Elimination Target Although Congress is focused on responding to the coronavirus pandemic at the moment, lawmakers concerns have a good chance of leading to the elimination of the law in coming years, said Jeff Kosseff, a law professor at the U.S. Naval Academy who has authored a history of Section 230. If you had asked me a few years ago, Will Section 230 be repealed? I would have said, No, this thing is sacrosanct, Kosseff said. But now, he added, there is such anger at the platforms, and rightly or wrongly, Section 230 is what people are taking their anger out on. The internet without Section 230 might not look quite the way conservative critics might envision it, as platforms could choose to respond to the threat of more litigation by taking down even more content. Trump, who routinely courts and promotes conservative provocateurs online, has repeatedly suggested that the social media platforms silence right-wing ideas and has suggested that the federal government should intervene to protect free speech. Big Day 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 with 80.6 million followers on the platform, 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 theyre 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. Directive to FCC 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 also decline to act because it isnt controlled by the Commerce Department. And any rules could 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 on 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. And it 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. (Updates with potential for Congress to reform or repeal Section 230 from 14th 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. On Thursday, May 28, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf (58) was elected as speaker of the Eleventh Iranian Parliament, which has 290 seats, the majority of which is in the hands of fundamentalists affiliated with the Khamenei faction. Who is he? Well, to start, after Ruhollah Khomeini dominated Iran in 1979, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf started his activities in the Bassij para-militia force affiliated with the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps). By the onset of the protests in the Kurdistan region, a popular movement where citizens attempted to regain their social rights, Qalibaf went there to have a role in suppressing this ethnic minority. During the Iran-Iraq war, Qalibaf served in the south, and very soon he became a member of the IRGC. This war laid the ground for Qalibaf to tie his social-political life to Khomeini's leadership. His job during the war was mostly managing the intelligence of war operations. Based on his planning, "the key to heaven" was given to thousands of schoolchildren, sending them over the minefields to pave the way for the passage of tanks. They showed these children white horses during the night as angels to provoke them to go over the minefields. Image by: Image by: irannewsupdate A while later, he became a battalion commander and then the commander of the Imam Reza brigade. One of his "glories" is the killing of the members and supporters of the regime's main opposition, the PMOI/MEK. An organization that revealed the regime's warmongering and its atomic ambitions. Qalibaf also has the privilege of being kin to Khamenei; he is the nephew of Khamenei's wife. This is another reason why he is trusted. When he was 21, he was appointed as the commander of the Nasr Corps of Khorasan. Then he pursued a position as the commander of Karbala 25 Corps. By the end of the war, he became the commander of Najaf Base and was then appointed the deputy commander of the "Bassij Resistance Force." Then he was chosen as the commander of Khatam al-Anbia Construction Base. This base is the apparatus that ensures the IRGC's grip on Iran's economy. Three years later, Khamanei appointed him as the head of the IRGC Air Force. During the students' protest in 1999, as he puts it himself, he came into the streets. In his diary, he writes: "In 1999 when the protesting students rose and marched towards the house of Supreme Leader Khamenei, I was the commander of the IRGC's air force. My photo on a 1000 motorbike holding a stick exists. I went into the street to wrap them up. Whenever it is necessary for me to come into the street and use the stick, I will be there." Image by PMOI. In the year 2000, by a decree issued by Khamenei, Qalibaf became the head of the SSF (Social Security Forces). During his tenure, many artists and scholars were interrogated and jailed. During the vast student protests in 2003, Qalibaf went to regime's security council and said: "Whoever wants to come to the university's dormitory, as the commander of SSF, I will crush and wrap them up personally." For him, the answer to problems and the course of action to be taken are force and suppression. He has tested this method since the onset of the IRGC and had seen its fruits in preserving the rule of the supreme leader during all these years. In 2005, occupying all kind of positions in IRGC, Qalibaf put a step in politics. He wanted to become the president but failed three times. Being an experienced IRGC member and commander, he was needed to control and manage the capital. He became Tehran's mayor from 2005 to 2017. During these 12 years, he was busy plundering Tehran's municipality's wealth and allocating it to the regime's affiliates. A state-run daily referring to "the letter of the General Inspection Organization" wrote on July 12, 1990: "Tehran's municipality is accused" of "bribery, embezzlement and fraud" and "wastage of public property" worth 22,000 billion Tomans[.] ... According to this letter, Tehran's municipality has allocated lands in northern Tehran with a discount of 50% to some of its managers, members of City Council, an MP, an SSF official, some other officials, and security agents. Last year, too, state-run media disclosed another portion of Qalibaf's theft and embezzlement, including "47 covert bank accounts," "an unreturned loan of 229 billion and 700 million Tomans (One $ is Equal to 16000 Toman) given to Judiciary," "unreturned credit of 497 billion Tomans given to IRGC Cooperation Foundation," "paying 60 billion Tomans as aid and granting lands of 70,000; 7,000 and 3,000 square meters to the Imam Reza charity belonging to Qalibaf's wife," and "trading metro stations" (Tabnak state-run website- August 20, 2019). This was a brief record of the social and political life of Qalibaf, who is now elected as the head of the regime's 11th parliament. This reveals another aspect of the engineered sham elections laid out by Khamenei in fear of a popular uprising. He has planned for such a parliament, and he is planning for a "Party of God's" government with a Qassem Soleimanitype president, as he called for on May 17, 2020. Undoubtedly, the appointment of Qalibaf in such a position is a serious step toward preparing for more suppressive measures in fear of popular uprisings that promise the end of this regime. By this Khamenei is showing to the world that any hope for moderation in this regime is just a mirage. Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. A general view of an unusually quiet road leading to the central business district on May 26, 2020 in Singapore. Suhaimi Abdullah | Getty Images Singapore expects to have most, if not all, of its economy back on track by June, trade minister Chan Chun Sing said on Monday. Singapore imposed restrictions in early April to blunt the spread of the outbreak, and temporarily closed schools while asking most offices to switch to remote work. Starting Tuesday, those measures are set to be eased in three phases. "By phase one, we will have 80% of our economy all back on track. Then the last major remaining sectors will be retail and F&B (food and beverage), which we hope to reopen by the end of June," Chan told CNBC's "Squawk Box." The city-state has one of the highest numbers of coronavirus cases in Asia, with more than 34,800 people infected so far, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Most of the cases are associated with infection clusters in dormitories that house foreign workers who carry out labor-intensive construction jobs. Some people will be allowed to return to work in the first phase, though businesses are still encouraged to work from home whenever possible. Schools will also be reopening though students will continue learning from home on some days. Chan said the government has worked with companies and workers to put in place the necessary measures for the work environment, transportation and social distancing in order to "open safely, and most importantly, to open sustainably." Singapore will monitor the effects of increased activity in the first phase and if the community infection rates remain low over the subsequent weeks, it would move on to the second phase. Lessons learned Chan said that the transmission of the virus through communities has stabilized in recent weeks, but it would take Singapore more time to clear through the worker dormitories and identify all of the cases, including the asymptomatic ones. Singapore was one of the earliest countries outside China to report cases and it was initially seen to have contained the infection. However, large outbreaks in the packed dormitories led to a spike in infection cases, which triggered questions about the living conditions of foreign workers. Chan said Singapore has to go beyond just the size and hygiene standards of those dormitories as the country continues to assess the situation. The working environment, social mixing outside work hours also need to be looked at to ensure a safe return to work, he added. Both the government and society-at-large responded to ensure migrant workers who contracted the infection are well taken care of, Indranee Rajah, minister in the Prime Minister's Office in Singapore, told CNBC's "Street Signs" on Monday. She also responded to worries among some parents about the reopening of schools and said that adequate measures will be taken to keep students safe on school premises. Rajah explained that Covid-19 will likely stay for a considerable period of time, or at least until a vaccine is found, and it will not be possible to keep education institutions closed for prolonged periods. "You can't keep children away from their education for a whole year," said Rajah, who is also second minister for finance and education. "What we can do is to make sure measures are taken to ensure that the children are safe." If something emerge(s) again, we can close down that particular sector, isolate the problem and not have to close down the entire economy again. Chan Chun Sing Singapore Minister for Trade and Industry Most countries that appear to have successfully contained the infection now worry about a second wave of community transmission. South Korea, for example, reported a new infection cluster recently, pushing authorities to reintroduce social distancing measures. Chan said Singapore's safe resumption measures are meant to allow the government to zoom in on any particular infection clusters that might appear as the economy reopens. "If something emerge(s) again, we can close down that particular sector, isolate the problem and not have to close down the entire economy again," he said. Looking ahead In a Facebook post over the weekend, Chan announced that the city-state secured 13 billion Singapore dollars ($9.2 billion) worth of investment commitments in the first four months. That amount exceeded its full-year target of between S$8 billion to S$10 billion. The commitments would be realized over the coming years but Singapore is confident of having a rolling stock of investments coming in and a rolling number of jobs being created over time, the minister told CNBC. In the digital age, there's an app for everything, including an app to delete other apps. A few days ago, Sonam Wangchuk, whose work inspired Vidhu Vinod Chopra's '3 Idiots', posted a video on YouTube saying that Indians should boycott everything Chinese to take revenge for rising tensions between India and China. As the world struggles to deal with the imminent threat of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, Chinese and Indian troops seem to be heading towards a face-off along the Line of Actual Control or LAC. Both countries have sent troops to the border and aggression seems to be on the rise. Wangchuk believes that the only way to defeat China is by using "wallet power." In the video, he says that while our soldiers are fighting Chinese troops on the border, we are buying Chinese products and goods which in turn gives China more money to invest in their army. Soon after Wangchuk's video went viral, #BoycottChina, #BoycottMadeinChina, #BoycottChineseApps and #BoycottTiktok began trending on social media. Bollywood actor Milind Soman also joined the bandwagon and decided to uninstall Chinese app Tiktok from his phone. Like @Wangchuk66 said, it's a gradual process. You can remove Chinese apps in a week. It might take you a year to stop using a China-made phone. Maybe longer to figure out alternatives to other objects. It takes time, but it's important to do it eventually. https://t.co/evl5mMKels StrawberryAlarmclock (@SingInTheRine) June 1, 2020 Not just Wangchuk, many Indians have been harbouring hatred for the Chinese and everything originating from China from the very beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Several even wanted to take revenge against China for the same. In fact, many Indians have been searching on Google-- how to delete or remove Chinese apps from their phones. Take a look at Google trends. And now, taking advantage of this sentiment, app developers One Touch AppLabs have launched an application, 'Remove China Apps'. The app does exactly what the name suggests. When you download the app, you can run a scan through your phone. It will detect the Chinese apps on your phone and give you an option to delete them. If you click on the red bin icon next to the concerned app, it will uninstall the app from your phone. Several people have also shared screenshots on social media to show that they've used the app: Tried this new app by "OneTouch AppLabs" called "Remove China Apps" and found this atleast! Stand together with @Wangchuk66 , #RemoveChinese from our lives. pic.twitter.com/7hSYvNvjFu AatmanirbharBharatAbhiyan (@OfficeOfAdi) June 1, 2020 Plz download "Remove china apps" and scan phone then delete all Chinese apps..#BoycottChineseProducts pic.twitter.com/4IExPxAfDL Rohit Jaiswal (@Rohit_INDN) May 31, 2020 'Remove China Apps' is an app which can help you removing all the Chinese apps in your phone. It will scan all the apps in your phone and tell you which chinese app you are using. Here is the play store link:https://t.co/L3Fuo7SuyG Aaj Ki Taza Khabar (youtube channel) (@AKTKadmin) May 30, 2020 Use this app 'Remove China Apps' and it will detect all chinese apps and then you can remove these apps. Do not use chinese apps atleast for our army who are fighting on border with china. Bcoz of these apps we gave money to china so boycott it#BoycottChineseProducts #Swadeshi pic.twitter.com/dddRehBgoq Bhupendra Pratap Singh (@Bhupen0607) May 31, 2020 Its time to remove some apps from your phone and switch to better alternatives.#RemoveChinaApps #BoycottChineseProducts pic.twitter.com/hr1P0wkTrI suraj kumar (@bhagatsuraj15) May 31, 2020 The app, as of now, has 4.8 ratings on the Android Play Store. It is not available for Apple devices yet. Currently, the app has over 1 million downloads and thousands on positive reviews. In India, the term 'boycott' happens to be the thrown around very casually and every time one does not agree with someone's point of view or is upset about something - there is only one solution. To boycott it. Boycott movies. Boycott apps. Why, even boycott human beings! Here's a reality check. Since 2018, Chinese apps have ruled the market in India with over 50 top apps on play store belonging to China. And yes, TikTok happens to be one of the most popular apps in India even today, even after countless calls for bans. As a matter of fact, TikTok is a legit source of income for several Indians. If you were to scour through and delete all Chinese apps, your phone (assuming it isn't made in China?) would probably be left with only a handful of apps. The BBC has shared a first look at new drama The Salisbury Poisonings, about the impact the 2018 novichok poisonings had on the local community. It follows the aftermath of the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal and tells the story of how ordinary people and public services reacted to a crisis on their doorstep, as their city became the focus of a national emergency. A first-look image shows Anne-Marie Duff as Tracy Daszkiewicz, the director of public health for Wiltshire, MyAnna Buring as Dawn Sturgess and Rafe Spall as Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey. Expand Close Anne-Marie Duff stars in the series (Ian West/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Anne-Marie Duff stars in the series (Ian West/PA) The show also stars Johnny Harris as Charlie Rowley, Annabel Scholey as Sarah Bailey, Mark Addy as Ross Cassidy, Stella Gonet as Caroline Sturgess and Ron Cook as Stan Sturgess. Ballymena writer Declan Lawn, a former BBC journalist, said: We felt that there was an untold human story that should be told. As soon as we started researching it, we found these incredible stories that no-one had heard before, about the response to what happened there. About the ordinary public servants, and civil servants, who did this extraordinary job in keeping people safe and saving many, many lives. We also spoke to people who had been massively affected by it. Co-writer Adam Patterson, also a former journalist, added: Dancing Ledge Productions came to us with the concept of looking at what happened in Salisbury from a drama perspective. And, to be honest, our initial response was that we knew the story and didnt know how it would play out as a drama. Read More After we spent a week in Salisbury, we realised very quickly that there was a massive story that hadnt been told on the human level. We ended up living there for weeks and weeks and, having assumed that the response effort had been run from Whitehall, we realised that there were also a lot of people on the ground who had done a lot of the work and saved numerous lives. Lawn continued: Ordinary heroism is how we came to think of it. Ordinary people in an extraordinary situation, who did remarkable things, under enormous pressure, and saved a lot of lives. Thats one element of the story, and the other element is those people who were directly affected. Such as Nick Bailey, who was poisoned and almost died, and Dawn Sturgess, who sadly did die, and her family, who are still grieving for her. The Salisbury Poisonings will air on June 14, 15, and 16 on BBC One at 9pm and all episodes will also be available as a boxset on BBC iPlayer after the first episode has aired. It is widely acknowledged that the process of HIV-1 infecting cells undergoes the following steps: membrane fusion, viral core release, reverse transcription, capsid disassembly in cytoplasm, nuclear entry of the viral genome, and viral genome integration, followed by reproducing themselves using the host cell system. However, recent studies have found that viral capsid also exist in the nucleus, and play functions such as integration site selection and immune escape. The latest report proves that the HIV-1 viral capsid uncoated near the site of chromosome integration. Considering that the size of the virus carrying the capsid is much larger than the nuclear pores, how the viral cores pass through the nuclear membrane barrier remains mysterious. In response to this puzzle concerning, selected components of HIV-1 and the host cells are differentially labelled so that the Virus-host cell interaction can be dynamically tracked. It was found that after entering the cell, the viral particles moved along the microtubules and selectively gathered at the microtubule organization center (MTOC), leading the nearby nuclear envelope (NE) to undergo deformation, invagination and restoration to form a nuclear vesicle in which the viral particles were wrapped; then, the inner membrane of the nuclear vesicle ruptured to release HIV-1 into the nucleus. This phenomenon is similar to cell endocytosis and therefore called the "nuclear endocytosis-like pathway". Factors involving in the process were preliminarily investigated. This discovery expands our understanding of the complexity of HIV-1 nuclear entry, which may provide new insights to HIV-1 virology. The molecular details and viral biology of the mechanism need further elucidation. ### Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huazhong University, and other two CAS institutes the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology participated in the study. This work was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB29050100). See the article: Li, X., Wang, D., Cui, Z., Li, Q., Li, M., Ma, Y., Hu, Q., Zhou, Y., and Zhang, X.E. (2020). HIV-1 viral cores enter the nucleus collectively through the nuclear endocytosis-like pathway. Sci China Life Sci 63, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11427-020-1716-x Softdocs, a leading provider of enterprise content management (ECM) and print customization solutions, announced Fresno Pacific University as the latest recipient of Softdocs annual Customer Innovation Award. Each year, after reviewing nominations from a customer base of over 700 educational institutions, Softdocs leverages this award to recognize the ingenuity of the education space in how ECM is being utilized in support of the digital campus and to meet the needs of the modern student. This years award recipient, FPU, showcased successful integration of payment processing with their electronic workflows surrounding late registration. This integration directly addressed frustrations of staff and students, by removing the need to route paper forms through multiple departments, and improved how quickly registration could be completed. In addition, with this integration FPU demonstrated an ongoing commitment to deliver continuous improvement on campus, positively impacting multiple 2019-2020 Strategic Priorities within the Fresno Pacific University Strategic Plan. Were excited about this integration we developed and the positive impact its had on our students and staff, said Catherine Lusk, Systems Analyst at Fresno Pacific University. We cant wait to see where it takes us next - perhaps Admissions, Student Life, or any other form that takes payment. The FPU team has showcased not only their commitment to simplifying the student and staff experience, but an ability to have fun working together as well, said Laurel Stiller, Vice President of Marketing for Softdocs. The product is important, but in education-now more than ever before-its what you can automate, digitize and simplify that matters most for each campus. FPU has shown us one powerful example, and we are thrilled to recognize their recent success with this award. As the recipient of this years Customer Innovation Award, FPU will receive a free registration pass to BRIDGE 2021, Softdocs User Conference scheduled to occur in March of 2021 in Charleston, South Carolina. Other recent recipients of Softdocs Customer Innovation Award include Pepperdine University and William Jewell College. About Softdocs: Softdocs develops document management, electronic forms, workflow automation and print customization solutions for the higher education and K-12 markets. The companys Etrieve platform, and complementary solutions, empower educational institutions to work more efficiently, communicate more effectively and collaborate more freely. Education-focused and SOC 2 Type I and II compliant, Softdocs is a trusted partner of over 700 colleges, universities, districts and schools. A privately held company founded in 1998, Softdocs is headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina. For more information, visit http://www.softdocs.com. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has faulted the Presidents decision to ease restrictions on public gatherings, saying, it is not in the nations interest. Mr. Sammy Gyamfi, its National Communication Officer, said the decision had been taken for purely parochial political reasons. Addressing, the partys maiden virtual briefing in Accra, on Monday, he said they were inclined to believe that, this was intended to pave way for the Electoral Commission (EC) to carry out what he termed as its rigging agenda. That, he claimed, would be done through the compilation of needless and wasteful" new voters roll. Mr. Gyamfi said, the fact that church and mosque gatherings were not supposed to have more than 100 people in attendance, and to last for just an hour, but the National Identification Authority (NIA) and EC had been given the freedom to register unlimited number of people from 0700 hours to 1700 hours, a period of 10 hours, showed clearly that, the partial re-opening of schools, churches and mosques was a ruse. He rebuked the EC for, what he alleged was an uncompromising posture adopted on a new voters register. "We are appalled by the Jean Mensah-led ECs refusal to honor the invitations of the National House of Chiefs, which were intended to promote dialogue on the ECs entrenched decision to compile a new voters register for 2020 general elections. "Our traditional authorities, are key stakeholders in Ghanas peace architecture and have contributed enormously to the peace, stability and democracy of this country." Mr. Gyamfi said his party found the refusal of the EC to honor the invitation of the chiefs to be highly disrespectful and an insult to the values and customs of this country, and must be condemned by all well-meaning Ghanaians". He repeated their determination to employ every legitimate means to stop the ECs attempt to foist a needless and wasteful voter register that is intended to disenfranchise millions of eligible voters, mostly in NDC strongholds, on Ghanaians". 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 YEREVAN. There are no other confirmed cases of coronavirus in the government. Mane Gevorgyan, spokesperson for Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, stated this in a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am Monday. "There has been no widespread testing of members of the government, as all those who had direct contact with the prime minister have followed all the rules of safety (). As we have no symptoms, there is no need for widespread testing at this time," she said. To the remark that the Prime Minister also said live that he had no symptoms, but the virus was confirmed in him, Gevorgyan responded: "Because he had direct contact with an infected person; that's why he was tested." According to Mane Gevorgyan, before leaving for Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), the Prime Minister's press office was also tested, including herself, and the test result was negative, but she will be tested again within two days. As reported earlier, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has tested positive for COVID-19. Pixabay Mumbai: A spy network from Pakistan has been busted by security officials in Mumbai, media reports said. In a joint operation by the Mumbai Police crime branch and Jammu and Kashmir police, a massive spy network from Pakistan was busted in Mumbai, sources from the Mumbai Police told The Quint on Saturday. There was a tip-off from the military intelligence unit that there were two numbers from which several calls were made to some numbers in J&K and conversations about Indian defence establishments were made on a regular basis, the police sources told the news portal. The lead for the spy network operating using a VoIP exchange came in May earlier, when defence persons received calls from suspicious numbers, seeking information related to Ladakh region and important defence installations. Since the callers were using fictitious identity, the investigative agencies suspected the involvement of Pakistan's spy agency ISI, reports Zee News. The location of the numbers were traced to Mumbais Govandi area, media reports said. One person has been arrested. A total of three functional SIM boxes, one standby SIM box, along with 191 SIM cards, laptop modem, antennas, batteries and connectors were recovered by the teams from the spot. VoIP is the transmission of voice and multimedia content over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, reports Zee News. Pakistan Embassy and Espionage: Two officials of the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi were apprehended by Indian law enforcement authorities for indulging in espionage activities, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Sunday. The Government has declared both these officials persona non grata for indulging in activities incompatible with their status as members of a diplomatic mission and asked them to leave the country within twenty four hours, read the statement issued by the MEA. Pakistans Charge de Affaires was issued a demarche in which a strong protest was lodged with regard to the activities of these officials of the High Commission of Pakistan against Indias national security. "Pakistan's CdA was asked to ensure that no member of its diplomatic mission should indulge in activities inimical to India or behave in a manner incompatible with their diplomatic status," read the statement. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 21:52:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chief of the leading group on deepening all-round reform and opening-up in Hainan, presides over a meeting of the group in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, May 31, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) HAIKOU, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng has called for advancing the construction of the Hainan free-trade port in a progressive manner and by making solid and prudent efforts. Han, who heads a leading group on deepening all-round reform and opening-up in south China's Hainan Province, made the remarks at a meeting of the group on Sunday in Haikou, capital city of Hainan. Han underlined the importance of high quality and high standards of construction in the Hainan free-trade port, calling for efforts to explore a new path of comprehensively deepening reform in the new era. Key sectors and links should be prioritized to speed up the achievement of phased progress in building the free-trade port, he said. Focusing on the innovation of institutional integration, Han demanded efforts to further free people's minds, fully roll out the simplifying approval system and establish a sound system of fair competition. He also called for improving the property protection system, as well as systems concerning zero-tariff and market access in trade and investment fields for maximum liberalization. He stressed the development of high-tech industries and environmental protection sectors, as well as industries with local features, in the process of developing the free-trade port. Efforts should also be made to forestall major risks, optimize regulatory supporting measures, enhance compliance oversight and promote high-standard opening-up via regulatory innovation to ensure sound and sustained development of the free-trade port, he said. Enditem The legislation initiated by Pope Francis brings the Holy See in line with international anti-corruption standards. The Vatican has introduced a new law aimed at boosting transparency in tenders and cutting costs through competitive bidding. The legislation, which was published on Monday, is the result of four years of work led by Pope Francis, bringing the Holy See in line with international standards. The Argentine pontiff, who was elected in 2013, has placed an emphasis on putting the Vaticans finances in order, but has met resistance from certain ministries reluctant to relinquish control over funds or shine a light on internal workings. [The new law] puts an end to the firmly established Vatican habit of entrusting external contracts to relatives and friends of friends, Vatican expert Iacopo Scaramuzzi said on Twitter. The changes will significantly reduce the danger of corruption, Francis said in his written introduction to the law. The new standards of transparency, control and competition in the procedures for awarding public contracts will centralise expenditures, currently very fragmented, under two administrative bodies. Significant savings As well as excluding people convicted of ties to organised crime groups from bids, the law says the Vaticans selection process for tenders must comply with ethical principles and avoid conflicts of interest. Giuseppe Pignatone, a leading Italian anti-mafia expert appointed by the pope in October to head up the Vaticans court, said the law aimed to achieve significant savings through competitive bidding. The theme of cutting expenses is very topical and important at this time unfortunately destined to continue of serious economic difficulties for the whole world, but also for the Holy See and the Vatican City State, he said. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Life in the states only nursing home for military veterans has been risky at times. Even unsafe. In recent years, the New Mexico State Veterans Home in Truth or Consequences has been accused of patient neglect, higher-than-average medication error rates and keeping food beyond expiration dates. One resident who accidentally swallowed his lower dentures complained for hours that there was something stuck in his throat and finally died. The state-run facility has racked up budget shortfalls in the millions and was assessed a penalty of more than $85,000 after federal health and safety inspections discovered 38 deficiencies over the past three years. Its also been a government hot potato. Since 2017, oversight of its operations has bounced from the state Department of Health to the state Veterans Services Department and back to the Health Department. The home is rated average overall on the Medicare.gov nursing home comparison website but below average in quality and health inspections. Staffing is rated much above average. A red icon on the homes Medicare listing warns, This nursing home has been cited for abuse. But in a COVID-19 world in which veterans homes and other congregate care facilities across the country have been decimated by deaths from the virus, the New Mexico State Veterans Home has been doing something right. Under new management since December, the home hasnt had one positive test for the virus among its more than 100 residents and nearly 200 employees. Part of that likely stems from its location in rural Sierra County, which had reported only one COVID-19 case as of Saturday. But early in-house prevention techniques played a role, as did a state ban in mid-March on most visitors to all 71 licensed nursing homes and 268 assisted living facilities. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham took an additional precaution by keeping Elephant Butte Lake State Park closed to the public over Memorial Day weekend. I know that is very painful for a lot of New Mexicans and certainly for the economic benefit of that community, Lujan Grisham said May 20. But with a surge of virus-related cases in El Paso and the larger number of people who would be drawn to the recreation area for the holiday, she said, the risk was too great. She singled out the states veterans home. One case means the likelihood that it spreads, and I lose a veteran, you lose a veteran too high. DOH officials believe that staffers who showed no symptoms may have unwittingly carried the virus into some of the 30 long-term care facilities in New Mexico that have reported COCID-19 cases over the past month. The virus is particularly lethal for vulnerable older people with preexisting conditions. One of the deadliest coronavirus outbreaks in a long-term care facility in the U.S. is at the Holyoke Soldiers Home in Massachusetts, where 76 residents had died of the virus as of last week. New management With 30 years at Sierra Health Care in Truth or Consequences, Juliet Sullivan was hired in December as administrator of the state veterans home, which now has about 111 residents. Those eligible for admission are those honorably discharged veterans with 90 days or more of service and their spouses, Gold Star parents who have lost children in the service of their country, and certain U.S. armed forces reserve members. The federal Medicare website shows that deficiencies at the home went from 16 in 2017 to 12 in 2018. Last years inspection found 10 deficiencies, mostly in areas of freedom from abuse, neglect and exploitation, quality of life and care and pharmacy services. In an interview last week, Sullivan said the home has made corrections and formulated a plan of action to address past issues. She said she has been trying to improve living conditions while trying to keep veterans from being isolated due to COVID-19 restrictions that are keeping families and friends locked out of the facility for now. There are trips to visit the turtles at a water fountain on the grounds. And staff has taken to performing line dances keeping social distancing outside the rooms to cheer the veterans. Sullivan said shes intent on adhering to strict standards to keep staff from inadvertently bringing the virus into the vulnerable community of veterans at the home. My dads a veteran, and I made a commitment that Ive always wanted to make a difference in the veterans life for what theyve done for us. So I do what I have to do. Projects stalled Sullivan said shes trying to respond to residents wishes, but a plan to install Wi-Fi has been derailed, as has the opening of a new thermal mineral pool and construction of planned bowling alley. Unfortunately, with COVID, it kind of stopped some of the progress of our projects. We have to be very careful about who we let into the building. Another request was easier to grant: a new meal menu and popular selections of hamburgers and hot dogs at mealtime, she said. Before the Department of Health issued statewide COVID-19 orders, Sullivan said, she began barring visitors and taking temperatures of staffers and residents. The state has paid for uniforms that employees must change into before entering the facility, she said. The state also pays for dry cleaning the uniforms. All but three residents agreed to be tested for the virus, as well as 100% of the staff. Three months into the crisis, Sullivan said, shes not relaxing. We cant get complacent at this time. I remind the staff about what we do when we are outside the building. That we have to be careful because we have vulnerable populations that were taking care of. 59-room annex In 1985, the state renovated the former Carrie Tingley Hospital property in Truth or Consequence to create the veterans home. That renovation housed four people to a room, with some rooms not having bathrooms. A new annex built in 2017 has 59 private rooms with bathrooms, many of the rooms dedicated to a memory care unit. Until 2017, the Department of Health had been overseeing the homes operations, along with six other state medical facilities or programs. Thats when the Legislature opted to move oversight to the Veterans Services Department to allow for more focus and expertise for veterans at the home, state records show. At a 2017 legislative hearing, then-administrator Colleen Rundell told the committee, Support from the (Veterans Services Division) has been great, and having the department oversee the home creates some distance between the home and the Department of Health, which licenses all nursing homes in the state. But just months after the transfer was completed in late 2018, lawmakers voted to move the home back to DOH. A 2019 legislative fiscal impact report noted back-to-back years of substantial budget shortfalls at the home that required a $2.7 million supplemental appropriation from the states general fund. The Veterans Services Departments oversight of the home remains a primary concern because of delays in reaching full occupancy in the new Alzheimers facility, poor (health) survey and accreditation results, and slow progress improving facility conditions in the old Carrie Tingley building, the report said. Many of the daily budgetary challenges and facility problems originated long before Veterans Services assumed operations from the Health Department, the report said. It also said that in 2018, the home paid $85,400 in fines related to deficiencies in care and quality, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. State inspections found a pattern resulting in actual harm but not immediate jeopardy, for patient neglect, lack of care planning, and two nurses not washing their hands before or after inserting catheters. Immediately after the findings, the report said, administrators at the home blamed the problems on poor recruitment and retention. Parks reopening On Thursday, the governor announced the opening of state parks effective June 1. Elephant Butte will be reopening too, for day use only. Asked whether she was dreading the day the lake would open, Sullivan responded, As long as we continue to maintain what were doing in-house, thats what we need to do. I need to make sure that my staff and myself are doing what we need to do to protect ourselves and our veterans. Thats really all we can do. Varanasi: At least eight petrol bombs, dozens of iron rods, sticks, bricks, empty alcohol bottles and cigarette packets were recovered on Friday from different hostels of Banaras Hindu University following a search conducted after Wednesday night's violence at the campus, police said. Police along with the BHU administration conducted searches at Acharya Narendra Dev, Birla and other hostels and sealed half-a-dozen of these hostels. An investigation has also been launched to find how and why these bombs were kept and also their purpose. Meanwhile, BHU administration suspended 26 students for their alleged involvement in connection with Wednesday's violence and arson in the varsity campus and also formed a committee to probe and submit its report within a fortnight. The petrol bombs were made in empty wine-beer bottles in which petrol was filled, police said. An FIR has been registered against 175 students, including 25 identified and 150 unidentified students, at the Lanka police station following this incident. FIR has been also registered against five junior doctors and four ward boys under various sections of IPC. The junior doctors of Trauma centre, who have been on strike since Thursday, called it off this evening even though medical services at Trauma centre and Sir Sunder Lal Hospital of BHU are in operation with senior doctors handling the patients. District Magistrate Vijay Kiran Anand and SSP Akash Kulhary have ordered for opening of a new police outpost inside the trauma centre on the demand of doctors, who wanted security for themselves, complaining that scuffle breaks out quite often between the students and doctors. A large number of police force and PAC personnel have been deployed in the BHU campus to prevent any fresh clashes between doctors and students. The two injured students, who were admitted in the hospital following the violence have now been discharged and their health condition was normal. Violence erupted in BHU on Wednesday, with students resorting to arson and vandalism in the campus, after resident doctors and other staff at the trauma centre allegedly thrashed some students injuring six students. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A millionaire supermarket chain owner and his Masterchef wife have been accused of cutting down protected trees at their beauty spot home - and turning the grounds into a private racing track. Chris Kiley, 66, and his estranged former Miss Great Britain beauty queen wife Alice, 32, have faced complaints over building work and noise coming from their 2.5million home overlooking Caswell Bay on the Gower, South Wales. Neighbours alleged that trees were being illegally cut down in the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which was the first AONB designated in Britain in 1956. They also complained that Mr Kiley and his friends were reportedly using the grounds as a 'racing track' for off-road bikes. Mr Kiley and his estranged wife Alice live in a 2.5million house (pictured) overlooking the Welsh coast Pictured: The supermarket millionaire's home in Caswell Bay on the Gower seen from above Chris Kiley (left) and his wife Alice (right) have faced complaints about building work and noise coming from their 2.5million home overlooking Caswell Bay on the Gower, South Wales One neighbour said: 'There is noise coming from there at all hours. This is usually such a quiet and peaceful area but it's like they're digging Spaghetti Junction. 'It is supposed to be a nature reserve but recently there have been races going on there on quad bikes and motorbikes. It's as if he's building a track.' Mr Kiley said he was tackling the noise issues, and insisted he was not aware that any protected trees had been felled in the nature reserve on his grounds. It is understood Mr Kiley and his wife have recently split up. The businessman added the early morning noise was due to work being done to erect a new barn, and that it would stop in wake of the complaints. Mr Kiley said he was tackling the noise issues, and insisted he was not aware that any protected trees had been felled in the nature reserve on his grounds (Pictured: His 2.5million home) The supermarket millionaire also claimed a tree survey had not showed he was cutting down protected trees Pictured: The view from Caswell Bay near Swansea, which Mr Kiley's house overlooks It comes after Mr Kiley had plans to build a modern Grand Designs house complete with a super-kitchen overlooking the Bay blocked by planners in October. The supermarket millionaire wanted a huge open plan living area downstairs for himself and his wife Alice, who appeared on TV cooking contest Masterchef in 2013. Mr Kiley, who owns supermarket chain CK's Foodstores, said the home would fit 'seamlessly' into the character of the seafront, but planners said it would 'ruin the area.' There were 14 letters of objection to the 'box-like' and 'incongruous' house, and Swansea Council planning officers turned the application down. Mr Kiley then appealed the decision, which was again denied by a top planning inspector. Pictured: Alice Kiley seen second from right during the final of the Miss Great Britain pageant in 2012 A spokesman for Swansea Council confirmed it had been informed about alleged noise, building work and trees being felled at the supermarket boss's house. 'We recently served a notice on the landowner to address complaints about early morning works and the related noise disturbance,' he said. 'Further complaints from residents concerned about ongoing works have prompted a number of site visits - where we have established a small number of trees in a protected area have been felled. 'We are currently examining these unauthorised works so we can determine what steps are taken in terms of enforcement.' Mr Kiley is also seeking council approval to move a horse riding area closer to his existing stable block. It comes after Mr Kiley had plans (pictured above) to build a modern Grand Designs house complete with a super-kitchen overlooking the Bay blocked by planners in October Mr Kiley, who owns supermarket chain CK Foodstore, said the home would fit 'seamlessly' into the character of the seafront, but planners said it would 'ruin the area' A Welsh Government-appointed planning inspector previously ruled that the horse riding area which had been built failed to conserve the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Local Bishopston councillor Lyndon Jones said constituents had raised concerns about aspects of the recent work in connection with the new barn and access to it. He said: 'I've been taking up issues on behalf of residents. I've had great support from the council in dealing with them.' Mr Kiley said he was tackling the noise issues and was not aware that any protected trees had been felled in the nature reserve in his grounds. He said the early morning noise was due to work being done to erect a new barn, and that would stop in wake of the complaints. He also claimed a tree survey had not showed he was cutting down protected trees. He said: 'The woodland is a mess - it's thick with ivy. I employed someone to do a survey of it.' The fifth edition of the Global Islamic Economy Summit (GIES 2021), the largest convention of Islamic economy stakeholders and experts, will now take place from November 1 to 2, 2021, on the sidelines of Expo 2020 Dubai, the first World Expo ever to be hosted in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region. The largest convention of Islamic economy stakeholders and experts will now take place from 1 to 2 November 2021, on the sidelines of Expo 2020 Dubai, the first World Expo ever to be hosted in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region. The new schedule announced under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai and General Supervisor of the Dubai: Capital of Islamic Economy initiative by the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC), in collaboration with Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Dubai Chamber). The decision to reschedule the annual GIES event follows in-depth consultations with the strategic partners of DIEDC and GIES, to support measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19), and enable a larger international audience to attend. The GIES rescheduling also aligns with the Expo 2020 Dubai umbrella postponement. The latter is now set to kick off in October 2021 after the World Expo awarding body said its general assembly had approved a one-year postponement due to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. GIES virtual series DIEDC, in partnership with GIESs strategic partners, will organise a series of virtual sessions, including workshops, panel discussions, webinars, and more, through leveraging best-in-class video conferencing tools. The sessions will draw the participation of leading regional and international experts, and serve as a platform to discuss the latest developments in the Islamic economy industry. In drumming up support for the upcoming edition of GIES next year, the series will continue until end-2020, and further strengthen Dubais position as a pioneering destination and a global capital of Islamic economy. Next phase of growth Speaking on the postponement of GIES to coincide once again with Expo 2020 Dubai, Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of DIEDC, said: Rescheduling this landmark event for the Islamic economy presents participants with an exceptional opportunity to collaborate in addressing the potential challenges the sector faces in the post-Covid-19 era, and in ensuring sustainable growth. It will also allow visitors to gather in large numbers in 2021, after carefully assessing and addressing the health impacts associated with the coronavirus pandemic. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in a fruitful exchange of knowledge and lessons learned. We are confident that the conversations will lead to reimagining a better economic future across the globe, especially given the continued uptake of the Islamic economy as a viable solution to ensure sustainable development. He added: Today more than ever before, the Islamic economy is being hailed as a haven for sustainable growth, and a stronghold against crises. Post-COVID-19, the world will more actively seek sustainable economic practices and solutions that provide a fairer distribution of wealth, more financial inclusion, and greater socio-environmental sustainability. The fifth edition of the Global Islamic Economy Summit will serve to highlight the business case for Islamic economy and raise awareness about its role in achieving sustainable development. He added: We believe that organising GIES 2021 and Expo 2020 Dubai at a time when the world is looking for solutions to the economic challenges emerging from the coronavirus pandemic, will help the Islamic economy sectors prepare for the next phase of growth. This will also strengthen Dubais position as the global capital of Islamic economy. Within the context of the growing demand for knowledge exchange in the industrys sectors, GIES, as the largest convener of field experts and specialists on the sector, is in prime position to benefit from the historical setting of the world expo that dates back to the first edition in London in 1851. Exploring synergies Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Chamber and Board Member of DIEDC, pointed out that the fifth edition of GIES will provide an opportunity to acquaint the world with the significant role of the Islamic economy in driving the post-Covid-19 recovery. He stressed that the Islamic economy provides exceptional tools and solutions that can help the world overcome the economic challenges of Covid-19. Al Ghurair pointed out that the postponement of GIES to 2021 was the appropriate decision, as organising the summit during Dubais Expo will ensure a distinguished and receptive global audience and a platform to highlight how the Islamic economy contributes to supporting sustainable growth amongst the worlds economies. He pointed out that the postponement will enable stakeholders to prepare a clear agenda that prioritises the requirements for the next era, and the role that the Islamic economy can play in the future. Achieving sustainable development Speaking on the GIES Virtual Series, Abdulla Mohammed Al Awar, CEO of DIEDC, said: Through the GIES Virtual Series, organised in collaboration with our strategic partners, we aim to explore new ideas and exchange knowledge on ways to optimise the development of key Islamic economy sectors. We also intend to keep regional and international stakeholders updated on the latest developments, further strengthening Dubais reputation for hosting international events of a high calibre. The previous edition of GIES in 2018 attracted more than 3,000 participants. Key topics included rapid digitalisation and the effects of the global economic shifts on the Islamic economy landscape. TradeArabia News Service North Korea is putting younger anchors on television, Hong Kong's Phoenix TV reported after a tour of the regime's state-run Korean Central Television. Until recently they were middle-aged or elderly. One of the most famous was Ri Chun-hi (70), who retired just two years ago and was known for her absurdly emotional delivery. Phoenix TV staff toured the state broadcaster to mark the 72nd anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong-il. They said broadcasting studios are equipped with large LED screens, high-resolution cameras and teleprompters that rival the equipment used in South Korea. Two anchors who were present appeared to be in their 20s, and there were no older ones. Phoenix TV said Kim Jong-il placed high priority on the broadcast media and imported high-tech equipment, while the younger ages of anchors demonstrate his son Kim Jong-un's interest in the media. A female anchor in her 20s first appeared on North Korean TV on Jan. 8 and began her newscast by congratulating Kim junior on his birthday. North Korean TV airs only on weekdays from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., but broadcasts last all day long on special occasions. Trains would run starting 5:15 am from the main stations on the three metro lines until 7:45 pm Egypt has revised the operating hours for the Cairo underground metro in line with a slightly shortened curfew that now runs from 8 pm to 5 am, a statement by the transportation ministry read late on Sunday. According to the statement, trains would run starting 5:15 am from the main stations on the three metro lines until 7:45 pm instead of the 6 am set during previous curfew hours. Before the curfew, the regular operating hours of the Cairo metro were between 5:15 am to 1 am. The decision came hours after Egypt slightly revised an imposed nighttime curfew to run until 5 am instead of the previous 6 am starting Sunday, Minister of State for Information Osama Heikal announced. The newly announced curfew hours come one day after Egypt began imposing on Saturday a nationwide curfew that begins at 8 pm instead of a previous 5 pm for two weeks, marking a gradual reopening of a country heavily affected by the coronavirus repercussions. Wearing face masks in public places has become mandatory since Saturday, with violators facing hefty fines. Facemasks are mandatory for workers or visitors at markets, shops, banks, as well as governmental or private institutions until further notice, according to a decree by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly earlier this month. The decree also states that commuters taking public or private transportation must also wear facemasks. Those who do not wear a mask will be subject to a fine of up to EGP 4,000. Egypt reported on Sunday the highest single-day rise in coronavirus cases and deaths with 1,536 new infections and 46 fatalities, the country's health ministry announced. Sunday's tally brought the total number of confirmed cases to 24,985, and the death toll to 959. This is the fourth consecutive day for the country to witness a single-day record in the number of detected infections. Search Keywords: Short link: Edmon Marukyan, leader of the opposition Bright Armenia Party and its parliamentary faction, on Sunday spoke live on Facebook about the planned changes in the property tax rate in the country, and proposed the citizens to hold an online protest to express their dissatisfaction with these new changes. "Let's protest online against this plan, which increases the tax burden on citizens during the economic crisis. Share this video, and write your opinion on why you are against this initiative, he said. Marukyan also noted that in these conditions, when it is not clear when the crisis will end, how we will get out of this situation, and what real estate market there will be in the future. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Scenario Global Smart Parking System Market was valued US$5.001 Bn in 2017 and is estimated to reach US$11.60 Bn by 2026 at a CAGR of 11.2 %. The report Global Smart Parking System Market based on solution type, parking sites, application, and region. In terms of solution type, the Global Smart Parking System Market is classified into hardware, software, and services. Based on the parking system, the smart parking system market is divided into off-street, and on- street. On the basis application, the Global Smart Parking System Market is categorized into transportation, government facilities, and commercial area. Region wise into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. The adoption of smart parking systems involves the use of low-cost sensors and mobile phone-enabled automated payment systems. With the growing number of hospitals, shopping complexes, and corporate hubs, the demand for smart parking systems is rising. Another prominent factor driving the market is easy accessibility of smart parking systems, its economic nature and ability to reduce carbon footprints in the atmosphere. The major challenge associated with smart parking systems is a lack of standardization and the high set up cost, which requires more investment and restricts the growth of the smart parking systems market. Moreover, a lack of coordination between software developers and hardware providers affects the adoption of smart parking systems. Additionally, an increase in investment on building driverless vehicles and rise in governments initiative in building smart cities across the globe are anticipated to create tremendous opportunities for the growth of the market. Request for Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/10969 Smart parking system market In terms of parking sites, most off-street parking areas are made of commercial parking lots and garages. Facilities such as ticketing and advanced payment solutions coupled with the launch of several mobile applications for parking guidance systems are favorably impacting the growth for off-street parking systems. This type of parking facilitates use both user, long as well as short-term parking users. On-street parking in these countries is yet unsystematic and does not imply strict fines as in North America and Europe. Based on application, the commercial application segment has high growth potential and is estimated to gain traction over the forecast period as these places are the major attraction of tourist as well as local citizens. High convenience and flexibility along with mobile payment options are expected to impel growth in the commercial segment. In terms of region, the North America Global Smart Parking System Market accounted for over 40%of the global market share in 2017. Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness the highest CAGR in the global smart parking system market during the forecast period. This is mainly due to large-scale industrialization in Asian countries such as China, India, and Japan. Some of the key players in the Global Smart Parking System Market are 3M, Swarco AG, Cubic Corporation, Amano Corporation, Nortek Control Systems Ltd., Kapsch TrafficCom AG, Xerox Corporation, Siemens, BMW Group, and Bosch. Scope of Global Smart Parking System Market Make an Inquiry before Buying: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/10969/Single Global Smart Parking System Market by Solution Type Hardware Software Services Global Smart Parking System Market By Parking Sites Off- Street On- Street Global Smart Parking System Market By Application Transportation Government Facilities Commercial Area Global Smart Parking System Market By Geography North America Europe Asia-Pacific Middle East & Africa Latin America Key Players operating in Global Smart Parking System Market 3M Swarco AG Cubic Corporation Amano Corporation Nortek Control Systems Ltd. Kapsch TrafficCom AG Siemens Bosch Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. Streetline, Inc. Cisco Systems, Inc. ParkMe, Inc. Urbiotica Skidata AG Swarco AG Smart Parking Ltd Nedap N.V. Parkmobile, LLC CivicSmart Worldsensing Continental AG Request for Report Discount: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/10969 Comedian Roy Wood Jr. showed up in downtown Birmingham at 8 a.m. to help clean up after businesses were vandalized following violence in the wake of Sunday nights protests. But by the time he got there, other volunteers had already arrived and had been at work since 6 a.m. to help with the cleanup in his hometown, he said. The hometown comic set to work unloading plywood and helping to sweep up glass. He described the scene as complete strangers helping complete strangers, cutting across ages and races with a homeless person helping at one point. Showing up this morning and seeing people was reassuring in that Im not alone in feeling this way about caring for strangers, Wood said. "You cant deny how fate sets you up to help someone else. And I needed the cardio, he added. Birmingham showed up and showed out today. Complete strangers helping complete strangers. Young, old, black, white and evening a homeless person at one point. A truly beautiful thing happened of 5th Avenue today. Sorry to those who missed it. hopefully never again. pic.twitter.com/nfp7uK5m49 Roy Wood Jr- Ex Jedi (@roywoodjr) June 1, 2020 Overnight, businesses in downtown Birmingham experienced at least 14 burglaries and 13 businesses reported significant property damage, Police Chief Patrick Smith said. Birmingham firefighters also responded to 22 fire calls and five commercial fires. About 100 people joined Wood at Adams Eyecare on 5th Avenue North. Juanakee Adams, who has been there for 31 years, was Alabamas first licensed black female optometrist. She said four windows and a door were busted out, with some eyeglasses frame cases broken and some frames taken. She said help came from church members, sorority members, neighbors and fellow optometrists. So much help came, she said, she passed some of it off to neighboring businesses. She expects to see resume seeing patients later this week. Ive just been so blessed by this positive response, she said. At California Fashion Mall on 19th Street, volunteers in face masks, careful to maintain precautions against COVID-19, showed up to help as the business boarded up windows smashed Sunday night. The smell of smoke and charred wood was still thick in the air around lunch time at the burned out location. Chloe Cook was one of those who came. She works on 2nd Avenue and accompanied friends who wanted to help. Were seeing a bunch of people who support different organizations and businesses downtown, some who took part in the protests, and wanted to contribute, Cook said. People have been asking for change. With the damage, no one likes to see it, but when people dont feel like their voice is being heard, this is what can happen. Im not going to pass judgement - this is where we are. Jason Templin is one of the four owners of Shu Shop on 3rd Avenue North. The restaurants front was boarded up after its glass front was broken overnight. The owners arrived last night and took shifts to make sure everything stayed put in the store until they could buy plywood to shore up the entrance. By noon Monday, there were workers at other storefronts as others handed out free food to those who came. It was just glass to clean up. We are fine, Templin said. Weve seen great support for our community. We are concerned with the health and welfare of our city, and we want this to mean something. We want to see change. Further down the street in the citys theater district, both the Alabama Theatre and the Lyric were being boarded up. Glenny Brock, outreach director for Birmingham Landmarks Inc., said scores of people came asking how to help, bringing food and water. This is not the end of downtown, she said. This is something we will endure and come through in the way that Birmingham always does. The damage affected businesses large and small. Regions Banks remote drive-through location on 5th Avenue North was closed today after being damaged overnight, Evelyn Mitchell, Senior Vice President and Head of Media Relations for Regions, said Regions Center at 5th Ave. and 20th Street sustained minor damage. Alabama Power said there was damage to the companys headquarters building on 18th Street. While its unfortunate, it pales in comparison to the hurt, pain and concern faced by so many in our community and across the nation, the company said in a statement. Buildings can be replaced, but lives cannot. We must come together business, communities and individuals alike to fight against injustice and encourage and promote unity. Alabamas first black woman optometrist. Dr. Juanakee Adams. 40 yrs strong in Birminghams Civil Rights District. Total strangers got her cleaned up along with a black doctor & pediatrician on the same block. Thx you to everyone who showed up & those who dropped supplies & food. pic.twitter.com/Cn2U8rPqoM Roy Wood Jr- Ex Jedi (@roywoodjr) June 1, 2020 Wood said he was encouraged to see the diversity of the groups coming to help. At Adams Eyecare, he saw children as young as eight pitching in. It was my first time there, he said. Ive been blessed with 20/20 vision. Comedian Jermaine FunnyMaine Johnson was also at Adams Eyecare. On his Twitter account, he said he delivered $1,000 to Adams Eyecare to help with the cleanup. He also took to the account to say he was raising money to rebuild black businesses - one of several fundraising projects ongoing in the city. Johnson earlier today responded to criticism that he helped to incite violent protests, saying those leveling charges "need to think again. Just dropped off the first checks to help black businesses repair their damage. $1000 to Dr Robert W Smith and $1000 to Dr Adams Eye Care next door! No red tape. No paperwork. No fanfare. Just HEA!!! More to come #Birmingham Lord Rupert Everton (@FunnyMaine) June 1, 2020 The world's largest single-aperture radio telescope dedicated to searching for extra terrestrials and potentially habitable alien planets is set to come online in September. The five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) in Guizhou, China will be able to scan twice the sky area covered by the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, the previous record holder for the largest single-aperture radio telescope in the world. The FAST will also deliver readings between three and five times more sensitive than those from the Arecibo Observatory's, something that's made many scientists hopeful the telescope could lead to a breakthrough in our search for life in the universe. The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST) in Guizhou, China is the world's largest single-aperture radio telescope, and will start its search for signs of alien life in September The telescope first became operational in January, but the team realized there were still a substantial amount of radio frequency interference they believed they could further eliminate, according to a report in China Tech City. According to Zhang Tongjie, an astronomer from Beijing Normal University who serves as chief scientist on the project, there are a number of 'interesting' narrowband signals that could be a sign of extra terrestrial life the team is eager to begin investigating. The 1,6000-foot telescope was first proposed by the Chinese government in 1994, and funding for construction was officially approved in 2007. The telescope consists of 4,500 36-foot triangular panels formed into a dish with a 33-ton 'retina' device suspended above it at a height of between 460 feet and 525 feet. The new facility was built in the countryside of Pingtang County in the southwestern province of Guizhou, for a total cost of $269million. FAST began construction 2007 and the Chinese government required more than 9,000 locals to relocate to make room for the massive structure, providing a three-mile perimeter around the facility to minimize electromagnetic interference In addition to searching for signs of alien life, the $269million telescope will also gather data about black holes, gas clouds, pulsars, and more A 65-person village was razed before beginning construction, and more than 9,000 people in the surrounding countryside were forced to relocate to create a three-mile radius around the telescope without any electromagnetic interference. According to government officials, each person was given the equivalent of $1,800 in compensation for the relocation. In addition to searching for alien life, the telescope will also gather data for the study of a wide range of cosmological phenomenon, including pulsars, black holes, gas clouds, and other distant galaxies. According to Li Di, chief scientist from the National Astronomical Observatories, the open-ended information gathering mission is driven by the a desire to better understand our place in the universe, something that's 'as visceral as feeding and clothing ourselves.' 'Ultimately, exploring the unknown is the nature of mankind, he said in an interview with China Daily. 'It drives us to a greater future.' A former F1 team boss has warned Renault that signing Fernando Alonso for 2021 could be dangerous. The French works team's boss Cyril Abiteboul has admitted that filling Daniel Ricciardo's place by reuniting with former two-time champion Alonso is "an option". "It could be a lot of drivers," Abiteboul told the RMC program 'Par ici la sortie'. "There are some great drivers who will be available next year. The one you mentioned is an option and there are others," he added. The Frenchman says Renault will take its time to make the call, describing the early driver decisions of Ferrari and McLaren as "strange". But former Ferrari team manager Marco Andrea Zecchi thinks signing up Alonso would also be a questionable decision for Renault, who have just announced that 15,000 jobs will be shed amid the corona crisis. "If you fire people and then spend a lot of money on Alonso, you risk provoking a revolution," Zecchi, who headed the Maranello race team between 1989 and 1992, told L'Equipe. "But if Renault presents its plan by talking about the desire to promote the brand, produce electric models and the need for a new ambassador like Alonso, it may be easier to be accepted," he added. (GMM) Brie Larson showcased her incredible figure in a cropped blue top on a grocery run with her beau Elijah Allan-Blitz in Malibu. For her Sunday outing, the 30-year-old Oscar winner put her flat stomach on full display in a midriff-baring blouse and a pair of ripped, light-wash denim bottoms from Etica. While staying close to her man, the Captain Marvel star looked effortlessly chic with her blonde tresses pulled into a sleek bun. Loved-up: Brie Larson showcased her incredible figure in a cropped blue top on a grocery run with her beau Elijah Allan-Blitz in Malibu on Sunday The Emmy-nominated hunk also cut a casual figure in a pair of jeans and a fitted light blue t-shirt. The lovebirds, who are quarantining together, made sure to put safety first, as they adhered to the Centers for Disease Control's advisement to wear face masks. The Room star first went public with Elijah in August 2019, six months after breaking off her engagement with musician Alex Greenwald. Toned: The 30-year-old Oscar winner put her flat stomach on full display in a midriff-baring blouse and a pair of ripped, light-wash denim bottoms from Etica The actress and Alex first began dating in 2013 and got engaged three years later in 2016. Following their split, a source told People: They have taken a step back from their engagement for the time being, but they remain close. Brie is also staying busy with her career, as it was recently announced that she is set to star in Captain Marvel II, due for release in 2022. Staying safe: The lovebirds, who are quarantining together, made sure to put safety first, as they adhered to the Centers for Disease Control's advisement to wear face masks Nearly one year down: The Room star first went public with Elijah in August 2019, six months after breaking off her engagement with musician Alex Greenwald Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Captain Marvel also stars, Samuel L Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou and Lee Pace. Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Algenis Perez Soto, Rune Temte, McKenna Grace, Clark Gregg, and Jude Law will also make appearances in the blockbuster. The plot currently remains under wraps, but Brie will play Carol Danvers. Upcoming: Brie has a lot coming up work-wise. It has been announced that she is starring in Captain Marvel II, due for release in 2022. Her outing also comes after she snapped a selfie in a her mask on Instagram, singing the praises of creator Hedley And Bennett. She looked cheery in the social media post, donning a floral blouse as she told fans to 'Stay home and stay safe.' The star also encouraged her followers to purchase masks for medical staff in need of supplies. She joked about going a bit stir-crazy in isolation on her Twitter recently, writing she changes 'clothes more frequently in [popular video game] Animal Crossing than in real life.' TUCSON, Ariz., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, May 11th, Michael Alic joined Management One as President, replacing Marc Weiss. The move came as Management One continues to expand its leadership in the merchandise planning and retail consulting marketplace. Marc Weiss will retain the role of CEO and continue to provide strategic vision for the company as it enters its next phase of growth. Explaining the change, Marc Weiss said, "Mike is the right person to lead in this historic moment for retail. I know him from his time heading up fashion trade shows at UBM, and I've always admired his style, intelligence, and easy grasp of big ideas. He brings remarkable experience and expertise to our mission of becoming the world's leading provider of financial intelligence for independent retailers." While a significant change in leadership amidst the Covid-19 pandemic may seem unexpected, Weiss explains that it's anything but. "With someone of Mike's skill at the helm of our operations, Management One will bring new efficiency to the development of next-generation technology products and consulting services. His leadership will also free me to focus exclusively on identifying and capitalizing on the many new opportunities for growth that this transformational moment brings." For more than twenty years, Mike Alic has excelled in general management, digital transformation, strategy, and business development roles for a broad range of communications and events companies including Informa plc, Trader Classified Media, UBM plc, and Advanstar Communications Inc. As head of UBM's leading fashion events MAGIC and Coterie, Mike and his team served a community of over 30,000 retail businesses, making him uniquely qualified to helm Management One. "I'm truly excited by the opportunity to work with Marc and his talented team," Mike said of the new position. "Hundreds of thousands of independent retailers need merchandise planning, inventory management, and business insights now more than everand not just to secure their survival. The challenges retailers face are obvious, but what often goes unsaid is that the opportunities for growth are fantastic and Management One has played a pivotal role in helping retailers thrive. I'm thrilled to be a part of it." Mike has worked and lived in Europe, Asia, and Canada, and is bilingual in French and English. He has a B.A. from Princeton University and an M.B.A. from INSEAD. He is currently pursuing a Certificate in Environmental Sustainability from Columbia University. About Management One Management One is the leading provider of merchandise planning, business insights, and education to thousands of independent retailers around the world. The company leverages its ability to collect, process, and analyze retail data to build reliable growth and profitability plans for its customers. These plans are delivered through an unequaled global network of expert retail consultants. As a result, Management One helps create financial security for our clients, our affiliates, and our people. For questions, please contact Nico Cabral at 520-878-0300 ext. 321. www.management-one.com SOURCE Management One Related Links https://www.management-one.com/ According to the Head of State, hospital capacity in Huaraz is insufficient to meet the demand, so a response to the pandemic is being coordinated with regional authorities. The statesman noted that the city needs a new hospital the current one dates back to 1965 and that the Government will pledge funding for its construction as long as the regional government prepares the technical file, as has occurred in other regions Moreover, the President affirmed that actions are being taken to improve the supply of oxygen in the region so as to prevent a potential problem. On the other hand, he explained the coronavirus pandemic is a complex situation, which involves a long phase of growth and a subsequent long phase of decline in coronavirus cases that can last between 6 to 8 months. "Nearly three months have passed since the country entered the phase of growth and, according to experts, the entire process would require about 6 to 8 months to complete ()," he added. (END) FHG/RMB/MVB Moscow residents ventured out to exercise, stroll and shop on Monday as the city eased a strict nine-week lockdown, but millions remained largely confined to their homes as Russia recorded thousands more coronavirus cases. President Vladimir Putin has ordered officials to begin easing restrictions despite Russia having the world's third-highest number of confirmed infections, and was due on Monday to be presented with an ambitious economic recovery plan. Putin said last week that Russia had passed the peak of its epidemic and is anxious to get the country moving again, especially in Moscow where he announced plans for huge military parade on June 24. Russia continues to record a significant number of coronavirus cases -- with 9,035 new infections on Monday bringing its total to 414,878, behind only the United States and Brazil in the global tally. Another 2,297 cases were recorded in Moscow, the epicentre of the crisis in Russia. Officials say the high numbers are the result of large-scale testing and that a steady decline in new infections and a low reported death toll of 4,855 mean Russia can ease restrictions. Moscow has been under lockdown since March 30 / AFP Critics have accused authorities of under-reporting deaths and of putting people at risk by moving too quickly to lift the most severe lockdown measures. With more than half of the recorded cases in Moscow and the surrounding region, authorities in the city of more than 12 million have been cautious in lifting restrictions in place since March 30. - Convoluted walking regime - On Monday retail shops and shopping malls were allowed to re-open and residents were able to exercise outdoors before 9:00 am, but with masks required at all times and gloves needed in shops and on public transport. At her shop selling handbags and jewellery in central Moscow, Olga said she was happy to be serving customers again. "We opened two hours ago but we already have a few clients. I'm pretty optimistic, I think people will come back little by little." But millions of the city's residents were still required to spend most of their time in their homes, with those allowed to work required to obtain official passes. People will be allowed to jog or exercise between 5 am and 9 am but must wear masks / AFP As a two-week test measure, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said residents will be allowed to take walks within two kilometres of their homes according to a staggered schedule based on their address. The convoluted system -- which allows walks between 9:00 am and 9:00 pm no more than three times a week -- has drawn ridicule, with some quipping that life in Moscow was beginning to imitate dystopian fiction such as the novels of Aldous Huxley and Yevgeny Zamyatin. Popular comedian Maxim Galkin, who has nearly eight million followers on Instagram, released a sketch in which Putin and Sobyanin discuss a "breathing schedule" for Moscow residents. Restaurants, cafes and cinemas were to remain closed and no mass gatherings would be allowed until at least June 14. - Economic recovery plan - Russia's economy has been hit hard by the pandemic, with one study last month saying a third of Russian companies were at risk of bankruptcy, especially in the trade and services sectors. Unemployment hit 5.8 percent in April, its highest level in four years, despite companies being ordered to keep locked-down staff on paid holiday. Pressure has been building for Russia to tap its $150 billion in reserves, after initial economic aid plans were criticised as too modest. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin was due to submit a two-year economic support programme to Putin on Monday. "Its main goal is to find a stable path to economic growth (and) to increase the real incomes of our citizens," Russian news agencies quoted Mishustin as saying on Monday. A municipal worker cleans up in front of a Russian honour guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin in downtown Moscow / AFP Critics have accused the government of not doing enough to support businesses and ordinary Russians during the crisis and Putin's approval rating fell to a historic low of 59 percent in an April poll. The Kremlin is also expected to soon announce a new date for a vote on constitutional reforms -- originally planned for April -- that could pave the way for Putin to potentially stay in power until 2036. After the scandalous accusation of society bible Tatler magazine to Kate Middleton, Kensington Palace is taking legal action against the publication over its "sexist" and "disgusting" representation of the Duchess of Cambridge. According to reports, the palace has sent legal letters on behalf of Kate to have the article titled "Catherine the Great" taken down. A source told the Daily Mail that what Tatler published was a story "full of lies" and a total distortion of the royal's image "That is such an extremely cruel and wounding barb. It's disgusting. It's sexist and woman-shaming at its very worst. The piece is full of lies. There is no truth to their claim that the Duchess feels overwhelmed with work, nor that the Duke is obsessed with Carole Middleton. It's preposterous and downright wrong," the source said. The source also condemned the fact that even Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton, was dragged into the controversy. "The whole thing is class snobbery at its very worst. The stuff about [Kate's sister] Pippa is horrible. Tatler may think it's immune from action as it's read by the Royals and on every coffee table in every smart home, but it makes no difference," the source added. Kate Middleton "Exhausted and Trapped" After Megxit The said legal action came after the magazine claimed that Kate feels "exhausted and trapped" by the extensive workload left by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who officially stepped down from the royal family last April. Aside from this, Tatler also referenced an alleged "row" between Duchesses Kate and Meghan during the latter's royal wedding in 2018. The feud was reportedly about whether the bridesmaids -- that includes Prince William and Kate's daughter Princess Charlotte -- should wear tights. Another claim made by the article was that the mother-of-three had "a ruthless survival streak" and is now speaking "like the Queen." A Rare Statement from Kensington Palace Prior to the legal action, Kensington Palace made a bold and rare move to set the record straight regarding the issue. A statement from the Palace defended the Duchess and mentioned that the Tatler story "contains a swathe of inaccuracies and false misrepresentations." However, the publication revealed that the Palace has been informed about the story for months and therefore will "stand" with their reporting. "Tatler's Editor-in-Chief Richard Dennen stands behind the reporting of Anna Pasternak and her sources. 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," a spokesperson from Tatler told Insider. The feud between the Sussexes and the Cambridges has been one of the biggest controversies surrounding the royal family. The last time that the Fab Four of Prince Harry, Duchess Meghan, Prince William and Duchess Kate appeared in public together was during the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey last March. Apart from them, the said event was also attended by other senior royals such as Prince Charles and wife Duchess Camilla, Prince Edward and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, and lastly, Queen Elizabeth II. READ MORE: Kylie Jenner NOT A Billionaire? Forbes Accuses Kylie Of FAKING Net Worth! Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will pay a working visit to Germany on June 2, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's press service has reported. "On Tuesday, June 2, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba will make a working visit to the Federal Republic of Germany. Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak will also take part in the visit," the report reads. According to the report, the Ukrainian delegation will also include Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories Oleksiy Reznikov, Defense Minister Andriy Taran, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva, and other officials. In Berlin, meetings are to be held with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Foreign Policy Advisor to the German Chancellor Jan Hecker, and Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. The meetings in the German capital will be held in compliance with all appropriate sanitary and hygienic norms provided for in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said. "During the visit, the parties will discuss a number of important aspects of bilateral cooperation, the security and humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine, the implementation of agreements reached at the Normandy Format summit at the level of heads of state and government in December, initiatives to deoccupy Crimea, and ways to further coordinate efforts in tackling the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said. Kuleba and Maas are to hold a press conference after the talks. op NEW YORK, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Global All-season Tire Market in Europe 2020-2024 The analyst has been monitoring the all-season tire market in Europe and it is poised to grow by $ 3.42 bn during 2020-2024 progressing at a CAGR of 9% during the forecast period. Our reports on all-season tire market in Europe provides a holistic analysis, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis covering around 25 vendors. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05583979/?utm_source=PRN The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current Europe market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. The market is driven by the regulations pertaining to the use of all-season tires. The all-season tire market in Europe market analysis includes end-user segment and distribution channel segment The all-season tire market in Europe is segmented as below: By End-user Aftermarket OEMs By Distribution Channel offline online This study identifies the growing adoption of nanotechnology as one of the prime reasons driving the all-season tire market in Europe growth during the next few years. The analyst presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters. Our all-season tire market in Europe covers the following areas: All-season tire market in Europe sizing All-season tire market in Europe forecast All-season tire market in Europe industry analysis" Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05583979/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links www.reportlinker.com PEORIA Chaos reigned early Monday in Peoria as police tried to keep up with various bands of people who reportedly looted stores, broke windows and set afire vehicles and buildings. Two people were shot, although details were not available immediately. Reports of broken windows at Target, Walmart and various cellular phone stores were a near-constant stream on the police radio. Long lines of vehicles zoomed up and down the streets. Seven vehicles and four vacant houses were set on fire, Peoria Fire Chief Tony Ardis said. Two of the residences were on Trewyn and McBean avenues. The only injury was minor, with a nail going through the hand of a firefighter. As daybreak approached, Peoria police continued to scramble to cover call after call, even as the pace of incidents slowed. "Many active scenes," said Amy Dotson, spokesperson for Peoria police. "We are all over." Police were unsure of the scope of the situation. "Too soon to tell," Peoria County Sheriff Brian Asbell said. "Everyone is still running around. We have been assisting the city all night. "It's really, really bad." The violence was part of regional and national waves in the wake of the police-involved death last week of George Floyd, an African-American man in Minneapolis. The night started peacefully as about 50 people gathered outside Peoria Police Department headquarters. They occupied a small portion of slogans as they chanted slogans in memory of men who have been fatally shot by Peoria police. The demonstration lasted about 45 minutes. Some attendees said it was done to keep the spirit of Saturday afternoon's protest march in Downtown Peoria, which without incident drew about 1,000 people. About 1 a.m., a group of people reportedly set aflame a tire business at 617 W. Loucks Ave., according to the fire department. Firefighters cut open the front door to extinguish the flames, which took about 10 minutes to bring under control. Damage was estimated at $10,000. Crews reported to at least 10 vehicle and dumpster fires in Peoria, according to the department. They also responded to a number of medical calls. At about 3:10 a.m., a Peoria police officer could be heard on the scanner asking if there was a board-up crew to help cover windows at a store. A dispatcher replied she had a list about 50 places long. A glass window was broken at Pawn King, at University Street and Forrest Hill Avenue. Across University Street, a Walmart that was the scene of an initial protest Saturday night reported broken windows. At a Walmart on Allen Road in Northwest Peoria, police reportedly arrested at least two people who were trying to enter the store near the automotive section. Then, at about 4 a.m., officers were reportedly arresting someone near the JC Penney store at Northwoods Mall. At about 2:30 a.m., police shut down traffic at Spring Street and Northeast Jefferson Avenue because of a serious accident involving a Peoria police SUV. The officer was not responding to a dispatch call, police said. Witnesses said a car had been eastbound on Spring when it collided with the SUV, which had been headed south on Jefferson, police said. The driver of the car was taken to a Peoria hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. The police officer was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, police said. Pinnacle Gun and Ammo, 701 Main St., was broken into, according to its proprietor, Scott Helms. An undetermined number of guns was missing as of about 6 a.m. Most of the firerarms usually visible at Pinnacle were removed earlier, Helms said. Still, 12 display cases were destroyed amid at least an estimated $60,000 in damage, including a front wall and security gate. "I don't know how they bent that metal, but they bent that metal pretty good," Helms said. Helms' firm also provides security for various businesses and organizations, including the Peoria Housing Authority. "Our guys were out last night protecting other companies, and somebody broke into ours," Helms said. Police responded quickly, according to Helms, and recovered a significant number of the stolen firearms. At one point shortly after 3 a.m., officers were sent to Peoria Zoo to check on the animals. The scanner documented caravans of cars driving throughout the city. At one point, at 4 a.m., about 25 vehicles were seen driving south on Knoxville Avenue. Their destination wasn't known. In West Peoria, vandals hit Jimmy's Bar, 2801 W. Farmington Road. The business had closed at 9 p.m. Sunday and emptied soon after. But about 2 a.m. Monday, owner Jimmy Spears was awakened at his Central Peoria home by a phone call from an employee -- "I don't know how she'd heard about it," he said -- with news that windows had been bashed out at the watering hole. Motoring to the bar, Spears noticed helter-skelter traffic around him. "Cars were driving through red lights," Spears said. "I'm going, 'What the heck?' There were cops all over the place." At his pub, Spears found that bricks had been hurled through two windows. He did not see any damage at nearby businesses. Spears, who after weeks of coronavirus-related shutdown had reopened the operation Friday, planned to open as usual at 10 a.m. Monday. An early-morning security alarm at Pawn King, 3108 N.University St., awakened manager Randy VanMiddlesworth at his home in Canton. He arrived at the business to find two front windows had been based in. Security cameras showed two teens approached the building: one grabbed a folding chair sitting outside, and the other picked up an ashtray. They used those objects to smash the windows. A security grate prevented entry, VanMiddlesworth said. "It's a shame," he said. "They just made a mess and wasted their time." Between 10 p.m. Sunday and 6 a.m. Monday, the Peoria public-safety dispatch center fielded 292 emergency calls and 502 overall, according to director Dave Tuttle. Usually, the center handles about 325 calls in a 24-hour period. Fixed-route CityLink bus service was to be delayed by two hours Monday morning, according to the Greater Peoria Mass Transit District. Apparent violence also was taking place in other downstate communities, including Bloomington-Normal, the Quad Cities and Springfield. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 China on Monday fired a salvo of criticism against the US, threatening Washington with firm countermeasures if it harms Chinese interests in Hong Kong and saying America is addicted to quitting because of President Donald Trumps decision to leave the World Health Organisation (WHO). Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, referring to the largescale protests and riots following the death of African-American George Floyd, added that racial discrimination is a long-standing problem in the US and Beijing hoped the US government would take all necessary measures to deal with the violent law enforcement of police, so as to protect and safeguard the legitimate interests of racial minorities. Black lives matter and their human rights should be protected, he said. Current ties between the two countries have increasingly soured in recent months over several issues including on the origins of the coronavirus, arms sales Taiwan and ongoing disputes over trade. On Hong Kong, Zhao said any move by the US to harm Chinese interests will be met with firm countermeasures, questioning Washingtons decision to begin ending special treatment for Hong Kong as well as actions against Chinese students and companies. Trump ordered his administration to begin the process of eliminating special US treatment for Hong Kong in response to Chinas parliament last week voting to implement a new national security legislation on Hong Kong, which, critics say, could impact the one country, two systems mechanism. The US President, however, hasnt mentioned a timeline for the withdrawal of the special status. The announced measures severely interfere with Chinas internal affairs, damage U.S.-China relations, and will harm both sides. China is firmly opposed to this, Zhao said at the regular ministry briefing on Monday. Any words or actions by the U.S. that harm Chinas interests will meet with Chinas firm counterattack, he said. Earlier, Hong Kongs Beijing-backed government was quoted in news reports as telling the US to keep out of the national security debate, warning that withdrawal of the financial hubs special status could backfire on the US economy. On Trumps announcement that the US would leave the WHO, Zhao said the US has become addicted to quitting groups and scrapping treaties. Trump announced on Friday the US would cut ties with the WHO, accusing the UN agency of becoming Chinas puppet. MOSCOW, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia's sovereign wealth fund, and the ChemRar Group will deliver 60,000 courses of Avifavir to Russian hospitals in June. Avifavir is Russia's first COVID-19 drug and has shown high efficacy in treating patients with coronavirus during clinical trials. Avifavir has received a registration certificate from the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Thus, Avifavir has become the first Favipiravir-based drug in the world approved for the treatment of COVID-19. In early June, the first batches of Avifavir will be sent to Russia's Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare (Roszdravnadzor) for approval for use. Deliveries of the first batches of the drug to Russian hospitals are expected on June 11, 2020. The high quality of Avifavir is due to more stringent requirements for its active pharmaceutical ingredient, compared with the requirements for active pharmaceutical ingredients in international markets. Avifavir, which disrupts the reproduction mechanisms of coronavirus, is the first Russian direct-acting antiviral drug that has proven effective in clinical trials. The drug has been well studied, since it has been used in Japan since 2014 against severe forms of influenza. The intermediate data from the Avifavir clinical trials confirm its high efficacy against COVID-19. The final stage of Avifavir clinical trials involving 330 patients, approved by the Russian Ministry of Health on May 21, 2020, is ongoing. The number of medical centers approved for the participation in Avifavir clinical trials has increased from 30 to 35 across Russia's regions. The drug proved to be highly effective during the clinical trials involving I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Lomonosov Moscow State University and other medical and academic institutions. According to the results of the 10 days of the clinical trials, Avifavir demonstrated safety with no new or previously unreported side effects detected; Median elimination of the virus took four days compared to nine days with standard therapy, according to the study; Efficacy of the drug is above 80%, a criterion for a drug with high antiviral activity; Following the first four days of treatment, 65% of the 40 patients who took Avifavir tested negative for coronavirus, which is twice as many as in the standard therapy group. By day 10, the number of patients whose tests returned negative results reached 90%; The body temperature of 68% of patients taking Avifavir returned to normal earlier (on the third day) than in the control group (on the sixth day); The drug is undergoing trials in Moscow , Saint-Petersburg , Tver, Nizhny Novgorod , Smolensk, Ryazan, Kazan, Ufa and in the Republic of Dagestan. Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said: "RDIF and ChemRar, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, have swiftly produced and registered a drug that surpasses its global peers not only in terms of effectiveness, but also of safety. Avifavir more than halves the duration of the disease, ensuring most patients are free of infection after the fifth day of treatment, which helps to more successfully fight the virus and protects Russian hospitals from being overwhelmed. Afivavir is not only the first antiviral drug registered against coronavirus in Russia, but it is also perhaps the most promising anti-COVID-19 drug in the world. It was developed and tested in clinical trials in Russia in an unprecedented short period of time, enabling Afivavir to become the world's first registered drug based on Favipiravir." Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is Russia's sovereign wealth fund established in 2011 to make equity co-investments, primarily in Russia, alongside reputable international financial and strategic investors. RDIF acts as a catalyst for direct investment in the Russian economy. RDIF's management company is based in Moscow. Currently, RDIF has experience of the successful joint implementation of more than 80 projects with foreign partners totaling more than RUB1.8 tn and covering 95% of the regions of the Russian Federation. RDIF portfolio companies employ more than 800,000 people and generate revenues which equate to more than 6% of Russia's GDP. RDIF has established joint strategic partnerships with leading international co-investors from more than 15 countries that total more than $40 bn. RDIF takes active steps to counteract COVID-19: RDIF and partners have launched the production of the unique Russian-Japanese EMG diagnostic system , which generates results in 30 minutes with a very high accuracy in both stationary and unmatched portable mini-laboratories. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has joined the project through the Russia-Japan Investment Fund; , which generates results in 30 minutes with a very high accuracy in both stationary and unmatched portable mini-laboratories. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has joined the project through the Russia-Japan Investment Fund; RDIF and the ChemRar Group have produced the first batch of Favipiravir , a drug that has proven effective in the treatment of infected patients in China and in clinical trials in Russia . Preparations are currently underway for the mass production of the drug; , a drug that has proven effective in the treatment of infected patients in and in clinical trials in . Preparations are currently underway for the mass production of the drug; RDIF has launched a project to diagnose and detect pneumonia, including that caused by coronavirus, using CT scans combined with the Russian-UAE artificial intelligence (AI) technology developed jointly by Group 42 (G42), RDIF and Medscan Group; developed jointly by Group 42 (G42), RDIF and Medscan Group; RDIF has provided support to the public in observing the lockdown restrictions and self-isolation regime, driving a several-fold increase in telemedicine consultations via the Doctis service , as well as in access and subscriptions to the ivi online media library , delivery of Elementaree meal kits and demand for products and services of other RDIF portfolio companies; , as well as in access and subscriptions to the , delivery of and demand for products and services of other RDIF portfolio companies; The Mother and Child Group , an RDIF's portfolio company, has repurposed its largest clinical hospital Lapino to treat patients with COVID-19 symptoms. , an RDIF's portfolio company, has repurposed its largest RDIF was one of the initiators of the Alliance against coronavirus, which also includes the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RUIE), Yandex, Mail.ru Group and the Rossiya Segodnya international news agency. RDIF is actively involved in key initiatives and charity projects. Further information can be found at www.rdif.ru ChemRar Group unites R&D service and investment companies in the field of innovative pharmaceuticals for the development and commercialization of innovative medicines, diagnostics, preventive care and new treatments of life-threatening diseases in Russia and abroad. ChemRar Group celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2020. Throughout its history, the company has maintained and improved the achievements and quality of its medical chemistry and has built a team of world-class employees and scientists. Their efforts have made ChemRar one of the global leaders in the industry today. Further information can be found at http://en.chemrar.ru/ SOURCE Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Related Links http://www.rdif.ru "After our very earnest conversation, thank you to Governor Walz for doing what's right and calling in Attorney General Keith Ellison to take over the George Floyd case," he wrote. "Earlier today, Governor Walz mentioned having a human conversation with me -- a dad and a black man in pain. YES, I am human, a father and a black man in pain and I am not the only one. Now I, along with an entire country in pain, call upon AG Ellison to do the right thing and prosecute all those responsible for the murder of George Floyd to the fullest extent of the law. This is just a first step. I am more determined to fight for justice than any fight my would-be oppressors may have. A restaurant in the Netherlands is turning to robots to help serve customers while still complying with social-distancing guidelines. According to the Associated Press, restaurant-owner Shaosong Hu is deploying the robotic waiters at his restaurant in the Dutch beachside town of Renesse to pick up dishes, serve food, and greet customers with 'hello and welcome' once the restaurant reopens this week. 'We will use them to make sure the 1.5 meters (5 feet) we need during the corona crisis sticks,' Leah Hu, Shaosong's daughter said. Leah Hu demonstrates the use of robots for serving purposes or for dirty dishes collection, as part of a tryout of measures to respect social distancing and help curb the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, at the family's Royal Palace restaurant in Renesse, south-western Netherlands While the Hus say the bots have received some negative feedback - namely that it makes the restaurant experience impersonal - it hasn't stopped them from trying to imbue the bots with more hospitality. The pair bots will have some personal flair, including a scarf and are even awaiting two human names, the selection of which is currently the subject of a competition on Instagram. 'We don't have a favorite yet. But the suggestion of Ro and Bot is out. We want to give them a normal name,' said Leah Hu. Dutch restaurants have been hard hit by the crisis and have been closed for over two months. As of Monday, they will be allowed to reopen but with a maximum of 30 customers. That will force some layout adaptations in the Royal Palace where the robots programmed floorplan may have to be changed at the last moment. The Hu's say they don't worry about the bots displacing jobs, claiming it's already hard to find staff in a rural region without any major city close by to begin with. 'They help us with the work we do,' said Leah Hu. 'We are often busy and cleaning tables and the robots give us an extra hand... It also frees up the human staff for some more personal contact... We are not disappearing. We are still here. They will always need people in this industry.' By State Rep. Chris England, Tuscaloosa, Chair of the Alabama Democratic Party Alabamas prisons are a problem. We all know it. The Governor knows it. The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) knows it. The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) knows it, and issued its warning last year that the state needed to fix what was happening in our prisons. But its been over a year since the DOJ report was released, and if anything, things have only gotten worse. Since then, a bill was passed in 2019 granting Governor Ivey the ability to appoint the director of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles (BPP). She chose Charlie Graddick, a former district attorney, Attorney General, and tough on crime judge who was known for using inflammatory rhetoric about people in the criminal justice system. Since assuming the helm of BPP, the board has denied roughly 85% of all people up for parole. Meanwhile, there are over 4000 people in prison who are eligible for parole, while approximately 300 more people become parole eligible every month, adding to the backlog. So we knew the situation was bad when the DOJ said in their report, Alabama routinely violates the constitutional rights of prisoners housed in the Alabama's prisons by failing to protect them. Now, with even fewer people being released through parole, were watching the gains weve made since sentencing guideline changes and the 2015 prison reform bill completely evaporate. Its up to Governor Ivey to do something about this problem. Shes put herself at the center of this situation, not only in appointing Graddick, but also in moving forward with her secretive private prison deal, which would circumvent the legislative process while spending a projected 2.6 billion dollars over 30 years to build three new mega-prisons. So many questions remain, and we in the legislature have no more answers than the general public. As public officials, we are collectively responsible for people, not buildings. We must all act urgently now because prison construction is an option that will not help alleviate any of the current, horrific conditions, particularly in light of the global pandemic were in. Under the best circumstances, we are still at least three to four years from a possible new prison. This means that other solutions must be found now. It is unacceptable for the state to stick our heads in the sand for the next several years and ignore the abuse and deaths happening on our watch. Other states have figured it out -- why cant we? The Governor and Legislature have received many recommendations from experts and advocates providing us with options for how we can address this prison crisis. Its time we listened. We need the Governor to call for a special session on criminal justice reform to allow the Legislature to do our part. A good place to start is the recommendations produced by Governor Iveys own study commission, chaired by respected former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Champ Lyons. I was elected to represent the concerns and needs of the people of Alabama, including those incarcerated, and I cant do that if the Governor is refusing to go through the Legislature and allow an open debate on the merits of her plan. She knows it will be hard to get a bill passed and funds appropriated for construction, but passing billion dollar legislation is supposed to be hard, and the legislative branch is designed to provide a check so that the executive branch doesnt frivolously spend taxpayer money. We need to pass meaningful legislation that will provide evidence-based treatment alternatives to incarceration and reduce the numbers of people entering these violent, unsafe prisons. Its time we repeal the Habitual Felony Offender Act, create meaningful oversight for ADOC, reform Alabamas draconian marijuana laws, and apply some common sense to our criminal justice approach. And we need a Governor who is willing to recognize when appointed leaders are not effectively doing their job. ADOC's budget has soared 200 percent in the last 20 years, while our prisons have only gotten worse. Commissioner Dunn, appointed in 2015 before Governor Ivey took office, has been unable to decrease the violence and abuse of the incarcerated population, has been unable to stop the flow of controlled substances into the prisons, and has been unable to now protect his staff and adequately test the incarcerated population to protect from spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, BPP Director Charlie Graddick has shown that under his leadership, the parole board will continue to deny most parole applications, even though part of the function of BPP is supposed to be the facilitation of release and re-entry. They relitigate each case, disregarding their responsibility to assess individuals efforts at rehabilitation, education, and redemption. As a result, ever larger numbers of people will be released at the end of their sentences with no re-entry support or supervision. Additionally, the Bureau is still years behind on pardons which denies many deserving individuals opportunities to vote and find gainful employment. If these appointed leaders are unable or unwilling to do their jobs, then Governor Ivey needs to appoint someone who can. Governor Ivey has often said this is an Alabama problem with an Alabama solution, but prison construction is a solution that the state has tried before in the 1980s and 1990s, and it didnt work. That was an Alabama mistake that caused more of the problems were seeing now, and the DOJ report even states, it is important to note that new facilities alone will not resolve the contributing factors to the overall unconstitutional condition of ADOC prisons... And new facilities would quickly fall into a state of disrepair if prisoners are unsupervised and largely left to their own devises [sic], as is currently the case. To repeat the mistake of prison construction without meaningful reform now will only lead to more problems down the road. What we need is an Alabama solution that actually works. The best practices for controlling an infectious disease like COVID-19 arent easy to followkeeping six feet apart from others, wearing face masks in public, and, if youre a health care worker, wearing shields to protect your eyes as well. But in a study published Monday in The Lancet, researchers provide the strongest evidence yet that these practices do indeed lower the risk of spreading the virus. An international group of scientists, led by senior author Dr. Holger Schunemann, professor of clinical epidemiology and medicine at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, analyzed 172 studies conducted in 16 countries that looked at the connection between social distancing, wearing masks, and wearing eye protection, and the risk of transmitting the virus. The studies included people with COVID-19 infections in addition to those with two other diseases caused by coronaviruses, SARS and MERS. The studies were observational, meaning that they tracked infection rates among people who practiced any of the aforementioned behaviors. Of the 172 studies, 44 (involving more than 25,000 participants) also included comparisons between those who followed the behaviors and those who did not. When it comes to social distancing, the analysis showed that, on average, the risk of getting infected when remaining 1 meter (a little more than 3 ft) from an infected person was about 3%, while staying less than 1 meter apart upped the risk to 13%. The further people stand away from one another, the lower their risk. In fact, the risk drops by half for every additional meter of distancing up to 3 meters (about 10 ft). What we tried to do was bring everything together and sort out what distance might be the most effective, rather than an arbitrary threshold, says Schunemann. Based on how far respiratory droplets from coughs or sneezes generally travel, most public health policies currently recommend standing at least 2 meters (about 6.7 ft) apart in public areas, which the study findings support. The virus doesnt know what a meter is, or what six feet is, says Schunemann. What this evidence suggests is that two meters, or 6.7 feet, appears that it might be more protective than one meter or three feet. Story continues The data also supported the benefits of eye shields for health care workers. The risk of infection among people who wore glasses, goggles or other face shields was 6% compared to 16% among those not wearing such protection. The studies included health care workers in hospitals, as well as people living in households with an infected person. The researchers tracked whether those in close contact to people who had a coronavirus infection kept their distance, wore a mask or eye protection, and whether they too got infected. I was surprised by the magnitude of the effect, says Schunemann. In epidemiology we often see small effects, and all the effects we saw here are considered large or very large. He says the findings support current public health advice to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, but adds that more detailed studies are needed. For instance, its not yet clear whether 1 meter of distance might be sufficient in some settings (compared to the 2 meters that are currently recommended). In addition, larger distances might be needed when people are gathered in denser settings or closer quartersand its still uncertain what the ideal distance in these scenarios would be. In health care settings like hospitals, similar studies are needed to tease apart which types of face masks are best for different situations. The study found that medical-grade N95 masks and surgical paper masks used in medical settings offered the best protection, but that self-made cloth masks are still effective for the general public. These data, Shunemann says, support wearing a mask both to reduce the risk of spreading of the virus if youre infected, and to lower the possibility of becoming infected if youve not yet caught the virus. The type of masks that should be worn, and who wears the masks, should be investigated further in randomized controlled trials, says Schunemann. But having said that, my interpretation is that wearing even a self-made mask is better than not wearing anything. Michigan health officials announced 135 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 25 new deaths on Monday afternoon, June 1. Mondays new cases marked the fewest in a 24-hour span since mid-March when the states first cases were reported. The new low comes as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the lifting of her stay-home order. Since mid-March, the Department of Health and Human Services has reported 57,532 confirmed cases of the infectious virus, including in 5,516 cases that resulted in death. The states seven-day moving average is 379 cases per day and 39 deaths per day. A week prior, those averages were 424 confirmed cases and 46 deaths per day, signaling a continued downward trend. Sorry, but your browser does not support frames. Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MDHHS chief medical executive and chief deputy, said there continue to be encouraging trends with rates declining across the state. The state is seeing about 12 new cases per million people per day, and in the last two weeks it is seeing about a 5 percent positive rate of diagnostic testing. But the threat of the disease has not gone away, Khaldun said. She added that social distancing, wearing masks in public and limiting large gatherings are still important in fighting the spread of the virus. Black residents continue to see a disproportionate amount of fatal cases of COVID-19. Despite making up 13 percent of the states population, African Americans make up 40 percent of the states deaths and 31 percent of overall cases. Coronavirus also continues to be most severe in older populations. Eighty-seven percent of those who have died with COVID-19 were 60 or older. Browser does not support frames. Fifty-six counties reported no new cases Monday. Among them, Cass, Monroe and St. Clair counties each had one case removed. Kent County had the most new cases within 24 hours with 33, followed by Wayne with 31, Macomb with 12, Oakland with 11 and Saginaw with 10. Its important to note that over the last month, Mondays have been known to be low in reporting before increases in totals on Tuesdays. Heres a look at the Michigan counties with the most confirmed cases. 1. Wayne County: 20,446 cases (2,463 deaths) 2. Oakland County: 8,407 cases (992 deaths) 3. Macomb County: 6,707 cases (814 deaths) 4. Kent County: 3,748 cases (89 deaths) 5. Genesee County: 2,015 cases (252 deaths) 6. Washtenaw County: 1,337 cases (99 deaths) 7. Saginaw County: 1,048 cases (108 deaths) 8. Kalamazoo County: 844 cases (57 deaths) 9. Ottawa County: 781 cases (34 deaths) 10. Ingham County: 740 cases (26 deaths) Browser does not support frames. Michigan processed 13,304 diagnostic tests on Saturday, May 30, according to the most up-to-date testing reports MDHHS. Of those, 3.7 percent -- or 494 -- came back positive for COVID-19. The total tests was a decline from the three days prior, but helped lower the cumulative positive rate to 12.2 percent since March 10, when the first two cases were announced. Three of Michigans eight regions reported 1 percent or less positive tests for May 30. They include Region 1 -- home to nine counties include Jackson, Ingham and Livingston counties -- and Regions 7 and 8 in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula. As of May 29, 38,099 people diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered, meaning theyre still alive 30 days after the onset of their illness. 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: Things feel so dark, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says on riots, coronavirus and Midland flooding Whats allowed to reopen in Michigan and what isnt? Why is Michigans coronavirus death rate so high? Sunday, May 31: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan Technavio has been monitoring the global automotive air lift jack market size and it is poised to grow by USD 5 bn during 2019-2023. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005504/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Automotive Air Lift Jack Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will decelerate during the forecast period. Astro Pneumatic Tool Co., ATD Tools Inc., Emerson Manufacturing Corp., Gray Manufacturing Co. Inc., Jack Sealey Ltd., JET Equipment Tools Ltd., Norco Industries Inc., Shinn Fu Company of America Inc., Sunex Tools Inc., and Tire Service International are some of the major market participants. The increasing demand for air bottle jacks will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. The increasing demand for air bottle jacks has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Automotive Air Lift Jack Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Automotive Air Lift Jack Market is segmented as below: End-user Individual Customers Professional Customers Geographic Landscape APAC Europe MEA North America South America 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=IRTNTR32137 Automotive Air Lift Jack Market 2019-2023: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our automotive air lift jack market report covers the following areas: Automotive Air Lift Jack Market size Automotive Air Lift Jack Market trends Automotive Air Lift Jack Market industry analysis This study identifies rising demand for portable air lift jacks as one of the prime reasons driving the automotive air lift jack market growth during the next few years. Automotive Air Lift Jack Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the Automotive Air Lift Jack Market, including some of the vendors such as Astro Pneumatic Tool Co., ATD Tools Inc., Emerson Manufacturing Corp., Gray Manufacturing Co. Inc., Jack Sealey Ltd., JET Equipment Tools Ltd., Norco Industries Inc., Shinn Fu Company of America Inc., Sunex Tools Inc., and Tire Service International. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the Automotive Air Lift Jack Market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Automotive Air Lift Jack Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist automotive air lift jack market growth during the next five years Estimation of the automotive air lift jack market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the automotive air lift jack market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of automotive air lift jack market vendors Table Of Contents : PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT 2.1 Preface 2.2 Preface 2.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE Market ecosystem Market characteristics Market segmentation analysis PART 04: MARKET SIZING Market definition Market sizing 2018 Market size and forecast 2018-2023 PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY END-USER Market segmentation by end-user Comparison by end-user Individual customers Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Professional customers Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by end-user PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Europe Market size and forecast 2018-2023 North America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 South America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 MEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Key leading countries Market opportunity PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 11: MARKET TRENDS Development of aluminum air lift jacks Growing demand for portable air lift jacks Growing online purchase of automotive air lift jacks PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Astro Pneumatic Tool Co. ATD Tools, Inc. Emerson Manufacturing Corp. Gray Manufacturing Co. Inc. Jack Sealey Ltd. JET Equipment Tools Ltd. Norco Industries Inc. Shinn Fu Company of America Inc. Sunex Tools, Inc. Tire Service International PART 14: APPENDIX Research methodology List of abbreviations Definition of market positioning of vendors PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO About Us 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/20200601005504/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/ New Delhi, June 1 : Prime Minister Narendra Modis flagship 'One Nation One Ration Card' scheme has been implemented across 20 states so far with the Central government targeting the entire country by March 31 next year. Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday said that after Odisha, Sikkim and Mizoram joining the 'One Nation One Ration Card' scheme, 20 states are now linked to IMPDS (Integrated Management of Public Distribution System). The Union minister tweeted, "As I earlier announced, three more states -- Odisha, Sikkim and Mizoram -- have been added to the government's ambitious 'One Nation One Ration Card' scheme today. With this 20 states have joined the IMPDS scheme." In another tweet, Paswan said, "'One Nation One Ration Card' Scheme is to be implemented across the country by March 31, 2021. In this regard, necessary steps are being taken to connect Uttarakhand, Nagaland and Manipur by August 1, 2020." After the implementation of the scheme across the country by March 31, 2021, any beneficiary of the Public Distribution System (PDS) under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) can avail of ration anywhere in the country. Under the NFSA, nearly 81 crore people in the country are provided foodgrains at a cheaper rate. They are provided wheat at Rs 2 a kg and rice at Rs 3 a kg. In the ongoing corona pandemic, the Central government gives five kg rice or wheat and one kg pulses per month free to every PDS beneficiary. This will continue for three months since its inception in April under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY). Besides, the Central government is also giving five kg foodgrains and one kg grams free for two months to the migrant labourers who are not beneficiaries of any other grain distribution scheme. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed LANSING, MI -- Lansing police arrested 13 people Sunday night and say thousands of dollars in damage was done by protesters who overturned cars, set fires and destroyed property following a day of peaceful protest in the city. According to a press release from the Lansing Police Department, the scene turned a few hours into the protest when a group attempted to assault a woman in car on South Washington. Michigan State Police arrived first on the scene to protect the woman, but were surrounded by the crowd. Lansing Police arrived next and evacuated the MSP officers and the woman in the car. Protesters on the scene told MLive media partner WLNS the driver of the car was trying to hit people before the car stopped. Rioters refused to disperse from the area and overturned the females car, smashed the windows and set fire to it. The rioters also overturned another vehicle in the area and began smashing the windows of multiple businesses, looting, assaulting police with rocks, bottles, and started several dangerous dumpster fires, reads the press release from the Lansing Police Department. Windows were broken out at several buildings in the city including at the Lansing Police Department headquarters and the Romney Building where Gov. Gretchen Whitmer works. LPD says it warned protesters to leave the scene numerous times but they refused to cooperate with the orders. Therefore, consistent with usual and customary police practice, LPD dispersed chemical agents in attempts to dissuade ongoing, intensifying and dangerous criminal activity, to protect public and private property from felonious assaults, looting, arson and most importantly to protect the lives of innocent citizens, the release reads. Following the use of the chemical agents, police arrested several people on various charges including arson, vagrancy, damage to property and resisting arrest. The city also enacted a curfew at 9 p.m. and ordered people back to their homes until 5 a.m. Monday. The LPD will continue to have a visible presence downtown and is working with businesses and property owners to asses the damage done. Anyone with information regarding the protest are requested to call the Lansing Police Department at 517-483-4600. US Protests Could Bring Coronavirus Surge By VOA News May 31, 2020 U.S. health officials are warning there could be a new surge in coronavirus cases following the protests of the death of George Floyd, the African American man who died after a police officer in Minneapolis pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd lay on the ground. Protesters have been seen, masked and unmasked, at demonstrations around the U.S. in recent days. Social distancing is hard to observe in normal conditions but is almost impossible during a protest. "I will continue to stress, because it seems like a lifetime ago: We are still in the middle of a pandemic . . . We still have hospitals on the verge of being overrun with COVID-19," Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told the Associated Press. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms noted that the pandemic is also affecting racial minorities at a higher rate. "There is still a pandemic in America that's killing black and brown people at higher numbers," she said, noting that anyone who was at a protest this weekend in Atlanta should plan to be tested for COVID-19. Many protesters expressed their concern about the virus, but said they still felt it was necessary to make their concerns about police brutality and racism heard. "I'm also concerned for my safety as well, so I wear my mask, trying to keep a safe distance from a bunch of different people. And I'm also a Black woman who has asthma, so I am definitely in the reach of COVID which has been killing black people at a disproporionate rate as well," Diedre O'Brien, a protester in Washington, D.C., told VOA. "But I do feel like it's important for me to be out here to make my presence known." With more than 1.7 million COVID-19 infections, the U.S. has more cases than anyplace else in the world. There have been more than 100,000 COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. Racial breakdowns of COVID data in the United States remain incomplete, but recent studies indicate that Black Americans are dying from the virus at a higher rate than their white counterparts. Data from the COVID tracking project shows that while Black Americans account for 13% of the U.S. population, they account for 25% of COVID deaths in the country. APM research lab reports that, according to the latest data, the mortality rate for Black Americans is 2.4 times higher than that of White Americans. Protests in the United States coincide with wider easing of social distancing restrictions. Many Americans are expected to attend church services for the first time in weeks on Sunday, and access to public beaches, salons, and outdoor seating at restaurants is increasing. In France, demonstrations against dire working conditions for those in the country illegally also broke a ban on large gatherings and was dispersed by tear gas. Tear gas has also been used against protests in Hong Kong in recent days, where the semiautonomous city is fighting against a new order which would give China more authority. The number of global cases continues upward with more than 6 million cases. Brazil follows the U.S. with nearly 500,000 cases. Health officials say Latin America is the likely next hotspot for coronavirus cases. Human's relationship with the coronavirus "might turn out to be a lifelong relationship," Mark Woolhouse, a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh, told Britain's Guardian newspaper. He said that without a vaccine and given the improbability of maintaining social distancing that "a second wave really is a clear and present danger." Jason Patinkin contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New Delhi, June 1 : After Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced that the borders of the national capital will be sealed for a week as the coronavirus cases are rising, the Congress slammed the decision and said that blaming outsiders will not cover up the crumbling health care facilities. The Congress said that this is "Kejriwal Corona Blame Game". Former Union Minister Ajay Maken said, "While just blaming outsiders for crumbling Delhi health care facilities and sealing the borders. Would the borders be sealed for 630 admitted at AIIMS Jhajjar (Haryana) out of a total of 2,395 hospitalised Delhi COVID patients, when they come back?" Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sought suggestions from the people through WhatsApp or email till 5 p.m. on Friday, saying he also needs suggestions and guidance on whether Delhi government hospitals should be reserved for the residents of Delhi. Addressing the media on Monday, Kejriwal said until now, his government was able to do so much work in Delhi because of the support of the people and their trust, saying the guidance of the people made him implement many important decisions in the city. For the time being, he said, the Delhi government is sealing the borders for one week. GBP/ZAR Exchange Rate Edges Higher as SA Economy Remains in Doldrums The Pound to South African Rand (GBP/ZAR) exchange rate edged higher today, with the pairing up by 0.1% and trading around R21.66. The South African Rand (ZAR) suffered after South African vehicle sales fell by 68% last month as the nationwide lockdown held back one of the nations most lucrative sectors. The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) commented on the report: The impact of Covid-19 on the new-vehicle market and when the level of factory output will return to where it was before the lockdown will only become clearer once the entire motor industry becomes fully operational and prepares itself for the new normal. Meanwhile, the risk-averse South African Rand has been suffering from concerns over US-China trade tensions flaring up again this week. Despite relief coming in the form of US President Donald Trump sticking with the phase one trade deal between the two superpowers, tensions between the two superpowers are expected to escalate. As a result, we could see ZAR begin to suffer as markets switch to risk-off after a relatively positive start to the week. Neil Wilson, chief market analyst at Markets.com, commented: US-China tensions are expected to deteriorate over the coming months as Trump doubles down ahead of the presidential election. Pound (GBP) Edges Higher as UK Eases Lockdown Measures The Pound (GBP) edged higher today after the UKs lockdown measures have been eased, with schools now set to reopen throughout England. However, Downing Street has rejected claims that it has begun to ease its lockdown too soon. Diane Wehrle, the insights director at Springboard, commented: It appears that even though only markets and car showrooms have opened today in addition to essential stores, shoppers are heading back into bricks and mortar destinations. As a result, Sterling has benefited from growing hopes for the British economy, which is set to improve now that non-essential shops are due to reopen later this month. In UK economic news, today saw the release of the Markit Manufacturing PMI for May, which rose from 40.6 to 40.7. However, with the figure remaining deep within contraction territory, this failed to provide much uplift for the Pound. Rob Dobson, the Director at IHS Markit, was however more optimistic, commenting: However, the glass-half-full perspective is one where the rate of contraction has eased considerably since April, meaning absent a resurgence of infections the worst of the production downturn may be behind us. Pressure on manufacturers should ease further as lockdown restrictions are loosened, customers return to work and global activity restarts. GBP/ZAR Outlook: Risk-Sentiment to Drive South African Rand The South African Rand (ZAR) will remain sensitive to US-China developments this week, with any signs of tensions sparking up between the two superpowers proving ZAR-negative. South Africas coronavirus situation will also remain in focus. Any indications that South Africas economy could be heading for a worse-than-expected outcome later in the year would also weaken the appeal of the South African currency. The GBP/ZAR exchange rate will likely continue to edge higher this week, with optimism set to grow over the UKs easing lockdown measures. However, any signs of a setback such as a growing number of coronavirus cases or a flagging economy would clip Sterlings gains. Two members of the security forces were found dead in Aleppo province, after their car was attacked by unknown gunmen reports Smart News. On Saturday, unknown persons assassinated two members of the police and public security forces in the town of al-Rai east of Aleppo. A source from the Civil Defense reported to Smart News-affiliate al-Bawaba in Aleppo that unknown persons opened fire on the two members as they travelled on the Tuwairan road near the town of al-Rai and fled. The source added that the bodies of the two members were transferred to the al-Rai Hospital to be handed over to their families. On May 13, 2020, people found the bodies of two police and public security forces members in Turkish-backed Syrian National Army-controlled areas near the town of al-Rai, 55 kilometers east of Aleppo. Explosions and assassinations repeatedly take place in areas controlled by opposition factions that participated in Operations Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield, north and east of Aleppo, killing and injuring dozens of civilians and fighters and military commanders of the Free Syrian Army. The Islamic State and the Syrian Democratic Forces are accused of being behind the explosions. 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. Deputy Eastern Regional Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Ghana Police Service, Sergeant Francis Gomado has disclosed that contact tracing has begun in Koforidua following the death of a police officer. Following the death of the 55-year-old Chief Inspector of the Koforidua Central Police, a contact tracing has begun. A team from the Eastern Regional Health Directorate have begun taking samples in their contract tracing exercise. All police personnel at the Central Police Station are been tested. So far 24 inmates at the facility have been tested. Sergeant Gomado noted that contact tracing would be done beyond the station as the late police operated within a large jurisdiction. ---FirstnewsRoom The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has intensified campaign against the misconception that drinking the local gin (Akpeteshie) among other unregistered concoctions are protection and cure for COVID-19. The Commission said alcohol consumption did not protect or cure COVID-19 but rather exacerbated health vulnerability, risk-taking behaviours, mental health issues and violence among users. Mr Michael Sagoe, the Senior Civic Educator with the Assin Fosu Office of the Commission, said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the side-lines of a public sensitisation programme in the Assin Central Municipality. He said unbridled misinformation had generated dangerous myths that consuming the local gin could kill the COVID-19. He reiterated the World Health Organisation's view that consuming alcohol was associated with a range of diseases and mental health disorders, which could make one more vulnerable to COVID-19. In particular, alcohol compromises the body's immune system and increases the risk of adverse health outcomes, therefore, people should minimise their alcohol consumption at any time, and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Sagoe said. Alcohol is a psychoactive substance that is associated with mental disorders; people at risk or who have an alcohol-use disorder are particularly vulnerable, especially when in self-isolation. He commended the media for its significant role in the fight against the coronavirus saying; reporting and publishing of information on preventive etiquette is contributing positively in this fight. Mr Sagoe encouraged all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to enforce measures that would limit alcohol consumption among other public safety protocols. Existing rules and regulations to protect health and reduce harm caused by alcohol such as restricting access should be upheld and even reinforced during the COVID-19 pandemic and emergency situations; while any relaxation of regulations or their enforcement should be avoided. That must be complemented by a multi-faceted communicating tool with the public about the risks of alcohol consumption, and consequences thereof. Mr Sagoe said assemblies must tighten restrictions on access to alcohol, saying consumption could increase the risk of catching the coronavirus and worsen chances of recovery once contracted. He reminded the public to adhere to personal hygiene while the Government and the medical practitioners also played their parts to help stop the spread of COVID-19 to facilitate the country's return to normalcy. ---GNA WASHINGTON - In a massive show of force, the National Guard fired sting balls and some form of tear gas at peaceful protesters outside the White House on Monday evening as President Donald Trump appeared in the Rose Garden to announce the mobilization of "thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers" to quell "lawlessness" across the country. After hundreds of protesters were pushed away from Lafayette Square, where they were protesting the killing of George Floyd, the president walked through the park to visit St. John's Church. The historic church where presidents have worshiped since James Madison had been set on fire Sunday, during the third night of protests in the District when the mostly peaceful demonstrations devolved into looting and vandalism. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, rolled back a curfew to 7 p.m. in hopes of avoiding another destructive night. But the appearance of the National Guard and mounted U.S. Park Police brought the most aggressive law enforcement response yet. With shields that said "military police," the Guard members stood shoulder to shoulder, moving forward every few minutes. When they knelt - as officers have been doing to show solidarity with demonstrators - the crowd cheered. But protesters soon realized they were kneeling only to put on gas masks. Minutes later, they began firing at the gathered masses, hitting protesters who were standing atop a bathroom that had been burned the night before. One person fell from the structure. Washington Post photo by Michael S. Williamson. The sudden use of force left protesters bruised, bleeding and in shock. As the crowd was pushed down 16th Street, some yelled "walk! walk!" in attempts to avoid a stampede. "They flushing us out," one protester told another. White House spokesman Judd Deere defended the Guard's actions in Lafayette Square, saying "the perimeter was expanded to help enforce the 7 p.m. curfew in the same area where rioters attempted to burn down one of our nation's most historic churches the night before. Protesters were given three warnings by the U.S. Park Police." Just before the Guard began advancing on the crowd, Bowser warned in a news conference that she had no authority over federal law enforcement teams. Her administration asked the federal government to keep their protest response limited to federal property. "I will say I know the values of Metropolitan Police Department, I know our officers, I know the expectations of them, they know how to work with our community and they know they are accountable to the chief and me and to independent bodies in this government for how they behave," Bowser said. "We can't always say those same things about other entities." As she spoke, U.S. Attorney General William Barr arrived at Lafayette Square. Protesters shouted at him and chanted his name with expletives. Earlier in the day, Barr had ordered the Federal Bureau of Prisons to send anti-riot teams to D.C., according to a senior Justice Department official. Drug Enforcement Administration officers and vehicles were also deployed in the downtown area and appeared to be barricading streets. At the corner of Seventh and K streets Northwest, agents stood chatting by their vehicles. "Day one, baby," one said to another with a laugh. The influx of federal law enforcement agencies was at the direction of Trump, who boasted about the military might descending upon America. "Those who threaten innocent life and property will be arrested, detained and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Trump said in the Rose Garden. "I want the organizers of this terror to be on notice that you will face severe criminal penalties and lengthy sentences in jail." The tone was entirely different earlier in the evening when D.C. police Officers had made efforts to show solidarity with the demonstrators. An African American female officer stepped off her bike before a crowd of protesters in front of the Trump International Hotel, and knelt. The crowd cheered, whooped and snapped pictures. One yelled, "Don't cheer that s---!" Then another: "They still be killing us!" Attention turned to the other dozen officers. "Officer, do you agree with us?" asked Leo West, a 20-year-old student from Takoma Park, Maryland wearing a Black Lives Matter face mask. Suddenly the officer, an African American whose uniform gave his name as P.D. Harris, briefly sank to his knee. "You're a good man, Officer," West shouted. "All of you can do it. Be like Office Harris." Somehow, they seemed to listen. Half a dozen more officers sank to their knee as well. But by now, Officer Harris was on his feet. "Do it again," urged Edward Dana, a 24-year-old University of D.C. student and employee of the department of disability services. When Harris refused, Dana became upset. Suddenly another protester he'd met just a few hours earlier intervened. "Let's be cool," said Tony Norris, a 22-year-old from Waldorf, Maryland who worked in a music store until the coronavirus pandemic hit. "This man still has a family to get back to," said Norris, who is African American. "He'll take a knee when he needs to." Protests over the weekend also began peacefully and remained that way until after nightfall. On Sunday night, American flags, parked cars and buildings were burned, including St. John's Church. Firefighters quickly extinguished the basement fire, which police said was intentionally set. The intensity of the damage, and the knowledge that the protests would begin again in a matter of hours, forced government agencies and businesses to take quick action. The Department of Veterans Affairs, whose headquarters on Vermont Avenue is steps from the White House, ordered all nonessential employees to go home by noon on Monday. Businesses across D.C. from H Street Northeast to 14th Street Northwest boarded up their storefronts. Bowser's office said she had asked business improvement districts in Georgetown, downtown and Mt. Vernon Triangle to board up shops Monday. Volunteers dispersed across the city to sweep glass chards and scrub graffiti off buildings. Twitter became a major vehicle for misinformation about unrest in D.C. "This is my home," said Cam Brown, a 20-year-old who came out with his friends to clean up the damage. "Why would I destroy my home?" As his friends discussed which neighborhoods to go to Monday morning, a police cruiser pulled up. The passenger side window rolled down. Inside, an officer gave them a thumbs up. "Thank you," he said, and the group waved back. But the in-it-together feelings between citizens and law enforcement officers became more sporadic as more demonstrators descended on Lafayette Square and the area surrounding the Capitol, where chants of "No Justice, No Peace," mixed with the music of Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino blaring from their smartphones. "7 p.m.? Y'all wish!" a young African American woman yelled at the police, referring to Bowser's new curfew. "We're going to be out here till 4 a.m.!" After being pushed out of Lafayette Square, the protesters were faced with a choice: find another spot to demonstrate, resisting the curfew order, or go home. "If we die here today it's not worth it today, bro," one man told another. "It's after 7, they can do whatever they want to you. There are no rules." "What if we don't got tomorrow," a woman near them said. "We had 2017, 18, 19, 20." "I am with you," the man replied. "We've had 200 years. We can do another day." Nsidebe Eka 19, was frantically running toward the White House, looking for a set of lost keys. Her family didn't want her to go to the protest, but she said she was tired of sitting on the sidelines. Now her eyes were stinging from the chemicals the National Guard had sprayed to get the crowd to disperse. "We had a peaceful protest and they still did all that," she said. "They don't love us, they don't [care] about us, and it's because we're black." As she tried to return to her Maryland home, she crossed paths with a large group of protesters. She decided not to join. Protesters who lingered were met by dozens of D.C. police officers in riot gear and announcements over the loudspeaker of their police cruisers: "Attention: you are subject to immediate arrest. You are in violation of the mayor's order." - - - The Washington Post's Rachel Chason, Derek Hawkins, Dan Lamothe, Hannah Natanson, Fenit Nirappil, Perry Stein and Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report. The Ashanti Regional Health authorities are distancing themselves from the laying in state and burial of father of popular musician, Obour who tested positive for Covid-19 two months ago. Nana Boansi Osei Kuffour, who is also the chief for the Juaso Oyoko clan was laid in state at the weekend on the blind side of local authorities in what many say maybe a breach of Covid-19 protocols. Though a positive Covid-19 case, the family, transported the body from Accra, laid him in state and performed burial rights for him at the family house at Juaso in the Asante Akyem Municipality of Ashanti. Family members kept vigil and performed burial rights before he was buried at the Royal cemetery at Jusao. All this was done without the participation and knowledge of the Regional and the municipal Health Directorates. The Regional Health Director, Dr Emmanuel Tinkorang tells Luv News, regional Covid-19 teams were not aware of the burial. All health teams were not told of this burial, even my Municipal Health Directorate was not informed. I dont know, maybe they came with their burial team from Accra. Municipal Chief Executive Officer for Asante Akyem South, Alexander Frimpong, denies knowledge of the burial. But Obours family say they had permission from authorities. We were told he died of Covid-19. But there were rumors that he had been cremated because of his Covid-19 status. Because he is a chief, we had to dispel the rumors. So, we sought permission from authorities for him to be laid in state for few people to see him, identify him and pay their last respects. We bought a coffin made of glass covering, so it prevented people from getting into direct contact with the body. Agnes Assiamah Boakye, a member of Obours family told Luv News. At Juaso, many doubt the positive Covid-19 status of Nana Osei Boansi, Obours father.I k now Nana was not well before so I dont believe he was killed by that coronavirus sickness. People who were close to him know him and were not afraid of him because they knew what killed him. One resident said. The musician, Bice Osei Kuffour, also known as Obour will not immediately speak with Luv News. Obour will face the law if he organised his fathers burial Information Minister Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said he is not aware the father of popular musician Bice Osei Kuffour died of Covid-19. There has been a public backlash on social media over the decision by Obour to bury his father without permission from the health authorities. Nana Boansi Osei Kuffour, who is also the chief for the Juaso Oyoko clan was laid in state over the weekend on the blind side of local authorities in what many say may be a breach of Covid-19 protocols. Speaking on Joy News Sunday, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said if the burial was in excess of 25 persons, the family would have breached Presidents directive on public gatherings. He explained that if it was not a private burial, and they proceeded to have a burial, it will be a breach of the law, then the security agency will have to act. VIDEO- Source: myjoyonline.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 JERUSALEM - Israeli archaeologists say theyve found cannabis residue on artifacts from an ancient temple in southern Israel providing the first evidence of the use of hallucinogenics in the ancient Jewish religion. In a research paper, the authors say the discovery from an 8th-century B.C. shrine at Tel Arad offers the first proof for the use of mind-altering substances as part of cultic rituals in Judah, including the first Jewish Temple that stood in Jerusalem at the same time. Archaeological excavations at Tel Arad, located around 35 miles (60 kilometres) south of Jerusalem, in the 1960s discovered a stronghold belonging to the ancient kingdom of Judah, and at its core a small shrine bearing striking similarities to the biblical Temple in Jerusalem. But for decades, attempts to determine the composition of black deposits found on two limestone altars from the shrines inner sanctum now located at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem were inconclusive. Chemical analysis of the samples conducted at Israels Hebrew University and Technion Institute found that one altar contained the psychoactive compounds found in marijuana, and the other had traces of frankincense one of the ingredients mentioned in the Bible for the incense sacrifice in the ancient Jewish Temples, the authors wrote. The researchers published their findings Friday in the academic journal, Tel Aviv: Journal of the Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University. Eran Arie, curator of Iron Age archaeology at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem and lead author of the study, said the discovery was revolutionary, as it was the earliest evidence of cannabis use in the ancient Near East and the first time we see psychoactive substances in Judahite religion. The absence of cannabis pollen or seeds from the ancient Near East indicates the cannabis was likely imported over long distance trade routes, possibly in the form of resin, known colloquially as hashish. The chemical analysis from the Tel Arad altar showed it was burned atop dried animal dung. Here, the official state religion of the kingdom of Judah was using this substance, Arie said. Because of the sites clear connection to the monarchy, he suggests it could point to how worship was conducted in the biblical Temple in Jerusalem. Yossi Garfinkel, an archaeology professor from Hebrew University who was not involved in the study, said that the ritual use of wine in Judaism, and some indications of opium use elsewhere in the region, suggests that for the ancient Israelites, it was a desirable thing to get into ecstasy and connect with God. The book is Restoring the Consent of the Governed: The Public Check on Congress Will Hold It More Accountable for Serving the National Interest, by Bill Bridgman. It describes a new constitutional mechanism, the Public Check on Congress (PCC), by which the general public could hold the members of Congress, of both parties and both houses, jointly accountable for their performance. No more blaming the other guy. Political influence would shift away from moneyed special interests, fringe political factions, and tribal party leaders. Instead, members of Congress would feel a powerful incentive to reach bipartisan consensus on our most important national priorities. These would include Pandemic response, immigration, fiscal responsibility, health care, election security, gun issues, choice/life issues, climate change, etc. Many additional benefits arise from this new relationship between Congress and the public. PCC would require an amendment to the Constitution. While that's a heavy lift, polls show that Americans are ready for serious structural reform if it can help restore our democracy to good health. That is the enormous potential of collective congressional accountability. Restoring the Consent of the Governed includes a first draft of a constitutional amendment. Since it is a still-emerging concept, readers can offer their own refinements through the book's website and take part in rejuvenating our government. For more information, go to https://www.publiccheckoncongress.com/. About the Author Bill Bridgman is a retired businessman who has spent the past several years in the political reform movement. He believes that Congress's dysfunction is due to an accountability gap where there is no incentive for its members to take joint bipartisan ownership of overall congressional performance. The Public Check on Congress, described in his e-book, Restoring the Consent of the Governed, fills that gap. Bill is a native of the Twin Cities region of Minnesota and currently lives in the Chicago area. His children and grandchildren keep him focused on the existential governance challenges facing the next generations. SOURCE Public Check on Congress Related Links https://www.publiccheckoncongress.com President Moon Jae-in accepted U.S. President Donald Trump's invitation to a G7 summit slated for later this year during their phone conversation on Monday. South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday accepted U.S. President Donald Trump's invitation to a G7 summit slated for later this year, reaffirming Seoul's commitment to playing a global role in the fields of quarantine and the economy, according to Cheong Wa Dae. In their 15-minute telephone conversation, Trump said G7's outdated system does not represent the current international security situation. He said the U.S., host of this year's G7 summit, is seeking to expand the forum to G11 or G12, Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said. Trump earlier told reporters that he would like to invite South Korea, Australia, India and Russia to the session that the U.S. is planning to host around the U.N. General Assembly in September. Trump asked about Moon's view on the plan. Moon hailed it and expressed his gratitude for the invitation. "I am willing to accept it and South Korea will play the role that it can over quarantine and the economy," he was quoted as telling Trump. Police officers nationwide pray, kneel with protesters: A sign of hope in America Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Police and sheriff's officials across the country kneeled in solidarity with protesters last weekend as thousands of demonstrators across the United States took to the streets to protest the death of George Floyd, who died in the custody of Minneapolis police on Memorial Day. Although scenes of violent riots and looting have permeated cities throughout America, the last few days have also united people together in prayer and peace. Days after the death of Floyd, Art Acevedo, the police chief in Floyds hometown of Houston, Texas, said what Floyd went through should be "condemned by all in law enforcement and our extended community." "His death serves as a stark reminder that when bad policing happens, it disproportionately impacts communities of color and poor communities," Acevedo wrote on Twitter. On Saturday, police chiefs across Miami-Dade County in Florida knelt in prayer with protesters in Coral Gables, Florida, near Miami. "This was a good first step in the right direction. It was a touching moment," a spokesman for Miami-Dade police told NBC Miami. Pastor Joanne Hoehne of The Source Church wrote on Facebook that police officers knelt and confessed they needed to do better. According to Hoehne, people began crying and praying together. In New York City, just hours after violent protests led to hundreds of arrests, city police officers joined a church in Queens and demonstrators in Manhattan by taking a knee beside protesters on Sunday. Videos posted online show NYPD officers, including white-shirt officers, kneeling in the streets of Jamaica, Queens as members of The Excelling Church prayed and held a moment of silence. The cops bowed their heads and joined in on a reading of the names of black men and women who have died at the hands of police. Pastor of The Excelling Church Garelle K. Solomon, who led the protest with the hashtag #codeblack, told his congregants they needed to take to the streets and put our faith into action as they peacefully make our voices heard! The solitary knee of a police officer in America is a sign of hope in America, Solomon told The Christian Post on Monday. God is still able! Protesters were also seen shaking hands and hugging the officers. Havent seen this video much yet, but look at these NYPD officers including a white shirt officer in Queens, taking a knee beside protestors. They join as they read the names of men and women who have died at the hands of police. Its from today: https://t.co/8MAf9CZJWr Gloria Pazmino (@GloriaPazmino) May 31, 2020 Later that evening, thousands of demonstrators gathered in Foley Square in Lower Manhattan. There, a few other cops knelt in solidarity as seen in a video posted to social media. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, community members gathered in prayer at The Elevated Church with the support of Baton Rouge Police. We need prayer now more than ever before, even before this incident, said Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul to local news outlet WAFB. The chief attended the vigil as a way to show support as people of all races prayed for peace. "Were keeping the community lifted up in prayer. Were keeping officers lifted up in prayer. We do understand and recognize that there is hurt out there, that there is pain, and I understand it, Paul maintained. Its important for us to listen, and actively listen about whats going on in America and take a look at ourselves and agencies in law enforcement and ask ourselves what are we doing to make sure that an incident like that doesnt happen. The only reason were here is to make sure you have a voice. Thats Chris Swanson, Sheriff of Genesee County, MI. He said he wanted a parade not a protest, you tell us what you need to do, he yelled. The crowd chanted: walk with us. He did. : Johnie Franklin III/Facebook pic.twitter.com/kuMVQycCAj David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) May 31, 2020 In Flint Township, Michigan, the sheriff of Genesee County, Chris Swanson, displayed unity with the people as he took off his helmet and laid down his baton to address the crowd. "We want to be with [you all] for real," Swanson told the crowd in a video published by NBC affiliate WEYI, adding: "I want to make this a parade, not a protest. ... You just tell what you need to do." The crowd asked Swanson to walk with them. Swanson waved his arm and said, "Let's walk," as he joined them. Police Chief Andy Mills joined Mayor Justin Cummings in taking a knee in Santa Cruz, along the Central Coast of California on Saturday. The Santa Cruz police department released a statement explaining that Mills knelt to demonstrate unity with protesters and to bring "attention to police violence against Black people." SCPD is fully supportive of peaceful protests @CityofSantaCruz and we always keep them safe. Hundreds gathered on Pacific Ave in #SantaCruz, taking a knee together in memory of George Floyd & bringing attention to police violence against Black people. PhotoCredit @Shmuel_Thalerpic.twitter.com/EmfAfcIZaM Santa Cruz Police (@SantaCruzPolice) May 30, 2020 According to NBC affiliate WOWT of Omaha, Nebraska, police and protesters locked arms Sunday afternoon near police headquarters in Bellevue. In contrast to the many fires and lootings shown in the media brought on by angry protesters, there have also been gatherings of which people have joined together in prayer and repentance. A large number of Christians gathered at the site of George Floyds death to usher in the presence of God in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. A pastor on location reported: At the site of GEORGE FLOYDS murder scene, they preached unity, love, and repentance. People brought food, and many came to love on and minister to the community. Then the people got in their knees, forgave one another, and gave their lives to Jesus!! Another video circulating online showed hundreds of people praying together for help and peace. Zelensky: In case of recordings of Biden-Poroshenko I am interested in one thing, how it was possible to record country's president Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for Ukraine not to be pulled into the presidential campaign in the United States, and denies any involvement in the recording of conversations between the fifth president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. "Why should Ukraine be drawn into this again? Now we are enjoying bipartisan support in the United States, both in Congress and in the Senate. We have the support of the president. These recordings are not a priority," Zelensky told the British The Telegraph tabloid by Skype. Zelensky stressed that Ukraine does not want to influence the domestic or foreign policy situation in any country, or the election process in any country. "We are an independent state. The United States of America is an independent country," he said. The president of Ukraine also noted that he had no idea about the alleged conversation between Poroshenko and Biden, and he would not anticipate the investigation of these records. "Listen, I don't know anything about the details of this agreement (between Poroshenko and Biden). And whether this agreement was reached or rejected, and whether this agreement even existed. I'm only interested in how this was recorded in the president's office," he said. As reported, Zelensky at a May 20 press conference said that law enforcement agencies should respond to information about Biden's alleged influence on Poroshenko, a matter being handled by Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office. Zelensky added: "I know that this can be perceived, qualified as high treason. All questions are to be addressed to law enforcement bodies." Formula One drivers followed Lewis Hamilton's lead on Monday after the six times world champion criticised his sport's silence over the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white U.S. police officer knelt on his neck. The death in Minneapolis triggered a wave of outrage and violent protests in the United States. Britain's Lewis Hamilton, Formula One's first black world champion who spends much of his time in America, spoke out on Instagram on Sunday. "I see those of you who are staying silent, some of you the biggest of stars yet you stay silent in the midst of injustice," wrote the Mercedes driver. "Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white dominated sport. Im one of the only people of colour there yet I stand alone," he added. "I would have thought by now you would see why this happens and say something about it but you cant stand alongside us. Just know I know who you... are and I see you." In a second post, Hamilton added: "I do not stand with those looting and burning buildings but those who are protesting peacefully. There can be no peace until our so called leaders make change." ALSO READ | Lewis Hamilton Criticises 'White Dominated Sport' F1 for Staying Silent on George Floyd Death Mercedes retweeted the latter comment and issued a statement assuring Hamilton that they stood with him. "Tolerance is an elementary principle of our team and we are enriched by diversity in all its forms," it added, condemning any discrimination. Renault's Daniel Ricciardo said Floyd's death was "a disgrace". "Racism is toxic and needs to be addressed not with violence or silence but with unity and action," the Australian wrote on Instagram. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc said on Twitter he had felt "out of place and uncomfortable" sharing his thoughts on social media about the situation but realised he had been "completely wrong". "I still struggle to find the words to describe the atrocity of some videos I've seen on Internet. Racism needs to be met with actions, not silence," added the Monegasque. Williams driver George Russell echoed Leclerc's words and said it was time to kick racism out. "We all have a voice to speak up for whats right -- and until now I didnt know how to use mine in this situation," said the Briton. "Ultimately, no matter how uncomfortable it may be to speak out, silence achieves nothing." There have been several nights of unrest over race and policing in many U.S. cities as a series of curfews failed to quell confrontations between some protesters and police. Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged last Friday with third-degree murder in the death of 46-year-old Floyd. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi may soon try his hand at podcasting to counter Prime Minister Narendra Modis monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat, people familiar with the development said. Right now, we are at the planning stage and are discussing the finer points with the experts and asking them how to go about it, said a Congress office bearer who refused to be named. A podcast is an audio message or discussion that is transferred or relayed digitally. Once finalised, Gandhis podcast will be a counter to the Prime Minister Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, claimed the functionary quoted above. The former Congress chief launched his YouTube channel some time ago but started promoting it only during the lockdown period. It has so far got 294,000 subscribers. While Gandhis conversation with migrant workers saw a viewership of 752,000, his video interaction with health experts professor Ashish Jha and professor Johan Giesecke on coronavirus had over 90,000 views. PM Modis YouTube channel has 6.45 million subscribers apart from 57.9 million followers on Twitter and 45 million on Facebook. Gandhi has 14.4 million followers on Twitter and 3.2 million on Facebook. We are also exploring other platforms such as LinkedIn, the Congress functionary said. He claimed that the partys social media campaigns during the coronavirus-induced lockdown had attracted huge response from the public. Our Speak Up India online campaign on May 28 was a huge hit. Over 5.7 million party leaders and workers uploaded their messages on different social media platforms throughout the day, the functionary added. The daylong campaign was launched to put pressure on the central government to accept demands for providing immediate financial aid to farmers, migrant workers, daily wage earners and small businesses hit by the pandemic. It is important for politicians to communicate with citizens in whatever ways they can. Podcasting can be a great way to interact, but only if the politician allows for a two-way communication. They have to find a way of talking with the people, not just to the people, said Amit Verma, a Mumbai-based podcaster. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prostate cancer has become the most commonly diagnosed form of the disease in the UK. A total of 57,192 men in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales were told they had it in 2018 a substantial rise from 48,690 the previous year and up from around 24,000 in 1998. It means diagnosis of prostate cancer has more than doubled in the past 20 years and it has now overtaken breast cancer as the most common form. Experts attribute the increase to rising numbers of men getting tested as well as the growing and ageing population. Prostate Cancer UK, which compiled the latest statistics, warned the coronavirus pandemic is threatening the progress of prostrate cancer research in the UK They say campaigns like that run by the Mail, which has highlighted the issue for two decades, have led to more men seeing their GP with symptoms. High-profile cases such as TV presenter Bill Turnbull and actor Stephen Fry going public with their prostate cancer have also shone a light on the oncetaboo subject. But Prostate Cancer UK, which compiled the latest statistics, warned the coronavirus pandemic is threatening the progress. It said the crisis has led to a drop in the number of referrals for the disease and that fundraising for research has come to a standstill. The charity's chief executive, Angela Culhane, said: 'The number of men with prostate cancer keeps rising and now for the first time ever, it has become the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK. 'We've reached this point much earlier than previously predicted, which is in part due to a big increase in awareness of the disease in recent years, helped by high-profile coverage such as that in the Daily Mail.' She added: 'We also know that the Covid-19 pandemic will have knock-on effects on diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer for some time to come. 'But as services begin to return to normal, it's important that anyone with concerns about their prostate cancer risk speaks to their GP or contacts our specialist nurses.' The charity looked at the latest data from each nation and found prostate cancer had overtaken breast cancer diagnoses, of which there were 57,153 reported in 2018. Prostate Cancer UK said the crisis has led to a drop in the number of referrals for the disease and that fundraising for research has come to a standstill The prostate figure was also higher than that for lung cancer (48,054) and bowel cancer (42,879) over the same period. There were 4,193 cases in Scotland, 1,265 in Northern Ireland and 49,029 in England in 2018, up from 3,622, 1,265 and 48,690 respectively the previous year. The latest figures available for Wales were for 2017, when there were 2,705 cases. More cases are being caught early, when the disease is more treatable, but a national screening programme is seen by many as vital to boost survival rates. While screening for breast cancer is routine, with middleaged women invited for scans every three years, tests for prostate cancer are notoriously inaccurate. Men are left to request a 'PSA' blood test from their doctor, for which they are eligible over the age of 50. This is often followed by a biopsy, an intervention that also has accuracy problems. A trial by Imperial College London last month suggested MRI scans for cancer for all middle-aged men would pick up 8,000 extra cases a year. Prostate Cancer UK said that while it was 'good news' that more men were seeing their GPs and being diagnosed earlier, it reinforced the need for better testing and treatment. 'We need research now more than ever,' said Mrs Culhane. Sashi Sivramkrishna Just a few days ago, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to close the issue of 7.75 percent Government of India (GOI) bonds, probably on account of the surge in demand for this virtually risk-free asset. Why are we so keen to hold financial liabilities of the government? Arent GOI bonds the other side of the much-dreaded public debt or accumulated financial liabilities of the government? Before answering these questions, it is important to understand how these bonds are purchased. Suppose I had bought Rs 2,000 worth of bonds in cash, I would have given a Rs 2,000 currency note in exchange for the bond. Isnt this actually a swap of one liability of the State (i.e. of the RBI) for another (a GOI bond)? If I was to purchase the bond through my account at a commercial bank, the bank would ultimately settle the transaction by allowing its reserve account at the RBI to be debited (reduced) or in other words, the RBI swaps its liability (reserve accounts of commercial banks at the RBI) for the liability of the GOI, i.e. bonds, which I will be the owner of. Meanwhile, the reduction in the banks assets (reserves at the RBI) would be compensated by an equal reduction in its liabilities (my deposit account at the bank), keeping its balance sheet balanced. In a modern money economy, when we speak of money we are really speaking of exchanges of financial liabilities. Unfortunately, mainstream macroeconomics textbooks inculcate the idea of money as an asset. This asset could have been a commodity such as gold or silver in the not-so-distant past. Presently, they argue, it is paper currency with no intrinsic value. While it is true that money is an asset to the holder, the essence of modern money is overlooked; it is a financial asset which must therefore appear in some other entitys books of accounts as a financial liability. This is not true of a gold or silver coin, which is a physical asset that does not appear in anyone elses books of account as a liability. To delve deeper into the idea of money as a financial liability, it is useful to begin with (paper) currency. We are often intrigued by the sentence printed on a currency note, I promise to pay the bearer the sum of one hundred rupees (or any other denomination), signed by the RBI Governor. Clearly, this is a promissory note, an IOU (I owe you). However, what is it that the central bank is promising to pay? At a time when the rupee was on a silver standard, it meant the promise by the issuer of notes to exchange Rs 100 for a hundred silver rupees, each rupee being a measure of weight and purity of silver (approximately 11.4 grams of 96 percent purity). Given that the rupee is now fiat currency and not backed by the promise to convert it into anything, it means that the if I were to ask the RBI to exchange the note for a hundred rupees, I could get two Rs 50 notes instead. These IOUs or financial liabilities are, however, used widely to settle claims that arise in exchanges. When I buy a newspaper from a vendor, I can settle the claim that arises from this sale with currency, a promissory note, a liability of the RBI. In a modern money economy most claims that arise in such exchanges are not settled with the promissory notes of the State. Instead, we use promises to pay of commercial banks or what is commonly referred to as bank deposits. The money held by an entity in a bank deposit is the banks promise to pay the sum of money deposited. The bank also promises to swap its deposit for the States liability (cash or notes) at par. I can settle the claim of the newspaper vendor by a cheque or by a transfer of the deposit, which is essentially the banks promise to pay or financial liability of the sum involved. The non-bank private sector can and also does issue promissory notes to temporarily settle claims. However, ultimately, these claims have to be settled with liabilities of commercial banks, and in times of deep crisis if and when bank closures were to become widespread, with those of the State only. I could for instance, purchase provisions from a neighbourhood store on credit, a promise to settle the claim later. After that period, I would have to issue a cheque or pay cash. Corporate bond issues are also a swap of financial liabilities. A company exchanges your deposit (bank liabilities) for its own (the bond). Once again, in times of a crisis, there could be a rush for a reverse-swap, i.e. getting back your bank deposit for the bond. The NBFC (non-bank financial company) crisis that arose in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic illustrates disruptions that arise in such swaps of financial liabilities. When fund houses couldnt get bank deposits in exchange for bonds (assets of NBFC) which they held, meant that they were unable to settle claims of investors who wanted their bonds (liability of NBFC) to be swapped back for bank deposits. Banks were then expected to come to their rescue. They could exchange the bonds (assets of the NBFC) for deposits so that the NBFC could pay off investors. When we understand money as a financial liability it is obvious that all liabilities are not equally secure. A hierarchy of money exists with household and individual IOUs at the base, corporate and NBFC liabilities above it, bank deposits higher up and finally, those of the State (central government and RBI). The question arises as to why are government liabilities the most secure? While all other financial liabilities are ultimately backed by physical assets, which always entails risk, State liabilities are not; they are backed by the fact that the State is the monopoly issuer of legal tender, i.e. liabilities that are accepted in settlement of obligations to the State primarily taxes. In a modern economy the State, by design, also accepts bank deposits in settlement of tax obligations making use of bank money widespread; however, security of bank deposits is limited by an insurance ceiling (Rs 5 lakh). This answers the question we posed at the beginning; why 7.75 percent GOI bonds were so much in demand in the ongoing crisis. At the same time, it highlights why the GOI must run a deficit and accumulate debt so that private sector desire for secure and risk-free savings can be met. A reluctance to accommodate this desire could raise the private sectors marginal propensity to save, induce a contraction in the economy through the paradox of thrift and thereby force the fiscal deficit to widen. The economy could be drawn into a vicious whirlpool of austerity policies. Fernando Castro plays a violin to earn tips from passers-by on Juarez Avenue in Mexico City (Rebecca Blackwell/AP) Protests around the US against police brutality have sparked fears of a further spread of Covid-19, while South Korea is reporting a steady rise in cases around the capital after appearing to bring the outbreak under control. The often-violent protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer, are raising fears of new virus outbreaks in a country that has more confirmed infections and deaths than any other. The protests come as more beaches, churches, mosques, schools and businesses reopen worldwide, increasing the risk of cross-infections. South Korea has reported 238 cases of coronavirus over the past five days, most of them in the Seoul metropolitan area, causing alarm in a country that had eased up on social distancing and started to send millions of children back to school. Hundreds of infections have been linked to nightspots, restaurants and a massive e-commerce warehouse near Seoul. The 35 new cases reported on Monday include 30 around Seoul. Protests over Mr Floyds death have shaken the US from New York to Los Angeles. Demonstrators are packed together, many without masks, many chanting, shouting or singing. The virus is dispersed by microscopic droplets in the air when people cough, sneeze, talk or sing. Theres no question that when you put hundreds or thousands of people together in close proximity, when we have got this virus all over the streets its not healthy, Maryland governor Larry Hogan said on CNNs State Of The Union. The US has seen more than 1.7 million infections and over 104,000 deaths in the pandemic, which has disproportionately affected racial minorities in a nation that does not have universal health care. In London, thousands of people marched on Sunday, chanting No Justice! No Peace! while carrying signs reading Justice For George Floyd and Racism Is A Global Issue. Expand Close People have their temperatures checked before boarding a bus during the first day of a more relaxed lockdown in Manila, Philippines (Aaron Favila/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp People have their temperatures checked before boarding a bus during the first day of a more relaxed lockdown in Manila, Philippines (Aaron Favila/AP) Other protests were held in Berlin and Copenhagen, Denmark. Around 6.1 million infections have been reported worldwide, with about 370,000 people dying, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The true death toll is believed to be significantly higher, since many victims died of the virus without ever being tested. China, where the global pandemic is believed to have originated late last year, reported 16 new cases on Monday, all in travellers newly arrived from abroad. Eleven of those arrived in the southwestern city of Chengdu on Friday aboard the same flight from Cairo, the Chengdu city government said in a statement. With local transmissions having fallen to virtually zero, much of China has reopened for business and Monday saw the further restart of classes in middle and high schools. Kindergartners and fourth- and fifth-graders will be allowed back next week as part of a staggered opening to prevent the further spread of the virus. Expand Close A student wearing a face mask waves to teachers as she arrives for the reopening of a primary school in Beijing (Andy Wong/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A student wearing a face mask waves to teachers as she arrives for the reopening of a primary school in Beijing (Andy Wong/AP) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa says that China has pledged to make available 30 million Covid-19 testing kits per month to African countries, which are facing a shortage of the materials to test for the disease. The US has sent to Brazil more than two million doses of a malaria drug touted by President Donald Trump as potentially protecting against and treating Covid-19, despite a lack of scientific evidence. Brazil, Latin Americas hardest-hit country, continues to see a surge in virus cases, and last week Mr Trump announced that the US was restricting travel from the country. Traffic jams and crowds of commuters are back in the Philippine capital, which shifted to a more relaxed quarantine in a high-stakes gamble to slowly reopen the economy while fighting the coronavirus outbreak. The situation continues to worsen in India, where 230 new deaths were reported Monday, bringing the countrys total to 5,394, even as it eases restrictions on shops and public transport in more states beginning Monday. Undergrounds and schools remain closed. Neighbouring Bangladesh also restarted bus, train, ferry and flight services on Monday. The impoverished countrys government says a gradual reopening is crucial to reviving the economy amid forecasts that economic growth is likely to plunge, leaving millions jobless. In Saudi Arabia, mosques reopened on Sunday for the first time in more than two months, but Islams holiest site in Mecca remained closed. Expand Close People wearing face masks stroll down Juarez Avenue in central Mexico City (Rebecca Blackwell/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp People wearing face masks stroll down Juarez Avenue in central Mexico City (Rebecca Blackwell/AP) In Jerusalem, throngs of worshippers waited outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque before it reopened. Many wore surgical masks and waited for temperature checks as they entered. In Bogota, Colombias capital, authorities were locking down an area of nearly 1.5 million people as cases continued to rise, while Egypt on Sunday reported its highest-ever number of infections and deaths from the virus, 46 over the previous 24 hours, with 1,536 confirmed cases. In Spain, prime minister Pedro Sanchez said he would ask Parliament for a final two-week extension of the nations state of emergency that is set to expire on June 7. That allows the government to keep ordering lockdown measures to control its coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed at least 27,000 lives, many of them in overwhelmed nursing homes. We have almost reached safe harbour, Mr Sanchez said. During a mass at the Vatican to mark Pentecost Sunday, Pope Francis cautioned people against being pessimistic as they emerge from coronavirus lockdowns. Italy on Sunday registered 355 new coronavirus cases and 75 deaths, some of the lowest such numbers since the nations lockdown against the pandemic began in early March. Two hospitals for coronavirus patients were opened in Istanbul as Turkeys number of new cases fell to its lowest since the peak of the outbreak. And at Californias Yosemite National Park, closed to the public for nearly three months, student journalists who put out the Yosemite Valley School newspaper are charming their community with stories of cleaner water and more active and abundant wildlife. Medics on their way to collect samples of residents of Arjun Nagar for the COVID-19 test, during the ongoing nationwide lockdown Mysuru: Jubilant Generics pharmaceutical company of Nanjangud in Mysuru district, which became the epicentre for the largest Covid-19 cluster in Karnataka, contributing a whopping 74 of the 96 Covid cases in Mysuru, officially reopened on Monday. The company began sanitising the premises on Thursday. Mysuru deputy commissioner Abhiram G Shankar told Deccan Chronicle that the factory was permitted to reopen by the government after taking the opinion of ICMR. After a tedious quarantine, over 1500 employees resumed work as per the government guidelines. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, 32 year old Nanjangud-based employee Raju (name changed) said, There is no fear or anxiety to get back to work, for neither me nor to those who were infected. Even our family members are fine.," he said. Among the 96 Covid cases that erupted in Mysuru, 74 were from the Jubilant cluster including 15 in Mysuru and 59 in Nanjangud (34 in 14 villages in Nanjangud rural and 25 in Nanjangud town). It needed 28 places including 14 villages to be declared as containment zones in Nanjangud taluk alone. Four cases are active in Mysuru including a person who returned from Ireland, three from Maharashtra. They are treated at designated hospital. However, the exact cause of infection related of the Jubilant cluster has remained a mystery so far. The first case in the cluster, Patient P52 had did not have a travel history nor had he met anyone who had travelled abroad. Samples of raw materials imported from China, by the company tested negative too, from the tests conducted by the National Institute of Virology. According to government sources, 9 out of 10 foreigners who had come to company in February who were contacted through Union Ministry of External Affairs, have been found to be negative for Covid 19 according to government sources. Senior IAS officer Harsh Gupta, who was asked to investigate the case, states in his report that since it was almost one and a half months since the first case was reported, he couldnt get certain antibody tests done to find the age of the infection and hence he couldnt nail the first case of the cluster. There were four or five initial cases along with P52 to know the root cause of the infection. With the company being closed and the employees being quarantined, the time limit of one week given for investigation proved to be a constraint too. Interestingly Harsh Gupta's services as special officer for Covid control operations of Mysuru district were withdrawn on 28 April. In his report, Harish Gupta exposed several lapses related to surveillance, contact tracing and follow up of quarantine cases which led to a spike in corona positive cases in the cluster. Gupta quoted specific cases as examples. In the case of Patient 268, who was identified as a secondary contact of P52 (the first case who tested positive), he was advised home quarantine from 26 March. But on 2 April after his division head (P86) at Jubilant was tested positive for Covid-19, P268 was identified as a primary contact of P86 and was moved to a quarantine facility under the Mysuru district administration. There he was made to share a room with another person in the facility. P268's sample was taken for testing on 3 April, and the result received on 7 April was negative. But the patient who stayed with him in the same room tested positive for Covid-19 on April 9. Yet P268 was discharged on April 10. Further, after knowing that the person who had stayed with him in his room at the quarantine facility was found positive, P268 got himself tested on April 12 thought he did not have any symptoms. He tested positive on April 14. In the case of P 387, a secondary contact of P52, before he tested positive for Covid 19, he was home quarantined. At home he did not have a toilet facility and used to go for open defecation and used the local tank water for washing. The surveillance team failed to take note of that. In another case, Gupta pointed out that Patient 265 was home quarantined since 27 March, being a secondary contact of P 52. He was taken for testing on 12 April in a bus, putting other passengers to risk. And since P 265 tested positive for Covid 19 on 14 April, all his co passengers were identified as secondary contacts. Also home-quarantined secondary contacts were found coming on their own mode of transport for Covid testing. And Nanjangud area was a containment and no movement zone, and essentials should have been door delivered to those home quarantined since 2- 3 percent of home quarantined people have tested positive for Covid 19. The FBIs top lawyer, Dana Boente a Carlinville native who has spent nearly 40 years with the Justice Department but has been targeted for criticism over the last year by some conservative commentators and supporters of President Donald Trump for his role in the Russia investigation is leaving the bureau. Boente has most recently served as the FBIs general counsel but has held a variety of roles in his 38-year Justice Department career, including acting attorney general in the early days of the Trump administration, a United States attorney in Virginia and the acting head of the departments national security division. The FBI said that Boente had given notice on Friday that he intended to retire effective June 30, the bureau said. Throughout his long and distinguished career as a public servant, Dana has demonstrated a selfless determination to ensure that justice is always served on behalf of our citizens, FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement announcing Boentes departure. We should all be grateful for his dedication to the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the American people. Boente became acting attorney general in early 2017 after Sally Yates, a holdover from the Obama administration, was fired after refusing to defend the presidents travel ban, and remained in that role until Jeff Sessions was installed. As a top Justice Department official, he approved one of three applications to renew secret surveillance warrants targeting former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. A Justice Department inspector general report from December said those applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court had significant errors and omissions that cut against the FBIs premise that Page, who was never charged with any wrongdoing, was an agent of a foreign power. The report said that Boente and other Justice Department officials did not have accurate and complete information from the FBI at the time they approved them. Even so, Boente has nonetheless been criticized by conservative figures for his involvement in the Russia probe. A Facebook post in February from the conservative group Judicial Watch announced that its president, Tom Fitton, would appear on Fox Business News with host Lou Dobbs to discuss topics including the discovery that the FBIs Chief Legal Counsel, Dana Boente, participated in fraudulent FISA warrants on Carter Page. In April, Dobbs himself alleged that Boente and Wray were blocking the disclosure of exculpatory information about former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn. The FBI and Justice Department denied that that was the case. NBC News first reported Boentes departure and said he had been asked to resign by the Justice Department. Wrays statement made no mention of that. The Justice Department declined to comment Saturday. Diplomats also reiterated support for the country's reforms toward strengthening the economy. The Ambassadors of the Group of Seven (the United States, UK, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, and Japan) have expressed support to Ukraine in its efforts to tackle the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The envoys met with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on May 28 to discuss the reform agenda and the response to the COVID-19. Read alsoCOVID-19 incidence in Kyiv fails to comply with quarantine easing health ministry "The G7 Ambassadors reaffirmed their support for Ukraine in addressing the effects of the pandemic and in advancing reforms to strengthen Ukraine's economy and democracy," G7AmbReformUA tweeted on June 1. As UNIAN reported earlier, PM Shmyhal believes the pandemic has provided a certain impetus to Ukrainian reforms, first of all in the health care sector. Turkey has reopened restaurants and cafes in addition to many other public areas, as the government further eased coronavirus restrictions on Monday. Many other facilities including parks, beaches, swimming pools, gyms, libraries and museums reopened across the country. Istanbuls iconic 15th-century Grand Bazaar market also reopened while millions of public sector employees returned to work. Turkey, with a population of 83 million, has recorded over 4,500 virus-related deaths and more than 160,000 infections. President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government has been gradually easing the restrictions for the past few weeks. The government has boasted of its success in handling the outbreak and preventing Turkey from becoming a virus hot spot. Officials say the pandemic is now under control, but have repeatedly warned citizens to respect social-distancing rules and wear masks outside. Grand Bazaar opens The Grand Bazaar market on the historic peninsula, also home to tourist sites such as the Hagia Sophia museum and the Blue Mosque, was closed on March 23 to stem the spread of the coronavirus. It was the markets longest closure in its more than 550-year-old history that did not involve fires or earthquakes. All visitors have been told to wear masks and customer numbers are limited inside shops. Shop owners say they are happy to be back in business. They say being here is far better than staying at home, Al Jazeeras Sinem Koseoglu said, reporting from the Grand Bazaar. Koseoglu said that owners still have high market concerns as coronavirus is still an obstacle to the tourism industry. Most of the shop owners say they will wait and see how the business goes, hoping everything will be back to normal before September, she added. 200511055535930 Daycare centres and kindergartens also reopened, but restrictions on the movements of those aged over 65 and under 18 will continue. Bars and nightclubs have yet to open, while restaurants and cafes open for the first time since March 16 must space tables apart and diners must wear masks when they are not eating. Shopping malls, barbershops and hair salons were allowed to reopen across Turkey early in May after a nearly two-month closure. Domestic flights also resumed between a limited number of cities as an intercity travel ban was lifted, with national carrier Turkish Airlines taking its first trip since early April. International flights remain suspended until June 10. Los Angeles, CA, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endonovo Therapeutics, Inc. (ENDV) ("Endonovo" or the "Company") today announced the signing of a Sales and Strategic Partnership Agreement with Evermed Medical Enterprise Ltd., a leading medical device distributor in Taiwan, ROC (Republic of China) to distribute SofPulse. Alan Collier, Chief Executive Officer of Endonovo, commented, In line with our strategy to expand the SofPulse global footprint in our postoperative distribution model, we are pleased to announce our agreement with Evermed Medical Enterprise Ltd., a leading medical device distributor in Taiwan. Evermed has an established sales and distribution network throughout Taiwan specific to the operative and postoperative surgical market. Endonovo's international expansion of SofPulse devices into that market is a perfect fit allowing us to establish a solid distribution presence in Taiwan and future expansion into other International markets. Evermeds Chief Executive Officer, Mr. George Wang, commented, We are excited to partner with Endonovo Therapeutics to introduce SoftPulse, a proven drug-free, postoperative pain and edema reduction device, to the Taiwan Surgical market. Our company has been searching for new innovative, easy-to-use, non-invasive solution for the reduction of pain and edema to introduce and distribute in Taiwan. We feel the SofPulse device with its proven results in successfully reducing pain and edema in surgical operations is the best product to offer our Taiwanese distribution network. Mr. Wang continues, Evermed has experience in successful submittals and approvals for the TFDA Quality System Documentation (QSD) system and obtaining Product Permit License for the Taiwanese Medical device market. We feel our organization, upon obtaining TFDA approvals, will be able to effectively establish and expand distribution throughout the Taiwan surgical markets. Our sales and distribution offices and teams are strategically located in Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung/Tainan which allows us to effectively service Taiwan's 23-million person population, hospitals and medical centers. We look forward to having a long-term partnership with Endonovo as we establish and expand the postoperative surgical market with the SofPulse device. The patients, doctors and hospitals we have established relationships with throughout Taiwan will love this product and its effectiveness in reducing opioid use and the improved recovery times after surgical procedures. Story continues Alan Collier, continues, Evermed has established sales and distribution coverage for SofPulse throughout the island of Taiwan to make SofPulse successful in the Surgical market. The established relationships Evermed has with physicians, hospitals and medical centers across all the relevant clinical and surgical specialties in Taiwan sets them apart from other companies we evaluated in the Taiwanese Medical device market. We feel confident the expansion of SofPulse into the Taiwanese surgical market at this time will be extremely beneficial for Endonovo. With the global surgical market needing new and innovative devices to manage opioid use and reduce pain and edema postoperatively, we believe this was an ideal time and opportunity for Endonovo to expand Internationally. The partnership agreement includes Evermeds responsibility to obtain the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) approvals and registration for SofPulse distribution throughout Taiwan for the reduction of pain and edema postoperatively. About Endonovo Therapeutics Endonovo Therapeutics, Inc. is a commercial-stage developer of non-invasive wearable Electroceuticals therapeutic devices. The Company's current portfolio of commercial and clinical-stage wearable Electroceuticals therapeutic devices addresses wound healing, pain, post-surgical pain and edema, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and Central Nervous System (CNS) Disorders, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), acute concussions, post-concussion syndrome and multiple sclerosis. The Company's non-invasive Electroceutical therapeutic device, SofPulse, using pulsed short-wave radiofrequency at 27.12 MHz has been FDA-Cleared and CE Marked for the palliative treatment of soft tissue injuries and post-operative pain and edema, and has CMS National Coverage for the treatment of chronic wounds. The Company's current portfolio of pre-clinical stage Electroceuticals therapeutic devices address chronic kidney disease, liver disease non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cardiovascular and peripheral artery disease (PAD), and ischemic stroke. The Company's non-invasive, wearable Electroceuticals therapeutic devices work by restoring key electrochemical processes that initiate anti-inflammatory and growth factor cascades necessary for healing to occur. www.endonovo.com Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains information that constitutes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, trends, analysis, and other information contained in this press release including words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," and other similar expressions of opinion, constitute forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results described within the forward-looking statements. Risk factors that could contribute to such differences include those matters more fully disclosed in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking information provided herein represents the Company's estimates as of the date of the press release, and subsequent events and developments may cause the Company's estimates to change. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking information in the future. Therefore, this forward-looking information should not be relied upon as representing the Company's estimates of its future financial performance as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Investor Relations Contact: Mr. Andrew Barwicki 516-662-9461 Andrew@barwicki.com www.endonovo.com The enemy shelled Ukrainian positions near the villages of Novotroyitske, Vodiane, and Orikhove. Russia's hybrid military forces mounted three attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, on Sunday, on May 31. "The Russian Federation's armed formations violated the ceasefire three times in the past day and attacked our positions from proscribed 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, and heavy machine guns," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said in a Facebook update as of 07:00 Kyiv time on June 1, 2020. Read alsoOSCE SMM reports explosion close to its patrol in Luhansk region The enemy shelled Ukrainian positions near the villages of Novotroyitske, Vodiane, and Orikhove. The Joint Forces returned fire to each enemy attack. According to intelligence data, one member of the Russia-led forces was killed and another two were wounded on May 31. On Saturday, May 30, the occupation forces opened fire on Ukrainian troops eight times. "Since Monday midnight, the Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions near the village of Hnutove, using grenade launchers of various types," the update said. No Ukrainian army casualties were reported over the period under review. Apart from this, the Union Cabinet also approved a hike in the minimum support price (MSP) for kharif crops by 150 per cent Roadside vendors selling inflatable pools and other items wait for customers, as shops are being opened gradually amid ongoing COVID-19 lockdown. PTI Photo New Delhi: Aiming to provide relief to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and street vendors who have been the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic the Union Cabinet on Monday cleared a Rs 20,000 crore package for distressed small and medium industries, and also a 'Fund of Funds' of Rs 50,000 crore under which street vendors will be able to avail loans up to Rs 10,000. Apart from this, the Union Cabinet also approved a hike in the minimum support price (MSP) for kharif crops by 150 per cent. Union minister Prakash Javadekar said in a press conference after the cabinet meeting that the increase in MSP rate would result in up to 80 per cent profit to farmers against their cost. The increased price is applicable for 14 kharif crops. Apart from this, farmers have been given an extension of three months to repay their loans. The time limit has been extended from May 31 to August 31, 2020 for them to do so. Under the Rs 20,000 crores package, around two lakh MSME units will benefit, while under the Rs 50,000 crore package for street vendors, various category of service providers like hawkers, cobblers and salons, would get a loan of upto Rs 10,000. Around 50 lakh vendors will benefit from this package. The Cabinet also approved the new definition of MSME units as proposed by the finance ministry. The micro-units, which were earlier defined by the investment of up to Rs 25 lakh and a turn over of Rs 10 lakh, can now invest up to Rs 1 crore and have a turn over of Rs 5 crore. Also for small enterprises, the investment limit has been upped from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore and turn over limit has been extended from Rs 2 crore to Rs 50 crore. In the case of the medium industries, the finance ministry had proposed to hike an investment limit of Rs 10 crores to Rs 20 crores and turn over from Rs 5 crores to Rs 100 crores. But the Cabinet has hiked the investment limits by up to Rs 50 crores and Rs 250 crores for turnover. The RBI-appointed UK Sinha-led committee on MSMEs had recommended the creation of a distressed asset fund and a 'fund of funds' for the MSMEs. Accepting these recommendations, the Union Cabinet on Monday announced that the deadline for the restructuring of around 25 lakh distressed MSMEs has been extended to December 31, 2020. To help these MSMEs restructure themselves the Cabinet has approved a distress fund of Rs 20,000 crores. Under this fund, an MSME can avail a loan of maximum Rs 75 lakh or 15 per cent of their total investment. This will benefit 2 lakh MSME units in distress. Kristina Bayle keeps an eye on her daughter, Kayden, at The Forks on Sunday where most Winnipeggers, even inquisitive 14-month-olds, were doing their best to practise social distancing. CHARLESTON The sounds of crackling campfires and playing children reverberated Saturday evening throughout the campground at Fox Ridge State Park, where this site's more than 40 campsites were full. Campers returned to Fox Ridge, Walnut Point, Lincoln Trail and other state parks over the weekend after Illinois lifted its COVID-19 pandemic public health restriction on camping on Friday. At Fox Ridge south of Charleston, campground hosts John and Cathy Vogel of Tolono welcomed the busy weekend. Cathy Vogel said it was nice to see children riding their bikes again on the the roadway that weaves throughout the campground and families with their fishing poles heading to this state park's Ridge Lake. John Vogel, who is now in his third season as a campground host at Fox Ridge, said the reservable campsites were booked going into the weekend. He said prospective campers were lined up when the state park's gates opened Friday morning to book the site's 12 first-come, first-served campsites, which were claimed by 9:30 a.m. Eastern Illinois University alumnus Dave Giammarrusco of Chatham and his family used one of these Fox Ridge sites for their camper Friday through Sunday. He said they go camping every year and were eager to finally start their 2020 season now that the state restriction on camping has been lifted. "We are jumping back into camping. We just needed to get out," Giammarrusco said. "It's a great weekend getaway." Site Superintendent Duane Snow oversaw the resumption of camping this weekend at both Fox Ridge and at Hidden Springs State Forest in Strasburg. Snow said he and his staff were able to focus on site improvement projects this spring while Illinois state parks were closed, such as striping parking spaces at Fox Ridge and putting up new boundary signs at Hidden Springs. Nevertheless, Snow said they have been glad to see campers, hikers and other visitors return to Fox Ridge and Hidden Springs. "It's hard to keep the public's support if they can't come out and use the parks," Snow said, adding that he has been pleased with the turnout so far. "I didn't know when the parks opened back up how well we would be received. I am glad to see the general public is willing to come out and support us again." Site Superintendent Tom Hintz said he and his staff at Walnut Point north of Oakland and Lincoln Trail south of Marshall had been focusing on making site improvements while these two state parks were closed while getting the campgrounds ready to reopen. Hintz noted that the Lincoln Trail Restaurant is preparing to reopen soon with outdoor dining and Walnut Point's new concessionaire, who also operates the concession stand at Moraine View State Recreation Area in Le Roy, plans to start offering prepared food there in the near future. While the state parks and their campgrounds have reopened, pandemic safety guidelines remain in place for their use. As examples, Hintz said state park picnic pavilions and playgrounds are still closed to use and each campsite can only accommodate the single-family unit occupying that campsite. "We need people to really stay with that," Hintz said of the guidelines. "We want to keep the parks open." 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. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 1, 2020) - New Oroperu Resources Inc. (TSXV: ORO) (the "Company" or "New Oroperu") is pleased to announce that Minera Barrick Misquichilca S.A. ("Barrick") has made the final payment of US$250,000 to maintain its option agreement on the Tres Cruces Project. Under the terms of the agreement, in order to exercise its option Barrick must make a production decision by December 31, 2020. "New Oroperu commemorates the final payment from Barrick toward our 17 year-long option agreement on the Tres Cruces project, making this the most exciting year for the Company with Barrick having until December 31st to complete its 70% earn-in on the project," commented New Oroperu CEO Wayne Livingstone. "Barrick has been an exceptional partner so far, dedicating a tremendous amount of effort into managing multiple exploration programs and contributing to the delineation of 2.6 million ounces of gold in measured and indicated resources on the Tres Cruces Project." Highlights of Tres Cruces Project 100% owned by New Oroperu with an option agreement for Barrick to earn 70% Located in north-central Peru within the Calipuy Volcanic belt with over 55 million ounces of gold produced and host to several multi-million ounce gold deposits Excellent infrastructure with power lines, roads, airstrip and located 10 kilometers south of Barrick's Lagunas Norte mine which has produced over 10 million ounces of gold to date. 2.61 million ounces at 1.23 g/t gold in measured and indicated category (see Table 1). Near surface oxide mineralization with open pit potential 82% metallurgical gold recoveries 96% of resource is held within pit limits Resource is open for expansion at depth with an abundance of holes ending in mineralization (see Figure 1 below) Silver mineralization identified as a potential credit and not included in current resource or economic calculations Over 73,000 meters of drilling. Story continues Some of the best historical intercepts encountered from previous drilling include: 2.95 g/t Au over 228 m (from 37 m.) in hole RTC 237 5.39 g/t Au over 68 m (from 197 m.) in hole RTC 255 4.88 g/t Au over 60 m (From 150 m.) in hole DTC 270 11.01 g/t Au over 19.5 m (from 190.5 m.) in hole DTC 278 4.39 g/t Au over 45 m (from 69 m.) in hole DTC 069 9.31 g/t Au over 45 m (from 70.5 m.) in hole RTC 029 4.37 g/t Au over 28 m (from 155 m.) in hole TCP 009 Barrick Earn-In Agreement The Tres Cruces property, 100% owned by New Oroperu, is under an Option to Purchase Agreement (the "Agreement") with a Peruvian subsidiary of Barrick, Minera Barrick Misquichilca S.A. Maintaining the option requires an annual payment of US$250,000, subject to 30% withholding for Peruvian tax. Under the terms of the Agreement, all exploration expenditures deemed necessary by Barrick to make a production decision will be paid by Barrick at no cost to the Company. Following a production decision, which must be made on or before the December 31, 2020 expiry date of the Agreement, the Company would retain a 30% fully financed interest subject to certain payback provisions, a 2% royalty interest, and receive a US$1,000,000 advance royalty payment. New Oroperu will continue to review and consider strategic opportunities to advance the Tres Cruces project. The Company plans to evaluate an oxide starter pit as part of a larger scale open-pit project for mining the sulphides. Tres Cruces Project The project is located nearly 100 kilometers east of the city of Trujillo in north-central Peru and approximately 10 kilometers from Barrick's Lagunas Norte operations. Barrick's Lagunas Norte mine averaged over 800,000 ounces gold annually while in production, accounting for over 10 million ounces of gold produced to date with an additional 4.4 million ounces in resources. Also located within the mineral belt is Barrick's Pierina mine which has produced over 8 million ounces gold and the Yanacocha Mine operated by Newmont which produced over 37 million ounces gold. The Tres Cruces mineral resource is estimated to contain 2.61 million ounces of gold in the measured and indicated category and 600,000 ounces of gold in the inferred category using a 0.6 g/t Au cut-off grade, Table 1. The 2.61 million ounces gold estimate is based on 359 drill holes comprising approximately 74,000 meters of drilling completed by Barrick, Battle Mountain Gold and New Oroperu. Metallurgical testwork, completed by Barrick and others, indicated a baseline recovery of 85% for oxidized mineralization and plus 80% for sulphide components of mineralization. An 82% recovery was used in the estimate. Given a large number of drill holes ended in mineralization, there is a high potential to increase the size of the resource and increase the resource confidence with additional drilling near the margins and below the pit outline at depth, Figure 1, below. One of the best holes drilled on the project to date, RTC 255 contained 228 meters of 2.95 g/t Au down to 265 meters and remains open to depth. This hole also contained silver mineralization with a notable 13.0 metre zone grading 67.7 g/t Ag near the bottom. Hole DTC 278 intercepted 19.5 meters grading 11 g/t Au, followed by 25.0 m. grading 1.86 g/t Au and a further 38.0 m. to the bottom of the hole at 273.0 m., grading 3.18 g/t Au and 139.4 g/t Ag. The low grade gold envelope and illite alteration is open to depth. Mineralized breccias containing fragments of the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks which underlie the Tres Cruces deposit also suggests depth potential. Silver mineralization occurs in the deposit however it was not fully delineated in the NI 43-101 technical report. The average ratio of silver to gold in the report demonstrated approximately 3:1 based on over 43,200 intervals assayed for both metals. For gold values above 0.6 g/t Au, the ratio is approximately 2:1. Given the potential economic contribution of silver recovered in the metallurgical process, future mineral resource estimates including silver could result in a silver credit. Figure 1: Cross Section C-C' looking Northeast demonstrating the mineralization, drilling included in the NI 43-101 technical report, the optimized pit outline and hole RTC 255 located within the oxide cap. The diagram also illustrates the potential of mineralization at depth and below the pit outline with many of the drill holes ending in mineralization. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5414/56957_f09eaf4264da280c_001full.jpg To view an enhanced version of Table 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5414/56957_f09eaf4264da280c_002full.jpg 1. CIM definitions were followed for Mineral Resources. 2. Mineral Resources are reported at a cut-off grade of 0.6 g/t Au. 3. Mineral Resources are estimated using an average gold price of US$1,500 per ounce and metallurgical recovery of 82% of the contained gold. 4. Excludes Barrick claims. 5. Totals may not agree due to rounding. 6. See News Release dated April 22, 2020 for sensitivity analysis. Geology and Mineralization The Tres Cruces property is located within a NW-SE trending belt within the Calipuy Volcanics. This volcanic belt trends from central Peru to the Cajamarca region located in Northern Peru. The Calipuy Volcanic belt hosts world-class deposits like Newmont/Buenaventura's Yanacocha Mine and Barrick's Pierina Mine. The mineral belt has produced over 55 million ounces gold to date and hosts several multi-million ounce deposits in reserves and resources. Tres Cruces is a low to intermediate sulphidation epithermal gold deposit with potential of a high-grade feeder zone at depth. Gold mineralization contains both oxide and sulphide mineralization. Gold is hosted mainly in andesitic flows and flow breccias and to a lesser extent in silicified rhyolitic rocks along the contact with the underlying andesitic volcanics. The oxide mineralization on the Tres Cruces project is referred to as an oxide cap which is located at the top of the deposit immediately below and adjacent to a silicified rhyolitic cap in contact with underlying andesitic volcanics in a sub-horizontal layer. The oxide cap and sulphide mineralization were combined in the conceptual open-pittable deposit. The Company is currently working on delineating the oxide mineralization as a starter pit. Given the abundance of drill holes which ended in mineralization, additional drilling below the current optimized pit could result in the potential for higher-grade mineralization at depth. About New Oroperu Resources New Oroperu is a junior exploration company based in Vancouver, B.C., which owns the Tres Cruces gold project in Peru. The Tres Cruces gold project currently hosts a mineral resource containing an estimated 2.6 million ounces of gold at a 0.6 g/t Au cut-off in the measured and indicated category (please refer to the Company's news release dated April 22, 2020 and to the NI 43-101 report entitled "Technical Report on the Tres Cruces Project, North Central Peru" dated September 28, 2012 by Peter A. Lacroix, P.Eng. A complete copy of the report is available at www.sedar.com or through the Company's website at www.oroperu.com.). There have been no subsequent drilling or metallurgy since September 28, 2012 which would affect the resource estimate. Peter A. Lacroix, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical content used in this News Release. For further information, please contact Ms. Christina McCarthy, V.P. Corporate Development, at (416) 712-6151, email christina@oroperu.com or K. Wayne Livingstone, President, at (604) 638-1408, email kwl@oroperu.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "K. Wayne Livingstone" K. Wayne Livingstone President Note: Forward looking statements: This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively "forward looking statements")." Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "forecast", "expect", "potential", "project", "target", "schedule", budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the terms of the Company's option agreement with Barrick, the Company's plans for a mineral resource update and its planned oxide mineralization studies. 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. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Company's expectations include actual exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Disclaimer: 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 news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56957 What happens in the hippocampus even before people attempt to form memories may impact whether they remember. A new study analyzed neuronal recordings from the brains of epilepsy patients while they committed a series of words to memory. When the firing rates of hippocampal neurons were already high before the patients saw a word, they were more successful in encoding that word and remembering it later. The findings suggest that the hippocampus might have a "ready-to-encode" mode that facilitates remembering. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences with University of California San Diego researcher Zhisen Urgolites as first author, also suggests that when hippocampal neurons are not already spiking very much, novel information is more likely to be poorly encoded and later forgotten. "A key question going forward is how to put our brains into 'encoding mode' when we wish to do so," said John Wixted, professor of psychology at UC San Diego, and one of the lead authors on the paper. "'Encoding mode'," Wixted said, "is more than simply paying attention to the task at hand. It is paying attention to encoding, which selectively ramps up activity in the part of the brain that is the most important for making new memories: the hippocampus. Since we know, based on earlier research, that people can actively suppress memory formation, it might be possible for people to get their hippocampus ready to encode as well. But how one might go about doing that, we just don't know yet." Neuronal recordings from the hippocampus, amygdala, anterior cingulate and prefrontal cortex were collected from 34 epilepsy patients while they underwent clinical monitoring at Barrow Neurological Institute. The experiments were originally performed in Peter Steinmetz's laboratory between 2007 and 2014 when he was at the institute. The data have since been maintained at the Neurtex Brain Research Institute, where Steinmetz is chief scientific officer, and the present research team is newly analyzing the data. During the experiments, the patients either saw or listened to a steady stream of words and had to indicate whether each word was novel or a repeat. At first, all the words were novel, but after a while most words repeated. The researchers calculated the average number of times a neuron fired in response to every word the study participants saw or heard. They also calculated the neuronal firing rates immediately preceding each word. Only the average firing rate in the hippocampus approximately one second before seeing or hearing a word for the first time was important: That neuronal activity predicted whether the participants remembered or forgot the word when it was repeated later on. "If a person's hippocampal neurons were already firing above baseline when they saw or heard a word, their brain was more likely to successfully remember that word later," said Stephen Goldinger, professor of psychology at Arizona State University. The neuronal activity measured in the amygdala, anterior cingulate, and prefrontal cortex did not predict task performance. "We think new memories are created by sparse collections of active neurons, and these neurons get bundled together into a memory. This work suggests that when a lot of neurons are already firing at high levels, the neuronal selection process during memory formation works better," Goldinger said. ### Megan Papesh, of New Mexico State University, David Treiman, of Barrow Neurological Institute, and Larry Squire, of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Diego and UC San Diego, also contributed to the work. (Photo : Liauzh/Wiki Commons) Back of OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren Edition Smartphone manufacturer OnePlus will no longer release its Concept One smartphone as the phone maker has decided to end its partnership with McLaren earlier this week. This was confirmed by a McLaren spokesperson to Android Authority after rumors of the split surfaced last week. A Reddit user noticed that OnePlus is no longer listed as a McLaren's partner in the company's website, although OnePlus is said to be on the list until March 29. As OnePlus ends its partnership with McLaren, Concept One smartphone remains a concept Initially, OnePlus said they had "no comment to provide" when contacted by Android Authority regarding the split. While the McLaren spokesperson provided no reason why the companies ended the partnership, he confirmed the split as "scheduled." "Our partnership with OnePlus, which came to its scheduled conclusion recently, has been a highly successful collaboration between two iconic and innovative brands," the McLaren spokesperson said in a statement. "OnePlus has been a supportive, valued partner and we wish them well and hope to see them in the future." With this break-up, OnePlus will no longer release the current McLaren models, as well as the concept phone the company showed earlier this year. During CES 2020, OnePlus showed off the Concept One, the company's first first-ever concept smartphone. It's covered in a papaya-hued leather that McLaren uses for some of its cars. The OnePlus Concept One was seen as the first device in a series. It carried OnePlus' commitment of bringing innovative technology for a smoother, faster, and more efficient smartphone experience. It showed a clean union of new technology and alternative design for future smartphones, although the latter is still unclear of what it could be. In its promotional material, they proclaimed that with its industry-first disappearing rear camera, the #OnePlusConceptOne was a testament to their passion for challenging convention. "Witness the beauty of the unseen at #CES2020, January 7-10. The #OnePlusConceptOne is an alternate design approach for an alternate vision of the future." However, since it is still a concept device and the companies' collaboration has already ended, we may never see this device on the shelves. The OnePlus-McLaren partnership The two companies' partnership began in 2018 when OnePlus launched their McLaren phones, upgraded varieties of their basic counterparts. Their first offering was the OnePlus 6T McLaren, which carried 10GB of RAM instead of just 6GB or 8GB. It promised to bring speed that one would expect from a "race car-branded handset." It also had the Warp Charge 30 that promised to provide power for the whole day with just 20 minutes of charging. Meanwhile, their second offering, the OnePlus 7T Pro McLaren, boasted 12GB of RAM and 5G connectivity, which the standard Oneplus 7T Pro does not have. That is why it was more expensive than the latter's $699 starting price. The McLaren version also carried the black and orange signature color scheme with a pattern on the back casing that added sophistication to the device. McLaren's spokesperson did not give additional detail on why the two companies did not renew the partnership. However, perhaps the deal is better off since we still don't have the ideal market for luxurious versions of smartphones after trying to compete with Huawei Mate 30 Porsche Edition, the Oppo Find X Lamborghini, and other expensive devices. Read also: You Can Now Stop Moving Faces on FaceTime--Here's How 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. EBRD and Central Bank of the Azerbaijan Republic join forces to mitigate impact of coronavirus outbreak Local currency loans to be made available to viable businesses in need EBRD to further step up its support Azerbaijani companies can now benefit from loans denominated in the local currency manat (AZN) provided by the EBRD thanks to an agreement with the Central Bank of the Azerbaijan Republic. The EBRD has secured reliable access to AZN liquidity, in the form of swap transactions worth a total of US$ 200 million, and will continue local currency lending to companies. Of the US$ 200 million, US$ 50 million will be channelled to local firms, including smaller viable enterprises experiencing temporary difficulties, already this year. The agreement is part of the EBRDs stepping up support for Azerbaijani companies as the country's economy faces the double challenge of the coronavirus outbreak and the global oil market shock. The EBRD has made available a Solidarity Package to help companies in its regions, with 38 emerging markets, deal with the economic impact of the pandemic. The EBRD stands ready to provide support worth 21 billion over the 2020-21 period. The package includes short-term liquidity, working capital and restructuring of exposure for existing clients, as well as trade finance and an emergency support programme for key infrastructure providers. The Bank will also ramp up its local currency, capital markets and equity offers. The EBRD is an important institutional investor in Azerbaijan. To date, the Bank has invested 3.3 billion through over 170 projects in the country. It also provides business advice to local small and medium-sized enterprises and has helped more than 1,000 firms to improve their performance and growth. By multiple measures, coronavirus COVID-19 has been particularly deadly in Michigan. Almost 5,500 Michiganders have died in the coronavirus crisis, the fifth-highest death total in the country behind New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Per capita, Michigan ranks seventh among the 50 states. Michigans death count equates to almost 10% of the states confirmed cases. Thats the highest percentage in the country. Michigan also ranks first in the upper Midwest in coronavirus deaths. Even as surrounding states are catching up in number of coronavirus cases -- and Illinois now has more than twice Michigans COVID-19 caseload -- Michigan still stands out for its high per-capita death rate. As of May 31, Michigan has had 550 deaths per 1 million residents compared to 421 per million in Illinois, 317 in Indiana, 185 in Ohio and 102 per million in Wisconsin. Six reasons why Michigan has four times more coronavirus cases than Ohio Numerous researchers are looking at the reasons behind Michigans high mortality rate. Were trying to figure that out, said Dr. Matthew Sims, an infectious disease specialist with Beaumont Health in metro Detroit. Multiple factors appear to be at work, said experts including Sims, whos heading several studies on coronavirus. Those factors include the intensity of the pandemic here; the fact Michigans surge occurred as doctors were still struggling to develop treatment protocols, and the sociodemographics of Michigans hardest-hit communities. Yet another factor, experts say, is the way Michigan collects data on coronavirus deaths compared to some other states. It was like a tsunami of all of this coming together in a short period of time, said Dr. Vikas Parekh, a University of Michigan internist who heads the Michigan Medicine team working on coronavirus forecasts. Its likely the sociodemographic factors that made metro Detroit an U.S. epicenter for coronavirus also are contributing to the high death rate, said Marianne Udow-Phillips, head of the Center for Health and Research Transformation at University of Michigan. Outside of nursing homes, we know where COVID-19 has been most deadly, and thats been in the African-American population," for a variety of reasons, Udow-Phillips said. Residents of Detroit -- a city where 78% of the population is African-American -- account for a quarter of Michigans coronavirus deaths. I dont think its in any way that our health-care system wasnt as prepared as elsewhere," Udow-Phillips said. Still, she said, looking at why Michigan has such a high coronavirus death rate is really quite important, so we can have the best informed strategy going forward. A large percentage of deaths are in congregate living settings such as nursing homes and a large percentage are occurring in African-American populations, Udow-Phillips said. That informs us on where we need to take interventions; we need to do more to protect those populations, in particular. Here is a closer look at the various factors that Sims, Parekh and other experts have said likely contributed to Michigans high mortality rate for COVID-19. Metro Detroit was hit hard and fast, which overwhelmed hospitals. Michigan had one of the nations most dramatic surges in coronavirus cases, with the number of cases doubling every three days in late March and early April. That appears to be the most intense surge of any state to date, Sims said. On March 23, the day that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the shutdown order, Michigan had 1,328 confirmed cases of coronavirus. By March 30, a week later, it was 6,498; by April 6, 17,221. About 80% of those cases were in metro Detroit, overwhelming the regions emergency departments and intensive care units. Coronavirus wasnt here one minute and then it was everywhere, said Dr. Anne Messman, a Detroit emergency department physician. It happened practically overnight and thats not hyperbolic; it went from zero to 100. By mid-April, more than 3,400 people were hospitalized in the Detroit region with coronavirus, and ICE units in the hardest-hit communities were overflowing. No question, that surge impacted the mortality rate, and its not surprising that states and regions with flatter curves have lower mortality rates, Sims said. A lot of it is just how many cases you get hit with in one time, Sims said. When you have to manage 20 cases minute to minute, youre going to have better outcomes in general than if you have to manage 100 cases. Michigans surge came early, when doctors were scrambling to figure out treatment protocols. Although Michigan was in the last group of states to have a confirmed case of coronavirus, the exponential growth in cases occurred almost immediately. That meant doctors in metro Detroit were not only overwhelmed by a flood of very sick patients; they were very sick patients with an disease than none of the doctors had treated before and where there were no established treatment protocols. When youre one of the first four states to be deluged with cases, the science and the clinical knowledge required to take care of those patients hasnt evolved yet," said Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, president of the Michigan State Medical Society. So the death rate has to do partially with being on the very first wave of it and not knowing the disease as well as we know now. For instance, he said, doctors initially were quick to put coronavirus patients on ventilators when their condition worsened; now, the protocol is to wait as long as possible before ventilating COVID-19 patients. Another example is use of hydroxychloroquine, the drug which many hospitals began to use after it was promoted by President Donald Trump. More recently, the drug has been linked to higher mortality rates in coronavirus patients because it can induce cardiac problems. Absolutely, the clinical management guidelines were not easily available for providers at the beginning of the crisis, Parekh said. Every single day, new information was coming in, and what we thought we knew yesterday wasnt necessarily true today. It was an evolving situation, not even day by day, but even by minute things were changing. How do you treat COVID-19? Doctors say protocols change day by day, week by week. The fact Michigans coronavirus surge came early also had another consequences, doctors say: Health-care providers and patients alike were often slow in identifying cases, both because of the extreme shortage of diagnostic tests and because less was known about disease onset. For instance, it was initially thought people without a fever were unlikely to have coronavirus, and now we know if you have a fever, (the virus) has been in you for awhile and wreaking havoc," Mukkakamala said. That meant by the time Michigans first wave of coronavirus patients were diagnosed, they were much more likely to be in an acute stage of the disease and less likely to survive compared to those who catch the virus now. Metro Detroits sociodemographics make it particularly vulnerable to coronavirus. No question, a factor in Michigans high death rate are the sociodemographics of Detroit and its metro region, experts say. Nationwide, the virus has been particularly virulent in low-income communities and where there are significant numbers of adults with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, heart issues and obesity. Michigan ranks below average in health indicators, according to an annual analysis by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. And Wayne County, home of Detroit, ranks dead last month Michigans 83 counties, making it Michigans most unhealthy county. Experts also are honing in on the fact that coronavirus has proven particularly deadly for African-Americans. And in Michigan, the epicenter of the disease has been Detroit, the nations largest city in regards to its poverty rate and proportion of African-American residents. African-Americans comprise 40% of Michigans coronavirus deaths, even though African-Americans are only 14% of the states population. Researchers are studying why African-Americans seem particularly susceptible to coronavirus. Coronavirus tailor made to devastate densely populated black communities One reason is likely economics. African-Americans are more likely to live in low-income households, and experts note that low-income residents are less likely to be able to follow social distancing guidelines because they rely on public transportation, more likely to live in communal housing and less likely to have jobs that can be done at home. Another factor is health disparities: African-Americans are more likely to have health issues such as diabetes and heart ailments. Yet a third issue is the growing recognition that stress related to institutional racism can undermine individuals immune systems and contribute to health problems such as hypertension that make individuals especially vulnerable to coronavirus. Were all aware of the racial disparities, and its given us a lot of a food for thought, said Parekh, the U-M internist. While there has been discussions for decades about the fact that African-Americans tend to have more health issues and shorter life expectancy than whites, what has happened (with coronavirus) is really stark, Parekh said. People already working on the issue of health disparities are going to work even harder now," he said. "But for people who didnt really think before about how this would play a big role in a pandemic situation, this is kind of been eye-opening. High death rate among nursing-home residents. More than a quarter of the Michigans coronavirus deaths involve residents of nursing homes. Its a high number of cases although it tracks with a nationwide trend, Udow-Phillips said. Nationally, its been estimated about a third of the nations coronavirus deaths are linked to nursing homes. Michigan adds nursing home-specific coronavirus data to stat disclosures Containing outbreaks of coronavirus was particularly challenging for long-term care facilities in March and April because of the nationwide shortage of personal protective equipment, such as masks, and the lack of access to coronavirus testing, said Melissa Samuel, CEO of the Health Care Association of Michigan, the organization that represents long-term care facilities. That meant that nursing-home staffers who had coronavirus but were asymptomic could unintentionally bring into a nursing home, filled with residents whose age and health conditions made them especially vulnerable to COVID-19, Samuel said. When you have a significant amount of COVID in the community, its just absolutely impossible to to really keep it out of congregate settings, she said. And this virus is most unmerciful to the residents that we care for. Udow-Phillips said the pandemic has highlighted ways to better protect nursing-home residents, including better design of facilities. Were learning one reason why nursing homes are so vulnerable is because just their physical structure, with shared rooms with a shared bathroom, she said. The nursing homes that have done better are those with a low density of population. Conservative media has been highly critical of an April 15 executive order issued by Whitmer that told nursing homes they had to readmit residents recovering from COVID-19 after they were discharged from the hospital. A similar mandate in New York has been linked to the spread of coronavirus in nursing homes. However, that initial policy -- which has since been revised -- was never enforced in Michigan, according to Samuel. When the executive order was first issued, we had significant concerns with it, and we expressed those immediately to the Department of Health and Human Services and the administration, Samuel said. In conversations, it was expressed they were going to put out a clarification and we kind of stood down from implementing everything until that clarification came out. That clarification came in the form of a new executive order on May 20 that allowed nursing homes to refuse to readmit a COVID-19 patient if the facility lacked the resources to properly quarantine the resident. If you cant appropriately care for the individual for whatever reason -- lack of PPE, staffing, not able to isolate safely -- you can say no, Samuel said. Asked if she thought the initial policy was a factor in Michigans nursing-home deaths, Samuel said, No," because nursing homes held off on implementation until the revised policy came out. Differences in how states count coronavirus deaths. One issue is simply that states have set their own reporting standards when it comes to coronavirus numbers, which complicates comparing numbers between states. Theres a problem with some comparisons between states because some states are not reporting accurately" or in a timely manner, said Marianne Udow-Phillips, head of the Center for Health and Research Transformation at University of Michigan. As an example, as of May 31, Michigan had slightly more confirmed coronavirus cases than Florida but more than twice as many deaths. But Michigan has been more aggressive in collecting those numbers; or, as MDHHS spokeswoman Lynne Sutfin said, the state has enhanced reporting that may not be happening in other states." Meanwhile, the person who designed Floridas coronavirus website says she was fired for refusing to manipulate data. Here are three ways in which Michigan has been more aggressive than Florida in counting coronavirus deaths. In both states, the coronavirus death count includes anyone who tests positive for the virus, r egardless of cause of death . But Michigan also has encouraged health officers to list presumed coronavirus on the death certificate if the person had symptoms of COVID-19 even if the person did not test positive. Coronavirus deaths in Michigan must be reported to county health officials within 24 hours. Floridas coronavirus website acknowledges that can be significant delays in reporting coronavirus deaths since they wait on filing of the death certificate. That means Michigan numbers are much more up-to-date. MDHHS compares death certificates with the list of people who tested positive for COVID-19. If theres a match and the death certificate doesnt list COVID, that death is added to the coronavirus death count. As an example, 37 of the 57 coronavirus deaths reported on Saturday, May 30, were identified through that matching process. Experts say Michigans coronavirus death count is inaccurate. But is it too high or too low? All that said, Michigans high fatality rate for COVID isnt just a matter of aggressive data collection. In a six-week period from March 21 to May 2, the total number of deaths in Michigan was 42% higher than normal for that six-week period, according to data from the federal Centers of Disease Control. That includes all causes of deaths, and translated into 4,747 excess deaths in Michigan, compared to 2,195 excess deaths during that six-week period in Florida, the CDC data shows. As bad as Michigans numbers are coronavirus deaths, it could have have been much, much worse, considering how fast the virus was spreading in metro Detroit in March, said Sims, the infectious disease specialist at Beaumont Health. The executive orders that flattened our curve are what saved us, he said. Because if that hadnt happened, our death rates would be three, four or five times as high. 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. M Ps are due to return to House of Commons today as the Government moves away from virtual proceedings, despite concerns over politicians being shielded from coronavirus. In April the Covid-19 pandemic prompted parliamentarians to consider a hybrid system which allowed MPs to either attend the Commons in person or contribute to proceedings afar with Zoom. But Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg announced last month that the Government was pushing ahead with plans for a physical-only Commons after the Whitsun recess, which ended on Tuesday. He has tabled a motion preventing the resumption of virtual voting that allowed MPs to have their say at a distance during the Covid-19 crisis. If the House approves the plan on Tuesday, MPs may have to form kilometre-long queues in order to obey social distancing rules when voting despite the Lords planning a move online. Mr Rees-Mogg argued that democracy would once again flourish, having been curtailed under the hybrid halfway house which allowed MPs to take part in debates and vote remotely while up to 50 were in the chamber. He insisted that the Government is working to establish how shielding MPs could continue to take part. Jacob Rees Mogg called on MPs to return to the chamber / Parliament TV The proposal has faced fierce criticism with the Electoral Reform Society, which warned it poses a real threat for democratic representation and political equality if extremely vulnerable MPs are unable to vote. Labour and opposition parties have tabled an amendment to the motion seeking to retain remote voting. Shadow leader of the Commons Valerie Vaz warned Mr Rees-Moggs discriminatory proposals would result in two classes of MPs. Those who can physically attend and those unable to owing to the Governments own rules, including having an underlying health condition or shielding responsibilities. The abolition of the hybrid remote Parliament which allowed all MPs to take part regardless of their personal circumstances is discriminatory and would not be acceptable in any other workplace. We remain ready to work with the Government and all parties to reach a consensus that would allow all MPs to participate on an equal basis. Labour's Angela Rayner added to the criticism, saying on Twitter that the new proposals were putting staff at "unnecessary risk". Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said that if MPs need to vote on Tuesday, they will do so by filing past the left side of the despatch box table to vote Aye, and to the right side to vote No. They will then pause at the despatch box to state their name and voting intention. Votes on subsequent days will be carried out under the arrangements agreed by MPs on Tuesday. Sir Lindsay said it was clear that the House cannot conduct divisions safely via the usual voting lobbies, as it would be difficult to maintain social distancing. MPs will be asked to only attend the chamber when they are listed to be called to speak during a particular proceeding. In a statement, Sir Lindsay said: While we will return to fully physical proceedings in the House tomorrow they will not be the same as before. Ideally, I would have liked the Government and Opposition to have reached agreement on how we should conduct our proceedings and voting procedures unfortunately this has not been forthcoming. As remote voting has lapsed and Public Health England have deemed our Division lobbies unsafe, I have had to devise a temporary way forward to break the deadlock because the House must be able to have its say. It is not perfect, it will take time, and Members will need to be patient. But, it is the safest method I can think of to enable Members and supporting staff to maintain social distancing. However, I still remain hopeful that colleagues will agree on a method of participation that enables all Members to take part, especially those who are shielding, vulnerable or have caring responsibilities. By Jun Ji-hye Churches are emerging again as hotspots of COVID-19 infections here with most new cases reported Monday being traced to religious gatherings. This is putting the health authorities on edge following the case of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a minor religious sect based in Daegu, which was the center of the surge in infections here in February and March. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said 23 new patients were traced to 13 small churches 11 in Incheon and two in Gyeonggi Province as of noon, Monday. "Members of these churches are believed to have participated in prayer services together and spread the virus to each other," KCDC Director Jung Eun-kyeong said during a media briefing. "We are working to determine who patient zero was there." Jung added that one patient in his 70s linked to the churches has died from the virus, while another in her 80s is in critical condition, stressing that elderly citizens over 60 need to take extra care amid the public health crisis. Earlier in the day, the KCDC reported 35 new infections, and one more death, for Sunday, which brought the country's total to 11,503, and the death toll to 271. EastEnders Karen Taylor will bid farewell to Billy Mitchell in Tuesday's show, as she prepares to leave the Square with her grandson Kayden. In emotional scenes, Karen says goodbye to Billy as she prepares to exit Walford, after Sharon Watts decided to give up her baby son. But there remains doubt over whether Sharon will really let Karen leave for good with her baby boy, after appearing to reconnect with her son upon her return to the Square last week. Sad: EastEnders Karen Taylor will bid farewell to Billy Mitchell in Tuesday's show, as she prepares to leave the Square with her grandson Kayden Karen (played by Lorraine Stanley) has been caring for her grandson after Sharon (Letitia Dean) decided she couldn't raise her baby son, admitting he reminded her too much of her teenage son Dennis (Bleu Landau), who was tragically killed in February. But after Sharon returns to the Square she begins to bond with her son again, leading to doubts over whether she will let Karen leave. Regardless Karen bids an emotional farewell to Billy (Perry Fenwick) before preparing to leave the Square, and viewers will have to wait and see whether she really does say goodbye to Walford for good. Moving: In emotional scenes, Karen says goodbye to Billy as she prepares to exit Walford, after Sharon Watts decided to give up her baby son Filming for EastEnders was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, but BBC bosses have confirmed that the cast will hopefully return to set in a matter of weeks. Charlotte Moore, the broadcaster's director of content, said last month that EastEnders would be up and running again within weeks, along with Top Gear, with limited crew members and cast asked to do their own hair and makeup. Moore told The Telegraph: 'We've been looking carefully at how we can safely put some of our shows back into production, and I'm pleased to announce that we plan to begin filming again on both EastEnders and Top Gear by the end of June. 'We're also exploring ways to restart shooting on dramas and other major BBC shows.' Worried: Kayden's mum Sharon recently returned to the Square after choosing to give up her baby son, and is now conflicted on whether she should let him go She added: 'Of course, we will work within Government guidelines. Crews will be strictly limited. Cast members will do their own hair and make-up. 'Social distancing will be in place.' EastEnders has already cut back on their broadcasting, scaling back to just two episodes a week in a bid to 'ration' their filmed content. EastEnders continues tomorrow at 7:30pm on BBC One. "They want to co-opt them in order to start their war. They see themselves as being on the side of protesters and that the protesters themselves are useful in causing anarchy," MacNab said. She also sees signs that the Three Percenters militia movement appears to be taking an interest. Megan Squire, an Elon University computer science professor who tracks online extremism, saw images of at least four members of the far-right Proud Boys group on the periphery of a protest Saturday night in Raleigh, North Carolina. Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators, said a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Trump administration has largely remained silent on local reports that far-right protesters were also involved. Meanwhile, Democratic mayors said Trump's handling of the crisis was reminiscent of one of the darkest moments of his presidency when he said there were "good people on both sides" of protests in 2017 over white supremacists demonstrating in Charlottesville, Virginia. NEW YORK, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Quontic, the adaptive digital bank, is pleased to announce that Patrick Sells, Chief Innovation Officer, has been recognized by American Banker as 2020 Digital Banker of the Year for his contributions to advancing digital banking. Sells is honored by his esteemed colleagues at American Banker for Quontic's transformation as a one branch community bank to an online national bank conducting business in all 50 states. In just over a year, Patrick and his team have reimagined community banking with new innovative technology that serves as a model for other banks making the digital transformation journey. At the age of 29, Patrick is helping to manifest Quontic's vision for a community bank. Along with Quontic's principals, his strategy is to combine today's millennial workforce, who understand technology natively and embrace new ideas, with experienced and open-minded leaders in order to foster creation and innovation. Towards that end, Patrick is helping Quontic cultivate a new generation of talent and pairing them with seasoned banking professionals. The joint efforts of a new-to-banking young marketing leader, an entrepreneurial-minded CEO, and a 20+ year BSA/Bank Ops Vice President helped Quontic successfully bring in over $200M of new deposits digitally and generate new channels of revenue and income. "Community banking in America is often viewed as boring and slower to adapt to technological changes," shares Patrick Sells, Chief Innovation Officer at Quontic. "However, new talent is changing the face of banking, how banking is done, and is also challenging perceptions that banks put profit before the customer or only serve the wealthy. A new generation of tech professionals should consider a career in banking as it is ripe for change and is a very rewarding industry to work in as it can change lives." Digital innovation at Quontic was driven by building a new banking infrastructure platform, QuonticWorks, that has resulted in a 36% increase in bank efficiency, has automated work and tripled its core deposit franchise through online accounts opening at a growth rate of 136%. The platform itself is a cloud-based database that sits on all core information systems and pulls data into one database for access to real-time data and updates. This empowers managers to make decisions more quickly, based on better insights, and Quontic can focus their efforts on providing customers with the underdog edge. These qualitative returns, such as time savings and frustration-reduction, can also be quantified as Quontic has grown by nearly 75% since 2018 and consistently ranks in the top 10% amongst its peers in financial performance. Under Patrick's leadership, Quontic has also brought a new level of technological sophistication to its newly formed, fast-growing, national wholesale mortgage division. He and the wholesale lending team have used technology to offer new, fast, simple, and accessible alternative lending solutions consistent with Quontic's mission as a Community Development Financial Institution. "Patrick's efforts were instrumental in allowing Quontic to pivot in 2019 to becoming a truly digital bank," shares Steven Schnall, CEO of Quontic. "It is especially impressive that we were able to accomplish this without undermining our profitability, and that our peers at American Banker have recognized these substantial efforts. Quontic has replaced almost the entirety of its liabilities with new deposit customers as a result of his team's innovation. This has inspired many other banks and the industry at large begin to think differently about digital innovation." For more information highlighting Patrick, please see here. About Quontic: Quontic is the adaptive digital bank that empowers its customers financially while embracing their diverse circumstances. Quontic's disruptive banking platform reimagines traditional banking with adaptive lending and innovative deposit products that transcend legacy banking inequities. Quontic's mission to break the system for financial empowerment stands in the face of big banks and proves there is a better and more equitable way to put the customer first. The bank focuses on truly understanding and serving the underdogs, entrepreneurs, gig-economy workers, immigrants, and more with a curated banking experience as opposed to a one-size-fits-all banking approach. Quontic is a privately held company based in New York, New York. Follow and connect with Quontic on Facebook and Instagram . About American Banker: American Banker is the essential resource for senior executives in banking and financial services, keeping its users updated on vital developments and focusing sharply on their most important concerns innovation, transformation, and disruption; technology, regulation, and reform. Financial industry professionals turn to American Banker, every day and throughout the day, to stay maximally informed drilling down on complex issues, keeping up with breaking news, and downloading research and data. Paid subscribers and registered visitors engage deeply with an authoritative community of analysts, practitioners and innovators through opinion content, research panels, social media, and live events. PR Contact: Lindsay Levitts Kel & Partners [email protected] 617-519-6551 SOURCE Quontic Related Links https://quonticbank.com The Delhi government on Sunday issued show cause notices to several hospitals in the city, for enquiring about the "delay in reporting death cases", authorities said on Sunday. The government has issued notice to Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital of Delhi government and AIIMS, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital of the central government asking them to explain reasons for the delay in reporting cases of death and violation of directions of the Delhi Health Department as well as the Delhi Disaster Management Authority. The government has issued an advisory to Loknayak Jayaprakash Hospital to "be careful in future" and follow the orders of the Health Department properly so that there is no inconsistency in reporting the to the government. Earlier in the day, the Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said that the Central government-run hospitals are giving data of deaths very late. "The Central government-run hospitals including Dr Ram Manohar Lohia and Safdarjung Hospital are giving reports of death very late. They gave data of 34 deaths yesterday, which was very late. They should have reported them much earlier," Jain told ANI. He said that the Delhi government has asked both the hospitals to release the data of deaths within 24 hours, Jain said. With 1,295 new cases and 13 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, Delhi's COVID-19 count on Sunday rose to 19,844 including 473 deaths. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amphenol Advanced Sensors ChipCap 2-SIP temperature and humidity sensor is ready to use without further calibration or temperature compensation. Heilind Electronics, a leading distributor of electronic components worldwide and an authorized distributor for Amphenol Advanced Sensors, is now stocking the manufacturers ChipCap 2-SIP humidity and temperature sensor. ChipCap 2-SIP offers all the features and benefits of the ChipCap 2 in a Single In-Line Package (SIP) with ready installed V-Core capacitor for easy and convenient application. The product offers the most advanced and cost-effective humidity and temperature sensing solution, ideal for virtually any type of application. It uses an I2C interface and features alarm functions for control at minimum or maximum humidity. It is also RoHS-compliant and lead-free. Individually calibrated and tested, ChipCap2 performs at plus/minus two percent from 20 to 80 percent RH (plus/minus three percent over entire humidity range), and is ready to use without further calibration or temperature compensation. Not only does this solution feature low current consumption, precision and accuracy, but it also allows for better air circulation and response time. ChipCap 2-SIP sensors are the ideal sensing solution for applications requiring high reliability, high accuracy and cost-effectiveness. They are especially suited for harsh environments and a variety of medical, energy-saving HVAC control, process control and instrumentation, and automotive and transportation applications. Visit Heilind's website for more information about Amphenol Advanced Sensors ChipCap 2-SIP humidity and temperature sensors. About Heilind Electronics Heilind Electronics, Inc. (http://www.heilind.com) is one of the world's leading distributors of connectors, relays, sensors, switches, thermal management and circuit protection products, terminal blocks, wire and cable, wiring accessories and insulation and identification products. Founded in 1974, Heilind has locations throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong and China. Follow Heilind on Facebook at facebook.com/Heilind and on Twitter at twitter.com/Heilind. About Amphenol Advanced Sensors Amphenol Advanced Sensors is a leading innovator in advanced sensing technologies and cutting-edge embedded measurement solutions. These solutions are customized for regulatory and industry-driven applications and are designed to create value by providing critical information for real-time decisions. Thousands of people marched in several cities in New Zealand on Monday, chanting black lives matter and I cant breathe, in protests of solidarity against the death of George Floyd, police brutality, and structural racism. The protests also highlighted the issue of what activist groups say is the disproportionate effect of armed policing on indigenous communities in New Zealand. In Auckland, photographs and video posted on social media showed thousands of people marching along city streets and kneeling with raised fists in Aotea Square, in the center of the city, before moving on to the U.S. consulate. In Christchurch, hundreds gathered in the rain. And in Wellington, the nations capital, a crowd amassed outside the parliament building as night fell, chanting slogans and raising signs. You would think this is in America, its not. This is Queen St, Auckland City. New Zealand stands with #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/KrIK9VLruh SICK & TIRED (@princetrisy) June 1, 2020 On Queen Street in Auckland, a group of protesters performed a haka, the traditional Maori ceremonial dance. Protestors perform a Haka on June 01, 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand. | Hannah Peters/Getty Images2020 Getty Images Meanwhile dozens of cities across the U.S. faced a sixth night of standoffs between demonstrators and police, with fires burning outside the White House, a confederate monument torn down in Birmingham, Alabama, and the national guard activated in at least 21 states nationwide. The protests in New Zealand were condemned by the deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, who said they violated the countrys social distancing rules and called the protesters a small group who think they know better than everyone else. (New Zealand has been praised for successfully containing its COVID-19 outbreak, with just 1,154 confirmed cases and 22 deaths.) Story continues The protests were peaceful throughout, with police present but keeping their distance, according to reports. But the news from the U.S. has also sparked tensions in New Zealand over the disproportionate effect of armed policing on indigenous communities, amid a push within the country for more police to carry deadly weapons. Police in the country are not routinely armed, but after the Christchurch shooting in March 2019, when 51 people were killed by a white supremacist terrorist who targeted two mosques in the city, police conducted a six-month trial where some officers were given guns, in order to respond more quickly to similar attacks. The trial ended in April, with a review in progress. A protest group, Arms Down NZ, has raised concerns about the disproportionate impact of armed policing on New Zealands Maori and Pacific communities, who make up 6% and 4% of the population, respectively. Police say no shots were fired by the specific officers armed during the trial. In a statement to TIME, a spokesperson for Arms Down NZ drew links between the experience of African Americans and indigenous communities on the other side of the world. The thousands of Maori and Pasifika [Pacific] people marching today saw, in Floyd Georges dying gasps, the deaths of our own people at the hands of our own government. We marched to defend Black Lives overseas and to fight for our own lives against our own racist police, the statement said. The New Zealand Police is attempting to institute a policy of patrolling Maori neighbourhoods armed with automatic rifles, the statement continued. Despite Prime Minister [Jacinda] Arderns international popularity, her government discriminates against indigenous New ZealandersArderns police force is almost eight times more likely to use violence against Maori New Zealanders than against White ones. (According to the group, Pacific people are three times more likely to be victims of police violence than white New Zealanders.) The hashtag #ArmsDownNZ was trending on Twitter in New Zealand on Monday. The Green Party, which is in government in coalition with Ardern, issued a statement on Monday morning. Today and every day we stand in solidarity with George Floyds family, friends and community who feel pain and fear about his untimely death at the hands of Minneapolis police, Green Party Co-leader and Maori Development spokesperson Marama Davidson said in the statement. These deaths occur within a justice system with a deeply embedded culture of systemic racism and violence. These deaths are built on centuries of injustices and social inequities. The partys justice spokesperson, Golriz Ghahraman added: The disease of state-based discrimination is not constrained to American borders. We must acknowledge that here in New Zealand, at every single step of the justice system, Maori face increased discrimination. This means that Maori experience more arrests, more prosecutions, longer jail sentences, more brutality, and deaths, than Pakeha in similar circumstances. There were also protests in Perth, Australia, amid renewed scrutiny over the high number of deaths of Aboriginal Australians in police custody there. A protest planned for Tuesday in Sydney was canceled after threats of violence, according to the Associated Press. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico lost more than 90,000 jobs in April, state numbers show. The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions monthly labor market report for April showed the state posted a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 11.3%, after shedding 90,800 jobs from April 2019. Additionally, 93,200 jobs were lost from March to April due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report, which was released Friday. Employment fell sharply in all nine major industry sectors, with particularly heavy job losses in leisure and hospitality, it says. The state workforce department considered as unemployed those who were not ill or quarantined but said that they did not work because of the coronavirus for the purposes of the report. The state confirmed Aprils unemployment rate was the highest on record for a single month since measurement began in 1976. Still, New Mexicos unemployment rate was lower than rates in most of its neighboring states, as well as the United States as a whole. The report shows that Nevada posted the highest unemployment rate among Southwestern states, at 28.3%. California, Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma each had rates that exceeded New Mexicos in April as well, according to the report. Colorado posted a rate of 11.3% in April, identical to New Mexicos. The national unemployment rate in April was 14.7%. Still, the report painted a bleak picture of New Mexico job losses. The leisure and hospitality subsector alone shed 44,000 jobs compared with last April. Education and health service lost 10,300 jobs and retail trade lost 8,500 jobs. The mining and logging subsector, which contains most of the jobs within New Mexicos oil and gas industry, was down 3,200 jobs compared with last April. All told, New Mexicos nonagricultural employment decreased by more than 10% compared with the previous year. This decline is the largest in the history of the series and brought employment to its lowest level since February 2003, the report says. Metro Albuquerque lost 47,100 jobs since April 2019, a decline of 11.4%. Among New Mexicos other metro areas, Santa Fe had a 13.3% decline in jobs over the same period, Las Cruces was down 10% and Farmington had a 14.3% drop in employment, according to the report. Harding County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state, at 3.1%. Luna Countys unemployment rate was the highest, at 17.6%. . : , ... The rioting thats taking place in cities all over America provides a glimpse of the kind of people police officers confront every day. I dont deny Antifas involvement in the current chaos, but that group lacks the foot soldiers needed to carry out the widespread arson, looting, and vandalism our cities are experiencing. The foot soldiers are local thugs. Police officers deal with them as a matter of course on a daily basis. As the prison population decreases, the police must deal with a growing number of them. How many such interactions occur every day, nationwide? Hundreds, surely. Maybe thousands. With that many interactions, its inevitable that some will end in violence. Its inevitable that, on occasion, police officers will use too much violence. Its inevitable that, on rare occasion, that violence will produce a wrongful death. Zero tolerance does not mean zero incidence. This doesnt excuse the individual officers who behave too brutality. Some level of drunk driving is inevitable. So is some level of rape. We dont excuse drunk drivers and rapists, we punish them (or should). So too with police officers who brutalize those with whom they interact, including the thugs. But the high volume of interactions between police officers and the kind of people who these days are rioting is relevant to assessing the overall performance of the police. Its relevant to assessing claims that the police is out of control and that African-Americans cant breathe because of police oppression. According to the Washington Post, 19 unarmed African-American males were killed by police in 2017, and 17 in 2016 an average of 18 per year. Its unlikely that all 18 were unjustified, but lets assume they were. Thats 18 too many. But measured against the number of police interactions during the year with the kind of people who are rioting, and recognizing that there will always be some bad cops and some inexperienced ones, its a small number. If American police forces were populated with an appreciable number of genocidal racists, or even just trigger-happy cops, the number of unarmed black males killed by police in a year would be much larger than 18. Indeed, if American police forces were populated with an appreciable number of out-of-control cops, we would be seeing a more violent response by the police to the rioting thats plaguing our cities night after night. After the dust settles from the current rioting, think about the day-to-day life of a big city cop. Think about what it must be like to confront on a daily basis the thugs weve seen on television the last few evenings. Think about the stress of the job. Think about the courage it must take to leave home every day to perform it. The villains of the tragedy being played out right now are a few cops, two or three guys in Georgia who arent cops, and thousands of rioters throughout the country. American police officers as a class are not among the villains. If anything, they are heroes. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) A fire with the highest alarm level struck a barangay in Mandaluyong City on Monday, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). The fire, which hit Block 37 Fabella St. in Brgy. Addition Hills, was first reported by Twitter account TXT Fire Philippines at around 5:30 p.m. The BFP raised the alarm to the second level at 5:39 p.m., and then progressed to Task Force Bravo at around 7:50 p.m. The status then climbed to the general alarm, which is the highest level, at 8:50 p.m, indicating that the fire is already affecting major parts of the area. Authorities declared fire under control at 12:05 midnight of June 2. Based on an on-scene spot report, some 800 establishments and houses have been burned, affecting under 2,000 families. The estimated damages amount to around 2 million. Investigation also revealed the fire originated from the second floor of a residence owned by Maria Belen Bacay Santos. There were no fatalities recorded but six individuals were injured due to the fire incident. Mandaluyong City mayor Menchie Abalos, in a text message, told CNN Philippines that those affected will be evacuated in tents put up along the street in-between the city college and Nayon ng Kabataan Orphanage. She said all other possible evacuation areas are already being used as COVID-19 quarantine facilities. Brgy. Addition Hills has logged the most number of coronavirus cases in the city, based on data from the city health department. As of June 1, a total of 124 of its residents have already been infected with the disease. Of this number, seven have died while 23 have recovered. CNN Philippines' Crissy Dimatulac and Kristel Limpot contributed to this report. Protesters cheered while a police vehicle was set on fire outside of City Hall in Center City Philadelphia on Saturday during protests over the death of George Floyd. Read more Editors Note: A headline published in Tuesdays Inquirer was offensive, inappropriate and we should not have printed it. We deeply regret that we did. We also know that an apology on its own is not sufficient. We need to do better. Weve heard that loud and clear, including from our own staff. We will. A detailed explanation of how we got this so wrong can be found here. Does the destruction of buildings matter when black Americans are being brazenly murdered in cold blood by police and vigilantes? Thats the question that has been raging on the streets of Philadelphia, and across my architecture-centric social media feeds, over the last two days as a dark cloud of smoke spiraled up from Center City. What started as a poignant and peaceful protest in Dilworth Park on Saturday morning ended up in a frenzy of destruction by evening. Hardly any building on Walnut and Chestnut Streets was left unscathed, and two mid-19th century structures just east of Rittenhouse Square were gutted by fire. Their chances of survival are slim, which means there could soon be a gaping hole in the heart of Philadelphia, in one of its most iconic and historic neighborhoods. And protesters moved on to West Philadelphias fragile 52nd Street shopping corridor, an important center of black life, where yet more property has been battered. READ MORE: Here's live coverage of what's happening Tuesday The anger is fully justified. Black people have been the victims of systemic oppression in America for 400 years, but video footage and social media have now made it impossible to deny how bad things really are. The grotesque killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor and many others before them are attacks on the fundamental promise of our democracy. To the protesters who smashed the elegant shop windows of Walnut Streets fanciest stores, the destruction was a just and justified response. Peoples lives are more important than property, the argument goes, and these protests would never have gained Americas undivided attention if they had stuck to the usual polite round of hey-hey chants. I heard exactly this from my social media followers, from architects and preservationists I admire, from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones even from my 27-year-old daughter, a child of Center City. We owe this long-overdue moment of upheaval to the unprivileged, impoverished, and underrepresented. Property damage can always be recovered. Human lives lost cannot, Michael Bixler wrote in a Facebook post. Bixler is managing editor of the Hidden City website, one of the citys most ardent advocates for preserving buildings and keeping them from being destroyed by fast-buck developers. READ MORE: Philly to enforce curfew Monday night People over property is great as a rhetorical slogan. But as a practical matter, the destruction of downtown buildings in Philadelphia and in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and a dozen other American cities is devastating for the future of cities. We know from the civil rights uprisings of the 1960s that the damage will ultimately end up hurting the very people the protests are meant to uplift. Just look at the black neighborhoods surrounding Ridge Avenue in Sharswood or along the western end of Cecil B. Moore Avenue. An incredible 56 years have passed since the Columbia Avenue riots swept through North Philadelphia, and yet those former shopping streets are graveyards of abandoned buildings. Residents still cant get a supermarket to take a chance on their neighborhood. A. Bruce Crawley, an African American businessman, was 18 when those riots broke out, but he remembers them like they were yesterday. He was sitting on the steps of the public housing project where he lived when he saw a huge black cloud of smoke pass overhead. He desperately wanted to join the protests, but got there as they were ending. As much as he supported the cause, it was painful to watch shop owners shut their business and never come back. Eventually Temple University rebuilt Columbia Avenue, renamed for Cecil B. Moore, Philadelphias great civil rights leader. But its no longer a place where a neighborhood could grow organically, he said. The destruction opened the way to gentrification, something much feared on 52nd Street. Of course, the uprising sweeping the country right now is not your grandparents civil rights protest. Its no accident that todays protesters began by targeting the high-end shopping streets of Center City and Philadelphias marble-clad City Hall, and not the black and brown neighborhoods overlooked by the citys boom. Center City is seen as a bastion of wealth and privilege. The protesters werent just attacking buildings and looting clothing and sneakers; they were smashing the symbols of global capitalism. The graffiti scrawled on the elegant Rittenhouse Square home of financier Joel Freedman, who is likely to reap a windfall from closing Hahnemann University Hospital, was the first salvo. Although a half-century apart, todays uprising and the civil rights movement can both be seen as a response to rising inequality. The protests of the 60s were preceded by two decades of deindustrialization and declining wages in the black community, says New York University professor Thomas J. Sugrue, who wrote a groundbreaking history of the period, The Origins of the Urban Crisis. The wage gulf has only widened since the 2008 recession. That partly explains why todays protests are a multiracial alliance of people who feel bound together by a common enemy. Were seeing a synergy between folks protesting police violence and those challenging the injustices of the international economy, Sugrue told me. As stand-ins for global power, though, the two fire-damaged buildings on Walnut Street are poor representatives. While they currently house two global brands, Vans and Doc Martens ironically, the shoes of the working class both buildings are locally owned. And that small real estate company is part of a dwindling number of mom-and-pop businesses in the city. Some protesters have cavalierly dismissed the consequences of the looting by saying that insurance will cover the costs of repairing the damage. That view assumes that the owners are fully insured, and that they have both the desire and the ability to restart their businesses. Neither are givens. Philadelphias downtown retail district was already fighting to hold its own against online shopping before the pandemic hit. If those two Walnut Street buildings come down, you can bet the site will end up in the hands of an out-of-town investor, making the rampage a victory for global capitalism. Few of the protesters are likely to recall the burned-out buildings that sat empty for a decade across from City Hall during the 90s. They, too, were waiting for an insurance payout. The city may feel like one big, money-driven construction site, but its revival is a mere 20 years old, and modest by the standards of other boomtowns. It could easily slip back into decline. When businesses close, they dont pay the taxes that the city needs for important programs like Rebuild and pre-K, and to keep SEPTA alive during the difficult years ahead. Center City may indeed be an island of privilege in a very segregated place, but like all downtowns, it also serves as common ground for the whole city, where rich and poor, black and white, come together. On a good day, it can be seen as a canopy that is open to all kinds of people, said sociologist Elijah Anderson, who coined the term in his book The Cosmopolitan Canopy. Center City belongs to all of us. The rioting is a tremendous rip in the canopy, he told me. You can be appalled and heartbroken by our countrys deadly racism, and yet still quake at what the damage to downtown portends for Philadelphia. Racism is built on strong foundations. The momentary satisfaction of destroying a few buildings does nothing to remove those structures. All it does is weaken our city. Press Release 1 June 2020 Hotel owners and operators in the Maldives are learning the hard way how quickly disruption can turn cash flow negative. One key trend in global leisure destinations is a severe liquidity crunch of wholesalers and travel intermediaries, which in turn has created a domino impact on hotels. This has created difficulties for the tourism dependent Indian Ocean island nation. Cash strapped hotels, who are owed significant funds for guests who have already stayed are being forced to negotiate payment terms or event contemplate write offs, are crying foul. Further stress from contracted allocations that cannot be fulfilled has become commonplace as advance deposits are being held by external suppliers. The situation is expected to become worse should wholesalers become insolvent. In Thailand, hoteliers have sought government action with the TUI Group, as despite a 1.8 billion Euro loan being approved by the German central government, they have yet to clear past payments overseas with are due. As hotels look to the reopening journey ahead, a new survey of 1,100 qualified Chinese travelers in first tier cities by hospitality consulting group C9 Hotelworks and Delivering Asia Communications focusing on travel sentiment to the Maldives has pinpointed some key changes forecasted in visitor behavior. Photo: C9 Hotelworks Ltd. One of the shift dynamic shifts in the data saw 75% of respondents prefer independent travel versus being part of a group. While 38% wanted to book hotels and flights separately. A rising tide of consumers identified direct or social media channels to book a Maldives holiday with Fliggy, WeChat and hotel websites accounting for over a third of the expected share demand. Commenting on the report findings C9's Managing Director Bill Barnett said "travel safety is a key post-crisis factor for all overseas travelers including Chinese. What is interesting from the China responses was that 67% of those surveyed considered the Maldives to be a safer holiday choice compared to other destinations. While a lingering 'fear factor' is a Covid-19 consequence, the country is likely to be seen as a safe haven given its inherent island isolation." Summarizing the learning from the survey, Delivering Asia Communications CEO, David Johnson voiced a call to action for hotel operators and owners alike: "There is a clear opportunity for hoteliers to more directly control their business stream, create healthy segmentation with increasingly influential social media channels and stay relevant in a fast-evolving travel scene that is all part of how the industry can take back control of its own destiny. The single use business model of leveraging business with wholesalers looks to be past it's 'used by' date." These issues and more will be discussed in a far-reaching webinar on Thursday June 4 at 3pm Bangkok time called Maldives: tourism in the age of escapism. Speakers include Sonu Shivdasani, CEO and Joint Creative Director, Soneva; Jesper Palmqvist, Area Director Asia Pacific, STR; David Keen, CEO, QUO; Dirk De Cuyper, CEO, S Hotels & Resorts; Ghaly Murthala, Founder and Managing Director, Morteza Capital; Bill Barnett, Managing Director, C9 Hotelworks; and Vanessa Zhu, China Director, Delivering Asia Communications. For registration click here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lkNaK1hRRyCU18W_gMqwEw S outh Africa partly lifted a two-month-old coronavirus lockdown today, letting people outside for work, worship, exercise or shopping, and allowing mines and factories to run at full capacity to try to revive the economy. Millions of people have returned to work in the Philippines capital of Manila as one of the worlds strictest and longest coronavirus lockdowns was eased to help resuscitate an economy that has been battered by the closure. Egypt has reported its highest-ever number of infections and deaths from the coronavirus. The health ministry said there were 46 deaths in the last 24 hours, jumping from 34 the previous day. There were also 1,536 confirmed cases. Egypt has the highest announced deaths from Covid-19 in the Arab world. Wuhan reported no new asymptomatic cases of coronavirus yesterday, according to Chinese health officials, after 60,000 nucleic acid tests were carried out on residents in the city where the pandemic began. Lithuania has held its annual baby crawlers race online. The winner was nine-month-old Olivija, who crawled five metres from her familys living room to the kitchen in 13 seconds. As night fell along Front Street on Saturday night, protesters and police became eerily quiet while they faced off, with the threat of tear gas hanging over everyones heads. Harrisburg Police Commissioner Thomas Carter walked up to the protesters repeatedly, talking with them, and after about 20 minutes, police agreed to leave. The protesters celebrated, then themselves dispersed. On Sunday, Mayor Eric Papenfuse credited Carter and Harrisburg police with not just de-escalating tensions in that moment, but also throughout the day of protests. The Black Lives Matter protests were in response to the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. That officer, Derek Chauvin, has been arrested on murder and manslaughter charges. Citing protesting near Capitol steps around 4 p.m., Papenfuse said you will notice that Commissioner Carter actually stands between the row of police officers, and the individual protesters at that time, in an effort -- walking back and forth -- talking to individual protesters trying to calm people down. Trying to encourage dialogue and discussion. Papenfuse said while the early afternoon protests were peaceful, there was a shift in tone in the afternoon which they believe was led by residents from outside the city. He talked about a period when protesters were displaying a lot of anger and hate speech which he felt was trying to bait the police, but he said the police instead just backed up, again and again, which he felt de-escalated that situation. Carter was present and talking to protesters the whole time. He was a model of what I would hope every Harrisburg citizen would recognize, which is that Harrisburg police is committed to peaceful protests and committed to non-violent resolution of disagreements, and is a model for the city, Papenfuse said. When it came to those last moments of the evening, Papenfuse said Carter was absolutely committed to making sure that the protesters would get home safely." For his part, Carter said he doesnt agree with damaging the city, but he knows where the pain and anger are coming from. I do understand. I would like to say to all of the young people out there, I feel your pain because we have a history of being treated differently, Carter said. Me, speaking as a black man in this country... I had the same fears that you have right now. But he emphasized the need for peaceful protests. Weve been up for hours, now were expecting more demonstrations in the city. My people are tired but again we will support the mission of a peaceful protest, Carter said. Our mission is to protect life and property. So if anybody, you know, wants to come in, wants to demonstrate peacefully, we are all for that. Despite a bumpy start, two of the newest coal firms to mine in Wyomings Powder River Basin are in compliance with tax payment plans established with state and county officials, keeping up with both delinquent and ongoing tax obligations amidst the pandemic. Coal companies Eagle Specialty Materials and Navajo Transitional Energy remain up to date on their ad valorem, or county production tax, obligations, according to Campbell County Administrative Director Carol Seeger. The owners have also continued to comply with state severance tax dues, Wyomings Department of Revenue confirmed. The companies entered the basin on rocky terms, both taking on massive overdue tax liabilities upon assuming ownership of coal mines through bankruptcy auctions. Eagle Specialty Materials missed its first tax payment. But both firms appear to have since corrected course, complying with established tax obligations associated with mineral production in Wyoming. This comes as the state faces a looming $1.5 billion revenue decline catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Whats more, over the past decade, the amount of county tax delinquencies for energy production increased over 1,700 percent in the state, exceeding $100 million. Over 59 percent of the total amount of delinquencies in the past decade occurred in Campbell County. Funds collected through mineral taxes form the bulk of the states revenue. Missed funds can lead to budget shortfalls and cuts to schools, infrastructure and other basic public services. Energy companies have been delinquent on $17.2 million in severance tax payments (to the state) since 2010, far less than what they defaulted on in ad valorem taxes (to the counties). This gap prompted lawmakers to propose a new bill to increase the frequency of ad valorem payments. The new legislation was signed into law by the governor this spring. Eagle Specialty Materials Eagle Specialty Materials acquired the Belle Ayr and Eagle Butte mines from bankrupt coal firm Blackjewel last October after slogging through months of turbulent court proceedings. By acquiring the pair of mines, the company also inherited millions of dollars in unpaid county, state and federal taxes from the insolvent firm. Yet in December, the Star-Tribune reported Eagle Specialty Materials had missed its first tax payment to the county. The company had voluntarily agreed to pay taxes to Campbell County for coal extracted at the Belle Ayr and Eagle Butte mines on a monthly basis when it purchased the two mines among the nations largest. Under an October agreement with Campbell County commissioners, Eagle Specialty Materials agreed to pay just half of the $17.5 million in delinquent taxes owed by Blackjewel. Though it missed the first tax payment due on Dec. 25, Eagle Specialty Materials stayed in communication with the county and set up a monthly payment system, according to the county. It has since been making payments. The new company also cut a deal with the state of Wyoming over its severance tax liabilities. In a document obtained through a public records request, the Department of Revenue established a payment agreement in October with the new owner to settle the delinquent sales tax, use tax, mineral severance tax and associated interest and penalties amounting to $11.4 million. As part of the agreement, the Department agreed to cut the companys tax obligation in half to about $5.5 million. It also waived $40,073 in interest as well as $12,926 in penalties. The agreement established five payment periods for the company to chip away at these outstanding obligations. It paid $1.1 million at the time the agreement was signed. It will pay the remainder of the delinquent taxes on either an annual or monthly basis between 2021 and 2024. Eagle Specialty Materials is currently in compliance with the agreement regarding mineral severance taxes, Craig Grenvik, administrator for the Mineral Tax Division at Wyomings Department of Revenue, wrote in an email Thursday. The company has also paid all severance taxes through March production, Grenvik added. Taxes on April production will not come due until June 25. Former owner Blackjewel also owed about $886,000 in royalty payments and fees for coal produced after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 1. That outstanding payment was in addition to the $50 million in unpaid royalties, rent and other charges Blackjewel owed at the time the company filed for bankruptcy. According to the Office of Natural Resources Revenue, the governments claim for unpaid royalties is still pending in bankruptcy court. The Department, through the representation by the Department of Justice, is continuing to pursue that claim, a spokesman for the agency said in a statement. However, since Eagle Specialty Materials (ESM) began operating the Wyoming mines in late 2019, ESM has remitted monthly royalty payments. Navajo Transitional Energy Company Around the same time as Eagle Specialty Materials, another coal company entered the Powder River Basin to scoop up three coal mines from bankrupt Wyoming-based company Cloud Peak Energy. The Navajo Nation-based coal company, Navajo Transitional Energy Company, acquired the Antelope and Cordero Rojo mines in Wyoming, and the Spring Creek mine in Montana last October. In February, Campbell County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a payment plan with NTEC, allowing the company to pay over $40 million in outstanding production and property taxes accumulated by the former owner over time. NTEC inherited the unpaid taxes from bankrupt coal firm Cloud Peak Energy as part of a sales agreement established when it acquired the mines on Oct. 24. In the months leading up to its bankruptcy, Cloud Peak Energy failed to pay $8.3 million to the county in the 2018 tax year and $17.8 million in the 2019 tax year. The amount of production tax liability inherited by NTEC for coal mined between January and October of 2019 has yet to be determined, according to the agreement. But NTEC will ultimately assume responsibility for these unpaid taxes, too. The company agreed to pay $1 million at the time of signing the agreement. It is also required to pay an additional $1 million by the last day of each month throughout the rest of this year. Come 2021, any remaining taxes will be paid on a monthly basis until the end of 2026. If the company falls over 10 days behind on these payments, it will have 18 percent in interest applied to the overdue balance. But according to Seeger, the Campbell County administrative director, payments have been made to the county. In its latest payment, it sent $1 million in ad valorem taxes to the county Thursday. As part of the agreement with Cloud Peak Energy, NTEC also agreed to take responsibility for unpaid federal royalties accumulated through an installment payment plan. Coal companies must make payments to the federal government for all minerals extracted from public land. For strip mining, royalty payments are typically 12.5 percent of coals value. Approximately half of all federal mineral royalty funds flow back to Wyoming. The new owner of the three Powder River Basin coal mines told the Star-Tribune in January it had established an agreement with the U.S. Interior Department to pay overdue mineral production taxes back to the federal government in installments. NTEC started paying outstanding royalty payments last month in good faith, paying $169,425 to the Office of Natural Resources Revenue on Dec. 30, according to court documents. Follow the latest on Wyomings energy industry @camillereports Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Advertisement Donald Trump told governors during a video conference from the Situation Room on Monday that they are 'weak' and need to 'dominate' cities ravaged by riots or they will look like 'jerks.' 'You have to dominate, if you don't dominate you're wasting your time. They're going to run over you, you're going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate,' audio of the call revealed. 'The only time it's successful is when you're weak and most of you are weak,' he added, CNN reported, claiming that if governors and local leaders were more tough on rioters, there would be less destruction of their major cities. 'You've got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you'll never see this stuff again,' Trump said during the 55-minute call. 'We're doing it in Washington, D.C. We're going to do something that people haven't seen before.' 'You're making a mistake because you're making yourselves look like fools,' he continued later in the call, claiming that they need to activate more National Guard support as a show of force on city streets.'And some have done a great job. But a lot of you, it's not it's not a great day for our country.' The president also threatened to deploy the 101st Airborne Division of the Army to provide 'backup' to cities ravaged by the riots. The president made this message by endorsing a statement made by Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton: '100% Correct. Thank you Tom!' Cotton wrote on Monday, 'Anarchy, rioting, and looting needs to end tonight.' 'If local law enforcement is overwhelmed and needs backup, let's see how tough these Antifa terrorists are when they're facing off with the 101st Airborne Division,' he continued in the tweet. 'We need to have zero tolerance for this destruction.' Trump has pushed for governors to activate the National Guard in there states and has not yet formally addressed the nation since the unrest began. He did say during his call with governors Monday that he is putting Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley 'in charge.' The call happened after a weekend in which: It emerged Trump was whisked to a bunker while protesters descended on the White House Friday night, throwing Molotov cocktails and injuring 50 Secret Service agents A protester was reportedly shot dead in Louisville, Kentucky Sunday night Mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter was arrested at a protest in New York City Sunday An armed vigilante in California pulled a gun on rioters who tried to hold up a bank Across the country, peaceful protesters tried to stop violent opportunists from ransacking stores In Louisville, protesters formed a human chain to protect one cop who became separated from his unit and outnumbered by crowds Other cops dropped to their knees in shows of solidarity with protesters and some abandoned riot gear to march with crowds peacefully In Minneapolis, a tanker plowed through crowds of protesters on a highway; he was then pulled from the rig and beaten by crowds The president did not clarify what he meant during his rant to the state leaders, specifically if he was planning to deploy the military to quell protests and White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany did not clear up the comments during a press briefing Monday afternoon. 'I'm not going to get ahead of any actions,' McEnany told reporters in the James S. Brady Briefing Room. 'Our streets are dominated with a police force and a national guard presence,' she continued, claiming that police lines are overwhelmed by the rioters. 'When those lines are overwhelmed, law enforcement gets on the defense,' she said. 'So what the president has said, is that he wants to dominate the streets with National Guard, with a police presence.' McEnany noted that Milley said during the call, which he was a part of, that a National Guard presence helps to de-escalate situations like the ones popping up all over the country. She did not clarify if putting Milley in charge means that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would be completely overseeing a domestic issue. Thousands of protesters were arrested across the country over the weekend as major cities are the most affected areas of rioting, looting and arson Donald Trump threatened on Monday to deploy the Army's 101st Airborne to face off with those rioting in U.S. cities' streets setting fires, looting and destroying property Donald Trump, joined by Attorney General Bill Barr (pictured left), told governors during a teleconference in the Situation Room on Monday that they are 'weak' on rioters and need to 'dominate' by arresting and trying more people Violent protesters surrounded the White House for a fourth day on Sunday and it was revealed that Donald Trump was taken, for a short period of time, to the bunker in the residence on Friday and has expressed he is concerned for his safety Louis Vuitton had been boarded up but the looters ripped plywood from one window to break their way inside. George Floyd's name was scrawled on one of the boards A young man on a Citibike on Monday morning after taking from Balmain, one of the many stores that was looted on Sunday night 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 WHAT TRUMP TOLD GOVERNORS During a 55-minute call with governors, an agitated Trump called them 'jerks' and 'fools.' 'What happened in the state of Minnesota, they were a laughing stock all over the world. They took over the police department, the police were running down the street, sirens blazing, the rest of them running. It was on camera. And then they worked out they'll probably have to build a new one. But I've never seen anything like it and the whole world was laughing. So two days later I spoke to the governor and the governor was [indistinct] And all if a sudden, I said you've got to use the national guard, they didn't first then they did. I don't know what it was, the third night those guys walked through like that stuff like it was butter. They walked right through and you haven't had any problems since. I mean they know and they're not going, to go there, they're probably going some other place. But once you cool down and you dominated you took the worst place and you made it, they didn't even come there last night because there was so much less, because you dominated. You dominated. Now what happens in New York and it happened [indistinct] in Manhattan, what's going on in Manhattan I have no idea. New York's finest, they've got to be allowed to do their jobs, I don't know what's happening but it's terrible but because it's New York, because it's Manhattan it gets a lot of press. So they really spent a lot of time on it. But New York is going to have to toughen up. You have the largest police force in the country, 40,000 people I understand but what's going on in New York is terrible, terrible, of all the places. What went on last night in Los Angeles with the stores, the Starbucks, is terrible. No domination. You have to dominate and start imprisoning.' In another portion of the call, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that he said: 'We got a lot of men. We have all the men and women that you need. But people aren't calling them up. You have to dominate If you don't dominate you're wasting your time. They're going to run over you. You're going to look like a bunch of jerks. And you have to arrest people and you have to try people and they have to go to jail for a long periods of time.' He also spoke about his own experience in Washington D.C. 'Washington was under very good control and we're going to have it under more control. We're going to pull in thousands of people. But you've got to arrest people. You have to try people. You have to put them in jail for 10 years and you'll never see this stuff. And you have to let them know that. They're trying to get people out on bail in Minneapolis. I understand they're in there trying to get all these guys out on bail.' Advertisement Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a frequent target of the president in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, responded to the meeting in a statement following where she claimed Trump said the governors would be 'overridden.' 'I joined a call with my fellow governors and the current president that was deeply disturbing,' she said. 'Instead of offering support or leadership to bring down the temperature at protests, President Trump told governors to 'put it down' or we would be 'overridden.' A person listening in on the call told CBS News that the president's message and tone was 'unhinged.' Illinois' governor J.B. Pritzker hit back at him during the call, telling Trump his own rhetoric was fueling the violence. In the call, Trump specifically called out Minnesota, where the riots originated after Goerge Floyd, a black man, was killed by a white police officer there last week. 'What happened in the state of Minnesota, they were a laughing stock all over the world,' Trump said in the call. 'They took over the police department, the police were running down the street, sirens blazing, the rest of them running. It was on camera,' he said, referencing rioters who torched the Minneapolis police station on Friday. 'They'll probably have to build a new one,' Trump said. 'But I've never seen anything like it and the whole world was laughing.' He then praised his own work by talking with Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on activating the National Guard in the state to help the Twin Cities mitigate violent demonstrators, claiming Walz acted on his suggestion. 'Once you cool down and you dominated, you took the worst place and you made it they didn't even come there last night because there was so much less, because you dominated,' he lauded. But right after the president's call with governors, Walz held a press conference where he said he would be working to demobilize the National Guard, which he had just activated a few days before upon the encouragement of the president. He said the state is working on a 'transition of our National Guard troops back to their homes and their jobs.' 'They take time out of their jobs, and many of them will be going back some of them working as news reporters, some of them working as camera operators, some of them working as teachers. That will begin to happen,' Walz said. On the call, Illinois governor J.B. Priztker bluntly told Trump his rhetoric was not helping. 'It's been inflammatory, and it's not OK for that officer to choke George Floyd to death but we have to call for calm. We have to have police reform called for. We've called out our National Guard and our State Police, but the rhetoric that's coming out of the White House is making it worse,' Pritzker said, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Trump hit back saying: 'OK, well thank you very much, J.B. I don't like your rhetoric very much either because I watched your response to coronavirus, and I don't like your rhetoric either. I think you could have done a much better job, frankly.' Trump also unloaded on New York, claiming that 'New York's finest' were not being 'allowed to do their jobs.' 'New York is going to have to toughen up,' he said. 'You have the largest police force in the country, 40,000 people I understand but what's going on in New York is terrible, terrible, of all the places.' Attorney General Bill Barr, who was also on the call, told governors that a joint terrorist task force would be used to track the agitators. He also told local officials, lawmakers and enforcement to control what is going on in cities rather than react to crowds and he urged them to 'go after troublemakers.' The comments from Trump on increasing arrests come as more than 4,100 people were taken into custody across the country over the weekend in the at least 145 cities participating in protests, demonstrations and riots. President Trump held talks with his Barr, law enforcement officials and state leaders as violence continues to escalate in the sixth day of protests in cities all over the country in the wake of George Floyd's death. Barr visited the White House for an Oval Office meeting with the president Monday morning, and shortly after, Trump hosted a video conference with governors, law enforcement leaders and national security officials in the Situation Room to discuss ways to keep American communities safe. Cities across the nation appear war-torn after rioters set establishments and cars in the middle of streets on fire, smashed windows of local stores and looted their shelves and clashed with law enforcement. Trump had to flee to the White House bunker to shelter in place for a short period of time on Friday, it was revealed on Sunday, as protesters surrounding the White House. Many governors activated the National Guard in their states and sent them to cities being affected by protests turned to violence. Governors and mayors also went public, both on their own mediums and in interviews with networks, claiming that while they support rioters' right to gather, they are pleading for an end to the violence and destruction in their cities as a means of protesting. The president did not appear publicly on Sunday to address the rioters, who have engulfed the perimeter of the White House as well taken to the streets in several other U.S. cities, he did weigh in on Twitter, claiming that governors need to activate the National Guard in their states. He lauded the improvements over the weekend in Minneapolis, Minnesota by the National Guard's presence and while the demonstrations have appeared less violent since they started at the end of last week, police in the city said they discovered Sunday caches of homemade firebombs around the city. The president has told aides that he's concerned about his safety as the White House went dark after it turned off its lights in a rare move Sunday night while protests and riots continued a few hundred yards away from the residence. The rioters also set a fire to American Flags in Lafayette Square, the park adjacent to the North Lawn of the White House and they were hit by tear gas by law enforcement. More than 50 Secret Service agents were injured in clashes with protesters in the nation's capital, and more than 4,100 people were arrested across the country over the weekend as everything from peaceful protests to riots emerged in at least 145 cities. The extraordinary images were taken Saturday amid the smoldering remains of the 3rd Precinct headquarters of the Minneapolis Police Department The group of masked and gloved men used pliers and hammers to prize open the heavy metal chest while others rifled through files and ransacked burnout rooms with complete impunity Minneapolis looters are caught on camera hacking at a safe inside the charred shell of an abandoned police precinct in surreal scenes that lay bare the wanton lawlessness gripping the US, exclusive photos by DailyMail.com show Protesters set an American flag on fire at Lafayette Park in front of the White House as they rallied against police brutality on Sunday evening, and were hit with tear gas by law enforcement D.C. was also among the 40 cities that imposed a curfew as riots escalated after sundown. Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Monday that some of the protesters that terrorized the city overnight had come prepared with tools and supplies, and claimed that they set fires to draw police away from where they were planning to riot, loot and cause destruction. 'We recognize that people are frustrated and mad but tearing up our beautiful city is not the way to bring attention to what is a righteous cause,' Bowser told NBC News' Today. Just after the 11:00 p.m. curfew passed, a fire broke out at St. John's Episcopal Church, which was spared from protests the day before. The riots broke out after video emerged of, George Floyd (pictured), being killed after a white police officer held his knee on his neck for eight minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Memorial Day While Trump remained out of sight in the midst of the riots, his advisers discussed the prospect of an Oval Office address in an attempt to ease tensions. The notion was quickly scrapped for lack of policy proposals and the president's own seeming disinterest in delivering a message of unity. Instead, Trump has urged governors to activate the National Guard, demanding they 'get tough, but has not sought control of the Army reservists himself to quell the nationwide riots. The violence ensued after George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed while in a white police officer's custody in Minneapolis on Memorial Day. A cellphone video of the incident went viral where Derek Chauvin, 44, can be seen holding his knee on Floyd's neck during an arrest for more than eight minutes as the victim repeatedly said he could not breathe. While Floyd was handcuffed, four cops, including Chauvin, were holding him down. Chauvin was fired after the video emerged and taken into custody on Friday after the violent protesters demanded he be arrested and he is being charged with third-degree murder. The other three officers have not been arrested. Trump has also blamed the media, Democrats and outside groups for exacerbating the riots asserting on Sunday that he is classifying the far-left anti-fascists group Antifa as a terrorist organization. Antifa has no official leaders, and it could appear their fingerprints are all over the riots as their demonstrations include violent tactics that they deem justifiable. Donald Trump demanded that state and local lawmakers 'get tough' and call in the National Guard to their cities to help mitigate escalating riots in the midst of George Floyd's death Trump said Democratic-run areas should look to Minneapolis as an example of how the National Guard can help with rioters. He also blamed much of the continued riots, including looting and arson, on governors and mayors not activating the National Guard to help mitigate violence in their cities Minnesota did activate the Guard in their state, deploying them to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul Trump specifically mentioned the rioting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the state has not yet called in the National Guard and lauded the job done by the Guard in Minneapolis 'Congratulations to our National Guard for the great job they did immediately upon arriving in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last night,' Trump tweeted Sunday morning. 'The ANTIFA led anarchists, among others, were shut down quickly. Should have been done by Mayor on first night and there would have been no trouble!' Minnesota law enforcement say that they believe white supremacists have infiltrated the riots in Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul to stoke violent demonstrators. 'They're agitators, 'Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell told CNN on Sunday, adding that there have been reports of Antifa members attending demonstrations. While Trump does feel an outside group is involved, he asserted Monday that he does not believe that there were white supremacist groups mixed in with those protesting the death of George Floyd. He instead doubled-down on blaming Antifa for the violent skirmishes with police. 'I don't see any indication that there were any white supremest groups mixing in. This is an ANTIFA Organization,' the president asserted. 'It seems that the first time we saw it in a major way was Occupy Wall Street. It's the same mindset,' Trump said, tagging 'Fox & Friends' host Brian Kilmeade and crediting him for the comment. Derek Chauvin, 44, was arrested Friday on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, which has sparked violent protests He also replied 'TRUE!' to the Kilmeade quote, and misspelled the word 'supremacist.' Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was asked Friday about reports that White Supremacists were involved and he answered, 'My suspicions and what I've seen on this, yes.' 'It gets worse than that,' he added. 'The cartels, who are wondering if there was a break in their drugs transmissions, are trying to take advantage of the chaos. That's why this situation is on a federal level.' While governors and mayors scramble to create more peace in their major cities, the president is blaming them not calling in the National Guard for aggravating the violent situations. 'Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors,' Trump urged in a tweet. 'These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW.' 'The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe,' he continued, referring to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. 'Is this what America wants? NO!!!' By Sunday evening, Trump followed up his calls for the National Guard with a tweet that simply read: 'LAW & ORDER!' So far, 15 states and Washington, D.C. have deployed the Guard. Rioters continue to take to the streets, becoming especially active after sundown, in major cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Seattle, Washington, D.C. and beyond. While there have been at least 4,100 arrests in cities across the country this weekend and countless protesters, rioters and law enforcement officials have been injured, there are at least five instances where people have been killed in the midst of the violence. Gunfire rang out during the riots this weekend leading to deaths in Detroit, Michigan and Indianapolis, Indiana. In Omaha, Nebraska, a 22-year-old black protester was killed in a struggle with a local business owner. A man was shot dead by law enforcement officers in Louisville on Sunday on the fourth night of unrest in the city in a shooting believed to be linked to the protests. Louisville's protests, in particular, have also focused on the March 13 death of Breonna Taylor, who was shot eight times by narcotics detectives who knocked down her front door. Chaos had unfolded in cities across America with more than 50 Secret Service agents injured in clashes with protesters in Washington DC, police charging into demonstrators in New York City and lootings continuing to unfold in major cities like California, Philadelphia and Boston. Demonstrations from Washington DC to Los Angeles swelled from peaceful protests - sparked by the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody last Monday - into scenes of violence that drew National Guard troops in at least 15 states and Washington. More than 4,100 people were arrested this weekend alone as the violence continued to escalate and cities enacted strict curfews. WASHINGTON DC: Chaos continued to unfold in cities across America late Sunday night including Washington DC, just steps from the White House, where police and Secret Service deployed tear gas as they faced off with protesters during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd WASHINGTON DC: Police stand guard outside the White House late Sunday as chaotic demonstrations took place in Washington, D.C. WASHINGTON DC: Protesters jump on a street sign near a burning barricade near the White House late on Sunday. Fires were set in the historic St. John's Episcopal Church and Lafayette Park in front of the White House ATLANTA, GEORGIA: A protester is pinned down by a police officer as cops in riot gear including shields and helmets clash with protesters on Sunday night PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Smoke and debris at a looted hardware store in Philadelphia last night after it was targeted by looters during the George Floyd riots SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA: An armed vigilante attempts to stop a bank robbery in Santa Monica during the widespread riots yesterday, as protesters turned on looters in some places MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: People flee for their lives as a tanker truck drives towards thousands of protesters on a highway yesterday. The truck did not appear to have struck anyone BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Protests continued to rage fury in Boston on Sunday evening where a police car was set ablaze The image of then-Minneapolis police Officer Tou Thao, a Hmong American, standing with his back turned as a white officer knelt on George Floyd's neck has ignited a discussion about how to approach the topic of anti-blackness in the Asian American community. Thao, who has a history of being involved in use-of-force incidents, is being described by activists as a symbol of Asian American complicity in anti-blackness following the death of Floyd, a black man who begged for his life while then-Officer Derek Chauvin dug his knee into his neck for more than eight minutes. Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao. (Darnella Frazier / via Facebook) Minneapolis police identified the other two officers involved in Floyd's arrest last Monday as Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng. All four officers were fired the day after Floyd's death, and Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Investigations into the actions of the other three former officers are ongoing. Several experts expressed that this is a pivotal moment for Asian Americans to tackle the subject of anti-blackness in a productive way, beginning with unpacking the biases in their own communities by first confronting the historical context behind it. Kabzuag Vaj, founder of Freedom Inc., a nonprofit that aims to end violence toward minorities, women and the LGBTQ community, underscored the importance of acknowledging that while Asian Americans deal with their own forms of oppression, it is incomparable to what the black community confronts. People don't have a baseline of an understanding of what anti-blackness even is, Vaj, whos Hmong American, said. Yes, we [Asian Americans] have pain and we suffer from oppression and discrimination and racism. Black people are in a different boat. On top of that, their struggle with the police, at least in this country, has a long history of 400 years of control and occupation. I think that that's really important for us to acknowledge that. Tensions between the black and the Asian communities have long existed. The strained relations stem, in part, from being set in opposition to each other throughout American history, Vaj said. One of the most glaring examples is the Los Angeles riots that followed the acquittal of four white police officers in the videotaped beating of Rodney King, a black construction worker. Businesses sustained roughly $1 billion in damage, with roughly half being Korean-owned. Divisions between immigrant Korean business owners and their black customers widened. Story continues Vaj, who comes from a refugee family herself, said she can look back to her own peoples journey in the U.S. as evidence. When America resettled Southeast Asian refugees following the Vietnam War, many were placed in poorly funded urban areas with little infrastructure, such as Long Beach and Stockton, California, or the Bronx, New York, where black and brown communities had already existed. When you are put into this situation, and you live amongst other poor black and brown folks with very little resources, there is that piece of strain between communities that must fight for the same resources, Vaj said. There isn't enough for all of you. Moreover, resettlement efforts did not include sufficient introductions between refugees and the communities they now inhabited, Vaj said. The information that was fed to the new immigrants often did not humanize communities of color, she added. Everything you've learned, you've learned through the lens of white supremacy. And this is what this country is built on, Vaj explained. Even now, she said shes received abusive comments and criticisms from some members of her community for standing with the black community. Ellen Wu, a historian and the author of The Color of Success: Asian Americans and the Origins of the Model Minority, echeod Vaj, noting that white supremacy has historically fed on the exploitation and destruction of the black community. As Asian Americans began to arrive in the United States, white supremacy targeted them as well. The government passed racist legislation like the Chinese Exclusion Act, and fueled movements like the anti-Japanese movement of the early 1900s. But Wu explained that as time went on, white supremacy took on other forms. Fearing that anti-Asian racism could jeopardize the country's place as a leader on the world stage and impede imperial expansion abroad, white liberals sought to dismantle Asian exclusion legislation and practices during and after World War II. In other words, they expected a geopolitical payoff to recognizing Asian Americans as model citizens, Wu said. In the 1960s, white liberals wielded the model minority stereotype to stifle black social movements, using Asian Americans as proof of meritocracy and equal opportunity for people of color. As Wu mentions in her book, politicians weaponized Japanese American success stories after World War II as a tactic in reframing Japanese American incarceration and weakening the civil rights movement. Compliance with, rather than opposition to, the state would bring rewards, the politicians hoped to show. The insinuation was that hard work along with unwavering faith in the government and liberal democracy as opposed to political protest were the keys to overcoming racial barriers as well as achieving full citizenship, Wu wrote. The evolving forms of white supremacy, Wu said, gave Asians more space for social mobility. These gains, however, have come at a cost: complicity with white supremacy. Wu noted that Asian Americans have had a complicated history of both mobilizing for and against the interests of black and other communities of color. Many Chinese Americans advocated on the behalf of Peter Liang, an NYPD officer who fatally shot Akai Gurley, a 28-year-old black father, in 2014. They rallied around Liang, describing him as a scapegoat by prosecutors instead of demanding justice for Gurley and others who faced police brutality, Wu said. Conversely, the #Asians4BlackLives movement from the Bay Area stood in solidarity with Black lives that same year. Other historic movements, including the farmworkers movement in the 1960s, led in part by Filipino farmworkers like Larry Itliong who, with Latinx workers, organized the historic Delano Grape Strike. Wu also clarified that Asian Americans are a diverse group with subgroups that have a range of power and privilege. Since their initial resettlement roughly 45 years ago, Southeast Asians, including Hmong, have dealt with the pain of impoverished neighborhoods and inadequate support under the backdrop of existing racial injustice, Quyen Dinh, the executive director of Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, said. Inequities linger to this day. A report published by the center showed that Hmong Americans have public health insurance enrollment rates similar to black Americans, at 39 percent and 38 percent, respectively. When looking at education, nearly 30 percent of Southeast Asian Americans havent completed high school or passed the GED. Thats more than double the national average at 13 percent. When aggregated data lump our unique stories into the false myth of one thriving model minority, the lived experiences of entire communities are rendered invisible, Dinh said. This perception dilutes and dismisses the urgent need for more resources and support for Southeast Asian American refugee communities, and it hides the systemic barriers our families have been forced to overcome for the last 45 years. Other advocates admitted that anti-blackness is a necessary but uncomfortable topic for many in the community to crack open. Deepa Iyer, author of We Too Sing America; South Asian, Arab, Muslim and Sikh Immigrants Shape Our Multiracial Future and racial justice advocate, said Asian Americans should interrogate the affect of policing and incarceration on communities of color and black communities in particular. Research shows that for black men, there is a 1 in 1,000 chance of being killed by police over the course of their lifetimes. The same odds among the general population is 1 in 2,000 for men and roughly 1 in 33,000 for women. Lets not forget that state violence in the United States has affected Asian Americans, too, Iyer said. She pointed out that in 2006, a Minneapolis police officer, Jason Andersen, shot and killed a 19-year-old Hmong American, Fong Lee, who had been riding a bike with friends. An all-white jury ruled that Andersen, who claimed he saw Lee with a gun, did not use excessive force and exonerated him. And in 2015, a 57-year-old Indian grandfather, Sureshbhai Patel, was slammed to the ground and left partially paralyzed by a police officer in Alabama, Eric Parker, during a visit to his sons family. While incidences of police brutality against Asian Americans do not occur with the frequency they do against black people, we cannot deny that police brutality and discriminatory policing targets black and brown bodies at disproportionate and alarming rates, Iyer said. In addition to providing some historical perspective, Wu said Asian Americans can remind their own communities that many privileges they take part in came as a result of black civil rights movements. From education to employment, the black community has worked to widen access for racial minorities, including Asian Americans. Wu brought up that black Americans mobilized during World War II to pressure President Franklin D. Roosevelt to establish the Fair Employment Practices Committee. After the war, there was a nationwide push for fair employment practices legislation, which eventually paved the way for the rise of affirmative action in the 1960s, Wu said. By the 1970s, the federal government widened the scope of affirmative action and related minority rights efforts to include Asian Americans, leading to greater employment opportunities for them across different sectors, she said. There has been marked support from many Asian Americans for the black community during this time, many experts noted, particularly after tragedies such as Floyds death. Iyer noted that organizations, students and activists have created toolkits, campaigns and town halls to further solidarity practices between black and Asian communities. She also mentioned shes seen examples of youth engaging in conversations between Asian small-business owners who operate convenience stores in black neighborhoods and black residents. However, change requires continuous commitment, putting time and patience into these communities, Vaj said. She mentioned that her organization provides services to those who have experienced sexual assault and domestic violence, including many elders. She knows from experience that though many stereotype older Asian American generations as resistant to change or as being not receptive to uncomfortable truths, she knows differently. The Hmong, Cambodian elders that did not grow up here that are survivors of word genocide if I can get a 76-year-old grandmother to understand love and accept a gender-nonconforming black, queer teen as family and understand and accept them as who they are, I know that change can happen, Vaj said. It takes time. And it takes love and it takes organizing and political education. For Asian Americans to avoid the discussion on race would bring dangerous results, Lakshmi Sridaran, the executive director of South Asian Americans Leading Together, explained. Particularly as the community observes the rise in anti-Asian hate violence and racism amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they must interrogate their own reliance and trust in law enforcement. She noted that some communities look to the criminal justice system to mitigate hate. These complex relationships of distinct and shared struggles are informed both by interpersonal and state violence, she explained. If we recuse ourselves from these discussions, then we further entrench ourselves in white supremacy and continue to endanger other communities of color. MIDDLETOWN Hundreds of people marched marched peaceably on Main Street in Middletown Saturday night from the North End to the police station in honor of George Floyd, who died May 25 at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis. Other marches also took place in Connecticut Saturday, including in Bridgeport. In Middletown, as the large crowd, most wearing face masks and in black, proceeded toward the police station, they held up signs saying, Black lives matter, Well say it till we dont need to say it anymore, Silence = complicity, No justice no peace and There comes a time when silence is betrayal. Follow live as rallies take place in Connecticut today. Walking from Rapallo Avenue to police headquarters at 222 Main St., participants chanted as they walked: I cant breathe! No justice no peace, and other familiar phrases marking protests and rallies across the country. Superintendent of Schools Michael Conner and Mayor Ben Florshiem, who took part in the demonstration, joined Police Chief William McKenna in speaking to those gathered. Several Common Council members joined the march. When I leave my house every day, I dont feel safe, Conner admitted to the crowd. I worry about if Im coming home to my family. It doesnt matter if I have a suit on, doesnt matter if I have an education, they dont see that. All they see is my color, Conner added. What we have to do now is move from today, and make sure make sure this is not the last thing we speak. Make sure that black fathers and black women and black mothers are able to get home to their kids, he said. Organizer Erica Hunter posted a notice about the event on social media, urging attendees to observe social distancing and wear facial coverings. Several dozen Middletown police officers stood by on Main Street, as cruisers led the procession down the closed-off road. More rallies were expected in several communities across Connecticut Sunday. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) The Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. (PSE) is reopening its trading floor now that Metro Manila has transitioned to general community quarantine. PSE President and CEO Ramon Monzon led the special bell ringing ceremony on Monday, which marked the reopening of the trading floor, while also serving as PSEs tribute to the frontliners who have been leading the fight against COVID-19. "We notified the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of our reopening plans and they gave us the green light very quickly," Monzon said. The PSE implemented a full offsite trading from March 19 to May 29, in compliance with the enhanced community quarantine enforced in the entire island of Luzon, a move of the national government to contain the spread of COVID-19 infections in the country. Trading was likewise suspended on March 17 and 18. Monzon expressed gratitude to the SEC for its immediate action on the issues and concerns that the Exchange elevated to the Commission during the enhanced community quarantine. "Although their offices were closed during this period, it was clear that it was business as usual for the SEC leadership and its staff as they continued to work from home and have their regular Commission meetings," Monzon said. "The SEC was able to respond proactively, positively and very timely on our various requests." Meanwhile, SEC Chairman Emilio Aquino said they will lighten the regulatory requirements for issuers, brokers and other market participants, in the hope of reviving quickly the capital market. "We will consider allowing companies planning to conduct IPOs by supplementing their audited financial statements whose age goes beyond 180 days with only reviewed interim financial statements," Aquino said on Monday. "We will extend the life of the validity of the order of registration for shelf-registration to five years from the present three years and study the practicality of doing a post-issuance review of financial statements in a follow-on offering." Travel trade professionals from across the world gathered online today (June 1) for the first day of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Virtual, a newly-launched three-day event for the regions tourism community. The debut event, which runs from June 1-3, places a focus on emerging trends, opportunities, and the challenges which are directly impacting the travel and tourism industry amid the Covid-19 global health pandemic. Over the course of three days, ATM Virtual will feature comprehensive webinars, live conference sessions, roundtables, speed networking events, and one-to-one meetings, as well as facilitating new connections and offering a wide range of online business opportunities. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market (ATM), said: Our debut event not only underscores ATMs mission to support and guide the regions vast travel and tourism industry during and beyond Covid-19, but it also demonstrates our commitment to delivering positive business and networking opportunities to the entire community, during even the most challenging times. With up to four live high-level sessions each day, industry experts will address a range of topics including a road map to recovery, tourism strategies for the future, the hotel landscape in a post-Covid-19 world, and the resilience of the travel industry, as well as exploring the new normal that lies ahead, emerging travel technology and sustainability trends. Kicking off proceedings, the opening session A Conversation with Sir Tim Clark will took place from 11:00am 12:00pm GST (8.00am 9.00am BST) on June 1. The President of Emirates Airline spoke to John Strickland about his time at the airline, its response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its plans for the future, as well as unveiling Emirates strategy, including planned fleet and network changes. Another key event taking place on the first day is OTAs & Distribution for Tours & Attractions post-Covid. Run by Arival, the global research authority on the tours, activities and attractions sector, this session will focus on the rise of online travel agencies, the re-opening of operations, and what this means for tour and attraction operators across the Middle East. To view the full agenda, visit the ATM Virtual portal. Meanwhile, other highlights from day one include Communicating and Building Confidence Now and The Hotel Landscape in a post-Covid-19 World sessions. A series of independently moderated, pre-recorded on-demand roundtables have been designed to discuss emerging hot topics such as domestic travel, luxury travel trends, corporate travel, the challenges faced by travel providers and agencies and tourism recovery plans. And, one-to-one pre-scheduled 30-minute meetings between editors, exhibitors, and buyers will also take place, while live video sessions will include Q&As and polls which will be run alongside the presentations to enable audience interaction. As well as addressing the impact the global health pandemic has had on the hospitality industry, the debut ATM Virtual will provide travel professionals with a wealth of information, advice and support to cope with the current crisis and planning for the future. ATM Virtual takes place from June 1 to 3. To register for the event as a visitor, please log on to: atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/ . For media registrations, please go to: atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/media . - TradeArabia News Service ALBANY City and community leaders Sunday grappled with the fallout from Saturday demonstrations against police brutality that were at first peaceful, but then turned into aggression toward police officers, vandalism and looting - the likes of which the city has not seen in recent memory. Dozens of businesses worked Sunday to board up broken windows and clean-up the inside of their destroyed storefronts, as others prepared for what might happen Sunday night after both Albany and Schenectady instituted curfews. The same scene was played out in cities across the nation this past weekend in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis on May 25 after a police officer placed his knee on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes while he was handcuffed on the ground. "This set us back years, said Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple, who said 82 members of his department assisted in the city of Albany Saturday night. Apple spoke at Albany County Executive Dan McCoy's daily coronavirus press briefing Sunday morning, which was turned into a talk about the confrontations. What happened in this county, this city last night was despicable. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan held a press conference Sunday morning on the steps of City Hall to address what happened Saturday about an hour after peaceful protests ended at the city police's South Station. Officials acknowledged that the shutdowns in response to the pandemic which has caused people stress, depression and anxiety has only fueled people's dismay about continued abuses against the black community. But Sheehan said the people who committed the violence late Saturday were not those who had peacefully marched earlier in the day. I acknowledge that there is a tremendous amount of pain. There is pain because of what we witnessed with a police officer literally suffocating an individual in custody, Sheehan said. However, she continued, the violence that emerged in Albany later Saturday night was not about a protest that violence was about a riot. She issued a curfew for the city from 7 p.m. Sunday to 7 a.m. Monday in an attempt to maintain order. Businesses were putting plywood over their windows Sunday late afternoon worried that the violence would continue for a second night. Schenectady instituted a curfew also fearing violence would erupt in that city. On Sunday afternoon, protests were peaceful in the Electric City as Schenectady Police Chief Eric Clifford and other officers were seen in a photo shared on twitter taking a knee in solidarity with protestors. This is not about the police stopping and hassling people for being out, she said. This is about a curfew that we are putting out there as a signal to our residents to be safe. But community activists say the emotions that led to the violence were real and valid, and the conversations focusing on the violence misses the perspective of what is at stake. Theres a moment happening across our nation, and its happening peacefully and its happening with uprisings, said Amy Jones, a community organizer with Citizen Action of New York. These are people with no structural power. What theyre seeing and feeling is a moment of empowerment. But pain plus trauma can equal rage. And the oppressor cannot tell oppressed people how to protest their oppression. Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins said the city has gotten anecdotal comments from those at the incidents that they did not recognize the people who were responsible for some of the violence. Police are investigating those comments. Hawkins was pressed by reporters about where he was Saturday, and he eventually confirmed he was not in Albany. But he refused to explain where he was or why. "I had other business. I was communicating all day with my command staff," Hawkins said. One officer was sent to the hospital Saturday night after they were hit with a brick and sustained a head injury. The officer has since been sent home. Two people were arrested during the confrontations, but police said it was for burglary charges that were unknown to have been related to the violence. Meanwhile, other gun violence continued in Albany, as a 15-year-old and 18-year-old were both injured in gunfire during unrelated incidents. READ MORE: Damage on South Pearl Street after Saturday violence Businesses and government buildings along South Pearl Street and Central Avenue had their windows smashed late Saturday night, in addition to people throwing rocks, lighting fireworks that were directed toward police horses and setting fire to objects around the police's South Station. People stole cash registers and cell phones out of stores. Graffiti was also written on buildings on South Pearl Street. A truck driver also lost the items in his flatbed after people set the contents on fire, Apple said. "We are better than what happened last night," Sheehan said. "We will come together, we will work together. Today is a day for all of us to take a deep breath. We need to stay home, keep your kids home." Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. McCoy said 30 windows were smashed at the Board of Elections on South Pearl Street. Windows were also broken at the county's probation building, department of mental health and the Albany County Judicial Center. Looters also smashed open a glass door at Colonie Center and ran around the empty mall; Colonie police were unsure if items were taken. "It's troubling to me to see the protestors who take advantage of a situation and turn things upside down," McCoy said, adding "you were being terrorists. It's shameful." READ MORE: Albany community organizer calls for clean-up after Saturday riots But local activists stressed that some of Saturdays protesters were grieving the losses of their own George Floyds loved ones who died at the hands of the police or otherwise. I think everyone personalized it. It opened a wound, Albany County Legislator Carolyn McLaughlin said at a Sunday rally in the South End. Because when you think about this stuff, it brings tears to your eyes, and to think that nobody cares So last night, you dont care about me, I dont care about you either. Right or wrong. At her press conference, Sheehan criticized that many of the businesses targeted were black- and brown-owned. However, Jones said some of the damage she saw done was by people who didn't live in the immediate neighborhood. I was at the South Station, she said. It was white kids with backpacks and bandanas covering their faces who threw bricks through the windows of the police car. Albany police announced Sunday evening that James Vail, a 21-year-old white man from Delmar, had been charged with throwing the brick that hit an Albany police officer around 7 p.m. Saturday. The officer sustained a concussion and was treated at a local hospital. Barbara Smith, a nationally recognized black feminist, said people are fed up with what she described as the disregard and dehumanization of black life. She, and other activists, believe the focus must not be on the vandalism and burglaries. I cannot equate a lynching with the destruction of property, Smith said. And while the fact that many of the targeted Albany businesses are minority-owned is upsetting, Smith said, property destruction during rebellions in response to injustice has been the norm from the Jim Crow-era she lived through and beyond. Its excruciatingly painful to think about the loss of peoples livelihoods and businesses, she said. But it just is not in the same category as someone having their life choked out of them on video with three other officers standing around watching. LONGUEUIL, Que. - Quebec Maple Syrup Producers say they set a new record for maple syrup production this year. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. LONGUEUIL, Que. - Quebec Maple Syrup Producers say they set a new record for maple syrup production this year. The group says this year's harvest is estimated at more than 175 million pounds of maple syrup for all of Quebec, an average yield of 3.59 pounds per tap. Maple syrup cans are seen at a sugar shack Friday, February 10, 2017 in Oka, Quebec. The Quebec Maple Syrup Producers says they set a new record for maple syrup production this year. The producers say this year's harvest is estimated at more than 175 million pounds of maple syrup for all of Quebec, an average yield of 3.59 pounds per tap. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz They say an the addition of 2.3 million taps in the last two years and a chilly April help explain why this season was so successful. Try our Dish The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Dish arrives in your inbox every other Friday. See sample. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The organization says the pandemic had an impact on processes and methods, but the syrup kept flowing. Changes affecting the delivery of maple syrup barrels, farm gate sales, equipment cleaning, and travel between regions were introduced, the producers say. The Quebec Maple Syrup Producers represents some 11,300 producers and 7,400 businesses. "The resilience and ingenuity of our maple syrup producers during the pandemic has certainly paid off, and I couldn't be happier," Serge Beaulieu, president of the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, said in a statement. "This most unusual year is one we won't forget. It will go down in the history of our organization." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2020. Barack Obama offered up a "toolkit" for people looking to make concrete changes within the United States policing system, as protests continue in response to George Floyd's killing by a white police officer in Minneapolis last Monday. The former president, 58, wrote in a new Medium essay that the nationwide protests "represent a genuine and legitimate frustration over a decades-long failure to reform police practices and the broader criminal justice system in the United States." Obama condemned "the small minority of folks whove resorted to violence in various forms, whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism." Nationwide protests began last week after Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old black man, died in an encounter with Minneapolis police that was caught on camera and resulted in widespread outrage across the country. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was fired and arrested on third-degree murder charges. The three other officers involved with Floyd's death were also fired. Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo told CNN he believes the three officers with Chauvin were "complicit" in Floyd's death. Scott Olson/Getty President Barack Obama speaks at the University of Illinois in 2018. Protests in response to Floyd's killing occurred in dozens of American cities in recent days, resulting in some deaths as well as widely shared videos and images of citizens and police clashing on streets across the country. Many videos shared across social media showed police using aggressive force against people at protests sites, including using vehicles and riot gear against unprotected individuals. Steel Brooks/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Protestors rally outside the Minneapolis 3rd police precinct on Thursday President Donald Trump, 73, appeared to encourage law enforcement's use of aggression in a series of tweets over the weekend. Trump went as far as suggesting the use of the military to "shoot" American citizens in one widely condemned tweet. Story continues "When we think about politics, a lot of us focus only on the presidency and the federal government," Obama wrote Monday. "And yes, we should be fighting to make sure that we have a president, a Congress, a U.S. Justice Department, and a federal judiciary that actually recognize the ongoing, corrosive role that racism plays in our society and want to do something about it. But the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels." Obama, who has endorsed Joe Biden for president, validated those involved in peaceful protests following Floyd's death while encouraging activists to not "excuse violence, or rationalize it, or participate" in it. "If we want our criminal justice system, and American society at large, to operate on a higher ethical code, then we have to model that code ourselves," he wrote. RELATED: Martin Luther King's Daughter Says 'Only Way to Get Constructive Change Is Through Nonviolent Means' John Minchillo/AP/Shutterstock Protestors demonstrate outside of a burning fast food restaurant, in Minneapolis on May 29, 2020. Protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody on May 24, have continued across the country. Obama also urged activists to turn their efforts into political action, calling on Americans to vote in local and national elections. "I've heard some suggest that the recurrent problem of racial bias in our criminal justice system proves that only protests and direct action can bring about change, and that voting and participation in electoral politics is a waste of time. I couldnt disagree more," the father of two wrote. "The point of protest is to raise public awareness, to put a spotlight on injustice, and to make the powers that be uncomfortable; in fact, throughout American history, its often only been in response to protests and civil disobedience that the political system has even paid attention to marginalized communities." Eventually, "aspirations have to be translated into specific laws and institutional practices and in a democracy, that only happens when we elect government officials who are responsive to our demands," the former president wrote. "So the bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isnt between protest and politics. We have to do both," Obama continued. "We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform." I wrote out some thoughts on how to make this moment a real turning point to bring about real changeand pulled together some resources to help young activists sustain the momentum by channeling their energy into concrete action. https://t.co/jEczrOeFdv Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 1, 2020 RELATED: Trump Briefly Taken to White House Underground Bunker amid George Floyd Protest in D.C. on Friday John Moore/Getty Images Protests in New York City on May 31, 2020. He directed advocates to a "report and toolkit" from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. The 153-page features a seven-step guide Obama says people can follow to learn about "making change" in community policing. Obama, the country's first black president, directed readers to an Obama Foundation resource page with links on how those protesting for police reform can take direct action. "I recognize that these past few months have been hard and dispiriting that the fear, sorrow, uncertainty, and hardship of a pandemic have been compounded by tragic reminders that prejudice and inequality still shape so much of American life," he also wrote in his essay. "But watching the heightened activism of young people in recent weeks, of every race and every station, makes me hopeful." Without making direct reference to President Trump's leadership, Obama concluded: "If, going forward, we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action, then this moment can be a real turning point in our nations long journey to live up to our highest ideals. Let's get to work." While the entire globe is reeling under the devastating novel Corona Virus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued crucial guidelines to mitigate the impact of the same. Smokers are more susceptible to serious COVID-19 related conditions compared to non-smokers; the effects of smoking on the respiratory system make it more likely that smokers contract these diseases. [1] Hence, the WHO and the United States Food & Drug Administration recommends Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) to individuals for smoking cessation effectively. [2][3] In light of this, Nicotex (2mg) - the leading brand in the smoking cessation category by Cipla Health Ltd., embodies the need for robust pulmonary health during the COVID19 pandemic and urges Indians to quit smoking at the earliest to eliminate risks related to Coronavirus. In order to minimize the dependence on tobacco and tobacco-based products, the brand has collaborated with the State Governments of Karnataka and Goa and taken progressive steps to provide NRT to frontline workers; sensitise and provide counselling support to general population about the life saving therapy. Both the global research institutions, WHO & USFDA recommend NRT as first line therapy and WHO has added NRT to its Model List of Essential Medicines. It has been noticed that within 20 minutes of quitting smoking, the elevated heart rate and blood pressure drops, after 12 hours the carbon monoxide levels in the bloodstream drops to normal, within 2-12 weeks circulation improves and lung function increases. And thereafter between 1-9 months, coughing and shortness of breath decreases, thus leading to advanced individual health. [4] With this revelation and observing the World No-Tobacco Day on 31st May, Nicotex, which works on the certified formula of Nicotine Replacement Therapy, pledges to encourage smokers to give up this harmful habit; raising a new call of solidarity for India during COVID 19 - Tobacco Distancing along with Social Distancing. To promote safe behaviour, Nicotex has collaborated with the dynamic efforts of Karnataka to protect the frontline workers, who are presently engaged in field work, under high vulnerability, amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. With the distribution of over 40,000 Nicotex packs to over 10,000 healthcare workers, the therapy (NRT), as per WHO, would benefit smokers, gutka and other smokeless tobacco users in helping to quit smoking; by reducing cravings, anxiety, irritability and other withdrawal symptoms associated with smoking cessation. This would be a part of the joint endeavour to protect our healthcare champions working in close interface with infected patients. Commenting on the efforts, Shri A R Nanda, former Union Health Secretary, Government of India said, Every year, on 31 May, the World Health Organization (WHO) and global partners celebrate World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). I understand that Nicotex has partnered with various states and is working on mission mode to make the country, specifically the youth, free from the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use in any form. Tobacco cessation programs need to be widely adopted by the states and NRT (Nicotine Replacement Therapy) followed as per the government of India guidelines. Commenting on the initiative, Team Karnataka (special committee constituted by the Honble CM to fight COVID) said, We acknowledge the support of Cipla Health to the Government of Karnataka in its fight against the COVID 19 pandemic. We appreciate the support in the form of Nicotex. In Goa, the collaborative efforts of the state and Cipla Health have enabled various grassroot-levels, health seeking measures dissuading the consumption of tobacco among its citizens. With the launch of Mission Tobacco Free Goa, the state has been working towards making two talukas tobacco-free zones whilst simultaneously working on having the same effect across the state. The common goal is to bring down tobacco related morbidities by about one-third. Some of the Missions community initiatives involve training health workers, health educators, anganwadi workers, government officials as well as school teachers, and rigorous outreach programs through mobile van outreach. Commenting on the unique Mission, the Hon'ble Health Minister of Goa, Shri Vishwajit P. Rane said, We are proud to say that through our collaborative efforts with Cipla health Ltd. and the landmark project Mission Tobacco-Free Goa we are working together towards making Goa tobacco-free, beginning with two talukas, Bicholim and Salcete. Nicotex is helping accelerate behaviour change among smokers and provide a veritable and lasting solution to the severe problem afflicting our state and the country. Talking about these associations, Mr. Shivam Puri, CEO, Cipla Health Ltd. said, Especially during the COVID 19 pandemic, smokers are at a greater risk. Our collaborations with Health Ministry of various states are helping us to execute these operations at a much larger scale and to reach out to the masses to help them quit smoking. We are striving to further enhance the scale of our initiatives and are working towards partnering with other states in the days to come. L ockdown measures could be reimposed nationally if necessary, Matt Hancock has said. Speaking at the daily Covid-19 press conference on Monday, the Health Secretary said that the Government is trying to move towards a more targetted approach rather than "national blanket measures". It comes after the Government launched the new NHS Test and Trace system last week in a bid to monitor the virus and prevent transmission as lockdown measures are eased. After announcing the system's launch, Mr Hancock suggested restrictions will be introduced in areas with local flare-ups. On Monday he said: We are attempting to move the system from these national blanket measures to a more targeted approach this is why test and trace is such an important part of that. But we have always said that we are prepared to reintroduce measures whether that is nationally or in response to a localised outbreak if that is necessary. UK lockdown eases as more people return to work - In pictures 1 /54 UK lockdown eases as more people return to work - In pictures A woman wearing a face mask and gloves walks on a platform at Waterloo Station in London Reuters Cannon Street Station Jeremy Selwyn General view of roadworks on London Bridge, London PA Busy tube train between East Ham and Upton Park. PA People are seen at Waterloo Station in London Reuters People wear a face masks at Leeds station PA A worker from LNER stands beside ticket barriers that have been blocked for social distancing measures at Newcastle train station, PA Cannon Street Station Jeremy Selwyn Police at Victoria Station as Lockdown is slowly lifted at Victoria Station Nigel Howard Nigel Howard Burnt Oak tube station. PA A Victoria line train is deep cleaned at Northumberland Park depot PA Commuters at Clapham Junction Station PA Nigel Howard Euston Station Jeremy Selwyn Nigel Howard Passengers board and leave a train at a station in Bracknell, Berkshire PA Commuters and staff in and around at Clapham Junction Railway Station Daniel Hambury Police officers pictured at Colliers Wood Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd Cannon Street Station Jeremy Selwyn Euston Station Jeremy Selwyn Euston Station Jeremy Selwyn Euston Station Jeremy Selwyn Euston Station Jeremy Selwyn Euston Station Jeremy Selwyn Increased police and security personnel at New Street station in Birmingham PA Cannon Street Station Jeremy Selwyn Commuters at Clapham Junction sStation PA Nigel Howard Cannon Street Station Jeremy Selwyn Commuters at Clapham Junction Station PA Busy tube train between East Ham and Upton Park PA Nigel Howard Commuters and staff in and around at Clapham Junction Railway Station, Daniel Hambury Nigel Howard Increased police and security personnel at New Street station in Birmingham PA Increased security at New Street station in Birmingham, PA Busy tube train between East Ham and Upton Park PA Commuters at Clapham Junction Station PA A sign advising passengers to wear a face mask at Clapham Junction station, PA Stickers being installed on a bus at Abellio Camberwell bus garage, as more people are set to return to offices, factories and building sites this week PA Mr Hancock said there was a range of measures available to combat local flare-ups of coronavirus. It could mean shutting to new admissions a hospital A&E if there was an outbreak in that hospital, he said. Loading.... The powers available were as broad as the legal toolkit that was used for the national lockdown, he said. Local directors of public health would work with regional Public Health England and NHS teams to make sure we got the response right. UK Markets begin to reopen during Coronavirus lockdown ease 1 /24 UK Markets begin to reopen during Coronavirus lockdown ease PA AP Daniel Hambury AP Daniel Hambury Daniel Hambury Daniel Hambury Daniel Hambury Daniel Hambury AP AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images Reuters Reuters Reuters The Joint Biosecurity Centre would have a national role to provide the advice and the information that would then be acted on locally. It would advise the UKs chief medical officers who would report to ministers and local health bodies. Mr Hancock also said the Government had worked very closely and very hard to try to ensure that lockdown easing changes were made on a UK-wide basis. We face this virus as one country, and I think to the very large extent that is what has happened there are some minor differences but the major principles of the changes and the lockdown rules are the same. Professor John Newton said every effort was made by scientific advisers to make rules the same across the UK, but added: The mechanisms for implementing that advice are different. The death of George Floyd, a black man who died on Memorial Day after he was pinned down by a white Minnesota police officer, has sparked outrage and protests in Minneapolis and across the United States. Murder and manslaughter charges have been filed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who prosecutors say held his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin and the other three officers at the scene have been fired. The Department of Justice is investigating. Monday's biggest developments: Protests, arrests continue despite curfew in many cities Trump says he is deploying thousands of 'heavily armed soldiers' 1 dead from police shooting in Louisville, police chief fired Independent autopsy says Floyd died from homicide by asphyxia More National Guardsmen are on duty now than ever before This is how the news unfolded on Monday. All times Eastern. 11:32 p.m.: Store windows smashed in Manhattan shopping spots In New York City, vandals smashed store windows and attempted to loot several stores at Midtown Manhattan locations frequented by tourists. Police confronted attempted looters as they smashed into a boutique tea shop in the middle of Rockefeller Center. NYPD officers also responded to reports of shattered windows at The Nintendo Store, Michael Kors, Kate Spade, and Barnes and Noble. Mannequins could be seen on the broken glass-covered sidewalks. Police made one arrest after tackling a man to the ground. Looting also took place further downtown, where looters were caught on camera breaking into a Nordstrom Rack in Union Square. 10:42 p.m.: Police injured in Buffalo, clashes continue in Louisville Authorities in Buffalo say two officers were stuck when a vehicle plowed into a group of law enforcement officers during a protest. Injuries to one of the officers appear serious in nature, officials say. State Police members were helping Buffalo Police disperse protesters on Bailey Avenue when the vehicle drove into the officers, according to authorities. Story continues PHOTO: Kentucky State Troopers advance and detain a man during the protest against the deaths of Breonna Taylor by Louisville police and George Floyd by Minneapolis police, in Louisville, Kentucky, June 1, 2020. (Bryan Woolston/Reuters) Police in Louisville, Kentucky, flooded the street with tear gas and used flash bangs to clear protesters from the area around Seventh and Jefferson streets. The move came a night after police used similar tactics to flush protesters from Jefferson Square Park, in a move that was questioned by some city officials, according to the Louisville Courier Journal. Two people were also struck by gunfire in a separate incident, Buffalo Police say. Protesters in Dallas marched onto the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and blocked traffic before police made several arrests. 10:11 p.m. More arrests as cities begin 10 p.m. curfew Police in Pittsburgh made numerous arrests after a number of businesses were vandalized during protests. Authorities directed residents to stay away from the the Shadyside business district in accordance with the city's curfew. Officials in Atlanta said they had made 52 arrests during the day, with large groups gathering at Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Marietta Street. PHOTO: Demonstrators gather at the site of George Floyd's death while under arrest by police officers in Minneapolis, May 31, 2020. (Emilie Richardson/ABC News) "We have encountered several issues during the day including instances where protesters blocked traffic on several roadways and briefly entered onto the interstate," an official said. Other cities under curfew as of 10 p.m. include Chicago, Orlando, and Orange County, Florida. 8:52 p.m.: Protests continue across nation Across the country, a mix of protests and lootings are continuing tonight, in spite of curfews enacted by state and city officials. Los Angeles County, Miami-Dade County, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Seattle and Fort Worth, Texas, all entered curfews at 9 p.m. ET. In Seattle, protesters shouted, "This is a protest not a riot," and marched peacefully through downtown during the early evening hours. In the Philadelphia area, members of the National Guard blocked access to Upper Darby, the site of widespread looting Sunday night. In New York City, police officers tussled with attempted looters on Fifth Avenue near Rockefeller Center. One person was seen directing others away from police before store windows were smashed. At least one person was arrested. 8:23 p.m.: LA shop owners arm themselves to protect stores As Los Angeles shop owners and other businesses board up their properties from rioters, some are arming themselves. Ahead of another night of expected protests, pawn shop owners were seen armed with AR-15s, a bail bondsman was seen with a pump action shotgun in a second-story window, and armed civilians were seen on a rooftop. PHOTO: Pedestrians walk past boarded up storefronts on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, California on June 1, 2020, following a weekend of looting by people taking advantage of the protest situation in response to the death of George Floyd. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images) A pawn shop owner told ABC News his store has been there for 35 years and "nobody is taking it away from us." Numerous storefronts in downtown Los Angeles, Beverley Hills, Santa Monica, Fairfax, and the San Fernando Valley are boarded up due to the rioting accompanying the protests. 8:03 p.m.: Highest ranking NYPD member takes a knee, hugs protesters The highest-ranking uniformed member of the NYPD took a knee with protesters in Washington Square Park. Chief of Department Terry Monahan was leading a group of officers facing off with protesters who were hurling bottles and other debris. A protest organizer tried to hold the demonstrators back but was unsuccessful. He tried -- we kept backing up, they kept advancing, Monahan told ABC News. The protester approached Monahan, who asked for the protester's megaphone so he could address the crowd. "This does not need to be riotous every single night, Monahan told the group. PHOTO: Chief of Department of the New York City Police, Terence Monahan, takes a knee with activists as protesters paused while walking in New York, June 1, 2020. (Craig Ruttle/AP) Monahan said the protest leader then asked the chief to take a knee with him for peace, and when he complied the crowd cheered. "Have a good day, I love you," a protester said before hugging Monahan. I thought it was appropriate. We hugged to show theres solidarity, said Monahan, who added that he had never before done anything like that with a protester. 6:52 p.m.: Trump deploying thousands of 'heavily armed soldiers' Making his first public appearance since this weekend's riots, President Trump vowed to send the military to cities around the country to quell the unrest. Calling himself the "law and order" president, Trump said he was already deploying "heavily armed soldiers" to Washington, D.C., to ensure that violence and property destruction didn't occur as the city began its 7 p.m. curfew. "We are putting everybody on warning -- our 7 o'clock curfew will be strictly enforced," Trump said. PHOTO: Police begin to clear demonstrators gather as they protest the death of George Floyd, Monday, June 1, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP) Minutes before the news conference began, police cleared the area outside the White House by firing tear gas into crowds of protesters who were chanting, "No violence." Trump cited antifa and "thugs" as the main factors behind the weekend's violence, saying they were drowning out the voices of peaceful protesters. He said he recommended that all state and city officials deploy the National Guard and warned that if they didn't, he would deploy the military to their locations. "Mayors and governors must establish an overwhelming law enforcement presence until the violence has been quelled," he said. 6:18 p.m.: National Guard troops deployed near White House National Guard troops have been deployed near the White House, hours after the President Donald Trump said he wanted a show of force in the area. PHOTO: Demonstrators kneel in front of a line of police officers during a protest for the death of George Floyd, Monday, June 1, 2020, near the White House in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP) Trucks with troops were seen near Lafayette Park across Pennsylvania Avenue where large groups of protesters have clashed with police for the past three nights. A U.S. official said that active duty Army military police units from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, will be in the nation's capital tonight after days of violent protests that have included fires set not far from the White House. 5:37 p.m.: Curfew extended in nation's capital The District of Columbia is imposing a curfew for the next two nights, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced. The curfew will be in effect from 7 p.m.-6 a.m. on both Monday night and Tuesday night. It will not apply to essential workers and those voting and participating in election activities, the mayor said. 5:14 p.m.: Seattle instituting another curfew Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkin announced the city will have another curfew tonight following this weekend's protests, which she called the worst she's seen in more than 20 years. The curfew will start at 6 p.m. PST and last until 5 a.m. PHOTO: People stand at a social distance during a community gathering remembering George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery in the parking lot at First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Seattle, June 1, 2020. (Lindsey Wasson/Reuters) Durkin says hundreds of buildings were damaged Saturday, with more than 90 of the properties located in Chinatown International District. 4:45 p.m.: 1 dead from police shooting in Louisville, police chief fired The Kentucky State Police will independently investigate a deadly shooting that took place overnight at the hands of police, Gov. Andy Beshear said. PHOTO: Odessa Riley, in red, is comforted by family as she is lead in prayer outside police tape as police watch outside Dino's Food Mart in the Russell neighborhood of Louisville, Ky., June 1, 2020. (Matt Stone/Courier Journal via USA Today Network) PHOTO: Louisville police stand on guard inside police tape at an intersection in Louisville, Ky., on June 1, 2020, after a man was shot and killed by police and National Guard personnel outside a market. (Matt Stone/Courier Journal via USA Today Network) Around midnight, officers with the Louisville police and the Kentucky National Guard were trying to disperse a crowd when they "were fired upon," Beshear said. The local police and National Guard returned fire, "resulting in a death," Beshear said. Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad has since been fired after it was announced that no body camera footage was available of the shooting, The Louisville Courier Journal reported. Conrad previously said he would retire at the end of June after facing immense pressure following the March death of Breonna Taylor, a young black woman who was shot dead by police while in her home. 4 p.m.: NYC curfew to begin at 11 p.m. A curfew in New York City will go into effect from 11 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday in the wake of violence and property damage during Sunday night's protests, the governor and mayor said. The New York City Police Department will also double its presence. PHOTO: A New York City police officer takes a knee during a demonstration by protesters in Times Square over the death of George Floyd at a rally on May 31, 2020 in New York. (Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images) "I stand behind the protestors and their message, but unfortunately there are people who are looking to distract and discredit this moment," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. "The violence and the looting has been bad for the city, the state and this entire national movement, undermining and distracting from this righteous cause. While we encourage people to protest peacefully and make their voices heard, the safety of the general public is paramount and cannot be compromised." Luxury retailers on Madison Avenue were seen Monday boarding up their glass storefronts and windows in anticipation of additional protests. More than 250 people were arrested during protests overnight Sunday in New York City, which included significant looting, vandalism and theft of luxury stores in the Soho neighborhood. PHOTO: A ransacked Coach store is shown in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City, June 1, 2020. (Mark Lennihan/AP) PHOTO: A passerby photographs a smashed Dolce and Gabbana store window in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City, June 1, 2020. (Mark Lennihan/AP) Looting is rare for New York City and Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday condemned the behavior as "unacceptable." The NYPD believes the destruction of property, particularly at high-end retail stores, is part of a preconceived plan by agitators who have co-opted the demonstrations related to Floyd's death. PHOTO: A looted and destroyed shop is seen after a night of protest over the death of African-American man George Floyd in Minneapolis on June 1, 2020 in Lower Manhattan in New York City. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images) "We're seeing a lot of outside and independent agitators connected with anarchist groups who are deliberately trying to provoke acts of violence," Deputy Police Commissioner John Miller said on Sunday. These "agitators" came prepared to commit property damage, Miller said, and directed followers to do so selectively, only in wealthier areas and at high-end stores. More than 1,000 people have been arrested since protests began in New York City on Thursday. PHOTO: NYPD police officers detain a protester as they clash during a march against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Brooklyn, New York, May 30, 2020. (Jeenah Moon/Reuters) One in seven protesters who have been arrested are from outside the city, the NYPD said, including states such as Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Iowa, New Jersey, Nevada, Virginia, Maryland, Texas and Minnesota. MORE: George Floyd protests go international as demonstrations break out across the world Among the 345 arrested Saturday night was the mayor's 25-year-old daughter, Chiara. She was arrested for unlawful assembly and given a desk appearance ticket, according to NYPD sources. "I love my daughter deeply," de Blasio said Monday. "I'm proud of her that she cares so much." "She was acting peacefully. She believes that everything she did was in the spirit of peaceful, respectful protest," de Blasio said. "I will let her speak for herself ... But I admire that she was out there trying to change something that she thought was unjust." The NYPD overall "showed restraint" as they worked to keep the peace and allow demonstrators to continue to protest on Sunday, the mayor said. PHOTO: A police officer sprays protesters during a march against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Brooklyn, New York, May 30, 2020. (Jeenah Moon/Reuters) PHOTO: A NYPD officer walks by a vandalized St. Patrick's Cathedral on May 30, 2020 in New York City. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) But De Blasio did condemn what he called the rare act of officers acting inappropriately, bringing up the "troubling video" of two police cars moving through a crowd in Brooklyn Saturday night. Video showed one police SUV being blocked by a group of protesters behind a barricade as various items and objects can be seen striking the vehicle. Another NYPD SUV then pulled up alongside the first vehicle before both of them can be seen accelerating into the crowd of people knocking many of them over as the screaming and yelling from the crowd began to intensify. NYC police cars plow through crowd, mayor calls for investigation "Not acceptable," the mayor said, stressing that there's "no situation where a police vehicle should drive into a crowd of protesters or New Yorkers." The incident is under investigation. De Blasio also called for the officer who pulled a gun on a group of protesters to be fired. "Any officer who does the wrong thing there needs to be consequences and they need to be fast," the mayor said. Cuomo and de Blasio on Monday also reminded protesters to wear face coverings to protect themselves against COVID-19. 3:50 p.m.: Denver cleans up, police chief commits to marching with protesters Hundreds of volunteers showed up in downtown Denver Monday morning to pick up trash and wash the walls and statues covered in graffiti from Sunday's massive protest. Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen was spotted wiping away tears. He told ABC News it hurt to see the damage to the city, but it was inspiring to see the massive cleanup effort. Pazen said he also spoke with a young, black protester, committing to march with him. PHOTO: Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen bumps elbows with a protester during a 'Justice 4 Floyd' march, May 31, 2020, in Denver, Colorado. (ABC News) "[I told him] I would stand with him and I would do the hard work with him moving forward," Pazen said. "This is not acceptable. We cannot continue down this path. And if it means coming together and having those hard conversations, getting into some heavy lifts, then our commitment is to do that." A curfew will be in effect in Denver from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night this week until Friday morning. 3:10 p.m.: Independent autopsy says George Floyd died from asphyxia An independent autopsy requested by Floyd's family found that he died by homicide, caused by asphyxia due to neck and back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain. PHOTO: George Floyd is pictured in an undated photo released by the office of Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump. (Courtesy Ben Crump Law) The doctors conducting the independent autopsy found that the sustained pressure on the right side of Floyd's carotid artery prevented blood flow to the brain and that the weight on his back kept him from breathing. The weight, the handcuffs and the positioning were contributory factors because they hurt Floyd's diaphragm, doctors said, adding that it appeared Floyd died at the scene. MORE: Photos: Moments of peace, unity you may not have seen in George Floyd protests The combined effects of being restrained, possible intoxicants in his system and underlying health issues -- including heart disease -- probably played a role in his death, doctors said. The preliminary findings reported "no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia." Floyd's family is calling for the arrest of the three other officers at the scene and for a first-degree murder charge for Derek Chauvin, the since-fired officer who pinned Floyd to the ground. PHOTO: A crowd marches to protest the death of George Floyd on the Hennepin Avenue Bridge over the Mississippi River, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) PHOTO: Protesters raise their hands on command from police as they are detained prior to arrest and processing at a gas station on South Washington Street, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis. (John Minchillo/AP) 2:30 p.m.: Total of 65 US Park Police injured during DC protests A total of 65 U.S. Park Police were injured during three nights of protests in Washington, D.C. Most of the injuries came from projectiles being thrown at officers; they were hit with bricks, urine bottles and petroleum-based substances, Sgt. Eduardo Delgado, spokesman for the Park Service, told ABC News. MORE: Trump, Barr tell governors to 'dominate' streets in response to unrest Police arrested 88 people related to the violent demonstrations Sunday night, Metropolitan Police Chief Peter Newsham said. Of those, 44 were charged with felony rioting. Newsham said the city is looking at federal statutes that might be used to prosecute some of those arrested. PHOTO: A Secret Service officer orders demonstrators back as other officers detain a protestor during a march on the White House against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Lafayette Park in Washington, May 29, 2020. (Eric Thayer/Reuters) The entire D.C. National Guard has been activated by Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy to assist U.S. Park Police, according to Master Sgt. Craig Clapper, a spokesman for the D.C. National Guard. The additional forces will be unarmed and in a support role to U.S. Park police and that they will be equipped in protective riot gear, Clapper said. PHOTO: Law enforcement officers look on as a person protests near the White House against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd in Washington, May 30, 2020. (Eric Thayer/Reuters) Mayor Muriel Bowser has ordered a two-day curfew, beginning at 7 p.m. Monday. Newsham warned, if you are not a member of the media or performing an essential function, "local and federal police will take you into custody." 1:48 p.m.: More than 400 arrested in Santa Monica In Santa Monica, California, more than 400 people were arrested on Sunday. PHOTO: Police arrest people amid demonstrations and some ransacking in the aftermath of George Floyds death, May 31, 2020 in Santa Monica, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) Charges included looting, violating curfew, burglary and assault with a deadly weapon, officials said. PHOTO: People sit in handcuffs under arrest during an emergency curfew during demonstrations following the death of George Floyd, May 31, 2020, in Santa Monica, California. (David Mcnew/Getty Images) While there were no serious injuries, Santa Monica Police Chief Cynthia Renaud on Monday cautioned protesters that the looters "are opportunists" who will "take advantage" of the peaceful protests. She said they "are tracking where peaceful protests are occurring, and they are then going to that city knowing that resources will be tied up ensuring first amendment rights to free speech. And they take advantage of that, and they loot and they perform criminal activity." 1:20 p.m.: More National Guardsmen on duty now than ever before Between the George Floyd protests and the COVID-19 pandemic, there are more National Guardsmen on duty right now for a domestic response than ever before, the National Guard Bureau said. PHOTO: A U.S. National Guard soldier walks on patrol in the aftermath of George Floyds death after looting occurred in the area amid demonstrations, May 31, 2020, in Santa Monica, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) There are now 66,700 activated National Guard soldiers and airmen. To put that in context, for Hurricane Katrina in 2005, more than 51,000 were activated. The National Guard is now active in the District of Columbia and at least 25 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington state and Wisconsin. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the National Guard is on standby but not needed in New York City at this time because the NYPD is such a large police force. 1 p.m.: 'Miraculous' that no one injured when truck barreled toward Minnesota crowd In Minneapolis -- the epicenter of the protests -- a memorial will be held for George Floyd on Thursday, Gov. Tim Walz said PHOTO: A mourner cries as she visits a makeshift memorial for George Floyd on the corner of Chicago Avenue and East 38th Street, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis. (John Minchillo/AP) Some of the Minnesota National Guard will be redeployed and sent home, he said. PHOTO: Demonstrators protest the killing of George Floyd near the city's 5th police precinct on May 30, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) On Sunday afternoon, between 5,000 and 7,000 people joined in a "very peaceful demonstration" at Minneapolis' U.S. Bank Stadium, said DPS Commissioner John Harrington. Then the group moved to the freeway, and that was when a tanker truck started barreling toward the crowd. PHOTO: A crowd marches to protest the death of George Ford on the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River, May 31, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) Harrington called it "miraculous" that there were no deaths or injuries. PHOTO: A tanker truck drives into thousands of protesters marching on 35W north bound highway during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, May 31, 2020. (Eric Miller/Reuters) Walz also commended the peaceful protesters who jumped in to protect the truck driver, even though at the time the driver appeared poised to assault them. It does not appear that the truck driver headed toward the protesters intentionally, Harrington said. "He saw the crowd and initially, what it looks like, he panicked, and he just kept barreling forward," Harrington said. "And then he saw ... a young woman on a bike fall down in front of him and he slammed on the brakes. And he slid for a certain period of time until the vehicle stopped." The driver is facing assault charges. 12 p.m.: Nearly 700 arrested in Chicago Just on Sunday, 699 people were arrested in Chicago, primarily for looting, David Brown, superintendent of the Chicago Police, said Monday. Brown addressed the rioters and looters directly, saying, "you disgraced the name of Mr. Floyd by your actions." "Hate can never drive out hate," Brown said, and he vowed, "we will hold you accountable." MORE: How parents can talk to their kids about racism, George Floyd protests Brown also addressed the late George Floyd directly, saying, "We are embarrassed by the cops in Minneapolis' use of force, asphyxiating you on the streets." "We stand with Mr. Floyd's family," he said. PHOTO: People clean up items outside a Jewel grocery store, June 1, 2020, in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago, after the business was broken into during unrest in reaction to the death of George Floyd. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP) 11:38 a.m. Barr sending riot teams to Miami, DC A senior Department of Justice official says U.S. Attorney General William Barr has directed the Bureau of Prisons to send riot teams (Special Operation Response Teams) to Miami and Washington, D.C. to help with crowd control, a senior DOJ official said. The team was already present in Miami over the weekend, this official said. PHOTO: A protester reacts after being hit by pepper spray from police as their group of demonstrators are detained prior to arrest at a gas station on South Washington Street, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis. (John Minchillo/AP) PHOTO: Police officers take guard during a protest over the death of George Floyd, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images) On Sunday night, Barr also dispatched the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team to help D.C. police. All FBI field offices have been instructed to set up command posts to deal specifically with the protests in nearby communities, the official said. 10:24 a.m.: Minnesota AG 'seriously looking' at prosecuting other officers Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said on SiriusXM's "The Joe Madison Show" on Monday that he's "very seriously looking at" prosecuting the three other officers who were at the scene of Floyd's death. PHOTO: A demonstrator sits by her sign reading 'Silence Promotes Violence' outside of the state capital building guarded by National Guards and State Patrol, May 31, 2020 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images) "I'm not prepared to announce anything at this moment," Ellison said, adding, "I will say that we are going to hold everybody accountable for what they did wrong and what they did that's illegal." "We are reviewing the video tapes, the audio tapes, all the evidence, and we will make a charging decision based on the facts that we can prove," he said. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Sunday that he has asked Ellison to help with the case. MORE: How viral videos of killings of black men take a toll on black male mental health At a Sunday night news conference Ellison said he wanted to give people "a dose of reality." "Prosecuting police officers for misconduct is very difficult," Ellison said. "We are pursing justice relentlessly and we are pursuing it on behalf of the people of Minnesota." PHOTO: Demonstrators march on I- 35 while participating in a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, May 31, 2020, in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) 9:13 a.m.: Miami-Dade County mayor wants to honor protesters who stopped potential looters In Miami, video overnight showed a group of protesters shattering the glass door of a CVS as they prepared to loot the store -- only to be stopped by a group of peaceful protesters who formed a line to prevent them from entering. Police then arrived and dispersed the crowd. Monday morning, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said he wants to meet and commend the protesters who kept the potential looters from breaking in. PHOTO: People attend a protest amid nationwide unrest following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Miami, May 31, 2020. (Maria Alejandra Cardona/Reuters) "Anyone who can identify the people responsible for keeping the peace as they, themselves, properly exercised their right to assemble and protest, please reach out to the Mayor's office via social media on the Mayor's Facebook page Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, or on Twitter @mayorgimenez," he said in a statement. PHOTO: Protestors form a line in front of a CVS store to avoid people breaking the store windows during a rally in response to the recent death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis, in Miami, May 31, 2020. (Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images) 2:22 a.m.: Derek Chauvin moved to state prison in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota Derek Chauvin, the officer accused of killing George Floyd, is now in custody at the state prison in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota, said Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell. Hennepin County Sheriff David Hutchison made the request to move him over concerns about the large number of people who could possibly be booked into Hennepin County Jail Sunday night, and concerns over COVID-19. Chauvin's court date has been pushed back a week to June 8. ABC's Ryan Burrow reports for ABC News Radio: 1:40 a.m.: In several cities, protesters and police share a hug Although Sunday's protests included much of the looting and violence of the previous week's demonstrations, there were signs throughout the country that relations between protesters and police were warming. PHOTO: Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett hugs a demonstrator during a gathering to protest the recent death of George Floyd on May 31, 2020 in Bellevue, Washington. (David Ryder/Getty Images) In Orlando, Florida, photos on social media showed two police officers holding hands with protesters through a barricade. Video showed a Florida Highway Patrol trooper in Miami detach himself from a security line to offer a hug to a woman sitting on a motor scooter, who said, "I appreciate your patience" after troopers remained calm when protesters approached them. MORE: Photos: How protests erupted across the country after the death of George Floyd In New York City's Foley Square, a cheer went up among protesters when a group of NYPD officers took a knee in a show of solidarity. In Oklahoma City, cameras also captured sheriff's deputies taking a knee, with some hugging protesters near the Oklahoma County Jail. In Flint, Michigan, video showed Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson telling a crowd of protesters that he'd ordered his deputies to lower their batons and that he wanted to make the event "a parade, not a protest." The crowd then applauded the sheriff and invited him to join the march. 12:41 a.m.: Clashes continue in some cities, while others are more calm Arrests during Sunday's protests have driven the total number of demonstrator arrests to 4,100 since protests began early in the week, according to the AP. Confrontations between police and protesters continued for another night in Brooklyn, where demonstrators clashed with officers outside Barclay's Center. In Boston, an SUV drove through a crowd of protesters but officials said no one appeared to be seriously hurt. In Washington, D.C., members of the U.S. Marshals Service and DEA agents were called in to assist National Guard troops responding to protests near the White House, a Department of Justice official said. In Atlanta, two police officers were fired for using excessive force during an arrest of two college students during Saturday night's protests. Video of the incident appeared to show officers Tase the two students as they sat in their vehicle, and then forcefully drag them out of the car. Other protests were peaceful. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said demonstrators were "largely cooperative." ABC News' Luis Martinez, Whitney Lloyd, Will Gretzky, Aaron Katersky, Stephanie Wash, Victor Oquendo, Dee Carden, Jeff Cook, Matt Foster, Alexander Mallin, Matt Zarrell, Matthew Fuhrman, Josh Einiger and Marc Nathanson contributed to this report. Protests in some cities turn more peaceful originally appeared on abcnews.go.com PORTLAND, Maine, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Maine Honda Dealers donated $3,000 to six local schools to continue its fight against child hunger. Each dealership within the association selected a school to support with the special donation. "Taking care of our community, especially our young growing minds, is very important to the Maine Honda Dealers," said Yegor Malinovskii, President of Maine Honda Dealers and Market President at Berlin City Auto Group. "A lot of students rely on school-provided lunches, and with schools closed because of COVID-19, many children lost the guarantee of at least one daily meal. This is a great way to ensure Maine's children are still eating." During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity increased across Maine. One in four kids could face hunger because of the virus. Families, particularly households with young children, are in need of more resources. The Maine Honda Dealers partnered with local schools to bridge the food gap while school is not in session. Donations were made to the following local schools: Prime Honda Saco Fairfield School Summer Meals Program Berlin City Honda Gorham's BackPack Program Lee Honda Auburn Public Schools Charlie's Honda Marcia Buker Elementary School Darling's Honda Stillwater Academy Griffeth Honda Presque Isle School Administrative District #1 This initiative furthers the association's mission to be actively involved in improving the community. Previously, the association partnered with Hannaford and NEWS CENTER Maine to deliver food through food donations, financial contributions and volunteering. During 2018 and 2019 yearlong campaigns, the dealers raised $441,623. The Feed Maine Campaign proceeds benefitted the Good Shepard Food Bank and have enabled them to distribute more than 1.2 million meals throughout the state of Maine. To learn more about community initiatives supported by the Maine Honda Dealers, please visit the association's Facebook page or www.MaineHondaDealers.com. About Maine Honda Dealers: Maine Honda Dealers Association consists of six premier Honda dealerships throughout the state of Maine that provide service to the Biddeford, Portland, Auburn, Augusta, Bangor, and Presque Isle communities. For more information, please visit www.MaineHondaDealers.com. SOURCE Maine Honda Dealers Related Links http://www.MaineHondaDealers.com NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE T hose were the words spoken by Doug Hurley before the spaceship was launched on Saturday: Lets light this candle. He and Bob Behnken are the two astronauts aboard the ship. Hurley was echoing the words of Alan Shepard, who uttered them in 1961. Shepard was the first American in space. That was a thrilling launch on Saturday, wasnt it? I could not help thinking of the Challenger launch, in January 1986. Like millions of others, I am affected by that launch. I remember where I was, when I saw it. If you know what I mean: Im glad to have Saturdays launch beautiful and perfect in mind. Back in 1986, I was in a department store, in the TV section, believe it or not. So I saw the disaster play out on an array of TVs, all around me. That was strange, in addition to horrible. One of my first memories is of the moon shot our landing on the moon in July 1969. I was with my grandparents, at their cottage on a lake. I was five. We went out and looked at the moon, or at least up in the sky. I was slightly disturbed and confused that I did not see anything unusual, because I thought I should have. Silly, right? In July 2013, I had an Impromptus column headed When thuggery comes home, &c. It began this way: Think back to the political drama in Wisconsin two years ago. The ugliest aspect of that drama, in my opinion, was the gathering of union members at the homes of legislators they hated. They tramped on lawns, chanted their slogans, screamed their abuse and frightened and intimidated families inside. Including the pets, probably. A bit more: I remember thinking, If I were on these peoples side which Im not I would be especially appalled by their tactics. They discredit the cause in general. . . . So, why was I recalling Wisconsin 2011 in July 2013? Because a mob, or near mob, had gathered at the home of Kris Kobach, who was the secretary of state of Kansas. The cause of this crowd was amnesty for illegal aliens. Story continues They tramped all over his lawn, mounted his porch, shouted their speeches through bullhorns: Si, se puede, and all that racket. In later years, protesters would gather at the home of Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, and at the home of Charles Schumer, the Democratic leader. I continued to decry this tactic. I abhor it. It seems to me undemocratic, illiberal, and un-American. We carry out our political disputes in legislative chambers and other public places. Which brings me to this article, published on Friday. I would like to cite a section concerning Michigan my home state and its governor, Gretchen Whitmer: After Trumps tweets, and statements . . . protesters descended on the state capitol. They also descended on her home, where she lives with her husband and daughters. We all stood in the front of the residence and looked out the window and saw armed gunmen out there with automatic rifles standing yards from the front door, Whitmer told me this week. Its really destructive and its hurtful. Asked if she thought Trump shared the blame for the harassment she is experiencing, she got quiet for a moment and then said yes. I hate the mob. It is probably the animating feeling of my politics. I like process, the rule of law, the protection of minority rights, etc. On the right, I have critics who disdain my disdain of populism, or my great wariness of populism. Yet, in a sense, conservatism is anti-populist. It is cold-eyed about popular passions, and fearful of the mob intelligently and reasonably so. These days, many equate conservatism and populism, which is ignorant and nuts. Consider: It should not be hard to hate police brutality and hate mob violence. But in the weird state of our politics, it somehow is or at least thats my impression. Through the eight years of Reagan, Michael Kinsley predicted a long hot summer which never materialized. To his credit, he kidded himself about it. (Let me say, for the uninitiated, that Michael Kinsley was a very famous liberal journalist, much valued by William F. Buckley Jr., who had him on his television show, Firing Line, frequently.) I am worried about a long hot summer in 2020, given the pandemic, urban unrest, high unemployment, the presidential campaign . . . A combustible mix. On Saturday, I saw a video of young people joyously looting a Nike store. The words of Edward C. Banfield (the great political scientist) are perpetually applicable: rioting mainly for fun and profit. I saw a picture of a sign in a store window: BLACK OWNED: Please Dont Loot! I was reminded of the sign in the bad old days, inside many cars: No Radio. It meant, My cars not worth smashing into. Try the other guys. Societal defeatism and moral abdication. You recall the caravan, in October 2018? The migrants coming up from Central America? My colleague Ramesh Ponnuru said, . . . the caravan or as I call it, the Committee to Reelect the President. I thought of that line on beholding marauders, arsonists, et al. across our land. The (original) Committee to Reelect the President, as you know, was a Nixon operation. The name led to the acronym CREEP. As William Safire pointed out, youve got to think of these things before you bestow a name . . . President Trump has withdrawn the United States from the World Health Organization. I understand the impetus behind the withdrawal (do I ever). Yet I believe the withdrawal is an error: a gift to the PRC. Same as our backing out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership was a gift to the PRC. American retreats from the world stage will make the PRC stronger. I hope we dont cut off our nose to spite our face. I could say this at book length so could you but were going for short here . . . A citizen of Hong Kong, Sin Ka-ho, has now been sentenced for rioting. This is a very serious charge in Hong Kong. It carries a maximum sentence of ten years. Sin Ka-ho got four. He is 21 years old. As I explained in a piece last year, democratic protesters in Hong Kong have several demands, one of which is that the government stop treating the protests as riots. Our president Trump described the protests as riots, which was not helpful. He also said, We have to stand with Hong Kong, but Im also standing with President Xi. Hes a friend of mine. He further said, If it werent for me, Hong Kong would have been obliterated in about 14 minutes. Do you believe that is true? It will be interesting to learn more about all this in the future. Meanwhile, the lights are going out in Hong Kong, fast. The PRC is provoking trouble on the Indian border. President Trump said he spoke with the Indian prime minister, Modi. Specifically, Trump said, I can tell you, I did speak to Prime Minister Modi. Hes not in a good mood about whats going on with China. The Indian government flatly denied that the president and the prime minister had spoken. Who do you think is telling the truth? In 2014, the United States and other countries suspended Russias membership of the G-8. Thus, the group became a G-7. The reason: Russia, under Putin, had invaded a sovereign country, Ukraine. Russia is still making war in that country. Yet Trump has now invited Russia to participate in the group, starting next fall. The facts on the ground Ukrainian ground have not changed. To readmit Russia, absent a positive change, would be an obscenity. MAGA is Make America Great Again, said Trump. By the way, they love African-American people. They love black people. MAGA loves the black people. That gives a lot away, doesnt it? Incidentally, I learned something from the presidents statement from listening to it, I mean: He pronounces MAGA magga; I have always pronounced it mahga. But I should defer to him, because he is the creator of the thing! A flight attendant, Deidre Marie, wanted to wear a face shield. But the airline said no as you can read about here. My view: I think those who are out there, working and helping, should be allowed to take whatever precautions they like appearances be damned. A little music? For a post about an opera gala an at home gala go here. For my latest Music for a While, go here. I open that episode the latest episode of my Music for a While podcast with Shostakovichs Festive Overture. It is a festive piece indeed, eternally joyful and invigorating. But what if I told you about its origins? Shostakovich wrote the overture in 1947 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. Would that make a difference, in your enjoyment of the piece? I dont think it would. Because such a piece is quickly unmoored from its origins, becoming music, plain and simple and wonderful. The other day, I was in the grocery store, with my hands full. My hands were piled high with groceries. I had a precarious tower or two. A nice young clerk said, Could I help you with that? I said, I was too lazy to pick up a cart or basket. I think its a male thing. She grinned and said, My father is the same exact way. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you social science. I was talking with a friend of mine about housekeeping. Are you a neatnik, a slob, or in between? A Felix, an Oscar, or in between? My friends wife had a saying, which she in fact had on some kind of sign, in their kitchen: A home should be clean enough to be healthy, dirty enough to enjoy. Enough dirty talk. Thanks for joining me, my friends, and see you later. If youd like to receive Impromptus by e-mail links to new columns write to jnordlinger@nationalreview.com. More from National Review Police in Tallahassee, Florida, detained the driver of a pickup after the truck drove through a crowd of protesters on May 30. Tallahassee Police said that no injuries were reported relating to the incident, which was caught on camera by local woman Marie Joseph. Josephs footage shows the truck surrounded by demonstrators, some of whom are chanting black lives matter, before the vehicle accelerates, briefly dispersing those around it. A woman can be heard screaming what the f**k, as the car continues forward before coming to a stop. As protesters gather around the vehicle again, two people, a man and a woman, exit the vehicle and walk toward a police car, before getting in and being driven away. Why youre protecting them? a woman can be heard asking police officers in the video, as an officer stands between protesters and the police car containing the couple. Some protesters throw items at the now empty truck, with one of the windows being smashed. This is an extremely tense, emotional time across the nation. Mutual respect among all of us is vital, a Tallahassee Police Department tweet urged in a thread related to the incident. The Tallahassee Police Department supports the nonviolent gathering of protestors and will uphold their constitutional right to do so while making every effort to maintain a safe environment for our community, the thread continued. Credit: Marie Joseph via Storyful The Delhi government on Monday imposed stringent curbs on inter-state travel by deciding to seal the citys borders for a week. While the move, according to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, is aimed at ensuring that hospital beds are not crowded by people coming from outside Delhi, it left many confused as to how they would go to work or board a train or flight. Addressing a digital press conference, Kejriwal sought suggestions from the public till Friday 5 pm on whether to keep the borders sealed beyond the stipulated one week. For the time being, our government is sealing the borders of Delhi for one week. Essential services will remain functional and government officers can travel on their identity cards. Based on the suggestions received from you, we will talk to experts and decide on our future course of action on the opening of borders, he said. A senior government official said that those who have been issued passes from the city administrations of Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad will be allowed as per the lockdown relaxation order. Residents of Delhi who go for work to neighbouring cities will have to collect e-passes from their respective district magistrates. Since we have opened all private and government offices, it will be wrong to prevent employees from travelling to other cities. The passes can be taken from any neighbouring district as well. The idea is to restrict the unnecessary movement of people between NCR cities, an exercise that even the UP and Haryana administrations have undertaken, said a senior government official. A media advisor to the chief minister said those coming from NCR cities and headed to the Indira Gandhi International Airport or any of the railway stations, the tickets would suffice as passes. For the return of the driver to the NCR city, it is recommended that he is given a copy of the ticket. For ex-servicemen living in NCR cities and having medical appointments in their designated hospitals (army, Central government, railways, etc), their government ID card will suffice, the spokesperson said. Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava said that the city police were yet to receive the Delhi governments order regarding sealing of the citys borders. We are awaiting the DDMA guidelines on the Unlock-1. Once they are received, we will devise ways to implement the same. We will do what is best suited for the people of Delhi, said the police commissioner. The chief minister further said the decision to open Delhi borders can be challenging because of the large influx of people from across the country for medical treatment in the Capital. He said it would lead to Covid beds getting filled in just 2-3 days. Kejriwal said Delhi would have 9,500 beds by Friday and currently 2,748 of the 4,456 beds are occupied. As per governments plan, by June 15, it will have 10,000 beds ready for serious patients with 450 beds in the newly constructed Burari hospital and more private hospitals reserving their beds for Covid patients. On Monday, Delhi recorded 990 fresh cases taking the total to 20,834. The cases in the city also crossed the 20,000-mark, even as the number of active cases was 11,565 as on Monday. The Delhi government order sealing the citys borders read: In view of the current public health situation in the NCT of Delhi, inter-state movement of non-residents of Delhi, into the territory of Delhi shall be allowed only on the production of e-passes issued for essential services or in case of emergent circumstances, by authorities of respective state/UT and/or district magistrates of NCT of Delhi. However, government employees shall be allowed on the production of government ID card. The order further stated that the movement of vehicles and individuals within Delhi is allowed and will not require any passes. Inter-state movement of good or cargo trucks will be allowed, it stated. The decision to seal the borders came a day after Haryana decided to lift similar restrictions on its side, assuring those travelling to and from Gurugram of a smooth commute after at least two weeks. The administrations in Noida and Ghaziabad, however, said that curbs on their borders will continue, notwithstanding the May 30 central order that eased restrictions on inter-state travel. Delhi residents who work in cities such as Gurugram and Noida were left puzzled if they will be allowed to travel to their offices or not. Why did the government allow to open private offices if I had to restrict the movement of people. Now I will have to take an e-pass which will have a long pendency again. Last time, I got my pass after four days of application, said Darshini Sinha, a resident of Vasant Kunj, D Block. The Delhi governments decision was also criticised by the BJP and the Congress with the leader of the opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, saying Kejriwal was trying to divert peoples attention from the failure of his government in handling the Corona crisis. Delhi also has large central government hospitals like All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ram Manohar Lohia and Safdarjung. How can Kejriwal decide that no patient from other states will come to these hospitals for the treatment. The chief minister is arguing that if borders remain open, there will be a danger of beds fixed for Corona patients being taken up by those from outside the city. But, the fact is that the increasing number of Covid patients has exposed the poor preparedness of the Kejriwal government, he said. Delhi Congress chief Anil Chaudhary said when economic activities and vehicular movement has been restored in Delhi, there was no point in shutting off the city for neighbouring cities. This will only create chaos on the borders. The government has not given any thought before making this announcement, Chaudhary said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON South Africas strict and prolonged lockdown has caused havoc on the local economy, with current estimates suggesting a GDP decline of between 7% and 17%. The National Treasury further predicted that between 3 and 7 million jobs will be lost because of the extended lockdown, pushing the unemployment rate to record highs. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown is already seen in many industries, with businesses going into business rescue or even closing their doors. Two of the high-profile casualties of the lockdown include Comair and Edcon, which have entered voluntary business rescue. Many small and medium-sized businesses, like Caxton Magazines, Associated Media Publishing, and Rebel Tech, were forced to shut down. The struggling economy and financial strain on businesses have had a knock-on effect on South African IT companies. Apart from losing clients because of businesses going under, others cannot pay their suppliers during the lockdown because they could not operate and generate revenue. This had a knock-on effect on IT providers, which are now faced with mounting bad debts and potential cash flow problems, which forced them to react. EOH was one of the first to respond to the economic downturn and implemented stringent measures at the beginning of April to dramatically cut costs and manage liquidity. EOH CEO Stephen Van Coller said their key focus is to manage the business in an environment where they can expect a substantial drop in revenue. He anticipated a drop in cash receivables from their clients and significant future uncertainty on the full impact of COVID-19 on the economy and EOH. Many others have followed suit in the coming weeks by implementing salary cuts, short time, forced leave, and staff cuts. Work-from-home, salary cuts and retrenchments MyBroadband spoke to South Africas largest ICT companies and it was clear that all businesses face an uncertain future. Adapt IT told MyBroadband because its clients in the hospitality sector were negatively impacted by lockdown, 20% of its employees were unable to work or perform their regular duties. We are currently in consultation with 4% of our permanent staff who may be negatively affected, the company said. Through this consultative process, we aim to be as transparent as possible, and to ensure that the process is fair. Dimension Data said it is focussed on responsible fiscal management and will ensure that our revenue to cost ratios are correctly balanced at all times, making necessary adjustments as required. For example, we have frozen all new hiring, stopped property refurbishment projects, curtailed all discretionary spend, and placed all salary reviews and interim salary adjustments on hold, Dimension Data said. The good news is that some ICT sectors, like telecommunications, were not as severely impacted by the lockdown as others. This means companies like Vodacom, MTN, Rain, Blue Label Telecoms, and Telkom did not have to cut staff or reduce salaries during the lockdown. Blue Label Telecoms told MyBroadband it continues to support all its subsidiaries and has not implemented any retrenchment or pay cuts to date. Many of the products we distribute across the country are fairly defensive including electricity, airtime and data and we are doing everything possible to innovate to get these products to our customers digitally so they dont have to leave their homes, Blue Label Telecoms said. Clearly, should the lockdown persist indefinitely, and economic conditions continue to adversely impact ourselves and our customers, hard decisions regarding retrenchments will have to be made. Summary of the impact of the lockdown on top ICT companies The table below provides an overview of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the extended lockdown on South Africas top ICT companies. It should be noted that some of the companies opted not to comment on their work-from-home policies, salary cuts, or retrenchments. Impact of COVID-19 on ICT Companies Adapt IT Work from home Yes Most of our employees were able to perform their duties from home. Salary cuts Yes. Staff retrenchments Yes We are currently in consultation with 4% of our permanent staff who may be negatively affected. Future staff cuts No We do not anticipate further staff cuts. Altron Work from home Yes We have a work-from-home policy, which is currently in full effect. Salary cuts Partly To assist in ensuring the sustainability of Altron we have had to reverse all salary increases granted as of 1 March. Staff retrenchments In our Business Process Outsourcing unit, we have had to effect temporary layoffs due to the inability of some customers to pay for services. Future staff cuts Retrenchments are a last resort, and will be limited as far as possible. Alviva Work from home Yes The majority of our staff are working remotely. Salary cuts Yes, but only in a few isolated cases. Staff retrenchments No. Future staff cuts It depends on the economy and we further impact of the pandemic. Blue Label Work from home Yes Most employees work from home. Salary cuts No. Staff retrenchments No. Future staff cuts Should the lockdown persist indefinitely and economic conditions continue to adversely impact ourselves and our customers, hard decisions regarding retrenchments will have to be made. Cell C Work from home Yes We have had some staff that could work from home and continue to do so. Salary cuts Yes We are making use of the COVID-19 TERS Relief Funds to cover the shortfalls. Staff retrenchments Not COVID-19 related. Cell C previously initiated a section 189 consultation process affecting senior managerers and executives. Future staff cuts Uncertain. Datatec Work from home No comment. Salary cuts No comment. Staff retrenchments No comment. Future staff cuts No comment. Dimension Data Work from home Yes Employees who can work from home, do work from home. Salary cuts Uncertain. Staff retrenchments No. Future staff cuts Should the need arise to reduce our workforce, it would be done only after exhausting all possible alternatives. EOH Work from home Yes. Salary cuts Yes 20% for employees and 25% for CEO and executive committee. Staff retrenchments Yes. Future staff cuts No comment. Liquid Telecom Work from home Yes Most employees work from home. Salary cuts No We made use of a special leave allocation for those that were not able to work from home. Staff retrenchments No. Future staff cuts No We dont expect any COVID-19 related staff cuts. MTN Work from home Yes Post COVID-19, those who can work from home will be encouraged to work remotely, forever. Salary cuts No. Staff retrenchments No. Future staff cuts Not currently on the cards. MultiChoice Work from home Yes 60% of MultiChoice employees have been working from home. Salary cuts No comment. Staff retrenchments No comment. Future staff cuts No comment. Rain Work from home Yes Virtually all of their staff continues to work from home. Salary cuts No. Staff retrenchments No. Future staff cuts No Rain is in fact recruiting more staff to better serve our customers. Telkom Work from home Yes 90% of its employees continue to work from home. Salary cuts No. Staff retrenchments No COVID-19 staff cuts. Future staff cuts We are still studying the impact of the virus and the lockdown on the business. Vodacom Work from home Yes The vast majority of employees continue to work from home, which is now Vodacoms default position. Salary cuts No. Staff retrenchments No. Future staff cuts Not currently on the cards. Vumatel Work from home No comment. Salary cuts No comment. Staff retrenchments No comment. Future staff cuts No comment. Now read: Here are the new level 3 lockdown rules As city officials on Sunday sought to explain how peaceful protests over police brutality a day earlier had morphed into looting and chaos in Center City, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw acknowledged that the departments plan for responding to the situation did not happen as quickly as I wouldve liked it to occur. LATEST: National Guard troops arrive in Philadelphia to help police following two days of unrest, looting; officials struggle to assess response to violence But even as Mayor Jim Kenneys administration took steps designed to correct for that Sunday, the unrest spread into outlying city neighborhoods, prompting additional questions about whether police had adequately prepared for the mayhem that also gripped other major U.S. cities, and how long the volatility might linger. Some within the department grumbled privately that officials were slow in preparing for protests that were not unexpected, leaving the city under-protected and under-resourced as pent-up frustration and anger swelled over last weeks killing of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police. John McNesby, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, which represents the Philadelphia rank and file, said in an interview Sunday that he didnt believe enough officers had been deployed before the otherwise peaceful protests gave way to violence. And the union he leads took an unusually public swipe at the department, tweeting: Does [Internal Affairs] handle complaints for lack of strategic planning, leadership and basic understanding of crowd control? Asking for a few thousand friends. At a Sunday evening news conference, Kenney and Managing Director Brian Abernathy said that the department had faced an unprecedented deployment challenge one occurring in the midst of a pandemic and that delays in responding to scenes were more an issue of staffing numbers than a lack of will. On Saturday, for example, authorities were largely tied up responding to vandalism, arson, and some 3,000 to 4,000 demonstrators at City Hall as looters began ransacking stores in Center Citys commercial corridors, Abernathy said. And the mayor said that although officers on Sunday were able to respond much more quickly to trouble spots in Kensington, Port Richmond, and West Philadelphia, it remained difficult to balance how and where to properly deploy police particularly as other emergencies, including shootings, continued across the city. At least 13 people were shot across the city on Sunday, including a 12-year-old boy struck twice in the arm during a quadruple shooting in Kensington. Its difficult to take those officers at 52nd and Chestnut who are having cars set on fire, dealing with looters at a corner store and then divert those officers to another location, Kenney said, referring to perhaps the most volatile hot spot. Wed be overrun in both places. READ MORE: Center City retailers endure an epic night of looting on top of coronavirus closures By 9 p.m. Sunday, at least 269 people had been arrested over the two days of unrest, officials said. The vast majority were issued tickets for violating curfew or failing to dismiss. Four people were charged with assaulting police, 66 others with looting. No names had been released as of Sunday evening, and city officials differed in their opinions as to who the offenders were. Kenney and Outlaw blamed outside agitators. Were not tearing up our own neighborhoods, the police commissioner said. Its the people who are coming in from elsewhere. But District Attorney Larry Krasner and defense lawyers said many of those arrested Saturday were from Philadelphia. Deputy Police Commissioner Christine Coulter said that much of Sundays sustained unrest was being caused by people working to hurt their own neighborhoods. During a media briefing earlier Sunday, Outlaw was asked whether the department had followed steps used in the past to respond to large-scale demonstrations, such as extending officers shifts, placing some officers along business corridors for protection, and having cops in the crowd. She said that such a strategy did come into place, but acknowledged that it was slow to develop. It wasnt until after the city declared an 8 p.m. curfew Saturday that police were able to get a better handle on the situation, she said. We did not sit on our hands, said Outlaw, in her third month on the job after serving as chief in Portland, Ore. The reality is that things will pop up and flare up where we do not have a presence or we do not have enough resources at that time to take action safely. Abernathy said that if police officers trying to protect City Hall on Saturday night had left to head toward the looting, it could have been dangerous given the number of people and volatility of the situation they were trying to contain. By no means did officers lay down or allow illegal activity to happen" in the shopping district, Abernathy said. "But Im not going to allow our officers to put themselves at risk when theyre outnumbered 10-1. Even as he was speaking, police were firing tear gas at people in West Philadelphia, one of several neighborhoods where additional unrest boiled over in the form of looting, vandalism, and police cars being burned. Standing at a McDonalds with smashed windows at 52nd and Chestnut, a 36-year-old man who did not give his name watched as protesters faced off against a line of police. READ MORE: Will the protests cause a spike in COVID-19 cases? Wait two weeks. I dont agree with the stealing, but people just want to be heard, he said. Stop treating us like were animals. . Were fed up with being attacked and hurt and nothing done about it." Center City streets, meanwhile, stood largely empty Sunday. A huge armada of officers stood guard in front of the statue of Frank Rizzo, the former mayor and police commissioner which had been the target of vandals Saturday and officers in riot gear guarded Police Headquarters as a crowd of peaceful demonstrators assembled outside City officials urged demonstrators to go home, and said hundreds of Pennsylvania national guardsmen would be moved into Philadelphia on Sunday evening to bolster police deployment as unrest continued. We certainly havent and we wont abandon any of our commercial corridors, Abernathy said. Staff writers Allison Steele, Maddie Hanna, and Aubrey Whelan contributed to this article. The Travelers Companies, Inc. TRV has extended its Stay-at-Home Auto Premium Credit program to June. The companys U.S. personal auto insurance customers will be entitled to receive a 15% credit on their June premiums. Travelers initiated the Stay-at-Home Auto Premium Credit program in April 2020 to reward its personal auto insurance customers by refunding an amount equal to 15% of auto premiums payable by members for the month of April and May in their accounts. This initiative was taken to provide relief to its clients across the United States amid the COVID-19 crisis, which dealt a huge blow to the U.S. economy. The company will continue to credit the accounts of its customers in a bid to provide relief amid this pandemic. The program has been extended in order to aid customers, agents, brokers and communities who have contributed equally to the efforts for preventing the spread of the disease by staying indoors. As suggested by data, the decrease in driving and auto claims, as seen in April and May, is projected to continue into June. Travelers is happy to provide the credit extension to its customers. As clients are increasingly using personal automobiles to fetch daily essentials during this period, Travelers continues to make constant efforts to provide coverage for their automobiles. Not only for its members but the company is also providing financial assistance to its agents and brokers by offering billing relief and making commission payments of nearly $100 million. Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) property and casualty insurer have lost 27.1% in the past year compared with the industrys decline of 10.4%. Nonetheless, the companys policy to ramp up its growth profile and capital position should drive shares higher. Stocks to Consider Some better-ranked stocks from the property and casualty insurance sector include National General Holdings Corp. NGHC, The Allstate Corporation ALL and Palomar Holdings Inc. PLMR. While National General Holdings carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Allstate and Palomar carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. National General is a specialty personal lines insurance holding company, provides various insurance products and services in the United States, Bermuda, Luxembourg, and Sweden. Its earnings beat estimates in two of the last four quarters and missed in the other two, the average positive surprise being 5.68%. Allstate provides property and casualty, and other insurance products in the United States and Canada. It surpassed estimates in each of the last four quarters, with the average positive surprise being 18.45%. Palomar provides specialty property insurance. It offers personal and commercial specialty property insurance products, including residential and commercial earthquake. It surpassed estimates in two of the last four quarters, with the average positive surprise being 10.93%. Zacks Single Best Pick to Double From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each picked their favorite to gain +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Zacks Director of Research, Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all. This young companys gigantic growth was hidden by low-volume trading, then cut short by the coronavirus. But its digital products stand out in a region where the internet economy has tripled since 2015 and looks to triple again by 2025. Its stock price is already starting to resume its upward arc. The skys the limit! And the earlier you get in, the greater your potential gain. Click Here, See It Free >> 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 The Travelers Companies, Inc. (TRV) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Allstate Corporation (ALL) : Free Stock Analysis Report National General Holdings Corp (NGHC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Palomar Holdings, Inc. (PLMR) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research OAK BROOK, Ill., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Retail Properties of America, Inc. (NYSE: RPAI) (the "Company") today provided an update on cash rent collection statistics for the months of April and May 2020. Compared to the previously reported 52.4% of April rent collected as of April 30, 2020, the Company has received 60.3% of April rent as of May 28, 2020. Rent collection for May as of May 28, 2020 totals 52.4%, consistent with April month-end collection levels. "With 79% of our portfolio square footage open as of May 29 and 53% of our properties operating in states that have lifted all retail restrictions, our team is engaged in supporting tenants as they reopen with efforts that include ongoing implementation of curbside pickup, as well as social media campaigns and onsite signage," stated Steven Grimes, chief executive officer. "As locality-specific limitations continue to lift, the quality of our assets will amplify the efforts of our team and our tenants as consumers begin resumption of shopping activities." The Company has been heavily focused on addressing tenant rent relief requests that have arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic and has started to sign lease amendments with certain tenants to modify existing lease terms, including, for example, deferring due dates of certain rent payments. The Company remains in negotiation with additional tenants who have sought relief and expects to reach agreement or resolution with many of them over the course of the next several months. Additionally, the Company announced that Steven Grimes will present at the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts' REITweek: 2020 Virtual Investor Conference. The Company's presentation is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, 2020, from 3:25 p.m. 3:55 p.m. EDT and can be accessed live after registering via this link. The presentation will be archived and available for replay via the above link for 90 days. Further, an investor presentation to be used during the conference, which may include updated business information from that previously provided by the Company, will be made available in the INVEST section of the Company's website, www.rpai.com, prior to the Company's scheduled meetings. ABOUT RPAI Retail Properties of America, Inc. is a REIT that owns and operates high quality, strategically located open-air shopping centers, including properties with a mixed-use component. As of March 31, 2020, the Company owned 102 retail operating properties in the United States representing 20.0 million square feet. The Company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol RPAI. Additional information about the Company is available at www.rpai.com. CONTACT INFORMATION Michael Gaiden Vice President Capital Markets and Investor Relations Retail Properties of America, Inc. (630) 634-4233 SOURCE Retail Properties of America, Inc. Related Links www.rpai.com Tripadvisor is a popular website to use when travelling. It provides information about the most popular attractions, restaurants, hotels and natural landmarks nearby. When my wife and I take our daughters on holidays, its helpful to have a list of things to do. Happy New Year! When the fireworks were going off on New Years Eve there was plenty of optimism for the year ahead. If 2019 was a difficult year then 2020 held promise for better things. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown many of our plans for the year out the window. A year that held so much promise now appears to be a difficult year for almost everyone. Many will face health uncertainties, work issues, relationship dramas, financial challenges, cancelled plans and broken dreams as they navigate through 2020. Many are already saying wake me up when 2020 is over. Here we are Some will find themselves in 2020 walking through the valley of the shadow of death that David refers to in Psalm chapter 23. The valley of the shadow of death isnt a specific location rather it refers to a gloomy place; a place of great darkness and danger. Its the kind of place nobody plans to visit. If you have the unfortunate experience of having to visit the valley of the shadow of death; is there anything to do while youre there? What can you do while facing dark and difficult days? Allow me to give you a guided tour of the many things you can do while visiting the valley of the shadow of death. 1. Be Vulnerable Vulnerability doesnt come naturally to many of us. We usually prefer to tell people that we are fine and things are going well. Its in times of great trouble however were more likely to drop our guard and be real with others about our pain. Being vulnerable allows others into our lives to encourage and to journey with us. People usually dont like being vulnerable but often appreciate the encouragement and support they receive when they are. Theres time to be vulnerable when walking through the valley of the shadow of death. 2. Be prayerful and restful We are so often self-reliant; we so often try to solve our problems in our own strength. We lie awake at night formulating and devising a plan of action. We spring into action, working the phones, trying to manage what is beyond our control. When walking through death valley its important to recognize that we cant control anything in life. We cant control our work or our wealth; a financial crisis or work change could sweep it all away. We cant control our relationships; we cant control our spouse, our kids or our boss. We cant even control our health. When walking through death valley turn to God in prayer. Give up trying to manage everything in your own strength and become God reliant. As you do you can become restful knowing that youre not in control but youre in the hands of a loving God who is. 3. Have perspective If one part of your life is in trouble dont neglect all the other parts. If your work is in dire straits, dont neglect your family. Youll still have your family long after you finish your association with your current employer. If your marriage is on the rocks, dont add to your problems by neglecting your health. David says he walks through the valley of the shadow of death; he doesnt live there. Dont make your present struggle the sole focus of your entire life. It doesnt deserve your entire attention. 4. Journal the journey When you come out the other side of the valley of the shadow of death, youll have a testimony to share so take time to journal while youre in a season of struggle. Journaling may help you to pray and to make sense of what youre going through. 5. Be Hopeful Christians acknowledge that we live in a sinful and broken world. Christians are not above suffering; we follow a savior who suffered greatly and unjustly. Christians remember theres more to the story than our present situation. We look forward to a day when God is going to make all things new; even in the darkest of days theres reason for hope. New Delhi, June 1 : The Delhi government on Monday allowed all shops in the markets to open without any odd-even rules and also gave its nod for starting barber shops and salons in the city for the first time since the lockdown. Addressing the media, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the night curfew will remain in place between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. instead of between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. in the previous edition of the lockdown. During the curfew, the movement will only be allowed for essential services. Announcing the further relaxations in the 'Unlock 1.0' phase announced by the Centre, he said that the relaxations given earlier will be implemented as it is. "The Central government has sent its guidelines on the next phase of the lockdown beginning from Monday and the decisions of the Delhi government are based on the guidelines of the Central government," said Kejriwal. He said the Delhi government is also removing the restriction of only one passenger being allowed to travel in an auto-rickshaw, e-rickshaw, and phat-phat sewas. "The barber and salon shops will now remain open except spas. Based on the guidelines of the Central government, the Delhi government is also removing the restrictions on not more than three passengers allowed in a four-wheeler, and not more than one passenger allowed on a two-wheeler." Kejriwal said that since there is no condition in the guidelines of the Central government of shops being allowed to operate on an odd-even basis. "The Delhi government has decided to lift this condition and now all shops will be allowed to operate in a market place. The Delhi government also announced the operation of the industries based on staggered timings on the guidelines of the Central government, which have also been removed now," he said. The Central government on Saturday announced steps for exiting the nationwide lockdown, declaring that the restriction will be limited to only containment zones upto June 30. The barber shops and salons in the national capital were not allowed to operate since the lockdown was imposed on March 25. (Natural News) Brandon Smith from Alt-Market.com has authored another brilliant piece, this time about the flawed arguments of vaccine zealots who try to force risky, dangerous vaccines on everyone. All informed human beings should rebel against forced vaccinations, Smith argues. And hes right. Forced vaccines are a form of medical violence, even medical rape against women and children. There is no argument in favor of forced vaccines that makes any sense at all, unless you believe every human being is a slave owned by the state. Heres the full article from Brandon Smith, via Alt-Market.com: Why The Public Should Rebel Against Forced Vaccinations The debate over the morality and practicality of forced vaccinations has been raging for many years, long before the coronavirus ever hit the US population. With the advent of the pandemic the narrative has shifted to one of necessity. The media and the majority of governments around the world now act as if mass vaccinations are a given; the debate is over, as collectivists like to say when they are tired of having to deal with any logical or factual complaints. In the case of the novel coronavirus there is no vaccine yet; unless of course the virus was engineered or evolved in a lab (as more and more evidence is suggesting), and then perhaps there is one already developed. Typically, vaccines take years to test and produce, and whenever a vaccine is rushed onto the market very bad things tend to happen. The vaccine debate often revolves around the issue of safety. Is a particular inoculation safe or poisonous? Does it have long term effects that are dangerous? Does it harm children with highly sensitive and underdeveloped body systems? These are valid concerns, but ultimately the fight over vaccines has less to do with medical safety or effectiveness and more to do with individual rights vs government demands. In other words, the more important questions are: Should social engineering by governments and elites be allowed? Do people have the right to determine how their bodies are medically augmented or manipulated? Does the security of the majority take precedence over the civil liberties of the individual? And if so, who gets to determine what freedoms will be taken away? The Legal Argument The purveyors of the forced vaccination philosophy usually make a legal or technical argument first before they appeal to the idea of the greater good. They do this because they know that public perception often assumes (wrongly) that legal authority is the same as moral authority. In 1905, the US Supreme Court was presented with Jacobson vs. Massachusetts, a case involving the subject of state enforced smallpox vaccination. The defendant argued on the grounds of the 14th Amendment that his bodily liberty was being violated by the state if he was subjected to arbitrary vaccination without his consent. The state and the Supreme Court felt differently (of course). The Supreme Court ruled against Jacobson on the grounds that his refusal to take the vaccine put other people at risk, and that for the common good states have certain police powers that supersede personal liberties. Whenever liberty movement activists argue against forced vaccinations on constitutional grounds, THIS is the counter-argument that the government and statists will make. They will bring up Jacobson vs. Massachusetts and then claim that is the end of the discussion. Essentially, the Supreme Court argued that the federal government could not interfere with state imposed forced vaccinations on the grounds of states rights and the 10th Amendment. Most people in the liberty movement will find this rather ironic, as it is bizarre to hear about the federal government defending states rights. But, this support of the 10th Amendment is highly selective. First, lets not forget that the Supreme Court has been wrong many times in the past. In the Dredd Scott case in 1834, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of slavery and the right of states to enforce the institution. They also argued that the 5th Amendment protected slave owners because freeing slaves meant depriving owners of their property. The Supreme Courts habit is to defend states rights and the 10th Amendment when peoples individual liberties are being quashed. However, if a case involves states protecting citizens from federal intrusion, the court flips and attacks states rights when they work in favor of individual liberty or self determination. The Jacobson vs. Massachusetts case may be the reason why Trump and the federal government have mostly left the lockdowns and emergency actions to the states. The legal precedence was already established in 1905 on quarantines and forcing vaccinations through state police powers, so it only follows that the establishment would utilize the states to carry out such measures in the near future. The states vs federal government debate sets up a false paradigm. There is no separation between state and federal governments when it comes to tyranny both sides love it, though they pretend to be opposed to each other at times. That is to say, whether it is the federal government violating your constitutional rights or the state government violating your constitutional rights, the Supreme Court is often comfortable with both. The truth they dont want to discuss is that at bottom the Bill of Rights overrules them regardless of federal precedent or the 10th Amendment. The key to the Bill of Rights is that each American citizen has INHERENT LIBERTIES that supersede both federal and state power. These rights are inalienable. They cannot be violated today, and the law cannot be adjusted to violate them tomorrow. These rights and freedoms are ETERNAL. The Supreme Court hisses with a forked tongue about the spirit of the constitution but ignores the clear and concrete intent as stated by the Founders. Statists argue in favor of the living document philosophy when it suits them as a means to change the original meaning and laws put forth in the Bill of Rights because this allows them to violate citizen freedoms under the guise of legality. But legality is not the same a morality. Legality is meaningless, and the Supreme Court is meaningless if it acts against the constitutional bedrock of the Bill of Rights and individual liberty as they have done numerous times in the past. The Moral Argument So, if we cannot rely on legality to protect us from state tyranny, what can we rely on? Forced vaccine advocates will say that morality is on their side as well, for if a person does not vaccinate they are putting the rest of society at risk of infection. Therefore, your individual rights must be violated in order to protect the rights of the rest of society. The problem is that Jacobson vs Massachusetts makes no logical argument supporting this assertion, and neither do forced vaccine proponents. Look at it this way: How can a person that is not vaccinated harm people that are vaccinated? How are they putting those people at risk? If the vaccine actually works, then vaccinated people are safe from infection, arent they? So, the only person at risk is the person that chose not to vaccinate. This comes down to personal choice, there is no question of the greater good or social risk. I find it fascinating that the people that argue fervently in favor of forced vaccinations (people like Bill Gates) also tend to be the same people that argue in favor of abortion rights. So, my body my choice is acceptable when it comes to women ending the lives of unborn children, but my body my choice is not acceptable when it comes to mass vaccinations even though an unvaccinated person is a threat to no one. Some vaccine advocates will then claim that unvaccinated people could be host to mutations that threaten herd immunity. The problem is that there is no evidence to support this argument. The vast majority of viruses tend to mutate into LESS deadly or infectious strains, not more deadly. The only mitigating factors would be if a virus was deliberately designed or engineered to mutate in an unnatural manner. If a virus is designed to mutate into a vastly different and more deadly strain that can attack vaccinated persons then the vaccine was never useful to begin with, and forced vaccinations are pointless. Once again, if the vaccine is effective then there is simply no basis for the position that an unvaccinated person puts vaccinated people in danger. The Conformity Argument The next argument by pro-forced vaccination people is to ask why? Why do you care if you are vaccinated? What do you have to worry about? Just go along to get along, right? This argument reminds me of a common anti-gun narrative: Why do you need to carry a gun? Why frighten other people? The chances you will need it are slim, right? The most important answer to the gun question is Because its my right to carry and I plan to exercise it. Also, your fear of guns does not take precedence over my constitutional freedoms. The same goes for forced vaccination: Because it is my right to refuse to have ANY pharmaceutical product injected into my body. Your fears of infection do not matter to my constitutional rights. If you want to take the vaccine then that is your choice. Leave me out of it. Arguing about hypothetical threats is a waste of time. I carry a firearm because I have the right to have a means of defense just in case I need it. I refuse vaccinations because I have a right to avoid potential bodily harm just in case I have suspicions of a faulty product. And is there reason to be concerned about faulty vaccines? Absolutely. Mass vaccinations programs that were rushed to the public have a track record of harming peoples health. With globalists like Bill Gates, an obsessive champion of depopulation at the forefront of the Covid-19 effort, I have no plans to accept any coronavirus vaccine. Bill Gates has funded numerous experimental vaccine trials through the World Health Organization, including Polio vaccination programs. It was these same programs that led to viral outbreaks of polio in various countries and hundreds of paralyzed children. In fact, the vaccines caused more cases of Polio than the wild-type virus. This if VERIFIED FACT, admitted by the WHO and other mainstream sources, though numerous leftist media outlets continue to deny it. At most, the WHO and Gates can claim that the infections were accidental. But if this is the case, it would still suggest that vaccines developed by Gates Foundation programs and the WHO should not be trusted. In 1976 a swine flu scare enabled the initiation of a government funded mass vaccination program. The vaccine was faulty and was canceled in less than 10 weeks after causing hundreds of cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological condition that leads to temporary paralysis and sometimes death. In 2008, Swiss company Novartis tested a Bird Flu vaccine on the homeless and poor population of Poland. The vaccine trial paid participants $2, and they were told the inoculation was for the normal flu. According a homeless center in the area at least 21 people died right after they participated in the trial. A GlaxoSmithCline executive by the name of Moncef Slaoui was recently tapped by Donald Trump to head up the governments effort to develop a coronavirus vaccine. This appointment should be highly concerning to the public. Why? Because Glaxo has a dark history in vaccine development, including an incident in Argentina in 2007-2008 when they were fined after a pneumonia vaccine trial allegedly caused the deaths of at least 14 babies. Slaoui was in charge of Glaxos vaccine division at the time. Statists that argue in favor of forced vaccination will dismiss all of these examples as mere accidents that are rare. Others will claim that fighting the pandemic is worth the risk of a few deaths due to some faulty vaccines. But this does not address the core issue of the battle against forced vaccination programs. Does a minority of elites in government or even a majority of useful idiots in the general population have the right to declare ownership of your body in the name of an arbitrary greater good? I say no, which is why I will NOT be conforming to any forced vaccine measures and I am willing to take extreme actions to defend myself from them if necessary. As mentioned above, if a vaccine works, then there is no need to force people to take it. It will protect those that want it and the only risk is to those that choose not to use it. Frankly, the people in charge of the vaccine effort are not to be trusted, they have open ideological agendas that are questionable to say the least. Allowing them to dictate what goes into our bodies is akin to slavery at best, and possible mass death at worst. If you would like to support the work that Alt-Market does while also receiving content on advanced tactics for defeating the globalist agenda, subscribe to our exclusive newsletter The Wild Bunch Dispatch. Learn more about it HERE. The quarantine period did not stop Tom Holland from having a blossoming relationship. Accoridng to reports, he is dating someone quietly for months now. On May 28, The Daily Mail revealed that the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is no longer single after he started dating Nadia Parkes "over three months ago." Since they seem to have ignited their relationship a few days before British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his stay-at-home order amid the coronavirus pandemic, the pair is said to be quarantining together and enjoying their new lives as a couple. "It was early days for Tom and Nadia when the lockdown was announced in London," the source said. "They made the decision to isolate together, and things have been going great between them." The insider added that although the couple is living together "so soon," their friends and families are aware of the relationship. In fact, reports indicate how quarantining together made them stronger. The 23-year-old "Spider-Man: Far From Home" actor has not confirmed the news yet. However, he probably does not plan to make it public, as Tom once made it clear that he does not talk about his relationships since he wants to leave them outside the spotlight. "It's just, I'm a very private person," he said during an interview for GQ's fall/winter 2019 issue. "If you do a Google search, I'm not a tabloid person. I don't like living in the spotlight. I'm quite good at only being in the spotlight when I need to be." Even though he is a very private person, Holland also clarified to ELLE in its July 2019 issue that he is "definitely a relationship person" despite not speaking about his story so much. "I'm not the fleeting type at all; it's not my way of life," he disclosed. His new girlfriend is a London-based actress known for her participation in Starz series "The Spanish Princess" and an episode of science fiction show "Doctor Who." Tom's Previous Relationships Before Nadia, Tom dated his childhood friend Olivia Bolton. They were first spotted together at the British Summertime Festival in July 2019. "Tom and Olivia's family have been friends for years but it took some time for Tom and Olivia to realize the connection between them," a source told The Sun at the time. "All their friends and family think they make a lovely couple. He is totally smitten." However, their romance only lasted for nine months, and they announced their split in April 2020. "Tom and Olivia remain very close but decided recently it was best for them to be just friends rather than a couple," a Daily Mail source said. He also sparked an on-screen romance with his "Spider-Man" co-star Zendaya, but they shut down the rumors and clarified that they were not an "item" in the real world. They were pictured having cinema trips together multiple times, and the speculations surfaced again after Tom was seen leaving Zendaya's LA residence in May 2020. MINNEAPOLIS - The gas stations are closed. The grocery stores are dark. And along Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis, one of the only restaurants serving is a McDonald's, where every inch of the building's windows are boarded up except two small holes at the drive-through just big enough to pass along food. After nearly a week of unrest in response to the death of George Floyd, city and state officials were optimistic Sunday after a night passed without the dangerous fires, looting and violence that have cut a wide swath of devastation through the heart of this Midwestern city. But it came with a new reality: Thousands of National Guard troops and state and city police officers moving to aggressively - and sometimes violently - regain control of the streets, and a lockdown that has residents under curfew and has closed the major highways at night. In some neighborhoods, residents stand outside their homes and businesses with guns, fueling a sense of lawlessness, while medical students descend on the scene with supplies to assist those in need, adding to what increasingly feels like a domestic war zone. With violent protests spreading to other cities across the country, officials here plan to keep troops on the ground and restrictions in place, suggesting the worst is still not over. "There will be critiques of me that this is excessive. Why are you keeping forces on the ground?" Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, said Sunday. It would be "irresponsible" to dial back the state's response, amid rumors of outside agitators that he and other officials say have come into the city to sow chaos, he said. But some of the security tactics have been criticized as overly aggressive. On Saturday night, a Minneapolis woman filmed state police as they fired nonlethal projectiles at her as she stood on her front porch. 5 1 of 5 Washington Post photo by Salwan Georges Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Washington Post photo by Salwan Georges Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Photo for The Washington Post by Joshua Lott Show More Show Less 5 of 5 "These aren't particularly pretty actions that we take," Col. Matt Langer, head of the Minnesota State Police, said during a news conference Sunday when asked about the video. But he defended the tactics as "necessary" to maintain the peace. At the same time, Walz publicly apologized after several reporters were pepper-sprayed, shot by rubber bullets and detained as law enforcement cleared the streets, even though news media is exempt from the 8 p.m. curfew. A reporter for the Star Tribune was left bloodied after police shot out the passenger window of his car as he drove near the scene. Walz called the response "unacceptable." The stronger show of force Saturday came after four days of destructive protests, in which a police precinct and hundreds of businesses were looted, burned and destroyed across Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul. Law enforcement was widely criticized for being absent from the scene as fires were set and stores were looted in the increasingly raucous protests that erupted in the days since a video captured Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, facedown on the street and struggling to breathe as a white police officer restrained him with a knee on his neck. Floyd lost consciousness and was later pronounced dead by responding paramedics. In response, some residents have formed informal militias to protect their homes and businesses in recent days, citing their lack of confidence in the police to help them. Near the destroyed 3rd Precinct police station, where businesses were burned and looted last week, a small group of men whose families live above a looted Sally Beauty store stood with clubs and guns to fend off opportunists Thursday, with police out of sight. Ricardo Simmons, 33, said that his wife and four children were upstairs, and that he had prevented gasoline-carrying rioters from setting fire to the store at gunpoint on Wednesday. "We have beautiful people living in this community and we're all one big family and we're not going to let people take over," Simmons said. "They're not punishing the police right now, they're punishing their own community. But I'm not surprised at all that the police aren't protecting us right now. Minneapolis police is responsible for all of this." At the Karmel Mall, a shopping center off Lake Street that predominantly serves the Somali community, a video showed shoppers, including many women, chase away a group of white men. At night, security guards from the community stood guard, asking small groups of protesters who approached to go the other way. Youths vetted journalists who approached, matching their publications with previous work online before they would agree to speak. One of the guards, Kawith Abi Muhammed, called what happened to George Floyd "ugly." "But this mall, it belongs to the immigrant people, poor people. They go to work every day, paycheck-to-paycheck," he said. "That's the reason I am here. I promised them I would save this place." While state and local police closed the highways, other residents installed makeshift roadblocks of their own, trying to prevent rioters from entering their neighborhoods. There are cars parked in the middle of the road and orange construction barrels, carried away from other roadblocks by local residents. Some used lawn chairs and upside-down tables. On Sunday, a few stores were open in the looted areas. Across the street, Brenda Ingersoll sold coffee through a fabricated door with a window. A group of volunteers had been guarding her business at night, chasing away looters and sparing her from the worst of the rioting. "This is the new normal," she said, adding that she could no longer depend on the police. "They've abandoned us." The events have been particularly traumatizing for neighborhoods along Lake Street, an immigrant-rich community where some of the worst violence and destruction has occurred. The area has long been a destination for new immigrants both as a home and for opening businesses, many of which were burned in recent days. The unrest has sparked unwelcome memories of the countries they left behind. "We came to the United States as refugees. We are survivors of a civil war, so for a lot of our older relatives, this is traumatizing for them. They still carry a lot of PTSD when it comes to seeing their country torn apart," said Zee Thao, 29, an activist with Hmong for Black Lives. That history of trauma compelled her to join thousands of other people at a peaceful protest Sunday on the Capitol grounds in St. Paul. "I don't know the exact experience, but I understand oppression, it lives in my body," she said. Pragmatic Play Expands Live Dealer Section With Auto-Roulette Game Published June 1, 2020 by Arthur M Auto-Roulette is a new game from Pragmatic Play. It joins their live dealer network and sees the ball added to the table without human intervention. Pragmatic Play has added a new game to its extensive list of live casino titles. Players will now be able to enjoy Auto-Roulette, where a ball is dispensed onto the wheel during the betting time. No dealer is involved in Auto-Roulette games. This new title is live-streamed from the Pragmatic Play studios in Bucharest. It features the same high-end image quality found across the live dealer tables, along with several options to enhance the experience. With its 3D interface, users can zoom in on the table to get a close-up view of the ball as it spins around the Roulette wheel. It shares options with other Pragmatic Play live dealer games, such as bet history, chat options, saving favourite bet strategies, and special wagers. Like all Pragmatic Play games, Auto-Roulette is fully fair and licensed in multiple gambling jurisdictions. It's compatible with PCs, smartphones, and tablets, and offers players a wide range of bet sizes to suit all bankrolls. Auto-Roulette and the rest of the range support multiple languages and 31 different currencies. Popular Live Games From Pragmatic Play The live dealer tables continue to prove popular with customers and casino operators. A number of the biggest sites and game aggregation platforms have adopted the Pragmatic Play live dealer games. Other titles in this range include Blackjack, Speed Roulette, and Baccarat. The studio currently features 43 tables, with more to follow. The company continues to deliver more and more content, with up to 4 slots a month joining their range. Lana Bleichyk, Live Casino Operations Manager at Pragmatic Play, said: Delivering new and innovative products is paramount to Pragmatic Play and were thrilled to announce the launch of Auto-Roulette. Its of the utmost importance for companies to listen to feedback from both players and partners and were delighted to release this product which belief will fulfil the needs of both. Uttrakhand chief minister and several state ministers have been placed under home quarantine on Sunday after Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj, who had attended a Cabinet meeting on Friday was hospitalised with disease COVID-19. " CM along with all other Ministers who attended the Cabinet meeting on May 29 has been placed under home quarantine after a Cabinet Minister who was present at the meeting tested positive for COVID-19," Madan Kaushik, the state's urban development minister told ANI. Maharaj, along with five of his family members have been admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, according to AIIMS public relations officer Harish Thapaliyal. Maharaj's wife Amrita Rawat who tested positive for on Saturday was admitted to AIIMS this morning, Thapaliyal said. Following Amrita's diagnosis, Satpal Maharaj and his staff were quarantined according to District Magistrate Ashish Srivastava. Earlier today Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh said that a total of 22 people including Satpal Maharaj's family members and staff had also tested positive for COVID-19. "According to the protocol everyone including the minister is being sent to the hospital for the treatment," Singh told ANI. Kaushik said that cabinet will follow the guidelines issued by Union Ministry and State Department. A total of 41 others living at Satpal Maharaj's residence have also been quarantined. Their samples were collected and sent for COVID-19 testing. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As day turned to night over the last several days, peaceful protestors largely left the streets of New York City, leaving behind those who rioted and looted into the early morning hours in parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The New York protests are among hundreds that took place around the nation in response to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis last Monday. Derek Chauvin, the officer involved in the incident -- who kneeled on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes -- has since been fired, and charged in Floyds killing. Several protests on Staten Island over the weekend remained peaceful. Mayor Bill de Blasio said violent and destructive behavior will not be tolerated and will be addressed very aggressively." Improper actions by the NYPD will also be addressed very aggressively, de Blasio said, speaking to several controversial videos that surfaced over the weekend, which captured police responses to protests. Video footage showed an NYPD officer forcefully shoving a woman to the ground and a police officer pulling his service weapon in a crowded intersection. Other videos showed two police vehicles driving into a crowd, knocking people down, and an officer opening his police cruiser door into a protestor as the vehicle drove down the street. All of these instances are under investigation, he said, calling the videos troubling. Discipline must be given out where it is merited; all are under review, de Blasio said during a press conference Monday, adding that discipline could include being removed from the NYPD. The mayor said there is no situation where driving a police car into a group of people is acceptable, even if there were extenuating circumstances. Initially, he said the police vehicle was surrounded by violent protestors. Speaking to the video of the NYPD officer drawing his gun, he said, Its not the place of an officer to pull a gun knowing there are peaceful protestors. That officer should have his gun and badge taken away. NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea joined the mayor during Mondays press conference, however, Shea did not speak to any of the videos. Shea also said the protests were overwhelmingly peaceful and that there were a handful of dangerous incidents but there was no loss of life. MAYOR CALLS FOR REPEAL OF 50-A, LAW THAT PROTECTS DISCIPLINARY RECORDS A state law, 50-a, safeguards police personnel records from the public, as well as disciplinary hearing records. More specifically, Civil Rights Law 50-a blocks the release of all personnel records used to evaluate performance of police officers without the written permission of the officer, or without a judges order. De Blasio said Monday the law needs to be repealed and its something that can be done by the state legislature. Lets do that in the month of June, de Blasio said, adding that its something that the legislature can and should do. Advocates for repealing 50-a believe increased transparency in police discipline will foster more accountability for improper police action. De Blasio has talked publicly about his support for the laws repeal for more than two years. However, the mayor said NYPD officers should still have their personal information, like certain aspects of their lives as well as their home addresses, protected from the public. On Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he would sign a bill today that repeals 50-a. I would sign it today. So the Legislature can now convene by Zoom, or however they do it, pass the bill, and I will sign it today. I cant be clearer or more direct than that," Cuomo has said. The governor said he thinks that elected officials in New York could release disciplinary records, even with the law, if they wanted to. De Blasio also said there needs to be a faster NYPD disciplinary process and that it must be transparent. There needs to be an immediate investigation and consequences. It always takes too long and it makes people angry, he said. Any officer who should not be wearing the uniform needs to get off the force. People have every right to demand change, he said. FOLLOW KRISTIN F. DALTON ON TWITTER. (Bloomberg Opinion) -- U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has said Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China after a monthslong crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. This has paved the way for the Trump administration to strip the territory of some of its privileged trade status. But alas, sometimes, I wish Hong Kong could be just another Chinese city. Hong Kong is defined by its financial hub. With a common law system, a currency pegged to the U.S. dollar, and sitting at the gate to mainland China, the citys banking industry has blossomed, especially since the global financial crisis. Seeking exposure to China's great economic engine, investors have funneled billions of dollars into the city. For evidence, look no further than its monetary base. The so-called aggregate balance has swollen to as much as $51 billion since the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in 2008. Its no surprise the economy has morphed. Financial services now contribute about 20% of gross domestic product, from 10% two decades earlier. Meanwhile, manufacturing has become almost nonexistent. Once we include real-estate services, the finance industry would overtake trading and logistics Hong Kongs traditional bread-and-butter as the citys most important sector. But such economic growth hasn't been matched by a surge of good jobs. In the decade after the 2008 crisis, the added value from financial services grew an annualized 6.8%, but employment rose only 2.5%. As of 2018, the sector comprised 6.8% of the workforce, or 263,000 people. Tourism, which constitutes only 4.5% of GDP, employed almost as many. This is because finance is capital intensive, not labor intensive. An experienced banker can arrange a mega initial public offering just as well as a mid-cap listing, and a star trader can execute a $1 billion order just as efficiently as a $100 million one. As the industry grew, what it needed was experience and access to China, not more headcount. Story continues Read More: Hong Kong isnt becoming just another Chinese city Across the border, Shenzhen has taken a very different turn. A dozen years ago, it was a still a small city, where Hong Kong residents went for cheap food and shopping. Now, its economy is bigger than Hong Kongs. Industrials, a labor-intensive sector, remains prominent, accounting for about 40% of the citys GDP. Many technology companies made Shenzhen their home: Tencent Holdings Ltd., Huawei Technologies Co., Foxconn Industrial Internet Co., ZTE Corp., Warren Buffett-backed electric-vehicle maker BYD Co., to name a few. Along the way, billions were made and millionaires were minted. Publicly listed companies headquartered in Shenzhen now command $1.5 trillion in total market cap, almost three times as much as those based just across the border. Hong Kong is where bankers live, but Shenzhen Chinas Silicon Valley is where they spend their time, searching for the next Tencent. This is the outcome of a deliberate decision made by the Shenzhen government. Its most recent five-year land plan says it all. Just like Hong Kong, the city has vowed to keep at least half of its land in its natural ecological condition. Of the space allocated for urban use, at least 30% is intended for industrial development, such as traditional manufacturing and science parks. By comparison, Hong Kongs planning department reserves only 3.6% of its usable land for such purposes. Along with big plots came generous subsidies. Always keen to lure tech firms, Shenzhen mandated that corporate tax rates at the Qianhai free trade zone be lower than Hong Kongs. To weather the coronavirus-induced slowdown, the local government is offering to reimburse up to 70% of tech startups bank-loan interest repayments. Most likely, Hong Kongs high-finance industry will survive all the negative headlines, because the conditions that have spurred its prosperity remain. U.S. President Donald Trumps China rant at his press conference Friday has been seen as all bark, no bite. The billions of dollars unleashed by the Federal Reserves new quantitative easing programs will once again find their way to Hong Kong, and bankers and corporate lawyers have shown some willingness to stomach Beijngs new security law. The industry may even thrive from a great divorce between the U.S. and China. Mega IPOs are on the horizon again, this time not from Chinas state-owned giants, but its U.S.-listed technology titans such as JD.com Inc. and Netease Inc. Both are seeking refuge in Hong Kong in case they get kicked out off U.S. stock exchanges. And despite all the political uncertainty, index provider MSCI Inc. said last week it would move licensing for 37 derivatives from Singapore to its rival financial hub, simply because Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd. has the access to Chinese institutional and retail investors. Hong Kong is still the gateway to China. But this is bad news for the rest of the city. It takes a crisis for a government to devise drastic measures. If its key industry remains intact, Carrie Lams administration has no incentive to seek new sources of economic growth. The dominance of finance has created a social mobility problem in Hong Kong. The industry naturally favors bilingual sea turtles like me over local university graduates, for our business and cultural connections to China. But in Shenzhen, your socioeconomic background doesn't matter as much. Oftentimes, all it takes is a product prototype, a PowerPoint presentation, and suddenly you've got office space and subsidized housing nearby, too. Hong Kong has a lot to learn from its tech savvy neighbor. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Shuli Ren is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asian markets. She previously wrote on markets for Barron's, following a career as an investment banker, and is a CFA charterholder. 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. At 2:01 a.m. Monday, after monitoring the police response to the Portlands third major night of protests that stretched into the early morning hours, Portland Police Chief Jami Resch took questions by phone from reporters. The chief estimated that more than 6,000 protesters assembled downtown Sunday after a peaceful demonstration at Laurelhurst Park and march, in the wake of the death of George Floyd, an African American man killed last week in Minneapolis after a white officer pinned him to the ground, pressing his knee to his neck for nearly nine minutes. That large crowd gave more opportunities for some to engage in destructive behavior, Resch said. She described the prior 72 hours as a long and very difficult and emotional several days. The majority of the people who are coming down here are doing so peacefully, she said. We are going to need to come together to say we are not supportive of anyone whos going to come down and engage in violence. As the night wore on, Resch said she had heard from police crowd control liaisons that some protest leaders expressed a desire to meet with her. She spoke to three protest representatives, initially through a fence outside the Justice Center. They then agreed to continue their conversation inside police headquarters. We agreed the majority of the demonstrators and the police wanted a peaceful protest,'' Resch said. "And were frustrated by those bent toward violence.'' Im very appreciative they were trusting enough to come into the police precinct to meet with me, she said. Chief Jami Resch and Capt. Chuck Lovell met late Sunday with three protest representatives but their meeting was cut short when violence flared outside the Justice Center, Resch said. The three protesters were respectful and thoughtful, offered ideas on how police could engage with the crowd in different ways and suggestions on other people who police should connect with in advance of the demonstrations, the chief said. But their productive discussion was cut short by the actions of people who began to throw incendiary devices at officers on the street outside, according to the chief. Demonstrators scrawled graffiti on the large glass windows and exterior of the downtown federal courthouse late Sun. night, May 31, 2020. Some in the crowd threw large fireworks at officers, and police responded with tear gas and flash-bang grenades to try to disperse the large group and splinter it into smaller ones, after police orders for protesters to move out of the area via the bureaus sound truck went largely unheeded, Resch said. The chief said she was proud of the moment earlier Sunday when officers outside the Justice Center agreed to some protesters requests to drop to their knees in the street, calling it a moment of solidarity and understanding. But she said the late-evening vandalism to the federal courthouse and the Multnomah County courthouse was disturbing. Graffiti covered the large glass windows and exterior of the U.S. District Court in Portland, and a message that read "This aint over,'' in red spray paint was scrawled on the front of the county courthouse. There also was further damage to storefronts and parked cars. On Sunday, Portland police had help from Oregon State Police to try to control the crowds, while officers from Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas County Sheriffs offices, Gresham police and Port of Portland police were called in to assist taking emergency calls in the city. The Police Bureau cancelled all officers days off throughout the weekend. Police and city officials have been struggling to figure out how best to support demonstrators rights to free speech and assembly yet prevent violence and property damage. Resch said Portland police were not prepared for the large number of demonstrators who descended on the citys downtown Friday night, broke into and lit a fire inside the Justice Center and then freely raced through the downtown core, causing millions of dollars in damage from shattering store windows, looting businesses and lighting multiple fires. We were not anticipating the scale of the event, the chief said. By the second night, Portland police called in state troopers and others to assist, and took swifter action earlier in the evening to try to deter violence, she said. With each event, "life safety and protection of property, is the bureaus goals, she said. We have to be flexible enough to change our tactics depending on how the crowd reacts. Police made 14 arrests from Sunday into early Monday, according to Lt. Tina Jones. We implore our community to come together with us with calm and not violence so we can heal and identify solutions for a better future,'' the chief 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 Claims he took a substantial part of a collection of 349 sculptures from her hom The daughter of a Russian oil baron has accused her estranged father of taking her sculptures The daughter of a Russian oil baron has accused her estranged father of removing statues worth more than 4million in a series of nighttime raids on her home. Mother-of-two Nataliya Golubovich, 26, claims Alexey Golubovich 'systemically' took a substantial part of a collection of 349 sculptures from her 10million London house, according to documents filed in the High Court. It is alleged he visited the mansion in Hammersmith several times between 2012 and 2016 and used suitcases to make off with artworks. The documents claim during one visit in November 2015 the pair got into a 'serious argument' about the sculptures and Mr Golubovich 'physically assaulted' his daughter by kicking a metal statue at her. Nataliya Golubovich, 26, and her long-term partner Alex Strothe, 27, together in 2017 at her graduation from Imperial College London, where she gained a masters degree Miss Golubovich says police were called and officers asked the businessman to leave the house. Mr Golubovich denies all the allegations, says the artworks are his, and insists official documents show there was no assault and police treated him as a 'victim'. It is understood the art collection includes several statues of Buddha alongside a range of rare pieces from the Far East. It was amassed by Mr Golubovich's ex-wife, Olga Mirimskaya, to furnish the family home in London, according to the court claim. Russian retail tycoon Miss Mirimskaya is said to have bought the artworks from sales in London, Paris, and New York, and had a personal account at auction house Christie's. In 2012 Mr Golubovich and his wife divorced. Within a year, the former top executive of Russian oil giant Yukos allegedly started to remove artwork. He is said to have initially told his daughter he was taking the pieces to be restored or borrowing them to show in a museum or private gallery. But the documents claim that later the tycoon took the items 'in greater volume', bringing empty suitcases with him to fill with statues and other items. Nataliya Golubovich and Alexei Golubovich together in 2015 at her undergraduate graduation from Middlebury College, Vermont, USA The documents, released by the High Court on Friday, say: 'Mr Golubovich started to make night-time visits to the house with empty suitcases which he would fill with various of the missing items (together with personal items he was removing from the property). 'During one such night-time visit, on November 15, 2015, there was a serious argument between Nataliya and Mr Golubovich about, amongst other things, the removal of the missing items, which culminated in Mr Golubovich physically assaulting Nataliya (by kicking a metal statue at her). 'The Metropolitan Police were called and Mr Golubovich was asked to leave the house. Nataliya ultimately decided not to press charges against her father.' Miss Golubovich, a graduate of Imperial College London, has asked the High Court to order her father to return the statues and pay damages and legal costs. His defence, filed with the court last week [2/6], said: The police found no reason to take any action against Mr Golubovich, and helped him to complete the packing of his documents. The police report records that there was no sign of injury (on anyone) and records Mr Golubovich as the victim. Contrary to what is alleged, Ms Golubovich made no mention of missing items from the Collection during the course of this Incident. He added that his ex-wife never lived in the Hammersmith house and he never took empty suitcases to the property to fill with statues. He claimed he paid for the art collection, had taken an active role in buying the pieces and the whole collection had become his after a Deed of Settlement was signed in 2013. Based on this he has also counter-claimed, asking his daughter to deliver the remaining sculptures from the collection to him. His daughter, whose children are aged one and two months, claims the deed is a forgery and her mother gifted her the art collection, said to be worth 'in excess of 4.1million', in September last year. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland is banning parking and closing downtown highway ramps during the curfew that lasts until Tuesday night, snarling traffic on the morning commute. The city sent out this alert: "A Curfew AND Parking Ban for Downtown and the area of W 28th to W 25th from Lorain Ave to Superior Viaduct is in effect starting at 8am on June 1st and ending 8pm on June 2nd. All highway entrances to downtown are closed. Please avoid the area. See the citys proclamation. The closures are causing a number of traffic headaches this morning in parts of downtown. ODOT reports ramps are closed on I-90E from W. 25th Street through Lakeside Avenue and on I90W from E. 55th to W. 14th Streets. All ramps will remain closed through 8 p.m. Tuesday night. Additionally, Fox 8 reports that roadblocks have been placed on W. 25th Street. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 20:29:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Iran is ready to send more fuel shipments to Venezuela if there is a request, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Monday. Mousavi slammed U.S. attempts to block Iran's trade with other countries, saying that "if Venezuela makes a new request for (fuel) delivery, more shipments will be sent." "It is Iran's natural right to defend its (economic) interests even in faraway places," Mousavi said in his weekly press conference. Last months, five Iranian oil fuel tankers arrived at Venezuela shores. Washington has threatened to take action against the Venezuela-bound fuel tankers, including blacklisting the crew and the tankers. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 21:24:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close QINGDAO, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday urged efforts to establish strict regulatory mechanism to ensure new fiscal funds go straight to city and county governments and directly benefit businesses and people. China will increase its deficit by 1 trillion yuan this year and issue 1 trillion yuan of government bonds for COVID-19 control, as part of efforts to provide relief to businesses and unleash market vitality, Li said in a video conference in the northern port city of Qingdao. Noting that the funds should be primarily used to ensure employment, meet basic living needs, and protect market entities, Li stressed that a special transfer payment mechanism should be set up to ensure that funds go straight to primary-level governments and directly benefit businesses and people and that no such funds are allowed to be withheld by provincial governments. Enditem Bega Shire Councillor Cathy Griff will challenge her local government colleague Kristy McBain for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro, with the former teacher and journalist to be revealed on Monday as the Greens candidate. Cr Griff, a long-term resident of the rural hamlet of Tanja on the NSW Far South Coast, is the ninth candidate to declare for the July 4 byelection, which was triggered following the retirement of Labor MP Mike Kelly. Bega Shire councillor Cathy Griff will on Monday be unveiled as the Greens candidate for next month's Eden-Monaro byelection. The National Party is expected to name its candidate in coming days after the NSW executive agreed on Thursday night to start the nomination and vetting process, which will close at 5pm on Tuesday. It will be the 12th time the Nationals have run a candidate in Eden-Monaro in the partys 100-year history. RTHK: Londoners rally to support African-Americans Hundreds of Londoners defied coronavirus restrictions and rallied outside the US embassy on Sunday in solidarity with protests raging across the United States over the death of an unarmed black man during an arrest. The death of George Floyd in Minnesota has sparked five consecutive nights of often violent protests that resulted in National Guard troops patrolling major US cities on Sunday. The London protesters chanted: "No justice, no peace" and "Enough is enough" as they marched towards the US embassy compound on the southern bank of the River Thames. Shouting "Say his name! George Floyd!" they held up "Black Lives Matter" signs outside the embassy building. Earlier, a few hundred had earlier gathered in Trafalgar Square in the heart of London for a vigil that saw everyone kneel for nine minutes the amount of time the policeman kneeled on Floyd's neck. When you take someone's life, the way that happened, then it does something to you wherever you are in the world because it was totally wrong," one demonstrator, Trevor Joseph, said. "It's a worldwide thing. It happens in America and we have to show solidarity," he added. A protest march also took place in the northern English city of Manchester, at which local media said hundreds took part. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called footage of the incident "very distressing". But he refrained from commenting on US President Donald Trump's explosive tweets and controversial public statements about the protests. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2020-05-31. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. "ThunderCat strives for a company culture where excellence is woven into the daily fabric and reflected in the actions of each and every member of the team." - CEO, Tom Deierlein ThunderCat Technology announced today that CRN a brand of The Channel Company, has named ThunderCat to its 2020 Solution Provider 500 list, placing #48. Each year, CRN releases its list of top 500 solution providers, a ranking of the leading IT channel partner organizations across North America by revenue. CRNs Solution Provider 500 list serves as the industrys benchmark for recognizing the top-performing technology integrators, strategic service providers, and IT consultants, and as a valuable resource for technology vendors looking to partner with top solution providers. CEO Tom Deierlein commented on the list, It is a big honor to be included on this prestigious list. We work very hard to ensure our customers are happy and successful. ThunderCat strives for a company culture where excellence is woven into the daily fabric and reflected in the actions of each and every member of the team. Our core data center and cyber business continue to thrive. Last summer we earned our Cisco Gold certification. Our SLED practice and commercial businesses are seeing triple digit growth. Over the past few years we have seen our cloud transformation and our Health IT groups expand dramatically. We are leading efforts in the DevSecOps space as well. Overall, we are proud of how we have evolved over these past 9 years since our first appearance on the SP500 to meet the changing requirements of our customers and rapidly evolving marketplace. A special thanks to our OEM partners for their support and incredible products. CRNs Solution Provider 500 list showcases the top IT channel partner organizations across North America, said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. This year, companies on this list represent a combined revenue of $393 billion, a data point that underscores the impact and influence these solution providers have on the IT industry. On behalf of The Channel Company, Id like to congratulate these companies for their outstanding contributions to the growth and success of our industry. CRNs complete 2020 Solution Provider 500 list is available online at http://www.CRN.com/SP500 and a sample from the list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine. About ThunderCat Technology ThunderCat Technology is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that delivers technology products and services to government organizations, educational institutions, and commercial companies. Led by a combat-wounded CEO, ThunderCat is a systems integrator that brings an innovative approach to solving customer problems in and around the datacenter by providing strategies for Data Storage, Networking, Cyber Security, and Cloud Transformations. A proven leader, ThunderCat Technology provides and optimizes technologies from best of breed manufacturers. Clients include DOD, DHS, VA, Treasury, FBI, State of Virginia, State of NY, Sony, Avery Dennison, VISA, and Chesapeake Regional Hospital http://www.thundercattech.com . Follow ThunderCat: Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. http://www.thechannelcompany.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook Copyright 2020. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. The Channel Company Contact: Jennifer Hogan The Channel Company jhogan@thechannelcompany.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 1, 2020 16:31 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb5056d 1 News Marriott,Marriott-International,Santika-Indonesia-Hotels-and-Resorts,Alila-Hotels,Capella-Ubud,travel,Hotel Free The tourism sector is striving to bounce back stronger once the pandemic is over. With many countries imposing travel bans and lockdowns, the hospitality and leisure sectors have been among the hardest hit. In April, at least 1,266 hotels in Indonesia closed with 150,000 employees severely impacted. In Jakarta, some five-star hotels have suspended their operations entirely, while others are still welcoming guests with tight health measures and creative promotions. Among the hotels creative campaigns have been enticing promotions for guests to stay later in the year. Luxurious hotels run by Marriott International Hotels and Resorts in Indonesia are offering holiday packages and hotel vouchers that can be given to loved ones as gifts. Marriott is offering a three-day, two-night stay package with low prices at its luxurious hotels, city hotels or beach resorts for a stay period until 2021, depending on the hotels. Guests can book now and stay later. otels run by Santika group are also offering holiday packages for post-pandemic travel. Packages at Amaris Hotel, Hotel Santika, Hotel Surabaya and Hotel Santika Premier start from Rp 200,000 (US$13.68)/night to Rp 400,000/night. Vouchers can be purchased until June 6 for a stay period from July 1 to March 31, 2021. Read also: Bali named among top post-pandemic destinations For those hoping to travel to Bali after the pandemic, Anvaya Beach Resort and The Samaya at Seminyak and Ubud are offering similar promotion packages, which include breakfast for two people. To enjoy the deals, download the My Value app from Google Play. Alila Seminyak is offering vouchers under its Gift to Educate campaign, in which guests receive a one night complimentary stay for every two nights paid. The hotel will also donate 15 percent of one nights charge to the Bali Children Foundation. Vouchers can be purchased until July for a stay period until June 2021. The deal is offered for a minimum stay of three nights, including the one complimentary night. A maximum of four complimentary nights are available per reservation. The deal includes breakfast and a shuttle service to Seminyak Square based on the daily schedule. You can view the property features and reserve your stay by visiting the hotels website, send an email to seminyak@alilahotels.com or call +62 361 3021 888 and use the G2E booking code. Another Bali resort offering a promotion is Capella Ubud luxury tented camp, known for its luxurious tents in a rainforest. Guests can book up to 14 nights at the intimate jungle resort. For a two-night stay, guests will receive complimentary round-trip airport transfers. Those staying for three nights and longer can enjoy an in-tent private dinner. The package is available until Dec. 20, 2021. For more information, visit this website. (gis/wng) Ranjitha Gunasekaran By Express News Service CHENNAI: It is close to 3 am on Sunday, and an exhausted policeman is trying to direct a group of 41 men away from Central station. Turn right at the signal and go to the police station, he shouts in broken Hindi. The group, equally exhausted, inches ahead but not too far. They dont trust him and they dont want to lose sight of the gateway through which they hope to finally get home. They have been shuttling back and forth from Nehru stadium on the adjacent Sydenhams road and the entrance to the railway station from 6pm, stymied by a language barrier. Among the group are four who walked here from Thandalam and want to go to Odisha. The other 37 have staked the last of their money on a bus from Puducherry to Chennai after waiting for two months without pay at their workplaces. They have no resources but for their mobile phones, some food and water. Sudha Ramamoorthy, a disability rights activist, accompanying this reporter speaks Hindi. This alone is enough to earn some trust. We have been walking up and down this road for hours. They keep telling us to leave but we dont know where we are supposed to go, says one of the men. They have now gathered around Sudha as she explains to them what the police officer is unable to: go to the station, they will take down your details and shift you to a shelter. You will be put on the next train. The cop is only slightly relieved at this intervention. His shirt is damp from sweat, eyes red and asked, conversationally, if he doesnt know Hindi, he replies, It is not required for people in Tamil Nadu to know Hindi. The group follows this reporters car to the police station. I dont know how they get here and from where all they come but they are so young, practically children. I feel so bad, a traffic police officer on Sydenhams road observes, directing them to stay on the sidewalk. At the station, the group begins queuing up at the entrance and taking out their documents. This infuriates the police officer on duty who accuses Sudha and this reporter of bringing these people to the station. ALSO READ | COVID-19: Royapuram cries out for space in suffocating times Send them back to wherever they came from! Who told them to come here? We cant take them anywhere. This is not our job, he fumes, shooing the men. The men are directed to sit outside the station, huddled with their bags, sleep dripping from their eyes. A stand-off ensues, till the inspector in charge arrives and calmly takes stock of the situation. She finds that of the 41 people, the four from Thandalam had been spotted hours ago and told to go to a police-managed wedding hall down the road. The instruction had failed to breach the language barrier. A cop was sent to take them to the hall. The Pondy arrivals, however, posed a problem. How did they get an e-pass to come here from Puducherry? Why werent they stopped at the checkpost outside the city? Arent they meant to be quarantined? the group of cops ask, each taking turns to frown at one of the e-passes. They are coming from a different state! What if they are infected? What if they infect our people at the wedding hall? one policeman wonders aloud, urging us to step away from the men and keep more distance. The irony of the panic against men from a town with under 50 Covid-19 cases while standing in a Corporation zone with over 2,000 cases is momentarily lost on them. The Corporation will have to take charge of them, the inspector decides, asking this reporter to accompany her to the Kannapar Thidal corporation community hall down the road. The gate to the community hall is locked. Tens of men sleep on the bare ground around the building. A lungi-clad corporation staff emerges from the adjacent office and announces that no official is available, no one has the key to the gate, no one is in charge, everyone has gone home and there is nothing to be done. So what happens to these men? this reporter asks. What happens if there is a fire and all these men are trapped inside because no one has the key, the inspector asks. This propels the staff into action. He bangs at the gate and calls for someone. The inspector, losing hope, asks a cop to see if there is space at the wedding hall to keep the Pondy arrivals separate from the rest. Another lungi-clad man, torso covered by a towel, emerges from within the community hall and unlocks the gate. Are you in charge? the inspector asks, as he steps outside. No. Are you a corporation staff? No. Who pays your salary then? Madam, I am also an inmate! he exclaims in English. Ashwin, a powerloom contractor from Pune, had visited the State for business. He missed leaving the State by a matter of hours when the lockdown was first imposed. I have been here for 70 days. If there is a train to Maharashtra I will cling to the windows and go, he says. This is hell. He provides the number of a Corporation official. The inspector wakes him up at home. He provides the number of another Corporation official and asks her to call him. I can call my seniors but how can I call his seniors? she asks, exasperated but unsurprised. Ashwin points out there isnt much space in the community hall anyway. There are over 200 people here and only four toilets. About 120 sleep inside and the rest outdoors, he says. Indeed, the compound is lined with men sleeping, alongside trees, mosquitos and bright fluorescent lights. The back of the building stinks. They clean the toilets but its not enough, complains Ashwin. The inspector makes a decision. There is some clear space near Nehru stadium. Let them stay there for now. In the morning, we will take them to the Corporation officials, she says, leading the way back to the station. Informed of this plan, one of the Pondy arrivals breaks his silence. We were there only at 9pm and they chased us away! The inspector assures them they will not be chased and says they should be able to get on the Sunday 4pm train to Bihar. As she leads them towards the stadium, it is 4am. Twelve hours later, they are not on the train to Bihar. Instead, the Corporation, strapped for space to shelter the waves of migrants gathering at Kannappar Thidal, sends some of them to the wedding hall and puts the rest on a bus to Tiruvottiyur where there might be a shelter. As the 4pm train to Bihar leaves, one of the men from Pondy asks Sudha, while seated on the bus to Tiruvottiyur, Will the toilets in that place be ok? Postscript: Six of the Pondy arrivals were sent to the police-managed marriage hall on Sunday and the rest to a shelter in Manali. Late Monday night, those who had been sent to Manali were accommodated on a train to Bihar. The six at the wedding hall werent as lucky. Officials said there were only 650 seats available for shelter residents and they were taken. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 06:54:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A woman wearing a face mask walks out of a shop which is open in Santiago, Chile, May 28, 2020. (Photo by Jorge Villegas/Xinhua) A lockdown is in effect in the capital Santiago and the metropolitan area through June 5, as the region is the epicenter of the country's outbreak, with 80 percent of all infections and 775 deaths. SANTIAGO, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Chile on Sunday reported 99,688 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,054 deaths from the disease. In the past 24 hours ending 9 p.m. Saturday, 4,830 new cases were detected and 57 more patients died, the highest number of fatalities in a single day so far. Of the new cases of infection, 4,437 presented symptoms and 393 were asymptomatic. Since the beginning of the outbreak here, 42,727 people have recovered from the virus and 582,440 tests have been applied. A lockdown is in effect in the capital Santiago and the metropolitan area through June 5, as the region is the epicenter of the country's outbreak, with 80 percent of all infections and 775 deaths. The lockdown, which was extended from its original deadline in May, has generated some unrest among the region's 7 million inhabitants, with protests breaking out especially in poorer districts over a "lack" of government aid to offset the economic hardships. In recent weeks, Chile has seen an exponential rise in the number of cases and deaths, leading the government to set up field hospitals to deal with the growing number of patients. NORFOLK COUNTY, ONT.Premier Doug Ford pledged Monday to ramp up testing for thousands of migrant workers across Ontario after a number of new farm outbreaks were reported in recent days. Ford attributed a spike in Ontarios positive COVID-19 cases to the farms, saying more than 80 migrant workers have tested positive for the virus. The premier said he has seen first-hand the communal bunkhouses where workers live, which advocates say can contribute to the spread of the virus. I will definitely be addressing this with public health to make sure that we get all the migrant workers tested to keep them safe, to keep the supply chain and the food safe, he said. Were on this. Approximately 20,000 migrant workers come to Ontario each year to work on farms and in greenhouses. Many of the workers come from Mexico, the Caribbean and Guatemala and when they arrived this year they were required to self-isolate for 14 days. Outbreaks that have affected dozens of migrant workers have been reported in Chatham-Kent, Windsor-Essex, Niagara Region and Elgin County. On Sunday night, the mayor of Norfolk County said 120 workers at a local farm have tested positive for COVID-19, with seven of them having been admitted to hospital. We have always understood that this was a risk that our community could face and our health unit has been preparing for this possibility, Kristal Chopp said in a statement. Other communities in Ontario and across the country have also faced similar situations with on-farm outbreaks. The Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit said over the weekend that 85 migrant workers were affected and the Mexican government liaison had been notified. The health unit said it is working with the farm, owned by Scotlynn Group, and its clinical staff are developing a plan to evaluate and monitor symptomatic workers. The company said in a statement it has executed an isolation plan to stop the spread of the virus. It also said with a large number of workers not available, it is looking for additional help with an asparagus harvest. Last month, advocates for migrant workers said the province should ramp up inspections of the farms and the bunkhouses workers live in. Ford said the province may have to consider making changes to the communal nature of the bunkhouses in the future, but it would be hard to take that action during the pandemic. Its something we can put on the table, he said. Can we do it in within a month or so? I just dont think thats reality. But what we can do, we can go in and test frequently. I think its critical that we do. Chris Ramsaroop with the advocacy group Justice for Migrant Workers wrote Ford last month and asked him to increase Ministry of Labour inspections of the farms, including of migrant workers cramped living quarters, and bolster cleaning practices. Hes not surprised there have been more outbreaks in those settings and urged Ford not to wait to take further action to protect the workers. This ... should have happened months ago, these proactive inspections and orders should have been implemented on these agricultural operations, he said. Ramsaroop said COVID-19 testing should be expanded to everyone in the province, not just migrant workers. We are concerned that migrant farm workers will be stigmatized by any specific testing, he said. It is our understanding that most cases of COVID-19 are a result of community contact. NDP labour critic Wayne Gates said Fords promise of testing for migrant workers should be applied across the board to all front-line workers. The province should also offer financial support to ensure companies provide migrant workers with proper work and living conditions as well as personal protective equipment. You know, at the end of the day, we have to protect our food supply, but we have to make sure that workers are safe while we do that, Gates said. Whether youre somebody from Mexico, Jamaica, or Ontario, every life is valued. Read more about: Cities around Pennsylvania are cleaning up after a weekend of clashes between police and protesters, and in some cases, investigators are looking for the people they say sparked the violence. That was the case in Harrisburg, Mayor Eric Papenfuse and police Commissioner Thomas Carter said Sunday. They said the protest was peaceful during the first few hours, but after many of the original protesters left, a new group, most of whom appeared to be from out of town, moved in to spark the violence. Protests around the country broke out over the death of George Floyd, who was killed in police custody on Memorial Day in Minneapolis. In Philadelphia, members of the National Guard have been called in to watch over the city as the daybreak curfew lifted Monday, Action News 6 ABC is reporting. Much of the city had been closed off on Sunday after peaceful protests turned violent, resulting in stores with smashed windows near City Hall, merchandise being stolen and vehicles and buildings being set ablaze, according to reports. Five or more police officers were injured, many of them had been hit with bricks, and there have been more than 200 arrests, reports indicate. Business owners spent much of Sunday sweeping up broken glass and boarding up broken windows and crews cleaned anti-police graffiti from City Hall, according to reports. According to 6 ABC, Mayor Jim Kenney said the destruction in Center City "saddened and disappointed me beyond words, and I'm sure it saddened every Philadelphian who takes pride in their city, adding those responsible "not only desecrated private businesses, they also desecrated the important message that was heard in the earlier peaceful protests." And much like the statements in Harrisburg from Papenfuse and Carter, Philadelphia police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, the first black woman to lead the citys police force, said those responsible for the violence were not in alignment with the peaceful protesters but had the intent to destroy and quite frankly, those folks didnt look like me. In Pittsburgh, police are looking for 20-year-old Brian Bartels, who they say broke windows out of a police vehicle against the wishes of peaceful protesters who tried to stop him, sparking an increase in the violence, WPXI is reporting. A search warrant at a home in Shaler uncovered items they say linked him to the crime. According to WPXI, the items included two firearms, unspecified books, gloves, spray paint and a sweatshirt with unspecified writing on the front. Erie saw violence over the weekend, too, and like many other cities, officials there say it was started by people from out of town, according to the Erie Times-News. This violence was clearly planned ahead of time by a small group, police Chief Dan Spizarny said, according to reports. It was very similar to the way riots unfolded in other cities across the country and was clearly following the same playbook. While all seven who were charged were from Erie, officials say the violence was sparked by professional rioters from out of town. Protests were held in other parts of the state without incident. 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 United States remained a tinderbox of anger and emotion as violent protests erupted for a sixth day across the country over the custodial killing of African-American George Floyd, resulting in the death of at least five people, the arrest of thousands and placing of curfew in nearly 40 cities, while forcing US President Donald Trump to take shelter in a White House bunker. IMAGE: Protesters rally around a bonfire in the midst of protests against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd near the White House in Washington. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Considered to be the worst ever civil unrest in the US in decades, the violent protests have engulfed at least 140 cities across America in the days following the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old man who was pinned to the ground in Minneapolis on Monday by a white police officer who kneeled on his neck as he gasped for breath. Some of the protests have turned violent, prompting the activation of the National Guard in at least 20 states. "At least five people were killed in violence that flared as demonstrations in parts of the country devolved into mayhem," The Washington Post reported. IMAGE: A Molotov cocktail hits a Ferguson Police car during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of African-American man George Floyd, in Ferguson, Missouri. Photograph: Lawrence Bryant/Reuters Police have arrested at least 2,564 people in two dozen US cities over the weekend. Nearly a fifth of those arrests were in Los Angeles, it said. The unrest initially began in Minneapolis in Minnesota but has now spread across the country, with reports of violence coming in from across major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Houston, Philadelphia and Washington DC. "The United States remained a tinderbox of emotion, anger and continued violence on Sunday, the sixth day of nationwide unrest since the death of yet another black man at the hands of the police," The New York Times reported. IMAGE: Police work to keep demonstrators back during a protest in Washington, DC. Photograph: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images In Birmingham, protesters started to tear down a Confederate monument that the city had previously covered with a tarp amid a lawsuit between the state attorney general and the city. In Boston, a police SUV was set ablaze near the State House, sending up a column of black smoke after a large group of protesters had mostly dispersed. In Philadelphia, police officers in riot gear and an armoured vehicle used pepper spray to try to repel rioters and looters. IMAGE: A demonstrator is arressted during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images In New York, demonstrators marched across the Brooklyn and Williamsburg Bridges, snarling traffic. The Manhattan Bridge was briefly shut down to car traffic. Chaos erupted in Union Square, with flames leaping up two stories from trash cans and piles of street debris, the Times said. "It is the first time so many local leaders have simultaneously issued such orders in the face of civic unrest since 1968, after the assassination of the Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr," the report said. The police fired tear gas near the White House on Sunday night to dissuade protesters who had smashed the windows of prominent buildings, overturned cars and set fires, with smoke seen rising from near the Washington Monument, it said. IMAGE: A picture of George Floyd is seen at a makeshift memorial put up by protesters at the corner where he got arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters For the past few days, thousands of protesters have gathered outside the White House raising slogans against President Trump. According to CNN, US President Trump was briefly taken to the underground bunker for some time during the protest outside the White House, while First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron were also taken to the bunker. US President Trump made no public appearances on Sunday, but in a series of tweets he blamed the media for fomenting hatred and anarchy in the country. "The Lamestream Media is doing everything within their power to foment hatred and anarchy. As long as everybody understands what they are doing, that they are FAKE NEWS and truly bad people with a sick agenda, we can easily work through them to GREATNESS!" he said. IMAGE: Police detain protesters for violating the curfew during a peaceful demonstration near the Mobil gas station on S Washington Ave by the I-35W on-ramp during the sixth day of demonstrations in response to the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US. Photograph: Nicholas Pfosi/Reuters Earlier in the day, he announced that his administration will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization. ANTIFA is regarded as a militant, left-wing, anti-fascist political activist movement in the US. It comprises autonomous activist groups that aim to achieve their political objectives through the use of direct action rather than through policy reform. US Attorney General William Barr said that the violence instigated and carried out by the organisation and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly. The Trump administration alleges that it appears the violence is planned, organised, and driven by anarchistic and far left extremists, using ANTIFA-like tactics, many of whom travel from out of state to promote the violence. Former US Vice President Joe Biden, who is the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic party, visited a protest site in Delaware on Sunday. "We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us. We are a nation enraged, but we cannot allow our rage to consume us. We are a nation exhausted, but we will not allow our exhaustion to defeat us," Biden wrote on social media postings on Sunday. IMAGE: Protesters march during a rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Denver, Colorado. Photograph: Alyson Mcclaran/Reuters Floyd's funeral to be held in Houston George Floyd will be laid to rest in his hometown of Houston, following a public visitation in Minneapolis. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the funeral plans on Saturday, though there are currently no public details about when it will take place. The mayor broke the news as part of a larger plea for peace amid a weekend where Houston police arrested hundreds of protesters. "This is our house. This is the same city that George Floyd grew up, And his body will be returning to this city. To his city," Turner said. IMAGE: A person holds a sign reading "Am I next?" during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Seattle, Washington. Photograph: Lindsey Wasson/Reuters Floyd died in Minneapolis on Monday after a white police officer pinned him to the ground. Video footage showed the officer kneeling on Floyd's neck as he gasped for breath. His death has triggered nationwide protests. Officer Derek Chauvin has been fired, and on Friday was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, the authorities said. Born in North Carolina, Floyd was raised in Houston and stood out as a star athlete at Jack Yates High School in the southeastern part of the city. He moved to Minneapolis in 2014, but most of his family, including his two daughters, are still in Houston. Houston Police Department chief Art Acevedo is seeking to honour Floyd by giving his funeral a police escort. "Give us that honour," Acevedo said during a rally on Sunday. IMAGE: A protester wears a mask with the words "I Cant Breathe" during a rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd in Boston, Massachusetts. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters The department will use a high level of security to transport Floyd's body, comparable to when an officer dies in line of duty, the chief said, adding that he will provide more details at a rally reportedly scheduled for Tuesday, June 2 where protesters will march to City Hall. Funeral arrangements are still being planned, said officials at the Fort Bend Memorial Planning Center in Rosharon. It posted a flyer on Facebook with a picture of Floyd, stating funeral arrangements are forthcoming. Details of a funeral have not been released. Floyd's family and attorneys have yet to confirm funeral arrangements. The family has asked for peace in honour of Floyd whose body is coming home on Tuesday. IMAGE: A protester pours milk into his eyes after being exposed to tear gas during nationwide unrest following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Photograph: Nick Oxford/Reuters Meanwhile, Governor Greg Abbott declared a State of Disaster for all Texas counties following several protests in cities throughout Texas over the death of Floyd. Under this declaration, the governor has the ability to designate federal agents to serve as Texas Peace Officers. "Every Texan and every American has the right to protest and I encourage all Texans to exercise their First Amendment rights. However, violence against others and the destruction of property is unacceptable and counterproductive," said Abbott. "As protests have turned violent in various areas across the state, it is crucial that we maintain order, uphold public safety, and protect against property damage or loss. By authorising additional federal agents to serve as Texas Peace Officers we will help protect people's safety while ensuring that peaceful protesters can continue to make their voices heard," he said. Black Lives Matter protests spread to UK Thousands of people gathered across London on Sunday to protest against the killing of an unarmed black man by a police officer in the US as the Black Lives Matter protests spread to the UK. Protesters held up signs saying "Justice for George Floyd", who died in a police custody while an officer kneeled on his neck to pin him down. The protests were held at Trafalgar Square in central London and outside the US Embassy in Battersea, south London. Protesters appeared to be breaking lockdown rules, not staying two metres apart. The Metropolitan Police reminded people that the coronavirus social distancing rules remain in place and made 11 arrests related to the protests. "The arrests vary in offences from possession of an offensive weapon to assault on police, obstructing a public carriageway to breaches of COVID-19 legislation," the Met Police said. "Government restrictions to control the spread of the coronavirus remain in place. Police are encouraging our communities to comply with the regulations to keep everyone as safe as possible," the statement said. The Black Lives Matter protests were spread across other parts of the UK as well, including a march in Manchester. The protests follow five days of violent demonstration in the US since the killing of Floyd. -- Aditi Khanna/PTI IMAGES: People hold placards as they join a spontaneous Black Lives Matter march at Trafalgar Square to protest the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and in support of the demonstrations in North America. PHOTOGRAPHS: Hollie Adams/Getty Images -- With additional inputs from ANI and Seema Hakhu Kachru/PTI MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Two members of a Reuters TV crew were hit by rubber bullets and injured in Minneapolis on Saturday night when police moved into an area occupied by about 500 protesters in the southwest of the city shortly after the 8 p.m. curfew. MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Two members of a Reuters TV crew were hit by rubber bullets and injured in Minneapolis on Saturday night when police moved into an area occupied by about 500 protesters in the southwest of the city shortly after the 8 p.m. curfew. Footage taken by cameraman Julio-Cesar Chavez showed a police officer aiming directly at him as police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd. "A police officer that I'm filming turns around points his rubber-bullet rifle straight at me," said Chavez. Minutes later, Chavez and Reuters security advisor Rodney Seward were struck by rubber bullets as they took cover at a nearby gas station. On footage captured as they ran for safety, several shots are heard ringing out and Seward yells, "I've been hit in the face by a rubber bullet." Asked about the incident, Minneapolis Police Department spokesman John Elder requested a copy of the video and made no immediate comment. Seward is seen in later footage being treated by a medic near the scene for a deep gash under his left eye. Both men sustained injuries to their arms, and Chavez was hit in the back of the neck. The Reuters journalists were clearly identified as members of the news media. Chavez was holding a camera and wearing his press pass around his neck. Seward was wearing a bullet proof vest with a press label attached. The incident was the latest attack on a journalist covering the protests that have erupted around the United States after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. A black CNN journalist was arrested on camera while covering the protests in Minneapolis on Friday. A Louisville, Kentucky, television reporter yelled, "I'm getting shot" as she was seen live on camera on Friday being hit by what appeared to be a pepper ball. The Louisville Metro Police Department apologized for that incident. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, according to the New York Times, had received about 10 reports involving journalists during the recent protesting, ranging from assaults to menacing. (Writing by Leela de Kretser; Editing by Daniel Wallis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2020 / Global Self Storage, Inc. (SELF), a real estate investment trust that owns, operates, manages, acquires, develops and redevelops self-storage properties, has declared a cash dividend of $0.065 per common share for the second quarter of 2020. The dividend is payable on June 30, 2020, to stockholders of record as of June 15, 2020. About Global Self Storage Global Self Storage is a self-administered and self-managed REIT that owns, operates, manages, acquires, develops and redevelops self-storage properties. The company's self-storage properties are designed to offer affordable, easily accessible and secure storage space for residential and commercial customers. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, the company owns and/or manages 13 self-storage properties in Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Oklahoma. For more information, go to ir.globalselfstorage.us or visit the company's customer site at www.globalselfstorage.us. You can also follow Global Self Storage on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements Certain information presented in this press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws including, but not limited to, the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements include statements concerning the company's plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events, future revenues or performance, capital expenditures, financing needs, plans or intentions, and other information that is not historical information. In some cases, forward looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "believes," "plans," "intends," "expects," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "anticipates," or the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy. All forward-looking statements by the company involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the company, which may cause the company's actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements, including the negative impacts from the continued spread of COVID-19 on the economy, the self storage industry, the broader financial markets, the Company's financial condition, results of operations and cash flows and the ability of the Company's tenants to pay rent. The company may also make additional forward looking statements from time to time. All such subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, by the company or on its behalf, are also expressly qualified by these cautionary statements. Investors should carefully consider the risks, uncertainties, and other factors, together with all of the other information included in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and similar information. All forward-looking statements, including without limitation, the company's examination of historical operating trends and estimates of future earnings, are based upon the company's current expectations and various assumptions. The company's expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith, but there can be no assurance that the company's expectations, beliefs and projections will result or be achieved. All forward looking statements apply only as of the date made. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward looking statements which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. The amount, nature, and/or frequency of dividends paid by the company may be changed at any time without notice. Story continues Contacts: Global Self Storage Thomas O'Malley, Chief Financial Officer 1 (212) 785-0900, ext. 267 tomalley@globalselfstorage.us CMA Investor Relations Ron Both 1 (949) 432-7566 SELF@cma.team SOURCE: Global Self Storage View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/592289/Global-Self-Storage-Declares-Second-Quarter-2020-Dividend As you might know, VMware, Inc. (NYSE:VMW) just kicked off its latest first-quarter results with some very strong numbers. It was overall a positive result, with revenues beating expectations by 4.4% to hit US$2.7b. VMware also reported a statutory profit of US$0.92, which was an impressive 112% above what the analysts had forecast. This is an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance in its report, look at what experts are forecasting for next year, and see if there has been any change to expectations for the business. Readers will be glad to know we've aggregated the latest statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their mind on VMware after the latest results. Check out our latest analysis for VMware NYSE:VMW Past and Future Earnings June 1st 2020 Taking into account the latest results, the most recent consensus for VMware from 26 analysts is for revenues of US$11.5b in 2021 which, if met, would be a satisfactory 3.8% increase on its sales over the past 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are expected to crater 80% to US$3.02 in the same period. In the lead-up to this report, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$11.4b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$3.00 in 2021. So it's pretty clear that, although the analysts have updated their estimates, there's been no major change in expectations for the business following the latest results. With the analysts reconfirming their revenue and earnings forecasts, it's surprising to see that the price target rose 8.0% to US$167. It looks as though they previously had some doubts over whether the business would live up to their expectations. The consensus price target is just an average of individual analyst targets, so - it could be handy to see how wide the range of underlying estimates is. Currently, the most bullish analyst values VMware at US$202 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$100.00. Note the wide gap in analyst price targets? This implies to us that there is a fairly broad range of possible scenarios for the underlying business. Story continues Taking a look at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can understand these forecasts is to see how they compare to both past performance and industry growth estimates. It's pretty clear that there is an expectation that VMware's revenue growth will slow down substantially, with revenues next year expected to grow 3.8%, compared to a historical growth rate of 12% over the past five years. Compare this against other companies (with analyst forecasts) in the industry, which are in aggregate expected to see revenue growth of 12% next year. So it's pretty clear that, while revenue growth is expected to slow down, the wider industry is also expected to grow faster than VMware. The Bottom Line The most important thing to take away is that there's been no major change in sentiment, with the analysts reconfirming that the business is performing in line with their previous earnings per share estimates. On the plus side, there were no major changes to revenue estimates; although forecasts imply revenues will perform worse than the wider industry. We note an upgrade to the price target, suggesting that the analysts believes the intrinsic value of the business is likely to improve over time. With that in mind, we wouldn't be too quick to come to a conclusion on VMware. Long-term earnings power is much more important than next year's profits. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for VMware going out to 2025, and you can see them free on our platform here.. Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for VMware (1 is a bit unpleasant) you should be aware of. 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. MEARS, MI The reopening of the popular off-road area at Silver Lake State Park has been pushed to mid-June. The ORV area at the 3,000-acre state park on Lake Michigan in Oceana County is now set to open on Saturday, June 13, according to a notice from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The notice cited several reasons for the delayed opening, noting it coincides with the June 12 expiration of Gov. Gretchen Whitmers stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Officials earlier indicated the ORV area would open on May 1. The delay will help with the completion of an entrance ramp widening project, which was stalled for a time due to COVID-19 precautionary orders. The delayed opening also was necessary to develop new COVID-19 safety practices, such as adding sneeze guards, establishing cash and voucher handling procedures, and training staff on virus safety measures, according to the statement. The park also was impacted by delays in being able to recruit, hire and train summer workers. We are as anxious as anyone to get the dunes open, Silver Lake Recreation Association President Curt Brower said in a prepared statement. We just need to make sure we have a plan to do it efficiently and safely. The welcome center at Silver Lake State Park will open at 8 a.m. June 12 to sell ORV licenses, trail permits and Recreation Passports for admission into state parks. Visitors also can obtain permits and licenses online at Michigan.gov/dnrlicenses. For more information, visit the Silver Lake State Park web site. More on MLive: Northern Michigan casino possible coronavirus exposure site, health department says Why is Michigans coronavirus death rate so high? Whats allowed to reopen in Michigan and what isnt? Openly Insurance, a tech-forward company that specializes in premium homeowners insurance, is expanding into Kentucky, the fifth state it is offering its product in to date. Kentucky makes it the fifth state to now offer Openlys exclusive homeowners insurance product, designed for customers who value broad, innovative and affordable coverage. The company, backed by investors like Gradient Ventures, Googles AI investment fund, also hired its first local employee, Byron Roberts, to lead local partnership efforts as the company grows its footprint in Kentucky. According to Openly, industry homeowners claims relative to premium were lower in Kentucky than the majority of other states. As a result, they can enter the market with more competitive pricing and better coverage options. Through the use of loss prediction models and advanced pricing methods, Openly is able to earn target returns while allowing customers to save on homeowners insurance. For qualifying homes, Openly offers guaranteed replacement cost on the home in the event of a total loss. Openly also uses an HO5 contract to cover more types of losses, while also providing higher limits of coverage for things like jewelry, art, and collectibles. Openly is available in four states Arizona, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee where it allows insurance agents to generate firm quotes on home insurance for their customers. Openly uses actuarial models and data to provide more accurate pricing. Openlys products are offered exclusively through independent agents. Based in Boston, Openly is a tech-enabled home insurance provider designed to empower rather than replace agents. The company was founded in 2017 by Ty Harris and Matt Wielbut and is backed by Gradient Ventures, Googles AI-focused venture fund, Greenlight Re, PJC, and Techstars Ventures, in addition to other investors and partners. Topics InsurTech Tech Homeowners Kentucky Alexander Armstrong claims Dominic Cummings had 'a look of Sharon Stone' when they were at school together, thanks to his 'head of golden hair'. The comedian, 50, who lives in Oxfordshire with his wife and four sons, attended Durham School and was two years above the Prime Minister's balding aide, 48. The independent day and boarding school in the north east - which was an all-boys institution until 1985 - costs up to 32,565 a year to attend. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Alexander - who is also a cousin of Mr Cummings' wife Mary - described him as a 'rather brilliant person' as a child. 'Of course, he didn't have that enormous bald head in those days,' he recalled. Alexander Armstrong claims Dominic Cummings had 'a look of Sharon Stone' when they were at school together, thanks to his 'head of golden hair' Alexander - who is also a cousin of Mr Cummings' wife Mary - described him as a 'rather brilliant person' as a child. Pictured: Dominic Cummings in 2001 'He had golden hair and, if this doesn't sound too Another Country, he had a look of Sharon Stone about him... Just very striking, a bit aloof, very self-contained. He used to blink a lot.' Alexander told how he remembers Klute, the Durham nightclub owned by the political strategist's parents - where he allegedly used to work on the door. Describing it as the place where 'every ne'er-do-well for miles around would get drunk until the early hours', he added: 'I found the fact that Dominic, this golden child, had anything to do with Klute hilarious.' Asked if he could handle himself in a fight, Alexander replied: 'Yes. I think he would probably have bamboozled any assailant.' Alexander said Dominic Cummings (pictured left in 2001) had 'golden hair and, if this doesn't sound too Another Country, he had a look of Sharon Stone (pictured right in the Eighties) about him' Durham School (pictured) is an independent day and boarding school in the north east - which was an all-boys institution until 1985 - and costs up to 32,565 a year to attend Mr Cummings has faced calls to resign following the crisis caused by his lockdown trip from London to Durham. Boris Johnson has reportedly issued a stern rebuke to his aide, warning that he 'will not tolerate' another media firestorm. Alexander, who presents Classic FM's flagship weekday morning show from 9am today - having hosted the 1pm to 3pm slot on weekends previously - said he was teased at school for his love of classical music. The Pointless host played the cello before dropping it for 'the much more masculine oboe' and was a choral star, which helped win him a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge. Mr Cummings (pictured today in London) has faced calls to resign following the crisis caused by his lockdown trip from London to Durham. Boris Johnson has reportedly issued a stern rebuke to his aide, warning that he 'will not tolerate' another media firestorm He previously admitted he thinks modern classical music sounds like things 'falling out of a cupboard'. Alexander said listeners will enjoy his new show because it 'won't be harrowingly contemporary'. He explained that the show, the radio station's most popular, had helped revive interest in classical music due to its simplicity and lack of modern influence. Speaking in Oldie Magazine, the Cambridge graduate said: 'What I loved about Radio 3 back in the olden days, when it didn't give a toss about the youth, were the silences - socking great caesuras just left blank for quiet reflection.' Alexander, who presents Classic FM's flagship weekday morning show from 9am today - having hosted the 1pm to 3pm slot on weekends previously - said he was teased at school for his love of classical music. Pictured with fellow Pointless presenter Richard Osman Armstrong insists classical music should not be 'a hair shirt' and it should embrace populism, commercialism and 'relaxing' tags in order to prosper. He added: 'The numbers just kept falling away [on Radio 3]. Partly because modern classical music sounded like things falling out of a cupboard. 'And partly because the very things we classical music fans lapped up - the old fashioned reverence and scholarship of the broadcasters - had all the glamour and allure of an advanced-level chess lesson to those on the outside. 'At Classic FM we're not an exposed shoreline where anything might come in on the tide. We're a lagoon; it's safe. You can tune in late at night and know it won't be contemporary.' Police responded by firing tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd, which swelled to about 500 people at its height. Some onlookers responded by hurling chunks of concrete at officers, further shrouding an urgent message of nonviolence conveyed earlier that day during peaceful protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. [June 01, 2020] Comcast Business Helps Businesses of All Sizes Better Support Remote Workers with New Connectivity Solutions As businesses across the country rally to remain productive, the lines between work and home continue to blur and remote workers face increasing reliability, security and connectivity challenges as their work and personal lives compete for bandwidth. To help businesses and their employees be more productive and to protect them from cybersecurity threats while working remotely, we are introducing Comcast Business At Home - a dedicated, enterprise-grade and business-paid, set of connectivity solutions for business owners with a premise-based location that also have employees working from home. "Businesses across industries and the country are rethinking their positions on working from home, and are searching for ways to ensure their businesses remain agile and productive, no matter where their employees are," said Christian Nascimento, Vice President of Product Management, Comcast (News - Alert) Business. "Providing remote employees with dedicated, in-home, enterprise-grade connectivity that is separate from their residential network can help businesses increase productivity and flexibility. We look forward to continuing to evolve this offering to address the unique challenges facing business customers of all sizes. Comcast Business At Home is just one more way we're keeping our customers and their businesses connected." Comcast Business At Home allows businesses of all sizes to pay to provide their remote employees with a dedicated, independent Internet connection, as well as additional tools for mobility, cyber solutions and more, while ensuring the employee's home Internet connection remains available for streaming, smart devices, video chats or other personal use. Businesses can provide and manage this dedicated connection for their remote employees to help drive: Reliability - Comcast Business At Home provides a professionally installed, dedicated, fast and reliable Internet connection with no data usage threshold and a separate WiFi (News - Alert) network and SSID (static IP optional); - Comcast Business At Home provides a professionally installed, dedicated, fast and reliable Internet connection with no data usage threshold and a separate WiFi (News - Alert) network and SSID (static IP optional); Flexibility - With no minimum or maximum number of users, businesses can add as many employees as needed, across multiple locations; - With no minimum or maximum number of users, businesses can add as many employees as needed, across multiple locations; Convenience - Each employee's service is billed to the company's Comcast Business account; - Each employee's service is billed to the company's Comcast Business account; Mobility - Available on-the-go voice solutions that allow employees to route calls from their business number to any device; - Available on-the-go voice solutions that allow employees to route calls from their business number to any device; Security - Available cybersecurity solution to help protect device connected to the network from malicious threats. Comcast Business provides vital Internet and phone connectivity to businesses of all sizes. We know how critical it is for businesses to stay connected. Through Comcast's gig-speed network, expert engineers and award-winning business tools and services, we are making sure businesses remain connected, secure and agile - from anywhere, on any device. Comcast Business has teamed up with leading brands, including American Express, Inc. and more, to develop free webinars, resources, and tools for businesses navigating this new environment. Additionally, we've enhanced our safety and reliability measures to protect the health of our customers and employees while continuing to the provide the best service possible. For more information or to sign up for Comcast Business At Home visit: https://business.comcast.com/comcastbusinessathome For more details on how Comcast Business is helping support customers and the business community at this time, please visit: https://business.comcast.com/response About Comcast Business Comcast Business offers Ethernet, Internet, Wi-Fi, Voice, TV and Managed Enterprise Solutions to help organizations of all sizes transform their business. Powered by an advanced network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is one of the largest contributors to the growth of Comcast Cable. Comcast Business is the nation's largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and has emerged as a force in the Enterprise market; recognized over the last two years by leading industry associations as one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter (News - Alert) @Comcast Business and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005117/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Air Force officer to be sued for UAH 800,000 in damages for official negligence SBI For losses of almost UAH 800,000 due to official negligence, the head of one of the departments of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will face trial, the press service of the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) has said. The SBI said the indictment was sent to the court against the head of one of the departments of Ukraine's Air Force. Criminal proceedings are open under Part 3 of Article 425 (negligent attitude to military service, committed in a special period, except for martial law) of Ukraine's Criminal Code. The investigation established that the serviceman did not properly manage and control the use of funds entrusted to the military unit of Vinnytsia region for the overhaul of the premises. "Thus, in 2019, the contractor received payment for actually unfulfilled repair work, which caused damage to the state in the amount of more than UAH 793,000," it was informed. In the case of proof of guilt, the defendant faces a sentence of imprisonment for a term of five to seven years. TANNER, AL, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Redline Steel - http://www.RedlineSteel.com - America's top manufacturer of customized steel monograms and decor, announced today that their 2020 Memorial Day charity give-back "Soldier Memorial Piece" has surpassed their fundraising goals of $2 million dollars in product donations to over $2.5M! Redline Steel, owned by US Army Veteran Colin Wayne, partnered with Hollywood actress Megan Fox in May via Instagram Live to announce a celebratory product to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Colin, who was serving his third tour in Afghanistan eight years ago, was injured when a 107-millimeter rocket hit the building he was in. Colin was lucky to escape with his life, but the memory of others not making it back has still haunted him to this day. It's with Colin's passion alongside the help of Megan Fox, and the overwhelming support from customers, fans and those wishing to pay tribute, the collaboration in under 1 week was able to far succeed its original goals and help raise more awareness for what Memorial Day is really all about. In a statement to the media, Colin expressed his gratitude to all saying, "As a proud American, Veteran, and business owner it's an honor to exceed the expectations of our goal, and deliver this exciting news with everyone." Supporting Colin's message, Megan added, "I was thrilled to be a part of Redline Steel Memorial Day promotion. I am so excited we surpassed our goal, and am honored to support those who've dedicated their lives to our country." While the Memorial Day "Soldier Memorial Piece" give-back has concluded, Redline Steel is still making the item available on its website: https://www.redlinesteel.com/products/soldier-memorial?variant=31597872578671 For further information: Zack Teperman - ZTPR - [email protected] SOURCE Redline Steel 140% Increase in land package for a total of 10 square miles Historical artisanal pits and adits found on newly staked ground New Claims to be included in regional exploration program TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2020 / Idaho Champion Gold Mines Canada Inc. (CSE:ITKO) ("Champion" or the "Company"), announces the staking of 184 additional unpatented federal mining claims surrounding the past-producing Champagne project. The Champagne properties now encompass approximately ten (10) Sq. miles of prospective exploration ground in Butte County, Idaho. Figure 1: Champagne Project Property Boundaries "During the desktop study on the historical data, one of the details that has stood out to our technical team was the evidence of a much bigger system at depth. We believe that this system extends beyond our original claims.," President and CEO Jonathan Buick stated. "The presence of artisanal pits and adits within the new claim blocks support there is something to be investigated with the drill bit." A major focus of the Company's exploration thesis is on the patented property (see news release dated April 30, 2020) which hosts past-producing Bema Gold Corporation's ("Bema") open pit. The focus is supported by the recently released (see news releases dated May 11,14, 21, and 26, 2020) historical data that was purchased from Kinross Gold Corporation in March 2020. James Baughman, Sr. Consulting Geologist stated: "The Champagne gold project is located on the southern margin of the Challis Volcanics, home to some of Idaho's most valuable gold projects. Champagne has all the markings of a tier 1 project - past gold producer, numerous historical mines on the property, and a large foot-print of alteration and mineralization on the project site stretching beyond the historic mine pit. We have 100 historic drill holes on the property that contain significant intercepts both within the historic mine pit (which presumably would have been fully or partially mined by Bema) and in the surrounding areas, as outlined in our previous news releases. These historic drill holes were completed to a shallow depth for oxide mineralization. Our summer drill program will test beneath these holes for the source of the surface mineralization at Champagne." The summer 2020 exploration program will focus on drilling the historical mine area and mapping and sampling outside of the mine area. An IP geophysical program is planned as well for the entire claim block. The goal of this work is to potentially discover an Eocene Intrusive related gold system with significant surface dimensions. Historical Non-NI 43-101 Compliant Resource Estimate The past-producing Champagne project has two historic, non-NI 43-101 compliant reports that calculated mineral "reserves" at the BEMA Gold mine pit before BEMA commenced mining operations therein. Although the BEMA report, Bema Champagne Mine Report, January 1989 and the subsequent Mine Associates Development Associates report titled Summary Report - Orebody Modeling and Mine Design, September, 1989 both refer to "reserves", the Company considers these "reserves" are more accurately categorized as mineral resources as it has not been determined whether these meet the current standard for a reserve classification. This is why in prior news releases the Company referred to these "reserves" as resources. The BEMA report provides that the pit, prior to mining, had a "reserve" estimate of 2.3 million tons ("MT") at 0.902 grams per ton Au and 24.48 g/ton Ag in the proven and probable categories. Mineralized zones were classified by BEMA as proven if within 18 metres (60 feet) of a drill hole or trench. The mineralized zones were classified as probable if within 36 metres (120 feet) of a drill hole or trench. The "reserve" calculation was determined by using sectional polygons, a common method at the time the BEMA report was produced. A subsequent calculation was undertaken by Mine Development Associates. The "reserve" estimate was tabulated directly from the sectional ore blocks as a check of the BEMA results and were found to be within 0.7% of this tonnage with the same average grade . In both reports a lower cutoff of >0.3g/ton Au were used. Neither report provided a description of their QA/QC protocols. The historical "reserve" estimate is considered to be reliable, however, the computational method and calculations used to derive the "reserve" estimate has not been reviewed by a Qualified Person. While the historic "reserve" may be fully or predominantly mined within the old BEMA pit, the Company's thesis, based on the available historic data, including historic trenching and drilling outside the pit and historic drilling that reached below the pit is that additional mineralization may remain in the pit and may extend at depth and continue beyond the mine pit. The continuation of mineralization, include grades, has not yet been confirmed by the Company and is the subject of future exploration work. Readers are cautioned that: (i) a qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves; and (ii) the issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Geology The historical data was acquired by Gold Fields Limited, then Bema, in the development of the Champagne mine. Trench data outlines a gold enriched oxide zone with shallow reverse circulation drill holes located under the trenches that outline a zone of veins and breccia pipes ,which included the mined pit but also extend beyond the pit perimeter, as described above. Field work is being planned for this field season to map and sample the Champagne mine area, including the area under and around the mined pit, in preparation for a reverse circulation drill program. The geology of the Champagne mine area is well documented in maps and reports prepared by the State of Idaho and the United States Geological Survey. Surface host rocks are Challis Volcanics underlain by Devonian-Mississippian Milligan formation composed of quartzites, limestones, and calcareous sediments. The Milligan formation was intruded by Idaho Batholith and subsequent igneous events that located the mineralization at Champagne. Exploration at Champagne will focus on surface delineation of alteration and mineralization and drilling will focus on a deep target (500m) in the Milligan formation. Figure 3: Champagne Project Location Map About Champagne Project The Champagne mine was operated by Bema as a heap leach operation on a high sulfidation gold system that occurs in volcanic rocks. Bema drilled 72 shallow reverse circulation holes in addition to previous operators drilling and trenching. The property had no deep drilling or modern exploration since the mine's closure in early 1992. The historic Champagne deposit contains epigenetic style gold and silver mineralization that occurs in strongly altered Tertiary volcanic tuffs and flows of acid to intermediate composition at Lava Creek. Argillic and sericite alteration is widespread at the historic Champagne deposit. Silica flooding, alunite and barite are closely associated with the gold and silver mineralized zone. Champagne has a near surface cap of gold-silver mineralization emplaced by deep-seated, structurally controlled shears that acted as conduits for precious metal rich hydrothermal fluids. High grade zones in the historic Champagne deposit appear to be related to such feeder shear zones. Drilling in the future to test for polymetallic, base-precious metal deposits at depth will clarify these relationships. Qualified Person The technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Peter Karelse P.Geo., a consultant to the Company, who is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Karelse has more than 30 years of experience in exploration and development. ABOUT IDAHO CHAMPION Champion is a discovery-focused gold exploration company that is committed to advancing its 100% owned highly prospective mineral properties located in Idaho, United States. The Company's shares trade on the CSE under the trading symbol "ITKO". Champion is vested in Idaho with the Baner Project in Idaho County, the Champagne Project located in Butte County near Arco, and four cobalt properties in Lemhi County in the Idaho Cobalt Belt. Idaho Champion strives to be a responsible environmental steward, stakeholder and a contributing citizen to the local communities where it operates. Champion takes its social license seriously and employs local community members to service its operations. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, "Jonathan Buick" Jonathan Buick, President and CEO For further information, please visit the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com or the Company's corporate website at www.idahochamp.com. For further information please contact: Nicholas Konkin, Marketing and Communications Phone: (416) 477 7771 ext. 205 Email: nkonkin@idahochamp.com Cautionary Statements Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of the Company. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of the Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based on are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The Company 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: Idaho Champion Gold Canada Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/592176/Idaho-Champion-Increases-Land-Package-Around-Past-Producing-Champagne-Project According to a new report, Nokia is still planning to release a foldable smartphone. This information comes from Nokia anew, who is known for releasing Nokia-related information. Back in January, a report surfaced that Nokia is planning to announce a foldable smartphone by the end of 2020. Well, it seems like that information was accurate, and the plans are unchanged. Nokia is still planning to release a foldable smartphone, we just dont know when The current global health crisis may have impacted the companys plans to some degree, but it didnt kill off the idea of Nokias foldable phone. We just dont know if it will launch this year, or not. Advertisement The company was rumored to release such a phone by the end of this year, but that may not happen. The company may wait until MWC 2021 in order to release it, or something like that. Thats just a wild guess at this point, though, as no information surfaced. We still dont have any specific information on this device either. Its design and features remain a mystery. We did not see many foldable smartphones in the market thus far. Royole introduced its offering, along with Samsung and Huawei who launched two each. Motorola also launched one foldable handset. All of those devices are quite different, actually. Advertisement The Royole FlexPai arrived first, and it was followed by the Samsung Galaxy Fold, Huawei Mate X, Mate Xs, Galaxy Z Flip, and Motorola Razr. It remains to be seen what approach will Nokia take in regard to its foldable phone. The phones design and features are still a mystery The company will go with either an inwards or outwards-folding device. So it will either go in Samsungs direction, or Huaweis. There are a lot of ways it can do that, though, from horizontally-folding, to vertically-folding. It may include a display on the outside, or it may not we can guess all we want. The fact to the matter is, we still do not have any information to go on. Advertisement We dont even know if it will be a mid-range or a high-end smartphone. HMD Global may look to offer that device at a rather affordable (we use that term loosely) price tag, and in that case, it will probably be a mid-range device. Motorola actually did something similar with the Razr. Though, truth be said, not a single foldable smartphone in the market is exactly affordable at the moment. Theyre all extremely expensive due to the tech required to make one. All in all, Nokias foldable smartphone is still a mystery. The company will hopefully reveal more information at some point this year, or we may see some leaks of the device. For Immediate Release Chicago, IL June 1, 2020 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Diamondback Energy FANG, EOG Resources EOG, Pioneer Natural Resources PXD, Valero Energy VLO and HollyFrontier HFC. Here are highlights from Fridays Analyst Blog: Will Rising U.S. Stockpiles Disrupt Crude's Bullish Trend? Oil futures went higher Thursday after U.S. government data revealed a drop in gasoline stockpiles and big drawdown at the storage hub in Cushing, even though domestic supplies of crude posted a surprise weekly climb. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, July WTI crude rallied 90 cents, or 2.7%, to settle at $33.71 a barrel. Analyzing the Latest EIA Report Below we review the EIA's Weekly Petroleum Status Report for the week ending May 22. Crude Oil: The federal governments EIA report revealed that crude inventories rose by 7.9 million barrels, versus expectations for a 1.2 million barrels decrease. A big jump in imports from Saudi Arabia accounted for the surprise stockpile increase with the world's biggest oil consumer. This puts total domestic stocks at 534.4 million barrels 12.2% above the year-ago figure and 13% over the five-year average. Meanwhile, oil prices drew some support from stockpile draw at the Cushing terminal in Oklahoma. The key delivery hub for U.S. crude futures traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange saw inventories decline 3.4 million barrels to 53.5 million barrels. The crude supply cover was up from 41.3 days in the previous week to 41.7 days. In the year-ago period, the supply cover was 28.7 days. Lets turn to products now. Gasoline: Gasoline supplies tallied a decrease for the fourth time in five weeks. The fuels 724,000 barrels decline is attributable to higher demand. Analysts had forecast 1 million barrels fall. At 255 million barrels, the current stock of the most widely used petroleum product is 10.4% higher than the year-earlier level and is 10% above the five-year average range. Story continues Distillate: Distillate fuel supplies (including diesel and heating oil) jumped for an eighth straight week. The 5.5 million barrels increase reflected a dropoff in demand. Meanwhile, the market had been looking for a supply build of 2.5 million barrels. Current supplies at 164.3 million barrels are 31.7% higher than the year-ago level and 24% above the five-year average. Refinery Rates: Refinery utilization was up 1.9% from the prior week to 71.3%. Conclusion The crude inventory rise surprised the market, which was expecting a decline based on easing lockdown measures. However, the report was supportive in terms of U.S. producers scaling back operations. Weekly figures show output has dropped to 11.4 million barrels per day, since reaching 13.1 million in the second week of March. In particular, output from United States number one basin Permian - is set to fall by 87,000 bbl/d month over month to 4.3 MMbbl/d in June the second month of decline. Permian-based energy producers like Diamondback Energy, EOG Resources, Parsley Energy and Pioneer Natural Resources are all going to invest a lot less money into the unconventional play in 2020. The pockets of bullish data in the report notwithstanding, investors still remain worried of the supply glut. In total, U.S. commercial stockpiles are up by more than 18% since March, while domestic fuel demand remains weak. As it is, a steep build in distillate inventories in the latest report kept traders worried. Again, despite a rise in refinery runs, utilization in the United States is still close to its lowest level ever. Downstream operators including Valero Energy and HollyFrontier carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) - have drastically reduced processing capacity to cope with the demand erosion caused by efforts to stem the spread of the coronavirus. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. As a proof of the demand destruction, EIA estimates U.S. oil consumption in 2020 is expected to plunge by 2.2 million barrels per day to 18.29 million barrels per day. Therefore, while the current trend for crude is slowly turning positive with a record monthly gain in sight, serious questions remain about the future direction of oil. 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 >> Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. 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 Valero Energy Corporation (VLO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Pioneer Natural Resources Company (PXD) : Free Stock Analysis Report EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) : Free Stock Analysis Report HollyFrontier Corporation (HFC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Diamondback Energy, Inc. (FANG) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Im sitting down to write this column in late April from my home office, sheltering in place, like so many millions of people across the country while we do our part to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. I do this with a houseful of nuclear family members, by now settled into a new routine of virtual work and school at the elementary, high school and college levels. Though there is competition for quiet workspaces, we realize our good fortune. We are healthy and able to adjust and continue our work and our studies online.The pandemic and the widespread closures it has wrought have brought a few ideas into sharp focus. One of the biggest is the fact that government cannot close. While there has rightly been much deliberation over critical versus less-critical services, government for the most part has had to figure out how to adapt and quickly stand up new ways to do its work and deliver services to citizens.It hasnt been easy. The most obvious example has been the enormous strain put on state unemployment systems, both by the massive spikes in pandemic-related claims and changes to eligibility rules that have been ushered in right alongside them.CIOs in every city, county and state have had to quickly enable remote work for large segments of their workforce. And not all had pre-pandemic foundations to start from. Telecommuting, after all, is a relatively new concept for the public sector. Will people work as hard without bosses nearby? How can we measure productivity? Will we lose the spirit of teamwork that comes with regular in-office interaction?But effective use of productivity and collaboration tools is proving to even the most skeptical among us that though remote work is different, it can actually offer some advantages: better work-life balance (goodbye traffic-filled commute to the office) and increased productivity because of fewer in-office distractions.This new normal has also prompted a notable wave of digital government services. The use of e-signature tools is on the rise to enable the routing of forms and contracts from distant locations. And the closing of in-person service counters has prompted the conversion of paper processes to digital forms that can be filed online. There are many other such examples.Another takeaway from this time is first-hand experience for policymakers in the importance of modern, reliable tech tools. Though many were already coming around to this idea, theres nothing like first-hand exposure to a less-than-optimal remote work/meeting setup to reinforce the importance of well-funded IT infrastructure.And though the funding picture going forward is anything but certain given the catastrophic economic losses brought about by widespread closures, the CIO will certainly be a key player in preparing government organizations for a more resilient next chapter.Our story "Virus Shutdown: Time for Digital Government to Prove Itself" looks in more depth at how prepared government was for a crisis at this scale and how well it has adapted. Los Angeles CIO Ted Ross noted that the city is benefiting from the tools it had in place to weather a massively disruptive event. It turns out there was good reason for all that disaster recovery/continuity-of-operations planning.Imagine its an earthquake or a fire. Something could physically happen to my call center, my building, and I could still run the operation, Ross said. Thats exactly where we want to be as a city. Thats the resilience were looking for. BOISE, Idaho, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Healthwise, a leader in evidence-based health education, technology, and services, announced today that Landon Reese has been named chief product officer of Healthwise, effective immediately. Reese has served as vice president of product since November 2019. A proven product leader, Reeses background in Software as a Service (SaaS) and product strategy is an excellent fit for Healthwises commitment to stay on the cutting edge of health education technology. As chief product officer, Reese will serve on the Executive Team as a key driver in the development and execution of the company's strategic and product priorities, including spearheading product strategies that involve product life-cycle management, data analysis, and identifying emerging trends for expanding the customer value of existing product lines. Before joining Healthwise, Reese was the senior director of product for Truckstop.com, driving the strategy, roadmap, packaging, and pricing of the companys product line. He also worked for HP, where he had various roles in product, R&D, and marketing. Landon is an accomplished leader who came to us with both product and engineering experience. But more importantly, he came with a desire to work cross-functionally and help guide the development of a healthy, innovative, and sustainable portfolio, said Adam Husney, M.D., chief executive officer at Healthwise. Landons knowledge and product expertise, combined with his leadership skills and experience, will be invaluable in developing solutions and strategies to further our mission of helping people make better health decisions. Its an honor to join a mission-driven organization thats committed to helping people make better health decisions, Reese said. We have an incredible opportunity to build tools that will improve the healthcare system. I look forward to working with the Healthwise team on developing easy-to-use products for health systems and health plans that will enhance the patient experience. Story continues Reese graduated from Santa Clara University with a bachelors degree in electrical engineering. About Healthwise Healthwise, a leader in evidence-based health education, technology, and services, is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. People have turned to Healthwise information more than 2 billion times to learn how to do more for themselves, ask for the care they need, and say no to the care they dont need. Healthwise partners with hospitals, electronic medical record (EMR) providers, health plans, care management companies, and health websites to provide up-to-date, evidence-based information to the people they serve. www.healthwise.org. 1-800-706-9646 Protestors involved in the backlash against the death of American man George Floyd risk catching coronavirus while demonstrating in the street, officials fear. As the US yesterday went through another day of violent rioting and protests broke out in London, Manchester and Cardiff, there are concerns the mass gatherings could trigger new waves of Covid-19. Many places where protests have emerged are still under Covid-19 lockdown rules banning large crowds but police have been unable to contain them. The coronavirus spreads fastest when people are in close contact with one another and politicians have urged those taking part to try and keep social distancing, to wash their hands and to get tested for the virus afterwards. Many protestors have been photographed ignoring social distancing rules and not wearing any protective gear such as masks or goggles - but a scientist has warned that shouting is likely to increase the risk of virus transmission even more. Demonstrations are also attracting large numbers of black and ethnic minority people, who are dying of Covid-19 in greater numbers than white people. Officials in the US warned people to protect themselves and others and said they fear a surge in cases and deaths in a couple of weeks' time. The protests, now happening all over the world, were triggered after a white policeman in Minnesota killed George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest after Mr Floyd allegedly used counterfeit money. The 46-year-old was heard gasping 'I can't breathe' before his death. TRAFALGAR SQUARE, LONDON: Hundreds of demonstrators packed into Trafalgar Square on Sunday, chanting 'I can't breathe,' the words Floyd was heard gasping as a white police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis. Government rules still prohibit people from deliberately gathering in groups larger than six people, and stipulate people must stay 2m away from others at all times London's Metropolitan Police warned on Twitter yesterday that 'Government restrictions to control the spread of Coronavirus remain in place' WHY ARE CROWDS A CORONAVIRUS RISK? Social distancing is arguably the world's greatest weapon against the coronavirus because of the way it spreads. The virus spreads primarily through respiratory droplets - that means it piggy-backs on drops of moisture that are carried on someone's breath. They break free into the air when someone infected with Covid-19 exhales, coughs, sneezes, spits or wipes their nose. The closer an uninfected person is to the source of these droplets, the more likely they are to get infected. In a crowd, a single infected person can infect many others just because them come into close contact with them so rapidly. Protests may carry extra risk because shouting can carry more droplets out of someone's mouth. Dr Saskia Popescu, an infectious disease expert at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, told the Washington Post: 'Shouting and screaming, as some studies have shown with singing, can project droplets farther, which makes the use of masks [and eye protection] that much more important.' Scientists are divided over how well banning mass gatherings prevents the spread of the virus. In a paper presented to SAGE, the British Government's scientific advisory committee, experts said that mass gatherings may be a smaller risk than pubs and restaurants because people attend them infrequently and generally don't directly interact with many people. Advertisement Statistics last week showed that around 8,000 people per day are still catching the coronavirus in Britain - some 54,000 people each week. Scientists have voiced concerns about the Government's plans to start easing lockdown this week, including allowing groups of up to six people to meet. They say the virus is still circulating at dangerous levels in the community and too much social freedom could trigger another outbreak. Huge crowds like those which formed in London, Manchester and Cardiff over the weekend could be a fertile breeding ground for the coronavirus if people attending are carrying the bug. London's Metropolitan Police warned on Twitter yesterday: 'Government restrictions to control the spread of coronavirus remain in place. 'Police are encouraging our communities to comply with the regulations to keep everyone as safe as possible.' Protesting might have a particularly strong effect on raising the risk of virus spreading between people there, if they are infected, one scientist said. Dr Saskia Popescu, an infectious disease expert at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, told the Washington Post: 'Crowded protests, like any large gathering of people in a close space, can help facilitate the spread of Covid-19, which is why its so important participants wear masks, eye protection and bring hand-gel. 'Shouting and screaming, as some studies have shown with singing, can project droplets farther, which makes the use of masks [and eye protection] that much more important.' Public figures in the US, where protesting is much more widespread and more than 100,000 people have died of Covid-19 this year, have directly warned protestors. The mayor of Washington DC, where fires have been lit outside of the White House, said people ignoring social distancing risk 'compounding' the impact of the virus. Mayor Muriel Bowser said: 'I'm concerned that we had mass gatherings on our streets when we just lifted a stay at home order and what that could mean for spikes in coronavirus cases later. 'In fact, I'm so concerned about it that I'm urging everybody to consider their exposure if they need to isolate from their family members when they go home and if they need to be tested because we have worked very hard to blunt the curve.' LONDON, ENGLAND: People carrying banners gather during a protest over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after being pinned down by a white police officer in USA DOWNING STREET, LONDON, ENGLAND: Armed police officers guard the gates of Downing Street where hundreds of protesters were seen holding placards, as well as an Antifa (anti-fascist) flag She added: 'And while I saw some people with masks last night, others didn't,' NBC reports. 'I saw some people social distancing, other people were right on top of each other. 'So we don't want to compound this deadly virus and the impact it's had on our community.' Governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, said: 'There's no question that, when you put hundreds or thousands of people together in close proximity, when we have got this virus all over the streets, is it's not healthy. He added: 'Two weeks from now across America, we're going to find out whether or not this gives us a spike and drives the numbers back up again or not.' ETHNIC MINORITY PATIENTS MAKE UP DISPROPORTIONATE COVID-19 DEATHS IN UK In NHS hospitals in England, black people have so far made up a disproportionate of COVID-19 victims. Scientists do not understand why, whether there are biological reasons such as higher rates of diabetes, or whether more BAME people have caught the virus because they are more likely to live and work in densely populated cities. White people account for 76% of all coronavirus deaths in NHS England hospitals, while they make up 86% of the population. People of Asian ethnicity - which includes south Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh and Pakistan - make up 7% of the COVID-19 deaths and 7.5% of the population. B lack people have accounted for 5% of all coronavirus deaths but just 3.3% of the general population. Mixed race people, meanwhile, account for 1% of deaths and 2.2% of the population. Sources: NHS England/Gov.uk Advertisement Data shows that black people and those of Asian ethnicity are dying of Covid-19 at a faster rate than white people. NHS England data shows that 14 per cent of all people who have died with the coronavirus in its hospitals have been black or Asian. But they only make up around 11 per cent of the population of the country, showing they are dying at a disproportionate rate. White people, however, compose 76 per cent of deaths but 86 per cent of the population. And data from the US shows that African-American people are dying are more than double the rate of white people. The APM Research Lab published findings in May showing that, nationwide, black Americans were dying of the coronavirus at a rate of 50.3 per 100,000 people, The Guardian reported. White people were dying a significantly lower rate - 20.7 per 100,000 - and the rates for Latin Americans and those of Asian ethnicity were 22.9 and 22.7, respectively. More than 20,000 black Americans had died by the time the statistics were released and some individual states had even greater differences between ethnicities. In Kansas black people were dying at seven times the rate of whites, while the ratio was six-to-one in Washington and five-to-one in Michigan and Missouri. This is of concern because the George Floyd protests - linked to the Black Lives Matter movement - are attracting large numbers of people from ethnic minorities. The protests hinge on the treatment of black crime suspects by white police officers in the US. Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with the murder of George Floyd after kneeling on his neck and ignoring the man's desperate pleas for help as he said he couldn't breathe. Mr Floyd had been arrested for allegedly using counterfeit money and then refusing to hand back the cigarettes he'd bought when asked by the shopkeeper, the BBC reported. The mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, where more than half of the population is black, said: 'If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week. 'There is still a pandemic in America thats killing black and brown people at higher numbers.' A Communications team member of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ernest Brogya Genfi has described President Akufo-Addo's tenth COVID-19 address to the nation as a step to "favor his manipulation to remain in power". According to him, lots of Ghanaian citizens are enthused with the Presidents easing of restrictions because "it is very difficult to make a meaningful commentary out of the speech read". Speaking on UTV's 'Adekye Nsroma' newspaper discussion show, he noted that if the President really had the interest of Ghanaians at heart, he would have allowed churches and mosques to operate fully while observing social distancing protocols, just like the Electoral Commission (EC) and National Identification Authority (NIA). "Your 10th COVID-19 address to the nation is just to favour yourself and party agenda to maintain your seats in power," he pointed out. Grogya Genfi advised Ghanaians to take their safety and protection into their own hands since government is not ready to implement fair and concrete measures for the benefit of all against the coronavirus pandemic. Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi, 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 Between 1888 and 1965, New York state had the death penalty. In that time, five men from in and around the Syracuse area were executed in an electric chair for their crimes. The stories of these men are retold in The Condemned, a new true crime and local history podcast by syracuse.com. Released on June 1, we hear the tale of Antonio Viandante. Born in Italy, Viandante traveled to America to find work, first landing in Utica. Viandante became a Manlius shoe repairman, opened a shop in Jamesville, and was known as Tony the cobbler." That life came crashing down on Dec. 3, 1922 when he murdered his wife and the Manlius town butcher, who happened to be the wrong place at the wrong time. This is the first of six macabre episodes of The Condemned." If you want to hear more, check out the series on our Acast page. Be the first to listen to new episodes by subscribing on other popular platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, and Stitcher. In episode two, a Syracuse cop is killed in broad daylight. Police arrest a man who they think is the killer, but when headlines hit the newspapers, his real identity is revealed. For more stories about capital punishment in New York State and how it changed the landscape of executions with its own invention the electric chair visit syracuse.com/condemned or see our playlist on YouTube. The next episodes will be released on June 8. MORE ON THE CONDEMNED Infamous criminal kills beloved cop in downtown Syracuse in 1893 (The Condemned, Episode 2) 'The Condemned: A new true crime podcast by syracuse.com The Condemned: Witnesses gather for the execution of a Manlius shoe repairman in 1924 1924-1929: Meet Syracuses Death Juror, the farmer who helped send two men to the electric chair 1881: Hundreds watch Onondaga Countys final hanging 4 experts weigh in on Australias path to a clean energy future. Source: Getty Australia is on its way to a clean energy transition. But like any generational shift, investors will need to accept the complexities involved as commercial models are adapted over a 10-20 year time horizon. Stockhead recently spoke to four experts in the space to get an update on developments from professionals involved on the ground. The catalyst was a recent documentary, Planet of the Humans, produced by film-maker Michael Moore which questioned whether clean energy creates more pollution that it saves. But the experts we spoke to disputed some of the broader claims, and advocated for a patient approach. However, that doesnt mean viable commercial models cant be built in the meantime using technologies that can at least reduce the overall carbon footprint. One executive involved in the space is Stephen Gauld, managing director of WA-based company Infinite Blue Energy (IBE). Gauld pivoted from a 20-year career in oil & gas to found IBEE in 2017, and work on solutions that generate hydrogen power through sources such as solar and wind, rather than gas. The company is working on projects with a multi-year timeframe, and Gauld said the shift to clean technology on the input side would be a complex transition. In five or 10 years time the technology may have advanced so heat-generating processes are using a hydrogen fuel, rather than coal or gas, he said. Our plant is completely green in the output of energy, however there are components that use fossil fuels and we have to accept that transition period. Another expert we spoke to whos directly involved in that transition is Brett Parkinson, a recipient of the John Monash Foundation scholarship and who completed his PhD in chemical engineering at Imperial College in London. Adjacent to IBEs field, Parkinson now works in developing technologies that convert natural gas to hydrogen with lower CO2 emissions. And he says focusing only on the CO2 emitted in the production of cleaner technologies is kind of misleading. Story continues Nothings a perfect tech; all of these things have a footprint. Even if you remove fossil fuels from the supply chain on renewables, at some point youre still going to have to refine metals and pull these metals out of the ground, he said. What you should compare is the environmental impact across the whole lifecycle, from pulling it out of the ground to point of use per killowatt hour. In that context, these technologies still have a lower footprint than fossil fuels. Theyre just not zero, which is often how its reported in the media. Parkinsons current specialty is in the field of pyrolysis a process of heating natural gas to release hydrogen where the residue is stored as solid carbon, rather than CO2. Its a transitional technology, he said. We need to move to a sustainable future, but we have to recognise these fuels are cheap and widely available. So we need ways for people to continue using them in a more sustainable way. Another component in the green energy mix is biomass, which is the focus for Hunter Energy CEO Richard Poole. Having acquired the now-defunct Redbank power station in NSW, the Hunter team wants to generate energy using biomass sources such as discarded wood waste. Poole says Australia has abundant biomass resources, and cited data from the International Energy Agency which suggests it can make a material long-term contribution to the base-load power mix. I think biomass energy is one of the best alternatives to transition away from coal-fired generators. It may not be the be-all and end-all, but as a step away from increasing carbon in the system, its there for now and the next 10-20 years while we develop other systems to address the problem, he said. Green exposure for investors To get the investor view, Stockhead also spoke with ASX-listed investment group Australian Ethical Investment (ASX:AEF), which holds a portfolio of equity investments that meet the criteria outlined in its Ethical Charter. The companys head of ethics research, Stuart Palmer, explained that along with oil and coal (which AEF has never invested in), the fund no longer holds positions in gas companies either. But in terms of the energy transition, he agreed that some of the arguments put forth in Planet of the Humans were somewhat misleading. The documentary seemed to suggest we all thought there were no emissions associated with (clean energy) production, or the energy grid those technologies feed into didnt include any fossil fuel production. But I think anyone whos thought about it and looked at the sector closely is pretty aware of that, Palmer said. In that context, he highlighted AEFs investments in two companies that use natural gas in a strategic way to accelerate their exisiting operations in renewables. One is New Zealand-based Contact Energy (ASX:CEN), which generates about 80 per cent of its energy from hydro and geothermal sources. Hydro is better than solar or wind in terms of being able to store electricity because you can keep it in the dam. But the amount you generate in a given year will vary depending on the rainfall and water falling in the catchment, Palmer explained. So they maintain natural gas as a backup to pick up the slack when its needed. But we view them as a renewable energy company. The other example is wind farm operator Infigen (ASX:IFN), which is investing in building out its wind fleet but deploys natural gas as a way to build some security into its client offering. The companys primary focus is on building out its wind fleet, but to do that they incorporate some existing gas generation capacity, Palmer said. At a portfolio level, that allows them to do more wind expansion than they would have without the gas. So what theyre doing is a sensible measure thats going to achieve the transition quicker than if they just said were not going to attach anything other than our wind power. Parkinson also highlighted the efforts of WA-based small cap Hazer Group (ASX:HZR), which has secured research grants and is working towards commercialising its Hazer Process for the low-emission extraction of hydrogen and graphite. Policy challenge Aside from the technological complexities, anyone whos followed the energy debate in Australias federal parliament would know theres been some wildly divergent views about what role government should play in the clean energy transition. But almost unanimously, the experts we spoke to said the local sector would benefit from a more coherent policy framework. On a high level, IBEs Gauld pointed to the annual rankings on the Global Innovation Index, where Australia has dropped out of the top-20 after peaking at number 17 in 2015. Switzerland consistently ranks number one, while China has moved from outside the top-30 to number 14 as of 2019. Gauld also cited a list of 23 cities, including London, Paris and Rome, that had signed declarations to ban fossil fuel vehicles by 2030. Australias not on that list yet, but we should be, he said, adding that he was encouraged by a recent increase in government engagement with large renewable energy projects. Theres more to come, from both the government and large energy companies. So I have seen a notable change in the government as part of the move to cleaner fuel. Parkinson contrasted Australias policy frameworks to initiatives deployed by authorities in the US state of California, who have taken a more technology agnostic approach. Theyve started with the end-goal, which is to reduce the carbon intensity of fuels, then asked how best do we do that?, he said. The policy is based on a system of credits, which are awarded to companies that can prove (to an independent expert panel) their technology results in a lower carbon footprint than existing processes. Its an interesting framework because its saying we dont care how you do it, if your end goal is to reduce emissions and you achieve that, well give you credits, Parkinson said. Essentially we just dont have a comparative framework in Australia. Weve got a renewable energy target, but we dont give much thought to the second layer of the problem. So it can become a bit of a kicking the can down the road exercise. For Hunter Energys Poole, who is currently in negotiations with the government over a loan facility to fund the transition to biomass at Redbank, the decision making processes can sometimes do more harm than good. I think the government wants to help, but they can sometimes be so worried about making a mistake the apparatus of the funding process drags out, Poole said. So I think sometimes the government gets stuck, and the biggest risk for a lot of projects is the red tape and the time taken to consider the approval processes can make a project uneconomic to maintain. And from an investment standpoint, AEFs Palmer said the fund had a sense of frustration with the current policy tools in place. I think Australia would benefit from a broad-based carbon price, whether youre an economist or youre an investor, he said. Thats one of the challenges of investing in this area, is we often dont have that clear market signal which allows people to make sound investment decisions. If you look at some of the stocks in our portfolio, theyre not always an easy ride. Over a longer time frame theyve done well, but say a stock has made a 3x return over a five or 10-year timeframe, it may have returned 5x or 10x with the right policy tailwinds in place. For more articles like this, please visit us at Stockhead.com.auSubscribe now to stay ahead with the latest stock news and insights. Yahoo Finance Breakfast Club. Are you a millennial or Gen Z-er interested in joining a community where you can learn how to take control of your money? Join us at The Broke Millennials Club on Facebook! Millie Mackintosh took to Instagram to honour her 'darling' husband Hugo Taylor on his 34th birthday on Monday. The reality starlet, 30, uploaded a cosy snap with her former Made In Chelsea co-star beau Hugo, as she cuddled up to him while he grinned, holding a birthday cake. She captioned the image: 'Happy Birthday my darling @hugotaylorlondon. So excited for all our adventures together as a family!' Cuddling up: Millie Mackintosh took to Instagram to honour her 'darling' husband Hugo Taylor on his 34th birthday on Monday The pair looked summery as Millie wore a checked black and white flowy sundress, her honeyed locks loosely falling around her features. Hugo perched on a stool on a navy polo shirt and white shorts. Both were bare-foot as they posed for the picture in their airy London kitchen. Millie shared the first social media picture of her baby daughter last week. She took to Instagram on Friday as she held her beautiful newborn alongside Hugo. Wearing a pretty floral prairie-style dress she looked the epitome of happiness as she showed off her new family. 'Thank you for making me a mummy': Millie shared the first social media picture of her beautiful baby girl with husband Hugo on Instagram on Friday Happy times: Millie shared this sweet post and lots of her famous friends sent their love She wrote: 'The first four weeks of your life have been the best four weeks of mine. Thank you for making me a Mummy darling girl.' Lots of her famous friends, such as Rosie Fortescue, Zara Martin and Ashley Roberts sent their love after seeing the new post. Millie and Hugo, 33, welcomed their baby on May 1 and are yet to release her name, although Millie has been sporting an 'S' initial necklace. Five days after the birth, Hugo expressed his gratitude towards his fans for their support after they welcomed their 'darling girl' into the world. 'The three of us are very grateful': Hugo recently expressed his gratitude towards his fans for their support after he and Millie welcomed their 'darling girl' He wrote : 'The three of us are very grateful'. Celebrating the arrival of their daughter, new parents Hugo and Millie were gifted a series of treats from their loved ones, including 'delicious' cupcakes and flowers. The sunglasses entrepreneur penned: 'Thank you all so much for the lovely messages, letters, flowers, delicious cupcakes, cookies and warm wishes. The 3 of us are very grateful for making this time feel even more special.' [sic] Sharing snaps of their presents, the pair were sent yummy chocolate desserts, roses and peonies, and freshly-baked cakes. Online influencer Millie has currently signed off the social media platform as she adjusts to motherhood. Lucky! The former Made In Chelsea star, 33, took to Instagram for the first time since becoming a father on Wednesday to thank his followers 'Thank you all so much': Celebrating the arrival of their daughter, new parents Hugo and Millie, 30, were gifted a series of treats from their loved ones The media personalities announced the happy news on Friday to Hello! Magazine as they said: 'We are delighted to announce the arrival of our darling girl who arrived on Friday 1 May at 1:21pm, weighing a very healthy seven pounds. 'We are eternally grateful to the doctors, nurses and midwives for taking such good care of us. Mum and baby are both doing incredibly well and we are looking forward to bringing our daughter home and spending time together as a family.' Millie has kept followers up to date on her pregnancy journey for several months on Instagram, previously detailing her prenatal exercises, 'dwindling' self confidence and battle with 'severe anxiety, vomiting and mood swings'. Settling in nicely: The pair were sent yummy chocolate desserts, roses and peonies, and freshly-baked cakes Come along with Millie: The blonde beauty has kept followers up to date on her pregnancy journey for several months on Instagram (pictured earlier this year) The couple tied the knot in June 2018 at Hugo's uncle's country estate, Whithurst Park in West Sussex, one year after he proposed during a holiday to the Greek island of Mykonos. The pair briefly dated during their Made In Chelsea days back in 2011 and reunited in May 2016 shortly after Millie's split from her first husband, rapper Professor Green, 36. Millie was married to the musician, real name Stephen Manderson, for two-and-a-half years before they announced their split in February 2016. Tensions spiked outside the White House on Sunday, the scene of days of demonstrations amid unrest across the United States against police killings of black people. The entire Washington, DC National Guard roughly 1,700 soldiers was called in to help control the protests. The city of Boston also deployed troops on its streets. Tens of thousands of reserve soldiers have been put at the ready across the United States. As of Sunday, National Guard Soldiers and Airmen were activated in 24 states and the District of Columbia in response to civil disturbances, bringing the total number of Guard members on duty in support of their governors to nearly 62,000, the guard announced in a statement. State and local law enforcement agencies remain responsible for security. The National Guard personnel assigned to these missions are trained, equipped and prepared to assist law enforcement authorities with protecting lives and property of citizens in their state. Shattered storefronts With cities wounded by days of violent unrest, the United States headed into a new week with neighbourhoods in shambles, urban streets on lockdown and shaken confidence about when leaders would find the answers to control the mayhem amid unrelenting raw emotion over police killings of black people. Sunday capped a tumultuous weekend and month that saw city and state officials deploy thousands of National Guard soldiers, enact strict curfews and shut down mass transit systems. Even with those efforts, many demonstrations erupted into violence as protesters hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police in Philadelphia, set a fire near the White House and were hit with tear gas and pepper spray in Austin and several other cities. Seven Boston police officers were hospitalised. In some cities, thieves smashed their way into stores and ran off with as much as they could carry, leaving shop owners many of them just ramping up their business again after coronavirus pandemic lockdowns to clean up their shattered storefronts. In others, police tried to calm tensions by kneeling in solidarity with demonstrators, while still maintaining a strong presence for security. At least 4,400 people have been arrested over days of protests, according to a tally compiled by The Associated Press. Arrests ranged from stealing and blocking highways to breaking curfew. Say his name The demonstrations were sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who pleaded for air as an officer pressed a knee into his neck. Floyds death in Minneapolis came after tensions had already flared after two white men were arrested in May for the February shooting death of black jogger Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, and the Louisville police shooting death of Breonna Taylor in her home in March, which also attracted national attention in May. They keep killing our people. Im so sick and tired of it, said Mahira Louis, 15, who was at a Boston protest with her mother on Sunday, leading chants of George Floyd, say his name. Tensions rose on Sunday outside the White House, the scene of three days of demonstrations, where police fired tear gas and stun grenades into a crowd of more than 1,000 chanting protesters across the street in Lafayette Park. The crowd ran, piling up road signs and plastic barriers to light a raging fire in a nearby street. Some pulled an American flag from a building and threw it into the blaze. A building in the park with toilets and a maintenance office went up in flames. As demonstrations persisted past curfew, Washington police said they were responding to multiple fires lit around the capital. YEREVAN, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS. President of Russia Vladimir Putin congratulated Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on the occasion of birthday. During the telephone conversation held today the Russian leader wished good health and success to the Armenian PM, as well as a speedy recovery to him and his family members from the novel coronavirus, the Armenian PMs Office told Armenpress. During the phone talk PM Pashinyan and President Putin exchanged views on the current situation connected with the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and the possible developments in the future. In this context they discussed the cooperation issues between the Armenian and Russian healthcare ministries. President Putin highlighted Russias readiness to support Armenia in fighting the pandemic. Pashinyan and Putin also touched upon the upcoming parade, scheduled on June 24 in Moscow, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. The Armenian PM thanked for the recent invitation on this occasion. He expressed hope that he will recover before that event and will be able to attend all the celebrations. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday rejected Russia's participation in a coming summit of the G7 nations, despite host US President Donald Trump wanting to invite Moscow. "Russia was excluded from the G7 after it invaded Crimea a number of years ago," Trudeau told reporters. "Its continued disrespect and flaunting of international rules and norms is why it remains outside of the G7 and will continue to remain out," he added. On Saturday Trump said he would postpone the planned June summit of leaders from the United States, Germany, Britain, Canada, France, Italy and Japan after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would not be coming, citing the coronavirus pandemic. Trump said he could try again in September, and invite other countries including Russia to join the meeting. "I don't feel that as a G7 it properly represents what's going on in the world. It's a very outdated group of countries," Trump said. He said he would like to invite Russia, South Korea, Australia and India to join an expanded summit in the fall. The Kremlin said Monday that Trump had called President Vladimir Putin and discussed his plan to hold a rescheduled G7 "with possible invitation of the leaders of Russia, Australia, India and South Korea." Trudeau though flatly rejected that prospect. "It's really important to keep holding these meetings and making sure that we are we are coordinating internationally in this time of crisis," he said. Russia was expelled from what was previously the G8 in 2014 after invading and seizing Crimea from Ukraine and declaring it part of Russian territory. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Europe took bolder steps in easing coronavirus lockdowns Monday, with some pubs, tourist sites, pools and schools reopening despite fears of a second wave of infections, while in Latin America new cases piled up past the one million mark. The pandemic has now killed more than 372,000 million people and infected at least 6.1 million since erupting in China last year -- and efforts to halt its spread by imposing restrictions on everyday life have plunged several economies into recession. The United States, where the ongoing crisis has now been overshadowed by anti-racism protests provoked by police killings, is by some distance the worst affected country, but cases are also spreading quickly in Latin America, particularly in troubled giant Brazil. Spread of the coronavirus. By Simon MALFATTO (AFP) Nevertheless, from Russia to France, Italy and Britain, countries have started to emerge from months-long lockdowns, cautiously adopting a post-pandemic version of normal. Bars began to serve again n Finland and Norway -- albeit with distancing restrictions or shortened hours -- while some schools in Britain and Greece opened their doors again. But the decision to allow schools to partially reopen in Britain drew criticism from some who accuse Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government of moving too fast to end a lockdown that he has been accused of being too slow to impose. "COVID-19 spreading too fast to lift lockdown in England," scientific advisor Jeremy Farrar said on Twitter. There has also been scepticism in Russia, where Moscow shopping malls and parks reopened on Monday despite the still-high number of cases, although there was also cautious hope among shopkeepers eager to see business pick up again. Rome's famed Colosseum reopened to Italian nationals, but foreign tourists were still banned. By Filippo MONTEFORTE (AFP) "We opened two hours ago but we already have a few clients. I'm pretty optimistic, I think people will come back little by little," Olga told AFP at her shop selling handbags and jewelry in central Moscow. While reopening parts of his own country, Russia's President Vladimir Putin also called Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to wish him a speedy recovery, as he became the latest leader to test positive. 'Beloved beer' Elsewhere in Europe, still bolder steps were taken. Greece opened some hotels, schools, pools and tattoo parlours, while in Slovenia a mandatory rule to wear masks was eased as the country declared the end of the outbreak. Slovenes enjoyed a fly-over by US and local military jets to mark the "end of the pandemic" and to thank frontline health workers, while in Romania excited families queued for the reopening of Bucharest's Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum. "I love animals, dinosaurs!" declared seven-year-old Robert, as his mum Manuela expressed relief that the lockdown was ending and she could bring him out to follow his passion. "It was his most ardent wish," she smiled. Patios were packed in Finland as bars reopened. By Alessandro RAMPAZZO (AFP) Rome's famed Colosseum also opened to visitors -- Italian nationals only -- for the first time since March, drawing sparse crowds. "We took advantage of the fact that foreign tourists aren't here yet," said Pierluigi, adding that it was his first visit to the massive ancient amphitheatre. And in South Africa, scores of people queued outside liquor stores in the Johannesburg township of Soweto, waiting to stock up after a nine-week ban on alcohol sales. The mood was festive with customers carrying crates of empty beer bottles, blasting loud music from their stereos. "We are overwhelmed, over the moon, so excited. This place is jamming," said Bongani Khumalo. "I'm here to buy my beloved beer," said 31-year-old Anele Mapoma. "It has been a while since I had a taste of that foam and burping." 1 million cases The pandemic has devastated the global economy, which is facing its worst downturn since the Great Depression. With businesses and citizens growing tired of confinement, there is pressure on many leaders to press on with reopenings -- especially in nations where outbreaks appear to be slowing. But health experts have continued to warn of the possibility of a second wave of infections if authorities and citizens let their guard down. Brazil has more than half a million known infections and the second highest caseload in the world after the US, but President Jair Bolsonaro has defied lockdown recommendations and many of his supporters dismiss the disease as a myth. In a grim new landmark, infections in Latin America and the Caribbean surged past one million, according to an AFP tally based on official sources. In the United States -- the worst-affected nation in the world, and now faced with a wave of street protests against police killings of unarmed black suspects -- Washington and Los Angeles resumed outdoor dining, while New York City is on track to begin reopening from June 8. The US now has more than 104,000 coronavirus deaths and over 1.7 million cases. Meanwhile, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there was a reminder that while much of the world struggles with coronavirus, other infectious threats continue. The health ministry reported a fresh Ebola outbreak in the northwest of the huge central African country. burs-dc/jv The plot of Christopher Nolan's upcoming movie Tenet has been closely guarded. And now star Robert Pattinson is admitting that even while making the film, he sometimes struggled to get his head around the story. 'There were months at a time where Im like, Am I . . . I actually, honestly, have no idea if Im even vaguely understanding whats happening',' he said as part of Esquire's profile of his co-star John David Washington. Head-scratcher: Robert Pattinson has admitted that even while making Christopher Nolan's movie Tenet, he sometimes struggled to get his head around the complicated story Pattinson continued: 'On the last day, I asked [John David] a question about what was happening in a scene, and it was just so profoundly the wrong take on the character. And it was like, Have you been thinking this the entire time? 'Theres definitely a bond in the end in kind of hiding the fact that maybe neither one of us knew exactly what was going on. But then I thought, Ah, but John David actually did know. He had to know what was going on.' Tenet deals with international espionage and, like Nolan's Inception, it involves time manipulation. 'Its an incredibly complicated movie, like all of Chriss movies,' Pattinson said. 'I mean, you have to watch them when theyre completely finished and edited three or four times to understand what the true meaning is.' Complicated: Tenet deals with international espionage and involves time manipulation. 'Its an incredibly complicated movie, like all of Chriss movies,' Pattinson said Promotional piece: The British actor's comments were included in a profile of his co-star john David Washington in the new issue of esquire magazine For his part, Washington also admitted in a recent interview that Nolan had been 'very patient' with his leading men and 'very calmly and patiently' answered questions they had during filming. 'Every day I had questions for him. But he was very gracious,' Washington explained. 'It was important that the actors could track the story correctly so we could tell it the best way we could, and he was very patient with us. I say that very politely.' While several tentpole movies have been pushed to later in the year or even to next year, Warner Bros. is still planning to release Christopher Nolan's film Tenet in theatres in July. Last week, the British filmmaker made headlines with the news, revealed to UK's Total Film magazine, that he crashed a real Boeing 747 into a hangar and then blew it up for one of Tenet's big action sequences. No joke: Nolan made headlines last week with the revelation he used a real Boeing 747 rather than visual effects for an explosive action sequence in the upcoming spy thriller Cost effective: While scouting locations in Victorville, Southern California, the director came across a plane graveyard where hundreds of old planes were stored and bought a jumbo jet Stunt: Nolan crashed the 747 into a hangar and then blew it up, all on camera, rather than use miniatures, visual effects and CGI for the pivotal scenes While scouting locations in Victorville, in Southern California's high desert, the director came across a plane graveyard where hundreds of old planes were stored. 'I planned to do [the sequence] using miniatures and set-piece builds and a combination of visual effects and all the rest,' Nolan told Total Film, as reported by GamesRadar.com. 'We started to run the numbers... It became apparent that it would actually be more efficient to buy a real plane of the real size, and perform this sequence for real in camera, rather than build miniatures or go the CG route.' Nolan, 49, described filming the sequence as 'a very exciting thing to be part of'. Pattinson shared that it was a one-of-a-kind experience for an actor. 'You wouldnt have thought there was any reality where you would be doing a scene where they just have an actual 747 to blow up! Its so bold to the point of ridiculousness,' he told the outlet. He added: 'I remember, as we were shooting it, I was thinking, 'How many more times is this even going to be happening in a film at all?'' Coming soon? Nolan has previously made it clear that Tenet was made for theatres and will be shown in 70mm and IMAX formats. So far it remains scheduled for release on July 17 Tenet has a budget in the region of $200 million, making it one of the most expensive original films ever made. The movie was shot in seven countries: Denmark, Estonia, India, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States. There has been a lot of speculation about whether the movie will be moved from its scheduled July 17 release date as lockdown restrictions continue to be in place in many countries. Nolan has previously made it clear that Tenet was made for theatres and will be shown in 70mm and IMAX formats. Demonstrators march on I- 35 while participating in a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, on May 31, 2020 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Within the last few days, careful social distancing has been overturned by demonstrations against social injustice as thousands of Americans congregate in cities across the country protesting the death of George Floyd. The large gatherings, infectious disease experts said, could cause a catastrophic setback for controlling COVID-19 in the U.S. as cities and states try to reopen. "It makes me cringe on a number of levels," said Dr. Katie Passaretti, medical director for infection prevention at Atrium Health in Charlotte, North Carolina. "It's a setup for further spread of COVID," Passaretti added. "It's heartbreaking." The national unrest comes amid a global pandemic, which has already sickened more than 1.7 million people in the U.S., killing nearly 105,000. COVID-19 spreads mainly through close contact, particularly large respiratory droplets from sneezes, coughs as well as shouting and yelling. "If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week," said Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms at a news briefing Sunday, "because there's still a pandemic in America that's killing black and brown people at higher numbers." Indeed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said African Americans are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. "It's concerning on a number of fronts, amid multiple horrible situations," Passaretti said. "It's hard to step back and believe all this is going on at the same time." On Sunday, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former chief of the Food and Drug Administration warned that the U.S. "isn't through this epidemic" yet. "Chains of transmission will have become lit from these gatherings," Gottlieb told CBS News' "Face the Nation." The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene tweeted guidance Saturday for protesting during the epidemic, advising participants to wear a face covering, use hand sanitizer and wear eye protection to prevent injury. While many protestors at the more than 100 demonstrations nationwide appear to be wearing face coverings, social distancing keeping at least 6 feet away from other people is not happening. Face masks are not intended to stop the spread of the coronavirus, but experts say they can help reduce the risk of spreading the illness to others. "Masks aren't perfect, but a layer of protection is better than not having anything," Passaretti said. Passaretti also expressed concern that protesters may be traveling to and from a various cities and states, potentially spreading the virus. "People are coming from other locations to major cities," Passaretti said. "So not only is there potential for spread at a given protest, people may take that back home," and spread the virus to other areas. CLEVELAND, Ohio None of the 99 people arrested Saturday during the riots in downtown Cleveland that followed protests over the police killing of George Floyd are from outside Ohio, and few are from outside neighboring counties, according to jail and court records. Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams, on Saturday, said he believed many of those who rioted and looted in downtown were not from the area and said on Sunday that some were from out of state. Cuyahoga County Jail records, however, show no arrests of anyone from outside the state of from over the weekend. Police arrested 15 people from outside Cuyahoga County during the protests, including people from Mentor, Elyria, Copley, Macedonia, Ashtabula, Columbus, Lorain Willoughby, Amherst, Kent, Stow, Cuyahoga Falls and Oberlin, according to jail records. Most of those charged were from Cleveland. Dozens of others are from suburbs like Solon, Parma Heights, Maple Heights and Warrensville Heights. The charges included breaking and entering, aggravated rioting and failing to comply with police orders for incidents of vandalism and looting, while a few are accused of throwing rocks at officers. No one was charged with inciting violence. No court or jail records indicate, however, an arrest Williams mentioned in a late Sunday Facebook Live news conference about a man driving into the city with an incendiary device. Cleveland police have released no information about the arrests as of Monday afternoon, no police reports or a list of those arrested during the protests. Cleveland officials later said they believe some of those arrested may have given fake addresses. Jail records show 56 of those arrested are black, 31 white, five Hispanic, one Asian and six that are listed as other. The number of arrests tops the 71 arrested during protests in 2015 following the acquittal of former Cleveland Police Officer Michael Brelo, who was charged in connection with the infamous 137 shots incident in which the unarmed Timothy Russel and Malissa Williams were killed. Judges tossed some of those cases and the city paid a settlement to a group who sued on the grounds they were unlawfully arrested. Most of the 23 charged with felonies so far list Cleveland addresses. Williams statement about violent protesters hailing from outside cities or states hews closely with what officials in cities throughout the country have said following riots. The outside agitator theory also has a deep-rooted history in the American Civil-Rights Movement as law enforcement, and political leaders often used it to assign blame for unrest to people who invaded their communities to avoid addressing the systemic racial problems within them. In many of the demonstrations that followed the Floyd killing, those statements have not rung true, according to the Washington Post. Cleveland police officials have not responded to questions about exactly why they believe non-Ohioans caused or took part in riots that badly damaged downtown Cleveland and left 20 people injured. About 60 people arrested as of Monday face charges relating to the protests and more are expected to be charged. Most are misdemeanors of failing to comply with police orders and disorderly conduct. Those charged with felonies are accused of smashing windows in downtown businesses, throwing rocks and other objects at police officers, refusing to leave the protest and threatening police officers. A 28-year-old Cleveland man is accused of climbing the fence at Progressive Field, stripping naked and running around the bases. Several others face charges that accuse them of looting the Villa shoe store on East 79th Street and Euclid Avenue, once late Saturday and again Sunday morning. Another is accused of looting the House of Blues and resisting arrest. Cleveland police used a stun gun on the man, according to court records. One juvenile, a 15-year-old boy, was charged with aggravated burglary after entering Tower City with a gun during the protests, according to court records. Other court documents, however, offer little information about what those arrested did to warrant criminal charges. Some are accused of acting disorderly after Mayor Frank Jackson imposed an 8 p.m. curfew that night, but court records list no other details. Of the 49 arraigned in Cleveland Municipal Court on Monday, all but one were given personal bonds and ordered released from the jail. Judge Michelle Earley granted prosecutors requests to seize the cellphones of all those charged with felonies so detectives can conduct forensic examinations of the phones. Read more from cleveland.com: Cleveland police chiefs approach to George Floyd protest a sharp contrast to de-escalation efforts during Tamir Rice, RNC demonstrations Cleveland clarifies restrictions on driving downtown and in Ohio City, urges businesses be closed through Tuesday Police block downtown Cleveland workers from reaching jobs Hong Kong's business community, backed by some of its famous billionaires, is upbeat on the benefits of a national security law for the city, according to an industry survey, while expressing concerns about foreign sanctions on their operations. About 61 per cent of the respondents said the law will either have a positive or no impact at all on their businesses over the long term, according to the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. Some 54 per cent of them viewed the legislation as "controversial" and hence will have a negative impact on their businesses in the short term, citing foreign sanctions as their biggest concern. The chamber surveyed its 4,000-odd members last week as Beijing endorsed the legislation tailor-made for the city, of which 418 responded with answers. Since it was unveiled at the annual National People's Congress on May 21, the proposal that seeks to bypass Hong Kong's legislature has roiled the local stock market and further widened the rift in US-China ties. China has introduced a national security law for Hong Kong as it claims the anti-government protests in the financial hub endanger the country. Photo: AP Photo alt=China has introduced a national security law for Hong Kong as it claims the anti-government protests in the financial hub endanger the country. Photo: AP Photo The US has since determined that Hong Kong has lost its autonomy from China, and President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw Hong Kong's special trade privileges and impose other unspecified sanctions. The Hang Seng Index jumped the most since March on Monday even as traders braced for more clarity from both sides of the controversy. The survey follows the decision by Hong Kong's second-richest man Li Ka-shing to throw his weight behind the proposed security law. More than 2,000 artists including Jackie Chan, whose industry was also upended by street protests for much of 2019, have also voiced their support for the law last week. Story continues "We oppose any sanctions on Hong Kong as they will not only hurt local companies but also all international companies operating in the city," he said in a phone interview. Leung, who took up the role on May 1 after leaving HSBC, also warned that trade sanctions on Hong Kong may spread the pain overseas. "If Hong Kong companies are restricted or hurt by the sanctions, their overseas trading counterparts and related parties will be hurt as a result," he said. In a Legislative Council meeting on Monday, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po repeated his belief that the national security legislation for Hong Kong and the US decision to impose sanctions on Hong Kong would have little impact on the city's economy. 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. A fuel truck has driven directly at crowds of protesters marching along a Minneapolis highway heightening tensions in a city already pushed to the edge. After a day that had been seen entirely peaceful demonstrations, local television stations were broadcasting live as the truck drove at the people, who numbered in the hundreds. Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis Show all 14 1 /14 Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis Protesters scatter as a tanker truck drives towards them on 35W highway during a demonstration against police violence following the killing of George Floyd REUTERS Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis Protesters hand over to police the driver (centre) of a tanker truck who drove into hundreds of protesters marching on 35W north bound highway during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd REUTERS Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis Protesters hand the driver of a tanker truck that drove into hundreds of protesters over to police, during a rally following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota REUTERS Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis People hold back fellow protesters from the driver of a tanker truck that drove into hundreds of demonstrators marching on 35W north bound highway during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota REUTERS Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis Police stand near a shirtless man, the driver of a truck that was driven into a rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd on the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis REUTERS Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis A woman is comforted after a tanker truck drove into crowds of protesters marching on 35W north bound highway during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd REUTERS Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis A truck involved in an incident with protesters on Highway 35W is surrounded by authorities AP Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis A police officer tries to disperse a crowd of protesters from a tanker truck that drove into hundreds of protesters marching on 35W north bound highway during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota REUTERS Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis A truck that was driven into a rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd on the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis REUTERS Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis Protesters stand near a truck that was driven into a rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd on the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis REUTERS Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis Protesters check in a truck that was driven into a rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd on the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis REUTERS Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis A tanker truck drives into hundreds of protesters marching on 35W north bound highway during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota REUTERS Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis Police clear the area where a tanker truck rushed to a stop among protesters on an interstate Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Minneapolis. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day AP Tanker truck drives at protesters in Minneapolis A truck that was driven into a rally against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd on the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis REUTERS It was not immediately clear how many people were hurt in the incident, which happened at around 6pm local time, though reports suggested many may have had a very narrow escape. We are looking at the people thousands on the ground, said a presenter for KSTP News, the local ABC News affiliate. They seem to be dispersing right now. Theyre moving across. 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 His colleague, a woman, continued: Whats going on. Oh my god! That vehicle made its way. Its being surrounded now. Shortly after the incident, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said the driver of the truck had been arrested. Very disturbing actions by a truck driver on I-35W, inciting a crowd of peaceful demonstrators, it said on Twitter. The truck driver was injured and taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He is under arrest. It doesnt appear any protesters were hit by the truck. The Minneapolis Star Tribune said the incident happened on the I-35W bridge heading into the city. Witnesses said dozens of marchers were sitting or had taken a knee for a moment of silence when the truck came hurtling towards them and stopped halfway across the bridge, the newspaper reported. Then demonstrators appeared to drag the driver out of the truck. Drew Valle, a special education teacher at Minneapolis Washburn High School, told the newspaper that cars still driving on the roadway were going slowly to the right of people when the truck came speeding towards the marchers. He wasnt stopping. He was beeping loudly and driving into a crowd of people, said Mr Valle. Seattle police officer caught kneeling on the necks of multiple George Floyd protestors Thats the same kind of malice that brought us here. Its a callous disregard for someones humanity. The incident, which happened on the sixth day of protests since the death in police custody of 46-year George Floyd, added tension to an already strained atmosphere in the city. Authorities had previously said white supremacists and extremists had been taking advantage of the protests over the death of the unarmed black man, to cause damage and do harm. Governor Tim Walz said state officials estimated that 80 per cent of the people involved in the violence and destruction were from outside the state, though local media has challenged this claim after examining arrest records. At the same time, Donald Trump has blamed left-wing activists for the violent protests in Minneapolis and other cities, and declared his administration will move to designate the loose association of militant left-wing, anti-fascist demonstrators commonly known as Antifa as a terrorist organisation. Sanction Chinese banks for Beijings repression in Hong Kong By Dr. Peter Morici A failure by President Trump to make Beijing pay dearly for squashing home rule in Hong Kong would prove correct Mao Tse-tungs assertion that America is a paper tiger, spell the end of the Western Alliance as an effective bulwark for democracy and could inaugurate the Chinese Century. When China took control of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom in 1997, it agreed to permit the city-state home rule and to continue its market economy for 50 years in exchange for recognition of Beijings sovereigntythe two systems, one country solution. After months of demonstrations against Beijings attacks on Hong Kongs political autonomy, the Chinese legislature is imposing a National-Security Law that effectively curtails free speech and other civil liberties and establishes that the Chinese Communist Party will make law in the city-state and generally suppress dissent. It will permit mainland Chinas security agencies to police Hong Kong. Secretary of State Pompeo declared the United States will no longer treat Hong Kong as an autonomous territory. The Unites States may now impose the same tariffs on Hong Kongs exports into the United States as it does mainland exports, but the United States enjoys a large trade surplus with Hong Kong. Those tariffs would penalize American exporters more than Hong Kong businesses. The Commerce Department may now restrict U.S. sales of high-tech products but Chinas national champions, not competitors in Hong Kong, pose the real threats to American preeminence. The Administration can restrict visas and impose sanctions on individuals and companies that enable Beijings policy but those kinds of measures have proven ineffective for dislodging Russia from the Crimea. The real hammer and anvil would be sanctioning Hong Kong and Chinese banks. Mainland banks have more than $1 trillion dollars in assets in Hong Kong banks. They do much of their global business through the city-state, because their Shanghai operations are burdened by Chinese capital controls. Denying Hong Kong banks access to the international dollar transactions system controlled by American commercial banks and the Federal Reserveand similarly denying access to Chinese and other foreign banks that do business directly or through Shanghai with financial entities in Hong Kongwould strike a terrible blow on Beijings soft power and its Coronavirus-impaired economy. China needs access to the U.S. dollars international plumbing to finance its Belt and Road global infrastructure initiative, and more than 70 percent of its international trade and the vast majority of Chinas investment in foreign companies and foreign investments in China go through Hong Kongs financial system. China has used the influence it welds through the Belt and Road initiative to pressure recipient nations to dampen criticism of its actions, and split the prosperous northern states and poorer Italy and Eastern European states. The Europeans continue to vacillate. The Germans, French and others recognize the systemic threat posed by China but want to continue exporting into its rich markets. They have responded weakly to Chinas bullying of the World Health Organizations into helping Beijing deny culpability for the Coronavirus pandemic, and have not joined the United States in rebuking the institution for its new Beijing-client status. Now with Beijings power grab in Hong Kong, continental states issue weak statements of concern while seeking dialogue to constrain Chinese actions in the city-state and its broader efforts to establish tributary relationships with countries where Beijing pours aid. Its all too remindful of Chamberlains appeasement of Germanys seizure of the Sudetenland. The story repeats in other venuesWTO reform, former IMF Director and French Finance Minister Christine Legarde assigning the yuan reserve currency status when it is not even freely convertible or regarded as a safe asset like the yen, euro or pound, and Germanys efforts to enable Huaweis buildout of 5G technology on the continent. By sanctioning all foreign banks, not just Chinese financial institutions, that do business with Hong Kong and Chinese banks and corporate entities that enable Beijings oppression, the United States would force Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas, the largest banks in Germany and France, their smaller brethren to make a choicedo business in New York or Shanghai. It would put German Chancellor Merkel and her lesser colleagues on the continent on noticeits time to choose sides. They might not like President Trump and his America First policies, but he is a transient figureAmerica is still America and President Xi has revealed to the world China as a menacing fascist state. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. He can be found on Twitter at @pmorici1 Buzz Sanderson needs 3000 visitors to walk through the door of the Kandos Museum by Christmas and for at least half to buy tea towels on the way out. Foot traffic is everything for a small-town museum. The admission fees pay the electricity, water, rent, the lawn mowing, the lick of wall paint, even the tea and coffee. Buzz Sanderson and Fiona MacDonald, president and secretary of the Kandos Museum. Credit:Dean Sewell Without visitors, Mr Sanderson and his 30-member association will struggle to pay insurances on the attractive former Methodist Church, built in the Spanish mission style that sits at the heart of this rare, post-Federation township. Were the $8000 insurance bill due now he'd be consolidating the museum's collection of objects, photographs and information about the industrial, social, and war history. He's only half-joking when he says: "I'd be putting it on eBay." Flames shooting from a Los Angeles Police Department kiosk. Kneeling protesters having their stinging eyes flushed. Police in riot gear standing outside the White House. These are just some of the moments captured as demonstrators took to the streets from Boston to San Francisco over the weekend to protest killings of black people by police. PROTESTS IN CONNECTICUT: Lamont says he's "totally at one" with CT protesters As night fell, many demonstrations that had started out peacefully sank into violence: Cars and stores were torched. The words "I can't breathe" were spray-painted on buildings. Police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. The massive protests started after last week's death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes during an arrest, including for some time after Floyd had stopped moving and saying he couldn't breathe. 'As a team we are hurting': UConn athletes, coaches speak out against racial injustice Floyd's death in Minneapolis came after tensions had already flared after two white men were arrested in May for the February shooting death of black jogger Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, and the Louisville police shooting death of Breonna Taylor in her home in March. Founder of the Household of God Church, Oregun, Lagos, Rev. Chris Okotie, says the Christian Association of Nigeria, can not speak for Christians regarding coronavirus in the country. The cleric in a statement signed by his media adviser, Ladi Ayodeji on Sunday, described CAN as an amorphous organisation sustained by a Christian appellation. This comes after the CAN President, Samson Ayokunle, rolled out the guidelines for the reopening of churches, which according to him would be discussed with the Federal Government for approval, after consultation with the leaders of other religious bodies. It is bereft of any authority to speak on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ. Arrayed in Episcopalian vestments, they are the modern-day Pharisees who arrogate divine honors to themselves. Advertisement They have a form of godliness and yet hobnob Nicodemusly with enemies of the Lord Jesus. The true ministers of the sanctuary must recognise CANs treachery and reprehensible Phariseeism. That which a man spits against heaven shall fall back upon his face. We shall not bow to the idol called coronavirus. Jesus is Lord, the statement read. As for the recommended distancing in the seating arrangement in churches, proposed by CAN, Okotie described it as blasphemous infidelity and desecration of the Church of Jesus Christ. Read Also: Churches May Reopen In June: CAN Okotie however expressed his support for social distancing and other safety measures ordered by the government to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic but not for the church. According to him, if social distancing is practiced in churches, it means seats would be reordered and it would also determine the size of congregational worship per service. To him, such an arrangement was to nullify the redemptive work of Jesus, which involves healing. Photo: (Photo : Instagram/laur_akins) Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins are against racial injustice, and they are teaching their daughter, Willa, to show love instead of hate. On Sunday, the couple shared posts on their Instagram accounts to show the world that they are committed to creating a better world for their daughter. Akins and her husband adopted a moving message from Uganda in 2017, and she posted the message about loving and caring for her little girl. Laura Akins is nervous about being judged Akins said that she has been nervous about posting anything in the past and even right now because she is afraid that people might say that she is undeserving or incapable of raising a black daughter, knowing that she is a white mother. She believes that shaming comes from those people who only see her white skin and her daughter's brown skin and disregards their hearts and love for one another. Laura Akins standing up against racial injustice Even though Akins is afraid of sharing anything on her social media, she said that she wants Willa to be "very sure" that she is standing up for her and all the other people who share the same beautiful brown skin as her daughter. She also said she wants to raise her daughter to be proud of having brown skin because she will be there to celebrate Willa and her two sisters. Apart from that, she wants them to know "whose" daughter they are and who they are as God had created them to be. Laura Akins on George Floyd incident Akins then addressed the incidents on protests of the nation due to the racial injustice, which included the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She felt that she would be disobedient to God if she would not voice out injustice and fight for a change. She also believes that she would be betraying her daughter if she just stayed silent. She is telling her followers to fight and not remain silent. Her advice to everyone is to use the power of "love" by speaking up loudly for injustices despite different color, language or beliefs, and others. Thomas Rhett also stood up Despite having difficulty addressing the climate and his current situation, Rhett also shared a heartwarming post. He said that they had navigated forms of racism directly, and even though their families all support and love them, sometimes many oppose so it would be easier to stay silent, but now he chose to speak up. The country crooner said he has no clue what it feels to be profiled by the authorities, treated negatively, or threatened by the color of his skin. Still, he is heartbroken and angry about witnessing the horrific murder of Floyd and thought about the mistreatment of the other black men and women in America. He said that pure hate made people kill Floyd so he is praying for a change in the hearts of those who have hatred and a heart of stone. He is also praying for a deeper understanding and awareness of the experience of racial injustice. Adding to that, Rhett said that as a father, he wants to show his daughters how to lead with love at times of hatred. He wants them to know their worth and value not only as women but as human beings. He concluded by saying that he is standing up for Floyd, his family, and for those who have faced racial injustice. He also said that he and his family would be fighting for the rest of their lives. ATLANTA, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power today announced that the typical residential customer using 1,000-kilowatt hours will receive an $11.29 credit on their June Georgia Power bill. This reflects implementation of a one-time $51.5 million credit for customers, approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), as a result of Georgia Power's 2018 financial results. Pairing the June credit with new, lower fuel rates recently announced, the typical residential customer would see a reduction of $21.55 in June. The amount each customer receives will vary based on their 2018 usage. Georgia Power will apply the credit to June bills for customers who had active accounts as of December 31, 2018, and are still active or receiving a final bill as of June 2020. Fuel rate lowered 17.2 percent In addition to the approved one-time credit in June, the PSC recently approved Georgia Power's plan to reduce its fuel rates by 17.2 percent and total billings by approximately $740 million over a two-year period. The implementation of a special interim reduction will provide customers additional relief during the COVID-19 pandemic through even lower fuel rates over the upcoming 2020 summer months. The lower fuel rate and special interim reduction will lower the total bill of a typical residential customer using an average of 1,000-kilowatt hours by a total of $10.26 per month from June through September 2020. The reduction in the company's fuel rate is driven primarily by lower natural gas prices as a result of increased natural gas supplies, which the company is able to take advantage of to benefit customers due to its diverse generation sources. February bill credit due to tax law savings Georgia Power completed earlier this year the third and final bill credit associated with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, resulting in credits totaling $106 million. The typical residential customer using an average of 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month received a credit of approximately $22 on their February Georgia Power bill. To learn more about how Georgia Power delivers rates below the national average, cultivates a diverse energy mix to ensure reliable and affordable power, as well as free energy services and programs available for customers, visit www.georgiapower.com. About Georgia Power Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power). SOURCE Georgia Power Related Links http://www.georgiapower.com NEW YORK - Two attorneys charged with firebombing a police vehicle amid the unrest convulsing New York City were granted bail Monday over the objections of federal prosecutors who warned the pair might return to rioting. One night of behaviour is not a basis on which to reject somebodys ability to make rational decisions, U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven Gold said. Colinford Mattis, a 32-year-old corporate attorney, and Urooj Rahman, 31 year-old human rights lawyer, are accused of torching a police vehicle in Brooklyn on Saturday during an eruption of violent demonstrations over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minnesota police officer pressed his knee into Floyds neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air. The magistrate ordered another woman detained in a separate firebombing late Friday that authorities said targeted four New York City police officers as an initially peaceful demonstration devolved into chaos. Prosecutors said the attacks, about two hours apart, were among the most brazen the city has seen during days of protests that led the city on Monday to impose an 11 p.m. curfew. As police and protesters faced off in downtown Brooklyn, surveillance cameras recorded Rahman hurling what prosecutors described as a Molotov cocktail into a police vehicle, setting fire to its console, near an NYPD station house. Officers arrested the attorneys a short time later and found a lighter, a Bud Light beer bottle filled with toilet paper and a gasoline tank in the back of their minivan, prosecutors said. They face 5 to 20 years in federal prison if convicted. Instead of using their privileged positions to change society lawfully, they used a Molotov cocktail and sought to incite others to adopt their violent ways, prosecutors wrote in a court filing. Defence attorney Benjamin Yaster said the allegations amounted to a property crime, adding the NYPD vehicle in question had already been vandalized and was unoccupied. Prosecutors appealed the judges order releasing the attorneys on $250,000 bail each. U.S. District Judge Margo Brodie denied that appeal Monday evening, approving the conditions of their home confinement. Yaster said Rahman, who attended New York University Law School, had no criminal history and has dedicated her life and her still very young career to helping and serving other people, including refugees abroad. Mattis, a Princeton University graduate, works as an associate for Pryor Cashman. The Manhattan law firm furloughed him in April and said it would review his employment status following Mondays hearing. As we confront critical issues around historic and ongoing racism and inequity in our society, I am saddened to see this young man allegedly involved in the worst kind of reaction to our shared outrage over what had occurred, Ronald H. Shechtman, the firms managing partner, said in a statement. Federal authorities brought similar charges against Samantha Shader, a 27-year-old from Catskill, New York, accused of firebombing an NYPD vehicle occupied by four officers. That firebomb shattered two windows of the vehicle but did not seriously injure the officers, authorities said. Her lawyer, Sam Jacobson, didnt comment on the charges but expressed concern about Shaders medical condition, saying she had not yet been treated for injuries she received during her arrest. Prosecutors said Shader is unemployed and has travelled the country committing various crimes, including arrests in 11 different states since 2011. They said Shader admitted throwing the firebomb and biting a responding officer on the leg. Over the weekend, protests over police shootings spread from Minneapolis to dozens of cities, leading to riots and curfews in numerous places. For many, this brought to mind the waves of protests and civil unrest during the 1960s, which also resulted in violence and the destruction of property.All this comes at a time when the country was on edge due to the coronavirus pandemic and a deep economic downturn. And it comes just five months ahead of a national election that was already certain to be contentious.To gain some sense of the political and historical contexts for todays events,spoke with Michael W. Flamm, a historian at Ohio Wesleyan University. Flamm is the author of multiple books, includingand In the Heat of the Summer: The New York Riots of 1964 and the War on Crime . Here are edited excerpts of the interview:Flamm: My head is filled with many, many thoughts, from the personal tragedy of George Floyd to the larger social tragedy of racial history and violence.The tragedy in Minneapolis follows a historical pattern of riots. The demonstrations often begin peacefully with individuals and groups trying to express their anger, their outrage, their grief. Gradually, the streets are filled with other people. When night falls, there are people with other interests, whether its burning or looting.Sadly, the media focuses on the last group and drown out the earlier, peaceful protests. Violent protests for the media always beat peaceful protests. Footage of people burning buildings, smashing windows as a producer, you know which images are going to keep more people glued to your channel.There are many explanations. Shootings typically take place in a split second. They involve a quick reaction and judgments. Shootings are complicated; the situations are very complex. This was not a shooting. This was a very different kind of homicide, a very different kind of murder. It was captured on video and didnt happen in a dark alley, where the police officer may or may not have been threatened with a weapon.It also comes at a moment when people are desperate to come out of their homes, to do something. It comes during a burst of good weather. My father lives in Minnesota and he can tell you how cold and wet its been there this spring.And it occurs against a political and economic backdrop. I think the sense of desperation is growing. Many poor people are aware were on the verge of a wave of evictions across urban America the likes of which we havent seen in decades. This combination coming together is causing people to explode.Let me begin with a fact. More than 60 percent of Americans who watched the police riot in Chicago believed they gave the demonstrators precisely what they deserved. Ultimately, the politics of law and order benefits conservatives. It plays to a fundamental conservatism in American society.One of the lessons of Chicago in 1968 is that armed confrontations dont help liberals and they dont help Democrats. The whole world is watching was the chant. The demonstrators in Chicago believed and I assume the demonstrators in Minneapolis believe that history will be on their side, and that may not be right.Heres where it gets a little bit complicated. Richard Nixon benefited greatly from the presence of George Wallace in 1968.Wallace was so extreme on the issue of law and order that he made Nixon seem like the responsible moderate on that issue. That helped him tremendously in 1968. I argue, its the law and order issue that allowed Nixon to win his narrow victory.The dynamic here is there is no Wallace for Trump. Trump is Wallace. His actions may prove too extreme. The Democrats may find themselves in a good position here because of Bidens positions on crime and law and order in the past.In 1968, you still had effectively four political parties in the U.S. Within the GOP, there were conservatives and moderates, and within Democrats, there were liberals and moderates. Those splits within the parties muted polarization.Today, we have two largely homogenous political parties and we have social media and we have an economic crisis and we have a pandemic and we have a president ready to pour gasoline on the fire because he believes his path to reelection leads through division. Its like a perfect path to have widening of divisions in our society and politics.One difference is that we dont have a Vietnam War today. Were not currently engaged in an international conflict simultaneously.But we are living through the perfect storm of historical events. We have an economic crisis similar to 1929, a medical crisis similar to 1918 and now a political crisis similar to 1968. In a sense, we have the worst of all political worlds. Samsung's rotating TV will go on sale for the first time in the US and the UK. The television, called Sero, rotates between landscape and portrait orientations so that users can use screen to watch mobile content form their phones (which is usually vertically aligned) to more traditional landscape media. Sero, which will retail at $1,999, strives to be better suited for watching content on social platforms like Instagram and TikTok which have vertical alignments. Customers can purchase a Sero on Samsung's website or through select retailers. Scroll down for video. The Sero (pictured) can flip between horizontal and vertical alignments so that users can watch content from their mobile phones With a compatible Samsung phone users can cast their mobile device onto the TV by walking up and tapping the device against the frame. If one has an iPhone for example, users will have to use an app to manually rotate the TV and then cast using AirPlay. Samsung hopes the ability to watch vertically will encourage viewers, namely millennials, to cast social media content onto the device. It also aims to capitalize on the growing number of users engaging in more dedicated and long term viewing on their mobile devices Once in its vertical orientation, Samsung also says the TV, which is equipped with 4.1 channel 60 watt speakers, can double as a standalone music kiosk with a built-in visualizer. Samsung's Sero will add to what the company is calling a new wave of 'lifestyle' TV's that offer varying design and conceptual riffs on conventional products. Samsung has released other 'lifestyle' focused TVs including the Frame and the Serif Among the other options will be two other concept-focused sets, called The Serif and The Frame. The Serif is designed to blend seamlessly into viewers' living rooms with the help of some aesthetically-minded features like a cloth that conceals ports in the back of TV and even a shelf that runs along the top. Similarly, The Frame is meant to blend into homes by mimicking a piece of artwork. The TV is only 2 inches thick and comes with various attachable framing options in wood grain and solid colors. ATLANTIC CITYMayor Marty Small will hold a news conference Monday at 11 a.m. in the city to address the peaceful protest on Sunday that turned into looting and vandalism. The conference will be held at the corner of Michigan and Arctic Avenues, in the middle of Tanger Outlets The Walk, where several stores had their storefronts broken into and items stolen. On Sunday afternoon, about 300 people gathered for a peaceful protest in the city to protest the killing of George Floyd and police brutality. But the peaceful protest soon gave way to confrontations with police officers, crowds of people roaming the streets and the looting of stores. In response, the city's Office of Emergency Management issued a state of emergency and enacted an 8 p.m. curfew Sunday night. Mayor Small then announced a local emergency declaration from June 1 through June 8 with a citywide curfew of 7 p.m., he said during a press conference at 10:30 p.m. Sunday. A peaceful Sydney rally to protest the alleged murder of African-American man George Floyd at the hands of a white cop has been cancelled. Tens of thousands of Americans have been protesting after Floyd's death ignited nationwide outrage over police brutality and systemic racism. Floyd, a 46-year-old father-of-two, was filmed gasping for breath as Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for eight minutes before he died in custody of the Minneapolis Police Department on Monday. Minnesota - where Floyd died - has born the brunt of the protests which began there on Tuesday before fanning out across the country. A march planned at Sydney's Hyde Park on Tuesday evening was cancelled after people 'threatened to wreak havoc and protest against the event'. 'Although Australia is far from where the murder took place, we have a voice. We stand with Minneapolis and their people calling for a raise in the degree,' organisers wrote. 'Although Australia is far from where the murder took place, we have a voice,' organisers wrote when cancelling the Sydney event A march planned at Sydney's Hyde Park on Tuesday evening was cancelled after people 'threatened to wreak havoc and protest against the event'. Pictured: Protestors are seen during the Invasion Day rally in Brisbane, January 26, 2020 'This event was meant to be a time for Aboriginal voices to be heard, but due to uncertainty of safety for all involved, we would like to advise a cancellation of the protest. 'Safety is always priority, and it breaks the hearts of everyone involved to have to cancel this event.' More than 1,500 people had signed up to attend the march while 3,900 people had said they were interested in attending. Originally the event was called 'BLM (Black Lives Matter) & George Floyd Peaceful Protest Sydney' before it was changed to target Australians. 'This is a PEACEFUL PROTEST for the misrepresentation of our Indigenous population in the legal system, as well as in solidarity to George Floyd,' the Facebook event read. 'Australia however, is not exempt from injustices faced for people of colour and the Indigenous population.' Meanwhile, a vigil is planned in Chippendale on Saturday called 'Stop All Black Deaths in Custody: Vigil for George Floyd'. More than 1,500 people had signed up to attend the march while 3,900 people had said they were interested in attending. Pictured: Protestors in Sydney's Pitt Street on January 26 Charlotte, North Carolina: Demonstrators chant and raise their arms during a protest in downtown Charlotte on Saturday Officer Derek Chauvin (pictured) was identified as the officer pinning down George Floyd in video footage that was widely shared on Tuesday 'This vigil will be held on unceded Gadigal Land. The organisers pay their respects to elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded,' the event reads. 'The organisers recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are 12 times more likely to be incarcerated, are targeted by police, and are on the frontlines of resistance against state violence every single day.' Similar protests have been planned for Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne with thousands of Australians expected to attend. A Brisbane protest is planned to begin at King George Square from 1pm Saturday. 'Protest in Solidarity with the uprising in the US and against the murder of Aboriginal people in custody,' the Facebook event for Brisbane says. The Adelaide event is planned for Victoria Square at midday on Saturday, with organisers describing it as a 'colossal moment in history'. 'The movement (in the US) has unleashed the built-up anger at a system that murders Black and working people in cold blood,' the Adelaide event says. 'The power of ordinary people is on display. 'We are also rallying in protest of police violence, racism, and the murder of black people in this country, and in solidarity with the Aboriginal liberation struggle.' Charlotte, North Carolina: Police stand guard during a protest in downtown Charlotte Saturday night Raleigh, North Carolina: Police in riot gear deploy tear gas at protesters front of the the old courthouse on Saturday In Minneapolis, riots spiralled out of control Saturday night local time as cop cars were torched, stores were looted and at least 11 states activated the National Guard on a fifth night of protests that show no signs of stopping. At least three people were killed during protests across the US and dozens more were injured. In Minneapolis, protesters were seen fleeing after cops hurled tear gas into the crowds while some responded by launching fireworks back at officers. The National Guard was activated to defend the White House from attack as the Secret Service agents on the ground struggled to keep control of crowds descending on the seat of the US government. New York was ablaze as NYPD vehicles were torched and ransacked while shocking footage emerged of cops violently detaining protesters. A man was left critically injured in Dallas when he was attacked and stomped on by a group of people when he allegedly tried to defend a store with a large sword. In Atlanta a cop suffered 'significant injuries' when they were hit by an ATV, while in Chicago, a man commandeered a police horse and rode off on it. Los Angeles deployed the National Guard for the first since the 1992 riots when the police officers who beat up black man Rodney King walked free of all charges and California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in LA County. A total of 11 states and the District of Columbia had activated the National Guard by the early hours of Sunday, as law enforcement buckled under the strain of the protests. States calling for Guard assistance included California, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington state. Raleigh, North Carolina: Raleigh Police block Fayetteville Street at Hargett Street as they work to return order after a night of violent demonstrations early Sunday morning Charlotte, North Carolina: Demonstrators are seen locking arms during a protest on Saturday night in downtown Charlotte Meanwhile at least 25 cities roll out emergency curfews to try to bring rioting and looting under control, including San Francisco, Atlanta, Louisville, Los Angeles, Portland, Columbia, South Carolina, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Seattle. President Trump has put the Army on notice to deploy to the streets with a four-hour notice - the first time this will have been done in almost 20 years during the 1992 LA riots over the beating of black man Rodney King by cops. Minnesota - where Floyd died - has born the brunt of the protests which began there Tuesday before fanning out across the country. Rioting was still going on in the early hours of Sunday, with the Minneapolis police department reporting a big group of protesters on foot and in vehicles throwing missiles of some sort at cops. Minnesota Dept of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell announced early Sunday there had been 'dozens' of arrests through the night but no 'substantive' injuries. Indian states ban consumption, spitting of tobacco in public to prevent COVID-19 Global Times Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/5/31 10:45:49 Indian states are on a spree to ban consumption, spitting and smoking of tobacco and tobacco products in public places following a directive by federal government to all states in the country. On Saturday, India's western state of Maharashtra and South-Western state of Karnataka announced a ban following a similar ban announced by the Northern state of Rajasthan and North Eastern state of Jharkhand. "Spitting also contributes to spreading COVID-19. Considering this, we have decided to implement the prohibitory laws more strictly. Violators will have to pay a fine of 13 dollars for first offence, 40 U.S. dollars for second and 66 U.S. dollars for subsequent offence," Rajesh Tope, Maharashtra health minister said. Maharashtra is the worst affected Indian state with over 62,000 positive COVID-19 cases and its political capital Mumbai tops the list among cities in Asia's third largest economy with close to 37,000 positive cases so far. Earlier this month, India's federal health minister appealed to all states to ban sale of tobacco products and spitting in public places to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection. According to Global Adult Tobacco Survey, India has the second largest tobacco users in the world with 268 million or 28.6 percent of all adults in India, and 1.2 million succumbing to tobacco-related diseases every year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Made Anthony Iswara (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 1, 2020 07:11 599 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb40dd8 1 National #parents,parents,family,#family,COVID-19,#COVID19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,children,#children Free Midwife Yati Maryati, 37, is worried about interacting with her children every time she returns home from the community health center (Puskesmas) where she works in Jakarta. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she has worn a mask everywhere she goes, even at home. But Yati and her husband have to keep working to pay for loans and living expenses for their family, while keeping their three children entertained at home as schools are closed. Maybe we need a work-from-home policy so that we have more time to take care of the kids, said Yati, suggesting that she work remotely two or three days a week. The fast-evolving COVID-19 situation has forced many parents like Yati to do whatever it takes to provide for their families during the pandemic. Read also: COVID-19 pandemic forces Indonesian mothers to do it all President Joko Jokowi Widodo first urged the public to work and study from home in mid-March, which was followed by the enactment of a regulation allowing the Health Ministry to authorize certain regional administrations to impose large-scale social restrictions (PSBB). Now, the government is looking to gradually reopen the economy with heightened health protocols under so-called new normal measures. The government has mulled over some scenarios, including allowing people under 45 years old to return to the workplace to prevent more people from being laid off. As the global community will celebrate the Global Day of Parents on June 1, experts in Indonesia are calling on companies and the government to enact family-friendly policies to support working families and minimize negative consequences for children. University of Indonesia (UI) family sociologist Rosa Diniari disagreed with the planned age-based policy and said work-from-home policies should still be put in place to allow parents and children to have time to nurture their kids. Because it is not only about working from home but also working for home, she said. She doubted whether teachers were ready to monitor their pupils over the use of masks, hand washing and physical distancing if schools were reopened during the new normal protocols. Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) commissioner Retno Listyarti cited its online survey on May 28 that showed the majority of respondents had rejected the idea of reopening schools due to concerns about their childrens safety and health. The Education and Culture Ministry recently played down the possibility of schools reopening during the new normal. Read also: COVID-19: Health minister issues new normal guidelines for workplaces UI education psychologist Rose Mini Agoes Salim said employers must arrange a more flexible work policy for parents and focus on their work output instead. Additionally, she urged parents to manage their expectations over their child's educational performance, control their emotions, think critically to solve problems and sort out their priorities, as a lack of such preparation could cause parents to be overwhelmed with COVID-19 struggles. Just like the coronavirus, the parents stress could also spread to their children, she said. To prevent it, we need to develop important life skills and see everything realistically. Experts say authorities should also simplify their education assessment criteria and whittle curricula down to only essential studies, considering that the pandemic has hindered children's development and the learning process. Similar to the experts arguments, three United Nations agencies wrote a report recommending employers to implement flexible work arrangements, provide appropriate childcare options and support workers in coping with stress and personal safety. By giving working parents the time, information, services and resources they need to cope with the crisis, family-friendly policies and practices can make a critical difference, the report reads. Read also: 50 days of Indonesias partial lockdown. Is it enough for the new normal? Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) deputy chairman for labor affairs Bob Azam claimed that the majority of companies had applied work-from-home policies. Some employers have provided paid leave in case their employees need more time with their families, and they have taught workers about personal hygiene, organizational skills and contingency planning, which, according to Bob, was useful for those who worked remotely. Bob encouraged other employers to hold online classes involving families, such as finance management classes. Employees are the assets of companies. So we have to treat our assets to the best of our abilities, he said. He also urged the government to allow for hourly wages and flexible working hours in order to provide leeway for working parents who needed more time to take care of their children. The government has hinted at the possibility of introducing hourly employment for certain professions under the controversial omnibus bill on job creation. Labor unions, however, have rejected the bill, fearing that it would undermine their right to a living wage. Read also: Hourly employment scheme must be accompanied by insurance, clear rules Working parents are not the only ones concerned about their familys future. Lawyer Azhar M. Akbar, a newlywed, said he was worried about the health of his unborn baby. His wife a doctor at a hospital in Bandung, West Java is eight months pregnant with their first child. As the current conditions have yet to improve, I hope that our employers will extend the work-from-home period, especially for my wife since her workplace has a high risk [of COVID-19 infection], he said. Cameroon Military Acknowledges Soldiers Arrested in Togo By Moki Edwin Kindzeka May 31, 2020 Cameroon's military says three of five men recently arrested by Togolese police and portrayed by Togolese media as notorious criminals who committed serious offenses against Togolese citizens are Cameroonian soldiers, while the other two are former convicts. The three military men stole weapons from the military headquarters in Yaounde and went to Togo's capital, Lome, where they used the weapons to harass Togolese, according to Togolese police. Cameroonian military spokesperson Atonfack Guemo says investigations by the military indicate that Ntanga Clement Didier Mogo, Oumarou Abdou Fadil and Ewoundjo Elle Serge Hubert, who were arrested in Lome for robbery and harassment of civilians, are notorious, dangerous and dishonest members of the Cameroon military. He says Cameroon has started disciplinary and administrative proceedings against the men as provided for by military regulations and that Togo should punish them as its law provides. He says Cameroon's Defense Ministry denies responsibility for their crimes and atrocities because the men in question have broken off links with Cameroon's military. Guemo said the other two men arrested in Lome are civilians with criminal records and were wanted. He said the five arrested in Togo were helped by another military officer, Essimbi Francis, who has been arrested for his role in other crimes and is being held in Yaounde. Togo media reported May 20 that the five Cameroonians had been arrested in Lome after using weapons to rob a Togolese businessman of his car and money. Cameroonian media reported that Yendoube Douti, head of the Lome research and criminal investigation unit of the Togolese police, said the five men confessed they were using weapons they obtained from the Cameroon defense headquarters in Yaounde. He says investigations carried out by Togolese police indicate that the brain behind the group of robbers is Ntanga Clement Didier Mogo, known as Tony, a member of the Cameroon military. He says Tony convinced his colleague, Oumarou Abo Fadil, who was in charge of weapons at Cameroon's defense headquarters in Yaounde, to steal automatic pistols and go with him to Togo, where they could make a better living stealing and selling vehicles. Mogo, speaking on the state broadcaster Television Togolese said he and his group traveled to Lome to buy cars for a senior military official he refused to name, but that they were tempted to steal when their stay was extended by COVID-19 travel restrictions. He says that he did not plan to steal when he left Yaounde for Lome but that he asked his colleagues who control weapons at the defense headquarters to accompany him with pistols for security against possible attacks by highway robbers. He says after they got to Lome, both Cameroon and Togo sealed their borders and they could not return. Mogo acknowledged that Togolese police arrested them after they stole money and a car from a rich Togolese businessman and were trying to escape. He said it was the only act of robbery they committed. Cameroon's military says whenever they return after facing justice in Togo, they will answer charges for the crimes committed in Cameroon and for damaging Cameroon's image in a foreign country and that for now, they are no longer members of the Cameroonian military. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address After returning for the 2003 and 2004 model years, the Mach 1 name will be roaring back to life again this year and will serve as a limited edition track-ready model. Ford is confident that the new Mach 1 is set to become the 'pinnacle of style, handling, and 5.0-liter V8 performance'. The Ford Mustang Mach 1 is set to make a comeback, and the Blue Oval just released the first photo of the prototype busy going around a test track. Mach 1 has a special place in Mustang history, and its time for this special edition to claim the top spot in our 5.0-liter V8 performance lineup and reward our most hardcore Mustang enthusiasts who demand that next level of power, precision, and collectability. Like the original, the all-new Mustang Mach 1 will be true to its heritage, delivering great looks and as the most track-capable 5.0-liter Mustang ever, said David Pericak, Director of Ford Icons. Based on the teaser photos provided, the new Mach 1's exterior look harkens back to the first-ever model that was released back in 1969. Despite the camo livery hiding some of the car's design, it's clear that Ford was busy making this particular Mustang look more aggressive. It gets a revised lower air intake, a front splitter beneath the front bumper, along with what appears to be a mesh-type front grill. But what could be the most important exterior update the Mach 1 gets are the two circular openings on each side of the front grill. Originally, these serve as additional headlights for the 1969 model year. However, it appears that the new ones might serve as air intakes for the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 under the hood. Aside from getting a good look at its face, we also get to see the Mach 1's camouflaged rear. A pair of dual exhausts, a trunk-mounted spoiler, along with what appears to be a more aggressive-looking rear bumper give the Mach 1 a sportier appearance. Finally, the Mach 1 will also have Brembo brakes as standard, along with huge alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. Exact specifications of the 2021 Mustang Mach 1 were not revealed. But since Ford mentioned that this will be the most 'track-capable' Mustang to date, it might get suspension upgrades, along with a more powerful naturally-aspirated V8. For those not in the know, the previous iterations of Mach 1 always came with an upgraded suspension which allowed it to be more nimble than standard models. Mach 1 has always been that bridge between base Mustangs and the Shelby models. said Ted Ryan, heritage brand manager, Ford Archives. From a style and handling perspective, the original Mach 1 managed to stand out as unique, even in the Mustang lineup and as the name implies, it could really move. Ford plans to reveal the all-new Mustang Mach 1 this spring in the US and it will become the most powerful Mustang model above the special edition Bullitt. The only question now is, will we get to see the Mach 1 arrive here in the Philippines? We're keeping our fingers crossed that Ford decides to send a few once they reveal it. The program served about 5,500 lunches in 2019 and is entering its seventh year. Lunches are served to those 18 and younger, but there are no other restrictions for receiving meals and no paperwork is required. Pardeeville has so far distributed more than 16,000 breakfasts and lunches during its program that started March 19 and for which children and families may pick up meals either at the high school or at their bus stops from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays. About 30 staff members including six in the kitchen and 19 educational assistants have made it all happen, Food Service Director Jeani Kerrigan said. Its a need right now with so many families struggling (economically), she said. Plus it keeps our families in touch with the staff they get to see their bus drivers and school aides and its just really helpful all the way around. If you can get them fed and put a smile on their faces in times like these, thats all that matters. This is tough for everybody. Pardeeville decided recently to extend its meals program through June 26 because we know theres a need and we have the people to do it, Superintendent Gus Knitt said. Help.org, a trusted online resource for individuals who struggle with addiction and their loved ones, has announced the Best Rehab Facilities in Fresno, 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 Fresno, deaths related to opioid abuse increased significantly from 2011 to 2015. Substance abuse among adolescents is also escalating in Fresno 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 Fresno. 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 Fresno, California please visit https://www.help.org/drug-and-alcohol-rehab-centers-in-fresno-ca/ 2020 Best Rehab Facilities in Fresno, California (in alphabetical order) Central Valley Recovery Services New Heights Outpatient Services 320 West Oak Avenue Visalia, CA 93291 559-625-2995 Champions Recovery Alternative Programs 311 North Douty Street Hanford, CA 93230 559-583-9300 Fresno American Indian Health Project All My Relations Community Wellness Center 1551 East Shaw Avenue, Suite 139 Fresno, CA 93710 559-320-0490 Fresno New Connections 4411 North Cedar Avenue, Suite 108 Fresno, CA 93726 559-248-1548 King of Kings Community Center 2302 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Fresno, CA 93706 559-442-0400 Kings View Behavioral Health Services 1822 Jensen Avenue, Suite 102 Sanger, CA 93657 559-875-6300 Madera County Behavioral Health Services 209 East 7th Street Madera, CA 93638 559-673-3508 Mental Health Systems Family and Youth Alternatives 3122 North Millbrook Avenue Fresno, CA 93703 559-225-9117 Sierra Tribal Consortium, Inc. Turtle Lodge Recovery Home 610 West McKinley Avenue Fresno, CA 93728 559-445-2691 WestCare California, Inc. Belmont Health & Wellness 611 East Belmont Avenue Fresno, CA 93701 559-237-3420 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/. London, June 1 : Seven former UK Foreign Secretaries have urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to form a global alliance over China's controversial national security law for Hong Kong. In their letter to Johnson, the cross-party group comprising Jeremy Hunt, David Miliband, Jack Straw, William Hague, Malcolm Rifkind, David Owen and Margaret Beckett, said that the UK government must be seen to lead the international response, as many countries take their cue from Britain over its former colony, the BBC reported on Monday. All the former Secretaries expressed their concern at what they call China's "flagrant breach" of Sino-British agreements by imposing tough national security laws on Hong Kong. They urged Johnson to set up an "international contact group" of allies to coordinate any joint action, similar to that set up in 1994 to try to end the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. In response, a Downing Street spokesman insisted the government was already playing a leading role with international partners in urging China to think again. Incumbent Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the new security legislation "very clearly violates" the autonomy that is guaranteed under Chinese law as well as that in the 1997 agreement. He confirmed the UK will allow those who hold British National (Overseas) passports to come to the UK and apply to study and work for an extendable 12-month period. This will in turn "provide a path to citizenship", he told the BBC on Sunday. China is facing mounting criticism over a planned security law for Hong Kong which would make it a crime to undermine Beijing's authority, said the BBC report. Hong Kong was handed back to China from British control in 1997 but under a unique agreement. The former British colony enjoys some freedoms not seen in mainland China - and these are set out in a mini-constitution called the Basic Law. But there are fears the proposed law, which has sparked a mass of anti-mainland protests in Hong Kong, could compromise some of the freedoms guaranteed by the Basic Law. This weekend, as violence and protests over the death of George Floyd shook the country, President Donald Trump called for law and order. We support the overwhelming majority of police officers who are devoted public servants, said Trump. It is essential that we protect the crown jewel of American democracy: the rule of law and our independent system of justice. Thats a standard Republican message, and theres a lot of truth to it. But Trump doesnt believe in the rule of law. His record shows an uglier pattern: He supports cops when they target people of color. He opposes cops when they target him and his friends. Advertisement In 1989, five black and Latino teenagers were arrested for a horrific rape in New York. Trump responded with a full-page newspaper ad that demanded, BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY. BRING BACK OUR POLICE! Trump insisted that the teens were guilty, even after they were exonerated. In 2012, he endorsed police surveillance of American Muslims. In 2014, when President Barack Obama spoke about the killing of Eric Garner, Trump tweeted, Obama now wants to deny due process to the police. In 2015, when violence erupted over the death of Freddie Gray, Trump jeered: Our great African American President hasnt exactly had a positive impact on the thugs who are so happily and openly destroying Baltimore! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As president, Trump stayed on this theme. His inaugural address depicted an American carnage of crime and gangs and drugs. He praised police, especially when they battled MS-13, a Latino gang. He told officers not to worry about protecting suspects from injury during arrests. All along, he assumed that law enforcement was on his side. He bragged that the cops, like the plumbers and the truck drivers, were the people that like me best. Advertisement Advertisement But not every cop was smitten by Trump. In 2017, thenFBI Director James Comey refused to clear the president and his former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn in the Russia investigation. So Trump fired Comey. In January 2019, Trump discovered that the bureau had launched an inquiry into the firing. Wow, just learned in the Failing New York Times that the corrupt former leaders of the FBI opened up an investigation on me, the president tweeted. Trump needed to explain why he, the putative friend of cops, had fired the head of the FBI. So he labeled Comey a bad cop, a crooked cop, and a dirty cop. In March 2019, special counsel Robert Mueller, another former FBI director, filed a report documenting Trumps misconduct in the Russia investigation. Trump responded by calling every member of the investigative team a dirty cop. He applied that slur to former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, former FBI agent Peter Strzok, former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, the FBI leadership, people in the Justice Department, and Mueller and the gang. Trump claimed that they had forged documents, had used an illegal document, and had tampered with evidence. He said they had been caught in the act and had been exposed as dirty cops by the Justice Departments inspector general. Advertisement Advertisement None of this was true. But Trumps smear campaign served three objectives. First, it helped him turn the investigation of himself into an investigation of the cops. It was an illegal investigation, said Trump. We never did anything wrong. The people that did something wrong were the other sidethe dirty cops. On Twitter, he demanded, INVESTIGATE THE INVESTIGATORS! He suggested that the Dirty (Filthy) Cops should be put in jail for treason. Advertisement Advertisement Second, the anti-cop narrative cast Trump as the hero. In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, he called Comey one of the dirtiest cops our Nation has ever seen. Purging Comey and Comeys associatesessentially, anyone who had investigated Trumpwas one of my greatest achievements, said Trump, because we have no place in our country for people like that. Advertisement Advertisement Third, the anti-cop narrative laid a foundation for reversing the convictions of Trumps henchmen. If Comey & the top people in the FBI were dirty cops, Trump tweeted, wouldnt all of these phony cases have to be overturned or dismissed? When Trump was asked about pardoning Roger Stoneanother adviser convicted in the Russia inquiryhe said Stone and Flynn were victims of a hoax investigation run by dirty cops. Advertisement Advertisement Trumps attacks on law enforcement culminated in a bizarre commencement address to reformed ex-convicts in February. He was supposed to talk about repentance and rehabilitation. Instead, he accused dirty cops of railroading Stone and Flynn. Stone had been convicted of witness tampering. But the man that he was tampering didnt seem to have much of a problem with it, Trump complained to the ex-convicts. And its not like the tampering that I see on television when you watch a movie. Advertisement Still, Trump was happy to praise cops who revered him and shared his resentments. In October 2019, the police union in Minneapoliswhere Floyd would die at the hands of four officerspeddled Cops for Trump T-shirts on its website. Trump promoted the T-shirts and thanked the police for supporting him and fighting the Radical Left Mayor. On Oct. 10, at a nearly all-white rally in Minneapolis, he declared, Cops love Trump. Trump loves cops. More than a dozen white officers, including the head of the police union, paraded onstage to shake the presidents hand. Then Trump launched into his next riff: For many years, leaders in Washington brought large numbers of refugees to your state from Somalia. The crowd booed. Advertisement Advertisement The past month should dispel any doubts about the racial pattern in Trumps thinking. On April 30, he accused dirty, filthy cops of victimizing Flynn. On May 8, he accused the FBI of tampering with Flynns interview records. On May 23, he castigated former Attorney General Jeff Sessions for failing to rein in the dirty cops. On May 26, he called them dishonest slime bags. Then Floyds death engulfed the country, and Trump switched sides. He denounced the THUGS rioting over Floyds death, as he had previously denounced, with an explicitly racial jab at Obama, the protesters after Grays death. He warned, in the words of an infamous racist police chief, When the looting starts, the shooting starts. He threatened protesters and rioters with vicious dogs, ominous weapons, and the unlimited power of our Military. At a White House meeting with business executives on Friday, Trump insisted that on the whole, Our police have been very outstanding. Theres no mystery left about the presidents views on cops. He loves them when theyre targeting minorities. But when they investigate him or his friends, he calls them dirty. Hes not interested in order, justice, or the rule of law. Hes not even interested, as a matter of principle, in defending the police. Hes interested in corrupting them. For more Slate coverage of George Floyds death and the nationwide protests, listen to What Next. (Photo : REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji) A self-driving robot sanitizes automated teller machines with UV light during its demonstration at the headquarters of SK Telecom in Seoul, South Korea, May 26, 2020. Picture taken on May 26, 2020. (Photo : REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji) A self-driving robot checks the body temperature of an employee during its demonstration at the headquarters of SK Telecom in Seoul, South Korea, May 26, 2020. Picture taken on May 26, 2020. A self-driving robot is now going rounds the lobby of SK Telecom, South Korea's largest mobile operator, to ensure social distancing and provide disinfectants. With cameras and an LED screen, the robot checks their temperature, dispenses hand sanitizer, disinfects the floor, and greets visitors to "take part in social distancing." Created by SK Telecom and Omron Electronics Korea, the robot provides an industrial automation solution and transmits data to its server in real-time, according to Reuters. It is powered by SK's fifth-generation (5G) technology. Korea has long been using robotics for tasks, including manufacturing and cleaning. However, during the coronavirus pandemic, more companies strive to boost technology to reduce human contact. With more than 11,000 coronavirus cases and 269 deaths, South Korea has succeeded in containing the epidemic and now transitions from intensive social distancing towards "distancing in daily life". As programmed, the robot sets off an alarm if a person has a temperature of over 37.5 Celsius or 99.5 Fahrenheit. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect crowds and advise them to disperse while asking people without a mask to wear one. "The robot helps minimize people-to-people contact and reduces the time that's taken for temperature checks at the entrance, and the AI technology raises accuracy," SK Telecom head of data business cooperation Ra Kyhong-hwan told Reuters as reported by Republic World. Meanwhile, the robot can disinfect 99% of 33 square meters of surface area in 10 minutes using ultraviolet lamps and two disinfectant sprayers. Also, Ra said that developers programmed the robot to hide faces mirrored on the screen to protect people's privacy. He is also one of the developers of the robot. "It felt a bit strange when I first saw the robot, but I realize it can raise awareness about distancing and also improves accuracy in temperature checks," SK Telecom employee Lim Yeon-June said. Smaller businesses to use robots To ensure the safety of their business and consumers, smaller businesses and retailers are also seeking to use robots. In the central city of Daejeon, a robot in a cafe takes orders, makes 60 types of drinks, and delivers them to customers at their seats. Also, at CJ CGV, South Korea's largest multiplex cinema chain, customers can buy tickets, popcorns, and parking vouchers from robots, which also guide them to their seats or the restrooms. Last month, owner of South Korea's top food delivery app, Woowa Brothers, rolled out a pilot testing for a self-driving delivery robot that can move between floors of an office or apartment building. A customer can place an order using a QR code while the robot named Delitower would pick up food from the restaurant or a delivery rider and bring it to the customer's location, even on different floors. "We've been testing delivery robots since last year and are seeking to adopt them at the offices, hotels, and residential complexes as more people find robots to be useful amid the coronavirus outbreak and social distancing," a spokesperson of Woowa Brothers told Reuters. Read also: COVID-19 Symptoms Can Be Predicted In Advance Using Biometrics And Data From Oura Ring 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 13:35:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia reported six new cases of COVID-19 over the last 24 hours, bringing the national count to 185, the country's National Center for Communicable Disease (NCCD) said Monday. "A total of 371 tests for COVID-19 were conducted in the country yesterday and six of them were positive," NCCD head Dulmaa Nyamkhuu told a daily press conference. The new patients are Mongolian nationals who returned home from Russia on May 15, said Nyamkhuu. All the COVID-19 cases in Mongolia were imported, mostly from Russia. Among them, a total of 44 patients, including four foreigners, have recovered. No local transmissions or deaths have been reported in the Asian country so far. Enditem Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) is facing an intense intraparty challenge after his controversial comments got him kicked off several House committees. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Rep. Steve King is among the most conservative members of Congress, and he represents a district so red that Donald Trump won it by 27 percentage points in 2016. Yet the nine-term congressman is at risk of losing his seat at the hands of his own party. A broad spectrum of Iowa and national Republicans from moderate establishment types to conservative evangelical leaders are leading an expensive effort to oust the controversial congressman. On Tuesday, he faces off with well-financed GOP state legislator Randy Feenstra and other rivals in a primary that many Iowa strategists say is too close to call. I think Steve King is in trouble, and its been probably one of the most fascinating things to watch," said Craig Robinson, a former state GOP official who founded the Iowa Republican website. "In my time in politics, Ive never seen anything quite like it. King is arguing that he is being chased from office by the swamp because he has never wavered in his conservative principles about issues such as border control and abortion. Youve seen attack ads and mailers paid for by billionaire coastal RINO-NeverTrumper, globalist, neocon elites, King wrote in an editorial in the Sioux City Journal, urging voters in Iowas 4th Congressional District to remain with him. Ive said 'no' to them for years. I know their names and their agenda. I answer only to 4th District voters. King, 71, has a long history of making incendiary statements about race, immigration, rape and other matters, and for having associations with far-right European leaders. In 2013, when speaking about immigrants, King said, "For every one who's a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there who weigh 130 pounds and they've got calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert." Four years later, as he tweeted in support of nationalist Dutch politician Geert Wilders, King wrote, "Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny. We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies." Story continues In 2018, he called Mexican immigrants "dirt" during a campaign event. For more than a decade, these remarks and these relationships drew rebukes but did not appear to matter to many of Iowas GOP leaders and voters, though they enraged Democrats. I don't like him. I don't think he's a very good representative. And I don't appreciate his rhetoric, said Dana Cheek, a mental health therapist from the town of Nevada. It's not based in logical thought, it's not based in fact, and it's not really based on much of Iowa. Dana Cheek of Nevada, Iowa, does not back Steve King's reelection to Congress. "I don't like him. ... And I don't appreciate his rhetoric," she says of the Republican lawmaker. (Seema Mehta/ Los Angeles Times) Cheek, who gave her age as late 40s, said she would prefer that Kings Democratic challenger J.D. Scholten win the November election. But she would take Feenstra over King. The rhetoric would be different, and it wouldn't embarrass Iowa, she said. Iowa Republicans views appear to be changing. During the 2018 midterm elections, when Democrats regained control of the House, King won his race by less than 4% over Scholten. Republicans worry that if King does as poorly in November, it could affect President Trump and Sen. Joni Ernsts reelection bids because his district is the greatest source of Republican votes in the state. Two months later, in January 2019, King received widespread condemnation after telling the New York Times: "White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization how did that language become offensive?" King said he was misquoted, but GOP leaders condemned him and stripped him of his seats on the judiciary, agriculture and small business committees. The outside groups opposing King and supporting Feenstra, which have spent about $800,000 in the race, have not directly seized upon Kings controversial statements in an effort to avoid alienating voters who have long supported the congressman. Instead, they are arguing that he has been neutered because in one of the most rural and socially conservative districts in the nation, King can no longer represent farmers on the agriculture committee, or antiabortion advocates on the judiciary committee. Hes never been a very effective congressman and now hes completely ineffective, said David Kochel, a veteran Iowa GOP strategist who is advising Priorities for Iowa, a super PAC supporting Feenstra. Its a message that resonated with Alex Burgher, a 58-year-old mechanic from Ames. Alex Burgher, an independent from Ames, Iowa, who has voted for Republicans before, does not support Rep. Steve King. "I just don't think he's done a very good job for us," the mechanic says. (Seema Mehta / Los Angeles Times) The independent has voted for Republicans before, but he does not support King. I just don't think he's done a very good job for us, Burgher said as he sipped an amaretto and Coke at the Whiskey River restaurant in downtown Ames. You know, getting kicked off the committees and everything else. He cant do much for Iowa. The Priorities for Iowa group is run by political operatives with ties to Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has declined to weigh in on the race. King served as a co-chair of her campaign in 2018. King supporters say such betrayal is proof of Kings unbendable principles. Congressman King wont go along to get along. Hes his own man. He has convictions and principles and hes not afraid to stand on them, said Jacob Hall, 36, a conservative blogger in Sioux Center. He questioned how Iowans lives were affected by not having King serve on committees in a Democratic-controlled House, and said no minority has ever accused King of racism during a nearly two-decade career in Congress. The reality is the people in the 4th District know Congressman Steve King. They know his principles. They know his values. They know his beliefs, Hall said. I dont think Republicans in the 4th District put their faith in the New York Times. The race was also affected by the coronavirus crisis, which has devastated meat-packing plants and nursing homes in the district, and which ended the traditional retail campaigning that was Kings forte. Instead, the campaign largely played out on television, which greatly benefited Feenstra, who raised almost $1 million through May 13 three times as much as the congressman. King, who limped into May with $32,000 in cash, isnt on television. Theres no doubt Steve King has always been a retail candidate who would go to the chicken dinners, shake everyones hands, be the last one standing, said evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats, who with King co-chaired Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's Iowa presidential campaign in 2016 and is now featured in a pro-Feenstra ad. He hasnt been able to do that, and he also hasnt been on TV, and Randy has. Police in the US fired tear gas outside the White House late on Sunday as anti-racism protesters took to the streets for the sixth day to voice fury at police brutality. Major US cities have been put under curfew to suppress the unrest that was triggered after George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis, Minnesota. With the Trump administration branding instigators of rioting as domestic terrorists, there were more confrontations between protesters and police and fresh outbreaks of looting. Violent clashes broke out repeatedly in a small park next to the White House, with authorities using tear gas, pepper spray and flash grenades to disperse crowds who lit several large fires and damaged property. Local US leaders appealed to citizens to give constructive outlet to their rage over the death of Floyd, while night-time curfews were imposed in cities including Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Houston New York and Miami. Thousands of National Guard troops have been deployed in the wake of the protests that have rekindled memories of the 2013 Black Lives Matter movement. New Delhi, June 1 : Asia's biggest ever drug bust in Myanmar on May 18 last is reportedly linked with top Southeast Asian drug syndicates and also hints at the involvement of Karachi-based underworld network, D-Company, led by India's top fugitive Dawood Ibrahim, who controls major narcotics operations in Bangladesh and Thailand. Over 18 tonnes of drugs were seized on a tip-off by UN agencies. The consignment was meant to be trafficked through China, Thailand and Bangladesh. Indian Intelligence agencies are in touch with Myanmar authorities to gather inputs on the recipients of the consignment, which includes syndicates based in Southeast and South Asia, top sources told IANS. Myanmar's anti-drugs police earlier revealed that besides 500 kg of crystal meth, 300 kg of heroin and 3,750 methyl fentanyl were recovered from clandestine factories backed by narco-criminal syndicates. Sources in Indian agencies said that the D-Company, which has large bases in Dhaka and Thailand, usually lifts synthetic drugs like fentanyl from Myanmar and pushes them into European and US markets. "Such narcotics operations often bear no direct links with mafia leaders, but we still hope that the ongoing investigation may unmask a few top syndicates involved in smuggling of mandrax and synthetic drug tablets. D-Company is one such crime syndicate having deep-rooted connections with South Asian synthetic drug suppliers," added the source. United Nations and Interpol have declared Dawood Ibrahim as one of the biggest narcotics smugglers in Asia having links with terror outfits. The role of Dawood Ibrahim and his top henchmen Jabir Motiwala is also under investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) of the US in a massive cross-border narcotics smuggling case. Motiwala, who looks after Dawood Ibrahim's drug dealings, was arrested by the Scotland Yard in London and presently faces extradition case for a pending trial by DEA in the US. The DEA has alleged in its report filed against Motiwala that Dawood Ibrahim, through his extensive hawala network, plays a key role in smuggling narcotics to destinations spread across the world. The latest dossier prepared by the Intelligence Bureau, India's premier intelligence agency, said that Dawood Ibrahim and his younger brother Sheikh Anees Ibrahim deal in synthetic drugs as well as heroin and opium. The underworld duo also partners with notorious Afghan smuggler Haji Jan Lal Ishqzai in a bid to expand their drugs empire. The IB dossier on the mafia don revealed, "Dawood Ibrahim, with a motive to generate capital through illegal heroin trade, has taken the help of Ishaqzai to execute nefarious plans of pumping narcotics in India and elsewhere. The D-Company has already established ground networks in Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Ghana from where it hopes to carry out operations." D-Company's key points man in Afghanistan, Ishqzai, has earlier been on the most wanted list of drug traffickers in the US. On Ishqzai, a DEA report said," Ishaqzai was arrested in 2012 after being one of the United States' most wanted 10 kingpins. He escaped two years later after allegedly paying bribes totalling up to $14 million to local officials. Ishaqzai's disappearance from prison and return to trafficking was a major embarrassment for the Afghan authorities." The IB dossier on Dawood Ibrahim also cited a report of the US Congress relating to House Financial Services Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance. Describing Dawood Ibrahim as a global narcotics smuggler, the report of the US Congress subcommittee said, "Pakistan-based crime-terror group, D-Company, whose origins lie in India, expanded Karachi's historic role as a drug transhipment point, and built a powerful transnational crime-terror organisation, in part from drug proceeds." Our Divisions Copyright 2021-22 DB Corp ltd., All Rights Reserved This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics. Some officials of the firm, Payboy Company Limited, appointed recently by the defunct Menzgold Ghana Limited to negotiate debt settlements with its numerous clients, have been arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). EOCO confirmed the arrests in a statement signed by the Head of its Public Affairs, Jacqueline Avotri, but did not name the officials picked up. Some officials of Payboy Company Limited, an entity that purports to be into the Marketing and Promotion of Financial Technologies, have been arrested, the anti-graft body said in the statement. The statement indicated that initial investigations revealed that the company was operating without the requisite licenses from either the Bank of Ghana or the Securities and Exchange Commission. The general public is advised to be circumspect when dealing with companies or individuals, if it involves financial commitments, EOCO admonished and noted that investigations were underway. NAM1 Announcement In mid-May, the defunct Menzgold Ghana Limited owned by the beleaguered Nana Appiah Mensah popularly called NAM1 said it had appointed the Payboy Company Limited to negotiate debt settlements with its numerous clients. Menzgold, a gold collectible firm, made the announcement in a statement issued by its management and said that the digital marketing entity, Payboy, was to act as a third party entity. According to the statement, Payboy was to negotiate and facilitate the payment of the investment of Menzgold's customers whose investments remain unpaid. Following advice given and subsequently reiterated in a press release issued on the 18th December 2019 with reference number; KBA 3015/19 by our counsel, we're happy to introduce PAYBOY COMPANY LIMITED; a digital payments marketing and promotions company, headquartered at No. 34 Nii Ako Nortei Street, Blohum Road, Dzorwulu, Accra, as the appointed third party entity with capacity to negotiate 'Debt Settlements Agreements' and to facilitate payments of same, in our committed resolve to ensure the eventual full debts settlements by Menzgold within the shortest possible time, the Menzgold statement read. Firing Menzgold However, the arrest of some of its officials by EOCO has forced Payboy Company to say it has terminated its agreement with defunct Menzgold Ghana Limited. The company, in a statement, said the decision was arrived at an emergency meeting held last Friday, May 29, following the arrest of some its officials, indicating that it was resolved that Payboy should opt out of the Payment Facilitation Agreement. The agreement was signed on February 7, 2020, according to the release issued by management of Payboy Company Limited. Previous Statements Last year, KWAME AKUFFO and Co., lawyers for Menzgold, made it clear that they do not have the capacity to carry out payments to the company's creditors, as stated in a press release issued by the company. A letter from the lawyers, reacting to the company's earlier release, had stated that, Our attention has been drawn to the press release dated December 18, 2019, by Menzgold Ghana Limited (the client) in respect of the above-mentioned. Paragraph four of the press release is to the effect that Kwame Akuffo and Co. Unlimited (the firm) on behalf of the client has been instructed to make payments to the creditors. We have informed the client that the firm does not have the capacity to carry out the said exercise. The firm is, therefore, unable to accept instructions in that regard. Under the circumstances, we have advised the client to instruct a third party entity to carry out the instructions in respect of the above-mentioned. Court Case NAM1, together with his wife, Rose Tetteh, and his sister, Benedicta Appiah (both of whom are at large) are altogether facing a total of 13 counts of defrauding by false pretences, money laundering, abetment and carrying on deposit-taking business without licence. These include six counts of defrauding by false pretences, abetment, money laundering and carrying on deposit-taking business without licence. His companies Menzgold Ghana Limited and Brew Marketing Consult Limited have also been charged with seven counts of defrauding by false pretences, and carrying on deposit-taking business without licence. NAM1, on July 26, pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The court presided over by Jane Harriet Akweley Quaye then granted him bail to the tune of GH1 billion (about $185 million) with five sureties, three of which are to be justified. Additionally, he was ordered by the court to report to the police every Wednesday. Unable to satisfy the bail conditions, the defence team led by Kwame Boafo Akuffo later filed an application, asking for variation of the terms. However, the presiding judge, after listening to both sides, though maintained the sum of GH1 billion, removed the condition of three of the five sureties to be justified. ---Daily Guide Banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFC) in India are mapping new strategies as they prepare for the challenge of recovering their retail loans amid widespread disruptions to household incomes from the coronavirus crisis. Most of these financial institutions are repurposing existing workforces to pursue their low-ticket borrowers once the lockdown measures and the six-month moratorium on loan repayments are lifted. State Bank of India (SBI), for instance, is exploring a tie-up with the department of posts to reach out to the banks massive customer base. SBI is also looking to divert its business correspondents for collection of farm loans, according to a senior bank official. Currently, SBI has nearly 60,000 business correspondents who help with opening accounts, remittances and other basic banking operations. The bank has already done a pilot project in Maharashtra, and is looking to extend this nationwide. There is a need to have a mechanism in place to improve collection efficiency and also sensitize borrowers to repay on time. As of now, collections are done through branches. Its time we engage with more business correspondents in this way so that there is a regular cash flow and accounts dont go into stress, said a senior bank official, who requested anonymity. Bajaj Finance Ltd, one of the countrys largest NBFC, is also looking to augment its collection capacity. In its earnings call on May 19, the management said it has used the past two months to bolster its collection capacity. We are adding close to 2,800 officers in the company to this activity, Rajeev Jain, MD and CEO said. Owing to the lockdown and the inability of customers to pay by cash, the bounce rate of this portfolio has surged from an average of 19% in January, February and March to about 86% in April and May. Austrias parliament adopted on May 29 a resolution urging the government in Vienna and the European Union to take decisive actions by reassessing Hezbollahs entire organization as a terrorist movement and not just its military branch. Hailing the nonbinding resolution, Israels newly appointed Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi stated on May 31 that this is an important decision against Hezbollah. I hope that the Austrian government will adopt their parliaments decision and will join the UK, Germany and the Netherlands who have all recognized Hezbollah in its entirety as a terror organization. Jerusalem received with enthusiasm the Austrian parliamentarian resolution, but its reaction to another Austrian statement that very same day was quite different. Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg warned Israel on May 29 against its West Bank annexation plan, stressing it would contravene international law. Schallenbergs statement clarified his countrys position on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus intentions, leaving no room for ambiguity. The unilateral expansion of territory is against international law and numerous resolutions of the United Nations Security Council since 1967. There are no doubts about the Austrian position regarding annexation," said Schallenberg, who added that he had relayed the same message to his Israeli counterpart. Israel chose not to react officially to Schallenbergs statement. Still, diplomats in Jerusalem expressed disappointment over the Austrian position, especially on the backdrop of Vienna blocking a European Union resolution against the annexation plan just two weeks earlier. Austria, together with Hungary, Romania and some other EU members, opposed on May 15 an initiative by France, Sweden, Belgium, Ireland and Luxembourg for threatening Israel with sanctions should its government advance implementing sovereignty over West Bank settlements. Without a consensus on the issue, EU foreign ministers could not publish a joint statement. Thus, the EUs High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell issued his own statement against annexation. Jerusalems disappointment was all the more apparent given the fact that Vienna is traditionally among the staunchest allies of Israel within the EU an alliance that has strengthened in the past few weeks over the coronavirus crisis. Both countries have been busy lately creating a pact of countries less infected by the virus, with the hope of opening soon mutual space borders and airways. Speaking with Al-Monitor, Israeli diplomats noted that the Austrian case of these two statements reflects a similar modus operandi to that of Germany. On April 30, Germany banned Hezbollah from carrying out any activity on its soil and declared the group a terrorist organization. Then-Foreign Minister Israel Katz hailed the decision by Berlin, stating almost emotionally, I would like to express my appreciation to the German government for the move. I am certain that many governments in the Middle East and victims of Hezbollah terrorism share in my thanks. Katz was obviously less thankful on May 19 when Germany and the Palestinian Authority released a joint statement, noting with "grave concern" the agreement between coalition parties in Israel to advance annexation plans. In this case too, Jerusalem chose to keep mum. And in this case too, diplomats in Jerusalem expressed disappointment over Germany, considered Israels most important friend within the EU. Adding to Jerusalems discomfort, Czech Republics Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek, another Israel friend within the EU, published on May 24 an op-ed against the annexation plan. Not only did the Czech minister argue that the plan violated international law, but he also wrote that it raised serious questions about the future of Israel as a democracy. Los Angeles, June 1 : Los Angeles declared another curfew effective local time 8 p.m. on Sunday to 5.30 a.m. on Monday as the second largest city in the United States braced for another day of unrest and potentially violent protests sparked by death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the order at a press conference Sunday noon after a night of looting and vandalism in the city's downtown and shopping streets, Xinhua news agency reported. Other cities in Southern California, including Santa Ana, Culver City and West Hollywood, which joined Los Angeles in proclaiming an overnight curfew on Saturday, also extended the curfew to local time 5.30 a.m. on Monday. Police continued to arrest people who were looting stores or were on the streets in violation of a city curfew early Sunday morning and hundreds of the members of California National Guard were deployed overnight in Los Angeles downtown to restore the order. California governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County on Saturday night to cope with the unrest, which, with a population of more than 10 million population, is the most populous county in the United States. The document signed by Newsom attributed the Los Angeles protests to a response to the death of George Floyd. "On May 25, 2020, George Floyd tragically died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, shortly following his arrest in which an officer of the Minneapolis Police Department kneeled on his neck to detain him during the arrest, and then did not respond to Mr. Floyd's requests for help when he stated that he could not breathe," the document read. The Consulate General of China in Los Angeles issued a note to Chinese citizens living in the area, reminding them to follow curfew imposed by local authority and skip places where the protests and riots erupted. To ensure the functioning of Parliament within constraints imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, Rajya Sabha (RS) chairperson Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha (LS) Speaker Om Birla have asked officials to explore the possibility of shifting the Lok Sabha proceedings to the Central Hall of Parliament for the upcoming monsoon session that usually starts in July. They have also asked if this can be accompanied with Rajya Sabha meetings being shifted to the Lok Sabha chamber, in a move that will be unprecedented in the history of Indian Parliament. Keeping in mind that the battle against the Covid pandemic might be a prolonged one, the presiding officers of both houses met on Monday to discuss various possibilities related to the monsoon session, said an official familiar with the development. Naidu and Birla also asked the two secretaries general of both Houses to look at the feasibility to hold the sitting of the two Houses on alternate days. In the longer term, they also explored the idea of having a virtual parliament with the use of technology. A column in Hindustan Times, on May 22, had floated the proposal to shift the LS to the central hall, and the RS to the LS chambers. All these measures, officials pointed out, are to ensure the governments social distancing and health norms are adhered to while ensuring the normal functioning of the House. Naidu and Birla have directed the Secretaries-General to examine the feasibility of using the Central Hall of Parliament appropriately to ensure social distancing, said the official quoted above. The options to be considered include; holding the meeting of Lok Sabha in the Central Hall with the Rajya Sabha shifting to the chamber of Lok Sabha and the sittings of both the Houses to be held on alternate days. The two officials were also directed to examine in detail various technical and other arrangements to be ensured to enable smooth functioning of both the Houses, he added. The Central Hall, right in the middle of the Parliament Building, has a capacity to hold more than 800 people. This will allow 543 members of the Lok Sabha to sit, while maintaining a degree of distance. Similarly, 245 members of the Rajya Sabha can sit comfortably in the Lok Sabha chamber, ensuring social distancing. Chakshu Roy, head of legislative and civic engagement, PRS Legislative Research, said, Putting the central hall for legislative functioning will be another innovative use of Parliaments physical resources. And after a gap of 70-odd years, central hall will reverberate with the sound of spirited debate. And its not the first time, that the chamber of one house has been used by the other. In Hyderabad, the chambers in the legislative assembly complex were used by the two houses of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana legislatures in different shifts. Even as the usual schedule of the monsoon session is from July to August, the government, however, has the power to hold it later. The Constitution of India says that the gap between the last day of the previous session and the first day of the next session should not be more than six months. As the budget session of Parliament was abruptly ended on March 23 amid Covid pandemic, the government has the liberty to call the session even in September, if it wants. The dates of the monsoon session will be decided after the proposals of cabinet committee on Parliamentary affairs proposals are cleared by the union cabinet. Both the presiding officers also discussed the need to adopt technology to enable online Parliament sessions as a long-term option when regular meetings look possible. They have noted that since there is no requirement of maintaining confidentiality of the proceedings of both the Houses, which are open to general public besides being telecast live, virtual Parliament is an option to be explored, said the official. In the meeting, the two presiding officers decided to refer the issue of virtual meetings of the parliamentary standing committees to the Rules Committees of both the Houses. The two Secretaries-General gave a briefing on the possibilities of virtual meetings of various committees of Parliament. They maintained that apart from a safe technological platform, complying with the rules of confidentiality of deliberations in such meetings is important. They also spoke about infrastructure upgrade to be undertaken to enable virtual meetings. By PTI MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Monday sounded an alert in Mumbai and neighbouring districts in view of the approaching cyclonic storm "Nisarga", which is expected to hit the state's coast on June 3. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray through video conference and took stock of the state's preparedness to tackle any eventuality, the latter's office said. Ten units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in vulnerable districts, while six others have been kept on a stand-by, officials said. Steps are being taken to ensure there is no disruption of power supply at a time when the state is battling the coronavirus crisis and thousands of patients are undergoing treatment in various hospitals, they said. Adequate precautions are being taken to safeguard chemical and atomic energy plants located in coastal Palghar and Raigad districts. Thackeray, in a statement, said an alert has been sounded in Mumbai city, Mumbai suburban district, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts in view of the cyclonic storm developing in the Arabian Sea. ALSO READ | Amit Shah assures Vijay Rupani, Uddhav Thackeray help to deal with cyclone; reviews preparations The state Disaster Management and Relief and Rehabilitation department is also geared up to face the cyclone, he said. Fishermen have been asked to come back from the sea and respective district collectors have been asked to ensure there is no loss of life, the statement said. Shah held a discussion with Thackeray on video conference to take stock of the state's preparedness. Thackeray apprised Shah about the situation and steps being taken to tackle it, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. Shah told Thackeray NDRF battalions from neighbouring states have been kept on a stand-by for relief and rescue operations, if required, the statement said. Thackeray said shelter homes are being kept ready for those who are required to be shifted to safer places, it said. The Coast Guard has been asked to ensure fishermen come back from the sea. In low-lying areas of Mumbai, slum-dwellers will be shifted to safer places. Non-COVID hospitals will be made available for those needing medical assistance. Thackeray asked authorities to examine if field hospitals can be shifted to safer places. He also asked for generators to be kept in hospitals so that patients do not suffer in case of disruption in power supply. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said the low-pressure area formed over the Arabian Sea has intensified into a depression and it will further intensify into a cyclonic storm in the next 36 hours. It said the cyclonic storm will cross north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts late in the evening on June 3. Meanwhile, Palghar district collector Kailas Shinde on Monday asked fishermen not to venture into the seat. A similar warning was issued by his Thane counterpart Rajesh Narvekar. Addressing a news conference, Shinde said a total of 577 fishing boats had gone out in the sea of which 100 are yet to return. Efforts were on to get them back with the help of the Coast Guard, Shinde said. He said talukas of Vasai, Dahanu and Palghar have been put on an alert and those living near the coast in 'kutcha' houses would be evacuated and lodged in safer places as a precautionary measures. He said two companies of the NDRF have arrived in Palghar district. Some industries will remain closed on June 3, he said. Shinde also released helpline numbers to be contacted in case of any emergency during the cyclone. These numbers are 02525-297474/02525-252020/8329439902. In Thane district, too, one company of the NDRF has deployed. Photograph: Win McNamee/Getty Images Donald Trump is escalating baseless attacks on mail-in voting in what appears to be an obvious effort to sow doubt about the fairness of the 2020 election. The president has long made false accusations about voter fraud, claiming without evidence that 3-5 million Americans voted illegally in the 2016 election. But his barrage against mail-in voting is particularly alarming ahead of an election during the Covid-19 pandemic, where there is likely to be severely limited in-person voting and many Americans will probably vote by mail for the first time. Advocates worry voters who dont want to risk their health and vote in person could also be swayed by Trumps rhetoric, not feel comfortable voting by mail, and simply choose not to vote at all. Related: Revealed: conservative group fighting to restrict voting tied to powerful dark money network Trumps menacing rhetoric could discourage some people, particularly minority groups, from casting mail-in votes, said Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, which advocates on behalf of Hispanic Americans. It could have a chilling effect and I think thats the intent, he said. President Trump is using his bully platform to try to discourage people from voting and to try to stop people from voting by mail. Trumps tweets on mail-in voting in recent weeks have been a mix of unsubstantiated claims and outright falsehoods. Trump absurdly suggested on Thursday that children could steal ballots out of peoples mailboxes and distribute them to voters. Attacking a plan to mail-ballots to registered voters in California earlier this week, he also lied, saying the state was sending ballots to anyone living in the state, no matter who they are or how they got there. He also said mailboxes would be robbed and that voting by mail would lead to fraudulently printed and signed ballots (California allows voters to track their ballot and verifies the voters identity using their signature). Story continues 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 Last week, Trump falsely accused Michigan of planning to send absentee ballots to registered voters; the state is actually sending mail-in ballot applications to voters, a measure Republicans elsewhere have endorsed. Meanwhile, voter fraud, including fraud in mail-in voting, remains extremely rare. Trump has openly talked about the political upside of having fewer people vote. In a March interview, he dismissed Democratic efforts in Congress to make it easier to vote by mail during the Covid-19 pandemic, saying: If youd ever agreed to it, youd never have a Republican elected in this country again. President Trump is using his bully platform to try to discourage people from voting and to try to stop people from voting by mail Domingo Garcia Many people are used to brushing off Trumps rhetoric about voter fraud, said Cliff Albright, a co-founder of the Black Voters Matter. But Albright said Trumps comments were worrisome in a larger context of aggressive Republican efforts to police voting. In Georgia, Albright noted, Brad Raffensperger, the secretary of state, has encouraged absentee voting but also created an absentee ballot fraud taskforce stacked with prosecutors to monitor mail-in voting. In Texas, which severely restricts absentee voting, Ken Paxton, the attorney general, warned of possible criminal sanctions for anyone who advised a voter they could use Covid-19 as the basis for requesting a mail-in ballot. That one-two punch is what makes it very intimidating, Albright said. It does influence people and does intimidate people and makes some folks feel like this is not something they want to engage in. The Republican National Committee is also seeking to recruit up to 50,000 volunteers to monitor voting this fall, the first time in nearly three decades when they wont be under a federal court order barring them from engaging in poll-watching activity. There is growing alarm that Trumps rhetoric will lay the groundwork to contest the results of the presidential election once the ballots are counted. Unlike past elections, America is unlikely to know the winner of the presidential race on election night as officials count ballots coming in (some states allow ballots to be counted as long as they are postmarked by election day). The candidate who appears to be ahead on election day may ultimately end up losing as more ballots are counted. And a candidate could use the gap in getting official results to claim widespread fraud, said Nathaniel Persily, a law professor at Stanford University who closely studies elections. Thats where the disinformation and the polarizing rhetoric and questioning of the legitimacy of elections could come in. You say theres something fishy with the mail ballots if they are not reflective of the percentage that has not been revealed up to that point. Republicans offered a preview of this in 2018, when they suggested there was something amiss as Democrats in California congressional races picked up votes as the state continued to count mail-in ballots after election day. In Florida, Trump and Rick Scott, then the states governor, baselessly accused election officials of fraud as they counted ballots in a US Senate race Scott was running in. To shore up confidence in the results of the election, a consortium of experts recommended last month that states and media organizations make it clear they expect a delay in reporting official results well ahead of election night. Accepting the legitimate transfer of power is crucial to the foundation of American democracy. If there isnt a belief the election is fair, that pillar is gone, Garcia said. Im concerned that we could have a constitutional crisis if we have the same president saying that the election was somehow tainted because people voted by mail, Garcia said. That could lead to a possible huge crisis in Americas democracy. A Black Lives Matter protest took an unexpected turn Sunday night when from the parking lot at Midland Park Mall one could hear, Here comes the Christians. The self-proclaimed Nino America led his counter protest to the BLM movement to back Midland police and offer his perspective on protests that resulted in violence and looting. America told the Reporter-Telegram he self-identifies as Nino America because he doesnt believe in labels, such as being a Hispanic or conservative. Although he made it clear, he is a Christian. That mattered during the evening back and forth with BLM protesters as he asked them why they were OK with abortions that killed blacks. He also said that as a born-again Christian it was important for the event to be non-violent. Ill tell you right now, I will Ill let them beat me down because I dont believe in violence whatsoever., America said. Im a Christian. As BLM protesters who are frustrated by the death of George Floyd, America said his frustration is from watching the fires set, damage done and looting taking place in riots across the nation. I could not sleep last night, seeing my country being burned to smithereens, and criminals and hoodlums taking liquor and shoes out of stores and beating people to a pulp, America said. Its disgusting. And Americas better than that. Politics was part of the protest. The counter-protest included a flag supporting President Donald Trump and Making America Great Again, and their leader had a red hat that called for MAGA and a shirt with the stripes and stars of the American flag. America had previously protested against the Reporter-Telegram for coverage that he deemed wasnt fair to the president. Oh, I dont consider myself nothing but an American, he said. I do not like labels. Im not a minority. Im not a Mexican. I am an American. And its not very hard for me (to protest) because Im a born-again Christian. I have a loud mouth, and the Lord Jesus Christ is my Savior. I dont fear the rona (coronavirus). I dont fear Black Lives Matter. I dont fear Antifa. I only fear God. SUPERANNUATION FUNDS AND DEMOCRACY The fact that a lot of workers have had to access their superannuation funds in order to survive through the impact of this latest pandemic concentrated my mind with the fascinating article I read by Richard Dennis in April edition of The Monthly on the subject. Compulsory superannuation was beginning in the early eighties when I was planning to return to Australia from the UK, and I never became involved. The principle of having any monies compulsorily taken from my wages and put into a fund managed by Trustees was something I never quite got my head around. That was until I read Denniss article Super Heroes or Super Villains, which explains what he sees as anomalies in the system. He makes a comparison with the textbook version of capitalism as being based on the idea that individuals are best placed to decide how to spend or invest their own money, with the socialist argument that its best to have a pooled resource investment where decisions are made by an elected committee. He questions the role of trustees with superannuation funds worth billions of dollars, who invest the capital accrued from the 9.5 per cent deducted from peoples wages. Dennis, quite rightly, points out that a system has been introduced with all the inequality of capitalism but none of the discipline of the market adding that the old categories of market and state no longer work. He then gives a fascinating insight into the difference between the Commonwealth Bank when publicly owned and after privatisation. In the hands of the public, only our political representatives could decide on the Board members but privatised the shareholders are deemed better at choosing the board than is the federal cabinet. Now private owners of the Commonwealth Bank have no influence in the appointment of bank directors and trustees of super funds (believed to own more than 1/5th of the Commonwealth Bank), not only make decisions without consultation but do so without informing the funders of how they voted. He asks: Why do we think super trustees are better at appointing the board of a bank than the cabinet of an elected government? Dennis goes on to state that the Australian superannuation system is so big that it has broken the categories of public and private ownership, describing it as a massive experiment in a new form of capitalism without capitalists. Super trustees are unelected, and unaccountable to members so how do members know their money is being used in their interests. I would certainly want to know that my money was not being invested in companies whose value systems did not concur with my own. On this very subject, Dennis reveals that the bureaucrats running AustralianSuper, representing 2 million members, voted against 11 shareholder resolutions designed to improve the climate performance of the companies they hold shares in. They voted against a proposal to mandate Rio Tintos disclosure of its transition plan from coal, and another proposal to stop BHP funding lobbying campaigns that were inconsistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement. He also pointed out that UniSuper had also voted against all climate motions put forward in Australia! And none of them have to give account of their actions! A very brave 24-year-old, Mark McVeigh is suing his $57 million super fund for failure to mitigate the risks to his investments that are presented by climate change. Another course of action would be to divest from any funds, companies or institutions investing in activities with which you do not agree. I would certainly not be happy about not being given information on how my money is invested. I would want decisions made in my best interests and, if they ignore me at every turn, they do not represent me or my interests. Another way to view the use of superannuation funds has been argued by David Elia, the chief executive of Hostplus, who says that owning many shares in fossil fuel companies give the fund the means to influence. But do we know what that influence might be? Dennis makes a valid observation about the actions of Hostplus, who say nothing about influencing or pressurising these companies, but make a lot of public criticism about climate activists. Another valid and rather pertinent point made by Dennis is about the recent announcement by the federal government wanting one-third of the directors of the large not-for-profit industry funds to be independent, (meaning not appointed by unions and employer groups). He queries independent and suggests members should be free to choose directors, going on to say that the unions and the Labor Party would surely prefer democratic representation over random selection from an elite club of experienced trustees! That would certainly not be popular. The implication of this article is obvious. Currently, decisions are being made by superannuation trustees about million dollar investments that are probably not in line with the values of their own members regarding action on climate change. Its a rallying cry to make workers realise their funds own big business, and those funds should be working for the workers. Its a case of finding a way to put our voice where our money is. Thanks Richard. As Montgomery County moved to the yellow phase of Pennsylvania guidelines for businesses on Friday, many businesses throughout the county reinforced practices to operate safely. The yellow phase will allow for in-person operation, but establishments must follow stringent guidelines set by the governors office and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. While numerous nonessential businesses remain closed more than two months after the pandemic began in Montgomery County, some businesses tried some creative ways to keep doing business while adhering to guidelines. Two Ambler businesses banded together to help each other during these trying times. Ambler Flower Shop and Xtra Boutique, both located on Butler Avenue in downtown Ambler, joined forces as Montgomery Countys stay-at-home order closed many nonessential businesses. Gene McGonagle, owner of Ambler Flower Shop and Main Street Vintage, remained open and has an outside self service table complete with merchandise from his store, as well as gift items from the nearby womens clothing and accessories boutique owned by Barbara Asman. In turn, Asman added McGonagles business to her website, which allows customers to shop for clothing, flowers and vintage items. For more information, visit www.xtra.boutique. McGonagle added that his delivery service to do contactless delivery of her gifts just like our flowers. So were trying to partner and help our next door neighbor whos completely closed. When asked what inspired the idea to lend a helping hand, he simply said because thats what neighbors do. Asman expressed her appreciation for McGonagles support. So thats been just a godsend for us as far as being able to get a website up and running almost immediately when this COVID-19 hit us, Asman said. She added that other shops, such as the Holistic Apothecary on Ridge Avenue in Ambler, have displayed her merchandise in the store. I hope I can return the favor to them someday, too, Asman said. We feel very strongly that we want our customers to stay safe; we want our community to be safe. We want Ambler thriving, she said. We want to be as thriving as we possibly can be previously to the whole COVID-19 issue. Asman proposed several of her own initiatives including offering private shopping appointments and limiting the number of customers in the store on 101 E. Butler Ave. Shopping is such a happy, personal thing that we want it to feel as normal as possible, she said. While McGonagles business focuses mostly on flower deliveries, he said hes made some changes to the layout of his downtown borough shop. McGonagle said his employees are working further apart from each other, and added that customers are able to shop and pay at a self service stand outside the store on 107 E. Butler Ave. I think we just want folks to feel comfortable to be able to pop in, McGongale said. Comfort is also a priority for Your CBD Store on 325 W. Main St. in Lansdale. Ellie Valera runs the Montgomery County shop that sells different types of CBD products. While the store is closed, Valera said she offers several services to customers including contactless pickup and free delivery. Valera, and her mother, Clara Fernandez, owner of Your CBD Store, are working to implement new protocols at the Lansdale location to prioritize the safety of customers and employees. In addition to requiring masks for anyone entering the store, Valera said shed also like to install plexiglass around the registers and place socially distant markers on the floor. Any ailment that [people] might be feeling that would prompt them to want to come in, I want to keep our community safe, Valera said. In neighboring North Wales, Scott Tantino, owner of North Wales Running Company and All Kinds of Fast in Phoenixville, has had to get creative to stay in business as much of his brick and mortar stores business comes from in-person service. Tantino said hes revamped the online store with about 80 percent of products on the website. Hes also launched virtual fittings through Zoom where prospective customers will fill out a form to give consultants information about their preferences, uses and any past injuries. Its not perfect because we cant try as many shoes for them, but its something, Tantino said. A lot of people are more active right now because they have time and they have stress, so we need to accommodate them as best as possible. Despite both locations being closed for more than two months, it appears that businesses on 111 N. Main St. in North Wales and 214 Bridge St. in Phoenixville are still relevant. When Im in here doing inventory people are here at the front door with masks on holding old shoes that want new shoes, and I have to tell them, we want to help you, but were not ready yet,' Tantino said. After hearing from other running store owners across the country who have reopened their shops, Tantino has picked up some tips and tricks to update his operations. For starters, Tantino said he plans to have customers shop by appointment. He also reconfigured the shop to allow for socially distant chairs that will be cleaned after each use. He added that employees will plan to disinfect shoes after customers try them on. Normally for us its really important that everybodys comfortable that comes through the door, but now we have to be much more aware of that, obviously, Tantino said. The COVID-19 pandemic may have rattled the local economy, but establishment owners like Tantino are rooting for the success and revitalization of small businesses throughout the area. I just want to wish them all the best of luck, and just know that were thinking about them, and are here to support them as well because theyre our neighbors, but theyre also the employers of so many great people, Tantino said. The President of the Republic of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina made a statement on national television and radio on the evening of Sunday 31 May. The president announced that the state of health emergency was extended for fifteen days at a Council of Ministers meeting and schools will be suspended from June 2. Reinforced measures were taken in the Atsinanana region, in the east, which has become the main source of contagion. An area where Tamatave, the countrys largest port, is located. The region is now closed. No exit or entry is allowed to prevent the spread of the virus. The courses which had resumed a month and a half ago are suspended again from this Tuesday, June 2. In the capital, Antananarivo, the rules are lightened. Shops will be able to open until 3pm instead of 1pm. The head of state explains that he has heard requests from informal grocery stores and businesses. But the private sector is still waiting for a recovery plan, which has not yet been detailed by the president. The curfew from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. is maintained throughout the country. The inhabitants of the Haute Matsiatra region in the south, which no longer has any active cases of Covid-19, can resume their daily lives. But gatherings of more than 50 people remain prohibited. The country has 771 cases of Covid-19 and 6 deaths despite the remedy the president distributed to the population and of which an injection form is under clinical trials. Dhaka, June 1 : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that school and colleges across the country will reopen only after the coronavirus pandemic was over. She made the remarks at an event marking the publication of the results of SSC and equivalent examinations on Sunday. Hasina joined the event via video conferencing, reports bdnews24. "Maybe we won't open the colleges now. We can't open the educational institutions," Hasina said,. "Because we want to proceed gradually so that the students don't get infected with the coronavirus. They are our future. We can't throw their future into uncertainty. "That's why we are not opening the educational institutions now. We will do it gradually once we overcome the situation," Hasina added. Education Minister Dipu Moni also said that it was "impossible for anyone to say" how much more the students will be able to take classes in the current academic year. "We are considering every possible option. We don't have the time for half-yearly exams. We will try to adjust things like whether to hold the annual exams this year, on which syllabus, or defer the tests to next year. "Everything depends on when we can reach a state when we can open the institutions," bdnews24 quoted the Minister as saying. Dipu Moni said the government will try its best to cover the losses in education after reopening the institutions. The death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh has climbed to 650 after 40 new fatalities, the most in a single day, were registered in a daily count. Another 2,545 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, raising the count to 47,153, according to the health directorate. NEW YORKChef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park, who is used to being paid for fine dining with exclusive black credit cards, says his richest reward during the COVID-19 crisis is the grateful smiles of poor New Yorkers fed by the Michelin three-starred restaurant he has turned into a charity kitchen. Cooks at his Manhattan eatery, which was named Worlds Best Restaurant in 2017 by the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants Academy, are preparing 3,000 meals a day for frontline workers and underprivileged New Yorkers, most of them distributed at a Harlem church. I had a person the other day who said, Oh my God, this is the best meal Ive ever had,' said Humm, standing inside his darkened, empty restaurant, which was shuttered in mid-March by the coronavirus pandemic. Working alongside New York City-based nonprofit Rethink Food, which transforms restaurant leftovers into dishes for the disadvantaged, Humm and his staff have churned out some of the 90,000 meals being served each week to the needy during the pandemic. When this crisis started happening and we had to turn off the lights for a minute, we were a little bit in shock like everyone was, Humm said. But then pretty quickly, we felt like we wanted to help in any way we can. Stripped of its tablecloths and upscale clientele, the dining room looks lonely compared with the activity in the kitchen, where meals are prepared for distribution at churches, soup kitchens, community centers, and housing projects. Humm transformed the kitchen into a commissary using private donations, and $250,000 donated by American Express, all of which went through Rethink Food. After COVID-19 lockdown restrictions lift and some normalcy is restored, Humm knows he will continue cooking not just for the 1 percent, but for those facing extreme poverty as well. Food is magical, its so powerful, he said. I mean, there are very few things in the world that touch everyone. By Roselle Chen There is a world of life on the backs of loggerhead sea turtles, and it's more abundant and diverse than scientists knew. An international team led by Florida State University researchers found that more than double the number of organisms than previously observed live on the shells of these oceanic reptiles, raising important questions about loggerhead sea turtle ecology and conservation. The study was published in the journal Diversity. "This suggests loggerhead turtles are hotspots for organism abundance and biodiversity," said Jeroen Ingels, a researcher with the Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory and lead author of the study. "We suspect that larger organisms that are able to form structures serve as habitats for microscopic creatures and allow for greater levels of abundance and biodiversity." Researchers discovered this organism diversity by sampling meiofauna, which are organisms roughly between 1 millimeter and about 0.032 millimeters in size. The researchers specifically focused on a type of aquatic meiofauna called nematodes, also known as roundworms. Previous research had not considered these tiny creatures when surveying the communities of organisms that live on the backs of loggerhead sea turtles. "To find nematodes on loggerhead turtle carapaces is no surprise, but when we compared their numbers and diversity to those from other hard surfaces or even on marine plant life, we realized their carapaces abound with this microscopic life, the extent to which had hardly been documented in the past," Ingels said. The FSU researchers, together with a team from Brazil led by Professor Giovani dos Santos and Professor Yirina Valdes, sampled the shells from 24 loggerhead turtles that migrated to Florida's St. George Island in the summer of 2018 to lay eggs. The researchers examined a forward, middle and posterior section of each shell to see if the different areas had different microscopic communities. To collect their samples, they removed barnacles, then scraped the shells and sponged them down to carefully gather every living creature. They found thousands of meiofauna organisms. One turtle had more than 146,000 individual organisms living on its carapace. Researchers also found that the posterior section of the shells, closest to the rear flippers, had different communities and a higher diversity of species. Previous studies of loggerheads had found fewer than 100 different species of any kind living on their shells. By including the nematodes found in this new study, the researchers added at least 111 new species to the list of organisms that can live on the backs of loggerheads. That count doesn't include other types of meiofauna, meaning the number could be even greater. The research may help explain a paradox around these miniature creatures: How can the same types of aquatic meiofauna be found in different parts of the world, hundreds or even thousands of miles away? Researchers think they are able to travel large distances on the backs of sea turtles, which could help explain their widespread distribution. The researchers also found that individual turtles harbor significantly different communities of meiofauna living on their shells. "Were these turtles colonized by microorganisms in different places?" asked Ingels. "It's exciting because it means we may be able to infer where loggerheads have been based on the microscopic communities on their shells." Tens of thousands of microscopic organisms can colonize loggerhead turtles, which visit remote coasts and beaches during their migration. It makes sense that there would be a connection between the locations frequented by the turtles and the places where the same meiofauna are found, Ingels said. A better understanding of that link could help inform conservation practices for these reptiles. "Information on key areas used by loggerhead turtles is crucial to inform their management, as it helps identify key threats that they are exposed to," said Mariana Fuentes, a co-author of the article and assistant professor of oceanography in the FSU Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science. ### Researchers from the Federal University of Paraiba, the Federal University of Pernambuco, the Public Works Department of Indian River County, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Columbia University and the University of Copenhagen contributed to this study. This research was funded by the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate Grant and the PADI Foundation. Editor's note: The photographs of loggerhead sea turtles were taken during research activities permitted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (permit #MTP-18-239) under conditions not detrimental to these animals. Please do not attempt to recreate the content of these images without appropriate training and observation. These images were taken under red light and converted to black-and-white in post-processing. With effect from Monday, residents of Ekiti State now have opportunities to pursue their businesses Monday through Friday from 6am to 8p... With effect from Monday, residents of Ekiti State now have opportunities to pursue their businesses Monday through Friday from 6am to 8pm. Governor Kayode Fayemi, who disclosed this in a statewide broadcast Sunday evening, also revealed that consultations were underway to reopen worship centres, schools and big markets in the state. Also with effect from Monday, public officers on Grade Level 8 and above are to resume for duty while those on Grade Level 7 and below are to remain at home till further notice. The Governor also stressed that the dusk-to-dawn curfew will resume daily at 8pm and will last till 5.59 am of the following morning. The Governor also announced that the states molecular laboratory will be commissioned on Monday to facilitate testing for covid-19. Fayemi urged residents to give maximum support to the medical experts conducting the tests as modalities have been devised to ensure a seamless exercise. He said: I therefore urge you to willingly submit yourselves for testing when the officials get to your neighborhood. This also provides an opportunity for those who might have had symptoms associated with COVID-19 to freely come out for testing at no cost to them. The Governor in the broadcast also reiterated his earlier order that all Ekiti boundaries will remain on complete lockdown daily pending further review at national level. Speaking on likelihood of resumption of public worship, Fayemi promised that religious centres will reopen very soon revealing that a committee will be engaging with religious organisations to fashion out a workable protocol. The workable protocol, he said, will enable religious houses to reopen very soon without jeopardising the lives and health of worshippers. On the fate of schools in Ekiti, the Governor explained that efforts to reopen them were also ongoing as the committee set up to appraise the protocols, resources, conditions and modalities for reopening has concluded its work. The Governor also said government is considering reopening major markets to permanent shop owners, after the outcome of the engagement process that is ongoing on the relocation of roadside traders to available alternatives. The reopening of the major markets, the Governor said further, will be subject to compliance with specific conditions and protocols that are being determined. On when the state will be totally opened up its economy, Fayemi said: Once the report of the random testing shows that we are safe generally, it would further give fillip to our confidence to fully open up our state and return to our normal way of life. He expressed delight that appreciable progress has been made in the fight against COVID-19 since the second wave of lockdown a month ago, partly in consonance with national strategy to ban interstate movement, which makes review of existing regulations necessary. Fayemi disclosed that Ekiti has so far recorded 20 cases in all with 16 of the patients successfully treated and discharged with only two active cases left at the State Isolation Centre while two cases were lost. He added that about 300 contact tracing were done with over 200 persons tested so far in the state. The Governor expressed gratitude to front line medical personnel, task force team, security agents, the COVID-19 Response Resource Mobilisation Committee and the general public. He also appreciated the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) led by Alhaji Aliko Dangote for its contribution donation and the Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu-led National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for its technical assistance. UK insurance executives have taken another step toward developing a public-private risk-financing mechanism for future pandemics with the creation of work streams to take the idea from the drawing board to an operating company. So-called Pandemic Re, which was first launched in April as a steering group, has now formed a project committee with six working groups, supported by more than 50 volunteers from leading insurance brokers, insurers and reinsurers, management consultants, data modelers, the medical profession and academia. A further 65 have volunteered their or their organizations help. At the same time, the Corporation of Lloyds has agreed to provide resources to two of the work streams. The six working groups (or work streams), and their leaders follow: Customer Engagement and Distribution , chaired by Julie Page (CEO of Aon UK Ltd.) with Chris Lay (CEO Marsh UK & Ireland) as deputy , chaired by Julie Page (CEO of Aon UK Ltd.) with Chris Lay (CEO Marsh UK & Ireland) as deputy Technical Insurance , chaired by Steve Coates (chief underwriting officer of Pool Re) , chaired by Steve Coates (chief underwriting officer of Pool Re) Modelling and Data , chaired by Paul Jardine (chairman of Asta and Chaucer) , chaired by Paul Jardine (chairman of Asta and Chaucer) Scheme Structure/Operating Models , chaired by Michael Dawson (active underwriter of Chaucers Nuclear Syndicate 1176) , chaired by Michael Dawson (active underwriter of Chaucers Nuclear Syndicate 1176) Pandemic Preparedness and Mitigation , chaired by William (Bill) Marcoux (senior corporate lawyer) , chaired by William (Bill) Marcoux (senior corporate lawyer) Legal, Regulatory and Government Affairs, chaired by Amber Rudd (former senior politician). Pandemic Re is following the template set by the UKs government-backed terrorism mutual, Pool Re, which was set up in 1993 to provide a disaster risk-financing mechanism for terrorism risks. A similar solution is being discussed for the European Union. Pandemic Res original steering group comprises: Stephen Catlin (chairman and CEO, Convex); Maurice Tulloch (CEO of Aviva); Stephen Hester (CEO RSA); Julian Enoizi (CEO Pool Re); Nick Frankland (UK CEO Reinsurance Solutions, Aon); James Nash (CEO, International, Guy Carpenter), and James Kent (CEO Willis Re). Since the groups inception in April, Jon Dye, (chairman of the Association of British Insurers and CEO of Allianz Insurance in the UK), also has agreed to join the steering group. Michael Dawson (of Chaucer and the Scheme Structure/Operating Models working group) will chair the project committee and liaise with Pandemic Res steering group. The project committee will include the working group leaders listed above, and Martin Hattrell (formerly senior corporate lawyer at Slaughter and May). The Steering Committee has made considerable progress by identifying working groups and business leaders to direct them as well as helping to determine the detailed activities for each work stream. I would like to thank all these volunteers for giving their time to this project, said Catlin in a statement. We have a significant task ahead although we have received enormous levels of industry support. The insurance industry is collaborative by nature and with this highly experienced group, we hope to be able to deliver a structure in a relatively short time frame, said Dawson, chairman of the project committee. We have been following closely discussions on a number of different possible approaches to providing cover for future losses from pandemic risks, commented Dave Matcham, chief executive of the International Underwriting Association (IUA). I am pleased that Pandemic Re has been able to gain support for its work from many volunteers across our industry. Many IUA members are represented in the working groups that are being formed to examine different aspects of the issue and the association looks forward to providing additional support, Matcham added. This backing clearly demonstrates our sectors commitment to helping mitigate risk and finding more effective recovery solutions, he said. Organizations represented in Pandemic Res working groups follow: Academia / research: Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies and Imperial College Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies and Imperial College Insurance brokers : Aon, Gallagher, Hyperion, Marsh, and Willis Towers Watson : Aon, Gallagher, Hyperion, Marsh, and Willis Towers Watson Consulting/advisory: Deloitte, KPMG, Oliver Wyman and PWC Deloitte, KPMG, Oliver Wyman and PWC Data: Dun & Bradstreet, Mastercard, Metabiota, Risk Management Solutions (RMS) and Verisk Dun & Bradstreet, Mastercard, Metabiota, Risk Management Solutions (RMS) and Verisk Industry associations: Association of British Insurers (ABI), British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA), Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Lloyds Market Association (LMA) and London Market Group (LMG) Association of British Insurers (ABI), British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA), Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Lloyds Market Association (LMA) and London Market Group (LMG) Re/insurers: Allianz, Asta, Aviva, AXA, Chaucer, Chubb, Convex, Ecclesiastical, Flood Re, Hiscox, Lloyds, Munich Re, Pool Re, RSA, Swiss Re and Zurich Allianz, Asta, Aviva, AXA, Chaucer, Chubb, Convex, Ecclesiastical, Flood Re, Hiscox, Lloyds, Munich Re, Pool Re, RSA, Swiss Re and Zurich Legal firms: Arnold & Porter, Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith Arnold & Porter, Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith Medical: National Health Service. Source: Pandemic Re and International Underwriting Association Related: Topics COVID-19 Reinsurance Market GRAND RAPIDS, MI The Michigan National Guard, Michigan State Police and Grand Rapids Police are showing a strong presence Monday, June 1, in response to a growing protest at Fulton Street and Ionia Avenue. A group of more than 60 people are at the intersection protesting in response to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police office knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The death has triggered protests and riots nationwide. Only a small group of protesters initially formed at 3 p.m. near Van Andel Arena for a rally that Grand Rapids police became aware of earlier Monday. Related: Grand Rapids mayor orders 7 p.m. curfew after night of rioting At about 4:20 p.m., the group of protesters grew to more than 60 people and many lined up in a face-to-face standoff with National Guard and Michigan State Police personnel in riot gear. The show of police force comes two days after Saturday nights riot in downtown Grand Rapids in which multiple businesses and government buildings were damaged and police cruisers burned. Related: Peaceful protest in Grand Rapids devolves into riot, looting and fires Mayor Rosalyn Bliss declared a civil emergency Monday, which provided the resources of the Michigan National Guard. She also imposed a curfew from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. that took effect Sunday. The Grand Rapids Police Department tweeted early Monday afternoon for residents not to attend the protest at 3 p.m. because it was not permitted and the department was not able to reach the organizers to coordinate safety efforts. There is a row of eight national guard Humvees stretched across Ionia Avenue into Ottawa Street. The National Guards presence is also present in various other areas of downtown, including at the police department on Monroe Center. Michigan State Police troopers are milling around in riot gear. So far, the protest has been relatively peaceful with protesters mainly yelling at police and holding signs such as Black Lives Matter" and Silence equals Violence." More on MLive: Businesses grapple with reopening following Teen faces felony rioting charge in Grand Rapids violent weekend Grand Rapids police brace for possible rally after weekend riot By Jamie McGeever BRASILIA (Reuters) - Wearing a face mask, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro posed for photographs with children plucked out of a crowd of supporters on Sunday, disregarding public health advice aimed at containing one of the world's worst coronavirus outbreaks. Bolsonaro's latest flouting of social-distancing guidelines came after he lost two health ministers in a month, both of whom resisted his fight against quarantines. Brazil's confirmed cases of the virus passed those of Spain and Italy on Saturday, making it the site of the world's fourth-largest outbreak. Health Ministry figures released on Sunday evening showed that 7,938 new cases were recorded in the past 24 hours, bringing the total above 241,000, while the death toll increased by 485 to 16,118. In an online video, Bolsonaro said he welcomed the demonstration at the presidential palace in what has become a nearly biweekly affair, with the president and supporters defying quarantines that have the support of most Brazilians. "Above all (the people) want freedom, they want democracy, they want respect," he said, adding that Brazilians want to get the economy back up and running as quickly as possible. An opinion poll released last Tuesday showed two-thirds of Brazilians agreed with the need for social distancing to contain the outbreak, which governors and health experts recommend, while Bolsonaro tries to open gyms, hair salons and other businesses. On Friday, Nelson Teich resigned as health minister as he and the president showed themselves increasingly out of step, with Bolsonaro calling for a rollback of state quarantines and for the widespread use of unproven drugs, such as chloroquine, to fight the virus. "Chlo-ro-quine! Chlo-ro-quine!" chanted Bolsonaro's supporters outside the presidential palace in Sunday, as well as "We want to work!" Banging drums, blowing horns and letting off fireworks, the crowd created a carnival atmosphere. Wearing a white face mask and flanked by ministers, security and friends, including a child at his side dressed head to toe in army fatigues, Bolsonaro approached his supporters, waving, smiling and giving the thumbs up. Story continues He mingled with the crowd less than during other recent demonstrations, but he did pose for photographs with at least three young children. Vice President Hamilton Mourao, who went into isolation on Saturday after the diagnosis of a public servant near him last week, tested negative for the coronavirus, his office said on Sunday. Nationwide testing in Brazil still lags far behind European nations. Brazil had processed nearly 338,000 novel coronavirus tests in official labs by the beginning of last week, according to the Health Ministry. An additional 145,000 tests were under analysis or waiting in line. By contrast, Italy and Spain have each run some 1.9 million official diagnostic tests for the virus. (Reporting by Jamie McGeever; Additional reporting by Pedro Fonseca in Rio de Janeiro and Lisandra Paraguassu and Adriano Machado in Brasilia; Editing by Brad Haynes, Lisa Shumaker and Peter Cooney) A version of this article appeared on the website COVID-Explained. A number of articles in the past week or so have focused on the possibility of COVID-19 superspreaders. This is the idea that a very large share of COVID-19 infections are caused by a small number of people. For example, one article from the Telegraph suggests that perhaps 80 percent of infections are caused by 10 percent of people. Is this true? And if so, you may be wondering: How can I avoid that 10 percent of people? Advertisement To think about this, we need a little bit of epidemiology. If youve followed anything about COVID-19 carefully youve probably heard about R0, the effective reproductive rate of the virus, which measures the average number of people that are infected by one infected person. If R0 is larger than 1 (i.e., if, on average, an infected person spreads the virus to multiple people), the number of infected people continues to grow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is also a second, less discussed epidemiological parameter: k, the dispersion factor. This k is a measure of the concentration of infection, of its clustering. Its a way to get at the question: Do we see a lot of dense clusters of infection, or are the patterns more dispersed? This parameter doesnt have a direct interpretation like R0, but what we can say is that a lower value of k implies a greater clustering of infections. Greater clustering implies that a smaller number of people are responsible for more infections. Advertisement Advertisement If you want to get into details, Science had a nice general write-up on this topic, and here is a (denser) preprint about estimating this k value in COVID-19. (There has been a lot of discussion of the value of preprintsearly release, non-peer-reviewed studiesin COVID-19 research. On the one hand, they are fast. On the other hand, lack of peer review may limit our confidence in results. Its a balance.) The preliminary data suggest that COVID-19 could have a very low k; perhaps something like 0.1. If thats the case, then a small number of infected individuals could be responsible for a large number of infection clusters. Advertisement This might lead to the idea that certain individuals, for some reason, are better at transmitting the virus than others and become superspreaders. However, that doesnt necessarily follow from the above. It may be more accurate to talk about superspreader events than individuals. That is, it seems likely that clustering of infections is due, at least in part, to the circumstances of exposure. It is clear in the case of COVID-19 that some environments are more conducive to spreading the virus than others. Advertisement Nursing homes are one environment where weve seen widespread infection, but that is likely to reflect the susceptibility of elderly populations rather than the actual conditions of these facilities. On the other hand, meatpacking plants are a viral hot spot despite a relatively low-risk population; this may be due to close work environments and low temperatures. There has also been some discussion of the possible role of singing (there was a choir outbreak in Washington), shouting, and particular kinds of exercise. There are some South Korean clusters linked to Zumba. And many European cases were linked to a particular ski resort, perhaps due to this singing/beer pong bar experience. Advertisement Advertisement It is also true that an individuals ability to spread the virus varies, as people shed different viral amounts and at different times. The clusters associated with choirs, for example, may be an unfortunate example of a combination of a high-spreading environment with an individual who was shedding a lot of virus, either in general or in that moment. We saw a lot of this with (the original) SARS: A few individuals were responsible for a huge amount of viral spread. There is an interesting example of an individual infected with SARS who had very high viral load in their urine and feces and ended up causing a large cluster of cases in their apartment building due to sewage-based aerosol backflow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like with almost everything else about COVID-19, much is unknown. If superspreader events are a common source of spread, this might be a hopeful sign for prevention: It suggests that limits on large gatherings may be the most important way to prevent widespread infection. And preliminary data certainly points to some such events; on the other hand, these may be the events people remember, so there may be a bias toward identifying superspreaders when, really, spread is more spread out. If you want to read more, this is a great (and moderately readable) summary of the superspreader phenomenon. And in the meantime, it is probably best to avoid crowded bars with singing and beer pong. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. A Cameroonian journalist working for the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle is receiving treatment after being beaten by soldiers in country's Anglophone area where separatists are fighting for independence. Jean-Marie Ngong Song "is in serious pain with hearing difficulties" after the incident on Sunday evening in the north-western town of Bambili, the Cameroon Journalists' Trade Union said. Song is quoted by Mimi Mefo Info website as saying that his identification documents were seized. I was beaten, my identity card collected. They asked me to go and enter their car, I asked them to tell me what crime I committed. They didnt." He said he was sent back his ID later. Since the trouble began in Cameroon's English-speaking heartlands of the North-West and South-West regions in 2016, the authorities have clamped down on the media's coverage of the unrest. Both English and French are official languages in Cameroon following a complicated colonial history but in practice, the Francophone majority dominates, leading the Anglophone minority to complain of discrimination. About 3,000 people have died since protests over the increasing use of French in courts and schools in the English-speaking areas morphed into violence three years ago. 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 T he Government faces growing calls to provide bailouts for some of the country's leading manufacturers as the pressure grows on factories forced to shut due to coronavirus. According to trade body Make UK companies require direct support to ensure their short-term survival and avoid job losses across the aerospace, automotive and steel industries. The organisation has highlighted the widespread damage being caused to industry by Covid-19, with its latest research showing that the majority of manufacturers now believe it will take more than a year for trading conditions to return to normal. Make UK - which represents 20,000 companies of all sizes - said that unless direct financial support is provided through the next year then major companies will not be in a position to take people off furlough and will resort to substantial redundancies. Make UK chief executive Stephen Phipson said: "We are now in such uncharted territory that what would until recently have been thought of as unthinkable is now very much the reality. "While the support schemes in operation are providing significant support to the economy, there are some sectors and companies who are fundamentally sound businesses and were trading positively before the pandemic. "Instead, however, they have now been driven to the cliff edge by the nature of this crisis and may not survive without direct Government intervention." Anneliese Dodds wants to see action from the Government / Sky News Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds added: We have been urging the Government to face up to the challenges faced by many manufacturers during this crisis, not least because they have often been unable to access sufficient loan-based support. Manufacturing firms are often anchors of their local economies, not just directly but also through their supply chains. Although Government has signalled it may potentially be willing to provide equity in some situations, it lacks a strategic approach. A Government spokeswoman said: Manufacturing is hugely important to the UK and will have an essential role to play as we recover from the coronavirus outbreak. The Government has put together a far-reaching package of support to help businesses through the coronavirus pandemic. We continue to regularly engage with businesses across all sectors, including those in the steel, aerospace and automotive industries. Syracuse, N.Y. Syracuse police are investigating a second shooting Sunday after someone showed up at a hospital with a gunshot wound, officials said. Officers were called to Upstate University Hospital at 8:25 p.m. for a report of a shooting victim, Onondaga County 911 dispatchers said. When they arrived, the victim refused to give police any information about the shooting or where it took place, according to police dispatches. The victim was completely uncooperative, according to the dispatches. Syracuse police have not yet commented on the shooting or the victims condition. Earlier Sunday, police responded to a shooting on the citys West Side. Someone drove the shooting victim, later identified as 19-year-old Zachary Holloway, to Upstate University Hospital after he was shot in the head at about 2:25 a.m. in the 500 block of South Geddes Street. Holloway was pronounced dead at the hospital. Police are continuing to investigate Holloways homicide, and ask anyone with information to call them at (315) 442-5222. Have a tip or a story idea? Contact Catie OToole: cotoole@syracuse.com | text/call 315-470-2134 | Twitter | Facebook Fans of The Bachelorette are worried that Angie Kent and Carlin Sterritt may have split. The couple were spotted at a viewing for a two-bedroom apartment in Sydney's Rose Bay in December last year, but Carlin has since secured a bachelor pad alone instead. After he posted a photo of himself posing in his studio apartment, several followers began asking if the pair had recently broken up. 'Are you two still together?' The Bachelorette's Angie Kent and Carlin Sterritt have sparked SPLIT rumours as fans ask why they are living separately in Sydney 'Have noticed you and Angie haven't posted together in over three weeks, hope you two are still together? Seems strange if two people in love don't seem to be seeing each other,' one person commented. 'You always look good! Why don't you and Ang live together?' another person asked. 'Very plain [and] cold. It needs some warmth, a woman's touch,' one agreed. 'I hate to say it but I have a feeling they aren't together anymore,' another person said. Living alone: The couple were spotted at a viewing for a two-bedroom apartment in Sydney's Rose Bay in December last year, but Carlin has since secured a bachelor pad instead The pair who usually post about each other regularly on Instagram, also haven't been pictured together in over two weeks. Angie posted a series of video of the couple purchasing snacks from a supermarket to Instagram on May, 20. 'Me all day everyday over the last few months,' she captioned the post. 'Why don't you and Ang live together?' Several followers began asking if the pair had recently broken up and why they aren't living together In March, Angie relocated from Queensland's Sunshine Coast to Sydney to be closer to her boyfriend Carlin. Angie confirmed she had moved into a Rose Bay unit back in February after sharing a photo of herself with boyfriend Carlin in her unfurnished room. Back in December, Carlin spoke to Daily Mail Australia and confirmed Angie's move to Sydney following his appearance on Studio 10 with his girlfriend at the time. Unusual: The pair who usually post about each other regularly on Instagram, also haven't been pictured together in over two weeks However when asked if Angie would be moving in with him, he said: 'No, we're not going to be living together for a while. I'm in Cronulla.' Angie has been dating Carlin since choosing him as her 'winner' on the Channel 10 dating show. Since the finale aired in November, they have been inseparable with holidays, hotel stays and interstate visits back and forth. Daily Mail Australia have contacted Angie and Carlin for comment. ALBANY For the first time in recent memory, New York City implemented a curfew Monday night as anti-police brutality protests engulfed the city in recent days, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said. The curfew will begin at 11 p.m. Monday and last until 5 a.m. Tuesday, Cuomo announced Monday afternoon in a radio interview. The curfew will accompany a doubling of police in the city, where thousands of people flooded the streets over the weekend to demand justice for George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was allegedly killed by a police officer in Minneapolis last week. Many of the protests downstate were peaceful, but some had turned violent with stores raided, police cars set aflame and other public areas destroyed. "I stand behind the protesters and their message, but unfortunately there are people who are looking to distract and discredit this moment," Cuomo said in a release. "The violence and the looting has been bad for the city, the state and this entire national movement, undermining and distracting from this righteous cause. While we encourage people to protest peacefully and make their voices heard, the safety of the general public is paramount and cannot be compromised." The governor's decision was made in tandem with New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who said in the release that the curfew would "protect against violence and property damage." He also promised that any officers who had mishandled their responses to the chaos would be held accountable for their actions, as videos allegedly showing police misconduct have spread rapidly on social media. On Sunday, a clip of two New York City Police Department vehicles running into protesters went viral, while another video showed a white police officer pulling down a black man's mask to pepper spray him in the face. The man had been demonstrating peacefully with his hands in the air, and the officer did not pepper spray several white demonstrators nearby. The day before, a city police officer was captured on film throwing a 20-year-old woman to the ground so forcefully that she had a seizure. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Cuomo had mentioned the idea of a curfew during his daily press briefing Monday morning, when he denounced rioting and expressed concern that the protests both in the city and upstate could hurt progress that the state has made to keep the spread of the coronavirus under control. While Cuomo said that he "stand(s) with the protesters," he again urged them to remain peaceful, wear masks and socially distance. Some upstate protests had also turned chaotic over the weekend, including in Albany, where local officials estimated $1 million in damage. Albany and Schenectady also instituted curfews. SHANGHAI and PHILADELPHIA, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- WuXi AppTec, a leading global pharmaceutical and medical device open-access capability and technology platform company, announced today the appointment of Dr. David Chang as Chief Executive Officer of WuXi Advanced Therapies business unit (WuXi ATU), WuXi AppTec's cell and gene therapy Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO). In this new executive role, Dr. Chang will provide strategic, scientific and operational leadership to the company's global cell and gene therapy R&D and manufacturing services. Dr. Chang brings strong leadership and a wealth of experience in cell and gene therapy and biopharmaceutical technical development, manufacturing operations, engineering and strategy. Prior to joining WuXi AppTec, Dr. Chang was Corporate Vice President and Head of Cell Therapy Global Manufacturing at Celgene, a Bristol Myers Squibb company, where he oversaw the CAR-T manufacturing network and the global manufacturing sciences and technologies teams. He also served as the Global Head of Engineering and Strategy at Roche, Switzerland, after roles that included Vice President/Site Head of Roche Shanghai Technical Operations, China. "We are delighted to welcome Dr. Chang as CEO of WuXi ATU to lead our cell and gene therapy CDMO business to the next stage of growth," said Mr. Edward Hu, Vice Chairman and Global Chief Investment Officer of WuXi AppTec. "We believe that cell and gene therapies represent a tremendous opportunity for the healthcare industry to deliver more effective and innovative personalized solutions to patients. Dr. Chang's leadership and deep expertise in this field will further advance WuXi AppTec's long-standing support for its customers and their mission to advance discoveries and development in the life and health sciences and deliver groundbreaking treatment to those in need." "I'm very honored to join WuXi AppTec," said Dr. Chang. "WuXi ATU is at the forefront of accelerating the development of life-saving advanced therapies with even greater quality, efficiency and speed, and I look forward to further enhancing our cell and gene therapy R&D and manufacturing platform. By helping more customers enhance the efficiency and increase the speed of R&D and commercialization, their cell and gene therapies can benefit more patients faster." Earlier in his career, Dr. Chang held several management positions. At Genentech, he served as Senior Director of Global Manufacturing Science & Technology and as the Director of Process Development. He was also the Director of cell culture R&D at Biogen Idec and a cell culture group leader at BASF Bioresearch. Dr. Chang earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from National Taiwan University, and Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. About WuXi AppTec WuXi AppTec provides a broad portfolio of R&D and manufacturing services that enable companies in the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries worldwide to advance discoveries and deliver groundbreaking treatments to patients. As an innovation-driven and customer-focused company, WuXi AppTec helps our partners improve the productivity of advancing healthcare products through cost-effective and efficient solutions. With industry-leading capabilities such as R&D and manufacturing for small molecule drugs, cell and gene therapies, and testing for medical devices, WuXi AppTec's open-access platform is enabling more than 3,900 collaborators from over 30 countries to improve the health of those in need and to realize our vision that "every drug can be made and every disease can be treated." For more information, please visit: http://www.wuxiapptec.com SOURCE WuXi AppTec Related Links www.wuxiapptec.com After a week of escalating violence and tensions following peaceful protests over the death of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis, President Donald Trump, whos pinned the nationwide unrest on radical leftists and anarchists, turned his ire on state governors on Monday. You have to dominate or youll look like a bunch of jerks, the president told governors, according to audio obtained by CNN. You have to arrest and try people. He said the whole world was laughing when a Minnesota police station went up in flames. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the president told governors they must dominate the streets with strong National Guard presence, not dominate protesters. While Trump has expressed sympathy for the family of George Floyd who died while pinned under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer charged with third-degree murder the president has come under fire for using the historically racist phrase, When the looting starts the shooting starts, and for threatening protesters with vicious dogs and ominous weapons. On Friday, Trump was asked if he thought police brutality was a problem. He said it was something weve been hearing about and studying. He did not speak about institutional racism, and said most police officers were outstanding." When you see something like this happen, you say, How does a thing like this happen? he said. Trumps lecture to governors on Monday he told them the only time such a radical movement is successful is when youre weak, and most of you are weak comes a few nights after the presidents advisers debated whether a formal address from the White House would calm tensions. The New York Times reported that on Friday, a night when the Secret Service put the White House temporarily on lockdown amid protests outside, agents hurried Trump to an underground bunker previously used during terrorist attacks. On Twitter Sunday, Trump continued to blame leftists and anarchists for unrest and said the U.S. would declare the antifa movement a terrorist organization" even though many protesters and state officials have also cited white supremacists groups at protests. He also seized on the unrest to make the case that voters might get more of the same under Democratic leaders, including Sleepy Joe Biden, his likely presidential foe. He went after Biden repeatedly the last two days for his team members', and other Democrats, efforts to bail out protesters. Bidens campaign team has accused the president of reveling in the violence. Biden, in a statement released Saturday, said the last few days laid bare that we are a nation furious at injustice. Every person of conscience can understand the rawness of the trauma people of color experience in this country, from the daily indignities to the extreme violence, like the horrific killing of George Floyd, Biden said. Protesting such brutality is right and necessary. Its an utterly American response. But burning down communities and needless destruction is not." Related Content: County Commissioner Tim Boyd said Mayor Andy Berke should put a curfew in place. Commissioner Boyd said, "I think you need to turn your focus away from the C-19 pandemic and place a higher priority on the unrest taking place on the streets of our city. "Put in place a curfew now before more folks are injured and/or arrested not to mention the potential for more property damage." The Chattanooga mayor earlier strongly condemned the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. He has had no comment after two nights of unrest and multiple arrests in Chattanooga except to say on Sunday night, We encourage everyone in Chattanooga to exercise their First Amendment rights and express themselves in a safe way. On Sunday night, someone left messages with chalk outside the mayor's home, WRCB reported. There were chalk outlines of bodies as well as profanity toward the police and the phrase "I can't breathe." Chattanooga Police placed a patrol car with an officer inside in front of the mayor's home. The station said at one point he and his dog came outside and he gave a treat to the officer. US threats of sanctions fail to pressure HK Global Times By Wang Cong Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/31 20:01:22 Impact to be offset by greater integration with mainland: experts Officials in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) remain defiant over US threats to impose sanctions on the city following the adoption of a national security legislation for Hong Kong, as they mounted a fierce defense against what they call US' hypocrisy and double standard. They insisted that the city is not worried about the impact of potential US sanctions. While the US threatened sanctions, which include a plan to revoke special trade arrangements, would likely add some pressure to the city's already sluggish economy, they will not change Hong Kong's status as a global financial and commercial hub established over centuries and further economic integration with the Chinese mainland will continue to ensure the HKSAR's long-term prosperity, officials and experts said on Sunday. Furthermore, the potential US sanctions are also self-destructive, as they pose serious risks and damage for hundreds of US businesses operating in the city, investments totaling tens of billions of dollars, the biggest source of trade surplus, officials and experts noted. HK not worried At a highly advertised press conference on Friday, US President Donald Trump issued a slew of new threats targeting the HKSAR and the Chinese mainland as punishment for the adoption of a national security legislation by China's top legislature. Despite the widespread hype from Trump, as well as other US officials and foreign media outlets, the threats fell largely in line with anticipations and their impact is expected to be limited, let alone changing China's stance to strengthen national security in the city, as officials in the mainland and the HKSAR made clear over the weekend. "We are not unduly worried by such threats as Hong Kong will continue to rely on her fundamental strengths in the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, free and open trade policy, level playing field, etc and unique advantages brought about by the continuous opening-up of the Mainland's economy," the HKSAR government said in a statement on Saturday night. In a statement made on Sunday, HKSAR Finance Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said that while US sanctions have brought "small disturbances" to the market, their actual impact is limited and the city has prepared to tackle the challenges ahead. Chan reaffirmed that Hong Kong's foreign exchange and other policies won't change and its status as a financial hub will remain unchanged. "Looking back at world history, the development of the international financial center has never been bestowed upon by other countries," Chan wrote, noting that Hong Kong's financial sector has been built with years of tireless efforts and strong support from the mainland. Among the threats made by Trump, the biggest and likely most consequential is the plan to scrap special trade arrangements with Hong Kong, under which the city has been treated as a separate customs and travel entity from the rest of China, according to analysts. "In the short term, revoking Hong Kong's special [trade status] will have a certain impact on Hong Kong's economy through two ways: [trade and confidence]," Cheng Shi, chief economist at ICBC International Holdings in Hong Kong, told the Global Times on Sunday. Cheng said that if the separate custom territory status is revoked, tariffs for exports to the US via Hong Kong will increase and trade volume routed through Hong Kong to the mainland will decrease, which will have a certain impact on Hong Kong's trade and related professional service sectors. However, the impact on trade will be limited in the scope of the city's economy, which is dominated by a robust services sector, Chan told the Global Times in an interview on Friday, noting that local products that will face tariffs only account for less than 2 percent of Hong Kong's manufacturing sector and less than 0.1 percent of overall exports. Also Hong Kong's trade with the US has already been on the decline in recent years due to the US-launched trade war against China. Experts said that Hong Kong's export sector is becoming ever more diversified and participation in the Chinese mainland-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and the Greater Bay Area development area will help cushion potential impacts from the US sanctions. US self-destruction What make the US threats appear particularly weak is also the fact that the potential sanctions are also self-destructive for the US, as hundreds of US firms, billions in investment and a massive trade surplus have been put in jeopardy, officials and experts pointed out. "Let's not forget, Hong Kong's exports to the US amount to only about $500 million each year and its external trade is not dependent on the US; conversely, the US has had an $297 billion trade surplus with Hong Kong over the past 10 years and $30 billion in 2018 alone," Liang Haiming, chairman of the China Silk Road Valley Research Institute in Guangzhou, told the Global Times on Sunday. Liang noted that many of Trump's threats will be self-destructive, which will force the US and its companies to abandon a market of 1.4 billion people. "The real impact and damage [for the US] is difficult to estimate," he said. Apart from a massive trade surplus, there are also over 1,300 US companies operating in Hong Kong, including almost all major US financial firms, according to official data. US foreign direct investment in Hong Kong also reached $82.5 billion in 2018. In the statement on Saturday, the HKSAR government warned that the sanctions were not only unjustified but "will lead to a breakdown of the mutually beneficial Hong Kong-US relationship built up over the years and only hurts local and US businesses in Hong Kong." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Voluntary organisations in Northern Ireland do work worth more than half a billion pounds a year, it has been revealed. Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has thanked the thousands of volunteers who help others, as Volunteers' Week gets under way today. The minister said a light had been shone on volunteers' contribution to society in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Volunteers' Week recognises the contribution volunteers make to our communities. Ms Hargey said: "I would like to express my gratitude to the thousands of volunteers throughout the year who selflessly give their time to benefit others, which greatly enriches our society. "The current health pandemic gripping almost every country in the world has demonstrated the value of volunteering. "I am truly heartened by the generosity and wonderful sense of community on display in every corner of our society where people from all walks of life stepped forward to help." She continued: "Everyone has a vital part to play, those who have got involved in compassionate, creative and meaningful ways delivering food for others, collecting and delivering essential items from pharmacies so that the most vulnerable can be protected, and those who provide telephone support that reassures people confined to their home, I say a big 'Thank You'. "We are fortunate that a strong sense of community prevails despite the changing pace of life. Acts of kindness by our volunteers help create successful, strong, vibrant and prosperous communities which makes for a better place to live and work." Volunteer Now takes the lead in promoting and encouraging volunteer organisations to thank volunteers for their hard work. Across Northern Ireland there are around 282,000 formal volunteers, whose work is carried out with or under the auspices of an organisation, and 470,000 informal volunteers. Individual formal volunteers give an average of 13.4 hours each month. The annual economic contribution of regular formal volunteers, based on an hourly wage of 11.49, is 504m. Individuals aged between 35 and 49 and those aged between 16 and 24 years old are the most likely to volunteer, while 61% of all formal volunteers are female. Denise Hayward, Chief Executive of Volunteer Now, said: "During the current crisis, we know that the role volunteers have played has been very important and we want to say thank you. We also know that many people who would normally volunteer are not able to as some are self isolating and some organisations are going through difficult times and their volunteers are not currently engaging in their usual roles. "With this in mind we feel strongly that is it important to mark the week and to use it as a 'Time to Say Thank You' to all volunteers. "We want to highlight the individual acts of kindness which are keeping everyone going at this difficult time, as well as remembering all of the volunteering which normally takes place throughout the year." The Supreme Court on Monday unanimously upheld a key aspect of the federal response to the worst debt crisis in Puerto Rican history, one that threatened basic services like schools and hospitals, some $50 billion in public pension obligations and more than $70 billion in debts to bondholders. The crisis worsened after Hurricane Maria destroyed much of the islands infrastructure in 2017, with the commonwealth estimating that recovery costs would exceed $139 billion. The court ruled that members of a government board created by Congress in 2016 to clean up the financial mess had been properly appointed. Had the court come to the opposite conclusion, its ruling could have undone years of work on restructuring the commonwealths debts. The 2016 law at issue in the case the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act, or PROMESA created an independent entity to restructure the commonwealths debt, the Financial Oversight and Management Board. Since then, the board has tried to resolve about 165,000 claims from creditors, not always to their satisfaction. A hedge fund that had bought distressed bonds and a labor union representing employees of an electric utility objected to the boards actions, arguing that its members had been appointed without following the procedures set out in the Constitution, which requires Senate confirmation of officers of the United States. Each year, All-Americans declared at United Spirit Association camps head off for an unforgettable trip to an international destination. On my last day at the United Spirit Association (USA) drum major camp at California Lutheran University in July 2019, I received the honor of becoming an All-American and an invitation to perform in the 2020 Rome New Years Parade in Italy. The whole situation was a shock to me, mainly because I was just heading into my first year as drum major. Quite frankly I didnt think I was capable of having such a title to my name. But in the eyes of my teacher and the parade recruiters, I was exactly what they were looking for in a drum major. Grueling Auditions During my freshman year in the Oxnard (California) High School Marching Yellow Jacket Swarm, I met a very important role model. A trombone player named Adrian Michael Hawthorne was head drum major. He was the best of the best in my eyes and a very kind-hearted person. His dedication to music led him to a scholarship to California State University, Northridge. All of his greatness made me strive to be like him. Because of his graduation and the legacy that he left behind, I considered trying out for drum major at the end of my sophomore year. A grueling one-month mandatory rehearsal process began, and in the end, I received the position of assistant drum major. As part of the requirement for auditioning, I needed to be available to attend the USA camp. The other two drum majors from my school also attended. Surprise Announcement During the four-day event, I met numerous drum majors from around the county, all with amazing capabilities and talents. I learned proper conducting patterns, tricks on the mace that I had never seen before, and how to lead a parade. As the camp came to a close, the instructors held an awards ceremony. The head instructor called up four drum majors to the front, and I was one of them. The instructor then proceeded to say amazing heartfelt words to us. I remember closing my eyes because I was trying to hold back tears of joy. The four of us were announced as All-Americans and invited to perform in the Rome New Years Parade. When I came home from the camp, I explained everything to my family. They allowed me to go because it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me. Im eternally grateful, especially since the trip wasnt free. Eternal City As the fall season went by, I needed to learn a whole routine on my mace, which I practiced hours to perfection. During updates about the trip, we found out that I needed a chaperone, so my parents decided that my older brother would attend with me. Before I knew it, Dec. 26 came along, and I was at the airport. I met up with the All-Americans, who to my surprise were mostly cheerleaders and dancers, and checked in with the instructor. There were two plane rides, the first being an excruciating 12-hour flight in which I didnt sleep, and then a two-hour flight into Rome. Once we landed, we all got our things and went to the hotel, finished up orientation, had a very late dinner (11:30 p.m.), and finally slept in a bed. Now that I was in Rome, I met a whole bunch of new people and toured all of Rome. In total, there were only 11 drum majors and approximately 300 dancers and cheerleaders. (As a part of Varsity Spirit, USA has spent 70 years in the cheer and dance activities and only recently expanded to bands.) Every single day we went to someplace new and ate something new. Typically, we toured a main attraction, and then the rest of the time was free. The main attractions included the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, and the statue of David in nearby Florence, just to name a few. The days always ended with dinner at the hotel. On the day of the parade, we waited for hours until it was our time to start. Even though I practiced for so long to perfect my routine, I still dropped my mace the moment I started. Throughout the whole parade, I grew more confident, but then it got to the last moments. The cameras were on me, and I was about to be on live television. Because my mind was spinning, I dropped my mace again. I was very disappointed in myself, but I kept my composure and finished strong. I will always remember my time as an All-American drum major in Rome, representing my school, city, and country. Special thanks to my band director, Andre Spence, and all the band boosters that helped me along the way. Flash Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Sunday night she was imposing a citywide curfew amid rising tensions between protesters and police outside the White House over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed in Minneapolis police custody. Bowser said in a statement the curfew would last "from 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, until 6:00 a.m. on Monday, June 1." She had also activated the D.C. National Guard to support the local police. Sunday marked the third day in a row of protests in the U.S. capital over the death of Floyd. While the clash between protesters and law enforcement officers was less severe than that in other parts of the country, D.C. Chief of Police Peter Newsham said on Sunday the Metropolitan Police Department still arrested 17 people Saturday night and that 11 police officers were injured during the protests. Floyd, aged 46, died on May 25 after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "please, I can't breathe." Chauvin was arrested and charged with three-degree murder and manslaughter earlier on Friday. Floyd's plea before his death evoked African Americans' painful memories. In 2014, a cellphone recorded an unarmed black man, Eric Garner, 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. An Accra High Court has ordered the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the government to pay GH229, 000 in damages to a trader whose leg was amputated following injuries she sustained in an accident caused by a soldier who was driving a military vehicle while on official duty. The said accident happened on April 14, 2007 at the traffic intersection on the Liberation Road in Accra in front of the Naval Guardroom just after the 37 Military Hospital and before the Jubilee House. In its judgement delivered on May 21, 2020, the court awarded the damages after it held that it was the negligence of the soldier Corporal Nlibi Baadah, which led to the accident that resulted in the amputation of the leg of Ms Lucy Bosso. I am safe to find as a fact that the accident happened due to the negligence of Corporal Baadah. I find that 3rd Defendant (Corporal Baadah) failed to drive with care and attention that is expected of a driver, more so a driver in a military vehicle, the court, presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, held. Government, GAF liable It was the considered decision of the court that Corporal Baadah was on official duty at the time the accident occurred and therefore, the GAF which is his employer and was a defendant in the case, as well as the Attorney-General (A-G), who represented the government as defendant in the case, are vicariously liable for his action. As 3rd Defendant (Corporal Baadah) is in the employment of the 4th Defendant (GAF) and was not on a frolic of his own but was on official military duty at the time of the accident, the 4th Defendant is vicariously liable. And being so, the 5th Defendant (A-G) by virtue of Article 88 of the Constitution also becomes liable, the court held. Apart from the damages, Justice Kyei Baffour, a Justice of the Court of Appeal with additional responsibility as a High Court judge, further awarded cost of GH20, 000 in favour of Ms Bosso. The judgement was the culmination of a suit filed by Ms Bosso in 2017. Damages Breaking the GH229,000 down, Justice Kyei Baffour said GH10,000 was for Ms Bossos medical expenses, GH86, 000 for her loss of earnings for the next 18 years which he pegged at GH400 per month; GH 43,000 was to pay for Ms Bossos domestic caregiver for the next 18 years pegged at GH 200 per month, while GH90,000 was general damages for the plaintiffs pain, mental agony, physical disability and diminished chances of finding a suitable spouse. This is to provide hope to victims of road carnage that the State and the justice delivery system will not abandon them in their times of need, Justice Kyei Baffour held. Accident On April 14, 2007, Ms Bosso was travelling from Aflao in the Volta Region to Accra in a commercial vehicle with registration number GR 9204 X. Court documents show that on reaching the traffic intersection in front of the Naval Guardroom, the vehicle collided with a military vehicle with registration number 33 GA 85 driven by Corporal Baadah which entered the main road from the Naval Guardroom section. Ms Bosso, who was sitting in the front seat of the commercial vehicle, sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital. Her right leg was later amputated following the crush injuries she suffered. Suit Ten years after the accident, Ms Bosso filed a suit in June 2017 at the Accra High Court accusing the driver of the commercial vehicle Ebenezer Akrong, and Corporal Baadah of negligence which resulted in the accident. Joined to the suit as defendants were Akrong; the owner of the commercial vehicle, Samuel A Sowah; Corporal Baadah, the GAF and the A-G She sought damages for loss of earnings, general and special damages for the injuries she sustained and suffered as a result of the 1st defendant (Akrong) and 3rd defendant (Corporal Baadah)s negligence resulting in their vehicles colliding Also, she sought damages for psychological trauma, and cost including legal fees. Commercial drivers defence In their defence, Akrong and Sowah contended that it was Corporal Baadahs negligence that led to the accident and, therefore, there was no basis for the plaintiff to join them to the suit as defendants. Soldiers defence On the other hand, it was the defence of Corporal Baadah, GAF and the A-G that the accident was as a result of the negligence of Akrong and not Corporal Baadah. According to them, Corporal Baadah had slowed down to negotiate a turning and that he was halfway onto the main road when the commercial vehicle, driven by Akrong ran into him. It was their case that if Akrong had applied his brakes, the commercial vehicle would not have collided with the military vehicle. Also, they argued that the court action by Ms Bosso was statute barred because per Section 3 of the Limitations Act, NRCD 54, an action to recover damages for negligence ought to be brought within three years of the alleged negligent act. Soldier is negligent In his judgement, Justice Kyei held that evidence on record including a police report showed that it was Corporal Baadahs negligence that led to the accident According to the presiding judge, the traffic light at the intersection was malfunctioning and, therefore, since Corporal Baadah was joining a main road, he should have ensured that he joined the road with caution. It is a notorious driving rule known to every average driver that before one enters a main or major road, it should be in such a manner and distance that the vehicle on the main road should not brake to allow the vehicle from the minor road, Justice Kyei Baffour held. Driving licence The court further rejected claims by the GAF and A-G that as a trained soldier, Captain Baadah could not have been negligent. With deep respect, this is nothing but a cock and bull story, which can find ready audience on the street but not in a court of law. What is even more devastating is that 3rd Defendant (Corporal Baadah) who claims to be in a disciplined force like the military could not produce his driving licence, Justice Kyei Baffour held. Statute barred The court further dismissed the argument by the A-G that Ms Bosso filed the suit out of time. According to Justice Kyei Baffour, although the action was indeed filed out of time, lawyers for Ms Bosso obtained the permission of another High Court, presided over Justice Daniel Mensah before filing the writ. Source: Graphic.com.gh 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 Hyderabad, June 1 : Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday said that she is worried about the surge in coronavirus positive cases in Telangana in spite of the efforts to contain its spread. "Single day's largest jump of 199 cases, 2 PG medicos & other front line warriors including police, warrants united aggressive fight against Corona. Stepping up Covid fight is needed," the governor tweeted. She, however, added that there is no need to panic over the single day surge. "But it is a warning to be cautious & careful. Relaxation in lockdown restrictions doesn't mean relaxation of safety precautions & practices learned recently. Luckily we are moving towards unlock 1 and not lockdown 5," she wrote. The governor's tweet came a day after Telangana recorded highest single day jump in Covid-19 cases. A total of 199 people tested positive for the virus during 24 hours, ending 5 p.m. on Sunday. The highest single day surge pushed the state's tally to 2,698. Five more people died of Covid-19 during the same period, taking the death toll to 82. The governor in her tweet also referred to the news of two post-graduate doctors from gynecology and dermatology departments at Osmania Medical College (OMC) and General Hospital testing positive on Sunday. The gynecology PG medico was reportedly infected while discharging duties at Government Maternity Hospital in Petlaburj while dermatology PG medico was the primary contact of the former. With this the number of PG medicos tested positive at OMC has gone up to four. On Saturday, two medicos including the one discharging duties at Government Maternity Hospital in Petlaburj had tested positive. "Following these cases, we have asked the doctors to be careful during physical interaction with women. We are ensuring strict adherence to safety measures and taking all steps to break the transmission chain," said Government Maternity Hospital Superintendent Dr Naga Mani. A traffic police constable in Hyderabad was also tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday. With this the number of policemen who tested positive so far rose to 29. One of them succumbed to the infection on May 21. In his response to protests over the killing of George Floyd, Donald Trump has focused on condemning disorder and rioting and calling on cities to call in the National Guard and stamp out violence and damage to property. Among Mr Trumps main themes is that the protests are being fomented by far-left anarchists, specifically those affiliated with Antifa a loose alliance of left-wing protesters and groups that has come to the fore since he was elected. He has now announced that the US government will designate Antifa as a terrorist organisation. It is unclear what, if any, evidence Mr Trump has seen to imply that Antifa is the driving force behind the violence seen in several American cities, but his attacks on the movement have been repeated by various administration officials, including Attorney General Bill Barr. However, their characterisations of Antifa and its actions are hard to square with reality. The word Antifa is not a new coinage in fact, its a term used to mean anti-fascist in various languages, and has been invoked by numerous left-wing and radical groups over the decades. In its current American usage, it does not describe a hierarchical organisation with clearly defined leaders; instead, it serves more of an umbrella term for an array of political fellow travellers united by both their left-wing philosophies and their use of various direct action methods. Not all its self-identifying members subscribe to the same specific ideologies, and not all condone all of the same radical tactics. And yet, the idea that the movement is a fully integrated, structured political organisation has stuck in the popular imagination, especially in certain quarters of the right, where the name Antifa is used to invoke the image of an organised, violent far-left threat to social order and security. One of Antifas first conspicuous appearances during the Trump era was at the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a large turnout of far-right and racist protesters were confronted by left-wing and anti-racist counter-protesters. Antifa-identified activists have mounted conspicuous demonstrations many times since then, including against right-wing speakers on college campuses, and certain of the movements tactics have become familiar features of large left-wing protests dressing entirely in black, for instance. Some in the movement do indeed use violent tactics, which have helped alienate them not just from the right, but from much of the mainstream left. After a violent protest in Berkeley, California in 2017, Nancy Pelosi issued a statement condemning Antifas tactics. The violent actions of people calling themselves Antifa in Berkeley this weekend deserve unequivocal condemnation, it read, and the perpetrators should be arrested and prosecuted. 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 In California, as across all of our great nation, we have deep reverence for the Constitutional right to peaceful dissent and free speech. Non-violence is fundamental to that right. There is little or no legal basis upon which Mr Trump can declare Antifa a terrorist organisation. The US government uses this designation for international organisations, there is no terrorism law that under which it can classify domestic groups as such. And even if there were one, because Antifa is not a clearly defined entity like al-Qaeda or Isis, its not clear to what or to whom the designation would actually apply. But Trumps critics argue that his calls to legally sanction Antifa serve a political function whether or not they lead to anything. By calling its adherents terrorists, they argue, Mr Trump and his administration are stoking fear of the movement and the radical left in general while casting much of the last weeks events not as a furious reaction to racism and police brutality, but the work of violent anarchists exploiting social unrest. Varanasi: Congress leader Sheila Dikshit on Saturday launched an attack on Arvind Kejriwal over his former cabinet colleague Sandeep Kumars alleged sex scandal and asked the Delhi Chief Minister to resign on moral ground. The former Delhi chief minister accused Kejriwal of shaming the country after an objectionable CD emerged which showed Kumar in a compromising position with a woman. She was in the city as part of partys campaign team under the Congress ongoing 27 Saal, UP Behaal slogan. Also read: Sacked AAP minister Sandeep Kumar held by Delhi police after woman lodges complaint in objectionable CD case Dikshit also slammed the remarks of AAP leader Asuthosh, who, while seeking to defend Kumar, had written, Mahatma Gandhi, JawaharLal Nehru and Atal Bihari Vajpai too allegedly had relations with other women, which was on the basis of their mutual consent, though such issues in their personal life did not suffer their political career. The partys chief ministerial nominee for Uttar Pradesh elections said the remarks are an insult to the father of our nation and asked the Union government to take punitive action against the AAP leader. Dikshit, along with party state unit chief Raj Babbar and other leaders embarked on campaign march to Azamgarh and Ghazipur district. Diskhit headed the Yatra to Azamgarh and Raj Babbar to Ghazipur district. They addressed gatherings there.On their way, the congress leaders paid floral tributes to the martyrs of 1942 movement at Shaheed Smarak here at Cholapur in Varanasi. Asked to comment on Prime Minister Narendra Modis reference to Balochistan on his I-Day speech and his Vietnam visit, Dikshit replied in a lighter tone saying, As he is PM, so no comment. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The first secretary of the Movement of Sahrawis for Peace (MSP), Lhaj Ahmed Barakallah, has sent a message to Joseph Borrell, EU Foreign Policy Chief to inform him about the creation of the new Sahrawi dissident movement in Spain. In his message, Mr. Barakallah, a dissident leader of the Polisario Front, said that the MSP is an independent political force which is representing a wide range of Saharawi people. It aspires to become a new political reference body seeking to contribute to the resolution of the Western Sahara conflict. Lhaj Ahmed Barakallah says his movement backs a peaceful solution to the Western Sahara issue and intends to exert its positive impact based on a realistic vision. In his message, the 1st secretary of the MSP deplores the 50 years of suffering of the people in the Tindouf camps, saying we have decided to stand up against this disastrous situation, endeavor a way out and a better future for the Saharawi people. The Movement of Sahrawis for Peace says the European Union, thanks to its leverage and its relations with the entire North-West Africa, has the means to support and promote a pragmatic solution to the Sahara conflict. We are convinced that with a strong EU commitment, a solution is possible and therefore should not be postponed, underlines the MSP message. Mr. Barakallah was one of the founding members of another dissident movement called Sahrawi Initiative for Change which was set up in December 2017 in the Tindouf camps by opponents of the Polisario. The Midwest is still troubled by persistent coronavirus outbreaks. Hospitalizations from the virus are on the rise in Wisconsin, an unnerving development after that states Supreme Court abruptly overturned a stay-at-home order in May. New cases are consistently high in Minnesota, particularly around the Twin Cities, where health officials have warned that escalating protests could increase the infection risk. Jan Malcolm, Minnesotas health commissioner, said in a statement that we are one of the communities most vulnerable to rapid increases in the spread of the virus, given where we are in the course of the epidemic. But in the Northeast, the outlook has seesawed in the other direction. A glimpse of that region on the same day seemed hopeful. In New York, the center of the outbreak in the United States, more than 1,000 deaths were announced on some of the worst April days. But that number is now often below 100, and every region in the state has started to reopen except New York City, which is expected to begin doing so on June 8. In New Jersey and Connecticut, case numbers have plunged considerably in recent days. And in Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker has given houses of worship and many businesses permission to open again. At the peak of the epidemic, Suffolk County, Mass., which includes Boston, was reporting more than 300 confirmed coronavirus cases and 25 deaths on many days. On Wednesday, the county added 63 cases and six deaths, a vast improvement from weeks ago. The shift has left Bostonians wondering whether this means they are ready to reopen. That question was vexing Ray Hammond and Gloria White-Hammond, a husband and wife who are co-pastors of the Bethel A.M.E. Church in Jamaica Plain, a neighborhood in Boston. T he number of coronavirus cases in Italy today continued a steady decline despite a four-week easing of lockdown with the country now preparing to scrap its quarantine on international travellers. Active cases fell 1,600 to 42,075 over the latest 24-hour period, with only around 400 patients now reported to be in a serious or critical condition. The number of cases is less than half the level recorded on May 4, when the country that was once the epicentre of the pandemic began easing its lockdown. The figures emerged as Italy prepares to welcome travellers from overseas when it scraps its 14-day quarantine from Wednesday. Travel within Italys regions will also be allowed for the first time in months. Travellers from the UK will be among those allowed in without restrictions in a boost to hopes that Britons might be able to enjoy a European summer holiday after all. Other European destinations, including Spain and Greece, have also announced they be will removing quarantine restrictions on travellers from certain countries in the coming weeks, but it is not yet clear whether that will apply to those from the UK. Meanwhile, some Italian doctors have reported signs that the coronavirus might be losing its potency. Alberto Zangrillo, head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, called on ministers to get Italy back to being a normal country after revealing that tests on patients in recent days have shown viral loads considerably smaller than those observed one or two months ago. In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy, he said. Marking the beginning of a new era in the US space programme, the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday. "Docking confirmed - Crew Dragon has arrived at the @space_station," SpaceX tweeted. Aboard the space station, Expedition 63 Commander and NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner welcomed Behnken and Hurley aboard the orbiting laboratory. The two NASA astronauts made history on Saturday as they became the first Americans to launch on a US rocket from American soil to the space station in nearly a decade. The spacecraft lifted off on a reusable SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. This is the first-ever crewed mission for SpaceX. This was also the first crewed launch from the US after the government retired the space shuttle programme in 2011. The US space agency on Sunday said the mission is an important step to expand human exploration to deeper space missions. "Today, a new era in human spaceflight begins as we once again launched American astronauts on American rockets from American soil on their way to the International Space Station, our national lab orbiting Earth," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. "The launch of this commercial space system designed for humans is a phenomenal demonstration of American excellence and is an important step on our path to expand human exploration to the Moon and Mars," he added in a statement. The successful launch left SpaceX Founder Musk almost in tears. "I'm really quite overcome with emotion on this day, so it's kind of hard to talk, frankly. It's been 18 years working towards this goal, so it's hard to believe that it's happened," Musk said during a post-launch press conference. "This is something that I think humanity should be excited about proud of occurring on this day," he added. Known as NASA's SpaceX Demo-2, the mission is an end-to-end test flight to validate the SpaceX crew transportation system, including launch, in-orbit, docking and landing operations. Behnken and Hurley will work with SpaceX mission control to verify the spacecraft is performing as intended by testing the environmental control system, the displays and control system, and by manoeuvring the thrusters, among other things. The Demo-2 mission is the final major test before NASA's Commercial Crew Programme certifies Crew Dragon for operational, long-duration missions to the space station. For operational missions, Crew Dragon will be able to launch as many as four crew members at a time and carry more than 220 pounds of cargo, allowing for an increased number crew members aboard the space station and increasing the time dedicated to research in the unique microgravity environment, as well as returning more science back to Earth. The first operational Crew Dragon mission, called Crew-1, could launch to the space station as early as August 30, Space.com reported. The Crew Dragon being used for this flight test can stay in orbit about 110 days, and the specific mission duration will be determined once on station based on the readiness of the next commercial crew launch. The operational Crew Dragon spacecraft will be capable of staying in orbit for at least 210 days as a NASA requirement. At the conclusion of the mission, Behnken and Hurley will board Crew Dragon, which will then autonomously undock, depart the space station, and re-enter Earth's atmosphere. Upon splashdown off Florida's Atlantic coast, the crew will be picked up by the SpaceX recovery ship and returned to the dock at Cape Canaveral. NASA selected SpaceX and Boeing to design, build, test and operate safe, reliable and cost-effective human transportation systems to low-Earth orbit as part of its Commercial Crew Programme to reduce the agency's dependence on Russia's Soyuz capsule for transportation of astronauts to the space station. "This is a dream come true for me and everyone at SpaceX," said Musk. President Moon Jae-in, second from left, speaks during the sixth emergency economic council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Monday. Yonhap President Moon Jae-in announced plans Monday for a string of big-spending government projects, including the Korean version of the New Deal, to ride out the economic crisis from COVID-19, presenting South Korea's "pacesetting" economic vision. Moon confirmed the government's push for the biggest-scale supplementary budget in the country's history, as he presided over the sixth emergency economic council meeting at Cheong Wa Dae. The session was meant to set the economic policy direction for the latter half of this year. "The Korean version of the New Deal is a new national development strategy to leap from a follower country to a pacesetting nation," the president said. The government will create a new opportunity for the future of South Korea with the massive creation of jobs by transforming the follower-style economy into a pacesetting one, he added. Mumbai-based Jhunjhunwala who started trading in the stock market with Rs 5,000 and went on to become a billionaire, is a self-professed long-term India bull, The coronavirus pandemic that forced the government to call for a nationwide lockdown on 26 March and which has continued with a little of relaxations in some areas, has brought in a change in the Big Bull of Dalal Street, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala. In an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18, he said he had turned from an 'eternal bull' to a 'hopeful one'. #RakeshJhunjhunwala says until today he was a sure bull, and now hes a hopeful bull. He says we need to look ahead & open the economy with precautions. Amongst sectors, he remains positive on pharma. He says, hes looking at long-term bull market for the sector pic.twitter.com/IIn8UYKNMn CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) June 1, 2020 Despite being a long time India bull, Jhunjhunwala says that he is feeling frustrated now. But, at the same time the recent bounce could well turn out to be the beginning of a new bull market, he said. Mumbai-based Jhunjhunwala who started trading in the stock market with Rs 5,000 and went on to become a billionaire, is a self-professed long-term India bull, building a fortune investing in stocks that have benefited from the countrys consumption boom. He is of the belief that country will eventually find its way to doing the right thing. Jhunjhunwala said the world was witnessing an unprecedented liquidity surge, which will invariably find its way towards India. If we do the right thing, we will grow at 8-10-12 percent. Even if we dont, earnings will grow at 5-6 percent, which would be enough to create a bull market, he said. Still, I am hopeful that we are at the start of a long-term bull market. Jhunjhunwala, Partner, Rare Enterprises, however, said the COVID-19 pandemic had been blown out of proportion. He said, infection and deaths per million in India due to COVID-19 have been the lowest.While commending the government's action to call for a lockdown, he said its impact would not be as bad as people believed it to be. "COVID-19 is highly infectious as well as tough for the old and people with co-morbidities. But it is after all, just like a flu," he said. India is the world's seventh worst-hit nation with nearly 2 lakh cases and more than 5,000 deaths. Jhunjhunwala said, people have to live with the virus for now, but the impact of the lockdown is unlikely to be as bad as people are expecting. 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. But Jhunjhunwala is confident the stock market may not be as impacted by the economic contraction. He added that as an investor, he wasnt much concerned about the lockdowns impact on corporate earnings. This year, I am only concerned about which companies will survive. As long as they survive, I have no problem with them. Aotearoa - A journey through New Zealand: Max Langille x Kamloops: About Time - Scott Wink Grant: In The Zone - Patrick Laffey: Good Times To Come: Nature: Under The Rug: Weird & Revered - Duke Thomson-Kurz: Follow The Fraser: Phil Gaimon - Everesting Record Attempt: Brad Simms - Welcome To Fit: Matt Ray - The Boston Massacre: Colony BMX - Take A Ticket: Zion Wright - You Good? My War - Miles Silvas: Toy Machine - Welcome To Hell: Golden: Originate: Jackie Chan - How To Do Action Comedy: Police Accountability - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Aotearoa is a short film about a road trip through New Zealand. Starring: Peter Kaiser. Editing: Peter Kaiser. Filming: Jonny Kielhorn, Peter Kaiser, and Heath Patterson. Aerials: Nick Hyne. Photography: Peter Kaiser and Jonny Kielhorn.Max Langille ripping up Kamloops in March. Video: @brodyjonescinema . Additional filming & racing drone: @kadfpv.Video: Brian Park. Additional shooting: Jarrett Moore. Thanks to Dan Leney, Aaron Boss, Jarrett Moore, Joe Esnouf, and lots of others for letting us poach their zones.Patrick Laffey taking advantage of that fall time riding on Vancouver Island.Dreaming of the day we can get back out on the trails.A mix between MTB and nature, filmed last summer.I grabbed my bike, my camera and my mate. Handed my mate the camera, he got some shots of me riding. I then chucked the shots in Premiere Pro and here's what we have!Filmed from 2016 to 2019, "Vagabond Squad" is a full-length video from Canadas Weird & Revered crew.Kyle Norbraten, James Doerfling, and Tom van Steenbergen want to rediscover their Canadian homeland. In search of undiscovered trails, they follow the Fraser River north from the Sunshine Coast to the Sibola mountain range in British Columbia. The three mountain bikers plan to reach deep into their bag of tricks to build and ride features along the way, but they'll need the right terrain. 'Til now, the Sibola range - named after one of the mythical Seven Cities of Gold - has never been tested for its bikeability, but they're hoping to strike it big...The day has come! After all the training, prep, and nerding, watch the boredom evolve into misery, as Phil sets a new record for this ridiculous idea of climbing 29,029 feet in one ride. Stick around for extra commentary and post-ride breakdown from Phil and Ben.Upon joining the squad, Brad didn't waste any time and met up to ride LA and the surrounding areas. With only a couple weeks of pedaling it's safe to say he didn't disappoint. When a rider like Brad laces a few personal NBD's you know it's gonna be a good one. Hit play and help us welcome Brad Simms to Fit! Video: Justin Benthien.The time has arrived. Six full minutes of mind-blowing, yet oddly casual riding from the one and only Matt Ray.For a year or so now we've been filming for a few video projects, "Take a Ticket" was one of those projects! Full sections from Zac Dangerfield, Jayden Fuller, Clint Millar, Paterico Fallico, Alex Hiam, and Chris James. Along with a mix section with Jake Wallwork, Paulo Sacaki, Koby Clayton, Marcel Gans, Konstantin Andreev and Dean Anderson. Shot and cut by Cooper Brownlee. Additional filming from Jayden Fuller, Clint Millar, Paterico Fallico, and Pat Freyne.Go behind the scenes of ''You Good?'' with previously unreleased footage of attempts, slams, makes, and throwaway clips from Zion Wright's part.Five trips, four years, and one epic switch back heel crossed off the NBD list, Miles' victory at Wallenberg didnt come easy. This is one helluva battle.Elissa Steamer, Ed Templeton, Jamie Thomas and more legends throwing down.Peering out her tall bedroom windows to the highway below, Caitlin Davis dreamed of life as an ecologist. When she saw mountains for the first time on a backpacking trip after college, her fate was sealed. Today, in Idahos demanding sagebrush country, the raptor biologist spends her days rappelling into golden eagle nests studying how human impact affects their reproduction and productivity.In sport, success is often defined by measuring yourself against the competition. With little change to the landscape of Alaska since her first trip 10 years ago, big mountain skier Michelle Parker returns to Haines to test her skillset in the mountains. As she revisits some of the steepest, most unforgiving lines of her career, we discover that her metric for success isn't measured by competition, Alaskan spines or blower pow, but found within.Some filmmakers can do action. Others can do comedy. But for 40 years, the master of combining them has been Jackie Chan. Lets see how he does it.John Oliver discusses the systems in place to investigate and hold police officers accountable for misconduct.Photo: JulienGrimard Lori Lane, SVP of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia, continues to redefine luxury real estate with Luxury Collection's newly released exclusive digital magazine. ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / May 31, 2020 / Luxury Collection of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties releases its Spring 2020 Issue of The Collective Atlanta, Luxury Collection's exclusive digital magazine. Led by Senior Vice President Lori Lane, the Luxury Collection team continues to seek new and innovative ways to raise the bar for luxury real estate marketing. For more information, please visit: https://luxuryredefined.com. "I am proud to present the Spring 2020 Issue of The Collective Atlanta," said Lori Lane, Senior Vice President Luxury Collection. "Our goal has always been to evoke an aspirational response and create an emotional connection with the consumers of luxury real estate. Now more than ever, we felt that it was important to provide the public with a sense of inspiration through captivating imagery, videos, articles, and more. Thank you to the incredible agents who represent these gorgeous listings and to our national and global affiliates for sharing their beautiful properties with us to be included in this issue." Luxury Collection Specialists represent some of the most sought-after homes across the state of Georgia. The Collective Atlanta highlights the extensive portfolio of these agents by showcasing the wide range of luxury listings throughout greater Atlanta, while also establishing Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties as a leader in the luxury real estate market. The Spring 2020 Issue aims to inspire and spark creativity as our world continues to adjust to a new type of normal. By incorporating photo galleries, videos, and more into the magazine, Luxury Collection provides readers with a completely digital interactive experience. In addition to the vast assortment of luxury properties, the magazine also features exclusive articles to keep readers engaged and informed about the company's latest happenings. For the first time ever, the Spring 2020 Issue of The Collective Atlanta includes properties courtesy of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices national and global affiliates to provide a sense of wonder and showcase the company's extensive worldwide presence. Keeping in line with the brand's avant-garde strategy, the magazine displays each of Luxury Collection's marketing campaigns to showcase the division's lifestyle-focused marketing approach. Story continues "Lori and her team consistently look for ways to raise the bar in terms of luxury real estate marketing," said Dan Forsman, President and CEO Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties. "The Collective Atlanta is a clear example of creativity and innovation that provides our agents with another tool to market their client's homes. This magazine is a huge asset for our company, and further sets us apart as we continue to redefine real estate." Click here to read the Spring 2020 Issue of The Collective Atlanta. About Luxury Collection Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties: Luxury Collection is an award-winning division of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties. Year after year, Luxury Collection continues to set the standard in the marketing and selling of luxury properties throughout the Metro Atlanta area. Backed by the power of one of the most respected brands in the world, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties is globally recognized as redefining luxury real estate. Through an extensive and innovative marketing strategy, Luxury Collection associates receive the most advanced marketing and technological resources, along with access to the vast global and local Berkshire Hathaway network, leading to more leads and closings for Luxury Collection listings. Contact Info: Name: Isabella Perdichizzi Email: Send Email Organization: Luxury Collection - Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices GA Properties, Luxury Redefined Address: 3500 Lenox Rd NE #300, Atlanta, Georgia 30326, United States Phone: +1-404-671-4195 Website: https://luxuryredefined.com SOURCE: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/592190/Atlanta-Luxury-Homes-Top-Broker-Releases-The-Collective-Atlanta-Spring-Issue America is at a low ebb. Pain and destruction strangle hopes and dreams of people across the country. People are dying - alone from a terrible virus or from a knee on the neck in full public view. Cities burn, destroying businesses and inflaming divisions. Tens of millions are out of work. The president makes it all worse. This is the state of the union as the nation reels from multiple blows, each one arriving with swift and overwhelming force. Long-standing, untreated inequalities have been exposed anew, and they, in turn, have highlighted the country's real vulnerabilities. What has been just below the surface, known but barely acknowledged and rarely addressed seriously, is now impossible to ignore. America experienced a wave of burning cities in the aftermath of a racial killing in 1968. America was hit by a pandemic in 1918 that killed even more people than the 102,000 who have died of the coronavirus. America was battered by a Great Depression in the 1930s and laid low by a Great Recession just a decade ago. America has never experienced all of this kind of tumult in the same moment. It is more than the system can bear, and people grieve for the country. The heinous killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police - one officer, Derek Chauvin, has since been fired and charged - provoked instantaneous outrage that united nearly every racial and ideological group in the country. It was a collective cry of anguish and a demand for change to what has become commonplace, the killing of unarmed black people at the hands of law enforcement. But today that unity brought about by Floyd's death is fraying, as what began as peaceful protests over yet another senseless killing of a black person quickly turned to violence and looting and businesses and police cars in flames. City leaders on the front lines, many of them black Americans, struggle to express their sympathy and solidarity with the underlying conditions that provoked the demonstrations while trying to quell those protests so they can save their communities from further damage and division. Through all this, President Donald Trump has spewed division with ill-chosen tweets about looting and "shooting" or "vicious dogs" and overpowering weapons. He has attacked Democratic leaders as their communities burn. He flails rather than leads, his instincts all wrong for what confronts the country. At a time when presidential leadership is most called for, at a time when Americans look to a president for words to unify and heal, many hope this president will resist that call - an extraordinary condemnation of the way he leads in crisis. "He should just stop talking," Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, said on CNN's "State of the Union." "This is like Charlottesville all over again. He speaks and he makes it worse. There are times when you should just be quiet, and I wish that he would just be quiet." On the same program, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, lamented what Trump has done in the face of the protests. "It's not lowering the temperature. It's sort of continuing to escalate the rhetoric," Hogan said. "And I think it's just the opposite of the message that should have been coming out of the White House." America's enemies revel in the chaos of this triple blow or seek to stir more disruption and division as they exploit the chaos. America's allies see a president further withdrawing U.S. leadership at a time when the world seeks to unite against the common enemy of the coronavirus. The American carnage that Trump promised in his inaugural address to end is literally and figuratively on the doorstep of the White House, for all the world to see. The coronavirus is not under control, and fears of a second wave persist. As the spread slows in some areas hit hardest early on, it grows in other places. The lifting of restrictions on businesses and other activity has in some places brought out crowds of people indifferent to calls for social distancing and the wearing of masks. The massive protests in cities also risk accelerating the spread of the virus. Trump once, twice, multiple times, dismissed the dangers. Now the pandemic has killed nearly twice as many people as were killed in the Vietnam War and the death toll continues to rise. Black people have borne the brunt of the pandemic, dying at rates far in excess of their share of the population. Hispanics, too, have been hit disproportionately. Economic pain abounds. The number of people filing for unemployment, though it has slowed in the past two weeks, has reached an astounding number, with roughly 40 million Americans out of work - the worst joblessness since the Depression. Many, if not the majority, of those are people who can least afford it: low-wage workers already struggling to pay their bills. Many small-business owners, the backbone of the economy, are barely holding on. Some have been forced to close, and more could follow. Now, in some neighborhoods in big and medium-size cities, they are experiencing another threat from the flames that engulfed their livelihoods. Congress and the White House stand seemingly frozen in the face of this economic catastrophe. Having moved swiftly earlier to supply aid, lawmakers remain at ideological loggerheads over what to do next, trapped in the past as if this were something ordinary and recognizable. States and cities that have cried out for assistance now have another problem to deal with, the destruction of streets and businesses and neighborhoods from days of violent protests. It can take years for riot corridors to rebound. "The original sin of this country still stains our nation today," former vice president Joe Biden said Friday. "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. And 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." The entire nation is bending under the weight of the pandemic, of economic reversals and of the tumult in the aftermath of Floyd's killing and how it is tearing apart cities. But that weight is felt more acutely in certain communities, among black Americans especially, and turning away no longer seems legitimate. It is in the American spirit to proclaim that better days lie ahead, that this country has faced and overcome every challenge, external or internal. That is useful to remember. But it is also important to recognize the troubled and weakened state of the country today and all the things that have contributed to it and the enormity of finding the will and the leadership that will be needed in the days ahead. According to a transcript provided by the governors office about the exchange between Pritzker and Trump, the governor said: "I wanted to take this moment and I cant let it pass to speak up and say that Ive been extraordinarily concerned about the rhetoric thats been used by you. Its been inflammatory, and its not OK for that officer to choke George Floyd to death. But we have to call for calm. We have to have police reform called for. Weve called out our National Guard and our state police, but the rhetoric thats coming out of the White House is making it worse. And I need to say that people are feeling real pain out there and weve got to have national leadership in calling for calm and making sure that were addressing the concerns of the legitimate peaceful protesters. That will help us to bring order. The laying of the cornerstone of Birminghams Confederate Soldiers & Sailors Monument in 1894 was the crowning event of a large gathering of Confederate veterans, The Birmingham News reported. News editor Rufus N. Rhodes, who headed a Sons of Confederate Veterans group and is honored with a Birmingham park of his own, introduced Confederate Gen. Stephen D. Lee to the crowd as the model for the civilized world. May the blood of our martyrs be the seed of such a race in the future, Lee said of the Confederate dead. A Bible, Confederate flag, and Birmingham newspapers were placed inside the cornerstone. Sunday night, the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis brought another large crowd to Linn Park. Their plan was to tear down the 52-foot-tall obelisk honoring Confederate veterans that has been at the center of a years-long legal battle with Alabama. That plan seemed to come a halt after a plea from Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin to wait until Tuesday to resolve the situation. Protesters, however, did damage that monument and a few others at, or near, the park once known as Capitol Park. The demonstrators then began damaging buildings across downtown, prompting the mayor to issue a citywide curfew. Here are the stories behind those monuments. The east face of the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument is shown in Linn Park in Birmingham. The Birmingham Park and Recreation Board is attempting to have the monument removed from the park where it has stood for 110 years. (File) MARK ALMONDMARK ALMOND The Confederate statue: The statue was dedicated in 1905 after years of fundraising efforts led by prominent Birmingham citizens gathered $4,000. At the dedication, there was a parade of 1,000, including Birmingham students, police and firefighters. The manner of their death, was the crowning glory of their lives, a quote from Confederate presidemt Jefferson Davis reads on one of the obelisks inscriptions. The Alabama Supreme Court in 2019 ruled that the city of Birmingham violated Alabamas monument protection law when it placed a plywood screen around a Confederate monument in Linn Park in August 2017. The court an order the city to pay a $25,000 fine. The plywood was placed there on orders of former Birmingham Mayor William Bell after the state passed the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act in 2017 in response to removals and calls for removal of Confederate monuments on public property. Attorney General Steve Marshall filed a lawsuit against Birmingham. The Charles Linn statue: What did come crashing down was the statue of Charles Linn, a sea captain who volunteered to aid the Confederate Navy and later founded what became one of Birminghams once largest banks, AmSouth. Remains of confederate monument in Birmingham pic.twitter.com/OWe6fRSJnV Daniel Uhlfelder (@DWUhlfelderLaw) June 1, 2020 A large crowd watched and cheered as the statue was spray-painted and brought down with ropes. The Linn Statue had been in the park since 2013. The Multiple Sclerosis Society, Alabama-Mississippi Chapter installed the statue of Linn with a ceremony featuring artist Branko Medenica. Protesters tear down a statue in Linn Park in Birmingham Sunday night. --> https://t.co/lDlyoMxp6S pic.twitter.com/OHrz2GOlLF WBRC FOX6 News (@WBRCnews) June 1, 2020 The Multiple Sclerosis Society chapter annually honors one person or family for great leadership by commissioning or purchasing a work of art and placing it in a public setting, AL.com reported at the time. The Linn statue was 8 feet tall and made of bronze, and was set on a five-foot base clad in granite. The chapter paid for the installation. Linn, a sea captain, came to Birmingham in 1871 and founded the citys first bank. His company, Linn Iron Works, was a major employer. He was also an early advocate of city green space, allowing residents to use his land as a park and promoting the planting of trees downtown. In 1838, Linn arrived in Montgomery, married, widowed, and married again, having fathered five kids along the way. At the outbreak of the Civil War he sent all but his oldest son, Charles William, to Dresden for their safety," according to BhamWiki. Linn and Charles William volunteered to ferry cotton through the Union blockades to trade in Great Britain and Cuba for gold and supplies. After many successful crossings, the ship was finally captured off the Florida keys and Linn and his son were taken prisoner and sent to Washington to stand trial as war criminals. They were both pardoned, however, and the two Linns joined the wholesale grocery firm of Flash, Lewis & Co. in New Orleans. Linn died in 1882 at age 68 and is entombed in a mausoleum at Oak Hill Cemetery. The downtown park was known as Woodrow Wilson Park (after being named Capitol Park) before its name was changed to honor Linn in the 1980s. The Thomas Jefferson Statue: As the protest moved to the nearby courthouse, the Thomas Jefferson statue at the Jefferson County Courthouse, adjacent to the park, was damaged about 10 p.m. after someone set a fire at its base and several windows in the courthouse were broken by rocks thrown in the demonstration. Protesters set fire to the Thomas Jefferson statue in Linn Park. pic.twitter.com/5t2NXTMHQC Madison Underwood (@MadisonU) June 1, 2020 The sculpture was dedicated in 1977, a year after its creator, noted Birmingham artist George Bridges died. Originally commissioned by the Birmingham Bar Association for their Law Day project. To assist with fundraising, the commission was adopted by the Jefferson County Historic Commission. $5,000 in seed money toward the commission was contributed by the Jefferson Federal Savings and Loan, who desired a statue for their property," according to the Smithsonian. Bridges and his wife were considered pillars of Birmingham, converting their house into a treatment center for alcoholics and teaching unemployed men how to craft stone into benches for hospitals. However Jefferson, the nations third president, was also a slave owner and fathered six children with one, Sally Hemmings. The statue did not appear to have sustained much damage. The WWI Doughboy and Spanish American War Veterans statues Standing on either side of the Confederate monuments are statues honoring soldiers of two other wars -- World War I and the Spanish-American War. Those statues were left standing but are covered in graffiti. The Doughboy statue is one of eight in Alabama, according to journalist Kelly Kazek. The most common statue nationwide is Spirit of the American Doughboy, by Ernest Moore Dick Viquesney (1876-1946). There are at least three in Alabama. The Birmingham statue was, according to BhamWiki, "commissioned by the Greek-American Citizens of Birmingham in honor of the American Legion Birmingham Post No. 1. " In memory of the comrades who gave their lives in the service of our country during the World War. Presented to Birmingham Post No. 1 of the American Legion by the Greek-American Citizens. Birmingham, Alabama. Armistice Day 1923," its inscription reads. In 1944, the Doughboy was joined by The Hiker, which honored the service members of the Spanish-Amercan War, as well as the Philippines Insurrection and the Boxer Rebellion, after the funds were raised by the Ladies Auxiliary. The latest: The chaos, looting and unrest over the death of George Floyd plays out across in a besieged nation where a coronavirus pandemic had confined most Americans at home for months. This convergence of national ills police brutality, racism and a deadly contagion -- is now prompting warnings that mounting protests could exacerbate the spread of a virus that has already disproportionately impacted communities of color. "You have a right to demonstrate. You have the right to protest. God bless America," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during his coronavirus briefing Saturday. "You don't have a right to infect other people. You don't have a right to act in a way that's going to jeopardize public health." As the death of the unarmed and handcuffed African American man at the hands of Minneapolis police leads to protests, fires and clashes across the country, Cuomo and other officials have a message for demonstrators Wear a mask. "Even if you think you're a superhero because you're young and you're strong, you can get it and then infect someone else," Cuomo said of the virus. "So it's just wholly irresponsible... You can have an opinion but there are also facts, and you're wrong not to wear a mask." The protests, expected to continue through the weekend, have been especially violent in Floyd's hometown of Minneapolis, where demonstrators seem to have outnumbered police for days burning buildings and cars and firing guns in the night. Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said she understood the sadness and anger in the community but cautioned protesters that Minneapolis and St. Paul remain a hotspot for the spread of COVID-19. "This is essential not only to protect themselves but also to protect their loved ones and the larger community," she said in a statement. "This includes wearing masks when in public and maintaining social distancing as much as possible." Minnesota's coronavirus death toll surpassed 1,000 this week, according to the state health department. Malcolm said the state was "one of the communities most vulnerable to rapid increases in the spread of the virus" in the nation. Massive protests across US raise fears of new virus outbreaks The mayor of Atlanta, one of dozens of U.S. cities hit by massive protests in recent days, has a message for demonstrators: "If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week." As emergency orders are lifted and beaches and businesses reopen, add protests to the list of concerns about a possible second wave of coronavirus outbreaks. It's also an issue from Paris to Hong Kong, where anti-government protesters accuse police of using social distancing rules to break up their rallies. Health experts fear that silent carriers of the virus who have no symptoms could unwittingly infect others at gatherings with people packed cheek to jowl and cheering and jeering, many without masks. "Whether they're fired up or not that doesn't prevent them from getting the virus," said Bradley Pollock, chairman of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis. One Atlanta protester said she has no choice following the death last Monday of George Floyd, a black man, after a white police officer in Minneapolis pressed a knee into his neck. "It's not OK that in the middle of a pandemic we have to be out here risking our lives," Spence Ingram, a black woman, said after marching with other protesters to the state Capitol in Atlanta on Friday. "But I have to protest for my life and fight for my life all the time." Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, in her warning Saturday evening, said "there is still a pandemic in America that's killing black and brown people at higher numbers." After another night of unrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said that many protesters wearing masks were simply trying to hide their identities and "cause confusion and take advantage of this situation." The state's health commissioner has warned that the protests are almost certain to fuel new cases of the virus. Minnesota reported 35 deaths on Thursday, a single-day high in the outbreak, and 29 more on Friday. "We have two crises that are sandwiched on top of one other," Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said. The protests come at a time when many U.S. cities are beginning to relax stay-at-home orders. When Los Angeles officials announced the reopening of stores last week, they said political protests could resume but with a cap of 100 people. That didn't stop several hundred people from showing up for a protest that shut down a freeway. Most wore masks, but many did not observe a buffer zone. Even for the many protesters who have been wearing masks, those don't guarantee protection from the coronavirus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends cloth masks because they can make it more difficult for infected people to spread the virus but they are not designed to protect the person wearing the mask from getting it. World Health Organization releases new guidance for mass gatherings The World Health Organization on Saturday released new guidance for mass gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic, recommending a number of possible changes to large events once theyre allowed to take place. Holding gatherings outdoors, limiting attendance to healthy people and staggering arrivals could all help limit the spread of the virus, according to the guidance. In the context of COVID-19, mass gatherings are events that could amplify the transmission of the virus and potentially disrupt the host countrys response capacity, the guidance said. But it said large events offered benefits, too, such as providing employment and boosting psychological well-being. Since mass gatherings have substantial political, cultural, social, and economic implications, authorities should assess the importance and necessity of an event and consider the option that it may take place, provided all associated public health risks are adequately addressed and mitigated, the guidance said. The WHO called on public health authorities and event organizers to perform a risk assessment before any gathering and listed a number of steps organizers could take if large events do occur, such as staggering arrivals, increasing the frequency of transport, designating seating, venue capacity could also be adjusted and events could be held virtually or outdoors. Some recommendations focused on participants, reminding people to observe physical distancing, cough etiquette and hand hygiene practices. People at risk of developing severe illness including those over the age of 65 or with pre-existing medical conditions could be advised to stay away, or special arrangements could be made for them. The WHO recommendations included a number of other measures as well, such as limiting the duration of events and providing on-site isolation facilities for people who become sick. More than 10 weeks into the COVID-19 public health order, more than 6,500 San Franciscans still have nowhere to safely shelter in place. Our city has followed one public health policy for those with housing and a separate one for people experiencing homelessness. The virus does not discriminate who it infects. Our social structures, however, do. People experiencing homelessness are at higher risk of contracting, getting sick, and dying from COVID-19. The only way to ensure all people can protect themselves during the pandemic is to provide universal access to safe shelter. The most effective way to meet the emergency need is to offer lodging in vacant hotel rooms. Hotel rooms provide people with the tools they need to stay healthy during COVID-19. Reliable running water, private bathrooms, and space for physical distancing are all critical for preventing infections. Services that have been otherwise difficult to access during shelter in place, including meals, in-person medical care, and a secure place to rest, are available in the hotels. Furthermore, dignified shelter provides relief from the emotional strain of the pandemic, sending a clear message to people experiencing homelessness: your life matters and must be protected. Shelter in hotels also creates other opportunities for advancing health. With newfound stability, people are addressing chronic medical and mental health concerns, tackling drug use, and reconnecting with family members. Once people can rest and start thinking beyond their daily survival, their health and wellness improve, and our entire community benefits. Housing rights advocates and people impacted by homelessness know this. Evictions, gentrification, real estate speculation, and criminalization of homelessness have been terrorizing the health of people in San Francisco long before COVID-19, and disproportionately impacting black, Latinx, indigenous, and disabled communities. When the eviction moratorium expires, there will be new waves of homelessness unless we act now. The pandemic is laying bare these realities. Thankfully, solutions exist. Tens of thousands of hotel rooms are vacant across the city. Regardless of the Federal Emergency Management Agencys compensation, the city can commandeer these rooms for the purpose of shelter. So far, the city has moved only about 1,400 of the estimated 8,000 unhoused people into hotels. We must accelerate the opening and staffing of hotels so that every San Franciscan experiencing homelessness can be offered a room. The virus is here until we achieve herd immunity estimated to occur at the end of 2022. Housing in hotels must happen in conjunction with developing permanent, community-driven housing solutions for all, now and after the pandemic. We understand housing all San Franciscans experiencing homelessness is not a simple feat, and COVID-19 presents unique barriers. But the crisis also opens new possibilities, ones that benefit both our unhoused and housed neighbors. All our lives are at stake when this virus continues to spread. Leveraging the resources of this wealthy city, we have an opportunity to create a culture of care, starting with repurposing vacant hotel rooms to support those most vulnerable among us. As physicians, we work each day to prevent and treat COVID-19 infection. And we know healing doesnt stop there. Thats why weve allied with housing rights advocates, unhoused people, and faith leaders, and signed a joint letter with 200 health workers to demand immediate action from the city. When it comes to the increased risks to health for people impacted by homelessness, the prescription is clear. During the pandemic and beyond, housing is the cure. Olivia Park, M.D., M.P.H., is an incoming family medicine resident physician at LifeLong Medical Care. Juliana Morris, M.D., EdM is a clinical instructor in family medicine at San Francisco General Hospital and UCSF. Rupa Marya, M.D., is an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine at UCSF, and a Healthy California for All Commissioner. Each is a member of the Do No Harm Coalition. The Rev. Maurice Linehan used to joke that he would never be seen with his arms folded in a stern posture. As his parishioners at Friendswoods Mary Queen Catholic Church can attest, that wasnt who Father Moe was. He was so reverent, yet so down to earth, and on a lighter note, could make you laugh and enjoyed just hanging out, chuch member Carmen Schoolmeyer said of Linehan, who died May 14 at age 94 in Connecticut, where he had retired in 2019. CASE COUNTS: Houston coronavirus updates: The latest Houston and Texas numbers Linehan, who served as priest in residence for eight years at Mary Queen, died at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Conn., of complications from the coronavirus, according Anita Shorosky, receptionist/secretary at Mary Queen. Linehans imprint on his Friendswood church is deeply felt, said Schoolmeyer. God has blessed us with many wonderful priests, but no one could ever fill Father Moes shoes, she said. He was certainly one of a kind. He was my spiritual advisor, my wonderful friend and my inspiration. Growing up in an Irish-American Catholic family in Watertown, Mass., Linehan felt the church as a constant presence. In a 2019 interview, he said that for as long as he could remember, he had wanted to devote his life to the priesthood. That calling led him to parishes throughout the United States as part of the order of the La Salette Missionaries. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Fact check: Gov. Abbott says almost 75 percent of Texas coronavirus fatalities are 65 or over I like it here, he said of Mary Queen, which is part of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Time spent with Father Moe was priceless That sentiment was reciprocated. Bill Prindiville will cherish the times he spent with Linehan, whether it was for a chat before or after church, while walking with him to and from the rectory, while sharing a cup of coffee in the morning, or having a burger at Red-Top Texas Style Burgers in Friendswood. Any time spent with Father Moe was priceless, Prindiville said. Like Schoolmeyer, Prindiville will remember the priest who took his role as spiritual guide to heart while also maintaining his humility and finding humor in daily life. I felt honored and privileged to share a friendship with him, and I was always impressed, almost in awe, of this elderly, stately and holy man of God, he said. Not since my own father passed away years ago had I found anyone so able to cut through the chaff and clearly see the true human situation without unnecessary smoke and frills. He was always able to get right to the essential heart of the matter. I felt his sanctity was obvious, yet he retained a sense of humor about any and every situation. He is irreplaceable, and I feel his absence and loss deeply. MORNING REPORT: Get the top stories on HoustonChronicle.com sent directly to your inbox According to Darrell Moulton , a deacon at Mary Queen, Linehan followed a traditional path of being very connected to parishioners daily lives. I will be forever grateful for his love of the people and of almighty God, and I miss his laughter, Moulton said. I think the word irreplaceable is difficult to define in this situation. People come and go in our lives, at Gods will. When a man like Father Moe is gone, I wait for another, but there will never be another Father Moe, just as there will never be another anyone, and so on. Linehan came to Mary Queen when he was in his late 80s, but his energy belied his numerical age, according to parishioner David Merlau. I found it remarkable that a priest his age was so faithful to daily Mass, hearing confessions, blessings, adoration, and just being present and available to the parish, Merlau said. His presence was regular enough that people knew what times to just stop by to see him, and he always made time. At 93, Linehan had a sharp mind and memory and continued to not only minister, but to teach, Prindiville said. He could have retired decades ago in a priests retirement home in Hartford, Connecticut, said Prindiville, but chose to continue at Mary Queen. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Remembering those lost to COVID-19 He was a wealth of knowledge and a font of information about any human situation and of all things concerning the church and the Catholic faith, Prindiville said. I appreciated his no-frills approach to prayer and religion and his willingness to share all of this with myself and his close friends. I dont know anyone else who could take his place in this regard and be so open and approachable. I can hear him now Moulton remembers the last time he visited Linehan before he left for Hartford and after he had been in a rehab facility in Friendswood. As he was entering the car to leave, there seemed to be few words spoken, he said. It was a simple goodbye and perhaps a tear or two. I think he really was not sure where he was going, or maybe he knew but didnt want to talk about it. I suspect that after leaving, he expressed his love and care for all of us. I can hear him now, You know, these are really good people. Schoolmeyer remembers Linehans last few days in Friendswood and how his humility and lightness cut through the sad goodbyes. I told Father Moe that night at the rehab center, before he left for Connecticut, that we were so fortunate to have had him so long, but it was time for him to grace Connecticut with his presence, she said. He dried his tears and laughed. yorozco@hcnonline.com ATLANTA, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- MoistureShield, a division of Oldcastle APG, a CRH Company, has expanded in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Eastern Tennessee with Fortress Wood Products, based in Martinsville, VA. Fortress Wood Products will distribute MoistureShield wood composite decking products to dealers from its three locations in Henderson, High Point and Elizabeth City, North Carolina. "Fortress is excited to partner with MoistureShield to expand our portfolio of decking in the Carolinas and Virginia," said Tim Parker, Vice President, Fortress Wood Products. "Our key elements for success are to provide the highest quality products and exceptional customer service to the market. We believe our core values are in alignment with those of MoistureShield and this should be a very strong partnership." Manufactured in the USA, MoistureShield Vision product line features a variety of colors with the strongest cap in the industry. Vision also features unique CoolDeck Technology, which reduces heat absorption by up to 35% compared to standard capped composites in a similar color. Elevate, a newly-introduced capped decking product, features two classic, solid colors and two new variegated colors to emulate rich tropical hardwoods at an entry-level price point. "We look forward to growing the MoistureShield brand throughout the Southeast, a region that embraces outdoor living. With the support of Fortress Wood Products' best-in-class sales and service proposition, as well as their three fulfillment locations, we are well-positioned for success," said Matthew Bruce, VP of Sales, MoistureShield. With a proven track record of zero structural failures in the field for over 30 years, MoistureShield is backed by a 50-year transferrable structural warranty for all decking series. All MoistureShield decking features the Solid Core Difference for advanced strength and moisture resistance, ensuring it can be installed directly on the ground, in the ground or under water. Learn more at www.MoistureShield.com. About Oldcastle APG Oldcastle APG, North America's largest manufacturer of Outdoor Living Products, is part of CRH's Building Products division. CRH is a leading global diversified building materials group with operating locations in 32 countries worldwide. MoistureShield, a division of Oldcastle APG, proudly manufactures composite deck boards and related products serving a range of retail and distribution customers across North America and several international markets. Learn more at www.MoistureShield.com. About Fortress Wood Products: Fortress Wood Products, located in Martinsville, VA, is a wood preserving company with production facilities in High Point, Henderson, and Elizabeth City, NC. Since 1986 Fortress has catered primarily to contractor-based lumberyards throughout the Carolinas, Virginia, Tennessee, West Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic states. Visit www.fortresswood.com to learn more. SOURCE MoistureShield Related Links https://www.moistureshield.com Pete Alonso wont stay quiet. Following the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, at the hands of a white Minneapolis police, the Mets star first baseman said he was going to be part of a change in the nation. To anyone who faces this type of discrimination, I will fight for you and be an ally, Alonso wrote in a message on Instagram. Read Alonsos full post: For the past couple of days, Ive struggled to wrap my mind around whats happening. I have a voice and I will not remain silent. My heart has been broken over the murder of George Floyd. I will never know what it feels like to be discriminated against because (of) the color of my skin. To anyone who faces this type of discrimination, I will fight for you and be an ally. I will always stand with you. There needs to be justice and change made for the better of humanity. Let words be our sword and unity be our armor. Take care of each other. 20. Buy coronavirus face coverings: MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA Floyd, who wasnt armed, died after Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis police officer, knelt on his neck for several minutes while Floyd was handcuffed. Four police officers who were at the scene have been fired. Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder. Floyds death has sparked dozens of protests, some of them fiery, across the nation, including in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York City and Newark. They continued into Sunday. Alex Rodriguez, the former Yankees slugger and current ESPN analyst, also weighed in Sunday. Dont do it, Rodriguez tweeted. Dont turn your back on racism. Dont sit back & be silent. Dont think you cant be part of the change. My heart is breaking right now. So many people are hurting. We all need to speak up and spread love. Dont sit and watch. Do something. A-Rod also tagged Nike in the post, along with a video from the company. Lets all be part of the change, A-Rod added. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Popular file transfer website WeTransfer has been banned in India by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), citing national interest and public interest for the ban. The DoT, in its order on May 18, directed telecom operators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to ban three website Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), one of which is the WeTransfer website. The other two URLs that have been banned are also specific pages of WeTransfer, reported Mumbai Mirror. It is unknown what these two links contained and why the entire website has been banned. Moneycontrol tried accessing WeTransfer on both mobile and desktop, but got a message The site cant be reached. The ban on WeTransfer comes during the time when several companies and educational institutes are working from home and are using file transfer services to exchange large-sized documents and data during the coronavirus pandemic. Found in 2009, WeTransfer reportedly has over 50 million users around the world and has seen a surge in its usage, especially during the lockdown in India. The website allows users to send files up to 2GB to the recipients email for free without the need to create a separate account. Premium users can send up to 20GB of files and also get 1TB storage space. 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 Websites are typically banned when they are found promoting illegal practices, encourage pornography or are a threat to national security. In its reply to several complaints on Twitter, WeTransfer said it had received reports of being partially blocked in India and was investigating the issue to have more details. The website recommends using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) as a temporary workaround to use the service. Meanwhile, some of the users did manage to access it even without using VPN. There are several other apps and websites like DropBox, Google Drive, etc, that offer file transfer services and can be used as WeTransfer alternatives. Six-in-ten Britons haven't had sex during lockdown a new study reveals today - as new guidelines come into force making the chances of a fling even less likely, with two people from different households banned from gathering in any private place. The study found that just 39.9 per cent of UK adults have been 'sexually active' during the coronavirus crisis as self isolation and social distancing have played havoc with love lives. And the new coronavirus regulation says: 'No person may participate in a gathering which takes place in a public or private place indoors, and consists of two or more persons.' Previous regulations didn't include wording about private places but now only those with 'reasonable excuses' are allowed to gather privately - and sex in a public place is already illegal. New coronavirus guidelines will explicitly ban two people from different households gathering in a private place Reasonable excuses include elite athletes, people attending funerals, vulnerable people, workers and separated parents seeing their children - not those looking for sex. But according to medical experts the Government should be encouraging more adults to have sex during lockdown for the sake of their physical and mental health. Health researchers from the universities of Anglia Ruskin and Ulster are studying how current guidelines are affecting the relationships of nearly 900 adults. It found younger, married adults and particularly men were claiming to be having sex while those who drank alcohol were also more active in bed, they told the specialist publication The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Lead authors of the study Dr Lee Smith and Professor Mark Tully called on the government to promote sexual activity to keep older Britons in particularly healthy in both body and mind, along with advice to stay alert, social distance and wash hands regularly. Regular sex helps to protect older adults from heart problems, improves cognitive function and generally promotes wellbeing. According to medical experts the Government should be encouraging more adults to have sex during lockdown for the sake of their physical and mental health Dr Smith said: 'When starting this research we expected there to be a high level of sexual activity while social isolating at home, but interestingly we found a very low level. 'This low level of sexual activity could be explained by people currently feeling anxious and stressed owing to the pandemic and not being in the mood to engage in the act. 'Moreover, those who are not married or cohabiting may not currently be able to meet up with their sexual partners and similarly those who use online apps to facilitate casual sex will currently not be able to do this. 'A lot of my previous research has shown that a frequent and trouble-free sex life is important for higher levels of enjoyment of life and general mental health, and this is particularly true for older adults. 'However, this study showed that older adults were less likely than younger adults to engage in sexual activity.' Tourists at Linh Quy Phap An Pagoda in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong. (Photo: VNA) Travel companies specialising in inbound and bound markets, however, must wait to reopen when foreign tourists are allowed to enter the country again, according to Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, deputy director of the department. Travel agencies are now focusing on domestic air travel as part of an effort to recover from the fall-out caused by COVID-19, Hoa said. Most travel companies are seeking help from the Governments relief package so they can remain in business. The department has submitted to the State Bank of Vietnams HCM City branch a list of 50 travel firms in need of aid packages from the Government and banks. Travel firms are coordinating with airlines, hotels and resorts, restaurants and tourist spots to develop tour stimulus packages discounted by 50-60 percent. Tours from HCM City to the Central Highlands for two days, for example, have discounts of 500,000-1 million VND (21-42 USD) and are sold for 1-1.5 million VND (42-64 USD) per person. Tours to destinations in the north are priced at 4.5 million VND (193 USD) per person, down from 7 million VND (300 USD). Many travel companies have reported a rise in the number of domestic travel bookings in the past few days. A Vietravel representative said there has been a surge in bookings for car and hotel services, but the number of tour package bookings remains modest. Major US cities are on the edge right now as protests over African-American George Floyd's killing in police custody turned violent. Police fired tear gas outside the White House late Sunday and curfew was imposed in major US cities were to suppress rioting as anti-racism protestors again took to the streets to voice fury at police brutality. Police have been using force against the protesters. But journalists covering the protests are facing the ire of the men in uniform, sometimes on live camera. Many of these incidents have been caught on camera exposing the risks ad perils of covering the anti-racist protests. The fact that they are being taped on camera hasn't stopped the police from firing projectiles at reporters or even heckling them. In one of the first reports that emerged from protest sites in Minneapolis, CNN reporter Omar Jimenez was handcuffed and taken away while he was live on air on Friday. The crew, including the cameraman and producer, were detained too. This happened when Jimenez was covering the third night of protests following George Floyd's death. The CNN reporter was doing the live coverage of the police station was set ablaze. The cops asked the crew to move, but Jimenez told them they would move, but they were live on air. "We can move back to where you'd like here. We are live on the air at the moment," he is heard saying. Next moment, the reporter is handcuffed and taken away. On Saturday, two members of a Reuters TV crew were hit by rubber bullets and injured in Minneapolis on when police moved into an area occupied by about 500 protesters in the southwest of the city shortly after the 8 pm curfew. Footage taken by cameraman Julio-Cesar Chavez showed a police officer aiming directly at him as police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd. In another incident from Minneapolis, the Dw said that its reporter and DW reporter and cameraperson were shot shot at with projectiles by police and threatened with arrest while covering the protests. A DW reporter and his camera operator have been shot at with projectiles by Minneapolis police and threatened with arrest while covering the protests sparked by the death of George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/SFKMv5SFW6 DW News (@dwnews) May 31, 2020 A Fox News reporter was pummeled and chased by protesters who had gathered outside the White House early Saturday as part of nationwide unrest following the death of George Floyd. In Louisville, WAVE-TV was on the air covering a demonstration when video showed a police officer aiming a rifle at reporter Kaitlin Rust and her crew. She was heard yelling, Ive been shot! Ive been shot! and described them as pepper bullets. Two Associated Press photographers have been hit by projectiles while documenting protests, one in Minneapolis on Thursday and another in Los Angeles on Friday. Protests have broken out in major US cities after Floyd's killing early last week. A cop pinned him down to the ground with his knee on his neck for some nine minutes until Floyd succumbed. All the while, Floyd kept saying 'I can't breathe'. His plea to let him go has become the protest slogan in the US. A coating to make body armour impervious to bullets, lasers, microbes and even poison gas is being developed in the US from the same material as shrimp shells. Chitin is a robust natural material which forms the shells of crustaceans, protects butterfly wings and is found in mushroom cells. The material is a naturally occurring, and therefore biodegradable, polymer which offers hope as an eco-friendly alternative to plastics. Scientists are taking chitin, tweaking its chemical structure to make it extremely strong, and using 3D-printing to make enhanced protective equipment. Scroll down for video Chitin is a robust natural material which forms the shells of crustaceans, protects butterfly wings and is found in mushroom cells. Scientists are taking chitin, tweaking its chemical structure and using 3D printing to make protective equipment such as lightweight body armour (stock) Engineers will use 3D printing to customise products made from chitin. Armour coating made from the material will feature three layers. One will soak up high-energy impacts, one will absorb toxic gases in the air and the other will allow the coating to stick to other materials The research from the University of Houston has been funded by a $660,000 grant from the US Department of Defense. Chitin is made from glucose, the molecule which provides energy in almost all living creatures, and is found in the cell walls of arthropods and fungi. These groups evolved to use chitin in a similar way to how plants evolved to use cellulose to provide rigidity and strength in cell walls. Mammals do not have cell walls, with only a thin membrane protecting a cell. However, some organisms do have cell walls, and they are made of chitin or cellulose. Chitin is a naturally occurring, and therefore biodegradable, polymer which offers hope as an eco-friendly alternative to plastics. It is also found in the cell walls of mushrooms (stock) Glucose-derived chitin chains are made of individual units, each with two two small branches sticking out called acetyl groups (pictured) which makes the material brittle. To combat this, and create a more pliable material, the researchers chemically remove these acetyl groups to form a chemical called chitosan. Chitosan is then modified to enable researchers to 3D print a variety of materials The role of chitin in an exoskeleton The shrimp shell consists of three primary structural components: Chitin (20-30 %). It is a linear polymer of amino sugars. Proteins (30-40%) Calcium carbonate (30-50%). A bone-like mineral Pigments (astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, lutein or -carotene) provide the colouration All these components are arranged in a layered structure that looks like a spiral staircase. The calcified chitin and protein makes the exoskeleton firm. Chitin is a stiff organic molecule which forms the exoskeleton of almost all insects. Advertisement Alamgir Karim, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and an author of the research, said: 'What if we could process these materials and get them to a certain level of performance, so we could do some really good things in the plastics world? 'They would be biodegradable by design, so they could decompose and return to Mother Nature.' Chitin has evolved to be perfect for nature, but the scientists are tweaking it slightly in their research. They are using mushrooms as a source of chitin in their research as it is more stable and consistent than that of shrimps. The glucose-derived chitin chains have small branches sticking out of them called acetyl groups which makes the material brittle. To combat this, and create a more pliable material, the researchers chemically remove these acetyl groups to form a chemical called chitosan. Chitosan is then modified to enable researchers to lay chains on top of one another with nothing interfering with the bonds. This allows the separate chains to get very close to one another and form super-strong bonds, giving it enormous strength. Engineers can then use 3D printing to customise products made from the strong material. Armour made from the material will feature three layers of chitin. One will soak up high-energy impacts, one will absorb toxic gases in the air and the other will allow the coating to stick to other materials. Its energy-absorbing crush layer will work by soaking up energy in the same way as crumple zones in modern cars. Force will be dissipated throughout the material, reducing the force at one particular point and therefore protecting the wearer from the penetrative potential of some projectiles. The second layer will see carbon nanoparticles implanted in a chitin-derived polymer layer which can absorb toxic gases. These two layers will sit atop a baselayer which is designed to adhere to other materials to allow the functional coating to be applied to a wide range of items, including canvas. European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and British Prime Minister's Europe adviser David Frost - Reuters The European Union needs to "kick things into gear much faster", government sources warned on as they said foot dragging over negotiations would leave it "too late" to agree a deal. On Tuesday, the UK will enter into its fourth round of trade talks with Brussels and continue until Friday. Speaking ahead of the talks, Michel Barnier, the EUs chief Brexit negotiator, accused Britain of not keeping its commitments and said: "The UK has been taking a step back - two steps back, three steps back - from the original commitments. However a senior British government source said: It is the UK that is driving any progress being made in this negotiation. The Commission are either not ready or not willing to inject momentum. They need to put some political reality into their approach, and appreciate that they cannot use their usual tactic of delay to drag the talks into the Autumn. By then it will be too late, as businesses need to know what to prepare for with as much time as is practicable. The last round of talks ended in mutual recrimination, with the EU and the UK deeply divided over fishing. Britains chief negotiator ruled out giving European boats access to UK waters in return for better conditions for British financial services in the EUs Single Market. The Political Declaration, a joint document for the trade talks, said a deal on fishing and financial services should be completed by July, ahead of the end of year deadline for a trade deal to be finalised. The formal deadline for any extension to the transition period is next month, with Downing Street repeatedly saying it will not extend the transition period. In an interview with a Sunday newspaper Mr Barnier said there would not be an "agreement at any cost" adding: "The UK negotiators need to be fully in line with what the Prime Minister signed-up to with us. Mark Francois, chair of the European Research Group of Tory MPs, said: Despite this latest cri de coeur from Michel Barnier, this follows a familiar pattern when they talk tough only to climb down afterwards. Story continues Remember, this is the man who swore blind they would never reopen the withdrawal agreement, and certainly never abandon the backstop, and then proceeded to do both, all in the space of three months. A source close to the negotiations said: The Political Declaration clearly sets out that a separate agreement on fish should be in force in July, in advance of the other agreements, but the EU continue to push for one single overarching agreement and to hold up the deadline. They clearly need to reconsider their position to avoid backsliding on the agreement made last autumn, and stop making demands incompatible with our future status as an independent coastal state. On Sunday night Peter Bone, a member of the Parliamentary committee on the UKs future relationship with the EU, called on the Government to set a deadline of October 31 for deciding whether an agreement was feasible, to begin no-deal preparations before the deadline on December 31. He said a deadline would force Downing Street to acknowledge there was no chance of an extension by the end of October and secure a deal or no deal exit for the end of the year. It would also allow businesses to prepare for a WTO-rules relationship with the EU. Meanwhile peers have warned that uncertainty over the end of the Brexit transition period poses a "potent threat" to prosperity and stability in Northern Ireland. A new report by the House of Lords European Union committee said: "There is a real danger that businesses based in Great Britain could conclude that it is economically unviable to continue to operate in Northern Ireland, leading in turn to reduced choice and higher costs for Northern Ireland consumers, thus undermining Northern Ireland's economic model, its future prosperity and, potentially, its political stability." The peers added: "The combination of uncertainty, lack of momentum and lack of time, compounded by the shock of the Covid-19 pandemic, is a potent threat to economic prosperity and political stability in Northern Ireland." Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee delivered a message of understanding, peace and change Saturday, following a night of angry protests in Houston and around the country over the death of native Houstonian George Floyd. The Houston Democrat said too many Americans fear for their lives because of their skin color and vowed to work to pass legislation to fund training for law enforcement officers to de-escalate situations and overcome biases. They cannot see a black man. They have to see an American, she said, standing beside Floyds nephew Brandon Williams, Houston rapper Trae tha Truth and other family friends during a press conference at downtowns Mikey Leland Federal Building. They cannot see a white, a brown, an Asian and others. They cannot see a Muslim, a Christian, a Jewish person, or Catholic or Protestant. They have to see an American. Williams, 29, said his family wanted justice for his 46-year-old uncle, who died in Minneapolis police custody Monday night after a video showed an officer kneeling on his neck and pinning him to the ground while he pleaded for help. I dont think its hard to tell that that was murder. No person should have to go through that. No family should have to go through that, he said, at one point steadying himself on the podium. The protests, Williams said, are about change. I speak to the nation and world when I say people are fed up. Theyre hurt, angry, disgusted, he said. We dont hate law enforcement, but something needs to be done. It has to stop. Im starting to feel like its normalized and nothing about that is right. Jackson Lee thanked those who rallied in an effort to continue to move the country toward a place where all people have human dignity. She urged the protesters to be safe and the police to also take a considered approach to their actions. To the officers that were there, there were moments of great stress, Jackson Lee said of Friday nights protests, which lasted well into the early morning hours. Id like them to reflect on those very famous and important words protect and serve. Id like them to hear the words that Brandon said. That were not against officers. Williams said his uncle was friendly, loving and caring and had a way of lighting up every room he entered. He said he was only in Minnesota a few years, but everyone there loved and embraced him. He meant the world to me, Williams said. He didnt deserve what happened to him. Xavier Roberson, a close family friend who grew up with Williams, said Floyd always looked out for him. He always encouraged me, encouraged me to stay in school, both of us, Roberson said. Thats the person who he is. The black community needs more people like that. They both wore shirts with a drawing of Floyds face and the words I CANT BREATHE over his mouth. nancy.sarnoff@chron.com twitter.com/nsarnoff The normally obscure blood business is booming as various research and medical institutions are in a raced to develop tests, therapies and vaccines which many believe to be the key to successfully easing lockdowns and eradicating the threat of the coronavirus pandemic. While the surging demand for survivor blood samples has given a boon to blood brokers, diagnostic companies and research facilities struggle to develop tests and life-saving therapies due to the high prices for blood. High Prices According to executives of diagnostic companies, some brokers reportedly sell a one-milliliter sample of COVID-19 survivor blood for over $1,000. Other companies were quoted several thousands of dollars for one milliliter of the convalescent plasma-the antibody-containing part of the blood from virus survivors. A few dozen samples are needed to meet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's emergency approval requirements. Following dozens of inaccurate tests in the market, the FDA required companies to conduct tests using 30 positive samples and 75 negative samples to obtain approval. Blood donated to hospitals and non-profit blood banks are reserved for use in an experimental treatment for COVID-19 patients, forcing research institutions to turn to blood brokers who pay donors for plasma or buy leftovers from laboratories who run a blood test. Commodity Survivors of the respiratory illness, which has infected 1,816,820 and killed 105,557 in the United States, have become a commodity. Many non-profit companies who typically pay $50 per donation have bumped up their rates for donors. In Utah, two individuals who contracted the virus while aboard a cruise ship received $800 gift cards after donating plasma at Takeda Pharmaceutical's BioLife Plasma Services center. The institution also runs over 800 paid-plasma collection sites across the country to help researchers produce plasma therapies to treat rare and chronic conditions. Plasma Therapy Plasma treatments have been used since 1918 when the Spanish Flu swept across the world, infecting more than 500 million individuals. It was also used in other epidemics including the lesser-known Argentine hemorrhagic fever. Researchers in China, Europe, and the United States have begun conducting experimental therapies in COVID-19 patients as part of the study on its effectivity as a treatment option. According to published reports, the transfusion helped conditions improve for many plasma recipients. A Mount Sinai report also claimed the mortality rate in patients who received convalescent plasma lowered by almost half. The scientists are also identifying complications that may come from plasma transfusion-including lung injuries and rejection. Many medical institutions and tech giants such as Microsoft have a coalition called "The Fight is in Us." The campaign aims to encourage coronavirus survivors in the nation to help with the development of medicine and antibody drugs that could help with a possible new wave of the virus this fall. Individuals who have recovered from COVID-19, or know someone who has, can visit The Fight Is In Us website to find out if they are eligible to donate plasma. The website also has a self-screening tool that shows a nearby blood donor center. Want to read more? MANISTEE COUNTY Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Monday that the states stay-home executive order is lifted, easing most restrictions that were put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As pandemic restrictions have begun to ease across the state, the News Advocate has reached out to Munson Healthcare officials for their perspective. We recently spoke with Lynn Schutter, regional marketing manager for Munson Healthcare. Some questions have been edited for clarity. MANISTEE NEWS ADVOCATE: Have recent changes to the state's stay home order affected your work at Munson Healthcare? As restrictions have been eased in northern Michigan, has Munson also dialed back any precautions? SCHUTTER: Much of our work remains the same even with the easing of the stay at home orders. We continue to take the same precautions in screening both employees and visitors to our hospitals and ambulatory sites. Because we are now able to perform additional procedures and increase in-person visits to our clinics, we are paying very close attention to the use and conservation of PPE. This practice has served us well thus far, and we will continue this practice to assure that we have adequate supplies during our phased reopening of additional services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Munson Healthcare has been working to balance the safety of our healthcare team and patients with the needs of our patients and their families. Although we are still not allowing general visitation at this time, we have modified our visitation policy to allow additional exceptions for critical and end of life patients as well as some pediatric patients. MNA: Following Memorial Day weekend, we've heard reports of two individuals from outside the area testing positive for coronavirus within the district. Is there a concern among your colleagues that vacationers could trigger a second wave in northern Michigan? SCHUTTER: We anticipate that visitors to our area will certainly have an impact. Thats why we continue to follow state guidelines as well as ask our community and visitors to carefully consider their movement and activities as they enjoy northern Michigan. We continue to communicate the importance of wearing a mask, social distancing, washing hands, being mindful of not overcrowding restaurants, bars and stores and coordinating with local government and business. Its important to continually reemphasize that message to our community and anyone who might be visiting from outside of the area to help keep our cases low. Visitors who are experiencing symptoms should self-quarantine to avoid the spread of the virus. MNA: Has Munson Healthcare taken any additional precautions in preparation for a potential "second wave" of coronavirus? SCHUTTER: Preparations began in early-March and have been in place for some time. We leveraged and staged our resources system-wide in preparation of a patient surge but were fortunate that the stay at home measures were effective in flattening the curve and never taxed our hospitals. While an influx of visitors is a concern, our hope is that they will continue to practice safe behavior in order to protect our community. We will continue to monitor the situation and remain agile in the event we see a rise in cases. MNA: With the stay-home order set to expire, is there any concern that the hospital's resources, personnel or equipment being stretched too thin? SCHUTTER: Munson Healthcare continuously monitors our resources, personnel and availability of equipment. The stay at home order has helped flatten the curve and northern Michigan has been fortunate to experience a relatively low number of reported cases and hospitalizations. We are carefully moving forward with performing elective procedures, surgeries and diagnostic testing. We have a task force that meets daily to measure the consumption of PPE and other supplies in order to adequately predict its use and the ability to provide services given the instability of the global supply chain. A phased reopening of services, combined with continued universal masking and social distancing by the community will help to preserve necessary PPE and keep COVID-19 cases and potential COVID-19 hospitalizations low. MNA: Coronavirus has clearly affected many people's lives around the country. Do you foresee any long-term changes in how our health care providers do their work? SCHUTTER: There are several ways in which what weve learned during the pandemic will guide the way in which we provide healthcare in the future. Since the stay-at-home executive orders went into effect back in March, Munson Healthcare has done over 9,000 virtual visits and we anticipate this technology will play a prominent role in how providers engage with patients even after the pandemic has passed. The way in which our hospitals have collaborated regionally to share best practices, care for COVID-19 patients and efficiently leverage resources will no doubt have a positive impact on the quality of care throughout the system in the future. MNA: Does the hospital have any needs at the moment which aren't adequately being met? SCHUTTER: While stay-at-home and social distancing measures have helped flatten the curve and provided us time to acquire additional PPE supplies, the supply chain remains challenged and we need to continue to source new supplies. So many are feeling the economic impacts of the pandemic but for those with the ability to donate to Munson Healthcare Foundation, those funds can be used to support COVID-19 patients, staff and purchase needed supplies that can be 10 times or more the cost than prior to the pandemic. We also need to remind people that our hospitals are safe and that delaying care for an emergent problem such as a heart attack or stroke is far greater a risk to their health. Our hospitals continue to have visitor restrictions in place, screen everyone entering and those exhibiting symptoms are either sent home to quarantine or escorted immediately to isolation. Hospitalized COVID-patients are isolated from the rest of the patient population to reduce risk. We have universal masking at our hospitals and staff are equipped with the equipment to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In addition to these precautions, we have also had a relatively low number of cases in the region. It is safe to return to our facilities to receive care. Read More: Q&A: Munson Healthcare official talks face masks, flu and more Munson healthcare official discusses potential surge in coronavirus cases Healthcare officials respond to first confirmed coronavirus case in Manistee Local efforts aimed to slow possible impact of coronavirus Munson healthcare officials discuss coronavirus response The president repeatedly and viciously attacked governors, who are doing everything they can to keep the peace while fighting a once-in-a-generation global pandemic, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) said in a statement following the call. The presidents dangerous comments should be gravely concerning to all Americans, because they send a clear signal that this administration is determined to sow the seeds of hatred and division, which I fear will only lead to more violence and destruction. We must reject this way of thinking. Employers across the UK could face legal action from employees who return to work and contract the COVID-19 virus, a leading health and safety expert has warned. Professor Andrew Watterson, of the University of Stirling, has questioned whether adequate procedures and resources are in place to identify and investigate all work-related illnesses and deaths linked to the virus, specifically in non-health or social care settings. In such cases, employees and their families may not have the COVID-19 link recognised or compensated - which could, in turn, lead to civil court action, he explained. The expert in occupational and environmental health believes further evidence and clarity is required on exactly how the 'test, trace and isolate' approach will protect workers - especially when untested workers may be asymptomatic - and he also reemphasised the "critical" importance of the use of appropriate personal protective equipment and two-metre social distancing. ProfessorWatterson's concerns are outlined in a new paper published in peer-reviewed journal New Solutionsand in a separate letter, published as a BMJ Rapid Response. The publications - based on policy analysis and data - suggest that science has been "ignored" at times and also highlight a lack of research on the impact and potential impact of the virus on many workers who are not employed in health or social care - such as those working in shops, construction, food processing, transport and small businesses. He said it was critical for employers and regulators to engage with workers and their representatives on health and safety issues linked to the virus. ProfessorWattersonsaid: "Employers have a duty to report occupational diseases. However, COVID-19 is not yet classified as an occupational disease under the Prescribed Industrial Diseases scheme, which would generate workers' compensation." "Under current legislation, incidents where a worker is exposed, or possibly exposed, to COVID-19 is reported to the Health and Safety Executive under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. There are concerns that occupational COVID-19 cases will not be reported, and those that are may not be fully investigated, recognised or compensated for. At a later date, there could be civil actions in the courts by employees who contracted the virus at work, or by their families, if fatalities occurred." Andrew Watterson, Professor, University of Stirling The New Solutions paper cites previous research on COVID-19 transmission routes, especially relating to airborne as well as droplet transmission - the touching of contaminated surfaces, viral aerosolization in a confined space, and contact with asymptomatic infected people - and states: "Knowledge of these routes should have informed decisions weeks ago in the UK about occupational health and safety precautions, availability of sanitisers, what personal protective equipment was needed, by whom and in what settings." ProfessorWatterson said a continued lack of planning was responsible for the threat posed by COVID-19 to workplace health and safety in the UK. He added: "A catalogue has emerged in the UK of missed opportunities and failures by various government bodies, agencies and organisations, and employers to plan for the pandemic and to equip staff with the necessary health and safety equipment and procedures to protect themselves and the public from COVID-19." "In contrast, UK trade unions and non-governmental organisations issued early warnings of a pandemic - and offered important guidance on solutions to mitigate its impact on workers and, hence, wider society." "Prior to the pandemic, the Health and Safety Executive and other regulators in local authorities should have been checking pandemic health and safety planning, and the availability and capability of appropriate personal protective equipment for health and social care workers, as well as those employed in shops, warehouses, transport and other workplaces." "It is not clear from information in the public domain that they did so." In the BMJ Rapid Response letter, ProfessorWatterson highlights that workplace exposure to COVID-19 has occurred in four waves: with frontline healthcare workers in the first; social care workers in the second; key workers - such as transport and service sector staff - in the third; and, now, construction workers in the fourth. He said: "COVID-19 has emerged in a very short period of time as an 'occupational disease' but gaining official recognition and establishing workplace exposures as its cause may well still prove highly problematic. The task may be easier for healthcare workers than other occupational groups." "For that reason, it is critical that the health and safety need of the third and fourth waves of exposed workers are addressed and appropriate preventative action taken, supported by the necessary research." ProfessorWattersonleads the Occupational and Environmental Research Group, based within the University's Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport. Supporters of Kyrgyzstan's former president, Almazbek Atambaev, held a rally outside a courthouse in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, demanding that he be released from custody. Opponents of the 63-year-old former leader also gathered outside the court on June 1 to insist that Atambaev must go to prison. The former president and 13 codefendants face a range of charges, the most serious of which is the murder of a commander of an elite security unit that stormed Atambaevs compound in August 2019. 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. Thousands of people gathered in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery Sunday for a peaceful protest against police violence and white supremacy, following days of protests across the U.S. over the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died last Monday as a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd's neck. All streets surrounding the art gallery were closed to traffic as Vancouver police at the event told CBC News the crowd had swelled to an estimated 3,500 by 6 p.m. PT. Many of the demonstrators wore face masks, held signs and chanted, "Black lives matter" and, "No justice, no peace." At one point, the only sound was the wind as the crowd raised their fists in the air and held a moment of silence. Floyd died May 25. The officer who pressed his knee into Floyd's neck, Derek Chauvin, faces charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter. One of the organizers, Jacob Callender-Prasad, told CBC News before the protest that it would include speeches and a candlelight vigil for Floyd and Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a Toronto woman who apparently fell to her death from a balcony on Wednesday. It's an opportunity for the local black community to share their own experiences, show solidarity with protesters in the U.S. and acknowledge Canada's own troubles with racism, he said. Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press While protests in the U.S. have descended into violence, with looting in cities from New York to Seattle and police firing tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters, Callender-Prasad said public safety was a top priority for Vancouver's demonstration. "We hope to keep this just peaceful ... so we can unite on an issue that is important to everybody," he said on Sunday. "This is not the time to damage. This is not the time to riot. This is not the time to be disrespectful to the community and the people around us. This is the time to show that we are peaceful." Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press Organizers encouraged physical distancing and handed out masks, gloves and hand sanitizer, said Callender-Prasad, who added he is not affiliated with any specific group. Story continues Anyone who feels sick was asked to stay home. The Vancouver chapter of Black Lives Matter said it would not participate in this protest. "We do not feel that we can ensure the safety of our community in public protest at this time," the group said in a Facebook post. "Furthermore, the family of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, has asked that no protest be held in their daughter's name. We will respect that. Right now, our priority and concern is keeping Black people safe and promoting some rest." Demonstrators marched through the Downtown Eastside on Saturday night to protest Floyd's killing. It ended after a few hours with no arrests. Before the event Sunday, the Vancouver Police Department said it was aware of the planned protest. "Our primary purpose is to protect the safety of the protesters, the public and the police," Sgt. Aaron Roed said in an email. "We respect peaceful protests and, during public demonstrations, police response is proportionate to the activities observed." Police could be seen standing among the crowd during the protest. At one point, two officers kneeled on one knee for a photo with a protester. The protest ended about two-and-a-half hours after it started. No one was arrested. Insurers including Hiscox, RSA and QBE will take part in a UK test case to decide whether their policies should pay out millions of pounds to companies hit by the coronavirus pandemic, the industry regulator said on Monday. A national lockdown has triggered insurance claims from companies in Britain seeking compensation for having to shut down their activities as a result of the coronavirus crisis. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said last month it would seek clarity from the courts on whether the wording of some insurance policies should provide cover during the pandemic. The FCA said on Monday it has selected 17 examples from business interruption (BI) insurance policies used by 16 insurers, eight of whom were asked to take part in the court case. We expect the test case to provide guidance for the interpretation of many other business insurance policies that are not in the representative sample, the FCA said. The eight insurers asked to take part in the court case were Lloyds of London insurers Hiscox, Arch, Argenta and MS Amlin, as well as RSA, QBE, Zurich and Ecclesiastical, the FCA said in a statement. The insurers have entered into a framework agreement with the regulator governing the process and timetable, it added. Hiscox said it has agreed to assist in the test case to provide certainty for businesses and brokers on the application of policies as quickly as possible. RSA said it expected its reinsurance program to provide the bulk of cover for potential claims. Arch, Argenta, Ecclesiastical, MS Amlin and Zurich said they supported the FCAs aim to seek clarity, with Zurich adding it had received limited numbers of BI claims. QBE did not immediately respond to request for comment. The Hiscox Action Group of policyholders said it would continue with its own plan for legal action against Hiscox, which it said could bring about a resolution quicker than the FCA case. The FCA said it expects the High Court case will be heard in the second half of July and last 5-10 days. In early July, we expect to publish a comprehensive list of other insurers and many other BI policies in the market that we expect the test case to affect, based on firm submissions, it said. The court could decide that a number of policies respond to the pandemic and others do not, it said. Insurers could meanwhile continue with any plans for voluntary settlement of cases, the FCA said. The FCA also asked all insurers to check their policy wordings against those it intends to test to see if theirs will be impacted by the outcome of the case. The watchdog also set out what the FCA expects of all insurers handling BI claims, saying that in most cases, insurers are not obliged to pay out in relation to the pandemic. (Reporting by Huw Jones; editing by Rachel Armstrong and Alexander Smith and Susan Fenton) Topics Carriers COVID-19 EXTON, Pa., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- US Digestive Health ("US Digestive"), a management services organization created to expand access to high-quality, low-cost gastroenterology care, announced today that it has partnered with Carlisle Digestive Disease Associates ("Carlisle Digestive"), a gastroenterology practice in Carlisle, PA. Serving Central and Southeastern Pennsylvania, including the Greater Philadelphia region, US Digestive is rapidly advancing the delivery of digestive health services, bringing new insight into the evaluation, treatment, and prevention of digestive health disorders. Significantly improving office practice efficiency, US Digestive offers its gastroenterology partner practices innovative business management and technology solutions that remove administrative burdens from physicians and allow them to spend more time taking care of patients. With increased efficiency comes reduced wait times for office appointments and procedures. Including its new partnership with Carlisle, US Digestive oversees a network of gastroenterology providers and services with 20 locations, 8 ambulatory surgery centers, 72 physicians, 30 advanced practice providers, and more than 500 total employees. "We are committed to connecting communities to better digestive health care by providing easy and convenient access to cost-effective gastroenterology services," said Jerry Tillinger, CEO of US Digestive. "We are proud to add Carlisle Digestive to our growing family of gastroenterology providers." "We are excited to join a high-performing and fast-growing organization like US Digestive," said Jonathan Verrecchio, DO, Lead Physician of Carlisle Digestive. "This partnership will allow us to add new technologies and to expand the gastroenterology services we can offer to the greater Carlisle community." US Digestive was formed in 2019 by Amulet Capital Partners, LP ("Amulet"), a healthcare private equity investment firm based in Greenwich, Connecticut, in partnership with member practice partner physicians. For more information, visit https://usdigestivehealth.com/ About US Digestive Health As the leading gastroenterology practice on the East Coast, US Digestive Health is at the forefront of the rapidly advancing science of digestive health, bringing new insight into the care, treatment and prevention of digestive health disorders. For more information, visit https://usdigestivehealth.com. Media contact for US Digestive Health Liz Weir [email protected] About Amulet Capital Partners, LP Amulet Capital Partners, LP is a middle-market private equity investment firm based in Greenwich, CT, focused exclusively on the healthcare sector. Amulet seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation through privately negotiated investments in companies. Amulet Capital Partners focuses on those segments it believes have the most attractive long-term fundamentals with a target investment size generally between $25 million to $150 million. For additional information, please visit www.amuletcapital.com. Media Contact for Amulet Capital Partners, LP Melissa Sheer Kent Place Communications, LLC 917-690-2199 [email protected] SOURCE US Digestive Health Related Links https://usdigestivehealth.com A man charged with the murder of a 22-year-old apprentice tradie, who sobbed in the dock and was dragged back to prison cells by security staff, will face court again in August. Newport man Rian Farrell, 22, cried in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday afternoon after being accused of murdering apprentice Liam Cahill at a birthday party on Saturday night in the Docklands precinct. Court sketch of Newport man Rian Farrell, 22, at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday. Credit:Nine News Emotional friends of the accused who attended the filing hearing told him to stay strong, and love you bro, before emotion overcame Mr Farrell and he attempted to hold onto the door frame before being dragged by security staff back to the cells. Mr Farrell, who appeared dressed in a white T-shirt and with a tattoo of a rose on his neck, was arrested near the scene and interviewed by detectives throughout Sunday. Lockdowns and social distancing measures are beginning to ease across the GCC countries given tentative signs that these economies are passed the peak with a flattening in the curve of new Covid-19 cases on the horizon, said a new report. At the current juncture, it is too early to decipher whether the easing of lockdown is feeding through to a meaningful pick-up in economic activity, said MUFG, a leading global financial services group, in its latest Mena Economic Weekly report. What is clear is that despite the phased easing in restrictions, the GCC region is by no means out of the woods. The past couple of months have been strenuous and destabilising. The region is steadily looking to life post-Covid-19 towards a path of a new normal but there currently remain more questions than answers. However, there's room for hope, tempered with caution. Lessons from early openers across the world Our examination of countries that have reopened more versus less speedily across the world thus far, offers three encouraging lessons, the report said. First, early reopeners have not witnessed higher confirmed Covid-19 incidences thus far. Second, corporates and broader financial markets have tentatively begun to reward the early reopeners with modestly higher asset returns and easier financial conditions in contrast to the "peak lockdown" period of early April, when reopening was associated with lower asset returns and tighter financial conditions. Third, not all reopenings are homogeneous with heterogeneity abound across countries, and if medical outcomes can avoid left tails, corporates and markets may reward reopenings. Outlook Certain events split eras into times before and after. It is clear that our era will be defined by a fundamental division: what we knew as normal before Covid-19 and the new normal that will emerge in the post-viral era the next normal. For the GCC economies, the conversation is beginning about what the next normal could entail and how sharply its contours will diverge from those that previously shaped the region. What is evident in the immediate term is that all these countries continue to grapple with both the demand-side evisceration shock caused by Covid-19 induced restrictions and the supply-side shock caused by the oil price collapse. Facing either one of these shocks would be unprecedented. The combination of the two, signals a sudden deep and acute recession this year, with risks skewed to the downside. Nearly all GCC countries have announced an easing of lockdowns: Saudi Arabia The Kingdom has started implementing a three phased approach to easing restrictions, with all curfews to be lifted by 21 June. Since28 May, curfews have been reduced, between3pm to 6am and from 30 May between8pm to 6am, when mosques can also resume prayers. Makkah will remain under stricter curfews while the rest of the country starts to open and Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages continue to be suspended. Domestic flights will resume from 1 June, but international flights remain suspended, possibly up to September. UAE Dubai has relaxed free movement, allowing business activity to resume during reduced curfews from 11pm to 6am. Since 27 May, Dubai airport began welcoming returning residents, subject to 14 day on arrival quarantine, and passengers on transit. The UAE aims to welcome tourists from July and is gradually allowing a resumption of retail and hospitality activity. On 21 May, Emirates airlines which has formally requested financial support from the government, resumed flights to nine destinations. Separately, Federal government employees in UAE have resumed work since 31 May, first phased at 30% capacity. In Dubai, half of government employees have returned to offices since 31 May, ahead of a full return by 14 June. Oman Oman will allow business activity to resume and has ended the lockdown within the capital, Muscat since 29 May, allowing travel to resume in and out the city. However, Muttrah district, where the majority of Covid-19 cases have been recorded and where many low wage foreign workers live and work, remains sealed off. Since 31 May, half of government employees have returned to work. Bahrain Since 22 May, certain commercial and industrial business activities have reopened. Kuwait The Kuwaiti government did not extend its full curfew beyond 30 May and instead switched to a 12 hour partial curfew from 6pm to 6am commencing31 May, as part of a five phase plan Qatar There are few signs of an imminent easing of restrictions in Qatar as cases continue to edge up. Qatar's Minister of Health stated on 21 May that the country is entering the "peak stage" of its Covid-19outbreak. New cases have averaged 1,757a day since then, up from 1,483a day in the previous seven day period. High frequency data has demonstrated the scale of the challenge. Early activity data for April measured by the all-important Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) the leading indicator and barometer of the health of an economy which is highly correlated with non-oil GDP growth signalled that acute containment measures have taken an unprecedented toll on corporate output across the region. The impact of Covid-19 on the non-oil economy across the GCC region varies from country to country, in line with the share of economic activity in each that is most adversely impacted by government measures to control the spread of the disease. TradeArabia News Service Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. As states across the country begin to relax pandemic restrictions on businesses and loosen stay-at-home orders, many consumers will be bringing their vehicles to local repair shops and dealership service centers to catch up on maintenance and repairs. Even so, this is not the time to ease up on your personal safety, says Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing for Consumer Reports. Make sure you find out exactly how the repair shop will keep you and your car protected from the coronavirus before you make an appointment. We contacted several national automotive organizations, as well as local repair shops, to find out what consumers can expect when they head back to the shop for the first time. Below are some tips for you to consider before heading out. Tips to Stay Safe at Repair Shops Do your research. The first thing you should do is look at the dealer or repair shops website to see whether they clearly lay out their safety precautions related to the coronavirus, says John Ibbotson, CRs chief mechanic. Ask questions. When you call the service or repair shop to make an appointment, double-check what their precautions are, especially pertaining to how they will disinfect your car and limit your interaction with employees. Make sure you are aware of, and comfortable with, the steps and actions your repair shop is taking, says Trish Serratore, senior vice president of communications for the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), a nonprofit organization that works to improve the quality of vehicle repair and service. Follow the rules. Be aware of what safety precautions the dealer requires of its customers, too, such as whether a face mask is a necessity, as well as the procedure for dropping off or picking up a car at the shop to limit interaction. Ask about home pickup or drop-off. Inquire whether the repair shop has a complimentary home pickup and drop-off service. Some shops that didnt offer this service before have adopted this practice in light of the pandemic for customers who live locally. An additional benefit is that the car can then sit for a day or two in quarantine at your home to let any virus present die. Story continues Wipe it down. Regardless of whether you pick up your car or it's dropped off, its still a good idea to wipe down all key touch areas with a disinfectant, just to be on the safe side. Some areas that you might not think of to wipe down include: steering-wheel buttons, stalks, and steering-column adjustment lever; start button and key fob; parking brake; drivers seat and headrest, as well as the seat belt and buckle. What Shops Should Be Doing Vehicle maintenance and repair shops were determined by the Department of Homeland Security to be part of the nations critical infrastructure. The vast majority of auto service departments have remained open throughout the pandemic, says Jared Allen, vice president of communications at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA). The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have given guidelines for safe practices for businesses to follow, but each state can set its own rules, says Ellen Edmonds, AAAs automotive public relations manager. AAA has developed best practices for its approved auto repair facilities to keep its staff and customers safe, Edmonds says. AAA specifically suggests that repair technicians should use a seat cover, floor mat, steering-wheel covers, and as an extra step, place something such as a sandwich bag over the gear selector, according to Edmonds. They should also be required to wear a face mask and wash hands every time they exit the vehicle, she says. Its important to remember that decisions about business closures and reopenings are made and enforced at the state and local levels, says NADAs Allen. But regardless of which set of guidelines a repair shop is adhering to, customers should be proactive about what they need from a shop, says ASEs Serratore. If the customer feels a shop is not complying with appropriate safety standards, they should find another shop, she says. What the Repair Shops Are Doing The repair shops CR spoke to or visited for this story appear to be taking the precautions seriously. Ultimately, our goal is to have as little contact with the customer as possible, Keith Sikora, service manager at Reynolds Subaru in Lyme, Conn., told CR. One of the biggest things we can do is to pick up and drop off the customers car at their home if they live locally, a service thats being offered at no extra charge, Sikora says. Repair payments are done over the phone so that customers dont have to sign for anything, and the car is completely wiped down and disinfected when its brought back to the customers home. If the customer wants to come in like usual, theyll see that all of our people are wearing masks, we have plastic shields between us and the customer, and we constantly wipe surfaces down, Sikora says. Reynolds Subaru also asks that all customers wear face masks. Sikora says the coronavirus procedures theyve implemented came from a variety of sources, including the NADA and CDC, and from Connecticuts governor. We came up with some things on our own, Sikora says. For instance, the plastic partitions I saw when I went to Lowes, so we incorporated them. CR saw similar safety implementations when we brought our BMW Z4 test car in for service at a local BMW dealer. All the service advisers stood behind plexiglass dividers, and dealership signs made it clear that customers were expected to wear face masksevery service adviser wore a face mask. There also was a sign informing customers that the complimentary car wash and vacuuming services had been suspended. Customers of Classic Auto, a repair shop in East Hampton, Conn., have been making greater use of the shop's after-hours night-drop key slots to limit interaction. Many cars are dropped off before we even open, they pay over the phone, and we lock the keys back in the vehicle for pickup, says co-owner Mark Nowakowski. But we also still have many customers that are comfortable coming in. Nowakowski says his mechanics are sanitizing vehicle door handles, steering wheels, shifters, keys, etc. Our employees wear gloves normally, and they are constantly replacing them with new ones as they go from one procedure to the next. He says his mechanics all have masks available, but because they work in their own bays, they dont necessarily wear them constantly throughout the day. How Long Will This Last? Nowakowski of Classic Auto says not only have its protocols changed but business also has slumped by about 30 to 40 percent since the coronavirus pandemic started. He also thinks, regardless of how soon the coronavirus clears up, that some of the precautions that have been instituted will remain. Handshaking, hugsyes, we get hugs from some of our customerswill not be normal anymore. And I suppose the habit of the extra wiping down of surfaces will stay to some degree for the long haul, he says. Sikora from Reynolds Subaru echoes the sentiment that its too early to tell how long the extra safety and sanitizing precautions will be in place. Ultimately, well go with what the governor says and mandates. We expect this to go on for at least a couple more months, and we will stick with it as long as need-beor maybe longer than that. 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. The HCM City Department of Planning and Architecture has proposed a 1:2000 scale for zoning of three areas in the eastern part of the city. HCM City has proposed adjustments tothree areas in the eastern part of the city that will become an innovativesmart-cityhub. Phototuoitre.vn The areas, which include Linh Trung and Truong Tho in Thu Duc District and Tam Da in District 9, are part of high-tech, innovative hub development zone. Under the proposal, the Linh Trung area, which connects the city's university village and High Tech Park, would have four land areas adjusted with a total area of 28ha. Most of the areas are public land under the management of Agriculture-Forestry University and Saigon Water Co-operation (Sawaco). The Linh Trung area will become the National University IT & EduTech Hub under the master plan for the area. The Truong Tho area, the innovative hub for the area, would have three land plots adjusted with a total area of 8ha. The three areas would have sustainable infrastructure adapted to climate change, transportation and technology. In addition, 28ha of the Tam Da area would become the Tam Da eco tech hub in the future. The proposals for adjustments to the master plan are in line with the plan of creating a smart hub in the eastern of the city. The adjustments would also help the city call for investors and improve the city's management capability. Last year, the city launched a contest on the planning concept for the smart innovative area in the eastern of the city. Sasaki Associates Inc, a US architecture and design solution firm, won first prize worth VN4.5 billion (US$193,960). Sasaki proposed forming six innovation hotspots in the eastern part of the city with infrastructure for a hi-tech and smart urban development zone. Six innovation hotspots include Thu Thiem Urban and Financial Centre, Rach Chiec Sport and Wellness Hub, Saigon Hi-Tech Park and Automated Manufacturing Hub, National University IT & EduTech Hub, Tam Da EcoTech Hub, and Truong Tho Future Hub. These six hotspots are located in districts 2, 9 and Thu uc. The HCM City Department of Home Affairs has submitted a plan to the People's Committee on the merger of these three districts and 19 wards in districts 3, 4, 5, 10 and Phu Nhuan to form the creative hub. After the merger, the new hub is expected to spread over more than 211sq.km and be home to more than 1.1 million people. The eastern area is expected to become an innovation hub based on a digital, knowledge-based economy. VNS HCM City prepares to receive foreign workers The HCM City Department of Health has issued guidelines for medical surveillance of foreign experts coming from abroad as part of COVID-19 prevention efforts. Political arguments over the state border closure continued into WA Day after a national thinktank released research showing almost 90 per cent of West Australians support that closure. The Australia Institute surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1005 Australians on May 27-28 and found more than three-quarters (77 per cent) supported interstate travel bans. Mark McGowan, accompanied by Tourism Minister Paul Papalia, addresses reporters in the Swan Valley on Monday. Credit:9 News Perth The survey found strong support for closures among the four largest states: highest in Western Australia (88 per cent), then Queensland (78 per cent), Victoria (76 per cent) and New South Wales (70 per cent). This was seen across political boundaries, the survey showed: 75 per cent of Coalition voters, 83 per cent of Labor voters and 81 per cent of Greens voters supported closures. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday chaired a meeting with senior officials to review the preparations to tackle Cyclone Nisarga brewing over Arabian Sea. The super storm is expected to hit parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat on June 3. The senior officials of NDMA, NDRF, IMD and the Indian Coast Guard attended the meeting, according to a statement released by the Home Minister's Office (HMO) on Monday. "Union Home Minister @AmitShah held a review meeting with senior officials of NDMA, NDRF, IMD & Indian Coast Guard on preparedness for dealing with Cyclone brewing in Arabian sea which is expected to hit some parts of Maharashtra & Gujarat. MoS @nityanandraibjp was also present," Home Minister's Office tweeted. Goa, Mumbai and south-southwest Gujarat could be affected due to the cyclone, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The superstorm is located 360 km southwest of Panjim, 670 km of Mumbai and 900 km south-southwest Surat. The cyclone will cross Maharashtra, South Gujarat and Lakshadweep on June 3. IMD has also predicted that Goa and Konkan will experience extremely heavy rainfall again on Wednesday. Besides, light to moderate rainfall is expected at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall likely over Gujarat, north Maharashtra, Daman, Diu, Dadra, and Nagar Haveli. The government has advised that fishermen should not venture into southeast and the east-central Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep area, Kerala coast; Gujarat, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra coasts on June 3 and 4. On Sunday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Udhav Thackeray asked fishermen to avoid going to the sea. "In the next 2-3 days, a cyclone is expected to hit us. I request fishermen to avoid fishing in the sea for the next 3-4 days," he said. Also read: Coronavirus crisis: India now 7th worst-hit country as count nears 2 lakh cases Also read: Another superstorm to hit India on June 3; all you need to know about cyclon 'Nisarga' KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockton Capital Markets (LCM) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ken Pierce as Chief Executive Officer, effective June 1, 2020. Pierce will leverage his 30 years of experience as a leader in the insurance and alternative asset management industries to guide Lockton Capital Markets. "I look forward to Ken's leadership of Lockton Capital Markets," said Ron Lockton, Chairman, Lockton Companies. "Given his proven track record and exemplary approach to solve complex challenges, the Lockton Capital Markets team will be a great partner to the rest of Lockton with Ken as its CEO. This is another example of industry leading talent joining Lockton." Lockton Capital Markets will maintain its strong collaborative relationships with Lockton business sectors, including Lockton Re and retail, to offer high impact solutions for insurers, companies and financial sponsors. "I am very pleased that Ken is joining LCM as our CEO," said Michael Calabrese, Executive Chairman, Lockton Capital Markets. "I am confident from our discussions over the years, that he shares our vision to build a Capital Markets business as a specialized team leveraging Lockton's global platform and collaborating with our various business units to provide creative solutions for insurance companies, asset managers, and corporate clients." In 2019, Pierce founded and began serving as CEO of Vanpoint Advisors, which originated and structured asset portfolio financing transactions for alternative asset managers, as well as closed block reinsurance, sidecar reinsurance, and surplus notes, providing capital and capital relief for insurers. On June 1, 2020, the assets of Vanpoint will be merged into Lockton Capital Markets. He also previously served as Co-Founder of Vanbridge, as well as leadership roles at Mayer Brown, Morgan Stanley and Lehman Brothers. "Lockton Capital Markets will continue to serve as a trusted advisor to the insurance and alternative asset management industries, delivering innovative solutions to our clients," said Pierce. "We will continue to grow our structured finance practice that brings the insurance and alternative asset management industries together in bespoke, yield-enhancing, capital efficient financing transactions, and our solutions practice, which delivers capital and capital relief to insurers and reinsurers through multiple avenues including closed block and sidecar reinsurance transactions, surplus notes and insurance-linked securities." About Lockton What makes Lockton stand apart is also what makes us better: independence. Lockton's private ownership empowers its 7,500 Associates doing business in over 125 countries to focus solely on clients' risk and insurance needs. With expertise that reaches around the globe, Lockton delivers the deep understanding needed to accomplish remarkable results. For 11 consecutive years, Business Insurance magazine has recognized Lockton as a "Best Place to Work in Insurance." In 2019, Lockton was named a top 50 company to work for in London by Best Companies. For more information, visit https://www.lockton.com/lockton-capital-markets. SOURCE Lockton Companies Related Links http://www.lockton.com Miss Earth 2018 Nguyen Phuong Khanh wears an ao dai made from chirimen, a traditional Japanese silk, designed by veteran designer Vo Viet Chung of HCM City (Photo from designers Facebook page) The collection features 30 ao dai designs, mostly in retro colours such as black, dark green and midnight blue that are used in ceremonies. The clothes feature images of flowers and plants. The designs are made from chirimen, a traditional Japanese silk which is called crepe in English. This is the second time Chung has used chirimen in his designs. Last Christmas, his collection in the fabric made a strong impression in the industry. The chirimen weaving technique was developed in the late 16th century. The fabric is still widely used for Japanese kimonos today. The silk is often decorated with images of flowers and animals. According to Chung, chirimen is a stronger fabric than other types of silk so its thickness and weight give it a feeling of quality. My designs in chirimen attract middle-aged women who love wearing ao dai in a different way, said 46-year-old Chung, who has 25 years of experience in the industry. Chung invited top fashion models and film and theatre artists, including Miss Earth 2018 Nguyen Phuong Khanh, to wear his clothes. Chung began his career in HCM City in 1995. He took part in a two-year training course in Italy and Denmark funded by the Europe Fashion Federation in 2005. In 2007, he was invited to show his collections on the Mega-F Diamond Cruise Ship chartered by the Fashion TV (FTV) channel when the five-star cruise ship docked at HCM City's Nha Rong Wharf. FTV's top models wore his designs on the catwalk. Chung later signed an exclusive contract with FTV to introduce his products on the channel. He was invited to design ao dai for 85 contestants in the 2008 Miss Universe contest, which was first organised in Vietnams Nha Trang city. He is responsible for introducing Lanh My A, a famous satin that has been made for more than 100 years in Dong Thap province's Hoang Ngu district, through his collections shown around the world. His designs have been seen on the catwalk at fashion shows throughout the country and in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Paris. His designs for ao dai in chirimen are displayed and sold at his store on 375/4 Hoang Sa street in District 1. Other ao dai collections by veteran designers Thuan Viet and Lien Huong will be released soon. The two collections feature images of famous landscapes in Hanoi, Hue and Hoi An. OWYHEE The Owyhee Combined School Lego Natives are in their second year with co-advisors Kristina Bossingham and Nadia Thomas, and have accomplished very much in this short time. Last year, the group registered with the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Lego League Robotics, and won a Judges Award for their 2018-19 project Into Orbit. They signed a five-year agreement with Tesla to sponsor their team and were able to spend time video chatting with Astronaut Lieutenant Commander John Herrington of the Chickasaw Nation. Herrington visited the school seven years ago to share his experiences with our students and most of the current Lego team may not have even been in school. This year, in only their second year, the team qualified for a spot in the Idaho South State Tournament. With the theme of City Shaper, the team won the Core Values Award at the Boise State Qualifier. The project the team created was improving the middle school playground: if middle schoolers can improve their own health with more exercise, it will improve the overall health of their community. The Owyhee Lego team brought home the Gracious Professionalism Award from the state tournament. The team was honored with the opportunity to be mentored by the High Voltage Banana Robotics Team from Boise, Idaho. The Lego team put on a demonstration for After School Program parents during a Lights Out presentation. The team has an exciting and inventive future and we look forward to seeing their achievements and team members are Sykira Shorty, Caleb Woods, Kobie Kelly, Melodee Atkins, Kelly Mosqueda, Esmeralda Yupe, and Abigail Cota. Even while competing and working hard, the team took the time to mentor younger student Kassandra Mosqueda. Bossingham recently received an outstanding award from the Sierra Nevada Section of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), their Outstanding STEM Educator as part of the 2020 Night of the STEM Stars Awards Dinner. SWE is the only organization in northern Nevada that recognizes women in all three levels on their accomplishments and outstanding excellence in STEM outreach. Our organization has been deeply invested in affecting change in our community by supporting young women to be curious about STEM, to aim high and reach higher, and to recognize their well-deserved contributions to the profession. For these women, this event is both pivotal and life-changing, and for the community sponsors, truly inspirational. During these uncertain times with COVID-19, however, we have changed this years rendition from a traditional dinner banquet to a virtual celebration to be launched on May 15th, 2020, said Dr. Dee Frewert, Member Chair, Society of Women Engineers, SNS and Sponsor Chair on the968 Night of the STEM Stars Awards Dinner. Congratulations Mrs. B! You absolutely deserve this award which is a tribute to your tireless dedication to advancing STEM at OCS, said OCS Vice Principal Lynn John. The Lego Natives team has definitely put Owyhee on the map. They are becoming a household word among top businesses and societies. I am so proud of how hard our kids work. All I did was open the window and encourage them to fly. They took off and continue to soar to new heights! said Bossingham. The award presentation has been changed to May 22. Bossingham just received word that she received a Flight & Aerodynamics Camp from stemfinity.com. According to their website, Students will pilot hot air balloons, parachutes, gliders, planes, helicopters and rockets, all while examining abstract physics concepts such as energy conservation, buoyancy and the four forces of flight. The team will be able to begin using the program next year. Congratulations Ms. Bossingham and Lego Team. Our students are doing great things. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Representative image As the aviation minister took to Twitter announcing resumption of flights from May 25, there was frenzy from all aviation stakeholders ranging from airlines to airports to passengers. The excitement died as state after state came up with guidelines, mobile apps, registrations, quarantine rules and restrictions. When it was time to finally fly, the flights were much lesser than the 33 percent cap that the government had put in place. Anecdotal evidence and numbers declared by airports on social media show that flights have not been running full. From single digit loads to almost full flights due to cancellations and combinations the first three days have seen all. Vistara and Air India even operated wide-body aircraft to cater to the immediate spike in demand. As per what the government has worked out, airlines in India will operate at a reduced capacity of 33 percent of the approved summer schedule until August. They would also be bound by a lower and upper fare cap for each route that they are operating. States such as Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu have put a further cap on the movements without clarity on when they would be open up to all states. Permission for 33 percent movements at airports that currently have the cap is also unclear. How are airlines operating? 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 All airlines put together have a fleet of little over 650 commercial aircraft in Indian skies. While all of them were grounded on the midnight of March 25, a couple of airlines started limited non-commercial operations. This included flights to send passengers to quarantine locations, carrying cargo or being a spoke to repatriation flights being organised by different countries from major metro cities in the country. While a few aircraft were kept active, many more were grounded for a longer time. At the peak of grounding, these planes occupied one of the three runways at Delhi Airport Indias biggest. After the government declared resumption of flights and the subsequent slot approvals, airlines started planning how to get the aircraft back in the air. With only 33 percent schedule being allowed, not all aircraft would be back in the air and airlines look at multiple factors to decide which aircraft to get back to the air. These multiple factors include the cost of getting it back to the air. Few airlines have Power By Hour (PBH) deals with the lessor where there is a fixed cost of operation and an additional cost based on the use. Aircraft, which fall under such a type of lease and would have overall lower cost of operation, would come up online first. The mandatory C and D checks are expensive and these come at periodic intervals which are based on hours flown with a combination of flight cycles. Aircraft which are closer to these checks either by hours or flight cycles are benched to ensure that there isnt any additional expenditure. Extra planes There have been murmurs around airlines ability to pay lessors of planes. Considering some additional fleet, cargo operations and engineering needs, at best the airlines in India are operating less than 40 percent of their fleet. The exception here is Air India, which has been involved in Vande Bharat mission for repatriation of Indian nationals. This has a wider implication on airlines. While airlines continue to be in discussions with lessors for discounts or waiver of lease rentals, there hasnt been any definite arrangement which has been made public. The government has not given any sops to the industry. For the two months that the airline recorded zero revenue, the lease rentals and all other charges are still due. What does that leave the airlines with? A lot of extra planes! Nearly 400 aircraft are extra in Indian skies going by this calculation and purely by current notification; this would remain so till the end of August. Unless there is a miraculous cure prior to that which kick-starts the travel and airline industry, the notification is unlikely to change. However, going by the rules and regulations around these flights, more flights could be cancelled and planes grounded as people stay away from scheduled flying. What is the solution? Airlines could expedite re-delivery of their aircraft, even if it comes at a cost if the re-delivery cost is cheaper than the rentals and other associated costs of keeping the aircraft grounded. IndiGo had mentioned that it would re-delivery all its A320ceos which werent directly taken from Airbus. A sizable number of the over 100 A320ceo would be gone in the next 24 months but it could now be expedited. Spicejet has been holding on to the older B737s in its fleet due to the grounding of B737 MAX8 which were expected in the fleet at a steady rate. GoAir interestingly has nearly 70% of its fleet comprising then new generation A320neo and could end up terminating lease of even the newer aircraft to shrink and right size itself. While there is uncertainty on when the passenger traffic will reach pre-COVID levels, one thing is clear that it would be a long recovery, especially after the incidents of finding positive cases on board post landing at destination. These are unprecedented times and lessors do not have any other airlines who would want to induct aircraft. Will the lessor agree for very low rentals? The MROs are known to give freebies like free fuel or landing charges to attract business, will these freebies be seen from lessor? Time will tell what happens to the extra planes in India skies which currently remain grounded! 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. Gone are the days when autonomous vehicles (AVs) were confined to the realms of science fiction. Over the past few years, driverless cars have been grabbing the headlines. While auto and tech giants have been betting big on futuristic robotic vehicles, the public has been mostly apprehensive about the same. However, the coronavirus outbreak is likely to have made people rethink about the future of AVs. Who knew that it would take a pandemic for autonomous cars to appear more effective and worthwhile? With coronavirus keeping most people housebound, driverless cars have indeed proved to be an asset. Leveraging the Power of AVs to Fight COVID-19 While autonomous driving tests and pilots have been suspended due to lockdowns, driverless cars have provided a valuable mobility solution by delivering necessary medical supplies and meals to health-care professionals and the public in infected areas. China significantly capitalized on AVs to deliver meals and groceries, sterilize hospitals, as well as transport medical aids amid the coronavirus outbreak. China-based Baidu BIDU one of the leading developers of AV technology rolled out 104 robotic cars across the country to help carry out frontline anti-pandemic work including logistics, disinfecting and transportation. Apollo Baidus driverless operating platform collaborated with Neolix, a local AV startup, to deliver meals and supplies to the Beijing Haidian Hospital. Apollo and Neolix also deployed driverless cars to disinfect all roads on Shanghai Zhangjiang Artificial Intelligence Island. Apollo also joined forces with iDriverPlus to provide AVs to16 hospitals for coronavirus treatments on a nationwide basis.Beijing-based e-commerce biggie JD.com effectively utilized robotic vehicles to deliver medical supplies to hospitals in Wuhan. Although automakers have tapped brakes on self-driving tests in the United States, unmanned vehicles are aiding the nations coronavirus battle. Since mid-April, General Motors GM self-driving segment Cruise has flashed a SF COVID-19 Response sign on their cars windshields, while delivering food to seniors in need. The U.S. top auto giant currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Story continues Toyota Motor-backed Pony.ai got in on the delivery scene in California to transport groceries to a local emergency shelter program.In early April, Softbank-backed Nuro received a permit to operate a driverless vehicle on public roads in California. Autonomous shuttle firms like Optimus Ride and Beep also helped to lessen the burden of coronavirus by transporting necessary supplies. Indeed, self-driving cars are cashing on the virus-driven demand.With social distancing becoming the key theme for 2020, thanks to coronavirus, the need for autonomous driving is accelerating. Suddenly, the idea of robotic vehicles seems less far-fetched. The injection of billions of dollars into autonomous driving technology is starting to appear more justifiable now. Driverless Race Heats Up The rapid development in the self-driving vehicle space can be attributed to breakthroughs in technology, with the integration of robust AI and ML capabilities in advanced driver-assistance systems. Per Allied Market Research reports, the driverless car market is expected to witness a CAGR of 39.5% between 2019 and 2026, and reach $556.67 billion by 2026. Tech and auto giants have been intensifying competition in the AV space. As we know, Amazon AMZN is in advanced talks to acquire driverless vehicle startup Zoox, which is expected to provide a competitive edge to the retail behemoth against existing players such as Alphabet GOOGL, Intel INTC, Baidu, Nvidia and Yandex. Notably, Alphabet enjoys a first-mover advantage in this space on the back of well-performing Waymo vehicles that have recently exceeded the 20-million miles mark. Waymo has $3 billion in fresh capital after expanding its first funding round from outside investors with $750 million raised in mid-May. Intels $15.3-billion buyout of Mobileye helped it build chips for self-driving systems. The chip maker has been making efforts to double down on the AV business. The firms agreements with SAIC Motor and Daegu Metropolitan City are likely to expand Intels global footprint in driver-assistance systems and autonomous mobility-as-a-service. In May, Intel announced a $900-billion buyout of Moovit, which is likely to enhance Mobileyes MaaS offering. From automakers to research teams and startups, all depend on NVIDIA for hardware and software solutions for self-driving vehicles. The company is partnering with automotive companies to drive innovation in simulation software, automotive sensors, cameras and LiDars to facilitate driverless transport. Its partnership with Uber, Volkswagen and Baidu remains noteworthy in the autonomous driving space. Russia-based Internet corporation, Yandex is also making efforts to beef up its position in the AV space. The firm has pumped $35 million in its AV program and its cars have driven 2 million miles to date. A couple of days back, Chinas Didi Chuxing announced that it has completed a fundraising round of more than $500 million for its autonomous driving unit. Chinas Pony.ai raised $462 million in Toyota-led funding in February, putting the startup's valuation at more than $3 billion. Auto bigwigs including Tesla TSLA, General Motors, Ford F, Volkswagen and Toyota are also ramping up efforts to gain market share in the autonomous driving space. General Motors next gen Ultra Cruise aims to take on Teslas Autopilot. Argo AI, backed by investments from Ford Motor and Volkswagen, is also testing its AV capabilities. Challenges Persist Nevertheless COVID-19 is certainly shaping the future mobility and one cant deny that driverless cars stood out during the pandemic. However, it seems that the whole-hearted embrace of AVs is not on the horizon and it will still take considerable time to bring them into the mainstream. One of the biggestchallenges for robotic vehicles is public perception and their fear of letting go of the wheel. Per the AAA survey findings in March 2020, only 12% of respondents would feel safe in a self-driving car. High cost of components to build AVs, software complexities, technological and engineering challenges in designing level 4/5 driverless cars, cyber security issues, along with regulatory hurdles paint a rather grim picture for the future of AVs. Further, with the virus outbreak weighing on the economy, investment on such capital-intensive projects is likely to slow down. Many automakers including General Motors, Ford and Daimler AG have been pushing back promised timelines.The coronavirus outbreak has prompted the companies to re-assess their priorities in the light of declining bottom lines. Amid the pandemic-induced financial crisis and uncertainty, many automakers are prioritizing cash conservation, thereby temporarily pushing future technologies like driverless cars to the backburner. Last Words Well, the pandemic has awakened the need for autonomous vehicles, which are poised to emerge stronger. As the pandemic cools down and the companies restore their financial health, they are likely to ramp up spending on autonomous driving technology. However, the firms should strive toward conquering the challenges and unexplored problems in the path of autonomous driving. Once the scale ramps up, the cost of self-driving systems is likely to decline considerably. Efforts undertaken to develop autonomous innovation today are likely to reap rewards in the future. Zacks Single Best Pick to Double From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each picked their favorite to gain +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Zacks Director of Research, Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all. This young companys gigantic growth was hidden by low-volume trading, then cut short by the coronavirus. But its digital products stand out in a region where the internet economy has tripled since 2015 and looks to triple again by 2025. Its stock price is already starting to resume its upward arc. The skys the limit! And the earlier you get in, the greater your potential gain. Click Here, See It Free >> 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 Ford Motor Company (F) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Intel Corporation (INTC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) : Free Stock Analysis Report General Motors Company (GM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - BCE Inc. (BCE, BCE.TO) agreed to sell 25 data centres at 13 sites to Equinix Inc. (EQIX) in an all-cash transaction valued at C$1.04 billion. Equinix will acquire 13 sites representing 25 Bell data centre facilities in 8 cities across Canada. Bell will continue to own and operate 5 other data centres that are located in its network central offices in Calgary, Halifax, Saint John, St. John's and Toronto. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2020. As part of the transaction, Bell Business Markets becomes the first Equinix Platinum Partner in Canada, which will provide Bell enterprise clients with full access to the international scale of Equinix's advanced integrated network and cloud solutions. 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. Automattic, the open source force behind WordPress .com, WooCommerce, Longreads, Simplenote and Tumblr, has made a $4.6M strategic investment into New Vector -- the creators of an open, decentralized communications standard called Matrix. They also develop a Slack rival (Riot) which runs on Matrix. The investment by Automattic, which is at a higher valuation than the last tranche New Vector took in, extends an $8.5M Series A last year, from enterprise tech specialists Notion Capital and Dawn Capital plus European seed fund Firstminute Capital -- and brings the total raised to date to $18.1M (which includes an earlier $5M in strategic investment from an Ethereum-based secure chat and crypto wallet app, Status). New Vector's decentralized tech powers instant messaging for a number of government users, including France -- which forked Riot to launch a messaging app last year (Tchap) -- and Germany, which just announced its armed forces will be adopting Matrix as the backbone for all internal comms. Other users include the likes of KDE, Mozilla, RedHat and Wikimedia, to name a few. Getting Automattic on board is clearly a major strategic boost for Matrix -- one that's allowing New Vector to dream big. "It's very much a step forward," New Vector CEO and CTO and Matrix co-founder, Matthew Hodgson, tells TechCrunch. "We're hopefully going to get the support from Automattic for really expanding the ecosystem, bringing Matrix functionality into WordPress -- and all the various WordPress plugins that Automattic does. And likewise open up Matrix to all of those users too." A blog post announcing the strategic investment dangles the intriguing possibility of a decentralized Tumblr -- or all WordPress sites automatically getting their own Matrix chatroom. "This is huge news, not least because WordPress literally runs over 36% of the websites on todays web - and the potential of bringing Matrix to all those users is incredible," New Vector writes in the blog post. "Imagine if every WP site automatically came with its own Matrix room or community? Imagine if all content in WP automatically was published into Matrix as well as the web? Imagine there was an excellent Matrix client available as a WordPress plugin for embedding realtime chat into your site?" Story continues Those possibilities remain intriguing ideas for now. But as well as ploughing funding into New Vector, Automattic is opening up a job for a Matrix.org/WordPress integrations engineer -- so the Matrix team has another tangible reason to be excited about future integrations. "One of the best and the biggest open source guys really believes in what we're doing and is interested in trying to open up the worlds of WordPress into the decentralized world of Matrix," adds Hodgson. "In some ways it's reassuring that a relatively established company like Automattic is keeping its eye on the horizon and putting their chips on the decentralized future. Whereas they could be 'doing a Facebook' and just sitting around and keeping everything centralized and as locked down as possible." "It's a bit of a validation," says Matrix co-founder and New Vector head of ops and products, Amandine le Pape. "The same way getting funding from VCs was validation of the fact it's a viable business. Here it's a validation it's actually a mainstream open source project which can really grow." New Vector co-founders, Matthew Hodgson and Amandine le Pape. Image Credits: New Vector While the strategic investment offer from Automattic was obviously just a great opportunity to be seized by New Vector, given ideological alignment and integration potential, it also comes at a helpful time, per le Pape, given they've been growing their SaaS business. "The business model that we're looking at with New Vector to go and drive -- both to fund Matrix and also to keep the lights on and grow the projects and the company -- is very, very similar to what Automattic have successfully done with WordPress.com," adds Hodgson. "So being able to compare notes directly with their board and our board to go and say to them, 'how do you make this work between the WordPress.org and the WordPress.com split' should be a really useful tool for us." While Matrix users can choose to host their own servers there's obviously a high degree of complexity (and potential expense) involved in doing so. Hence New Vector's business model is to offer a paid Matrix hosting service, called Modular, where it takes care of the complexity of hosting for a fee. (Marketing copy on the Modular website urges potential customers to "Sign up and deploy your own secure chat service in seconds!") "Some of our highest-profile customers like Mozilla could go and run it themselves, obviously. Mozilla knows tech. But in practice it's a lot easier and a lot cheaper overall for them to just go and get us to run it," adds Hodgson. "The nice thing is that they have complete self-sovereignty over their data. It's their DNS. We give them access to the database. They could move off at any time ... switch hosting provider or run it themselves. [Users] typically start off with us as a way to get up and running." Talking of moving, Hodgson says he expects Automattic to move from Slack to Riot following this investment. I am very excited about what New Vector is doing with Matrix -- creating a robust, secure, open protocol that can bring all flavors of instant messaging and collaboration together, in the way that the web or email has its foundation layer," added Automattic founder, Matt Mullenweg, in a supporting statement. "I share New Vectors passion for open source and the power of open standards. Im excited to see how Automattic and New Vector can collaborate on our shared vision in the future." Mullenweg was already a supporter of Matrix, chipping into its Patreon back in 2017. At the time the team was transitioning from being incubated and wholly financed by Amdocs, a telco supplier where New Vectors' co-founders used to work (running its unified comms division), to spinning out and casting around for new sources of funding to continue development of their decentralized standard. Some three years on -- now with another multimillion dollar tranche of funding in the bank -- Hodgson says New Vector is able to contemplate the prospect of profitability ahead, with ~16.8 million users and 45,000 deployments at this point (up from 11M and 40K back in October). "I think there's also a high chance -- touch wood -- that this injection gives us a path straight through to profitability if needed," he tells us. "Given the macroeconomic uncertainty thanks to the [COVID-19] pandemic, the opportunity to say we have this amount of cash in the bank, assuming our customers follow roughly the trajectory that we'd seen so far ... this would be a way to get out the other side without having to depend on any further funding. "If things are on track we probably would do additional funding next year in order to double down on the success. But right now this at least gives us a pretty chunky safety net." The coronavirus crisis has been accelerating interest in Matrix "significantly," per Hodgson, as entities that might have been contemplating a switch to decentralized comms down the line feel far greater imperative to take control of their data -- now that so many users are logging on from home. "As lockdowns began we saw sign-ups increase by a factor of about 10," he says. "It's tapered off a little bit but it was a real scaling drama overnight. We had to launch an entirely new set of videoconferencing deployments on Jitsi's offering, as well as scaling up the hardware for the service, which we run by several times over. "We're also seeing retention go up, which was nice. We assumed there would be a huge spike of users desperately trying to find a home and then they wouldn't necessarily stick around. In practice they've stuck around more than the existing user base, which is reassuring." In some cases, New Vector has seen customers radically shrink planned deployment timescales -- from months to a matter of days. "We literally had one [educational] outfit in Germany reach out and say that tender in September -- we want you to go live on Monday," says Hodgson, noting that in this instance the customer skipped the entire tendering process because they felt they needed a secure system school kids could use. (Privacy concerns ruled out use of centralized options such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams.) "The biggest impact, from a New Vector perspective at least, has been that a lot of our slower moving, bigger opportunities -- particularly in the public sector with governments -- have suddenly sped up massively," he adds. "Because it was previously a nice to have premium thing -- 'wouldn't it be good if we had our own encrypted messenger and if everybody wasn't using Telegram or WhatsApp to run our country' -- and then suddenly, with the entire population of whichever country it might be suddenly having to work remotely it's become an existential requirement to have high-quality communication, and having that encrypted and self-sovereign is a massive deal." In terms of competing with Slack (et al), the biggest consideration is usability and UX, according to Hodgson. So, over the last year, New Vector has hired a dedicated in-house design team to focus on smoothing any overly geeky edges -- though most of this work is yet to be pushed out to users. "We've actually pivoted the entire development of Riot to be design-led," he says. "It's no longer a whole bunch of developers, like myself, going and hacking away on it -- instead the product owner and the product direction's being laid by the design team. And it is an unrecognizable difference -- in terms of focus and usability. "Over the coming year we are expecting Riot to basically be rebuilt, at least cosmetically, to get rid of the complexity and the geekiness and the IRC hangovers which we have today in favor of something that can genuinely punch its weight against Slack and Discord." In another major recent development New Vector switched on end-to-end encryption across the piece in Riot, making it the default for all new non-public conversations (DMs and private chats). "It's the equivalent of email suddenly mandating PGP and managing not to break everything," says Hodgson of that feat. A key challenge was to "get parity" with users of the non-encrypted version of Matrix before it could be enabled everywhere -- with associated problems to tackle, such as search. "Typically we were doing search on the server and if the messages are encrypted the server obviously can't index them -- so we had to shift all of our search capabilities to run client-side. We went and wrote a whole bunch of REST that allows you to basically embed a search engine into Riot on the client, including on the desktop version, so that people can actually reach their encrypted message history there and share it between devices," he explains. Another focus for the e2e was the verification process -- which is also now built in by default. "When you now log into Riot it forces you to scan a QR code on an existing login if you've already logged in somewhere. A bit like you do on WhatsApp web but rather than just using it to authenticate you it also goes and proves that you are a legitimate person on that account," he says. "So everyone else then knows to trust that login completely -- so that if there is an attack of some kind, if your admin tries to add a malicious device into your account to spy on you or if there's a man-in-the-middle attack, or something like that, everybody can see that the untrusted device hasn't been verified by you. "It's basically building out a simple web of trust of your devices and immediate contacts so that you have complete protection against ghost devices or other nastier attempts to go and compromise the account. The combination of using QR codes and also using emoji comparison rather than having to read out numbers to one another is, I think, almost unique now, in terms of creating really, really super robust end-to-end encryption." The e2e encryption Matrix uses is based on algorithms popularized by the Signal protocol. It was audited by NCC Group in 2016 but plans for the new funding include a full stack audit -- once they've ironed out any teething issues with the new default e2e. "[We want to] at least pick a path, a particular set of clients and servers -- because we can't do the whole thing, obviously, because Matrix has got 60-70 different apps on it now, or different clients. And there are at least four viable server implementations but we will pick the long-term supported official path and at least find a set which we can then audit and recommend to governments," says Hodgson of the audit plans. They're also working with Jitsi on a project to make the latter's WebRTC-compatible videoconferencing platform e2e encrypted too -- another key piece as Jitsi's tech is what New Vector offers for video calling via Matrix. "We partner with Jitsi for the videoconferencing side of things and we're working with them on their e2e encrypted videoconferencing. They [recently] got the world's first WebRTC -based e2e encrypted conferencing going. And they plan to use Matrix as the way to exchange the keys for that -- using also all of the verification process [New Vector has developed for Riot]. Because end-to-end encryption's great, obviously in terms of securing the data -- but if you don't know who you're talking to, in terms of verifying their identity, it's a complete waste of time," adds Hodgson. So when Jitsi's e2e encryption launches, New Vector will be able to include e2e encrypted videoconferencing as part of its decentralized bundle too. How much growth is New Vector expecting for Matrix over the next 12 months? "We've tripled almost all of the sizing metrics for the network in the last year, and I think we tripled the year before that so I'm hoping that we can continue on that trajectory," he says. Another "fun thing" New Vector has been working on since the end of last year is a peer-to-peer version of Matrix -- having developed a "sufficiently lightweight server implementation" that allows Matrix users to run Riot in a decentralized p2p space via a web browser (or via the app on a mobile device). "We turned on the peer-to-peer network about a month ago now and they're at the point right now of making it persistent -- previously if all of the clients on the network went away then the entire network disappeared, whereas now it has the ability to persist even if people start restarting their browsers and apps. And it's very much a mad science project but as far as I know nobody else is remotely in that ballpark," he says. "The nice thing is it looks and feels identical to Matrix today. You can use all of the clients, all of the bridges that people have already written ... It just happens to be that the Riot is connecting to a server wedged into itself rather than talking to one sitting on the server ... so it's a total paradigm shift." "We weren't sure it was going to work at all but in practice it's working better than we could have hoped," he adds. "Over the next year or so we're going to expect to see more and more emphasis on peer-to-peer -- possibly even by default. So that if you install Riot you don't have to pick a server and go through this fairly clunky thing of figuring out what service provider to trust and do you want to buy one from us as New Vector or do you want to use a Swiss ISP. Instead you can start off bobbing around the ocean in a pure peer-to-peer land, and then if you want to persist your data somewhere then you go and find a server to pin yourself to a home on the internet. But it would be a completely different way of thinking about things." Those interested in dipping a toe in p2p decentralized IM can check out this flavor of Riot in a web browser via p2p.riot.im Spains Education Minister Isabel Celaa said during a radio interview this weekend that her ministry, the regions and the countrys schools are all seeking a way to get children back into classrooms when the new academic year starts in September at least for the youngest students. In order to do so, and so that two-meter social distancing can be observed in order to avoid transmission of the coronavirus, more space will be needed. Celaa suggested that all available areas should be used in schools such as libraries and dining halls to accommodate students. The minister also explained that if there is not enough room for everyone, then children aged 12 and under should be given priority. Older students have already been able to continue their studies online, she said. That doesnt mean that we dont want them there in person we do, she added. We are going to do everything we can to have them there, but obviously infants [from babies to six year olds] and primary students [six to 12 year olds] need to be there in person and cant do it any other way. At least six of Spains regions who have devolved powers over education have already begun to analyze all of the spaces and organizational measures needed so that at least the countrys youngest students will be able to return to the classroom on a daily basis from the next academic year. Celaa said that the ministry is working closely with the regions to make these preparations. The minister also defended the governments decision to restart classes in June for some students, due to the therapeutic and emotional value for all students who saw their school year drastically change in just 24 hours. Spains schools and universities began to close just before the middle of March, as the extent of the spread of the coronavirus throughout the population became clear. Face-to-face education is indispensable, she continued. We have tried to bring it back as far as has been possible. The minister also warned of the possibility of a new outbreak of the coronavirus in September, and said that as such, a contingency plan is being prepared. She added that the current school year would not be extended during the summer, in order to ensure maximum normality for the system and to give students and teachers a break. Return to class in June The Education Ministry is allowing schools in areas that have reached Phase 2 of the governments coronavirus deescalation plan to reopen from today, June 1, for students whose parents want them to return to the classroom. However, few children are expected to retake their places, and there have been complaints from schools that the government has left them to decide how to handle the situation given the need for social distancing something that presents a huge challenge with the youngest students. We see it as impractical to occupy children of this age for four hours if they cant share toys, cant approach other children, wrote the heads of schools in the Catalan county of Garraf. Us teachers want to return to school, but a school that is exciting and alive, and not a ghostly place based on fear of contagion. With reporting by Ivanna Vallespin, Marc Rovira, Marta Rodriguez. English version by Simon Hunter. A city sessions court on Monday granted conditional bail to DMK organising secretary and Rajya Sabha MP RS Bharathi in connection with a SC/ST case after he surrendered before it. Bharathi was arrested on May 23 for his alleged disparaging remarks against the scheduled caste community. Within hours, a sessions judge remanded him to judicial custody till June 5 but granted him interim bail till June 1, primarily on COVID-19 apprehensions. He was further directed to surrender before the court concerned and seek bail on June 1. Granting bail today, First additional judge MN Senthilkumar directed Bharathi to cooperate with the investigation and appear before the Investigating officer as and when required. Meanwhile, the city crime branch moved the high court seeking to cancel the bail granted by the sessions court. On May 30, the high court dismissed CCB's plea and refused to cancel the bail, saying it lacked jurisdiction. As per the directions of the court, Bharathi surrendered before the jurisdictional court and moved a fresh bail application. Allowing it, the court has directed the CCB police to enlarge Bharathi on bail in case of arrest. The Union Cabinet on Monday approved federally fixed minimum support prices (MSP) for 14 kharif or summer-sown crops, which will offer 50-83% profit over cultivation cost, agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said. The announcement came as the June-to-September monsoon for 2020, predicted by the India Meteorological Bureau to be normal, made its onset over Kerala, its first port of call in the Indian mainland, on June 1, as predicted. A normal monsoon will likely lessen the strain on the agriculture economy from widespread disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The summer rains are critical because nearly 60% of Indias net arable land lacks irrigation and nearly half the population depends on a farm-based livelihood. The MSP for paddy, the main summer staple, has been raised by Rs 53 to Rs 1,868 per quintal for the 2020-21 crop year, which will give a return of 50% over cost of cultivation, according to an official statement. (The) government has increased the MSP of Kharif crops for marketing season 2020-21, to ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce, a Cabinet statement said. The highest increases in MSP are for nigerseed (Rs 755 per quintal) followed by sesamum (Rs 370 per quintal), urad (Rs 300 per quintal) and cotton (Rs 275 per quintal). The differential remuneration is aimed at encouraging crop diversification, the official statement said. For cotton, the MSP has been increased by Rs 260 to Rs 5,515 per quintal, Tomar said. The support prices of arhar or tur, a type of lentil, has been fixed at Rs 6,000, which represents a 58% return over cost of cultivation. The increase in MSP for kharif crops is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement of fixing the MSPs at a level of at least 1.5 times of the countrywide weighted average cost of production, which aims to give at least 50% returns for each crop. According to official calculations, the returns to farmers over cost of production are estimated to be highest in case of the coarse cereal, bajra (83%), followed by urad (64%), tur (58%) and maize (53%). To correct demand-supply imbalances, the government has realigned the MSPs more in favour of oilseeds, pulses and coarse cereals to encourage farmers to shift to these crops, said Abhishek Agrawal, an analyst with Comtrade, a commodities trading firm. Fresh indicators show the countrys farm sector, which employs nearly half the population, has coped well with the Covid-19 crisis, with a larger summer crop area than last year, higher sales of fertilisers and seeds, and better prices, leading Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das to last month call it a beacon of hope. The farm sector is poised to grow at least 3% in 2020-21, despite disruption in the economy due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to government think tank Niti Aayogs assessment in April, agriculture will aid overall growth. There are other indicators too, ranging from sowing to input sales, which show the agriculture economy is heading into the summer-sown or kharif operations in decent shape. Farmers have planted rice in about 3.48 million hectares (1 hectare equals 2.4 acre) compared to 2.52 million hectares during the corresponding period of last year, an increase of nearly 37%, official data as on May 21 show. The area under pulses -- a major summer crop with up to 70% share in farm incomes in some states stands at nearly 1.28 million hectares against 0.96 million hectares during the same period of last year, which is higher by one-third (33%). Supermodel Victoria Silvstedt enjoyed the baking sunshine as she relaxed on a yacht in St Tropez on Monday, as France begin to ease their lockdown rules further. The Swedish star, 45, took to the posh boat on the French Riviera as cafes and restaurants slowly begin to reopen amid the COVID-19 crisis. She showed off her sensational frame in a tiny white bikini, which she covered with a white skirt and cardigan. Supermodel: Victoria Silvstedt enjoyed the baking sunshine as she relaxed on a yacht in St Tropez on Monday, as France begin to ease their lockdown rules further Settling down to relax and catch a tan, she removed the cargidan and skirt, keeping a sunhat and shades on to protect herself from the glare. Victoria wore her blonde locks in curlers for the tanning session and kept hydrated with a bottle of water as she sprawled out on the deck. France's travel restrictions inside the country are being relaxed as of this week, while schools and restaurants are beginning to reopen after successfully slowing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The country's Pime minister Edouard Philippe announced that: 'Freedom will once again become the rule, and restrictions will become the exception. On the health front the news is good, but not so good that everything can go back to normal.' Swedish star: She took to the posh boat on the French Riviera as cafes and restaurants slowly begin to reopen amid the COVID-19 crisis Sunny side up: She was seen keeping a sunhat and shades on to protect herself from the glare Enviable frame: She showed off her sensational frame in a tiny white bikini, which she covered with a white skirt and cardigan Off it comes: Settling down to relax and catch a tan, she removed the cargidan and skirt This is considered to be stage two of the country's 'deconfinement' after stage one was put into place on May 11 following a two-month nationwide lockdown. St Tropez - playground of the rich - was recently placed under a critical microscope when it was revealed that the wealthy residents of a complex overlooking the Bay de Canoubiers, as well as other close-by locations, had been given access to private coronavirus tests, as reported at the end of April. At the time, St Tropezs mayor, Jean-Pierre Tuveri, claimed that the tests were only given to wealthy residents willing to take part in clinical blood trials to help with research surrounding COVID-19. Style secrets: Victoria wore her blonde locks in curlers for the tanning session Catching some rays: She sprawled out on the deck under the beating sun Relaxed: France's travel restrictions inside the country are being relaxed as of this week, while schools and restaurants are beginning to reopen after successfully slowing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic Lap of luxury: Victoria had been lapping up the sunshine in St Barts since the start of 2020 before COVID-19 hit Thirsty: She kept hydrated with a bottle of water Victoria had been lapping up the sunshine in St Barts since the start of 2020, with many celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, Bella Hadid and Rita Ora jetting to the Caribbean to ring in the New Year. Victoria goes to St Barts every year and has enjoyed a lengthy stint in the spotlight after being chosen to represent her country in the Miss World pageant in 1993. After her pageant days, the Scandinavian stunner was spotted by Hugh Hefner and went on to become a Playboy Playmate. Since her career rocketed, Victoria has modelled for some of the world's most prestigious fashion houses, including Chanel, Dior and Valentino. Easing out: This is considered to be stage two of the country's 'deconfinement' after stage one was put into place on May 11 following a two-month nationwide lockdown YEREVAN, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS. Armenian defense ministers spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan, commenting on the video spread in social networks and the claims according to which the Armenian side has downed an Azerbaijani military equipment in the direction of Nakhijevan, states that the Armenian Armed Forces never launch the attack first. We do not comment on the origin of that video or the actions of the Armenian Armed Forces. I can only state that the Armenian Armed Forces never initiate an attack, we give an adequate response to the adversarys actions and provocations, she told Armenpress. According to Infoteka24.ru, the Azerbaijani military equipment has been downed in response to Azerbaijans provocative actions, and the Armenian Armed Forces fully control the situation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in the direction of Nakhijevan. New Delhi, June 1 : The removal of lockdown restrictions marks a step-by-step approach to restore normalcy and retail and restaurants are expected to benefit from it. According to a research by Motilal Oswal Securities, this is a good calibrated step towards resumption of the economic engine. After a highly stringent two-month long nationwide lockdown, the government is clearly moving towards a step-by-step approach to restore normalcy, it said. "Much also depends on the state governments and the local authorities as they have the keys for implementation," the study said. While these relaxations would help improve the supply-side situation and potentially defray fixed costs, they would also drive consumption at the margin. However, demand trends in respective categories are the key monitorables, it said. "We expect the governments (Central and state) to progressively keep relaxing the lockdown norms further," it added. There has been a gradual reopening of grocery and apparel stores. Since the last 10 days, most grocery/apparel retailers have started to gradually open stores in green/orange zones, which cater to over 70 per cent of locations pan-India. In many instances, states have granted permission, but the local authorities have restricted store re-openings to curb the risk of crowd gatherings. Also, retailers have been slow in resuming stores by ensuring proper sanitisation, availability of staff/labour and consumer footfall/demand. Retailers have indicated that they expect 80 per cent of stores to reopen over the next 15-20 days. DMart had earlier stated that 50 per cent of its operations were impacted due to the Covid-19 outbreak, which should now improve with operations resuming in majority of its stores. Malls reopening now largely address the supply-side issues, the report said. Trent and ABFRL have 38 per cent and 20 per cent of stores in malls, respectively, which are now allowed to open from June 8. Also, players like Shoppers' Stop, Marks and Spencer, Lifestyle, H&M, Zara, and Central, which have either more than 70 per cent stores in malls or large standalone stores, may see significant benefits. Thus, barring the containment zones, a large part of the supply-side issues should be resolved. On the demand side, apparels being a non-discretionary category should take longer to see revenue recovery. Interestingly, few retailers which have resumed operations over the last five days are claiming to have reached 50-60 per cent of average daily revenues. In the current environment, this is a heartening number. With the fragile situation and gradual reopening of operations, apparel retailers believe that full-fledged operations are still far away. Festive demand -- four months away -- may reflect the proof of the pudding, the report said. The Government of India through an order dated May 30 has provided a detailed phase-wise opening up of the economy, although the lockdown has been extended till June 30 in the containment areas. While the Ministry of Home Affairs' in its detailed notification has done away with the complexity of red, green, orange zones, it would now consider only two zones -- containment and non-containment zones. According to the order, now movement of person and goods would not be restricted outside the containment zones. Most importantly, inter-state movement of personnel and goods without the need for approval/permission has been allowed. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text TORONTO - As provinces begin to reopen their economies, there's a movement afoot to use mobile phones to alert health authorities to new cases that could lead to future outbreaks. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A man looks at his phone while standing near artwork of a woman wearing a protective face mask, on the side of a building in Vancouver, on Sunday, May 31, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck TORONTO - As provinces begin to reopen their economies, there's a movement afoot to use mobile phones to alert health authorities to new cases that could lead to future outbreaks. Health authorities say that containment of the pandemic will depend on quick identification and monitoring of people who have been in close contact with someone infected with the coronavirus, a process known as contact tracing. The conventional approach to contact tracing involves labour-intensive in-person consultations in a medical setting, door-to-door canvassing or phone calls to people who are known to the patient. Given that most of the population carries a cellphone or smartphone with them, there's a push from health advocates and technology companies alike to add mobile apps to the list of tools used to collect and share information quickly. "The idea around using mobile phones during the pandemic is based on the fact that they're so ubiquitous," says Emily Seto, a researcher at University of Toronto, though she noted it's seen as a supplement rather than a replacement for manual tracing. Cell phones with contact tracing software installed use the phone's Bluetooth capabilities to log every other app-equipped mobile device it comes close to, providing a detailed record for health officials to follow in the event of an exposure to a virus carrier. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last month that federal public health authorities and their provincial counterparts are investigating whether they should recommend a particular mobile phone app. However, it's unclear if Canadians will agree to divulge sensitive information about themselves through their phone, said Seto, a University of Toronto assistant professor who researches health informatics. "It's a balance between ethics, in terms of privacy and confidentiality, and what is good for the public," Seto says. While Singapore, Australia and other countries were early to adopt mobile phones to locate or notify people with COVID-19, Canada and the United States are being cautious because of concerns raised about privacy and security. In Canada, Alberta launched ABTraceTogether, an app that's in use in the province. According to the province's website, the app creates a unique user number for each device it's installed on and shares only that number in the event it becomes relevant in an exposure case. No other user data, such as phone numbers or names, are revealed. A Vancouver-based company with expertise in data security says it has developed a new app that does away with the need for users to trust their private information to a central server. "I believe the main issue is data privacy," says Fay Arjomandi, founder and chief executive of Mimik Technology Inc., which has developed a contract tracing application called Pandimik. "With our solution, we're basically saying that your user information is not going to get stored in a centralized place and you can decide whether to inform a health authority when you choose to." She says Pandimik turns a user's phone into a virtual server that can send notifications directly to other devices without a health authority's intervention. 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. Seto, from the University of Toronto, says one weakness of using mobile phones against the COVID pandemic is that it depends on somebody first getting a positive test result and then sharing it for the general good. Telus Corp. says it is working on a different approach that uses carefully anonymized data from its mobile phone network to monitor travel patterns of groups rather than individuals. Pam Snively, chief data and trust officer at Telus, says the information can help predict where large numbers of people likely to travel, so policy makers can adjust their public health strategies if COVID is detected in a particular area. "We think we can provide a tremendous amount of insight and help with better decision-making with that data alone. And we know that's truly privacy protective," Snively says. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2020. Companies in this story: (TSX:T) MINNEAPOLIS A medical examiner on Monday classified George Floyds death as a homicide, saying his heart stopped as police restrained him and compressed his neck, in a widely seen video that has sparked protests across the nation. Decedent experienced a cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by law enforcement officer(s), the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office said in a news release. Cause of death was listed as cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression. Under "other significant conditions it said Floyd suffered from heart disease and hypertension, and listed fentanyl intoxication and recent methamphetamine use. Those factors were not listed under cause of death. A Minneapolis police officer was charged last week with third-degree murder in Floyds death, and three other officers were fired. Bystander video showed the officer, Derek Chauvin, holding his knee on Floyds neck despite the man's cries that he can't breathe until he eventually stopped moving. A separate autopsy commissioned for Floyds family also called his death a homicide. It concluded that that he died of asphyxiation due to neck and back compression, said the familys attorney, Ben Crump, who called for the charge against Chauvin to be upgraded to first-degree murder and for three other officers to be charged. He didn't say what the charges against the other officers should be. That autopsy, by a forensic pathologist who also examined Eric Garners body, found the compression cut off blood to Floyds brain, and that the pressure of other officers' knees on his back made it impossible for him to breathe, Crump said. Both the medical examiner and the familys experts differed from the description in last weeks criminal complaint against the officer of how Floyd died. The complaint, citing preliminary findings from the medical examiner, listed the effects of being restrained, along with underlying health issues and potential intoxicants in Floyds system. But it also said nothing was found to support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation. Neither side has released its full autopsy report so far. The family's autopsy found no evidence of heart disease and concluded he had been healthy. Floyd, a black man who was in handcuffs at the time, died after Chauvin, who is white, ignored bystander shouts to get off Floyd and Floyd's cries that he couldn't breathe. His death sparked days of protests in Minneapolis and around America. READ MORE: From Monday: Large protests, mass arrests The complaint provided no details about intoxicants. In the 911 call that drew police, the caller described the man suspected of paying with counterfeit money as awfully drunk and hes not in control of himself. Floyds family and attorneys, like the families of other black men killed by police, commissioned their own autopsy because they didnt trust local authorities to produce an unbiased report. The family's autopsy was done by Michael Baden and Allecia Wilson. Baden is the former chief medical examiner of New York City, and was hired to do an autopsy of Garner, a black man who died in 2014 after New York police placed him in a chokehold and he pleaded that he could not breathe. Baden also did an autopsy at the family's request for Michael Brown, an 18-year-old shot by police in Ferguson, Missouri. He said Brown didnt reveal signs of a struggle, casting doubt on a claim by police that a struggle between Brown and the officer led to the shooting. Dr. Judy Melinek, a forensic pathologist from the San Francisco Bay area who blogs about the subject and is not connected with the case, said the key difference between the medical examiner's conclusions and those of Baden and Walker are the official finding of significant conditions for Floyd, including heart disease and drugs in his system. Baden and Wilson acknowledged on a conference call with reporters that they didn't have access to the tissue samples that the medical examiner kept that might have given more information on his health. Nor did they have their own toxicology results yet. Melinek said it's not unusual for different pathologists to reach different determinations, given that they may be looking at different information and that they've had different experiences and training. Under the law, a medical examiner determines the cause and manner of death, but it's up to prosecutors to decide whether criminal charges are warranted. The term homicide means only that a person's death was caused by another person. Chauvin, who was also charged with manslaughter, is being held in a state prison. The other three officers on scene, like Chauvin, were fired the day after the incident but have not been charged. The head of the Minneapolis police union said in a letter to members that the officers were fired without due process and labor attorneys are fighting for their jobs. Lt. Bob Kroll, the union president, also criticized city leadership, saying a lack of support is to blame for the days of sometimes violent protests. When asked to respond, Mayor Jacob Frey said Kroll's opposition to reform and lack of empathy for the community has undermined trust in the police. Gov. Tim Walz announced Sunday that Attorney General Keith Ellison would take the lead in any prosecutions in Floyd's death. Local civil rights activists have said Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman doesn't have the trust of the black community. They have protested outside his house, and pressed him to charge the other three officers. Freeman remains on the case. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 19:19:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TOKYO, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed higher Monday on expectations that more coronavirus-linked business restrictions being lifted in Tokyo would be another big step towards the nation's full economic restart. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 184.50 points, or 0.84 percent, from Friday to close the day at 22,062.39, marking its highest closing level since Feb. 26. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, added 5.08 points, or 0.32 percent, to finish at 1,568.75. Investor sentiment was lifted by hopes for the global economic revival, including Japan's, as more countries move to phase in more business activities, local brokers said. In Japan's capital, businesses such as gyms, theaters and retailers not selling daily essentials were allowed to open their doors to the public again, as Tokyo entered its second phase of easing measures amid the coronavirus pandemic, they added. "Investor confidence keeps growing with all these signs pointing to the economy getting back on track," Shingo Ide, chief equity strategist at the NLI Research Institute, was quoted as saying. Market strategists here also said, however, some investors switched out of riskier assets like stocks and into the perceived safe haven yen currency, following the break down in social order across some major U.S. cities. Protests and riots in the United States followed the viral video footage of an unarmed black man dying in police custody on a Minneapolis street last week. As a result, the yen rose against its U.S. counterpart, and was quoted at 107.52-53 yen at 5 p.m compared with 107.81-91 yen in New York and 107.20-21 yen at 5 p.m. on Friday in Tokyo. The euro, meanwhile, fetched 1.1148-1150 dollars and 119.87-91 yen against 1.1104-1114 dollars and 119.74-84 yen in New York and 1.1105-1106 dollars and 119.05-09 yen in late Friday afternoon trade in Tokyo. The U.S. Philadelphia semiconductor index climbing 2.7 percent on Friday, saw related issues here gain ground, with Tokyo Electron adding 4.4 percent, Advantest leaping 5.8 percent, while Screen Holdings gained 4.7 percent. Eased business restrictions in Tokyo helped lifted the hard-hit retailer sector, with heavily weighted Nikkei component Fast Retailing, operator of the Uniqlo chain of casual clothing stores, advancing 2.2 percent. Cosmetics markers Shiseido and Kao, meanwhile, gained 3.5 percent and 2.8 percent respectively. By the close of play, securities house, electric power and gas, and electric appliance-related issues comprised those that gained the most, and issues that declined outpaced those that rose by 1,094 to 998 on the First Section, while 78 ended the day unchanged. On the main section on Monday, 1.201 billion shares hanged hands, dropping from Friday's volume of 2.383 billion shares. The turnover on the first trading day of the week came to 2.325 trillion yen (21.591 billion U.S. dollars). Enditem The World Health Organization's top official said Monday that he hopes the agency's partnership with the United States can continue, even after President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. will cut ties with the international aid group. "The world has long benefited from the strong collaborative engagement with the government and the people of the United States," WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a press conference at the agency's Geneva headquarters. "The U.S. government and its people's contribution and generosity over many decades have been immense." "It is WHO's wish for this collaborations to continue," he added. On Friday, Trump said the WHO "failed to make the requested greatly needed reform" and that the U.S. "will be today terminating our relationship." Last month, Trump threatened to permanently cut off U.S. funding of the WHO. In a letter, he said that if the WHO "does not commit to major substantive improvements within the next 30 days, I will make my temporary freeze of United States funding to the World Health Organization permanent and reconsider our membership in the organization." It's unclear exactly what mechanism Trump intends to use to terminate WHO funding, much of which is appropriated by Congress. The president typically does not have the authority to unilaterally redirect congressional funding. When asked Monday how the U.S. could withdrawal, Tedros declined to answer. Trump has repeatedly criticized the WHO's response to the coronavirus, which has hit the U.S. worse than any other country, amid scrutiny of his own administration's response to the pandemic. He has claimed the WHO is "China-centric" and blames the agency for advising against China travel bans early in the outbreak. The WHO has defended its initial response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying it gave world leaders enough time to intervene early in the outbreak. The agency declared Covid-19 a global health emergency on Jan. 30 when there were only 82 cases outside of China and zero deaths, Tedros said on May 1. "Meaning, the world had enough time to intervene." The WHO has also defended China, saying as far back as February that the country's response to the virus was an improvement from past outbreaks such as SARS. The WHO started sounding the alarm on the outbreak in China in mid-January. On March 11, WHO officials declared the outbreak a pandemic, when there were just 121,000 global cases. The virus has now infected more than 6.1 million people worldwide and killed at least 372,479, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Zubairu Malami, the former boyfriend of the new wife of Hameed Ali, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hajiya Zai... Zubairu Malami, the former boyfriend of the new wife of Hameed Ali, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hajiya Zainab Abdullahi, has demanded for N9 million compensation on the collapsed relationship. Ali married his heartthrob on Saturday at a low key wedding in Kano on Saturday in conformity with the protocols of the Coronavirus Disease. Malami, in a letter by his lawyer, Sir I.I. Wangida, dated May 22, 2020, is demanding for N9 million, being the amount he spent while dating Abdullahi. According to the letter in part: Our brief as disclosed to us is that for over three years you have been in a relationship with our client where he has invested so much in your life, future and business when you consistently promised to marry him, even though you knew deep down in your heart you were deceiving our client but you allowed him for all these years to continuously spend money and resources on you while he was in the believe that he was doing that to his future wife. Be that as it may, we have our clients brief that you have decided to pick another man for yourself as husband and while our client congratulates you on your new home, we have our clients instructions to also disclose his displeasure over your reaction few days before your marriage by taking an unnecessary fight with him thereby insulting and calling him all kinds of names and your claims that he calculate all you have collected from him both as loans and investment and trips ticket so that you can pay him as you are no longer in his life affairs. Malami went ahead to list all he had invested him Abdullahis life, which he said amounted to N9,081,207.45 million. Wangida added in the letter: In view of the above, we have our clients instructions to demand from you and we hereby demand from you the immediate payment of the sum of N9,081,207.45 only failure to heed to same shall leave us with no other option that to proceed with legal action to recover the said sum. Your choice in this matter is our preference. (CNN) Non-black folks also need to help root out racism, former first lady Michelle Obama said this week while speaking out over the death of George Floyd. Obama expressed grief over the recent killing of Floyd, as well as other black men and women in recent weeks, in a Facebook post on Friday. "Like so many of you, I'm pained by these recent tragedies," she wrote. "And I'm exhausted by a heartbreak that never seems to stop." Obama went on to mention Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, as well as Eric Garner, Sandra Bland and Michael Brown. "It just goes on, and on, and on. Race and racism is a reality that so many of us grow up learning to just deal with. But if we ever hope to move past it, it can't just be on people of color to deal with it," she wrote. "It's up to all of usBlack, white, everyoneno matter how well-meaning we think we might be, to do the honest, uncomfortable work of rooting it out." She continued, "It starts with self-examination and listening to those whose lives are different from our own. It ends with justice, compassion, and empathy that manifests in our lives and on our streets." Obama concluded on a hopeful note, saying she prays "we all have the strength for that journey, just as I pray for the souls and the families of those who were taken from us." Her statements came as her husband, former President Barack Obama, shared similar sentiments on Twitter. "It can't be 'normal,'" the former president wrote, speaking about racism in the US. "If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better." Both statements come against the backdrop of sometimes violent protests across the nation, as people mourn and show their anger over the death of Floyd. Floyd, 46, died Monday after he was pinned to the ground -- handcuffed and unarmed -- by a police officer with his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes as he cried out, "I can't breathe." Floyd's death is one of several of what many say is a disturbing trend of police using lethal force against black people. The protests in Minneapolis have drawn comparisons to those in 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri, after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Michelle Obama: It's up to everyone to root out racism." KHARTOUM, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese medical experts in Sudan on Sunday held a video conference with Chinese people in the country over the prevention of COVID-19. Workers from Chinese companies and Chinese people living in Sudan participated in the video conference, during which Chinese medical experts answered questions related to the coronavirus and introduced the personal protection measures. The Chinese medical team arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Thursday from Algeria after ending its two-week anti-coronavirus mission there. "We are paying attention to the collection of questions and give more video exchanges in recent days," Zhou Lin, the expert team leader, told Xinhua. On May 30, the medical experts were divided into two groups for the anti-coronavirus mission in Sudan. One of them provided an on-site training for the Chinese doctors from Omdurman Friendship Hospital of Sudan. The other group went to an office of a Chinese company in Sudan to give an on-site training to the staff. China has offered help to Sudan in its fight against COVID-19. In late March, the Chinese Embassy in Sudan donated over 400,000 surgical masks to the Sudanese government. On April 23, Chinese medical experts held a video conference with Sudanese counterparts to share China's experiences in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Were proud to continue our upward trajectory in the Vault rankings yet again this year, said Kevin J. Keane, Managing Partner. PKF OConnor Davies, LLP, one of the nations largest accounting, tax and advisory firms, announced today it has once again been named to the Vault Accounting 50, a ranking of the 50 best accounting employers to work for in North America. This is the sixth consecutive year the firm has received the honor. This year, PKF OConnor Davies rose in the rankings to 13th overall and ranked first for its promotion policies. The rankings underscore the Firms ongoing commitment to stellar client service and fostering a culture of encouraging growth and supporting work-life balance. Were proud to continue our upward trajectory in the Vault rankings yet again this year, said Kevin J. Keane, Managing Partner. Each and every one of our team members is responsible for our outstanding client service and our reputation as a great place to work. This honor is a testament to all of their hard work every day. The Firm has consistently improved its position in the Vault rankings since it first made the list six years ago. This year, the Firm was ranked in the top five in eight Best to Work For categories, including first overall for promotion policies and second for internal mobility and relationships with supervisors. We believe in giving our employees the skills, support and resources they need to excel in their client work and in their careers, said Dawn Perri, Chief Human Resources Officer. We have a strong culture of mentorship and promoting from within, and it means a lot to be recognized for these commitments across the industry. The Vault Accounting 50 is compiled from surveys using a weighted formula based on the issues accounting professionals care about most in an employer, including prestige, firm culture, satisfaction, compensation, work-life balance, business outlook and formal and informal training. PKF OConnor Davies has 12 offices in five states and continues to expand through organic growth and acquisitions on the East Coast. It has supported this growth with a strategic combination of promoting from within coupled with tactical external hires. About PKF OConnor Davies, LLP PKF OConnor Davies, LLP is a full-service certified public accounting and advisory firm with a long history of serving clients both domestically and internationally. With roots tracing to 1891, 12 offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland and Rhode Island and more than 800 professionals led by over 100 partners, the Firm provides a complete range of accounting, auditing, tax and management advisory services. PKF OConnor Davies is a top-ranked firm according to Accounting Todays 2020 Top 100 Firms list, and the Firm is also recognized as a Leader in Audit and Accounting, a Pacesetter in Growth and one of the Top Firms in the Mid-Atlantic. In 2021 rankings, PKF O'Connor Davies was named one of Vault's Accounting 50, a ranking of the 50 best accounting employers to work for in North America, and ranked among the top 50 most prestigious accounting firms in America in a complementary Vault survey. The Firm is the 12th largest accounting firm in the New York Metropolitan area, according to Crains New York Business, and the 10th top accounting firm in New Jersey according to NJBizs 2019 rankings. PKF OConnor Davies is enrolled in the AICPA Peer Review Program and has central memberships in the Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS), the Employee Benefit Plan Audit Quality Center (EBPAQC), Government Audit Quality Center (GAQC) and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). By consistently delivering proactive, thorough and efficient service, PKF O'Connor Davies has built long-lasting, valuable relationships with its clients. Partners are closely involved in the day-to-day management of engagements, ensuring a high degree of client service and cost effectiveness. The Firms seasoned professional staff members employ a team approach to all engagements to provide clients with the utmost quality and timely services aimed at helping them succeed. Continuity of staffing and attention to detail in all client engagements make the Firm stand out among its competitors. PKF OConnor Davies is the lead North American representative of the international association of PKF member firms. PKF International is a network of legally independent member firms providing accounting, tax, and business advisory services in over 400 locations in 150 countries around the world. With its tradition, experience and focus on the future, PKF OConnor Davies is ready to help clients meet todays ever-changing economic conditions and manage the growing complexities of the regulatory environment. For more information, visit http://www.PKFOD.com. Pune Given the citys current battle to contain the spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus), Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has initiated its long pending process to recruit doctors. The civic body on Sunday floated tenders to fill 97 posts for 13 cadres in the class 1 and class 2 category which includes neurosurgeon, cardiologist, medical superintendent (Kamla Nehru Hospital), assistant medical officer, paediatrician, radiologists, neonatologist, chest specialists, residential physician, physician, paediatric surgeon, intensivist and residential medical officer. Additional municipal commissioner Rubal Agarwal, who heads the health department, said that more such posts will be hired in a weeks time. Draft Merit list declared on PMC website yesterday. 13 caders and 97 posts. It will help to strengthen PMC health dept. Thanks to hon DCM sir @AjitPawarSpeaks, who gave permission for recruitment. Rest posts draft list will publish in a week, tweeted Agarwal. For the government-run Sassoon General Hospital too, the administration has decided to recruit doctors, besides upgrading infrastructure by adding more beds to intensive care units (ICU), and dialysis units, ventilators and other special cares. IAS officer S Chockalingam, who has been appointed as the nodal officer to look into the infrastructure needs of the hospital, said, We will get 80 ICU beds and the unit will be ready by third week of June. Since Sassoon is a tertiary care centre, it is obvious that most patients who come here are referred for special care or require special care, but unfortunately some of them die. We will now also recruit specialists like intensivists and chest specialists to take care of critical patients. Chockalingam said that more beds would mean more patients and more deaths with hospitals having a mortality rate of 2-3 per cent. Hence, the hospital has asked second year and third year students to attend to patients who are not critical. As of Sunday, the city had 173 critical patients out of which 42 were on ventilator and 131 were serious and in ICU. Although the government has capped the price on 80% of private hospital beds, the city would require special care for critical patients. The government has decided to take control of 80 per cent of private hospital beds. The hospitals will be allowed to charge their regular rates for the remaining 20 per cent beds. The capped charges are Rs 4,000 to Rs 9,000 for an ICU bed, including ventilator and isolation facility. In addition to adding equipment to the health infrastructure, the administration would also need specialist doctors to handle patients and equipment for which the civic body and Sassoon General hospital have floated tenders to hire specialist doctors, said the official. With the ever-improving news about the control of the pandemic, it is natural that we would look to other countries which had to deal with coronavirus earlier than we had, and see how they are managing their exit from the restrictions and lockdowns. It is, of course, important particularly in the health arena, as Professor Philip Nolan the chair of the Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group pointed out last week, to recognise that there are cultural differences. Arrangements for areas like education might seem similar on the face of it, but it doesnt automatically follow that what works in one country will work in another. Nevertheless, there are lessons to be learned and useful precedents to be followed. The same applies to economic recovery. The harshness of lockdown does not have to be followed by the harshness of economic austerity for the sake of balancing the books. Instead, we can usefully look to the experience in other jurisdictions as we try to revive an economy which has been put into cold storage for the past several weeks. New Zealand has, rightly, been held up as an exemplar of good crisis management over the course of the pandemic. It has had fewer cases and fewer deaths per capita than many other countries. In many respects, its economy is like ours. It is an island nation heavily dependent on agriculture and tourism and keen on attracting foreign direct investment. Our political, legal and tax systems are similar. The New Zealand Treasury has broken its response to coronavirus into three waves cushioning the impact, positioning for recovery and then rebuilding the economy. Measures are still being rolled out to help cushion the impact. As in Ireland, many of these are being channelled through the tax system, with wage subsidy schemes and relief for late tax payments very similar to the ones in operation in Ireland. However, while extending their wage subsidy scheme, the criteria for qualification has become tougher. Businesses wishing to avail of extended wage subsidies in New Zealand must be able to show a 50% decline in income. Here, the criterion is 25%. The areas of the New Zealand economy which will be most badly affected are the tourism, hospitality, travel and international student learning sectors. Here, too, there are resonances with our experience. It is now being recognised by the business community and the authorities in New Zealand that the second and third waves of their national response - positioning for recovery and resetting of the economy - will be a slow process. Returning to a balanced budget seems not to be an immediate priority, and it is acknowledged that it could take up to three years before New Zealand is able to consolidate its fiscal position. A crucial difference between our countries is that their national debt is expected to peak at around 50% of GDP. Our national debt burden is considerably higher, though it seems that we will have the advantage of being able to secure cheap finance via the EU institutions. No matter how well the pandemic was managed by any country, nor no matter how well contained among its population, the economic impacts will be severe and will not be short-term. The idea of a V-shaped economic recovery - a rapid decline followed by rapid improvement - looks less likely by the day. Economic recovery will happen. What is now required is patience on behalf of our authorities, a willingness to invest, and not rush to further years of damaging austerity trying to secure balanced budgets. Dr Brian Keegan is director of public policy at Chartered Accountants Ireland 01.06.2020 LISTEN The Proforum-USA wish to announce our support to comrade Bernard Mornah for standing tall in these crucial times to sting the Electoral Commission to reason. We are also grateful to our mother party, NDC for the swift solidarity and comradeship accorded the Chairman of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) as a member of the Inter-Party Resistance Against a New Voters Register (IPRAN) As a voice in the diaspora representing professionals from diverse backgrounds, we have through our statements in the past, advised the EC to tread cautiously to avoid derailing the hard-won democratic credentials of our beloved Ghana. Mr. Monahs supposed delivery on the occasion and cited by the CID is just but a true feeling of most Ghanaians as to how the Jean-Mensa-plot will eventually pan out. The Proforum-USA is further alarmed by the incessant intimidation of the opposition back home in Ghana and the entrenched position of the Jean Mensa-led egoistic commission to at all cost compile a new register for the upcoming polls. We have raised concerns in the past and expected that Madam Jean Mensa and her team would have by now, detached themselves from the executive manipulation. But unfortunately, their insatiable greed has blown their cover and exposed their agenda; especially when relying on an IPAC that suppresses the views of the largest opposition party. The NDC Proforum-USA therefore reiterate the position of our mother party-the NDC, that the invitation of comrade Mornah by the CID is a political intimidation on the part of the Ghana Police service. The new register is needless and illogical decision for the 2020 polls. As a social democratic professional group with our country at heart, the Proforum will continue to advocate for pro-poor policies and proper utilization of the countrys vast resources. We will always support like-minded individuals like Mr. Bernard Mornah in the fight against corruption and protect the sanctity of Ghanas electoral process. It is a national call and a blessing to all members of the NDC and the general citizenry to rise in solidarity with our comrade and National Chairman of the PNC, Mr. Mornah on Tuesday at the CID Headquarters. The world is watching, and our democracy is under threat. God bless our homeland Ghana. Signed Arnold Appiah President News outlets may be held liable for defamatory comments to articles posted on social media sites, an Australian court ruled on Monday. The decision could effectively prevent news outlets from posting articles on social media at all, which could disrupt user consumption of news, social media, and advertising. Todays decision means the media cannot share any story via Facebook without fear of being sued for comments which they did not publish and have no control over, defendants including News Corp Australia and the publisher of the Sydney Morning Herald said in a statement. It also creates the extraordinary situation where every public Facebook pagewhether it be held by politicians, businesses or courtsis now liable for third-party comments on those pages. The defendants said they were considering challenging the ruling, handed down by the highest court in the Australian state of New South Wales, in the countrys supreme court. The case was initially brought by Dylan Voller, who alleged that articles published about him on Facebook drew defamatory comments accusing him, without basis in fact, of various crimes. With [a] strong commercial imperative driving them, it really is a no-brainer that the media companies lent their assistance to the publication of third-party comments, Vollers attorney Peter OBrien told reporters. Social media companies and advertisers depend in part on traffic created by news articles to keep consumers on media platforms, while news outlets depend on social media for greater exposure. Advertising revenue that has traditionally propped up news outlets has migrated to social media in recent years. To combat the phenomenon, Australia has already decided to compel media companies including Alphabet and Facebook to pay local news outlets for content posted online. The debate over liability protections for social media companies flared up in the U.S. last week, after Twitter chose to place a fact-check label on a series of tweets by President Trump. The president subsequently signed an executive order calling on the Federal Trade Commission to clarify what types of online speech are exempted from liability under current U.S. communications law. Story continues Attorney General William Barr said at the signing of the order that a change in liability protections would most likely need to be advanced through legislation. More from National Review HARKERS ISLAND, N.C. - Authorities in North Carolina are trying to identify human remains that were discovered on a barrier island Sunday afternoon, according to officials. Cape Lookout National Seashore rangers found the remains around 3:30 p.m. on Shackleford Banks, news outlets quoted the seashores superintendent as saying. The remains were turned over to the medical examiners office, the National Park Service said in a statement Sunday. The agency did not comment further. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Students from Curtis High School gathered at Silver Lake Park Monday afternoon to memorialize the names of black people who have died by violence in recent decades. Writing in chalk at the entrance of the park, the students listed names such as George Floyd, the unarmed black man who was allegedly killed by ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin; Eric Garner, who died after former NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo applied a banned chokehold during an attempted arrest for the alleged sale of loose cigarettes, and others. Elizabeth Reich, 17, a junior at Curtis High School and one of the organizers of the demonstration, said: Im not black, so I cant tell what it is to be black in this country, but I can try to raise awareness and help because if Im silent, then Im just another bystander. Approximately a dozen students started the demonstration and were later joined by those who were walking through the park and wanted to contribute. Were trying to show people the sheer amount of names, Reich said. Here at Silver Lake Park, Curtis High school students are involved in an educational demonstration writing the names of black victims of violence in chalk at the entrance to the park. Story coming later for @siadvance. pic.twitter.com/vFVAuF7pKk Joseph Ostapiuk (@OstapiukJ) June 1, 2020 Roses were laid on the ground where dozens of names were written, and while the names were initially also listed on signs taped to a nearby fence, a Parks Department employee told the students to remove it citing that they did not have a permit to conduct the demonstration, Reich said. The students abided by the directives and agreed to remove the signs and clean up the area before leaving the site, she said. We respect the memory of those whose lives were tragically ended and will ensure that the memorial at Silver Lake Park is handled with care and sensitivity, said Charisse Hill, a Parks Department spokeswoman. We ask patrons to be mindful not to place memorial materials including signage, flowers, and candles on fences or trees in ways that would cause damage. Samantha Virgintino, 17, a junior at Curtis High School who, along with Reich and Jared Beltran, were organizers of the peaceful demonstration said it was an effort to remember black people who have died as a result of violence. We want to memorialize their legacy and their names because what happened to all of them is a tragedy," she said. We want to break the wheel of discrimination against black people, she said. While the organizers of the demonstration did not term the Silver Lake memorialization a protest, the demonstration followed a weekend of peaceful protests that called for changes in police accountability, neighborhood policing and the importance of civic and legislative change. On Monday, Assistant Chief Kenneth Corey, the NYPD borough commander, praised Island activists, the Advance/SILive.com reported. Corey expressed the importance of the peaceful nature of the protests, saying: Let Staten Island be an example for others to follow." The United States has been hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic which started from Wuhan in China and quickly spread across the world. It has the highest number of Covid-19 cases - nearly 18 lakh - as well as the death toll. Many cities in the United States has seen the number of Covid-19 cases spike. And now, it is being singed by the protests against the killing of a black man. George Floyd was killed last Monday in Minneapolis when a police officer pinned him down and knelt on his neck; the man died gasping for breath. Since then, a wave of I cant breathe protests have swept across US cities with thousands coming on the streets and clashing with the police. These protests are once again resonating with the message Black Lives Matter. In Washington, protesters started fires near the White House as tensions with police mounted during a third straight night of demonstrations. They piled up road signs and plastic barriers and lit the raging fire in the middle of H Street. Others added branches pulled from trees. Enraged protesters screamed, Who do you serve? Who do you protect? Police shot pepper powders point black at several protesters. The accused police officer Derek Chauvin was first fired and then charged with third-degree murder in Floyds death. Nations around the world have watched in horror at the civil unrest in the United States. Burning cars and riot police in the US featured on newspaper front pages around the globe Sunday - bumping news of the Covid-19 pandemic to second-tier status in some places. Thousands gathered in central London on Sunday to offer support for American demonstrators. Chanting No justice! No peace! and waving placards with the words How many more? at Trafalgar Square, the protesters ignored UK government rules banning crowds because of the pandemic. Police didnt stop them. Demonstrators then marched to the US Embassy, where a long line of officers surrounded the building. Several hundred milled around in the street and waved placards. Protesters in Denmark also converged on the US Embassy on Sunday. Participants carried placards with messages such as Stop Killing Black People. With 1,789,364 confirmed cases and 1,04,358 deaths, the US accounts for the highest number of infections and fatalities in the world, according to Johns Hopkins Universitys Centre for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE). The total number of global coronavirus cases, meanwhile, has increased to over 6.1 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 3,71,000. (With inputs from agencies) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Monday that the borders of the national capital will be sealed for a week given the rising number of coronavirus cases, adding that further decision on the same will be based on the suggestions received from the public. To decide on whether borders should be opened, Kejriwal has sought suggestions from people through WhatsApp or email till 5 p.m. on Friday, saying that he also needed suggestions and guidance on whether Delhi government hospitals should be reserved for the residents of Delhi. Addressing the media, Kejriwal said that until now, his government could do so much work in Delhi because of the support of the people and their trust, saying the guidance of the people helped him implement many important decisions in the city. For the time being, he said, the Delhi government is sealing the borders for one week. "Essential services will remain functional and government officials can travel showing their identity cards. Based on the suggestions received from you, we will talk to the experts and decide on our future course of action on opening of borders," Kejriwal said. "Covid-19 positive cases are rising in Delhi, which is a matter of worry but there is no need to panic. I say this because the AAP government has invested a lot in developing the healthcare infrastructure of Delhi in the last five years," the Chief Minister said. Kejriwal said there has been holistic development of the health infrastructure in Delhi and assured that when the world is fighting to strengthen its healthcare systems against the Covid-19 pandemic, the Delhi government is ready to provide adequate health facilities and "a bed if you are ever infected by coronavirus". Kejriwal said that the decision to open Delhi borders can be a challenging one because of the large influx of people from across the country for medical treatment. "People from all across the country come to Delhi for medical treatment because, first, Delhi's healthcare system is better than the healthcare system of any other state in the country. Secondly, the medical services in the government hospitals in Delhi are free. People can avail free of cost treatment in the government hospitals even if the treatment costs Rs 10 lakh," he said. "As soon as we open the borders, people from across the country will come to Delhi for better treatment. We have a capacity of 9,500 beds for coronavirus treatment in Delhi hospitals as against 2,300 patients today, but all the beds will be occupied in just 2-3 days if we have an influx of patients from across the country. What should we do? Should Delhi borders be opened," he asked. Kejriwal said some people believe that the borders should be opened, but medical treatment in the hospitals should only be provided to the residents of Delhi. "But how can we do that? Delhi is the national capital and it belongs to all. How can Delhi deny treatment to all these people now? Some people believe that this practice should be adopted only for the coronavirus pandemic. We have various suggestions and we need your guidance on what should be done," he added. Kejriwal asked people to send their suggestions through WhatsApp (8800007722), email (delhicm.suggestions@gmail.com) or call (1031). Delhi shares its border with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. While Delhi has so far allowed people from its satellite cities -- Gurugram, Sonepat, Faridabad (in Haryana) and Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad (in Uttar Pradesh), the neighbouring states have blocked the movement. However, from Monday, the Haryana government opened its inter-state borders with Delhi. The Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad authorities, on the other hand, said that their borders with Delhi will remain sealed and only those from essential services or having valid passes can pass through the borders. Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. Rioters damage the entrance of an office building in Washington on May 31, 2020. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images) DC Mayor Sets Curfew Amid Protests, Riots Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser imposed overnight curfews for June 1 and June 2 following widespread protests and riots in the nations capital. From 7 p.m. till the following morning, people are forbidden from being outside, Bowser said at a press conference on June 1, moving the May 31, 11 p.m., curfew four hours earlier. Her office said its in effect until 6 a.m. each morning. Reporters and so-called essential workers are exempt from the curfew. We did notice that the vast majority of people adhered to the curfew, and at 11 oclock people were moving out, which gave the police the opportunity to focus on those people who were intent on breaking the law anyway, Bowser said, explaining her sudden reversal on May 31 to impose a curfew after initially saying she wouldnt announce one. Bowser told reporters that she wasnt going to impose a curfew because the people who were destructive last night, or May 30, were not likely curfew followers. Intelligence gathered by police suggesting organizational operations and tactics prompted her to change her mind, Bowser said, leading her to grant a request for a curfew. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks to reporters in front of the damaged Saint Johns Church near the White House on June 1, 2020. (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images) Later May 31, a curfew went into effect from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. During the hours of the curfew, no person, other than persons designated by the Mayor, shall walk, bike, run, loiter, stand, or motor by car or other mode of transport upon any street, alley, park, or other public place within the District, the mayors office said in a statement. Individuals performing essential duties as authorized by prior Mayors Orders, including working media with their outlet-issued credentials and health care personnel, are exempt when engaged in essential functions. Bowser is one of dozens of officials across the United States who targeted small groups and individuals gathering or trying to reopen from the pandemic shutdown who hesitated to issue similar condemnations of people gathering in the hundreds and thousands, ostensibly to protest the death of George Floyd, a black man who died last week in police custody in Minneapolis. Bowser told reporters June 1 that she spent time before the briefing walking around the city to assess the damage caused by rioters. A protester throws a U.S. flag into a burning barricade during protests and riots in Washington on May 31, 2020. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images) There is significant damage in the downtown areas, especially in the blocks immediately around Lafayette Square, she said. Setting fires, breaking into businesses, and beating down a variety of individuals have become hallmarks of riots across the nation, overshadowing peaceful protests held by people upset by the way Floyd died. Bowser said officials support First Amendment demonstrations, but we do not and we will not, allow the continued destruction of our hometown by people who are coming here to protest or by D.C. residents. Every single American should be outraged by the murder of George Floyd. However, smashed windows and looting are becoming a bigger story than the broken systems that got us here, she said. The Kaneshie District Court on Monday adjourned the false publication of news and forgery case against Bishop Daniel Obinim to July 20 to enable prosecution to complete its investigations. Assistant Superintendent of Police Sylvester Asare pleaded with the Court presided over by Madam Rosemond Dodua Agyiri to give prosecution enough time to investigate the matters at stake. Bishop Obinim, the leader of the International God's way church is to remain on the GHC100,000.00 bail with three (3) sureties, one of whom is to be justified. Bishop Obinim was arrested on bench warrant by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Tuesday, May 19 over publication of false news and falsification of documents. He was charged with the offences of Publication of false news and Forgery of document contrary to sections 208 and 159 of the Criminal and other offences Act, 1960 (ACT 29). He is also under investigations for other offence leveled against him. 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 Russia has approved a 'game-changer' antiviral drug to treat the coronavirus and is ready to start giving it to infected patients next week. The Health Ministry in Russia has approved Avifavir, following the promising results of the first phase of clinical trials of the medication. Covid-19 patients given the drug recovered in half the time compared to those who took a placebo and that it cures 90 per cent of patients in 10 days, health chiefs claimed. Russian officials modified a version of the generic drug favipiravir, a drug designed to treat flu in Japan, to make it specifically for Covid-19. They said they would share the formula globally, saying they believe it is the 'most promising anti-COVID-19 drug in the world'. In the meantime, 60,000 doses of the drug will be delivered to hospitals in Russia over the course of June. UK scientists have already started a trial of favipiravir on dozens of infected patients, admitting the early results have looked 'promising'. Evidence suggests it can be used to prevent severe Covid-19 when given at the early stages of disease - but it hasn't shown to have much effect in critically ill cases. But it has been linked to birth defects in animals. Japan's Prime Minister admitted the side effects could be 'the same as thalidomide', which caused deformities in thousands of babies in the 1950s and '60s. Russian officials modified a version of the generic drug favipiravir (pictured), a well established drug used to treat flu in Japan, to make Avifavir specifically for Covid-19. Drug-makers worldwide are rushing to develop treatments and vaccines for the virus that has killed 372,000 people globally - a tenth of which are in the UK. The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) made the Avifavir in a 50-50 joint venture with Russian pharmaceutical firm ChemRar. RDIF said Avifavir had proved highly effective in treating patients with coronavirus in the first phase of its clinical trials led by IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University. WHAT IS AVIFAVIR? Russian specialists modified the generic drug favipiravir to enhance its efficacy for treating COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The result was Avifavir. Favipiravir is the active ingredient in a Japanese anti-flu medicine called Avigan, which is also being trialled against Covid-19 in Japan but has not been approved for use yet. Avigan is manufactured by a subsidiary of Fujifilm, which is better known for its cameras. The drug was approved for use in Japan in 2014 as a new flu treatment. One of the first trials of favipiravir was on 340 patients in China. Patients who took favipiravir recovered quicker and showed greater lung improvement compared with patients not given the drug. It was given to a small number of patients in Shenzhen, who had negative results for the coronavirus an average of four days after being diagnosed, meaning there was no trace of the virus in their body. This compared with 11 days for those who were not treated with the drug, according to local media. X-rays showed improvements in lung condition in nine in ten of the patients who were treated with favipiravir, compared to six in ten of those without the drug. Favipiravir has been effective, with no obvious side-effects, in helping coronavirus patients recover, Zhang Xinmin, an official at China's Science and Technology Ministry, told reporters. 'It has a high degree of safety and is clearly effective in treatment,' Mr Xinmin said, according to The Guardian. It's unknown which branded favipiravir drug the patients were given. Contradictory clinical trials suggest favipiravir will not be useful in patients who have more severe illness. Advertisement The first phase of a clinical trial is to assess if a drug is safe and prove it has some sort of effect against the virus. Kirill Dmitriev, head of RDIF, told Reuters: 'The drug showed very good results in randomised clinical tests. After four days, 65 per cent of patients did not have the virus.' This was two times higher compared to those on standard therapy. By 10 days this number had increased to 90 per cent. During the trial, only 40 patients were treated with the drug, so the results will need verifying with a larger number of participants. No side effects were noted in this trial but these would become apparent in larger trials, the scientists said. Mr Dmitriev said it was not suitable for pregnant woman, likely nodding to animal studies which have shown Avigan - another drug based on the same generic ingredient - can affect foetal development. Some doctors say they would not recommend it for children or adolescents. The final stage of clinical trials is under way, with the participation of 330 patients. 'We believe this is a game changer,' Mr Dmitriev said. 'It will reduce strain on the healthcare system, we'll have fewer people getting into a critical condition, and for 90 per cent of people it eliminates the virus within 10 days. 'Avifavir more than halves the duration of the disease, ensuring most patients are free of infection after the fifth day of treatment, which helps to more successfully fight the virus and protects Russian hospitals from being overwhelmed.' Mr Dmitriev said the roll-out of the drug across the country would curb how many people need to be admitted to hospital because it was particularly effective for patients suffering mild symptoms. Patients will start receiving the antiviral from next week, a move that is thought to speed up a return to normal economic life. Russian hospitals can begin giving the drug to patients from June 11, with enough to treat around 60,000 people per month, the head of Russia's RDIF sovereign wealth said. Once Russia's own medical needs were covered, Mr Dmitriev said it would look to export Avifavir with countries in the Middle East and Latin America expressing interest already. 'We believe that the drug is key to resuming full economic activity in Russia,' Mr Dmitriev said. 'Avifavir is not only the first antiviral drug registered against coronavirus in Russia, but it is also perhaps the most promising anti-COVID-19 drug in the world.' Avifavir was developed on the basis of a drug known generically as favipiravir. It is unclear if the products contains other ingredients. Known as an RNA polymerase inhibitor, it stops viruses from making copies of themselves to spread through the body. The drug was approved for use in Japan in 2014 as a new flu treatment under the name Avigan, manufactured by Toyama Chemicals, a subsidiary of Fujifilm which is better known for its cameras. The drug was approved for use in Japan in 2014 as a new flu treatment under the name Avigan (pictured), manufactured by Toyama Chemicals, a subsidiary of Fujifilm SIX HOPES FOR A CORONAVIRUS TREATMENT REMDESIVIR Investors are closely watching the trials of this antiviral drug, which was originally developed as a treatment against ebola. Every titbit of information about the treatment has resulted in huge swings in the stock market. The US government's top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, last week said early results from one trial showed remdesivir had a 'clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery'. Several trials are ongoing - including one at University College London. TOCILIZUMAB This drug, made by pharmaceutical giant Roche, stops the 'cytokine storm' that happens when the immune system starts attacking the body, something that is seen in very ill coronavirus patients. Originally developed as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, Roche has also used tocilizumab in the last few years for cancer patients undergoing its risky but extremely effective CAR-T therapy. These patients sometimes suffer cytokine storm as a side effect of the cancer treatment, and tocilizumab has been effective at minimising the danger when this happens. Tocilizumab is part of three major trials involving British patients - with the first results expected by June or July. HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE Anti-inflammatory drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have been used since the 1940s against malaria and autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. They both have antiviral properties and hydroxychloroquine is part of several UK studies for the treatment of early-phase coronavirus. FAVIPIRAVIR A Japanese flu drug that blocks the ability of a virus to replicate itself, favipiravir has been shown to cut recovery time from 11 days to four days in coronavirus patients. A trial of the drug was launched last week at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. LOPINAVIR-RITONAVIR A combination of two antiretroviral HIV drugs, this was part of the treatment protocol for Covid-19 in China and is now being trialled by Oxford. The treatment is used to prevent the HIV virus becoming the Aids disease. It targets an enzyme called protease which viruses use to replicate themselves. Without this, when the virus takes over a cell it is unable to make copies of itself, so the infection stops at that cell. ANTIBODY PLASMA By the end of May 5,000 NHS patients a week will be receiving blood donated by coronaviorus survivors. The use of 'convalescent plasma' relies on the theory that people who survive coronavirus have developed antibodies against the virus which could help patients struggling to produce their own. Advertisement Japan has been trialling Avigan for Covid-19 patients with the support of $128million in government funding, but it has yet to be approved for use. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been pushing for Avigan as a treatment for coronavirus despite no hard-proof evidence it works. He said at a news conference on May 4 he wanted the drug approved for use against COVID-19 by the end of the month, despite conceding it had side effects which caused birth defects. But he warned of side effects 'the same as thalidomide' - a drug which caused thousands of women to lose their pregnancies or give birth to babies with missing or malformed limbs in the 1950s and 60s. Evidence of birth defects in animal trials led Japan to put unusually strict controls on the pills use and production. It had been given to humans only during clinical trials and in desperate attempts to treat Ebola, the New York Times reports. China has also trialled favipiravir, although it is not clear what brand, with similar findings to Russia. In a trial of 80 patients, those given the drug tested negative for the virus after an average of four days, while it took 11 days for those not treated with it, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK. A small trial is being conducted in the UK after British scientists said favipiravir could be a 'promising' treatment for Covid-19. A total of 450 hospital inpatients across four hospitals with mild to moderate symptoms of the disease will be recruited to take part the randomised controlled trial. It will see some receive favipiravir, some a combination treatment of hydroxychloroquine, zinc and azithromycin, while a third group will be given existing standard care for Covid-19. Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital in London are participating in the trial, which also involves Imperial College and the Royal Brompton Hospital. University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium aims to start a trial on up to 200 patients at a later date. Pallav Shah, professor in respiratory medicine at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and the study's chief investigator, said the Pioneer trial aims to find a drug which prevents Covid-19 progressing, reducing the length of hospital stay. Patients with symptoms such as breathlessness and a fever will be approached to take part in the study before swab results even come back to ensure treatment can be given early. Under the study, patients will be kept in hospital initially for at least a day and receive 10 days worth of treatment. Professor Shah said of small studies in China: 'Hypothetically it looks very useful, very promising; when you look at the drug's effectiveness in vitro, it looks very good. 'But being a clinician and a scientist, we always want to see the data ... before we can recommend it.' 'I'm confident that we will gain some knowledge and this will give us some very good answers. We wouldn't know whether it's effective until we get the results.' In the UK it is not licensed or recommended, according to a document released by Public Health England last September. Current standard of care for Covid-19, which most patients in the UK receive, includes being given oxygen, fluids, a broad-spectrum antibiotics and any treatment to reduce complications caused by the virus. Only one potential direct antiviral has been given the approval for use in the UK - remdesivir, which works in a similar fashion to favipiravir. After the approval last week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock called remdesivir the 'biggest step forward' in treating Covid-19 since the outbreak spiralled out of control. He said scientific studies have already shown promising results and suggest it may speed up people's time to recovery by four days. Punjab cabinet ministers Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Gurpreet Singh Kangar and Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Sunday lashed out at the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Badal family for allegedly joining hands with those seeking to dismantle the countrys federal structure. In a joint statement, the ministers said SAD patron and former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, who kept harping on about federal structure all his life, is silent over his son and daughter-in-law being part of BJP-led government at the Centre which was against the spirit of federalism. The people of Punjab will never forgive them for this. The National democratic Alliance (NDA) government is blatantly interfering with the rights of the states as far as fiscal borrowing is concerned. Did the SAD president (Sukhbir) not remember his own partys Anandpur Sahib resolution? they questioned. The party which calls itself the champion of the rights of the states is hand in glove with the NDA government, they claimed. The Centre was interfering with the borrowing rights of the states. Instead of opposing this draconian decision, the Akali leaders, to cover up for the crime against the people of the nation, are hatching a conspiracy to mislead the masses by making baseless statements about electricity bills. CM Capt Amarinder Singh has already made it clear farmers will continue to get free electricity, the ministers said. Parkash Singh Badal, they said, must break his silence on the issue and ask Sukhbir to resign from the post of the party president and recall Harsimrat from the Union ministry. The Badals have abandoned the long cherished principles of the Akali Dal to further their personal interests, they said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 01:12:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Video: New York officials on May 30, 2020, denounce acts of violence in the city's protests over George Floyd's death, after hundreds of protesters have been arrested over the past few days. (Xinhua) "Those who are out there to create violence ... we won't tolerate that, you will get arrested tonight," says New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. NEW YORK, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Another 300-plus protesters in New York were arrested Saturday night in the third day of the city's protests over the death of Minnesota man George Floyd, local media reported. Thousands of New Yorkers assembled in all five boroughs to protest police brutality starting on Saturday afternoon, and the largely peaceful demonstrations turned violent again in the evening with clashes between protesters and police. Some businesses in downtown Manhattan were broken in and looted. Several police vehicles were burnt and dozens damaged, According to NBC4. Police arrest a protester in New York, the United States, May 29, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua) Two police vans in Brooklyn were surrounded and attacked by protesters with bottles and rocks. The vans accelerated to get out of the crowds and knocked several people down on the ground, as videos circulating online showed. According to NBC4, over 340 arrests were made on the day, bringing the total arrests of the past three days to over 600. Around 33 police officers were injured. In a remark before midnight in Brooklyn, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio urged all protesters to go home, saying their voices have been heard. He said a small number of people chose to commit acts of violence and attack police, which is unacceptable. "Those who are out there to create violence ... we won't tolerate that, you will get arrested tonight." Officers of New York police department arrest a demonstrator during a protest over the death of George Floyd in the Brooklyn borough of New York, the United States, May 30, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua) On Thursday, over 70 protesters were arrested in Manhattan, while over 200 were arrested on Friday night mostly in Brooklyn after violent acts toward police occurred. Three people have been federally charged with using and attempting to use "Molotov Cocktails" to damage and destroy New York City Police Department vehicles early Saturday morning in Brooklyn, according to a statement of the U.S. Department of Justice on Sunday. Moscows oil pricing dispute with the Government of Saudi Arabia, a domestic U.S. oil boom, and a fall in global oil demand since the COVID19 outbreak have damaged Russias oil industry. But its influence over the global oil market seems only set to increase, just one of the resource sectors Russia is seeking to dominate in the 21st Century. Oil: As the worldwide response to the pandemic was heating up in early March 2020, Saudi Arabia and Russia, the worlds two leading oil exporters, launched a pricing war for their oil on international markets. The Kremlin had ignored Saudi demands to OPEC members and other oil-producing/exporting states to cut production to stabilize prices, causing Saudi Arabia to increase its production and send prices lower. Because Saudi Arabia can produce and export oil for a much lower price than Russia, analysts were left pondering the wisdom behind Russias brinksmanship. The Kremlin most likely sought to undermine the U.S. oil industry, which despite surging in recent years, still requires even higher prices to break even. Suffering temporarily at the hands of the Saudis may now allow Russia to steadily recapture international market share. The complete collapse of oil prices amid the dispute and COVID19 outbreak forced OPEC, Russia, the U.S., and other oil powers to hash out a deal in April 2020 to save the industry itself. But the Kremlin may have the most to gain. Though second in oil exports, third in production and refining, and eighth in reserves, Russia enjoys several advantages over other oil powers; advantages which have established it as the most dominant force in the industry. Saudi Arabia, for example, is the largest oil exporter, second-largest producer, and has the second-largest reserves. However, it is only ranked eighth in refining, meaning its exports are largely unfinished products that must be refined elsewhere before they can be used. But more importantly, Saudi Arabia cannot viably defend its infrastructure, made evident in May 2019 when Iran attacked Saudi oil facilities using drones and missiles. The incident temporarily halved Saudi production, casting doubt on Saudi Arabias ability to safeguard its facilities and the transportation routes to foreign markets. Amid increasing Iranian aggression and U.S. disengagement from the region, Saudi Arabias longterm oil export capabilities are under threat. Without the guarantee of a steady stream of oil, buyers will naturally look to other suppliers, and Saudi Arabias influence over the international oil market risks dwindling significantly. As one of the worlds foremost military powers, Russia can not only defend its networks but attack those of others; such as in the 2008 Georgia War where its aircraft damaged Georgian oil pipelines. Furthermore, Russias enormous size grants it proximity to the most profitable European and Asian markets, simplifying logistics and reducing the need to transport shipments through hostile territory. While the U.S. is both the top oil producer and oil refiner, helped largely by its shale oil boom, it has just recently become a net oil exporter; but only barely. It consumes the second-most oil after the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), and despite the US growing energy independence, it cannot sway prices and international supply the same way as larger exporters. Furthermore, it too is far away from the most profitable markets in Europe and Asia. The Kremlins added advantage over Washington is the direct coordination of its political and commercial goals with the state-run oil company, Rosneft. Other Russian oil companies are largely in lockstep with Russian Government policy. U.S. companies are directed by profit margins instead of geopolitical outreach, and often require human rights agreements before deals are inked. Led by Rosneft, Russias oil companies have become a global alternative to the traditional power of the U.S./Western oil companies. They have significantly increased their control over Venezuelas oil industry, for example, after almost 20 years of increasingly tense relations between Venezuela and the U.S./West. With the worlds largest oil reserves, Venezuelas political leadership has been strengthened by Moscows assistance during its current ongoing crisis, which could eventually reverse its oil fortunes in the future. The other pillars of the international oil industry face their own setbacks. Military weaknesses, fractured leaderships, undeveloped industries, and economic sanctions are some of the problems that hinder OPEC states. Furthermore, without Saudi Arabias ability to periodically flood markets, the organization is largely toothless. Related: Solving The Energy Industry's Biggest Problem The PRC is the second-largest oil refiner and fifth-largest producer, but it still imports far more than it can produce domestically. Its major focus is importing enough for domestic use, yet it is unable to protect the global sea lanes that ensure its supply. In part due to this concern, Russia has become the second-largest supplier of oil to the PRC after Saudi Arabia. Finally, in Canada, there is a lack of political and public will for new pipelines which could increase its capabilities and customer base. Its major buyer, the U.S., has become vastly more self-sufficient in oil, while new pipeline networks into the U.S. have been blocked by U.S. officials on environmental concerns, casting further uncertainty onto Canadas oil industry. Natural Gas: Russias ability to defend its infrastructure and strong placement in all sectors of the oil industry guarantee it major influence in the future. But oil is not the only resource that Russia seeks to dominate this century. Since the 1970s, technological advancements have made natural gas cheaper to extract, while environmental concerns have made it an increasingly popular substitute for carbon-heavy oil, particularly in Europe. Russia has an even more commanding position in the international natural gas market. It is first in natural gas reserves and exports, and second in production. Its only real rival is the U.S., which, as with oil, has only recently become a net exporter. Gazprom, Russias largest company, has led the Kremlins attempts to gain commercial and political benefits from its gas industry. For example, since the early 1990s, the Kremlin has repeatedly cut off gas to Ukraine to draw concessions from its leadership (and to ensure payment of overdue bills). Though Ukraine has since weaned itself off Russian gas, much of Russias gas still passes through Ukraine on its way to Europe. Ukraines economy remains partially reliant on the transit fees which the gas flow generates, meaning it is still very much hostage to Russian supply cuts. The European Union (EU) has often been forced to mediate Russian-Ukrainian gas disputes. Yet since the 2014 Ukraine crisis and in the face of opposition from Eastern European countries, Western European countries have continued to pursue several Russian natural gas pipelines, such as the Turkstream and the Nordstream pipelines. These networks will only increase Russias ability to punish Ukraine and Eastern European countries in future years, without jeopardizing its sales to Western Europe. This has not gone unnoticed in Washington. US presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump have criticized the Nordstream pipeline network in particular. Nonetheless, Germany and other Western EU states have continued to increase their gas imports from Russia, significantly undermining the united economic front projected by Western politicians since the Ukraine crisis in 2014. The Kremlin has prioritized defending its access to the European market from other gas powers. Qatar and Iran are desperate to make use of their large reserves, yet any Europe-bound pipeline would require passage through Syria. In 2018, Syrian Pres. Bashar al-Assad signed an agreement giving Russia sole rights to gas and oil production in Syria, allowing the Kremlin to keep competition to a minimum. The PRCs current use of natural gas is low, covering less than 10 percent of its energy needs But the enormous scale of its energy consumption has still made it the largest natural gas importer. With growing energy needs and an eye on CO2 emissions, the PRCs appetite for natural gas would, under normal conditions, be likely to increase, assuming the PRC economy retains its viability. On top of Russias existing gas pipelines to the PRC, liquefied natural gas (LNG) is now making it possible for the PRC to receive Russian LNG at its ports. The PRC was, in early June 2020, expected to soon overtake Japan as the largest LNG importer, and the USPRC trade war may prevent U.S. gas suppliers from capitalizing on a major market, leaving Russia with the lions share. As LNG helps propel natural gas to a truly global commodity, Russia is already beating the U.S. at this pricing war in Europe, and future gas developments in Russias Arctic are promising for its LNG prospects around the world. Nuclear Power: Russias influence is not limited to natural resources. Led by state firm Rosatom, Russia has also seized the initiative following disruptions to the global nuclear industry. After the Fukushima incident in 2011, Japan and Germany, both major nuclear energy powers, began shutting down much of their nuclear facilities. Others, like France, South Korea, and the U.S., have also had faltering industries in recent years. After the Chernobyl disaster and collapse of the USSR, Russias nuclear industry began to pick up again in the late 1990s and has made steady progress in the years since. Though fourth in nuclear power production, Russia is again in a commanding position. Rosatom and its subsidiaries have integrated operations a huge input in fuel cycle, reactor sales, and reactor maintenance and have worked to increase their control over uranium deposits from Kazakhstan to the U.S. Russia appears to be banking on exporting its reactor technology for the future. It has a dozen more orders for nuclear power reactors than its only competitor, the PRC, which it is already working with Rosatom, anyway. Across Europe and Asia, deals for Russian reactors are being implemented or explored. Completing current reactor deals with EU members Hungary and Finland, with their vigorous safety standards, will help Rosatom demonstrate it is ready for more contracts around the world. Related: How Long Until Hydrogen Is Competitive At The Pump? But it is in Africa that Russia sees an opportunity. Nuclear power has been viewed as the answer to the continents projected growth in population and energy demand, and Russia is hoping to monopolize the continents nuclear industry before it potentially takes off. In late 2019, Rosatoms floating nuclear power plant, the Akademik Lomonosov Kuznets, began delivering power to Russias Chukotka region in Siberia. Capable of powering a city of 100,000 people, it is the only transportable nuclear power plant in the world. Rosatoms intention to build seven of them, along with Russias nuclear-powered icebreakers, will help the Kremlin bring power to its energy-deficient Arctic. If it does so successfully, Rosatom may be able to revolutionize (and monopolize) transportable nuclear power. Other: Russia maintains moderate influence in coal, iron, and steel markets. But even in renewable energy, Russia may play a powerful future role in hydropower. It is already the fifth-largest producer of hydropower in the world, and if it can exploit its extensive river networks, Russia could increase its potential even further. Russias renewable energy industry is undeveloped apart from hydropower yet has potential elsewhere. The countrys vast size means it has access to plenty of resources, and while solar power is limited, geothermal and wind energy could be exploited with proper funding. Russia meanwhile has several tidal power stations, and the proposed Penzhin Tidal Power Plant indicates the Kremlin sees potential in this area as well. Weaknesses and Future: Russias resource power is not without its weaknesses. Oil and gas revenue accounts for a majority of government revenue, making Russia vulnerable to drops in demand and prices. And, as many countries (including its important European markets) attempt to reduce their emissions, alternatives to oil and natural gas will increasingly be sought. At the same time, nuclear and hydropower are far from sure bets for the future of global energy use. Nonetheless, military strength, state-run companies, impressive reserves, production and export capabilities, and proximity to major markets have given Russia an edge in 21st Century resource markets. While this may help fill the Kremlins coffers, its true goal is binding countries to current and future Russian resource flows and controlling global supplies. With few major rivals in multiple markets, this process is already well underway. By John P. Ruehl More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: When Weslinne Adhemar Cespedes found a large lump in her left breast she scheduled an appointment with her OB-GYN. Even though friends and co-workers assured her that it was probably a benign cyst especially because she was so young she didnt want to take any chances. As women, we just get bogged down or we focus on the day-to-day, our careers, our families and sometimes we put behind our self-care, the 30-year-old school guidance counselor, who lives in Brooklyn, told TODAY. This is part of self-care. Weslinne Cespedes learned she had aggressive breast cancer in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Weslinne Cespedes) In March, her doctor sent her for a sonogram and said if the lump looked harmless there would be no more tests. When the results came back, Cespedes learned she needed a mammogram and a biopsy. She grew worried. I honestly felt like it crept up on me, she said. My anxiety levels shot up. By the end of March she had her results: She had breast cancer. I was just balling, she said. I went to my fiances apartment and we just cried and cried. Related: Her fiance, Emmanuel Cespedes, had proposed to her in October 2019 and the couple had planned on getting married on May 2. When the COVID-19 pandemic started, their venue rescheduled their wedding for August 1. Now, Cespedes was facing months of treatment and surgery. She was scared and unsure of what would happen with her cancer as cases of coronavirus were increasing dramatically. The wife of Emmanuels best friend works at the Dubin Breast Center of the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai in New York, and she recommended Cespedes visit the center for a second opinion. We just wanted to feel more at ease or know how to move about with life, she explained. I wanted to know what stage I was in. Weslinne Cespedes has triple negative breast cancer, but her doctors say her tumor is responding well to chemotherapy. (Weslinne Cespedes) Tests revealed that the cancer had spread into some lymph nodes in her armpit and doctors considered it stage 3. We were just like, OK were not looking at stage 4, she said. "This is treatable." Undergoing treatment and finding joy Breast cancer is rare among women under 40 (only one in 1,567 will be diagnosed in their 20s, one in 220 will be diagnosed in their 30s). Yet, it's important to note that about 11% of all new cases of breast cancer in the U.S. are found in women younger than 45 years old. Story continues Cespedes's physician, Dr. Amy Tiersten, a professor of medicine, hematology and oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and clinical director of breast medical oncology, told TODAY that Cespedes has an aggressive type of breast cancer called triple negative breast cancer. Tiersten explained that some breast cancers express receptors and respond to targeted treatment, but this cancer doesnt. The treatment of choice is chemotherapy. It is a type of breast cancer that is very responsive to chemotherapy, said Tiersten. Finding the lump early and getting treatment quickly helped Cespedes. Fortunately, hers was caught where it is completely local, Tiersten said. Her PET scan did not show any spread to other parts of her body. Weslinne Cespedes is sharing her experience with breast cancer because she wants other women to feel empowered about their health. (Weslinne Cespedes) On April 17, Cespedes had her first chemotherapy infusion. Even though she worried about visiting the cancer center while the highly contagious coronavirus was spreading, she knew receiving treatment was vital. I know how scary it is. Were all supposed to stay home and social distance ourselves and theres a higher risk of contracting COVID-19, she said. I need this treatment. I need to care for myself. And I feel really safe. Related: So far, she has only had three of her 16 pre-operative chemotherapy treatments, but shes responding well to it. Shes already had a very substantial decrease in the expressed mass, Tiersten said. The goal is to shrink it down to make surgery more feasible. For a few days following her chemotherapy treatments, Cespedes feels rundown. She also has Type 1 diabetes, which she manages with insulin. Still, she feels mostly good. Even though her wedding was postponed due to the coronavirus and cancer, she slowly started moving her things into a two-bedroom apartment with Emmanuel while they continued to wonder if their August 1 wedding would even happen. When they learned their wedding officiant was moving away, they decided to do a socially distanced wedding ceremony on May 25. They had to be flexible. The wedding dress was stuck in a store closed because of the pandemic. But Cespedes wore another white dress she had. Their wedding party helped make the day special (including by hiring photographers who took pictures from the bushes to stay safe). This was the one thing we could control, Cespedes said. We're making the best of what we have. Were just really focused on laughter, happiness and joy in the midst of a pandemic and my cancer treatment." Their wedding date changed a few times because of the coronavirus pandemic, but Emmanuel and Weslinne Cespedes were finally able to get married. (John Andrew and Marc Richards) The couple exchanged vows on the lawn of their maid of honors house in Long Island while family sat in cars or watched over Zoom or Facebook Live. Emmanuel wrote pages of vows to Cespedes and even included her 13-year-old daughter in them. We were in tears with what he shared about my daughter, Cespedes said. About seeing the young woman that shes become and seeing her strength and her compassion. Cespedes has been sharing her experience with breast cancer on social media to encourage women to take their health seriously. Weslinne Cespedes says her faith in God, her relationship with her husband and support from her daughter and mother have been helping her in her battle against aggressive breast cancer. (John Andrew and Marc Richards) I really do want to advocate that people take the time to care for themselves, she said. Really make time for what matters. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 22:35:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania has put in place strategies aimed at reviving sisal production from the current 30,000 tonnes of the crop annually to 120,000 tonnes by 2024, an official said on Monday. The intention of the government is to recover production of sisal to its 1960s glory when Tanzania was top sisal producer in the world, said Omary Mgumba, the Deputy Minister for Agriculture. Mgumba was speaking shortly after Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa had inaugurated headquarters of Tanzania Sisal Board in the Indian Ocean coastal city of Tanga. He said the annual production of sisal from 30,000 tonnes to 120,000 tonnes to be done from 2020 to 2024 will first focus on five out of the country's 12 sisal growing regions. In his remarks, Majaliwa said the revival of sisal production was part of the government's plan to revive production of all major crops, including cashew nuts, tea, tobacco, cotton, coffee and oil palm. "The government will give full support toward the revival of sisal production," said Majaliwa, adding the crop will be cultivated by individual farmers, small and large scale farmers, including major investors. Tanzania's leading sisal growing regions are Tanga, Morogoro, Kilimanjaro, Coast, Lindi and Mtwara. Enditem moderna has dosed its first set of patients in a second phase clinical trial for its coronavirus vaccine, the company announced on Friday. Vaccines are a top-priority for health officials and biotech firms in the battle against coronavirus, as a shot to prevent infection would finally make it safe for people to return to work and life to return to normal. Moderna has led the pack in the American race to make a vaccine, with share prices for the company surging last month after it announced promising early results from its first stage of human trials. However, some controversy arose surrounding these results. Critics claimed Moderna over-hyped its results in the interest of its bottom line as it sold 17.6 million shares in the hours following its announcement. First round testing is only intended to indicate the safety of a shot, but gives some picture of its promise for efficacy. This second round of tests, which compare the vaccine to a placebo will provide more objective evidence as to whether or not it will work. Moderna announced Friday that it has begun its second phase of human trials for its coronavirus vaccines - but the results of its first human tests are now shrouded in controversy Moderna's 'positive data' on its vaccine was released on May 18. On the basis of early indicators of an antibody response seen in just eight trial participants, its share prices jumped up 20 percent. In the hours and days following the announcement, the company amassed $1.3 billion in a mass sale of shares to the public, two executives - chief medical officer Tal Zaks and chief technical officer Lawrence Kim - sold off nearly $30 million of their combined shares, and the Moderna's primary venture capital investor sold a million of its shares, according to CNN. The latter two sales were done through automated trading programs for people and firms with involvement in the company - a protection against accusations of using insider knowledge to profit. But the timing was suspicious and, even if it didn't meet the threshold of insider trading, it raised questions about 'market manipulation,' Thomas Gorman, a former Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) official told CNN Business. 'It looks like you're hyping stock so you can then go and sell it.' In fact that suspicion was bolstered by concerns about the reporting on early results of a small sample of trial participants. Moderna has led the pack in the US race to make a vaccine to prevent coronavirus infection Moderna's chief medical offier, Tal Zaks (left), and chief technical officer, Lawrence Kim (right), collectively made nearly $30 million selling off shares after the earlier trial results were announced Moderna's shares shot up by 20% on the heels of its May 18 announcement, and sales of the shares raked in $1.3 billion for the company, raising questions about whether it had used the early trial results to manipulate the market The eight people in the trial had blood levels of neutralizing antibodies - immune cells that may be able to block the coronavirus - that were on par with those seen in people who had recovered from coronavirus. Only about a third drugs that enter clinical trials make it to final stage testing. So it's not terribly common for big announcements to be made about early stage tests, which may have little bearing on the final outcome of clinical trials. What's more, University of Texas vaccine expert Dr Peter Hotez noted on Twitter that some studies have suggested that the level of these antibodies in recovered patients' plasma might not be sufficient to neutralize the virus. So the trial's highly-anticipated results were 'not necessarily good news,' he said. Already, a handful of investigations into Moderna's business practices have begun, although the price for its shares has fallen back to about $61. And scientists continue to question whether the phase 1 trial was over-hyped. The vaccine was was deemed overwhelmingly safe, but that trial was not designed to determine if the vaccine will actually work. Now, Moderna is making a critical foray in that direction with its phase 2 trial. All in all, the trial will include 600 healthy adults divided into two age groups: Those aged 18-55 and those over 55. Moderna announced on Friday that the first patients in each age group and at each dosage level had been vaccinated. Each person in the trial will be dosed twice, with a high dose, a low dose or a placebo. They'll be followed over the course of a year, with doctors monitoring them for side effects, as well as for signs of a neutralizing antibody. A stage 3 trial is scheduled to start in July, using the same high dose and a lower low does (about half the concentration of the low dose shot being given in the phase 2 trial). It's not clear what, if any, results from the phase 2 trial will be reported ahead of its completion next year, but members of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease have intimated that a vaccine could be ready for select use by January. The study results will ultimately give a clearer sense of whether the phase 1 trial results were in fact just hype, or predicted a successful candidate vaccine. (Newser) CNN President Jeff Zucker is a busy man these days, given the George Floyd riots and the pandemic. But in an interview with media writer Ben Smith in the New York Times, Zucker suggests he's considering a big career switch. At the end of the article, Smith writes that he asked Zucker directly if he was interested in running for mayor of New York City next year. "He paused, and said he didnt want his answer to cause a storm of news," writes Smith. "Then, he said, 'New York City is going to need a very strong mayor in the aftermath of this, and I always like a challenge.'" story continues below And that's it, but Mediaite thinks Zucker just "dropped a strong hint" that he is, in fact, planning a run. The site notes that Zucker has been talking about a run for political office at least since 2014, and four years ago, he similarly told Smith that he was open to a run for mayor. "In the years which have followed, industry buzz has been strong that Zucker is plotting a bid," writes Joe DePaolo, who references this story in the New York Post last year. (Read more Jeff Zucker stories.) Doha, June 1 (IANS) Qatar's health ministry announced 1,648 new infections of the novel coronavirus, increasing the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 56,910. "Some 4,451 people recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 30,290, while two died, raising the fatalities to 38," the official Qatar News Agency reported, quoting a ministry statement on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. A total of 222,069 persons have undergone lab tests for COVID-19 so far. China and Qatar have offered mutual help during the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. On February 21, five Qatar Airways cargo freighters flew to China carrying approximately 300 tons of medical supplies donated by the airline. --IANS rt/ Looters rush away from police after picking through a store in downtown Santa Monica on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) Aaron Landy watched for hours on Saturday night as people on foot and then in cars moved up and down Melrose Avenue looting stores and setting them on fire, doing wheelies in the street and tagging walls with graffiti. All the while, not a single police cruiser rolled by, Landy said, even though officers were staged in huge numbers not far away, squaring off with protesters. Landy's longtime Fairfax neighborhood, it seemed to him, had been completely abandoned to lawlessness. Suspected looters sit handcuffed on Santa Monica Blvd. after being spotted running from a CVS store nearby. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) "Where are the police? They're nowhere. There's not a policeman in sight. It's just like a free-for-all," Landy remembered thinking. "It was just shocking. I was outraged." He wasn't alone. From the Grove shopping mall and Santa Monica's business district to downtown Long Beach, television beamed live images all weekend of looters breaking into stores and stealing merchandise often without officers in sight. The mass protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody have proved a vexing challenge for law enforcement agencies. They have been encouraging peaceful demonstrations, but in recent days watched them devolve as looters and vandals broke off from the peaceful protesters, stealing and setting fires. Police have often found themselves outmanned as they tried to control protests while also trying to chase down the looters, some of whom have moved through demonstration areas in cars hitting numerous businesses. One Los Angeles councilman likened the looting of a computer store on Melrose Avenue to a McDonald's drive-through, which went unchecked and broadcast live for some time. The L.A. Police Department had to have officers deployed around the city, because it was not sure where protesters and looters would hit. So when the Fairfax District became the focus of Saturday's activities, it took hours for the LAPD to marshal more resources for the area. Mayor Eric Garcetti has praised police officers for their restraint, even as he has sought to commiserate with protesters over their anger about Floyd's death. He told them they had every right to be out in the street protesting, before instituting a curfew Saturday night to stem what he said was growing violence in the streets. Story continues Earlier on Saturday, Police Chief Michel Moore got cheers from a crowd after he condemned the actions of Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes leading up to his death, and who has been criminally charged in the case. But later, when violence erupted and fires started to be set, Moore declared gatherings unlawful, ordered people to disperse and began deploying "strategies that we know are harsh and are strong but that we know are necessary" to keep people safe, he said Sunday. Moore said officers showed tremendous effort in a tough situation, where acts of violence and dangerous situations were cropping up all around them. "It wasnt perfect, our actions will never be. But our commitment to this community is to do our very best and I am proud of what Ive seen," he said. Garcetti said Moore never came to him and said he did not have enough officers. Still, Garcetti said the escalation of events merited asking for the National Guard to provide some much-needed relief for a department that was spread thin. Both Garcetti and Moore said they were conscious of striking the right tone in part because the LAPD has not done so in the past. In 2007, the LAPD took blame for a melee that broke out in MacArthur Park, where TV footage showed officers swinging batons and firing less-than-lethal rounds at immigration rights protesters and journalists, leading to a stack of claims of excessive force. The LAPD's failure to quickly respond to rioting after the acquittal of officers in the beating of Rodney King in 1992 continue to haunt the city and its leaders. Some said Sunday that, with protests continuing to play out across the city even with the National Guard in town, it was premature to judge the department's response to the latest unrest. "It's way too early," said Lt. Craig Lally, president of the police union that represents LAPD officers. "Every situation is different." On Sunday, the LAPD found itself caught in the middle, with some protesters saying officers were too aggressive, and some merchants and residents saying they were not aggressive enough. Protesters have questioned the department's commitment to deescalation and blamed LAPD officers in riot gear for stoking tensions. They have blasted police for shooting protesters with beanbags and rubber bullets to disperse them, and said clashes between protesters and police skirmish lines were largely the result of police aggression. Chris Murillo, 36, of Santa Ana, who said he was shot with a projectile in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday evening, said the officers had opened fire without reason or warning. He said the use of force was indicative of a broader trend in law enforcement, of intimidating citizens into compliance without justification. A lot of different emotions right now, Murillo said of being shot. I dont want to get arrested, but this is something thats important to me." Other longtime residents and business owners, meanwhile, also said the police were in the wrong, but for different reasons. They said they felt police weren't tough enough with looters on Saturday, sticking to large tactical formations and tracking protesters even as they abandoned other streets to criminals hellbent on filling their cars with stolen goods and torching establishments. And, some law enforcement officials, current and retired, also criticized the LAPD response, saying it was riddled with flaws from acquiescing to protesters gathering in huge numbers in a business district like Fairfax, to delaying two moves that would have increased manpower sooner: mobilizing the entire police force into action by canceling off-days and vacations, and calling in the National Guard. Well into Saturday afternoon, Garcetti dismissed the idea of calling in the National Guard, saying the LAPD had the situation under control and calling on Angelenos and show their "better angels" by avoiding mayhem. He requested the guard enter the city hours later, leading to their arrival in the overnight hours. LAPD teams led by Moore had pushed a large protest group through Fairfax. After the protest at Pan Pacific Park began spilling outward, police asked protesters to disperse but were ignored. Moore said he considered arresting everyone, but there were too many protesters and not enough officers. So, "rather than get in a physical fight with everyone," he said, he determined the group simply had to be dispersed and that the direction to push them was north. To the east, there were more protesters and the police command center, he said. To the west, there were burning vehicles. To the north, there were more businesses, including on Melrose Avenue. But it was the only way to go, Moore said. A workers cleans up at a BevMo on La Cienega Boulevard. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) Charles "Sid" Heal, a retired Los Angeles County sheriff's commander, said the LAPD decision to allow protesters access to an area like the Grove and Farmers Market was a miscalculation. Keeping crowds away from vulnerable areas is a key part of crowd control, he said. "That means place sentries where you don't want them to go in advance," Heal said. He also questioned Moore's decision to be on the ground in one specific neighborhood, interacting with individual arrestees himself, instead of being in a command center where he could assess the entire picture of protest and unrest across the city. Being on the front lines can endear a police leader to his officers, but doesn't make much tactical sense, he said. "As a commander, you need situational awareness. You need to be able to see the entire events to best manage and decide how to respond," Heal said. "As a leader, you don't want to get down in the weeds." Councilman Paul Koretz said he spoke to Rick Caruso, the developer of the Grove and a former police commissioner, "before it got as bad as it was," and Caruso was not happy. "I would just say that he did not think well of the City Council and the mayor [and] our ability to protect the city and the businesses," Koretz said. "It is devastating." Caruso declined to comment. Lally, of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said commanders often can get a better sense of a situation by being on the ground, as Moore was, and that officers have been doing an exemplary job given what they are facing. "These officers are taking rocks and bottles, theyre being punched, and yet I think theyre very restrained and professional. Theyre also getting tired. Theyve been out there for days now," he said. He also said that people judging the LAPD's tactics from the outside looking in should be careful with their words given they don't have all the facts. "Unless you are there and seeing what's on the ground, I dont know how anybody can second-guess anyone," he said. Others say they spent hours observing the response directly, and found it lacking. Landy, a 59-year-old filmmaker who had been taking video of the mayhem, ended his Saturday night in the emergency room getting a head scan after being attacked by four men who believed he had recorded them looting stores, he said. Throughout the night, he said he observed a city that had been left to be destroyed, in ways that were, in his judgment, entirely preventable. A single store would be looted two, three or four times in a row, before finally being set ablaze, he said. Landy and other locals personally prevented multiple fires that otherwise would have taken off, he said, including by pulling a burning mannequin out of Urban Outfitters. Neither police nor fire officials responded. "It was just madness. And you were like, 'Where is a cop? Where is a single cop?'" Landy said. "It was just an absolutely failed strategy." Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this report. Emergent and HHS expand 2012 CIADM public-private partnership with task order valued at approximately $628 million for rapid domestic production of leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates through 2021 Emergent will provide molecule-to-market CDMO services and commit manufacturing capacity, valued at approximately $542.7 million, paving the way for pharmaceutical and biotechnology innovators to advance COVID-19 programs Task order also includes approximately $85.5 million for expansion of Emergents viral and non-viral CDMO drug product fill/finish capacity GAITHERSBURG, Md., June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) today announced that it has been issued a task order under an existing contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), to deploy its contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) capacities, capabilities, and expertise to support the U.S. governments efforts to accelerate delivery of COVID-19 vaccines. Emergent is proud of this expanded BARDA partnership that symbolizes confidence in our development and manufacturing capabilities that have served the U.S. governments needs for more than two decades, said Robert G. Kramer Sr., president and chief executive officer of Emergent BioSolutions. Our longstanding record of delivering safe and effective medical countermeasures for public health positions us to continue to help at this critical moment by advancing COVID-19 vaccine programs of our fellow innovators in the industry. This task order, valued at approximately $628 million, is being issued under the companys 2012 contract with BARDA that established Emergents Baltimore Bayview facility as a Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing (CIADM) for pandemic preparedness, and expands the partnership to include investments in Emergents Baltimore Camden and Rockville facilities, creating a U.S.-based manufacturing supply chain for pharmaceutical and biotechnology innovators of COVID-19 vaccine candidates. Under the task order, Emergent will deploy its molecule-to-market CDMO offering, committing manufacturing capacity, valued at approximately $542.7 million, for production of COVID-19 vaccine candidates through 2021. This award secures, on behalf of leading COVID-19 vaccine innovators that are supported by the U.S. government, capacity for drug substance manufacturing at the companys Baltimore Bayview facility and for drug product manufacturing at the Baltimore Camden and Rockville locations. The task order also includes an investment of approximately $85.5 million for the rapid expansion of Emergents viral and non-viral CDMO drug product fill/finish capacity at the Baltimore Camden and Rockville facilities. Emergents Baltimore Bayview CIADM facility was established through a public-private partnership with HHS in 2012 and was designed for rapid manufacturing of large quantities of vaccines and treatments during public health emergencies. The Baltimore Bayview facility has the capacity to produce tens to hundreds of millions of doses of vaccine on an annual basis, based upon the platform technology being used. The task order extends the CIADM collaboration to include viral and non-viral drug product fill/finish capabilities at Emergents Rockville and Baltimore Camden facilities. Activities under this task order are in addition to the companys previously announced collaborations for COVID-19 vaccine candidates with the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, and Vaxart that are currently underway. Emergents landmark partnership with BARDA puts us at the forefront of CDMO collaborations, elevating us to respond to these unprecedented times, said Syed T. Husain, SVP and CDMO business unit head at Emergent. This innovative solution paves the way for pharmaceutical and biotechnology innovators with leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates to have an established U.S. development and manufacturing supply chain. This investment in increased capacity and capabilities will serve the industrys expanding clinical and commercial pipelines more broadly, ultimately benefiting more patients globally. Financial Considerations The company will provide an update to its 2020 financial outlook incorporating expectations related to this task order and any other relevant information when it reports its second quarter financial results. About Emergent BioSolutions Emergent BioSolutions is a global life sciences company whose mission is to protect and enhance life. Through our specialty products and contract development and manufacturing services, we are dedicated to providing solutions that address public health threats. Through social responsibility, we aim to build healthier and safer communities. We aspire to deliver peace of mind to our patients and customers so they can focus on whats most important in their lives. In working together, we envision protecting or enhancing 1 billion lives by 2030. For more information visit www.emergentbiosolutions.com. Find us on LinkedIn and follow us on Twitter @emergentbiosolu and Instagram @life_at_emergent. Emergents Response to COVID-19 Emergent BioSolutions is deploying its decades of experience in vaccine and hyperimmune development and manufacturing, as well as its molecule-to-market contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) services to provide comprehensive medical countermeasure solutions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using its established hyperimmune platforms, Emergent is developing two investigational plasma-based treatments - COVID-Human Immune Globulin (COVID-HIG) and COVID-Equine Immune Globulin (COVID-EIG). COVID-HIG is being developed as a human plasma-derived therapy candidate with $14.5 million in HHS funding, and will be evaluated in at least one of the studies of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, for potential treatment of COVID-19 in severe hospitalized and high-risk patients. COVID-EIG is being developed as an equine plasma-derived therapy candidate for potential treatment of severe disease in humans. Both candidates are anticipated to be in Phase 2 clinical studies in Q3 2020. These investigational products are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and their safety and effectiveness have not been established. Emergent is deploying its CDMO capabilities, capacities, and expertise to support the U.S. governments Warp Speed Program to pave the way for innovators to advance COVID-19 programs. The company has also announced collaborations with the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, Inc., and Vaxart, Inc. to develop and manufacture COVID-19 vaccine candidates. For the COVID-19 vaccine response, Emergents integrated CDMO network provides development services from its Gaithersburg facility, drug substance manufacturing at its Baltimore Bayview facility, and drug product manufacturing at its Baltimore Camden and Rockville facilities, all in Maryland. For 22 years Emergent has focused on advancing public health, and its multi-pronged approach to tackling COVID-19 demonstrates its commitment to its mission to protect and enhance life. Safe Harbor Statement This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements, other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding the total potential realizable value of the Task Order, the timing of any of the underlying deliverables, our ability to produce or manufacture viable COVID-19 vaccine candidates at the prescribed scale and on the anticipated timeline, and any other statements containing the words believes, expects, anticipates, intends, plans, estimates and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current intentions, beliefs and expectations regarding future events. We cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will be accurate. Investors should realize that if underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could differ materially from our expectations. Investors are, therefore, cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, and, except as required by law, we do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement to reflect new information, events or circumstances. There are a number of important factors that could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including the availability of funding for our U.S. government grants and contracts, decisions by BARDA/ASPR/HHS to exercise any options under the Task Order and the Contract and our manufacturing capabilities. The foregoing sets forth many, but not all, of the factors that could cause actual results to differ from our expectations in any forward-looking statement. Investors should consider this cautionary statement, as well as the risk factors identified in our periodic reports filed with the SEC, when evaluating our forward-looking statements. Media Contact: Miko B. Neri Senior Director, Corporate Communications 240-631-3392 NeriM@ebsi.com Investor Contact: Robert G. Burrows Vice President, Investor Relations 240-631-3280 BurrowsR@ebsi.com L ast week, utterly exasperated I tweeted, I have been connecting with my breath as a form of resistance. With every inhale and exhalation, Im considering the emotional and physical tax that has been leveled against our community for indulging in something as basic and beautiful as breathing while Black. African Americans are slowly suffocating under the tightening grip of systemic racism in America, and it is no surprise that the rage, sorrow and despair finally reached a breaking point over this past weekend. The brutal murder of George Floyd by police officers, the gunning down of jogger Ahmaud Arbery, the killing of Tony McDade and the ambush of Breonna Taylor in her own home, are just the most recent in a string of extrajudicial executions of African Americans. The persistent devaluation of Black lives has created an atmosphere in which law enforcement, and those acting as if the law, believe they can brutalise and violate the African American community with impunity. The large vocal demonstrations across America are a response to the fact that Black bodies are under siege on multiple fronts. African Americans are disproportionately dying from Covid-19, suffering from staggering poverty and higher rates of unemployment during the pandemic; and this has led to a perfect storm of discontent. The question remains, why has white America been so woefully ineffective and downright resistant to addressing its long legacy of state-sanctioned violence against African Americans? Two years ago, my company, Market Road Films with producers Taylor Hom and Neil Shea, began production on a 10-part podcast called Unfinished: Deep South (streaming June 29), that investigates the 1954 lynching of a wealthy African American man named Isadore Banks. He was kidnapped, chained to a tree and set on fire in Marion, Arkansas, for the audacity of being a successful Black farmer. After his death, his wealth vanished, his legacy was nearly erased, and the land he owned disappeareda small piece in the millions of acres stolen from African Americans during this period. At the time, the county sheriff claimed Banks killing was not about race, though in a town of just a few hundred people he never made any arrests, never named a single suspect, and he sat idle while surviving members of Banks family - and other African Americans - were silenced or driven out of town by threats of further violence. The uncomfortable truth is that the white community looted Banks life. They short-circuited his potential, terrorized his family and profited from his murder. A conspiracy of silence still surrounds his death. This willful silence sheds light on the painful legacy of lynching, and how it has come to be a defining feature of America culture. Between roughly 1890 and 1950, some 4,000 men, women, and children were lynched during what some scholars call The Age of Lynching. Often, these killings were well-orchestrated public events attended by hundreds or thousands of white spectators. They gathered and watched, they did not protest. Today, the lynch crowds have largely vanished, but that same acceptance of violence against Black bodies continues. Isadore Banks was murdered 66 years ago this month, and his murder is a blatant example of the role white silence and inaction play in fostering the toxic atmosphere that has allowed racism to flourish. The reticence of the white community in Banks hometown also reflects more widely how America has weaponized complacency, and profited from disenfranchisement of Black people. African Americans remain tremendously vulnerable, and true social justice is one of the many casualties of a white indifference. The lynch crowds are largely gone, but the acceptance of violence against black bodies continues The murder of George Floyd has exposed a nerve that has been raw for generations. Unfortunately, the man in the White house is not interested in repairing the existing fractures in the culture nor dismantling racism on an institutional level. His inaction has only served to widen the racial divide and embolden extremist white voices. It is no wonder, that people out of fatigue and frustration have taken to the streets to demand change. Acknowledging the problem is not enough. We need the muscle of collective action. It is time on a global level to treat White supremacy and racism as what it is - a form of terrorism. American playwright Lynn Nottages Sweat was winner of best play at the 2019 Evening Standard Theatre Awards What you need to know for June 1, 2020. Weather High: 72, low: 52. Partly sunny. Photos of the Day 59 Harrisburg Black Lives Matter Demonstration at the Capitol to protest the murder of George Floyd. Floyd protests Outsiders: Harrisburgs mayor and police chief said they believe city protests over the death of George Floyd turned violent because of an influx of people who were not residents and had agendas. Read more. Set off: An unidentified white woman smashed a Harrisburg cruiser windshield and hit an officer on Saturday, sparking more violence, city officials say. Read more. Across Pa.: Police in riot gear used tear gas or pepper spray against demonstrators, who in turn hurled obscenities and bottles at officers. Read more. Reopening Pa. Saying I dos: The coronavirus has put a halt to social gatherings, upending wedding plans well into 2021 for many couples and wedding industry professionals. Read more. Park hopes: Hersheypark plans to reopen in July, as state guidelines allow. It's extending use-by dates for season passes and tickets. Read more. Beach trips: Delaware is again allowing out-of-state visitors, so Pennsylvanians can soak up the rays at Rehoboth, Lewes and Bethany, with limits. Read more. In sports Racing anyway: Adams County is still in the states coronavirus yellow phase, which prohibits gatherings of more than 25 people. That didnt matter to people at Lincoln Speedway on Saturday. Read more. Recruiting rankings: The Big Ten recruiting race has continued at a blistering pace despite the coronavirus pandemic. Read more. In brief What you need to know to vote tomorrow | Pa. coronavirus cases, deaths | Necco Wafers coming back | Parents, child found shot to death in Pa. home | Second stimulus payment possible | Woman dies in motorcycle crash | Thank you for reading Good Morning, Pennsylvania. Local journalism has never been more important. Please consider supporting our work by subscribing to PennLive. The Uttar Pradesh health department has issued guidelines for commercial, industrial and other offices to follow standard operating procedures as they slowly decide to resume operations under Unlock 1 under which all kinds of businesses are being allowed to start operating phase-wise. All the firm owners will have to ensure that workers wash hands, use sanitizers and maintain social distancing, among other measures, in order to protect against Covid 19 infection. Amit Mohan Prasad, principal secretary of Uttar Pradesh governments health department has asked all district magistrates including Gautam Budh Nagar to ensure compliance of guidelines in order to prevent the spread of Covid 19 infection. The nationwide lockdown implemented to prevent the spread of Covid-19 is being lifted in phases to allow offices to start functioning again. As a result, work is being resumed at construction sites, work places and at offices. Contact among workers will now increase as will the risk of spread of the infection. Therefore, precautions are required to be exercised at all workplaces, said Amit Mohan Prasad principal secretary with UP government. The Gautam Budh Nagar district administration also said that it was geared up to implement the instructions of the state government. We have issued instructions asking people to follow all instructions at workplace and at offices, said Suhas LY district magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar. The instructions, which are to be followed, include washing of hands for workers, providing sanitizers, thermal screening, sanitization of touch points like door handles, taps, lift buttons, maintaining distance of two yards between workers and social distancing during lunch breaks, among other steps. The workers need to wear masks, greet with namaskar instead of shaking hands, stop sharing tobacco products at workplace, avoid touching mouth or nose and taking care of other basic hygiene. The workers are advised to inform the health department immediately if they suffer from fever or cough, said Prasad. The UP government has asked the owners of industrial units to maintain a register of all employees, along with mobile numbers so that the health department can contact in case of an emergency. Pregnant women have been advised not to be allowed to resume work during this time so that they can stay away from the infection. In a 100 seater bus, only 50 workers can travel, said the guidelines. If workers are found positive with Covid-19, then the office or unit in question will be shut down for 24 hours. And all workers will be put in 14 days quarantine. We have advised all factory and industrial unit owners to follow the guidelines strictly so that we manage tokeep workers safe at their workplaces, said Vipin Malhan, president of Noida Entrepreneur association (NEA), a group of industrial units. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Brussels, June 1 (IANS) A Belgian Prince who contracted coronavirus after attending a party during lockdown in Spain has apologised and "will accept the consequences", the media reported. "I deeply regret my actions," the BBC quoted Prince Joachim, 28, as saying in a statement on Sunday. "I apologise for not respecting all quarantine measures during my trip," his statement said, adding: "In these difficult times I did not want to offend anyone." Prince Joachim travelled from Belgium to Spain for an internship on May 26, but went to a party two days later in the southern city of Cordoba. Spanish reports suggest the Prince, a nephew of Belgium's King Philippe, was among 27 people at the party. Cordoba's lockdown rules does not allow more than 15 people at gatherings. Everyone who attended the party is said to be in quarantine. Prince Joachim, the youngest son of Princess Astrid and 10th in line to the Belgian throne, is said to have mild coronavirus symptoms. --IANS ksk/ Elections to fill 24 seats in the Rajya Sabha 18 older vacancies and six new ones will be held on June 19, the Election Commission (EC) announced on Monday. Earlier this year, 55 vacancies had arisen in the Upper House, of which 37 candidates were elected unopposed in March. Elections for 18 remaining seats were earlier scheduled for March 26, but had to be deferred after the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and the imposition of the national lockdown to curb its spread. As per the ECs revised schedule, polling will be conducted for four seats each from Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka; three seats each from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan; two seats from Jharkhand; and one seat each from Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. For the six new seats, the last date for nominations is June 9, and last date of withdrawal is June 12. The commission has also decided that chief secretaries will depute a senior officer from the state to ensure that the extant instructions regarding Covid-19 containment measures are complied with while making arrangements for conducting the elections. The current strength of the house is 224; of which the BJP has 75 members and the NDAs tally is 88. Parties that are not part of the NDA, but are friendly to the BJP include YSRCP, AIADMK, BJD and TRS these together have 27 MPs. The Congress has 39 MPs and the opposition block with regional parties has 69 MPs. There are three independents and one nominated member. MDMK, PMK and Tamil Maanila Congress have a single member each. Of the 24 seats going to polls, the BJP is expected to bag 2 of the three seats in MP, one each in Rajasthan and Jharkhand, two in Karnataka, and one each in Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. In Andhra Pradesh, YSRCP is expected to win all four. The battle for the upper house will also see some significant political heavyweights in the fray. The BJP is aiming to win both the seats from MP; it has named Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sumer Singh Solanki as candidates here. The Congress has nominated Digvijaya Singh and Phool Singh Baraiya. In Jharkhand, the BJPs candidate is state unit president Deepak Prakash while the Congress has named Shahzada Anwar. In Gujarat, the BJPs candidates are Ramilaben Bara and Abhay Bhardwaj and the Congress has named Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki. From Rajasthan, the BJP has named its state vice-president Rajendra Gehlot as candidate, while the Congress contestants here are KC Venugopal and Neeraj Dangi. In Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Congress nominees are P Subhash Chandrabose, Mopidevi Venkataramana, Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy and Parimal Nathwani. The 37 MPs elected unopposed have not yet been able to take oath. Though the Rajya Sabha secretariat had picked two sets of dates for the ceremony, several MPs have expressed their inability to travel. The dates for oath ceremony will now be announced afresh, said an official aware of the details. Gujarat-based political commentator Vidyut Joshi said there is nothing wrong with the Election Commission announcing the election schedules in the middle of a pandemic since these are indirect polls that do not involve rallies and campaigns. All eyes will be on how the BJP manages to win three of the four seats in Gujarat. The calculations favour two seats each to the Congress and the BJP; however since the BJP fielded a Congress rebel Narhari Amin to woo the Patel votes, there will be a keen contest, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A group of publishers sued Internet Archive on Monday, saying that the nonprofit groups trove of free electronic copies of books was robbing authors and publishers of revenue at a moment when it was desperately needed. Internet Archive has made more than 1.3 million books available free online, which were scanned and available to one borrower at a time for a period of 14 days, according to the complaint. Then in March, the group said it would lift all restrictions on its book lending until the end of the public health crisis, creating what it called a National Emergency Library to serve the nations displaced learners. But many publishers and authors have called it something different: theft. There is nothing innovative or transformative about making complete copies of books to which you have no rights and giving them away for free, said Maria A. Pallante, president of the Association of American Publishers, which is helping to coordinate the industrys response. Theyve stepped in downstream and taken the intellectual investment of authors and the financial investment of publishers, theyre interfering and giving this away. The lawsuit, which accused Internet Archive of willful mass copyright infringement, was filed in federal court in Manhattan on behalf of Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, John Wiley & Sons and Penguin Random House. FIANNA Fail councillor Abul Kalam Azad Talukder has urged the re-opening of mosques and other places of worship in Limerick. After churches re-opened, Cllr Talukder, who is Limericks first Muslim local authority member, wants to see other religious buildings do likewise. For everything that is open, your health must be priority, he said. In these troubling times, the City West councillor says attending a religious place is often quite a soothing experience, saying: It could bring a lot of comfort to people. Muslim people would not normally go to public gatherings, they might go privately to take advice from the Imam. If they can open, theres an opportunity for a limited number of people to go there, he added, But public health is number one, both in the limited ways they can open. Sometimes they cannot share their problems with other people and feel they get more relief when they talk to their Imam or father His comments came after the Bishop of Limerick Dr Brendan Leahy appealed to those going to church to ensure public health guidelines are kept to. While Masses and other religious ceremonies remain closed to the public, churches have been open for private prayer and reflection since the Covid-19 restrictions were eased last week. If anything, recent weeks have reaffirmed just how important the church is in so many peoples lives as it has been closed to them. While we wont be able to gather for Mass for some time, having our churches open again is a really good thing as some people really missed their personal visits for a moment of prayer in the stillness of the church. Churches have been getting ready mindful of the guidelines, said the Bishop. He added: It is important to stress that people will still to observe social distancing and hygiene guidelines at churches. Use the sanitiser as you enter, keep two metres from anyone who is not from your family, and, if you see fit, wear a mask. In New York City, you can take a culinary tour around the globe without ever leaving the metropolis. Along the way, you will be seduced by flavours and dumbfounded by a salty fact: more than a million of the citys people including many who are responsible for its magnificent cuisine do not know if they can afford to eat today. Edward Summers used to be one of them. Edward Summers, Executive Director, The Bronx Private Industry Council Employer Councils is trying to reform the emergency food supply chain [Credit: Bronx Private Industry Council ] I grew up in the Bronx when the Bronx was burning. I came from a relatively big family. I am one of 12. There was never enough money and or food around, Summers told Al Jazeera. He still lives in the citys poorest borough with his young son; he fears the coronavirus is ushering in a historic wave of hunger, which he is fighting to stop by trying to change the way emergency food supply chains operate. Some people call it Lets hack the system, in the way we provide relief efforts during pandemics or crises. Sure, we are trying to hack it. We are trying to maintain an economic system to support the borough. Summers is the executive director of the Bronx Private Industry Council (PIC), and part of a global wave of thinkers racing to get food to some of the more than 100 million people the World Food Programme predicts will be pushed into food insecurity by COVID-19s economic shock. The Bronx: stung by the virus As in many parts of the world, the coronaviruss path of contagion follows the citys geography of wealth and poverty. On its epidemiological maps, New York Citys disease trackers painted much of the Bronx its poorest county a deep blue, indicating super concentrations of infections: In some census data, roughly 50 percent of COVID-19 tests came back positive. Manhattan, which has a high concentration of high net worth people, had far fewer positive test results. It does boil down to the Bronx being this essential services borough, Summers said. Key characteristics of the boroughs labour force also make its members and their families particularly likely to lack sufficient access to food during this pandemic. City figures show the Bronx has a high concentration of frontline workers: people whose jobs it is to man grocery and drug stores, run the public transit system, clean the city and care for its old, young and sick. For many Bronxites, earning money means exposing yourself to infection. They are the most essential workers right now, and the most disposable, University of Texas at Austin Professor Raj Patel told Al Jazeera. Commuters ride a subway train during the COVID-19 outbreak in the Bronx, where New York City data shows a high concentration of front-line workers live [File: Lucas Jackson/Reuters] Many people in the Bronx hold low-paying service jobs in restaurants and other sectors of the labour force hardest hit by virus-induced lockdowns. Job losses in the borough have skyrocketed since February. Its April unemployment rate rose to 16.5 percent, far above levels for Manhattan and the nation, according to the states labor department. The resulting lack of income combined with higher food prices brought on by virus-related supply chain disruptions make many people in the Bronx more susceptible to food insecurity. Their hunger should matter right now because you depend on them, Patel, whose research focuses on the political economy of the world food system, said. The worst is absolutely yet to come. We are still seeing levels of unemployment rising. Hacking the emergency food supply chain Often time when we have a national crisis, foundations come in and they work with factories that mass-produce meals, Summers said, recalling his own childhood. We would go to our local community centre or a church and they would have these big blocks of cheese and then these bologna sandwiches. We always threw away the baloney and ate the cheese as children in the South Bronx. He says his childhood experience underscores inefficiencies in emergency food responses that do not consider the diverse cultures of the recipients of food aid. His hack involves focusing on the type of food, its preparation, distribution networks and the food chains cash flow. Our response to the pandemic was to activate the local industry. This is not just about food relief; it is about economic development. It is about keeping people employed and keeping resources in the community. It does boil down to the Bronx being this essential services borough Edward Summers, Executive Director of the Bronx Private Industry Council With restaurants closed and unemployment among service workers rising, Summers, his coalition and strategic partners formed the Bronx Community Relief Effort. Together. they work with food distributors to get restaurants discounted supplies. Those restaurants used raw food to prepare culturally specific meals for a community composed mainly of immigrants and people of colour. We [also] worked with companies that had employees that were going to get paid during this time of COVID-19 [because of special government business loans], but were idle to repurpose their staff [so that they] along with community-based organisations [could] deliver about 16,000 meals a day and free groceries. Workers at Mott Haven Bar & Grill preparing meals to distribute to people who are food insecure in the Bronx [Courtesy: Mott Haven Bar & Grill] World Central Kitchen (WCK), which partnered with the Bronx Industry Council, operates a similar model in more than a dozen US states. WCK tells Al Jazeera it is working with more than 1,200 eateries in North America and since March has funnelled more than $15m into local restaurants that prepare food for people in need. Diversity is really important in terms of the types of meals we serve. So [for example] we have Accra restaurant. Accra is the capital of Ghana. They are serving 250 people who identify as African. [To minimise waste] it is critically important to be culturally sensitive to the needs of the community, Summers said. People wait in line to pick up packages of free food during a food rescue operation run by City Harvest during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Bronx borough of New York City [File: Mike Segar] Goals for food system reformation The International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems, IPES-Food, an initiative that examines ways to reform the current food systems, says COVID-19 is causing an upsurge in food activism with a focus on making both emergency and medium-term food supply chains more resilient to future shocks. However, it is still too early to tell which approach is sustainable. Hunger is not something that gets solved by food in the medium term. Hunger is a symptom of poverty and you cant fix poverty with a box of vegetables, said Patel, who is also an IPES-Food Member. You have to fix poverty with a series of interventions that range from access to assets to good solid work thats well-paid and that provides stable income, to healthcare and to education, and care services for children and elders. And while Summers agrees with Patel, he is firmly focused on the immediate hunger he sees around him and what impact it could have on families like his in the Bronx and beyond. The Bronx is more representative of what the world looks like. Its a place that is very diverse and a place that has suffered because of COVID-19. RIO DE JANEIRO/SAO PAULO, June 1 (Reuters) - The city of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest in Brazil, will allow several types of businesses to reopen on Tuesday, according to a plan released by the municipal government on Monday in a move cheered by various business sectors. Under the plan, restaurants, shops and certain establishments related to tourism, leisure and culture will be able to open in a restricted capacity or expand the limited services they are allowed to provide under the city's current quarantine orders. The government of the city of roughly 6.8 million people described the plan as the first step out of six for the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. The city has reported 3,578 confirmed COVID-19 deaths as of Sunday, and public health services are at their limit. However, calls to loosen restrictions on businesses have grown in recent weeks, and Rio state and city officials have warned that it could be difficult to pay salaries in coming months. The mayor, Marcelo Crivella, has said in comments to local media in recent weeks that he hopes to return to near normal levels of commercial activity by the middle of August. He has also said, however, that additional reopening steps will depend on meeting certain epidemiological goals. Brazil's benchmark Bovespa equities index was up 1.6% in afternoon trade, with retail and travel stocks among the biggest gainers. Traders told Reuters various reopening orders announced in cities and states throughout Brazil in recent weeks were buoying those sectors, with Rio now contributing to the positive sentiment. Among the biggest winners was airline Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA, whose Brazil-listed preferred shares were up 8.2% in afternoon trade. (Reporting by Gram Slattery and Paula Laier; Editing by Tom Brown) NASA gave up its shuttle programme in 2011 and since then has paid USD 80 million for each astronaut taken to the ISS on the Russian Soyuz. If SpaceX starts taking up all US astronauts, the annual losses could be more than $200 million, a significant loss for Roscosmoss budget of around $2 billion, said Andrei Ionin, an expert at the Tsiolkovsky Space Academy in Moscow. In this photo, a SpaceX Falcon 9, with NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Robert Behnken in the Crew Dragon spacecraft, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Saturday, May 30, 2020. For the first time in nearly a decade, astronauts blasted towards orbit aboard an American rocket from American soil, a first for a private company. (Photo | AP) Moscow: Russia has lost its long-held monopoly as the only country able to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station following the flawless manned launch by US company SpaceX. The Russian space agency congratulated the United States and Elon Musks SpaceX on the first crewed flight ever by a private company, but experts said the launch should be a wakeup call for Roscosmos. The success of the mission will provide us with additional opportunities that will benefit the whole international programme, cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, Roscosmos executive director for crewed space programmes, said in a brief video address. Saturdays launch was the first of American astronauts from US soil since the mothballing of the US shuttle programme in 2011 that left Russias more basic and reliable Soyuz spacecraft solely responsible for transporting crews. Astronauts since then have all trained at Star City outside Moscow and studied Russian before blasting off from Baikonur launchpad in Kazakhstan. These flights have been an unexpected chance for Moscow to keep producing Soyuz and retain a significant voice in negotiations over the ISS, said Isabelle Sourbes-Verger, a specialist in space policy at the French National Centre for Scientific Research. The Russian space agency has also earned large sums by ferrying astronauts: a seat in the Soyuz costs NASA around $80 million. If SpaceX starts taking up all US astronauts, the annual losses could be more than $200 million, a significant loss for Roscosmoss budget of around $2 billion, said Andrei Ionin, an expert at the Tsiolkovsky Space Academy in Moscow. While Musk, the ambitious entrepreneur behind SpaceX, has named the price of a seat on his spacecraft as $60 million, Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin has announced Russia is working to cut its price by 30 percent. Ionin voiced scepticism over the plan. SpaceX is saving money by using cheap engines and manufacturing almost all its own parts, he said. To do this, Russia would have to change its production process. Another option is a barter system proposed by NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine: for every Russian riding in a US spaceship, one American would take a Soyuz. Wakeup call In a broader sense, the appearance of a rival such as SpaceX should be a wakeup call for the Russian space industry, which is in far worse shape than those in charge admit, said Ionin. A decade ago Russia was behind a large proportion of the worlds launches, but that is no longer the case today due to competition from China and SpaceX. When we were losing the launches market, Roscosmos said everything was fine because we were the only ones sending people up to the ISS. Now that fig leaf has fallen off. Russias space sector is marred by corruption, with multiple scandals over the construction of the new Vostochny launchpad in the Far East. The countrys space industry has also failed to innovate, concentrating on modifying Soviet technology without any major evolution, Ionin said. The Russian space programme is renowned for having sent the first man into space in 1961 and launching the first satellite four years earlier, and its achievements remain a major source of national pride. But more recently it has endured a series of setbacks, notably losing expensive spacecraft and satellites in recent years. The rise of private companies like SpaceX, which has ambitions to conquer Mars, risks leaving Russia irrecoverably far behind, experts said. Mars next? For Russia to keep up, a government body independent of the space sectors main players needs to develop a new strategy, Ionin said. US President (Donald) Trump reestablished a bodythe National Space Councilto set policy goals. We need to do the same thing. Some observers sense a lack of political will from President Vladimir Putin who appears to be more focused on using rocket science to develop military capabilities, particularly hypersonic missiles. For Putin, space exploration isnt a priority when it comes to showing off the might of the state, said independent space expert Vitaly Yegorov. For Ionin, reinvigorating the Russian space programme requires international cooperation, too. Sourbes-Verger suggested any manned international mission to Mars could be an opportunity for Russia to regain its standing by sharing its skills. But, she said, the costs of any such mission would be so high that Chinanow the worlds second space power in terms of launcheswould need to be included. Yet that prospect seems unlikely, she added, given that the US Congress refuses any space cooperation with China. While some in the crowd wore masks, protesters and police got too close for public health officials' comfort Sunday outside Market Place Mall. Shimla: A day after taking charge as the Himachal Pradesh director general of police (DGP), Sanjay Kundu, 56, a 1989-batch Indian Police Service officer, listed out his priorities that include tackling crimes against women, containing drug trade, and improving the polices image besides ensuring the welfare of police personnel. He said his motto will be: No crime against women should go undetected, unregistered and unpunished. Excerpts: What is your immediate priority as DGP? Its addressing the public health crisis arising out of Covid-19 pandemic. Besides, the state police are committed to checking drug trafficking, consumption and addiction of narcotics and synthetic drugs. Traditionally, cannabis grown in Kullu and higher reaches has been trafficked out of Himachal Pradesh, but for the past few years, chitta (made from heroin) and other synthetic drugs are being smuggled into the state. This has led to increase in drug abuse, particularly among youngsters. This problem strikes at the root of society and must be tackled on priority. The image of the Himachal Pradesh Police took a beating after the Kotkhai gangrape and custodial death case in 2017. The key to improving the image of the police is to go back to fundamental policing. This involves strengthening the beat and patrol system, maintaining crime records, monitoring and reviewing crime cases, and senior officials inspecting police stations. There is no substitute for diligence. The force should concentrate on its professional work and results will speak for themselves. Drug trade in the state is worrying. It is a serious problem and strikes at the root of society. The focus will be on developing robust intelligence, crime mapping and network tracing besides undercover operations to catch the big fish and not just petty drug peddlers. Professional investigation is being conducted in drug crimes to ensure the traffickers are punished and their properties forfeited. National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data shows crime against women is on the rise in Himachal Pradesh. What is your strategy to control it? I will work with the motto of no crime against women should go unregistered, undetected and unpunished. There are two reasons for this increase. One is that the physical numbers of these crimes are increasing and secondly, courts have enlarged the definition of such crimes so there is freer registration. But this situation cant be allowed to prevail. Women form 50% of the population and its essential they feel safe for society to progress. Cyber crime is an emerging problem. How will it be dealt with? The common man needs to be educated about the pitfalls through information, education and communication (IEC). Cyber awareness and hygiene is needed for different age groups and organisations. Our cyber forensic lab needs to be upgraded. We will ensure that public wi-fi and websites have robust security features so that they are not compromised. Will the police commissionerate system be implemented, particularly in bigger districts? I see strong merit in the police commissionerate system as it is the answer to modern day real time crime and law and order. Most states follow this system. I will strongly recommend to the state government to introduce this system in Shimla and Dharamshala. The threat of terror activities looms along the states border in Chamba district with Jammu and Kashmir. What steps are being taken to tighten security? Terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir have in the last couple of years changed their genre. While the Jammu division, which borders Chamba has seen relative peace, Himachal Pradesh cant lower its guard. I would like the inter-state intelligence meetings between J&K, Punjab and Himachal to be reinvigorated. We need to maintain close ties with the military intelligence and external intel agencies. What will you do to strengthen the state police, particularly investigation agencies? We need to make investigation in HP Police top rate. This is not an option but an imperative. I would like my investigators to be trained in the best institutes of India and abroad, improve forensic science and forensic medicine capabilities and bring them to state-of-the-art level. Do law and order and investigation wings need to be separate for better management? This talk has been around for a while. On paper, they have been separated but on the ground, the two wings are still together. There is merit in the separation of the wings and to make this happen, Ill follow it up with the state government to support HP Police with resources in the form of finances, legislation, rules, infrastructure and training. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Muzaffarnagar: A Dalit couple was allegedly assaulted by some land owners when they refused to do manual labour in their sugarcane fields in Pipalhera village in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. Raju was beaten up by Inam Singh and three of his family members on Saturday when he refused to work in their sugarcane fields. His wife Mantesh was also beaten up and misbehaved with when she tried to rescue her husband, police said. Meanwhile, members of Dalits community gheraoed Khatoli police station and protested over the incident. A complaint has been filed and police is investigating the case. In another incident, two Dalits Rajbir and Vipin Kumar were injured in an alleged attack by people belonging to another caste at Sherpur village under Purkazi police station in the district. A complaint has been filed with the police after irate people protested over the incident. In a third case, a Dalit youth Amerjit was allegedly beaten up over some dispute with a woman at Faloda village in the district yesterday, police said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The IFJ has demanded an end to the deliberate, outrageous and systematic targeting of journalists covering protests in the US, as the toll of those injured, shot, beaten and arrested continues to grow. Joining journalists unions from around the world the IFJ accused the US authorities of crude censorship and a use of excessive force in an attempt to stop journalists scrutinizing police responses to the protest movement which has swept the US in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by the police. Protestors and media personnel run to take cover as police start firing tear gas and rubber bullets near the 5th police precinct following a demonstration to call for justice for George Floyd, a black man who died while in custody of the Minneapolis police, on May 30, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Clashes broke out and major cities imposed curfews as America began another night of unrest Saturday with angry demonstrators ignoring warnings from President Donald Trump that his government would stop violent protests over police brutality "cold." CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP Dozens of assaults on journalists have been documented over 4 days of protests including many at the hands of law enforcement officers. Two journalists have each lost an eye and others were shot, pepper sprayed and arrested. Linda Tirado, a freelance journalist and mother-of-two has been left blind in one eye after being struck by a rubber bullet or marking round at a protest in Minneapolis on Friday while photographing the rally. In Minneapolis on Saturday, reporters and photojournalists, clearly identifiable were fired on by police and were forced to rush to cover for their safety. One reporter said she had been hit in the arm. In a second incident in Minneapolis, a crew from the Nine network were detained at gunpoint by police. While in their car approaching a roadblock, a police officer pulled out a weapon and got them to get out of their car. They were searched, one member of the crew handcuffed and then after presenting their media credentials they were eventually set free. A CNN reporter and crew were arrested live on air despite clearly identifying themselves as journalists and showing press credentials. A British photographer, Adam Gray, was arrested in New York and held in a cell with 70 other detainees, despite clearly showing his press credentials. Videoed incidents show police deliberately targeting the media. Working journalists, clearly identifiable, have been shot at with a variety of munitions. In Minneapolis, four members of a news crew was arrested after state police said it had to confirm they were members of the media. The news crew was live to air at the time, using its camera and microphone and the journalists have their credentials displayed in plain sight. In Chicago, a reporter and his crew was forced to lie on the ground after identifying themselves half a dozen six times as press and showing their media credentials. Having complied with police instructions and continuing to lie prone, a police officer shot pepper spray in the reporters face. Journalists have been reported injured in New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, Detroit and Denver. Protestors have also targeted journalists One assaulted a reporter and tried to seize her microphone while she was live on air. In Washington DC, a news crew was forced to flee after a large crowd discovered the network they worked for. In Atlanta, the CNN headquarters was subject to physical attack by a large crowd. IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: From the President to the law enforcement authorities it is time to stop the deliberate targeting of journalists. Whipping up hatred of the media has consequences and we are now witnessing the outcome journalists shot, permanently disabled, forced to flee, being arrested and beaten. The authorities, desperate to avoid legitimate scrutiny, have resorted to threatening and shooting the messenger. This war on media freedom and journalists rights must stop. Those who target and attack journalists must be held to account. Royals working even beyond their retiring age is quite a normal thing within the royal family. Queen Elizabeth II is now 94-years-old and still ruling the British monarchy, while her husband Prince Philp only retired at the age of 96. On the other hand, Prince Charles continues with his royal engagements at 71, and the same goes for his 72-year-old wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. However, for Prince Andrew, his royal life would be over as early as 60 years of age, as the royal family is reportedly not looking forward to seeing him back on the boat. In a recent report from The Sunday Times, it was revealed that the Duke of York is unlikely to resume his royal duties after stepping down due to his scandalous association to the convicted sex offender and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. It was in November 2019 when Prince Andrew withdrew from public life "for the foreseeable future." It was right after his bombshell interview with BBC wherein he talked about his friendship with the now-deceased billionaire. During the interview, he denied all the allegations of meeting and having sex with Epstein's victims, then 17-year-old Virginia Guiffre (now Virginia Roberts). In her confession and legal documents, Virginia said he met Prince Andrew and was forced to have sex with him three times between 1999 to 2002. While Prince Andrew did not deny his friendship with the billionaire businessman, he admitted regretting being associated with the man. The Sunday Times report claimed that the royal family has no further plans to review the Duke's position, which means his lavish life as a working royal is now over. Just like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Prince Andrew will no longer represent the Queen's interest in any public engagements. Despite being out of the bigger picture, Prince Andrew will still enjoy his military commands and his role as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards. Scandal After Scandal The news about Prince Andrew's permanent removal from public life came after Virginia Roberts dropped yet another revelation about her association with the Prince. In the Netflix documentary "Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich," the now 36-year-old Virginia claimed that Prince Andrew used an offensive pickup line before convincing younger women to sleep with him. Roberts said that the Duke of York would use lines in reference to his daughters, Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, 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. Prince Andrew's permanent retirement from royal duties also came after the controversial payment to his former private secretary. According to reports, the Duke of York's long-time private secretary Amanda Thirsk received 355,297 (roughly $430,000) for her work as a trustee of the Prince Andrew Charitable Trust. News reports labeled it as an "unauthorized trustee benefit." On top of that, the Queen's third son is also facing a debt dispute with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. Prince Andrew reportedly owed a whopping 6 million ($7.4 million) for their 18 million ski chalet in Verbier, Switzerland. Despite being in isolation in Windsor Castle, Her Majesty is said to be cleaning up the mess by paying the said amount to the French socialite, who is threatening to drag the debt case in court. New Delhi: India entered its fifth phase of lockdown on Monday ( June 1, 2020) which happens to be completely different from the previous lockdown as it comes with several relaxations and therefore being referred as Unlock 1. Several state governments on Sunday came up with 'Unlock 1' guidelines including allowing inter-state travel while extending the lockdown till June 30 with relaxations. The Centre's guidelines on Unlock 1 suggest that the lockdown will be in effect for containment zones which will be decided by the states. While for the non-containment zones, this is the lifting of the lockdown in a phased manner. Unlock 1 is divided into three phases and the Home Ministry on Saturday said that it will come in force from June 8 under which the lockdown norms will be relaxed to a great extent, including the opening of shopping malls, restaurants and religious places, while strict restrictions will remain in place till June 30 in the countrys worst-hit areas. Meanwhile, states have released their individual guidelines on what is permitted and what is not. Mostly transport services have been allowed and offices and shops have been permitted to reopen, with proper rules being followed. In the worst-hit state Maharashtra, the state government announced the extension of the lockdown in the entire state till June 30, and called the new phase of reopening as 'Mission Begin Again'. It allowed many relaxations and phase-wise resumption of activities. Other states which issued guidelines extending the lockdown till June 30 include Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, and West Bengal. States like Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka also lifted restrictions on the inter-state and intra-state movement of people and goods. The Uttar Pradesh government also lifted ban on interstate travel but left it to the district administrations of Ghaziabad and Noida to take a call on the movement of people from adjoining Delhi. North Dakota's Democratic-NPL Party is working to gather documents related to a statewide candidate's residency after evidence surfaced of her recently voting in another state. Travisia Martin, a critical care respiratory therapist from Bismarck, is the endorsed Democratic-NPL candidate for state insurance commissioner. North Dakota's Republican Party last month asked Secretary of State Al Jaeger to obtain proof of her residency in North Dakota, citing records she voted in 2016 in Nevada, or request she decline her endorsement and be removed from the November ballot. North Dakota's executive branch officials must reside in North Dakota for at least five years preceding their election. Jaeger, a Republican, provided the Tribune on Monday a letter he sent Martin and Democratic-NPL Party Chairwoman Kylie Oversen last week, requesting "relevant information regarding (Martin's) status as a resident of North Dakota for the required five years." Jaeger's letter indicated he had been in touch with Nevada's secretary of state, who told him Martin is still a registered voter in Nevada, but in inactive status. She last voted in person at a polling place in the 2016 general election, the letter said. "Considering the above, it appears you may not have met the required five-year residency requirements," Jaeger wrote. Party spokesman Alex Rohr said Oversen spoke with Jaeger on Friday to "clarify the process" while the party works to gather necessary documents. "Were excited to continue supporting Travisia's campaign for insurance commissioner because every North Dakotan deserves access to affordable health care and basic consumer protections that are often lacking," Rohr said. Martin campaign manager Doree Henry said Martin and her partner have lived in North Dakota since 2015. "As a traveling respiratory therapist, she has worked at numerous hospitals during her time in North Dakota, and has seen that there is a significant difference in health care access across the state," Henry said. "She's running for insurance commissioner because that needs to change." When candidates file their affidavit of candidacy, they swear before a notary public they are qualified to serve, Jaeger said. The only other candidate for insurance commissioner is Republican incumbent Jon Godfread, who is seeking a second term. A Democrat last won the office in 1996. The insurance commissioner's annual salary is $107,885. It goes to $110,582 on July 1. Jaeger said he has no authority to remove Martin from the ballot unless directed to do so by a court or if she refuses to accept her nomination from primary election voters. What happens next "may depend on what she provides," Jaeger said. The issue has been raised before. North Dakota's Supreme Court in 1935 found that Gov. Thomas Moodie was ineligible to hold office as he had voted in Minnesota in 1930. He served for about a month. Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com. Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 5 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. HSS has been ranked No. 1 in orthopedics for the past ten years by U.S. News & World Report. As the spread of coronavirus continues to decline in the tr-state area, HSS is expanding treatment at its main campus on Manhattan's upper east side, and at outpatient centers across the region. HSS Hudson Yards will offer both on-site and virtual care to area residents, and commuters to large offices there for corporations including BlackRock, Facebook, KKR and Warner Media. Musculoskeletal conditions account for more than 16 percent of total employer healthcare costs, with up to five times that amount being paid out in indirect costs such as lost time at work. The 15,000-square-foot HSS Hudson Yards facility is dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and management of musculoskeletal conditions. The facility will offer physician visits, X-ray diagnostic imaging and rehabilitation services. HSS Hudson Yards will be staffed by physicians and surgeons specialized in physiatry, hand and upper extremity, spine, joint replacement and pain management. "High quality injury prevention, diagnosis, treatment and recovery are large and increasingly important competitive variables for large employers," said Bryan T. Kelly, MD, surgeon-in-chief at HSS. "The Hudson Yards community of employers and residents is a natural fit for HSS." Rehabilitation services will include physical therapy, hand therapy and running analysis. Patients will be able to utilize direct access in which no physician referral is required for a physical therapy appointment. "HSS Hudson Yards is one more way we are helping many of the world's highest performing companies to improve employee wellness and reduce cost," said Louis A. Shapiro, president and CEO of HSS. "We have a responsibility as well as opportunity to help companies and communities to realize their potential." HSS Hudson Yards is accessible by the number 7 subway line, commuter rail services, West Side Highway, Lincoln Tunnel and Hudson River ferries. About HSS HSS is the world's leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the tenth consecutive year), No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2019-2020), and named a leader in pediatric orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report "Best Children's Hospitals" list (2019-2020). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest complication and readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center four consecutive times. The global standard total knee replacement was developed at HSS in 1969. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. The HSS Global Innovation Institute was formed in 2016 to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 130 countries. Through HSS Global Ventures, the institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu. SOURCE Hospital for Special Surgery Related Links www.hss.edu "We worried about vandals breaching this building (the County-City Building) Saturday night when they did all the damage they did on Lincoln Mall," he said. "But for the actions of the officers and deputies and troopers, we may have suffered a lot more damage to this building than we did." Gaylor Baird had issued a state of emergency Sunday afternoon that started at 8 p.m. and ended 6 a.m. Monday. The Nebraska National Guard helped law enforcement trying to enforce the curfew and keep Sunday's protests over the death of George Floyd from devolving into the violence and vandalism that marred two previous nights. During the curfew, only people who had to go to work, seek medical attention or support law enforcement were allowed on public streets or to gather in public spaces. Many businesses made the decision to close early Sunday. Wagner said at dark, after the curfew was in place in Lincoln, cars of people with hard hats on who brought water and gallons of milk started showing up "to do battle," preparing for a riot, not a protest. Accused of legalization of stolen aircraft details faces trial in St. Petersburg flickr.com/ Jobs For Felons Hub 14:03 01/06/2020 ST. PETERSBURG, June 1 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) A case against CEO of Techcomservice firm Andrey Yeresko charged with legalization of stolen helicopter units and details worth about 20 million rubles (about $290,000) has reached court, the United press service of St. Petersburg courts has told RAPSI. Yeresko will go on trial along with CEO of Petrokon company Marina Karabanova. The defendants also stand accused of tax refund fraud during export of aircraft units. According to case papers, the companies were engaged in sale and purchase of the aviation technologies. Yeresko illegally bought the used air components, repaired them and sold to foreign contractors. Thus, in October, he illegally acquired two on-stream swash plates, repaired them and sold to the Polish WXL-1 S.A. basing on a contract and goods export declaration. Later, Karabanova and he organized illegal VAT refunds on these deals amountin to 4.5 million rubles. In March 2018, Yeresko and ex-employee of the Russian Interior Ministrys Internal Troops HQ Alexander Koloskov were convicted and sentenced to 3 years in jail each for stealing aircraft components valued at 9 million rubles ($130,000 at the current exchange rate). According to case documents, in late 2011, Koloskov conspired with Yeresko to steal nearly 3,700 aircraft components from a military base. The court found that 52 out of 56 components were declared non-repairable because of Yereskos actions. Koloskov classified those as scrap and as a result 13 functioning components were no longer regarded as military property and were nearly sold as scrap metal. SINGAPORE, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kenon Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: KEN) (TASE: KEN) ("Kenon") announces its results for Q1 2020 and additional updates to its businesses. Key Highlights OPC In May 2020 , OPC announced that SMS IDE Ltd. (" IDE ") won a BOT tender for the construction of a seawater desalination plant. OPC will develop a 99MW cogeneration power plant at the premises of IDE's plant. , OPC announced that SMS IDE Ltd. (" ") won a BOT tender for the construction of a seawater desalination plant. OPC will develop a 99MW cogeneration power plant at the premises of IDE's plant. OPC Energy Ltd.'s ("OPC") financial results for Q1 2020: - OPC's revenue decreased to $89 million in Q1 2020, as compared to $97 million in Q1 2019. - OPC's net profit decreased to $11 million in Q1 2020, as compared to $14 million in Q1 2019. - OPC's EBITDA[1] decreased to $27 million in Q1 2020, as compared to $30 million in Q1 2019. Qoros In April 2020 , Kenon completed the sale of half of its remaining interest in Qoros (i.e. 12%) to the majority shareholder in Qoros Automotive Co., Ltd. (" Qoros ") and received full payment of RMB1,560 million ( $220 million ). As a result, Kenon now holds a 12% interest in Qoros, the majority shareholder holds 63% and Chery owns 25%. , Kenon completed the sale of half of its remaining interest in Qoros (i.e. 12%) to the majority shareholder in Qoros Automotive Co., Ltd. (" ") and received full payment of ( ). As a result, Kenon now holds a 12% interest in Qoros, the majority shareholder holds 63% and Chery owns 25%. In addition, since December 2019 , Kenon received aggregate cash payments of $18 million from Chery in connection with reductions in Chery's guarantee obligations. Discussion of Results for the Three Months ended March 31, 2020 Kenon's consolidated results essentially comprise the consolidated results of OPC. The results of Qoros (until completion of the sale reducing Kenon's stake to 12%) and ZIM Integrated Shipping Ltd. ("ZIM") are reflected under results from associated companies. See Exhibit 99.2 of Kenon's Form 6-K dated June 1, 2020 for summary Kenon consolidated financial information; summary OPC consolidated financial information; a reconciliation of OPC's EBITDA (which is a non-IFRS measure) to net profit and summary operational information of OPC's generation businesses. OPC The following discussion of OPC's results of operations is based on OPC's consolidated financial statements, which are denominated in New Israeli Shekels (NIS) and translated into US dollars for purposes of Kenon's reporting. Summary Financial Information of OPC Q1 2020 Q1 2019 $ millions Revenues 89 97 Cost of sales 58 61 Finance Expenses, net 5 5 Net profit 11 14 EBITDA 27 30 [1] EBITDA is a non-IFRS measure. See Exhibit 99.2 of Kenon's Form 6-K dated June 1, 2020 for the definition of OPC's EBITDA and a reconciliation to its net profit for the applicable period. Revenue Q1 2020 Q1 2019 $ millions Revenue from energy generated by OPC and sold to private customers 64 71 Revenue from energy purchased by OPC and sold to private customers - 2 Revenue from private customers in respect of infrastructures services 17 19 Revenue from energy sold to the System Administrator 3 1 Revenue from sale of steam 5 4 Total 89 97 OPC's revenue from the sale of electricity to private customers derives from electricity sold at the generation component tariffs, as published by the EA, with some discount. The weighted-average generation component tariff for 2020, as published by the EA in January 2020, is NIS 0.2678 per KW hour. In 2019, the weighted-average generation component tariff was NIS 0.2909 per KW hour. OPC's revenues from sale of steam are linked partly to the price of gas and partly to the Israeli Consumer Price Index (CPI). Revenue from energy generated by OPC and sold to private customers decreased by $7 million in Q1 2020, as compared to Q1 2019. As OPC's revenue is denominated in NIS, translation of its revenue into US Dollars had a positive impact of $3 million . Excluding the impact of exchange rate fluctuations, revenues decreased by $10 million primarily as a result of (i) a $6 million decrease in revenues due to the decrease in electricity tariffs in January, and (ii) a $4 million decrease in revenues due to lower consumption of OPC's customers, mainly desalination customers that experienced unplanned maintenance in Q1 2020. The estimated impact of COVID-19 on OPC's customers' electricity consumption in Q1 2020 was lower than $0.5 million . decreased by in Q1 2020, as compared to Q1 2019. As OPC's revenue is denominated in NIS, translation of its revenue into US Dollars had a positive impact of . Excluding the impact of exchange rate fluctuations, revenues decreased by primarily as a result of (i) a decrease in revenues due to the decrease in electricity tariffs in January, and (ii) a decrease in revenues due to lower consumption of OPC's customers, mainly desalination customers that experienced unplanned maintenance in Q1 2020. The estimated impact of COVID-19 on OPC's customers' electricity consumption in Q1 2020 was lower than . Revenue from energy purchased by OPC and sold to private customers decreased by $2 million in Q1 2020, as compared to Q1 2019, primarily as a result of lower electricity consumption by OPC's customers. decreased by in Q1 2020, as compared to Q1 2019, primarily as a result of lower electricity consumption by OPC's customers. Revenue from private customers in respect of infrastructures services decreased by $2 million in Q1 2020, as compared to Q1 2019, primarily as a result of (i) a $1 million decrease due to lower energy consumption, and (ii) a $1 million decrease due to a decrease in infrastructures services tariffs in January 2020 . decreased by in Q1 2020, as compared to Q1 2019, primarily as a result of (i) a decrease due to lower energy consumption, and (ii) a decrease due to a decrease in infrastructures services tariffs in . Revenue from energy sold to the System Administrator increased by $2 million in Q1 2020, as compared to Q1 2019, primarily as a result of a higher volume of electricity sold to the System Administrator. Cost of sales (Excluding Depreciation and Amortization) Q1 2020 Q1 2019 $ millions Natural gas and diesel oil consumption 35 35 Payment to IEC for infrastructure services and purchase of electricity 17 20 Natural gas transmission 2 2 Operating expenses 4 4 Total 58 61 Natural gas and diesel oil consumption remained similar to Q1 2019. Excluding the impact of exchange rate fluctuations, natural gas consumption cost decreased by $1 million , as a result of the decrease in the generation component tariffs, as discussed above. remained similar to Q1 2019. Excluding the impact of exchange rate fluctuations, natural gas consumption cost decreased by , as a result of the decrease in the generation component tariffs, as discussed above. Payment to IEC for infrastructures services and purchase of electricity decreased by $3 million in Q1 2020, as compared to Q1 2019, primarily as a result of (i) a $2 million decrease due to lower electricity consumption of OPC's customers and lower infrastructures services tariffs, and (ii) a $1 million decrease due to lower electricity purchases from IEC. Liquidity and Capital Resources As of March 31, 2020, OPC had cash and cash equivalents and short-term deposits of $78 million, debt service reserves (out of restricted cash) of $40 million, and total outstanding consolidated indebtedness of $660 million, consisting of $105 million of short-term indebtedness, including the current portion of long-term indebtedness, and $555 million of long-term indebtedness. All of OPC's debt is denominated in NIS. Business Developments Sorek 2 Cogeneration Plant On May 26, 2020, IDE notified OPC that it had won a build-operate-transfer (BOT) tender with the State of Israel for the construction, operation and maintenance of a seawater desalination plant ("Sorek 2"). OPC, through a fully owned subsidiary, has an agreement with IDE, that provides that should IDE sign an agreement with the State of Israel as a result of winning the tender, OPC will construct, operate and maintain a gas-fired cogeneration power plant with a capacity of up to 99MW at the premises of the desalination plant, and sell electricity to the desalination plant for a period of 25 years. IDE is a part of the IDE Technologies group, specializing in desalination and water treatment plants, and holds three operating seawater desalination plants in Israel. Update on OPC-Hadera OPC-Hadera is constructing a 148 MW co-generation power plant in Israel. OPC expects that the total cost of completing the OPC-Hadera plant will be approximately NIS 1 billion (approximately $281 million). As of March 31, 2020, OPC-Hadera had invested an aggregate of NIS 854 million (approximately $240 million). Construction of the Hadera Power Plant has been completed and it is currently in the commissioning stage. Commercial operation of OPC-Hadera plant is expected in June 2020 - this takes into account delays that occurred during the construction, including the expected timetable for replacement of faulty components discovered during construction. In March 2020 the EPC contractor of the OPC-Hadera power plant notified OPC that, due to the quarantine procedures and limitations imposed on entry into Israel as a result of the spread of COVID-19, the EPC contractor expects that should a foreign technical team be required for the completion of the acceptance tests of the OPC-Hadera power plant, there may be a delay in the commercial operation of the power plant beyond June 2020. So far, there has been no need to bring in a foreign team. Update on Tzomet Project Tzomet Energy Ltd. ("Tzomet") is developing an open-cycle natural gas-fired power station with capacity of approximately 396 MW in Israel. In March 2020, OPC paid the remaining consideration of $15.8 million for the original purchase of 95% of Tzomet shares. The balance on the remaining 5% of approximately $7.5 million was paid in February and March 2020. OPC now holds 100% of Tzomet's shares. As of March 31, 2020, OPC had invested an aggregate of NIS 410 million (approximately $115 million) in the Tzomet project. Due to the continued restrictions in Israel and worldwide and the need for teams and equipment from overseas, as a result of the spread of COVID-19, OPC estimates that the construction period of the Tzomet power plant could continue beyond 2022 and is currently expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2023. Ramat Hovav Tender In May 2020 OPC Noy Ramat Hovav Ltd., a joint venture company with 50% of its share capital held by OPC and the remaining 50% held by Noy Power Plants Limited Partnership, submitted a bid as part of the tender for the purchase of the Ramat Hovav power facility in Israel. Ramat Hovav is a 1,137MW aggregate capacity site, operated with natural gas. Qoros Qoros sold approximately 500 cars in Q1 2020 compared to approximately 800 cars in Q1 2019. ZIM Discussion of ZIM's Results for Q1 2020 ZIM carried approximately 638 thousand TEUs in Q1 2020, representing a 4% decrease as compared to Q1 2019, in which ZIM carried approximately 668 thousand TEUs. The average freight rate per TEU in Q1 2020 was $1,091 per TEU, as compared to $1,019 per TEU in Q1 2019, representing a 7% increase. ZIM's revenues increased by 3% in Q1 2020 to approximately $823 million, as compared to approximately $796 million in Q1 2019, due to an increase in income from containerized cargo and income from slots. ZIM's operating expenses and cost of services decreased by 1% in Q1 2020 to approximately $698 million, as compared to approximately $703 million in Q1 2019. Additional Kenon Updates Kenon's (Unconsolidated) Liquidity and Capital Resources As of March 31, 2020, Kenon's unconsolidated cash balance was $31 million. There is no material debt at the Kenon level. In April 2020, Kenon completed the sale of half of its remaining interest in Qoros (i.e. 12%) to the majority shareholder in Qoros and received full payment of approximately $220 million. In addition, in April and May 2020, Kenon received aggregate cash payments of $7 million from Chery in connection with reductions in Chery's guarantee obligations. As of May 31, 2020, Kenon's unconsolidated cash balance was $254 million. Kenon is the beneficiary of a four-year deferred payment agreement, effective December 28, 2017, reflecting deferred consideration from the sale of its Inkia power businesses, accruing 8% interest, payable in kind (total receivable as at March 31, 2020 including principal and accrued interest is $208 million). The deferred payment is subject to tax. About Kenon Kenon is a holding company that operates dynamic, primarily growth-oriented businesses. The companies it owns, in whole or in part, are at various stages of development, ranging from established, cash-generating businesses to early stage development companies. Kenon's businesses consist of: OPC (70% interest) a leading owner, developer and operator of power generation facilities in the Israeli power market; Qoros (12% interest) a China -based automotive company; -based automotive company; ZIM (32% interest) an international shipping company; and Primus Green Energy, Inc. (91% interest) an early stage developer of alternative fuel technology. In light of market conditions, Primus has decided to significantly reduce its operations. For further information on Kenon's businesses, see Kenon's publicly available filings, which can be found on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Please also see http://www.kenon-holdings.com for additional information. Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the OPC-Hadera and Tzomet projects, including expected installed capacity, cost, and timing of commercial operation and acceptance tests of the projects and the expected impact of the delay in OPC-Hadera's construction and related compensation and insurance, the expected impact on such projects of the COVID-19 pandemic and statements with respect to the Ramat Hovav tender, the Sorek 2 Cogeneration Plant and other non-historical matters. These statements are based on Kenon's management's current expectations or beliefs and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Kenon's control, which could cause the actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements. Such risks include risks relating to a potential failure to complete the development and reach commercial operation of the OPC-Hadera and Tzomet projects on a timely basis, within the expected budget, or at all, including risks related to costs associated with delays in reaching commercial operation and other risks and factors including the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and those risks set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in Kenon's Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC and other filings. Except as required by law, Kenon undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Contact Info Kenon Holdings Ltd. Jonathan Fisch Director, Investor Relations [email protected] Tel: +44 20 7659 4186 SOURCE Kenon Holdings Ltd. Related Links http://www.kenon-holdings.com/ Assam - 30 returnees from Kuwait among 124 new COVID cases in the state Guwahati, Jun 1 (UNI) Thirty passengers of a flight from Kuwait were among 124 new COVID 19 positive cases detected in Assam on Monday, taking the overall tally to 1,485 in the state. The state also recorded the highest number single day discharge of recovered patients, with 99 patients released from different hospitals of the state. State Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma informed of the new cases as well as the discharges on Twitter. Violence that erupted Sunday night following largely peaceful protests in Boston caused dozens of people to be taken to the hospital and led businesses and public spaces to suffer major economic damages, the citys mayor said Monday. The three demonstrations, which organizers sought to keep nonviolent, were held in honor of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on the 46-year-old victims neck for more than eight minutes. The officer, who has since been identified as Derek Chauvin, was charged with murder and manslaughter Friday. Three other officers who appear in a video of the incident to also be pinning Floyd down are being investigated, but charges against them have yet to be filed. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh noted the vast majority of the people who came out to protest were passionate" and peaceful." They gathered from across the city to remember Floyd and say that his life and all black lives have profound value equal to any other life," he said. We heard young people speaking from the heart. We saw faith leaders providing wisdom and guidance. We saw all kinds of people who simply want to put an end to racism, the mayor said at a press briefing Monday. I dont want anything to take away from what they accomplished and the impact that they had yesterday. Although much of Sundays events in Boston were peaceful, violent clashes between police and individuals broke out at night. What happened in downtown after the protests ended was an attack on those values, and it was an attack on our city and its people, Walsh said. Police officers were hit with sticks, bottles and fireworks, Walsh said, and stores were smashed up and robbed. More than 20 law enforcement cruisers were damaged, and one was lit on fire. Tear gas was thrown at police as well, authorities said. WBUR reported that law enforcement hit some people with pepper ball projectiles, pepper spray or tear gas. Nine officers were taken to the hospital, and dozens more were treated in the field, according to the mayor. Eighteen bystanders were also hospitalized. I know it was frightening for many who were there. It was frightening for those watching it unfold on TV or following it on social media, especially for the family members of the police officers, first responders and all of the people that went in town to peacefully protest, Walsh said. Fifty-three people in total were arrested, and one summons was issued, according to Boston Police Commissioner William Gross, who spoke at Mondays press conference. The commissioner noted that 27 people who were arrested were from Boston, while 24 of the individuals were from outside of the city. Two people were from out of state, he added. Again, we applaud everyone that protested peacefully, but unfortunately, others came hellbent on destroying our city, our great city, our destination city," Gross said. We, along with others - There were people from the community as well that were like, No, you cannot destroy our city. Untold economic damages were done to businesses in downtown, Back Bay and other neighborhoods as well as to some of the citys most cherished public spaces," Walsh noted. Monuments in honor of abolitionists and civil war veterans - including a structure dedicated to Massachusetts 54th Regiment, the second all-black Union regiment to fight in the Civil War - were damaged, the mayor said. That memorial is sacred to black Boston and to our country," he said. This was the very last thing that our city quite honestly needed. Walsh was not the only public official to praise the peaceful protesters and criticize individuals who incited violence. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, state Attorney General Maura Healey and U.S Attorney Andrew Lelling all released statements Monday condemning those who looted or harmed law enforcement. Loud, even disruptive, protests honor the memory of George Floyd and increase the pressure for swift, transparent accountability for those who killed him. I commend those who protested loudly, yet peacefully," Lelling said. But stealing suits, robbing a jewelry store, and rounding out the night by vandalizing businesses in Back Bay, attacking police and torching cruisers? Thats crime, and nothing more. Let me be clear: the violence and destruction last night in Boston was an embarrassment to the movement for police reform and accountability. Lelling, as well as Walsh and Gross, offered their appreciation to those who responded to the violent incidents, including Boston, transit and Massachusetts State Police, federal law enforcement, the National Guard and EMS personnel. I feel as if my heart does certainly go out to the officers and civilians that were harmed last night, and we never wish that upon anyone, Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins said. Those police officers showed up to do their job. They were pulled in on mandatory overtime. We dont know what their opinions are with respect to what people were saying or doing. Throughout Mondays press conference, officials argued Floyds killing was unjust and that peaceful protesters helped honor his memory. Speaking out against murderous acts that were committed in Minneapolis have to be heard and move us along to where we can better serve the community together, Gross said. Rollins noted she is exhausted." The prosecutor added that she has looked across the country and seen police officers - people whose positions are funded by the taxes of black lives - shoot us in the street as if we were animals. This burning rage that you are seeing, when you turn your TV on or you hear my voice, is real. People are fed up, she said, "and to the white community that is now waking up to see this rage, we have been telling you this forever. We have been saying this since Colin Kaepernick took a knee. We have been saying this for decades, and you didnt listen to us. You didnt care till you saw a video. Related Content: Credit Suisse will not suffer any major losses from its exposure to the oil and gas industry, the banks chairman Urs Rohner told Swiss broadcaster SRF as quoted by Reuters. Our oil and gas exposure is possibly a little bit bigger than other European banks, Rohner said, adding But seen in total, it is relatively small. Thats not something where I believe theres a big reason to worry. Just last Friday, Credit Suisse oil analyst Bill Featherstone wrote in a note that the oil and gas industry may have passed the worst of the crisis and could look forward to a recovery, albeit a long one. In the last few years, according to Reuters, the second-largest Swiss bank has been actively seeking ties with the oil and gas industry. But that was when prices were on the rise. Now, things may change. Last week, Bloomberg reported that Credit Suisse was working on a review of a segment of its lending business that focuses on high net-worth clients. According to the report, one of the highlights of the review would be lending to clients with exposure to the oil and gas industry, along with the shipping industry: three of the most vulnerable industries right now. The Swiss bank booked a loss from bad loans and asset value declines of $1 billion over the first quarter of the year. Credit Suisse is not the only one reviewing its business with the oil and gas industry. Many U.S. banks are reconsidering their generosity to the heavily indebted shale oil sector now that oils fundamentals are not as great as they were when the debt was taken on. International banks, for their part, are beginning to turn away from oiltentatively, to be fairand towards renewables, under pressure from governments, investors, and the rising tide of environmental activism. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Cisco, Aruba and Juniper are unwrapping new applications and services aimed at helping organizations safely re-open their facilities when due to the COVID-19 pandemic permits. In Ciscos case, the company is adding applications to its DNA Spaces mobile location services platform that uses WiFi analytics to let customers see how spaces are being used in real-time. The idea, Cisco says, is to let customers measure how many people are in a space at the same time and use that real-time data to close off buildings when they reach capacity. By being able to look at trends over time, facility managers can make smarter decisions on how to arrange offices and set appropriate cleaning schedules, Cisco says. DNA Spaces is comprised of Ciscos Connected Mobile Experience (CMX) wireless suite and enterprise geolocation technology purchased from July Systems in 2018. Cisco CMX is a software engine that analyzes location and other intelligence gleaned from Cisco wireless infrastructure to help deliver services to customers on their mobile devices. July technology included an enterprise-grade location platform which includes instant customer activation, data-driven behavioral insights, a contextual rules engine and APIs. The package supports any Catalyst, Aironet, or Meraki wireless access points. DNA Spaces also provides businesses with analytics about who and what are in their physical locations along with the ability to act on those insights in real-time, Cisco said. The platform works with multiple technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Beacons or GPS to sense the users device with or without an app installed. With DNA Spaces customers will be able to see not just which spaces like department stores, waiting rooms, cafeterias are being used and when, but also where people come from to get to those rooms, how long they stay in them, what data resources they use and where they go after they leave, Cisco says. The key data we can watch is how behavior changes as we allow more people back into the office over the weeks and months of a return-to-office program. In particular, we can determine if there is an occupancy load at which people start to cluster, breaking distance guidelines, wrote Scott Harrell, senior vice president and general manager of Ciscos Intent-based Networking Group in a blog. If and when this happens, a company can work on reconfiguring hot-spot locations, educating employees, dialing back the number of people allowed into the office, or a combination of mitigations. Cisco has added a service it calls DNA Spaces Right Now that tracks new devices that enter a space when they connect to Wi-Fi. By tracking which access points are able to electronically see them, it can tell which part of the building they are in, Harrell stated. In comparison, data from access-card badge-in records can tell how many people enter a building and when, but that doesn't tell which parts of a building people use or when they leave, Harrell stated. With Wi-Fi, we can gather much more robust data that tracks how people use, move, and occupy spaces throughout the day. Cisco has also added an indoor IoT Sensor-as-a-Service that lets customers manage Bluetooth enabled IoT devices such as asset trackers for identifying, inventorying, onboarding, grouping, and applying policy-based configurations to those devices. Harrell said customers can use DNA Spaces Impact Analysis app to determine how buildings and campuses are being used, not just how much they are being used. The application generates reports on time spent in the office, building utilization, and other metrics that could inform how workplaces might be reconfigured to reduce risk. We think these tools will be especially important for buildings that are used by visitors and guests, like stores and schools, Harrell stated. Harrell said Cisco is looking to add other capabilities to track whose devices they are moving around a given space. "This more granular data would let employers contact specific employees and inform them of potential COVID-19 exposure, if necessary," Harrell stated. "Such features will always be optional, and data collected in a companys private network will always belong solely to the company that owns the network and DNA Spaces currently does not offer contact tracing to tell precisely who is near whom, he stated. Other networking vendors are looking at contact-tracing features in addition to looking for ways to ease the return of employees to the workplace. For example, Aruba says it will release a new set of native contact- and location-tracing tools for Aruba infrastructure customers using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The companys third party ecosphere including AiRISTA Flow, CXApp, Kiana Analytics, Modo Labs, and Skyfii will deliver a variety of Aruba-based social-distancing and group-size management applications. Others such as such as Envoy, will offer pre-registration, automated host notification, and auto-generated visitor Wi-Fi credentials, all with zero human-to-human contact, the company stated. Arubas technology partners are also looking to offer contactless thermographic solutions that measure forehead temperature of groups of people simultaneously. The offerings incorporate automated voice response and interfaces with access-control portals, Aruba stated. The office will become increasingly smart using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, IoT sensors, and other capabilities that were invested in during the COVID-19 reopening phase, but then may be repurposed to provide employee experience-enhancing applications, as well as security and crisis capabilities, should any type of health or other emergency resurface, Aruba stated. Juniper Mist Meanwhile, Junipers Mist company is also looking to ease workplace safety in the COVID-19 environment. The company said it will offer a number of new features for its Mist access points and cloud services in conjunction with Wi-Fi- and/or Bluetooth low energy-enabled devices such as phones and badges. For example it will enable proximity tracing that lets enterprises identify and notify other employees, guests or customers that may have been in close proximity to a person who has identified as Covid-19 positive onsite. The company will also offer a journey-mapping feature that can identify high-traffic hot zones so customers can reconfigure workspaces and deploy additional cleaning efforts to lower health risks, Juniper stated. By looking at the quantity of devices and locations in specific areas, enterprises can disperse or divert traffic away from congested areas with real-time, location-based alerting. They can also view trends over time to identify certain areas for proactive measures, Juniper stated. The Canadian Press TORONTO The sex assault trial of Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard is set to begin in May after it was postponed multiple times due to COVID-19 restrictions. The trial, which will be heard by a jury, is now scheduled to start May 2 and continue until early June. Hoggard, the frontman for the band Hedley, was initially set to stand trial in January of last year but it was postponed by several months, and then again to this month. The trial was delayed again because new jury trials have been put o Boris Johnson has 'changed his mind' over the deal with Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, according to a senior Government source. The company is to hold crunch talks with Downing Street this week following reports No 10 is seeking a way out of the deal to let Huawei build 35 per cent of the 5G network. The meeting with Sir Edward Lister, one of Mr Johnson's senior aides, has been described as a 'clarifying moment' for the company. A senior Government source told the Sunday Times the Prime Minister wanted to use a new security review 'as cover' for getting out of the deal. Another said Mr Johnson's 'attitude has changed'. Boris Johnson has 'changed his mind' over the deal with Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, according to a senior Government source Intelligence officials at the National Cyber Security Centre are examining new laws in the US that ban Huawei from using American technology in its equipment. The US believes Huawei is used by the Chinese state for spying. It is understood that No 10 has drawn up a plan to phase out the role of Huawei by a fixed date, with 2023 floated as a possible deadline. Some officials are concerned Huawei could threaten to walk away, leaving the 3G and 4G networks - in which its equipment is used - in turmoil. Last week the Daily Mail revealed that Huawei equipment will remain inside part of Britain's mobile phone network for up to seven years, even if Mr Johnson tries to ban it. Industry insiders said it would take years for them to rip out Huawei kit from their infrastructure if they were told to do so by the government. They also warned it would result in long delays to the Prime Minister's plan to deliver full-fibre broadband to all in the UK. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 1, 2020 18:25 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb5854f 1 National COVID-19-in-Indonesia,COVID-19-Jakarta,Greater-Jakarta,jabotabek,ojek-driver,ojol,Gojek,Grab,Home-Ministry,mendagri Free As Jakarta is likely to end its large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) on Thursday, app-based motorcycle taxi (ojek) services are embracing the so-called new normal by preparing health measures for transporting passengers. In accordance with Health Ministerial Decree No. 9/2020 on PSBB guidelines, Greater Jakarta administrations have since early April prohibited app-based ojek from transporting passengers. Such services, however, have been available for goods delivery. App-based ojek association Two-Wheel Movement Union (GARDA) said the drivers were ready to resume their services in the new normal. The association has even been campaigning for the use of a portable plastic partition to prevent direct contact between drivers and passengers on trips after the suspension is lifted. We want to make both passengers and drivers comfortable, the head of GARDA, Igun Wicaksono, said as quoted by kompas.com on Saturday. The partition is made of flexible material so the driver can take it on and off easily, he added. Read also: Experts slam govt for 'inconsistent, poor' COVID-19 policies after transport relaxation According to Igun, the plastic partition, which is easy to clean, would be carried like a backpack by drivers. The partition is equipped with a hand grip to avoid direct physical contact between driver and passenger. It is our initiative. The government and app companies do not provide the tools. As we produce the partition on our own, it will be made to order, he said, indicating that drivers had to pay to own the partition. On Saturday, the Home Ministry issued a decree on guidelines for its civil servants working in the new normal phase, which drew criticism from the app-based ojek association. The decree suggests the Home Ministry's civil servants be extra cautious in using public transportation, especially ojek, to avoid virus spread through shared helmets and direct contact between drivers and passengers, in the new normal. Ojek drivers were concerned that the decree meant that transporting passengers would remain prohibited in the new normal. The association had even planned to stage a protest for a revision to the decree in front of the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta. In response, Home Ministry spokesperson Bahtiar Baharuddin said the decree meant no prohibition for ojek, adding that the ministry had no authority in regulating ojek services. [The decree] was more like a suggestion for our civil servants to be really cautious in entering the productive and safe new normal [...]. [Were suggesting health measures] especially for those who are [about to use] app-based and conventional ojek because of the shared helmets, said Bahtiar as quoted by kompas.com on Sunday, suggesting that civil servants wear their own helmets. (trn) Ive spent my entire political career fighting for less government spending. But were not in a normal time, and the conventional political arguments just dont fit this moment. The revenue losses states are facing from the coronavirus pandemic are unrivaled in American history. According to a recent NBC News survey, these fiscal crises extend across geography, size and the partisan makeup of state leadership. Even fiscally conservative states like Georgia, Florida and Texas also face losses in the billions. This is not a red state or blue state issue. It is unquestionably a red, white and blue pandemic. The revenue losses states are projected to face are more than double what we experienced during the Great Recession, when general fund revenues declined by 11.6 percent over a two-year period. After that, states took meaningful steps to better prepare for unanticipated fiscal crises. According to the National Association of State Budget Officers, a significant majority of states have higher rainy day fund levels now than they had before the Great Recession. Even in this better financial position, no amount of fiscal prudence could have fully prepared any state for the scope of this challenge. Without relief for these revenue shortfalls, state and local governments have begun the process of making drastic cuts to essential services. Nearly 15 million Americans are employed by state and local governments. If ever there was a time when weve relied on these workers, its now. Teachers, law enforcement officers and emergency medical service workers are not asking for handouts. Theyre on the front lines of this crisis doing the essential work thats keeping our nation afloat. The Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Boamah Otokunor says government sudden softness on its earlier tough measures to help curb the spread of Coronavirus is for a purpose. He alleged that some decisions are been introduced by government now to aid the Electoral Commission (EC) progress with its compilation of a new voters' register despite the disapproval of the exercise by some Ghanaians. All that the President [Nana Addo] said yesterday is for the compilation of the new voters' register. If not, I dont think the President will ease restrictions when Ghana has recorded over 8,000 COVID-19 cases in the country. It doesnt make sense, he said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie. Final year students eligible to vote Peter Boamah Otokunor also argued that the reopening of schools for final-year students is a plot by government to persuade eligible students to register. Some of the major universities like Legon are their strong centres so they have reopened for their members to register, he claimed. Do your work with COVID-19 in mind Akufo-Addo to EC, NIA, NCCE The Electoral Commission of Ghana, National Identification Authority and the National Commission for Civic Education must carry out their activities with sensitivity to the coronavirus pandemic, President Nana Akufo-Addo told them. In his 10th televised address to the nation on Sunday, 31 May 2020, President Akufo-Addo said: Constitutional and statutory bodies such as the Electoral Commission, the National Commission for Civic Education and the National Identification Authority, whose activities were exempted from the outset from these restrictions, must conduct their activities in accordance with social-distancing and the necessary hygiene protocols. Political Interest But the NDC deputy chief scribe accused the President of championing his political interest rather than helping the country fight the pandemic. This whole agenda of fighting the virus, instead of it being driven by science and desire to protect lives and properties, it is rather underpinned by political interest. The President is doing whatever it takes to secure his second term. Its so sad, he told the host Kwesi Aboagye. 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 The events surrounding the aftermath of the Salisbury poisonings have resonance with the coronavirus pandemic, according to the writers of a drama about the incident. The BBCs The Salisbury Poisonings series looks at the public health response to the 2018 novichok attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal. Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn, who wrote the three-part series on the events connected to the incident, said that the citys experiences have subsequently been echoed across the country because of the virus outbreak. In a joint statement, they said: Naturally, we have watched the recent events around Covid-19 with fascination, because there are so many resonances with the story we tell in Salisbury. Many of the things we observed there have subsequently played out across the country. The story follows Tracy Daszkiewicz, the director of public health at Wiltshire Council, as she tried to combat a lethal and invisible enemy that has appeared out of nowhere, they added. The public health response team of which Tracy is a part instigates a lockdown. They close a local economy. They set up an elaborate system of contact tracing and testing. Video of the Day They source and distribute personal protective equipment for use on the frontlines. And they deal, every day, with a terrified and frustrated public. Ms Daszkiewicz and the residents of Salisbury are left wondering whether life will ever be the same again, they said, adding: The answer, in the end, is that catastrophe forces us to look in the mirror, and to confront who we really are. After that, things are never really the same. Expand Close The series stars Anne-Marie Duff (Ian West/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The series stars Anne-Marie Duff (Ian West/PA) Anne-Marie Duff, who plays Ms Daszkiewicz, said it was a huge challenge to try to play her responsibly, kindly and truthfully. Duff added that she did not know much about her story when she took the part because her role in the response to the attack was not covered extensively by the media. Meeting Ms Daszkiewicz was massively important, said Duff, as she wanted to get to know her. I got a sense of who she is as a person and details that werent in the script but can be useful for an actor to know, although its not an impersonation, she said. MyAnna Buring plays the poisoning victim Dawn Sturgess, who died after coming into contact with a perfume bottle believed to have been used in the attack on the Skripals. Expand Close MyAnna Buring plays Dawn Sturgess (Ian West/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp MyAnna Buring plays Dawn Sturgess (Ian West/PA) Buring said that her character was portrayed in the media in a simplistic and dismissive way which suggested she was a homeless addict who passed away because of her life choices. That is simply not true, according to the actress, who added: She was a complicated and wonderful human being who left behind an incredible family, and a partner, Charlie, who was also poisoned. Buring said that she hoped to create empathy and understanding for Ms Sturgess. Her death wasnt just a statistic, her death was a tragedy. She was simply an innocent pawn in major geopolitical games being played, she said. The Salisbury Poisonings will air on June 14, 15, and 16 on BBC One at 9pm and all episodes will also be available as a boxset on BBC iPlayer after the first episode has aired. Good day, The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reported an uptick in truck drivers crossing to Canada from the U.S. last week. It's another encouraging sign for cross-border freight during the COVID-19 pandemic. Just over 81,000 truckers crossed the U.S.-Canada border during the week ending May 17, the CBSA reported on May 19. It's the highest tally since the week ending March 29. Also impressive is that this happened leading up to Monday's Victoria Day holiday. The number of crossings which roughly translates into trucks entering Canada still was 30.6% below the same week in 2019. Even by that measure, last week still represented the best showing for cross-border truckers since the week ending April 5. This wasn't just a single week fluke, either. U.S. to Canada trucker crossings have trended upward since the week ending April 12, CBSA data shows. The trend in truck border crossings also plays out on FreightWaves' SONAR platform. The Outbound Tender Volume Index-Canada (OTVI.CAN) has been pulling higher since mid-April. It plunged toward the end of last week, typical of the lead-up to holidays. The Outbound Tender Volume Index-Canada (OTVI.CAN) has pushed upward on FreightWaves' SONAR platform since mid-April. The large drop on May 18 appears linked to the Victoria Day Holiday in Canada. Did you know? U.S. business inventories stood at $2.02 trillion in March, according to U.S. Department of Commerce data. A 5% increase in inventories could lead to a demand for an additional 400 million to 500 million square feet in warehouse capacity, real estate firm CBRE said in a new report. Quotable: "Online shopping is old school. Virtual reality is the future." Brittain Ladd, a consultant and former Amazon executive, on Microsoft and FedEx's new partnership. In other news: U.S. imposes sanctions on Chinese logistics firm The U.S. Department of the Treasury has placed sanctions on Shanghai Saint Logistics Limited, accusing it of doing business with a blacklisted Iranian airline. (Financial Post) Story continues DHL executive: COVID-19 significantly increasing costs The CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific says lower aircraft availability is driving up costs for logistics providers despite a plunge in fuel prices. (CNBC) Canadian government to seek equity or cash for bridge loans Large companies that take federal bridge loans in Canada also must be willing to allow the government to take an ownership stake or an equivalent in cash. (BNN Bloomberg) Kenya denies targeting Tanzanian truck drivers for COVID-19 tests Kenyan officials say they aren't singling out truck drivers from Tanzania for COVID-19 testing at the border. (Kenya Broadcasting Corporation ) Final thoughts: The U.S.-Canada border will remain closed for non-essential traffic for at least another month. Trucks remain exempt from the closure. Hammer down, everyone! Photo: Customs and Border Protection See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. TAMPA, Fla., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2020 hurricane season is officially here. Policyholders should review their insurance policies to ensure they are covered in the event of hurricane damage. Merlin Law Group is stressing the importance of reviewing your property insurance coverage to ensure you are adequately covered. Hurricanes can cause wind and water damage. Flooding may also occur, and flood insurance is a separate policy, meaning policyholders should check to see whether they are covered on all bases. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA] is projecting an "above-normal" 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. Their current outlook predicts a 60% chance of an above-normal season, a 30% chance of a near-normal season, and only a 10% chance of a below-normal season. They are anticipating approximately 13-19 named storms, 6-10 hurricanes, and 3-6 major hurricanes. There are several climate factors indicating a busy hurricane season. El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions are projected to remain normal or trend toward La Nina. This means that there will not be an El Nino present to curtail hurricane activity. Sea surface temperatures are warmer than normal in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The reduced vertical wind shear, weaker trade winds in the Atlantic, and a stronger west African monsoon also contribute to the predicted increase in hurricane activity. "Hurricane preparedness is important. The first step is to call your insurance agent to make sure your coverage is in place without any gaps," said Chip Merlin, president of Merlin Law Group. "I have had hurricane victims find out their coverage lapsed, was in the wrong name, had far too high of a deductible, and did not insure for storm surge damage." As policyholders contact their insurance agents, keep in mind that preparedness extends to your evacuation plan, sheltering conditions, and more. You can learn more by accessing Merlin Law Group's Hurricane Claim Guide here. For those affected by Hurricane Irma, the deadline for filing an insurance claim is fast approaching. All Irma claims must be filed by September 9, 2020. If you need assistance with your Hurricane Irma damage claim, please contact Merlin Law Group. Don't miss your opportunity to file. Merlin Law Group is offering free case reviews for those looking to file claims against their insurance companies who are unsure of the extent of their coverage. SOURCE Merlin Law Group, P.A. Related Links www.merlinlawgroup.com Former President Barack Obama speaks to guests at the Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago, Ill., on Oct. 29, 2019. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Obama Condemns Violence and Calls for Change After Nationwide Unrest Former President Barack Obama said Monday that the sometimes violent protests sweeping across the United States are an opportunity to make real change so as long as they are peaceful. If we want our criminal justice system, and American society at large, to operate on a higher ethical code, then we have to model that code ourselves, he wrote before adding that the point of protest is to raise public awareness, to put a spotlight on injustice, and to make the powers that be uncomfortable. Over the past several days, across numerous cities, photos and videos showed rioting, looting, arson, and clashes with police. However, many protesters took to the street to demonstrate peacefully over the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis, sparking demonstrations in the city before spreading to others. Lets not excuse violence, or rationalize it, or participate in it, Obama, also a former Chicago-area community organizer and a U.S. senator, wrote on Medium. He added, The bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isnt between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform. Demonstrators vandalize a car as they protest the death of George Floyd, near the White House in Washington on May 31, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo) And in another statement, Obama called on officials in Minneapolis to bring justice in Floyds death. A video that went viral on social media showed an officer, later identified as Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Floyds neck while he said he couldnt breathe. Chauvin was fired, arrested and charged with third-degree murder last week, but that did little to quell the unrest and violence. Benjamin Crump, the attorney representing Floyds family, told CBS News on Sunday that the charges should be upgraded to first-degree murder, saying that he had intent, based on not the one minute, two minute, but over eight minutes, almost nine minutes he kept his knee in a mans neck that was begging and pleading for breath. Protesters loot a store in the Manhattan borough of New York City, N.Y. on June 1, 2020. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters) In some cities, the violence has continued despite curfews in big cities across the country and the deployment of thousands of National Guard soldiers over the past week. On Sunday, protesters hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police in Philadelphia, set a fire near the White House, and were met with tear gas and pepper spray in Austin, Texas, and other cities. Seven Boston police officers were hospitalized. Police officers and National Guard soldiers enforcing a curfew in Louisville, Kentucky, killed a man early Monday when they returned fire after someone in a large group shot at them first, police said. In Indianapolis, two people were reported dead in bursts of downtown violence over the weekend, adding to deaths recorded in Detroit and Minneapolis. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Minnesota Gov Tim Walz has extended a curfew in the Twin Cities for another two days and says the state's National Guard will be demobilized amid ongoing George Floyd protests in the state. Minneapolis has been the center of protests - some peaceful, some violent - for days over the death of Floyd, a handcuffed black man who was killed on May 25 after white Minneapolis officer, Derek Chauvin, 44, pressed a knee into Floyd's neck as he pleaded for air and cried 'I can't breathe'. The protests prompted officials to impose an 8pm curfew in a bid to make it more difficult for protesters to move around. During a press conference Monday morning, the governor extended that curfew for two more days after consulting with the mayors of Minneapolis and St Paul. 'We are extending the curfew for two days but the times will change. It will go from 10pm to 4am. Walz said the reason for the time change comes from the 'vast majority' of Minnesotans who 'are able to abide by this'. The governor then said that the state's National Guard troops will soon be transitioning 'back to their homes. Many of them will be going back'. Scroll down for video Minnesota Gov Tim Walz has extended a curfew in the Twin Cities for another two days and says the state's National Guard will be demobilized amid ongoing George Floyd protests in the state Maj Gen John Jensen then took the podium and said: 'This morning we received guidance from the governor as it relates to the demobilization of the Minnesota National Guard and the return of part of the Minnesota National Guard back to their hometowns. 'This is not an order to return the entire organization back home.' Jensen said that there are more than 7,000 National Guardsmen currently mobilized. The general said he's 'confident that we can reduce our presence while meeting the needs' of the Twin Cities. Jensen said some troops will be moving out as early as Monday afternoon. Walz's demobilization of National Guard members came shortly after President Donald Trump told governors during a video conference from the Situation Room that they are 'weak' and need to 'dominate' cities ravaged by riots or they will look like 'jerks'. 'You have to dominate, if you don't dominate you're wasting your time. They're going to run over you, you're going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate,' audio of the call revealed. 'The only time it's successful is when you're weak and most of you are weak,' he added, CNN reported, claiming that if governors and local leaders were more tough on rioters, there would be less destruction of their major cities. 'You've got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you'll never see this stuff again,' Trump said during the 55-minute call. 'We're doing it in Washington, DC. We're going to do something that people haven't seen before.' 'You're making a mistake because you're making yourselves look like fools,' he continued later in the call, claiming that they need to activate more National Guard support as a show of force on city streets. 'And some have done a great job. But a lot of you, it's not it's not a great day for our country.' Walz's demobilization of National Guard members came shortly after President Donald Trump (pictured Saturday) told governors during a video conference from the Situation Room that they are 'weak' and need to 'dominate' cities ravaged by riots or they will look like 'jerks' 'You've got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you'll never see this stuff again,' Trump said during the 55-minute call. 'We're doing it in Washington, DC. We're going to do something that people haven't seen before' 'You're making a mistake because you're making yourselves look like fools,' he continued later in the call, claiming that they need to activate more National Guard support as a show of force on city streets The president did not clarify what he meant during his rant to the state leaders, specifically if he was planning to deploy the military to quell protests and White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany did not clear up the comments during a press briefing Monday afternoon. In the call, Trump specifically called out Minnesota, where the riots started last week. 'What happened in the state of Minnesota, they were a laughing stock all over the world,' Trump said in the call. 'They took over the police department, the police were running down the street, sirens blazing, the rest of them running. It was on camera,' he said, referencing rioters who torched the Minneapolis police station on Friday. 'They'll probably have to build a new one,' Trump said. 'But I've never seen anything like it and the whole world was laughing.' He then praised his own work by talking with Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on activating the National Guard in the state to help the Twin Cities mitigate violent demonstrators, claiming Walz acted on his suggestion. 'Once you cool down and you dominated, you took the worst place and you made it they didn't even come there last night because there was so much less, because you dominated,' he lauded. Protests have erupted in the Twin Cities since Floyd was killed while in custody of Minneapolis police. The majority of demonstrations have been peaceful but once night falls, rioters have taken to the streets. Floyd's younger brother, Terrence, has called on protesters to stop the violence because his brother 'was about peace'. George Floyd, 46, was killed on May 25 during an arrest by Minneapolis police Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white cop who has since been arrested, was seen in footage kneeling on Floyd's neck for eight minutes as the victim repeatedly said he could not breathe (incident pictured) A crowd marching to protest the death of George Floyd gathers outside of US Bank Stadium on Sunday A person holds a sign as a crowd marches through downtown to protest Floyd's death Thousands marched in Minneapolis on Sunday demanding justice for Floyd In Minneapolis, Terrence, made an emotional plea for peace at the site of where his brother was pinned to the pavement by Chauvin who put his knee on Floyd's neck for several minutes. 'Let's switch it up ya'll. Let's switch it up. Do this peacefully, please,' Terrence Floyd said. Also on Monday, an autopsy commissioned for Floyd's family found that he died of asphyxiation due to neck and back compression when Officer Chauvin held his knee on Floyd's neck for several minutes and ignored his cries of distress, the family's attorneys said. The autopsy by a doctor who also examined Eric Garner's body found the compression cut off blood to Floyd's brain, and weight on his back made it hard to breathe, attorney Ben Crump said at a news conference. The family's autopsy differs from the official autopsy as described in a criminal complaint against the officer. Driver of semitrailer rolls through thousands of George Floyd protesters The driver of a semitrailer who rolled into the midst of thousands of people who had gathered on a closed Minneapolis freeway to protest George Floyd's death was apparently confused and didn't mean to injure anyone, Gov Tim Walz said Monday. It appeared no one was hurt Sunday, authorities said, but some witnesses said a handful of people who were on Interstate 35W near downtown Minneapolis sought medical attention on their own. Authorities said they could not confirm that. 'He wasn't stopping. He was beeping loudly and driving into a crowd of people,' Drew Valle, a special education teacher, told the Star Tribune. 'That's the same kind of malice that brought us here. Its a callous disregard for someone's humanity.' People climb atop a tanker on Interstate 35W on Sunday Walz said Monday he was 'breathless' as he watched the scene unfold and he thought he was going to see 'dozens or hundreds' of people killed. But he said preliminary information suggests the driver somehow got ahead of traffic officials as they were closing the freeway down in sections. He noted the driver braked as he rolled past protesters. 'The driver was frustrated,' Walz said. 'They close in sections and he got ahead of people.' Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said traffic cameras show the driver was already on the freeway before it was closed. 'From what we can tell in our interviews, we have not had any information that makes this seem like this was an intentional act,' Harrington said. 'It wasnt that he went around barricades to get at the protest.' Bystander video showed the crowd parting seconds before the semi rolled through, then the tanker truck gradually slowed and demonstrators swarmed the truck. Harrington said Sunday that between 5,000 and 6,000 people were on the bridge at the time, and it initially appeared from traffic camera footage that the semitrailer was already on the freeway before barricades were set up at 5pm. Advertisement That autopsy included the effects of being restrained, along with underlying health issues and potential intoxicants in Floyd's system, but also said it found nothing 'to support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation'. The official autopsy last week provided no other details about intoxicants, and toxicology results can take weeks. In the 911 call that drew police, the caller described the man suspected of paying with counterfeit money as 'awfully drunk and he's not in control of himself'. The family's autopsy was conducted by Michael Baden and Allecia Wilson. Baden is the former chief medical examiner of New York City, who was hired to conduct an autopsy of Garner, a black man who died in 2014 after New York police placed him in a chokehold and he pleaded that he could not breathe. Chauvin was arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree murder. Floyd's family, as well as protesters, are calling for the three other officers involved in the arrest - J Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao - to be charged, too. All four officers have been fired. On Monday, Minnesota Attorney General said that he is 'very seriously' looking at prosecuting the other three officers but noted that it won't be easy. 'We're going over it carefully and we are reviewing the video tapes, the audio tapes, all the evidence, and we will make a charging decision based on the facts that we can prove, but I don't want anybody to doubt that we are very seriously looking at that issue,' Ellison told SiriusXM. 'I don't deny that your eyes are working well and you saw what you saw, but that doesn't mean that when we get to a courtroom that it's going to be some sort of easy slam dunk. History proves that it isn't. So what I'd say is we're going to be fair,' Ellison said. Ellison added that his office will 'bring to bear all the resources necessary to achieve justice in this case'. New Delhi : Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that Sandeep Kumar betrayed Aam Aadmi Party: #ArvindKejriwal in a video message. Kejriwal said in a 8 minute 29 seconds video message uploaded on AAP's YouTube channel that we take action as soon as we get any evidence against anyone in the party. 1) Watch: Sandeep Kumar betrayed AAP, says Delhi CM Kejriwal on minister's sex scandal CD Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that Sandeep Kumar betrayed Aam Aadmi Party: #ArvindKejriwal in a video message. Kejriwal said in a 8 minute 29 seconds video message uploaded on AAP's YouTube channel that we take action as soon as we get any evidence against anyone in the party. 2) Reliance Jio 4G launch: 'Data-giri' to change India from September 5, says Mukesh Ambani Reliance Industries chiefMukesh Ambani addressed AGM on Thursday on Jio's 4G roadmap and signal culmination of the USD 42-billion capex cycle it had earmarked for its other businesses three years ago. 3) Twitterati on Reliance Jio 4G Launch: 'Itni Shakti hamein dena DATA, Reliance pe vishwas kamjor ho naa' Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) chairman Mukesh Ambani on Thursday launched the Jio 4G service. The RIL Jio 4G service will be offered only on trail basis, possibly similar to how it has been done until now with the Jio Preview Offer. 4) Subhash Velingkar's removal: 300 RSS workers to quit, vows to defeat BJP in Goa assembly polls Upset with the removal of Subhash Velingkar as Goa RSS chief, over 300 Sangh workers have announced that they will quit the organisation and vowed to "defeat" BJP in the Assembly polls next year if he is not reinstated. 5) US open: Djokovic into third round, opponent ruled out due to injury Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached the third round of a major for the 33rd successive time without hitting a ball when his scheduled opponent pulled out with an injury. World number one Djokovic was handed a walkover when Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic withdrew from their second round encounter suffering an inflammation of the left forearm. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. (Photo : Image Courtesy of Reuters) With the successful launch of SpaceX to the news of its crew safely docking in the International Space Station, the hope for humanity once again comes to pass. Here are some of the reactions of people regardings its successful voyage. Read More: The Largest Hosting Provider of Dark Web Breached for the 2nd Time; Database Leaked and 7,600 Sites Down Reach for the stars and beyond SpaceX and NASA partnered up to make history on May 30 with the successful launch of NASA's astronauts into space for the first time since the space shuttle era was concluded in 2011. It is also the first (and definitely not the last) spacecraft built by a privately owned company, SpaceX. After 19 hours of transit, astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley were able to enter the International Space Station ten minutes ahead of schedule on the morning after launch. NASA had something to say on Twitter, including a video and a heart-warming and goosebump-inducing phrase of "We have liftoff." People are once again looking towards the future NASA astronauts like Drew Morgan, who recently returned from the ISS on April 17, tweeted about his thoughts and feelings regarding the launch. Morgan wished Behnken and Hurley "God speed." and "Thinking especially of your families proudly waiting for your safe return," Christopher Ferguson, who conducted the final space shuttle mission, welcomed his new space colleagues in a very formal manner. "Proud to yield the title of "The last commander of an American launched spacecraft to @Astro_Doug, with @AstroBehnken, has returned US to space from KSC after 3,252 days. Well done @Commercial_Crew and @SpaceX!" Proud to yield the title of "The last commander of an American launched spacecraft" to @Astro_Doug who, with @AstroBehnken, has returned US to space from KSC after 3,252 days. Well done @Commercial_Crew and @SpaceX! Christopher Ferguson (@Astro_Ferg) May 30, 2020 Even fictional captains from another universe had greeted the astronaut's success and shared their heartfelt tweets. William Shatner and George Takei, Star Trek's Captain Kirk, and Mr. Sulu were quick to tweet out: "Congratulations @SpaceX for an historic achievement! Humanity needs hope, and you have provided a much needed burst of it. Congratulations @SpaceX for an historic achievement! Humanity needs hope, and you have provided a much needed burst of it. George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) May 30, 2020 Even Science celebrities were there to tweet out and congratulate the successful launch mission and looking forward to more of the achievements humanity has yet to achieve. Neil deGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye were as happy as any other human on the planet with their tweets.For the political side of things, even U.S. politicians on both sides of the aisle tweeted out their congratulations. Vice President Mike Pence, and Rep. Adam Schiff, and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden didn't miss a chance to greet the success of the United States and humanity as a whole. Historic and exciting! American ingenuity at work. As Mission Control said: "Know that we're with you, have an amazing flight and enjoy those views of our beautiful planet." Congrats to @NASA and @SpaceX on the successful launch today! https://t.co/1L0Bi58hN6 Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) May 30, 2020 Today, in lifting our ambitions and our imaginations to the heavens, the United States has once more reshaped the future of space travel. https://t.co/AskxceOJJU Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 30, 2020 Read More: Robot Waiters are Now Used to Improve Manpower in the Netherlands! Don't Worry, Humans Still Way Ahead of Any Robot in the Industry. Regular John's and Jane's tweets it out For us, regular citizens, many people congratulated as well as connected the coronavirus pandemic to their tweets like, "If you meet ET only touch his finger with a glove. #SpaceX" as written by one Benedetta Grasso on Twitter. If you meet ET only touch his finger with a glove. #SpaceX pic.twitter.com/JbjCQvkLjz Benedetta Grasso (@BenesBorough) May 30, 2020 Thanks NASA & SpaceX!#SpaceX pic.twitter.com/SyyjpmVdp3 The 10 year kid inside me who had once wanted to become an Astronaut had its own moments of goosebumps & joy today and kept screaming "Go Go Go!"Thanks NASA & SpaceX! #LaunchAmerica Vishal Verma (@VishalVerma_9) May 30, 2020 While other users like Vishal Verma on Twitter greeted the news saying "The 10 year kid inside me who had once wanted to become an Astronaut had its own moments of goosebumps & joy today and kept screaming "Go Go Go!" Read More: 'Anonymous' Hacktivist Group Threatens To Expose Crimes of Minneapolis Police 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Despite the widespread mobility restrictions brought about by the coronavirus outbreak, the frequency of homebuying inquiries has gone up in Western Canada, according to RE/MAX. We are already seeing inquiries from home buyers up 5% from pre-COVID levels, said Elton Ash, executive vice president (Western Canada) with RE/MAX. To see the price drop that CMHC is suggesting is unrealistic. Ash was referring to the Crown corporations dire predictions of a historic recession this year that will lead to an 18% fall-off in home prices and a 29% sales decline forecasts that multiple industry players have contested. An increase in national apprenticeship vacancies in the past month may have raised false hopes of a long-term skills training recovery with new analysis forecasting apprenticeship numbers are set to fall by up to 30 per cent in three years. National apprenticeship vacancies plunged from 1731 in January to 468 in April after social distancing measures were introduced. The numbers increased to 687 in May, raising hopes of continued improvement. Banjo Studholme, 16, is facing a tough job market to get an apprenticeship. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Research from the Mitchell Institute at Victoria University estimates that without intervention there will be 130,000 fewer apprenticeships and traineeships from the start of the coronavirus pandemic to June 2023. This represents a 30 per cent drop in new apprenticeships over the next three years which the research predicted could potentially lead to skills shortages lasting up to eight years, hampering the COVID-19 economic recovery. Banjo Studholme, 16, of Waverley, is hoping to get an apprenticeship in carpentry or construction by the time he completes year 11 this year. But he has found opportunities are scarce. In response to protests in over 75 US cities following the Memorial Day police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, police across the country have heeded President Donald Trumps call to get tough and fight, unleashing a wave of state violence against youth and workers of all races and ethnicities. In scenes repeated across the country, nonviolent youth and workers have been gassed, pepper-sprayed, clubbed, and shot with rubber bullets by heavily armed riot police and state troopers. A man was shot and killed in Louisville, Kentucky Sunday night, after police and National Guard troops opened fire on a crowd. At least 39 cities across 16 states and the entire state of Arizona have imposed curfews, restricting movement beginning as early as 6 p.m. Sunday evening. Public transportation is being suspended in major cities, such as Chicago and New York during curfew hours. Police fire teargas at peaceful protesters in San Diego The National Guard has been activated in approximately 26 states and Washington D.C. Active Army military police units, including soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division, located in Fort Drum, New York, have been ordered to stand by for deployment. As of this writing, protests are ongoing throughout the country, with thousands gathered in Boston, Washington D.C., New York City, Seattle and Miami. The Washington Post is reporting that President Trump was briefly taken to a secure bunker after a small basement fire broke out in the historic St. Johns Church, located across from the White House. Over the weekend thousands were arrested and thrown into crowded jails, as COVID-19 continues to spread unchecked and untracked throughout the country. In Chicago alone, over 1,000 arrests have been made. New York City reported 300 arrests as of Saturday, while 500 were arrested Friday night in Los Angeles. Eighty-four were arrested in Detroit on Saturday. Hundreds have been injured, requiring hospitalization, and at least five people have been killed. Far-right elements have attempted to infiltrate the protests in order to instigate police brutality, sow disorder and, in some cases, attack protesters. Spurred on by Trumps demagoguery, an Omaha, Nebraska bar owner, identified by local media as Jake Gardner, is in police custody after murdering 22-year-old protester James Scurlock. Montage of police violence from across the US, weekend of May 30, 2020 Gardner, a Marine veteran of Iraq and Haiti and vocal Trump supporter, was reportedly shouting racial slurs at protesters as they marched by his bar throughout Saturdays protests. In a cell phone video captured at roughly 6:00 p.m. Saturday evening, Gardner can be seen advancing towards a backpedaling Scurlock before two gunshots ring out. Contradicting the ruling class narrative, in historic scenes broadcast around the world, multiracial protesters gathered in the thousands to peacefully demonstrate against unending police murder. Beginning Wednesday and continuing throughout the weekend, protests and marches took place in Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Lansing, Rockford, New York, Syracuse, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Tampa, Milwaukee, Denver, Omaha, New Orleans, Dallas, Little Rock, Houston, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Reno, Seattle, San Jose, Los Angeles and at least 50 more cities. Overwhelmingly, the protests have been met with police provocations followed by brutal state violence. Donned head to toe in riot armor, wielding clubs, shields, tasers, mace and less lethal rounds, police fired, often at point-blank range, 40 millimeter CS tear gas canisters, rubber bullets and paintball rounds on peaceful demonstrators, journalists, and innocent bystanders alike. Bolstered by Trumps demonizing of the media and journalists as enemies of the people, reporters and photographers attempting to cover the protests have been deliberately attacked and arrested by police forces. According to an ongoing tally by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, there have been at least 15 confirmed incidents of police firing rubber bullets or tear gas at reporters. This includes the maiming of photojournalist Linda Tirado, who was permanently blinded in her left eye after being struck in the face with a rubber bullet while covering the Minneapolis demonstrations on May 29. On Sunday night, NBC reporter Garrett Haake was shot with a rubber bullet in Washington, DC, and a Wall Street Journal reporter was beaten by police in New York City. Police departments working in concert with state and federal agencies, including the National Guard, Customs and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency, have utilized armored personnel carriers, horse mounted patrols, drones, GPS cell-phone tracking, helicopters and humvees to enforce curfew declarations. The universal response of the political establishment, Democratic and Republican alike, has been to denounce the protests as the work of outside agitators. Trump branded the nationwide protests as the work of the Radical Left and ANTIFA-led anarchists. On Sunday, Trump tweeted that he would designate ANTIFA as a domestic terrorist organization. Attorney General William Barr repeated Trumps unsubstantiated and false claims that the protests were planned, organized and driven by anarchic and far-left extremist groups using ANTIFA-like tactics. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in the last 72 hours has blamed anarchists, white supremacists and drug cartels for the ongoing protests. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey agreed with Walzs assessment at a Saturday press conference, while also entertaining the possibility of foreign actors. Both are Democrats. Speaking with CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Sunday, Susan Rice, national security advisor to Barack Obama, remarked, without providing any evidence, that she would not be surprised to learn that they [Russia] have fomented some of these extremists on both sides using social media. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they are funding it in some way, shape, or form. During a television appearance Sunday morning on NBCs Meet the Press, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms explicitly attacked the demonstrations in Atlanta as unusual and singled out the presence of large numbers of white people, whom she labeled as outsiders. Throughout the weekend, reporters from the World Socialist Web Site spoke with workers, students and youth across the country about the protests and the reaction of the police. Minneapolis, Minnesota A tanker truck driver is in police custody Sunday afternoon after barreling into a crowd of 6,000 people, mostly youth, who were taking a knee on the Interstate 35W bridge to honor the life of George Floyd. The driver was pulled from the vehicle by protesters but did not suffer serious injury. Police, however, descended onto the bridge and used tear gas against the youth who had nearly been killed. A widely shared video posted Saturday evening by Tanya Kerresen, who was sitting on her porch at roughly 9:30 p.m., shows a line of militarized police and National Guard soldiers complete with a humvee escort spread across the length of the street. As they make their way down the street, the video picks up shouts from the soldiers, yelling, Get inside! Kerresen continued to film as the convoy approached. Once the troops were standing in front of her house, a soldier was heard yelling, Light em up! followed by hail of paint rounds, one of which struck Kerresen. The same phrase, Light em up, was used by US Apache gunship helicopter pilots in Iraq before they murdered children and journalist, as captured by the Collateral Murder video published by Wikileaks in 2010. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Nicholas, a young worker at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, attended Saturdays rally to show solidarity. He said, Im white, and I think that it is important to stand up to police brutality. He continued, It was a powerful and respectful demonstration. There were children there. Lots of people of different ages and faces. The protest came to a violent conclusion when a lone person began vandalizing a single police vehicle, which was left unattended near the group of protestors. Dozens in the crowd attempted to dissuade the man from destroying the vehicle. However, he was eventually able to light it on fire. Nicholas said, Nobody knows who this person was, and you can see many people trying to get him to stop. I think it is strange that a police car would just get left by itself. Almost as if the police were willing to sacrifice a police car so they could break up the protest. Syracuse, New York Some 500 multiracial protesters gathered in the downtown area, where they remained until early Saturday evening, when police began firing rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd. The justification given was that windows had been broken at the Public Safety Building. However, it has not been established who exactly broke the windows. Reno, Nevada A protester spoke on the character of the police response. Police in Reno are accelerating in their vehicles towards protesters and pepper spraying people on sidewalks as they walk by. It is very reminiscent of the French Yellow Vest [demonstrations]. A curfew has been instituted, and I hear they are pulling people out of their cars for breaking curfew by smashing their windows and tasing them in their vehicles. New York City Multiple viral videos have depicted NYPD officers beating and shoving protesters to the ground. One video shows a hulking cop swatting the phone out of a young womans hand before he shoves her to the ground, slamming her head on the pavement, causing a concussion and a seizure. Another video shows police SUV cruisers, weighing over two tons, attempting to barrel through protesters blocking an intersection. Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio blamed protesters, who were standing behind a police barricade that was in front of the SUV, for converging on a police vehicle, labeling their actions unacceptable. Washington D.C. Hundreds of protestors in front of the White House clashed with D.C. police, National Park Police and Secret Service agents throughout the weekend. On Saturday night over 60 Secret Service Agents were injured in clashes with protesters. Eventually six protesters were arrested. Atlanta, Georgia A young African American couple, who did not participate in the protests, were accosted by Atlanta police before being tased, beaten and arrested on television. Cleveland, Ohio On Saturday evening, Cleveland police in riot gear, backed by the National Guard, started firing pepper balls and rubber bullets at demonstrators. In order to shut down the protests, the city enacted a curfew from 8:00 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. the following morning. A second curfew was imposed Sunday beginning at noon and lasting until 8:00 a.m. on Monday. Cuyahoga County Sheriff David Schilling has stated that 66 people were arrested, with an undisclosed number charged will aggravated rioting, violating the city curfew and lesser charges. Oakland, California: After Fridays protests, in which 40 suspected looters were detained and 17 demonstrators arrested, Oakland city officials urged people to stay home. Saturdays demonstrations were comparatively very peaceful and quiet, according to local media. The protesters, one media outlet said, were being tracked by law enforcement on the ground and in the sky. San Jose, California Fridays demonstrations drew thousands of participants, who peacefully marched before San Jose police fired tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd. Tim Harper, a 40-year-old construction worker, speaking to sanjosespotlight.com, was shot while attempting to help move a child who had been struck by a rubber bullet. Harper had previously helped move an injured officer during the protest Friday. I had to come out here because Im proof of how corrupt these people are, Harper said. I helped one of them drag (the officer) to the car. I wasnt aggressive, I had my hands up, and they still shot me. It doesnt matter what color skin you have. Salt Lake City, Utah In downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, thousands of workers and young people demonstrated outside the public library and marched to Capitol Hill. The protest lasted nearly 11 hours, stretching into the night despite the issuance of a two-day curfew and the deployment of the Utah National Guard, including military helicopters. Tensions mounted in part due to right-wing violence against protesters. Militia appeared brandishing rifles, a woman attacked the crowd with a hammer, and a man attempted to shoot demonstrators with a compound bow. The man was tackled, and his car was flipped and set on fire. Despite widespread social media footage of these attacks, local news agencies interviewed the man who tried to shoot an arrow into the crowd in order to frame the protesters as violent. Salt Lake City riot police were filmed throwing an elderly man with a cane to the ground and deploying tear gas against demonstrators. Little Rock, Arkansas Hundreds gathered and peacefully marched throughout the day with no arrests made. However, once night fell, the response of the Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) was to blanket protesters in a miasma of teargas. While the protests were still ongoing Saturday, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, tweeted, I have directed the State Police to work with local law enforcement to stop the damage to the Capitol. The National Guard will be available as well. The Maharashtra government on Monday sounded an alert in Mumbai and neighbouring districts in view of the approaching cyclonic storm 'Nisarg', which is expected to hit the state's coast on June 3. IMAGE: Dark clouds gather in the sky over Mumbai . Photograph: PTI Photo Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray through video conference and took stock of the state's preparedness to tackle any eventuality, the latter's office said. 10 units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in vulnerable districts, while six others have been kept on a stand-by, officials said. Steps are being taken to ensure there is no disruption of power supply at a time when the state is battling the coronavirus crisis and thousands of patients are undergoing treatment in various hospitals, they said. Adequate precautions are being taken to safeguard chemical and atomic energy plants located in coastal Palghar and Raigad districts. Thackeray, in a statement, said an alert has been sounded in Mumbai city, Mumbai suburban district, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts in view of the cyclonic storm developing in the Arabian Sea. The state Disaster Management and Relief and Rehabilitation department is also geared up to face the cyclone, he said. Fishermen have been asked to come back from the sea and respective district collectors have been asked to ensure there is no loss of life, the statement said. Shah held a discussion with Thackeray on video conference to take stock of the state's preparedness. Thackeray apprised Shah about the situation and steps being taken to tackle it, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. Shah told Thackeray NDRF battalions from neighbouring states have been kept on a stand-by for relief and rescue operations, if required, the statement said. Thackeray said shelter homes are being kept ready for those who are required to be shifted to safer places, it said. The Coast Guard has been asked to ensure fishermen come back from the sea. In low-lying areas of Mumbai, slum-dwellers will be shifted to safer places. Non-COVID hospitals will be made available for those needing medical assistance. Thackeray asked authorities to examine if field hospitals can be shifted to safer places. He also asked for generators to be kept in hospitals so that patients do not suffer in case of disruption in power supply. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said the low-pressure area formed over the Arabian Sea has intensified into a depression and it will further intensify into a cyclonic storm in the next 36 hours. It said the the cyclonic storm will cross north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts late in the evening on June 3. Meanwhile, Palghar district collector Kailas Shinde on Monday asked fishermen not to venture into the seat. A similar warning was issued by his Thane counterpart Rajesh Narvekar. Addressing a news conference, Shinde said a total of 577 fishing boats had gone out in the sea of which 100 are yet to return. Efforts were on to get them back with the help of the Coast Guard, Shinde said. He said talukas of Vasai, Dahanu and Palghar have been put on an alert and those living near the coast in 'kutcha' houses would be evacuated and lodged in safer places as a precautionary measures. He said two companies of the NDRF have arrived in Palghar district. Some industries will remain closed on June 3, he said. Shinde also released helpline numbers to be contacted in case of any emergency during the cyclone. These numbers are 02525-297474/02525-252020/8329439902. In Thane district, too, one company of the NDRF has deployed. NEW YORK, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Advent Capital Management ("Advent") today announced its support for COVID-19 relief efforts through donations to Harlem Hospital, Meharry Medical College and the Apollo Theater. Both the Harlem Hospital and Meharry Medical College are located in urban neighborhoods that have seen large numbers of COVID-19 cases, and as such, Advent has donated a combined total of $50,000 for the procurement of much needed cleaning products and personal protective equipment, including masks, gowns, bleach, sanitizing wipes, paper towels and hand sanitizers. Advent also granted a $100,000 donation to the Apollo Theater's emergency relief fund, to help financially stabilize the Theater and safeguard its future in response to the cancellation of Apollo-produced live events due to the pandemic. Tracy Maitland, President and Chief Investment Officer, said: "We're proud to be able to support these two great healthcare institutions in procuring the necessary supplies and PPE required to help protect the frontline health workers in communities who need them most. On behalf of the Advent team and our families, we are truly grateful for what they have done, and continue to do, during these unprecedented times. We're also pleased to be able to help financially stabilize the Apollo Theater, a truly iconic venue and beacon of African American culture in New York that brings together people from around the world. We feel it is incumbent upon responsible corporate citizens to help make sure that these historic institutions continue to contribute meaningfully to society." Randi Weitz, Director of Communications and Co-Chair of Advent's ESG Committee, said: "Community impact is a core part of Advent's culture and it is important for companies like ours to help those in hard-hit communities. We look forward to identifying more projects, both in New York and across the country, where we can continue to champion diversity and provide support to communities facing COVID-19 related hardship." Notes to Editors: About Advent Capital Management Advent Capital Management, LLC ("Advent") was founded in 1995 and actively manages approximately $8.5 billion across traditional, alternative and closed-end fund strategies. Advent's team consists of 58 employees in New York and London, including 21 seasoned investment professionals performing bottom-up fundamental credit research to capitalize on global opportunities in convertible securities, high yield and specialist credit investments. Advent has generated compelling annualized riskadjusted returns across all strategies since inception. Its clients include some of the world's largest public and corporate pension plans, foundations, endowments, insurance companies and high net worth individuals. Advent is a signatory to the UN PRI and prides itself on a commitment to a culture of diversity, stemming from a diverse and inclusive workforce. SOURCE Advent Capital Management, LLC Related Links www.adventcap.com Online travel firm MakeMyTrip has laid off 350 employees due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its business. Most of the fired employees are in international holidays and related line of business, according to sources. In an email to employees, MakeMyTrip Group Executive Chairman and founder Deep Kalra and Group CEO Rajesh Magow said even as times remain unpredictable, what is evident is that the impact of Covid-19 crisis is going to be long drawn for the company. It is unclear when travelling will become a way of life, as it was pre-Covid, they added. Over the past two months, we have analysed impact closely and have spent considerable time thinking about the path to business recovery. As a result, its become agonisingly clear that there are certain lines of business that are far deeply affected and will take much longer than the others to recover, they said. It is evident that the pandemic has changed the context and viability of some of business lines in its current form, the mail said. Keeping this in mind we have had to take this sad but inevitable decision of rightsizing our workforce in these businesses, Kalra and Magow said. When asked about the number of employees that have been impacted, a company spokesperson confirmed that 350 employees have been impacted. To compassionately take care of the employees who have been impacted, we have tried to do our best to offer support including Mediclaim coverage for individuals and their families till the end of the year, leave encashment, gratuity, retaining the right to exercise part of RSUs as applicable, retention of company laptops and outplacement support apart from salary payments as per their notice periods, they said. Kalra and Magow also said that it was undoubtedly the toughest decision, we have had to take so far and its the saddest day for us as an organisation. Your browser does not support the audio element. Deep in Vietnams mountainous regions, children are often tied to a blood contract from the moment they are born. Thinly veiled as transitional adoption agencies, nefarious organizations preying on poverty-stricken women are essentially snatching babies from the hands of desperate mothers. Lu Thi Hoa from the north-central province of Nghe An is eight months into her pregnancy. (Her real name has been changed to maintain confidentiality.) The baby will be Hoas second child. When asked about her first, silence fills the air and a chord of hollowness takes control of the room. A motorbike for a newborn? Deal. Hoas Vietnamese language skills are weak as she comes from the Kho Mu ethnicity. So her story must be translated with the help of a local police officer. Hoa was married during her adolescence to a Kho Mu man. As with many other young women in her village, she quickly found herself in an inescapable relationship with an alcoholic husband, trapped under the crushing weight of extreme poverty. To keep her family afloat, she took on work harvesting seasonal crops, chopping bamboo, and gathering lumber. This hustle has carried on well into her first pregnancy. She simply could not afford to take a day off work. At around the eighth month of her pregnancy, Hoa was approached by a neighbor, O., who made an offer for the baby. She said she would help me sell the newborn child for VND80 million [US$3,450]. My household is so poor that I felt I didnt have a choice, Hoa recalled. A few days later, Hoa packed a bag and followed O. into a van headed for the Mong Cai border crossing into China. No one would tell me where exactly we were going. I only knew that myself and a few others were being kept in a small house in the countryside, Hoa said. They provided us with food but wouldnt allow us to leave. They took me to the hospital when I went into labor and I gave birth a few hours later. Hoa only had a chance to see the tiny silhouette of her newborn child before it was snatched from her hands forever. She was repatriated shortly after her delivery and handed an envelope with the promised cash. This is what I bought with the money, Hoa muttered under her breath, pointing at a motorbike in front of the plywood shed where she lives. A woman carries a child in her arms in Dinh Son 1 Village, Huu Kiem Commune, Ky Son District, Nghe An Province, Vietnam, where infant trafficking among local ethnic Kho Mu women is common. Photo: Quoc Nam / Tuoi Tre Selling one makes no difference Huu Kiem Commune in Nghe An Province is home to a network of Kho Mu ethnic communities that live dispersed amongst the areas mountainous terrain. Life in the provinces rugged mountains has been so difficult that it has become an epicenter of infant trafficking in Vietnam, with at least 20 individuals reporting being coerced into trading their newborns for cash. Moong Thi Lan (her real name has been changed to maintain confidentiality), a resident in Dinh Son 2 Village, is a mother of three struggling to lift her head above the countrys poverty line. When she became pregnant last year, the idea of being able to afford another child became such a heavy burden that she began to contemplate giving the newborn away. I had heard that those who had sold their newborns received a huge amount of money. I already have two sons, so selling the third wont matter, I thought. If I raise a third, I won't be able to pay for his marriage, she said. Lan explained that her husband, an alcoholic, drunkenly agreed to sell the baby and the two set about looking for O., the same middlewoman who helped Hoa sell her child. The two struck a deal to trade Lans newborn for VND50 million ($2,150) and Lan quickly found herself en route to China. Now, with the money spent, Lan has returned to picking bamboo shoots and harvesting crops for local farmers. I honestly dont know what I can do to put food on the table for my children, Lan said. Through your correspondents' series of encounters with individuals coerced into selling their newborns, money and amenities were the two most frequently cited justifications for their decision. A police officer collects statements from Vietnamese women found selling their newborns to China in Ky Son District, Nghe An Province, Vietnam. Photo: Nghi Xuan / Tuoi Tre Not everyone, however, is able to survive until they receive the money. Lu Van Hong from Luu Tien Village learned this the hard way. In mid-2018, Hongs wife, Moong Thi Lam was lured into selling her unborn. In October of that year, Hong received a call from a Chinese phone number explaining that his wife had died in a traffic accident in Hubei Province, China. Four other Kho Mu women were also involved in the accident, though they only sustained minor injuries. Three of them were into the later terms of their pregnancies while the fourth was Moong Thi O, the middlewoman who had been putting Kho Mu mothers in touch with the trafficking ring. It took Hong more than a month to bring the body of his wife back to her hometown for burial. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 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 international business environment demands in-depth, accurate, and reliable local business information to ensure that global companies gain a strong foothold in foreign markets. Our global industry specialist teams ensure the international consistency of our research, enabling powerful access to the real story behind consumer change. Request a complimentary proposal for more insights into our solutions and their benefits for your business. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005535/en/ "Today customers increasingly expect interactions with their banks to be as sophisticated and personalized as the ones provided by industries like retail," says a market research analyst at Infiniti Research. Over the past few years, retail banking customers had modest expectations in terms of banking experience and loyalty. In the last few years, however, the balance in which retail banking companies could succeed on their own terms has begun to shift under the pressure from changing customer expectations and preferences. Furthermore, new entrants in the banking sector such as fintech companies are also further pushing the boundaries for customer experience. Today customers increasingly expect interactions with their banks to be as sophisticated and personalized as the ones provided by industries like retail. As such, it is becoming extremely critical for banking sector companies to step-up their customer intelligence capabilities to better gauge customer needs and think beyond customer experience to a broader measure customer mindshare. Our market intelligence experts can help you to develop a customer-central multichannel operational model to keep pace with the changing financial needs of customers amidst the COVID-19 crisis. Contact us. Here some of the key reasons why experts at Infiniti think that AI-driven customer intelligence could radically transform and simplify processes in the banking industry. Enhanced personalization: Banks sell products in the form of loans, accounts, and investment service. The customer data collected in the process needs to be turned into useful insights in order to personalize and enhance offerings. AI-driven customer intelligence solutions will help banking sector companies to not just understand what the smartest recommendation is to enhance customer journey but also how to develop the most personalized products or services that can be delivered at the right time. Improved trust and customer loyalty: Aggressive sales techniques no longer work well with customers, given the fact that they have ample options available at their disposal. AI-driven customer intelligence helps businesses to better transform their customer outreach based on customer behavior and preferences. Leveraging AI in customer intelligence solutions can also help businesses create meaningful conversations with customers by identifying when they require banking-related advice. As businesses across various sectors grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, banking companies must outline action plans to combat the impact of coronavirus outbreak with resilience. We can help you achieve this strategic objective. Request more info. 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/20200601005535/en/ Contacts: Infiniti Research Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager US: +1 844 778 0600 UK: +44 203 893 3400 https://www.infinitiresearch.com/contact-us Tributes have poured in for Ciara Brolly, a Derry native, who was the driving force behind Irish charity, the Share A Dream Foundation. Ms Brolly, 46, died Saturday evening after a four-month battle with cancer of the tongue which had been diagnosed last January. She had recovered from surgery to remove cancer from her head last year. Ms Brollys sister Una said she passed away peacefully at Milford Hospice, Limerick, surrounded by members of her family. She praised the Hospice for making the family so comfortable in her sisters final moments. We were so lucky that we were allowed to be with her until she passed away. The staff couldn't have been kinder, and the care she got at Milford was A1. Four of us were holding her hand. She didn't want to go, she was 46 years of age, she was taken too soon. Shes just a baby, my baby sister, all our hearts are broken. Ms Brolly said her sister had a great sense of humour" and loved her two dogs Puddles and Alvin. Ciara Brolly joined the Share A Dream Foundation, founded by Shay Kinsella, in 1993, ten years after her family relocated to Limerick from Derry. She had the past spent 27 years making approximately 2,000 dreams come true for terminally ill children, and children with life-impacting conditions or injuries. When Ciara came into my life some 23 years ago to help me make a dream come true for a terminally ill little angel, little did I realise the life-changing effect this amazing girl would bring to my life and the Share a Dream foundation, Mr Kinsella said. She became my best friend, my motivator, and anyone who ever had the privilege to meet her went away with a big smile and a feeling they had met someone very special. In an emotional tribute, Mr Kinsella said: She was the driving force behind my dreams and without her Im useless. She was truly an angel from god, I received the praise, but it was Ciara who took my dreams and made them happen. "It was Ciara who kept driving me to build the magical Dreamland, which I now dedicate to her memory. Dreamland, Co Limerick Dreamland opened in two years ago in Limerick providing a magical playground for children of all abilities, the first of its kind in Ireland. It includes a childrens garda station, which was officially opened by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, last October. Gardai are due to perform a guard of honour and escort Ms Brollys cortege at her funeral tomorrow, June 2. Una Brolly said her sisters life-long charity work would be remembered by thousands of families who had engaged with the Share a Dream family. As Shay said, he had the ideas, and Ciara drove those ideas forward, she brought it all together and drove it on, Ms Brolly added. Anyone wishing to pay their respects along the route of tomorrows funeral are advised to adhere to social distancing guidelines. Due to government guidelines regarding gatherings, a private mass, for family only, will take place in St Patricks Church, Clare Street, at 11am this Tuesday followed by private cremation in Shannon, Co Clare. The Brolly family has requested family flowers only, with donations, if desired, to the Share A Dream Foundation or Milford Hospice. Saudi-based Al Murjan Group has reached an agreement with Mediclinic Middle East, a unit of British heathcare group Mediclinic International, for the setting up of a 200-bed hospital on a 80,000 sq m area in Jeddah city. As per the deal, Mediclinic Middle East will manage the hospital and support Al Murjan Group with expertise and advisory services in planning, design and construction, while the commissioning of the hospital is expected by the second quarter of 2022, said the statement from the company. Situated on King Abdul Aziz Road in the northern part of Jeddah, the hospital is being built at an investment of more than SR1 billion ($266 million). The hospital, designed and to be completed in accordance with international standards, will comprise eight floors, offering comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services including general surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, emergency, and trauma care, it stated. Lauding the appointment of Mediclinic as the strategic partner, Group Chairman Abdulrahman Khalid bin Mahfouz said: "This will serve as the cornerstone for high-quality health care services in Saudi Arabia, offering state-of-the-art health care facilities, from some of the best practitioners, using best practices and meet international quality standards, and contribute to the Kingdoms Vision 2030." Al Murjan, he stated, had committed itself for over 40 years to delivering excellence in all its areas of work and the Saudi group views the joint venture as a continuation of that commitment. Vice Chairman Sultan Khalid bin Mahfouz said on completion Al Murjan Mediclinic will provide more than 1,000 job opportunities, and will also create new opportunities for entrepreneurs in the healthcare sector. Mediclinic Middle East CEO David Hadley expressed delight at the strategic partnership with Al Murjan Group and the UK group's foray into Saudi Arabia. "There is a growing demand for high quality, internationally recognized standards of health care services in Saudi Arabia. Mediclinic, with more than 35 years experience of delivering health care services across Switzerland, Southern Africa and the UAE, is excited by the opportunity to partner with Al Murjan Group to establish a leading private hospital in Jeddah and further expansion opportunities across Saudi Arabia." "We are committed to being an ethical and responsible corporate citizen delivering sustainable, cost-effective, high-quality health care services and outstanding client experiences in all our hospitals and clinics," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Each crisis triggers events that help initiate structural reforms. We did have a lot of liberalisations post-1991. Thereafter, the pace of reforms has been mostly incremental. Some big-bang measures such as Demonetisation, GST, and Insolvency code only have more of a symbolic value than in addition to the economic value. A fresh IBC reference stand suspended, there is more currency in circulation now than the amount of currency before demonetisation, GST collection has been falling. While the intent could be high on content, empirical studies on the net result are not so promising besides the teething implementation issues possibly because of inadequate planning. During COVID-19, as part of the government's Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced structural measures in industries, mining, agriculture in bits and pieces. What we require is a complete overhaul of the current industrial policy and an agrarian policy towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' or Self-reliant India Mission. Also Read: Atma Nirbhar Bharat a 'responsible package', will put money in poor's hands: Nirmala Sitharaman Industrial Policy During the COVID-19 crisis, FM Sitharaman had announced a slew of reforms as part of the government's fiscal stimulus package. The structural reforms pertaining to industries are as follows. 1. Commercial mining of coal by the private sector. 50 blocks will be offered for bidding, on the basis of a revenue-sharing model, and the government will invest Rs. 50,000 crore to build evacuation infrastructure. 2. Enhanced private investment in the mineral sector. 500 blocks will be auctioned in a composite exploration-cum-mining-cum production regime. Besides, distinction between captive and non- captive mines to be removed for better redistribution of surplus materials. 3. Hike in FDI in defence manufacturing from 49% to 74%. 4. Easing of restrictions on Indian air space, benefitting civil aviation, and reducing flying costs. 5. Privatisation of electricity distribution companies in Union Territories to begin with, to be extended to states later. 6. Boosting private participation in space activities. Private sector can use ISRO facilities. 7. Research reactors in atomic energy in public-private (sector) partnership (PPP) model. 8. Viability gap funding for social infrastructure projects. While all of these are welcome initiatives, they operate in silos. This is an opportunity to review the entire industrial policy. The last industrial policy was enacted in 1991 when the industry faced a balance of payment crisis that led towards a set of reforms moving towards liberalisation. In view of the current crisis and our goal towards an Atma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India), a comprehensive industrial policy should be put in place towards that direction. Also Read: Atma Nirbhar Bharat: How India can turn into a reliable manufacturing hub At the present juncture, when we need both growth and jobs, there can be no second thought on ushering in nothing short of an industrial revolution. A well thought industrial policy can change the ecosystem which can transform India into a global manufacturing hub with competitive pricing, innovation, and make the country an attractive investment destination. With US-China Trade war, there is a great opportunity to attract investment in the region. We must not miss the bus now as it is now or never. Agrarian Policy With respect to agriculture, the finance minister has announced several measures to address some agricultural structural issues. These are:- 1. Agri-marketing reforms, including a new central law to bypass Mandis and APMC reforms framework for e-trading. 2. Revamp essential commodities act and deregulate oil, pulses, onion, potato, etc. 3. Rs 1 lakh crore investment in farm gate infrastructure and logistics. These too are welcome. But again, let us review the whole agriculture sector policy as a comprehensive approach rather than one in bits and pieces. Also Read: Industry wants tax holidays, export help and low-cost capital The agrarian distress is palpable in rising farmer suicides. Many farmers still have to depend on moneylenders and the informal sector. It is time to review the agrarian problems and possible solutions in a holistic manner. The immediate goal can be to double farmers' income, which can only be possible by increasing production and productivity. Issues pertaining to marginalised sections such as landless labour and sharecroppers/tenants need to be studied in depth. A few areas that need immediate attention are--land reforms, consolidation of fragmented holdings, clarity on titles, ownership, and possession of land resources and digitalisation, etc. Nationwide warehousing and transportation grids to store perishable products, integrating labs into the land, extensive use of technology to boost productivity, and reduce redundancy in products, processes, and designs. Disinvestment is not a dirty word, it is the key to deliverance. In the meantime, to kickstart the economy, the government needs to spend and make huge Investments in Infrastructure. The Centre has to bite the bullet first and expect the private sector to follow. Aggressive and serious disinvestment can generate revenue to fund government spending. It is none of the business of government to be in business and hence must exit it, and the disinvestment target should be non-negotiable. In the absence of tax buoyancy and little space for borrowing as fiscal space is already stretched, disinvestment in all possible ways is the only way. Also Read: Agriculture, mining saved Indian economy in FY20, can it sustain COVID-19 assault? Money does not grow on trees, that government can pick and keep the engine of economy running. It is time to constitute a task force consisting of all stakeholders to review the policy framework in a time-bound manner and institutionalise a foundation for Post COVID-19 Atma Nirbhar Bharat. (The author is a Policy analyst and columnist) A Sydney accountant has narrowly avoided jail time after concocting an elaborate scheme to photograph women's feet and 'sniff' their shoes for 'sexual gratification.' Calvin Chow, 34, pleaded guilty to five charges of impersonating a police officer when he stood before Burwood Local Court in Sydney on Monday. The court heard Chow, who is originally from Hong Kong, would approach women with a fake badge and claim to be a law enforcement officer. Calvin Chow, 34, would approach woman with a fake police badge and ask to photograph their shoes and feet for an investigation Chow told a woman at Town Hall station on December 1, he was on a case investigating 'people smuggling drugs through shoes,' police facts stated, The Daily Telegraph reported. Two weeks later he knocked on the door of a woman's home in Strathfield and explained he had been tasked with following up inquiries about a number of women's shoes that had been stolen from a nearby shopping centre. Chow used his fake police ID to enter the premises and inspect the victim's shoe collection. When the woman handed over her shoes, she said Chow 'sniffed' each one. But the bizarre foot-fetish-driven crime spree eventually unravelled in February when he approached a woman in Rhodes and introduced himself as 'Detective Gao'. Chow explained to the victim he had reason to believe someone had planted a tracking device in her shoe. He insisted she sit down so he could photograph her shoes and feet. Calvin Chow (pictured) pleaded guilty to five charges of impersonating a police officer when he stood before Burwood Local Court in Sydney on Monday The woman immediately suspected something was wrong and reported the encounter to authorities after taking a photo of Chow. On March 23, an officer recognised Chow from the image and arrested him on a Strathfield street. When Chow's phone was searched, the officers uncovered 'numerous' pictures of women's feet and shoes, which he had emailed to himself. 'One woman even appeared to lay on the ground with her feet in the air,' according to court documents. Chow's lawyer Angela Cooney argued her client should be granted leniency due to his psychological illnesses which include fetishistic disorder and depression. But Magistrate Daniel Reiss rejected the request for a section 32, on the grounds the offences were premeditated. 'It was a clearly planned act by him to have false identification and a set of stories he would tell the victims,' Magistrate Reiss told the court. Magistrate Reiss described the incidents as 'creepy, disturbing and troubling' for the victims. Chow was sentenced to a 12-month community correction order and will receive an $800 fine. Alabama Powers policy of charging a fee on its residential solar customers has generated significant controversy recently. Last November, the Alabama Public Service Commission held a hearing on a petition to abolish the fee, and a ruling is expected soon. Perhaps this is why, in December, the Energy and Policy Institute (EPI), issued a report critical of utility companies, including Southern Company, of which Alabama Power is a subsidiary. Now Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill is trying to ascertain exactly what EPI is. EPI describes itself as a watchdog organization working to expose attacks on renewable energy and counter misinformation by fossil fuel and utility interests, and claims not to receive any funding from for-profit corporations or trade associations. Its report explains how utilities, including Southern Company, use charitable giving to influence politics and increase investor profits. Certainly, this is fodder for inquiry. Companies often do use charitable giving as a way to win favor of politicians and regulators, and consumers should be aware of the practice. Yet EPI has not been honest about its own attempts to wield influence. My organization, Campaign for Accountability (CfA), long has been investigating rooftop solar companies, which frequently prey on vulnerable populations without delivering promised benefits. Upon discovering the solar industry trade association had supported EPI in its campaign goals, we looked into EPI and eventually released a report revealing that EPI is not the typical think tank or watchdog as it purports to be. Rather, it is a dark money group: it is not registered with any relevant secretary of state, no one admits to funding it, and it does not appear to have nonprofit status. Nonprofits are required by law to file their tax forms with the IRS annually and release those forms upon request. Yet CfA asked EPI for a copy of its annual tax form but received no response. A search of databases that maintain public copies of 990s, Guidestar and the Foundation Center, similarly returned no results. Rather than a nonprofit, research suggests EPI is the creation of a public relations firm called Tigercomm, a cleantech marketing communications, PR and public affairs firm. EPIs founder and former executive director, Gabe Elsner, is closely tied to the clean tech industry. He currently works for an electric car company and interned at Tesla, the parent company of SolarCity, a solar panel manufacturer. Elsner previously worked for the Checks and Balances Project, another clean energy advocacy group, and at Tigercomm, whose clients include several solar companies as well as the Solar Energy Industries Association. While at the Checks and Balances Project, Elsner attempted to conduct a sting operation aimed at the American Petroleum Institute, and then Tigercomm contacted journalists on his behalf. EPIs lack of transparency extends to its advocacy work. EPI regularly initiates litigation in state and federal court to obtain public records. Courts generally require plaintiffs to describe their corporate and legal status. EPI, however, provides inconsistent information. EPI described itself a pro-clean energy think tank in a lawsuit filed in Indiana, while it was a watchdog group that uses research to inform the public about energy and utility issues in a Tennessee lawsuit. Whether a think tank or a watchdog group, most such organizations are registered as nonprofits under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. EPI is not. Despite its opaque background, journalists tend to cover EPIs findings and quote its employees as they would any nonprofit. Just last week, the Los Angeles Times quoted EPIs executive director and referred to the organization as a pro-renewable energy watchdog group. In April, evidently concerned about EPIs bona fides, Alabamas Secretary of State sent a letter to an EPI representative requesting information about EPIs funding and organization. Merrill noted he could find no record of [EPIs] incorporation with any secretary of states office, including Alabamas, or with the federal government. He also noted that an employee of EPI was representing another nonprofit, Energy Alabama in connection with Alabama energy issues. Merrill asked EPI to provide information about its legal status and funders. It is unclear if EPI responded. Renewable energy companies and advocates seek to convey an image of not just cleaner energy, but also cleaner politics. EPI, however, embraces the same campaign-style tactics that green energy companies purport to oppose. The fact is EPI is not so different from Southern Company the two just appear to have competing business interests. Information proffered by EPI should be viewed in the same light as those it targets. Daniel Stevens is the executive director of Campaign for Accountability, a public accountability group in Washington. The Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) on Monday commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for adhering to the recommendations by stakeholders especially the Teacher Unions to allow the final year students to resume schooling. The Coalition said: "We are also grateful to government that the gold track students who missed on their learning are going to complete that phase of their academic calendar". President Akufo-Addo in his 10th COVID-19 National Address on Sunday directed that from Monday, June 15, 2020, final year students of Junior High School, Senior High School, and Universities are to resume classes ahead of the conduct of their respective exit examinations. The GNECC in statement signed by Mr Joseph Atsu Homadzi, the Interim Chairman, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra urged the Ministry of Education to put in place adequate measures to cater for the needs of every student in school including those with special educational needs. "The Coalition still stands by its position to ensure that proper measures are put in place before the actual re-opening of schools. These measures should include the provision of contactless veronica buckets and hand washing stations created in every classroom, the availability of running water in the schools at all times, provision of thermometer guns in all schools and ensure toilet facilities in the schools are disinfected regularly when schools are in session". The Coalition called on the Ministry of Education to collaborate with the Ministry of Health and assigned a nurse to each school to ensure consistent monitoring of cases. The Coalition recommended to the Ministry of Education to continue with the E-learning programme for students who are still at home, calling on parents to ensure strict adhering to the COVID-19 safety protocols for the safety of children at home. Online teaching and learning programmes should be made available in the schools and e-learning content should be screened in the schools", it said. The Coalition is of the view that schools should be made to maximize the use of available spaces such as schools assembly halls and laboratories to enable the effective adherence to the social distance safety protocols. The statement said GNECC would continue to support the effort of government to provide quality education for every child in this challenging times towards the achievements of the Sustainable Development Goal targets. 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 Biden won the Democratic primaries because of his overwhelming support from black and suburban voters, a coalition that skewed older and more conservative than the youthful and multiracial protesters marching in cities and towns across the country. Bidens campaign acknowledges that beating Trump will require him to keep those older voters motivated while also appealing to the young and disaffected Americans who the campaign fears will sit out this election if they dont connect with him. NEW YORK, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Another 300-plus protesters in New York were arrested Saturday night in the third day of the city's protests over the death of Minnesota man George Floyd, local media reported. Thousands of New Yorkers assembled in all five boroughs to protest police brutality starting on Saturday afternoon, and the largely peaceful demonstrations turned violent again in the evening with clashes between protesters and police. Some businesses in downtown Manhattan were broken in and looted. Several police vehicles were burnt and dozens damaged, According to NBC4. Two police vans in Brooklyn were surrounded and attacked by protesters with bottles and rocks. The vans accelerated to get out of the crowds and knocked several people down on the ground, as videos circulating online showed. According to NBC4, over 340 arrests were made on the day, bringing the total arrests of the past three days to over 600. Around 33 police officers were injured. In a remark before midnight in Brooklyn, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio urged all protesters to go home, saying their voices have been heard. He said a small number of people chose to commit acts of violence and attack police, which is unacceptable. "Those who are out there to create violence ... we won't tolerate that, you will get arrested tonight." On Thursday, over 70 protesters were arrested in Manhattan, while over 200 were arrested on Friday night mostly in Brooklyn after violent acts toward police occurred. Three people have been federally charged with using and attempting to use "Molotov Cocktails" to damage and destroy New York City Police Department vehicles early Saturday morning in Brooklyn, according to a statement of the U.S. Department of Justice on Sunday. Thousands of Americans left their homes and took to the streets to protest across the country after the death of George Floyd. The 46-year-old black man died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Memorial Day after a white police officer arrested him for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 and knelt on his neck for eight minutes while Floyd gasped: 'I cant' breathe!' With demonstrations taking place in Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, DC, there are concerns that the mass gatherings could trigger a second wave of coronavirus infections. Many protestors have been seen ignoring social distancing guidelines and not wearing protective gear such as masks. However, one expert has warned that the shouting and running around that occurs at many demonstrations could lead to even greater virus transmission. Experts say not following social distancing guidelines and not wearing masks at protests over George Floyd's death could increase the risk of coronavirus transmission. Pictured: Activists take part in a Black Lives Matter protest after the Floyd's death, June 1 Shouting and running around could raise the risk of infected droplets being spewed into the air and others inhaling them. Pictured: Demonstrators during a protest in New York, May 31 Dr William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told DailyMail.com there are several reasons one may become infected at a protest. There's the fact that demonstrations are large congregant events - which are currently discouraged - a lack of social distancing and people not wearing masks. However, he adds that a lot of shouting is also likely to increase the risk of virus spread. 'There is a lot of shouting and running around, which is exertional, which will make people breathe more deeply and exhale more,' Schaffner said. This means more potentially infected droplets in the air and a greater chance of a non-infected person breathing them in and falling ill. Additionally, many people attending these protests are people of color, minorities who have been disproportionately affected by COVID. 'That puts those populations at greater risk and those people can bring the virus home with them,' Schaffner said. 'There's no doubt that we are concerned that this may contribute to spikes of increased infections here and there because it comes at the time when we are all "opening our society" as we are going out.' On Saturday, in Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti, warned the protests could become 'super-spreading events' if people don't practice social distancing or take other preventive measures such as wearing masks. These events occur when a single person, who sheds a great deal of the virus for unknown reasons, infects several people at one time. Schaffner says there have been 'super-spreading' events during the pandemic after large groups of people have come together. One example is in South Korea, where a woman went to China, came back infected and then attended a large event at her church. 'There was a huge are gathering at this religious service where social distancing was not observed even though it was already recommended,' he said. 'And she was indeed a super-spreader and spread it to a large number of people, creating the first major introduction of COVID into South Korea.' Shouting and running around could raise the risk of infected droplets being spewed into the air and others inhaling them. Pictured: Protesters rally against the death of George Floyd in Portland, Oregon, May 31 One expert fears the distrust in authority after Floyd's death will also lead to a distrust in health authorities who are contact tracing. Pictured: NYPD anti-riot police are seen preparing to disperse protestors, May 31 In another instance in Washington state, after someone ill attended choir practice, 52 of the 61 people there became sick. According to Skagit County Public Health, 32 were confirmed to have COVID-19 and 20 had symptoms consistent with the virus. Schaffner says a super-spreader might not know they're infected and think their coughing is from the protest. 'If you suddenly start coughing, and you've been exposed to tear gas and pepper spray, you may just ascribe your cough to those kinds of exposures rather than attributing them to perhaps COVID infection,' he said. 'So they could easily put themselves in a position where they infect a large number of people.' He also fears than an unintended consequence of Floyd's death and the protests will be a distrust of authorities that spills into contact tracing. Contact tracing is considered to be one of the most important measures needed to safely reopen the economy. All COVID-19 positive patients are asked to remember everyone they came into contact with while possibly contagious, and then those people are asked to self-quarantine for two weeks. 'Contact tracing only works if there is trust,' Schaffner explained. 'A total stranger calls you up, you're positive, explains they're from the health department, wants to contact everyone with whom you've had contact with in the previous week. 'Unless you trust that person and believe that they were trying do good for your community and your friends, you wont give up that information. Schaffner says 'if one wishes to demonstrate', remember to socially distance from others, always wear a mask covering the nose and mouth and bring hand sanitizer. He also advises to go home during the evening. 'Because it would appear that all the rambunctiousness occurs once it gets dark and obviously with all the running around and congregating then, that's when the risk increases,' he added. Credit: Jonathan Irish A complex artificial intelligence-powered analysis is being deployed by Jonathan Irish, associate professor of cell and developmental biology and scientific director of the Cancer & Immunology Core, in the race to understand the inner-workings of COVID-19. The tool parses through vast quantities of data to identify extremely rare immune cells that specifically respond to viruses. Irish's analysis tool has been in development over the past year to study human immune responses to rhinovirus, a cause of the common cold, in collaboration with the University of Virginia. Upon realizing that the tool could be applied to COVID-19-related research, Irish floated the idea to his colleague at King's College London where he is a visiting associate professor and honorary senior lecturer. This was the start of an international collaboration between Vanderbilt University and researchers from King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. The group will also collaborate with researchers conducting a similar ongoing study at Princess Margaret Hospital in Canada. High dimensional (HD) cytometry, a technique that takes measurements of many features of a single blood cell simultaneously, generates so much data that it is difficult for people to parse through. "We think that HD cytometry can be particularly useful in understanding COVID-19," says Irish. The quickly developing trial will begin treating 19 patients the week of May 31, 2020, and begin collecting samples. Irish's role will be to analyze and interpret the findings. In rhinovirus, Irish's tool analyzes pairs of blood cells, one infected and the other not, to compare specific changes to the blood and identify immune cells that are reacting to the virus. But these cells known as antigen-specific T cells are one in a million, literally. "A sample of 10 million blood cells might just contain a couple hundred of these cells. We quickly realized that we could tailor our tool for COVID-19 research because it can pick out these rare cells without any other information," explains Irish. The UK-based research team's trial design is cutting-edge in the sense that it is conducting research while treating patients. This allows the team to see how the trial is working and apply new information to the ongoing trial in real-time. For example, comparing data in patients who need a ventilator with those who do not will provide an unusually clear line of sight into how the immune cells work and what to do next. The goal of the joint research is to identify which human immune cells are specific to coronavirus infections and distinguish these cells from each person's immune fingerprint. "Understanding and identifying the types of immune cells that help to fight off the virus could help us optimize vaccine and treatment strategies," notes Irish. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak Police officers speak to protesters in front of the police station in Detroit, Michigan, on May 31, 2020. (Seth Herald/AFP via Getty Images) Sheriff Removes Helmet and Joins George Floyd March in Michigan A sheriff gained the respect of protesters during a protest over George Floyds death at a police station in Michigan on Saturday. Hundreds of people gathered outside the police headquarters in Flint Township, but instead of clashing with them, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson removed his helmet and lowered his weapon in front of the group. In a video that has since gone viral, Swanson told the group he didnt want violence, he wanted to make it a parade to honor Floyd, not a protest. We want to be with yall for real, Swanson said, as officers took their helmets off and laid their batons down. I want to make this a parade, not a protest, he said. The only reason were here is to make sure that you got a voicethats it, Swanson said. These cops love youthat cop over there hugs people. The sheriff said he would do whatever the people wanted him to do, prompting some in the group to chant: Walk with us! Walk with us! Swanson smiled at the group and agreed, high-fiving some as he joined the peaceful march. Lets go, lets go, he said, as the cheering crowd proceeded. Where do you want to walk? Well walk all night, he added. The sheriff walked with hundreds of peaceful demonstrators in a march that lasted for several hours, the Evening Standard reported. Later that night Swanson described the march as magic, saying that nobody was arrested and there were no reports of damage in the city that day. Protests have been held for days in cities all over the United States in response to the death of Floyd, an African American who died on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on his neck until he stopped breathing. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was arrested last week. He has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin was held at Ramsey County Jail before being taken to the Hennepin County Jail on Sunday. At least five people have been killed and dozens injured so far across the United States as demonstrations turned violent. National Guard troops were deployed in 15 states and Washington in an attempt to quell the violence. However, Saturdays event in Michigan offered a welcome contrast to violent confrontations. This is the correct response from police #WalkWithUs, Gwen Campbell posted on Twitter to champion Swansons actions. Together We Are Stronger Police officers in one of New Jerseys largest and most violent cities were praised on social media for marching alongside protesters. Camden County Metro Police Chief Joe Wysocki raises a fist while marching with Camden residents and activists in Camden, N.J., on May 30, 2020. (April Saul via AP) Camden County Police Chief Joe Wysocki, who has been working in the city for decades, joined the front line of a march in Camden on Saturday afternoon, sporting his uniform, a protective mask, and a peace sign. Yesterday was another example of our ongoing engagement, and a very real dialogue, that we are having with residents throughout Camden that has made our agency part of the fabric of this city, Wysocki said in an emailed statement to The Associated Press. Since Camdens police force disbanded and reformed in 2013 as a county agency, officers there have been hyper-focused on community policing. Its not strange to see them on walking beats or attending neighborhood block parties like the one Saturday night where two officers grilled up hamburgers and hot dogs. We know that together we are stronger, we know that together, in the city of Camden, we can create a space where policing is focused on deescalation and dialogue, Wysocki said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. File Photo Patiala: The cases of corona virus are wreaking havoc in Patiala these days. At the same time 4 new cases of Corona virus have been reported in Patiala district. An Asha worker is also involved in these cases. CoronavirusWith these cases, the number of cases of corona virus in Patiala has risen to 126. Advertisement Information in this regard was provided by Civil Surgeon Dr.Harish Malhotra. He said that the corona reports of two persons returning from Kuwait have come positive. CoronavirusApart from this, a woman from Simbaron village, who had returned from Delhi, also reported corona positive. At the same time, the report of an ASHA worker posted at village Matorda has also come positive. All of them have now been admitted to the isolation ward of Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. So far 126 cases of corona virus have been reported in Patiala district. Out of which 106 patients have returned home after overcoming the epidemic and 2 people have died due to this virus. There are only 18 active cases in the district. While Donald Trump was lashing out over mass civil unrest in his country on Monday, Canadians were getting practical protest advice from top-level government officials in Ottawa. The political-culture divide between Canada and the U.S. has rarely seemed so sharp as during the COVID-19 lockdown. But the chasm has widened even further with the scenes of riots and cities in flames across American over the past few days. The idea that the Canada-U.S. border will be reopened in three weeks, as scheduled, seems an almost preposterous suggestion right now. Canada is tiptoeing out of isolation; America is exploding out of it. Trump is calling for dissent to be crushed; Justin Trudeaus government is telling civil rights activists to wear masks and consider alternatives to shouting, because, well, yelling spreads the virus. These very divergent developments really happened during the space of a couple of hours on Monday. Trump held an angry call with U.S. governors in the morning, and according to news outlets with access to the audio recording, the president thundered, You have to dominate. If you dont dominate youre wasting your time. Theyre going to run over you. Youre going to look like a bunch of jerks. If Trump was concerned about the spread of the coronavirus during the widespread riots, that wasnt reflected in initial reports of his conference call with the governors. Meanwhile, in Canada, Health Minister Patty Hajdu and chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam were giving very different marching orders to protest-minded Canadians. At their daily briefing, Hajdu and Tam were asked about the public health risks associated with protest during a pandemic. While not encouraging Canadians to spill into the streets, they didnt discourage protests either, even offering what Hajdu called practical protest advice. Listen, I think its peoples right to express their support and in some cases concern about things that are unfolding both here in our country and across the world, Hajdu said. There are ways to do it more safely. She recommended hand sanitizer and masks as good protest accessories to pack along with placards and banners. Tam had another suggestion: Shouting and making really loud projections can potentially increase the risk, and so you might want to choose other means of showing or messaging, whether it be signage or making noise using other instruments, for example. Its all about avoiding the droplets, Tam explained or, as Trudeau might say, trying not to protest moistly. In the U.S., the COVID-19 virus and all the risks of reopening seem to have taken a back seat to the larger scenes of protest and conflagration in American cities in the wake of George Floyds death in Minnesota last week. I cant breathe Floyds words as a police officer knelt on his neck may well become 2020s three most searing words in a nation that has recently surpassed 100,000 deaths from a virus that also takes peoples breath away. In Canada, where the death tally sits now at just over 7,300, the pandemic remains the more urgent concern for government. But Trudeau used his daily briefing with the media on Monday to warn that this country has its own racist demons to wrestle with as well, calling the images coming out of the U.S. all too familiar. As a country, we cant pretend that racism doesnt exist here. Anti-Black racism is real. Unconscious bias is real and systemic discrimination is real, and they happen here in Canada. He praised the thousands of peaceful protesters who turned out on Canadian streets over the weekend and chided those who would disrupt them. If Trudeaus government has made a decision to take the opposite line from Trumps on everything from the pandemic to panic in the streets, it is too cautious (or diplomatic) to say so out loud. But the comparisons are unavoidable whatever Trump does, Trudeaus government does the opposite, right up to its reaction to the chaos in the United States. A border that physically closed nearly three months ago seems even more sealed now, politically. Recent polls have shown that Canadians are disturbed by what theyre seeing in the U.S. by way of pandemic response. An Earnscliffe Insights survey released a couple of weeks ago showed that a full 61 per cent of respondents described the U.S. handling of COVID-19 to be poor or terrible. Nothing thats happened in the past week seems likely to persuade Canadians that the United States has this situation in hand particularly in light of heightened tension in American streets. The two countries still share much in common, but crisis management is not one of them, especially now. 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: Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender issued a statement tonight as Gov. Kristi Noem called out the National Guard to address looting in Sioux Falls after a day of peaceful protests. Mayor Allender said he has seen Rapid City at its best and at its worst. He said he understands that emotions are high right now but rioting and looting can't be tolerated. "Public disorder including rioting, looting and destruction of property must not be justified by emotions or injustices and cannot be allowed to stand in a nation of laws," Allender said. "The City of Rapid City will not stand idly by when lives or property are in danger. We will accommodate, even assist in demonstrations, but we will not condone behavior that threatens the public safety." The Mayor's complete statement is included below: The death of George Floyd was an unnecessary tragedy. Mr. Floyds family and friends grieve for a specific person while untold others grieve for a system of unfairness or injustice. I understand grief and the grieving. I support peaceful demonstrations and in my experience, Rapid City has gone to great lengths to accommodate, even assist groups wishing to march. The First Amendment is a sacred amendment to our Constitution and is something that helps define a free nation. Ive gotten to know this community over the last 35 years and I have seen us at our worst and at our best. We are all human and all capable of great or terrible things. These are the times when our community begs for unity, begs for calm and begs for peace. I am asking all of you, from all walks of life, from all races and from all socioeconomic backgrounds to be patient, calm and considerate as we continue our journey through a global pandemic, and as we are challenged with the recent protests and the looming threat of civil disorder and violence. Emotions are understandably high during this time, but while exercising ones constitutional right to assemble, it is imperative we observe others right to protection under the law. Public safety is governments highest calling and every measure must be taken to use the authority given to us by the people, to protect the people. Public disorder including rioting, looting and destruction of property must not be justified by emotions or injustices and cannot be allowed to stand in a nation of laws. The City of Rapid City will not stand idly by when lives or property are in danger. We will accommodate, even assist in demonstrations, but we will not condone behavior that threatens the public safety. Please join me in a time of peace and reflection as we make our way to summer and fall. We are truly in this together, as one community. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 1st June 2020 - General view of firefighters at the scene of a fire at the Crumlin Road Courthouse in Belfast which they say has been started deliberately. Four appliances, 20 firefighters and an aerial appliance were called to the scene at 2.43am on Monday morning. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 1st June 2020 - General view of firefighters at the scene of a fire at the Crumlin Road Courthouse in Belfast which they say has been started deliberately. Four appliances, 20 firefighters and an aerial appliance were called to the scene at 2.43am on Monday morning. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. General view of firefighters at the scene of a fire at the Crumlin Road Courthouse in Belfast which they say has been started deliberately. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. General view of firefighters at the scene of a fire at the Crumlin Road Courthouse in Belfast which they say has been started deliberately. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. General view of firefighters at the scene of a fire at the Crumlin Road Courthouse in Belfast which they say has been started deliberately. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. A fire at the former Crumlin Road courthouse in Belfast is being treated as deliberate. The fire broke out at around 2.40am on Monday with four appliances sent to the scene with 25 firefighters working to bring the blaze under control. Crews remained at the scene on Monday morning with the Fire Service saying it was believed to have been a deliberate ignition. It's thought the fire broke out in one of the courtrooms. Police said they too were treating it as deliberate and have launched an investigation. Read More Sinn Fein MP John Finucane praised the actions of the Fire Service. "The old Crumlin Road courthouse building is one of the most historic and recognisable in the city and this deliberate attack on it is wrong and must be condemned," he said. "Thankfully no one was hurt in the incident and I want to commend the actions of the firefighters involved in bringing the blaze under control. "There are ambitious plans for the regeneration of the site which will provide a boost to the local economy and those will not be helped by this." Belfast councillor Alderman Brian Kingston described the latest fire as "tragic" and praised the work of the Fire Service in preventing its spread to nearby homes. He said it was "deeply frustrating" none of the plans for the site's redevelopment had come to fruition. There are reports locally of young people having been on the site over this past weekend, whether or not that is connected to the fire. I would appeal for anyone with relevant information to pass that on to the PSNI," he said. It would be a tragedy if this fine listed building were to be lost. There is the need now for renewed statutory sector involvement in determining its future direction. "It cannot just be left in the hands of private developers while it continues to deteriorate and to be damaged. In the immediate term, we will be making urgent representation for the premises and the site to be secured while an assessment of its condition takes place. Expand Close Fire in the early hours of Monday morning. Pic NIFRS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fire in the early hours of Monday morning. Pic NIFRS The iconic courthouse - once an architectural treasure - sits derelict opposite the refurbished Crumlin Road Gaol in the north of the city. The 19th century building designed by Sir Charles Lanyon, which was the venue for the most famous - and infamous - cases of the Troubles closed in June 1998. There have been numerous fires over the past two decades with the most devastating in 2009. Plans for a hotel development have so far not moved beyond the preliminary paperwork stages. In 2018 the council gave planning permission for a 10million 77-bedroom hotel to the Liverpool-based Signature Living Group. The group has run into problems with plans to open the George Best Hotel in the centre of Belfast which went into administration at the end of April. Initially the company planned to open the courthouse hotel in the summer of 2019. It has since been placed for sale by the group. The Crumlin Road Courthouse, designed by Sir Charles Lanyon in the 1840s, has been an important part of the citys story for generations. Belfast Buildings Trust The council in September last year expressed concern at the lack of development on the site particularly given its inclusion in the development of the city's tourism strategy. The Belfast Buildings Trust (BBT) expressed its sadness at the fire. Shane Quinn, development Manager of BBT, added: It is hugely troubling to see yet another fire cause yet more damage to the building, and especially to hear that it has been started deliberately. "We thank NI Fire and Rescue Service for their quick actions. "The courthouses physical history and the personal stories associated with it say so much about Belfast. "BBT has worked with various agencies and owners over the years. We obviously need to wait and assess the full extent of the damage, but we remain convinced that a suitable use can regenerate the building and be a catalyst for wider regeneration in north Belfast. "Unfortunately, weve grown all too used to historic buildings in the city being destroyed by fire. "But, as we saw after the [Primark] Bank Buildings fire, historic buildings are often at the very heart of our citys lives and hold huge meaning for people. Expand Close Pictures by Rebecca, a photographer specialising in abandoned places, show the extent to which the old Crumlin Road courthouse has fallen into disrepair / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pictures by Rebecca, a photographer specialising in abandoned places, show the extent to which the old Crumlin Road courthouse has fallen into disrepair "We all have to recognise that heritage buildings arent about the past. Everyone in Belfast now has a responsibility to make sure that we double our efforts to find a long-term use for the Crumlin Road Courthouse. No building is beyond saving. "The Trust believes that whilst last nights fire is devastating for the city to wake up to, with determination and the involvement of local people, we can make sure heritage is at the heart of our citys regeneration. Read More Assistant Chief Fire & Rescue Officer Paddy Gallagher said the fire service had to deal with the courthouse incident just hours after battling a major grass fire at Gullivers Avenue. "Thankfully no one was hurt and due to the quick actions of our Firefighters the fire did not spread to any other properties," he said. This was a significant fire that came at the end of an extremely busy weekend for Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service and I want to thank all of our Firefighters who have stepped up to the mark over the last couple of days, as well as all of our partner agencies who have worked closely with us in responding to a number of challenging incidents. A PSNI spokesman added: "Police in north Belfast are investigating a fire at Crumlin Road Courthouse in the early hours of Monday June 1. "A report was received at around 2.55am on Monday morning of a fire at the building. NIFRS attended and extinguished the fire which is being treated as deliberate at this time. "Officers would ask anyone with information which could assist them with their enquiries to contact police at Tennent Street on 101 quoting reference number 213 01/06/20. "Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime. You can also make a report using our online non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/." Signature Living has been approached for comment. San Francisco, June 1 : Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is reportedly investing in a British startup Beacon that aims to become a global logistics chain. According to Sky News, the world's richest man is "taking part in Series A fundraising worth $15 million for the British startup". Beacon is a digital freight-forwarding and supply chain finance firm. Launched in 2018, it uses Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud and other technologies to improve operational efficiency for customers organising international trade in their products. Beacon is understood to have seen strong demand during the Covid-19 crisis from companies in the e-commerce and homewares sector, in particular, the report said. The company offers a range of services - including global ocean, air freight and truck - which can be accessed and managed on a single platform. Beacon was founded by two former Uber executives, Fraser Robinson and Dmitri Izmailov. Beacon's investors include executives from Uber, Google and Amazon, according to its site. Pierre Martin, the company's chief technology officer, previously worked at Amazon. With its proximity to the White House and views of the Washington Monument, the Department of Veterans Affairs sits on prime real estate at the heart of the nation's capital. The coveted location proved to be a liability Sunday night, however, placing the facility squarely in the middle of violent clashes between protesters and police. Read Next: Minnesota Guard Carrying Guns and Ammo in Response to 'Credible Threat,' General Says On late Sunday night at the VA's doorstep, vandals lit trash cans and parked cars on fire, as well as the basement of the historic St. John's Episcopal Church, often called the "Church of the Presidents," a block away. (The fire was quickly extinguished by firefighters.) By morning, the VA's Central Office had sustained several broken windows, and graffiti had been spray-painted across its facade. Across the street, the VA's Lafayette Building, which houses many of its offices, lost most of its ground-floor windows. VA spokeswoman Christina Noel said Monday that other buildings housing VA offices were vandalized over the weekend but did not provide their locations or the extent of the damage. "We are assessing the cost of the damage," she said, adding that the VA's Central Office knew of "no injuries to VA employees." The violence that erupted in Washington, D.C., on Sunday night followed a pattern similar to events Friday and Saturday. After a series of peaceful daytime protests across the city, activists began gathering in specific locations, including Lafayette Square, across from the White House, to face off against police. Violence erupted as an 11 p.m. curfew drew nearer, with vandals breaking windows of coffee shops and banks near the VA, and hurling bottles and other objects at Metropolitan Police. The force fired rubber bullets at the crowds and deployed tear gas and pepper spray in attempts to disperse the group. The protests began in Minneapolis in reaction to the death of George Floyd, a black suspect who died May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes, according to bystander videos. The protests have spread nationwide, with many becoming violent. In response, the Army and Air National Guards have been activated in 23 states, as well as the District of Columbia, bringing the total number of Guard members currently activated to nearly 62,000, including those already called up to assist with the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Noel said the VA is assessing the damage across the system and working to ensure that its employees are safe. "VA will take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of VA employees," she said. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: Guard Members and Police Open Fire and Kill a Man in Louisville, Authorities Say Out of these 18 Rajya Sabha seats, four each are from Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, three each from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, two from Jharkhand, and one each from Manipur and Meghalaya. Elections for 24 Rajya Sabha seats spread across 10 states will be held on 19 June, the Election Commission announced on Monday. Elections for 18 of these 24 seats were deferred due to the coronavirus pandemic. Of these 18 seats, four each are from Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, three each from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, two from Jharkhand, and one each from Manipur and Meghalaya. The EC also announced that Rajya Sabha polls for a total of six seats in Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Mizoram will also be held on 19 June along with the elections that were deferred from March. While Kupendra Reddy (JD-S), Prabhar Kore (BJP), M V Rajeev Gowda (Congress) and BK Hariprasad (Congress) from Karnataka are retiring on 25 June, the term of Mukut Mithi (Congress) from Arunachal Pradesh ends on 23 June. The term of Mizoram MP Ronald Sapa Tlau (Congress) ends on 18 July. The notification for the polls on six seats will be issued on Tuesday, an EC statement said. The counting of votes for all the 24 seats will be held on the evening of June 19 itself, the Commission said. While deferring the elections early March, the poll panel had made it clear that processes completed by then, including nominations filed by candidates, will remain valid. "The only steps remaining were the actual poll and the counting. That would be completed now," an official explained. The Commission had deferred the 16 March Rajya Sabha elections citing the threat of coronavirus, saying a decision on conducting them will be taken after reviewing the situation. Follow Latest Updates on Coronavirus Lockdown here While 17 members from six states retired on 9 April, one from Meghalaya retired on 12 April. Originally the election were to take place on March 26 on 55 Upper House seats, but 37 candidates have already been elected without a contest. The statement said the Commission has now reviewed the matter in detail after considering all factors, including the latest guidelines issued by the Union Home Secretary. The Commission also decided that state chief secretaries will depute a senior officer from the state to ensure that the instructions regarding COVID-19 containment measures are complied with while making arrangements for conducting the elections. The EC also appointed chief electoral officer of the concerned state as observer for these polls. Earlier in the day, the "full commission" the chief election commissioner and two election commissioners met at Nirvachan Sadan here for the first time in nearly three months. The poll panel had been holding virtual meets as Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, who was visiting the United States on leave in the first half of March, got stranded there due to the coronavirus lockdown. Arora returned to India recently and underwent the mandatory quarantine before joining office on Monday. A key decision taken in one such virtual meeting was to allow the legislative council election in Maharashtra to pave the way for Uddhav Thackeray becoming a member of the state legislature within the stipulated six months of becoming chief minister. The polls were deferred due to the coronavirus outbreak. Chandigarh: CBI on Saturday carried out searches at the residences of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and a sitting UPSC member along with 18 other locations in a case of alleged irregularities in acquisition of land in Gurgaon in which farmers were cheated to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore. CBI sources said besides Hoodas residence, premises of the then Principal Secretary ML Tayal, UPSC member Chattar Singh, both former IAS officers, and a serving IAS SS Dhillon were also searched by the team. In an ongoing investigation, CBI carried out searches at 20 locations in Rohtak, Gurgaon, Panchkula and Delhi in connection with alleged irregularities in the purchase of land from farmers in Gurgaon, CBI Spokesperson R K Gaur said. The agency had registered the case last year in September on allegations that private builders in conspiracy with unknown public servants of Haryana Government had purchased around 400 acres of land from farmers and land owners of village Manesar, Naurangpur & Lakhnoula, District Gurgaon at throw away prices, showing the threat of acquisition by the government, during the period August 27, 2004 to August 24, 2007. It is alleged that in this process, initially, the Haryana Government had issued a notification under the Land Acquisition Act for acquisition of land measuring about 912 acres for setting up an Industrial Model Township at Villages Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula in Gurgaon. After that, all the land had allegedly been grabbed from the land owners by private builders under the threat of acquisition at meagre rates, CBI had said after registration of the case. It is alleged that an order was also passed by the competent authority i.e. the Director of Industries on August 24, 2007 releasing this land from the acquisition process and the land was released in violation of the government policy, in favour of the builders, their companies and agents, instead of the original land owners. The CBI has alleged in its FIR that in the said manner, land measuring about 400 acres whose market value at that time was above Rs 4 crore per acre approximately totalling about Rs 1,600 crore approximately was allegedly purchased by the private builders & others from the innocent land owners for only about Rs 100 crore. It was alleged that a loss of Rs 1,500 crore was caused to the land owners of village Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula of Gurgaon. Chinese Grad Students Banned by Trump Order By VOA Student Union May 30, 2020 Saying China uses grad students and researchers to illegally acquire intellectual property from the United States, President Donald Trump issued an executive order suspending their entry into the country. "The People's Republic of China (PRC) is engaged in a wide-ranging and heavily resourced campaign to acquire sensitive United States technologies and intellectual property, in part to bolster the modernization and capability of its military, the People's Liberation Army (PLA)," the order stated. Those students are "detrimental to the interests of the United States," it said and "their entry should be subject to certain restrictions, limitations, and exceptions." The order includes F and J visa holders but does not include undergraduate students or green card holders. U.S. educators said the move against Chinese students in the U.S. is troubling and counterproductive to diplomacy and international relations. "China has been the top collaborator with the U.S. in STEM research. As we are grappling with a global pandemic, international collaboration is more critical than ever," Lynn Pasquerella, president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, said in an email to VOA. "We should also be concerned about the rise of anti-Asian sentiment in the U.S. and the ways in which this legislation holds the potential for the unintended consequence of creating a permission structure for xenophobic attitudes and actions," she said. Dr. Esther D. Brimmer, executive director and CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, said: "As we await further details on how this new proclamation will be implemented, we are concerned about the effects that it will have on international education and vital research cooperation. "Policies should be carefully crafted to protect national security, without extinguishing the spark of innovation. Sweeping policies can have the disastrous impact of fueling discrimination," Brimmer said. "That is deeply troubling and the antithesis of what we believe as a country, that all are created equal." The U.S. hosts more than 1 million international students, with more than one-third being Chinese nationals, according to the Institute of International Education, headquartered in New York. Chinese students typically pay out of pocket for tuition, fees and expenses, and are seen as a revenue stream for the U.S., bringing $45 billion to the U.S. economy last year. Chinese students contributed $12.55 billion to the U.S. economy in 2016. But tension between the U.S. and China has been escalating in the past few years over the role of Chinese students in the U.S. Most Chinese students earn degrees in science, technology, engineering and math, with business degrees coming in second. Chinese students have been convicted on espionage and theft of intellectual property. Professors have complained that China sends agents into the classroom to monitor what is being taught and which Chinese students are speaking negatively about the Chinese government. Republicans and Democrats alike have raised concerns about the authentic role of some Chinese students and researchers. "The academic sector needs to be much more sophisticated and thoughtful about how others may exploit the very open, collaborative research environment that we have in this country, and revere in this country," FBI Director Christopher Wray said in April 2019 in government hearings about the issue. In 2017, the Wilson Center, a bipartisan think tank in Washington, reported that a small community of PRC students and diplomats engaged in intimidation tactics ranging from intelligence gathering to financial retaliation. China has been criticized in the U.S. for its Thousand Talents Plan, a campaign to attract American and other specialists worldwide to accelerate its own academic, research and industry efforts. That program attracted a top department head in nanoscience at Harvard University, who was charged in January with lying about receiving funding from Chinese research agencies. In 2018, NIH sent a letter to more than 10,000 research institutions urging them to ensure that NIH grantees are properly reporting their foreign ties. The agency also said it is investigating about a half-dozen cases in which NIH-funded investigators may have broken reporting rules, and it reminded researchers who review grant applications that they should not share proposal information with outsiders. Critics also point to campus Confucius Institutes and Chinese Student and Scholars Associations (CSSA) as participants in intelligence gathering and political influence. Several nations worldwide have closed their Confucius Institutes. The Chinese government, which funds Confucius Institutes worldwide, says these organizations disperse information about Chinese culture and society, not political dogma. In 2014, the American Association of University Professors issued a statement titled, "Confucius Institutes Threaten Academic Freedom." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The celebrity world is filled with messy, high-profile divorces. After all, the stars going through these troubling relationship woes often have to do so in the public eye and after years of maintaining a particular public persona around their partnerships. The struggle can be particularly pronounced when people who were famous as a couple end up splitting. This is the case for Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler Cavallaris long history with reality TV led to her own series called Very Cavallari. Fans got to see a close and personal look into her life in Nashville, Tennessee. While she chose not to include her three children on the show, she and husband Jay Cutler have been front and center for years. Now that the pair are splitting up, fans are watching closely to see what happens next. Cavallaris recent grandiose real estate purchase may hold some clues. Kristin Cavallari | John Shearer/Getty Images The reality show hinted at trouble for Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler Cavallari and Cutler announced their divorce on Instagram. The message expresses sadness over the decision to split after 10 years together and calls the decision a loving conclusion. While some fans felt blindsided by the announcement, others felt that there had been subtle clues about the trouble brewing in the couples reality show. The pair had struggled to find their new identity after Cutler left the NFL. As his role in the spotlight wound down, Cavallaris fame continued to rise. Cutler was supportive of his wifes professional goals on the camera, but there were signs that the pair had different ideas about what the post-NFL life should look like. Cavallari was also open about the fact that their marriage had been rocky in the past. She said that they often had very low points and very high points. Cavallari admitted that they were experiencing a low point, but at the time she suggested it was just part of the rhythm of the relationship and seemed optimistic things would improve. Cheating allegations swarmed Jay Cutler RELATED: Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler Finally Reach a Custody Agreement for Their Three Kids After Divorce Announcement In addition to their incompatible views on how their post-NFL life should look, the relationship faced threats of infidelity. Rumors swirled that Cutler had cheated on Cavallari. To make matters worse, the allegations were that the affair was with Cavallaris friend Kelly Henderson. While Cavallari said that she didnt believe the rumors, she did get upset about how Henderson dealt with the situation. Whether there was some truth to the cheating rumors or the pair just couldnt make their life goals align any longer, its clear that things have gone from bad to worse. The split includes dividing up their Nashville home as well as figuring out how to share custody of their children. Of course, it also means determining what each of their professional lives will look like since theyll no longer be the couple that made Very Cavallari what it was. The divorce is getting messy As might be expected with such a fortune and a decade of time together in the mix, the divorce is getting quite messy. Cutler apparently blocked Cavallari from using money in their joint account to purchase a new house. Cavallari claimed that this was a power move designed to intimidate her into accepting Cutlers proposed parenting plan. While the details of just how it got resolved are unclear at this point, it does seem that something has been worked out. According to People, Cavallari and Cutler have listed their Nashville mansion which they purchased for $7.5 million for sale at $5 million. Meanwhile, a source close to Cavallari has confirmed that Cavallari has made her own real estate purchase, spending around $5 million on an estate that includes two residences. Currently, Cavallari and Cutler have been keeping the kids rooted in one location and switching off who resides with them to maintain structure and consistency. Its possible that Cavallaris dual residence property will allow that arrangement to continue as they transition into their post-divorce life. Federal authorities urged local officials on Sunday to crack down harder on rioters after American cities were rocked by fiery spasms of violence and vandalism, part of a nationwide wave of protests over police misconduct. President Donald Trump and his attorney general, William Barr, urged cities to follow the example set Saturday night by Minneapolis, where the unrest began earlier this week over the case of 46-year-old George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes. Floyd's death has led to large-scale protests in dozens of cities. In some places, protesters have set fire to police cars and buildings, smashed windows, and looted stores. On Saturday night, police in several cities intensified their use of force - wielding batons, rubber bullets and pepper spray in incidents that also targeted bystanders and journalists. In Minneapolis, videos posted online showed police officers yelling, "Light 'em up!" before firing paint at them as they stood on a front porch of a home. No one in the group appeared to be seriously injured. Edward Maguire, a professor at Arizona State University who recently published a guidebook on police crowd-control procedures, said this instance was egregious because officers fired potentially dangerous rounds at people who posed no threat. "Everything that police do in these types of situations should be aimed at de-escalation, and that is a really, really stunning example of escalation," he said. "You cannot be shooting projectiles at human beings, unless you have a really good reason to do so." Watching the events of Saturday night, Maguire said police chiefs across America had read his guidebook to crowd control - and decided to do the opposite. "I'm just seeing examples all over the country right now of bad policing," he said. "Poorly conceived strategies for how to handle protests." In another incident in Minneapolis, a CBS TV news crew said it was shooting video of a group of officers standing around in a parking lot when someone fired rubber bullets at them. "They're sighting us in, dude," one of the crew says in the video posted by CBS reporter Michael George, after the bullets came closer. Michael Adams, a reporter for VICE News recorded himself being pepper-sprayed by police in Minneapolis while he was on the ground. One night earlier, TV reporter Kaitlin Rust was reporting live from a protest in Louisville, Kentucky, when she was hit by a pepper ball fired by an armor-clad police officer who appeared to be targeting her repeatedly. The president said other jurisdictions facing protesters should follow Minneapolis' example. On Sunday, Trump tweeted: "Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors. Other Democrat run Cities and States should look at the total shutdown of Radical Left Anarchists in Minneapolis last night." The president's call to arms against unruly people was underscored by the attorney general, who issued a statement declaring it was "time to stop watching the violence and to confront and stop it." Barr blamed "outside radicals and agitators" for "exploiting the situation to pursue their own separate, violent extremist agenda." In Minnesota, local officials had made similar claims over the weekend, though arrest records show those charged were overwhelmingly from the area. The Trump administration sought to blame an anti-fascist movement called antifa for the violence, though the available evidence for that claim is sparse. For several years, conservative groups have said antifa is a growing and pernicious criminal organization; people who have studied self-described antifa activists say it is a very small, scattered group of individuals without an organizational structure or leader. "The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization," Trump declared in a tweet, though there is no mechanism in federal law to brand domestic groups terrorists the same way the government can do so for foreign terrorist groups. In pushing for a tougher approach to violent protesters, Barr said he had tasked the FBI's joint terrorism task forces - large teams of investigators from agencies whose mission is to investigate terrorism suspects - to "identify criminal organizers and instigators" around the protests. Video clips from the weekend showed that in some instances, police used force to clear streets, regardless of who was there or what they were doing. "I've covered protests involving police in Ferguson, Mo., Baton Rouge, La., Dallas and Los Angeles. I've also covered the U.S. military in war zones, including Iraq and Afghanistan. I have never been fired at by police until tonight," wrote Los Angeles Times reporter Molly Hennessy-Fiske, who said she had been shot with at least one rubber bullet by Minnesota State Patrol officers while standing on a street in Minneapolis. "Where do we go?" Hennessy-Fiske said she yelled at the officers, asking for them to direct her and a group of other journalists to safety. "None of the officers responded. Instead, they chased us along the wall and into a corner." Hennessy-Fiske said she escaped after scaling a wall, with two bloody wounds to her leg. Col. Matt Langer, head of the Minnesota State Patrol, acknowledged that the actions by his officers "aren't particularly pretty" but called them necessary. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, agreed. "I supported the actions that were out there. I gave the order to go with them," said Walz, who added that the use of force toward reporters was "unacceptable." Many of the protests have been peaceful, but the violence escalated in many major U.S. cities on Friday and Saturday nights, when stores were looted and some demonstrators threw firecrackers, bottles, bleach and a molotov cocktail at police, according to officials. Dozens of police have been injured, according to news reports. In Philadelphia on Saturday night, police said an officer on a bicycle was run over by a car as he tried to stop looters, suffering a broken arm. In Ferguson, Missouri - the epicenter of similar protests in 2014 - all nonessential personnel were evacuated from police headquarters after protesters throwing rocks and fireworks injured four officers, county police said. "The level of anger and violence in a number of these cities has been really challenging for the police," said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a nonprofit group. He said the events of the past week were more widespread, and angrier, than the protests in 2014. "It feels we haven't seen this level of national violence in a long time." Wexler said that the coronavirus pandemic has posed a new difficulty for police. Historically, he said, police are trained to focus on mask-wearers in any crowd, as a way of identifying potential troublemakers among peaceful protesters. Now, however, mask-wearing is widespread among protesters, giving would-be criminals more camouflage, and making officers more nervous. Steven Casstevens, president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, said he hoped that "as each day goes by, the anger and the riots will likely go down." "I ask people to put themselves in the law enforcement officer's position in these scary situations," he said. "People are throwing bottles and bricks and all sorts of things at you and at the same time, they're expecting you to just stand there, take this abuse, and not react. There comes a point where officers have to protect themselves and protect other people around them." On Friday night in Oakland, California, two federal security officers were shot outside a government building, killing one and critically wounding the other, officials said. In many cities, mayors had imposed curfews Saturday night. These, in theory, were supposed to weed out the peaceful protesters, because they would go home. That would allow police to isolate a smaller group of disruptive lawbreakers. "The situation on the ground in Minneapolis & St. Paul has shifted & the response tonight will be different as a result," the Minnesota Department of Public Safety posted on Twitter at about 6 p.m. local time Saturday. "The coordinated . . . law enforcement presence will triple in size to address a sophisticated network of urban warfare." But in Minneapolis, protesters said there was another effect: After the curfew, police began to treat everyone on the street as someone engaged in "urban warfare," regardless of their behavior. Three protesters said that, just after the curfew came into effect at 8 p.m., police fired tear gas at what had been a peaceful sit-in. "Bus reinforcements came by, and a lot of officers just came at us firing tear gas," said a student from Macalester College, who gave his name only as Nate. "No reason for it, completely unprovoked attack on a completely peaceful sit-in protest." These actions - and videos showing lines of officers in riot gear in several cities - seemed to defy the crowd-control tactics recommended by policing groups. They have recommended that police avoid using armor-clad officers unless absolutely necessary. Instead, police groups have recommended sending out officers in their regular uniforms, at least at first. The logic is that - when police don their armor - it can reduce officers' inhibitions about using force, since they are harder to identify by name. And it can also make protesters more likely to turn violent, since it dehumanizes the officers they are attacking. "It's not just that they lead to a certain amount of impunity among the police. It's that they actually escalate the likelihood that people will attack them," said Alex Vitale, a professor at Brooklyn College who has studied the policing of protests for 20 years. "It's a magnet. It's a magnet for violence." In New York, video posted to social media showed two police SUVs driving into a crowd of protesters after the protesters blocked their way and pelted them with water bottles. It was unclear whether anyone was injured. Afterward, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, said that the incident was under investigation, but that he would not criticize police officers facing such an "impossible situation." "If those protesters had just gotten out of the way and not created an attempt to surround that vehicle, we would not be talking about this," de Blasio said on local television station NY1. He added: "In a situation like that, it's a very, very tense situation. And imagine what it would be like, you're just trying to do your job and then you see hundreds of people converging upon you. I'm not going to blame officers who are trying to deal with an absolutely impossible situation," de Blasio said. "The folks who were converging on that police car did the wrong thing to begin with, and they created an untenable situation. I wish the officers had found a different approach. But let's begin at the beginning. The protesters in that video did the wrong thing to surround them, surround that police car, period." Other New York-based politicians criticized the officers' actions: City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, a Democrat, called it "outrageous," and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., blasted de Blasio on Twitter. "@NYCMayor your comments tonight were unacceptable," Ocasio-Cortez said. "This moment demands leadership & accountability from each of us. Defending and making excuses for NYPD running SUVs into crowds was wrong." The aggressive response in these cities was not the rule everywhere. In Camden, New Jersey, the county police chief marched with protesters decrying Floyd's death. In Flint, Michigan, Gennessee County Sheriff Chris Swanson did the same, in a moment captured on video. He told protesters, "I want to make this a parade, not a protest," In Baltimore, during a protest at police headquarters, one person carried a sign listing the names of African Americans killed by police. In a moment captured on video by Baltimore Sun reporter Pamela Wood, a police lieutenant read the names aloud. "Oscar Grant," read Lt. Peter Heron, who was wearing a uniform but no riot gear. Grant was killed by a California transit police officer in 2009, shot as Grant lay on the floor of an Oakland train station. "Next name!" the crowd shouted back. "Keith Scott," Heron read. Scott was killed by police in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2016. "Next name!" After Heron finished reading, Wood reported, the protesters moved on and shook hands with some officers. The protesters literally took to the streets Sunday night, during Midlands largest protest that I can remember and one of the truly remarkable nights in my 25 years here. I didnt have expectations for the event billed as a Black Lives Matter rally at Midland Park Mall. In my experience, Midland hasnt been home to this type of activism, certainly not like what is seen in larger metropolitan areas across the nation. But before the night was over, I experienced hundreds protesting the death of Minneapolis George Floyd; a counter protest led by a Hispanic born-again Christian and supporter of police and President Donald Trump who called himself Nino America; and dozens of officers who stayed true to their training for such situations and stayed calm even as one officer coincidentally, an African-American was hit in the head by a water bottle thrown by a BLM protester. There were horses, impromptu prayer sessions, the move of the protest to the streets Midkiff Road and the Loop 250 service road -- and hundreds of cellphones, catching every moment for the world to see through social media. It was for all the world to see, although my guess is, no one was more riveted than Midlanders. Even beyond the hundreds looking on from the mall parking lot, there were thousands who watched on the Reporter-Telegrams Facebook page. Midland is new to protests of this scale, and there were a lot of residents who did not want Midland to join the lists of other cities where protests turned violent and calls for justice turned to opportunities for looting. But on this night, it was about the peaceful protest. Sure, there were instances when it appeared the powder keg would be lighted, but it didnt, much to the relief of those protesters, who felt that the event was about their voices being heard and was an opportunity to deal with the frustration over what they saw in Minnesota and had experienced in Midland. People needed to release the tension they felt, and this was a great way for them to do that today, said long-time Midlander Courtney Ratliff, an African-American man. There were people dedicated to making sure this happened the right way. But in my view, this was also an examination of the patience and tolerance of a police department under the largest microscope of them all. While there were some on the Black Lives Matters side working with police, there were others willing to see how far they could go, how many insults they could fire off, and if it was possible, if they could press the right button that might lead to escalation. Police officers for hours were tested with comments about their character. Some wanted to align them with the heinous former officer arrested on a manslaughter and murder charge in Minneapolis. Late in the evening, some protesters targeted an African American officer. During an episode at the intersection of Midkiff and the service road, it was suggested that the officer was the enemy, simply because he wore a uniform and carried a badge. His ability to keep his cool spoke volumes about his temperament and his character. Hermans men and women passed Sunday nights test with flying colors, because they found a way to keep the peace, protect property and still not be part of the story. I think May 31, 2020, will remain in my memory for a long time. It was surreal and significant at the same time. I kept waiting for things to go so wrong. But that didnt happen. Its hard for me to think the mass shootings in Odessa occurred nine months ago. That seems like a lifetime. Since then, there was the bond election ballot box fiasco, coronavirus, negative oil price and now protests on a scale never experienced. When are things going to return to normal? What will tomorrow bring? Im not sure I want to know. At the end of the night it was 10:30 p.m., hours after I thought I would be done for the evening I started my car and what comes on the Sirius radio station? Rage Against the Machine, an activist band that soared to fame in the 1990s protesting corporate America, cultural imperialism and government oppression. It seemed such an appropriate way for this day to end. The Congress on Sunday took a jibe at the central governments handling of Covid-19 crisis, saying that the governments social distancing with the people has increased so much that it does not know what is happening on the ground and how to address the problems faced by the people, especially the poor. The future history books will recognise this government as the harbinger of doom. Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about protecting democracy. Until March 24, they throttled democracy, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said. He said that, prior to March 24, the agenda of the government focussed on Article 370, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the National Register of Citizens, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the Triple Talaq law, and not education, health care or concerns of the poor. Had this government concentrated on the issues concerning people, India would have been different today, Sibal told reporters. I want to ask the Prime Minister that at least now tell us what is your definition of your fellow Indians? Does that definition fit into what happened prior to March 24? At least now change the way you are handling the future of this country, he said. BLOOMINGTON A peaceful rally and march against racism and to show support for George Floyd was marred Sunday when a motorcyclist deliberately drove through a post-march crowd in downtown Bloomington, apparently injuring a woman before speeding away. The woman was conscious and raised her hand in a salute as she was loaded into an ambulance. Police said the woman did not appear to be badly injured. Police said they are looking for the motorcyclist but did not have a description of the rider. McLean County Sheriff Jon Sandage and several witnesses told The Pantagraph the motorcyclist's actions appeared deliberate. A couple of hours later, around 9 p.m., a group of about 150 people, mostly in their 20s, walked along Grove Street from Washington to Center streets, before heading to the Bloomington Police Department, where they stayed until about 10 p.m. It was a sour end to an otherwise positive afternoon that drew about 1,000 people to the lawn of the McLean County Law and Justice Center for a rally hosted by the Bloomington-Normal chapters of the NAACP and Not in Our Town. The crowd represented all colors and ages, many carrying signs of support for Floyd, a black man who died last week after he was handcuffed and then pressed to the ground by a white police officer in Minneapolis. That officer now faces murder charges. He and three others were fired shortly after cellphone video of the incident became public. Two nights ago, I cried, said Justin Turner, 17, of Normal, told those assembled at the Bloomington rally. I cried myself to sleep. Because I felt hopeless. I called my friend in the middle of the night wondering, as a black man, if I had worth. I shouldnt have to do that, but America has made me do that. We have to use our voice. Instagram posts aint enough. We have to use our voice right here. We arent going to get through this by killing each other. We are going to get through this by peace. They werent going to listen, but now they will listen. But we cant get through this by fighting. Linda Foster, president of the local NAACP chapter, said, In order for this to work, we have to be together. Some of you are here because you are mad as hell. Some of you are here because you are horrified of what you have seen and what you have experienced. Some of you are in pain, frustrated and angry. Some of you are tired of seeing African American men dying at the hands of the police. Some of you are here because you want to fight for equality and some are here because you want change. ... We can be that change. We are being killed by two pandemics, added Alexander Phillips, 18, of Bloomington. One has been killing Americans for only a few months while the other has been killing us since we stepped foot on this land. Systematic racism of people of color is all too familiar to us and we are all so tired. My generation has established our own methods of speaking for what we believe is right, but hashtag after hashtag and profile picture change after profile picture change and post after post, we are still not being heard. Bloomington Police Chief Dan Donath was met at first with a mixture of cheers and boos. As he began to speak to the crowd, he was at times drowned out by a chorus of I cant breathe, a reference to words Floyd used before his death. I will tell you that what we all saw in Minneapolis was horrific, Donath said. The officers involved should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We join other police officers and organizations in calling out their actions. They do not represent our way of life. I join you in condemning the actions of those officers. Donath added the Bloomington Police Department continues to work and train so that a similar situation doesnt happen here. Normal Chief Rick Bleichner and Illinois State University Chief Aaron Woodruff were expected to speak, but did not take the podium. After the rally, several hundred people walked north on East Street to Locust, then up Center to Madison street, chanting slogans, holding signs and encouraging motorists to honk in support. Police cars followed the group to provide a barrier from vehicles. Nala Buchanan of Bloomington held a sign asking for equality. "I'm waiting for change. Something has to happen and I feel like it's time," she said. "We don't want to stop until we get the justice we need for everyone." It was when the group marched south on Madison, apparently to return to the Law and Justice Center lawn, that one of two motorcyclists at a stoplight drove through the group and then sped south on Madison. "This is just horrible," Mayor Tari Renner said. "I went to the rally and everything seemed peaceful. And then something like this happens. I dont know the details of what this person did, but it comes at a really bad time, clearly at the end of a rally that is trying to promote justice and healing and moving forward in a nonviolent way. That is what was stressed consistently in the pre-rally events in front of the McLean County history museum as well as at the rally itself, Renner said. Shortly after the woman was struck, members of the crowd approached 10 state troopers and other officers, saying "Hands up, don't shoot." The officers did not respond to the shouts but then several kneeled, bringing shouts of support from the crowd. Another officer fist-bumped crowd members. The officers then went into the sheriff's department and most of the crowd departed. Sandage and another officer returned later, talking individually to those who remained. PHOTOS: Downtown Bloomington rally, marches Lenore Sobota, Maria Nagle and David Proeber contributed information for this story. Love 0 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 1 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. A collections of groups have written to the UN, pleading with them to take action in Afrin and protect the Kurdish residents who faces brutal treatment at the hands of the Turkish occupation. A group of Syrian human rights organizations released a statement, of which The Syrian Observer has obtained a copy, calling on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and Paulo Pinheiro, Chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, to condemn violations and crimes against unarmed civilians in Afrin. The text of the appeal was as follows: Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations Mrs. Michele Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mr. Paulo Pinheiro, Chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria After the torrent reached its apex, the violations and crimes against unarmed civilians in the Afrin area, by Syrian armed factions, reached their peak of ugliness, harming human dignity, without any consideration or respect for heavenly laws and status. These groups were unleashed by Turkish intelligence forces to commit prohibited acts against the Kurdish Syrian residents of Afrin, including men, women, the elderly and children, with the aim of forcing them to leave their homes and face displacement in order for Turkey to carry out its plan for demographic change in the area, as well as obliterate its Kurdish identity. And once the veil has been lifted to reveal these immoral crimes that were committed by the mercenary factions, especially against Kurdish girls and women, as well as continued murder of the elderly, and especially what was shared by the Council of Notables of Ghouta in a statement yesterday about their eyewitness accounts of a number of women held in detention centers run by the al-Hamza Brigade, which were raided and seized by Ghouta settlers and factions from Ahrar al-Sham, who found the women in a state of nakedness that is unacceptable and unlawful. We, the civil and legal organizations signed below, call on you to address the following as quickly as possible: The necessity of forming a committee to investigate the daily crimes and violations committed in Afrin and other areas under Turkish occupation, in order to document them and refer them to relevant international authorities and hold those responsible for these crimes accountable. Exertion of additional pressure on Turkey to carry out its duties as an occupying state, including ensuring the safety and protection of civilians. Demands that Turkey end its unlawful military presence in Syria and leave along with its mercenaries. The Security Council must place those areas under international protection in order to find a complete political solution for Syria. 29/5/2020 Signatories: Syrian Observatory for Human Rights The Kurdish Legal Authority The Association for Defending Threatened PeoplesGermany Branch Kurdish Organization for Human Rights (DAD) The Kurdish Committee for Human Rights (al-Rasid) The Violations Documentation Center in Northern Syria The Mahabad Organization for Human Rights (MOHR) The Association for Defense of Human Rights in Austria Human Rights Organization in Syria (MAF) Lekolin Center for Legal Studies and Research Ezdina Media and Rights Foundation Syrian Center for the Defense of Human Rights Human Rights Organization in Syria MAF Human Rights Organization Afrin 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. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jun. 1 Trend: UNEC admits students on 5 specialty groups, Trend reports with reference to UNEC. A rich campus designed for 3000 students in technical and technological specialties, equipped with 12 state-of-the-art laboratories, auditoriums, lecture and language rooms, dining room, gym, library, conference halls, rich in modern architectural elements will be opened in the new 2020/2021 academic year. In the 2020/2021 academic year, new specialties were opened at UNEC in the I and II specialty groups for the bachelor's degree. Education at UNEC is conducted in 4 languages - Azerbaijani, Turkish, Russian and English. UNEC gives a special scholarship in the amount of 100 AZN to enrollees who have scored more than 600 points and winners of international Olympiads. During the term, 15 students for each course with the highest results in the exams will receive the second honours scholarship in the amount of 100 AZN. Diplomas from leading European universities are available at UNEC. Students can get a diploma from UNEC, University of Montpellier in France, the ICD International Business School in Paris, a joint French-US educational institution, for 4 years. Students participate in exchanges at prestigious universities of Europe and Turkey within the framework of Erasmus + and Mevlana international programs. UNEC students receive the necessary references online through an innovative and efficient service "One Window" system. Teaching at UNEC is conducted by young instructors who are graduates of the most prestigious universities in the USA, Canada and Western Europe. Through the e-University Model, students receive information about lectures, course materials, lesson schedules, exam scores, and attendance in their personal e-cabinets. UNEC Innovative Business Incubator supports students to turn their creative ideas into their own businesses. The 24/7 library at UNEC allows students to easily prepare for classes and exams and access the electronic library databases of the world's leading universities. Reading rooms and libraries in all educational buildings have been renovated and made available to students. UNEC Creativity Center gives students a chance to develop their creative potential. Credit: CC0 Public Domain An investigation of two closely related proteins from a pathogenic bacterium has illustrated for the first time how evolution can shape the use of essential metals by enzymes. The research was conducted by an international team led by Dr. Kevin Waldron from Newcastle University, and Dr. Thomas Kehl-Fie from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Their work is published in Nature Communications. Almost half of all enzymes need an essential metal cofactor for catalysis, termed metalloenzymes. The abundance of metalloenzymes makes understanding the principles that govern metal-protein interactions relevant to nearly all aspects of biology, medicine and biotechnology. Metalloenzymes are often highly specific for their cognate metal ion cofactor, exhibiting reduced catalytic activity when bound to the wrong metal in vitro and in vivo. However, the features that dictate which metal is utilized by metalloenzymes are poorly understood. This limits our ability to manipulate metalloenzymes to produce novel synthetic enzymes that could perform useful chemical reactions for biotechnological applications or to develop metalloenzyme inhibitors for industrial and medical applications, including as antimicrobial drugs. The ubiquitous iron/manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD) family exemplifies this deficit in knowledge, as the specific metal used by any family member cannot be predicted in silico. "Our work has broad implications for understanding how enzymes use essential metals for catalysis, and how this use of metals changes over evolutionary time," Dr. Waldron said. The group of researchers from Newcastle University, UK, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, U.S. and Universite Paris-Saclay, France, had previously demonstrated that an unusual pair of SOD metalloenzymes in the pathogenic bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), play an important role during infection. They found that these SOD metalloenzymes differentially defend the bacterium against attack by the immune system. One SOD, which is conserved across the staphylococci, utilizes exclusively manganese to perform this detoxification reaction, whereas the second S. aureus SOD is 'cambialistic', meaning it can function equally well with either a manganese or iron cofactor. This second SOD is unique to the S. aureus group, which are more pathogenic than relatives that lack this metalloenzyme. Two key amino acids In this study, the biochemical, structural, and biophysical analysis of these SODs with different metal specificity identified two key amino acids in the SOD structure that alter metal specificity. These residues make no direct contacts with the metal-coordinating ligands but control the metal's redox properties indirectly, demonstrating that subtle architectural changes caused by mutations to amino acids near to the cofactor can dramatically alter metal utilization. A bioinformatic analysis carried out by the team demonstrated a very close evolutionary relationship between these two SODs, suggesting they diverged recently. "Previous studies suggest that, over time, a metal-dependent protein can switch from one metal to anotheran enzyme that uses iron in one organism may have evolved to utilize copper in another. However, ours is the first study to show how evolution can achieve this switch through subtle changes to the enzyme's structure," Dr. Waldron said. S. aureus experiences manganese-starvation during infection, implying this may have driven a need for its important manganese-enzyme to switch to using an alternative metal ion when it developed the ability to cause infection. "The differential importance and close evolutionary relationship between the two staphylococcal SODs, combined with the ability to manipulate the metal they utilize, provided us an opportunity to determine if stresses within the host, such as metal starvation, can drive metalloenzyme evolution," Dr. Kehl-Fie said. Introducing the mutations identified by the team into living S. aureus cells, which diminish the ability of the cambialistic SOD to use iron, reduced the ability of the bacterium to resist superoxide stress when metal starved by the host. "This suggests that small changes in metal-dependent activity, in conjunction with stresses encountered within the host, can drive the evolution of metalloenzymes with new cofactor specificity," explained Dr. Kehl-Fie. "Crucially, our analyses have uncovered the mechanism by which evolution has shaped the properties of these metalloenzymes at the molecular level, resulting in a pair of enzymes that utilize different metal ions for catalysis. We propose that this was selected for by the manganese-deficient conditions this bug experiences when it encounters the immune system," Dr. Waldron said. The study illustrates how evolution has shaped metal utilization by making minor alterations to the chemical environment of the redox-active metal cofactor. Based on the current investigation the team propose that the shift in metal usage by metalloenzymes of S. aureus has been shaped by changes in the metals available to the bacterium as it evolved from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen lifestyle. Explore further Team discovers how bacteria exploit a chink in the body's armor More information: Anna Barwinska-Sendra et al. An evolutionary path to altered cofactor specificity in a metalloenzyme, Nature Communications (2020). Journal information: Nature Communications Anna Barwinska-Sendra et al. An evolutionary path to altered cofactor specificity in a metalloenzyme,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16478-0 Coronavirus Outbreak LIVE Updates: The MCGM said that 49 deaths and 1,109 new coronavirus cases were reported in Mumbai on Tuesday, the total number of cases in the city is now 41,986, toll stands at 1368. Auto refresh feeds They are being shifted to COVID-19 care centre, tweeted the chief minister. Arunachal Pradesh registered a total of 21 active COVID-19 cases after two more individuals tested positive for the novel coronavirus, said chief minister Pema Khandu on Tuesday. Both of them were asymptomatic positive cases While, close to 92,000 COVID-19 patients were cured of the viral infection. On Monday, the total number of coronavirus cases crossed 1.9 lakh nationwide with the toll reaching 5,394 after a record single-day spike of 230. The number of people testing COVID-19 positive was nearly 8,400 on Monday. The decision was taken after continuous rise in COVID-19 cases, especially its neighbouring northeastern states and the return of a large number of stranded people from other states. Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga on Tuesday said that 12 fresh coronavirus cases were reported in Zoram Medical College. On Monday, the state government extended the lockdown for another month till 30 June. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced that the National Capital borders will be sealed for the next one week and only essential services will be exempted. The Indian High Commission announced that as part of the Vande Bharat Mission's Phase 3, Air India is planning a flight from Johannesburg to Delhi and Mumbai on June 18, subject to approval from the government or South Africa. Indian nationals, who have been stranded in South Africa and the neighbouring Kingdom of Lesotho due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will have the opportunity to get back home as India on Monday announced plans to operate a special flight later this month. The approval process for remdesivir was accelerated in view of the emergency situation and the unmet need for medicines in light of the coronavirus outbreak, a source in the know of the developments told PTI. India's drug regulator has granted US pharma giant Gilead Sciences marketing authorisation for its anti-viral drug remdesivir for "restricted emergency use" on hospitalised COVID-19 patients in view of the crisis posed by the pandemic. Sample tests have been conducted in the state on war footing and with migrant labourers returning to West Bengal, such clinical examinations have been expedited, they said. Currently, there are 41 laboratories in West Bengal involved in conducting tests of samples to determine COVID-19 infection As the number of tests to confirm whether one is infected by novel coronavirus has increased manifold in West Bengal, results are also getting delayed under pressure, raising the chances of its transmission, officials of state health department said on Monday. Thirteen people at the Saras dairy plant in Jodhpur test positive for the coronavirus, ANI reports. The plants Managing Director says: They were contractual workers and used to work in the garden where waste water of dairy is utilised. They had not come in contact with packaging or milk. A total of 1,508 Mumbai Police personnel have tested positive for coronavirus so far. Of them, 227 are officers, while 1281 are personnel, reports News18. Apart from that, 74 SRPF personnel stationed in Mumbai, have also tested positive. One death was reported yesterday, taking the total death toll among Mumbai Police personnel to 17. India reports 8,171 new cases in 24 hours, taking the overall tally to 1,98,706. As many as 204 more deaths were also reported in this period, taking the overall toll to 5,598, according to the latest update by the health ministry. India has 97,581 active cases, while 95,526 people have recovered. Maharashtra continues to be the worst-affected state, with 70,013 cases and 2,362 deaths. This is followed by Tamil Nadu, which has 23,495 cases and 184 deaths, and Delhi, with 20,834 cases and 523 deaths. They said in a letter that these poor and middle-income countries, which represent nearly 70 per cent of the world's population and approximately one-third of global GDP, demand immediate action. Over 100 countries have approached the International Monetary Fund for help a, they said, and more are expected to do so. More than 225 current and former global VIPs urged the world's 20 major economic powers on Monday to hold an urgent meeting to agree to a 2.5 trillion plan to tackle COVID-19 and launch an economic recovery from the pandemic, especially for hard-hit developing and middle-income countries. Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan cited economic losses to justify his government's decision to lift a coronavirus lockdown despite rising infections and deaths, urging people to "live with the virus." Pakistan has rolled back almost all shutdown measures, primarily to avert an economic meltdown. The country would open to tourism but cinemas, theatres and schools remain closed, reports Reuters. Foreign experts have concluded that home quarantine is the best quarantine, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi also told The Indian Express. Yet, we have run quarantine centres giving migrants all kinds of facilities, including reimbursement of train and bus fare and necessary items kit worth Rs 1,000. The Bihar government has announced that migrant workers returning to the state will no longer be registered or quarantined from Tuesday, The Indian Express reports. The latest case count in the country's financial capital now stands at 40,887, it said, adding that 40 more people succumbed to the viral infection, taking the death toll to 1,319 in the last 24 hours. The number of COVID-19 cases in Mumbai crossed the 40,000-mark yesterday, with 1,413 more people testing positive for coronavirus, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb urged people of the state to follow government instructions and cooperate with authorities as the number of COVID-19 cases are rising. He said all the 102 people who tested positive for COVID-19 have a travel history. The number of COVID-19 cases in Tripura rose to 423, with 102 people testing positive for coronavirus, officials said on Tuesday. They said 173 people have recovered from COVID-19 and have been discharged from hospital. According to China's National Health Commission (NHC), five imported cases and 10 asymptomatic cases were reported in the country on Monday. So far, 371 asymptomatic cases, including 39 from overseas, were still under medical observation, it said. China has reported 15 new coronavirus cases while Wuhan, the epicentre of the COVID-19, where over nine million people have been tested in the last few weeks has not registered any asymptomatic case for the first time, the health authority said on Tuesday. But behind the scenes, it was a much different story, one of significant delays by China and considerable frustration among WHO officials over not getting the information they needed to fight the spread of the deadly virus, The Associated Press has found. Throughout January, the World Health Organization publicly praised China for what it called a speedy response to the new coronavirus. It repeatedly thanked the Chinese government for sharing the genetic map of the virus immediately, and said its work and commitment to transparency were very impressive, and beyond words. No new deaths were registered Tuesday by the central government's National Health Commission, whose reports cover events occurring over the previous 24 hours. A state media outlet says a Chinese doctor has died from COVID-19 after four months of treatment. Internet news site The Paper said word of Hu Weifeng's death was received from a hospital source Tuesday morning. If confirmed, it would mark the first reported fatality from the disease in China in weeks. The rupee opened weak at 75.57 at the interbank forex market and then fell further to 75.60, down 6 paise over its last close. It had settled at 75.54 against the US dollar on Monday. Forex traders said, while firm start of the equity market and foreign fund inflows supported the rupee, factors like strong dollar, US-China tensions and Moody's downgrade of India's sovereign credit rating dragged down the local unit. The rupee depreciated 6 paise to 75.60 against the US dollar in opening trade on Tuesday as strengthening American currency and sustained rise in crude oil prices weighed on investor sentiment even as domestic equities opened on a positive note. Prime Minister Narendra Modi began the inaugural address at the Confederation of Indian Industry's (CII) annual session on Tuesday. He will give the speech to mark 125 years of the CII. The prime minister will share his vision on 'Getting Growth Back'. I trust India's capabilities to tackle the coronavirus crisis. I trust India's talent and technology, India's innovation and intellect. I trust our farmers, SMEs, and entrepreneurs. That is why I say yes, India will get its growth back, said Modi on Tuesday. Intent, inclusion, investment, infrastructure and innovation is required to bring economic growth back, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at CII's annual session on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that over Rs 53,000 crore of financial assistance have been given under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Scheme of free ration to poor and migrant workers. Strengthening economy one of top priorities alongside fighting coronavirus, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. "Have taken decisions that will help country in long run," said Modi. At least Rs 200 crore of purchases made by the Indian government, said Narendra Modi, adding, "global tenders have been removed to boost small-scale industries." Within three months, India has developed an industry of personal protective equipments (PPE), said Narendra Modi on Tuesday, adding "India is developing 3 lakh PPE kits in a day." We have taken decisions which will help the country in the long run. Reforms are not random, decisions are systemic, planned, integrated, inter-connected and futuristic process, said Narendra Modi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the current situation as 'rise to the occassion' and asked the industry leaders to come out as 'champions of indigenous inspiration'. Meanwhile, 13 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus at Delhi lieutenant governor Anil Baijal's office on Tuesday. On Tuesday, 115 more people tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh taking the state's overall count to 3,791. Rajasthan registered 171 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths in the state till 10.30 am on Tuesday, according to the state health department. With this, the total positive cases stood at 9,271 while the toll was at 201. The COVID-19 pandemic is likely a global effect of natural habitat destruction combined with the effects of globalisation, says Maria Cristina Rulli, professor at the department of civil and environmental engineering at Politecnico di Milano, who has worked extensively on the links between Ebola virus disease outbreaks and forest destruction in Africa. Destruction of forests for growing crops, urban expansion, and building road networks and a parallel intensification of wildlife trade has resulted in ecological conditions and movement of wild animals, which are reservoirs of some viruses or bacteria, towards human settlements. This, in turn, results in the emergence of new pathogens, they say. The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) pandemic, believed to have been triggered by the transmission of the virus from animals to humans, has brought into sharp focus zoonotic diseases that are spread by animals forced to move out of their natural habitats that are increasingly being destroyed, say experts. The approval process for remdesivir was accelerated in view of the emergency situation and the unmet need for medicines in light of the coronavirus outbreak, a source in the know of the developments told PTI . Indias drug regulator has granted US pharma giant Gilead Sciences marketing authorisation for its anti-viral drug remdesivir for restricted emergency use on hospitalised Covid-19 patients in view of the crisis posed by the pandemic. Health officials only released the genome after a Chinese lab published it ahead of authorities on a virology website on 11 January. Even then, China stalled for at least two weeks more on giving WHO the details it needed, according to recordings of multiple internal meetings held by the UN health agency in January - all at a time when the outbreak arguably might have been dramatically slowed. Strict controls on information and competition within the Chinese public health system were largely to blame, The Associated Press has found from internal documents, emails and dozens of interviews. Throughout January, the World Health Organization publicly praised China for what it called a speedy response to the new coronavirus and thanked the Chinese government for sharing the genetic of the virus "immediately." But in fact, Chinese officials sat on releasing the genetic map, or genome, of the deadly virus for over a week after multiple government labs had fully decoded it, not sharing details key to designing tests, drugs and vaccines. As many as five COVID-19 deaths were reported in the state while, 296 patients were cured of the viral infection. Jharkhand has registered a total of 675 COVID-19 positive cases, including 374 active cases, so far, according to the latest data released by the state health department on Tuesday. Information on availability of hospital beds can also be obtained by calling on the helpline 1031. If a hospital refuses to provide you a bed even when our app shows beds are available in that hospital, you can call on 1031. Our Special Secretary will take immediate action, Kejriwal said. The application will also provide information about the availability of ventilators in Delhi. Currently, a total of 302 ventilators are available in Delhi, of which 210 are vacant. All this information will be updated on this app twice a day - at 10 am and 6 pm, the chief minister informed. Kejriwal took note of complaints about shortage of beds and medical facilities and attributed it to a gap in information, adding that 4,100 of 6,731 hospital beds for COVID-19 patients are still lying vacant in the National Capital. He also announced the launch of an app to provide information about all the hospitals in Delhi, private and government, and the availability of beds. Acknowledging that the number of cases in Delhi are rising, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal assured the people that anyone who tests positive for coronavirus will get the required medical services. We are four steps ahead of #coronavirus and have made all the arrangements for beds, ICUs and ventilators, he said. Nagaland health minister S Pangnyu Phom on Tuesday tweeted that six new cases of coronavirus had been confirmed, all in the Dimapur district, which is the commercial centre of the state. The total number of cases in the state stands at 49. Around 200 coronavirus patients who were quarantined in the MCGM's makeshift facility at BKC in Mumbai are being shifted to the facility at the NSCI Dome in Worli amid the alert due to Cyclone Nisarga, News18 reported. "Number of cases in Delhi are increasing, but there's no need to worry about medical care for the Covid-19 patients as we've done sufficient arrangements. If any member of your family tests positive, then they'll get the required medical services," he added, while addressing a video conference to announce the new medical facilities arranged by the government. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that although cases of coronavirus are increasing in the National Capital, the state government is "four steps ahead of the virus". Karnataka health minister B Sriramulu takes part in a procession in Chitradurga; social distancing norms being flouted at the event, amid COVID-19 pandemic. The body of Ram Bahadur, 42, was found hanging from the tree in Budvan village, Station House Officer, Khaga, Satyendra Singh said. He said the migrant labourer had returned from Ahmedbad on 14 May and was quarantined at a tubewell shed near forest area. A labourer, who had returned from Ahmedabad recently, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree at a village in Uttar Pradesh, police said on Tuesday. The ICMR said, "Instead of the use of the word 'community transmission', we need to understand the extent of the spread of the disease. We are far from the peak. Our measures to curtail the disease are effective. India has been very good in the reduction in mortality." Nivedita Gupta, an Indian Council of Medical Research scientist, said that 681 laboratories have been approved for conducting COVID-19 tests. Of these, 476 are in the government sector and 205 in private sector, as of 1 June 2020. The Karnataka government on Tuesday granted permission to microbreweries for fresh brewing/production and sale of beer as take-away in glass, ceramic or stainless steel container (up to 2 litres) till 30 June. Microbreweries allowed to be open from 9 am to 9 pm. "Yesterday I visited a few hospitals to see if govt rules are being implemented properly or not. I found that the implementation was not up to the mark at some places and show cause notices have been issued," he said. Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Tuesday said that the government had issued show cause notices to hospitals that weren't following the guidelines regarding coronavirus properly. Indian carriers operated a total of 4,062 flights till June 1 -- 428 on May 25, 445 on May 26, 460 on May 27, 494 on May 28, 513 on May 29, 529 on May 30, 501 on May 31 and 692 on 1 June. "Jump in the number of flyers from 44,593 on 31 May to 64,651 on 1st June is a welcome sign that our domestic operations are picking pace. Departures 692," Puri said on Twitter. Domestic services in India were suspended in March due to the coronavirus lockdown and resumed on May 25. Domestic air travel in the country is picking up the pace as 692 flights carrying 64,651 passengers operated on June 1 against 501 flights with 44,593 flyers the day before, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday. Migrant returnees in rural areas of the state are placed under seven-day institutional quarantine and another week of home isolation, while in urban areas, a 14-day home quarantine is mandatory. The Kendrapara district administration increases the period of mandatory institutional quarantine to 14 days from one week amid a spike in COVID-19 cases. The MCGM said that 49 deaths and 1,109 new coronavirus cases were reported in Mumbai on Tuesday, the total number of cases in the city is now 41,986, toll stands at 1368. Delhis Covid-19 case count rises to 22,132, with 1,298 new cases in the last 24 hrs; total death toll is 556: Delhi Health Department. "Voice of Pax, a survey conducted by BIAL to understand passenger perception and expectation towards air travel amid the coronavirus pandemic, revealed that 90 per cent of passengers considered air travel much safer compared to the other modes. According to the survey, 87 per cent participants also felt airports are safer compared to train and bus stations," the report said. A survey by the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) said that a majority of people felt that air travel was safer than other modes of transport, after domestic air operations resumed on 25 May, The Indian Express reported. Delhi LG Anil Baijal on Tuesday appointed two IAS officials Udit Prakash Rai and Ravi Dhawan as Nodal Officers for "proper communication of data" related to COVID-19 from private and central government hospitals in Delhi. The Pune health department said that 22 deaths and 308 COVID-19 cases were reported in the last 24 hours in the district. Toll rose to 367 and total cases are now 8134. Telangana reports 99 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of cases in the state to 2,891. The toll is at 92, the state health department said. The Rajasthan government said that the examinations of various universities and colleges in the state that were deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to be held in second week of July. Alert ~ More 25 people found #COVID19 POSITIVE in Tripura today out of 581 samples tested. Among them, 23 people have travel history & 2 people are contacts of COVID19 patients. Requesting everyone to be cautious. #TripuraCOVID19Count In Japan, however, the Tokyo governor issued an alert as new cases rose again. In Paris, sidewalk cafes are open for outdoor business albeit with social distancing guidelines. Members of Britains Parliament have been called back to the office, though a few have reservations about the return. And in Portugal, theres hope the countrys vital tourism sector can rebound with some flights resuming to its popular Algarve region. Countries around the world continue easing lockdown restrictions and regaining a bit of what life was like before the coronavirus pandemic. Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday reported 369 new cases of coronavirus, taking the total number of cases to 8,729. So far, 229 people have succumbed to COVID-19 in the state. . Aid workers have long warned of a potential humanitarian disaster if there is a major outbreak at the camps in the Coxs Bazar coastal district. The Rohingya, members of a mostly Muslim minority, fled a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar. Today we got the confirmation that he tested positive for COVID-19, he told Reuters by telephone. The 71-year-old man died on May 31 while undergoing treatment at an isolation centre at the camps where over a million Rohingya live, said Bimal Chakma, a senior official of the governments Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission. An elderly Rohingya refugee has become the first person to die from coronavirus in the worlds largest refugee settlement in Bangladesh, where there are fears the disease could spread fast due to overcrowding. Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates: The MCGM said that 49 deaths and 1,109 new coronavirus cases were reported in Mumbai on Tuesday, the total number of cases in the city is now 41,986, toll stands at 1368. The Maharashtra health department said that 2,287 new coronavirus cases were reported in the state on Tuesday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 72,300. 103 deaths were also reported on Tuesday. 1225 patients were also discharged, taking total recoveries to 31,333. Domestic air travel in the country is picking up the pace as 692 flights carrying 64,651 passengers operated on June 1 against 501 flights with 44,593 flyers the day before, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday. Domestic services in India were suspended in March due to the coronavirus lockdown and resumed on May 25. "Jump in the number of flyers from 44,593 on 31 May to 64,651 on 1st June is a welcome sign that our domestic operations are picking pace. Departures 692," Puri said on Twitter. Indian carriers operated a total of 4,062 flights till June 1 -- 428 on May 25, 445 on May 26, 460 on May 27, 494 on May 28, 513 on May 29, 529 on May 30, 501 on May 31 and 692 on 1 June. Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said that the coronavirus situation is under control in many districts of the state, The Indian Express reported. He was quoted as saying, Except, in areas like Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpet, the situation is under control in the state. In todays meeting with higher authorities, we discussed the various measures to control the spread in Chennai. The spread of the disease is higher in slums in Chennai because of the cramped houses. More tests are done, close to 13,000 are done on a daily across the state and 4,000 in corporations. People even with slightest symptoms are tested and their contracts are traced in quick time." Nivedita Gupta, an Indian Council of Medical Research scientist, said that 681 laboratories have been approved for conducting COVID-19 tests. Of these, 476 are in the government sector and 205 in private sector, as of 1 June 2020. "Today, we are conducting 1 lakh 20 thousand tests every day," she added. The ICMR on Tuesday said that "indigenous platforms" are being used too for "ramping up COVID-19 testing capacity". "Truenat screening and confirmatory tests have now been validated. Outreach of testing has hence been increased since this is available in primary health centres and districts," said Nivedita Gupta of the ICMR. She added, "Indian RNA extraction kits are now available in good number, RT-PCR kits by 11-12 indigenous vendors are now being used, we are now in a comfortable position with respect to ttesting, due to identification and hand-holding of domestic players." The Union health ministry said that so far, 95,527 COVID-19 patients have recovered in the country. The recovery rate is now 48.07 percent, Lav Agrawal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry claimed. "We have asked all states to analyse the trajectory of the cases in their respective states. If a state thinks that it needs to set up temporary COVID-19 care centres then it must do so," he added. Karnataka health minister B Sriramulu takes part in a procession in Chitradurga; social distancing norms being flouted at the event, amid COVID-19 pandemic. The total number of COVID-19 positive cases in Karnataka is 3,408. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that although cases of coronavirus are increasing in the National Capital, the state government is "four steps ahead of the virus". "Number of cases in Delhi are increasing, but there's no need to worry about medical care for the Covid-19 patients as we've done sufficient arrangements. If any member of your family tests positive, then they'll get the required medical services," he added, while addressing a video conference to announce the new medical facilities arranged by the government. As many as 13 people have tested positive for COVID-19 at Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's office situated at Raj Niwas Marg. Defence minister Rajnath Singh said that France has affirmed its commitment to ensure the timely delivery of the Rafale aircraft despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Defence minister Rajnath Singh said that France has affirmed its commitment to ensure the timely delivery of the Rafale aircraft despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Arvind Kejriwal announced the launch of an app to provide information about all the hospitals in Delhi, private and government, and the availability of beds. The application will also provide information about the availability of ventilators. Jharkhand has registered a total of 675 COVID-19 positive cases, including 374 active cases, so far, according to the latest data released by the state health department on Tuesday. As many as five COVID-19 deaths were reported in the state while, 296 patients were cured of the viral infection. Rajasthan registered 171 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths in the state till 10.30 am on Tuesday, according to the state health department. With this, the total positive cases stood at 9,271 while the toll was at 201. We have taken decisions which will help the country in the long run. Reforms are not random, decisions are systemic, planned, integrated, inter-connected and futuristic process, said Narendra Modi. Intent, inclusion, investment, infrastructure and innovation is required to bring economic growth back, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at CII's annual session on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the inaugural address on 'Getting Growth Back' via a virtual online meeting at the annual session of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at 11 am today. The prime minister's address comes at a time when companies are resuming operations after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) allowed relaxations amid lockdown. Maharashtra continues to be the worst-affected state, with 70,013 cases and 2,362 deaths. This is followed by Tamil Nadu, which has 23,495 cases and 184 deaths, and Delhi, with 20,834 cases and 523 deaths. India reports 8,171 new cases in 24 hours, taking the overall tally to 1,98,706. As many as 204 more deaths were also reported in this period, taking the overall toll to 5,598, according to the latest update by the health ministry. India's drug regulator has granted US pharma giant Gilead Sciences marketing authorisation for its anti-viral drug remdesivir for 'restricted emergency use' on hospitalised COVID-19 patients in view of the crisis posed by the pandemic. Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga on Tuesday said that 12 fresh coronavirus cases were reported in Zoram Medical College. On Monday, the state government extended the lockdown for another month till 30 June. The decision was taken after continuous rise in COVID-19 cases, especially its neighbouring northeastern states and the return of a large number of stranded people from other states. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India shot up to 1,90,535 and the toll rose to 5,394 on Monday as restrictions were eased in many states under the Unlock plan announced by the Centre. The fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown imposed to control the spread of the coronavirus infection came to an end on Sunday and the country entered the first phase of the Unlock plan announced by the Centre, which allows various economic activities to resume. Many states, in keeping with the Union home ministry's guidelines, had over the weekend issued orders allowing reopening of shops, markets and resumption of inter-state travel, while continuing with strict restrictions in containment zones. Toll climbs to 5,394 The COVID-19 toll rose to 5,394 after a record single-day spike of 230 fatalities in the 24 hours since 8 am on Sunday, the Union Health Ministry said in its morning update. It showed the number of confirmed cases rising by 8,392 to 1,90,535. According to the health ministry data, the number of active COVID-19 cases stands at 93,322 while 91,818 people have recovered, giving a recovery rate of 48.19 percent. Globally, close to 43 percent people have recovered so far while nearly six percent have succumbed to the virus. The health ministry said India's COVID-19 recovery rate has been improving and the rate of fatality has seen a steady decline to reach 2.83 percent. It said the recovery rate has improved from 11.42 percent on 15 April to 26.59 percent on 3 May and to 38.29 percent on 18 May. It further said the case fatality rate in India is 2.83 percent, as against 6.19 percent globally. From 3.30 percent on 15 April, India's COVID-19 fatality rate declined to 3.25 percent on 3 May and came down further to 3.15 percent on 18 May. "A steady decline can be seen in the case fatality rate in the country. The relatively low death rate is attributed to the continued focus on surveillance, timely case identification and clinical management of the cases," the ministry said. In an exclusive interview with News18, home minister Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has led a "successful" fight against the coronavirus pandemic with the support of all the state governments. "Till now, 12.6 persons per lakh population in the country have been affected by COVID-19, which is far better than US, Brazil and other countries. India's recovery rate is above 42 percent, according to the latest data," he said. He also defended the central government's response to the migrant crisis, saying that the migrant workers hadn't been sent to their home states immediately after the lockdown began as health systems in rural areas had to be strengthened. Shah said that 55 lakh migrant workers have been sent back to their native states till now. He added that most migrant workers have now completed their quarantine period and started living with their families. Traffic snarls in some cities as shops, markets open Meanwhile, several states began easing lockdown restrictions with traffic snarls being reported in some cities. In Gujarat, life returned to near normal in many parts including in Ahmedabad, the state's worst coronavirus-hit district, as several restrictions were eased. Roads bustled with traffic as people came out in large numbers to visit markets, which have been allowed to remain open till 7 pm in all areas except in containment and micro-containment zones. In Ahmedabad, a limited number of city buses also began plying with 50 percent seating capacity to maintain social distancing, while auto rickshaws hit the roads for the first time in ten weeks. The Ahmedabad civic body has also identified 'micro-containment zones', thereby reducing the number of people covered in restricted areas to nearly 70,000 as compared to almost 13 lakh earlier. In Kolkata, people came out on the streets in large numbers, while traffic snarl was noticed at many places following the lockdown relaxations. Some religious places also reopened for worship by the people, which was also the case in various other states. In the National Capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced reopening of barber shops and salons, among various other relaxations, but said spas will remain closed for now. A complete lockdown in containment zones will continue till 30 June. Kejriwal also said there will be no restrictions on the number of people travelling in four wheelers, two wheelers, auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws and other vehicles in the city. While all shops in markets have been permitted to function, they can be closed by authorities if social distancing guidelines are not followed, according to a government order. Fresh orders would be issued later for further relaxations from 8 June as per the guidelines issued by the Union Home Ministry. Kejriwal, however, said Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh will be sealed for a week in the wake of rising coronavirus cases in the city and sought suggestions from the people by Friday to reopen them. At the Delhi airport, authorities have set up a dedicated area at the entry point of its parking zone to ensure cabs coming there to pick up passengers are thoroughly sanitised. While domestic flights have begun in a phased manner, the international flights would be allowed only in the third phase of unlocking, though no dates have been decided so far. Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said several factors like restrictions in metro cities and the ban imposed by various countries on the entry of foreigners need to be addressed before resuming international passenger flights.' Aviation regulator DGCA separately asked airlines to keep middle seats vacant to the extent possible in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. If a flyer has been allotted the middle seat due to a high passenger load, then additional protective equipment like a wrap-around gown must be provided to the passenger in addition to a three-layered face mask and face shield, the DGCA said. State-wise figures Even as curbs were eased in many states, the coronavirus numbers continued to rise, with states including Maharashtra, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh reporting new cases and fatalities. Maharashtra saw the number of cases rising by 2,361 on Monday to reach 70,013, while the death toll rose by 76 to 2,362, the state health department said. In Nagpur, at least 12 customers of a barber, who is a resident of a containment zone, have been quarantined, after it was found that the barber had tested positive for coronavirus infection. Mumbai saw an increase of 1,413 new COVID-19 positive cases and 40 deaths, taking the number of confirmed cases 40,877. More than 100 doctors and nurses from Kerala will join the medical staff at some Mumbai hospitals to help them in the battle against COVID-19 pandemic. West Bengal reported eight more fatalities to take its death toll to 253, while the number of cases rose to 5,722 after 271 more people tested positive in the last 24 hours. In neighbouring Odisha, the number of positive cases rose to 2,104 after a record number of 156 cases were detected during the day. Of these, 153 were detected at various quarantine centres, while three others were found positive during COVID-19 contact tracing. In Tamil Nadu, 11 more people died of COVID-19 to take the toll to 184, while a record number of 1,162 new cases were detected to take the state's overall tally to 23,495. In Kerala, 57 new cases were reported, 55 of whom had come from abroad and other states, taking the state's infection tally to 1,326. More than 1.39 lakh people are under observation in the state. Andhra Pradesh reported 105 new cases, while the virus infection hit the state government's secretariat complex also with two government staff testing positive. Madhya Pradesh recorded 194 new COVID-19 cases, including 53 from worst-hit Indore, and eight deaths, taking the overall case count to 8,283 and fatalities to 358. With inputs from PTI The longest journey started with the first gruelling step as a group of doctors ran up one of Ireland's steepest hills 221 times to replicate a trek to the summit of Mount Everest. The doctors, co-ordinated by Dr Dearbhaile Collins of Cork University Hospital (CUH), undertook the gruelling campaign in a bid to raise funds for the CUH Charity. It wants to buy a new 275,000 cancer sequencing machine - with the trek having already raised more than 55,000. The sequencing machine can help genetically identify and track the cell mutations that can trigger many forms of cancer. Eight teams of four runners and walkers undertook the challenge with the teams featuring some of the most highly respected doctors in Ireland. Each team brought down a cancer ribbon from the summit of St Patrick's Hill, symbolising just how many patients can be helped by the new machine. Dr Collins, a Cork oncologist, said: "The project involved 221 trips on St Patrick's Hill which was equivalent to 8,840m, the recorded height of Mount Everest." Amongst the participants were Dr Collins, Dr Richard Bambury, Prof Seamus O'Reilly, Dr Derek Power, Prof Roisin Connolly, and other doctors involved in cancer care services. Training took several months with the fitness of each participant being assessed before attempting the climb. St Patrick's Hill is so steep, it was included when the Tour de France visited Ireland 20 years ago. Anyone interested in supporting the project can do so at: https://tinyurl.com/CUHfundraiser In this episode of Industry Focus: Energy, Nick Sciple chats with Fool.com contributor Lou Whiteman about the railroad industry. They provide an overview of the railroad industry, the major players operating in this sector, the goods they carry, their impact on the economy as a whole, and much more. To catch full episodes of all The Motley Fool's free podcasts, check out our podcast center. To get started investing, check out our quick-start guide to investing in stocks. A full transcript follows the video. This video was recorded on May 28, 2020. Nick Sciple: Welcome to Industry Focus. I'm your host Nick Sciple. For today's show, we'll be taking a look at railroads and their prospects for investors. Joining me to help break it all down is Motley Fool contributor, Lou Whiteman. Lou, welcome back on the show. Lou Whiteman: Thank you. Good to be here. Sciple: It's great to have you on, as always. As I mentioned, we're going to talk about railroads today on the show. This is an industry that's been around 160 years or so. Very consolidated, only a few major players in North America. When you're looking at this industry today, obviously, not a lot of incredible growth prospects going forward. When investors go to invest in railroads today, what are they looking for? Whiteman: Well, for one thing, yes, there's not a lot of growth for the industry, but we shouldn't gloss over how important this industry is. I mean, this is the industry that is the backbone of this country and you can read a lot into what's going on in the broader economy by looking at the railroads. This is an industry that, yes, it's consolidated, we still have some of the companies that have very mashed together names to reflect their history. We have basically four publicly traded major railroads in the U.S. and other two in Canada, and then Warren Buffett owns a railroad. That's all we have for the entire U.S.-Canadian transportation system. They are carrying the bulk of the goods that are going around this country. They do have some opportunities for growth, they do have some risks to what they've done historically, but it's an interesting sector to, both, look at the broader economy. And as I think it was Norfolk Southern, they had an ad in the late-90s, back in the dot-com boom. They said, you can't move steel via the internet. It's a subtle little way to remind you that the economy changes, the world changes but we still need rail. And I think that's very true, that's true as today as it was in 1999. Sciple: Absolutely, it's key infrastructure when it comes to letting trade happen in the U.S. and really across the world. I pulled a quote from Warren Buffett; it was an interview back in 2009. CNBC journalist asked him if he could have one economic indicator that he could check while he's stuck on a desert island? He answered, freight car loadings. And that just shows how important the railroad industry can be to gauging the overall macroeconomy. When you look at freight car loadings, obviously, this year has been significantly impacted by COVID, but we've seen declines through 2019, isn't that right, Lou? Whiteman: Sure. Things were already trending in the wrong direction before COVID hit, you know, it's an open debate and we can figure it out 10 years from now when we're looking back, whether or not it was a sign the economy was slowing or if it was some of the trade wars tariff issues were just waiting on it, would've been short-term. Certainly, what might have been short-term has now become prolonged, and COVID isn't helping. The industry trade group, the AAR, the Association of American Railroads, they do weekly stats. Total carloads were down 30% year-over-year for the week of May 16th. That's the biggest year-over-year weekly decline since 1988, when they started compiling the numbers. I mean, even if you go back to 9/11 and all the disruption there. That is what we're dealing with here, it is unprecedented. And as I said before, as the economy goes, the railroads go. Certainly, with everything going on in the macro environment, the railroads are feeling it. Sciple: Absolutely. I mean, any time trade slows down, whether it's because of tariffs or because of a global pandemic, that's going to impact freight volumes and impact the railroads. When you look at the prospects for railroads going into the future, one of the big talking points when it comes to their role is, how energy efficient they can be relative to other forms of logistics. Can you talk about that, Lou? Whiteman: Sure. And it is important to remember that transportation by its nature is a contributor to greenhouse gases and global warming. So, this is the best of the worst, but yeah, railroads, compared to other forms of transportation, are very efficient, about 4X more fuel efficient than trucks. And the logic for that is simple, you can carry a lot of freight in one train with one or two locomotives versus one truck. Moving freight by rail versus truck reduces greenhouse gases. I think there are estimates for about 75%. In 2018, one gallon of fuel moved one ton of freight by rail, an average of 473 miles, which is up more than 100% since 1980. So, I mean, this is an efficient way to transport to begin with, and also, there's been a lot of energy and a lot of investment into locomotives in recent years if they continue to become greener. Sciple: Absolutely. And so, when it comes to one of the most energy-efficient ways to transport goods, railroads really have a role to play and there's a little bit of a tailwind there. However, the other side of that green energy coin is negatively impacting railroads. When you look at total railroad grossed revenue in 2018, about 14% of that came from coal, about 31% of the tonnage carried by U.S. class one railroads comes from coal. Obviously, coal is one of the dirtier fuels we produce, and its share in our energy production in the U.S. has declined in recent years. When you look at secular decline in coal consumption and its effect on the railroads, how is that impacting these businesses? Whiteman: Yeah. And just to underline that number, because it really is an amazing number, 31% of the tonnage for class one railroads. And you know, it's even worse than that, because a lot of that, that's not split evenly among the railroads. There are two East Coast focused railroads, that is a huge part of their business. Coal is on the decline, and that's a good thing. But that will, either the railroads will be smaller or they will figure out alternatives, other things to do with their trains in the years to come, because they did very well through history by being reliant on coal, but I don't think that trend is reversing, the railroads are very aware of that. They are assuming it's going away over time. And that is a huge chunk of their business that needs to replace or they are smaller companies going forward. Sciple: Right. And that ties into some of the operating decisions railroads have made in recent years as these volumes of coal and other goods have declined somewhat, the railroads have had to make up for that by getting their cost structure under control, which brings into this precision railroad scheduling initiative that lot of railroads have adapted in recent years. Can you talk about that, Lou? Whiteman: Yeah, PSR they call it, and this is almost a religion sweeping through North American railroads. If you want to understand the industry, you've got to spend a little time with PSR. The idea of PSR is to simplify your operations. Railroads, traditionally, have been an on-demand business. They are moving stuff through their huge hubs as you need it. If you run a big company, if you need to transport stuff, you call up my railroad, I will make it happen. PSR is the process of moving the schedule to the railroads' terms and to a more point-to-point where we are going to run this train on this day. If you want to book your space, let us know. That's a very oversimplification, but the idea of it is, instead of being an on-demand carrier, we are going to have fixed schedules, operate point-to-point where we can make money. And it started in the late-1990s, it took off in Canada first, because it started in a railroad that has now been acquired by one of the Canadian ones. It really came to the U.S. in 2011 -- or came to North America. Bill Ackman, the famous activist/investor got involved in Canadian Pacific and brought the architect of PSR to Canadian Pacific and saw a great turnaround. That guy was then poached by one of Ackman's proteges to run CSX which is also an activist situation. Almost all the railroads now are in some portion of implementing PSR and they are bringing down their operating ratios, which is just the expenses divided by revenue, they are trying to become more efficient, in part, because to keep up with peers, but in part, because some of the secular pressures against the businesses. Sciple: Yeah. And that you're seeing significant headcount reductions, you're seeing in some of these railyards that were less profitable, those getting shut down, really consolidating the operations to where things are most profitable. You mentioned pretty much every railroad has adopted this PSR strategy, the one notable exception is BNSF, the railroad that Warren Buffett owns. Whiteman: Yes. And I think that's really interesting, because this is basically -- and again, to be blunt about it, the good news is, you have fewer employees, fewer locomotives, lower cost throughout the network. The bad news is, you are making your customers operate under your schedule. Now, that is very good for the near-term and for the quarter-to-quarter it makes you run a lot better. Will you alienate your customers? Do they have no other choice? That is the big, sort of, unknown. Also, how much can you grow off of this? I mean, at some point, if you have to add trains, if you have to add infrastructure, is this a one-time hit that slowly erodes or is this a permanent thing? Warren Buffett, in February, talking to CNBC was asked about PSR. He said, you know, we've been watching it, it makes the customer adapt to the railroads more than the railroads to the customers, practically everyone has done it, it has improved margins dramatically. On the other hand, we've gained market share because railroad customers apparently like us better. He said, you know, we can always add it later, if we need to. But I do think -- I mean, I understand, if you're a publicly traded company and you see your peers bringing down expenses and operating more efficiently, especially since there's been so much activism. Yes, you're going to do this too. I think Buffett has. You know, without the quarter-to-quarter mileposts, they have more ability to take a wait-and-see and see how it goes. I don't know who's right and I'm kind of glad we have an outlier so we can see over the years, but I do think there's definitely near-term gain, there is long-term risk that investors need to be aware of. Sciple: Yeah, when you talk about getting all those costs under control and maybe some potential downsides, we didn't discuss this before we came on the show, but it makes me think about some of the issues that maybe came across 3G Capital with their investments in Kraft Heinz, they had really focused on cutting costs over time and that really left them flatfooted when the industry changed. Whiteman: Yeah. No, I mean, I think, this is always the trade-off, and you've seen this time and time again, especially in companies that have activist pressure. The right decision, the kneejerk decision is always the short-term decision. Sometimes that's a good long-term decision and there's companies that have had great turnarounds, sometimes you are costing yourself further growth or setting up long-term risks. You certainly see where the potential is, you can't build more railroads, you can't build more rail lines. So, in a way, they need to get more efficient, even if they end up throwing more trains on it. So, to some extent, this drive for efficiency makes sense. But, look, when CSX started this, they were called before the regulators because there were so many complaints. Some of that's been even out and part of it is, when you're trying something new there are going to be issues at the beginning. It's not a reason to stay away, but it is something, if you're even considering looking at the railroads, you need to be cognizant of this, watch this, because I don't think it's a foregone conclusion, it's just good and there isn't a downside. Sciple: One of the things I wanted to touch on from the efficiency part of the business, before we talk about some of these major players in the railroad industry. We talked about, before the show, this idea of increasing autonomy when it comes to the railroad industry. Obviously, you have a fixed route, you are attached to the rails, so it's much simpler to automate your process relative to, say, you know, a self-driving car. Obviously, if you can automate your rail line, you can reduce even more expense, particularly you don't have to have a conductor on the train, but when we were talking about this before the show, you mentioned one aspect of that when it comes to efficiency that I didn't think about when it comes to their competition with trucking. Whiteman: Yes, you're definitely right, the track is a wonderful thing [laughs] as far as self-driving. It makes sense for it to come to trains before cars. But I think the stat earlier was, what? You can take a lot of trucks off the road with one train. By definition, the trains run with fewer employees, massively fewer employees. Yes, it's good; yes, you save a little; and, yes, you have more automated control and you can maybe avoid accidents, but you're not going to see -- if you're going to eliminate truck drivers, there's a lot of truck drivers out there. Relatively speaking, as a cost part of the business, one train employees are not that big of an expense for the railroads. It's probably also people back at headquarters running these things anyway. So, you know, I mean, yeah, so I think it's a step in the right direction, it's where we're moving. I think it's going to do more for fuel management and issues like that just running a steady training than it is headcount. Sciple: Right. It's just, you know, when you take into account the cost structure, how much goes into employment for a railroad relative to a trucking company, really, really significantly different. And so, that's a boost, but it's not nearly a boost that it might have for other parts of the logistics infrastructure. So, we talked earlier about how the railroad industry is significantly consolidated. Obviously, it's been operating for in excess of 100 years, very capital intensive. That'll help consolidate your industry over time. Really hard to separate these folks out when it comes to their operations, because, really, they're just functionally providing logistics for all types of goods. But regionally, I think that's one area where you can separate these businesses apart. Whiteman: Yes, you can. And think about it toward the coasts. You have two railroads operating basically the West Coast to Midwest, you have two going from the Atlantic into the Midwest, and then you have two in Canada and one hybrid. On the West Coast, you have Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) along with Warren Buffett's railroad. On the East Coast you have Norfolk Southern and CSX. CSX, of course, a government-created company basically that is a combination of dozens of railroads that went out of business in the 70s. You have a duopoly in Canada between Canadian Pacific and Canadian National, and then you have Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU) which has the most unique route map. They, as the name implies, they are very big in the Midwest, but they have an extensive route network down through Mexico and, kind of, down the spine of North America. That gives them some interesting competitive dynamics. But basically, CSX, for the most part, is not competing against Union Pacific. And Canadian National is not competing in Florida with Norfolk Southern. They are competing against each other, but it's mostly duopoly everywhere you go. Sciple: Absolutely. You know, I'd say one on CSX, there's a CSX line literally right behind my house, right behind my apartment, that comes by every single day. And I think this is an example of how important these railroads can be on coal. Two days ago, I looked out my back window and we had about a two-mile train come by. Two locomotives on the front, two locomotives on the back and about 100 coal cars in between. So, an entire CSX train carrying that coal. And, I think, those folks in the Eastern part of the country are exposed to that maybe in a more significant way than a company like Kansas City Southern being tied into that U.S.-Mexico trade part of the business. Whiteman: Yeah. I mean, this is speaking very broadly, but you can say, the East Coast railroads are the most exposed to coal, they also, just by the nature of the geography, they are dealing with a lot of 200-year-old tunnels almost. There's a famous tunnel in Baltimore that for years was costing CSX 5% on their operating ratio, because it was so old and they had to go slow and single-track through it. There's a lot of urban congestion, a lot of short stage lengths, which tend to bring up costs. The West Coast, you have much longer stage lengths; imagine if you get to travel between Denver and the West Coast versus traveling between Washington DC and Boston. Again, it's a bad example, so you do have more efficient operations that way. Less coal, they have some coal, but they have in recent years been very exposed to fracking and the shale, especially in the Dakotas. So, they do have energy exposure. The ports are very big. You know, Los Angeles, in particular, for the West Coast railroads. Canada, some of the same dynamics, because they do have some energy, but Canadian railroads tend to be very tied to agriculture. They tend to have nice long stage lengths. And historically, they've run better than the U.S. ones, the U.S. railroads have been playing catch-up. And then, as you said, Kansas City Southern is going up-and-down the coast. Kansas City Southern has an interesting dynamic. They have a port in Mexico and they basically run the port and they can bring things right up through Texas to the Midwest. And for shipping efficiency, compared to going through Los Angeles, that can be the quickest way to get stuff to Kansas City, it's certainly the quickest way from the Mexican ports to get things from the Gulf Coast and into the Midwest. They are a really interesting company, especially when you're talking cross-border trade, and that's going well. Sciple: Yeah, I think, one of those other aspects when you talk about Kansas City Southern, there's been a lot of conversations around, during COVID, of this idea of bringing more supply chains back to North America. And when you look at their routes, their location in Mexico, particularly, after the USMCA has been passed, this new NAFTA that Trump put into place, there are some potential tailwinds for them to grow if onshoring really does come to pass. Whiteman: Sure. They, for years, have been the most politically charged company. I mean, you can look at their stock chart at the beginning of the Trump administration when walls and borders and breaking down NAFTA were a lot of the headlines. That stock did not do well during that period and it was very volatile as these headlines came and went. Now, they're getting some of those tailwinds. And, yes, there is real potential. If you believe that some of the supply chain is going to move, maybe not back to the U.S., but at least North America, they have a very good network to connect Mexico to the industrial Midwest. You know, who knows what's going to happen. The early days of the Trump administration when we were talking the other way are a reminder of how fleeting these trends can be or how ideas don't necessarily come to pass. But it's a very interesting thing. We should also note that these companies tend to trade in multiples similar to each other. Kansas City Southern, when times are well, and right now does trade at a premium. So, there is -- we're not the first to have this revelation, obviously. But if you believe in that, if you believe strongly that we are going to see some sort of ensuring, at least, through North America, Kansas City Southern is a great way to play that. Sciple: Okay, Lou, we're, kind of, wrapping this all, we've, kind of, given a high-level look at the industry, how its role in the macroeconomy, the goods that it transports and the major players in the industry. We've talked about how they differ from each other. If you had to pick one of these companies to invest in today, which would you choose and why? Whiteman: And we should say, like I said, they tend to trade together for a good reason. I mean, they're all reinventing together now. So, there are different ways to run a railroad, but at the end of the day, this is a pretty base company with a pretty simple business model. They can be hard to differentiate. I think Union Pacific has been, over the long-term, the best-run railroad that you can buy into. They also give you the top dividend, as of close yesterday, it was 2.18%, which isn't bad in this environment. CSX was down 1.3%, so there is separation there. I prefer to watch the railroads, and I haven't bought into the railroads, if I was to buy one, it would probably be Union Pacific. Some others to look at; as far as on the East Coast, I think, Norfolk Southern offers more upside because they are newer into this PSR, so they're going to see more of the benefit in the quarters to come. CSX has done all the low-hanging fruit by now. And we just talked about Kansas City Southern, but depending on where you think trade is going and where U.S.-Mexican relations are going, that is a jewel of a franchise. And, yes, you're paying maybe 25X earnings for them versus 17X to 20X on the rest of them, so you are paying a premium. If all goes well, they should be able to justify that premium. Sciple: Yeah, I think, for me, it has to be Kansas City Southern. Just because that's the one I can really articulate a growth thesis for them, a tailwind for them separate-and-apart just from the broader macroeconomy firing on all cylinders. But I think, whether you want to invest in this sector or not, I think the railroads are an important sector of the economy to understand given how important they are to trade, and they're not going away anytime soon. Whiteman: Right, they'll be here. Sciple: Yeah, we talk about David Gardner's Snap Test, you know, the test of whether these companies are structurally important. Snap your fingers, if they disappear tomorrow, would you notice it? And I think every one of these industries you would notice very quickly. People don't realize how important this industry is to getting all those goods that you buy and use every day, but if they went away, you would notice real quick. Whiteman: Absolutely. And again, in this environment, a 2% dividend to sit around and wait for the good times too is not bad. Sciple: Alright, Lou, thanks as always for coming on the show. Whiteman: Pleasure. Sciple: As always, people on the program may own companies discussed on the show, and The Motley Fool may have formal recommendations for or against the stocks discussed, so don't buy or sell anything based solely on what you hear. Thanks to Austin Morgan for making us sound so nice. For Lou Whiteman, I'm Nick Sciple, thanks for listening and Fool on! New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved an increase in minimum support prices (MSP) of 14 Kharif crops. The increased MSP will ensure a price which will be 50 per cent to 83 per cent more than the cost of production, said Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday (June 1). Addressing reporters on Cabinet decisions, Javadekar said the government has taken key steps to boost MSMEs and Rs 20,000 crore has been infused into the sector, adding "The Cabinet today has approved Rs 20,000 crore subordinated debt for stressed MSMEs, this will benefit 2 lakh stressed MSMEs." The cabinet today also decided to change the definition of the MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) sector has been changed once again -- turnover limit for medium enterprises has been revised upward to Rs 250 crore from Rs 100 crore as announced earlier. Union Minister Narendra Tomar, who also addressed the press briefing on the cabinet decision, said, "Minimum support prices (MSP) for 14 Kharif crops have been increased by 50%-83% to provide relief to the farmers." The government has increased the MSP of Kharif crops to ensure remunerative prices to growers for their produce. Notably, the highest increase in MSP is proposed for niger seed (Rs 755 per quintal) followed by sesamum (Rs 370 per quintal), urad (Rs 300 per quintal) and cotton (long staple) (Rs 275 per quintal). The differential remuneration is aimed at encouraging crop diversification. Today's meeting assumes significance as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued new guidelines for phased re-opening of "all activities outside containment zones" from June 1. Igniting spirit of Jai Kisan For the Kharif season 2020-21, the government has kept its promise of fixing the MSP at a level of at least 1.5 times of the cost of production. Today, the MSP of 14 crops for the Kharif season 2020-21 has been announced, based on the recommendation of CACP. The return over cost for theses 14 crops ranges from 50% to 83%. The government has also decided to extend repayment date up to 31.08.2020 for all Short-Term loans up to Rs.3 lakh advanced for agriculture and allied activities by banks. Farmers will also get the benefit of interest subvention and prompt repayment incentive. The agricultural short-term loan due between 1st March 2020 and 31st August 2020 will continue to get the benefit of 2% Interest Subvention (IS) to Banks and 3% Prompt Repayment Incentive (PRI) to farmers. The government's decision of providing such loans to farmers through banks @ 7% per annum, with 2% per annum interest subvention to banks and 3% additional benefit on timely repayment by farmers thus provides loans up to Rs.3 lakh at 4% per annum interest. Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS) was started to provide concessional short-term crop loans including loans availed through Kisan Credit Cards to the farmers. In the last few weeks, many farmers are not able to travel to bank branches for payment of their short-term crop loan dues. Hence the cabinet decision would help the crores of farmers. Caring for the poor The poor and vulnerable are at the top of the priorities of the Government led by the Prime Minister. During the Coronavirus pandemic, right from the day of announcement of the lockdown, the government has been sensitive to the needs of the poorest of the poor. This was seen in the announcement of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana package on the 26th of March 2020, within just two days of the start of lockdown. From ensuring coverage of around 80 crore people with food security to direct cash transfers into the bank accounts of 20 crore women, from putting money into the hands of senior citizens, poor widows, and poor Divyangs to front-loading of the PM-KISAN installment to crores of farmers, steps were announced. These covered a wide range of vulnerable sections who would have borne the brunt of the lockdown if not for the immediate intervention of the government. Moreover, these were not mere announcements. Within days, assistance reached crores of people directly, either in cash or kind. As part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, One Nation One Ration card, free food grains even for those without ration cards, a new affordable rental scheme for their housing, and many more measures have been announced for the welfare of the migrant labourers. Massive reforms were announced for farmer welfare, freeing farmers from the chains that bound them and giving their income prospects a significant boost. Along with this, more investments into farm infrastructure were proposed. Allied activities such as fisheries too received a financial package. The Northampton County Department of Corrections on Wednesday said that since the coronavirus began to infect people earlier this year with COVID-19, eight inmates -- out of 15 tested -- at the county prison in Easton, five employees of the department -- out of 24 tested -- and two outside vendor employees have been found to have the disease. But the departments health care provider, PrimeCare Medical, only tests prisoners and staff who show symptoms of the disease, most notably fever, dry cough and shortness of breath, county Executive Lamont McClure said Friday morning in a response to a question from lehighvalleylive.com. With 451 prisoners being held as of this week -- and thats an intentional drop since 661 on March 23 and 531 in mid-April -- only a very small percentage of the prison population or staff has been tested. But nationally, in figures gathered by the Marshall Project and the Associated Press, prison systems that have added testing of most prisoners and staff have seen infection numbers dramatically surge. Week-by-week figures reported May 22 showed a 19 percent leap, the Marshall Project said. Much of the remarkable recent growth in coronavirus cases has been due to a handful of statesOhio, Tennessee, Arkansas, Michigan, North Carolina among them that began aggressively testing nearly everyone at prisons where people had become sick, the Marshall Project reported. This spate of testing would suggest that coronavirus had been circulating in prisons in much greater numbers than known, and that in the many states where tests have not been prevalent, far more people may have been carrying it than were initially reported. Some California prisons have seen positive numbers jump 40% to 60% as extensive testing is ramped up, the Los Angeles Times reported. In a Business Insider report, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, is quoted as saying 25% to 50% of all people with the disease show no symptoms. Up to 30 percent of people with the disease show no fever, the reports from earlier this month says. The virus has impacted the elderly far more severely than younger people, the federal and state governments have reported, so with an average inmate age of just older than 35 in the Easton facility, the likelihood of asymptomatic cases appears highly possible. PrimeCare Medical, as has been the federal guidance, tests people who show symptoms, McClure said. As well, inmates and employees have their temperatures taken multiple times a day, the county Department of Corrections says in a news release, in an effort to find others with no other symptoms. We know who presented with symptoms, who was tested, who was positive, McClure said. He is very comfortable with the advice being given by the departments medical provider, he said. PrimeCare Medical did not immediately return a phone message from lehighvalleylive.com to see why it doesnt recommend further testing. The Harrisburg-based company did perform antibody tests on 17 of its employees at the prison, but none came back positive, McClure said. He cautioned that such tests are not yet highly accurate, so they dont conclusively determine there were no asymptomatic employees of the company in Easton. The two positive cases from the local PrimeCare Medical staff were not tested for antibodies, McClure added. The current virus tests arent perfect either, a state official added. When an inmate tests positive for the coronavirus, they are quarantined with other prisoners in that area of the facility, McClure said. Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure, seen recently handing out free food outside the Northampton County Government Center in Easton, says the county has no plans to increase coronavirus testing in the nearby prison.Saed Hindash | For lehighvalleylive.com When presented with figures from the Marshall Project and other published reports that show the increase in positive tests as more prisoners are tested, McClure said, We are very comfortable based on the aggressive temperature screening. Testing itself has so many layers, McClure said. While shortages of swabs, vials and personal protection equipment have been mostly resolved, McClure said in talking with Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Pat Toomeys staff that there are still shortages of the reagents used in the testing as that supply chain has yet to be fixed.. Its very difficult to get, McClure said. He wasnt certain if there would be a cost to testing all prisoners and staff or if there were, what it would be. The county recently spent $150,000 to set up a testing facility for county residents in an Easton Hospital parking lot in Wilson Borough. No prescription was required and to be tested a person only had to show one sign of illness, the county has said, relatively liberal guidelines for a testing site. When asked he if believed that, as Pennsylvania heads toward full reopening, that everyone in the state should be tested, McClure replied, I would like everyone who wants to get tested ... be able to get tested. To capture as many people as possible and still be consistent with guidelines. But when asked if that thought would translate into testing everyone regularly at the prison, he said, We dont have plans at this time to do that. The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections doesnt test all prisoners either. The Marshall Projects figures show only 227 prisoner cases so far in the states prisons and five deaths. The case count, by percentage, is about the same as in the states population, but the death count is 69% lower as 3,107 tests are given per 100,000 prisoners, which is 14 percent higher than the states population, but a fraction of what other states do, the organization said. In New Jersey, with 830 cases as of May 22 being nearly twice the state percentage of infections but 43 deaths relatively in line with the state population, more than 25,000 tests have been given per 100,000 prisoners, which is more than 300 percent higher than the general population, the Marshall Project said. But in Arkansas, which the Marshall Project pointed to as among states that have dramatically increased testing in prisons, more than 98,000 tests have been done per 100,000 prisoners. How that figure ranks to the state population wasnt available. The Pennsylvania state systems testing of inmates with symptoms is similar to Northampton County, a spokeswoman confirmed. As with Northampton County, there also is a 14-day quarantine when a prisoner arrives. But when an inmate is going to be transferred or released, no matter any symptoms, they are tested in the state system, the spokeswoman said. Testing occurs three to six days prior to the scheduled transfer date, she said in an email. If an inmate tests positive, the transfer is postponed, and the inmate is medically isolated for a minimum of 14 days and/or until medically cleared for transfer." Pointing out that 10 to 30% of patients that receive testing may be asymptomatic carriers and have a negative test result," those people remain a danger to others, the spokeswoman said. Due to this potential for testing inaccuracy ... systems should treat everyone, staff and inmates, as if they were asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19, and therefore potential transmitters of this disease," she 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. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting lehighvalleylive.com with a voluntary subscription. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. YEREVAN, 1 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 1 June, USD exchange rate down by 0.89 drams to 483.02 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 3.12 drams to 536.78 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.09 drams to 6.92 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.84 drams to 598.37 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price up by 82.00 drams to 26845.76 drams. Silver price up by 4.01 drams to 273.16 drams. Platinum price down by 132.51 drams to 12811.8 drams. Credit: Leiden University Leiden researchers have found minute movements in the laccase enzyme. This discovery could lead to the development of much more efficient biofuel cells. Publication in Biophysical Journal. The laccase protein enzyme is a very efficient catalyst, which makes it interesting for use in biofuel cells. The laccase enzyme is able to efficiently create water from oxygen without creating hydrogen peroxide, an unstable compound that would damage biofuel cells. Because proteins tend to be unstable, scientists have tried to recreate laccase's properties in more durable inorganic compounds. While these new inorganic compounds are sturdier than the original proteins, they are not as efficient. A new discovery by Leiden chemists opens up new possibilities to improve the inorganic replicas. Up until now, scientists considered laccases to be rather rigid and have made inorganic replicas to be similarly firm. Chemist Rubin Dasgupta and others at the Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC) have discovered minute motions inside the protein which might contribute to laccase's efficiency. Microseconds These tiny movements happen at the enzyme's so-called active site, the exact point on the protein where chemical reactions take place. Rubin Dasgupta explains how he discovered the tiny movements: "We used nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to look at the active site of the laccase protein. We discovered that laccase moves ever so slightly. These movements only take milliseconds which suggests they could be involved in the reaction." According to Dasgupta, these dynamics might be responsible for guiding protons and electrons to the right place during a chemical reaction. Because the inorganic replicas are designed to be rigid, they lack the possibility to guide particles in the same way. This may partially explain their lower efficiency compared to natural laccase. Bacterial protein Laccases were first discovered in the nineteenth century, but the specific protein Dasgupta studies was discovered in 2004. While most studied laccases come from fungi, this particular enzyme came from the bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor. Dasgupta: "We chose this particular protein because it has a few advantages over fungal laccases. Normal laccases become inactive in the presence of salt or high alkalinity. This Streptomyces protein stays active in salt or alkaline conditions. If we are able to create an inorganic replica that mimics both the small movements and is resistant to high pH, it will be possible to design a whole new range of efficient biofuel cells." More information: Rubin Dasgupta et al. Chemical exchange at the tri-nuclear copper centre of small laccase from Streptomyces coelicolor., Biophysical Journal (2020). Journal information: Biophysical Journal Rubin Dasgupta et al. Chemical exchange at the tri-nuclear copper centre of small laccase from Streptomyces coelicolor.,(2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.05.022 WINSTED A small Veterans of Foreign Wars post is struggling to reopen, and has launched an online fundraiser to get the building in shape, pay its utility bills and renew its insurance. Along with the coronavirus pandemic, which forced VFW Post 296 to close its canteen, its longtime commander Neil Hunt is gravely ill and unable to serve. Army veteran and member Leah Ward recently set up a Go Fund Me page, and so far has raised a small portion of the $25,000 goal. We are hoping to reopen our post in the wake of COVID-19, but all our Memorial Day fundraising was canceled, as well as our canteen at the post, Ward said. We need money to purchase insurance and a permittee license and catch up on many utilities before being able to reopen. Commander Hunt is too ill to come back, after being commander for about 28 years, Ward said. But he really wants the post to continue. When Ward and her husband, veteran Dan Ward, realized they were losing their commander, they and other members knew they had to act quickly. We found approximately 136 post members in our rosters, and we also have an auxiliary thats separate, with dozens of members wives, parents, siblings, children and grandchildren of members of the post, Ward said. My feeling is that theres a very small pool of us here that are eligible for membership, but there are (lots) of people who are connected to each one of these members. They dont necessarily have to be part of our post. They can join even if they were never a VFW member. When they realized the posts future was in jeopardy, the Wards reached out to the VFWs state commander and its service officer for help. We all had to come together and figure out how to run a post, Leah Ward said. They wanted to help. Were one of the oldest charters in the country. The next step, the Wards said, is to get the building in shape. Before it was closed by the pandemic regulations, Post 296 allowed members to smoke in the building, and the interior smells of tobacco. The walls, floors, windows and ceilings need to be deep-cleaned to get the smell out. Were going to have a non-smoking policy going forward, but weve got to get the building cleaned first, Leah Ward said. For the health and safety of our members, we want to do that. Were going to have to scrub the walls, floors, celings. ... Theres also groundskeeping work to do. We will have to work hard to get that smell out and make the place clean. Post 296 has a bar, a full kitchen, a pool table room and a hall that is rented to the public for different kinds of events, as well as as outdoor patio. We havent narrowed down any dates for cleaning yet, but were not allowed to open the canteen until July 20. Thats when bars are supposed to open, she said. We also need between $10,000 and $15,000 for the insurance. If we have the money by July, well open. Leah Ward, senior vice commander of Post 296, was an Army nurse and served in Kuwait and Germany, transporting injured soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan to military hospitals for care. She retired in 2015. Dan and I have been active in the post since about 2006, she said. Were trying to step up and do more now. Weve been studying all the administrative processes to run it. Last weekend, members welcomed a new commander, Dan Matthews, who is a member of the Torrington Elks Club and a member of the Torrington Fire Department. Other officers also were installed. Dans a third-generation post member. His father and grandfather were members, and he grew up coming to the post for events, Leah Ward said. My husband asked him to consider being a member. Because its been such a big part of his family, he didnt want to see it lost. The Wards are hoping to apply for some funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, a law intended to address the economic fallout of the pandemic. Theres some help for nonprofits in there, Leah Ward said. Financial aid aside, the Wards just want to grow the posts membership and make it part of the Winsted community. One of my goals going forward is to draw in more families, and make it more of a community space, she said. Wed like to see more young people involved, and for the public to use it and be part of it. We can also take advantage of teaching young people about service, by working with the schools and the community, she said. Then down the road they may consider doing it themselves. To donate to the Post 296 fundraiser, go to https://bit.ly/2ZVxFl6. To learn more about the post and its activities, visit its Facebook page. Protesters run from police officers before being detained during the sixth night of protests and violence following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 31, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Cotton Calls for Trump to Use Insurrection Act, Deploy Active-Duty Military to Quell Riots Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) says President Donald Trump should utilize the Insurrection Act to deploy U.S. troops to cities facing daily riots, an idea endorsed by Trump later Monday. If necessary the president should use the Insurrection Act to deploy active-duty military forces to these cities to support our local law enforcement and ensure that this violence ends tonight, Cotton said during an appearance on Fox News. Trump should say that peaceful protests are fine but rioting, anarchy, and looting will be tolerated no longer, the senator, a Trump ally, continued. If local law enforcement is overwhelmed, lets see how these anarchists respond when the 101st Airborne is on the other side of the street, Cotton added. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) at a border security discussion hosted by Center for Immigration Studies in Washington on July 30, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Cotton made a similar statement on Twitter in a post that Trump shared, thanking the senator, who he said was 100% Correct. The Insurrection Act states, Whenever the President considers that unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion against the authority of the United States, make it impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States in any State by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, he may call into Federal service such of the militia of any State, and use such of the armed forces, as he considers necessary to enforce those laws or to suppress the rebellion. Law enforcement officials say evidence shows peoplemany of whom are linked to Antifa or other anarchist groupsmeticulously planning how to inflict destruction at or near protests. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters in Washington around the same time as Trumps tweet that the Insurrection Act is one of the tools at his disposal, adding, Whether the president decides to pursue that, thats his prerogative. Right now, administration officials are focusing on the National Guard, encouraging governors on a phone call to deploy far more than the 17,000 that have been deployed in the past week. Trump doesnt have a specific number in mind because each state has different situations. President Lyndon Johnson, a Democrat, deployed some 12,000 federal troops to Washington in 1968 to enforce law and order after looting and arson in the wake of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s assassination. A Dollar Tree store is broken into and looted near the Minneapolis Police 5th Precinct in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Federal officials arent federalizing the National Guard at this time, White House national security adviser Robert OBrien said Sunday as Trump said hed declare Antifa a terrorist organization. Riots and protests erupted nationwide after video footage showed George Floyd, an unarmed black man arrested on suspicion of forgery, knelt on by a Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin. Chauvin and three other officers on the scene were fired. Chauvin was charged last week with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, but people marching and causing destruction werent satisfied. Governors are responsible for policing streets in their states, McEnany said. They have quite clearly, many of them, failed to do their job, she said. Martial law in Washington, she told a reporter who asked, hasnt been discussed yet as far as she knows. Brussels, June 1 : A Belgian Prince who contracted coronavirus after attending a party during lockdown in Spain has apologised and "will accept the consequences", the media reported. "I deeply regret my actions," the BBC quoted Prince Joachim, 28, as saying in a statement on Sunday. "I apologise for not respecting all quarantine measures during my trip," his statement said, adding: "In these difficult times I did not want to offend anyone." Prince Joachim travelled from Belgium to Spain for an internship on May 26, but went to a party two days later in the southern city of Cordoba. Spanish reports suggest the Prince, a nephew of Belgium's King Philippe, was among 27 people at the party. Cordoba's lockdown rules does not allow more than 15 people at gatherings. Everyone who attended the party is said to be in quarantine. Prince Joachim, the youngest son of Princess Astrid and 10th in line to the Belgian throne, is said to have mild coronavirus symptoms. YEREVAN, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his family members have been infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the PM said today live on Facebook. I will continue to work from the prime ministers residence. I have all means of communication, all the necessary conditions, an office. I will work from here as much as needed, but of course, under conditions of isolation, the PM said. Pashinyan has suspicions that he got infected from a waiter who didnt wear a glove, and that waiter has also tested positive for COVID-19. But the PM is confident that no one or at least few people in the government have been infected from him. Our strategy remains the same, we should get used to living with the coronavirus. We all are in the same situation, we do not have a fever and any symptoms, but we need to follow as symptoms can come at any moment. We hope that we didnt infect our grandparents, he added. The Armenian PM again urged citizens to always wear face masks and regularly disinfect hands. Reporting by Lilit Demuryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan MADRID - Spain on Monday reported no official deaths from the new coronavirus in a 24-hour period for the first time since March. The development is very, very encouraging, emergency health response chief Fernando Simon said. Also, Spain recorded only 71 new COVID-19 infections over the past 24 hours, he told a news conference. We are in a very good place in the evolution of the pandemic, Simon said. The statistics are following a trend. They are going in the right direction. Spain reported its first two deaths on March 3. Another was reported two days later. Spains number of infections and death jumped exponentially. On April 2, it recorded 950 deaths in 24 hours the peak death toll. The official death toll now stands at 27,127, with 240,000 confirmed cases. Spain was the second European country after Italy to be forcefully hit by the pandemic before it also spread death in France and Britain. One of the worlds strictest lockdowns was put into place in mid-March and managed to eventually reduce the pressure on hospitals after some were overwhelmed with patients suffering from the virus. The lockdown is gradually being relaxed as the medical situation improves. The Spanish government has warned, however, that the threat is not over and that the loosening of restrictions could be reversed. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said last weekend he will be asking parliament for an extension of the governments special emergency powers for another two weeks. That enables authorities to order people to stay home. Simon said recent hot spots caused by people holding unauthorized fiestas can potentially bring a major new resurgence. We are still at risk. Any of these outbreaks can mean a new wave of infections, he said. We must remain cautious. ___ Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak BLOOMINGTON The McLean County Health Department is anticipating an increase in cases resulting from public protests over the death of George Floyd and as businesses reopen. Department Administrator Jessica McKnight said the number of county residents with confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus remained at 220 on Monday. The number of people who have recovered rose to 181, she said. Twenty-two people are isolating at home and four are hospitalized, McKnight said. Thirteen McLean County residents have died of COVID since it appeared in McLean County in mid-March. Fifty-five of the 220 people have been associated with Bloomington Rehabilitation & Health Care Center. Thirty-four were residents and 21 were staff members, McKnight said. Ten of the 13 deaths have been associated with Bloomington Rehabilitation & Health Care Center. Nine were residents and one was an employee. McKnight expects to see more cases as businesses reopen and people gather for rallies. "We encourage everyone to wear a mask and practice social distancing to be safe," McKnight said. McLean County Emergency Management Agency said 36 people were tested at the COVID-19 testing site at the McLean County Fairgrounds, 1106 Interstate Drive, Bloomington, on Sunday, among the lower daily testing numbers since testing began there on March 28. While testing numbers generally are lower during weekends, McKnight also said there may be fewer people with COVID-like symptoms. "Can we interpret that COVID is gone? Absolutely not," McKnight said. "We know that (testing) facility is still needed here." The testing site, which is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except holidays, is open to people in cars and pedestrians. Anyone who can follow directions for the self-test nasal swab may use the site. Beginning Tuesday, a Connect Transit shuttle will leave from the bus stop at the Bloomington Walmart and run to the testing site every 15 minutes from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 2 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Testing is for Illinois residents. Insurance information is collected but people without insurance may be tested free of charge. Statewide, Illinois Department of Public Health reported on Monday 974 new cases of COVID and 23 additional deaths, bringing the COVID statewide totals this year to 121,234 cases, including 5,412 deaths. Contact Paul Swiech at 309-820-3275. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_swiech. 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. Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB) recently obtained the ISO 22301:2019 certification for Business Continuity Management System (BCMS), becoming the first institution in Bahrain, the second in the Middle East, and among the very few institutions worldwide to obtain the certification in its latest edition. This comes as part of the banks efforts to address potential risks or disruptions, and its commitment to adhere to best practices in this field, said a statement. The ISO 22301:2019 standard enables organisations to assess their competencies and ability to meet their business capabilities and obligations to ensure business continuity, even in the event of an emergency. The standard indicates the requirements for continuously planning, implementing, operating, maintaining and improving a BCMS, in which BisB remains committed to developing through its dedicated internal teams. The latest edition of this ISO certification was launched in October of 2019, replacing the previous edition (ISO 22301: 2012) and became certifiable from April 30, 2020. Recently, BisB has implemented several preventive measures and developed various strategic plans with an aim to protect its employees and customers and reduce the impacts of any emergency, it said. This achievement of obtaining the ISO 22301:2019 certification reiterates our commitment to the continuous development of our information security systems with the aim of protecting against, preparing for, responding to, reducing the possibility of occurring and recovering from any emergencies if they arise. We consider the development of our business continuity management system a top priority in order to be able to quickly overcome any emergency that may arise at any given time, the COVID-19 outbreak notwithstanding, in order to maintain the health and continuity of our business while ensuring a seamless delivery of products and services, said BisB Chief Executive Officer Hassan Jarrar. This international system demonstrates the importance of being able to maintain resilience during the occurrence of unexpected events and our ability as a Bank to follow internationally recognized and accepted systems, to ensure that it adheres to best practices, he added. TradeArabia News Service China said on Monday U.S. attempts to harm Chinese interests will be met with firm countermeasures, criticising a U.S. decision to begin ending special treatment for Hong Kong as well as actions against Chinese students and companies. China's parliament last week voted to move forward with imposing national security legislation on Hong Kong, which U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday was a tragedy for the people of the city, and which violated China's promise to protect its autonomy. Trump ordered his administration to begin the process of eliminating special U.S. treatment for Hong Kong to punish China, ranging from extradition treatment to export controls. But he stopped short of calling an immediate end to privileges that have helped the former British colony remain a global financial centre. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China firmly opposed the U.S. steps. "The announced measures severely interfere with China's internal affairs, damage U.S.-China relations, and will harm both sides. China is firmly opposed to this," Zhao told reporters during a regular briefing. "Any words or actions by the U.S. that harm China's interests will meet with China's firm counterattack," he said. But Hong Kong shares surged more than 3% on Monday as investors took comfort that Trump did not immediately end the special U.S. privileges. At the close of trade, the Hang Seng index was up 3.36%, its biggest one-day percentage gain since March 25. "Chinese policymakers would likely want to see precisely what the US implements before responding with further policy adjustments or retaliation of their own," Goldman Sachs wrote in a note on Sunday. In making his Friday announcement, Trump used some of his toughest rhetoric yet against China, saying it had broken its word over Hong Kong's autonomy by moving to impose the new national security legislation and the territory no longer warranted U.S. economic privileges. Trump said China's "malfeasance" was responsible for massive suffering and economic damage worldwide. He said the United States would also impose sanctions on individuals seen as responsible for "smothering - absolutely smothering - Hong Kong's freedom" but he did not name any of the potential sanctions targets. Trump gave no time frame for the action, 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. Earlier, Hong Kong's Beijing-backed government told the United States 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. Search Keywords: Short link: An independent autopsy ordered by George Floyd's family found his death was a "homicide caused by asphyxia due to neck and back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain," according to early findings from the examination released Monday. Floyd was apprehended by police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last Monday, and one of the officers pinned his knee to Floyd's neck as Floyd called out that he couldn't breathe. The independent examiners found that weight on Floyd's back, the handcuffs and the positioning were contributory factors because they impaired the ability of Floyd's diaphragm to function. The report concluded that Floyd, 46, died at the scene. MORE: George Floyd remembered by friends and family as hardworking 'gentle giant' "The ambulance was the hearse," Ben Crump, an attorney for Floyd's family, said at a news conference announcing the findings. Later Monday, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office released its initial findings of their autopsy and also declared Floyd's death was a homicide caused by "a cardiopulmonary arrest whilebeing restrained by law enforcement officer(s)." PHOTO: George Floyd is pictured in an undated photo released by the office of Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump. (Courtesy Ben Crump Law) Dr. Michael Baden and the University of Michigan Medical School's director of autopsy and forensic services, Dr. Allecia Wilson, handled the newly announced independent examination. Baden, who was New York's medical examiner in 1978 and 1979, had previously performed independent autopsies on Eric Garner, who was killed by a police officer in Staten Island, New York, in 2014 and Michael Brown, who was shot by officers in Ferguson, Missouri, that same year. Baden said Floyd was in good health before his death and said the video of his death showed the compression of his neck and back very clearly. "When he said 'I can't breathe,' unfortunately, many police are under impression that if you can talk that means you're breathing. That is not true," he said during the news conference. Story continues MORE: 'We're sick of it': Protesters explain method to the madness of violent demonstrations Wilson said toxicology reports and other examinations are still ongoing and acknowledged that since they conducted a second autopsy, as the medical examiner had done one previously, they did not have access to Floyd's tissue samples in their original state. "We feel those items will not change or alter the cause of death with mechanical asphyxia," she said. PHOTO: Dr. Michael Baden and Dr. Allecia Wilson discuss the preliminary findings of their independent autopsy of George Floyd during a news conference on June 1, 2020. (Courtesy Ben Crump Law) The medical examiner's preliminary report, however, said Floyd had "other significant conditions," including "arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease, a fentanyl intoxication and recent methamphetamine use." Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, identified as the officer who put his knee to Floyd's neck, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Floyd was heard saying "I can't breathe," while the officer had him pinned for nearly nine minutes, according to the criminal complaint. MORE: Derek Chauvin had his knee on George Floyd's neck for nearly 9 minutes, complaint says Three other officers who were involved in the arrest have been fired but haven't been charged as of Monday afternoon. The criminal complaint said the official examination of Floyd's body by the medical examiner is still ongoing, but prosecutors provided some information about this death. This is separate from the independent autopsy requested by Floyd's family. The medical examiner's initial findings were that Floyd had underlying health conditions including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease, the complaint said. Independent autopsy finds George Floyd died of homicide by asphyxia originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Facebook has responded after its own employees publicly criticised its response to Donald Trump's controversial posts. Staff should "speak openly", it said, but it did not indicate that its the policies around the content of posts that have caused unrest among employees would change. The company earlier opted to take no action against Facebook posts in which the president appeared to threaten protesters with being shot. Twitter, in contrast, hid the posts behind a warning stating that they "glorified violence" and stopped people from being able to easily share or engage with the posts. That decision brought criticism from Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg, who said the company did not want to be an "arbiter of truth" and would not pursue a similar response. Facebook's inaction led to public criticism from high-ranking employees, who argued Facebook should be doing more to stop the spread of such rhetoric. Recommended Facebook employees vent anger over Trump threats "We recognise the pain many of our people are feeling right now, especially our Black community," a Facebook spokesperson said. "We encourage employees to speak openly when they disagree with leadership. As we face additional difficult decisions around content ahead, we'll continue seeking their honest feedback." Facebook gave no indication that the posts from the president would be removed, or that the policies around his posts would change. In a vast number of public posts on Twitter, staff had criticised Mr Zuckerberg's response and indicated they would be agitating within the company to make it change its policy. 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 For instance, Andrew Chow, head of design for Facebook's Portal video chat hardware, suggested Facebook was "giving a platform to incite violence and spread disinformation" by leaving the posts online. "Censoring information that might help people see the complete picture *is* wrong," he tweeted. "But giving a platform to incite violence and spread disinformation is unacceptable, regardless who you are or if its newsworthy. I disagree with Marks position and will work to make change happen." Those who spoke out also suggested that such frustration was widespread across Facebook. "I work at Facebook and I am not proud of how were showing up," wrote Jason Toff, whose LinkedIn profile describes him as director of product management. "The majority of coworkers Ive spoken to feel the same way. We are making our voice heard." MBABANE The much feared coronavirus has recorded the lowest death rate in the last three months compared to other illness. In the last three months, the global death toll from coronavirus accounted for over 300 000 people, while cancer killed over 1.1 million in the same period. Alcohol, on the other hand, accounted for 558 000 deaths and common cold claimed about 369 000 lives. According to health experts engaged by this publication, despite coronavirus having a low death rate, it killed more people with underlying conditions, including the elderly, diabetic, malnourished individuals and others. Infectious The experts said the challenge with coronavirus was that it was highly infectious, but could be prevented through developing regular hygiene habits as the world was now in search of a vaccine. They suggested that people should remain aware about personal protection through good practices and family-based health care. Health Promotion Officer at World Health Organisation, Dr Kevin Makadzange, mentioned that in terms of the spread, COVID-19 was highly transmittable and could affect a large number of people. Dr Makadzange said a majority of the people affected by the virus could be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms and recover. He said this showed with the recovery rates witnessed in the country and other countries in the African region. According to Dr Makadzange, population dynamics was a challenge in Europe and Brazil, where the elderly population was higher compared to the youth. Populations in Africa are young, which could be the reason of experiencing lower number of deaths and high recoveries compared to the European countries. He noted though that coronavirus was deadly, but not as the other conditions including cancer, road accidents, suicide and malaria, among others. The health promotional officer said it was therefore wise for people to take precautions and adhere to them. You might never know that you could be the person to contract the virus and die. It is better not to contract it at all, said Makadzange. Deadlier Director of Health Services in the Ministry of Health, Dr Vusi Magagula, reiterated Dr Makadzanges statement, adding that coronavirus was deadly, but not deadlier than the other health issues. Magagula said it was wise though for members of the public to follow the laid down precautions. COVID-19, first reported in Chinas Wuhan, has spread to over 200 countries across the globe. Eswatini has so far reported two deaths, while the total number of COVID-19 confirmed cases to date are at 285 and 189 recovered patients as of yesterday. Some 5.81 million people have been infected across the globe with the novel coronavirus and 364 994 have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University on Saturday. World scenario of death suggested that mortality from the newly emerged virus was lower than other diseases and unexpected accidents in the last three months of the year. Reports suggested that there were 1.16 million people who died from cancer, 369 000 from common cold syndromes, 340 500 from Malaria, 240 900 from HIV, 558 400 from alcohol-related infection while 816 400 people died from impact of smoking in the last three months of the year. Suicide and road accidents claimed 353 600 and 393 400 fatalities during this period respectively. WHO estimates that vector-borne diseases (spread by animals) account for 700 000 per year, of which at least 440 000 by mosquitoes through transmitting malaria and dengue fever (around 1 205 per day). Though the coronavirus has been described as the worst public health crisis for a generation, the global health experts recommended improving mental health rather than fear about the pandemic. Ministers are facing a growing revolt on 14-day quarantine plans amid warnings it will 'kill' the travel industry. The 'blanket' proposals for arrivals to the UK are coming under increasing fire amid claims that are unnecessary and unenforceable. Aviation chiefs have compared the requirement to hanging up a 'Britiain is closed' sign and suggested the wider easing of lockdown will do little to help restart travel if it comes into force. Meanwhile, more than 200 businesses have joined a campaign urging the Government to drop the idea. More Tory MPs have voiced opposition to the regime, unveiled by Priti Patel last month, amid signs of a big rebellion when they come before the Commons later this week. The system is due to take effect on June 8, with only very limited exemptions such as for lorry drivers. People arriving in or returning to the UK will have to give an address where they are intending to isolate for a fortnight, with the officials carrying out spot checks. Failure to comply could be punished with 1,000 fines. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has mooted 'air bridges' to low-infection countries, but as yet there is no sign of that option coming to fruition. Industry bosses told the Times the quarantine could cost thousands of jobs across the travel, tourism and hospitality industries and hamper the nation's economic recovery. The government's 'blanket' proposals for arrivals to the UK are coming under increasing fire amid claims that are unnecessary and unenforceable More Tory MPs have voiced opposition to the regime, unveiled by Priti Patel (pictured) last month, amid signs of a big rebellion when they come before the Commons later this week Simon McNamara, of the International Air Transport Association (Iata) said: 'If the quarantine is still in place people are not going to travel. It is not a question of being prepared to go through quarantine because they want to travel. 'All the evidence we have is that this will just kill travel. Governments seem to me to have a stark choice. 'They cannot pretend that quarantine enables their international travel markets to open up, because the evidence is quite simply not there. 'If they persist with quarantine it is effectively the same as locking down your country.' Mr McNamara pointed to research that found 48 per cent of Britons would be willing to travel within a 'month or two' of coronavirus being brought under control. Tim Alderslade of Airlines UK said the quarantine was 'just about the worst thing (the Government) could do ... to restart the economy and get aviation and tourism moving again.' Meanwhile, senior MPs have stepped up their opposition to the plan in its current form. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Conservative chairman of the transport select committee Huw Merriman called for the blanket quarantine to be 'ditched' in favour of other measures such as 'air-bridges, compulsory PPE and temperature testing at airports'. Former minister David Jones told MailOnline he believes the proposals will be dropped within weeks. 'A lot of colleagues are very concerned about it. It will destroy tourism and it is bad for morale,' he said. 'I think when they have the first review in three weeks' time they will probably decide they should not continue with it. Airlines are taking bookings for July so quite clearly they are expecting it to be lifted too.' Former Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour: 'I would very much prefer the quarantine rules ... be targeted on flights from Covid hotspots. People arriving in or returning to the UK will have to give an address where they are intending to isolate for a fortnight, with the officials carrying out spot checks. Pictured is Heathrow Airport 'I think we really do need to find ways to ease travel between this country and other countries like Italy and Spain and France where not only are there important business connections but people do desperately want to be able to take their summer holiday. 'So I appreciate why the Government is bringing in quarantine but I do think that applying it in a blanket way across the board is an over-reaction. 'And my understanding is that the government is actively looking at air bridges and to try to target this requirement in a more focused way and I really hope they're able to do that rather than bringing it in across the board.' A Government spokesman said: 'These cross Government public health measures are designed to keep the transmission rate down, stop new cases being brought in from abroad and help prevent a devastating second wave of coronavirus. All of our decisions have been based on the latest scientific evidence. 'The list of exemptions has been agreed by all Government departments in consultation with their stakeholders which will ensure critical supplies and services can continue and will be kept under review. 'People coming into the UK will be required to provide contact and travel information, including those who are exempt. We will set out further detail shortly including on how we will take action against those who flout the rules.' Then donors set another record for the year on Monday, topping $20 million shortly after 9 p.m. The sums given on ActBlue on both Sunday and Monday topped all the presidential primary debate nights and election nights in 2020, and were more than double the amount given on the final day of April (monthly deadlines tend to drive online political giving). The previous high for the year was the day in late February when former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. won the South Carolina Democratic primary and revived his campaign for president; donors contributed $18.3 million that day. In all, ActBlue processed more than $60 million between Friday and Monday, a sign that the energy spilling into the streets nationwide might also be matched by a wave of money for Democratic causes. (The closest Republican equivalent of ActBlue, called WinRed, does not have a public donation ticker.) ActBlue does not disclose in real time how donations to the platform are divided between candidates and causes, but a spokesperson for the site said half of the donations on Sunday went to charitable causes. One ActBlue page where supporters could split a donation across 37 different bail funds reported more than 20,000 donations worth about $1.5 million as of late Monday morning. Such funds help cover the costs of posting cash bail for those jailed before trials, and are seen as a way to support protesters who have been arrested. Health officials in Alabama are urging people to use caution as crowds gather in the streets to protest the death of 46-year-old George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota. The concern is the crowds could lead to large outbreaks of coronavirus. Alabama Department of Public Healths Dr. Karen Landers said the department was very saddened by Floyds death and warned that people taking part in protests, "should be aware of the ongoing risk of transmission of COVID-19 in Alabama. ADPH continues to remind that measures to reduce COVID 19 transmission include social distancing, good hand hygiene, and use of cloth face coverings in public as critically important measures to protect individuals and the community during this outbreak, Landers said. Large crowds with some of the people not wearing masks gathered yesterday in places like Mobile, Hoover and Birmingham. Several of the protests led to clashes with police and, in Birmingham, destruction of property and assaults on members of the media. That type of unrest can lead to dangers when it comes to spreading coronavirus as people yell, sneeze or cough, such as after inhaling tear gas. Coronavirus symptoms such as high fever, difficulty breathing and cough, can take up to a week to appear after exposure. The large crowds also make contact tracing, the practice of identifying those exposed to a COVID-19-positive person, virtually impossible. Alabamas current health order prohibits non-work gatherings where people cannot maintain a 6-foot distance between themselves and those from another household. Birmingham also has a mask ordinance, requiring people cover their nose and mouth while in public. That ordinance is set to expire June 12. As of Monday, Alabama has 18,020 coronavirus cases with 644 deaths. The pandemic has brought a fundamental change in the audience's content consumption patterns across the nation. Over the past few months, viewers are finding strength, encouragement, and solace in the rich mythological stories. After re-introducing some of the viewers' favorite mytho shows, COLORS is all set to add another classic to its slew of offerings. Soon, the channel will telecast Om Namah Shivay, an epic saga that celebrates the glorious and eternal life of Lord Shiva (played by Samar Jai Singh). Produced by Dheeraj Kumar, the show depicts the spirituality, divinity, and the moving power with which Lord Shiva governs the destiny of the universe. Starring Samar Jai Singh, Yashodhan Rana, Gayatri Shastri, Manjeet Kullar, and Sandeep Mehta, Om Namah Shivay first aired between 1997-99. The mega mythological series captured the audiences attention nationwide with the fascinating way it depicts devotional acts, demonic battles, the famous Shiva-Tandav, and other important religious events of our past. Manisha Sharma, Chief Content Officer, Hindi Mass Entertainment, Viacom18 says,In these unprecedented times, viewers are watching more and more mythological shows, as they have a very positive effect on them. Our offering of mythological shows viz., Jai Shri Krishna, Mahabharat and Karamphal Data Shani are being consumed by our viewers which is reflecting in the BARC ratings. By adding Om Namah Shivay to the mix, we will further enhance the viewers' experience. With a mega-mythological series like Om Namah Shivay, we truly believe that its a great opportunity to re-introduce the life-affirming story of Lord Shiva to millions across the country. This is also a great chance for a new generation to get acquainted with enriching storytelling and live one of the biggest hits from the yesteryears. On popular demand, the channel will also be bringing back two of its popular fiction shows Na Aana Is Des Laado and Uttaran. President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has joined millions of people across the globe to seek justice for black American George Floyd who was allegedly murdered by cops in the United States. George Floyd was strangled by white cops during an arrest till he suffocated and reportedly died under 8 minutes. During the incident, the deceased could be heard pleading with the cops to give him room to breathe as he repeatedly screamed I can't breathe but his pleas fell on deaf ears as the cops pinned him to the floor till he passed on. President Akufo-Addo has sought justice for him. Black people, the world over, are shocked and distraught by the killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer in the United States of America. It carried with it an all too painful familiarity, and an ugly reminder. It cannot be right that, in the 21st century, the United States, this great bastion of democracy, continues to grapple with the problem of systemic racism. On behalf of the people of Ghana, I express my deep condolences to the family and loved ones of the late George Floyd. We stand with our kith and kin in America in these difficult and trying times, and we hope that the unfortunate, tragic death of George Floyd will inspire a lasting change in how America confronts head on the problems of hate and racism, he stated in a Facebook post. Facebook Post 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 Charlotte Church today suffered an avalanche of criticism after urging England's parents not to send their children back to school claiming Boris Johnson doesn't 'give a flying f**k' about them. The 34-year-old mother of two's extraordinary Twitter outburst came despite the singer living in Wales where schools will remain closed until September. Taking to social media on Sunday morning, she wrote: 'Highly recommend if you can help it, not sending your children back to school tomorrow.....this government doesn't give a flying f**k about you, your children, your elders or your vulnerable.' Parents who want their children to return to school have accused the star of 'shaming' them, with one saying: 'What a ridiculous and hatred inciting statement'. Another replied to her message saying: 'This is shocking. There are many children who haven't had any education for the last 10 weeks. You as a mother I would have thought would have understood the importance of this'. And critics have also pointed out that Ms Church's advice to parents with children in mainstream school came despite her decision home school her own offspring since 2016. Last year she enraged her Glamorgan community by turning her 2.5million home into a private school where she hopes to 'liberate' children up to 20 children. One neighbour said: 'She has no educational background or track record in managing a school.' Ms Church homeschools her own children Ruby, 11, and Dexter, 10, and claims other children in their area deserve freedom to learn outside mainstream education. Speaking out: Charlotte Church (pictured singing last yeahas urged parents to defy the government and keep their children at home as schools across England gradually reopen today Controversy: Mother-of-two Church, 34, has used her social media platform to attack the Tory leadership while encouraging parents to continue home-schooling their children Ms Church, who home schools her two children, has been widely criticised by parents who argue children should be in school Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils in England have all been permitted to return to classrooms as Prime Minister Boris Johnson takes the next tentative step in easing the countrys lockdown. But mother-of-two Church, 34, has used her social media platform to attack the Tory leadership while encouraging parents to continue home-schooling their children. Taking to Twitter on Sunday morning, she wrote: 'Highly recommend if you can help it, not sending your children back to school tomorrow.....this government doesn't give a flying f**k about you, your children, your elders or your vulnerable.' The post prompted a divided reaction from followers, with Church - who shares children Ruby, 12, and son Dexter, 11, with former fiance Gavin Hensen - receiving a barrage of responses. Commenting on the post, one outraged fan wrote: 'This is shocking for you to ask. There are many children who haven't had ANY education the last 10 weeks children need not only the education they need interaction with their school friends. Church revealed last year that she plans to be involved in teaching music to 20 pupils at her 2.5million home (pictured) along with employing other staff. She already home schools her two children Mixed: The post prompted a divided reaction from followers, with Church - who shares children Ruby, 12, and son Dexter, 11, with former fiance Gavin Hensen - receiving a barrage of responses 'You as a mother I would have thought you would have understood the importance of this.' Siding with Church, a second replied: 'You do know you can teach your own kids at home? Plenty of online resources if youre unsure how to. Best to keep them at home & safe for now.' A third follower commented: 'As a GP, although I may have worded this differently, Charlotte has totally nailed the message I am spreading in my world.' Making things clear: Church was later forced to clarify her point after being reminded that schools across her native Wales are yet to to reopen Church was later forced to clarify her point after being reminded that schools across her native Wales are yet to to reopen. Responding to the post, she added: 'Schools in Wales arent opening no.....I mean for parents across the border......' [sic] MADISON, Wis., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Fetch Rewards, the app that helps millions of shoppers save on purchases of groceries and other household essentials, announced today that it has hired Rukmini Banerjee to be its Chief People Officer. Banerjee is charged with the creation and oversight of talent development efforts at Fetch. She will establish training programs, design career pathing models, and recruit new talent to the fast growing company. Rukmini Banerjee of Fetch Rewards Mike Kent, president and COO of Fetch Rewards, said: "I am thrilled to welcome Rukmini to Fetch as our Chief People Officer. The people within Fetch have been and will continue to be the root of our success as an organization. Rukmini will be a champion for all people and lead people initiatives as we continue to grow and scale Fetch." Banerjee, 46, joins Fetch from CUNA Mutual Group where she was Vice President of Shared Services. Prior to that she served as Director of Strategic Operations for HSBC Bank's Consumer and Wholesale Lending division. Banerjee also spent four years at GE in Australia where she was a Customer Support Leader and where she earned a Six Sigma Black Belt in Operations. She is recognized for shaping and nurturing a company culture based on four tenets -- diversity, inclusion, excellence, and execution. "I have been amazed to see and feel the tightness of the Fetch community," Banerjee said. "There is a lot of transparency in decision making and direction setting of the organization. The passion of every employee to do the right thing for our users and for our partners is palpable." In the first four months of this year, Fetch Rewards has already delivered more than $21 million in savings to consumers who have scanned over 130 million receipts on the app. The company anticipates increased use and is developing ways to advocate for consumers adjusting to new economic realities. Fetch works with hundreds of leading brands from such companies as Kimberly-Clark, Unilever, MolsonCoors, General Mills, and PepsiCo. A resident of Madison, Banerjee was educated in India where she earned her MBA from XLRI and her Bachelors of Science in Mathematics from Jadavpur University. She is an avid world traveler, a lover of music and aspiring chef. About Fetch Rewards Headquartered in Madison, Wis. with offices in Chicago, New York City and San Francisco, Fetch Rewards is the fastest-growing consumer loyalty app in its category. With nearly 8 million downloads since launching in 2017 and more than 3 million active users, Fetch Rewards has processed more than 340 million receipts to date and has delivered nearly $54 million in savings to its shoppers. By working directly with hundreds of popular brands, Fetch Rewards gives shoppers access to savings on thousands of products, whenever and wherever they are purchased. A top-ranked app in the App Store and Google Play Store, Fetch Rewards has more than 400,000 five-star reviews from happy shoppers. Download the app and visit https://www.fetchrewards.com for more information. Press Contact: Shea Communications Richard Shea (917) 584-3542 SOURCE Fetch Rewards A 36-year-old Medical Doctor working with the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu in Jigawa State, Dr Naseer Adam, is dead after sufferi... A 36-year-old Medical Doctor working with the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu in Jigawa State, Dr Naseer Adam, is dead after suffering from COVID-19 related symptoms. The Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Jigawa State, Nura Basirka confirmed the death. He said the deceased was said to have contracted the virus after he managed a patient with an acute respiratory infection about three weeks ago. The patient returned to the hospital again due to worsening breathlessness and after isolation, the patient tested positive for COVID-19. Four days ago, the doctor started having running nose and dry cough. He was later admitted in the Hospital for acute respiratory disease which was later confirmed as COVID-19. Late Mr Adam born in Jos, Plateau State, in 1984, attended Primary and Secondary School in Jos. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 2012. He did housemanship in the Federal Medical Center, Birnin Kudu. Meanwhile, Jigawa State has also discharged another 22 COVID-19 patients after testing negative. This brings the total number of COVID-19 discharged patients to 181 out of 270 confirmed cases in the state. There is a reason why Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is still being telecasted. A popular comedy sitcom on Indian television, the show has been running for over a decade now. This family drama is based on the lives of people who live in Gokuldham society. It portrays a typical family drama in every house with a slice of quirk and fun. The show has received a lot of laurels but amidst lockdown, it has come to a halt. So, here's a little trivia for you. Here's how much these actors earn per episode and let us tell you, the amount will make your jaws drop. Check it out. 1. Disha Vakani As Dayaben Dayaben is one of the main reasons why this show has become so popular. She is snowballing at the forefront as she earns the highest amount on the show, which sums to around Rs 1.5 Lakhs per episode. Yes, let that sink in! 2. Dilip Joshi As Jethalal Gada The actor who essays the role of Jethalal Gada, the husband of Dayaben, is one of the most hilarious characters on the show. He is reported to earn around Rs 1.5 lakh per episode, just like his show-wife, and is also the highest-paid actor, with a net worth of Rs 37 crore. 3. Shailesh Lodha as Taarak Mehta For the unversed, let us tell you that the show is based on real-life columnist Taarak Mehta's work which comes in a Gujrati magazine called Chitralekha. Shailesh Lodha is seen playing the role of Taarak Mehta in this family drama and he takes home a whopping Rs 1 Lakh per episode, which takes his net worth to Rs 7 crore. 4. Mandar Chandwadkar As Bhide Mandar Chandwadkar plays the role of tuition teacher named Aatma Ram Bhide who is also a proud secretary of the society. As for his daily salary, he takes home Rs 80,000 per episode. 5. Amit Bhatt As Champak Lal Father of Jethalal Gada, Champaklal Gada, has not unveiled his net worth but as per many reports, he quotes around Rs 70,000- Rs 80,000 per episode. 6. Munmun Dutta As Babita Munmun essays the role of Babita Iyer and in the show, Jethalal is quite fond of her but sadly she is married to Krishnan Subramanian Iyer. Speaking of her daily salary, the actress takes home around Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 per episode. 7. Gurucharan Singh as Roshan Singh Sodhi Sodhi is one of the peppiest characters on the show and as for his salary, it is said that he earns around Rs 65,000 to Rs 80,000 per episode. 8. Tanuj Mahashabde as Krishnan Iyer Krishnan Iyer is married to Babita and is shown as a scientist on the show. He earns around Rs 65,000 to Rs 80,000 per episode. 9. Shyam Pathak As Popat Lal People might make fun of Popat Lal for being single, but he is a journalist on the show who earns handsomely IRL. His fee for the character he plays is Rs 28,000 per episode. 10. Tapu Sena Neela Tele Films Every character in team Tapu Sena takes home a different amount. Raj Anadkat who essays the role of Tapu gets Rs 10,000 per day, followed by Goli and Gogi who take home Rs 8,000 per day. Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki had a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa in Abuja, today. This was as seven other governors under the All Progressives Congress (APC) met with Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the ruling party. They held these meeting 24 hours after they met with Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the ruling party, to intervene in the crisis between Oshiomhole and Obaseki. The duos rift has caused a split in the Edo chapter of the APC and this has raised lots o tension as the September election is fast approaching. While the national working committee (NWC) headed by Oshiomhole has settled for direct primary in the state, Obaseki and his loyalists are seeking indirect primary. During their meeting with Tinubu, he was said to have told them that direct primary would allow aspirants test their popularity. Obaseki and Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who is believed to have the backing of Oshiomhole, would vie for the partys governorship ticket on June 22. Among the governors who met with Oshiomhole are Sanwo-Olu, Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Abulramam Abdulrazak (Kwara) and Inuwa Yayaya (Gombe). The meeting was ongoing at the time this report was filed. Share this post with your Friends on The Massachusetts Department of Public Health began releasing probable coronavirus-related deaths and cases today in addition to confirmed ones. The new reporting method brought a rise in total COVID-19 deaths and cases. There were 48 new confirmed deaths and 326 new confirmed cases reported Monday. As a result of the new reporting method, however, the state also retroactively reported 141 new probable COVID-19 deaths and 3,514 new cases on Monday. Those newly reported probable cases and deaths go back to March 1. This change will increase the number of cases and deaths reported in Massachusetts, the Department of Public Health said in a release of the numbers. The combined new and probable cases total 3,840. Combined newly reported deaths total 189. According to the department, probable cases consist of individuals who have not been tested by the standard viral test but have either had a positive antibody test and either had COVID symptoms or were likely to be exposed to a positive case. They also include individuals who did not have an antibody test but had COVID symptoms and were known to be exposed to a positive case. Patients with a positive molecular test for COVID-19 are counted as confirmed. Mondays report from the Department of Public Health put the states total COVID-19 cases at 100,805 and the total deaths at 7,035. Although the new reporting resulted in more cases and deaths being reported compared to the several prior days, overall the state continues to report favorable results in the virus trends. Those trends are reported in six key public health indicators the state has identified to track the overall movement of the virus. Those six indicators are a positive test rate, number of people who died from COVID-19, number of patients with COVID-19 who are hospitalized, healthcare system readiness, testing capacity and contact tracing capabilities. The state rates those indicators as positive trend, in progress or negative trend." Positive test rate and testing capacity are both currently rated positive. Other indicators are in progress. The three-day average of COVID-19 deaths in Massachusetts was reported as 50 on Monday, showing a continued decline from 152 on May 2. The three-day average of COVID-19 patients who are hospitalized dropped to 1,825 on Monday. And the seven-day weighted average of positive tests dropped to 6.8%. The charts above show data beginning on May 18, when phase 1 of the state's reopening plan began. View the full-sized map Cases per county Barnstable: 1424 Berkshire: 567 Bristol: 7348 Dukes: 40 Essex: 14721 Franklin: 335 Hampden: 6188 Hampshire: 886 Middlesex: 22224 Nantucket: 13 Norfolk: 8586 Plymouth: 8200 Suffolk: 18581 Worcester: 11352 Unknown: 340 Dukes and Nantucket: 1 Coronavirus in Mass.: Cases, maps, charts and resources Related Content: Some shoppers have been waiting for stores to reopen so they can return the unwanted merchandise that has been stashed in car trunks or closets since normal life came to a screeching halt in mid-March. But at many stores, the return process will look different from the way it did before the coronavirus pandemic. First, you'll stand in a socially distanced line at the customer service department before having minimal contact with the cashier, who will likely be behind a plexiglass divider, known as a sneeze guard. Then, those pants, blazers or shoes you're returning will be placed in "quarantine" for at least 24 hours at most stores, many of which have also extended return periods to accommodate returns for when stores were closed due to COVID-19. "We're quarantining returns that come into the stores right now," Old Navy President Nancy Green told USA TODAY. "They go into a separate area for a period of time and then they get processed back into inventory that is available to sell as long as they're not damaged." Shopping reinvented: America's stores, malls reopen with masks, curbside pickup and closed fitting rooms Coronavirus store closings: Tuesday Morning to permanently shutter 132 stores in first wave of bankruptcy closings. Is your store on the list? Kohls CEO Michelle Gass said in an interview with USA TODAY that her stores extended the companys very generous return policy of 180 days by 30 days because of the COVID-19 closings. The returned merchandise will be kept off the sales floor for 48 hours. We also have a 'just say yes' attitude so if people are returning things and it's outside that we will meet the customer's needs, Gass said. Kohls continues to accept Amazon returns, which it has done since last summer, but to help with social distancing, those returns are being handled in a separate part of the store. Kohls says it has made enhancements to the store environment and operations to provide a safe and healthy environment for everyone. Dick's Sporting Goods has extended its return policy from 60 to 90 days from date of purchase and also is accepting coordinated curbside returns for purchases made with debit or credit cards. Story continues Sephora has extended returns for in-store purchases made on or after Feb. 15, with receipts for 30 days of reopening and increased its return policy for online returns from 30 days to 60. But Sephora won't sell the returned products. "To protect the safety of our employees and clients, all product returns will be destroyed until further notice," Sephora says in its frequently asked questions about store reopenings. Adjusted return policies at Walmart, Costco and Kroger In the days and weeks after COVID-19 led to closures, retailers that stayed open also adjusted return policies. Some stores including grocers have temporarily suspended all returns or returns of select merchandise. In some stores, returns are not being allowed on the most in-demand items, such as toilet paper and sanitizing wipes. Since April 20, Walmart temporarily stopped accepting returns of food, paper goods, home cleaning supplies, pharmacy, apparel, and health and beauty items. The retailer says that if you need to return any item, including in those categories, and have a receipt, to start the return process on the Walmart app or website. "Its easy and may allow you to complete your return without coming to the store," Walmart says in its temporary return policy change, adding that for items that can't be returned online, that once "returns reopen for impacted categories, we will be extending the return period by six weeks for those items." Costco says it is not accepting returns of toilet paper, paper towels, some cleaning products, rice and bottled water. Target suspended returns between March 26 and April 26 but is currently accepting returns again with a couple of changes. Returned items with hard surfaces, like board games, are cleaned and wiped down before going on the sales floor, Target officials told USA TODAY, while apparel items are placed in quarantine for three days from the date of return. Follow USA TODAY reporter Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus store return policy: Walmart, Kroger not accepting returns Washington U.S. officials sought to determine Sunday whether extremist groups had infiltrated police brutality protests across the country and deliberately tipped largely peaceful demonstrations toward violence and if foreign adversaries were behind a burgeoning disinformation campaign on social media. As demonstrations spread from Minneapolis to the White House, New York City and overseas, federal law enforcement officials insisted far-left groups were stoking violence. Meanwhile, experts who track extremist groups also reported seeing evidence of the far-right at work. Investigators were also tracking online interference and looking into whether foreign agents were behind the effort. Officials have seen a surge of social media accounts with fewer than 200 followers created in the last month, a textbook sign of a disinformation effort. The accounts have posted graphic images of the protests, material on police brutality and material on the coronavirus pandemic that appeared designed to inflame tensions across the political divide, according to three administration officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss investigations. The investigations are an attempt to identify the network of forces behind some of the most widespread outbreak of civil unrest in the U.S. in decades. Protests erupted in dozens of cities in recent days, triggered by the death of George Floyd, who died after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. Pandemic-weary Americans were already angry about COVID-19 deaths, lockdown orders and tens of millions of people out of work. The pandemic has hit African Americans harder than whites in the U.S., and the killings of black people by police have continued over the years even as the topic faded from the national stage. But there are signs of people with other disparate motives, including anarchist graffiti, arrests of some out-of-state protesters, and images circulating in extremist groups that suggest the involvement of outside groups. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Sunday that state authorities were hit with a cyber attack as law enforcement prepared to diffuse protests in Minneapolis and St. Paul, the epicenter of the unrest. "Before our operation kicked off last night, a very sophisticated denial of service attack on all computers was executed," Walz said. "That's not somebody sitting in their basement. That's pretty sophisticated." Walz did not offer details. President Donald Trump, Attorney General William Bar and others have said the left-wing extremist group antifa is to blame. Short for anti-fascists, antifa is an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups that resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations. Barr on Sunday said the FBI would use its regional joint terrorism task forces to "identify criminal organizers," and Trump threatened again to name antifa a terrorist group. The Justice Department is also deploying members of the U.S. Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration on Sunday to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, a senior department official said. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The addition of the federal agents, who will have armored vehicles, came as Barr warned that prosecutors could seek to use terrorism statutes against "violent radical agitators" who attempt to hijack protests to cause destruction. An antifa activist group disseminated a message in a Telegram channel on Saturday that encouraged people to consider Minnesota National Guard troops "easy targets," two Defense Department officials said. The message encouraged activists to steal "kit," meaning the weapons and body armor used by the soldiers. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. As a result, soldiers with the Minnesota National Guard were armed during their mission at protests across the state Sunday, the officials said. The soldiers are sometimes armed but had not been since they moved into parts of the state that had been besieged by riots in the last few days. The troops do not have the authority to make arrests, and are there to act mostly as extra security for police. Others have seen evidence of right-wing extremists. J.J. MacNab, a fellow at George Washington University's Program on Extremism, has been monitoring chatter about the protests among anti-government extremists on social media platforms. She has access to hundreds of private Facebook groups for followers of the loosely organized "Boogaloo" movement, which uses an '80s movie sequel as a code word for a second civil war. She also has been poring over images from the weekend protests and spotted some "boogaloo bois" in the crowds, carrying high-powered rifles and wearing tactical gear. "I think mostly they don't want to hurt these protests. They want to co-opt them in order to start their war. They see themselves as being on the side of protesters and that the protesters themselves are useful in causing anarchy," MacNab said. She also sees signs that the Three Percenters militia movement appears to be taking an interest. Megan Squire, an Elon University computer science professor who tracks online extremism, saw images of at least four members of the far-right Proud Boys group on the periphery of a protest Saturday night in Raleigh, North Carolina. "It's very scattershot," she said. "They are all talking about it, but they don't seem to be able to translate that online fantasizing about what they'd like to do into real-world action, which is good." Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators, said a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time and spoke on condition of anonymity. Originally live streamed on May 29th, 2020 at 10am PST. www.twitter.com/soarfinancial - make sure to follow us & click on the https://twitter.com/soarfinancial/status/1266412774361460738?s=20 #Gold #Namibia #Goldmine #askOSI || Osino Resources Corp. (TSX.v: OSI) Guest: Heye Daun, CEO & Co-Founder Osino Resources is exploring several prospective gold projects in Namibia. Only yesterday, the company announced a new set of drill results from its Twin Hills project. We caught up with CEO Heye Daun to discuss the exploration strategy and next steps for the company. More info at www.osinoresources.com Follow Us! Twitter: http://twitter.com/soarfinancial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soarfinancial/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soarfinancial/ Website: http://www.soarfinancial.com SF Live is a new format by Soar Financial Partners. The goal is give short company updates and more importantly get investors engaged directly with the companies. Intro Music: "Endless Motion" by Bensound.com Disclaimer: This video is for informational purposes only and not to be regarded as investment advice whatsoever. #mining #exploration #debt #financing #investing #investment #stocks #goldprice #goldmine #inflation - A top Italian doctor, Alberto Zangrillo, has said that the new coronavirus has become weakened in the country - Alberto added that it is time for normal life to begin in the country, while the government said that such action could be too hasty - The government maintained that there is no scientific proof to support what the doctor revealed about the virus Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in Alberto Zangrillo, an Italian doctor and the head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, on Monday, June 1, said that the new strain of coronavirus is fast losing its power and is not as dangerous as it used to be. The senior doctor said that clinically, the virus is no longer in Italy, a country which was one of the hotbeds of the virus earlier in the year, ABS-CBN reports. Just as Alberto urged for the country to return back to normal, the government said that it is still too soon to declare victory over the virus as there is still no scientific evidence. Sandra said the country should rather continue to tell Italians to maintain caution and practice hygiene, following all the guidelines against the virus. A picture showing a scientist working in a Covid-19 lab. Photo source: SafetySkills Source: UGC Another doctor, Matteo Bassetti, said that the effect of the virus is not as strong as it was two months ago in the country, saying the present nature of the virus is quite different. Meanwhile, scientists predicted that a vaccine for coronavirus could be ready as soon as results of over 10,000 Covid-19 patients who were involved in a clinical trial are ready by late June 2020. If the experts carrying out the trial process are successful, the vaccine could be rolled out immediately. The recovery trial is a scientific evaluation that looks at overall Covid-19 therapy and medications that were administered with the hope of getting the combination that is effective in treating patients. The deputy chief investigator of the trial at Oxford University, Professor Martin Landray, said they are being meticulous with their process. Landry added that a combination of different dru*gs could be the best way to beat the coronavirus once and for all. It should be noted that among the dru*gs that have been tested and that could make the final combination are hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir-ritonavir, and tocilizumab. 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 Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page or on Instagram with your stories, photos or videos Source: YEN.com.gh More than 100 workers are slated to be laid off across two hotels in downtown New Orleans because of the economic downturn spurred by the coronavirus pandemic, which has frozen much of the tourism the Crescent City relies on. The goal is to reopen once tourists return to New Orleans and demand for hotel rooms pick up, an official said. The Renaissance New Orleans Arts Warehouse District Hotel and the Renaissance New Orleans Pere Marquette French Quarter Area Hotel are laying off 139 workers between July 21 and Aug. 4, according to a letter filed with the Louisiana Workforce Commission. The hotels operate under the Marriott flag and are owned by California-based Clearview Hotel Capital, which has more than a dozen hotels across the country. Most of them are in a similar situation. Employees were temporarily furloughed at both hotels on March 21, expected to last less than six months. 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 "Due to the COVID-19 crisis, hotel forecasts for future business have been negatively impacted to the point that it has become apparent that the hotel will not have sufficient working capital available to continue operations," according to the letter. The company had been paying for health care coverage for workers for two months after the coronavirus pandemic began but payroll is a big expense and the hotels have been bleeding money for months, said Jon Kline, CEO of Clearview Hotel Capital. "We're watching the development of the reopening of New Orleans with great anticipation and we're hoping to reopen as soon as it's safe for our employees and customers," Kline said. Minister of Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah says calls for the government to conduct mandatory testing for COVID-19 on all students as a precursor to the opening of schools is not feasible considering how contraction and spread of the virus works. Speaking on JoyNews before the President's address on Sunday night, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said whiles government continues to manage the spread of the virus and confirmed cases, government remains focused on applying strategic testing measures such as mass testing, contact tracing and enhanced surveillance which have so far proven to be effective. "The bigger question is what optimally have to be put in place if students or some category of students are going to go back to school," the Minister said. According to the minister, considering that testing does not prove immunity against the virus or act as a preventive measure, it is more important to focus on the group of population who are at risk of contracting the virus in testing. President Akufo-Addo has announced the easing of some restrictions imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Ghana. The announcement includes the gradual reopening of schools starting from Monday, June 15, 2020. "From Monday, 15th June, 2020, the decision has been taken, after engagement with the Teacher Unions whose co-operation I salute, to reopen schools and universities to allow for final year junior high, senior high and university students to resume classes ahead of the conduct of their respective exit examinations. Indeed, final year university students are to report to their universities on 15th June; final year senior high school (SHS 3) students, together with SHS 2 Gold Track students, on 22nd June; and final year junior high school (JHS 3) students on 29th June. JHS 3 classes will comprise a maximum of thirty (30) students; SHS classes a maximum of twenty-five (25) students; and University lectures will take place with half the class sizes. All final year students of educational and training institutions, which are being managed by Ministries other than the Education Ministry, are to return to school on 15th June to complete their exit examinations." 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 We are aware of the disastrous effects of nuclear weapons, cruise missiles, drones, landmines, cluster bombs, white phosphorus, Agent Orange, depleted uranium, biological and chemical weapons, used by the so-called protectors of the world the superpowers. by Zulkifli Nazim Definition: Pathocracy - A system of government created by a small pathological minority that takes control over a society of normal people (from Political Ponerology: A Science on the Nature of Evil Adjusted for Political Purposes, by Andrew Lobaczewski). "Over 400 years ago, the Florentine statesman Niccolo Machiavelli engaged in a profound study of methods used by various rulers to attain power... The findings of Machiavelli and other students of power decree that to obtain power it is essential to ignore the moral laws of man and of God; that promises must be made only with the intention to deceive and to mislead others to sacrifice their own interests; that the most brutal atrocity must be committed as a matter of mere convenience; that friends or allies must be betrayed as matter of course as soon as they have served their purpose. But, it is also decreed that these atrocities must be kept hidden from the common people except only where they are of use to strike terror to the hearts of opponents; that there must be kept up a spurious aspect of benevolence and benefit for the greater number of the people, and even an aspect of humility to gain as much help as possible." [E. C. Knuth in his book "The Empire of the "City"] Throughout history, psychopaths, sociopaths, narcissists, and assorted antisocial personalities, maladaptive dysfunctional individuals have ruled societies. Psychopaths and sociopaths often exhibit glibness and superficial charm, have a grandiose sense of self-worth, are pathological liars, display extreme narcissism, are deceitful, cunning and manipulative. These sociopaths exhibit a lack of remorse or guilt and importantly show a callous disregard for the feelings of others. They have no conscience, they lack empathy, and fail to accept responsibility for their actions. In a competitive world, the people who act immorally, who have no regard for truth, are going to have an advantage over those who play by the rules. The result is that those who achieve positions of power will be the most ruthless, the most sociopathic - the ones without conscience. In societies run by psychopaths, ambitious individuals and sycophants, who are not clinically psychopathic, are induced to model themselves after powerful psychopaths in order to achieve power. The result: Psychopaths breed more psychopaths. In our daily lives, we have first-hand information only about things we experience personally - things we see with our own eyes, hear with our own ears and touch with our own hands which includes the sense of smell as well. We know some other things because they are passed on to us by parents, teachers, friends and individuals and institutions with whom we have personal contact. But, the vast majority of the things we know about our country and about the world are transmitted to us via the media. Without this contrivance popularly known as the media, we would have little awareness of what goes on beyond our personal experience. The media - the mainstream, corporate, establishment, social media - provide us, almost without exception, with our understanding of the world. What is this entity - the media - that has so much control over our understanding of the world around us? Who are the institutions and individuals who have this power? How did they get this authority and for what purposes do they use it? How do they decide what is newsworthy and what is not? How do they choose what we should know and not know? How objective are they, do they have biases, and if they do have biases, how do these biases impact our ideas, of almost everything? If we do not understand how we gain our knowledge of the world, we are remiss. For, how can we function as citizens of a so-called representative democracy, if we have no idea where the information upon which we base our decisions comes from, or if it is accurate? Carl Bernstein's 1977 article in Rolling Stone entitled "The CIA and the Media" exposed that more than 400 American journalists had secretly carried out assignments for the Central Intelligence Agency, according to documents on file at CIA headquarters. Some of these journalists' relationships with the Agency were tacit; some were explicit. Reporters shared their notebooks with the CIA. Editors shared their staffs. Some of the journalists were Pulitzer Prize winners. Most were less exalted: foreign correspondents who found that their association with the Agency helped their work. The CIA's use of the American news media has been much more extensive than Agency officials have acknowledged publicly or in closed sessions with members of Congress." Down the line we will see how deviously and shrewdly we are being manipulated. The world over, we can see that corporate leaders, bankers, media executives, academics, military officers, government officials and even Presidents and Prime Ministers, have been found to be liars and deceivers. They are ruthless, callous manipulators who have no regard for truth or other people, the entire fabric of society is twisted in their image, and psychopathic behavior becomes the norm. It is they who control the media and it is they who decide what is newsworthy and what is not. Are Psychopaths Ruling The World? Our world is symbolized by permanent war, full-spectrum dominance, targeted assassinations, rendition, torture and water-boarding. We know the agents of torture include CIA, KGB, Mossad, MI6, NATO, mercenaries, paramilitaries and Contras. We are aware of the disastrous effects of nuclear weapons, cruise missiles, drones, landmines, cluster bombs, white phosphorus, Agent Orange, depleted uranium, biological and chemical weapons, used by the so-called protectors of the world the superpowers. We have witnessed genocide by laboratory-created diseases, genetically-engineered food, glyphosate, medical-pharma mafia and vaccine catastrophes. Governments of the world are involved in the militarization of police with the support of corporate media, public relations with propaganda, fake news, surveillance, RFID chips (Radio-Frequency Identification), optical scans, facial recognition all to bring about a global government - the New World Order. The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power in every country. We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. More than ample proof that this world has not been built by caring human beings, but has been constructed and is run by powerful hallow soulless individuals. And, despite the violence, suffering and chaos they have caused, we allow them to remain at the top, and in control. Todays politics and governments are recognized by the following gem: "Never attempt to win by force what can be won by deception." Niccolo Machiavelli in his book "The Prince", 1513 Members of the community show videos of heavily armored riot police firing tear gas and destroying houses. Some who refused to leave were still inside their homes when the demolitions began. Some have been injured by police projectiles, they say; children have been terrified. Some say authorities threatened to place their children in social services agencies if they didnt cooperate. This summer suit from Sartoria Cornacchia was made for me last year, and I would like to apologise for the delay in covering it. I didnt get around to shooting the suit until the end of the Summer; events and the pop-up then got in the way; and by the time that was all done, it was cold and wet and the article no longer seemed appropriate. Of course, few readers would have realised this (other than the occasional eagle-eyed commenter on the fitting post), but I do apologise to Nicola Cornacchia and his team. Cornacchia is a small, regional tailor in Altamura, in the Puglia region of Italy. Its not the most popular area for English tourists, but is for other Europeans, and Italians in general often holiday here. Altamura is a little way back from the coast, a beautiful walled town up on a hill, and makes a nice day trip. Its also famous for its bread (see my first post). Nicola is the father and the cutter, Maria runs the business, and their daughters both do some aspects of the making. The construction is lightweight, without being full-on Naples. So only a thin pad in the shoulder and a lightweight canvas, but no spalla camicia, shirring or anything particularly short or tight. It is a smart suit, for a hot climate. The quality of the work is good - full bespoke - without being the best in the world. You can see on the post showing our one fitting (in Florence) for example, that the collar is padded by machine, not by hand. This isn't the worst thing, and even some Savile Row tailors do it occasionally, but it's not the purists idea of top-end bespoke. In fact, Id say overall that this suit is a great example of a good-quality, local tailor. The kind of thing there used to be far more of around Europe. The fit is solid, the finishing good, and the product excellent value (suits start at 2200). The problem for tailors like this over the past 40 years has been that people increasingly value design over quality - and so for someone that doesnt understand bespoke, 2200 seems like lot of money for someone they've never heard of. If Permanent Style could achieve anything, Id love it if it could encourage men to seek out local tailors such as this, realise the great value they get, and understand enough about design to make informed decisions about the suits style. Because the only obvious thing that tailors sometimes lack is an understanding of style, in order to keep their tailoring relevant. Cornacchia does quite well in this regard. They naturally cut a slim trouser and a relatively high buttoning point, both of which make it look contemporary. The buttoning point is actually one thing Id change if I made a second commission, perhaps lowering in 2cm. But its pretty much the only thing. The lapel also has a tiny amount of belly, which is a little unusual for southern Italian tailors, but again makes it look more like a ready-made style. The fit is good, particularly for a first suit and with only one fitting. The collar could do with being a little closer on the neck, and the shoulders lifted up slightly (visible on the back, not the front). The right side at the front could also do with being picked up a touch, and the armhole cleared. But these are all small issues, which more expensive tailors have also had with my body shape. And, its worth emphasising that this fit is hugely better than any ready-to-wear suit. (I am planning some comparison pieces on that subject.) Plus of course, the advantage with bespoke is that the second suit would fit better every time, while the RTW version would always be the same. In fact, this is something that doesnt get enough attention on Permanent Style. A problem with covering lots of tailors - in order to give readers an informed view on all of them - is that there is less coverage of repeated commissions, and how this develops a practically perfect pattern. I think this underplays the benefits of bespoke, and is also something I will try to cover more. The finishing on this suit is good, as I say. Not at the level of the top Savile Row tailors, let alone the Parisians or someone like Michael Browne, but certainly as good as the best Neapolitan. The buttonholes are neat, there is nice pick stitching around the edges and seams, and the lining inside is top stitched. Personally I dont like the way theyve included the selvedge of the cloth as an extra line between the lining and the inbreast pocket, but a customer could easily ask not to have that. The cloth, by the way, is the 2-ply high-twist woven by Vitale Barberis Canonico that you find in the Drapers Ascot bunch. It's light grey but with a brown cast, which is something you often see from Italian mills - an effect brought out here by the accompanying brown tie and brown shoes. I like the effect because its warmer than English greys, and makes the suit look less formal. It would still look elegant with black oxfords and a silk tie for a wedding, but could equally be worn casually with an open-necked white shirt and loafers. Having said that, of the VBC high twists I probably prefer the 4-ply (see my Ciardi suit) for a hot-weather suit, even though its heavier. Weight isnt everything when it comes to cool cloth. As Mark Cho of The Armoury commented on our recent Instagram Live interview, a heavier linen can often feel cooler because it clings less, and lets air circulate more easily. Heavier high-twists are the same: more body makes for a fresh, free-flowing material. The Cornacchia cloth is 280g, while the Ciardi is 390g, yet the latter almost feels cooler. Photography: Alex Natt @adnatt Suit worn with: Cotton/linen bespoke shirt from 100 Hands Knitted silk tie from Drakes Silk handkerchief from Rubinacci Belgravia tassel loafers from Edward Green Unfortunately Cornacchia are not currently planning to travel outside of Italy, though they were planning to when this suit was first commissioned. Los Angeles Police Department commander Cory Palka stands among several destroyed police cars in Los Angeles on May 30, 2020. (Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo) George Floyd Protests Continue; Over 4,400 Arrested Amid Unrest, Reports Say At least 4,400 people have been arrested nationwide as peaceful protests expressing grief and anger over the police custody death of George Floyd have in many cases been marred by looting, violence, and arson. According to a count compiled by The Associated Press, the several thousand arrests have been for such offenses as blocking highways, theft, and assault. While thousands marched peacefully in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Phoenix with some calling for an end to riots and looting, elsewhere there was widespread violence against property and people. Fires burned near the White House, stores were looted in Southern California, and disturbing footage of violent acts flooded social media, including of a mob beating an elderly female shop owner in Rochester, New York. Another disturbing incident caught on camera took place in Dallas, Texas, where a man reported to be store owner defending his shop with a sword was set upon by a mob and beaten unconscious. The unrest began with peaceful protests over the May 25 death of Floyd, a black man, who communicated trouble breathing as Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, restrained him with a knee to the neck and head area for nearly 9 minutes. Chauvin, fired from the Minneapolis Police Department, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, though that did little to stem the fury. President Donald Trump, in a speech May 30 at Floridas Cape Canaveral, said he spoke to Floyds family to express sorrow for his death. He added that the officers involved in the incident have been fired, one of them had been charged with murder, and that charges could be brought against the other three. I stand before you as a friend and ally to every American seeking justice and peace, he said. 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 mission at hand, Trump said. I understand the pain that people are feeling. We support the right of peaceful protesters, and we hear their pleas, Trump said, calling on law enforcement to get tough on those responsible for acts of violence and vandalism, adding, the memory of George Floyd is being dishonored by rioters, looters, and anarchists. Struggling to cope with the civil unrest, local law enforcement was reinforced by around 5,000 members of the National Guard, which deployed to 15 states and Washington, according to Air Force Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau. The hardest mission we do is responding in times of civil unrest, Lengyel said in a statement. The Minnesota National Guard said in a tweet it had deployed over 4,100 personnel to the area and expected this would increase at least twofold. This is a significant increase over the 700 on duty Friday. We live here. We work here. We serve here. Were all in, the statement said. We now have more than 4,100 quickly moving toward 10,800 Minnesota Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen supporting our friends and neighbors in the Twin Cities. This is a significant increase over the 700 on-duty Friday. We live here. We work here. We serve here. Were all in. pic.twitter.com/WorKOI9ZCa MN National Guard (@MNNationalGuard) May 31, 2020 Elsewhere in the country, a protest along the historic Route 66 into downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, turned violent early Monday after police reported demonstrators setting small fires and officers said they were fired upon. A Sunday afternoon of mostly peaceful protests in Boston broke at nightfall when protesters clashed with officers, throwing rocks, breaking into several stores, and lighting a police vehicle on fire. Boston police tweeted that at least 40 people had been arrested as of 3 a.m. Monday. Police said seven police officers had been hospitalized and 21 police cruisers were damaged. The main victims of this horrible, horrible situation are the citizens who live in these once lovely communities. The mobs are devastating the lifes work of good people and destroying their dreams, the president said in a speech after the launch. Right now, America needs creation, not destruction; cooperation, not contempt; security, not anarchy, the president said. And there will be no anarchy. Civilization must be cherished, defended, and protected, he added. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click here to read the full article. Major nationwide brands and retailers have temporarily closed their stores as demonstrations continue over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police. Target, Walmart and more stores have announced widespread closures or adjusted business hours amid national unrest sparked by Floyds killing last Monday. Protests in metropolitan cities from coast to coast have spanned from peaceful to riotous, with some leading to lootings that have left store windows shattered and many shops vandalized. More from Footwear News As America mourns Floyd, here are the retailers shuttering their doors. Target The Minneapolis-based retailer has temporarily shut down six locations after several of its stores had been robbed. Until further notice, its outposts at Broadway Oakland, Calif.; Buckhead South Atlanta, Ga.; South Loop Chicago, Ill.; Lake Street Minneapolis, Minn.; Uptown Minneapolis, Minn.; and Washington Square W Philadelphia, Pa., are closed. It has also scaled back store hours at a number of units nationwide. Adidas A number of the brands stores across the country have been ransacked, including its location in New York Citys SoHo neighborhood. According to The Wall Street Journal, Adidas has made the decision to temporarily close all of its United States-based outposts. FN has reached out to the company for confirmation. Walmart Several dozen of the Bentonville, Ark.-based companys stores were shuttered on Sunday in an effort to protect employees and customers. Today, Walmart shared that damage as a result of lootings have made it unclear when affected outposts would be able to reopen. It added that it would continue to monitor information from law enforcement as well as social media, plus evaluate situations at a local level, to determine further closures. Were monitoring this situation closely as it develops and will continue closing stores in select markets as a safety precaution for our customers and associates, a spokesperson said. Story continues Nike The Portland, Ore.-headquartered brand, which was also affected by the riots in Manhattan, is shuttering some of its impacted stores in North America. In a statement to FN, the company said, Nike supports free and peaceful protests and we do not condone violence. We are closely following the protests occurring across the country. It did not confirm how many locations were closed and when it plans to reopen those doors. FN will continue to update this story. Launch Gallery: Los Angeles Stores Looted Amid Unrest Across the U.S. Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Paytm Mall (owned by Paytm Ecommerce Private Limited) on Monday said it has announced the appointment of Abhishek Rajan as the new Chief Operating Officer of the company Paytm Mall (owned by Paytm Ecommerce Private Limited) on Monday said it has announced the appointment of Abhishek Rajan as the new Chief Operating Officer of the company. This move to Bengaluru will help the company tap into the talent pool available in the citys consumer internet and startup ecosystem, says Paytm Mall.https://t.co/8O9PG4Lg3A CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) June 1, 2020 It is also moving its operations from Noida (Uttar Pradesh) to Bengaluru and plans to hire over 300 new members for product and technology roles aiming expansion across its business categories, company said. The existing workforce has the flexibility to either shift to Bengaluru or continue working from their current location in various roles, it said. Additionally, Srinivas Mothey has been elevated to Senior Vice President Merchants Solutions at Paytm. He would be working on innovative retail solutions for merchants in his new role. Click here to follow LIVE news and updates on stock markets In his new role, Abhishek will set the vision for Mall and oversee the operations across categories, products, technology, supply chain, marketing and finance, the company statement said. He will specifically focus on strengthening the commerce customer experience and expanding the hyperlocal merchant base, thereby enabling more Kirana stores to be part of the digital commerce journey. He will continue to oversee Paytm's travel vertical till the time a new business head is appointed. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder & CEO - Paytm said, " In the post-COVID world, we want to bring commerce to even more customers and serve the SMEs across the country." Abhishek Rajan, COO - Paytm Mall said, "We would like to think of Paytms e-commerce business as a Series A startup with $200 Mn cash in the bank, where key technology and operations components required for running a commerce business have already been built." Members of the public are not encouraged to attend the public hearing in person, due to coronavirus restrictions on large gatherings. So the village is sending letters to all residents with details on how they can participate, either by emailing comments, writing a letter or speaking online during the hearing. All emails and letters must be received by 4:30 p.m. June 10 to be included in the public hearing. Courtesy Mayor Sylvester Turner has issued an apology to a woman who was trampled by a Houston police officers horse on Friday. The woman, who the mayor identified as Melissa, was holding a sign during a protest in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis when a mounted officers horse knocked her to the ground. The officer then rode over her, according to video of the incident. Britain's AstraZeneca has clinched expanded regulatory backing for two medications, including one for blockbuster cancer treatment Lynparza, in a development pipeline that now includes a possible coronavirus vaccine. Lynparza received a recommendation from a panel of the European health regulator for use as a follow-on treatment for a form of advanced pancreatic cancer while heart drug Brilinta received a US green light, the company said on Monday. AstraZeneca, now the most valuable London-listed company, has garnered international attention with its hot pursuit of a coronavirus vaccine, sealing US government funding last month as it aims to produce a billion doses this and next year. Separately on Monday, AstraZeneca's manufacturing partner Oxford Biomedica said it had hired French pharma veteran Roch Doliveux as non-executive chairman as the gene and cell therapy company vies for major role in the vaccine. Oxford Biomedica last week signed a one-year deal with AstraZeneca to provide multiple batches of the vaccine, which is now being tested on humans. The vaccine, AZD1222, was developed by researchers at the University of Oxford and licensed to AstraZeneca. The drugmaker is in talks with several governments and global partners in its efforts to boost production of the vaccine. While the British company actively signs deals for its vaccine, AstraZeneca's core offering of cancer and heart medication continues to perform well. Lynparza, which is being developed with US drugmaker Merck, can now be marketed as a treament for a form of pancreatic cancer in Europe if the European Commission endorses the recommendation from the European Medicines Agency's human medicines committee. Lynparza had gained US approval for the same indication late last year. AstraZeneca also said the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved Brilinta for use as a treatment to reduce the risk of a first heart attack or stroke in high-risk patients. The company's shares were up 1% at 86.70 pounds at 1306 GMT. NEW YORK, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 10,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Golden Valley Mines Ltd. (TSX-V: GZZ; OTCQX: GLVMF), a company focused on project generation, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Golden Valley Mines upgraded to OTCQX from the OTCQB Venture Market. Golden Valley Mines begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "GLVMF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com. The OTCQX Market is designed for established, investor-focused U.S. and international companies. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. Graduating to the OTCQX Market from the OTCQB Market marks an important milestone for companies, enabling them to demonstrate their qualifications and build visibility among U.S. investors. "We are thrilled with this enhancement to our OTC Markets profile, upgrading from the OTCQB Venture Market to the OTCQX Best Market. We see this as the logical next step in our evolution, and look forward to gaining more market awareness in the USA. The Company continues to assess marketing strategies to increase exposure and liquidity," said President/CEO Glenn J. Mullan of Golden Valley Mines. About Golden Valley Mines Ltd. Golden Valley Mines Ltd. is focused on project generation and continues to evaluate opportunities to enhance its mining exploration property and NSR royalty portfolio. The Company is able to explore and develop its current property assets by way of partner-funded option/joint ventures and through its shareholdings in related entities. The Company has a balanced and diversified property portfolio inclusive of precious and base metals, largely concentrated in Quebec and Ontario, Canada. About OTC Markets Group Inc. OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com. OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed Media Contact: OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected] SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc. Related Links http://www.otcmarkets.com Ontario is temporarily amending its labour laws to help businesses avoid permanently laying off workers and paying out severance, putting non-unionized workers who were temporarily laid off or had hours reduced due to COVID-19 placed on an infectious disease emergency leave. Business advocacy groups are applauding the amendment, saying it could save many businesses from bankruptcy as a result of having to pay severance. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Federation of Independent Business and Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters have all been advocating for the measure. But employment lawyers say the amendment could create confusion for workers and may make businesses vulnerable to lawsuits. Advocates for workers add that employees should not be denied access to their severance pay and that the move indicates that insufficient aid has been provided to employers. The Employment Standards Act requires businesses to officially terminate and pay severance to employees who have been laid off for 13 weeks, or up to 35 in certain cases. Under the amendment, workers will stay on temporary leave, preserving their job while remaining eligible for federal emergency income support programs. This means, for example, that a worker who was laid off March 16, who would have been entitled to severance pay if not brought back to work by the 13-week mark, is now on leave without severance until the amendment ends. The amendment to the act applies retroactively to March 1, 2020, and will expire six weeks after the provinces declared state of emergency ends. When the six-week period ends, employees who have still not been brought back are then considered on a temporary layoff for up to 13 weeks, or 35 if the layoff is extended, according to Toronto employment lawyer Jon Pinkus. The clock restarts, Pinkus said. Premier Doug Ford announced Monday that he is pushing to extend Ontarios state of emergency until June 30. In a statement, Ontarios minister of labour, Monte McNaughton, said the government has heard loud and clear from employers that they dont want to be forced to terminate their employees. As we take the necessary steps to safely and gradually restart the economy, we need to make sure business owners can reopen their doors and workers have jobs to go back to, McNaughton said in a statement. The NDPs employment standards critic, Peggy Sattler, said in a statement Monday that the Ford government is still not properly supporting employers or employees, and that changes to the Employment Standards Act need to be made with workers in mind. Employees should never be denied access to their severance pay and other basic benefits they earned, she said, adding the Ford government has not come forward with the support employers need to keep going. He hasnt provided small businesses the financial support they need to keep their staff on the payroll. According to Statistics Canada, Ontario lost 689,200 jobs in April; the provinces unemployment rate climbed to 11.3 per cent, the highest since 1993. An estimated 2.2 million people in the province have been affected by the shutdown; 1.1 million have lost their jobs, and another 1.1 million have had their hours significantly reduced. Julie Kwiecinski, director of Ontario provincial affairs for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said her organization has been advocating for temporary layoffs to be extended since March. Kwiecinski said the approaching 13-week deadline has been weighing heavily on employers, many of whom are just starting to reopen and dont have the cash to pay severance. She said she sees the amendment as a win-win, since employees will continue to have jobs to look forward to while they claim income support. This is great news to small businesses, she said. However, Toronto employment lawyer Andrew Monkhouse said he thinks the amendment is less straightforward than it could be for example, in early April Alberta extended its temporary layoff period to 120 days from 60 days. But Ontario is going about the extension differently, turning temporary layoffs to leaves of absence. It could well result in an opposite effect to what was intended, he said. Originally, workers could be temporarily laid off as long as such a provision was in their contract, or they agreed to it, Monkhouse explained. Otherwise, the layoff would be considered a constructive dismissal and would result in severance pay or a lawsuit. However, employers could extend this leave to 35 weeks under certain conditions, such as if they continued providing benefits to the employee. Pinkus said while the new amendment prevents employees from pursuing a constructive dismissal claim under the Employment Standards Act, it seems they can still file claims under common law. Pinkus said businesses may not be as protected financially as the government intends, since they are still vulnerable to these lawsuits. Monkhouse agreed: I think we will see more people starting up constructive dismissal claims under the common law. Kwiecinski said she was pleased to see the government address constructive dismissal claims in the amendment, and while claims can still be made through civil court, she said its a more costly option she doesnt think many will consider. Yes, the civil courts still remain an option, but having only one option versus two is a lot better, she said. Pinkus said the amendment appears rushed and not thought through, and he believes it will hurt employees in the short term and businesses in the medium and long term. Richard Charney, global head of employment and labour at Norton Rose Fulbright, said he thinks the amendment isnt clear on whether it prevents constructive dismissal suits in civil court. On one hand, the amendment does not specifically say it only applies to claims under the Employment Standards Act. On the other hand, the power to amend is for the purposes of the act, he said. Charney said he doesnt anticipate many of these lawsuits at least not while employees can still access government income support. The pressure for employers to argue temporary layoffs will become more acute should government subsidies be withdrawn, he said. One benefit of Ontarios amendment versus Albertas approach is that its not a one-time extension, but rather is tied to the state of emergency, which could be extended, he said. (The amendment will) die a natural death when the public emergency dies a natural death, he said. With files from The Canadian Press and Rob Ferguson Read more about: COLUMBIA Peaceful protests were hijacked by people "hellbent on destroying Columbia," and officers will not tolerate any more destruction, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said Monday. His comments came minutes before a third consecutive, but much more subdued, protest kicked off in the capital city. After the violence and vandalism of Saturdays protest and the tear gassings that dispersed crowds Sunday, about 200 people returned Monday to the Statehouse to decry systemic racism and police treatment of African Americans. It shows that people arent just going to sit down and roll over, said Portia Daniels, a 19-year-old student at the University of South Carolina who came to the Statehouse all three days. A 'die-in' The crowd Monday afternoon held a "die-in," lying down on the Statehouse grounds for nine minutes, some of it in silence, to bring attention to the death of George Floyd, the Minnesota man who died March 25 as an officer pinned him on the ground, with a knee on his neck, for nearly 9 minutes. They also marched to the Statehouses African American monument to sing "We Shall Overcome." The crowd lacked the size of previous gatherings, and at 4 p.m. Monday, tempers hadnt boiled over like in previous gatherings. The demonstration took on a more constructive tone after its organizer announced Columbia leaders were willing to talk about the groups demands for policies aimed at greater accountability and transparency in policing. I Cant Breathe SC organizer Lawrence Nathaniel and Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin spoke for 45 minutes Sunday and both came away optimistic about working together on improvements. But Benjamin said some of the groups demands are already in place at the Columbia Police Department. That includes instituting diversity and inclusion training for officers, hiring a more diverse police force and providing the public more data on the departments activity. "We have a first-class police department," said Benjamin, who spoke Monday to a crowd that consisted mostly of students and young adults. He encouraged attendees to think about the changes they want and how to advocate for them constructively. "Very little has happened in this country without active, engaged protests," Benjamin said before giving demonstrators his email address. It was a stark contrast to Saturday night, when Columbia's first black mayor stood inside an armored vehicle, urging a violent mob to disperse or face arrest. John Hale, a 38-year-old Columbia resident, said he joined the protest to show support for "those who are oppressed daily by the racist system." "What seems like an aggressive movement is necessary" when you consider the historic context of how black people have been treated over the past several centuries, Hale said. "Young people and communities of color have had enough." SLED agents twice swarmed into the crowd and emerged with masked protesters in zip ties. Officers questioned the two after noticing protesters, off to the side of those gathering peacefully, mixing liquids. Only one was arrested. A 30-year-old man from Eastover was charged with carrying a dangerous weapon a 10-inch Bowie knife on Statehouse grounds, said a spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Safety. No 'free ride' More than 50 people were arrested in Columbia over the weekend after demonstrations for justice for George Floyd turned violent. Most arrested so far are charged with breaking the capital city's emergency 6 p.m. curfew. Other offenses including looting and weapons charges. Lott on Monday suggested much of the disruption came from outside the area. "What you saw was not Columbia," Lott told reporters. "What you saw later was somebody else." Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! However, arrest data show a large majority of those arrested live in the Midlands. And 47 of the 53 arrested are South Carolina residents. Four came from North Carolina or Georgia. Two individuals charged with looting have residence in New York and Virginia, respectively. Lott pledged that anyone caught on camera rioting and looting in Columbia will be arrested. Officers are reviewing video footage and social media posts to identify those committing crimes. "That's coming," Lott said about their arrests. "I guarantee you everybody whos done something everybody who threw a rock, everybody who burned a car, everybody who stole something or vandalized there are lots of pictures out there. Everybodys going to be held accountable. Nobodys going to get a free ride." Lott attended Saturday's protest at the Statehouse and walked with demonstrators to the Columbia police department, where he addressed the crowd. He noted he felt so comfortable, he walked without an escort and nonchalantly held a cup as he spoke. "There was no violence there, nothing bad whatsoever," he said of the Statehouse gathering. "That's what Columbia expected. That's what the Columbia people did. They came together and made their voices heard." But then the peaceful protesters left, he said, leaving behind mostly people intent on causing mayhem. He said it was beginning to play out again Sunday, with a peaceful protest at the Statehouse, before marchers took a winding route toward the back of the Columbia police department, which Lott believes antagonizers wanted to destroy. But they met a line of officers instead, who fired tear gas and dispersed the crowd. Lott said the tear gas was dispersed after officers, himself included, were hit with rocks and bottles. Lott showed a photo of a pistol with 70 rounds of ammunition, as well as a drum magazine attachment that can fire 30 rounds without reloading. Lott said they were found Sunday in the backpack of a 19-year-old St. Matthews man, who has been charged with unlawfully carrying a gun. "Thats death and destruction right there, and thats what were dealing with," Lott said. "How is that a peaceful protest? What has that got to do with changing the system in bringing justice?" Lott said he supports those protesting Floyd's "totally unnecessary" death. "That wasn't police work," Lott said. "There are bad cops. Nobody hates that worse than we do, but that's not us." He too said protesters are demanding things his agency already does, including a citizens' advisory council he started after taking office more than 20 years ago. "The good people there, were supportive and Im with them," he said, then pointed to the confiscated gun. "People like this carrying weapons like this, hellbent on destroying Columbia, is not what were going to allow to happen and we put a stop to it. And were going to continue to put a stop to it." He accused outside groups of instigating the violence. Lott said he didn't want to identify and give credit to any particular organization. He did not have a breakdown of those arrested and their crimes, saying that's still being compiled and coordinated with Columbia police and other law enforcement agencies. Just a few hundred yards away from the Statehouse in the citys vandalized Vista district, state House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford scoffed at the idea the violence was due to outsiders. "They don't know that any more than I do, and I was standing here," said the Columbia Democrat, who was in the Vista when the rioting occurred. He faulted city police for not having a force in the Vista to protect businesses as the rioters were pushed away from police headquarters. "What was unguarded, what was unprotected, was the rest of Columbia, Rutherford said. Joey Cranney contributed to this report. New Delhi/Islamabad, June 1 : The killing of a young woman allegedly by the members linked to the ruling party in Balochistan last week has triggered widespread anger among the Baloch people. The president of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) and former chief minister Akhtar Mengal attacked Pakistan's judiciary saying it has abdicated its responsibility to hold the provincial government accountable for its crimes in Balochistan. Akhtar was referring to a woman, Maliknaz who was killed and her four-year-old baby girl, Bramsh, shot at in Dannok tehsil of Turbat city in Balochistan last Tuesday. The entire operation was carried out allegedly by the members of a death squad of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), the ruling party of Balochistan. Founded in 2018 by some members of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), the BAP emerged as the largest party with 19 seats in Balochistan in the 2018 general elections in Pakistan. The BAP heads a coalition government in the province with Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan and is also a part of the ruling coalition headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Pakistan National Assembly. Akhtar is the son of Ataullah Mengal, who was the first democratically elected chief minister of Balochistan in 1972. Ataullah's government was overthrown just nine months after he took over and was sent to jail on the charges of sedition by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's government. In 1997, the BNP swept the elections and formed a coalition government in Balochistan with Akhtar as the chief minister. However, his government was also dismissed due to his differences with Islamabad. Ever since, the BNP, which seeks greater autonomy for Balochistan province through peaceful and democratic struggle, hasn't participated in any elections. On Sunday Akhtar Mengal tweeted tagging Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan saying: "It's not a crime to kill innocent children, young students, elderly, and women in Balochistan. Will there ever be justice for Bramsh and her mother. Or will the Baloch people be left at the mercy of the establishment's proxies." The incident has evoked widespread anger among human rights activists abroad, too. Senge Hasnan Sering, the Washington DC-based Director of the Gilgit-Baltistan National Congress, a diaspora group formed in 2010 to raise awareness of rights violations in the G-B region, tweeted, "My heart goes to 4-year-old Bramsh. Her mom was shot/killed by military-backed terrorists. A bullet also broke her shoulder. "Asks for mom every time she regains consciousness. Shameless Pakistanis who don't care about equal rights for Baloch now obsessed with racial equality in the USA." The streets were on fire as National Guard troops streamed into American cities. The shouts were soaked in anger and anguish: Were sick of it! There was dark talk of radical agitators. Violent outbursts and arrests piled up across the republic. The White House issued martial statements about law and order. On TV, footage of unrest and anger played on a continuous loop. The voice from mission control was cool and calm as the rocket soared into the sky and towards space. Stage One propulsion is nominal. It was the late 1960s. It is right now. For Americans of a certain age and for those mindful of the past it is impossible to ignore the similarities between these past few days and some of the more unsettling moments from the 1960s. In particular 1968, a year marred by assassinations and violent social unrest. And there are reasons to believe that 2020, not yet half done, may even surpass 1968 as one of American historys most powerful social and political flashpoints. From an impeachment trial to a devastating pandemic, from galloping unemployment to George Floyds death at the hands of Minneapolis police, all the threads are there, flowing together into a raging, muddied river that serves up unimaginable challenges. All these things are being woven together, says historian Thurston Clarke, author of The Last Campaign, which chronicles Robert F. Kennedys 1968 presidential campaign and assassination on June 6 of that year. Its like an anti-hit parade, a convergence of the greatest catastrophes of the past 100 years or so, all hitting us at once, Clarke says. And with what hope? In the morass that is 2020, historys ghosts from an assortment of American eras have resurfaced: From 1918, when a pandemics first wave ravaged, ebbed and then gave way to a more powerful second wave. From 1930, when an economic crash revealed its longer-term effects on American citizens in the form of the Great Depression. From 1974, and the governmental disarray that preceded Richard M. Nixons resignation, echoed in January and February with the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. From 1992, and its images of Los Angeles burning after the acquittal of four police officers in the beating of Rodney King. Perhaps the most uncomfortable era to summon for comparison is the one no one really wants to talk about: 1860, when the final pieces of polarization fell into place for what would be a cataclysmic Civil War. Slavery, Americas greatest historical shame, was the flashpoint then. Today, it is police brutality against black people, a descendant of that awful legacy. Then, as now, there was deep economic disparity, and a debate between individual rights and the common good. Different visions of American life. Different sets of facts and ever-hazier notions of truth. Whats fundamentally common for all of these things in our history is a lack of agreement of what reality is a lack of agreement about facts, about causes, says U.S. historian John Baick of Western New England University. When we cant agree on basic truth, we reach our greatest periods of divide. Now, we also must navigate a social media landscape overloaded with instantly uploaded imagery to persuade and provoke an echo chamber full of lighter fluid that itself is a subject of national contention, thanks in part to the president. Problems sometimes addressed, sometimes ignored, never truly solved. Thats what makes the deepest impression on Frederick Gooding Jr., who teaches about race. He sees parallels between today and the Reconstruction period that immediately followed the Civil War, when African Americans coming off a war that, on paper, rebooted American society for them were confronted with the realities of life in the postwar United States. You had the premise that `Im free, but I walk the streets in psychological terror,' says Gooding, an associate professor of African American studies at Texas Christian University. There really is nothing new under the sun here about the fundamental structure of our society and the way it behaves, Gooding says. The cycle is starting to repeat. Theres outrage, it flares up, theres new understanding, things are put in place, and then it rears its head again. But right here, right now, 1968 seems the most relevant touchpoint of all. Then, it was politics and economics and race the death of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in particular with the backdrop of the Vietnam War, a long-running national cataclysm that was killing many thousands of Americans. Now, it is politics and economics and race the death of George Floyd in particular with the backdrop of the pandemic, a long-running national cataclysm that is killing many thousands of Americans. There are key differences, of course. The power structures have evolved and to some extent are more inclusive, though nowhere near where many hoped theyd be. One example: Chicago, where in 1968 Mayor Richard J. Daley decried the protests at the Democratic National Convention and pushed the aggressive policing that helped make that a national flashpoint. Today, the mayor is Lori Lightfoot, an African American woman and first openly gay person to hold the office. Perhaps the most striking difference is the one that may be fueling the fires of anger across the land: Now, unlike any other moment in history, protesters in one place can, with a device in their pockets, see and hear whats happening elsewhere and match or surpass it in real time. Some questions, then: Is this period what one Minneapolis resident called a volcano finally erupting after years of simmering a singular moment in American life? Its hard to declare that from within, but it certainly has most of the convulsive themes that have driven and riven U.S. history since its beginnings. Will people gathering and colliding in the most aggressive of fashions shouting in each others faces in the era of the coronavirus create repercussions we cant even consider? This can be kind of a tinderbox for COVID, protester Rosa Jimenez Cano said in Miami. On Saturday afternoon, the SpaceX rocket streaked into the sky from Cape Canaveral, summoning an American moment of pride, control and expert accomplishment. And like those Apollo missions in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it left a troubled planet behind. Congratulations to the Astronauts that left Earth today, actor and comedian Andy Milonakis tweeted. Good choice. Below it, all else felt tumultuous, a word that has been used so often to describe 1968 that it has become a cliche. Nevertheless, the word fits 2020, too like a well-constructed face mask. For a surprisingly large number of Americans, I think, 1968 marked the end of hope, Charles Kaiser wrote in 1968 in America, his 1988 book. Twenty years later, it may now be possible to start unraveling the mystery of how its traumas and its culture changed us. Is that how long it will take this time? Will 20 years be enough? And, as with Apollo 11 in 1969, might there be small steps and giant leaps just ahead breakthroughs in figuring this all out that help Americans find new ways to soar again? ___ Ted Anthony, director of digital innovation for The Associated Press, has been writing about American culture since 1990. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/anthonyted South African online news publications are on the forefront of providing accurate and timely information about the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. President Cyril Ramaphosa recently applauded the media for its indispensable contribution to the national effort to confront this crisis. Through its reporting on the disease, the media has helped to inform and empower South Africans, stimulate public debate, and promote accountability, Ramaphosa said. The media has had to fulfil this role under the difficult conditions of lockdown, which has required new ways of working and reaching readers, listeners and viewers. The preferred method for millions of South African to access information about COVID-19 was using online resources. With the widespread distribution of fake news and false reports on social media, South Africans flocked to online publications for reliable news. The importance of trusted news was clearly visible in the record readership numbers of South Africas top online news publications during the lockdown. South Africas largest online news publication, News24, grew its readership to 11.6 million unique browsers in May. IOL, BusinessTech, and TimesLive also attracted very large audiences over the last month with 8.7 million, 8.2 million, and 6.9 million unique browsers respectively. The table below lists the readership figures for South Africas largest online publications, based on the May 2020 Narratiive report. Narratiive is the official traffic measurement partner of the IAB South Africa and provides accurate traffic and demographics statistics for South Africas top websites. Biggest Online Publications in South Africa Website Unique Browsers Page Views News24.com 11,631,619 112525912 Iol.co.za 8,734,456 37623092 BusinessTech.co.za 8,197,624 31969190 Timeslive.co.za 6,922,031 30318921 Thesouthafrican.com 5,258,741 17897338 Businessinsider.co.za 5,147,233 22589774 Citizen.co.za 4,437,502 21366391 Ewn.co.za 4,161,455 18427418 Dailymaverick.co.za 3,830,819 13320941 MyBroadband.co.za 3,265,394 10557570 Fin24.com 2,991,480 10119696 Msn.com 2,943,569 29791057 Sowetanlive.co.za 2,746,077 11182282 Enca.com 2,629,054 7597248 Businesslive.co.za 2,600,473 8869505 Channel24.co.za 2,557,253 7318347 Maroelamedia.co.za 2,315,090 22783194 Netwerk24.com 2,190,531 15542543 City Press 1,921,429 4773134 Capetownetc.com 1,914,617 4541741 Biggest Online Tech Publications in South Africa Website Unique Browsers Page Views MyBroadband.co.za 3,265,394 10,557,570 Techcentral.co.za 306,331 597,374 Itweb.co.za 261,290 462,122 Engineeringnews.co.za 100,155 187,579 Memeburn.com 79,674 106,284 Biggest Online Business Publications in South Africa Website Unique Browsers Page Views BusinessTech.co.za 8,197,624 31,969,190 Businessinsider.co.za 5,147,233 22,589,774 Fin24.com 2,991,480 10,119,696 Businesslive.co.za 2,600,473 8,869,505 Moneyweb.co.za 1,746,992 8,430,300 Biggest online publishers in South Africa Narratiive Measure also tracks statistics for online publishers, showing the total reach of a publishers websites. 24.com is by far the largest online publisher in South Africa, with a combined readership of 24 million unique browsers across its online news publications. It is followed by Arena Holdings, Caxton Digital, MyBroadband, and Independent Online. The table below shows the top online publishers in South Africa, ranked according to local readership. Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has reacted to the alleged rape and murder of Ver... Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has reacted to the alleged rape and murder of Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100-level Microbiology student of University of Benin, UNIBEN. It was learnt that Uwaila, who was a 100-level Microbiology student of UNIBEN, was allegedly raped and killed by some unknown persons while reading in a Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, in Benin City. Her death has since stirred reactions from Nigerians on social media seeking justice for her. Reacting, Adeboye on his verified Twitter page commiserated with the family of Uwa even as he called for calm. He condemned the act, adding that the church has began investigation into the case and would cooperate with the Nigeria Police to get justice for the victim. His tweet read: All I can do at this time is to pray for the family of Omozuwa and do everything possible working with relevant authorities to bring the perpetrators to book. I and members of my Family condemn this act strongly and urge everyone to stay calm as we are already looking into the matter and cooperating with the police to establish the facts of the shocking incident. #justiceforuwa, All I can do at this time is to pray for the family of Omozuwa and do everything possible working with relevant authorities to bring the perpetrators to book. I and members of my Family condemn this act strongly and urge everyone to stay calm as we are already looking into the... pic.twitter.com/yTKGRXK3DT May 31, 2020 How coronavirus bailouts should be structured Government should take a staggered approach and learn along the way. Right now, when so many businesses need help, dont let perfection be the enemy of the good. BUFFALO, N.Y. When the government bails out businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, it should acquire stakes in the firmsnot just hand out loans, according to a University at Buffalo School of Management expert. In a policy paper recently published on SSRN, Veljko Fotak, PhD, associate professor of finance in the UB School of Management, says equity injection is the best option because firms are struggling and dont need the added burden of interest payments and debt that could push them into bankruptcy. This crisis is different than what weve seen before, says Fotak. Its widespread and affects every sector of the economy, so it cant be solved by doing what the government did during the Great Recession of 2007-09because every business needs help. Equity injections are beneficial for a number of reasons, according to Fotak. He says they discourage abuse of the system because they are self-disciplining, since healthy firms dont want to give up equity. The paper draws on history, including previous bailouts of Chrysler and General Motors, citing them as examples of government overreach. With bailouts like the ones that happened during the Great Recession, the government tends to linger too long, says Fotak. After taking shares in Chrysler and GM, the government imposed a green agenda, for example. The temptation to interfere and apply political pressure increases over time. To avoid such situations, Fotak recommends using preferred stock, which would allow the government to take on equity with shares that dont carry voting rights and come with a set dividend payment. Government and businesses should negotiate in advance to set coupon dividend payments high enough that the cost incentivizes companies to repurchase them as soon as possible, says Fotak. The challenge, according to the paper, is scaling the bailouts up to the large number of companies that need it amid COVID-19. Here, Fotak suggests speed is the critical factor. Some mistakes will be made, but acting fast is more important than getting it 100% right, he says. Government should take a staggered approach and learn along the way. Right now, when so many businesses need help, dont let perfection be the enemy of the good. Fotak collaborated on the paper with William Megginson, PhD, professor and Price Chair in Finance at the University of Oklahoma Price College of Business. With the recent riots around the country, including Tennessee, Bill Hagerty, candidate for U.S. Senate, said Monday he encourages President Donald Trump to use the Insurrection Act "to mobilize active-duty military forces in order to defend our communities from further acts of domestic terrorism." Dr. Manny Sethi, another GOP Senate candidate, said ANTIFA is a terror group that should be destroyed. Mr. Hagerty said, President Trump has already taken decisive leadership in recognizing ANTIFA as a terrorist organization. America is rooted in the rule of law. We cannot have another night of violence. It has to stop now. Period. "If we dont, it propagates lawlessness. To better protect our cities and communities from further danger, President Trump should use the Insurrection Act to its fullest extent. Mobilizing our military forces across the country will show that we will not tolerate domestic terrorism. Dr. Sethi said released the following statement on the violent riots in Nashville and across the country: "I am deeply saddened and angered by the death of George Floyd. America has justifiably already started a conversation about real criminal justice reform. President Trump had already signed a landmark bill. That was a good start, and we must continue this work so these types of incidents finally end.But what we saw in that video was not representative of most police officers. I have cared for police officers who have put their bodies in front of bullets to protect us. I have seen their courage and devotion up close.Protests are inherently American. The right to petition for redress of grievances is a basic constitutional right. However, we cannot allow what these protests have morphed into to continue. We have moved far beyond peaceful protest into lawlessness. "These ANTIFA-trained revolutionaries have no interest in a more perfect union. It's not about solving problems in policing to them, or helping heal neighborhoods. They want to bring down this country.CNN treats rioting like it is a legitimate form of protest. Thats wrong. There are liberal radicals trying to incite a civil war by inflaming racial tensions. These radicals are insurrectionists, and should be treated like it ".Nobody has the right to riot, to loot, to burn, to attack fellow citizens. Our leaders have a sworn duty to uphold the law, to protect our citizens, to put down insurrection. I am calling on them to do it now. "What we saw this past weekend was political correctness run amok: cowardly Democrat Mayors, like John Cooper, are more concerned about political correctness and about what the liberal media thinks, than about protecting the people in our cities.This cannot be allowed to continue. Our leaders have a moral duty to protect our citizens life, liberty, and property. They must step up. I am calling on every Mayor and Governor in this country to use every means at their disposal if the lives, homes and businesses of Americans are threatened, and to stop the violent, ANTIFA-led mobs ripping through our cities. They will not quit otherwise. "We cannot allow ANTIFA to tear America apart. We cannot allow them to burn our cities, to harm our people.We must pray for our country, and that our leaders will have the courage to protect America.This country is worth defending. May God bless and protect the United States of America." By Evan Halper, Los Angeles Times (TNS) WASHINGTON The diatribes are as unnerving and unrelenting as they are untrue: An incumbent president warning that the nations voting systems are cauldrons for fraud and ripe for rigging, seemingly setting the groundwork to discredit the results should he lose in November. But while such rhetoric lacks precedent in the Oval Office, scholars say its a familiar playbook that President Donald Trump is using and one that has already had a malignant impact on public trust in American democracy. Trumps repeated warnings of mass robbing of ballots from mailboxes, rampant forgery and flocks of illegal immigrants being permitted to hijack elections have been debunked by voting officials across party lines. Nevertheless, evidence increasingly shows that Americans are losing faith in the integrity of the nations elections, putting the U.S. in unaccustomed company. I have only ever thought about these things before in an authoritarian setting, said Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a former senior intelligence officer who led the U.S. governments strategic analysis on Russia and is now a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington think tank. Now the same indicators are relevant here. One such indicator comes from a group of academics, called Bright Line Watch, which since 2017 has surveyed Americans on how much confidence they have in the election system. The surveys show a steep drop during Trumps presidency. When the project began, about 60% of those surveyed said they believed U.S. elections were free of fraud. Now only 45% say they believe that. A third of Trump supporters surveyed say they would not regard it as undemocratic for a president to attack the legitimacy of election results. I am enormously concerned, said John Carey, a Dartmouth professor and co-founder of Bright Line Watch. The idea that people accept election results, even adverse ones, without violence, and they continue to defer to the institutions established by those elections in their aftermath is the definition of our political system. Threats to that are really existential. A rapid expansion of mail voting precipitated by the pandemic has given Trump a bigger opening to claim malfeasance. The claims are ungrounded in facts, but it is the perception and confusion and uncertainty that serve his purpose, said Wayne Sandholtz, a professor of international relations and law at USC. Last week, Twitter took the extraordinary step of attaching a fact check to some of Trumps claims about Californias voting system. The move enraged the president, who quickly issued a legally dubious executive order aimed at punishing the social media platform. Trump then followed up with more warnings about voter fraud that were demonstrably false, declaring anybody in California that is breathing will get a ballot and that criminal youths will be free to steal masses of absentee ballots from mailboxes, forging signatures on them to skew the outcome for Democrats. The state uses extensive security measures, including signature verification and unique bar codes through which ballots are tracked, to prevent such scenarios, which is a prime reason that Californias votes take a long time to fully count. As far-fetched as some of the claims seem, they can rattle a public whose faith in democratic institutions is already on the decline. The speed at which misinformation can be amplified over the internet often with the help of bots spreads conspiracy theories more quickly than ever. Making matters worse, the election infrastructure, especially in this pandemic era, is an easy target for confusion. It is big, bulky and opaque to most voters, who are unfamiliar with the nuts and bolts of voting systems. Among the worlds most stable democracies, the U.S. is unique in experiencing a notable deterioration in the strength of government institutions designed to preserve democracy, according to Varieties of Democracy, a global network of scholars who track the topic. It is very worrying, said Staffan Lindberg, the organizations director and a professor at the University of Gothenburg, in Sweden. The U.S. is the only nation ranked among the top 20% of the worlds most democratic countries that has had a significant backslide, he said. Other nations that have seen significant erosion in public faith in their institutions, such as Hungary, Poland, Serbia and Brazil, started out with much weaker democratic traditions. Trumps efforts to foster distrust among voters echos tactics used by the authoritarian strongmen in those countries, but his technique of infusing chaos into elections is unique. Authoritarian leaders typically use control over the election system and the media to tilt elections in their favor banning opposing political parties, suppressing unfavorable narratives and rigging the vote themselves, Lindberg said. Then they play up the integrity of the election, arguing it was fair and the outcome cannot be questioned. Those options are unavailable to American presidents, who have little role in election administration, which is highly decentralized in the U.S., with major decisions left to individual states and counties. I cant think of an example where a democratic leader tried to create uncertainty around whether an upcoming election would be truly fair and democratic, said Erica Frantz, a Michigan State University political scientist and author of Authoritarianism: What Everyone Needs to Know. But this effort to create uncertainty and make Americans feel they dont know what is fact or fiction is something we see all around the world in places on the brink of dictatorship. In 2016, when Trump made similarly unfounded claims about rigged voting systems, there seemed little chance of other leading Republicans standing with him. Now, the landscape is very different. It seemed certain back then that the Republican Party would say, Lets move on if Trump sought to challenge an election result that went against him, said Steven Levitsky, a professor of government at Harvard and coauthor of How Democracies Die. That seems less likely today. The great danger is not so much that he has a devious authoritarian plan to hold onto power forever. It is that Trump being Trump, he can break democratic institutions. He has this relationship with a Republican Party that will support him no matter what. If you go back just 20 or 30 years, the vast majority of Americans trusted the electoral process, said Levitsky. That trust eroded some in the aftermath of the disputed 2000 election, he said, but it has plummeted since 2016, mostly because the president of the United States has declared over and over again that elections are rigged. 2020 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Democratic Republic of Congo officials say they have arrested militia leader Tresor Mputu Kankonde, one of the top suspects in the 2017 murders of two United Nations experts. "[Kankonde] is being prosecuted for several acts including the murder of UN experts," Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Blaise Bwamulundu Kuzola told AFP newswire. "We have tried to arrest him many times since 2017 but he always got away." American Michael Sharp and Zaida Catalan from Sweden were investigating human rights abuses in the Kasai region, where the army was pursuing rebel groups. The pair had been looking into mass graves dug during fighting between Congolese security forces and the Kamuina Nsapu rebel fighters in the area. The government said the militia had dug the graves and was also responsible for the murder of the UN experts. 'Big catch' A Congolese security source said that Kankonde was trying to regroup the Kamuina Nsapu militia in order to attack Kananga, a city in the region. "A former Kamuina Nsapu militia chief Kamuina Nsapu, Tresor Mputu Kankonde, was arrested this evening in Kananga. He was actively wanted by the military for his alleged implication in the assassination of Michael Sharp and Zaida Catalan," tweeted RFI's Sonia Rolley at the weekend. Although the trial of the alleged killers of the UN investigators began three years ago, it had not made much headway in determining who killed them. But complicity between militia leader Kankonde and some intelligence officials had delayed his arrest up to now, according to sources who spoke to RFI Service Afrique correspondent Kamanda wa Kamanda Muzembe. Kankonde's arrest was a "big catch", according to Tresor Kabangu, a lawyer for some of the defendants in the trial. Congolese military justice head Jean-Blaise Bwamulundu said Kankonde will be brought to court shortly. US Ambassador to DRC Mike Hammer said that America would "continue to support Congolese and UN efforts to uncover the truth. No impunity!" (JNS) Should Jewish communal organizations aim to achieve consensus above all or bear witness to the truth? Both in the Diaspora and in Israel, Jews are divided over politics, religion and worldview. These arguments, moreover, generally carry an emotionally fraught sub-text; that the opposing side threatens to undermine Jewish security and the existence of the Jewish people. This makes it even more difficult for Jewish organizations whose aim is to protect and defend the Jewish people from ever saying anything about contentious issues of the day. In the United States, J Street has calle... The coronavirus may have you thinking more about your mortality. After all, what if? Pandemic or not, it's important to consider what would happen to your bank accounts, your home, your belongings i.e., everything you own and, perhaps, your dependents, if you're no longer here. In other words, you should prepare a will if you don't already have one. In every jurisdiction, if there isn't a valid will, assets will pass on to your heirs by law, who may or may not be who you would have provided for in a will," said Samantha Weyrauch Davis, an estate planning attorney and director with the law firm Hall Estill in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "It also lets you name a guardian for children." skynesher If you pass away with no will called dying intestate a state court decides who gets your assets and, if you have children, who will care for them. This means that if you have an unmarried partner or a favorite charity but no will, your assets may not end up with them. Typically, the courts will pass on assets to your closest blood relatives, even if that wouldn't have been your first choice. A will is just one piece of an "estate plan." An estate just refers to what you own your financial accounts, possessions and any real estate. Putting a plan in place for those assets helps ensure that upon your death, your wishes are carried out and that family squabbles don't evolve into destroyed relationships. In other words, it's partly about making things easier for your loved ones during an already-difficult time. Here's what else you should consider if you want to prepare a will. What a will can and cannot do A will is a document that lets you relay who gets what when you pass away. You can get as specific as you want (i.e., you leave a certain family heirloom to a particular person) or keep it more general (i.e., you want your surviving spouse to get everything). However, there are some assets that pass outside of the will, including retirement accounts such as 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts, as well as life insurance policies. This means the person named as a beneficiary on those accounts will generally receive the money no matter what your will says. (Be aware that 401(k) plans require your current spouse to be the beneficiary unless they legally agree otherwise). Regular bank accounts, too, can have beneficiaries listed on a payable-on-death form, also known as a POD, which your bank can supply. If no beneficiary is listed on those non-will items or the beneficiary has already passed away, the assets automatically go into probate. That's the process by which all of your debt is paid off and then the remaining assets are distributed to heirs. The process can last several months to a year or more, depending where you are and what's involved in handling your estate. If you own a home, be sure to find out how it should be titled to ensure it ends up with the person (or people) you want it to, because the laws can vary from state to state. Moreover, there can be other considerations when it comes to how a house is titled, including protection from potential creditors or for tax reasons later when the home is sold. Where to get a will You can turn to an estate planning attorney in your local area to ensure familiarity with state laws or use an online option. However, be aware that not all of the web-based alternatives will necessarily reflect the specifics of your state's law. "There's risk in doing it that way," Davis said. "Those forms or software may not be compliant with your local law, so look at the fine print." If an online option ends up being appropriate for your situation, you may be able to find a form to download for free. Software will-making options can run about $60 or more, depending on what else is included. To set up an estate plan with an attorney could run several hundred dollars to more than $1,000, depending on the complexity of your situation. Also, you'll need to have a witness and/or notary sign it and make the document official, depending on the state where you live. The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel's website offers a guide to laws and accommodations in every state if in-person meetings are not permitted due to the pandemic. More from Personal Finance: Here's how unpaid debt is handled when a person dies These are the top 10 cities for summer staycations Here are jobs created by the coronavirus pandemic Another big decision As part of the will-making process, you'll need to pick an executor of your will (sometimes called a personal representative). This can be a big job, experts say. Things such as liquidating accounts, ensuring your assets go to the proper beneficiaries, paying any debts not discharged (i.e., taxes owed to the IRS), and even selling your home could be among the duties undertaken by the executor. In other words, just because you've known your best friend since elementary school doesn't mean handling the challenge of being an executor is up their alley. Other documents to prepare, while you're at it Typically, estate planning also includes preparing a few other legal documents. This includes an advance health-care directive, also known as a living will. This document outlines your wishes if you become incapacitated due to illness or injury. Say you are on life support. Instead of a loved one making the agonizing decision whether to end all life-saving measures, your wishes would be specified in a legal record. It's also worth assigning powers of attorney. If you become incapacitated, the people you grant powers of attorney will handle your medical and financial affairs if you cannot. Often, the person who is given this responsibility when it comes to your health care is different from whom you would name to handle your financial affairs. As with choosing an executor, make sure whoever you hand the financial reins to is trustworthy and smart. "I tell my clients it's really important to carefully consider the individuals you name," Davis said. "You want to make sure they have the ability, skill set, time and desire to make such decisions and do these sorts of things." Make a list of critical documents While it can be hard to imagine your own death, picture your family having to search through drawers for your original will, documents regarding your bank accounts and other assets, and maybe even your Social Security number. The best way to avoid forcing them to deal with that task on top of mourning is to leave an organized list of information that the will's executor will need to settle your estate, experts say. Be sure this includes passwords so your online accounts can be accessed. Consider a trust Ihre Browsereinstellung akzeptiert keine Javascript-Funktion. Bitte aktivieren Sie diese, so dass Sie diese Seite uneingeschrankt nutzen konnen. Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday delivered a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trumps rhetoric on the unrest over George Floyds death, deriding what he described as lack of leadership just hours after the president urged governors to dominate amid escalating violence on city streets. I heard what the president said about dominating and fighting," Baker said, referencing a teleconference call Monday in which the president called most governors weak and emphasized that only an overwhelming National Guard presence would quell violence. I know I should be surprised when I hear incendiary words like this from him, but Im not. Baker argued the president, under fire for a string of recent comments targeting protestors and Democrats, seemed driven by bitterness and self-interest, which is not what we need in Boston, not what we need now in Massachusetts, and not what we need across this great country of ours either. When the country needed compassion and leadership the most, it was simply nowhere to be found, Baker said in a news conference from the Massachusetts State House. Floyd died a week ago during an arrest in which a white Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground with his knee for almost 9 minutes. Baker noted that on Sunday, tens of thousands of protestors assembled peacefully throughout the day in the commonwealths capital before several criminals instigated violence. Baker added that he was not on the call with the president because he was focused on state reopening plans amid the coronavirus pandemic. He said that state officials were in ongoing discussions with a host of elected officials, public safety experts and members of the black and Latino communities to overcome injustices that have lasted generations. We have to enhance the transparency and accountability in law enforcement and criminal justice systems, he said. There are no easy answers, but there is an opportunity to make progress and improve. Related Content: Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 05:27:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Saud Abu Ramadan, Emad Drimly RAMALLAH, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The political ties between Israel and Palestine are difficult to be disengaged although the Palestinians announced the abolition of all the agreements reached with Israel in response to Israeli annexation plan, said Palestinian political analysts. Nabil Amro, a former Palestinian diplomat, said that "the absence of a political track to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has turned the relationship between the two sides to be so hard to get disengaged." "The transitional Oslo Accords had established a de facto status during the past 25 years, which included administrative and economic ties and daily life coordination that it is hard to skip nowadays," said Amro. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced two weeks ago that the state of Palestine and the Palestine Liberation Organization are not bound to all the bilateral agreements that had been reached with the governments of Israel and the United States. A few days later, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Ishtaye announced that the Palestinian side began to implement the leadership's decision on the ground and has stopped coordination with Israel on all levels, including security cooperation. The Palestinian decision was made in response to an Israeli government plan of annexing the Jordan Valley and imposing Israeli sovereignty on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which is expected to come into effect on July. However, some local Palestinian political analysts told Xinhua in separate remarks that the practical implementation of the Palestinian decision of ending all the agreements with Israel is very complicated in regards to the nature of entanglement in the ties between the two sides over the past two decades. Hani al-Masri, director of Masarat Center for Researches and Studies in Ramallah, said that "the intertwining relationship between Israel and Palestine is very big and large, and both sides' interests are linked. Therefore, it will be so hard to overcome the existing agreements." "Implementing the decision of ending all the agreements with Israel is a hard disengagement and needs a long process that must start with gradual steps until reaching the level of the abolition of all agreements and understandings," said al-Masri. He suggested that the Palestinian side can put a multi-stage plan to make a gradual disengagement from all agreements and understandings reached with Israel. "Then, the Palestinians can reach a stage of changing facts on the ground and reach the goal of ending the Israeli occupation," al-Masri added. Peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians had stopped in 2014, nine months after it had been sponsored by the U.S. without achieving any breakthrough to resolve the conflict which has been going on for so many decades. U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial peace plan, known as the Deal of the Century, made it more complicated for both sides to resume their peace talks after the Palestinians slammed the U.S. plan and rejected it. While Israel insists on annexing around 30 percent of the West Bank, including the Jordan Valley and several Israeli settlements, the Palestinians said that this plan means that Israel on purpose is undermining the vision of the two-state solution. Enditem Syracuse, N.Y. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said today he was proud of the way the community responded during protests on Sunday after a tense period of unrest and looting the night before in downtown Syracuse. Thats what this country is all about, Walsh said of the peaceful demonstrations that took place Sunday. Im proud that as a city that was able to happen in a largely safe and respectful manner. Community leaders, police and the protesters themselves all came together to produce a good outcome, Walsh said during a press conference today. Though a number of protesters remained downtown for hours after a city-imposed curfew expired, they eventually left without incident. The intense police response that occurred on Saturday, which included tear gas and rubber bullets, did not repeat itself. Walsh several times credited community leaders who worked to keep the Sunday protest positive. He also noted that earlier on Sunday, community members and business owners joined city employees to work on cleaning up the damage from the night before. That was a beautiful sight, Walsh said. Certainly sorry to see that we did have some unfortunate events that transpired. I think its important to be mindful of the reasons that protests are happening to begin with. He also said that even though Saturday ended in unrest, most of the day was peaceful. The city should expect more demonstrations since the systemic racism that inspires them has not been addressed, Walsh said. He added hes committed to working to improve those problems. Thats how we heal, he said. We talk. We listen. We develop relationships. Thats going to be an ongoing process. Syracuse was just one of dozens of cities across the country to see protests and unrest sparked by the death last month of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd died after an officer pressed a knee into his neck for several minutes. The officer involved, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with murder. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said the community handled itself well on Sunday. He and Walsh both said the looters and vandals werent representative of the broader group of protesters. Both said they want to work on the underlying issues that caused the protests. Some serious things need to be addressed and have needed to be addressed for a long time, McMahon said. Our community, I think, has been working on these. The calmer situation on Sunday prompted Walsh and McMahon to lift the curfews they previously imposed. Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 [The stream is slated to start at 9:30 a.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.] New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is scheduled to address the public Monday after the city was rocked over the weekend by protests over the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis last week. The protests, which were sparked after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin killed Floyd a week ago by kneeling on his neck for almost nine minutes during an arrest, turned violent in New York City and elsewhere. Images flooded social media over the weekend of police clashing with protesters, reporters were arrested on live television and businesses were destroyed. De Blasio's 25-year-old daughter, Chiara, was among those arrested in New York City for unlawful assembly on Saturday. The New York Post reported that she refused to leave a Manhattan site after officers ordered protesters to clear out because people were throwing things. The Associated Press reported that more than 4,400 people across the country have been arrested at protests over the past few days. De Blasio on Sunday defended the NYPD's response to protesters and lauded officers for showing "tremendous restraint," even as the department faced sweeping criticism in the face of videos that some said showed abuse of protesters. De Blasio did call for an investigation into at least one incident in which two police vehicles drove into a group of protesters. "I didn't like what I saw one bit," he said Sunday of a video showing the confrontation. Health officials have warned that the protests and mass gatherings will likely exacerbate the coronavirus outbreak in the most vulnerable communities. Black Americans make up a disproportionate share of the deaths in the U.S. caused by the coronavirus because of factors including income inequality and disparity in access to health care. Read CNBC's live updates to see the latest news on the Covid-19 outbreak. The Associated Press SpaceX delivered two astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA on Sunday, following up a historic liftoff with an equally smooth docking in yet another first for Elon Musks company. With test pilots Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken poised to take over manual control if necessary, the SpaceX Dragon capsule pulled up to the station and docked automatically, no assistance needed. The hatches swung open a few hours later, and the two Dragon riders floated into the orbiting lab and embraced the three station residents. Docking confirmed Crew Dragon has arrived at the @space_station! pic.twitter.com/KiKBpZ8R2H SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 31, 2020 Unlike the SpaceX and NASA flight control rooms, where everyone was spaced well apart, there was no social distancing or masks needed in orbit since the new arrivals had been in quarantine for many weeks. The whole world saw this mission, and we are so, so proud of everything you have done for our country and, in fact, to inspire the world, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a call from Mission Control in Houston. This is the first time in human history @NASA_Astronauts have entered the @Space_Station from a commercially-made spacecraft. @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug have finally arrived to the orbiting laboratory in @SpaceX's Dragon Endeavour spacecraft. pic.twitter.com/3t9Ogtpik4 NASA (@NASA) May 31, 2020 They made it. After launching from @NASAKennedy on the @SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft yesterday, @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug have officially joined the @Space_Station crew today at 1:02pm ET making history in the process. pic.twitter.com/A7oExw0SlD NASA (@NASA) May 31, 2020 Hurley credited SpaceX and added, Its great to get the United States back in the crewed launch business. It was the first time a privately built and owned spacecraft carried astronauts to the space station in its more than 20 years of existence. NASA considers this the opening volley in a business revolution encircling Earth and eventually stretching to the moon and Mars. NASA is not going to purchase, own and operate rockets and capsules the way we used to, Bridenstine said. Were going to partner with commercial industry. The docking occurred barely 19 hours after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off Saturday afternoon from Kennedy Space Center, the nations first astronaut launch to orbit from home soil in nearly a decade and drawing a Washington delegation led by President Donald Trump. NASA said peak viewership online hit 10 million. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, thousands jammed surrounding beaches, bridges and towns as SpaceX ended a nine-year launch drought for NASA. The achievement, years in the making, is expected to drive down launch costs so more people might be able to afford a ticket to space in the coming years. Behnken told the welcoming committee at NASAs Johnson Space Center that the Dragon was a slick vehicle and said he was surprised at how rough the ride was on the latter part of ascent, compared with the space shuttle, which he and Hurley rode twice. Dragon was huffing and puffing all the way into orbit, he said. Two Texas members of Congress at Johnson for the docking Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Brian Babin said the flight offered inspiration and hope during a particularly tough time of protests and pandemic. Having it go off without a hitch was a tremendous blessing for our country, Babin told the astronauts. Gleaming white in the sunlight, the Dragon was easily visible on NASA TV from a few miles away from the space station, its nose cone open and exposing its docking hook as well as a blinking light. Hurley and Behnken took over the controls and did a little piloting less than a couple hundred yards (meters) out as part of the test flight, before putting it back into automatic for the final approach. Once onboard the space station, Hurley said the capsule, newly named Endeavour after the retired shuttle, handled extremely well. He was the pilot on the last US spaceship to visit the space station the last shuttle flight, by Atlantis, in July 2011. Restoring American launch capability nine years later, he noted, is just one effort that we can show for the ages in this dark time that weve had over the past several months to kind of inspire, especially the young people in the United States, to reach for these lofty goals. There was one small glitch: Hurley bumped his head entering the space station and frequently wiped his forehead during the welcoming ceremony. NASA turned to private industry to pick up the slack following the shuttle fleets retirement, hiring SpaceX and Boeing in 2014 for space station taxi services. Boeings first astronaut flight isnt expected until next year. Until Saturday, SpaceX had launched only space station supplies or satellites. The companys employees took to calling the astronauts dads to drive home the fact that two lives were at stake in this highly technical effort. Clearly relieved, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted a big welcome home to the Dragon fliers Americas two favorite dads. Welcome home @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug! Americas two favorite dads in space have docked to the @Space_Station. https://t.co/e2KaxtW4Gf Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) May 31, 2020 NASA has yet to decide how long Hurley and Behnken will spend at the space station, somewhere between one and four months. While theyre there, theyll join NASAs Chris Cassidy and two Russian station residents in performing experiments and possibly spacewalks to install fresh station batteries. While US astronauts will continue to catch a ride on Russian Soyuz rockets, it will be through a barter system now that NASAs commercial crew program has finally taken flight. NASA had been shelling out tens of millions of dollars for every Soyuz seat. (Also read: Russian space agency applauds NASA-SpaceX launch, calls Trump's reaction 'hysteria') In a show-and-tell earlier Sunday, the astronauts gave a quick tour of the Dragons sparkling clean insides, quite spacious for a capsule. The blue sequined dinosaur accompanying them their young sons toy, named Tremor was also in good shape, Behnken assured viewers. Tremor was going to join Earthy, a plush globe delivered to the space station on last years test flight of a crew-less crew Dragon. Behnken said both toys would return to Earth with them at missions end. An old-style capsule splashdown is planned. After liftoff, Musk told reporters that the capsules return will be more dangerous in some ways than its launch. Even so, getting the two astronauts safely to orbit and then the space station had everyone breathing huge sighs of relief. As always, Musk was looking ahead. This is hopefully the first step on a journey toward a civilization on Mars, he said Saturday evening. 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. >>> Vietnam records no new COVID-19 infections in community for 46 days On May 30, CNN posted an article appreciating Vietnam's COVID-19 control, highlighting a series of highly effective measures that the country has implemented. According to the American cable channel, Vietnam has written a success story in handling the pandemic and preventing any deaths. With a population of 97 million, so far only a small number of infection cases have been recorded without a single coronavirus-related death. This is all the more remarkable considering that Vietnam is a low-middle income country with a much less-advanced healthcare system than that of others in the region, CNN said. Meanwhile, Russian online news site kp.ru has run an article looking at Vietnam's prevention and control of COVID-19, from the time the country not reporting any infection cases to the removal of social distancing measures due to the epidemic. The article stated that Vietnam acted proactively in conducting sanitary epidemiological measures even before the first COVID-19 case was recorded. As the number of cases increased, the country became more aggressive and began implementing strict quarantine measures. According to the article, one of the reasons for Vietnams success is that it responded to the epidemic in a prompt manner. Officials of the Agriculture Department on a tractor spraying pesticides to kill locusts as a farmer works in a field in Pipli Pahar village in Pakistan's central Punjab province on Feb. 23, 2020. (Arif Ali/AFP via Getty Images) Locust Invasion Wreaks Havoc on Pakistans Crops, Orchards MULTAN, PakistanAn invasion of locusts has spread across Pakistan, officials said late last week, causing damage to crops and orchards and posing a threat to food security in an impoverished Islamic nation already struggling to tackle a virus pandemic that has caused more than 1,300 deaths. Massive swarms of the desert locust, which experts say originates in Africa and is the most destructive of the locust species, began damaging crops in Pakistan last month. But the situation worsened this week and authorities began dispatching aircraft and spraying machines filled with pesticides mounted on vehicles to eliminate the insects, which are roughly the length of a finger and fly together by the millions. Farmers could be seen wading through clouds of the insects as some tried to kill them with sticks. Chaudhry Asghar, an agriculture officer in the Punjab provincial capital of Multan, said millions of desert locusts had already damaged orchards, crops, and vegetables. We have intensified efforts to save our crops from any further invasion of locusts, Syed Fahar Imam, national food security minister, said May 29. He said the government will buy five more aircraft for spraying crops. The insects have wreaked havoc on swathes of farmland in eastern Punjab, southern Sindh, and southwestern Baluchistan province. They also attacked crops in the northwest bordering Afghanistan. The locusts have also brought agricultural destruction to neighboring India, where critics pointed the finger at Pakistan as a new breeding ground for the desert locusts. Pakistani officials said no country should blame another for the situation, but all affected countries need to make collective efforts to prevent a possible food crisis in the region. Farmers say while crops of rabi, a type of grain, were sown in winter and harvested in the spring, locusts are damaging cotton and vegetable crops sown in April. I have already lost my cotton crop and vegetables because of these locusts, said Abdul Rehman, a farmer in Baluchistan province. He wondered what they would eat if the locusts continued unchecked. The National Disaster Management Authority said resources were being mobilized and operations were underway to curb the locust invasion. In a statement, it said 1,150 teams of experts have expanded operations by spraying swarms of desert locusts in 61 districts across the country. Arrangements were also being made to combat another possible attack of desert locusts expected in July and August. Meanwhile, Pakistan has struggled to contain the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, with more than 69,496 cases confirmed and more than 1,483 fatalities. The country on May 29 reported 57 virus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, its most in a single day since the outbreak began in February. Infections increased recently across Pakistan, including in the capital of Islamabad, after the government eased lockdown restrictions, ignoring warnings from medical professionals. Despite increasing numbers of cases and virus-related fatalities, international air travel was resumed on May 30, after flights were suspended in March to contain the spread of the virus. Pakistan announced all required measures will be taken for the safety of passengers by deploying medical teams at airports to screen passengers and cabin crews. Cyclone 'Nisarga' will make landfall along the Maharashtra coast on Wednesday with wind speed ranging up to 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph, besides heavy rainfall and storm and storm surges of 1-2 metres in Mumbai and other coastal areas of the state, said the Home Ministry in a statement on Tuesday. The storm is likely to impact Mumbai, Thane and other coastal districts like Raigad and Palghar along with Valsad, Navsari, Surat, Bhavnagar and Bharuch districts of Gujarat and Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Ahead of the expected landfall, Mumbai and its metropolitan areas received rainfall since evening on Tuesday, which intensified later in the night. "Met updates at 10.30pm, June 2. Mumbai and around rainfall since evening. Now its picked up intensity," said IMD's Mumbai Deputy Director General of Meteorology KS Hosalikar. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) earlier in the day said the cyclone is very likely to intensify into a "severe cyclonic storm" over the next 12 hours and cross Maharashtra and south Gujarat coast on Wednesday afternoon. It has predicted moderate rainfall in most parts of the metropolis and heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated places over the next 24 hours. Preparations for the impending cyclone were discussed at a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, said the statement from the ministry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with the chief ministers of Maharashtra and Gujarat and assured them of all help from the Centre. He also spoke with the administrator of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli Praful K Patel, said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). Maharashtra and Gujarat on alert In a televised address, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said it was likely to be more severe than cyclonic storms in the past, and asked people to stay alert. The NDRF has deployed 40 teams in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Additional teams are also being airlifted. Rescue and relief teams of the Indian Army and the Indian Navy along with ships and aircrafts of the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force have been put on standby. Ships of the Indian Coast Guard are already engaged in rescuing fishermen at sea. In Gujarat, the administration has started evacuating over 78,000 people from four districts close to the coastline, officials said on Tuesday. Thirteen teams of the NDRF and six of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed at different locations, said Relief Commissioner Harshad Patel. As many as 78,971 persons living near the seashore in Valsad, Surat, Navsari and Bharuch districts are being shifted to safer locations, he said. Patel said the administration has identified 140 buildings to be utilised as temporary shelters for the evacuees in these four districts. In relief to people living near the shore, the IMD indicated the cyclone may not make a landfall on the Gujarat coast. Bulk SMS facility provided by Telecom Department was being used to warn residents likely to be affected by the cyclone and evacuation of people was also underway. The states and central agencies have been told that special efforts may be made to ensure that essential medical services to COVID patients are not disrupted. Agencies were also directed to activate contingency plans to ensure safety of power, telecommunication, nuclear, chemical, aviation and shipping infrastructure and assets. DGCA issues guidelines The Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued a circular to airlines and pilots on Tuesday, reiterating its guidelines on adverse weather operations as Cyclone Nisarga approaches Maharashtra and Gujarat. "Domestic aviation activities have recently been started after a period of two months. Operators and individuals have a challenge at hand in restarting flying after a prolonged period of non-flying and the associated weather at this time of the year across India," said the DGCA in the circular. Operations at the Mumbai airport, which has been handling 50 domestic flights daily since May 25, are likely to be significantly affected on Wednesday due to the cyclone. Airport operator MIAL on Tuesday said it has taken various measures to safeguard passengers and the aircraft at the aerodrome. 'Stay inside for two days' The Maharashtra CM said all efforts were being made to ensure there was no loss of life due to the cyclone, with the Army, Navy and Air Force on stand-by. Thackeray also elaborated on 'do's and don'ts' in the situation. "The cyclone could be more severe than the other storms....Tomorrow and the day after are crucial in coastal areas," he said. "Activities which had resumed (as part of easing of lockdown to contain coronavirus) will be kept shut there for the next two days in view of the cyclone....it is in our interest that people remain alert and inside their homes," he said. "All the fishermen have been contacted. In Palghar, some fishermen were not reachable till afternoon, but were contacted later. We will bring them back in time. Nobody should venture into the sea for the next two days," he said. Power supply may be disconnected if it rains heavily, he said, and warned people against using electrical appliances when not needed. Important documents in home should be kept safe and battery-operated devices like mobile phones should be charged, he said. "Don't believe rumours and don't spread rumours. Follow the instructions aired by Doordarshan and Akashvaani," he said. (With inputs from PTI) A student activist who was suspended from the University of Queensland for two years after criticising its links to China has been attacked by Chinese state media. Drew Pavlou was banned from completing his philosophy degree until at 2022 on Friday after the university accused him of 11 cases of misconduct, which were detailed in a confidential 186-page document. The Chinese Communist Party-controlled tabloid Global Times on Sunday rubbed salt in the wound, citing anonymous students celebrating the suspension. Drew Pavlou was banned from completing his politics degree until at 2022 on Friday after the university accused him of 11 cases of misconduct. Pictured during a rally Pavlou (pictured with a friend) said he would continue to advocate for justice and equal human rights The article labelled Pavlou an 'anti-Chinese rioter' while saying his peers were celebrating that 'justice finally came'. Four anonymous Chinese and Australian students were quoted in the piece accusing him of inciting violence and racism while smearing Chinese students. In response Pavlou claimed Chinese state media had directed UQ to expel him, and said the university was dependent on income from Chinese students and donors. 'Chinese state media have just decided to go full mask off, endorsing my expulsion from UQ,' he wrote on Twitter. 'UQ relies on the Chinese market for 20 per cent of its income. Moral courage!' A statement from University of Queensland confirmed fees from Chinese students make up about 20 per cent of revenue. Drew Pavlou (pictured) is a passionate activist for Taiwan and Hong Kong independence, as well as an anti-poverty campaigner The campus has the fifth highest international student fee income in Australia, and about 18,000 of the 53,000 students enrolled are from overseas. 9,000 of those students are from China. In 2018, international students contributed $570million in tuition fees, and the state of Queensland generates about $1million each year per three international students. A statement released by UQ explained it usually does not comment on individual disciplinary matters for confidentiality purposes. But it did state that it 'rejected recent unsubstantiated accusations about any political motivations' and revealed Pavlou had been previously warned that he 'does not have the authority to speak on behalf of the University.' Pictured: 20-year-old student activist Drew Pavlou at a protest prior to his suspension 'The University has directed Mr Pavlou to cease purporting to make statements on behalf of the University,' the statement read. As justification for his suspension the university claimed Mr Pavlou breached integrity and harassment policies, though Chancellor Peter Varghese conceded aspects of the ruling 'concerned' him. 'There are aspects of the findings and the severity of the penalty which personally concern me,' Mr Varghese said in a statement on Friday night. Mr Pavlou is appealing the ruling and will be able to continue his studies until a verdict is drawn. He is due to complete his degree in six months, meaning he may graduate before his suspension begins. The politics student believes his university caved to pressure from Chinese influence to suspend him. 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. 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. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Dentists across New York state can reopen beginning Monday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Sunday. New York dentist offices will be subject to state guidance about best practices for safety and social distancing, according to a news release from the governors office. Under the state executive order that closed non-essential businesses, only dental emergencies were permitted prior to Sundays announcement. Now dentistry facilities will be able to provide all dental care, including emergency, and non-emergency/elective care. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** NEW: New York dentists can reopen statewide tomorrow. Dentists' offices will be subject to safety and social distancing guidelines. Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 31, 2020 Dental health-care personnel must wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and staff with duties unrelated to patient care, like clerical staff, should wear face coverings at all times. According to state guidance, dentist offices must ensure a distance of at least six feet is maintained between patients, accompanying visitors, and staff at all times. Patients and accompanying visitors also must wear face coverings at all times when in the dental facility, except when undergoing a dental procedure. Dentist offices should limit the number of people in waiting areas by asking patients to wait inside their vehicles or outside the facility if appropriate, while trying to minimize overlapping appointments. The announcement comes after Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-East Shore/South Brooklyn) was pushing for the dental profession to get back to work in New York earlier this month. Im glad the Governor listened to the concerns expressed by dentists, patients and legislators from around the state," said Malliotakis. "Dentistry is an essential service and with the proper precautions and PPE, these medical professionals can once again use their extensive training, expertise and discretion to care for their patients. COVID-19 CASES DECREASE The governor also announced that new cases, hospitalizations, intubations, and deaths are all declining as of Saturday. The reduction in New Yorks new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, intubations and other metrics represent tremendous progress from where we were, Cuomo said in a news release. We have gone through hell and back -- we are on the other side, and its a lesson for all of us, and we need to stay vigilant as we reopen different parts of the state so that we dont backslide. I am also authorizing dentists to resume their practices statewide starting tomorrow as long as they follow health and safety guidelines that the state is laying out and that we have been discussing with them. He confirmed an additional 1,110 cases of coronavirus -- bringing the statewide total to 370,770 confirmed cases in the state. Of those who tested positive for the virus, 203,303 are in New York City -- which includes 552 new cases in the city. During his daily briefing on Sunday, Cuomo gave an update on the number of deaths due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). According to Cuomo, 56 people died on May 30 -- down from 67 on May 29. 30 Photos of the pandemic in NYC: The gradual return to normalcy FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. Paytm Mall, the e-commerce player betting big on the Offline to Online (O2O) model, is moving its operations from Noida (Uttar Pradesh) to Bengaluru and plans to hire over 300 people for product and technology roles. In the O2O model, when a consumer places an online order for grocery and other products, those are picked up from a nearby store (not some warehouse) and delivered. This helps small shops and retailers tap into the online user, besides helping the e-commerce player expand its base of seller partners. This move to Bengaluru will help the company tap into the talent pool available in the citys consumer internet and startup ecosystem, says Paytm Mall. The existing workforce has the flexibility to either shift to Bengaluru or continue working from their current location in various roles. The company has also announced the appointment of Abhishek Rajan as the new Chief Operating Officer. During the last four years, Abhishek, an IIM-Ahmedabad alumnus, has built and scaled up Paytm's travel business. He has been credited for driving profitable revenues for the company. In his new role, Abhishek will set the vision for Mall and oversee the operations across categories such as product, technology, supply chain, marketing and finance. He will specifically focus on strengthening the commerce customer experience and expanding the hyperlocal merchant base. He will continue to oversee Paytm's travel vertical till a replacement is found. "We would like to think of Paytms e-commerce business as a Series A startup with $200 million cash in the bank, where key technology and operations components required for running a commerce business have already been built, he said, adding in the last 3 quarters, the team has done an incredible job of bringing down the cash burn to $2 million/quarter. There cannot be a better starting line for us, as we look ahead to scale the business in a profitable manner." At one point last year, Paytm Mall was losing around $17 million a quarter. Additionally, Srinivas Mothey has been elevated to Senior Vice President, Merchants Solutions at Paytm. He would be working on innovative retail solutions for merchants in his new role. Paytm Mall currently offers a wide assortment of productsmobile phones, computers, apparel, footwear, consumer electronics, home appliances, health & fitness and general merchandise. It has partnered with BigBasket for the supply of groceries on its platform. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder & CEO, Paytm said, "I am very happy to see the way Abhishek has built and led the travel business for us. In the post-COVID world, we want to bring commerce to even more customers and serve the SMEs across the country. We are well-capitalised, have a great team, and a massive network of customers to make our O2O model penetrate further in India. I am confident Abhishek will take Paytm Mall to new heights." In a case of competing deductibles, a federal appeals court has sided with an insurer and against the owner of two Houston office buildings, holding that a larger windstorm deductible applied to flood damage caused by Hurricane Harvey rather than a lower flood deductible. The insurer, Lexington Insurance Co., won by arguing that even though the building suffered only flood damage, the windstorm deductible applied because a hurricane is a windstorm. The windstorm deductible had additional provisions attached that resulted in the insured being owed no payment towards its flood loss. The case began in 2017 when two Houston buildings were damaged solely by flooding from Hurricane Harvey. The policy had two possible deductiblesa lower one involving flood damage only and a higher one for windstorms including named storms. In filing its claim, the insured owner of the buildings, Pan Am Equities, favored the generic flood deductible. The flood deductible said that $100,000 shall be deducted from any adjusted loss due to flood, which was defined to include surface water; rising waters; waves; tide or tidal water. Pan Am argued that the policy provided discrete deductibles for discrete types of losses and, if a flood loss is unaccompanied by a windstorm loss as was its case, only the flood deductible should apply. Pan Am claimed that there was no wind damage to justify using windstorm deductible. The windstorm deductible and its named storm provision were found under the Windstorm heading in the policy and thus must apply only to those losses caused at least in part by windstorm not to flood-only losses, Pan Am argued. Lexington, however, chose to apply the higher windstorm deductible. It argued that it was the correct deductible because a hurricane is a windstorm and it included a provision making clear it was to be used for losses caused by named storms (which Harvey was). While both deductibles were $100,000, the windstorm deductible also required that the claimed loss had to be more than 5% of total insurable values (TIV) for it to be triggered. Pan Ams claim did not meet this threshold. The opinion (Pan Am Equities Inc. v. Lexington Insurance Co.) written by Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Don R. Willett affirmed a district court ruling that the windstorm language was controlling. Applying Texas law, the court rejected Pan Ams position citing, among other reasons, its failure to give effect to the entire policy, including the policys anti-stacking provision, which said that if multiple deductibles applied, then the larger one prevails. The appeals court said the answer to the dispute turned on the interplay of five provisions: 1. flood deductible; 2. windstorm deductible; 3. named storm provision; 4. flood definition; and 5. anti-stacking clause. This Policy, like many insurance policies, may not rank as first-rate legal craftsmanship. But it is clear enough. Inartful is not the same as equivocal. When read as an interrelated, contextual whole, this Policy is unambiguous, Willett wrote. In siding with Lexington, the court explained: The Windstor deductible applies to all loss due to Windstorm. And the accompanying Named Storm provision enlarges what qualifies as a loss due to Windstorm to plainly encompass Harveys flood damage to Pan Ams buildings. The court said Pan Am placed undue interpretive weight on the fact that the policys named storm provision is found within the windstorm deductible. It said that the location of a provision matters lees than what the provision says. The court rejected what it called Pan Ams myopic view that the policys generic definition of flood precludes the more specific named storm provision from listing the perils covered by the windstorm deductible. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Texas Profit Loss Flood Hurricane Cyclonic storm in Arabian Sea; IMD issues red alert to coastal Maharashtra, Gujarat for June 4 India oi-PTI Ahmedabad/ New Delhi, June 01: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued a red-colour coded warning to coastal Maharashtra and Gujarat for June 4 in view of a cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea. Fishermen who have ventured into the Arabian Sea along the north and south Gujarat coasts have been advised to return by Sunday and not go out till June 4. Weather today: Southwest Monsoon hits Kerala, rain likely in northwest India from June 3 "A low pressure is currently over east central Arabian Sea and the Lakshadweep Islands. It is likely to intensify into a depression in the next 12 hours and a cyclonic circulation in the next 24 hours," the Cyclone Warning Division of the IMD said. Cabinet meet: 'Big decisions' expected as govt completes 1st year of 2nd term| Oneindia News A low pressure area is the first stage of any cyclone. "It is very likely to move nearly northwards initially till June 2 and then recurve north-northeastwards and reach near north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts around June 3," it added. The system will bring strong winds and heavy to very heavy rainfall to coastal Maharashtra and Gujarat. The IMD has issued an orange-colour coded warning to Kerala, coastal Karnataka, Goa and coastal Maharashtra for June 1. The same warning applies to coastal Maharashtra and Goa for June 2. For June 3, a red-coloured coded warning has been issued to coastal Maharashtra and Goa and an orange coloured warning to Gujarat. The red-coloured warning has been issued to coastal Maharashtra, Goa and the entire Gujarat for June 4, Sathi Devi, the head of the National Weather Forecasting Centre, said. "An intense rainfall activity is expected due to the weather system," Devi added. The IMD has four colour-coded warnings as per the intensity of any weather system -- green, yellow, orange and the last one being red. The Ahmedabad meteorological centre of IMD also advised hoisting of "distant cautionary (DC)-1" storm warning signals at all ports on north and south Gujarat coasts, as the sea condition was very likely to be "rough to very rough," with wind speed reaching 90-100 kilometre per hour gusting to 110 kilometre per hour by June 4. As death toll due to cyclone Amphan reach 98, CM Banerjee announces Rs 6,250 crore relief fund "Fishermen out at sea are advised to return to coasts by May 31. They are advised not to venture along and off south Gujarat coast on June 2, and along and off north and south Gujarat coast on June 3-4," it added. On June 2, wind speed is likely to reach 40-50 kilometre per hour gusting to 60 kilometre per hour over south Gujarat coast, with sea conditions very likely to be "rough to very rough". On June 3-4, squally wind speed is likely to reach 90-100 kilometre per hour gusting 110 kilometre per hour over Gujarat coasts, and the sea condition is very likely to be high to very high, it said. Fishermen are also advised not to venture into west central Arabian sea along and off south Oman and Yemen coasts during the next 24 hours due to depression over south coastal Oman and adjoining Yemen, the IMD said. One scientist declared that bird flu of apocalyptic magnitude can do what the current pandemic has done on a larger scale that will kill most people, reported by the NYPost. Chickens which is popular on dinner tables and one of the fast-food staples like fried chicken, could be a source of an epidemic which will alledgedly result in more deaths than coronavirus. According to DNYUZ, the scientist and doctor, Dr Michael Gregor in his book called "How to Survive a Pandemic" made the warning that an unforeseen virus will reach apocalyptic levels all because of the demand for chicken meat. This will be coming from crowded and unclean chicken farms that might be the harbinger of a human race ending viral contagion making COVID-19 look like a hiccup. According to Greger an avowed vegan, claimed that as epidemics go, the COVID-19 that registers a fatality percentage of 0.5% should be a minor rank of 3. But, the one contagion to beat all contagions is 100% more virulent with a fatality of 1 in everyone 2 victims, thus a possible death knell for the majority of humankind or civilization diminished to almost zero. While Gregor is convinced that poultry will be endnote and the prime cause, other claims by environmentalists warn early in May that wildlife will spawn epidemics unless a distance is kept and letting animals exist in their habitat peacefully. Next, Greger made a point by saying that pandemics keep transmitting from human to human uncontrollably, so if it does happen is moot, but when will it hit humanity, it is destructive like a tsunami. Also read: Tinder Date Gone Wrong: Man Called 911 Reporting How He Stabbed Woman After Sleeping Together Several viral contagions like the Spanish Flu and H5N1 are examples of this. Also, in most cases, viruses do mutate and adapts but will revert should the change be not suitable to infect the host. Hidden viruses waits and lurks, and virus scientist a mollified by such possibilities. During the outbreak that originated in Hong Kong, with origins from a bird market that had a three-year-old boy suffering several symptoms. The boy had a sore throat with an aching stomach that causes his blood to curdle which is followed with acute respiratory and organ failure. Only 18 people got sick, with a third of victims dying from it, confirmed by ReportDoor. When it was determined that the Bird flu pandemic was caused by poultry, about 1.3 million chickens were culled to stop the virus from spreading any further. Soon after two more outbreaks from 2003 to 2009, but not in China. Poultry or chickens are one of the meat staples all over the globe, which is not easy to replace. As a solution, Gregor suggests to consider big changes in how poultry is raised and produced. This means less big chicken farm that gives antibiotics, chances of passing pathogens is less with smaller, or free-range farms to produce the chicken or duck meat. He added there is a need to do away with large scale farmed poultry that is fed artificially, and are crammed together to pass diseases, free-range farms which are smaller and eventually not eating chickens or ducks at all. The cycle of pandemics can be stopped, and the Bird Flu can be prevented by stopping the consumption of chicken. The DailyMailUK said that Gregor added, if there is poultry then a pandemic might happen. So, it will be chicken or humans. Will the apocalyptic bird flu end the human race, or some natural catastrophe? Related article: Chinese Grad Students With Ties to Military Schools Face Expulsion as US Cancel Visas @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Workers protest against the closure of Nissan car plant in Barcelona, Spain, on 28 May. (Xavier Bonilla/NurPhoto via Getty) Manufacturers across the eurozone experienced a slight rebound in May as coronavirus restrictions began easing across many of the member states. IHS Markits eurozone manufacturing PMI gave a reading of 39.4 in May, up from a record low of 33.4 in April, but manufacturers still recorded sharp falls in new orders and output. Despite being generally looser across the region compared with April, government restrictions designed to limit the spread of the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continued to severely hamper the sector, IHS Markit said in its report. The improvement in part merely reflects the comparison against a shockingly steep fall in April, but more encouragingly was also linked to companies restarting work as virus lockdowns were eased, said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit. While we are still set to see unprecedented falls in industrial production and GDP in the second quarter, the survey brings hope that the goods-producing sector may at least see some stabilisation and even potentially a return to growth in the third quarter. Italy, which was the first EU country to be affected by the pandemic, was the best performing country in Mays survey, with a more than 14-point monthly increase in its PMI from April. Manufacturing powerhouse Germany, the largest EU economy, recorded the lowest PMI of all countries, followed by Spain. Germanys manufacturing sectors reading rose to 36.6 in May from 34.5 in April. READ MORE: EU unveils 750bn recovery plan to tackle 'immense challenge' Spains manufacturing PMI rose to 38.3 in May, from 30.8 in April, according to IHS Markit, which noted that this figure signals a further steep downturn in operating conditions amid ongoing economic restrictions. European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde warned last week that the eurozones economic output was likely to fall by between 8% and 12% in 2020. The European Commission also last week put forwards its proposal for a 750bn (674bn, $835bn) coronavirus recovery plan, which would be issued as a mixture of grants and loans to help revive member states economies. Story continues Countries like Spain and Italy, which have been the worst affected in terms of COVID-19 deaths, would stand to receive more than 300bn in grant and loans money. However, the support package will need the approval of all 27 member countries, and already Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden have said they wont support grants, only loans. Germany is debating its own stimulus package worth around 75bn to support national economic recovery after the coronavirus pandemic. On Friday night in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, protesters descended on an unoccupied New York Police Department van, which quickly became the target of all their anger and angst. After chasing officers away, people threw rocks, glass bottles, and anything and everything at the van, according to one protester, who would only identify himself as Mike. After failing to turn over the vehicle, protesters set it on fire by burning their signs inside it, he said. Soon, images and videos of the vehicle, with windows broken and engulfed in red flames, spread across social media during the first night of protests in New York City following the death of George Floyd, a Minnesota man who died on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer pinned him down by his neck for several minutes. PALO ALTO, Calif., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian (NYSE: VAR) today announced two executive appointments. Michael Hutchinson has joined the company as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer following the previously communicated retirement plans of John Kuo. The company also announced that Francis (Frank) R. Facchini, M.D., FSIR has assumed a permanent role as President of Varian's Interventional Solutions (IS) business, effective immediately. Most recently, Mr. Hutchinson served as Vice President and Advisor to the Chairman and CEO at Stryker. Prior to this role, he served as General Counsel, Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Stryker, overseeing the global Legal & Compliance organization and the corporate secretary function, and guiding the company through more than 80 acquisitions over the span of 10 years. He began his career working for several law firms and as an in-house attorney in the Washington, D.C., area. He holds a law degree from George Washington University Law School and a bachelor's degree from Clark University. Dr. Facchini joined Varian as Chief Medical Officer, Interventional Solutions in 2019, and in February 2020 transitioned to interim leader of the IS business. Since that time, he has made a significant impact on building Varian's IS business, helping to strengthen the portfolio for customers, solidifying a robust clinical strategy and hiring key leaders to help the organization grow. Dr. Facchini, a board-certified interventional radiologist, holds a clinical appointment with VIR Chicago, an independent IR clinical practice he co-founded. He is a member of the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR), where he has served as a Foundation Board Member, and is also a member of the Society of Interventional Oncology (SIO). He has expertise in minimally invasive, image-guided treatment of cancer and a special interest in the research and development of novel cancer therapies. Dr. Facchini received a Doctor of Medicine from Loyola University, Stritch School of Medicine, and a bachelor's degree from DePauw University. "Varian is propelled by a bold vision for the future of cancer care and a commitment to delivering innovative solutions for our customers and their patients," said Dow Wilson, president and CEO. "Both Michael and Frank are highly esteemed experts in their disciplines, with outstanding credentials and proven track records. We are confident that their leadership will be a tremendous asset as we continue to work toward a world without fear of cancer." 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 9,200 employees across 70 countries 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. Press Contact Aimee Corso Health + Commerce +1 (310) 780-2661 [email protected] Investor Relations Contact Anshul Maheshwari Vice President, Investor Relations +1 (650) 424-5631 [email protected] SOURCE Varian Related Links https://www.varian.com [June 01, 2020] ORYZON Publishes Characterization and Mechanism of Action of Vafidemstat, a Phase II Clinical Stage LSD1 Inhibitor, in PLOS ONE Pharmacology and preclinical efficacy reported in rodent models of cognition and behavior Detailed insight into mechanism of action MADRID, Spain and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oryzon Genomics, S.A. (ISIN Code: ES0167733015, ORY), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company leveraging epigenetics to develop therapies in diseases with strong unmet medical need, announces the publication of the pharmacological and preclinical properties of its CNS Phase II clinical stage asset vafidemstat in the peer-reviewed international research journal PLOS ONE. Vafidemstat, a CNS optimized LSD1 inhibitor, is under evaluation in several Phase II studies in different psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases and, more recently, in a Phase II study in Covid-19. The manuscript, entitled "Modulation of KDM1A with vafidemstat rescues memory deficit and behavioral alterations" and authored by Maes et al., describes the design and characterization of vafidemstat and includes a detailed analysis of its mechanism of action and the evaluation of its pharmacological properties. Vafidemstat efficiently inhibits brain lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1, also known as KDM1A) at doses suitable for long-term treatment and corrects memory deficits and behavior alterations such as aggressiveness and lack of sociability in animal models. Inhibition of LSD1 was shown to be key in achieving efficacy. Translation of preclinical data from model species to human patients is always a challenge, and this is especially true for CNS diseases, said Dr. Tamara Maes, Oryzons CSO. Nevertheless, the way our drug behaves in preclinical species correlates very well with the results obtained so far in human studies. Clinical trials in healthy volunteers and patients have shown vafidemstats favorable safety profile and pharmacological activity, which underpin its continued development in the CNS space. Oryzon scientists used proteomics to explain how vafidemstat modulates gene transcription equilibria, frequently found to be disturbed in the brain in psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, how LSD1 is involved in the trancriptional mechanisms governing neuronal plasticity, memory, behavior and response to stress. Vafidemstat also reduces the expression of neuroinflammatory markers. Interestingly, multiple genes modulated by vafidemstat in preclinical models are also differentially expressed in the brains of patients with Alzheimers disease (AD) and other CNS diseases. These published findings provided preclinical support for the subsequent design of early stage clinical trials and for the evaluation of several therapeutic indications with vafidemstat. PLOS ONE is a peer-reviewed international journal that publishes multi- and inter-disciplinary research and was founded with the aim of accelerating the pace of scientific advancement. The PLOS ONE article can be found at: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/artcle?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0233468 Vafidemstat reduced agitation-aggression in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) patients after 2 months of treatment in the Phase IIa basket trial REIMAGINE and in severe and moderate AD patients after 6 months of treatment in the Phase II trial REIMAGINE-AD. In ETHERAL, an ongoing Phase II trial in mild to moderate AD, the primary endpoint was met: the drug was safe and well tolerated after 6 months of treatment. First clear data supporting pharmacological activity in the human brain were also presented: vafidemstat mediated a significant reduction of the CSF levels of the inflammatory biomarker YKL40 in AD patients and a tendency for two other biomarkers. An additional exploratory Phase IIa trial in relapse-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, SATEEN, is ongoing. About Oryzon Founded in 2000 in Barcelona, Spain, Oryzon (ISIN Code: ES0167733015) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company considered as the European champion in Epigenetics. Oryzon has one of the strongest portfolios in the field. Oryzons LSD1 program has rendered two compounds, vafidemstat and iadademstat, in clinical trials. In addition, Oryzon has ongoing programs for developing inhibitors against other epigenetic targets. Oryzon has a strong technological platform for biomarker identification and performs biomarker and target validation for a variety of malignant and neurological diseases. Oryzon has offices in Spain and the United States. For more information, visit www.oryzon.com FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This communication contains, or may contain, forward-looking information and statements about Oryzon, including financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, capital expenditures, synergies, products and services, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally identified by the words expects, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates and similar expressions. Although Oryzon believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors and holders of Oryzon shares are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Oryzon that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include those discussed or identified in the documents sent by Oryzon to the Spanish Comision Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), which are accessible to the public. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and have not been reviewed by the auditors of Oryzon. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. All subsequent oral or written forward-looking statements attributable to Oryzon or any of its members, directors, officers, employees or any persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statement above. All forward-looking statements included herein are based on information available to Oryzon on the date hereof. Except as required by applicable law, Oryzon does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States or any other jurisdiction. Oryzons securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. Any public offering of Oryzons securities to be made in the United States will be made by means of a prospectus that may be obtained from Oryzon or the selling security holder, as applicable, that will contain detailed information about Oryzon and management, as well as financial statements. IR & Media, US & Europe: Spain: Oryzon: LifeSci Advisors LLC ATREVIA Emili Torrell Hans Herklots Patricia Cobo/Carlos C. Ungria BD Director +41 79 598 7149 +34 91 564 07 25 +34 93 515 13 13 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Fires burned in the streets and gunfire could be heard across downtown Birmingham into the early morning hours Monday as law enforcement patrolled the streets in riot gear after an effort to tear down a Confederate monument ended with businesses being burned, vandalized and broken into. By the time the sun rose, the streets were open and free of the crowds that roamed until the early hours, but shattered glass and the burned debris were still in the road. Monuments in Linn Park are covered in spray-paint and chisel marks and still on the ground was the statue of Charles Linn, who volunteered to aid the Confederate Navy and later founded Birminghams first bank. The full extent of the injuries, arrests and damage from the riots was not yet known early this morning. The toppled statue of Charles Linn Johnny Grimes sat all night outside the heavily damaged Wheelhouse salon. He rushed out after seeing video of the rioters smashing the windows of his business of three-and-a-half years. He stood on a nearby corner and watched the chaos unfold. The salon, just across from the also-vandalized Alabama Theater, had only recently opened due to the coronavirus epidemic. The items stolen, he said, can be replaced. George Floyds life cant. Johnny Grimes outside the Wheelhouse salon, the morning after the riots. Its frustrating but I can sympathize with what the African-American community is going through. I just hope something positive comes out if it. I hope it sparks a national conversation." Protesters had hours earlier tried and failed to topple Birminghams controversial Confederate monument. They then turned their outrage over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on nearby office buildings. Windows at the Alabama Power were broken and the building was entered. Birmingham bars and restaurants were then vandalized. The windows of the Alabama Theater were broken. The California Fashion Mall burned around 1:40 a.m. Birmingham riots Scenes from the protests and violence Sunday night in Birmingham, Ala. Posted by al.com on Monday, June 1, 2020 We want those other officers locked up, a woman said of the Minneapolis police who were with Floyd at the time of his death. She was standing with a group of others near one of the many trash bin fires burning hours earlier. We are sick of racism. We have put up with it for too long. We arent going to live like our grandmothers, the woman who, like others interviewed as the riots unfolded, declined to give her name. Despite the gunfire and fires, people milled the streets until after 2 a.m. as an armored police vehicle with an officer holding a rifle out the roof led a caravan of police SUVS through downtown. Birmingham protest turns violent Late Sunday night, protests in Birmingham turned violent as some of the participants of an earlier protest began smashing windows and attacking journalists. Posted by al.com on Sunday, May 31, 2020 Folks feel hurt. They fed up, said one young man walking on Third Avenue North. There was a multitude of folks trying to get their point across. One man said he had participated in the Linn Park rally but was disappointed with the turn the night took. Im all for protest, but when people get hurt and their stuff gets broken, thats wrong, he said. Guards stand outside the People's Bank of Alabama, which had windows broken during the riots. As police loudly directed people to clear areas, some responded with threats as they walked away. Journalists received taunts from protesters, some of whom would stand in front of TV cameras to block their shots. Hours earlier, demonstrators attacked several members of the media, including from AL.com. At least one TV reporter was struck in the head with a bottle. Police in tactical gear at their administration building. A guy ran off with a brick. Another is screaming for officers to kill him pic.twitter.com/PY2myBtN1J Jeremy Gray (@jgray78) June 1, 2020 Around 1 a.m., as a helicopter continued to circle overhead, uniformed guards stood in the doors of high-rise office buildings and a man who would only give the name Steve leaned on a truck by his locked bar, keeping watch. Ive heard a lot of gunshots. Its been crazy. People need to get on home. As unrest continued in Minneapolis on Saturday following the death of George Floyd during his detention by local police, leaders at the federal, state and local levels said large numbers of outsiders had seized upon protests begun by Minnesotans to advance their own political agendas. But the officials offered little evidence to show who was responsible and contradicted each other on who was to blame. They variously assigned responsibility for the escalating violence to far-right nationalists, left-wing radicals, drug cartels and possibly foreign agents in statements, news conferences and presidential tweets. Ultimately, the confusion of rioting and looting that officials said had outstripped the capabilities of local law enforcement and prompted a historic deployment of the National Guard offered little clarity and ample opportunity for opposing political parties to advance their own theories. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, told reporters he had no doubt that protests over Floyd's death began with Minnesotans frustrated and outraged "with inequality, inequities and quite honestly racism that persisted" in the state. But state officials have assessed that up to 80 percent of those protesting or rioting came from outside Minnesota, Walz said. He suggested that far-right white supremacists and perhaps organized drug cartels were chiefly responsible. A federal law enforcement official was not aware of any intelligence about cartels infiltrating the protests. But according to local officials, most people arrested in protest-related incidents were state residents. Of the 57 people arrested through Saturday morning, 47 provided a Minnesota address to authorities, said Jeremy Zoss, a spokesman for the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. Most of them gave addresses from Minneapolis and St. Paul, according to data provided to The Washington Post. The 10 other arrests were of people from another states or the state wasn't provided, Zoss said. State officials said that after reviewing posts online, they were confident far-right racist groups had encouraged their followers to descend on the state and take advantage of the crisis. John Harrington, commissioner of Minnesota's Department of Public Safety, said officials were "checking to see are they part of an organized criminal organization." "Is this organized crime? Is this an organized cell of terror?" he said, referring to posts by white nationalist groups. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, said that local law enforcement had been "overwhelmed" by the huge number of people on his city's streets. "We are now confronting white supremacists, members of organized crime, out-of-state instigators, and possibly even foreign actors to destroy and destabilize our city and our region," he said. Walz suggested that U.S. intelligence agencies were providing the state with information about who was behind the protests, implying that the National Security Agency, which monitors foreign governments and terrorist organizations, might be playing a role. U.S. officials dismissed those claims, noting that, by law, the NSA does not monitor domestic political activities. The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence, were also skeptical that foreigners were taking part in protests or had helped organized them. Foreign media, including Chinese and Russian sources, have sought to portray the violence as emblematic of systemic political failings in the United States. State officials weren't the only ones trying to pin protests in Minneapolis and other cities on politically motivated outsiders. "The voices of peaceful protest are being hijacked by violent radical elements," Attorney General William Barr said in a statement from Justice Department headquarters. Unlike state officials, Barr was unequivocal on who was to blame, claiming that the protests were "planned, organized and driven by anarchic and far-left extremist groups using antifa-like tactics," referring to anti-fascist groups that have used violence. Barr offered no evidence to support those assertions, and his descriptions ran counter to Walz, who blamed the violence, at least in part, on far-right actors. President Donald Trump wrote in a tweet that 80 percent of the Minnesota protesters had come from out of state, concurring with the governor's assessment. But like Barr, he singled out only far-left groups. "It's ANTIFA and the Radical Left. Don't lay the blame on others!" Trump tweeted. - - - The Washington Post's Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report. New Delhi, June 1 : Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday paid condolences to the two Delhi Police assistant sub-inspectors (ASI) who died of coronavirus infection. "Extremely saddened at the death of two Delhi police bravehearts in the line of duty. Their untimely demise is (a) great loss for Delhi Police. Supreme sacrifice made by them in (the) fight against Covid-19 will always be remembered. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families," the LG said in a tweet. Delhi police on Monday also paid homage to two members of its staff, "who made the greatest sacrifice in this fight against COVID", calling them "corona warriors". Kejriwal saluted the brave ASIs and said the entire Delhi is with their families in the pain. While one of the ASI died on Saturday, another died on Sunday morning. Since the outbreak of the infection, the overall coronavirus casualty in the force is three, including one constable. On May 7, Kejriwal announced an ex-gratia of Rs one crore to the family of the Delhi police constable who died of coronavirus infection. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Technavio has been monitoring the global industrial high voltage motors market size and it is poised to grow by USD 1.45 billion during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of almost 5% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005490/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Industrial High Voltage Motors Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. ABB Ltd., General Electric Co., Hitachi Ltd., Hyosung Corp., Meidensha Corp., Regal Beloit Corp., Siemens AG, TECO Electric Machinery Co. Ltd., Toshiba Corp., and WEG SA. are some of the major market participants. Although the emergence of customized industrial high voltage motors will offer immense growth opportunities, issues associated with the failure of industrial high voltage motors will challenge the growth of the market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. The emergence of customized industrial high voltage motors has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. However, issues associated with the failure of industrial high voltage motors might hamper market growth. Industrial High Voltage Motors Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Industrial High Voltage Motors Market is segmented as below: End-user Oil And Gas Industry Chemicals And Petrochemicals Industry Utilities Sector Water And Wastewater Treatment Industry Others Geography APAC Europe North America MEA South America 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=IRTNTR32176 Industrial High Voltage Motors Market 2019-2023: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our industrial high voltage motors market report covers the following areas: Industrial High Voltage Motors Market size Industrial High Voltage Motors Market trends Industrial High Voltage Motors Market industry analysis This study identifies the use of smart sensors with industrial high voltage motors as one of the prime reasons driving the industrial high voltage motors market growth during the next few years. Industrial High Voltage Motors Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the Industrial High Voltage Motors Market, including some of the vendors such as ABB Ltd., General Electric Co., Hitachi Ltd., Hyosung Corp., Meidensha Corp., Regal Beloit Corp., Siemens AG, TECO Electric Machinery Co. Ltd., Toshiba Corp., and WEG SA. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the Industrial High Voltage Motors Market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Industrial High Voltage Motors Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist industrial high voltage motors market growth during the next five years Estimation of the industrial high voltage motors market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the industrial high voltage motors market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of industrial high voltage motors market vendors Table Of Contents : Executive Summary Market Landscape Market ecosystem Market characteristics Value chain analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market segment analysis Market size 2019 Market outlook: Forecast for 2018-2023 Five Forces Analysis Five forces summary Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition Market Segmentation by End-user Market segments Comparison by End-user Oil and gas industry Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Chemicals and petrochemicals industry Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Utilities sector Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Water and wastewater treatment industry Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Others Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by End-user Customer landscape Customer landscape Geographic Landscape Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Europe Market size and forecast 2018-2023 North America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 MEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023 South America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Key leading countries Market opportunity by geography Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Vendor landscape Landscape disruption Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Market positioning of vendors ABB Ltd. CG Power and Industrial Solutions Ltd. General Electric Co. Hitachi Ltd. Meidensha Corp. Nidec Corp. Regal Beloit Corp. Siemens AG Toshiba International Corp. WEG Equipamentos Eletricos SA Appendix Scope of the report Currency conversion rates for US$ Research methodology List of abbreviations About Us 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/20200601005490/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/ HK govt rejects US statements as completely false Global Times Source:info.gov.hk Published: 2020/5/30 23:36:11 In response to the statement by President Trump on May 29 afternoon (about 3am, May 30, Hong Kong time) and comments by the United States (US) State Department over the last two days, a Government spokesman today (May 30) said: "We note with deep regret that President Trump and his administration continue to smear and demonise the legitimate rights and duty of our sovereign to safeguard national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) which in turn is aimed at restoring stability to Hong Kong society. Our society has been traumatised by escalating violence and threats of terrorism over the past year. "Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China. Any suggestion that the People's Republic of China does not have the right to protect its own territory from separatists, terror and anarchy does not stand up to scrutiny and smacks of hypocrisy and double standards. To allege that the improved legal system and enforcement mechanisms targeting an extremely small minority of criminals to be introduced by the national security law is undermining Hong Kong people's freedoms is simply fallacious. "As pointed out by the Secretary for Security in the Legislative Council on May 27, every country has legislation in place to safeguard national security. He said that by way of web search, it was easy to find such legislation in the United States - comprising at least 20 relevant laws including the National Security Act, Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA Patriot) Act, Logan Act, Homeland Security Act, Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Foreign Agents Registration Act, Foreign Missions Act, Alien Registration Act and Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act. "We believe the existence of those laws to safeguard a country's national security and sovereignty does not give rise to fears of the loss of liberties by its people that will warrant international debate or interference by another country. It is generally acknowledged that all citizens should have the duty to safeguard their country's interests and hence the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights explicitly states that the rights of individuals are subject to legal restrictions on the grounds of national security. "If the mere enactment of a national security law is a universal sovereign obligation and does not contradict with individual freedoms and the rule of law, the reactions of the US and other foreign governments since the approval by the National People's Congress (NPC) of the Decision to enact such a law for application in the HKSAR are totally misplaced. The Decision to authorise the NPC Standing Committee to prepare and enact the law is part of a two-step legislative process and as stipulated in the Decision, the NPC Standing Committee has to prepare the legislation based on clearly stated objectives and basic principles. "The proposed law only targets acts of secession, subverting state power, organising and carrying out terrorist activities, as well as activities interfering with HKSAR's internal affairs by foreign or external forces. The five basic principles include firmly safeguarding national security, bettering the system of 'One Country, Two Systems', governing Hong Kong in strict accordance with the law, resisting external interferences in Hong Kong's affairs and upholding the legal rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people. "In a subsequent statement issued by the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on May 29, it reaffirmed that the enactment of national security legislation would not change the high degree of autonomy enjoyed by the HKSAR; it would have no impact on the HKSAR's judicial independence, including that of final adjudication as enshrined in the Basic Law. "President Trump's claim that Hong Kong now operated under 'one country, one system' was completely false and ignored the facts on the ground," the spokesman said. The spokesman said that in exercising our high degree of autonomy under "One Country Two Systems", the HKSAR Government was resolutely committed to upholding its international responsibilities and agreements with the US and all countries in areas such as trade, investment protection, mutual legal assistance, the fight against transnational crime and terrorism, as well as education and cultural exchanges. It is relevant to note that many of these bilateral co-operations are underpinned by multilateral institutions such as the World Trade Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, etc. or bilateral agreements negotiated over the years such as the Tax Information Exchange Agreement or Air Services Agreement. They are not a "gift" to Hong Kong by another jurisdiction. "We do not believe that sanctions or trade restrictions against Hong Kong are justified. They will lead to a breakdown of the mutually beneficial Hong Kong-US relationship built up over the years and only hurt local and US businesses in Hong Kong and the people working for them. "We are not unduly worried by such threats as Hong Kong will continue to rely on her fundamental strengths of the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, free and open trade policy, level playing field, etc. and unique advantages brought about by the continuous opening up of the Mainland economy. Also, in recent years, we have been doubling our efforts in diversifying our markets, including more focus on the fast-growing ASEAN economies, which as a whole was Hong Kong's second largest trading partner, accounting for 12.1% of our total trade in 2019 (as compared to 6.2% with the US) and destined to grow," the spokesman said. In terms of bilateral trade, the US has been enjoying a trade surplus with Hong Kong over the years which has been the biggest among all its trading partners. In 2019, total trade in goods between Hong Kong and the US stood at HK$517 billion (i.e. 6.2% of our total trade in goods), whereas our domestic exports to the US was a modest HK$3.7 billion. According to the US, US enjoyed a trade surplus of over HK$200 billion with Hong Kong in 2019. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New Delhi, June 1 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that public sector banks (PSBs) sanctioned collateral free loans worth Rs 3,200 crore to the MSME sector in a single day on June 1. The loans were sanctioned under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme that provides emergency credit lines and working capital to businesses, ensuring that the current coronavirus outbreak does not result in liquidity crisis for businesses. "On a single day 1 June '20, #PSBs have sanctioned collateral-free loans worth Rs 3,200 crore through the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme," said a tweet from the office of Sitharaman. The collateral free loan scheme is part over Rs 20 lakh crore economic package announced by the government to bring the economy back on track from the disruptions caused by Covid-19 pandemic. "MSME in more than 3,000 Tier-II towns were covered in one day - today - under the collateral-free loans that will enable them to pay salaries, rent, and restocking expenses," another tweet said. The government is ensuring that present coronavirus pandemic is prevented from making a serious dent on the Indian economy. It wants that investments should not be stopped and banks should ensure that all eligible borrowers get sufficient funds. Scenes of outrage and destruction have spread across America after his death The royal also hashtagged her post #BlackLivesMatter and #ICantBreathe Said: 'It grieves me... that humans have not developed past killing each other' Princess Martha Louise of Norway has shared a lengthy emotional Instagram post about the death of George Floyd. According to royal fan account @GertsRoyals, mother-of-three Martha Louise, 48, who is the eldest child of King Harald and Queen Sonja, posted the message online yesterday. Alongside an image of a protester, she wrote: 'It grieves me so deeply that we as a human race has not developed past killing each other, bringing someone else down, hurting each other because of our own insecurities....Stop this inhumanity #BlackLivesMatter'. Protests over the death of George Floyd have swept across the globe with demonstrations from Poland to New Zealand in solidarity with US demonstrators caught up in violent riots. Princess Martha Louise of Norway, 48, shared an impassioned Instagram post about the death of George Floyd, which has sparked protests across the world The royal shared the post online yesterday and said that the 'killings of innocent men and women' had been 'going on for far too long' Sharing the post yesterday, Princess Martha wrote: 'Stop!!! It has been going on for too long; the killing of innocent men and women! 'Who are these Monsters of Distorted Believes thinking they have the right to kill someone just because a different pigment of their skin?' She continued: 'When will we wake up to see that we are part of the same creation? That we are all the same? When will we wake up to see we trust and love each other, because that is what we are here on earth to do. 'How many more men and women will die, get hurt, get bullied, get theartened, before anything changes? The royal shared the emotional Instagram post alongside an image of a female protester holding a sign reading: 'George Floyd's life mattered' 'When will we wake up? Stop this inhumanity!' If there was any doubt about the meaning behind her post, the royal added that hashtags #StopTheKilling, #ICantBreathe and #BlackLivesMatter. Protests over the death of George Floyd are on-going across the globe, with thousands rallying outside the US embassies in London, Copenhagen and Berlin, chanting 'I can't breathe,' the words Floyd gasped as a white police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last Monday. They defied coronavirus lockdown and social distancing rules in Dublin, Ireland; Toronto, Canada; Cardiff, Wales; and in Milan, Italy; to protest the latest African-American death in police custody in the States. While Princess Martha doesn't live in the US, her on-off boyfriend Shaman Durek, 45, lives in Los Angeles, and has spoken about her plans to relocate to the states after lockdown (they are pictured together before lock-down) While Martha doesn't live in the states, her on-off boyfriend Shaman Durek, 45, from California, is a resident in Los Angeles. The royal visited the city shortly before the coronavirus lockdown, and Derek has spoken about Martha moving to the states in the future. In an interview with FEMAIL in April, he said: 'I can tell you one thing. It (marriage) is definitely not off the table. Our plans are eventually to live together with each other. Not in Norway, but in the US. And let me tell you, no matter what people say about us, it is our life. Martha and I are going to live the way we decide to live.' Martha Louise has been in a relationship with US-based Shaman Durek Verrett for over a year ( pictured together) Martha Louise, who hosted the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their trip to Norway in February 2018, is known for taking a down-to-earth approach to royal life and posting refreshingly honest Instagram pictures on her @Iam_MarthaLouise account. The royal has three daughters - Maud, Leah and Emma - with the late author Ari Behn, who took his own life on Christmas Day last year. Due to Norway's rules of succession favouring sons, Princess Martha Louise is fourth-in-line to the throne after her younger brother Prince Haakon, 45, and his two children, Prince Sverre Magnus, 13, and Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 15. Princess Martha Louise has long been known to have an interest in spiritual practises and last year travelled to India for a retreat with friends. Agriculture Department of Uttar Pradesh Government on Sunday asked 15 districts to remain vigilant following locust attacks in four districts of the state Lucknow: Agriculture Department of Uttar Pradesh Government on Sunday asked 15 districts to remain vigilant following locust attacks in four districts of the state. In a press statement, the Agriculture Department said that along with Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab, locust attacks were seen in Jhansi, Lalitpur, Sonbhadra, Jalaun districts of the state. Keeping this in mind the department has advised Agra, Mathura, Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Mahoba, Banda, Chitrakoot, Hamirpur and Mirzapur districts along with Jhansi, Lalitpur, Sonbhadra, Jalaun districts to remain vigilant. In the statement, the department said that actions to combat locust attacks have been initiated. "State and district level disaster relief teams have been constituted to combat locusts. In various districts of the state, 486 vehicles, 5,365 tractors mounted sprays, 2,172 Nagar Nigam tanker/tractors, 2,423 Nagar Nigam sprayers, 29,744 sugar mills/sugarcane department sprayers, 54,967 sound-producing instruments, including DJ, have been arranged," read the statement. "A total of 86 vehicles of the fire department, 1,288 tractor mounted sprayers, 312 Nagar Nigam tractor/tanker, 204 Nagar Nigam Sprays and 18,261 sound-producing instruments have been arranged in Jhansi, Lalitpur, Jalaun, Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, Mahoba, Banda, Chitrakoot, Hamirpur, Agra, Mathura, Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarpur and Baghpat districts," the statement added. Locusts, known as 'Tiddi Dal' in north India, is a type of insect that usually moves in large numbers and devastates 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 has warned of another attack in May-June this year. Notably, the first locust attack of this year was reported from Ganganagar, a district in north Rajasthan bordering Pakistan, on 11 May. A day after two Pakistan high commission officials Abid Hussain Abid and Mohammad Tahir Khan were apprehended on charges of espionage, the Delhi Police special cell probing the case said Abid operated under several fake identities to lure persons working in organisations and departments of his interest. Deputy commissioner of police (special cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said during the investigation, it emerged that Abid impersonated posed as the brother of a media person to establish contact with an individual working in Indian Railways. Abid tried to gain that individuals confidence by pretending that he needed information about rail movements for his brother who was supposedly doing a story on Indian Railways and for which he was willing to pay money. The real motive was to lure and trap the railway staff and then acquire information about movements of Army units and hardware via trains, added Kushwah said. A case under the Official Secrets Act has been registered by the special cell. A senior Delhi Police officer privy to the development said two Pakistani nationals were expelled by India after a joint team of Military Intelligence (MI) and special cell caught them allegedly obtaining classified materials on Indian security installations from defence personnel, who were used as decoy, at Bikanerwala Chowk in Karol Bagh at 10.45am on Sunday, A third Pakistani national was driving the car, in which the two came to collect classified materials and landed in the trap. The driver was let off after the Indian law enforcement authorities questioned him and found that he was not involved in the espionage. It was the driver who confirmed that Abid and Tahir were associated with the ISI, the officer said, adding that both of them were handed over to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). A statement issued by Pakistans Foreign Office spokesperson, Aisha Farooqui, said the Indian Charge dAffaires was summoned to the Foreign Office in Islamabad on Sunday for a strong demarche that conveyed Pakistans condemnation of the Indian decision to declare two officials persona non grata. It was conveyed that the Indian action was in clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the diplomatic norms, Farooqui said in the statement. Hangzhou: China and the US - responsible for around 40 per cent of the worlds carbon emissions - today jointly ratified the Paris climate change deal that aims to significantly reduce global emissions, giving hopes that the landmark accord may come into effect by the end of this year. Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama gave documents to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon here entering their nations into global climate change pact. Their approval to the agreement came a day ahead of the key summit of G20 nations in Hangzhou, where the leaders of the worlds 20 strong economies will meet. China and the US together are responsible for around 40 per cent of the worlds emissions so their ratification of the international legal document is viewed crucial. In a speech at a ceremony in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, Obama said the Paris deal was the single best chance that have to deal with a problem that could end up transforming this planet. We are moving the world significantly towards the goal we have set, he said, adding that history would show that the Paris deal would ultimately prove to be a turning point. Earlier today, Chinas parliament ratified the agreement, with President Xi saying his country was solemnly committed to the deal. We need to take an innovative approach to climate change, he said in Hangzhou. The Paris Agreement is the third attempt to address the issue of climate change, after the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The accord, which sets ambitious goals for capping global warming and funnelling trillions of dollars to poor countries, will come into effect 30 days after at least 55 countries, accounting for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, have ratified it. Lawmakers of the Standing Committee of Chinas National Peoples Congress voted to adopt the proposal to review and ratify the Paris Agreement, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Ratifying the agreement accords with Chinas policy of actively dealing with climate change, according to the proposal, which added that addressing climate change would help the country realise sustainable development. China along with 195 other countries signed the Paris Agreement at UN Headquarters in New York on April 22, Earth Day, sending a strong messaging to the international community as it joins forces against global warming. The Paris accord (COP21) aims to reverse temperature increase, mainly caused by carbon emissions. It sets a target to hold the global average rise in temperature below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and preferably below 1.5 degrees. It is a major milestone, especially after the failed climate summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2009 and disputes among countries on their responsibilities. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Chinese Mission asks EU to refrain from interfering in HK affairs People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:48, May 31, 2020 BRUSSELS, May 30 (Xinhua) -- A spokesperson of the Chinese Mission to the European Union (EU) on Friday urged the EU to refrain from interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs in any form, in response to Declaration of the High Representative on behalf of the EU on Hong Kong. The spokesperson said Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, and Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs. The legal basis for the governance of Hong Kong by the Chinese government is the Constitution of China and the Basic Law of Hong Kong, not the Sino-British Joint Declaration. It is just untenable to accuse China of not being in conformity with international commitments citing the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The spokesperson said upholding national security is always a duty of the central government. The Constitution of China and the Basic Law of Hong Kong give power and responsibilities to the National People's Congress (NPC) of China to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) at the national level. The relevant decision is designed for closing national security loopholes in Hong Kong, stopping violence and restoring law and order in Hong Kong, and ensuring Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability. The spokesperson said "one country, two systems" is China's basic state policy. The central government is firmly resolved to implement the "one country, two systems." The decision adopted by the NPC on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security in the HKSAR provides a fundamental guarantee for the full implementation of the "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy. The decision only targets acts of separatism, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference that seriously undermine national security. It will not impinge on the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents, nor the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors. The spokesperson urged the EU to observe international law and basic norms governing international relations, respect China's efforts to safeguard national security, refrain from interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs in any form, and take real actions to sustain the sound and steady development of China-EU relations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Monday, June 1, 2020 Introducing A New Book for Horse Lovers Reboot Ranch A Novel Based on a True Story, by Eileen Watkins Two years ago, Anna Loehmeyers marriage, job and life fell apart when her husband was arrested for fraud. The experience devastated her, but Anna found a new purpose when she rescued a mare bound for slaughter. After acquiring two more hard-luck equines and a small farm in western New Jersey, Anna decides to take the plunge into her own horse-rescue operation. The only person eager to help is her teenaged niece MJ, who is recovering from her own heartbreakthe untimely death of her beloved father. Formerly a good student, MJ has become depressed and rebellious, even jeopardizing her chances to get into college. She persuades her mother to let her spend the summer living and working at the rescue farm, because in her Aunt Anna she sees the only adult whos doing anything meaningful. Soon the two women recognize a bond that goes beyond family tiestheir mutual love of horses and a desire to save them from abusive situations. Less experienced than Anna, MJ learns on the job, and her mistakes awaken Annas motherly instincts and amuse Walt, a young man from a neighboring farm who helps out when needed. Signs that an intruder has been lurking around her property give Anna even more to worry about. Her greatest challenge, though, could also be her best hope for an adoption success storythe farms newest resident, an ex-racehorse named Murphy. Almost put down for seriously injuring a jockey, the big gray loves to jump, even without a rider. But is he too dangerous for Anna and MJ to handle, much less to retrain? Can they afford the natural horsemanship expert the vet recommended? For the sake of their horses, both Anna and MJ may just have to learn when and how to ask for help Buy in Paperback | Buy on Kindle About the Author, and The Story Behind the Story Eileen F. Watkins has taken riding lessons on and off for most of her life. She owned only one horse, brieflya chestnut Thoroughbred named Brenda, who inspired the equine character of Valentine in this book. Eileen initially shared Brenda with her trainer, and showed her in dressage. As Brendas health worsened, though, Eileen made the difficult decision around 2001 to surrender her to a rescue farm. At that time, Bright Futures Farm in western Pennsylvania was still young, and owner Beverlee Dee operated it mainly by herself. Under her excellent care, Brenda lived almost two more years before passing away from natural causes. Meanwhile, Beverlee shared with Eileen written anecdotes about her experiences starting the farm, and some of her more dramatic rescues. At first they considered publishing these as a non-fiction book, but ultimately Eileen felt they would work betterwith some reshuffling of events, and totally fictional human charactersas this novel. Bright Futures has grown over the decades into larger, fully accredited and highly respected Thoroughbred rescue farm. In 2003, Eileen began publishing mystery and suspense fiction with Amber Quill Press. She eventually put out eight novels through that publisher, mostly paranormal suspense written as E. F. Watkins. The one exception was her 2004 romantic mystery, Ride a Dancing Horse, set on an Andalusian horse farm. Eileen also paid tribute to Brenda in her essay Class and Courage, which appeared in the 2006 anthology Chicken Soup for the Horse Lovers Soul II. After Amber Quill closed its doors in 2015, Eileen began writing the Cat Groomer Mysteries for Kensington Publishing. The series started in 2017 with The Persian Always Meows Twice; The Bengal Identity came out in spring of 2018, and Feral Attraction in the fall of that year. Newest, as of 2019, is Gone, Kitty, Gone. The Persian Always Meows Twice won the David G. Sasher Award for Best Mystery of 2017 at the Deadly Ink Mystery Conference, and the first three books all have won Certificates of Excellence from the Cat Writers Association, Inc. Eileen is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Cat Writers Association. She serves as publicist for Sisters in Crime Central Jersey and for the annual Deadly Ink Mystery Conference. Learn more at her website, www.efwatkins.com. In Other Book News from WCY Fiona Finds Love has received a certificate of excellence in the Cat Writers Association Communications Contest for 2019! The book is now a finalist for the coveted Muse Medallion, awarded to the best entry in the categoryin this case childrens picture books. Get your copy of this winner today! https://www.amazon.com/dp/1946044482 Were please to announce that three of our books will be used in Lollypop Farms Humane Education Summer Camps at Home Program: Olivers Big Problem, Tiffany Rolls On, and Rescue Smiles are part of their summer fun curriculum. (See below for books links.) Check out their page for more info and find out how you can sign up today! Lockdowns and social distancing, masks and regular handwashing, expanded coronavirus testing, contact tracing -- all form part of public-health strategies to slow the spread of COVID-19 until one or more vaccines can be created to end the crisis. The urgency of the crisis has led research regulators around the world -- from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to Russia's federal health and biomedical agencies -- to loosen rules so that necessary human trials can be fast-tracked. Many governments are also now preparing the groundwork to speed the production and distribution of emergent vaccines that prove to be safe and effective. The World Health Organization (WHO) says there are now more than 100 possible vaccines in the research pipeline around the world. Initial clinical tests on small groups of people have begun for nearly a dozen of them. But experts warn it will still take months or more before human trials can be completed on larger test groups to ensure candidate vaccines are both effective and safe for distribution to hundreds of millions of people. Rushing Forward In Russia So some Russian experts are questioning a vaccine timeline suggested last week by Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko as being overly optimistic. Murashko told the State Duma that Russian developers could have a vaccine available around the end of July. He did not specify which developers were leading the research race in Russia or what exactly he meant by "wider application" of a resulting vaccine. When asked by Russian television about the work by Novosibirsky Vektor, the State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology, Murashko replied that some Russian developers were "more advanced and closer to the finish line" than others. "We would very much like to see a number of vaccines entering our market," Murashko said. "A vaccine is a very subtle product that unveils its qualities during applications on a wider population, including during later stages. A given drug is monitored over the course of months and years. "Preclinical trials are under way already," Murashko said. "Everything is proceeding according to schedule. So far, there have been no glitches. Hence, our prediction is that the first results and access to its wider application will be available around the end of July." But according to Vitaly Zverev, head of the molecular technologies laboratory at Moscow's Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera, Murashkos timeline is unrealistic. "Of course, you can create a prototype vaccine during such a brief period of time," Zverev told Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. "But it is impossible to have it properly tested. Hence, it would be premature to say that a mass vaccination will be launched in July." Zverev said he hoped Russia refrains from any mass vaccination campaign "until the safety and efficiency" have been proven. "That's because any vaccine would be applied to completely healthy people and we must be absolutely certain that it is safe," Zverev explained. "This cannot be tested in a few weeks or even months. It is impossible to complete this colossal amount of work in four months. Some things simply cannot be sped up." Irina Yakutenko, a molecular biologist and science journalist, told Current Time that rushing ahead and distributing an inadequately tested vaccine to millions of Russians would be a giant backward leap for science. Yakutenko warned that such a campaign could put many lives in danger, negating all the [scientific] standards that enable our well-being. Aggressive Timeline Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), has said an aggressive timeline is possible that would beat earlier predictions by having a COVID-19 vaccine ready as early as November. "We have a good chance -- if all the things fall in the right place -- that we might have a vaccine that would be deployable by the end of the year, by November-December," Fauci told CNN on May 27. Fauci explained that vaccine trials by NIAID researchers and their private-sector collaborators were now proceeding "at risk" with the four phases of human trials. That means researchers are trying to shorten the vaccine-development process by taking "the next steps before the results of the previous step" are completed. Several pharmaceutical and biotech companies are seen as private-sector leaders that have been working with governments and research institutions in the race to create coronavirus vaccines. Oxford University-AstraZeneca Oxford University's world-renowned vaccinology center, the Jenner Institute, selected AstraZeneca as its partner to help develop its adenovirus vaccine -- one of several so-called viral-vector vaccines being developed for COVID-19. Such vaccines use a virus that is generally harmless but can provoke an immune response. RFE/RL's Coronavirus Crisis Archive Features and analysis, videos, and infographics explore how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the countries in our region. The Oxford University-AstraZeneca researchers hope they can include proteins of the coronavirus in an injectable vaccine against the adenovirus -- allowing people to build up immunity to COVID-19 without contracting the disease. Reports on early clinical trials suggested a vaccine could be ready by September. But AstraZeneca is now downplaying that timeline as overly optimistic. "The hope of many people is that we will have a vaccine, hopefully several, by the end of this year," AstraZeneca head Pascal Soriot said on May 28. AstraZeneca announced recently that it had secured orders for at least 400 million doses of its still-unproven vaccine along with $1 billion in funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Pfizer The U.S.-based multinational pharmaceutical corporation Pfizer is working on several possible vaccines -- conducting its first human trials in early May and launching clinical trials with the German firm BioNTech in Europe and the United States. One of its most promising candidates is a so-called messenger-RNA (mRNA) vaccine. Albert Bourla, Pfizer's chairman and chief executive officer, has said his company now believes it could have a vaccine available by the end of 2020. "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 said on May 28. Novavax The U.S.-based vaccine-development firm Novavax started human trials of its NVX-CoV2373 vaccine earlier this week in Australia. Novavax is trying to develop a protein-subunit vaccine for the new coronavirus. The firm has issued positive public statements in recent weeks, bolstering its share price on stock markets. Reuters reported on May 28 that Novavax was buying a manufacturing facility from the Serum Institute of India in an attempt to be able to produce 1 billion doses of a future vaccine during 2021. Chinese Research China's CanSino adenovirus vaccine has emerged as the leading candidate among several potential "inactivated vaccines" being developed in China. But former U.S. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said last week that the vaccines being developed in the United States appeared to be more promising than those being developed in China. Gottlieb told CBS-TVs Face The Nation program on May 24 that data on potential vaccines that are in clinical development in China "didn't look overwhelmingly strong." "Those [Chinese] vaccines, if they do work, probably are going to provide lower levels of immunity than the platforms that the U.S. and Europeans are working with," Gottlieb said. "So I think we're going to have a better vaccine, and I think we're probably going to have it sooner, based on where we are in clinical development, some of the early progress that we've shown." In addition to the Oxford-AstraZeneca research and Pfizer, Gottlieb said the U.S. firm Moderna and the Swiss drugmaker Lonza were also working on "promising" potential coronavirus vaccines. Moderna Moderna began human trials for its mRNA vaccine in early May, fueling hopes among its executives that it could have a vaccine ready by year-end. In mid-May, the Trump administration suggested that early data from Moderna's clinical trials raised hopes that a few hundred million doses of vaccine could be delivered by the end of 2020. However, The New York Times concluded that its review of data made available by Moderna did not support the company's optimistic public statements. Questions have also been raised about moves by Moderna's top executives to dump nearly $30 million worth of company shares after the promising early results were announced. Last week, Moderna's share price dropped dramatically after U.S. media reports highlighted side effects experienced by a volunteer who took part in a clinical trial, including nausea, chills, and aching muscles. The National Identification Authority (NIA) will commence registration and issuance of Ghana Cards before the Electoral Commission begins its voters registration exercise later in June. The Deputy Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation, William Sabi has said. This he says will ensure that as many Ghanaians as possible will get the card as a basis to enroll onto the voters register. This is ahead of the expected change in law to make the Ghana Card and Passports the only valid forms of identification for registering onto the electoral roll. This has sparked concerns that a significant number of Ghanaians will be disenfranchised because the NIA is yet to complete its registration exercise despite the EC announcing that it will begin the voter registration exercise sometime in June 2020. There have been delays in the registration processes because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The Minority caucus in Parliament has been among the critics pushing for the rejection of the EC's move to make the Ghana Card and Passport the only forms of identification for registration onto the electoral roll. But speaking on Citi TV's Parliamentary magazine programme, The Chamber, Mr. Sabi said: The NIA has also put in place strategies that will come out officially to also ensure that nobody is left out or nobody has any hitches just because he doesn't have the [Ghana Card]. He assured further that there will be a mop-up in every other region in the country and we will start before the Electoral Commission starts. At some places, it will be going alongside but we will start before the Electoral Commission, Mr. Sabi added. Law changes for voter registration The EC has presented the Public Election (Amendment) regulation, 2020 (C.I. 126) to Parliament to amend C.I 91 in order to change the identification requirements for voter registration. Aside from the Ghana Card or passport being acceptable documents for registering onto the voters' register, persons who have already captured on the new voters' register can guarantee for others to register. Per the Constitutional Instrument that was first put before Parliament, a person who applies for registration as a voter shall provide as evidence of identification one of the following: a passport, a national identification card, or one voter registration identification guarantee form as set out in Form one of the schedule that has been completed and signed by two registered voters. Greenlight from President President Akufo-Addo has eased the restrictions on public gatherings and he urged the EC and the NIA to resume their registration processes with hygiene and safety protocols in mind. He also noted that there had not been any restrictions on their operations in the first place although the NIA said it was awaiting clearance to resume registration . Statutory bodies such as the Electoral Commission, the National Commission for Civic Education, and the National Identification Authority, whose activities were exempted from the outset from these restrictions, must conduct their activities in accordance with social distancing and the necessary hygiene and safety protocols, he said. ---citinewsroom Iran's interior minister has acknowledged as many as 225 people were killed in the November protests over the governments abrupt hike in fuel prices, state news outlets reported Sunday. In the deadliest unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, widespread anti-government demonstrations erupted in multiple cities last year over the Iranian governments sudden decision to significantly raise prices and introduce a ration system for gasoline. Amnesty International says at least 304 people died and thousands were injured in the bloody crackdown that followed. The rights group also documented the deaths of at least 23 children killed at the hands of Iranian security forces, most shot dead when police fired live ammunition into the crowds. According to a group of United Nations experts, unverified reports indicated the death toll exceeded 400. The US government said security forces were behind as many as 1,000 protest-related deaths. For its part, Tehran denied the death tolls and blamed the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia as well as an exiled resistance group known as the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq for fomenting the unrest. In December, Iranian state media outlets admitted that the security forces had killed rioters, but didnt say how many. But on Sunday, Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli acknowledged that between 200-225 people were killed during the protests. "Sad things happened, Fazli said. But when they attack a police station, they have to be confronted, the ISNA news agency quoted him as saying. He added the fuel price hike had been "just an excuse" for violence from those who wanted a civil war. In May, the US government announced a new round of sanctions targeting Iranian officials including Fazli for allegedly ordering lethal force be used on the protesters and bystanders. "His and the regimes goal was to quash these peaceful protests and suppress the rights of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression at any cost," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. This story contains reporting from Agence France-Presse. A man charged with the murder of a young plumber in Melbourne on Saturday night has attempted a dramatic jail break from court. Rian Farrell, 22, of Newport, sat gasping for air throughout most of his short filing hearing before going ballistic when two mates sitting in the court room shouted out to him. Farrell is accused of murdering 'class clown' Liam Cahill, 22, who was celebrating a friend's birthday at a party on the 15th floor of a Docklands high-rise. Rian Farrell, 22, of Newport, burst out into tears and tried to make a run for it on Monday. He has been charged with one count of murder Liam Cahill (pictured left) a popular young apprentice plumber from Pascoe Vale, Melbourne, was allegedly stabbed to death on Saturday night in front of horrified party goers One of Rian Farrell's mates connects with a cameraman outside the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday The alleged killer, who was covered in tattoos and appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court wearing a white t-shirt, appeared in shock as his lawyer told the court this was his first time in prison. The short filing hearing had otherwise gone to plan until two mates disrupted the hearing. The pair - who both wore hats inside the court room in a blatant sign of disrespect for the magistrate - yelled out 'stay strong brother' as Farrell was being led from the prison dock by two security guards. The exchange saw Farrell burst out into tears and attempt to rush for the prison dock door. Farrell was tackled and wrestled into an adjoining room as he cried out to his mates, telling them he loved them. Farrell could be heard screaming from behind the locked prison door as his crying mates rushed outside of the court house. Once on William Street, the hatted duo had no intention of talking to the waiting media pack, with one lout lashing out at a television cameraman. The veteran cameraman shook off the ugly confrontation. Farrell, who goes by the name 'Ron Stoppable' on Facebook, is accused of stabbing to death Mr Cahill about 10.30pm on Saturday. It remains unclear what sparked the alleged attack against Mr Cahill, who reportedly knew his alleged killer. Farrell's Facebook page gives away little indication to a motive. On May 28 - two days before the incident - Farrell appeared to be interested in purchasing a Playstation 4. On Saturday, witnesses reported hearing the noise of an altercation throughout the building, with one resident telling of their fear when they heard a young woman screaming. Rian Farrell, 22, of Newport, sat gasping for air throughout most of his short filing hearing before going ballistic when two mates sitting in the court room shouted out to him A television cameraman films a friend of Rian Farrell outside a Melbourne court. The cameraman was attacked seconds later 'It was so loud we thought it was on our floor, but I think it was downstairs,' the resident told the Herald Sun. 'It was terrifying.' The fight was heard by another resident, Rocky Petrelli, who lives in a 14th floor apartment below. 'It was just really noisy, it was like there was elephants stomping the ground in the apartment above, that's what I could hear below,' Mr Petrelli told Seven News. The apprentice plumber from Pascoe Vale in Melbourne's north was allegedly stabbed several times before his accused killer fled, climbing down two balconies on the side of the building in a desperate bid to escape. One of the apartments he's accused of trying to break into during his alleged escape bid was Mr Petrelli's. 'It's pretty scary that you think that it's a safe building especially when you're on the 14th floor and you've got someone jumping balconies to try and escape the building,' Mr Petrelli said. He was unsuccessful, and climbed down another balcony to the 13th floor where he ran through an unlocked apartment in his bid for freedom. A suspect was tackled and arrested by police a short distance from the scene. The suspect can be seen in CCTV footage lying on the ground in a corridor behind a stack of toilet rolls Detectives leave the M Docklands high-rise at 677 La Trobe street, Melbourne with bags of evidence on Sunday after the alleged stabbing murder of 22-year-old Liam Cahill The suspect was tackled to the ground by police a short distance away. Mr Cahill was given first aid by another resident of the building, but couldn't be saved. The alleged murder traumatised the other party guests who had to be comforted by police at the scene. 'Why did you do this to me?' screamed a woman at the scene. A young woman with bright red hair was seen screaming in the lobby, falling to her knees in distress before being comforted by police and led away. Close friend Macayla Dickson wept as she described Mr Cahill's generous spirit. Pictured: Liam Cahill (left) and Macayla Dickson (right) Liam Cahill (pictured right) enjoying the ocean last year. The young apprentice plumber loved life and brought joy to many people with his fun-loving sense of humour A distraught red-haired woman was comforted by emergency services and led away on Saturday night after the alleged stabbing Liam Cahill (left) was allegedly stabbed to death on Saturday after an alleged fight at a party on the 15th floor of the M Docklands, Melbourne. Pictured with close friend Macayla Dickson. Liam Cahill (left) being cheeky with the lads. His many friends poured out messages of grief on social media, saying they would never forget him, and they would cherish their memories Police and emergency services swarmed the building at about 11pm, arresting a suspect. Police could be seen leading young people sobbing with grief from the building. Mr Cahill's friends took to social media to leave tributes for him, saying how much they loved the popular young tradesman. 'I will love you forever brother, I am going to miss you everyday. Thank you for every single memory together,' wrote one friend on Facebook. Forensics teams scoured the apartment building on Sunday Macayla Dickson (pictured left) said close friend Liam Cahill (right) was like the 'class clown' and would make everybody laugh Close friend Macayla Dickson wept as she described Mr Cahill's sense of humour. 'He was just the best person. Just always had a laugh and always the class clown and just had his heart out for everyone,' she told Nine News. Mr Dickson wrote on social media: Waking up seeing all these posts praying to God its all a joke. I am so grateful for having the pleasure of being in your life. I love you and I hope youre at peace now... forever be in my heart.' Homicide and forensics investigators scoured the building on Saturday, carrying away bags of evidence. Farrell was remanded in custody and will face Melbourne Magistrates Court again in August. Amazons arrival in New Mexico may actually be a bigger deal than originally stated at least in terms of sheer physical size. When the e-commerce company confirmed last week that it is building a fulfillment center in Bernalillo County, it described the facility as measuring 465,000 square feet. But public records show the warehouse described as Project Chico in some official filings may actually be five times larger than that. The five-story building will have an area of footprint of 2.58 million square feet, according to the building permit application filed with the county and obtained by the Journal through a public records request. The area of footprint is the usable floor area, according to Enrico Gradi, deputy county manager for community services. This is probably one of the bigger buildings, if not the biggest, in the state, Gradi said. For context, 2.58 million square feet is about the size of 14 Walmart Supercenters. An Amazon spokesperson told the Journal the 465,000-square-foot figure represented the buildings footprint but didnt immediately respond to a question about the facilitys total usable square footage. She said she did not know what project would cost. The building permit application also values the construction work at $190 million, though that is a formula-based estimate and not necessarily the same number the county assessor would use, Gradi said. Construction of the Amazon warehouse has begun near Atrisco Vista and Interstate 40, an industrial area already home to Tempur-Pedic and FedEx. It is being developed by Arizona-based BH DevCo. Minneapolis-based Ryan Cos. will serve as the general contractor. Documents list California-based HPA Inc. as the architect. Amazon has said the center which has not received any state economic development incentives should open by late 2021 and will employ 1,000. BRIGHT SPOT: The city of Albuquerque is basking in the glow of a new solar energy ranking. New Mexicos largest city has the third-most photovoltaic solar generating capacity installed per capita among 70 large American cities surveyed, according to a new study from the Environment America Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group. The only cities with higher per capita PV capacity are Honolulu and San Diego, according to the report. Jessica Dyer: jdyer@abqjournal.com A leading special situations and restructuring lawyer, Matt has broad experience acting for a wide range of stakeholders, including debtors, banks and alternative capital providers. He has advised on transactions across the credit spectrum, including cross-border and domestic financial restructurings, lending transactions, and distressed and recovery situations. Matt joins one of the world's leading restructuring teams. Ropes & Gray's business restructuring lawyers have represented clients in virtually every form of restructuring, insolvency and workout. The practice is widely recognized in the leading legal directories and is described as being a "sophisticated, high-quality" practice by Chambers USA. David Djaha, managing partner of Ropes & Gray, said, "Our business restructuring team is seeing ever-increasing levels of activity, as companies and investors grapple with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. Matt will play a key role in strengthening our global restructuring and special situations offering." "Matt has significant experience representing sophisticated clients in all aspects of complex restructurings, workouts, insolvency matters, debt financings and direct lending, and we are excited he is joining us," said Gregg Galardi, co-leader of Ropes & Gray's business restructuring group. "We're pleased to welcome Matt to the firm," said Will Rosen, managing partner of Ropes & Gray's London office. "His arrival follows that of funds partner Tom Alabaster in May and financial regulation partner Eve Ellis, as well as the promotion of private equity partner Elizabeth Todd in 2019all further evidence of the firm's momentum in London over the past year. Our strategy remains focused on the areas that play to our strengths as a firm, and we will continue to invest in areas such as funds and restructuring, as well as PE and finance." Matt joins Ropes & Gray from the London office of a global law firm, where he was a partner. His arrival builds on the appointments over the past two years of business restructuring partners Cristine Pirro Schwarzman and Matthew Roose in the firm's New York office. About Ropes & Gray Ropes & Gray is a preeminent global law firm with approximately 1,400 lawyers and legal professionals serving clients in major centers of business, finance, technology and government. The firm has offices in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul, and has consistently been recognized for its leading practices in many areas, including private equity, M&A, finance, asset management, real estate, tax, antitrust, life sciences, health care, intellectual property, litigation and enforcement, data, and business restructuring. The firm's London officean integral part of Ropes & Gray's global offeringhas been developed to meet the needs of the firm's sophisticated fund and investor client base, alongside corporate clients across a range of industries, including health care and TMT. The office features an international team of lawyersfrom 27 countries, and speaking more than 40 languages that provides clients with full-service transatlantic law capabilities, coupled with an in-depth understanding of the market in the UK, Europe and Asia. The team additionally has strong and longstanding relationships with leading local firms across the EMEA region. Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Videos | Podcasts To view our privacy policy, please click here. Media Contacts: Rupert Winlaw, Head of Public Relations, London T +44 20 3847 9044 | [email protected] SOURCE Ropes & Gray Related Links http://www.ropesgray.com The Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California on Monday released a study looking at the historic impact of economic downturns on workers comp claim frequency and the potential impact of COVID-19 on claims. The study, Impact of Economic Downturn on California Workers Compensation Claim Frequency, shows that among other impacts between 1961 and 2017, overall claim frequency decreased modestly more during years of economic recession than during years of expansion. And unlike other claims, the rate of cumulative trauma claims increased during downturns. The WCIRB recently published estimated costs of allowing state workers to receive benefits for COVID-19 claims without proving virus exposure at work, dropping a prior mid-range estimate by $10 billion. In a report published in late May, WCIRB estimated the cost of COVID-19 claims filed by workers subject to the May 6 Executive Order N-62-20 issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom, putting it in the range of $0.6 billion to $2.0 billion, with a mid-range estimate of $1.2 billion. Highlights of the recent study include: For industry sectors that were hit the hardest during the 2001 recession and the Great Recession, claim frequency tended to fall along with job losses or fall faster during economic downturns compared to economic expansions. Based on the post-COVID-19 national unemployment rate for 2020 of 14.7%, the WCIRB projects indemnity claim frequency to decline by 14% in 2020. This estimate accounts for several economic and claims related factors but does not fully reflect recent trends in post-termination claims or the impact of COVID-19 claims. Since 2012, about 25 post-termination claims have been filed for every 1,000 jobs lost. If only 50% of the rate of post-termination claims is applied to the 4.3 million Californians who have lost jobs, about 54,000 post-termination claims could be filed over the next year, increasing statewide indemnity claim frequency by approximately 25%. Many claims with a COVID-19 diagnosis are emerging in the workers comp system. Based on two cost estimates of presumptions of compensability that the WCIRB recently published, the estimated frequency increase from COVID-19 claims ranges from 14% over a four-month period of a rebuttable presumption applied to all workers directed to work outside of home to 42% over an annual period of a conclusive presumption to all essential workers. The study is available on the WCIRB website. Related: Topics California COVID-19 Claims Workers' Compensation BENZIE COUNTY A Regional Resiliency Fund has been created to provide grants of $2,500 or $5,000 to small businesses with nine or fewer employees in Benzie, Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties that have been impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic. The grant application and instructions will be available online at https://traverseconnect.com/our-region/regional-resiliency-fund/ on at 10 a.m. on May 29. Businesses have until noon on June 5 to complete and send the application. The Regional Resiliency Fund launched with a $200,000 grant to Venture North by the Consumers Energy Foundation. Venture North is a nonprofit with a mission to support the growth and development of businesses and jobs with financing options in northwest Michigan. Venture North will award and administer the grants in partnership with Traverse Connect and advisors from the three counties. Venture North is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that, since 2006, has made capital available to support over 100 businesses. We are thrilled that the Consumers Energy Foundation has again stepped up to generously support businesses and economic development in our region, said Venture North Executive Director Laura Galbraith. And we are fortunate to have Traverse Connect as a regional economic development partner that can join us in this effort as well as local advisors from the three counties. Galbraith said that the county advisors have a crucial role in making businesses aware of the grant opportunity and providing recommendations on grant applications. Our ability to make grant decisions with the greatest impact is enhanced by involving community partners in the decision-making process, said Galbraith. Recent data shows that approximately 12,000 businesses with nine employees or less in the three counties may be eligible for the grants. Priority for grants will be given to eligible for-profit businesses in the three-county area that: Are adapting their business to the new challenges that exist because of COVID-19; Are open or plan to reopen soon; Have not received COVID 19 stimulus funding to date, such as SBA grants; and Have costs or expenses that cannot otherwise be met due to COVID-19 impacts. Betsy Evans, chair of the Grow Benzie Board of Directors is a community stakeholder and resiliency fund partner representing Benzie County,said small businesses were the background of the economy and the community. "They're the ones that support community events and youth groups," she said. She also said she has seen a lot of entrepreneurial spirit during the COVID-19 pandemic. "I have seen such increases in the entrepreneurial spirit," she said. "Business owners are having to make changes and provide new models of services. It is a challenging time, and I'm glad the fund is available. Galbraith said additional donors and funding sources are being sought to increase the amount of funding available. For more information about the Regional Resiliency Fund contact Tim Ervin (Resiliency Fund Expansion), (231) 794-0089, timervinassoc@gmail.com Karachi, June 1 (IANS) Sindh Forensic DNA and Serology Laboratory (SFDL) at the University of Karachi has said it will complete the process of identifying bodies of the May 22 Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash victims by Monday. According to a press release of the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) at the University of Karachi on Sunday, the SFDL has completed a total of 37 cross-match so far, and their reports have also been dispatched to the Sindh police department, reports The Express Tribune. "SFDL with the help of 20 scientists and volunteers is currently engaged in massive undertaking of identifying bodies of unfortunate victims of the air crash," the spokesman of ICCBS said. According to the statistics, maintained by the SFDL, as many as 67 samples have been received from the families of the victims, and 69 samples of the victims have also been received from the police department so far. SFDL is the first of its kind facility in Sindh that specialises in the detection, identification and analysis of human DNA from evidence samples collected by law enforcement agencies from crime scenes. Earlier on Sunday, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had said that of the 97 people who died in the plane crash, 75 had been identified and their bodies handed over to the heirs. The PIA's Airbus A320 crashed in the residential area of Model Colony near the Karachi airport on May 22, minutes before landing. The plane flying from Lahore to Karachi had 99 people on board including passengers and crew. Only two people miraculously survived the tragic incident. --IANS ksk/ Illustrious conceptual artist Christo died Sunday at his home in New York, at the age of 84. From wrapping Pariss Pont Neuf in shimmering fabric to installing thousands of orange gates in New Yorks Central Park to building massive floating piers on Italys Lake Iseo, his prodigious temporary works, installed in public sites around the world, were iconic. Born Christo Vladimirov Javacheff in Bulgaria in 1935, the artist found his way to Paris in 1958, where he met and married Jeanne-Claude, who became his artistic partner as well. There was no separation. It was all simultaneous. We argue, we fight. Its a continuous conversation, Christo told AD of their personal and professional relationship. Portrait Of Jeanne-Claude & Christo Photo: Rita Barros/Getty Images The duo, who worked under the single name Christo, spent yearsand sometimes even decadesconceiving their monumental projects in what they called the software phase of each work. During this time, the artists pulled off herculean collaboration with governments, landowners, historic preservation groups, environmental advocates, and architects and engineers to realize their large-scale visions, which were always site-specific, free to the public, and primarily self-funded. And they were temporary: the hardware phase, when the works were built and on view, could last as little as two weeks, though they were always preserved by photographer Wolfgang Volz, with whom Christo worked on each project. The Gates Open In New York City Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Though the artists used materials as varied as oil barrels and umbrellas, they were most drawn to fabric, wrapping everything from the Reichstag in Berlin to the cliffs along the Australian coast to the islands in Miamis Biscayne Bay. The projects have this nonstop energy, but we have all kinds of materialsteel, cablebut the fabric gives this fragility and temporary movement that will be gone forever and never come back, Christo told AD. This material can be folded, can be installed very fast, can be removed very fast. We know that its very fragile, very sensual, and very free and can be installed in a few hours. Story continues Christo's The Mastaba on Serpentine Lake Photo: Victoria Jones/Getty Images At the time of his death, Christo had several works in progress, including his first permanent installation: a larger version of The Mastaba, a pyramid-like sculpture built of 7,506 oil barrels and floated on Londons The Serpentine in 2018. If plans move forward, the new sculpture will be built in the Abu Dhabi desert and will comprise 410,000 oil barrels; it would be one of the largest sculptures in the world, coming in at 11 feet taller than the Great Pyramid of Giza. The one project that will definitely come to fruition, however, is one that Christo and Jeanne-Claude first conceived in 1962. In September 2021, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris will be wrapped in blue fabric, per the artists wishes. By some incredible chance of circumstance, the project I had almost like a dream conceived of in 1962 when I still lived in Paris and a project I never believed wed get permission for, we got the permission, Christo told AD when the project was first announced in 2019. Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest June 01, 2020 / 10:59 PM IST Coronavirus India News LIVE Updates: Today is the sixty-ninth day of Indias nationwide lockdown, meant to curb the novel coronavirus pandemic. The Centre has extended the lockdown, now called 'Unlock 1', till June 30. The Home Ministry has put out a detailed list of activities that will be allowed to resume in a phased manner over the next month. Confirmed COVID-19 cases in India stand at 1,90,535. The death toll from the outbreak in India is at 5,394. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Gujarat have reported the highest number of cases.Globally, there have been over 61.8 lakh confirmed cases of COVID-19. At least 3.7 lakh people have died so far. The United States, Brazil, Russia, the United Kingdom and Spain are the most-affected countries. Loneliness has become the silent epidemic within the pandemic. Separated from loved ones, many health-care workers find their isolation with their patients a shared fate. We choose to live in hotels for fear of exposing others to the virus. Or, if we return home, after elaborate cleansing rituals, we eat and sleep in the spare room, basement or garage. Some of us have not made a meaningful interaction with someone outside of our hospitals since March. Make as little contact with the patients as possible. Except for that one, the rules from yesterday rarely carry over to the next. In the hospital, where I see patients as a resident physician, not all them have the virus. Still, I hold myself to speaking and gesturing from the door. One patient, though, is older and hard of hearing. To move closer, I pull down my shield, which sits on my face like a welders helmet, and don gloves and a gown theres no hiding tired, sunken eyes. Fumbling with an old cellphone, a warm voice comes through on the other end. His daughter, who he hasnt seen since I met him a month ago, is not allowed to visit him. She has questions. He does, too. The one he most wants to ask, however, is the one he doesnt. When will I see them again? I want to tell him that the same question gnaws at me. News of an outbreak on the ward, however, reminds me that I threaten the safety of the nest. Spared an overnight shift, the salute to front-line workers pours through my windows. Most people bring a ladle to a pan. Opposite to me, a young boy on a balcony has a pair of brass cymbals he crashes with abandon. His primal release helps me come down from another day of constantly being on, from the grief that cant be buried any deeper but, for reasons I cant explain, I force myself to deny. For those few minutes, he drowns out the single heartbeat that echoes alone in the walls of my apartment. Health-care workers may experience the emotional distress that has fallen on colleagues in other ravaged countries. A survey of nurses and physicians in Wuhan found almost half reporting symptoms of insomnia, anxiety and depression. Experts in the United States predict a similar number will suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Three months later, as we shape a new normal, I wonder if the time has come to reconsider how safely rules can shift: visitor restrictions for our patients, reuniting health-care workers with their loved ones. When she hangs up, the little bit of light leaves my patients eyes. His cavernous room suddenly amplifies his loneliness. I inch toward him, and place my hand on his shoulder. He places his wrinkled hand over mine. His grip is strong. Everything will be all right, I assure him. I stay like this until his hold loosens, and he drifts off to sleep, into dreams with the people he loves. CHICAGO, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Faegre Drinker today announced the addition of two of the world's leading restructuring attorneys, James F. Conlan in the U.S. and Patrick Corr in Europe, as partners in the firm's growing finance and restructuring practice. Both come from Sidley Austin, where they previously held senior practice leadership positions. "It's our pleasure to welcome Jim and Patrick to Faegre Drinker," said co-chair Andrew Kassner, whose practice also focuses on restructuring and insolvency. "Some of the most sophisticated businesses in the world have benefited from their commercial acumen and legal excellence. We welcome the opportunity to strategically support their successful practices while leveraging many of our existing practice strengths including product liability and mass torts, M&A and litigation." "In addition to their impressive practices, Jim and Patrick's commitment to creating solutions designed for clients aligns to our culture at Faegre Drinker," said co-chair Tom Froehle. "Their decision to join us at this moment for the global economy is an important one. One of the drivers for our combination is to attract top-tier talent. Jim and Patrick are that and add considerable momentum to what has been a promising beginning for our combined firm." Over his 30-plus-year career, Conlan has earned a reputation as one of the most respected restructuring lawyers in the field with deep experience in the courtroom and boardroom. Well-known companies have hired him to work on their most complex restructurings and bankruptcies. Conlan has worked on matters spanning multiple industries, including automotive, consumer products and packaging, energy and manufacturing, as well as matters at the cutting edge of restructurings driven by mass torts and sovereign debt. At Sidley, his positions in the restructuring practice included co-chair, chair and global practice leader. Conlan has consistently earned praise from clients for his courtroom skills and the credibility he brings to the boardroom and C-suite in high-stakes situations. He has been recognized as one of the "Best of the Best" lawyers in Corporate Reorganization and Bankruptcy by Expert Guides (2018), and as an "Outstanding Restructuring Lawyer" by Turnaround & Workouts (2016). In addition, Chambers USA has recognized Conlan repeatedly for his work in restructuring law (20102020). Corr, who served as the head of Sidley's European restructuring and insolvency practice before joining Faegre Drinker, has earned praise for his work in contentious and non-contentious corporate recovery and turnaround matters. Clients have singled him out for his creative thinking coupled with technical precision. He is ranked in the leading industry guides, including Chambers UK, Chambers Europe, Chambers Global, IFLR 1000, The International Who's Who of Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyers and Best Lawyers. Corr was recently inducted to The Legal 500 Hall of Fame for Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency. "Faegre Drinker is a dynamic firm built for the kind of clients we serve, and the high-stakes restructurings we work on," said Conlan. "It has all the key elements, including talent, depth in crucial practice areas, and a global reach. But most important is its relentless focus on clients. The firm's focus on providing 'excellence without arrogance,' particularly resonated with us." "We were attracted to the firm's diverse platform, which will allow us to bring a high level of support to clients, especially in cross-border matters," said Corr. "It is clear that Faegre Drinker has emerged as a global powerhouse, and we are thrilled to be joining a newly combined firm and part of its continued growth." Conlan and Corr join Faegre Drinker's growing finance and restructuring practice, which also recently added two partners in New York and, together with subject matter experts around the firm, is comprised of over 100 professionals. The group advises clients across diverse industries on matters ranging from financial transactions, to corporate debt restructurings, to bankruptcy and litigation matters. "Faegre Drinker's finance and restructuring practice has long advised clients on complex insolvency and restructuring needs," said finance and restructuring practice group leader Mike Stewart. "Jim and Patrick's decision to join our team expands Faegre Drinker's ability to counsel clients on such complex matters globally and complements the talent and capabilities of our existing team." Conlan will spend his time across the firm's offices, including New York, Chicago and Philadelphia, and Corr will be based in London. Faegre Drinker launched global operations, effective Feb. 1, 2020, the result of the combination of Faegre Baker Daniels, an international law firm with deep roots in the Midwest, and Drinker Biddle & Reath, a full-service national law firm with storied mid-Atlantic origins. The merger brought together more than 1,300 attorneys, consultants and professionals in 22 locations across the U.S., UK and China. The launch came just six weeks before the firm began remote operations in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but it has not slowed its integration efforts or plans for strategic growth. The firm has hired more than a dozen lateral partners and counsel since the beginning of the year. About Faegre Drinker Faegre Drinker is a firm designed for clients, providing exceptional transactional, litigation and regulatory services to organizations ranging from emerging enterprises to multinational companies. With more than 1,300 attorneys, consultants and professionals in 22 locations across the United States, in the United Kingdom and in China, Faegre Drinker is one of the nation's top-50 law firms. Faegre Drinker Consulting and the District Policy Group, the firm's advisory and advocacy divisions, based in Washington, D.C., provide public policy, regulatory and technical services to key sectors of the economy. Additional services include Tritura Information Governance, the firm's data science subsidiary, and Innovative Health Strategies, a health care consultancy that helps hospitals operate efficiently and improve quality of service. Learn more at FaegreDrinker.com. SOURCE Faegre Drinker Khiladi of Bollywood Akshay Kumar took to Twitter and lashed out against an allegedly false report from a national daily claiming that he had booked a charter flight for his sister Aruna Bhatia. The actor wrote a strongly worded tweet as he clarified that his sister has not travelled anywhere since the lockdown has been imposed in the country and also that she has only one child. He expressed his anger further by stating that he is contemplating legal action for spreading false, concocted reports. Have a look: Read | Akshay Kumar thanks frontline workers, says 'Its because of them that we are alive' According to the report, Akshay Kumar booked an entire passenger flight for his sister and her two kids so they could travel from Mumbai to Delhi amid the nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus. The supposed chartered flight also reportedly had only four cabin crew members to take care of them. Read | Twinkle Khanna to cast Anil Kapoor, Rajkummar in next over Akshay Kumar; see audition tape The actor has been actively updating his social media handle and engaging his fans and followers with important information and advisories issued by the government during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country. Akshay Kumar has been spending quality time with his family while under lockdown and has time and again, advised his followers to do the same. Read | Akshay Kumar's 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa', other films that tried to address mental health issues Apart from that, the actor has reportedly donated an amount of Rs 45 lakh to help 1,500 members of CINTAA (Cine & TV Artistes Association) who are hit by the coronavirus lockdown in the country. The junior artistes and daily wage workers had been suffering due to the industry shutdown amid the coronavirus pandemic in the country. Earlier, the actor had pledged a whopping Rs 25 crore to Prime Minister Narendra Modis newly launched fund PM-CARES to provide relief to daily wagers and migrant labourers distressed financially due to the crisis. Read | Akshay Kumar warns fans against fake casting call for 'Filhall part 2' 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. Apart from the looting and unrest that shook the city over the weekend came a barrage of violence that had been all too familiar: At least 31 people were shot over three days, including eight killed. The shootings erupted across the city, from Southwest Philadelphia to East Germantown to Mantua and West Philadelphia. Four people were shot in one spot, three in another, two in a third. The victims ranged from age 12 to 52. According to police statistics, there have been 158 homicide victims in the city as of Sunday night, a 21% increase from the same period last year. At a news conference Monday, Mayor Jim Kenney said Philadelphia is in the middle of one of the biggest crises in the citys history. Im worried about everything. Im worried about peoples safety. I havent slept much, to tell you the truth, Kenney said. Were worried about everything. All of the killings occurred in a 13-hour time span from late Sunday morning to early Monday. Around 11:40 a.m. Sunday, police said, a 23-year-old woman and two 25-year-old men were shot on the 3900 block of Fairmount Avenue in Mantua. The woman and one of the men died. The second man was hospitalized in critical condition. About three hours later, a 30-year-old man was fatally shot during a domestic altercation while in a parking lot on the 200 block of West Oxford Street in North Philadelphia. Police said an arrest was made and a gun recovered. Eighty minutes later, 30-year-old Chris Odom was shot four times at 26th Street and Lehigh Avenue in North Philadelphia. Odom, of nearby West Sterner Street, was pronounced dead shortly afterward at Temple University Hospital. READ MORE: Police shoot gas into I-676 ravine, causing protesters to flee; mass arrests underway Then came the quadruple shooting, about 5 p.m. Sunday on the 700 block of East Clearfield Street. Police said an argument between a woman and people inside a vehicle may have sparked the gunfire. The victims included a 12-year-old boy, a 21-year-old woman, a 26-year-old man, and a 52-year old man. None was killed, each was hospitalized for treatment. Around 8 p.m., officers responded to a shooting on 49th Street just north of Market in West Philadelphia and found Dequan Collins, 22, lying facedown, shot 15 times. Collins, of East Mount Airy, was pronounced dead soon after. A little more than two hours later, officers responded to reports of a shooting on the 2800 block of Island Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia and found a man inside the front-passenger seat of a Honda Accord with a gunshot wound to his head. The victim, Maurice Sorzano, 19, of Sharon Hill in Delaware County, was pronounced dead at the scene. Another victim, a 22-year-old man, was injured, police said. As Sunday eased into Monday, two more victims were added to the list. A 34-year-old man was shot four times while on the 6300 block of Musgrave Street in East Germantown early Monday. He died soon after at Albert Einstein Medical Center. Also early Monday, two teens, one 18 and the other 17, were shot as they walked along the 100 block of North Hobart Street. The older teen was taken by police to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he died. Staff writer Justine McDaniel contributed to this article. Its a Monday evening in Minneapolis. Police respond to a call about a man who allegedly used a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes. Seventeen minutes later, the man they are there to investigate lies motionless on the ground, and is pronounced dead shortly after. The man was 46-year-old George Floyd, a bouncer originally from Houston who had lost his job at a restaurant when the coronavirus pandemic hit. Crowd: No justice, no peace. Floyds death triggered major protests in Minneapolis, and sparked rage across the country. One of the officers involved, Derek Chauvin, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder. The other three officers have been charged with aiding and abetting murder. The Times analyzed bystander videos, security camera footage and police scanner audio, spoke to witnesses and experts, and reviewed documents released by the authorities to build as comprehensive a picture as possible and better understand how George Floyd died in police custody. The events of May 25 begin here. Floyd is sitting in the drivers seat of this blue S.U.V. Across the street is a convenience store called Cup Foods. Footage from this restaurant security camera helps us understand what happens next. Note that the timestamp on the camera is 24 minutes fast. At 7:57 p.m., two employees from Cup Foods confront Floyd and his companions about an alleged counterfeit bill he just used in their store to buy cigarettes. They demand the cigarettes back but walk away empty-handed. Four minutes later, they call the police. According to the 911 transcript, an employee says that Floyd used fake bills to buy cigarettes, and that he is awfully drunk and not in control of himself. Soon, the first police vehicle arrives on the scene. Officers Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng step out of the car and approach the blue S.U.V. Seconds later, Lane pulls his gun. We dont know exactly why. He orders Floyd to put his hands on the wheel. Lane reholsters the gun, and after about 90 seconds of back and forth, yanks Floyd out of the S.U.V. A man is filming the confrontation from a car parked behind them. The officers cuff Floyds hands behind his back. And Kueng walks him to the restaurant wall. All right, whats your name? From the 911 transcript and the footage, we now know three important facts: First, that the police believed they were responding to a man who was drunk and out of control. But second, even though the police were expecting this situation, we can see that Floyd has not acted violently. And third, that he seems to already be in distress. Six minutes into the arrest, the two officers move Floyd back to their vehicle. As the officers approach their car, we can see Floyd fall to the ground. According to the criminal complaints filed against the officers, Floyd says he is claustrophobic and refuses to enter the police car. During the struggle, Floyd appears to turn his head to address the officers multiple times. According to the complaints, he tells them he cant breathe. Nine minutes into the arrest, the third and final police car arrives on the scene. Its carrying officers Tou Thao and Derek Chauvin. Both have previous records of complaints brought against them. Thao was once sued for throwing a man to the ground and hitting him. Chauvin has been involved in three police shootings, one of them fatal. Chauvin becomes involved in the struggle to get Floyd into the car. Security camera footage from Cup Foods shows Kueng struggling with Floyd in the backseat while Thao watches. Chauvin pulls him through the back seat and onto the street. We dont know why. Floyd is now lying on the pavement, face down. Thats when two witnesses begin filming, almost simultaneously. The footage from the first witness shows us that all four officers are now gathered around Floyd. Its the first moment when we can clearly see that Floyd is face down on the ground, with three officers applying pressure to his neck, torso and legs. At 8:20 p.m., we hear Floyds voice for the first time. The video stops when Lane appears to tell the person filming to walk away. Get off to the sidewalk, please. One side or the other, please. The officers radio a Code 2, a call for non-emergency medical assistance, reporting an injury to Floyds mouth. In the background, we can hear Floyd struggling. The call is quickly upgraded to a Code 3, a call for emergency medical assistance. By now another bystander, 17-year-old Darnella Frazier, is filming from a different angle. Her footage shows that despite calls for medical help, Chauvin keeps Floyd pinned down for another seven minutes. We cant see whether Kueng and Lane are still applying pressure. Floyd: [gasping] Officer: What do you want? Bystander: Ive been Floyd: [gasping] In the two videos, Floyd can be heard telling officers that he cant breathe at least 16 times in less than five minutes. Bystander: You having fun? But Chauvin never takes his knee off of Floyd, even as his eyes close and he appears to go unconscious. Bystander: Bro. According to medical and policing experts, these four police officers are committing a series of actions that violate policies, and in this case, turn fatal. Theyve kept Floyd lying face down, applying pressure for at least five minutes. This combined action is likely compressing his chest and making it impossible to breathe. Chauvin is pushing his knee into Floyds neck, a move banned by most police departments. Minneapolis Police Department policy states an officer can only do this if someone is, quote, actively resisting. And even though the officers call for medical assistance, they take no action to treat Floyd on their own while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Officer: Get back on the sidewalk. According to the complaints against the officers, Lane asks him twice if they should roll Floyd onto his side. Chauvin says no. Twenty minutes into the arrest, an ambulance arrives on the scene. Bystander: Get off of his neck! Bystander: Hes still on him? The E.M.T.s check Floyds pulse. Bystander: Are you serious? Chauvin keeps his knee on Floyds neck for almost another whole minute, even though Floyd appears completely unresponsive. He only gets off once the E.M.T.s tell him to. Chauvin kept his knee on Floyds neck for over eight minutes, according to our review of the video evidence. Floyd is loaded into the ambulance. The ambulance leaves the scene, possibly because a crowd is forming. But the E.M.T.s call for additional medical help from the fire department. But when the engine arrives, the officers give them, quote, no clear info on Floyd or his whereabouts, according to a fire department incident report. This delays their ability to help the paramedics. Meanwhile, Floyd is going into cardiac arrest. It takes the engine five minutes to reach Floyd in the ambulance. Hes pronounced dead at a nearby hospital around 9:25 p.m. Preliminary autopsies conducted by the state and Floyds family both ruled his death a homicide. The widely circulated arrest videos dont paint the entire picture of what happened to George Floyd. Crowd: Floyd! Floyd! Additional video and audio from the body cameras of the key officers would reveal more about why the struggle began and how it escalated. The city quickly fired all four officers. And Chauvin has been charged with second degree murder. Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao were charged with aiding and abetting murder. But outrage over George Floyds death has only spread further and further across the United States. By Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS: Protesters took to the streets across America again Sunday, with violence flaring in pockets of largely peaceful demonstrations fueled by the killings of black people at the hands of police. A truck driver drove into demonstrators in Minneapolis nearly a week after George Floyd died there after pleading for air as an officer pressed a knee into his neck. Protests sprang up from Boston to San Francisco, with people stealing from stores in broad daylight in Philadelphia, cities across California and elsewhere. In Minneapolis, the tanker truck sped into a peaceful crowd of thousands on a closed highway, but no one appeared to have been hit, authorities said. ALSO READ | George Floyd case: Over 1,400 arrests across 17 US cities during protests The Minnesota State Patrol said on Twitter that the driver's actions were very disturbing" and he was arrested. Protesters swarmed the truck and jumped on the hood, even as it kept moving. Police then came in force to clear the highway in the city where violence erupted after the death last week of Floyd, who was black. The protests quickly spread to dozens of cities large and small, and have lasted for days. The officer who pressed his knee onto Floyd's neck for several minutes has been charged with murder, but protesters demand the other three officers at the scene be prosecuted. All four were fired. Were not done, said Darnella Wade, organizer for Black Lives Matter in neighboring St. Paul, where thousands gathered peacefully in front of the state Capitol. They sent us the military, and we only asked them for arrests. Minnesota's governor brought in thousands of National Guard soldiers to help quell violence that had damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings in Minneapolis over days of protests. The immense deployment appeared to have worked Saturday night, when there was comparatively little destruction. On Sunday, in a display of force, long lines of state patrolmen and National Guard soldiers were lined up in front of the Capitol, facing the demonstrators, with perhaps a dozen military-style armored vehicles behind them. For a second day, the protests reached to the White House, where chants could be heard from around 1,000 demonstrators just across the street in Lafayette Park as they faced police in riot gear behind barricades. The scene was defiant but peaceful, though police used flash bangs to stop another group from reaching the park. As the protests grew, President Donald Trump retweeted conservative commentator Buck Sexton who called for overwhelming force. Outside the White House, Gabrielle Labrosse-Ellis, 30, from Maryland, held a sign that said, Humanize black lives. This is unacceptable. This is the last straw, she said. It has to be. Labrosse-Ellis said she planned to leave before dark because she feared a repeat of the violence that occurred Saturday night. Across America, demonstrators called again for an end to police violence and many joined police in pleading for an end to the looting Many also joined police in pleading for a stop to fires, vandalism and theft, saying it weakened calls for justice and reform. They keep killing our people, said Mahira Louis, 15, who marched with her mother and several hundred others through downtown Boston. Im so sick and tired of it. Disgust over generations of racism in a country founded by slaveholders combined with a string of recent racially charged killings to stoke the anger. Adding to that was angst from months of lockdowns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately hurt communities of color, not only in terms of infections but in job losses and economic stress. The droves of people congregating for demonstrations threatened to trigger new outbreaks, a fact overshadowed by the boiling tensions. Maybe this country will get the memo that we are sick of police murdering unarmed black men, said Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah. Maybe the next time a white police officer decides to pull the trigger, he will picture cities burning. The scale of the protests, sweeping from coast to coast and unfolding on a single night, rivaled the historic demonstrations of the civil rights and Vietnam War eras. Curfews were imposed in major cities around the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. About 5,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated in 15 states and Washington, D.C. But still trouble flared. There was looting on both ends of California, with video in San Jose showing several people in hoods and masks fleeing a Macys department store with large bags, while people in Long Beach carried away armloads of clothing and other goods from the smashed windows of stores at a shopping mall after curfew. As police moved in to try to restore order, some protesters ran in to confront the thieves and condemn them for undercutting the message of the demonstration. In tweets Sunday, Trump blamed anarchists and the media for fueling the violence. Attorney General William Barr pointed a finger at far left extremist groups. Police chiefs and politicians accused outsiders of coming in and causing the problems. At the Minneapolis intersection where Floyd was killed, people gathered with brooms and flowers, saying it was important to protect what they called a sacred space. The intersection was blocked with the traffic cones while a ring of flowers was laid out. Among those descending on Minneapolis was Michael Brown Sr., the father of Michael Brown, whose killing by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, set off unrest in 2014. I understand what this family is feeling. I understand what this community is feeling, he said. In Indianapolis, two people were reported dead in bursts of downtown violence, adding to deaths reported in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days. Buildings around the U.S. were defaced with spray-painted messages, from the facade of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York to the historic Hay-Adams hotel near the White House. Some of Floyd's gasped last words I can't breathe were repeated, alongside anti-police messages. Korea needs to strike balance in Sino-US rivalry In the ever-shifting dynamics over trade, technology and the war on COVID-19, South Korea finds itself increasingly between the United States and China and having to ask itself if it will have to choose between the two. Such a prospect is not a desirable option for Korea, a country with the fourth largest economy in Asia and 12th largest in the world. On Saturday, U.S. President Trump as chairman of this year's G7 summit said he would like to expand the meeting, and invited South Korea, Russia, India and Australia to join. He referred to the G7 as a "very outdated group" that does not properly reflect what is going on in the world. The invitation itself was a pat on the back for South Korea and its inflated status in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the invitation seems to come with a catch; the White House said that the extended summit would discuss the future of China among other things. That places Seoul in a challenging position to say the least. The rather noncommittal comment by Cheong Wa Dae that it was "aware" of the reports and that the matter is to be discussed with the United States in the future, veils Seoul's full-throttle diplomatic calculations as to how to avoid such a scenario. The United States is Seoul's ally in defense and security, and Korea's second-largest trading partner. It is also a pivotal partner in the Korea peace initiative where President Moon Jae-in has proactively mediated in U.S.-North Korea summits. China is Korea's No. 1 trading partner with whom the Moon administration has been coordinating for President Xi Jinping's visit. The Chinese president's visit would provide a certain amount of resolution between Seoul and Beijing over the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile battery here in 2017. A larger G7 summit is the latest issue escalating the Sino-US war of nerves. From culpability over the virus outbreak, to jostling over trade and technology leadership, the two are also highly divided over a Hong Kong security law and the city's special status. Seoul has been in this territory before; it is not a stranger to responding to equi-distancing challenges in diplomacy. It joined the Beijing-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in 2015, but allowed the installation of the U.S. anti-ballistic missile battery here despite China's protest, all for the national interest. It would be hard to dispute that the September summit itself is tenuous as the coronavirus persists. The government should consider attending the summit, and the nation's experts should put their heads together to come up with a strategy that will steer Korea in the uncertain diplomatic waters ahead. Pundits predict that the era of globalization may well be over with the COVID-19 pandemic. But that should not mean diplomatic polarization. The dire future that the virus outbreak seems to have all but unfurled will require deeper cooperation; not a sharper divide. June 1 (Reuters) - Two doctors who carried out an independent autopsy of George Floyd, the African-American man whose death in Minneapolis police custody last week triggered nationwide protests, said on Monday that the cause of death was "mechanical asphyxia" and that his death was a homicide. Dr. Michael Baden, one of the doctors who performed the autopsy as the behest of Floyd's family, said during a news conference in Minneapolis that Floyd had no underlying medical conditions that contributed to his death. Baden said Floyd's death was caused pressure on both the man's neck and by the knees of two officers on his back. (Reporting by Brad Brooks in Austin, Texas; editing by Jonathan Oatis) Fired Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was moved to one of the most secure prisons in the US Sunday night to ensure he won't be murdered behind bars, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal. In a highly unusual move, Chauvin, who is facing a murder charge in the death of George Floyd, was transferred late Sunday to Oak Park Heights Prison - Minnesota's only Level Five maximum security facility. He was previously at Ramsey County Adult Detention Center where he was on suicide watch, before being moved to the Hennepin County Jail because of COVID-19 concerns but then moved to the high-security prison. The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) told DailyMail.com that Chauvin was transferred to prison and placed in 'administrative segregation' - solitary confinement - after a plea from the Hennepin County Sheriff. The 407-inmate prison boasts of never having had an escape and is also regarded as one of the country's safest, having only had one homicide in its history. Located on the border with Wisconsin, between the cities of Bayport and Stillwater, it accepts some of America's most hated and high-risk inmates. Chauvin was due to appear in court on Monday but with Minneapolis still gripped by unrest the appearance was pushed back until June 8. Derek Chauvin, 44, was arrested Friday on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, which has sparked violent protests Derek Chauvin has been moved to Oak Park Heights Prison in Minnesota (pictured) Oak Park Heights Prison is Minnesota's only Level Five maximum security facility The 407-inmate prison boasts of never having had an escape and is also regarded as one of the country's safest, having only had one homicide in its history Located on the border with Wisconsin, between the cities of Bayport and Stillwater, the prison accepts some of America's most hated and high-risk inmates The 16-acre, rural prison is carved into the side of a hill and has been featured on the National Geographic show America's Hardest Prisons Law enforcement sources told DailyMail.com the move was to ensure Chauvin - now America's most hated inmate - was not murdered behind bars Commissioner of Corrections Paul Schnell said Chauvin was moved to prison because of concerns about coronavirus and the huge influx of people being booked into Twin Cities jails on public order offenses. 'First and foremost, we have a COVID situation. Second of all, a large number of people could be booked into Hennepin County Jail,' Schnell said. Chauvin was on suicide watch at Ramsey County Adult Detention Center Privately though, law enforcement sources told DailyMail.com the move was to ensure Chauvin - now America's most hated inmate - was not murdered behind bars. 'If he was in the general jail population he would probably be dead in two minutes,' a source told DailyMail.com. 'This is entirely for security purposes.' Chauvin will be held at the prison until next Monday when authorities face the daunting challenge of keeping his first court appearance in downtown Minneapolis shielded from further unrest. It's highly unusual to lock defendants up in prison before they have been convicted, however officials did something similar in the case of disgraced Minneapolis officer Mohamed Noor who shot dead a woman in 2017 while responding to her 911 call. 'The move to DOC custody was made out of an abundance of caution to ensure he is safely held and after concern about space in the jail due to large numbers of arrests related to the unrest over the last few nights,' a spokesman said. 'The DOC also took custody of former officer Mohamed Noor during the time he was in custody before being officially committed to our custody at sentencing, after a similar request in that case. 'The processing of his [Chauvin's] transfer to OPH, including the taking of photos, in being completed this morning. He will appear, with official photos, on the public database of inmates after that process is completed. 'He is being held in administrative segregation outside the general population of the facility.' Administrative segregation, a form of solitary confinement known as 'in the hole', is employed when inmates are deemed to be at grave risk of being attacked by other prisoners or because they pose a significant danger to others. This is the Ramsey County Law Enforcement Center and adjoining adult detention center where disgraced former cop Derek Chauvin was being held before being transferred Ramsey County Deputies took no chances, sealing off the area with concrete bomb-proof barriers while Chauvin was there Extra defenses were being installed at the Ramsey County Law Enforcement Center where Chauvin was being held in the adult detention section Commissioner of Corrections Paul Schnell said Chauvin was moved to the high-security prison because of concerns about coronavirus Uniformed men were on guard at the Ramsey County Law Enforcement Center According to recent data released by the Minnesota Department of Corrections, the Oak Park Heights Prison currently houses 297 murderers, 69 sexual predators and eight kidnappers. Some 46 percent of the prison population is black. The 16-acre, rural prison is carved into the side of a hill and has been featured on the National Geographic show America's Hardest Prisons. Cells are 7 by 10 feet with cement slab bed and toilets and sink made of steel so they can't be broken off to use as weapons. The reinforced windows are said to be so secure that it would take 12,000 hacksaw blades to cut though the steel bars. Chauvin had spent the weekend locked in solitary confinement in a heavily fortified Minnesota jail guarded by police marksmen and barbed wire barriers, DailyMail.com can reveal. SWAT teams armed with rifles and binoculars kept lookout from the rooftop of the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center while a phalanx of Sheriff's Deputies stood guard behind hastily erected steel fences. Chauvin was held there Friday through Sunday because of the carnage unfolding outside jail facilities in Minneapolis. Ramsey County deputies took no chances, sealing off the area with concrete bomb-proof barriers and mounting round the clock patrols in case protesters decided to target the jail in downtown Saint Paul. But despite demonstrators running amok across large swathes of the Twin Cities, the expected onslaught never happened and authorities were able to quietly transfer Chauvin to downtown Minneapolis Sunday afternoon. TMZ reported that Chauvin has a camera focused on him all day and and cops check on his cell in person every 15 minutes. Such checks said to be common in such a high-profile case. It has not been revealed whether the 44-year-old ex-cop, charged with the third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter of unarmed Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nine agonizing minutes, will appear in person or via video link. Concrete barriers and barbed wire fences were erected hastily The jail was provided with external barriers in order to provide additional protection SWAT teams armed with rifles and binoculars kept lookout from the rooftop of the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center The Minnesota jail was guarded by police marksmen and barbed wire barriers The disgraced former lawman is yet to post the $50,000 bond needed to get out of jail after bail was set Friday at $500,000. He has two properties, one in the leafy Oakdale suburb of Saint Paul, the other in Windermere, Florida, worth that amount combined. However DailyMail.com understands the homes are jointly owned by his beauty pageant winner wife Kellie, 45, who would likely resist any attempt to use them as surety after vowing Friday to divorce her husband of ten years. Kellie Chauvin released a statement on behalf of her and her family: '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,' it read. On Sunday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says he expects Chauvin to face additional charges. Deputies stood guard behind hastily erected steel fences with some marksmen on the roof A deputy is seen on guard as the fence was being erected at the prison 'Let me say that we are very early in this process, very early. It is not uncommon to amend charges. It is not uncommon to add defendants,' Ellison said Sunday, when asked how satisfied he was with the charges already filed after the incident during an interview with Fox News. 'The fact is that the investigation is still going on and it actually, it's actually in the middle of the investigation, or maybe even the beginning of the middle, he explains 'And so I don't want anyone to conclude that these are all the charges that are going be there.' Footage emerged last Monday of Chauvin, who is white, kneeling on the neck of Floyd until he passed out and later died, sparking outrage over police brutality and setting off the protests across the nation. According to the criminal complaint against Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer was said to have had his knee on Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, with nearly three minutes of the time being after Floyd had become non-responsive. Floyd was then taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. George Floyd's (pictured) heartbroken family have called white cop Derek Chauvin to be charged with a more serious crime than third-degree murder after their lawyer revealed that Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for a staggering eight minutes during the arrest for forgery Since then, protesters and Floyd's family have called for the arrests of former officers Kueng, Lane and Thao and for a more serious charge to be brought against Chauvin. As the protesting has continued, mayors of several cities and other officials blamed small groups and outsiders for escalating the violence. Protesters and Floyd's family continue to call for the arrests of former officers Kueng, Lane and Tou Thao and for a more serious charge to be brought against Chauvin. 'We call on authorities to revise the charges [against Chauvin] to reflect the culpability of this officer,' a statement from the family Friday said. 'We fully expect to see the other officers who did nothing to protect the life of George Floyd to be arrested and charged soon.' 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 The criminal complaint filed against Chauvin Friday also cited the preliminary findings from a Tuesday autopsy conducted by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner which saw 'no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxiation or strangulation'. 'Mr. Floyd had underlying health conditions including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease,' said the complaint from the Hennepin County Attorney. 'The combined effects of Mr. Floyd being restrained by police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death.' The full medical examiner's report is pending but Floyd's family have hired the services of former New York medical officer Dr. Michael Baden to perform a second independent autopsy. They are unhappy with the findings from the county medical examiner that they claim create an 'illusion' of underlying health conditions being responsible for his death. NTA has over the last month cautioned candidates about fake information being circulated on social media regarding various exams conducted by it. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has extended the last date for submission of application forms for various exams till 15 June, 5 pm. The fees can be submitted up to 11.50 pm on 15 June. The dates for exams such as IGNOU PhD and Open MAT (MBA) 2020, ICAR 2020, JNU Entrance Exam (JNUEE) 2020, UGC NET 2020 and CSIR UGC NET 2020 have been pushed forward in view of the requests from students and hardships faced by them due to the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier, the application deadline for these exams was 31 May. The dates for the respective examination will be displayed on the website. NTA conducts Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) entrance examination for admission to undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD courses in Agricultural Universities. Those who want to work as an assistant professor or qualify for junior research fellowship have to take the University Grants Commission's National Eligibility Test (UGC NET). On the other hand, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) UGC NET is held for selecting assistant professors and junior research fellows in subjects related to Science stream. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Entrance Exam (JNUEE) takes place for admission into postgraduate and MPhil programmes in Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. NTA has over the last month cautioned candidates about fake information being circulated on social media regarding various exams conducted by it. It has asked them to only rely on the official website for any information related to exams. Last month, the agency alerted NEET (UG) 2020 candidates after it was brought to its notice that some people are asking for application details from them on calls, SMS and emails. So far, its been a very tough year for kids around the world. This years celebration of the rights and issues of children globally on International Childrens Day (June 1) will surely be more somber and clouded over due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sadly, many planned events may be postponed or canceled worldwide as lockdowns continue. As UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore has pointed out very recently, lockdowns, no school for months, war and famine still displacing hundreds of thousands of children, parents out of work, and access to health services already under great strain are all complicating humanitys ability to provide a better life for kids everywhere. And thats on top of all the other issues affecting children: the right of girls to access education, discrimination, human and sex trafficking, child labor, and education for the handicapped and disabled, just to name a few. You could add to that the geographically unique problems for Vietnam climate change, drought and salinity in the Mekong Delta, and rising air pollution. It is to Vietnams credit and pride that it has managed to deal with the pandemic so far as well as it has and here I mean protection for children against the virus. And the nation is still very much focused on the educational and social needs of kids across the nation. Vietnam was an early signee to international agreements and processes to improve childrens lives and across the country there are hundreds of organizations working together to provide aid, care and shelter, education, and medical help for the young. This doesnt mean everything is going well there are lots of ongoing problems. The shadow of COVID-19 has badly affected the fundraising activities of non-government organizations, for example, at a time when many Vietnamese need help as they have lost employment in tourism and other industries to the pandemic. So, the call for people to donate and help out has increased dramatically. Significantly, Vietnam is addressing the lack of legal protection for children (and women) in a number of areas that havent received much attention. In 2016, the government launched a four-year program on the prevention and control of child labor. For most of 2019, Vietnamese officials prepared new legislation dealing with child labor, particularly in the informal work sector where violations are sometimes hard to spot. It is even more difficult to prosecute anyone when it comes to children working, say, for the family on a farm, whereas they should be in school. Even the definition for legal action is not clear if the kid helps the parents on the farm during school holidays or weekends, is that illegal child labor? As recently as December of last year, the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Children's Rights requested that police investigate an assault on an under-16-year-old. Adult excuses and justifications are becoming less accepted by the public and police officers, with more frequent prosecutions against offenders. There has also been more training for police in dealing with these situations, gathering evidence and securing convictions. Not perfect? Not enough? Well, at least Vietnam is doing something positive. Certainly, in Middle Eastern and northwestern Asian states the rights of the child barely exist so I applaud the Vietnamese efforts. As recently as May, local authorities highlighted the need to protect women and children during quarantine as domestic violence and isolation-related issues were rising. Vietnams Department of Child Care and Protection has run a child protection hotline since 2004, and in 2017 it simplified contact numbers to aid accessibility by children. The number is 111, in case youre wondering. The government usually runs a number of events throughout the major cities and towns to promote different aspects of issues relating to children such as arts and crafts for the socially and physically disadvantaged, as well as health campaigns. Once again, the government is also debating the addition of swimming lessons as a compulsory subject to school curriculums. Although it would be hard to fund nationwide, the necessity of swimming skills becomes more urgent with each drowning tragedy. But it is still a fun day for kids (as it should be) with parties at schools, homes, and public performances both for and by children. It can be as simple as giving presents, a day out with the family or just a good meal at home, not to mention the pleasure of going to the park or beach with your family now that social distancing has been lifted almost everywhere in Vietnam. It promises to be a grand day out! And one thing to consider: children teach us about patience, exploration, laughter, teamwork, smiling and not worrying about the big stuff I wonder if we adults are really that smart...? Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia: Pan-European private equity firm IK Investment Partners has closed the 2.85 billion ($3.17 billion) IK IX Fund, at its hard cap, exceeding its 2.5 billion fundraising target. IK IX Fund has surpassed its predecessor, which raised 1.85bn in 2016, and is the firm's largest fund to date. The vehicle will continue to invest across Europe in businesses with enterprise values of between 100m and 500m. It will typically look to deploy between 50m and 200m per investment initially. The middle-market buyout fund concentrates on investments in companies in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Nordic nations and Switzerland. The fundraise attracted significant interest from a high-quality institutional investor base across Europe (60%), North America (30%), Asia (7%) and South America (3%), with over a third of the money raised coming from new limited partners investing in IK funds for the first time. Investors include the $225.9 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund, Albany; $91.5 billion Minnesota State Board of Investment, St. Paul; and $44.7 billion Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, Oak Brook. Christopher Masek, IK CEO, said: "We are grateful for the confidence of our investors in our active approach to transforming European mid-market companies through international reach and sharpened operational capacities. We are confident that the IK IX Fund is well-positioned to leverage the strengths ...................... To view our full article Click here 01.06.2020 LISTEN Because of COVID 19 and it crises, many parents today are considering home tuition as a way of supporting kids from home especially in these times that most schools are still closed. Many parents are looking for In-home tuition that is where tutors meet face to face with students whiles others are looking for online tuition where tutors meet with students online using applications like zoom or Google classroom. Choosing between in-home tuition and online tuition is perfectly ok since there is no one size fits approach to education. Home tuition in general has its own benefits. Below are few you might want to consider: 1. Focus on difficult subjects. A tutor has the opportunity to focus on the specific subjects and areas that your child may be struggling with. At school, a teacher can only give limited individual attention to each student, as there is limited classroom time available and the requirement for the teacher to meet the needs of the whole teaching group. 2. Little distractions. There are fewer distractions in a home setting, with little noise or distractions from classmates, which can often impact on your child's concentration and performance. 3. Personalize their learning experience A tutor will quickly gauge the current achievement, future potential and learning style of your child and will be able to adapt their teaching to this to bring the greatest benefit. 4. Can provide academic challenge A tutor can provide academic challenge for your child, if they do not find this at their school. This can enthuse and invigorate learning and enjoyment for a particular subject, which can infect other areas of their school life. 5. One on one assistance A tutor can offer academic support to your child, if they have missed out on some of their learning, whether through illness, absence, a lack of understanding at school ... or a lack of effort. A short, direct and intensive course of lessons can have a profound impact on your child's performance and confidence. 6. Boost childrens confidence A tutor can help develop your child's confidence in a subject. The more confident a child feels with their schoolwork, the more they are able to develop and progress their skills and knowledge. 7. Kids prepare well for exams A tutor can help your child develop the right exam technique, so that they are able to perform to their full potential in an exam situation. Often children to need a lot of practice doing trial exam papers, with a tutor alongside helping them to be precise and concise, to spot the traps that are set, to organise their timings, ... 8. Kids overcome shyness If your child is shy then often they will not ask questions in the classroom. In a one-on-one teaching, your child will feel more able to ask questions when they are unsure of a concept. 9. Support for homework If your child is struggling with homework from school, the tutor can provide support to help them with this. If your child is not receiving enough homework from school to consolidate their learning, the tutor can provide this. 10. Maximum focus Regular lessons with a tutor will help a disorganised child begin to focus on their work, with the responsibility that they will have to be ready for the next lesson. Once momentum builds, your child will begin to feel less anxious and more enjoyment, as they begin to sense that they are making progress. Parents are encouraged to sit in on some of the tuition, if they would wish, to enable them to watch the tutor at work, and to pick up some of their strategies and skills, which they can also then use to consolidate their child's learning, when the tutor is not there. Conclusion Excellent Home Classes provides an effective, efficient and excellent home tuition services for students of all ages and in all subjects. We have expert tutors for both in-home tuition and on-line tuition. With our in-home tuition, tutors meet students in-person at their homes whiles for on-line tuition; lessons are conducted with the help of the internet using platforms like zoom and Google classroom. With in-home tuition, students can meet with tutors living within or around their localities. Whiles with online tuition, student can meet with tutors anywhere as long as they have access to internet connection. For more information regarding our home tuition and how it works, please check our terms and conditions, frequently asked questions by parents as well as our tuition packages. You can also Call/WhatsApp+233 (0) 501457284, email: [email protected] or contact us here. Hundreds of hours of pro bono services have been provided and were really proud of that, said David Bourke, Director of Client Services. The small business community has been hit hard by the pandemic and were doing what we can to support as many as we can. FocusCFO announced today they have helped their clients and others with over $100 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and other CARES Act loans since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. Businesses receiving loans were both for-profit and non-profit organizations, all with less than 500 employees. Applications were processed by over two dozen banks in Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. We are always passionate about helping business owners, but even more as they began to navigate early stages of the pandemic, said Brad Martyn, Founder of FocusCFO. The PPP loans were critical for employers to have some financial cushion and peace of mind so they could sustain their businesses while managing the impact of COVID-19. The application and subsequent forgiveness process have been confusing and chaotic. Nonetheless, we found it rewarding to help our clients with the vital funding and their on-going cash flow planning. In addition, as part of their commitment to supporting small business in the communities where they operate, FocusCFO provided pro-bono services to over 70 companies and individuals hit especially hard by pandemic closures and regulations. These complimentary services involved PPP applications, cash flow forecasting and stress modeling. Hundreds of hours of pro bono services have been provided and were really proud of that, said David Bourke, Director of Client Services. The small business community has been hit hard by the pandemic and were doing what we can to support as many as we can. In addition to pro bono services, FocusCFO provides complimentary resources and cash flow tools to help business owners through their website. Especially during business interruptions like the pandemic, the ability to access cash and understand cash flow becomes critical to every business and can determine whether a business survives, said Martyn. Our CFOs are very skilled at forecasting and managing cash flow, and identifying and correcting risk. We look forward to helping our clients through the remainder of this business uncertainty so they will come out of it stronger than before. About FocusCFO: Founded in 2001, FocusCFO is the leading onsite fractional CFO services provider in the Midwest, with more than 90 CFOs and Area Presidents serving clients throughout Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia. FocusCFO works closely with small to medium sized businesses, helping business owners gain control over three key financial and operational areas: increasing cash flow, reducing business risk, and creating a platform for scalable growth. This allows business owners to then realize full financial control and increased value in their businesses. FocusCFO provides CFO Services on a fractional basis, meaning clients get all the advantages of a full-time, highly experienced CFO under terms that are flexible, affordable and within each clients budget. What really sets FocusCFO apart is their CFOs are highly experienced and work exclusively onsite at the clients office under a recurring schedule. Typically, engagements range from two days a month to several days per week, and many clients are in the $2 to 6 million revenue range when they initially engage with FocusCFO. For more information, visit http://www.focuscfo.com or follow us on LinkedIn. On 8 April, Oyo founder and Group CEO Ritesh Agarwal had said in a letter and video message that the company will place a certain number of employees on furloughs or temporary leaves, globally. New Delhi: Hospitality firm Oyo is granting employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) worth a total of around Rs 130 crore to all its furloughed employees impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic as part of its efforts to minimise the disruption being experienced by them, an internal e-mail from its founder Ritesh Agarwal said on Monday. On 8 April, Oyo founder and Group CEO Ritesh Agarwal had said in a letter and video message that the company will place a certain number of employees on furloughs or temporary leaves, globally. According to the sources, the number of furloughed employees globally could run in thousands. The company, however, did not share any details regarding the number of the impacted employees. In an internal town hall note to the impacted employees, Agarwal on Monday said that while he hoped that the company can get as many employees back, he is cognisant of the practical reality that the uncertainty around the COVID-19 situation will continue for sometime. "I would like to recognise your contributions and this love and passion for Oyo by making you a co-owner and shareholder of the company. I would like to inform you that all impacted Oyopreneurs would be eligible for ESOPs worth around Rs 130 crore ( around $18 million)," he added. Details on employees'' specific grant will be shared on e-mail separately, which will be detailed as per their band and geographies, he added. "In addition, we also understand that some of you may already have stock options. For those employees, we are dropping the one-year cliff on the vesting of stock options for everyone we have hired in the past year. This will ensure that everyone departing, regardless of how long they have been with OYO, can become a shareholder," Agarwal said. Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak The company will also provide stocks to employees not impacted, thereby making 100 percent team members co-owners, he added. "This is the first time in the history of the company that such a large part of the organisation is being inducted as a stakeholder. That too at a time when some of you may decide not to be part of our future. This is a small token of gratitude from us for your contribution in building this company and for your unwavering support to us in good as well as bad times," Agarwal said. Given the uncertainty around the timelines for complete business revival, the company has also announced placement support for furloughed employees, keen to explore opportunities outside of the company or industry. "The organisation will also come up with an institutionalised placement support system for those who wish to avail it," Agarwal said. Oyo is also actively working with the company''s investors to identify opportunities in their portfolio companies and help its employees with alternative career opportunities in those companies, he added. "I am happy to share that in Japan, we have helped about 150 Oyopreneurs through this route," Agarwal said. The company has also formed an exigency fund for the employees who may need it for some critical illness cases, he added. Agarwal also said he was extremely sorry for the impact, and added that he wanted to re-emphasise that "this is not your fault in any way. This is a scary and a tough time for all of us in different ways." He also added that, "I am privileged to have worked with all of you. Thank you for helping the company get where it is today and for being an integral part of our company. Thank you for being a part of our lives. Thank you for coming to Oyo. We are all better because of it." Saudi Arabia is likely to increase the price for its oil bound for Asia in July, a Reuters survey of five refinery sources showed on Monday. This is the second consecutive month for oil price hikes in Saudi Arabia, which come on the back of reduced supply out of the Middle East region due to the OPEC+ cuts. The pricing of Saudi crude, typically released around the fifth of each month, generally sets the trend for the pricing for Asia of other Gulf oil producers such as Kuwait, Iraq, and Iran. The pricing of Saudi Aramco, the Kingdoms oil giant, affects as much as 12 million barrels per day (bpd) of Middle Eastern crude grades going to Asia. According to the Reuters survey, refiners in Asia expect Saudi Arabia to raise the price for its flagship Arab Light crude grade for July by $3.80 per barrel on average. In June, Arab Light is sold in Asia at a $5.90 a barrel discount to the Oman/Dubai average, after last month Saudi Arabia raised the price for all its crude oil grades to all regions for June in a move that analysts saw as the start of demand recovery. The price of Arab Light for June was raised by $1.40 a barrel from May. Asian refiners had not expected the increase in Saudi prices for Junethey were predicting that the Kingdom would cut the price of its oil. For July, the refinery sources polled by Reuters expect Saudi Arabia to lift the prices for all its crude grades, especially Arab Extra Light, compared to the heavier grades. Still, refining margins in Asia have worsened in recent weeks because of the stronger Dubai/Oman benchmark prices that increase import costs. While expectations are that the Saudis will raise prices, the increase may not be by much because of the still weak refining margins, according to the Reuters survey. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Iran Minister Downplays November Protest Death Toll In First Official Acknowledgement Radio Farda May 31, 2020 Nearly seven months after Iran's security forces killed several hundreds protesters in November 2019, Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said implicitly for the first time on Saturday May 30 that the number of those killed was around 200. While Iran has been hiding the actual number of those killed in the violent crackdown that followed the nationwide protests in November, independent news agencies and human rights watchers put the number at up to 1,500. A short while after the crackdown, U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook said that Iranian security forces had killed around 1,000 protesters in November. Rahmani who was taking advantage of the ongoing protests in the United States to portray violence as something normal that can happen anywhere in the world, did not even give precise figures about the death toll. Some Iranian Twitter users have pointed out the way Iran has been taking advantage of foreign developments to justify its violence. The minister appeared on a TV program Saturday night to say "around 40 to 45 people, that is about 20 percent of the death toll were killed with weapons not issued by the government," but about 80 percent were killed by government forces. This means he is still insisting on the government propaganda that some protesters killed other protesters with guns that did not belong to government forces; something officials tried to argue during the crisis in November. As verified by international human rights watchdogs, Iranian forces even used tanks and machine guns against protesters and shot many in the head at point blank range. Human rights organizations even characterized the outcome of the crackdown at places such as Mahshahr in Khuzestan Province and Shahryar near Tehran as "massacre." Amnesty International announced last week that at least 304 protesters were killed in 37 Iranian cities, stressing that these include only the cases that are accounted for and the actual number is probably much higher. According to Amnesty, the biggest number of known deaths were in the underprivileged areas around Tehran where 163 confirmed deaths have been registered, followed by 57 in Khuzestan and 30 in Kermanshah province. Reuters in December quoted three sources close to Khamenei's inner circle as well as another source as having said that some 1,500 Iranians were killed during the November protests. Khamenei had told the security forces in a public meeting: "Do whatever is necessary to stop" the protests. Unrest began in mid-November when the government increased the price of gasoline by 200 percent without prior notice. When nationwide protest broke out, the government resorted to one of its most violent crackdowns and shut down the Internet to keep everything concealed from the public. Rahmani said during the program that "All U.S. media and the opposition including monarchists and Mojahedin-e Khalq and ISIS were training the protesters for armed struggle." He added that they aimed to start a civil war in Iran. Earlier, when asked why demonstrators were shot in the head, Rahmani said in cold blood, "We have also shot some in the leg." The answer was harshly criticized by some Iranian lawmakers. According to Amnesty International, most protesters were shot in the head or the upper part of their chest and this shows that security forces had a shoot to kill order. On his TV interview, however, Rahmani claimed that the armed forces were told not to confront the people with weapons." The government's stayed silence for nearly seven months despite criticism by Iranian and international media and political figures. Even now the minister has implicitly hinted at a number, there are no names or details about the killings. Meanwhile Rahmani Fazli criticized the U.S. government for sanctioning him for his part in suppressing the November protests. The U.S. Department of Treasury and many international observers have said that Rahmani was the one who had ordered the security forces to kill the protesters. The U.S. has also sanctioned Police Chief Hossein Ashtari and some other high-ranking commanders for "their role in the massacres in November 2019." Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-minister- downplays-november-protest-death-toll-in-first- official-acknowledgement/30644503.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 Banteay Meanchey police officials detained and later released human and environmental rights activist Hun Vannak on Monday, as security forces were deployed for a planned protest by market vendors in Poipet town. Poipet residents, most of whom are market vendors in Rong Kleu Market in Thailand across the border, planned to demonstrate on Monday morning requesting that the border to be reopened to resume trade in the market. The Thai border has been closed since March to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Hun Vannak, who was at the protest as an independent observer, was documenting the planned demonstration, especially the heavy security presence that had been deployed by provincial authorities. While taking photographs and videos of the security presence, Hun Vannak said he was arrested and taken to a site near the train station for questioning. If there is violence against the people, then that would be a human rights violation, said Hun Vannak, who is also part of a newly-formed youth movement called Khmer Thavareak. And as a human rights activist, I need to monitor that. Hun Vannak told VOA Khmer that he was accused of collecting information for the opposition party, a reference to the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party. He was forced to delete all the photos and videos he filmed on Monday, but he refused to sign an agreement with the police nor did he speak during his questioning, which was filmed by the police. The youth activist previously worked for environmental protection NGO Mother Nature, and was imprisoned for 18 months in early 2018 for his activism against sand dredging in Koh Kong province. Seth Los, deputy chief for the Banteay Meanchey provincial police, said authorities only wanted to question Hun Vannak and had not arrested him. He added that they educated Hun Vannak and released him after asking him not to indulge in any illegal activities. We invited him to sit with us to ask him where he come from and what his work is, said Seth Los. After we got the answers, the deputy prosecutor educated him and allowed him to go back to his house. Asked about the heavy security presence in Poipet, Seth Los said it was in response to the planned demonstration, refusing to provide additional details. Din Puthy, head of the Cambodia Informal Economy Reinforced Association which helps informal workers in the border town, said the protest on Monday was canceled because of the heavy security presence. The civil society member said market vendors and transportation workers were hurting financially because of the border closure and authorities needed to open the checkpoint to allow vendors to trade. So, if we cannot earn, we don't have money to spend, Din Puthy said. They have to spend on their bank loan, childrens school fees, food, electricity, and everything. That is why they worry that they might have to go hungry. VOA Khmer could not reach Banteay Meanchey Governor Um Reatrey for comment on Monday. Local publication VOD English reported last week that authorities had deployed security forces across the border town after a request for the protest was rejected by the province, especially a heavy presence of security personnel at Din Puthys residence. Sum Chankea, rights civil society group ADHOCs Banteay Meanchey monitor, said preventing residents from protesting and the detention of Hun Vannak was a serious violation of human rights. "It is the violation of liberties and the freedom of expression, including dissemination of information, he said. When it comes to picking commencement speakers, Connecticut sure knows who will deliver. Over the years, the state has seen the likes of Former President Barack Obama, actress Julie Bowen and Billy Joel speak to the graduating seniors of Connecticut's colleges and high schools. New Delhi: Listing of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and sale of government's stake in IDBI Bank may be delayed beyond March 2021, due to depressed valuation amid COVID-19 pandemic. The government aims to garner Rs 90,000 crore from the listing of LIC and stake dilution in IDBI Bank out of total the disinvestment target of Rs 2.10 lakh crore during the current fiscal. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Budget 2020-21 had announced stake sale in LIC through an initial public offer in the current financial year. Given the prevailing market situation, it seems to be difficult to do the LIC stake sale in the current fiscal as the situation is not conducive, sources said. Besides, they said, there will not be a matching appetite for the mega issue of LIC in the present market condition. Due to COVID situation, the government recently for the second time extended the deadline for bidding for privatisation of India's second-biggest oil marketing company Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) by over a month to July 31. The government currently owns 100 per cent in LIC, while it holds around a 46.5 per cent stake in IDBI Bank. The sources said, the government will have to cut down its expected realisation from stake dilution of both LIC and IDBI Bank even if the market condition improves. So, selling them at low valuation would be an imprudent decision, they added. Besides valuation, the sources said, listing of LIC involves a lot of regulatory clearances and more importantly amendment to the LIC Act itself. Market participants had already termed the listing of insurance behemoth LIC as IPO of the decade akin to the Saudi Aramco listing. The 60-year-old state-owned firm, LIC is the country's largest insurer, controlling more than 70 per cent of the market share. The insurer has a market share of 76.28 per cent in number of policies and 71 per cent in first-year premiums. LIC has many subsidiaries, including IDBI Bank. Turning the corner, IDBI Bank on Saturday posted a profit of Rs 135 crore for the March quarter on account of recoveries from bad loans. The lender reported a profit after 13 straight quarters of net losses. The bank had posted a net loss of Rs 4,918 crore in the corresponding period of last year. In January 2019, LIC completed acquisition of 51 per cent controlling stake in the lender. The state-owned life insurer infused Rs 21,624 crore into the bank. The bank, which is under the Reserve Bank of India's prompt corrective action (PCA) framework, said it has achieved all PCA parameters for exit except return on asset. Theaters across the country have been shut down due to the ongoing public health crisis. Now more than ever, arts organizations could use your donations to help sustain themselves for future seasons. If you have money to spare for donations, here are 10 historic African-American theaters and companies for you to consider. The August Wilson African American Cultural Center This nonprofit organization is based in downtown Pittsburgh and celebrates the contributions of African American artists to national and international culture. The center curates exhibitions and performances that explore the issues of identity that Wilson tackled in his body of work, as well as presents the yearly Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, the Black Bottom Film Festival, and numerous community days for free, family-oriented events. The Billie Holiday Theatre Founded in 1972, the Billie Holiday Theatre is one of the cultural institutions run by the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation and its RestorationArt initiative. This Brooklyn-based theater produces new contemporary African-American plays and musicals at affordable prices, and served as an early theatrical home to artists such as Samuel L. Jackson, Debbie Allen, Samm-Art Williams, and Smokey Robinson. Its programs include the Black Arts Institute, an acting program offered in partnership with Stella Adler Studio, and a Youth Arts Academy, which offers lessons in drama, ballet, West African dance, and African djembe drumming. Black Ensemble Theatre This Chicago-based company, founded in 1976 by actress and producer Jackie Taylor, uses theater and educational outreach programs in an effort to eradicate racism and its damaging effects on society. In addition to original productions, its outreach initiates include Plays With a Purpose, a series of interactive musicals designed to teach students positive life lessons, the Black Playwrights Initiative, which helps develop the skills of local African-American dramatists, and Summer Job Training for Youth, which provides inner-city teens with eight weeks of training that will enable them to have a career in technical theater. The Classical Theatre of Harlem Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the Classical Theatre of Harlem is a professional theater company dedicated to reimagining classics and developing new work, while providing educational and literary programs at little or no cost to underserved communities in Harlem and beyond. Engaging with Harlem residents, businesses, schools, and community organizations, it benefits 18,000 people per year. Ebony Repertory Theatre Founded by actor Wren T. Brown, Ebony Repertory Theatre is the first and only professional African-American theater company in Los Angeles. It develops and nurtures theater rooted in the experience of the African Diaspora, and has presented award-winning productions ranging from A Raisin in the Sun to Five Guys Named Moe. The Ensemble Theatre Houston's Ensemble Theatre was founded in 1976 by the late George Hawkins to preserve African American artistic expression and enlighten, entertain, and enrich a diverse community. Decades later, the theater has evolved from a touring company to being one of Houston's finest historical cultural institutions. The Ensemble is one of the only professional theaters in the region dedicated to the production of works portraying the African American experience, is the oldest and largest professional African American theater in the Southwest, and holds the distinction of being one of the nation's largest African American theaters owning and operating its facility and producing in-house. Harlem Stage Harlem Stage commissions, incubates, and presents work that respond to the historical and contemporary conditions that shape our lives and communities. For more than 35 years, it has celebrated the diverse artistic legacy of Harlem and its impact on American culture through presentations of theater and works, musical performances, and more. Its roster of artists includes Bill T. Jones, Nona Hendryx, and Stew. National Black Theatre National Black Theatre is among the oldest black theaters in the country, and one of the longest owned and operated by a woman of color. Founded by the late Dr. Barbara Ann Teer in 1968, the theater reflects her lifelong commitment to community service through the arts, and produces theatrical experiences that tell authentic stories of the Black experience. It has toured over 300 original theater works around the United States, the Caribbean, Central America, Africa, and Asia, and also provides producing, directing, and playwriting residences for emerging black theater artists. Penumbra Theatre Based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Penumbra Theatre creates productions that illuminate the human condition through the lens of the African-American experience. Its goals include creating public awareness of the African-American contribution to the American theater and maintaining a black performing arts community. Each year, Penumbra's shows are performed for more than 40,000 people, with more than 5,000 students receiving educational outreach workshops. It employs more actors, directors, and administrators of color than all the other theaters in Minnesota combined. Pyramid Theatre Company Based in Des Moines, Iowa, Pyramid Theatre Company provides a means of artistic expression to emerging Black voices, while providing theater rooted in the lessons of the past so as to serve the needs of the present. Cofounded by artistic director Jireh Breon Holder (Too Heavy for Your Pocket) and now run by founding member Tiffany Johnson, the theater has presented classic works like A Raisin in the Sun and Intimate Apparel, and was scheduled to produce Jackie Sibblies Drury's Pulitzer-winning Fairview in August, production that was canceled due to the ongoing pandemic. Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company Atlanta-based and founded in 2002, Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre celebrates the tradition of black storytelling while giving voice to artists of all cultures. One of its many important programs is the National August Wilson Monologue Competition, an arts education program for high school students that offers free workshops, an all-expenses paid trip to New York for finalists, and the opportunity to not only attend a Broadway show, but perform a monologue from one of Wilson's plays on a Broadway stage during the competition. 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. A Co Clare community that has befriended asylum seekers has called on Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan to close emergency accommodation which it describes as "dangerous" and "inhumane". The Irish Refugee Council and Doras non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have also called on Mr Flanagan to take action over conditions in the Central Hostel in Miltown Malbay. Twelve asylum seekers are current staying in the hostel, but the Miltown Malbay welcome group said it is seriously concerned for their physical and mental wellbeing. A total of 35 men from a number of African states and from eastern Europe, the Middle East, Pakistan and Bangladesh had been housed in Miltown Malbay since May 2019. The Central Hostel previously operated as a bar and a tourist hostel before it was contracted by the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) - an office of the Department of Justice -to provide accommodation to asylum seekers as a temporary measure. Welcome group spokeswoman Aine Rynne said the local community had "supported, befriended and assisted" the residents of the emergency centre for over a year. She said Mr Flanagan had cited the community's effort on national radio last year as "an example of where the Department of Justice policy of opening accommodation centres in rural areas was working well". The community remains proud of its efforts to extend a welcome, she said, but is "not prepared to continue to tolerate the dangerous, uncomfortable, poorly serviced and managed conditions in which the asylum seekers live in their town". She said at least two men who had complained about conditions had been relocated at short notice to other centres, and those remaining in the hostel were "living in fear". The group has written to Mr Flanagan, to IPAS, to the Ombudsman and to four Clare TDs calling for the hostel's closure. Group member Carmel Talty said she and a fellow volunteer had been providing food to the residents, along with duvets and up to 30 hot water bottles during the winter months. The Irish Refugee Council and Doras have raised concerns about the physical condition of the building. In their letter to IPAS, they cite traces of rodents and a lack of light, space and recreational facilities, and provision of shared rooms only in spite of despite Covid-19 recommendations. They also queried management and implementation of HSE Covid-19 guidelines whereby "residents were told they should not go outside". They also have concerns about sub-standard food and a lack of clean drinking water and "an ongoing sense of fear of retaliation amongst residents if they raise issues with management or IPAS". Central Hostel owner Pat Kelly said he was "not aware" of letters sent to Mr Flanagan or IPAS, and said any queries should be relayed to the Department of Justice. The department said it would seek to follow up directly with the group next week in relation to the issues raised. It said it had arranged a "virtual clinic" for residents hosted by IPAS, which will take place next week. Val-d'Or, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - June 1, 2020) - Golden Valley Mines Ltd. (TSXV: GZZ) (OTCQX: GLVMF) ("Golden Valley" or the "Company") announces that it has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market via OTC Markets. OTC Markets Group is the operator of financial markets for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Golden Valley upgraded to OTCQX from OTCQB Venture market. Golden Valley begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "GLVMF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the Company on www.otcmarkets.com. The OTCQX Market is designed for established, investor-focused U.S. and international companies. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. Graduating to the OTCQX Market from the OTCQB Market marks an important milestone for companies, enabling them to demonstrate their qualifications and build visibility among U.S. investors. "We are thrilled with this enhancement to our OTC Markets profile, upgrading from the OTCQB Venture Market to the OTCQX Best Market. We see this as the logical next step in our evolution, and look forward to gaining more market awareness in the USA. The Company continues to assess marketing strategies to increase exposure and liquidity," said President/CEO Glenn J. Mullan of Golden Valley Mines. About Golden Valley Mines Ltd.: Golden Valley Mines is focused on project generation and continues to evaluate opportunities to enhance its mining exploration property and NSR royalty portfolio. The Company is able to explore and develop its current property assets by way of partner-funded option/joint ventures and through its shareholdings in related entities. The Company has a balanced and diversified property portfolio inclusive of precious and base metals, largely concentrated in Quebec and Ontario, Canada. Story continues For additional information please contact: Glenn J. Mullan Chairman, President, and CEO Golden Valley Mines Ltd. 152, chemin de la Mine Ecole Val-d'Or, Quebec J9P 7B6 Telephone: 819.824.2808 ext. 204 Email: glenn.mullan@goldenvalleymines.com Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Corporation believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Corporation's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, the Corporation undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. THIS PRESS RELEASE, REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE CANADIAN LAWS, IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO SELL ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN IN THE UNITED STATES. THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN, AND WILL NOT BE, REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. PERSONS UNLESS REGISTERED OR EXEMPT THEREFROM. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56930 Special Aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe has described as petty, the attempt to smear Mahama's campaign with the late Prof Atta Mills autopsy report. According to him, the campaign team of candidate John Dramani Mahama will not succumb to those who have pressed the button of distraction to drag the team along to discuss the death of the late President. Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe indicated that Ghanaians will never forgive former President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) if they fail to win the 2020 general election. He professed that the headache of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is to win the 2020 general election for Ghanaians; thus, the NDC Presidential candidate is focused on victory as he has a very tight schedule to deliver power for Ghanaians. If someone presses the button of self-distraction, never stop him; let him go ahead, and for me I wont waste my time to banter him. We dont want any distraction; Ghanaians will never forgive us if we dont win election 2020 and that is our worry and headache, he asserted. 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 This would explain, in part, why President Trump this month endorsed candidates in two Republican primaries in Iowa, but conspicuously ignored Mr. King. In 2018, Mr. King won the solidly Republican Fourth by only 3.3 percentage points a total of about 10,000 votes against his Democratic challenger, J.D. Scholten. (Mr. King won the seat by more than 22 points in 2016). Mr. Trump took the same district in 2016 by a 27-point margin. But Mr. King wasnt always so offensively outspoken. Over his past few congressional terms, Mr. King has become fixated on things far from the interests of his constituents. And his constituents know it. In 2018, at a town hall event I attended in Webster City, voters wondered why he was traveling to Europe to meet with far-right figures. They also raised questions about his lifestyle in Washington expensive meals and the like. These Iowa voters, then, wouldnt be surprised to learn that Mr. King has been paying his son Jeff several thousand dollars a month to manage his campaign, as he has in past years. Mr. Kings daughter-in-law is also on the campaigns payroll. But its Mr. Kings turn away from the district and toward divisive and racial issues that has really turned off his constituents. Bob Vander Plaats, an evangelical Iowa political broker, has called the congressman embarrassing and said the district deserves better. Hes endorsed Mr. Feenstra and appears in ads playing in Iowas Fourth. Whatever you think of Steve King, its clear hes no longer effective, Mr. Vander Plaats says in the advertisement. He cant deliver for President Trump, and he cant advance our conservative values. Mr. King wrote two weeks ago in a newspaper op-ed essay that its the billionaire coastal RINO-NeverTrumper, globalist, neocon elites who support Mr. Feenstra. Mr. Rove said the opposite is true. The people trying to take him down are ordinary people of western Iowa who are sick and tired of a showboater, not a workhorse, and by Republicans around the country who are offended by his remarks and by how badly it reflects on the Republican Party, he said. In reality, if he was doing his job representing the people of his district he wouldnt have any primary opponents, let alone four. Ghaziabad: The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday gave its nod to open the liquor shops from 10am to 9pm across the state, barring those which are in containment zones. The decision is likely to benefit about 800 shops in Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar districts. The previous timings for the liquor stores were from 10am to 7pm. In its guidelines issued on Sunday, the UP government had directed for opening of markets from 9am to 9pm. The liquor shops which opened earlier from 10am to 7pm will now open from 10am to 9pm. These will exclude liquor shops which fall under the containment zones. The directions will be applicable for all districts, said Sanjay R Bhoosreddy, principal secretary of UP excise department. Officials said that the revised timings will be applicable for shops of country liquor, Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) and beer shops, including the model shops which are located outside the containment zones. There are about 460 liquor shops in Ghaziabad, including about 60 falling under the containment zones/hotspot areas, while 371 of 481 are presently open in Gautam Budh Nagar district. The liquor sales are a major revenue generator for the government, and generate a revenue of about Rs 30,000 crore annually. Official sources of the excise department said that the revenue proposed for the current financial year is about Rs 36,000 crore. However, the liquor sales have seen a sharp decline as shops were directed to close down in UP in the wake of lockdown imposed in the last week of March. As per our estimates, the sales of beer have come down to 10% while those of foreign liquor and country made liquor have come down to about 20% and 30%, respectively. The sales of beer have been largely affected as people have been advised against taking cold items or beverages to prevent aggravation by Covid-19, the officer added. In order to boost sales, the state cabinet on May 23 approved the Uttar Pradesh Excise (Settlement of Licences for Premium Retail Vends of Foreign Liquor) Rules, 2020 which mandates sales of premium liquor brands in shopping malls, departmental stores and supermarkets. The officials said that arrangement is likely to start in the next two months after the modalities are finalised for the license fees and lockdown conditions get relaxed. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON San Francisco, June 1 : After hacker group Anonymous issued a threat of retribution for the death of George Floyd allegedly due to police brutality, the website of Minneapolis Police Department showed signs that it faced a cyber attack. The website currently requires visitors to submit "captchas" to verify they are humans, not bots, the New York Post reported on Monday. On its unconfirmed Facebook page on Thursday, hacker group Anonymous said it was targeting the department. The politically-charged hacker group targeted the police department for its "horrific track record of violence and corruption" in an almost four-minute video. "This travesty has gone on for far too long, and now the people have had enough," a figure said in a mechanical voice. "People have had enough of this corruption and violence from an organization that promises to keep them safe," it added. "Unfortunately, we do not trust your corrupt organization to carry out justice, so we will be exposing your many crimes to the world," said the masked figure. Some 5,000 US National Guard troops were deployed in major states amid the ongoing protests against the death of Floyd in police custody on May 25 in the city of Minneapolis, while also demanding an end to racism and police violence. California Department of Education News Release California Department of Education News Release State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Calls on Schools and Communities to Take Action to Address Institutional Racism and Educational Inequities SACRAMENTOState Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today responded to the death of George Floyd by calling on communities across the state and nation to take action to dismantle institutional racism and inequities in public schools. He also invited students, educators, families, and partners to participate in an upcoming series of honest, courageous conversations that can help inform the work ahead. Given the gravity of what has happened, it is important to me to take some time to talk about the important need for us to have racial justice in California and in this country, said Thurmond. It has been difficult for me to make sense of how a man can beg and plead for his life and still have his life snuffed out. It has been hard for me, as a black man, who every day thinks about the impact of race. It has been difficult for me, as a parent raising African American children, to know what to say, how to answer their questions when they ask me, Dad, why did this happen? And to know that I have to confront my own vulnerability: that when they ask me, Could this happen to them? that I might not be able to keep them safe. To the loved ones of George Floyd, Thurmond addressed them directly: I believe that you deserve more than condolences and prayers. I believe that you deserve action that leads to racial justice. We know that bias exists in every sector of society, Thurmond added. Now is our time to speak, and to address racism and implicit bias in education. An archived video broadcast of the State Superintendents full remarks can be found on the California Department of Education (CDE) Facebook page . In his remarks, the State Superintendent noted that public education can play an important role in better exploring the connection between issues of educational equity and implicit bias in the classroom and the systemic racism that persists throughout society. Black and brown students are more likely to be suspended and expelled and fall behind academically, for example, and schools that serve communities of color are often the most under-resourced. The State Superintendent announced that he and the CDE will be launching a series of discussions that will include superintendents and educational leaders from across California, students, teachers, school support staff, parents, and caregivers. Thurmond also intends to convene stakeholders in discussions of implicit bias beyond schools to include leaders of statewide and national law enforcement organizations, elected officials, civic community leaders, and more. Details of these gatherings and how to participate will be forthcoming. Thurmond also announced that he has created an outletcreateracialjustice@gmail.comthat will allow for additional voices and ideas to be heard. CDE will use this collected feedback to develop a new online resource that will be an extension of these conversations. More details will come later. # # # # Tony Thurmond State Superintendent of Public Instruction Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100 Last Reviewed: Friday, December 10, 2021 Joe Biden vowed to address 'institutional racism' in his first 100 days in office as he met with community leaders at a predominantly African American church in Delaware Monday morning. Biden left home for a second consecutive day amid the coronavirus pandemic to address exploding racial tensions after the death of George Floyd, a black man, at the hands of a white police officer. Biden, the former vice president who will represent Democrats on the ballot against President Trump this fall, has struggled in recent weeks to be heard from his basement television studio over the noise of dueling national crises. But after another night of violent protests, the 77-year-old Democrat gathered with roughly a dozen local black leaders during an intimate meeting in his hometown ahead of a virtual meeting with mayors from Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and St. Paul, Minnesota. 'Hate just hides. It doesnt go away, and when you have somebody in power who breathes oxygen into the hate under the rocks, it comes out from under the rocks,' Biden said, his face mask lowered around his chin, after several participants shared their thoughts on police brutality. Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, visited a predominantly black church in Wilmington, Delaware on Monday Joe Biden, wearing a facemask, talked to community leaders who were spread out throughout the church due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic Joe Biden vowed to address 'institutional racism' in his first 100 days in office, he told those gathered at the Bethel AME Church on Monday Joe Biden bowed his head in prayer as he asked the pastor to pray with him as he concluded the listening session Joe Biden waves as he enter the Bethel AME Church in Wilmington, Delaware on Monday, marking the second day in a row he left his house Bishop Thomas Wesley Weeks stands as he speaks to Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden (left), at Bethel AME Church Joe Biden listened and took notes as clergy members and community activists took turns speaking during Monday's visit to Bethel AME Church in Wilmington With a stained glass window in the background, Joe Biden visits Bethel AME Church in Wilmington Joe Biden contrasted himself with President Trump as he came out into the community to talk about race relations in the United States after days of protests have left major cities scarred Joe Biden speaks with Pastor Sylvester Beaman and First Lady Renee Beaman during a visit to Bethel AME Church in Wilmington At the event, Joe Biden brought up his son Beau, who died five years ago Sunday If elected, he promised to 'deal with institutional racism' and set up a police oversight body in his first 100 days in office. His low-key, high-touch approach marked a sharp contrast to that of Trump in recent days, who has made little effort to unify the country. The Republican president was scheduled to speak to governors and law enforcement officials on Monday, but he spent much of the weekend using Twitter as a bullhorn to urge 'law and order' and tougher action by police against protesters around the country. He warned Friday that, 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts.' Trump also lashed out at Biden Monday, tweeting that 'Sleepy Joe Bidens people are so Radical Left that they are working to get the Anarchists out of jail, and probably more.' In the early moments of Monday's gathering at the Bethel AME church in Biden's hometown of Wilmington, the former vice president listened quietly and took notes in a spiral notebook. All of the attendees, including Biden, wore face masks. 'The vice president came to hear from us. This is a homeboy,' said Pastor Sylvester Beaman, before Biden and those present bowed their heads in prayer. Biden's softer approach may foreshadow how the presumptive Democratic nominee presents himself in the five months before the presidential election, emphasizing calm and competence as a contrast to a mercurial president. It is an approach that carries the risk of being drowned out by the much louder, more persistent voice of Trump. 'Hes not in office, and he certainly does not have the megaphone like the person currently occupying the White House does, but I do think our people are looking for someone who can make them feel better during these extremely tough times,' said Rep. Val Demings of Florida, whom Biden is considering as a running mate. 'America just needs to be reassured that there's someone who's understanding, someone who's willing to say, "Yes, we do have some issues," and someone whos willing to address it.' Reassurance requires presence, though, and that has been a hurdle for the former vice president, driven inside by the coronavirus pandemic, still working to adapt to the power of social media as a substitute and without the natural platform of a public office. Biden delivered a well-received address on Friday calling on white people to shoulder the responsibility of ending Americas systemic racism. But he was largely out of sight over the weekend, which marked the fifth anniversary of the death of his son Beau Biden. Monday marked just his third public appearance since the pandemic exploded in mid-March. Biden and his wife, Jill, marked Memorial Day by laying a wreath at a veteran's memorial near his Wilmington home last week, and the former vice president's campaign posted pictures of him visiting a protest site in another part of the city on Sunday afternoon. Earlier, he wrote a post on Medium expressing empathy for those despairing about the police killing of George Floyd. Biden's standing with the black community weighs heavily as he works to deny Trump a second term. African Americans rescued Biden's flailing primary campaign earlier in the spring, but it's unclear if they will turn out for him in large number in November. 'I want to make something clear. I dont expect anything from the black community,' he said Monday, insisting that he has never taken their support for granted. The morning gathering featured 15 invited religious, political and educational leaders, including Delaware Democratic Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester. They all wore masks and spaced out among the wooden pews. Pasted notices on the main entrance cautioned people from entering if they had a cough or other symptoms that could indicate they were suffering from coronavirus. The speakers, including Biden, lowered their masks as they took turns speaking. Much of Biden's campaign strategy centers on trying to draw a contrast with Trump on temperament and values. He's called the White House contest a battle for the soul of the nation and has been particularly forceful in condemning Trump's handling of moments of racial tension. Democrats believe the former vice president draws a contrast with Trump in such moments that works in his favor. They note that while Biden didn't appear on television all weekend, he spoke about Floyd's death before Trump addressed it and has shown compassion for the protesters. Trump has alternated between expressing alarm over Floyd's death and sympathy for his family and issuing tweets antagonizing protesters and disparaging his political enemies. And in an election that is likely to be a referendum on the sitting president, some Biden aides say privately that the best plan may be to let Trump do himself in. Yet there is also a recognition that Biden needs to do more than simply wait for voters who may be turned off by Trump to turn toward him. And some Democrats who have criticized Biden in the past for not being more visible during the onset of the coronavirus said he is making the right moves now. 'I'm sure they have some reluctance, understandably, right now to politicize it. That's not who he is,' said Democratic strategist James Carville. 'There might be a time for eloquence, but I think that simplicity is eloquence right now.' A five-year-old child has been hospitalised after ingesting hand sanitiser supplied at school by licking their hands. An Education Department spokeswoman told WA Today the child became unwell on Monday in class after licking their hands once they had used the product provided to stop the spread of COVID-19. The spokeswoman said school staff immediately called the student's parents, who picked their child up then sought medical treatment at Fiona Stanley Hospital, in Perth's south. Hand sanitiser has become a hot commodity in the fight against coronavirus, with the solution now widely available in public spaces, such as in businesses, offices, shopping centres and schools. A young student was hospitalised on Monday after licking their hands after applying hand sanitiser (stock) WA Education Minister Sue Ellery affirmed all schools would have hand sanitiser once classes resumed, which would be supplied by the department if schools could not access it on their own. It comes as poison centres across the country have reported a surge in reports involving the product since its use has increased amid the pandemic. However, Education Department deputy director general for schools Stephen Baxter said there was nothing to suggest the product is being widely misused by students in schools. He said teachers have been reminding students not to touch their mouths after applying hand sanitister. 'Teachers encourage their students to frequently clean their hands and to do so safely,' he said. 'This includes reminding younger students not to touch their mouths after using hand sanitiser or soap.' A WA Health Department spokesperson said the antiseptic ethanol ingredient in hand sanitiser could cause serious harm in children and adults if ingested in sufficient quantities. The five-year-old was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital (pictured) in Perth's south for medical treatment 'In very young children, accidental exposure to small amounts, such as a young child licking their hands, will not cause toxicity,' she said. 'Commercial products sometimes contain ingredients to make the taste unpleasant to children.' They said that although poison centres are experiencing increased calls, serious cases of toxicity are very rare. However, they urged users to always follow manufacturers instructions as hand sanitiser is topical and toxic if ingested. Parents are advise to keep hand sanitiser out of reach of children and supervise when it is being used. In April, the New South Wales Poisons Information Centre fielded 164 calls about hand sanitiser poisoning, almost three times higher than the 65 calls received during the same month last year. If ingestion is suspected, the Poisons Information Centre should be immediately called on 13 11 26 (24 hours a day) and urgent medical advice sought. Its no exaggeration when I say that many of our students and families are struggling to survive, she said. ... When my students dont complete work because they are themselves working, caring for sick family members or feeling the weight of this collective traumatic experience, its not because theyre unmotivated or careless. The grading policy rewards those with privilege that shields them from these hardships and will disproportionately affect students without access, which we know are our immigrant, undocumented, black and brown youth. An aerial view shows Italian cruise ship Costa Atlantica, which has crew members confirmed with cases of the CCP virus infection, in Nagasaki, Japan, on April 26, 2020. (Kyodo via Reuters/File Photo) CCP Virus-Hit Cruise Liner Leaves Japan After Month-Long Quarantine TOKYOThe Costa Atlantica cruise ship, which docked in southern Japan with over 100 crew members testing positive for COVID-19, has left the country and is en route to the Philippines, local government officials said on June 1. The ship departed Nagasaki on Sunday over a month after it became the second CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus-stricken cruise ship to dock in Japan. Lax control on the movement of crew whilst docked highlighted Japans patchy response to the pandemic. The 86,000 tonne Costa Atlantica docked for maintenance in late April carrying no passengers and 623 crew, most of whom were eventually quarantined inside the ship after 149 tested positive. A crew member waves on the balcony of Italian cruise ship Costa Atlantica, which has crew members confirmed with cases of the CCP virus infection, in Nagasaki, southern Japan, on April 26, 2020. (Kyodo/via Reuters/File Photo) Six remain hospitalized in a non-life-threatening condition, Nagasaki prefecture officials said. The remainder have been confirmed negative and have left Nagasaki, with 126 aboard the ship bound for Manila, Nagasaki prefecture official Kenjo Ura told Reuters. Nagasaki Prefecture Governor Hodo Nakamura on Sunday told reporters the outbreak revealed the need for a system to grasp the health condition of crew members when cruise ships enter Japan, including smooth information exchange with foreign cruise companies. Costa Cruises, operator of Costa Atlantica, did not have an immediate comment when contacted by Reuters. The crews ordeal with the CCP virus may be over, but financial struggles are expected because of a decline in the number of voyages, said a family member of one of the crew members. Rosan Ogayon, daughter of Caferino Ogayon, a chef on the ship, said her father would fly home to Manila soon. He has fought off the CCP virus and been confirmed negative, but is out of work until the cruise company resumes sailing. Because of the pandemic, my father cant work for the meantime, so that means he cant earn money for us, the Manila-based college-student told Reuters. By Ju-min Park Epoch Times staff contributed to this report. Bill O'Reilly's show, "No Spin News," which currently airs on his website and across YouTube, will be broadcast twice daily on The First, a conservative digital television network that runs on several platforms, including ViacomCBS-owned Pluto TV. Why it matters: The Trump era has given rise to a number of newer, right-wing outlets, including The First, which leverage big names in conservative media to gain traction. Details: The show will air twice daily at 8pm and 11pm ET from Monday. It will be the same show that O'Reilly currently produces, just broadcast on The First. O'Reilly's show, as well as other programming from the network, can be viewed for free on The First's owned and operated channels, as well as Pluto TV, the free, ad-supported video channel owned by ViacomCBS. It will also be available on Sinclair Broadcast Group's streaming network STIRR, and DistroTV, a free streaming service. The First network produces over 45 hours a week of original content, as well as rebroadcasted content, like "No Spin News." Be smart: O'Reilly was forced out of Fox News in 2017 after being accused of sexual harassment. He's maintained a relationship with his loyal following, primarily through a fee-based membership-based access to his content. Prior to exiting, "The O'Reilly Factor" on Fox News was one of the highest-rated cable news broadcasts for years. The big picture: The First is one of a few networks bringing on big-name conservative talent to gain traction during the Trump era. It also added popular conservative pundit Dana Loesch to its daily lineup in January. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter units from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, are back in the Middle East for the third time in 12 months. Active-duty airmen from the 388th Fighter Wing and reservists from the 419th Fighter Wing have deployed to Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, for regional support missions, according to an Air Force release Monday. The service did not disclose how many of the fifth-generation Lightning IIs are involved. Read Next: Minnesota National Guard Opened Fire on a Vehicle, Commander Says "The 421st Fighter Squadron completed their stand up in December, and now they're our latest squadron heading into the fight," Col. Steven Behmer, 388th Fighter Wing commander, said in a statement. The 421st Fighter Squadron is part of the 388th. "This demonstrates the readiness of our airmen, our weapons system, and the importance of both to the Air Force and our national defense mission," Behmer added. "On top of that, add in prepping and training in this challenging coronavirus environment." Though some remain in the Middle East, a large component of active and reserve airmen who were deployed with the 34th Fighter Squadron returned to Hill in May following a six-month deployment, the release states. The 421st will take on similar operations to those the 34th conducted, which included "close-air support, offensive and defensive counter-air, and maritime escort which enabled regional deterrence," according to the release. The F-35A conventional-takeoff stealth fighters performed multiple "show of presence" flights alongside F-15 Eagles over the Persian Gulf in response to Iranian provocation activities in May 2019. They first deployed to the theater that April. The most advanced fighters in the U.S. military's inventory were also used to conduct an "airstrike using a Joint Direct Attack Munition to strike an entrenched tunnel network and a weapons cache" belonging to the Islamic State deep in the Hamrin Mountains in northeast Iraq. It marked the combat debut for the Air Force's version of the F-35 in the Middle East. Previously, the mission at Al Dhafra was held by the F-35's stealthy cousin, the F-22 Raptor. F-22s for years provided air cover for partnered ground forces conducting operations against the Islamic State, as well as a critical role in intelligence-gathering during the conflict. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related: Trump Hints at Removing Foreign Manufacturers from F-35 Supply Chain Weve all seen the headlines about people leaving the Bay Area: artists and teachers, families and 20-somethings fleeing the housing shortage, the cost of living and the traffic. What about the people who are staying put? In this occasional column, Creative Lives, we talk to creative professionals about living in a rapidly changing Bay Area, why they stay and how they make it work. Name: Jessica Sabogal Work: Muralist Home: Oakland Years in the Bay Area: 32 Why I stay: I was born in San Francisco. My family and my elders in the art world who raised me to become an artist are all here. The little girl in the painting is smiling, her eyes full of light and hope. Her hair creates a beautiful halo of warm brown, sepia and taupe, framing her upturned face. That image, underscored by the words Women are Perfect, is part of a series of images celebrating women by Jessica Sabogal, a Colombian American muralist. Sabogals high-impact images and murals capture the eye, then refocus it on critical issues like immigration, feminism and human rights. Sabogal jokingly calls Women are Perfect her one-hit-wonder. Prints, tote bags, T-shirts and pins emblazoned with the phrase have flown off the digital shelves of her website since she launched the series in 2014. But one-hit is far from accurate. Shes been commissioned to paint murals in cities in the United States and around the world and has created installations and posters for clients ranging from movie studios and political groups to Facebook. Sabogals art initially grew from her political convictions, starting when she was a pre-med student at UC San Diego. I realized the world was not an equitable place for someone like me, a lesbian who is the daughter of two immigrants, she says. She changed her major to political science, hoping to make a difference through activism. After graduating in 2009, Sabogal began experimenting with painting, inspired by the social activism of street artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairey (she went on to collaborate on a project with Fairey in 2017). I saw how they could put out a simple image and create a highly political message, she says. So, I went to Home Depot and bought some spray paint and started working alone in my basement. No one told me what cap to use with which stroke, or about color theory. I learned it all from books and YouTube. Transforming walls Theres a tattoo on the back of Sabogals neck two fronds of acacia forming an X. The same image appears in her paintings. The acacia, a tree that survives in deserts around the world, represents the omnipresence and resilience of the people whose stories inspire her. A lot of the work I do is ephemeral, she says. Itll be up for a month then get white-walled. But the stories of the people I paint are forever, regardless of how long the mural itself lasts. Some of her murals, however, become long-lasting community icons. During a 2017 street art festival in Montreal, Sabogal painted an image of an indigenous woman holding a sign with the words White Supremacy is Killing Me over one eye. The mural was tagged with racist language within days, but Sabogals friends quickly repaired it. Then it was defaced again, this time with bright red paint to create the illusion of dripping blood. The residents of the Montreal community were incensed, and a neighborhood Facebook group started a GoFundMe. Within 30 hours, they had raised enough to have the mural repaired and coated with a permanent anti-graffiti finish; the 12,000-member Facebook group still uses an image of Sabogals mural as its cover photo. It was incredible, Sabogal says of the community reaction. I just did a mural about how I was feeling, and people had an amazing response. It felt so powerful. Jessica Sabogal Trailblazing The road to becoming a muralist wasnt easy. After graduating from college in 2009 during the recession, Sabogal moved to Northampton, Mass., with her then-partner and began balancing three jobs to make ends meet. In 2011, a local business owner offered her the use of an empty storefront for a week. Sabogal created a pop-up shop, selling the painted toys and watercolors she created while teaching herself new artistic techniques. I made more money at that show than from my other three jobs combined during that week, she says. I realized then that if I took the risk to devote 100% of my life to my art, I could make a living. A move back to San Francisco was prompted shortly after by the offer of studio space in the Galleria de la Raza by executive director Ani Rivera. That was someone single-handedly saying I see you, I believe in you, Sabogal says. That moment made it possible for me to become the artist I am today. 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. Financial evolution At first Sabogal took whatever commissions she could to make ends meet. Id paint anything for a couple of hundred bucks your kid, your cat, whatever, she says, laughing. To survive in the Bay Area, Sabogal saved money by avoiding long-term housing commitments. Ive lived in 40 different places over the last 2 years, she says. I was exhausted. She finally signed a lease in March, paying $1,700 a month in rent. Low-cost studio space is also a critical part of her financial calculus she spends $360 a month for a large space in the CTRL+SHIFT collective, a co-op art studio space in West Oakland. With large commissions under her belt, Sabogal is now more selective about the projects she takes and she has the experience to apply for large-scale public art projects, with rates that range from $20,000 to $40,000 per installation. If I can do three or four large-scale projects, thats a good year financially, she says. Supplemental passive income comes from her screen printing and online shop, though that can be sporadic. Its not like Im making $3,000 a week its small bits of income, and then theres a big check from a mural. But commissions of that size arent something all muralists can take on the months of work and logistics involved in creating a large-scale mural can dwarf planning a wedding. Theres so much that goes into each one, Sabogal says. The research, the community outreach, the design, the enlarging and printing of the stencils, the paint quantities, the scaffolding, the lift, hotels for the crew. Murals are also hard on the body. I cant physically do back-to-back installations anymore, she says. Intense times Although large-scale murals are now her main focus, it took over a year after she quit her jobs for Sabogal to build the courage to paint her first one. A family journey back to Colombia in 2013 gave her the push she needed. Everything in Colombia is a heightened, intense situation. Its not like you can just go to the store and get paint, she says. But Sabogal wanted to honor the women affected by Colombias civil war. I decided if I could do a mural there, I could do it anywhere. So I did a design and cut the stencils, then rolled them up under my arm and got on the plane. She collaborated with local artists in Bogota and accomplished her first large-scale mural, a 45-foot-by-9-foot installation. Echoes of the same heightened intensity she experienced in Colombia are influencing her work today, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. I dont have access to a COVID test what does that mean? Access to medical care and resources Im thinking about that a lot right now, she says. But Sabogal also sees a note of hope in the responses shes witnessing during the crisis. I know we will endure. Weve got this. People are really showing up for one another, she says. We all have a common enemy now this virus. Maybe it can unite us. Samantha Nobles-Block is a freelance writer in the Bay Area. Email: culture@sfchronicle.com New Delhi, June 1 : Covid-hit online travel major MakeMyTrip has laid off nearly 350 employees as the pandemic has changed the context and viability of some of its business lines in its current form. The company is offering mediclaim coverage for the impacted individuals and their families till the end of the year. According to an internal letter from Founder Deep Kalra and CEO Rajesh Magow sent to employees, the impacted employees will also get leave, gratuity, retention of company laptops and outplacement support, apart from salary payments as per their notice periods. "It is undoubtedly the toughest decision we have had to take so far and it's the saddest day for us as an organization," read the letter. The company analysed Covid-19 impact closely and spent considerable time thinking about the path to business recovery. "It is evident that the pandemic has changed the context and viability of some of our business lines in its current form. Keeping this in mind we have had to take this sad but inevitable decision of rightsizing our workforce in these businesses," said the duo. The staff rationalization, they said, is mapped to their future business strategy and "is in no way a reflection of the work done by people in these teams". According to Kalra, the word of travel has been ravaged due to global Covid-19 pandemic. "What's evident is that the impact of COVID-19 crisis is going to be long drawn for us. It's unclear when traveling will become a way of life, as it was pre-Covid," said the letter. The tourism industry in India is staring at two crore job losses as industry insiders cite central apathy and a predictably long recovery period. Indian tourism travel and hospitality impacts 10-12 per cent of India's employment which covers almost 5 crore plus direct and indirect jobs. "We are living through extraordinary times which have impacted individuals, communities, businesses, countries and our world at a magnitude unknown before and there is no let-up in sight," said the MakeMyTrip executives. The Indian tourism, travel and hospitality sector has already seen over one quarter of accumulated losses which began from February onwards. U.S. President Donald Trump hopes to invite Russia, South Korea, Australia and India to the next Group of Seven summit, signaling his desire to find partners as he blames China for the novel coronavirus pandemic. Trump said Saturday that he will postpone the G-7 summit from June to September, around the time that the United Nations General Assembly meets. But he also suggested it could be held after the U.S. election in November. "So it might be a G-10, G-11, and it could be after the election is over," he said. Notably missing from the invitation list is China. Trump has criticized Beijing for its initial handling of the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed more people in the U.S. than in any other country. The president alleged Friday that China "instigated a global pandemic." American lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are taking a harder line against Beijing. With bipartisan support, Congress has passed bills to increase monitoring of Chinese companies listed in the U.S. and to impose sanctions on senior Chinese officials for the crackdown on the country's Uighur Muslim minority. The U.S. chairs the G-7 organization of leading industrial nations this year, so Trump is free to extend invitations. He has suggested that Russia, which was expelled from the group in 2014 following its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, should be allowed to join. Other G-7 nations have rebuffed that idea. Trump said he does not "feel that as a G-7 it properly represents what's going on in the world," calling it a "very outdated group of countries." By expanding the G-7, Trump hopes to discuss ways to deal with China, those close to the president say. His increasingly tough stance against Beijing is widely seen as an attempt to win votes in the November election, and it is unclear whether other members of the group would agree to an expansion. On Friday, Trump ordered his administration to begin the process of ending special U.S. treatment for Hong Kong in retaliation for Beijing's decision to impose a new security law on the global financial hub. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added to the criticism of China, saying Sunday on a Fox Business interview that the Communist Party "has come to view itself as intent upon the destruction of Western ideas, Western democracies, Western values." The summit, initially set to begin June 10 at the Camp David presidential retreat near Washington, was switched to a videoconference format due to the pandemic. Trump then called for an in-person meeting and pushed to hold it at the White House starting June 25. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had indicated his intent to attend the summit in Washington, but German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Washington on Friday that she will not be traveling to the U.S. "The federal chancellor thanks President Trump for his invitation to the G-7 summit at the end of June in Washington," a German government spokesman told the Nikkei Asian Review in a statement. "As of today, considering the overall pandemic situation, she cannot agree to her personal participation, to a journey to Washington. She will of course continue to monitor the development of the pandemic." Expanding the G-7 on a permanent basis could face headwinds from the political calculations of other members. Japan has long enjoyed its position as the sole Asian member of the group, which offers a rare setting that excludes China. It could be reluctant to share that spotlight with South Korea. Trump's enthusiasm for including Russia is not shared by other members, especially those in Europe. Any expansion also raises the issue of differentiating the G-7 from the Group of 20 leading rich and developing nations. Excluded members such as Brazil, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia may ask why they are not invited. U.S. Border Patrol agents at the Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 35 (I-35) discovered 58 individuals inside a sealed tractor trailer during an unsuccessful human smuggling attempt. The incident occurred during the evening of May 29, when a red commercial tractor hauling a white trailer approached the I-35 checkpoint north of Laredo. During an immigration inspection of the driver, a Service canine alerted. Canberra, June 1 (IANS) A referendum on constitutional recognition for the the indigenous people of Australia could be held by 2022, a Minister said on Monday. Ken Wyatt, the first indigenous person to serve as the Minister for Indigenous Australians, told News Corp Australia that he was optimistic that a referendum would be held before the next general election in 2022 despite delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, reports Xinhua news agency. If successful, the referendum would change the wording of the Australian Constitution to recognize the indigenous people as the first inhabitants of the continent. Wyatt acknowledged that the coronavirus pandemic has had a "significant impact" on the referendum process but said it was still realistic within 18 months. "If we have got the right set of words, then yes, it is feasible," he said. "I still remain optimistic. But part of the problem with constitutional questions is the education of the broader Australian public, preparing them for a yes vote. I would not want to see us go but then fail." Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared his support for constitutional recognition but told the Parliament in February that the process could be delayed. Wyatt also declared that an indigenous "voice to parliament", an independent body that would advise governments on indigenous issues, would be established before the next election. --IANS ksk/ The toughness and entrepreneurial spirit of Australia's first white settlers especially the women folk never ceases to amaze, and if the ghastly indigenous slaughter in which the Daddo progenitors were possibly involved is glossed over a little, at least it's not completely brushed under the carpet. The only real downside here is that the Daddo history offers so little opportunity for weeping (although Cam does manage to tear up a couple of times at how awesome his ancestors were). If you commissioned a Cameron Daddo-suitable script it'd look a lot like this week's episode of Who Do You Think You Are. Outback Truckers 7Mate, 8.30pm "It is warm. But I don't think it's gonna to get to 47," shrugs truckie Slick. That's the thing about Outback Truckers. Anyone who's ever spent any sort of time in remote Australia instantly recognises that the roads, the weather, the distances, the conditions and the characters really are like this. There's absolutely no need to slap on the mayo. That said, there is always an effort made to provide some kind of narrative structure. On Tuesday, one thread involves the unflappable Slick trying to get home in time for Christmas. Elsewhere, another salt-of-the-earth type undertakes a monster run to take feed to one part of drought-ravaged inland NSW, and water to another. WEDNESDAY The Art of More 7Plus Glossy thriller starring Kate Bosworth, Dennis Quaid and Generic Handsome Guy, revolving around the world of rare artefacts and fine art. Quaid is clearly having a ball playing an obnoxious, loud-mouthed git, and if who's ripping off whom and who we should be cheering for is not at all clear I suspect that's probably the point. Taronga: Who's Who in the Zoo Nine, 7.30pm One's instinct is to describe this good-hearted factual series as "family-friendly" but it's probably best not to let the juniors watch Wednesday's instalment unsupervised. Sure, there are adorable baby koalas (seriously, sooo adorable) but there's also a bit of grit and a bit of adult content. In a typically packed episode we see a croc with a cold (totally G-rated) and a meerkat with a limp also completely benign, although it was interesting to hear the keepers mention that they might have to manage the enclosure a little more closely to make sure brawling didn't break out within the clan. The goanna needing emergency surgery was undeniably fascinating but I had my hands over my face for at least half of it. Your five-year-old might find it a bit much. And then there's the attempt to get the Sun Bears to mate. Watching the "instant chemistry" as narrator Naomi Watts rather euphemistically puts it might require some delicate explaining. Tommy Ten, 8.45pm Starring Edie Falco, directed by our own Kate Dennis and with the co-creator of House as showrunner, Tommy is better than your average prime-time network drama. Falco plays Abigail Thomas aka Tommy a woman with a complicated past who's unexpectedly elevated to the position of LA's Chief of Police: the first woman ever in the role. It could have been a hot mess of clunky speechifying and patronising exposition but while there is a bit of that and some of the "witty" exchanges misfire strong performances and interesting characterisation make the whole thing very watchable. There's also some nice stuff going on around the edges in the direction and editing that subtly add to our viewing pleasure. Not rocket surgery, but certainly a fresh take on the police procedural. Edie Falco stars as Abigail Thomas aka Tommy in Network 10's new show, Tommy. Credit:Patrick Harbron/CBS THURSDAY Miss Scarlet and the Duke 7Two, 8.30pm Fun period dramedy set in late Victorian London about the adventures and travails of a lady private eye. When Eliza Scarlet inherits a detective agency from her father, it brings her into regular antagonistic contact with tall, dark and handsome William Wellington of Scotland Yard aka Duke. Much URST ensues. Imagine Phryne Fisher, only with a lot more petticoats. Beyond the costumes and sets not a lot of attention is paid to period detail many moments are wildly anachronistic but Miss Scarlet (Kate Phillips) is an appealing character, the Duke is suitably dishy, and Miss Scarlet's all-female household holds plenty of promise as things evolve. It also has some nice twisty plots, ensuring that while Miss Scarlet may always escape from her predicaments and solve her puzzles, how that happens is not at all predictable. A real crowd-pleaser. Kate Phillips as Miss Scarlet in Miss Scarlet and the Duke. Credit:Bernard Walsh/Seven Network FRIDAY Neighbours 10Peach, 6.30pm Erinsborough turns on the rainbow colours when Lassiters hosts a Pride festival and a vibrant Courtney Act confidently steals the show. The event's star attraction, she sings, wears a couple of fab outfits and provides makeovers for Sheila (Colette Mann) and Ned (Ben Hall). There's glitter and good vibes galore, although as the festivities are under way Chloe (April Rose Pengilly) and Pierce (Tim Robards) both fret that they've rushed too hastily into their marriage. Meanwhile, Aaron (Matt Wilson) and David (Takaya Honda) face a second interview in their quest to become foster parents. Clearly efforts are being made to distance Neighbours from its conservative image of old. Here, Erinsborough congratulates itself on being "supportive and inclusive", embraces gay parents and drag revues, and accepts Chloe's bisexuality. As an added bonus, Pierce gets his shirt off and displays an impressive six-pack. SATURDAY Colony (premiere) SBS Viceland, 9.20pm The sun is shining in Los Angeles, but the atmosphere in the city is anything but bright. Buildings have been damaged by attacks, food and medicine are in short supply, armed and masked militia men known as Redhats patrol the streets, and people are summarily arrested. In this drama series created by Carlton Cuse (Lost) and Ryan J. Condal, the city is under the control of an initially unseen occupying force. There's a dangerous black market and an underground resistance movement. Will Bowman (Josh Holloway) and his wife, Katie (Sarah Wayne Callies), live with their two children while worrying over the whereabouts of their missing 12-year-old son. The sun is shining in Colony's Los Angeles, but the atmosphere is anything but bright. Credit:SBS When Will, a former military man, attempts to locate the boy, he finds himself being offered the chance "to turn crisis into opportunity", and is introduced to a different strata of LA society. Meanwhile, Katie reveals hidden steel as she defies the curfew and obtains much-needed medicine. It's a solid and assured set-up for the three seasons to follow. Rep. Val Demings tweeted Monday that the maneuver Officer Derek Chauvin used that killed George Floyd should be banned. 'We should totally ban police neck restraints,' Demings tweeted on Monday. Floyd was killed on Memorial Day and video showed him telling Chauvin that he couldn't breathe as the officer was holding his knee on Floyd's neck. Rep. Val Demings said Monday that the police maneuver that killed George Floyd should be banned. Demings is the former chief of police of Orlando, Florida, and now represents the area in the U.S. House Demings said Monday morning that neck restraints should be banned. She made the pitch on Twitter and also during an appearance on 'Morning Joe,' in which she said police who didn't want to follow the rules could be fired Joe Biden, addressing members of the black community in Wilmington, Delaware, Monday has pledged to pick a female vice president. Demings has been one of the African-American women mentioned as a possible pick Demings is getting attention as one of the African-American candidates Joe Biden is reportedly looking at for vice president. In March, Biden committed to picking a female VP. He told African-American leaders at a church in his adopted hometown of Wilmington, Delaware on Monday that he is indeed looking at women of color. 'I promise you there are multiple African-American candidates being considered,' Biden told the group. The choice of Demings would bring expertise in law enforcement into a potential Biden administration as the Florida lawmaker previously served as the police chief of Orlando. Demings was the first woman to hold the job. She started attracting national attention last year during the House's impeachment hearings, as a member of the House Judiciary Committee. Demings was then selected to be a House impeachment manager, presenting the case against President Trump to the U.S. Senate. She was first elected to the House in 2016 after a failed effort in 2012. On Monday, Demings appeared on 'Morning Joe' and said President Trump and Attorney General Bill Barr needed to address the nation. 'As the nation cries out for leadership, the White House goes dark,' she also tweeted. Trump hasn't been in front of cameras since he addressed Saturday's successful NASA-SpaceX rocket launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Since then he's only tweeted. He's not expected to hold any public events on Monday either, though press secretary Kayleigh McEnany will address the press. 'Let's also assure America that George Floyd should not have lost his life in this way,' Demings suggested. She also pitched the banning of neck restraints during the television segment. 'We could do that today and if officers decide they don't want to follow the rules or the policies than fire them,' she said. We strive for innovation and creativity when implementing client software solutions. With our new Liquids HCA Tool, we have delivered an elegant, flexible program that performs much more complex analysis while actually improving usability," added Shawn Altizer, CEO of G2-IS. G2 Integrated Solutions (G2-IS) announced today a new release of its Liquids HCA Tool, version 2.5. The G2-IS Liquids HCA Tool is a comprehensive software suite that performs high consequence area (HCA) analysis for hazardous liquids pipelines. The program enables accurate determination of could affect segments in a consistent, reliable, and defendable manner that complies with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) regulations embodied in 49 CFR 195.452 Pipeline Integrity Management in High Consequence Areas. The new version is the first to be offered as a software product to end users and has been completely redeveloped for the Esri ArcGIS Enterprise GIS platform. G2-IS has a very strong legacy of dedicated software solutions for decision support. Our Liquids HCA Tool capabilities and accuracy have been tested for years in support of 'could affect' segment determination for many clients. We are very excited about the release of the new Liquids HCA Tool as the first commercially available version of this industry leading software, said Mauricio Palomino, G2-IS Vice President of Software, Technology and Marketing. With this development, we have improved the speed and accuracy of the tool and brought it into the modern Esri ArcGIS Pro environment, as is our strategy for all of our software products. The new Liquids HCA Tool connects directly to authoritative cloud-based datasets for terrain elevation and hydrography. It utilizes advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) algorithms, and takes advantage of modern virtualized computing, either on premises or in the cloud, commented Tracy Thorleifson, GIS Technical Authority for G2-IS. The new version is powered by GeoClaw, Docker, Microsoft Azure, and ArcGIS Server for unrivaled scalability. The tool is data model independent, offering operators across the industry the ability to accurately assess release consequences for hazardous liquids pipelines and storage tank facilities both overland and in water. We strive for innovation and creativity when implementing client solutions and have applied the same thought process to our software development efforts. With our new Liquids HCA Tool, we have delivered an elegant, flexible program that performs much more complex analysis while actually improving usability," added Shawn Altizer, CEO of G2-IS. Key benefits of the Liquids HCA Tool include a significant increase in efficiency and accuracy by reducing manual effort and processing cycle times, and by providing extremely granular analysis of release consequence for enhanced pipeline integrity risk assessments. About G2-IS G2-IS delivers expertise to pipeline operators, utility companies, and other energy stakeholders in nine specialized service disciplines Asset Integrity, Safety Management Systems, Risk Management, Engineering, Geospatial Systems and Services, Regulatory, Field Services, Technology Services, and Strategic Consulting. We provide end-to-end solutions that help manage risk, ensure compliance, and optimize performance. G2-IS implements innovative, value-driven solutions for clients across North America. G2-IS has offices located in Houston, Texas (Corporate Headquarters), Angleton, Texas, Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Walnut Creek, California. For more details on the spectrum of services that G2-IS offers, please visit our website at http://www.g2-is.com. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 21:00:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close -- In six consecutive days and nights till Sunday, riots flared up and quickly spread across the country as tens of thousands of people took to the streets over Floyd's death; -- The COVID-19 pandemic, together with its economic shock, added new fuel to the systemic inequality and racism in the country, making racial conflicts much more likely; -- As the pandemic unfolded, intensified partisan fights together with political polarization with an eye to general elections in November have also played an active role in brewing rage and tearing the country apart. People rally in front of the White House during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 31, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The United States is in pain, anger and the "widest unrest for decades" over racial injustice after George Floyd, an unarmed black man, pleaded "I can't breathe" before dying in Minneapolis police custody a week ago. The chronic racial wound in the United States is now smarting again. African Americans have suffered disproportionately high death rates from the COVID-19 outbreak, which has claimed over 100,000 lives and more than 40 million jobs in the nation so far. In six consecutive days and nights till Sunday, riots flared up and quickly spread across the country as tens of thousands of people took to the streets over Floyd's death. Protesters threw projectiles at police and buildings, cars were set ablaze and numerous businesses looted. An SUV of New York police department is burned during a protest over the death of George Floyd in the Brooklyn borough of New York, the United States, on May 30, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua) Late on Sunday night, multiple fires were set near the White House as protesters were facing off with police firing tear gas and pepper spray. A symbolic landmark, the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., was spray-painted with the words "Yall not tired yet?" a night earlier amid protests. About 40 U.S. cities including the U.S. capital imposed curfews on Sunday night as more than a dozen states have activated National Guards or declared a state of emergency in response to the growing unrest. More than 4,000 arrests have been made and more are expected since violent protests and tensions are continuing. "It was more than just his (Floyd's) death. It was the way he died, in front of our eyes, on video everywhere, pleading for his life, that had angry people spilling into the streets of cities across this country," said Mitch Albom with Detroit Free Press on Sunday. Police officers stand in formation in Minneapolis, the United States, on May 30, 2020. (Photo by Angus Alexander/Xinhua) Floyd, aged 46, died on May 25 after a white police officer held him down with a knee on his neck for at least eight minutes though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "please, I can't breathe." A video recording the moment went viral on social media the next day, sparking a national outcry for justice. "The issue for blacks is a well-grounded personal sense that their lives are at immediate risk in any interaction with police," Clay Ramsay, a senior research associate at the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland, told Xinhua in an interview on Sunday. "If you are not white, you are five times more likely to be killed by police than if you are white," said Ramsay, adding that U.S. police are heavily armed and have a well-known tendency to use excessive force. People wait in line at a food bank distribution site in New York, the United States, on April 24, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua) Floyd's death showed the "open wound" of the nation's systemic racism, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said, urging the "nation furious at injustice" to refrain from violence amid protests. The COVID-19 pandemic, together with its economic shock, added new fuel to the systemic inequality and racism in the country, making racial conflicts much more likely, observers said. Data compiled by the non-partisan APM Research Lab in late May revealed that the COVID-19 outbreak has aggravated racial inequality in the United States as African Americans are suffering a disproportionate share of poor health and economic blows from the pandemic. Community members clean up debris after a protest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the United States, on May 30, 2020. (Photo by Angus Alexander/Xinhua) With a death toll of more than 20,000 or about one in every 2,000 of the entire U.S. African American population, African Americans are dying at a rate of 50.3 per 100,000 people, compared with 20.7 for whites, 22.9 for Latinos and 22.7 for Asian Americans, the data showed. "COVID-19 has hit non-whites far out of proportion to their part of the U.S. population; the economic shock that came out of COVID-19 has hit non-whites the same way," said Ramsay. One in four U.S. workers has applied for unemployment benefits since the pandemic took hold in March and that pain was highly concentrated among low earners. A full 39 percent of former workers living in a household earning 40,000 U.S. dollars or less lost work, compared with 13 percent of those making more than 100,000 dollars, a Fed official said earlier last month. Riot police officers arrest a small group of protestors at a memorial to George Floyd in Minneapolis, the United States, on May 30, 2020. (Photo by Angus Alexander/Xinhua) In Floyd's case, the fatal arrest began as a police response to a 911 call claiming the black man, who had lost his job as a security guard due to layoffs in the outbreak, possibly used a fake 20-dollar bill at a local food store in the biggest city of the U.S. Midwest state Minnesota. "Where people are broke, and there doesn't appear to be any assistance, there's no leadership, there's no clarity about what is going to happen, this creates the conditions for anger, rage, desperation and hopelessness, which can be a very volatile combination," said Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, an assistant professor of African American studies at Princeton University. Moreover, as the pandemic unfolded, intensified partisan fights together with political polarization with an eye to general elections in November have also played an active role in brewing rage and tearing the country apart. Healthcare workers wheel a patient into the emergency room at Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York, the United States, on April 14, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua) Amid the national outrage, U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged a crackdown on the violent protests, tweeting "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" while calling Minneapolis protesters "thugs" on social media. Twitter added a warning label to the tweet for "glorifying violence." Some Democrats and Republicans are concerned that the president's remarks might deepen the divide in a country already unnerved by a pandemic, distressed economy and racial unrest, according to a CNN report. "There's been an uptick in tension and hatred and division since (Trump) came along," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a news conference on Saturday. "It's just a fact." Demonstrators protest against police brutality on Times Square in Manhattan of New York, the United States, on May 31, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) "It's never just about a precipitating incident that resulted in the unrest," Darnell Hunt, dean of Social Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles, told New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg. "It's always a collection of factors that make the situation ripe for collective behavior, unrest and mobilization." "Now, though, we might be at the start of a long, hot summer of civil unrest," said Goldberg, calling the United States "a tinderbox" since the economic ruin from the pandemic is just beginning. (Video reporters: Hu Yousong, Tan Yixiao, Xu Jing, Zhang Mocheng, Gao Shan, Wei Ying; Video editor: Wei Yin) Ottawa to Promote Holidays at Home Because of COVID-19 Border Closures Ottawa will invest $30 million to enable provinces and territories to promote holidays in their own back yard because of the closure of the countrys borders due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Canada, which has had more than 7,000 deaths due to COVID-19, has closed its borders to non-essential travel since March, and it is unclear when they will be opened again. Many provinces have also shut down domestic non-essential travel. Quebec, which shares borders with the U.S. states of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, accounts for more than 60 percent of the Canadian death toll from the virus, and Ontario, the most populous province, has also been hit hard. The closures have hammered the tourism industry. Some 42 percent of businesses in the accommodation and food sectors have reported revenue drops of more than 50 percent, according to an April survey of 12,600 businesses. At the end of 2018, one out of every 11 jobs in Canada was directly tied to travel, according to the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, but in April the unemployment rate in the tourism sector skyrocketed to more than 28 percent. Tourism is a significant economic driver and source of local jobs. Its also among one of the hardest hit sectors as a result of this pandemic, Economic Development Minister Melanie Joly, who is responsible for tourism, said in the statement. The aim is to provide a valuable lifeline to the struggling sector during its peak summer season, Ben Cowan-Dewar, chairman of Destination Canada, said in the statement. It is the first time Destination Canada has provided funding for domestic marketing, according to a spokesman in Jolys office. The marketing arm in each of the 10 provinces and three territories will decide exactly how they want to use the money, the spokesman said. By Steve Scherer UK firms are exporting more outside the EU. (Leon Neal/Getty Images) British small firms are jumping before theyre pushed into global trade outside the EU, boosting exports to the Commonwealth and leading emerging markets, according to new figures. A research paper indicates the UKs exporters have diverted around 10bn (12.4bn) of potential trade with European markets to new exports around the world since the EU referendum in 2016. The study provides some of the most striking evidence yet of Brexits impact on Britains trading relationships, even while the country remains part of the EUs single market and customs union. Britains trade terms with the EU are likely to change significantly after the Brexit transition period ends, with the deadline set for the end of the year despite limited progress and huge uncertainty over trade negotiations. The study by academics at Birminghams Aston University suggests firms have already begun diverting trade away from the EU, as they anticipate new tariffs and other barriers to end frictionless trade with the bloc. READ MORE: Barnier takes hard line on Brexit negotiations This evidence suggests that UK exporters are jumping before theyre pushed finding alternative markets worldwide for their products even before we know the outcome of the current UK-EU trade negotiations and any potential new barriers, said Jun Du, economics professor at Aston Business School and one of the researchers. Researchers analysed 340,000 export transactions by 26,000 firms over a five-year period to the start of 2019, using HMRC data. They found the smallest micro exporters have already switched as much as 46% of new export growth by value from EU to non-EU markets since the referendum. Small firms overall had switched 19% of trade and medium-sized firms had traded 7%. The shift among smaller firms was large enough to offset the impact of larger firms actually increasing the level of exports heading to the EU beyond what pre-referendum trends would suggest. Large firms increased trade to both the EU and non-EU destinations, however. Story continues READ MORE: Firms look to sell overseas as UK takes control of trade policy Researchers said it suggested small firms were more likely to take pre-emptive measures as they were more fearful of their ability to weather future trade disruption with the EU. Large businesses might have more resources and skills to be able to mitigate potential risks associated with policy uncertainty compared to small size firms, the paper said. The study looked at new export trade that researchers believed would have gone to EU markets if the UK were not leaving the EU. The shift added up to an 8.7% decline in the share of Britains exports by value heading to EU countries since the referendum, compared with non-EU countries. It found exports were increasingly targeted at the so-called BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and Britains former colonies, including Australia, New Zealand and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Trade also increased but to a lesser degree with wealthier countries including the US, Japan and South Korea. Du noted the shift was all the more striking given typically higher transport costs, unfamiliar bureaucracy and currency and credit risks in new markets. She added: We will need to see whether these patterns still hold true in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, which has focused minds on some of the vulnerabilities of long-distance supply chains. She called on the UK government to provide additional help to small exporters. They need also to ease export admin and stimulate financial support, risk management and education in strategic marketing. Interestingly, these actions are those that were undertaken by countries like Japan and South Korea in their successful export-led growth from the 1960s onwards. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nina A. Loasana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 1, 2020 17:20 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb53477 1 National Jokowi,COVID-19,Joko-Widodo,Pancasila,Pancasila-Day Free President Joko Jokowi Widodo has called on the public to further uphold and preserve the state ideology of Pancasila and to remain optimistic amid the current challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. "This year, we commemorate Pancasila Day amid the COVID-19 pandemic. A situation that has tested our spirits as a nation, [as well as] our sacrifices, discipline, obedience and calmness in making fast and right decisions," Jokowi said during the virtual commemoration of Pancasila Day at Bogor Palace in West Java on Monday. "We are grateful that Pancasila remains our guiding star as we face all these challenges. It has inspired us and strengthened our unity [..] and lifted our spirits to face every difficulty and challenge." In his speech, Jokowi also asked all government officials to pay attention to those facing economic hardships and to serve the people equally without differentiating between ethnicity, religion, race or affiliation. "We must strengthen our unity, help each other, cooperate and remain optimistic that we will emerge as winners from every challenge," Jokowi said. Read also: Lets coexist with COVID-19: Jokowi calls on residents to adapt to new normal He said the current challenges would be tough to overcome and that Indonesia would still face hard times into next year, reminding everyone to remain optimistic, to maintain their spirits and forge a stronger and more united country. He also emphasized the importance of finding innovate solutions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a great nation we have to come out as a winner. We should not stop creating, innovating and achieving [great] things amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Let's prove our resilience and win our future," he said. June 1 officially became a national holiday to commemorate the birth of Pancasila after Jokowi signed a presidential decree in 2016 in a bid to promote the state ideology as a way of life for all citizens. The European Union (EU) should assume more global responsibility in the coronavirus crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said. In a speech outlining Germany's policy during its rotating EU presidency starting in July, Merkel said the pandemic has posed enormous challenges and changed a lot from the ground up, including the plans for the EU Council Presidency, said Merkel. On Wednesday she told the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, a think tank, that Europe has to "move closer together in the crisis" and prove itself to be a force for solidarity, which is the only way to emerge stronger from the pandemic. Merkel said the Franco-German initiative for Europe recovery fund, which amounted to 500 billion (US$545 billion), and Europe's common investment in a vaccine, are all meant to intensify Europe's solidarity. Noting that the pandemic will lead to "an aggravation of many global troubles" and pose "a stress test for European foreign and security policy," Merkel said the EU should act as an anchor of stability, assume its global responsibility and proactively support rule-based, multilateral cooperation. Merkel said relations with China will be a focus of EU's foreign policy during the German presidency, with a number of subjects on the agenda, including agreements on investment, climate change, global health and the improvement of information transparency during global pandemics." All the subjects in the relations between the EU and China are challenging and ambitious enough. In addition, China is not an ordinary partner," said Merkel, noting that the differences between China and the EU should not stand in the way of exchanges, dialogue and cooperation. When it comes to the United States, Merkel said it is Europe's most important partner, despite the fact that cooperation with the United States is currently more difficult than what Europe would desire, on issues regarding climate change, trade policy and the role of international organizations during the pandemic. "However, I am convinced that transatlantic relations, cooperation and alliance with the U.S. and in NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) will constitute a central pillar of our foreign and security policy, and will remain so." "Europe is part of the political West," said Merkel, adding that if Europe wants to assert itself in the world, it will have to take its fate in its own hands to a greater extent, while still "acting as a reliable partner within the Western community of values and shared interests." 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 KELOWNA, BC, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Valens GroWorks Corp. (TSX: VLNS) (OTCQX: VLNCF) (the "Company" or "The Valens Company"), a global leader in the end-to-end development and manufacturing of innovative, cannabinoid-based products, today announced it has entered into a syndicated credit facility (the "Credit Facility") with Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce ("CIBC") as Co-Lead Arranger and Administrative Agent, and ATB Financial ("ATB") as Co-Lead Arranger (together, the "Lenders"). Under the terms of the credit facility, the Lenders will provide The Valens Company up to C$40 million of secured debt financing. The Credit Facility consists of a C$20 million secured term loan and a C$20 million secured revolving loan, with an accordion feature that could allow The Valens Company to increase the aggregate commitments by up to an additional C$10 million. The Credit Facility has a three-year term and is secured by a first ranking charge over substantially all the Company's assets. Proceeds from the Credit Facility will further strengthen the Company's balance sheet, allowing for the continued expansion of its operations and execution of its corporate strategy, including gaining access to new domestic and global opportunities to increase shareholder value. "Although we are already well capitalized, the Credit Facility increases our financial flexibility and brings down our overall weighted average cost of capital. With our enhanced balance sheet, we are well positioned to continue to expand our innovative product portfolio, build out our custom manufacturing platform, be opportunistic in a consolidating market and maximize capital allocation to generate the highest return on invested capital for our shareholders," said Tyler Robson, CEO of The Valens Company. Additional details on the credit facility can be found in the Company's documents, which will be filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About The Valens Company The Valens Company is a global leader in the end-to-end development and manufacturing of innovative, cannabinoid-based products. The Company is focused on being the partner of choice for leading Canadian and international cannabis brands by providing best-in-class, proprietary services including CO2, ethanol, hydrocarbon, solvent-less and terpene extraction, analytical testing, formulation and product development and custom manufacturing. Valens is the largest third-party extraction Company in Canada with an annual capacity of 425,000 kg of dried cannabis and hemp biomass at our purpose-built facility in Kelowna, British Columbia which is in the process of becoming European Union (EU) Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) compliant. The Valens Company currently offers a wide range of product formats, including tinctures, two-piece caps, soft gels, oral sprays and vape pens as well as beverages, concentrates, topicals, edibles, injectables, natural health products and has a strong pipeline of next-generation products in development for future release. Finally, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary Valens Labs is a Health Canada licensed ISO 17025 accredited cannabis testing lab providing sector-leading analytical services and has partnered with Thermo Fisher Scientific to develop a Centre of Excellence in Plant-Based Science. For more information, please visit http://thevalenscompany.com. The Company's investor deck can be found specifically at http://thevalenscompany.com/investors/. Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements All information included in this press release, including any information as to the future financial or operating performance and other statements of The Valens Company that express management's expectations or estimates of future performance, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are included for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "scheduled", "trends", "indications", "potential", "estimates", "predicts", "anticipate", "to establish", "believe", "intend", "ability to", or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will", or are "likely" to be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of these words or other variations thereof, have been used to identify such forward-looking information. Specific forward-looking statements include, without limitation, all disclosure regarding future results of operations, economic conditions and anticipated courses of action. The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others, regulatory risk, United States border crossing and travel ban, reliance on licenses, expansion of facilities, competition, dependence on supply of cannabis and reliance on other key inputs, dependence on senior management and key personnel, general business risk and liability, regulation of the cannabis industry, change in laws, regulations and guidelines, compliance with laws, reliance on a single facility, limited operating history, vulnerability to rising energy costs, unfavourable publicity or consumer perception, product liability, risks related to intellectual property, product recalls, difficulties with forecasts, management of growth and litigation, many of which are beyond the control of The Valens Company. For a more comprehensive discussion of the risks faced by The Valens Company, and which may cause the actual financial results, performance or achievements of The Valens Company to be materially different from estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, please refer to The Valens Company's latest Annual Information Form filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com or on The Valens Company's website at www.thevalenscompany.com. The risks described in such Annual Information Form are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Although the forward-looking statements contained herein reflect management's current beliefs and reasonable assumptions based upon information available to management as of the date hereof, The Valens Company cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information. The Valens Company cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements. The Valens 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 required by applicable law. Nothing herein should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or sell securities of The Valens Company. SOURCE The Valens Company Andrew is understood to not be returning to public life. (Getty Images) Prince Andrew will never return to public life as a senior royal, it has been claimed, six months after he stepped back for the foreseeable future. Andrew, 60, faced public outcry after a disastrous interview with BBC Newsnight about his friendship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The Duke of York failed to apologise for the friendship he had with Epstein, who took his life in prison while awaiting trial for sex trafficking offences. The duke told Emily Maitlis he did not regret being friends with Epstein, because of the opportunities the friendship brought. While the duke had hoped the interview would draw a line under the matter, it instead meant he had to issue a statement accepting it had caused a major disruption to the work of the Royal Family. He stepped back in November and has not carried out an official duty since. The Sunday Times reported there are no plans to review his position, and said the Queen is understood to be resigned to his permanent removal. Andrew was a regular fixture at Trooping the Colour. (Getty Images) Read more: Prince Andrew seen in rare Instagram post as Sarah Ferguson praises 'united' family Buckingham Palace told The Times there was no further comment from the November statement. Andrew accompanied the Queen to church in Norfolk in January, the first Sunday after she struck the deal with Prince Harry and Meghan which allowed them to leave their roles as senior royals. He was also then pictured on Instagram as he helped his former wife Sarah Ferguson pack care boxes for Thames Hospice. The duke would have been due a military promotion for his 60th birthday in February, but he deferred it. Councils were also told they did not need to fly the flag for his birthday. At the time, Buckingham Palace said: "By convention, the Duke of York would be in line for military promotion on his 60th birthday. "Following the decision by His Royal Highness to step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, the Duke of York has asked the Ministry of Defence if this promotion might be deferred until such time that His Royal Highness returns to public duty. Story continues The chalet owned by Andrew and his former wife, which is the subject of a legal dispute. (Getty Images) Read more: Prince George's billionaire godfather donates 1m to mental health research after Prince William's documentary Last year, Prince Andrew said: It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my familys work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support. Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission. I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure. I can only hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required. Andrew carried out senior duties for the Queen after retiring from the Navy. (Getty Images) Read more: Queen's letters to Australian representative as PM was sacked could be released Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein, alleges the royal had sex with her on three separate occasions, including when she was 17. Andrew, who strenuously denies the allegations, has faced calls to talk to the FBI and US prosecutors still investigating Epstein, who say the royal has declined to co-operate with them. Many charities have already severed their links with Andrew, which could increase the workload for other royals. He was brought into further scandal earlier this year when it emerged he owed millions of pounds on a ski chalet in Verbier. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 1 Trend: Azercell provides more than 1000 children with free codes and numbers to access language learning app. Azercell Telecom LLC has carried out a completely different project on June 1st The International Children's Day occasion. Always paying particular attention to the development of the younger generation, Azercell provides more than 1000 children in need of special care, with a free access to the Busuu foreign language learning application. Busuu is a world-famous foreign language learning mobile application with more than 90 million users and one of the top 10 best mobile apps for learning a foreign language. The application enables a user to learn 12 languages at the same time - English, Russian, Italian, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese and other languages. There are opportunities for improving grammar, writing, listening and speaking skills. This application is a good chance to get an international McGraw-Hill language certification. Under the campaign "The right to learn for every child Azercell distributes 6-month free codes for Busuu language learning app to the children from low-income families, children with disabilities, and autism syndrome, as well as April martyrs and veterans children. Besides, in order to help children to activate gift codes, employees of Azercell Mobile Customer Service travel all over the country and visit their families, and in case of need, also provide them with free mobile numbers. It should be noted that this social project that supports the childrens self-development covers the population of different cities and regions of the country. The list of families was provided by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan Children Hotline Service and Childrens Paralympic Committee operating with the support of Azercell, as well as Birg v Saglam and Zfr Public Unions. The project was also supported by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies. Protection of the rights of children, as well as projects aimed at ensuring the health, education and welfare of the growing generation are of great importance in the policy of Corporate Social Responsibility of Azercell Telecom. The Azerbaijan Children Hotline Service, supported by Azercell, has been providing children with basic psychological assistance, emotional support, consulting them on the solution of various problems for 10 years. The main purpose of the Children's Paralympic Committee, as well as with the support of Azercell, is the organization of integration of children with limited physical capabilities into society, through their rehabilitation. Another unique project of Azercell as Mobile Dental and Mobile Eye Clinics annually provides free medical services to thousands of children from low-income families and ones deprived of parental care. The exclusive mobile application with secure content Azercell Kids combines both entertaining videos and animations, as well as games with educational value. Besides, Azercell is the organizer of large-scale trainings on the topic "Internet security and digital citizenship" throughout the country for children, teachers and parents for increasing their awareness in this area. Supporting education and protecting the rights of children have always been among the priority social areas for Azercell CSR programs. The company intends to carry out various projects aimed at the development of children and drawing public attention to the protection of the childrens rights. 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. Today is the beginning of much reduced quarantine rules throughout the country. All government and most non-government employees are to return to work. There are still some distancing rules but not much fear of a major outbreak of the virus. So far there have been 228 confirmed cases of covid19 in Burma, with six deaths. Thats four cases per million people and 0.1 deaths. Most of the known cases have come from China. Elsewhere in the region, Bangladesh has 287 covid19 cases per million and four deaths per million. In Thailand, its 44 cases per million people and 0.8 deaths. India has 138 cases per million and four deaths while Pakistan had 329 cases per million and 7 deaths per million people. Malaysia has 242 cases per million and four deaths while China, where the virus began, stopped releasing covid19 cases and deaths data as part of a government program to try and blame the U.S. for the virus. Few (Chinese or foreigners) believe that and it is taken for granted by neighbors of China that the Wuhan Virus, as it was first known, indeed came from China. By now it has also become known that covid19 is not much more dangerous than one of the deadlier annual influenza epidemics. The flu is taken for granted and it is unclear if covid19, which is genetically almost identical to the 2013 SARS virus, another Chinese corona (trans-species) virus, will be an annual event or disappear like SARS and similar diseases. Covid19 is unique in that it attacks the lungs and is often mistaken for pneumonia. As such it is particularly dangerous to the elderly or anyone with a weakened immune system or other illnesses. Most healthy adults and children do not notice covid19 at all even if exposed to it. May 31, 2020: In the north (Rakhine and Shan states) drug raids, based on tips, led to the seizure of drugs (mostly methamphetamine pills) valued at over $13 million. Most of the drugs were seized in Rakhine state, where the pills were going to be smuggled into Bangladesh. May 29, 2020: In the northwest (Rakhine state) over a hundred AA (Arakan Army) gunmen attacked a border post at 2 AM. Four defenders were killed and some of the outnumbered border guards fled to a nearby army base. Nine border guards and three civilians (related to border guards) were missing when security forces recaptured the compound at dawn. The border post had been looted. This attack was not just about stealing some weapons and other gear from the border guards, it was more about intimidating the border guard force into backing off on border security. A major source of income for the AA is getting illegal drugs from nearby Shan State, where most illegal drugs in the country are produced, into Bangladesh. The AA works with Burmese Rohingya refugees just across the border in Bangladesh. The drug smuggling gangs in the refugee camps are outlaws in both countries and one of the reasons the refugees have overstayed their involuntary presence in Bangladesh. While the refugees were welcomed when they arrived in large numbers during 2017, after about a year the presence of nearly a million displaced Rohingya in an already crowded country became a problem. Most of the Rohingya refugees are in an area called Coxs Bazaar and their presence tripled the local population. At first the locals were eager to help fellow Moslems, for a few months at least. But that expected short visit has gone on for three years and there is no end in sight. The appearance of the covid19 virus has made the situation worse because the refugee villages are more crowded and disorganized than the nearby Bangladeshi towns and villages. These situations are increasingly common worldwide. First, there is the strain on local resources in an already overpopulated area. The locals grow resentful and then angry. This is accelerated by the loss of jobs to refugees who are willing to work, illegally, for less. The refugees have food and medical aid which is more than many of the locals have, especially those who lost their jobs to refugees, who are forbidden to take jobs, and got them anyway. Complaints to local police often become another opportunity for the police to enrich themselves with another bribe. Many of the idle refugees seek solace in drugs, usually cheap Burmese methamphetamine pills. Production of this stuff is a major regional problem that is worth billions of dollars a year to the northern Burmese tribes and that is a tremendous incentive for tribal drug gangs and corrupt Burmese government officials to help keep it going, The meth (usually in pill form) is called yaba locally and is the most popular drug in Southeast Asia and China. Most (nearly half) of yaba goes to China, followed by Thailand. The Burmese meth has become hugely popular in China, which is pressuring the Burmese government to do more about the problem and that has resulted in more police activity up there, but not enough to put a dent in the drug business and the United Wa State militia, which dominates meth production, is basically untouchable. Bangladesh is seen as a new market opportunity and entrepreneurs among the refugees organized meth smuggling operations. Refugees are hired to smuggle the yaba in and distribute it to refugees and locals. Police efforts to curb the yaba trade leads to gun battles, arrests and more reasons to want the refugees gone. The refugees have nowhere to go and situations like this rarely end well. Burma recently warned Bangladesh to expect some Burmese drug gangs to try and smuggle fentanyl into Bangladesh. Burmese police raids on Shan State drug producers earlier nearly 4,000 liters (990 gallons) of liquid fentanyl. This synthetic drug is fifty times more potent than heroin and is usually added to heroin to increase potency. That potency is often so high that it kills heroin users. Most fentanyl is manufactured in China and this chemical has become a major source of illegal drug deaths. Despite the danger, it is popular with heroin addicts because of the more intense effect. In neighboring Shan State, the TNLA (Tang National Liberation Army), an ally of the AA, ambushed an army convoy with roadside bombs. Several trucks were damaged. May 25, 2020: The covid19 epidemic has hit the Burmese tourist industry hard. Tourism is big business in Burma and accounts for seven percent of GDP. Most of those tourists are from China and so far in 2020 there have been very few Chinese tourists. While the military wants to maintain strong economic and military relationships with China, most Burmese would rather depend on the West and nearby economic giants like Japan, Australia and South Korea. May 24, 2020: Parliament cut a military budget request by $7.6 million, or five percent less than what the military wanted. The 2019-20 military budget of $2.5 billion largely spent and the military wanted additional funds to cover unanticipated expenses. Parliament members considered some of the military spending had nothing to do with national defense. Since democracy returned in 2011 the military has received whatever they wanted out of the government budget. This accounts for up to fifteen percent of the national budget each year. Over the past few years, the military has been getting less and the current military budget is only 11 percent of total government spending. The agreement that replaced decades of military rule with a democracy gave the military more influence in parliament. The military did not have an automatic veto but they only needed a few non-military members of parliament to get their way. That has been more difficult each year and this small cut in a military budget request was another example of that. May 16, 2020: In the northwest (Rakhine state) troops retaliated against AA attacks by burning down much of a local village. Nearly 200 structures were destroyed. The army denied it and would not allow journalists to visit the village. That backfired because commercial satellite photos of the area showed the damage. The military cannot keep the commercial satellites from recording what goes on in areas that are not verified military installations. Publishers can pay for the satellite photos and publish them. May 14, 2020: The government revoked an eviction order for Buddhist families who had occupied buildings and other property abandoned by Burmese Moslem Rohingya who were forced into Bangladesh as refugees because of attacks by Buddhist nationalist mobs and eventually the army as well. The anti- Rohingya violence began in 2012 and by 2017 at least a million Rohingya had been driven from their homes. Under pressure from Bangladesh and the UN Burma agreed to keep squatters out of the abandoned Rohingya property. Political pressure from Buddhist nationalist groups eventually prevailed. May 9, 2020: The military announced a unilateral ceasefire with rebel groups. In the north the very active NA (Northern, or Brotherhood Alliance) tribal rebels had also agreed to a ceasefire on the 3rd. The military said it would respond to any rebel attacks during the ceasefire. These truces are part of ongoing negotiations that, in late 2019, worked out some initial agreements, including a ceasefire and prisoner exchange. Those last two items have not worked out so far. No long-term peace deal yet but this is more progress with the NA than ever before. Some NA members are still engaged in combat with the army. The NA consists of four tribal militias; TNLA (Tang National Liberation Army), AA, MNDAA (Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army) and KIA (Kachin Independence Army). Most of the current clashes do not involve the KIA. The NA exists because its members refused to sign the 2015 Burmese Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). Those who did sign the NCA have made progress in working out differences with the Burmese government and military. The army, which tends to do as it likes in the tribal areas of the north, is the primary cause for violence. China is also involved because Northern Alliance members survive via their access to China. The access is tolerated as long as these Burmese rebels do not let the fighting spread into China or interfere with Chinese commercial operations in Burma. This includes the BRI project, which NA members do object to. Astronomers using ESO telescopes have discovered giant spots on the surface of extremely hot stars hidden in stellar clusters, called extreme horizontal branch stars. This image shows an artist's impression of what one of these stars, and its giant whitish spot, might look like. The spot is bright, takes up a quarter of the star's surface and is caused by magnetic fields. As the star rotates, the spot on its surface comes and goes, causing visible changes in brightness. Credit: ESO/L. Calcada, INAF-Padua/S. Zaggia Astronomers using European Southern Observatory (ESO) telescopes have discovered giant spots on the surface of extremely hot stars hidden in stellar clusters. Not only are these stars plagued by magnetic spots, some also experience superflare events, explosions of energy several million times more energetic than similar eruptions on the Sun. The findings, published today in Nature Astronomy, help astronomers better understand these puzzling stars and open doors to resolving other elusive mysteries of stellar astronomy. The team, led by Yazan Momany from the INAF Astronomical Observatory of Padua in Italy, looked at a particular type of star known as extreme horizontal branch starsobjects with about half the mass of the Sun but four to five times hotter. "These hot and small stars are special because we know they will bypass one of the final phases in the life of a typical star and will die prematurely," says Momany, who was previously a staff astronomer at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile. "In our Galaxy, these peculiar hot objects are generally associated with the presence of a close companion star." Surprisingly, however, the vast majority of these extreme horizontal branch stars, when observed in tightly packed stellar groups called globular clusters, do not appear to have companions. The team's long-term monitoring of these stars, made with ESO telescopes, also revealed that there was something more to these mysterious objects. When looking at three different globular clusters, Momany and his colleagues found that many of the extreme horizontal branch stars within them showed regular changes in their brightness over the course of just a few days to several weeks. Astronomers using ESO telescopes have discovered giant spots on the surface of extremely hot stars hidden in stellar clusters, called extreme horizontal branch stars. This animation shows what one of these stars, and its giant whitish spot, might look like. The spot is bright, takes up a quarter of the stars surface and is caused by magnetic fields. As the star rotates, the spot on its surface comes and goes, causing visible changes in brightness. Note that the movement does not represent the rotation of the star: it mimics the movement of a camera observing the star up close. Credit: ESO/L. Calcada, INAF-Padua/S. Zaggia "After eliminating all other scenarios, there was only one remaining possibility to explain their observed brightness variations," concludes Simone Zaggia, a study co-author from the INAF Astronomical Observatory of Padua in Italy and a former ESO Fellow: "these stars must be plagued by spots!" Spots on extreme horizontal branch stars appear to be quite different from the dark sunspots on our own Sun, but both are caused by magnetic fields. The spots on these hot, extreme stars are brighter and hotter than the surrounding stellar surface, unlike on the Sun where we see spots as dark stains on the solar surface that are cooler than their surroundings. The spots on extreme horizontal branch stars are also significantly larger than sunspots, covering up to a quarter of the star's surface. These spots are incredibly persistent, lasting for decades, while individual sunspots are temporary, lasting only a few days to months. As the hot stars rotate, the spots on the surface come and go, causing the visible changes in brightness. Beyond the variations in brightness due to spots, the team also discovered a couple of extreme horizontal branch stars that showed superflaressudden explosions of energy and another signpost of the presence of a magnetic field. "They are similar to the flares we see on our own Sun, but ten million times more energetic," says study co-author Henri Boffin, an astronomer at ESO's headquarters in Germany. "Such behavior was certainly not expected and highlights the importance of magnetic fields in explaining the properties of these stars." After six decades of trying to understand extreme horizontal branch stars, astronomers now have a more complete picture of them. Moreover, this finding could help explain the origin of strong magnetic fields in many white dwarfs, objects that represent the final stage in the life of Sun-like stars and show similarities to extreme horizontal branch stars. "The bigger picture though," says team member, David Jones, a former ESO Fellow now at the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, Spain, "is that changes in brightness of all hot starsfrom young Sun-like stars to old extreme horizontal branch stars and long-dead white dwarfscould all be connected. These objects can thus be understood as collectively suffering from magnetic spots on their surfaces." More information: A plague of magnetic spots among the hot stars of globular clusters, Nature Astronomy (2020). www.nature.com/articles/s41550-020-1113-4 Journal information: Nature Astronomy A plague of magnetic spots among the hot stars of globular clusters,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-020-1113-4 The United States Army Research Laboratory is lending support to a Texas A&M University research project investigating potential improvement of ballistic performance of armor materials. The project, led by Dr. Justin Wilkerson, assistant professor and James J. Cain '51 Faculty Fellow II in the J. Mike Walker '66 Department of Mechanical Engineering, focuses on identifying what damaging effects could be caused by particular flaws -- known as vacancies -- in the atomic structure of aluminum. Wilkerson's research paper on the topic, "Evolving structure-property relationships in metals with nonequilibrium concentrations of vacancies," was recently featured on the cover of the Journal of Applied Physics. The paper was co-authored with Wilkerson's former postdoctoral advisee Dr. Sara Adibi. Although similar research has been conducted by Dr. Celia Reina and coworkers from the California Institute of Technology, Wilkerson's study delves deeper into the subject by calculating the effect of changes due to vacancies over time on the material's mechanical properties. "Mechanical behavior of these materials could not be understood via the Lattice Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations alone, which was what had been done prior to this," said Wilkerson. "To take the next step forward, we made use of supercomputing facilities to conduct a suite of large-scale molecular dynamics simulations." Atoms are arranged in a highly ordered pattern referred to as a crystal lattice, and if an atom is missing from a perfect lattice structure, this defect is called a vacancy. At high temperatures, the vacancies can come together forming vacancy clusters. Wilkerson said a large concentration of vacancies in a material may be generated under shock loading which could impact ballistic performance metrics, including spall strength. "The effect of vacancies on the mechanical behavior of materials on short timescales, such as microseconds, has remained largely unexplored," said Wilkerson. "Even on such short timescales, we find that vacancies may also play a significant role in the high-temperature failure of metals subject to very high tensile pressures." A prospective idea from the findings is that it may be possible to use this knowledge to improve the ballistic performance of next-generation armors for the U.S. Army. "Now that we better understand the importance of this mechanism to ballistic performance the next step is to develop material processing strategies that slow vacancy production rates in shocked materials," said Wilkerson. ### Arlene Foster said checks on goods travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland should be minimised (Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye/PA) Brexit checks on goods travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland should be minimised, Stormonts First Minister Arlene Foster has said. The country will have to follow EU rules on agriculture and manufactured goods, ensuring access to its single market and keeping the border with the Republic of Ireland free-flowing in a key concession maintaining a decades-old peace. DUP MPs voted in Parliament against the agreement between the UK and EU on post-transition period checks on shipments from England, Wales and Scotland destined for Northern Ireland to protect the EUs trading standards. Mrs Foster told the BBCs The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday: What we have to do now is minimise those checks and make sure that they do not damage the economy of Northern Ireland. The best way to protect the Belfast Agreement and the people of Northern Ireland is to make sure that there are not unnecessary checks and the economy suffers as a result of the Northern Ireland protocol. We must make sure that we minimise those checks. The UK Government has said controls will be needed on some goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK as part of Brexit, but bureaucracy will be kept to a minimum. Those deemed to be at risk of entering the Republic of Ireland and the EUs internal market could have punitive tariffs placed on them if no free trade agreement is struck. If you missed me, I was speaking with @AndrewMarr9 earlier. We were discussing contact tracing and road to recovery in Northern Ireland. pic.twitter.com/9K08v9hi22 Arlene Foster #ProudofNI. (@ArleneFosterUK) May 31, 2020 The definition of exactly which are at risk remains to be resolved between EU and UK negotiators. Recently, DUP Stormont agriculture minister Edwin Poots said Northern Ireland could benefit from having access to the EU single market and the UK, making it an attractive place to invest. The DUPs opposition to an earlier plan to avoid a hard Irish border, the backstop, played a major part in the fall of Theresa Mays proposed Brexit deal and the former prime ministers ousting from office. Belfast's new Lord Mayor has pledged that he will reach out to ensure nationalists have "a role and a voice" in Northern Ireland's centenary events. The DUP's Frank McCoubrey said he was delighted as "a proud unionist" that he would be the city's first citizen for the 2021 anniversary of the formation of the state. But he said that everyone should have a part to play in the centenary celebrations. The coronavirus crisis meant the usual traditions were abandoned as Mr McCoubrey was installed as Lord Mayor in City Hall on Monday night. His predecessor, Danny Baker, did not place the chain of office around Mr McCoubrey's shoulders; rather the DUP councillor removed it from a plinth and did so himself. There were no handshakes from fellow councillors but a round of applause was led by council chief executive Suzanne Wylie. The new Lord Mayor's daughters, Nichola and Stephanie, grandchildren Isla and Jensen, and brother Bill were in the public gallery. But Covid-19 restrictions meant that his 76-year-old mother, Elizabeth, was forced to watch the ceremony online from home. Councillors united to extend their good wishes to Mr McCoubrey for his year in office. Sinn Fein group leader Ciaran Beattie described him as a "grounded working-class person". As the city grapples with the coronavirus crisis, it was vital that the Lord Mayor was someone who understood that those in deprived areas were being hardest hit, he said. Progressive Unionist Party councillor John Kyle said Mr McCoubrey was known across the city for his "hard, diligent work" and that people from the new Lord Mayor's native Shankill were immensely proud of him. Mr McCoubrey said: "It is a privilege and honour for me as a working-class unionist, who has represented working-class areas for 24 years, to be given this opportunity. "Communities across Belfast have demonstrated the true spirit of the city throughout this ongoing pandemic, and I have seen first-hand how people are helping their neighbours, and are supporting one another." He continued: "It is my hope that there is a ray of light at the end of this, where people and communities will build on this spirit of cooperation and go on to build a better Belfast for future generations. "We are a resilient people and a resilient city, and we will get through this together." The new Lord Mayor paid tribute to frontline workers in hospitals, care homes, and those providing council services. "Many individuals and groups have made such a difference throughout our city, looking after the most vulnerable day after day," he said. "They are what makes this city what it is, and we should be eternally grateful to those who have stepped up." He paid tribute to those here who had died from Covid-19. "During my term I will make it my priority to determine how we can best remember those who have lost their lives, to offer a place of remembrance and tribute," he said. Expand Close Mr McCoubrey's deputy Paul McCusker Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mr McCoubrey's deputy Paul McCusker SDLP councillor Paul McCusker, who was installed as Deputy Lord Mayor, also paid tribute to the "unsung heroes" - singling out health and care staff, post office workers, and supermarket staff - who were putting their lives on the line every day to help people. He said he did not know Mr McCoubrey well but, as a nurse in the Mater, he had heard colleagues from the Shankill praise him as "someone who made a difference" over the years. SDLP group leader Donal Lyons noted that Mr McCoubrey previously had held the positions of both Deputy Lord Mayor and High Sheriff. He joked that there could be an "award for doing the triple - getting all three chains in one council career". He welcomed the Lord Mayor's commitment to work for every citizen in the city. Alliance group leader Michael Long said that as someone who had provided "great service" to his Shankill constituents and had a record of working cooperatively, Mr McCoubrey was well-placed to tackle the Covid-19 challenges facing Belfast. U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley answers reporters' questions during a news conference at the Pentagon the day after it was announced that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in a U.S. raid in Syria October 28, 2019 in Arlington, Virginia. WASHINGTON In a contentious call with the nation's governors Monday, President Donald Trump said he was putting America's highest-ranking military officer "in charge" as protests over the death of George Floyd rock the United States for a seventh day. "General Milley is here who's head of Joint Chiefs of Staff, a fighter, a warrior, and a lot of victories and no losses. And he hates to see the way it's being handled in the various states. And I've just put him in charge," Trump told governors, according to audio obtained by NBC. It was not immediately clear what Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley would be tasked with as it relates to the domestic unrest across the nation. The Pentagon added few details. "The chairman will continue to advise the secretary of Defense," Pentagon spokesperson U.S. Army Lt. Col. Chris Mitchell said. "As of this morning, 23 states and the District of Columbia had mobilized personnel in support of state and local authorities. Combined, they provided over 17,000 National Guard troops in support," Mitchell added. When asked to elaborate, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said she would not "get ahead of any actions that will be announced" on the matter. "There will be additional federal assets deployed across the nation and there will be a central command center in conjunction with the state and local governments that will include general Milley, [Defense Secretary Mark] Esper and [Attorney General William] Barr, but I won't go any further in announcing any actions," McEnany said during a White House press briefing. NBC News reported that Trump has considered using the Insurrection Act, which was adopted in 1807. Under the move, he would deploy troops to respond to the demonstrations. The law was last invoked during the 1992 Rodney King riots in California, at the request of then-Gov. Pete Wilson, according to NBC. The latest revelation comes as Trump called for governors on Monday to use force when confronting protesters, who have taken to the streets across the U.S. to protest Floyd's death as well as police brutality. Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The officer was charged with third-degree murder. An independent autopsy found that asphyxiation was the cause of Floyd's death. Follow CNBC's live blog covering all the latest news on the demonstrations gripping the United States. A police officer fires rubber bullets at protesters during a demonstration in Miami: AP The government is being urged to suspend the sales of British tear gas, rubber bullets and riot shields to the United States amid fears they are being used against civil rights protesters. The US has been rocked by angry demonstrations for nearly a week following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died pleading for air while a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee into his neck for eight minutes. The police response, apparently endorsed by president Donald Trump, has seen security forces ramming crowds with cars, deploying gas and baton rounds against peaceful demonstrators, and arresting and shooting at domestic and international journalists covering events. Government records show it grants export licences worth millions of pounds for the sale of anti-crowd gas, riot equipment, so-called rubber bullets and other small arms to the US but the governments own rules say such exports should not go ahead where they are likely to be used for internal repression. Human rights campaigners said Britains laws obliged it to freeze the export of all policing and security equipment to the US where it could be misused. But the government has in the past been reticent to cross Mr Trump because it is seeking an agreement with the US to replace the favourable terms of trade with Europe lost after the UKs exit from the European Union. Oliver Feeley-Sprague, Amnesty International UKs military, security and police programme director, said: After the shocking images of the police and national guard using excessive force against Black Lives Matter protesters in Minneapolis, the UK should immediately freeze all policing and security equipment export licences to the US where theres a clear risk of further misuse something the UK is obliged to do under its own laws. Given the evidence emerging from numerous US cities, theres a very real risk of UK-manufactured tear gas or rubber bullets being used against George Floyd protesters in dangerous and highly inappropriate ways something that ministers need to respond to. Story continues Ministers should be making detailed, case-by-case assessments of any requests for equipment from individual US police forces withholding exports from any that have clearly acted irresponsibly during the current crisis. The UK has a dreadful track record of looking the other way when UK arms and security equipment is misused overseas, even, in some cases, seeking to justify such misuse. Now is the time to start changing that. Siana Bangura of Campaign Against The Arms Trade told The Independent there needed to be a full investigation into whether British weapons were being used and that US police forces have shown they cannot be trusted. The horrific scenes of police violence in Minnesota and across the US must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. And so must the escalation from Donald Trump and his colleagues, she said. Were always being told about the influence Boris Johnson supposedly has with the White House. If thats the case then such influence must be used to call for structural change, rather than continuing to remain silent in the face of police brutality and repression. Black lives have been viewed as disposable and black bodies seen as property for centuries in the USA and the UK. Compounded by the injustice and disproportional impact of the Covid-19 on black communities at this time, enough is enough. There must be a full investigation to see if any UK-made weapons have been used in these abuses by police. The US police forces have shown that they cannot be trusted to uphold the rights of protesters or black people, so all arms sales must be stopped. She added: Unfortunately the issue of police brutality and racism is not a new one, and is not exclusive to the US. Violence against black people is a tale hundreds of years old, with the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and countless others being reflective of the immunity that far too many police officers feel when they are carrying out their abuses. The action against the US would not be unprecedented: the UK and EU have for around a decade banned the export of drugs used in lethal injections to the United States, a move which has reportedly led to a shortage for and derailed the American capital punishment system. The ongoing protests are the latest outbreak of anger on the issue of racist policing in the US and the disproportionate targeting of black Americans by officers as well as the apparent impunity of the American security services. A spokesperson for the Department for International Trade, which regulates arms sales, told The Independent: The Government will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria. The Consolidated Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework they require us to think hard about the possible impact of providing equipment and its capabilities. These are not decisions we take lightly. Downing Street has described the situation, including incidents of journalists being injured, as very concerning. The violence we have seen in the US over recent days is clearly very alarming, the prime ministers official spokesman said. People must be allowed to protest peacefully. As the foreign secretary said yesterday, the footage of George Floyds death is deeply distressing and our thoughts are with all those who have been affected. The spokesperson added: Journalists all around the world must be free to do their job and to hold authority to account without fear of arrest or violence. Read more UK photographer arrested at US protests in affront to press freedom How the world is gaping and gloating as uprisings spread across US George Floyd protests: Man shot dead by police in Louisville To recognize the importance of milk, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations celebrates 1 June as World Milk Day. On the occassion of World Milk Day, we look at the iconic TVCs of some dairy brands that established their products in everyday brand consciousness. Amul If you are a 90s kid, then you likely remember 'Mere Gaon Khata Parey' tune. 'Garmi Main Dalo Doodh Main Ice, Doodh Ban Gaya Very Nice. Piyo Daily Once Or Twice!' Dude Wheres the DOODH? Because Nothing is as Cool as Drinking Milk Amul Doodh Peeta Hai India Mother Dairy Maa Jaisa Koi Nai Mother Dairy Milk will only make you Happy-Happy Chutki Me Gayab Patanjali Doodh ka ATM? Gowardhan (Repeats May 29 story with no change to text) 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) CAIRO (AP) Aid organizations are making an urgent plea for funding to shore up their operations in war-torn Yemen, saying they have already been forced to stop some of their work even as the coronavirus rips through the country. Some 75% of U.N. programs in Yemen have had to shut their doors or reduce operations. The global body's World Food Program had to cut rations in half and U.N.-funded health services were reduced in 189 out of 369 hospitals nationwide. Its almost impossible to look a family in the face, to look them in the eyes and say, Im sorry but the food that you need in order to survive we have to cut in half, Lise Grande, resident U.N. coordinator for Yemen, told The Associated Press. The dwindling funds are the result of several factors, but among the top reasons is obstruction by Yemens Houthi rebels, who control the capital, Sanaa, and other territories. The United States, one of the largest donors, decreased its aid to Yemen earlier this year, citing interference by the Houthis. Its yet to be seen whether the Houthis will allow monitoring and oversight or give U.N. agencies the space to operate. A U.N. pledging conference for Yemen on Tuesday seeks $2.41 billion to cover essential activities from June to December. Grande said the Houthis are working to become more transparent, and that she hopes this will encourage donor countries to give aid. Her optimism, however, comes as the Houthis face heavy criticism for suppressing information about the number of COVID-19 cases and fatalities in areas they control, while putting no mitigation measures in place. Tuesday's conference will be co-hosted for the first time by Saudi Arabia a major player in Yemens civil war since it first unleashed a bombing campaign in 2015 to try to push back the Iranian-backed Houthis who had seized the northern half of the country. Critics question the Saudis' high-profile role in rallying humanitarian support even as they continue to wage a war as do the Houthis that has created the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. Story continues Maysaa Shuja al-Deen, a Yemeni researcher and a non-resident fellow at the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, said the kingdom is trying to repair its international image by changing the conversation. Saudi Arabia has always tried to change the narrative of the war and present itself as a backer of the legitimate government, not part of the conflict, she said. In past years, the kingdom has been one of the top donors for U.N. humanitarian aid operations in Yemen. The Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed al-Jaber, said the kingdom will allocate half a billion dollars this year to support U.N. programs, including $25 million for a COVID-19 response plan. The U.N. itself has also investigated allegations of corruption and diversion of aid in Yemen in its own ranks. Reports indicate that the coronavirus is spreading at an alarming rate throughout the country. Among the slashed programs is financial support to thousands of health workers who havent received salaries from the government for nearly three years. Grande said that just a week before the first coronavirus case was announced in Yemen, aid agencies had to stop paying health workers. Without salaries, medical staff wont be able to provide health services to patients amid the pandemic. The U.N. received around $3.6 billion in 2019 in international donations for its campaign, short of its $4.2 billion goal. For its 2020 plan, it has so far received only 15% out of the needed $3.5 billion. Yemen has been caught in a grinding war since 2014 when Houthi rebels descended from their northern enclave and took over Sanaa, forcing the internationally recognized president to flee. In the spring of 2015, a U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition began a destructive air campaign to dislodge the Houthis while imposing a land, sea and air embargo on Yemen. The air war and fighting on the ground has killed more than 100,000 people, shut down or destroyed half of Yemens health facilities, and driven 4 million Yemenis from their homes. Cholera epidemics and severe malnutrition among children have led to thousands of additional deaths. As the war enters its sixth year, with no sign of a viable cease-fire, the suffering looks set to continue. Fighting has continued unabated along several front lines in Yemen, including in Marib, an oil-rich eastern province, threatening new waves of displacement. The U.N.s massive aid program, totaling $8.35 billion since 2015, is vital to keeping many Yemenis alive. Ten million people are on the brink of famine and 80% of the 30 million population are in need of aid, according to the U.N. With the coronavirus spreading, more money is needed. Since April, authorities in areas controlled by Yemens internationally recognized government reported 354 cases, including 84 deaths. The Houthis declared only four cases, including one death. The World Health Organization believes that there is a significant underestimation of the outbreak, which could further hinder efforts to get supplies into Yemen that are needed to contain the virus. Richard Brennan, the WHOs regional emergency director, told the AP that he believes the deaths are in the hundreds and cases in the thousands, based on what hes heard from numerous health care providers. But he said the lack of funding means the organizations health programs are hanging by a thread. Hospitals in the southern city of Aden have run out of beds for virus patients, international aid group Doctors without Borders said on Monday, due to a drastic spike of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city. The group said it was scrambling to increase capacity at a local treatment center. The International Rescue Committee, an aid group, said Yemen is conducting just 31 tests per one million people, among the world's lowest scores. With increasing needs and fewer funds, the U.N. refugee agency will have to stop cash assistance and shelter programs for more than 50,000 displaced families by August, said spokeswoman Heba Kanso. She said the agency will be forced to end its partnership with dozens of Yemeni NGOs that will have let go more than 1,500 national staff. Relief agencies worry that donors will give less as many countries struggle their own virus outbreaks. But they warn that the worlds worst humanitarian crisis can indeed get much worse. The world's attention is diverted elsewhere and these are the vulnerable among the most vulnerable on the planet, and we need a commitment, said Brennan. Georgia's capital of Tbilisi has been named the safest place to travel in Europe in 2020 amongst the cities selected by European Best Destinations, a travel website developed to promote culture and tourism in Europe. The travel website has also selected Georgian Black Sea town of Batumi among the destinations least affected by COVID-19, Agenda.ge reported. The website notes that as Georgia is reopening its borders to travellers on July 1, it is also implementing a series of health measures to protect both its citizens and travellers for a safe and relaxing holiday. HOUSTON, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- BMC, a global leader in IT solutions for the Autonomous Digital Enterprise, today announced the close of its acquisition of Compuware, a leading provider of mainframe application development, delivery, and performance solutions. The strategic combination of the two companies builds on the success of BMC Automated Mainframe Intelligence (AMI) and Compuware's Topaz suite, ISPW technology, and classic product portfolios to modernize clients' mainframe environments. BMC with Compuware now enables automation and intelligent operations with agile development and delivery empowering the next generation of mainframe developers and operations teams to excel when working with mainframe programming languages, applications, data, infrastructure, and security. "Adding Compuware's Topaz software development environment to the BMC portfolio is another step in the direction of targeting the enterprise developer. With Topaz, developers take a modern approach to building, testing, and deploying mainframe applications. This move should allow BMC to spread the word that modern tools matter for the mainframe engineer," wrote Christopher Condo, Chris Gardner, and Diego Lo Giudice at Forrester Research. Fifty percent of respondents in a 2019 Forrester study shared that they plan to grow their use of the mainframe over the next two years and 93% of respondents in the 2019 BMC Mainframe Survey believe in the long-term and new workload strength of the platform. To support customer needs, the unified portfolio will enable enterprises to: Leverage the robust processing power, stability, security, and agile scalability of the mainframe Scale Agile and DevOps methods with a fully integrated DevOps toolchain allowing for mainframe applications to get to market more quickly and efficiently without compromising quality Combine the self-analyzing, self-healing, and self-optimizing power of the BMC AMI suite of products to increase mainframe availability, efficiency, and security while mitigating risk, along with the Compuware Topaz suite, to fully empower the next generation of developers to build, analyze, test, deploy, and manage mainframe applications Create a transcendent customer experience to meet the business demands of the digital age jumpstarting their Autonomous Digital Enterprise journey "BMC continues to apply automated intelligence to modernize the mainframe, meeting the growing demands created by digital business growth. With market needs disrupting business models more rapidly than ever before, it's the ideal time to bring Compuware to our portfolio and help our customers embrace Agile and DevOps practices for the modern mainframe," said Bill Miller, President of ZSolutions at BMC. "We are thrilled to welcome Compuware and, together, accelerate our customers' journeys to becoming Autonomous Digital Enterprises." "Compuware remains committed to mainstreaming the mainframe and empowering our customers to leverage the platform with ease and agility so they can deliver quality digital services that exceed their customers' and their business' expectations," said Chris O'Malley, CEO of Compuware. "We stand at the threshold of a broad mainframe revival and customers need a passionate, perserverant and courageous mainframe innovation partner for the next 50 years. We are excited to join forces with BMC to be the best, brightest, and most collaborative partner for our customers and continue to build innovative mainframe solutions that will help them thrive now and in the future. And, the best part? We're just getting warmed up!" Compuware is now a part of the BMC ZSolutions organization that serves the mainframe industry. This is one of the largest acquisitions in BMC's history and the company's third acquisition in less than two years. Additional Resources: Learn more about BMC mainframe solutions at www.bmc.com/ami and Compuware solutions at www.compuware.com Discover what it takes to be an Autonomous Digital Enterprise at www.bmc.com/ade Read BMC's customer success stories at www.bmc.com/customers/success-stories.html and Compuware's at www.compuware.com/customer-testimonials 1"Mainframe Developers Get Boost From BMC Acquisition Of Compuware," Forrester blog post, Forrester Research, March 3, 2020 About BMC From core to cloud to edge, BMC delivers the software and services that enable over 10,000 global customers, including 84% of the Forbes Global 100, to thrive in their ongoing evolution to an Autonomous Digital Enterprise. BMC, the BMC logo, and BMC's other product names are the exclusive properties of BMC Software, Inc. or its affiliates, are registered or pending registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Copyright 2020 BMC Software, Inc. Editorial contacts: Ana Gabriel BMC [email protected] (510) 219-6625 SOURCE BMC Software, Inc. Related Links www.bmc.com NORWICH, England and ARROYO GRANDE, California, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Many people are struggling a bit with life right now. This moving short documentary, Game of Life, shows how a man reconnects with his mojo with the help of an online friend, his family and video games. The film goes live at 9am BST / 10am CET on Tuesday, 2nd June 2020, at https://www.redbull.com/int-en/episodes/game-of-life. Tallulah Self, 21, is on a mission to give her grandfather back his wings. Garry Bowhill-Mann, 74, is an RAF veteran and full-time carer for his wife. He lives in a bungalow in Norfolk, England, and over time has become increasingly isolated. While Garry's life is getting lonelier and harder, he is escaping into another unexpected life. Late at night he finds his own personal solace in a room that only he uses. There he transforms into a ruthless assassin, a seasoned soldier, a fearless flying ace. All through the liberation of video games. For the past year Garry's passion has afforded him the rare opportunity to meet new people and he's found a regular peer to play with. He's been meeting up online with Mike Nolan, 71, who lives on the other side of the world. Mike is also a services veteran and happens also to live in a village. Although his one happens to be in sunny California, not grey East Anglia. Garry and Mike have never met face-to-face. Until now. Tallulah just wants to bring her granddad back to the person she used to know: a vivacious bloke who was the star of the local panto. So she's come up with a plan to take him to California to meet his gaming mate, Mike, in an effort to lift Garry's spirits. Game of Life was produced by Mediorite, London for Red Bull Media House, London & Salzburg - part of an initiative focused on excellent storytelling applied to human interest documentaries. The film was directed by Leanne Rogers and Tallulah Self. Leanne is Head of Creative Content at London-based production company Mediorite. She launched her documentary career with "Violet Vixen" for Little Dot Studios, which received national press and TV coverage as well as over 1 million views on social media. This is her second mid-length documentary. Tallulah is an Editor at London-based TV production company, The Connected Set, working on a wide range of factual content, primarily for the BBC. She trained at the National Film and Television School. Director Leanne Rogers said: "To me, this is a story about unusual friendships across the ocean with contrasting characters which challenges our stereotypes of the elderly. As soon as I met Garry I knew this was a story I wanted to tell." Director Tallulah Self said: "By taking my granddad on a journey across the world, I wanted to find the fun granddad I knew him to be when I was a child and show him that really, almost anything is possible. I think sometimes we all need to be a little more fearless." Executive Producer Adam Gee said: "As many people are finding life rather hard-going at present for obvious reasons, it is inspiring to watch a person get back in touch with his younger self and, regardless of challenging circumstances, live life to the full." SHORT DESCRIPTION By day, RAF veteran and grandfather Garry is living a narrow, tough life as an aging carer. By night, however, he's a rampaging gamer. Granddaughter, Tallulah, is on a mission to connect his two realities and help him get back in touch with his free spirit. LOGLINE A man gets back his lust for life with the help of his online gaming pal, his granddaughter and the video games he loves. Watch Game of Life at: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/episodes/game-of-life You can preview the full film at: https://vimeo.com/409923649/e7409482ec NB This link is for PREVIEW ONLY NOT to be circulated/published Embed Code: https://www.redbull.com/embed/rrn:content:episode-videos:1955e390-f2b4-4c88-b07e-d0941f90ca12:en-INT" width="640px" height="360px" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen webkitallowfullscren> Link to Press Pack (including stills, video trailers, etc.): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pmt8746tavzk4op/AADdUYOWtIgTUCxAPdYxob_Ta?dl=0 NOTES TO EDITORS/WRITERS About Game of Life An original production by Mediorite Running Time: 24 minutes Directed & Produced by Leanne Rogers & Tallulah Self Commissioned & Executive Produced by Adam Gee About Leanne Rogers Director Leanne is Head of Creative Content at London-based production company Mediorite. She joined Mediorite on graduating from university in 2014 and worked her way up through the company. She enjoys telling unusual stories from unheard voices. Her previous documentary, "Violet Vixen," received over 1 million views on social media, with national press and TV coverage. It was selected for numerous film festivals and won the Best Documentary Short award at Brighton Rocks Film Festival. About Tallulah Self Director Tallulah is an Editor at London-based TV production company, The Connected Set, working on a wide range of factual content, primarily for the BBC. She started working in the industry at the age of 18, training at the National Film and Television School. She is the youngest of the Red Bull Storytellers directors. About Adam Gee Commissioning Editor & Executive Producer Emmy and 5-time BAFTA winner Adam Gee is based in London where he commissions for Red Bull Media House (Salzburg, London) and Little Dot Studios (London, LA, Berlin). Prior to that he was a long-time commissioning editor at Channel 4 (London). His collaboration with Victoria Mapplebeck, Missed Call, won this year's BAFTA for Best Short Programme the first film made primarily for YouTube distribution to win an Academy Award anywhere in the world. CONTACT: For any queries or additional information, please contact: Leanne Rogers 07598-392-756 (+44-7598-392-756) [email protected] SOURCE Mediorite Related Links https://www.mediorite.co.uk The number of Connecticut residents who have died during the coronavirus pandemic continued rise on Sunday, as the state Department of Public Health reported 32 new COVID-19 deaths. Those fatalities, the state reported, brought Connecticuts coronavirus death toll to 3,944. At the same time, hospitalizations associated with the pandemic continued to decline across the state, the report said, decreasing by 52, to 481. The Banks Board Bureau (BBB) on Saturday recommended names of Ashwini Bhatia, M V Rao and P P Sengupta for the post of managing director of three state-owned lenders -- State Bank of India, Central Bank of India and Indian Overseas Bank, respectively. Bhatia is currently serving as deputy managing director (DMD) at SBI, while Rao is executive director with Canara Bank. The bureau members interfaced with 20 candidates from nationalised banks on May 30 for the position of managing director in State Bank of India and the position of MD and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank and Central Bank of India, an official statement said. Bhatia will be appointed in place of P K Gupta who superannuated on March 31, while Rao will replace Central Bank of India MD Pallav Mohapatra who will retire in February next year. Sengupta, currently DMD SBI, will replace Indian Overseas Bank MD and CEO Karnam Sekar, who retires on June 30. With this exercise, the government has completed the process of appointment of head of PSU banks for the current fiscal. The decision on the appointment will be taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BBB, the headhunter for state-owned banks and financial institutions, is headed by former Department of Personnel and Training Secretary B P Sharma. The Prime Minister, in 2016, approved the constitution of BBB as a body of eminent professionals and officials to make recommendations for appointment of whole-time directors as well as non-executive chairpersons of public sector banks (PSBs). It was also entrusted with the task of engaging with the board of directors of all PSBs to formulate appropriate strategies for their growth and development. Besides, it was asked to frame strategy discussion on consolidation based on requirement. The government wanted to encourage bank boards to restructure their business strategy and also suggest ways for their consolidation and merger with other banks. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday, pleaded with Ghanaians for their sustained support and commitment towards winning the battle against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The President who made his 10th national televised address on measures to contain COVID-19, commended Ghanaians for their patience and commitment over the past weeks. In a brief situational update of the cases count and management, he said as at Sunday, May 31, 2020, the country had conducted a cumulative of 218,425 tests, hence the number of positive cases currently stood at 8,070, with 2,947 recoveries and 36 deaths. He also said there were currently 13 persons who were severely ill, with three others being critically-ill, and one person on a ventilator, while a total of 5,087 other persons were also responding to treatment at home, isolation centres and in hospitals. President Akufo-Addo stated that our hospitalization and death rates have been persistently very low, some of the lowest in Africa and in the world, saying Ghanaians were not dying of the virus in the hundreds and thousands that were earlier anticipated, and that which were being seen on a daily basis in some other countries. Indeed, we are witnessing a much milder manifestation of the virus in the country, than was initially feared, he said. The President attributed these successes to the countrys ability to trace, test and treat persons with the virus, which had improved considerably over the period, with the large army of effective contact tracers. He said the number of testing facilities have also been expanded from two to 10 across the country, with a further appreciable increase in the number of quarantine, isolation and treatment centres. Ghana, he said, had also reduced its dependence on imports, and scaled up significantly domestic production and distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to local health workers. This was evidenced in the production of 4,440,690 gloves, 3,524,205 nose masks, 62,194 goggles, 109,829 litres of hand sanitizers, 85,995 headcovers, 82,655 gowns, 53,517 medical scrubs and 43,633 N-95 face masks, he said. Furthermore, the country, has learnt lessons from this pandemic, with the most obvious being that it had to fortify urgently its public health system, and had committed to the implementation of the Agenda 88, which involved building within a year, fully-equipped, functional hospitals for districts that did not have one, and also similar facilities for the newly created regions, the President stated. He said the Western Region would benefit from one of such facilities and that the Effia Nkwanta Hospital at Sekondi would also be rehabilitated, while government would empower and increase the number of healthcare professionals across the board, to ensure that Universal Health Coverage became a reality for Ghanaians, not a slogan. President Akufo-Addo said all that had been achieved so far would not have been possible without the strong co-operation of all Ghanaians. He acknowledged that the impact of the various restrictive measures employed by the government, to defeat the virus, had been devastating on both social, religious, cultural and economic lives, including jobs, and the education of children. He, however, said the country cannot live with these restrictions forever, and that it was imperative to find a safe way to return lives to normalcy, as other nations across the globe are trying to do. The President, therefore emphasized the need to step up public education of the protocols on public gatherings, saying regulatory agencies would undertake random checks to ensure conformity with these rules. He tasked all Ghanaians to remain vigilant and respect the enhanced hygiene and social distancing protocols that had been part and parcel of their daily routine over the past three months, saying we cannot afford to let our guards down, and ruin the successes we have chalked over this period. He noted that with the possibility of a potential surge in infections due to the ease in the restrictions, existing national, regional and district response teams had been strengthened, with the support of the security forces, to deal with any eventuality. 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 (Natural News) The Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) narrative continues to change, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now saying that it does not spread easily on contaminated surfaces. For months, Americans have been told that they must stay at home like hermits to avoid catching the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) should they dare to venture outside. This is because the Chinese Virus, as it is also called, might be lingering on a door handle or cereal box just waiting to invade the lungs. But this fear-mongering appears to have been both premature and false, as the CDC is now saying that, in reality, touching surfaces or objects that might be contaminated with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is not a risk at all, and thus should not be a concern. What this means is that all of the practical and realistic precautions that the CDC and other government agencies had been pushing on people is no longer necessary and more accurately never really was necessary. The CDC did not come out with a bang to make this announcement, by the way. Instead, it quietly revised its webpage on how the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) supposedly spreads, and a handful of media outlets just so happened to take notice of it. Under a subheading that explains how the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) can spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects, the CDC had previously stated that it may be possible. But now, the CDC says that it is not really possible after all. Now, the surfaces or objects line item has been moved under a new subheading about ways that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) does not readily transmit, indicating that the public need not worry about wearing gloves, as one prominent example. Oops: Coronavirus does not transmit from animals to people, either The CDC has also changed an entry on its website about the transmission of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) from animals to people, which now explains that this, too, is not a threat and should not be something about which people worry. People in China could have used this information when the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) first ravaged their country, as some were calling at the time for Chinese people to murder their own pets because of perceived fear about mammalian spread from one species to another. COVID-19 is a new disease and we are still learning about how it spreads, the CDC now admits, demonstrating once again that this private corporation is not based on science, but rather one fear, speculation, and various agendas, including the constant pushing of new vaccines. It may be possible for COVID-19 to spread in other ways, but these are not thought to be the main ways the virus spreads, the agency further adds, referring to animal-to-human transmission. The CDC is doubling down, however, on the human-to-human spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), warning that it is spreading very easily and sustainably between people. This includes through close contact, respiratory droplets, and asymptomatic carriers, the agency claims. So much for that preliminary study from back in March which suggested the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) could linger in the air for up to three hours and remain on surfaces for up to three days, a suggestion that prompted mass hysteria about super-sanitizing all surfaces constantly. It turns out that this, too, was an overblown response based on faulty science and likely a healthy dose of speculation. Many people were concerned that by simply touching an object they may get coronavirus and thats simply not the case, says Dr. John Whyte, as quoted by Fox News. Even when a virus may stay on a surface, it doesnt mean that its actually infectious. To keep up with the latest news about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), be sure to check out Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: FoxNews.com Radio.NaturalNews.com The Block's Elyse Knowles and Josh Barker have sold their renovation project in Melbourne's Albert Park, just two weeks after they bought a $2.3million beach house in Byron Bay. As reported by Realestate.com.au, the couple offloaded the property on May 20 for an undisclosed amount, after paying $1.35million for it in late 2017. Elyse, 27, and Josh, 30, had previously listed the two-bedroom terrace on O'Grady Street for rent in April last year, following their move to Byron Bay. Sold! Elyse Knowles and Josh Barker have sold their renovation project in Melbourne's Albert Park, just two weeks after they bought a $2.3million beach house in Byron Bay Elyse and Josh had been renting a place in Byron until moving into their 'forever home' last month. Their new 1960s-built property is located in the old part of the coastal town, just a short walk from the main beach. The house boasts four bedrooms, two bathrooms, two levels and spacious veranda. Off the market! As reported by Realestate.com.au, The Block winners offloaded the property (pictured) on May 20 for an undisclosed amount, after paying $1.35million for it in late 2017 The couple, who won The Block in 2017, are planning to renovate the property through their own company, J & E Projects. Before moving in, they had redecorated their temporary accommodation in a bohemian style, so it's likely they will do the same with their permanent home. Elyse previously told Daily Mail Australia the pair had moved from Melbourne to Byron Bay because they wanted to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Rental market: Elyse and Josh had previously listed the two-bedroom terrace for rent in April last year, following their move to Byron Bay. Pictured: the kitchen of the Albert Park home Stylish: The Albert Park property comes with a built-in fireplace and a fresh white paint job 'It's very different [from Melbourne]. Everyone always smiles and always says hello. That was one of the first things I noticed living up there,' said the Myer ambassador. 'The community is more environmentally conscious. 'You see it in the conversations that people have every single day talking about the ocean and the marine life.' A Business Ombudsman Institution is a dedicated body established to defend businesses and entrepreneurs with legitimate claims against state or sub-state entities that infringe on their rights. In an effort to provide incentives for the development of entrepreneurship and create a level playing field for business, the EBRD under its Investment Climate and Governance Initiative has begun to assist countries with the establishment of Business Ombudsman Institutions where certain conditions are met. These include independence, accountability, professionalism, investigative scope and ability to influence. The EBRD was instrumental in setting up the Business Ombudsman Institution in Ukraine soon after the Maidan uprising of 2014 and the formation of a reform-minded government looking to improve the investment climate. In partnership with the Ukrainian government, the OECD and five Ukrainian business associations, the EBRD signed an MoU launching an Anti-Corruption Initiative, which led to the creation of the Ukraine Business Ombudsman Council as a governing body. The Council recommended and the Cabinet of Ministers approved former European Commissioner Algirdas Semeta to the position of Ukraine Business Ombudsman. The Business Ombudsman has a staff of 15, including nine experts with experience in law, strategic management, economics, auditing, and risk management. The Ukraine Business Ombudsman is empowered to investigate alleged wrongdoing by state entities. If abuse is determined to have taken place, the Business Ombudsman refers these cases to the relevant authorities, including, for criminal cases, to the newly established Anti-Corruption Bureau, the state prosecution service or the police for further investigation. Failure to investigate or to implement the Business Ombudsmans recommendations, or to provide proper feedback on action taken, is reported publicly through quarterly and annual reports published on the Business Ombudsmans website, or through the media. The institution also publishes systemic reports, which address some of the most pressing systemic issues that negatively affect the investment climate and proposes practical ways to address these. These reports are being extensively used by the authorities in order to improve the existing legislation and procedures that negatively affect the business environment. This demonstrates that the systemic role of the Business Ombudsman Institution has a further impact on the advancement of the reform in the country and that a well-structured and equipped Business Ombudsman Institution could serve as an effective tool of policy dialogue in a country. Recommendations made by the Business Ombudsman are not binding, but the publicity generated by the reports and more generally through the mass media create pressure on public entities and on the enforcement agencies investigating criminal cases to take action to tackle corruption and rectify other breaches of the legitimate rights of businesses. The direct financial impact of the work of the Business Ombudsman Council for Ukraine is equivalent to roughly 2.3 billion hryvnia (around US$ 100 million), explained Algirdas Semeta, the Business Ombudsman, on a visit to the EBRD. More videos The ICGI team has been advising governments on establishing Business Ombudsman Institutions in Kazakhstan, Armenia and Albania, and it aims to apply the lessons learned in Ukraine in other countries where the presence of such institution might be needed or warranted. Bryce Hirschberg and Nicole O'Brien never pursued a romantic relationship on Too Hot to Handle. But the couple decided to start dating after the show wrapped, making their relationship public in April. They've recently called it quits due to the travel restrictions posed by COVID-19, as Hirschberg lives in Marina Del Rey, California, and O'Brien calls the UK home. Calling quits: Too Hot to Handle's Bryce Hirschberg and Nicole O'Brien recently called it quits due to the travel restrictions posed by COVID-19, as Hirschberg lives in Marina Del Rey, California, and O'Brien calls the UK home A rep for Hirschberg, 30, told People: 'I can confirm that Bryce and Nicole decided mutually to split early last week after months of trying to make a long-distance relationship work.' Hirschberg also made a statement: 'After the many failed attempts to reunite due to quarantine and border restrictions, we decided that moving on and remaining friends would be our best option for the time being. 'Nicole is so lovely and if under less unusual circumstances Im sure that we couldve had an amazing relationship! I wish her the best because she deserves it.' O'Brien told O last month: 'He wasn't really my cuppa tea at the start. But getting to know him more and more, we formed a proper bond and connection.' Long distance: Hirschberg said in a statement: 'After the many failed attempts to reunite due to quarantine and border restrictions, we decided that moving on and remaining friends would be our best option for the time being' One day: 'Looking forward to (hopefully) seeing you soon,' O'Brien captioned a recent photo of them, to which he responded, 'One day' New beau? She recently put on a cozy display with fellow co-star David Birtwistle as they enjoyed a day at the park 'Looking forward to (hopefully) seeing you soon,' she captioned a photo of them, to which he responded, 'One day.' She recently put on a cozy display with fellow co-star David Birtwistle as they enjoyed a day at the park. Another source told People that Hirschberg 'was spotted flirting with other women at his recent 30th birthday party last week in Los Angeles.' It was the same boat party in which Hirschberg posed for some selfies with Tiger King star Dillon Passage. The insider added: 'There must have been trouble in paradise at the time as Nicole was the only cast member not to wish him a happy birthday public.' Reliance Industries strategic decision to shift its focus from the oil and gas sector to retail, media and telecom sectors has helped augment the brand value, according to Brand Finance India 100 2020 ranking. Among the top 10 most valuable Indian brands, Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries has moved up one notch to the third spot in the ranking with 25 percent brand value growth to US$7.9 billion. Tata Group retained the title of Indias most valuable brand, breaking US$20 billion brand value mark for the first time. LIC, the largest insurer, stood one spot above RIL. Of the most 10 valuable Indian, RIL was the only company to have witnessed a value growth of more than 25 percent. Reliance Industries brand now claims 34 percent share of market revenue in the Indian telecoms sector. Reliance has not neglected its core energy business, entering solid strategic partnerships with BP in the UK and Saudi Aramco in the Middle East to support its ambitious growth plan, the report from Brand Finance stated. Within the telecom space, the investment in Reliance Jio by Facebook, Silver Lake and Vista Equity Partners, totals $8 billion and is more than 50 percent of the aggregate amount raised by digital companies in CY 2019. Data is the new oil, Ambani had said at the launch on Reliance Jio in 2016. Reliance Jio has maintained it wants to more than a telecom player and is on track to be as an end-to-end digital behemoth. In its three-and-half years of existence, Jio Infocomm has emerged as Indias biggest telecom service provider with 388 million subscribers. Its pricing strategy has played a big role in Jio bagging 32 percent market share in terms of subscriber base, way ahead of rivals Bharti Airtel and Vodafone-Idea. The telecom business ties in neatly with the companys digital ambitions. On the retail front, Reliance through its Jio Mart revolutionised the grocery segment by tying up with kirana stores and accepting orders on WhatsApp. Reliance Retail is one of the biggest offline retailer in India with 11,784 outlets. It plans to converge with JioMart offline and online trade not only by driving the online service via inventory from its Smart and Fresh stores but also by spreading hyperlocal Reliance Smart Points across the region. Last week, Jio launched jiomart.com website through which customers can order from various categories such as fruits and vegetables, dairy and bakery, personal care, home care and baby care. Brand Finance has assessed the impact of COVID-19 based on the effect of the outbreak on enterprise value, compared to what it was on Jan 1, 2020. The likely impact on brand value was estimated for each sector. The industries have been classified into three categories limited impact (minimal brand value loss or potential growth), moderate impact (up to 10 percent loss), and heavy impact (up to 20 percent loss) based on the level of brand value loss observed for each sector in the first quarter of 2020. Going by the report, the COVID-19 pandemic which has impacted the economy globally that will have a major effect on the Indians top 100 most valuable brands and they may lose up to 15 percent of brand value cumulatively, a potential drop of nearly $25 billion compared to the original valuation date of January 1, 2020. Find the full Brand Finance India 100 2020 Report here Read our entire coverage on India' Most Valuable Brands 2020 here. Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Moneycontrol. PARIS (Reuters) - France's coronavirus cases are continuing to decline, health officials said on Sunday, with 14,322 patients currently in hospital, down from 14,380 a day earlier. The number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care fell to 1,319 from 1,361, the health directorate said in a statement. The hospital death toll from the virus rose by 31 to 18,475 - the 11th consecutive daily increase below 100. Numbers for nursing home deaths will next be updated on Tuesday, the directorate said. (Reporting by Laurence Frost; Editing by Nick Macfie) SMU Office of Research & Tech Transfer - Fake news has repeatedly made the front page in recent years. With false information spreading fast and widely in today's socially-networked world, governments have grown increasingly concerned about the deliberate spread of misinformation. This disquiet over fake news saw a host of countries pushing through a legion of legislation to address the development over the last few years. Many more are studying what to do about the phenomenon. At SMU, a team of four researchers was intrigued by the question: What effect can newly minted anti-fake news legislation have on capital markets? The unanswered question For the SMU team - Professor Liandong Zhang, Lee Kong Chian Professor of Accounting and Associate Dean (Research); Yun Lou, Assistant Professor of Accounting; Samuel Tan, Assistant Professor of Accounting; and Richard Crowley, Assistant Professor of Accounting - this is an unanswered question. The team has been awarded a Ministry of Education Academic Research Funding (AcRF) Tier 2 grant over three years to probe the issue. It will be the first large-scale empirical work to examine the impact of anti-fake news regulation in capital markets. The researchers cite anecdotal evidence that shows fake news can negatively impact capital markets. For example, in April 2013, an erroneous report on Twitter about two explosions at the White House temporarily wiped US$136.5 billion off the S&P 500. In China, fake articles about construction giant Zoomlion led to a 26.9 percent drop in its share price. That said, there is little academic evidence on the role of fake news in capital markets. Currently, there are no academic studies that examine the effect of anti-fake news regulation on the quality of capital markets. The team intends to change that. The team will probe the impact of anti-fake news regulations across the world, including Asia, Europe, and the U.S.A. The researchers will investigate the impact of the regulations adopted by different countries on the quality of their capital markets. The significance of the question Capital markets play a pivotal role in allocating resources in the economy. Understanding the implications of anti-fake news laws on capital markets is an integral part of the cost and benefit analysis of these laws. The study can broaden regulators' views on the potential effects of anti-fake news laws by highlighting how such laws may affect not only political processes but also capital markets. By focusing on capital market-related social media and outcomes, the study allows the effect of anti-fake news policies to be evaluated in a measurable and meaningful way. The different anti-fake news actions by different countries also provide thought-provoking comparisons. Says Professor Lou: "One of the reasons why we want to investigate many countries is that we don't believe that there is one recipe for all countries. What kind of regulation each country should put forward to fight against fake news will really depend on the institutional background of the country." "For some countries, if their legal enforcement is relatively weak, then no matter how tough you write your regulations, it is not going to be effective. But for countries where legal enforcement is strong, then regulations can potentially be effective." The team is excited about the project and can't wait to get started. Articulates Professor Lou: "We do think that the study can have important implications for regulators and for capital markets. Given our expertise, we wanted to provide insights about how to combat fake news in capital markets. That is really what motivated us to conduct this project." She concludes: "Hopefully our project and the potential papers coming out of it will serve as a starting point for researchers, regulators, and big corporations to think about what kind of regulations can be put into place to fight against fake news' disruption of capital markets." ### A woman was arrested for carrying a hammer after a fight broke out in east London. Police officers were called to Kingland Road in Dalston to reports of an altercation just before 2pm on Monday. At the scene they found a "woman in possession of a hammer who had become violent". Others were also fighting and a large crowd had gathered, police said. Officers swarmed Kingsland Road in Dalston after being called to reports of an atercation / Hiral Desai @Hiral283 A Met Police spokesman added: "Two people were arrested. A woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and a man was arrested on suspicion of affray and criminal damage. "They were both taken to a London police station where they remain." There were no reports of any injuries and the crowd has now dispersed. The Kentucky State Police is investigating a man's death after protesters exchanged gunfire with police and National Guard officers in Louisville.Gov. Andy Beshear announced the investigation on Monday after the man was killed earlier that morning. Beshear did not name the victim, though local reports and social media posts identify the dead man David McAtee, the owner of a popular barbecue joint, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal Beshear said.LMPD Chief Steve Conrad said the incident took place just after midnight as officers began breaking up a crowd of people in a grocery store parking lot. Police have not yet identified the civilians who allegedly shot at law enforcement or know if McAtee was one of the shooters.Conrad said on Monday.Conrad said.Louisville is under a 9 p.m. curfew since the outbreak of violent riots over the death of Breonna Taylor. Taylor was a black emergency medical technician who was shot and killed in her home in March after police broke down her door while searching her home as part of a larger narcotics investigation.David McAtee was not a protester, according to WLKY news anchor Stephon Dingle . McAtee is the owner of a barbecue joint and was not part of any protest over Taylor's death but was just hanging out in the parking lot. The lot has been a popular spot for locals to gather outside of the curfew, witnesses told Dingle.Breshear met with McAtee's family on Monday. It is unclear what was shared.Protests over Taylor's death coincided with the protests and riots in Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd. Taylor was shot eight times after police officers busted down the door to her home and exchanged gunfire with her boyfriend Kenneth Walker, who said that officers never announced themselves before breaking in. The police officers contest Walker's claim and say they knocked several times and announced themselves before storming the house.Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and LMPD Training Division Commander Maj. Paul Humphrey denounced the wave of violence that has gripped the city and said Sunday that the protests over Taylor's death have devolved into "riots." The mayor has instituted a curfew and called in the National Guard to curb the violence. While hospitals may be seeing a trend of fewer patients admitting themselves to the hospital because of fear of COVID-19, the pandemic hasnt stopped necessary and medical emergencies like transplant surgeries. But the virus has put several added layers of protections on the procedure. Back in March, not long after Montgomery County verified its first official case of COVID-19, Conroe resident Kandice Blythe needed a liver transplant after being on the recipient list for about a year. She was diagnosed with Primary Biliary Cholangitis, a chronic autoimmune disease, 10 years ago but it wasnt until the last two years that things started getting bad. When she went in for her transplant, none of her family was allowed to go in with her. Her brother, sister-in-law, her three daughters, and her father all had to wait outside the hospital. They took videos every hour and sent them to my phone, Blythe said. But it was hard, hard going through that with nobody there with you. While many elective surgeries have been canceled or postponed across the country as a way to help hospitals prioritize resources towards the COVID-19, transplant surgeries are essential medical procedures that have continued throughout the pandemic. More testing Because of COVID-19, the process before a transplant surgery now includes several more tests to make sure that neither the donated organ nor the organ recipient, has the virus. The procedure already includes extensive testing to make sure the organs are safe and the recipients wont be fighting off infection, COVID-19 has just added a few more layers. Its not that things cant be done, it just takes more effort, more time, more testing to get it done, said John Goss, the physician director of transplant services at Baylor St. Lukes Medical Center in Houston, where Blythe had her surgery. Medical travel has also been exempt from many recent COVID-19 limitations but that doesnt mean transporting organs hasnt been affected. We had issues with personnel traveling, Goss said. So there were some organs that we had to rely on outside surgeons to take out and send to us, rather than being able to see them ourselves. Now, the surgeons have to rely more on pictures and videos of the organs, as well as biopsies, that in the past may they have gotten. More restrictions While the pandemic may have made the process a little more difficult for the medical team, Goss said it has not changed a patients ability to get a necessary transplant. Aftercare for patients has changed a bit due to hospital restrictions on visitors. Often patients have family or friends with them after surgery as part of their recovery team, to help them with all the different aspects of after-care. Now, those members must wait until the patient is released to see them. Since she was released, Blythe and her daughters have been staying with her brother here in Conroe. Her oldest daughter has been insistent that she drive everywhere, and has hardly left Blythes side. When she got home, her younger daughters had saved their pictures for her they had made while she was away. They sat outside the hospital the whole time I was in surgery, Blythe said. My family, they support me a whole lot, and they keep supporting me. Theyve been there no matter what. Its a complete change from the loneliness of the hospital, where Blythe was by herself most of the time. I just tried to keep sane as much as possible, she said. For several weeks after she was released the only place she left the house for was the doctors office. Since she just had surgery, Bythe is in the high-risk category for contracting COVID-19 and must wear a mask everywhere, which she isnt a fan of. It makes her sympathize with the nurses and doctors who cared for her, who wear them all day long. In all his years doing transplant procedures, Goss said hes never experienced something like the COVID-19 pandemic before. Weve always had to deal with infections, viruses, risk of cancer, all kinds of things in the donor and in the recipients, he said. Weve been dealing with these viruses and things for a long time, but the COVID has really come and changed things to a totally different level. jamie.swinnerton@chron.com By Akbar Mammadov Azerbaijans satellite operation Azercosmos OSJC ended 2019 with a net profit of $2,13 million (AZN3.62 million), while the company's total profit was $8,27 million (AZN14.04 million), the company reported in its report on financial results for 2019 on May 31. According to the financial report of Azercosmos, in 2019, the company's revenues increased by 41.2 per cent compared to 2018, similarly, EBITDA margin (a company's operating profit as a percentage of its revenue) increased from 64 per cent to 73 per cent. The company noted that the coverage geography of satellite services and the expansion of cooperation with leading international companies also played a role in this growth. Thanks to cooperation with international companies on the use of the Azerspace-2 satellite, Azercosmos' financial income from leasing operations increased 2.6 times compared to 2018 and reached $7,21 million (AZN12.24 million). According to the Global Satellite Industry Association, the global satellite industry has been "stagnant" in recent years, with revenues from the industrys revenues rose by around 3 per cent and revenues from pure satellite services relatively declined. However, Azercosmos' revenues continue to grow steadily, and according to forecasts, revenues are expected to increase further in the coming years. The company said that an income of $63,1 million (AZN107.1 million) was provided for the next periods under the current commercial agreements. In general, 90 per cent of Azercosmos's revenues have come from the export of satellite services to more than 20 countries. According to the results of 2019, Azercosmos ranks first among state and non-state exporters in terms of exports in the service sector. The company's export portfolio consists mainly of leading companies in the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany and Malaysia. At the same time, in 2019, the accumulated losses of Azercosmos decreased by 1.9 per cent, amounted to $180,9 million (AZN307 million). At this point, it should be noted that the accumulated loss is not directly related to the operational activities of Azercosmos, but mainly (85 per cent) due to the depreciation of the Azerbaijani manat as a result of devaluations in previous years, and therefore is related to the negative exchange rate difference reflected in the financial statements in the manat. Thus, according to the requirements of International Accounting Standards, the negative exchange rate difference on liabilities on loans in foreign currency to finance satellite projects should be recognized in the financial statements as a technical loss in Azerbaijani manats. According to the company's history and forecasts of growth in profits and revenues, at least part of the total accumulated losses related to operating activities can be replaced by profit in the coming years. Azercosmos OJSC, the first and only satellite operator in the South Caucasus, provides high-quality satellite services for telecommunications and geographic intelligence. The company was established by the Presidential Decree with the purpose to implement the launch, operation and exploitation of the telecommunication satellites of Azerbaijan in 2010. Launched in February 2013 and operated by Azercosmos, Azerspace-1 is located in an orbital position of 46 degrees east longitude and covers Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia. In 2018, Azercosmos launched the second telecommunications satellite Azerspace-2 in 45 degrees east longitude. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz China on Monday said that the overall situation at the border with India was "stable and controllable", and both the countries have "unimpeded" communication channels to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultations. The comments by Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian came in the backdrop of the continuing standoff between the militaries of India and China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The spokesman was responding to a question on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's remarks that India will not let its "pride be hurt" in its latest border flare-up with China but is determined to settle the dispute through talks between the giant neighbours. "I want to assure the country that we will not let India's pride be hurt in any circumstances," Singh said in an interview to a news channel on Sunday. "At times, situations arise with China. It has happened before," Singh said while insisting that India was striving to make sure that the "tension does not escalate". Also Read: India-China row: Talks continue without success; PLA carries on troop build-up along border "Negotiations are ongoing between the two countries at the military and diplomatic levels," he said. Responding to the Indian defence minister's comments, Zhao said, "China has been implementing the consensus between the two countries' leaders. We have been committed to upholding our national sovereignty, security as well as stability along the border". "Now the overall situation in our border areas is stable and controllable. We have unimpeded communication channels and we hope and believe through dialogue and consultations we can properly resolve the relevant issue," the spokesman told a media briefing here. India on Wednesday said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row. "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. Both India and China have rejected US President Donald Trump's offer to mediate to settle the current standoff between the militaries of the two countries. "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. Troops of India and China were engaged in a major standoff for over three weeks in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh, in what is turning out to be the biggest confrontation between the two countries after the Doklam episode in 2017. The situation deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on the evening of May 5 in Pangong Tso which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage". However, the standoff continued. Also Read: Coronavirus Lockdown: Why India should be wary of excessive push for liquidity or credit The trigger for the face-off was China's stiff opposition to India laying a key road in the Finger area around the Pangong Tso besides construction of another road connecting the Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie road in Galwan Valley. The latest tensions blew up on May 9 when nearly 150 Indian and Chinese military personnel were engaged in a face-off near Naku La Pass in the Sikkim sector. 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. 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 tranquillity in the border areas. Also Read: Coronavirus Lockdown: The economics behind India's Rs 21 lakh crore package Global stock markets were firmer Monday, with Wall Street reversing opening losses and shrugging off unrest in many American cities following anti-racism protests and worsening US-China tensions. US cities braced Monday for more fury on the streets due to outrage at the killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, at the hands of Minneapolis police. Mayor Bill de Blasio added New York City to the growing list of major American metropolises under curfew orders. The protests come as Latinos and African Americans have suffered disproportionate rates of death and hospitalization from the coronavirus outbreak. Despite the chaotic layering-on of the protests with a public health crisis, analysts said markets have historically shrugged off civil disruptions. "Generally speaking, social type of violence doesn't really come in as a market factor," said LBBW's Karl Haeling. "Today though it got people a little concerned because it could hurt consumer confidence, it could spread COVID, delay the reopening maybe," he said. "But on the other side of that, this could make Congress more willing to come through with a fiscal package." After opening lower, the Dow pushed higher and finished up 0.4 percent at 25,475.02. In Europe, London added 1.5 percent by the close, Madrid gained 1.8 percent, Milan rose 1.8 percent and Paris added 1.4 percent, while Frankfurt was shut for a holiday. The euro was stronger against the dollar, extending gains as the lockdown easing gathered pace across the continent, hitting a two-month high of $1.1154 at one stage. Beijing warned Washington on Monday of retaliation after US President Donald Trump announced restrictions on Chinese students in the United States in protest against a new national security law in Hong Kong. However, Hong Kong led gains in Asia after Trump stopped short of imposing specific strict measures against China, suggesting the US prefers to avoid a confrontation at this point. - 'Investors ignoring risks' - "Investors are continuing to largely ignore the escalating US-China tensions, the global recession and ongoing riots in the US, among other risks," said analyst Fawad Razaqzada at trading site ThinkMarkets. "Sentiment remains supported due to the easing of lockdown measures and because of ongoing central bank support." The COVID-19 outbreak is widely expected to push the world economy into deep recession this year despite vast stimulus from governments and central banks. "After surging over the past two weeks, some might wonder where the next big driver for upside in Europe will come from," noted IG analyst Chris Beauchamp. "But with an ECB (European Central Bank) meeting looming there is the potential for another boost to the central bank's easing programme, in tandem with the push at government level for a pan-eurozone recovery fund." - Key figures around 2050 GMT - New York - Dow: UP 0.4 percent at 25,475.02 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.4 percent at 3,055.73 (close) New York - Nasdaq: UP 0.7 percent at 9,552.05 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 1.5 percent at 6,166.42 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 1.4 percent at 4,762.78 (close) Frankfurt - DAX 30: CLOSED for public holiday Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.8 percent at 22,062.39 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 3.4 percent at 23,732.52 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 2.2 percent at 2,915.43 (close) Brent North Sea crude: UP 1.3 percent at $38.32 per barrel West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.1 percent at $35.44 per barrel Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1136 from $1.1101 at 2100 GMT Dollar/yen: DOWN at 107.58 yen from 107.83 Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2490 from $1.2343 Euro/pound: DOWN at 89.12 pence from 89.94 pence burs-jmb/to Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Some 120 Malians who were stranded in the United States returned to their country on Saturday on an Ethiopian Airlines flight after three months of confinement, due to the coronavirus, PANA learned on Monday from an official source Residents of Suweida have protested against living conditions in the province and the recent fires that destroyed crops and livelihoods reports Enab Baladi. Dozens of Syrians in Suweida governorate organized a silent protest against worsening living, economic and security conditions. On Sunday, dozens of residents gathered in front of Suweida citys municipal building, responding to calls for a silent Sunday demonstration, according to local news site Suweida 24. The protest called for, all residents of Suweida to take part in a silent demonstration in front of the municipality building condemning poor living conditions and rising prices. Organizers also called for protest against the, systematic burning and arson by hired thugs, with the aim of destroying the source of our strength. They also demanded an, independent investigation to find the causes of the fires in Suweidas fields, as well as the party behind the starvation, impoverishment and humiliation of residents, and the sale of their land, pointing out the total absense of state institutions. The call for protest came as Syrian president Bashar al-Assad on Saturday appointed Amer Ibrahim al-Ashi as Governor of Suweida, and transferred the previous governor, Hamam Sadiq Dbeyat, to the same position in Quneitra governorate. The demonstration comes a week after a similar protest last Sunday in al-Seer Square, under the banner: We Want to Live in Dignity. The goal of that weeks demonstration was to protest economic conditions in Syria, and demand the state fulfills its obligations. Since the beginning of this year, Suweida has seen popular protests under the banner: We Want to Live, against current economic conditions. On social media, videos circulated of protesters chanting also for Tartous, Hama, Homs, Daraa, Lattakia and Damascus. The most common protest sign read The Syrian People are One. This was echoed many times by demonstrators. Previously, in January, photos circulated online of writing on public walls commemorating the names of Syrian revolution martyrs, and calling for freedom for detainees and the kidnaped. Meanwhile, residents of Suweida at that time also went out in protest against rising prices and worsening living and economic conditions, state news agency SANA reported on Jan. 15, 2020. Fires broke out across wide swathes of farmland in southern Syrias Suweida governorate, destroying 150,000 sq. meters of agricultural land, reaching the transport terminal of Suweida city. 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. Update (1135ET): After Washington DC and NYC bizarrely refused to impose curfews this weekend while nearly 3 dozen other major cities set curfews beginning as early as 4pmET on Sunday, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser is planning to implement a curfew starting tonight at 7pmET (and again tomorrow), while de Blasio tries to save face by saying he's "strongly considering" a curfew after mobs plunder stores, set fires following day of protests. President Trump, meanwhile, reportedly told governors, mayors and law enforcement officials during a video meeting that their response to the unrest was "weak", and pressured them to allow cops to take more violent measures to contain these crowds during a hastily scheduled phone call to discuss "security measures" Monday morning. Trump also reportedly threatened to "activate" AG Barr if the unrest continues which sounds...more ridiculous than he probably intended. * * * Update (1100ET): The Global Times is capitalizing on the unrest in the US, and exploiting it for maximum propaganda benefit. Before and after photos of the #WhiteHouse. The White House went dark Sunday night, turning off almost all of its external lights, as protesters set fires and protested outside. Some netizens said to @realDonaldTrump: your city is burning, but you turn off the lights and hide? pic.twitter.com/aKlqzPhTKb Global Times (@globaltimesnews) June 1, 2020 * * * Update (1045ET): As NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio surveys the wreckage from last night, and reckons with the PR embarrassment of having his daughter arrested with dozens of other demonstrators, the mayor said some "late evening protests" were not acceptable. You mean the demonstrations that happened after your daughter was arrested? Or the "demonstrations" like this one? WATCH: NYPD deals with looters caught red-handed when they were "seeking justice" inside a #Soho shoe store. This is just one of DOZENS of NYC businesses destroyed overnight. @NYCMayor refused to set a curfew and refused the National Guard. pic.twitter.com/30sNa8wbgR Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 1, 2020 Addressing an incident from last night where an NYPD officer drew his gun, and another where two NYPD vehicles "surged" into a crowd of "protesters" blocking the road as they tried to get by, Mayor de Blasio said the cops "shouldn't have done" what they did (after saying last night that the demonstrators were in the wrong), and also said the cop who drew his gun should have his badge taken, and that the vehicle incident would face an internal inspection. * * * Following what was either the third or the sixth night (depending on who you read) of chaos to sweep across America following the death of George Floyd a week ago, Americans surveying the wreckage are being met by staggering totals. After tens of thousands of peaceful demonstrators, violent anarchists and opportunistic looters commingled for another night of chaos in cities from California to New York, and from Seattle to South Florida. Reports published late Sunday/early Monday revealed that President Trump spent part of Friday in an underground bunker under the White House as secret service fired rubber bullets into crowds of violent and non- violent demonstrators. Over the entire three nights of chaos, at least 4,400 people have been arrested, according to a tally compiled by The Associated Press. Arrests ranged from stealing and blocking highways to breaking the dozens of curfews imposed by cities around the country on Saturday and Sunday as the violence spread, the AP reports. Source: AP Curfews were imposed in more than 30 major cities around the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. About 5,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated in 15 states and Washington, D.C. In Indianapolis, two people were reported dead in bursts of downtown violence this weekend, adding to deaths reported in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days. In Oakland, two federal agents were shot Friday night; one was killed. One man was shot and killed when police and the National Guard opened fire on a crowd that had reportedly turned violent in Louisville, the city where Breonna Taylor was killed. WaPo reports Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad confirming the Kentucky National Guard and Louisville police were dispatched to the parking lot at Dinos Food Mart around 12:15 a.m., where a large crowd had gathered, and that as they tried to disperse the crowd, somebody opened fire at an officer. Minneapolis and St. Paul were largely spared on Sunday evening following early marches that were largely peaceful. Though there was one high profile incident involving a tanker driving into a crowd of marchers on a highway (the driver of the truck was later arrested), the widespread violence that plagued other areas didn't materialize. As WaPo reports, the city on Monday morning looked like a "ghost town". But this relative peace came at a high cost, as the national guard moved to forcefully enforce curfews, even going so far as to fire paint cannisters and rubber bullets at people sitting on porches who ignored shouts to "get inside." The gas stations are closed. The grocery stores are dark. And along Hiawatha Avenue in South Minneapolis, one of the only restaurants serving is a McDonald's, where every inch of the building's windows are boarded up except for two small holes at the drive-through just big enough to pass along food. After nearly a week of unrest in response to the death of George Floyd, city and state officials were optimistic Sunday after a night passed without the dangerous fires, looting and violence that have cut a wide swath of devastation through the heart of this Midwestern city. But it came with a new reality: Thousands of National Guard troops and state and city police officers moving to aggressively - and sometimes violently - regain control of the streets, and a lockdown that has residents under curfew and has closed the major highways at night. In some neighborhoods, residents stand outside their homes and businesses with guns, fueling a sense of lawlessness, while medical students descend on the scene with supplies to assist those in need, adding to what increasingly feels like a domestic war zone. Minnesota's Democratic governor, who has been criticized for not responding forcefully enough in the beginning. Now, he says, his approach might be remembered as heavy-handed - but he doesn't care. "There will be critiques of me that this is excessive. Why are you keeping forces on the ground?" Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) said Sunday. It would be "irresponsible" to dial back the states response, amid rumors of outside agitators that he and other officials say have come into the city to sow chaos, he said. In particular, a video of cops and national guard firing at a woman standing peacefully on her porch went viral, eliciting a torrent of criticism. State police leaders defended it Watch "MINNEAPOLIS COPS AND NATIONAL GUARD FIRE PROJECTILE THAT HITS INNOCENT WOMAN STANDING ON HER PORCH" on YouTube https://t.co/PrrktFKDq8 I think I'm not sure but these all white people getting shot at for being on there front porch r (@rburttt) May 31, 2020 On Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement that he had authorized the Kentucky State Police to independently investigate the fatal shooting in Louisville "given the seriousness of the situation." But the man in Louisville wasn't the only casualty of the unrest. As governors in 26 states called in the National Guard and Secret Service agents again clashed with demonstrators outside the White House, media reported that at least six people had been killed in violence across the US, as gunfire rang out from Detroit to Indianapolis to Chicago to Omaha, notably correlating with the sites of notorious police killings. While journalists, pundits, celebrities etc joined together to discuss the importance of ensuring that black voices are heard, it appears that many of the "antifascist" protesters were too busy fighting racism by lighting black communities on fire to listen to a handful of community leaders in Portland, Oregon last night. Ron Herndon, the longtime director of the Portland-based Albina Head Start, held a peaceful event Sunday night at his organizations, a staple of black life in the city for years, according to the Oregonian. It appears most of the young folks tearing up the city are younger white people, he said. If somehow you think that tearing up (downtown) is going to help black people, you are sadly mistaken. Please dont think you are doing any of us any favors by tearing stuff up. The "nonpartisan, politically neutral" mainstream press has decided to unilaterally give those looting and provoking violence and destruction a pass. Just because they're telling you that is the "morally correct" position, doesn't mean they're right. As officials in California deal with the aftermath on Monday, California state government buildings "in downtown city areas" will be closed Monday, officials said, as authorities worry about the prospect of more violence. And while a brief number of international protests were planned in solidarity, many, including a march in Sydney, Australia, have been canceled due to COVID-19-linked concerns. An anarchist identified as Brian Jordan Bartels was captured on video damaging a police car in Pittsburgh. (Pittsburgh Bureau of Police) Police Name Anarchist as Suspect Who Allegedly Incited Violence During Protest Police officers in Pennsylvania on May 31 served a search warrant for a man who identifies himself as an anarchist and has possible ties to the far-left extremist group Antifa. Brian Jordan Bartels, 20, was captured on video damaging a police car during protests in Pittsburgh on May 30. According to the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Bartels incited Saturdays violence by breaking the windows out of a marked Pittsburgh Police vehicle Uptown, against the wishes of peaceful protesters who tried to stop him. The suspect wasnt at his residence in Shaler, but investigators found evidence there linking him to the crime. According to a criminal complaint obtained by The Epoch Times, investigators found two firearms, cans of spray paint, and a sweatshirt with white writing, along with gloves, books and literature, and an iPhone. Bartels works at Amazon. The company didnt respond to inquiries about whether its taking any action regarding his employment. An arrest warrant was issued, and Bartels faces charges of institutional vandalism, rioting, and reckless endangerment of another person. Photographs and videos show Bartels dressed in all black, wearing a face covering emblazoned with an anarchist symbol commonly worn by people affiliated with Antifa, a group with communist roots that explicitly advocates violence against people with a wide array of views, including police officers, reporters, and some conservatives. Bartels was seen on video with several others causing damage to the police cruiser while protesters tried to get them to stop, saying it wasnt helping the situation. Riots have taken place alongside peaceful protests in cities across the nation in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a black man who was arrested last month in Minneapolis and died in police custody after a police officer was shown kneeling on his neck. Two vehicles were set on fire during the protest on May 30, and protesters attacked at least three reporters and some innocent bystanders, Wendell Hissrich, Pittsburghs director of public safety, told reporters that day. His agency said 60 businesses and properties were damaged by rioters/looters, including hotels, restaurants, and small businesses. People involved in the protest also damaged or looted at least 12 buildings in Pittsburgh. Destruction of property and violence have quickly become hallmarks of the protests in cities across the United States. Officers stand guard beside a burned-out mini New York Police Department vehicle, abandoned on Broadway in Lower Manhattan on May 31, 2020. (Kathy Willens/AP Photo) Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert told reporters that a peaceful protest turned into a riot, with people hurling rocks at people, throwing cans, and injuring police officers and journalists. Officers are working to track down those who inflicted damage and fostered violence, he said, blaming white males, dressed in the anarchist Antifa [clothing]. We will look at every video that we have, and we will do everything we can with our technology to find the ones who were responsible for a lot of this, Schubert said. Im just so angry at the fact that some segment hijacked this and then took some of the youth and brought them into the mix. Federal officials are investigating the organizers and instigators of violence at protests, utilizing the 56 regional FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces, according to Attorney General William Barr. The violence instigated and carried out by Antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly, he said in a statement. Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, a Democrat, said in a statement that thousands of people marched before their event was hijacked by a group of 100+ Anarchists focused only on violence. He directed people to the footage showing Bartels. A Pittsburgh police spokeswoman told The Epoch Times on June 1 that the bureau had no new information about Bartels. City officials said that a curfew imposed over the weekend would remain in effect until the morning of June 2. At least 44 people were arrested at the protest, primarily on charges of failure to disperse and disorderly conduct. Of those arrested, 16 live in Pittsburgh and the rest live in nearby municipalities. Rosmini binti Darwis was killed on the island of Sulawesi last month after she confessed to an affair with a 45-year-old relative A 16-year-old girl has been hacked to death with a machete in an honour killing allegedly carried out by her two brothers in Indonesia. Rosmini binti Darwis was killed on the island of Sulawesi last month after she confessed to an affair with a 45-year-old relative. Her brothers, Rahman, 30, and Surianto, 20, have been charged with murder in what is a rare example of honour killing in the majority Muslim country. 'The suspects said they were outraged and ashamed when their sister admitted she had sex with a man who is their distant relative,' police chief Wawan Sumantri told AFP. The girl's family attacked the cousin, suspected of having relations with the teenager, with a log, The Times reported. After he'd fled, the brothers allegedly took a young neighbour hostage and demanded he marry the teen, but he refused. Then Rosmini was attacked with ferocious violence, her head was slammed against a block and she was hacked to pieces, Bukamata News reported. One member of the household had to run beneath the house's stilts with a container to catch the torrents of blood flowing through the floorboards, local reports said. Before the girl's death neighbours had seen the Darwis family burning incense and carrying out other mystical rituals. Officers arrested a total of nine members of the Darwis family (pictured) as the villagers of Pattaneteang gathered to watch them being hauled into the back of a police van After her killing three neighbours were allegedly dragged into the home under the threat of the machete and forced to recite the shahada (an Islamic creed). Officers arrested seven other members of the Darwis family as the villagers of Pattaneteang gathered to watch them being hauled into the back of a police van. Honour killings are relatively common in conservative Muslim communities in South Asia and the Middle East, but are almost unheard of in Indonesia. Islam practised in Indonesia - where more than 90 percent of the 250million population are Muslim - is more liberal than that of the Middle East and Pakistan. But since the mid-1990s stricter observance of Sharia has been established, and the province of Aceh is notorious for its severe public beatings for breaking the Islamic law. Photograph: Patrick Semansky/AP Americans watching this address tonight have seen the recent images of violence in our streets and the chaos in our communities. Many have witnessed this violence personally, some have even been its victims. I have a message for all of you: the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon and I mean very soon come to an end. Related: Dispatch from Minneapolis: the night the city cracked down on George Floyd protests These were the words of Donald Trump, not in May 2020 but July 2016, as he accepted the Republican presidential nomination at the national convention in Cleveland. For many observers, there was a distinct echo of Richard Nixons 1968 acceptance speech We see cities enveloped in smoke and flame and a foreboding that history could take a newly dark and dangerous turn. For three years, the first president elected without political or military experience rode his luck and skirted past disaster. In the fourth year, the fates demanded payback. Not even Trumps harshest critics can blame him for a virus believed to have come from a market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, nor for an attendant economic collapse, nor for four centuries of slavery, segregation, police brutality and racial injustice. But they can, and do, point to how he made a bad situation so much worse. The story of Trumps presidency was arguably always leading to this moment, with its toxic mix of weak moral leadership, racial divisiveness, crass and vulgar rhetoric and an erosion of norms, institutions and trust in traditional information sources. Taken together, these ingredients created a tinderbox poised to explode when crises came. Trump, they say, was uniquely ill-qualified for this moment. He tried to wish away the threat of the coronavirus and failed to prepare, then paid no heed to how communities of colour bore the brunt of its health and economic consequences. As unrest now grips dozens of cities, he speaks an authoritarian language of thugs, vicious dogs and when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Story continues The nation waits in vain for a speech that might heal wounds, find a common sense of purpose and acknowledge the generational trauma of African Americans. That would require deep reading, cultural sensitivity and human empathy none of which are known to be among personal attributes of Trump, who defines himself in opposition to Barack Obama. Protesters gather outside the White House on Sunday. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA He is obviously in way over his head, said LaTosha Brown, a civil rights activist and co-founder of Black Voters Matter. He doesnt have a clue. Hes a TV personality. He has a cult following thats centred around this white power broker persona rooted in white supremacy and racism. Wherever he goes, he carries that role and that kind of persona, but ultimately right now with what were looking for in this country is real leadership. He is incapable of providing that because thats not who he is. Brown added: Hes a personality. Hes used to these dog whistles and, instead of trying to uproot division and seeing that the citizens are actually in pain and hurting, he doesnt have the capacity to address that. He actually adds fuel to the flames and shows how fundamentally intellectually disconnected he is from what is happening and also how ill-prepared he is as a leader to respond to that. Trump is not so much a child playing with matches as an arsonist hellbent on burning it all down, Brown warned. If it would take the destruction of the country for him to protect his position, he is willing to do that. He has shown that he is willing to kill every single thing in this country, including its people, if it protects him. Hes willing to kill democracy. He is willing to kill any sense of real respect or trust in his government LaTosha Brown Hes willing to kill democracy. He is willing to kill any sense of real respect or trust in his government. He is willing to kill Americas international and global relationships. He is a destroyer. Rashad Robinson, the president of Color of Change, a civil rights advocacy group, said of the current moment: This is the type of controversy that Trump feels most at home in. He didnt create hostility and division, but he incites it. He creates incentives for it to thrive. He has elevated and put people around him that do that as well. The presidents suggestion of moral equivalence between white nationalists and anti-fascist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 failed to loosen his grip on the Republican party. Perhaps it tightened. At the start of this re-election year, feeling emboldened by his acquittal in a Senate impeachment trial and a robust economy, Trump was confident of his re-election chances. Now, with health, economic and social crises feeding off each other, polls show him trailing rival Joe Biden. But the situation remains volatile and unpredictable. The president has sought to scapegoat anti-fascist protesters, and there would be little surprise if he returned to Nixonian law-and-order rhetoric to rally Republicans and lay a trap for Democrats, portraying them as soft on crime. Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors, Trump tweeted on Sunday, even as protesters gathered outside the White House for the third straight day. These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW. The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe. Is this what America wants? NO!!! Biden has billed the election as a battle for the soul of the nation the potential to lurch deeper into disarray with a second Trump term, or to reset, rebuild and plot a new direction. The stakes keep getting higher by the day. Robinson said: Presidential leadership, when it comes in the form of real action, is incredibly important. When a leader can hear the demand and the concerns and work to solve the problem, thats the power of democracy. President Trump is not interested in either. Hes not interested in leading or solving problems. Like a lot of things he does, hes treating this as a game. Related: Fears grow of US coronavirus surge from George Floyd protests The problem here is that we can focus this simply on Trump or we can also focus on all of those folks that have enabled Trump: the Republican leadership, the corporation that may make statements in support of this work but, on the other hand, do all sorts of things to prop up, support, donate to Donald Trump. You dont get Trump and Trumpism without a whole host of institutions and individuals that support and enable him. DeRay Mckesson, a leading voice in the Black Lives Matter movement, said: Nobodys a magician, so I dont expect Biden to change everything on day one, but the demands should be for him to change as much of this by the end as humanly possible. If Trump has reminded us of anything, its that the government can move as fast as it wants to and nobody, no person of colour, no poor person is going to win if Trump is the president again. So Im not interested in Trump. I am interested in a plan from Bidens team around ending police violence. I think that needs to come now. I think it is, frankly, late, and Im hoping to see it soon. Trumps unconventional inaugural address in January 2017 is best remembered for a single phrase: American carnage. His entire presidency may be remembered for it too. Joe Biden opened up a ten-point lead over President Donald Trump among registered voters in a Washington Post / ABC News poll, in a survey that took in the coronavirus pandemic and 40 million unemployed but preceded angry street clashes and protests over the death of George Floyd. The strong showing was released Sunday, as the former Vice President is poised to potentially secure the Democratic presidential nomination by security a mathematical majority of delegates. He has essentially already won it after his main rivals dropped out of the race, although Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who suspended his campaign in April, is still trying to win delegates to provide influence at the Democratic convention set to be held in Milwaukee this summer. Former Vice President Joe Biden could secure a mathematical majority of delegates during primary races Tuesday. Biden is pictured campaigning in Detroit March 9, before coronavirus lockdowns upended campaigning. He leads Donald Trump by 10 points among registered voters in a new Washington Post / ABC News poll Biden's lead over Trump slips to just 55-46 among those who say they are certain to vote, according to the poll in an election where always challenging turnout models are being scrambled by the coronavirus and a patchwork of efforts to allow mail-in voting. Biden holds a 50-42 lead over Trump on the question of who is best prepared to handle the coronavirus, and the two men are tied on handling the economy amid massive unemployment triggered by the pandemic. Biden's lead over President Trump has jumped since March, when the two men were nearly tied Smoke rises from a fire on a police cruiser in Center City during the Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia Protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020, in Philadelphia. The poll was taken before nationwide street clashes President Trump is seeking reelection amid a pandemic and massive unemployment Election officials attend to voters at a makeshift polling station inside a parking garage in Santa Fe, N.M., on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. The arrangements by Santa Fe County Clerk Geraldine Salazar allow for greater social distancing and air circulation to guard against transmission of the coronavirus and avoids possible contamination of Santa Fe County government offices A placard is posted for voters to drop off their mail-in ballot prior to the primary election, in Willow Grove, Pa., Wednesday, May 27, 2020. There are primaries in six states and Washington, DC Tuesday Amid the pandemic and nationwide street protests and a spate of outbreaks of violence, voters in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Mexico, Indiana, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Washington D.C go to the polls on Tuesday. He leads Sanders 1,566 delegates to 1,007, and needs to pick up another 425 more delegates to get the requisite 1,991, Fox News reported. The poll was conducted May 25 through May 28th before protests and street clashes lit up across the nation over the death of George Flloyd during his arrest by Minneapolis police. New Delhi, June 1 : Carrying forward the tradition of serving food through community kitchens beyond the walls of gurdwaras, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee on Monday started 'Langar on Wheels' to provide food and water to the destitute. Even though the lockdown restrictions have been relaxed, lack of income and dwindling finances have pushed people into a state of deep despair and distress. To ensure that no one sleeps empty stomach, estimated fifteen thousand people living in Jhuggi-Jhopri clusters, railways stations, bus stands, rain shelters and pavements will be served food daily. Committee President Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that 15 vans will leave Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, situated in the heart of the national capital, in the wee hours of the day and serve food to people at various places across the city. "They will be left in a lurch if proper food etc is not provided to them," Manjinder Singh Sirsa added. He said that the vow was taken after several NGOs and institutions, which were providing food to the needy amid lockdown, withdrew their services. The Committee President added that the initiative has been started for one month but will be extended from time-to-time till the economic activities are restored and disadvantaged people are able to sustain themselves. The Committee will remain in touch with the Sikh leaders, government officials and resident welfare associations of the respective areas to gauge the demand of the food. He added that additional food will be rushed to any place if the demand escalates. Vans with banners highlighting food and water arrangements for needy persons will also be stationed at different places like railway stations and bus stands. Those in need will be served 'langar' at a convenient place with social distancing. Harmeet Singh Kalka, General Secretary of the committee, said that the decision to start 'Langar on Wheels' has been taken as it was 'impractical' for most of the poor people to find the nearest Gurdwara. "Now, we have decided to go where the people are." The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee had earlier launched a similar community kitchen initiative for migrant labourers at around ten locations in the national capital region. Against the backdrop of a standoff between border troops of India and China, Australia on Monday said it was for the two countries to resolve the face-off as no third country could interfere in the matter. In an online media briefing ahead of the June 4 virtual summit between Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, Australian high commissioner Barry OFarrell said his countrys foreign policy is set by its national interests, including a desire for stability in the South China Sea. OFarrell reiterated Australias support for Indias call for the reform of multilateral bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) so that they are better placed to deal with future challenges and crises. Asked specifically about the India-China standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and whether such issues would figure in the upcoming summit, the envoy replied: In relation to the border issue, thats a matter for China and India to resolve and not a matter for Australia to interfere with. In an apparent reference to the US presidents attempts to mediate in the matter, which have already been rebuffed by India, OFarrell added: Thats reflected by what weve seen over the past week, when others have sought to suggest that they could step in and provide some advice. Clearly its going to be a matter that India and China will resolve. Australia, he said, has a substantial interest in stability and adherence to international law in the South China Sea, where it is concerned about the militarisation of disputed features and has urged all parties to take meaningful steps to ease tensions. While Australian vessels and aircraft will continue to exercise their rights to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, all claims in that region should be resolved according to international law, and the most sensible place to resolve such matters is the UN, he said. The virtual summit, organised after Morrison called off a visit to India in January because of bushfires in Australia and also due to the impact on the Covid-19 crisis, is expected to see the signing of several agreements, including the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) for reciprocal access to military logistics facilities. OFarrell said the summit is also expected to advance an ambitious agenda that will include working together to improve regional and multilateral institutions, including on Covid-19 and public health, boosting science and tech cooperation, stronger collaboration on cyber-security and critical technology, maritime issues in the Indo-Pacific, critical mineral supply chains, education, and water resource management. Its as crucial as ever for like-minded democracies and important partners like Australia and India, at this time, to work together to shape the type of region and type of world in which we want to live presently but importantly, post-Covid, he said. India and Australia are committed to a free, open, inclusive and secure Indo-Pacific and strengthening and making their economies more resilient, have a shared goal of strengthening international institutions, he added. I think there are many opportunities for India and Australia to assist each others supply chains. We support Indias policy of Make in Indiabut we have elements and resources that can strengthen and make more resilient the supply chain here in India, OFarrell said. The MLSA will make it easier for the militaries of both countries to conduct complex exercises and facilitate access to each others bases. Asked if Australia still hopes to be part of the Malabar naval exercise conducted by India, the US and Japan, the envoy replied: Would we like to join Malabar? Yes, but we recognise thats a matter for the partners who run the exercise to decide. Defence ties between Australia and India, he said, are at a historic peak and activities have quadrupled in the past six years. The two sides also have a shared commitment as Indian Ocean powers and an obligation to secure a free and inclusive Indo-Pacific, he added. That alone is going to ensure that our defence relationship in this part of the world is maintained, OFarrell said, adding last years edition of AusIndex, a bilateral naval exercise, witnessed Australias largest ever military deployment to India and MLSA will assist in future submarine patrols in the Bay of Bengal. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon will attend the military parade, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the victory in World War II, which Moscow will host on June 24, a representative of his office told Sputnik on Monday DUSHANBE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st June, 2020) Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon will attend the military parade, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the victory in World War II, which Moscow will host on June 24, a representative of his office told Sputnik on Monday. The military parade, held annually on May 9, was postponed to June 24 due to the coronavirus pandemic. "Tajikistan's president will watch the military parade, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War, on June 24 in Moscow. Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin's invitation was received through diplomatic channels and accepted with gratitude," the representative of Rahmon's office said, adding that Tajikistan and Russia are now dealing with the organization of Rahmon's visit. Putin has invited all the Commonwealth of Independent States' leaders to the Victory Parade. LOS ANGELES, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hanmi Financial Corporation (HAFC) (the Company), the holding company for Hanmi Bank, today announced that that the location of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company has been changed. As previously announced, the Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at 10:30 a.m., local time. In light of the public health concerns regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the restrictions on in-person gatherings, and to support the health and well-being of our employees, directors and stockholders, the Annual Meeting will be held in a Digital Online format only. You will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting physically. As described in the proxy materials for the Annual Meeting previously distributed, you are entitled to participate in the Annual Meeting if you were a stockholder of record as of the close of business on April 17, 2020, the record date, or hold a legal proxy for the meeting provided by your bank, broker, or nominee as of that date. We have adopted a digital format for the Annual Meeting to provide a consistent and convenient experience to all stockholders regardless of location. In order to attend the Annual Meeting, you must register in advance, using your control number and other information, at www.proxydocs.com/HAFC prior to the deadline of Monday, June 8, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). Upon completing your registration, you will receive further instructions via email, including your unique links that will allow you access to the meeting, vote online, and will also permit you to submit questions. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge you to vote and submit your proxy in advance of the meeting by one of the methods described in the proxy materials for the Annual Meeting. The proxy card included with the proxy materials previously distributed will not be updated to reflect the change in location and may continue to be used to vote your shares in connection with the Annual Meeting. Story continues About Hanmi Financial Corporation Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Hanmi Financial Corporation owns Hanmi Bank, which serves multi-ethnic communities through its network of 35 full-service branches and 9 loan production offices in California, Texas, Illinois, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Colorado, Washington and Georgia. Hanmi Bank specializes in real estate, commercial, SBA and trade finance lending to small and middle market businesses. Additional information is available at www.hanmi.com. Contact: Romolo (Ron) Santarosa Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer 213-427-5636 Lasse Glassen Investor Relations / Addo Investor Relations 310-829-5400 There have been many instances of people testing positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) who have no symptoms of the infection whatsoever. These asymptomatic patients are, however, still capable of spreading the infection without being aware of it, say experts. There have been two new studies that reveal that the number of these asymptomatic cases is on the rise, and experts are undecided upon whether these patients would benefit from testing. Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, isolated from a patient. Image captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID Symptoms of COVID-19 Typical features of COVID-19 seen to date include high fever, dry cough, loss of smell, severe weakness, muscle pain, and difficulty in breathing. Different patients have different degrees of these symptoms, and some patients, as has been seen recently, display no symptoms at all. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the infection can be transmitted from a person who has been infected by is yet to develop symptoms or a person who has been infected but shows no symptoms. The former is called "pre-symptomatic transmission," which occurs during the incubation period (period of time between viral exposure and appearance of symptoms as the infection takes hold). The latter is called "asymptomatic transmission." The two studies The first study included patients from China, Japan, and Iceland, who were asymptomatic. This study was published as a research letter in the latest issue of JAMA Network Open. The researchers looked at 78 Chinese patients, of whom 42.3 percent had no symptoms. Among the Icelanders, 50 percent of those testing positive were asymptomatic, and among the Japanese, included in the study, 30.8 percent were found to be positive with no symptoms The second study included patients from Australia. This study was published in the latest issue of the journal Thorax by researchers from Macquarie University and Queensland Health, and it was seen that among the 217 passengers on the Greg Mortimer cruise ship, over 80 percent who tested positive did not show any symptoms of the infection. There were 96 Australian passengers on the ship. This study was led by Professor Alvin Ing. Of the 217 passengers, 128 tested positive for COVID-19, and of these 104 patients did not have any symptoms of the infection. Thus the rate of being asymptomatic from the infection was over 81 percent say the researchers. Expert take on the asymptomatic transmission of the infection Professor Raina MacIntryre, the Head of the Biosecurity Program at the Kirby Institute, believes that both pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission can be possible. She says that from the records it can be seen that more than half of the positive cases may not show any symptoms. Prof MacInyrte said, "We should not be debating this any longer. High-risk contacts in outbreak situations, whether family contacts or in a closed setting outbreak, should be tested regardless of symptoms or cases will be missed." She added in explanation, "People take 10-14 days to develop antibodies, so it is no surprise that the antibody-based rapid test was of limited use in an acute outbreak." Associate Professor Sanjaya Senanayake an infectious diseases specialist from Australian National University, pointed out that asymptomatic patients are unaware of their infection and thus do not isolate themselves. This makes them a potential source of infection for others. Speaking about the Chinese study, Senanayake said that one of the limitations of this study, "which the authors accept, is how accurately the assessment was of the cases having no symptoms. Is it possible that though they weren't overtly unwell that they still didn't feel 100 percent right e.g., they were okay at rest but didn't feel up to exercising, etc.?" Professor Ivo Mueller, an epidemiologist at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, explained that this asymptomatic transmission and its understanding is vital to chart the course of the pandemic and its spread across the world over the next few months. Speaking about the symptom rate among the cruise ship passengers, Prof Mueller said, "there were four asymptomatic carriers for every ill passenger. If the same pattern is repeated elsewhere, this means that in countries that only test symptomatic cases, the true burden of infections may be five times higher than currently reported." He called understanding the true picture of infected symptomatic and asymptomatic patients an "urgent priority." Professor Brian Oliver, from the University of Technology, Sydney, said that it was an uncomfortable thought that asymptomatic positive cases were out among the general public. He said, "On the positive side, if people are asymptomatic they will not have a runny nose or cough so are unlikely to be a huge danger to society, but of course if people don't think they have an infection they can be complacent with their own hygiene measures." He reminded, "As we ease the lockdown, it is important that we all remember to wash our hands and keep to appropriate social distances." Thorax editor Professor Alan Smyth warned that it was difficult to detect asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. He said, "As countries progress out of lockdown, a high proportion of infected, but asymptomatic, individuals may mean that a much higher percentage of the population than expected may have been infected with COVID." Iran's New Parliament Speaker Rejects Talks With US As 'Futile' Radio Farda May 31, 2020 Iran's new parliament speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf has said any negotiations with the United States would be "futile" as he delivered his first major speech to the conservative-dominated chamber on Sunday. Qalibaf (Ghalibaf), a former commander of the Revolutionary Guards' air force, was elected speaker on Thursday after low-turnout elections in February that helped ultra-conservatives dominate the legislature. The newly formed parliament "considers negotiations with and appeasement of America, as the axis of global arrogance, to be futile and harmful," said Qalibaf. He also vowed revenge for the U.S. drone attack in January that killed Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Guards' foreign operations arm. "Our strategy in confronting the terrorist America is to finish the revenge for martyr Soleimani's blood," he told lawmakers in a televised address. This, he said, would entail "the total expulsion of America's terrorist army from the region". Tensions between Tehran and Washington have been rising since 2018, when President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from a landmark nuclear accord and began reimposing crippling sanctions on Iran's economy. That was followed by the U.S. drone strike near Baghdad airport in January that killed Soleimani, the mastermind behind Iran's regional expansion. Days later, Iran fired a barrage of missiles at U.S. troops stationed in Iraq in retaliation, but Trump opted against taking any military action in response. Qalibaf also harshly criticized President Hassan Rouhani's administration calling executive affairs of the country "chaotic". He added that Rouhani's government is focused on foreign ties and does not believe in "jihadi management". Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his supporters reject rapprochement with the U.S. and insist Iran can solve its problems by self-reliance. The 58-year-old Ghalibaf is a three-time presidential candidate who lost out to current incumbent Hassan Rouhani at the last election in 2017. His speedy election as Speaker of Parliament was somewhat a surprise, as his name is associated with numerous financial corruption cases. With reporting by AFP Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-s-new -parliament-speaker-rejects-talks-with- us-as-futile-/30644322.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 Former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, has written a strongly-worded open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, alleging his skewed appointments will bring ruin and destruction to Nigeria. In the letter titled: Mr President; Please belong to all of us Umar stated Nigeria has become dangerously polarised and risk sliding into crisis on account of Buharis lopsided appointments. He accused the President giving undue preference to some sections of the country over others in his appointments. Col. Umar, who wrote the letter in reaction to the celebration of the Presidents 5th year in office. The letter dated 31st May, 2020 reads: All those who wish you and the country well must mince no words in warning you that Nigeria has become dangerously polarized and risk sliding into crisis on account of your administrations lopsided appointments which continues to give undue preference to some sections of the country over others. Nowhere is this more glaring than in the leadership cadre of our security services. Mr. President, I regret that there are no kind or gentle words to tell you that your skewed appointments into the offices of the federal government, favoring some and frustrating others, shall bring ruin and destruction to this nation. He added: You may wish to recall that I had cause to appeal to you, to confirm Justice Onnoghen as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria a few days before the expiration of his three months tenure of acting appointment to be replaced by a Muslim Northerner. We were saved that embarrassment when his nomination was sent to the senate by the then acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo. When he was finally confirmed a few days to the end of his tenure, he was removed after a few months and replaced by Justice Muhammed, a Muslim from the North. May I also invite the attention of Mr. President to the pending matter of appointment of a Chief Judge of the Nigerian Court Appeal which appears to be generating public interest. As it is, the most senior Judge, Justice Monica Dongban Mensem, a northern Christian, is serving out her second three-month term as acting Chief Judge without firm prospects that she will be confirmed substantive head. I do not know Justice Mensem but those who do attest to her competence, honesty and humility. She appears eminently qualified for appointment as the substantive Chief Judge of the Court of Appeal as she is also said to be highly recommended by the National Judicial Council. If she is not and is bypassed in favor of the next in line who happens to be another northern Muslim, that would be truly odd. In which case, even the largest contingent of PR gurus would struggle to rebut the charges that you, Mr. President, is either unwilling or incapable of acting on your pledge to belong to everyone and to no one. I hope you would see your way into pausing and reflecting on the very grave consequences of such failure not just to your legacy but to the future of our great country. The drug Tagrisso could offer hope to patients battling a form of lung cancer that typically hits people with little or no history of smoking, a new trial finds. Taken after surgery to remove the lung tumor, Tagrisso (osimertinib) greatly extended the average survival of people battling a non-metastatic form of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which makes up the vast majority of lung cancers. The NSCLC tumors that were the focus of the new trial were characterized by the presence of an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation on cells. This subset of tumors "are present in roughly 10% of Caucasian patients, with much higher estimates of other patient populations, such as Asian patients," said Dr. Kevin Sullivan, a lung cancer specialist who wasn't involved in the new trial. "Most patients with these mutations are non-smokers or former very light smokers," noted Sullivan, who works in the division of medical oncology at Northwell Health Cancer Institute in Lake Success, N.Y. Typically, he said, patients diagnosed with these tumors get surgery followed by standard chemotherapyif the cancer hasn't already spread beyond the lung. That standard follow-up chemotherapy "provides a small but significant survival benefitmeaning, it improves the cure rate," Sullivan explained. And if the cancer comes back, which it often does, it can prove incurable. The new study, funded by drug maker AstraZeneca, was looking to see if Tagrisso might improve outcomes. It was led by Dr. Roy Herbst, chief of medical oncology at Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital, and presented Friday at this year's virtual annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The trial included almost 700 patients with localized stage II-IIIA NSCLC tumors with an EGFR mutation. The patients had already undergone complete surgical removal of the primary tumor and had fully recovered from that operation. The patients were randomly selected to take either 80 milligram tablets of Tagrisso once daily, for up to three years, or a placebo. The patients in the multinational phase III study could also have postoperative standard chemotherapy. Among patients who received Tagrisso, 90% were alive after two years without their cancer recurring, compared with 44% who received a "dummy" placebo pill, the research team found. Said another way, the risk of disease recurrence or death was reduced by 83% for patients who took Tagrisso after surgery, compared to those who took a placebo. The promising results led the independent data monitoring committee of the study to recommend early "unblinding," meaning that patients could be told whether they were receiving the drug or a placebo. "This trial is a home run. It exceeded our expectations," Herbst said in an ASCO news release. "It's an important advance to see a targeted therapy significantly delay disease recurrence following surgery in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. We can now treat patients earlier." Dr. Richard Schilsky, ASCO chief medical officer and executive vice president, noted in a society news release that Tagrisso "is already the front-line standard of care for patients with EGFR-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer." He agreed the new findings should support its use for early-stage disease, as well. Still, the study has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal, so the findings should be considered preliminary. For his part, Sullivan said the study showed a "dramatic" benefit in terms of added survival time without any progression of disease. But "it is still not clear from the data provided whether this therapy is actually improving the 'cure rate' for patients. It may be that the medication is just delaying the time until the disease returns, especially given the length of time that patients in the study were on treatment," he said. "Ultimately, we will need to see more than the disease-free survival data," Sullivan said. More information: The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more on The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more on non-small cell lung cancer Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved. In the May 27th article on liquor reform, Rep. Jeff Pyle was correct to dismiss a study that questioned Washington state voters decision to privatize liquor stores. Washington implemented the most extreme liquor taxes in the country when they ended government liquor. As a result, Washington state ruined its own solution for its citizens. However, Id like to respectfully disagree with Rep. Pyles hesitation to enact liquor reform in Pennsylvania. As chairman of the House Liquor Control Committee and Guardian of Small Business he should know that now is the time. Weve just endured the ineptitude of the PLCB during the COVID-19 crisis. In fact, on Ken Matthews show on WHP radio a PLCB representative admitted to blundering their attempt to meet customer needs. But my business and many others experienced the same crisis yet were able to turn on a dime. The reason why should be apparent to any small business guardian. Bureaucracy owning and running an industry is a terrible idea. We dont have to look to China or Venezuela to understand that. Just look at the Post Office and compare its service to Fed Ex or UPS. There is no comparison. Additionally, in other countries, government liquor monopolies are strictly for alcohol control and not to seek a profit. The PLCB tries to profit while nominally discouraging drinking. This failing combination has led to a bureaucracy that is neither liked nor accomplishes its mission. Nows the time to change Pennsylvanias liquor policies. Greg Johnson, Mechanicsburg Pa The government is considering scrapping free child care in July but increasing subsidies to keep it cheaper than before coronavirus. In April the federal government temporarily made child care free, guaranteeing services their taxpayer subsidies at late-February levels as long as they do not charge parents. The policy gives most centres about half their usual income, plus any JobKeeper wage subsidy they might be eligible for. The government is considering scrapping free child care in July but increasing subsidies to keep it cheaper than before coronavirus. Pictured: A centre in Helensburgh, south of Sydney This system is due to end on June 28 and the government will announce on Friday how the new system will look. According to The West Australian, the government is considering asking parents to pay once more but increasing subsidies so their childcare is cheaper than before coronavirus. Education Minister Dan Tehan said 'a decision will be made soon'. Early Childhood Australia has suggested the government should guarantee two days a week of free care to all children under school age on a permanent basis. Asked about that plan last month, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government's intention had always been to return to the mixed subsidy and parental payment arrangements that were in place before the pandemic. 'Suspending the normal payment arrangements and subsidy arrangements... that is not a sustainable model for how the childcare sector should work, and nor was it intended to be,' he told reporters. Newest outbreak of disease, the 11th recorded in DRCs history, comes as epidemic in countrys east is still ongoing. Health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have reported a fresh Ebola outbreak in the countrys northwest, just weeks before they hoped to declare the end of another Ebola epidemic in the countrys east. The appearance of the deadly disease on the other side of the vast country comes as an added blow as the DRC attempts to also battle the coronavirus pandemic. Health Minister Eteni Longondo said on Monday four people have already died from Ebola in a district of the northwestern city of Mbandaka. The National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) has confirmed to me that samples from Mbandaka tested positive for Ebola, Longondo told a news conference. We will send them the vaccine and medicine very quickly, the minister said, adding that he planned to visit the site of the outbreak at the end of the week. The capital of Equateur Province, Mbandaka is a transport hub on the Congo River with a population of more than a million. Equateur Province was previously hit by an Ebola outbreak between May and July 2018, in which 33 people died and 21 recovered from the disease. This is a province that has already experienced the disease. They know how to respond. They started the response at the local level yesterday [Sunday], Longondo said. The newest outbreak in the DRCs northwest is the 11th in the country since scientists first characterised the disease in 1976. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, said the new Ebola outbreak in Mbandaka represents a challenge, but its one we are ready to tackle. The new #Ebola outbreak in Mbandaka #DRC represents a challenge, but it's one we are ready to tackle. @WHO has worked w/ @MinSanteRDC, @AfricaCDC & partners over the years to strengthen capacity to respond to outbreaks. With each experience we respond faster & more effectively. pic.twitter.com/SKc6GnI4q4 Dr Matshidiso Moeti (@MoetiTshidi) June 1, 2020 The Ebola epidemic in the countrys volatile east has killed 2,280 people since it emerged in eastern North Kivu Province in August 2018 and later spread to the neighbouring Ituri province. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern in July 2019, after the highly contagious virus threatened to spread to the large city of Goma and neighbouring countries. Fortunes changed with the roll-out of two vaccines produced by Merck and Johnson & Johnson which are in clinical study phases and not yet licenced to immunise more than 300,000 people. Prioritising the contacts of people diagnosed with Ebola was highly effective in halting the severe hemorrhagic fever, which attacks multiple bodily organs and can cause uncontrollable internal bleeding. Officials had hoped to be able to proclaim the outbreak over on June 25. For this to happen, there have to be no new cases reported for 42 days double the incubation period. In April, the eastern outbreak was just three days away from being declared over when a new case was reported, pushing the date back. The DRC is also fighting an outbreak of the new coronavirus, recording so far 3,195 infections 2,896 in the capital, Kinshasa and 72 deaths, according to the latest official figures. Evening Standard The Covid self-isolation period has been cut to five days, following an announcement by Health Secretary Sajid Javid. The announcement, on January 13, means people can leave isolation at the start of day six, subject to two negative lateral flow tests taken a day apart, with the first of these tests being no sooner than day five. It comes after changes which means Britons who are asymptomatic who return a positive lateral flow test will no longer need to get a confirmatory PCR test. Euromonitor International is the world's leading independent provider of strategic and tactical market research. We create data and analysis on thousands of products and services around the world. A Pennsylvania law that bars people with state gaming licenses from making contributions to political campaigns is unconstitutional because it violates free speech rights, a federal appeals court has concluded. That is so even though the prohibition included in the Race Horse Development and Gaming Act adopted in 2004 is aimed at preventing corruption in state politics, Judge Richard L. Nygaard wrote in the opinion by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. The Gaming Act is the measure that cleared the way for the statewide casino system. State officials appealed to Nygaards court after U.S. Middle District Judge Sylvia H. Rambo barred the state from enforcing the acts ban on political contributions by anyone affiliated with an entity holding a state gaming license. The dispute hit the courts when Pasquale T. Deon Sr. and Maggie Hardy Magerko, who both have interests on gaming businesses, sued the state gaming board and attorney generals office over the political contributions ban. Deon is a shareholder in Sands Pennsylvania Inc. and Hardy is the beneficiary of a trust that owns Nemacolin Woodlands Inc. State officials claimed on appeal that the contributions ban is a critical element of a robust effort to prevent well-documented corruption in the gaming industry from taking root in Pennsylvania, Nygaard wrote. They contend that (Rambos) order will make it impossible to take proactive steps to protect against a known threat to its integrity. Maybe so, but the states prohibition goes too far, the circuit judge found. It is axiomatic that a democratic government must make every effort to fight corruption, and the perception of it, to protect the integrity of its electoral, legislative, and regulatory processes, he wrote. But when it acts it must be mindful of the fundamental speech and associational rights guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution at stake. Nygaard cited Rambos observation that, while Pennsylvania is among 25 states that have legalized gambling, the vast majority of its cohorts do not impose blanket bans on political contributions from those with connections to the gaming industry. In fact, the overwhelming majority of states with commercial, non-tribal casino gambling like Pennsylvania do not have any political contribution restrictions that apply specifically to gaming industry-related parties, Nygaard wrote. Instead, they set limits on the amounts of political contributions that can be made anyone. Pennsylvania officials have not proven that their total ban is justified when those other states impose lesser restrictions that dont severely infringe free speech rights, Nygaard concluded. By Jung Min-ho Koreans in the United States have been warned to avoid large gatherings and follow the advice of authorities after violent protests, looting and arson erupted across the country over George Floyd's death. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Monday, 26 cases of property damage have been reported by Korean businesspeople in the U.S. With the protests against police brutality and violence intensifying, the ministry has set up an emergency headquarters to protect citizens. Vice Minister Lee Tae-ho will hold a meeting with 10 top officials in the country. "All offices are keeping in close contact with citizens in their regions," a ministry official said. "We are cooperating with U.S. authorities to protect our citizens." Floyd, 46, died Monday night (local time) after he was pinned to the ground under the knee of the white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. The incident, which was recorded on a video, touched off outrage that has swept the country. Four police officers Chauvin, Tomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng were sacked immediately and Chauvin has been arrested on charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Getty A man has died in Louisville after being shot at by police and Kentucky National Guard forces, according to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. In a statement early Monday, Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Steve Conrad confirmed that a man had been shot and killed just after midnight, but did not say whether or not the individual had died as a result of shots fired by law enforcement. Conrad linked the shootout to the protests in the city. On Monday afternoon, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer identified the man who died as David McAtee, saying that he spoke to the mans mother, who he called Miss Odessa, and was so moved that I went to be with her for a moment to mourn and grieve. He did not offer details on how McAtee was killed. I had spoken earlier today with Breonna Taylors mother, who was on her way to Frankfort, to share in Gov. Beshears call for people to be peaceful in their protests, Fischer said. I am incredibly humbled and heartened by the grace of these two mothers, who even in the darkness of their pain are reaching out to protect our city and our people. Protests have gripped Louisville in response to the death of Taylor, 26, a black EMT killed by police during a botched no-knock raid on her apartment on March 13. The demonstrations have intensified further since the death of George Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old black man killed by police in Minneapolis last month, sparking unrest across the nation. Beshear wrote in a statement that law enforcement was called to deal with a gathering of people around midnight Sunday. While working to disperse a crowd, LMPD and the Kentucky National Guard were fired upon, Beshear wrote. LMPD and the Kentucky National Guard returned fire resulting in a death. The governor added that the incident will now be independently investigated by state police. Earlier, Chief Conrad confirmed that his officers and the National Guard were called to a parking lot to clear what he described as a large crowd. Conrad said the officers faced gunfire on arrival, which caused them to shoot back toward the crowd. Story continues It has been a very difficult four days for our cityour officers are working very hard to keep people safe and protect property while doing that weve had officers shot at and assaulted, said Conrad. Its very clear that many people do not trust the police. That is an issue were going to work on and work through for a long time. Tonights protests once again turned from peaceful to destructive. Conrad went on to say: Officers and soldiers began to clear the lot and at some point were shot at. Both the LMPD and National Guards members returned fire. We have one man dead at the scene. Conrad said several people of interest are being interviewed. 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. THERE is immense sadness this week following the death of Limerick charity worker Ciara Brolly. Tributes are pouring in for the Ciara, who has been described as the driving force behind Castletroy charity, the Share a Dream foundation, which gives memorable experiences to terminally ill Limerick kids. She died aged just 46 on Saturday evening after a four month battle of cancer of the tongue. In an emotional post to Facebook, the founder of the charity Shay Kinsella described Ciara as his best friend and motivator. Whoever had the privilege to meet her went away with a big smile and a feeling they had met someone very special. She was truly an angel from god and I was truly blessed to have shared so many amazing achievements and made some 20,000 dreams come true with this incredible girl, he wrote. Shay said Ciara had suffered so much in the last few years, yet never complained, and worked alongside him until the very end. Your pain is gone Ciara but I know our friendship is so strong we will never be apart because you know I'm useless without you, Shay said, There are hundreds of beautiful Angel's up there who love you for making their dreams come true so they will keep you busy. I will see you soon. Ciara had recovered from surgery to remove cancer from her head last year. Dreamland opened in two years ago in Limerick providing a playground for children of all abilities, the first of its kind in Ireland. It includes a childrens garda station, which was officially opened by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, last October. Gardai are due to perform a guard of honour and escort Ms Brollys cortege at her funeral tomorrow, June 2. Anyone wishing to pay their respects along the route of tomorrows funeral are advised to adhere to social distancing guidelines. Due to government guidelines regarding gatherings, a private mass, for family only, will take place in St Patricks Church, Clare Street, at 11am this Tuesday followed by private cremation in Shannon, Co Clare. The Brolly family has requested family flowers only, with donations, if desired, to the Share A Dream Foundation or Milford Hospice. Ciara is survived by her brothers Martin and Shane, sisters Una, Sinead and Gemma, brothers-in-Law Dwayne and Brian, nephews Jason, Leeroy, Aidan, Harry, Hayden and Jake, nieces Sarah, Rachel, Anna and Orla, aunts, uncles, cousins, beloved dogs Puddles and Alvin and a large circle of friends. The 20th series of Im A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here is set to return to our screens this winter and although Coronation Street star Beverly Callard is the only name reportedly signed on to take part, it sounds as though we can expect at least two reality TV names to be involved. Two months ago, Love Island sensation Maura Higgins was trimmed into 8/1 from 20/1 with BoyleSports to head down under to the Aussie jungle but has since been eased back out to 14/1. However, a new surge of support arrived for the Longford beauty on Friday as punters want to see her swap lingerie modelling for the Australian bush with her odds crumbling into 6/1. Made In Chelsea star Jamie Laing is another reality TV star rumoured to be heading Down Under. Jamie was introduced to the market at odds of 20/1, with strong links to suggest a stint on Strictly Come Dancing was more likely. The Candy Kittens owner has seen his odds tumble into 6/1 and has said in the past that he wants to head to the jungle. Leon Blanche, spokesperson for BoyleSports said: Love Island star Maura Higgins is seeing some support to land a spot in the 20th series of Im A Celebrity with her odds now 6/1 from 14/1. Jamie Laing has also been supported with his odds tumbling into 6/1 from 20/1. Punters have made Ricky Hatton the 1/4 favourite to take part with LadBaby not far behind at 3/10. Press Release June 1, 2020 Statement of Senator Joel Villanueva, chair of the Senate Committee on Higher, and Technical and Vocational Education, on the passage of Senate Bill No. 1541 on Third and Final Reading The passage of Senate Bill No. 1541 on third and final reading today demonstrates our serious efforts here in the Senate to combat COVID-19 and help our people transition or adapt to a "new normal." Almost one-third of our entire population are school children which explains why school re-opening has caused restlessness, anxiety and even divisiveness among our people. Without compromising the education of our children and their safety and health, we deemed it necessary to amend Republic Act No. 7797 so that we can have flexibility in the face of uncertainties brought by natural disasters or pandemics. The virus is merciless. Given the delicacy of the situation and the millions of Filipino children who will be affected by the re-opening of our schools, we believe that it must be the President who must have the power to set a different date for the start of the school year nationwide or in specific areas upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Education. Through this measure, I believe that we can transition not only to a new normal but also to a "better normal." The Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, has said nobody should dare break the peace of the country since the military is ever ready for those who are bent on fomenting trouble. He said the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) would not spare anyone who falls foul with the law, adding that Ghana cannot export peace to other countries, while some of its citizens continue to foment trouble within the country. This is the reason I keep saying that our Ghanaian troops, especially the soldiers, are for everybody. The only time you will have problem with them is when you fall foul with the law. When you fall foul with the law they will do their work effectively, he warned. Contributing to a statement on the Floor of Parliament on the commemoration of the International Day for the United Nations Peacekeepers, the Defence Minister stated that Ghana also needed to be peaceful as an exporter of peace. As we celebrate our peacekeepers today, let us remember that peace in Ghana is also paramount. We cannot export peace and at the same time fan trouble within the country, he intimated. He said Ghana has the ability to bring peace to the rest of the world because the nation is at peace, and added that across the globe the country is praised for its peacekeeping efforts. We export peace to the rest of the world. We do that in Lebanon, Southern Sudan, and Congo. Today, Ghana is known to have the ability to export peace. One of the contingents that the Liberians would run to when in trouble during their civil war was the Ghanaian troops. It shows the ability of the Ghanaian soldiers. I salute our soldiers, he noted. The maker of the statement, Major Derrick Oduro (rtd), who is also the Deputy Minister for Defence, praised female soldiers for their role in the peacekeeping efforts. According to him, the first Ghanaian female solider participated in UN peacekeeping effort in 1984 and since then several female soldiers have joined. The whole world has praised Ghana because of the enviable contributions by our peacekeepers, especially our women, he added. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley A. Botchwey, also said Ghana has an enviable record in peacekeeping operation, adding that the country is among the top 10 troop contributors in the world. It is gratifying to note that our military and police have held top positions within peacekeeping at the UN, she indicated and continued that this was a testament of the quality of our men and women in uniform. This years commemoration was held under the theme: Women in Peacekeeping, and she said the theme was very appropriate and significant, pointing out that it is important to recognize the role of women in this enterprise. 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 Video shows protester pepper sprayed in face after yelling at KC police officers A viral video captured a protester in Kansas City getting pepper sprayed in the face after yelling at police and accusing them of overreacting with force. The video, viewed nearly half a million times, was posted on Twitter Saturday evening. The newspaper isand one of many clips where KCPD pepper sprayed people in the crowd . . . What's important here is that the line betwixt journalism/reporting editorial has vanished and this report is really more of an indictment i.e. blogging . . . Here's a peek at their story: Billionaire banker Uday Kotak, who had a long run-in with the Reserve Bank over his excess personal holding in Kotak Mahindra Bank, will sell 2.8% stake in the lender for at least Rs 6,800 crore. The move would bring the curtains down on a long standoff between the regulator and the bank over the issue, which saw Kotak dragging the RBI to the Bombay High Court in December 2018, and the case is still pending. The stake dilution will be done through a block deal and will be completed shortly at a price band of Rs 1,215 to Rs 1,240 a share, a person familiar with the development told PTI. As per the term sheet, the deal would be worth Rs 6,800 crore at the lower end of the price band. Currently, Kotak and his family holds 28.8 per cent stake in the bank as against the RBI mandate of 26 per cent. Kotak, the richest banker in Asia, is the Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank, which is the fourth largest private sector lender in the country. The US decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization amid the COVID-19 pandemic is "disappointing" and "inexplicable," CNBC reported referring to WHO special envoy for COVID-19 Dr. David Nabarro. "Weve now got the biggest communicable disease challenge that Ive ever known, and we really need every single nation working together on it, including the U.S.," Dr. David Nabarro said. For years, WHO has enjoyed the support and leadership of the US, which has helped the world cope with enormous challenges, Nabarro said. According to him, it is strange that the US decided to take such a step in the midst of the fight against the pandemic. "Its as though youre in the middle of fighting a forest fire and suddenly 15% of the fire trucks are taken away just at the time when you need them the most, he added. The US is the largest donor to the health agency and contributed above $400 million in 2019, or about 15% of the WHOs annual budget. According to him, the US departure means it would be up to the remaining 193 countries that still support the WHO to "work out how to plug the gap." He hopes that the American people will be able to convince Trump to rethink this decision, given Washington's involvement in responding to previous outbreaks such as Ebola, polio, HIV, and smallpox. On Saturday, the EU issued a statement urging the US to reconsider its decision to leave WHO. Nabarro said the world is still at the start of the pandemic, and many countries are starting to face huge challenges. According to him, that calls for all the countries in the world to work together "absolutely in unity" to help people overcome it," otherwise the consequences could be far worse." The one thing the general public wants is united efforts by everyone bringing together the best scientists, the best leaders to work on this issue together, he noted. According to him, most countries support global efforts and WHO, because they know that joint action is key in solving this problem. He noted that after the pandemic, detailed studies and analyzes of actions are expected. "But we really do ask all of those who are concerned about world health not to do a forensic examination right now, not to withdraw support right now." YEREVAN. The Ministry of Defense (MOD) of the Republic of Armenia does not comment on the video that appeared on the internet, and in which, according to reports, the Armenian Armed Forces fired shots and hit a vehicle of the Azerbaijani army in the direction of Nakhichevan. "We do not comment on the origin of the video, or the actions of the Armenian armed forces. We can only say that, in general, the Armenian armed forces never attack, we only respond to their actions, and any action, provocation of the adversary receives a corresponding response," said Shushan Stepanyan, Armenias Defense Ministry spokesperson. To note, a video appeared on the internet in which an Azerbaijani military equipment is being hit. It should be reminded that on May 27, a vehicle of the Armenian Armed Forces had caught fire as a result of the adversary's shooting. The Armenian side, however, did not suffer any casualties. A young mother has been viciously trolled for having a KFC-themed first birthday photoshoot for her one-year-old daughter. Kayla Frizzell, a photographer from Victoria's Shepparton, staged an adorable photoshoot with a large bucket of fried chicken for her 'mini me' girl Mia instead of throwing the traditional 'cake smash'. Behind the scenes, her baby was already fed with her own lunch before she was given a chicken wing bone to play with as her mother captured the candid pictures during the 15-minute photoshoot. But after sharing the snaps on social media, the 26-year-old mother was bombarded with nasty remarks about the 'size' of little Mia, including 'no wonder your baby is fat' and one stranger even claimed she reported her to child services. An Australian mother has staged a KFC-themed first birthday photoshoot for her one-year-old daughter Mia instead of hosting the traditional 'cake smash' (pictured) Mother Kayla Frizzell (pictured) said she was bombarded with nasty remarks about her baby 'It seriously just annoyed me when she said "no wonder your baby is fat". I was like how dare you?! So my motherly instincts kicked in,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'But I was really in two minds - was it worth responding and potentially having others read it and think I'm unprofessional, which could then result in loss of clients. 'Turned out, I was so right to respond. I had the support of so many people near and far behind me. And then the trolls just obviously had nothing better to do, they continued to post abusive messages on my page.' But the trolling didn't end there. 'One troll claimed she works at the Department of Human Services,' Ms Frizzell said. 'I found by a quick Facebook search she was actually jobless and never worked their before but even if she did, I was never worried because I love my kids fiercely. 'They honestly have an incredible childhood, we are always complimented on the incredible adventures, holidays and activities we do with our two kids pre-isolation. 'The trolls didn't stop just there, 5pm that night they called me, impersonating a worker from DHS making threats, it became a comedy real quick.' Behind the scenes, her baby was already fed before she was given a half-eaten wicked wing to play with as her mother captured the candid moments during the 15-minute photoshoot The mother said the idea to use the fried chicken as 'props' in the birthday photoshoot came to mind because she simply loves eating KFC. 'To put it simply, I love KFC, and my little girl is my "mini me" so all my friends and family expected nothing less than something fun and creative for her first birthday,' Ms Frizzell told Daily Mail Australia. 'I'm not into going with the trend, I love to try new things and so when I knew I was going to do a one-year-old shoot for Mia, I decided to just go for my KFC idea.' She ordered 10 Wicked Wings, two large chips, a bucket of popcorn chicken and nuggets, all coming to a cost of $45. 'My son was in school so me and my partner were so excited to get to indulge in this feast to feed a family... all to ourselves,' Ms Frizell said, laughing. 'While I drove to get it, my partner fed Mia her lunch so she was ready to get her modelling on. I should add that I was starving. I had just finished a shoot in the morning so I wanted to sit down to my bucket of chicken as soon as possible.' The mother said the idea to use the fried chicken as 'props' in the photoshoot came to mind because she simply loves KFC During the 15-minute shoot, the mother said her daughter had tried to 'stand up and walk away' because she 'wasn't interested in the food'. 'She loves taking photos so she kept coming straight to me and the camera - so I pulled out the bathtub and gave her the bucket of chicken,' she explained. 'In this time, her father was standing beside me and had already started eating the food which is where the chicken bone image came in because I'm not going to give my child spicy chicken, and Wicked Wings are my favourite. 'She ate a couple popcorn chicken, half a nugget and some chips and the rest of the time, she was just curious with feeling the textures on the food, or standing up to rock the bathtub.' Excited about the pictures, she decided to share them on Facebook - and was met with plenty of positive comments from family and friends. During the 15-minute shoot, the mother allowed her daughter to play with the fried chicken 'But then it reached people that lived hours away, and this is where the trolls begun,' she said. Despite the backlash, she said the experience has 'honestly changed me as a mother'. 'I have found a new strength as a mother and received an incredible amount of love and support,' she said. 'If someone is experiencing trolls, especially when it comes to kids, the best advice I can give you is that this negative outburst is not on you or your child. 'It is a reflection of that troll, they're maybe sad, lonely, jealous or experiencing something bad and their only outlet is to try and bring others down so that they don't feel so miserable. 'So show kindness in return, get them to understand their actions are not OK and honestly the block button is incredible. You keep doing you mama.' "New sanctions will be put in place starting June 1," Xinhua news agency quoted Shea as saying on Sunday in a televised interview. Beirut: US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea announced that Washington has planned to impose new sanctions against the Hezbollah movement, and possibly on supporters of the group. Shea denied the US' intention to cause a collapse to the Lebanese economy by imposing sanctions against Hezbollah. She added that the US will make announcements next week to provide scholarships for students at the American University of Beirut, and the Lebanese American University. Lebanese experts have expressed their worries about the US intention of putting obstacles in the way of Lebanon's access to funds, by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) given the role of Hezbollah in the government. Lebanon is currently negotiating with the IMF the possibility of funds in a bid to restructure the country's economy, and implement necessary reforms for economic revival. Established in 1982 during Lebanon's civil war, Hezbollah is now a major political party in the country. It fought a war with Israel in 2006. The group,backed by the Islamic Shia community, has long been designated as a terrorist group by the US and Israel. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 31, 2020) - C21 Investments Inc. (CSE: CXXI) (OTCQB: CXXIF) (the "Company") today supplements its news release from May 28, 2020, regarding its reliance on temporary regulatory filing relief, pursuant to the British Columbia Securities Commission's blanket order, BC Instrument 51-515 Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements (the "Exemption"), and comparable exemptions in other Canadian provincial jurisdictions. As a result of logistical delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company is relying on the Exemption to postpone the release of its January 31, 2019 audited annual financial statements, and management's discussion and analysis (the "Annual Filings"). The Company is otherwise required to release its Annual Filings on or before June 1, 2020 pursuant to National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations, which is now estimated to be filed on or before July 14, 2020 in reliance of the Exemption. The Company has imposed an insider trading blackout pending the release of its Annual Filings. Members of management, directors and other insiders will comply with the Company's insider trading policy and the guidelines described in section 9 of National Policy 11-207 Failure-to-File Cease Trade Orders and Revocations in Multiple Jurisdictions, until the Annual Filings have been released. There have been no material business developments in the Company's operations which have not previously been disclosed. The CSE has not accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release Media contact: Skyler Pinnick Chief Marketing Officer and Director Sky.Pinnick@cxxi.ca +1 833 BUY-CXXI (289-2994) Investor contact: Michael Kidd Chief Financial Officer and Director Michael.Kidd@cxxi.ca +1 833 BUY-CXXI (289-2994) About C21 Investments Inc. C21 Investments is a vertically integrated cannabis company that cultivates, processes, and distributes quality cannabis and hemp-derived consumer products in the United States. The Company is focused on value creation through the disciplined acquisition and integration of core retail, manufacturing, and distribution assets in strategic markets, leveraging industry-leading retail revenues with high-growth potential multi-market branded consumer packaged goods. The Company owns Silver State Relief and Silver State Cultivation in Nevada, and Phantom Farms, Swell Companies, Eco Firma Farms, and Pure Green in Oregon. These brands produce and distribute a broad range of THC and CBD products from cannabis flowers, pre-rolls, cannabis oil, vaporizer cartridges and edibles. Based in Vancouver, Canada, additional information on C21 Investments can be found at www.sedar.com and www.cxxi.ca. Story continues Cautionary Statement: Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements in this news release include the estimated release date of the Company's Annual Filings. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including the ability of the Company to restructure its secured debt and to service its restructured debt. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent the Company's expectations as of the date hereof, and are subject to change after such date. 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 required under applicable securities regulations. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56948 The latest: Dr. Anthony Fauci hasn't spoken with Trump in two weeks Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the most prominent members of the White House coronavirus task force, said on Monday that he has not spoken to or met with President Donald Trump in two weeks. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, added that that his contact with the president has become much less frequent. Their last interaction was May 18, when Trump invited Fauci to provide medical context during a teleconference with the nation's governors. The Task Force last met on May 28 and last held a White House press briefing on May 22. News that the pair haven't communicated in two weeks comes during a critical period in the U.S. coronavirus response as all 50 states have relaxed social distancing measures even as the virus' death toll continues to climb. As of Monday, at least 1.8 million Americans have contracted the virus and at least 105,000 have died, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Government leaders fear protests could rapidly spread virus Government leaders and health officials have expressed their concern that coronavirus could rapidly spread during protests over the death of George Floyd. Floyd died after since-fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for over eight minutes. Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. People across the country have taken to the streets to vent their frustrations over the seeming lack of value for the lives of black men. It was the same week the nation crossed the 100,000 death count from coronavirus. Sunday alone saw an increase of almost 20,000 cases, according to the CNN count compiled with data from John's Hopkins. As of Monday morning at least 1,790,191 Americans have contracted the virus and 104,383 have died. But some expect a jump in cases following days of demonstrations. Spike in cases expected With large groups of people out in hordes close together during the protests, Minnesota Governor Walz said he expects a sharp increase in cases of COVID-19 in his state. "I am deeply concerned about a super-spreader type of incident," Walz said. "We're going to see a spike in COVID-19. It's inevitable." Officials in New York shared the governor's worry about a potential for rise in coronavirus among protesters. "I would still wish that everyone would realize that when people gather it's inherently dangerous in the context of this pandemic, and I'm going to keep urging people not to use that approach and if they do they focus on social distancing and wearing face coverings," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Saturday. The mayor said he recognized the need to demonstrate following the death of Floyd but, "It's a very, very complicated reality." "You cannot see overt racism, you cannot see overt racist murder and not feel something profoundly deep, so I understand that," de Blasio added. "But the last thing we would want to see is members of our community harmed because the virus spread in one of these settings." New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said that while people have the right to protest, even during a pandemic, they also have a duty to protect the health of themselves and others. "You have a right to demonstrate you have a right to protest, God Bless America," Cuomo said at a Saturday press conference. "You don't have a right to infect other people, you don't have a right to act in a way that's going to jeopardize public health." "Demonstrate with a mask on," he said nodding to its effectiveness. "You're wrong not to wear a mask, I think you're disrespectful, I think you're putting other people's lives at risk needlessly." Cuomo also noted how the coronavirus has brought long standing health disparities for the African American community to light once again. "The coronavirus crisis has created a depth of pain that still has not been accounted for. So many New Yorkers have lost someone but that is particularly true in communities of color and particularly true in the African American community," Cuomo said. "That loss is being felt so deeply because every knows it's not based on equality ... communities of color lost so much more." Protests taking focus off pandemic Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms also said she's worried about the impact the virus is having on the community during the protests. She told CNN she's been so busy with ongoing unrest in her city that she neglected to look at infection data for days. "Last night I realized I hadn't looked at our coronavirus numbers in two days," Lance Bottoms told CNN's Jake Tapper during State of the Union. "That's frightening because it's a pandemic and people of color are getting hit harder." "I am extremely concerned when we're seeing mass gatherings. We know what's happening in our community with this virus," the mayor explained. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan shared a similar sentiment saying the priority has been to keep people safe during the demonstrations, but the focus has to also include the months long fight against the spread of coronavirus. Speaking to Jake Tapper on State of the Union, Hogan said he, too, is concerned about the coronavirus amidst the fallout from the death of Floyd. "There's no questions that when you put hundreds or thousands of people together in close proximity when we've got this virus all over the streets is not healthy," Hogan said. "Two weeks from now across America we're going to find out whether or not this gives us a spike and drives the numbers back up." "Most states had rules about no crowds of ten or more and now we're seeing thousands of people jammed in together in close proximity," Hogan added. Health experts worried about spread Health experts have also spoken out about the need for masks and other protective measures in light of racial disparities in the data showing minorities have an increased risk for catching the virus. Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under President Donald Trump, said during CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday that these demonstrations will create further spread of COVID-19, especially in a state that was trending upward before this week's events. "There's going to be a lot of issues coming out of what's happened in the last week, but one of them is going to be that chains of transmission will have become lit from these gatherings," Gottlieb said. "And Minnesota, one of the hard hit states by the protests where you've seen large mass gatherings, that state has been seeing an uptick in cases to begin with. Even before these protests started, we saw rising hospitalizations in that state." Other doctors told CNN that the racial disparity in the way coronavirus spreads will only be compounded by the protests. "I think this week, more than any week, it is so important to call attention to the racial disparities that many of us in the public health community, John, have been talking about for months," Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency room physician and researcher at Brown University, told CNN's John King. "We know that blacks are two to four times more likely to die from Covid-19 compared to whites. And of course, other communities, like Native Americans and Hispanics, are disproportionately affected, as well. "It's so tied up with our country's history of structural racism, historical injustices, as well as ongoing problems," Dr. Ranny noted. Dr. Ashish Jha, the director of Harvard's Global Health Institute, said on the same show that he wished demonstrators would wear masks to protect themselves and others. JACKSON, MI Peaceful protests planned for Jackson have the support of the mayor. Jackson has multiple protests planned this week in response to the death of George Floyd. Floyd, 46, died after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, knelt on his neck for several minutes May 25. The first scheduled protest is 4 p.m., Monday, June 1, at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and High Street, according to a Facebook event. More events are planned throughout the week. These protests are a reaction to the inherent bias and systemic racism that has persisted to intentionally neglect, suppress, and persecute populations of Americans for generations, Jackson Mayor Derek Dobies said in a Facebook post. Maybe now more people will realize why Colin Kaepernick took a knee on the field to protest the racially bias (sic) environment that allows both (Jackson County) Sheriff (Steve) Rand to stay in office while joking about stepping on [black peoples] necks like we used to in front of deputies in his office, and Derek Chauvin to actually put his knee on the back of black mans neck and murder him - all while three other officers watched it unfold, without intervening. Colleagues go on record about Jackson County Sheriff Rands alleged inappropriate behavior Protests started nationwide after a video went viral where Floyd says I cant breathe while Chauvin pinned his knee on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes. Lansing, Grand Rapids and Detroit issued curfews Sunday, May 31, after peaceful protests turned into riots that left cars on fire, business windows smashed and protesters facing off against armored police. Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing under curfew as police brutality protests continue Chauvin was fired and later charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, May 30, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. The three other officers at the scene have been fired but no charges have been filed against them. Residents and business owners are worried the protests will turn violent in Jackson, Dobies said. But event organizers have promised they will remain peaceful, he said. The protests are to make people listen to those that have been ignored for far too long, Dobies said. Those who chose to destroy property and cultivate violence ultimately distract from those voices, he said. I am optimistic that we can avoid riots and destruction other cities have witnessed so that more people can listen to the critical message of these protests - and change themselves, the laws, and the system. Pallets of bricks have 'randomly' appeared during protests across the US this weekend, sparking theories they were planted to stoke violence. Those taking part in demonstrations against police brutality and the death of black man George Floyd have reported finding large stashes of the makeshift weapons on streets. Videos from New York City, Kansas City, Dallas and Fayetteville in North Carolina all appear to show piles of bricks unattended in the middle of protests. The footage has led to suggestions the slabs were either planted by police or by extremists to overshadow peaceful protests over the death of Floyd, a black man who pleaded for air as white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed a knee into his neck for almost nine minutes. Scroll down for video Videos from New York City, pictured, Kansas City, Dallas and Fayetteville in North Carolina all appear to show piles of bricks unattended in the middle of protests In Dallas, Instagram user RuebenGotSoul documented a large pile of bricks stacked up in front of the city's courthouse. 'The Dallas protest was a lot of things. But I was very disappointed to see this RANDOM stack of bricks in front of the courthouse. #setup,' he remarked Police in Kansas City said in a tweet Sunday that they had discovered large piles of bricks and rocks in and around the Country Club Plaza and Westport that had been placed strategically to be used in the riot. If you see anything like this, you can text 911 and let us know so we can remove them. This keeps everyone safe and allows your voice to continue to be heard, the Kansas City Police Department wrote. Similarly, in New York City, video captured the moment rioters in Manhattan chanced upon a cache of bricks between St. Marks Place and Seventh Street in the East Village on Sunday evening, though no construction site appeared to be nearby. The account that uploaded the clip remarked that videos continue to surface showing protesters stumbling upon pallets of bricks or pavers in areas with no construction taking place. In Dallas, Instagram user RuebenGotSoul documented a large pile of bricks stacked up in front of the city's courthouse. 'The Dallas protest was a lot of things. But I was very disappointed to see this RANDOM stack of bricks in front of the courthouse. #setup,' he remarked. Sharing a video of yet more piles of bricks nearby protesters @right2073 commented: 'This is supposed to be Fayetteville, NC.' Another user, @FunnyHusband, commented: 'That's the third "well placed bricks" video I've seen. Previous 2 had no construction anywhere near and bricks didn't match any of the structures.' George Floyd (left) was accused of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill at a grocery store after he was laid off in the pandemic. Disturbing video showed him prone on the street, while a white police officer (Derek Chauvin, right) pressed his knee into Floyd's neck even as he cried he couldn't breathe Sharing a video of yet more piles of bricks nearby protesters @right2073 commented: 'This is supposed to be Fayetteville, NC' On social media, users participating in the protests have reported large stashes of bricks randomly appearing at rallying sites The discovery of the piles of bricks and rocks have prompted a number of theories online about their origin, with some believing them to have been planted by police so rioters could be issued more severe charges, to outside agitators attempting to stir up more trouble. Looks like a set up to me, tweeted protest supporter ICE T, who has often spoken out against police brutality. Theres ALWAYS more than meets the eye, he continued. It comes as U.S. officials say they are investigating whether extremist groups have infiltrated police brutality protests. Authorities are said to be looking into whether these groups deliberately tipped the demonstrations towards violence after chaos erupted in dozens of American cities this weekend. In Washington, where protesters raged outside the White House, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the groups seemed, at the least, organized to destroy with tools to break windows and distribute materials. John Miller, the NYPD's deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism, said the NYPD has a 'high degree of confidence anarchist groups planned violent interactions and vandalism'. 'Complex network of scouts were in place to direct breakaway groups to commit vandalism with rocks and accelerants,' he said. And in tweets Sunday, Trump blamed anarchists and the media for fueling violence. Attorney General William Barr pointed a finger at 'far left extremist' groups. Police chiefs and politicians accused outsiders of coming in and causing the problems. Looks like a set up to me, tweeted protest supporter ICE T, who has often spoken out against police brutality. Theres ALWAYS more than meets the eye, he continued The discovery of the piles of bricks and rocks have prompted a number of theories online about their origin, with some believing them to have been planted by police so rioters could be issued more severe charges, to outside agitators attempting to stir up more trouble Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across America again Sunday, with peaceful demonstrations against police killings of black people overshadowed by unrest that ravaged cities from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and flared near the White House. City and state officials deployed thousands of National Guard soldiers, enacted strict curfews and shut down mass transit systems to slow protesters' movements, but that did little to stop parts of many cities from again erupting into mayhem. Protesters in Philadelphia hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police, officials said, while thieves in more than 20 California cities smashed their way into businesses and ran off with as much as they could carry boxes of sneakers, armloads of clothes, and cellphones, TVs and other electronics. In Minneapolis, where Floyd died, a tanker truck driver drove into a massive crowd of demonstrators, and the driver was arrested. Tensions spiked outside the White House, the scene of three days of demonstrations, where police fired tear gas and stun grenades into a crowd of more than 1,000 chanting protesters across the street in Lafayette Park. In Washington, where protesters raged outside the White House, most of the 17 people arrested were from the area A protester throws a traffic barrel at police during a protest in Brooklyn on Saturday night At least 4,400 people have been arrested over days of protests, according to a tally compiled by The Associated Press. As demonstrations spread from Minneapolis to the White House, New York City and overseas, federal law enforcement officials insisted far-left groups were stoking violence. Meanwhile, experts who track extremist groups also reported seeing evidence of the far-right at work. Investigators were also tracking online interference and looking into whether foreign agents were behind the effort. Officials have seen a surge of social media accounts with fewer than 200 followers created in the last month, a textbook sign of a disinformation effort. The investigations are an attempt to identify the network of forces behind some of the most widespread outbreak of civil unrest in the U.S. in decades. Softbank-backed hospitality chain OYO has allotted employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) worth Rs 130 crore to all its furloughed employees impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The move is part of the company's efforts to minimise the economic disruption experienced by employees in wake of COVID-19 outbreak, an internal e-mail from its founder Ritesh Agarwal said on Monday. On April 8, OYO founder and Group CEO Ritesh Agarwal had said that the company will place a certain number of employees on furloughs or temporary leaves after it froze operations globally due to COVID-19 pandemic. The hotel chain operator, however, did not disclose any details regarding the number of impacted employees. According to PTI report, the number of furloughed employees globally could run in thousands. Agarwal said that while he hoped that the company can get as many employees back as possible, he is cognisant of the practical reality that the uncertainty around the COVID-19 situation will continue for sometime. "I would like to recognise your contributions and this love and passion for OYO by making you a co-owner and shareholder of the company. I would like to inform you that all impacted OYOpreneurs would be eligible for ESOPs worth around Rs 130 crore (around USD 18 million)," he said in an internal town hall note. Details on employees' specific grant will be shared on e-mail separately, which will be detailed as per their band and geographies, he added. Also Read: Coronavirus impact: Oyo to offload loss-making hotels around the world "In addition, we also understand that some of you may already have stock options. For those employees, we are dropping the one-year cliff on the vesting of stock options for everyone we have hired in the past year. This will ensure that everyone departing, regardless of how long they have been with OYO, can become a shareholder," Agarwal said. The company will also provide stocks to employees not impacted, thereby making 100 per cent team members co-owners, he added. "This is the first time in the history of the company that such a large part of the organisation is being inducted as a stakeholder. That too at a time when some of you may decide not to be part of our future. This is a small token of gratitude from us for your contribution in building this company and for your unwavering support to us in good as well as bad times," Agarwal said. "The organisation will also come up with an institutionalised placement support system for those who wish to avail it," Agarwal said.OYO is also actively working with the company's investors to identify opportunities in their portfolio companies and help its employees with alternative career opportunities in those companies, he added. Also Read: Oyo Hotels has $1 billion cash, expects losses to continue in FY20 "I am happy to share that in Japan, we have helped about 150 OYOpreneurs through this route," Agarwal said. The company has also formed an exigency fund for the employees who may need it for some critical illness cases, he added. Oyo Rooms' net losses ballooned to $335 million (Rs 2,330.6 crore) in 2018-19, which is 6.4 times higher than the previous year. Revenues too grew to $951 million (Rs 6,616.1 crore) in 2018-19 from $211 million (Rs 1,467.9 crore) a year ago. Oyo has so far raised close to $3.2 billion in different rounds of funding starting March 2015. The start-up has over $1 billion of cash on its balance sheet. OYO is one of SoftBank's biggest bets, with the Japanese multinational conglomerate holding a 46 per cent stake. With PTI inputs BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 1 Trend: The language of force is the only one the enemy understands, the press service of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense told Trend. "The Azerbaijani army will certainly exercise the right for force to liberate the occupied territories. The measures to be taken will be much more destructive than those taken in 2015, 2016 and 2018. The enemy will suffer extensive losses, which in turn will lead to its complete defeat," said the ministry's press service. The only language to speak with the enemy is the language of force, by using which we will push the occupying forces of Armenia to leave our territories, the press service noted. 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. A 16-minute audio clip purportedly of a senior police officer in Madhya Pradeshs Bhind district telling another officer how the police is working on directions of some politicians and journalists and how sub-inspectors have become businessmen may point towards some serious trouble in the force. The audio clip went viral during transfers of inspector general of police, Morena zone, DP Gupta, and superintendent of police and collector of Bhind district Nagendra Singh and Chhote Singh on Saturday night. Bhind has been in news in the last fortnight after deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, Rajesh Hingankar twice raided illegal sand mines and seized machines used for illegal mining. After the raids, he suspended in-charges of five police stations and two constables. The constables were posted in Sheopur and were allegedly patronising the sand mafia in the district. One of the constables, who belongs to Bhind, allegedly ran an office from his native place to facilitate illegal sand mining. The then SP of Bhind, Nagendra Singh, who was shifted to Bhopal on Saturday, defended the constables saying they were stranded in Bhind because of the lockdown and charges against them were unfounded. The audio clip, the authenticity of which HT cannot vouch for, features a senior police officer trying to motivate the police personnel by saying that they should speak to their senior officials and public representatives about right or wrong in the district. Another officer talks about how police were working on directions of some politicians and journalists. Dont get demotivated by what is happening. Let all senior officers and public representatives phones ring with your calls about what is going on here. Do talk to them. Tell them what is correct. If I am wrong tell them that too, the first officer is heard saying. Appreciating the police forces work in containing the spread of Coronavirus in the district the officer says, I receive many phone calls for (postings) in two police stations. Such sub-inspectors should be asked if Madhya Pradesh police has stopped paying salary to them. Why this craving? Why go to these places? How many criminals were arrested by you?....Many inspectors call me up to make a request to let them spend their time in police lines instead of sending them to Dehat and Kotwali police station. I feel ashamed of them. On being asked by the officer during the conversation to express their opinions another police officer is heard saying, Sir, you should have come here 20 years back. Then you and myself would have worked together to improve the situation in Bhind. But the sub-inspectors and police stations in charge of the new generation are thoroughly corrupt. You are not their boss. Their bosses are MLA, MP and journalists. They have pledged their police uniform. They have become businessmen. The conversation ends with the first officer saying he didnt expect that everyone would become honest overnight but they should work hard while keeping the priorities of the police department in their mind. No goonda even if he is a politician should have courage to sit in the chair in front of a police station in charge, he said. When contacted Nagendra Singh said, I have been transferred now. I would not like to make any comment on this. Deputy inspector general of police, Morena range Rajesh Hingankar said, I have not received any complaint regarding any such audio clip. Target announced on Sunday that it will be temporarily closing at least six of its stores in areas with ongoing demonstrations over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. According to a press release on the Target website, the closed locations include Broadway Oakland in California, Buckhead South Atlanta, South Loop Chicago, Lake Street Minneapolis, Uptown Minneapolis, and Washington Square W Philadelphia. "The safety of our team and guests is our top priority," the statement read. "At this time, we are making the decision to adjust store hours or close stores temporarily." The stores will resume normal hours "as soon as it's safe to do so," and employees who lose work due to closures will be paid for up to 14 days of scheduled hours, the company said. Target stores have faced vandalization and looting as peaceful protests in major cities across the U.S. over the past several days have turned increasingly violent. NBC News reported Sunday that the Minneapolis-based chain was closing 175 of its stores, but the company has since revised its announcement. It's no longer clear how many stores will be closed or operating with reduced hours. The company did not immediately respond to TODAY's request for comment. The statement added that its "prioritizing rebuilding" the Lake Street Minneapolis location, with the goal of reopening in late 2020. That store is near where Floyd died, and it was reportedly looted last week. Photos and video from the scene showed cars on fire in the parking lot, empty shelves knocked over and goods scattered across the floor. Protesters gather near the Minneapolis Police third precinct (Adam Bettcher / Reuters) "We appreciate members of the community and our team who have assisted in cleaning in and around that location," Target said in its statement. "We are now boarding the store up until we can survey the location and begin recovery efforts." Target's University Avenue location in Minneapolis was also looted last week, according to local NBC affiliate KARE. Police said 50 to 60 people rushed into the store Thursday morning and ran out with items without paying, the station reported. Protests over Floyd's death were prompted by a cell phone video from May 25 that showed a Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee into the 46-year-old's neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest. Four police officers involved in the incident were fired Tuesday. On Friday, former officer Derek Chauvin, who was shown with his knee on Floyd's neck, was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 20:42:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LISBON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The National Institute of Statistics (INE) of Portugal announced on Monday that the country's industrial production index fell 25.9 percent in April in comparison with the same month of the previous year, directly reflecting the paralysis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to the month of March, when the fall had been 6.8 percent, Portuguese industrial activity sank another 19.1 percentage points. According to the statistics agency, the rate of change in the manufacturing section decreased by 29.0 percent in April, while in March it had fallen by 10.2 percent. "Reflecting the constraints to economic activity determined by measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the industrial production index registered a negative variation," said INE on its website. On Monday, Portugal began the third and final phase of deconfinement, with the general reopening of trade, and the government encourages the return of consumption as a way to reactivate the economy. However, the third phase of reopening for the Greater Lisbon will be postpone to June 4 due to the new outbreaks. Enditem It is for India and China to resolve eastern Ladakh dispute bilaterally, says Australia India pti-PTI New Delhi, June 01: As Indian and Chinese troops remained engaged in a tense standoff in eastern Ladakh, Australia on Monday said it was for India and China to resolve the row bilaterally and there was no role for any other country. At the same time, Australian High Commissioner Barry O'Farrell said his government is concerned over the growing Chinese assertiveness in South China Sea as well as China's plan to enforce a security law in Hong Kong notwithstanding the widespread protests by its citizens. Cabinet decisions: Centre announces relief for MSMEs, support for farmers | Oneindia News "The issue is for China and India to resolve bilaterally. It is not an issue for Australia or any other country," he told reporters during an online media briefing when asked about the border standoff in eastern Ladakh. He said issues around borders or territorial disputes are matters which are usually resolved bilaterally between the parties involved. Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a bitter standoff in several areas along the Line of Actual Control in mountainous eastern Ladakh for close to four weeks. Both the countries are holding talks at military and diplomatic levels to resolve the dispute. Situation at border with India 'stable', both sides have 'unimpeded' communication channels: China Last week, US President Donald Trump offered to mediate between India and China to end the face-off. However, both India and China rejected the offer, saying they have bilateral mechanisms to resolve the dispute. O'Farrell said India and Australia were aiming to boost cooperation in ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. China has been fast expanding military and economic influence in the Indo-Pacific region, triggering concern in various countries of the region and beyond. The Australian envoy indicated that ways to boost cooperation between Australia and India in Indo-Pacific may figure during the online summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison on Thursday. O'Farrell also said that the quadrilateral coalition among India, the US, Australia and Japan has been an effective forum in dealing with issues relating to the Indo-Pacific region. "The Quad has been a very useful forum to coordinate common approaches relating to maritime security," he said. In November 2017, the four countries gave shape to the long-pending "Quad" coalition to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence. The US has been pushing for a greater role for India in the Indo-Pacific which is seen by many countries as an effort to contain China's growing clout in the region. Asked whether Australian companies operating in China were looking at shifting base to India in the wake of the global criticism of Beijing over the coronavirus pandemic, O'Farrell did not give a direct reply. "I think India has reasons to be confident about achieving the goals it has set out, and of course, in part, those goals will flow from what has happened as a result of COVID-19. Equally it will also flow from the implementation of reforms the government of India has announced," he said. On India-Australia bilateral ties, the envoy said a mutual logistics support agreement for deeper defence cooperation as well as a number of other agreements are expected to be finalised at the online summit between Prime Minister Modi and his Australian counterpart on Thursday. "In the virtual summit between the two leaders, you will see the Australia-India relationship reaching a historic high, matched by an ambitious agenda by both countries on what we can achieve in the future," he told a group of journalists at an online briefing. O'Farrell said the focus of the talks will be to boost cooperation in areas like public health, education, science and technology cooperation, cybersecurity and critical technology and defence. "Over the past months and years, we have seen India and Australia work even more closely together on shared goals particularly in contributing to a more secure, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific," he said. O'Farrell said further enhancing bilateral maritime security as well as expanding cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region would be the other key issues for talks. On declining economic growth rate in India in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the envoy said he was optimistic about the Indian and Australian economies. "We have some of the wealthiest funds in the world and India is looking for foreign direct investment. There is a synergy between us," he said. South Africa: Orientation underway ahead of schools reopening on 8 June Following the postponed reopening of schools to 8 June 2020, schools around the country are set to use the first week of June to induct and orientate teachers on the COVID-19 school environment, and to ensure the readiness of each facility for the arrival of learners. On Sunday, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga took a decision to delay the reopening of schools by a week, following a series of consultations with stakeholders in the education sector. The decision was taken following the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) meeting on Saturday to assess the state of readiness for the reopening of schools. I really wish to apologise wholeheartedly for the inconvenience that was caused yesterday, but it was beyond my control because I had to make sure that all key stakeholders are informed on time, so that they can mitigate all the challenges that have been brought by the decision that we took very late on Saturday, said the Minister at a media briefing on Monday. At the meeting, the CEM received a report from the consortium of service providers, coordinated by the National Education Collaboration Trust on the External Evaluation and Monitoring of the state of readiness. Rand Water, as an implementing agent delivering water to 3 500 schools, also presented its report. The Heads of Education Departments Committee (HEDCOM) also presented its technical report. All three reports indicated that a substantial number of schools would not be ready for the reopening on Monday, 1 June, as previously announced by the department. Based on these reports, it became clear that the sector was at different levels of readiness [Schools may] only open if [they] meet the health requirements to the fullest. The reports confirmed that [schools] were not all on the same level and in the main, it was for this reason that the CEM determined that the sector requires more time to mop up its state of readiness for schools reopening, said the Minister. While personal protective equipment deliveries were available for the school management teachers, the CEM was concerned that in some provinces, PPEs for learners, in particular, had not been received. Curriculum trimming and reorganisation Motshekga said reorganising the school curriculum has proven challenging. We have lost a whole term and are likely to lose more days due to Coronavirus. We had to be innovative in the manner in which we get the school programme back on track. In order to recoup the teaching and learning time lost, the schooling system had to be re-engineered resulting in the adjustment of the timetables and the review of the curriculum, in terms of the National Education Policy Act, which empowers me, as the Minister, to determine a national policy for the curriculum framework, core syllabuses and education programme. She said a curriculum work stream, consisting of curriculum experts from the department and from outside the department, is continuously managing this aspect of the re-engineering of the curriculum. The provinces are now putting their shoulder to the wheel to ensure that all prerequisites not yet fulfilled will be delivered within week one of June. Together with our partners, we have agreed to another meeting on Thursday to continue to monitor and evaluate all outstanding compliance imperatives. Rand Water addresses water supply On water supply to schools, Rand Water Stakeholder Relations Manager, Teboho Joala, said there is a lack of adequate supply of water to schools across the country. Joala said six of the nine provinces require water and sanitation infrastructure. It became apparent the six out of nine provinces have not met the requirement of water supply on the school premises. The number of schools affected is 3 126. This is what our scope will cover. There are two types of schools we are dealing with. There are schools that have water tanks, but are a bit far from the water source. We have 2 634 schools, which do not have water tanks or reticulation, and a decent and continuous supply of water, said Joala. The provincial breakdown of schools without adequate water supply are 756 in the Eastern Cape, Free State 87, KwaZulu-Natal 1 125, Limpopo 475, North West 248 and Mpumalanga 435. We are now setting up temporary establishments because we are doing it in two folds. We wont wait until we build the whole stand that is bricks and mortar based. We will have a temporary installation and then the second phase will be to build some plinths, Joala said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. MUSKEGON, MI George Floyds name resounded through downtown Muskegon Sunday. The 46-year-old black man died after being restrained by police in Minneapolis last week, sparking protests against racism and police brutality nationwide. In Muskegon on Sunday, May 31, hundreds of people marched outside the county building, 990 Terrace St.. They chanted Floyds name among other cries of Black lives matter," No justice, no peace, and echoing Floyds final words I cant breathe. We are tired, said Leonna Watson, a resident of Muskegon Heights and organizer of the rally, as the event began shortly before 2 p.m. We dont want to be killed. We are tired of being stopped. We are tired of kneeling. Weve got a voice today." In some cities, protesters have been met with a heavy police presence. In others, including Grand Rapids, demonstrators shouted down the words of law enforcement leaders. In Muskegon, county Sheriff Michael Poulin told the assembled crowd that he supported them. Joining Watson in front of the The Protectors" monument, which memorializes local police officers who have died, Poulin told the protesters that his agency was there to serve them. Do not let one criminal act define all of us, he said, to cheers. We are better than this as a law enforcement family, and were better than this as a community. The police officer accused of killing Floyd after kneeling on the mans neck has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. He and three other officers were fired. In Muskegon, Poulin and his deputies applauded as demonstrators chanted Black lives matter, and shook hands as people began to march in a wide, crowded circle in front of the county building. A nearly endless clamor of car horns signified support from passing drivers on Apple Avenue, some of whom raised fists of solidarity out their windows. The protesters held up colorful signs and recited the names of black Americans killed recently by police, including Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. Were here for them, Poulin told MLive amid the din of the crowd. The sheriff added that he knows of no one in his field who thinks what happened in Minnesota is okay. The fact that theyre being here means theres a point, he said. To see this type of support for something thats so important in our community...these people here are exercising their rights, as they should. Lataja and Terrio Cosse, of Muskegon, came out with several family members to be part of what they described as a movement for justice and peace. Latajas mother was an officer in the local NAACP chapter, and the Cosses want to pass that spirit of activism to their five children. Theres no strength in silence, Lataja Cosse said. Brianna Jackson also took her daughter, Ainsley, to the protest, to teach her child about her white privilege, and in honor of her black friends, she said. She held a sign reading Serve and protect, not murder unchecked, while Ainsleys sign read, simply, Black lives matter. As protesters wove around the block, Kayshia Harris held out voter registration papers. It was her first time organizing people to vote, she said, but felt it important to do now because "so many people are hurt, she told MLive. I knew that the people we wanted to target would be here," Harris said, and that "this would be the perfect time for them to grasp the importance of voting not just in presidential elections, but in state and local elections, too. The crowd at Muskegons demonstration was a diverse one: black and white, young and old. There appeared to be no counterprotest. Earlier in the day, Christian faith leaders led a prayer rally for racial harmony in Hackley Park. At least 100 people, black and white, sang and prayed for peace, and at least 25 local pastors were present. The event was about praying for unity, for our community, said Kendria Armstrong, a pastor at Resurrection Life Church who also preached at the event. 15 Christian faith leaders organize vigil for racial unity in Muskegon It was organized after Jim Zatko, lead pastor at Jericho Road Church, who is white, reached out to Jonathan Jewett, of Elevation of Grace church, who is black. The two reached out to white and black church communities, which are sometimes separate from one another, they said. I worked my end, in an African-American church, and he worked his end, and we collaborated together, Jewett said. We need racial reconciliation, and we need healing, and it starts with the church, Zatko said of his motivation for organizing the prayer vigil. At the end of the prayers, some worshipers headed over to join the protest at the county building. While secular, those protests ended on a spiritual note, too. Watson waved sage in the air, as hundreds of attendees knelt around her. We are powerful, she said. That protest officially wound down shortly after 3 p.m. Most people wandered back to their cars, continuing to wave at supportive passersby. But some mainly younger protesters moved across the street, to the Robert C. Lighton Memorial Park, a small circle sandwiched by Sanford and Terrace Streets, north of Apple Avenue. There, people expressed personal grievances against local law enforcement and shared experiences with racism. After an official protest against racism and police brutality outside the Muskegon county building, 990 Terrace Street, ended on Sunday, May 31, some people, mainly young people, reorganized across the street at the Robert C. Lighton Memorial Park to express grievances and personal experiences with racism. (Anya van Wagtendonk | MLive) For the first time all day, some people expressed antipathy towards the protesters. Several drivers pulled over and let loose longer blasts on their horns, in what seemed less like an expression of solidarity and more like an attempt to drown out the voices. At least one held up an All lives matter sign, a phrase often evoked as a rebuttal to the Black Lives Matter movement. As evening approached, at around 6 p.m., some local business owners expressed fear that destruction seen elsewhere in the state and nation might come to Muskegon, as it did in Grand Rapids Saturday night. Tim Taylor, who owns popular local restaurant Hamburger Mikey, boarded up his windows to be proactive, he said. Destruction to his family-owned business due to a riot is not covered by standard insurance, Taylor said. Next door, at game store The Griffins Rest, employees set out water, with plans to maintain a vigil through the evening. Kathy Dennison, of Lighthouse Property Management, which owns several buildings on the newly revamped Third Street corridor, said she was also keeping watch. Community members wouldnt target the businesses, she said, but outside agitators might. Muskegons come too far for it to be harmed by riots, Dennison said. But as the evening wore on, as of 7 p.m., there was no sign of trouble just the ongoing sound of horns blaring on Apple Avenue. Read more on MLive: Riot damage, COVID-19 exposure temporarily close two Kent County Secretary of State offices Hundreds of people descend upon Grand Rapids to help clean up, spread positive messages Damage from Grand Rapids rioting a nightmare, business owners say Police brutality protests in Michigan: What you need to know from this weekends rallies, riots A throng of demonstrators chanted Black lives matter, Get off my neck, and I cant breathe during a rally Monday at Gore Park in solidarity with waves of protests against police violence in the United States. The peaceful afternoon rally in downtown Hamilton echoed widespread outrage in U.S. cities after a police officer in Minneapolis last week knelt on George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, until he died. Racism is everywhere, Michael St. Jean, one of the demonstrations organizers, told the crowd of at least 200 people gathered around the fountain in the west end of the park. Police on bikes kept an eye on the protest but maintained their distance while placard-toting demonstrators waved signs as passing motorists on King Street honked horns in support. Many attendees wore masks, while volunteers passed out gloves, offered hand sanitizer and marked the ground with chalk to encourage people to spaces themselves out during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some, however, didnt observe such precautions as the fervour and density of the crowd grew. Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who was caught on camera jamming his knee into Floyds neck as he lay cuffed on the ground for several minutes, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. He and three others who were at the scene have since been fired. That deadly arrest sparked Mondays rally, which followed one in Gage Park over the weekend, but St. Jean said he and friends have felt nervous around police in Hamilton, as well. Were nervous all the time, the 29-year-old entrepreneur said. Just when a cop pulls up behind you, its a nervous feeling. Glenda Vanderleeuw was heartened to see so many young people taking the initiative in the collective call for action against racism, which she said doesnt stop at the border. We have our own racism here, which is hidden deeply hidden and it needs unpacking big time, and the police need to be a part of that conservation and have their own accountability. The 36-year-old McMaster graduate student said routes to improvement include more diverse police boards, and tools like body cameras. Its accountability. Its transparency. In November, the police board opted not to outfit officers with the recording devices after considering a report that examined the use of cameras elsewhere. At the time, Chief Eric Girt told the board body-worm cameras pose myriad issues, including cost, data storage and questions about how accurately they capture confrontations. In an interview Monday, Hamilton-Centre MP Matthew Green said Canadians do themselves a disservice when they externalize the issues of anti-Black racism and police brutality to the United States. We dont need to import that. Its already here, the NDP representative said, pointing to how, for example, young Black and Indigenous males have disproportionate involvement with police through practices like street checks and carding. The former city councillor said politicians should question how many tax dollars go toward police for tanks and riot gear while front-line health-care services lack protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic. I think that speaks to the value that we put on our social services versus this idea of law enforcement. HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Custom Computer Specialists, a technology solutions provider, announced today that CRN a brand of The Channel Company, has named Custom Computer Specialists to its 2020 Solution Provider 500 list. Each year, CRN releases its list of top 500 solution providers, a ranking of the leading IT channel partner organizations across North America by revenue. CRN's Solution Provider 500 list serves as the industry's benchmark for recognizing the top-performing technology integrators, strategic service providers, and IT consultants, and as a valuable resource for technology vendors looking to partner with top solution providers. Founded in 1979, Custom Computer Specialists offers their clients the confidence that they are working with a team that has deep technological experience to protect and maintain their infrastructure. While no amount of technology can secure an environment, it's important to have a strong foundation which comes from partnering with an experienced technology solutions provider who can design, operate and optimize their technology. "We are honored to be named to CRN's 2020 Solution Provider 500 List. This follows our recent achievement of being named to CRN's MSP 500 list in the Security 100 category. I'm proud of all that my team has accomplished this year and believe that it is in no small part due to their commitment to the success of our clients," said Gregory Galdi, President and founder of Custom Computer Specialists. "We like to say that it's not enough to be happy with your IT, you have to be confident with your IT. If you're confident that your IT will work and that your data is safe then we will have done our job." "CRN's Solution Provider 500 list showcases the top IT channel partner organizations across North America," said Bob Skelley, CEO of The Channel Company. "This year, companies on this list represent a combined revenue of $393 billion, a data point that underscores the impact and influence these solution providers have on the IT industry. On behalf of The Channel Company, I'd like to congratulate these companies for their outstanding contributions to the growth and success of our industry." CRN's complete 2020 Solution Provider 500 list is available online at www.CRN.com/SP500 and a sample from the list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine. About Custom Computer Specialists Custom Computer Specialists is an innovative technology solutions provider. By offering an extensive range of services including the secure transmission of data, dedicated IT support staffing, proactive monitoring and modern network technologies, our clients improve their competitive advantage, financial performance and their ability to deliver value. To learn more about our innovative solutions please contact us at 800.598.8989 or visit us at www.customonline.com. About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end-users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com Copyright 2020. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. The Channel Company Contact: Jennifer Hogan The Channel Company [email protected] Contact: MaryAnn Benzola Custom Computer Specialists 800.598.8989 [email protected] SOURCE Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. Related Links https://customonline.com WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule Monday curtailing the rights of states, tribes and the public to object to federal permits for energy projects and other activities that could pollute waterways across the country. The move, part of the Trump administration's push to weaken environmental rules it sees as standing in the way of new development, upends how the United States applied a section of the Clean Water Act for nearly half a century. The energy industry hailed the change as a way to speed up pipelines and other projects, while environmentalists warned that it could undercut state and tribal efforts to safeguard rivers and drinking water. The new rule would set a one-year deadline for states and tribes to certify or reject proposed projects - including pipelines, hydroelectric dams and industrial plants - that could discharge pollution into area waterways. It also would limit any reviews to include only water quality impacts, based on a more narrow definition of the Trump administration finalized last year. In a call with reporters Monday, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler argued that some states had abused the law in the past, using long delays to trap energy-related projects "in a bureaucratic 'Groundhog Day.' " The changes, he said, would give states "more than enough time" to scrutinize proposed projects, while preventing them from holding them "hostage" for long periods. "Our system of republican democracy does not allow for one state to dictate standards or decisions for the entire nation," Wheeler said. The change stems from an executive order President Donald Trump issued in April 2019, in which he instructed federal agencies to do everything possible to pave the way for energy infrastructure. "The president is very happy about this," Wheeler said as he congratulated the agency's staff for its work on the rule. Robert Irvin, president of the environmental group American Rivers, said in an interview that the shift would undercut the powers of Congress because when it passed the Clean Water Act in 1972, it "gave states the authority to do more than the federal government is doing in order to clean up our rivers and have fishable, swimmable waters." "This administration is happy to put the responsibility for dealing with the pandemic on the states, but they're far too quick to strip states of authority when they're trying to protect rivers and clean water," Irvin said. Some energy companies, however, have complained that certain states have used Section 401 of the Clean Water Act to unnecessarily delay key energy infrastructure projects, including pipelines and coal terminals. They frequently cite two pipeline projects that encountered obstacles in New York state in recent years: the Constitution natural gas pipeline, which planned to ship gas from Pennsylvania's Marcellus shale to New York before it was shelved, and the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline, which would also have brought gas from Pennsylvania to New Jersey and then into New York City. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation denied a permit to the NESE Pipeline last month, based on its "inability to demonstrate" how it would meet all applicable water standards. New Jersey denied its 401 water certification permit a year ago. Another project that stalled was the Millennium Bulk Terminal, a $680 million coal export facility that Washington state rejected in September 2017. Robin Rorick, vice president for midstream and industry operations at the American Petroleum Institute, said in a statement that his association's members support the long-standing environmental law, "though certain states have continued to go well beyond its scope for water quality certifications." "We hope the addition of a well-defined timeline and review process will provide certainty to operators as they develop infrastructure projects that meet state water quality standards," Rorick said. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee, said in a statement that the rule would make it easier for his state to export coal to elsewhere in the U.S. and overseas. "The state of Washington has hijacked this process and blocked Wyoming coal from being exported," he said. Association of Clean Water Administrators Executive Director Julia Anastasio, who represents state water permit administrators in all 50 states, said in a phone interview that the rules fails to respect states' role in maintaining water quality and does not address a critical 1994 Supreme Court ruling empowering them to set "other limitations" that could ensure that a project meets "any other appropriate requirement of state law." "It's really not respecting the rule that states play as co-regulators," Anastasio said. Democratic attorneys general and lawmakers vowed to fight to reverse the rule. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., tweeted, "This decision is unconscionable & I'll do everything in my power to oppose it." California Attorney General Xavier Becerra suggested he and others would sue the EPA, saying in a statement, "We won't stand idly by as they rip away our authority under the law to preserve water quality." 01.06.2020 LISTEN Former President and National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, last week shattered, what has been described as, the New Patriotic Partys (NPP) political bigotry targeted at NDC strongholds and specific constituencies in the Volta Region and the newly created Oti Region. Key to the Akufo-Addo-led NPP governments agenda of pushing the Jean Mensah-led Electoral Commission (EC) to compile a new voters register for the 2020 elections at all cost, is the ruling partys make-believe that the Volta electoral roll is full of names of Togolese and other unqualified persons. Reemphasising this long-held prejudice obviously in strengthening NPPs demand for a new voters register, Mr Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, one of the most powerful personalities in President Akufo-Addos inner circles, last week tweeted: Out of the 275 constituencies, Ketu South is the most populous constituency in Ghana in terms of the number of names on the electoral roll. How and why? Discuss About two hours later, Gabby followed with a second tweet: Ketu South constituency has 149, 219 registered voters. Dome Kwabenya follows with 144, 624 registered voters, with Ledzokuku, 142, 995 and the Ablekuma Central, 137, 154. Discuss the economic and/or social activities which give Ketu South the largest electoral roll in Ghana. But in what people say is a direct response to Gabbys comment, and perhaps the juggernaut that would settle the matter once and for all, former President Mahama, in a counter tweet had this to say: It can become a frustrating psychosis when you are unable to correctly predict the winning ticket of your opponent. In a recent Facebook post, former Deputy Minister of Communications, Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has stated that the obsession of the EC and President Akufo-Addo to compile a new voters register for the 2020 elections is targeted at some NDC constituencies in the Volta Region to satisfy the bigotry of the NPP. President Akufo-Addo and the NPPs obsession with compiling a new voters register through their hatchet men at the Electoral Commission is the product of bigotry and utter disrespect for sections of our population he indicated, adding that It stems from a misguided belief that those who vote for the NDC in the Volta Region are mostly Togolese and they must, therefore, be excluded from the Electoral roll. That claim is a lie cooked from the very pits of hell and one which the NPP has failed to offer a shred of evidence for. Mr Kwakye Ofosu said It is the reason why they have deliberately made it cumbersome and frustrating for people from there and other NDC strongholds to register with the exclusion of the voter ID cards from the primary requirements for registration. To do that, they prioritised their strongholds during the Ghana card registration process and sent more equipment than was required there when they failed to do same for regions where the NDC is strong, he explained further, indicating that The object is to have a register that permanently disadvantages the NDC in every election for as long as Jean Mensah and Bossman Asare rule the roost at the EC. He said allowing people to guarantee for others is a circuitous route intended to discourage as many people as possible from registering. It is in fact absurd that word of mouth is considered more credible than actual identification issued by the Electoral Commission itself and which they have used to conduct a number of elections since the overly partisan Jean Mensah and Bossman Asare took the reins. He also pointed out that For those afflicted by philistinism and who are unable to see this macabre attempt to rig elections ab initio, dont expect a statement from the President saying he will rig elections. Just follow the train of events and the fact that both the NPP and the EC have been woeful in justifying this plot. It would be recalled that in the run-up to the 2016 elections, NPP running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, alleged that there were 1.5 million Togolese names on the list of voters from the Volta region on Ghanas voters' register. Dr Bawumia made the unsubstantiated allegation under the auspices of NPP flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo and the partys leadership at a press conference. On August 15, 2015, a Reuters report had it that Ghanas main opposition party [NPP] asked the electoral commission on Tuesday to create a new voters register before next years electionThe New Patriotic Party (NPP) said it had overwhelming evidence that the electoral roll used for polls in 2012 was bloated with ineligible voters, including the names of Togolese nationals. The report went on to explain that Togo is home to the Ewe ethnic group that is also found in southeastern Ghana, where its members are regarded as strong supporters of President John Mahamas National Democratic Congress (NDC). It also quoted Bawumia as saying, The voters register is incurably flawed and cannot be relied on for the 2016 elections. This morning we presented our arguments and evidence on this matter to the electoral commission. The evidence is damning and shows that Ghanas voter's register has been compromised. The new register should be created by June next year and be independently audited by an internationally reputable firm ahead of Decembers election. The NPP and Dr Bawumia, however, failed to show evidence of the allegation when required to do so by the Charlotte Osei-led EC. The allegation was considered by many as a deliberate attack on people from the Volta Region. Some have said that even though the allegation came out of Bawumias mouth, he was only the hatchet man for the NPP tribal bigots who believe Voltarians are not Ghanaians. By Desmond Darko By Ayya Lmahamad Shareholder of the State oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), SOCAR Energoresurs in Russia has donated medical equipment worth $43 million to Tyumen, Siberia, Russian media has reported. The aid includes several thousand units of respirators, medical gloves, caps and disinfectants for medical professionals and has been delivered to "Reserve" center. Tyumen doctors continue to save lives of people infected with the virus. Our task is to help the doctors protect their health. Today we have transferred to the center "Reserve" more than two tons of antiseptics, respirators, hats, gloves, which were purchased with the funds of SOCAR Energoresurs, the shareholder of Antipinsky Oil Refinery, first deputy director of Antipinsky Oil Refinery Kirill Bakhmetyev said. The total value of the transferred personal protective equipment was 3 million rubles ($43.076). The additional 3 million rubles were transferred by SOCAR Energoresurs to the Charity Fund for the Development of the City of Tyumen within the framework of the project "Together Against a Virus". In the nearest future, SOCAR Energoresurs will send to Tyumen the third batch of protection means for medical workers. Spokesperson for the Health Department in Tyumen Alexandra Malygina has expressed her gratitude to all organizations that help them fight the virus. In 2019, SOCAR became a minority member of SOCAR Energoresurs LLC, which combined the assets of Antipinsky Oil Refinery and three fields in the Orenburg region of Russia. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Allentown, PA (18103) Today Partly to mostly sunny, brisk, and very cold. Below zero wind chills in the morning. . Tonight Partly cloudy and very cold. Near or below zero wind chills again late at night towards sunrise. John Krasinski isn't staying "Quiet" about "Some Good News." The "A Quiet Place" director is opening up about his controversial announcement last week to sell his new quarantine-era web series, "Some Good News" which originated out of a desperate need for good news amid coronavirus to CBS. "I was only planning on doing eight 'episodes' during quarantine," Krasinski, 40, told Rainn Wilson on Instagram Live on Tuesday. "I have these other things that I'm going to be having to do very soon, like 'Jack Ryan' and all this other stuff. But more than that, it was just something that writing, directing, and producing and all those things with a couple of my friends was so much. I knew it wouldn't be sustainable with my prior commitments." Krasinski went on to say he always knew he'd be faced with a crossroads about the program. Either he could cap it at the eight remote episodes "I would love to keep doing this show from my office forever," he said or, because the current model "wasn't sustainable," he'd need a partner. "In the first episode, like I said, I was thinking, 'Why isn't there a good news show that's dedicated entirely to good news?' And now we have one of the biggest news programs in America, CBS News, saying that they want to make it part of their permanent news cycle," he said. Though Krasinski will no longer be front and center, he assured fans that he'll return "whenever I can" and host some episodes. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The Emmy nominee added that the web series has left him "probably the most emotionally fulfilled" he's ever felt. Following news of the sale last week, some took to Twitter to question Krasinksi's motives. While some said it "makes total sense" as a business decision or pointed to the fact that "he sold something he made like every artist ever in the history of man kind," others called the move "VERY icky." "Remember when he created this free feel good YouTube show to 'make people feel good' and now he is ... selling it for $$$?" wrote one user. "Really cool, 100% honorable." "So he made 8 YouTube videos comprised largely of unpaid contribution from fans, sold the brand to a major conglomerate, and isn't even going to make it anymore?" another user said. "Just cashed out? Does this rub anyone else the wrong way, kinda?" Syria receives advanced MiG-29 fighter jets from Russia: SANA Iran Press TV Sunday, 31 May 2020 6:28 AM Syria has received a second batch of advanced MiG-29 fighter jets from Russia as Damascus and its allies are fighting a remaining Daesh pocket in the Arab country. Syria's official news agency SANA, citing a military source, said the new fighter jets were handed over to the Syrian Army during a ceremony at Hmeimim airbase in Syria's western coastal province of Latakia on Saturday. "In the framework of military and technical cooperation between Russia and Syria, the Russian side handed over the second batch of advanced and modernized MiG-29 fighter jets to Syria, during a ceremony at Hmeimim base," the source said. "The warplanes flew from the Hmeimim Airbase to their deployment areas in Syrian airbases," the source said. According to the source, the newly-received fighter jets are "more effective" than their previous generation. "As of June 1, 2020, Syrian pilots will begin to carry out missions on those planes in Syrian airspace," the source said. Syrian government forces, backed by allied fighters from popular defense groups, continue to score territorial gains in their battle against foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants in the northwestern province of Idlib. Idlib is the only large territory in the hands of terrorists after the Syrian Army managed to undo militant gains across the Arab country. Russian troops were formally invited to the country by the Syrian government in 2015. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A worker who had recently returned to UP's Banda from New Delhi allegedly committed suicide as he was 'not allowed' to marry a girl of his choice, police said on Monday. According to Mataundh SHO Ramendra Tiwari, the incident took place at Lohra village where Mahesh (21) hanged himself from a tree. He was home quarantined on May 19 after he returned from Delhi, where he worked in a brick kiln. "On Sunday, Mahesh ended his life by hanging himself from a tree. Prima facie, it seems that a love affair led to the suicide. His family had fixed his marriage on June 29 with a girl from Ratauli village in Mahoba against his wish," the SHO said. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), says President Akufo-Addo has monumentally failed to honour his promise of providing every constituency one million dollars per year. Addressing the press at the maiden edition of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Weekly Press Briefing, the Minority Chief Whip, Hon. Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka said after assuming office for nearly four years, and despite getting the most resources as President in the history of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo has very little to show for his flagship promise of a million dollars, a year, per constituency. The Asawase MP said three and half years into its administration, the government, which owes every constituency four million dollars each as a result of President Akufo-Addos promise, has only a few toilets, warehouses, markets mechanised water systems, ambulances and sub-standard dugouts to show. It is instructive to note that per the one million dollars every year per constituency promise of President Akufo-Addo, each constituency should have received a total of US$3 million, which leads to a total of US$825 million by now (excluding that of the year 2020), or benefitted from development projects equivalent to that amount by now, he added. Alhaji Muntaka said however that per the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives own data submitted to Parliament in the 2020 Budget Statement, the total cost of capital expenditure projects undertaken so far under the one million dollars per constituency promise from 2017 2019 is a paltry GHC462,979,103, equivalent to just US$81 million. The amount spent so far, Alhaji Muntaka said represents just a meager 9.8 per cent of the total of US$825 million that the government was supposed to have released by now in fulfillment of its promise to give every constituency one million dollars every year. While pointing out that the amount spent so far includes the expenditure on 200 sub-standard dugouts in the northern parts of the country, he noted that the project costs have not only been inflated but also Members of Parliament have been sidelined in the choice and execution of development projects in their respective constituencies and the disbursement of funds for same. He also opined, that the entire amount of $US81 million which has so far been spent on the one million dollars, per constituency promise, is far less than just what the Community Water and Sanitation Agency under the Ministry for Works and Housing did under the erstwhile NDC-Mahama regime. As protests and riots continue across the country in the wake of George Floyd's death, parents across the country are figuring out how to talk to their children about the protests and about fighting racism. Sarah Smith, a mom of three black children in a predominantly white community in Connecticut, exemplifies what many black parents face, fear for her children, particularly her 12-year-old son. "I'm scared for my son every single day that he leaves our house," Smith, a blogger, told "Good Morning America." "Because I don't know what could happen to him." Smith said conversations about race with not only her son but also her two daughters are nothing new in their household. PHOTO: Sarah Smith, of Connecticut, poses with her husband and three children. (Courtesy Sarah Smith) "We have to have these conversations every single day because they are African-American, living in America right now," she said. MORE: 'Massive eruption,' like Minneapolis protests, is what drives change: Experts Laura Zimmermann is a white mom with two kids who live in Oak Park, an area of Chicago she and her husband chose to raise their kids in because of its diversity. Still, she said she and her husband are "grappling" with how much to tell their children, ages 8 and 2. PHOTO: Laura Zimmermann, of Chicago, poses with her husband and two children. (Laura Zimmermann) "The conversations that we're having in our home honestly have been a little bit strained," she told "GMA," adding, "I think this is the time in our history when white people need to step up and really engage. I think we have to start realizing that this isn't about us. It's actually about getting rid of this huge blind spot within our society that there is still systemic racism." What the experts say The most important thing for parents to do is to have honest conversations with their children and to be there to answer their questions, experts say. "It is important to say conversation doesn't solve it by itself, but conversation, certainly with children, helps them make sense of the world," said Beverly Tatum, a psychologist and the author of "Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race." "You can have these conversations in an age-appropriate way with 3-year-olds or 13-year-olds." Story continues Tatum added that it's important for white parents especially to remember that the conversations brought on by the death of George Floyd -- who was pinned down by a Minneapolis police officer, an act that was caught on camera -- is "not new information for African-American families." "It's just a reminder that we haven't come as far as we need to go in order to really ensure everyone's safety," she said. "Racism is real. It's still with us." PHOTO: Protesters march during a solidarity rally for George Floyd, May 30, 2020, in New York. (Wong Maye-E/AP) For white parents who may not feel confident speaking with their children about race, or who may not feel as if they have all the answers, that can be an opportunity to learn with your children, according to Margaret Hagerman, a sociologist and the author of "White Kids: Growing Up With Privilege in a Racially Divided America." "In order to understand the present, we have to understand the past, and it might mean that you don't know all the answers and you don't feel confident even talking about this with your children. But that means that you could do some work to learn the answers to these questions," she said. "You can take the time to read up on this and this could be something even that you do with your children." MORE: 'We're sick of it': Protesters explain method to the madness of violent demonstrations Dr. Janet Taylor, a psychiatrist and the mother of four black children, echoed Tatum and Hagerman. For parents at this moment in time, she said, "communication is key." "Now is the time to talk to our children about the anxiety that we are feeling, which they are feeling as well, and teach them how to resolve that, how to soothe themselves," she told "GMA." "Because what we dont want is our children to associate their anxiety with the images that theyre seeing on the TV." Here are three tips from Taylor, in her own words, on talking to kids about racism and the protests currently underway. PHOTO: Talking to kids about race, protests. (ABC News) 1. Tell the truth. "You say their names -- George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, all black people. One was being arrested. One was jogging. The other one was killed by the police [in her home]. We use those words and say that the protests are happening because [people] want justice, they want change and there are peaceful ways to do that. Its an opportunity to teach, when you have conflict, how to speak up and do the right thing instead of inflicting more pain." 2. Celebrate the differences. "You can point out the differences in skin color, hair texture, things that our kids know anyway. . . . We need to celebrate differences and we also need to point out that we can come together and make a difference and it has to be that way. Black people cannot be the only ones teaching Americans about racism. Its a combined effort." 3. Set the example as parents. "Look at mommy-and-me get togethers. You look at playdates. People need to look around and think, How diverse are those playdates? As important as it is to talk about racism, our children are not born racists. That is something that develops based on what they hear, what they see. Its really important to teach our children as early as possible to be allies, to stand side by side with their classmates. Stand side by side by your playmates. Speak up when you see someone who is not involved or not invited to a birthday party and to support. We can teach that at birth by examples as parents." How to talk to kids about race, privilege amid George Floyd protests originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com A French trio headed back to the Meuse department with quite the stockpile of tobacco purchased in Luxembourg. Their shopping trip has likely become more expensive after they were stopped by French police... The France-Luxembourg border closures left a bitter taste in the mouth of French smokers who are used to buying their tobacco in the Grand Duchy. Even though France has started to gradually ease its strict lockdown measures, it remains illegal to drive to Luxembourg for non-essential reasons. Needless to say, French smokers are still banned from heading to Luxembourg only to buy cheap tobacco. On 29 May, French policers officers of the GLCF carried out checks in the border region with Belgium and busted a trio that did not respect the ongoing travel restrictions. Officers discovered no less that "8.950kg of tobacco [...] purchased in Luxembourg" inside a car with three passengers, the Meuse police department announced on its Facebook page earlier this Monday. Total value of the tobacco: 1,116.60. The unlucky trio was charged with importing a large amount of tobacco without declaring the goods to customs. As a reminder, the French government is planning on maintaining border checks until 15 June at the earliest. French nationals are not allowed to travel to Luxembourg for non-essential reasons. As people continue to protest following the death of George Floyd at rallies nationwide, officials are worried that the large gatherings will spark new coronavirus outbreaks. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, for example, warned that "if you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week. As of early Monday, the virus had killed more than 104,000 in the U.S. and more than 372,000 worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University data. There are more than 6.1 million confirmed cases across the globe and 1.7 million in the U.S. Refresh for the latest news, and get updates in your inbox with The Daily Briefing. Scroll down for more details. Here are a few key developments from Sunday: A sweeping national survey has exposed a staggering ethnic divide as Latinos are hit hard by the new virus. Hispanic households are reporting serious COVID-19 symptoms nearly twice as often as others, a USA TODAY analysis found. The gym chain 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide could be on the brink of filing bankruptcy, according to published reports. The family of a cruise ship passenger who died of the coronavirus has sued Princess Cruises and its parent company in federal court. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill that will pay death benefits to the families of front-line workers who died fighting the coronavirus. Staying Apart, Together: USA TODAY brings a newsletter about how to cope with these trying times straight to your inbox. Sign up here. Italy welcoming back tourists; Europe slowly reopens The Colosseum in Rome reopened Monday as Italy, the first European country to lock down, continues to slowly ease its social distancing measures and eyes a return of some tourists later this week. Starting Wednesday, Italy will allow travelers from the 25 other members of the Schengen visa-free travel area that covers much of Europe to come to Italy with no restrictions. But few are expecting large numbers to arrive at least at first. Story continues Rome, which is home to nearly 3 million permanent residents, is hardly a ghost town, though. Kids kick soccer balls between the pillars of the ancient portico of the Pantheon, dog walkers circle Piazza Navonas oval track, solitary pedestrians emerge from the shadows of majestic palaces, and tiny flowers sprout through the cobblestones of Campo de' Fiori. Elsewhere in Europe, Spain reported no deaths in a 24-hour period from the virus for the first time since March. Greece lifted lockdown measures Monday for hotels, campsites, open-air cinemas, golf courses and public swimming pools. The Netherlands reopened museums, and England saw some elementary classes return. Eric J. Lyman, Special to USA TODAY Busy hurricane season + coronavirus pandemic = 'a cataclysmic scenario' Thanks to COVID-19, the hurricane season that officially starts Monday will be unlike any other. "The combination of an ongoing pandemic and what NOAA has forecast to be a busy hurricane season is a cataclysmic scenario," according to the disaster policy group SmarterSafer Coalition. Federal forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last month predicted as many as 19 named storms would form, of which as many as 10 will be hurricanes. It's just one of many forecasts that predict an unusually busy season in 2020. Even without the pandemic, this "would be a challenging hurricane season," said Rachel Cleetus of the Union of Concerned Scientists, because of the predicted number of storms. "As a nation, we're not prepared, and this is putting people's lives at risk." Doyle Rice, USA TODAY Latino homes report serious COVID-19 symptoms nearly twice as often A sweeping national survey believed to be the largest measurement of symptoms of COVID-19 has exposed a staggering ethnic divide as Hispanic are hit hard by the new virus. Since March, 1.6 million people have answered the basic question: Is anyone in your home experiencing symptoms ranging from a dry cough to difficulty breathing? Across the nation, Hispanic households said yes to symptoms of COVID-19 the lung disease caused by the virus nearly a third more often than others, a USA TODAY analysis found. When the list is narrowed to what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently identified as the most serious pairs of ailments dry cough and difficulty breathing, or fever and loss of taste or smell the differences were far starker: Hispanics experienced them almost twice as often. Kenny Jacoby and Marco della Cava, USA TODAY South Korea case spike sparks alarm South Korea has reported 238 cases of the coronavirus over the past five days, causing some worry as the country has eased social distancing rules, including opening schools. Most of the cases are centered in the Seoul metropolitan area, and hundreds of infections have been linked to nightspots, restaurants and a massive e-commerce warehouse near Seoul. According to the Yonhap News Agency, Monday's 35 new cases is a slight tick down after Thursday saw a two-month high of 75 cases. The news agency reported that some worries have been raised as nearly two dozen cases were traced to 13 small churches in Incheon, west of Seoul, and Gyeonggi Province surrounding the capital. George Floyd protests could spark new coronavirus infections, experts say Civil unrest across the nation fueled by racial injustice is raising fears of new coronavirus infections. Melanie Campbell, president of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, said anger in the black community has been building for years. George Floyd's death spurred them to take to the streets even as the coronavirus has taken a disproportionate toll on African Americans. "Black people are risking their lives protesting in the middle of a pandemic thats killing black folks. Thats real," she said. "There is no convenient time to fight back." Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms warned that "if you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week. Bottoms warned that there is still a pandemic in America thats killing black and brown people at higher numbers" than white people. Health experts fear carriers of the virus who have no symptoms could unwittingly infect others at protests where social distancing is simply not taking place. The merits of the protesters' cause "doesnt prevent them from getting the virus, said Bradley Pollock, chairman of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis. Deborah Barfield Berry, USA TODAY More coronavirus news and information from USA TODAY 24 Hour Fitness reportedly preparing for bankruptcy filing Gym chain 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide is reportedly preparing to file for bankruptcy, as retailers and other companies navigate the coronavirus pandemic. According to The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, the company is seeking a loan to allow them to keep operating through a restructuring. The company has more than $1.3 billion in debt after a buyout by AEA Investors and the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, reports Bloomberg. Based in California, 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide operates more than 430 clubs across the country. The Journal reports the company plans to close some gyms permanently. In a statement obtained by USA TODAY, 24 Hour Fitness says they look forward to continue reopening clubs nationwide as coronavirus restrictions are lifted. "We are considering a broad range of options to ensure the long term sustainability and success of 24 Hour Fitness and we are not going to comment publicly on our strategic plans," said the company. Brett Molina, USA TODAY Family of Grand Princess passenger who died of coronavirus files suit against Carnival The family of a California cruise ship passenger who died of the coronavirus has sued Princess Cruises and its parent company in federal court. Ronald Wong, 64, and his wife, Eva, were passengers on the Grand Princess when the ship set sail from San Francisco on Feb. 21. He died in a California hospital a month later after testing positive for coronavirus. Eva Wong tested positive and recovered. According to the complaint, filed last week in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Princess and its parent, Carnival Corp., should have known that a passenger on the ship's prior voyage had the coronavirus. Sixty-two passengers and 1,000 crew members who sailed on the Grand Princess to Mexico stayed on board for the next sailing to Hawaii, according to the complaint. Curtis Tate, USA TODAY New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signs bill to support families of front-line workers New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Saturday signed a bill into law that creates a death benefit for the families of state and local government workers who have been on the front lines of the state's coronavirus response, according to a statement. Those workers "gave their lives for us," Cuomo said. New York has been the state hardest hit by the coronavirus. On Saturday, Cuomo also confirmed 1,376 new cases of the virus. According to the governor's office, that brings the statewide total to 369,660 confirmed cases. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus update: Princess Cruises lawsuit, George Floyd protests Chefs from Madrid's Michelin-starred restaurants staged a protest outside the Congreso building in the capital this week. Many top names on the city's gastro scene wanted to draw attention to the precarious position they find themselves in. They say this is because of not only the closure of their businesses during lockdown, but also the plan to allow them to only reopen at 40 per cent capacity. They claim it will be unprofitable to run their high-end restaurants and want the government to do more. The catering industry makes up over six per cent of the Spanish economy and employs 1.7 million people. "We are where needed, cooking for and helping those who are in need at these difficult times, and we are doing this voluntarily," said Juanjo Lopez, owner and chef at Madrid's La Tasquita de Enfrente restaurant as he read out an explanation of the protesters' demands. Lung cancers account for approximately 25 percent of all cancer deaths. Even among those who do not smoke, 1 in 15 men and 1 in 17 women are expected to develop lung cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. Lung cancer has confounded scientists who strive to develop better therapies for this aggressive and deadly disease. About 15 percent of lung cancers are classified as small cell lung cancer. Recent studies have indicated that four major subtypes of small cell lung cancer exist, yet approaches to tailor treatment of these subtypes have not yet become standard of care. Today in the journal Cancer Cell, scientists outline new findings about the origins of these lung cancer subtypes, paving the way for a new foundation to study this disease. Trudy Oliver, Ph.D., a lung cancer researcher at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) and associate professor of oncological sciences at the University of Utah (U of U), is working to improve our ability to fight this disease. Prior work in her lab helped create a mouse model of small cell lung cancer, providing researchers with a sophisticated tool to better understand how this disease progresses and to analyze potential treatment approaches. According to Oliver, "Small cell lung cancer has historically been treated as a single disease, which has been an unsuccessful approach for most patients. Thanks to rapid advances in the field, we now understand that each type of small cell lung cancer has specific traits--including traits that may help us understand better ways to tailor treatment for patients." U of U graduate student Abbie Ireland, a member of Oliver's team and first author on the study, developed a new assay that allowed the team to follow single cells from tumor samples and observe how they change over time. Ireland and colleagues found that the major subtypes of small cell lung cancer are not so discretely different after all. Rather than thinking of them as distinct diseases, the team found that one tumor subtype can evolve to become a different subtype. And further, a tumor may have cells representing multiple subtypes at any given time. Human development involves multiple stages--infancy, adolescence, and adulthood. While we are humans at each of those stages, we have unique characteristics and behaviors at each stage. Our data suggest that small cell lung cancer is the same way, that it changes at different stages and displays unique characteristics and behaviors in each stage." Trudy Oliver, Ph.D., lung cancer researcher at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) and associate professor of oncological sciences at the University of Utah (U of U) Oliver's team believes this means small cell lung cancer will have unique vulnerabilities as it evolves. To treat these sophisticated tumors may require a therapeutic approach that acknowledges the tumors are a "moving target" and that treatments need to evolve over time with the tumor. It is also possible these cancers will require combinations of drugs that can target multiple subtypes of the tumor at the same time. This finding may also aid in understanding other cancers known to have subtypes, such as breast cancer or glioblastoma. The team speculates that subtypes in other cancers may also represent stages of tumor evolution. Through a collaboration with HCI lung cancer physicians, Oliver was able to access samples of tumors donated by 21 patients who had surgeries at HCI. Tumor samples of small cell lung cancer are very difficult to obtain, and this opportunity to study tumor traits from tumors donated by patients was important to advance insights into this disease. Ireland and her colleagues analyzed tumors for markers of small cell lung cancer subtypes and found that many tumors had markers of more than one subtype, consistent with their ability to change subtype or evolve. Additionally, through a collaboration at Washington University in St. Louis, the team studied one human tumor at the single-cell level using a relatively new, advanced technology called single-cell RNA sequencing. Oliver's group further showed that a gene called MYC, which is known to promote tumor growth in many cancers, appears to be responsible for driving the evolution of small cell lung tumors. "Together, the results of these human tissue analyses revealed that small cell lung cancer tumors indeed harbor multiple subtypes," says Oliver. Oliver posits this may explain why so many therapies have failed for small cell lung cancer in clinical trials. Since the tumor is naturally evolving, there may need to be multiple, simultaneous treatments in order to be effective. Oliver's team now plans to investigate how the evolution of tumors may affect response to various therapies. According to Airwars, at least 429 of the estimated minimum of 727 civilian deaths in Libya since 2012, or about 60 percent, are believed to have taken place since the offensive began. Airwars assigned responsibility to Hifters group or affiliated forces for at least 270 of the deaths since the start of the Tripoli battle while saying the GNA and affiliated forces were believed to be responsible for 95. The 32-year old man was suspected of carrying a weapon and shot at, but was later found to have been unarmed A Palestinian woman argues with a member of Israeli security forces, as she takes part in a protest at the Damascus Gate of the old city of Jerusalem. (AFP) Jerusalem: Hundreds of people attended the funeral on Sunday of a Palestinian who was fatally shot by Israeli police in an incident for which Israels new defense minister later apologized. A police spokesman had said officers killed a Palestinian they suspected was carrying a weapon in Jerusalems Old City on Saturday, but according to Israeli media, the man was later found to have been unarmed. Palestinian officials said the 32-year-old man, Iyad Khayri, suffered mental health issues and decried his killing. In comments at Israels Sunday cabinet meeting, Defense Minister Benny Gantz said: We are really sorry about the incident in which Iyad Khayri was shot to death and we share in the familys sorrow - but I am certain this matter will be investigated swiftly and conclusions will be drawn. He said Israel will make every effort to limit casualties while continuing to maintain the proper level of security. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not mention the incident in his remarks. Tension has risen in recent weeks with Israel saying it hopes to move ahead with a plan to extend sovereignty to Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank - land the Palestinians seek for a state. The Palestinians, Arab states, the United Nations and European states have warned against the move and the Palestinians have declared an end to security cooperation with Israel and its ally, the United States, in protest. A controversy is growing in Afghanistan after a healer claimed he has found a cure for treating COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, which has killed more than 370,000 people worldwide in the ongoing pandemic. Relatives of patients and lawmakers are calling on the Afghan authorities to let them try the medicine that Hakeem Alakozai, a traditional Afghan healer, says can treat patients suffering from the disease. But Afghan health authorities shut down his clinic in Kabul on May 31 and are warning people to refrain from using his unproven cure, which involves a syrup made from plant extracts. Alakozai has not disclosed the ingredients, but he practices Unani medicine, a system of alternative traditional medicine still popular across South Asia. On June 1, scores of families of patients thronged outside the shuttered clinic in the capital, Kabul. Many had spent the night waiting in line. We want to request the government to let us use the medicine Hakeem sahib has prepared because there is no remedy for this disease anywhere, Kabul resident Fahima told Radio Free Afghanistan while referring to Alakozai with the traditional title for respect. What is our fault in this? she asked. Why is the government not allowing us to get medicine from Hakeem sahib when it cannot provide a treatment or do anything [about this disease]? Mohammad Imran, another Kabul resident, claims that Alakozais medicine cured many members of his extended family. More patients [among our relatives] have arrived from various provinces to get the treatment, he told Radio Free Afghanistan. Many from the countryside who are sick travel to cities to stay with their relatives as they seek treatment from doctors or traditional healers. The government should let us get this medicine so the rest of our guests can be treated, Imran added. Middle-aged Alakozai, who wears a colorful turban, moved to Kabul from his native Kandahar, Afghanistan's second city and capital of the province with the same name, after gaining rapid fame for treating COVID-19. He claims to have treated thousands, including senior government officials, with his medicine. The coronavirus is a mixture of old diseases such as cold, flu, cough, malaria, and typhoid, he says in a YouTube video. Unlike the past, all these diseases have united in attacking patients by the order of Allah to torment people. As the coronavirus infection rates rise in Afghanistan, Alakozais claims of a treatment have earned him some public support. The country of estimated 35 million people has so far recorded more than 15,700 cases amid a lack of widespread testing. At least 265 deaths are attributed to COVID-19, but the true extent of the pandemic is difficult to fathom because of the countrys fragmented healthcare system. But the desperation of many Afghans in seeking a treatment for the disease indicates that the coronavirus is taking a heavy toll on the country reeling from more than four decades of war. Lawmaker Sayed Ahmad Sailab, who represents Kandahar in the Afghan Parliament, said he hopes to be able to officially confirm or debunk the treatments viability. Along with Sayed Jan Khakrezwal, the head of Kandahars provincial council, he claims Alakozais treatment has helped thousands in recovering from the coronavirus infections. I support Alakozais efforts and will not rest until the Health Ministry either approves or refutes his treatment, Sailab said. But Afghan health authorities are not convinced. Wahid Majroh, a spokesman for Health Ministry, said people should not take the treatment when its effectiveness has not been confirmed. The responsibility we have to protect the health of Afghans binds us to not allow any individual or group to provide a medicine or treatment without it being approved by relevant national and international healthcare organizations, he told journalists. Nowhere in the world are vaccines being made at home, Majroh said in a pointed reference to Alakozais claims. Even if a treatment is 100 percent effective as our brother claims, it still needs to be tested [and approved] by institutions linked to the Health Ministry and international healthcare organizations. Majroh said they will be quick to share Alakozais treatment if it proves effective in treating COVID-19. Until its effectiveness is proved, I request our educated and wise citizens to refrain from believing in rumors, he said. Dont do anything that can result in flooding our hospitals with patients whose conditions have worsened because they drank a potion made from opium poppies, he added, alluding to the possibility that Alakozai might be using opium extracts in his claimed treatment. Since the emergence of the novel coronavirus in China in January, the world has been on a frantic search for a cure or prevention of the highly infectious virus. The World Health Organization is keen to note that so far there is no specific cure or vaccine available for COVID-19. More than 100 vaccines candidates are being prepared globally with some of them in initial human trials. But health officials and scientists still warn that a vaccine might be months or even years away. While Gilead Sciences' antiviral drug Remdesivir has been approved to be used as a potential treatment for COVID-19, the drug is still far from a proven treatment. It is still only available in limited quantities and is being administered at select hospitals. Abubakar Siddique wrote this story based on reporting by Radio Free Afghanistan correspondents Sultan Mohammad Sarwar and Nusrat Parsa. Aviary the poodle crossbreed was found by RSCPA neglected in western Sydney Dog owner convicted on multiple cruelty offences and banned from owning pets Horrific photos have emerged of the shocking condition of a poodle crossbreed left on the brink of death after he was cruelly neglected by his owner. Aviary was found suffering from dental disease, faecal scalding, infected ear canals and conjunctivitis when he was seized by RSCPA officers at a western Sydney home last September. RSCPA NSW has released graphic photos of the state of the flea-ridden dog and his matted coat after his owner was recently convicted on multiple animal cruelty offences and was banned from purchasing or owning an animal for five years. Aviary required lifesaving veterinary treatment after being neglected by his owner Aviary after her matted coat was removed - the fur weighed 700 grams and was dirty and full of fleas The man, 71, failed to appear in Mount Druitt Local Court in May, where he was convicted of six counts of failing to provide vet treatment and fined $5,400 in his absence. He was also ordered to pay an additional $6,107 in veterinary care and shelter costs to the RSPCA NSW. Inspectors found Aviary lying on the ground and in urgent need of veterinary treatment when they attended the Lethbridge Park home last September, according to facts tendered to the court. The dog was immediately seized and taken to RSPCA NSW Sydney Veterinary Hospital to be examined. 'The veterinary report indicated that the dog had numerous health issues which remained untreated for significant periods of time, causing him unnecessary pain, suffering and discomfort,' a RSPCA statement read. The dog owner was convicted on six counts of multiple animal cruelty offences to Aviary Aviary looked like a different dog after his matted and flea-riddled coast was shorn off Aviary was suffering from a grade four dental disease with bone loss and gum recession at the tooth roots, and pus exuding from the root. He also had inflamed, irritated skin at the perianal region due to faecal scalding, conjunctivitis and otitis externa (ear infections) which had been untreated for at least one week prior to examination. He had a heavy flea burden which had remained untreated for at least three weeks, and a very matted and dirty coat, for which the man failed to provide necessary grooming for at least one month prior to examination. Thankfully Aviary bounced back to make a full recovery and was adopted into his forever home within several months. Starting in 2010, Express Junk Removal was founded by Nicholas Stanko, a Youngstown State University graduate, to help home owners and businesses clear unwanted junk and clutter from their properties. Over the past decade, Express Junk Removal has partnered with charitable organizations to elevate their customer and employee focus, enhance their reputations, and reap the substantial business benefits. In fact, since the company's inception, numerous Express Junk Removal clients have recommended their friends and family because of the outstanding customer service they have received, as well as the above and beyond nature of the business. In doing so, they have been awarded high valuations with very strong customer retention and employee satisfaction. Reflecting on 10 years in business Stanko said, "I take great pride in what we have been able to accomplish over the last decade. For me, the significance of this milestone is more than just keeping the lights on. It means our clients and employees believe the work we do is valuable. Importantly, it validates the business benefits of being customer-centric. I've also been very fortunate to find a talented group of colleagues who have been instrumental in our success. I've never been more optimistic about the future of Express Junk Removal." In response to celebrating its 10th Anniversary, several clients and advocates have offered congratulatory messages. Here is a small sample of the comments received: Congratulations!!!! That is quite a track record! Thanks for all you do for the world of Customer Experience! You should be proud to have built such an industry leading firm that specializes in junk removal. Seeing your work first hand, I am not surprised of Express Junk Removal's 10 years of success!! Congratulations!!! You have been an incredible partner for Berkshire Hathaway Home Servvices the past several years. Can't wait to see what you and your team continue to accomplish moving forward! Congrats on the first decade of success and best wishes for the next decade! Express Junk Removal has been an invaluable partner. As part of its 10 Year Anniversary celebration, Express Junk Removal will be making charitable contributions to 10 different organizations throughout 2020. To learn which charities have been selected, follow the company's Facebook page. Press Contact: Express Junk Removal 234-600-3317 [email protected] https://expressjunkremoval.com SOURCE Express Junk Removal NIGERIA: A Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere sentenced a former Exxon Mobil engineer to 15 years imprisonment today, June 1, 2020. James Onuoha was sentenced to 15 years jail term without an option of fine after he was found guilty of raping his tenants niece, who was 14 years old at the time. The incident happened on January 4, 2016, and caused outrage at the time, with a number of celebrities lending their voice to call for justice. At the last adjourned date, on January 14, 2020, the court adjourned the case until March 25, for judgment, after the parties adopted their final written addresses.However, the judgment could not be delivered on March 25 due to lockdown resulting from the COVID- 19 pandemic. At the resumed hearing of the matter, Justice Adedayo Akintoye delivered judgement on Onuoha. Before handing down the verdict, the convicts counsel, Dr Victor Olowonla, in his allocutus, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as he was a first time offender. Onuoha was first arraigned in January 2016 at the Magistrates Court on a four-count charge of defilement. Onuoha was remanded in Kirikiri correctional centre pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Following his indictment by the DPP, the case was transferred to the high court for trial. The state government accused Onuoha of committing the alleged offences on January 4, 2016, at 11:30 a.m., at 25, Samuel Amoore Street, Idowu Estate, Ike-Ira Nla, Ajah, Lagos. The prosecution led by Dr. Jide Martins said the defendant willfully had an unlawful sexual act with the teenager without her consent. He said the offences contravened Sections 134 (2), 135 (1), and is punishable under Sections 137 and 258 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Onuoha, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. Source: LIB 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 David Guetta just brought New York City's largest dance party from the Top of the Rock directly into fans' homes through his #UnitedAtHomeNYC livestream. In an a collaborative effort with Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray, the French DJ spun from the top of 30 Rockefeller Center to help raise money for the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City and other COVID-19 relief charities. "We are safe but we are still going to throw the biggest party on the planet right now," Guetta said as he began his DJ set. "Today we are raising money for a good cause. New York, let's go!" The concert raised over $450,000 for relief efforts to help frontline healthcare workers, essential staff, immigrant communities and more. In addition to the Mayor's Fund, proceeds will also go to Feeding America, Fondation Hopitaux de Paris-Hopitaux de France and the World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Respond Fund. "New York is one of my favorite cities and it's an honor to be able to do something to help the city during this difficult time," Guetta said in a statement that was shared with E! News. Celebs Giving Back Throughout the Coronavirus Pandemic He added, "As a DJ, the crowd is the most important part of any show and even though we can't be together in a club or at a festival, we can use this time to come together in new ways and help those who need it most." The ongoing protests across the country in response to the killing of George Floyd weren't lost on Guetta. "The world is going through difficult times," he said early on during the livestream. "And America, too, actually. So last night, I knew we were going to do this and I made a special record... so this record is in honor George Floyd. I really hope we can see more unity and more peace when things are already so difficult. So shoutout to his family." Story continues Guetta then continued to play a track that remixed Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 "I Have A Dream" speech. He went on, "We all have this dream and the people that are watching, I'm just asking everyone to have a little though for George Floyd and his family and hope that this will never, ever, happen again." Last month, the "Titanium" producer's Miami United At-Home performance drew over 25 million viewers and raised more than $750,000 for COVID-19 funds. To see a list of celebrities giving back throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and how you can help, click here. This article, Jack Dorsey, Mark Zuckerberg and the fight for social media's soul -- and survival, originally appeared on CNET.com. To understand the difference between Mark Zuckerberg's and Jack Dorsey's management styles, let's start with a story about a goat. About 10 years ago, Facebook's founder invited Twitter's chief to his Silicon Valley home for dinner and served a goat he'd just killed. Zuckerberg had hunted the animal as part of a famous New Year's challenge in which he vowed to only eat meat he'd personally slaughtered. When the goat came out, the meat was cold, Dorsey told Rolling Stone last year. "I just ate my salad," said Dorsey, a finicky eater who practices intermittent fasting. The home-cooked meal wasn't just a bizarre interaction between two of Big Tech's most powerful moguls. It's an example, granted an extreme one, of a simple fact: Jack Dorsey and Mark Zuckerberg do things differently. Those differences, in turn, play out on their freewheeling social networks, which are now at the center of a growing political controversy over misinformation, free speech and content moderation in a world where most people get their news online first. At the center of that controversy is President Donald Trump, an avid Twitter user who's griped about social media for years even as he's used the platforms to reach his base. His anger hit a new ceiling this week when he signed an executive order taking aim at Facebook and Twitter. The order sets the stage for discussion to come about whether social media platforms should keep their protected status as distributors of content -- rather than publishers of content -- under Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act. In the few days after Trump announced (via tweets, of course) his plan to challenge the social media giants, the responses from Dorsey and Zuckerberg couldn't be more different. Twitter has gone all-in, calling out Trump, flagging his tweets for misleading information about mail-in ballots and for "glorifying violence." Facebook, meanwhile, has left Trump's posts on the social network alone, and is seen as trying to mollify the president. We have placed a public interest notice on this Tweet from @realdonaldtrump. https://t.co/6RHX56G2zt Twitter Comms (@TwitterComms) May 29, 2020 Through it all, Zuckerberg and Dorsey have taken potshots at each other's companies, shattering a decorum normally practiced by Silicon Valley's elite. On Wednesday, Zuckberberg went on Fox News -- familiar turf for Trump -- to proclaim that Facebook shouldn't be an "arbiter of truth," name-checking Twitter as he did. Without mentioning Facebook directly, Dorsey fired back hours later in a series of tweets. "We'll continue to point out incorrect or disputed information about elections globally," he wrote. "This does not make us an 'arbiter of truth.'" "The companies are clearly taking two very different approaches," said Jen King, a director at Stanford Law School's Center for Internet and Society. Dorsey may feel more comfortable pushing back because Twitter -- though it does attract attention -- hasn't been under the same intense microscope as Facebook and Zuckerberg, she said. "To the extent that these companies are reflections of their founders and leaders, Twitter just hasn't had the same questions around ethics that Facebook has." A deep divide For years the president has complained, without evidence, that Silicon Valley has it out for conservatives. On Thursday, Trump's rage toward Twitter, which he uses every day to reach his 80 million followers, boiled over as he signed an executive order that threatens to crack down on social media companies. "We're here today to defend free speech from one of the greatest dangers it has faced in American history," Trump said in the Oval Office when signing the order. The catalyst came earlier in the week, when Twitter for the first time applied labels to two of Trump's tweets. The company flagged one post, which shared inaccurate details about mail-in ballots, for containing "potentially misleading information." Two days later Twitter flagged another tweet, in which the president, seeming to reference comments that helped spark Miami race riots in the 1960s, warned protesters in Minneapolis that looters would be shot. Twitter said the tweet violated its community standards against "glorifying violence." Getty Images Trump posted the same message, which suggested the military would take control of the situation, on Facebook. The post has been liked more than 240,000 times and shared 64,000 times. Facebook, which didn't remove the post, didn't respond to a request for comment. But Zuckerberg explained the decision on Friday afternoon, reportedly after employees began questioning management's inaction on internal message boards. "All this points to a very high risk of a violent escalation and civil unrest in November," one employee reportedly wrote. "If we fail the test case here, history will not judge us kindly." "I've been struggling with how to respond to the President's tweets and posts all day," Zuckerberg wrote, explaining his decision. He said Facebook interpreted Trump's reference to the National Guard "as a warning about state action," and decided the post should stay up. "Personally, I have a visceral negative reaction to this kind of divisive and inflammatory rhetoric," Zuckerberg added. "But I'm responsible for reacting not just in my personal capacity but as the leader of an institution committed to free expression. I know many people are upset that we've left the President's posts up, but our position is that we should enable as much expression as possible unless it will cause imminent risk of specific harms or dangers spelled out in clear policies." Trump's executive order asks for government agencies including the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission to reinterpret the CDA law that shields tech platforms from liability for content posted by users. Many lawyers, activists and academics say Trump's order isn't workable, with some calling it political theater and note it will likely face legal challenges. Both the FTC and the FCC are independent agencies, so it'll be up to them whether to take action. But that doesn't make it meaningless. Trump's active promotion of the order may drive Dorsey, Zuckerberg and other social media executives to dig their heels in on their already diverging approaches to moderating content. Twitter and Facebook have differed sharply in policy decisions in the past. Last year, Dorsey said Twitter would ban political ads, with a handful of exceptions. Twitter, for example, allows ads with messages about issues pertaining to the environment or economy, but they can't push specific legislation or political solutions. Getty Images Facebook is more open to political marketing. The social network doesn't send ads from politicians to fact-checkers but includes them in a public database. It also limits the amount of political ads people see on the social network. Amid criticism, Zuckerberg defended the decision last year during a speech at Georgetown University, saying the company stands for "voice and free expression." As Twitter and Facebook again deviate in their approaches to speech on their platforms, civil rights groups are applauding Twitter. But they say Dorsey could go even further. "Now that Twitter is emboldened, sees the public is behind them, and has committed to doing its part to flag disinformation and threats of violence from the president, it must also take a stand against other hateful activity on its platform," said Henry Fernandez, co-founder of Change the Terms, a coalition of advocacy groups focused on "reducing hate online." 'The whole world was watching' Zuckerberg, 36, and Dorsey, 43, are alike in many ways. Both dropped out of prestigious colleges to move to Silicon Valley. The two are making more media appearances as their companies come under fire, but neither is particularly comfortable in the glare of a television studio. They've both pledged to give away big chunks of their multibillion-dollar fortunes. But as Silicon Valley founders go, they're polar opposites. Zuckerberg has often cited Bill Gates as a major influence. Both are Harvard University dropouts. Both are cerebral, Zuckerberg so much so he's been derided as robotic. Like Gates, Zuckerberg is becoming well-known for his philanthropy. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, an organization he and wife Priscilla Chan founded in 2015, focuses on education and medicine, the same playbook used by the 20-year-old Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Getty Images By contrast, Dorsey's story more closely resembles that of Gates' tech nemesis: Steve Jobs. Apple's cofounder was famously ousted from the company he started, only to return in 1996 to save it from the brink of collapse. Dorsey, too, was forced out of Twitter for years before reclaiming the top job in 2015. Like Jobs, who was often seen as a new age hippie, Dorsey is known for his quirks. The New York Times once called him "Gwyneth Paltrow for Silicon Valley," citing his role as a wellness guru for the tech world, his penchant for meditation retreats, ice baths and intermittent fasting. And he's noted for often delegating policy decisions, "watching the debate from the sidelines so he would not dominate with his own views," the NYT noted. Dorsey is also CEO of the mobile payments technology company he founded, Square. Dorsey also has a history with activism. In 2014, he participated in the Ferguson, Missouri, protests after the death of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man shot dead by a white police officer. Dorsey, who grew up in nearby St. Louis, said at the time it was "stunning" to see people using the service to organize and protest. "That was so important to people on the ground," Dorsey said. "It felt like the whole world was watching." Turns out, it is. President Donald Trump meets with China's President Xi Jinping at the start of their bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019. Kevin Lemarque | Reuters China's foreign ministry has accused the U.S. of selfishly pursuing unilateralism, Reuters reported on Monday, following President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization. Speaking during a daily briefing, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters that the response from the international community had shown many disagree with the move. "The U.S. has become addicted to quitting groups and scrapping treaties," Zhao said, according to a Reuters report. Trump on Friday had accused the WHO of becoming a puppet of China, claiming Beijing exercised "total control" over the United Nations health agency. The WHO has denied the U.S. president's claim that it promoted so-called "disinformation" about the outbreak. It has also described the U.S. decision to withdraw from the group in the midst of a pandemic as "disappointing" and "inexplicable." The European Union has since called on the U.S. to reconsider its position, saying the participation of all members in the UN health agency is required and "very much needed." To date, more than 6.1 million people have contracted Covid-19 across the globe, with 372,479 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. has recorded by far the highest number of Covid-19 infections worldwide, surpassing the grim milestone of 100,000 deaths last week. Trump's decision to pull out of the WHO came after he warned the U.S would move to halt funding unless substantive changes were made within 30 days. On Friday, he said the WHO had failed to meet the "greatly needed" requirements set out in his ultimatum. The U.S. president has repeatedly criticized the organization's response to the coronavirus pandemic, with the outbreak also a source of intensifying tension between Washington and Beijing. President Donald J. Trump Tom Williams | CQ Roll Call | Getty Images Montgomery and Prince George's counties slowly eased out of a coronavirus shutdown on Monday, the last jurisdictions in the Washington area to begin relaxing restrictions. Small pleasures yielded outsize delight. Teenagers gathered for coffees, shoppers soothed a retail itch and people settled into salon and barbershop chairs for haircuts delayed for months. "I need this so badly," Bowie resident Marion Parker said from behind a mask, admiring her newly cropped gray hair at Distinctive Hair & Grooming for Men in Prince George's. It was her first trim since January. "Oh, it looks great," she said. Deborah Guynn, the shop's owner, said that her voicemail had been full of eager customers during the shutdown and that she prepared accordingly. She purchased disposable hair capes, hospital-grade disinfectant to wipe down chairs and masks for staff members and for clients who did not have them. Her employees had been instructed to take the temperature of anyone who came for a haircut. Black and blue marks on the floor spaced people six feet apart. Above the sink, a taped up sign reminded staff and customers that "Barbers Must Wash Hands Between Clients." But business was slow at first. "I don't know where everyone is," Guynn said. Prince George's and Montgomery, the two most populous counties in Maryland, were hit harder by the novel coronavirus than other parts of the state, which began their reopenings in May. As of Monday, there were 11,476 reported infections in Montgomery, home to the largest number of deaths in the state, and 15,353 in Prince George's, home to the largest share of cases. The District of Columbia and its northern Virginia suburbs started reopening Friday. As in other parts of D.C., Maryland and Virginia, social distancing rules and mask restrictions remain in place in both Montgomery and Prince George's. Restaurants may offer outdoor dining only, at half-capacity. In downtown Bethesda, a few restaurants and pubs were gearing up for their first sit-down-lunch customers in weeks. But many others showed no signs of life. "It takes a good two weeks just to get everything up and running," said John McManus, owner of the Barking Dog on Elm Street, as he readied his kitchen to begin serving outdoor diners at 11 a.m. By noon, there were several restaurants along Woodmont Avenue with tables set out, but only a few diners taking advantage of them. At Fish Taco, you could order at the counter and bring it outside to a table, but no one had done so. At Tandoori Nights, staffers had measured the distance between tables with a tape measure, but no one was sitting at them. At a table in front of Philz Coffee, three graduating seniors from nearby Bethesda Chevy Chase High School laughed and chatted, happy to be together again on a gorgeous sunny day. "It feels so surreal," said 17-year-old Nithia Akineza. Before getting coffee, Akineza and her two friends had dropped off textbooks and picked up their caps and gowns from school. They had also received goody bags, complete with "Class of 2020" face masks. It was their first time gathering in person since the shutdown. "Everybody's like, 'How do you feel?' " Akineza said. "I'm like, 'How am I supposed to feel? I'm graduating on a Zoom call.' " The coronavirus, though slowed, has continued to spread. Maryland and Virginia reported a total of 1,396 new coronavirus cases Monday. There were 39 new deaths reported in the three jurisdictions, bringing the region's death toll to 4,412. Virginia reported 17 new deaths, with Fairfax and Loudoun counties each reporting four new deaths. Maryland had 20 new deaths, with four each in Montgomery and Prince George's. D.C. disclosed 56 new coronavirus cases and two new deaths. D.C. officials said they would announce criteria for lifting additional restrictions later in the week. LaQuandra Nesbitt, the city's top public health official, said she was monitoring for a two-week decline in the spread of the virus starting May 29, when the city entered Phase 1 of its reopening plans. The consecutive nights of mass protests in the city, part of nationwide outrage over the death of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis police, has public health experts concerned about the potential spread of the virus and the possibility of a second wave of infections. Although the city excludes cases at confined facilities when calculating the community spread of the virus, Nesbitt said cases from mass gatherings would not be excluded. "As we ramp up our contact tracing, we will try as best as we can to link their exposure to having participated in one of these events, but it could be tricky to do so," she said. "If people are going to work, if they are going to dine in at the outdoor restaurants and we do a complete interview of all the activities that they participated in, we may be able to link their activity or participation to one of these protests." Meanwhile, the National Harbor resort in Prince George's was largely quiet on Monday. Parking spots were plentiful. Most stores were shuttered, with new signs announcing new rules allowing curbside pickup. Many restaurants were preparing for reopening later in the week. Laura Castro was among a few other high school graduates who chose the resort as the backdrop for her graduation photo. She thought pictures of her blue West Springfield High gown flapping in the wind against the blue waters of the Potomac would be social media worthy. Castro also got something she was not expecting: a sit-down meal at a restaurant, an experience she has not had since the Washington region shut down due to the coronavirus. "We didn't even know they were open," said Richard Ponce, who joined Castro and her mother, Olga Sanchez, on the patio at McCormick & Schmick's. "We were just hoping to find some place that was open." "We saw them cleaning tables, and I thought, 'Oh my God, let's go,' " said Sanchez, grinning over the chance to share her first meal with Ponce and Castro at a restaurant in months. She ordered the cobia fish with shrimp. Sanchez was impressed with the extra care the staff was taking to be careful. "They had photocopies of the menu, and they threw it away after we used it," she said. In Bradley Shopping Center in Bethesda, several people waited outside the barbershop for haircuts in the morning. The hairstylists inside the shop looked as though they could have been hazmat workers, wearing face shields and masks. "It was the first one I could get," said 77-year-old Tom Newkirk, wearing an N95 mask ahead of an 11 a.m. appointment. Newkirk, a lawyer, said he's been working from home but hopes maybe he'll be able to get back to the office soon. He said he's got that "cabin-fever feeling." But he does not plan on outdoor dining at a restaurant anytime soon. "I think I'm going to wait on the restaurant," he said. "That's not a top priority." - - - The Washington Post's Dana Hedgpeth and Fenit Nirappil contributed to this report. Vladimir Putin has announced a new date for a vote to change the constitution that would keep him in power for the foreseeable future. In a painfully choreographed working meeting with legislators and officials, Mr Putin agreed to a suggestion to hold the ballot over seven days leading up to 1 July. Provided the plans do not interfere with exams, we can consider the date agreed, the longtime leader told his audience. Voting for the constitutional changes was originally scheduled for April 22, but was reluctantly postponed as the coronavirus epidemic took hold in Russia. The amendments once passed this now seems a formality will see Mr Putin allowed to run again despite exceeding constitutional term limits. Anna Popova, head of Russias standards watchdog, told the president that the country was ready for a vote in four weeks time. A corner had been turned in the battle against coronavirus, she said, with daily caseload growth down to 2 per cent. The date of July 1 is important since it represents two periods of two weeks, two whole incubation periods, she said. According to the current Russian constitution, presidents are allowed to stay in power for a maximum of two successive terms. Mr Putin has already found a way around these regulations before. In 2008, for example, he anointed Dmitry Medvedev as president, while staying in effective charge as prime minister, before then switching four years later. This time around, the 20-year president has kept things simpler by sanctioning a new constitutional arrangement that allows him to reset his presidential terms. The proposed changes offer a trouble-free route to staying in power until 2036. By then, Mr Putin would be 83, eight years the senior of Leonid Brezhnev, the oldest Soviet leader at the time of his death. Polls suggest Russians are yet to show real enthusiasm for the vote. Even before the coronavirus epidemic took hold in Russia, one survey suggested only a third had decided to vote. Nearly half believed the vote would not be fair. Since then, the coronavirus epidemic has hit Mr Putins ratings severely, with enthusiasm for his leadership down to a 20-year low. Elections chief Ella Pamfilova said the unprecedented proposal to hold an extended vote over seven days was a response to the epidemiological situation in Russia. Plans were already in place for contactless voting, she said, with voters temperature tested and offered gloves, masks and disposable biros. Voting will be safer than shopping, she added. An Arapahoe County grand jury in Colorado has indicted Jeffery Scott Beier for the murder of his girlfriend Charlene Voight, who disappeared from Littleton, Colorado in 2016, according to the Arapahoe County District Attorney's Office. Jeffrey Scott Beier (Littleton Police) Beier, 46, is in custody in Russia and is suspected of killing Charlene, according to the indictment. The indictment stated that Beier was in a relationship with Charlene and that she was living with him at the time of her disappearance. Her body has not been found. Charlene, who was featured in Dateline NBCs Missing in America series in 2016, was reported missing by her family on July 8, 2016. She was 36 at the time of her disappearance and last seen by witnesses on the night of June 30, 2016. Her family previously told Dateline that the always happy Charlene had just moved to Littleton, Colorado from her familys home in Southern California a month before her disappearance, after graduating from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in Landscape Architecture. The move was, in part, to allow her to finally be with Beier, they said. Charlenes sister Marilyn told Dateline in 2016 that Charlene always had a knack for creativity. She was excited to be in Colorado where its just so beautiful, and for the opportunities shed have there. Charlene Voight Shortly after Charlenes disappearance, Beier was arrested on charges of sexual assault in an unrelated case against an unidentified woman. At the time, he was not named a person of interest or suspect in Charlenes disappearance. According to the indictment released on June 1, 2020, Beier has been charged with first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder, sexual assault, two counts of tampering with evidence, third-degree assault and two counts of attempting to influence a public servant, by misleading authorities about Charlenes disappearance. Beier is also charged with aggravated animal cruelty. According to the affidavit, investigators believe Beier dumped several items at Tower Landfill in Commerce City, Colorado on July 2, 2016. An excavation by authorities in November 2016, revealed many personal items belonging to Charlene, including the body of a small dog wrapped in a red sweater believed to have belonged to Charlenes missing Chihuahua, Toby. The dog had been decapitated. His head has not been located. Story continues Nobody should be able to walk away from murder, District Attorney George Brauchler said in a statement. I will do everything in my power to bring a perpetrator to justice. I am pleased that in the death of Charlene Voight, there is now a process in place to accomplish that. It is unclear when Beier will be returned to Colorado. No court dates will be scheduled until he is booked at the Arapahoe County Detention Center, according to the indictment. If convicted, he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. "I am proud to be able to tell the family of Miss Voight that the men and women of my department worked for four years to see this day," said Littleton Police Chief Doug Stephens in a statement. "My heart goes out to them, knowing that they are mourning the loss of their sister and daughter. I hope this arrest is a step that will help them move toward healing." Both enterprises and workers need new recruitment methods to optimize human resources, experts say. In mid-April, Next100, an investment fund that injects money into startups, announced investment in TopCV, a personnel recruitment platform. The money will be used by the startup to run a remote recruitment portal called Remote. This is an information portal that connects businesses and candidates who want to find jobs. The platform focuses on jobs within specific projects, part-time jobs, online collaborators and other full-time jobs. Through Remote, workers throughout the country can find jobs that help them increase their income without going to an office. TopCV reported that in the trial period, more than 100 businesses on TopCV have accepted to change their operational models and are recruiting 1,000 candidates working from a distance. Nguyen Hoa Binh, president of NextTech Group, said in the context of difficulties caused by Covid-19, the potential of Remote is relatively great. The information portal can satisfy requirements at this time working in flexible spaces, not in traditional offices. Nguyen Hoa Binh, president of NextTech Group, said in the context of difficulties caused by Covid-19, the potential of Remote is relatively great. The information portal can satisfy requirements at this time working in flexible spaces, not in traditional offices. Established in 2015, TopCV has 3 million candidates, while 95,000 employers use the platform regularly. About 10,000 profiles are updated daily on the website. Every month, TopCV successfully connects 150,000 candidates with employers. This is why many investment funds are eyeing the startup. In late 2019, Nextrans, a venture fund from South Korea, invested in a series of well-known startups in Vietnam, including Luxstay, the hotel room booking platform, Jamja, the app that searches information about sale promotion programs, and Base.vn, a startup providing enterprise management solutions. It also poured $1 million into TopCV. According to Eddy Hong, CEO of Nextrans, the recruitment market is growing together with economic growth. The startups in the field of personnel recruitment have great opportunities to boom. According to VietnamWorks, the demand for online recruitment in 2015-2019 increased by 55 percent. In 2019, demand for workers with experiences accounted for 73 percent, while demand for managers and heads of divisions was 17 percent and the demand for new graduates 7 percent. The online labor supply in Vietnam increased by 45 percent in 2015-2019, but this still did not catch up with growth in recruitment demand. Like other markets, the online recruitment market has been affected by Covid-19. A survey by MOLISA found that recruitment demand has decreased by 20-30 percent. The sharper fall of 40 percent has been reported for HCM City and a 36.7 percent decline for Hanoi. TopCV also reported that the number of enterprises seeking workers in the first three months of the year through the platform decreased by 30-35 percent. Mai Lan Recruitment market will come back when pandemic ends Experts predict that once the COVID-19 epidemic is under control, recruitment needs will rapidly increase. Ngo Thi Ngoc Lan, Regional Director of Navigos Search, talks about the situation and how workers and employers need to prepare for the future. As travellers head for the UK ahead of the imposition of quarantine, Britains airlines have sent ministers a list of the 45 nations that they want to be exempt. Downing Street and the Home Office are insisting that the plan for arrivals to self-isolate for two weeks must start on 8 June, despite many assertions that it is too much, too late. British Airways has invited passengers booked to fly to the UK the chance to switch to flights arriving by 7 June to dodge the quarantine. It is one of several airlines, including easyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair, that have written to the Department for Transport (DfT) demanding the rules should be lifted from key travel destinations. Were the government to agree, almost all holidays will be able to go ahead in July and August, while some tourism to the UK might be rescued for the summer. Just as the rest of Europe is opening up, the prospect of 14 days in self-isolation on return to the UK has stifled outbound holiday bookings and inbound visits for the rest of the summer. Announcing the plan on 22 May, Priti Patel said: We are taking these measures at the right time because we are serious about saving lives and controlling the virus. We will be guided by the science and the health of the public and the country will always come first, which is why we are implementing these restrictions at the border now. The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, and other senior ministers are appalled at the plan. They are concerned about the number of businesses and jobs that will be destroyed, and the competitive edge that will be handed to airlines based abroad. Almost as soon as No 10 started briefing its quarantine plans, the DfT began to urge the use of so-called air bridges. Such bilateral deals are seen as the best means to limit the damage caused by quarantine. They have now been defined by the government as agreements between countries who both have low transmission rates to recognise each others departure screening measures for passengers. Almost every nation in the world has a lower transmission rate than the UK, but the presumption is that they would sign deals in order to encourage visitors from the UK. The hope is that, by the time of the first official review date on 29 June, air bridge arrangements can be in place to justify lifting the obligation for arrivals from the most popular holiday destinations. The airlines list includes all the key European summer locations, including Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Croatia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Cyprus, as well as Turkey. Belgium, which has a high infection rate, is omitted which is likely to anger Eurostar, which runs trains from Brussels to London. Many Nordic and eastern European countries are on the list, but Iceland, Ukraine and Russia do not appear. In North Africa, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt would be exempt. Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Show all 11 1 /11 Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Ben Gurion International airport, Israel Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Daxing International Airport, Beijing AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Noi Bai International Airport, Vietnam AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Haneda Airport, Tokyo Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Changsha Huanghua International Airport, China Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Shanghai Pudong Airport in Shanghai, China EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Daxing International Airport, Beijing AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Haneda Airport, Tokyo Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Shanghai Pudong Airport in Shanghai, China EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Noi Bai International Airport, Vietnam AFP via Getty But African countries with strong ties with the UK, such as South Africa, Ghana and Nigeria, are excluded as are nations dependent on tourism, including Kenya and Tanzania. Ethiopia, whose capital Addis Ababa is the air hub for east Africa, is left out. Relatively few locations in the Americas are included. The US, Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas and a scattering of Caribbean islands Antigua, Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and St Lucia are on the list. But Cuba, which has an outstanding health service and a very low rate of infection, does not appear. The UAE, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, is left off the list, along with Qatar, but Saudi Arabia appears. Israel is included, but Jordan is not. Hong Kong is among the 45. But the remainder of China, as well as Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, are not. Any traveller who is in a location left off the list would need only to travel to the UK via one of the countries on the list, or Ireland which is already exempt. Already wide loopholes have emerged. The Independent has demonstrated that more than two million people will be exempt because of their jobs, while the Dublin dodge presents an irresponsible but legal alternative to 14 days of self-isolation. Separately, London City airport has announced it will re-open for domestic flights in late June, with international departures starting in July. The Docklands airport closed in late March when lockdown began in the UK. Syracuse, N.Y. -- When an 8 p.m. curfew went into effect on Sunday night, protesters felt they had to make a choice: civil disobedience and arrests today or a coordinated march another day. They debated over the very heart of the protest. They wondered what point staying in the street proved and how it would affect future protests. Some believed it to be the very heart of civil disobedience and others believed it to just be for social media. But the protests out side the Public Safety Building ended peacefully at 10 p.m. Sunday, with plans to return on Monday. I dont leave until everyone leaves, said Dramar Felton, 29, one of the people who stayed. At least 200 people marched on Sunday after at least 500 people marched on Saturday. The Saturday protest was peaceful and lasted for about 7 hours. The marchers are protesting police brutality in the wake of George Floyds death. Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Like Saturday, protesters Sunday marched through various parts of the city. Again, they shut down South Salina Street and South Townsend Street. They marched through the Near West Side on West Fayette Street and down by where Nojaims Market used to stand. Protesters wanted to pay homage to Zach Holloway, 19, who was killed in a shooting early Sunday in the 500 block of South Geddes Street. Protesters said theyll be out again Monday, when -- according to Mayor Ben Walsh -- the curfew is likely to end. Walsh said after the protests ended Sunday night that he was pleased they had the chance to protest peacefully and that there was no destruction of property. On Sunday, no one was arrested and there were no injuries. Thats about as good as I could have written it up, he said. Earlier Sunday, it was clear to protesters that police would allow them to march wherever they wanted, but probably not beyond the curfew. From about 3 p.m. until 10 p.m., protesters remained a steady presence on South State Street. Many of the chants were the same, though some now brought Defund police" or F*ck the thin blue line signs. They kneeled at the corner of East Onondaga Street and South State Street as deputies from the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office appeared to take pictures of them from the roof of the sheriffs office. At the office, black painted wood had been put over the windows earlier Sunday. The Syracuse Police Department, too, had boarded up its windows. On Saturday, people had broken windows next door at the Public Safety Building and at the Onondaga County Courthouse. As curfew neared, one of the protests leaders reminded the group to decide whether to stay -- and risk officers deploying tear gas and rubber bullets -- or go. "They have 70 people in riot gear, the leader said. You gotta go. "If youre under 18, go home, the leader said. The group of about 200 people dwindled to about 100 people as the 8 p.m. curfew passed. Hassan Stephens, who runs the Good Life Foundation, tried to talk young people out of staying past 8 p.m. He tried walking up to police officers who had blocked off South State Street with his hands up to convince them to delay bringing out police in riot gear. The officer yelled at Stephens to get on the sidewalk, several yards away, while they talked. Police remained adamant about keeping curfew and bringing out more officers. Protesters seemed to worry that any actions bringing out a strong police response could stifle future efforts. For more than an hour after curfew on Sunday, they argued about what would serve them best and which would bring about social change. Many, including Stephens, left. Felton, who said he wasnt there for the property destruction, disavowed the violence. Unlike Saturday night, the protest Sunday didnt turn to vandalism and looting. No one threw objects. Police didnt turn out en-mass in riot gear. They didnt fire rubber pellets. Instead, protesters remained in the street after the 8 p.m. curfew as an act of civil disobedience. For two hours, they chanted, they held signs, they debated among themselves whether to stay and get arrested. At around 10 p.m., the dozen protesters left agreed to end their protest and come back on Monday. They kneeled, chanted Black Lives Matter, hugged each other and left. We still have rights, Felton said. Were still human beings. *** You can contact Chris Libonati via the Signal app for encrypted messaging at 585-290-0718, by phone at the same number, by email or on Twitter. The Burundian First Lady has been hospitalized for several days in Nairobi. Denise Nkurunziza arrived in the Kenyan capital during the night of Wednesday to Thursday, on a flight of the health organization AMREF. The wife of President Pierre Nkurunziza is being cared for at the Aga Khan Private Hospital, one of Kenyas most renowned hospitals. Several sources confirm that she is suffering from Covid-19. Several sources in Burundi and Kenya confirm that Denise Nkurunziza is being treated in Nairobi after catching Covid-19. The First Lady and her husband have been saying for several months now, in meetings and sermons, that the Lord is protecting Burundi from the pandemic. We can meet without masks, because God cleans the air of the country, President Nkurunziza said after the transfer of his wife. In this context, it is not surprising that the Burundian government wanted to remain discreet. According to the Kenyan press, Denise Nkurunziza was allegedly transported in an isolation chamber, accompanied by doctors and bodyguards. She reportedly arrived in the middle of the night, when Bujumbura and Nairobi airports had turned off their lights and kept staff away. The First Lady was accompanied by three guards who have also been admitted in the same facility after testing positive for coronavirus. Several sources confirm that the Burundian Minister of Health was also hospitalized last week in Nairobi after he too contracted the coronavirus. Note that Burundi on May 12 ordered the countrys top World Health Organization (WHO) representative and three other experts coordinating the Covid-19 response to leave the country after declaring them persona non grata. The European Union (EU) missions in Jerusalem (al-Quds) and Ramallah urged the Israeli regime to stop demolishing Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank. AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The European Union (EU) missions in Jerusalem (al-Quds) and Ramallah urged the Israeli regime to stop demolishing Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank. In a recent statement, the EU missions noted that Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes, not only continued during the holy month of Ramadan but in fact increased three-fold compared to 2019. It added, In line with the EUs long-standing position on Israels settlement policy illegal under international law and actions taken in that context, such as forced transfers, eviction, demolition and confiscation of homes, the EU urges the Israeli authorities to halt demolitions of Palestinian structures, WAFA news agency reported. On Thursday, six Palestinian families from the village of al-Tira, southwest of Ramallah, were handed demolition orders by the occupation forces, under the pretext of lacking an Israeli building permit. On Friday, the Palestinian Bashir family, in the Jabal al-Mukaber neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem, started to knock down its 85 square meter home, as ordered by the Israeli municipality. The demolition displaced the six-member family, which includes elderly disabled Rasmiya Bashir, confined to a wheelchair. ............................................. End/ 257 Dallas recently faced its third straight day of protests over "police killings of black people" one day after almost 90 people got arrested in rallies that extended from Saturday evening until Sunday morning. Based on reports, the demonstrations simultaneously continued on Sunday, which included an assembly at the Dallas County jail that demanded the protesters' release. Following the incidents, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared on Sunday afternoon, "a state of disaster" for all counties in the state, in response to the ongoing demonstrations. The governor's declaration gives federal law enforcement permission to function as peace officers in Texas. This is an initiative, he said, that "will help protect" the safety of people as his administration guarantees that peaceful demonstrators can "continue to make their voices heard." The Right to Protest In a written statement, Gov. Abbott said that every Texas citizen, as well as every American "has the right to protest." He also added that he is encouraging all citizens of Texas "to exercise their First Amendment rights." But the destruction of property and violence against others, the government leader continued, is intolerable, not to mention, counterproductive. Also, according to Abbott, he had deployed the National Guard members and more state troopers to cities which include Dallas, to support the local police. Meanwhile, Police Chief U. Renee Hall announced on Sunday that Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson issued a "local disaster proclamation." This would allow the city manager to enforce emergency measures which include curfew. The curfew went effective from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m. for some parts of the city which include downtown Dallas, Victory Park, the Cedars, Victory Park, Uptown, and Deep Ellum. Officials of Denton also declared a curfew to last form 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. until June 7. Highland Park and University Park are also set to have a curfew from 7 p.m. through 6 a.m. Started with Peaceful Protests Protests last Saturday started at Dallas City Hall peacefully as people across the nation assembled to protest "against police killings of black people which include that of George Floyd's in Minnesota." In other cities, demonstrations intensified as the day went on, making the authorities deploy tear gas for the crowds to break up. Then came Sunday night, as the 7 p.m. curfew in Dallas nearly approached, hundreds of demonstrators marched for almost two hours through the streets of downtown Dallas to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center from Klyde Warren Park. Earlier on Sunday afternoon, around 20 people assembled outside the Dallas County jail, demanding for the arrested protesters to be released. Activist and Next Generation Action Network head, Dominque Alexander called the declared curfew of the city unconstitutional. He also specified he would not comply with such a declaration. Alexander continued, saying, they will be "ready for the cuffs and zip ties." On Sunday morning, authorities said, more than 70 people were arrested the night before and charged with "inciting a riot." Later in that evening, several more protesters were, arrested, alleged of vandalizing buildings. It is not clear though, what charges the arrested protesters are facing. In relation to the incident, police chief and the mayor indicated that most of those arrested during the demonstrations were not from Dallas. However, they did not give further details about the residence of those people. Check these out! THE State is now facing a potential lawsuit for tortious assault and battery by a family that was tear-gassed by police while at the Queens Park Savannah in Port of Spain last Sunday. Acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob has been given 28 days within which to provide specific pieces of information to attorneys representing the family or, in default, a civil claim will be filed at the High Court, the familys attorneys warned yesterday. In this Monday, May 25, 2020, frame from video provided by Darnella Frazier, a Minneapolis officer kneels on the neck of a handcuffed man who was pleading that he could not breathe in Minneapolis. Four Minneapolis officers involved in the arrest of a George Floyd who died in police custody were fired Tuesday. More than a dozen police officials and law enforcement experts told NBC News that the particular tactic Chauvin used kneeling on a suspect's neck is neither taught nor sanctioned by any police agency. A Minneapolis city official told NBC News Chauvin's tactic is not permitted by the Minneapolis police department. For most major police departments, variations of neck restraints, known as chokeholds, are highly restricted if not banned outright. Police define neck restraints as when an officer uses an arm or leg to compress someone's neck without directly pressuring the airway. On May 25, Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on the neck of a prone and handcuffed George Floyd for eight minutes including nearly three minutes after he had stopped breathing. Minneapolis police used neck restraints at least 237 times during that span, and in 16 percent of the incidents the suspects and other individuals lost consciousness, the department's use-of-force records show. A lack of publicly available use-of-force data from other departments makes it difficult to compare Minneapolis to other cities of the same or any size. Since the beginning of 2015, officers from the Minneapolis Police Department have rendered people unconscious with neck restraints 44 times, according to an NBC News analysis of police records. Several police experts said that number appears to be unusually high. A demonstrator is arressted during a protest against police brutality and the death of George Floyd, on May 31, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The version of the Minneapolis Police Department's policy manual that is available on-line, however, does permit the use of neck restraints that can render suspects unconscious, and the protocol for their use appears not to have been updated for more than eight years. Minneapolis police data shows that in the bulk of use-of-force cases involving neck restraints when an individual lost consciousness, the restraint was used after a suspect fled on foot or tensed up as they were being taken into custody. Almost half of the people who lost consciousness were injured, according to the reports, which do not spell out the severity of those injuries. Five of the cases involved assaults on officers, while several others involved domestic abuse or domestic assault cases. In most cases, there was no apparent underlying violent offense. The Minnesota police data showed three-fifths of those subjected to neck restraints and then rendered unconscious were black. About 30 percent were white. Two were Native Americans. Almost all are male, and three-quarters were age 40 or under. One was a 14-year-old in a domestic abuse incident that was in progress when the officer arrived. Another was a 17-year-old fleeing from a shoplifting incident. Another involved a traffic stop where the suspect was deemed "verbally non-compliant." The on-line version of the policy manual says, "The unconscious neck restraint shall only be applied 1. On a subject who is exhibiting active aggression, or; 2. For life saving purposes, or; 3. On a subject who is exhibiting active resistance in order to gain control of the subject; and if lesser attempts at control have been or would likely be ineffective." The passage includes a date in parentheses, April 16, 2012. The front of the manual is dated July 28, 2016. The Minneapolis Police Department did not immediately provide comment on the data, and did not respond to a request to confirm that the dates in parentheses refer to when the manual and its sections were updated. Ed Obayashi, an attorney and the deputy sheriff in Plumas County, California, is a national use-of-force expert who trains and advises California police agencies. He said police departments across the country have been moving away from the neck restraint option for many years because of its "inherent life-threatening potential" and because officers often misinterpret resistance by a suspect, who may simply be struggling to breathe. "It's common sense," Obayashi said. "Any time you cut off someone's airway or block blood flow to the brain, it can lead to serious injury or death as we have seen in so many of these tragedies. By using this tactic, it's a self-fulfilling tragedy." Obayashi said it's notable that the Minneapolis Police Department policy on neck restraints appears to be dated and said that rather than discouraging or generally prohibiting the tactic, its policy language is consistent with a permissive stance. "The [Minneapolis] policy doesn't appear to reflect what California and other law enforcement agencies using best practices recognize, which is if officers don't use extreme caution with this force option, the likelihood of serious injury or death rises significantly," Obayashi said. "This seems to be a routine practice by the Minneapolis Police Department," said Obayashi. "As a cop, the tone is there, 'Use it when you think it's appropriate.'" Shawn Williams, an assistant professor and professional peace officer coordinator at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, worked at the Minneapolis Police Department for more than 10 years and oversaw training his last two years there, including the use of unconscious neck restraints. He said he understands why other departments do not use the maneuver. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More We believe as the lockdown has been extended by a month, it would undoubtedly generate more pressure on financial system which might climax in reaction in the stock market especially in financial stocks like banks and NBFC's and some profit taking attempts in Bank Nifty may creep into the market anytime next week, Prashanth Tapse, AVP Research at Mehta Equities said in an interview to Moneycontrol's Sunil Shankar Matkar. edited excerpt: Q: The market snapped three-week losing streak and climbed 6 percent last week. Does it mean the June month will be good for the market? Overall Indian markets consolidated last two months and inched higher in the last week of May supported by global rally. Indian market's underperformed attributing to extended lockdown affects and lack of near-term direct stimulus from the government to jumpstart demand in the economy. Looking at the uncertainty still on cards, this bull-bear volatile phase is likely to continue for next few more months, before investors can see any significant lasting upmove in the indices. Despite tensions rising between the US and China, with Trump accusing China of contributing to the early spread of the coronavirus and US officials criticizing China's moves to impose a new national-security law on Hong Kong, focus will be on Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and worst effected cities, and how these cities will overcome the economic outbreak to re-open business economy. We suspect, the street will not get confidence until there is a medical solution to COVID-19. Investors will keenly watch FIIs & DII behaviour and the movement of USD/INR will also be tracked minutely. At the moment, concerns over coronavirus and the consequent economic distress are weighing on the rupee, which along with outflows from local equities may push the rupee to sub-77.50 levels soon. A lower rupee will make imports more expensive for India. Technically speaking, Nifty index is at 'Make-or-Break' level with immediate resistance near 9,693, if it holds above the same in coming week, then 9,882/9,962 levels can be tested, but if it breaks the same then 9,210/8,949 levels can be seen in June 2020. However, a decisive break of the 9,900-10,000 range still looks quite difficult and another round of equity sell-off cannot be ruled out. Q: Bank Nifty gained strength and rallied nearly 12 percent last week. Do you expect the uptrend to continue in June as well? Traders are worried on Bank Nifty bouncing too fast amid deterioration in the economic and earnings outlook following the lockout imposed to restrict the spread of COVID-19. A large part of the recovery in the market from March lows was because of central banks resolving to pump more liquidity into the system. But money managers still believe that the market rally is not reflecting the real economic picture, which is only expected to worsen in coming quarters. We believe as the lockdown extended by a month, it would undoubtedly generate more pressure on financial system which might climax in reaction in the stock market especially in financial stocks like banks and NBFC's and some profit taking attempts in Bank Nifty may creep into the market anytime next week. Hence we advise in a cautious way to reduce positions and protect some profits at higher levels. We could also see reaction on Monday after digesting the Friday's GDP Growth figures which was 3.1 percent in Q4 FY20; however it was higher than what was estimated by the street. We must take it into consideration that it would turn out to be worse post lockdown wherein GDP growth number would actually turn negative in Q1 FY21E on the back of declining consumer demand and slowing private investment as well. Q: Do you think the market rally was because of expectations of another stimulus package for demand revival? Do you personally expect the demand revival package to be announced soon? We think Indian market's performed a bit in the last few sessions on the back of news stating Moderna coronavirus vaccine has shown signs of success in early human trial and also received USFDA approval to begin the phase 2 trial of its vaccine and reopening of major global business economics like US. Globally market would celebrate for early success of vaccine which seems to generate an immune response that may help protect people as well as global economics from the deadly virus infection. Back to domestic, Indian markets actually underperformed to global markets attributing to extended lockdown affects and lack of near-term direct stimulus from the government to jumpstart demand in the economy. The Rs 20 lakh crore government support was much-needed stimulus given by the government will reassure businesses and will help restart various industrial activities and bring back the momentum of all economic activities, but if it's implemented rigorously into the right sector and at the right time. Only disappointment was of no relief package for middle class people who are also been affected significantly in COVID-19 crisis would remain a concern. Q: What are your top five favourite stocks which one should definitely have in the portfolio? Granules India: Buy | CMP: Rs 171 | Target: Rs 205 | Return: 20 percent upside potential | Investment Period: 6-9 months We believe Granules India is a leading global midcap Pharma value chain company manufacturing all the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), Pharmaceutical Formulation Intermediates (PFIs) and Finished Dosages (FDs). It is also homes the one of the World's largest Paracetamol API facilities providing Ingredients for Paracetamol, Metformin, Ibuprofen, Guaifenesin and Methocarbamol. The recent news stating that government lifted restrictions on export of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) of common pain reliever Paracetamol would be beneficial going forward. The management also expects to settle and resume the plants in a few days. They plan to bring the facilities to 25 percent working of the capacity immediately and slowly improve it to 50 percent which would be reflected in Q1FY21E. The promoter has announced that the recent buyback would lead to a meaningful reduction of the pledged shares which acts as positive catalyst for the stock. HDFC Life Insurance: Accumulate | CMP: Rs 523 | Target: Rs 612 | Return: 17 percent upside potential | Investment period: 6-9 months Investor looking for a high quality business with consistent earnings growth, HDFC Life offers the best in class investment opportunity to accumulate at the current levels. We see opportunity for insurance industry amid COVID-19. We believe people would start realizing the importance of insurance and the backing it provides in the trying times like the current ones. Even though there has been a slowdown in the last 2 months in terms of adding new policies, we still believe HDFC Life is optimistic on protection growth and as soon as things get normalised in near future people will look for brand and take up policy for life. HDFC Life continued to be the market leaders in terms of total new business received premium with a leading market share in the private sector compared to others. Hence we believe the stock to deliver steady returns over the medium term. BPCL: Accumulate | CMP: Rs 342 | Target: Rs 395 | Return: 15 percent upside potential | Investment period: 6-9 months We like BPCL business best in segment operating four refineries with a combined capacity of 38.3 million tonnes per annum, which is 15 percent of India's total refining capacity of 249.4 million tonnes. BPCL also owns 15,177 petrol pumps and 6,011 LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) distributor agencies in the country. Besides, it has 51 LPG bottling plants. The company distributes 21 percent of petroleum products consumed in the country by volume as of March this year and has more than a fifth of the 250 aviation fuel stations in the country. We believe the key catalysts for BPCL is developments on disinvestment which should keep news flow supportive. The proposed strategic disinvestment of its entire shareholding in BPCL looks to sell it to an overseas oil firm. The government has for the second time extended the deadline for bidding for privatisation of India's second-biggest oil refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) by over a month to July 31. On valuation parse BPCL is trading at an attractive valuation of 1.8 times P/B (3-year avg P/B is above 2 times) and stock is trading at P/E: 8.2 FY21E with good dividend yield above 5 percent. Tata Consumer Products: Buy | CMP: Rs 366 | Target: Rs 420 | Return: 15 percent upside potential | Investment period: 6-9 months We like Tata Consumer Products (formerly Tata Global Beverages) business which is on its way to becoming a diversified FMCG company with the addition strong foods portfolio from Tata Chemicals (salt, pulses, spices) to its already strong tea, coffee and water portfolio both in India and internationally. We believe the acquisition of the consumer products portfolio of Tata Chemicals is transformational strategic plan for Tata Consumer as it provides long-term revenue growing opportunities. We also consider a positive opinion on recently managerial change with Mr Sunil Dsouza (ex Unilever, Coca Cola, PepsiCo, Whirlpool) taken over as MD & CEO in April 2020. Tata Consumer Products would be in a unique position to leverage the strong brand, wider product portfolio and distribution reach to serve the growing aspirations of consumers across the country. Hence we hold a positive outlook on the counter. Mishra Dhatu Nigam: Accumulate | CMP: Rs 201 | Target: Rs 250 | Return: 24 percent upside potential | Investment period: 12-18 months Mishra Dhatu Nigam is a government promoted leading manufacturer of special steel, super alloys and titanium alloys catering to niche end-user segment. We like Midhani business model and its presence in one of the few metallurgical plants of its kind in the world, designed to manufacture a wide range of special metals and alloys using integrated and highly flexible manufacturing systems. Midhani also aims to expand geographically and operate from multiple locations. The company has been servicing the requirements of core strategic sectors like defence, space, power and nuclear for nearly three decades. Company is a strategic material supplier/ partner to Indian defence, space and energy sectors and last year Midhanis growth has been primarily driven by space and energy sector due to increased number of launches by ISRO and Make in India program respectively. Hence we believe vocal for local tagline Midhani would stand well placed to tap the opportunity. Q: What would be key triggers (positive as well as negative) to look at in June month and what should be one's strategy? The only trigger market would respect and celebrate will be phase wise lockdown re-opening plan. We advise traders to attempt for book profits at higher levels as any rallies might be shortlived. Important lines to watch out would be on quarterly earnings management comments from across the sectors which would play a key guiding point to assess future outlook of the respective business. Early Monsoon forecast 2020 would also be a positive catalyst for markets in coming weeks. Negative trigger would be US China trade war, Hong Kong's anti-government protests and escalating tensions between India-China dispute. Strategy for June 2020: Attempt for book profits at higher levels. Q: Reliance Industries Rights Entitlement has been closed for trading now. What should be the next, and what could be the listing price on June 12, and what is the strategy one should consider once the RIL partly paid up rights shares list on June 12? As on date it would be difficult to assume the listing price before the right issue closes (June 3, 2020) as its purely depend on the demand and subscription figure which would determine the listing premium or any discount. As of now only 8-10 percent of the issue size is subscribed as per available exchange data which is below market expectation. Market expects it would be listed with a decent upside - if the right issue gets fully subscribed as per street expectation and any under subscription would result in 5-6 percent discount opening on listing day. We have been advising our shareholder/investors to exercise the rights and 'subscribe' to the issue offered by RIL which is similar to that of investing in a company future growth and remain invested in the stock for at least 2-3 years. Investors should also look at factors such as growth prospects and the reason behind the company's decision to come out with a rights issue and so on. We believe that the telecom and retail business will be key growth drivers for the company over the next few years while the companys foray into e-commerce through its JioMart platform will be a value creator for the shareholders in the long run. Disclaimer: 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. "Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Moneycontrol." Actor John Cusack has claimed that officers of the Chicago Police charged at him with batons as he was recording a video of a burning car amid the protests and riots in the city in the wake of George Floyd's death. Floyd, a black man, died last Monday in Minneapolis, Minnesota after a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck for more than eight minutes. The officer was arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree murder. The Serendipity star, who has been using social media to document the protests that have sparked across the US after Floyd's death, shared a hazy video on Twitter in which he claimed officers yelled at him to leave the area where he had been filming. "Cops didn't like me filming the burning car so they came at me with batons. Hitting my bike," Cusack captioned the clip. Though the video didn't clearly show the action, Cusack alleged that the police can be heard striking his bicycle with batons. "Alright, alright," the actor is heard replying. Cops didnt like me filming the burning car so they came at me with batons. Hitting my bike. Ahhm heres the audio pic.twitter.com/tfaOoVCw5v John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020 In another tweet, Cusack said he had also been "hit by pepper spray" during the protests. Prior to the incident, the actor posted a number of videos showing protesters smashing windows, buildings set on fire and looting stores across downtown Chicago with heavy police deployment in the city. Riyadh, June 1 (IANS) Saudi Arabia has reopened 90,000 mosques, except for the Mecca as part of the second phase of lifting the coronavirus restrictions in the country, an official said. For the first time since late March, worshippers were allowed to perform the congregational prayers in the 90,000 mosques across the Kingdom on Sunday, Efe news quoted the state-run SPA news agency as saying. Mecca, home of the Haram Mosque and the Kaaba, has been excluded from the plan to lift the coronavirus restrictions. Devoted Muslims returning to the mosques, however, had to respect rules aimed at preventing the spread of the virus, including a two-metre distancing and the closure of bathrooms, where people perform the pre-prayer ablutions. The precautionary measures also included worshippers having to wear face masks and bring their own mats, according to the SPA. Also on Sunday, Saudi railways resumed trips as part of the second of a three-phase reopening plan. Passengers seats have been relocated to a diagonal position, among other precautionary measures that included temperature checks, according to the source. The government unveiled its lockdown easing strategy last week. It came following a 96-hour curfew imposed during Eid al-Fit following a surge in infections during the month of fasting. Besides ending the round-the-clock curfew, which came into force on May 28, included the resumption of inter-provincial travel by private vehicles. All restrictions will be lifted June 21, but wearing a mask in public will be mandatory. It remains unclear when and how this process of normalization will be extended to Mecca and whether the annual pilgrimage (Haj) to the holy city by Muslims from around the world will take place this year. The Saudi government has offered no additional guidance regarding the 2020 Hajjsince early March, when Riyadh advised Muslims abroad to delay making reservations for the journey to Mecca. Saudi Arabia imposed some of the toughest measures in the region to contain the coronavirus, including closing its airspace and quarantining entire provinces. Those measures, however, had an impact on the country's economy, leading the government to reduce subsidies and public investment while boosting the value added tax by 200 per cent. Saudi Arabia has reported 1,877 fresh coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the confirmed infections to 85,261 while the death toll stood at 503. --IANS ksk/ When Michael Smith became defence minister in 1997, his first major task was to deal with an onslaught of personal injury claims from members of the Defence Forces. In an unprecedented move for a government minister, the former Fianna Fail politician walked into the High Court to plead for the level of compensation awards to come down. As of today, the Department of Defence has settled 16,829 claims relating to noise induced hearing loss and paid out 290m in compensation. Included is the 100m in fees paid to solicitors, barristers and medical experts. There are currently five claims pending before the courts. Speaking from his home in Co Tipperary where he has been cocooning due to the coronavirus pandemic, Mr Smith recalls one day in particular. "The department received 40 applications from one legal firm in one day and the only thing different on each of the applications was the names of the soldiers," he said. The symptoms and description of the cases were nearly identical: "Personal injury claims were rampant when I became minister. To some extent it had got out of hand and one of the reasons was the quantum in the courts for claims, in my view, was extraordinarily high. "I had no difficulty with people who had genuine claims because they had their hearing impaired by their work, but I do believe a small few may not have been genuine. "I feel that if you live to 60 years of age and you don't have cancer or heart disease and you are mentally fine, but maybe you have to turn up the radio or television a small bit louder, then you are quite lucky. "I don't feel society should have to pay for every little thing that is wrong." The surge in claims was dubbed the "army deafness saga". Between 1992 and 2002, thousands of Army personnel brought claims for hearing loss resulting from exposure to loud noises during military operations. Soldiers claimed the government failed to provide adequate ear protection and after a few claims were successful before the courts, the Department of Defence was soon inundated. The watershed moment arrived when one individual was awarded IR80,000 in the High Court for minor hearing loss. It was later reduced on appeal by the Supreme Court, but after this the floodgates opened wide. Until then, the department had received 4,000 claims over a period of five years. Within nine months of that court case, it had received a further 4,000 for hearing loss. The late Fine Gael minister Jim Mitchell, who was chairman of the Public Accounts Committee at the time, slammed the rise in claims. "Anybody who thinks this is not a scam must be blind. We are a laughing stock among defence forces around the world," he said. Reflecting on the comments, Mr Smith said Mr Mitchell was a "direct kind of guy", and while he "may have been marginally over the top sometimes", he did it for the "most genuine of reasons". "If you're struggling and a colleague of yours has been to court and has received a significant award, the temptation must be enormous," he said. "If your colleague is taking a holiday, able to extend the house or buy a new car and it is happening before your eyes, well I'd find it hard to blame someone who is trying to rear a family, struggling to pay the bills [for bringing a claim]. I really feel that it would be hard to come down on them. "One of the problems overall is there has been a lessening in the morality of claims. "I grew up in a society where if you fell and broke your leg, it was something that just happened but that doesn't seem to be the case now." As to whether the Army deafness saga undermined public respect for the Defence Forces, Mr Smith says he doesn't believe this to be the case. "The finest of people serve in the Defence Forces, then and now," he said. "I was honoured to be in Kosovo and Lebanon and they represented Ireland in the most positive way, but like everything, scars emerge in different organisations. "You have to live through that and the vast majority are extremely honourable and need to get the best help and support." While a faction of the public criticised the soldiers for bringing the claims, some directed their anger at the firms representing them on a no win, no fee basis. Some were accused of soliciting clients and the Law Society of Ireland had to crack down on advertising regulations. Mr Smith was outspoken on the issue and recalls how he "got into trouble" for comments he made in an interview on a Sunday radio show. The former minister hit out at the legal fees lawyers were charging their clients and the "unfortunate" advertisements inviting soldiers who had suffered hearing loss to come forward. "I still stand over the comments," he said. It wasn't the first time he got into trouble while getting tough on the deafness claims. Contrary to legal advice he received, Mr Smith took it upon himself to walk into the High Court to air his concerns about the level of awards being paid out. The move was seen by some as an attack on the separation of powers. "I think it may be the only time a minister was ever to do that kind of thing. It was viewed as interfering with the judiciary but I didn't see it that way. "I had a simple philosophy," he said. "If you have limited resources as an organisation, you need to devote them to the most essential areas. "We were anxious to try to support the peacekeeping contingents in different parts of the world, trying to get better equipment, trying to improve very inadequate accommodation. All these things were essential to making the Army stronger and as I saw it, paying out millions in claims was going to hinder all that." During his tenure, Mr Smith launched a two-pronged assault on the soaring cost of the claims and helped to significantly reduce the level of awards. He sought to introduce tougher standards for measuring hearing loss and also cracked down on legal fees. At one point, it was feared more than 2bn would be paid out in compensation. In a bid to prevent the department being crippled, Mr Smith oversaw the introduction of the army deafness early settlement scheme. It allowed soldiers to settle without resorting to the courts and significantly reduced costs. On average, soldiers received 10,000 through the scheme, whereas payouts of up to 40,000 were being made by the courts. According to a spokesperson for the Department of Defence, there are five claims pending before the courts in relation to hearing loss. "As they are ongoing, it would be inappropriate for the minister to comment further," the spokesperson added. Ireland's personal injury system has been the subject of much debate as insurance costs continue to cripple businesses across the country. "In the long run, even though people don't say it that way, the ordinary person always pays," Mr Smith said of the personal injury system. "It's hard to understand when you sometimes read of the profitability of certain businesses in the insurance area to relate that to the kind of increases being imposed on struggling businesses. "Different efforts have been made by successive governments but all of us can do better. All of us." A $2m US lobbying effort and petitions from European legislators are piling pressure on Saudi Arabia to release a philanthropist prince jailed for two years without charges amid an intensifying royal crackdown. The detention of Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud and his father since January 2018 is seen as part of a clampdown under de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that has swept up potential political rivals, individuals accused of corruption and, at times, figures posing no visible challenge to his hold on power. In March, Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, King Salmans brother, and the monarchs nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef were detained. Nayef was ousted as Crown Prince two years ago. The clampdowns have also swept up family members of Saad Aljabri, former aide to bin Nayef, who fled to Canada. Prince Salman is seen by many as an unlikely target; the multilingual 37-year-old, who was educated at Frances Sorbonne University, apparently espoused no political ambitions and earned the reputation of being a walking blank check for funding development projects in poor countries. This is not just an unlawful arrest, an associate of the prince told AFP. This is daylight kidnapping. This is a forced disappearance. After being detained for approximately one year in the high-security Al-Hair prison near Riyadh and later in a private villa with his father Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the prince was moved to a secret detention site in March, multiple sources told AFP. He was mysteriously returned to the villa last week to be reunited with his father, three of those sources said. It remains unclear why he was moved to the secret site. His telephone calls to his family are monitored by Saudi intelligence, the sources said. But his return may be a tentative sign that international pressure for his release is working. Saudi authorities did not respond to a request for comment on the case. Pressure campaign A delegation from the European Parliament implored Saudi authorities to release detained royals, including Prince Salman, during a visit to Riyadh in February, according to a source and an internal report of the tour seen by AFP. The European Parliament already asked for information about the case in a letter addressed to the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which (remains) unanswered, Marc Tarabella, a vice chairman of the Parliaments delegation for relations with the Arab peninsula, wrote to the European Commission. I would like to ask you to raise this issue with the highest relevant authorities in Saudi Arabia appealing for Prince Salmans release. I remain confident that the release would positively impact the relations of the European Parliament with Saudi Arabia, he wrote. Separately, leading Washington lobbyist Robert Stryks Sonoran Policy Group signed a $2m contract in May to advocate for the princes release with the governments of the United States, United Kingdom, France, and the European Union, according to a US justice department filing seen by AFP. Stryk, known to have close connections with the administration of US President Donald Trump an ally of Prince Mohammed was recruited by Hashim Mughal, a Paris-based confidant of Prince Salman, according to the filing. A source described Mughal, a Pakistani national, as the princes former financial adviser who raised $2m from his personal wealth and by tapping the influential royals friends. The international effort is a gamble that could backfire in a kingdom whose authoritarian rulers are strongly averse to public criticism. But, as private appeals to the rulers go unheeded, the campaign may be the only hope at a time when the kingdom is grappling with a coronavirus-led economic slump and unease is rising in Washington with Prince Mohammeds aggressive policies. Game of thrones Prince Salman is among a wave of royals detained as Prince Mohammed, also known as MBS, eliminates potential rivals to amass power unseen by previous rulers. Two adult children and a brother of Aljabri, former aide to bin Nayef, were also detained in March, with a source close to the family calling them victims of a Saudi game of thrones. Aljabri, exiled in Canada, earlier attempted to get his children out of Saudi Arabia but authorities had placed them under a travel ban, the source told AFP. Princess Basmah bint Saud, another royal perceived to be close to bin Nayef, has been jailed in Al-Hair for a year, without charges, along with her daughter. Her family lost all contact with the princess after they posted a desperate Twitter appeal for her release in April, a source has told AFP. An unlikely rival Prince Salmans non-political philanthropic work makes him an unlikely rival to MBS. What may have rankled the royal court is the princes meeting with Congressman Adam Schiff, a Democrat and Trump critic, just before the US presidential elections in 2016. His associates say nothing political was discussed. Schiffs office told AFP he does not recall specifics of the discussion, but they may have talked about Saudi Arabia generally. Those who pushed for this arrest gravely misread US politics, Kirsten Fontenrose, a former White House official responsible for policy towards Saudi Arabia and now with the Atlantic Council, told AFP. Jailing someone for meeting with a vocal Democrat will only make it more difficult for Trump to maintain close ties to the Saudi ruling family leading up to the US election. Mumbai, June 1 : Post-lockdown, crores of people all over Maharashtra will brace for an ugly cut of another kind - a staggering proposal for doubling of rates at all barber shops and beauty parlours. The Maharashtra Nabhik Mahamandal (MNM) the umbrella organization for around 15 lakh barber shops and beauty parlors, including major chains, have decided to double rates for all services. Of these, Mumbai alone has a little over 2 lakh hair cutting salons and beauty parlours, employing an average of 4-8 workers, men and women. "We have proposed doubling of charges for all services like simple hair-cuts, shave for men, facials or waxing for women and all other services offered," said MNM President Dattareya Anarase. "This is because in the past three months, our business, which employs over 60 lakh people directly and another 40 lakh indirectly, has been totally shut down in the state. We hoped the Maharashtra government would permit reopening of our businesses, but there is no clarity yet from the authorities," Anarase told IANS. Accordingly to tentative rate plans, a normal shave costing around Rs 40-50, will now cost Rs 100, while a regular hair-cut which cost around Rs 80-Rs 100, will be charged at Rs 200, he said. Ditto will be the situation for services in beauty parlours with facials which cost around Rs 1,200 set to nearly double to Rs 2,000, cleanup at Rs 600 to be around Rs 1,250, bleaching from existing Rs 300 set to go up to Rs 750 and waxing will double from existing Rs 500 to over Rs 1,000. Additionally, certain services like head or body massage for men and threading eyebrows or facials or face-packs for women are likely to be suspended for the present since it would entail difficulties in maintaining physical distancing. "We have already suffered a lot in the past 10 weeks of lockdown. The post-coronavirus costs will increase in a big way. We have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray seeking a minimum compensation package of Rs 10,000 per employee for three months that we have lost our revenues, besides other establishment costs for the owners," Anarase said. Owner of Haircraft Ladies Beauty Parlour in Kandivali Prabha P. Nair said that henceforth, all beauty parlours will need to compulsorily provide sanitisers, masks, gloves, full personal protective equipment kits for all staffers, regularly sanitise inside and outside the parlour premises, plus all equipments ranging from combs and scissors to chairs or washing areas. "All this will add to the operational costs in a big way, because we have to ensure that the customer is safe, the staff is fully protected and we can still be in business," Nair told IANS. S.R. Tiwari, proprietor of Saket Hair Arts in the same suburb said the bigger problem is of manpower as most barbers and hairstylists or beauticians have fled to their home states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, etc. "Besides the government's Covid-19 precautions and regulations, we will have to pay double to get barbers or hairstylists. There can be no compromise on safety as even schoolboys or schoolgirls have to get a regular haircut," Tiwari pointed out to IANS. Anarase said roughly the single-use full PPE kit would cost between Rs 400-600 per staffer, plus daily around 1 litre of sanitisers worth Rs 500, antiseptics and other precautions to be taken inside-outside the barber shops, sanitizing all the chairs, equipments and installations. "Since there is nothing forthcoming from either the Centre or the state we are left with no options but to pass on the burden to the customers," Anarase lamented at the huge survival crisis confronting the entire beauty and grooming industry. Salons and parlours have been advised to implement full precautions like checking customer temperatures with a temperature gun or a similar no-contact thermometer with a register record, sanitizing, discouraging customers from bringing their own towels, napkins or overalls as they could pose a risk, etc, he added. Anarase, Tiwari and Nair are hopeful that with these protocols, the salons and parlours can ensure safety of the staffers, customers and the premises in the ongoing war against the virus. (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 Four people have died from Ebola in a new outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the countrys health ministry confirmed on Monday. It comes as Health Minister Eteni Longondo confirmed a new case of the deadly virus in the western province of Equateur, over 1,000km (620 miles) away from the ongoing outbreak in the country's east. The governor of the Equateur province, Bobo Boloko Bolumbu also confirmed the deaths on local radio, reported The Telegraph. He said: The laboratory has given us the information that all the deaths analysed since the 18th of May are a consequence of the Ebola virus. However, for precision, the samples have been sent to the INRB for quality control. I ask the population to be calm and continue to respect hygiene measures. Regularly wash your hands with soap. Dont say greet with your hands. Dont touch ill or dead people who had a fever or bleeding, he added. The new outbreak presents a fresh challenge to health authorities. In April, the World Health Organisation was just days away from declaring the second-largest Ebola epidemic on record had come to an end when a new cluster of infections was confirmed in the east. The last time the Equateur region saw cases of Ebola emerge was May 2018, when the outbreak began in the rural area of Bikoro and spread to the city of Mbandaka. Health authorities there responded swiftly and the outbreak in the region was declared over by August with a total of 53 infections and 29 deaths. However, the country is facing a major challenge as it fights to deal with the new outbreaks, as well as coronavirus and measles. According to the WHO, the DRCs Ministry of Health began the 42-day countdown to the declaration of the end of the outbreak. But the organisation warned the long duration and large magnitude of this outbreak as well as the virus presence in animal reservoirs in the region could mean a re-emergence of the virus leading up to, and beyond, the declaration of the end of the outbreak. It is crucial to maintain a strong and robust surveillance system in order to detect, isolate, test and treat new suspected cases as early as possible and to break possible chains of transmission, said the WHO in an update on the outbreak on 28 May. With 1.5 billion children out of school right now, many parents are scrambling to figure out how to continue their education. Some schools have provided guidance, but it's nowhere near what children usually receive in classrooms. And the Internet is so full of resources that it can be daunting to know where to start. Enter Earth School, an interesting collaboration between TED-Ed (TED's youth and education initiative) and the United Nations' Environment Programme. Together with experts from National Geographic, WWF, and the BBC, they've created a brand new online science curriculum of sorts that comprises 30 short animated videos about various topics. Starting on Earth Day, April 22, one video has been released daily, and this will continue until World Environment Day on June 5. All videos posted remain available online, so you could start the 30-day cycle at any point, or just dip in and watch random ones anytime. The videos are divided into six weeks' worth of programming, each with a theme: The Nature of Our Stuff, The Nature of Society, The Nature of Nature, The Nature of Change, The Nature of Individual Action, and The Nature of Collective Action. They cover interesting and relevant topics such as entomophagy (why we should eat insects), what's in a smartphone, how composting works, the issue with plastics, the nature of transport, and the clothes we wear, among many others. There are options to delve deeper into topics beyond the introductory videos, with quizzes, additional reading content, discussion questions, and takeaway activities. A press release describes the three goals of the program. First is to provide a reliable source for science learning amid a sea of options, many of which have questionable quality: "Earth School aggregates a wide span of lessons from trusted sources under a single platform. With these lessons, learners of all ages will be able to explore how to live greener and cleaner lives individually and in their communities." Second, it strives to keep kids connected to the natural world at a time when it's hard to get out of the house. The more young people understand the connection between a healthy planet and healthy humanity, the better off we'll be in the long-term. "We aim to inspire the awe and wonder of nature in Earth School students and help them finish the program with a firm grasp of how deeply intertwined we are with the planet." Finally, Earth School wants to help parents at a difficult time, making it easier for them to educate their children at home. As a parent juggling work and impromptu homeschooling, I can appreciate this and after watching a few of the Earth School videos, I know for sure that many of these videos will be mandatory viewing for my kids. Check out the full list here, which will continue to be updated until June 5. Introductory video below: According to a new global COVID19 survey by Ipsos, a global market research company, anxiety, depression, over-eating and physical inactivity have emerged top concerns among Urban Indians due to COVID 19 and the lockdown. The pandemic has been unprecedented and Indians like other global citizens have never been under a lockdown and home bound for this long. Now it is impacting the mental health and leading to binge eating and lethargy. The pandemic apart, most people are also getting the jitters about the foreseeable financial impact of the prolonged shutdown and all the uncertainty, which could be affecting the mental wellbeing, said Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India. In fact, more people across 16 major countries say they are suffering from physical inactivity (not exercising enough) and anxiety out of 11 possible ailments as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the latest Ipsos survey. In the global poll of more than 16,000 people conducted from May 7 to 10, about one third of the respondents in 10 countries say they are under exercising because of COVID-19 with this sentiment seen to be highest in Japan (38%), South Korea (37%), Italy (33%), China (31%), Mexico and Russia (30%). The second most cited health concern on the list is anxiety with at least about a quarter of people in 11 countries saying they are suffering from this because of the pandemic. Respondents in Brazil (41%), Mexico (35%), Russia and South Africa (32%) and Canada (29%) are more likely to say this. Gender disparities, among urban Indians Among Indians, women are impacted more than men, in terms of intensity, due to the stretched lockdown and COVID 19 pandemic. Top ills among women were found to be anxiety (24%), overeating (24%), depression (21%), under exercising or physical inactivity (19%), insomnia (18%) and over-exercising or enhanced physical activity (18%) etc. While among men, they are beset with depression (17%), under exercising or physical inactivity (16%), anxiety (15%) and overeating (14%). Indian women are dealing with a lot of physical and mental strain of the household chores, with no external help, due to restrictions of COVID19, added Adarkar. Global Findings Stewart Shankman, Chief of Psychology at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, said the pandemic is fraught with uncertainty - about how long it will last, who will catch it, etc., and uncertainty is one of the biggest precipitants of anxiety. We also know that physical activity has important cardiovascular and health benefits, including supporting our body's natural immune system, said Prof. Shankman. Thus, the high rate of under exercising will actually hinder our ability to fight any virus it comes in contact with. Added to this, overeating and insomnia were the next two highest conditions people said they are suffering from as a result of COVID-19. Respondents in Brazil (39%) were most likely to say theyre overeating, followed by South Africa and Mexico (29%), Canada (28%) and the United Kingdom (25%). Those in Mexico (38%), Brazil (26%), Spain and South Africa (25%) were most likely to say theyre suffering from insomnia. Dr. William Schaffner, Professor of Preventive Medicine and Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in Nashville, said if youre home with food, and feeling sad and lonely from being isolated, there is a greater tendency to snack. You will reduce your physical fitness and there is a tendency to gain some weight, said Prof. Schaffner. Globally, women are more likely than men to say they are impacted in all of the categories except for alcohol consumption and increased smoking. The percentage of younger women - those aged 34 and under were also more likely to cite insomnia, anxiety and depression as result of the outbreak. Overall though, more people across the 16 countries said they were not affected by any of these conditions because of the pandemic. This sentiment was in the majority in Germany (53%) and France (52%), followed by higher numbers in Japan (44%), Australia (43%) and the United States (41%). Prof. Shankman said these results highlight peoples resilience and something weve seen in response to numerous other natural disasters and traumas in the past. Still, Prof. Schaffer advises people to move around as much as they can while keeping a social distance. Try to get out there and try to restore some of the normal rhythms of your life and make that associated with physical activity to keep moving, he said. These are the results of an Ipsos survey conducted May 7th to 10th, 2020 on the Global Advisor online platform among 16,000 adults aged 18-74 in Canada and the United States and 16-74 in Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Where available, tracking results from previous studies conducted through March and April, as well as selected results from February, are referenced by date. We cannot allow those who have taken advantage of this moment to loot and smash to also steal the voices of those peacefully expressing a need for real, meaningful change," Pritzker said. "This anger doesnt come out of nowhere its born of decades and centuries of systemic racism and injustice. Thats what all of us have to recognize and thats where our work begins. South Africa: Construction industry urged to practice safety measures Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille has appealed to companies to exercise extreme vigilance to ensure the health and safety of employees as more businesses open, including the construction industry. Today, many industries including the construction industry, will return to work to commence with operations in a safe manner in line with alert level 3 of the lockdown regulations, said De Lille. She acknowledged that many industries especially the construction industry, have experienced severe economic hardship since the country went into a standstill in March. We can, however, together overcome and rebuild the construction industry, retain and create more jobs to get the economy growing. "The construction industry is crucial to South Africas economic growth as it contributes significantly to the development and to South Africas GDP, she said, adding that it also contributes substantially to the labour market. She called on the industry to ensure that they continue to keep safe and minimise the spread of the virus. Therefore, as the construction industry returns to work today, along with many others, we are mindful that it will be difficult for the industry to adapt to a new way of working, but we are all in this together and it is up to government and the private sector to work together to rebuild the construction industry. As companies have staff returning to work, I would like to wish all workers well and especially ask company owners and management to ensure that the resumption of work is done in a careful and responsible manner by ensuring that workers are properly protected and that companies comply with the alert level 3 regulations. De Lille has also wished all companies and workers returning to work well and ask that they continue to keep safe. Together we will overcome this trying time and rebuild our country, she said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. A worker spreads rice for drying at a rice mill on the outskirts of Kolkata MUMBAI/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India has raised the price at which it will buy new-season common rice varieties from local farmers by 2.9%, the agriculture minister said on Monday. For common grades of rice, the government has fixed the support price at 1,868 Indian rupees ($24.75) per 100 kg, Narendra Singh Tomar told a news conference. Buoyed by the increase in the guaranteed price, Indian farmers are expected to plant more rice in June and July, when monsoon rains spur planting of the staple in the world's biggest exporter of the grain. Above-average monsoon rains should also boost crop yields. The higher output will force the government to buy more from local farmers, bumping up local supplies and adding extra stocks to brimful granaries. The government also raised the purchase price of long staple cotton to 5,825 rupees per 100 kg against 5,550 rupees from the previous year and that of soybean to 3,880 rupees, up from 3,710 in 2019/20. Higher cotton output will help India, the world's biggest producer of the fibre and boost its exports to Asian buyers such as China, Bangladesh and Vietnam. At the same time, the increase in soybean production could cut expensive vegetable oil imports by India, the world's No. 1 buyer of edible oils. (Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav and Mayank Bhardwaj; editing by Barbara Lewis) 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. Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh Facing huge revenue losses, the Punjab government has decided to increase liquor prices in the state by levying additional excise duty and assessed fee in lieu of the COVID cess on alcohol with effect from June 1. Alcohol will now be dearer by Rs 2 to Rs 50 in Punjab, depending on the type of liquor sold. We've decided to levy additional excise duty&assessed fee in lieu of COVID Cess on liquor with effect from 1June. These would range from Rs2 to Rs 50 depending on type& size of the item. The amount collected will be utilised for #COVID19 related expenditure: Punjab CM (file pic) pic.twitter.com/6Sfnqx9COq ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2020 The Punjab government said the extra amount collected will be spent on COVID-19-related expenditure. Punjab government announced the liquor cess almost a month after alcohol sale was permitted in the state. Haryana, Delhi, and Puducherry governments had also earlier announced similar cess on liquor. 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 The state is facing a revenue shortfall of Rs 26,000 crore, which is 30 per cent of the total budget revenue estimates, for the financial year 2020-21, necessitating some tough measures to generate additional revenue, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said. He directed the department of excise and taxation to charge the cess in the current year, at the time of issuance of permits for transportation of liquor from L-1/L-13 (wholesale licenses). The skeleton of a Central Asian women found at the bottom of a well after a violent death in an ancient city in Turkey is helping scientists understand population movements during a crucial juncture in human history. Dubbed the 'Lady in the Well,' her bones are found among 110 skeletal remains of people found at different site who lived in a region of blossoming civilization running from Turkey through Iran between 7,500 and 3,000 years ago. After analyzing genome-wide data of the remains, the team discovered that populations across Anatolia, which is modern-day Turkey, and the Southern Caucasus, which roughly corresponds to modern Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, began to genetically mix some 8,500 years ago, resulting in a distinct admixture that gradually spread across the entire region. However, the 'Lady in the Well' showed evidence of long-distance migrations on an individual level during the late Bronze Age about 4,000 years ago, as either she or her ancestors traveled from Central Asia to the Mediterranean Coast. Scroll down for video The team discovered that populations across Anatolia, which is modern-day Turkey, and the Southern Caucasus, which roughly corresponds to modern Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, began to genetically mix some 8,500 years ago (blue and green) The study was conducted by a team of international scientists in Europe, Asia and North America, led by the Department of Archaeogenetics at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. The team analyzed the skeletal remains of 110 people unearthed in archaeological sites in in Anatolia, Northern Levant, and the Southern Caucasus, which revealed two influential genetic events. Populations in Anatolia and the Southern Caucasus began to genetically mix some 8,5000 years ago. This event led the introduction of new genetic lineages into the population that slowly began to spread across the entire nation. However, the 'Lady in the Well' showed evidence of long-distance migrations on an individual level during the late Bronze Age about 4,000 years ago, as either she or her ancestors traveled from Central Asia to the Mediterranean Coast This gradual change, which experts call 'cline in genetics,' was observed a millennia later in Anatolian populations that spanned from Central-North to Eastern Anatolia. 'Rather than indicating stationary populations, as apparent genetic continuity often does, the authors argue the spread of genetic information from North and Central Anatolia to the Southern,' the researches shared in a press release.2 The team suggests that the Caucasus mountains, which stretch from the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, and Zagros mountains, a long range in Iran, Iraq and southeastern Turkey, indicated ongoing human mobility and development of a regional genetic melting pot in Anatolia. Johannes Krause, co-director at Max Planck and senior author of the study, said: 'This far-reaching vortex of homogenization shows that ancient people within Western Asia biologically mix before their increasing connectedness and emerging sociocultural developments became visible in the archaeological record.' In contrast to the gradual changes taking place in Anatolia, the Northern Levant experienced an introduction of new populations. Eirini Skourtanioti, lead author of the study, said: 'We found that the genetic makeup of Bronze Age populations from the ancient cities of Alalakh and Ebla in today's southern Turkey and northern Syria differed from preceding populations from the same area.' 'We detected subtle genetic changes that point to influences from external groups.' The team analyzed the skeletal remains of 110 people unearthed in archaeological sites in in Anatolia, Northern Levant, and the Southern Caucasus, which revealed two influential genetic events Along with the long-term transitions of entire populations, the team also uncovered proof of long-distance movements of individuals. While investigating the Alalakh site in southern Turkey, the team found the 'lady in the well', whose genetic makeup is similar to Bronze Age populations in Central Asia. Her DNA showed she came from somewhere in Central Asia, some 2,000 miles away from where she was laid to rest in a watery grave. The analysis also suggested that she was 40 to 45 years old when she died, which was probably between 1625 BC and 1511 BC. Researchers know she experienced a violent death due to the multiple injuries found on her skeleton. Philipp Stockhammer, co-director of MHAAM and another senior author of the study, said: 'I was fascinated by our results for the 'lady in the well.' 'She provides a unique insight into individual female mobility over large distances. We know from literary sources that women traveled in this time throughout Western Asia - very often as marriage partners.' 'However, the story of this woman of Central Asian origin will remain an enigma.' The lady in the well has raised multiple questions that scientists know can not be uncovered using analytical tools. They wonder how this woman move from her home in Central Asia to Northern Levant? Was she exiled from her home? Was her death an accident or was the woman murdered? While investigating the Alalakh site in southern Turkey, the team found the 'lady in the well', whose genetic makeup is similar to Bronze Age populations in Central Asia Although there is much mystery that surrounds the lady in the well, researchers noted that she proves ancient humans traveled long distances in the past and points to the existence of migrant communities in a globalized ancient world. Ludwig Maximilian University Munich archaeologist and co-author of the study Philipp Stockhammer, said: 'How and why a woman from Central Asia - or both of her parents - came to Alalakh is unclear,' said 'Trader? Slaves? Marriage?' 'What we can say is that genetically this woman is absolutely foreign, so that she is not the result of an intercultural marriage,' he added. 'Therefore, a single woman or a small family came this long distance. The woman is killed. Why? Rape? Hate against foreigners? Robbery? And then her body was disposed in the well.' Dana Rohrbacher Former California Congressman Dana Rohrabacher has signed on to represent the DC interests of Linear Therapies, a Virginia-based biotech company that is working on a cure for COVID-19. The conservative Republican and avid surfer represented Orange County, CA, for 15 terms until the 2018 Democratic Blue Wave swept him Congress. The Washington Post profiled Rohrabacher as the "voice of foreign autocrats" and Vladimir Putin's best friend in Congress. Famously, Rohrabacher arm-wrestled Putin, while he was deputy mayor of St. Petersburg, at a DC bar during the 1990s. The ex-Congressman, who began his career as a speechwriter for Ronald Reagan, moved to York, ME, earlier this year to focus on screenwriting. He selected the Pine Tree State as his home due to its much more traditional lifestyle with its colonial/patriot culture, according to the Portland Press Herald. PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group is pleased to announce that three of its attorneys have received appointment to the New Jersey State Bar Association's Family Law Executive Committee (FLEC). New members of FLEC are firm partner Jessica Sprague, attorney Raquel Vallejo, and attorney Samantha Massenzio, selected to serve on the FLEC Young Lawyer's Sub Committee. Accolades for Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group Attorneys "This honor is a well-deserved recognition of the hard work, diligence, and leadership in family law that Jessica, Raquel and Samantha each embody. These appointments demonstrate the true mastery of family law these attorneys bring to their work every day. We are so proud of their achievements," said Bari Z. Weinberger, founder and managing partner of Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group. The Family Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association maintains and improves the practice of family law through effective interaction with the family courts and by informing members of current legislation and regulations. Additional recent accolades for Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group attorneys include: Bari Weinberger's recognition as a "Best Lawyer in NJ for Families" by the readers of NJ Family magazine. This is the third consecutive year Ms. Weinberger has been honored with inclusion on the Best Lawyers list. Firm attorney Allison Holzman received the Platinum Client Champion Award from Martindale Hubbell for the second year running. The rating is based upon reviews by clients over the previous 24 months. Several Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group attorneys were also named to the prestigious Super Lawyers and Super Lawyers Rising Stars lists for 2020. Honored attorneys include Bari Weinberger, Jessica Sprague, Crystal Ullrich, Ryan Russell, Hillary Piedra, Stephanie O'Neill, and Samantha Massenzio. "Every day we put our all into assisting our clients and helping them get to a better place in life. That is why these honors and accolades from our clients and peers mean so much to us. It is recognition that our approach and efforts workand that we are fulfilling our mission of making a positive difference," notes Weinberger. About Bari Weinberger and Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group Bari Z. Weinberger, Esq. is an award-winning family law expert and founder of Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group, New Jersey's largest divorce and family law firm, with locations in Bergen, Burlington, Monmouth, Morris, Somerset and Union Counties. Bari has carefully selected a high-performing team of family law attorneys, entirely dedicated to safeguarding and protecting their clients' futures. Ms. Weinberger is a certified matrimonial attorney and experienced family law mediator. She is also a published author and frequent media contributor on divorce and family law for both local and national audiences. Media contact: Bari Weinberger [email protected] 888-888-0919 SOURCE Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland and Labrador, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortis Inc. ("Fortis" or the "Corporation") (TSX: FTS) announced today that 267,341 of its 7,024,846 issued and outstanding Cumulative Redeemable Five-Year Fixed Rate Reset First Preference Shares, Series H ("Series H Shares") were tendered for conversion, on a one-for-one basis, into Cumulative Redeemable Floating Rate First Preference Shares, Series I ("Series I Shares") and that 907,577 of its 2,975,154 Series I Shares were tendered for conversion, on a one-for-one basis, into Series H Shares. As a result of the conversion, Fortis has 7,665,082 Series H Shares and 2,334,918 Series I Shares issued and outstanding. The Series H Shares and the Series I Shares will continue to be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") under the symbols FTS.PR.H and FTS.PR.I, respectively. The Series H Shares will pay on a quarterly basis, for the five-year period beginning on June 1, 2020, if, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of Fortis, a fixed dividend based on an annual fixed dividend rate of 1.835 percent. The Series I Shares will pay a floating quarterly dividend for the five-year period beginning on June 1, 2020, if, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of Fortis. The floating quarterly dividend rate for the Series I Shares for the first quarterly floating rate period (being the period from and including June 1, 2020 and ending on and including August 31, 2020) is based on an annual floating dividend rate of 1.722 percent and will be reset every quarter based on the applicable three-month Government of Canada Treasury Bill rate plus 1.450 percent. For more information on the terms of, and risks associated with an investment in, the Series H Shares and the Series I Shares, please see the Corporation's short form prospectus dated January 18, 2010 relating to the issuance of the Series H Shares, which can be found under the Corporation's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Corporation's website at www.fortisinc.com. About Fortis Fortis is a well-diversified leader in the North American regulated electric and gas utility industry, with 2019 revenue of $8.8 billion and total assets of $57 billion as at March 31, 2020. The Corporation's 9,000 employees serve utility customers in five Canadian provinces, nine U.S. states and three Caribbean countries. Fortis common shares are listed on the TSX and NYSE and trade under the symbol FTS. Additional information can be accessed at www.fortisinc.com, www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov. For more information please contact Investor Enquiries: Ms. Stephanie Amaimo Vice President, Investor Relations Fortis Inc. 709.737.2900 investorrelations@fortisinc.com Media Enquiries: Ms. Karen McCarthy Vice President, Communications and Corporate Affairs Fortis Inc. 709.737.5323 media@fortisinc.com A .pdf version of this press release is available at: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/53457190-2c3e-4e39-9921-5c5dcafedbcc Caught on camera: George Floyd is restrained by police office Derek Chauvin before he died. Photo: Darnella Frazier via AP The riots in Minneapolis and dozens of other cities in the US are alarming to all in the US. The case of George Floyd has reminded those who needed reminding that his death is one in a long line of black men killed by white men. But the riots themselves are part of a history in the US of popular protest, against violence, segregation, war, bad housing, poverty and joblessness. The riots are part of an American tradition of protesting in the streets. Older Americans remember the Sixties, a period of incessant and violent clashes between communities and the police. They were not all about race relations. This was the period of anti-Vietnam War protests, primarily of college students but also of older people. The Democratic national convention in Chicago in August 1968 saw a police riot, with running battles between thousands of students gathering in a park close to the convention and the Chicago police, all caught on television. What sticks most in the memory, however, are the race riots, not least because of the brutality of the policy and the outraged response of those protesting against racial violence. The Long Hot Summer of 1967 saw 159 riots in three months. The following year, the assassination of Martin Luther King on April 4, 1968 sparked nearly a dozen large, bloody and burning riots across the country over the following 10 days, notably in New York, Washington DC, Chicago and Detroit. Thanks to television, riots sparked off other riots, and conflagration and running fights between the rioters and the police leapt from city to city. Probably the worst of the race riots took place in Los Angeles in 1992. Rodney King had been beaten for 15 minutes by four policemen, which was captured on video and televised. The following year, the policemen were acquitted of using excessive force,and three hours later a riot lasting five days erupted. Fifty people were killed, there was a partial curfew, postal deliveries ceased and many skipped school or work. Thus far, events in the US have not reached the level of those in 1967 and 1968. Many of the causes remain the same, particularly violence by the police against black men, which is seldom punished. But in the case of Minneapolis, as well as in the other places where fires have broken out, the upending of the economy and the uncertain nature of knowing whether there really is a deadly virus secretly attacking people and, if so, what to do about it, provides a context. The spark was the brutal death of Floyd, but the uncertainty about jobs, whether people can pay for food and housing, or can afford the doctor, exacerbates a situation already fraught with fear on both sides. The current uprisings, however, have another driver, and this is social media. People knew immediately what had happened to Floyd because a bystander videoed and uploaded it. The wider public outcry against the Vietnam War was a response to pictures and films on the 6pm news, but now television runs after social media to find out and report what has happened. In this election year, a constant question is, how will events affect the outcome? Donald Trump, after a phone call to Floyd's family and a tweet telling the world about it, has returned to his preferred stance as a man who takes a hard and even brutal line, and who plays on the apprehensions of those who fear their business or their house will go up in flames. This fear, indeed, affects those who might not normally be Trump supporters, symbolised by the Latin-American store owners who stood guarding their premises against the rioters. Trump hopes to sweep them up into his coalition. Joe Biden took the opposing stance. Where Trump is divisive, Biden tries to unify; where Trump condones violence, Biden encourages reconciliation. Trump needs to look like the strong leader who will protect America. He has to widen his coalition. Biden has to be the leader who can build a coalition nearly as complex as the Democratic coalition from the Thirties to the Seventies. The riots may have helped, rather than hindered him, however: as does Biden, most Americans prefer neighbourliness to confrontation. Haiti - FLASH : The country crosses the bar of 2,000 cases The Ministry of Public Health informs that 259 new cases have been confirmed in Haiti (the day before: 281), for a total of 2,124 cases throughout the national territory (40.2% women and 59.8% 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 ). 3 new deaths were recorded : 1 in the West, 1 in the Artibonite and 1 in the North, bringing the total to 44. The number of active cases (minus deaths and cures) is now 2.056 (+ 14.2%) +256 cases in 24 hours (the day before: +263) Number of suspected cases : 5,244 cases (+ 14.57%) +667 (the day before: +471) People hospitalized: 364 people +16 in 24 hours (the day before: +24) Home quarantine: 1,395 people -256 in 24 hours (the day before: +129) All the details in our daily report of 11:00 a.m. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30912-haiti-covid-19-daily-report-may-31-2020.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30907-haiti-flash-the-number-of-new-cases-doubles-in-24-hours.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 Another day, another million-dollar-plus settlement of a civil rights lawsuit against Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales department. In what has become far too common an occurrence that speaks to underlying problems in BCSO, the family of a man who was sitting in the back seat of a stolen pickup truck when he was shot to death by Deputy Joshua Mora in 2017 recently settled a federal lawsuit against the county for $1.5 million. The only apparent crime committed by Martin Jim, 25, was being in the wrong place at the wrong time namely in the back seat of the vehicle driven by Isaac Padilla, 23. An earlier state court lawsuit arising from the same incident had resulted in a $400,000 payout to Martin Jims partner and 4-year-old son. And a separate federal case filed on behalf of Padilla resulted in a $1.36 million payment to his estate, bringing the total for the night to about $3.3 million. The most recent lawsuit was settled after U.S. District Judge Judith Herrera ruled there was sufficient evidence for the case brought by Jims family to go to a jury. Albuquerque police had tried to stop the vehicle believing it was stolen. Padilla then led APD and then BCSO on a chase lasting nearly half an hour. A deputy rammed the truck at Coors and Glenrio NW on Albuquerques West Side. With the pickup truck at a standstill, two deputies parked their vehicles to block the truck from moving. Then, Mora arrived on the scene and in a span of 18 seconds jumped from his car, ran to the truck, yelled commands at the driver and fired seven rounds, killing Padilla and Jim. He didnt realize Jim was in the back seat. BCSO argued his shooting was unintentional and Padillas was justified. Mora claimed he heard the pickup truck engine rev up and he feared for the safety of another deputy. In refusing to dismiss the case, Herrera noted Mora was the only deputy who opened fire. The deputy most imperiled did not. Unfortunately, the kind of behavior exhibited by Mora isnt unique to BCSO. In March, the county agreed to pay $4 million to the family of Elisha Lucero, a 28-year-old woman with a history of mental illness who was shot and killed by deputies in front of her home last summer. A family member had called 911 and said Lucero who stood 4 feet 11 inches had hit her uncle. The relative who called said Lucero was mentally ill, needed help and was a threat to herself and everybody else. A lieutenant and two deputies were dispatched and ended up shooting Lucero, who ran toward them screaming with a kitchen knife, at least 21 times. She died at the scene. Gonzales has adamantly refused to adopt lapel cams for his deputies and even in the face of such lawsuits refuses to concede some in his department have problems with constitutional policing. Incredibly, his spokesman said the department was sickened by the amount of the settlement in the Lucero shooting and does not admit any fault. Of course not. Gonzales is an independent elected official, and county commissioners have tried without success to persuade and cajole him to adopt prevailing technology and join the ranks of modern, constitutional policing. As the settlements mount thats $7.3 million in the last couple of months commissioners and taxpayers alike need to ratchet up the pressure. 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. Wake-Up Call, Global Alliance Needed Amid China Threat, Scheer Says Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says its time for democratic countries to wake up to Chinas threat to the world, and is calling for free countries to unite against the Beijing regime. Its time for freedom-loving nations around the world to wake up to this reality, to work together to support each other in pushing back, Scheer told The Epoch Times. So its time for a wake-up call with G7 countries, with democratic countries around the world, to say this is a country that is abusing human rights. The recent national security law imposed on Hong Kong is the latest in a pattern of very aggressive behaviour by the Chinese regime, and this pattern can only be countered by a strong global response, Scheer said. The best strategy would be to form an alliance of countries who have had enough, who are willing to call out the regime for what it is so we can support each other, he said. If we dont, it will only get harder. Every day we wait, every year, it will only get harder and harder, so we might as well start now. We might as well start creating that kind of alliance of freedom-loving nations around the world to stand up to the authoritarian regime of the PRC (Peoples Republic of China). On May 28, Beijing passed a national security law that would grant its security apparatus the ability to operate in Hong Kong, effectively ending the one country two systems structure in principle. The move sparked widespread criticism as the law could be used to target 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. Last week via conference call, Scheer met with Hong Kong human rights and democracy activists from Canada and around the world to explore how Canada can better support freedom for Hong Kong. We dont want to see the people of Hong Kong suffer unduly anymore, he said. Our caucus is looking at different steps that we can take at the diplomatic level; we believe these actions [by the regime] should be condemned. Its appropriate to start looking at things like if there are [Chinese] agents operating in Canada under the cover of diplomatic protection. We need to end that, we need to stop allowing that to happen. Those are the steps that we should be taking in the short term. Scheer criticized the Liberal government for its strategy of appeasement with China. He pointed to the regimes retaliation for Canadas arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou for extradition to the United Statesthrough detainment of Canadian citizens Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig and the blocking of Canadian agricultural exportsas an example that this approach has failed. Mr. Trudeau goes to great lengths not to offend his Chinese counterparts. And we believe its time for Canada to stand up, not just for ourselves but for the rights of the people in China and in Hong Kong, he said. Weve seen with authoritarian human rights-abusing governments in the 20th century, and even more recently, that if you just go along to get along you allow these types of abusive regimes to get more and more powerful until it becomes harder and harder to stop them. A Growing International Resistance On June 1, a cross-party international coalition of 760 parliamentarians and policymakers from 37 countries, including 180 Canadian signatories, issued a statement decrying Beijings unilateral introduction of national security legislation in Hong Kong and calling for sympathetic governments to unite against this flagrant breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Last week, Canada also joined a coalition of democratic nations including Australia, the United States, and the U.K. to condemn Beijing for enacting the new security law. But beyond words of criticism, several countries have started taking concrete action to curb Beijings threat, against the backdrop of Hong Kong freedom and ongoing fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 29, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a series of new measures tackling threats posed by the communist regime: the revocation of Hong Kongs special status with the United States, sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials, formal withdrawal from the World Health Organization, the barring of Chinese graduate students tied to the Chinese military, and a review into Chinese companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges. The British government said it will grant greater visa rights to British national overseas (BNO) passport holders from Hong Kong unless the Chinese regime suspends the new security law. This would allow BNO passport holders in Hong Kong to stay in Britain for 12 months instead of the current six. And European Union foreign ministers agreed to toughen their strategy on China in a meeting on May 29, to counter Beijings increasing aggressiveness. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told a news conference after the meeting that ministers expressed grave concern over Chinas plans to curtail freedoms in Hong Kong, and the bloc would now prepare a new EU strategy document on China. Scheer said Canada should not underestimate its bargaining power, and should join other countries to gain momentum against the regime. If enough countries around the world work together on this levelweve seen it before. Weve been able to, as a world, create alliances of countries who are committed to human rights, he said. Weve been able to do things like [stop] apartheid in South Africa. Weve been able to stop ethnic cleansing in different regions. Weve done it before; where theres a will. I just believe that governments need to stop fooling themselves. They need to start to open their eyes and see the reality thats actually happening on the ground. With reporting by Danielle Zhu While Hong Kong's trade with the U.S. would be immediately affected once Washington revokes the Chinese city's special status, tariffs won't be the most pressing concern, former top White House trade negotiator Clete Willems told CNBC on Monday. Last Friday, President Donald Trump said he would begin to revoke Hong Kong's favored trade status with the United States. That came after China approved a proposal for a controversial new security law that would effectively bar political protest, and override the legislature in the special administrative region. China's proposal has prompted concerns over Hong Kong's status as a top financial hub in Asia. If its special trade status with the U.S. is revoked, that would affect the trade between the two, as well as impact the more than 1,300 American companies operating in the city. Due to its special status, Hong Kong has so far been exempted from tariffs that the U.S. has imposed on China as part of the trade war between the two countries. "If you only look at tariffs ... Hong Kong isn't a huge manufacturing sector in its own right," Willems told CNBC. U.S. goods and services trade with Hong Kong totaled more than $66 billion in 2018, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). U.S. exports to Hong Kong were $50.1 billion, while imports were $16.8 billion, according to the data. "What's really significant is going to be export controls do we stop U.S. technology from going to Hong Kong without a license? Do we have different tech treaties, aviation treaties with Hong Kong?" Willems continued, adding that there's also concern whether Hong Kong's role as a financial hub for China and the rest of the region would be jeopardized. Mumbai: SBI hopes to kick off merger of its associates as well as Bharatiya Mahila Bank with itself by October-end and try to complete the process by March next, making it the 45th largest lender globally in terms of assets. Early August, the central board of SBI had approved the acquisition of all the five associate banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank and finalised the swap ratios for the merger. The merger process will start by October-end. The grievance committee will come back to us hopefully by the end of this month, thereafter we have to send it to the Reserve Bank and then to the government for the final approval, which may probably take a month. Post which the merger can take place, SBI chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya told PTI in an interview today. SBI has three listed associate banksState Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Travancore, and two unlisted associatesState Bank of Patiala and State Bank of Hyderabad. Under the swap ratio for the merger proposal, SBBJ shareholders will get 28 shares of SBI (Re 1 each) for every 10 shares (Rs 10 each) or a ratio of 1:28, while SBM and SBT shareholders will get 22 shares of 10 SBI shares. In the case of Bharatiya Mahila Bank, 4,42,31,510 shares of SBI will be swapped for every 100 crore of Rs 10. After the board approval, the lender had put in place a grievance redressal mechanism to provide an opportunity to its shareholders to file their objections with regard to the share swap ratios. It has given 21 calendar days for shareholders to register their complaints. The grievance committee is headed by a high court judge and two chartered accountants. Bhattacharya said once the grievance committee sends its report, the board will take a view on the recommendations of the panel. After this, the bank will have to send the proposal to the Reserve Bank and then to the government for their final approvals. She said post-merger of five associate banks and Bharatiya Mahila Bank, the governments stake in the bank will comes down to a little over 59.70 per cent from around 61.30 per cent as of the June quarter. Bhattacharya expressed the hope that the bank will be able to finish the merger process by end of the current financial year if everything goes smoothly. The intention is to complete the merger by March 2017, she said but was quick to add that there could be many ifs and buts but the effort is to complete by end of this financial year. We are a free society and if there are number of legal challenges we may not get completed. But we will try our level best to complete it. Already there is a PIL filed in a Kerala court against the merger, she said. With merger of all the five associates and BMBL, SBI will become a global-sized bank and could compete and will be the 45th largest in the world with an asset of Rs 37 trillion. The combined entity will have 22,500 branches and 58,000 ATMs serving over 50 crore customers. SBI has now close to 16,500 branches, including 191 foreign offices spread across 36 countries. SBI first merged State Bank of Saurashtra with itself in 2008. Two years later, State Bank of Indore was merged. YEREVAN, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan addressed a congratulatory message on the International Day for Protection of Children. Armenpress presents the text of the message: Dear compatriots, On the occasion of the International Day for Protection of Children, I address my warmest congratulations to everyone regardless of age. The key of the state policy to build a dignified future and the united efforts of all of us is to make our childrens tomorrow brighter and grow up a healthy, developed and creative generation under the proper guarantee of their rights. The state will surely continue and expand all the educational, healthcare and social programs which will contribute to the work of having a healthy, developed generation and their upbringing with the national value system. The exercise of our childrens right to safe and happy childhood is among the states priority duties, and the authorities will do everything for properly fulfilling it. Dear children, Each day of the year is yours, each of our hopes and effort is directed to you. I wish you family warmth, happy childhood, peaceful sky and constant educational and creative achievements. All the best to you. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan Residents of Yeji in the Pru East District of the Bono East Region are currently living in fear following the recording of the first COVID-19 case in the community. A 31-year-old driver who plies Yeji to Kumasi has tested positive to COVID-19. The case becomes the first case to be recorded in the Bono East Region. Following the incident, the residents of Yeji are currently living in fear. Benedict Attah who spoke to FirstNews in an interview said he is living in fear because he does not know the people who have contracted the disease in Yeji. We are all leaving fear because we do not know the person who has the disease. I am careful and would continue to observe the safety protocols, Mr. Atta noted. Another resident, Angola Kpevu also said he is living in fear since the new broke that a driver in the community has contracted COVID-19. The Bono East Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Fred Adomako Boateng noted that they have intensified their risk communication. Dr. Boateng admonished the residents to continue to wear the nose masks and also adhere to all the safety protocols. By Brandon D. Minde I appeared before an Essex County judge recently to argue a motion to dismiss. I am an attorney. I do this all the time. But lately, I have been doing so from home, in front of my computer, dark suit and all, at least from the waist up. The same afternoon I participated in a plea agreement before a Somerset County judge. Same home, same computer, just a different case and county. I did not take a law school course in virtual justice. No lawyer did. But we are learning fast. The pandemic has forced virtual justice upon us. And rather than be scared, we should embrace it. Mere access to the courthouse doors does not by itself assure a proper functioning of the adversary process. Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote those words in 1985 when he, of course, assumed the actual courthouse doors would always physically open. But he could not have foreseen what we now face: COVID-19, stay at home orders, social distancing. Access to the courthouse doors has now taken on a new meaning. Courthouses remain physically shut, but those of us who spend our days seeking to protect individuals rights and pursue justice continue our work in new, innovative ways. Virtual arraignments to read formal criminal charges. Check. Virtual case management conferences to discuss discovery issues or plea negotiations, and even virtual sentencings. Check, check and check. We have learned some things along the way. Straightforward, less contentious proceedings have adjusted well to the virtual world. For example, a clients first appearance where the pending charges are read, potential exposure advised, and bail conditions for release are given. I am less confident about courtroom situations that seem made for, well, live courtroom TV. If I virtually confront an accuser who has given conflicting stories, or surprises an expert witness with old social media posts showing her bias, will my impact on the jury be the same as if they were sitting a few feet away? I doubt it. Our judicial system is steeped in history and tradition. (Think of the black robes.) It is slow to change. In law school I learned to ask a judge, permission to roam the well. Thats court speak for, may I please get up and walk in front of you? A lawyer is someone who solves problems. And COVID-19 presents a big one. We need technology to plug the gap where history and tradition fall short because whats the alternative? To shut down the legal system for months? For years? For every new outbreak? In a country that requires access to the courthouse doors to ensure justice and liberty, that would be unthinkable. During one recent virtual hearing, I wanted to discuss a matter privately with the judge and prosecutor. Before, I would request that we meet in the judges chambers. Now, I requested we move to the judges virtual chambers (read: Zoom video breakout room). It all worked smoothly and until recently I, and many of my legal colleagues, had never even heard of Zoom. Many more of us will soon be touched by these innovations. New Jersey is starting a pilot program for virtual grand juries. People with traffic tickets are getting notices for virtual municipal court hearings. There are certainly differing views on virtual court appearances and virtual grand juries, but I am proud the legal system is not standing still in the face of COVID-19. For the moment, virtual proceedings are limited and most substantive ones require consent from all the parties involved. But things are changing fast as we simply do not know when we will return to the days of hundreds of people crowding into courthouses. Those who have had jury duty remember the crowded jury rooms, courtrooms, cafeterias, hallways and elevators. Post-pandemic what will be the reaction the first time someone sneezes in a jury box? One day soon, you may receive a jury notice form instructing you on which day and at what time to login to Zoom for jury duty from your dining room table. Of course, mere access to Zoom video does not itself assure ideal access to the courthouse doors, but in these troubled times, it is a good start. Brandon Minde is an attorney at Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski, P.C, in Cranford and is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a criminal trial attorney. 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. On March 1, 2020, India outperformed Russia and Poland in a US$ 40 million defense deal with Armenia to supply it with four domestically made SWATHI counter-battery radars. The system is developed by Indias Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). It provides accurate information on enemy artillery firing positions weapons up to 75 kilometers away. The decision came amid Indias growing efforts to boost its national Make in India brand in the defense industry sector, which could make new inroads into European, Middle Eastern and Asian defense markets. However, the new Indian Armenian defense deal could undermine Delhis relations with Russia on the one hand, and Azerbaijan, Turkey and Pakistan on the other. BACKGROUND: In recent years, Indian-Armenian bilateral cooperation saw rapid growth, culminating with a high-level Indian delegation visiting Yerevan in 2017, led by then Vice-President Hamid Ansari. For Armenia, close relations with India are vitally important as the latter provides a counter balance to the rival strategic axis between Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Turkey. After the 2016 four-day war in Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in some Azerbaijani territorial gains, Armenia has sought to boost its military capabilities. In this regard, Armenia largely relies on its long-time security partner Russia, which annually provides a tremendous amount of military aid to Yerevan. Armenia received its first Russia-made Iskander-M short-range ballistic missiles in 2016. In addition to the missile system, Armenia received four new SU-30SM fighter jets in late 2019. While these military supplies to Armenia underline Russias continued influence in the region, they have also intensified the military arms race between Baku and Yerevan. Nevertheless, Armenia seeks alternative security partners in order to diversify its military procurements. Therefore, Armenia has long sought to deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in the military sector, with regional power India. This effort has been ongoing for several years, for example, in 2018 an Armenian delegation visited India and negotiated possible import of the indigenously built Pinaka multiple-launch rocket system with a maximum range of 75 kilometers. IMPLICATIONS: With the new defense deal, Armenia chose the SWATHI military radar system over the Russian-made Zoopark-1 and the Polish-made Liwiec counter-battery radar systems, becoming the first foreign importer of Indian weaponry. The choice raised some eyebrows in Russian media, considering the fact that Yerevan has over the last three years received around US$ 300 million in military loans from Russia. Therefore, it would be naive to believe that the new US$ 40 million defense deal and the import of Indian-made weaponry will not affect Moscow-Yerevan bilateral relations. The SWATHI radar system can simultaneously handle multiple projectiles fired from different weapons at different locations. The Indian Army is using the same radars in its operations along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, in order to trace the source of attack from Pakistani positions. The Indian Army started using the system on a trial basis in 2018. The radar system is relatively new, which means it has a number of disadvantages compared to the Chinese SLC-2 counter-battery system and the Russian Repellent (deployed in the Armenian Armed Forces since 2018), as well as the Turkish and Israeli-made radar systems deployed in the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, which have been effectively used in local conflicts. For Armenia, an additional disadvantage of the SWATHI radars is that they are based on different technology than other, Russian made weaponry in Armenias Armed Forces and therefore difficult to integrate. It also raises the question whether Moscow will turn a blind eye to the growing Indian footprint in its geopolitical backyard, despite the announcement by Armenias Defence Ministry in December that Yerevan will sign a new deal with Russian ORSIS (Promtexnologiya) company, Armenias largest supplier of military ammunition, in 2020 to purchase more Russian weaponry. Following a corruption scandal involving the Russian company and Armenias Defence Ministry in August 2019, the Ministry banned the company from participation in a new military tender. However, the scandal was rapidly overcome and cooperation restored. The Indian-Armenian tandem is indeed a reaction to the Azerbaijan-Pakistan-Turkey strategic triangle. For several years, Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Turkey have coordinated their positions on a number of vitally important issues like economic cooperation and supporting each others territorial integrity. While Turkey openly raises the Kashmir issue at the behest of Pakistan, Azerbaijan prefers to refer to international law principles in resolving the territorial conflict in order not to anger India. However, this did not prevent Baku from developing military cooperation with Islamabad. In this context, the two countries signed a military cooperation agreement in February 2014 in Islamabad. The agreement was updated in 2015 and 2016, during meetings of the Azerbaijan-Pakistan Working Group in Baku and Islamabad, respectively. In 2018, Pakistan signed a contract for the construction of four Milgem/Ada-class corvettes with the Turkish state-controlled shipyard ASFAT A.S. The deal is part of Pakistans efforts to replace aged warships featuring systems nearing the end of manufacturer support, boost its conventional deterrent vis-a-vis India, and better safeguard its maritime economy and trade links. Moreover, Azerbaijan eyes the JF-17 Thunder (also known as the FC-1 Xiaolong), a multi-functional aircraft that was jointly developed by Pakistan and China. Although Azerbaijan has expressed interest in importing the JF-17, no formal deal has yet been reached. Although Armenia is highly dependent on Russian military supplies and loans, it simultaneously seeks to diversify its own partnership portfolio in response to the varied military arsenal of its archrival Azerbaijan. Indias efforts to step up cooperation with Armenia, on the other hand, is a response against strategic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan, and Turkeys vocal stance on the disputed Kashmir issue. CONCLUSIONS: The recent defense deal between India and Armenia means more for India than Armenia, in terms of boosting its defense industry and military exporter role. However, the decision to import Indian weaponry risks damaging Armenias relations its natural ally Russia. Russia maintains a huge security presence in the country with a significant military contingent on its soil. Some observers claim that Armenias geopolitical alignment with Russia has damaged the countrys position in the international arena and undermined its sovereignty. Therefore, attempts to develop closer relations with the rising economic power India seems a rational choice for Armenia even at the expense of tensions with Moscow. From Indias point of view, the military deal with Armenia can be seen as an ideal tool for deepening strategic ties with Turkeys and Azerbaijans adversarial neighbor, in retaliation for Ankaras and Bakus strategic and military cooperation with Pakistan. India could take further steps such as supporting separatist movements in Anatolia or other regions in order to mitigate the impact of Azerbaijan-Turkey-Pakistan cooperation. AUTHOR'S BIO: Fuad Shahbazov (@fuadshahbazov) is a Baku based Senior Research Analyst. He has been a Research Fellow (2016-2018) at the former Center for Strategic Studies of Azerbaijan. In 2018, he has been a Visiting Research Fellow at the Washington D.C based Center for National Security and Intelligence Studies. He covers regional security and defense industry issues. Image Source: Indian Ministry trhough Wikimedia Commons accessed on 5/29/20 Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 14:54:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A farmer controls a drone in a rice field in Nanshui Village of Xiangxiang, central China's Hunan Province, May 14, 2020. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai) CHANGSHA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Drones for agriculture have proved popular with farmers in China. "Drones are over 10 times more efficient than skilled manpower and they are cost-effective and environmentally friendly," said Li Liping, a major grain grower in the county-level city of Xiangxiang in central China's Hunan Province. The 51-year-old farmer, who learned to fly the machine three years ago, said he no longer needed to wade through the fields to spray and fertilize since drones have replaced manual work. "It was so exciting to see the drone taking off," said Li as he recalled the first time he used the machine in the summer of 2018. As the COVID-19 epidemic wanes across China, farmers are encouraged by local governments to expand their planting areas and increase their production input. The city of Xiangxiang, for example, is ready to see a bumper summer harvest of early rice. Li has grown some 20 more hectares of early rice this year and expects to see a major rise in grain output with drones being a great help. Xiao Jianliang, an owner of another major farmland in Xiangxiang, has also benefited greatly from the use of drones in agriculture. Xiao said he acquired his drone license in late 2017 after a 15-day intensive training program, and the skill of flying drones has brought him additional income as the machine boosts the efficiency of sowing and crop-dusting. Farmers like Li and Xiao are among a growing number of Chinese farmers who are introducing smarter and innovative ideas to boost their agricultural production. They are skilled drone pilots, capable of designing the most efficient flight routes and heights, analyzing the flight path to fill the gap and calculating the precise amount of fertilizer and pesticide for the land. "A revolution in agricultural production is taking place because of mechanization and intelligent intensive farming, especially in pioneering areas like Xiangxiang," said Li Xiangping, an agricultural expert in Hunan with over two decades of experience in farm management. As the demand for the machine is predicted to rise in the coming years, farmers including Li and Xiao also expect more intelligent and economical drones equipped with longer battery life. Enditem Health authorities report no new deaths from the coronavirus in a 24-hour period for the first time since March 3. Health authorities in Spain have reported no new deaths from the coronavirus in the last 24 hours for the first time in nearly three months. Coronavirus cases in Iran have jumped by nearly 3,000, its highest daily count in two months, while China also saw its biggest daily rise in infections in three weeks. Residents of Moscow are now allowed to go out for a walk for the first time in more than two months, while the United Kingdom has also relaxed some of its lockdown measures, despite concerns among the governments scientific advisory body. Latin Americas death toll has exceeded 50,000 with some one million cases reported across the region. More than 6.18 million coronavirus cases have been confirmed around the world, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Nearly 372,000 people have died, including more than 104,000 in the US. At least 2.64 million have recovered globally. Here are the latest updates: Monday, June 1 20:20 GMT Canada to fast-track C$2.2 billion for infrastructure to cash-strapped municipalities Canadas cash-strapped municipalities will receive C$2.2 billion ($1.62 billion) in fast-tracked federal infrastructure funding to help cover funding shortfalls in budgets battered during the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said. The one-time payment will be delivered in June through the federal Gas Tax Fund, Trudeau told his daily press briefing. As of Monday, Canada had 91,351 cases of COVID-19, the respiratory disease cause by the novel coronavirus, and had reported 7,305 deaths, according to official data. Municipalities will have flexibility to use the funding to meet local needs, including for projects like boosting access to high-speed broadband or improving roads and water systems, Trudeau said. From testing clinics to programs for seniors, cities and towns provide essential services, so its crucial that they have the resources they need, he told reporters. 19:35 GMT US Senate leader hopes for quick passage of House coronavirus small business bill US Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has said he hoped the Senate would soon pass legislation already passed by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives easing terms of the coronavirus small-business loan program. I hope and anticipate the Senate will soon take up and pass legislation that just passed the House, by an overwhelming vote of 417 to one, to further strengthen the Paycheck Protection Program so it continues working for small businesses that need our help, McConnell, a Republican, said. 19:15 GMT WHO chief: UN agency wishes to continue collaborating with US Three days after US President Donald Trump said he was withdrawing from the World Health Organization, the UN agencys head publicly expressed the desire to continue working together. It is WHOs wish for this collaboration to continue, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at an online press conference, adding that US governments had done a lot for health around the world over decades. Trump on Friday said the US will withdraw from the WHO and accused the UN agency of failing to enact reforms in the face of US concerns over its handling of the pandemic and that it put too much faith in information from China, where the outbreak originated. Trump had already announced a halt in funding to the WHO, a decision met with dismay by other countries and health experts. 18:40 GMT Coronavirus infections yet to peak in Central, South America: WHO The coronavirus pandemic has not yet reached its peak in South and Central America, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned, adding it could not predict when it would happen. South and Central America, in particular, have very much become the intense zones of transmission, said WHO expert Michael Ryan. I dont believe we have reached the peak in that transmission. At this point I cannot predict when we will, he added. Brazil, Peru, Chile and Mexico are the countries with the highest numbers of newly recorded coronavirus cases, he said. Countries in the region need our support, they need our solidarity, he added. He said there were good examples of countries where the government and society fought together against the virus, as well as others where there was a weakness, without naming any specific countries. 18:30 GMT Nearly 26,000 nursing home COVID-19 deaths reported to feds Federal health authorities have received reports of nearly 26,000 nursing home residents dying from COVID-19, according to materials prepared for the nations governors. That number is partial and likely to go higher. A letter from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 60,000 cases of coronavirus illness among nursing home residents. The numbers, which had been promised by the end of May, are partial. The letter said the data are based on reports received from about 80% of the nations 15,400 nursing homes. 18:15 GMT French healthy ministry urges people to continue exercising caution French health ministry has said people should continue applying protective measures against the new coronavirus outbreak even as the number of cases in hospitals and intensive care continues to fall. It said in a statement that as France readies for a second phase of the easing of restrictive measures from Tuesday, with parks, bars and restaurants expected to reopen, the good news should not make us forget the danger of the virus. It said in a daily update that 18,506 coronavirus deaths have been reported in hospital since march 1, while there were still 14,288 cases in hospital on Monday, a slight drop from 14,322 on Sunday. 17:30 GMT UK contact tracing, system has spare capacity, says minister Britains new coronavirus test-and-trace system is working well and some of the thousands of contact-tracers who have been recruited are not yet fully occupied, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said. The system is up and running, its successful. I am very glad to report that those who are asked to isolate by the contact-tracers are expressing the willingness to do so, Hancock said during the governments daily coronavirus briefing. We have more capacity than we need and this is a good thing. Hancock did not give any data on the number of people who have been contacted under the new system. The national coordinator, John Newton, said the numbers of contacts being identified were high. 17:10 GMT Turkey reopens most public places after coronavirus lockdown Turkey has reopened restaurants and cafes in addition to many other public areas, as the government further eased coronavirus restrictions on Monday. Many other facilities including parks, beaches, swimming pools, gyms, libraries and museums reopened across the country. Istanbuls iconic 15th-century Grand Bazaar market also reopened while millions of public sector employees returned to work. Read more here. 16:45 GMT WHO: No evidence to suggest coronavirus is becoming more potent There is no evidence the new coronavirus has been altering either in its form of transmission or severity of the disease it causes, a World Health Organization (WHO) expert have said. In terms of transmissibility, that has not changed, in terms of severity, that has not changed, Maria Van Kerkhove, a WHO epidemiologist, told a media briefing. Whats important is that there are measures in place to reduce and to suppress transmission. 16:15 GMT Italy coronavirus deaths rise by 60 to 33,475, total cases 233,197 Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy have climbed by 60, against 75 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, while the daily tally of new cases fell to just 178 from 355 on Sunday. The total death toll since the outbreak came to light on February 21 now stands at 33,475, the agency said, the third highest in the world after those of the United States and Britain. The number of confirmed cases amounts to 233,197, the sixth highest global tally behind those of the United States, Russia, Brazil, Spain and Britain. People registered as currently carrying the illness fell to 41,367 from 42,075 the day before. There were 424 people in intensive care on Monday, down from 435 on Sunday, maintaining a long-running decline. Of those originally infected, 158,355 were declared recovered against 157,507 a day earlier. The agency said 2.452 million people had been tested for the virus as of Monday, against 2.434 million on Sunday, out of a population of around 60 million. 16:00 GMT Nigeria to relax coronavirus restrictions on places of worship Nigeria will relax restrictions on places of worship that were imposed to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, the chairman of the presidential task force for COVID-19 has said. Boss Mustapha, in a speech to journalists in the capital Abuja, also said a lockdown in the northern city of Kano would be eased. He said in both cases the easing of restrictions would take effect from Tuesday. Security ensures the mandatory use of protective masks for Christian worshippers, as churches reopen [Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters] 15:25 GMT Spain reports no new coronavirus deaths Spain has reported no new coronavirus deaths in a 24-hour period for the first time since March. Emergency health response chief Fernando Simon said the development is very, very encouraging. He told a news conference there were only 71 new infection over the past 24 hours. We are in a very good place in the evolution of the pandemic, Simon said. The statistics are following a trend. They are going the right direction. Spain reported its first two deaths on March 3. Another was reported two days later. Spains number of infections and death jumped exponentially. On April 2, it recorded 950 deaths in 24 hours the peak death toll. The official death toll now stands at 27,127, with 240,000 confirmed cases. Spanish health authorities have so far recorded 239,638 coronavirus cases [Anadolu] 14:20 GMT Italian football authorities consider allowing fans into stadiums in July Italian footballing authorities are considering the possibility of allowing fans into stadiums starting next month. The Italian league is set to resume on June 20 with no spectators allowed. There are also strict rules limiting the number of people in the stadium to 300. That includes both teams, staff and journalists. Italian media are reporting that the football federation could discuss the possibility of increasing that number and permitting a vastly reduced number of fans. Federation president Gabriele Gravina says its something I really wish for with all my heart. Gravina says its unthinkable that in a stadium that can hold 60,000 theres not space for a small percentage of fans with the necessary precautions. 14:05 GMT Chile to see very significant drop in economy: Finance minister Chiles finance minister Ignacio Briones said he expects a very significant drop in the countrys economy in May as measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus hammer output in the South American nation Chiles death toll from the coronavirus on Sunday surged past the 1,000 mark, after a sudden increase in the number of cases over the last two weeks, making it one of the countries most affected by the pandemic in Latin America. 13:55 GMT UK finance minister says were getting our lives back without a big bang British finance minister Rishi Sunak has said that people were starting to get their lives back to normal as the government eased the coronavirus lockdown. Slowly we are going to get our lives back to normal, Sunak told reporters at a street market where he bought lunch. We are now at the stage of that plan when we can get our lives a little bit more back to normal but that is not an overnight, big bang thing it is measured, progressive. We are doing it in a safe and responsible way. Hopefully at the beginning of July we will be able to get many more restaurants and pubs open as well, he said. People should have the confidence to go out there and get their lives a little bit more back to normal. 13:45 GMT UK quarantine to go ahead but looking at air bridges: PM Johnsons spokesman Britain still intends to go ahead with a COVID-19 quarantine later this month for those arriving in the United Kingdom but is looking at air bridges with certain countries, Prime Minister Boris Johnsons spokesman said on Monday. Its something weve said were looking at and that remains the case, the spokesman said. Weve set out the reasons why we believe (quarantine) is a necessary step: its intention is to control the spread of the virus and protect the British public. With the government easing some lockdown measures from Monday, the spokesman also said that if the public followed social distancing guidelines, it was unlikely to lead to a spike in infections. But he said measures could be reimposed if there were local outbreaks. 13:40 GMT Russian PM says there are grounds for cautious optimism There are grounds for cautious optimism in Russia about the countrys coronavirus outbreak, where the situation remains stable, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has said. Russia has reported 414,878 cases of the novel coronavirus and 4,855 deaths. Hi, This is Ramy Allahoum in Doha taking over the blog from my colleague Saba Aziz. 12:30 GMT I will be handing over the blog to another colleague in Doha shortly. Here is a quick summary of the days developments: Several countries, including the Philippines, India, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Russia, have eased lockdown restrictions. Turkey has resumed air and road travel between big cities. According to a new survey, WHO says the global pandemic is severely disrupting treatment for non-communicable diseases. 12:15 GMT Visitors tour Romes newly reopened landmarks A long line of masked visitors were seen outside the Vatican Museums as one of Italys biggest tourist draws reopened after a three-month coronavirus shutdown. Across town, Romes other big attraction the Colosseum also opened its ancient doors, but it appeared there were more television crews than tourists on hand. This is a symbolic moment for Rome and for Italy, the director of the Archaeological Park at the Colosseum, Alfonsina Russo, said. Visitors enter Romes ancient Colosseum as it reopens with physical distancing and hygiene measures in place [Yara Nardi/Reuters] 12:00 GMT Coronavirus case confirmed in UAE jail A detainee at a jail in the United Arab Emirates has tested positive for COVID-19 and is being denied treatment, a rights group has said. Abduallah al-Shamsi, an Omani citizen, was diagnosed with the virus at Abu Dhabis al-Wathba prison after showing symptoms, the International Campaign for Freedom in the UAE (ICFUAE) said in a statement. The group called on Emirati authorities to release all prisoners of conscience and conditionally release those who were in contact with al-Shamsi or suffer serious or terminal illnesses so they can self-isolate in a safe environment with access to healthcare. 11:30 GMT WHO: Pandemic disrupting health services for cancer, diabetes The World Health Organization has said about half of the countries surveyed in a new analysis have had partial or complete disruption of services for people with high blood pressure and diabetes treatment during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In a survey of 155 countries last month, the UN health agency found worrying problems in the provision of health care for people with non-communicable diseases, many of whom are at higher risk of severe complications from COVID-19. Many people who need treatment for diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes have not been receiving the health services and medicines they need since the COVID-19 pandemic began, said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement. 11:20 GMT Thailand reopens some beaches People returned to some of Thailands famed sandy beaches, keeping well apart but enjoying the outdoors, as authorities eased some coronavirus restrictions for the first time in more than two months. In Pattaya, visitors marvelled at the clarity of the turquoise-blue waters of the Gulf of Thailand, as pensioners eager for exercise promenaded along the beach. But, beaches in Phuket, in the south, are still off-limits. Local authorities have ordered beachgoers to stay at least a metre (three feet) apart. 10:30 GMT Irans coronavirus cases hit two-month high Iran has reported almost 3,000 new coronavirus infections, its highest daily count in two months, as it warned of another dangerous peak in the Middle Easts deadliest outbreak. People seem to think the coronavirus is over some officials also believe everything is back to normal, said Health Minister Saeed Namaki. The coronavirus is not only far from over, but we could at any moment see (another) dangerous peak, he said in a televised interview. Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour raised Irans caseload to 154,445 with 2,979 new infections recorded in the past 24 hours. Dogs get ready for training to detect the new coronavirus in people in Tehran [Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu] 10:15 GMT Spains tourism revenue nearly halves amid lockdown No tourists travelled to Spain in April because of the coronavirus lockdown, dragging income from the key sector down by just about half in the first four months of the year, the National Statistics Office (INE) said. Tourists only spent 11.7 billion euros ($13.02bn) between January and April, 48 percent lower than a year ago, the INE said. Spain, which entered into lockdown mid-March to contain the pandemic, welcomed only 10.58 million tourists in these four months, half of the visitors that travelled there during the same period last year. 10:00 GMT From the plague to MERS: A brief history of pandemics On March 11, the WHO declared the new coronavirus a pandemic. Check out our interactive to find out more about the past pandemics that shook the world. An illustration of the Black Death (1346-1353) [Alia Chughtai and Joanne Pereira/Al Jazeera] 09:30 GMT India orders airlines to keep middle seat vacant if passenger load permits Airlines have been ordered to keep the middle seat empty if passenger load factors and seat capacity allow for it, Indias aviation regulator said in a notice to domestic and international carriers. However, members of the same family would be allowed to sit together, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in its notice, the Reuters News Agency reported. If a seat between two passengers is occupied, the DGCA said, the person in that seat must be provided with additional safety gear such as a wrap-around gown apart from the face mask and face shield that airlines already have to provide to everyone on board. 08:50 GMT Philippines sees traffic jams as lockdown eased Traffic jams and crowds of commuters have returned to the Philippine capital, as the metropolis relaxed anti-virus measures in a high-stakes gamble to slowly reopen the economy while fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Commuter trains, taxis, ride-sharing cars, special shuttle buses and motorcycles rumbled back on the road in metropolitan Manila but were only allowed to carry a fraction of their capacity as a safeguard. Public transport was still limited by the relaxed rules and many commuters waited for hours to get a ride despite the governments deployment of buses. People have their temperatures checked before boarding a bus during the first day of a more relaxed lockdown that was placed to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Manila [Aaron Favila/AP] 08:45 GMT Turkey resumes domestic flights, opens Grand Bazaar Flights and car travel resumed between Turkeys big cities while cafes, restaurants and Istanbuls Grand Bazaar reopened in the countrys biggest step to ease restrictions taken to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The first passenger plane took off from Istanbul for the capital, Ankara. There were a total of 156 passengers on the Turkish Airlines plane, state news agency Anadolu reported. Stewardess and travelers wearing face masks onboard the first flight from Istanbul to Ankara as intercity travel resumes [Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Anadolu] Only a limited number of flights are restarting for now, from Istanbul to the Aegean city of Izmir, the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya and the Black Sea city of Trabzon. 08:30 GMT Greece lifts lockdown on hotels, primary schools Greece has lifted lockdown restrictions for hotels, open-air cinemas, golf courses and public swimming pools as the country ramped up preparations for the crucial summer tourism season to start in two weeks. Primary school children also returned to class. Strict public safety measures have kept Greeces COVID-19 infection rate low with 2,917 cases. The country has seen only 175 virus-related deaths, according to the health ministry. International flights with screening procedures will return to Athens and Greeces second-largest city of Thessaloniki starting on June 15, and will be expanded to the rest of the country on July 1. Classes will have no more than 15 children while the academic year will end on Friday, June 26 [Thanassis Stavrakis/AP] 08:15 GMT China accuses US of selfishness over cutting ties with WHO China has accused the United States of selfishness after President Donald Trump said he would terminate the US relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO). The international community generally disagrees with such US acts of selfishness, evasion of responsibility, and undermining of international cooperation against the epidemic, said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian at a regular news briefing. Washington and Beijing have repeatedly clashed over the pandemic and on Friday Trump said he would sever ties with the UN health body, which he had previously accused of being too lenient with China. 08:00 GMT Japanese MotoGP round cancelled due to pandemic Japan will not have a MotoGP round for the first time since 1986 after organisers cancelled the October 18 race at Motegi due to the COVID-19 pandemic that will keep the series in Europe until mid-November. The race is a home one for champions Honda as well as manufacturers Yamaha and Suzuki. It is the sixth on the 2020 calendar to be cancelled this year. Read here to find out which other sporting events have been cancelled because of the pandemic. MotoGP is hoping to begin racing in Spain, which usually hosts four rounds of the championship, at the southern Jerez circuit in July [File: Toru Hanai/Reuters] 07:45 GMT Latest coronavirus figures Russia: 414,878 cases (9,035), 4,855 deaths (162) Singapore: 35,292 cases (408), 23 deaths (0) Germany: 181,815 (333), 8,511 deaths (11) 07:30 GMT UK reopens markets and some schools English schools are reopening for the first time since they were shut 10 weeks ago because of the coronavirus pandemic, but many parents planned to keep children at home amid fears ministers were moving too fast. The easing of strict measures will mean classes will restart for some younger children, up to six people can meet outside in England, outdoor markets can reopen, elite competitive sport can resume without spectators and more than two million of the most vulnerable will now be allowed to spend time outdoors. Read more here. 07:00 GMT Armenian PM tests positive for COVID-19 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has revealed that he and his family have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. I didnt have any symptoms, I decided to take a test as I was planning to visit the frontline, he said during a Facebook live video, adding that his whole family was infected. Armenia, with a population of 3 million, has so far registered 9,402 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 139 deaths. Read more here. Pashinyan attends a meeting of heads of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Saint Petersburg, Russia in December 2019 [File: Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin via Reuters] 06:40 GMT South Africa partly lifts lockdown, schools reopening postponed South Africa has partly lifted a two month-old coronavirus lockdown, letting people outside for work, worship, exercise or shopping, and allowing mines and factories to run at full capacity to try to revive the economy. The government hopes Mondays move to level 3 lockdown will sputter businesses to a start. However, the reopening of schools for the last years of primary and secondary school has been postponed by a week after concerns raised by the teachers union about insufficient protective equipment. Read more here. 06:30 GMT Primark to open all stores in England on June 15 Fashion retailer Primark is working to reopen all its 153 stores in England on June 15, in line with the countrys easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions, its owner Associated British Foods said. Primark is currently trading from 112 stores across Europe and the United States, representing 34 percent of its total selling space. By June it is planning to have 281 stores open or 79 percent of selling space. 06:20 GMT India climbs to 7th biggest outbreak in world India has registered 230 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing its total to 5,394 as the country begins its three-stage reopening on Monday. The lockdown is being eased in most places except for the containment zones now isolated due to coronavirus outbreaks. People wearing protective face shields walk inside a park after few restrictions were lifted, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease in New Delhi [Adnan Abidi/Reuters] The Health Ministry said India had 190,535 cases, which is the seventh most worldwide, exceeding Germany and France. More than 60 percent of Indias COVID-19 deaths have occurred in just two states Maharashtra, the financial hub and entertainment hub of India, and Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Read the full story. Hello, this is Saba Aziz in Doha, taking over the blog from my colleague Kate Mayberry. 05:30 GMT Im handing over the blog to my colleagues in Doha. A quick recap of developments over the past few hours, as a number of places from Australia to Russia and the UK loosen their lockdowns further. China has seen the biggest spike in cases in three weeks linked to people returning home on a flight from Egypt while Hong Kong has reported its first locally-acquired cases in two weeks. Japan, meanwhile, is considering allowing nationals of some countries to visit, provided they follow strict conditions. 05:10 GMT Pakistans top leadership to meet as coronavirus cases spike Pakistans National Coordination Committee on the Coronavirus, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, is due to meet on Monday to thrash out a plan to deal with a sharp rise in cases and fatalities from the virus, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Asad Hashim. Cases rose by more than 2,900 on Sunday with an additional 62 fatalities taking the death toll to 1,579. There has been a sharp increase in coronavirus deaths in the last week, with cases rising at an increasing daily rate after most restrictions were lifted ahead of Eid al-Fitr, the countrys most important holiday. 05:00 GMT Eating out back on the menu in Turkey as lockdown eased further Restaurants, cafes, museums, beaches and swimming pools are due to reopen in Turkey as the government further relaxes its lockdown. More than 4,500 people have died from the virus in Turkey, but authorities say the outbreak is now under control. Restrictions on movement for people over 65 and under 18 will remain in force. 04:05 GMT Japan considers allowing visitors from handful of countries Japan may reopen its borders to visitors from countries with low levels of coronavirus infection, including Australia, Thailand, Vietnam and New Zealand, local media reported on Monday. The Asahi Shimbun said business travellers from the four nations would be allowed entry providing they tested negative for COVID-19 before departure and on arrival. Their movements once in Japan would also be tightly restricted. An near-deserted Narita Airport in Tokyo as the coronavirus spread in early March [Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters] 03:50 GMT Hong Kong announces first locally transmitted cases in two weeks Hong Kongs Centre for Health Protection (CHP) is investigating two new locally transmitted cases of coronavirus a 34-year-old woman and a 56-year-old man. Public broadcaster RTHK says the woman works at a logistics warehouse labelling food imported from the UK. Two people there tested positive for the virus a month ago. The new cases bring the total number of cases in the territory to 1,085, with four deaths. 03:15 GMT Muscovites get to go out for walks again as lockdown eased slightly People in the Russian capital will be allowed to go out for a walk or run, and some shops will reopen, as Moscow moves to loosen a lockdown that has been in force since late March. Residents will be allowed out for walks three times a week on a schedule linked to where they live. People will also be able to go for a run between 5am and 9am as parks open their gates again. Shopping centres, as well as car showrooms, dry cleaners, bookshops and laundrettes are also scheduled to reopen. A shop assistant prepares a childrens clothing store for opening in Moscow after Mayor Sergei Sobyanin decided to relax coronavirus restrictions from June 1 [Yuri Kochetkov/EPA] Thousands of cases are still being reported across Russias 11 time zones, but at a far lower level than previously. Russia has the third-highest number of confirmed cases in the world. 03:00 GMT N Korea to start reopening schools after coronavirus delayed term North Korea will start reopening schools in phases from this month, providing strict anti-coronavirus measures are in place. State media says thermometers and hand sanitiser need to be provided at the school gate as well as in classrooms and administrative offices, according to South Koreas Yonhap news agency. Top priority will be given to testing children at nurseries and kindergarten, as well as disinfecting buildings. North Korea has said it has no cases of coronavirus. 02:30 GMT Encouraging drop in viral load in experimental S Korean drug South Koreas Celltrion Inc says its experimental treatment for COVID-19 has shown a 100-fold reduction in the viral load of the disease during animal testing. The pre-clinical study of the drug showed improved recovery in runny nose, cough and body aches after the first day of treatment, and clearing of lung inflammation within six days, the company said in a statement. Celltrion has research experience with other types of coronavirus conditions such as the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). It hopes to start the first human clinical trials for the COVID-19 treatment in July, said Kwon Ki-Sung, head of the firms research and development unit. (Celltrion) has the capability to roll out mass production of the therapeutic antibody treatment once it is ready, Kwon said. Want to know more about viral load, read our Doctors Note from Dr Sara Kayat. 02:00 GMT China coronavirus cases highest in three weeks China has reported its highest number of new coronavirus cases in three weeks after a number of cases were found among people who had returned from Egypt. The National Health Commission reported 16 new cases, all of them in people coming from overseas. Chinese state television said 11 people who arrived in Sichuan on a flight from Egypt had tested positive, while a further six asymptomatic cases were also found. 00:50 GMT Australia zoos, museums reopen as restrictions eased further Zoos, museums and other public attractions have begun to reopen in parts of Australia for the first time in more than two months. In New South Wales, the state where most Australians live, cafes, restaurants have also been allowed to welcome as many as 50 people at a time. Taronga Zoo reopens this morning after 9 weeks of being closed. Extra marshalling staff will remind people to social distance @9NewsSyd @tarongazoo pic.twitter.com/bfaPHglRZk Zara James (@Zara_James9) May 31, 2020 23:30 GMT (May 31) Brazil records 480 new deaths on Sunday Brazil reported 480 deaths from coronavirus on Sunday, bringing its death toll to 29,314, the health ministry said. More than half a million people in the country have now been confirmed to have a virus that Brazils president Jair Bolsonaro has dismissed as a little flu. Bolsonaro was out on horseback on Sunday, greeting supporters at a rally against the countrys top court, which is investigating the right-wing leader. Brazil has the second-highest number of cases in the world after the US and the fourth-highest death toll after the US, UK and Italy. 23:00 GMT (May 31) US sends 2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine to Brazil The US has delivered two million doses of the antimalarial medicine hydroxychloroquine to Brazil to fight COVID-19, the White House said, even though the drug has not been proven effective against the coronavirus. HCQ will be used as a prophylactic to help defend Brazils nurses, doctors, and healthcare professionals against the virus. It will also be used as a therapeutic to treat Brazilians who become infected, a statement said in reference to the drug. It said the US would also send 1,000 ventilators to Brazil, the epicentre of South Americas outbreak. We are also announcing a joint United States-Brazilian research effort that will include randomized controlled clinical trials, it added. Hydroxychloroquine is used to treat malaria as well as the autoimmune disorders lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. The WHO recently suspended trials into the drug because of concerns about side effects. Hello and welcome to Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Im Kate Mayberry in Kuala Lumpur. Read all the updates from yesterday (May 31) here. Colosseum VANCOUVER BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2020 / EMPOWER CLINICS INC. (CSE:CBDT)(OTCQB:EPWCF)(Frankfurt:8EC) ("Empower" or the "Company"), a vertically integrated life sciences company, has determined that it will not be able to file its annual audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019 and its related Management's Discussion and Analysis and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer certifications (the "Required Filings") by the prescribed filing deadline of June 15, 2020 (the "Filing Deadline"). The Company has made an application to the Ontario Securities Commission for a management cease trade order ("MCTO"), which would restrict all trading in securities of the Company, whether direct or indirect, by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company. There is no guarantee that an MCTO will be granted. The issuance of an MCTO does not generally affect the ability of persons who are not directors, officers or other insiders of the Company to trade in securities of the Company. The Company intends to comply with the provisions of the alternative information guidelines as set out in the National Policy 12-203 - Cease Trade Orders for Continuous Disclosure Defaults for as long as it remains in default, including the issuance of bi-weekly default status reports, each of which will be issued in the form of a news release. ABOUT EMPOWER Empower is a vertically integrated health & wellness company with a network of corporate and franchised health & wellness clinics in the U.S. The Company is a leading multi-state operator of a network of physician-staffed wellness clinics, focused on helping patients improve and protect their health, through innovative physician recommended treatment options. The Company has launched Dosed Wellness Ltd. to connect its significant data, to the potential of the efficacy of alternative treatment options related to hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) therapies, psilocybin and other psychedelic plant-based treatment options. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Steven McAuley Chief Executive Officer CONTACTS: Investors: Steven McAuley Chairman & CEO s.mcauley@empowerclinics.com 604-789-2146 Investors: Dustin Klein SVP, Business Development dustin@svmmjcc.com 720-352-1398 For French inquiries: Remy Scalabrini, Maricom Inc., E: rs@maricom.ca, T: (888) 585-MARI DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws.All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release.Forward-looking statements can frequently be identified by words such as "plans", "continues", "expects", "projects", "intends", "believes", "anticipates", "estimates", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or information that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding: the Company's expected timing of filing of its Annual Filings, the Company's intention to create psilocybin and psychedelics divisions, that market research on advancements in psilocybin and psychedelics in North America and globally will create greater shareholder value, the Company's intention to open a hemp-based CBD extraction facility, the expected benefits to the Company and its shareholders as a result of the proposed acquisitions and partnerships; the effectiveness of the extraction technology; the expected benefits for Empower's patient base and customers; the benefits of CBD based products; the effect of the approval of the Farm Bill; the growth of the Company's patient list and that the Company will be positioned to be a market-leading service provider for complex patient requirements in 2019 and beyond; the ability of the Company to complete or execute phases One, Two, Three or Four of COVID-19 test programs, and Psychedelic substances remain illegal in most countries, so please reference your local laws in relation to medical or recreational use. Such statements are only projections, are based on assumptions known to management at this time, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including; that the Company may not open a hemp-based CBD extraction facility; that legislative changes may have an adverse effect on the Company's business and product development; that the Company may not be able to obtain adequate financing to pursue its business plan; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; failure to obtain any necessary approvals in connection with the proposed acquisitions and partnerships; and other factors beyond the Company's control. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable laws. SOURCE: Empower Clinics Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/592313/Empower-Delayed-in-Filing-Its-Annual-Audited-Financial-Statements Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 21:41:10|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KIEV, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal informed on his official Telegram channel on Monday that Ukraine is entering the third stage of lifting quarantine restrictions. "The epidemic situation in most regions makes it possible to open gyms and fitness centers, educational institutions, launch interregional road transport and railway transportation starting from June 1," Shmyhal wrote on his social networks. At the same time, the head of the government noted that citizens should continue using masks in public places and taking care of their health despite the removal of certain restrictions. The third stage of lifting quarantine restrictions allows citizens to visit gyms, fitness centers and swimming pools in groups of under 10 people, and use interregional public transportation, including trains and buses provided that a seat is available for every passenger. A total of 24,012 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 718 deaths were reported in Ukraine on Monday, while 9,690 patients have recovered. On May 20, the Ukrainian government introduced adaptive quarantine until June 22. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 18:31:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WINDHOEK, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The first two patients to be diagnosed with COVID-19 in Namibia have been cleared by health authorities after 79 days in hospital, Health Minister Kalumbi Shangula announced Monday. "The couple's recoveries mark the end of the chapter involving the first 16 cases," the minister said. "The response team is excited about this good news." The Romanian couple, who became known as case No. 1 and No. 2, baffled experts for staying "too long" in hospital after the 35-year-old man and his 25-year-old wife were diagnosed with the disease on March 14. Studies indicate that the virus that causes COVID-19 can stay in the human body for up to 37 days. Namibia has so far reported 25 confirmed cases with 16 recoveries, nine active cases but no death. The latest confirmed case was a 32-year Namibian woman, who returned from Cape Town on May 29 and tested positive while in quarantine. Enditem Protesters face off with police in downtown Santa Monica as unrest continues in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) When I opened the windows of my Westside L.A. apartment on Sunday afternoon, the last thing I expected was to get socked by the smell of whatever chemical agent had been deployed and drifted over from Santa Monica. It seems as if all of California long ago scarred by race riots and populated by people who pride themselves on having an evolved attitude toward race and justice is raging or protesting. Only a few blocks from the beach, people were busy shattering windows and looting stores in the idyllic downtown, lined with palm trees and green bike lanes. Meanwhile, a few blocks away on Ocean Avenue, the angry protesters who arrived after the peaceful protesters left were challenging police, throwing eggs and water bottles at them in the name of George Floyd, prompting the firing of rubber bullets and smoke grenades. In Visalia, a man in a blue Jeep Wrangler sporting a Keep America Great flag drove through a crowd of protesters, hitting two women a chilling reminder of what happened in Charlottesville, Va. Thankfully, the protesters suffered only minor injuries. In Oakland, things have been out of control even for Oakland. Hundreds of protesters set fires, and many threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at police. They broke into banks and office buildings, along with small shops and restaurants, including several owned by black proprietors. Mayor Libby Schaaf lamented that at a news conference Saturday: This horror was visited on this same community that we are trying to lift up. In La Mesa, anger over the police killing of Floyd in Minneapolis mixed with anger over the arrest of a local black man, who police say assaulted an officer at the Grossmont Transit Center. A video of the man's encounter with the white officer went viral last week and now activists want the officer to be held accountable. Im so tired of seeing young black mens lives not meaning a thing in this country, Desmond Collins of La Mesa told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Saturday. Story continues In Sacramento, a standoff that started at the Capitol shifted to the Main Jail, as protesters and sheriffs deputies went at each other in brief but tense dust-ups. One protester, according to the Sacramento Bee, brought along a banner calling out local District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, who has repeatedly declined to charge officers involved in shootings of black men, including Stephon Clark. D.A. Schubert, your hands are bloody too. Even in Chico, clear up there in the State of Jefferson, nearly 100 people were outside holding up signs on Saturday. :: A Patagonia store in Santa Monica is vandalized Sunday amid a day of unrest in Santa Monica. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) California likes to think of itself as enlightened about race. Were a majority minority state. A nation state. Were proud of our diversity in all of its forms. Sure, weve had riots over race and police brutality. The last one, in 1992, tore a chunk of Los Angeles apart, but weve learned from them. Weve grown. Or so the story goes. Today, we have police chiefs and district attorneys who are black, and sheriffs who are Latino. We have a U.S. senator who is in the mix to become the first black vice president. The leader of our state Senate is a lesbian. The leader of the state Assembly is Latino. Auntie Maxine Waters, the unapologetically black congresswoman and original pain in Donald Trumps you know what, is from here. We have city councils and county boards of supervisors that overwhelmingly reflect the diversity of constituents. Politicians deliver speeches in multiple languages. Government documents are issued that way too. We stand up for immigrants in California, a policy position adopted after the unmitigated racist disaster that was Proposition 187. Weve sued the Trump administration dozens of times, often to ensure that people dont have to live in the shadows because of their immigration status. We have an enormous social safety net that has widespread support from taxpayers because we see it as our responsibility to care for the least among us, who, like everywhere else in the U.S., tend to be disproportionately black and brown. I moved to California five years ago first to Sacramento and then to Los Angeles seeing these things and only these things. Since then, Ive learned that the reality of this state, while far, far better than the Midwestern one that I left, is complicated especially for black people who make up a mere 6% of the population. That these violent uprisings and peaceful protests are happening in cities large and small, up and down the state speaks to something black people know well and many others, especially self-absorbed white liberals, often choose to ignore: California is not as enlightened about race as we would like to believe. :: Dont think for a second that what you see in our streets is only about what happened to Floyd in Minneapolis. These Californians are enraged about life in California, just like residents of Minnesota, Kentucky and every other state that has been blindsided by mass protests in recent days are enraged about their lives there. And their lives in this country as a whole. It's about police brutality, yes. It was only a few weeks ago that an LAPD officer was caught on video repeatedly punching a person of color in the head in Boyle Heights. But thats only part of it. Whats really manifesting itself on the streets from San Francisco to Santa Monica is the absolute, incalculable rage about the race-based inequities that have been ignored for too long by officials at all levels of California government. A protester is treated for a wound after being struck by a rubber bullet and before being arrested for unlawful assembly Sunday in Santa Monica. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) The coronavirus outbreak has made this plain. A recent Times data analysis found that black and Latino Californians who are younger than 50 are dying of COVID-19 in significantly greater numbers than white people. In Los Angeles County alone, the death rate for black residents is double that of white residents. For Latinos, its 70% higher. It isnt much better in San Francisco, where researchers tested 4,160 people for the coronavirus and found that though Latinos only made up 44% of those tested, they accounted for 95% of the positive cases. One reason for the disparities has to do with unequal access to healthcare. But perhaps a bigger reason is that we have an economy that has long been stacked in favor of the white and wealthy. While some of us had the privilege of being able to work from home and complain about having to be on Zoom all day, many black and brown Californians had no choice but to put themselves at higher risk of COVID-19 by ringing up groceries, driving buses and delivering Grubhub orders as essential workers. Or, people like Maria Teresa Figueroa, who had little choice but to keep working in the fields of McFarland, a small city surrounded by grapevines just north of Bakersfield. She thought she had COVID-19 in January and was forced to take time off, losing wages as a result. We are working from sunup to sun down to put food on peoples tables, she said. Now Figueroa is on the verge of losing her housing because she cant afford rent. People of color are particularly vulnerable to the whims of the economy. Nationally, blacks and Latinos have lost jobs at higher percentages than white people because of the coronavirus. And even before the pandemic, both groups were overrepresented among Californias homeless population the result of many factors, but namely systemic racism and abject poverty. So as the economy tanks and the unemployment rate climbs to levels not seen since the Great Depression, we all know who will bear the brunt of it. Again. Think about that the next time you grouse about why looters descended on downtown Santa Monica and the Grove symbols of extreme wealth in a state overrun with poverty. At last count, there were 165 billionaires in California. There are also more than 150,000 homeless people in this state, many of whom have been living in filthy encampments for years. And now, with housing costs that have been allowed to rise largely unchecked and the added economic disruption of the coronavirus, many more, mostly black and brown Californians are on the verge of suffering the same fate. So is it really all that surprising that some people, angry and possibly in dire economic straits themselves, don't care about causing damage and stealing from wealthy neighborhoods? A mannequin lies on a sidewalk after businesses were vandalized Sunday near the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) In these dark times, what gives me hope is the same thing that pulled me to California in the first place: A willingness to recognize and figure out how to do the right thing. That is certainly more than I can say for the red state that I left. At the time, Vice President Mike Pence was the governor of Indiana, and he had just ignited a national fervor by signing a law that allowed businesses to discriminate against the LGBT community on religious grounds. It was about par for the course for him. He spent his entire time in office figuring out how to make it harder or at least more traumatic for women to get an abortion, how to tie health insurance and food stamps to work requirements, how to let more people have guns without background checks and, of course, how to prevent same-sex couples from getting married. I had built a life for myself in the blue island of Indianapolis. Being a woman who is black, gay and liberal, I knew I had to leave. So it meant something to me that, as news was breaking about the National Guard being deployed to L.A., Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted: The racial inequities that exist in our society are evident all around us. Just look at #COVID19. Communities of color are overwhelmingly impacted. We must continue to work toward a more just, equitable future. On Monday, Newsom, visibly shaken and humbled after the tumultuous weekend, said black people have lost patience because we have heard promise after promise for decades, but havent seen progress. And he's right. We prune," Newsom admitted. "We dont tear out the institutional racism. His words arent even close to enough, I know. We need action. As Newsom acknowledged, government institutions have a responsibility to prove that "we're capable of being more as a society." And in the weeks and months ahead, as I travel the state to tell peoples stories, I plan to hold him and other elected officials accountable to that very thing. For it isnt enough to meet this moment, as Newsom is so fond of saying. We have to do something with this moment this pandemic, this revolt, this presidential election so we dont return to a normal that, while aspirational, left so many Californians behind. No justice. No peace. Advertisement The sister of a recently arrested Florida terrorism suspect was shot and killed by police on Friday after being caught on video charging officers while armed with a butcher knife outside a government building. Temple Terrace Police Chief Kenneth Albano said during a news conference that the officer-involved shooting occurred at the City Hall building. Heba Momtaz Al-Azhari, 21, arrived at City Hall at around 1pm and asked for an officer's help, officials said. When a uniformed officer went outside and approached the woman, she charged at him with a knife. Surveillance video captured the moment Heba Momtaz Al-Azhari, 21, allegedly tried to ambush a police officer outside the Temple Terrace, Florida, City Hall on Friday Police say Al-Azhari asked for a police officer's help. When he approached her sitting on a bench, she pulled out a large butcher knife and charged him This screenshot shows the 21-year-old woman wearing a mask threatening the officer with the knife on Friday afternoon The deadly confrontation took place just days after Heba's brother, Muhammed Momtaz Al-Azhari, 23, was arrested on federal charges of attempting to provide material support to ISIS. According to the US Department of Justice, Muhammed admired Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen and allegedly told an informant he wanted to die like him after killing dozens of people. His sister's knife attack was captured on surveillance video, which opens with Heba Al-Azhari sitting on a bench. Heba's older brother, Muhammed Momtaz Al-Azhari, a 23-year-old US citizen, 4last week was arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support or resources to ISIS A uniformed officer comes up to the woman wearing traditional Muslim garb and a face mask. Moments later, she jumps to her feet brandishing a long knife in her hands and lunges at the cop, who draws back. The woman pursues him, making thrusting and slashing motions with the knife, as if trying to stab the officer. The 30-second video released by the police department ends with another officer pointing his gun at someone. Multiple cops responded to the scene and fired at Al-Azhari, though Albano wouldn't say how many. The officer who was attacked sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Al-Azhari later died of her injuries at a hospital. 'It's a very traumatic thing for an officer to pull his weapon and much less take a life,' Albano said at the press conference. According to the chief, the officer repeatedly and loudly told Al-Azhari to drop the knife. The chief did not say how many officers were involved, how many fired their weapons or how many times the woman was shot. The officer who was attacked did fire his weapon, Albano said. Al-Azhari is seen pursuing the officer with the knife in her hand outside the City Hall The officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the knife attack, according to police Multiple officers responded and fatally shot the female suspect (screenshot shows an armed cop running to the scene) Yellow evidence markers dot the parking lot outside the Temple Terrace City Hall in Florida on Friday after the officer-involved shooting Multiple officers opened fired at the armed woman and fired multiple shots, killing her A blue tent is set up outside the City Hall during the investigation into the shooting An unidentified woman wipes her eye outside the Temple Terrace City Hall on Friday after the deadly officer-involved shooting An Al-Azhari family spokesperson told Spectrum Bay News 9 Heba was upset over her brother's arrest. A federal criminal complaint released by the US Department of Justice charged Muhammed Momtaz Al-Azhari, a US citizen, with attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. The charge carries a potential 20-year prison term. A public defender listed in court records for Al-Azhari said the government's charges in the case unfairly attempt to portray him as a terrorist. 'The allegations misunderstand both the law and the evidence,' said the public defender, Samuel Landes, in an emailed statement. 'I'm thankful that in this country everyone enjoys a presumption of innocence, and I look forward to Mr. Al-Azhari's day in court before a jury of his peers.' An FBI affidavit says Al-Azhari was recorded as expressing admiration for Omar Mateen, the mass shooter who carried out a massacre at the Orlando Pulse nightclub in 2016 before being killed by police, and even drove there to scope out the location. In a conversation with a confidential informant, the FBI says, Al-Azhari said 'that's how I want to die, to be honest.' The informant then asked how many people Al-Azhari wanted to kill. Al-Azhari allegedly scouted multiple locations in the Tampa Bay area to attack, including Honeymoon Island State Park (pictured) 'I don't want to take four or five, no. I want to take at least 50,' Al-Azhari replied on the recording, according to the affidavit. 'You know like, brother Omar Mateen in Orlando did. He took 49 with him.' The affidavit also details how Al-Azhari negotiated with an undercover FBI employee to purchase a variety of guns and silencers, including an AK-47-style rifle. He was arrested Sunday after taking possession of weapons allegedly to be used in an attack. 'We are grateful for the hard work and swift action by our law enforcement partners and concerned citizens during this investigation,' said US Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez, whose district includes Tampa. 'Their coordination and cooperation in this matter allowed us to interrupt a serious threat, without harm to anyone.' According to the 62-page FBI affidavit, Al-Azhari scouted a number of targets in the Tampa Bay region, including multiple beaches, Honeymoon Island State Park and even the Tampa FBI field office. He also allegedly rehearsed what he would say when carrying out an attack, some of which was intercepted by electronic surveillance on May 16. 'Know America. Today is your emergency. Today we kill from you guys like you killed from us,' he is overheard saying, according to the affidavit. 'This is a revenge for Muslims.' An FBI affidavit says Al-Azhari expressed admiration for Omar Mateen (left and right), the mass shooter who carried out a massacre at the Orlando Pulse nightclub in 2016 Court-ordered searches of Al-Azhari's iPhone also revealed numerous videos and extremist statements advocating jihad attributed to the Islamic State group. Another video, the FBI says, shows Al-Azhari in a facemask and pointing a gun at presumably someone on the floor. 'Hey you, get on the floor. Get on the floor now. Don't you move, don't you move, I'm telling you, I will kill you,' he says on the video. Then, Al-Azhari looks into the camera and says: 'God willing, the exalted. This is revenge for my brothers Al Muwahideen [the monotheists] in Guantanamo in general, and for my brother [redacted] in particular. ...this is a revenge for all my Muslim brothers in Iraq and al-Sham [Syria] and everywhere.' He then points the gun at what is presumed to be someone on the floor and says: 'those who were killed by the hands of those filthy crusaders.' Al-Azhari had previously been convicted in Saudi Arabia in 2015 of terror-related crimes, including attempting to travel to Syria to participate in jihad and join a terrorist group along with two others, including his own father. He served three years in prison in Saudi Arabia and then was deported back to the US, according to the FBI. He lived in California and since 2019 in the Tampa area. A key to the case was an eBay transaction in which Al-Hazhari purchased weapons parts for $375 from someone in Texas. The package was halted by the US Postal Service and eBay flagged the purchase. The seller then provided FBI agents with details about the deal and the Postal Service seized the package. According to the affidavit, FBI has been aware of Al-Azhari since at least May 2019. Al-Azhari was previously arrested on state weapons charges on May 1 for allegedly carrying a concealed pistol On May 1, Al-Azhari was arrested for carrying a concealed firearm after allegedly making threats to harm his colleagues at Home Depot. Prior to his arrest of the state charge, FBI agents interviewed some of his co-workers at the home improvement store, who expressed concern about statements that the suspect had made concerning Islam, guns and violence. A supervisor told agents that when speaking about the September 11 attacks, Al-Azhari had said that he believed that Americans got what they deserved that day, according to the affidavit. The same supervisors also allegedly overheard Al-Azhari speaking to other co-workers about jihad, saying that it involved 'defending Islam.' Another colleague at the Home Depot had reported Al-Azhari to corporate security, claiming that he tried to convince his co-workers to convert to Islam, and that he 'spoke negatively and passionately about the United States and homosexuality.' Al-Azhari was arrested on Sunday and was being held in the Pinellas County jail at the request of federal agents. Community transmission of the coronavirus infection has been well-established across large sections or sub-populations in the country, a group of health experts, including doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciencesand two members of an Indian Council of Medical Research research group on COVID-19, has said. IMAGE: A medic collects a sample of a woman for the COVID-19 test at Arjun Nagar, during the ongoing nationwide lockdown, in Gurugram. Photograph: PTI Photo The government has maintained that the country has not yet reached the community transmission stage of the disease even as the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 5,394 and the number of cases climbed to 1,90,535 in the country on Monday. India has now become the world's seventh worst-hit country in terms of coronavirus cases. The report compiled by experts from the Indian Public Health Association, Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine and Indian Association of Epidemiologists has been submitted to the prime minister. "It is unrealistic to expect that COVID-19 pandemic can be eliminated at this stage given that community transmission is already well-established across large sections or sub-populations in the country," the report said. "The expected benefit of this stringent nationwide lockdown was to spread out the disease over an extended period of time to flatten the curve and effectively plan and manage so that the healthcare delivery system is not overwhelmed. This seems to have been achieved albeit after the fourth lockdown with extraordinary inconvenience and disruption of the economy and life of the general public," they said in the report. The 16-member joint COVID Task Force includes Dr Shashi Kant, Past President IAPSM, and Head of the Centre for Community Medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi, Dr Sanjay K Rai, National President, IPHA and Professor, CCM, AIIMS, Dr D C S Reddy, former Professor and Head, Community Medicine, IMS, BHU, Varanasi and Dr Rajesh Kumar, former Professor & Head, DCM&SPH, PGIMER, Chandigarh. Dr Reddy and Dr Kant are members of an ICMR research group on epidemiology and surveillance for COVID-19. The experts noted that India's nationwide lockdown from March 25 till May 31 has been one of the most "stringent" and yet COVID cases have increased exponentially through this phase, from 606 cases on March 25 to 138,845 on May 24. "This draconian lockdown is presumably in response to a modelling exercise from an influential institution which presented a 'worst-case simulation'. The model had come up with an estimated 2.2 million deaths globally. Subsequent events have proved that the predictions of this model were way off the mark," the report said. The experts also rued that epidemiologists have not been consulted while making decisions on tackling the pandemic. "Had the Government of India consulted epidemiologists who had better grasp of disease transmission dynamics compared to modellers, it would have perhaps been better served," the report said. From the limited information available in the public domain, the experts said, it seems that the government was primarily advised by clinicians and academic epidemiologists with "limited field training and skills". "Policy makers apparently relied overwhelmingly on general administrative bureaucrats. The engagement with expert technocrats in the areas of epidemiology, public health, preventive medicine and social scientists was limited", they said. Experts stated that India is paying a heavy price, both in terms of humanitarian crisis and disease spread. "The incoherent and often rapidly shifting strategies and policies, especially at the national level, are more a reflection of 'afterthought' and catching up phenomenon on part of the policy makers rather than a well thought cogent strategy with an epidemiologic basis," they said. Embattled Pastor Daniel Obinim, the founder of the International God's Way Church (IGWC), will today appear at the Kaneshie Magistrate Court in Accra. He has been 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). He was in police custody for about three nights after he was arrested and charged and has since been able to extricate the bail bond. Last Thursday, as part of the bail conditions set by the Kaneshie Magistrate Court, Obinim, who claims to be an angel of God and has been frequenting heaven, reported to the Police Headquarters He spent a couple of hours with the police CID before leaving the premises after 1 p.m. Arrest & Detention Obinim 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 Friday, May 22, when he finally walked home. According to the MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, who has launched a crusade to expose fake pastors and claims Obinim is one of them, Obinim has since been cooling off in Akosombo since he left police cells. Main Complainant Although the police have not released the identity of the complainant, DAILY GUIDE understands that it was through the effort of the firebrand MP Kennedy Agyapong, which led to Obinim's arrest. Kennedy Agyapong has confirmed that he personally reported the pastor to the Inspector General of Police for offences including fraud, money laundering and misuse of the police logo to harass some of the boys he has been having criminal deals with. As if that is not enough, the MP has been having running battles with the maverick pastor and has reported him (Obinim) to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for the anti-graft body to investigate him over alleged money-laundering and other related crimes. Already, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is chasing him to pay about GH1.6 million in taxes to the state. Court Order On May 13, 2020, an Accra High Court presided by Justice Doreen G. Boakye-Agyei dismissed Obinim's application that was challenging the GRA's 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 procedures 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. Previous Cases Obinim is no stranger to criminal prosecution, as he has had brushes with the law on at least two occasions. In the first case, he vandalized a private radio station Hot FM but was acquitted and discharged in October 2015 after the complainants had allegedly lost interest in the case. In September 2018, Obinim and two of his pastors were sentenced to a total fine of GH12,000 by an Accra Circuit Court after they had been accused of assaulting two teenagers on the premises of IGWC. ---Daily Guide Botswana's president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, says his government will allow farmers to keep small game as a way to encourage locals participation in agro-tourism. He added that it is paramount for them to have a stake in the industry. Speaking in a televised address Saturday, Masisi said Botswanas tourism sector needs a boost after the severe impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In order to revive Botswanas tourism sector, government shall accelerate initiatives aimed at stimulating local and international tourism by creating an enabling environment for increased investment in the tourism sector, in particular citizen participation, he said. Masisi said, as one of the measures to boost tourism, his government will allow local farmers keep wildlife within their properties. The agro-tourism guidelines are also being reviewed to facilitate citizens to make a decent living out of their fields (masimo) to complement agro-tourism and diversify its products. Game farming guidelines shall soon be issued to enable those Batswana who are interested to keep small game or wildlife in their fields if they meet set criteria, Masisi said. Local farmer Banks Ndebele has previously sought permission to keep small game in his property outside the capital Gaborone. He said while it is a welcome initiative, the government must remove bottlenecks, which might impede the initiative's implementation. "I think its a welcome development. It has always been our belief that agriculture needs to be diversified. One only hopes that the government will remove bottlenecks and impediments that end up discouraging people from taking up the initiative," Ndebele said. Tourism is a significant contributor to the southern African nations economy, employing nearly 100,000 people. But the impact of COVID-19 has been devastating, with all bookings cancelled for the rest of the year, leaving many people jobless. BANGKOK, May 31 (Reuters) - Thailand reported four new coronavirus cases on Sunday and no new deaths, taking the total number of infections to 3,081 with 57 deaths since January. The new patients had arrived in Thailand from the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia and have been in state quarantine, said Panprapa Yongtrakul, a spokeswoman for the government's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration. Local infections have slowed and over the last two weeks, around 80% of new cases were Thais who had returned from abroad, Panprapa added. Thailand will on Monday begin reopening more businesses classified as medium to high risks, including cinemas and gyms. (Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat) 01.06.2020 LISTEN The Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) has given the government thumbs up for taking the decision to reopen schools for final years students in JHS, SHS, and the University levels. Schools at all levels have been closed since March as a precautionary measure against the spread of the deadly Coronavirus (Covid-19) disease which has become a great worry to countries all over the world. On Sunday, President Akufo-Addo in his 10th address to the nation in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis announce that schools will be reopened for the final year students this month to prepare them for their upcoming final exams. A statement from GNECC on the back of the announcement, commends the president for adhering to the recommendations by stakeholders especially the Teacher Unions and Civil Society Organizations to let the final year learners back to school. We are also grateful that the gold track students who missed on their learning are also going to complete that phase of their academic calendar. To ensure no student is left behind, the statement signed by the interim chairman Mr. Joseph Atsu Homadzi has charged the Ministry of Education to put adequate measures in place to cater to the needs of every student in the school including students with special educational needs. The Coalition is also of the view that schools should be made to maximize the use of available spaces such as schools assembly halls and laboratories to enable effective adherence to the social distance safety protocols. The Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Health should assigned a nurse to a school to ensure the consistent monitoring of cases in the schools. The Coalition also recommends to the Ministry of Education to continue with the E-learning program for students who are still at home and calling on parents to ensure strict adhering to the COVID-19 safety protocols for the safety of children at home, the Coalition added. Read the full GNECC statement below: Since the breakup of the Soviet Union three decades ago, Khatam Khaydarov has helped support his family in Uzbekistan by traveling over 1,500 miles to work in Russia for months at a time. Not this year. Khaydarov, 62, was visiting his home in Samarkand in March when Russia and Uzbekistan shut their borders to halt the spread of the coronavirus. The beekeeper has lost about 60,000 rubles ($858) in income since then, and has been living off savings. "Naturally I send money home when I work in Russia," he said. "We didn't have much in savings, but what little we had has been spent during the quarantine." Khaydarov's plight is a microcosm of a wider problem for some smaller emerging economies, which often rely on money sent home from emigrants. The World Bank expects remittances to lower and medium income countries to fall $109 billion, or 20%, this year, the sharpest decline in recent history. Europe and central Asia will likely be worst hit. Border closures imply a "doubling or a tripling of the impact" of coronavirus for some economies, according to European Bank for Reconstruction and Development economist Eric Livny. "You can't go to Russia and you can't find a job at home," Livny said. "Not now, not in the near future." For decades, remittances from commodity-rich Russia have been propping up poorer nations in the former Soviet Union, with some countries relying on the income for as much as a third of economic output. In turn, Russia, which has a shrinking population, benefits from the influx of cheap labor. Georgia saw money sent home drop by more than 40% in April, while Tajikistan, which is one of the most remittance-reliant countries in the world, posted a 50% decline in March and April. "For many of the most vulnerable families, that will be 100% of their income," Livny said. Khaydarov, the beekeeper, is one of over a million Uzbeks who will either return from Russia or not go there to work this year, according to Bakhtiyr Ergashev, director of the Tashkent-based Ma'no Centre for Research Initiatives. Uzbeks sent home half as much money in April from the year earlier, according to its central bank, as employers fired workers during lockdowns and border closures kept migrant workers home. The International Monetary Fund has raised its unemployment forecast for Uzbekistan this year to 16.5% from 8.9% - though official unemployment figures may underestimate the problem. The Uzbek government is creating job programs to soften the impact, Ergashev said. "If these people don't find jobs, it is possible that social tension will grow in the country," he said. Even if borders reopen, migrants will be seeking work in an economy that is set for its biggest slump in more than a decade this year. The drop in global oil prices has made the Russian government reluctant to dig deep into reserves to soften the blow from the coronavirus lockdown, meaning incomes have slumped and unemployment has surged. Still, Khaydarov is just waiting for the word to make the trip to Ufa, capital of the Bashkortostan republic between the Ural Mountains and the Volga River. "If the borders were going to open now, I would go to Russia immediately," he said. Bhubaneswar, June 1 : Odisha reported highest single day spike with 156 new COVID-19 positive cases in the last 24-hours, taking the total number to 2,104 in the state, said the health department on Monday. Odisha had seen a record 129 fresh cases on Sunday. Of the fresh cases, 153 have been reported from the quarantine centres and the remaining three are local contacts, said the department. Kendrapara district has registered the highest 50 positive cases. Other districts, which recorded fresh cases are Cuttack (20), Ganjam (17), Jagatsinghpur (14), Jajpur (11), Bhadrak (7), Khurdha (3), Balangir (2), Nayagarh (3), Sundergarh (3), Boudh (1), Nuapada (3), Mayurbhanj (3), Keonjhar (1), Kandhamal (9), Malkangiri (1), Sambalpur (2), Baragarh (3) and Sonepur (3). With this, the number of active cases in the state stands at 969. A total of 1,126 persons has recovered in the state while seven persons have died of the disease. Meanwhile, a Mumbai-returnee migrant worker was found dead near a quarantine centre in the Cuttack district, police said on Monday. The deceased has been identified as Brajabandhu Rana(40), a native of Krushnapur Panchayat under the Badamba police limits. He had returned from Mumbai and was in the quarantine centre since May 26. However, his body was found near the centre this morning, said police. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: The total number of COVID-19 positive cases in Haryana on Monday touched 2,356 after 265 persons tested positive for the virus. The districts of Guguram, Sonipat, Jhajjar, Nuh, Palwal and Faridabad bordering Delhi, which falls in the National Capital Region (NCR), reported more than 74 per cent of the total cases in the state. The daily growth of infection in the state stands at 8 per cent. On Monday, 129 cases were reported from Gurugram taking the tally in the district to 903. Sonipat so far has recorded a total of 212 cases while Faridabad has 392 cases. A total of 1,750 cases have been cumulatively reported from these six districts in the state which are bordering Delhi. In the last two weeks during lockdown 4.0, there had been a steep rise in the coronavirus cases in the state. There were 223 cases till April 17 and by May 17 the number increased to 910. A total of 21 people have died so far in the state due to the contagious virus. Haryana health minister Anil Vij said that the state government has opened all its borders and allowed interstate movement as per the guidelines issued by the central government. "If the Delhi government has sealed its borders with Haryana it is their decision, as per the new guidelines its upon the concerned states to take their own decisions," he said. Vij added that the state government has made arrangements for treatment of 12,000 corona patients in government hospitals and instructions have been given to ensure availability of N-95 masks and PPE kits. C oronation Street will resume filming next week, soap bosses have said. The soap's cast and crew have today returned to work ahead of filming recommencing on Tuesday, June 9. The production team will spend the next week familiarising themselves with new rules on health and safety, to ensure social distancing is maintained. The new safety protocols introduced at the Trafford Studios in Manchester include a fixed cohort system with crew members designated to a specific studio space, with social distancing in place, as well as daily temperature checks for staff by specialist medical advisors. Some of the soap's older or more vulnerable cast and crew will not be returning yet (ITV/Danielle Baguley/PA Wire) / ITV/Danielle Baguley/PA Wire Daily intensive cleaning and sanitisation of filming areas will also be mandatory, and members of the cast and office staff will continue to work from home to ensure fewer people in the building. While many of our favourite Weatherfield residents will be back on screens, there will still be some of the cast still missing. Coronation Street stars, alongside any members of crew who are over 70, or have an underlying health condition, will not be on set in the initial period of filming. Other members of cast or crew are considered 'clinically vulnerable' will follow an individual risk assessment process, which will enable them to return to work if it is safe for them to do so. Filming schedules mean three episodes a week will be produced and bosses wil avoid having to take the soap off air for the first time in 60 years. Most memorable Coronation Street characters 1 /20 Most memorable Coronation Street characters Fred Elliot The Manchester butcher was famed for his repetitive speech and being father to Ashley Peacock. He was famously scammed by Stacy Hilton who pretended to be an immigrant called Orchid, looking for a "mail order" husband. A serial proposer he had relationships with Rita Sullivan, Audrey Roberts, Doreen Heavey and Bev Unwin. Rex Hilda Ogden Hilda was the devoted life of Stan who was famed for having her hair in curlers. The pair lived on the breadline and occupied number 13 Coronation Street. She desperately wanted to earn the respect of her neighbours. She took in Kevin Webster as a lodger and sold him her house on leaving the street. Rex The Duckworth's Jack and Vera Duckworth were one of the streets strongest couples - despite blazing rows and bouts of cheating. Jack was famed for his love of pigeons while Vera was known for her fiery temper. The pair famously took in Tyronne Dobbs and raised him as their own. Rex Hayley Cropper Hayley Cropper was the show's first transgender character and married Roy Cropper. Together they became one of the most loved soap pairings and fans were left devastated when Hayley took her own life following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Rex The Battersby's The Battersby's were dubbed the 'Family From Hell' when they rocked up on the street in 1997. They wreaked havoc on the street from Janice berating her Underworld co-workers to husband Les running over a turkey. Rex Tracy Barlow Not quite as villainous as Richard Hillman, Tracy Barlow was the daughter of long-suffering Deirdre Barlow. She was jailed for murdering Charlie, tried to convince Roy Cropper that she was the father of her child and killed Maddie and Kal after trying and failing to murder Carla Connor. Rex Gail Platt Unlucky in love Gail was nearly murdered by Richard Hillman and has been the long suffering mother of David Platt. She later married debt-ridden Joe McIntyre, who after a month of marriage tried to fake his death, and was nearly found guilty. She later married Michael Rodwell - after he burgled her house. Rex Deirdre Barlow Deirdre Barlow was famous for her wide belts and big glasses. She was the mother of Tracy and married to Ken Barlow. She had several affairs and was jailed after becoming involved with con man John Lindsay. Rex Blanche Hunt Blanche was Corrie's queen of comedy with her cutting one liners and deadpan execution. She played Deirdre's mother and Tracy Barlow's grandmother. She died of a heart attack while on an extended holiday in Portugal in May 2010. Rex Richard Hillman Possibly the most villainous character the street has ever welcomed. Richard married an unsuspecting Gail Platt, but not before murdering his ex-wife Patricia with a shovel and burying her body in the foundations of his new flats. He convinced the street that Audrey Roberts was losing her mind, attempted to kill Emily Bishop, but instead murdered Maxine Peacock before trying to kill the Platts by tying them up in a car and gassing them. He then drove the car into Weatherfield Canal. The Platts survived but Hillman drowned. Rex Bet Lynch Brassy Bet brought big hair and flamboyant style to backstreet boozer, The Rovers Return when she joined in 1970. Married to Alec Gilroy, she later took over as landlady. After failing years later to raise the money to buy the pub she fled to Tenerife before making a brief comeback in 2002. Rex Betty Williams Betty was as synonymous with hotpots as Deirdre Barlow was with giant glasses. The Rovers Return barmaid introduced the world to her famous dish and left the secret recipe in the hands of Sean Tully before she died. Rex Norris Cole The street's resident busybody, Norris has found himself on the receiving end of almost every cast member. His most memorable scrape was with serial killer Richard Hillman who intended to murder his landlord Emily Bishop. Rex Todd Grimshaw Todd Grimshaw - played by Bruno Langley - joined the street as the show's first gay character in 2001. The youngest son of Eileen Grimshaw and half-brother of Jason, Todd was dating Sarah Platt before he announced he was gay and went off to university. Rex Ena Sharples Before Norris Cole was Ena Sharples - the ringleader of a trio of gossiping pensioners. She frequently came to blows with Elsie Tanner and was famed for wearing a hairnet. Rex ITVs managing director of continuing drama and head of ITV in the north John Whiston said: Im sure our audience will appreciate having the show they love continue on air. For many who have written in, it is a vital escape from all the fears and stresses this virus brings in its wake. Coronation Street showrunner Iain MacLeod added: "The whole team at Coronation Street has pulled together to generate an ingenious, intricate set of protocols, to allow filming to restart as safely as humanly possible. We are really pleased to able to resume making the nations favourite soap at a time when people need the reassurance of their regular Corrie fix more than ever. "Safety remains our number one priority and we are under no illusions about the challenges still facing us and the nation as a whole. However, I can assure viewers that Corries ever-present humour and brilliant storytelling will be there in abundance in the episodes due to begin filming next week and beyond. Coronation Street stars are now gearing up to return to the studios, with Andy Whyment, who plays Kirk Sutherland in the beloved soap, saying he is "ready" to get back filming. "Its going to be different, but I think were all ready to get back now, get back to shooting the show again," he said on ITV's Lorraine programme. "Its great news for everyone because I think everyone at first was a bit worried we might have to go off air but thankfully we can go back and we can get back to filming again." Addtional reporting by Press Association For several decades, America has been a deeply divided nation, but it has grown more so in the Trump era. Its not just that hostility from those in one political party towards those in the other has risen. Divisions between urban and rural America, between those with university degrees and those without, have also widened. As the crisis in Minneapolis and other cities demonstrates, race also remains a significant fault line. Of course, the immediate spark for the protests and subsequent riots was the truly horrifying footage of last weeks encounter between African-American man George Floyd and the Minneapolis police: an officer is seen pressing his knee on Floyds neck while his pleas for help are ignored before he dies. Protesters gather near the White House on Saturday. Credit:AP Within days, the video precipitated nationwide demonstrations against police brutality. The protests have been turned into wanton violence and destruction in the twin cities and elsewhere. The law has to be allowed to run its course and already all four policemen have been fired and one charged with murder and manslaughter. The mayhem follows a depressing pattern in American history. The record of state failures to protect blacks and others against police brutality is all too full. Ditto the looting and arson, killings and general eruption of racial violence in many American cities when injustices occur. Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has expanded its specialised high-altitude arsenal of weapons since the 2017 Doklam standoff with India to prepare for future conflicts, a state media report said. Since the Doklam standoff with India in 2017, the Chinese military has expanded its arsenal with weapons like the Type 15 tank, Z-20 helicopter and GJ-2 drone that should give China the advantage in high-altitude conflicts should they arise, the nationalistic tabloid Global Times reported, quoting anonymous military experts. The listing of new weapons, which could be specifically used against Indian troops by the Communist Party of China (CPC)-controlled news outlet comes in the backdrop of new tensions at the border. Also Watch | On China tension, India reacts to Donald Trumps offer; standoff continues Soldiers of the two countries are eyeball-to-eyeball at four locations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. Another group of border troops had clashed at Naku La in Sikkim last month as well. Several rounds of talks between local military commanders have failed to end the standoff that began with a violent confrontation between rival patrols on May 5-6 near Pangong Tso that left scores of soldiers from both sides injured. Chinas state-run media has described the latest tensions as the worst since the 2017 Doklam (Donglang in Chinese) standoff that lasted 73 days. The Global Times report didnt mention whether the new tanks and helicopters have already been deployed at the border but indicated that they could be swiftly operationalised. The report said that both the Type 15 tank and the PCL-181 howitzer - Chinas most advanced vehicle-mounted howitzer, as per the report - were displayed in the high-elevation plateau region of Southwest Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region in a China Central Television report on military exercises in January. The Type 15 tank is the worlds only modern lightweight tank in service, Chinese military magazine Weapon had earlier reported, noting it is equipped with a 105-millimetre gun and advanced sensors that can devastate enemy light armoured vehicles in regions not suitable for heavy main battle tank deployment. At Airshow China 2018, the Chinese Air Force unveiled the GJ-2 armed reconnaissance drone, which has a higher ceiling and can carry more payload than the previous GJ-1. Reports said it can be used to patrol the long border in high-altitude areas like Tibet. The analysts said that the ...specially designed weapons have boosted the Chinese militarys combat capabilities in high-altitude regions, enabling it to better safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. For its first military exercise for 2020, which was held in January, the PLAs Tibet military command had ...deployed helicopters, armoured vehicles, heavy artillery and anti-aircraft missiles across the region from Lhasa, capital of Tibet, with an elevation of 3,700 meters to border defense frontlines with elevations of more than 4,000 meters, China Central Television had reported. Most of the disputed boundary between India and China falls in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), whose international borders include Nepal and Bhutan. Protesters scale a truck that was driven onto a freeway with thousands of people on it in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 31, 2020. (Go Nakamura/Reuters) Semi Drives Toward Minneapolis Protesters Marching on Freeway The article has been updated with the latest information. MINNEAPOLISA semi-truck driver was taken to a hospital for injuries after being pulled from the cab and assaulted by protestors when he drove onto a Minneapolis freeway Sunday that had thousands of people marching on it. Authorities said it appeared no one else was hurt. Some witnesses said a handful of people in the incident on Interstate 35W near downtown Minneapolis sought medical attention on their own, but authorities said they could not confirm that. The driver, 35-year-old Bogdan Vechirko, was quickly released from the hospital and was in police custody. Bogdan Vechirko in a booking photo. (Minneapolis Police) Department of Public Safety spokesman Bruce Gordon said the incident was being investigated as a criminal matter. Bystander video showed the crowd parting seconds before the semi rolled through, then the truck gradually slowed and demonstrators swarmed the truck. Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said it appeared from traffic camera footage that the semitrailer was already on the freeway before barricades were set up at 5 p.m. The freeway was among many shut down in the Minneapolis area for the second night in a row as officials imposed an 8 p.m. curfew. Minneapolis has been the center of protestssome peaceful, some violentfor days over the death of Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died last week after a Minneapolis officer pressed his knee into his neck. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was fired and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Three other officers who were arresting Floyd have also since been fired. Epoch Times staff contributed to this report By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 06/01/2020 ADVERTISEMENT GEOFFREY AND VARYA ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT LISA AND USMAN ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT DAVID AND LANA ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ED STEPHANIE AND ERIKA ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT YOLANDA ADVERTISEMENT DARCEY 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' finale featured Geoffrey Paschel getting engaged to Varya Malina , Lana accepting David Murphey 's marriage proposal, Lisa Hamme and Usman Umar getting married, Stephanie Matto coming out as bisexual to her mother Magda, Darcey Silva rejected Tom Brooks ' attempts to reconcile, and Yolanda Leak hiring a private investigator during Sunday night's Season 4 episode on TLC.Like : Before the 90 Days' first three seasons, the fourth season followed Americans who started online romantic relationships with overseas partners traveling overseas hoping to get engaged to someone they've never met in person and then hopefully begin the K-1 Visa immigration process.Along the way, they encountered challenges that include large age gaps, language barriers, cultural issues, and questionable pasts.The couples who appeared on the finale episode of : Before the 90 Days' fourth season were David, a 60-year-old from Las Vegas, NV, and Lana, a 27-year-old from Ukraine; Geoffrey, a 41-year-old from Knoxville, TN, and Varya, a 30-year-old from Ryazan, Russia; Stephanie, a 29-year-old from Yonkers, NY; Yolanda Leak, a 51-year-old from Las Vegas, NV; Lisa, a 52-year-old from York, PA, and Usman, a 30-year-old from Kaduna, Nigeria; Darcey, a 45-year-old from Middletown, CT; and Ed Brown , a 54-year-old San Diego, CA. Tom Brooks , a 39-year-old from Nottingham, United Kingdom; Avery Warner , a 32-year-old from Seattle, WA; Ash Naeck , a 38-year-old from Melbourne, Australia; Erika Owens , a 24 year-old from Port Augusta, Australia; and Rosemarie Vega , a 23-year-old from Caloocan, Philippines, however, did not appear in the episode.And viewers are led to believe Yolanda's boyfriend Williams, a 40-year-old from England, is a scammer.Below is what was shown on the latest episode of : Before the 90 Days.Mary showed up at a bar where Geoffrey and Varya were hanging at with Geoffrey's friends, saying Geoffrey had a lot of explaining to do because he had told Mary they were going to pursue a romantic relationship.Mary cried at the bar and felt she was embarrassing herself, but Geoffrey assured her that she had done nothing wrong. But when Mary asked for answers, the show portrayed Geoffrey being silent.Geoffrey wasn't sure where his romance with Varya was going to go, but he said he didn't want to lose his friendship with Mary, which apparently meant a lot to him.Geoffrey asked Mary to join the group and have some fun, but then Varya asked to speak with Mary, and so the girls went off to their own table to chat.Varya told the cameras "something [was] wrong" with Mary, and then Mary asked Varya, "Why the f-ck are you here?""Don't talk to me that way. I will not put up with that," Varya snapped, before asking Mary to just "stay away" from Geoffrey because he didn't love her."No, you're wrong. I've been a constant in his life. You don't know him like I do," Mary argued.Varya said she and Geoffrey had plenty of time to get to know each other, but Mary didn't think six months was much time. Varya accused Mary of having "arrogance," but then Mary demanded she look in the mirror.After a tense conversation, Varya left the bar, and Mary said she couldn't believe Varya had asked her to stay away from Geoffrey.Mary told the cameras she didn't know what Geoffrey wanted and it broke her heart. She wasn't sure whether to go at their relationship from a different angle or just walk away.Geoffrey and Varya woke up in bed with each other the next day, and he acknowledged it looked bad. Geoffrey said he had doubts lingering in the back of his head about Varya because he didn't want to get hurt again.Varya asked Geoffrey to stay away from Mary because she didn't want other pretty girls around him. Varya told the cameras her "place" was to be "the No. 1 woman" in Geoffrey's life.Geoffrey told Varya that he would show her his life so that she could determine if that's what she wants. Varya wanted to jump back into being boyfriend and girlfriend, but Geoffrey desired to take things slow.Varya told Geoffrey that he had opened up about his past very slowly because he knew she wouldn't like hearing some of the facts, but she insisted letting him go was a mistake and if she could go back in time, she would have said "yes" to his marriage proposal."I'm happy to hear Varya say that, but part of me questions if she knows how badly she hurt me. I don't know what to think about this situation," Geoffrey said in a confessional.After spending a few days with Varya in the United States, Varya was about to meet his two boys in college, Paxton and Dakota. Varya said it was important to her that Geoffrey's sons liked her.Varya told Paxton and Dakota that she loved Geoffrey and also loved nature and the woods, although she had previously said she's a city girl, but the boys didn't want to see their father hurt and sad again.Geoffrey told Paxton and Dakota he was hopeful he didn't ruin his friendship with Mary, but Varya joked they'd be friends again once Geoffrey is elderly. The boys thought Varya and Geoffrey bounced off each other well and liked how their dad couldn't stop smiling.Paxton and Geoffrey determined Varya was good for their father, and then Geoffrey took Varya on a little dinner cruise around the Tennessee River.Varya told Geoffrey that she wished they weren't moving forward so slowly because she could see a future together, and then Geoffrey said, "I love you. I've always loved you and never stopped loving you.""I tried to cover it up with another woman," Geoffrey confessed. "But once you showed up at my door, the emotions I was trying to block all came up, and they are real."Varya joked, "Where's my ring?!" But Geoffrey felt pressure because he wasn't sure whether he was ready to get engaged again, so things were a little awkward."Making this decision is going to be hard," Geoffrey noted.Later on, Geoffrey and Varya went on a hike, and Geoffrey said spending time with her had rekindled all of his old feelings, maybe even more so. Geoffrey wanted to tell Varya how he felt, and he did so after the pair had written down wishes together.During their hike together, Varya said it was going to be hard to return to Russia with only half of her heart, but Geoffrey got down on one knee again."Varya, I didn't realize how much I truly loved you and how much I truly missed you until you said 'surprise' at my doorstep. I made a wish and the wish was for you to be a part of my family," Geoffrey said.Varya giggled and broke down into tears and revealed, "Our wishes are completely the same!""Will you marry me?" Geoffrey asked."Yes!" Varya yelled with glee, before accepting her engagement ring back.Geoffrey told Varya that she made him happy, and with that being said, the pair were engaged!"I love you," Geoffrey gushed."I love you too," Varya said.It then became time for Varya to leave the United States, and she told Geoffrey that she was going to miss him. Geoffrey said he didn't want to be away from Varya while they waited eight months to potentially a year for a K-1 visa to be approved.Varya acknowledged the distance between them was going to be "painful," but Geoffrey said he was so happy for the future and what was to come.Once Geoffrey dropped Varya off at the airport, Varya cried, but Geoffrey promised they'd see each other soon and he loved her.Geoffrey said eight months was nothing compared to a lifetime with Varya and he knew they'd be together in the end. Geoffrey said he looked forward to having kids and grandkids with Varya and ending up in rocking chairs together.It was the night before Lisa and Usman's wedding but the couple got into a huge fight in front of Usman's brothers. Lisa said she wasn't fighting with Usman over having control but rather to have her fiance's respect."My brothers are right here and Lisa just walked away from me. This is the most embarrassing thing that can ever happen to me in this relationship. I don't know if [Lisa] is worth it," Usman admitted in a confessional.Usman, however, tracked Lisa down in her hotel room and said her anger was out of line. Lisa explained she was stressed out and the weather was very hot, but Usman said he didn't understand what was going on because they had problems all the time.Lisa told Usman that she wanted to marry him because she loved him and what they had was worth working things out."So, I will marry you tomorrow. Do you still want to marry me?" Lisa asked."I have never denied you... I cannot say 'no' to you now... But please, I beg you now, believe me when I say something and trust me," Usman replied.Lisa was ready to start a new chapter and new beginning in their life together, and she expected things would only get bigger and better. With that being said, the pair exchanged professions of love.Usman said he loved Lisa and just hoped she'd change with time.The next day, Lisa woke up and said she couldn't wait to get married. Lisa said she and Usman weren't going to throw their relationship away over an argument or two.Lisa put on a white wedding gown that had been made just for her in Nigeria, and she thought it was delicate and stunning. Usman also dressed in his best traditional attire.Because the pair didn't have time to plan a big wedding since Lisa had to return to America, they tied the knot at a marriage registry in Nigeria."It's not too late for my family to stop me from marrying the love of my life," Usman confessed to the cameras.When Lisa and Usman walked into the marriage registry, Usman's mother Fatimatu and brothers were present as well as more witnesses than Lisa had expected. She noticed there was an eery silence in the room, and Usman just hoped his brothers would be supportive.The couple then got married with no objections, but one of Usman's brothers admitted he wasn't happy about the marriage and would pray for them. Fatimatu then told the cameras she expected Lisa to deliver two children in the next three years.After exchanging vows, Lisa and Usman enjoyed a big party and wedding reception with all of Usman's friends, and Lisa wore a sparkly red dress for the occasion.Usman sang to Lisa at the reception and she said she felt like she was living "a Cinderella story."After their exciting wedding day, Lisa cried when saying goodbye to Usman, and he told the cameras he was going to miss everything about her. The pair was legally married now, so Lisa said she'd start the paperwork immediately to get Usman over to the United States.The couple had an emotional goodbye at the airport, and Usman asked Lisa not to cry."Usman is my destiny. He is the man I will spend the rest of my life with. But it makes me a little nervous we are going to be 7,000 miles apart. Is he going to be faithful to me?" Lisa asked in a confessional."When I get back to the States, I will apply for a spousal visa. I'm hoping that he will be in the United States within six months, but not being together, it will be very difficult."David had been in Ukraine for eight days but only seen Lana for two of those days. David said Lana wasn't comfortable with staying with him in the hotel but time was running out of his trip. David said he needed to know Lana was on the same page."I would like to go home not as a single man," David shared in a confessional.David and Lana then met up at a restaurant, and Lana said she felt a romantic connection with David. Lana noted she took pleasure in spending time with David but they needed more time in order to connect on an emotional level.David told Lana that he'd like to know whether they were on the same page and leave the dating website he had been paying for, and Lana agreed, saying she'd like to leave the website as well."I am in love with you," David told Lana. "And I have something for you, and I don't know how you're going to react."David then presented Lana with an iPhone, saying it would allow them to communicate without the website any time of day. He said they'd have videochat, translation and everything she would need.Lana appeared shy and bashful when David gave her a gift, but she accepted it so they could communicate easier without the website. David was all smiles and then the pair went for a walk.When David returned to his hotel room, he received an email from the private investigator he had hired name Sergey, supplying alleged proof Lana was using different names on different dating websites.David could see for himself Lana had three different profiles on a Russian dating website, but he believed the links were "bullsh-t." David's opinion of Lana didn't change, and so he decided to email Sergey a photo of Lana and himself to prove him wrong.David said he couldn't spend his last day in Ukraine with Lana because she had to babysit her nephew, but Lana had apparently promised to see David off and say goodbye to him at the airport.David always questioned whether Lana was attracted to him because she didn't really show affection, noting she had been "hot and cold" with him. David therefore wasn't sure whether to propose marriage to Lana in fear she'd say "no" and said he had a lot to think about.It then became time to leave Ukraine, but he wished he had more time with Lana. He called "Trip No. 5 a very big success," except for the fact he wasn't leaving as an engaged man.Lana met David at his hotel and accompanied him to the airport, and Lana said the couple had definitely become close during his stay in Ukraine. She called it "a shame" that he had to leave.Lana told David that she was sad he was leaving but they'd probably be together soon. And when David asked how she was feeling about their relationship, she replied that she looked forward to communicating more and getting to know each other better. She also hoped David would teach her some English.As the couple hugged at the airport and said goodbye, David kissed Lana and she asked him to write her whenever possible.Lana wished David a nice trip and he walked away, but then, David turned back around."I don't want to go yet!" David said before hugging Lana in tears. "I don't want to go yet."David then said, "I love you," and got down on one knee."Lana, will you marry me?" David asked.Lana giggled and replied, "Yes!"The couple embraced and kissed again, and David gushed, "She said, 'Yes!'"David gushed about how he finally had his girl, proving all the doubters wrong. But as the couple hugged, Lana had a worried look on her face, and then David left Ukraine.Lana said she was "very happy" to be engaged so David could start the K-1 visa paperwork. Lana said she'd like to leave the dating website, finally, and then move to Las Vegas to live with David."I don't know how I'll tell my family that I'm engaged because this all happened really unexpectedly and fast," Lana admitted.Ed admitted he was sad things didn't work out with Rose but he was going to be okay. Ed set out to mend his relationship with his 29-year-old daughter Tiffany, who agreed to meet with him on-camera.Ed wasn't sure what Tiffany was going to say or how she'd react to the news of his breakup with Rose, but he seemed prepared to hear her out and accept criticism for his mistakes.Tiffany explained she had ceased all contact with Ed because she was upset about his trip to the Philippines out of love and concern for him. Tiffany was angry and disappointed her father had not listened to or taken her advice.Ed told Tiffany that she had been right all along and his relationship with Rose blew up in his face. Ed said he had to follow through on meeting Rose, against Tiffany's wishes, in order to follow his heart, but Tiffany expressed how it wasn't okay to date a 23 year old."It was hard because you were blowing me off and essentially saying, 'F you, I'm just going to do whatever,'" Tiffany cried to her father.Ed confessed he had been "selfish" and was very sorry for hurting his daughter.Ed promised Tiffany that she was and always will be the love of his love, but he was afraid he had flushed all of that down the toilet. Ed called himself "a dumbass," and then Tiffany hugged him.Ed, however, said he had no regrets about meeting Rose and falling in love. Ed said he just wanted happiness, intimacy and love in life.Stephanie had been back in the United States for a few weeks and said she hadn't spoken to Erika at all in that time. Stephanie explained trust in their relationship was broken and so that's why they couldn't be together.Stephanie, however, said it was time to come out to her mother and explain what really happened with Erika."What happened in Australia with Erika was intense and it was heartbreaking, and it's just been really lonely and sad dealing with it on my own," Stephanie told the cameras.Stephanie hadn't seen her mother since they had reunited at the airport following Stephanie's trip to Australia, and she just hoped Magda would accept her for who she is and be supportive and loving.Stephanie had no idea how Magda was going to react and worried her mother would not believe her, try to invalidate her feelings, or shut her out.Magda told Stephanie that she seemed different after her trip, and Stephanie admitted she wasn't 100 percent truthful about everything that had happened in Australia."What does that mean?" Magda asked."So, I met Erika on the Internet and over the past few months, things between me and her took a more romantic turn. The reason why I went to Australia was to start a relationship that was more serious with her that would maybe lead to her moving to the United States, but it didn't work out," Stephanie shared.Magda shook her head the whole time and told Stephanie that she was just "confused" because she had experienced some "toxic" relationships in the past."I don't think I'm confused, mom. This is not something new. This is not the first time I've ever had feelings for another woman. I am bisexual. This is me and who I am as a person," Stephanie said."In a way, it does make me sad. Your whole life, I see you with a Prince Charming and having a traditional wedding somewhere in the Czech Republic. I just want that for you. I think I have the right to at least tell you that," Magda said.Magda admitted to the cameras she was very surprised because her culture is pretty conservative and her daughter being bisexual was not her preference. However, Magda wanted to know about Stephanie's choices going forward and whether she dates women."I will accept anything that makes you happy. Honey, I love you so much," Magda told her.Stephanie was glad Magda didn't totally reject the thought of her being bisexual, although her mother clearly didn't embrace the news wholeheartedly.Karra was trying to convince her mother that Williams was scamming her, especially after learning Yolanda and Williams were still talking. Karra said she wanted something better for Yolanda and didn't want to see her being taken advantage of.Karra therefore hired a private investigator to give Yolanda some answers.Yolanda said she hadn't spoken to Williams for weeks but then he suddenly reached out to her with the following text message: "Sorry my bad for not been all this while with you. I was wrong I know that. Forgive me. I still love you and want to be with you. But I don't know if you still want that."Yolanda admitted she still loved Williams, and so she asked him to stay in contact with her. She also questioned whether he had ever gotten his Instagram account back.Yolanda said she was "so confused" and then sat down to talk with the PI, Scott Hunter.Yolanda told Scott that Williams had told her that he's from Manchester, England, and his Instagram had suddenly changed to a Nigerian educational center.Yolanda said she and Williams often talked on the phone, but then Karra shared how Yolanda had received "threatening emails" asking her for money or else they'd post intimate photos of her.Scott asked how Williams explained himself, and Yolanda said Williams claimed his Instagram had been hacked and she had never questioned him about the threatening emails."Based on what you two are both telling me here today, I believe that you've probably been a victim of a catfishing scam. A lot of similarities, but let us dig further into this, and then maybe we can figure out what his true identity is," Scott told the women.Yolanda hoped Williams was real, but only time would tell.Darcey was trying to focus on herself and get her life back on track.Darcey said a friend of Tom's for over 20 years had reached out to her via text and said, "From my conversation with Tom, he told [me] that he made a mistake and wanted to see if I can bridge the conversation between you two. I know you would love that, please let me know what you think."Darcey claimed she had never replied and then received a message from Tom's mother. Darcey insisted she was "done" with Tom and she really meant that.Darcey's twin sister Stacey Silva said she was proud of Darcey for having strength and knowing her worth, and Darcey noted she was very thankful to have her sister by her side.However, Darcey admitted it was tough because Stacey was going to get married. Florian's K-1 visa interview was fast approaching, and Stacey gushed she was ready for her future with Florian and living the American dream with him.Darcey said she went through the wrong guys and expected love too soon, so she planned to be "more cautious" with the next guy and her next relationship."I am ready to live life again," Darcey said.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage! Abdoullahi Aliou, Menchum SDO Screenshot from amateur video Abdoullahi Aliou, Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, for Menchum has come under criticism for an order banning the transportation of corpses into the Division. With effect from Friday, May 29, 2020 when the order was signed, Abdoullahi said the corpses of persons who die as a result of COVID-19 or any other disease will not be allowed entry into Menchum Division. Any delegation of persons coming into Menchum Division with the corpse of a deceased person shall be sent back without prejudice to sanctions in accordance with the rules and regulations in force, the civil administrator said. Considering the looming threat of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, SDO Abdoullahi ordered that: Any family in Menchum Division that has lost a member out of Menchum Division will only bury the corpse at the place of death and after that seek authorisation for exhumation. But if for traditional or customs reason the corpse must be buried in his/her community in Menchum, then the family members will have to keep such a corpse in the mortuary at the place of death until this order is repealed, if and only if the grave situation of COVID-19 is improved. In what has now been considered a military-style order, the Senior Divisional Officer announced that burials within Menchum Division will henceforth be limited to the nuclear family of the diseased. His words: Henceforth, gatherings for burials of deceased persons who died within Menchum Division is strictly restricted to the nuclear family members of the deceased (parents, children, wives or husband) and they must disperse immediately after the said burial. Divisional Officers, the Forces of Law and Order, Directors of the Wum and the Benakuma District Hospitals as well as traditional rulers in Menchum Division are charged with the implementation of the said order. Widespread condemnation Fridays administrative order banning the transportation of corpses into Menchum was received with condemnation from members of the elite and the local population. Leonard Kum, President of development-centred Menchum Headway wondered why the SDO will take such a decision without consulting the people concerned. Why will an SDO take very important decisions, touching on the lives of an entire people without at least consulting them or some indigenous leaders? I have had to talk with some key persons on ground who themselves are surprised that such a move was taken without their input, said Kum. Menchum elite Mua Patrick, editor at The Guardian Post says the order is wanting on several counts. Hear him: The decision is stupid. It lacks merit and should be repealed. There is absolutely no logic in stopping corpses from entering the division in the name of fighting coronavirus. Is coronavirus not transmitted by human beings? Why has the SDO not banned movements into and out of the division? To me, the decision was hastily taken. It doesn't make sense barring corpses of persons who died from COVID-19 unrelated diseases from getting into the division. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Europe took bolder steps to ease coronavirus lockdowns Monday, opening up schools, pools, pubs and tourist sites despite fears of a second wave of infections, while in Latin America new cases climbed past the one million mark. The pandemic has now killed more than 373,000 people and infected at least 6.2 million since erupting in China last year. Efforts to halt its spread by imposing restrictions on everyday life have plunged economies into recession. While the United States, where the ongoing crisis has now been overshadowed by anti-racism protests provoked by police killings, is by far the worst-affected country, cases are also spreading quickly in Latin America, particularly in Brazil. But in Europe, from Russia to France, Italy and Britain, countries have started to emerge from months-long lockdowns, cautiously adopting a post-pandemic version of normal. Bars began to serve again in Finland and Norwaywith distancing restrictions or shortened hours in placewhile some schools in Britain and Greece opened their doors again. But critics of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government say it is moving out of lockdown too quicklyjust as they say it was too slow to impose it. "COVID-19 spreading too fast to lift lockdown in England," scientific advisor Jeremy Farrar said on Twitter. Britain reported 111 more virus deaths Monday: the lowest daily toll since the lockdown started on March 23. There has also been scepticism in Russia, where Moscow shopping malls and parks reopened on Monday despite the still-high number of cases. Shopkeepers however were eager to see business pick up again. "I'm pretty optimistic," Olga told AFP at her shop selling handbags and jewellery in central Moscow. "I think people will come back little by little." Russia's President Vladimir Putin meanwhile called Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to wish him a speedy recovery, as he became the latest leader to test positive. 'Still a killer virus' Elsewhere in Europe, some countries were further down the path to reopening. Greece opened some hotels, schools, pools and tattoo parlours, while in Slovenia a mandatory rule to wear masks was eased as the country declared the end of the outbreak. Slovenes enjoyed a fly-over by US and local military jets to mark the "end of the pandemic" and to thank frontline health workers. In Romania, excited families queued for the reopening of Bucharest's Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum. Rome's famed Colosseum also opened to visitorsItalian nationals onlyfor the first time since March, drawing sparse crowds. But remarks by one leading doctor there sparked an international row. The claim by Alberto Zangrillo, head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, that the virus "no exists in Italy", was quickly challenged by experts in Italy and abroad. "We need to be careful: this is still a killer virus," WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan, who is also an epidemiologist, told journalists. But the latest official figures from Italy were encouraging: over the last 24 hours, they recorded 178 new cases and 60 deaths, continuing a downward trend. There was good news too from Spain, another of the countries badly hit by the virus. On Monday, it recorded its first 24-hour period without a death since March 3. France registered 31 deaths over the last 24 hours, a day before it was due to reopen cafes, restaurants and bistros, closed since the lockdown began on March 17. In South Africa, scores of people queued outside liquor stores in the Johannesburg township of Soweto, waiting to stock up after a nine-week ban on alcohol sales ended. The mood was festive with customers carrying crates of empty beer bottles, blasting loud music from their stereos. "We are overwhelmed, over the moon, so excited. This place is jamming," said one customer, Bongani Khumalo. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize pleaded with citizens not to "panic-buy" and to "reduce consumption". 1 million cases The pandemic has devastated the global economy, which is facing its worst downturn since the Great Depression. With businesses and citizens growing tired of confinement, there is pressure on many leaders to press on with reopeningsespecially in nations where outbreaks appear to be slowing. But health experts have continued to warn of the possibility of a second wave of infections if authorities and citizens let their guard down. Brazil has more than half a million known infections and the second highest caseload in the world after the US, but President Jair Bolsonaro has defied lockdown recommendations. Many of his supporters dismiss the disease as a myth. In a grim new landmark, infections in Latin America and the Caribbean surged past one million, according to an AFP tally based on official sources. In the United Statesthe worst-affected nation in the world, and now faced with a wave of street protests against police killings of unarmed black suspectsWashington and Los Angeles resumed outdoor dining, while New York City is on track to begin reopening from June 8. The US now has more than 104,000 coronavirus deaths and over 1.7 million cases. Meanwhile, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there was a reminder that while much of the world struggles with coronavirus, other infectious threats continue. The health ministry reported a fresh Ebola outbreak in the northwest of the huge central African country. The World Health Organization meanwhile insisted it still wanted to keep working with the United States, despite President Donald Trump's decision last week to cut ties with the organisation. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2020 AFP A record total of 150 entries from more than 40 universities across the U.S. and Canada were submitted under the theme of "Blurred Lines," examining the intersection of nature and technology. The winning students will receive cash prizes and the grand prize winner will see their design come to life through fabrication. The winning designs were chosen by influential industry professionals: Cheryl Durst , executive vice president and CEO of IIDA , executive vice president and CEO of IIDA Leanne Ford, interior designer and television personality Tristan Butterfield , regional brand and retail lead at Gensler Chicago , regional brand and retail lead at Gensler Chicago Vern Yip , award-winning HGTV designer and author , award-winning HGTV designer and author Renee Hytry Derrington , international design lead at Formica Group "What I love about Formica Corporation's FORM competition is that it gives me a chance to see the work of rising stars! I get a glimpse into how the future generation of designers view creative furniture design," Ford said. Grand prize: Alexandra Clement of Sainte-Julie, Quebec received a $2,000 cash award for her "Origami" desk design, which encompasses modular art in its simplest form, epitomizing creativity without sacrificing functionality. Inspired by the ancestral art of Japan, the desk plays with various shapes and volumes to maximize its possible uses, including multiple built-in storage compartments. Featuring Layered Sand, White Birchply and Oiled Olivewood Formica Laminate, this design creates subtle contrast through the different pattern layers. This design also nods to the raw material used in origami paper. Clement is a student at Cegep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. Clement's winning design will be fabricated into furniture and showcased at NeoCon, June 14-16, 2021, at the Mart in Chicago. Second prize: Jacob Ethier of Montreal, Quebec received $1,000 for his "Post-Industrial Bookshelf" design, which employs laser-cutting technology to create a new type of panel to add texture and color, revealing a beautiful, organic form suited to a variety of spaces. The practical bookshelf is designed so objects stored inside can't be seen, simplifying the surrounding environment and enhancing visual appeal. Inspired by rich colors and varied patterns, the Post-Industrial Bookshelf utilizes Solar Orange, Grenadine and Clementine Formica Laminate. Ethier is a student at Quebec University in Montreal. Third prize: Jessica Reid, from Oxford, New Jersey won $500 for her "G Table" design. Inspired by harmonic and fluid rhythm while emphasizing the aesthetically pleasing nature of negative space, the table uses contrasting Black Crystal Finish, White Washed Birchply and Light Hammer-Copper Antiqued patterns. Reid is a student at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania. More information about the winning students' designs is available at www.formica.com/studentcompetition. About Formica Corporation Founded in 1913, Formica Corporation, part of the Formica Group of companies, is a leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of innovative surfacing products for commercial and residential applications. For more information about Formica Corporation, its products, special programs and promotions, visit www.formica.com or call 1-800-FORMICA. About Formica Group Formica Group is a global group of companies consisting of Formica Canada Inc., Formica Corporation, Formica de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Formica IKI Oy, Formica Skandinavien AB, Formica Limited, Formica S.A., Formica S.A.S., Formica Taiwan Corporation, Formica (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Formica (Asia) Ltd., Formica Decorative Materials (China) Co., Ltd. and Homapal GmbH, among others. Please Note: Formica and the Formica Anvil Logo are registered trademarks of The Diller Corporation. 1-800-FORMICA is a trademark of The Diller Corporation. All rights reserved. 2020 The Diller Corporation. Owen Serey Formica Corporation 513-786-3121 [email protected] SOURCE Formica Corporation - Jubilee Party settled on Senator Margaret Kamar in line with the party's agenda of supporting women leadership - Senator Charles Kibiru who had also been listed as a contestant in the race withdrew his candidature - Kamar will face off with nominated senator, Isaac Mwaura, and Judith Pareno during the Tuesday, June 2, election Jubilee Party has settled on Uasin Gishu senator Margaret Kamar for deputy speaker position in the upcoming election to replace Senator Kithure Kindiki who was ousted from the position. Senate majority whip Irungu Kang'ata said the move to endorse Kamar was in line with the party's support for women leadership in the country. READ ALSO: Kenyans sue Uganda after Lake Victoria waters spill over, displace Kisumu residents Uasin Gishu senator Margaret Kamar was endorsed by the Jubilee Party to replace Kithure Kindiki as deputy speaker. Photo: Margaret Kamar Source: Twitter READ ALSO: Magazeti ya Jumatatu, Juni 1: DP Ruto kukutana uso kwa uso na Rais Uhuru Ikulu In a Twitter post on Monday, May 1, the soft-spoken Murang'a senator said although all contestants were qualified to vie for the position, the party had settled on Kamar. "Those inquiring about tomorrow's Senate Deputy Speakers election, all contestants are very capable and qualified. However, Jubilee supports women empowerment. I endorse Prof Margaret Kamar," said Kang'ata. The majority and minority whips are the second-ranking members of each party's leadership in parliament and more often their main function is to gather votes of their respective parties on major issues. Senate majority whip Irungu Kang'ata said although all contestants for the deputy speaker position were qualified, he only supported Margaret Kamar. Photo: Senator Irungu Kang'ata Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Betty Kyalo asimulia ajali ya kutamausha iliyokaribia kuangamiza maisha yake As was earlier reported by TUKO.co.ke, other leaders who had submitted their nomination papers for the post were Senators Charles Reubenson Kibiru (Kirinyaga), Stewart Madzayo (Kilifi), Isaac Mwaura (nominated ) and Judith Pareno (nominated). Senator Kibiru has since withdrawn his candidature for the position. Senator Millicent Omanga had expressed interest in the seat but did not return her nomination paper, hence was disqualified from the race. The senators are expected to vote on Tuesday, June 2, to replace Kindiki who was ousted after he failed to attend President Uhuru Kenyatta's state house meeting. 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 Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 07:55:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 31 (Xinhua) -- A number of popular landmarks of the U.S. capital around the National Mall in central Washington D.C. were defaced with graffiti amid nationwide protests and unrest over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in Minneapolis police custody, the authorities said Sunday. "In the wake of last night's demonstrations, there are numerous instances of vandalism to sites around the National Mall," the National Park Service for the National Mall said in a tweet with photos of defaced monuments on Sunday. The sentence "Do black Vets count?" appeared to be spray-painted across part of the National Mall World War II Memorial and the words "Yall not tired yet?" were spray-painted at the Lincoln Memorial. "For generations the Mall has been our nation's premier civic gathering space for non-violent demonstrations, and we ask individuals to carry on that tradition," the service said on Twitter. DC Chief of Police Peter Newsham said on Sunday that the Metropolitan Police Department had arrested 17 people Saturday night and that 11 police officers were injured during the protests. None of the officers sustained life-threatening injuries, though one officer is undergoing surgery for multiple compound fractures to his leg after a protester threw a rock at him, according to a CNN report. Floyd, aged 46, died on May 25 after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "please, I can't breathe." Chauvin was arrested and charged with three-degree murder and manslaughter earlier on Friday. Floyd's plea before his death evoked African Americans' painful memories. In 2014, a cellphone recorded an unarmed black man, Eric Garner, 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. Enditem Russia has no objection to the next meeting of OPEC and its allies, known as OPEC+, being brought forward to June 4 from the following week, three OPEC+ sources familiar with the meeting's preparations said. Algeria, which currently holds the presidency of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), has proposed the meeting planned for June 9-10 be brought forward to facilitate oil sales for countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait. The lack of Russian opposition to an earlier date could indicate that it is moving closer to an agreement with OPEC's de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, on how to extend oil production cuts for the rest of the year. OPEC+ decided in April to cut output by a record 9.7 million barrels per day, or about 10% of global output, to lift prices battered by a drop in demand because of lockdown measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Reduced production from OPEC+, combined with a record decline in output from non-members such as the United States and Canada, helped to lift oil prices towards $35 per barrel, though they remain at only half the levels at the start of the year. Sources have told Reuters that Saudi Arabia is proposing to extend record cuts from May and June until the end of the year but it has yet to win support from Russia, which believes that curbs could be eased gradually. On Friday a monthly survey by Reuters showed that OPEC's oil output hit its lowest level in two decades in May as Saudi Arabia and other members delivered record supply cuts. However, the survey showed that overall compliance was about 75% because Nigeria and Iraq failed to comply fully with their share of reductions. Huawei may ultimately be forced to turn to Snapdragon chips for its 2021 flagships tentatively the Huawei Mate 50 and P50. Thats according to recent reports citing KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst John Vinh. Mr. Vinh indicates that Huawei likely wont be able to use HiSilicon to source chipsets for its cutting-edge smartphones in 2021. Thats a direct result of sanctions and rules created amid an ongoing trade war between the US and China. Its also the result of a decision made by the current US administration to add Huawei to an Entity List. A successive run of sanctions has forced the company to look for internal solutions and not all of those appear to be panning out. Advertisement The analyst says that one likely result is that the company will be forced to utilize Qualcomms Snapdragon chipset in its flagship phones in 2021. While Huawei can obtain enough hardware from current loopholes in the sanctions to power its Mate 40 and P40, it wont be able to next year. That would mean that the Huawei Mate 50 and P50 could be powered by the top Snapdragon chips for that year instead. Why cant Huawei use HiSilicon Chips instead of Snapdragon? Of course, Huawei has its own AI-focused in-house Kirin chipsets built by its HiSilicon subsidiary. Those have been driving the companys smartphones and flagships for years as well as the handsets made by Honor. So there may be some confusion as to why Huawei cant just use those instead of Snapdragon SoCs in 2021. The issue at contention here is HiSilicons reliance on components for chips from US manufacturers. A recent rule change, implemented in late April, will make it difficult for Huawei to source those. Specifically, the rule dubbed the US Foreign Direct Product Rule (FDPR) places controls on shipped content that is at least 25-percent American-made. Summarily, it puts limitations on American-made content is eligible for exportation to foreign countries. Advertisement As a result of a large number of related rules and sanctions placed against the company, Huawei has been forced to shift manufacturing. In mid-April, it moved production from TSMC to China-based SMIC, for instance. All of that is compounding to make building around HiSilicons Kirin chipsets less feasible. In effect, the rules and sanctions are beginning to make reliance on in-house hardware less feasible. Unless Huawei can find some other way to get its components, its going to have to look elsewhere. Particularly for its popular flagships series devices. Qualcomm may be out of the question too Now, Qualcomm may actually be off of the table for Huawei too. Whether or not thats the case will largely come down to yet another decision by the US government. The benefits would arguably be weighted heavily in Qualcomms favor. But the US-based company would still be required to apply for a license to interact with Huawei. That comes back to the Huawei being placed on the Entity List, marking it as a plausible national security risk. Advertisement Additionally, Qualcomm would need to convince Huawei to utilize its chips. Mr. Vinh does believe that the US government would grant the requested license. But Huawei has increasingly isolated itself from US companies. Its also claimed that it can overcome the sanctions on its own merit, with its own solutions simultaneously denying claims leveled against it. Qualcomm has already attempted to work out a deal with Huawei on 5G technology and failed. So it may not be able to convince the company to utilize its chipsets for mobile devices either. Many people have turned to ordering food to support local eateries amid the COVID-19 pandemic. And Jason Momoa has gone one step further, flying to his hometown in Iowa for breakfast last week. The 40-year-old Aquaman star surprised staff at the Waveland Cafe to order the Momoa breakfast special, and according to staff, downed the large meal in under 10 minutes. Supporting the local eateries: Jason Momoa travelled all the way to Iowa last week for breakfast at a local diner in his hometown called, Waveland Cafe 'Yes, thats right folks, Jason came in today with his family to have some delicious breakfast!!' the cafe penned on their Facebook page. 'He downed the momoa ( full hashbrown with a full biscuits and gravy right on top followed by 2 sunny side up eggs and a side of bacon) in less than 10 minutes!!' They continued: 'Thank you, Jason Momoa, for coming in during this crazy time and supporting us, it truly means a lot to every one of us!! P.S. He even wanted to change in to one of our waveland shirts.' Hungry! 'He downed the momoa ( full hashbrown with a full biscuits and gravy right on top followed by 2 sunny side up eggs and a side of bacon) in less than 10 minutes!!' according to the cafe owners Keeping safe: Jason sported his mask while posing with staff and solo outside the diner Jason sported his mask while posing with staff outside the diner. The 6ft4in husband of Lisa Bonet has continued to step out to support his favorite eateries throughout lockdown. He recently visited The Old Place in Agoura, California on his motorbike to pick up some food. 'SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL. its hard out there for everyone but trying to support our small businesses. THE OLD PLACE one on my all time favorite places is open saturday and sunday for take out,' he captioned on social media. Doing his bit: The 6ft4 husband of Lisa Bonet has continued to step out to support his favorite eateries throughout lockdown Jason has been isolating in his Los Angeles home with his wife, Lisa Bonet, and their children, daughter, Lola Lolani, 12, and son, Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha, 11. He is also the stepfather to Big Little Lies actress Zoe Kravitz, 31; her birth father is Lenny Kravitz. Jason began dating Lisa in 2005 and they married in October 2017, although it was previously believed that they had tied-the-knot 10-years earlier in 2007. Jeff Brown couldnt be more clear. And it was hard to imagine anyone disagreeing with the man after seeing the insides of two of his ravaged Philadelphia ShopRite supermarkets Monday morning. The time is now for the National Guard to be deployed to the citys major grocery stores. This was Browns desperate message to me after Id walked through the devastated interiors of the phenomenal supermarkets he built and runs in low-income neighborhoods that used to be food deserts. The scene inside his Fox Street and Parkside stores I saw them both was staggering: computerized machinery broken, food in piles on the floor everywhere. And lines of cars outside pulling up to shop, only to be turned away, one after the other. READ MORE: Here's live coverage of what's happening Tuesday Online orders from coronavirus-quarantined customers, many of them elderly from surrounding neighborhoods, could not be delivered. Other stores in Browns urban network also were shut down or in jeopardy for lack of sufficient police presence to protect them. As Monday evolved into yet another volatile day in the wake of the Minnesota police killing of George Floyd last week that ignited violence across the country, Browns pleas took on greater urgency. How could he keep grocery stores open? How could needy people be fed? In the last few hours we have gotten police protection at the Island Avenue store, the 24th and Oregon store, and the Roxborough store, Brown told me in the morning. But we dont have assurances that its ongoing. And we think that the big supermarkets of the city, especially in the underprivileged communities, need 24/7 National Guard protection. Im officially asking for that. I have asked. By 2 p.m., Gov. Tom Wolf was inside the Parkside store I had just left. Brown called to tell me that he had just spoken with the governor directly by phone there and asked him for the armed presence hed previously requested only through state and local officials. He said hes going to work on it, Brown said. READ MORE: National Guard arrives in Philly By 3:45 p.m., Brown said hed closed Roxborough and 24th and Oregon in Philadelphia, had never opened his store in Southwest Philadelphia, and also shuttered stores in Cheltenham and Wyncote in Montgomery County out of safety concerns. By 5:45 p.m., Id found the governor on a Philadelphia sidewalk. Wolf told me that plans to send either state police, military or other armed support to city supermarkets were being hashed out. Wolf had come to Philadelphia around noon to see the city where weekend demonstrations left portions of its central business district and outlying commercial corridors destroyed as peaceful daylight protests devolved into worse under nightfall. I also ran into Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw in the parking lot of Browns Parkside store. She, too, had come to check out the scene. This is how important Browns supermarkets are to the very Philadelphia neighborhoods most in need of and grateful for them. I asked Outlaw what the Police Department would be doing differently moving forward to protect these vital food supply businesses. She said she would answer such questions more fully later in the day, at a scheduled news conference I did not attend. Officials would be wise to get a decisive answer to that question sooner than later. There are no easy solutions to the extraordinary instability that has gripped our city, especially since unwarranted police violence is the ostensible cause. For very good reason, demonstrators are outraged and taking to the streets nationally. The murder charge against the Minnesota police officer who killed Floyd beneath the weight of a pinned knee is cold comfort after the horrifying video-recorded killing so many of us saw last week. But Browns stores are an oasis for the very people most affected by these injustices day in and day out. They feed people in zip codes abandoned by other food chains for years. Parkside opened to much celebration 13 years ago Sunday. It was trashed on its anniversary. The two looted stores employ 600 people in solid, union jobs a rarity in the grocery business anymore. They are among six urban stores Brown runs in the area. Even formerly incarcerated individuals are among the workers in whom Brown has placed his money and his trust. As of Monday, Brown was still covering the closed stores employee wages. Layoffs, however, could be inevitable if the supermarkets cannot be kept safe. Its maybe more than 95% African Americans, all from the community, Brown said of the workforce at the two damaged sites. Theyre people that got a second chance. A lot of them hundreds of them are probably going to get displaced. And boy, were they scared. At the Fox Street store around 4:30 in the morning, employees whod barricaded themselves inside to protect the market fled to the roof. The building shook as someone set off what sounded like explosives outside. Then, looters smashed through mountains of bottled water cases and forklift pallets that had been stacked by the front door. Some police finally arrived, and made arrests, a store employee at Fox Street told me. But at Parkside, looting continued uninterrupted into the morning. There were, quite tragically, no responses to 911 and other emergency calls, Brown said. The scene inside the Parkside location, which recently underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation: piles of damaged groceries, pried-open cash register computers, the smell of rotting fish, the stain of supermarket cart wheels trailing red wine streaks through aisles. At Fox Street, looters left behind damaged hammers that failed to crack the store safe. They cleaned out all the scratch-off lottery tickets inside a busted machine by the front door. The things in the city we need like food, medicine you need to protect that, Brown said. They need to protect it 24/7 until this thing is resolved. And then we will invest the money into fixing the stores to get people back to work. Following several nights of protests across the country sparked by police brutality that ended in violence and arrests, Conroe resident LaDon Johnson decided to organize a local event that he was determined would remain peaceful. Protests were organized nationwide after the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck until he stopped moving while three other officers observed. All four officers were fired soon after and Chauvin later was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The video of the arrest and Floyd telling the officers he could not breathe was shared widely following his death. Johnson, a local business owner, put out a post on Facebook calling for a peaceful gathering in downtown Conroe on Sunday, starting at the Walgreens on Frazier and 105. He made it clear while organizing the event that it was intended to be a peaceful protest and violence, against people or property, would not be tolerated. This protest is not going down like it is in Houston, Johnson posted on his Facebook page. Demonstrators began gathering at 1 p.m. with the plan to march up to the courthouse later that afternoon to kneel in Floyds honor. Protesting is the voice of the unheard, said Von Gardner, an attendee at the event. Hopefully, if they act like they cant hear us, at least theyre going to see us. Gardner hoped that the event would raise awareness of the racism still prevalent across the country and to demonstrate that people can come together and be peaceful even when protesting. In coordination with the Conroe Police Department, the protesters blocked off F.M. 105 for nine minutes, the amount of time officer Chauvin was videotaped kneeling on Floyds neck, as they marched and knelt in silence. Other than a few angry responses from drivers passing by the gathered protesters, the event remained a peaceful one. Johnson, and the Conroe Police Department, had concerns about the possibility of a counter-protest at the courthouse based on messages that Johnson had received on social media, but no counter-protesters arrived. This is not about a black or white thing, Johnson said before the protest. This is about a bad cop thing. One bad cop did the wrong thing. We just want the good cops to police the bad cops. Johnson was born in Houston but primarily grew up in Conroe and said the community he knows is a peaceful one, and he supports local law enforcement. We can keep it peaceful here and let our local officers know that we support you guys, he said. We understand your job is scary. You have a family, we have a family, were just trying to go home safely. We just want you guys to protect us. Sgt. Kevin Johnson with the Conroe Police Department said that while officers were in the area, they would stay out of the event unless things got out of hand. Primarily, he said, CPD was there to monitor any possible counter-protesters. At least one plainclothes officer stayed with the protesters as they gathered along the road with signs and occasional chanting. The police departments special response group was ready to respond, Sgt. Johnson said. Were not going to bring a show of force like everybody else has been doing, and standing out here from the beginning, because we think thats just going to antagonize things, Sgt. Johnson said. All lined up in gear and helmets and shields, I think that just looks bad and it looks like were already creating a problem there, like were already ready to fight, and thats not the case. Lining up officers in full gear, across from a group thats already amped up, is what causes things to get worse quicker than they might have otherwise, Sgt. Johnson said. Those marching said the protest was meaningful. One day I might have a son or a daughter and I want them to live in America knowing that they would be safe and they wouldnt have fear for the cops, said Latrinity Williams, a protester at the event. I know some African-American people are upset with the police to the point that they feel like violence needs to be enacted, but I feel like we can peacefully protest and live side-by-side. Williams said she hoped that by standing up as a community and peacefully protesting their actions would show that their lives matter and they should be treated the same as other people. Whenever were arrested or pulled over to the side, that we dont have to have that fear that Hey, I might not come back from being arrested or pulled over, like every other citizen of this country does, she said. jamie.swinnerton@chron.com It took a bit of time for Khloe Kardashian to gather her thoughts about the murder of George Floyd, but shes finally sharing a statement about his tragic death, which includes her justified concern for her daughter True and her future children. Khloe Kardashian | ZAK BENNETT/AFP via Getty Images Kardashian shares her thoughts in an emotional post Amid the protests following George Floyds death, Kardashian posted an emotional statement on Instagram, expressing how heartbroken and disgusted she is about the tragedy. Over the last few days Ive written and rewritten this so many times. Words feel empty, or somehow not enough, but I cant sit silently. #BlackLivesMatter#JusticeforGeorgeFloyd, Kardashian explained in the caption. Like so many of you I am angry, heartbroken and disgusted by the murder of George Floyd, her statement began. We have seen this too many times. Black people have been discriminated against, victimized and murdered for too long, and have shown superhuman resiliency in the face of constant adversity. It is incomprehensible to me that its 2020 and people continue to restrict, stereotype, damage and oppress people of color, and that racism is a constant reality. RELATED: Khloe Kardashian Proves Shes the Queen of the Clapback After Fans Criticize Her Instagram Selfies Again She hopes theres a better future for all children Kardashian continued, It breaks my heart to think about parents having to teach their children how to stay alive. No father should fear for his sons safety every time he steps foot out the door every morning. She continued, No mother should live in fear like that, and as I think about my own daughter, my future children, and all of our children, I know that we have to create a better future for them. One filled with love, light, and compassion, not one filled with hatred and ignorance, and I vow to continue to teach my daughter every single day, and with every opportunity I get, to have love for others, regardless of the color of their skin, their sexuality or their religious beliefs. People are not born racist, they are taught these beliefs, and we must do our part to stop this cycle and put an end to racism in this country, Kardashian added. Kardashian asks her followers to demand change Kardashians emotional statement acknowledged her privilege and her desire to use her platform to spread a message that everyone has to come together to demand change. Kardashian shared, I continue to pray for equality for all, understanding and love, and I remain hopeful that together we can help get justice for George and his family, and for every black American who has been murdered, mistreated, abused and ignored. I will do my part. I know that I am privileged, in more ways than one, and I will use that privilege to fight for you, she added. I will not let George Floyds name be forgotten. I will speak up, and speak out against discrimination, fearlessly and louder than ever before. I will stand with you, as together we fight for whats right. I will vote for those who stand for equality and justice, and against racism, bigotry and corruption. I urge you to do the same. The reality star further shared how people can get involved. This battle is not insurmountable, and any action, no matter how small, can be enough to make a difference, because its going to take us all coming together to demand change. Please do what you can to make your voice heard and to show compassion, educate yourself and teach others. Sign petitions, text and call, talk to your friends and family about whats going on, protest, demonstrate, cry, scream and shout!, she noted. Change MUST happen! Black lives DO matter! We can, we must, and we will change the future, Kardashian concluded. More tech news includes TRAI clarifying there will be no 11-digit phone numbers, tech CEOs and companies speaking out against racism. Its only the start of the week but theres already so much happening in tech. Many tech companies and CEOs responded to the George Floyd death case and racism in the US. In India, TRAI clarified that there will be no 11-digit phone numbers for now. Xiaomi also revealed the launch date for its first laptop in India. An achievement for India was also announced as it is now the second largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world. Android users in India were also warned about a vulnerability. So heres a breakdown of everything that made headlines in tech today. Tech companies, CEOs on racism Tech companies like Facebook, Snap, Intel, Netflix and IBM have called out the discrimination against African-Americans following Geroge Floyds death. Facebook also said it will commit $10 million to organisations working on racial injustice. ALSO READ: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks up against racism Google CEO Sundar Pichai also expressed solidarity with the Black community in the US while Tim Cook penned a memo to employees on discrimination and ineqaulity. 11-digit phone numbers It was reported that TRAI has recommended introduction of 11-digit phone numbers in India. But it later clarified that it is not recommending this change. TRAI however suggests prefixing 0 while calling from landlines to mobile numbers. Android vulnerability CERT-In issued a new warning that said devices not running on the latest Android 10 version are at risk of being snooped on. Theres a new vulnerability that attackers can exploit through the phones mic and camera. It also gives hackers access to the phones GPS details. Xiaomi Mi laptop launch After multiple reports and leaks, Xiaomi finally confirmed the launch date for its first laptop launch in India. The Mi Notebook will launch on June 11 at 12:00 pm. This would mark the entry of Xiaomi in the laptop segment. Theres no word though on which laptop Xiaomi will launch in India. Mobile phone manufacturer Ravi Shankar Prasad announced that India is now the second largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world. It has so far set up 200 manufacturing units and 330 million phones have been made. Value of mobile handsets produced is also at $30 billion. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) The Philippine Coast Guard said all Filipinos returning to the country will have to undergo mandatory quarantine in government-accredited facilities, taking back an earlier announcement that said home quarantine was enough. In an advisory posted on Facebook Monday, the PCG said "all repatriated OFWs and non-OFWs are required to undergo mandatory quarantine in any government quarantine facility or hotel accredited by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), until they receive their RT-PCR test results proving them to be negative for COVID-19." They will be brought to the facilities by government authorities as per previously set rules. The PCG earlier said that according to the Sub-Task Group for the Repatriation of OFWs, all Filipinos arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport including seafarers and non-OFWs will have to undergo home quarantine right after a swab test if they live in Metro Manila. The latest advisory said "all previous announcements regarding home quarantine for returning OFWs and non-OFWs" should be disregarded. President Rodrigo Duterte on May 25 gave government officials a one-week ultimatum to rush the release of COVID-19 test results of over 24,000 returning OFWs languishing in quarantine facilities. A total of 23,472 returning workers had been sent back to their respective provinces, while hundreds more await clearance, the Labor Department said on Sunday. More OFWs are expected to arrive in the next few months, with the COVID-19 crisis still hounding the globe. The government said it expects around 60,000 returning workers in the next two months, with some 300,000 more returning for the rest of 2020. The President has also instructed the Department of Health to ramp up PCR testing in other regions so the OFWs can be sent to their hometowns, and they can undergo COVID-19 testing closer to their homes, his spokesman said. From the beginning, the police has received a lot of perverse messages from Donald Trump, encouraging them to embrace the bitter angels of their nature In his first Inaugural Address, and hopefully his last, Donald Trump talked about American carnage. He got it last week. What we couldnt have known in January 2017 is that he wasnt here to save us from this carnage, but to perpetuate it; that incitement wasnt just a feature of his campaign, but of his governance. When historians look back at the Trump era, they may very well say his presidency was encapsulated by this moment, when a sadistic cop knelt on the neck of an African-American man in plain view for almost nine minutes and the streets exploded in rage. Derek Chauvin was by no means the first cop to gratuitously brutalise and lynch an African-American. But he embodied something essential about Trumpism: Its us versus them. Thats the poison ethos at the heart of police brutality, and its the septic core of our 45th presidents philosophy. Neither a toxic cop nor Donald Trump sees himself as a servant of all the people theyve sworn to protect. They are solely servants of their own. Everyone else is the enemy. From the beginning, the police has received a lot of perverse messages from Trump, encouraging them to embrace the bitter angels of their nature. Three summers ago, he gave a speech on Long Island, disparaging officers who cradled the heads of suspects as they tucked them into their squad cars: You can take the hand away, OK? (A bank of cops, seated behind him, started to laugh and cheer.) One of Trumps most revealing tweets since the rioting began was a boast about the prowess of the Secret Service and to threaten to sic the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons on the crowds outside the White House if things intensified. Hes Bull Connor with a comb-over. Or Walter E Headley, Miamis former police chief, who in 1967 said, When the looting starts, the shooting starts, a phrase that reappeared in a Trump tweet on Friday. And this is the point, is it not? Trump, who made his political bones by peddling apocrypha about our first African-American presidents country of origin, thrives on racial divisions. Us-them. Conflict zones are his comfort zone, perfect for firing up his base. But the pressures of this historic moment proved to be too much. We cant see the African-Americans who are dying in disproportionate numbers inside our hospitals, but we can see George Floyd, an African-American, cruelly singled out for asphyxiation in the street. His death in police custody is a potent symbol of the obscene inequality and racial hostility of this moment, with the police officer as Trumps smirking and pitiless proxy. African Americans and many whites, too were so enraged that they poured out into the streets to protest, even in the midst of a pandemic, even though African Americans are most at risk in this pandemic. A month from now, its quite likely many will end up in hospitals, once again in disproportionate numbers. Its too awful to contemplate. And once again, theres a leadership vacuum in response to the chaos, just as there is with COVID-19. Its every state for itself, with Trump trolling the most liberal leaders for their supposed failures to contain the unrest. How these protests devolved into violence across the country will be the subject of analysis for years to come. For now, what has riveted me is that somehow, in spite of the dystopian horror unfolding in front of us, in spite of execrable responses from some of the largest police forces in the country (including New York Citys), were nonetheless hearing talk of America as a perfectible place of the arc still bending. Its been more than three years since weve heard that tune. Yet there was Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, issuing a wee-hours statement that asked Americans not to ignore their pain, but to use it to compel our nation across this turbulent threshold into the next phase of progress, inclusion, and opportunity. There was Killer Mike, the rapper from Atlanta, reminding his fellow citizens, Atlantas not perfect, but were a lot better than we ever were, and a lot better than cities are. Conservatives will focus on the pleas for law and order in their messages. But what I hear is a repudiation of Trumpian nihilism a rejection of the tyranny of the perpetual anxious present that Masha Gessen describes in her forthcoming book Surviving Autocracy. Theyre instead speaking with what Gessen calls moral ambition, inviting fellow citizens to build a more expansive country, rather than an us-versus-them one. Their messages werent, Dont destroy your community, so much as, Theres a still community left for you to join. Come and make it better. And so, along with terrifying imagery of fire and fury, we also saw images over the weekend of police officers and protesters marching together. The bonds were sometimes fragile, only to later disappear. But they happened. In Flint, Michigan. In Camden, New Jersey. In Coral Gables, Florida. In Santa Clara, California. In Ferguson, Missouri. In Kansas City, Missouri, where two cops, one White, held aloft a sign saying End Police Brutality. Or listen to the chief of police in Atlanta, Erika Shields, tell an anxious protester, I hear you. When Trump met with those whod lost loved ones in the Parkland shooting, he needed an empathy cheat sheet that contained those very words; it was item No 5. For her, they simply spilled out, as naturally as rain. Jennifer Senior c.2020 The New York Times Company MEDINA, Ohio -- Ever since George Floyd was killed May 25 after being arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, cities around the United States have been torn apart by demonstrations protesting the treatment of Floyd, who was black, by white police officers. Many local people who viewed the video of Floyds arrest and death are seeking a way to show their dismay and their support for social justice for all. This weekend (June 6 and 7) will offer two different opportunities for Medina residents to show their respect for the memory of George Floyd. From 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Medina County Together will hold a vigil around Public Square in conjunction with Black Lives Matter. Organizer Carol Brenstuhl expects people to hold signs and to speak through megaphones. At some point in the afternoon, participants will be asked to chant I cant breathe for nine minutes, much as Floyd protested while he was being crushed with an officers knee on his neck. "Black Lives Matter" is written in chalk in front of the water fountain in Medina's Uptown Park on Public Square. (Mary Jane Brewer, special to cleveland.com) From 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, a silent gathering will be held, led by Jack Petrella, a social activist and Vietnam veteran who was appalled by the news clip showing Floyds death. He is planning a peaceful demonstration during which supporters will silently stand on the sidewalks around the square holding signs while facing the street. Petrellas sign will read, Remember George Floyd, our brother. He hopes that anyone who feels a sense of responsibility to the memory of George Floyd will join the group at the square. Both event organizers are asking participants to wear face masks to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus and to maintain 6 to 10 feet of social distancing. Both organizers will welcome only peaceful demonstrators. Read more from the Medina Sun. The upcoming revival of Singin' in the Rain has announced new dates for its run at Sadler's Wells. Directed by Jonathan Church, choreographed by Andrew Wright, designed by Simon Higlett and lit by Tim Mitchell, the piece runs at Sadler's Wells from 30 July to 5 September 2021. The cast will be led by Adam Cooper, who returns to the role of Don Lockwood after starring in the show when it first ran in Chicester in 2011. Further casting is to be announced. The piece, which has book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, follows Lockwood, a Hollywood silent movie star who has a tricky time when the talkies are invented. It features numbers by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, including "Make em Laugh", "Good Morning, Moses Supposes" and "Singin' in the Rain". Singin' in the Rain was released in cinemas in 1952, before being adapted into a stage show in the 1980s, first running in the West End. 2021 tour dates for the show currently remain as scheduled. Spearpoint Logistics, a nation-wide provider of specialty goods and services, announced the establishment of a new division: Commercial Cleaning & Disinfecting Services. This division will provide advanced protection for commercial and government services, allowing for the focus to remain on serving customers. The disinfecting teams deployed by this division use proven electrostatic technology and EPA-recommended cleaning materials. Their mission is to remedy contaminated areas, reduce the total time a space is underutilized due to potential infectious conditions, and provide assurance to those that use these workplaces day in and day out. We recognize the importance of government and businesses providing their customers peace-of-mind, said Carl Martinez, Vice President of Business Development. In todays environment, clean workplaces are critical for everyone. As a Front Range based business, Spearpoint Logistics is a ready and willing partner in helping keep everyone safe through our new disinfecting and cleaning services. Spearpoint Logistics new Commercial Cleaning & Disinfecting Services Division stands ready to help government agencies, schools, commercial business, and any other group that requires remediation of potentially contaminated areas. As a Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business, with recent cleaning and disinfecting experience supporting hospitals in some of our nations pandemic hotspots, Spearpoint Logistics is trained and equipped to handle whatever sanitation challenges that Front Range groups may be facing. We stand ready to serve. Interested parties can learn more at http://www.spearpointlogds.com. About Spearpoint Logistics Spearpoint Logistics helps government and commercial entities accomplish their missions. A certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, Spearpoint Logistics delivers success. Learn more about Spearpoint Logistics at http://www.spearpointlog.com. VANCOUVERTransit police in Metro Vancouver are asking for the publics help identifying a suspect who allegedly punched a 17-year-old girl wearing a head scarf on a bus, after mocking the teenagers ethnicity. The teenager and her mother boarded a bus near Pacific Centre Mall in downtown Vancouver at about 3:45 p.m. on May 21, 2020. According to police, a woman on the bus then targeted the teen, who was wearing a head scarf, by asking where she was from and if she was Canadian. The woman became increasingly aggressive toward the teen, stating words to the effect of your smile is making me want to punch you in the face, read a release from the Metro Vancouver Transit Police, who said they are investigating the incident as an apparent hate crime. The suspect then allegedly punched the girl in the head several times, police said, partially knocking her head scarf off before her mother and another passenger were able to separate the suspect from the teen. According to the police release, after the suspect got off the bus at Hastings St. and Jackson Ave. in Vancouver, a Good Samaritan followed her and called 911. But when the suspect noticed she was being followed, she took off her boots and used them to hit the Good Samaritan, then took out a knife. The Good Samaritan backed off, and the suspect ran away, police said. Police describe the suspect as possibly an Indigenous female, approximately 40 years old, five feet eight inches tall, weighing approximately 140 pounds. She was wearing a black hat, dark sunglasses, a dark top with the word Pink written on the back, with blue jean shorts and black boots. She was carrying a silver reflective backpack that can appear to change colour in different lights. There is no place for hate, racism or biases on the transit system. All passengers using our transit system have the right to travel without fear of harassment or assault, the police statement said. Police said they wanted to speak to anyone with information about the identity of the suspect or who witnessed this incident. The alleged attack is the latest in a series of mostly anti-Asian hate-motivated incidents and crimes in recent months, according to Vancouver police. Last month, police said out of 20 anti-Asian hate crimes reported to police this year, 11 occurred in April. In comparison, police say there were 12 such crimes reported in all of 2019. Public outcry peaked after transit police appealed for help to find a suspect in an assault on a Vancouver bus. In that incident, moments after a woman defended two Asian women from a mans verbal abuse, police said the middle-aged man jumped on her, punching and kicking her multiple times and pulling her hair so hard he removed a significant amount. He shouted something to the effect of, Go back to your country; thats where it all started, transit police said. Police later identified the suspect with the publics help, but said he had died from an apparent drug overdose one week after the incident. Joanna Chiu is a Vancouver-based reporter covering both Canada-China relations and current affairs on the West Coast for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @joannachiu Read more about: GRAND RAPIDS, MI A Gobles man has been charged with rioting, a potential 10-year felony, in the weekend unrest in downtown Grand Rapids. Adrian Keech Baker, 18, was charged with rioting, along with larceny in a building, a four-year felony, and malicious destruction of property under $200, a misdemeanor. He was ordered held on $5,000 bond at his arraignment in Grand Rapids District Court. He was among seven arrested in the riots, which began Saturday, May 30, after a march protesting police brutality, and continued into the early hours Sunday. Kent County Prosecutor Chris Beckers office authorized charges against Baker. Police have not yet submitted reports in the other cases. Beyond the seven arrested the night of the riot, nine others were arrested the next night for alleged curfew violations. Police said that 100 businesses downtown sustained damage, with rioters smashing windows and, in some cases, looting. Seven police cars five from Wyoming Department of Public Safety and two from Grand Rapids Police Department were set ablaze and destroyed. The rioting followed an earlier march against police brutality, one of many across the country to protest racism after George Floyd, a black man, died while an ex-Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground with his knee on his neck. Mayor Rosalynn Bliss set a 7 p.m. curfew that expires at 5 a.m. Tuesday, June 2. Read more: Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing under curfew as police brutality protests continue Grand Rapids police brace for possible rally after weekend riot Grand Rapids police seek photos, videos to track down rioters Chiara de Blasio, 25, was taken into custody on Saturday night after police infiltrated an 'unlawful assembly' of about 100 protesters at 12th Street and Broadway in Lower Manhattan New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has defended his daughter over the NYPD by saying she was 'acting peacefully' and he is proud of her after she was arrested during a George Floyd protest in Manhattan. Chiara de Blasio, 25, was taken into custody on Saturday night after police infiltrated an 'unlawful assembly' of about 100 protesters at 12th Street and Broadway in Lower Manhattan. A police report obtained by DailyMail.com showed that Chiara was among those arrested for refusing to move off the road and throwing objects at NYPD officers. She was arrested at about 10.30pm, which was about an hour before her father publicly urged protesters to disperse. Chiara was released from custody at about 8am on Sunday after receiving a desk appearance ticket. At a press conference on Monday, de Blasio admitted that he and his wife Chirlane McCray didn't know their daughter was out protesting on Saturday but were aware she had been involved in protests on Thursday. He said they only learned about her arrest when his office was contacted by the media on Sunday. 'If I had known my daughter was arrested I would've been the first to say something,' de Blasio said when asked why he didn't inform the public earlier when he was publicly addressing the protests. 'Even though this was a surprise to Chirlane and I, I respect my daughter, I honor her, and I know her heart.' The Mayor said his daughter had told him she believed she was following police instructions when she was taken into custody. At a press conference on Monday, de Blasio admitted that he and his wife Chirlane McCray didn't know their daughter was out protesting on Saturday but were aware she had been involved in protests on Thursday At a press conference on Monday, de Blasio admitted that he and his wife Chirlane McCray didn't know their daughter was out protesting on Saturday but were aware she had been involved in protests on Thursday. The Mayor, his wife and their two children Chiara and Dante are pictured above 'She was very clear that she believed she was following the instructions of police officers and doing what they were asking... absolutely, she was abundantly clear she was peacefully protesting, not doing anything that would provoke a negative response,' de Blasio said. He added that he admired her for peacefully 'trying to change something that she thought was unjust'. 'I love my daughter deeply, she believes a lot of change is needed. I am proud of her, that she cared about it so much she decided to go out there and do something about it.' Chiara gave 181 East End Avenue - the mayor's residence at Gracie Mansion - as her address, according to the police report. It is understood she didn't tell arresting officers who her father was. Her arrest came about an hour before de Blasio urged protesters to disperse. 'We appreciate and respect all peaceful protests, but now it is time for people to go home,' the mayor said at a 11.30pm press conference in downtown Brooklyn. 'If you went out peacefully to make a point about the need for change, you have been heard and change is coming in the city. I have no doubt about that. It's time to go home so we can all move forward.' New York City police said that nearly 730 people had been arrested since protests erupted in the city late last week. De Blasio did not mention that his daughter had been arrested during either of the two briefings he held about the protests on Saturday night and Sunday morning. A police report obtained by DailyMail.com (pictured) showed that Chiara was among about 100 protesters who were arrested after they refused to move out of the roadway and were throwing objects at officers Police in riot gear walk down a street during protests in Brooklyn on Saturday night. Chiara's arrest came about an hour before de Blasio urged protesters to disperse At the Sunday morning briefing, he said that officers had showed 'tremendous restraint overall' during the weekend's demonstrations and appointed two city officials to review how the protests unfolded and how they were handled by police. The NYPD has come under criticism for confrontations with demonstrators over the weekend. NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said the department is investigating officers' behavior in about six incidents, including one in which two police vehicles plowed through a group of protesters Saturday in Brooklyn. De Blasio, who said Saturday that the officers acted while under attack, shifted his tone Monday, saying: 'it is still not acceptable for our officers to ever drive into a crowd.' De Blasio has promised an investigation into the video showing two police cruisers lurching into a crowd of demonstrators in a Brooklyn street, knocking people to the ground. 'We all better get back to the humanity here,' de Blasio said. 'The protesters are human beings. They need to be treated with tremendous respect. The police officers are human beings. They need to be treated with tremendous respect.' De Blasio also suggested that the protests had been co-opted by 'people who came to do violence in a systematic, organized fashion'. He said that the 'small' number of people were motivated by 'the anarchist movement' rather than the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis cop knelt on his neck during an arrest on May 25. New York City police said that nearly 730 people have been arrested since protests erupted in the city late last week At a press briefing Sunday morning, de Blasio said that officers had showed 'tremendous restraint overall' A protester throws a traffic barrel at police during a protest in Brooklyn on Saturday night Protesters are seen vandalizing an NYPD vehicle near Union Square on Saturday night 'They plan together online, they have very explicit rules,' he said, noting how officers have gotten their teeth knocked out and have been targeted by projectiles. 'Some come from outside of the cities, some are from inside the city. Some are from the neighborhoods where the protests take place, some are not. 'But what we do know is there is an explicit agenda of violence and it does not conform with the history of this city.' 'Thank God, there was no loss of life, there were no major injuries.' After the news of Chiara's arrest broke, the NYPD's Sergeants Benevolent Association tweeted an attack on de Blasio's handling of the protests. 'How can the NYPD protect the city of NY from rioting anarchist when the Mayors object throwing daughter is one of them,' the SBA said in a tweet. 'Now we know why he is forbidding Mounted Units to be mobilized and keeping the NYPD from doing their jobs.' Chiara graduated from Santa Clara University in 2016 and planned to pursue a career in social work. The 25-year-old has been open about how she struggled with drug and alcohol addiction after her father became mayor in 2014. Chanel in Soho on Monday morning after looters smashed windows to ransack luxury stores in another night of chaos The looters pulled down plywood to get into the stores. They are not thought to have been part of the Floyd protests NYPD officers on Monday morning outside Chanel in New York City. More than 250 people were arrested in NYC on Sunday night Another jewelry store on West Broadway that had its windows smashed on Sunday night It comes as New York City will be imposing an 11pm curfew as the nation's biggest city tries to head off another night of violence erupting amid protests over George Floyd's death. The curfew will last from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday. The limitation on 8.6 million people's movements comes on top of coronavirus restrictions and as the mayor and governor deplored the outbreaks of violence, but also criticized some police actions. Protests in New York City on Sunday descended into chaos with thieves raiding luxury stores, including Chanel, Rolex and Prada in Manhattan's Soho neighborhood. It remains unclear if those who smashed up the stores were part of protests against George Floyd's death, or if they belonged to different groups and were merely taking advantage of the chaos unfolding across the country. Across New York City on Sunday night, more than 250 people were arrested. Six cops were injured, none seriously, and a man in his twenties was shot in the abdomen after an argument with a different group of young men. There are growing calls for the National Guard to be mobilized amid increased fears that the violence will continue on Monday night. Neither Bill de Blasio nor Gov. Cuomo have mobilized the military and say they've done enough to warn people of the danger. NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea on Monday defended the city's response and said implementing a curfew - as other cities have done - would be useless. India on Sunday declared two officials of the Pakistan high commission as 'persona non grata' on charges of espionage and ordered them to leave the country within 24 hours, the ministry of external affairs said. IMAGE: Pakistan high commission in New Delhi. Photograph: Reuters The two officials, Abid Hussain and Muhammad Tahir, were caught by te Delhi Police while they were obtaining sensitive documents relating to India's security installations from an Indian national in exchange of money, official sources said. "The government has declared both these officials persona non grata for indulging in activities incompatible with their status as members of a diplomatic mission and asked them to leave the country within 24 four hours," the MEA said in a statement. The sources said the officials were working at the visa section of the Pakistan High Commission and confessed during the interrogation that they worked for Pakistani spy agency ISI. Pakistan on Monday summoned a senior Indian diplomat to register a strong protest over India's decision. Pakistan's foreign office said early on Monday that the Indian Charge d'Affaires was summoned for a "strong demarche", conveying Pakistan's condemnation of the decision to declare two officials of the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi persona non grata and rejection of all "baseless" allegations against them. Pakistan also conveyed that the Indian action was in "clear violation" of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the diplomatic norms, the FO said. Earlier, Pakistan's foreign office said that the two staff members of the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi were lifted by the Indian authorities on May 31 on "false and unsubstantiated charges". It said the action was "clearly aimed" at shrinking diplomatic space for the working of the Pakistan high commission in Delhi. "Pakistan strongly rejects the baseless Indian allegations and deplores the Indian action which is in clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as well as the norms of diplomatic conduct especially in an already vitiated atmosphere," it said. The two officials were, however, released on the high commission's intervention, it said. The officials, working at the visa section of the Pakistan High Commission, confessed during the interrogation that they worked for Pakistani spy agency ISI, official sources in New Delhi said. The punitive action against the two officials came in the midst of frayed ties between the two countries over the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir by India. Pakistan had downgraded diplomatic ties by expelling the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad following India's decision to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two union territories in August last year. Pakistan and India were almost on the brink of war in 2019 following the Pulwama terror attack on February 14 that killed dozens of Central Reserve Police Force soldiers and prompted India to carry out air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan. On February 26, Indian fighter jets entered deep inside Pakistan and bombed JeM terror camps in Balakot. It was for the first time that Indian jets entered inside Pakistan to drop bombs after the 1971 War. The air strike was followed by an aerial combat between air forces of the two countries on February 27 when Pakistan jets entered India. The MEA said a strong protest was lodged with the Charge de Affairs of the Pakistan high commission over the activities of its two officials against India's national security. The sources said the two officials were handing over Indian money and an iPhone for providing them the sensitive documents. They initially claimed that they were Indian nationals and even produced fake Aadhaar cards, the sources said. Snap Inc. chief executive Evan Spiegel called for the establishment of a non-partisan Commission on Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations and new income tax structures as part of a larger plan to make America more equitable for black citizens. We should establish a diverse, non-partisan Commission on Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations, Spiegel wrote in an internal memo to employees Monday. We must begin a process to ensure that Americas black community is heard throughout the country, investigate the criminal justice system for bias and prejudice, strengthen the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, and take action on recommendations for reconciliation and reparations made by the Commission. Spiegel added in his letter that the country must rethink its tax system, which he said is fundamentally flawed. I believe that one reason entrepreneurship in America has declined so substantially since the 1980s is the lack of a sufficient societal safety net, Spiegel wrote. Entrepreneurship depends on people being able to take risks to start a business, which is nearly impossible to do without some sort of safety net like the one I had, Spiegel added, referring to starting Snap in 2011 with co-founder Bobby Murphy after graduating college. In a statement provided to TheWrap, Snap said, to confront the long legacy of violence and injustice in America of which George (Floyd), Ahmaud (Arbery), and Breonna (Taylor) are the latest victims, with so many more unnamed we must embrace profound change. Not merely a change in our country, but a change in our hearts. Also Read: George Floyd's Brother Speaks Out on Protests: Floyd 'Was About Unity' (Video) In order to invest in non-white and underprivileged entrepreneurs who have historically been unsupported when starting businesses, Spiegel said the nations tax system must be reshaped. Investing in the future of our country to benefit our childrens children will be expensive. We will need to institute a more progressive income tax system and a substantially higher estate tax, and we will need corporations to pay a higher tax rate, Spiegel said. While we are investing in the future, we will also have to reduce the federal deficit so that we are better prepared to meet any external shocks that may come in the future in our rapidly changing world. In short, people like me will pay a lot more in taxes and I believe it will be worth it to create a society that benefits all of us. Story continues Spiegel said in his letter his thoughts on civil justice began to form at a young age when his father served as general counsel to the Christopher Commission, a group created to investigate police violence and racism following the 1991 Rodney King Riots in Los Angeles. During his college years, Spiegel said he worked and studied in South Africa, where he witnessed the devastation of Apartheid and the legacy of racism and met Bishop Desmond Tutu. Spiegel also said that during his undergraduate years at Stanford University, he lived in a dorm dedicated to the black community. Also Read: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz Calls On-Air Arrest of CNN Journalist 'Inexcusable' Quoting a CNN study on the ethnic diversity of several generations, Spiegel noted that some research has shown that when an older generation does not see themselves reflected in the younger generation, they are less willing to invest in their future. In America, the Boomer generation is about 70% white, and Gen Z is about 50% white. Americas demographic change is inevitable. Some of you have asked about whether Snap will contribute to organizations that support equality and justice. The answer is yes. But in my experience, philanthropy is simply unable to make more than a dent in the grave injustices we face, Spiegel said. Read Spiegels full remarks to Snap here. Read original story Snap CEO Evan Spiegel Calls for Reparations Commission, Higher Taxes to Combat Racial Injustice At TheWrap The UK cold chain logistics market size was valued at $4.55 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach $24.37 billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 23.6% from 2019 to 2026. The meat, fish, and sea food segment accounted for the highest share in 2018 and is anticipated to exhibit remarkable growth rate during the forecast period. Adoption of cold chain logistics plays a crucial role in avoiding the wastage of the temperature sensitive goods and commodities, providing lucrative prices to the farmers. In the pharmaceutical industry, cold chain logistics solutions increase the effectiveness of drugs throughout the supply chain to end user. The UK cold chain logistics market trends are anticipated to experience significant growth during the forecast period. Get Access to sample pages: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/13304 The freezing solutions required to maintain the quality and shelf life of products, such as fresh agricultural produce, seafood, frozen food, photographic films, chemicals, and pharmaceutical drugs is referred to as cold chain logistics. Adoption of cold chain is very essential to extend the period of marketing, avoid over capacity, reduce transport bottlenecks during peak period, and maintain quality of products. In addition, the utilization of temperature-controlled warehouses for storage and cold insulated transport vehicles for product distribution is involved in the UK cold chain logistics market. Moreover, this solution is widely used to transport and store fruits, vegetables, meat, beef, medicines, and drugs. The market uses transportation modes such refrigerated trucks, refrigerated railcars, refrigerated cargo, and air cargo. UK Cold Chain Logistics Market, by End use Factors such as increase in number of refrigerated warehouses and development of the pharmaceutical sector are expected to drive the growth of the UK cold chain logistics market. However, factors such as lack of standardization pertaining to operating procedures, security, temperature, pest control, and others and high operational cost restrains the market growth. On the contrary, availability of RFID technologies for cold chain applications and adoption of automated software for cold chain logistics are projected to offer lucrative growth opportunity for the market players. The UK cold chain logistics market is segmented on the basis of end user. Depending on end user, it is categorized into fruits & vegetables; bakery & confectionary; dairy & frozen desserts; meat, fish, and sea food; drugs & pharmaceuticals; and others. UK Cold Chain Logistics Market, Impacting Factors The key players including AGRO Merchants Group, Bring Logistics UK Ltd., Chiltern Cold Storage Group Ltd., Ice Co Storage & Logistics, Kerry Logistics Network Limited, Lineage Logistics Holdings, LLC, NewCold, Nichirei Logistics Group Inc., The Seafast Group, and others are studied in the report. Increase in refrigerated warehouses due to rise in online grocery shopping Dozens of warehouses comprising cold chain systems are designed to ensure ideal storage and transportation conditions for temperature-sensitive products. Multiple export industries are dependent on vital links that cold chain solution system provides. Moreover, businesses invest millions of dollars in their cold chain operations to create effective, efficient, and reliable process because an end-to-end cold chain security is the weak link in the system. Single breakdown in the cold chain logistics can lead to catastrophic losses of products and capital. In addition, the UK has been named as the third largest online grocery market in the world after South Korea and Japan. Furthermore, around 6.1% of the grocery sales in the UK is made online, which in turn propels the growth of the cold chain logistics market. Thus, increase in number of refrigerated warehouses to maintain the integrity of grocery sold online is expected to boost the growth of the market. Growth in the pharmaceutical sector Pharmaceutical manufacturers increasingly focus on product quality and sensitivity. The factors such as development of complex biological medicines and shipments of hormone treatments, vaccines, and complex proteins that require cold chain refinements increase the need for temperature-controlled transportation and warehousing. In addition, the healthcare logistics industry is witnessing significant growth due to rise in need for temperature-controlled logistics of pharmaceutical products and medical devices; thereby, boosting the market growth. Moreover, increase in need for effective cold chain logistics services to maintain the quality of pharmaceutical products propels the growth of the UK cold chain logistics market. In addition, government in the UK is also taking initiatives to boost the adoption of temperature-controlled warehousing and transportation for pharmaceuticals products. For instance, Mike Thompson, chief executive of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, has requested the government of UK to build more cold-chain storages as the pharmaceutical products such as biologics, vaccines, insulin, and others require cold storage. Thus, growth in the pharmaceutical sector is anticipated to propel the growth of the cold chain logistics market in the UK. Get Access to sample pages: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/13304 Lack of standardization Cold chain logistics and storage industry is witnessing significant growth due to increase in demand from various sources with specific needs. However, lack of standards and accreditations pose significant challenges for the cold chain industry, where quality and flexibility of available cold warehousing space is a major concern. In many cases, companies need to invest more to upgrade its space and specifications compatible to standards that support the individual industry segment. However, the standards formulated by policymakers build pressure on developers, as upgrading facilities, in terms of temperature compliance or accommodating automated equipment, is not an easy task. Furthermore, training and development of manpower on technology and handling products involve heavy capital investment and has become necessity of the industry time to time. Thus, lack of standardization in cold chain logistics is anticipated to hamper the growth of the UK cold chain logistics market. Availability of RFID technologies for cold chain applications Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies improve the performance of perishable supply chains by tracking geographical positions of individual packages, pallets, shipping containers, or trucks, which can be stationary or in motion during distribution. These technologies are used to identify items through a unique Electronic Product Code (EPC) or other barcode and to store real-time environmental data (including temperature), which is later transmitted, allowing corrective actions to be taken before products are irrevocably damaged. In November 2018, Stora Enso announced the launch of a new sustainable RFID tag technology termed as, ECO by Stora Enso. This product is paper based that makes it sustainable and completely recyclable. This technology provides transparency to the manufacturers by allowing them to trace and protect their shipments throughout the product supply chain on real-time basis. The growth in demand for real-time temperature monitoring in cold chain logistics create a remarkable growth opportunity for the players operating in the UK cold chain logistics market. UK COLD CHAIN LOGISTICS MARKET STUDY KEY BENEFITS FOR STAKEHOLDERS This study presents the analytical depiction of the UK cold chain logistics market analysis along with the current trends and future estimations to depict the imminent investment pockets. The overall market opportunity is determined by understanding the profitable trends to gain a stronger foothold. The report presents information related to the key drivers, restraints, and opportunities of the UK cold chain logistics market with a detailed impact analysis. The current cold chain logistics trends in UK market trends is quantitatively analyzed from 2019 to 2026 to benchmark the financial competency. Porters five forces analysis illustrates the potency of the buyers and suppliers in the industry. UK COLD CHAIN LOGISTICS MARKET KEY SEGMENTS By End User o Fruits & Vegetables o Bakery & Confectionary o Dairy & Frozen Desserts o Meat, Fish, and Sea Food o Drugs & Pharmaceuticals The Universities Superannuation Scheme is to ditch investments in sectors including coal, tobacco and arms manufacturing The UK's largest private sector retirement fund is to ditch investments in 'financially unsuitable' sectors including coal, tobacco and arms manufacturing. Following pressure from academics and its other members, the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) said it would divest from tobacco businesses, firms that get more than 25 per cent of their revenues from thermal coal mining and any firms with ties to production of cluster munitions, white phosphorus, or land mines. It marks a significant shift in approach and follows similar moves by other major investors, including Norway's sovereign wealth fund, which have vowed to abandon assets linked to fossil fuels. The USS has 400,000 members and commands 75billion in assets, making it the UK's biggest private pension fund by the latter measure. Simon Pilcher, chief executive of USS Investment Management, said the change in investment strategy reflected changing attitudes and growing regulation and claimed these were not being taken into account properly by City experts. 'These exclusions will balance keeping the financial promises made to hundreds of thousands of members with investing in a responsible way over the long term,' he told the Financial Times. USS said it would sell 190million worth of shares in tobacco companies within two years. The changes were welcomed by campaign group Shareaction and Ethics for USS, a group representing academics. A voter drops off their mail ballot at a ballot drop box outside City Hall in Philadelphia last week. The coronavirus pandemic and a new state law have Pennsylvania voters casting their ballots by mail in record numbers. Read more The Pennsylvania primary election Tuesday marks the first time the very act of casting a ballot has completely overshadowed the candidates on it. First the primary was shifted five weeks forward from April 28 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Then the Democratic contest for president effectively ended, with Joe Bidens victory all but assured. Almost two million Pennsylvanians have requested mail-in ballots. And 77% of Philadelphias polling places wont be open on primary day. It all means it could be days before we have actual results. But the election marches on, even if there are few competitive races. Here are some worth watching: Pennsylvania Auditor General The most competitive race Tuesday is the six-candidate Democratic primary for auditor general, an office described as the states chief financial watchdog. READ MORE: Live coverage of what's happening Tuesday, Pennsylvanias primary day Nina Ahmad, a former Philadelphia deputy mayor with a background in science, has led the race in resources, spending more than $430,000 of her own money. But her former boss, Mayor Jim Kenney, has endorsed Michael Lamb, the four-term Pittsburgh city controller, as has Philadelphias Democratic City Committee. A spokesperson for Kenney said Lamb has the experience to root out waste, fraud, and corruption in government. Bob Brady, chair of the citys Democratic Party, had a practical explanation for backing Lamb. Two other candidates seeking reelection to row offices, Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Treasurer Joe Torsella, are Montgomery County Democrats. Having a Democrat from Western Pennsylvania like Lamb on the November general election ballot will help drive turnout in that part of the state, which would benefit Bidens campaign against President Donald Trump. READ MORE: Nina Ahmad is making a million-dollar bet that an obscure state office will open future opportunities | Clout The other candidates are seven-term State Rep. Scott Conklin of Centre County, who lost a statewide race for lieutenant governor in 2010; Tracie Fountain, a certified public accountant who has served in the Auditor Generals Office for three decades; Rose Marie Davis, a certified public accountant from Monroe County; and Christina Hartman, a nonprofit executive from Lancaster County who ran for the U.S. House in 2016. Timothy DeFoor, the two-term Dauphin County controller, is unopposed in the Republican primary, as are the GOP candidates for attorney general, Heather Heidelbaugh, and treasurer, Stacy Garrity. Congressional races Republicans are playing defense in congressional races outside Philadelphia and hoping to pick up seats in Northeast Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley. In the Bucks County-based 1st Congressional District, Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick is facing a primary challenge from businessman Andy Meehan, who accuses the incumbent of failing to support Trump. Fitzpatrick, seeking a third term, has raised almost $2.4 million, dwarfing Meehans $53,000. The congressman said he hadnt decided whether hed vote for Trump in November but he has deployed the presidents rhetoric calling for China to be held accountable for the spread of the coronavirus. Fitzpatrick couldnt have scripted a more advantageous Democratic primary. The top fund-raiser dropped out earlier this year amid a scandal on her school board, and the candidate backed by the Bucks County Democratic Committee, Christina Finello, had about $82,500 in her campaign account as of May 13. That represents just 5% of Fitzpatricks $1.7 million in the bank. READ MORE: A slice of America Bucks County district should be a battleground. But Democrats need a perfect storm to win. Finello, an Ivyland Borough Council member, is running against Skylar Hurwitz, founder of a tech consulting firm in New Hope. Despite Fitzpatricks cash advantage, the general election may still be competitive, as hes one of just two Republicans in the country running for reelection in a district Hillary Clinton carried in 2016. Republicans are hoping to flip seats in other parts of the state. Six candidates are running in the GOP primary in Northeast Pennsylvanias 8th District, which Trump carried by 10 points. The winner faces Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright. That campaign has largely revolved around which candidate is most aligned with Trump. One of the top fund-raisers, Jim Bognet, a former Trump administration official, is airing a commercial highlighting one rivals past anti-Trump social media posts and another candidates history as a former Democrat. Former Hazleton Mayor Mike Marsicano, the ex-Democrat, is running an ad attacking Bognet over his past work for Mitt Romney, the only Republican who voted to convict Trump in his impeachment trial. In the Lehigh Valley-based 7th District, two Republicans are running for a chance to challenge Democratic Rep. Susan Wild. Lisa Scheller, CEO of a manufacturing company, is campaigning as a conservative business owner endorsed by Trump. Dean Browning, a former Lehigh County commissioner, calls Scheller a pro-China, anti-Trump, fake conservative. Scheller has accused Browning of siding with liberal Democrats on the Lehigh County board. Clinton narrowly carried the district in 2016. And Democrats, after flipping three seats in 2018, are now targeting the 10th District in south-central Pennsylvania. House Democrats see Auditor General Eugene DePasquale as a prized recruit in the district, currently represented by Republican Rep. Scott Perry. DePasquale is running in the Democratic primary against attorney Tom Brier. Pennsylvania General Assembly Further down the ballot, a number of Democratic incumbents in the state General Assembly face challenges for reelection in some cases by liberal upstarts aiming to continue that wing of the partys winning streak in Philadelphia. Sen. Larry Farnese, whose 1st District includes parts of South Philly, Center City, and the River Wards, is up against Nikil Saval, a writer and cofounder of the progressive group Reclaim Philadelphia. In some ways, the closely watched race is just the latest proxy war between old-school Democratic Party operators, with electricians union boss John J. Dougherty backing Saval, and former State Sen. Vince Fumo in Farneses corner. But it has also become a venue for the party to thrash out its ideological differences. Bernie Sanders has endorsed Saval, a democratic socialist, while more moderate Democratic leaders like Gov. Tom Wolf and City Council President Darrell L. Clarke are for Farnese. READ MORE: Vince Fumos old district is the scene of the latest battle between old and new Philadelphia politics Similar old-vs.-new battles are playing out in Democratic primaries for state House seats across the city. While Democrats are hoping to retake the state House in November, these primaries will have little bearing on the outcome, as Democrats are all but guaranteed to win the citys deep-blue legislative districts. Rep. James Roebuck Jr., who has represented West Phillys 188th District since 1985, has three primary challengers: Greg Benjamin, a ward leader; Karen Dunn, a former Roebuck staffer; and Rick Krajewski, the favorite of the progressive wing. In the 175th District, which stretches from Queen Village to Kensington, Rep. Mary Isaacson is fending off Democratic primary challengers in her first competitive election after she was handpicked by ward leaders to replace former Rep. Mike OBrien on the ballot in 2018 when he stepped down because of health issues. Isaacson, OBriens former chief of staff, faces Andre Del Valle, a former staffer to Councilmember Maria Quinones-Sanchez; attorney Vanessa McGrath; and Jeff Dempsey, a former staffer to U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle. Rep. Brian Sims, who in 2013 became the legislatures first openly gay member, is being challenged by Marisa Shaaban, secretary of the 5th Ward, in the Center City-based 182nd District. Like Isaacson, Rep. G. Roni Green was chosen by ward leaders to fill a vacancy resulting from former Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrells conviction on corruption charges and is facing Democratic opponents for the first time in West Philadelphias 190th District. She faces attorney Danyl Patterson, freelance journalist Van Stone, and Amen Brown, CEO of the Overbrook Beacon Community Empowerment Center. In a competitive state Senate race in parts of Delaware and Chester Counties, Plumbers union leader John Kane and health-care consultant Brett Burman are seeking the Democratic nomination. The winner will face Republican Sen. Tom Killion. The 9th District general election will be crucial to Democrats hopes of taking control of the Senate, where they need a net gain of four seats. And in one of the more unusual primaries in the Philadelphia area, some party leaders have lined up behind Amanda Cappelletti, who is challenging embattled State Sen. Daylin Leach, a Democrat who represents the 17th District in Montgomery and Delaware Counties. Leach was accused in 2017 of inappropriately touching female former staffers and making highly sexualized jokes, in one of Pennsylvanias most high-profile #MeToo scandals. He has denied wrongdoing and defied calls for his resignation. Tuesday will be his first time facing voters since the allegations against him. Cappelletti, a lawyer and the vice chair of the East Norriton Township Board of Supervisors, has been endorsed by Democratic U.S. Reps. Mary Gay Scanlon of Delaware County and Madeleine Dean of Montgomery County. Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled Marisa Shaabans first name. HONG KONG, May 31 (Xinhua) -- It is against international law and practice for the United States to use unilateral sanctions as a threat to interfere in the policies of other countries and regions, Matthew Cheung, chief secretary for administration of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government wrote Sunday. Cheung wrote in his blog that any sanctions against Hong Kong are a "double-edged sword" that harms oneself and others. Hong Kong, closely linked with the motherland, has the ability, determination and confidence to resist unreasonable threats and is not afraid of foreign sanctions and threats. Since the National People's Congress began to review the decision of national security legislation for Hong Kong, some people with ulterior motives in Hong Kong have been spreading rumors and creating panics. They slandered that the legislation will make "one country, two systems" exist in name only and make Hong Kong lose its status with a high degree of autonomy. "These statements are purely nonsense," Cheung wrote. Cheung noted that making the national security legislation for Hong Kong at the state level can prevent, stop and punish a very small number of lawbreakers who endanger national security, and ensure the steady and enduring growth of the cause of "one country, two systems," and maintain Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability. This will not affect the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents in accordance with the law, but will serve the common interests of the country, the Hong Kong SAR and the international community. The vast majority of Hong Kong residents and foreign investors need not worry about the legislation, he added. Cheung wrote Hong Kong people need to understand that the malicious remarks, criticisms and measures made by local and foreign politicians are all politically motivated, with a clear intention to attack the country. The Hong Kong SAR government must sternly refute, clearly and strongly oppose foreign governments interfering in the affairs of the Hong Kong SAR in any form and making untrue and biased remarks about the high degree of autonomy in Hong Kong, he believed. Cheung stressed that no country will not allow others and other countries to carry out acts and activities endangering national security on its own territory. "Some countries advocate their own national security while using every means to obstruct China from safeguarding national security. Such hypocrisy and double standards are despised," he wrote. Cheung noted that as a well-established international financial and business center, Hong Kong has a sound financial system, regulatory regime and fiscal reserves. Its unparalleled strengths include the rule of law, independent judiciary, free and open trade policy and level playing field, low tax rates, world-class shipping infrastructure, free port status, superior geographical location, high-quality and flexible workforce, and unique advantages brought about by the continued opening up of the economy of the mainland. "As long as we are unyielding, calm and united, we will surely withstand the test of storms and adversities," he wrote. George Floyd's family lawyer has said that the death of the innocent man in the hands of a US police officer was "premeditated murder". The Minneapolis policeman with his knee on the innocent man's throat is Derek Chauvin and has been charged with a strong third-degree murder, but according to lawyer Benjamin Crump's statement to CBS News, it was actually a case of first-degree murder! The lawyer said that he thought there was absolute intent to kill George Floyd due to the police officer pressing on his neck for almost nine minutes even while the man was begging and pleading just for him to breathe. Police bodycam audio In the interview with CBS, lawyer Benjamin Crump said that since the audio from the police bodycam has become heard, it is clear that this is now evidence of first-degree murder. In the audio, one officer says that George Floyd does not have a pulse and that maybe they should "turn him on his side" but shockingly, Derek Chauvin actually says "no, we're going to keep him in this position." The lawyer noted this as a form of intent! Accompanying this is the fact that Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin also kept his knee on the poor man's neck for almost three whole minutes even after the man was already unconscious and was in no way resisting arrest. The lawyer also revealed that Derek Chauvin was also an off-duty police officer at a place where George Floyd worked as a security guard which meant that they had to overlap. This information was notified by the owner of the club itself. Read Also: [Video] Minneapolis Looters Destroy Sports Bar as Small Business Owner Watched Helplessly: GoFundMe Helped Him Make More Than $250K Looting, riots, protest From protests to riots to looting, the whole situation has flipped upside down with looters no longer discerning which is an expression of justice and which is anarchy. Several black-owned businesses have also been affected by the looting with the owners crying out saying that it is no longer a march for #blacklivesmatter. The situation has gotten unsafe for children to walk on the street and even the National Guard has been deployed to take care of the situation which is getting out of hand. Even businesses that have no affiliation with anything that is happening like Amazon, Target, and even Apple have been victims of the looters. A video recently uploaded to Twitter shows young people destroying several police cars and also looting at least one store. There have been reports of extreme violence in West Philadelphia according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The report also said that some police cars were even set ablaze in outrage! The video is only one of many that showcase the outrage and how looting and riots have been getting out of hand and seem unrelated to the death of George Floyd. The family has been struggling to get justice while the protesters are pushing the movement but looters have tainted their reputation. Read Also: Teen Allegedly Dies from Playing too much Mobile Legends, Social Media, and Sleeping Late Jenna Rayburn Kirk finds success, new opportunities certificate program in assistive technology By Meredith Troxel 20 Jenna Rayburn Kirk found success and new opportunities through Bowling Green State Universitys certificate program in assistive technology. Kirk, from Pickerington, Ohio, received her bachelors degree from Ohio University and a masters degree in speech-language pathology from Ohio State University. She currently works as a speech-language pathologist at a school district in central Ohio, as well as creates and sells speech therapy resources for other professionals on her website and Teachers Pay Teachers. BGSUs eCampus was the best fit for Kirk because the program is completely online and allowed her to complete her coursework while also working full time at her school district. She received her certificate in 2016. Kirk found that BGSUs certificate program gave her new knowledge and the ability to move up the pay scale at work. Her school district allows staff to earn a pay raise for educational development hours above a masters degree. She wanted her hours to accumulate into something more than just random hours. The certificate also allows future employers to recognize her hard work and ability to provide resources to support students. Professionally, I wanted to be more knowledgeable about the range of available tools and laws related to assistive technology, Kirk. I wanted to develop more professional knowledge that could help me not only in my current position but also in any position I might take in the future. Aside from working with students during the day, Kirk also has her own blog, Speech Room News, and Instagram page, speechroomnews, which currently has nearly 47,000 followers, to share her experiences as a speech-language pathologist. She started her blog when teachers were actively searching the internet for resources and advice from other teachers and professionals. I loved the way teachers were using the internet to share resources, but I couldn't find any speech-language pathologists doing the same, she said. I started a blog during my second year as a school SLP and decided to try sharing those ideas. It immediately gave me a level of interaction that excited me! Kirk hopes that her website and resources help other speech-language pathologists feel encouraged to collaborate with other professionals. In many schools, a school only has one speech-language pathologist that works with all grade levels. Teachers get to work with grade-level teams to collaborate with, but we're often on an island by ourselves. I hope they find some inspiration and some new therapy ideas when they visit my site or social media, she said. She hopes that other students can learn from her career experiences and that even once youre a practicing clinician or in a stable job in your field, you never stop learning thats why eCampus flexibility is so valuable. She encourages students to find a new topic to learn about and continue to grow as a person and a professional. AN unconventional tribute to magician and self- proclaimed psychic Uri Geller has appeared near his former home in Sonning. The statuette of a crowing cockerel was installed on Saturday on a stretch of the Thames towpath off Thames Street, a short distance from Gellers former home at Sonning Court. It stands on the same tree stump where the entertainer unveiled a statue of a giant bent spoon, in honour of his most famous trick, before he left the village for his native Israel in 2015. This was vandalised and removed later that year and was briefly replaced with an actual bent spoon. The new statue is the latest in a long-standing tradition of anonymous art installations in Sonning, many of which have appeared on its historic bridge or the roundabout between Sonning Eye and Playhatch. It is mounted on a plaque with the inscription Remembering Uri Geller The Golden Cock. Perhaps surprisingly, the gesture has delighted Geller, who tells me: The power of my mind is awesome. I have wild cocks running around my museum in Old Jaffa. Sending love to everyone, much energy Uri. New Delhi, June 1 : As India and China have enhanced the diplomatic and military engagement to resolve the tension at Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, a different kind of perception war in the digital landscape has started between the social media users of the two countries. Armed with just a phone and Internet connection, these users hiding behind curtains of anonymity in both countries engaged in verbal duel after unverified, undated videos and pictures of Indian and Chinese soldiers soaked in blood and brutally attacking each other surfaced. How and from where these videos and pictures made their way to this domain is a matter of speculation but this perception war has seriously undermined the talks to resolve the issue. Anonymous users from China are also using the opportunity to spin hidden agenda online as it diverts world's attention from Bejing's responsibility in spreading the Covid-19 pandemic. Among these unauthenticated videos, a clip went viral on social media showing an injured Chinese soldier on the ground as Indian troopers chasing away the China's People's Liberation Army men who have abandoned their High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Humvee). This video appeared on social media through unverified YouTube account of a Chinese national and went viral after it was circulated by Indian social media users. Again an unverified and undated picture showing five Indian soldiers being tied up and left on the ground in pool of blood and Chinese soldiers standing next to them started another round of social media war. The picture surfaced on social media through a Chinese national unverified Twitter account and then was circulated mostly by Chinese social media users abusing Indian soldiers. Thereafter entire Sunday went in a narrative war as political and diplomatic cahnnels on either side remained silent on the video and pictures. From the picture and the video it appears that China had well planned for this level of violence as one could see them driving Humvee on metal roads. It is also clear that China have developed huge infrastructure at LAC and deployed thousands of their men. Who will benefit from the perception war is still a matter of debate. But it is ample clear that people of both the countries are baying for blood. Indian Army response It was finally the Indian Army who on Sunday reacted to the purported video of clash between Indian and Chinese troops saying its contents were not authenticated. The Indian Army statement said: "The contents of video being circulated are not authenticated." It also pointed that attempt to link it with the face-off on the Northern borders is a "malafide" attempt. A senior Indian Army officer said currently there is no action happening. "Differences are being addressed through interaction between military commanders, guided by established protocols on management of borders between the two countries," the Indian Army said. It condemned these attempts to sensationalise issues impacting national security. China's assertion Chinese state-run media outlet Global Times on Sunday talked about the Chinese military arsenal expansion since the Doklam standoff with India in 2017. "The Chinese military has expanded its arsenal with weapons like the Type 15 tank, Z-20 helicopter and GJ-2 drone that should give China the advantage in high-altitude conflicts should they arise..," Global Times reports. The media outlet further stated that "these specially designed weapons have boosted the Chinese military's combat capabilities in high-altitude regions, enabling it to better safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity". Ground situation Tense situation continues to prevail in Eastern Ladakh region. There has been a troop build up on both sides and there are three to four places where there is an eye ball to eye ball situation since May 5. At the Line of Actual Control, both sides have deployed over 1,000 troops in all four places. Indian Army is keeping close watch in the Pangong Tso sector of Eastern Ladakh and the Galwan Valley region where the Chinese have enhanced deployment. Other than Pangong Tso that is extremely sensitive, the other places that are volatile in wake of the recent escalation are Trig Heights, Demchok and Chumar in Ladakh which forms western sector of the India-China frontier. Bilateral engagements On Saturday, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that the government will not allow India's pride to be hurt under any circumstances. He made assertion even when he said bilateral talks were on at military and diplomatic levels to resolve the row. On US President Donald Trump's offer of mediation to end the face-off, the defence minister said he has conveyed to US Defence Secretary Mark T. Esper on Friday that India and China have existing mechanisms to resolve "problems" through talks at diplomatic and military levels. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two countries are capable of resolving border issues through dialogue and negotiations. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text In touting Europes just-released economic recovery plan whose core features clean energy, top government officials there are walking a fine line on the role of natural gas. Why it matters: Europe is at the leading edge of a global debate on the fate of natural gas, the cleanest fossil fuel that nonetheless still emits carbon dioxide, as the world tries to drastically cut carbon and other heat-trapping emissions. There is no plan to phase out gas over the next 10 years. For the foreseeable future, gas will remain an important energy source for the European Union. Ditte Juul-Jrgensen, director general for energy of the European Commission, at a (virtual) Atlantic Council event Thursday The big picture: Natural gas emits half the CO2 when burned compared to coal, but its primary component is methane, which can leak and is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon. Environmentalists around the world have increasingly opposed natural gas, even though it demonstrably reduces emissions when displacing coal, because in the long-term it doesnt reduce emissions to the level scientists say is necessary. Catch up fast: The European Commission proposed earlier this week an $825 billion package of policies aimed at helping reinvigorate the continents economy as it recovers from the pandemic. Its core features much of its Green Deal announced last year, which includes funding and financing mechanisms for renewable energy, electric vehicle charging and other emissions-friendly projects, Axios Ben Geman wrote earlier this week. One level deeper: Natural gas, which accounts for about a third of the European Unions energy consumption, is not penalized in the proposal. Oil and gas companies could actually benefit because the plan directs billions of dollars for technologies capturing carbon and producing hydrogen for energy, according to Ronan Palmer, director of clean energy at E3G, a European environmental think tank. Thats because most hydrogen used today comes from natural gas, which emits carbon. The EUs recovery plan focuses on whats called green hydrogen." This kind of hydrogen comes from water with electrolysis, an energy-intensive but carbon-free process if powered by renewable electricity, which is prohibitively expensive, per this Reuters article. Any use of green hydrogen will likely need to first use natural gas and its infrastructure to make hydrogen, European government officials and other experts say. The intrigue: The Atlantic Councils event showcased the wide range of views. Juul-Jrgensen appeared to downplay the European Unions goal to be carbon neutral by 2050, when the role of gas will be much smaller than it is today, but thats 2050. Thats 30 years from now. As long as companies crack down on methane and emissions from other parts of the process, we are going to be in a position to compete in the long-run, said Chris Smith, senior vice president of policy, government and public affairs at Cheniere Energy, Americas biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas a lot of it to Europe. European Investment Bank economist Eugene Howard reminded everyone tuning in about the banks November announcement to stop funding fossil-fuel projects in two years. When we talk about gas infrastructure, the energy lending policy made it quite clear we are phasing that out, he said. What were watching: The European Commission is hashing out the taxonomy governing sustainable financing. Debate is underway about to what degree natural gas and other hot-button energy types like nuclear get recognition for reducing emissions. Go deeper: Natural gas is helping combat climate change--but not enough AP The former vice president, Joe Biden, has called for an end to the violent riots and looting, which were sparked by major demonstrations throughout the United States over the death of George Floyd, in an emotional new statement. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee posted a lengthy message to his Medium page during the weekend titled We are a nation furious at injustice. In it, Mr Biden suggested he supported protests against the death of Mr Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man who died after a white police officer in Minneapolis restrained him for more than eight minutes by kneeling on his neck as he pleaded for air, according to charging documents. However, the former vice president noted that burning down communities and needless destruction was not a necessary form of protest. These last few days have laid bare that we are a nation furious at injustice, Mr Biden began. Every person of conscience can understand the rawness of the trauma people of colour experience in this country, from the daily indignities to the extreme violence, like the horrific killing of George Floyd. We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us. We are a nation enraged, but we cannot allow our rage to consume us. Please stay safe. Please take care of each other. https://t.co/Y224rANwUF Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 31, 2020 The former vice president continued: Protesting such brutality is right and necessary. Its an utterly American response. But burning down communities and needless destruction is not. Violence that endangers lives is not. Violence that guts and shutters businesses that serve the community is not. The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest, he added. It should not drive people away from the just cause that protest is meant to advance. Story continues Protests erupted in at least 30 US cities during the weekend, with many of those demonstrations devolving into violent riots and looting. Confrontations between protestors and the police have went viral, showing officers in New York driving through crowds of demonstrators with SUVs and officers kneeling on the necks of multiple suspected looters while making arrests in just two examples from the weekend riots. The protests come amid several other recent examples of excessive police force that led to unarmed black people being killed across the country, including the death of Breonna Taylor. Protestors have said they are demonstrating against the consistent use of excessive force against minority communities. Tonight, I ask all of America to join me not in denying our pain or covering it over but using it to compel our nation across this turbulent threshold into the next phase of progress, inclusion, and opportunity for our great democracy, Mr Biden said. We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us. We are a nation enraged, but we cannot allow our rage to consume us. We are a nation exhausted, but we will not allow our exhaustion to defeat us. Business planners are clinging to the dream of the open-plan office despite the coronavirus pandemic. I hope that this proposal for a post-Covid shared desk setup is not the final solution. [via @twlldun] Yonsei University professor Kim Suk-kyung suggests this new office layout for the post-COVID-19 era to reduce the risk of disease transmission. "We need to consider if offices will need large spaces in the future. For example, the US is focusing on using smaller space efficiently. Changes to the layout of work stations can prevent the need to move to larger space to social distance," said Kim. Kim suggested rotating work stations and raising cubicle walls between desks so that workers do not face each other. The NSW government says it will axe funding for a program diverting alleged offenders with intellectual disabilities and brain injuries from prison, as advocates plead for a funding lifeline. The Cognitive Impairment Diversion Program (CIDP) started as a two-year pilot program in Penrith and Gosford Local Courts in 2017 before being extended until June 30, when government funding will expire. The court diversion program is expected to be axed on June 30. Credit:Greg Henderson Alleged offenders found by the program's neuropsychologists to have a cognitive impairment are connected with support services including the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). In the first 12 months of the scheme, more than 68 per cent of participants were diverted from the criminal justice system. Just seven per cent of the 180 participants received a prison sentence. We are having peaceful speeches, we have a reverend Protesters gathered outside in Minneapolis on Saturday, for the fifth day in a row. This group was demonstrating outside the citys Fifth Police Precinct. I cant stand the fact that some people in our society cant walk around without feeling scared that a cop is not going to come to them with a death sentence. Just after 8 p.m., police came out to enforce the citys curfew. You are in violation of Minneapolis city curfew ordinance. They began firing pepper spray and tear gas to disperse the group. [screams] I swear to God! I swear to [expletive] God Protesters here told us why they were out on the streets. Honestly, the world is watching the United States, and more specifically Minneapolis itself, to see how were going to react and get justice for Mr. Floyd. And for me, being out here is a huge thing. The Minneapolis Police Department is notorious for their racism here. Black men are about 13 times more likely to be killed by cops than white men in the city. And I think that people just finally had enough. They tortured him, right? What else is there to do but get their attention? Since George Floyds death, peaceful protests have mixed with looting and rioting at night. Most protesters we spoke with oppose the violence, but many said they understood the frustration and anger people are feeling. No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace! We are here for justice for George. Were sick and tired of being abused and oppressed by the police. Theyve been doing that [expletive] for years and years. Man, weve got to come together as a people, as a one. This racisms been going on for too long. All four hundred years or more. Too long. All this [expletive] can be replaced. The body cannot be replaced. The body can never be replaced. I dont want to see businesses burned down. But, I mean, were in kind of a war zone out here. And so, thats kind of, I think, the least of our worries in a lot of ways. Bring him, bring him, bring him one block. Bring him one block to a medic. What happened? Someone hit him with a bat? Youve got to calm down. Were on the same team. Youve got to calm down. Calm down what happened, what happened? Weve got about 12 medics here. Were going to do the best we can. Weve got a combat medic here, OK? But weve got to dial it down Weve got to keep it down. because theyre looking for any reason to kill us. One protester described the violence that broke out after she confronted a group of rioters in the neighborhood. There was a group of guys who started screaming at the police, throwing things. I asked them, Who are you? Who are you to come in here and do this? They ran up on me with big steel pipes. They got in my face. And one guy came at me, holding the pipe, and he stepped in, and he took it. Youre going to be all right What message are we sending by destroying what is ours? How does that, how does that get the message out about how we need change in our city if all were doing is destroying it and burning it down? The ever-widening rift in the Leon Valley City Council has taken a bizarre turn as opposing factions engaged in what one resident called a political game of chicken. The result is the council must now go through competing public investigations that could end in the removal of two more council members, including the mayor of 16 years. Councilor Benny Martinez was ousted last year after a similar hearing that lasted eight nights. I believe councilwoman Donna Charles has called the bluff, said resident Evan Bohl during the citizens to be heard part of a recent council meeting. And I believe that dice have been rolled, and as a council, yall need to deal with what the dice have rolled to yall. Charles, a first time council member, and Mayor Chris Riley, a council veteran, are on opposing sides of the deeply divided council. On ExpressNews.com: Council delays action on mayors alleged ethics violation They are the subjects of the investigations approved by the council in late May. The investigations will be conducted during public hearings that havent yet been scheduled. Charles and Councilor Monica Alcocer already are facing a recall election in November. Riley put the Charles investigation on the May 19 agenda for a council vote after Charles allies put a Riley investigation on the agenda for a vote. But when Riley hesitated to take action on Charles at the meeting, Charles stepped up and made the motion herself. I am taking responsibility, and Im asking to be investigated, said Charles, who participated remotely in the meeting held at City Hall. Charles then abstained from voting on the motion to investigate herself, which was approved on a 3-1-1 vote. Residents and council members, including Riley herself, made impassioned pleas for peace. Weve got to stop this nightmare, Riley said before any votes were taken. Weve got to come together. And can we do a retreat? Can we do a something a mediation? Can we do something other than an expensive 3-12 hearing that only destroys our community, gives us a black eyeand it just continues to rip and tear our city apart? A 3-12 hearing refers to a section in the city charter that calls for the kind of investigation that was approved by the council for Riley and for Charles, the same kind of hearing the council had to go through for Martinez last year. When she had a chance to address the council, Leslie Bacon, one of a group of residents who filed a complaint against Charles earlier this year but later withdrew it, urged the members, Stop fighting! I ask that all of this drama and expense be done away with, and that the council come together and listen to the citizens, so that we can make our city better, Bacon said. The pleas apparently fell on deaf ears. Ethics Board This latest round of infighting heated up in March when the citys Ethics Review Board found that Riley likely violated the charter by releasing invoices submitted to the city by attorney Ryan Henry because the invoices were privileged attorney-client information. Despite its finding, the ethics board took no action against Riley, saying its decision was enough of a reprimand. Council members Catherine Rodriguez and Matthew Hodde, however, said the council could declare Rileys seat vacant because she had violated the charter and could ban her from seeking reelection in November. Riley is running unopposed. In putting the Riley investigation on the May agenda, Rodriguez cited charter Section 3.04, which says the council shall be the sole judge of the election and whether the qualificationshave been met by its members and of the grounds for forfeiture of their offices. Section 3.09 states, It shall be unlawful for the mayor or a council member to release any attorney client privileged communication without a two-thirds council vote. This is not something that I wanted to do, Rodriguez said, in explaining why she and Hodde put the investigation on the agenda. Im just trying to follow what the charter said. Hodde said he, as a voting resident of Leon Valley, has consistently supported Riley when she was up for re-election. But he said he wants to know what led to the ethics boards decision, and whether further action is warranted, based on a level of accountability city leaders should uphold. Henry, who was paid by the city, served as special counsel during the hearing against Martinez, the former council member. Riley, a legal assistant and law office manager, has said no attorney-client privileged information was identified in the invoices. And the Texas attorney general requires all attorney fee bills to be disclosed under the Public Information Act unless the city can point out specifically what is privileged, the mayor told the Express-News. Having looked at these bills a lot, I find nothing in them that reveals any attorney client advice or confidences, she said. Charles also is accused of releasing a sensitive document, in response to the complaint Bacon and six other Leon Valley residents filed against her. The 708-page ethics complaint was filed in February against Charles, Alcocer and City Manager Kelly Kuenstler, who is set to resign at the end of September. Charles response to the complaint included a document stamped attorney client work product/not a public record. It was releasing that document that Riley said violates the charter in just the same way the ethics board said Riley violated the charter. On ExpressNews.com: Leon Valley grapples with COVID-19 Riley said she only placed the action against Charles on the agenda to expose the hypocrisy of Charles alleged violation. But Charles said she was comfortable letting the hearing process play out. The lone vote against both investigations and hiring outside attorney Alan Bojorquez to give the city advice at both hearings, was Councilor Will Bradshaw, who generally sides with Riley. Bradshaw unleashed his frustration on Rodriguez and Hodde, saying Hoddes appointment to replace Martinez in the fall was all a setup from the beginning. Bradshaw said the investigations will cost the city tens of thousands of dollars, at a time when sales tax revenues are depressed because of the pandemic. He said Hodde could read the ethics panels report to study the groups rationale. On ExpressNews.com: Leon Valley taps police chief as interim city manager This will be your legacy, that you are a part of this dysfunctional council who has torn this city apart, Bradshawchastised Rodriguez. Its disgusting how bad this City Council has been. Erick Matta, one of the residents who complained against Charles, said he also was disappointed in Hodde, who he said has spoken eloquently but voted alongside the three women on the council who clash with Riley. You are on record with votes that clearly show that you support this madness, Matta told Hodde. Alcocer, also participating remotely, said Riley went overboard in putting a hearing against Charles on the agenda after the mayor was unable to talk one of the council members out of launching the Riley investigation. Meanwhile, Martinez has a lawsuit pending at the Fourth Court of Appeals, seeking to be returned to his council seat. Hodde was appointed to replace Martinez when the council voted to remove Martinez last year. Scott Huddleston covers Bexar County government and the Alamo for the San Antonio Express-News. To read more from Scott, become a subscriber. shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA Connecticut has seen largely peaceful protests in response to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died on Memorial Day after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee onto Floyds neck for more than 8 minutes. Follow along for more live updates on protests across Connecticut and major news linked to the case across the globe: 6/14/20 Protesters gather in New Haven New Haven Register reporter Meghan Friedmann is reporting live from a demonstration at the citys Varick Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church. De Blasio: I increasingly understand what I dont understand In a video released Sunday morning, New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio said it was hard to talk about white privelege, a week after he lifted the citys 8 p.m. curfew meant to quell protests and looting over the death of George Floyd. I have to tell you I increasingly understand what I dont understand, and I have to find a way to see more clearly, because the pain and anger that have come out in recent weeks more sharply than ever represents something that people in my city - so many of you - deal with every hour of every day, De Blasio said. The democratic New York mayor has faced criticism from residents who say the citys response to the protests was too harsh. Sundays marches and demonstrations Protesters plan to hold a march in Middlebury Sunday, according to a flyer distributed on Facebook. The group will meet at Meadowview Park at 11 a.m. and march to town hall. Participants are being asked to wear masks and to not block roads or walkways. Other gatherings were also scheduled Sunday in South Windsor, Woodstock, Waterford, Farmington, East Haven, Norwich, Lyme, Southbury and Woodbury. A protest was scheduled to begin at noon in Bridgeports Clinton Park, but the social media post containing the flyer appeared to have been taken down as of Sunday morning. 6/10/20 One of the officers in George Floyd case released from jail Thomas Lane, one of the four former Minneapolis police officers charged in connection with the death of George Floyd was released from Hennepin County Jail late Wednesday afternoon after posting bond, jail records show, according to CBS Minnesota. The jails roster notes showed that Lane was released shortly after 4 p.m. Wednesday. His bail had been set at $1 million. Earl Gray, Lanes attorney, has previously called the case against hi client weak. He said Lane who was on his fourth day on the job the day of Floyds death asked Chauvin if Floyd should be rolled on his side and tried to perform CPR on Floyd in an ambulance. Click here to read more. Officer who knelt on George Floyds neck was in plea deal talks before arrest Four days after George Floyds death, federal and state prosecutors were negotiating a possible plea deal with former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin. The negotiations also came a day before Chauvins arrest, according to Fox 9. Sources told Fox 9 it would have a been universal deal that included state murder charges and federal civil rights charges. The negotiations delayed a press conference planned for Thursday, May 28 for about two hours, but eventually fell apart. Hennepin County Attorneys Office confirmed to Fox 9 that there were early negotiations with Chauvin ultimately ... failed. Chauvin was arrested the next day. Click here to read more. NASCAR bans Confederate flag from its races, venues NASCAR announced its ban on the Confederate flag from its races and venues on Wednesday before a race at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. Click here to read more. Gone with the Wind gone from HBO Max HBO Max has temporarily removed Gone With the Wind from its streaming library in order to add historical context to the 1939 film long criticized for romanticizing slavery and the Civil War-era South. Protests in the wake of George Floyd's death have forced entertainment companies to grapple with the appropriateness of both current and past productions. On Tuesday, the Paramount Network dropped the long-running reality series Cops after 33 seasons. The BBC also removed episodes of Little Britain," a comedy series that featured a character in blackface, from its streaming service. Read more here. Safety concerns cited in removal of Black Lives Matter signs in Sherman Amid nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism, some residents decided to place signs supporting the Black Lives Matter movement near the entrance to the Sherman School. But that show of support was short-lived. First Selectman Don Lowe announced the unauthorized signs would be removed and prohibition of such signs on state and local right-of-way properties will be enforced. To read more, click here. Listen: Experts offer solutions to racist inequity On this week's episode of Exit 43, we conclude our mini-series in an attempt to examine solutions to the overarching issues of racist inequity. Are there economic solutions? Is political upheaval the only way forward? Or does it come down to community-level, kitchen-table solutions? Why is the podcast called Exit 43? As anyone who drives the Merritt Parkway knows, there is no exit 43, and the reasons why touch on issues of privilege, access and the history of the state itself. Each week well dive into a local news issue, examining an aspect of life in and around Connecticut you probably didnt know about. `He is going to change the world': Funeral held for Floyd George Floyd was fondly remembered Tuesday as Big Floyd a father and brother, athlete and neighborhood mentor, and now a catalyst for change at a funeral for the black man whose death has sparked a global reckoning over police brutality and racial prejudice. More than 500 mourners wearing masks against the coronavirus packed a Houston church a little more than two weeks after Floyd was pinned to the pavement by a white Minneapolis police officer who put a knee on his neck for what prosecutors said was 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Read more here. 6/9/20 Metro-North warns of crowding from demonstrations Metro-North Railroad took to Twitter Tuesday afternoon to let its customers know that planned demonstrations throughout our territory could lead to increased crowding and changes to the rail service. Please allow for additional travel time, Metro-North urged its riders, adding that masks should also be worn. George Floyd funeral: What to know, live coverage for Tuesday's private memorial Click here to view. Demonstrators call for transparency in police disciplinary cases As the Stamford Police Commission met inside police headquarters on Monday night, a small group of demonstrators gathered to demand more transparency when police are accused of wrongdoing and call for more representation of people of color on the commission. (We) just want just a black voice on the commission. Theres not one black person, said Wilner Joseph, who helped organize the protest. Rally against racism draws nearly 1,000 to Milford Green The talk was not about hatred. The talk was not about attacking anyone. And while the talk was about racism and police brutality, it also was was intended to bring help bring peace, according to Kira Cassandra, an organizer of the Solidarity Protest for Black Lives Matter and George Floyd, that drew a crowd of close to 1,000 to the Milford Green Monday. George Floyd, whose death energized a movement, to be buried The black man whose death has inspired a worldwide reckoning over racial injustice will be buried in Houston Tuesday, carried home in a horse-drawn carriage. George Floyd, who was 46 when he was killed, will be laid to rest next to his mother. On May 25, as a white Minneapolis officer pressed a knee on Floyd's neck, the dying man cried out for his mother. His funeral will be private. Some 6,000 people attended a public memorial service was held Monday in Houston, where he grew up. 6/8/20 Stamford demonstrators gather to demand more transparency, representation with police A small group of demonstrators gathered as the Stamford Police Commission met inside police headquarters on Monday night to demand more transparency when police are accused of wrongdoing and call for more representation of people of color on the commission. (We) just want just a black voice on the commission. Theres not one black person, said Wilner Joseph, who helped organize the protest. Read more here. Elicker: Defunding police without action at state, federal levels is a step too far The vision of a society without the need for police is something to work toward, but the question of defunding the department goes too far without significant action on the state and federal levels to support social services, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said. The mayor on Monday answered questions on that as part of his frequent virtual press calls held on the Zoom app. He also addressed the differences between the way police approached the first anti-racism rally on May 31 and the second one less than a week later on Friday. Read more here. Lamont to work with legislature on banning police chokeholds in CT CT chief state's attorney issues statement on death of George Floyd Chief States Attorney Richard J. Colangelo, Jr. criticized the four Minneapolis police officers involved in the death of George Floyd, calling the actions reprehensible, heart-wrenching, and criminal. There is nothing to defend. There is nothing to debate. I share in the sadness and outrage of those here and across the country, said Colangelo. In the statement released on Monday afternoon, Colangelo expressed confidence in the criminal justice system to investigate the actions to the fullest extent of the law. Colangelo went on in the statement to condemn race-based policing, which he said has no place in our state or country. The role of law enforcement, police and prosecutors alike, is to protect and serve while building relationships of trust with the community. If a community does not believe they will be treated fairly by the officers sworn to serve them, there is no trust, and the system fails. The killing of George Floyd is only the latest in a long line of national incidents of police brutality against members of the Black and Brown communities that have led to an understandable loss of trust, he said. Colangelo said he intends on supporting and implementing policy changes to promote accountability and transparency. I look forward to having difficult conversations with legislators, city leaders, police chiefs, and members of our communities to make the much-needed changes to restore trust in our legal system, he said. Hundreds kneel in Milford to honor George Floyd Bond raised to $1M for officer charged in Floyd's death A judge on Monday set $1 million bail for a Minneapolis police officer charged with second-degree murder in George Floyd's death. Read more here. Listen: A conversation with Ned Lamont on protests, change and reopening CT Protests planned Monday in Manchester, Milford, Somers and Thomaston Activists in Connecticut plan to hold more rallies protesting the death of George Floyd in Manchester, Milford, Somers and Thomaston Monday afternoon. Organizers in Manchester plan to hold daily protests beginning at 2 p.m. at the town hall at 41 Center Street. In Milford, protesters plan to gather on the green at 3:30 p.m., according to a post distributed on social media. A demonstration is planned in front of the town hall in Somers beginning at 5 p.m. Protesters are also expected to gather at Seth Thomas Park in Thomaston starting at 6 p.m. Democrats unveil police overhaul, kneel at Capitol Democrats proposed a sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures Monday, an ambitious legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement. Before unveiling the package, House and Senate Democrats held a moment of silence at the Capitol's Emancipation Hall, reading the names of George Floyd and others killed during police interactions. They knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds now a symbol of police brutality and violence the length of time prosecutors say Floyd was pinned under a white police officers knee before he died. We cannot settle for anything less than transformative structural change, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, drawing on the nation's history of slavery. The Justice in Policing Act would limit legal protections for police, create a national database of excessive-force incidents and ban police choke holds, among other changes, according to an early draft. It is the most ambitious change to law enforcement sought by Congress in years. CrossFit founder jokes about George Floyd as Reebok, gyms drop the brand A tweet Saturday from CrossFit founder Greg Glassman that appeared to make light of both the death of George Floyd and the novel coronavirus pandemic resulted in a widespread backlash within the CrossFit community. Crossfit has about 20 gyms across Connecticut. On Sunday, Reebok announced it was ending its corporate partnership with the popular fitness company, and after some gyms said they were cutting ties to the CrossFit brand, and others said they're considering doing so, Glassman issued an apology. Read more here. Lamont to take part in police transparency meeting Today at 1 p.m., Gov. Ned Lamont will participate in a meeting of the Connecticut Police Transparency and Accountability Task Force. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting is being held via video conference. It will be broadcast live by the Connecticut Network on their cable television channel and online at CT-N.com. Hundreds rally in Stamford: Its ... everybody versus racism As demonstrations against the killing of George Floyd entered their second weekend, Star Garcia, a 23-year-old Stamford woman who co-organized a rally in the city Sunday morning, told hundreds gathered in Mill River Park that she hopes protests do not taper off in the coming days or weeks, that instead the effort continues until all members of society start to value the bodies and lives of black people. When we say, Black Lives Matter, we shouldnt only be referencing tragedy, she said to the protesters, who initially gathered in Mill River Park. Read more here. Virus, racial unrest force Trump campaign to recalibrate Less than five months before voters will decide his fate, President Donald Trump is confronting a vastly different political reality than he once envisioned. For starters, if the election were held today, hed likely lose. The president, West Wing advisers and campaign aides have grown increasingly concerned about his reelection chances as theyve watched Trump's standing take a pummeling first on his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and now during a nationwide wave of protests against racial injustice. His allies worry the president has achieved something his November foe had been unable to do: igniting enthusiasm in a Democratic Party base that's been lukewarm to former Vice President Joe Biden. 'All eyes' on New York: Reopening tests city torn by crises The city that never sleeps had a curfew for much of last week. Famous stores were boarded up after days of unrest. The lights are out on Broadway theaters, and the subway no longer runs overnight. But after three bleak months, New York City will try to turn a page when it begins reopening Monday after getting hit first by the coronavirus, then an outpouring of rage over racism and police brutality. With the virus in check at least for now New York is easing restrictions that shut down schools, businesses and much of city life in March. Construction, manufacturing, wholesalers and previously nonessential retailers can resume work, with restrictions. Retailers can reopen for delivery and pickup, though customers cant yet browse inside. Its an inflection point as the city tries to get back to business after becoming the epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak, suffering a surge that killed more than 500 people a day at its early-to-mid-April peak. Overall, more than 21,000 people citywide have died of confirmed or probable COVID-19. Rev. Al Sharpton, Joe Biden to honor George Floyd in Houston today Rev. Al Sharpton is expected to deliver the eulogy at the funeral service for George Floyd, and Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden is planning to meet privately on Monday with the family of the man whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police has sparked two weeks of protests. Floyds body arrived in Houston Saturday night at George Bush International Airport. From there, Houston police escorted the body to the Fort Bend Memorial Planning Center. A public viewing is scheduled from noon to 6 p.m. Monday at The Fountain of Praise in Houston, 13950 Hillcroft Ave. A private funeral starts 11 a.m. Tuesday in the same church. He will be buried next to his mother at Houston Memorial Gardens, 2426 Cullen Blvd. in Pearland. Read more here. 6/7/20 Demonstration in Manchester Protest in Bethel Demonstration in Torrington Tribute, march for George Floyd in Hamden The Hamden Police Department has learned that at the conclusion of todays tribute to Mr. George Floyd, there will be a march, southbound on Dixwell Avenue. The march will conclude in and around the area of Dixwell Avenue and Connolly Parkway. Please use alternate routes, beginning at approximately 3 p.m. And more from the Darien protest ... Hundreds attend Darien protest Longtime observers see violent change in Park Police tactics Few have watched how the U.S. Park Police deals with protesters for as long and as closely as Ellen Thomas, an anti-nuclear activist who anchored a continuous sit-in vigil day and night on the pavement in front of the White House over two decades. So Thomas, 73, speaks from great familiarity in describing her surprise at the force used by the U.S. Park Police and other law enforcement officers in front of the White House last week at one of the nations foremost protest spots, Lafayette Square. Two former Park Police overseers dating back to the Reagan administration also said the response was unprecedented in their experience. In Monday's violent rout of protesters, authorities sent people stumbling and fleeing with chemical agents, clubs and punches. I was horrified," Thomas said. Now living in North Carolina, Thomas became known to millions of Washington residents and tourists as her vigils made her a witness to the force's handling of mass protests from the 1980s on. Stamford protest ends Demonstration planned in Oxford Stamford protest continues Walking to police station as people say no justice, no peace, no racist police. And Black Lives Matter. There are many white people eating brunch on Atlantic Street and one Hispanic protester just said while you people are eating brunch, black people are dying. A car is beeping in support of cheering protesters as they near the police department. Its a much less hostile crowd than the last Stamford protest. Four officers are outside this time, rather than inside like they were at the last protest. The protest was organized by three young individuals who wanted to set this up to ensure protesters didnt lose momentum because this is an ongoing fight said Star Garcia, 23 of Stamford, one co-organizer who just spoke to protesters. Demonstration begins in Stamford A demonstration is being held in Stamford today with stops at Mill River Park, Columbus Park and the Stamford police headquarters. Walkers are yelling No Justice No Peace and Black Lives Matter also Hey Hey Ho Ho Police Brutality Got to Go. One woman named Francesca Merentie, 19, of Norwalk, said she was attending because as a black woman, she has lived in fear and has largely felt unheard. Showing up to the morning protest was a symbol of breaking that cycle, she said. For me its just a lot of frustration and anger really, she said. Its almost like yes weve gotten justice for floyd but its not over. Theres still a bunch pf black people that need justice. Council members slam Seattle mayor, police chief over protests Seattle City Council members sharply criticized Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best after police used flash bang devices and pepper spray to disperse protesters a day after Durkan and Best said they were trying to de-escalate tensions. Authorities said rocks, bottles and explosives were thrown at officers in the Capitol Hill neighborhood Saturday night. Police said via Twitter that several officers were injured by improvised explosives. The mayhem in the citys Capitol Hill neighborhood came on the ninth consecutive day of George Floyd protests in the city. It followed a large, peaceful demonstration earlier with medical workers demonstrating against racism and police brutality. It also came a day after Durkan and Best imposed a 30-day moratorium on the departments use of one kind of tear gas. State Sen. Senator Moore and Caravan 4 Justice to demonstrate for justice Starting at 10 a.m., state Sen. Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) and Caravan 4 Justice will convene at six locations throughout the state over the course of the day culminating in an event at the State Capitol in Hartford at noon. The event is for the women of Connecticut to peacefully demonstrate against the systematic abuse of police power perpetrated against the black community. Interested grandmothers, mothers, daughters, and friends are encouraged to drive to one of several city locations to join our caravan, which will travel from Stamford to Hartford. Once in Hartford, participants are asked to stay near their vehicles to watch a presentation given at the Connecticut State Capitol. Please respect your neighbor with social distancing and wear a mask. Sunday, June 7 Caravan Gathering Points: Stamford, 10 a.m at DMV Commuter Lot - 137 Henry Street Norwalk,10:10 am at DOT Commuter Lot - 7 Hendricks Avenue Bridgeport, 10:20 am at DSS 925 Housatonic Avenue New Haven, 10:30 am at DSS 50 Humphrey Street Meriden, 10:58 am at DOT Commuter lot 444 Bee Street Hartford, Noon at the State Capitol. Learn more about Caravan 4 Justice on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @CTCaravan4Justice. Minneapolis City Council supports disbanding police department A majority of the members of the Minneapolis City Council said Sunday they support disbanding the city's police department, an aggressive stance that comes just as the state has launched a civil rights investigation after George Floyd's death. Nine of the councils 12 members appeared with activists at a rally in a city park Sunday afternoon and vowed to end policing as the city currently knows it. Council member Jeremiah Ellison promised that the council would dismantle the department. It is clear that our system of policing is not keeping our communities safe, Lisa Bender, the council president, said. Our efforts at incremental reform have failed, period. Bender went on to say she and the eight other council members that joined the rally are committed to ending the citys relationship with the police force and to end policing as we know it and recreate systems that actually keep us safe. New York City curfew lifts early following peaceful protests New York City is lifting its curfew spurred by protests against police brutality ahead of schedule, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday morning. The 8 p.m. citywide curfew, New York's first in decades, had been set to remain in effect through at least Sunday, with the city planning to lift it at the same time it enters the first phase of reopening after more than two months of shutdowns because of the coronavirus. Yesterday and last night we saw the very best of our city, de Blasio tweeted in his announcement of the curfew's end effective immediately. Tomorrow we take the first big step to restart. Largely peaceful protests against police brutality march on Massive protests against police brutality nationwide capped a week that began in chaos but ended with largely peaceful expressions that organizers hope will sustain their movement. Saturdays marches featured few reports of problems in scenes that were more often festive than tense. Authorities were not quick to release crowd size estimates, but it was clear tens of thousands of people and perhaps hundreds of thousands turned out nationally. Collectively, it was perhaps the largest one-day mobilization since Floyd died May 25 and came as many cities lifted curfews imposed following initial spasms of arson, assaults and smash-and-grab raids on businesses. Authorities have softened restrictions as the number of arrests plummeted. 6/06/20 Protesters gather outside Bridgeport police HQ Protesters gathered outside the citys police station at 300 Congress St. around 6 p.m. Saturday. The group stayed outside 300 Congress St. for hours, protesting police brutality. Barricades were set up outside police headquarters. The protesters cited some local examples like Jayson Negron, who was shot and killed at the age of 15 by Bridgeport Police Officer James Boulay on May 9, 2017. I-95 north briefly closed in Norwalk by protesters In Norwalk, a group of roughly 200 protesters who had taken to the city streets against police brutality around 6 p.m. prompted the closure of Interstate 95 north between Exit 15 and Exit 16 around 6:20 p.m. and reopened before 7:30 p.m. By 7:30 p.m., police in Norwalk said South Main Street had been shut down to traffic near police headquarters. Protesters prompt highway shutdowns in CT The Exit 14 off ramp of Route 8 south was closed for about 30 minutes Saturday afternoon, starting around 3:10 p.m., as protesters took to the highway in protest of police brutality. The ramp has since reopened. This also prompted the closure of the Exit 14 Route 8 south off ramp in Shelton around 3:12 p.m. That off ramp remained closed until about 4:10 p.m. Initially, in West Haven, Interstate 95 south was closed between Exit 43 and Exit 42, while I-95 north was closed between Exit 41 and Exit 42 in Orange because of protesters. That closure began around 3:40 p.m. By 3:50 p.m., I-95 south was shut down between Exit 48 and Exit 42, with the northbound lanes closed between Exit 41 and Exit 48, according to the state Department of Transportation. By 5 p.m., the highway had reopened to traffic. About 600 people protest at Greenwich Town Hall U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, a Greenwich resident, was among those who spoke at the protest and he also loudly called for action. Himes said he was saddened, disgusted and broken by what Floyds death at the hands of the police. Himes said he was deeply conscious in this moment of listening and reflection that one of the attributes of the systemic racism that has haunted this country for four centuries was that white men of privilege and power have spoken while others have had to listen. Himes called Floyds death a moment of horror and evil but said the problem in the country did not just end with Chauvin or other police officers who have murdered unarmed black men because it was about the systemic racism in the country. Himes said social programs like the New Deal and the Great Society largely lifted up poor white people while excluding people of color. I wake up every day grateful to represent every single one of you, agree with me or not, and the next thing I think to myself is that a child who is born in Darien is going to succeed and a child who is born poor in South Norwalk probably wont, Himes said. That is not okay About 1,000 march for justice in Danbury Demanding change and accountability for police officers, roughly a thousand people marched through downtown Danbury on Saturday afternoon. This was the second protest this week and one of many being held across the state and country in the wake of George Floyds death. Floyd, a black man, was killed when a white Minneapolis cop pressed his knee on Floyds neck for more than eight minutes. It should be something that disturbs everyone, said Matt Price, one of the organizers of Saturdays protest. He said he does not want black people being killed by police to be normalized and wants to ensure this does not happen again in his or any community. Holding the police accountable and holding lawmakers accountable, thats the way were going to do it, Price said. Protesters met at noon at Rogers Park, where Chief Patrick Ridenhour, who is black, spoke to the crowd. Shouting black lives matter and no justice, no peace, they then marched about 1.5 miles to the police station. At the station, the group knelt for eight minutes and 46 secondsthe amount of time the officer pressed his knee on Floyds neckwhile a woman from the crowd came forward to speak. After she was finished, the crowd started to rise, but organizers told them the time wasnt up yet. Do you realize how (expletive) long that is, a man yelled from the crowd. Its a travesty. Oxford DTC to host peaceful protest The Oxford Democratic Town Committee has organized a peaceful protest against racism and police brutality, scheduled for noon on Sunday at the Quarry Walk (300 Oxford Road). A Call Against Brutality in Support of Black Lives is intended to show solidarity with victims of systemic oppression, and to educate those who want to become better allies. The DTC said organizers reached out to the owner of the Quarry Walk as a courtesy and he was supportive of the event. The protest will be along Route 67 (Oxford Road) public property. All are welcome. Masks are required and participants are urged to maintain social distancing. Attendees should bring water, snacks, sunscreen and a hat theres no shade. Signs are encouraged. Parking will be available in the Quarry Walk parking lot, but participants are asked not to take up spaces in front of any small businesses. There will also be tablets available with gloves and Clorox wipes for cleaning to help anyone interested in registering to vote. At 1:30 p.m., protesters will take a knee for eight minutes and 46 seconds in recognition of the death of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement in Minneapolis. The protest will no block traffic and will be non-violent, organizers say, adding that no one will be going in to any businesses that they are not patronizing. Participants are urged not to engage with or confront any counter-protesters, should there be any. Greenwich rally underway More than 300 people have showed up for a rally for justice at Greenwich Town Hall around 2 p.m. Saturday. U.S. Rep. Jim Himes is expected to be among the speakers at the Greenwich rally. Crowd gathers as West Haven protest begins People have begun to gather on the West Haven green as they prepare for a demonstration in that community, according to editor Helen Bennett and reporter Meghan Friedmann. Reporter Clare Dignan is live-streaming the protest through the New Haven Register Facebook page. Mariyann Soulemane, sister of Mubarak Soulemane, a New Haven resident killed by Trooper Brian North in January after an alleged carjacking, spoke as part of the rally, leading the crowd in a chant of no justice, no peace. The rally scheduled in New Haven will be held in honor of Mubarak Soulemane. Hundreds turn out for Danbury protest Hundreds of protesters are marching down Main Street to the Danbury police station this afternoon to demand police accountability and change after the death of George Floyd, according to reporter Julia Perkins. Mayor Mark Boughton was with protesters at the starting point at Rogers Park, where Chief Patrick Ridenhour spoke in support. The group reached the Danbury police station, with protestors shouting whos streets, our streets and the names of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour and Sen. Richard Blumenthal were there. After speeches, a poem and song, protesters began marching back to Rogers Park around 2 p.m. Its a powerful statement for the community to come out the way they did to support this issue, said Lorena Santana, one of the organizers. Hamden police to participate in June 7 protest Capt. Ronald Smith announced that Hamden officers will participate in a tribute honoring the life of Mr. George Floyd planned for Sunday. The event will be held at Memorial Town Hall in Hamden at 1 p.m. Sunday, Smith said in a release. Members of the Hamden Police Department stand with our community to not only pay tribute to Mr. Floyd, but to denounce police brutality. The actions of the 4 Minneapolis police officers on that fateful day (May 25th), do not represent the law enforcement profession or the values of our department, Smith said. We are both saddened and sickened by Mr. Floyds death at the hands of these officers. He advised motorists to avoid the area around Dixwell Avenue and Whitney Avenue between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday. Trumbull protest vigil begins with family atmosphere The protest in Trumbull has a family picnic atmosphere thus far, according to reporter Donald Eng. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal was in attendance. Thousands rally in New Haven Friday, led by city youth The Citywide Youth Coalition, with support from Black Lives Matter New Haven and Students for Educational Justice, rallied people on the Green downtown, and as they marched, more and more came. The crowd stretched over half a mile long marching in the streets, chanting, singing for justice. They came with demands defund, dismantle and disarm the police. This is a peaceful uprising, said Black Lives Matter New Haven co-founder Ala Ochumare. This is not a riot. This is not something were doing wrong. This is an uprising because were out here demanding our liberation for all people but were focusing on black and brown bodies today. Read more here. Protests expected throughout the day, including in West Haven, Norwalk and Greenwich Further actions seeking justice in the name of George Floyd are expected to take place today across the state. Planned demonstrations include: a noon gathering at Rogers Park in Danbury, which will include walking to the police department; a 1 p.m. march from West Havens City Hall to the police department; a 2 p.m. gathering at Town Hall in Greenwich; 3 p.m. gatherings at Shelton and Derbys city halls, a 4 p.m. event on the Meriden green; and a 6 p.m. march from Norwalks City Hall to the police department, according to a list maintained by the Connecticut Democratic Party. Protests throughout the state were peaceful Friday, as residents continued to call for change after Floyds death. 6/05/20 Public defenders to observe 8 minutes, 46 seconds of silence on Monday Public defenders across the nation will observe eight minutes and 46 seconds of silence on the steps of open courthouses on Monday at 3 p.m. Starting at 2:30 p.m. Monday, public defenders any others who want to join in Connecticut will march from the criminal court at 101 Lafayette St. to the Capitol in Hartford. Public defenders say Mondays march and silence in memory of George Floyd are intended to show their outrage over what happened to Floyd and others. Coming here is not enough: Westport protester urges residents to do more In Westport, hundreds of area residents gathered for the towns third peaceful protest this week. I never met George Floyd, but I knew him. We knew him. Hes my father, my mother, my brother, hes our black friend...hes me, said Staples High School senior Natasha Johnson at the protest in Westport on Friday. As long as he cant breathe, I cant breathe. We cant breathe. Johnson organized the protest along with Isabel Geelan and Staples senior Niah Michel who previously submitted a letter to the editor on WestportNow in February, detailing challenges students of color faced from their peers and the schools staff. Coming here is not enough, said Chet Ellis, a Staples graduate, during Westports protest. So many of you here walked in the halls of Staples High School and you walked past racism and you walked past microaggressions. I see so many of you in the crowd who stood silent when I needed you the most ... I know a lot of you stood by and watched racism happen, not because you were bad people, but because you didnt know. Several businesses around town boarded up their storefronts in the days leading up to the protest after rumors circulated around town of outside agitators. But hundreds marched peacefully Friday, ending at the Westport Police Department. In the town of Westport and at the Westport Police Department, Im going to be very clear, black lives do matter, Police Chief Foti Koskinas said. Weve had discussions here and its been very clear if a single police officer feels what they saw with George Floyd was just, they need to resign. Thats a very clear message here. Click here to read more. Everyone is upset: Greenwich marches in solidarity In Greenwich, young activists and members of the police department joined together in solidarity to walk 8.46 miles to represent the eight minutes and 46 seconds Floyd was held face down, with Chauvins knee on his neck. The walk was organized by Greenwich High School sophomore Javier Serra this week because he wanted to do something the entire community could be involved with to speak out against police violence. Weve all seen the protests and we all saw the video of George Floyd, Serra said. Everyone is upset and they want to do something to help. We live in a privileged community and I figured maybe we could raise some money and figure out a way to pull us together for a good cause. Click here to read more. East Haven police chief says no excuse for use of excessive force On Friday, nearly 100 protesters gathered in East Haven for a rally that likely wouldnt have happened 10, 15, 20 years ago, according to participant Johna Pompano. East Haven Police Chief Ed Lennon and Lt. Joseph Murgo acknowledged the departments checkered past in terms of treatment of people of color to those gathered. They vowed to work toward making East Haven a model for the country when it comes to police dealing with minorities. East Haven has been home to controversial incidents in the past. Back in 2012, four officers were arrested for violating the rights of Latino residents. Years earlier, a white East Haven police officer shot and killed an unarmed black New Haven man following a chase into New Havens Fair Haven section on April 14, 1997. When asked about the departments officers using choke holds on individuals in custody or attempting to subdue them, to which Lennon said the department believes there is no excuse for use of excessive force. Click here to read more. Manhattan DA declines to prosecute protest arrests Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. announced the District Attorneys Offices policy regarding arrests on charges of unlawful assembly and disorderly conduct during ongoing demonstrations against the use of excessive force and killing of George Floyd. Previous policy was to offer individuals charged with theses offenses an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal meaning their case would be dismissed within six months. Under the new policy, the DAs office declines to prosecute these arrests in the interest of justice, a news release said. The office said it will continue to evaluate and decline to prosecute other protest-related charges where appropriate. East Haven and Branford cops to stand with protestors Police in East Haven and Branford intend to support of protestors at upcoming actions. It is not an adversarial thing at all because we agree with them, East Haven Lt. Joseph Murgo said, calling the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man, while being restrained by a white Minneapolis police officer one of the worst things he had ever seen. We are all on the same side here. We all stand hand-to-hand with the community of Minneapolis. Protests planned throughout Connecticut this afternoon, including in New Haven More than a dozen protests are expected to take place Friday across the state, according to a list compiled by the Connecticut Democratic Party. Planned actions include: a noon gathering on the East Haven green near River Street and Hemingway Avenue; another at 1:30 p.m. in the Parking Harding Plaza in Westport; another on the New Haven green at 3 p.m.; a 4 p.m. gathering in Wallingford from 4 S. Main St. to 200 N. Main St.; and a 6 p.m. protest at the Mt. Aery Baptist Church on Frank Street in Bridgeport. Further protests are planned for the weekend as well. Milford clergy lie silently on ground to protest Floyds death A heartbeat coming from a loudspeaker drowned out the noise of traffic around the Milford Green Thursday when 16 members of the clergy and 100-plus prayer-service attendees chose to lay prone, kneel or stand for the final eight minutes and 46 seconds of a protest action. The Unified Prayer Gathering, held by the Milford Clergy Association, recognized the amount of time authorities say a police office kept his knee on George Floyds neck. 6/04/20 NYPD officer is stabbed in neck in ambush; suspect is shot A New York City police officer on an anti-looting patrol was ambushed Wednesday in Brooklyn by a man who walked up behind him and stabbed him in the neck, police said, setting off a struggle in which the assailant was shot and two other officers suffered gunshot injuries to their hands. The bloodshed happened just before midnight, in the hours after an 8 p.m. curfew that was intended to quell days of unrest over the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. All three injured officers were expected to recover. The man who attacked them was shot multiple times and was hospitalized in critical condition, said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. Read more here. Floyd to be eulogized in Minneapolis memorial, first of 3 Mourners converged in Minneapolis on Thursday for the first in a series of a memorials to George Floyd, whose death at the hands of police has sparked turbulent protests around the world against racial injustice. The afternoon event was set for North Central University, where the civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton was scheduled to be among those eulogizing the 46-year-old Floyd. He was a human being. He had family, he had dreams, he had hopes. The real duty of one with this type of assignment is to underscore the value of the human life that was taken, which gives the reason the movement was occurring, Sharpton said ahead of the gathering. NAACP: Today at 3:45 PM ET, join us in observing a moment of silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. If you can, stop everything, and take those moments to honor the life of George Floyd. Police to discuss tear gas use at New Orleans bridge protest New Orleans police used tear gas during a late night protest on a Mississippi River bridge when protesters refused commands against trying to cross. Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson was expected to discuss the Wednesday night protest at a Thursday news conference. The late Wednesday night encounter resulted in hundreds of demonstrators scattering on the bridge known as the Crescent City Connection hours after a rally and march began near New Orleans City Hall. It was one of the continuing protests around the nation arising from the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. March in Stamford, mostly peaceful, turns angry A somber mood hung over the hundreds who gathered in Scalzi Park in Stamford Wednesday evening to protest in honor of George Floyd, but their demonstration grew tense and more urgent as marchers made their way through city streets to Stamford Police headquarters. The procession was led by March for Justice, a group of black social workers who demanded justice for Floyd and paused to pray in the park and at points along the route. Read more here. Supreme Court is faulted for shielding police officers from excessive-force claims Amid nationwide protests over police killings, the Supreme Court is facing pressure to reconsider the legal immunity that often shields officers from being sued for using excessive force, including brutal arrests and the shooting of innocent people in their homes. The high court has been sharply criticized from the left and the right for rulings in the last decade that have made it nearly impossible for many victims of police brutality or wrongful shootings to sue the officers for violating their rights. Since police officers are rarely charged with a crime, the court-created doctrine of qualified immunity from civil lawsuits has meant no redress for victims and little accountability for those who abuse their authority, according to the critics. Bethel vigil postponed over coronavirus concerns The candlelight vigil organized in the wake of Minnesota black man George Floyds death has been postponed due to coronavirus concerns. First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker postponed the vigil Wednesday night, about 24 hours before the event, saying he was concerned it would attract many more people than originally anticipated. The plan had been for people to stand six feet apart on the municipal center lawn. Mattis blasts Trump in message that defends protesters Former defense secretary Jim Mattis excoriated President Donald Trump on Wednesday, accusing the nation's chief executive of deliberately trying to divide Americans, taking exception to his threats of military force on American streets, and praising those demanding justice following the police killing of George Floyd. "Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people - does not even pretend to try. Instead, he tries to divide us," Mattis wrote in a statement published by the Atlantic. Read more here. Minnesota governor sends National Guard to western border Gov. Tim Walz is sending Minnesota National Guard troops to states western border because of what he says are credible threats of violence during demonstrations planned in neighboring North Dakota. The city of Moorhead, Minnesota, lies just across the border from Fargo, North Dakota. Walzs order didnt say how many guard members are being deployed in Clay County. The governor didnt provide details on what he perceives is a credible threat. Bridgeport City Council seeks to ban knee and choke holds A majority of the Bridgeport City Council proposed a resolution Wednesday calling for reform and accountability with the citys Police Department following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis. We stand united and in solidarity with the family of George Floyd and families of color who have endured the tragic loss of loved ones at the hands of police officers both unjustly and with little to no accountability, said Council President Aidee Nieves standing outside City Hall. Read more here. Autopsy shows George Floyd had coronavirus An autopsy by the Hennepin County Medical Examiners Office shows George Floyd had coronavirus. George Floyd was killed after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, sparking nationwide outrage and protests against police violence that stretched across all 50 U.S. states and countries over the world. Read more here. Property damage in Minneapolis is $55 million and rising The city of Minneapolis says the looting and property damage that following the death of George Floyd in police custody has caused least $55 million in destruction so far. Vandals damaged or set fire to at least 220 buildings, but that number is expected to go up, city officials said. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey will ask for state and federal aid to help rebuild after the civil unrest. Until that happens, community members are pitching in to support Minneapolis neighborhoods. Protests turn subdued after new charges in Floyd case Demonstrations in cities across the U.S. to condemn racism and police abuses remained large but turned notably more subdued on the eve of a Thursday memorial service for George Floyd that kicks off a series of events to mourn the man whose death empowered a national movement. The calmer protests came on the same day that prosecutors charged three more police officers and filed a new, tougher charge against the officer at the center of the case. CT advocates: New charges in George Floyds death by no means a victory yet Prominent members of Connecticuts black community reacted Wednesday to the elevation of charges against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin and the arrests of three other former officers in the death of George Floyd. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is upgrading the charge against Chauvin to second-degree murder, and charging Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Read more here. No arrests made as 500 people shut down I-84 in Danbury At approximately 1:35 pm, the Danbury Police Department notified State Police Troop A that an estimated 500 protesters were heading towards I-84 in the area of Exit 4. Troop A Troopers, along with Command Staff, arrived in the area to assist with shutting the highway down. At approximately 1:38 pm, protesters entered I-84 at the eastbound Exit 5 off-ramp and crossed the median to the westbound side. Troopers were able to disperse the protesters and reopen the highway at approximately 2:36 pm. There were no arrests, no damage to any property, and no injuries. Read more here. Unified prayer planned for noon on Milford Green The Milford Clergy Association will be gathering on Milford Green in Milford CT at noon today for a time of unified prayer for our country in light of the deepening racial tensions in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent unrest which have arisen. The Rev. Michael Bulkley, Senior Associate Pastor at the Kingdom Life Christian Church, said, We recognize the anguish of our Black and Brown brothers and sisters who are broken by the injustice of racism and unequal treatment under the law. We know that the problem goes much deeper than this one event and the solutions to their pain are not easily grasped. Yet it must include our unified stand with them as the clergy and churches of Milford. More information is here. 6/03/20 Click here for a full list of upcoming protests in Connecticut. Unity Rally to be held in Derby A rally for unity will be held on the Derby Green on Friday, June 5 at 7 p.m. Join our community. Lets meet for a small dose of comfort, friendship and comraderie in one spirit of love, a flyer for the event reads. Community leaders, clergy, police and first responders are all welcome, the flyer said. West Haven mayor issues statement on killing of George Floyd West Haven Mayor Nancy Rossi called the death of George Floyd a brutal and senseless murder in a statement issued on Wednesday afternoon. We cannot change the past, but we can and must change the future, Rossi said. To be clear, this is not just an issue for black and brown communities of color, this is an issue for all of us. The real and persistent existence of racism in our society was laid bare most recently by the deaths of George Floy Srinagar, June 1 (IANS) The J&K police in central Kashmir's Budgam district along with security forces have busted a Narco-terror module and arrested six terrorist associates of proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). According to police, on a credible input, police along with army and CRPF have arrested six terrorist associates identified as Mudassir Fayaz resident of Kralpora, Shabir Ganaie resident of Wathoora, Sageer Ahmad Poswal resident of Kupwara, Issaq Bhat, Arshid Thoker both residents of Shopian and a minor from Chadoora area of Budgam. Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including one Chinese pistol, one Pistol Magazine, four Pistol rounds, one Hand grenade, cash Rs 1,55,000 and narcotic substance Heroine one kg were recovered from their possession. "As per police records they were in close connection with Pakistan-based terror handlers and were involved in drug trade, supply of weapons besides assisting financially to active terrorists of proscribed terror outfit JeM," police said in a statement. "The recoveries also exposed the inter connection between drug dealers and terrorists." Police said a case under relevant section of law has been registered and further investigation in the matter is in progress. --IANS zi/rs/ Zee Media Corporation Ltd.s regional channel ZEE 24 Ghanta conducted an E Conclave with 7 Ministers on 30 May 2020. Notun Disha, ZEE 24 Ghanta E-Conclave was a continuous 3-and-a-half-hour session with ministers participating from various departments of the West Bengal Government. As the nation nears the end of Lockdown 4.0, COVID positive cases have reached 4,813 in Bengal as of 30 May 2020. Already reeling under the pressure of Corona, West Bengal was in troubled waters when cyclone Amphan hit its shores on 20 May. The extremely severe tropical cyclone wiped out thousands of homes, destroyed crops and struck down embankments killing 98 people. There was much destruction in the capital city of Kolkata too. Against this backdrop, as the people of Bengal are looking to cope with this situation and trying to find answers to their future, ZEE 24 Ghanta took the initiative to organize an E Conclave with Ministers of the State so that our viewers may get a clear picture of the road to recovery. Anirban Choudhury, Channel Editor for ZEE 24 Ghanta said, During these depressing times, it is important to brace the future with boldness and hope. Notun Disha was Zee Medias effort to spread positivity along with the administration to state emphatically how to fight the menace and gear up for the future that lies ahead. Each session lasted for half an hour where the leaders put forward their strategy for the coming days in their respective departments, the policies and the initiatives taken and encouraged our viewers to stay strong. Ministers who graced the session were: Dr. Amit Mitra, Firhad Hakim, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Jyotipriya Mallick, Rajib Banerjee, Sujit Bose and Subrata Mukherjee. The conclave covered various government ministries so that viewers could understand the revival plan in different sectors. Speaking on the occasion, ZMCL Cluster 2 CEO, Mr. Purushottam Vaishnava said, Notun Disha is a part of ZMCLs E-Vimarsh series. With so much uncertainty all over due to corona, it is crucial that leaders directly answer pertinent questions to our citizenry. This has been the sole motive behind conceptualizing the series. Bengal was particularly focused because the state is in a delicate situation with rising covid-19 cases and the destructive trail left behind by the cyclone Amphan. Ask any mum about the cost of childcare. The cost often means women gradually returning from maternity leave and those on a lower income get very little net benefit from working. Aren't these the people most in need of our help? They keep going to get the chance to progress. The system might be good for regular five-days-a-week parents in reasonably or well paid nine-to-five jobs. But if you work irregular hours, at nights or on the weekend it's a pretty useless system. The system is helpful to some and a nightmare for many. They are, incidentally, a very large block of users. We've set up a system that suits regulators and childcare centres but does not suit the users. How dumb is that? Sometimes what starts out as a good thing ends up a mess. Childcare is but one example. I think we've regulated ourselves into a nightmare. We've produced a system that gets more expensive every year, is far too expensive for many users and doesn't suit the people who work on irregular shifts, on the weekend, or at night. Herein lies what I think is the problem. We've said you can't have government assistance unless you go to government approved providers. We need to stop that lunacy. Since when do regulators know better than parents what is good for their child? If you're a stay-at-home mum, we don't tell you what you have to do with your kids. If you work and use childcare, we stick our beak in and only help you with the cost if it's in government-regulated care provision. If you stay home you are capable of deciding what's best for your child ... but not if you work. It's crazy. A family might think that a grandma in the home is best for their child. They may think the familiarity of being in their own home or with a neighbour is better than a regulated facility. But we won't help them financially. We use cash to ensure you go the government way. Surely parents should be able to decide who will look after their kids, where, when and how? Take the example of a nurse who has irregular shifts. The childcare centre will want regular bookings on set days, usually two or three a week. But that's not how nursing rosters work. So if her days are Monday and Tuesday but she gets rostered Wednesday and Thursday here's what happens. She still has to pay for Monday and Tuesday when she's not working. She has to pay casually for Wednesday and Thursday as well. She shells out for four days' care when she only needs two. Hopefully family and friends might step in. Until recently if Monday was a public holiday, she still had to pay even though the centre was shut! Furthermore, the nurse might start mid-afternoon but the centre wants the whole day. Another parent or friend has to pick up the child around 6pm. It all suits the provider but not the client. Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across America again Sunday, with peaceful demonstrations against police killings of black people overshadowed by unrest that quickly ravaged parts of cities from Pennsylvania to California. City and state officials had deployed thousands of National Guard soldiers, enacted strict curfews and shut down mass transit systems, but that did little to stop many cities from again erupting into unrest. Protesters in Philadelphia hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police, officials said, while masked crowds broke into upscale stores in a San Francisco suburb, fleeing with bags of merchandise. In Minneapolis, a truck driver drove into a massive crowd of demonstrators nearly a week after the death of George Floyd, a black man who pleaded for air as an officer pressed a knee into his neck. Demonstrators protest the death of George Floyd, Sunday near the White House in Washington. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers Demonstrators start a fire in the shadow of the White House in Washington Police officers advance on protesters after they set three cars on fire during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd near the White House in Washington A protester shows off his ankle bracelet next to a fire during a demonstration on Sunday night Tear gas billows as demonstrators gather in Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington A police force prepares to clear an interstate of demonstrators Sunday, in Minneapolis. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd Tensions mounted outside the White House, where police fired tear gas and stun grenades into a crowd of more than 1,000 chanting protesters across the street in Lafayette Park. They scattered, piling up road signs and plastic barriers to light a raging fire in a street. Some pulled an American flag from a nearby building and threw it into the blaze. Others added tree branches. A cinder block building housing bathrooms and a maintenance office in the park was engulfed in flames. The entire Washington, D.C., National Guard - roughly 1,700 soldiers - was being called in to help control the protests, according to two Defense Department officials who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter. As the protests grew, President Donald Trump retweeted conservative commentator Buck Sexton who called for 'overwhelming force' against violent demonstrators. At least 4,100 people have been arrested over days of protests, according to a tally compiled by The Associated Press. Arrests ranged from looting and blocking highways to breaking curfew. Activists march to the Brooklyn Bridge on Sunday in New York Police hold a perimeter near the White House during a protest on Sunday night People throw a United States flag on a fire during a demonstration in Washington D.C. Demonstrators turn over a car during a protest over the death of George Floyd in D.C. A protester tosses a smoke bomb towards police during a third night of unrest Sunday in Richmond, Virginia. Governor Ralph Northam issued a curfew for Sunday evening. The smoke bomb was ignited by a protester Rylie Blue holds a sign during a Black Lives Matter march and rally Sunday in Oshkosh, Wisconsin A man holds a U.S. flag upside down, a sign of distress, as protesters march down the street during a solidarity rally for George Floyd in Brooklyn, New York Law enforcement officers from Calvert County Maryland Sheriff's Office standing on the Ellipse, area just south of the White House in Washington, as they watch demonstrators protest Tear gas goes off near a man as demonstrators and police face off in front of the White House In Salt Lake City, a leading anti-police brutality activist condemned the destruction of property but said broken buildings shouldn't be mourned on the same level as black men like Floyd. 'Maybe this country will get the memo that we are sick of police murdering unarmed black men,' said Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah. 'Maybe the next time a white police officer decides to pull the trigger, he will picture cities burning.' Yet thousands still marched peacefully, with some also calling for an end to the fires, vandalism and theft, saying it weakened calls for justice and reform. 'They keep killing our people,' said Mahira Louis, 15, who marched with her mother and several hundred others through downtown Boston. 'Im so sick and tired of it.' The officer who pressed his knee onto Floyd's neck has been charged with murder, but protesters are demanding the other three officers at the scene be prosecuted. All four were fired. Protesters link arms during a demonstration in Atlanta, Georgia Police officers try to disperse people during a protest in downtown Lansing, Michigan Police clear the area where a tanker truck rushed to a stop among protesters on an interstate in Minneapolis Protesters lie on the ground during a Black Lives Matter rally Sunday in Oshkosh, Wisconsin Authorities stand guard in the area around the Georgia state Capitol as protests continued for a third day in Atlanta on Sunday A protester tries to talk the police back amid tear gas in downtown Atlanta on Sunday 'Were not done,' said Darnella Wade, organizer for Black Lives Matter in neighboring St. Paul, where thousands gathered peacefully in front of the state Capitol. 'They sent us the military, and we only asked them for arrests.' Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz brought in thousands of National Guard soldiers to help quell violence that had damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings in Minneapolis over days of protests. On Sunday, in a display of force, long lines of state patrolmen and National Guard soldiers lined up in front of the Capitol, with perhaps a dozen military-style armored vehicles behind them. Disgust over generations of racism in a country founded by slaveholders combined with a string of recent racially charged killings to stoke the anger. Adding to that was angst from months of lockdowns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately hurt communities of color, not only in terms of infections but in job losses and economic stress. The droves of people congregating for demonstrations threatened to trigger new outbreaks, a fact overshadowed by the boiling tensions. Police officers try to disperse people during a protest in downtown Lansing, Michigan Demonstrators march along an interstate highway in Minneapolis as protests continued Protesters march around a large sculpture of a globe in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the Queens borough of New York on Sunday Protesters march down Highway 94, in St. Paul, Minnesota Madeline Curry attends a protest with her father outside the Minneapolis 5th Police Precinct while wearing a protective mask that reads 'I CAN'T BREATHE', in Minneapolis The scale of the coast-to-coast protests rivaled the historic demonstrations of the civil rights and Vietnam War eras. Curfews were imposed in major cities around the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. About 5,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated in 15 states and Washington, D.C. Thousands of demonstrators marched peacefully through Boston in several protests during the day, but some clashed with officers as night fell, throwing rocks, bricks and glass bottles and torching a police vehicle. Authorities fired volleys of tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators in downtown Atlanta as a curfew took hold. Some on the fringes of a largely peaceful protest set off fireworks and burned construction materials near a park where police and National Guard troops turned out in force. In Indianapolis, two people were reported dead in bursts of downtown violence this weekend, adding to deaths reported in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days. People yell while kneeling in San Francisco at protests over the Memorial Day death of George Floyd A person shoots a fire extinguisher into the air as he walks though a street in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania Damage is pictured to the Secretary of State building in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan In tweets Sunday, Trump blamed anarchists and the media for fueling violence. Attorney General William Barr pointed a finger at 'far left extremist' groups. Police chiefs and politicians accused outsiders of coming in and causing the problems. At the Minneapolis intersection where Floyd was killed, people gathered with brooms and flowers, saying it was important to protect what they called a 'sacred space.' The intersection was blocked with the traffic cones while a ring of flowers was laid out. Among in Minneapolis was Michael Brown Sr., the father of Michael Brown, whose killing by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, set off unrest in 2014. 'I understand what this family is feeling. I understand what this community is feeling,' he said. Dorothy Brandt, 75, standing outside the drugstore, said the shattered door made her think of the Watts riots in Los Angeles, where she grew up. She was a teenager at the time and recalled seeing fires and feeling terrified. But she also remembers thinking that the unrest was somehow inevitable back then, a similar feeling she has now even as she acknowledged being surprised that it had occurred in her neighborhood. Across the United States, hundreds of thousands of working people and youth who have turned out in nearly 100 cities to protest the murder of George Floyd have themselves become the target of violent assaults by massively armed squads of police, backed by national guardsmen. The nationwide violence unleashed against protesters is a continuation and escalation of the murderous assault that cost the life of George Floyd. The police are acting with impunity, fully aware that their violent attacks on protesters are supported by the Trump administration. It is hardly a coincidence that Floyds murder occurred in Minneapolis, where President Donald Trump delivered a fascistic tirade last October at a rally attended by hundreds of cops. He denounced far left and socialist politicians, including the citys mayor. Montage of police violence from across the US, weekend of May 30, 2020 Since protests began last week, Trump has repeatedly called for attacks on protesters. On Sunday, he retweeted a post that called for the use of overwhelming force against the bad guys, which followed his previous statement that when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Trump has demanded that state governments deploy the National Guard and has threatened to unleash the military to take over. With no factual basis, the Trump administration is now declaring that far-left and anarchist groups are responsible for violence. Both Trump and Attorney General William Barr are threatening to declare Antifaa politically insignificant anarchist group that is, in all likelihood, heavily infiltrated and manipulated by police agentsa domestic terrorist organization. This constitutionally illegal threat is aimed at criminalizing all working class, left-wing and socialist opposition to the Trump administration. The rampage by the police over the last several days is among the most violent attacks on democratic rights in the history of the United States. As of Sunday, National Guard soldiers and airmen have been activated to aid in the suppression of protests in 26 states. States of emergency have been declared and curfews implemented in cities and counties across the country, most of which are controlled by Democrats, resulting in the suspension of the right to free speech and assembly. In the course of the weekend, police beat protesters with truncheons and fired teargas to disperse crowds. A man was shot and killed in Louisville, Kentucky Sunday night, after police and National Guard troops opened fire on a crowd. Rubber bullets, pepper balls, beanbags, tasers and other non-lethal munitions were fired at demonstrators. They also sprayed mace and pepper spray directly into the faces of protesters and journalists. The Associated Press reported that more than 4,100 people have been arrested since Thursday. One video shot by residents in Minneapolis Saturday night shows police marching behind a National Guard Humvee screaming for people to go inside and yelling Light em up, as they fire rubber bullets on a group of young people gathered outside their home. Members of the New York Police Department rammed their vehicles into a crowd of protesters in Brooklyn. An elderly white man walking with a cane was shoved to the ground by riot police in Salt Lake City as they rolled down the street in armored vehicles dispersing protesters. In Sacramento, California a young black man who was bleeding profusely after being shot in the eye was carried to safety by a fellow white protester. A young couple was tased and pulled from their car by dozens of riot police in Atlanta after they slashed their tires and broke out the windows. A police officer prepares to fire rubber bullets during a protest Saturday in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) A young woman in Dallas, Texas who was walking home from the store with groceries was shot in the head with a rubber bullet. Photos show blood streaming down her face. A young child in Seattle was pepper-sprayed in the face, video posted on social media shows her screaming in pain. Those around her douse her face with milk to ease the pain. Police in Las Vegas charged protesters, attacking them apparently at random, arresting dozens, including two photojournalists. Journalists across the country were clearly targeted for assault and arrest by the police, in direct violation of the First Amendments protection of a free press. MSNBC anchor Ali Velshi was shot in the leg with a rubber bullet while reporting live in Minneapolis. In Louisville, a local TV reporter and her cameraman were targeted and shot with pepper balls during protests Friday. A freelance photojournalist in Minneapolis was permanently blinded in her left eye after being shot by the police with a rubber bullet. Lucas Jackson, a Reuters photographer who had been shot by a police rubber bullet Saturday and has covered previous protests in Ferguson and Baltimore, told the news organization that it was clear that journalists are being targeted. Usually if you get hit by this stuff its because you are between the police and the protestersyoure taking the risk by being in the middle. During this they are actually aiming at us, Jackson said. It is highly probable that operatives within the White House have been directly involved in instigating attacks on the media, which Trump has repeatedly denounced as the enemy of the people. Trumps deliberate incitement of police violence has been a common theme throughout his administration. In the absence of a mass fascist movement, Trump views the police as a potential power base for a quasi-dictatorial regime. His actions confirm the warning made by the Political Committee of the Socialist Equality Party following his October 2019 speech in Minneapolis: Trumps appearances before police, security personnel and military audiences, as well as his carefully staged mass rallies designed to attract politically disoriented and backward elements, are all part of a calculated effort to create a political constituency upon which he can base an authoritarian regime, operating outside all of the traditional legal boundaries of the US Constitution. The Democratic Party and the corporate media are responding to Trumps lies and provocations with their typical combination of spinelessness and complicity. They have accepted, without a shred of evidence, Trumps narrative that the protests are the work of outside agitators, a claim made repeatedly at a press conference held by the Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Saturday morning. Susan Rice, former National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama, denounced the protests as right out of the Russian playbook, claiming absurdly that foreign governments are responsible for stoking domestic dissent. No Democratic official has denounced Trumps fascistic incitements. Bernie Sanders, the former presidential candidate who is now enthusiastically supporting Joe Biden, sent an email to supporters Sunday evening that said nothing about the police rampage against protesters and did not even mention Trump. There could be no greater and more dangerous political mistake than to entrust the fight against Trump and political violence and for the defense of democratic rights to the Democratic Party. What terrifies the Democrats above all is the development of a movement of the working class against the Trump administration and the financial oligarchy that both parties represent. The multiracial and multiethnic demonstrations that are sweeping the country are a protest not only against police violence, but also against intolerable economic and social conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic is discrediting capitalism. One hundred thousand people have already died in the US as a result of the criminal negligence of the Trump regime and the ruling class. The homicidal back-to-work campaign, supported by Republicans and Democrats, and the Depression-levels of unemployment and desperate social crisis facing tens of millions of people are politically radicalizing millions of working people within the United States and internationally. The Trump administration recognizes and fears this radicalization and is employing the old red-baiting bogeyman of left-wing violence as a pretext for police state measures. The entire working class must now come to the defense of all those protesting the murder of George Floyd and all other victims of police violence. There is a growing mood of social militancy in the working class. Prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, there was a steady growth of strike activity. In recent weeks, workers have organized walkouts against unsafe conditions. The Socialist Equality Party urges protesters, especially among the youth, to go directly to auto plants, factories, warehouses, distribution centers, building sites--wherever there are large concentrations of workers--and appeal directly for their support. Such appeals will not be ignored. As the Socialist Equality Party explained in its October 2019 statement: The fight against the Trump administration must be connected to the fight against social inequality, the destruction of social programs and infrastructure, the attack on jobs and wages, the terrible conditions facing an entire generation of young people, the vicious persecution of immigrant workers, the degradation of the environment, and the consequences of unending and expanding war, which threatens all of humanity. The opposition of workers and youth in the United States must be connected to the eruption of social struggles among workers throughout the world, who share the same interests and confront the same problems. The working classupon which the functioning of society dependshas the power to stop the assault on democratic rights, create a massive political movement to drive Trump from power, break the back of the corporate-financial oligarchy and begin the restructuring of economic life on a socialist basis. Russia's space agency ROSCOSMOS, on May 31, congratulated the SpaceX over its successful launch of a manned rocket. Taking to Twitter, Sergei Krikalev, Roscosmos executive director for crewed space programmes, greeted his "American Colleagues." In the video clip, he also highlighted the success of this mission would mean new opportunities for everyone. 'Greeting to American colleagues' "The success of the mission will provide us with additional opportunities that will benefit the whole international programme, " he added in the video. Roscosmos Executive Director on Crewed Space Programs Sergey Krikalev address on the successful Falcon 9 carrier rocket launch with Crew Dragon crewed spacecraft pic.twitter.com/25pDIdIXLe (@roscosmos) May 30, 2020 Since the mothballing of the US shuttle programme in 2011 Russia's more basic and reliable Soyuz spacecraft has been solely responsible for transporting crews to the ISS from its Baikonur launchpad in Kazakhstan. Read: Trump Lauds US' 'bold Return To Space' After NASA-SpaceX's Crew Dragon Launch Read: NASA-SpaceX Launch Provides Trump Moment To Relish During Difficult Week 'Making history' The 'historic' NASA-SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule blasted off from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39A on May 30 at 3:22pm EDT to the International Space Station. Even though the unfavourable weather conditions and fear of thunderstorms caused some delay on May 27 in the #LaunchAmerica program, both NASA and Space X made a significant leap three days later towards the revolutionisation of commercial space travel. Space veterans Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken rode off the capsule on top of a Falcon 9 rocket from the launch pad which was used by the Apollo Moon missions nearly half a century ago. Read: Biden Lauds NASA-SpaceX Crew Dragon Launch, Says Obama 'planted Seeds' Of Historic Mission Read: NASA-SpaceX Crew Dragon Blasts Off Into Space With 'unique Guest' On Board Houston, June 1 : More than 100 people were arrested in the US city of Houston as protesta continued for the second day over the death of African-American George Floyd under police custody. Houston police tweeted on Sunday morning that more than 100 individuals were arrested on various offences, reports Xinhua news agency. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo and Executive Assistant Chief Troy Finner joined hundreds of protesters Saturday evening, marching for more than three hours in downtown Houston. A large police presence were seen at the demonstration which was largely peaceful. Protest in Houston started on Friday afternoon, with more than 100 people arrested when it deteriorated into violence in the evening. Police said eight police officers were injured and 16 patrol vehicles were damaged. Meanwhile, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Saturday that Floyd's mortal remains will be buried in the city where he grew up. "This is the same city that George Floyd grew up," Turner said, asking for peace amid violent protest and riot. "His body will be returning to this city, to his city," said Turner. Demonstrations and riots have spread to cities across the US after a video went viral of Floyd being suffocated to death by a white police officer in the Minneapolis on May 25. On Sunday, Texas Governor Governor Greg Abbott declared state of disaster following the violent protests in cities throughout the state. The move allows Abbott to designate federal law enforcement officers to respond to the ongoing threats. In a separate release on Sunday, Abbott said he has ordered thousands more troopers to these cities and more than 1,000 National Guard soldiers to assist the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and local law enforcement in their efforts. "Texans First Amendment rights are absolute and will always be protected," said Governor Abbott. "But violence, vandalism, and looting will not be tolerated in this state and those found in violation of the law will be arrested and prosecuted." Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has also deployed tactical teams to assist state and local law enforcement. In Dallas, Police Chief Renee Hall on Sunday instituted curfew from 7 p.m. Sunday night till 6 a.m. for the next several days in response to the weekend violent protest. In the state capital of Austin, protesters gathered in downtown area Sunday afternoon. According to local media, protesters marched toward the state Capitol and Austin City Hall, chanting, "No justice, no peace". -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Popular Nigerian music manager and producer, Don Jazzy, has reacted to the trending issue of rape in Nigeria. Taking to Instagram, the Marvin boss pointed out that he can not imagine the pain the women suffered. Jazzy also slammed rapist apologists and those protecting rapists. READ ALSO Police Brutality Big Problem In Nigeria, US Don Jazzy Advertisement Sharing on Instagram, he wrote in part: .. I believe every rapist deserves to die. If you are a rapist out there and you see this, you should be ashamed of yourself and I want you to know that one day you will pay for your barbaric crimes See His Post Here: Dominic Cummings will be named and expected to give evidence in an employment tribunal over the sacking of ex-chancellor Sajid Javid's former aide, Sonia Khan. Government lawyers have failed to have Cummings' name removed as a respondent from the sex discrimination and unfair dismissal claim. Barristers for Sonia Khan - who was fired by the Prime Minister's chief adviser last year and escorted out of Downing Street by police officers - are said to have successfully argued that Mr Cummings' behaviour is pivotal to her case. Solicitors for No.10 had attempted to argue that his name should be removed and replaced with that of the Cabinet Office in Ms Khan's claims of sex discrimination and unfair dismissal, reports The Guardian. Dominic Cummings will be named and expected to give evidence in an employment tribunal over the sacking of ex-chancellor Sajid Javid's former aide, Sonia Khan At an employment tribunal hearing in central London, the paper said it was ruled that the Cabinet Office could be added as a respondent but that Mr Cummings' name would also remain. It is understood to be standard Government practice to ask for the employing department to be named as respondent in litigation rather than individual employees. A five-day hearing is scheduled for December, at which Mr Cummings is expected to be summoned as a witness. A Government spokeswoman said: 'We don't comment on ongoing legal matters.' Philip Hammond described Downing Street's decision to sack of one of Sajid Javids advisers, Sonia Khan (pictured far right), as totally implausible. She was caught trying to 'frantically delete messages to Boris critic and ex-Sky presenter Poppy Trowbridge (far left) Boris Johnson's all-powerful aide Cummings fired Sonia Khan (pictured) in August 2019 and had her marched out of No.10 The ruling will also mean Cummings, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's chief aide, could be personally liable in part for damages awarded to Ms Khan, who had been working as Mr Javid's media adviser. No 10 said reports of a rift between Mr Javid and Boris Johnson were 'grossly exaggerated' Mr Javid was left 'absolutely furious' after Boris Johnson's all-powerful aide Cummings fired Sonia Khan in August 2019 for allegedly misleading him over the extent of her contact with Former Chancellor Mr Philip Hammond. Mr Hammond had been her former boss at the Treasury and an avowed opponent of Mr Johnson's Brexit strategy, he described the reasons for her dismissal as 'totally implausible'. While No 10 tried to defuse the row by insisting that reports of a rift between Mr Javid and Mr Johnson were 'grossly exaggerated'. A spokesman for Mr Hammond said at the time: 'Sonia was a superb special adviser to Philip when he was Chancellor. But she's a committed Brexiteer and passionate about leaving on October 31. 'The idea that she would leak to people trying to prevent No Deal is totally implausible. Where's the motive?' Ex-chancellor Sajid Javid was left 'absolutely furious' after Boris Johnson's all-powerful aide Cummings fired Sonia Khan in August 2019 According to sources, when Mr Cummings confronted Ms Khan and demanded to know which allies of Mr Hammond she had recently contacted including his former special adviser and journalist Poppy Trowbridge he first asked her to unlock and hand over her Government phone. While he was examining its contents he noticed that Ms Khan was scrolling frantically through her personal phone deleting messages. Mr Cummings then forced Ms Khan to surrender her personal handset: although sources say that Ms Khan had managed to clear most of her WhatsApp messages, Mr Cummings spotted a recent voice call to Ms Trowbridge. It was at that point that he stripped her of her security pass and summoned the police. Xiaomis Mi is coming up with its first-ever laptop very soon. Heres what we know about the device so far. Mi, now a sub-brand of Xiaomi, on Monday announced its first-ever Mi Notebook will launch in India on June 11. The company is likely to showcase the laptop through a virtual event on the same day. Join us as we #MakeEpicHappen with one of the most awaited product launches on 11th June, 2020, 12:00PM across Xiaomi Indias social media platforms and Mi.com, read the invite sent by Mi to media outlets. In case you didnt know, Xiaomis Mi last week announced that it will enter the Indian laptop market in June. The company didnt confirm which model it is going to bring to the country but confirmed the device will be slim and light-weight. With Mi notebooks, you will get a minimalistic but elegant design, at the same time, it will be loaded with the technology that will make it worthwhile for all the power users out there, Raghu Reddy, Chief Business Officer, Xiaomi India had told Hindustan Times last week. Reddy also confirmed the company will launch fewer SKUs to help make it easier for customers to choose their preference. According to a recent report, Mis first Notebook will be a rebranded version of RedmiBook 13 which launched in China in December last year. The RedmiBook 13 comes with up to iCore 7 processor, 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage. Other top features include dual 2W speakers with DTS Audio support, 40Whr battery, Bluetooth 5.0, and 3.5mm headphone jack. 01.06.2020 LISTEN The Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) has applauded President Akufo-Addo for adhering to the recommendations by stakeholders especially the Teacher Unions and Civil Society Organizations to let the final year learners return to school. GNECC said it is also grateful that the gold track SHS students who missed their learning are also going to complete that phase of their academic calendar. However, to ensure no student is left behind, GNECC in a statement has recommended that the Ministry of Education put adequate measures in place to cater for the needs of every student in school including students with special educational needs. The coalition is also of the view that schools should be made to maximise the use of available spaces such as schools assembly halls and laboratories to enable the effective adherence to the social distance safety protocols, GNECC said. The coalition further suggested that the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Health should assign a nurse to a school to ensure the consistent monitoring of cases in the schools. GNECC noted that it still stands by its position to ensure proper measures are put in place before the actual re-opening of schools. Among the measures include the provision of contactless veronica buckets and hand washing stations created in every classroom, the availability of running water in the schools at all times, provision of thermometer guns in all schools and ensure toilet facilities in the schools are disinfected regularly when schools are in session. The Coalition added that online teaching and learning programmes should also be made available in the schools i.e. E-learning content should be screened in the schools. The government announced the reopening of schools for final-year students, as part of its first phase of opening up the country after restrictions were imposed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Effective Monday, 15 June 2020, schools and universities would be reopened to allow final-year junior high, senior high and university students to resume classes ahead of the conduct of their respective exit examinations. President Akufo-Addo announced this in a televised address to the nation on Sunday, 31 May 2020. Final-year university students are to report on 15 June, final-year SHS students together with SHS 2 gold track students on 22 June and final-year JHS students on 29 June. JHS 3 classes will comprise a maximum of 30 students, SHS classes a maximum of 25 students and university lectures will take place with half the class size. All others are to remain home for now. ----classfmonline RCMP in Surrey, B.C., are investigating a workplace incident that led to the death of a CN railyard worker early Monday morning. In a statement Monday, police said Surrey's fire and rescue service was called to the CN property in the 11700-block of 138 Street at around 1:40 a.m. for reports of a workplace fatality. The BC Coroners Service said it is investigating the death but could not release any other details. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada confirms it is also investigating a death which it said took place during a "switching operation" at the CN Railway Thornton Yard. "There was an employee at the railway who was killed," said spokesperson Chris Krepski. "The Transportation Safety Board of Canada sent an investigator to gather information and assess the occurrence to determine what the next steps might be from the TSB standpoint." The TSB is an independent agency that investigates incidents involving rail transportation occurrences and does not determine civil or criminal liability. Krepski said the TSB cannot release any other details that would identify the victim. In an email, CN spokesperson Jonathan Abecassis wrote the company is reaching out to the employee's family. "We want to offer our sincere condolences to the employee's family and community in these tragic times," said Abecassis. Rapper Sarkodie and wife Tracy Sarkcess, D-black and other musicians stranded abroad can finally heave a sigh of relief as they will soon touch down on their motherland. The musicians have been appealing to the Government of Ghana to open the borders for their return following the Coronavirus pandemic. A couple of days ago, Sarkodie's wife who is locked down together with her husband in the United States tweeted her frustrations over the government's refusal to open the borders or arrange flights for them to return back home. But their pleas have not gone to waste as President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has disclosed that Ghanaian nationals abroad will soon be evacuated back to Ghana. The President, in his 10th nation update on COVID-19 on Sunday, May 31, 2020, eased restrictions on public gatherings but the country's borders remain closed until further notice. However, he indicated that "given that there are Ghana residents stranded abroad, special dispensation is going to be given for their evacuation back to Ghana, where they will be subjected to the mandatory quarantine and safety protocols". Although, the President didn't give a definite date for the evacuation, it comes as good news that the musicians' calls have been heeded. 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 Egypt reported on Monday 1,399 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of infections to 26,384, the health ministry said. The ministry also reported 46 fatalities, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,005. The health ministry added that 410 patients fully recovered and were discharged from isolation hospitals and quarantine facilities. The total number of recoveries from the highly contagious virus now stands at 6,297. The number of patients whose PCR test results have turned from positive to negative, including complete recoveries, has now reached 7,149, ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said. Egypts Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Monday Egypt is expected to witness a surge in the number of coronavirus patients in the next two weeks. Search Keywords: Short link: Phuket commerce president surprised, but welcomes move to reopen hotels PHUKET: Phuket Chamber of Commerce President Thanusak Phungdet today welcomed the silent move by provincial officials to allow hotels across the island to reopen. COVID-19Coronavirushealthtourismeconomics By Tanyaluk Sakoot Monday 1 June 2020, 05:14PM Phuket Chamber of Commerce President Thanusak Phungdet. Photo PR Phuket Mr Thanusak was unaware of the rule change when contacted by The Phuket News and asked to see a copy of the order issued by Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana last night. On page 34 of the 37-page order, all venues registered under the Hotels Act were permitted to reopen from June 1. After confirming that hotels were indeed allowed to open, Mr Thanusak praised the move. Those hotels in a position to reopen now can do so. Allowing hotels to reopen can help to reduce unemployment in Phuket, he said. Mr Thanusak pointed out that many hotels were not prepared to open immediately, as many had wound down their operations since they were ordered to close on April 4. But at least this gives hotel operators a choice. Those who are not ready to reopen can remain closed, as there are no tourists right now, but if they are ready they can reopen, he added. Mr Thanusak pointed out that hotels must now adjust their operations to include the new normal health and hygiene requirements, not only to abide by the law but also to help instill confidence among potential tourists to want to come to Phuket. He also pointed out that more needed to be done to allow tourists to come to Phuket, namely reopening Phuket International Airport to at least allow domestic flights for now, and critically for international flights later. More needs to be done in terms of marketing also, so potential tourists can feel confident in choosing to enjoy their holiday here, he said. Mr Thansuak repeated his advice for hoteliers to use the COVID-19 forced closure as a time to renovate properties and train staff. That way, their businesses will be more value-add attractive and more competitive for when the next tourism high season comes in about six months time, he said. Infosys has furloughed 3 percent of its UK workforce London: Infosys, co-founded by Rishi Sunaks father-in-law Narayana Murthy, said it had used the furlough-or forced leave-option for 3 percent of its staff in order to tide through the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the deadly virus. "In light of the current situation, Infosys has furloughed 3 percent of its UK workforce. We are reviewing this on a weekly basis, Infosys told The Sunday Times. The scheme was unveiled by the Indian-origin finance minister, married to Murthys daughter Akshata, at the peak of the crisis and is set to gradually wind down until it is fully closed at the end of October. Under the provisions, the government covers 80 percent of salaries of furloughed staff, up to the value of GBP 2,500 a month, in order to prevent companies having to resort to redundancies. In a latest set of announcements earlier this week, Sunak had added more flexibility into the programme so that employers can make use of the scheme in the most effective way. Our top priority has always been to support people, protect jobs and businesses through this crisis. The furlough and self-employment schemes have been a lifeline for millions of people and businesses, said Sunak, who is leading the UK governments economic response to the coronavirus pandemic. We stood behind Britains businesses and workers as we came into this crisis and we stand behind them as we come through the other side. Now, as we begin to re-open 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, he said. A newspaper daily also claims that the finance minister is drafting up an emergency coronavirus Budget to be tabled before the House of Commons in July, as the lockdown measures begin to be eased from next week. Plans to save millions of furloughed workers from the scrap heap and retrain them will be a centrepiece of the address to MPs, which is pencilled in for the week beginning 6 July, the newspaper said. The July statement will not be a full Budget with tax changes but would be a pre-budget report to outline a recovery plan for the pandemic-hit economy. Sunak has had to table a series of mini-budgets in response to the economic crisis since his maiden Budget in early March. Business groups briefed on the new plans claim the emergency budget will have three key elements--funds to retrain workers laid off when the furlough scheme ends, huge extra infrastructure spending, and a plan to help British-based technology firms. W ikileaks founder Julian Assange missed his third court date in a row this morning after saying he is too unwell to participate in the hearing. The 49-year-old is currently being held at HMP Belmarsh while awaiting the restart of his extradition proceedings, currently due to happen in September. Assange is wanted for questioning in the United States over the mass leak of defence cables on Wikileaks relating to the Iraq and Afghan wars. At a brief hearing this morning, Westminster magistrates court heard Assange has indicated to prison guards that he would not be attending court via videolink. His barrister Edward Fitzgerald QC said Assange has a pre-existing respiratory condition, and his legal team have been calling for him to be released on bail due to the coronavirus pandemic. Wikileaks founder Julian Assange raises his fist prior to addressing the media on the balcony of the Embassy of Ecuador in London in 2017 / AFP via Getty Images Assange was not present at the last two hearings of his case, which have dealt with administrative matters in anticipation of the extradition hearing restarting. The court was told today that a new venue for the case has not yet been found, but the hearings are due to start again on September 7. District Judge Vanessa Baraitser this morning approved Assanges continued detention until the next hearing on June 29. Assanges extradition hearings began in February and were due to resume last month, but the plan had to be abandoned in the face of the Covid-19 outbreak. Todays hearing was attended in person by some journalists and observers of the case, while others had organised to dial-in remotely by phone. Much of todays proceedings was inaudible over the phone link, a problem compounded by one of the caller talking while lawyers in court were addressing the judge. Press freedom organisation Bridges for Media Freedom said Assange did not attend an administrative hearing at Westminster magistrates court by videolink this morning due to illness, and added he has a long-standing respiratory issue makes him vulnerable to contracting Covid-19. Judge Baraitser has refused to grant Assange bail, saying he would be at risk of absconding if he were to be released on bail. A developing tropical cyclonic storm called Nisarga in the Arabian Sea is likely to make a landfall over Palghar district, located around 100km north of Mumbai, on Wednesday evening or at night. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) authorities expect damages across four districts in north Konkan because of Nisarga. The IMD on Monday issued a yellow message a cyclone alert issued 72 hours prior to the weather event -- directing district administrations across a 370km area between Harihareshwar in Raigad, Maharashtra, to the Union Territory of Daman, which is closer to south Gujarat, to be on high alert. As per the trajectory of the system, its expected to make the landfall somewhere near Palghar district on Wednesday evening or at night, said Sunitha Devi, in-charge of cyclones at IMD. Were closely monitoring the movement of the system (currently a depression). An orange alert (be prepared) will be issued 48 hours before the landfall, while a red alert (take action) will be issued 12 to 24 hours for the affected areas, she added. The Palghar administration said that they had been informed that the landfall was expected in the district. One team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has moved into Palghar after details were shared by the IMD authorities. Weve issued a cyclone alert to all those living within 3km of the coast, and stopped the fishing community from entering the Arabian Sea till Thursday. Were currently collating a list of people, who need to be evacuated from the low-lying areas and those areas that are most susceptible to damages, said Kiran Mahajan, deputy collector (general administration), Palghar. The intensity of the approaching weather system was scaled up from a cyclonic storm to a severe cyclonic storm with maximum winds expected to be ranging from 105-115 km per hour (kmph) gusting to 125 kmph around the point of landfall, the bulletin said. Palghar, Thane, Mumbai, and Raigad districts are likely to be the most affected by this severe cyclonic storm. Were expecting damages in the form of the uprooting of trees and the collapse of kutcha and pucca buildings. A more detailed list of likely damages will be shared soon. State governments are being updated constantly, as the weather system develops, said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director-general, IMD. Mahesh Narvekar, chief officer, disaster management cell, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), said, Our preparations are on based on the regular updates from the IMD authorities. Another BMC officer said, Strict warnings have been issued to the fishing community to avoid entering the Arabian Sea. Were analysing the critical areas, where our officers will visit on Monday, including coronavirus disease (Covid-19) centres that need to be shifted because of a likely increase in the intensity of the rainfall. IMDs latest bulletin at 8.30am on Monday said the system was a weather depression located 670 km south-southwest of Mumbai and 900km south-southwest of Surat. Its very likely to intensify into a deep depression over the east-central and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea during the next 12 hours and intensify further into a cyclonic storm over the east-central Arabian Sea by Tuesday morning. Initially, its likely to move nearly northwards till Tuesday morning, and then recurve north-northeastwards and cross north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts between Harihareshwar at Raigad and Daman by Wednesday evening or at night, the bulletin said. Mumbai and its surrounding areas may receive moderate rainfall or thundershowers on Tuesday and heavy to very heavy rain, measuring between 64.5 millimetres (mm) and 204.4 mm, and on the following day. Palghar district can expect extremely heavy rainfall of over 204.5 mm on Tuesday and Wednesday. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:31:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HONG KONG, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The major universities in Hong Kong on Monday voiced support for the national security legislation for Hong Kong. Chairmen of the councils of eight government-funded universities released a joint statement on Monday expressing support for the legislation. "As residents of Hong Kong, we enjoy the protection provided by the state, and in turn have a reciprocal obligation to protect the state by supporting the introduction of legislation which prohibits criminal acts that threaten the existence of the state," the joint statement said. "We therefore support the national security laws which will operate under the principle of 'one country, two systems,' to better ensure universities can continue to create knowledge through research and learning," it added. The eight universities include the City University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Baptist University, the Lingnan University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Education University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and the University of Hong Kong. The Open University of Hong Kong said in a separate statement on Monday that a well-established national security law will help effectively safeguard Hong Kong's safety and overall interests of its residents, enabling Hong Kong to continue to develop and prosper. "We also trust that the 'one country, two systems' principle, as well as the related freedoms and the rule of law will continue to be maintained and protected," it added. Enditem Many investors might consider the Oil-Energy sector as an attractive investment opportunity, thanks to the massive recovery in oil prices. From less than $9 per barrel on Apr 21, the price of WTI crude has recovered to more than $34 per barrel, currently. Investors can ride on this oil price improvement. Exxon Mobil Corporation XOM stock looks appealing as of now, primarily because of the improving crude prices and its growing potential. However, investors must note that the companys fortunes are not solely reliant on commodity prices. In fact, ExxonMobils strong integrated business model, with a diversified business presence, has made it a relatively lower-risk energy sector player. Notably, ExxonMobils upstream portfolio recorded slow but steady production growth in the last few quarters and the trend is not expected to change anytime soon. The company owns some of the most prolific upstream assets globally, with a number of major projects coming online over the next few years. Its current growth developments include the Stabroek Block, located off the coast of Guyana. In the block, the company estimates gross recoverable resource of more than 8 billion oil-equivalent barrels. Moreover, the firm projects daily Guyana oil production volumes of more than 750,000 gross barrels by 2025. Importantly, the coronavirus pandemic hasnt affected the current operations offshore Guyana, as revealed by the company. Hence, due to extensive geographical footprint, ExxonMobil is less exposed to regional challenges. Other aspects that make the company an attractive pick are its refining operation that is one of the largest in the world, substantial chemical assets, dividend history and a credit profile that is second to none in the space. At the end of first-quarter 2020, the companys total cash and cash equivalents were $11.4 billion, and debt amounted to $59.6 billion. Notably, the integrated energy firms debt-to-capitalization ratio of just 0.24 reflects its significantly lower reliance on debt capital. The energy giant carries a high investment grade rating of Aa1, given by Moody's, which reflects the companys strong ability to fulfill financial commitments. Moreover, the integrated energy company has maintained its long-term business outlook. The company added that it will continue to invest in profitable projects to capitalize on long-term energy demand. Story continues Although coronavirus-induced lockdowns have dented global energy demand at large, things are about to change. In the wake of unfavorable business scenario, ExxonMobil slashed 2020 capital budget by 30% or $10 billion from its original guidance to $23 billion. The company will also slash cash operating expenses by 15% to combat the pandemic. The measures are likely to help the energy giant make up for the massive shortfall in cash flows. However, COVID-19-induced lockdowns are expected to be lifted gradually, which will boost energy demand again. ExxonMobil stands tall to gain from this market improvement. Notably, it has an expected earnings growth of 12.5% for the next five years. All the developments mentioned above substantiate the companys Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Thus, ExxonMobil appears to be a lucrative investment proposition at the moment. In fact, the stock has gained 21.2% since the beginning of the second quarter compared with 5.8% rise of the industry it belongs to. Other Stocks to Consider Other top-ranked players in the energy space include Chesapeake Energy Corporation CHK, CNX Resources Corporation CNX and Comstock Resources, Inc. CRK, each holding a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Chesapeake Energy delivered an average positive earnings surprise of 42.8% in the last four quarters. CNX Resources beat earnings estimates thrice and met once in the last four quarters, with average positive surprise of 111.5%. Comstock Resources 2020 sales are expected to gain 32.7% year over year. Zacks Single Best Pick to Double From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each picked their favorite to gain +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Zacks Director of Research, Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all. This young companys gigantic growth was hidden by low-volume trading, then cut short by the coronavirus. But its digital products stand out in a region where the internet economy has tripled since 2015 and looks to triple again by 2025. Its stock price is already starting to resume its upward arc. The skys the limit! And the earlier you get in, the greater your potential gain. Click Here, See It Free >> 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 Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comstock Resources, Inc. (CRK) : Free Stock Analysis Report CNX Resources Corporation. (CNX) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research At the start of 2020, Pennsylvania counties announced that their top legislative priority for the year would be increased state funding for the mental health community base, a result of the growing mental health needs across all 67 counties. No one could have imagined at that time just how much more critical those community-based mental health services would become in just a few months. The suffering of those in need has been multiplied as their previously normal routines have been uprooted by the coronavirus pandemic, shifting how they function and heightening stress. What we have faced in the last several months, and certainly will continue to face in the months to come, is pandemic-induced trauma. These challenges are experienced differently by each person within their own personal circumstances and can result in increased need for support for medical needs and counseling to non-medical, but still life-sustaining needs, such as assistance for food, shelter and clothing. Although its difficult to look beyond the current challenges, planning for the future must continue while keeping in mind how our current reality continues to shape that future. Even before the pandemic, counties abilities to meet service needs had been compromised by stagnant funding over a decade, at the same time that mandates, service needs and demands continued to increase. Community-based mental health services such as community residential programs, family-based support, outpatient care and crisis intervention are critical to the well-being of our constituents and communities. Now, more than ever, a sustainable investment is needed in mental health community base funding so that counties can continue to provide services to strengthen and secure the social services safety net that was already stretched to capacity before seeing increased demand as individuals cope with the traumatic effects of our current situation. As we emerge from our stay-at-home order and the initial grip of COVID-19, it is clear that these services will be critical to reintegrating individuals and communities back into their new routines. While we understand that the state will be considering its own budget implications from unexpected revenue shortfalls, we must remember that the state and counties are partners in effectively maintaining healthy, safe and resilient communities. State funding levels for county mental health services have direct impacts on whether these important community and family supports will be available, including expanded mental health services, beds and diversions. At this juncture, we recognize that everyone has been hard hit by the ongoing financial impacts of the pandemic. Counties strongly urge the General Assembly and the Wolf Administration to show their support of Pennsylvanias residents by investing in the mental health community base that will continue to provide critical supports to individuals dealing with the effects of the coronavirus trauma in the coming year and reinforce mental health service provision for years to come. Jeff Snyder, a Clinton County Commissioner, serves as the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania President. OC Mayors Unhappy With How Relief Funds Disbursed Many Orange County mayors remain unhappy with their share of federal relief money following a recent vote by the Board of Supervisors. On May 26, a divided Board voted 3-2 to evenly split $75 million of the total $554 million the county received through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Each district will be given $15 million, and each supervisor has the sole discretion to decide how the funds will be used. Most mayors sided with the two dissenting supervisors, who proposed giving the money to cities directly and distributing it based on population. The mayors say they know the cities needs better than the supervisors and are better equipped to distribute the money immediately to small businesses in need. They need this money immediately, Laguna Niguel Mayor Laurie Davies told The Epoch Times. Were capable of distributing it, and it really is about local control. Davies was joined by mayors from Laguna Niguel, Santa Ana, Rancho Santa Margarita, Irvine, Laguna Hills, Yorba Linda, Fountain Valley, and Newport Beach at the May 26 board meeting, where they voiced their concerns. Were not giving up on our small businesseswe are fighting for them, Davies said. Opponents of the approved plan believe it may require the assistance of outside administrators to disburse the funds within each district, adding time and cost. They say city-level distribution would be more straight-forward and not require this outside service. Supervisor Doug Chaffee, who voted with the majority, said, I think this lets us all do what we believe is best for our districts. And if you would simply like to allocate your share for your district to the cities within your district, I think that would be your prerogative. A Board Divided Thirty-one of the countys 34 mayors supported the business recovery plan put forth by Chairwoman Michelle Steel and Supervisor Don Wagner at the May 19 board meeting. The planwhich was defeatedwould have allocated the $75 million directly to cities, based on population. Each city would then decide how to best distribute assistance to the small businesses within their jurisdiction. Davies said the idea was to get them through a month right now. Its to get them money immediately, even if its to pay something as small as their rent, she said. Most of the $554 million in CARES money has been allocated for various costs related to the pandemic. The $75 million is the remaining amount to be divvied up. Chaffee, along with Supervisors Lisa Bartlett and Andrew Do, proposed the plan that eventually passed, which disburses the funds evenly among the districts. He said he didnt want to see his district shorted. Davies and the other mayors are concerned the funds wont be sent out fast enough to businesses on the verge of bankruptcy. And if the funds are given as loans, she believes this will put businesses further into debt. On May 29, she wrote a letter to Bartlett, urging her to send relief to the communitys businesses in the form of grants, citing the CARES Act requirements. She also asked for the funds to be distributed to cities within the district based on population. Additionally, not one dollar of these relief funds should be used for paying for an administrator to do something that 5th District cities can already do, the letter added. The supervisors have five different thoughts on how best to help our communities, Bartlett said, but she felt allocating the money directly to small businesses was not a lifeline, except for a couple of days. Bartlett has discussed leveraging her districts share of the money, to get more money out of it. She is determined to help the businesses in the long-term, and felt the other plan would not sustain them. Chaffee and Do agreed. Better Boots on the Ground Mayors have better boots on the ground compared to their supervisors, Yorba Linda Mayor Beth Haney told The Epoch Timeswhich is why they should be allowed to decide where the funds go. Supervisor Wagner said during the meeting that mayors know where their cities need the most help, and that hiring an outside administrator would delay businesses from receiving aid. He said he would distribute the money to cities in his district within a week of receiving it. Hes not going to spend one dime of the $15 million that he gets on an administrator. Hes going to let the cities do it, Haney said. All 31 out of 34 mayors wanted direct access to that money, because we all know our cities, she added. We dont need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on an administrator to divvy up this money. Yorba Linda already has a great finance department and a great economic department. After the meeting, the Yorba Linda City Council voted unanimously to approve a small business relief program that would grant up to $10,000 to eligible businesses, she said. Supervisor Steel also plans on allocating her portion directly to the cities in her district, earmarked for businesses and based on population. She said hiring an administrator is just wasting money. We Know Our Cities Rancho Santa Margarita Mayor Brad McGirr is concerned about how long funds will take to get into the pockets of business owners and landlords in his city, who need to pay rents and mortgages. We know our cities better than anybody else, McGirr told The Epoch Times. We know who is struggling and who isnt. He and other city officials know better than any consultant, he said, even if he or she is clairvoyant. Hes spoken to those who have succeeded, those who have failed, and those who are hanging on by the skin of their teeth, and hears from them daily. The money was needed yesterday, he said, adding that he is very bothered that grant money designated for small businesses is being held up by the Board of Supervisors. At the May 19 meeting, the board approved $26 million in relief funds to go directly to the cities. The county plans to use the remaining $453 million from the CARES Act allocation to pay for overtime, health care, and medical costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The world's largest civil hospital ship takes to the seas in Tianjin. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] China should build more hospital ships so it can better respond to major medical emergencies, according to a national political adviser from the shipbuilding industry. Dong Qiang, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and former chairman of China State Shipbuilding Corp, suggested that the government should set up special funds to design and build four types of hospital ships. "We need hospital ships that can respectively be used along rivers, near coasts or in open seas far from the shore. They will be used for both civilian and military purposes," he told China Daily in an exclusive interview. "Such vessels will be specifically designed for medical purposes and have special ventilation and sterilization devices, as well as quarantine wards." The largest type among the four models proposed by Dong would have a displacement of 30,000 metric tons and be tasked with serving long-range, ocean-bound operations. The ship would be capable of traveling more than 18,500 kilometers in a single voyage and operating without resupply for 30 days. It would have about 100 crew members and be able to support the work of more than 400 medical staff. Such a ship could have as many as 1,000 beds for patients, including 600 that could be used for those with infectious respiratory diseases. There would also be intensive care units and 12 operating tables, according to Dong. The second-largest model, as Dong described, would have a displacement of 16,000 tons and be capable of sailing for nearly 9,300 km and operating without resupply for 20 days. There would be 30 crew members and about 250 doctors and nurses on the vessel, able to treat 350 patients. Preliminary technological research on these ships has started, and design work can begin at any time if the government approves the proposal, he said. The political adviser explained the reasons for advocating the building of such hospital vessels. "To deal with an epidemic or a natural disaster, the government will need to mobilize and organize a huge amount of medical resources very quickly to support severely affected places. One practical solution is a temporary hospital. But its construction requires a certain period of time and a very large input of manpower. "In addition, if an epidemic overlaps with another contingency such as a natural disaster or war, it will be very difficult for the government to concentrate medical forces and resources within a short time," Dong said. Therefore, a big country like China needs mobile forces for medical emergency response, he added. Considering these factors, he explained, mobile medical facilities can be very useful, helpful and convenient as a supplement to the existing hospital system. China has the world's first hospital ship designed and built for that purpose. CNS Daishandao, popularly known as the Peace Ark, is owned and run by the Chinese Navy. The ship, which has been known for its many overseas humanitarian missions, has 300 beds, eight operating tables and 2,400 items of medical apparatus such as computed tomography scanners, x-ray imagers and air purifiers. The Peace Ark was developed and constructed by China State Shipbuilding Corp, the nation's leading shipbuilder and one of the world's biggest in this industry. The Falcon 9 rocket pushed Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken into orbit at 16,000 miles per hour. The pepper pellet that hit Darrell Hampton's face on Earth was traveling at about 1.4% that speed, fast enough to shatter the back of his cellphone before walloping his eye and showering his neck with an indescribable burning sensation. Up until that point, Hampton had marched peacefully with other Denver protesters Saturday afternoon, at around the same time astronauts Hurley and Behnken were flying toward the International Space Station. Then around 6 p.m., at West 14th Avenue and Lincoln Street, a masked policeman in riot gear hopped on a vehicle and, as it pulled away, casually squeezed his trigger. "First, it was shock," says Hampton, who works in accounting. "And then fear of 'What's happening to my eye right now? Am I going to be able to open it again?' I didn't feel like the guy had any reason to do that, other than he was angry." In cities across the country, crowds had gathered to protest state violence against black Americans days after a Minneapolis man named George Floyd died after spending nearly nine minutes pinned to the pavement under a police officer's knee. And miles above the planet, in a capsule 13 feet in diameter, Behnken was weightless. He spun around and showed a floating toy dinosaur that he'd brought along at the request of his sons. "We'd like to thank the American people for the opportunity today," Behnken said in video beamed back to Earth. "And we're really proud of the entire team that was able to accomplish human space flight again from the Florida coast. Just a wonderful experience." Over the weekend America watched a billionaire's private company, under a $2.6 billion government contract, deliver two men into orbit with speed and elegance, and then watched its cities spasm with anger and chaos. The launch was a triumph of ingenuity and collaboration; the widespread unrest was the product of a systems failure: The recent deaths of Floyd, Breonna Taylor (shot by police in her Louisville home) and Ahmaud Arbery (hunted down by vigilantes in Georgia) caused the social fabric, threaded by generations of racism and frayed by the coronavirus pandemic, to catch fire and explode. The SpaceX rocket, meanwhile, took off from Cape Canaveral in a heave of fire and exhaust. Fort Lauderdale resident Rosie Nwanganga had hopped in a friend's car Saturday afternoon to drive to Cocoa Beach. After months of quarantine, it was blissful to be on a towel by the water, among smiling and excited humans, waiting for the launch. Through phones and radios, everyone could hear the technical play-by-play. At T-minus 1:48, the crowd heard that Stage 2 of the liquid-oxygen load was complete. At T-minus 0:54, the crowd heard that the flight termination system was armed. At T-minus 0:35, the crowd heard astronaut Hurley say, "Let's light this candle." And then the Falcon 9 soared like a shooting star on a return trip. Nwanganga felt the vibration in her rib cage. Looking up, she felt exhilaration. Later, looking down at images and video on social media, she felt exhaustion. "We're so smart but we're so behind," says Nwanganga, 27. "People are watching all over the world. They're seeing something positive, with this launch, but they're also watching us protest and have to burn places down to get attention. The United States has aced space travel but has failed in equality, and that's sad." At the launch, phones were angled up in wonder. Elsewhere, phones were pointed outward in solidarity and suspicion. Along the barricades at Baltimore's city hall, a chef named Denicia Baker, 26, was cleaning up bottles thrown by troublemaking white people when, according to Baker, two cops hit her with a shield and baton. "We're doing everything we're supposed to be doing," she says. "We're policing ourselves. We've policed the agitators. It was two black men that hit me. It's infuriating because no matter what we do, we're not being treated like humans. It was mind-boggling, it was traumatizing, it was frustrating - especially because I used to be in the military. They don't see that. They see my skin color and automatically meet me with brute force." On a street in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis, after one officer said "Light 'em up," law enforcement shot projectiles at onlookers watching from their own porch. In Brooklyn, an NYPD squad car accelerated into protesters. Cars burned in Cleveland. City hall burned in Nashville. In the White House, the president wailed on Twitter about "FAKE NEWS!" and "LAW & ORDER!" but gave no formal address to the nation. The country seemed incapable of the care and precision that delivers people to orbit. At her home in Charlotte, former astronaut Joan Higginbotham started watching the launch preparations at T-minus 20:00. She remembered the fat gloves and thousands of switches on the space shuttle Discovery, whose vintage bulk she rode to orbit in 2006 for a mission just shy of 13 days, as she looked at footage of the clean blue touch screens in the sleek SpaceX capsule. This was progress. Higginbotham was thrilled by the exquisite liftoff from American soil. But the television in her home had been turned off most of last week. She had seen the video of George Floyd's last moments too many times. Floyd had complained he couldn't breath and lay motionless on the ground for almost two minutes before the officer removed his knee. This was the opposite of progress. "For me, as an African American woman, it is just extremely exhausting and exasperating and it sucks the life out of me when things like this continue to happen in this day and age," Higginbotham says. Ten miles away from Higginbotham that same afternoon, in downtown Charlotte, three black men of different generations converged on an overpass of Interstate 277, above East 4th Street. "I'm tired of this s---!" said a 45-year-old man in a white tank top. "We've been standing around, as the older ones, taking all this bulls---! . . . Ain't nobody coming to protect us!" A 31-year-old man named Curtis Hayes Jr. brought over a 16-year-old protester, to make a point. "He's 16!" Hayes shouted at the older man. "And they going to kill him next week," the older man said. "At this point I'm ready to die for what's going on!" Hayes, tears streaming down his face, pivoted to the 16-year-old, gripped his rib cage, and bellowed: "Let me tell you something. What you see right now is gonna happen 10 years from now. And at 26, you gonna be doing the same thing I'm doing! You understand that! Ten years! You're gonna be right here too! So what I need y'all to do right now, at 16, is come up with a better way. Because how we doing it - it ain't working. He angry at 46. I'm angry at 31. You angry at 16. You understand me?" "Yes sir I do," the teenager said. "Putting yourself in harms way," Hayes said, "is not the way!" The interaction was recorded and viewed tens of millions of times on Twitter and Facebook. Reached by phone Sunday afternoon, shortly after the astronauts docked with the International Space Station, Hayes explained how black people are done with waiting for progress. "I have such anger in my heart, but people of your race do not understand the hurt beneath it - they only see the anger," says Hayes, an entrepreneur. "I ask for people to see the hurt. Hurt comes before anger. And my question is 'How much do you have to see, and how much do you have to experience, to see the hurt before the rage and the anger? . . . The world better hurry up, because right now everybody is still marching for peace, and marching for equality. But soon people will be marching in rage and revenge. And that's when we'll have a problem." There was looting in Philadelphia and Santa Monica. Police pepper sprayed and Tasered and flash-bombed journalists and nonviolent protesters in every time zone of the country. In Atlanta, businesses shuttered by the pandemic were totaled by vandalism. There were also moments when the gravity of the situation gave way. In Flint, Michigan, a county sheriff marched with protesters. In Baltimore, at the behest of protesters, a police lieutenant recited the names of people killed by police. In Washington D.C. and El Paso, officers took a knee to show respect to protesters. From his home in Fairfax, Virginia, astrophysicist Hakeem Oluseyi considered the video of George Floyd's murder, the footage of SpaceX's launch, the images of peaceful protests joined by people of all races and even police officers. Growing up in the Deep South, Oluseyi was face down on the pavement many times. People in Athens, Georgia, where he was a young researcher, hurled both epithets and projectiles at him. You can look at the current unrest and see deterioration, he says. Or you can look at it and see progress in the scale and diversity of the activism. You can look at launching two men into lower orbit as minuscule on the scale of the universe, or majestic on the scale of humanity. "When you're trained in physics it gives you perspective," Oluseyi says. "You can shrink yourself down and you can make yourself a giant. I see this feeble species trying to go to space, and on a grand scale you ain't going nowhere. But being trapped in this gravity, and the amount of energy and science it takes to make a launch happen - it's almost miraculous. The fact that so many people, beyond the victimized community, would join in the protests - it feels like others are feeling the pain in ways they haven't before." Sunday night, with five humans now on the International Space Station, the mayor of St. Paul, Minn., was at his emergency operations center. Democrat Melvin Carter was tired, anxious, heartbroken. He was seeing an overlap between the rage from police brutality and the fear triggered by the pandemic. Systems that are supposed to protect and nurtureare instead harming and exploiting: law enforcement, the health-care system, the economy. And he sees an opportunity to build something new. "Every generation has moments that our children will call us to account for," Carter says. "And for our parents and grandparents, we want to know where they were during Freedom Summer, or what they did after Martin Luther King was killed, or 'Did you answer the call after Pearl Harbor?' And I firmly believe - and I believed it before last week - that this is a moment in history that our children will call us to account for." How might a spell in space change one's perspective on this mess? Fourteen years ago Higginbotham had a view of the Earth from 250 miles up. It wasn't the blue-marble view that the Apollo crew had, from a greater distance, but her vantage point dramatized the thin blue line of Earth's atmosphere. Almost nothing separates life from the void. But that almost-nothing is everything. "We had a mini United Nations aboard the shuttle and space station," Higginbotham says. "If we could get along and come together for a common good on this tin can of a spacecraft, then how come on Earth - where there's so much more space - we can't have that same type of unification and commonality and humanity?" The World Health Organization has admitted none of its specialists visited the wet market or the Wuhan laboratories in February during a supposedly fact-finding mission to China. Margaret Harris, the World Health Organization's spokesperson, has admitted to Sky News host Sharri Markson that only three of 25 WHO experts who visited China in February actually travelled to Wuhan. The interview was part of a special investigation segment titled "What is China Hiding". The three global members of the collective mission who went to the origin of the coronavirus in Wuhan were Bruce Aylward, Chikwe Ihekweazu, and Tim Eckmanns. Harris did not answer a question regarding whether they had sought permission from Chinese authorities to visit the wet market, instead said that the mission's focus was on learning from the response. Furthermore, she explained that they were not looking at the origin of the virus, which is why the wet market and laboratory were not on the agenda. She also added that the disease was at its peak in February, which is why it was unsafe for WHO personnel to travel to Wuhan and investigate. The fact-finding mission commenced from February 10 until February 24, 2020. Read Also: Wuhan Wet Market NOT the Source of Coronavirus But a Hotspot for a 'Superspreader' New Study Shows China is Receiving Too Much Hate Not only are fingers pointed towards China for starting the COVID-19 pandemic, but claims have arisen that the virus came from a lab in Wuhan and that the country bleached the wet market stalls before any independent assessments could be undertaken. Aside from that, many also accuse China of trying to cover up valuable information about the coronavirus and say that they released a false number in the country's death toll when it was actually ten times more than what they initially reported. Officials from Wuhan said that the updated figures were the result of new data obtained from multiple sources, including records kept by and prison houses and funeral homes. Moreover, they claim that deaths associated with the virus outside hospitals, particularly those who passed away in their homes, had not previously been recorded. They assert that health systems were initially overpowered and cases were "mistakenly reported". Additionally, they add that some instances were counted more than once and others could have been missed entirely. Conjointly, they said that an initial shortage of testing capacity meant that many patients who contracted the virus were not accounted for. The Coronavirus' Origin Still Unclear Although many believe that it came from China, there has been no actual proof of the virus' original location in the country. According to scientists, the virus naturally emerged in bats. Yet, the U.S. Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, and other spectators have pointed fingers at an institute that is run by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. According to Pompeo, the Wuhan Institute of Virology is just a few miles away from where the exotic wet market was. Furthermore, the Chinese government said that any claims on the coronavirus being released from a laboratory were "unfounded and purely fabricated." Geng Shuang, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, noted the institute's director, Yuan Zhiming, in saying that the laboratory rigidly implements biosecurity protocols that would prevent the release of any pathogen. Also Read: China Study Claiming Coronavirus Came From Wuhan Labs Allegedly Removed From the Internet Protests resumed in Oakland on Sunday as demonstrators faced off with police, who formed a blockade across Broadway and shadowed the crowd as it moved through the downtown area waving signs and shouting slogans. Chants of, Say his name George Floyd, rang out as the crowd began massing around 6 p.m. on the corner 14th Street and Broadway, a reference to the African American man who died in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for nine minutes Monday. About 200 protesters were joined briefly by a caravan of a few dozen cars blowing their horns and chanting. The demonstration moved to Eighth and Clay streets at about 6:30 p.m., where they were again blocked by a line of police in riot gear. All of us are not killers, one protester shouted at a police officer in a flak jacket and helmet. Us too, said the officer. Emotions in the crowd intensified after dark, with chants of pigs go home. Someone hurled a firecracker or small explosive device at the line of police, and officers warnings over a loudspeaker were drowned out by loud jeers from the crowd, which remained a few blocks from Oakland City Center. But there was also one moment of a confrontation defused: A Twitter video showed multiple officers taking a knee while facing a group of kneeling protesters. Oakland police retweeted the video with the statement, We stand with our community in denouncing all incidents of police brutality. We stand with all in our community who have traditionally been marginalized, oppressed, and who have been harmed by our systems and institutions. Shortly after midnight, however, shots were fired at the Oakland police headquarters building on Seventh Street, the department said in a tweet. Three people were arrested a short time later on San Pablo Avenue, police said. It was not immediately known if the shooting was connected to the Floyd-related protests. Police massed their forces during the evening wherever trouble seemed imminent, hoping to prevent a repeat of the looting that has plagued cities across the nation in the wake of Floyds death. Downtown Oakland was the site of unrest both Friday and Saturday nights. Dante Smith of West Oakland said he was slightly nervous coming out with his I cant breathe sign because of the coronavirus pandemic, but felt he needed to show his support for Floyd. I felt his pain. It could have been me, he said, as he puffed a cigar, looked around and then gestured toward the crowd. People are just getting stuff out of their system. Theyre just fed up, period. Baco Cisse, a statistics major at UC Davis and native of Oakland, went to the protest on his bicycle because he wanted to show support. I dont condone violence, he said, but sometimes its necessary. 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. While some shouted obscenities at the police, most were peaceful. One young black protester spoke quietly with a white officer and told him he was unsure how to appropriately express his frustrations about police violence against people of color. The officer replied with a smile that he thought the police chief would be open to dialogue. Mayor Libby Schaaf and interim Police Chief Susan Manheimer vowed earlier in the day to have a strong law enforcement presence that would take action against any illegal acts. Now Playing: Protesters refused to heed official pleas to stay home Saturday, instead taking to Oakland and Bay Area streets, where police officers in riot gear faced another night of outrage over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Here's an inside look. Video: Matthias Gafni, Erika Carlos Oakland, unlike San Francisco, San Jose and Walnut Creek, chose not to enforce a citywide curfew Sunday, but city officials said on Twitter that it is always an option. For now, city officials said, police will have high visibility in marked and unmarked vehicles. We will arrest those who would loot, vandalize or otherwise harm our city, said a city of Oakland tweet. Chase DiFeliciantonio, Rachel Swan and Peter Fimrite are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com, rswan@sfchronicle.com, pfimrite@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice, @rachelswan, pfimrite@sfchronicle.com. Authorities stand near a large truck on a bridge, in Minneapolis. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. (Image: AP) As some of the 250 Bay Area employees at Sequoia Consulting Group prepare to return to their San Mateo office, probably this month, theyll be part of a grand experiment that millions of U.S. workers may soon join: having to get a coronavirus diagnostic test, and test negative, before going back to work. Sequoia, human relations consultants, will require employees to be tested monthly as a condition of working in the office. The company has set up a testing tent in the parking lot and created a mobile app so employees can track their test results and receive an alert when they need to re-test. The app also requires employees to check for symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 say, a fever daily before they can get cleared to go to the office. We have so many employees that want to get back to the office, said Greg Golub, the chief executive. Were not mandating it, so if it works better for (employees) to stay at home, thats great if they dont feel comfortable going to the office. But we have a good half of the company that really wants to go back. Theyre desperate to go back to some degree. The companys strategy offers a glimpse into what may become the new normal at corporate offices across America. It comes as return-to-work testing protocols are quickly becoming a topic of national debate with major public health, economic and political ramifications. President Trumps testing plan says the Centers for Disease Control and White House are developing guidance on how, when, and if testing should be part of reopening businesses. Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden says he would establish a federal pandemic testing board with federal regulators enforcing infection-control guidelines at work, including testing. We need to be working right now on the conditions under which the private sector, industry by industry, can reopen safely, Biden said in the plan he released April 27. Even as public health experts stress staying at home to minimize new infections, record unemployment is putting immense pressure on officials to allow some semblance of workplace normalcy to resume. Some companies are already testing aggressively. The Pleasanton biotech firm 10x Genomics began in April to test workers every Wednesday under a tent in the office parking lot. The company, which makes technology for research labs and drug companies to develop medicine, has tested about 200 of its 450 local workers. None have tested positive so far, said co-founder Ben Hindson. Test results show up each Friday, and employees who test negative can return to the office on Monday. Yet routinely testing workers can get expensive, especially for large national chains that employ hundreds of thousands of people, said Dr. Caesar Djavaherian, co-founder and medical director of Carbon Health, a San Francisco primary care firm working with several employers in California and elsewhere on how to bring employees back to the workplace. Carbon is one of a few private companies that have partnered with San Francisco to test residents, including mass testing of all residents and staff members at Laguna Honda, the citys largest skilled nursing facility. Kate Munsch / Special to The Chronicle Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people 65 and older, has agreed to pay health providers up to $100 per test, so labs have tried to get costs down to that level or below, Djavaherian said. We had early discussions with large grocery store companies, and the conversation seemed to slow down when it came to pricing, said Djavaherian. The difficulty comes into play when testing hundreds of thousands of employees who are exposed, potentially, any day. So thats where the talks start to get icky. Sequoia was able to arrange an on-site testing tent because it has long used One Medical, the San Francisco primary care company that will provide the testing, as a benefit for its workers. Sequoia plans to have the testing tent from June 3 to July 1, and may extend it. Sequoia pays an annual fee to the health care company, which includes the cost of the tent, Sequoia said. Health insurance covers the tests for employees. The agreement makes testing available to members of the public who are not Sequoia employees or One Medical members. If they have insurance, their health plan may pay for the test. If they are uninsured, One Medical wont charge for the test but the lab that processes the test may bill them. Health care providers should be able to be reimbursed by the federal government under the COVID-19 Uninsured Program, which has committed to pay for testing and treatment of uninsured Americans. Kate Munsch / Special to The Chronicle Overall, the return to offices is moving slowly in the Bay Area, and workers may never come back in pre-coronavirus numbers. The state has divided reopening into four stages, and is now in Stage 2 which allows office workplaces to open with some modifications. Much of the Bay Area is proceeding more slowly. Just 5% of Bay Area employees worked in their offices as of mid-May, according to a survey of 123 chief executives released by the Bay Area Council on May 15. That is expected to increase steadily as reopening proceeds. Survey results indicate that 23% of workers will go back to the office at some point during Stage 2, which began in early May and has no end date. Whenever Stage 3 begins, with fewer restrictions, 39% of workers will be back to work, the survey indicated. By Stage 4, when the states stay-home order ends, 70% of workers will return. 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. Executives acknowledge they are embarking on an experiment for which there is no playbook. CDC guidelines for businesses reopening offices do not mandate or even recommend testing. But they do suggest keeping workers at least 6 feet apart, disinfecting shared surfaces like doorknobs and printers, and improving ventilation. California guidelines for office workspaces are similar. So Bay Area companies across many industries are starting to map out ways other than testing to ease workers back and minimize spread of the virus. Many have begun rearranging desks and cubicles to be farther apart and expect to require workers to wear masks inside. Some companies are also considering routine temperature checks, said Patrick Kallerman, research director for the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, which surveys and talks to the regions largest companies. Most workers will no doubt see their workday change dramatically. At Sequoias San Mateo office, gone will be many of the communal food and drink options in the kitchen, like the kombucha keg. Instead, the company will make sure any outside food they order will come in separate containers, like boxed lunches. Employees will be divided into small groups of around 12 people who work in the same physical space at the same time. While at work, they will be allowed to interact in person only with each other. That will make it easier, if someone does test positive for the coronavirus, to trace that persons contacts and test them as well a process known as contact tracing. In the office, Sequoia employees will have to wear masks and wont be allowed to sit next to each other. They may have to take the elevator one at a time. Workers will be able to get an antibody test at the same tent, to learn if theyve ever been infected with the coronavirus. Those results, however, will neither clear employees nor prevent them from returning to work because antibody tests still yield too many false results. Nor is it known yet whether having been infected with the virus once means a person is immune and cant get it a second time. Everyone is trying to do their best to get things back to normal, but theres really no official rule book or set of best practices that everyone feels bought into enough, Kallerman said. Theres really no perfectly laid-out way. Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 12-year-old boy was killed in a Monday afternoon shooting on Clevelands East Side, police sources say. The shooting happened about 1:30 p.m. on East 94th Street near Ramona Boulevard, steps from the Fourth District police station. The preliminary investigation revealed the shooting may have been accidental, Cleveland police spokeswoman Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said. The 12-year-old boy died after an ambulance took him to University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Childrens Hospital, police said. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner will release his name once his family has been notified. Police did not immediately release any additional information Monday afternoon. Authorities blocked part of East 94th Street as they investigated the fatal shooting. Michelle Renne Leach OMAHAProtesters came out by the hundreds on Monday evening after prosecutors in this Nebraska city decided not to charge a white bar owner who shot a young black man to death during unrest two nights earlier. We will not let others antagonize us or scare us. Were also not going to accept people who degrade us as a people, Tyreese Johnson, 20, told The Daily Beast. Kimana Barnett, 18, came out with her friends after seeing news about the shooting on social media. You never hear about something like this in Omaha. Its supposed to only happen in big cities, she said. This was, like, a what-the-fuck moment. The protest in the Old Market section was initially a peaceful scene, with some of the many cops taking a knee in solidarity with the crowd. But things turned ugly after a curfew passed and some water bottles were thrown, with officers and National Guard members surging in and arresting peopleincluding journalists exempt from the curfewen masse. Protesters in Omaha are angry that Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine chose not to bring charges against a white bar owner who killed a black man. Michelle Renne Leach The city had been bracing for trouble all day, with businesses and offices downtown closing up even before Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine announced Jake Gardner would not be charged for killing James Scurlock, 22, during a confrontation on Saturday night. The actions of the shooter, the bar owner, were justified, Kleine said at a press conference. This decision may not be popular, he added. At a press conference, Kleine played several video clips of a minute-long confrontation that unfolded between Gardner, the owner of The Hive and The Gatsby nightspots, and a small group of young people. The footage showed Gardner, a 38-year-old ex-Marine, and his 68-year-old father standing outside The Gatsby, where windows had been broken as protests stemming from the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis devolved into vandalism. James Scurlock, 22, was killed Saturday night in a confrontation with bar owner Jake Gardner. Handout The father walked down the street to confront the young black men, shoved one of them, and then got decked and pushed back about 10 feet, Kleine said. Story continues The younger Gardner then confronted the group and showed that he was carrying a gun, Kleine said. Suddenly, the video shows, two of the young people charged at Gardner and knocked him into a puddle on the streetat which point he fired two shots he claimed were warnings. The duo ran off, and then James Scurlock jumps on top on him, Kleine said. Gardner fired over his back and hit Scurlock in the clavicle, killing him. Kleine said Gardner gave police and prosecutors his version of events: He begged and pleaded for this person to get off. This person was trying to get at his gun. He says, I was in fear for my life so I fired the shot, the prosecutor added. Black Protester Shot to Death Outside Omaha Bar Scurlocks father, who is also named James, told reporters that he wanted a grand jury empaneled to examine the evidence and make a decision. I honestly feel that if Mr. Gardners father would have kept his hands to himself, the incident wouldnt have happened in the beginning, he said. What I want is justice, not a quick answer. State Sen. Justin Wayne noted that Kleine acknowledged Gardners permit for a concealed weapon was expired, but that he would not be charged in connection with that. In this community, we prosecute black and brown individuals a lot more for things like we just watched, Wayne said. We watched a video where anybody else would have gotten charged with something. Even before showing the videos, Kleine had castigated local politicians for calling it a cold-blooded murder and said reports on social media that racial slurs were used were not supported by the video or by testimony from Scurlocks friend and a protester. He also said that a few minutes before the killing, Scurlock was caught on video vandalizing the lobby of a building down the street. But I dont think thats relevant at this time, Kleine added. The death of James Scurlock was on the mind of many protesters who gathered near the spot where he was shot dead during a night of chaos. Michelle Renne Leach For his part, Gardner has been arrested on criminal charges at least four times, public records show. In 2013, police picked him up on assault and battery charges, and also hit him with a count of failing to tell an officer he had a concealed handgun. The gun charge was dismissed in a plea deal that saw him pay $200 in fines. In 2011, after being nabbed for alleged reckless driving, he was also charged with carrying a concealed weapon, which was downgraded to disturbing the peace in a plea deal that resulted in a $200 fine. Gardners record also includes two arrests from 1998 and 1999, one for reckless driving and one for third-degree assault, and a number of traffic offenses. Court records that would provide details of each arrest were not available. Gardners family declined to comment, and refused to provide The Daily Beast with the name of his attorney. Scurlock also had a criminal recordbut that almost certainly would not have been known to Gardner. It included a one-day jail sentence for misdemeanor assault in 2019 and 90-day sentence for misdemeanor domestic assault in in February. A 2014 armed robbery charge was downgraded to burglary, public records show. A self-described Libertarian, Gardner had been a source of controversy in Omaha well before last weekend. In 2016, he caused a furor when he wrote on Facebook that transgender women should have had their appendage removed if they want to use female bathrooms. Im asking transgender folk to use the unisex... bathroom, he told the World-Herald at the time. I dont think its a big ask. The Hive had also been the target of several complaints on social media that it discriminated against black patrons, with one person tweeting that Gardner personally refused entry to her black husband while letting her white brother go in. Last year, the State Liquor Authority issued a warning to Gardner for failing to cooperate with police who were investigating a possible assault on site. He has been up front about his political and philosophical views. In 2017, while in Washington to attend President Trumps inauguration, he was interviewed about the Womens March then underway. Everyone has a right to speak their mind, he said, wearing a Trump sweatshirt, with his dog Bron in a MAGA vest. Everyone loves the dog until they see the vest, he said of the marchers. He posted a photo in 2017 of himself and Bron posing with Donald Trump Jr. with the caption: Heres a guy who returns my emails 100 percent of the time, every time. #FAKENEWS #BRONANDDON. With reporting by William Bredderman 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. Led by a hearse, a funeral procession of protestors seeking to call attention to deaths within New Jerseys prison system reached its final destination: The site where Phil Murphy holds his daily coronavirus briefings. In response, the governor said his strong wish is that no one would have died. I mourn the loss of every single life in this state. Period. Full Stop. But thats not going to put this to rest. The same day, Thursday, his people announced two more deaths, bringing the total to 45, with 1,607 inmates confirmed infected so far, and 192 hospitalized. Mass testing is still underway. Other new data, from a court hearing this week, is just as damning: 14 percent tested positive, yet only 1.7 percent were released. Thats just 11 percent of the nonviolent prisoners deemed eligible under Murphys order. People are dying, the house is on fire, and instead of jumping to action, his Department of Corrections commissioner, Marcus Hicks, has been lollygagging around. A month into the pandemic, New Jersey was still treating hand sanitizer like contraband, which is crazy. At least 700 officers tested positive. And since the virus kills in only about 1 percent of cases, 45 prisoners in body bags likely means thousands of untested infections behind bars. Yet nonviolent inmates are still getting two-sentence letters, flatly informing them that that while they are on a list of those being considered for release, theyve been rejected. With zero explanation. It could be something as easily remedied as needing a place to stay. Hicks is a regrettable appointment, given his inexcusable performance, and unwillingness to be interviewed to answer legitimate questions about this -- much like he refused to testify about the rape epidemic at our states only womens prison, on his watch. At end of the day, though, he takes marching orders from the front office, and his failure is Gov. Murphys failure. In other states, governors didnt leave this up to the prison chiefs discretion. They made direct orders for release of large numbers by category, to avoid just the kind of fatal bureaucratic delay Hicks is delivering. In Kentucky and Oklahoma, governors pushed the button on hundreds of prison releases, allowing those nearing the end of their sentences to be sent home early, to self-quarantine. That diminished the need for a commissioner to exercise discretion to determine who gets let out, after COVID testing or isolation, if needed. Hicks made mistakes early on, like transferring the infected who could have just stayed in one prison. But the bottom line is, prisons are petri dishes for the virus. The only answer, if we want to prevent new outbreaks that easily hop the prison walls, are large-scale releases. If youve got someone with a month left on their sentence, it begs the question: Why are we working out an elaborate scheme for this person to be incarcerated at home, rather than just sending them home? says Alexander Shalom of the ACLU of New Jersey. The person ends up staying in for the month, because the DOC isnt satisfied with this or that element of their release plan. Thats how it played out here. Sen. Nellie Pou just dropped a sensible bill that would knock up to a year off the sentence of anyone still in prison, another way to release those getting out in the next year anyway. Murphy should have done something like that, right from the beginning. If it lands on his desk, he should sign it immediately. And theres still a role for him beyond that, to free others who are particularly vulnerable. Its not enough to wish for no one to die. As governor, he must do everything in his power to prevent it. 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. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Protesters raise their hands on command from police as they are detained prior to arrest and processing at a gas station on South Washington Street in Minneapolis: AP Up to 150 peaceful protesters many of whom had narrowly escaped being hit by a speeding fuel truck were arrested and handcuffed after police in Minneapolis fired tear gas and flash rounds to surround them. A number of those being arrested said they were not read their rights, and were not informed of what they were being charged with. The Independent watched as one young woman was overcome after being hit by tear gas and had to lie on the ground as others urged the police to call for a medic. The police did not do so, and the woman and several others were tended by first aid volunteers from among the protesters. Even peaceful protesters who are breaking curfew are subject to arrest. Please go home and stay there, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said in a tweet. The group on Washington Ave has been encircled by law enforcement. One firearm has been recovered near the location of the group. The arrests took place at around 9pm close to a junction of the the I-35W interstate highway. Earlier, hundreds of protesters had been walking along the highway when a fuel truck barrelled towards them. Images from the scene showed the bloodied driver, 35-year-old Bogdan Vechirko, being surrounded by protesters, before he was arrested by police. Officials later said it was not clear whether Mr Vechirko had been acting intentionally and that the issue was being investigated. The protests, that have spread to more than 40 cities across the country, were sparked by the death in police custody of an unarmed African American man, George Floyd. He died after a white police officer was seen kneeling on his throat for eight minutes as he gasped for breath. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with third degree murder. Three other officers present have not yet been charged, but all four were fired from from the force. Police chief Medaria Arradondo told CNN in a message that was passed live on air to the family of Mr Floyd he considered the officers silence and failure to intervene as evidence of complicity. Story continues A young man who gave his name as Kayo, and who said he was 21, said he was on the highway when the fuel truck came racing towards them. It came down speeding. All of us use were just peacefully protesting then the truck came, he said. We f***ed it up when it came by. But coincidentally, the police then came. I dont know let actions speaker louder than words. As the protesters were arrested and led away with their hands bound behind their back with plastic ties, several officers displayed concern towards the people being led away and asked if the ties were too tight or were comfortable. In several incidents, people responded by saying the ties were were not too tight. Earlier, however, there appeared to be less concern on display as police fired tear gas and flash guns, corralling the protesters to a small area close to Washington Avenue. A number of people were struck by the gas and one woman, said to be aged 20, was in particular distress. Shes been tear gassed or Maced or something, said one man. Dozens of heavily armed officers, backed up by officers on bicycles and armoured Humvees, herded the small group to small area on Washington Avenue, where they were told to sit down. The media was not permitted to leave either, and reporters and photographers were threatened they too would be arrested for as much as getting to their feet. The Independents Andrew Buncombe, in blue mask, interviews protesters as they are arrested in Minneapolis (Getty) A number of people being led away said they had not been read their rights. Ive not been told yet, said one man, who said his name was Sherrell Thompson when asked why he was being arrested. Another man said he had similarly not been told why he was being led away. Ive asked five or six different officers, the the man, who was wearing a green shirt. At this point but nobody will tell me. Nobody from the Minneapolis Police Department responded to enquiries. On Sunday night governor Tim Walz told reporters: I am certainly thankful we have no fatalities or no injuries. We are seeing very few incidents. One protester, Ahmed Al-Rwazek said he had been hit by a rubber bullet the previous day, and then inhaled tear gas as police moved in to make the arrests. On Monday, Mr Al-Rwazek, 31, said by phone he had been held for around two hours before being released. He said he and others had been told they could appear in court or else pay a fine for a charge or unlawful assembly. They used the tear gas and flash blasts to herd us together like cattle, he said. But this is not going to stop. These protests are going to get bigger and bigger. Read more Ariana Grande joins peaceful protest for George Floyds death UK photographer arrested at US protests in affront to press freedom Who was George Floyd? George Floyd protests: JK Rowling says white people have to change After staying quiet for days following President Trumps move to curtail relations with Hong Kong, Beijing weighed in on Monday with a relatively measured response, suggesting that it might be waiting for details about Washingtons plan. Mr. Trump cast his announcement on Friday as a response to Beijings move to impose broad new national security legislation in Hong Kong. As punishment, the president said, he would begin removing policy agreements with the semiautonomous city, including an extradition treaty, commercial relations and export controls. But his announcement left many questions unanswered, including what the speed and full scope of the administrations actions will be. Responding to reporters in Beijing, Zhao Lijian, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, stayed close to the ruling Communist Partys official line on the protests in Hong Kong. He cast the administrations move as just the latest attempt by a foreign power to interfere in Hong Kong. In an effort to keep his community together, one Midas muffler shop owner is encouraging his neighbors to perform one act of kindness a day. Mark Smith, 57, has lived in Richmond, Virginia, for the past 23 years. Smith describes the city as an ideal place to live because of its diversity, infrastructure, stability, five universities, and its proximity to the beach, the mountains, and Washington. But to him, its ultimately the residents who make the community special. The people here get it. Theyre very active in the community. Theyre very involved in the community. Theres a diverse group of interests. Theres a lot of support. Theres a lot of people realizing that its up to us to move things forward, Smith said. Good Deeds Smith is just one of several small business owners actively working with nonprofit organizations on causes they care about. While at work one day, someone mentioned to Smith that it was a nice afternoon to do a good deed. It led to discussing how every day is a pleasant day to do a good deed. To help his community, Smith started a citywide initiative in which residents are encouraged to perform a good deed every day from June 1 through June 30, keep a journal of each deed, and submit the list to Smith at the end of the month. In return for their good work, Smith will offer a years worth of free oil changes at his Midas muffler businesses. Mark Smith (R) in one of his Midas muffler shops. (Courtesy of Midas of Richmond) Weve got this idea that people need to be shown what to dothey need to be told what to do, I dont buy that. Were very active in our community with all of our stores, with the nonprofits we support, [and] were very active on local media, Smith explained. The initiative has received broad support, and Smith is receiving numerous calls every day from people asking how they can get involved. Smith hopes that 1,000 residents will sign up, which would result in 30,000 acts of kindness. He wants his community to rise above the fearmongering, name-calling, and finger-pointing that has permeated the mainstream media. In the environment were in with all the anxiety and all the stress and all the unknown and all the What if? I really want to change the narrative. I want to get away from the sky is falling, Smith explained. Were going to get to other side. Lets get there, work together cooperatively, and lets lead by ourselves. Smith stresses that good deeds arent about performing grand or expensive acts of kindness, but are about the power of the gesture itself and the hope that it inspires and the sense of community it creates. The initiative is based on the honor system and he trusts people will be truthful about their good deeds. Mark Smiths good deeds initiative logo. (Courtesy of Midas of Richmond) Smith hopes that when people see an act of kindness that it will inspire them to do the same. Just do something spontaneous. Buy the guy in line behind you in Dunkin Donuts his cup of coffee. Its two bucks. Have a heartfelt conversation with a stranger. Just say hi. Were just looking for people to engage. Were looking for people to be positive, Smith said. Dhaka, June 1 (IANS) Road transport services, including buses and minibuses, resumed across Bangladesh on Monday after being suspended for more than two months in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Mosharref Hossain, general manager of Hanif Paribahan, said they began their operations across the country today. They are charging 60 per cent more than the previous bus fare as per the government circular, Hossain told The Daily Star newspaper. "The presence of passengers is very thin," he added. The government suspended operations of all public transport from March 26. On May 28, the government announced to resume operations of public transport on a limited scale, maintaining all health safety guidelines. The death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh has climbed to 650 after 40 new fatalities, the most in a single day, were registered in a daily count. Another 2,545 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, raising the count to 47,153, according to the health directorate. --IANS ksk/ press release Klepierre today reopens all its French malls Paris May 30, 2020 Klepierre, the European leader in shopping malls, today reports that it has reopened all its French shopping centers. The administrative decisions that had ordered the closure of nine shopping malls in the Paris region (Val dEurope, Creteil Soleil, Belle Epine, Noisy Arcades, Villiers-en-Biere, Le Millenaire, Beau Sevran, Claye-Souilly and Eragny) have been revoked. Hence, as of today, all these malls are welcoming back all its retailers and visitors in the best sanitary conditions. Over the last weeks, Klepierre staff had indeed been actively preparing the full reopening of these malls in the Paris region. Everything has been planned for and organized: staff equipment, floor marking, customer flow signage, display of maximum store capacity, and temperature check (an optional service offered to customers). Operating restrictions still apply to bars and restaurants which may now open in France, but only outdoor in the Paris region. Cinemas will reopen on June 22 provided that social distancing is ensured. With the Portuguese malls reopening this Monday, todays reopenings in France bring the share of open malls in the whole Klepierre portfolio to 93% in value (Group share). The share will reach 100% on June 8 when shopping centers in the Madrid and Barcelona regions reopen. AGENDA July 7, 2020 Ex-dividend date for the final dividend July 9, 2020 Final dividend payment July 29, 2020 First-half 2020 earnings (after market close) Investor relations contacts media contacts Hubert dAillieres, Group Head of Investor Relations and Financial Communication +33 (0)1 40 67 51 37 hubert.daillieres@klepierre.com Mengxing Zhang, IR Officer +33 (0)1 40 67 53 05 mengxing.zhang@klepierre.com Paul Logerot, IR Officer +33 (0)1 40 67 53 02 paul.logerot@klepierre.com Helene Salmon, Group Head of Corporate and Internal Communications +33 (0)1 40 67 55 16 helene.salmon@klepierre.com Delphine Granier, Taddeo +33 (0)6 33 05 48 50 teamklepierre@taddeo.fr ABOUT KLEPIERRE Story continues Klepierre, the European leader in shopping malls, combines development, property and asset management skills. The companys portfolio is valued at 23.7 billion at December 31, 2019 and comprises large shopping centers in 12 countries in Continental Europe which together host 1.1 billion visits per year. Klepierre holds a controlling stake in Steen & Strm (56.1%), Scandinavias number one shopping center owner and manager. Klepierre is a French REIT (SIIC) listed on Euronext Paris and is included in the CAC Next 20, EPRA Euro Zone and GPR 250 indexes. It is also included in ethical indexes, such as DJSI World and Europe, FTSE4Good, STOXX Global ESG Leaders, Euronext Vigeo France 20 and World 120. These distinctions underscore the Groups commitment to a proactive sustainable development policy and its global leadership in the fight against climate change. For more information, please visit the newsroom on our website: www.klepierre.com Attachment Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) Bangladesh authorities have renewed their bid to recover $81 million lost in a bank heist four years ago, filing a fresh civil case against 17 Philippine entities last week. Bloomberry Resorts Corporation, the company behind Solaire Resort and Casino in Manila, told the Philippine Stock Exchange on Monday that the Bangladesh central bank filed a fresh case against its subsidiary Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc. and 16 others before a New York State Court. The civil complaint charges the companies for conversion, theft, or misappropriation and aiding and abetting such acts. Dhaka also accused these firms of conspiracy to commit fraud, trespass against chattels, and their "unjust enrichment," the listed firm said. Bloomberry's disclosure also stated that the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation is being charged for fraud. "Summons has not been served here. BRHI will vigorously defend itself against these baseless charges," the company added. In March, a United States District Court dismissed conspiracy charges against RCBC and local casinos for their supposed violation of the American law Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. RCBC, as well as Eastern Hawaii Leisure Company, Ltd., Centurytex Trading, and remittance firm Philrem Service Corp. and their officers have been cleared of the charges. The ruling on the previous case has been appealed by Bangladesh before the US Circuit Court of Appeals, Bloomberry said. RELATED: RCBC sues Bangladesh bank for damage to reputation over $81-M heist The cases stemmed from the February 2016 heist where thieves tapped into the system of the US Federal Reserve in New York and authorized multiple fund transfers from the Bangladesh Bank's account to a number of fake bank accounts under RCBC. The funds were wired during a long weekend, which left no time for regulators to block the transactions. The funds were withdrawn, converted into pesos and eventually into poker chips and gambled in casino tables here, where the money trail vanished. Of the amount, only $17 million has been recovered. The case is the biggest money laundering incident involving the Philippines, which prompted lawmakers to require casinos to regularly report big-ticket and suspicious transactions to authorities. Bloomberry previously said the Bangladesh Bank is relying on these court cases to collect the amount it supposedly lost to North Korean hackers. EDWARDSVILLE Protesters rallied Sunday at the steps of the Madison County Administration Building in response to the manner and cause of death of George Floyd last week. A white Minneapolis police officer was charged Wednesday with third-degree murder for his alleged role in the 46-year-old black mans death while in police custody. The St. Louis region still hasnt healed from the death of Michael Brown Jr., who was fatally shot by a white police officer Aug. 9, 2014, in Ferguson, Missouri, a North St. Louis County suburb, where similar protests took place following Browns death during an altercation with police. The Black Lives Matter movement began as an online campaign in summer 2013, after George Zimmermans acquittal for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, in Florida. The movement began with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter and gained momentum when peaceful protest rallies and violent riots occurred in Ferguson six years ago. Some of the protesters who were in Edwardsville are part of the movement. Sundays rally was organized as a Facebook event by Jaymisen Leigh-Ann Bushong, who according to her Facebook profile works in Jerseyville, and Haylee Gaines, who according to her social media profile, is from Alton, but lives in St. Louis. They stated in Facebook posts that they did not expect much of a showing, but roughly 300 people showed up to protest police brutality and excessive use of force, particularly with black people. Protesters also said they wanted to shed light on equality injustice. Some of the activists told personal stories regarding injustices that they said occurred in Edwardsville. A graduate of Edwardsville High School who would not give her full name said her family has faced inequality and injustice. She said she was called racial slurs by EHS classmates and was proud of the atmosphere Sunday. I cried just to see all the love and courage is heartwarming, the woman said. Ive never seen anything like this in my life. Most attendees agreed that the atmosphere was positive and peaceful. More Information Police express support for rights of those gathered at courthouse EDWARDSVILLE - The Edwardsville Police Department issued a prepared statement Sunday night following a protest rally. "The men and women of the Edwardsville Police Department were shocked and saddened by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. It was difficult to watch the video of Mr. Floyd begging for help while a police officer was kneeling on his neck. This action clearly did not represent proper restraint tactics in policing. "Edwardsville Police officers take pride in providing professional and courteous service for our community, while respecting the dignity of all people and the sanctity of human life. As individuals, and as a department, we support and defend the rights of all people. "To that extent, we support the rights of those who have gathered at the Madison County Courthouse (Sunday) in order to have their collective voices heard. We share in their grief, frustration and anger over the death of Mr. Floyd. Our officers have worked hard to develop a strong collaborative relationship with the members of our community. We have trained often in the appropriate use of force, safely taking individuals into custody and de-escalation techniques. "The men and women of our police department will continue to provide respectful, compassionate and professional service to the citizens and visitors of Edwardsville. We will always be there when our community needs us. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to serve." See More Collapse Its amazing to hear all the emotions in voices, said another woman, who would not give her full name but said she lived in Fairview Heights. Honestly there are more Caucasians than black people out here, and I honestly didnt know that was possible. She held a sign that read Stop killing us!!! while standing next to her was her son, Jayden, 11, holding a sign that read Am I next?? She thought twice before she decided to bring her son to the rally. I was a little skeptical at first, but as I thought about bringing him, the more I realized its everywhere, she said. He sees it on TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat, and he needs to know about it. Some participants who said they have not had personal experiences with inequality or injustice, said they still feel the need to protest and help the cause. A Glen Carbon resident said her son and daughter moved to Minneapolis and live close to where some of the riots are occurring. She said she does not condone any use of violence and she said she also does not condone what happened to Floyd and the other black men and women who have been killed as a result of interaction with police. Inequality has gone on for a long time, and we need to fix our laws and legislation, she said. While most of the activists brought their voices and many brought signs, a few brought drums and other instruments. Bob Gill, of Alton, said he brought his drum to help get the crowd more lively. He said previous protests have happened have fallen on deaf ears and that he hopes that will soon change. Premier Doug Ford is pushing to extend Ontarios COVID-19 state of emergency until June 30. As the current emergency declaration, which has been in effect since March 17, expires Tuesday, Fords majority Progressive Conservatives want another 28-day extension. We need the ability to go out there and make quick decisions absolutely immediately, the premier told reporters Monday at his Queens Park teleconference. That will hopefully get us over the hump, per se thats another four weeks. We just want to make sure everyones safe and healthy and we want to get the economy going and we need that tool to make that happen, he said, adding the options on the table for yet another extension. It all depends on the situation that were facing. We have no plan right now four weeks down the road are we going to extend it or not. But Independent MPP Randy Hillier (Larnark-Frontenac-Kingston) is trying to force the Tories to be more transparent on their intentions. Hillier will introduce a motion in the legislature on Tuesday that would compel the government to make public all the agendas, minutes, and discussions of the COVID-19 command table that justify the need for another four weeks of emergency measures. We need to see the decision-making information, the veteran MPP said in an interview. I dont believe the state of emergency is warranted. Theres a difference between the state of emergency and the emergency orders, he said, referring to the various restrictions on businesses and services that are designed to curb the spread of the virus. I am not opposed to the emergency orders its the decision-making process behind closed doors that I oppose. Hillier, who was ejected from the Conservative caucus last year after butting heads with members of the premiers inner circle, said people are getting wary of the government. He says he was in favour of the initial two-week state of emergency. Eleven weeks later, however, the MPP is concerned that Ford who skipped both of the legislatures question periods last week wants to continue governing without adequate accountability and transparency. I dont see how you can come to any other conclusion, said Hillier. Ontarios state of emergency gives sweeping powers to the government under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. Introduced March 17, it was extended on March 30 and then on April 14 and again on May 12. Tory House Leader Paul Calandras motion to extend it until June 30 will be debated by MPPs on Tuesday, but the PC majority ensures it will easily pass. That means much of Ontario will have effectively been locked down from St. Patricks Day until Canada Day. Ontario is currently in stage one of its framework for reopening the economy. That allows stores with street entrances to reopen but limits gatherings of groups to five or less unless those people reside in the same household. In the second stage, which will only begin when public health officials declare that the number of new COVID-19 cases is declining, the government will consider opening more workplaces, including some service industries and more shops; opening more public spaces, such as outdoor play structures and public pools; and allowing slightly larger gatherings of perhaps up to 10 people. In the third stage, all workplaces would be allowed to reopen, including indoor restaurants and bars, which are currently limited to serving takeout meals and alcohol. Restrictions on public gatherings would be relaxed, but large public gatherings such as concerts and sporting events would continue to be restricted for the foreseeable future. On Friday, Ford reversed course on his previous one size fits all reopening strategy for the province, and will now allow regions with fewer COVID-19 cases including North Bay, Parry Sound, Sudbury, Algoma, Kenora, Kingston, Renfrew, Huron-Perth, Prince Edward County, Peterborough and most of the southwest other than Windsor to reopen earlier. The Greater Toronto Area, where two-thirds of Ontarios 2,330 coronavirus deaths occurred, will likely be the last region to be opened. Read more about: By The Associated Press Jun. 01, 2020 | 06:11 AM | WASHINGTON With cities wounded by days of violent unrest, America headed into a new week with neighborhoods in shambles, urban streets on lockdown and shaken confidence about when leaders would find the answers to control the mayhem amid unrelenting raw emotion over police killings of black people. All of it smashed into a nation already bludgeoned by a death toll from the coronavirus pandemic surging past 100,000 and unemployment that soared to levels not seen since the Great Depression. Sunday capped a tumultuous weekend and month that saw city and state officials deploy thousands of National Guard soldiers, enact strict curfews and shut down mass transit systems. Even with those efforts, many demonstrations erupted into violence as protesters hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police in Philadelphia, set a fire near the White House and were hit with tear gas and pepper spray in Austin and other cities. Seven Boston police officers were hospitalized. In some cities, thieves smashed their way into stores and ran off with as much as they could carry, leaving shop owners, many of them just ramping up their business again after coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, to clean up their shattered storefronts. In others, police tried to calm tensions by kneeling in solidarity with demonstrators, while still maintaining a strong presence for security. The demonstrations were sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who pleaded for air as an officer pressed a knee into his neck. Floyd's death in Minneapolis came after tensions had already flared after two white men were arrested in May for the February shooting death of black jogger Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, and the Louisville police shooting death of Breonna Taylor in her home in March. The scale of the coast-to-coast protests rivaled the historic demonstrations of the civil rights and Vietnam War eras. They keep killing our people. Im so sick and tired of it, said Mahira Louis, 15, who was at a Boston protest with her mother Sunday, leading chants of George Floyd, say his name. Tensions rose Sunday outside the White House, the scene of three days of demonstrations, where police fired tear gas and stun grenades into a crowd of more than 1,000 chanting protesters across the street in Lafayette Park. The crowd ran, piling up road signs and plastic barriers to light a raging fire in a nearby street. Some pulled an American flag from a building and threw it into the blaze. A building in the park with bathrooms and a maintenance office went up in flames. The district's entire National Guard roughly 1,700 soldiers was called in to help control the protests, according to two Defense Department officials who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter. As the protests grew, President Donald Trump retweeted conservative commentator Buck Sexton who called for overwhelming force against violent demonstrators. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, visited the site of protests in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, and talked to demonstrators. He also wrote a post on Medium expressing empathy for those despairing about Floyd's killing. At least 4,400 people have been arrested over days of protests, according to a tally compiled by The Associated Press. Arrests ranged from stealing and blocking highways to breaking curfew. In Salt Lake City, an activist leader condemned the destruction of property but said broken buildings shouldnt be mourned on the same level as black men like Floyd. Maybe this country will get the memo that we are sick of police murdering unarmed black men, said Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah. Maybe the next time a white police officer decides to pull the trigger, he will picture cities burning. Yet thousands still marched peacefully in Phoenix, Albuquerque and other cities, with some calling for an end to the fires, vandalism and theft, saying it weakened calls for justice and reform. In downtown Atlanta, authorities fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said t wo officers had been fired and three placed on desk duty after video showed police surrounding a car Saturday, and using stun guns on the man and woman inside. In Los Angeles, a police SUV accelerated into several protesters in a street, knocking two people to the ground. Nearby in Santa Monica, not far from a peaceful demonstration, groups broke into stores, walking out with boxes of shoes and folding chairs, among other items. A fire broke out at a restaurant across the street. Scores swarmed into nearby outlet stores in Long Beach. Some hauled armloads of clothing from a Forever 21 store away in garbage bags. In Minneapolis, the officer who pressed his knee onto Floyd's neck has been charged with murder, but protesters are demanding the other three officers at the scene be prosecuted. All four were fired. Were not done, said Darnella Wade, an organizer for Black Lives Matter in neighboring St. Paul, where thousands gathered peacefully in front of the state Capitol. "They sent us the military, and we only asked them for arrests. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz brought in thousands of National Guard soldiers on Saturday to help quell violence that had damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings in Minneapolis over days of protests. That appeared to help minimize unrest, but thousands marching on a closed freeway were shaken when a semitrailer rolled into their midst. Disgust over generations of racism in a country founded by slaveholders combined with a string of recent racially charged killings to stoke the anger. Adding to that was angst from lockdowns brought on by the pandemic, which has disproportionately hurt communities of color, not only in terms of infections but in job losses and economic stress. The droves of people congregating for demonstrations threatened to trigger new outbreaks, a fact overshadowed by the boiling tensions. In Indianapolis, two people were reported dead in bursts of downtown violence this weekend, adding to deaths reported in Detroit and Minneapolis. In tweets Sunday, Trump blamed anarchists and the media for fueling violence. Attorney General William Barr pointed a finger at far left extremist groups. Police chiefs and politicians accused outsiders of causing the problems. At the Minneapolis intersection where Floyd was killed, people gathered with brooms and flowers, saying it was important to protect what they called a sacred space. Among those in Minneapolis was Michael Brown Sr., the father of Michael Brown, whose killing by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, set off unrest in 2014. I understand what this family is feeling. I understand what this community is feeling, he said. Iranian Foreign Ministry called on the US to stop violence against its own people as protests across the country intensified following the death of black American George Floyd. During a press conference on June 1, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abbas Mousavi said that the world has heard their outcry over the state of oppression, and are standing by them. And to the American officials and police: stop violence against your people and let them breathe," he said. Earlier, Irans Foreign Minister Javad Zarif had slammed the US saying some people dont believe that black lives matter after #BlackLivesMatter protests were held across the United States. Zarif shared an edited copy of US secretary of State Mike Pompeos statement from 2018 in which the former CIA chief had called out on the Iran government saying it was squandering its citizens. US on protests in Iran However, the new version had words replaced to target American dictators and said that Americans were tired of racism, corruption injustice, and incompetence from leaders. The US has been critical of Irans handling of protests and recently, it sanctioned Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli for alleged role in serious human rights abuses against Iranian people, including giving orders to the police to use lethal force on protestors. Read: George Floyd's Death: Iranian Foreign Minister Slams US, Calls For War Against Racism Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin had said in a statement that the Iranian regime violently suppresses dissent of the Iranian people, including peaceful protests, through physical and psychological abuse. The department said that orders of Rahmani Fazli, who holds the title of Deputy or Replacement Commander-in-Chief of Police Forces, were aimed at quashing peaceful protests and suppress the rights of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression at any cost. The United States will continue to hold accountable Iranian officials and institutions that oppress and abuse their own people, he added. In a separate statement, the US State Department said that Rahmani Fazli and his immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States. It asserted that the US sanctions are aimed at sending a message of support to the Iranian people that they will continue to support their demands for transparent and accountable governance and speak out for those who are being silenced by the current regime. Read: Britain, France, Germany Condemn US' Decision To Terminate Waiver For Companies In Iran (With agency inputs) Under the pretext of nationalization required by the IMF, Poroshenko sought to gain control over 1+1 TV channel, the statement claims. Businessman Igor Kolomoisky in a statement addressed to Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova asked that a pre-trial criminal investigation be launched targeting former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, former NBU Governor Valeria Gontareva, and her deputy Kateryna Rozhkova. He is pressing charges of misappropriation of the assets, money laundering, illegal collection and use of confidential banking information, and abuse of power. In the statement seen by UNIAN, Kolomoisky notes that the content of the what's purported to be recordings of conversations between Poroshenko and the then-Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, recently published by MP Andriy Derkach, in conjunction with other facts and circumstances he is aware of suggests that Poroshenko, acting as president of Ukraine, conspired with the then NBU Governor Gontareva, her deputy Rozhkova, and several other unidentified persons, for the purpose of unlawful nationalization of PrivatBank CB JSC and, as a consequence, misappropriation of its assets. He recalls that up to a certain time, PrivatBank's asset structure included Studio 1+1, which as of 2016 had a reach of over 27 million viewers. "Being aware of these circumstances, Poroshenko, holding the post of President of Ukraine, having been entitled to a significant volume of power in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Ukraine, decided to gain operational control over the Bank's assets, including, Studio 1+1 TV and Radio Company LLC, in order to strengthen his political influence within the country and shape a positive image among the population," the statement said. Poroshenko, as noted in the statement, had working contacts and meetings with representatives of international financial organizations, during which, as a purported phone conversation with Biden testifies, the former president became aware that IMF representatives were initiating the issue of Privatbank nationalization as one of the conditions for Ukraine to receive financial assistance. "Thus, being aware of the issue, following a previously developed criminal plan and having the intent to misappropriate the Bank's assets, Poroshenko, together with Gontareva, Rozhkova, and other unidentified persons, decided to exploit the situation described above to hinder the Bank's legitimate commercial activities and, under the guise of legal procedures, to realize their criminal intent to seize the Bank's assets and, in particular, the Studio 1 + 1 TV and Radio Company LLC," the statement said. "Following his criminal plan, Poroshenko, who had in the past held posts of a Parliamentary Committee on Finance and Banking, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the National Bank of Ukraine, and therefore being aware of how media publications about the alleged financial instability of a banking institution could affect its functioning, organized through unidentified persons a discrediting media campaign against the Bank, aiming to destabilize its operations, by cultivating panic among depositors and, as a result, the outflow of deposit funds, which would be extremely negative for its sustainable operation. Gontareva and Rozhkova, having conspired with Poroshenko and having received from him a relevant instruction, made public statements in the media, as NBU top managers, about the allegedly high risks of the Bank's financial insolvency, thereby deliberately destabilizing its work and, together with Poroshenko, hindering its legitimate commercial activity, "the statement said. Read also"Critical": Biden put pressure on Poroshenko on PrivatBank nationalization, leak claims In addition, Kolomoisky noted in his statement that Gontareva and Rozhkova, while acting on Poroshenko's instructions, in the fall of 2016 set up an NBU audit at PrivatBank to further initiate and conduct illegal nationalization, which was held with significant violations of Ukraine's banking legislation. " Gontareva, together with Rozhkova, fulfilling Poroshenko's criminal instructions and realizing a joint criminal intent, without waiting for the conclusions of the NBU audit, without conducting a mandatory joint audit with an independent audit organization, without providing the owners time to present a recapitalization program, abusing their official position and flagrantly violating the requirements of the current legislation, on December 18, 2016, recognized the Bank as insolvent, after which Gontareva, on the same day, turned to the Government, which in turn immediately decided to nationalize it. The fact that the recognition of the Bank as insolvent and the Government decision on its nationalization came on the same day, namely December 18, 2016, testifies to the conspiracy by Poroshenko, who had been exerting pressure on the Government, Gontareva, Rozhkova, and other unidentified persons," the statement said. Also, Kolomoisky says the leaks testify that "Poroshenko, without having the appropriate authority, abusing his power with respect to Gontareva, received from the latter and employed to realize his criminal intent, the findings of the Bank's audits, which were confidential banking data, thereby committing together with Gontareva, the act of deliberate disclosure of confidential banking information without the consent of its owner," Kolomoisky notes. "Thus, the unlawful, criminal actions committed by Poroshenko, Gontareva, Rozhkova, and a number of other unidentified persons led to the illegal nationalization of PrivatBank CB JSC, after which these persons, abusing power and official position, contributed to the withdrawal of the Banks funds to the accounts of Belize-based offshore companies, thereby legalizing (laundering) the funds obtained by criminal means. Under these conditions, this suggests that Poroshenko, Gontareva, Rozhkova, and a number of other unidentified persons who acted in conspiracy, inflicted moral and material damage on and committed criminal offenses against me," the statement says. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg reminded city residents of the coronavirus threat during a weekend of demonstrations. Protestors marched Saturday in memory of George Floyd, the African American man who died in police custody in Minneapolis. After a night of chaos followed by a cleanup, demonstrators gathered downtown once more on Sunday evening. "I do want to close with a stark reminder that we're also in the middle of a global pandemic," said Nirenberg at a news conference Sunday. READ MORE: 23 photos that capture a chaotic weekend in San Antonio "Most of the peaceful demonstrators last night, when they couldn't keep physical distance, were masked up and thats good," the mayor said. "But when the demonstration ended and the rogue vandalism began, it became clear that many residents were ignoring health and safety protocols. Or those who were instigating were ignoring it." Nirenberg asked people concerned about potential COVID-19 exposure to "please isolate yourself to some extent" or call the city's hotline (210-207-5779) and schedule a coronavirus test. He noted that officials are testing whether or not an individual has symptoms. As of Monday, officials had reported 2,830 coronavirus cases and 74 deaths in Bexar County. "We are committed to healing injustices, so we must also protect the health and safety of our loved ones and our neighbors," Nirenberg said. Another group of demonstrators, most of whom appeared to be wearing masks, gathered at the Bexar County Courthouse on Monday morning. Mark Dunphy is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | mark.dunphy@express-news.net | @m_b_dunphy MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: NEW CASTLE, Del., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Indian Institute of Technology - Roorkee, a premier engineering college in India has launched a Certification Course on Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning at CloudxLab for professionals to upskill themselves in deep tech during the current COVID-19 crisis. It follows the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IIT Roorkee and CloudxLab, Inc. for offering online certificate courses in deep tech to the global audience. The current global crisis has fuelled an opportunity to specialize in important technical skills, and this course fits in at the right moment to accelerate online education in trending technologies and beat the global slowdown. This course is for students and professionals who want to be equipped with stronger technical skills for a post COVID life. According to Director of IIT Roorkee, Professor Ajit K Chaturvedi, this is the best time for young people to upskill themselves. "This partnership will amplify our reach to offer the latest knowledge in tune with the needs of the industry," he adds. Features of the course include - Blended learning with interactive self-paced videos and live instructor-led training from renowned faculty of IIT Roorkee as well as industry experts. Realtime learning by doing hands-on, projects, and assessments on the CloudxLab platform. Upon completion of the course, learners will receive the course completion certificate from IIT Roorkee. "Technology continues to advance rapidly even today, and this is perhaps the best time for professionals to expand their horizons and learn new technologies," says Manish Shrikande, Dean, Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy, IIT Roorkee. "CloudxLab is happy to join hands with the IIT Roorkee to fulfill the vision of providing a quality learning experience to the global audience", says Sandeep Giri, Founder, and CEO, CloudxLab. About IIT Roorkee IIT Roorkee is one of the most prestigious and oldest engineering colleges in India. It is ranked among the top 4 IITs in India according to QS World University Rankings 2019. About CloudxLab CloudxLab, an ed-tech venture headquartered in the US, provides an online learning platform to upskill engineers in deep tech thereby making them employable & future-ready. Find more details about the course here - https://cloudxlab.com/iitr-ai-dl SOURCE CloudxLab Related Links https://cloudxlab.com As the stand-off with China continues for the 26th day, trucks carrying soldiers, machines and supplies continue to make their way to Galwan Valley, with sources saying many of the reinforcments being sent to Ladakh are from Kashmir. The shifting of troops from LoC to LAC happens under dire circumstances, and these are dire circumstance, said a senior officer. He added that at the Command and Corps level, there are 'uncommitted reserves' that can be moved without impacting operations on the ground. In Kashmir's case, it would be counter-terrorism operations. These troops are being sent in location to create some pressure on the PLA via road and air, those aware of the developments said. Villagers in Durbuk, close to where Indian and Chinese troops are eyeball to eyeball, say 80 to 90 trucks pass through their area every night. The convoy is a mix of Army and civil vehicles and carries troops, ammunition and supplies. However, Lt Gen SL Narsihman strikes a note of caution. Some of this movement could be for winter stocking as well. When the snow melts and passes open, the Army stocks its forward posts for the next winter. These are the months when it happens. In the summer months, when the threat of Chinese intrusions is at its peak, the Indian Army conducts an excerise in Ladakh. The Chinese do the same. However, this year, because of Covid-19, the Army cancelled all its excerises with a result that there were no reserve acclamatized troops in the region when the Chinese intruded. The Chinese on the other hand came in the guise of their exercise. When asked if this was an intelligence and operational failure, a senior officer said, "China stabbed us in the back. In the middle of a pandemic, this was not expected." This week will see another attempt by the Indian Army to resolve the stand-off via talks. A second round of Major General-level talks are in the offing. The first round took place on May 22 and 23 but yielded nothing. The Chinese went back and continued with their troop build-up and even boasted about it. An article in Global Times, the official mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist party, lists Type 15 tanks, Z-20 helicopters and GJ-2 drones that have been added to Chinese arsenal for high-altitude conflicts against India. It says, Chinese troops have bolstered border control measures in response to India's illegal construction of defence facilities across the border into Chinese territory in the Galwan Valley. The threat does not stop there. In another article, Global Times warns India to stay away from the US-China cold war. If in a new cold war, India leans towards the US or becomes a US pawn attacking China, the economic trade ties between the two Asian neighbours will suffer a devastating blow. And it will be too much for the Indian economy to take such a hit at the current stage. A senior officer says the article is coming from a place of insecurity and the stand-off in Eastern Ladakh is a 'pressure tactic' to extract a promise of neutrality from India in the face of a US-China cold war. Meanwhile, India and China both claim that 'military and diplomatic' level talks are on to resolve the issue amicably. The excise department on Sunday seized two trucks loaded with country-made liquor from the premises of Chadha Sugar Mills in Kiri Afghana village under Shri Hargobindpur police station in Batala. Batala senior superintendent of police Opinderjit Singh Ghuman said operation was carried by excise department officials in coordination with the police. After getting a specific tip-off, a team of excise department led by excise and taxation officer Lovejinder Singh Brar raided at sugar mill and sized the trucks. Police have registered a case under the Excise Act against unidentified persons. Gurdaspur assistant excise and taxation commissioner Rajwinder Kaur Bajwa said they had prior information that the trucks bearing registration number HP-12-A-6634 and HR-55-L3259, were impounded. The drivers, however, managed to flee. The process of counting of liquor boxes and other investigation is still on, said Bajwa. India rejected Pakistans contention that two of its high commission staff were detained on unsubstantiated charges and tortured, people familiar with developments said on Monday that the officials were caught red handed while indulging in spying. New Delhi on Sunday expelled two junior officials of the Pakistan high commission after they were detained during an operation by the Delhi Police and Military Intelligence while trying to obtain classified documents on security installations. Pakistan condemned Indias decision to declare the two officials persona non grata and to expel them, saying they were detained on false and unsubstantiated charges. A statement from Pakistans Foreign Office also contended that the two men were tortured and threatened to accept false charges despite identifying themselves as diplomatic staff. The assertions of the Pakistan Foreign Office are false. The two officials were caught red handed while indulging in espionage activities, said one of the people cited above, speaking on condition of anonymity. They did not disclose their identity that they were high commission officials. When they were taken into custody and questioned, they confessed to indulging in espionage and also informed that they were high commission officials, the person added. The Pakistani mission was immediately informed and the two men were handed over, the person said. They were never subjected to any torture. They have also undergone medical examination. Pakistan appears to be making false accusations and possibly creating ground for some tit for tat reaction and torture of Indian officials in Islamabad, the person cited above said. To those who've been critical of the protesters who are looting and burning down Targets -- please, shut up. The CEO of Target has officially issued a statement in response to the nationwide protests in the wake of the recent murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and Geoge Floyd. The CEO, Brian Cornell, penned an open letter in support of the protesters and communities across America that are constantly dealing with police brutality. "We are a community in pain. That pain is not unique to the Twin Citiesit extends across America. The murder of George Floyd has unleashed the pent-up pain of years, as have the killings of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. We say their names and hold a too-long list of others in our hearts. As a Target team, weve huddled, weve consoled, weve witnessed horrific scenes similar to whats playing out now and wept that not enough is changing. And as a team weve vowed to face pain with purpose," reads the letter. Cornell and the Target team are putting their money where this mouth is as well. They've prepared truckloads of first aid equipment and medicine, bottled water, and other essentials to provide necessary supplies during this time. Cornell also said that they will also be providing full pay and benefits for their employees at the Minneapolis location. "Well continue to invest in this vibrant crossroads of the Seward, Longfellow, Phillips and Powderhorn communities, preserving jobs and economic opportunity by rebuilding and bringing back the store that has served as a community resource since 1976. In any of our other locations that are damaged or at risk, the safety and well-being of our team, guests and the surrounding community will continue to be our paramount priority," it reads. "Target leaders are assembling community members, partners and local officials to help identify what more we can do together and what resources are required to help families, starting right here in Minnesota." Read the full statement here. Credit: Karlstad University In order for pharmaceuticals to be safe, they must be clean of pollutants. Carbon dioxide can be used to make the purification process more environmentally friendly, which may seem paradoxical since carbon dioxide is usually associated with a negative climate impact. However, if carbon dioxide is recovered from other existing processes and if the use of environmentally hazardous organic solvents is reduced, large gains can be made both economically and environmentally. "More knowledge of how the separation system works makes it easier to predict how to design an optimal system," says Emelie Glenne, who recently defended her doctoral thesis in chemistry at Karlstad University. Chromatography is a separation technique used both to purify samples and to analyze which substances a sample contains. The method is based on the substances to be separated being distributed between a stationary and a mobile phase. In her thesis, Emelie Glenne has focused on so-called supercritical fluid chromatography, SFC. "SFC is a very promising technique, but compared to regular chromatography there are still knowledge gaps since the method is more complex and hasn't been researched to the same extent," says Emelie Glenne. One thing that can be problematic is that carbon dioxide is compressible, which makes it behave differently depending on the pressure and temperature it is exposed to. Among other things, this results in an uneven flow. More knowledge about the method will lead to more accurate predictions about how different substances are affected by the separation. This will in turn result in better optimisation with the help of computer simulations of the process. Today, the optimal method is identified by testing a variety of different methods. With increased understanding, optimisation can be achieved by combining only a few experiments with simulations. "This knowledge has resulted in better calculations of the separation process, which in turn leads to better optimisations," says Emelie Glenne. "A better understanding of the SFC method will make the method easier to use and hopefully there will be a greater interest in choosing a greener method for the analysis and purification of pharmaceuticals." According to Emelie Glennes's principal supervisor, Professor Torgny Fornstedt, the methods and rules of thumb that Emelie Glenne has developed for the use of the complicated yet effective and environmentally friendly method SFC can be used not only for safer purification of pharmaceuticals but also for analysis and isolation of valuable related substances from biomass. The studies, which were partly funded by the Knowledge Foundation, have been carried out in close collaboration with AstraZeneca, where SFC is used, among other things, for the purification of substances in early pharmaceutical development. Explore further Testing designed carbon materials to purify wastewater More information: You can access and read the thesis here: You can access and read the thesis here: www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/ 71010/FULLTEXT02.pdf Provided by Karlstad University DENVER, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Colorado Community College System (CCCS) has announced the launch of a new, guaranteed admission program called the Bridge to Bachelor's Degree Program. Under new agreements signed by CCCS and several Colorado universities, new, first-time CCCS students pursuing an Associate degree will receive guaranteed admission and a more affordable, seamless pathway to a four-year university to achieve their Bachelor's degree. "Students are our mission, and during these challenging times it has never been more important for us to provide opportunities that allow our institutions to meet students where they are," Joe Garcia, chancellor of the Colorado Community College System. "Now may be time when the smart, strategic choice for many students is to stay closer to home. That is where our 13 colleges and 40 locations across Colorado come in." The Bridge to Bachelor's Degree Program reimagines the college journey for today's student by conditionally admitting CCCS students to a partner university-without the need to take a college placement test--and strategically placing support systems where students need them most. Participating students will have the support they need to successfully complete both an associate's and a bachelor's degree, without having to re-take credits, take additional credits, or take on additional debt. Partner universities will collaborate with community colleges in joint academic counseling, streamline transfer processes through new IT data systems, and engage early and often with students to better support their transition to the university. Some universities, like CU Denver, are doing even more by providing students that transfer to their institution guaranteed scholarships. "The University of Colorado Denver is thrilled to be a Bridge to Bachelor's Degree partner, focused on the success of community college students as they build upon their educational journey," said Dr. Linda Bowman, CU Denver interim vice provost and senior vice chancellor of student success. "Community college graduates excel at CU Denver and we know this partnership is key to not only their future, but ours as well." The program will also help the state meet its ambitious goals set forth by Colorado Governor Jared Polis in the recently adopted Roadmap to Containing College Costs & Making College Affordable, which, among other things, calls for strengthening transfer agreements and substantially increasing the number of students transferring and completing a bachelor's degree. "We know that when Coloradans have access to affordable higher education they are able to thrive," said Governor Polis. "We are living through a challenging time and the Bridge to Bachelor's Degree Program will help open more doors for students. I commend CCCS and universities across the state for their work to provide students with additional opportunities to further their education, for creating a new model that will substantially lower the cost to complete a Bachelor's degree, and helping guarantee students' chances of achieving upward social mobility." "Our board is extremely proud of the work that has gone into the creation of this much needed program," said Rollie Heath, chair of the Colorado State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education. "At a time when so many are concerned about the cost of college, the Bridge to the Bachelor's Degree Program is a great opportunity for individuals who want to pursue a post-secondary education." The demand is there. Over eighty percent of all community college students statewide are enrolled at a CCCS College, and approximately 19,000 CCCS students transfer annually to a four-year college or university. CCCS and partner universities are not only looking to boost transfer numbers, they are eager to see a significant increase in the number of students who complete their bachelor's degree. "Colorado's Master Plan for higher education calls for urgent action to increase credential attainment, lower costs, and erase equity gaps goals the Bridge to Bachelor's Degree Program will help us achieve," said Dr. Angie Paccione, Colorado Department of Higher Education executive director. "The collaboration and commitment from our higher education institutions will provide transparent and supportive pathways for students to meet their educational goals and increase their opportunity to succeed." About the Colorado Community College System The Colorado Community College System (CCCS) is the state's largest system of higher education, delivering more than 1,000 programs to over 125,000 students annually through 13 colleges and 40 locations across Colorado. Our open access mission ensures all Coloradans who aspire to enrich their lives have access to quality higher education opportunities. The System Office provides leadership, advocacy and support to the colleges under the direction of the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education (SBCCOE). Join us in changing the way Colorado goes to college. SOURCE Colorado Community College System Related Links cccs.edu by Shafique Khokhar Traditionally, many young Catholics are confirmed on Pentecost, but due to the current situation, Confirmation was not possible this time and so it will be done at another time of the year. Karachi (AsiaNews) Pentecost, which refers to the fiftieth (day), is a day of liberation for Jews. For Christians it represents the liberation brought by Jesus, the paschal lamb who sacrificed his life for us to be free from slavery. In his homily, yesterday, on the feast day of Pentecost, the Archbishop of Karachi Card Joseph Coutts (pictured) said that Jesus guided us as Moses guided the Jews. For Jews, the fiftieth day after Passover is a great feast, basically a harvest festival, when the first fruits, wheat and other things, are brought to the Lord. At that time, at Pentecost Jews travelled to Jerusalem in great numbers, bringing offerings to the Temple. On that day, the disciples of Jesus were, to use a modern term, in lockdown, praying in a locked hall. Fearful of persecution by the Jews who did not want to hear that Christ had risen from the dead, they shut themselves away. But the Holy Spirit descended upon them, transforming them. The fear went away, and they were full of the Spirit and went out into the world to spread the Good News, the same news they once feared, that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. With the descent of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that transforms, Christ's promise was fulfilled. This Spirit was given to unite us in one faith, one Lord and one Baptism, so that we be called the Church and anyone who received the Baptism could join the Church. Pentecost is the birth of the Church. The seeds were already there when the Apostles began to preach. The time of fear and doubt was over and they went out to preach. Of the twelve Apostles, eleven became martyrs, giving their lives preaching the Gospel. What does it mean to receive the Holy Spirit? Unfortunately, some Christians have reduced the Holy Spirit only to the ability to speak in tongues. It is true that it is a gift and a sign of the Holy Spirit, but it is not the only gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit fills us with gifts like courage, strong faith, hope, love, forgiveness and compassion. Why say that if I speak in tongues it means the Spirit of God is in me only when I feel enmity, even to the point of killing someone. In fact, the Holy Spirit is at work when I can forgive others because Jesus came to give his life. I do not want to kill others; instead I want to forgive and accept them, forgive them as my brothers. Thanks to the Spirit all those who are deeply in Christ are part of His church. Christ is the head of the Church, and we become one in him. For this reason, we call the day of Pentecost the birthday of the Church. Today, we celebrate it and thank God for the Spirit, because we have been baptised in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. This day is also a day of Confirmation. Many young Catholics in the local parish would have been confirmed, because it is traditional to have Confirmation on the day of Pentecost; unfortunately, this was not possible due to the current situation and so it will be done at another time of year. Cardinal Coutts thanked the small group of worshippers who attended the Mass. During the service, he reminded them of the safety regulations against COVID-19, that the lockdown has not been lifted and that everyone must follow precautionary measures. He also noted that, as indicated in newspapers, wearing a mask in public was mandatory for everyone. South Africa: President engages SANEF on COVID-19 response President Cyril Ramaphosa has, in a virtual meeting on Sunday, engaged with members of the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) on the countrys response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting took place at a time when the country and the rest of the world are immersed in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. At the meeting, the President engaged editors on South Africas ongoing measures to manage the spread of COVID-19 through the risk-adjusted strategy. The President commended the media in South Africa for its contribution to the national effort to confront the crisis, which has helped to inform and empower South Africans, stimulate public debate and promote accountability. The media has had to fulfil this role under the difficult conditions of lockdown, which has required new ways of working and reaching readers, listeners and viewers. This, at a time when most media organisations are no doubt facing financial challenges. Like so many others in society, journalists have certainly played their part in this momentous struggle to overcome the Coronavirus pandemic, and continue to do so, said President Ramaphosa. With the country in alert level 3 of lockdown from 1 June, President Ramaphosa said South the country should expect an exponential rise in cases. We need to deploy all the means at our disposal to continue to flatten the curve. We have strengthened our public health interventions, he said. Since government began community screening, over 13 million individuals have been screened, and 188 000 of these have been referred for testing. As people return to work, school and study under level 3, President Ramaphosa said government is looking to significantly expand the screening effort to all places where people congregate. However, with such a high proportion of asymptomatic cases, the President emphasised that screening must be complemented with a range of other preventative measures. President Ramaphosa acknowledged that contact tracing remains an area of weakness in the countrys response to the COVID-19 outbreak. We are currently identifying on average two contacts for each confirmed case, whereas countries like South Korea have been identifying around 20 contacts per case, he said. Preparing for the peak However, strides are being made to prepare for the COVID-19 peak in the country. To date, over 27 000 beds in the public sector have been allocated to COVID-19 patients. The field hospitals that are currently being constructed will have around 13 000 beds. With the assistance of various governments, companies and foundations, government has been able to mobilise significant quantities of personal protection equipment, other medical supplies and ventilators. Our attention has not been limited only to South Africa, but we have been working with other leaders to ensure that Africa has the resources it needs. I have been in discussion with President Xi Jinping of China to secure diagnostic supplies, including 30 million testing kits, 10 000 ventilators and 80 million masks per month for our continent, said the President. This week, government is set to receive a supply of one million masks from Huawei. Local production ramped up As the country gradually reopens the economy, with level 3 being the most significant reopening, government is also looking to ramp up local production to boost the countrys economy. We are working to grow local production through our work with different industries in the country and through the support we are providing through the IDC, National Empowerment Fund and others. Companies across the country have repurposed some of the production capacity to supply the country with alcohol for hand sanitisers, face shields and masks, ventilators and other essential medical supplies, said the President. In an effort to rebuild the economy, government is also looking to accelerate structural reforms, promote localisation and industrialisation, repurpose State-owned enterprises and strengthen the informal sector. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. New Delhi, June 1 : Roche Diagnostics India on Monday said it welcomed Indian Council of Medical Research's communication regarding its COVID-19 antibody test for seroprevalence studies in India. Dr Shravan Subramanyam, Managing Director, Roche Diagnostics India said, "Roche Diagnostics India welcomes ICMR's communication that cites making available Roche COVID-19 antibody test for seroprevalence studies in India." According to Subramanyam, the study includes those on high-risk groups like healthcare workers - to plan the country's pandemic management efforts in the future. The lab-based antibody test that runs on fully automated Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA) analysers with estimated peak testing capacity of 0.5 million tests a day is being made available across National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) approved and government sites in India. The Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 serology test that supports detection of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 has received the Import License issued by the Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), due to the emergency health situation in the public interest. The test is CE IVD certified and has received USFDA emergency use authorisation (EUA). Subramanyam said that this world-class COVID-19 antibody test is already deployed in UK, Singapore and other countries to test for COVID-19 antibodies. "We are committed to explore public-private partnerships to build scale and thereby access to Roche COVID-19 antibody tests in India." Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Alexys Davis, who was taking graduation photos at the San Diego County Administration Building, was cheered on by protesters on Sunday. The group was protesting the death of George Floyd. (K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune) California Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said Monday that he is "haunted by the sound" of George Floyd's voice "begging to breathe, begging for life" and vowed to initiate a greater focus on teaching about implicit bias in California classrooms. "We want to create opportunities to support and to address the trauma that so many of us feel," said Thurmond. "We want to make sure that our children can be supported in the trauma that they will feel when they think about what has happened to George Floyd," a black Minneapolis man who died after a white police officer used his knee to pin him to the ground by the neck. He said the state Department of Education will begin conversations about implicit bias education with superintendents and education leaders as well as elected officials and police chiefs, and will assemble online resources and training. "Racism is taught," Thurmond said. "Children aren't naturally prone to be prejudiced unless they've been exposed to it. And so I say that to say that we cannot just stop with our students, but that we have to work with adults and we have to deal with racism and bias in every sector in education." Tony Thurmond in a 2018 file photo. (Rich Pedroncelli / AP) Thurmond said he plans to compile online resources and sought public input through email suggestions and notes to createracialJustice@gmail.com. "It has been difficult for me as a parent raising African American children to know what to say, how to answer their questions. When they asked me, 'Dad, why did this happen?'" he said. "It has been difficult for me as a public servant, as an elected official, to know how I can be helpful and to know how I can do more than just give platitudes to know how I can do more than just offer condolences." Thurmond became emotional speaking about the death of Floyd. "We want to create opportunities to support and to address the trauma that so many of us feel. We want to make sure that our children can be supported in the trauma that they will feel when they think about what has happened to George Floyd," he said. "I think about trauma every time I think about what has happened to George Floyd, I'm haunted by the sound of his voice, begging to breathe, begging for life, and we must address that trauma head on and we must have hard conversations." * Hang Seng index rises as much as 3.7% * Trump comments seen as more dovish than expected * Mainland indexes rally on May manufacturing data SHANGHAI, June 1 (Reuters) - Hong Kong shares surged on Monday as investors expressed relief that U.S. President Donald Trump did not immediately end special privileges accorded to Hong Kong by Washington. By mid-morning, the benchmark Hang Seng index was trading 3.38% higher, having earlier gained as much as 3.7%. The Hang Seng's China enterprises index rose 3%, and the HSI property sector sub-index added 4.31%. "The (U.S.) President on the matter of Hong Kong had stopped short of sanctions or even touching on any other fresh restrictions or potential trade barriers against fears, helping to ease some of the frayed nerves across US to Asia"; Jingyi Pan, market strategist at IG, said in a note. Trump on Friday ordered his administration to begin the process of eliminating special U.S. treatment for Hong Kong to punish China, saying Beijing had broken its word over Hong Kong's autonomy by moving to impose new national security legislation, and that the territory no longer warranted U.S. economic privileges. Mainland indexes also rallied on Monday morning, helped by data that showed China's factory activity unexpectedly returned to growth in May, though export orders continued to shrink. The blue-chip CSI300 index was 2.08% higher, on track for its biggest one-day gain since April 7. The Shanghai Composite index added 1.61%. Despite Monday's rally, the Hang Seng remains about 2.5% below its closing level on May 21. Hong Kong shares had their biggest one-day drop since 2015 on May 22, after China initially proposed imposing national security legislation on Hong Kong. The proposal, approved by China's parliament last week, prompted a revival of protests against what protesters say is China's deep encroachment on Hong Kong's autonomy and freedoms. (Reporting by Andrew Galbraith; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) andrew.galbraith.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net ; Twitter: )) Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication. Those who followed President Trump's tweets on Sunday may have seen an astounding video of nine or ten police cars, mostly SUVs, most of them in a single-file, convoy arrangement, abandoned on a wide street in what looks to be a low-rise, "hip" shopping and microbrewery-oriented section of Los Angeles County. The cars were all spray-painted; most had their windows broken and tires slashed. There was no evidence of a fight no discarded police equipment and little trash or debris other than broken car window glass. The strong impression is that the vehicle occupants had left peaceably on foot before the vandals even showed up. A reasonable conclusion is that the police sensing an absence of a clear mandate to truly deal with the problem at hand, and a dearth of support from their elected civilian leadership simply gave up the ghost, like the dejected German tankers running out of fuel and commencing a long walk back to their homeland in the classic 1965 film The Battle of the Bulge. Another shock was seeing scores of Austin, Texas police formed up in a big, tight heap on the balcony platform at the entrance to their headquarters, with those in the rear having their backs literally to the wall of the building, while one of their number in the front sprayed pepper juice out of a canister at some punk on the sidewalk who had come too close. Their entire mass gave the impression of huddling in fear, though, judging by what little was shown of the mob in the photo, the cops likely outnumbered the unarmed, unorganized youths in the street. One could be forgiven for shouting into one's laptop screen, "You're the police! This is your castle! Clear the damn street!" How can this be happening? Thanks to donations from the Department of Defense, the police across America are now better armed and more prepared for "war" than they have ever been. There are likely thousands of armored Humvees sitting in police garages across the country. There is riot gear galore. There are mountains of rubber bullets. Building on the experience of the 1991 Los Angeles riots, the LAPD and most other major urban police departments have had extensive training in riot control. Remember all that smarmy lefty and libertarian griping about "the militarization of the police"? Where is that militarization today? We are not seeing it, because the current crop of "progressive" Democrat mayors and governors are afraid of their own shadows. They do not want to become pariahs among their own "movement," nor do they wish to alienate their clown-show city councils, their own spaced out donors, and their core voter base (in many cases, African-Americans) through further displays of "police brutality." Thus, it is easier to just let some shops burn and hope the mob's lust extinguishes itself after a few days. After all, the small businessowners hardly vote Democrat anyway, and the big businesses (e.g., Target) will reopen whatever happens. Why take the risk of restoring order when you can build Progressive Street Cred by virtue-signaling at a teary-eyed press conference, or on Twitter? Recall how Mayor Frey of Minneapolis, who looks as if he wears a full bottle of "Bed Head" mousse in his ludicrously over-attended hair, allowed a small mob led by (privileged?) white agitators to seize and burn a police precinct building so as to avoid conflict and not escalate things. Since then, it has become increasingly clear that "blue city" mayors from California to Texas to Chicago to Philadelphia to Atlanta have deliberately held back their police, allowing them to be committed only in piecemeal fashion, if at all, and usually without any special vehicles or gear. Washington, D.C.'s genius mayor, in fact, has refused any meaningful police presence anywhere near the White House, such that vandals were able to set fire to part of the historic St. John's Episcopal Church (a few minutes' walk from Mr. Trump) last night. And where the D.C. police were deployed yesterday, they attempted to clear streets with an obvious shortage of riot shields and padding, not to mention an obvious severe shortage of manpower. Then there is Governor Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania, who refused for most of the weekend to call up his National Guard, and when he did, the figure that was mentioned was a measly 600 guardsmen, only a few percentage points of the entire state force a joke. It may seem heartless to say, but it's a fact: this is the "leadership" that the urban Democrats voted for, and this is what they are getting. This is what they wanted, and in a democracy, people get what they want. It is not Mr. Trump's job nor is it within his power to intervene to save these people from themselves. What are these useless mayors going to do with cops who willfully abandon their posts en masse fire them? At a time like this? We are talking about government employees you can't just toss them in a heartbeat, barring suspicion of some serious crime. I would in fact encourage all "blue city" cops to just walk away for a few days. How can anyone work any job much less a dangerous, extremely stressful one without the support of their own boss? It is intolerable. It is what the cities voted for. Image credit: Twitter screen shot. Advertisement More than half a million primary school children were kept at home today as dozens of councils sided with unions to defy the government's aims to ease students back into schools. At least 54 councils in England have taken the side of teaching unions, who have argued it is not yet safe for its members to return to schools amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The councils have either told schools not to reopen today, or left the decision up to headteachers. It meant as few as '40 per cent of eligible primary pupils' returned to classes today, with around 550,000 staying at home, as schools stayed shut, turned children away or even held 'staff training days'. The Association of School and College Leaders said that of the facilities that are open attendance is 'highly variable' and ranges between '40 per cent and 70 per cent'. But the union's general secretary Geoff Barton said this figure is likely to increase as 'parents become become confident about sending their children to school'. Up to two million pupils were due to return to lessons but some were turned away because headteachers 'weren't ready' for them while around half of parents have chosen to keep their children at home because of safety fears. A child has his temperature taken at Harris Primary Academy in south London as up to 2million pupils were due to return to class A child has his hand sanitised with the help of a member of staff at a Croydon Primary School this morning. While children skipped in the playground while watched by teachers in full PPE A child is dropped off at Queen's Hill Primary School, Costessey, Norfolk as reception, year 1 and year 6 pupils return across England today Up to 1,500 primary schools in England are estimated to be defying the Government's plan to get all reception, year 1 and year 6 children back in the classroom from June 1 as teachers admitted they were feeling anxiety about returning to work and unions demanded the date be pushed back to June 15 at the earliest. Parents have revealed that many schools will remain closed for at least another week or more, while some have not yet set a date at all. In other cases schools decided they can only increase the number of places for key workers' children, not for everyone. At least 54 councils, mostly Labour run, have refused to reopen their schools or left it up to headteachers, who are trying to find ways to ensure social distancing in their school buildings and ensuring they have enough teachers to teach 'bubbles' of up to ten children. But while hundreds of thousands of young students are back in class and reunited with their friends and teachers today, MailOnline can reveal there was confusion at several schools in London with some parents arriving with their children only to be informed they couldn't come in and had to go home again. Glauciane Conti was turned away at the school gate this morning with her son who is in year one. The 35-year-old cleaner from Forest Gate said: 'My son just went in to ask the teachers and they say it is not open as they are still making arrangements. I don't understand. Now I have to go to work'. Gallions Primary School, also in Beckton, plans to remain closed to the general public this week. Hanif Hazari, 58 accompanied his son Mahmamudullabi who is a year 6 pupil at Havelock Primary School in Southall, west London after being informed via a text message that it was reopening following the easing of the lockdown. Mr Hazari said: 'The playground was completely deserted so I went into the school office and they told me that the school has now decided to remain closed and they don't have a date as yet as to when it will open. It's very confusing, I don't know what's going on. The Government appears to be saying one thing and the schools another.' Mahmamudullabi, 11, added: 'I hope the school opens soon because I'm getting really bored at home.' Jaswinder Grover, who arrived at the school with his daughter Simran, a year 6 pupil said: 'I was initially told that the school would reopen today but as you can see, hardly anybody has turned up. And now the school is telling me something completely different. The Government needs to be a clearer about what's actually going on and when our kids can go back to school, which I hope is soon.' A Havelock Primary official told MailOnline the school is now not scheduled to reopen until June 15 at the very earliest. He added: 'Some parents were under the impression that we were opening on June 1. We're very sorry for any confusion that's been caused, and parents will be notified as soon as possible.' A government source denied the situation was 'chaos', insisting the process of returning appeared to be going well. 'Many schools are welcoming back more pupils, take-up is in line with expectations,' the source said. 'We always said schools would begin the wider reopening from this week, it'll be a gradual process.' As schools reopened for the first time in ten weeks, it also emerged today: Public health officers warn lockdown is being eased to fast and police say the rules are becoming impossible to enforce. Beaches have been crammed because of continuing good weather; Britain have been handed a host of new freedoms from today including meeting with friends and family, the reopening of some shops and pupils returning to school. But health experts warn there is 'no rationale' in letting two million people who were 'shielding' from Covid go back outside; Huge queues formed outside Ikea as the Government allowed more shops, markets and car showrooms to open; Children in Year 1 have their own desks in the modern Harris Academy Primary School in south London. Many headteachers with older schools say they don't have the space Reception pupil Braydon washes his hands whilst watching an electronic timer at Queen's Hill Primary School, Costessey, Norfolk. Children will be asked to wash up regularly through the day Children arrive for their first day back at Watlington Primary School (left) in Oxfordshire and at St Michael in The Hamlet Community Primary School in Liverpool (right) 2m social distancing markings and signs at Ashton Gate Primary School in Bristol as children return after lockdown How mostly Labour-run councils have refused to obey the Government and open primary schools on June 1 Opposed Brighton and Hove (Labour) Slough (Labour) Teesside Labour) Solihull (Conservative) Stockport (Labour) Bury (Labour) Liverpool (Labour) Hartlepool (Labour) Wirrall (Labour) Calderdale (Labour) Birmingham (Labour) Bradford (Labour) Leeds (Labour) Have expressed 'reservations' but leaving it to schools Wakefield (Labour) Barking and Dagenham (Labour) Redbridge (Labour) Bristol (Labour) Southampton (Labour) Newcastle (Labour) Advertisement However, Children's Commissioner Anne Longfield believes schools will need to hold summer schools to enable pupils to catch up on work they have missed during the enforced break. Ms Longfield said in The Telegraph: 'Based in school buildings and running throughout the holidays, summer schools could provide activities of all kinds, meals and potentially some learning too,' she said. 'The idea is also likely to be popular with parents, who however well-intentioned and motivated may need a break from home schooling and may also be in desperate need of childcare as they return to work.' One teacher wrote this morning: 'Lots of us are going to feel very apprehensive and anxious about the new changes, however that looks in our school. We stand with each other.' Cathy Moden, headteacher of Hiltingbury Infant School in Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, said she had anticipated 45 of the 90 children in Reception to attend on Monday but only 39 turned up. Ms Moden said: 'I do expect it to increase, I think some parents have made a decision on what they have heard in the media, I have heard from some parents they aren't ready yet to send their children.' Queen's Hill Primary and Nursery School near Norwich reopened to reception children on Monday, with 46 attending out of a total of 75 in the year group. The school has been open to children of key workers throughout the coronavirus lockdown, with plans to reopen to nursery children next week and to children in Years 1 and 6 from June 15. Emma Corps, 39, was in a socially distanced queue of parents as she dropped off her five-year-old daughter Isla at the school gates. 'I was a bit anxious but she was excited and I think they need to go back to school as there needs to be some sort of normality back in their lives,' she said. 'For the 10 weeks she was saying 'when am I going back, when am I going back?' then at 6.30am this morning it was 'mummy, quick'!' Jo Frost, 37, who was dropping off her five-year-old son Max at Queen's Hill Primary and Nursery School near Norwich, said: 'It's obviously a difficult decision but you've got to weigh up everything in life. 'You can't just shut yourself away and wrap yourself up in cotton wool. You could just walk out the door and anything could happen. 'The school have really thought about it. They've sent out lots of letters, pictures and given us all the information we need. I feel confident that they're doing everything right. We were quite relieved, to be honest, as it's quite a long time that he's been off and at his age it's really important to be with his peers. Penny Sheppard, head teacher of Queen's Hill Primary and Nursery School near Norwich, which reopened to reception children on Monday, said: 'I think if I'm honest a lot of headteachers were quite surprised about June 1 because I think we'd been doing a lot of reading about things in the media. 'Probably a lot of us had thought 'OK, we won't be having children back until September'. But then like anything you take it in your stride don't you? 'You think OK, right, after that little bit of a shock announcement, let's think about this logically and then just start a plan of action to work towards that. 'We've been open throughout this and I've had 60 children (of key workers) in childcare so I know that the systems I've put in place are workable and the children, I've been keeping them in their separate 'pods'. 'I knew it was just an extension of that'. A child makes a bubble at Watlington Primary School in lunch break on the first day back for many children A teacher during an outdoor class at Watlington Primary School as some schools re-open as the lockdown eases Schools, like this one in Norfolk, are using fruit to mark out where children should sit in their class bubbles, which are less than ten A year 6 sturent returns to a Bristol school with his mother today - most children are not wearing uniform to ensure children wear clean clothes each day Summer camps may be set up to enable children to catch up on lessons after the closures. Queen's Hill Primary School, Costessey, Norfolk opened today Pupils will begin returning to classrooms across England today, at Heath Mount Prep School in Watton-at-Stone, desks have been moved further to maintain social distancing rules Desks have been taped off with smaller classroom sizes at some schools, including Holywell Village First School in Northumberland Freddie Noble, six, and his little brother Will, three, are returning to school in West Norfolk today Meanwhile social media users have had a mixed response to today's reopening, with one Twitter user claiming the lack of pupils showed the public had 'no confidence' in the government's plans. Another, writing on parenting website MumsNet, said: 'My youngest (Reception) went back today. 'Only five went in out of 30. The five of them were split between four adults as they were expecting a few more. 'Its lucky that the boy he was with is a friend of his!' One Twitter user said: 'My six-year-old returned to school today. CORONAVIRUS CASE CONFIRMED AT PRIMARY SCHOOL A Primary School in Gloucestershire sent a letter to parents last week confirming someone at the school had tested positive for coronavirus. Woolaston Primary School in Lydney believe the person contracted the illness at a holiday camp held at the school, and sent the letters to parents last week. It comes as schools across the country reopen their doors on Monday for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6. Woolaston Primary's acting headteacher Emma Gomersall confirmed the school carried out a deep clean on Wednesday and Thursday. Advertisement 'Excellent work ethic and communication with parents by school. 'However only four children returned in my sons class. 'The public clearly have NO confidence in government policy regarding relaxation of lockdown.' On parent on Facebook said: 'It does help when those unable to work are keeping their children at home, therefore keeping classes smaller and more manageable for the moment. 'Schools are working out what's best all round on a daily basis.' Ministers are in discussions over summer camps to enable disadvantaged children, along with a 'catch-up premium' that will grant schools extra funding for initiatives to help the most affected pupils. This comes as Education Secretary Gavin Williamson acknowledged the recent school closures would have the biggest impact upon the poorest children. An announcement is due to come in the next few weeks, despite objections from teaching unions if the plans involve working over the summer. This could lead to another row between the government and unions, in the face of Ms Longfield's concerns that pupils may be absent from schools for up to six months. History teacher Chris Beach said: 'First day back in school today. We in Guernsey are blessed to have no active cases, but I am worried for friends and ex-colleagues in the UK - stay safe everyone.' Another commented 'Anxiety through the roof for many,' as primary school children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 are able to return to school after 10 weeks out. Schools have been preparing for classrooms to reopen for weeks, corridors have been marked off to keep pupils apart as they go about their school day, while desks have also been moved to maintain a distance of two metres between schools. Bowie Cool, four, and her mum Lozzie Cool from West Sussex, took a practice walk to school on Sunday to prepare for a return to the school run this morning Children as young as four are being put in social distancing bubbles in classrooms and playgorunds to prevent the spread of Covid-19 germs Corridors have been marked off to keep pupils apart at a school in Northumberland 'Scaremongering' Charlotte Church is blasted over 'hatred-inciting' call for England's parents to keep children off school in foul-mouthed Twitter rant Charlotte Church today suffered an avalanche of criticism after urging England's parents not to send their children to school claiming Boris Johnson doesn't 'give a flying f**k' about them. The 34-year-old mother of two's extraordinary Twitter outburst came despite the singer living in Wales where schools will remain closed until September. Taking to Twitter on Sunday morning, she wrote: 'Highly recommend if you can help it, not sending your children back to school tomorrow.....this government doesn't give a flying f**k about you, your children, your elders or your vulnerable.' Parents who want their children to return to school have accused the star of 'shaming' them, with one saying: 'What a ridiculous and hatred inciting statement'. Another replied to her message saying: 'This is shocking. There are many children who haven't had any education for the last 10 weeks. You as a mother I would have thought would have understood the importance of this'. And critics have also pointed out that Ms Church's advice to parents with children in mainstream school came despite her decision home school her own offspring since 2016. Last year she enraged her Glamorgan community by turning her 2.5million home into a private school where she hopes to 'liberate' children up to 20 children. One neighbour said: 'She has no educational background or track record in managing a school.' Ms Church homeschools her own children Ruby, 11, and Dexter, 10, and claims she now she is pledging to give other children in their area freedom over what to learn. Advertisement Most teachers have reduced class sizes, which will operate in bubbles, with no interaction with other classes. For younger years, toys have been taken out of classroom and are being kept in storage out of fear they could hold Covid-19 germs. Brian Walton, head teacher at Brookside Academy in Somerset, spoke to Good Morning Britain ahead of pupils' arrival from 7.30am. He said: 'Like headteachers up and down the country we've been planning this probably from when lockdown started really. It's taken meticulous plans consultation with staff and parents. 'Like most of the teachers right now I'm glad it was a really early start because I probably wouldn't have slept anyway.' Children are at an extremely low risk of catching coronavirus. The majority of hospital admissions are people over 60. The main concern over pupils returning to school is the potential spread of germs between different households, while teachers who may be at risk could also be exposed. Headteachers have also predicted that more than one in five teachers will be forced to work from home because of health conditions, their age or because members of their family are vulnerable. Co-headteacher Matt Ferris of Kingsholm Primary School has explained many of the new features in response to parents' questions over how their children will adapt to social distancing measures, They will be given a designated time slot and and allotted area - or pen - where they leave their child before heading off along a designated walkway. Pupils will be told to maintain social distancing between others, and they will only be allowed to mix with a small number of others. Students who do not conform with the social distancing rules will also be sent home on a three-strikes policy. In a video published on the school's website, Mr Ferris talks parents through what they can expect when Year 6, Year 1 and Reception and nursery children return on June 1. Drop off and collection times will be staggered with queues and marked walkways for parents and pupils to follow. Kingsholm is using timeslots based on surnames, with parents being asked to drop children off alone, without siblings or other children. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Hertford has prepared its classrooms for pupils' return What can I do as lockdown measures ease in England? Coronavirus rules are changing in England from today, here are some important things to bare in mind. Can I meet more people? From June 1 you will be able to meet up to six people from separate households, in outside spaces. This means that you can meet limited numbers of family and friends in gardens and parks, but you must continue to follow social distancing rules. You can play sports with the people that you meet, but only if it is possible to keep a two-metre space between you, such as tennis or football. Will my children go to school? Primary schools can begin to open for pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 from Monday. Vulnerable children and children of key workers can still go to class, and teaching can start for older pupils in Year 10 and Year 12 in two weeks time, Monday June 15. Will any more shops be open? Most non-essential shops will remain closed on Monday, but car showrooms and outdoor markets will be allowed to reopen. Other non-essential shops can start to trade again from June 15. Can I go on a day out? Day trips to outdoor spaces are allowed as long as you do not stay the night. While on a trip people have to maintain social distancing and hotels are still closed. Will there still be punishments for breaking the rules? Yes, and fines for rulebreakers have been increased. Penalties for a first offence are now set at 100 (reduced to 50 if paid within two weeks) and double for every subsequent rule breach, up to 3,200. If I am shielding can I leave the house? From Monday, the two million people who have been shielding in England can now leave the house to spend time with people outdoors. Those considered extremely vulnerable will be able to go outside with members of their household, while continuing to follow social distancing guidelines. And those who live alone can meet outside with one other person from another household, also adhering to social distancing guidelines. What are the rules in Wales? From Monday people from two households in Wales will be able to meet outdoors, as long as they do not travel more than five miles and observe social distancing. People who have been shielding will also be able to exercise outdoors and meet people from another household, but must not go into another house or share food. What are the rules in Scotland? Since Friday, people north of the border have been allowed to meet in groups of eight, outdoors in parks or gardens, but these gatherings can only include members of two separate households. There have been no changes to rules for people who are shielding. What are the rules in Northern Ireland? Some rules will be relaxed in Northern Ireland on June 8. In a week, some more shops such as car showrooms can open, and outdoor weddings will be able to take place, but limited to fewer than ten people. Pets can also go to grooming parlours, and outdoor sport facilities will be allowed to open. Advertisement Pupils will be dropped off by parents in to pens that will be sectioned with barriers as they arrive. Parents have raised their own concerns however, Vix Lowthion wrote: 'My children are not going back to school tomorrow. I have spent weeks trying to influence this govt's pathetic handling of the pandemic. 'It's now got to the point I have to protect my own kids and their teachers and families. It's the responsible thing to do.' Other parents are happy with a return to school life though, with one father saying his child was going 'stir crazy,' during the lockdown. Ministers last night reassured parents that reopening primary schools today is safe amid fears that up to a million children may be kept away. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said it was 'extremely important' children went back to school. It comes as a study suggested up to half of families may shun sending their youngsters to lessons due to worries about the spread of coronavirus. This means that a million children, half of those in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6, could be kept off, in a blow to the government's hopes of getting back to normal. The majority of primaries are expected to open from today, despite fierce opposition from the National Education Union. At the 11th hour, the union again attempted to scupper openings, claiming they should be delayed until June 15 to protect youngsters and teachers. Unions are also vehemently opposed to rumours of summer school classes being set up for vulnerable children. Minsters are thought to be considering it as a possibility to make sure pupils get the best opportunities. Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), told Sky teachers should not have to work over the summer holidays. She told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday: 'Teachers have been working flat out to provide education for children at home. 'So what should happen is and we do support this clubs and activities on a volunteer basis.' But Education Secretary Gavin Williamson attempted to allay parental and staff concerns, insisting that Government decisions throughout the pandemic are 'based on the best scientific and medical advice'. He said: 'While there might be some nervousness, I want to reassure parents and teachers that the welfare of children and staff continues to be at the heart of all of our considerations. 'For the past three weeks the sector has been planning and putting protective measures in place.' Speaking at the Downing Street briefing, Mr Jenrick said ministers believe it is 'possible to open schools safely'. He pointed out that 80 per cent of schools have been open throughout the pandemic, with thousands of teachers already educating children of key workers as well as vulnerable pupils. Mr Jenrick said: 'It may be that there are some parents out there today who have not yet made the decision to send their children back to school but will do so in the days ahead when they've seen other people make that step and schools manage to reopen safely. 'I certainly hope so, because it's extremely important that we do get children back to school. 'All of the evidence suggests that it is children from the most deprived, the poorer households, who are losing out by not having that crucial face-to-face contact that you get in a school setting. I don't want to see that continue for any longer.' Government safety measures include returning primary pupils having access to coronavirus testing, along with symptomatic members of their family. They will be kept in small, socially distanced groups of no more than 15 throughout the day, with staggered breaks, lunchtimes, drop-offs and pick-ups. Dr Jenny Harries, deputy chief medical officer, told the press conference that testing capacity across the country 'is now very significant' at up to 200,000 a day. She pointed out that the 'risks of social interactions are reduced' as pupils will be kept in small groups. Boris Johnson wants nurseries and early years providers to reopen today, and primary schools to allow back their Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 groups. Some students in Year 10 and 12 will be allowed to meet face-to-face with their teachers at secondary school from June 15. The majority of primaries are expected to reopen. But many are only admitting a fraction of eligible pupils, with the introduction of rotas, as they struggle to adapt to smaller classes and reduced teacher levels. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said it was 'extremely important' children went back to school The National Foundation for Educational Research surveyed 1,233 head teachers in state primary and secondary schools in England. They expect nearly half (46 per cent) of families to keep their children at home because of their concerns around coronavirus or the need to self-isolate. The figure is slightly higher for primary schools (47 per cent) compared to 42 per cent in secondary schools. Across all schools, those with the highest proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals an indicator of poverty estimate the figure to be 50 per cent. This compares to 42 per cent in schools which have low levels of disadvantaged students. Three mothers are considering launching legal battle with Government claiming school closures during coronavirus crisis may have breached their children's human rights By Jim Norton for the Daily Mail Three mothers may sue the Government over school closures, claiming it may have breached children's human rights. They have written to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson to ask whether the mental welfare of pupils has been considered. They also fear draconian social distancing rules planned for returning schools could cause long-term psychological damage. Welfare fears: Campaigners Liz Cole, 46, left, and Christine Brett, 48, right, are two mothers who could sue the government over school closures Campaigner Christine Brett, who has two children, said: 'These are healthy children who have been quarantined for 12 weeks they shouldn't be treated like they're germs, disinfected on entry and separated on to individual tables.' Schools will return today for select year groups for the first time since March 20. The three mothers launched the Us for Them campaign for parents who say they were made to feel like pariahs for disagreeing with children being kept at home because of Covid-19. Molly Kingsley, 41, Liz Cole, 46, and Mrs Brett, 48, all from Cambridgeshire, have one child returning to school and another still at home. They said evidence the lockdown harms youngsters' well-being may have been overlooked. The group is also arguing against extreme distancing as it may breach the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Former lawyer Molly Kingsley (pictured) is one of three mothers who said evidence the lockdown harms youngsters' well-being may have been overlooked They have instructed lawyers to examine whether Government actions so far and the distancing plans may have been unlawful. Former lawyer Mrs Kingsley said if it failed to take into account children's welfare, they are prepared to sue. Almost 2,000 parents and teachers have backed the campaign. A Department for Education spokesman insisted the welfare of children had been 'at the heart of all considerations'. Children and young people will experience high levels of loneliness and depression for up to NINE YEARS after lockdown ends Children and young people are likely to experience high rates of depression and anxiety long after the lockdown ends, according to a review. The research draws on more than 60 pre-existing, peer-reviewed studies into topics spanning isolation, loneliness and mental health for young people aged between four and 21. It concludes that young people who are lonely might be as much as three times more likely to develop depression in the future, and that the impact of loneliness and mental health could last for at least nine years. Authors of the study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, said clinical services need to be prepared for a future spike in demand. It concludes that young people who are lonely might be as much as three times more likely to develop depression in the future The study comes as NHS England's top doctor for children and young people's mental health has urged parents to be alert to signs of anxiety, distress or low mood as some pupils return to school on Monday. Dr Maria Loades, clinical psychologist from the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath, said: 'From our analysis, it is clear there are strong associations between loneliness and depression in young people, both in the immediate and the longer term. 'We know this effect can sometimes be lagged, meaning it can take up to 10 years to really understand the scale of the mental health impact the Covid-19 crisis has created. 'There is evidence that it's the duration of loneliness as opposed to the intensity which seems to have the biggest impact on depression rates in young people. 'This means that returning to some degree of normality as soon as possible is of course important. 'However, how this process is managed matters when it comes to shaping young people's feelings and experiences about this period. Schools should be resourced and given clear guidelines on how to support children's emotional wellbeing during the transition period as schools reopen, the experts say 'For our youngest and their return to school from this week, we need to prioritise the importance of play in helping them to reconnect with friends and adjust following this intense period of isolation.' Members of the review team were also involved in a recent open letter to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson. They suggest that the easing of the lockdown should be done in a way that provides children with time and opportunity to play with peers. Schools should be resourced and given clear guidelines on how to support children's emotional wellbeing during the transition period as schools reopen, the experts say. They call for play - rather than academic progress - to be the priority during this time. Their letter concludes: 'Poor emotional health in children leads to long-term mental health problems, poorer educational attainment and has a considerable economic burden.' Professor Prathiba Chitsabesan, NHS England's associate national clinical director for children and young people's mental health, said the return to school may cause anxiety for some pupils as well as those who remain at home feeling isolated or left out. She stressed that NHS mental health services remain available for children and young people. 'Children and young people may be experiencing a variety of feelings in response to the coronavirus pandemic, including anxiety, distress and low mood, and it is important to understand that these are normal responses to an abnormal situation,' Prof Chitsabesan said. 'The NHS offers a large amount of mental health support for children and young people, and if a child needs urgent mental health support or advice, check nhs.uk for services in your area, including 24/7 crisis support.' NHS England issued advice on what parents should look out for and steps they can take to look after their child's mental health. Signs include finding children are more upset or struggling to manage their emotions, appearing anxious or distressed, increased trouble with sleeping and eating, appearing low in mood, reporting worried thoughts or more bed wetting in younger children. Parents can help by making time to talk to their children, allowing them to talk about feelings, trying to understand their problems, helping their child do positive activities, trying to keep a routine and looking after their own mental health. Nadine Dorries, minister for mental health, said: 'As many children start to return to school, it's vital we continue to give them the support they need to maintain their mental health and wellbeing and deal with any feelings of uncertainty or worry they may be experiencing. 'The NHS remains there for those who need it and our mental health services are adapting to best support families and children as we all get used to these changes in routine.' Only three weeks ago, Kamala Harris was picked by Politico as the favorite to join presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on the November ticket. Now, as fury mounts over the death of George Floyd, who was asphyxiated under the knee of a white police officer, the California senators law enforcement record has come under scrutiny and could be a liability, according to the publication. Politico says right-wing trolls have joined progressives in pushing the Kamala is a cop narrative to discredit the former California attorney general and San Francisco prosecutor with liberal Americans. Progressives have long criticized Harris for claiming to be a reformer while actually supporting tough on crime policies. The Daily Beasts Molly Jong-Fast, writing in Vogue, says not to count Harris out. Picking an African American to be his running mate may no longer just be a political expediency or a canny campaign move by Joe Biden, she wrote. After the events of the past week, it may just be the right thing to do. What everyone seems to agree on is that the vice presidential candidacy of Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a former prosecutor, is in deep trouble. While she was running for Senate in 2006, Klobuchars office was investigating Officer Derek Chauvin the policeman caught on video pressing his knee into Floyds neck on May 25 in a police-involved shooting. Klobuchar had no involvement in the prosecution and was already serving in the Senate when a successor sent the case to a grand jury, which declined to charge him and five other officers. The jury ruled the use of force against Wayne Reyes, who had stabbed two people before pointing a sawed-off shotgun at police, was justified. RELATED: Who will be Joe Biden's running mate? The odds Nonetheless, the linkage between Klobuchar and Chauvin has impacted her negatively. The poor performance of the Midwest moderate among nonwhite voters during the presidential primary hasnt helped either. Like Harris, Florida Rep. Val Demmings stock as a potential Biden running mate may be rising despite her law enforcement background. Demmings, the former police chief of Orlando, wrote in a Washington Post op-ed last week: "My fellow brothers and sisters in blue, what the hell are you doing?, adding, "I cannot begin to understand how any officer could ignore the painful pleas we heard from Floyd or from anyone suffering." The Orlando Police Department has a long history of use-of-excessive-force complaints. Other possible VP candidates include former Georgia state Rep. Stacey Abrams, former national security adviser Susan Rice and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who earned praise from Bidens campaign for denouncing unruly protests that broke out in her city Friday. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a favorite of progressives, has also been frequently mentioned as a possible Biden running mate. Mike Moffitt is an SFGATE Digital Reporter. Email: moffitt@sfgate.com. Twitter: @Mike_at_SFGate He is regarded as one of the best country music artists in the world. So, it came as a surprise when Keith Urban admitted to The Kyle And Jackie O Show on Monday that he can't actually read musical notes. Appearing via a video link from his home in Nashville, Tennessee, the 52-year-old revealed that he failed music class in high school and has since never improved. 'I can't read music': Keith Urban, 52, reavealed to The Kyle And Jackie O Show on Monday that he failed music theory class at school and still can't read a note 'I failed music at school,' the Grammy award winner declared, leaving Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson in disbelief. 'What?' a shocked Kyle interjected. 'How funny is that?' Jackie laughed. 'We just failed terribly': Keith, who attended Caboolture State High School in Queensland, explained that he and several other students failed their music exams because they couldn't read musical notation Keith, who attended Caboolture State High School in Queensland, explained that he and several other students failed their music exams because they couldn't read musical notation. 'Like, I can't read music. So everything that had to do with theory for the testing for our exams, [my fellow classmates and I] were just cr*p,' he lamented. 'We just failed terribly,' he added. 'I give her props all the time': The Gemini crooner, who dropped out of school at 15, also shared a tribute to his music teacher for supporting him despite the setbacks However, when it came to actually playing an instrument or participating in activities that didn't involve musical theory, Keith said he 'passed with flying colours.' The Gemini crooner, who dropped out of school at 15, also shared a tribute to his music teacher for supporting him at the time. 'I give her props all the time because we had kids in our class that were really really talented but they couldn't read music,' he said. Keith is currently self-isolating at home with his wife Nicole Kidman and their two daughters, Sunday Rose, 11, and Faith Margaret, nine, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. GRAND FORKS, N.D. - A shooting early Monday has left two airmen dead at the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, the military said. The bases emergency services members responded to the shooting, which occurred at 4:30 a.m., a statement from the military said. Officials said there is no risk to other personnel, and the shooting remains under investigation. The air bases commander, Col. Cameron S. Pringle, told reporters the two airmen died while in a dormitory, but he did not give details about what led up to the shooting, KVRR-TV reported. We deeply regret this loss, and certainly, our hearts and thoughts are with those families, Pringle said. He said the base dormitories are safe. The airmen are members of the 319th Reconnaissance Wing. Officials plan to withhold their names and units until 24 hours after family members are notified. Medical teams are providing disaster mental health services to help people who are affected, the base said. Staff Sgt. Elijaih Tiggs said the military alone is investigating. He would not say if anyone was in custody or was being sought in connection with the shooting. The base specializes in unmanned aircraft operations and is located about 15 miles (24 kilometres) west of Grand Forks. The base is home to about 1,600 military members and 900 civilian employees, Tiggs said. You are here: World Flash Jordan and China on Sunday signed an agreement under which China donated a batch of medical supplies to the kingdom to help combat the coronavirus. The Chinese medical donation includes 10,000 medical protection gears, 60,000 medical face masks, 10,000 gloves, 200 body temperature scanning devices and 20,000 testing kits, Chinese Ambassador to Jordan Pan Weifang said in a statement on Sunday. Pan stressed the importance of unity and cooperation to combat the epidemic, adding that the international community has gained experience in combating such epidemics and needs unity to face the COVID-19. Jordan's Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Wisam Rabadi said the donation represents China's commitment to supporting Jordan, particularly during the critical times, to better cope with the impact of COVID-19. "We will continue to count on China as a key partner to Jordan," he added. China has supported Jordan's fight against the coronavirus pandemic. On April 4, a batch of medical supplies was donated to Jordan by China's Jack Ma Foundation and the Alibaba Foundation. On April 27, China's State Development & Investment Corporation (SDIC), a key partner of Jordan's Arab Potash Company, donated medical supplies worth 1.2 million U.S. dollars to help Jordan fight COVID-19. In April, Urumchi, the capital city of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, also donated a batch of medical equipment to Jordan's Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority. At a small farmhouse not far from Colombias capital, Bogota, Marlene Beltran sits at a small table and turns on the radio to help her little brother with school work. The five-year-old is learning how to draw on paper cubes to tell a story. There is no internet at the farm. The hour-long radio program keeps them busy while schools remain closed under COVID-19 measures. At one time, radio was widely used in Latin America to teach basic math and reading skills. Now, such programs are expanding again to serve the public during lockdown. The radio and television programs are especially popular in rural areas. We dont want children to lose their studying habits, said Diana Lopez, a teacher in the town of Funza. She helps produce a daily radio show for elementary school students. The area on the edge of Bogota has 10,000 public school students. About a third of them have no computers or internet at home. The radio lessons give children a space to develop their reading and writing skills and also show them that their teachers are still with them, Lopez said. In the United States and Europe, students mostly watch lessons on computers and use video conferencing. But in Latin America, officials were forced to find other solutions for stay-at-home students. Most education ministries have developed online learning for students with internet access. But many are also using traditional broadcast to reach poorer communities. In Haiti, only a third of the population has internet access. So the government broadcasts educational programs on a state-run radio station. Students from poor communities in Ecuadors cities are watching television shows that provide them with school work. They can then drop completed work at schools for teachers to examine, correct, score and more. Home internet connections are almost nonexistent in Cuba. State television broadcasts hours of educational content on different subjects and levels every day. In Chile, educational organization Teach for All has developed a 30-minute daily podcast that is carried on more than 200 radio stations. To make the programs, teachers record themselves on their phones presenting the learning material. Producers mix in music and other effects. The programs cover science, math, history and writing. Tomas Recart is the director of Ensena Chile, the Teach for All partner backing the radio programs. He said, We have children in difficult situations and we want to motivate them and light up their hearts. A study this year by the Interamerican Development Bank says less than 35 percent of students in Colombia, Mexico and Peru have internet access. In rural Brazil, state governments provide internet service credit so that children can reach online learning sites over wireless phones. Sabine Rieble-Aubourg is an education specialist at the Bank. She said, Some countries have been looking for whatever content is available and for free to broadcast. As things get back to normal, they will have to organize content better, she said, to make sure the content is separated by educational level and meets with national education plans. Until that happens, the energetic teachers are coming up with solutions to reach their students. Deep in the Brazilian Amazon, elementary school teacher Andreza Nascimento records videos for her young students. Some days they might not have internet, said Nascimento, who sends her videos via WhatsApp. But kids like technology, and I try to make the videos fun. Amparo Ramos is a preschool teacher in Funza, Colombia. Ramos says she has used her own money to print her lessons on paper for families without internet. She also uses WhatsApp to send lessons and educational games, similar to those she would use at school. Ramos said the new process is very tiring, but she added, We are behind in technology, so we need to come up with [new] ways to reach parents and their kids. Im Caty Weaver. The Associated Press reported this story. Hai Do adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story cube -n. an object that has six square sides habit -n. a usual way of behaving: something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way motivate -v. to give (someone) a reason for doing something content -n. to give (someone) a reason for doing something elementary -adj. a school including usually the first four to the first eight grades and often a kindergarten kid -n. a child LOS ANGELES (AP) The first time officers shot rubber bullets at MSNBC host Ali Velshi and his crew Saturday night in Minneapolis, he was willing to believe that the officials didnt know they were press. The second time, Velshi said, they knew and shot anyway. "We put our hands up and yelled, 'We're media!'" Velshi said. "They responded, 'We don't care!' and they opened fire a second time." Velshi, who said he was hit in the leg by a rubber bullet, is just one of many journalists across the country who sustained injuries from police or protesters while covering the George Floyd protests this weekend. And this occurred after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz promised that journalists would not be interfered with following the Friday arrest of a CNN crew on live television and other reports of violence against reporters from the city where Floyd died, including freelance photographer Linda Tirado, who said she is blind in her left eye after being shot at by police. Dan Shelley, the executive director and chief operating officer of the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), said while all the attacks on journalists were "outrageous and unacceptable" that he was particularly upset about the Minneapolis incidents that happened after the Governor made his reassurances. "They started deliberately attacking journalists who were clearly identifiable and identifying themselves as journalists," Shelley said. "We've heard a number of instances of police officers, either through their words or actions, saying that they just didn't care. To be a journalist in the Twin Cities last night, particularly in Minneapolis, if you were just arrested, you were lucky." Minneapolis Star Tribune reporter Chris Serres tweeted Sunday that he was twice ordered at gunpoint to hit the ground. Serres wrote that he was, "Warned that if I moved "an inch" I'd be shot. This after being teargassed and hit in groin area by rubber bullet. Waiving a Star Tribune press badge made no difference." His Star Tribune colleague Ryan Faircloth's car was also hit by what were "likely rubber bullets," which shattered his window and left him with cuts on his arm and brow. Los Angeles Times reporter Molly Hennessey-Fiske said in a video message on Twitter that she and about a dozen other press had identified themselves as such and that Minnesota State Patrol officers still "fired tear gun cannisters on us at point blank range." Hennessey-Fiske said she got hit in the leg. She said she asked the officers where they should go but they didn't give the reporters any direction. "They just fired on us," she said. It wasn't just Minneapolis where reporters found themselves in harm's way. Saturday there were journalist injuries reported in cities like New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, Detroit and Denver. Although the situation is fluid and developing, the RTDNA has counted more than 60 incidents across the country in the past 48 hours in which reporters have been, "injured, assaulted or harassed by either protesters or police officers." In Chicago, Vice reporter Michael Adams had a similar interaction to Velshi and Hennessey-Fiske when police raided the gas station he and his crew were sheltering at and said they "didn't care" that they were press. "After shouting press multiple times and raising my press card in the air, I was thrown to the ground," Adams wrote on Twitter. "Then another cop came up and peppered sprayed me in the face while I was being held down." Huffington Post reporter Christopher Mathais was arrested Saturday while covering protests in New York. CNN commentator Keith Boykin was also arrested by the NYPD Saturday after he identified himself as press. In Los Angeles, Lexis-Olivier Ray said an LAPD officer hit him in the stomach after he'd identified himself as a journalist "multiple times." In Washington D.C., Huffington Post reporter Philip Lewis tweeted that he was hit in the leg with rubber bullets. Detroit Free Press news director Jim Schaefer said several of their journalists showing their media badges were pepper-sprayed by Detroit police. And in Denver, 9NEWS reporter Jeremy Jojola tweeted that he got hit with, "Something fired by police" even though he was holding a camera and lights. Sunday, he reflected that he'll, "Never truly know if we were intentionally targeted or not. I'll just say we were not doing anything wrong as we were in an area under curfew." Since the protests began, eight AP journalists have been hurt, though none seriously. Three have been hit by rubber bullets, one was punched, another was knocked down and others fell. The acts of violence and deliberate harassment are further distressing to Shelley because it's distracting from the real story. "Journalists shouldn't be the story," Shelley said. "It is calamitous to see all of these journalists who are merely serving the public by covering these incidents of civil unrest being wantonly attacked...Journalists are representatives of the public and are there to serve the public and to tell the stories of the protesters and of the elected and other public officials trying to deal with the situation." He added: It is really harming the public at large, not just the journalist. Its interfering with their ability to be eyewitnesses and chroniclers of whats occurring in this country right now. By LINDSEY BAHR, AP Film Writer An undocumented immigrant in an ICE detention center who had to wait days for a coronavirus test after showing symtoms, only learned he had coronavirus after he noticed a sign on his cell door, warning staff he was infected. Oscar Perez Aguirre, 57, from Mexico, who suffers from hypertension and an enlarged heart, was taken into ICE custody at the for-profit Aurora Detention Center on May 14 with a high fever. But it was three days until he finally received a test for the coronavirus. He was not advised of the result, but only learned he had the deadly virus the next day when he noticed a warning sign posted on his cell door. A nurse later confirmed he was positive. Perez Aguirre was taken to a local hospital on May 19 where he was held under observation until May 28 when he was discharged following a blood test, and immediately returned to the GEO Group detention facility, with whom ICE has been in contract with since December 1986. The immigrant was originally taken into custody from a state prison in Colorado after serving a two-year sentence for illegal re-entry to the US - a felony charge - after returning after being deported on multiple occasions. Oscar Perez Aguirre is one of at least 11 detainees who have tested positive for COVID-19 at Aurora Detention Center, a private prison in Colorado that is contracted by ICE The attorney for Mexican national Oscar Perez Aguirre, who is being held at the the private Aurora Detention Center, told DailyMail.com on Monday that his 57-year-old client was taken back to the facility that is contracted by ICE after he was hospitalized due to COVID-19 complications 'ICE instituted screening guidance for new detainees who arrive at facilities to identify those who meet CDCs criteria for epidemiologic risk of exposure to COVID-19,' ICE said in a statement that was provided to DailyMail.com on Monday. 'IHSC isolates detainees with fever and/or respiratory symptoms who meet these criteria and observe them for a specified time period. IHSC staff consult with the local health department, as appropriate, to assess the need for testing. Detainees without fever or respiratory symptoms who meet epidemiologic risk criteria are monitored for 14 days. ERO has also encouraged facilities to isolate new admissions into the detention network for 14 days before placing them into general population.' Nine other inmates at the detention center have tested positive since Perez Aguirre was admitted last month. During his stay at the state prison in Sterling, more than 500 detainees had contracted the virus and at least two died. His attorney, Henry Hollithron, told DailyMail.com on Monday that he hopes that the federal immigration agency will consider releasing Perez Aguirre to his family so that he can self-quarantine and then self-deport to his home in Chihuahua, Mexico. 'They [the family] haven't heard from him since Saturday. I've spent the morning trying to get in touch with him' Hollithron said. 'Every day that I've wanted to call him, I've had to call the detention center four or five times while they work on getting him access to a legal phone. It seems that the detainees who are being isolated for the Coronavirus are having to share two phones.' Hollithron said that Perez Aguirre 'is in a cold room, is sweating constantly, has trouble eating, and has a bruise from where the hospital last drew his blood before discharging him.' Perez Aguirre's legal problems date back to May 1991 when he unlawfully entered the United States and was convicted July 1998 in Boulder County for the intent to sell drugs. He was deported to Mexico in 1999 and twice again in 2000 and 2004. He was apprehended in El Paso, Texas, May 8, 2019 for illegally entering the United States from Mexico. Perez Aguirre was sentenced in March 9 to two years in prison for illegal re-reentry to the United States, which is a felony offense. The Federal Bureau of Prisons transferred him to Sterling Correctional Facility on March 6 due to a warrant that has been issued for violating his 1998 drug conviction. The ICE contracted Aurora Detention Center has fallen under scrutiny in the past as it has been called out for its medical care and its inability to act amid virus outbreaks. Supporters and family members inside the GEO detention center are in a car caravan to increase the pressure on ICE to release detainees during a April 9, 2020 protest According to Boulder Weekly, in 2019 officials at the prison had to isolate 350 inmates following a massive outbreak of scabies, mumps and varicella, or chicken pox, causing local health officials to intervene. The coronavirus outbreak its been hit with following Perez Aguirre's arrival certainly did not win the prison any points with state officials, including Congressman Jason Crow. 'I do think that the Aurora contract facility is in a better position than they were a year ago since we started the oversight,' Crow said. 'But it's far from where it needs to be, and there are a lot of problems that remain that we're going to continue to work with the administrators of that facility to try to address. And we still have questions remaining about their ability to address an outbreak of this nature in that facility.' As of May 23, ICE listed 25,911 undocumented immigrants in its custody. The agency tested 2,781 detainees, of which 1,406 were infected with the ravaging coronavirus. At least two undocumented immigrants have died of the virus since the global pandemic spread across 56 ICE facilities. Pakistan has protested the expulsion of two of its embassy officials in India, which accused them of spying. Indias Foreign Ministry said that the two officials were detained on May 30 for "indulging in espionage activities" and given 24 hours to leave the country. Pakistan on June 1 summoned India's charge d'affaires in Islamabad, saying the accusations were baseless. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said Indias decision was a clear violation of diplomatic norms. Pakistan also recalled its ambassador from New Delhi and sent back the Indian envoy. The row comes amid escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed rivals over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-led India have fought two wars over control of Kashmir. Officials in India-administered Kashmir said on June 1 that three men were killed after a shootout near the de facto border known as the Line of Control (LoC). India accuses Pakistan of funding militant groups fighting Indian troops, a claim Islamabad denies. Based on reporting by AFP and dpa The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has announced that the share of clean energy in the emirates energy mix has increased to around nine per cent. These figures exceed the target set in the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, which aimed to provide seven percent of Dubais total power output from clean energy sources by 2020 and 75 percent by 2050, according to a statement issued by Dewa. Dewa Managing Director and CEO Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer explained that the total installed capacity is 11,700MW of electricity. This includes 1,013MW from photovoltaic solar panels at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest solar park in the world. He also noted that the total capacity of the projects under construction at the solar park is 1,850MW from photovoltaic and Concentrated Solar Power, CSP, with future phases to reach 5,000MW by 2030. "The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is one of DEWAs prominent projects. Since its launch, the solar parks projects have received considerable interest from global developers, which reflects the confidence of investors from around the world in DEWAs major projects," he added. "We recently signed the power purchase agreement for the 900MW 5th phase of the solar park with a consortium led by Acwa Power and Gulf Investment Corporation. The total investments of the project exceed Dh2 billion. The project achieved a new record by receiving the lowest international bid of $1.6953 cents per kilowatt hour using photovoltaic solar panels based on the Independent Power Producer model," Al Tayer continued. The 13MW first phase of the solar park became operational in 2013 using photovoltaic solar panels. It contributes to reducing over 15,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. The 200MW photovoltaic 2nd phase was commissioned in 2017. It provides clean energy to 50,000 residences in Dubai and reduces 214,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually. The third phase has a capacity of 800MW, and is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa to use an advanced single-axis solar tracking system to increase energy production.-TradeArabia News service Officers would ride up to the scene, flashing their lights and shining a spotlight on the looters, who would jump back into their cars and drive away or wait it out. Many of them came back again and again. At one point, several loud reports possibly gunshots were heard nearby, causing the officers to leave the scene as quickly as they had come. The looting continued. Champaign Police Chief Anthony Cobb said his department has an active investigation into who planted word on social media earlier Sunday, urging looters to come to Market Place Mall at 3 p.m. for a "riot." Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has backed a British freight logistics firm in a 12m fundraising. The 56-year-old tycoon joined other investors in London-based Beacon. The deal will be announced today, with Silicon Valley venture capital firm 8VC also taking part. Opportunity: Jeff Bezos joined other investors in London-based freight logistics firm Beacon Other backers include former Google boss Eric Schmidt and Uber founder Travis Kalanick. The company is a 'freight forwarder', organising freight movement but using agents to physically transport goods. Its bosses include technology chief Pierre Martin . China has threatened to retaliate against the United States after President Donald Trumps decision to begin the process of eliminating Hong Kongs special status and impose restrictions on Chinese students in U.S. Trumps action was prompted by a new Chinese national security law in Hong Kong. Speaking to reporters at the daily briefing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said "the announced measures severely interfere with China's internal affairs, damage U.S.-China relations, and will harm both sides. China is firmly opposed to this," adding that "any words or actions by the U.S. that harm China's interests will meet with China's firm counterattack." Trump said on Friday the controversial security law is tragic for the people of Hong Kong and violated China's promise to protect its autonomy. He said the Chinese government had been "diminishing the city's longstanding and very proud status." The president stopped short, however, of calling an immediate end to privileges that have helped Hong Kong remain a global financial hub. China's peoples assembly voted last week to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong that forbids secessionist and subversive activities, and what it labels foreign interference and terrorism. About 200 political figures from around the world have said, the new law constitutes a "flagrant breach" of the Joint Declaration which retuned the former British colony to China in 1997 under the framework of one country, two systems. RTHK: Manila comes back to life, but virus threat lingers Millions of people returned to work in the Philippine capital on Monday as one of the world's strictest and longest coronavirus lockdowns was eased to help resuscitate an economy that has been battered by the closure. Public transport such as trains and shuttle buses were allowed to operate in Manila but on a limited scale, forcing commuters to wait in long queues for hours, and leaving hundreds of workers stranded. "I have to go back to work," said Steven John Cabusao, who walked several kilometres on his first day of work after being confined to his home for 11 weeks. Cabusao, 24, a maintenance planner at an aviation firm, said his need to earn a living outweighed his fear of the coronavirus. "The fear of contracting the virus will always be there." With the third highest number of coronavirus cases and second highest official death toll in Southeast Asia, the Philippines also allowed the reopening of more businesses, and people can now leave home without government permits. The measures were among the world's toughest, on a par with those of Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged, and stricter than curbs at the peak of the contagion in Italy and in Spain, bringing the economy to a sudden halt. Lockdowns were relaxed in smaller towns outside the Manila area earlier. In easing the measures, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte sought to walk a fine line between protecting the country's more than 107 million people and reviving an economy facing its biggest contraction in more than three decades. "This is his biggest gamble yet because whatever happens, it's on him," University of Santo Tomas Political Science Professor Dennis Coronacion told ABS-CBN News. The decision to ease the restrictions came after a spike in the number of coronavirus cases, which health officials attribute to increased testing and clearing of a backlog of tests. The Philippines recorded 552 more coronavirus infections and three more fatalities on Monday, the health ministry said, raising its tally of confirmed cases to 18,638 and 960 deaths, most in the Manila area. The number of people tested stood at 318,356, or 0.3% of the population, way below a goal of 2%. (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Many South Africans spent their Monday morning lining up outside liquor stores, as alcohol sales were allowed again after a two-month ban because of the coronavirus outbreak. But while South Africa with the continent's most developed economy and the highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 relaxed its strict lockdown, the reopening of most school classes was delayed and there was debate about how churches could safely resume services. The government postponed the planned opening of two grades for another week so that some under-prepared schools could get ready to resume classes for grades 7 and 12, the final years of elementary school and high school. Places of worship were allowed to open from Monday with limits on the number of people in congregations, yet many religious groups said they would refuse the opportunity. They said they were concerned about the danger of allowing people to gather in an enclosed building something health experts warn against and some also said that limiting the number of people who could come into their church is against their values. South Africa has reported over 32,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 600 people have died. The government warns that the number of infections will continue to increase and the peak is not expected until August or September. Still, the relaxation of the alcohol ban came as a relief to many, who chose restocking their liquor cabinets instead of going straight to work on the day much of the country's economy also reopened. In the poor township of Macassar, near Cape Town, people left home at 4.30 a.m., residents said, to secure places in lines at liquor stores. The stores were set to open at 9 a.m. for the first time since March 26. Some walked with plastic crates to carry the bottles of beer and wine that they planned to buy. In the nearby town of Somerset West, socially distanced lines weaved out of the shops, onto sidewalks and into the parking lots of shopping malls. Cheers rose in a Johannesburg supermarket when screens were removed from wine racks to allow sales to begin. The line of shoppers waiting for wine snaked through the store. It's been a long two months, said Tony van Schalkwyk, who got to one shop an hour before it was due to open. He said he hoped to get beer, white wine, red wine and brandy what he referred to as just basics. Shelves of popular brands of alcohol were emptied in two hours at one liquor shop in an affluent suburb of Johannesburg, with only the most expensive products left unsold. Alcohol is only allowed to be sold from Monday to Thursday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., under the new relaxed measures. There were warnings against stockpiling alcohol and some stores placed limits on how much customers could buy. Some customers went to more than one store to restock, aware that the government has cautioned that some areas referred to as "coronavirus hotspots" could return to stricter lockdown measures if their rates of infection increase dramatically. That could mean the contentious alcohol ban is re-enforced in some areas, including major cities like Johannesburg and Cape Town. After delaying an announcement, the education department said that the date for the return of schools nationwide was now June 8. Schools would "prepare for the arrival of learners" from Monday, the department said. But some schools went ahead and opened as initially planned in Cape Town after the provincial education department there said they were ready. At one high school, pupils lined up to have their temperatures taken with a thermal device and to answer questions before they could enter, part of regulations that will be enforced at all schools. While the opening of places of worship was welcomed by some, including an opposition party, the African Christian Democratic Party, others said it was too dangerous and they would stay closed. "This sudden, seemingly rushed move is questionable," said the Jesuit Institute of South Africa in a statement issued last week. The government ordered that a maximum of 50 people would be allowed in congregations and that congregants must stand 1.5 meters apart at all times and wash or sanitize hands. "Evidence of cluster spread in other parts of the world suggests that even in places of worship where strict social distancing rules were upheld there were reports of infection," the Jesuit Institute said. The more people mix, the more there is potential for spread. Places of worship are not immune to the virus. The Jesuits also questioned how churches, mosques, synagogues and temples could be expected to turn people away if more than 50 wanted to attend a service. This is an almost impossible decision to make for religious leaders, they said. "Will police check places of worship and break up gatherings of more than 50 persons?" (Image credit: Representative Image) Open source Pro-Kremlin mercenaries landed an attack on positions of Ukrainian troops in Hnutove, Donetsk region. The HQ of the Joint Forces Operation reported that on Facebook. The enemy used an unmanned aerial vehicle to drop a rocket-propelled grenade on Ukrainian emplacements. One Ukrainian serviceman was wounded in the explosion. He was sent to a hospital and duly treated. Ukraine's defense ministry reported another attack that the militants landed on Hnutove since the beginning of the day; that time, the enemy used grenade launchers of various systems. On May 31, Russian armed mercenaries opened fire in Donbas three times; they attacked positions of Ukrainian forces, using 82 mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems, and heavy machine guns. The Defense Ministry's press office reported that on June 1. In small hours of May 31, the enemy attacked the outpost near Novotroitske, Donetsk region, using grenade launchers and heavy machine guns. Near Vodyane, they used a stationary grenade launcher. Two 82 mm mines hit the positions near Orikhove, Luhansk region. On Sunday, Ukrainian fighters killed one and wounded two enemies. None of the government forces' soldiers were killed or wounded in action on May 31. Treasury yields climbed on Monday to start June trading as investors continued to assess the risks regarding the economy reopening as well as the U.S.-China tensions. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose 2 basis points to 0.674% and the yield on the 30-year bond climbed to 1.454%. Yields move inversely to prices. With a new month beginning on Wall Street, investors are broadly monitoring the reopening of the economy following months of coronavirus-induced lockdown measures. However, many businesses are now also navigating nationwide protests against police brutality triggered by the killing of a black man, George Floyd in Minneapolis. Market focus is also attuned to rising tensions between the U.S. and China. President Donald Trump on Friday announced that Hong Kong's special status with the U.S. would be revoked following China's passage of a national security bill increasing Beijing's power over the city. Yields remained lower after data on Monday showed On the data front, the IHS Markit manufacturing PMI rose to 43.1 in May from 41.5 last month. Economists polled by Dow Jones were expecting a reading of 43.8 for May. Auctions will be held Monday for $63 billion of 13-week Treasury bills and $54 billion of 26-week bills. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- More than 16,000 state employees will see their pay docked next fiscal year by the equivalent of 10 full work days, Gov. Mike DeWines administration said Monday as it works to fill a $2.5 billion budget hole stemming from the coronavirus crisis. The pay cuts, announced by Ohio Office of Budget and Management Director Kim Murnieks, are the equivalent of a 3.8% pay cut for the states non-union employees. DeWines cabinet directors, who are among the states highest-paid employees, will see their pay cut by 4%. The state also is approaching its employee unions, which represent nearly 35,000 more state employees, asking for them to share cost-cutting suggestions by June 15. Murnieks said the DeWine administration will seek legislative approval to extend a freeze on employee pay and step increases through fiscal year 2021, which runs through next June. A state hiring freeze, besides those directly dealing with responding to COVID-19, will remain in place. The moves in total will save the state about $138 million, according to the OBM. The states revenues have tanked since March, when DeWine ordered widespread closures of businesses and restrictions on daily life to try to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Since then, more than 1.25 million Ohioans have filed new unemployment claims. The state gets most of its revenue from income taxes and sales taxes, which are tied closely to employment and commercial activity. In April, the first full month after the closures went into effect, revenues came in nearly $1 billion less than expected. In response, DeWine in May announced nearly $800 million in spending cuts, most of which will affect Medicaid, K-12 schools and higher education. Mondays announcement came as the state closed the books on May. State budget officials now believe revenues for its next fiscal year will come in $2.5 billion lower than they had budgeted, Murnieks said. Murnieks said the state will release more information about its fiscal situation on June 10. Read recent coverage from cleveland.com: Ohio tax revenues plummeted in April during first full month of coronavirus closures, new numbers show Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announces $775m in state budget cuts to education, Medicaid and more Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will freeze state government hiring, seek big spending cuts amid coronavirus crisis Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 01, 2020 | PADUCAH By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 01, 2020 | 02:26 PM | PADUCAH City of Paducah Mayor Brandi Harless has provided an update on the City's Independence Day celebration. During Friday's COVID-19 update at the McCracken County Emergency Management Complex, Harless shared some of the City's latest initiatives, including an update on the City's Independence Day plans. Harless says the Parks & Recreation Department will be making an announcement on their plans for their Fourth of July celebration this week. She says they have been working hard to come up with a creative way to celebrate safely this year. According to Harless, the Chief of Police says residents are responding well to the restrictions placed upon retail businesses and restaurants. The Paducah Police Department hasn't received any reports of anyone violating the restrictions. She said, "That's really good news, that a lot of our businesses are taking that responsibility and helping to make sure that we are safe during this time." The Internal Economic Development team has indicated that the market house restaurants have received significant business even with the restrictions, and the restaurants are pleased with the expanded outdoor seating. Harless reminded everyone that their team is working with other restaurants and businesses that desire outdoor seating as well. They have also made plans to reopen City Hall to the public on June 15 based on the Healthy at Work guidelines. Harless says many modifications have been made and are continuing to be made so that City Hall can reopen to the public as safely as possible. Also happening this week, food pantries will be moving to curb-side service. Language warning! On Sunday, President Trump took aim at Antifa, which apparently has driven the violent side of the protests ripping through America's Democrat-run cities. With full-throated support from Attorney General Barr, Trump is designating Antifa as a terrorist organization. This is an extremely important announcement because Antifa is more than just a terrorist group. It is, in fact, the paramilitary arm of the Democrat Party. As is often the case, Trump made his consequential announcement via Twitter: The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020 John Solomon provides some context: National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos that the rioting in most cities was being instigated by outsiders aligned with Antifa. "The reports we're receiving is that this is Antifa. They're crossing state lines," O'Brien said. "And we've seen this happen before. We saw it in Portland. We saw it in Seattle. We saw it in Berkeley. So, look, we'll keep our eyes open for anyone else that wants to take advantage of the situation, whether it's domestic or foreign. [snip] Some of the group's tactics include throwing bricks, crowbars, metal chains, water bottles, and balloons filled with urine and feces, according to the Anti- Defamation League. This is Antifa: (Twitter has since suspended the account.) This is also Antifa, attacking Andy Ngo, a citizen journalist, in Portland last year. Ngo sustained a brain bleed because of the attack: Many people believe that George Soros is funding Antifa and pulling its strings. While he may be funding the organization, its radical ties put it squarely within the new Democrat party. Indeed, the moment Minnesota A.G. Keith Ellison's son heard about Trump's announcement, he proudly declared fealty to the group: I hereby declare, officially, my support for ANTIFA Unless someone can prove to me ANTIFA is behind the burning of black and immigrant owned businesses in my ward, Ill keep focusing on stopping the white power terrorist THE ARE ACTUALLY ATTACKING US! https://t.co/m6jxtDYmTi Jeremiah Ellison (@jeremiah4north) May 31, 2020 Antifa claims to be anti-fascist, so people think it's a good organization. It's not. When fascism appeared in the 1930s, its biggest enemy was communism. This was not because fascism and communism were antithetical ideologies. It was because they were sister totalitarian ideologies, both arising out of socialism, with both competing for the same voters. The Antifa of the 1920s and 1930s in Germany, therefore, wasn't a peaceful democratic movement seeking to stand against all forms of totalitarian socialism; it was, instead, a violent communist group engaged in bloody internecine warfare with Hitler's fascists. Lest you have any doubt that today's Antifa is the direct descendant of the violent communist group in Hitler's Germany, just compare the logos. Here's the original Antifa logo: And here's the American Antifa logo: For those who say Antifa is obviously communist, so it has nothing to do with the Democrat Party, think again. Over the past few years, Antifa has been operating freely in Democrat-run cities such as Berkeley and Portland, attacking anything or anybody it thinks is conservative. In those cities, the mayors have explicitly told their police forces to stand down. This means that the mayors are treating Antifa as a Democrat paramilitary organization that uses violence to suspend citizens' First Amendment rights to free speech. The easiest way to think about Antifa is to view it as the 21st-century version of the Ku Klux Klan. Back in the day, the KKK was the Democrat party's terrorist arm. Now it's Antifa, which is the Democrat Party's brownshirts. In the media and in the halls of Congress, Democrats talk the language of politics while on the streets their black-clad, masked girls and boys smash heads. Kurt Schlichter argues compellingly that, if Bill Barr is able to put pressure on Antifa (as he has promised to do), Barr can end that vile organization's existence. Just as importantly, prosecuting Antifa will force Democrat politicians out into the open, as they defend their street fighters: Memo to @realDonaldTrump: The pressure point for the Antifa terrorists is federal law-enforcement. Federal law criminalizes their use of interstate organizational activities. If the FBI balks, Wray must be fired Fed LE is not under the control of leftist DAs, police chiefs & mayors. For too long you had Democrat cities pulling back police & releasing rioters immediately w/o serious charges. By reviewing arrest records, the FBI can determine potential candidates for federal charges. And @realDonaldTrump can score huge political victories by highlighting Democrat politicians who obstruct his prosecutions. People will not tolerate covering for rioters who may have committed federal crimes. Make the Dems side with the thugs or alienate their base. What Antifa fears is federal prosecution. When the first of these little trust fund sissies figures out he's not walking out of his cell after 20 minutes with a $50 fine but looking at five years in Leavenworth on a Fed rap, he'll squeal on his comrades. This is an opportunity to destroy Antifa root and branch, and to eliminate the armed wing of the Democrat party. Forever They miscalculated and overstepped - America is absolutely against them and this is the time for @realDonaldTrump to strike a fatal blow against them. Trump's decision to turn federal law enforcement on Antifa is a disaster for Democrats. No wonder Susan Rice is already trying to blame the Russians for the riots. Expect to see a lot more deflecting from Democrats in the coming months. Corrections: Spelling of Andy Ngo's name corrected; quote misattribution corrected to son of Minnesota A.G. Baldwinsville, N.Y. The Baldwinsville Central School District ballots sent to voters has an error that spells the districts name wrong it reads Baldsinville. While it may be embarrassing, district officials say the official ballot is still valid and can be sent in using the postage-paid envelope. Baldwinsville officials warn residents not to cross the name out or write in the correct spelling of the district because that will invalidate the ballot. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, residents in New York state are voting by absentee ballot on school budgets, propositions and school board members. Ballots are due by 5 p.m. June 9, when districts will count the votes. West Genesee schools also has an error on its ballot. The ballots asked voters to approve a $92,000 budget instead of the actual budget of $92 million. A period was inserted instead of a comma creating the mistake. ($92,199.225 instead of the $92,199,225) The district has sent out 24,000 new ballots. Elizabeth Doran covers education, suburban government and development, breaking news and more. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact her anytime 315-470-3012 or email edoran@syracuse.com [June 01, 2020] Impact Global Education Launches Domain, a flexible and affordable higher education solution CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Impact Global Education, a leader in hands-on learning, announces the launch of Domain, a groundbreaking new initiative that provides experiential, place-based, and online learning in an accessible hybrid model created to increase choices and add value to higher education. With colleges and universities unlikely to reopen as expected this fall, Domain offers a flexible and affordable solution. Developed by the education experts at Impact Global Education, Domain is designed for young adults interested in making better decisions about the next phase of their life, whether they choose college or another competency-based path. The program has been designed for students wanting to better prepare for their future by exploring and testing what field to study, or for students wanting to immediately explore their interests in a blended environment of experiential, academic, and working environments. Unique to the Domain educational experience is expert and peer to peer guidance through student cohorts, and individual choice in a broad array of experiential, place-based, online and hybrid learning. In these times of increasingly unsustainable student debt, a forced shift to online learning, and ongoing uncertainty, young adults are demanding to understand the value of their education more than ever. Over 2 million college students and 2020 high school graduates are questioning whether the traditional, debt-inducing college path is right for them this fall. One out of 10 students who planned to go to a residential four-year college before the pandemic have changed their plans.* 44.7 million Americans are carrying student debt.** With COVID exacerbating an uncertain economic future, the idea of expanding that debt is frightening. "The cost and focus of the current higher education model has long left an entire segment of students out" says Board Chair Jeet Singh. "We are committed to providing all students with the learning and experiences that will allow them to find their path in life. We believe that there is a better way to learn and gain work experience that can meet the needs of today's students." Domain offers a unique, advisor-guided set of learning modules that include elements of academic, experiential, and practice/professional exposure to make these years much more productive and efficient, whether the learner's path includes a traditional college education or not. Domain is designed for the individual. Students will work with mentors to craft their multidisciplinary experience into their own, specific Domain. "The years around high school graduation are pivotal in establishing the direction of a person's future life. They must establish where their interests lie, what they are actually good at, and how to connect those things to the working world which arrives very quickly," adds Domain CEO Steve Fox. "Domain has been built to be transparent and affordable for the median American family with the average (course) offering equal to what the average student can spend on education without debt, family support or scholarship: $3,502." The program will launch with the following six learning modules: Business, Art & Building, Environment, Technology, Food, and Life Skills. Each will be supported by a proprietary Core Curriculum which focuses on critical reflection that will build students' capacity to identify how they learn best and what motivates them to learn. Domain is also offering partnership opportunities for universities and businesses interested in helping young adults gain access to the skills, training opportunities, and connections so they can get to their next step in life faster. The Domain platform will launch on June 1, 2020 and the programming will begin on September 15, 2020. About Impact Global Education Impact Global Education develops and delivers socially and environmentally-conscious educational experiences around the world. Established in 2018, IGE serves 1,000+ individuals per year and leads programs to over 20 locations around the globe. The organization is made up of established global education brands with more than 40 years of experience among them. IGE seeks to meet learners where they are, offering a diverse array of programs that are hands-on, authentic, and designed to meet the needs of students everywhere. IGE claims footholds in the university, gap, and corporate/adult markets. Find out more at domain-skill.com Press contact: Cara Ferragamo Murray, [email protected] Related Links Domain-skill.com Impactglobaleducation.com Sources * Higher Ed and COVID-19 National Student Survey, Simpson Scarborough, April 2020 ** Federal Reserve Bank of New York View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/impact-global-education-launches-domain-a-flexible-and-affordable-higher-education-solution-301068133.html SOURCE Domain [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] - The Ministry of Finance has predicted that Ghana could lose over GHC15 billion in 2020 due to COVID-19 - It added that Ghana has targeted about GHC67 billion in revenue (tax and non-tax) for 2020 - The ministry also stated that Ghanas fiscal gap is estimated to be about GHC21.42 billion in 2020 Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in The Ministry of Finance has indicated that Ghana is likely to lose about GHC15.85 billion in revenue in the year 2020. This, the ministry explained, is due to the economic impact of the coronavirus. Information available shows that Ghana has targeted about GHC67 billion in revenue (tax and non-tax) for 2020. READ ALSO: Customers of banks enjoy over GHC1.5 billion relief Per a report by classfmonline.com, Ghanas fiscal gap is estimated to be about GHC21.42 billion as a result of COVID-19. This is likely to be composed of Revenue Shortfall Impact of GHC15.85 billion and COVID-19 related expenses of GHC5.57 billion. The government consequently called on Parliament to grant access to emergency funding of GHC10 billion from the Bank of Ghana (BoG). This was done in line with provisions in Section 30 of the Bank of Ghana Act, 2002 (Act 612), as amended. YEN.com.gh understands that revenue shortfalls emanate mainly from petroleum revenue shortfalls through plunging crude oil prices; shortfalls in import duties and other taxes; and shortfalls in non-tax revenues, significantly affecting the cash flows for the year and at the same time posing a threat to containing the pandemic. YEN.com.gh earlier reported that 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: COVID-19: Gov't introduces the "Ghana Cares Programme" to save the economy Enjoyed reading our story? Download YEN's news app on Google Playstore now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news! 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 The number of people who have recovered from COVID-19 continued to outpace the active cases in Montgomery County with health officials confirming just 12 new cases Monday for a total of 966. According to the Montgomery County Public Health District, of those 966 cases, 446 are active with 484 people recovered. Additionally, 29 people remain hospitalized. The countys number of deaths remained at 26. As testing continues, of the 16,802 tests give, 15,836 have returned negative, according to data from MCPHD. While county officials are optimistic about the data showing the numbers dip in several areas, health officials expect the county to see a second wave of the new coronavirus later this year as flu season begins. County Judge Mark Keough said last week he was pleased to see the numbers trend down and applauded the community for their efforts to stop the spread. Every day 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. 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 The COVID-19 crisis has caused profound changes in workplace practices. So its important to know your legal rights as an employee in this new world of work. Well take you through some of your legally defined choices that may arise due to COVID-19 if youre subjected to temporary layoff, or youre unable to work, or your employer is restarting operations and calls you back to work. And well draw on the advice of two employment lawyers: Stuart Rudner, with Rudner Law based in Markham, who represents both employees and employers, and Louis Century, with Goldblatt Partners in Toronto, who represents employees. (Consult a lawyer before taking action to exercise employment rights.) We refer to rights that apply in provincially regulated workplaces in Ontario, whereas rights that apply to federally regulated workplaces such as banks and railways are somewhat different. Your rights if youve been temporarily laid off The COVID-19 crisis has caused employers to engage in mass temporary layoffs, as well as temporary reductions in hours, and cuts in pay. You have rights to protect yourself in those situations, including new ones introduced in regulations on May 29 under the Ontario Employment Standards Act (ESA). For now, temporary layoffs, reductions in hours, and cuts in pay are deemed to result in an emergency leave under the new regulations. The emergency leave provisions apply retroactively back to March 1 and continue to apply until six weeks after Ontarios emergency order is lifted. Theyve rewritten history and changed all those (temporary) layoffs into leaves of absence, says Rudner. The emergency leave provisions require your employer to give you your old job back by the end of the emergency period. That makes job protections more explicit and directly linked to the duration of the COVID-19 crisis, compared with prior rights. The regulations also require your employer to continue to pay benefits for new emergency leaves made after the regulations came into effect. However, they wont apply retroactively to layoffs made without benefits initiated prior to May 29, says Rudner. The changes also curtail some employee rights to bring legal action for constructive dismissal during the COVID-19 period. Temporary layoffs, reduced hours, and cuts in pay will not be considered constructive dismissal under the ESA during this period, which undercuts legal actions to obtain severance specified undere the ESA. However, the larger and more substantial legal actions for constructive dismissal usually proceed under common law, whereby employees sue for wrongful dismissal damages in the courts. Employees continue to have rights to take legal action in that form, says Rudner and Century. Whether or not it makes sense to do so will depend on your situation. To understand whether you might have grounds to pursue a wrongful dismissal suit under common law, heres some background. Historically only a relatively small number of employers typically in unionized or seasonal sectors have made a common practice of temporary layoffs. Those employers have laid the legal groundwork that allows them to engage in this practice without the layoff being considered permanent and subject to termination-related payments. Their right to do so is recognized in their employment contracts with employees. Now, because of the crisis, large numbers of employers are going the temporary layoff route for the first time without the right to do so established in employment contracts. That puts those employers on dicey legal ground under common law, which means employees in those situations have a choice. They can accept the temporary layoff and hope to get their job back during the economic recovery. Or they can sue for wrongful dismissal damages in the courts. That legal action might eventually produce a payout, but it effectively entails treating the layoff as permanent and giving up hope of returning to the job when the economy starts up again. In essence, in one form or another, you have to consent to the temporary layoff or any substantial change in the fundamental terms and conditions of work. Generally there has to be agreement, explains Rudner. Either the agreement already exists where the employer already has the right to temporary layoff. Or there has to be an agreement now to accept a layoff or a substantial change. Of course your choice is affected by the fact other good jobs are hard to come by now. Whats an employee going to do sue for wrongful dismissal because of the temporary layoff in the middle of a pandemic? asks Century. Most employees practically speaking are better off going on CERB (government benefits) during the temporary layoff and maintaining the hope of returning to work when things get back to normal. In addition, while the regulatory change to undercut wrongful dismissal actions under the ESA doesnt directly impact common law actions, there is nonetheless the risk it might have an indirect influence on court decisions that reduces the likelihood of a successful legal action, Century said in an email. The amount that one might hope to receive from a wrongful dismissal suit depends on length of service with that employer, age, nature of the job, availability of other employment and other factors. Sizable settlements in the order of one month of compensation for each year of service or more may be possible in some circumstances. So it may be in the interests of some long-service employees to pursue a wrongful dismissal case if theyre not too attached to the job they have and theyre either willing to accept retirement, OK with not working for a while, or think they can readily snag alternative employment. They also have to be prepared to go through a wrongful dismissal legal process that might be lengthy with results that are somewhat uncertain. Temporary cuts in pay or other terms of employment may be grounds for a wrongful dismissal suit under the common law if they amount to a significant change to a fundamental term of the employees contract. However, there are sizable legal uncertainties about how big the change has to be to meet the threshold of significance, says Century. There are debates in the best of times about whether a 10 per cent or 15 per cent or 20 per cent wage cut is constructive dismissal, he says. In COVID times, there is some suggestion those changes might be considered acceptable (by the courts). Your right to initiate a job-protected leave While employer actions may trigger an emergency leave during the COVID-19 crisis, employees also have the right to take unpaid, job-protected leave at their own initiative. The province created sweeping new rights for employees to take leaves during the crisis under infectious disease emergency leave amendments to the ESA that were made in mid-March. You can exercise this right if youve been potentially exposed to COVID-19 and are in quarantine or receiving medical treatment. But it also covers a broad set of circumstances including having to stay home to look after children (because schools or daycares are closed) or an elderly family member. Your rights returning to work As businesses restart operations, employees are gradually getting recalled to work. Its important to realize you have rights in this situation as well. For starters, whether your leave is initiated by you or your employer, your employer is required to give you your old job back by the end of the COVID-19 crisis period. (For employer-initiated emergency leaves, that is defined as six weeks after Ontarios emergency order is lifted.) While that gives you pretty strong job protection, it is important to realize that protection isnt absolute. If the business goes under and there is no work to go back to, then thats not a breach of your job protected leave, explains Century. Subject to time limits defined by the duration of the crisis, your employer has a lot of discretion as to how the recall happens. They arent generally required to recall employees in any particular order. Some people are convinced you have to recall people based on seniority or the first person laid off has to be the first person recalled, says Rudner. None of that is true, unless you have a collective agreement. If youre apprehensive about the safety of returning to the job, understand that you have rights to a safe workplace that comes in several forms. Under occupational health and safety legislation, you have a right to refuse unsafe work. However, you have to substantiate grounds for doing so. It cant just be a generalized fear of being in the workplace says Rudner. If you have a safety issue, you should first bring the issue to the attention of management. Then management has a duty to investigate and respond. If the employee is unsatisfied with managements response, the employee can then raise the issue with the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training, and Skills Development. The ministry then investigates and issues a ruling, which could include an order to make workplace changes. The ministry and various industry safety associations have been busy producing industry-specific COVID-19 safety guidelines. While those guidelines arent recognized under law, they are certainly a strong suggestion as to the kind of practices that employers will be expected to follow, says Rudner. Human rights legislation may also provide grounds for challenging workplace safety practices, although the precise details of what COVID-19 issues might be covered are not yet clear. But, for example, someone who has a compromised immune system may have grounds to require reasonable accommodation of their special needs because of their heightened vulnerability up to the point of undue hardship to the employer. Reasonable accommodation might entail modified hours, modified duties or working from home, says Rudner. Century says: If you have an employee and employer communicating about this issue openly and constructively, then they can often find practical solutions. But the employers response cannot be my way or the highway if theres a human rights issue. David Aston, a freelance contributing columnist for the Star, is a personal finance and investment journalist. He has an M.A. in economics and is a Chartered Professional Accountant. Reach him via email: , a freelance contributing columnist for the Star, is a personal finance and investment journalist. He has an M.A. in economics and is a Chartered Professional Accountant. Reach him via email: davidastonstar@gmail.com No fewer than eleven people have been arrested by the Jigawa state police command for allegedly gang-raping a twelve years old girl in Dutse, the state capital. According to the spokesman of the state police command, SP Abdu Jinjiri, the police were alerted by after one Alh Zuwai, 57 years old of Maai village in Dutse local government was seen at Limawa market trying to lure a 12-year-old girl of the same address to a hidden place, to have intercourse with her. Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has publicly stated that the national leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu is not his man while he eulogised the minister for interior, Rauf Aregbesola on the occasion of his 63rd birthday. Speaking at a webinar in commemoration of the 63rd birthday of the former Governor of Osun State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, on Saturday, El-Rufai, publicly admitted to having a personal issue with Tinubu. Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, has ordered an immediate probe into the death of Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100-level microbiology student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) in the state. The deceased undergraduate was said to have died after she was raped and her head smashed with a fire extinguisher inside a RCCG church in Benin city. Advertisement The Lagos state police command say they have arrested the man suspected of blackmailing popular Fuji artiste, Salawa Abeni, by threatening to release her nude pictures. According to the police, the Decoy team arrested the suspect, who claimed he got the nude photos from a memory card which he found on the floor while in school. Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a pastor and governorship aspirant in Edo state under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has described the killing of a 22-year-old UNIBEN undergraduate, Uwaila Omozuwa as saddening. Speaking via his official Twitter handle, he further sent his condolences to the deceased parents. Nigerians are currently calling on security agents to investigate the death of a 22-year-old lady named Uwa was was reportedly killed in a church after she was raped. According to the reports, the deceased who was a Uniben undergraduate was said to have gone to the church to read before she was attacked and raped. A new report has indicated that the popular Obasanjo presidential library has sent some of its staffs home amid lack of business activities as a result of the novel coronavirus. A letter signed by its head of human resources, administration and procurement, Olanike Ogunleye said the move becomes necessary as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which has taken a toll on businesses. President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday lost his nephew, Alhaji Ibrahim Dauda following prolonged illness. The sad news was made public by the Presidential aide on new media, Bashir Ahmad via a statement on his official Twitter handle on Saturday, 30th May. Nigerian actress Genevieve Nnaji has taken to social media to react to the rape and killing of two Nigerian girls, Tina Ezekwe and Uwa Omozua. Tina was murdered by trigger-happy police while Uwa was raped and murdered in a church where she had gone to read. A peaceful candlelight vigil planned for Monday, June 1, will still go on, but at an earlier time. The vigil, held by leaders in Tucson's black community, was originally scheduled for 7 p.m. It's since been changed to 6 p.m. and expected to end at 7:45 p.m., due to an 8 p.m. curfew set by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Sunday. The event is designed to honor those who have lost their lives to excessive force by police. "The Tucson Branch of the NAACP invites all community members, who truly believe in the battle against police brutality, to attend," the group said on Facebook. The vigil will take place at the Dunbar Community Center, 325 W. Second St., near North Main Avenue. Guests are asked to wear masks and bring their own candles. GRAND RAPIDS, MI The bricks that shattered the restaurants windows have been removed. Shards of glass that littered the dining room floor have been cleaned up. Tables and chairs have been moved back into place. Now, Sarah Wepman, co-owner of The Littlebird restaurant on Monroe Center, is preparing for her next challenge in the aftermath of Saturdays riot: reopening her business. It couldnt come at a worse time. Having the pandemic hit every day were deciding whether were going to exist or not, she said. To have another blow of this proportion is very disheartening. Wepman is one of many downtown businesses owners who are assessing how to move forward after their establishments sustained significant damaged during Saturdays riot. Rioters burned police cars, smashed windows and looted businesses in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids following an initially peaceful protest, held earlier that evening, in Rosa Parks Circle. The protest and riot came in response to the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Rick Baker, president and CEO of the Grand Rapids Chamber, said the property damage many businesses sustained makes an already difficult business climate even tougher. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, restaurants could only offer takeout and delivery service, and many retailers could accept customers by appointment only. Reduced cash-flow will likely make it more difficult to pay for repairs and replace lost or damaged inventory. Theres another challenge too: Will some people now feel unsafe returning to downtown Grand Rapids to shop and dine? We want to make sure that the message to the community is that downtown Grand Rapids is a safe place to be, Baker said. Weve done a lot of work for decades creating an awesome downtown. The investors in our community have created a great space people want to be in, want to come to. Steve Guitar, a spokesperson for the city of Grand Rapids, said the city does not yet have a financial estimate on the property damage that occurred during the riot. About 100 buildings were harmed. Its sad because just on May 27 we opened up for takeout and now we have to close again for damage and vandalism, said Jeff Lobdell, who owns Sundance Grill and Bar, 151 Ottawa Ave. NW. He said rioters broke his restaurants windows, ransacked the kitchen and dining room, and smashed a cash register, toaster and a couple potted plants. He said his landlord is going to pay to replace his windows, and that damage inside the restaurant is less than $5,000. Because the damage is less than his $5,000 insurance deductible, he will be forced to pay for the repairs out of his own pocket, he said. Its very upsetting, said Lobdell, who is also president and owner of Restaurant Partners Management. The company owns 15 restaurants, including Sundance, Beltline Bar and Rockwell Republic. Baker said the Chamber was planning to host a virtual meeting on Monday to see what help affected business owners need. Organizations such as Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., which assists in development of Grand Rapids urban core, is also having conversations with business owners. At this point, were still trying to wrap our heads and arms around what the need is, said Tim Kelly, DGRIs president and CEO. He added, We know based on some of the early numbers that there were about 100 businesses that were impacted, so theres a lot of damage. We will be involved. I think were just trying to understand still what thats going to be. Despite the damage, many business owners were buoyed by the many residents who came downtown early Sunday morning to help sweep up broken glass and remove other debris that littered the streets in the aftermath of the riot. Many restaurants, such as Sundance, cooked breakfast for the volunteers, and business owners praised those who turned out to lend a hand. I arrived mad as hell and left here emotional and inspired, said Sam Cummings, managing partner of CWD Real Estate Development, one of the biggest property owners in Grand Rapids. Cummings said 16 of his companys 18 downtown buildings were damaged during the protest. The damage was limited to broken glass, but some of his companys tenants Preusser Jewelers, Superior Watch Repair, Vault of Midnight comic book store, and others sustained significant looting. Cummings said his firm is focused on helping its tenants survive the disturbance. Its another kick in the teeth, he said. The short answer is were going to do everything we can to help our friends and businesses. Wepman, the co-owner of Littlebird, estimated that her restaurant suffered more than $10,000 in damage when rioters shattered her windows and damaged her walls and furniture with bricks. Shes boarded over the windows with wood, and says that despite the damage, shes planning to reopen Tuesday for takeout. When asked what she needs to survive, her answer was simple. We need customers, said Wepman, who along with her husband, Joel Wabeke, also owns That Early Bird and Kingfisher. We need people to feel committed to venturing out to downtown. Read more: Gov. Whitmer to lift stay-at-home order, allow in-person dining at Michigan restaurants Teen faces felony rioting charge in Grand Rapids violent weekend Grand Rapids police brace for possible rally after weekend riot PORTLAND, Oregon, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, "Japan Preventive Risk Analytics Market by Component (Solution and Services), Type (Strategic Risks, Financial Risks, Operational Risks, and Compliance Risks), Deployment Model (On-Premise and Cloud), User Type (Large Enterprises and Small & Medium Enterprises), and Industry Vertical (BFSI, IT & Telecom, Retail, Healthcare, Energy & Utilities, Manufacturing, Government & Defense, and Others): Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2027".According to the report, the Japan preventive risk analytics industry was pegged at $1.17 billion in 2019, and is expected to reach $4.54 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 18.5% from 2020 to 2027. Drivers, restraints, and challenges Rise in stringent government regulatory compliance, growth of IoT landscape in Japan, surge in adoption of risk analytics among financial institutions, and increase in complexity across business processes drive the growth of the Japan preventive risk analytics market. High cost and complexity in installation and configuration of software hamper market players. On the contrary, integration of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain in risk analytics, and increase in innovations in the Japan Fintech industry are expected to create lucrative opportunities for the market in the coming years. Request for Report Sample: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/6492 Covid-19 scenario: The advent of Covid-19 has significantly impacted the Japan preventive risk analytics industry. The cancellation of the Mobile World Congress has hugely affected the market revenue as products and solutions get the biggest exposure at such international shows and companies get a chance to meet new clients and seal new partnerships. During this pandemic, organizations in Japan have focused on survival of the company and are reluctant to invest big capital on new business models, hire workforce, and spend additional expense apart from essentials. Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Japan Preventive Risk Analytics Market The solution segment held the largest share By component, the solution segment dominated the market in 2019, accounting for nearly three-fifths of the Japan preventive risk analytics market, owing to rise in popularity of preventive risk analytics solutions in Japan because of increase in the amount of data. However, the service segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 21.1% during the forecast period, due to surge in deployment of preventive risk analytics tools and solutions, which increased demand for pre- and post-deployment services. The cloud-based segment to manifest the highest CAGR through 2027 By deployment mode, the cloud-based segment is expected to manifest the highest CAGR of 20.4% during the forecast period, owing to a paradigm shift in the deployment methods from on-premise to cloud-based models. However, the on-premise segment held the largest share in 2019, contributing to nearly three-fifths of the Japan preventive risk analytics market. The BFSI segment dominated the market The BFSI segment held the largest share in 2019, accounting for around one-fourth of the Japan preventive risk analytics market, owing to rise in adoption of the solution for identifying and mitigating different types of risks of the organizations. However, the manufacturing segment is projected to portray the fastest CAGR of 24.4% during the forecast period, due to rise in trend of IoT and automation in the manufacturing sector, which has proliferated the amount of unsecured data. For Purchase Inquiry: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/6492 Major market players Accenture PLC IBM Corporation Fidelity national information services Inc. (FIS) Capgemini SAP SE Oracle Corporation Verisk analytics Inc. SAS Institute Inc. AXIOMSL, Inc. Recorded future, Inc. Access AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model) at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access Avenue is a user-based library of global market report database, provides comprehensive reports pertaining to the world's largest emerging markets. It further offers e-access to all the available industry reports just in a jiffy. By offering core business insights on the varied industries, economies, and end users worldwide, Avenue ensures that the registered members get an easy as well as single gateway to their all-inclusive requirements. Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenue/trial/starter Similar Reports: Business Analytics Software Market Expected to Reach $86,451 Million by 2023 Predictive Analytics Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019-2026 Edge Computing Market Is Expected to Reach $16,556.6 Million By 2025 Manufacturing Predictive Analytics Market is Expected to Reach $2.52 Billion by 2026 About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-855-550-5975 [email protected] Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on: LinkedIn Twitter SOURCE Allied Market Research T he chief executive of the Co-op has become the first high-profile UK chief executive to condemn the death of George Floyd. Floyd died when a white police officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck last Monday in Minneapolis. The death has led to riots spreading across the US. Steve Murrells, in a post on Twitter, said he wanted to work harder to ensure staff in his UK stores and funeral parlours are not subject to "judgement and discrimination every single day". His comments come after chief executives in the US expressed solidarity with protesters and promised to address racism and inequality in workplaces. Addressing staff, Murrells wrote: "We know we cant go on like this. A world where people are judged, discriminated against and die due to the colour of their skin is not the world I want, that any of us want. Even though we are not in the USA we all have a part to play. "Some of you experience judgement and discrimination every single day. Both in work and outside of work. "I know I cant get close to knowing what this feels like, but I want you to know that my ears are pinned back, my eyes are open and, as uncomfortable as it may be, I wont look away. I know this is happening and its unacceptable and intolerable. It must change. We can change it. "The inclusive culture that we, together, are trying to build at the Co-op will only live through actions. Not words alone. There is no doubt weve got more to do. Were well underway but Im not naive enough to think that were even nearly done. We need to go further and faster. The Co-op chiefs comments follow similar statements from the US and protests around the globe. Randy Garutti, chief executive of fast-food chain Shake Shack, said on Instagram that he was "fully aware of my station in life as a white leader" and the need to use his position for change. Dara Khosrowshahi, chief executive of Uber, said the company stood in solidarity with the black community and with peaceful protesters, adding the car-sharing firm would donate one million dollars towards efforts to improve equality in the US criminal justice system. Rick Smith, chief executive and founder of Taser maker Axon Enterprise, which has seen shares surge since protests escalated, said: "We know that our society faces major, deeply entrenched challenges. We will listen and continue to learn how we can be a part of fixing what is broken. "We stand for protecting the truth. And protecting life. Everyone deserves to get home safe." And Disneys chairman, chief executive and diversity head said the company would improve its commitment to diversity and inclusion "for as long as it takes to bring about real change". Elsewhere, Facebook employees have been putting pressure on founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerburg to condemn the actions of police, after reports that he spoke to President Donald Trump on Friday. Three employees at a local unit in Fayoum governorate have been discharged from their positions on Sunday after they misspelled the Arabic word for "mask" in a memo and as a result called on employees and citizens to put on "garbage" to prevent coronavirus. The memo was sent to employees of the local unit in El-Misharak Qibli village in Fayoum, and it was supposed to announce that starting Saturday 30 May it will be compulsory to wear a face mask on the units premises upon the prime ministers instructions to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The memo misspelled the Arabic word for mask "kemamah" with "qemamah" which means "garbage." There were other misspelled words in the memo. The memo was signed by the head of the local unit and a secretary. Fayoum Governor Ahmed El-Ansary decided to exempt the head of the local unit, the secretary, and the employee charged with writing the memo from their positions, Al-Ahram reported. Spelling mistakes can be overlooked if they dont affect the content . . . however, not when they ruin the content and its meaning, El-Ansary told Sada El-Balad TV Channel on Sunday. There is no room for such mistakes at any time and especially amid the coronavirus crisis, he added. The employees were replaced and will be investigated by the legal department, according to the governor. If someone cant differentiate between the words kemamah [mask] and qemamah [garbage] then they dont deserve their positions, El-Ansary said. Fayoum is among the top seven Egyptian governorates with the highest number of coronavirus infections. A graph shared by the health ministry on Sunday showed that Cairo tops Egypts governorates in the number of infections with 7,111 cases, followed by Giza with 2,629 cases, Qalioubiya with 1,787, Menoufiya with 1,532, Fayoum with 1,277, Alexandria with 1,078, and Beheira with 988. Search Keywords: Short link: They stopped for a moment Sunday so they could absorb the full heartbreak of what their beloved city had become. Then they continued along Marietta Street, more than two dozen black men who felt all the rage that has set off nationwide protests after the death of George Floyd in police custody, and all the indignation expressed by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D), who had stood the day before with rappers Killer Mike and T.I. and told those doing the damage: We are better than this. . . . When you are burning down this city, you are burning down our community. Bindi Irwin has blasted Australia's major television networks for ruining her 'dream wedding' to Chandler Powell on March 25. She claimed news helicopters flying overhead had forced the couple to change the venue from the 'African savannah' section of Australia Zoo to a nearby barn. The 21-year-old shared a photo from her nuptials to Instagram on Monday, alongside the caption: 'This isn't the fairytale image capturing the "perfect" wedding day feeling. In fact, it's quite the opposite.' Scroll down for video 'I said goodbye to the place I'd dreamed of getting married': Bindi Irwin has blasted Australia's major television networks for ruining her 'dream wedding' to Chandler Powell on March 25 Bindi explained that she and Chandler had hoped to say 'I do' in the African savannah, but things didn't go to plan when someone tipped off the media. 'On our wedding day we were finally about to get married and the paparazzi flew over us in a helicopter scaring our wildlife. We had to leave our stunning wedding venue on the African savannah for their safety,' she wrote. 'I said goodbye to the place I had dreamed of getting married for so many years.' 'We had to leave our stunning venue': She claimed news helicopters flying overhead had forced the couple to change the venue from the 'African savannah' section of Australia Zoo to a nearby barn. Pictured: Channel Nine's aerial footage of the pair's nuptials on March 25 Thinking on her feet, Bindi decided to hold the event inside a barn instead. 'At that moment I remembered the filming barn where I'd spent much of my life with my family working on Crocodile Hunter and Bindi the Jungle Girl,' she said. Bindi and Chandler's staff immediately got to work moving the wedding decor indoors. Change of plan! After somebody tipped off the media, Bindi and Chandler's staff immediately got to work moving the wedding decor indoors 'I was there in my wedding dress, husband-to-be by my side, moving tables and flowers and trying to make our day finally become a reality,' she added. Bindi had felt 'overwhelmed' by the chaos of the day, but calmed down when Chandler reminded her that 'love always wins'. 'Our wedding day wasn't what we planned but it was an extraordinary starting point for our marriage to bloom,' she wrote. How sweet: Bindi had felt 'overwhelmed' by the chaos of the day, but calmed down when Chandler reminded her that 'love always wins' American pay television network Animal Planet was given exclusive access to Bindi and Chandler's wedding. Footage of their big day aired during a special episode of Crikey! It's the Irwins. Bindi and Chandler had moved their original wedding date of April 4 forward to March 25 due to the rapidly escalating COVID-19 pandemic. 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. As widespread looting overshadowed peaceful protests for a third straight day, Gov. J.B. Pritzker intensified the states response to the civic unrest that has erupted since the police killing of George Floyd, even as the governor battled President Donald Trump on the national stage. Pritzker declared seven Illinois counties a disaster zone and announced 250 members of the Illinois National Guard and an additional 300 members of the Illinois State Police would be deployed to help reinforce suburban and downstate police departments. That comes in addition to the 375 guard members Pritzker activated in Chicago over the weekend at Mayor Lori Lightfoots request. Meanwhile in Washington, President Trump threatened the nations governors on Monday that he would deploy the military to states if they did not stamp out violent protests over police brutality that have roiled the nation over the past week. His announcement came as police under federal command forced back peaceful demonstrators with tear gas so he could walk to a nearby church and pose with a Bible. Here are the latest developments: 11:55 p.m.: Police crack down in Uptown Later in the evening, a chaotic scene unfolded near the Cash America shop at North Broadway and West Sheridan Road. About a dozen officers swarmed out of a van and detained a few people suspected of looting. Police threatened to arrest anyone in the area. Curfew means go home, an officer said. Police chased away those gathered near the store and surged south toward a small group on Broadway. A SWAT officer sprayed one man with mace, sending those left in the area scattering. The man moved on to a sidewalk, crying out again and again on his knees. Some officers tried to calm him down. A few people brought water to rinse his eyes. As passersby directed expletives at police, a police supervisor started to run toward some of those left in the area. You better run like a little b----, he said. Morgan Greene 10:30 p.m.: Looting and shattered windows in downtown Naperville People shattered windows and looted multiple businesses in downtown Naperville Monday night as a protest through the central business district turned tense and violent. About 9:30 p.m., a police sergeant told the crowd of protesters marching through the downtown to leave. A short time later, several loud bangs were heard, people scattered and windows on multiple businesses were broken. At least one firework was launched and some people threw water bottles at the police. Some in the crowd were heard yelling to stop breaking things and to leave the police alone. Windows were shattered at the Barnes and Noble, Einsteins Bros. Bagels, Lauren Rae Photography, and Pandora Jewelry. Dozens of people gathered at the back of the Apple store and tried to gain entry. People were seen looting some businesses. Earlier, Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico declared a state of emergency and set a 9 p.m. curfew as hundreds of protesters filled downtown Naperville Monday night, just hours after a similar protest brought more than 800 people to the same area Monday afternoon. The intersection of Washington and Chicago streets was blocked by people standing or kneeling in the street about 7 p.m. The group then headed north on Washington Street, turned west and snaked its way up and down downtown streets before returning to Washington and Chicago about an hour later. Naperville police officers filled the area, including some on the rooftop of the Barnes & Noble store building at the intersection where the crowd was gathered. Erin Hegarty and Sarah Freishtat 10:03 p.m.: Protesters disperse in Uptown but massive police presence remains Shortly after curfew went into effect, most protesters began to disperse from the streets around West Wilson Avenue and North Broadway in Uptown, but a massive police presence remained in the area. Morgan Greene 9:17 p.m.: 60 arrested, 2 killed in Cicero Cicero Police arrested 60 individuals and confirmed two deaths Monday evening following an afternoon of unrest that began after looters hit various businesses in the town. Police said more than 100 officers were dispatched to the streets in addition to more than 100 county and state police officers. A curfew has not been put in place, according to a spokeswoman of the township. A group of police marched in riot gear on Cermak and South 50th Avenue on Monday night where police said outside agitators shot at least two people earlier in the day. Several injuries were reported according to police. Exact numbers of those impacted were not immediately available. Jessica Villagomez 9:06 p.m.: Peaceful Uptown protest ends with smashed shop As protesters dispersed from Irving Park and Lake Shore Drive, a group nearby smashed the windows of a Cash America at North Broadway and West Sheridan Road. Giant cracks of glass covered the sidewalk. Within minutes, the small group made off with at least one large TV screen. This doesnt solve anything! neighborhood resident Mak Kelm said, arriving at the scene This is our community. Im just very disappointed honestly, Kelm said outside the store. Because we had a peaceful protest. Im walking to my friends place right now and they started busting the windows ... Some gathered on the corner engaged in a passionate back and forth with a woman who yelled about standing up to looters. They urged her not to conflate the protest with what happened at the shop. As the bang of a firework went off, a small group gathered outside the shop to protect it. Chicago Fire arrived at the scene about 8:30 p.m. They left about 20 minutes later. Morgan Greene 8:33 p.m.: Naperville mayor declares emergency, 9 p.m. curfew as hundreds fill downtown Naperville for second protest Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico declared a state of emergency and set a 9 p.m. curfew as hundreds of protesters filled downtown Naperville Monday night, just hours after a similar protest brought more than 800 people to the same area Monday afternoon. The intersection of Washington and Chicago streets was blocked by people standing or kneeling in the street at about 7 p.m. The group then headed north on Washington Street, turned west and snaked its way up and down downtown streets before returning to Washington and Chicago about an hour later. Naperville police officers filled the area, including some on the rooftop of the Barnes & Noble store building at the intersection where the crowd was gathered. Citing widespread incidents of violence, vandalism and stealing occurring throughout the greater Chicagoland area as the reason behind his action, the mayor set a curfew that will remain in place until 6 a.m. Tuesday, a statement from the city said. Read more here. Suzanne Baker and Erin Hegarty 8:12 p.m.: Protest on North Side moves on to Lake Shore Drive Shortly before 8 p.m., a crowd of thousands paused at Irving Park and moved on to Lake Shore Drive. Some cars stopped and honked in solidarity. Other drivers held up their fists through open windows. One driver stepped out of his car to hold up a cardboard sign: No Justice No Peace Morgan Greene 8:08 p.m.: Pritzker says Trump has been a miserable failure Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker appeared on CNN as condemned Trumps actions after the presidents Rose Garden address Monday. I reject the notion that the federal government can send troops into the state of Illinois. The fact is that the president has created an incendiary moment here, Pritzker said, calling such a move illegal and a distraction from the presidents miserable failure over the coronavirus. Now, seeing a moment where there is unrest because of the injustice that was done to George Floyd, he wants to create another topic, something where he can be the law and law and order president, Pritzker said. Hes been a miserable failure. 8:06 p.m.: Metra suspends service on Tuesday Metra will be out of service for a second day on Tuesday, while the CTA and Pace both imposed multiple service cutbacks and a second overnight shutdown after a weekend of mass looting and violent clashes with police downtown and in other areas. Read more here. Mary Wisniewski 7:31 p.m.: CTA again suspending service Monday night into Tuesday morning The CTA said in messages emailed and posted on social media that it was shutting down service starting at 9:30 p.m. until 6 a.m. Tuesday. At the request of public safety officials, the CTA is temporarily suspending all bus and rail service, effective at 9:30 p.m. this evening. For public safety reasons, the suspension of services will remain in effect until 6 a.m. Tuesday, June 2, the CTA said. Chicago Tribune staff 7:23 p.m.: Large crowds gather at Uptown protest A Monday evening protest on Chicagos North Side drew large crowds to the Uptown neighborhood as the fallout around the death of George Floyd continued. Shortly after 5 p.m., protesters, many wearing masks, set off from the Belmont L stop and headed north on Halsted Street, converging near the Stewart School Lofts at West Sunnyside Avenue and Broadway to listen to speakers and join in cheers. Along the way, calls of Black Lives Matter filled Boystown streets, where some businesses had boarded up. Volunteers handed out masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and water to marchers. Protesters carried signs with messages like Stop killing black people and Defund the police. As the speakers concluded and the crowds started to move south, a small contingent of police officers began blocking Montrose to the west and Broadway to the east. Julia Gerasimenko, of Ravenswood, said she was downtown this weekend and came to the Monday protest in the name of countless murders of black lives. I think we need to defund police and spend that money funding communities through mental health services, education, free public transit, health insurance, libraries, Gerasimenko said. I think we would see a vastly different society. Listen to black voices, not some white lady, Gerasimenko added. None of this is an original thought. All understood by listening to leaders of color. Dejon Crockran and Liv Upstone, of Edgewater, said they were happy to be able to come out to show support Monday in their own neighborhood. Especially since theres been sort of a disconnect it seems from the North Side to the rest of the city as far as whats been going on in the past couple of days, Upstone said. I think its really important for North Siders, people that live up here, to come out if theyre able. Crockran felt similarly: I just want to get out and make a change. Morgan Greene 7:18 p.m.: DeKalb pastor who helped defuse looting at shopping center says unrest is sign of participants frustration and anger with the nation they live in A DeKalb pastor who helped to defuse a burst of looting at a shopping center Sunday said the unrest was a sign of the participants frustration and anger with the nation they live in. Joseph Mitchell, pastor of the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, said a friend alerted him to the break-ins happening at a small shopping center a mile north of Northern Illinois University. A video posted by Shaw Media shows a group of young people smashing their way into a liquor store and rushing a nearby tobacco store, though some appear to prevent the looting of an adjoining convenience store. Mitchell said he went to the scene at the invitation of a police commander. The video shows Mitchell speaking to the crowd through a squad cars megaphone, telling them: This is not the way. I agree with you, No justice, no peace, but this is not the way. We have to do it another way. This is not it. He told the Tribune that relations between DeKalbs African-American community and police have long been strained a violent arrest captured on camera last year led to sergeants 30-day suspension for violating the departments use of force policy and that George Floyds killing by Minneapolis police sparked two demonstrations over the weekend. He said people at the shopping center eventually heeded his message and stopped looting. Interim police chief John Petragallo did not return a message left at his office. Mitchell said the episode should serve as another reminder that all is not well in the nation. I hope people are paying attention, he said. I think people should know you can only be slapped in the face so many times before you demand change. If change is what people want, its going to take a lot of time. Itll take more than marches and conversations. There are institutions and policies that need to be changed to bring equality to our communities. We have to get on board and do this work together. John Keilman 7:16 p.m.: Everything is good here In Pilsen, business owners on 18th Street guarded their stores Sunday with the help of friends and customers throughout the day. A group of residents stayed through the night. Community members dropped off food and water for the group. This is not a statement against the Black Lives Matter movement, we stand with our Black brothers, but we need to protect our community to avoid more damage, division and hate within our minority communities, said Roberto Montano, a longtime Pilsen resident. In Little Village, a crowd of residents on 26th Street grew through the day after looters attempted to hit some businesses in the heart of the Mexican-American neighborhood. Residents and police intervened and halted the chaos. Shortly after, leaders of New Life Community Church, who have been working to reduce violence in the area for years, helped to organize residents to guard the streets and to help keep peace within the different groups present. Elizeth Arguelles, a tamale seller and activist, walked the whole 26th Street corridor to check on street vendors after hearing rumors that they had been assaulted. Many of the street vendors, fearing assaults, closed down and headed home. Arguelles was one of the lead organizers for the Black and Brown Solidarity Caravan protest, demanding justice for George Floyd, but also promoting unity between the black and brown people. Some groups and police remained on 26th Street until early Monday. By 5 a.m., Arguelles was back on the street selling tamales. Everything is good here, thank you to everyone who worked together to protect our neighborhood, she said. In the Back of the Yards neighborhood, about 50 teens answered a call from Berto Aguayo, leader of Increase the Peace, to help keep the peace until curfew hit Sunday. On Monday evening, the group gathered again. This time to clean the neighborhood and strategically show presence in the neighborhood to keep looters away, Aguayo said. More than 200 people, some from the suburbs, dispersed in groups through the Southwest Side with brooms and bags to pick up debris from the looting. A cop stopped a group to ask what the broom was for and once the group answered, he nodded and thanked them. I cant stay home and watch this happen without doing anything, said Andy Carrera, 19, from Melrose Park. Aguayo said the group will continue to organize to respond to protests and unrest as they develop. Lets not forget why this is happening, he told volunteers. Laura Rodriguez 6:45 p.m.: Not the mom and pop stores Holding nothing but a yellow broom, Lurrie Fuentes left her Cicero home Monday evening to help clean up after looters hit several stores in a strip mall on Cermak Road and Cicero Avenue. Fuentes, who said she currently works from home, said she heard police sirens at 3 p.m. and peeked her head out the window to see what was happening. Fuentes said she saw several cars line up on her residential street with people jumping out. It was scary, she said as police sirens continued to sound outside her home. I was trying to talk to them and say this isnt the way to do it, youre hurting our community. Fuentes said she estimates a couple of hundred people ran into the shopping district. She stayed inside at the window. Im all for the protests, but go against the big corporations not the mom and pop stores, she said. Fuentes referred to a nearby El Patron Liquor Store that was looted earlier in the day. Im gonna go help, she said. At the liquor store, shattered glass and the remnants of liquor littered the floor creating small pools of mixed drinks. The scent of spiced rum, wine and vodka filled the aisles. Fuentes began to sweep up broken glass near liquor displays into piles. Police found two suspects hiding in the store and took them into custody. Sandip Patel, owner of the store, stood at the register and surveyed the damage. It was bound to happen, Patel said, shrugging. Were all safe. This is replaceable; lives arent. America has to build again, so we have to build again. Jessica Villagomez 6:41 p.m.: More than 100 people in Glenview protest death of George Floyd: Im going to use my privilege to speak up Car horns and crowd chants blended together Monday afternoon when more than 130 people gathered outside the Glenview Police Department with fists held high in protest. For at least four hours, protesters stood on the sidewalks and along bustling East Lake Avenue and chanted. Between chants, the crowd stood silent with homemade signs displaying messages that echoed their chants: All lives cant matter until black lives matter, No justice no peace, and I cant breathe, among others. Members of the group said they were protesting racial injustice and police brutality in light of George Floyds May 25 death while in police custody in Minneapolis. Jordan Dahiya, a recent Glenbrook South High School graduate, organized the event. Dahiya said it was important to her, as a person with Native American heritage and white privilege, to stand by black individuals in the fight for justice and start a protest in her community. Racism is not only existing, but its thriving in America today, she said. Its really important that we exercise our rights to peacefully protest. According to Dahiya, Glenbrook South incorporates the importance of civic work into the curriculum. She said she was surprised by the turnout in a predominantly white community and was proud of the way they came together to use their voice. These kids know that theyre coming from a place of privilege, she said. Im really proud of the way theyve internalized whats going on and theyve decided enough is enough Im not going to use my privilege to stay silent. Im going to use my privilege to speak up when it really matters. Read more here. Kaitlin Edquist 6:35 p.m.: Trump threatens to deploy military as police fire tear gas at peaceful protesters outside White House President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to deploy the United States military unless states quickly halted the violent protests that have convulsed cities from coast to coast, hours after George Floyds brother pleaded for peace, saying destruction is not going to bring my brother back at all. The competing messages one conciliatory, one bellicose came as the U.S. braced for another round of violence at a time when the country is already buckling because of the coronavirus outbreak and the Depression-level unemployment it has caused. Trump said he was recommending that governors throughout the country deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers to dominate the streets. If governors fail to take action, Trump said, he will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them. Trump spoke in the Rose Garden minutes after police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of peaceful, chanting protesters gathered in the park across the street from the White House. Read more here. Associated Press 5:23 p.m. (updated at 7:30 p.m.): Youth-led protest winds miles through city Hundreds of youth gathered outside Chicago City Hall late Monday afternoon, among them a large group that walked six miles from the Harold Washington Cultural Center. That group, whose organizers called for a peaceful protest, stopped midway at the Chicago Police Departments Central District precinct on South State Street and 18th Street, where they were joined by others and confronted with a line of police in helmets, some carrying shields. Demonstrators formed a line of their own facing the officers, and some demanded information on people they believe were arrested at weekend protests. Where are our loved ones? they asked. You cant kidnap us. Many of the young demonstrators showed up after seeing social media posts by the group FourtuneHouse, Calling all Chicago kids. This is not a riot. Among their demands: The release of all protesters, police to wear their badges visibly, no denial of public transit, police accountability, and justice for George Floyd and all those lost and damaged by the American criminal justice system. Other protesters have also focused their attention on police stations, and this effort included another meet up at the 18th District headquarters in the Near North Side. After regrouping at City Hall, the South group headed north over the LaSalle Street bridge, one of the only ways to get across the river downtown with many bridges lifted by the city. Around 1:45 p.m. at the cultural center, leaders with megaphones asked white participants to stand in between black demonstrators and police, saying, please use your privilege as an ally to help protect us as a movement. They told everyone to find out each others names, have a partner and protect each other. Amir Felton, 22, of Chicago Lawn, brought a camera. I come from the district of Laquan McDonald, at the time I was the same age as him. Being a black man... I wanted to come out here and support, he said. He walked among young people from all over the city, including students at Simeon, Lane Tech and Lincoln Park High Schools. People were saying the youth start the riots when half the people were actually adults, said one high school student. Were here to show that youth can be peaceful... theres a bigger fight to fight outside of school. On the way to the 1st District police headquarters, leaders tried to keep the group on the sidewalk, and a small contingent of police followed in the street, some on foot and others in cars. When demonstrators noticed an officer holding a phone at his side, appearing to aim the camera at the group, they called him out, teasing him for trying to be sneaky with a bright orange phone case. Thats why you got a body cam! Make sure its on, said one young man. As the group approached a checkpoint at Cermak Road, more police cars drove alongside them. Some people in a blue car drove up to one of the police SUVs and someone leaned out an open window to bang on the cop car, prompting two young men with megaphones to run toward the car and ask them to stop. This is a peaceful protest! they repeated. And it remained one, as the group moved through the checkpoint, past tan humvees and national guard troops holding batons in addition to Chicago officers. When the group made it to City Hall, they gathered around an entrance, where several people spoke and led chants like the ones theyd bellowed on the way there: Black Lives Matter. They repeated George Floyd, and the names of other black Americans killed by police. I will participate in a peaceful protest, they changed. I will no longer stand for police violence. I will no longer stand for white supremacy. I will not be silenced. Cory Scott, 35, of Hyde Park, addressed the crowd with a megaphone. When hes studied the civil rights movement, it always amazes him that in the 50s and 60s so many of the leaders were young people. He was 15 years old when he first watched news reports of a fatal shooting by police. Now he has found a purpose in supporting youth activists, so they dont have to live the nightmare Ive had to live my entire life. Its important for my generation to support these young people who have the energy, who have the passion, but we have become tired. This type of dehumanization and injustice is tiring, and so we need young people, we need their energy, we need their blood, and thats the message that Im out here to support. Hannah Leone 4:49 p.m.: Pritzker deploys Illinois National Guard troops to the suburbs The activation of about 250 additional troops comes after governor ordered 375 service members, all of whom have training as military police officers, to help with crowd control in Chicago. Troops will be deployed to the suburbs and other parts of the state in platoons of 30 to 40 members. This is a mission for the national guard that we find most distasteful, Neely said Monday. But we answer the call. Lightfoot had asked Gov. J.B. Pritzker to send the guard to help quell the violence, the first time Chicago has made such a request since Mayor Richard J. Daley brought troops in to police the Democratic National Convention in 1968. Read more here. Stacy St. Clair 4:47 p.m.: Pritzker announces a disaster proclamation for several Illinois counties Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced he was issuing a disaster proclamation for several Illinois counties, including Cook County, on Monday to assist local governments with disaster response and recovery operations. Amid continuing fallout from the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in police custody, Pritzker also said he is calling up 250 additional Illinois National Guard members. Thats in addition to 375 National Guard members assisting local law enforcement with street closures in Chicago over the weekend. An additional 300 Illinois State Police troopers are also being activated Monday to focus on preventative measures and supporting local law enforcement agencies where departments are running thin. It is difficult to put into words the damage that has happened to our communities over the weekend, Pritzker said in a news conference Monday. The affected counties are Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will counties in the Chicago region, Madison County near St. Louis and Macon County, which includes Decatur. Jamie Munks 4:44 p.m.: Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart: Carry on peaceful protesters, but looters and arsonists will go to jail Sheriff Tom Dart on Monday delivered a two-pronged message: Peaceful protestors should carry on, but looters and vandals will find theres plenty of space for them at the jail. To the peaceful protestors, please continue your peaceful protests," Dart said, referring to people hitting the streets to condemn the police killing of George Floyd. You have every right to do that. You are justified in doing so. It was a horrific thing that occurred in Minneapolis. Please continue your peaceful protests to have these issues raised in the appropriate way so change can happen. But what we cant do is we cant conflate that with people who are affirmatively committing criminal acts on purpose, Dart continued. "Their only goal is to utilize these groups of peaceful protestors for their own criminal acts. For individuals committing violent acts, we will find space for you at jail, the sheriff added. "We will make sure that there is a place available for them. ... I just want that to be clear. Just because of the issues with COVID, it doesnt mean that theres an ability where people are going to be able to walk free. Thats not going to happen. Dart said that, as of Monday morning, 110 people had been sent to the jail who were arrested in connection with the Floyd fallout. Fifty bonded out after posting bail, but 60 were being held because they didnt have bail money or were ordered held without bond. More arrestees are expected, he added. Read more here. Hal Dardick 4:26 p.m.: Hundred march to Illinois Capitol Hundreds of people marched to the Illinois Capitol in downtown Springfield Monday chanting Black Lives Matter and I cant breathe. On the Capitol steps, near the statue of Abraham Lincoln, several speakers took the microphone and called for the peaceful protest of police brutality a week after George Floyds death in Minneapolis. The Springfield gathering on Monday afternoon followed a Black Lives Matter vehicle procession through the capital city on Sunday that drew thousands. Some Capitol complex offices closed early on Monday afternoon, at 2 p.m., before the start of the 3 p.m. protests. The move was made out of an abundance of caution and after conferring with law enforcement, said Henry Haupt, a spokesman for the Illinois Secretary of States Office. Haupt said Monday morning that graffiti was spray painted at some point Sunday on the state Herndon Building, and a window was broken at a guard shack on Capitol grounds. Jamie Munks 4:24 p.m.: Chicago hospitals cancel appointments after weekend unrest Several Chicago-area health systems canceled patient appointments Monday following a violent weekend and disruptions to public transit schedules. University of Chicago Medicine closed all of its outpatient centers Monday, including those in Orland Park, the South Loop, River East, River North, South Shore and the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine in Hyde Park. The system also canceled all elective surgeries and closed curbside testing for COVID-19 at its Orland Park and Hyde Park locations for the day. University of Chicago Medicines emergency departments remained open, and it continued to treat and accept patients for overnight care. The system enacted the closures and cancellations out of an abundance of caution, according to an email sent by the systems incident commander to faculty and staff Sunday evening. Read more here. Lisa Schencker 3:51 p.m.: George Floyds brother pleads for peace in the streets as President Trump takes a combative tone George Floyds brother pleaded for peace in the streets Monday, saying destruction is not going to bring my brother back at all, while President Donald Trump berated most of the nations governors as weak for not cracking down harder on the lawlessness that has convulsed cities from coast to coast. The competing messages one conciliatory, one bellicose came as the U.S. braced for another round of violence at a time when the country is already buckling because of the coronavirus outbreak and the Depression-level unemployment it has caused. We are a country that is scared, said Sam Page, county executive in St. Louis County, Missouri, where the city of Ferguson has been synonymous with the Black Lives Matter movement since the 2014 death of Michael Brown, a black 18-year-old, during a confrontation with a white officer. We are a country that is angry. And we are a country that is holding out for the promise of justice for all. In Minneapolis, Floyds brother, Terrence, made an emotional plea at the site where Floyd was pinned to the pavement by an officer who put his knee on the handcuffed black's man neck for several minutes. Lets switch it up, yall. Lets switch it up. Do this peacefully, please," Terrence Floyd said. Read more here. Associated Press 3:42 p.m.: Where are our loved ones? 3:38 p.m.: Activists demand release of poet, activist arrested in Hyde Park A group of activists held a news conference Monday afternoon outside the Wentworth District Police Station, 5101 S. Wentworth Ave., calling for the release of protesters who were arrested over the weekend. More than 100 people gathered, many of them carrying Free Malcolm London signs. London, a Chicago activist and poet, was arrested Sunday during a protest in the Hyde Park neighborhood. Those at the news conference said he was beaten by police when they apprehended him. Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez, 33rd, said London and other protesters were denied access to legal counsel immediately following their arrests. Sanchez said she went to the police station Sunday night and that lawyers who were representing those arrested were not allowed inside the police station until she showed her alderman badge. That means if you dont have an Alderman whos going to show up with a badge and they dont know that youre in there, youre going to stay in there without legal counsel, she said. Londons attorney, Brendan Shiller, said in an interview that London was attending the protest at 53rd Street and Lake Park Avenue Sunday evening and things were peaceful. Police arrived and appeared to directly target London and another protester, they got aggressive, tried to provoke them, and started beating them, Shiller said. London and a few others were taken into custody. Shiller got to the Wentworth District Station at 7:45 p.m. Sunday and for two hours those there were told that none of the arrested activists were present there. After aldermen and people in the Lightfoot administration made phone calls to the district commander, police admitted two of them were present, but not London. It took another two hours for them to find out he was at St. Bernard Hospital with bruises and cuts to his arms and face and eventually Shiller was able to get in in to see the other protesters. Police released the other protesters without charges after 200 to 300 activists showed up at the police station, Shiller said. A police spokeswoman said in an email later that We can confirm we have someone by that name in custody. We cannot confirm any other details until charges are finalized. Police are pursuing felony aggravated battery charges against London, Shiller said, but Shiller believes they will be rejected and police will instead charge London with a misdemeanor, which doesnt have to go through the states attorneys office. At the news conference, Vic Mensa, a famous Chicago rapper, called for the immediate release of London and said that many protesters yesterday were beaten with batons and brutalized by police. Its been four or five years since we marched in the streets and were beaten by police after the murder of Laquan McDonald, and as you can see, aint nothing changed, he said. Dont ask us to show restraint when restraint and humanity are not given to us and not shown to us. Javonte Anderson and Megan Crepeau 3:24 p.m.: Protesters chanting I cant breathe moved through downtown Naperville A group of protesters chanting I cant breathe moved through downtown Naperville Monday afternoon in a rally to draw attention to the death of George Floyd and the issue of police racism and violence targeting black people. The event had been expected and, as a precaution, extra police were present and business windows covered in wood against the potential for violence, which has racked Chicago, Aurora, several suburban towns and cities across the country. Read more here. Suzanne Baker and Erin Hegarty 3:21 p.m.: Police superintendent visits scene of confrontation between police, protesters Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown visited the scene where a City Sports had been looted earlier overnight and spoke with officers and other people at the scene, according to police. Brown visited with officers and community members at 71st & Jeffrey in the Grand Crossing District according to a tweet from police. These officers have been working tirelessly to ensure the safety of residents in the neighborhood during these protests. Earlier, both individuals and reporters posted video to social media of officers lining the sidewalk near the City Sports, with protesters questioning whether people were being detained in the basement of the store. It wasnt immediately clear what the resolution was, although by later in the afternoon, the scene was peaceful. Chicago Tribune staff 3:20 p.m.: Federal authorities accuse Galesburg man of traveling to Chicago with homemade bombs, charge him with inciting a riot An Illinois man arrested in Chicago over the weekend had homemade bombs in his car and had been seen on videos posted on the internet participating in the looting and rioting in both Minneapolis and Chicago, according to federal charges filed Monday. Matthew Rupert, 28, of Galesburg, was charged in U.S. District Court in Minnesota with inciting a riot and possession of an explosive device, court records show. Rupert was arrested by Chicago police early Sunday for allegedly violating the mayors emergency curfew order. Police found several homemade explosive devices in his car, according to a seven-page criminal complaint. Officers also found a hammer, a heavy-duty flashlight, and cash, the complaint alleged. Rupert will likely have an initial appearance at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on Tuesday, when a judge could order his removal to Minnesota to face the charges. Read more here. Jason Meisner 3:10 p.m.: Chicago marijuana dispensaries close indefinitely The bulletproof security glass inside Mission South Shore marijuana dispensary was supposed to be impenetrable. But it gave way Sunday afternoon to looters armed with crowbars and baseball bats. They smashed through the front door first, then hacked away at the security glass, said Kris Krane, president and co-founder of 4Front Ventures, which owns the dispensary in the South Chicago neighborhood. Everything of value was taken, including the marijuana. The stores been pretty much ransacked, said Krane, who watched security camera footage of 30 or 40 people breaking into the dispensary. Nothing was going to hold that many people back." Every dispensary in Chicago is closed indefinitely to prevent or clean up from weekend looting and vandalizing, fallout from George Floyds death in Minneapolis last week. The closures could cause problems for medical patients whose supplies run low. All the staff members at Mission left before the looters arrived, Krane said. The dispensary shut down as neighboring businesses were looted and the situation appeared unsafe. It was boarded up Monday morning, and will be closed until further notice. Read more here. Ally Marotti 2:48 p.m.: CPS chief releases statement about death of George Floyd Janice Jackson, the CEO of Chicago Public Schools, has released an unusually personal statement reflecting on the death of George Floyd while in police custody. Jackson, who was named head of the district in 2017, said she was addressing CPS families as the mother of a black boy who is worried for him, and the millions of other black boys in our country. I worry that when he leaves our home to ride bikes with his friends, he will come back to me as a headline, a hashtag, a rallying cryan Ahmaud, a Breonna, a George," she continued. My mother raised me to never bring up a problem without a solution, but today, I can only share with you my hurt and sorrow for our community. Tomorrow and in the days and weeks to come, we will have to have some real and difficult conversations about the worth of a person not only in death but also in life. Read her full statement here. 2:32 p.m.: Attorney says family-commissioned autopsy shows George Floyd died of asphyxia due to neck and back compression An autopsy commissioned for George Floyds family found that he died of asphyxiation due to neck and back compression when a Minneapolis police officer held his knee on Floyd's neck for several minutes and ignored his cries of distress, the familys attorneys said Monday. The autopsy by a doctor who also examined Eric Garners body found the compression cut off blood to Floyds brain, and weight on his back made it hard to breathe, attorney Ben Crump said at a news conference. The familys autopsy differs from the official autopsy as described in a criminal complaint against the officer. That autopsy included the effects of being restrained, along with underlying health issues and potential intoxicants in Floyds system, but also said it found nothing to support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation. Read more here. Associated Press 2:12 p.m.: Protesters return to Waukegan to focus on message after looters take over weekend demonstrations Protesters returned to a Waukegan plaza Monday after a peaceful march Sunday evening was taken over by hundreds of looters who targeted businesses and damaged property, city and county officials said. About 50 to 75 people gathered at the Waukegan Plaza at West Glen Flora and North Lewis avenues, some holding Black Lives Matter signs, to push back against the violence and to attempt to refocus attention on systemic police brutality. The protests in Waukegan and other Lake County communities follow a sweep of civil unrest across the country in the wake of the in-custody death of George Floyd. Waukegan Plaza was hit particularly hard by looters Sunday night, Mayor Sam Cunningham said. The small business that really supported this community the last three months during the COVID-19 pandemic just got really trashed, he said. Cunningham drew a strong distinction between the protesters who led a march east down Grand Avenue from Green Bay Road to the citys downtown and those behind the looting that followed later that night. Read more here. Emily K. Coleman 1:37 p.m.: Protests erupting across the nation are threatening to upend efforts by health officials to contain the spread of coronavirus Protests erupting across the nation over the past week and law enforcements response to them are threatening to upend efforts by health officials to track and contain the spread of coronavirus just as those efforts were finally getting underway. Health experts need newly infected people to remember and recount everyone they've interacted with over several days in order to alert others who may have been exposed, and prevent them from spreading the disease further. But that process, known as contact tracing, relies on people knowing who theyve been in contact with a daunting task if theyve been to a mass gathering. And the process relies on something that may suddenly be in especially short supply: Trust in government. Read more here. Associated Press 1:12 p.m.: In a cascade of online statements, Chicago theaters say they stand in solidarity with protesters In the wake of the protests sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and with their own stages silenced by COVID-19, many Chicago theaters have used their social-media channels to decry racism and support the protest movements. The statements vary in tone and content but, as these samples reveal, expressed many common themes. We are witnessing the effects of institutionalized racism all over the country and the fires, looting, anger and self-hatred that has materialized bears witness to the fact that we must destroy institutionalized racism or it will destroy all of us, wrote Jackie Taylor, the founder, CEO and president of the Black Ensemble Theatre, a 44-year-old theater with a consistent mission to eradicate racism. Taylor also wrote that: to be treated fairly and with dignity is the essence of our human spirit and we must protect the human spirit without it, we will not survive. Read more here. Chris Jones 12:53 p.m.: Joliet imposes curfew after unrest follows peaceful protests Joliet mayor Bob ODekirk wrote on Facebook that he would announce a curfew after a dose of unrest followed peaceful demonstrations Sunday. He said several stores, including a Target, Ross Dress for Less and Marshalls, were subjected to break-in attempts, but that police intervened quickly and made numerous arrests. Firefighters also put out a fire set at a grocery store, he said. He said many who participated in the mayhem appeared to come from outside Joliet, and had no apparent agenda other than causing chaos. The mob threw rocks, bottles, pieces of asphalt and (firecrackers) at our officers, he wrote. I saw every police and firefighter act professional the entire time. John Keilman 12:45 p.m.: Suburban stores remain closed Monday following looting, fears of looting The doors of the Best Buy in Downers Grove remained covered in plywood Monday after the electronics store was hit by up to 50 looters Sunday afternoon, one of several dramatic episodes of theft and destruction in the suburbs in the wake of police brutality protests. The Lake County Sheriffs Office said hundreds of looters struck Waukegan and Beach Park Sunday night, and some damaged police vehicles after a day of peaceful demonstrations. In Oak Brook, a group tried to burglarize the Neiman Marcus at Oak Brook Mall early Sunday by throwing a cinder block through a window, but were unsuccessful, the village said. The Oak Brook Mall otherwise escaped looting, the village said, but it was nonetheless ringed with police vehicles Sunday afternoon, and had orange and white barriers blocking the entrances Monday morning. The village announced on its Facebook page that the mall would remain closed for the day due to the possibility of further civil unrest. Aside from the Best Buy, DuPage County prosecutors dont know of any other looting incidents. Down Butterfield Road, the Yorktown Center, which also closed Sunday as a precaution, had heavy trucks blocking its entrances. But most of the strip malls and chain stores along the road remained open Monday, including Home Depot and Costco. Authorities in several DuPage County communities had warned Sunday about caravans of people allegedly causing damage along the retail corridors of Butterfield and Roosevelt roads. But few looting incidents were confirmed aside from the Best Buy in Downers Grove. Police spokesman Bill Budds said authorities were notified about 3 p.m. Sunday that 30 to 50 people had rushed the store to grab merchandise. Staff members were able to escape and no injuries were reported, he said. It was obviously a pretty targeted event ... they knew what they were doing, he said. The thieves fled quickly and no arrests have been made, but Budds said police were reviewing video related to the incident. John Keilman 12:44 p.m.: Gov. J.B. Pritzker accuses President Trump of inflammatory rhetoric amid unrest that followed George Floyds death. Trumps response: I dont like your rhetoric much either. Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday told President Donald Trump that hes been extraordinarily concerned about Trumps rhetoric in the wake of unrest that followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police, and urged the president to call for calm. Its been inflammatory, and its not OK for that officer to choke George Floyd to death. But we have to call for calm. We have to have police reform called for, Pritzker said to the president, according to a transcript of the Monday morning call between Trump and governors. Weve called out our National Guard and our State Police, but the rhetoric thats coming out of the White House is making it worse. And I need to say that people are feeling real pain out there and weve got to have national leadership in calling for calm and making sure that were addressing the concerns of the legitimate peaceful protesters. That will help us to bring order, Pritzker said. Trump responded by criticizing Pritzkers rhetoric and his response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the transcript. Trump and Pritzker clashed repeatedly over the past several months over the pandemic, as Pritzker has sharply criticized the Trump administrations response. I dont like your rhetoric much either because I watched it with respect to the coronavirus, and I dont like your rhetoric much either, Trump said to Pritzker. I think you couldve done a much better job, frankly. But thats OK. And you know, we dont agree with each other. Read more here. Jamie Munks 12:16 p.m.: Sports store looted in South Shore, cops guard cellphone store as neighbors work to clean up City Sports, a clothing and shoe store on 71st Street near Jeffery Boulevard, was one of the latest scenes of looting. The windows were broken with shattered glass, and hangers and shoe boxes spilling out onto the street. Across the street, a group of volunteers gathered in the Jefferey Plaza parking lot on the South Side of 71 st Street to begin cleaning up. We were hoping whatever damage was done was done. And we could come clean up, Ibrahim Okoe, 38, said. The inside of City Sports was in shambles. Mannequins were toppled over, and the counter was smashed. By 10 a.m., police had set up yellow caution tape around the sports, and police officers stood guard in front of the store. Despite the damage, people were still arriving at the store looking for free clothes and shoes. They took everything, an officer told a citizen. As the morning passed, looters tried to break into the Boost Mobile store on 71st Street just east of City Sports and a large group of police officers responded. More than two dozen officers, wearing helmets and face shields, and carrying batons stood by. Javonte Anderson 12:15 p.m.: Lightfoot, Brown deny claims that police stood by as stores were looted Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and police Superintendent David Brown defended the city from criticism that police officers didnt do enough to intervene in looting. Both officials denied there was any stand down order. To the contrary, Lightfoot said, the city arrested hundreds of looters and took 64 guns off the street. Thats not standing by, Lightfoot said.But Lightfoot also acknowledged that the looting spread so far and fast that the police force couldnt have stopped it all even if it was four times larger. People unfortunately believed they could act in a lawless manner without any regard for their neighbors, Lightfoot said. The mayor also passionately denounced the impact looters have on their community, particularly in struggling neighborhoods on the South and West Side. When you loot a business, youre not just taking goods. Youre destroying someones dreams. Those small businesses sacrificed and saved money to have their dream realized, they hired employees from your neighborhood to serve you, Lightfoot said. You took their hope and destroyed it. God help us all if we believe that we can express our pain by destroying the hopes and dreams and the livelihoods and the fortunes of others, she added. Thats not the way. That is just not the way. Asked about vigilantes standing guard in neighborhoods, Lightfoot discouraged people from arming themselves and protecting their businesses. Do not pick up arms and try to be police, Lightfoot said. If theres a problem, call 911. We will respond. Gregory Pratt 12:13 p.m.: Oakbrook Center remains closed after looting threats Oakbrook Center remained closed Monday, after closing early Sunday because of a threat of looting that was widespread in the Chicago area over the weekend in the wake of the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Oak Brook Police Chief James Kruger said Monday that a decision on opening the mall again will be evaluated on a daily basis by mall management in conjunction with Oak Book police. Kruger said the only actual property damage Sunday at Oakbrook Center was a brick being thrown through a window of Nieman Marcus. Read more here. Chuck Fieldman 12:10 p.m.: Unrest prompts Chicago Public Schools to suspend meal pickup, but restaurants step in to help Chicago Public Schools temporarily closed its grab and go free meal sites Monday due to unrest in the city. But home delivery of meals continues, and officials hope to restart meal pickup on Tuesday, though that remains uncertain. CEO Janice Jackson announced the suspension at a news conference Monday saying the decision was made out of an abundance of caution to protect workers, students and families. She emphasized that delivery of about 18,000 meals a day would continue, and that anyone in need of emergency food delivery may call 773-553-KIDS (5437). This is an emergency, Jackson said. I hope that its just one day. We will continue to monitor the situation and see how things progress. Jackson also said that teachers should be addressing the ongoing violence in the city in the wake of protests over the death of George Floyd following his arrest by police in Minneapolis, calling the situation a crisis. I dont think any teacher worth their salt needs me to tell them that this is a unique time and we have to stop and we have to actually talk to students and help them understand whats going on, she said. Thats whats going to be happening throughout this city today. After Chicago Public Schools announced the change, some restaurants, churches and food banks stepped up to help. Here is a running list of restaurants serving free lunch to CPS students and their families. If you want to be included in this list, please email us at food@chicagotribune.com. Bohkeh This cocktail bar and restaurant will provide free lunch to kids in Albany Park and its surrounding neighborhoods from noon until it runs out. They ask that everyone wear masks and maintain social distance. 4716 N. Kedzie Ave., 773-754-0129, bohkehchicago.com Paulie Gees Logan Square The pizzeria will be making more than 350 pizzas for CPS kids before boarding up the restaurant at 1 p.m. 2451 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-360-1072, pauliegee.com Urban Grill Chicago This Uptown restaurant will offer free lunch to any CPS student who walks in between noon and 3 p.m. Choose from a hot dog with fries or five boneless wings with fries. People can also opt to sponsor a meal via Zelle. 1132 W. Wilson Ave., 773-754-7137, urbangrillchicago.com Mi Tocaya Antojeria This Mexican restaurant is giving out 350 meals, starting at 11 a.m.. Our restaurant is an antojeria made to make/share food of our heritage. To honor our ancestors, pay homage to the women whom created it and most importantly made with LOVE, according to an Instagram post. 2800 W. Logan Boulevard, 872-315-3947, mitocaya.com Cesars Killer Margaritas This Tex-Mex restaurant will have boxed meals available for pickup from 2:30-4:30 p.m. They ask that patrons practice social distancing and wear a face mask. 3166 N. Clark St., 773-248-2835, killermargaritasclark.com Humboldt Park Montessori Bagged lunches offered for families from 12:15 p.m. until they run out. 2540 W. Division St., 312-613-7115, humboldtparkmontessori.com A Just Harvest This Rogers Park food pantry is providing free hot meals from noon to 2 p.m. 7653 N. Paulina St., 773-262-2297, ajustharvest.org Robert McCoppin, Grace Wong 12:05 p.m.: Chicago federal courthouse closed to the public after weekend violence The federal courthouse in downtown Chicago was closed to the public Monday after a weekend that saw widespread looting and violence in the Loop. According to an order posted on the district court web site, the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse would be closed to all public access Monday, though the public and members of the media would be allowed to listen in by telephone to court proceedings using a call-in number provided in the case docket. The move marked the first full closure of the courthouse at 219 S. Dearborn St. since court proceedings were largely curtailed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer has suspended all jury trials until at least August, but the building had remained open during normal business hours. The court calendar for Monday showed only 10 judges had cases on their call, and that most were simple status hearings. While the order does not state the reason for the court closure, many businesses near the courthouse were struck by looting and property damage as protests against killing of George Floyd by police in Minnesota turned violent. Among the establishments that were destroyed was Central Camera, a Loop fixture since 1899 that is about a block from the courthouse. A nearby 7-Eleven was also ransacked on Saturday. Jason Meisner 11:45 a.m.: Evanston police to increase patrols after looting at retail stores Evanston police plan to increase patrols in retail corridors after thousands gathered for a peaceful protest Sunday afternoon followed by evening burglary and shoplifting incidents at three local stores. Evanston Police Commander Brian Henry estimated that as many as 5,000 people marched from the intersection of Church Street and Ridge Avenue to Evanston Township High School Sunday afternoon. The protest was great, said Evanston Police Commander Brian Henry. "In the 20 years Ive been with Evanston police it was by far the biggest protest, rally, march Ive seen. The rally was organized in solidarity with black people and to demand justice for black lives, according to the Evanston Fight For Black Lives event Facebook page. Later Sunday evening, police responded to incidents that Henry said were not related to the days organized protest. Seven people are currently in custody after they were arrested for looting the Best Buy store on Howard Street about 7 p.m., Henry said. Ten to 15 cars of people pulled up to Best Buy to burglarize it. Detectives are working to press charges, Henry said. The Walgreens store in the 2100 block of Green Bay Road also was looted about 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Henry said. Target on Howard Street experienced a mass shoplifting event about 7 p.m., where dozens of people came in, grabbed items and ran out, said Henry and Evanston Police Commander Ryan Glew. Henry said Evanston police will have a lot of high visibility patrol in the upcoming days, especially in the downtown and Howard Street business corridors. No closures or curfews have been ordered and all essential city services are continuing. Read more here. Genevieve Bookwalter 11:22 a.m.: Lightfoot doubles down on comments about Trump from last week Lightfoot also doubled down on her comments about President Donald Trump from Friday, when she said her message to him begins with F and it ends with U. Lightfoots comments were an apparent response to Trump tweeting a message that included, When the looting starts, the shooting starts in reply to rioting in Minneapolis and elsewhere following the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyds neck while he was in custody. Lightfoot said the president cannot be allowed to divide and destabilize the country. He wants to show failures on the part of Democratic local leaders, to throw red meat to his base, Lightfoot said on Friday. His goal is to polarize, to destabilize local government and inflame racist urges. We can absolutely not let him prevail. And I will code what I really want to say to Donald Trump. Its two words. It begins with F and it ends with U. Asked about it on Monday, Lightfoot said, Anyone who is fomenting violence is doing wrong and we need to stand up united against that. Gregory Pratt 11:13 a.m.: Clean-up begins in downtown Aurora the day after protests turned violent Storefronts along Broadway in downtown Aurora were boarded up and volunteers swept up broken glass Monday morning, after looting and clashes between protesters and police the previous night. Some volunteers lived nearby and came to help. Some had been at the protests.Among the volunteers was a group of college students. Its our town," Aurora University student Edgar Perez said. I mean, I grew up here. I was raised here. Read more here. Sarah Freishtat 11 a.m.: Lootings spread into neighborhoods as Chicago sees one of its most violent weekends with more than 80 shot After two straight nights of looting in Chicago, the scene almost seemed normal. A man waited across the street as officers sped down Division Street and scattered looters from a Target store that had its glass doors shattered. After the last unmarked police SUV drove away around midnight Monday, the man walked into the Wicker Park Target and spent several minutes inside. He came out with just one box of beer and passed it around to a handful of others standing outside. With downtown Chicago cordoned off by the National Guard, violence spread into the neighborhoods Sunday night and early Tuesday as clashes with police continued after the death of George Floyd while under arrest in Minneapolis last week. Throughout the night, police received call after call of lootings, shootings and fires on all sides of the city. There were several 10-1 calls for officers in immediate need of help. It capped a weekend that was one of the most violent in recent years in Chicago, with more than 80 people shot, nearly 20 of them killed. Read more here. Paige Fry 10:59 a.m.: Downtown Naperville businesses are boarding up windows as a precaution Businesses in downtown Naperville, including the Apple store and Hugos Frog Bar, have boarded up their windows in case potential protests Monday shift to destruction and rioting. 10:50 a.m.: Lightfoot denies city favored downtown over neighborhoods while protecting against looting Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot denied that the city prioritized protecting the Loop over neighborhoods on the South and West sides over the weekend and promised to help rebuild. There is no way, no way, we would ever let any neighborhood receive more resources and protection than any others. Ever, Lightfoot said. That certainly didnt happen over the course of the weekend. Lightfoot said the criticism is offensive to her as a black woman and added: We did not stand by and let the South and West sides burn as some are propagating. Lightfoot made her comments after protests over the death of George Floyd, who died at the hands of Minneapolis police, led to nationwide protests and civil unrest, including widespread looting and some arson. The city shut down most access to Chicagos downtown on Sunday after protestors burned and looted business in the Loop, and looting migrated to South and West Side neighborhoods. Chicago officials deployed across the city but were overwhelmed, she said, as the city received 65,000 calls in a 24-hour period, 50,000 more than typical day. "The fact is, the violence that we saw and the looting we saw spread like a wildfire, Lightfoot said. The mayor called it an exceedingly difficult and at times scary weekend for all of us but tried to strike a positive tone. We made a lot of hard decisions over the weekend and I know some of them were challenging for people, Lightfoot said. But I also have hope today on how we will move forward and heal as a city. Read more here. Gregory Pratt 10:47 a.m.: No, Lincoln Park Zoo animals were not set loose in Sundays looting The animals are all right. All animals at Lincoln Park Zoo are accounted for and safe, the north side Chicago zoo found it necessary to announce Monday. There were no break-ins, thefts, or incidents last night. Images circulating, claiming to be of Lincoln Park Zoo animals out of their habitats, are false. Social media posts amidst the social unrest caused by protests and looting around the city and suburbs purported to show animals, including penguins and a hippo, on the loose. There was significant skepticism about the images on sites including Facebook, but they are believed to have circulated widely, prompting the zoo to issue the extraordinary statement. "In addressing the topic, the zoo said it was responding to concerned messages it had received from friends of wildlife. Steve Johnson 10:04 a.m.: Metra out of service on Monday, and CTA, Pace impose service cutbacks as George Floyd fallout continues Metra is out of service on Monday, while the CTA and Pace are imposing multiple service cutbacks after a weekend of mass looting and violent clashes with police downtown and in other areas. While CTA trains and buses resumed running as of 6 a.m., service was limited in a wide area, not just downtown, according to its website. CTA bus service is not running between Western Avenue and the lakefront and between Fullerton Avenue and 47th Street. On the CTA "L" trains, Red Line service is not operating from Belmont Avenue to 47th Street; Blue Line service was suspended from Western Avenue on the OHare branch to Western on the Forest Park branch; both the Brown Line and the Purple Line express are suspended between the Loop and Belmont; Green Line service is suspended between California Avenue and 47th; and the Orange Line is suspended between the Loop and 35th Street and Archer Avenue, the agency said. Read more here. Mary Wisniewski 7:30 a.m.: Auroras police chief joined peaceful protests. Rioters wreaked havoc in the downtown hours later. The states second largest city erupted into chaos Sunday night, as rioters in west suburban Aurora looted stores and set a series of fires around a downtown area already financially devastated by the coronavirus lockdown. Police responded by firing tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd, which swelled to about 500 people at its height. Some onlookers, in turn, hurled chunks of concrete and other objects at officers, shrouding the message of nonviolence urged earlier that day during peaceful protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. In addition to plundering local businesses, the crowd set fire to three police cars, a bank drive-thru and a Family Dollar retail store. Many onlookers cheered as a gas tank on one of the squad cars exploded and flames engulfed the entire vehicle. Read more here. Megan Jones and Stacy St. Clair 6:50 a.m.: Access remains restricted to Chicagos Loop and downtown, CTA buses and trains running elsewhere Access remained restricted to the Loop and Chicago's central business district Monday morning after a weekend of mass looting and violent clashes with police. While CTA trains and buses resumed running across the city at 6 a.m., they were bypassing stops in the Loop and downtown. The transit agency said it would post updates throughout the day at transitchicago.com throughout the day. The mayors office said access to the Loop and downtown will only be granted to people who work for businesses there or live there or who are "engaged in essential activities ... The Chicago Police Department will remain strategically deployed in full force throughout Chicagos neighborhoods. Read more here. 6:30 a.m.: George Floyd fallout in Chicago: Downtown locked down, unrest spreads to South, West sides and some suburbs As Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot requested the Illinois National Guard be brought in to prevent a second night of downtown violence and looting, the chaos spilled into some city neighborhoods and continued to overshadow the urgent message conveyed during peaceful protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Directed and written by Egyptian filmmaker Mokhtar Ali, You Can Go Out Today is a production by the Egyptian National Center for Cinema Related 42nd Cairo International Film Festival in jeopardy amid coronavirus lockdown Egyptian short film 'Tastat'ei Al-Khorouj Al-Yaum' (You Can Go Out Today) has been named best short film (over 15 minutes) for April's contests of Russia's Eurasia International Monthly Film Festival. Directed and written by Egyptian filmmaker Mokhtar Ali, You Can Go Out Today was produced by the Egyptian National Center for Cinema. The film's plot occurs on a stressful day when the protagonist decides to escape his bad luck by searching for a safer and more secure world. The cast includes actors Sameh Fekry, Ahmed El-Nabawy, Amina Al-Arabi, Mohamed Abdel-Gawad, Mohamed Shalash, Emad Megahed and Samer El- Miniawy. The films crew also includes director of photography Nader Galal, editor Manar Hosni, with the soundtrack mixed by Ramy Hussein. Led by Soad Shawky, who succeeds Khaled Abdel-Galil, the Egyptian National Center for Cinema funds and produces a number of documentary, short fiction, experimental and animation films every year as part of their national missions under authority of the Culture Ministry. Among the Eurasia April finalists was another Egyptian short film, 'Ward's Henna Party,' by director Morad Mostafa, but it did not reach the winning list, same as in February for Ahmed Hamed's short student film. Held in Moscow with a mission to introduce an audience to filmmakers from all over the world, Eurasia is an independent festival for independent filmmakers whose selections and winners are chosen each month, and the winners are shown at a live screening once a year. Spain's animation production 'The Seven Deadly Sins And The Four Last Things' by director Carmen Perez was named Eurasia film of the month, the fourth in the 2020 list, which also includes Rifugi (Italy), Helping Hand (US) and Collapse (US). Part of Eurasia April winning films: Best Short (over 15 min): You Can Go Out Today- Mokhtar Ali (Egypt) Best Short (under 15 min): Silent Movie- Melo Viana (Brazil) Best Feature Film: Shibil- Nikola Bozadzhiev (Bulgaria) Best Documentary (under 40 min): POETRYofPAYNE 2020- Evanchuck and Lacelle (Canada) Best Documentary (over 40 min): The Silence that Remains- Amparo Garrido (Spain) Best Animation: The Seven Deadly Sins And The Four Last Things- Carmen Perez Gonzalez (Spain) 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: NEW YORK, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten weeks after American Jewish Committee launched its pioneering online series AJC Advocacy Anywhere, more than 2.5 million people have logged on to view the almost daily offerings. "AJC has not missed a beat during the pandemic in our educational and advocacy work in the U.S and around the world," said AJC CEO David Harris. "AJC Advocacy Anywhere is delivering probing, thoughtful conversations on the most topical issues of the day." Registration for AJC Advocacy Anywhere is free and programs can be viewed via Zoom and Facebook. Previous programs are available for viewing on AJC.org. Programs last week included: A Conversation with H.E. Jusuf Kalla, Vice President of Indonesia (2004-2009) (2014-2019), May 26, has been seen by more than 27,000 on Facebook. Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who is current Chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross, has been courageous and outspoken in his appeal for Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, to engage in dialogue with Israel. In a wide-ranging conversation with Shira Loewenberg, Director, AJC Asia Pacific Institute, Kalla discussed Indonesia's response to COVID-19, Indonesia's relations with the United States, China, and Australia, and the challenges and opportunities for progress in Indonesian-Israeli relations. Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) Executive Director Colin Rubenstein gave introductory remarks. AIJAC is an AJC partner organization. On the Frontlines of America's Cities: A Conversation with Mayor Eric Garcetti and Mayor Betsy Price, May 27, has garnered more than 28,000 views on Facebook. Mayors across the country and around the world are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response, making critical decisions every day about how to protect their communities, while also working to restart their cities' economic engines. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Ft. Worth Mayor Betsy Price discussed the impact of the coronavirus crisis on their cities; the integral relationship between cities and the Federal government; the role of political leadership in a time of crisis; and the lessons they've learned about community resilience. The conversation was moderated by Melanie Maron Pell, AJC Managing Director, Regional Offices, who accompanied the mayors on their recent trip to Israel with AJC Project Interchange. Communities Under Quarantine: The Impact of the Coronavirus on Muslim and Jewish Life in America, May 26. The pandemic has shut down mosques and synagogues, bringing about a boom in digital gatherings, virtual prayer spaces, and online learning. Rabbi Dr. Josh Feigelson, Executive Director, Institute for Jewish Spirituality, and Maggie Siddiqi, Director of the Faith and Public Policy Initiative, Center for American Progress, discussed the impact of the coronavirus on religion, public life, and Muslim-Jewish relations in the United States. Dr. Ari Gordon, AJC Director of U.S. Muslim-Jewish Relations, was the moderator. A Conversation with Dr. Richard Haass, President, Council on Foreign Relations, May 28, has more than 46,000 views on Facebook. A veteran diplomat, respected voice on foreign policy, and frequent guest on news shows, Richard Haass has served as Director of Policy Planning for the State Department (2001-2003); Special Assistant to President George H.W. Bush (1989-1993); and Senior Director for Near East and South Asian Affairs on the staff of the National Security Council. He discussed with AJC CEO David Harris his new book, The World: A Brief Introduction, a primer written for experts and non-experts alike that, in the words of former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, "explains how the world really works, how it is changing, and why it matters." AJC Advocacy Anywhere programs for this week include: Monday, June 1, 400 PM (ET) Why Are Student Governments Obsessed with Israel? Student government should be an opportunity to develop leadership skills, work with diverse groups of student leaders to improve campus life, and plan fulfilling programs for one's peers. So why does it seem like many student governments have become little more than a platform for constant vilification of Israel, and of Jews for supporting the Jewish state? Featuring Mara Davis, New York University '19; Zachary Kimmel, Columbia University '21; and Jack Langen, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign '20. Moderated by Jackie Subar, AJC Assistant Director, Political Outreach. Tuesday, June 2, 12:00 PM (ET) Israel-Diaspora Relations: Past, Present, and Future with Isaac Herzog. Israeli and American Jews have long enjoyed a special relationship. While this relationship remains strong, there are challenges facing the two largest Jewish communities in the world. Join Isaac 'Bougie' Herzog, Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel and former head of Israel's Labor Party, for a probing discussion on Israel-Diaspora relations -- where we are, how we got there, and the future we need to build together. Wednesday, June 3, 12:00 PM (ET) The Ongoing Struggle for Racial Justice in America: A Conversation with Lonnie G. Bunch III. Protests have have erupted in over 30 cities across the United States following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Join Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Founding Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and AJC Project Interchange alumnus for a comprehensive discussion on race relations in the United States. Thursday, June 4, 12:00 PM (ET) Journalism and Politics in the Age of COVID-19: A Conversation with Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor in Chief, The Atlantic. Even before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) deemed it a "massive infodemic." This proliferation of misinformation has led to the spread of conspiracy theories and hate. How will this impact the United States, the world, and the fate of our democracies? What will be the geopolitical implications of this pandemic? Jeffrey Goldberg, acclaimed journalist and Editor in Chief of The Atlantic, will be in conversation with Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, Director of AJC Europe, to answer these questions and more. Friday, June 5, 12:00 PM (ET) The Six-Day War: Why It Still Matters 53 Years Later with AJC CEO David Harris. "Without an understanding of what happened in the past, it's impossible to grasp where we are today and where we are has profound relevance for the region and the world," Harris has written about the June 1967 Arab-Israeli war. He will review the lead-up to, and aftermath of, those six fateful days, when Israel was threatened with destruction by an alliance of Arab countries led by Egypt and Syria, and why the history still matters. To date, the three most viewed programs in AJC's Advocacy Anywhere series are: AJC CEO David Harris: An Improbable Jewish Journey, with more than 196,000 Facebook views. David Harris on the Soviet Jewry Movement (Part 1), with more than 136,000 views on Facebook. From Tragedy to Triumph with AJC CEO David Harris, with more than 96,000 views on Facebook. SOURCE American Jewish Committee Related Links http://www.ajc.org Nine years ago, on June 1, an EF-3 tornado swept through Western Massachusetts, wreaking havoc on the area and leading to nearly a decades worth of lasting damages throughout multiple communities. From around 4:17 p.m. to 5:27 p.m., the tornado carved a 38-mile path through Agawam, West Springfield, Springfield, Wilbraham, Monson and Sturbridge, with its wind speeds reaching more than 160 miles per hour. By the time the tornado ended its path on the border of Southbridge and Charlton in Worcester County, the extreme weather event had killed three people and injured 200 more. Now, on June 1, 2020, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno is asking residents to reflect on the impact of the tornado at 4:38 p.m., the exact time it hit the city, later leaving a 6.2-mile path of destruction in its wake, the Springfield Republican reported. Sarno also requested that religious institutions in the community chime their bells in remembrance of the fatal day, according to the newspaper. We were put through the wringer and were stronger for it, Sarno said on the third anniversary of the deadly weather event. Any other city might have crumbled and said no mas, no more, but the exact opposite thing happened. We took this tragedy as an opportunity." The tornado, after moving through multiple counties over the course of an hour and 10 minutes, left tens of thousands of residents without power, 350 homes and businesses destroyed and another 1,500 damaged, with damages estimated in the millions of dollars, , MassLive reported at the time. The first death was reported in Brimfield and the two others in West Springfield. Former Gov. Deval L. Patrick declared a state of emergency and called up 1,000 National Guard troops as emergency personnel searched for residents trapped inside homes and cars. In Springfield, the tornado slashed through the citys downtown business district and the South End neighborhood before hitting East Forest Park and Sixteen Acres. Two weeks after the tornado, more than 200 people remained homeless, and Federal Emergency Management Agency had declared Hampden and Worcester counties major disaster areas. It was the regions worst tornado outbreak in close to 100 years. This devastation immediately impacted 40 percent of city residents and resulted in over 350 city residents left having to live in temporary shelter at the MassMutual Center, over 600 structures damaged, and 150,000 cubic yards in tree debris to be cleared from public ways, Sarno wrote in an one-year reflection of the event. He added, While that was a truly historic event, what happened following the tornado was equally as significant: Neighbors helping neighbors, businesses helping businesses, our first responders and those assisting us from throughout the state, city employees and our federal and state partners responding in a swift and compassionate fashion demonstrated the true character of our city. Related Content: Srinagar: On the eve of the visit of an all-party delegation to Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday called for engaging all sections of the society, including Hurriyat Conference, in a credible and meaningful political dialogue for resolution of the problems in the Valley. Mehbooba calls for dialogue with Hurriyat Conference On the eve of the visit of an all-party delegation to Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday called for engaging all sections of the society, including Hurriyat Conference, in a credible and meaningful political dialogue for resolution of the problems in the Valley. The countrys political leadership must, without any further delay, reach out to and engage all sections of the society, including leaders of the Hurriyat Conference, in a productive dialogue process to resolve the issue and make peace a reality in Jammu and Kashmir, she said while visiting the family of a person killed in firing by security forces. Seventy people have been killed and thousands injured in violence in Kashmir Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in an encounter on July 8. Visited the family of late Mashooq Ahmed, firing victim of Kund, Kulgam and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family... The loss of human lives is a colossal tragedy and every one should strive for peace in J&K, she posted on Facebook. The Chief Minister said it is perhaps for the first time that the Kashmir issue has been, during the past two months, discussed in so many forums and at so many levels including Parliament and at all-party meetings where judicious views were put across by all shades of the countrys political opinion on how to end the stalemate. The need of the hour is to build on this larger political consensus within the country and initiate tangible measures to address the issue, she said. Mehbooba said the present situation in Kashmir calls for every right thinking party, group or individual to rise to the occasion and strive for finding ways and avenues for the restoration of peace and resolution of the problem. Right now Kashmir is again embroiled in a burning situation and we have hope that all sides will pick up elements of sanity and pragmatism and strike a new benchmark towards the resolution of the problem in light of the global and sub-continental realities, she said. While the separatist leadership shall also have to take a step forward, the Centre on its part shall have to put off the fire on internal discontent, Mehbooba said. Congress, CPI(M) and many other parties pitched for holding dialogue with all stakeholders, including Hurriyat, to douse the unrest in Kashmir, at a meeting held by the government in New Delhi today to brief the MPs who are part of the 30-member delegation about the visit to the state on September 4-5. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Advertisement Kano state commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba says 1, 018 samples from suspected COVID-19 cases were submitted to the three testing centres in the state for testing between May 23 and 30. The commissioner, who states this in a statement on Sunday says based on available data from the state Task Force on COVID-19, out of that figure, 72 were found to be positive. He adds that during the same period, 881 of the samples tested came out negative, while 42 are on follow up test 28 are on a repeat assay, which in medical terms means that the tests have to be repeated after the first attempt that indicates neither positive nor negative. Advertisement Malam Garba explains further that data on track of pending results from laboratories in Kano and National Reference Laboratory, Abuja also indicates that Bayero University, Kano Laboratory has the highest sample tests followed by Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. The commissioner, while reiterating governments commitment to fighting the pandemic, calls on the public to always observe safety and prevention protocols that include social distancing, use of face masks, hand washing and general personal hygiene. Joe Raedle/Getty Since the beginning of this year, Florida has experienced an uptick in the number of pneumonia and influenza deaths, according to data from the Centers for Disease and Control. Experts and Trump administration officials responsible for keeping tabs on mortality rates across the country believe that many of those individuals had likely contracted and died from COVID-19. According to the data from the CDCs National Center for Health Statistics, since the beginning of the year there has been a total of 1,519 deaths in Florida where pneumonia and influenza were listed as the underlying cause. By comparison, in the same time period last year, Florida recorded 1,207 such deaths. The CDC has historically counted pneumonia and influenza deaths together. CDC officials told The Daily Beast that most of the deaths included in that category are pneumonia. Bob Anderson, the chief of the Mortality Statistics Branch in CDCs National Center for Health Statistics, told The Daily Beast that the increase of deaths in Florida where pneumonia and influenza were the underlying cause was statistically significant and that those mortalities were probably COVID cases that werent reported as such. The coronavirus can cause lung complications such as pneumonia. The increase has sparked a conspiracy theory on the left, that Florida is deliberately trying to undercount coronavirus fatalities by labeling them as something else. Theres no evidence to suggest any such underhand efforts, or that the state is unique across the country. But officials, including Anderson, do believe that a portion of the pneumonia and influenza deaths in Florida involved patients who were infected with, but never tested for, COVID-19. In such scenarios, though the virus likely contributed to the death, it may not have been recorded as the cause of death by the physician, coroner or medical examiner. Were definitely experiencing an underreporting issue nationwide, Anderson said, pointing to the CDCs study of excess deaths during the coronavirus. [In Florida] most likely what were seeing are folks dying without having been tested and the best evidence that the doctors or whoever is filling out the death certificate had pointed to the person dying of pneumonia. Story continues Anderson added that the numbers currently reflected on the CDCs website for pneumonia and influenza deaths for 2020 are lower than reality because the death certificate reporting system lags by several weeks, especially in states that do not have digitized systems to process the papers. F*cking Dangerous: Dems in Pennsylvania Lose It After GOP Kept Virus Diagnosis a Secret Though other states are experiencing a similar phenomenon, there has been notable scrutiny placed on Florida, due to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) handling of the coronavirus response and his decision to move to quickly reopen the state. DeSantis allowed some Florida beaches to reopen in the middle of April, even as the number of coronavirus cases and related deaths continued to rise across the state. The governor has since criticized members of the press for rushing to warn that Florida would experience a spike in COVID-19 cases, and calling his actions cavalier. Conservative and Trump supportive commentators have pointed to the absence of a notable uptick as evidence that fears of a hasty reopening were overblown. DeSantis office did not return a request for comment. But the actual story, like much related to the pandemic, appears to be more complicated. And it underscores how much of the publics understanding of, and opinions about, the pandemic are affected by bureaucratic decisions and accounting formulas related to categorizing fatalities. As The Daily Beast previously reported, President Trump and members of his coronavirus task force have pressed the CDC to change how the agency works with states to count coronavirus-related deaths, arguing for revisions that could lead to far fewer deaths being attributed to the disease. The administration has also moved to allow nursing homes the ability to only report coronavirus deaths that occurred after May 6well after facilities across the country experienced a massive uptick in coronavirus-related deaths. States, as well, have different methods of collecting relevant data and calculating COVID-19 death counts and that, in turn, has sowed speculation about political motivations. On that front, few governors have been as closely watched as DeSantis. Part of that is because of his close relationship with the president. Part of that is because of decisions he has made. Earlier this month the DeSantis administration fired Rebekah Jones, the data manager for the Florida Department of Health who worked on the states coronavirus online dashboard. In a statement posted to her website, Jones said she was removed from her position because she pushed back when officials in the health department asked her to manipulate and delete data in late April as work for the states reopening plan started to take off. The DeSantis administration has since said Jones was fired for insubordination. FL Gov. Overrides County Officials to Allow Church During Coronavirus Lockdown With Florida already under a national microscope, news of the states pneumonia fatalities circulated on social media this week as liberals accused DeSantis and members of his administration of manipulating data and deliberately downplaying the number of coronavirus deaths. Howard Dean, the former Democrat governor from Vermont, commented on Floridas statistics Thursday, going so far as to accuse Florida of cooking the books on COVID-19 deaths. Andy Slavitt, the former Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said while Florida appears to have the coronavirus under control, it was experiencing an unprecedented pneumonia crisis. But Anderson said it is unlikely that a physician with a patient who tested positive for the coronavirus would have marked anything other than COVID-19 as the underlying cause on the death certificate. If individuals die, for example, in their homes or in nursing facilities without having been tested, a medical examiner or coroner could hypothetically mark the individual as having died of pneumonia. That scenario would have likely played out in the early days of the coronavirus outbreak when testing was difficult to access and when physicians were still learning how the coronavirus presented itself, Anderson said. According to a report by the Miami Herald, officials inside the DeSantis administration kept the Florida public in the dark in February for about two weeks as they scrambled to come up with a plan on how to respond to the states outbreak. A similar phenomenon took place in Flint after a switch in water supply exposed thousands of people to lead poisoning and caused one of the largest outbreaks of Legionnaires disease in U.S. history. Last year, a team of reporters at PBS Frontline found that there may have been about 70 more deaths from Legionnaires during the outbreak than the 12 that were officially recorded. But because the government was not forthcoming about the crisis, doctors were not alerted to it and therefore did not know to look or test for the disease. Many people who died of Legionnaires disease were originally reported as having died from other causes, such as pneumonia. Donald Trump Is Gaslighting Andrew Cuomo and Sucking Up to Ron DeSantis Currently, health officials and statisticians are researching how many of the states excess deaths over the last several months should be attributed to the coronavirus. One study by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene published earlier this month said that there were thousands of excess deaths in the city from March 11 to May 2. About 18,879 of those deaths were explicitly tied to the coronavirus. But the study said there were also an additional 5,200 deaths that were not identified as either laboratory-confirmed or probable COVID-19-associated cases, but could have been tied to the virus in some other way. At the CDC, officials found 1,500 individuals who were mistakenly overlooked in the first few weeks the agency was calculating the coronavirus death count, and Andersons team is now going back and correcting those calculations to produce a more accurate death toll. The CDC relies largely on the state department of health systems and a reporting system that is more than 100 years old to calculate the annual death toll in the U.S.. When an individual dies, a doctor, coroner or medical examiner records on the death certificate a sequence of events that contributed to that persons demise and what ultimately caused it. The certificate then goes to the states registrar, or sometimes a funeral director, who examines the certificate and determines whether to send it back to the physician, coroner or medical examiner for more information. Once the state registrar is satisfied with the certificate, he or she sends it on to the states department of health. Then, the state sends portions of data from the death certificate onto the CDC. Andersons team is charged with using that death certificate data, along with data from a national digital coding system, to tabulate causes of death per state each year. The emergence of the coronavirus strained the reporting system in a way that has led to a significant national undercounting, Anderson said, adding that the death-certificate count usually lags anywhere from two to eight weeks. Weve never experienced anything like this before, Anderson said. Were still learning new things about this virus every day. The reporting will only get better. 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. MIAMI, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Cansortium Inc. (CSE:TIUM.U) (OTCQB: CNTMF) ("Cansortium" or the "Company") and the Special Committee of the Board of Directors announced today completion of two important initiatives that were part of its strategic plan, developed during the second half of 2019, to focus the Company's capital and other resources on the most promising growth opportunities in Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Texas. The Company has completed the sale of its non-core Canadian assets, previously announced on December 17, 2019. As part of the consideration for the sale of its non-core Canadian assets, a total of 1,500,000 common shares were returned to the Company for cancellation; and the purchaser, the Company's former in-market partners in Canada, has assumed the on-going liabilities associated with such Canadian assets. The Company has also amended and restated a prior agreement pursuant to which Cansortium Michigan, LLC, the Company's indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, intends to acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of Green Standard, Inc. ("Green Standard"), a company operating in the Michigan marijuana market with 12 existing Class C Grower Licenses and pre-qualification for a processor license and up to eight (8) provisioning centers. Green Standard operates an outdoor cultivation facility in Arlington Township, Michigan, and expects the first 2020 harvest in late summer. Under the amended terms, Green Standard shareholders will receive U.S.$10 million in aggregate consideration to consist of common shares and proportionate voting shares exchangeable into an aggregate of 2,727,723 common shares of the Company, which shall be escrowed until May 15, 2021, plus cash consideration to be generated by profits from Green Standard's Michigan business. The same number of shares of the Company that were previously issued to Green Standard shareholders and subject to vesting conditions have been returned to treasury for cancellation. Closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval. Neal Hochberg, Executive Chairman of the Board of Cansortium, noted, "We continue to make important progress on the Company's strategic plan. Focusing the Company's capital and resources on large, actionable opportunities enabled us to achieve our first quarterly EBITDA(1) profit during the first quarter of 2020. The sale of our non-core Canadian assets and amendment of our acquisition agreement with Green Standard further position us to pursue growth in our target markets of Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Texas." (1) EBITDA is a non-IFRS financial measure that does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. The Company calculates EBITDA from net income (loss), plus (minus) interest expense (income), plus income taxes, plus depreciation and amortization. Reconciliations from EBITDA to Net Loss are available on the Company's investor relations website at www.investors.getfluent.com. About Cansortium Inc. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, and operating under the Fluent brand, Cansortium is focused on being the highest quality cannabis company in the State of Florida driven by unrelenting commitment to operational excellence from seed to sale. Cansortium has developed strong proficiencies in each of cultivation, processing, retail, and distribution activities, the result of successfully operating in the highly regulated cannabis industry. In addition to Florida, Cansortium is seeking to create significant shareholder value in the attractive markets of Texas, Michigan and Pennsylvania, where the Company has secured licenses and established operations. Cansortium Inc.'s common shares and warrants trade on the CSE under the symbol "TIUM.U" and "TIUM.WT.U", respectively, and on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol (OTCQB: CNTMF). Investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the Company on www.otcmarkets.com. Forward-Looking Information Certain information in this news release, may constitute forward-looking information. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. Forward-looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of this news release, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to the factors described in the public documents of the Company available at www.sedar.com. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect the Company; however, these factors should be considered carefully. There can be no assurance that such estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements containing any forward-looking information, or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. For further information: www.getfluent.com SOURCE Cansortium Inc Related Links https://www.getfluent.com/ Matt Hancock admitted thousands of contact tracers hired to find people exposed to coronavirus are sitting idle tonight - and blamed it on the UK no longer having enough cases to provide them all with work. The Health Secretary said that 25,000 staff being paid up to 27-per hour did not have enough work because of spare capacity caused by a lack of new cases - but could not say how many cases had been dealt with. He told the daily Downing Street news conference that as well as this each case had fewer contacts to trace, suggesting that the public's adherence to the lockdown rules was helping reduce demand as well. It came as the Government faced accusations that the system was in chaos today, with staff battling against a failing operating system. People working in the system, which was supposed to be fully operational by today, say they have not contacted anyone in the two weeks since they started work. And employees say they are having to repeat training they have already done because glitches in the system mean they cannot register that they have completed it already. Those keen to get started say they have been sat twiddling their thumbs and they have been stuck in queues of over 350 people waiting for technical help. Mr Hancock tonight said: 'The level of incidence of disease has come down and so actually we have more capacity than we need, this is a good thing. 'The number of contacts that each index case has is a bit lower than we were expecting, which implies that people are following the social distancing rules and not coming into contact with large numbers of people, of course that also reduces the demand on the contact tracers.' He added: 'I think to err on the side of having too many contact tracers is the right side to err on. I'd rather have too many people trained and ready to go.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock tonight said (right) that 25,000 staff being paid up to 27-per hour did not have enough work because of spare capacity caused by a lack of new cases. But staff have told a different story of failing systems (left) He added that the 'vast majority' of new infections and their contacts had been traced since the system launched. 'Many of them are able to put their details in on a web-based portal rather than directly on the phone,' he told the Downing Street press conference. Testing tsar John Newton, who joined him at the press conference, added: 'The numbers of tests feeding through and contacts being identified are high, so we are very pleased with the level of completeness. 'It's operating pretty much as we had hoped.' But acting leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: 'It is concerning that the government has decided not to make the usual test, trace and isolation data available to the public. 'The government claims to be ''led by the science'' but with members of SAGE publicly warning against the government's policy and little access to data about test, trace isolate, a science led approach is looking like a threadbare claim. The press conference today raised even more concerns about lockdown beginning to be lifted too early. 'The government approach to Coronavirus is becoming increasingly confused and chaotic, whilst the majority of people just want clarity so they can keep safe.' Sent laughing emojis by bosses who can't help them, contact tracers say the system remains 'shambolic' and unfit for purpose as millions of pupils return to school today. Other lockdown rules have lifted this week, and people are now allowed to meet outdoors in groups of up to six people and outdoor businesses may reopen. But there are concerns the test and trace won't work if Britons refuse to give friends or relatives' details, and one call handler revealed two of the three potentially infected contacts she rang went straight to voicemail. One source, who has been employed by Sitel since May 13 was today still waiting to make their first call while earning 75-a-day for doing nothing. Experts say the success of the project is crucial to banishing the virus from our lives and a 25,000-strong army of 'test and trace' call-handlers have been recruited by companies like Sitel and Serco for the task. The source, who is based in the West Midlands, said: 'Each day we login and it's the same thing over and over again. We ask what we are going to be doing today only to be told to hold tight and chill out and, 'you're still getting paid'.' It is the latest development in a string of mis-steps over the past week as the system has been set up, with some staff saying they were only told the night before that it would start. The Prime Minister's spokesman this afternoon refused to reveal how many people the programme had contacted so far, but said it would be 'published shortly'. Staff report having to wait in queues of hundreds to get technical support for an operating system that doesn't work The contact tracer, who declined to be named, said: 'It is so chaotic. You complete the online training but that doesn't register on the system. 'You can have a problem with a log-in to one of the many different systems we are using and you are put in a queue with upwards of 300 people for help. 'I like to be productive when I'm supposed to be in work but the various technical situations have prevented it. 'We had to complete online training but when we completed it, the system didn't register that we had done it.' Text messages seen by MailOnline show the frustration being felt. In one a group moderator writes: 'No seriously, I know its crazy but if you have done all the training then there isn't much more you can do at the moment until they give you more training. 'So use this time to chill, your still getting payed so cant complain. You wont have this chilled time when we go live so enjoy (smiley face).' In another message the same moderator says: 'Guys, I understand the frustration but may (sic) of the systems are currently down. Kronos being one of them so many people cannot log in, I appreciate this is very annoying. They have told me that clients will be payed (sic) anyway even if you cannot log into Kronos to stamp your time.' ONE IN TEN BRITONS WILL IGNORE SELF ISOLATION RULES At least 10 per cent of Britons will ignore requests to self-isolate when contacted by NHS Covid tracers, a health chief has warned. Professor Isabel Oliver helped design the Government's tracing app to track those who are at risk of being infected. The Director of the Field Epidemiology Service at Public Health England told the Sunday Telegraph that though most people are willing to comply, a minority will disobey instructions. It is thought that lockdown fatigue will cause people to ignore advice offered to them. 'This has been a very prolonged outbreak,' she said. 'Invariably we find that everyone is very willing to help, but these are exceptional circumstances, with an outbreak that has been so prolonged and had such an extensive impact on the people's lives, so it is understanding that some people will be resistant. 'But having said that we are finding that lots of people are supportive and we are very grateful for that because for the programme to be successful in controlling the virus - we need that support from the nation as a whole.' Test and trace launched in England on Thursday and Professor Oliver's team immediately hit a wall of IT problems. But she stressed that any delays to having tracers logged in was down to the fact that the app is run on a 'very secure system'. Advertisement Responding to staff saying they have completed their training but it is not being acknowledged by the system, the moderator replies: 'Don't worry. Ive heard its coming up like that for everyone. Surprise, surprise another tech glitch (4 laughing faces).' Warnings have had to be issued to bored staff telling them not to use the calling software to make personal calls. They were warned: 'It is worthwhile mentioning that 100 per cent of calls are monitored through a Speech Analytics Software System. Absolutely nothing can fall through the net in that regard. 'I cannot begin to advise what sort of conversations we have listened to since this programme started but needless to say they are not all appropriate.' The source went on: 'Now most of us have been cleared to make calls but are finding there is no data on the system or if they do get through it's to a person who has already been contacted multiple times. 'Meanwhile our bosses have told us to expect things to get 'very busy' if a second peak of the virus occurs.' When the calls start in earnest, the handlers, paid around 9-an-hour will read from a script designed to enforce the Government's measures. These mean that anyone listed as a recent 'contact' of someone who has tested positive for the virus must immediately self-isolate for 14 days. But those receiving the calls are not obliged to co-operate and if they refuse, staff must attempt to read out a statement: 'Following up contacts will enable us to check that the individuals are well, to provide them with advice if they are unwell or if they become unwell and will also help us to protect your friends, family, the community and NHS by containing the spread of the virus. 'Thank you for taking the time to speak to me. If you need any further information, please visit our website at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.' The script, seen by Mailonline, takes staff through various scenarios they may face when trying to make telephone contact with someone needing to self-isolate. If they obtain consent for the call, they take the 'contact' through a questionnaire concerning their personal and contact details as well as their state of health. People are not obliged to give over these details although it is explained that it can help to divert them to local support services. The key message is that they must, 'immediately self-isolate at home for 14 days from the date of their last contact' with the infected person. They will then have the message reiterated: 'Stay at home for 14 days. Do not go to work, school, or public areas, and do not use public transport or taxis.' If they develop symptoms they should arrange for a test online if possible or by ringing the NHS on 119. Other people sharing a house with those contacted do not have to self-isolate unless the contact is already showing symptoms in which case they must. Things are more difficult if you live with somebody who is shielding having received a letter from the Government. In that scenario you will be told: 'Where possible, move anyone who is clinically vulnerable and clinically extremely vulnerable out of your home, to stay with friends or family for the duration of your home isolation period. 'If you cannot move vulnerable people out of your home, stay away from them as much as possible.' An internal chat seen by the Daily Mail says, 'People are also panicking as there is no information on the websites/systems for them to make the calls' If the person being asked to isolate lives on their own then the caller asks if they will need help with provisions. If they have internet access, they are told to visit their local authority website and if they don't the caller finds a number for local support and passes it on. But before any of these messages can be delivered, call handlers must first sensitively plot their way to a consensual call with the correct person, knowing that they are powerless should those on the end of the line object. BRITAIN ABANDONED TEST AND TRACE IN MARCH BECAUSE IT COULD ONLY HANDLE FIVE NEW CASES PER WEEK Britain abandoned test and tracing for the coronavirus earlier in the pandemic because the system could only cope with five cases a week, it has emerged. Official documents from the Government's Sage advisory committee reveal that the routine testing and tracing of contacts of people with the virus was stopped because Public Health England was facing a desperate shortage of capacity. Since the first Covid-19 cases were confirmed in York on January 31, 272,826 people in the UK have since tested positive for the virus. This week the Government launched the NHS England's Test and Trace programme, with 25,000 contact tracing staff and the capacity to trace the 10,000 contacts per day. The decision to scrap routine testing for those displaying symptoms 12 weeks ago is now being seen as a major factor for how the UK has the fifth-highest total number of infections. Sage documents show how, in a meeting on February 18, advisors said that Public Health England (PHE) could only manage the contacts of five Covid cases a week, hoping to possibly increase this to 50 people. Minutes from the meeting say: 'Currently PHE can cope with five new cases a week (requiring isolation of 800 contacts). Advertisement Barriers include a contact who can't speak English, concerns over the authenticity of the call, concerns over privacy and data and an answerphone. The script tells the call-handlers how to handle each situation, something many of them are sadly yet to experience. The government insisted yesterday that the system was running efficiently and had the capacity to handle 10,000 new cases per day. For comparison, statistics suggest fewer than 8,000 Brits are being struck down each day. Boris Johnson said the programme would be 'world beating' but evidence suggests the contact-tracing army has been left ill-prepared and, in many cases, workers have nothing to do at a cost to the taxpayer of 1.6million per day. On a public Facebook group for clinical contact tracers, several reported spending most of their shifts waiting to be assigned cases through the system, called CTAS. It is supposed to show the patients assigned to a tracer along with unassigned cases that can be picked up. One tracer said he had not had any cases on Saturday, while another said two of three calls she made went straight to voicemail, The Times reports. One of the 3,000 clinical case workers hired by Public Health England said she had completed three four-hour shifts, at 27-an-hour, but hadn't made any calls yet. She told The Times: 'I have had absolutely nothing to do.' The nurse said she had seen 'zero cases' on the system throughout three shifts and felt 'tremendously guilty about doing the shifts and being paid and not having anything to do really'. 'It's very obviously not ready,' she said. 'Something is not working between CTAS and the test results that are coming in.' Another contact tracer said he was still waiting for login details to access training, and said the system had been 'chaotic'. His job as a 'tier three' call handler should be to ring the contacts of positive cases and tell them to self-isolate and curb the potential spread of Covid-19. Details of those who test positive are passed to a company called Sitel, which is running the track and trace handling across the UK. Agents read from a prepared script when they are given the name and telephone number of a person who has been diagnosed with Covid-19. They ask for the details of friends and family the infected person has come into contact with during the previous two weeks. The tracing agent then makes contact with those on their list and informs them they have to self-isolate. One tracer said colleagues who were on shift were 'sitting there all day waiting and just refreshing their screens'. He said: 'They've got nothing to do.' MailOnline has contacted the Department of Health for comment. GARDAI are investigating apparent gunshot injuries sustained by a woman and man in Waterford. Uniformed gardai and armed officers responded to an alert at a property outside Lismore in west Waterford around 4pm today. Officers discovered the woman and man, who are both aged in their 60s, with what appeared to be gunshot injuries. Both were given urgent treatment at the scene by paramedics before being rushed to University Hospital Waterford (UHW). They are currently being assessed and treated for multiple injuries. Both are expected to require surgery. However, it is understood the nature of the injuries involved are not life threatening and both are expected to make full recoveries. The rural scene remained sealed off pending a detailed forensic examination by Garda Technical Bureau experts. A firearm is understood to have been recovered in the vicinity. Ballistics experts will now examine the firearm believed to have been involved. Gardai will conduct door to door inquiries throughout the rural community to determine if anyone heard or saw anything suspicious over the past 24 hours. The investigation will aim to determine the precise circumstances in which the injuries were sustained. WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court is declining to revive a lawsuit by supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders who sued the Democratic National Committee in 2016 over claims officials improperly tipped the scales for Hillary Clinton during the nominating process. The justices said Monday they would not take up the lawsuit. As is usual the court did not comment in turning away the case. The lawsuit was filed after leaked DNC emails suggested Democratic party officials had favored Clinton over the Vermont senator during the primaries. The emails were posted on the document disclosure website WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks did not say who provided the material, but 12 Russian military intelligence officers were ultimately indicted in connection with the DNC hack and hacking of the Clinton presidential campaign. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., right, with his wife Jane, speaks during a campaign event in San Antonio, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) According to special counsel Robert Muellers investigation, the release was part of a sweeping conspiracy by Russia to meddle in the 2016 U.S. election. DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced her resignation following the leaks. The lawsuit by Sanders supporters was dismissed at an early stage and an appeals court had upheld the dismissal. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Supreme Court declines to take up Bernie Sanders supporters' lawsuit Katherine Heigl penned powerful message about the difficulties talking to her eight-year-old black daughter Adalaide about racism. The 41-year-old actress took to Instagram with two lengthy captions about how she is struggling to explain the current state of America and systemic racism to her young children on Sunday. She also addressed her own 'white bubble' and admitted she'd been naive to issues of race in the past but called for a reckoning for racists. Mama Bear: Katherine Heigl penned powerful message on Instagram about the difficulties talking to her eight-year-old black daughter Adalaide about racism in two touching posts on Sunday Heigl wrote in the caption that it has been challenging to find the words to properly inform her children of the protests currently taking place across America following the killing of George Floyd. George died last week after a police officer - who has since been arrested on charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, and sacked from the force - knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. The Grey's Anatomy star is mom to an eight-year-old black daughter whom she adopted at birth, as well as her older daughter Naleigh, who was adopted from South Korea in 2009 and son Joshua, Katherine she gave birth to in 2009. Writing on Instagram, Heigl said: 'I can't sleep. And when I do I wake with a single thought in my head. How will I tell Adalaide? How will I explain the unexplainable? How can I protect her? How can I break a piece of her beautiful divine spirit to do so? Parenting: Heigl wrote in the caption that it has been challenging to find the words to properly inform her children of the protests currently taking place across America following the killing of George Floyd 'I can't sleep. And when I do I wake with a single thought in my head. How will I tell Adalaide? How will I explain the unexplainable? How can I protect her? How can I break a piece of her beautiful divine spirit to do so?' 'I can't sleep. I lay in my bed in the dark and weep for every mother of a beautiful divine black child who has to extinguish a piece of their beloved baby's spirit to try to keep them alive in a country that has too many sleeping soundly.' 'I can't sleep. I lay in my bed in the dark and weep for every mother of a beautiful divine black child who has to extinguish a piece of their beloved baby's spirit to try to keep them alive in a country that has too many sleeping soundly. 'Eyes squeezed shut. Images and cries and pleas and pain banished from their minds. White bubbles strong and intact. But I lay awake. Finally. Painfully. (sic)' Katherine went on to say she feels 'hopeless', but knows she must speak out for the sake of her family. Along with the posts, the star shared several candid shots with her children, including beautiful and goofy selfies with Adalaide and some of Katherine's sister Meg, who was also adopted from South Korea. Tragic: George Floyd died last week while in police custody after an officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes; his killing sparked outrage across the globe and protests erupted in dozens of cities She added: 'My white bubble though always with me now begins to bleed. Because I have a black daughter. Because I have a Korean daughter. Because I have a Korean sister and nephews and niece. It has taken me far too long to truly internalize the reality of the abhorrent, evil despicable truth of racism. 'And now I weep. Because what should have changed by now, by then, forever ago still is. Hopelessness is seeping in. Fear that there is nothing I can do, like a slow moving poison, is spreading through me. 'Then I look at my daughters. My sister. My nephews and niece. George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. The hundreds, thousands millions more we haven't even heard about. I look and the fear turns to something else. The sorrow warms and then bursts into flames of rage. (sic)' In her second post she addressed more directly the issues that sparked days of protests against racism and police brutality across the U.S. 'My white bubble though always with me now begins to bleed. Because I have a black daughter. Because I have a Korean daughter. Because I have a Korean sister and nephews and niece. It has taken me far too long to truly internalize the reality of the abhorrent, evil despicable truth of racism.' 'Im not sure what most think justice looks like but right now, to me, it looks like a hard, ugly life in prison for Officer Chauvin and the others who just stood there. On their phone.' 'I want them to pay. I want that payment to be harsh. I want it to be a painful, irrevocable consequence for their evil acts and behaviors and for those consequences to scare the s**t out of every other racist still clinging to their small, stupid minded hate.' 'Im not sure what most think justice looks like but right now, to me, it looks like a hard, ugly life in prison for Officer Chauvin and the others who just stood there. On their phone. 'I want them to pay. I want that payment to be harsh. I want it to be a painful, irrevocable consequence for their evil acts and behaviors and for those consequences to scare the s**t out of every other racist still clinging to their small, stupid minded hate. She added that there was a time when she wanted to try to change the minds of racsits but that time is long gone. 'I dont care anymore. For their hearts or minds or souls. I dont care if they die with their ugliness stamped all over them,' she wrote. 'They can take this s**t to their maker and he can deal with them. Family: The Grey's Anatomy star is mom to an eight-year-old black daughter whom she adopted at birth, as well as her older daughter Naleigh, who was adopted from South Korea in 2009 and son Joshua, Katherine she gave birth to in 2009 (Pictured with husband Josh Kelley) 'What I want is for them all to be so scared by Officer Chauvins consequences that they are afraid to breathe in the direction of a black man, woman or child. Let alone try to hurt them. 'I want them to shake in their beds at night for fear that they too could end up like Chauvin. I want him to be an example of what happens to a racist in this country.' The actress ended her emotional essay admitting that she knows her anger and rager are not 'very Christian' but noted that Jesus himself 'got pretty damn mad at the temple.' 'God brought the floods, the famine, the locust and the pillars of salt. Perhaps rage is part of the divine. Perhaps the heavens want our rage right now. Perhaps our rage is theirs. All I know is that I want it to end. Today. Forever. Whatever it takes,' she concluded. 'It is because we treat them as our own people, and there is no difference between owners and workers here.' Kindly note the image has been posted only for representaional purposes. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters The plywood industry in Perumbavoor in Kerala is relatively new, but in a short period of time it has become the largest cluster in India. This small town is said to do business worth Rs 30 crore to Rs 40 crore (Rs 300 million to Rs 400 million) every day! Like in the case of other clusters in southern India, this industry is run by migrant workers from mainly Bengal, Odisha and Assam. So much so, in fact, that there are theatres in Perumbavoor that screen Bengali films on weekends. "When the trains were getting ready to take them back, we spoke to all the workers about the situation and told them that once they went back, they would not be able to come back easily. We also told them that if they stayed back for six months, the situation would be normal and then they would be able to visit their homes like they had done before," Mujeeb P A, managing director, Indus Plywood, Perumbavoor, below, explains to Shobha Warrier/Rediff.com. One of the problems Kerala faces is shortage of labour. It is well known that Perumbavoor has such a huge migrant population that you have theatres showing Bengali films on weekends. It is true. These people have been here for a long time, and they feel quite at home now. I think it is mainly because we treat them as our own people, and there is no difference between owners and workers here. The first group of migrant workers were not from Bengal, but from Assam. We also had people from Mangalore in the beginning as there were plywood factories there. There are plywood factories in Kolkata and that was how Bengalis reached here. People from Odisha came to do other work, but slowly they moved to this industry. So, today a majority of our workers are from Bengal, followed by Assam and Odisha. Today, Perumbavoor may have around one lakh migrant workers. There is a huge migration of workers happening all over India from their place of work back to their homes. How is the situation in Perumbavoor? We feared that all our workers would go back, but it did not happen. From Kerala itself, only two trains with migrant workers left. We decided to take care of the situation in an intelligent way. When the trains were getting ready to take them back, we spoke to all the workers about the situation and told them that once they went back, they would not be able to come back easily. We also told them that if they stayed back for six months, the situation would be normal and then they would be able to visit their homes like they had done before. We also told them to send a few of their colleagues first and see how the situation was in the villages. The pictures of them under quarantine back home and the news of no work there made these people decide not to go back. Of course, we were taking care of them during the lockdown. I would say we have not been affected by the reverse migration. How did Perumbavoor become a major player in the plywood business? Perumbavoor has been a centre dealing with all businesses connected to timber for a very, very long time. In the 1970s, the then government had allotted special areas to cut down trees. Because the teak from this area was quite famous, a lot of saw mills came up during that time. When new laws were introduced restricting cutting down of trees, the timber industry was forced to move to new areas for survival. It was during this period that Kerala became well known for its rubber plantation. In the case of these trees, there is a time limit for tapping. You can tap milk from the trees only for 20 years or so; after that, you have to cut down the trees. So, this wood can be termed as agricultural waste. It is from these trees that we make rubber wood which is used for making packing cases. This packing industry dominated the area for some time. The change to plywood happened when the technologically savvy next generation saw a new opportunity here, that is to make plywood from the agricultural waste. When did this transition take place? In the early 1990s, when Perumbavoor started making the basic raw material needed for plywood, veneer. Interestingly, the consumers were plywood manufacturers in Raipur. That made the entrepreneurs here wonder if veneer is bought by them in large quantities, the market value of the product must be quite high. But it was not affordable for many to start the plywood industry in Perumbavoor at that time because we had to start from A-Z. What tilted things in our favour was a unit that made the glue for plywood manufacturing in Thripunithara. This was a blessing for us as you cannot paste layers of wood without glue. How come they were making glue when there was no plywood industry here? That is an interesting story. There was a formaldehyde plant, and it is quite easy to make glue from formaldehyde; you only need a small reactor. In fact, they started making glue when they got enquiries from many parts of India. Other than the glue, you need face veneer to make plywood, which also needs huge investment. IMAGE: The Indus Plywood factory in Perumbavoor, Kerala. Photograph: Kind courtesy, Mujeeb P A One of the first plywood manufacturers here was Periyar Plywood, and the time was the late 1980s. What they did was, they bought an old machine from somewhere and started making face-veneer. So, they could make plywood here itself. At that time, nobody else here knew how to make plywood. It is another matter that Periyar Plywood no longer exists. It was only in the early 1990s when people from the rest of India queued up here for core veneer that entrepreneurs in Perumbavoor saw a huge opportunity in plywood manufacturing. Soon, a few people opened factories -- which are called pressing units. When the others saw the way their fortunes were rising, they also started opening their own units. How big is the industry today? There are around 400 factories or pressing units in Perumbavoor today. Perumbavoor can be called a cluster now. If I am not mistaken, every day this small town does business of Rs 30 crore to Rs 40 crore. If a unit is managed well, you can expect a revenue of Rs 10 lakh per day and a turnover of even up to Rs 25 crores a year. You have to understand the industry from the perspective of Kerala society which is mainly a consumer state. Plywood is one commodity that is sold from the state to the rest of India and also outside. The advantage here is, we are not destroying jungle wood. On the other hand, we are processing agricultural waste, and exporting it from the state as plywood. This is one industry that has been bringing in revenue to an otherwise consumer state. Other than plywood, only spices and rubber go from this state to the outside. Can you call this an innovative industry as Perumbavoor had saw mills for jungle wood for many years? Yes, this is an innovative industry which came into existence when changes happened in the traditional timber industry. Today, people are coming out with many artificial boards to replace plywood. But you should understand that there is nothing that can beat natural wood. While natural wood is a creation of God which can withstand any weather, artificial boards wilt under extreme heat and cold. Why plywood succeed is because hard wood is not available today. It is very expensive too. What we do is, we make the waste into soft wood, and into layers. We glue them together so that it is as strong as hard wood. Is that the reason why Perumbavoor became the market leader in India? Unlike many parts of Kerala, people of this region are very hard working. Even the factory owners are ready to come out and work in the factory when the need arises. Another reason why Perumbavoor has become the market leader in India is because the first generation entrepreneurs sent their children abroad to study. They came back with new ideas, one of which was branding. It is this branding that helped the industry in a big way today. That's how we are able to export to the Middle East, Turkey, Iraq and Sri Lanka. Those in the MSME sector complain that all their problems started with demonetisation followed by GST and now the lockdown. How has it been for the plywood industry? It may be true for the rest of the MSME sector. In the case of plywood, the demand for timber products is increasing day by day all over the world. I will give you an example. Three years ago, when people tried to export hardwood from Myanmar, the UN intervened and said it could not allow deforestation. The UN is not allowing export of timber from most of the African countries too. Only processed items are allowed. China is the country that purchases the maximum amount of timber and their plywood industry is very huge. They bring timber from Brazil in huge vessels, and it is processed in China to make plywood. The advantage we have in Kerala is, rubber wood is one of our major crops. So, we get wood as agricultural waste, and we do not have to depend on jungle wood at all. That's why the plywood industry is thriving here. We are the number one in India. Next to Perumbavoor is Yamuna Nagar in Haryana. Then, there are small clusters in Kannur, Mangalore, UP, etc, with 30 to 40 factories. In Yamuna Nagar, they plant trees for the plywood industry. You mean, this industry was not affected by any of the shocks which shook the rest of the MSME sector, including the lockdown? From my experience, that's what I feel. I will not say that we are not affected at all by the lockdown. All of us are definitely affected. But I am optimistic and I believe our industry has a good future. If I didn't believe, I would not be investing even now. One thing I am sure of, our industry will be the first one to overcome the shock created by the pandemic. HALO Trust, a demining company, recently stepped in to help the Zimbabwean government in the fight against Coronavirus, with aide from the British Department for International Development and U.S. Department of State. VOA Zimbabwe's Mike Hove, chats with John Masimba of the HALO Trust. (CNN) - The World Health Organization on Monday said it hopes President Trump will not follow through with his decision to terminate the relationship between the United States and WHO. "The world has long benefitted from the strong collaborative engagement with the government and the people of the United States," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a briefing in Geneva on Monday. "The US government's and its' people's contribution and generosity toward global health over many decades has been immense, and it has made a great difference in public health all around the world," Tedros said. "It is WHO's wish for this collaboration to continue." On Friday, Trump announced that the US will end its relationship with WHO, a move he has threatened throughout the coronavirus pandemic. This story was first published on CNN.com, "WHO urges US to not end relationship" Tenderloin Photo: Kevin Y./Yelp Aunt Charlies Lounge, the Tenderloins last longstanding gay bar, will close permanently in August unless a community fundraiser keeps it afloat. The bar, which has been a symbol of San Franciscos queer and trans culture since 1987, was forced to close its doors in March to comply with the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order. The city is currently targeting mid-August for bar reopenings, but Aunt Charlies can't make it that long, said Katie Conry, who's co-sponsoring a Gofundme campaign to keep it running. Its a sustainable, well-run business that is only struggling because it cant open, said Conry, the executive director of the Tenderloin Museum, which ran an exhibition about Aunt Charlies last year. A photo from the Tenderloin Museum's "Hot Boxx Girls" exhibition. | Photo: Darwin Bell/Tenderloin Museum/Facebook Conry says the bars owner, Bill Erkelens, applied for a federal Payroll Protection Program loan, but received only a small portion of the funds requested. It's still unclear why. Since April, Erkelens has been paying rent, utilities, and other necessary costs out of his own pocket, to the tune of at least $10,000. But his personal finances are dwindling, and more support is needed if the bar is going to survive. Conry's co-sponsors in the fundraising effort are Myles Cooper, Kyle DeMedio, Brittany Newell, Silk Worm, Marissa Patrice Leitman, and Darwin Bell most of whom first met during last years Tenderloin Museum exhibition about Aunt Charlies. Cooper created High Fantasy, a regular Tuesday-night show that ran at Aunt Charlies from 2010-2018; Newell and Silk Work helped curate the show in its later years. Leitman and Bell both contributed photography to the Tenderloin Museum show, and DeMedio supported the development of the exhibitions oral histories. The Gofundme campaign has a $100,000 goal; as of this writing, it's at about $17,000. Conry says all money raised will go directly to Aunt Charlies' business expenses during the pandemic; anything left over will support its long-term sustainability. Story continues The coalition of regulars is also working on a separate fundraiser to support Aunt Charlies staff while they're out of work. But since it's difficult to run two fundraisers at once, the group decided to focus on the bar's sustainability first. A scene from "High Fantasy" at Aunt Charlies, from the "There Will Always Be Roses" exhibit at the Tenderloin Museum. | Photo: Marissa Patrice Leitman/Tenderloin Museum/Facebook Conry notes that since the 2018 closure of the Gangway then San Francisco's oldest gay bar Aunt Charlies has become the last "multi-generational queer space" in the Tenderloin. Its really a neighborhood space, where residents, non-profit employees nearby, and other community workers come to congregate regularly," she said. MIDLAND, Mich. (AP) A U.S. House committee is investigating the failure of a Michigan dam, giving the state two weeks to respond to a series of detailed questions about inspections and oversight. The House Energy and Commerce Committee sent a similar letter to a federal agency that had oversight of the Edenville Dam in Midland County until fall 2018. This inquiry is critical to ensuring this never happens again in any city in America with a high hazard dam, said Michigan Reps. Debbie Dingell and Fred Upton, who are members of the committee. It is concerning there are serious gaps in existing laws, and gathering the facts will be essential as we consider future bipartisan legislation to protect communities across the country, they said. About 11,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes two weeks ago when the Edenville and Sanford dams failed, unleashing the Tittabawassee River, about 140 miles (225 kilometers) north of Detroit. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, known as FERC, said dam operator Boyce Hydro Power had a string of violations over 14 years. The agency said it repeatedly raised concerns about the Edenville Dam's ability to prevent flooding during extreme conditions because of an inadequate spillway capacity. The House committee wants Michigan to explain why it found the dam in fair condition in October 2018, just a month after FERC revoked a license. It also wants to know the size and finances of the state's dam safety program. Responses from FERC and the Michigan environment department are due by June 15. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last week told the same department Environment, Great Lakes and Energy to investigate the Edenville and Sanford dam failures. ___ This story has been corrected to show that FERC is the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, not the Federal Emergency regulatory Commission. Many of us often look at our smartphones while walking to help find our way - or even to pass the time. But doing so could soon be illegal in the city of Yamato, in Kanagawa Prefecture, central Japan. City councillors are set to vote on a proposal to ban the activity after research reportedly showed that too many people were looking at their phones while walking. Walking while looking at your phone will be illegal under new laws being considered in the city of Yamato, in central Japan (file photo) According to Sora News 24, researchers observed 6,000 people walk past two train stations in Yamato and found that 12 per cent of them were looking at their phones. It has prompted some politicians in the city to propose banning the activity. They allegedly claim there has been an increase in injuries among people walking while distracted by their phones. If the June vote is passed, Yamato will become the first city in Japan to ban walking while looking at a phone. The new law would define offending behaviour as 'walking while gazing at the screen of a smartphone or other device.' Yamato city councillors are set to vote on a proposal to ban the activity after research reportedly showed that too many people were looking at their phones wile walking. Pictured: The city of Yamato Instead, citizens are being urged to 'use your smartphone while standing still in a place where you won't be a hindrance to others passing by.' If the new law is approved, it will come into effect on July 1. It comes after scientists warned that texting and scrolling on touchscreens has sent pedestrian injuries soaring by 800 per cent, scientists have warned. A review of evidence showed 'distraction injuries' are now a significant problem and are causing growing numbers of accidents. Being engrossed in texting and social media has led to people walking into lampposts, stepping out into traffic and tripping over. Researchers reportedly observed 6,000 people walk past two train stations in Yamato - including the city's main station (pictured) and found that 12 per cent of them were looking at their phones If the June vote is passed, Yamato will become the first city in Japan to ban walking while looking at a phone (file photo) The scientists behind the study, from the University of Calgary in Canada, said related injuries are likely to get worse. They already account for around one in every 25 road safety incidents, the team wrote in the journal BMJ Injury Prevention. Lead author Dr Sarah Simmons and colleagues said: 'Given the ubiquity of smartphones, social media, apps, digital video and streaming music, which has infiltrated most aspects of daily life, distracted walking and street crossing will be a road safety issue for the foreseeable future. The team reviewed relevant studies on 'pedestrian distraction'. One found 1,506 visits to emergency departments in the US in 2010 were caused by mobile phone use in public places. Since 2004, data showed injuries, such as walking into a pole and tripping and falling, increased 800 per cent from 0.4 per cent to 3.7 per cent of pedestrian injuries. Males under the 30 were the largest victims. A drunk man who was arrested after punching his hand through a pub window is filmed shouting expletives at NHS staff in tonight's episode of A&E: After Dark. The man, identified only as Andrew, 34, is taken to Hull Royal Infirmary in the back of a police van after being arrested by police at the pub. Once in hospital, he embarks on a vile rant, saying he has 'p****d on the floor of the police van in protest' as hospital staff plead with him to stop shouting and swearing. Later he repeatedly calls staff 'f*****g p***ks' as they try to treat him. The shocking scenes will be shown on tonight's episode of the Channel 5 documentary series, which reveals the cases seen by hospital staff overnight. A drunk man who was arrested after after punching his hand through the window of a pub, swore at doctors and nurses and refused treatment after he was rushed into hospital by four police officer. He is pictured here getting treatment from a nurse Andrew, pictured, is brought into hospital by four police and embarks in a vile rant, saying he's 'pi**ed on the floor in protest' as hospital staff plead with him to stop shouting and swearing Speaking on camera, nurse Linda Cheesman explains: 'We see people under the influence more often on a night, on a busy night you can maybe have three or four different people like that with police officers. 'I always try to pop them away from the public. I do try and put them in a room away from the public, when they're wearing and blinding.' Dr Pon Ponnusammy adds: 'When you get aggressive patients in the department patients do tend to wait longer because our time is being taken away in managing situations. I have to apologise to other patients, it is stressful.' As Andrew had a glass injury, it mandatory to have an X-ray to make sure he had no glass under the skin. Despite consenting to the X-ray, he continues to rant at staff while NHS staff rush to help him. In A&E: After Dark, which airs tonight on Channel 5, 34-year-old Andrew is brought to the Hull Royal Infirmary in the back of a police van (pictured) 'How does it feel wearing a cow suit, f*****g pricks,' he shouts at the police officer accompanying the radiographer. After doctor's reveal he doesn't have any glass in his wrist and offer to stitch his wounds up, Andrew becomes more irate. 'I want my solicitor here right now with me otherwise they're not going to stitch me up,' he demands. 'I will make you with wait with me simple as,' he shouts at the police officer. 'And I'm not saying f**k all else.' He then insists on being put to sleep before the stitches, and says he's going to pull out the stitches in a police cell. Dr Pon Ponnusammy (pictured) explains the treatment plan for the cuts to his arm, Andrew says he'll rip the bandages off to avoid being in police custody Dr Pon explains that they see people in the hospital trying to stay away from police custody. 'It's frustrating to see them refuse treatment,' Nurse Linda adds. 'But he's a grown adult, he's got the capacity to do that. The medical staff then explain to the police that he's refusing treatment, but the officers say they're unable to take him into custody until he's stitched up. Eventually, Andrew agrees and has his wounds stitched up, while screaming at the medical staff that they're 'f*****g p***ks'. He is then taken to the police station in the back of a van. [May 31, 2020] The Manchester Global MBA helps students stay on track by incorporating more virtual learning techniques and methods SHANGHAI, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Manchester Global MBA continues to fulfill its mission to its students around the world by implementing a fully virtual learning approach. Since the COVID-19 outbreak in early January, all face-to-face sessions were moved online to reduce risk and protect students and the faculty staff. The program, which already used blended learning techniques of in-person and virtual course offerings, has accelerated this approach in response to the pandemic. During this transition period to a complete virtual learning experience, the staff in the UK and China ensured that all students understood and felt comfortable with the changes through increased availability and support for any student concerns. The program strongly believes in a personalized learning style, and it is keen to uphold these values despite the challenging circumstances brought on by the global pandemic. As such, each class and workshop is held live, in a participatory and interactive style rather than pre-recorded lectures. Students are still on schedule to graduate within the regular two-year study period. Feedback from current students highlights that many are even finding tha virtual learnings add unique learning lessons that they wouldn't have encountered otherwise. Huang Wei, who started the program last summer commented, "The virtual workshops have expanded my network as participation is no longer limited by geography or time zone". Sherry Fu, The University of Manchester China Centre Director said, "While the COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted traditional ways of learning, our University has always been about encouraging innovation and an open-minded approach to problem-solving. Since establishing the Alliance Manchester Business School overseas centre in 1996, more than 10,000 students have completed the Manchester Global MBA, some never having stepped foot in Manchester due to our whole-hearted embrace of technology that facilitates learning from any part of the globe. Our University has an outstanding track record of delivering online, blended and transnational teaching across all three of our facilities and I only see our value continuing to grow." Ms. Fu also added,"The escalation of the outbreak and increasing concerns over the health and safety of our faculty and students forced the University to cancel all Global MBA face-to-face workshops in Shanghai. However, the MBA program will continue to run on schedule, and we will be able to conduct all workshops and courses via online and interactive virtual sessions. Our experienced faculty and support team has quickly and adeptly implemented our online blended learning methods and tools so that student can continue their studies uninterrupted. I couldn't be more proud to be part of our agile leadership team in a moment like this." In preparation for the incoming MBA class this July, Xavier Duran, MBA Programme Director at Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS), held an interactive webinar, outlining how the University has adapted and how it is essential for students to think about how the world has changed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. He shared, "The pandemic has tested conventional ways of learning and communication, but it is those who can resiliently adapt that prove themselves to be true leaders when the world needs them most." About the Manchester Global MBA The Manchester Global Part-time MBA is one of the UK's earliest established MBA programs. It is for experienced professionals from all industries and has a global network of over 60,000 alumni, spread across 176 countries. The University of Manchester China Centre launched in 2008 has strong links with the international and local business community. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200529/2817021-1 SOURCE The University of Manchester China Centre [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The hole is near a tram stop at the Queen Street intersection, but trams are unaffected and continue to run. The cavity was discovered overnight on Collins Street, between Queen and Elizabeth streets. Repairs are underway on a sinkhole that opened up in Melbourne's CBD overnight. A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the sinkhole was about two metres square. Photos and videos from the scene show large chunks of bitumen that have caved in. City of Melbourne contractors were on site before dawn on Tuesday, investigating with drainage cameras. A council spokesperson later said the robotic cameras had shown the problem was caused by a crack in the barrel drain running down Collins Street. Collins Street is closed eastbound at Queen Street and drivers are advised to use Bourke Street or Lonsdale Street as alternatives, according to VicRoads. Seoul, June 1 : North Korea is encouraging non-face-to-face services at restaurants and grocery stores, such as picking up to-go orders, as part of precautions against the new coronavirus, Pyongyang's state media reported on Monday. Korean Central Broadcasting Station, the North's radio broadcaster, said the country is trying to improve customer services "to provide more convenience in accordance with the virus prevention measures in many districts including Pyongyang", reports Yonhap News Agency. "We are also guaranteeing convenient lifestyles to our people such as encouraging 'order services' in restaurants and grocery stores," it said. An "order service" refers to a pick-up service in which customers can request products in advance, allowing them to avoid crowds. Such services in North Korea are known to be more common in libraries. The outlet also called on sales assistants to follow anti-virus regulations and stricter health checkups. It also warned against the inflow of the virus through workers at ports, cargo stations and in the fishing industry and urged all employees, including those at sea, to abide by strict regulations to prevent the spread of the virus. North Korea claims it has no cases of coronavirus infection but has taken relatively drastic and swift anti-virus measures since late January to close its border and tighten its quarantine. Also on Monday, North's state radio said the country has planned to begin reopening schools nationwide in phases early this month after months of delay, reports Yonhap News Agency. Schools in North Korea were supposed to start new semesters in early April, but the vacation period has been extended repeatedly due to the coronavirus pandemic, though some colleges and high schools were allowed to open in mid-April. "Preventive measures have been enforced in a way that elementary, middle and high schools start their semesters, and nurseries and kindergartens can begin resuming their operations in early June," the state radio said. (CNN) Outside Charlotte, North Carolina, white drones that resemble tiny airplanes are being loaded with personal protective equipment and launched into the skies to help a local hospital respond to COVID-19. The drones, which have an 11-foot wingspan, fly over neighborhoods, a reservoir and an Interstate highway at speeds of 63 mph on their way to Huntersville Medical Center. Once there, a compartment in the drone opens, and a package falls toward the ground. A parachute on the package deploys so the deliveries land gently on a gravel lot as the drone returns to the hospital's distribution center for another mission. These deliveries will play out about 10 times a day. Novant Health, which operates 15 hospitals in the Southeast, including Huntersville Medical Center, has no shortage of existing delivery options. But it's testing drones because it believes they may be helpful in future health crises. Delivering medical supplies can be more challenging following a natural disaster or geopolitical unrest, according to Angela Yochem, chief digital and technology officer at Novant Health. "We need to be prepared to break down barriers associated with access to supplies, access to care," Yochem said. "If realtime delivery, on-demand delivery of critical supplies is necessary to save lives, we want to do that." Novant Health received a temporary waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly drones over people and beyond the visual line of sight of a person responsible for the drone. Zipline, the startup operating the drones on behalf of Novant Health, will have a human monitoring the autonomous North Carolina flights on a screen in the distribution center where the drones launch from in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Businesses have been slow to adopt drones for deliveries in the US as critical regulations, such as remote identification of drones, are still in the works. The US has a more complex and crowded airspace than countries where drone delivery is already common. Zipline says it has delivered more than 110,000 medical products. It began operations in Rwanda in 2016 and expanded to Ghana this year. The FAA has been granting exemptions, such as the one Novant Health received, to help businesses and governments test the technology. Novant Health's waiver will be in effect until Oct. 31, or whenever all Covid-related restrictions on travel, business and mass gatherings in North Carolina lift, according to an FAA spokeswoman. Yochem, the Novant Health official, also described how one day drones might deliver vaccines to a clinic near a customer's home, so they don't have to sit in traffic on their way to a more distant medical facility. "Imagine a world in which you are deciding to travel somewhere exotic. And you discover that you need a vaccine that may not be stocked in your neighborhood clinic," Yochem said. "Fifteen, 20 minutes later, you have your exotic vaccine that was delivered to your corner clinic." Novant Health isn't the only health care company interested in drones. WakeMed, another North Carolina hospital operator, has used drones to transport medical supplies on one of its campuses, in partnership with UPS. Experts say Novant Health's drone flights related to Covid-19 may spur broader use of drones. "There's a very valid public interest reason," said Anne Swanson, an attorney at Wilkinson Barker Knaeur, who specializes in regulatory matters surrounding emerging technologies such as drones. "It's going to start opening up the industry to other reasons, once the FAA and regulators see it works in this context." This story was first published on CNN.com, "North Carolina hospital turns to drones to aid Covid-19 response." Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is asking people who plan to attend the citywide march for George Floyd Tuesday to take precautions and peacefully protest in respect for Floyd's family. "I expect the march to be peaceful and respectful with the focus on George Floyd and his family," Turner said during a Monday press conference. MUST WATCH: Viral video shows Acevedo making passionate plea to George Floyd protesters Houston rappers Trae Tha Truth and Bun B are working with Floyd's family to hold a march Tuesday afternoon starting at Discovery Green in downtown. Floyd, who is originally from Houston and grew up in the Third Ward, died while in Minneapolis police custody last week. Video of his death circulated online, leading to protests, marches and riots across the country. Turner said the city has increased its law enforcement presence in preparation of Tuesday's march and is "ramping up" for a large crowd. With the exception of some rioting, looting and the more than 400 arrests that were made over the course of the weekend protests, Turner said Houston protests have remained somewhat peaceful. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Trae Tha Truth invites entire city to join Turner, Acevedo, Bun B at Tuesday George Floyd march "Houston has helped set an example for protests across the nation," Turner said. "Police have made some arrests...but things have not gotten out of hand." Turner stressed protesters should wear face coverings, bring hand sanitizer or gloves and remain six feet from others if at all possible. "For everyone that is going to be engaged in those crowds...you need to mask up and be respectful of not just yourself but of others." Rebecca Hennes covers community news. Read her on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | rebecca.hennes@chron.com 2 cops deputed for CM Bommai's security held for trying to 'extort' money from drug peddlers Is there Karnataka weekend lockdowns or night curfew? Here's what minister has to say Will Karnataka govt lift weekend and night curfew? CM likely to decide today Temples in Karnataka lost Rs 600 crore during lockdown India pti-PTI Mangaluru, Jun 01: The temples coming under the Muzrai department in Karnataka suffered a loss of Rs 600 crore revenue during the lockdown period due to the pandemic, state Muzrai MinisterKota Srinivas Poojary said Monday. Addressing reporters here, he said the Kollur Sri Mookambika temple alone lost a revenue of at least Rs 14 crore during April and May. Around 300 A and B grade temples under Muzrai (Hindu religious institutions and charitable endowments) department in the state lost around 35 per cent of their annual income, he said. The state government had earlier allowed temples to reopen from Monday, but later postponed it to June 8 in keeping with the new directions of the Centre. Cabinet decisions: Centre announces relief for MSMEs, support for farmers | Oneindia News Coronavirus outbreak: These five districts account for 54 per cent of COVID-19 spread in India The minister said the governments 'Saptapadi mass marriage programme in temples, postponed due to the lockdown, will be held as per the new guidelines issued by the government. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has given permission to hold the programme. The marriages are proposed to be held in batches with 50 people in attendance at different timings, he said. The minister said around five lakh food packets were distributed from temples in Dakshina Kannada during the lockdown period. Poojary, Dakshina Kannada district-in-charge, said all precautionary measures have been taken ahead of the monsoon to protect lives and property in the district in view of the forecast of heavy downpour. Controversial Nigerian rapper, Falz The Bahd Guy has called for a nationwide protests over the recent murder of 17-year-old Tina Ezekwe and 22-year-old Uwa Omozuwa. KanyiDaily had reported that Uwa Omozuwa was brutally raped and murdered by unknown assailants inside RCCG church where she went to read in Benin, while Tina Ezekwe was was shot dead by a trigger happy policeman in Lagos. The deaths of both young girls had sparked outrage among Nigerians on social media the hashtags #JusticeForTina and #JusticeForUwa. Reacting on his Twitter page, Falz lamented the spate of injustice in Nigeria, stating that it has become grueling to see unfairness continue to thrive in the country time and over again. The rapper further called for a nationwide peaceful protest, adding that he is ready to challenge the government and bring justice to the lost souls. It is so exhausting to see injustice continue to thrive time after time. Every time we say NOT AGAIN, and then there is a new story. Enough is enough. Its too disheartening. Justice must be served for the innocent souls we keep on losing. #JusticeForTina #JusticeForUwa. Meanwhile, Nigerian music producer, Don Jazzy has also reacted to the issue saying that every rapists, rape apologists and those protecting them deserve to die for their barbaric acts. The decision by the Electoral Commission to compile a new voters register is a laudable one which must be supported by all stakeholders, two-time Independent presidential candidate, Mr Jacob Osei Yeboah, has stated. Mr Yeboah, who is also aspiring to become an Independent presidential candidate in the 2020 polls, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the only way to make the 2020 Voters Register credible was by expunging the undesirables in the current biometric database. The undesirables can be expunged by either retaking the new biometric database as being implemented by the EC or by compulsory verification and validation by all voters, he stated. Mr Yeboah said if the EC was found to have breached the law, let plaintiff use the democratic way of the courts and not to be incessantly political with our solution and populism by hopping from one issue to the other whenever EC achieves a milestone towards its proffered solution. He urged all stakeholders to help find a solution to make Ghana more democratic rather than agitating for a civil law. Support EC Mr Yeboah said it was easier in terms of integration and implementation for the EC to get the support of Ghanaians to recapture their biometrics and improve the existing data in terms of international standards and additional complementary verification of facial recognition for a faster voting process on election day. He, therefore, described the proposals by the EC as a welcome solution and in accordance with the constitution. Technology Mr Yeboah, who contested the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections, explained that with the biometric technology to be used by the EC, once the biometric database was created, the rest of the process in enhancing the creation of the revised/new voters register should not be more than four months. He said the EC was definitely not utilising the National Identification Authority (NIA) biometric database to revise or create the voters register. Without the passport or NIA Card, the EC guarantors option is the easiest, fastest and authentic means for all Ghanaian eligible voters to acquire a Voter ID Card and also to be on the voters register, he stated. Revising register Mr Yeboah pointed out that without the biometric database, the EC was still mandated to revise the voters register within a period. Moreover, he said the Constitutional Instrument 91 (CI 91) constrained the EC from using the biometric database, explaining that it was not the biometric database that made a voters register new or revised. What makes a subsequent voters register new/revised from the old/previous elections are: voters relocations, the dead, new registrants, increase in constituencies, districts and regions in Ghana, he said. According to him, an old voters register for previous elections could not be credible for subsequent elections unless it was revised or made new. No constraint Mr Yeboah said a credible voters register was created when eligible voters were not constrained to register and that the voter's name appeared at the agreed and known polling stations between the voter and the EC. He said without a new or revised voters register, the EC could not hold the elections in December 2020. 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 Shanshur, a small village in Monufia governorate, north of Cairo, was under full lockdown May 11-22 after 15 of its inhabitants tested positive for the novel coronavirus and three others died of the disease. The lockdown was first imposed for a week and then renewed for another week in the village along with other two nearby villages: Brasim and Kom Ayad. All shops in the villages were closed except for pharmacies, grocery stores and butchers. The authorities granted a week's pay to all workers in the public and private sectors and blocked travel to and from the village to everyone except for workers in the food and health sectors. Security posts were erected at the entrances to the villages, on the main streets and on the streets where affected cases have been identified. Shanshur resident Mohamed Magdi said, The full lockdown was expected for the village, especially with the number of infected people rising in a short period to 15 cases and three deaths. Magdi told Al-Monitor, It was necessary to stop activities decisively so that the epidemic would not spread among the villagers, especially since the village has many workers in a number of factories in different places. Osama Ahmed, another villager, said, Despite the efforts of the village's young people in sanitization, residents were not following social distancing procedures and were thronging markets despite several attempts by volunteers and the local authorities to disperse them. There has been a lack of commitment to precautionary measures and wearing masks, leading to an increase in the numbers of infected people. The first death took place on May 2 and within three days, two others died of the coronavirus, Ahmed told Al-Monitor. Ahmed Shadi, a resident of the nearby village of Shoushai, said that awareness of the anti-coronavirus measures in surrounding villages has increased. People have started to be cautious of social distancing and disinfection after they saw people dying of the virus, he told Al-Monitor. Shadi added that young people have begun to take the initiative and sanitize the streets, raise awareness among villagers about the virus and sometimes distribute face masks for free for people who cannot afford to wear them. Villages in Egypt suffer from poverty and lack of services and lack many basic requirements of life, including water, sanitation, health care and education, while unemployment and illiteracy rates are high. Ahmed al-Qazzaz, head of the Ashmoun City Department in Monufia governorate, told the local press that Shanshur alone has a population of more than 15,000 people. In April, the Egyptian authorities had cordoned off 11 villages across the country for two weeks due to the increase in infections. Egypt has reported a significant hike in coronavirus cases over the past few days. On May 31, the Egyptian Ministry of Health acknowledged 1,536 new cases and 46 new deaths, with the total infections at about 25,000 and deaths reaching 959. A doctor said on condition of anonymity that conditions at quarantine hospitals in governorates outside the capital are dangerous because of the large number of infected people and the lack of resources. Hospitals in these areas are not equipped at all. That is why precautionary measures should be intensified in those governorates in order to avoid a health disaster, he told Al-Monitor. In order to step up testing in the Arab worlds most populous country, on May 21 the Egyptian Health Ministry asked all public non-specialist hospitals to offer testing for suspected cases. From the beginning of May, the Health Ministry has also been housing coronavirus cases in hostels and hotels in order to lower the pressure on hospitals. Pressure has increased on state agencies as Egyptians stranded abroad have started to return. Egypt has been operating flights in recent weeks to return Egyptians stranded abroad but with tens of thousands of citizens, accommodating all of them has become a challenge. On May 19, Egypt reduced the quarantine period from 14 to seven days for Egyptians returning from abroad in an attempt to reduce quarantine costs. We came to this country with nothing, said Gloria Wong, 50, whose building on University Avenue in St. Paul was badly damaged. I have been working my whole life for my building. Now it just takes one or two persons to trash it. I feel very down right now. My heart is just aching all over. Ms. Wong said she had a fondness for police officers: Her uncle was one of the first Hmong-Americans to become one in the 1980s. But when she saw the video, she thought that Tou Thao, the officer who stood by during Mr. Floyds death, had acted wrongly. I thought he had neglected what he went to law enforcement school for, Ms. Wong said. Still, she understood why he had attended. His family, she said, was also striving. They were trying to work hard and rise up and have the American dream too, she said. Hmong-Americans do not fit cleanly into the countrys broad racial categories. Because so many came as impoverished refugees, they are more likely to be poor than many other Asian immigrants from places like China and India who often have specialized degrees. An ethnic minority in Laos, they were recruited by the United States to help disrupt supply lines and fight against communists in Southeast Asia. After the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, they settled around the Twin Cities, Milwaukee and Fresno, Calif., starting out with very little as they tried to establish roots. Astronomers using European Southern Observatory (ESO) telescopes have discovered giant spots on the surface of extremely hot stars hidden in stellar clusters. Not only are these stars plagued by magnetic spots, some also experience superflare events, explosions of energy several million times more energetic than similar eruptions on the Sun. The findings, published today in Nature Astronomy, help astronomers better understand these puzzling stars and open doors to resolving other elusive mysteries of stellar astronomy. The team, led by Yazan Momany from the INAF Astronomical Observatory of Padua in Italy, looked at a particular type of star known as extreme horizontal branch stars -- objects with about half the mass of the Sun but four to five times hotter. "These hot and small stars are special because we know they will bypass one of the final phases in the life of a typical star and will die prematurely," says Momany, who was previously a staff astronomer at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile. "In our Galaxy, these peculiar hot objects are generally associated with the presence of a close companion star." Surprisingly, however, the vast majority of these extreme horizontal branch stars, when observed in tightly packed stellar groups called globular clusters, do not appear to have companions. The team's long-term monitoring of these stars, made with ESO telescopes, also revealed that there was something more to these mysterious objects. When looking at three different globular clusters, Momany and his colleagues found that many of the extreme horizontal branch stars within them showed regular changes in their brightness over the course of just a few days to several weeks. "After eliminating all other scenarios, there was only one remaining possibility to explain their observed brightness variations," concludes Simone Zaggia, a study co-author from the INAF Astronomical Observatory of Padua in Italy and a former ESO Fellow: "these stars must be plagued by spots!" Spots on extreme horizontal branch stars appear to be quite different from the dark sunspots on our own Sun, but both are caused by magnetic fields. The spots on these hot, extreme stars are brighter and hotter than the surrounding stellar surface, unlike on the Sun where we see spots as dark stains on the solar surface that are cooler than their surroundings. The spots on extreme horizontal branch stars are also significantly larger than sunspots, covering up to a quarter of the star's surface. These spots are incredibly persistent, lasting for decades, while individual sunspots are temporary, lasting only a few days to months. As the hot stars rotate, the spots on the surface come and go, causing the visible changes in brightness. Beyond the variations in brightness due to spots, the team also discovered a couple of extreme horizontal branch stars that showed superflares -- sudden explosions of energy and another signpost of the presence of a magnetic field. "They are similar to the flares we see on our own Sun, but ten million times more energetic," says study co-author Henri Boffin, an astronomer at ESO's headquarters in Germany. "Such behaviour was certainly not expected and highlights the importance of magnetic fields in explaining the properties of these stars." After six decades of trying to understand extreme horizontal branch stars, astronomers now have a more complete picture of them. Moreover, this finding could help explain the origin of strong magnetic fields in many white dwarfs, objects that represent the final stage in the life of Sun-like stars and show similarities to extreme horizontal branch stars. "The bigger picture though," says team member, David Jones, a former ESO Fellow now at the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, Spain, "is that changes in brightness of all hot stars -- from young Sun-like stars to old extreme horizontal branch stars and long-dead white dwarfs -- could all be connected. These objects can thus be understood as collectively suffering from magnetic spots on their surfaces." ### To arrive at this result, the astronomers used several instruments on ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT - https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/), including VIMOS (https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/vlt-instr/vimos/), FLAMES (https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/vlt-instr/flames/) and FORS2 (https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/vlt-instr/fors/), as well as OmegaCAM (https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/surveytelescopes/vst/camera/) attached to the VLT Survey Telescope (https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/surveytelescopes/vst/) at Paranal Observatory. They also employed ULTRACAM (https://www.eso.org/public/images/2017_11_16_La_Silla_NTT_ULTRACAM_upr_IMG_2114-CC/?lang) on the New Technology Telescope (https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/lasilla/ntt/) at ESO's La Silla Observatory, also in Chile. The breakthrough came as the team observed the stars in the near-ultraviolet part of the spectrum, allowing them to reveal the hotter, extreme stars standing out bright amongst the cooler stars in globular clusters. More information This research is presented in the paper "A plague of magnetic spots among the hot stars of globular clusters", published today in Nature Astronomy (doi: 10.1038/s41550-020-1113-4). The team is composed of Y. Momany (INAF Astronomical Observatory of Padua, Italy [INAF Padua]), S. Zaggia (INAF Padua), M. Montalto (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Padua, Italy [U. Padua]), D. Jones (Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias and Department of Astrophysics, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain), H.M.J. Boffin (European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany, S. Cassisi (INAF Astronomical Observatory of Abruzzo and INFN Pisa, Italy), C. Moni Bidin (Instituto de Astronomia, Universidad Catolica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile), M. Gullieuszik (INAF Padua), I. Saviane (European Southern Observatory, Santiago, Chile), L. Monaco (Departamento de Ciencias Fisicas, Universidad Andreas Bello, Santiago, Chile), E. Mason (INAF Astronomical Observatory of Trieste, Italy), L. Girardi (INAF Padua), V. D'Orazi (INAF Padua), G. Piotto (U. Padua), A.P. Milone (U. Padua), H. Lala (U. Padua), P.B. Stetson (Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics, National Research Council, Victoria, Canada), and Y. Beletsky (Las Campanas Observatory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, La Serena, Chile). ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It has 16 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile and with Australia as a Strategic Partner. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope and its world-leading Very Large Telescope Interferometer as well as two survey telescopes, VISTA working in the infrared and the visible-light VLT Survey Telescope. Also at Paranal ESO will host and operate the Cherenkov Telescope Array South, the world's largest and most sensitive gamma-ray observatory. ESO is also a major partner in two facilities on Chajnantor, APEX and ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre Extremely Large Telescope, the ELT, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky". Links Research paper - https://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso2009/eso2009a.pdf Photos of the VLT - http://www.eso.org/public/images/archive/category/paranal/ Photos of ESO's survey telescopes, including VST - http://www.eso.org/public/images/archive/category/surveytelescopes/ Photos of ESO's La Silla Observatory - https://www.eso.org/public/images/archive/category/lasilla/ For scientists: got a story? Pitch your research - http://eso.org/sci/publications/announcements/sciann17277.html Contacts Yazan Al Momany INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova Padua, Italy Tel: +39 333 6297662 Email: yazan.almomany@inaf.it Henri Boffin European Southern Observatory Garching bei Munchen, Germany Email: hboffin@eso.org David Jones Instituto de Astrofisia de Canarias (IAC) Tenerife, Spain Tel: +34 63 8982356 Email: djones@iac.es Simone Zaggia INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova Padua, Italy Tel: +39 347 4433729 Email: simone.zaggia@inaf.it Barbara Ferreira ESO Public Information Officer Garching bei Munchen, Germany Tel: +49 89 3200 6670 Cell: +49 151 241 664 00 Email: pio@eso.org SINGAPORE Foreign worker housing is set for a major overhaul lasting for years as the government urges Singaporeans to keep an open mindset about the issue. At a virtual media conference by the multi-ministry taskforce on COVID-19 on Monday (1 June), the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Ministry of National Development (MND) announced that the government will be putting in place a major programme to build additional dormitories with higher standards over the coming months and years. In addition to expanding capacity to house migrant workers, the authorities are developing a set of specifications for these new dormitories. The specifications will look into the design, facilities, management and regulation of these dormitories, and will factor in social interaction and disease response needs. They will take onboard lessons learnt from the current COVID-19 pandemic, and also seek feedback from relevant stakeholders, the MOM and MND said. National Development Minister and taskforce co-chair Lawrence Wong also called on Singaporeans to do their part. In land scarce Singapore, it is inevitable that some of these new dormitory sites would be quite near residential areas. So all of us must do our part by rejecting the not in my backyard mindset. He added, We really need to appreciate the contributions of all that our migrant workers have been doing and will continue to do and build in Singapore and welcome them as part of our community. And this is an important part of how we can also learn from this whole experience and become a more inclusive society. Purpose-built dormitories Currently, many foreign workers are now being housed in temporary facilities, which need to be returned to their original uses or redeveloped. At the same time, they cannot head back to their old dormitories. Hence, additional space needs to be created. The government said that by the end of the year, it will be able to create additional space to house around 60,000 workers. Story continues This will be achieved through the following: New Quick Build Dormitories (QBDs) that will last for around two to three years. These are temporary structures that can be constructed quite quickly in a modular form with a low density, with each QBD housing about 500-1000 workers per ha, depending on the site conditions. The QBDs will have around 25,000 capacity in total. Sites where QBDs will be built include those Kranji Way, 1 Tuas Ave 2, Tuas South Ave 10, Jalan Tukang, Admiralty Street, Choa Chu Kang Grove, Choa Chu Kang Way and Tampines Industrial Ave 2. Temporary fitting out of currently unused state properties, including former schools and vacant factories. These will have around 25,000 capacity in total. Additional Construction Temporary Quarters (CTQs) built by contractors to house their workers at the worksite and cut down on transportation needs. (List: Ministry of National Development, Ministry of Manpower) A set of new standard will be piloted at the new QBDs including providing for bigger living space. Depending on subsequent assessment of effectiveness, scalability and sustainability, adjustments may be necessary for permanent new dormitories. Pilot set of standards at the new QBDs (Table: Ministry of National Development) Ultimately, we are planning for new purpose-built dormitories (PBDs) to house up to 100,000 workers to replace the short- to medium-term housing, the ministries said. This new building programme will take several years to complete, but we aim to have about 11 such new PBDs ready over the next one to two years. Besides improving dormitory living standards based on domestic and international benchmarks, the government said that it is also studying the possibility of developing the new PBDs on a different model compared with the present system currently, land is released for commercial operators to bid, build or operate. The new and improved housing arrangements will come at a cost, the agencies said. But they will keep the workers safe and allow Singaporeans to continue benefitting from their contributions. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore More Singapore stories: COVID-19: Face shields allowed only under specific conditions from 2 June, masks remain mandatory COVID-19: 40,000 migrant workers who live in dormitories cleared of virus Josephine Teo WEEKLY ROUND-UP: Sports happenings in Singapore (25-31 May) On The Mic: Family violence amid the COVID-19 pandemic (Part 1) New Delhi, June 1 : The Southwest Monsoon arrived in Kerala on Monday as predicted by the India Meteorological Department bringing heavy rains to several parts in the state and marking the commencement of the four-month long rainfall season in the country. "Southwest Monsoon has set in over Kerala today, coinciding with its normal date," the IMD stated. Advance of the southwest monsoon over Indian mainland is marked by monsoon onset over Kerala and is an important indicator characterizing the transition from hot and dry season to a rainy season. Speaking to IANS, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said, "Monsoon has arrived. There has been heavy to very heavy rainfall at several places over Kerala. There has also been a persistent increase in cloudiness and strong winds. This is in line with the predictions." Meteorological conditions which led to onset of monsoon are -- widespread rainfall during the past two days, strengthening and deepening of westerly winds upto 4.5 kilometre over the Arabian Sea and persistent cloudiness. The Met department has issued heavy rainfall warnings for Kerala. "Thunderstorm with lightning and wind speed reaching 40 kmph in gusts accompanied by moderate rainfall is very likely to occur in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kasaragod and Kannur." The IMD had earlier said that conditions were favourable for the onset of the monsoon over Kerala on June 1 due to the formation of Cyclone 'Nisarga' over Arabian Sea. This was a revision of its earlier onset forecast of June 5. In 2015, it hit the coastal state on June 5; in 2016 it made an onset on June 8; it was May 30 in 2017; May 29 in 2018 and June 8 in 2019. Monsoon rains are critical for farmers in India as the majority of the country's net-sown area does not have any form of irrigation. Farmers wait for the rains to begin for sowing. On April 15, Madhavan Rajeevan, Ministry of Earth Sciences Secretary had forecast that monsoon rains this year were likely to be normal at 100 per cent with a model error of 5 per cent. The weather bureau is slated to issue the second stage Long Range Forecast (LRF) for South-West Monsoon Season (June - September) rainfall later in the day. The monsoon season from June to September accounts for 75 per cent of rainfall in the country. --IANS aka/in A -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed In a paper published in the journal Thorax, a team of Australia researchers described the first instance of complete COVID-19 testing of all passengers and crew on an isolated cruise ship during the current pandemic: of the 217 passengers and crew on board, 128 tested positive for COVID-19 on reverse transcription-PCR; of the COVID-19-positive patients, only 24 (19%) were symptomatic. Macquarie Universitys Dr. Alvin Ing, Dr. Christine Cocks of Sunshine Coast University Hospital, and Dr. Jeffery Peter Green from Royal Australian College of General Practitioners described events on an expedition cruise ship carrying 128 passengers and 95 crew members. The ship departed from Ushuaia, Argentina, for a planned 21 day cruise of the Antarctic, taking a similar route to that of Ernest Shackleton in 1915-17. It set sail in mid-March after the World Health Organization had declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Passengers who, in the previous three weeks, had passed through countries where COVID-19 infection rates were already high, were not allowed to board. And everyones temperature was taken before embarkation. Hand sanitizing stations were plentiful aboard ship, particularly in the dining room. The first case of fever was reported on day 8, prompting the immediate adoption of infection control measures. This included confining passengers to their cabins, stopping daily servicing, apart from the delivery of meals, and the wearing of personal protective equipment for any crew member in contact with sick passengers. As Argentina had closed its borders, the ship sailed to Montevideo, Uruguay, arriving on day 13. Eight passengers and crew eventually required medical evacuation to hospital at this point for respiratory failure. On day 20, all the remaining 217 passengers and crew were swab tested for coronavirus; 128 (59%) tested positive. In 10 instances, two passengers sharing the same cabin didnt have the same test result, possibly because the current swab test returns a substantial number of false negative results, the researchers said. Of those testing positive, 24 (19%) had symptoms, but 108 (81%) didnt. The ship had no contact with other people for 28 days after its departure, so was the equivalent of a hermetically sealed environment. The prevalence of COVID-19 infection on cruise ships is likely to be significantly underestimated, the scientists said. We recommend that passengers should be monitored after disembarkation to ward off potential community spread of the virus. And the potentially high rate of false negative results obtained with the current swab tests suggests that secondary testing is warranted. _____ A.J. Ing et al. COVID-19: in the footsteps of Ernest Shackleton. Thorax, published online May 27, 2020; doi: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215091 Photo: Instagram: @arianagrande On May 29, 30, and 31, protests were held in nearly every major city across America to demonstrate against the death of George Floyd, with the National Guard now activated in at least 15 states. While some protests took a violent turn with lots of looting and arrests, others remained peaceful, with several celebrities choosing to march on the streets in solidarity with others to demand further justice for Floyds death. As documented on her Instagram Stories, Ariana Grande joined a Los Angeles protest on Saturday afternoon, where she wore a mask and a sign that read Black Lives Matter. Marching in a different Los Angeles protest was Halsey; however, she recorded on social media how police officers were fighting back against the crowds. Fired rubber bullets at us. We did not breach the line, the musician wrote. Hands were up. Unmoving. And they gassed and fired. .@Halsey attends the #BlackLivesMatter protest in LA where policemen were shooting rubber bullets at protesters. pic.twitter.com/FMF2YLnyjv Pop Crave (@PopCrave) May 31, 2020 I WAS NOT ARRESTED. Im safe. There were ppl I had to get to safety as many of them have VISAs. Myself + many of my peers were shot, gassed + antagonized. The frontline was calm + did not provoke BUT MANY ARE NOT SAFE + MANY ARE IN CUSTODY DONATE TO BAIL ORGS!!! I AM CURRENTLY h (@halsey) May 31, 2020 Joining the Saturday protests elsewhere in Los Angeles was model Emily Ratajkowski, who said that the police were militarized and civilians had no weapons. She added, these are not violent protests but they become violent when an actual Army is deployed. Tinashe and Insecure actor Kendrick Sampson were also present in L.A., with Sampson documenting on Instagram Live how the police hit him with rubber bullets and a baton. Michael B. Jordan and Kehlani also protested in Los Angeles. No justice, no peace. Respect existence or expect resistance, Kehlani wrote. Michael B. Jordan out here protesting! pic.twitter.com/mSGEPwB1Pb now why i thought this was jorja (@0v0Mani) May 30, 2020 Outside of California, John Cusack shared a video of Chicago police coming at him with batons while he was protesting on his bicycle. Fifth Harmony member Lauren Jauregui also recounted how protests in Miami were peaceful as fuck until police in full gear and with tear gas arrived. Jamie Foxx and Nick Cannon, meanwhile, were on the front lines in Minneapolis, and Ellen Page documented what was going down in Brooklyn. Cops didnt like me filming the burning car so they came at me with batons. Hitting my bike. Ahhm heres the audio pic.twitter.com/tfaOoVCw5v John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020 Fiona Apple and her bolt cutters (the forearm-tattoo version) marched alongside fellow protesters in Santa Monica, as did Timothee Chalamet. Halsey returned for a harrowing second day of protesting. I dont know how to articulate the horrors of today, she tweeted on Sunday. NG + officers firing rounds into kneeling crowds. We dont have enough medics on the ground on our side. I dont know how to articulate the horrors of today. NG + officers firing rounds into kneeling crowds. We dont have enough medics on the ground on our side. I was treating injuries I am not qualified to. So much blood spilled. If you have med training pls go + standby outskirts. h (@halsey) June 1, 2020 do not underplay these rubber bullets bc you have been told they are not lethal. I had to bandage a man who looked like his entire face had exploded today. So before you say, from the comfort of your home, that were exaggerating, please consider the injuries some have suffered h (@halsey) June 1, 2020 Representative Image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Indian IT services firms Infosys and HCL continue to retain their spots among top 10 of the best 100 Indian brands in 2020, according to Brand Finance India 100 2020 report. India's fourth-largest IT firm Wipro is now ranked 11, the report revealed. The report has classified IT services as a high impact sector that could see up to 20 percent loss in brand value due to the virus outbreak. The report is based on its observations in the 2020 Q1. Tata group, which includes Tata Consultancy Services, has been adjudged as the most valued brand at $20 billion, and the only Indian brand to feature in Brand Finance Global 2020 ranking. Indias second-largest IT major Infosys brand value jumped 9 percent and is the fourth most valued brand, according to the report. 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 Infosys brand value stood at $7.1 billion in 2020 compared to $6.5 billion in 2019. Compared with 2019, the companys ranked slipped from three to four. The other IT company to feature in the top 10 is HCL. HCL's brand value jumped 5.2 percent to $4.9 billion. The company retained its rank at nine. Wipro is ranked at 11 with its brand valued at $4.3 billion in 2020, up 8 percent from last year. The companys rank slipped by one spot compared to 2019. At the back of the COVID-19, IT firms have performed well in Q4 FY20. However, given the uncertainty all the firms suspended revenue guidance till the time there is more clarity. According to the Brand Finance India 2020 report, Indias top 100 most valuable brands could lose up to 15 percent of brand value cumulatively, a potential drop of nearly US$25 billion compared to the original valuation date of January 1, 2020. Infosys registered revenue of $12.78 billion for FY20, an 8.3 percent year-on-year growth. Salil Parekh, CEO, Infosys, during the FY20 results announcement said that the company is well-poised to confront any challenge at the back of COVID-19. This confidence, Parekh said, stems from $3.6 billion in cash and cash equivalents including investments with zero debt as of March 31, 2020. The company's large deal signings stood at $9 billion for FY20. HCL is currently one of the fastest-growing IT services firm with a revenue of $9.9 billion and a YoY growth of 15 percent. HCLs product focus has yielded results and it is the biggest contributor to its growth. It accounts for close to 20 percent of the overall revenue. Wipros IT revenues stood at $8.2 billion, up 1.7 percent year-on-year, for FY20. Other IT companies that feature in top 100 companies include Mphasis, Mindtree and L&T Infotech (new entrant). While Mphasis rank went up by 1 spot to 66, Mindtrees slipped by 19 spots to 99. Its brand valuation too came down by 18.5 percent from $348 million in 2019 to $284 million. Find the full Brand Finance India 100 2020 Report here Read our entire coverage on India' Most Valuable Brands 2020 here. Severn Trent has opened up two new funding opportunities for farmers to apply for following the success of its recent Environmental Protection Scheme. The water firm is providing another chance for farmers to receive up to 5,000 of match funding to protect the environment and enhance habitats. In addition, farmers can also apply for the Boost for Biodiversity scheme for the chance to receive a share of 200,000. Farmers in priority catchments can choose from a specially selected pre-defined list of water quality funding options such as fencing, sprayer washdown areas and cover crops. On top of these, there are also several biodiversity choices available, including wildflower meadow creation, margin planting and pond management. Unlike the previous round of Severn Trent Environmental Protection Scheme (STEPS), farmers wont need to apply for a water quality option to qualify for a biodiversity grant. They can also come up with their own innovative ideas that arent included on the set option list, the company said. Wojtek Behnke, from Aqualate Estate in Shropshire, is one farmer who has taken advantage of the STEPS biodiversity funding to plant 7ha of herbal leys. Environmental protection is close to our hearts and were always looking for ways to improve habitats," he said. Once fully established, the leys will be ideal for fattening lambs. But the bespoke mix weve chosen includes deep rooting and nitrogen fixing varieties, to improve soil structure and drainage, while providing excellent habitats for pollinators. All farmers in the Severn Trent region can apply for the Boost for Biodiversity scheme, which is an option if they are not eligible for STEPS. This is part of the water companys Great Big Nature Boost strategy, which has a target of enhancing 5,000 hectares by 2027. Jodie Rettino, Severn Trent catchment lead, explained: The great thing about this scheme is that it gives applicants the creative freedom to come up with unique ideas tailored to enhance and improve habitats in their area. "Theres a funding pot of 200,000 and no set limit to how much you can apply for; were open to any ideas, no matter how ambitious, she said. Applications will be scored using set criteria, including size of area improved, number of additional benefits, value for money and contribution to improved water quality. Rettino explained that the top scoring candidates will be awarded with a grant to support their project. Normally wed hold a Dragons Den style pitch to give the successful applicants a chance to increase their funding," she said. "But with the current pandemic and uncertainty around when restrictions will be lifted, were investigating ways to hold this element of the scheme virtually. However, if youre considering a project spanning an area over 50ha, please get in touch with the team to find out how we can create a bespoke partnership package to support your project, she added. The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has kicked off the implementation of the State Community Policing initiative aimed at reducing crime in communities and deepening trust between the public and law enforcement agencies. The FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello, made the disclosure while inaugurating the 16-member State Community Policing Advisory Committee (SCPAC) for FCT, on Monday in Abuja. Mr Bello said community policing worldwide had proved to be effective in curbing crime by making the police and community members work together in the prevention and solving of crimes. He expressed optimism that with the presidential approval granted for community oriented policing across the nation, Nigeria will begin to witness reduction in crime rate. Mr Bello, therefore, enjoined members of the committee to take the assignment very seriously and give it the utmost attention it deserved. He also urged them to be nonpartisan in all their decisions and recommendations as well as be guided by the principles of natural justice and laws of the land. He noted that community policing was a strategy that was anchored on trust between the people and the security officers. Once there is a trust deficit in any guise or form, the workability of this policy becomes highly diminished and we will have lost a great opportunity in improving the security profile of the territory. It is necessary that selection into the Special Constabulary is fair and just with proper screening. Those selected should also be provided with basic training needed for the job. There should also be a robust feedback and monitoring mechanism for the performance of those appointed to carry out tasks within the communities. There should also be confidentiality of investigation and protection of informants, Bello said. Responding, Bala Ciroma, Chairman of the 16-member policing advisory committee and the FCT Commissioner of Police, promised to deliver on the mandate and to entrench a result-oriented community policing approach in FCT communities. Mr Ciroma noted that the committee could only deliver on its mandate if FCT residents embrace community policing and provide the necessary support for its success. On his part, the senator representing FCT, Philip Aduda, pledged to support full implementation of the initiative across the territory to enhance the security of lives and property. The lawmaker commended the Inspector General of Police for reviving the community policing system aimed at improving national security. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the committee included, heads of various government security organisations in FCT and respected political, religious, traditional and community leaders. (NAN) Military helicopters, vehicles and personnel began to descend on the streets of Washington, D.C., Monday night, hours after President Donald Trump promised to "dominate the streets" and protesters demonstrating peacefully were pushed back with tear gas to make way for the president to visit a nearby church. Protesters lingered in the Lafayette Square area well past the 7 p.m. citywide curfew. Several of the demonstrators were seen being taken into custody, waiting for further processing. By 9 p.m., there were reports of arrests happening throughout the city as some protesters started working their way back to the White House. The arrests and military show of force occurred in the hours after law enforcement officers used shields and tear gas to clear protesters from a park across the street from the White House as Trump prepared to make comments in the Rose Garden. His address came as hundreds of protesters surrounded the White House grounds for the fourth day of protests in Washington. The Department of Justice later issued a statement saying Trump directed Attorney General Wiliam Barr "assist in the restoration of order to the District of Columbia." The statement went on to say that several federal agencies, including the FBI, ATF and DEA, were coordinating to "maximize federal security presence" in DC. Monday's demonstrations marked a week after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis set off protests and riots in that city and dozens of others across the nation. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged in Floyd's death. More: George Floyd protests: How did we get here? At about 6:30 p.m., law enforcement officers cleared Lafayette Park with tear gas, rubber bullets, shields and horses. Trump had yet to appear for his comments as the protesters, who at the time were peaceful, were being pushed back. At 6:44 p.m., Trump began his comments by pledging to be a "law and order" president as officers continued to push protesters blocks away from where he was standing, using some form of projectile. Story continues Trump announced his plan to "mobilize" federal resources to "stop the rioting and looting." He said the goal was to "dominate the streets." As Trump promised to stop the protests and specifically said the D.C. protests would be controlled, protesters nearby continued to be pushed back as law enforcement officials cleared the way for Trump to visit the nearby St. John's Church, where he stood holding a bible. Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU's National Security Project, said Trump's threat to invoke the Insurrection Act and dispatch the military to America's streets would be "irresponsible and dangerous." "No level-headed governor is asking for an even more militarized response to civilian protests against police brutality and systemic racism for good reason. There are already many reports of civilian police and some state National Guard forces engaging in serious abuses, and the deployment of military personnel, who are generally not trained for civilian law enforcement, only escalates the risks. This president must not cause the country and its people even more harm." Monday's protests came after a weekend of rioting in the nations capital left deep scars in the shadow of the White House and across the city, where 88 people were arrested and dozens of law enforcement officers, including Secret Service agents, were injured. The smoldering aftermath resembled ugly scenes in cities across the country following Floyd's death. Sunrise yielded smashed storefronts, heaps of shattered glass and iconic national monuments stained by graffiti. There are a handful of protestors sitting in front of police on 16th and K St. A woman was passionately yelling We are human beings. We bleed like you bleed. pic.twitter.com/FGWBrq26M3 Rebecca Morin (@RebeccaMorin_) June 2, 2020 George Floyd protest live updates: Prison riot teams deployed to DC; in Minneapolis, 'chaos is the soundtrack of the city' D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a curfew Monday beginning at 7 p.m. and continuing for two days. Protesters returned that afternoon to the White House to chant against both Trump and police brutality. Some were handing out water and others were selling masks that read "I can't breathe," a reference to what Floyd was telling the arresting officers as he was dying. Hey Hey! Ho Ho! Donald Trump as got to go! Crowd chants at White House #dcprotest pic.twitter.com/6pAxmIGHEN Matt Brown (@mrbrownsir) June 1, 2020 Lafayette Park, a primary protesting site through the weekend, was closed off Monday. Still, several hundreds of protesters gathered in the area to chant "Black Lives Matter" and "Don't shoot" while facing officers guarding the park. Monday marks the fourth day that the White House has been the focal point of the protesters, prompting an increased response from law enforcement agencies. In response, Barr deployed federal riot teams to D.C. Riot teams are being sent from the federal Bureau of Prisons, while the FBI also has directed its elite Hostage Rescue Unit to help, a senior Justice Department official said Monday. More: George Floyd died from 'asphyxiation from sustained pressure,' family autopsy finds To safeguard the White House complex, the Secret Service said it was working with both federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the National Guard, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, U.S. Park Police and Arlington County Police. "The Secret Service respects the right to assemble," the agency said in a statement. "Throughout these demonstrations, no individuals have crossed the White House fence line and no Secret Service protectees have been in danger." Through Saturday and early Sunday, more than 60 Secret Service Uniformed Division Officers and special agents suffered multiple injuries from bricks, rocks, bottles, fireworks and other items hurled at them. "Secret Service personnel were also directly physically assaulted as they were kicked, punched, and exposed to bodily fluids," the agency said. A total of 11 injured personnel were transported to a local hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries. Sherese Teixeira, 33, and Krystin Gambrell, 34, of Washington, D.C., pose in front of graffiti painted on the side of the White House Historical Association during protests for George Floyd. Texeira said said she felt empowered by protesting and seeing different races coming together. Contributing: Bart Jansen, Kristine Phillips. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd protests: Military presence in DC after Trump speech 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 . Northern Irelands hotels can reopen from July 20 as long as the rate of infection is under control, Stormont economy minister Diane Dodds said. The industry has been devastated by a shutdown forced by the coronavirus pandemic in March. Mrs Dodds said: Covid-19 has presented an unprecedented challenge for our tourism industry, as it has for tourism markets around the world. I believe the time is right to provide the tourist accommodation sector with clarity about opening dates. (PA Graphics) I want to build upon the positive progress in managing the spread of the virus and begin to reopen our tourism industry in a safe and managed way. The July 20 date covers guesthouses, guest accommodation, B&Bs, hotels and hostels. A tourism steering group will be asked to work with the sector to explore what facilities and amenities can safely be made available by hotels and recommendations will be brought to the Executive in due course. Holiday and home parks, caravan sites and self-catering properties are also covered by the July 20 date. Northern Ireland Hotels Federation chief executive Janice Gault said it was a welcome move (NI Hotels Federation/PA) Mrs Dodds said: As they are self-contained and may require less advance notice before opening, the opening times for these types of accommodation may be advanced to earlier than July 20 depending on scientific advice. Northern Ireland Hotels Federation chief executive Janice Gault said it was a welcome move. She added: This is a step forward for the industry and the federation has been working closely with industry colleagues to ensure that businesses can open in a safe and secure manner. There is more work to be done around the details of opening. We will continue to work in a collaborative manner so that the visitor economy, including the hotel sector, can return to business and help restore the Northern Ireland economy. The safety of our staff and guests will be paramount in this process. Having an agreed date will help us to plan, promote and give businesses the opportunity to assess their viability. Story continues Massive queues formed as home furnishings retailer Ikea opened its doors for the first time in months in Belfast on Monday (Liam McBurney/PA) A hospitality workers union, Unite, warned against the erosion of two-metre social distancing in the workplace. Hospitality organiser Neil Moore said: There is no possible health-science basis for eroding this protection it is a demand designed to increase profit at the cost of lives and must be resisted. Massive queues formed as home furnishings retailer Ikea opened its doors for the first time in months in Belfast on Monday. Samantha Fisher and her daughter Atlanta, from Groomsport, near Bangor in Co Down, queued from 8am. They have a bedroom to furnish which has lain empty for weeks during the pandemic lockdown. Ms Fisher said: I wanted my dressing table. My room is empty because I did it up a few months ago and it is just a big space ready for it to go in. So that will be my husbands job tonight, to build it and put it together. They also bought mirrors, blankets and outdoor furnishings. People were allowed into the cavernous store in small numbers from 9am. Extra screens have been installed to protect staff. Wipes were available at pay points. 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. ALBANY Business owners across the Capital Region were left picking up the pieces of their shattered storefronts Monday, after a weekend of civil unrest that upended much of the United States and swept through the Albany area. The destruction in Albany late Saturday night followed a peaceful daytime protest against the continued mistreatment and killings by police of black men, including George Floyd, whose death last week after begging for breath under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer outraged the country. The disturbances began in the city's South End and swept northward on Pearl Street, then west along Washington and Central avenues all the way up to Colonie Center on Wolf Road. Businesses many of them owned by minorities were vandalized, burglarized and looted, causing more than $1 million worth of damage across the area, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy said Monday. The violence came just as businesses were beginning to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. "[The pandemic] is nature. It's above human control," said Kwasi Addo-Baffour, owner of Breakthrough African Market on Central Avenue. "But this? This is just crazy." Addo-Baffour was awoken at 2 a.m. Sunday by his alarm company, alerting him to an issue at his market. He arrived to find his front door smashed and cash missing from the register. He spent two hours cleaning up his shop, and though Central Avenue was packed with looters, he said he did not see a single police officer. He wonders if the damage would have been as wide-spread if officers had made their presence known along the street. Addo-Baffour said he thought his shop would be spared from destruction because it's a minority-owned business that is clearly labeled as catering to minorities. Surveillance video shows four people breaking into his store. Three of them were white men, he said, and though his door was shattered and his cash gone, the looters left much of the food and goods imported from Africa in his store untouched. That leads Addo-Baffour to believe that the bulk of the looters had nothing to do with the daytime protest or its message. "This is not a protest," he said. "This is no justice. If you're fighting for black life, why would you break into a black store?" Glass was still missing Monday from the front door of the Boost Mobile operated by Najeeb Khan on Central Avenue. The brick that came crashing through the glass still lay in a corner. Droplets of blood, apparently from a looter, were visible on a display counter that used to hold phones. The looters took $40,000 worth of phones and his entire cash register, Khan said. He couldn't speak to the motivation of the group that looted his shop, but said one thing was clear. "They're obviously not concerned about humanity," Khan said. "If they were, they wouldn't have done this." The destruction left much of lower Central Avenue looking like a town bracing for the impact of a Category-5 hurricane. Windows and doors were boarded up, both on businesses that experienced damage this weekend and those anticipating continued unrest. In an effort to provide some relief to businesses affected by the rioting, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan announced on Monday that the city's Small Business Facade Improvement Program will be waiving the 50-percent match requirement for businesses to receive funding under the program. "The sun rose on Sunday morning and we saw the damage that was done to small businesses that are really the lifeblood for our community," Sheehan said. "These are small businesses, many of them owned by people who live here in the city of Albany, many of them minority-owned businesses, and they also provide essential services in neighborhoods that are under-serviced. So we want them to be able to reopen quickly. We want to be nimble, we want to be fast." Mark Brogna, owner of Capital Wine & Spirits on Lark and State streets, considers himself lucky. His shop was also looted early Sunday morning, but the intruders were able to grab only about five bottles before being spooked by his shop's alarm. "It gave up a good fight," Brogna said of the glass door that was kicked in by the looters. Brogna stayed in his store late Saturday, expecting trouble. He left just after 2 a.m. His door was kicked in around 3:30. The confluence of a pandemic and civil unrest could not have come at a worse time for small business owners, he said. "It's very hard," Brogna said. "It's difficult. It's stressful. It's worrisome. What are we doing right? What are we doing wrong?" He anticipates keeping the plywood that now reinforces his shop's windows up until next weekend, at the earliest. "I take pride in the way the store looks," Brogna said. "This just looks sad." Now, business owners across the region will have to contend with the possibility of more unrest in the upcoming evenings. Addo-Baffour, for one, isn't taking any chances at his shop when night falls. "I will stay here and defend myself," he said. Michael.Williams@timesunion.com On Saturday, San Antonio joined 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. On Sunday, volunteers took to downtown to help with cleanup efforts after the demonstrations ended in violence, vandalism and looting. On ExpressNews.com: Heavy police presence, community cleanup in S.A. after violence and looting Mayor Ron Nirenberg imposed a 10 p.m. curfew for the downtown business district that ends at 6 a.m. Monday. City officials expressed hope that Sunday would be the last night a curfew would be necessary. We really dont want to have to use these tools, Nirenberg said. But if there are demonstrations, if there are agitators out there, were going to do what we need to do to keep the peace. Below is an abridged timeline of the Saturday night events. For a full timeline, visit ExpressNews.com. 11:30 p.m. | Mayor Ron Nirenberg signed a local disaster declaration and issued a temporary curfew for the downtown area effective 11:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday and from 10 p.m. on Sunday until 6 a.m. Monday. This brief curfew will protect the safety of people and property in the downtown business district while allowing the vast majority of people to peacefully assemble, Nirenberg said. 11 p.m. | Officers are deploying flash-bang grenades . 10:30 p.m. | Mayor Ron Nirenberg posted to Facebook: "What started out as a righteous demonstration has devolved for a few folks out there. I hope everyone downtown tonight realizes this is your city, too." 10:24 p.m. | A line of officers deployed tear gas at protestors at N. Alamo Street and Houston Street. A solid line of officers armed with batons, wearing gas masks, then began moving toward the crowd, forcing them up North Alamo in an attempt to disperse those remaining. 9:23 p.m. | As demonstrations continue in Alamo Plaza and the surrounding area, protestors egged SAPD squad cars, put protest signs on them and broke a window at the San Antonio visitors center. 8:00 p.m. | A stampede of protestors ensued. People sprinted from the scene, running into each other and screaming. Some said theyd heard rubber bullets being fired. Others said the police had begun to enclose on the protestors in a way that caused them to run. Most ran because others were running, fearful of a shooting. 7:44 p.m. | At Alamo Plaza, protestors alternate between yelling at police and at Alamo defenders, who are behind them. Police have formed a barricade of bikes, and another row of police are carrying batons between both groups. 6:44 p.m. | The San Antonio Police Department estimates that at least 5,000 people marched against police brutality and to commemorate George Floyd. The crowd remained peaceful as it passed SAPD headquarters and headed back toward Travis Park. 5:36 p.m. | At Travis Park, hundreds of people are gathered to listen to activists and community members speak about overcoming racial injustice. The crowd stands quiet, until theyre prompted by speakers to briefly chant, We cant breathe! and Black lives matter! 5:10 p.m. | Next to the Alamo, theres a line of at least a dozen police cars, where officers are suiting up in protective vests and riot gear. Some have batons and zip ties, a couple have shields. They are closest to the counter protest planned at the Cenotaph, not the George Floyd demonstration. 4:30 p.m. | In preparation for Saturday evenings demonstration against police brutality and the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus told reporters during a news briefing that there will be a massive law enforcement presence around the downtown area. RELATED: 'He did not deserve to die': Notable San Antonians react to George Floyd's death Sirous Asgari, Iranian scientists jailed in the US, is all set to return back to the Islamic Republic after years of tribulation, countrys foreign minister reportedly said. A US court in 2016, had accused the Iranian professor of stealing state secrets, however, he was acquitted in November. In May this year, it was reported that Asgari has contracted COVID-19 while being the US custody. Meanwhile, speaking to a state news agency, Abbas Mousavi, spokesman for the ministry confirmed that Asgaris case had been closed in America and he would probably return to the nation in two or three days if "no issues or obstacles come up. This comes as Asgari, earlier in March, had revealed that despite his exoneration, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency continued to keep him in a detention centre in Lusnana without basic sanitation. Iran slams US This comes as Mousavi, in the same press conference, called on the US to stop the violence against its own people. Speaking to reporters, he said that the world has heard their outcry over the state of oppression, and are standing by them. Earlier, Irans Foreign Minister Javad Zarif had slammed the US saying some people dont believe that black lives matter after #BlackLivesMatter protests were held across the United States. Zarif shared an edited copy of US secretary of State Mike Pompeos statement from 2018 in which the former CIA chief had called out on the Iran government saying it was squandering its citizens. Read: Iran Foreign Ministry Calls On US To 'stop Violence' Against Its Own People Read: Iranian Fuel Reaches Venezuela Gas Stations As Prices Set To Increase However, the new version had words replaced to target American dictators and said that Americans were tired of racism, corruption injustice, and incompetence from leaders. The US has been critical of Irans handling of protests and recently, it sanctioned Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli for alleged role in serious human rights abuses against Iranian people, including giving orders to the police to use lethal force on protestors. Read: Britain, France, Germany Condemn US' Decision To Terminate Waiver For Companies In Iran Read: George Floyd's Death: Iranian Foreign Minister Slams US, Calls For War Against Racism MIDDLETOWN Local Boy Scouts werent able to place American flags on the graves of veterans buried at the state Veterans Cemetery on Memorial Day this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, so they seized upon the opportunity to take part in an equally respectful ceremony elsewhere in town. Boy Scout Troop 41 Middletown, whose members range in age from 13 to 18, is sponsored by St. Mary of Czestochowa Church on South Main Street. Committee member and former adult leader Tami Kapacziewski had helped place mulch around the trees for Doug Brown of the Connecticut Trees of Honor Memorial at Veterans Park to freshen up the area before the holiday, she said. Brown was ready to begin on the America flag project when Kapacziewski immediately offered her Scouts to do the work. We teach our Scouts to always respect and honor our veterans, she said. It was a simple but wonderful thing these kids did. Traditionally, the boys place flags at the state cemetery on Bow Lane, but due to COVID-19 restrictions that call for social distancing, that was not possible this year. Outfitted in their Class A full dress uniforms, which includes sashes with the various badges each have earned, seven young men made their way around the circular path where the 65 Connecticut soldiers who lost their lives fighting in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are honored. Each has a dedicated tree and granite pedestal at the park, a tranquil setting where a fountain in the middle of a pond surrounded by wild grasses provides a natural backdrop for visitors. Fourteen-year-old Michal Kline played taps. The ceremony was a brief one. Its been a great experience. Were starting to get kids more and more involved in it, which is great, because the kids get a better understanding, Kapacziewski explained. Theyve really taken a liking to it. Scouts constantly are reminded of the sacrifices of servicemen and women. We teach them consistently that we all need to respect our veterans. Its because of them we have the freedoms we do. Kids are starting to grasp that and respect it, which I think is great, she added. She instructed the boys to plant the flags in front of each waist-high monument, to the left of the stone, a position veterans prefer. You gently push it in until its stabilized in the ground. You take a step back and give them a full Scout salute, which is very similar to a military salute, Kapacziewski said. When they were done, the Scouts and leaders gathered in the center of the park next to the bronze statue, First Tear, a life-size, commissioned work created by Vietnam veteran and sculptor Andrew Chernak of Springfield, Pa., according to the Trees of Honor website. It is situated on a 30-inch light granite base in front of the three flagpoles in the ceremonial plaza, according to the organization. The kids were facing the pond. We had a leader on either end, the kids spaced out, and we placed Michael (Kline on the bugle) behind them, she said. That formation was chosen because the musician who plays taps during such ceremonies stands in the back, farther away from the main event, where you dont necessarily see them, you just hear them, Kapacziewski said. Even at their young age, the Scouts are mature when it comes to solemn events, she added. They really do understand quite a bit, they really do. They take a lot of pleasure in doing it. They very feel proud theyve done something good for their community. Every one of them jumped right in, Kapacziewski added. A group of motorcyclists pulled up to the park just before taps was played, so the Scouts waited for them to join in. If they had a hat on, they took it off out of respect, and stayed quiet, she said. A few came over to the boys to thank them for their actions, Kapacziewski said. The kids were tickled to death. WASHINGTON - The Trump administration significantly expanded the military response to unrest in Washington, sending more National Guard members to the streets of the capital Monday night and keeping active-duty forces on alert nearby if needed, defense officials said. As upheaval continues in the nation's capital and other cities a week after the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis, the District of Columbia National Guard has been fully activated, said senior defense officials, who like other officials spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity to describe the government's plans. In addition to those approximately 1,200 troops, up to 800 additional National Guard members from five other states also will be sent to the nation's capital, the officials said. The evolving response has also included discussions about whether the administration should invoke the Insurrection Act, which permits President Donald Trump to deploy active-duty forces to quell domestic unrest. The hope is that the active-duty Army will not be needed, said a senior defense official. Addressing Americans from the White House on Monday, the president spoke of employing a strong military response in states where local authorities did not take adequate action on their own, but he did not expressly say he was employing that act. In a conference call with governors earlier in the day, Trump referenced destruction in Washington, where businesses have been looted, cars have been burned and national monuments have been defaced in the past few days. The president has repeatedly criticized the D.C. government and its Democratic mayor, Muriel Bowser. The crisis presents a renewed dilemma for Pentagon officials as they seek to assist with the state and federal response but risk being pulled further into a politically polarized situation. Speaking in the same conference call on Monday, Defense Secretary Mark Esper pledged that the U.S. military would help quell unrest. "I think the sooner that you mass and dominate the battlespace, the quicker this dissipates and we can get back to the right normal," Esper said during the call, an audio excerpt of which was published by The Washington Post. "We need to dominate the battlespace." Esper said the Defense Department stood "in full support" of state authorities and federal law authorities. He said that 17,000 National Guard members deployed in 29 states but that most of the states had deployed fewer than 200 people. Speaking during a phone briefing with reporters, the defense officials said a contingent of active-duty military police and engineers had been brought to the Washington area but remained outside the District of Columbia and had not been deployed. The officials said they hoped the active-duty forces would not have to be deployed. The Trump administration has the power to more directly control the National Guard in Washington, which does not have a governor who can activate those troops like states do. Some former defense officials criticized Esper for appearing to describe American cities as "battlespace." "The 'battle space' of America???" tweeted retired Army Gen. Tony Thomas, who previously headed U.S. Special Operations Command. "Not what America needs to hear . . . ever, unless we are invaded by an adversary or experience a constitutional failure . . . ie a Civil War." Retired Gen. Martin Dempsey, who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President Barack Obama, urged respect for members of the military in another Twitter message. "America is not a battleground. Our fellow citizens are not the enemy." Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., told Esper in a tweet that "my state is not a 'battlespace.' " "To every member of our military: it is imperative that you remember, now, that your duty is to our constitution and our country, first and above all else," Heinrich wrote. One of the senior defense officials characterized Esper's remarks as a reflection of military terminology. "We don't have exact terms for this civilian context, so the term the secretary used is just a general term for the area in which we are operating, whether that's in air, sea, land or cyberspace," he said "That's a general benign term." - - - The Washington Post's Paul Sonne contributed to this report. (Photo : Image Courtesy of royalpalacerenesse/Instagram) Robots now being used in the Netherlands for a popular restaurant to maintain social distancing amidst the pandemic. Read More: As OnePlus Ends its Partnership with McLaren Concept One Smartphone Remains a Concept What's with all the robots? A restaurant in the Netherlands is now using robot waiters to maintain social distancing and an ingenious way of reducing human-to-human contact. The red and white colored robots can greet customers, serve food efficiently, and can clean up the table by picking up used dishes. The restaurant's name is Royal Palace and is located in the town of Renesse, thanks to our friends at the Associated Press. Leah Hu, one of the family-owned restaurant members, said, "They help us with the work we do," and added, "We are often busy, and cleaning tables and the robots give us an extra hand. We are not disappearing. We are still here. They will always need people in this industry." The new norm Many establishments in the Netherlands have been closed for months ever since the pandemic has started, but many are beginning to reopen with limits and new rules. One way for people to practice social distancing is the robot servers since they can't be infected by the coronavirus even if they wanted to. Read More: Search Apple AirPods on Amazon UK, and This Will be the First One You'll See It's been a tough couple of months for the foodservice sector, with restaurants cutting over 5.5 million workers in April. It seems doubtful that robot waiters would catch up in American food stores sometime soon because the cost alone possibly renders them prohibitive for most small establishments. Still, they have been popular in Chinese restaurants for many years now. Don't worry, you'll not lose your job If you're part of the food industry and fear of the robot uprising that may take your jobs, don't be. China has been using robot waiters for years now, but that doesn't mean they are good at their jobs. It's more of them being used as a novelty. It doesn't have anything to do with efficiency or precision of the robots but just for show. Two restaurants in China were forced to close down because of the robots not doing a good job, and they had to sell off the robots to compensate. The two restaurants were plagued with constant issues. "The robots weren't able to carry soup or other food steady, and they would frequently break down. The boss has decided never to use them again." says one waiter who served with the robots. "Their skills are somewhat limited ... They can't take orders or pour hot water for customers." The third restaurant is apparently getting rid of all but one of their robots in favor of the usual, true to life workers. One of the restaurant owners said the robots drew customers, but they weren't economical. "The robots can attract plenty of customers, but they definitely can't reduce the need for human labor." Read More: Beginners Guide on Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, Arts, Chain Attacks, Monado Arts, And More! 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Web Toolbar by Wibiya OC Transpo's current plan to adopt a mandatory face mask policy for riders is not only an oppressive violation of civil rights, it is also foolhardy and could create unsafe conditions for riders as a result of a false sense of security around face masks during a pandemic. It is well documented that face masks do not offer in any way the same protection which physical distancing provides. Just ask the throngs of doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, and Canadian Armed Forces personnel who all became sick while wearing a face mask in known contact with people who have the coronavirus. Forbes.com reports that in the United States about 300 face mask wearing healthcare workers have so far died according to CDC data. Thanks to physical distancing, bus drivers and passengers alike have been protected from further community spread. This has keep OC Transpo safe for bus riders. The City of Ottawa's reported justification for adopting a mandatory face mask policy is that physical distancing is causing OC Transpo to lose money and it needs to return the system to profitability. However, it appears that the City of Ottawa is seeking to return OC Transpo to profitability while needlessly risking the lives of passengers who buy into the false security that face masks offers the protection of some kind of "force field" like those portrayed in science fiction films such as Star Trek. Thanks to the sociopaths in the World Health Organization (WHO), which allowed the coronavirus to spread globally as a result of its misinformation, and Canadas Dr. Tam, whose so-called "professional" opinion seems to change with the wind, there are lots of people who now think they are wearing veritable force fields against the coronavirus. The apparent plan of OC Transpo will encourage sick people wearing a face mask to board crowded buses, along with asymptomatic people and this will cause the coronavirus to spread. If you're wearing a face mask in a crowded OC Transpo bus and you are either sitting immediately beside someone with the coronavirus or if they are standing over you, the data suggests there's a good chance you and many of your fellow passengers will get the coronavirus. Just ask Dr. Joseph Flair [video above], a virologist with NBC who got on a crowded aeroplane with everyone wearing a mask. In the article Virologist hospitalized with coronavirus believes he got it through his eyes, Dr. Flair says: I had a mask on. I had gloves on. I did my normal wipes routine, everything like that. But, you know, obviously you can still get it through your eyes, Fair, 42, told NBCs Today show in an interview from his hospital bed. He said the airline did not abide by social distancing measures which he believes led to him catching the virus after droplets touched his eyes. He didnt reveal the name of the airline he flew on or where he was coming from. You know, thats one of the three known routes of getting this infection that we dont pay a lot of attention to. We tend to focus on the nose and mouth because thats the most common route, he said. Droplets landing on your eyes are just as infectious, and of course I wasnt wearing goggles on the flight. Fair said that, four days after the flight, he became sick with severe flu-like symptoms that spiralled into a kind of walking pneumonia, landing him in a hospital. If a face-mask-wearing doctor and trained virologist can get the coronavirus in a crowded closed environment, what chance do the rest of us have on the crowded buses that OC Transpo seeks to bring back on June 15? Theres just no way that I am going to ride on one of these buses that OC Transpo is seeking to pack like sardines during a pandemic, and the people who are responsible for pushing mandatory face masks on Ottawas buses ought to have no place on the public payroll. They have not been guided by the voluminous cases of trained personnel with face masks getting sick. Rather, they are being guided by hypocrites who seek to exploit the coronavirus for commercial profit in the name of public health. If the City of Ottawa and other cities across Canada need financial help, the right thing to do would be for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to redirect money his government is sending to the WHO into our cities, and into public transportation systems, including OC Transpo. I don't agree with many things that U.S. President Donald Trump is doing, but, in my view, his stopping of money to the WHO was the right thing to do. If the WHO was acting responsibly when the pandemic was just starting in China, they would have advised all countries to seal-off their borders while they worked with the government of China to contain the pandemic. However, their complete incompetence demonstrated that the WHO is not acting as the responsible organization that it claims to be. The right thing for OC Transpo to do is to continue to support a regime of physical distancing and not to encourage any kind of crowding on buses with the relatively flimsy protection offered by face masks, which is going to endanger lives while also subverting the civil rights of all bus riders. The OC Transpo plan and justification for supporting mandatory face masks is irresponsible, short-sighted, and reckless. No other major public transportation system has thus far supported mandatory face masks in order to support the unsafe crowding of buses. The only "good" that the OC Transpo plan provides is to support the commercial profits of face mask manufacturers and egotistical technocrats who are seeking to use the pandemic to run ruckshot over people's rights. These technocrats in the City of Ottawa are the same ones that have now apparently banned dogs from the Ottawa Farmers Market as if dogs have been a source for the spread of the coronavirus. Mandatory facemasks on OC Transpo and the banning of dogs in an outdoor market are equally outrageous and are signs of a technocracy that is getting out of control in the City of Ottawa. It is apparent that the aim of these technocrats is not to promote public health but to control the lives of others, including dogs, under the justification of an apparent "plan-demic." Following appeals by teachers in private schools in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency for support in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, Member of Parliament in that area Lydia Seyram Alhassan has presented some cash to them. Madam Lydia who says she is only playing her role as a mother disclosed that the donation is to cater for teachers in less endowed private schools who have not received their salaries in the wake of the crisis. She stressed, this is just a token as a mother of the constituency and I wish I could do more for them. I feel their pain and I will try to attend to their needs as and when the funds are available. .As you know they were the first to be shut down when we started recording cases of COVID-19 and because they use the school fees of the children to pay the salaries of the teachers, they have been suffering. So they appealed to me and that is the reason am here to support especially those in the less endowed private schools. The MP who has been distributing food items as well as Personal Protective Equipment to various groups in her constituency also present some food items including bags of rice to the beneficiary schools. She disclosed that the second batch of teachers will receive their share on Monday at a separate ceremony. When quizzed on how much she is giving to the teachers she said, I usually do this not for the cameras so I will like to keep this on the quiet. But I wish I could do more for the teachers who take care of our children when we are out to work. Source: bestnews.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 cities of Pasadena and Deer Park are continuing to reach out to residents to complete Census forms as the rate of filings slows to a crawl, with Pasadena in late May ranking below the national and state average with 52.2 percent participation, and Deer Park with 65.2 percent. The response rate across the country is 60.3 percent, with Texas falling behind the national average with 54.9 percent, ranking the Lone Star State at 42nd in the nation. Pasadenas city planning director, Deanna Schmidt, said federal Community Development Block Grant funding, which supports RIDES program for low-income seniors and those with disabilities, could be hurt if the city is under-represented. Pasadena ISD takes the biggest hit if our city is under-represented, she said. Social services like community nonprofits and independent nonprofit health clinics (like Pasadena Health Center) will receive less federal funding. She added that tuition assistance at local colleges and HUD loans would also be impacted as well. Pandemic affecting effort More Information How to follow the numbers If you have an interest in how your community is participating in the 2020 Census, do the following steps: 1. Go to 2020Census.gov 2. Hover over the first tab, "Get The Facts" and go to the bottom of the list and click on "Response Rates." 3. That takes you to the interactive map. Click on "state" and enter "Texas." Then go to "city" and click on the city you're interested in the drop-down menu. See More Collapse Terry Bennett with the U. S. Census Bureau said the process of conducting the count has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The deadline was originally July 31, but theyve extended the self-respond deadline to Oct. 31, Bennett said. We encouraging residents to register as soon as possible. We will have representatives in the field, and they are required to wear PPE protective masks, and well only be knocking on doors and leaving packets, Bennett said. She said Census representatives wont ring doorbells or meet with residents. We are being cautious, and safety is a priority, she said. Pasadena halfway to the mark Of the 52.2 percent response rate in Pasadena, 38.7 percent of the forms were completed over the internet. Pasadena Mayor Jeff Wagner was encouraged that the response percentage is comparable to neighboring cities. Its even a bit higher than Houston. However, its not Pasadenas style to do things halfway; so Id like to see a steady increase that translates to 100 percent when this is all said and done, he said. The city of Pasadena formed a committee to encourage Census participation in the fall and had been meeting monthly until COVID-19 concerns forced it to cancel its meeting in March. The committee is composed of representatives from local business, Pasadena ISD, churches, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, industry and several city departments. A lot of the events we had planned like Food Truck Friday and other outreach events have been tabled due to coronavirus restrictions, committee co-chair Brenda Pritchard said. Our hope is that when things open back up, we can get back out there to re-engage with our community. Said Wagner, Now that all our city staff is back at work, our teams can continue the great momentum they had before the pandemic. Early numbers after packets were mailed out in mid-March saw a double-digit surge around the country and in Texas, but that number has slowed to a crawl, with some days showing only a .1 percent increase or no increase at all. There hasnt been a full 1 percent increase in Texas since May 15. The largest increase for the state came on National Census Day, April 1, when there was a 3.1 percent increase in submissions. The city of Pasadena is using social media to reach out to residents, including a Facebook page, @PasadenaTXCounts, said Laura Mireles, community information manager. The city partnered with former Univision news anchor Andrea Gomez to create videos specifically geared toward its large Hispanic community. Many in Deer Park filing with smart phones In the smaller community of Deer Park, the numbers are climbing. On May 28, the city had 65.2 percent with a whopping 58.6 percent of them completed via the internet. Bennett with the U.S. Census said that number not only included desktop computers, but tablets, laptops, and cell phones. Increasingly, and for the first time, smart phones have played a large part in the response for residents in Deer Park. City officials met with a representative from the U.S. Census Bureau in 2019. Since then, the city has utilized multiple information outlets to encourage citizen participation in the 2020 Census. Information about how to access and complete the Census online was included in the Spring 2020 issue of the citys quarterly Messenger newsletter mailed to approximately 10,000 residents and available through the citys website at https://bit.ly/3cpLtqs, said Kristin Edwards, spokesperson for the city of Deer Park. Census information was also been added to the citys public access channel, DPTV, and periodic social media reminders have been posted to the citys Facebook page throughout 2020. A news item with information and links regarding the Census was also added to the Citys homepage, deerparktx.gov. Additionally, ainformation on the Census made available to the public on digital marquees outside city facilities including the Deer Park Community Center and the Municipal Court and Theater building. Among other local cities, South Houston has a rate of 46.5 percent; La Porte 59.8 percent. The nation has been conducting censuses since 1790 and there have been 22 censuses conducted since. To file online, visit 2020census.gov. To complete the Census by phone, call toll-free 844-330-2020 for English and 844-468-2020 for Spanish. dtaylor@hcnonline.com The pandemic has impacted each one of us but in a very personal way. While some of us are just annoyed that we cant go out for a Friday night dinner date, many people have genuine concerns like not being able to write their exams. Recently, a student of ANDP Higher Secondary school in Kottayam, Sandra Sabu thought that she wont be able to take her 11th standard exams due to lack of transport. BCCL She lives at an islet in the Vembanad backwaters which is not connected from the city and lives approximately seven kilometres away from the regular boat route. It was a given that shed miss her exam until Kerala State Water Transport Department came to rescue her. The 33km long backwaters are taken care of by the Kerala State Water Transport Department, who decided to help Sandra go to school to give her an exam. Not only this, but they also arranged for a 70 seater boat to take her to school and drop her back. She paid Rs18 for each round trip for five days. BCCL Shaji V Nair, SWTDs director, said, When the staff intimated me of the case, it reminded me of the train service in Japan. However, there was one more important reason. My daughter is also a plus one student. A 'no', in these cases, is much more safe and easy. However, I thought of how it would affect a person's life. So the department approached the higher authorities and a nod from minister AK Saseendran, it was made possible. Lucky Sandra, as she got to give her exam amid lockdown as well! BCCL However, the journey only took thirty minutes but five staff members had to take an additional one hour for the two trips in order to pick and drop her on time. The KSWTD director said that the incident reminded him of Japan, wherein a train runs twice a day just for one student and he thought something similar could have done here too. Thats how the state government helped Sandra and we hope the government keeps on enabling today's youth to become better and ready for tomorrow. As we all know, Chiyaan Vikram is currently busy with his upcoming project, Cobra. The makers of the movie are waiting for the COVID-19 lockdown to get over, so as to resume the shoot they had halted in Georgia. Well, there are also a few updates emerging about the actor's next project. Now, we hear that the actor is all set to gear up for his next, #Chiyaan60. According to reports, Vikram will be teaming up with director Karthik Subbaraj for his upcoming project. It is said that the Pizza director had narrated a story to the actor, while the latter was shooting Iru Mugan. The Aniyan actor was reportedly impressed with the narration, and is planning to sign on the dotted lines once the lockdown ends. Bankrolled by Seven Screen Studio, who are also the producers of Cobra, the movie is touted to be a gangster flick. Reportedly, Vikram will be shooting simultaneously for the Karthik directorial along with Mani Ratnam's magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan. However, an official announcement has not been made by the makers or the actor about the same. Talking about their current projects, Karthik Subbaraj, known for his films like Jigarthanda, Iraivi, and Rajinikanth's Petta, is currently working on Jagame Thanthiram featuring Dhanush. The action-thriller also has Aishwarya Lekshmi, James Cosmo, Jojo George, and Kalaiyarasan in pivotal roles. Touted to be a gangster drama, the film's soundtrack is composed by Santhosh Narayanan while the lyrics have been penned by Vivek, Dhanush, and Anthony Daasan. The movie, bankrolled by Y NOT studios, was scheduled to hit the screens on May 1, 2020, but was later pushed owing to the ongoing outbreak. On the other hand, Vikram will appear in director Ajay Gnanamuthu's directorial. The director, during a recent interaction with a leading website, revealed that almost 40-45% of the shoot is left to complete the film. He also added that the team is planning to release the first single from Cobra, which will be associated with Kerala's traditional celebration. KGF actress Srinidhi Shetty will star opposite Vikram in the thriller. Vikram Risked His Life For An Action Sequence In Cobra, Reveals Director Ajay Gnanamuthu Vikram's Cobra Release Date: Is Ajay Gnanamuthu The Reason Behind The Delay? Three energy companies that operate in the Houston Ship Channel are suing Intercontinental Terminals Co., claiming they sustained economic losses from the temporary shutdown of the Houston Ship Channel caused by last years chemical fire in Deer Park. Rio Energy International, Gunvor USA, and Texas Aromatics, which all transport crude oil and refined products through Houstons ship channel, allege in separate lawsuits that when ITCs chemical storage tanks caught fire and spilled thousands of barrels of gasoline, oil and other chemical products into Tucker Bayou, subsequent closures of the Houston Ship Channel cost their businesses hundreds of thousands dollars, primarily in lost profits from being unable to ship their products. Rio Energy, Gunvor and Texas Aromatics, are suing in U.S. District Court in Houston for damages of $2.2 million, $433,000, and $381,000 respectively. The Houston Ship Channel was closed or restricted from March 22, 2019 until April 13, 2019 due to the fire and resulting spill. On HoustonChronicle.com: Harris County sues to stop chemical safety rules rollback Our clients buy and sell crude through the ship channel, and all were damaged by the fact that the closure suspended that trade, said David Baay, an attorney at Eversheds Sutherland, who is representing the plaintiffs. He said that companies incurred higher costs when they were forced to buy crude from other suppliers while the ship channel was shut. The ITC tank fires burned for three days last year, causing a massive black plume of smoke over the area visible for miles around Houston. Regulators issued shelter-in-place order to neighboring communities due to air quality concerns. More than 21 million gallons of water mixed with hazardous chemicals and firefighting foam were collected from the tank farm and the ship channel. No injuries were reported. In December, the Harris County Fire Marshal ruled that the incident was due to an accidental equipment failure. Investigators found that the company did not have an automatic fire alarm system in the tank farm that caught fire. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas energy companies get break from monitoring chemical leaks The companies are suing under the Oil Pollution Act, which imposes liability for discharging oil into navigable waters. Eversheds Sutherland LLP, the legal firm representing the companies suing ITC, must first clear administrative hurdles before the complaints will move forward in court the Oil Pollution Act requires the plaintiffs to first attempt to seek a claim through an administrative process. ITC, in a statement, said the Oil Pollution Act does not apply to the fire that occured at Deer Park. The first suit, on behalf of Texas Aromatics, was filed last month. Rio Energy and Gunvor filed Thursday. Baay said he expects more companies that operate in the Houston Ship Channel to file similar lawsuits against ITC. erin.douglas@chron.com Twitter.com/erinmdouglas23 T hieves stole 4.2 million of diamonds from Mayfair jewellers Boodles by swapping them for pebbles in one of biggest and most audacious thefts in UK criminal history. The high-end jewellery store was targeted by an international crime ring posing as wealthy Russian businessmen, who struck a deal to buy seven diamonds including a heart-shaped jewel worth 2.2 million. When Boodles agreed to allow a gemmologist to visit its New Bond Street store to inspect the diamonds, she used sleight of hand to swap them for pebbles and walked away before the jewellers had realised what had happened. Police said the raid was like the plot of a film, echoing the daring thefts portrayed in the Oceans Eleven film franchise. Details of the audacious crime were revealed on Friday at Southwark crown court as one of those involved, 27-year-old Mickael Jovanovic, was jailed for three years and eight months. Prosecutor Philip Stott described the 2016 raid as of the highest possible sophistication, planning, risk, and reward, saying it is believed to be the largest value single incident of shoplifting in British criminal history. He said Boodles chairman Nicholas Wainwright was invited to a meeting in Monaco and struck a deal to sell seven very expensive single diamonds to a group posing as wealthy Russian investors. Arrangements were made for a gemmologist instructed by the buyers to attend at the vendors London showroom. The gems were valued by her and immediately placed into a locked bag, which was retained by the sellers pending the transfer of funds. When the funds failed to materialise from the buyers the bag was opened. Inside, instead of the diamonds, were seven small pebbles. The diamonds had been stolen by the person posing as the gemmologist for the buyers by sleight of hand. The court heard Mr Wainwright and Boodles own gemmologist Emma Barton met with the buyers representative, Anna, who was taken to the basement of the jewellery store for a viewing on March 10, 2016. Anna wrapped each diamond in pre-cut tissue paper and placed them inside opaque boxes she had brought along with her, said Mr Stott. When the examination was complete, the boxes were placed into a zipable purse-like bag. That was then padlocked shut. During the examination, at one point Mr Wainwright went upstairs to take a call from Alexander, the Russian purchaser. When he did so, Anna placed the locked bag inside her handbag. Like the plot of a film, this was a truly audacious crime Emma Barton told Anna she couldnt do that and told her to put it back on the table. Anna looked confused and did as she was told. Unseen by Emma Barton however, Anna had in fact placed a duplicate bag back on the table. Boodles staff were suspicious and had the locked bag x-rayed the following day, before cracking it open to discover they had been left with just pebbles. Mr Stott said Jovanovic and another man, Christophe Stankovic, had carried out surveillance on Boodles and were loitering nearby on the day of the theft, while two women acted as lookouts for Anna and a third woman was standing by with a change of clothes at a pub near Victoria Station. Within three hours of stealing the diamonds, all six of the thieves had left the UK and the stolen jewels have never been recovered. Stankovic was caught and jailed in 2016 while Jovanovic, a French national, was extradited to face justice in January this year. Judge Sally Cahill QC called it a clever and sophisticated plan as she jailed Jovanovicon Friday, but accepted he was not the mastermind of the plan. Anna and the rest of the group responsible have not been traced. Boodles was targeted in a ram-raid attack in March 2018, when thieves wielding axes and swords crashed a Land Rover into the front of the jewellers. However they were thwarted by the store's new reinforced 'warrior doors'. Detective Constable William Man, of the Flying Squad, said: This was a well organised theft which evolved over a number of weeks both in London and on the continent Like the plot of a film, this was a truly audacious crime. They stole the diamonds and fled in a matter of hours. However, they left behind a trail of evidence which led us to where they were staying, and the Citroen they had hired in Paris. As a result of piecing together all of the bits of information, we knew it was only a matter of time before arrests were made. And whilst it has taken four years, this case does highlight that we wont give up. We still remain determined to identify all of those involved. Mr Stott told the court he had researched past multi-million pound crimes under the Theft Act 1968 and had failed to identify a higher value individual offence ever committed in this country. Notorious crimes such as the Hatton Garden heist and the 26 million Brinks Mat raid were charged as other offences like burglary and robbery. Jovanovic and Stankovic both admitted conspiracy to steal. ARLINGTON, Va., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomberg Law today announced that its Bloomberg Law Leadership Forum will take place over three days and bring together legal industry leaders to discuss privacy and data security issues related to the M&A market, enforcement, and compliance. The complimentary virtual event series, Answering Privacy and Data Security Challenges, is being held daily from Tuesday, June 9 until Thursday, June 11, kicking off each day at 1:00 p.m. EDT with a featured speaker followed by a panel discussion. For additional information and registration, please visit http://onb-law.com/Rxi350zRs8S. The series begins on Tuesday, June 9 with featured speaker Julie Brill, deputy general counsel at Microsoft, discussing what Covid-19 will mean for U.S. privacy laws and how companies and governments should respond. The day's panel will issues related to navigating guidance related to privacy compliance that is being promulgated by data protection authorities from across the globe. Morgan Stanley's Vice Chairman and Global Head of Acquisitions Robert Kindle is the featured speaker on Wednesday, June 10 and he will address how Covid-19 is impacting the M&A market. The panel will assess the current risks associated with M&A transactions, given the unique challenges posed by deals being conducted remotely, such as conducting due diligence and managing post-deal integration. The event concludes on Thursday, May 11 with remarks from two featured speakers, Data Protection Commissioner for Ireland Helen Dixon and Noah Phillips, commissioner of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Dixon will discuss the state of GDPR enforcement and how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting privacy regulation and Phillips will cover how the coronavirus is affecting the agency's approach to privacy and security. The panel discussion will feature top litigators from the U.S. and Europe who will address the impact of privacy laws and regulations and share best practices for keeping regulators and plaintiffs' lawyers at bay. "We're excited to be able to bring together government officials and senior leaders from legal departments and law firms to provide their insights and perspectives on how the Covid-19 pandemic is impacting compliance and the regulatory landscape," said Joe Breda, president, Bloomberg Law. "Attendees will receive the knowledge and guidance they need to move forward in what is unprecedented territory for privacy and data security professionals." Additional featured speakers include: Rob Corbet, Partner and Head of Technology & Innovation, Arthur Cox Partner and Head of Technology & Innovation, Ted Kinch , Senior Counsel/Director of Privacy Law and Data Security, Gap , Senior Counsel/Director of Privacy Law and Data Security, Gap James Koenig, Partner and Co-Lead, Privacy & Cyber Practice, Fenwick & West Partner and Co-Lead, Privacy & Cyber Practice, Fenwick & West Doug McNitt , Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Cisco Systems Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Cisco Systems Ruby Zefo , Chief Privacy Officer & Associate General Counsel, Uber Event attendees can earn up to three CLE credits. About Bloomberg Law Bloomberg Law helps legal professionals provide world-class counsel with access to actionable legal intelligence in a business context. Bloomberg Law delivers a unique combination of practical guidance, comprehensive primary and secondary source material, trusted content from Bloomberg BNA, news, time-saving practice tools, market data and business intelligence. For more information, visit https://pro.bloomberglaw.com/. SOURCE Bloomberg Law Afghan TV Journalist, Driver Killed in Kabul Blast By Ayaz Gul May 31, 2020 Afghan officials said Saturday a bomb exploded and killed a journalist and a driver of a private television channel in the capital, Kabul. Six other people were injured. The victims, employees of Khurshid TV, were traveling on a minibus when an improvised explosive device attached to the vehicle went off during the afternoon rush hour, officials said. Feroz Bashari, the director of the Afghan government media and information center, denounced the violence. "Attack on journalists is attack on freedom of speech and open media. This cannot be justified at all," Bashari tweeted, adding the government was "seriously" investigating the incident. The Afghan Journalist Safety Committee, a Kabul-based media monitoring group, also condemned the deadly bombing, demanding authorities bring the perpetrators to justice. Later Saturday, the Islamic State's Khorasan Province (ISKP) claimed responsibility for the blast, according to SITE Intelligence Group, which provides alerts and translations of jihadist threats and communications. The IS communique said its fighters detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) on the bus and branded the television station as "pro-apostate Afghan government." A similar attack in August last year killed two employees of Khrushid TV and injured two others. Taliban insurgents and Islamic State have repeatedly plotted deadly attacks on journalists in Afghanistan. At least 15 journalists were killed in Afghanistan in 2018, making it the deadliest year for Afghan media workers, according to local and global media monitoring groups. In 2016, a Taliban suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into a bus transporting employees of the private Tolo TV channel in Kabul. The powerful blast killed seven journalists, who worked for the country's largest media outlet. The Taliban, while claiming credit for the attack, accused Tolo TV of running a propaganda campaign against the Islamist insurgency at the behest of U.S.-led foreign troops in Afghanistan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address St. Matthews Cathedral welcomed its worshippers back on Sunday after being closed to the public for several months. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/5/2020 (599 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us St. Matthews Cathedral welcomed its worshippers back on Sunday after being closed to the public for several months. However, these two mornings services, at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., were anything but ordinary, since members of the clergy put various safety precautions in place to protect everyone from the COVID-19 outbreak. Not only was the indoor capacity capped at 25 people, as per government regulations, but churchgoers were also asked to load up on hand sanitizer at the door and refrain from hugging each other to help maintain social distancing. Bishop William Cliff of of the Anglican Diocese of Brandon records a Eucharist ceremony on Saturday for all the local parishioners who couldn't attend church service at St. Matthew's Cathedral on Sunday. See story on page A3. Before each service began, worshippers were guided into pews marked with alternating blue and red tape that was designed to ensure that different people didnt sit in the same seats at different times. When it came time for communion, St. Matthews Cathedral Dean Don Bernhardt opted to do away with the wine and wear a protective mask once physical closeness was impossible to avoid. Afterwards, Bernhardt told the Sun he thought everything went pretty well considering that Sunday was their first test run. "The rules are new to everybody, so there was a hiccup or two, but everybody responded really, really well," Bernhardt said. "It just felt so good to finally be able to gather again." Rev. Don Bernhardt hands out communion wafers at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Brandon on Sunday morning. Since this marked the church's first in-person service in several months, Bernhardt took many safety precautions to ensure that his congregation weren't at risk of contracting coronavirus. (Photos by Kyle Darbyson/The Brandon Sun) Since March, St. Matthews and other churches in Brandon have had to broadcast their services online, since the province had banned indoor gatherings of more than 10 people due to the COVID-19 outbreak. When the government finally relaxed these gathering restrictions to 25 people on May 22, Bernhardt felt comfortable enough to meet with his flock in the flesh once again. However, the return of in-person service isnt something Bernhardt takes lightly, knowing that places of worship have been breeding grounds for coronavirus clusters in places such as the United States and Germany. While labelling pews and wearing personal protective equipment might seem like overkill, the reverend said hes doing his best to keep people safe with the informations that being provided by the Manitoba government. Reverend Don Bernhardt and Paul Shore lead their congregation in holy communion on Sunday morning at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Brandon. (Kyle Darbyson/The Brandon Sun) "Part of the issue is this is the first time this has ever happened," he said. "So there arent best practices out there that I can simply look up and say OK, heres how we do this. Were creating them as we go." Another issue that weighs heavily on Bernhardts mind is the prospect of turning people away due to the 25-person limit, although that didnt seem to be a issue on Sunday since his 11 a.m. service only drew 19 people. "Theres also some folks who are saying Im not ready yet and I get that," he said. "Weve been told for months now, and for good reason, to isolate ourselves, to keep social distancing, to do all sorts of very good things, and now to suddenly say OK, now you can come back to church that might not resonate with some people." However, Bernhardt also recognizes that the sheer size of St. Matthews affords him more flexibility when it comes to reopening, especially compared to other nearby rectors who have significantly smaller churches. "Some have made it clear that theyre not going to open until the start of June. Some arent going to open until July," he said. "Some are not sure at all when they want to reopen because of physical distancing constraints." Even though the unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 outbreak could shut down in-person services once again, Bernhardt believes that his congregation is resilient and can roll with the punches if need be. "A lot of these folks, especially some of our older parishioners, they come from a generation that was always so resilient," he said. "They just adapt, they just do what they need to do, and its pretty inspiring to watch some of these people." St. Matthews next in-person service is set to take place on Wednesday at 10 a.m. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Brendan O'Brien and Carlos Barria (Reuters) Minneapolis, United States Mon, June 1, 2020 13:32 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb4966c 2 World George-Floyd,protest,united-states,Racism,police-brutality,police Free Looting broke out on Sunday in Southern California, a tanker truck drove into marchers in Minneapolis and demonstrators clashed with police in Boston and Washington, D.C. as the United States struggled to contain chaotic protests over race and policing. National Guard troops were deployed in 15 US states and Washington, D.C. as darkness fell in major cities still reeling from five nights of violence and destruction that began with peaceful protests over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in police custody. "I hate to see my city like this but at the end we need justice," said 18-year-old Jahvon Craven as he stood on an overpass watching protesters below on Interstate 35 in downtown Minneapolis moments before an 8 p.m. curfew went into effect in that city. Floyd, 46, died on Monday after video showed a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes. It touched off outrage that has swept across a politically and racially divided nation in the midst of a polarizing presidential campaign and recently released from strict stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic that threw millions out of work. Minority communities were hit especially hard by the pandemic and those clamp-downs. On Sunday afternoon, a tanker truck drove into a throng of demonstrators on I-35 in Minneapolis, which had been closed to traffic. The driver was pulled from the cab and beaten by protesters before being taken into custody by Minneapolis police. It did not appear any protesters were hit by the truck. Authorities imposed curfews on dozens of cities across America, the most since 1968 in the aftermath of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr, which also happened during a presidential election campaign and amid the upheaval of anti-war demonstrations. Read also: George Floyd: 'Gentle giant' killed in US police custody Looting in California In Santa Monica, upscale stores were looted along the city's popular Third Street Promenade before police moved in to make arrests. The vandalism followed a largely peaceful march earlier in the beachside city. Further south, in the Los Angeles suburb of Long Beach, a group of young men and women smashed windows of a shopping mall and looted stores before they were dispersed ahead of a 6 p.m. curfew. In Washington, D.C., protesters set fires near the White House, the smoke mixing with billowing clouds of tear gas as police sought to clear them from the area. Sporadic violence broke out in Boston following peaceful protests as activists threw bottles at police officers and lit a cruiser on fire. Philadelphia announced a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew after a day of protests and looting. Several hundred demonstrators marched through downtown Miami chanting: "No justice, no peace," past a detention center where inmates could be seen in the narrow windows waving shirts. The demonstrations brought out a diversity of people, a point one young black woman noted at a march in Culver City, California on Sunday. "It means a lot to see people other than black people joining the demonstration," said Candace Collins. Protests spread around the globe, with events in London and Berlin on Sunday and others on Monday including in New Zealand, Australia and the Netherlands. The eruptions of violence have not let up despite the arrest on Friday of former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, 44. He has since been charged with third-degree murder. Three other officers involved in Floyd's arrest have yet to be charged. In New York City, police arrested about 350 people and 30 officers suffered minor injuries during clashes. Mayor Bill de Blasio said police conduct was being investigated, including widely shared videos showing a police vehicle lurching into a crowd of protesters who were pelting it with debris in Brooklyn. De Blasio said he had not seen a separate video showing an officer pulling down the mask of a black protester to spray something in his face. Among those arrested for unlawful assembly on Saturday night was de Blasio's 25-year-old daughter, Chiara, according to a New York Police Department source, who said she was issued a "desk appearance ticket" and released. Protests have also flared in Chicago, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Cleveland and Dallas, where rioters were seen on video beating a store owner who chased them with a large machete or sword. Police said on Sunday he was in stable condition. Thousands of people gathered peacefully on Sunday afternoon for a rally in St. Paul as state troopers surrounded the state capitol building. About 170 stores in the city have been looted, its mayor told CNN. While covering the protests in Minneapolis on Saturday night, two members of a Reuters TV crew were hit by rubber bullets and a Reuters photographer's camera was smashed as attacks against journalists covering the unrest intensified. In response to the protests, Target Corp announced it was temporarily closing 100 stores, about 30 of them in Minnesota. The administration of President Donald Trump, who has called protesters "thugs," will not federalize and take control of the National Guard for now, national security adviser Robert O'Brien said on Sunday. Trump said on Sunday the U.S. government would designate anti-fascist group Antifa as a terrorist organization. It was not clear how many of the protesters participating in demonstrations are from Antifa. "Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors," Trump said on Twitter on Sunday afternoon. "These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW." National Guard soldiers were deployed in Atlanta, Minneapolis and Los Angeles, as well as Santa Monica. Prisons are not for detaining undertrials to send message to society: Delhi HCNew Delhi, June 1 (IANS) Prison is primarily for punishing convicts and not for detaining undertrials in order to send any 'message' to the society, the Delhi High Court said on Monday while granting bail to an accused in the Delhi riots case. A single judge bench of the high court presided over by Justice Anup J. Bhambani said, "Prison is primarily for punishing convicts; not for detaining undertrials in order to send any message to the society. The remit of the court is to dispense justice in accordance with law, not to send messages to the society." "It is this sentiment, whereby the state demands that undertrials be kept in prison inordinately without any purpose, which leads to overcrowding of jails; and leaves undertrials with the inevitable impression that they are being punished even before trial and are therefore being treated unfairly by the system. If at the end of a protracted trial, the prosecution is unable to bring home guilt, the state cannot give back to the accused the years of valuable life lost in prison," the court said. The observations came against the state's submissions claiming that granting bail at an early stage might send an "adverse message in the society". The court was hearing a bail application filed by Firoz Khan in connection with a case relating to the Delhi riots in an FIR registered in the Dayalpur police station in the North East district of the national capital. According to the FIR, on February 24, some rioters set the complainant's shop on fire and looted lakhs of rupees. However, the applicant claimed in his bail plea that neither was any material collected during the investigation that would identify the applicant as one of the perpetrators, nor did the complainant name him in the FIR. During the course of hearing, senior advocate Rebecca John, appearing for the petitioner, contended that "no test identification parade of the applicant was conducted to get the complainant to identify him, which ought to have been done in a case such as this, alleging arson by an unlawful assembly." "The applicant is a resident of Old Mustafabad which is nearly a 15-minute walk from the Mahalaxmi Enclave, where the complainant is said to have run his confectionary shop; therefore, the applicant's presence in the vicinity of the shop cannot be assumed, unless there is evidence to that effect, which there isn't," she said. John also argued that Mohd. Anwar, who is co-accused with her client in the said case, has already been granted bail by the trial court. She also pointed out that of the offences alleged, only one, namely the offence under Section 436 of the IPC, was a non-bailable offence. Opposing the submissions made by the senior counsel for the petitioner, the prosecution argued that the petitioner has not only been identified by the complainant, but is also in the CCTV footage obtained from the Rajdhani Public School and that is sufficient basis to hold him in judicial custody. After perusing the FIR and the complainant's statement, the high court noted that the complainant had neither named or otherwise identified the accused and granted bail to Firoz Khan on furnishing of a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and two sureties of the like amount from his blood relatives and directed him not to leave the national capital without the court's permission. Concluding its order running into 14 pages, the high court said, "While ordinarily this court would not have entered upon any discussion on the evidence at the stage of considering bail, however, here is a case where a purported unlawful assembly of some 250-300 persons is alleged to have committed offences; of which the police have picked up only two, one of them being the applicant." "In this peculiar circumstance, this court was compelled to sift the evidence only prima-facie and limited to cursorily assessing how the police have identified the applicant from that large assembly of persons," the bench ruled. The court said it is conscious that 'judicial custody' is the custody of the court; and the court will be loathe to depriving a person his liberty, in the court's name, on the mere ipse-dixit of the state, when it finds no substantial basis or reason for doing so. "Let it be clear, however, that nothing in this order shall be construed as an expression on the merits of the evidence to be adduced in the matter," Justice Bhambani concluded. Communal violence had broken out in the parts of Delhi in February after clashes between pro and anti-Citizenship Amendment Act supporters spiralled out of control, leaving 53 dead. The Irish have found themselves in the front line of fighting the coronavirus pandemic around the globe. From the upper echelons of the World Health Organisation and working at the cutting edge of scientific research to develop a vaccine, to devising public health strategies to combat Covid-19 in New Zealand, England and the US, they are among the leading lights working to contain the virus. Read More Dr Mike Ryan Expand Close Dr Michael Ryan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dr Michael Ryan The Mayo man is executive director of the World Health Organisation's Health Emergencies Programme. He leads the team responsible for the international containment and treatment of Covid-19. His measured, calm and at times heartfelt daily briefings are broadcast across the world. It is a world that has been changed utterly over the past few months by the global pandemic that continues to claim lives and haunt us. In words that will go down in history, Dr Ryan (55) wisely counselled governments at the outset. "Be fast, have no regrets. You must be the first mover. The virus will always get you if you don't move quickly," he warned. "If you need to be right before you move, you will never win." Dr Ryan grew up in Charlestown in Co Mayo and later moved down the road about 5km to Curry, Co Sligo. But both counties proudly lay claim to him. He studied medicine at the National University of Ireland Galway and later trained as a trauma surgeon. But that career path ended when, during a 12-week humanitarian trip to Iraq in 1990, he was severely injured when the car he was travelling in was run off the road by a military convoy. Breaking his back in three places, the horrific accident resulted in the end of his surgical career but the beginning of another. He retrained in public health and epidemiology and has been at the forefront of managing acute risks to global health for nearly 25 years. Those who know Dr Ryan personally speak of his sincerity, innate good humour, optimism and commitment to the common good. He is a humanitarian in the true sense of the word. On the issue of herd immunity, he recently told a press briefing in Geneva: "Humans are not herds. As such, the concept of herd immunity is generally reserved for calculating how many people will need to be vaccinated in the population in order to generate that effect. "This is a serious disease, this is public enemy number one, we have been saying it over and over and over and over again." He warned: "No one is safe until everyone is safe", adding: "So I do think this idea that 'maybe countries who had lax measures and haven't done anything will all of a sudden magically reach some herd immunity, and so what if we lose a few old people along the way?' - this is a really dangerous, dangerous calculation. "Responsible member states will look at all their population - they value every member of society." Dr Gordon Joyce Expand Close Dr Gordon Joyce / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dr Gordon Joyce Dr Gordon Joyce, from Co Galway, is currently at the forefront of the global scramble to develop an effective vaccine against Covid-19. Dr Joyce is the head of structural biology at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, a US military lab near Washington. He has been employed by the US military for years and has carried out groundbreaking work on viruses such as influenza and HIV. The Irish virologist was working on a vaccine for MERS, also a coronavirus, until early this year. However, since the emergence of Covid-19, Dr Joyce and his team have shifted their efforts and expertise to develop a vaccine that could slow the spread of the virus and ultimately end the devastating pandemic. Dr Caroline McElnay Dr McElnay is the director of public health for the New Zealand Ministry of Health and chief adviser to Jacinda Ardern's government on all matters related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Expand Close Director of Public Health Dr. Caroline McElnay (Photo by Mark Mitchell-Pool/Getty Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Director of Public Health Dr. Caroline McElnay (Photo by Mark Mitchell-Pool/Getty Images) She is the New Zealand government's equivalent of Ireland's chief medical officer Tony Holohan Dr McElnay is the daughter of a dairy farmer from Bushmills, Co Antrim. She studied medicine at Queen's University Belfast and later public health at Manchester University before emigrating to New Zealand 25 years ago. Now, she is the public face of New Zealand during the coronavirus crisis, appearing daily on TV screens for lengthy briefings on how the administration is winning the battle against the coronavirus. The public health expert has lived in New Zealand since 1995 with her husband and is now a citizen with three children - Caitriona, Roisin and Conor. Michael Dowling Expand Close Knockaderry native Michael Dowling / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Knockaderry native Michael Dowling Born in relative poverty in Knockaderry, Co Limerick, Michael Dowling is the president and CEO of Northwell Health, a healthcare provider that operates 23 hospitals, the largest in New York state. Mr Dowling was hand-picked by New York state governor Andrew Cuomo to be the crisis manager for the state's coronavirus response. He commands more than 800 outpatient facilities and 72,000 employees. The governor's inner circle is known to be small, and Mr Dowling is thought to be one of his most trusted lieutenants. Mr Dowling grew up in a thatched cottage with a mud floor where the only toilet was outside. He worked hard from a young age to support his family before attending UCC and studying Arts. He later moved to America, did a Masters in Social Policy at Fordham University and was a rising star on the faculty there when Mr Cuomo invited him to join his administration. Professor Yvonne Doyle Visit our Covid-19 vaccine dashboard for updates on the roll out of the vaccination program and the rate of Coronavirus cases Ireland Expand Close Yvonne Doyle / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Yvonne Doyle PROFESSOR Yvonne Doyle was appointed medical director and director of health protection for Public Health England in 2019. She is from Dublin and studied medicine in UCD. She has worked for many years in the NHS in England and has been a leading force in their fight against the coronavirus. After qualifying in Ireland, Prof Doyle went on to work in senior roles in the NHS and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The 63-year-old has also worked in the academic and independent sectors. Between 2016-2019 she was statutory adviser to Boris Johnson, then the Mayor of London. In 2019 she was appointed medical director and director of health protection for Public Health, England. She has acted as an adviser to the WHO on healthy cities and continues to take a research interest in urban health and the environment. The past several days have offered a kaleidoscope of a Trump-addled America, a telling, if depressing, pastiche: Amy Coopers bigoted entitlement; the homicidal tactics of Minneapolis police officers; the knowing encouragement of the president, who has mounted his second campaign on the same foundation of rank prejudices and crude stereotypes as his first. It adds up to a portrait of a nation unwilling to retreat from its racist history, unable to chart a path toward a future that pays tribute to its more egalitarian founding creed. President Donald J. Trump is merely a symptom, not a cause, not the sickness itself. During his first campaign, I worried less about his outrageous conduct and inflammatory rhetoric he is, after all, just one malign actor and more about the millions who danced to his music, rejoiced in his racist diatribes, sang in his chorus. In 2016, I would not have accused every voter who cast a ballot for Trump of racism. Some were one-percenters bent on protecting their riches; some were lifelong Republicans leery of crossing party lines; some were Bernie Bros who couldnt curb their misogyny and vote for Hillary Clinton. Still, there were many who eagerly followed after a man who defamed Mexicans, denounced Muslims and claimed that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. Four years later four years into what may well be recorded as the most incompetent, the most corrupt and the most divisive presidency in American history I can no longer grant any Trump supporters a lenient indulgence. Lets name this disease: a desperate, last-ditch effort by whites terrified of a demographic tide that is shifting political power and changing the cultural dynamic. In his thoughtful, if depressing, tome, Why We Are Polarized, journalist Ezra Klein argues that human beings compete less for resources than for social esteem, which is seen as a zero-sum contest. So if black and brown Americans have gained social esteem in the hard-fought and ongoing crusade for full equality, some white Americans believe they have lost it. Or, as one sage has put it, if you are accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression. Thats why Amy Cooper was outraged that a black man in Central Park dared to ask her put her dog on a leash, as local laws require. Who was he to say that to a white woman? Thats why, similarly, Tom Austin, a white Minneapolis businessman, threatened to call the police on black men working out in an office gym. How dare they claim to be entrepreneurs who belonged there, as he was? Throughout U.S. history, black people have been labeled lawless, lecherous and wild, and whites who believe the stereotypes are sometimes genuinely afraid of black people who represent no threat. But neither Cooper nor Austin believed they were in physical danger. Instead, the threat was psychic: Their sense of superiority was endangered by black men behaving as equals. Unfortunately, millions of white voters seem prepared to destroy democracy rather than give up their sense of entitlement, whether an explicit or implicit sense of white supremacy. Two years ago, political scientists Steven Miller and Nicholas Davis released a study, White Outgroup Intolerance and Declining Support for American Democracy. They found a link between racial resentment and support for authoritarian rule (as long as the authoritarian agreed with them, of course). Its no wonder that so many leading conservatives have suddenly gone soft on Russian strongman Vladimir Putin. Prominent Republican politicians have laid waste to every conservative principle and every democratic tradition they once claimed to hold dear. Criminals who sided with Trump are championed by the attorney general; Russias continuing interference in American elections is played down; federal watchdogs assigned to ferret out malfeasance are fired. Sen. Mitch McConnell and his allies are also finding new and creative ways to suppress the vote among those who might support Democrats. Perhaps the November election will turn the tide, stanching the flow of malice and ill will that seeps daily from the Oval Office. But the larger project of restoring American democracy will not be so easily finished. Email Cynthia Tucker at cynthia@cynthiatucker.com Amid the ongoing conflict between the United States and China over a score of issues, the latter, via state-run media, advised India against becoming US pawn and meddling into the emerging cold war. In a fiery response to Chinas warning to India, BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi said on Monday that India is nobodys pawn and knows well how to protect its interests. An article published through China's mouthpiece Global Times remarked that if India engages in US-China confrontation, the action would cause a huge economic blow' to India, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. If, in a new Cold War, India leans toward the US or becomes a US pawn attacking China, the economic and trade ties between the two Asian neighbours will suffer a devastating blow. And it would be too much for the Indian economy to take such a hit at the current stage, it said. READ | China's Mouthpiece Attempts Warning To India Amid 'Cold War' With US; Lekhi Hits Back READ | India-China Military Commanders To Meet Soon To Defuse Tensions Along LAC: Sources 'India is a market for cheap Chinese products' Taking a dig at China over the warning, Meenakshi said, India is a market for Chinas cheap products, both figuratively and literally, so please dont talk about economic costs. The BJP leader went on to say that China would do a better job at advising rather than siding with its pawn Pakistan. Back to a huff and a puff. India is a market 4your cheap products both figuratively & literally, so please dont talk about economic costs. India is no bodys pawn it knows exactly how to protect its interests but China would do well in advising & not siding with its stooge Pak https://t.co/irdUwFvHNM Meenakashi Lekhi (@M_Lekhi) May 31, 2020 READ | Pompeo Is 'certain' China Will Use Situation In America To Gain More Territory Tensions between the US and China seem to have entered a new Cold War over a wide range of issues. At this point, the US has also offered to mediate between India and China over the LAC border conflict. While India is committed to settling the matter peacefully, China has expressed concerns over America's mediation into the matter. READ | Diplomatic, Military Talks On To Resolve Border Row With China: Shah Life Upended. The coronavirus outbreak has had a devastating impact on our nation, and it has touched Staten Islanders in countless ways. In this series, reporter Tracey Porpora will share the stories of those who have been thrust into situations that were unimaginable just a few months ago -- those who have seen their life completely upended. This is the third story of Life Upended. STATEN ISLAND. N.Y. -- Laura Karmin, 62, owner of Ultimate Fashions II -- a formal-wear store that caters to proms -- opened a clothing kiosk out of necessity when she became a single mother of three children under the age of 7 after a divorce in 1989. Launched as a trendy clothing cart in the Staten Island Mall, New Springville, she soon found a niche selling formal wear for all ages -- from Christening dresses to bridal gowns. Since then, she has remarried, birthed a fourth child and her business has grown to two locations, one in the Woodbridge Center Mall in New Jersey and another in the Staten Island Mall. And each year she gears up for her busy season from January to June. But in 2020, that season didnt happen. After coronavirus (COVID-19) mandates shuttered her stores in March, Karmin was left with 3,000 dresses and no buyers. And even worse, many people who put deposits on dresses are demanding their money back due to all proms being cancelled. My store survives for the whole year based solely on prom season, from January to June. This is our Christmas. We have been devastated. ...Keep in mind we still owe the vendors. Its an escalating staircase. The business cant survive without help, said Karmin, noting she first opened her store in Great Kills in 2011 before moving back into the Staten Island Mall to a 3,000-square-foot space in 2015. I raised my kids with this store. My four children are grown, but now I have grandkids. My daughter-in-law works for me and relies on this money. ...People who ordered dresses are not even picking up their phone because their events have been cancelled, she added. NO MONEY COMING IN In addition, Karmins husband, Scott -- who she married in 1994 and is the father of her fourth child -- is a former computer programmer who is disabled, and cant work. Since the store shuttered in March when the Mall closed, the Karmins have had to deplete their savings just to put food on the table. Scott has been disabled for five years. He pulled his back out -- and that was it. Without my income, theres no money come in, she explained. This is a mess; I put all my bills on hold. But at the end of this, theyre all going to want payment. This is going to be bad. There is no way Im going to be able to play catch-up, added Karmin. Her husband also has a heart condition, so medical bills and life insurance are very costly, she noted. LOANS ARENT ENOUGH While Karmin applied for loans, including the federal governments PPP (Payroll Protection Program), which is available to small business owners during the pandemic, the funds she received werent enough to sustain her store, she said. The PPP loans are not enough to help when your rent is very high. ... I didnt get enough to sustain my sales help and rent for one month," she said. The PPP also has to be used over eight weeks. So if you use it during the weeks you are closed, you wont have money to reopen and go forward. I can understand the landlords wanting their rent, but nobody is helping small businesses. I dont know how anybody is going to be able to survive with the little help that is available, added Karmin. And her bills are mounting. I have rent to pay for March, April, May and June. ...And then there is all the money owed to vendors. We order our product in June, July and August. Delivery comes into our store around December, when the girls start to look for their prom dresses, she added. And she said shes not sure shell be able to open her store when the Mall opens. She noted her shop cant properly socially distance because customers have to be measured for gowns, and they also need to come in for fittings. I have a one-on-one business. You need to wait on customers once they walk in the door. You need to measure them for size, said Karmin. Its not like being able to walk into JCPenney and leave with a sweater. Even with a distancing its not going to work in a formal-wear store. VIRTUAL FASHION SHOWS Although it cant compare to her store being open and events -- for which gowns are needed --proceeding as planned, Karmin launched virtual fashion shows via Facebook live during the pandemic. Several weeks ago I came up with an idea of going live on Facebook showing some of the dresses we have in stock, hoping to elicit orders that we could ship out, she said. I spend most of my day responding to potential customers through social media, by trying to fulfill their needs. I am trying to invent new ways to keep my business afloat, but it does not look promising, she added. She said she has been trying to sell some of the gowns at a discount, just to move the money and be able to pay back some of the bills, so I can survive and possibly stay open another season to get back on my feet. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK*** If your life has been upended because of the coronavirus and you would like to share your story, please e-mail porpora@siadvance.com and put Life Upended in the subject line. OTHER LIFE UPENDED STORIES: Life Upended: With her business closed, single mom fears losing everything Life Upended: 'I might have to retire with no money, says business owner, 77 FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER An Australian reporter covering riots in Los Angeles feared for her life as a firework exploded metres away live on air. Channel Nine's US correspondent Alexis Daish and her cameraman were filming in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon local time as protests continued across the US for a fifth consecutive day over the death of George Floyd. Mr Floyd, 46, died in Minneapolis last Monday after a white cop pressed his knee against Mr Floyd's neck for eight minutes. Tensions have escalated almost 3,200km away in Los Angeles, where looting from businesses has unfolded in the streets as police introduced a 4pm city-wide curfew. Ms Daish was reporting live for Monday morning's edition of the Today show and was describing the chaotic scenes to Australian viewers when she was interrupted by a massive explosion and let out a chilling scream. Channel Nine US correspondent Alexis Daish was reporting on the looting that was unfolding on the streets of Santa Monica moments before a firework round exploded metres away 'Oh my god,' the frightened reporter screamed off-camera. 'Stay here, you're good,' a security guard assured her. The chaotic scenes prompted concern from Today hosts Allison Langdon and Karl Stefanovic. 'You okay, Lexi?' the pair asked. A shaken but composed Ms Daish assured everyone she was not injured. The scene moments after the round of firework went off metres away from the news crew 'Yeah, yeah, we are all good,' she replied. 'It is just a fireworks round.' 'I don't know whether that has come from the police or these protesters. 'These motorcyclists, the cops now appear to be trying to surround this area. Yeah, it is a pretty tense situation. We're fine, we're fine. Every time we think that the cops might have a handle on things this happens. There is just too many of them.' Ms Daish said her reaction to the explosion was due to the volatile situation that was unfolding. 'The reason that everyone here is so tense, this has been going on a while now. We know how quickly things can escalate,' she explained. 'It is in the back of your mind here that things can go bad real quick.' 'The National Guard have been deployed to Los Angeles overnight with 1,000 military personnel. But the problem is, it seems like they are not able to move quick enough or keep up with the level of crime that is now happening here.' Ms Daish's screams prompted concern from Today host Allison Langdon (left) back home Ms Daish added she was relieved to be accompanied by experienced cameraman Rich Moran and two security guards 'the size of King Kong.' She took to social media shortly after the scary ordeal to describe the scenes further. 'Looting is out of control. Security have told us to stay in our car - police have completely lost control of situation in Santa Monica,' she tweeted. The frightening ordeal comes a day after Ms Daish was confronted by protesters when she asked them to explain their outrage. 'We're tired of people like you guys telling us how to feel about our own lives,' one of the protesters said pointing at the young blonde reporter. 'This anger is coming from hundreds of years,' he went on to say. 'Three people in two weeks... How many times does this have to happen?' Another protester added: 'We have done everything white people have asked us to do.' Channel Nine's US correspondent took to social media shortly after the scary ordeal Tensions have escalated on the streets of Los Angeles on the weekend, almost 2000 miles away from where George Floyd died in Minneapolis on Monday Ms Daish also came under fire over her 'ignorant' reporting, where she ended an interview by thanking a protester for his time to vent about police brutality. 'I really appreciate you giving your perspective because people in Australia doesn't have the understanding of the history of police killings here,' she said. Her comments sparked a massive public backlash from Aboriginal activists and viewers back home. Channel Seven journalist Ashlee Mullany was almost taken out by a stun grenade as police closed in on a Minneapolis protest. Ms Mullany, Seven's US correspondent, crossed to Sunrise live from Minneapolis on Thursday afternoon local time to report on the mayhem as protests raged on in the city for a third day. Footage showed the journalist duck for cover as a stun grenade was fired in her direction by police officers who descended on the protest. The maintenance staff at LG Polymers plant in Visakhapatnam ran away for their safety when the styrene gas leaked from its storage tank on May 7 while people in the surrounding villages were not even alerted, a probe committee has found. The panel on Monday submitted its report dated May 28 to the National Green Tribunal that had constituted it. The leak left 12 people dead and caused hospitalisation of nearly 500 people. The committee, which included retired high court judge justice B Seshaseyana Reddy, conducted the inquiry at the plant on May 11, 12 and 14. The plants director (operation) and production manager G Raju tried to explain that he and others tried to add para-tertiary butyl catechol to reduce the intensity of the leakage. But two other employees of the company M Achyut, shift-in-charge and P Balaji, manager who were on the duty when the accident took place, told the panel that the moment they saw dense vapours coming from the tank, they ran away. The mishap at LG Polymers plant was only due to human failure and negligence of the persons in charge of the plant and maintenance personnel of the storage tank. The management did not take proper care of the affected storage tank and it resulted in the leakage of Styrene due to auto-polymerisation, the committee said in its report, a copy of which HT has seen. The employees told the committee that they did not see anyone making any effort to subside the intensity of the vapours. Had any workmen been present at the effected tank, he should have been the victim of vapour gas and he should have been shifted to the hospital for treatment, the committee observed. The accident occurred on the wee hours of May 7 because of the excessive generation of heat..., LG Polymers officials were not immediately available for a comment SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON (JNS) On July 1, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to announce plans to extend Israeli sovereignty over portions of the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) containing the vast majority of Israeli settlements. This territory comprises 30 percent of the West Bank. The remaining land, where most Palestinians reside, will be reserved for an independent Palestinian state under the Trump peace plan should the Palestinian people and its leadership choose to live in peace side-by-side next to the Jewish state. Although Israelis anticipated action is consistent with the U.S. government... Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 17:07:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have proposed a new solution to defend Earth from asteroid strikes, according to a study recently published in the journal Scientific Reports. There are more than 18,000 near-Earth asteroids, of which about 800 are more than one kilometer across. If one of these large objects were to hit Earth, a global catastrophe would result. Planetary defense technologies including nuclear explosion, kinetic impact, laser ablation, ion beam traction and gravitational drag have been developed to reduce the risk of potentially hazardous asteroids. Experts from the National Space Science Center (NSSC) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences proposed a concept of enhanced kinetic impact to push a hazardous asteroid away from the orbit that crosses Earth's path by hitting it with space rocks. In this technique, an unmanned spacecraft will be launched to collect more than one hundred tonnes of rocks from a near-Earth asteroid with which to strike an asteroid that poses a threat to the planet. In simulations designed by researchers, the new method was more effective at deflecting an asteroid than a classic kinetic impact. The new technique is not constrained by the limitation of ground-based launch for artificial impactor, promising to significantly increase the effect of planetary defense against large asteroids, said Li Mingtao of the NSSC, one of the authors of the study. Enditem Fastmarkets chrome ore South Africa UG2 concentrates index basis 42%, cif China climbed up for a fourth week in a row to $169 per tonne on Friday, up by $5 per tonne or 3% from $164 per tonne a week earlier. The index is now up $22 per tonne from $147 per tonne at the start of May.Several deals were reported above the latest index level, showing the bullish run of the chrome ore market continues for the time being.Some ferro-chrome producers, especially those in the south [of China], were running out of ore stocks, and they had to purchase even though the prices went higher this week, a smelter said, adding that portside prices were in excess of 31.50-32 yuan ($4.41-4.48) per dry metric ton unit (dmtu).On the supply side, South African producers lament ongoing logistical issues that continue to slow down the transport of cargo to ports. The border crossing with Mozambique is still highly congested and trucks can cross over only after long delays. For this reason, Maputo port has reportedly lower than average cargo to handle.While producers within South Africa are expected to ramp up operations from June 1 , the logistical hurdle is thought to continue to hinder the flow of material out of mines.Some participants believe the transportation issues will support prices further in the near term, others were skeptical of additional price hikes.Some ferro-chrome producers have already turned down the offers that were higher than $170 per tonne because they have sufficient stocks for the next months or so, a trader said. And even though we are seeing depleting stock levels of chrome ore, there is still a lot at ports.Fastmarkets assessment of chrome ore inventories at the main Chinese ports of Tianjin, Qinzhou, Lianyungang and Shanghai dropped to 3.56-3.81 million tonnes on Monday June 1, down by 2.9% from 3.65-3.94 million tonnes a week earlier.Both domestic spot ferro-chrome prices and imported charge chrome prices remained stable week on week on Friday.Steelmaker Tsingshan Group increased its June high-carbon ferro-chrome tender by 500 yuan per tonne on May 21, with Taiyuan Iron & Steel (Tisco) and Baosteel both following suit to raise their own tenders by the same amount.As a result, Fastmarkets ferro-chrome contract 6-8% C, basis 50% Cr, ddp China jumped to 6,200-6,400 yuan per tonne on Friday, up by 8.6% or 500 yuan from 5,700-5,900 yuan in the previous month.This uplift has consolidated the stability in the domestic spot ferro-chrome price. Fastmarkets weekly price assessment for ferro-chrome spot 6-8% C, basis 50% Cr, ddp China settled at 6,400-6,600 yuan per tonne on Friday, unchanged from the previous week.In the seaborne market, while improved sentiment supported a gradual rise in the imported charge chrome price over the past month, market participants described an existing standoff between buyers and sellers that has capped further rises in the latest assessment.Fastmarkets assessed the ferro-chrome 50% Cr import, cif main Chinese ports price at $0.73 per lb on Friday, unchanged from the previous week.Availability of charge chrome from South Africa remains limited due to closures at some mines, and production and shipping delays. Sellers that are still in operation reported significant delays in their ability to put cargo on ships.On their part, consumers have been experiencing market tightness out of South Africa but have so far been unwilling to commit to consistent new purchases. No liquidity was seen this week, while a deal was reported last week.The market is firm right now and the tightness that weve seen so far is not going to ease that quickly, one seller said.Because of the shipping delays at origin, it is thought that availability of charge chrome within China will further reduce since local stocks are being sold and not replenished.All the shipments for June are late. You wont be able to ship anything over there for arrival before July that will necessarily affect market conditions, a second trader said. During the Russian Revolution thousands upon thousands were slaughtered. Famine brought about starvation and even cannibalism in the new Soviet Union. Between the World Wars hundreds were murdered in Germany with no reaction by the government. Food shortages and mass unemployment led to daily civil unrest. Communist revolutionaries routinely battled private armies openly in the streets. America does not have millions starving, thousands massacred by violent private armies or Imperial guards. Nothing to that level of desperation and utter loss of hope exists in our nation no matter how much CNN might try to spin it that way. Looting armfuls of electronics, big screen TVs, burning a historic church in DC and defacing the Lincoln Memorial and World War II Memorial is not a cry of desperation. So stop the protest farce, its anarchy now. What happened to Mr. Floyd is despicable. A nation can not allow murderous behavior by law enforcement to continue. But injuring police is not protesting, its retaliation. Destruction of businesses hurts innocent people and does not redress grievances. It leads to confrontation not solutions. As chaos continues the murder of Mr. Floyd is getting lost. More needs to be learned about Officer Chauvin and Mr. Floyd working at the same nightclub. Why was Officer Chauvin still on the streets after 18 complaints and comments by the nightclub owner about his overly aggressive behavior in his security job? Failure to supervise this man is very disturbing. People need to be accountable for that. Anarchists are now directing the movement and its pure terrorism. The more we learn about the identity the clearer their motives appear to be. In NYC, a woman was arrested for throwing a Molotov cocktail into a police van with four officers in it. Two others were caught in possession of incendiary devices and on camera throwing some. They have been identified as Brooklyn attorneys (New York Daily News, May 31). As those arrested are identified, we learn their real motives. Last year a masked Antifa thug was arrested for randomly assaulting people with a bike-lock. He was an ethics professor at a junior college (Rolling Stone, May 15, 2018). Antifa has links back to the communist gangs that fought openly in the streets of Germany between the wars. Do we want a return to chaos like Europe before the rise of Hitler? Keep trying to justify riots and it will. Business owners will soon be defending their property if weak and incompetent mayors cant help them. Yes, Dr. King did say riots occur when voices are unheard. Al Sharpton said the same words. Ivy league attorneys, college professors and upstate middle class young women throwing bombs hardly qualify as those unheard voices. Look at the faces of many of those arrested. Then ask yourself if this is now about George Floyd. So keep trying to defend those burning churches and defacing monuments with anti-capitalist slogans as people without a voice and see where it takes us. Staffers for Joe Biden paid the bail for some arrested in Minneapolis. We need to know who these people were and are they Antifa or related anarchists. All of these events should tell you a lot about your choice in November for president. Ralph Miller Queen Elizabeth II might put an end to Prince Andrew and Sarah Furgeson's feud with a French socialite after the couple purchased her luxury home in a Swiss resort. Isabelle de Rouvre reportedly sold the Duke and Duchess of York the massive seven-bedroom lodge for $20 million in 2014. However, she is now pursuing them through the courts, saying that the former couple still owes her $8 million. A source told US magazine Air Mail that Her Majesty will be paying the debt herself to avoid another scandal. "Otherwise, it's going to court, and things will get really bad," said the source. 74-year-old de Rouvre was a longtime friend of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson when they rented the luxurious ski chalet. The case was reportedly difficult for the French and added that what's happening has "severely tarnished" her friendship with the Duke and Duchess of York. The area boasts a 60 square meter indoor pool, a sauna, bar, and an entertaining area. The French socialite reportedly employed six full-time staff and rents it for more than $24,000 a week. As the Sunday Times reports, the Duke of York and his family initially rented the Verbier chalet during the holidays before eventually deciding to purchase it in 2014. He was expected to have paid de Rouvre a final payment of around $8 million by New Year's Day this year. De Rouvre filed a debt claim alleging that Prince Andrew did not pay her, despite Fergie reportedly claiming via Whatsapp that the money will be wired soon. However, The Sunday Times' report contradicts what a spokesperson for Prince Andrew has claimed. The statement from the Duke's spokesperson reads, "The Queen will not be stepping in to settle the debt owed on the Swiss chalet. The chalet is currently on the market, and it is expected that its sale will enable all outstanding debts to be met." Prince Andrew's royal debt news comes after reports that the royal family will no longer review his retirement from public life after stepping back from duties "for the foreseeable future" in 2019 over his toxic relationship with pedophile friend Jeffrey Epstein. According to The Sun, Queen Elizabeth II allege not to see "a way back" for her favorite son, and the royal family has no plans to review his position. The Duke of York originally planned to make a return, but his hopes have been crushed. As per royal sources, they describe Prince Andrew as a "busted flush" whose presence is now called as "toxic." Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew scandal Epstein's alleged sex slave, Virginia Roberts, claims that she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew three times when she was a teenager. However, Prince Andrew denied her claims. Because of the scandal and the disastrous Newsnight interview, he was forced to quit as a senior royal last year and gave up most of his charitable commitments after his patronages decided to cut ties with him. Prince Andrew was also forced to renounce his military commands. The FBI has reached out to the prince for an interview, but according to them, Prince Andrew is not cooperating at all. READ MORE: Prince Andrew Scandal: Queen Elizabeth's Son Hiding Jeffrey Epstein Crime Information, Butler Says London: Britain's Queen's Elizabeth II, who has been self-isolating with husband Prince Philip at Windsor Castle in south-east England during the coronavirus lockdown, has been seen outdoors for the first time riding a horse. The 94-year-old monarch, who is a keen rider and horse lover, was pictured on a 14-year-old Fell Pony called Balmoral Fern in the sprawling grounds of her royal residence in Berkshire over the weekend. Wearing a colourful headscarf and smartly dressed in a tweed jacket, jodhpurs, white gloves and boots, the Queen can be seen in the new photographs taken by the Press Association riding to enjoy the pleasant sunny weather. The last public picture of the Queen was taken as she was driven away from Buckingham Palace in London to the castle on March 19, days before the UK went into official lockdown on March 23 to control the transmission of the deadly virus. She has been staying in her private apartments at the castle with a few key household staff who have been isolating with her and her 98-year-old husband. The monarch has made two rare televised addresses to the nation during the lockdown ? the first a speech to at the peak of the lockdown with a message of we will meet again and another on a similar theme last month to mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, which marked the end of World War II. She continues to work remotely while in lockdown and has held her weekly audience with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the telephone. The royals have been using online communications, such as Zoom and Facetime, to stay in contact with the rest of the family, isolating in different parts of the UK. In April, she marked her 94th birthday privately at Windsor Castle after she had cancelled all forms of public celebration amid the coronavirus lockdown. For the first time in her 68-year reign, the monarch said there would be no gun salutes in the royal parks around the country or any other form of celebration. The customary Trooping the Colour parade, which annually marks her official birthday celebrations in early June, had already been cancelled as the lockdown came into force. More than 4.2 million coronavirus tests have been carried out in the UK, and the government has now put in place a strict lockdown in an attempt to deal with the pandemic, according to the Telegraph. Every area of the UK has been affected, with London facing the biggest peak. The number of confirmed UK cases has hit 274,762, while the total number of deaths is 38,489. [June 01, 2020] GenCanna Global Charts New Path as Leading CBD Company GenCanna Global USA, Inc. ("GCG" or the "Company") today announced that it has received approval from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky to sell substantially all of its assets to funds managed by its long-term investor, MGG Investment Group ("MGG"). This transaction will enable GenCanna to maintain its operations in Kentucky as a leading standalone CBD and wellness business with significantly reduced debt and substantial new capital to pursue growth opportunities. In conjunction with the completion of the sale to MGG, GenCanna has appointed veteran executive Andrew Barnett as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. "I am pleased to join GenCanna at this critical time in its evolution and look forward to stewarding the Company into its next chapter," said Mr. Barnett. "GenCanna's industry-leading technology and deep customer focus will enable it to continue to deliver great products, especially at a time when consumers are increasingly aware of and incorporating high-quality CBD into their health and wellness routines. Today, GenCanna is a stronger, better capitalized, and more competitive company that is poised to further its leadership position in the still emerging hemp industry." "GenCanna is a proud Kentucky-bred business and has a bright future under Andrew's leadership," said Matty Mangone Miranda, Founder of GenCanna, who will continue to serve as an advisor to the Company. "Importantly, I would like to thank GCG's employees, vendors, partners and farmers, as well as MGG, for their support throughout this process." Mr. Barnett has spent his career overseeing the strategic, operational and financial needs of private and publicly held companies, from start-up to mature enterprises, in healthcare and wellness, retail, manufacturing, and distribution. He has seved in various C-suite roles as well as a consultant to operating company management, lenders and investors. Mr. Barnett holds a BBA from Emory University and attended the New York University Stern School of Business. Huron Consulting Services LLC has served as operational advisor, Jefferies LLC has served as financial advisor, and Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP along with Dentons Bingham Greenebaum LLP have served as the Company's legal counsel. ABOUT GENCANNA GLOBAL, INC. GenCanna is a vertically integrated agriculture-technology company specializing in the production of hemp rich in CBD. Committed to helping farmers farm, the GenCanna Certified Farming Network ensures a compliant, consistent supply of hemp-derived products grown on accredited U.S. family farms. GenCanna's seed-to-shelf chain of custody is built with the industry's strictest compliance standards (BRC, cGMP) and links the farmers directly to the finished goods. Founded in 2014, as an inaugural member of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture's Industrial Hemp Pilot Program, the company is a longstanding industry pioneer. GenCanna works closely with state universities, consumer protection agencies, and other regulatory bodies driving key industry standards and legislation. Consistent extraction methods and innovative processing technologies ensure GenCanna production processes exceed all regulatory standards for FDA registered and inspected food production facilities (learn more at https://gencanna.com/compliance/). The GenCanna Production Platform assures standardized, repeatable quality from farm to finished product. GenCanna is a founding board member of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable. Launched in early 2017, the U.S. Hemp Roundtable is a coalition of over 70 hemp companies - representing every link of the product chain, from seed to sale - and all of the industry's major national grassroots organizations. The U.S. Hemp Roundtable has secured the passage of bipartisan legislation in the U.S. Congress that established hemp federally as an agricultural commodity, permanently removing it from regulation as a controlled substance. ABOUT MGG INVESTMENT GROUP LP Founded in 2014, MGG Investment Group is a private direct lending investment firm that provides bespoke financing solutions to mid-size and growing lower-middle market companies. MGG works with owners and management teams to help build lasting value, address immediate needs, and solve complex situations while generating attractive risk-adjusted returns for investors irrespective of and through market cycles. For more information, visit www.mgginv.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005279/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Put scientists before miners' data Surely Premier Gladys Berejiklian will listen to the many experts who are calling for a halt to longwall mining in the Greater Sydney water catchment. ("Scientists plead for end to mining of coal in catchments", June 1). The miners are unwilling to allow access to their questionable data which raises grave fears about their poor quality monitoring systems. "Disappearing creeks, bulging valleys, a shifting dam wall" are seriously terrifying. The Department of Planning has already given permission for extraction of coal from under the Woronora reservoir. This is madness. The coal lobby should not be allowed to win out over the knowledge of informed scientists. We cannot compromise our valuable water systems for the sake of a dying coal industry. - Liz Macfie, Crows Nest The open letter from the 21 scientists highlights the problems with our current assessment and approval process, which is basically "mine, ignore scientific concerns or sideline them with claims of rigorous self-monitoring, and beg forgiveness when irreversible damage occurs". Planning Minister Rob Stokes said that "we have every measure in place to protect Sydney's water supply". With all the evidence before him, this means that he'll be immediately following the recommendations of the 21 scientists and academics and stop all the horrific destruction in our water catchment area, right? - Winnie Fu, Kensington Countless studies and years of documented physical, chemical and biological damage to rivers, tributaries, swamps and even a dam wall have demonstrated why we should be far more cautious in looking after our drinking water catchments and ecosystems. A leader such as our Premier might enunciate the value of more state efforts to advance a hydrogen economy to replace greenhouse-causing coal in steel-making. At the very least, she should learn from successful COVID-19 management practices to follow the wise counsel of scientists in freezing mine works of both new or expanded workings until negligible impacts can be guaranteed. - Gary Schoer, Oatley Despite all the money and resources that Rio has, it is simply not possible to replace what has been destroyed forever ("Rio 'sorry' for blasting ancient Pilbara art site", June 1). On the same page in today's Herald, scientists plead for coal mining to end in Sydney's catchment areas. Longwall mining close to and under streams that feed Sydney's reservoirs result in cracking and subsidence of surface terrain and large amounts of water never reach the reservoirs. Our government is granting approval for expansion of these mines that will inevitably result in more damage to these streams. As in the Pilbara, it is impossible to repair the damage cracks below the streams cannot be plugged. The damage is permanent. Coalmining in this area has to stop now. - Mike Titus, Keiraville Relaxed rules not shared evenly NSW is opening up again and going to galleries, museums and restaurants is now possible. Yet the over 70s are still being advised to stay home where possible ("The Home Front: Health and Safety", June 1). Many people in this age group have few underlying medical conditions and have money to spend and time in which to spend it. Surely it is time to let us out of isolation if we are well. - Sally James, Russell Lea I'd like to know why only eight people can swim in an Olympic pool covering an area of 1250 sq m. Most pools can't operate under current rules of one person per lane, and those that can don't have enough slots for everyone. I've contacted council, my state MP, my federal MP, and swimming associations but all I get is quoted policy with no supporting information. - David Stickley, Westleigh We can still have just five visitors in our houses and, yet, when I phoned Service NSW, they informed me that, as of yesterday, an Airbnb can have as many guests as the house can sleep. I'm sure they will all be responsible and maintain the 1.5m. - Susan Griffiths, Gerroa Servants to the public Kottapadi Karunakaran (Letters, June 1) suggests public servants should be grateful that they had secure jobs during the lockdown and accept with cheerful insouciance the pay freeze that the state government has imposed. Perhaps he is talking about teachers, who developed distance learning from scratch, then faced an abrupt reversal with arcane staging of return to school and now full reopening. Or the nurses and aged care workers asked to work without adequate PPE or proper training but nevertheless put in harm's way. Or our bus drivers, whose jobs and conditions are under threat as the whole government fleet is turned over to private operators. - Marjorie Sutcliffe, The Rocks $1000 for public servants except for one who got $87,000. Sound fair? I think not ("$1000 in cash to sweeten pay freeze", June 1). - Denis Suttling, Newport Beach Asian alliance A country in flames, a death toll exceeding 100,000, an infection rate exceeding 1,000,000, a president openly urging violence against his fellow citizens. I'm not so sure of American exceptionalism any more and I worry about Australia's frequent habit of aping the behaviours of the US ("As a nation needs reassurance, its President dreams of bloodshed", June 1). We certainly can't look back to Britain for a lead and China's model is anathema to every thinking person. The time has come for us to work with other middle-ranking Asian countries, including New Zealand, to forge an independent, mutually beneficial, respectful alliance that builds economic, cultural and political stability, conscious of difference but united in seeking a better world than that led by the current corrupted "great" powers. - Wayne Duncombe, Glebe Scott Morrison, speaking about the death of George Floyd when in police custody, voiced appropriate shock: "That, also, just made me cringe. I just think to myself, how wonderful a country is Australia?" What of the death of David Dungay in 2015 ("Fury as prison guards avoid charges", November 23-24, 2019), and other black deaths in custody in Australia? Do they also make him cringe? - Jim Rogers, Point Frederick Make builders pay The reform of the building construction industry is progressing at a snail's pace ("Watchdog's new powers over builders", June 1). There is still little protection, if any, for purchasers buying faulty apartments. The Design and Practitioners Bill is claimed to allow "owners to sue those involved in the construction of buildings with defects". As if apartment owners, mortgaged to the hilt, have the resources to take on the mega-legal departments of the construction industry, which will bury them in legal proceedings. Wouldn't legislation requiring the builder/developer to have proper insurance against building defects be a better and quicker way of providing buyer protection? - Val Brizga, North Wollongong Enough with the secrecy The PM and his Attorney-General refuse to apologise over their robo-debt mess because of "ongoing legal matters" ("Payouts for robo-debt 'could top $1b'", June 1). It got me thinking about all the excuses this government has used to avoid scrutiny. Ongoing inquiries, royal commissions, cabinet confidentiality, commercial in confidence, privacy, national security and operational matters have all been used in recent years to help the government avoid scrutiny or hide policy failure, cruelty, controversy, ineptitude and corruption. All opinion surveys in recent years have clearly indicated the public's growing distrust of politicians. If politicians really want us to trust them, they must change. In Australian democracy, open, honest discourse, not secrecy, must be the default setting. - Peter Hull, Hat Head Of course, the government has not been negligent in relation to robo-debt. They did it on purpose. It is like the difference between an accident and an assault. - James Gralton, Garran (ACT) Pyrmont to Parra There might not be much open space for all those residents in the new 1160 Pyrmont fish market apartments ("Concerns at bayside high-rise plan", June 1), but at least they can hop on the new metro to visit the Powerhouse Museum, in Parramatta. - Ian MacDonald, Newport Unis' mumbo jumbo Thanks to Simon Tedeschi (Letters, June 1) for highlighting the creeping ascendancy of postmodernism in university courses. Over 36 years teaching in universities, I saw this anti-science, anti-empiricist, anti-truth ideology dominate curricula and corrupt valid assessment. I saw whole faculties ban graded assessments for pass/fail only results, and formal exams disappear. Academic analysis became "deconstruction" and opposition to the dogma became the "hegemony of positivist revisionists". Mumbo jumbo, all of it, but it ruled and still does. - Peter Russell, Coogee Grounds for chagrin Why can't the professional NRL pay for the upgrade of their own club grounds ("NRL's ultimatum: Up to four boutique stadiums in or Sydney grand final out", June 1)? Why is it that the state government (and ultimately us) have to pay for the upgrade of club grounds used solely by NRL teams? - Helen Simpson, Curl Curl Beyond Jonestown An immediate benefit to NSW, following Alan Jones' retirement? One less level of approval required for major decisions. - Eric Viana, Denistone Political amnesia I take it Peter V'landys is the NSW cabinet's latest member with responsibility for directing investment and infrastructure. It might be the virus, but I just don't remember the byelection. - Don Smith, Ashfield Detour to Damascus Amanda Vanstone concerned for workers instead of childcare corporations ("We're paying for childcare that parents don't want", June 1)? Tom Switzer suspecting possible racial disharmony in Trump's America ("Trump fans the flames of resentment", June 1)? I'll be closely watching which direction the sun is setting this week. - Tony Doyle, Fairy Meadow Seeing Switzer seemingly decry the President has me wondering whether he has had a genuine epiphany or is simply an example of the proverbial fleeing of the sinking ship. - Nick Andrews, Bellevue Hill Bail to the chief I wonder how many Americans would like to live in unpresidented times. - Paul Keir, Concord "Jessies skills and experience provide tremendous value to our clients and her creativity is an asset to Red Banyan, said Founder and CEO Evan Nierman. She is a talented graphic designer who exhibits the rare ability to deliver excellent work at rapid speeds." Red Banyan, a specialized consulting firm focused on managing complex, high-stakes communications issues, has hired graphics specialist Jessica Shokler as Senior Graphic Designer. Based in Fort Lauderdale, Shokler is responsible for all design projects, from conception to delivery, ensuring clients receive creative and thoughtfully executed deliverables ahead of deadline. Shokler brings a complex skillset to the position, with project management experience and the ability to translate the firms clients vision into reality. Jessica began her career in the advertising industry and has worked for a diverse set of clients, from small companies and start-ups to large corporations and major non-profits. Jessica earned a bachelors degree in visual communications, along with a certificate in strategic communications, from Ohio University. Jessies skills and experience provide tremendous value to our clients and her creativity is an asset to Red Banyan, said Founder and CEO Evan Nierman. She is a talented graphic designer who exhibits the rare ability to deliver excellent work at rapid speeds. Since its launch in late 2010, Red Banyan has continued to expand, establishing itself as one of the leading crisis PR agencies in the United States. With offices in South Florida, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, Red Banyan provides crisis management, litigation support, media relations and other strategic communications services to a variety of national and international clients. About Red Banyan Red Banyan is a specialized communications firm and crisis management firm focused on solving complex, highly sensitive and mission-critical communications challenges. Specializing in crisis communications, corporate public relations, government relations, and legal PR, Red Banyan provides an integrated approach to communications rooted in strategy. Learn more at http://www.redbanyan.com, become a fan on the Red Banyan Facebook page and follow the firm on Twitter and LinkedIn. Microsoft's Edge last month posted its first ever double-digit browser share, while Google's Chrome slid for the third month straight. Mozilla's Firefox once again held steady, keeping its head above water. According to data published Sunday by California-based metrics company Net Applications, Edge's October share climbed by 1.4 percentage points, ending the month at 10.2%, the first time Microsoft's browser broke through that psychologically important barrier. The gain was the largest ever for Edge in a single month, almost double that of the previous record set in December 2019. The increase was so large that it immediately raised suspicions that it was a miscount by Net Applications rather than a reflection of reality. Bolstering that was an even greater boost to the share of Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE), the obsolete browser the Redmond, Wash. company has started to strip of some of its support. IE's share for October 5.6% was 1.7 points higher than the month prior, a jump so out of character as to be unbelievable. Edge's gain was understandable, at least. Microsoft relaunched that 2015 browser earlier this year when it recast Edge with the Google-dominated Chromium technology, the same that powers Chrome. Not only did Microsoft make Edge a Chrome copy, but it also expanded support to versions of Windows other than 10, as well as macOS and, more recently, Linux. Since January, Edge has slowly been adding share; 3.2 points since the Chromium-based Edge went final in the Stable channel. In the past 12 months, Edge has gained 4.1 percentage points, for an average of a third of a point per month. At that pace, Edge should sit at almost 11% by year's end and at 15% by December 2021. Of course, that assumes Edge can maintain growth, which in turn requires one or more rivals continues to give up share. The most likely loser? Chrome, mostly because of its titanic share but also because Edge is, well, Chrome wearing a different outfit. Microsoft's launch of Windows 10 20H2 the H2 signifying the year's second feature upgrade last month may assist Edge as it continues to climb: 20H2 includes Chromium Edge. That should accelerate the replacement of original Edge, the version introduced in mid-2015 that ran only on Windows 10, with the sounder Chromium browser. Chrome down for third consecutive month Chrome dumped seven-tenths of a percentage point in October, falling back to 69.3%. The decline was the third in as many months, an unusual run that's occurred only four times in the browser's 15 years. (The last time it happened before this was in September-December 2019.) Whenever Chrome suffers losses in two or more straight months, it's tempting to wonder whether the browser has peaked. Computerworld has tentatively pegged more than a couple such milestones before but been proven wrong each time. The browser could easily bounce back as it has before. Computerworld's latest forecast as always, based on Chrome's 12-month average stayed with growth, albeit pared significantly from 30 days ago. Chrome should return to 70% by March 2021 and reach 71% by September 2022. (The latter was three months later than last month's forecast, showing how present declines quickly impact future gains.) Edge remains Chrome's most dangerous competitor, primarily and this is Google's own doing to some degree because the former is the latter, what with both relying on Chromium. But Microsoft has cards to play here that Google cannot match; Microsoft will leverage its enterprise management reputation and expertise in an attempt to wean commercial customers from Google's browser. Microsoft's strategy, then, would be the opposite of Google's. The latter pushed Chrome to consumers until its share reached tipping point, and employees demanded the right to run the same browser they'd become familiar with at home. Microsoft would instead hope to win over business users in the expectation that they might want to run the same browser on home PCs, tablets or even phones. Firefox: Not dead yet! Firefox didn't move its share needle last month; it stayed at the same 7.2% mark it earned in September. That meant Firefox didn't gain any ground. It also meant it didn't lose any, probably its most important goal for now and the foreseeable future. Mozilla's browser also stuck to the bad news forecast of last month, although Computerworld's current prediction puts it under 6% in August 2021, two months later than last month's estimate. At its 12-month rate of decline, Firefox will dip below 5% in May 2022. Elsewhere in Net Applications' numbers, Apple's Safari slumped by two-tenths of a percentage point in October, sliding to 3.4%. Opera Software's Opera fell by a slightly-larger three-tenths of a point to end the month at an all-time low of seven-tenths of a point. Net Applications calculates share by detecting the agent strings of the browsers used to reach the websites of Net Applications' clients. The company counts visitor sessions to measure browser activity. Or it used to. At the same time it published October's share numbers, Net Applications announced that it's pulling the plug on the data source. "October 2020 is the last month of data," the firm said. "Why? An upcoming change in browsers will break our device detection technology and will cause inaccuracies for a long period of time." The change Net Applications cited would remove much of the agent string information used not only to compile analytics such as browser and operating system share, but also by advertisers and/or scammers to "fingerprint" individuals so that they can be more thoroughly tracked as they conduct their online lives. Computerworld has not yet decided whether to continue the "Top web browsers" series, and if so, which alternate data source might be used. Stay tuned. - The patient, a truck driver, had just returned from Kenya where he had supplied pineapples when he was diagnosed with the respiratory disease - After receiving his test results, he disappeared fearing he was going to be hospitalised for a long time - A high voltage search that enlisted services of the police and army was mounted and he was found hiding in the ceiling of a local primary school - As of Sunday, May 31, Ugandas COVID-19 cases were 417 with no fatalities while Kenya's count had topped 1,962 with 64 deaths Security agencies in Uganda were over the weekend forced to launch a high voltage search for a COVID-19 patient who went missing shortly after receiving his results. The patient, a truck driver, had just returned to Kayunga District in the neighbouring country after transporting pineapples to Kenya when he was diagnosed with the disease. READ ALSO: Kenyan newspapers review for June 1: Ruto expected to meet Uhuru as country marks Madaraka Day Soldiers outside Namagabi Secondary School in Uganda. The institution is hosting people suspected to have come in contact with COVID-19 patients. Photo: Daily Monitor. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Meru: Police force man to spend night at police station with wife's corpse Kayunga resident district commissioner, Kikomeko Mwanamwoiza, said the contact tracing team had searched for the 30-year-old man but all efforts bore no fruits; compelling authorities to enlist services of the army and police. "When the results revealed he was positive, the medical team in Kayunga was informed and given details of the case. However, efforts to get him to the hospital for treatment proved futile as we could not locate him. His relatives also said they didn't know his whereabouts," Mwanamwoiza was quoted by Uganda based Daily Monitor. READ ALSO: Mume amtoroka mkewe baada ya kujifungua mapacha walioungana READ ALSO: Haki yetu: Kenyan man leads protest in US after killing of George Floyd On Saturday, May 30, the team received intelligence the trucker had been spotted around a local primary school carrying food. The security officers and medics moved in swiftly, surrounded all perimeters of the learning institution and keenly combed through every inch in search of the driver. Fortunately, he was discovered hiding in a ceiling in one of the rooms complete with a mattress, plates and cups, perhaps to quarantine himself. "The police and army surrounded the school and later mounted a search in all buildings and later found him hiding in the ceiling with a mattress, cups and plates," Kayunga District Police Commander John Lukooto told reporters. When questioned on why he chose to go into hiding, the patient said he feared being hospitalised since other patients were being isolated for a very long time before being discharged. He was admitted to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital where he is receiving treatment while relatives who came in contact with him were quarantined at Kayunga Hospital. As of Sunday, May 31, Ugandas COVID-19 cases had hit 417 and among them were seven frontline health workers. With no COVID-19 related fatalities, Uganda had at least 72 people who had been discharged from the hospital. Kenya, on the other hands, had recorded 1,962 cases; 478 were recoveries and 64 deaths. 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. Why I beat my own mother- Lucy Nyawira | Tuko Talks | Tuko TV. Source: TUKO.co.ke TWO teenage boys have created a website to review the best Lego sets while raising money for children affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Frankie George, from Highmoor, and Toran Harrison, from Fawley, both 14, have developed The Daily Lego, which reviews the latest toy sets and prices. The boys are raising money for Children in Need as 75 per cent of referral commissions from Amazon Associates are being donated to the charity. The idea started when Frankie decided he wanted to use his spare time during the lockdown to develop a business. After researching ways for teenagers to make money, he came across the Amazon Associates programme. The scheme encourages third parties to develop marketing strategies to drive traffic and sales on Amazon. It allows users to promote nearly any product on Amazon and the company pays affiliates for each time someone clicks on a link and is redirected to the Amazon sales page for the product being promoted. Sales are rewarded with commission of up to 12 per cent. Frankie, who attends Ibstock Place School in London, said: I have been fascinated by the business world my entire life. The never-ending possibilities are exciting. I started my first business when I was six and started selling sweets. The Daily Lego is my most recent. I have been a Lego enthusiast since I was very young but I have always struggled to find the right Lego set. That is why I have created a tool for all Lego fans; an easy and enjoyable way to find the appropriate Lego set in terms of price, theme and features. It was a big treat for me to get a Lego set and I would spend hours trying to find the right one. I wanted to make that easier. In the circumstances of the lockdown I really wanted to create something new because I was at home and had some free time. I also have a passion for helping others, which is why I am donating 75 per cent of all referral earnings to Children in Need. It supports 3,000 charities for children so we can ensure we are helping children, particularly during the challenges presented through covid-19, such as abuse, hunger and mental health issues. Frankie decided to ask Toran, who attends Wellington College in Crowthorne, to help expand the concept. He was able to make The Daily Legos content broader by creating an entire page dedicated to Lego Ninjago. Torans page attracted even more readers to the site. Frankie has reviewed sets including Star Wars, Ninjago and Marvel. Almost 2,000 people visited the site in the first three days. For more information, visit www.thedailylego.com Saudi activist reveals formation of opposition council to oust crown prince Iran Press TV Sunday, 31 May 2020 1:23 PM A Saudi activist has revealed the formation of a coordinating council by the kingdom's distinguished opposition figures and political dissidents, including three senior members of the royal family, in order to remove Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) from power. "The coordinating council of the Saudi opposition comprises of 18 members, including three princes. This council neither does call for sit-ins, nor civil disobedience and armed struggle. Its activities are rather limited to correspondence with world leaders as well as international bodies," the Qatar-based and Arabic-language al-Jazeera news network, citing Abdul Rahman al-Suhaimi as saying in a video published on YouTube, reported on Sunday. Suhaimi added that parliaments in Muslim countries, Persian Gulf littoral states, members of the US Congress and House of Representatives, as well as members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have been contacted in this regard. He further noted that the council supports Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to assume the Mandate of the Covenant and come to power as the crown prince with the goal of making Saudi Arabia a state of institutions and a constitutional kingdom, where there will be an elected parliament. "We call on King Salman to remove his son from all positions, including the Mandate of the Covenant, and to appoint Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz to the post. A total of 17 Muslim countries have already voiced their support for our cause, but we expect King Salman to be the initiator," Suhaimi pointed out. The report come as a number of prominent jailed Saudi royals and their allies have reportedly hired influential lobbyists in the US to establish links with President Donald Trump's circle and push for an end to "political persecution" by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while he is busy dealing with a coronavirus-related economic crisis in the kingdom. According to a report published by The New York Times on May 19, allies of several jailed Saudis have contacted Washington lawyers and consultants during the past few weeks, and mounted legal, lobbying and public relations campaigns as part of efforts to end what they term as political persecution by the kingdom's 34-year-old de facto ruler. Allies of imprisoned Saudi dissidents and their Washington representatives hope to pressure MbS through some combination of lobbying and public relations efforts to highlight the dire situation of human rights in Saudi Arabia and possible legal action in international courts in a bid to secure their release. Earlier this year, bin Salman launched a new campaign of arrests against royals over an alleged coup attempt to unseat him and his father King Salman, sparking yet another outcry from human rights organizations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address BAY CITY, MI - The Saginaw River waterfront in Bay City will look quite different this year during the Fourth of July, with no spectacular bursts of color from fireworks reflecting on the waters surface. Doug Clark announced Monday, June 1, that the fireworks board has decided to officially cancel the 2020 Bay City Fireworks Festival due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a board we decided that it was better for us this year to just cancel the Bay City Fireworks festival as a whole. Unfortunately, were all obviously very saddened by that, we love this event this is a great event for the community," said Clark, president of the festival. Clark explained that the very nature of Bay Citys event is something that made the logistics and finances of holding the event difficult to work out this year. The Bay City Fireworks Festival involves events like carnivals and camping and requires the coordination of numerous different groups and individuals to make it work. For example, Clark said that the carnival industry is suffering greatly this year. He explained that it would be virtually impossible for Skerbeck Carnival, which is the group that setup and runs the carnival each year at the Bay City Fireworks Festival, to attend event and still be able to make it profitable for them to haul all of their equipment to town. The entire event is where we raise funds to make it possible to be able to shoot a fireworks display, he said. "With that being said, theres not a possibility for us to have all of the different entities of the Bay City Fireworks Festival come together to be able to afford to be able to shoot a fireworks display. Consideration for the local business community was also taken into account as the board made the decision to cancel the event. While Clark acknowledged that the cancellation will affect area businesses adversely, he explained that businesses were struggling as it is and that asking them for donations would put undue pressure on them. All these area businesses are a part of the fireworks festival funding as well, he said. "They donate to the festival and we couldnt in good conscious ask them to donate to this event when theyre struggling themselves from this closure that theyre all suffering from right now. Despite no official show going on, the Bay City Fireworks Festival board partnered together with Wolverine Fireworks, the entity responsible for creating the colorful shows over the Saginaw River each year, to come up with a way to keep the community connected over the upcoming holiday. Clark explained that Wolverine Fireworks will be selling three pack cakes of Class C Michigan legal fireworks for $100, with a portion of the sale being donated back to the festival. Those who buy the cakes and others in the area are being asked to tune into 96.1 FM at 10:10 p.m. for a community-based mini-show of sorts. The broadcast will start with the national anthem and continue with patriotic music. At the end of the anthem at 10:02, people are being asked to light of their fireworks. As soon as the national anthem is over with, we ask everyone to light their show off so there will be fireworks going off all over Bay County at 10:12 on the 4th of July just as if you were here in Bay City watching them during the fireworks," said Clark. Those interested in buying the firework cakes are asked to call either 989-280-1591 or 989-329-0390. As for 2021, Clark is determined to have the festival return with a bang. McLaren Bay Region joined in as the 2021 presenting sponsorship for the event and Clark explained that the Bay City Fireworks Festival Board is planning to do something to pay homage to front line workers. Were going to be doing something very special next year. Several of the board members and I have talked about paying a tribute to all the front-line workers that put their lives on the line and really busted their tail this year during this pandemic and are still doing so, he said. Related news: Great Lakes Bay Pride festival moves online with virtual pride celebration Hundreds of students get scholarships through Bay Area Community Foundation Bay City River of Time festival canceled for 2020 Walleyes for Warriors fishing event for veterans canceled due to coronavirus concerns Bay Port Fish Sandwich Festival canceled as Caseville clings to hope for Cheeseburger Festival ALTON Illinois American Water announced today that results published in the companys 2019 water quality report indicate excellent water quality throughout its Illinois service area. The report, which is issued for each service area, highlights the companys commitment to providing drinking water that meets or is better than standards required by the Environmental Protection Agency. Also known as the Consumer Confidence Report, the water quality report describes local drinking water source information and test results, including all substances detected in the water and their levels. Commonly asked questions and the associated answers concerning drinking water are also included. Illinois American Water customers can search for their local water quality report by zip code at www.illinoisamwater.com under Water Quality. Two Chinese students walk on the campus of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California, the United States, June 3, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Ying) BEIJING, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump that he is considering revoking the visas of thousands of Chinese students is nothing short of sheer politicization of educational exchanges between the two countries. By using lies and innuendos, the Trump administration is destroying trust between China and the United States. For months, some U.S. politicians have been scapegoating China to shirk responsibilities for an incompetent COVID-19 response amid rising public criticism. Now they have again breached the bottom line. It is shameless to wantonly restrict and repress Chinese students in the United States to meet political goals. Prohibiting entry of Chinese students and researchers into the United States broke the U.S. leadership's promise of welcoming Chinese students who want to pursue studies there. The U.S. leader said his country would take good care of Chinese people living in the United States, including Chinese students, during a phone call between the two countries' heads of state on March 27. Apparently, the U.S. side is planning to renege on its own words. More seriously, such a racist move exposes deep-seated zero-sum game mindset and Cold-War mentality of some U.S. politicians. It resembles the anti-Communism narratives in the times of McCarthyism in the late 1940s and 1950s in the United States. Adopting the old tactics of hyping up "espionage" theory, some U.S. politicians attempt to create an atmosphere of fear in the educational sector and could make anyone the target of persecution on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations. Were the U.S. side to adopt measures harming Chinese students' rights and interests, it would be brazen political persecution and racial discrimination and a grave violation of human rights. The move also runs counter to the ideals of openness and freedom that the United States claims to be the champion of. In face of the wrong deeds by the United States, China will definitely take necessary steps to safeguard its students' rights and interests in accordance with law. The educational restriction is the latest evidence of how low and paranoid the current administration has sunk. It is a warning signal that selfish and narrow-minded politicians are leading the United States into an era when racism and ideological manipulation resurrect. The U.S. public should be cautious as the current administration is stealing their future. A $2 million US lobbying effort and petitions from European lawmakers are piling pressure on Saudi Arabia to release a philanthropist prince jailed for two years without charge amid an intensifying royal crackdown. The detention of Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz and his father since January 2018 is part of a clampdown under de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that has ensnared not just potential rivals but also figures posing no visible challenge to his hold on power. The dangerous power plays have also swept up family members of Saad Aljabri, a former aide to another detained prince and top intelligence official, who fled to Canada and holds key state secrets. The most unlikely target is Prince Salman, a multilingual 37-year-old educated at Paris's Sorbonne University, who apparently espoused no political ambitions and earned a reputation of being a "walking blank check" for funding development projects in poor countries. "This is not just an unlawful arrest," an associate of the prince told AFP. "This is daylight kidnapping. This is a forced disappearance." After being detained for around a year in the high-security Al-Ha'ir prison near Riyadh and later in a private villa with his father Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the prince was moved to a secret detention site in March, multiple sources told AFP. He was mysteriously returned to the villa last week to be reunited with his father, three of those sources said. It remains unclear why he was moved to the secret site. His telephone calls to his family are monitored by Saudi intelligence, the sources said. But his return may be a tentative sign that international pressure for his release is working. Saudi authorities did not respond to a request for comment on the case. - Pressure campaign - A delegation from the European Parliament implored Saudi authorities to release detained royals including Prince Salman during a visit to Riyadh in February, according to a source and an internal report of the tour seen by AFP. Saudi Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz (R) seen in this 2017 picture greeting the mayor of the German city of Dresden has been detained by Saudi authorities for two years without charge / A friend of Saudi Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz/AFP "The European Parliament already asked for information about the case in a letter addressed... to the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which (remains) unanswered," Marc Tarabella, a vice chairman of the parliament's delegation for relations with the Arab peninsula, wrote to the European Commission. "I would like to ask you to raise this issue... with the highest relevant authorities in Saudi Arabia appealing for Prince Salman's release. "I remain confident that the release would positively impact the relations of the European Parliament with Saudi Arabia," he wrote. Separately, leading Washington lobbyist Robert Stryk's Sonoran Policy Group signed a $2 million contract in May to advocate for the prince's release "with the governments of the United States, United Kingdom, France, and the European Union", according to a US justice department filing seen by AFP. Stryk, known to have close connections with the administration of US President Donald Trump -- an ally of Prince Mohammed -- was recruited by Hashim Mughal, a Paris-based confidant of Prince Salman, according to the filing. A source described Mughal, a Pakistani national, as the prince's former financial advisor who raised $2 million from his personal wealth and by tapping the influential royal's friends. The international effort is a gamble that could backfire in a kingdom whose authoritarian rulers are strongly averse to public criticism. But as private appeals to the rulers go unheeded, the campaign may be the only hope at a time when the kingdom is grappling with a coronavirus-led economic slump and amid unease in Washington with Prince Mohammed's aggressive policies. - 'Game of thrones' - Prince Salman is among a wave of royals detained as Prince Mohammed, known as MBS, eliminates potential rivals to amass power unseen by previous rulers. In March, authorities arrested the Saudi king's brother Prince Ahmed and nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who was edged out as heir to the throne by MBS in 2017. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia under whose watch the kingdom has cracked down on potential rivals and critics / AFP/File Two adult children and a brother of Saad Aljabri, once a senior aide to Prince Nayef, were also detained in March, with a source close to the family calling them "victims of a Saudi game of thrones". Aljabri, exiled in Canada, earlier attempted to get his children to leave Saudi Arabia but authorities had placed them under a travel ban, the source told AFP. Princess Basmah bint Saud, another royal perceived to be close to Prince Nayef, has been jailed in Al-Ha'ir for a year without charge along with her daughter. Her family lost all contact with the princess after they posted a desperate Twitter appeal for her release in April, a source has told AFP. More baffling is the detention of Prince Salman, whose non-political philanthropic work makes him an unlikely rival to MBS. What may have rankled the royal court is the prince's meeting with Congressman Adam Schiff, a Democrat and Trump critic, just before US elections in 2016. His associates say "nothing political" was discussed. Schiff's office told AFP he does not recall specifics of the discussion but they may have talked about "Saudi Arabia generally". "Those who pushed for this arrest gravely misread US politics," Kirsten Fontenrose, a former White House official responsible for policy towards Saudi Arabia and now with the Atlantic Council, told AFP. "Jailing someone for meeting with a vocal Democrat will only make it more difficult for Trump to maintain close ties to the Saudi ruling family leading up to the US election. "And it will certainly come back to bite the kingdom if the next administration is led by Democrats." Antifa, a contraction of anti-fascist, is not an organisation with a leader, a defined structure or membership roles. Rather, antifa is more of a movement of activists whose followers share a philosophy and tactics Seeking to assign blame for the protests that have convulsed cities across the country, President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States would designate antifa, the loosely affiliated group of Far-Left anti-fascism activists, a terrorist organisation. The presidents critics noted, however, that the United States does not have a domestic terrorism law and that antifa, a contraction of anti-fascist, is not an organisation with a leader, a defined structure or membership roles. Rather, antifa is more of a movement of activists whose followers share a philosophy and tactics. They have made their presence known at protests around the country in recent years, including the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. Who are the members of antifa? It is impossible to know how many people count themselves as members. Its followers acknowledge that the movement is secretive, has no official leaders and is organised into autonomous local cells. It is also only one in a constellation of activist movements that have come together in the past few years to oppose the Far Right. Antifa members campaign against actions they view as authoritarian, homophobic, racist or xenophobic. Although antifa is not affiliated with other movements on the Left and is sometimes viewed as a distraction by other organisers its members sometimes work with other local activist networks that are rallying around the same issues, such as the Occupy movement or Black Lives Matter. What are its goals? Supporters generally seek to stop what they see as fascist, racist and far-right groups from having a platform to promote their views, arguing that public demonstration of those ideas leads to the targeting of marginalised people, including racial minorities, women and members of the LGBTQ community. The argument is that militant anti-fascism is inherently self-defence because of the historically documented violence that fascists pose, especially to marginalised people, said Mark Bray, a history lecturer at Dartmouth College and the author of Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook. Many antifa organisers also participate in more peaceful forms of community organising, but they believe that using violence is justified because of their views that if racist or fascist groups are allowed to organise freely, it will inevitably result in violence against marginalised communities, said Bray, whose defence of the anti-fascist movement has incited criticism and generated support at Dartmouth. When did the movement begin? Although the Merriam-Webster dictionary says the word antifa was first used in 1946 and was borrowed from a German phrase signalling opposition to Nazism, more people began joining the movement in the United States after the 2016 election of Trump to counter the threat they believed was posed by the so-called alt-right, Bray said. One of the first US groups to use the name was Rose City Antifa, which says it was founded in 2007 in Portland, Oregon. It has a large following on social media, where it shares news articles and sometimes seeks to dox, or reveal the identities and personal information of, figures on the Right. The antifa movement gained more visibility in 2017 after a series of events that put a spotlight on anti-fascist protesters, including the punching of a prominent Alt-Right member; the cancellation of an event by a right-wing writer at the University of California, Berkeley; and their confrontation of white nationalist protesters in Charlottesville who turned violent. What distinguishes antifa from other protest groups? Bray said antifa groups often use tactics similar to anarchist groups, such as dressing in all black and wearing masks. The groups also have overlapping ideologies, as both often criticise capitalism and seek to dismantle structures of authority, including police forces. How have politicians and others reacted? The movement has been widely criticised among the mainstream Left and Right. After the protests in Berkeley, California, in August 2017, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi decried the violent actions of people calling themselves antifa and said they should be arrested. Conservative publications and politicians routinely rail against supporters of antifa, who they say are seeking to shut down peaceful expression of conservative views. These critics point to moments when purported antifa members have been accused of sucker-punching Trump supporters. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a professor of history at New York University who studies fascism, said she worried that antifas methods could feed into what she said were false equivalencies that seek to lump violence on the Left with attacks by the Right, such as the killing of a protester in Charlottesville by a man who had expressed white supremacist views. Throwing a milkshake is not equivalent to killing someone, but because the people in power are allied with the Right, any provocation, any dissent against right-wing violence, backfires, Ben-Ghiat said. Between 2010 and 2016, 53 percent of terrorist attacks in the United States were carried out by religious extremists 35 percent by right-wing extremists and 12 percent by left-wing or environmentalist extremists, according to a University of Maryland-led consortium that studies terrorism. Militancy on the Left can become a justification for those in power and allies on the right to crack down, Ben-Ghiat said. In these situations, the Left, or antifa, are historically placed in impossible situations. Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Sandra E Garcia c.2020 The New York Times Company Author: Radu Golban 01.06.2020 LISTEN Drawing correlations between the constraints on freedom imposed by corona containment measures and the National Socialist Enabling Act of 1933 is not only simple-minded, but such a comparison also belies the vast economic, social, and political challenges faced by the new virus. It would be better to ask, how Coronism will herald the beginning of a new era, the theoretical foundation for which Nazi ideological literature (late 19th century to 1945) is eminently suitable. When, at this early stage, Coronism already commands an absolutist prerogative of interpretation, then there is no further need for scrutiny. Loathe to spend overmuch energy on the erstwhile literature its misanthropic ideology and the hallelujahs praising privation of freedom I will forego the scientific studies differentiating Coronism and National Socialism. Rather, in this era of tests, I will limit myself to the simple duck test. If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it is most likely a duck. Testing for Nazi-infected Coronism does not require a prescription, so feel free to join in the fun. While died-in-the-wool freedom activists are primarily concerned with the curtailment of their fundamental rights, I find the flood of regulations that will soon determine the course of our lives much more worrying. Yet, it is the proposals of a completely new society, a revolutionary new beginning that freezes the blood in my bones. Be it human interaction, models of employment, production, consumption, or even leisure time, all should bow down to the dictates of gleichschaltung, to preserve our health. Precisely this promise of renewal, of a Corona-compatible world, revives the entire gamut of an ideology presumed dead. Without a doubt, constraint-relaxation debates shed a ray of hope. Maybe things will go back to normal? But returning to business as usual is no easy task, and highly unlikely. Indications of the next pandemic wave looming on the horizon as well as deliberations over restrictive everyday anti-virus measures point to a process without end. The distinction between hyper-bureaucracy oozing volkisch rhetoric and extensive regulations in the name of human health is all too murky. Today, Nazi ideology is no longer concerned with applying scientific management and socio-technological visions of rationalization to uprooting class conflicts. No, these days, it applies the same methods to containing an assumed epidemic. In the grip of metamorphosing mania, Coronism and National Socialism are thoroughly welded by grotesque debates of an individuals future alongside technical feasibility fantasies. In 2010, the Rockefeller Trust published a SARS virus pandemic simulation depicting individual scenarios once lockdown was suspended. Although the letterhead was not adorned with swastikas, speculations of a capitalism-free, socially just, environmentally friendly, consume-abstemious future in a world where all basic rights are observed and technological advances merely medical in nature, were hardly discernible from Nazi propaganda. It is a fatal error to categorize the Nazi era and ideology based solely on its racist manifestation, therefore locking it away in the history books. The phenomenon of societys collective, perpetual demand for modernization goes much further toward eroding cultural pluralism than some emergency law debates. Restricting Nazi ideology interpretations to its racist orientation alone is frightfully conducive to just such a philosophy penetrating society anew. This is probably spawned by our decisive loss of our freedom, in which instead of exercising our customary inherent principles, unique to each individual, we are called on to submit ourselves to an abstract social canon of values. Thus, our loss of liberty is not the manifestation of an authorized resolution, but rather of a utopian reform of the entire world order. Democracy may be a governmental system based on majority rule, but what will you do when a broad population stratum aims for the same goals as the middle class beneath the swastika? By observing societys deeply embedded rigorism in various movements, it becomes evident that the true level of endemic infection is a peoples renunciation of the free constitutional order. Most likely it is much too late to attempt protecting the old order when its existence has already been forfeited by the majority of individuals. Tracing the contours of our modern world along suppressed basic needs; along leveling tendencies of morally justified consumption sacrifices, Coronism emerges as a new system of principles. Class struggles and envy are dislodged by an indiscriminate disease. We are all equal before Corona. Yes, that would be an appropriate preamble to the upcoming Coronist Constitution. Try as I might, within the influence Coronism and National Socialism exercise over commercial life, I cannot find a vestige of human dignity preserved. As fate so decrees, health apostles as the petit bourgeois dictatorship in brown back then are gunning for the underachieving small and mid-tier businesses, their extrusion serving the societal transformation to a mega-economic structure. Corporatism above all, subvention be praised. Undesirable unions are forbidden to gather. Salaries sink in the flood of impoverished. Then, as now, economic growth should emerge by exploiting an entire population stratum that reports for duty in rank and file and face masks. What a historic irony. In the context of a revolutionizing value debate, staunch governance and the pharmaceutical industry have once more formed an alliance. I cannot attest to the clandestine prayers of heartfelt gratitude German chemical and pharma giants spoke to the heavens for Nazi henchmen who supplied them with an El Dorado of human guinea pigs. I can only refer you to the history books. Should these be too dry for you, then I invite you to relive the thrilling, adventurous alliance, as pharma giants and emergency law democrats re-unite, without asking your permission. It goes without saying that by isolating individuals, repressing private lives to keep them far from like-minded, Coronism and National Socialism promise the same thing: a healthy, modern human being. Therefore, I recommend to all of those surrendering to this new order without a thought think again. Not to one day wake up like the failed, pious, brown Modernists of yore. Having lost the war, they lie to the world, claiming ignorance of all that went before. Radu Golban is a Swiss-Romanian editorialist. http://radugolban.ro/?lang=en Good luck keeping up with Robert Mujica. On any given day, the 46-year-old state budget director gets up at 4:30 a.m., jogs five miles, and then races a Ducati 999 street bike 30 miles from his Columbia County home to the driveway outside the governors office in the state Capitol. If you had a boss like Gov. Andrew Cuomo, you too might be in a daily race against time. Hes like lets go, lets go, said one former colleague of Mujicas approach to the job. Mujica has capitalized on a unique blend of fiscal know-how and political savvy to quietly become one of the most powerful figures in New York politics. But with the state now tumbling into its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, Mujica has been tasked with assembling a package of cuts to close a multibillion-dollar shortfall and hell likely have to use every budget trick he ever learned to get it done. Unemployment is now hovering around 15% in New York. State revenues have fallen at least $13 billion below projections in recent months. The economic cost to the state could reach $243 billion over the next few years assuming the economy does not miraculously recover sooner. Call it the ultimate challenge for a three-term governor looking to take his self-defined brand of progressive politics to a new level. As fate would have it, Mujica, a longtime Republican operative, is responsible for figuring out the details. Mujica takes a zero-sum approach to fiscal matters. One dollar spent in one place is $1 not spent somewhere else, he said in a recent interview. Resources are finite. On the political side of things, regular appearances at the governors daily press briefings highlight Mujicas other assets. At one May briefing, for example, Mujica jumped in to answer a reporters question about outsourcing of unemployment claim processing to other states, which saved the governor from speaking about an issue that he appeared completely unaware of. Of course, the governors ongoing efforts to get billions of dollars in new federal aid could make things easier for Mujica. If that does not end up happening, Mujica explains, 20% cuts for public schools, health care and local governments are only the necessary thing to do. In the event that those funds don't occur, then we would have to make those reductions, he said at one mid-May briefing alongside the governor. At other times, the bespectacled budget chief has played the tut-tutting technocrat on the governors behalf, lecturing state lawmakers during budget negotiations and shaming critics of the failed deal to bring a second Amazon headquarters to Queens. Since joining the administration in 2016, the former Republican state Senate staffers responsibilities have grown dramatically. Beyond his job overseeing a $178 billion state budget, Mujica is the eyes and ears of the governor on the boards of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the City University of New York, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York and the Public Authorities Control Board. Then there are the special projects assigned to Mujica, ranging from redesigning the state Medicaid program to coordinating with neighboring states on the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Other than Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa, no one has the governors ear quite like his suspender-clad budget chief. The institutional power that he represents is what makes him different from his predecessors, said Blair Horner, executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group. What is (also) different is his longevity in the role and the accumulated power of the executive vis-a-vis the Legislature. Mujicas aversion to raising taxes on the wealthy irks many on the political left. I would suggest he leans more to the conservative side when dealing with fiscal policy, said Ron Deutsch, executive director of the liberal Fiscal Policy Institute. There seems to be a general willingness to talk cuts as opposed to other potential options like tax increases on the wealthy. But Albany insiders across the political spectrum acknowledge Mujicas competence and vast knowledge of state finances. If someone takes too long to explain their point, his hands will start to urge others to speed up. He has a certain threshold for bullshit, said the former colleague. You feel the pressure when you go to him. You want to get things right. When the governor named the Columbia County resident to serve on the MTA board, he had to change a state law prohibiting board members from outside the agencys service region. Yet the bigger issue that came up during the confirmation process was whether Mujica was just too damned busy, as state Sen. Liz Krueger suggested, to do the job. He does have his hands full with other nonbudgetary roles, including 28 ex-officio roles at agencies as obscure as the New York State World University Games Commission and relatively high-profile as the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. This ubiquity creates a direct line between the governor and a multitude of state agencies, which adds some perspective to official decision making while also challenging the nominal independence of state agencies, according to Horner. I think it cuts both ways in terms of whether or not it's good for the institutions, he said. But it raises the question of how does he do it all? The work comes naturally to Mujica, a Brooklyn-born New Yorker who grew up in Staten Island. He spent plenty of afternoons as a kid hanging out at the New York City Mayors Office of Management and Budget, where his mother worked for years. I would be there just helping put some budget books together, stapling books, just doing whatever they had me do around the office, he recalled. My mother always instilled in me the value of an education and work. When his parents, who met in New York City after coming separately from Puerto Rico, got divorced, his mother married Steven Levine, who would go on to serve as a deputy budget director under Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Mujicas familial ties to the city bureaucracy his father is a retired career staffer for the NYPD put him on a path toward a life of public service. As an undergraduate at Brooklyn College, Mujica interned for a local congressman named Charles Schumer. He also worked briefly for the citys budget director, Abe Lackman while in college. After getting a masters in public administration from the University of Pennsylvania in 1995, he would work for Lackman again this time in Albany. By then Lackman had become a top staffer to state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno. Mujica completed his law degree from Albany Law School in 2005. Like the fictional Forrest Gump, the fiscal wizard has a knack for popping up at pivotal moments in recent state political history. Early on in his career, he was lodging voter fraud allegations at first-time state legislative candidate Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who eventually went on to become the Democratic state Senate majority leader. A group of Republican conspirators reportedly held a key meeting at Mujicas house to plot the infamous 2009 state Senate coup. Before he joined the administration, Mujica reportedly was an intermediary in talks with Cuomo to form a legislative alliance between the Republican conference and a group of breakaway Democratic state senators known as the Independent Democratic Conference. Mujicas involvement in the murkier side of state politics has extended to his time off the clock. He was a sought-after attendee at a gubernatorial fundraiser in 2019 where attendees paid $25,000 for some filet mignon and a little face time with him just two weeks before the state budget deadline. His barside presence at an annual Somos junket in Puerto Rico where state leaders mingle with powerful union officials and lobbyists did not go unnoticed. He has also been known to date people he has worked with. Have I been single? he said. Have I dated people that I've come across, you know, at work? Sure. At times, Mujicas approach to fiscal matters has been at odds with the image the Cuomo administration projects of balanced budgets and fiscal restraint. There was the yearslong practice whereby Mujica kept state Medicaid spending within a state-imposed cap by moving payments from one fiscal year into the next. A good economy and billions of dollars in one-time legal settlements have smoothed the way for many of the governors spending priorities, at least after closing a $10 billion budget gap in his first year in office. But the administration will not enjoy such advantages in dealing with the damage wrought by COVID-19. Another secret to the governors fiscal success off-budget spending by public authorities is becoming more crucial than ever, according to John Kaehny, executive director of the good government group Reinvent Albany. The governor likes to brag about how the state's debt ratings are really good, Kaehny said. Of course, the debt ratings for the state proper are really good because it's only borrowing 5% of all the money that state government is borrowing. The (other) 95% is coming from the authorities. Servicing much of that debt will cost taxpayers in the long run even though it will not show up on the official state budget. Yet Mujica disputed that such debt was a problem for the state long term. If you look at what the authorities are spending money on, they're spending money on things that are going to last well beyond any administration, he said. And I think that's where you want to spend your resources. State government is complex, and there are many factors to weigh when considering how to finance things like health care, public schools and mass transit with the states limited resources. A small number of ultra-wealthy New Yorkers might flee if taxes are raised too much. The debt acquired by a public authority offers an easy way to spread those costs out over many years. While the bill will come due at some point, much of Mujicas work focuses on confronting problems that pose more immediate threats to the state and the services it provides to some 19 million people. Mujica is taking things one step at a time. That idea is taken to its literal extreme on a trail that Mujica is building through his 30-acre estate in Columbia County, where he shot his first buck with a .30-06 rifle. He has plans for a pathway that will offer a grand view of his property, where pheasants, turkeys and whitetails cross. He has already cleared more than three-quarters of a mile of low-lying foliage with the help of a Husqvarna chainsaw and plenty of sweat. However, with at least 120 more yards to go, he has yet to figure out exactly where his trail of wooden planks will end. Its a sign that the New York state budget chief likes to focus on the task at hand an approach that extends beyond a footpath through the wetlands of the Hudson Valley. You do the best you can, he said. Then you worry about tomorrow. But no matter how hard he works, no matter how much power he accrues, Mujica has always been working for someone else and Mujica says that is not going to change anytime soon, despite the challenges of his most demanding boss yet. The governor gets up before you, generally, goes to sleep after you and usually has read what you need to read before you, Mujica said. So you get up and try to deal with those expectations. A father in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of murder after two women died following a disturbance at a house in Wiltshire. The victims are believed to be the man's wife and his 18-year-old daughter, according to local residents who reported hearing terrifying screams earlier in Salisbury this afternoon. Amanda Barlow, a mother-of-three who lives close to the scene said she heard 'horrific child-like screaming'. Ms Barlow, 40, said: 'I heard it was a man who has killed his wife and another younger woman. Officers attended the scene on Wessex Road and found the body of one woman, with another woman found seriously injured 'A neighbour who lives across the road took the children into his house to look after them because they apparently saw what had happened. 'The other two children are much younger. It's all such a shock.' Wiltshire Police declined to comment on those claims. Officers were called to the property on Wessex Road at 2:45pm and found the body of one woman, with another woman found seriously injured. The second woman was treated by paramedics from South Western Ambulance Service but died shortly afterwards. Detective Chief Inspector Darren Hannant from Wiltshire Police said 'there is no risk posed to the wider community' The arrested man has been was taken into custody at Melksham Police Station. Locals said two young children fled to safety after this afternoon's attacks and were then looked after by another neighbour. Ms Barlow added: 'There is a huge police presence down here still. 'We heard screaming at around half past two and we actually thought at the time that it was a child being murdered. That's how horrific the screams were. 'When we saw the ambulance arrive and not leave for such a long time, we knew it must be something like murder. 'It was a relief to hear it wasn't children, but still for two women to wake up in the morning and have their lives ended is just appalling.' Residents reported hearing terrifying screams in Salisbury this afternoon Detective Chief Inspector Darren Hannant, from Wiltshire Police, said: 'Naturally people will be alarmed due to the large police presence in the area as we carry out our inquiries. 'I would like to reiterate that we have made an arrest and there is no risk posed to the wider community. 'The local community are likely to see a significant police presence in this area for a number of days. 'Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the two victims. 'We would like to thank the local community in advance for their understanding and patience while we carry out our inquiries.' The southwest monsoon arrived as forecast on the Kerala coast on Monday and Indias crucial four-month rainy season is likely to see normal rainfall, the governments weather office said, raising hopes of a bumper crop this year, a rare bright spot in a virus-ravaged economy. Rainfall during the June-September rainy season will be 102% of the 50-year average with a model error of plus or minus 4%, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday. That is more than its own April forecast of 100% of the 50-year average, indicating that the conditions have turned favourable. Ample rainfall during the monsoon season is crucial for Indian farmers as it waters more than half of the countrys farmlands that lack assured irrigation. More than 60% of the countrys 1.3 billion people are dependent on agriculture. A good harvest will also help contain rising food prices. While rains normally bring cheer in rural India, a deluge can wreak havoc and further complicate the containment of the coronavirus pandemic in vulnerable states such as Kerala and Maharashtra. View Full Image More than 60% of the countrys 1.3 billion people are dependent on agriculture. A good harvest will also help contain rising food prices According to weather scientists, ocean conditions are turning favourable for a good monsoon this year. The sea-surface temperatures, which tend to impact monsoon, are below normal, indicating La Ninaa phenomenon in which waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean are cooler than normal, and favour a good monsoon over India. Another ocean phenomenon called Indian Ocean Dipole is also neutral and likely to remain so. We have declared monsoon onset in Kerala based on the favourable conditions today," M. Mohapatra, director general of IMD, told reporters. Widespread rainfall is predicted in Kerala in the next three days. More than 80% stations of IMD have recorded more than 2.5mm rainfall," he added. Uniformly, we expect a good spatial distribution across the country for this monsoon season. All India, it will be 102%; 107% over north-west India; 103% for central India; 102% for southern peninsula; 96% in the North-East," said Madhavan Nair Rajeevan, secretary, ministry of earth sciences. July rainfall, crucial for summer crops, is expected to be 103% of the 50-year average across the country, he added. View Full Image Rainfall forecast A peak La Nina condition is also predicted, especially in the second part of the monsoon season, he said. There is a 41% probability that it (the monsoon) will be normal and 14% that it could be excess. There is a very low chance (5%) of it being deficient," said Rajeevan. The developments emerge as a silver lining amid a growth slump in India, which is tiptoeing back to some sort of normalcy after a lockdown since 25 March. India grew at 3.1%, the slowest in 11 years, in the March quarter, the latest when the data is available, Mint reported on 30 May. Economists have veered towards a consensus that Indias economy will face its worst recession in at least 40 years, contracting by at least 5% this fiscal, the report said. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Bashar al-Assad has named Maj. Gen. Marwan Ibrahim Sharbak as the new Governor of Daraa, of whom little is known reports Alsouria Net. Syrian president Bashar al-Assad on Saturday appointed a senior officer of the Republican Guard as governor of Daraa, drawing questions over the move as the regime still does not control the entire area, and there is still a state of insecurity and weak services. Although it is common for officers to be appointed governors in totalitarian military regimes elsewhere in the region such as Egypt, the Assad regime rarely follows this policy. Most governor appointees have prior experience running state institutions and have absolute loyalty. By a decree issued by Assad today, Maj. Gen. Marwan Ibrahim Sharbak was appointed governor of Daraa, succeeding Muhamamd Khaled al-Hanous, who had taken over governorship of Daraa following the start of the Syrian revolution in 2011, when former governor Faisal Kulthum was dismissed. The new governor, Sharbak, is considered an elite general in the Republican Guard, one of the military formations that forms the core of Assads army. Despite the lack of information about Sharbak, some pro-regime networks have spoken about the basic details of his life, saying that he was born in al-Muzeiraah, in Lattakia governorate. Sharbak was previously commander of the Signal Corps, and spent 43 years in the service of the homeland, according to pro-regime websites. There is no precise information on his military service, particularly regarding the past several years of military operations seen across Syria. Pro-regime newspapers published a photo of him at a meeting with Hafez al-Assad, as well as a photo of him meeting with current president Bashar al-Assad. 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. Facebook employees are so upset with Mark Zuckerbergs decision to take no action on Donald Trumps posts, that they are participating in a virtual walkout in a show of protest against the company, The New York Times reports. Facebook workers, most of whom are still working from home, are taking the day off and indicating in out of office messages that they are out of the office in a show of protest, according to the report. Employees are also working on a list of demands for management. The walkout comes days after Zuckerberg announced Friday evening that Trumps posts, which Twitter said broke its rules regarding glorification of violence, didnt violate Facebooks standards. Zuckerberg said he had a visceral negative reaction to Trumps inflammatory rhetoric, but ultimately opted to leave the posts up untouched. Axios later reported that Zuckerberg had spoken to Trump on the phone before announcing the decision. Zuckerberg announced Sunday night that Facebook would make a $10 million donation to groups working on racial justice. But the move doesnt appear to have affected employees decision to walk out on Monday. We recognize the pain many of our people are feeling right now, especially our Black community, a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. We encourage employees to speak openly when they disagree with leadership. As we face additional difficult decisions around content ahead, we'll continue seeking their honest feedback." This isnt the first time Facebook employees have clashed with Zuckerberg over the companys treatment of Trump. Hundreds of employees signed an open letter last fall that publicly criticized his decision to allow politicians to lie in advertisements. But the latest controversy, which comes as Facebook employees have been working from home amid nationwide protests, appears to be escalating into a new territory. At least two senior employees have threatened to quit, NYT reports. Many other Facebook employees have publicly tweeted their disagreement. In response to the U.S. threat to cancel the special treatment for Hong Kong, the Hong Kong business community said it will not do good to anyone, as this will not only damage the mutually beneficial relationship between the two sides, but also harm the interests of U.S. companies and investors in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong business community is not too worried about the threatened U.S. sanctions, which are expected to have little impact on Hong Kong at this stage. In a statement released on Saturday, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong expressed regret over the U.S. decision, noting that it would undermine the mutually beneficial economic and trade relations between Hong Kong and the United States over the years and disrupt the world's free trade order. The association said Hong Kong is the largest source of the U.S. trade surplus in goods, and Hong Kong's special status is the best channel for the U.S. enterprises to enter the Chinese mainland market. The U.S. move not only damages the mutually beneficial relationship between the two sides, but also damages the interests of U.S. companies and investors in Hong Kong, casting a shadow on the future economic and trade relations between Hong Kong and the United States. Ng Wang Pun, president of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, said the national security legislation for Hong Kong is aimed at plugging Hong Kong's legal loopholes to protect national security and safeguard the nation's sovereignty, which will help to maintain a safe, friendly and free business environment in Hong Kong. Ng hoped that all countries in the world will look at this legislation rationally and continue to maintain long-term stable and mutually beneficial economic and trade relations with Hong Kong. According to Raymond Young, CEO of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, most of Hong Kong's trade in goods is re-exports, with exports to the United States accounting for only 0.1 percent of the total export volume. Moreover, the industry began to diversify its business to Southeast Asia and other places during the U.S.-China trade tensions, so it is not expected to have a great impact. Tara Joseph, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham), said that it was "a sad day" for Americans in Hong Kong when the U.S. announced it would cancel the special treatment for Hong Kong. However, this does not mean that U.S. companies will withdraw from Hong Kong, she said. The AmCham will continue to work with its members to maintain Hong Kong's status as a vital business center. Felix Chung, honorary chairman of Hong Kong Apparel Society Limited, said that there will not be much impact on Hong Kong's economy for the time being even if the U.S. cancels the special treatment for Hong Kong. Chung criticized the U.S. for imposing sanctions on Hong Kong, urging some Hong Kong people who expected the so-called "help" from the United States to wake up. Jeffrey Lam, a member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said the United States earns a trade surplus of about 30 billion U.S. dollars in Hong Kong every year. The U.S. decision will be beneficial to nobody. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative will bring a large number of development opportunities to Hong Kong, Lam said, urging Hong Kong people and businesses not to worry about the national security legislation, but to focus on how to develop the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic. Daniel Yip, chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, said the United States intends to restrict the export of high-tech products to Hong Kong, which is believed to have an impact on high-end scientific research in universities. However, in recent years the United States has scrutinized the export of scientific research equipment from universities, and the Hong Kong industry has gradually adapted to the restriction, Yip added. Low-cost airline GoAir took to the skies again on June 1. However, Day 1 of operations, after an over two-month coronavirus-led shutdown, was dogged by passenger complaints about cancelled flights and glitches in check-in, among other things. The airline has also been in the news for revising the compensation of pilots, many of whom will see their salaries plummet by over 65 percent. This is one of the steepest pay cuts in the domestic aviation industry yet. The airline owned by the Wadia family was the last to resume flights. Rest of the industry had re-started operations on May 25. The airline had said it was awaiting "clarity on the readiness of the respective states and their airports with regard to acceptance of flights, or the conditions applicable to passengers entering the respective states." On Monday, the airline started off with 24 flights including three from Mumbai. Till Sunday, May 31, though, customers took to social media platforms complaining about cancelled flights. While some passengers demanded a refund for the cancelled flights, GoAir responded that the fare will be saved in a credit shell, which can be used by the flier later on. Passengers also complained that they were unable to web check-in, one of the SoPs that the government had put across to resume operations. As of now, physical check-in at the airports is not allowed. Just days before it resumed services, GoAir revised the salary structure of its senior pilots, many of whom saw a cut of over 50 percent in their pay. For a few, depending on their flying hours, the cut could be as much as 65 percent. For instance, a senior captain could see his monthly gross salary plummet to Rs 2.5 lakh from over Rs 7 lakh. In May, has paid salaries to 40 percent of its employees, and the rest will be paid on a graded and deferred basis. Sources in the industry added many of its 600 pilots remain on leave without pay. For them to get back to services, much will depend on the traffic that the airline is able to attract. Despite getting the clearance to operate about 100 flights a day, the airline will adjust its schedule according to the passenger loads. Unfortunately, demand has remained soft. While passengers are generally being careful in avoiding travel, there is also apprehension over quarantine rules in several states. Also, the industry is heading towards its weakest season, the monsoon. It could be some time before GoAir, just like its peers, is able to get back to its full schedule. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 19:02:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SYDNEY, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Australia is a country which prides itself on welcoming many people from many different backgrounds. However, as fear and anger over the COVID-19 crisis spread, some Australians have encountered physical and psychological abuse simply because of the way they look. Realizing the alarming trend, last week police in the State of New South Wales (NSW) launched a campaign called "Stop Public Threats" to help the public understand their legal rights and come forward to report racist crimes when they see them. It comes after several shocking instances of racial abuse in Australia since the start of the pandemic. They include a woman in Queensland who was allegedly accused of having COVID-19 and punched several times in the face while in public, and a family household was spray painted with a racist slogan. The message delivered in the campaign was that according to the law in NSW, anyone who incites violence against others on the grounds of their race or religion may face criminal investigation and up to 3 years in jail, regardless of whether such behavior was a direct physical attack, or if it occurred in private, public, or even on social media. "Racial abuse and racial vilification in all their ugly forms are never acceptable and go against everything we stand for in NSW," NSW acting minister for multiculturalism Geoff Lee said last week. "No member of our community should ever feel attacked due to their cultural or religious background." Most people who Xinhua spoke to said that Australians were by and large friendly and accepting, and in no way blamed any group for COVID-19. However, some did report feeling concerned that their race could make them a target for hatred. Min Jung Pi, who emigrated from South Korea to Australia told Xinhua that particularly early on during the COVID-19 pandemic, she felt that the mood towards Asian people had become more suspicious, bordering on hostile. "I felt like when there was a spare seat on the bus next to me, people didn't sit down. It's not direct discrimination, because they didn't say or do anything to me, but it made me feel like I was being bullied," Pi said. "I felt like I was targeted because I am Asian, it made me feel very uncomfortable." Although the police stand for victims, but when they are absent at the time and places of racial incidents there is really not much they can do, she added. Justin Chan, who has owned a business in Sydney's Chinatown for 25 years, said that he too had noticed a difference in how he and his family were treated during the pandemic, but that reporting any kind of racial prejudice was too time-consuming and would yield no real result. Victorian Multicultural Commission chair Vivienne Nguyen told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the broader community's lack of understanding regarding racial vilification laws in Australia made them more difficult to enforce, and she feared that some crimes were going unreported. "The lack of understanding and lack of awareness of the legislation means that we find ourselves in a situation ... now with under-reporting," she said. A spokesperson from NSW Department of Communities and Justice told Xinhua that to date there had been no prosecutions made under Section 93Z of the Crimes Act, which deals specifically with race based incidents. State authorities have been upfront in acknowledging a lack of understanding about the legal options available to victims of racism and a widely held belief that the process of reporting is considered daunting and unclear. NSW's Minister for counter terrorism Anthony Roberts said the campaign reinforces the need to stand firm as a community, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our response to the pandemic and the worst bushfire season on record in NSW earlier this year demonstrates our community's incredible resilience," Roberts said. "There is a small number of individuals with extreme and violent views who want to divide us. We need to reject this behaviour and protect the rights of all NSW residents." Enditem A police officer aims a nonlethal weapon as protesters raise their hands during demonstrations in the aftermath of George Floyds death in Santa Monica, Calif., on May 31, 2020. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) Los Angeles Mobilizes National Guard to Quell Violence, Looting Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti called on the California National Guard to patrol the streets of the nations second largest city on May 31 as protests intensified across the United States in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. After Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles county, the state National Guard was deployed Sunday to assist with the response to demonstrations, which have shifted to violent rioting in cities nationwide. In a tweet late Saturday, Garcetti said he had requested Newsom to deploy 1,000 members of the Guard to assist the 20,000 Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers to maintain peace and safety on the streets of our city. It marked a shift in response from the mayor who was previously dismissive of asking for aid from the National Guard. The California National Guard is being deployed to Los Angeles overnight to support our local response to maintain peace and safety on the streets of our city. MayorOfLA (@MayorOfLA) May 31, 2020 This is no longer a protest, Garcetti told local media late Saturday shortly after imposing a curfew on the city from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. This is destruction. This is vandalism. The vast majority of people taking to the streets are doing it peacefully, powerfully, and with reverence for the sacred cause theyre fighting for, Garcetti said Saturday. This curfew is in place to protect their safetyand the safety of all who live and work in our city. A curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. was later imposed on Los Angeles countys 10 million residents as protests across much of Southern California descended into violence. Protests across the United States flared in response to the treatment of Floyd, who died earlier this week in the custody of Minneapolis police. A widely circulated video showed Floyd, 46, lying down and handcuffed as a police officer was seen kneeling on the mans neck for nearly 9 minutes. The footage showed Floyd telling officers that he couldnt breathe before his body went motionless. According to a Minneapolis Fire Department report (pdf), Floyd was unresponsive and pulseless when he was being transported into an ambulance by paramedics from the site of his arrest to the hospital. The police officer who was seen kneeling on the mans neck, Derek Chauvin, was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter on Friday. Chauvin and three other police officers involved in the arrest have since been fired. According to preliminary autopsy findings by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, Floyd did not die due to strangulation or traumatic oxygen deprivation. The autopsy report cited in the complaint (pdf) against Chauvin suggests he died from a combination of heart disease and potential intoxicants in his system that were aggravated by the restraint placed on him by officers. California National Guard vehicles are seen parked at the Los Angeles Convention Center after demonstrators protested the death of George Floyd in Los Angeles, Calif., on May 31, 2020. (Agustin Paullier/AFP via Getty Images) Some 400 people were arrested on Saturday by the LAPD, who deployed batons, beanbags, and teargas in an attempt to quell the violence. National Guard troops meanwhile were seen stationed Sunday morning at LAs Convention Center. CVS and a Target store, along with a number of local businesses, were targeted by looters, while shops in LAs Beverly Hills were vandalized, and fires could be seen burning near the popular Farmers Market near the Grove. Protests in other cities have seen similar destruction including clashing with police, breaching of government complexes, and throwing of objects at police officers in some parts of the country. Newsom warned Sunday that local authorities were closely monitoring the movements of violent extremist groups, who may be exploiting the otherwise peaceful protests to further their own agendas. To those who seek to exploit Californians pain to sow chaos and destruction, you are not welcome, Newsom said. Our state and nation must build from this moment united and more resolved than ever to address racism and its root causes. Barr Condemns Violence His comments came as Attorney General William Barr on Saturday expressed concern that the violence within these protests appears to have been planned, organized, and driven by groups of outside radicals and agitators who are exploiting the situation in order to achieve their own separate and violent agenda. Barr said many of these individuals who have traveled out of state are using Antifa-like tactics to promote violence. Unfortunately, with the rioting that is occurring in many of our cities around the country, the voices of peaceful protest are being hijacked by violent radical elements, the attorney general said. Barr acknowledged the outrage felt by the national community, saying that accountability for Floyds death must be addressed, but emphasized that it should be addressed through the regular criminal justice system. He stressed that the communities and streets must have law and order and it is the responsibility of local and state leaders to halt the violence, adding that the Justice Department will support all local efforts. But the attorney general warned that it is a federal crime to cross state lines or to use interstate facilities to incite or participate in violent rioting. We will enforce these laws, he said. President Donald Trump announced Sunday that his administration would be designating Antifa as a terrorist organization, after commending the National Guard for shutting down looting and riots in Minneapolis that he said were steered by ANTIFA led anarchists, among others. Janita Kan contributed to this report. Currently, the PSU is readying a mobile-phone app for dairy farmers to contact Kerala Feeds and order cattle feed. Kochi: State-owned Kerala Feeds Ltd (KFL) clocked a turnover of Rs 495.85 crore in 2019-20, nearly hitting the target despite a crisis owing to the COVID-19 pandemic towards the end of the financial year. The PSU had aimed at a turnover of Rs 500 crore during the fiscal, according to officials. "From the income we got selling each kilo of cattle feed, 91 percent was spent on buying raw materials. Yet we decided not to raise the prices," said KFL Chairman KS Indusekharan Nair. "That compelled private players not to hike prices too much. In fact, we sold (50 kg bags) at a price that was 130 rupees less vis--vis the year-ago period," he said in a statement here. KFL did face problems owing to the spread of the novel coronavirus, but it managed to resolve them with prompt and prudent measures. "The orders we had placed didn't come from other states owing to the lockdown that restricted transportation," Nair said. Kerala Animal Welfare Minister K Raju and Additional Chief Secretary RK Singh intervened and enabled the PSU to overcome the stalemate. "Also, we had to cut working hours (shifts) and production, he said. Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak Further, KFL facilitated dairy farmers to contact the PSU and ensure supply of cattle feed. "This move helped us earn further access in various parts of Kerala," said B Sreekumar, Managing Director of the company. "If there was no COVID, we would have surpassed the Rs 500 crore turnover target," he said. Currently, the PSU is readying a mobile-phone app for dairy farmers to contact Kerala Feeds and order cattle feed. Further, the company will hold in July a training course for expatriates who have returned to Kerala and are planning to start cattle farms. Named ''Entrepreneurial Vigour'', the project will also rope in new-generation youths into dairying, according to Sreekumar. The 1995-founded KFL is headquartered at Kallettumkara near Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district. Major airlines have crafted a variety of strategies to keep their most frequent customers flying during the difficult coronavirus environment, and Alaska Airlines is the latest to add a new twist by rolling out a trio of promotions this week for its Mileage Plan members. Like its major competitors, Alaska had already guaranteed its Mileage Plan elite members that their 2020 status level would be automatically extended through 2021. But for those still hoping to qualify for 2021 elite status based on 2020 activity, the airline is now offering customers a 50 percent bonus of elite-qualifying miles for all flights completed from June 1 through December 31 of this year. Registration is not required for the promotion. In addition, Mileage Plan members with an Alaska Airlines consumer or business Visa card will now earn 2,500 elite-qualifying miles (up to a maximum of 10,000) for every $5,000 in spending from June 1 through September 30. And cardholders will get two program miles for every dollar spent on restaurant meals, including takeout and delivery, during June and July. Alaska noted that Mileage Plan elite status will unlock even more benefits as we inch closer to our Oneworld launch in summer 2021. Thats when Alaska is expected to become a full member in the Oneworld global alliance of American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas and other carriers. Southwest Airlines last month said its Rapid Rewards members will earn double program points for all flights booked and flown from May 12 through Aug. 31. Participants must register on the airlines website, and bookings made before registration wont get the bonus. In addition to the standard flight points earned, members will receive 12 bonus points per dollar spent on Business Select fares, 10 per dollar spent on Anytime fares, and six per dollar spent on Wanna Get Away fares. However, those bonus points will not count toward A-List, A-List Preferred, or Companion Pass qualification, Southwest said. Instead of offering bonus elite-qualifying miles to 2020 status-seekers, some carriers have lowered the bar to get there. For example, United has cut by 50 percent the number of Premier qualifying points (PQPs) and flights (PQFs) required this year to earn 2021 elite status. The new requirements range from six PQFs and 2,000 PQPs for Premier Silver status to 26 PQFs and 9,000 PQPs for Premier 1K. At American Airlines, gaining 2021 AAdvantage status based on 2020 activity also requires a reduced level of elite-qualifying dollars (EQDs) plus elite-qualifying miles (EQMs) or segments (EQSs). For AAdvantage Gold, the requirements are $1,500 EQDs and 15,000 EQMs or 15 EQSs. That compares to last years requirements of $3,000/25,000/30 respectively. Activity requirements this year for the top-tier Executive Platinum status are $9,000/60,000/60, down from $15,000/100,000/120 previously. JetBlue is adopting both tactics for its TrueBlue members. Not only did it reduce by 50 percent the qualifying points and segments required in 2020 for 2021 Mosaic status, but for all flights booked through June 15, JetBlue is offering double TrueBlue base points i.e., two points per dollar spent on Blue Basic fares and six per dollar on other fare types, including Mint. In addition to extending 2020 SkyMiles status levels through 2021, Delta is offering its program members six-month extensions on expiring upgrade certificates and $200 travel vouchers, and is also extending Delta Sky Club memberships by six months. It all harks back to the months after 9/11, when airlines made their first efforts to incentivize frequent flyer members with double miles promotions and substantially reduced mileage costs for award travel. One carrier AirTran even offered one free flight for every three paid trips. Read all recent TravelSkills posts here Chris McGinnis is SFGATE's senior travel correspondent. You can reach him via email or follow him on Twitter or Facebook. Don't miss a shred of important travel news by signing up for his FREE weekly email updates! SFGATE participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Britain may offer 'path to citizenship' to 2.9m Hong Kong residents Iran Press TV Saturday, 30 May 2020 7:31 AM British officials have announced plans to offer extensive visa rights and a pathway to citizenship to nearly 3 million people in Britain's former colony of Hong Kong in reaction to a national security law approved by the Chinese city's legislative council. The development came after Hong Kong's legislature debated and passed the Beijing-proposed bill on Wednesday that criminalizes sedition, secession and subversion against the mainland. It would further pave the way for Chinese national security institutions to operate in the city for the first time since 1997, when Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule. The bill also requires that China's national anthem known as "March of the Volunteers" be taught in schools and sung by organizations, and imposes jail terms or fines against those who disrespect it. After UK's Foreign minister Dominic Raab declared Thursday that London would move to extend the rights of 350,000 'British National Overseas' (BNO) passport holders if Beijing enacts the law, the interior ministry further announced on Friday that the policy would apply to all BNOs residing in Hong Kong -- around 2.9 million, according to British government figures. "If China imposes this law, we will explore options to allow British Nationals Overseas to apply for leave to stay in the UK, including a path to citizenship," British Home Secretary Priti Patel asserted in a statement, adding, "We will continue to defend the rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong." However, Beijing insists the new bill due to become law by September does not pose a threat to the financial hub city's autonomy and the interests of foreign investors, noting that it is merely meant to prevent terrorism and foreign interference there, as was evident in violent, Western-backed protest rallies there against the mainland. Britain, the US, Australia, Canada and the European Union have all sharply censured the recently-approved law in Hong Kong despite repeated warnings by China that Hong Kong is a purely Chinese internal affair. While critics claim that it represents an instance of Beijing's intrusion into the autonomous city, supporters insist Hong Kong is duty-bound to ensure national symbols are treated respectfully. The opponents also assert that the security law could bring an end to the autonomy of Hong Kong, guaranteed under a policy known as "one country, two systems" a claim firmly rejected by Beijing and the city's local government. North Korea backs China's measures on Hong Kong North Korea on Saturday expressed its support for the newly-approved law in Hong Kong, calling it a "legitimate step" to safeguard China's security interests. "Since Hong Kong issue is an issue pertaining thoroughly to the internal affairs of China, any country or force has no rights to say this or that about the issue," said a North Korean foreign ministry official as cited by the country's official KCNA news agency. "We categorically oppose and reject the outside interference detrimental to the security and the social and economic development of Hong Kong," he added. US threatens China with strong response On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump told reporters that Washington would announce before the end of the week a strong response to the anticipated security law for Hong Kong, but did not elaborate. Responding to a question on whether the response would include anti-China sanctions, Trump merely said, "No, it's something you're going to be hearing about before the end of the week, very powerfully, I think." US-based press reports on Friday also indicated that Trump will make an announcement regarding China and the recent events in Hong Kong. Also on Tuesday, Trump's economic adviser Larry Kudlow emphasized that China was making "a big mistake" by introducing the security bill and vowed that the US government would pay expenses for American firms that wanted to shift operations from Hong Kong or China. Beijing rejects US interference On Thursday, China dismissed US attempts at the United Nations to have the UN Security Council (UNSC) hold a meeting over Beijing's proposed national security law for Hong Kong, emphasizing that the issue was an internal matter. During a UNSC meeting on Wednesday, US and Chinese envoys 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 UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said later on Twitter. Also on Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian emphasized during a daily press briefing that Beijing would take necessary countermeasures against any foreign meddling in Hong Kong's legislative process on the security legislation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The decision was made due to the delay of the response from the Ukrainian side PS 752 plane crash Mash Iran's government has decided that the flight recorders from Ukrainian Boeing 737 should be sent not to Ukraine but to France. ISNA news agency reported that. "Iran will most likely send the black box from Ukrainian plane to France", reads the message. The decision was made because of the delay in the response from the Ukrainian side. The analysis of black boxes of the Ukrainian aircraft that crashed in Iran in January was postponed in April due to the coronavirus pandemic. The government of Iran sent Ukraine's Foreign Ministry a draft memorandum on mutual understanding, which foresees that Ukraine and families of the deceased refuse from the right to sue within this case. Preiously, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Yevhen Yenin claimed that the state could turn to the UN International Court in the case of the crash of Ukraine's Boeing 737 in Iran. Boeing 737 of Ukraine's International Airlines, flight PS752 crashed not far from Tehran on the night from January 7 to January 8. 176 people were aboard the aircraft, including 11 Ukrainians, two of which were passengers. Most of the victims were citizens of Iran and Canada. On January 11, General Staff of Iranian Armed Forces reported that the Ukrainian plane was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile launched by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps; the troops misrecognized the target as a hostile object and opened fire. New Delhi, June 1 : Moody's Investors Services on Monday downgraded India's sovereign ratings as it assessed that the country's policymaking institutions will be challenged to mitigate the risks of a sustained period of relatively low growth. Consequently, Moody's downgraded India's foreign-currency and local-currency long-term issuer ratings to Baa3 from Baa2. It also downgraded India's local-currency senior unsecured rating to Baa3 from Baa2, and its short-term local-currency rating to P-3 from P-2. Besides, it kept the outlook as negative. Currently, the sovereign rating assigned to India is Baa2 with a negative outlook. "The decision to downgrade India's ratings reflects Moody's view that the country's policymaking institutions will be challenged in enacting and implementing policies which effectively mitigate the risks of a sustained period of relatively low growth, significant further deterioration in the general government fiscal position and stress in the financial sector," Moody's said. "The negative outlook reflects dominant, mutually-reinforcing, downside risks from deeper stresses in the economy and financial system that could lead to a more severe and prolonged erosion in fiscal strength than Moody's currently projects," it added. Mary Furlong of Mary Furlong & Associates, Laura Mitchell of GrandCare Systems, Jolene Moore of Discovery Senior Living, Mike Rethage of Touchtown, and James Michels of Army Distaff Foundation We have brought together the best of the best in terms of vision, innovation and education in the longevity market, said Furlong, creator and founder of the Whats Next Longevity Academy. Laura Mitchell, CEO of GrandCare Systems and Principal of LMC, has been selected to speak on June 2nd at 2pm ET for the Whats Next Longevity Academy, a star-studded virtual learning experience for the senior living industry. The session titled, A New Era for Senior Living-How Crisis Can Create Novel Best Practices, will highlight the various challenges and opportunities that this pandemic has presented to technology, senior housing providers and nonprofit aging organizations. Attendees can expect to discover: How GrandCare is using the Covid-19 crisis as a launching point for real change and how it is using new technologies to drive new engagement from the bottom up. About Discovery Senior Living's mission to inspire residents with innovative programs and new technologies that can enhance life and promote an active, healthy lifestyle. How Touchtown's dedication to enhancing resident engagement through technology is driving the "new normal" for senior living and driving up that engagement by 8500%. Learn about the importance of having a strong partner to guide new technology roll-outs as well as having a broad network of distribution channels through which existing resources in the community can be leveraged. How the Army Distaff Foundation (ADF) is using its nonprofit platform to integrate new healthcare technologies like laboratory capabilities to test 100% of their senior population and caregiver workforce, a robot lobby assistant pilot project, and a pilot to develop a new health and wellness kiosk to screen residents and visitors upon entering the community. Joining Mitchell on the panel are fellow industry thought leaders, Jolene Moore of Discovery Senior Living, Mike Rethage of Touchtown, and James Michels of Army Distaff Foundation. The virtual academy is hosted and produced by Mary Furlong, CEO of Mary Furlong & Associates. We have brought together the best of the best in terms of vision, innovation and education in the longevity market, said Furlong, creator and founder of the Whats Next Longevity Academy and other industry events. GrandCare has been involved with MFA summits since 2008 and Laura was my 2011 MFA Silicon Valley Venture Summit Flame Award winner. Its been exciting to see her evolve into a thought leader in the longevity space. I am honored to be able to speak at this must-attend industry event, said Mitchell. Ive been involved in the connected health and aging industry for the past 15 years and Marys events are ones that I continuously come back to for the valuable networking and educational opportunities. I appreciate her mentorship and friendship over the years. The Academy is a virtual learning experience created by Mary Furlong & Associates. Registrants to the popular Whats Next Longevity Business Summit, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have been given exclusive access to this virtual learning webinar series. The theme is COVID-19: From Flattening the Curve to Fueling Innovation. All Longevity Venture Summit registrants will have full access to the Whats Next Longevity Academy panels and recorded sessions. Simply sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/17th-annual-whats-next-longevity-venture-summit-virtual-tickets-96604248909 20% off with discount code: SVSummit2020 #LongevitySummit #SeniorLivingNewEra #PostCOVIDSeniorLiving ABOUT GRANDCARE SYSTEMS GrandCare, on the market since 2005, is designed to reduce hospitalizations, manage health conditions and keep individuals more independent and connected to their loved ones. The heart of GrandCare is a large touchscreen appliance, which provides the individual with social communications, games, music, instructions, reminders and medication prompts. Optional telehealth & activity devices can wirelessly report information and remotely send email, text and phone alerts to caregivers if something seems amiss. No computer skills are needed for the resident. GrandCare is utilized by family caregivers, professional in-home care organizations, senior housing communities and disability providers. For more information, visit: http://www.grandcare.com, call 262-338-6147, or contact sales@grandcare.com. ABOUT MARY FURLONG AND ASSOCIATES Founded in 2003 with a headquarters in San Francisco, Mary Furlong & Associates (MFA) is an event producer and consulting firm for corporations in the healthcare and longevity marketplace. MFA produces four market-leading conferences each year the Whats Next Longevity Business Summit, the Whats Next Longevity Venture Summit, the Washington Innovation in Longevity Summit and the Whats Next Canada Conference which is co-produced by the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI). The events serve private clients, corporations, investors, nonprofits and entrepreneurs in learning and sharing about the longevity market. MFA has an online store, a market-leading newsletter that reaches influencers, and they produce virtual events as part of their Academy. Skeena Welcomes New Chief Operating Officer Posted by Publisher Internet Skeena Resources Limited (TSX.V: SKE, OTCQX: SKREF) (?Skeena? or the ?Company? https://www.rohstoffnacht-tv.de/mediathek/play/skeena-resources-neustart-von-eskay-creek-mine-in-kanada-laeuft-nach-plan/ ) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Shane Williams as Skeena?s new Chief Operating Officer effective June 2, 2020. Mr. Williams has over 20 years of experience in the mining/oil and gas industry specifically related to the development, construction, and operations of large-scale resource projects. He has a history of leading teams to successfully bring projects into commercial operation safely, under budget and ahead of schedule. His extensive and international project development experience has been gathered through his active involvement in all stages of the mine project development life cycle. Prior to joining Skeena, Mr. Williams was the Vice President of Operations and Capital Projects at Eldorado Gold for six years where he led the team that successfully brought the Lamaque gold project from Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) to commercial operation in just 18-months. He also served as Project Director for Eldorado Gold for their Greek assets and was responsible for the development of both the Skouries and Olympias projects which together had a capex of over US$1B. Mr. Williams has extensive open-pit development experience from his time working with Rio Tinto at the Iron Ore Company of Canada and at Kaunis Iron in Northern Sweden where he, as Project Director, was responsible for the successful staged development of this large, open-pit iron ore operation from early exploration into commercial operation over a rapid 3.5 year period. Mr. Williams has a B.Eng. in Electrical Engineering from the Dublin Institute of Technology Ireland and an M.Sc. in Project Management from the University of Limerick Ireland and recently completed a Senior Executive Leadership Programme from the London Business School. Skeena?s CEO, Walter Coles Jr. commented, ?We?re excited to welcome Shane to the Skeena management team. His engineering and project development experience will be key, as Skeena moves into the next phase of development at Eskay Creek. Shane has led the development of several major open-pit mining projects from concept through to production. We look forward to Shane?s leadership as we aggressively advance Eskay Creek.? About Skeena Skeena Resources Limited is a junior Canadian mining exploration company focused on developing prospective precious metal properties in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia, Canada. The Company?s primary activities are the exploration and development of the past-producing Eskay Creek gold-silver mine. The Company released a robust Preliminary Economic Assessment in late 2019 and is currently focused on infill and exploration drilling at Eskay Creek to advance the project to Pre-feasibility. Skeena is also exploring the past-producing Snip gold mine. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Skeena Resources Limited, Walter Coles Jr. President & CEO Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements Certain statements made and information contained herein may constitute ?forward looking information? and ?forward looking statements? within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to the Company and there is no assurance that actual results will meet management?s expectations.? Forward-looking statements and information may be identified by such terms as ?future?, ?anticipates?, ?believes?, ?targets?, ?estimates?, ?plans?, ?expects?, ?may?, ?will?, ?could? or ?would?.? Forward-looking statements and information contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and other matters.? While the Company considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. In Europe: Swiss Resource Capital AG www.resource-capital.ch During the lockdown phase in India, availability of specialised oncology care online has been a boon for cancer patients and their families in India Onco.com, Indias leading digital platform for cancer care, recorded a significant jump of 140% in its digital consultation services in the month of April 2020. Adoption of Oncos Online Opinion grew by 53% in Tier-2 and Tier 3 markets and saw a growth of 35% growth in overall traffic to the site from non Tier-1 markets. In under a month of its launch, Call Onco, the teleconsultation service launched by Onco.com saw an increase in adoption, owing to movement restrictions due to the lockdown and limited availability of doctors for in-person consultation, and were able to connect the patients with top oncologists in their network within a few hours. Teleconsultation has seen a massive growth owing to the pressing demand for digital access to doctors and medical services during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for cancer patients, for whom delays in treatment can have severe consequences. Given its well-established network of over 1500 oncologists and 500 plus hospital partners, Onco.com has been able to support close to 10,000 patients each month by working very closely with oncologists and hospital partners to ensure continuity of care towards cancer patients, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through Call Onco, cancer patients and caregivers have been able to get advice from oncologists through a telephonic call or video conferencing, for queries ranging from their current treatment status, diagnosis, and precautions against COVID-19. Additionally, for patients looking for detailed treatment advice, Onco.com also offers a premium online opinion service called Onco Tumour Board, where patients and their caregivers can get detailed treatment advice in the form of an online report from a multi-disciplinary panel of senior oncologists. Every patient who opts for the tumor board service gets a complimentary Call Onco service as well and they can schedule the call after their report is shared. The online opinion service has also seen a significant increase in adoption across Tier-2 and 3 markets, owing to the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cancer treatment during the lockdown has been difficult and requires close coordination between multiple medical services, scheduling appointments, and coming up with solutions to innumerable problems that crop up along the way. With the rise of COVID-19 cases in India and the subsequent lockdown enforcement for the safety of the larger public, there were a number of patients who found it difficult to get the medical help they required. Onco.com was able to connect them with right oncologists despite hurdles and could maintain continuity of care through local centers. In a recent example, a patient in Mumbai scheduled to undergo surgery for colon cancer had his appointment canceled because of inadequate staff at the hospital. The family of the patient reached out to Onco.com and got connected with a suitable partner hospital that would carry out the surgery. In addition, the assigned care manager at Onco.com ensured that the partner hospital would cover the patients treatment through insurance, apart from providing the mandatory COVID-19 testing through a partner diagnostic center before the surgery, to ensure that all legal requirements were met. Meticulous planning and execution resulted in the patient receiving timely and successful surgery. Ms.Rashie Jain, CEO and Co-Founder of Onco.com, says, In these unprecedented times, we have a singular goal - we want to ensure that every single patient receives the treatment that they require and gets the most relevant advice from experts no matter where they are. More than the geographical distances, or travel bans, what patients and caregivers seem most affected by is the lack of information on what alternatives are available to them when their current treatment is delayed or put on hold. There is a lot of uncertainty right now and we are doing every bit so that cancer patients feel safe and connected with our oncology ecosystem at all times whether or not they can travel. We are working in tandem with our oncologists and hospital partners to ensure continuity of care towards cancer patients. In addition, every cancer patient at Onco.com is assigned a dedicated care manager who engages with them throughout their treatment journey. She added. Such services have been particularly impactful for patients residing in districts, smaller towns, and even villages. In one such case, when a caregiver from Ambedkarnagar in Uttar Pradesh called Onco.com, he had no idea how to get a travel pass to take his mother, who was diagnosed with cancer, to the hospital. Even after Onco.com helped him with documentation to obtain a travel pass at the nearest police station, the caregiver struggled to communicate his requirement with the officials there. Onco.coms care manager stepped in to speak with the District Magistrates office and other concerned officials to ensure that the travel pass was made available within the shortest possible time. This enabled the caregivers family to travel to Lucknow to receive treatment. The patient has now completed one out of four chemotherapy cycles and the family is relieved that they were able to initiate treatment without further delay. Dr. Amit K. Jotwani, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Onco.com mentioned, Cancer patients have been worst affected by the present COVID crisis. Given that most cancer patients in India are diagnosed in advanced stages, the window for a positive outcome is limited and they cannot afford to delay treatment. As we see a relatively lower COVID-19 infection rate and case fatality rate compared to western countries, it also indicates that the risks to cancer patients in India are not as high and we can still continue their treatment as the risk of cancer progression is a concern. We firmly believe that teleconsultation is the way forward in the healthcare industry in India. Onco.com is contributing to this nation-wide effort by providing a solution for cancer patients and their caregivers to reach out for the best cancer care consultation, diagnostics, and treatment available in the country today. In addition, Oncos virtual Tumor Board service allows patients to get advice from a multidisciplinary panel of esteemed oncologists who work together to review a case online and develop a detailed report. The report offers advice on cutting edge treatment solutions relevant to them and also addresses any other question that the patient or their family have with regards to their treatment. Additionally, for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers stuck at home during the lockdown, Onco.coms community initiative, Talk Your Heart Out (TYHO), provides the much-needed support to battle the situation. Here patients and caregivers can connect online as a support group. Even amidst the lockdown, we have been able to conduct this online and the response has been phenomenal. Onco.com also offers a peer-to-peer support service called Onco Warrior, connecting patients with survivors to help guide them through the journey, both mentally and emotionally. said Ms. Rashie Jain. A step towards building a community of cancer fighters, TYHO has been an easy and effective way to socialize and lessen the feeling of loneliness and isolation that the lockdown has brought about. As the country starts to accept the new normal that COVID-19 has enforced, Onco.com will be a national solution for cancer patients and their families for all oncology-related queries and services. Vanessa Bolen of Beardstown is one of several students recognized by the Division of Fine, Applied and Literary Arts at Culver-Stockton College in Missouri. She received one of The Mahan Prizes in Creative Writing for her work in journalism. Kaitlin Hubbert has graduated from Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing/Culver-Stockton College with a bachelor of science degree in nursing. She is the daughter of Matt and Jen Hubbert of Winchester. Madison Cowell of Beardstown is one of several students recently recognized by the Division of Applied Liberal Arts and Sciences at Culver-Stockton College in Missouri. She received The Robert H. Jacobs Memorial Award, given by the Mu Theta Nu fraternity to a student who has done the most toward Christianitys cause on campus. Lauren Paisley of Mount Sterling, a senior psychology and occupational therapy major, has received the Programmer of the Year and Senior Residence Life awards from Culver-Stockton College in Missouri. Jocelyn Murphy of Jacksonville has been named to the spring semester deans list at Missouri Valley College. To be named to the deans list, a student must earn a 3.3 or higher grade point average. Carly Benton of Rushville, a graduate of Rushville-Industry High School, has been accepted to Culver-Stockton College in Missouri. She was awarded the Presidents Scholarship, an $11,500 a year scholarship for four years. Macey James of Pittsfield has been named to the spring semester deans list at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais. To be named to the deans list, a student must earn a 3.5 or higher grade point average. Joyce Killday from Winchester has been named to the spring semester deans list at Westminster College in Missouri. To be named to the deans list, a student must earn a 3.6 or higher grade point average. Alexander Allen of Chapin has graduated from Illinois State University in Normal with a bachelors degree in criminal justice and a minor in legal studies. Compiled by Laurie Bosworth BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 1 By Tamilla Mammadova - Trend: Georgian flour producer company Geomill will export its products to Greece and six other Balkan countries, the company representative said, Trend reports citing Georgian media. Negotiations with European partners have been successfully completed and the company will send up to 1,500 tons of flour per month to export. Apart from this, the company will resume exports to Africa and Asia. As reported, prior to the pandemic, Geomill was exporting its products to countries such as Angola, Congo, China, Iraq, Iran, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Geomill switched to the Georgian market completely during the state of emergency due to COVID-19 and stopped exporting. After reactivating in foreign markets, the company will export up to 4,000 tons of flour every month. Geomill produces 40 types of flour. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356 News Washington, DC - This week, the Presidents Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice concluded its hearing on rural and tribal justice with a panel on public safety challenges within American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The commission also began its hearing on community engagement, with a panel on civil rights and oversight. The hearings were conducted via teleconference and featured expert witnesses who provided testimony and answered questions from the commissioners. On Wednesday, May 27, the commission received testimony from Kurt Alme, U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana; Kevin Allis, Chief Executive Officer of the National Congress of American Indians; Leanne Guy, Executive Director of Southwest Indigenous Womens Coalition; Vivian Korthuis, Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Village Council Presidents, and; Charles Addington, Director of the Office of Justice Services (OJS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The five panelists discussed the public safety challenges within American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The testimonies touched on the need for more law enforcement resources, such as training, equipment, and funding for salaries. The panelists also emphasized the disproportionate rates of substance abuse and violence faced by American Indian and Native Alaska communities, particularly the rates of sexual violence. They highlighted the fact that a significant percentage of the crime in Indian country is perpetrated by non-tribal members, yet tribal law enforcement does not have the jurisdiction to prosecute offenders who are not tribal members. On Thursday, May 28, the commission heard testimony from Farhio Khalif, Founder and Executive Director of the Voice of East African Women in Minnesota; Susan Hutson, President of the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement, and; Amy Blasher, Director of the Crime Statistics Management Unit, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Testimony and discussion focused on civil rights, community engagement, and civilian oversight. Ms. Khalif stressed that thriving, safe communities require strong partnerships and mutual trust between community leaders and law enforcement. Ms. Hutson discussed the importance of civilian oversight of law enforcement, and Ms. Blasher outlined the role the FBI plays in training law enforcement agencies on hate crime investigations. The commission will conclude its hearing on community engagement next week. WASHINGTON Wielding extraordinary federal authority, President Donald Trump threatened the nations governors on Monday that he would deploy the military to states if they did not stamp out violent protests over police brutality that have roiled the nation over the past week. His announcement came as police under federal command forced back peaceful demonstrators with tear gas so he could walk to a nearby church and pose with a Bible. Trumps bellicose rhetoric came as the nation convulsed through another round of violence over the death of George Floyd at a time when the country is already buckling under the coronavirus outbreak and the Depression-level unemployment it has caused. The president demanded an end to the heated protests in remarks from the White House Rose Garden and vowed to use more force to achieve that aim. If governors throughout the country do not deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers to dominate the streets, Trump said the U.S. military would step in to quickly solve the problem for them. We have the greatest country in the world, the president declared. Were going to keep it safe. A military deployment by Trump to U.S. states would mark a stunning federal intervention rarely seen in modern American history. Yet the message Trump appeared to be sending with the brazen pushback of protesters outside the White House was that he sees few limits to what he is willing to do. Some around the president likened the moment to 1968, when Richard Nixon ran as the law-and-order candidate in the aftermath of a summer of riots, capturing the White House. But despite his efforts to portray himself as a political outsider, Trump is an incumbent who risks being held responsible for the violence. Minutes before Trump began speaking, police and National Guard soldiers began aggressively forcing back hundreds of peaceful protesters who had gathered in Lafayette Park, across the street from the White House, where they were chanting against police brutality and Floyds death in Minneapolis. As Trump spoke, tear gas canisters could be heard exploding. Floyd died last week after he was pinned to the pavement by a police officer who put his knee on the handcuffed black mans neck until he stopped breathing. His death set off protests that spread from Minneapolis across America. His brother Terrence pleaded with protesters on Monday to remain peaceful. Five months before Election Day, the president made clear that he would stake his reelection efforts on convincing voters that his strong-arm approach was warranted to quell the most intense civil unrest since the 1960s. He made little effort to address the grievances of black Americans and others outraged by Floyds death and the scourge of police brutality, undermining what his campaign had hoped would be increased appeal to African American voters. The scene in and around the White House on Monday night appeared to be carefully orchestrated. As the crowd of protesters grew, Attorney General William Barr arrived in Lafayette Park to look over at the demonstrations and the swarm of law enforcement. The sudden shift in tactics against the protesters was initially a mystery. Then, after finishing his Rose Garden remarks, Trump emerged from the White House gates and walked through the park to St. Johns Church, where an office had been set on fire the previous night. Trump, who rarely attends church, held up a Bible and gathered a group of advisers all white to pose for photos. The moment was quickly decried by Trumps critics, with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo saying the president used the military to push out a peaceful protest so he could have a photo op at a church. Its all just a reality TV show for this president, he said on Twitter. Shameful. Federal law permits presidents to dispatch the military into states to suppress an insurrection or if a state is defying federal law, legal experts said. But Trumps statements also set up an immediate conflict with officials in New York and other states who asserted that the president does not have the unilateral right to send in troops against the will of local governments. The country has been beset by angry demonstrations for the past week in some of the most widespread racial unrest in the U.S. since the 1960s. Spurred largely by Floyds death, protesters have taken to the streets to decry the killings of black people by police. Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with murder, but protesters are demanding that three of his colleagues be prosecuted, too. All four were fired. While most of the demonstrations have been peaceful, others have descended into violence, leaving neighborhoods in shambles, stores ransacked, windows broken and cars burned, despite curfews around the country and the deployment of thousands of National Guard members in at least 15 states. On Monday, demonstrations erupted from Philadelphia, where hundreds of protesters spilled onto a highway in the heart of the city, to Atlanta, where police fired tear gas at demonstrators, to Nashville, where more than 60 National Guard soldiers put down their riot shields at the request of peaceful protesters who had gathered in front of Tennessees state Capitol to honor Floyd. Two people were killed during protests in the Chicago suburb of Cicero, authorities said, but provided no details. In Louisville, Kentucky, riot police firing tear gas scattered several hundred protesters from downtown, violently capping a day of mostly peaceful protests. A vehicle plowed through a group of law enforcement officers at a demonstration in Buffalo, New York, injuring at least two. Video from the scene showed the vehicle accelerating through an intersection shortly after officers apparently tackled a protester and handcuffed him. The officers were hospitalized in stable condition, authorities said. In New York City, where nightfall has brought widespread scenes of destruction, large crowds rallied peacefully in Times Square and Brooklyn during the day. Then, in early evening, looters rushed into a Nike store in Manhattan and protesters smashed storefront windows near Rockefeller Center. Video posted on social media showed some protesters arguing with people breaking windows, urging them to stop. The city has already endured immense commercial damage from the unrest. On Monday, rioters got through the doors of the citys flagship Macys store, famous for its Thanksgiving Day parade, and police later pulled at least two handcuffed men out of the store and put them into a van. By that time, most of the the street was littered with broken glass. In Washington, protesters continued marching peacefully through Washington hours after being forced from Lafayette park and past the 7 p.m. curfew. Eventually, within sight of the Capitol building, the marchers were turned back by law enforcement officers using tear gas, pellets and low-flying helicopters kicking up debris. As they dispersed, some protesters smashed windows at a nearby office building. Earlier Monday, Trump told the nations governors in a video conference that they look like fools for not deploying even more National Guard troops. Most of you are weak, he said. He added: Youve got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and youll never see this stuff again. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, dismissed Trumps comments as the rantings of an insecure man trying to look strong after building his entire political career on racism. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate, vowed to address institutional racism in his first 100 days in office. He met in person with black leaders in Delaware and also held a virtual meeting with big-city mayors. Biden said hate emerges when you have somebody in power who breathes oxygen into the hate. In Minneapolis, meanwhile, Floyds brother Terrence made an emotional plea for peace at the site where Floyd was arrested. Lets switch it up, yall. Lets switch it up. Do this peacefully, please, Terrence Floyd said as he urged people to use their power at the ballot box. Also Monday, an autopsy commissioned for Floyds family found that he died of asphyxiation from neck and back compression, the familys attorneys said. Authorities in many cities have blamed the violence on outside agitators, though have provided little evidence to back that up. But on Monday, federal authorities arrested a 28-year-old Illinois man saying he had posted self-recorded video on his Facebook page last week that showed him in Minneapolis handing out explosive devices and encouraging people to throw them at law enforcement officers. More than 5,600 people nationwide have been arrested over the past week for such offenses as stealing, blocking highways and breaking curfew, according to a count by The Associated Press. ___ Sullivan and Morrison reported from Minneapolis. Associated Press journalists across the U.S. contributed to this report. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The presidents of Ohio State Universitys student government groups asked in a joint letter for university leaders to cut ties with the Columbus Police Department, stating police took violent and inexcusable actions against protesters. The police killing of George Floyd, where a Minneapolis officer pressed his knee against the handcuffed mans neck, sparked a series of protests nationwide. Sunday marked the fourth day of protests in Columbus. In a letter addressed to President Michael Drake, Senior Vice President Jay Kasey, Vice President Dr. Melissa Shivers, Chief Kimberley Spears-McNatt, and Director of Public Safety Monica Moll, the student groups said officers response to the protest was unjustly forceful and militaristic. As our university leaders, your priorities, commitments, and duties are to the safety of your students and the footprint our university leaves on the City of Columbus," the letter reads. We can no longer accept bias trainings, reactionary meetings, or community dialogue. Community dialogue does not work when you kill the community. Our city is burning, our students are hurting, the safety and wellbeing of the Black community is at inherent risk and there is no other time to act than now. Read the full text of the letter at the bottom of this post. Officials will be in dialogue with student leaders about their concerns, according to a university statement on Monday. "As President Drake wrote on Saturday, George Floyd suffered a horrendous and completely unnecessary death. His killing, and those that have come before, demand that we create a different future. We know our students are hurting, we are here to support them, and we are inspired by their commitment to this cause. We must all work together to end abuse, discrimination, bigotry, and hatred. We will be in dialogue with our student government leaders about the specific concerns they have raised." The Columbus Police Department did not immediately respond to request for comment on the letter on Monday morning. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther in a Sunday news conference, said each day, the protests have escalated from peaceful to antagonistic to vandalism." Protests previously resulted in injured police officers and broken windows at the statehouse. Columbus Police have used wooden bullets and tear-gas on protesters, according to multiple reports. Ginther posted on Twitter about the polices role in these incidents on Sunday: We have all seen images that cause us to question whether our police officers are responding as expected. While we believe the overwhelming response by our officers has been measured and restrained, if we are asking for peace and patience of protestors, we must demand the same from our police. When they do not meet our expectations, we will investigate and hold them accountable. We have all seen images that cause us to question whether our police officers are responding as expected. While we believe the overwhelming response by our officers has been measured and restrained, if we are asking for peace and patience of protestors . . . Mayor Andrew Ginther (@MayorGinther) May 30, 2020 The letter is signed by Undergraduate Student Body President Roaya Higazi, Council of Graduate Students President Stephen Post and Inter-Professional Council President Jordan Vajda. Requests included (as written in the letter) -- 1. The Ohio State University Police Department (OSUPD) immediately cease contractual agreements with Columbus Police Department for any and all on-campus investigations, services, and events. 2. The OSUPD immediately cease Mutual Aid service contracts with the Columbus Police Department and strongly reevaluate Joint Patrol operations to restrict the presence of and limit the frequency of calls to CPD officers and resources in the off-campus living areas. 3. The Ohio State University no longer accept federal, military-grade resources and reduce OSUPDs budget for expenditures that may be used for further militarization. Instead, reallocate the funds to further invest in student support units, such as the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Student Life Multicultural Center, Student Life Counseling and Consultation Services, or the Student Life Student Wellness Center. 4. The OSU Department of Public Safety release an action plan, devised with student input, that arms the commitment to Black student safety and overall university safety through disarmed, anti-force, and culturally competent practices. 5. The Ohio State University acknowledge and condemn the anti-Black violence the Columbus Police Department committed against Ohio State students and the greater Columbus community. This story has been updated to include a statement from Ohio State University. Full letter Mongabay- India By T V Padma The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) pandemic, believed to have been triggered by the transmission of the virus from animals to humans, has brought into sharp focus zoonotic diseases that are spread by animals forced to move out of their natural habitats that are increasingly being destroyed, say experts. Destruction of forests for growing crops, urban expansion, and building road networks and a parallel intensification of wildlife trade has resulted in ecological conditions and movement of wild animals, which are reservoirs of some viruses or bacteria, towards human settlements. This, in turn, results in the emergence of new pathogens, they say. The COVID-19 pandemic is likely a global effect of natural habitat destruction combined with the effects of globalisation, says Maria Cristina Rulli, professor at the department of civil and environmental engineering at Politecnico di Milano, who has worked extensively on the links between Ebola virus disease outbreaks and forest destruction in Africa. The pandemic shows how vulnerable humanity is to major environmental and human health emergencies and how a local event may soon turn into a global crisis, she told Mongabay India. This is something scientists have been predicting could have happened, Rulli says, adding that one of the key lessons pandemics teach us is the existence of a nexus between human health and the environment. While scientists have not yet identified the index case or where exactly the spillover to humans took place, the province of Hubei and the surrounding provinces in China have indeed been affected by landuse change and habitat destruction, says Rulli. But it might (also) be that the virus arrived from another region through illegal importation of bushmeat. Ramesh Dhiman, former scientist with the National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, agrees that there are strong links between destruction of natural habitats of animals, and a rise in man-vector contact, leading to an upsurge in zoonotic diseases. India is among the top geographical hotspots for zoonotic diseases, and in recent past, India has seen emergence and re-emergence of high priority and neglected zoonoses, Dhiman had earlier cautioned in a report in Medical Reports and Case Studies in 2018. (Also read: Netflix's 'Coronavirus, Explained' Docuseries review) In recent years, the intrusion of human beings into habitats of rodents and mites, particularly for cutting grass, has resulted in a wider distribution of scrub typhus disease in India, he says. A similar link between increased risk of scrub typhus and deforestation was recently reported in South Korea too, he pointed out. Similarly, local deforestation has been linked to the emergence of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) in and around Shimoga in Karnataka state, while the emergence of Nipah Virus is being linked to changes in ecological conditions that have led to fruit bats coming out of their natural habitat and feeding on agricultural produce. This is in addition to insect-borne infections such as dengue, chikungunya and Japanese encephalitis, which have re-emerged in the Indian sub-continent, Dhiman says. Rajan Patil, associate professor of epidemiology at SRM University, Chennai, says growing proximity between human settlements and wildlife is increasing the rate of disease transmission between domestic animals and wildlife. Irrespective of whether humans are going into forest areas or animals are coming to human settlements due to deforestation, viruses are being exchanged, he says. Usually in undisturbed habitats, viruses keep circulating in mild forms in animals. It is when this equilibrium is disturbed and they come in contact with humans, some cross the species barrier due to a mutation, and human infections start taking place, Patil explains. He cites the example of swine flu (H1N1) virus that remains a very mild infection in pigs, but becomes deadly when it mutates and crosses over to humans. Patils team had previously attributed Nipah and Hendra virus outbreaks to destruction of forests that have adversely affected the roosting site for fruit bat species which is the reservoir for these pathogens. As a result, fruit bats have shifted to the fruit trees in human settlements, increasing contact between human and bats. Other examples cited by Patil are Lyme disease transmitted by ticks through white-footed mice; West Nile Disease, a mosquito-borne disease whose primary reservoir is wild birds; and an outbreak of anthrax in Chhattisgarh state which he attributes to loss of biodiversity. Global problem Globally too, experts are linking deforestation with recent outbreaks. Tropical deforestation in southeast Asia, and in South America, has been increasing at alarming rates, points out Rulli. Rullis work on Ebola has shown how the index cases of about 10 Ebola epidemics in Africa over the last two decades occurred in regions affected by deforestation and forest fragmentation. According to her, the spillover from wildlife or reservoir species into humans is favored by landuse change such as deforestation and forest fragmentation for a variety of reasons. One is that as humans encroach wildlife habitats, there are increased chances of human contact with infected species. A second is that natural habitat destruction alters animal community dynamics, and sometimes increases the numbers of some generalist pathogens that can reside in a range of hosts, and reduces the numbers of specialist species that thrive in limited hosts in the previous undisturbed conditions. Thomas Gillespie, associate professor at the department of environmental sciences at Emory University, US says that when extractive industries, such as logging, oil exploration and mining, are implemented in largely uninhabited wilderness areas, they provide the opportunity for human exposure to novel pathogens. Everyone is talking about the problem of the wet (illegal black market) market in Wuhan, but what about the effects of the nearby Three Gorges Dam project? asks Gillespie. It is the worlds largest hydroelectric power station, built on the Yangtze river in an area that was previously a mix of secondary forest and agricultural land. Many of the animals that used to live in that area likely died when their habitat was destroyed, but bats can fly. While scientists do not have the necessary data yet on where exactly the dislodged bats went or how did they adapt, but there are plausible linkages, he says. Whenever you have novel interactions with a diverse range of species in one place whether thats in a natural environment like a tropical forest or in an artificially created environment like a wet market you can have spillover events, says Gillespie. The wet markets really represent the minority of opportunities for spillover to occur, he says. Close to a third of diseases that emerge are linked to large-scale land-use change like deforestation and well over half of diseases that emerge are coming from wildlife in forests including such well-known examples as HIV and Ebola. Gillespie says there are many examples of pathogen spillover related to deforestation for agricultural monocultures including palm oil, for example Nipah and Lassa viruses; sugar cane and soybean in the case of hantavirus. He traces the emergence of Nipah virus, for example, to deforestation for palm oil production and an El Nino-driven drought that led to large-scale burning of rainforests in Indonesia. Forced to find food elsewhere, fruit bats, which are long-distance flyers made their way to Malaysia, where industrial-scale pig farming was expanding rapidly to the scale of about 500-1000-hectare farms with 25,000-50,000 pigs. The fruit bats found food from the fruit trees on these pig farms, but the pigs became sick after eating partially eaten fruit that fell from these trees into their enclosures. Pig farmers then became infected by the pigs, and led to the first of a series of recurrent outbreaks of Nipah in people throughout southeast Asia including India, explains Gillespie. Like the Nipah virus, the global demand for palm oil was the driver for the large-scale land-use change that led to the spillover of Lassa virus, which causes a hemorrhagic fever like Ebola in humans and can kill 30 percent of the infected, in West Africa, says Gillespie. From Sierra Leone to Nigeria, native forest-living rodents were forced to seek out food when forests were cleared to establish palm oil plantations. In 2013 Gillespies team reported the probable emergence of Saint Louis encephalitis in association with the Conquistadors hauling plundered gold from Peru across the isthmus of Panama to ship back to Spain. The AIDS pandemic traces its roots back to the butchering of chimpanzees in forested areas of central Africa, he points out. This article was originally published on Mongabay.com. Mongabay-India is an environmental science and conservation news service. This article has been republished under the Creative Commons licence. America is at war with multiple enemies, including itself. The nation is at war with a pandemic virus. Protesters are at war with a system that fails to deal with racial discrimination and police brutality. Trump is at war with Twitter. The US is at war with China, which even saw justification to chime in yesterday to criticize Trump for suppressing free speech and public gathering. In less than a week, animosity between Trump and tech companies has escalated to levels not even the worst cynics thought it could reach. After allowing Trumps tweets to go untouched for years, early last week Twitter decided to include fact-checking warnings in Trumps posts, which prompted the President to sign an executive order that will attempt to limit the legal protections afforded to social media giants. Trump didnt give the public much time to react to the executive order, launching a series of new Tweets that were roundly condemned by tech giants, activists, and even his own advisors. The tweets in question were directed at protesters who took the streets in dozens of US cities sparked by the death of George Floyd, an African American man killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis. In several cities, shops were looted and police vehicles burned. Law enforcement officials and the National Guard have been ordered to help quell demonstrations. Trump used rather violent rhetoric, calling the demonstrators thugs and warned: When the looting starts, the shooting starts. Its a phrase that carries negative historical baggage in the US, even though the president claims to have never before heard it. ...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. Trump tweeted. Trump also revived some violent imagery by evoking dogs and weaponry at the ready inside the White House gates. If they had [breached the fence], he said, they would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen. Thats when people would have been really badly hurt, at least. After that, Trump was briefly taken to the White House underground bunker. Related: Conspiracy Theories Set Tone For 5G Cold War Twitter responded by putting the warning label on both Trumps private and the White House's official Twitter accounts, saying it is in violation of its rule against glorifying violence. Twitter did not remove the tweet, saying it had determined it might be in the public interest to have it remain accessible. In support of the protestors, Twitter also changed its profile to honor the Black Lives Matter movement. It was joined by many other US tech companies. For its part, Youtube said that to demonstrate solidarity against racism and violence it will donate $1 million to the Center for Policing Equity. Uber also announced the donation of $1 million dollar to two criminal justice reform groups. Executives of many other companies have likewise expressed support for demonstrators. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Sunday that his company was making an additional $10 million in donations to various organizations working on racial justice issues. That brings us back to China, where support for protesters--tongue in cheek--has also come. Even though Twitter has been blocked for citizens of China since 2009, word has still gotten out. In comparing the protests in the US to the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong last year, which the US-supported, the Chinese government is accusing the US of hypocrisy. By Michael Kern for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com The Bayelsa State government has sealed six churches in the state for breaching operational protocols required to conduct services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government on May 7 relaxed its restriction on social gatherings and allowed churches to hold services with up to 50 worshipers. The relaxation was granted, subject to compliance to strict conditions on provision of hand washing facilities, wearing of face masks and observance of social distancing in the seating arrangements. The permanent secretary, Bayelsa Ministry of Information, Freston Akpor, however, told NAN on Monday in Yenagoa, that the security sub-committee of the states task force on COVID- 19, sealed the churches during its surveillance on Sunday. The six churches were sealed for failure to comply with safety measures put in place by the government to contain the spread of the pandemic and protect the people of Bayelsa. The affected churches are, Living Faith Church, Igbogene, Salvation Victory Centre, Igbogene, Shalom International Christian Centre, along Tombia-Amassoma road and Great Grace Distinguished Assembly, Okutukutu. Others are Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Opolo and Hebrews International Church, Ayama road. The churches will remain sealed until further notice to serve as (a) deterrent to other churches. The move will help in ensuring that other churches adhere to the protocols on hand washing, use of face masks and social distancing as measures to check the spread of the virus in the state, Mr Akpor said. He said the security sub-committee of the task force on COVID-19, unsealed two churches earlier shutdown for violating safety measures on the pandemic. Mr Akpor explained that the two churches, the Halleluya Deliverance Ministry International and Embassy Faith churches were unsealed after undertaking to comply with prescribed safety protocols. (NAN) Kabul, June 1 : The Afghan government will continue the release of Taliban prisoners in an effort to begin intra-Afghan negotiations and to continue the announced reduction in violence, the National Security Council said. The council's announcement on Sunday came after President Ashraf Ghani on May 24 pledged to release 2,000 Taliban prisoners as a goodwill gesture in response to the Eid ceasefire announced by the Taliban., TOLO News reported. "The process will continue so that based on President Ghani's decree, 2,000 prisoners are released," Council spokesman Javid Faisal said. So far, the government has released 1,700 detainees of this latest pledged tranche, bringing the total number of Taliban released to 2,700. The release of prisoners is part of the US-Taliban agreement and is intended to pave the way for the start of the intra-Afghan negotiations, for which the Afghan government has shown a readiness to begin. The Taliban has also released over 420 prisoners, 73 of them during the last few days from Balkh, Logar, Kunduz, Paktia, Paktika and Khost provinces. Also on Sunday, the Presidential Palace says the Afghan government was ready for intra-Afghan negotiations. "We are fully ready for the process," TOLO News quoted presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi as saying. "The negotiation team is ready, and the High Council for National Reconciliation has been established and we are fully ready for beginning the negotiations." On Saturday, Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, said he hopes the intra-Afghan negotiations will begin in the next week, and he reiterated that the negotiation team and the Afghan government were ready for the process. The motive of the two officials of Pakistan High Commission, who were declared 'persona non grata' by India on charges of espionage, was to extract details of movement of Army units through trains by befriending railway staffers, police said on Monday. IMAGE: Abid Hussain and Muhammad Tahir, two officials of the Pakistan high commission who have been declared 'persona non grata' for carrying out espionage activities in the country, in New Delhi, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo The two officials, Abid Hussain and Muhammad Tahir, were caught by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police from central Delhi's Karol Bagh while they were obtaining sensitive documents relating to India's security installations from an Indian national in exchange of money, official sources had said on Sunday. According to the police, during investigation, it has emerged that Hussain operated under several fake identities to lure people working in organisations and departments of his interest. He posed as Gautam, brother of a media person, to establish contact with an individual working in the Indian Railways. He tried to gain his confidence by pretending that he needed information about rail movements for his brother who was supposedly doing a story on the Indian Railways and for which he was willing to pay, said Anil Mittal, Additional PRO (Delhi Police). However, police said the real motive was to lure and trap the railway staff and then acquire information about movement of Army units and hardware via trains. In a statement released on Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs had said, 'The government has declared both these officials persona non grata for indulging in activities incompatible with their status as members of a diplomatic mission and asked them to leave the country within 24 four hours.' Sources had said the officials were working at the visa section of the Pakistan High Commission and confessed during the interrogation that they worked for Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence. The sources had also said that the two officials were handing over Indian currency and an iPhone for providing them the documents. They had initially claimed that they were Indian nationals and even produced fake Aadhaar cards, the sources had said. In 2016, Delhi Police had busted an espionage racket, involving a Pakistan High Commission staffer, Mehmood Akhtar, who was allegedly involved in getting information about Border Security Force deployments along the Indo-Pak border. He was expelled by India for spying. A gang member who stole 4million worth of gems from a Mayfair jewellers in one of the biggest thefts in British criminal history has been jailed for nearly four years. Mickael Jovanovic was part of a crack team who tricked staff at Boodles into handing over precious jewels then used sleight of hand to swap the diamonds for pebbles. The 27-year-old and his accomplices then fled to their native France within hours of the heist in 2016, and evaded capture until this year. Following an international manhunt, Jovanovic was extradited from Italy and arrested in January and charged the same day with conspiracy to steal. Police likened the 'truly audacious crime' to daring thefts portrayed in Hollywood movies. How the 4m pebble scam unfolded at Boodles in March 2016 The family-owned luxury jeweller, which counts Victoria Beckham and Emma Thompson as customers and is modelled by Amber Le Bon and her mother Yasmin, told MailOnline it had 'moved on from the unfortunate incident.' A Boodles director was invited to a meeting in Monaco in March 2016 by members of the group posing as Russian businessmen, who struck a deal to buy seven diamonds - including a heart-shaped jewel worth 2.2m. Mickael Jovanovic was part of a crack team of criminals who tricked staff at Boodles into handing over 4million worth of jewels. The 27-year-old, from Le Blanc-Mesnil in France, was jailed for three years and eight months Boodles received a phone call stating that the buyers' representative, a gemmologist named 'Anna', would be attending the Mayfair shop under the pretence of appraising the diamonds. Boodles' gemmologist Emma Barton met with 'Anna' who was taken to the basement of the jewellery store for a viewing on March 10. Prosecutor Philip Stott told Southwark Crown Court how 'Anna' entered Boodles to view the diamonds and waited for a diversional telephone call from one of her accomplices. She swapped the gems for pebbles and slipped the stones into pre-cut tissue paper, placing them inside opaque boxes she had brought with her. The padlocked bag containing the 'diamonds' was then returned to the safe. After leaving the shop, Anna met up with her associates on the street and handed the diamonds over before the group split up. Within three hours of the theft, they had all returned to France either by train or car. The following day, the Boodles director spoke with the fake buyer, who confirmed the money would be transferred. But suspicious staff x-rayed the bag then opened it to discover they had been left with pebbles, the court heard. Jovanovic and another man, Christophe Stankovic, had carried out surveillance on Boodles and were loitering nearby on the day of the theft. Two women had acted as lookouts for 'Anna' while a third woman was standing by with a change of clothes at a pub near Victoria Station. Mr Stott said the 2016 theft was 'of the highest possible sophistication, planning, risk, and reward', adding it is thought to be the largest value single incident of shoplifting in British criminal history. Flying Squad detectives launched an investigation and retraced the group's movements across London as they plotted the heist. The gang had used minicabs in a bid to hide their movements but their departure from the country was quickly established. Their images were circulated to other police forces before Jovanovic was extradited from Italy in January and arrested. He was charged the same day and admitted conspiracy to steal. Jovanovic, of Le Blanc-Mesnil, a suburb in north eastern Paris, was jailed for three years and eight months' imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court. Stankovic was caught and jailed in 2016. A Boodles director was invited to a meeting in Monaco in March 2016 by members of the group posing as Russian businessmen, who struck a deal to buy seven diamonds - including a heart-shaped jewel worth 2.2m James Amos, Director at Boodles in New Bond Street, told MailOnline: 'This was an unfortunate incident that took place at Boodles over four years ago. 'Whilst we have moved on from this, we would like to take the opportunity to commend the hard work of 'The Flying Squad' who have spent four years bringing these two criminals to justice.' Detective Constable William Man said: 'This was a well organised theft which evolved over a number of weeks both in London and on the continent 'Like the plot of a film, this was a truly audacious crime. They stole the diamonds and fled in a matter of hours. However, they left behind a trail of evidence which led us to where they were staying, and the Citroen they had hired in Paris. 'As a result of piecing together all of the bits of information, we knew it was only a matter of time before arrests were made. 'And whilst it has taken four years, this case does highlight that we won't give up. We still remain determined to identify all of those involved.' Tracking The Failed Promises Of The Akufo-Addo Government - The Case Of The One Million Dollars Per Constituency Promise- By Hon. Muntaka Mubarak, (Minority Chief Whip In Parliament) At The Maiden Edition Of The NDC's Weekly Press Briefing On Monday, 1st June, 2020. INTRODUCTION Ladies and gentlemen of the press, you would recall that in the run-up to the 2016 elections, the Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo made a plethora of lofty and mouthwatering promises that lured the Ghanaian electorate into voting for him. However, since assuming office in 2017, he has flattered to deceive and failed to fulfill majority of the campaign promises he made to Ghanaians on the basis of which he was elected into office. Indeed, today, majority of Ghanaians have come to the painful realization, that most of the utopian promises of then Candidate Akufo-Addo were fake and never intended to be kept. Today, we shall track the status of one of such 419 promises of President Akufo-Addo which has turned out to be a white elephant; the one million dollars per constituency per year promise. Ladies and gentlemen, this promise of candidate Akufo-Addo was simply that, he was going to give every constituency an amount of $1 million every year for developmental projects if elected as President. Many were those who believed this promise and voted for President Akufo-Addo in the 2016 general elections in the hope that their constituencies will benefit from at least US$4 million or projects equivalent to that amount under the government of Akufo-Addo. Yet, nearly four (4) years after assuming the reins of power, and despite being the most resourced President in Ghanas history, President Akufo Addo has very little to show for this key flagship promise in the 275 constituencies of Ghana. Distinguished friends from the media, the facts show that: 2017 In the year 2017, the Akufo-Addo government failed to release a single dollar or undertake any development project in any of the 275 constituencies of Ghana in fulfillment of the one million dollars per constituency promise. As a matter of fact, government spent the entire year (2017), putting in place the needless and superfluous Ministry of Special Development Initiatives and its agencies which are supposed to oversee among others, the implementation of the one million dollars per constituency promise. 2018 & 2019 Ladies and gentlemen, the facts show that save a handful of projects and initiatives such as toilets, warehouses, markets, mechanized water systems, ambulances etc. undertaken in a few constituencies in the country by the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives, the Akufo-Addo government once again failed to fulfill its one million dollars per constituency promise in the year 2018 and 2019. In other words, not a single constituency in Ghana received cash of $1 million dollars or benefited from development projects equivalent to that amount in the year 2018 and 2019. 2017-2019 It is instructive to note, that per the one million dollar per constituency promise of President Akufo-Addo, each constituency should have received a total of $3 million dollars, which leads to a total of US$825 million by now (i.e excluding the year 2020), or benefited from development projects equivalent to that amount by now. However, the total cost of the handful of development projects (CAPEX) which have been undertaken by the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives under the one million dollars per constituency promise from 2017-2019 is GHS462,979,103, as per the Ministrys own data submitted to the Parliament of Ghana as shown in the table below. Summary: Total Budget from 2017 to 2019 Classification Budget Releases % Release Compensation 602,013.00 592,609.77 98.4 Goods and Services 137,286,365.00 60,041,879.00 43.7 Capex 2,423,555,508.00 462,979,103.53 19.1 Total 2,561,443,886.00 523,613,592.30 20.4 Source: 2020 Programme Based Budget of the Ministry of the Special Development Initiatives The amount of GHS462, 979,103 which has so far been utilized for development projects (CAPEX) by the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives, is equivalent to just about US$81 million, constituting 9.8% of the total of US$825 million dollars which government was supposed to have released by now in fulfillment of the one million dollars per constituency promise. It must be noted that this amount represents the total CAPEX releases from the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives from 2017-2019 and includes expenditure on 200 sub-standard dugouts in the northern part of the country under the One Village, One Adam (1V1D) initiative. It is worthy of note, that the entire amount of $US81 million which has so far been spent on the one million dollars, per constituency promise, is far less than just what the Community Water and Sanitation Agency under the Ministry for Works and Housing did under the erstwhile NDC-Mahama regime. Ladies and gentlemen of the press, it is sad to note, that even with the paltry US$81 million which has been utilized under the One Million Dollars per Constituency program so far, Members of Parliament have been completely sidelined in the choice and execution of development projects in their respective Constituencies and the disbursement of funds for same. Even more bizarre, is the fact that the cost of most of the projects executed under the program have been deliberately inflated, as was discovered by the Minority Caucus in the year 2017, when the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives sought to use a whopping GHS800, 000 to develop a website. CONCLUSION Ladies and gentlemen of the press, the above facts show clearly that the one million dollars per constituency promise of President Akufo-Addo is largely unfulfilled and a monumental failure as only 9.8% of the promised US$825 million has been released between the periods of 2017-2019. This fact which exposes the dishonesty of the Akufo-Addo government, applies to almost all the campaign promises of President Akufo-Addo and the NPP. We shall demonstrate this fact with indisputable evidence in our subsequent briefings. Distinguished friends, talk they say is cheap. You can lie your way into power, but you cannot sustain yourself in office with lies. President Akufo-Addo has fallen on the dagger of his own utopian promises- promises which were calculated solely for votes but never intended to be kept. But the day of accountability is not far and we have no doubt in our minds that having fallen victim to his grand deceptions and fraud, Ghanaians will kick the insincere President Akufo-Addo out of office in the impending 2020 general elections, which really is going to be a referendum on his performance as President and vote for the humble, sincere and visionary John Dramani Mahama to rescue this country from the clutches of this inept, dishonest and corrupt Akufo-Addo government and restore our country back to the path of truth, development and true progress. Thank you for your attention Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 1, 2020 Indonesia has rejected China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea, following in the footsteps of its Southeast Asian neighbors, which have lodged similar concerns with the United Nations. In a letter sent to the UN secretary-general last week, Indonesia reiterated its long-standing position that it was not party to any territorial disputes in the South China Sea, while maintaining that Chinas historic claim to the sea clearly lacks international legal basis". Indonesia is the only nonclaimant state in Southeast Asia that sent such a letter of protest, although its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the North Natuna Sea is located adjacent to the highly disputed waters. 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 It is due to a high incidence and low levels of testing Five regions of Ukraine show a high incidence of COVID-19, in another region - the number of tested patients is too low. This was reported by the ministry's press service. Due to high incidence, Volyn (14.45 cases per 100 thousand population), Lviv (13.54 cases per 100 thousand population), Rivne (29.15 cases per 100 thousand population), Chernivtsi (32.63 cases per 100 thousand population) regions and the city of Kyiv (13.18 cases per 100 thousand population) are not ready for the second stage of the lockdown easing. It should be noted that the maximum allowable indicator for the transition to the next stage is 12 cases of infection per 100,000 population in a week. As we reported earlier, as of early June 1, Ukrainian medics observed 24,012 cases of coronavirus disease in the country. 718 people have deceased due to the disease since the beginning of the pandemic in Ukraine (+10 over the last 24 hours). 9,690 have recovered so far (+152). 340 new cases were observed yesterday, on May 31. According to the National Security and Defense Council, 13,694 people continue to be treated. Apple has cut the prices of its latest iPhones in China ahead of a major online shopping festival as it looks to continue the momentum it has seen following the gradual resumption of the world's second-largest economy after the coronavirus lockdown. In China, Apple sells its products via various channels. On Alibaba-owned e-commerce site Tmall, Apple has an official store. JD.com is an official reseller of Apple products, though the U.S. company works closely with the online shopping giant on pricing. On Tmall, users can buy an iPhone 11 64GB model for 4,779 yuan ($669.59), down around 13% from its original 5,499 yuan selling price. The iPhone 11 Pro starts at 7,579 yuan down from 8,699 yuan, while the iPhone Pro Max is listed for 8,359 yuan versus the original price of 9,599 yuan. The recently-released iPhone SE, the cheapest in Apple's range, is priced at 3,099 yuan, down from 3,299 yuan. Apple's own official Chinese website does not show these price reductions. Tmall rival JD.com has even steeper discounts. The iPhone 11 64GB model is priced at 4,599 yuan, the iPhone 11 Pro at 6,999 and the iPhone 11 Pro Max at 7,499 yuan. If the full discounts are applied, the iPhone 11 Pro Max is at a more than 21% discount from its original price on JD.com. The iPhone SE is listed at 3,069 yuan with discount, down from 3,199 yuan. A JD.com spokesperson said that the company is doing discounts every day during the so-called 6.18 shopping festival but the discount structure may vary day-by-day. The prices listed in this article reflect the promotions on June 1. A JD spokesperson said that the transaction volume of Apple products in the first hour of sales on June 1 reached three times that of the same period last year but did not give a specific figure. Press Release June 1, 2020 TRANSCRIPT OF SENATOR PIA S. CAYETANO'S CO-SPONSORSHIP SPEECH SENATE BILL NO. 1564 OR THE "BAYANIHAN TO RECOVER AS ONE" BILL Mr. President, my esteemed colleagues, good afternoon. It is my privilege to co-sponsor Senate Bill No. 1564, otherwise known as the "Bayanihan to Recover as One Act." Last March, we pushed for the passage of Republic Act No. 11469, which this representation also sponsored. Our shared goal was simple: empower our government to act fast in providing Filipino families with subsidy for their daily needs to keep them home. As already mentioned by the Chair of the Committee on Finance, Senator Sonny Angara, since the passage of the law, we have been in close coordination with our counterparts in the Executive Department in ensuring its proper implementation. Week after week, we received extensive reports from the Office of the President and every week, this representation would consolidate the comments and recommendations of the Senate, which we would then submit back to the President, in the hopes of strengthening these initiatives and addressing gaps. Although we managed to act fast in responding to the threats of COVID-19 through the passage of the "Bayanihan Law," the lack of a national ID system has been pointed out to contribute to the delay in identifying beneficiaries. Thankfully, resolving this challenge is now a priority of NEDA under the leadership of Secretary Karl Chua. Meanwhile, 78 days since the declaration of a nationwide quarantine, it appears that we have slowed down the spread of the virus although it is still out there. But staying at home has taken a toll on the livelihood of people and the economy. The interventions provided in the Bayanihan to Heal as One and the powers of the President therein, are set to expire this June 23, 2020. We need to move into the new phase in our battle vs. COVID-19. We now need to RECOVER AS ONE. Senate Bill No. 1564 particularly seeks to extend the validity of RA No. 11469 up to September 30, 2020. This shall allow the government to more aggressively pursue its efforts to contain the transmission of the virus, and to provide specific support for various sectors as our economy starts to reopen. For the health aspect, this bill proposes to enhance, through additional funding, the capacity of our public health care institutions. The COVID-19 crisis has forced us to finally recognize the gaps in our current healthcare system. There is no better moment to make reforms, to invest more in health services, and to build more adequate health facilities. Taking off from the current administration's infrastructure program, it is now time to "Build, Build, Build" for the Filipinos' health and wellbeing. Another grave consequence of COVID-19 is the disruption to our education sector. Much support is needed, from assistance to parents with education-related bills to pay, teachers and school personnel now facing financial difficulties, private schools with bills to pay, and public institutions with threatened budget cuts. As such, the bill shall extend education subsidies to qualified students in private institutions, both for the basic and tertiary education sectors. These subsidies shall be released directly to the schools for payment of tuition, which will also sustain them. Furthermore, the bill shall provide cash assistance to affected and displaced teaching and non-teaching personnel, including part-time faculty members, in private basic education schools and higher education institutions (HEIs), as well as part-time faculty members in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). Government financial institutions are also directed to develop relevant loan programs. In order to ensure food security and supply chain resilience, financial assistance shall also be provided to qualified agri-fishery enterprises and farmers and fisherfolk, which would enable them to continue their productivity and in turn, help feed their families and millions more. Likewise, the needs of MSMEs and millions of their displaced workers, including probationary, seasonal, contractual, and casual employees, as well as freelancers of various industries, are also recognized in the bill. This representation also introduced provisions to the bill, in relation to our long-time advocacy on sustainable transportation. Amidst the need to regulate the operation of all transport sectors in the country to help prevent the spread of the virus, people should be given access to safe and convenient alternatives. These provisions shall provide the necessary infrastructure and support for these alternative modes of transportation, including emergency pathways and pop-up bicycle lanes for pedestrians and cyclists. This will enable commuters, particularly our healthcare workers and other frontliners, to get to essential destinations like hospitals, banks, grocery stores, and the like. Meanwhile, also through this bill, we will hasten the deployment of critical ICT infrastructure, and wireless technologies in the country, in order to address the need for digital connectivity, cybersecurity, e-government, online learning, and telecommuting during the pandemic. These are just some of the highlights of our proposed bill, Mr. President. There are other important provisions. But I would also like to emphasize that in the effort to reach out to all sectors, we must recognize that our source of funding is not infinite, and the key is to provide assistance to as many as are in need, especially the most needy. There is no "one size fits all" approach to fighting a novel virus. Nations all over the world struggle to find the balance between protecting public health and safeguarding people's economic well-being in the time of crisis. Our proposal seeks to strike this balance. It is a solution that is more tailor-fitted for Filipino families, and for the different sectors of our society. It seeks to save more lives, while also supporting our people, as we try to regain our economic footing. Ultimately, our proposal is a call for sustainable recovery. The Filipinos are known all over the world for their resilience. COVID-19 may have shaken our societies to the core, but we will emerge stronger and more prepared. Finally, I also take this opportunity to call on the Filipino people to be [proactive] in protecting themselves. Maging responsable sana ang bawat isa sa atin. Kung wala naman gagawin sa labas, manatili sa bahay. Every day that we stay home, we save lives. Let those who have to go out whether as frontliners or to earn a living, be safer because most of us stay home. And for those who need to go out, be responsible enough to note down all the places you go, because that small effort will go a long way in our contact tracing efforts. Congratulations, and we are also here to support the efforts of our Chair, Senator Sonny Angara. Ituloy ang Bayanihan spirit. This is the only way we can foster sustainable recovery. Salamat po! Prime Minister Bob Loughman delivering his address on the update of the repatriation plan yesterday morning. A report from about a month ago by ZDNet Korea stated that Samsung would reveal the Exynos 922 chipset, and it would be used in the Galaxy Note 20. Samsung was thought to be deciding whether or not they would switch to using the Exynos chipset in the Galaxy Note 20 in South Korea. The company is rumored to have been improving the performance of the Exynos 990 processor. There have been reports for some months now that they've been making progress on the Exynos 992 chipset. The chipset is alleged to have been produced using the company's 6nm process. This process was said to be slightly worse than their brilliant 5nm process. Reports from early on stated that the Exynos 992 chipset would be more efficient at using power, and it would be faster at processing data when comparing it to the Exynos 990. There might be an additional reason why Samsung switched to the Exynos chipset, which might be due to the delay of the launch of the Snapdragon 865+ processor from Qualcomm. Its launch was pushed back because of the COVID-19 pandemic that's going on. Read Also: Samsung Galaxy Note 20+ Update: CCC Certificate Reveals it Comes with 5G, 25W Fast Charging, 108 MP Camera, and Other Specs to Expect What's Going On With The New Components? ARM made an announcement this week, revealing their new ARM Mali-G78 GPU and the ARM Cortex-A78 CPU as part of their event TechDay 2020. Respectively, these two are successors to the Mali-G77 GPU and the Cortex-A77 CPU. There was an announcement that was the wildcard for them, which was the Cortex-X Custom program's announcement, or CXC for short. During the announcement, ARM revealed that the first of CXC's CPUs would be their highest-performance CPU thus far, the Cortex-X1. The Cortex-X1 was built to reach peak performance instead of being energy-efficient. This decision would lead the CPU to compete with the chipsets by Apple, specifically their A-series chipsets. When they made the announcement, many thought that Samsung would be the one that would adopt the new mobile CPU from ARM. For a while, Samsung's last fully custom-made core is the Exynos 990's Exynos M5. This custom core being the last is because, at SARC, Samsung's custom CPU core project ended. A report from the Korean division of ZDNet has stated that the Galaxy Note 20 contains the company's upcoming Exynos 992 5nm chip. It contains the ARM Mali-G78 and the ARM Cortex-A78, but not the Cortex-X1. This competition in smartphone components boosts the smartphone industry competitivity. It would be a beautiful thing to get constant improvements to smartphones due to competition from other manufacturers. Quick And Easy Summary Of The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 If you haven't heard of the Samsung Galaxy Note 20, all you need to know is that it's Samsung's next flagship phone that is packed with a stylus. The launch date of the phone isn't confirmed yet. Please do not fret, however. It's rumored to launch around August of this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic that's currently happening. It will most likely cost more than $900, which might be too much, but we'll see how it performs when it launches. Read Also: Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and 20+ Color Leaks: Green? Copper? The artist Christo walks on his monumental installation "The Floating Piers" in northern Italy during a media preview in 2016. (Filippo Monteforte / Getty Images/AFP) Christo, the artist whose massive environmental public arts projects created in collaboration with his late wife Jeanne-Claude gained global renown, died Sunday at his home in New York City. He was 84. His death was announced on Twitter and the artist's website. No cause of death was given. The husband and wife duo was famous for creating large-scale, temporary environmental art projects since 1961. They used only Christo's name for decades until 1994 when Jeanne-Claude was added retroactively to many works as his collaborator. In 2005, he installed more than 7,500 vinyl gates in New York's Central Park and wrapped the Reichstag in Berlin in fabric with an aluminum sheen in 1995. Their self-financed $26-million "Umbrellas" project erected 1,340 blue umbrellas installed in Japan and 1,760 yellow umbrellas in Southern California in 1991. The massive, custom-made yellow umbrellas were erected along an 18-mile stretch of the Tejon Pass, about 60 miles north of Los Angeles. The project was marred by tragedy. A Camarillo woman was killed after being hit by one of the 19-foot-tall, 488-pound umbrellas when it blew loose in a windstorm. And in Japan, a crane operator was electrocuted while dismantling a portion of the project there. The statement on his website said the artist's next project, "LArc de Triomphe, Wrapped," is slated to appear in September in Paris as planned. An exhibition about Christo and Jeanne-Claudes work is also scheduled to run from July through October at the Centre Georges Pompidou. Christo lived his life to the fullest, not only dreaming up what seemed impossible but realizing it, his office said in a statement. Christo and Jeanne-Claudes artwork brought people together in shared experiences across the globe, and their work lives on in our hearts and memories. RIP Christo pic.twitter.com/Kh9WqFH22r LA CASE Books (@LACASEBooks) May 31, 2020 Born in Bulgaria in 1935, Christo Vladimirov Javacheff studied at the Fine Arts Academy in Sofia before moving to Prague in 1957, then Vienna, then Geneva. It was in Paris in 1958 where he met Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon. They were born on the same day (June 13) in the same year (1935), and, according to him, In the same moment, and would become partners in life and art. Story continues Christo was already wrapping smaller found objects, such as cars and furniture. After he met Jeanne-Claude, their scale broadened. Within three years, they were working together on an installation of oil drums and tarp on the docks in Cologne, Germany. "Our works are temporary in order to endow the works of art with a feeling of urgency to be seen and the love and tenderness brought by the fact that they will not last," read a 2005 brochure issued by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Although their large-scale outdoor and indoor projects were collaborative, they were all credited solely to Christo until 1994, when they revealed Jeanne-Claudes contributions. The decision, they said, was theirs and deliberate since it was difficult enough for even one artist to make a name for himself. The pair moved to New York in 1964, where they liked to say that they were illegal aliens in an illegal building in SoHo for a few years. They eventually bought that building and would call the city home for the rest of their lives. Christo and Jeanne-Claude at the Newport Harbor Art Museum's exhibition of their "Running Fence" project on Feb. 14, 1980. (Los Angeles Times) Jeanne-Claude died in 2009 at age 74 from complications of a brain aneurysm. After her death, Christo said she was argumentative, critical and always asking questions and he missed all of that very much. In a 2018 interview with the Art Newspaper, Christo spoke about his signature wrapping aesthetic. In the instance of the Reichstag, he said, covering it with fabric made the Victorian sculptures, ornament and decoration disappear and highlight the principal proportion of architecture. But, like classical sculpture, all our wrapped projects are not solid buildings; they are moving with the wind, they are breathing, he said. The fabric is very sensual and inviting; its like a skin. The artists made a point of paying for all of their works on their own and did not accept scholarship or donations. I like to be absolutely free, to be totally irrational with no justification for what I like to do, he said. I will not give up one centimeter of my freedom for anything. "Strolling its fabric-strewn walks gives the imaginative impression of gliding on liquid gold," wrote The Times' former art critic William Wilson, describing Christo's "Pont Neuf" project in 1985. "That agreeable sensation alternates with a muffled sense that the thing sometimes resembles a vast model made of corrugated cardboard and a suspicion that it borders on a bedizened Trump Tower kind of flash." The Associated Press contributed to this story. Japan is considering removing its entry ban on four countries, including Vietnam, while two airlines in South Korea and the Philippines have announced plans to resume their international routes to Vietnam after long travel restrictions caused by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The Japanese national newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun on Sunday afternoon quoted government sources as revealing that Japan is weighing up the easing of the ban on Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and New Zealand. The four countries appear to be keeping their infections in check, and business people are calling for the resumption of travel between Japan and the nations, the newspaper reported. Japan, Vietnam, Australia, and New Zealand are party to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP or TPP-11), while many Japanese businesses have operations in Thailand. Japans Economic Revitalization Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura had previously said he was planning to talk the lifting of travel restrictions with the four countries. The Japanese government is planning an approach under which business people and others will be allowed to enter Japan if they obtain documents proving that they are negative for the novel coronavirus in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before leaving their countries, and also test negative after arriving in the East Asian country. The first round of easing is expected to take place in summer 2020 or later as the current entry restrictions on people from 73 other countries, including the four aforementioned nations, which were first imposed in March, are scheduled to run through June. On Sunday, Philippine Airlines announced on its website it would resume operating scheduled flights in June on selected international routes to 18 countries and territories, including Vietnam. Meanwhile, South Koreas full-service carrier Asiana Airlines said in a statement on May 14 it planned to restart flight services on 13 international routes while increasing the number of flights to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to three and seven a week, respectively, from June 1, according to Yonhap News Agency. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! 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 [June 01, 2020] Salomon Sredni Joins NinjaTrader Board of Managers NinjaTrader, a leading provider of trading software and brokerage services to active traders, today announced that industry veteran Salomon (Salo) Sredni has been appointed to the NinjaTrader Board of Managers. Having previously served as President & CEO of the TradeStation Group, Sredni brings deep strategic insight that will help accelerate NinjaTrader's growth and global expansion. "Through a unique combination of high-performance trading software and discount brokerage services, NinjaTrader is uniquely positioned to bring new investors into the marketplace," said Sredni. "I am excited to join the NinjaTrader Board of Managers and help guide the company in delivering innovative solutions that lower the barrier of entry for domestic and international retail traders." Sredni is an accomplished chief executive officer and board member with a proven track record of driving growth and profitability across the technology and financial services industries. Most recently, he held concurrent positions as Managing Director and COO of the MONEX Group, a publicly traded global financial services company. Sredni also previously served as Chairman, President & CEO of TradeStation Group, one of the largest online brokers in the .S., which underwent significant global expansion under his leadership. "We are thrilled to welcome Salo to the NinjaTrader Board," said Martin Franchi, CEO of NinjaTrader. "Demand continues to build for cost-efficient access to the futures markets and we are focused on accelerating our growth initiatives to support new traders entering the marketplace. Salo has smart insights on how to be deliberate and efficient in these efforts, and we're excited to benefit from his experience and expertise." "Salo's unique understanding of both what active traders need and how to successfully deliver on those requirements will be invaluable as we execute our vision to provide institutional grade tools for traders across the globe," said Raymond Deux, Founder & Executive Chairman of NinjaTrader. "Salo brings over 20 years of experience leading and building innovative brokerage technology firms to the board," said Jim Brown, Managing Partner at Long Ridge Equity Partners, the majority owner of NinjaTrader. "We are excited to leverage his deep domain expertise and strategic insights to help guide the company through its next phase of growth and innovation." About NinjaTrader NinjaTrader provides award-winning trading software and futures brokerage services to active traders. Founded in 2003, NinjaTrader has evolved into an industry leader supporting over 60,000 traders around the globe with best-in-class technology, discount commissions and world class support. To learn more about NinjaTrader, please visit www.ninjatrader.com. FULL RISK DISCLOSURE: Futures, foreign currency and options trading contains substantial risk and is not for every investor. An investor could potentially lose all or more than the initial investment. Risk capital is money that can be lost without jeopardizing one's financial security or lifestyle. Only risk capital should be used for trading and only those with sufficient risk capital should consider trading. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005141/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Dr Helmut Marko thinks "a lot is happening" behind the scenes at Mercedes. The Red Bull chief's former charge Sebastian Vettel, who will leave Ferrari at the end of the year, is being linked with a move to Mercedes for 2021. Others say Vettel could go to 'Aston Martin' - which according to speculation may in fact be the works Mercedes team's new identity for 2021. "Let's wait and see what developments are going on at Mercedes," Marko told Osterreich newspaper. "I hear that a lot is happening there in terms of personnel." Indeed, team boss Toto Wolff has allied with Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll in buying Aston Martin shares. It is rumoured that the pair could swap some of these shares in exchange for control of the Mercedes team. When asked if Mercedes will be in F1 beyond 2021, Marko answered: "If they're still there, that's fine. We will want to beat them. If they are not, it will be a different team." As for whether the Brackley based team will merge with Aston Martin, the Austrian added: "I don't want to take part in this speculation." (GMM) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Firefighters battle a major gorse fire on the outskirts of the Docks in Belfast on May 31st 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Around 40 firefighters are tackling a large gorse fire at a nature reserve in Belfast Harbour Estate. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service were tasked to the scene at around 3.44pm on Sunday. Large plumes of dark smoke from the blaze could be seen for miles, with much of it drifting onto the M2 motorway. Nine fire appliances and a high volume pump are being used to tackle the blaze, while a command support unit is also in attendance. A drone is also being used to evaluate the extent of the fire. A Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) Spokesperson said: "This fire is generating high volumes of smoke across North Belfast and the City Centre, the public are advised to close doors and windows to prevent smoke entering residential property. "NIFRS are being assisted by representatives from other support services, Belfast City Council and Skywatch, to manage this incident. It is anticipated that NIFRS will be committed for several hours into the night. "Since Friday morning the Regional Control Centre has received 729 calls resulting in a response to 396 incidents across Northern Ireland, 134 of these have involved grass and wildfire. This has been an exceptionally busy Spring period for fire crews who have worked hard in tough conditions to extinguish these wildfires. "Due to the recent hot weather, grass and gorse is extremely dry and NIFRS would appeal to members of the public not to light small fires or disposable barbecues as these can lead to significant wildfire incidents and damage to the countryside." You have 24 hours, SC to Delhi Govt on rising pollution Delhi school reopening: Decision to be taken after Christmas-New Year vacation, says govt Delhi govt to deregister all diesel vehicles that complete 10 years on January 1, 2022 Delhi borders sealed for 1 week: Arvind Kejriwal India oi-Briti Roy Barman New Delhi, June 01: Delhi has sealed its borders for the next week amid the surge in COVID-19 cases, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday. Delhi seals border for 1 week, all shops permitted to open, no odd-even | Oneindia News The CM added that only those people providing essential services and holding government-approved e-passes will be allowed to cross. "Delhi borders are to be sealed for the next week. Essential services are exempted. We will take a decision again in one week to open borders after seeking suggestions from citizens," Kejriwal said. Explained: How Delhi recorded a massive surge in number of COVID-19 cases AAP leader Kejriwal said these suggestions could be sent via email (delhicm.suggestions@gmail.com), WhatsApp (8800007722) or by dialling 1031 till 5 pm Friday. "The moment we open the borders, people from across the country will come to Delhi for treatment. Delhi hospitals should be reserved for the people of Delhi," Kejriwal said during the brief address to the city. Confusion over border closing led to massive traffic jams this morning at the Delhi-Gurgaon border between the two cities. The state government has allowed barbershops and salons to reopen, however, spas will remain closed during the lockdown period. "Barbershops and salons will be allowed to open, but spas will remain closed. All shops will be permitted to open and there will be no restrictions on their functioning," the CM said. The number of coronavirus affected people in the national capital nears 20,000 following 473 deaths. Whereas, more than 1,000 new infections were detected in the last 24 hours in the state. This is the fourth consecutive time that the number of new cases crossed the 1,000-mark in 24 hours in Delhi. NEW YORK, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's leading diamond producers today launched Natural Diamond Council (NDC) formerly known as, 'Diamond Producers Association' (DPA). The NDC will serve to promote the desirability of natural diamonds and support the integrity of the diamond jewelry industry. As an industry authority, the NDC will continue to invest in advertising globally but will also become the go-to digital publisher for innovative content covering all that's new and exciting in the industry. As part of the launch, the NDC will also reposition its consumer identity (formerly known as 'Real is Rare, Real is a Diamond') under the brand name, 'Only Natural Diamonds' (OND). "The current economic climate creates unprecedented challenges for the luxury industry. But, as the climate improves, natural diamonds will connect stronger than ever before. Consumers will have a greater respect for all things natural and seek brands that have an honest mission to be truly sustainable. They'll be purchasing luxury goods with a greater meaning, particularly those celebrating connections between friends and loved ones," said Natural Diamond Council CEO, David Kellie. "We need to speak to the younger audience in a different way and we're delighted to have brought in a number of partners that will contribute to the new world of natural diamonds we're creating." "Our new digital platforms will inspire and inform consumers globally about the values and heritage of natural diamonds, as well as promoting the significant innovation happening throughout the world of diamond jewelry," adds NDC Managing Director North America, Kristina Buckley Kayel. "The younger audience is clearly engaged and inspired when we present ourselves with authority in the digital world. It's our aim to be number one across all digital platforms in our industry and our ambitious plans reflect these goals." Launching today (6/1), the new OND website is a digital platform and resource celebrating all that is great in the world of natural diamonds. It includes feature articles from editorial jewelry veterans such as, Jill Newman, Marion Fasel and Carol Woolton, as well as content from innovators from the worlds of jewelry and publishing. The website offers insightful coverage under six key pillars connecting the natural diamond world - 'Epic Diamonds', 'Hollywood & Pop Culture', 'Love & Diamonds,' 'Style & Innovation,' 'Diamonds 101' and 'Inside the Diamond World.' The OND website will also dedicate significant coverage as a trusted educational hub providing all the facts needed when considering buying diamond jewelry. Areas of focus will include access to the sustainability and ethical practices of the producers as well as buying guides, all presented in a dynamic and engaging tone. Alongside its debut, NDC launches its 'Style Collective: Trend Report', a compilation forecasting the natural diamond jewelry trends from leading experts. Style Collective members include Editor At Large, Jill Newman, who penned the report; Curator of Best Jewels, Katerina Perez; Celebrity Stylist, Cristina Ehrlich; Jewelry Director at Moda Operandi, Will Kahn; and British Vogue's Jewelry and Watch Director, Rachel Garrahan. The biannual trend report will serve as both a guide for retailers for the upcoming season and a reference for consumer titles incorporating styling tips. The NDC also launches with a new website dedicated to the industry and features a resource portal for Diamond Professionals, from retailers to designers. This new hub will provide easy access to an array of industry resources, customizable marketing materials, e-learning programs, and the latest industry news. The launch of the NDC reflects the collective commitment of its members, ALROSA, De Beers Group, Dominion Diamond Mines, Lucara Diamond, Petra Diamonds, RZM Murowa, and Rio Tinto, to the growth of the industry going beyond the current economic crisis. "There is no task more important than inspiring consumers with what we call 'the Diamond Dream,'" said Stephen Lussier, Chairman of the NDC. "Our mission is to educate consumers on the industry and positive social contribution diamonds make to the world today. Our members are committed to these goals and the launch of the NDC marks an exciting step on this path." The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) advances diamonds' desirability by publishing trends and sharing resources and information with consumers on the ultimate timeless and natural luxury good. The NDC also works to support the integrity of the natural diamond industry, providing transparency, and insight on the ethics, sustainability and progress of this sector. With a presence in China and India in addition to the US and Europe, NDC's initiatives reach a global market. Media Contact: Natural Diamond Council Carrie Crecca [email protected] Edelman Teddy Wilson Simmons [email protected] SOURCE Natural Diamond Council Related Links http://naturaldiamonds.com Matt Hancock has said the UK is winning the fight against coronavirus as he told anyone with symptoms they must get a test. There were just 1,570 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the UK yesterday, the health secretary announced. But he warned the public not to get carried away following todays limited easing of lockdown restrictions, adding: The disease is not beaten yet. Mr Hancock led the daily Downing Street briefing as some children began to return to school in England. But early indications suggest that the number of pupils actually back in the classroom varies significantly depending on local area. Last night senior public health experts made a last-minute call for ministers to delay the lifting of some lockdown rules, warning it was too soon and the country would struggle to deal with any resultant surge in cases. Mr Hancock said: The data show that we are winning the battle against coronavirus. Today we are therefore able to make some cautious changes to the lockdown rules, carefully and safely. But he warned that the disease is not done yet. We must all remember that in the war against this virus we are all on the same side. We have come so far together, we can take these steps together. But do not step too far, the disease is not done yet. We mustnt throw away the progress that has been made. The easing of restrictions also coincided with the governments new track and trace programme. The scheme is designed to ensure new causes are identified quickly and those in danger of carrying the infection informed. Mr Hancock began the briefing with an appeal for anyone with symptoms to get a test. Despite reports that some of the 25,000 people recruited as contact tracers have been given little to do, the health secretary insisted the new system had been successful since going into operation in England last Thursday. He said that the vast majority of the 9,000 people who have tested positive since the new system began have been contacted by tracers. Many of them are able to put their details in on a web-based portal rather than directly on the phone, he told the Downing Street press conference. And he said: The system is up and running, its successful. Im very glad to report that those who are asked to isolate by the contact tracers are expressing the willingness to do so and we track that very carefully. Mr Hancock said that the numbers of contacts reported by each coronavirus patient was lower than had been modelled when the system was being prepared, probably because of the reduction in social activity under lockdown. Testing tsar John Newton said he was very pleased with the level of completeness of contacts being reported, though neither he nor Mr Hancock were able to provide any figures. In the case of a renewed spike of coronavirus infections, Mr Hancock did not rule out the reimposition of lockdown restrictions nationwide, but made clear the governments preferred solution would be localised measures, such as the shutdown of new admissions to A&E at individual hospitals. We are attempting to move the system from these national, blanket measures to a more targeted approach this is why test and trace is such an important part of that, he said. But we have always said that we are prepared to reintroduce measures whether that is nationally or in response to a localised outbreak if that is necessary. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty UK news in pictures 27 November 2021 Residents clear branches from a fallen tree in Birkenhead, north west England as Storm Arwen triggered a rare red weather warning AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 An aerial picture shows a worker using a quad bike and trailer to transport freshly harvested trees at Pimms Christmas Tree farm in Matfield, southeast England AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 26 November 2021 A shopper browses Christmas trees for sale at Pines and Needles in Dulwich, London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 November 2021 A murmuration of hundreds of thousands of starlings fly over a field at dusk in Cumbria, close to the Scottish border PA UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty Mr Hancock rejected suggestions that the 30 May decision to relax shielding protections for the most vulnerable people had been rushed, saying: We announced it when it was safe and ready to do so, and as I think you can see from the charts that we put up, one of the reasons that we could make that change is that the rate of incidence of disease is now back down to the levels that it was before we introduced the shielding policy. He also revealed that the Joint Biosecurity Centre which is tasked with establishing the Covid alert level has not yet been set up. The recovery strategy published by Boris Johnson on 11 May announced the creation of the independent JBC, bringing together world-leading epidemiological expertise to assess the state of the pandemic and advise the chief medical officers on the UKs position on a five-level alert system, ranging from a Level 5 outbreak where the disease risks overwhelming the NHS to Level 1 where the virus has been eradicated from the country. Downing Street today said that the partial relaxation of lockdown restrictions was made possible by the fact that, while the alert remains at Level 4 it is moving towards Level 3. But asked about the JBCs work, the health secretary revealed that the new body was still being formulated at the moment. We are getting it stood up, making sure that all the information flows come to it so it is able to analyse them and to make sure that it gets set up correctly, he said. Coronavirus pandemic in Germany: Medical care in an adaptive healthcare system The authors recommend a needs-based system focusing on patient well-being and quality assurance, rather than a primarily profit-oriented approach. It should appreciate all employees and integrate innovations as well as digital solutions. The aim is an adaptive healthcare system where the public health service and the ambulatory and stationary sectors work together well, and research results are promptly integrated into clinical practice. In the past weeks, the coronavirus pandemic has posed extraordinary challenges to the German healthcare system. According to the ad-hoc-statement, the confrontation with a new viral disease has shown the great importance of a publicly funded healthcare system and of an interconnected and research-based healthcare. Due to precautionary measures against infection with the largely unknown SARS-CoV-2 virus as well as the rearrangement of the system to be able to handle a potentially large number of severely ill COVID-19 patients, ambulatory and stationary care for patients with other illnesses has, however, faded into the background. Even important preventive measures and research activities had to be interrupted. Now, needs-based preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic measures for all patients need to be resumed promptly and, whenever possible, to their full extent. The authors consider the following short- and medium-term framework conditions necessary to ensure healthcare for all patients in times of an ongoing pandemic threat: provision of sufficient stationary, ambulatory, and post-stationary capacities and securing personnel, rooms and technical reserves for the treatment of COVID-19 patients when required establishment of a regional and in-hospital early warning system for SARS-CoV-2 infections implementation of science-based targeted testing strategies strengthening public confidence in a safe and patient-oriented medical treatment high-quality care and health services for all patients by promptly integrating new research developments It is the responsibility of the state to ensure healthcare in times of crisis and a quality-assured and science-based medical treatment for the population. The working group of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina recommends taking the following general aspects into account for the long-term development of the healthcare system: ensuring high-quality, science-based and ethically responsible care for all patients determining defined and differentiated areas of responsibility for each healthcare provider in a region according to the level of care expertise with a special function for university medicine providing adequate numbers of qualified medical and care staff guaranteeing comprehensive digitisation and structured cross-sectoral connectivity of all hospitals and of ambulatory care ensuring the realisation of healthcare tasks, for example by supplementing the current diagnosis related groups (DRG) reimbursement with structural components while avoiding false incentives social appreciation, appropriate remuneration, attractive and needs-based training as well as favourable working conditions for medical and non-medical personnel With this statement, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina publishes the fourth ad-hoc-statement on the coronavirus pandemic in Germany. The publication is available at: http://www. leopoldina. org/ en/ coronavirus The first three statements focused on acute healthcare policy measures in dealing with the pandemic, and on psychological, social, legal, educational, and economic measures that may contribute to a gradual return to societal normality. The corresponding documents can also be downloaded at: http://www. leopoldina. org/ en/ coronavirus The Press and Public Relations Department will gladly provide suitable contacts. Please direct any enquiries to the e-mail address press@leopoldina.org or call +49 (0)345 / 472 39-800. ### About the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina As the German National Academy of Sciences, the Leopoldina provides independent science-based policy advice on matters relevant to society. To this end, the Academy develops interdisciplinary statements based on scientific findings. In these publications, options for action are outlined; making decisions, however, is the responsibility of democratically legitimized politicians. The experts who prepare the statements work in a voluntary and unbiased manner. The Leopoldina represents the German scientific community in the international academy dialogue. This includes advising the annual summits of Heads of State and Government of the G7 and G20 countries. With 1,600 members from more than 30 countries, the Leopoldina combines expertise from almost all research areas. Founded in 1652, it was appointed the National Academy of Sciences of Germany in 2008. The Leopoldina is committed to the common good. This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. "Access to nutritious food is essential for maintaining a healthy life," said Jeff Bellows, vice president of corporate citizenship and public affairs at Blue Cross. "To help address this growing health issue, Blue Cross has made significant local investments and developed new community partnerships to ensure families have access to healthy food during this difficult time." To date, Blue Cross' financial, pro-bono and in-kind COVID-19 community support totals $9.75M. In addition to the company's $460,000 contribution to regional COVID-19 response funds including the Boston Resiliency Fund, The Community Foundation of Western Mass, the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, The Community Foundation of Southeast Massachusetts among others, Blue Cross has committed nearly $600,000 directly to nonprofits addressing the rising rate of food insecurity in communities across the state. This support includes: A new partnership with Lovin Spoonfuls and FLIK, Blue Cross' food service vendor, engaging cafeteria employees from our Hingham and Quincy offices to prepare 1,000 meals per day to donate to local communities in need. Lovin' Spoonfuls, which focuses on bridging the gap between food abundance and need, picks up the prepared meals each morning and distributes the meals to more than a dozen organizations in Chelsea , East Boston , Greater Boston , Quincy and Waltham . and FLIK, Blue Cross' food service vendor, engaging cafeteria employees from our and offices to prepare 1,000 meals per day to donate to local communities in need. Lovin' Spoonfuls, which focuses on bridging the gap between food abundance and need, picks up the prepared meals each morning and distributes the meals to more than a dozen organizations in , , , and . Increasing support for Project Bread and their COVID-19 response efforts working with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and many schools and community partners to provide families with access to school meals while schools are closed. and their COVID-19 response efforts working with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and many schools and community partners to provide families with access to school meals while schools are closed. Funding of World Central Kitchen's Frontline Foods South Shore and Off Their Plate initiatives, which provide hospital clinicians with food from local restaurants that have been impacted by the COVID crisis. Frontline Foods South Shore and Off Their Plate initiatives, which provide hospital clinicians with food from local restaurants that have been impacted by the COVID crisis. Partnering with food pantries such as Lorraine's Soup Kitchen and Pantry, which serves Greater Chicopee , and the One Chelsea Fund, which is providing critical support for community members who have been hardest hit by the pandemic. which serves , and the which is providing critical support for community members who have been hardest hit by the pandemic. Launching an employee food assistance program where Blue Cross associates can pick-up free meal kits once a week to feed a family of four. See the full list of organizations Blue Cross is partnering with and the communities they serve below. City Organization State-wide Ellie Fund State-wide Lovin' Spoonfuls State-wide Project Bread Allston West End House Boys & Girls Clubs Amesbury & the North Shore Our Neighbors Table Amherst Amherst Survival Center Attleboro Hebron Food Pantry Boston Pine Street Inn Brockton & the South Shore Father Bill's & Mainspring Brockton The Charity Guild Cambridge Cambridge Community Center Cape Cod & the Islands Family Pantry of Cape Cod Chelsea One Chelsea Fund Chelsea Salvation Army Chelsea Chicopee Lorraine's Soup Kitchen & Pantry Dorchester Daily Table East Boston Crossroads Family Center East Boston Salesian Boys & Girls Club of East Boston East Boston YMCA of East Boston & Boston Center for Youth & Families, Paris St. Eastern Massachusetts Greater Boston Food Bank Greater Boston Community Servings Greater Boston Epiphany School Pantry Greater Boston Fresh Truck Greater Boston Lifeboat Food Pantry Greater Boston Metro Boston Alive Greater Boston Off Their Plates Greater Boston Saint Francis House Greater Boston Violence in Boston Lowell Open Pantry of Greater Lowell Lynn Lynn Community Care Fund Malden Bread of Life Food Pantry Needham Ellie Fund New Bedford Help United Quincy & the South Shore Interfaith Social Services Quincy Quincy Fund Quincy Southwest Community Food Center Salem Salem Pantry South Shore Frontline Foods South Shore Springfield Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Waltham Healthy Waltham Waltham Waltham Community Day Center Western Massachusetts Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Weymouth Weymouth Food Pantry About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (bluecrossma.com) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We are committed to the relentless pursuit of quality, affordable health care with an unparalleled consumer experience. Consistent with our promise to always put our members first, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Related Links http://www.bluecrossma.com Fit to Travel no longer needed to enter, leave Phuket by road PHUKET: The relaxation of the controls on people entering or leaving Phuket by road means that people no longer need to wait for approval from provincial authorities in order to be allowed through the Phuket Check Point at the northern tip of the island. By The Phuket News Monday 1 June 2020, 01:46PM Cars arrive at Phuket Check Point. Photo: Phuket Provincial Police However, people must still register their intent to enter or leave Phuket with the Phuket Provincial Police and book their allocated time for entering or leaving Phuket in order to avoid congestion at the checkpoint, Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Rungrote Thakurapunyasiri told The Phuket News today. The relaxation of the requirements follows the provincial order posted publicly last night allowing interprovincial travel to and from Phuket by road and sea. There is no longer a need for people wanting to enter or leave Phuket to first be issued a Fit to Travel document, Maj Gen Rungrote said. However, he stressed that all people entreing and leaving Phuket will be screened by health officials at the checkpoint. There is no need for people to observe a 14-day self-quarantine before arriving in Phuket, Maj Gen Rungrote added with the exception of people arriving from Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Narathiwat, Yala, Krabi, Prachinburi, Samut Prakan and Chiang Mai, as announced by Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana last Friday. Whether or not people leaving Phuket need to observe a 14-day self-quarantine before leaving the island depended on the requirements in effect at the destination of where people were travelling to, he also said. It is not required by Phuket authorities in order for people to leave the island. People will need to check with officials at their destination in order to be sure, he explained. People do not need to wait for approval from provincial health officials first, but they must register for health officials records, Maj Gen Rungrote confirmed. I advise registering online one day before the date of intended travel, he advised. To register, people must complete the online form posted via the PhuketSmartCheck-in app. A version is available for desktop computers (click Show Fullscreen). The registration form is now available in English. Of note, at the bottom of the form in English is a Choose file button for people to upload a photo of their passport face page. To register, people must provide personal information such as their name, nationality and phone number, emergency contact person details, type of transportation, ID card or passport number and their intended purpose for either entering or leaving Phuket. People must also select their time they intended to present themselves at Phuket Check Point to be processed to be allowed to enter or leave Phuket so that police can avoid over-congestion at the checkpoint. Then they will be issued a personalised QR Code that they will need to show officers at the Phuket Check Point, Maj Gen Rungrote explained. For people entering Phuket, each person will be registered for different lengths of time, depending on their stated reason for entering the province. People visiting Phuket for travel or business will see their registration remain valid for seven days, while people coming to Phuket to work and even Phuket residents returning home will both see their registrations remain valid for 30 days. However, Maj Gen Rungrote stressed that there will be no fine or legal action for a persons registration expiring while they are still in Phuket. If their QR Code expires, they must re-register again but there is no need to leave Phuket because of this, and they will not be charged with breaking any law or be forced to pay a fine. They just need to re-register for local officials health records, he said. Upper Darby Police block 69th Street near the Tower Theater on Monday. The protests in Philadelphia over the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis spilled into the suburbs closest to the city, with some businesses looted and damaged. Read more The looting and protests that roiled Philadelphia on Sunday spilled into some of the suburban counties that border the city, leaving residents shaken and police departments on alert. And as Monday dawned, business owners began the tedious work of picking up the pieces of what remained after angry demonstrations over the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis. From small-town business corridors to retail behemoths like the King of Prussia Mall, the damage was apparent. In some towns, police pulled long nights, keeping roads blocked after catching wind of looting plans on social media. In others, police prepared to continue that vigilance Monday night, bracing for but hoping against a repeat of the weekend. READ MORE: Here's live coverage of what's happening Tuesday Along Upper Darbys 69th Street corridor, just over the border between Delaware County and Philadelphia, the damage was sporadic. Businesses ravaged by looters stood next to ones left untouched. Outside Coles Fine Jewelry, the store shes operated in the township for 48 years, Gercia Goldberg wept Monday morning. She was upset by the damage done to her business, but touched by the reaction from neighbors, who came to help her clean up. So many people came to my rescue," the 83-year-old said. "It makes me cry more than when I saw the window. Looters pushed the slits of her metal gate open and broke the window to steal rings in a display. They stopped there, unable to breach the store. Forty-eight years, then a pandemic, and now this, Goldberg said. How are you supposed to survive? At a news conference in front of the Tower Theater on Monday, city and county officials said several hundred if not a thousand people looted for more than 10 hours along 69th Street from Ludlow to Walnut Streets, beginning around 4 p.m. Sunday. Officials said many are believed to have come from nearby West Philadelphia, where widespread looting was seen on 52nd Street, a longtime business district for the neighborhood. We were seeing an influx of that crowd coming into Upper Darby and we were also seeing the crowd that was here going back into Philadelphia, said police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt. So it was almost a revolving door, a volley back and forth throughout the day with protesters coming up right here through Market Street. Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said while rumors swirled on social media Sunday about looting and activity in other Delaware County municipalities, there were no other founded reports. On the other side of Philadelphia, Police in Bensalem Township, the Bucks County municipality adjacent to Northeast Philadelphia, spent Sunday night on patrol, chasing vandals away from businesses. READ MORE: Police struggled with manpower and deployment as violence and looting spiraled in Philadelphia Officers there were first called to assist city police at the Philadelphia Mills Mall around 8 p.m., according to Police Superintendent Fred Harran. Later, as looters drove deeper into the suburbs, the officers responded to the Neshaminy Mall for reports of a break-in at the Sears store there. To their surprise, they were met with an empty store, because Sears has been closed for about two years, Harran said. Thank God criminals are not that smart. Harran said his officers made about 10 arrests overnight Sunday, some at the mall, and some at the Fun Center Powersports on Bristol Pike, which was also vandalized. People see the suburbs and think its easy pickings. They got educated, Harran said. Here, if you break into a store, you will get arrested. Officials in other municipalities bordering the city enacted mandatory curfews on Sunday, including Upper Merion Township in Montgomery County. They extended the curfew Monday, placing it in effect from 8 p.m. through 6 a.m. Tuesday, and from 9 p.m. Tuesday through 5 a.m. Wednesday. The measure was taken after 12 people were arrested late Saturday trying to break into the King of Prussia Mall. They were ultimately unsuccessful, according to police, but caused exterior damage to restaurants near the mall, as well as an AT&T store. In a statement, Upper Merion officials said they strongly condemn acts of violence, while supporting the peaceful protests. The act of protesting has been used for centuries to express feelings and inspire change, the statement said. Violence, rioting, and looting do nothing to advance any just cause, and ultimately undermine the gravity and sincerity of those who peacefully protest injustice. Some municipalities, wary of these and other reports, shut down their roadways Sunday night. Police in Phoenixville, a Chester County borough of about 17,000, took that precaution amid rumors on social media that civil unrest was heading toward them. Mayor Peter Urscheler said Monday that officials used municipal trash trucks and other vehicles to block roadways in the historic downtown shopping center, and kept close watch on shopping centers and grocery stores areas to which people could travel and park their vehicles. Its not people who want to have meaningful conversations, peaceful demonstrations, or protests. We have a long history of supporting and encouraging those, Urscheler said. Our concern is that people are trying to target communities to create havoc. Mostly Medicaid - the industry leader in providing products and consulting services to Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies, health plans, managed care organizations, and information technology companies- is growing. As part of the next stage in the Mostly Medicaid growth strategy, we have added Kris Vilamaa as a partner and the new Chief Growth Officer. Kris brings over twenty years experience in health policy and health information technology. Mr. Vilamaa will lead the Mostly Medicaid sales team and connect our product and consulting solutions to customers across the country. As part of recent growth efforts over the past 2 years, we launched a series of market intelligence products for the healthcare investment and technology communities. We also expanded our long-standing online training solutions to offer bundled access for organizations looking for robust options for staff. Finally, after years of being asked by our client network to convene a conference, we launched our first virtual conference this summer. Kris has been involved in the strategy and development of each of these efforts, and is perfectly poised to take them to the next level and deliver their value to the broader government health sector market. He has also worked with our consulting clients for the past year, assisting companies and plans in advancing their strategies in the Medicaid space. Prior to joining Mostly Medicaid, Kris worked in senior leadership roles for the Alabama Department of Mental Health, including as the agency's first Chief Information Officer. He has been working in consulting for the last five years, working with over fifty clients in eighteen states, first as a Director for Germane Solutions, then with HealthCare Perspective, where he will continue to serve in the role of CEO as he expands his role with our team. About Mostly Medicaid Mostly Medicaid reaches thousands of Medicaid industry professionals, decision makers and influencers with its thought leadership publications and information sharing products. We also provide marketing and strategy consulting services for companies in the Medicaid industry, as well as premium educational content to enhance expertise for industry professionals. Mostly Medicaid offers a unique value in the Medicaid industry by focusing on data-driven business perspectives rather than policy-only or advocacy-only positions. We began with one simple concept in mind - think of Medicaid as a massive industry. Besides the healthcare services provided to Medicaid enrollees, there are hundreds of thousands of people that process claims, build software, consult with hospitals - just to name a few segments. Those people need services and products to help them do their jobs, increase their revenues and improve their skills. And that's where Mostly Medicaid comes in. We are uniquely positioned to reach influencers across all segments and provide them with actionable information and recommendations. We have built a brand with 10,000 Medicaid industry professionals who trust us to bring non-biased information to them. People hold candles as they take part in a candlelight vigil at Victoria Park in Hong Kong on June 4, 2019. (Anthony Kwan/Getty Images) Hong Kongs Autonomy Under Scrutiny as Police Cancel Annual Tiananmen Massacre Vigil For the first time in 30 years, Hong Kong police have banned an annual vigil to commemorate victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. The decision comes amid growing concerns over Beijings tightening control over the city after its rubber-stamp legislature approved a national security law to be implemented in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, a pro-democracy organization established in May 1989 in solidarity with Chinese student protesters at Tiananmen Square, has held the candlelight vigil in Victoria Park every year since 1990. The 1989 protests, which the Chinese regime brutally suppressed in June that year, are a taboo subject in mainland China; the annual vigil in Hong Kong remains the only public commemoration event on Chinese-ruled territory. Last year, the Alliance said over 180,000 people attended the vigil. Police gave a far lesser estimate of 37,000. On June 1 afternoon, the Alliance published on its Facebook page the polices rejection notice. The group had applied for permission to hold activities from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time on June 4. The polices reason for rejecting the event was because it could increase participants chances of contracting the virus and threaten citizens lives and health. To prevent the spread of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, the Hong Kong government has placed a ban on group gatherings of more than eight people. The police said the event would violate the ban. In response to the police decision, the Alliance chairman and deputy chairman, Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho, both former Hong Kong lawmakers, held a press conference in Victoria Park on late Monday afternoon. Lee said the police ban was unreasonable and unscientific since everything is normal in Hong Kong, and said the police were using the social distancing ban to suppress their annual rally. From mid-March to mid-April, Hong Kong saw a huge spike in confirmed cases, from less than 200 cases to surpassing 1,000 cases on April 11. Since then, the infection rate has leveled off in the city. As of June 1, there are 1,088 confirmed cases, among them, 1,037 have been released from hospitals and four have died. Lee called on the public to participate in its online vigil or commemorate in their own ways. He added that members of the Alliance will still travel to Victoria Park on June 4 evening, in groups of less than eight people each while maintaining proper social distancing, to light candles and observe a minute of silence at 8:09 p.m. local time that day. Lee Cheuk-yan (L) and Albert Ho, chairman and deputy chairman, of Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, hold a press conference in Hong Kong on June 1, 2020. (Song Bilung/The Epoch Times) Lee also expressed worries about whether the Alliance would still hold the vigil next year, with a soon-to-be implemented national security law in Hong Kong. The law was approved by Chinas rubber-stamp legislature last week. Much of the bills specifics will be rolled out in the coming months. Currently, the draft resolution says it will target any activities the Chinese regime deems as secession, subversion, infiltration, or sabotage. It would also enable central authorities to send security agencies to Hong Kong. Chinas public security minister Zhao Kezhi said at a political meeting in Beijing last week that to implement the law, the ministry would provide comprehensive guidance to Hong Kong police on how to stop riotsusing a term the Chinese regime has used to describe Hong Kong protesters. Lee said the annual vigil would be a litmus test to see whether Hong Kong could still enjoy its autonomy and freedoms, as one of the Alliances demands is ending one-party rule in China. Under the proposed national security law, criticism against the CCP could be considered a subversion or secession offense, according to local pro-democracy lawmakers. On Sunday morning, the Alliance put up ten questions on its Facebook page, questioning the ambiguous language in Beijings draft of the national security law. The Alliance questioned if the group would be banned under the new law. In another question, it asked whether trials would be held in Hong Kong or mainland China for legal cases charged under the national security law. The Hong Kong edition of The Epoch Times contributed to this report. Monday, 01 June 2020 18:25:56 (GMT+3) | Istanbul Tata Steel Europe, subsidiary of Indian steel giant Tata Steel, has said that there will be no compulsory layoffs at its IJmuiden plant in the Netherlands during the reorganization of its European activities, in a statement made in response to protests at Tata Steel Netherlands following the sudden departure of its CEO Theo Henrar, which was previously reported by SteelOrbis. The trade union FNV has threatened to take action against Tata Steel Europe if it fails to comply with existing agreements and has also demanded that the company extend the agreements by five years. The company stated that the existing employment agreements will be valid until October 2021 and that the IJmuiden plant will not be split off from Tata Steel, while it did not release details about the demand for extension of agreements. However, FNV said that the companys reaction is inadequate and the commitment not to lay off workers meets only one of the 11 demands the union has made. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Monday said that its construction arm has transformed established or under-construction government healthcare units into COVID-19 patient-care facilities across the country. The company said it has the capability to construct 300 bed hospitals in record three to four months. It is capable of quickly turning around existing or under-construction medical infrastructure into COVID-19 related facilities and transform large establishments like marriage halls, schools and hotel rooms quickly into isolation wards. "The construction arm of Larsen & Toubro (L&T)... turned around large-scale healthcare infrastructure into COVID-19 care facilities in New Delhi, Champaran and Madhepura in Bihar, Puducherry, Diamond Harbour in West Bengal and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh," the company said in a filing to BSE. According to M V Satish, Whole Time Director and Senior Executive Vice President (Buildings, Minerals & Metals), L&T, the company's hospitals business unit has been empowering several government agencies to build much needed healthcare infrastructure during this pandemic. Three floors of the L&T-constructed 850-bed super specialty, Safdarjung Hospital, have been converted for the care of COVID-19 patients at the request of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in March. 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 At the request of Public Works Department, Delhi, the company offered 200 beds of the half-completed 700-bed Indira Gandhi Hospital at Sector 9, Dwarka, as a quarantine facility. The entire ground floor and the first floor of the OPD block with 200 beds have been made operational in quick time. L&T has handed over the ground and first floors of the Government Medical Hospital in Champaran, Bihar to accommodate 150 beds as isolation wards to treat COVID-19 patients. The conversion took just 10 days for the L&T team amidst the nationwide lockdown. L&T is constructing the Government Medical College with an intake capacity of 100 students per annum and a 500-bed college-affiliated hospital for the Bihar government. As per the request by the state government, L&T is modifying a block of the medical college into a COVID-19 testing lab. This state-of-the-art lab will help the state government to tackle COVID-19 cases more efficiently, it said. The SSB Annexure block which was designed and constructed by L&T and handed over to Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research in 2019, was also modified to meet the requirements of the state of Puducherry to treat COVID-19 patients. In the first floor, 50 beds were converted as isolation wards and another 100 beds in the second floor were converted into a special ward, it said. In Diamond Harbour, L&T is designing and constructing a Government Medical College for West Bengal government with an intake capacity of 100 students per annum. It is modifying a block of the medical college into a COVID-19 testing lab. In AIIMS Gorakhpur, L&T is designing and constructing a Government Medical College with an intake capacity of 150 students per annum and a 750-bed hospital for the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. The company is modifying a block of the medical college into a COVID-19 testing lab. Editors note: Profiles of some of the people involved in Sundays event will appear in Wednesdays edition. A Black Lives Matter protest Sunday night at Midland Park Mall at times turned contentious but for the most part was peaceful. More than 300 people showed up to protest the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week. The event intensified when a smaller group showed up to counter-protest and support police. The event was scheduled to start at 6 p.m. and protesters trickled in 60 to 80 strong at first. However, as the evening progressed, more protesters white, African American and Hispanic joined the call for justice. Standing in front of the Old Navy entrance at Midland Park Mall, they held up signs that said, Latinos for Blacks, Im not black but I will fight for you, and Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Their calls were for a peaceful protest and justice for Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck during an arrest. It wasnt long into the event which was publicized through social media and broadcast through Facebook Live broadcasts that the opposition party showed up. They introduced themselves with shouts of Here comes the Christians and Black the Blue. They said their mission was also a peaceful one and they called for their opposition to justify the number of abortions that kill even more African Americans every year and flew a flag showing their support for President Trump. They said it was important that the rally not turn into the riots that have been constants in larger cities across the nation. The president was not a popular figure on the Black Lives Matter side. Police officers had been present from the start, but their presence increased when a conflict occurred between the two camps. Police also were peaceful in their presence at Midland Park Mall, serving as a dividing line between the two sides but didnt use force. The officers let both sides shout and even come together a couple times as leaders wanted to know what the other party stood for. Police lines rotated in and out during the event. At first there was a roadway between the two groups, and persons in vehicles driving between would show their support. That ended when law enforcement increased its presence. Onlookers stayed in the parking lot to see how the protests would turn out long after the counter protesters left at about 8:40 p.m. At about 9 p.m. with only Black Lives Matters protesters remaining the Midland County Mounted Patrol rode through the area twice where protesters were gathered. It wasnt clear what spurred on the patrol to get involved at that point. Protesters told the Reporter-Telegram that it was important to make their presence felt but to keep it peaceful. This protest wasnt as much about the recent incident involving a 21-year-old Midland man but there were some references to him. Travel companies are offering up to 65 per cent off summer holidays but tourism experts are warning Britons the trips may not end up going ahead. The bargain packages are being advertised on booking sites for as early as July in a bid to salvage the season. It came as last night the holiday dreams of millions of Britons were given a boost after Portugal and Greece said they were ready to welcome back UK tourists within days. Tui, Britains biggest tour operator, is cutting three nights all-inclusive at the TUI SUNEO Odessos in Bulgaria on July 10 from 543 per person to 296. And a seven-night trip to Gran Canaria on July 6 has been slashed from 606 to 394. Travel Zoo is offering two nights in Paris in September for 79 up to 64 per cent cheaper than usual. Tui, Britains biggest tour operator, is cutting a seven-night trip to Gran Canaria (pictured) on July 6 from 606 to 394 And easyJet Holidays is selling a week-long stay at Anseli Hotel in Rhodes from July 8 for 195 with flights and transfers. But experts have warned desperate Britons to hold off booking for now. The Foreign Office still advises against all but essential travel and there will be a two-week quarantine for returning holidaymakers from June 8. Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: If consumers are keen to book something now they should go into it with their eyes open. Research by TUI revealed the most popular destinations for trips this year are Spain, Greece and Italy followed by Florida and the Caribbean If the FCO advice is still in place when their holiday is due to take place, they will get a refund, but theres a good chance they will be waiting a long time. Holiday providers need to make it clear to their customers that these holidays may not take place. The UK quarantine will be reviewed every three weeks. TUI spokesman Liz Edwards said they hope it will be lifted on June 29 in time for summer trips. She added: We believe we will be having summer holidays this year, hopefully from July. We hope the quarantine will be lifted, but air bridges are certainly a possibility. Bookings have been really picking up. Spain, Greece, Cyprus are likely to open up first. The Canaries and Balearics are keen to welcome back tourists. Tui are among the travel companies cutting the prices of their summer holidays despite the Foreign Office warning people against all but essential travel Airlines are also heavily discounting flights. A Heathrow to Cancun return with Air France in September, which usually sells for around 800, is being advertised for 312. And return flights from Manchester to Reykjavik with easyJet in November are being sold for 41 (usually 150 plus), and Manchester to Dubrovnik with Jet2 from 30 one-way in late June (usually around 120). Emma Coulthurst, from TravelSupermarket, said: The 14-day quarantine measure makes holidays pretty impractical, although I have heard of some people willing to do it to get a holiday. There is a risk booking now as there is no guarantee the holiday will go ahead. Research by TUI revealed the most popular destinations for trips this year are Spain, Greece and Italy followed by Florida and the Caribbean. And those hoping to go to Greece or Portugal this summer could still get the chance. Officials in Lisbon believe Britain has coronavirus under control and want quarantine-free travel between the two countries to restart from this Saturday. Greeces tourism minister Harry Theocharis told the Mail the epidemic was moving in the right direction in the UK and restrictions could be dropped for Britons from June 15. Officials in Lisbon believe Britain has coronavirus under control and want quarantine-free travel between the two countries to restart from this Saturday. Pictured: Beach-goers social distancing in Praia de Rainha, Portugal The interventions increased pressure on Downing Street to re-think its plan for a blanket 14-day quarantine amid a growing backlash from MPs at being denied a vote on the measures. Home Secretary Priti Patel will today introduce the regulations in Parliament to come into effect from next Monday. But they will be brought as a statutory instrument, which does not automatically go to a vote. Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured) will today introduce the regulations in Parliament to come into effect from next Monday Under the plans, anyone entering the country by plane, train or boat will have to go into quarantine for two weeks. This will apply to foreign tourists as well as Britons returning from abroad. However, some people, including medical professionals and lorry drivers, will be exempt. MPs among a cross-party group of at least 40 who are critical of the plans last night voiced their fury. They want the Government to leave open the option of creating air bridges which would allow tourists between two countries to visit without needing to quarantine to salvage as much of the summer holiday season as possible and help keep the hard-hit tourism industry afloat. They say, instead of quarantine, arrivals to the UK could be subject to health checks or testing. Industry chiefs say millions of Britons are desperate for a foreign getaway, but the blanket quarantine policy has all but cancelled summer holidays. Former Cabinet minister David Davis said: Parliament should be properly involved and quite plainly it is not. In this particular case, its very blanket policy could reasonably be amended in a number of ways. A group of MPs want the Government to leave open the option of creating air bridges which would allow tourists between two countries to visit without needing to quarantine to salvage as much of the summer holiday season as possible. Pictured: Young women walk by a Covid-19 warning sign in Praia de Rainha, Portugal The MPs say, instead of quarantine, arrivals to the UK could be subject to health checks or testing. Pictured: An employee wearing a protective mask walks on the beach of the Divani Apollon Palace hotel, on the first day of the opening of hotels in Greece For example, our death rate is many, many times than that in Greece. So the idea of quarantining someone coming from Greece who would have a much lower risk of suffering from the disease than someone anywhere else in Britain is plainly not supported by any sort of science. The idea of putting in air bridges might be a sensible amendment. Former environment secretary Theresa Villiers said: I would very much prefer the quarantine rules be targeted on flights from Covid hotspots. 'I appreciate why the Government is bringing in quarantine but I do think that applying it in a blanket way across the board is an over-reaction. Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the influential 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, said: I hope the Government will move swiftly to introduce air bridges and also to introduce a testing regime at airports as quickly as possible. Downing Street last night insisted it still intended to push ahead with the policy. It has stressed quarantine will be reviewed every three weeks and has left open the possibility of striking air bridge deals in future. But the first review period would not be until June 29. Cypress Assistance Ministries has opened an online store for their resale shop Angels Attic, offering shoppers the chance to contribute to the nonprofits service efforts from the comfort of their homes. The Angels Attic online store opened May 29 at https://angelsattic.boutiquewindow.com/ with the option for items to be delivered or available for curbside pick-up. According to a Facebook post from Cypress Assistance Ministries, larger items will need to be picked up. Inventory is slowly being added. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards national People across the U.S. gathered in mass protests against police brutality after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, raising concerns of further virus spread through the demonstrations. More than 1.8 million people in the U.S. have tested positive for the virus and over 105,000 have died due to Covid-19. Black Americans have made up a disproportionate share of the deaths as underlying conditions, income inequality and disparity in access to health care have exacerbated the outbreak in the community. Ratings agency Moody's slashed India's credit rating to its lowest investment grade and said it expected South Asia's largest economy to contract for the full fiscal year that ends in March 2021. The coverage on this live blog has ended but for up-to-the-minute coverage on the coronavirus, visit the live blog from CNBC's U.S. team. Global cases: More than 6.27 million Global deaths: At least 375,656 U.S. cases: More than 1.81 million U.S. deaths: At least 105,147 The data above was compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Indonesia cancels haj pilgrimage over virus concerns 3:08 p.m. (Singapore time) Indonesia canceled this year's haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, where Islam's two holiest sites Mecca and Medina are located, Reuters reported. Hundreds of thousands of Indonesians go on the haj each year. For many, it is a once-in-a-lifetime event because of a quota system in place that can lead to an average wait time of 20 years, according to the news wire. For its part, the Saudi authorities have also said the haj and umrah pilgrimages, attracting millions of travelers internationally, will remain suspended until further notice, Reuters said. Indonesia has just under 27,000 officially reported cases of the coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University data. Saheli Roy Choudhury Lazada says its online grocery sales in Singapore jumped during outbreak 2:17 p.m. (Singapore time) Southeast Asia's e-commerce giant Lazada said its online grocery sales in Singapore increased four times from April when the city-state restricted movements in an attempt to slow down the spread of infection. Many people turned to online shopping as a result and Lazada's local grocery business, RedMart, saw its unique visitors on a daily basis increase more than 11 times. "(RedMart's) sales have increased about four times in this space and we hired about 500 staff here in Singapore over the course of a few weeks to be able to increase our capacity substantially," James Chang, CEO of Lazada Singapore told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday. Saheli Roy Choudhury Moody's slashed India's credit rating to one level above junk status 1:48 p.m. (Singapore time) Moody's Investors Service cut India's credit rating from Baa2 to Baa3, which is the lowest investment grade level. The ratings agency said on Monday that the outlook remained negative. Moody's said India's "policymaking institutions will be challenged" in their efforts to implement policies to effectively mitigate risks of relatively low growth over an extended period of time, further deterioration of the government's fiscal position and stress in the financial sector. A man wearing a protective mask sits on a bench on April 10, 2020 in New Delhi as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown due to the highly contagious coronavirus disease. Yawar Nazir | Getty Images Last week, India said its economy grew 3.1% in the three months between January to March. Economists' estimates for growth in the current quarter significantly worsened because of a nationwide lockdown to contain the virus outbreak that began in late March and continued until May. Saheli Roy Choudhury Mississippi's 'Safer at Home' order ends as states lift restrictions Brandon Schlabach wearing a mask to protect against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), tends the outdoor cash register at an ice cream shop with a makeshift drive-thru service, in Bridgeville, Delaware, May 8, 2020. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters 6:40 p.m. ET Multiple states moved forward in their reopening progress on Monday, but some are further along than others. All businesses can reopen under certain guidelines in Mississippi after the state's "Safer at Home" order ended. Rhode Island, Montana and most of Nebraska entered the second phase of their reopening plans. Delaware is now in phase 1 of its reopening progress and has allowed most businesses to resume operations under certain limitations, including retailers, exercise facilities and hair salons. CNBC is tracking reopening progress across the country and continues to update those developments on this page: Reopening America. Hannah Miller Some voters are scared the coronavirus will stop them from casting a ballot 5:16 p.m. ET Some voters and voting rights groups have expressed concern that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic will force Americans to sit out of the November election. Erica Friedle, a second-grade teacher from Wisconsin, told CNBC she didn't receive her absentee ballot for April's Wisconsin presidential primary and now fears something similar might happen in the upcoming November election. And Angel Wells, a frequent voter and a self-described human rights activist based in Arizona, said she's worried about whether her state will have ample resources and efficient strategy to safely carry out in-person voting. Vote-by-mail has become a contentious topic lately, as President Donald Trump and members of the Republican Party are on the attack against widespread mail-in voting while Democrats push for expanded access. Yelena Dzhanova NJ to reopen outdoor dining, retail shopping June 15 The bar at Verve in downtown Somerville, New Jersey in pre-Covid times. Rick St. Pierre, who has owned the restaurant for 24 years, is now busy installing a plastic divider between the bartender and patrons' seats. Downtown Somerville Alliance 5 p.m. ET New Jersey is slated to reopen for outdoor dining and retail shopping, capped at 50% capacity, on June 15, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday. Hair salons and barbershops will be the next businesses to reopen on June 22, Murphy said, adding that all plans are contingent on health data continuing to move in the desired direction. He added that gyms and fitness centers will open "very soon," but did not offer a specific timeline. The announcement comes as New Jersey, as well as the entire country, faces record unemployment numbers that are pushing households and municipal budgets to the brink. "We want our economy back up and running," Murphy told reporters at a news briefing. "We want people to get back out to our downtowns and main streets, to our shops and restaurants and to their places of work, but we will not do that at the cost of the reckless disregard for their health and safety. William Feuer Congressional Budget Office says coronavirus will cost the economy nearly $8 trillion 4:29 p.m. ET The Congressional Budget Office estimated the coronavirus outbreak likely will sap about $7.9 trillion of economic activity over the next decade-plus, even with all of the rescue funding being poured in to offset the pandemic's impact. Through fiscal 2030, the virus will reduce real economic output nominal GDP adjusted for inflation by 3% from initial economic estimates in January before the pandemic hit, the CBO said. "Business closures and social distancing measures are expected to curtail consumer spending, while the recent drop in energy prices is projected to severely reduce U.S. investment in the energy sector," CBO Director Phillip L. Swagel said in a written response to an inquiry from Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York). "Recent legislation will, in CBO's assessment, partially mitigate the deterioration in economic conditions." Nominal GDP is expected to be $15.7 trillion, or 5.3%, less than originally forecast due to the coronavirus, CNBC's Jeff Cox reported. Melodie Warner U.K. could be at risk of second wave after reopening too quickly, scientist says 3:50 p.m. ET A top scientist has warned that the U.K. is moving too quickly in lifting coronavirus restrictions. David King, who previously served as the U.K. government's chief scientific advisor, said policymakers were putting the country at risk of suffering a second wave of the virus, CNBC's Chloe Taylor reports. Additional limitations were lifted and people in England can now meet outside in groups of six while social distancing and primary schools can reopen. Hannah Miller Michigan lifts stay-at-home order The dining area at American Coney Island in Detroit Michigan sits empty due to state restrictions that were put in place to curb the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on March 24, 2020. Seth Herald | AFP | Getty Images 3:45 p.m. ET Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lifted the state's stay-at-home order and will allow restaurants to reopen on-site dining, according to a report from the Associated Press. Capacity limits will be immediately lifted on outdoor gatherings and retailers can open to customers without an appointment on Thursday. Retailers can resume dine-in service on June 8 and day camps and pools can open on that day as well under social-distancing guidelines. Gyms, hair salons, theaters and amusement parks remain closed. Michigan had been under a stay-at-home order for almost 10 weeks and has had 57,537 confirmed cases of the virus and 5,516 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Hannah Miller Missouri casinos reopen in spite of protests 3:26 p.m. ET Missouri's governor and gaming regulators allowed casinos to reopen as scheduled, despite protests and civil unrest over the weekend. Eldorado Resorts will reopen five properties in Missouri and Iowa, including Lumiere Place near the iconic St. Louis arch. Jeffries gaming analyst Jeffrey Katz anticipates fear over violence could keep away some visitors, in some places. SunTrust gaming analyst Barry Jonas said guests who drive to casinos, rather than fly to their destinations, are typically more risk-tolerant than other kinds of leisure travelers, who aren't traveling anyway because of coronavirus. Eldorado President and COO Anthony Carano said in a corporate release, "We have been working very hard over the last two months to prepare for these reopenings and we look forward to providing the outstanding service and hospitality experiences our casinos in Missouri and Iowa are known for in a safe manner." Casinos in Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada are scheduled to reopen Thursday. But this weekend, the Reno mayor declared a citywide emergency, the governor ordered up the National Guard, and police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters on the Las Vegas Strip. Contessa Brewer WHO says 'if we let the virus go, it will transmit' Medical personnel move a deceased patient to a refrigerated truck serving as make shift morgues at Brooklyn Hospital Center on April 09, 2020 in New York City. Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images 2:45 p.m. ET World Health Organization officials advised caution about reports that the coronavirus is "losing potency. They said "this is still a killer virus" and thousands of people are still dying daily. "If we let the virus go, it will transmit. If we let the virus go, it will infect people and it will cause severe illness in about 20% of people," said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of WHO's emerging diseases and zoonosis unit. Last week, WHO officials warned that countries with declining coronavirus infections could still face an "immediate second peak" if they let up too soon on measures to halt the outbreak. Berkeley Lovelace Jr. Protests are 'counterproductive' to NYC's coronavirus battle, Gov. Cuomo says Protesters gather at Barclays Center to protest the recent killing of George Floyd on May 29, 2020 in Brooklyn in New York City. Kevin Mazur | Getty Images 2:26 p.m. ET The George Floyd protests that rocked New York City over the weekend threaten to set back the city's efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. "We spent all this time closed down, locked down, masked, socially distanced and then you turn on the TV and you see these mass gatherings that could potentially be infecting hundreds and hundreds of people after everything that we have done," he said. Cuomo announced last week that he expected New York City to meet the state requirements for shifting into phase one of the state's reopening plan on June 8. Will Feuer Tips for talking to your employer about making a permanent change to working from home 2:05 p.m. ET Enjoying working from home? You're not alone. Prior to the pandemic, just 14% of employees in the U.S. worked from home five days a week. Now, as offices around the country remain shut down to stop the spread of the coronavirus, that share has swelled to more than 60%. And 3 in 5 workers say they don't want to return to the old days, according to a Gallup survey. CNBC spoke to negotiation experts on how to best make the case to your boss that you can be as productive at home. The first thing you need to do is to find out if your employer has taken a stance on working from home, said Deborah Kolb, author of Negotiating at Work: Turn Small Wins Into Big Gains. Annie Nova Pandemic sparks downward shift in tech deals 1:26 p.m. ET Technology mergers and acquisitions fell 68% in March compared to the same month last year, according to new research from Bain. However, tech deals could bounce back as mega-cap companies like Apple and Facebook find themselves in a unique position, CNBC's Kate Rooney reports. These companies had large cash reserves going into the pandemic and can now potentially buy target companies at lower premiums. Hannah Miller WHO wants to continue working with U.S. 12:42 p.m. ET The World Health Organization hopes to continue its relationship with the U.S. despite President Donald Trump's announcement that he plans to cut ties with the agency, CNBC's Berkeley Lovelace Jr. reports. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the world has "long benefited" from the agency's collaboration with the U.S., and that the organization wishes the partnership would continue. Trump said Friday that the WHO "failed to make the requested greatly needed reform" and criticized its response to the pandemic. Hannah Miller Gilead says remdesivir helped patients suffering from 'moderate' form of Covid-19 Empty vials of investigational coronavirus disease (Covid-19) treatment drug remdesivir are washed at a Gilead Sciences facility in La Verne, California, U.S. March 18, 2020. Gilead Sciences Inc | Reuters 12:27 p.m. ET Gilead Sciences released data from a phase 3 trial indicating that its antiviral drug remdesivir helped patients suffering from a "moderate" case of the coronavirus. Those who were on a five-day course of the treatment were 65% more likely to see clinical improvement at day 11 in comparison to standard of care, CNBC's Berkeley Lovelace Jr. reports. There have yet to be any formally approved treatments for Covid-19. Hannah Miller Lowe's launches new virtual home repair tool 12:09 p.m. ET Think of it as telemedicine, but for a leaky pipe or broken toilet. Lowe's has launched a new video tool to make it easier for plumbers, electricians and other home professionals to virtually visit customers' homes during the pandemic. It's offering the video service for free for any professionals who join its new loyalty program. With the video service, a home professional can consult with a customer and help troubleshoot a problem. The pro can use an on-screen laser pointer or a drawing tool to guide customers or help them make a repair or capture a serial number and identify parts to order if an in-person visit is needed. Melissa Repko Why activists are pushing for rent forgiveness during the pandemic A house for rent in California. Getty Images 11:20 a.m. ET With over 40 million Americans out of work due to coronavirus pandemic, calls to #CancelRent have proliferated on social media and at demonstrations across the country. Some politicians, including Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), are joining progressive activists and calling for rent cancellation for those unable to pay during the pandemic. "There should be rent forgiveness and there should be mortgage forgiveness now in the middle of this crisis," Biden said earlier in the month on the Snapchat show "Good Luck America." "Not paid later forgiveness. It's critically important to people who are in the lower-income strata." The fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has hit renters especially hard, Tara Raghuveer, director of KC Tenants, a tenants rights group in Kansas City, tells CNBC Make It. Relative to homeowners, tenants typically have lower incomes and savings and less job stability, according to the Urban Institute, making them "more vulnerable than homeowners during this unstable time." As eviction moratoriums put in place at the beginning of the pandemic begin to lift, Raghuveer says the current situation could play out like 2008 with landlords losing their properties and tenants facing eviction across the country if broader relief does not come. "If rental assistance comes in three months, it's too late," says Raghuveer. "You'll see thousands of families displaced with nowhere to go." Alicia Adamczyk Budget airline Frontier starts taking travelers' temperatures 10:36 a.m. ET Frontier Airlines became the first major U.S. airline to start checking passengers' temperatures before they board, an attempt at calming concerns about the spread of Covid-19 in air travel. The ultra-low-cost airline plans to use thermometer guns on travelers. If passengers have a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher, they will be allowed to rest before getting a second check. If they still have 100.4F reading or higher they will be told "they will not be flying that day for the health and safety of others," the airline said. "Frontier will work with that customer to rebook travel on a later date or otherwise accommodate the traveler's preferences with respect to their reservation." Major U.S. carriers have said that it should be the government's responsibility to check temperatures while labor unions have pushed for federal mandates, not just guidelines. The Department of Homeland Security, of which the Transportation Security Administration is a part, has said it's considering traveler temperature checks but hasn't yet provided a firm timeline. Leslie Josephs Officials warn protests could help virus spread 10:05 a.m. ET As protests erupt across the U.S., officials are sounding the alarm that such mass gatherings could allow the coronavirus spread throughout the population. "I think there's going to be a lot of challenges coming out of the events of the past week," former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said in an interview on "Squawk Box" on Monday. "One of them's going to be that probably chains of transmission will have gotten lit by large gatherings. I don't think there's really a question about that." States have eased restrictions meant to curb the spread of the virus in recent weeks, particularly as some studies indicate the virus doesn't spread as easily outdoors. However, the protests present a significantly larger risk to increasing spread of the virus, Gottlieb said. "This isn't a day at the beach or going out to a picnic where you're outside and you might be in larger groups but there's some social distancing and you're able to take some precautions," he said. "In these kinds of gatherings, in these kinds of crowds, many of which lost control of the crowds, you're not going to be able to take those kinds of precautions." Will Feuer Disclosure: Scott Gottlieb is a CNBC contributor and is a member of the boards of Pfizer and biotech company Illumina. Southwest offers employees voluntary separation packages in bid to avoid layoffs Southwest airline planes sit on the tarmac at Fort LauderdaleHollywood International Airport on February 20, 2019 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images 9:47 a.m. ET Southwest Airlines is the latest carrier to offer employees voluntary separation and partially paid leaves, an effort to reduce headcount and to avoid layoffs or furloughs. While airlines are suffering from a plunge in demand because of the pandemic, they are prohibited from laying off or cutting the pay rates of their employees through Sept. 30 under the conditions of $25 billion in federal coronavirus relief dedicated to supporting payroll. Southwest told employees they can take a minimum of six months off and receive partial pay, and all benefits and travel privileges. Another option is a voluntary separation that includes travel privileges for four years and a severance package. "The voluntary programs are the most generous packages ever offered in Southwest's history and will assist with matching staffing levels to the current decline in demand due to COVID-19," the airline said. The low-cost airline, which employed just over 60,000 people as of the end of 2019, boasts that it has avoided laying off or furloughing workers and that it wants to keep its streak going. American, United and Delta also rolled out voluntary leave, separation and early retirement programs last week to front-line workers as well as management and administrative employees. Leslie Josephs Dow drops 100 points at open as Wall Street aims for third monthly advance in June 9:40 a.m. ET The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 130 points just after the opening bell while the S&P 500 lost 0.35% and the Nasdaq Composite shed nearly 0.2%. As June trading began on Wall Street, investors looked to extend gains seen since April. Read updates on stock market activity from CNBC's Fred Imbert. Melodie Warner Fauci concerned about new cases as states work to reopen 9:35 a.m. ET Photos of crowded bars and packed beaches have made Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, concerned about a potential resurgence in coronavirus cases. "If people want to get out, they've really got to gauge it with the level of the outbreak in their particular area," Fauci said in an interview with STAT. Fauci also spoke about vaccine development and said initial data from the first phase of the Moderna vaccine trial "looked very promising from the neutralizing antibody standpoint." However, he said Moderna should have waited until it had all the data from the first phase before discussing it with the public. Hannah Miller New cases reported by region Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Eli Lilly starts world's first human study of potential antibody treatment 7:07 a.m. ET Eli Lilly said it has begun dosing the first patients in a study of its potential antibody treatment for Covid-19. The trial started ahead of that of rival Regeneron, which is also developing a potential antibody treatment. Eli Lilly said it expects results from the phase one study by the end of June. Phase one trials of the potential treatment, which uses antibodies from recovered patients to limit the virus' ability to reproduce, aims to determine whether the treatment is safe for humans. A phase two trial would determine its efficacy in fighting the virus. Antibody therapies could be used to prevent and treat Covid-19, said Dr. Daniel Skovronsky, Eli Lilly's chief scientific officer. He added that the potential treatment was developed in partnership with AbCellera and researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "We are privileged to help usher in this new era of drug development with the first potential new medicine specifically designed to attack the virus," Skovronsky said in a statement. Will Feuer American Seafoods confirms 86 positive cases on vessel Gordon Ramsay enjoyed the view from his lavish coastal bolthole on Sunday evening after being slammed for using the government's taxpayer funded scheme to pay notice periods for hundreds of jobless staff. The multi-millionaire chef has been beset with controversy after leaving coronavirus ravaged London to isolate with his family at their 4.4 million second home in sleepy Trebetherick on the Cornish coast. But after provoking neighbours by choosing to relocate before draconian lockdown restrictions were put in place, he has since prompted outrage by using the scheme to pay 500 workers sacked from his restaurants in March as the hospitality industry ground to a halt. Controversy: Gordon Ramsay enjoyed the view from his coastal bolthole on Sunday evening after being slammed for using the government's taxpayer funded scheme to pay notice periods for hundreds of soon-to-be jobless staff Taking to Instagram after a weekend of glorious weather on England's south-west coast, Ramsay, 53, appeared to be in a placid mood as he shared a video of the sun slowly setting over the picturesque Cornish countryside. Captioning his video with an address to his nine-million followers, the Kitchen Nightmares star wrote: 'Good Night.' It's understood that some of the workers made redundant by Ramsay are being paid via the furlough scheme that is estimated to cost the government around 80bn of taxpayers' money. Troubles: The multi-millionaire chef has been beset with controversy after leaving coronavirus ravaged London to isolate with his family at their 4.4 million second home in sleepy Trebetherick Lovely: Taking to Instagram after a weekend of glorious weather on England's south-west coast, Ramsay, 53, appeared to be in a placid mood as he shared a video of the picturesque Cornish coastline An email seen by the Sun On Sunday from Gordon Ramsay Restaurants' HR Director Sarah Anderson to a London-based worker read: 'Should you not wish to apply for a new role, you will remain on the furlough scheme for the duration of your notice.' A source told The Sun: 'The furlough scheme is called the job retention scheme - but that is not what he seems to be using it for. They are sacking people anyway.' The same source went on to claim senior members of staff in Ramsay's restaurants were being offered lower-paid jobs, including telling a supervisor to become a bartender. Close: The chef, his wife Tana and their children have been a regular sight on Cornish beaches since their arrival in March Ramsay, who is thought to be worth close to 200million, has restaurants across London, including in Mayfair and The Strand. Alec Shelbrooke said there were questions over whether Mr Ramsay had exploited taxpayers, adding: 'It will have to be carefully looked at whether the scheme was used to increase the profits of the company.' The lockdown led Ramsay to lay off 500 employees in March, with no guarantee their jobs would be safe in the future. Centre of attention: Ramsay has grabbed headlines throughout the lockdown after he had his wrist slapped for flouting lockdown rules Chefs, waiters and other staff were called to a meeting and told their contracts were being terminated - rather than being furloughed on 80 per cent pay. It triggered a wave of anger, including from chef Anca Torpuc who at the time branded the celebrity chef a 'piece of 's***' for his decision. Ramsay has grabbed headlines throughout the lockdown after he had his wrist slapped for flouting lockdown rules. The coastguard reportedly issued the father-of-five with an official warning after he was seen in Rock, Fowey, Port Isaac and Newquay some distance from his lavish home. MailOnline has approached Gordon Ramsay Restaurants for a comment. Libbey Inc., the U.S. glassware maker, filed for bankruptcy after the covid-19 pandemic intensified a burdensome debt load and strained its access to cash. The company filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in Delaware after the virus and related state-imposed lockdowns gutted demand for its tumblers, mugs and bowls among key food-service customers like restaurants and bars. Libbey had been reviewing its debt pile before the outbreak and had already tried and failed to refinance its term loans, according to court papers. Libbey listed assets of as much as $500 million and liabilities of at least that amount in its bankruptcy petition. The company reported about $400 million of long-term debt in its annual report released in February. Its international business entities aren't included in the Chapter 11 filing. Libbey is negotiating with its lenders and plans to quickly cut a deal to shed debt, court papers show. The company has commitments for some $160 million of bankruptcy financing, the terms of which call for court approval of a Chapter 11 exit strategy in about 100 days. Publicly traded Libbey traces its roots to the New England Glass Company, founded in 1818 in East Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company moved to Toledo in 1888. It operates two glass manufacturing plants in the U.S. and several overseas. Libbey has more than 5,500 employees around the world. It temporarily cut worker salaries by as much as 25% during the pandemic and laid off almost all of its hourly U.S. workforce in March. Its board of directors voted to pay some $2.35 million in retention bonuses to management prior to the bankruptcy filing. "While we entered 2020 with positive momentum from our strong finish in 2019, the dramatic and prolonged impact of covid-19 on the demand for our products and on our business is truly unprecedented," Chief Executive Officer Mike Bauer said in a statement, adding that the bankruptcy is "a necessary step to address our liquidity, strengthen our balance sheet and better position Libbey for the future." The case is Libbey Glass Inc., 20-11439, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Laverne Turnbull of Kitchener, Ont., has long-time roots in the harness racing industry that stemmed from the Manitoba harness racing circuit and have flourished in Ontario. Laverne keeps himself involved in the industry as a small-time owner and annual contributor to Standardbred Canadas Heart of Harness Racing Calendar. Turnbull captured this scenic photo of the horses at the fairgrounds in Holland, Manitoba, which is a typical harness racing scene in the prairie province, where horsemen tie their horses to whatever is available on race day (since there are no paddocks available!). The horse with the cooler on is Reys N Charlie, owned by Janet Rey and her husband, trainer Richard Rey of St. Claude, Manitoba. The horse tied to the trailer in the foreground is Fast Lane Firebolt, owned, trained and driven by Richard & Janet's son Michel. The horse hiding is Great Quote, and the other horse (#7) is Whysantanna, is owned and trained by Richard and Janet's daughter Melanie. I worked for Richard in Manitoba and Ron Waples in Florida, New Jersey and Ontario until about 1992, when I started my own stable. I raced until 2008, when I went back to school for the pharmacy technician job. Other than floating teeth, I do own a small share of a couple of horses with Jeff Williamson, that race in Ontario, and the one horse that is going to Manitoba. Laverne resides in Ontario, spending his days as a pharmacy technician at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener, Ont. as well as working as a vet assistant floating horses teeth, but he still manages to make it back to Manitoba to visit his family a few times each year. My parents and sister are in Manitoba, so I try to make it home two or three times a year. It will be a little tricky going to the races this year as all the fair races are in one town this year (Miami), and no spectators are allowed, he explained. Dad and I are leasing a horse together that will race there (huge THANK YOU to Jeff Williamson for leasing us a three-year-old), so hopefully that is enough to get into the races when I visit. Laverne has been passionate about harness racing since he was young and attended the fair races with his dad, which has allowed him to understand the hard-work and dedication of the horsemen and women in the industry. There are a lot of people in the business who are just following their passion, who may or may not be making much money, but are just being true to themselves. And people who are being true to themselves are often the kind of people I admire and want to associate with, Turnbull explained. As I got older, I found it very unique that the people I had to compete with on the racetrack to make a living were also the people who would readily lend me a piece of equipment that I needed, or come and pick me up in the middle of the night when my truck or trailer broke down. Although Laverne considers himself an amateur photographer, this is the third time that one of his photos has been selected for the Heart of Harness Racing Calendar. His past photos were featured in June 2017 and April 2018. My photography is just for my own amusement and pleasure. I do hope to take a course one day when I retire from the hospital and just have one job. To the Editor: Re Annexation Violates International Law (editorial, May 31): Coming but one day after Israeli media reports of warnings by Shin Bet (Israels Internal Security Service) that a unilateral annexation might touch off a wave of violence, and of Israel Defense Forces preparations for that threat, your editorial was most timely. Moreover, your comments regarding annexations effect on Israels security are shared by the 300 retired I.D.F. generals and heads of Mossad, Shin Bet and Police who are members of Commanders for Israels Security. It is our collective judgment that in future negotiations, Israel should insist on the annexation of certain settlement blocks in the context of a territorial swap. But what is a legitimate demand in negotiations is bound to prove perilous to our countrys security when done unilaterally. It would jeopardize the security coordination with the Palestinian Authority that has saved many lives, imperil the peace treaty with Jordan that provides Israel with invaluable strategic depth vis-a-vis Iran, and undermine the security cooperation with Egypt that has successfully checked destabilizing forces like ISIS. All are far too important to risk for the annexation of areas where the I.D.F. has had complete freedom of action for decades. It is still unclear why some women go into labor for long periods, and some face a high risk of childbirth. Also, some women fall pregnant quickly, while others may take years before they conceive. The answer may be due to a gene inherited from the Neanderthals, an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans who lived in Eurasia until about 40,000 years ago. A team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany and Karolinska Institutet in Sweden has found a link between an inherited receptor for progesterone from Neanderthals and increased fertility, fewer miscarriages, and fewer bleeding during early pregnancy. Neanderthals are ancient people who emerged at least 200,000 years ago during the Pleistocene Epoch. They inhabited Eurasia from the Atlantic regions of Europe eastward to Central Asia. They also went as far as north of Belgium and south in the Mediterranean and southwest Asia. Compared to modern humans, Neanderthals had a more robust build and proportionally shorter limbs. Madrid, Spain - Life-sized sculpture of Neanderthal female at National Archeological Museum of Madrid. Image Credit: J By Juan Aunion / Shutterstock Role of progesterone Progesterone is a hormone secreted by the corpus luteum in the ovary during the second half of the menstrual cycle. The hormone plays an essential role in maintaining the early stages of pregnancy. One of the essential functions of progesterone is to thicken the lining of the uterus each month. When the endometrial lining is enriched, it becomes prepared to receive and nourish a fertilized egg. One of the essential roles of the human placenta is to produce the steroid hormone progesterone, which is required for the maintenance of pregnancy. Progesterone levels remain elevated throughout pregnancy, helping make the fetus viable until delivery. Those with low levels of progesterone during pregnancy may experience miscarriages and bleed in the first trimester. Neanderthal gene variant In the study, published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, one in three women in Europe inherited the receptor for progesterone from Neanderthals, a gene variant tied to better fertility, fewer miscarriages, fewer high-risk pregnancies. The team noted that the Neanderthal gene variants have reached nearly 20 percent frequency in non-Africans and have been linked to preterm birth. The researchers showed that one of the missense substitutions appears fixed in Neanderthals. They also found that two Neanderthal haplotypes carrying the progesterone receptor (PGR)entered the modern human population. Today, some women carry the gene that expresses higher levels of the receptor. "The progesterone receptor is an example of how favorable genetic variants that were introduced into modern humans by mixing with Neandertals can have effects in people living today," Hugo Zeberg, a researcher at the Department of Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, said in a statement. Study findings To arrive at their findings, the team analyzed date from the UK Biobank using the Gene ATLAS tool from more than 450,000 participants. Of these, 244,000 are women. The team found that one in three women in Europe has the progesterone receptor. Meanwhile, 29 percent carry one copy of the Neanderthal receptor, and 3 percent have two copies. "The proportion of women who inherited this gene is about ten times greater than for most Neandertal gene variants. These findings suggest that the Neandertal variant of the receptor has a favorable effect on fertility," Zeberg added. The study also showed that women who carry the gene variant from Neanderthals tend to have fewer miscarriages, give birth to more children, become pregnant more, and experience fewer bleedings. The team also conducted molecular analyses and found that the women produce more progesterone receptors in the cells, providing increased sensitivity to progesterone. As a result, these women are protected against bleeding and miscarriages. "In a cohort of present-day Britons, these carriers have more siblings, fewer miscarriages, and less bleeding during early pregnancy, suggesting that the Neandertal progesterone receptor alleles promote fertility. This may explain their high frequency in modern human populations," the team concluded in the study. Progesterone is crucial in pregnancy as it makes sure the fetus can survive throughout pregnancy. Women with low levels of progesterone may experience miscarriages. Learning more about the gene variant can help clinicians determine women who are at a high risk of first trimester complications. The research was supported by the NOMIS Foundation and the Max Planck Society. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - Beginning Saturday, May 30th, Imagine Your Story during the 2020 Virtual Summer Reading Program. Visit https://yumareads.azsummerreading.org or download the free READsquared app to your mobile device to get started. READsquared is an online platform and app that tracks your progress toward your reading goals. Earn badges, play games, complete missions, and more! For every 5 books you read, youll earn a raffle ticket towards a prize. Programs for all ages will be posted on the librarys Facebook page throughout the summer. Join us for storytimes, book talks, Spanish-language programs, and more. For more information, visit yumalibrary.org. Uttarakhand Minister Satpal Maharaj on Sunday tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the entire council of ministers, including Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat under the glare of the infectious disease. 68-year-old Satpal Maharaj has attended the meeting of the state cabinet on Friday, prompting health authorities to keep the entire council of ministers, including the chief minister under close watch. Follow latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic here Top health officials of Uttarakhand said that none of the cabinet ministers were in close contact with Satpal Maharaj, who is also a prominent spiritual leader with following across northern India. Satpal Maharajs wife Amrita had tested positive for Covid-19 earlier and his family members and 17 members of staff were found to be infected by the virus on Sunday. Since the cabinet ministers were not in close contact with Satpal Maharaj, there is no need to put them under quarantine, a Uttarakhand Health Department official said. However, the health of the cabinet ministers will be under close watch for 14 days, the official said. Former President Barack Obama has condemned the violence amid the nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd, urging activists to channel their anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action to help bring about real change. Obama made the plea in an essay published to Medium on Monday, following a weekend filled with violence, vandalism and looting as demonstrations descended into chaos in dozens of cities all over the country. Let's not excuse violence, or rationalize it, or participate in it, Obama wrote, declaring his support for those protesting peacefully. If we want our criminal justice system, and American society at large, to operate on a higher ethical code, then we have to model that code ourselves. Obama added that the point of protest is to raise public awareness, to put a spotlight on injustice, and to make the powers that be uncomfortable. Former President Barack Obama has condemned the violence amid the nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd, urging activists to channel their anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action to help bring about real change Obama made the plea in an essay published to Medium on Monday, following a weekend filled with violence, vandalism and looting as demonstrations descended into chaos in dozens of cities all over the country The former US President said the widespread nature of the demonstrations signifies the genuine and legitimate frustration of the African American community over the decades-long failure to reform police practices and the broader criminal justice system in the United States. However Obama, who worked as a community organizer in Chicago before running for elected office, stressed the need to ensure that the demonstrations were orchestrated in a peaceful manner. 'The overwhelming majority of participants have been peaceful, courageous, responsible, and inspiring. They deserve our respect and support, not condemnation, Obama wrote. But he criticized the 'small minority of folks whove resorted to violence in various forms, whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism,' for 'putting innocent people at risk, compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause.' Obama noted that protests have historically managed to bring about significant change in the US, and could do so again, though he argued another effective way to reform police departments is through the ballot box. He advocated for increased civic participation in state and local elections, and encouraged activists to incept specific demands to hold leaders accountable who might otherwise 'offer lip service to the cause and then fall back into business as usual' after protests subside. 'Yes, we should be fighting to make sure that we have a president, a Congress, a US Justice Department, and a federal judiciary that actually recognize the ongoing, corrosive role that racism plays in our society and want to do something about it,' Obama wrote. 'But the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels.' Obama cited a report and toolkit developed by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights as an outlet to aid such efforts. He added: 'The bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn't between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform.' The preliminary results of an autopsy on George Floyd have found he died from a combination of heart disease and potential intoxicants in his system that were exacerbated by the restraint placed on him by police officers not by strangulation or asphyxiation Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white cop who has since been arrested, was seen in footage kneeling on Floyd's neck for eight minutes as the victim repeatedly said he could not breathe (incident pictured) Obama's sentiments follow a statement he released last week calling for officials in Minneapolis to obtain justice for the Floyd family, as the killing of black men at the hands of police 'shouldn't be normal in 2020'. The protests, which erupted in Minneapolis last week before spreading to the White House, New York City and to numerous other states across the weekend, have made Obama 'hopeful' amid the fear and uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic, he wrote. 'Watching the heightened activism of young people in recent weeks, of every race and every station, makes me hopeful,' Obama said. 'If, going forward, we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action, then this moment can be a real turning point in our nations long journey to live up to our highest ideals.' Obama has long been vocal about the need for criminal justice reform in the US, commenting on the issue regularly during his eight-year tenure in the White House. On Friday, he said that American citizens needed to 'create a "new normal" in which the legacy of bigotry and unequal treatment no longer infects our institutions or our hearts.' Obama's comments mark a significant departure from his successor's, with President Trump calling protestors 'thugs' and threatening violence against looters, accusing them of 'dishonoring the memory of George Floyd'. Trump on Sunday blamed left-wing extremist group ANTIFA for the protests turning violent, threatening to officially declare the group a terrorist organization - although his authority to deem a domestic group a terror organization remains unclear. The protests, which erupted in Minneapolis last week before spreading to the White House, New York City and to numerous other states across the weekend, have made Obama 'hopeful' amid the fear and uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic 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. Floyd repeatedly asked for the officer to get off his neck but Chauvin remained. Chauvin is also heard saying that Floyd will be 'staying put where we got him'. Video showed Floyd was unresponsive for the last 2 minutes and 53 seconds. He died minutes later in police custody. Chauvin was fired along with three other officers hours after the footage emerged. A criminal complaint was filed against Chauvin Friday in which he was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. In the days since, protests erupted in Minneapolis last week before spreading to the White House, New York City and to numerous other states across the weekend. Though the protests began peacefully, the majority have since descended into chaos, becoming riots dominated by violence, vandalism and looting. George Floyds younger brother, Terrence Floyd, appeared on Good Morning America on Monday, calling for the destructive unity to end. George Floyd's younger brother, Terrence (pictured), has spoken out about the violent riots that have spread across several major US cities, calling for the 'destructive unity' to come to an end A memorial mural for George Floyd is covered with flowers and banners laid in the memory of of the 46-year-old outside of Cup Foods in Minnesota Terrence said his brother 'was about peace' and believes the violence happening during demonstrations is 'overshadowing' Floyd's memory. Since last Thursday, authorities across the nation have arrested more than 4,100 people. At least three people have died since the protests began. When asked what he thought about the violence at the protests, Terrence told GMA: 'I do feel like it's overshadowing what's going on. Like I said he [Floyd] was about peace. He was about unity. But the things that's transpiring now... they may call it unity but it's destructive unity. 'That's not what my brother was about,' Terrence added. 'It's OK to be angry, but channel your anger to do something positive or make a change another way because we've been down this road already,' Terrence told GMA. 'The anger, damaging your hometown is not the way he'd want,' he added. Kentucky congressman against mandates says he has COVID-19 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 | June 1, 2020 Anger and frustration over the killing of an unarmed black man by police in a state in a different time zone manifested itself in a weekend of protests across Pennsylvania. The protests began peacefully, with thousands gathered to cry out against injustice and police brutality. But as the day went on, they descended into violence, with looting and vandalism taking place in some cities. Police used pepper spray, tear gas and other methods to quell the crowds. Curfews went into place. The National Guard was deployed. It was a weekend to remember. 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. The headline for this story has been changed. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 1 By Ilkin Seyfaddini Trend: Uzbekistan's Uztextilprom Association held another round of negotiations with the Dutch FashionUnited media platform, Trend reports with reference to Uztextilprom. The talks were attended by heads of enterprises operating in Tashkent city and Bukhara region - Fratelli Casa, Mergan Tex, Ark Eco Textil, and Bukhara Brilliant Silk. The Dutch side presented a project on promotion of 'Made in Uzbekistan' brand - textile and fashion industry of Uzbekistan on the EU market. Today FashionUnited is the only media platform in the field of textile and fashion industry, which aims at promoting textile clothing brands in foreign markets. The platform produces various publications, articles, newsletters and other information materials for foreign importers in eight languages. The media platform's search engine provides an opportunity to demonstrate over 30 Uzbek brands at a time, which will significantly increase the brands recognition. Textile exports made up 11.9 percent of total exports, and increased by 2.5 percent compared to the same period of 2019. Textile products of Uzbekistan worth $527.7 million were exported in the period from January through April 2020. Russia ($210.9 million), China ($101.4 million) and Turkey ($66.6 million) accounted for the largest share of textile exports. --- Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini The India Meteorological Department (IMD), on May 31, issued a red-colour coded warning to coastal Maharashtra and Gujarat for June 4 in view of a cyclonic storm, named 'Nisarga', in the Arabian Sea. The system will bring strong winds and heavy to very heavy rainfall to coastal Maharashtra and Gujarat. The IMD has issued an orange-colour coded warning to Kerala, coastal Karnataka, Goa and coastal Maharashtra for June 1. The same warning applies to coastal Maharashtra and Goa for June 2. "A low pressure is currently over east central Arabian Sea and the Lakshadweep Islands. It is likely to intensify into a depression in the next 12 hours and a cyclonic circulation in the next 24 hours," news agency PTI cited IMDs Cyclone Warning Division as saying. A low pressure area is the first stage of any cyclone. "It is very likely to move nearly northwards initially till June 2 and then recurve north-northeastwards and reach near north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts around June 3," it added. Fishermen who have ventured into the Arabian Sea along the north and south Gujarat coasts have been advised to return and not go out till June 4. What happens next? On June 2, wind speed is likely to reach 40-50 kilometre per hour gusting to 60 kilometre per hour over south Gujarat coast, with sea conditions very likely to be "rough to very rough". On June 3-4, squally wind speed is likely to reach 90-100 kilometre per hour gusting 110 kilometres per hour over Gujarat coasts, and the sea condition is very likely to be high to very high. Maharashtra CM advises caution In a televised address to the state on the evening of May 31, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray appealed to fishermen to not venture into the Arabian Sea following the Met department's observation of a brewing cyclonic storm. "People on the west coast should remain alert. Administration is fully geared up to tackle any eventuality," he said. Thackerays address was primarily about the novel coronavirus pandemic and a slew of relaxations the state had granted in non-containment zones while extending the latest lockdown till June 30. (With inputs from PTI) Multiple cities in the United States rush to impose sweeping curfews and deploy law enforcement authorities as thousands of protesters participated in violent demonstrations following the death of 46-year-old African American man, George Floyd. The strong response comes after a white police officer from Minneapolis held his neck on the victim's neck despite pleas he "can't breathe." The incident, which lasted for nearly ten minutes, was caught on footage and circulated on social media platforms, stoking the anger of U.S. citizens. La Mesa An estimated crowd of 1,000 protesters overwhelmed officials as they took over the La Mesa Police Department parking lot following the arrest of a black man who allegedly assaulted an officer on Wednesday. According to a social media post, the officer used force to push the victim, who was identified as Amaurie Johnson, into a sitting position onto a bench. The police officer was put on administrative leave while the department reviews the incident. As of 2:30 PM Saturday, The demonstrators chanted "Black lives matter" as they stormed down University Avenue. The group broke through the California Highway Patrol officers line to get on I-8 at the Baltimore drive. The CHP initially stopped the eastbound traffic on the freeway before suspending westbound operations as the protestors continued their march towards the law enforcement department. Around 6 PM, the crowd started throwing water bottle and rocks at the police officers, forcing the deputies to fire rounds of rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd. The crowd dispersed but returned shortly after. Two hours later, local authorities fired a barrage of tear gas and flashbangs to clear the parking lot in front of the La Mesa Police Station. Violent Protests In Tennessee, demonstrators set fire to the building that houses Nashville's City Hall as well as the local criminal courthouse on Saturday. The protesters also tore down a statue of former Tennessee senator and newspaper editor Edward Carmack who was known for belittling black journalist Ida B. Wells. In Los Angeles, at least six officers were injured, and more than 500 demonstrators were arrested on Friday night. According to reports, the protesters jumped on public buses and attacked police cars-at least one car had its windshield smashed while the others were painted on. LAPD officers fired rubber bullets and swung their batons at the protesters. To address the conflict, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti imposed an 8 PM curfew starting on Saturday for the downtown area. In Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp authorized 1,500 National Guards to be deployed in Atlanta where a 9 PM curfew was recently put in place. In New York, thousands still stormed the streets for the third consecutive day. Two police vans were also recorded plowing into protesters who stopped traffic in Brooklyn. Other cities, including Washington D.C., Baltimore, Seatle, and Chicago were also overwhelmed by demonstrators on Saturday evening. Want to read more? The number of coronavirus cases in the national capital crossed the 20,000 mark on Monday while the death toll has risen to 523, authorities said. As many as 8,746 patients have recovered, while there are 11,565 active cases. In a bulletin issued on Monday, the Delhi health department said the total number of cases has mounted to 20,834. The death toll from coronavirus infection has risen to 523, including 50 Covid-19 deaths that took place between April 7 and May 31, nine fatalities on May 25 and 10 on May 30, it said. The cumulative death figure refers to fatalities where primary cause of death was found to be Covid-1 as per the report of the Death Audit Committee on the basis of case sheets received from various hospitals, the health department said. With the highest daily rise of 1,295 cases on Sunday, the total number of cases reported in the national capital had reached 19,844. This was the first time that over 1,200 Covid-19 cases were reported in the city in a day. As many as 6,238 patients are in home isolation while there are 2,748 patients admitted in various hospitals like LNJP Hospital, RML Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH) and AIIMS, Jhajjhar. Out of the admitted patients, 219 are in ICU and 42 on ventilators. The government has carried out 2,17,537 tests till now. The total number of containment zones is 124. Facing criticism for under reporting Covid-19 deaths, the Delhi government had recently issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for hospitals and other health facilities in the city on reporting fatalities due to coronavirus. Delhi LG Anil Baijal held a meeting with senior officer to review the Covid-19 situation in Delhi, the authorities said. Health Minister Satyendar Jain held a daily review meeting with officers of Health department, other officials and Medical directors of dedicated Delhi government Hospitals for Covid-19. A revised order has been issued regarding paid quarantine at designated hotels, the bulletin said. An order has been issued to add one more additional hotel for accommodation of Delhi government officers for Covid1-9 treatment. Washington U.S. officials sought to determine Sunday whether extremist groups had infiltrated police brutality protests across the country and deliberately tipped largely peaceful demonstrations toward violence and if foreign adversaries were behind a burgeoning disinformation campaign on social media. As demonstrations spread from Minneapolis to the White House, New York City and overseas, federal law enforcement officials insisted far-left groups were stoking violence. Meanwhile, experts who track extremist groups also reported seeing evidence of the far-right at work. Investigators were also tracking online interference and looking into whether foreign agents were behind the effort. Officials have seen a surge of social media accounts with fewer than 200 followers created in the last month, a textbook sign of a disinformation effort. The accounts have posted graphic images of the protests, material on police brutality and material on the coronavirus pandemic that appeared designed to inflame tensions across the political divide, according to three administration officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss investigations. The investigations are an attempt to identify the network of forces behind some of the most widespread outbreak of civil unrest in the U.S. in decades. Protests erupted in dozens of cities in recent days, triggered by the death of George Floyd, who died after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. Pandemic-weary Americans were already angry about COVID-19 deaths, lockdown orders and tens of millions of people out of work. The pandemic has hit African Americans harder than whites in the U.S., and the killings of black people by police have continued over the years even as the topic faded from the national stage. But there are signs of people with other disparate motives, including anarchist graffiti, arrests of some out-of-state protesters, and images circulating in extremist groups that suggest the involvement of outside groups. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Sunday that state authorities were hit with a cyber attack as law enforcement prepared to diffuse protests in Minneapolis and St. Paul, the epicenter of the unrest. "Before our operation kicked off last night, a very sophisticated denial of service attack on all computers was executed," Walz said. "That's not somebody sitting in their basement. That's pretty sophisticated." Walz did not offer details. President Donald Trump, Attorney General William Bar and others have said the left-wing extremist group antifa is to blame. Short for anti-fascists, antifa is an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups that resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations. Barr on Sunday said the FBI would use its regional joint terrorism task forces to "identify criminal organizers," and Trump threatened again to name antifa a terrorist group. The Justice Department is also deploying members of the U.S. Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration on Sunday to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, a senior department official said. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The addition of the federal agents, who will have armored vehicles, came as Barr warned that prosecutors could seek to use terrorism statutes against "violent radical agitators" who attempt to hijack protests to cause destruction. An antifa activist group disseminated a message in a Telegram channel on Saturday that encouraged people to consider Minnesota National Guard troops "easy targets," two Defense Department officials said. The message encouraged activists to steal "kit," meaning the weapons and body armor used by the soldiers. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. As a result, soldiers with the Minnesota National Guard were armed during their mission at protests across the state Sunday, the officials said. The soldiers are sometimes armed but had not been since they moved into parts of the state that had been besieged by riots in the last few days. The troops do not have the authority to make arrests, and are there to act mostly as extra security for police. Others have seen evidence of right-wing extremists. J.J. MacNab, a fellow at George Washington University's Program on Extremism, has been monitoring chatter about the protests among anti-government extremists on social media platforms. She has access to hundreds of private Facebook groups for followers of the loosely organized "Boogaloo" movement, which uses an '80s movie sequel as a code word for a second civil war. She also has been poring over images from the weekend protests and spotted some "boogaloo bois" in the crowds, carrying high-powered rifles and wearing tactical gear. "I think mostly they don't want to hurt these protests. They want to co-opt them in order to start their war. They see themselves as being on the side of protesters and that the protesters themselves are useful in causing anarchy," MacNab said. She also sees signs that the Three Percenters militia movement appears to be taking an interest. Megan Squire, an Elon University computer science professor who tracks online extremism, saw images of at least four members of the far-right Proud Boys group on the periphery of a protest Saturday night in Raleigh, North Carolina. "It's very scattershot," she said. "They are all talking about it, but they don't seem to be able to translate that online fantasizing about what they'd like to do into real-world action, which is good." Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators, said a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time and spoke on condition of anonymity. At least 18 infections traced to a local church were reported in the western port city of Incheon on Monday, raising alerts over additional new coronavirus cases in the wider metropolitan area. The patients, including 11 pastors and some of their wives and church members, were found to have attended a religious event at a church in the Incheon ward of Michuhol on Thursday, according to city officials. In addition to the 18 who have tested positive, health authorities are checking 12 others for the virus. The participants, who came from churches in Incheon and nearby Gyeonggi Province, are assumed to have contracted the infectious virus from a 57-year-old pastor who attended the event. "Most of the patients were found not to have worn face masks during the church event," said an official at the government office of Michuhol Ward, adding the infected church did hold a Sunday service over the weekend. Authorities have yet to identify the infection route of the 57-year-old, who started showing symptoms Thursday. Officials said they plan to tighten inspections at religious facilities over their quarantine circumstances and track others who may have come in contact with the 18 patients. South Korea reported 35 new cases Monday, bringing its total COVID-19 caseload to 11,503. Of the 35 cases, 30 cases were local infections that were reported in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. The remaining were imported cases. (Yonhap) Ahn Bo Hyun finally settled the rumors about him and his co-star Park Seo Joon that they did not get along well during the filming of their series "Itaewon Class." In an episode of JTBC's "Ask Us Anything " broadcasted on May 30, the actor made an appearance with his drama villains comrades Park Ha Na and Lee Hak Joo. At the beginning of the show, Kang Ho Dong said that he had heard rumors with regards to Ahn Bo Hyun not getting along with Park Seo Joon during the filming of their hit drama "Itaewon Class." Pointing out the fact the characters of Ahn Bo Hyun and Park Seo Joon were enemies in the drama, Kang Ho Dong commented that he had heard behind-the-scenes rumors that Ahn Bo Hyun really loathes Park Seo Joon that much in real life and on the set of the series. Lee Soo Geun also commented that there were plenty of rumors about it that kept on coming out. Ahn Bo Hyun reacted with a laugh exclaiming, "What are you talking about?" Then, Kang Ho Dong explained that he heard that while Ahn Bo Hyun was filming a scene with Park Seo Joon, the director of the drama did not give them the same opportunity to film multiple takes. The rumors then circulated in the JTBC drama that it was taken by Bo Hyun the wrong way. Ahn Bo Hyun immediately shut the rumors down on the spot, saying that this is actually the first time he has heard this issue, and on the opposite note, he is actually the same age as co-star Park Seo Joon. They are good friends, and they are getting along very well. Ahn Bo Hyun gave his clarification on the issue that Kang Ho Dong seemed to be referring to explaining that when he was acting as the villain on the show, he felt like he had not taken enough shots since the director immediately gave him an OK after his take and moved on to the next scene. Then, when the director filmed Park Seo Joon, he spent a lot of time shooting his scene over and over. So Ahn Bo Hyun quipped, "You filmed Seo Joon for so much longer than me." But to clarify it, he said those comments playfully and jokingly in front of Seo Joon, which was meant to be a joke. The actor continued to give his praise on Park Seo Joon's acting performance expressing that his acting ability is incredible and that he is truly in his own league. Lastly, Ahn Bo Hyun added that they are really close. Park Seo Joon lives across the street from him, and they even met up a week ago. They have all been hanging out even after the drama concluded. The Australian Industry Group is calling on the federal government to introduce a $3.9 billion support scheme to help address the fall in apprenticeship numbers partly brought on by the COVID-19 crisis. Chief executive of the national employer association Ai Group, Innes Willox, said revitalising the apprenticeship system will be a cornerstone of the Vocational Education and Training (VET) reform process announced by the Prime Minister last week. Sydney teenager Banjo Studholme is hoping to get an apprenticeship in carpentry or construction. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer "But any action from that process will be too late for many whose training will be cut short. History shows us many will never to return to their apprenticeships," Mr Willox said. We have already lost over 18,000 apprentices since March. The declining number of apprentice commencements is also a major area of concern." Advertisement Residents and business owners in cities across the US swept up broken glass, took stock of looted goods and surveyed the damage on Monday morning following a sixth straight night of violent protests over racial inequities and excessive police force. Police and fire departments fought into the night on Sunday to quell the violet chaos as fires burned near the White House and shops were looted from New York City to Southern California. After six straight days of unrest, a new routine was developing: residents waking up to neighborhoods in shambles, shopkeepers - many who have only just reopened from COVID-19 lockdowns - taking stock of ransacked stores and police and political leaders weighing how to address the boiling anger. While many of the demonstrations around the country have been peaceful protests by racially diverse crowds, others have descended into violence, despite curfews in big cities across the US. The National Guard said it had deployed in 23 states and Washington DC over the past week. Dozens of cities across the United States remain under curfews at a level not seen since riots following the 1968 assassination of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. The unrest, which erupted as the country was reopening after lengthy lockdowns to stop the spread of COVID-19, began with peaceful protests over the death of a black man, George Floyd, in police custody in Minneapolis last Monday. Since then, the chaos has continued to unfold across the US as Americans braced for the possibility of more trouble. At least 4,100 people have been arrested across the country for such offenses as stealing, blocking highways and breaking curfew. NEW YORK CITY: A volunteer from the SoHo neighborhood helps clean up the destruction from the Dolce & Gabbana store in Manhattan after it was looted late Sunday WASHINGTON DC: Police and fire departments fought into the night on Sunday to quell the violet chaos as fires burned. Pictured above is a burned out vehicle being removed from the streets of Washington DC on Monday morning CHICAGO: People clean up items outside a Jewel grocery store on Monday in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago after the business was broken into by looters In Washington DC, more than 50 Secret Service agents were injured in clashes with protesters on Sunday night. Police fired tear gas and stun grenades outside the White House as fires were set in the historic St. John's Episcopal Church and Lafayette Park in front of the White House. Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Monday that some of the protesters that terrorized the city overnight had come prepared with tools and supplies. She said they set fires to try and draw police away. 'We recognize that people are frustrated and mad but tearing up our beautiful city is not the way to bring attention to what is a righteous cause,' Bowser told NBC's Today. She said the city was 'prepared for multiple days of demonstration' and officials were working with intelligence to determine who was coming. PHILADELPHIA: Firefighters battle a blaze in Philadelphia on Monday in the aftermath of protest and unrest overnight CALIFORNIA: Volunteers clean up broken glass outside a shopping outlet in Long Beach, California on Monday PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Smoke and debris at a looted hardware store in Philadelphia last night after it was targeted by looters during the George Floyd riots BOSTON: The looting damages are seen through the window of a shop on Newbury Street in Boston on Monday morning as business owners picked up the pieces after a protest turned violent NEW YORK CITY: The looters pulled down plywood to get into the stores. They are not thought to have been part of the Floyd protests BOSTON: A clean up crew descended on Boston's Newbury Street on Monday to sweep up broken glass from shattered store fronts WASHINGTON DC: Workers are seen through a shattered window at the AFL-CIO building in Washington on Monday States that have called in the National Guard As of Monday morning, National Guard Soldiers and Airmen were activated in 23 states and the District of Columbia, 'in response to civil disturbances', the bureau said. That brings the total number of Guard members on duty to nearly 62,000. These are the states that, according to CNN, have already called on the National Guard in the wake of George Floyd's death: Arizona Arkansas California Florida Illinois Michigan Nebraska Nevada Oklahoma Oregon Virginia Colorado Georgia Indiana Kentucky Minnesota North Carolina Ohio Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Washington Wisconsin The District of Columbia Advertisement In New York City, Gov Andrew Cuomo announced a 11pm-5am curfew on Monday and said he will put another 4,000 cops on the streets after a chaotic night in which looters ransacked luxury stores in Soho, set fire to dumpsters and ran riot through the streets of Manhattan. Protesters also hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police in Philadelphia late Sunday. Police officers and National Guard soldiers enforcing a curfew in Louisville, Kentucky, killed a man early Monday when they returned fire after someone in a large group shot at them first, according to police. In Indianapolis, two people were reported dead in bursts of downtown violence over the weekend, adding to deaths recorded in Detroit and Minneapolis. Protests have unfolded in at least 145 cities across the country over the past week as people gather in outrage over the horrifying death of George Floyd. In Salt Lake City, an activist leader condemned the destruction of property but said broken buildings shouldn't be mourned on the same level as black men like Floyd. 'Maybe this country will get the memo that we are sick of police murdering unarmed black men,' said Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah. 'Maybe the next time a white police officer decides to pull the trigger, he will picture cities burning.' Thousands marched peacefully in Phoenix; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and other cities, with some calling for an end to the fires, vandalism and theft, saying the destruction weakens calls for justice and reform. In downtown Atlanta, authorities fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said two officers had been fired and three placed on desk duty after video showed police surrounding a car Saturday and using stun guns on the man and woman inside. In Los Angeles, a police SUV accelerated into several protesters in a street, knocking two people to the ground. Nearby in Santa Monica, not far from a peaceful demonstration, groups broke into stores, walking out with boxes of shoes and folding chairs, among other items. A fire broke out at a restaurant across the street. Scores of people swarmed into stores in Long Beach. Some hauled armloads of clothing from a Forever 21 store away in garbage bags. In Minneapolis, the officer who pinned Floyd to the pavement has been charged with murder, but protesters are demanding the three other officers at the scene be prosecuted. All four were fired. 'We're not done,' said Darnella Wade, an organizer for Black Lives Matter in neighboring St. Paul, where thousands gathered peacefully in front of the state Capitol. 'They sent us the military and we only asked them for arrests.' Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz brought in thousands of National Guard soldiers on Saturday to help quell violence that had damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings in Minneapolis over days of protests. That appeared to help minimize unrest, but thousands marching on a closed freeway were shaken when a tractor-trailer rolled into their midst. No serious injuries were reported. The driver was arrested on suspicion of assault. In tweets Sunday, President Donald Trump accused anarchists and the media of fueling violence. Trump spent Sunday berating his enemies on Twitter and demanding 'law and order' in Democratic-run cities but did not appear in public and opted against making a televised address to calm tensions. It has since emerged that Trump was rushed by Secret Service agents to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside. WASHINGTON DC: Chaos continued to unfold in cities across America late Sunday night including Washington DC, just steps from the White House, where police and Secret Service deployed tear gas as they faced off with protesters during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd WASHINGTON DC: Police stand guard outside the White House late Sunday as chaotic demonstrations took place in Washington, D.C. WASHINGTON DC: Protesters jump on a street sign near a burning barricade near the White House late on Sunday. Fires were set in the historic St. John's Episcopal Church and Lafayette Park in front of the White House NEW YORK CITY: Dozens of people were arrested in Soho on Sunday night, including the driver of the car. Cops knelt on his back to subdue him NEW YORK CITY: Looters in New York pictured leaving a broken into store in Manhattan after ransacking its merchandise Sunday NEW YORK CITY: A protester runs on top of a line of cars in New York on Sunday evening as protests continued around the country CHICAGO: Looters pictured leaving a hardware store with lamps and merchandise in their hands after the store was raided in Sunday protests CHICAGO: Stores were left completely destroyed in the store raised with racks swept clean, unwanted clothes thrown on the ground, and shelves empty of merchandise BOSTON: Boston police pictured armed with batons and protective gear as a police cruiser burns behind them Sunday night BOSTON: A man tries to light a cigarette from the flames engulfing a Boston Police cruiser during clashes in Massachusetts on Sunday night LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles County Sheriff's officers patrol Sunday in Santa Monica, California after peaceful protests turned into mass lootings Pallets of bricks 'randomly' appear during protests in NYC, Kansas City, Dallas and North Carolina sparking theories they were planted by cops or extremists to stoke violence Pallets of bricks have 'randomly' appeared during protests across the US this weekend, sparking theories they were planted to stoke violence. Those taking part in demonstrations against police brutality have reported finding large stashes of the makeshift weapons on streets. Videos from New York City, Kansas City, Dallas and Fayetteville in North Carolina all appear to show piles of bricks unattended in the middle of protests. The footage has led to suggestions the slabs were either planted by police or by extremists to overshadow peaceful protests. Meanwhile, US officials are investigating whether extremist groups have infiltrated the protests across the country and deliberately tipped the demonstrations towards violence after chaos erupted in dozens of American cities this weekend. Numerous political leaders, including President Trump, have pointed the finger towards the left-wing extremist group ANTIFA, citing them to be a Terrorist Organisation. Meanwhile, experts who track extremist groups have reported evidence that far-right groups are also at work. Authorities are additionally working to determine if foreign adversaries, such as Russia, have been working to deliberately share disinformation about the protests on social media in an effort to stoke tensions. Advertisement Looters take Soho: Smashed windows at Chanel and Bloomingdales after another wild night of riots that saw more than 250 arrests and a shooting as NYPD commissioner says 'it got ugly quick' Soho in New York City was ravaged by looters on Sunday night who smashed the windows of luxury stores like Gucci, Chanel and Bloomingdales to steal goods in a wild night of riots that saw more than 250 arrests, cops being injured and one man being shot. It remains unclear if those who smashed up the stores were part of protests against George Floyd's death, or if they belonged to different groups and were merely taking advantage of the chaos unfolding across the country. Across New York City on Sunday night, more than 250 people were arrested. Six cops were injured, none seriously, and a man in his twenties was shot in the abdomen after an argument with a different group of young men. The man was shot at 12.30am at the corner of Crosby Street and Spring Street, a stone's throw from the stores that were ransacked. He is in the hospital in a stable condition. NYPD cops in riot gear patrolled the streets and helicopters hovered above the neighborhood - known for its trendy restaurants, luxury clothing stores and expensive apartments - throughout the night. In New York City, the looters reportedly distributed goods to each other after smashing stores before police arrived. Dozens were arrested on Sunday night and more were still being taken into custody on Monday morning. Commissioner Dermot Shea said on Today that the entire weekend was 'incredibly challenging' for cops. 'Ninety percent of yesterday went very well. Five or six thousand protesters throughout New York City, less violence as the days before. The majority of the protesters were peaceful making their point. 'When it got dark it got ugly and it got ugly quick. We had some violence, we had another incident of an individual with a Molotov cocktail in Brooklyn. Terrifying moment giant tanker speeds into a crowd of thousands of George Floyd protesters marching on a Minneapolis highway before vigilantes pull driver from the rig A semi-truck barreled into a crowd of thousands of George Floyd protesters marching on a closed interstate near downtown Minneapolis on Sunday night. Video showed the massive rig speeding down the I-35W bridge at about 6pm local time as protesters taking up all lanes of traffic fled out of its path. Authorities said the truck did not appear to have struck anyone before it came to a stop in the middle of the road. Protesters were seen climbing on the rig and pulling the driver, identified as 35-year-old Bogdan Vechirko, out of the cabin and beating him in the road. Photos showed Vechirko with blood on his face and shirtless torso as protesters handed him over to police officers working to contain the situation. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (MDPS) said the driver was placed under arrest before being taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He was then booked into Hennepin County jail on a probable assault charge. He was seen with bruises and cuts on his face in his mugshot. Authorities said the driver's motives were unclear but his actions appeared to be deliberate. The smashed window at G-Shock on West Broadway on Monday morning Happy Socks on West Broadway on Monday morning NYPD officers on Monday morning outside Chanel in New York City. More than 250 people were arrested in NYC on Sunday night Another jewelry store on West Broadway that had its windows smashed on Sunday night Interstate 35 was closed on Sunday as hundreds of peaceful protesters gathered to march south across all 10 lanes of traffic. It's unclear how the semi-truck, which appeared to be an oil tanker, managed to gain access to the roadway. The truck was traveling northbound when it came upon the demonstration and maintained a high speed as protesters screamed and scattered. A witness said the truck was blaring its horn and showed no sign of stopping as it neared the crowd. After the truck came to a stop, several protesters approached and pulled the male driver out of the front seat. MDPS said the driver was injured but did not offer any specifics about the confrontation with protesters. Minnesota Gov Tim Walz said of the incident: 'Law enforcement responded immediately. Had to clear the bridge. Incident underscores the volatile situation we have, don't know motives of the driver at this time. At this point in time to not have tragedy and many deaths is an amazing thing.' Authorities identified Vechirko as the driver later in the night and released a pair of mugshots taken at the Hennepin County jail, where he is being held on a probable assault charge. Vechirko lives in Otsego, Minnesota, and works as an independent contractor for Ken Advantage, a trucking company based in North Canton, Ohio, according to WCCO. Ken Advantage issued a statement saying it will fully cooperate with the investigation into the interstate incident. 'Our hearts go out to all those who are grieving the events of this past week,' the company said. A semi-truck barreled into a line of George Floyd protesters marching on Interstate 35 in Minneapolis on Sunday night Hundreds of protesters scattered as the truck sped directly at them while they marched across all 10 lanes of traffic Dozens of protesters approached the semi-truck after it came to a stop in the roadway Protesters are seen handing a man believed to be the driver over to police before he was placed under arrest In this unprecedented primary election, all we have are questions. Only when we have Tuesdays results will we start to have some answers. Iowas statewide primary election includes competitive races on the Democratic side in the states U.S. Senate race and on the Republican side in U.S. House Districts 2 and 4. Election Day is Tuesday, but it will be no ordinary Election Day. As with so many things during this global coronavirus pandemic, we are swimming in uncharted waters. It has been a primary campaign unlike any other, and the election itself will be just as unique. That makes it difficult to have a feel for what the results might look like. Lets start with the incredible fact that turnout is already triple what it was four years ago, and we havent even made it to Election Day. Because of the pandemic, elections officials statewide have encouraged voters to vote early by casting an absentee ballot by mail. Consider that message received. As of Friday, Iowans had requested more than 487,000 absentee ballots. And the 336,529 already returned is more than triple the number of ballots cast in the states 2016 U.S. Senate primary. What kind of impact that type of turnout will have on those competitive races is anybodys guess and one of the more interesting things to watch when the results are reported Tuesday. Does that abnormally high turnout help the favorites and perceived front-runners, or does it allow underdogs or lesser-funded candidates to close the gap? This was a unique campaign season, with candidates mostly unable to hold public events. The virus made it nearly impossible to have in-person interactions with voters, so the candidates were forced online to virtual forums. Typically, candidates with more money can use that advantage to hold more public events, run TV ads and build their organizations, thus reaching more voters. Was that advantage nullified by this campaign? So many questions, so few answers. And Tuesdays results will only begin to provide answers. These are significant races, too. Democrats are deciding which candidate to put up against Republican freshman incumbent U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst. That race should start out competitive and likely will receive extensive national attention, as forecasters believe it is a key contest in the national race for political control of the U.S. Senate. Western Iowa Republicans are deciding whether to unseat one of their own in nine-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Steve King, who faces a well-funded challenge from state senator Randy Feenstra. And eastern Iowa Republicans are picking a candidate to run in an open-seat 2nd District race a district won by President Donald Trump after the retirement of seven-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Dave Loesbsack. Theyll choose a challenger to freshman 1st District Democrat U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer. It has been an election campaign without comparison. Starting Tuesday night, the results hopefully will help us better understand its impact. Erin Murphy covers Iowa politics and government for Lee Enterprises. His email address is erin.murphy@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter at @ErinDMurphy. A federal appeals court has revived a lawsuit by a former Pennsylvania college student who claims he unjustifiably was railroaded and expelled after two female students accused him of sexually assaulting them. The male student, identified in court filings only as John Doe, may well have a case of gender discrimination and breach of contract by the University of Sciences, Judge David J. Porter found in the opinion by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. Porter particularly cited Does argument that his accusers, who had engaged in consensual sex with him at times, were not investigated by college officials for what Doe claims were their own violations of the Philadelphia schools sexual misconduct policy. The circuit judge pointed, for example, to Does claim that one of the women, with whom he had a friends with benefits relationship, was not investigated after she claimed Doe had sex with her after they both had been drinking at a party. Since the colleges policy bars nonconsensual sex with someone who has been drinking, the woman should have been investigated as to whether Doe was also violated by the woman under that policy, Doe claimed. Instead, the probe focused only on Doe, who says that constituted sex discrimination. Does complaint contains plausible allegations supporting the reasonable inference that USciences discriminated against him on account of his sex, Porter wrote. His courts decision overturns a district judges dismissal of Does lawsuit against the university. Porters ruling comes as college administrations nationwide are facing accusations that they have rushed to judgment against male students and have not provided them with due process of law in investigating accusations of sexual improprieties lodged by female classmates. Doe was working on a degree in biomedical science when he was expelled based on the schools investigations of complaints the women filed months after the supposed sexual encounters occurred. According to Porter, one of those encounters happened after a female student told Doe via a Snapchat conversation that she wanted someone to provide physical affection in the absence of her boyfriend, who attended another college. Doe invited the woman to his house, where they had sex at least three times in one night. Nine months later, the woman filed a complaint with the university, stating that while the first two sexual encounters were consensual, the third one was not because Doe didnt use a condom, court filings state. Doe had a friends with benefits arrangement with the other woman, who accused him of sexually assaulting her while she was intoxicated and unconscious after they both had been drinking at a party. Doe claimed the college ignored his counterclaim that the woman was fully aware of what was going on and willingly participated in the sex. She filed her complaint seven months after the encounter. Doe was expelled following an investigation by a female attorney the university hired to examine the womens complaints. Porter found Doe has made a plausible claim that university officials overreacted to perceived pressure from the U.S. Department of Education, which in 2011 issued a Dear Colleague letter later rescinded - urging college administrators nationwide to act more forcefully on sexual misconduct complaints. He cited Does claim that, because he is male, college leaders didnt subject his accusers to the same scrutiny they applied to him. For example, Doe claims the college never investigated whether one of the women and a female friend of hers colluded in making her allegation against him in violation of the schools policy barring disclosure of information about sexual misconduct probes to third parties, Porter noted. Nor did they delve into whether the woman who claimed Doe assaulted her while she was drunk also violated the schools policy regarding sex with intoxicated persons, the circuit judge wrote. Doe plausibly alleges that USciences enforced the Policy against him alone because of his sex, Porter found. He also cited Does contentions that college officials didnt allow him to confront his accusers and that he was expelled without even being given a hearing on the allegations. To be sure, the investigator listened to Doe during her two interviews with him. But USciences did not provide Doe a real, live, and adversarial hearing, Porter wrote. Nor did USciences permit Doe to cross-examine witnessesincluding his accusers.Basic fairness in the context of sexual-assault investigations requires that students accused of sexual assault receive these procedural protections. Amicable exes Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber - who ended their 11-year romance in 2016 - got ice-cream to-go from Carvel together in East Hampton on Sunday. The 51-year-old British-born Australian and the San Francisco-born 52-year-old have been sheltering in place together for the sake of their children since the coronavirus pandemic. The Ray Donovan action star wore a CDC-recommended mask to purchase their frozen treats since there have been 360K confirmed COVID-19 cases in New York state leading to over 23K deaths. Amicable exes: Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber - who ended their 11-year romance in 2016 - got ice-cream to-go from Carvel together in East Hampton on Sunday That same day, the Loudest Voice actress announced to her 1.4M Instagram followers that she burned some calories taking a virtual Isaac Calpito fitness class. 'I forgive myself for everything I need to eat. I have far less discipline with food than the other areas,' Naomi told W Magazine last month. 'We're not being seen, except for the odd Zoom meeting, so it's very easy to let things like sanity, beauty, and fashion fall by the wayside.' Watts and Schreiber last made headlines performing a TikTok routine to Doja Cat's 2019 track Say So with 11-year-old Samuel 'Kai' and Alexander 'Sasha' turning 13 next month. Close: The 51-year-old British-born Australian and the San Francisco-born 52-year-old have been sheltering in place together for the sake of their children since the coronavirus pandemic Responsible: The Ray Donovan action star wore a CDC-recommended mask to purchase their frozen treats since there have been 360K confirmed COVID-19 cases in New York state leading to over 23K deaths 'What's sanity?! Just kidding. There are good days and bad days. It feels almost impossible to keep one's marbles in place,' the ONDA Beauty co-founder continued. 'I try to think small: small victories, and checking things off the list one by one, avoiding thinking too far ahead. Apart from all the self-care things, I try my best to keep in touch with friends and family. 'And as far as those conversations are concerned, I try to think big, with no small talk. We have deep, philosophical, meaningful conversations, to help me feel connected. Community is everything.' 'I forgive myself for everything I need to eat. I have far less discipline with food': That same day, the Loudest Voice actress announced to her 1.4M Instagram followers that she burned some calories taking a virtual Isaac Calpito fitness class Family of four: Watts and Schreiber last made headlines performing a TikTok routine to Doja Cat's 2019 track Say So with 11-year-old Samuel 'Kai' and Alexander 'Sasha' turning 13 next month (pictured May 10) Liev (born Isaac) hasn't been pictured with his girlfriend of three years - Miss South Dakota 2012 Taylor Neisen - since March. And Naomi hasn't been pictured with her Gypsy leading man - two-time Tony Award winner Billy Crudup - since November. The six-time Golden Globe nominee will next portray a talk show host in Wes Anderson's romantic dramedy The French Dispatch, which hits US/UK theaters October 16. Hitting US/UK theaters October 16! The six-time Golden Globe nominee will next portray a talk show host in Wes Anderson's romantic dramedy The French Dispatch Star studded: The retro ensemble flick also features six Oscar winners - Tilda Swinton (M), Christoph Waltz, Adrien Brody, Benicio Del Toro, Frances McDormand, and Anjelica Huston. The retro ensemble flick also features six Oscar winners - Tilda Swinton, Christoph Waltz, Adrien Brody, Benicio Del Toro, Frances McDormand, and Anjelica Huston. The two-time Oscar nominee will next play the mysterious Jemma Wells in Joe Carnahan's long-delayed sci-fi action film, Boss Level, which she wrapped back in 2018. The Edge of Tomorrow-inspired 2020 flick also features Frank Grillo, Mel Gibson, Michelle Yeoh, and Ken Jeong. Wrapped way back in 2018! The two-time Oscar nominee will next play the mysterious Jemma Wells in Joe Carnahan's long-delayed sci-fi action film, Boss Level (pictured in 2019) Canter's Delicatessen, known for its 24-hour service, has been on Fairfax Avenue since 1953. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) It was late Saturday morning when Marc Canter's phone began to light up with texts. As thousands of protesters gathered at nearby Pan Pacific Park to protest the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, the owner of Canters Deli was preparing to open his dining room for the first time in more than two months. I knew the protests were moving along 3rd toward Fairfax, which isnt far from us. My daughter texted me, Canter, 55, said. I had relatives discussing with me whether we should close. But Canters, the 89-year-old delicatessen that has been on Fairfax Avenue since 1953, did not close, even as a line of 30 to 40 police officers formed on the street outside. By noon, a sign had been placed in the restaurants window expressing support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Canter and a few other employees began distributing 25 cases' worth of water bottles to protesters and police, and offering food and use of the delis restrooms. We tried to keep the peace, just staying neutral, Canter said. The police couldnt accept because they were on guard, but people appreciated the gesture. It was hot outside. Canter said that most of the delis business on Saturday came from protesters ordering sandwiches or pastries. We became like a pit stop, he said. If youre walking around all day, at some point you have to eat. But clashes between protesters and police soon escalated. A small trash can fire broke out in the street, and police began firing rubber bullets into the crowd; just one block south, several police cruisers were set ablaze on Beverly Boulevard around 3 p.m. I know it sounds crazy, but if the police weren't there, maybe there would have been less violence? Canter said. I don't think the situation needed to become so extreme. Canters believes that black lives matter. In support of the Black Lives Matter movement, we are putting out free bottles of water for protestors. Please stay safe. canter's deli (@cantersdeli) May 30, 2020 Many of the shuttered businesses around Canters including a nearby hair salon and clothing store were looted and heavily damaged. The restaurant, however, escaped unscathed, aside from what Canter called a drop of graffiti. Story continues Most of the protesters were not there to cause problems but to express themselves, he said. The ones that did turn violent, it seemed like they came to take advantage of the situation. It's really unfortunate. Keeping the restaurant known for its 24-hour service open throughout the chaos, Canter said, was a decision he made by default. I dont think we would have escaped damage if wed closed. he said. If you stay open, theyre not going to target you. During the 1992 L.A. Riots, Canter, then 27, said he remembers a car filled with would-be looters driving past once they saw the delis iconic neon sign was lit. I think they somehow respected that, he said. At that time we were feeding the whole city. We had people come in to buy a quart of milk because none of the grocery stores were open. But on Saturday, eventually, Canters did close. The police shut the restaurant down at 7:30 p.m., a half hour before a citywide curfew went into effect; it had planned to keep the dining room open until midnight. Canter said his 30 or so employees were detained for an hour before police let them leave. Many were concerned about being arrested for violating curfew on the way home, so Canter typed up letters using the delis stationery explaining they were essential workers. The cops told us, If anyone gives you trouble, tell them you work at Canter's, he said. Police gather Saturday night the Fairfax District, with Canter's Deli in the background. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) At 9:30 p.m., the lights were turned off and the doors locked. Canter offered the days leftover soup to police gathered outside, which was not taken up. Canter, for his part, was exhausted. Hed worked until 3 a.m. the night before preparing for table service after L.A. Countys surprise announcement on Friday that dine-in service could resume. We were expecting dining to be closed until July. It was shocking. I was scrambling to find enough individual condiments. In hindsight, he said, it was not a great day to reopen. But on Sunday morning, the doors unlocked once more and diners started to trickle in. A handful of people cleaned debris off the streets, and foot traffic started to pick up on Fairfax. A military Humvee carrying National Guard troops rolled past. Canter had once more hoped to keep the dining room open until midnight, a plan that was quickly dashed when the city announced a 8 p.m. curfew. But theres always tomorrow, he said. Canters will be open tomorrow. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 18:54:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Video: Police killing of George Floyd sparks fury across the United States. (Xinhua) In Minneapolis, thousands of people swarmed the city on another day of protests on Sunday. WASHINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- About 40 U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago and Washington D.C. have imposed curfews as protests against police brutality kept spreading for the sixth day. The protests began in response to the death of 46-year-old African American male George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in police custody on Monday. The unarmed man died after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded "I can't breathe." Chauvin was arrested and charged with three-degree murder and manslaughter earlier on Friday. However, unrest has swept the United States as protesters say they want to see charges for all four police officers involved in the death of Floyd. A woman raises her arms as riot police fire tear gas during a protest outside the 5th Police Precinct in Minneapolis, the United States, on May 30, 2020. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Saturday activated "full mobilization" of the Minnesota National Guard after four straight nights of violent protests in the midwest state's biggest city Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in police custody. (Photo by Angus Alexander/Xinhua) In Minneapolis, thousands of people swarmed the city on another day of protests on Sunday. A tanker truck driver was in custody after speeding through marchers protesting Floyd's death on the Interstate 35W Bridge in Minneapolis late in the day, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. The freeway was among many shut down in the Minneapolis area for the second night in a row as an 8 p.m. curfew was imposed at the nation's center of protests for days. Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Sunday night she was imposing a citywide curfew amid rising tensions between protesters and police outside the White House. The curfew would last from 11:00 p.m. on Sunday (0300 GMT Monday) until 6:00 a.m. (1000 GMT) on Monday. Bowser also activated the D.C. National Guard to support the local police. Sunday marked the third day in a row of protests in the U.S. capital over the death of Floyd. On Friday night, U.S. President Donald Trump was briefly taken to the underground bunker used in the past during terrorist attacks, according to local media report. Protesters react during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 31, 2020. Protests over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed in Minneapolis police custody, continued in cities across the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) By Sunday night, thousands of demonstrators were fanning across New York City in different groups, walking into streets which were crowded with traffic. Some of the groups paused every few blocks to take a knee, while others gathered in Times Square in Manhattan and outside the Barclays Center arena in Brooklyn. A viral video that captured one of the tensest moments of Saturday's protests in the Big Apple showed that police officers in a Sport Utility Vehicle suddenly surged forward into a crowd of protesters. Demonstrators protest against police brutality on Times Square in Manhattan of New York, the United States, May 31, 2020. New Yorkers continued to protest over the death of George Floyd as thousands of people took to the street all over the city on Sunday to express their anger toward police brutality and racism. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) Los Angeles declared another curfew effective from local time 8:00 p.m. Sunday (0300 GMT Monday) to 5:30 a.m. (1230 GMT) Monday as the country's second largest city witnessed a night of looting and vandalism in the city's downtown and shopping streets. Other cities in Southern California, including Santa Ana, Culver City and West Hollywood, which joined Los Angeles in proclaiming an overnight curfew on Saturday, also extended the curfew to local time 5:30 a.m. Monday. California governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County on Saturday night to cope with the unrest. With a population of more than 10 million, the county is the most populous county in the United States. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Sunday once again set strict parameters for the city effort to contain another night of protesting. Bridges on the Chicago river dividing the residential areas north of the city's downtown Loop area remained up on Sunday, closing off any movement between the two sides. The city's public transit system suspended all bus and rail services starting at 6:30 p.m. Protesters confront the police during a massive street protest over the killing of George Floyd in Los Angeles, the United States, May 30, 2020. Over 530 people were arrested Friday night and early Saturday after protests against police brutality turned violent in downtown Los Angeles, authorities said Saturday noon. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced at a press conference Saturday afternoon that a curfew will be in effect in the city's downtown beginning from 8 p.m. Saturday to 5:30 a.m. Sunday local time. (Xinhua) Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker would activate 375 Illinois National Guard soldiers to help manage street closures at the request of Lightfoot. The Guard will not interfere with peaceful protestors, Pritzker said. Chicago's precautions followed a chaotic and violent Saturday evening, when many businesses along the streets were looted, police cars overturned and some properties damaged. There were six shootings with one death, and police made 240 arrests. Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Sunday declared a state of disaster following violent protests in cities throughout the state. The move allowed Abbott to designate federal law enforcement officers to respond to the ongoing threats. Abbott also has ordered thousands of more troopers to these cities and more than 1,000 National Guard soldiers to assist the Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement in their efforts. Firefighters put out a fire on a SUV of New York police department during a protest over the death of George Floyd in the Brooklyn borough of New York, the United States, May 30, 2020. New York officials on Saturday denounced acts of violence in the city's protests over George Floyd's death, after about 300 protesters were arrested in days. Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a briefing that some protesters "came with an agenda of violence and incitement," and the city does not allow it to happen. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua) Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has also deployed tactical teams to assist state and local law enforcement. Over the weekend, protests and violence throughout Texas continued as hundreds of protestors were arrested in the past two days. In Dallas, Police Chief Renee Hall on Sunday instituted a curfew from 7 p.m. Sunday (0100 GMT Monday) till 6 a.m. for the next several days in response to the weekend violent protest. In the state capital of Austin, protesters gathered in downtown area Sunday afternoon and marched toward the state Capitol and Austin City Hall, chanting "no justice, no peace," according to local media. South Africa has pushed back Mondays reopening of schools by a week, the Department of Basic Education said on Sunday, saying that a substantial number are not ready to welcome back pupils. The plan for grades 7 and 12, the last years of primary and secondary school respectively, to return on Monday backfired after teachers unions and governing associations urged school staff to defy the government order, saying schools did not have protective equipment (PPE) to keep educators and pupils safe. The department said its decision followed three reports by industry players that raised concerns about the state of readiness. The Council of Education Ministers was concerned that, in some provinces, personal protective equipment for learners in particular had not been received and some schools had not been made ready for the arrival of teachers and learners, it said. Many of South Africas government schools are in poor shape, especially in rural areas, and analysts say that a quarter of them have no running water, making hand-washing nearly impossible. On Monday schools will reopen only for management teams, teachers and non-teaching staff for instruction on health and safety measures, to finish cleaning and focus on supply chain matters. Source: reuters.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 Reuters Russia's space agency criticised US President Donald Trump's "hysteria" about the first spaceflight of NASA astronauts from US soil in nine years, but also said on Sunday it was pleased there was now another way to travel into space. SpaceX, the private rocket company of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, on Saturday launched two Americans into orbit from Florida en route to the International Space Station (ISS), a landmark mission that ended Russia's monopoly on flights there. Trump, who observed the launch, said the United States had regained its place as the world's leader in space, that US astronauts would soon land on Mars, and that Washington would soon have "the greatest weapons ever imagined in history." This is the first time in human history @NASA_Astronauts have entered the @Space_Station from a commercially-made spacecraft. @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug have finally arrived to the orbiting laboratory in @SpaceX's Dragon Endeavour spacecraft. pic.twitter.com/3t9Ogtpik4 NASA (@NASA) May 31, 2020 NASA had had to rely on Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, to get to the ISS since its final space shuttle flight in 2011, and Trump hailed what he said was the end of being at the mercy of foreign nations. The US success will potentially deprive Roscosmos, which has suffered corruption scandals and a number of malfunctions, of the lucrative fees it charged to take US astronauts to the ISS. , , -. . - Elon Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 31, 2020 "The hysteria raised after the successful launch of the Crew Dragon spacecraft is hard to understand," Vladimir Ustimenko, spokesman for Roscosmos, wrote on Twitter after citing Trump's statement. "What has happened should have happened long ago. Now it's not only the Russians flying to the ISS, but also the Americans. Well that's wonderful!" Moscow has said previously that it is also deeply worried about what it fears are US plans to deploy weapons in space. Moscow would not be sitting idly by, Ustimenko said. "..We are not going to rest on our laurels either. We will test two new rockets this year, and next year we will resume our lunar programme. It will be interesting," said Ustimenko. Unlock Phase I: Uttar Pradesh govt allows inter-state travel, but restrictions on the movement of people into Ghaziabad and Noida from Delhi to continue. Haryana govt decides to open the inter-state borders from June 1. Unlock Phase I: The two-month-long nationwide lockdown imposed due to coronavirus has now entered the resurrection phase where the government will be relaxing the restrictions one after other. Haryana government has now opened the borders to allow the movement of commuters between Delhi and Gurgaon. Moreover, even after Uttar Pradesh govt has allowed interstate travel, the Noida and Delhi border will still remain sealed, said the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration in their latest guidelines on Sunday. The authorities also informed that the border of Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad with Delhi will also be sealed and will only allow the movement which is related to essential services and the people with passes. The district administrations in consultation with the Health Department and the police will issue separate orders for respective areas following the guidelines of Union Ministries of Home and Health. Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar held a meeting with senior ministers on late Sunday evening to discuss the new guidelines of the Centre which is termed as Unlock 1.0. Reports revealed that it was decided that there will be no restriction on inter-state and interdistrict movements. Moreover, the Delhi government is also in favour of opening the borders to allow the movement of people and goods from NCR regions of Haryana and UP. Also Read: Maharashtras Mission Begin Again: Uddhav Thackeray Government extends lockdown till June 30, more relaxations given Traffic movement at Delhi-Ghaziabad border near Ghazipur after government lifted restrictions on inter state and intra state movements. #Unlock1 pic.twitter.com/o7leiNCp5o ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2020 The number of coronavirus cases in Haryana saw a jump in the month of May. Haryana has a total of 2091 cases with 1023 active cases and 20 deaths. State Health Minister Anil Vij also assured the people of Haryana that there is no need to worry as the government has all the necessary arrangements to treat the patients. For all the latest National News, download NewsX App Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 19:14:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SUVA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Fiji launched on Monday the Environment Week to celebrate the World Environment Day which will fall on Friday. According to a Fijian government statement, speaking at the launch of the Environment Week in the Fijian capital Suva on Monday, Fiji's Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment Mahendra Reddy said while national movement and individual responsibility are vital to address environmental threats, global involvement and collaboration is also vital especially for developing countries. The World Environment Day has become a powerful platform for environmental advocacy to help accelerate, amplify, and engage communities, he said, adding that protecting a safer and healthier environment for a future generation can be attained through a collaborative partnership and individual responsibility and involvement to deliver the common environmental vision. "We have been working with nations around the globe and will continue to take leadership to ensure that global action is meaningful and nations take action to address environmental challenges that affect the globe," Reddy said. "We are looking at ways to address the impact of climate change, including taking immediate actions to save the planet we call home." The minister hoped through various organized events this week, the Fijians will gain insight into the significance of taking urgent actions to protect the environment. "The Department of Environment continues to work on Fiji's position on a number of issues and will be calling for stronger action at a global level to protect marine and terrestrial biodiversity." With the theme "Biodiversity", this year's World Environment Day will be a week long commemoration for Fiji's Department of Environment. The purpose of the week-long program is to provide a platform for environmental advocacy to help accelerate, amplify, and engage scientists, communities, governments and the private sector to take actions on the dangerous and unprecedented environmental challenges that the world is facing. The World Environment Day is held each year on June 5. It is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. Enditem BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 1 By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend: More than 700 containers with cargo were sent from Uzbekistan to Turkey, Trend reports with reference to the press service of Uzbekistan Railways JSC. The cargo includes products of the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine (copper and zinc). Meanwhile, in recent days, another cargo was transported along the Trans-Caucasian multimodal corridor: 149 containers loaded with components and spare parts for the production sector were delivered from Turkey by transit through Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan. In late March, Uzbekistan Railways arranged for a container train to be dispatched to Turkey. As company stressed, such cargo deliveries are planned to be organized weekly to Russia, European Union states, China and other countries. The Uzbek Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade held negotiations on the terms of a preferential trade agreement with Turkey via videoconference on May 19. The purpose of the agreement is to strengthen trade and economic relations through the creation of more favorable conditions for trade between producers and exporters of the two countries, and to increase the volume of mutual trade up to $5 billion. --- Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini Popular digital wallet Bhim's website suffered a data breach exposing more than seven million Indians' financial and personal details. Apparently, the user data of the Bhim app website was stored in a misconfigured cloud storage server -- Amazon Web Services S3 bucket. There was no proper security protocol in place to prevent hackers from breaching the server, reported vpnMentor, an Israel-based cybersecurity firm. The company responsible for the development of the official Bhim website and the care-taker of sensitive data is understood to be the Common Services Center(CSC) e-Governance Services LTD and also partly managed by the Indian government. "It appears CSC established the website connected to the misconfigured S3 Bucket to promote BHIM usage across India and sign up new merchant businesses, such as mechanics, farmers, service providers, and store owners onto the app. Its difficult to say precisely, but the S3 bucket seemed to contain records from a short period: February 2019. However, even within such a short timeframe, over 7 million records had been uploaded and exposed," vpnMentor said. The exposed user-data understood to be around 409 GB in size contain sensitive information including-- Scans of Aadhaar card with the number, name, gender, date of birth, Permanent Account Number (PAN), Unified Payment Interface (UPI) IDs, scanned copies of Caste and Religion certificates, user's picture along with residential details, professional degree certificates, screenshots of financial and banking apps as proof of fund transfers and scans of fingerprint impressions (Note: Our understanding is that some people probably in rural areas, who dont know how to sign may have submitted thumb impression in one of KYC documents submitted to BHIM app's website). The vulnerability in the CSC Bhim website and cloud storage server was first detected on 23 April and vpnMentor is said to have approached state-run Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) on April 28. The latter responded to complaints on the following day and is said to have rectified the security loopholes in the Bhim cloud storage system on May 22. "The sheer volume of sensitive, private data exposed, along with UPI IDs, document scans, and more, makes this breach deeply concerning. The exposure of BHIM user data is akin to a hacker gaining access to the entire data infrastructure of a bank, along with millions of its users account information. Having such sensitive financial data in the public domain or the hands of criminal hackers would make it incredibly easy to trick, defraud, and steal from the people exposed. Our research also suggested that some of the exposed BHIM users were minors, who would be particularly vulnerable to fraudulent schemes, Noam Rotem and Ran Locar, vpnMentor research team members said in a statement. The vpnMentor has shared screen-shots of the exposed scanned copies of Aadhaar card, caste certificate, and even the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) ID numbers. The cybersecurity team members have urged the Indian government and the partner management company of Bhim website to make the S3 bucket private and add authentication protocols, follow AWS access and authentication best practices and add more layers of protection to their S3 bucket to further restrict who can access it from every point of entry. (You can find the full report of vpnMentor, here) So far, there are no official reports of misuse of Bhim UPI app users' financial data as such, but consumers are warned not to share any OTP (One Time Password) nor respond to calls or emails from anybody seeking bank account number or any financial details. Here's the official response from NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India): We have come across some news reports which suggest data breach at BHIM App. We would like to clarify that there has been no data compromise at BHIM App and request everyone to not fall prey to such speculations. NPCI follows high level of security and an integrated approach to protect its infrastructure and continue to provide a robust payments ecosystem. Here's How to safeguard your PC or mobile phone from adware and other malicious threats: 1) Whether you have an Android mobile or iOS-based iPhone or Windows-powered PCs or Mac computer, always stay updated with the latest software. All Google, Microsoft, and Apple send regularly send firmware especially security patches monthly or on a priority basis, whenever they detect threats. So, make sure you install the latest software. 2) Another good practice is to install a premium Antivirus software, which offers 24x7 protection. They are equipped to detect threats quickly whenever you unknowingly visit a shady website 3) As said before never ever open emails or SMS and click URL links sent from unknown senders 4) Also, never install apps or software from unfamiliar publishers. 5) Always download apps from Google Play or Apple App Store or Windows Store only. Never install from any third-party app store. Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps, cyber security and more on personal technology only on DH Tech. SPRINGFIELD Many colleges and universities are currently deciding whether they will open campuses this fall or continue to conduct classes online. Springfield Technical Community College has opted for a combined approach including mostly online courses with exceptions for labs that will be conducted on campus. Our efforts to adapt given the COVID-19 pandemic have been comprehensive, said STCC President John B. Cook. I am confident this plan offers the best set of options for our students; the decisions we made were difficult, but thoughtful, and were driven by the health and well-being of STCC students, faculty and staff. STCC will offer fully online summer session classes. Some online classes may include virtual meetings between instructors and students while the remainder will be pre-recorded. Some programs in the School of Health and Patient Simulation will include on-campus labs with a limited number of students that could begin as soon as June 8 and will include necessary social distancing, personal protective equipment and sanitizing protocols. For the fall semester programs including nursing, dental, respiratory, medical imaging, rehabilitation studies and medical laboratory technician will use a combination of virtual classes and on-campus labs. The School of STEM will offer courses that include online, online with video conferencing in real time, and on-campus labs. Programs in the School of STEM include engineering transfer, computer and IT security, mechanical engineering technology, energy systems, optics and photonics, electrical engineering technology/robotics, architecture building technology, graphic design, and digital media. All courses in the School of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies will be taught online, these programs include business transfer, criminal justice, early childhood education, urban studies, applied psychology, social work and more. Geraldine de Berly, vice president of academic affairs, said instruction plans were made in light of the states four-phased approach to reopening the Massachusetts economy. STCC has no intention of becoming a fully online institution. The pivot to online is driven by a health pandemic, de Berly said. COVID-19 has forced the college to adjust, and we do hope in the future to return to the robust utilization of campus facilities which include our labs, specialized equipment, unique technologies and the rewarding in-person experiences STCC faculty generate with and for students. Cook said he was impressed with the way the faculty transitioned during the spring semester when the COVID-19 emergency forced the college to make sudden adjustments. I applaud our faculty for their resiliency over the past several months, Cook said. They showed tremendous dedication and commitment to our students, and were resolved during an unprecedented time in our history as an institution. I truly appreciate their efforts to help students transform their lives. Related content: Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 14:04:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 31 (Xinhua) -- About 40 U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago and Washington D.C. have imposed curfews as protests against police brutality kept spreading for the sixth day. The protests began in response to the death of 46-year-old African American male George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in police custody on Monday. The unarmed man died after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded "I can't breathe." Chauvin was arrested and charged with three-degree murder and manslaughter earlier on Friday. However, unrest has swept the United States as protesters say they want to see charges for all four police officers involved in the death of Floyd. In Minneapolis, thousands of people swarmed the city on another day of protests on Sunday. A tanker truck driver was in custody after speeding through marchers protesting Floyd's death on the Interstate 35W Bridge in Minneapolis late in the day, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. The freeway was among many shut down in the Minneapolis area for the second night in a row as an 8 p.m. curfew was imposed at the nation's center of protests for days. Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Sunday night she was imposing a citywide curfew amid rising tensions between protesters and police outside the White House. The curfew would last from 11:00 p.m. on Sunday (0300 GMT Monday) until 6:00 a.m. (1000 GMT) on Monday. Bowser also activated the D.C. National Guard to support the local police. Sunday marked the third day in a row of protests in the U.S. capital over the death of Floyd. On Friday night, U.S. President Donald Trump was briefly taken to the underground bunker used in the past during terrorist attacks, according to local media report. By Sunday night, thousands of demonstrators were fanning across New York City in different groups, walking into streets which were crowded with traffic. Some of the groups paused every few blocks to take a knee, while others gathered in Times Square in Manhattan and outside the Barclays Center arena in Brooklyn. A viral video that captured one of the tensest moments of Saturday's protests in the Big Apple showed that police officers in a Sport Utility Vehicle suddenly surged forward into a crowd of protesters. Los Angeles declared another curfew effective from local time 8:00 p.m. Sunday (0300 GMT Monday) to 5:30 a.m. (1230 GMT) Monday as the country's second largest city witnessed a night of looting and vandalism in the city's downtown and shopping streets. Other cities in Southern California, including Santa Ana, Culver City and West Hollywood, which joined Los Angeles in proclaiming an overnight curfew on Saturday, also extended the curfew to local time 5:30 a.m. Monday. California governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County on Saturday night to cope with the unrest. With a population of more than 10 million, the county is the most populous county in the United States. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Sunday once again set strict parameters for the city effort to contain another night of protesting. Bridges on the Chicago river dividing the residential areas north of the city's downtown Loop area remained up on Sunday, closing off any movement between the two sides. The city's public transit system suspended all bus and rail services starting at 6:30 p.m. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker would activate 375 Illinois National Guard soldiers to help manage street closures at the request of Lightfoot. The Guard will not interfere with peaceful protestors, Pritzker said. Chicago's precautions followed a chaotic and violent Saturday evening, when many businesses along the streets were looted, police cars overturned and some properties damaged. There were six shootings with one death, and police made 240 arrests. Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Sunday declared a state of disaster following violent protests in cities throughout the state. The move allowed Abbott to designate federal law enforcement officers to respond to the ongoing threats. Abbott also has ordered thousands of more troopers to these cities and more than 1,000 National Guard soldiers to assist the Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement in their efforts. Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has also deployed tactical teams to assist state and local law enforcement. Over the weekend, protests and violence throughout Texas continued as hundreds of protestors were arrested in the past two days. In Dallas, Police Chief Renee Hall on Sunday instituted a curfew from 7 p.m. Sunday (0100 GMT Monday) till 6 a.m. for the next several days in response to the weekend violent protest. In the state capital of Austin, protesters gathered in downtown area Sunday afternoon and marched toward the state Capitol and Austin City Hall, chanting "no justice, no peace," according to local media. Enditem The embattled governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, on Monday, visited President Muhammadu Buhari to present his form seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). After the meeting, the governor told journalists that President Buhari assured me of his support. Mr Obaseki, who is in a political battle with the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, told the president he has the support of Edo indigenes for his re-election. The visit to the president comes weeks ahead of the June 22 APC governorship primary. Mr Obasekis main challenger for the APC ticket is Osagie Ize-Iyamu who is believed to have the backing of Mr Oshiomhole, a former Edo governor and labour leader. Mr Obaseki, who briefed State House reporters on the purpose of the visit, said it was essential of him to brief the president on his re-election bid. The visit to the president comes a day after Mr Obaseki and six other APC governors visited party leader, Bola Tinubu, to seek his support. Mr Tinubu, an influential leader of the APC, is a key ally of Mr Oshiomhole and supported him when Mr Oshiomhole was under pressure to be removed as APC chairman. The president was quite warm, was quite welcoming when I showed him my special interest forms, he looked through it and attest to that he will not have to go through this again and wished me good luck and assured me of his support, Mr Obaseki said. Frosty relationship While speaking on his frosty relationship with Mr Oshiomhole, he downplayed the possible threats Mr Ize-Iyamu portends to his chances at emerging the party flagbearer. President Muhammadu Buhari [PHOTO CREDIT: bayoomoboriowo] We believe that because of a connection which we have created with our people, we have no doubt in our minds that we will win any elections: direct, indirect, or general elections in Edo State. The problem in Edo is not from within Edo, it is from outside. So I dont see the person I am competing or contesting against, he is not in Edo, he is in Abuja. It is unfortunate, the position he (Oshiomiole) has taken I believe that he was misguided, well not properly guided, and as governor and his governor, it is my responsibility to seek peace for my state and with all my citizens, the embattled governor said in a veiled remark at possibly seeking to make peace with this predecessor. Meanwhile, almost at the same time the story of Mr Obasekis visit to the Aso Villa broke, sources at the APC national secretariat in Abuja confirmed the arrival of some members of the partys Progressives Governors Forum to meet the national chairman and members of the party national working committee. The purpose of the meeting has not been ascertained but it is believed to be focused on the feud between Mr Oshiomhole and his mentee-turned-rival, Mr Obaseki. Among the sighted faces at the secretariat were the Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu; the governor of Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu; the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, among others. Murdered Undergraduate On Monday, Mr Obaseki also vowed to ensure the killers of the 100-level student of the University of Benin, Uwaila Omozuwa, are tracked and brought to justice, describing the crime as heinous. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Ms Omozuwa was attacked in a church premises in Edo, and allegedly raped. She later died in a hospital she was taken to. TAMPA, Fla., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Nickelytics, a Tampa-based mobility advertising startup has announced former Techstars and Skift executive Anthony DeRico has joined the leadership team as Head of Sales to lead sales and business development. Anthony has nearly 15 years of experience in the digital media and advertising industry holding a range of positions with Dennis Publishing, Nielsen, and Access Intelligence. With a proven track record of focus and success, Anthony brings both talent and a broad network of contacts to bolster the business growth efforts at Nickelytics. Anthony DeRico Anthony was recently the Sales Director, North America for Techstars, the global network that helps entrepreneurs succeed. In that role there he connected corporate innovation strategy officers with visionary entrepreneurs who are developing emerging technologies to transform their businesses. Prior to Techstars, Anthony was VP, Head of Sales for Skift, a business media company providing news, information, and events to the global community of travel industry professionals. He is credited with launching Skift's business from day one, securing key clients, developing new product lines, and growing a global sales team that produced $10 million in annual revenue. "We are tremendously excited to welcome Anthony to the Nickelytics team. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and we look forward to supporting him as we work diligently on sales growth in the coming months.", said Judah Longgrear, CEO and Founder of Nickelytics. Anthony is the latest in a series of strategic leadership additions across the organization as Nickelytics continues to focus on opportunities in both the United States and European markets. "Nickelytics has an impressive team, a compelling product offering and strong market opportunity. I am looking forward to joining them and contributing to the company's growth," said Anthony DeRico who will initially serve on an interim basis. Techstars is a global network that helps entrepreneurs prosper. The program allows founders and their teams to connect with other experts who help their companies grow. Currently, the Techstars accelerator portfolio includes over 2,100 companies with a market cap of over $22 Billion. Nickelytics recently completed Techstars' thirteen-week Smart Mobility Accelerator in Turin, Italy. Nickelytics, a Techstars-backed company, delivers omnichannel ad campaigns by combining out of home advertising with online retargeting. We do this by integrating advertising campaigns with our micro-mobility and ride-sharing partners, track consumers exposed to the ad with our proprietary technology, and digitally retarget those consumers online. Simply put, we help advertisers connect offline exposure to online engagement. Media Inquiries: Nissa Weisser, [email protected], 256-867-5026 SOURCE Nickelytics At a factory near Germanys border with the Czech Republic, Volkswagen AGs ambitious strategy to become the global leader in electric vehicles is coming up against the reality of manufacturing during a pandemic. The Zwickau assembly lines, which produce the soon-to-be released ID.3 electric hatchback, are the centerpiece of a plan by the worlds biggest automaker to spend 33 billion euros ($36 billion) by 2024 developing and building EVs. At the site, where an East German automaker built the diminutive Trabant during the Cold War, VW eventually wants to churn out as many as 330,000 cars annually. That would make Zwickau one of Europes largest electric-car factoriesand help the company overtake Tesla Inc. in selling next-generation vehicles. But Covid-19 is putting VWs and other automakers electric ambitions at risk. The economic crisis triggered by the pandemic has pushed the auto industry, among others, to near-collapse, emptying showrooms and shutting factories. As job losses mount, big-ticket purchases are firmly out of reachin the U.S., where Tesla is cutting prices, more than 36 million people have filed for unemployment since mid-March. Also, the plunge in oil prices is making gasoline-powered vehicles more attractive, and some cash-strapped governments are less able to offer subsidies to promote new technologies. Even before the crisis, automakers had to contend with an extended downturn in China, the worlds biggest auto market, where about half of all passenger EVs are sold. EV sales there are forecast to fall to 932,000 this year, down 14 percent from 2019, according to BloombergNEF. The drop-off is expected to stretch into a third year as China's leaders have abandoned their traditional practice of setting an annual target for economic growth, citing uncertainties. Automakers who for years have invested heavily in a shift to a high-tech futureincluding autonomous vehicles and other alternative energy-based forms of transportation such as hydrogennow face a grim test. Do their pre-pandemic plans to build and sell electric cars at a profit have any chance of succeeding in a vastly changed economic climate? Even as COVID-19 has obliterated demand, for the car makers most committed to electric, theres no turning back. We all have a historic task to accomplish, Thomas Ulbrich, who runs Volkswagens EV business, said when assembly lines restarted on April 23, to protect the health of our employees and at the same time get business back on track responsibly. Global EV sales will shrink this year, falling 18 percent to about 1.7 million units, according to BloombergNEF, although theyre likely to return to growth over the next four years, topping 6.9 million by 2024. The general trend toward electric vehicles is set to continue, but the economic conditions of the next two to three years will be tough, said Marcus Berret, managing director at consultancy Roland Berger. America is Tesla Country The U.S. lags China and Europe in promoting the production and sale of EVs, and that gap may widen now that Americans can buy gas for less than $2 a gallon. When youre digging out of this crisis, youre not going to try to do that with unprofitable and low-volume products, which are EVs, said Kevin Tynan, a senior analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence. Weeks after announcing plans to launch EVs for each of its brands, General Motors Co. delayed the unveiling of the Cadillac Lyriq EV originally planned for April. Then on April 29, the company said it would put off the scheduled May introduction of a new Hummer EV. The models are part of CEO Mary Barras strategy to spend $20 billion on electrification and autonomous driving by 2025, to try to close the gap with Tesla. In another move aimed at winning over Tesla buyers, Ford Motor Co. unveiled its electric Mustang Mach-E last November at a splashy event ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show. The highly anticipated model had been scheduled to debut this year. Ford has not officially postponed the release, but the company has said all launches will be delayed by about two months, potentially pushing the Mach-E into 2021. Elon Musk, whose cars dominate the U.S. electric market, cut prices by thousands of dollars overnight. The Model 3 is now $2,000 cheaper, starting at $37,990. The Model S and Model X each dropped $5,000. Your browser does not support the video tag. WATERLOO Decades of neglect may have spelled the end of the former Electrohome building in Kitchener this year, but thousands of salvaged items may soon find a new life in Waterloo. In January, Kieswetter Demolition began what it called a sympathetic deconstruction of the building in the middle of a residential neighbourhood at 152 Shanley St., recovering approximately 10,000 characteristic yellow bricks, a few thousand square feet of tongue-and-groove roof decking made of spruce and pine, and thick posts and pillars of Douglas fir. The items are now for sale at Timeless Materials Company on Northfield Drive in Waterloo, also owned and operated by Kieswetter. At the time of the demolition people in the neighbourhood were coming out to say they might have an interest in the items, said Timeless Materials manager Will Currie. The brick-by-brick deconstruction of a building takes more time and labour than simply knocking it down and carting away the debris, said Currie, but its the cornerstone of our business. Most of the bricks have already been sold to a church restoration project near London, Ont., Currie said, but there are plenty of posts and beams still available. They are more than 400 centimetres long (14 feet) and about 20 centimetres (nine inches) thick. The beams are square with a slightly rounded edge. Theyd make a cool fireplace mantel or timber coffee table, Currie said. Workers are also preparing to mill the wooden decking into flooring and other lumber stock. I foresee us doing a lot of tabletops or counters with that material, the manager added. A few doors and other miscellaneous pieces, such a joists, are also available but the windows had to be removed by a specialized subcontractor because the caulking contained asbestos. The former furniture factory was built in 1898 by Leander Klippert for his Diamond Furniture Co. It was sold in 1936 to Dominion Electrohome to build hardwood TV cabinets. Later, the building was used to make plastic and foam components for cars, then as a sign-painting company. The city declared the building unsafe last May and ordered the previous owner to either repair the building or demolish it. Toronto company Shannondale Developments bought the site in November, saying it intends to redevelop the site as a mid-rise mixed-use building. The factory building had been empty for the past 30 years and had major structural problems, including large sections of collapsed floors on three of its four storeys, as well as damaged beams and columns. A demolition permit was issued just before Christmas, and demolition began in January. The entire project took several months to complete. Timeless Materials was closed during the pandemic but has reopened Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to about 3 p.m., by appointment only. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- China's ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing (DiDi) announced on May 29 it has closed a fundraising round of over $500 million for its autonomous driving subsidiary. DiDi said the round was led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and signifies the first time that DiDi's autonomous driving unit obtained external funding support after it was separated as an independent company. (Photo source: DiDi) The money raised will be used to help the subsidiary strengthen R&D and testing, deepen the cooperation with industrial partners, and promote the application of passenger-carrying autonomous cars in domestic and overseas specific areas, in a bid to improve the travelling safety and efficiency. After the money being put in place, DiDi will beef up the investment in such areas as autonomous driving, vehicle-road cooperation and relevant AI technologies, and explore the practical usage of those technical fruits. DiDi set up in April a Beijing-registered company dubbed Beijing Woya Technology Co.,Ltd., according to the business data search platform Tianyancha. Wei Junqing, CTO of DiDi's autonomous driving company, serves as the new firm's legal representative. The newly-established company is wholly owned by Shanghai DiDi Woya Technology Co.,Ltd, which is held as to 90% by Cheng Wei, founder and CEO of DiDi, and 10% by Zhang Bo, DiDi's CTO. After reached by a local media outlet, DiDi revealed that it plans to conduct autonomous vehicle tests in the Chinese capital. In last August, DiDi hived off its autonomous driving unit as a separate company run by CTO Zhang Bo. But its R&D of the emerging technology could data back to 2016, when it decided to form its own self-driving technology team. Unveiled in Feb. 2018, DiDi's autonomous vehicles have been available for road tests in Shanghai, Beijing, Suzhou and California. In last September, DiDi obtained the first license plates applied to the demonstration of manned autonomous driving tests in Shanghai. The autonomous driving subsidiary is teaming up with DiDi's Xiaoju Automobile Solutions and DiDi Finance on exploring the integrated solutions for future mobility services, including the building of smart charging piles, fleet maintenance and insurance. The agency's brand consulting and advertising campaigns have elevated top brands residing in the South. Chattanooga and Austin are ideal next locations for us as we continue to build relationships and grow our network in neighboring cities that show great promisefrom Atlanta to Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, and Knoxville," added Bennett. Despite the interruptions caused by COVID-19, advertising and branding are not going away. "We expect the industry to shift, but we're looking at this change as a way to reinvest with the only thing that makes us great--our talent. Our resilience enables us to be prepared with a solution when brands are ready--a full-service agency with a highly capable core staff," added Bennett. Chattanooga "We're excited to introduce MESH to a spirited city that is attracting a creative workforce looking for a change of pace from Silicon Valley and New York," added Hector Gonzalez, who will lead up the Chattanooga office. "The atmosphere here is thrivingblending outdoor adventure with business acumen that enables us to draw top talent from around the world to join our team." MESH joins other significant figures in the advertising and media industry who are investing a presence in the city including Gary Vaynerchuck with Vaynermedia, Alex Bogusky, and Viget. Gonzalez joined MESH in 2017 and has built the agency's business, brand strategy, and public relations services offerings. Prior to MESH, Gonzalez held roles at marketing agencies throughout the Mid-Atlantic, spearheading campaigns for DEWALT, Under Armour, Acura, AGCO, Marriott International, among others. Austin Jenkins joins the team as Agency Director and is based in Austin, TX. Before joining MESH, he was a Senior Strategist at T3, a digital marketing firm in Austin. Prior to T3, Jenkins was a Strategist at the full-service agency, GSD&M, where he worked with top brands such as Southwest Airlines, The United States Air Force, John Deere, Dodge, Jeep, Diageo and Pizza Hut, among many others. Jenkins received a master's degree in Communications Strategy from the VCU Brandcenter in Richmond, VA. "Everyone wants things to 'go back to normal', and we know that is going to be difficult. My focus is on creating a new normal for MESH's current clients and those yet to come," shared Jenkins. "Our small size allows us to be nimble and work with any sized brand more seamlesslyMESHing with clients in a more consistent way. We're looking forward to less process and more producing." Lafayette As Team Principal and Digital Director, Kedinger, based in Lafayette, will lead the agency's digital strategy and production. He will spearhead campaigns that drive the digital presence of brands, as well as their social media experiences and paid digital efforts. MESH's web and social media teams will report directly to Kedinger. Prior to MESH, Kedinger served as Vice President of Consumer Engagement at BBR Creative, where he built digital brands and drove online conversations for national and regional clients including TABASCO and Cox Communications. He also held various writing and editing roles, including Executive Editor for Food Marketing Now, and contributing writer for Practical E-Commerce. Kedinger is a graduate of Saint Joseph Seminary College, with a B.A. in Philosophy and the Liberal Arts. "I've spent the last 15 years crafting creative digital campaigns for clients in the financial, food and beverage, economic development, energy, and industrial sectors, which aligns perfectly with MESH's core client roster," said Kedinger. "I look forward to taking our digital strategies and use of new technologies to the next levelpositioning us as a top agency in the South." About MESH MESH exists to create connections and loyalty to brands. We are an independent creative and strategic agency with over 17 years of success and work with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to startups. We have proven expertise in brand building, strategic account leadership, advertising, creative and digital services, PR and media. MESH has provided professional, creative solutions to clients in a wide variety of industries, including Community Coffee Co., Oldcastle Infrastructure, CC's Coffee House, Don's Seafood, Louisiana Department of Health, Baton Rouge General Health Systems, Restore the Mississippi River Delta, Sakrete, Haspel Clothiers, Belgard, Visit Baton Rouge, and The Mississippi Aquarium. For more information, visit https://www.meshbr.com/ . Media Contact: Caitlin Wolf Phone: 410.935.2363 Email: [email protected] SOURCE MESH Related Links https://www.meshbr.com/ UPDATE: N.J. outdoor dining, stores to reopen in 2 weeks. Gyms, salons next in Stage 2 of coronavirus recovery, Murphy says. To Jack Panico, the latest word from the governors office sounded like victory. In the next few days, he expects to hear that people will soon be able to return to salons and barbershops. Mission accomplished, he says. Panico, the owner of Panico Salon & Spa in Ridgewood, has been making the rounds in the media in recent weeks, calling for salons to reopen statewide. Hes one of a group of local salon and spa owners who have mobilized in an effort to get an answer from Gov. Phil Murphy about when they can reopen. The good news is I had a conversation with the governors office today, with the chief of staff, Panico, 54, told NJ Advance Media on Friday. The governor in a few days is going to be talking about reopening plans for our industry. Personal care businesses have been shuttered as nonessential since March, when the coronavirus pandemic shutdowns began. The governors office did not respond to requests from NJ Advance Media about reopening guidelines for salons as of Sunday. Hearing no word from Murphy, the 1,200-member NJ Salon & Spa Coalition Facebook group and other salon owners initially set a date of June 1 to reopen, making appointments and putting customers on waiting lists for cuts and color. Panico says the intention was to get government to pay attention, not to defy Murphys March executive order by opening ahead of schedule. Any announcement from Murphy cant come soon enough for many salon, spa and barbershop owners who have furloughed or laid off employees and owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent. Plexiglas shields between shampoo stations at Elan Hair Studio in Sea Girt. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Socially distanced salons The possible return of personal care businesses follows a May 28 warning from the governor that any nonessential businesses reopening against state rules will be playing with fire. Even as Murphy has set dates for the return of day camps, day care centers and organized sports, he has talked about the risks posed by salons and gyms. After Atilis Gym in Bellmawr opened in defiance of the executive order, a state judge forced the business to close. The owners have filed a federal lawsuit. Murphys warning came after George Verdis, owner of Brick and Mirror Beauty Bar in Parsippany, vowed to reopen Monday. Ill go all the way," he told NJ Advance Media. I have a legal team ready. Panico himself received a warning of sorts Thursday from the chief of police in Ridgewood: If he opened ahead of schedule, he could be charged with defying the governors order and putting peoples health and safety at risk, which could in turn put his business license in jeopardy. Still, Panico and others point to all the ways people are getting around the executive order by getting their hair cut by stylists and barbers in private homes or in violation of the rules. People are in garages," Panico says. People are in kitchens." Chairs have been pulled out of work stations at Elan Hair Studio in Sea Girt to make way for social distancing.Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Kellie Diana Johnson, owner of Elan Hair Studio in Sea Girt, is one of the founders of the salon coalition. Whats happening by not allowing salons to open in New Jersey at this point its going on 11 weeks now youre encouraging unsafe practices," she tells NJ Advance Media. Though risk remains, the response from customers has been overwhelming. We opened up our online booking for June 1," Johnson says. "In the first hour and a half, we had 200 appointments booked. Even as they have struggled to stay afloat, salon owners have modified their businesses with safeguards intended to make customers feel comfortable and mitigate the risk of contracting the coronavirus. Johnson, 51, says she is not without concern. Her godfather died in March from COVID-19. I take it all very seriously, she says, which is why she has put Plexiglas barriers up at the salons reception desk a familiar sight to anyone who has been to a supermarket as well as between shampoo stations. She also has a UV filter for the air conditioner. Bathrooms will be cleaned every 15 minutes, and customers will be asked to come in with their hair freshly washed. At first, there will be no blow-drying, Johnson says. Owners across the state have preemptively enacted similar measures. But they say theyre working without a rulebook, and are anxious to hear from the state about specific guidelines for New Jersey. Theyve been borrowing ideas from states like Connecticut, where salons and barbershops are reopening Monday. Luda Conti, owner of Avanti Day Resort, an 11,000-square-foot spa in Manalapan. "It's not about the money. I'm about doing the right thing," she says of reopening.Amesse Photography We have thermometers. We have shields, says Pete Lamicella, 50, who owns Spa Bella Salon & Boutique in Point Pleasant with his wife, Kelly, in addition to two other salons in Toms River and Freehold. We have Plexiglas for the desk, Plexiglas for the nail stations. Panico has Plexiglas between each working area and is planning to open at 50% capacity by using every other station. There will be no waiting area clients will wait outside or in their cars. Chairs will be wiped down with alcohol before and after every customer. Stylists will wear masks and gloves, optional shields and booties over their shoes. At Spruce Salon & Spa in Wall, owner Jackie Crawford is going to have a separate area upstairs for seniors and people who have underlying conditions that put them at increased risk. If its not safe, its not safe, says Crawford, 45. I dont want to go against the government. Im just going to wait and see what the guidelines are. Luda Conti owns Avanti Day Resort, an 11,000-square-foot facility in Manalapan that offers hair, skin and nail care and injectables, employing more than 100 people. Shes ordering acrylic guards to put between every chair. But she is similarly wary. I would never go against the regulations," says Conti, 61. "Its not worth (putting) my license in jeopardy. The allure (and risk) of the chair Besides the practical implications of going without hairstylists bangs in your eyes, unruly 'dos and grays aplenty why might we want to flock to salons, despite the risk? I think control ties in with it," says Pamela Garber, a New York therapist currently social distancing in Florida (where hair appointments are allowed). "We want to control our environment. We want to control our health, relationships, finances and so many other things. The more we cant, the more enticing it is. If we control our appearance, she says, we can take the edge off not having control in other areas of our lives. Self-care signifies our participation in life at a time when depression can pull us in the opposite direction, Garber says. Both barbers and stylists unofficially provide a form of therapy. They probably know more about me than some of my closest friends," she says. But what are the risks of returning to the salon chair too early? Plexiglas will be a familiar sight at front desks when salons reopen. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media As were reopening, were going to see more cases (of COVID-19)," says Stephanie Silvera, an epidemiologist and professor of public health at Montclair State University. "How can we do so in the safest way possible? Unfortunately this is not one of the safer activities. It really is up on the higher risk category. The big challenge of any salon is that its close contact over an extended period of time," she says. Its impossible to spatially distance. You cant be six feet away from someone and cut their hair." Salons have done the work to ensure customers will be six feet apart, but that is no magical number, Silvera says, especially in an indoor, ventilated area. Its really closer to 20 feet in a lot of simulations weve seen, she says. And talking something salons and barbershops are known for as much as cuts and color involves forced exhalation, which increases risk. Staff can take precautions by sanitizing chairs between clients and distancing customers. But Silvera warns of the dangerous effect just one slip could have, like what happened in Missouri, where two stylists exposed up to 140 clients to COVID-19 after working while experiencing symptoms. But symptoms dont have to be in play to create a risk, she says. You only need one person to come in and potentially be asymptomatic to spread the disease," Silvera says. Though some salons have proposed taking client temperatures with touch-free thermometers before they come in, that is not a good measure of having or shedding the virus, she says. Deeper and deeper in the hole While New Jersey business owners remain hopeful that news about reopening will arrive in the coming days, salon owners have detailed devastating blows to their industry over the past two and half months. Some arent going to be able to open if he waits too much longer," Johnson says of the governor. June 1 marks another month that you owe rent." The salon owner, who has been in the industry for 33 years, had to lay off 40 employees and owes about $85,000 in rent for her 3,500-square-foot shop. Shes removed half of the salon chairs in anticipation of reopening. Instead of 17 stylists, the maximum is now 10. The salon will also have to be open longer than usual 90 hours per week to keep up with demand. Mask reminders and hand sanitizer will greet customers at Elan Hair Studio.Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media Im getting deeper and deeper in the hole, and unemployment does not cover my bills," Johnson says. "How do we survive when we get open? Christine Modica, owner of the combined salon and barbershop Stag House and Doe.Tique in Glen Rock, says shes lost more than $150,000 because of the shutdown. I get multiple text messages a day about people wanting me to go to their house," says Modica, 34. Our licenses are being held above our heads. As salon professionals monitor Murphys every word, Tricia DiFranco is raring to go. Were ready to open tomorrow if hes says were opening tomorrow," says DiFranco, owner of Hilights Salon in Lyndhurst. He thinks hes keeping us safe, but its actually forcing the industry to go underground," says DiFranco, 32. Theres no safer place than in our chair. What its doing is its taking revenue away from New Jersey, because we pay taxes." She had to lay off all 30 of her employees but has a waitlist of more than 300 customers. Even though were closed, they dont care," DiFranco says. Theyre still trying to get haircuts. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Tell us your coronavirus story. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com or send a tip here. In the 1950s, medical researcher Chester Southam devised an experiment to test the immune systems response to cancer. He would inject live cancer cells into three groups of human subjects: people already sick with cancer; people dying of other causes; and healthy people. His plan, as explained by Cathy Gere in her thought-provoking book Pain, Pleasure, and the Greater Good, was to inject these cells into the patients arms or legs and see how long it took for a subcutaneous nodule to form and then to disappear. His healthy controls were prisoners at the Ohio State Penitentiary, to whom he fully explained his experiment. Cancer patients were in ample supply at his home institution, Sloan-Kettering. He told them their new treatment involved the injection of cells without revealing that the cells in question were malignant. He found his dying subjects at the Jewish Chronic Diseases Hospital in Brooklyn. He specifically instructed his staff not to inform the terminally ill patients what the skin test actually involved. When word of the experiment leaked out, the public was scandalized by the echoes of Nazi medical experiments on concentration camp inmates. Southam, unimpressed by the outrage, airily asserted that the risk of any subject developing cancer was quite low. But when Science magazine asked him why he didnt try the experiment on himself, he replied, Lets face it, there are relatively few skilled cancer researchers and it seemed stupid to take even the little risk. His life was worth more than theirs. At the time, almost unbelievably, medical opinion was divided on the ethics of Southams experiments. Today, when the principle of informed consent is enshrined as a fundamental tenant of all medical experiments on human beings, condemnation would be universal. This past winter, the Seattle Flu Study carefully obtained informed consent from hundreds who agreed to have their sinuses swabbed as part of its influenza monitoring project. In January, as researchers learned about the rapid global spread of the novel coronavirus, one of the researchers, Dr. Helen Y. Chu, realized that by re-testing the projects samples, she and her colleagues could determine whether COVID-19 was spreading in the Seattle area, information of utmost significance to the nations response to the pandemic. But her proposal to repurpose already-collected nasal swabs ran into a series of bureaucratic obstacles, as detailed in a March newspaper account by Sheri Fink and Mike Baker. First of all, the subjects had consented to have their mucus tested for flu, not SARS-Cov-2. They hadnt agreed to have the results shared with the local health department. Moreover, Dr. Chus lab was accredited only for research, not clinical work, and so was prohibited from providing test results to anyone outside her research group. When Dr. Chu re-tested some samples anyway, discovering the nations earliest outbreak of COVID, she informed the local health department which ordered her to cease and desist immediately. The principle of informed consent is monumentally important. It protects a human subjects autonomy and dignity. It repudiates Southams arrogant ranking of peoples worth. But its hard to see how the dignity and autonomy of the Seattle subjects was impaired by subjecting their previously-collected mucus samples to a second diagnostic test. And the principle of fully informing patients is a reason to tell them their COVID-positive status rather than the opposite. Similarly, its entirely reasonable that a clinical lab, whose results directly influence patient care, is held to different standards than a research institution. But enforcing that distinction in this instance frustrated the very purpose for which the public health agencies charged with its enforcement were created. Just as the virus exposes many social divisions in our society, it also shines a harsh light on the inbuilt frustrations of the regulatory state. In ordinary times, bureaucratic obstacles might be dismissed as the annoying cost of doing business. But in a crisis, they can become, literally, matters of life and death. And yet its essential that government workers charged with enforcing regulations are incentivized to enforce them strictly, as happened in each of these examples. Rigidity on the front line is necessary to discourage bribery, political pressure, favor-swapping and all other forms of improper influence. If a regulation is worth having, its worth enforcing fairly and impartially. Sometimes people complaining about regulations believe the purpose isnt worthwhile. Thats a political issue. But often, I think, the core of the complaint is that enforcement has become disconnected from purpose. The incentives given to the enforcers, while entirely appropriate on their own terms, nonetheless conflict with the overall goals of the organization. The next column will return to the subject. Joel Jacobsen is an author who in 2015 retired from a 29-year legal career. If there are topics you would like to see covered in future columns, please write him at legal.column.tips@gmail.com>href=http://legal.column.tip>legal.column.tips@gmail.com. JERSEY CITY There will be less crime in the city, according to city crew members, who came to a violent crime truce Saturday afternoon an agreement they say isnt just temporary. Over a dozen crew members gathered at Liberty State Park and said they wanted to put an end to violent crimes and instead lead by example for low-income youth and to better themselves, community advocates Dennis Febo, Nyquazah Hawkins and Asheenia Johnson told The Jersey Journal on Sunday. I grew up with most of these guys and were not much older than 35, and were losing each other fast, Hawkins said. Were losing each other fast into the system, into the murders. We didnt have that outlet to go to someone to help us, and if we did, we would be labeled. The advocates do not label the neighborhood crews as gangs because it could unconsciously set them up for a lifetime of imprisonment, Johnson said. In the past, the city has also referred to these neighborhood groups as crews rather than gangs. Hawkins, owner of Quas Creative Art Center, said she reached out to crew members because she wanted to help the men in the streets become a positive influence for the citys youth, and they agreed. The crews who were present Saturday includes: Curries Woods Rutgers Avenue Communipaw Avenue Marion Projects Duncan Projects Booker T Washington Wilkinson Avenue Bidwell Avenue About two members from each neighborhood went. Three crews were not represented Saturday. But for Johnson, she doesnt call Saturday a truce, but a commitment to peace, because truce implies it is only temporary, she said. Johnson said its not the end but is just the beginning. She described the crews as young men who have been historically written off as hopeless and unable to turn around, who consciously chose to acknowledge they need help; that the way they are doing things is not the way to do them. And the advocates said a way to do things right is by working with the police and other law enforcement. John Boamah, vice president of Blacks in Law Enforcement Servicing Our Community, who is also a Jersey City police officer, ensured Saturdays crowd that they are eager to help and work with them in search of jobs, among other things. We applaud anyone who is genuinely trying to take an active role to stop violence within the community," said Public Safety Director James Shea in a statement. "The city has dedicated an incredible amount of resources to reduce crime, and its our hope that we can reach a shared goal where peace can be restored for the safety and betterment of the community, especially our youth. Febo, CEO of Guazabara Insights, a Hudson County health and education provider for underserved communities, said Saturdays agreement was a step for restorative justice. Febo added that resources and a change in mindset is crucial for helping these neighborhoods. If we were to shift our resources and the way we view our people that theyre not something that needs to be caged and treated but somebody who needs to be loved, encouraged and provided opportunity, we would see a shift in our society immediately, Febo said. Murders seem to be down in Jersey City, except for a string of fatal shootings that happened between March 31 and April 21. These included the deaths of 23-year-old Javone Smith, 17-year-old Stephanie Jacques, 38-year-old Abimael Fuentes and 21-year-old Akim Ward. But Febo said hes tired of hearing about these murders, including George Floyd, who was killed in Minnesota on May 25 by a police officer who kept his knee on the right side of Floyds neck for over eight minutes. The advocates said the change must start in the community. The longer this lasts the worse its going to get, Febo said. We need to establish what are we going to do collectively to solve these issues? LONDON (dpa-AFX) - AstraZeneca Plc (AZN.L, AZN) and Merck & Co., Inc.(MRK) announced Monday that the European Medicines Agency or EMA recommended Lynparza (olaparib) for marketing authorisation in the European Union. The recommendation is for the 1st-line maintenance treatment of patients with germline BRCA-mutated or gBRCAm metastatic pancreatic cancer. EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use or CHMP based its positive opinion on results from the Phase III POLO trial, which were published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The trial demonstrated that Lynparza nearly doubled the time patients with gBRCAm metastatic pancreatic cancer lived without disease progression or death to a median of 7.4 months versus 3.8 months on placebo. In the trial, the drug's safety and tolerability profile was consistent with previous trials. The CHMP recommendation is for maintenance treatment with Lynparza for adult patients with germline BRCA1/2 mutations who have metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and have not progressed after a minimum of 16 weeks of platinum treatment within a 1st-line chemotherapy regimen. Lynparza is approved in the US and several other countries as a 1st-line maintenance treatment for patients with gBRCAm metastatic pancreatic cancer based on the Phase III POLO trial, with ongoing regulatory reviews in the EU and other jurisdictions. In the U.S., the drug was recently approved for patients with homologous recombination repair or HRR gene-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de The alpacas scream sounded like a high-pitched electric pencil sharpener, more machine than mammal. It was awful, and that was the point. The group behind the video, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has been publicizing graphic scenes like this long enough to know which sights and sounds make people feel the most miserable. This footage was filmed during an undercover investigation at a Peruvian farm, the group said, and shown to The New York Times recently, before being released more widely. Its part of PETAs latest project: ridding the world of alpaca sweaters. That means agitating the people who wear them, the retailers who sell them and the manufactures who make them. PETAs mode of making social change has always been to inspire shock and ignite boycotts. For years, weve watched videos of screaming animals and seen red paint splatter fur coats. With these in-your-face and highly visual tactics, the activists helped win the culture war over fur. But its been 15 years now since Anna Wintour was last dealt a tofu pie to the face. Behind closed doors, PETA has embarked on a mission of corporate diplomacy. These days, much of its activism involves organizing conference calls and sending forceful but respectful emails. Supporters dont flood the streets as often as they flood Twitter. The famously loud group, now 40 years old, is operating more quietly. More brands than ever are listening. Gandhinagar, June 1 : Following the warning by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) with regard to the cyclonic storm 'Nisarg' which is expected to hit some parts of Gujarat hard, the state government has put 6 districts on high alert. The government has ordered people living in low lying areas of 159 villages on the coastal regions to be evacuated and shifted to safer places. The weather office has predicted that the depression forming in the Arabian sea, named 'Nisarg' is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm and will hit southern parts of Saurashtra and South Gujarat. This storm is expected to make a landfall on the midnight of June 2 where winds up to 110-220 km per hour are likely to blow with thunders and very heavy rains. Swinging into action, the Gujarat Disaster Management has identified coastal regions of the state where the storm is likely to make the most of the impact. Around 109 villages of South Gujarat's Surat, Navsari, Valsad and Dang districts and fifty villages of Amreli and Bhavnagar districts of Saurashtra are likely to be severely affected by the storm. The state disaster management has put these areas on high alert and people in low lying areas in these coastal villages have been ordered to be shifted to safer places like schools and religious places. Ten teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in these regions and are in stand by position. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have also been presssed into service. "Thunders and storms with heavy downpour is expected in Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Dang, Bhavnagar and Amreli districts of the state. We have placed these regions on a high alert mode. The Salt Pan workers in these areas have been shifted and orders are issued to evict the prawn cultivators in these regions to be shifted to safer places. We also warned and called back all the fishermen in these coastal areas to return to the shore. People living in low-lying areas have been ordered to be evacuated and shifted to safer places," said Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. The state disaster management is working in coordination with the local administration, the NDRF and SDRF. The electricity companies have been told to be on standby to prevent any power loss in these regions. The marketing yards across the state have been instructed to shift the grains and crops and other commodities lying out in the open to safer places to prevent damage. Cameron Roberts, national president of the AILA and a partner at Thomson Geer in Melbourne, said that the aim was to encourage greater membership outside insurance lawyers and enhance networking opportunities between the insurance industry and lawyers. Read more: AILA launches womens group When I became national president 18 months ago, my goal was to better serve the entire insurance industry, not just insurance lawyers, he said. To that end, Roberts sought to increase AILAs value to industry members by reducing the cost of joining and increasing the advantages of membership. That has been achieved through the significant reduction in the membership cost for industry members, as well as the offering of complimentary membership in the New Zealand Insurance Law Association (NZILA) to all AILA members. The agreement with NZILA adds to many other initiatives implemented to increase the advantages of AILA membership, including mandatory membership price differentials, the Gill Award which offers a $10,000 prize and moving to webinar presentations. Roberts said the reciprocal membership arrangement with NZILA would also encourage greater involvement in each organisations activities. With so many events being held via webinars, AILA and NZILA members can participate more easily in each others events and pay only member rates, he said. facebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter Published June 1, 2020 University of Louisiana Monroe student Milan Arpino, a junior majoring in Risk Management and Insurance in the College of Business and Social Sciences, was recently awarded a prestigious national scholarship by the WSIA Education Foundation for $5,000 for the 2020-2021 academic year. The foundations Derek Hughes Scholarship Program encourages the study of insurance and rewards exceptional students who have an interest in an insurance career. Arpino was one of the few recipients selected from applications received from over 44 universities across the county. Christine Berry, Ph.D., professor and coordinator of the RMI program, recommended Arpino for the scholarship. Milan is one of the most enthusiastic and hardest working students I have encountered in my over 25 years of being in higher education. There are many exceptional things about Milan, but one of the most remarkable is that she spent a year in Italy immediately after high school. On her own initiative, she later obtained a risk management internship (for which she could speak only Italian) working for Mario Capello, engineer and technical consultant for the Republic of Italy this past summer, Berry said. Arpino added, I am honored to be a recipient of the Education Foundation Scholarship. I am very appreciative for the work of the selection committee, Foundation President Brian Van Cleave, and Christine Timmerman for their continued support of students pursuing careers in Risk Management and Insurance. Special thanks to Dr. Christine Berry and the University of Louisiana Monroe RMI program. The WSIA (Wholesale and Specialty Insurance Association) Education Foundation, formed in 2018 with the merger of the AAMGA Education Foundation and the Derek Hughes/NAPSLO Educational Foundation, is dedicated to encouraging the educational development of all those interested in the excess and surplus lines business, to creating an understanding, and overcoming the misperceptions of the excess and surplus lines market. ULMs RMI program is one of a few in the country that offers a curriculum that prepares students for successful careers in the wholesale insurance industry. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has declared his property, income, expenses and financial liabilities for 2019. "According to the declaration, the income of the head of state and his family in 2019 amounted to UAH 28.602 million. Zelensky's family paid taxes in the amount of UAH 3.6 million to the budget," the presidential press service said. Since May 2019, Zelensky has not been engaged in entrepreneurial activities and receives salaries exclusively in the state administration. His salary from May to December 2019 amounted to UAH 208,787. "In the reporting period, an increase in his spouse's salary and a decrease in the salary and business income from the entrepreneurial activities of Volodymyr Zelensky were recorded," the report said. In particular, in 2019, the president's family received funds in repayment of government domestic loan bonds for a total of UAH 5.1 million and incurred expenses for the acquisition of government bonds in the amount of UAH 5.2 million. Zelensky declared UAH 4.423 million, which were received from the sale of real estate in Kyiv in Velyka Vasylkivska Street, owned by his wife. Also, the Zelensky family received UAH 3.2 million for renting an apartment in the UK. In 2019, the wife of the president, Olena Zelenska, received a loan from the first assistant to the head of state, Serhiy Shefir, in the amount of UAH 5 million. The loan was repaid by the end of the reporting year. Zelensky in 2019 spent UAH 11.5 million as a contribution to the election fund of the candidate for the president of Ukraine. An estimated 5,000 demonstrators marched through the streets of downtown San Antonio on Saturday evening to protest the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes. Although the march largely was peaceful, protesters afterward smashed windows and clashed with police in streets near Alamo Plaza. Officers fired tear gas to scatter protesters massed at North Alamo and East Houston streets. Elsewhere, police fired pepper-spray projectiles. STATE OF DISASTER: Abbott signs declaration of disaster as protests escalate across Texas Nigerian University Begins 2nd Semester Examination Online The Vice-Chancellor of Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, has said the institution has commenced second-semester examination for students through the school online platform. Professor Ogunwole noted that the Second Semester examination of 2019/2020 will be phased saying that the first phase which is virtual is to start on Monday 1st of June 2020. A statement by the school Head of Information, Protocol and Public Relations, Mr Toba Adaramola, said the VC tasked the students to take time to carefully read the guidelines for the Online Examination as published on the University website. The VC advised that students should not allow distractions and interference during the online examination and Parents should limit their meddling during the period. He noted that students who have not paid tuition fee will not participate in the online exam but will do so at a later date when they do the needful. Sequoia National Park, home to giant sequoia trees, will begin to reopen after it closed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Mark Ralston / AFP/Getty Images) Giant sequoia groves and the backcountry will reopen Thursday at Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks in the western Sierra. It's the latest national parks in California to begin welcoming visitors with new safety rules during the coronavirus pandemic. Park entrances, roads, parking lots, restrooms, picnic areas and trails, including paths leading to the popular General Sherman Tree, will open for the first time since March 25, according to a park statement. Hikers with reserved wilderness permits will be allowed to proceed in the backcountry; walk-up permits won't be issued this summer. Campgrounds for overnight stays aren't expected to reopen until after the Fourth of July. Visitor centers, bookstores, ranger stations as well as lodgings, restaurants, markets and gift shops remain shut too. Park officials encourage visitors to avoid crowds at parking lots and on trails, and to consult the park newspaper available at the entrance for more information on what's open and what's closed. Visitors are asked to stay 6 feet from one another at parking lots and on trails and to use face coverings when social distancing isn't possible. Facilities will be cleaned more frequently, and signs about safe practices will be posted at trail heads and restrooms. Right now, the parks won't collect the $35 entrance fee per vehicle that's good for seven days. When fees resume, visitors should pay online before their visit. Other California parks have started opening in phases, including Joshua Tree, which opened to camping before Memorial Day; Lassen Volcanic National Park and Redwood National and State Parks. Nationwide, big parks such as the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone had limited reopenings that they then expanded to accommodate seasonal crowds. However, Death Valley National Park won't reopen until California allows leisure travel, which is set for Stage 3 in the state plan. Yosemite National Park also remains closed. The park has presented a draft plan that includes limiting the number of visitors to half of usual crowds and requiring prepaid tickets to enter. Info: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks Largely peaceful protests in Boston on Sunday that were sparked by the death of George Floyd ended in violence by nighttime, with several officers injured and even more people being arrested. Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes, even after he had passed out, prosecutors said. Derek Chauvin, the policeman, has since been charged with murder and manslaughter. The three protests held in Boston on Sunday aimed to spread awareness of police brutality and its impact on communities, according to the events Facebook page. The protest was not meant to be violent, organizers wrote. Demonstrators marched near City Hall, the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Hill, Boston Police Headquarters as well Washington Street and Nubian Square in Roxbury. The demonstration was one of many to be held across the state and the country in the past week to express outrage over Floyds death. Some of have been peaceful, while others have been violent and even deadly. As of 3 a.m. on Monday, the Boston Police Department reported that seven officers were taken to nearby hospitals with injuries, and many more were treated on scene. Twenty-one police cruisers were damaged, and around 40 individuals were arrested during the protests. On Monday afternoon, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh updated those figures, reporting nine officers had been hospitalized along with 18 civilians. There were 53 arrests, he said. The Boston Globe reported that demonstrators threw bottles and cans at officers, lit a police cruiser on fire and looted stores around Downtown Crossing and Back Bay. We say again, the time for protesting is over. The peaceful protest ended hours ago. Individuals now congregating and committing crimes in Boston need to vacate the area and leave our city, the department tweeted shortly after 11:45 p.m. on Sunday. We say again, the time for protesting is over. The peaceful protest ended hours ago. Individuals now congregating and committing crimes in Boston need to vacate the area and leave our city. Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) June 1, 2020 Massachusetts State Police troopers, the National Guard and officers from the Northeast Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council were also called in to assist Boston police amid the demonstrations. From Sunday night to Monday morning, troopers held a perimeter outside the fence of the State House on Beacon Street, where several hundred protesters had gathered, according to a statement from state police. Officers watched over other areas in downtown Boston as well, mainly near Boylston, Newbury and Arlington streets. A state police air wing also provided support for ground units throughout the night, law enforcement said. Two people were arrested for jumping a fence and trying to get onto State House property, authorities said After the first protester was arrested for hopping the fence shortly before 9:30 p.m., a Boston Police Department cruiser and a transit police cruiser drove down Beacon Street in front of the State House, responding to a call about an officer down, according to authorities. The BPD cruiser got through, but the other transit police car was surrounded by what state police called an aggressive and combative mob, who struck the cruiser. At that point to free the cruiser and prevent the officer inside from being injured, MSP troopers discharged pepper ball projectiles at the aggressors to back them away from the transit cruiser, state police said. As a result, the transit cruiser was freed and was able to drive away. Several public officials took to social media Sunday to condemn the violence and thank those who protested peacefully. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh tweeted shortly before 10:45 p.m. his appreciation for the demonstrators who exercised their right to free speech effectively and peacefully, making sure everyone hears their message. Tonights protests were motivated by a righteous desire for equality, justice, and accountability in our country, he tweeted. I see you. I hear you. I will use my voice for you." Walsh continued, I am angered, however, by the people who came into our city and chose to engage in acts of destruction and violence, undermining their message. If we are to achieve change and if we are to lead the change, our efforts must be rooted in peace and regard for our community. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker wrote in a statement that Floyds death was a horrible tragedy and that the vasty majority of protesters in Boston demonstrated peacefully, toward a common goal of promoting justice and equality. I am deeply thankful for their voices and their positive, forceful message, Baker said. Both Walsh and Baker offered their thanks to Boston police for their work during the protests. I also want to express my gratitude to all the police officers and other first responders working to protect the people of Boston from the individuals whose violent actions, looting and property destruction was criminal and cowardly and distracted from the powerful statement made today by thousands of Massachusetts residents," the governor wrote. Related Content: In Kazakhstan we focus on diversification, balancing the role of state and market and sustainable energy. Recently we signed a comprehensive Partnership Agreement with Kazakhstan under which we will co-invest in the economy together with the government. More MBABANE Three weeks in the country and there is progress. This follows the arrival of four specialists from Taiwan who arrived in the country to assist in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The medical team are Intensive Care Unit Nurse Yu-Hsuan Lin, Respiratory Therapist Hsin-Yu Li, Intensive Care Physician Dr Kevin Shu-Leung Lai and Infection Disease/Control Specialist Dr Li-Yuan Chen. According to a source close to the Ministry of Health, since the arrival of the specialists, the country has recorded a significant number of people recovering from COVID-19 because of the recommendations, implementations and experience of the specialists. As of yesterday, there were 189 recovered cases of people who had tested positive for COVID-19. Among these include Manzini North Member of Parliament Macford Sibandze. Director of Health Services Dr Vusi Magagula confirmed the information, stating that since the arrival of the specialists, they had done significantly well in enhancing local health workers with their vast experience in dealing with COVID-19 recovering patients at the Lubombo Referral Hospital. Among the things that they have done was changing the cocktails the country was using for treatment and also separated asymptomatic patients from those showing symptoms. Experience The Taiwanese doctors come with vast experience and they made recommendations to the ministry, which were implemented and the difference is evident from the high number of recoveries, Magagula asserted. Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi shared the same sentiments, but stated that the doctors initially came to assist the country for four weeks, which would end this coming week. He said, however, they requested, through the Taiwan Embassy, to have their stay extended for a further four weeks. They have been documenting their work and educating the local health practioners on treatment of the patients. We expect them to furnish us with their report which has all the details on how they have been doing, but most of it is what they were doing in their native country, Nkosi said. Taiwan National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine (NRICM) Director Su Yi-chang, two weeks ago, said the government-funded research institution began to develop a treatment mixing Chinese herbal therapy and Western medication at the start of the outbreak in January. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Welfares (MoHW) Department of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, the team has developed a herbal formula based on research and its experience fighting the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003. Remission Su said the formula could be tailored to patients with four different degrees of disease severity: mild, moderate, severe, and remission. It can also be adjusted to better target the virus as it mutates. The team began to use the formula alongside the undisclosed Western medicine to treat 14 COVID-19 patients, starting April 3 at Tri-Service General Hospital in Taipei and Taichung Veterans General Hospital. The Western medication plays a supportive role while the traditional medicine-derived formula effectively targets the virus and helps maintain normal immune function, he explained. He said the formula was meant to prevent the virus from penetrating into the bodys cells and multiplying. In addition to quickly deactivating the virus, it can prevent the immune systems of critical patients from overreacting dangerously in what is known as the cytokine storm. He added that after eight to 10 days of treatment, 12 of the 14 patients who had been discharged from the hospital tested negative three times. The remaining two are still recovering, having joined a therapy group several days ago, and their test results are unknown. No side effects have been reported in the clinical trial of the new therapy so far. Appeal against journalists detention for rally law breach postponed until June 5 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 19:16 01/06/2020 MOSCOW, June 1 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Monday postponed an appeal filed by journalist and municipal lawmaker Ilya Azar against his 15-day detention for repeated violation of the law on rallies until June 5, the courts press service told RAPSI. The journalist was arrested on May 26 near the building of the Interior Ministrys Main Directorate in central Moscow. Azar was staying in a sole picket in support of creator of the Police Ombudsman Telegram channel Vladimir Vorontsov, who had been earlier arrested on suspicion of extorting 300,000 rubles ($4,000) from a former Interior Ministry employee, and the channels admin Igor Khudyakov. The journalist believes his arrest and detention are illegal as a sole picket doesnt breach legislation even during the sanitary and epidemiological restrictions. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) Local air carriers will take to the skies this week as Metro Manila and other parts of the country eases to general community quarantine, but officials say adjustments need to be made before they can operate. Philippine Airlines (PAL) Spokesperson Cielo Villaluna told CNN Philippines they will be expecting more coordination between the Inter-Agency Task Force and local government units which will be receiving the travelers, during the first week of resumed air travel. "Each LGU may have their own set of documents they want passengers to present upon arrival," Villaluna said in an interview. "Even as we speak today, we get calls from local government units informing us of the documents that passengers will receive. So we believe that this is the week where we are fine-tuning everything for the domestic sector, and we feel like it is most ideal to start on June 8." PAL previously announced the resumption of its international and domestic flights starting June 1 following the easing of quarantine restrictions, while Cebu Pacific said it would start flying passengers to a few destinations within the country beginning June 2. On Saturday, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) advised airlines to cancel their flights scheduled on June 1, prior to the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force. When asked about the apparent miscommunication, Villaluna said that PAL, along with other members of the Air Carriers Association of the Philippines, had complied with the requirements requested by the authorities. "We complied with the directive of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to submit our domestic services and international services with complete flight schedules, and it was approved by the DOTr (Department of Transportation) CAAP, and we announced it," Villaluna said. "Then all of a sudden, we received the CAB advisory informing us that the flights of Week One of June will be under review." Villaluna admitted that the sudden announcement had become a cause for concern among their passengers. "Because of that, we made that decision to cancel all our domestic flights, only domestic flights, from June 1 to 7, and start on June 8," Villaluna said. Airline companies announced over the weekend their new domestic flight schedules for June, assuring passengers they are ready to operate under the 'new normal.' Passengers are expected to follow enhanced safety measures such as the mandatory wearing of face masks, social distancing, and other protocols at the airport and all throughout their flights. Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Ed Monreal earlier said that Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport will continue serving international flights, while Terminal 2 will be for evacuation and sweeper flights, and for PAL domestic flights. Terminal 3 will be for AirAsia and Cebu Pacific, while Terminal 4 will remain closed. Google stands in support of racial equality and all those who search for it, Indian-American CEO of the technology giant Sunder Pichai said on Sunday. He said that the company has decided to share its support for the racial equality in solidarity with the black community and in memory of George Floyd on Google and YouTube home pages in the US. "Today on US Google & YouTube homepages we share our support for racial equality in solidarity with the Black community and in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery & others who don't have a voice," Pichai wrote on Twitter. "For those feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone, Pichai said, sharing a screen shot of the Google search home page which said we stand in support of racial equality, and all those who search for it." His remarks came amidst nationwide violent protests over the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd by a policeman in Minneapolis. Floyd pleaded for air as the white police officer pressed his knee on his neck, leading to his death. The officer has been arrested and charged with murder. Also read: Minneapolis protests: Google postpones unveiling of Android 11 beta version amid unrest Also read: Coronavirus Live Updates: Biggest spike of 8,392 cases in 24 hours; COVID-19 tally surges to 1.9 lakh Anti-fascist protesters in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 17, 2019, countering a demonstration by right-wing groups. Authorities closed streets to try to keep rival groups apart. (Associated Press ) President Trump tweeted on Sunday that his administration will designate antifa, a term used by some self-described anti-fascists, a terrorist organization. We still do not have a clear idea of what groups are involved in these protests. As a long-standing critic of antifa, which has been a plague of college campuses, I have no sympathy for this militant, anti-free-speech movement. But President Trumps declaration is legally dubious and constitutionally dangerous. A president does not have power to declare an entity to be a terrorist organization. Such a designation under federal law is confined to foreign terrorist organizations and for that reason, these designations are made through the U.S. State Department. While many have dismissed the possibility of a terrorist designation for antifa because it is a domestic movement, the administration could make a slim, if highly challengeable, claim that antifa has international reach with supporters in other countries. It would be a stretch, but people should not assume that such a designation is impossible. The administration could also move to bar travel and entry of those associated with the movement, including foreign associates. Most worrisome, such a designation can allow a broader crackdown, and even criminal charges, for those deemed to offer material support to the movement. That, of course, raises serious constitutional concerns. This terrorist designation would raise chilling implications for free speech in the United States. First, antifa is not a traditional organization. Indeed, it is designed not to have any specific leadership or structure that could be targeted by the government. It is an informal and amorphous collection of individuals and groups who hold militant and anarchist views. The designation of such an ambiguously defined group would allow the government to trigger criminal investigative and prosecution powers over a vaguely defined range of political activists. Story continues Second, many people in the antifa movement engage in traditional acts of civil disobedience, from blocking roads to chaining themselves to doors. Many organizations have had members who have been investigated and prosecuted for criminal activity without being declared terrorist entities, ranging from hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan to more traditional political groups like Greenpeace. If the government can designate a terrorist organization based on the conduct of some members, the criminalization of political speech could be virtually unlimited. Finally, what weve seen across the country is spontaneous looting and rioting caused by pent-up anger and, in some cases, opportunistic crime. To suggest that antifa members are driving this damage overstates their importance and understates the problem. We do not need to use the designation of terrorist organizations to curb acts of violence in this country. Indeed, the Justice Department is currently prosecuting people for throwing Molotov cocktails in New York, including filing charges against two young lawyers. When antifa members or others engage in criminal acts, we have ample criminal laws to use against them. Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University and a CBS and BBC legal analyst. The development of industrial zones (IZs) needs a comprehensive plan to capture the transition of the foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow spurred by trade wars and the COVID-19 pandemic in which Vietnam has significant opportunities to become the next global factory. The development of industrial zones needs a comprehensive plan to capture the transition of the foreign direct investment inflow (Photo: baochinhphu.vn) The global production transition out of China spurred by the US China trade wars and the COVID-19 pandemic recently gave a push to the development of IZs in Vietnam. In the first three months of this year, five new IZs were founded with a total area of 800 hectares, compared with only four in the whole of 2019. Some deserted IZs found new developers and had infrastructure developed to get ready for leasing, such as the 46-hectare An Phat High Tech Industrial Park in the northern province of Hai Duong. Su Ngoc Khuong, senior director of investment, Savills Vietnam, said that a lot of domestic and foreign investors were finding locations in industrial zones for investment, some wanted to become developers of industrial parks while some others planned to expand factories. Do Nhat Hoang, Director of the Ministry of Planning and Investments Foreign Investment Agency, said that a close watch was being kept on the transition of global production, which was opening opportunities for a number of countries, including Vietnam. Hoang said that the agency was working with foreign investors who were considering moving to Vietnam so as to raise policies which would create a favourable investment climate. He added that the Law on Investment was being amended to enable Vietnam to capture the FDI inflow in the context of the global production transition. The ministry said that the development of IZs needed a strategy which aimed at sustainability, economic efficiency and environmental friendliness. According to Nguyen Van Toan, Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises, the infrastructure of IZs remained a limitation. Toan said that many IZs did not have good transport connectivity. A comprehensive plan is needed for the development of IZs, Toan said, adding that the plan would prevent rampant development of IZs nationwide and enable Vietnam to capture the opportunities from the global production transition. Vietnam targeted that the total registered capital into IZs would reach 2.7-3.2 quadrillion VND (116-138 billion USD) in domestic investment and 280-330 billion USD in FDI by 2030. Realised capital was expected at 1.5 -2 quadrillion VND and 240-290 billion USD, respectively, according to the ministry. In addition, IZs would generate jobs for 5-6 million workers in 2025 and 7-8 million in 2030. The promulgation of the Law on Foreign Investment in 1987 created conditions for the formation and development of IZs which had so far contributed significantly to attracting the FDI flow into the country. Statistics of the Ministry of Planning and Investment showed that as of March, 335 IZs were founded with a total area of 97,800 hectares, 206 of which were operational with a total area of 68,700 hectares. The average occupancy rate was 75.6 percent./.VNS As rubber price falls, rubber companies shift to develop IZs Since the core business field is facing difficulties, rubber companies are now gathering strength on developing industrial zones (IZs). Micronotes.ai created the COVID-19 Goodwill Program to help large banks, community banks, and credit unions survive the unprecedented impact of COVID-19. Since it's release in March 2020, the free software has been used by 48 banks to conduct 65,000 digital dialogs with their now 100% digital banking customers. The dialogs included questions about loans, PPP loans, refinancing, opening new accounts, and using online banking services. The Program helped participating banks start conversations, develop relationships, and build trust with their mobile and online banking customers in isolation due to the pandemic. Topics of conversation included; COVID-19 impact on bank operations SBA-PPP loan applications and loan forgiveness Accessing mobile banking features Applying for loans Opening new accounts Refinancing Investment advice "We're honored to do our part by making Micronotes.ai available to these 48 banks to help manage through this pandemic. We were able to get most of these new banks live in about two days, which, for enterprise banking software, may stand as its own record." Said Devon Kinkead, founder, and CEO of Micronotes. About Micronotes.ai By engaging nearly one in five digital banking customers per month, Micronotes.ai validates predicted financial services needs. Micronotes.ai innovative approach to machine learning creates meaningful dialogues with the target audience to improve engagement metrics and connect online banking customers to digital resources and humans for fulfillment whichever the user requests and automatically learns from the interaction. Contact Christian Klacko Micronotes.ai 50 Milk St., 16th Floor Boston, MA 02109 617-401-2175 Transcend Engagement LLC is proud to announce the launch of a new website that provides information on new technology solutions to improve employee engagement. A suite of virtual engagement solutions can be found on the site, such as: a) mobile communication portals, b) survey tools, c) recognition platforms, d) performance management systems, e) online company stores, and f) employee development tools. We are excited to launch our new site, which gives leaders exciting new ideas on how to amp up communication, employee development, recognition and social connections at work all drivers of engagement, said Dr. Bob Randall, CEO of Transcend Engagement. The site will have regular postings and updates from thought leaders on the topics of culture, leadership and engagement. And as always, we will emphasize how technology can support an organizations values and improve the employee experience. Our clients are looking for new ways to attract, retain and engage the next generation in their workforce and we think the new site will give them some great new ideas on how technology can make that happen, said Charlie Giraud, Sr. Account Executive. The launch is also very timely as clients move their employees home during the pandemic, so keeping them connected with new technologies is not a trend anymore, it is a necessity. The website was designed in keeping with Transcends product strategy, incorporating a responsive and clean design, as well as intuitive functionality. The company recently announced a free trial for its Communication Portal to companies combating the COVID-19 virus. Contact Transcend at charlie@transcendengagement.com or 612-225-4700 to learn more about this website launch or its recently announced free trial. About Transcend Engagement LLC A leader in improving employee engagement for its clients, Transcend provides leading edge, cloud-based engagement solutions in the areas of award/recognition, mobile communication portals, performance management systems, survey tools, employee development and online company stores. Transcend Engagement LLC is headquartered in Owatonna, MN and serves clients across North America. Visit our website. Many Benefits to More School Choice Commentary Out of all Canadian provinces, Alberta provides the most educational options to parents and students. Not only is Alberta the only province that allows charter schools to exist, it also provides independent schools with the most generous per-student operating funding in the country. In addition, Albertas second-largest public school board (Edmonton), has long made choice a feature of its approach to education. Parents who want an alternative to the standard neighbourhood schools have the option of enrolling their children in specialty schools that focus on areas such as Indigenous education, sports, science, religious education, or performing arts. These are just some of the options available within Edmontons public system. Now the Alberta government plans to expand educational choice across the province. On May 28, education minister Adriana LaGrange introduced Bill 15, the Choice in Education Act. Among other things, this legislation will make it easier for groups to start charter schools by allowing them to apply directly to the education minister instead of having to go through local school boards. This makes sense since school boards tend to view charter schools as competition and are reluctant to approve them. Bill 15 also includes an explicit affirmation that, Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children. The act also specifically recognizes that public schools, separate schools, francophone schools, private schools, and home education are all valued and integral in providing choice to parents. In addition, home schooling parents will no longer need to be supervised by an Alberta school board. They must still register their intention to home school with the province but parents are free to choose the program that works best for their children. Unsurprisingly, critics were quick to denounce these changes. The anti-choice lobby group Support Our Students (SOS) suggested that Bill 15 would undermine public education. Of course, if groups like SOS had their way, the government would pull funding from all alternative schools and lower-income parents would have no choice but to send their children to their neighbourhood public schools. However, the anti-choice groups are wrong. Not only should the Alberta government press forward with the Choice in Education Act, other provinces should follow suit. Thats because most provinces place too many limits on the choices available to parents and give school boards a near-monopoly over education. As previously noted, Alberta is the only province to allow any charter schools at all. Thats a shame because other provinces are missing out on the many potential benefits of charter schools, as we have seen from the success stories in Alberta. For example, the tiny rural hamlet of Valhalla Centre saved its only school from imminent closure by forming a charter school while Calgarys Foundations for the Future Charter Academy is so popular with students and parents that it has thousands of children on its wait list. In addition, it makes sense for money to follow the student. Thats why Alberta provides partial operating funding to all independent schools that follow the Alberta curriculum and hire provincially certified teachers. While the other western provinces also partially fund independent schools, most eastern provinces leave parents to fend for themselves if they wish to leave the public system. To be clear, denying funding to independent schools doesnt hurt wealthy parentsthey can afford higher tuition payments. Rather, it limits the options available to low-income and middle-income families who often struggle to make ends meet. In contrast, letting the money follow the student equalizes educational opportunities for families with limited means and enables them to choose schooling options currently beyond their reach due to financial limitations. Instead of imposing one system on everyone, provinces should fund whatever school parents wish to enroll their children in. This would move us away from the tiresome debate about independent schools funding and put the emphasis on the choices made by students and their parents. Doing so would allow each student to attend any school of his or her choice, and a schools provincial funding would then depend on the number of students who choose it, provided they follow the provincial curriculum and demonstrate that their students are learning it. While it is important to hold all schools accountable for their academic results, it makes little sense to assume that a one-size-fits-all approach is suitable for our diverse population. As for the argument that giving parents more choices will weaken public education, Alberta, the province with the most choices available now, regularly achieves above-average results on standardized reading and math assessments. Clearly, expanding the choices available to parents doesnt weaken public education, it strengthens it. Other provinces would do well to learn from Albertas example. Parents and students across the country deserve more educational choices. Michael Zwaagstra is a public high school teacher and author of A Sage on the Stage: Common Sense Reflections on Teaching and Learning. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Good rainfall in Rajasthan, other parts of northwest India, and cyclone Nisarga forming over the Arabian Sea will create favourable conditions for the breeding of crop-munching desert locusts along the India-Pakistan border but temporarily stall their movement as well, the Centres Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) said. If there are good rains in Rajasthan, they will stay in the desert region and not move away, and if mature swarms come, they will breed here in the next 15 to 30 days depending on weather conditions, said LWO deputy director K L Gurjar. Locust swarms reached new locations, chomped through vegetation and crops across farmlands in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and prompted the Centre to issue a warning to 16 states last week. They are presently in Madhya Pradeshs Shivpuri area and moving towards Ashok Nagar, Bikaner and Nagaur in Rajasthan, Nagpur in Maharashtra and Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh. They are unlikely to move towards Bihar, said Gurjar. He added LWO controlled a new swarm that entered Jaisalmer on Sunday. Locust swarms pose a severe risk to Indias agriculture this year, the UN has warned, and prompted the authorities to step up vigil, and deploy drones and other equipment to detect their movement. Their attacks are known to cause a considerable drop in agricultural output. Locusts can fly up to 150km in a day and a one-square-kilometre swarm can eat as much food as 35,000 people. R K Jenamani, a senior scientist at the National Weather Forecasting Centre, said the formation of any cyclonic circulation over the Arabian Sea brings moisture into north India and causes rain. We are expecting thunderstorm and rainfall activity in east Rajasthan and in Delhi NCR [National Capital Region] on June 4 and 5. It has already been raining in parts of east Rajasthan, he said. Northwest India is expected to receive excess monsoon rainfall at 107% of the long-period average this year, according to India Meteorological Department. Excess monsoon rains will also provide favourable conditions for the breeding of locusts in arid areas. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), moist sandy or sand/clay soil to depths of 10-15 cm below the surface, some bare areas for egg-laying, and green vegetation for hopper development are the favourable conditions for their breeding. LWO has said it has controlled swarms over 55,000 ha across Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh mainly by spraying pesticides. According to FAOs update dated May 27, locust swarms are forming in the spring breeding areas and migrating east to the India-Pakistan border ahead of the monsoon. Spring-bred immature adult groups and swarms that arrived in Rajasthan from the west continued to move east in the eastern portion of the state and to the central states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. As of 26 May, at least one swarm had reached to the northeast of Bhopal. Much of these movements were associated with strong westerly winds from Cyclone Amphan in the Bay of Bengal. Control operations are underway, it said. Several successive waves of swarms can be expected until July in Rajasthan with eastward surges across India as far as Bihar and Odisha followed by westward movements and a return to Rajasthan based on changing monsoon winds. These movements will cease as swarms begin to breed and become less mobile. Swarms are less likely to reach south India, FAO said. By PTI RANCHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday appealed to industries and corporate houses to help bring back migrant workers stranded in other states, even as his government ferried over 4.5 lakh of them in trains, buses and even chartered flights during the lockdown. The government had recently flown 180 migrants from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by a state-sponsored chartered plane, while 60 were brought from Leh by another special flight at the state government's cost. More than 4.5 lakh of the approximately 7.5 lakh registered workers from Jharkhand have so far returned to their native places in different parts of the state. "Even now, several Jharkhand people are stranded in far-off places. My humble request to all industries and corporate houses is to help the state government in bringing home those who desire to return," a statement quoted Soren as saying. The first special train carrying over 1,200 Jharkhand migrant labourers had reached its destination Hatia on May 1 from Telangana. Since then, a number of trains carrying migrants from various parts of the country came to the state. Many of migrant came in buses arranged by the state government. The CM had approached Union Home Minister Amit Shah on May 21, seeking permission to fly migrants stuck in far-off places like Ladakh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Northeast, from where they cannot be transported back home in trains or buses. The Roofing Alliance, the foundation of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), proudly announces their new Roofing Alliance Board of Trustees for 2020-2021. Leading the Roofing Alliance Board is Kyle Thomas of Thomas Roofing, Mobile, Alabama as the 2020-2021 president. The Roofing Alliance mirrors the best of the roofing industry. Made up of all roofing professionals including manufacturers, distributors, service providers, and contractors, they sit next to each other with equal voting rights, working on how they can fund important initiatives, education and charities supported by the roofing industry. The volunteer leadership are dedicated roofing professionals who offer their combined talents and commitment to guide this important foundation. The Roofing Alliance was established within the National Roofing Foundation (NRF) to create a permanent endowment fund to serve as a highly focused resource for the roofing industry. As the Foundation of NRCA, its objectives are to fund research projects while also supporting and funding charitable and educational programs. Currently, the Roofing Alliance provides funding and resources to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC ). The Roofing Alliance and NRCA contractors have adopted the roofs of 165 stand-alone Ronald McDonald House programs, providing service and maintenance to help keep families together while their child receives medical care. The Roofing Alliance is also committed to career technical education; notably hosting an annual Construction Management Student Competition during the International Roofing Expo. New Roofing Alliance Officers and Trustees terms are effective June 1, 2020. The Board of Trustees work throughout the year to ensure the continued success and philanthropy of the foundation. The Roofing Alliance thanks the following officers and trustees for their commitment to the roofing industry. 2020-2021 Roofing Alliance Officers: Kyle Thomas of Thomas Roofing, Mobile, Alabama President for 2020-2021 Dave Lawlor, ROCKWOOL, Inc., Milton, Ontario, Canada - Vice President for 2020-2021; President for 2021-2022 Jason Dark, Saginaw, Michigan - Secretary-Treasurer for 2020-2021 Trustees for 2020-2021: Charles Antis, Antis Roofing & Waterproofing Inc., Irvine, California Greg Bloom, Beacon Roofing Supply Inc., Birmingham, Michigan Piers Dormeyer, EagleView Technologies Inc., Kirkland, Washington Rudy Gutierrez, Shell Roofing Solutions Group, Chino, California Stephen Kubicka, Polyglass USA, Deerfield Beach, Florida Michelle Lane, Firestone Building Products, Nashville, Tennessee Steve Little, KPost Roofing & Waterproofing, Dallas, Texas George Patterson, Bennett & Brosseau Roofing, Inc., Romeoville, Illinois Stephen Phillips, Hendrick Phillips Salzman & Siegel, Atlanta, Georgia Johnathan Reader, R&B Roofing LLC, Garland, Texas Dave Tilsen, Tilsen Roofing Company Inc., Madison, Wisconsin Daniel Tinker, SRS Distribution Inc., McKinney, Texas Kelly Van Winkle, King of Texas Roofing Co., Grand Prairie, Texas For more information on the Roofing Alliance contact Bennett Judson, the Roofing Alliances executive director, at bjudson@roofingalliance.net or visit http://www.roofingalliance.net. About the Roofing Alliance The Roofing Alliance is committed to shaping the industrys future by funding education, research, scholarships and philanthropic initiatives, all for the purpose of securing the industrys future excellence. Composed of 172 members representing extraordinary leaders from the contracting, manufacturing, distribution and service provider communities, the Roofing Alliance has committed $13 million to enhance the performance and long-term viability of the industry and allocated more than $5.9 million to fund 51 research, education, technical and philanthropic programs and projects. Serving as the foundation of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), Roofing Alliance members are focused on giving back and supporting high-quality educational programs and ensuring timely and forward-thinking industry responses to major economic and technological issues. For more information about Roofing Alliance initiatives, visit http://www.roofingalliance.net. Case filed over killing of 26 Bangladesh nationals Dhaka, Jun 1 (UNI) A case has been filed with Bhairab Police Station in Kishoreganj of Bangladesh over the killings of its 26 nationals in Libya. Mobarak Hossen, elder brother of deceased Saddam Hossen, filed the case against seven to eight people on Sunday noon. Tanjirul, a human trafficker is allegedly the main accused in the case. His elder brother Md Baharul Alam was arrested after filing the case. Multiple people are evacuating from their cabins near Inuvik, N.W.T., due to flooding. "In Inuvik, the water levels are the highest we've seen them," said Dustin Whalen, a physical scientist with Natural Resources Canada. "Right now, they're pretty much levelled off and I expect that they're going to start dropping really soon." There is currently no road traffic into Inuvik, located 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. Grant Hood, senior administrative officer for the Town of Inuvik, said officials are monitoring the situation. He said the cabins are located outside of the town's boundaries. "It's an annual occurrence. That's all we can do," he said. Photos show roads near the Mackenzie River partially flooded and the town's boat launch submerged in water. Submitted by Connor Gould Dianne Koe and her partner were evacuated from their cabin by helicopter Saturday afternoon. A day later, she was sent photos of her cabin. "We could see the water coming over the bank," she said. "It was a shock to see." About a week ago, Koe said she noticed water levels were rising. She said she had been in daily contact with people in other cabins to check on the conditions. "We had high water but not this high," she said. Jimmy Kalinek and his family had been at their cabin at the north end of the Kalinek Channel for two and half months, until they had to leave on Saturday. Mackenzie Scott/CBC "Potential of flooding was there, so we were prepared for it," he said. "But it just happened really quick. Within the hour, we were out of the house." Kalinek later went back to his cabin about an hour's boat ride from Inuvik to assess the damage and "hope for the best." Submitted by Jimmy Kalinek He said when he arrived, there was no water damage. Data from Water Survey of Canada showed water levels in the Mackenzie River's East Channel reached 16.5 metres by June 1. The previous high was 16.35 metres in 2006, according to Whalen. Turkey will open its borders to foreign tourists on July 1 and resume regular passenger transportation with Ukraine, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has reported. This issue was discussed during a phone call between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, the ministry's press service said. "The Turkish foreign minister said that the Turkish side had decided to open its borders to foreign tourists and resume regular passenger transportation with Ukraine from July 1 this year. He also stressed that his country would create all the necessary conditions for the safe rest of Ukrainian citizens in the summer," the report reads. It notes that the parties outlined the priorities for the development of the strategic partnership between Ukraine and Turkey in the near future, identified key high-level bilateral events to be held after the improvement of the epidemiological situation caused by the incidence of COVID-19. Kuleba and Cavusoglu agreed that the next meeting of the joint strategic planning group at the level of foreign ministers of Ukraine and Turkey would take place in Antalya. The ministers also discussed cooperation within international organizations, including the Council of Europe. Turkey started a gradual resumption of domestic flights on June 1. According to Worldometer, 6,290,758 cases of COVID-19, including 374,336 deaths and 2,862,119 recoveries, were recorded worldwide in the afternoon on June 1. op Credit: CC0 Public Domain Younger children went back to schools in England on Monday and parliament geared up to resume normal service, as the world's second-worst-hit country in the coronavirus outbreak took its biggest step yet out of a lockdown that police warned was becoming difficult to enforce. Outdoor markets also swung open their gates and car showrooms tried to lure back customers and recoup losses suffered since Britain effectively shut down for business on March 23. But sales at stalls were slow and some schools had half-empty classrooms due to lingering fears that a virus that has officially killed 38,500 people in Britainand probably thousands morewas still circulating. The devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have taken a more cautious approach, with more limited easing of restrictions, and schools remain shut. "It's very different from usual," Danish Londoner John Jellesmark said on a visit to the usually bustling Camden Market in the north of the capital. "It's still pretty slow, it looks like the market is basically waking up." Too much, too soon? Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out a timeline that allows two million younger children in England to return to school on Monday and older ones from June 15. But a survey conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research found that primary school leaders expect about half the families to keep their children home. At Halley House School, in east London, principal Claire Syms said children who do turn up need to feel comfortable in an unfamiliar setting where the desks are spaced out and many around them wear masks. "We've been really conscious about keeping things as normal and as consistent as we can for our children," Syms told AFP. "We're really mindful of their wellbeing and their mental health." The UK government has been encouraged by the positive experience of other European countries that have started to return to something resembling the old way of life. The House of Commons returns from a break on Tuesday, and Johnson's minister for parliament, Jacob Rees-Mogg, wants MPs to start voting in person again, instead of remotely. The issue was expected to be put to a physical vote. But critics of the easing believe the so-called R rate of transmissionestimated nationally at between 0.7 and 0.9was still dangerously close to the 1.0 figure above which the virus' spread grows. They have warned the virus was still spreading too fast, and any return to work puts more vulnerable staff at risk. 'Unenforceable' Scientists and lawmakers are not the only ones to express concern, despite the government insisting the reopening measures were "cautious and phased". "We're only able to take these steps because of what we have achieved together so far," finance minister Rishi Sunak said as he toured Tachbrook Market in Pimlico, central London. London's Metropolitan Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh said current rules such as those allowing people to gather in groups of six in England were unenforceable. "I don't think the public are taking much notice of what is laid down in front of them," Marsh told The Daily Telegraph. "They are doing it how they want to do it." English parks and beaches have been inundated with people over two successive weekends during what meteorologists said was the driest May in more than 100 years. Police had warned after seeing growing numbers ignore social distancing measures a week ago that they were serious about sanctioning those who gather in large groups. But some London parks looked like one giant party on Sunday and police issued just a tiny fraction of the fines they had before people were allowed to leave their homes more freely on May 13. "Policing have told the government that unless it's a huge gathering, it's pretty much unenforceable now," a senior police source told The Daily Telegraph. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2020 AFP After delisting over 1,000 products for not being 'swadeshi' at paramilitary canteens, the government has now put the order on hold. Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had earlier banned the items manufactured by companies such as Dabur, VIP industries, Eureka Forbes, Jaquar, HUL (foods), Nestle India from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in a bid to boost 'swadeshi' or local goods. On May 13, MHA had announced that this nationwide network of over 1,700 Central Police Canteens (CPCs) or Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens will only sell indigenous or products from June 1 to support domestic industries. The order said all those items which are made from "purely imported products" are being delisted from Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandar or CAPF canteens from June 1. The order said the rejection or delisting of 'non-swadeshi' goods is done by the canteen board "on the sole basis of information submitted by the firms". The products from these canteens, spread across the country, are sold to over 50 lakh family members of nearly 10 lakh personnel CRPF, BSF, CISF, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently said that every Indian has to become "vocal for their local", not only to buy local products, but also to promote them proudly. Time, the prime minister said, has taught us that "we must make the local as a mantra of our life". "The global brands were sometimes also very local like this. Home Minister had tweeted, "Yesterday PM Modi appealed to the citizens to make India self-reliant and urged them to use local products. This move will ensure that India emerges as a global leader in the coming days." The owner of Primark has ruled out a fire sale of excess stock as trading prepares to resume in the UK following the coronavirus lockdown. Associated British Foods (ABF) said it was aiming to reopen all 153 stores in England on 15 June - in line with government guidance covering operations for non-essential retailers as the COVID-19 health crisis eases. The company said it anticipated that Primark stores in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales would follow later in the month, but it cautioned that the go ahead was yet to be granted by the authorities in those nations. It has reopened some sites in mainland Europe with "reassuring and encouraging" results. All UK sites were shut in March as the lockdown forced high streets to effectively shut down. ABF told investors that it had no plans to launch an online operation despite the shuttering of Primark costing it around 650m for each month of the shutdown. It said it had limited the financial damage by cutting costs by more than 50% and would roll unsold stock over rather than move to shift it at a loss to margins. Shares in the company, which has wider interests including grocery and sugar divisions, were almost 8% higher in mid-morning deals having lost more than a quarter of their value in the year to date. Commenting on the stock mountain, finance chief John Bason told the Reuters news agency: "What we will do, because we've got the financial wherewithal, we'll carry it through to next year." ABF said: "As European governments have begun to ease restrictions on clothing retailing we have been able to reopen stores. "Safety has been our highest priority in our detailed preparations to welcome our customers and employees back to stores. We are following government safety advice in all markets. "Importantly, we will apply the valuable experience gained from more than 100 stores which are already open as we open the remainder of our estate, including stores across the UK. "Social distancing protocols, hand sanitiser stations, perspex screens at tills and additional cleaning of high frequency touch points in the store are among the measures we are implementing." (Newser) The music industry is heeding a call to make Tuesday "Blackout Tuesday" to honor George Floyd and other black citizens who have died at the hands of police. The initiative, #TheShowMustBePaused," was started by Atlantic Records execs Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas to address " the long-standing racism and inequality that exists from the boardroom to the boulevard," Billboard reports. Their call for "a day to disconnect from work and reconnect with our community" was shared by artists and music execs including Apple Music's Ebro Darden. "All of my shows are canceled. I will air replays of conversations with community activists, politicians and revolutionary music," Darden said, per the Hollywood Reporter. story continues below Artists including Quincy Jones, the Rolling Stones, and Billie Eilish have pledged to observe the day, and record labels including Sony, Def Jam, and Columbia are also expected to take part, CNN reports. Music releases, online listening parties, and other events will be halted. "We will not hold any meetings nor conduct any businessrather we will stand in solidarity with our African American colleagues and loved ones across the country," ViaCom CBS exec Chris McCarthy told employees. ViacomCBS President Bob Bakish said that at 5pm Eastern, networks including BET, MTV, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon "will go dark for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to honor George Floyd and pay tribute to other victims of racial violence." Video shows that Floyd's neck was under the knee of officer Derek Chauvin for 8 minutes, 46 seconds. (Read more George Floyd stories.) Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday held a video-conference with home minister Amit Shah on the states preparedness for a likely severe cyclonic storm that is expected to make landfall on Wednesday in which at least 20 million people stand to be affected along the Konkan coastline, including Mumbai city. Maharashtra state officials have snapped into disaster preparation mode as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) sounded a red alert for seven districts, including Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad on Monday, on account of a depression in the Arabian Sea that is expected to form into cyclone Nisarga, a severe cyclonic storm, on June 2 and make landfall on June 3 as well as cause heavy rainfall within inland districts till Thursday. Shah reportedly offered Thackeray the use of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams from neighbouring states. Maharashtra has 16 teams of which 10 are deployed in areas likely to be affected including three in Mumbai, two each in Palghar and Raigad and one in Thane. Each team comprises 45 jawans, and a 24x7 control room is also expected to function out of the Mantralaya building in Mumbai. More teams may be deployed on Tuesday, as the IMD revises its bulletin based on the progress of the weather system. Maharashtra, which is already reeling under the highest case load of Covid-19 infections in the country it crossed the 40,000 mark on Monday has issued special instructions to officials to devise ways in which positive patients can be shifted to safer locations in case the cyclone makes landfall as expected on Wednesday afternoon. It has also advised districts to maintain social distancing norms during the shift to relief shelters, if and when that happens. Non-Covid hospitals across the districts would be made available to tackle the disaster, a press note released by the CMs office on Monday stated. Those living in kaccha houses along the coastline would also be shifted, and are being informed about the cyclone via loudspeakers, the note stated. Thackeray has also asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to shift slum dwellers staying in low-lying areas of the city to safer locations. Mahesh Narvekar, chief officer of BMC disaster management cell said, Our preparations are underway based on the regular updates from IMD authorities. Strict warnings have been issued to the fishing community to avoid entering the Arabian Sea and municipal officials are focusing on low-lying areas in Mumbai to determine whether Covid-19 centres would need to be re-located due to the very heavy rainfall expected over the following two days, an official said on the condition of anonymity. Prominent low lying areas in Mumbai include Hindmata and the flower market at Dadar, Century Bazar in Worli, Lower Parel station, SV Road Sacred Heart Church in Andheri, Malad and Marol naka, among others. Many of these areas are also part of wards which have some of the highest cases in the Mumbai city. At least 11 teams comprising officials of the fire, health and disaster management departments, as wells as 94 lifeguards are on alert, PS Rahangdale, chief fire officer of the Mumbai fire brigade and deputy municipal commissioner of the city disaster department said. The state has an outlay of Rs 1611 crore under its State Disaster Management Fund (SDRF), from which the funds are drawn for the natural calamities such as cyclones. The central government is expected to take up a share of 75% of the outlay. According to an official from the relief and rehabilitation department, district collectors are delegated the power to use these funds in case of calamities. We have started making announcements near the shoreline. We have also asked power stations to be on alert in case of an emergency. All beaches will also be closed and we are also considering imposing section 144 to prevent any sort of crowding near the beaches, Palghar district collector Kailash Shinde said. A cyclone alert has been sounded to all residents living within three km of the coast and a list of people who need to be evacuated from the low-lying in Palghar is being prepared, said Kiran Mahajan, deputy collector (general administration) said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Hansa Customer Equity Pvt Ltd, part of the R K SWAMY HANSA Group, has appointed Neeraj Pratap Sangani as the Chief Operating Officer. Neeraj, is an Alumni of UCLA Anderson School of Management and a keen proponent of Behavioural Economics having completed his professional certifications from the Institute of Data & Marketing, London and the Rotman School of Management, Toronto. He runs his own blog on tech, data & analytics called www.cxmlab.com . Commenting on the appointment, S Swaminathan, Co-founder & CEO of Hansa Cequity said: Neeraj is a big believer of the Hansa Cequity vision and has been working relentlessly to drive thought leadership, client-centricity culture, execution focus & process excellence. He has more than 25 years experience in business & marketing consulting, brand building, strategic marketing, and digital marketing. He has strong domain knowledge of Customer Experience Management, having developed and executed data-driven marketing programs, data integration projects including customer life cycle management, customer segmentation and customer engagement programs for clients across different verticals. Said Shekar Swamy, Group CEO of R K SWAMY HANSA: Neeraj moved to Hansa Cequity three years ago from R K SWAMY BBDO. We have seen him grow in professional capability for 20 years. He is well placed to execute the Group vision of the emerging convergence of technology, analytics, digital & marketing services for brands & companies. With his energy and focus, Hansa Customer Equity will continue to serve clients well. Observed Neeraj on his appointment: With strong investments in analytics, technology and marketing consulting teams, Hansa Customer Equity is a leader and innovator in the data-driven marketing space. The company has deep partnerships with leading technology companies to assist clients on their technology and digital transformation plans. As a part of the R K SWAMY HANSA group that has built depth across varied disciplines, we are uniquely placed to provide clients with a multi-discipline approach with focus on results. Neeraj is an avid theatre enthusiast who writes, directs, and acts in Hindi plays. His Play 'Kashmir. Hum Kya Chahte?' has been performed across Mumbai including the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in 2017. His next play - The Apostrophe in my Life - has been well received and was playing in theatres till currently Hansa Customer Equity Pvt Ltd commenced operations in 2008 and today serves leading companies like Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Sky, Aditya Birla Capital, Royal Enfield, HDFC, Westside, Nippon India Mutual Fund, Landmark Retail, Himalaya and TVS. R K SWAMY HANSA is the largest Indian-owned Marketing Services Group offering multi-discipline services through R K SWAMY BBDO Advertising/Creative, R K SWAMY Media, R K SWAMY Integrated Digital, Hansa Research, Hansa Medcell Continuing Medical Education and Hansa Events/Activation. (For more information, please contact shreya.jaishankar@hansa.co.in Mobile: 9819366018) Protesters raise their hands up during a demonstration in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 29, 2020, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman knelt on his neck for several minutes. CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images President Donald Trump's erratic responses to protests over the death of George Floyd have only worsened the situation, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker said Sunday. Bottoms appeared Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," where she said Trump should "just stop talking" as the tense state of cities across the US and the president's bizarre statements "is like Charlottesville all over again." Booker said past comments from Trump, like describing Baltimore as a "rodent and rat-infested mess" and continually condemning the exonerated Central Park Five exemplify why he "doesn't deserve a response." Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said President Donald Trump's erratic and dismissive responses to the fiery protests over the death of George Floyd have only made matters worse. Bottoms appeared Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," where she said Trump should "just stop talking." "This is like Charlottesville all over again," she said, pointing to the 2017 white supremacist rally in Virginia and the counterprotest and clashes with police that turned deadly. After the incident that left three dead, Trump said there were "very fine people on both sides." "He speaks and he makes it worse," she said. "There are times when you should just be quiet, and I wish that he would just be quiet." In the case that Trump "can't be silent," Bottom said, "if there's somebody of good sense and good conscience in the White House, put him in front of a teleprompter and pray that he reads it and at least says the right things." State of the Union (@CNNSotu) May 31, 2020 Protests broke out in Minneapolis and across the US after Floyd, a black Minnesota man who was killed after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd said he couldn't breathe. Story continues The death was caught on video, and prompted protests in Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Detroit, Dallas, Washington, DC, and other US cities beginning on Tuesday and raging into the weekend. One of Trump's earliest responses to the protests that raised concern was aired on Twitter, where dismissed demonstrators as "THUGS" who were "dishonoring the memory of George Floyd." He also tweeted "when the looting starts, the shooting starts," a phrase that was traced back to Miami Police Chief Walter Headley, who has been identified as central to the violence that engulfed the city during the civil rights movement. Sen. Cory Booker echoed Bottoms' disappointment in the president's response. The senator, who also appeared on "State of the Union," said past comments from Trump like describing Baltimore as a "rodent and rat-infested mess" and continually condemning the exonerated Central Park Five exemplify why he "doesn't deserve a response." "Every time I respond to Donald Trump, I do it from a place where I realize he doesn't deserve a response," Booker said. "He doesn't deserve my attention or my emotion. Our people do. Donald Trump no longer has the capacity to break my heart, to surprise me." Booker also said on the show that he was drafting legislation to establish a national registry police misconduct registry to track incidents of force and people killed at the hands of police. "Now it's a time to take this energy and this anger and this focus and keep it, until we actually change laws and systems of accountability that can raise standards in our country," Booker said. State of the Union (@CNNSotu) May 31, 2020 Read the original article on Insider Vietnams beer market would have great changes in 2020 as the country has always been a potential market for domestic and foreign beer enterprises. browser not support iframe. Viet Nams beer market is forecast to see big opportunities this year, as the country has always been held great potential for domestic and foreign beer enterprises. Fierce competition is incoming, as more foreign brands are looking to tap the market. The information was released in the Viet Nam Industry Research and Consultancy (VIRAC)s latest report. With a population structure among the youngest in the world 56 per cent of the population is under the age of 30 Viet Nam Beer Association (VBA) predicts that total consumer expenses in Viet Nam will double and reach approximately US$173 billion by 2020. According to a Nielsen report, 56 per cent of Vietnamese consumers are under 30 years old and Viet Nams middle class will double from 12 million (in 2014) to 33 million (in 2020). It is estimated that Viet Nam will have two million more consumers joining the middle class, becoming the fastest-growing middle class segment in Asia. The strong export markets of Viet Nam, such as ASEAN countries and China, are all markets with high growth in food and beverage consumption. Along with a series of free trade agreements, Vietnamese food and beverages have been largely able to access key free export markets (without tariffs). In the context of international economic integration, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) will contribute to raise the size, competitiveness, market share, reputation and efficiency of larger businesses and start a new development cycle. For example, Thai Beverage, a company owned by a Thai billionaire, spent VND110 trillion ($4.8 billion) to buy 53.59 per cent of Saigon Beer Alcohol and Beverage Company (Sabeco) in December 2017. This is not only the largest M&A deal in Viet Nams history, but also the largest M&A deal in the Asian beer industry. Beer consumption In 2019, the total beer production will reach more than five billion litres (up 22.9 per cent over the same period in 2018); consumption reached over four billion litres (up 29.1 per cent over the same period last year). Beer sales reached over VND65 billion (up 0.5 per cent over the same period last year). Regarding types of consumption, canned beer consumption accounted for 66.8 per cent of total beer consumption in Viet Nam, followed by bottled beer 29.9 per cent; while draft beer is 3.1 per cent and accounts for a modest market share of fresh beer at 0.1 per cent. Regarding imports, the imported beer output reached more than 37 million litres (an increase of 8.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2018). The three main sources of beer supply in Viet Nam are the Netherlands (25 per cent), Mexico (17 per cent) and Belgium (16 per cent). Compared to beer consumption in Viet Nam, beer imports into the country account for a relatively small proportion. Domestic and FDI beer enterprises dominate the domestic market, with the advantage of cheap beer prices, which suits the taste of the majority of customers. Regarding exports, the export beer output increased 46 million litres over the previous year, reaching $45.87 million. The export volume decreased by about 7 per cent over the same period. The main reason is that Viet Nams beer quality has not been highly appreciated and not created a brand in the international market. Equatorial Guinea (about 20 per cent) is the largest market for Vietnamese beer. Challenges The law coming into effect on January 1 has been effective in adjusting the drinking habits of many people. It is forecasted that the beer industry growth rate in the year will not maintain the double-digit level as in previous years; reach 6-7 per cent in the following years, although each year Viet Nam has 1 million more people of legal age to drink alcoholic beverages. In the stock market, shares of the two giants in the beer industry, Sabeco and Habeco, have dropped from 0.4 per cent to 0.8 per cent. Meanwhile, the share value of the entire industry will decline by nearly 13 per cent in 2019. Experts predict that the beer and wine industry will adjust towards a shrinking trend by 2020, in which small businesses will be most affected. Alcoholic beverages in Viet Nam have to pay taxes at two stages of import and domestic consumption, including three different taxes: import tax (from 5-80 per cent depending on type of FTA), tax value added (10 per cent) and excise taxes (up from 50 per cent to 65 per cent in 2018). This can affect the profitability of beer companies, especially those in the mid-end segment, as this is a competitive segment and customers are most vulnerable to the impact of the best-selling prices. Production license can be considered a major obstacle for new businesses. To open a beer factory in Viet Nam, businesses must be licensed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. While the regulations are quite clear, implementation can be difficult. Even if all provinces were willing to facilitate new breweries to collect taxes, the licensing would depend on the beer and beverage planning of the ministry, which may have been registered many years in advance. According to VIRAC, Viet Nams beer industry still faces many challenges such as communication, risks of changing consumer tastes and M&A, requiring continuous efforts and improvement to enhance the position in the international market. VNS By Elizabeth Piper LONDON (Reuters) - British foreign minister Dominic Raab on Sunday defended the government's careful loosening of the coronavirus lockdown, saying it was the "right step to be taking" at this time. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has come under fire from some scientists for easing a lockdown put in place 10 weeks ago, with several saying it was a premature and risky move in the absence of a fully functioning system to track new outbreaks. Britain has one of the world's highest death rates from COVID-19 and the government says it is easing the stringent lockdown cautiously to balance the need to restart the economy while also trying to prevent another increase in the number of infections. "We are confident that this is the right step to be taking at this moment in time," Raab told Sky News. "We are taking those steps very carefully, based on the science but also based on our ability now to monitor the virus." From Monday, up to six people will be able to meet outside in England, some school classes will restart, elite competitive sport can resume without spectators and more than 2 million people who have been "shielding" will be allowed to spend time outdoors. Housing minister Robert Jenrick said the government was "reasonably confident" the easing would not boost the rate of infection, but some pictures of people apparently flouting the new rules has caused concern. England's deputy chief medical officer, Jenny Harries, emphasised the need for people to remain on their guard. "This is a really, really critical time. So where we are seeing (that) government is easing measures, the public really, really need to stick to those measures," she told a news conference. Johnson, meanwhile, is under pressure from some in his governing Conservative Party and businesses to start reopening the economy after spending billions to help to protect companies and workers from the impact of the coronavirus crisis. Story continues TEST AND TRACE At the heart of the strategy to ease the lockdown is a system to test and trace those people who have come into contact with confirmed cases of COVID-19. On Sunday, the government said it had met its 200,000 capacity testing target, including the means for 40,000 antibody tests a day, which health minister Matt Hancock described as "an important milestone". Ministers also say the tracing system is already working, though some scientists warned that it is too early to say whether it is fit for purpose and fear that it might not be able to cope if the lockdown easing increases the transmission rate. [L8N2DC056] Britain has recorded more than 38,000 deaths from confirmed COVID-19 cases. The Office of National Statistics and other sources of data put the figure of fatalities from suspected and confirmed cases at 48,000. Peter Openshaw, a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group and who sits on the government's scientific advisory group, said he shared other scientists' "deep concern". "I think unlocking too fast carries a great risk that all the good work that has been put in by everyone to try to reduce transmission may be lost," he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show. Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who has offered the nation slightly different guidance to that in England, agreed with scientists urging caution. "I agree with the opinion that has been expressed over the weekend that we've got to be very cautious," Sturgeon told Sky News. "This virus hasn't gone away, there is still a significant risk that it could run out of control again." (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and David Goodman) Sian Clifford as Diana Ingram, left, Matthew Macfadyen as Charles Ingram and Michael Jibson as Tecwen Whittock, the trio at the center of a game show scandal in "Quiz." (AMC / ITV) In 2001, at the height of the public obsession with Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, a British army major named Charles Ingram and his wife, Diana, apparently swindled the British game show. The morning after Ingram bumbled his way to a million pounds, broadcaster ITV and production company Celador realized something had been amiss: a series of coughs by the Ingrams alleged accomplice, Tecwen Whittock, may have led Ingram to the answers. It was a massive scandal, resulting in a court case that found all three guilty. And to this day, everyone in England has an opinion about whether they did it. But the story of the Ingrams is largely unfamiliar in the U.S., as it was overshadowed by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. While the trial captivated the U.K. and the Ingrams were vilified in the British tabloid press for years few Americans are likely to have an opinion about the coughing major, so called in Britain despite the fact that Whittock was the one doing the coughing. Which is why the new miniseries Quiz, premiering Sunday on AMC and BBC America, may provoke a different reaction in the States than it did when it aired earlier this month in the U.K. The series, written by James Graham and directed by Stephen Frears, seeks to pose new questions about what really happened in the Ingram scandal. The main question is: Maybe they didnt do it, says Graham, who adapted the three episodes from his acclaimed West End play. And most people in the country and in the world who are familiar with the story wouldnt entertain that. Their guilt was cut and dry in the media and then in this documentary that came out a few days after the trial. I remember watching that and I couldnt believe how obvious their guilt was. It was so apparent that they did it. The play, which premiered in 2017, was partially based on Bob Woffinden and James Plasketts 2015 book Bad Show: The Quiz, the Cough, the Millionaire Major, but Graham also spoke with the Ingrams, whose lives had fallen apart after the guilty verdict, as well as Celadors Paul Smith. The play was divided into two parts, with the first offering evidence of the pairs guilt and the second evidence of their innocence. For the series, produced by Left Bank and sold to ITV in 2018, Graham wanted to introduce evidence that has been left out of the public narrative so far. Story continues Weve learned so much new information, he notes. It shines huge uncertainty, I think, on what people believed to be a cut and dry, closed case. Michael Sheen as "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" host Chris Tarrant in "Quiz." (Matt Frost / AMC / ITV) The three-episode limited series was designed to ensure ambiguity. The first two episodes, which showcase the development of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and the Ingrams trajectory on the show, lean in the direction of Yep, they did it. Its the third episode, which reveals the trial, that questions that assertion. For Frears, as well as stars Matthew Macfadyen (Charles) and Sian Clifford (Diana), the goal was to build tension through uncertainty. You want the viewer to make a decision and then reverse it, says Frears. That was where the pleasure lay . It was trying to hold that line. It was about whether [the Ingrams] did or didnt do it, and how fair could you be to everybody to Celador as well as to the Ingrams. We sat on set and pontificated about what really happened, Macfadyen adds. Because you dont know. But ultimately youre just playing little moments in the story. Stephen would say, OK, now lets do a really guilty take or do a different reading of a line so they could have fun in the cutting room . Its broadly sympathetic in the way its written, so I just played it straight and truthfully. You allow the viewers to project whatever they want to project onto you, rather than the other way around. Graham brought in additional context to the miniseries, including how a network of fans around the U.K. created the Consortium, a syndicate of people who gamed the system to get in the hot seat on Millionaire. The Ingrams werent the only ones trying to cheat their way into game show winnings, although they were the only contestants who were convicted of an actual crime. We knew some of it, admits Chris Tarrant, the former host of Millionaire, who is portrayed in the series by Michael Sheen. [The Consortium] just had a system, like people have systems for horse racing. We didnt seem to be able to stop it because they werent actually breaking the law. They would just show up and play. They became obsessed with it. The series also includes the Ingrams court defense, which is emphasized in the third episode. For Graham, offering new evidence is about giving the viewer an opportunity to reexamine the case. And, in fact, many viewers in the U.K. spoke out on Twitter about reversing their opinion after finishing the series. One of the pieces of evidence for the defense that most of the public wont know is that the guy who was accused of coughing on the right answers has a medically diagnosed, uncontrollable cough, says Graham. He has an asthmatic condition that was proven in court. One of the questions you might ask is, if you were planning a heist where you have to cough at very strategic times in a very clear pattern, would you select somebody who cant actually control when theyre going to cough? I absolutely believe its nowhere near as cut and dry as it was presented in the press, in the court or in the publics mind, Graham adds, though he wont personally speculate on whether the Ingrams are innocent or guilty. There are lots of uncertainties. And the majority of the evidence is completely circumstantial, so it requires a leap of faith to find them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Sian Clifford as Diana Ingram, left, Matthew Macfadyen as Charles Ingram and Michael Sheen as Chris Tarrant in "Quiz." (Matt Frost / AMC / ITV) The cast also found themselves questioning their previously held beliefs about the coughing major. Both remember the story, but embodying Charles and Diana allowed them to reflect on how it wasnt just tabloid fodder it was real people being taken to task by the media and the public as well as the courts. The big question for me is whether or not they should have a criminal conviction, says Clifford, who met Diana briefly on the last day of shooting. Thats very serious and has impacted their lives immeasurably and negatively. I certainly question a lot of what I saw before. I dont think we answer any of the questions we raise in the show I think we leave it still pretty open-ended but we do give a voice to a side of this story thats never been told. Theres a real pile-on thing, certainly with social media, where everyone seems to jump on board things, Macfadyen adds. Theres very little nuance or real, careful thought. People rush to judgment, and they rush to knowledge. They need to know what the truth is, and its either black or its white. Life isnt like that, I dont think. As for Tarrant, who hosted Millionaire for 15 years, theres no ambiguity, even in light of watching the way Quiz reframes the known events. It is very well made the production value, the acting, Tarrant says. But there is one basic flaw. They seem to ignore the fact that Charles Ingram was a complete and utter crook, and his wife was a crook. And they were found guilty by the jury. I sat through so many hours of tapes with the police, [going] through the show again and again and again before we went to court 18 years ago, and theres no question at all in my mind that he is guilty as sin. Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-31 22:33:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Passengers wait at a bus station with signs of social distancing on the ground in Kigali, Rwanda, May 4, 2020. (Xinhua/Cyril Ndegeya) The number of confirmed #COVID19 cases reached 141,535 in Africa as death toll from the disease hit 4,069 as of Sunday, according to Africa CDC. ADDIS ABABA, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the African continent reached 141,535 as the death toll from the ongoing pandemic surged to 4,069 as of Sunday morning, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. The Africa CDC in its latest situation update issued on Sunday also revealed the number of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases across the continent rose from 135,292 on Saturday morning to 141,535 as of Sunday morning, eventually registering 5,243 new cases during the past 24-hours period. The continental disease control and prevention agency, which noted that the virus has so far spread into 54 African countries, also disclosed that some 59,212 people who have been infected with the COVID-19 have recovered across the continent as of Sunday morning. The Africa CDC also disclosed that the Northern African region is the most affected area across the continent both in terms of positive COVID-19 cases, as well as the number of deaths. A global pandemic that has killed more than 100,000 Americans and now recent nationwide unrest after a brutal police killing of a black man have challenged both President Trump and his presumed Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, while also highlighting their different leadership styles. On Monday, Trump had no public events scheduled, and, in a call with state governors, lobbed insults and railed against their leadership, according to audio and reports that quickly leaked to the media. Most of you are weak, Trump told governors on the conference call. You have to arrest people. Trump blasted the governors for what he perceived to be their lack of control as peaceful protests gave way to looting and fires in several major cities over the past several days. If you dont dominate, youre wasting your time. Theyre going to run over you, youre going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate, Trump continued. Trump got into a particularly tense exchange with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat. Pritzker said that rhetoric out of the White House is agitating, and asked Trump to consider changing his tone. Trump rebuked the governor, telling Pritzker he didnt like his rhetoric either and said he could have done a much better job on COVID-19 response, according to reporting from the New York Times. Earlier that morning, Biden participated in his first public campaign appearance in the morning at Bethel AME Church in Wilmington, Del., for a listening session with black community leaders, many of whom are part of the church community, in an attempt to find some of those answers. There, leaders pushed him to make several overtures in the upcoming months, including choosing a black woman as vice president and sitting down with young community members who feel pained by their circumstances. Biden said hed be making more remarks in the coming weeks regarding rebuilding the country, though he did not offer many more specifics. Story continues After about 40 minutes of comments, Biden made a plea to the church leaders, and would make a similar request in a call with mayors from several of the affected cities, hours later, to continue to advise him. I know Im going to make mistakes, said Biden, who recently caught heat for remarks he made to radio host Charlamagne Tha God about black Americans. Its going to come from the heart, but I need help. I need help and advice as we go along as to what you think I should and shouldnt be doing. Later that afternoon, as audio from Trumps call was leaked to the press, Biden hosted his second public event of the day: a virtual roundtable with the mayors of Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and St. Paul, Minn. There he condemned the recent violent outbreaks, while acknowledging the root of the anger. People are angry, Im sure you guys are too Im angry. The fact is we need that anger, we need that to compel us to move forward. It helps us push through this pain and reach the other side to hopefully greater progress, equality and inclusion, said Biden, who also condemned what he called the needless destruction in cities across the country. Joe Biden meets virtually with four big-city mayors: clockwise from top left, Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta, Melvin Carter of St. Paul and Lori Lightfoot of Chicago. (Yahoo News) Violence endangers lives, it guts local businesses, its no way forward, he said. And as mayors, you all are responsible for shaping how your cities respond. Without addressing Trump directly, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti took a shot at the White House, saying there is a lack of national leadership that must now be shouldered by mayors across the board. Mayors around the country are constantly in contact with one another, late, late at night and early in the morning, to make sure that when we have a lack of national leadership at least we can try to, through the cities of this country, bring together and push forward a national agenda that can bring peace and justice, he said. Garcetti later added that he would like the country to hear from Trump on the recent unrest, echoing concerns of other mayors on the call. Its catastrophic for us in terms of the ability to just maintain basic public services, and we still to this point have seen no assistance from the federal government in terms of general fund assistance, particularly right now when the world knows weve had a significant number of businesses and commercial property destroyed, added St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter. Biden said the family of George Floyd was not looking for revenge, they were looking for justice. But what that justice looks like and what will ultimately deescalate national protests remains unclear. Joe Biden at Bethel AME Church in Wilmington, Del., on Monday. (Andrew Harnik/AP) Cover thumbnail photos: Alex Brandon/AP, Andrew Harnik/AP _____ 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: The real-time suicide data promised by the Morrison government as part of its COVID-19 mental health response plan may not be available for two years. Unveiling the response plan last month, Health Minister Greg Hunt promised to fill gaps in the data, which he said was "exceptionally important" to address the nation's mental health needs. Australasian College for Emergency Medicine past president Simon Judkins says the pandemic is worsening mental health problems. But in its written response to questions on notice at a Senate inquiry into the government's COVID-19 response on Monday, the Health Department said the $2.6 million in data funding included in the plan would go towards a project slated for completion in mid-2022. The national suicide and self-harm monitoring system, which is being established at a cost of $15 million, was announced as part of the 2019-20 federal budget with a three-year timeframe. It feels like a weight because then you are tasked also with explaining and extrapolating on black pain for oftentimes a white audience, said MSNBC correspondent and Into America podcast host Trymaine Lee. And youre not fully sure anyone even truly understands. . . . And you still have to be objective, and you have to make sure that youre being clear-eyed and honest and sober for the people, because the people also rely on us to tell the truth, to tell the story. And thats a weight that Im not sure if other journalists just carry. The Union Cabinet on June 1 cleared equity infusion for MSMEs through a Fund of Funds, and a subordinate debt scheme, among other decisions. These decisions were announced at a Cabinet briefing the first after the Narendra Modi government completed one year of its second term in office. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said the decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting today will bring about a "transformative change". Here are the key highlights from the announcement: > The Centre approved revision in the definition of MSMEs. > The Union Cabinet cleared a credit scheme for street vendors. > Hike in the minimum support price (MSP) for 14 kharif crops by 50-83 percent over cost, was approved by the Cabinet. > Distressed assets fund - Subordinate debt scheme for MSMEs Guarantee for fund raising for revival: Government of India has said that it will provide guarantee coverage of up to 85 percent for loans of up to Rs 5 lakh, and 75 percent for loans beyond Rs 5 lakh to MSMEs for them to raise funds from financial institutions. The Centre has said that the quasi-equity provision with the guarantee balances the risks and rewards between the lender (bank) and the customer in a situation where an outright loan is too risky, quasi-equity with guarantee will provide the requisite financing to the company. Subordinate debt will be of substantial help in sustaining and reviving the MSMEs which have either become a non-performing assets (NPAs) or are on the brink of becoming an NPA. Provision for sub debt will be of Rs 20,000 crore, which is likely to benefit two lakh MSMEs, according to the government. Who can apply: Functioning MSMEs which are NPA or are stressed will be eligible; promoter(s) of such units can apply. How to apply: Promoter(s) of MSMEs meeting the eligibility criteria may approach scheduled commercial banks to avail benefit under the scheme. > Equity infusion for MSMEs through Fund of Funds Growth funding to MSMEs through equity financing: The Government of India will support VC/PE firms in investing in commercially viable MSMEs in meeting their growth requirements. The proposed fund of funds will encourage private sector investments in the MSME sector and leverage Rs 50,000 crore, according to the government. Under the scheme, there would be a Mother Fund, where the Centre will be the anchor investor. The Mother Fund can invest daughter funds which can deploy the investments in targeted MSMEs. This will create a partnership with MSMEs in their growth journey and enable them to grow bigger and get listed on stock exchanges. The scheme is expected to facilitate equity financing of Rs 50,000 crore in the MSME Sector, the Centre has said. All MSMEs are eligible to apply. [June 01, 2020] SEMrush to present at Citi Private Company Growth Conference BOSTON, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SEMrush, a leading online visibility management and content marketing SaaS platform trusted by more than 25% of Fortune 500 companies, announced today that the company will participate in Citi's Annual Private Company Growth Conference on June 18, 2020. The conference, which this year will take place in a virtual format, connects senior executives of leading privately held companies across the software, internet and technology space with top institutional investors, including mutual funds, hedge funds, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, VC, PE and family offices. SEMrush co-founder and CEO Oleg Shchegelov, Chief Financial Officer Evgeny Fetisov and Chief Strategy Officer Eugene Levin will present on the SaaS company's significant expansion over the past decade and its strategy to sustain growth in the current environment. SEMrush Chief Financial Officer Evgeny Fetisov said, "We are thrilled to participate in Citi's conference for fast-growing private companies. Over the past decade, SEMrush has created a whole new category of software to enable businesses to better manage their visibility across all major digital channels. Our customers' success has driven our own success and made SEMrush the go-to tool for online brand visibility. We are excited to tell investors about our journey and provide insights on this emerging segment of the SaaS industry." Investors may request a virtual meeting with SEMrush management during the conference by cntacting their Citigroup representative. About SEMrush SEMrush is a leading SaaS company providing a platform of end-to-end digital marketing and SEM solutions in more than 150 countries. SEMrush's platform and innovative digital marketing tools are trusted by leading brands, including Vodafone, Booking.com, eBay, HP, and BNP Paribas, as well as 25% of Fortune 500 companies. The company was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Media Contacts: EM Tom Kiehn [email protected] +1 (646) 384-3361 Learn more about SEMrush by visiting: www.semrush.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/semrush Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SEMrush LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/semrush/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/semrush/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SEMrushHQ View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/semrush-to-present-at-citi-private-company-growth-conference-301068735.html SOURCE SEMrush Prior to taking the pulpit Sunday in Port Arthur, Pastor Kalan Gardner, a black pastor of a predominantly black church, put on a white shirt with the words I cant breathe written in black. Those words could be heard in a video of a white officer placing his knee on the neck of Gregory Floyd for more than 8 minutes. The officer, Derek Chavin, was arrested and charged with murder and manslaughter. Gardners sermon at First Sixth Street Baptist Church began with a quote from the late Martin Luther King Jr.: A time comes when silence is betrayal. Gardner told The Enterprise that he would like to see more preachers of predominantly white congregations to speak up on issues of race and injustice. He hopes a conversation with other local pastors can spark change. I usually wear a suit or some type of dressy attire, Gardner said. I wanted to make a statement that I am in full support for justice. It was a way to speak with my actions. Across the country, people have participated in protests, some of which have led to clashes with police and civil unrest. Gardner said he wanted to encourage Christians to speak out against racial injustice. There are people who are voicing their support in various ways, whether you like it or not, Gardner said. There are others who are not saying anything. To me, if you are not saying anything, you are still saying a lot. My message to everyone was to say something. If you know right from wrong, say something. If you know what is going on is not fair, say something. Do something. I wanted to challenge everyone of all nationalities and races of people. Gardner said he would like to see pastors of white congregations be more outspoken about injustice. I dont know (if they are speaking out), he said. I dont have a relationship with too many Caucasian pastors. I can say I havent seen or heard anything, which could speak a lot as well. If there are, I would love to meet with them and talk with them to show some type of unity. Ten miles away, Jason Burden, the pastor of First Baptist Church of Nederland, gave a sermon not unlike any other Sunday. The churchs congregation is predominantly white. The sermon did not directly mention Floyds killing or any of the countrys unrest. I already planned out a message from the book of Ephesians, Burden said. It kind of landed on the perfect sentiment that I think needs to be applied broadly across our country. The main verse commands people to be kind and compassionate and forgive each other just Christ forgave you. If everyone were to exercise more of that, We would have less of what we have going on in our country right now. When asked what the churches role should be in discussing matters of race, Burden said members should talk about the issue. We need to be able to pray about it, he said. Prayer has to be a sympathetic act. Some of my pastor friends have addressed this head on. Its important that we include prayer for everyone indiscriminately. We need to take it seriously. If we only pray for one political party or one particular ailment, we are missing out on a lot ministry. The conversations about the current stuff will come and be important, but they will always be in the context of praying God will help us and lead us. Burden said he would be in favor of being a part of a roundtable discussion. Jim Turnbo, the executive director for the Golden Triangle Baptist Network, said he also would be interested in working out some type of long-term roundtable to discuss racial injustice. I think that would a good and necessary thing, Turnbo said. Everyone is looking at this from their own silo. When we do that, we polarize the conversation. You have a group that says law enforcement can be detrimental to our community because they have seen a disproportionate number of questionable deaths that have affected their community. The other part looks at that and says the officers they know are good men and neither side is communicating. Thats going to be a hard conversation. Turnbo said a meeting would have to involve people willing to listen. We would have to agree to stay at it until we are finally communicating, he said. One meeting would just expose the raw nerves of either side. Turnbo said he understands how preachers reading the same book can reach different conclusions on current events. (When looking at American history) my Anglos see the quest for religious freedom, the folks who immigrated to America and westward expansion. God has used us, I would say, but when you disparage that, you are attacking their ancestors and an idea. My Anglos dont understand our country once had a policy of extermination of Native Americans at one point. They dont want to relive the past, and they wonder why we cant just get along. Turnbo said many white people cant imagine a story like one he had to learn when a black pastor friend was stopped by police in Texarkana. We had a bivocational pastor who was an air mechanic, he said. He told us he was going to be late because he had to see his client. When he left, he stopped and pulled over for about 20 minutes. He wasnt angry. If my friend wasnt the chief deputy, I wouldnt have learned the deal. The guy that pulled him over just wasnt used to seeing a man of his color in that nice of a community. I had to stop and think that would have never happened if I were driving that truck. The only explanation for that experience is the color of his skin. Turnbo said he is trying to build relationships with pastors of color in and outside of the network. While Gardners church is not in the network, both Turnbo and Gardner expressed interest in speaking to each other. chris.moore@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/chris_moore09 LONDON, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Telit, a global enabler of the Internet of Things (IoT), today announced a series of webinars designed for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), system integrators, device vendors and others interested in IoT. Through informative webinars, Telit is increasing its commitment to educate the market about the latest developments in IoT and how to best implement and deploy IoT technologies. With over twenty years as a pioneer and leader in enterprise-grade IoT products and software, Telit has earned a reputation for solving the toughest challenges in the IoT and enables thousands of successful IoT solutions across the world. Upcoming topics in the webinar series include: Disrupting Industrial IoT through Edge Intelligence Date & Time: Wednesday, 3 June 2020, 11:00 a.m. ET/5:00 p.m. CET Description: Learn how the right edge technology solutions can enable additions to an enterprise's existing machines and operations. These tools allow process and sensory data collection without making modifications to existing processes or capital equipment while reducing risk and speeding implementation time. How to Maximize Uplink Performance Benefits in Gigabit LTE Date & Time: Tuesday, 9 June 2020, 11:00 a.m. ET/5:00 p.m. CET Description: Gigabit LTE networks are hyped for their peak downlink speeds, but what about uplink speeds? They are becoming essential in enabling new use cases for 4G LTE networks, including SD-WAN and enterprise branch networking and edge-originated video streaming for advanced telehealth and emergency management operations. Join this webinar to learn more about raising the bar on uplink in Gigabit LTE modules using interband carrier aggregation. Overcoming Connectivity Challenges for Cellular IoT Applications Date & Time: Tuesday, 16 June 2020, 11:00 a.m. ET/5:00 p.m. CET Description: Global IoT deployments often increase in complexity as they scale. Organizations must find the best way to administer devices on several networks. Learn how to create a strategic connectivity plan to scale your IoT deployment, including how to mitigate issues arising from working with multiple MNOs, dealing with numerous contracts and complex data plan structures, and how to maintain end-to-end security across a geographically dispersed deployment. Telit Security: Secure Device Onboarding in IoT Deployments Date & Time: Tuesday, 30 June 2020, 11:00 a.m. ET/5:00 p.m. CET Description: While IoT applications offer many benefits, they also come with increased security risks. Each device added to the network represents a potentially vulnerable endpoint. This two-part webinar series will cover the best practices of onboarding IoT devices at scale. Enterprises must start with a well-designed, secure device onboarding process but must continue evaluating the process to neutralize emerging cyber threats. Telit will continue to host regular webinars with industry partners and leaders, while offering the ability to ask top IoT experts questions. To learn more about any of Telit's products and solutions, register for one of our upcoming webinars or watch a replay. About Telit Telit (AIM: TCM), is a global leader in Internet of Things (IoT) enablement, with an extensive portfolio of wireless connectivity modules, platforms, virtual cellular IoT operator services, and professional services, empowering hundreds of millions of connected 'things' to date, and trusted by thousands of direct and indirect customers, globally. With nearly two decades of IoT innovation experience, Telit continues to redefine the boundaries of digital business, by delivering secure, integrated end-to-end IoT solutions for many of the world's largest brands, including enterprises, OEMs, system integrators and service providers across all industries, enabling their pursuit of enterprise digital transformation. Copyright 2020 Telit Communications PLC. All rights reserved. Telit, Telit OneEdge and all associated logos are trademarks of Telit Communications PLC in the United States and other countries. Other names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. Media Contacts Leslie Hart Telit +1 919-415-1510 [email protected] Lora Wilson Valerie Christopherson GRC for Telit +1 949-608-0276 [email protected] SOURCE Telit Related Links http://www.telit.com Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have become one of Hollywood's most prominent couples over the years. And the power couple is using their privilege to give back and provide a platform during uncertain times. They announced Sunday that they've donated $200K to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund as protests and riots continue across the country after the killing of unarmed Black man George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Big donation: Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively announced Sunday that they've donated $200k to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund as protests and riots continue across the country after the killing of unarmed Black man George Floyd by Minneapolis police Reynolds, 43, and Lively, 32, posted a joint statement to their socials, reading: 'Weve never had to worry about preparing our kids for different rules of law or what might happen if were pulled over in the car. 'We dont know what its like to experience that life day in and day out. We cant imagine feeling that kind of fear and anger. Were ashamed that in the past weve allowed ourselves to be uninformed about how deeply rooted systemic racism is. 'Weve been teaching our children differently than the way our parents taught us. We want to educate ourselves about other peoples experiences and talk to our kids about everything, all of it especial our own complicity. 'We talk about our bias, blindness and our own mistakes. We look back and see so many mistakes which have led us to deeply examine who we are and who we want to become. Theyve led us to huge avenues of education. Good cause: Reynolds, 43, and Lively, 32, posted a joint statement to their socials, reading: 'Its the least we can do to honor not just George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Eric Garner, but all the black men and women who have been killed when the camera wasnt rolling' Helping the hungry: Back in March, Reynolds and Lively donated $1million to Feeding America and Food Banks Canada, as well as $400k to the hardest-hit hospitals in New York amid the coronavirus pandemic Stay home: Lively wrote: 'Communities are stepping upshopping for the elderly, making lunches for children. We can all do something for one another, even if thats simply staying home' 'Were committed to raising our kids so they never grow up feeding this insane pattern and so theyll do their best to never inflict pain on another being consciously or unconsciously. 'Its the least we can do to honor not just George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Eric Garner, but all the black men and women who have been killed when the camera wasnt rolling.' Back in March, Reynolds and Lively donated $1million to Feeding America and Food Banks Canada, as well as $400k to the hardest-hit hospitals in New York amid the coronavirus pandemic. Lively wrote: 'Communities are stepping upshopping for the elderly, making lunches for children. We can all do something for one another, even if thats simply staying home.' The couple married in 2012 after starring together in 2011's Green Lantern, and they share three daughters. Third cruise ship returns Mexican workers at Cozumel Cozumel, Q.R. Another 45 Mexican nationals were returned to their homes Sunday after arriving via a Norwegian Cruise Line ship at Cozumel. The ship MSC Marina arrived with 45 Mexican crew members, including 11 from Quintana Roo and four from Cozumel. Cozumel mayor Pedro Joaquin Delbouis announced the arrival of the vessel, returning countrymen to Mexico after they remained stranded on board due to the virus. The arrival of the MSC Marina was the third humanitarian dock implemented by the government to support Mexican crew members in their return home. During the arrival of the cruise ship MSC Marina, the National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA) was present with elements from the Cozumel military and navy along with officers from the National Institute of Migration and International Health. After the 45 crew members disembarked, a total of 41 were transferred to the mainland massif aboard a vessel belonging to Winjet for further transport to their homes. CLEVELAND, Ohio Northeast Ohio pastors on Sunday called for peace and denounced the rioting that broke out in Cleveland during what began as a peaceful protest of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. Four pastors addressed Floyds killing and the violent demonstrations in dozens of U.S. cities during a wide-ranging, 90-minute discussion about racism, injustice and privilege Sunday evening on Facebook Live. Pastors Chad Allen and Rick Duncan of the Cuyahoga Valley Church in Broadview Heights hosted the event, which also featured Pastor Stephen Owens of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Bedford and Pastor Karlie Hale of One Love Community Church in Cleveland. The pastors offered their thoughts on a host of topics; Allen and Duncan, who are white, often asked Owens and Hale, who are black, for their perspective. The four pastors said they understand why people have taken to the streets to protest the police killings of Floyd and others over the past five days. But they drew a distinction between non-violent protesters and the agitators who set fire to police cars and vandalized and looted businesses Saturday in downtown Cleveland. Owens said people may be angry because they feel their voices have been ignored in the past. But he decried violence of any kind. Never should it flow over to where youre hurting people, or youre hurting other peoples stuff, he said. But I think there should be understanding of whats happening. Hale said many of the violent agitators in Cleveland and other cities across the U.S. came to peaceful protests with the intent of rioting. [They have] no sense of value to the property, the business owners, the city, or just the image thats left behind and those who have to clean it up, Hale said. The pastors instead asked people to listen and be kind to each other. Hale suggested people could respond to Saturdays events in Cleveland by calling City Hall to offer to help businesses rebuild. Allen said people should not confuse the agitators who rioted Saturday in Cleveland with protestors with peaceful intentions. Its very helpful for us to not get those two groups mixed up in our minds, he said. The Cleveland protest began peacefully, but took a turn when demonstrators and law enforcement clashed outside the downtown Justice Center. Authorities tried to disperse the crowd with tear gas and flash-bangs. Agitators then set fire to at least five police cars before moving through the downtown area, smashing windows and looting businesses. Black Lives Matter, which organized the peaceful protest, denounced violence in the days before on the events Facebook page. Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams suggested earlier Sunday that out-of-town agitators were responsible for the riots, but authorities have not provided any evidence to back up that claim. Read more from cleveland.com: Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson extends downtown curfew to Monday to clean up damage caused during George Floyd-inspired protests See 97 incredible photos of Clevelands rally for George Floyd, as it turned from peaceful to riotous Cuyahoga County Sheriff David Schilling says police are not the evildoers were portrayed to be Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) Thousands of workers required to report back to their workplaces braved the threat of COVID-19 as Metro Manila transitioned to a more relaxed general community quarantine on Monday. Restrictions were eased in the country's capital region after nearly 80 days of strict stay-at-home measures one of the longest COVID-19 lockdowns in the world by reopening more nonessential businesses in the hopes of restarting the country's economy. Workers struggled to commute to their offices even as public transportation was allowed to partially resume after months of closure. Commuters endured long lines and extended waiting time just to be able to get a ride. "Sabi nila maraming masasakyan. May P2P, may modified jeep na masasakyan, hanggang ngayon ang mga tao nakapila," Igmedio Duloroc, a commuter along Litex Road, complained. [Translation: They said there would be a lot of rides. There would be P2P buses, modern jeepneys, but until now people are queueing.] Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the national government did not promise it can provide rides for all workers, but at the same time, sought for more understanding from the public. "Nakikiusap kami at nagsusumamo sa inyo na bigyan niyo kami ng pasensiya at understanding... Wala kaming pinangako o sinabi na ang transportasyon ay magiging extensive and will meet the requirements of all on the first day of GCQ and even in the duration of the GCQ for that matter. Because as Ive said, our approach is partial, limited, calculated, and gradual." he told CNN Philippines' The Source. [Translation: We are asking for your patience and understanding. We did not promise that we can provide the enough and extensive transportation during the first day of GCQ or even in the duration of GCQ.] Jeepneys a main mode of transportation for many Filipinos due to its affordability and accessibility remain off the roads. Public utility buses and UV Express vehicles are still not allowed in the first few weeks of transition to GCQ. More LRT and MRT-3 train sets are running, but they are only using 10-percent to 12-percent of their regular capacity. From the 1,000 passengers it used to accommodate per trip, now only 100 passengers are allowed inside the coaches to ensure physical distancing measures are enforced. Temperature checks are conducted before passengers can enter the stations. PNR can only accommodate 35 percent of its normal capacity. Around 90 buses for MRT augmentation will only have four pick-up and drop off points along EDSA starting Monday, namely North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, Ayala Avenue, and Taft Avenue. Taxis and point-to-point or P2P buses are allowed under certain conditions, while tricycle operations will be subject to the approval of the local government unit. Back-riding, also known as pillion riding, in motorcycles will remain prohibited. GrabCar was also allowed to resume operation, but several commuters complained their locations remain unreached by the transport service. Metro Manila roads were again choked with traffic, as many people returned to work after being restricted to their homes since the quarantine period imposed in mid-March. The number coding scheme remains lifted until June 5. Authorities are implementing checkpoints, curfew, travel restrictions, strict checking physical distancing, and minimum health standards across the region and all over the country. Filipinos not required to go to their workplaces are reminded to head out only for essential travel, such as buying food and medicine and attending to important matters. As of May 30, COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila have reached 10,870, with 2,793 recoveries, and 709 deaths. Professor Guido David of the University of the Philippines Institute of Mathematics told CNN Philippines on Sunday that the coronavirus curve in the capital region still hasnt flattened, and that a rise in daily confirmed infections is to be expected under GCQ. Sa GCQ, we expect na mag-iincrease pa rin [yung number of cases] kasi hindi madaling ma-contain yung pandemic pag na-increase yung mobility. [Translation: Under GCQ, we expect a continued increase because the pandemic will be difficult to contain when mobility also increases.] Some senators have also shared their concern towards such move given that the countrys testing capacity is still not enough in the scenario that more cases will be recorded after the transition. As of May 31, the country recorded 18,086 COVID-19 cases with 3,909 recoveries and 957 deaths. Union Home Minister Amit Shah in an exclusive interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi said India has been able to contain the coronavirus outbreak. "Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, India is a better position in comparison to the rest of the world in fight against coronavirus. Till now, 12.6 per lakh people in the country have been affected by Covid-19, which is far better than US, Brazil and other countries. India's recovery rate is above 42 percent, according to the latest data," Shah said, adding that the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak is "our biggest achievement". "Irrespective of political party, every state government has fought against this coronavirus outbreak," Shah said in the wide-ranging interview. "Around 130 crore Indians are fighting with COVID-19 along with Modi. Now, there is better health infrastructure in all the districts," Shah added. Responding to the migrant crisis in the country, Shah said that had migrant labourers been sent to the respective states before the lockdown, it would have posed a huge problem on the state governments since they did not have sufficient testing/quarantine facilities at that 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 Modi government has arranged buses and trains for the migrants and till now, 55 lakh migrants have been sent to their native states. The Railways has helped migrants in returning home, most of whom have now completed their quarantine period and started living with their families," Shah said. Speaking on PM Modi's 'Vocal for Local' push, Shah said that it will not reduce foreign investments. "We are confident that this will give a new impetus to our economy. God also supports those who work with hope and strategy," Shah said. The home minister also touched upon the issue of tensions with China on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Shah said that talks are on with China at diplomatic level and added that the Modi government will not compromise on the issue. On senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the saffron party's subsequent formation of government in Madhya Pradesh, Shah said that the rebellion happened due to "lack of respeect for leadership" within Congress. He also said that BJP will form government in West Bengal with "full majority". The home minister also said Modi 1.0 cannot be seen independently from Modi 2.0. "In five years (from 2014-2019), Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for a great India," Shah said. He added that among the achievements of the first five years of the Modi government, the borders of the nation were made secured and GST was achieved under the government. "We finished the middlemen system and passed on benefits directly to the poor," Shah said while listing the work carried out by the government during its first term in office. "Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), which has been a long-standing demand, was also formed in the second term of this government. Moreover, another demand was to scrap Article 370, which was also done," Shah said, adding that during its second term, the Modi government also brought in the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which had led to wide-spread protests across India. Every year, John Gregson sells his autumn and winter truffles, carefully sourced from places like Italy's Sibillini mountains and Teruel in eastern Spain, to restaurants for as much as 6,000 pounds ($7,400) a kilo. Not this year. His biggest restaurant customers brought their shutters down during the coronavirus lockdown, and many may not be raising them anytime soon -- if ever. The unprecedented disruption in the food chain, with worst-case estimates showing 80% of restaurants going bust in some parts of the world, is leaving people like Gregson grappling with an industry that may take years to untangle itself. "Those orders came mostly from Michelin-star restaurants," said Gregson, head of U.K. wholesale deals at TruffleHunter Ltd. "It's now a question of whether those restaurants will be around come autumn and winter when those truffles come into season." From truffles to cheeses and steaks to seafood, the providers of ingredients that go into everything from a pasta al tartufo to a London broil are confronting an existential crisis in the $3.4 trillion global food services industry. With demand evaporating almost overnight, suppliers have been forced to bin their produce or transform. Many now face the quandary of whether to hold out for a post-lockdown recovery or to move to a new business model, and perhaps even a new produce. While images of farmers dumping milk, yellow squash and zucchinis have made their rounds across the globe, many suppliers are trying to find alternative buyers for their perishable produce. One thing is becoming clear: It may be a long while before they can command the premium prices high-end restaurants paid. Anywhere between 25% to 80% of U.S. restaurants will go out of business due to the pandemic quarantine, estimates show. Similarly grim projections are also being made around the world. "What you sell into restaurants is different to what you sell into grocers -- there are premium cuts, there are expensive lobsters and all of that," said Nicholas Fereday, a consumer goods senior analyst at Rabobank in New York. "Finding markets for that will be a challenge in the same volume, because it's going to be a gradual return to restaurants." Gregson said his company is pivoting to direct-to-consumer sales -- which tend to be skewed toward processed products such as truffle oils and butters -- as locked-down households look for ways to jazz up their homemade risottos. Some restaurant owners are already testing ways to start opening their doors again. Cabotte, a sommelier-owned restaurant popular among London's financial circles, is hoping to reopen with a socially distanced dine-in experience in September, but expects to also diversify with both takeaway services and cooking sessions at nearby offices. Still, drastically reduced table counts will make profitability hard in a sector already known for its sliver-thin margins. That will mean simplified menus with just core offerings, according to Will Beckett, the co-founder of steakhouse group Hawksmoor. "Things that miss out will either be high-wastage, low-sales dishes or things that involve complicated movement around the kitchen," said Beckett, who expects to reduce his menu's offering of fish and less popular main courses. "It doesn't matter if we have four steaks or six steaks -- there's still only one person on the grill -- but maybe anything that involves a second person standing in the larder section. That's going to have to change." Even if a restaurant can survive with small customer numbers, there's a chance some of their favorite producers didn't -- or that they've diversified to other, less restaurant-orientated products. "Some restaurant owners are going to be forced to reinvent their profession and find new ways of expressing themselves," said Eric Briffard, culinary arts program director at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. "Good cuisine goes hand in hand with good products, but products will be in decline." Artisan producers, who tend to be beyond the reach of most retail customers, are particularly vulnerable since they cannot easily divert supplies to grocers. The U.K.'s Specialist Cheesemakers Association estimates around a third of its members' produce ends up in restaurants. The lockdowns have led to tons of premium cheese going to waste, with soft cheeses that have short shelf-lives not surviving sales disruptions. Catherine Mead of Lynher Dairy -- a maker of specialty cheeses in Truro, England -- donated a quarter of her stock to charities, with another being sent to be ground into powder for cheese-flavored potato chips. More for you Coronavirus Turns a Spanish Sea Delicacy Back Into Daily Fare Where demand has endured, it's skewed to more well-known varieties such as hard cheddars, with niche produce typically favored by restaurants struggling to find a home. For Mead, that means a reliance on her showpiece yarg cheeses to drive sales, which she's now producing more of at the expense of less established recipes such as kern and stithians. It's not just upmarket dairy products that face disruption: the sector as a whole is hugely reliant on the food service trade. Nowhere is this more evident than in the U.S., where around half of both cheese and butter goes to the food service sector. Restaurant closures initially resulted in widespread dumping of milk, but as dairy farmers responded by cutting output, the U.S. Department of Agriculture stepped in to buy and some states started reopening, cheese prices started surging again, said Mary Ledman, a global dairy strategist at Rabobank. CME spot block cheddar cheese prices tumbled from $1.80 a pound in mid-March to about $1 in mid-April and have now rebounded to over $2. "This is the largest price volatility I've seen in my more than 30-year career," she said. Growers of staples like vegetables have had to rapidly alter their businesses. Natoora, a fresh produce company, noted a drop in the sales of fresh peas. "People are less keen on podding them and restaurants had a massive appreciation for the pea in a pod and used to buy these by the box load," said spokeswoman Poppy Royds. Sean O'Neill, founder of the Good Earth Growers group in Cornwall, England, saw 95% of his business supplying baby vegetables and salads to restaurants disappear overnight. That's made him dig up and replant much of his crops with produce better suited to retail customers: out go the micro greens and edible flowers sought after by chefs such as Heston Blumenthal, and in come larger conventional vegetables such as beetroots and carrots. Despite the upheaval, O'Neill is hopeful that the lockdown will lead to a change in consumer food habits, favoring organic producers like him. "There is a creative opportunity for transformation for all of us," he said. "It's going to be interesting what dishes and flavors emerge, what new collaborations, what new ideas come out of it." A nephew of Belgium's King Philippe, Prince Joachim, has tested positive for coronavirus after attending a party in Spain, which Spanish media said broke lockdown rules because of the number of people there. The prince, 28, tested positive after attending the gathering in the southern city of Cordoba on May 26, a spokesperson for the Belgian Royal Palace said. The spokesperson said the palace could not confirm the number of people in attendance at the party. The palace said Joachim travelled to Spain from Belgium on May 24 for an internship and was still there. El Pais newspaper said the prince, who is tenth in line to the Belgian throne, attended the party along with 26 other people. This would be a breach of lockdown rules in the province of Cordoba, where the maximum number of people permitted to meet is currently 15. Spanish police said they had launched an investigation into the incident and those who breached restrictions could face fines of between 600 and 10,000 euros. All 27 people who attended the party are now in quarantine, Rafaela Valenzuela, the Spanish government's regional envoy in Cordoba, told a press conference. Valenzuela called the gathering "completely irresponsible" and said it could have caused an outbreak of infections, triggering a return to a stricter lockdown. "I feel surprised and angry. An incident of this type stands out at a moment of national mourning for so many dead," she said. As the government eases Spain's lockdown regulations, at one point some of the strictest in Europe, police have intervened in a series of cases of people flouting social distancing restrictions. A man in Samburu County, Kenya beat his mother to death following a heated quarrel over land. The man, Edwin Losepesh, 37, is said to have attacked his elderly mother, 82, after she opposed his plan to sell part of the family land. According to the womans grandson, the deceased and her son engaged in a quarrel that caused a commotion on Saturday at 5 am before hitting her on the head with a blunt object. We were in a separate house where we heard the suspect quarreling with grandmother and jerry cans fell down. All neighbours heard the noise but nobody believed he could kill his grandmother, he said. According to the relatives, the deceased succumbed to internal bleeding as her other son was making arrangements to take her to hospital. The local Nyumba Kumi chairman Sasan Lenakinongiro said the suspect might have been under influence of alcohol when he attacked his mother. Mr. Lenakinongiro said the suspect fled after committing the murder. We are asking the police to take action immediately and we will work with them to ensure that he is arrested and charged in court, he said. Maralal OCPD Sylvester Rotich said that the police are already looking for the suspect and urged residents to assist with information that will lead to his arrest. The body of the deceased was taken at the Samburu County Referral Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) - Amid the uncertainties brought on by the pandemic, the Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill which gives the President the authority to postpone the opening of classes beyond August during the state of calamity or emergency. Twenty-three senators approved Senate Bill No. 1541 during Mondays session, two days before the congressional break. The school year shall start on the first Monday of June but not later than the last day of August: Provided that in the event of a declaration of a state of emergency or state of calamity, the President, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Education, may set a different date for the start of the school year, read the bill. The measure applies to both private and public elementary schools and high schools in the country. Although COVID-19 cases continue to rise each day and no vaccine has been found yet, enrollment in public schools began Monday for the upcoming school year, which will formally start on August 24 and end on April 30 next year. READ: School year 2020-21 to formally begin on August 24, says DepEd chief President Rodrigo Duterte earlier expressed his disapproval on opening the classes until a vaccine against the virus is available. For its part, the Department of Education welcomed the new development. We have welcomed the expansion-- the discretion on the school opening, including especially in times of crisis like this," said DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan in a press briefing. "We have stated our positions in those. If it is to give the DOH (Department of Health), the executive, or the President broader discretion in times of emergencies like these, we express no opposition to that, Malaluan added. Meanwhile, a similar bill filed at the House of Representatives has been approved on second reading. I started my day assembling with good people who wanted to be heard. The majority who came to our police department to say theyve had enough were hurting and they were kind and good, Ziman wrote on Facebook. And they marched in our streets peacefully to City Hall. A group walked to the Outlet Mall but it was fortified with police. So they went to our downtown and tried to burn it down. Georgi Kiviryan, father of editor-in-chief of Armenian News-NEWS.am Armenika Kiviryan, passed away yesterday after a serious illness. The editorial staff of Armenian News-NEWS.am expresses deep condolences to the Kiviryans on the occasion of this irreversible loss. Georgi Kiviryan will remain in our memories with his endless optimism, great love for life, sense of humor and incredible ability to motivate people. Taking into consideration the coronavirus pandemic in Armenia, Armenian News-NEWS.am deems it necessary to state that Georgi Kiviryan didnt die from the coronavirus. Georgi Kiviryans son, analyst Argishti Kiviryan posted the following on his Facebook page: Yesterday, my father, Georgi Kiviryan (born in 1945 in Abkhazia), died from a serious illness. My father was from Hamshen, was a pedagogue and worked as a director of several Armenian schools in Abkhazia for over 30 years. No matter how attached he was to his hometown, like all the members of our family, he also eventually moved and settled in Yerevan. My father believed that every nation has to live on its land and none of your words about patriotism means anything, if you dont aspire to return and live in your homeland. I owe it to my father for my interest in politics. When I was a teen, my father would provide me with various books that I would read and engage in debates over this or that political issue Dad, you will always exist so long as I exist The Requiem Service for my father will take place on June 2 (6 p.m.-8 p.m.) at San Lazaro Funeral Home, but taking into consideration the growing pandemic, I call on all my friends and close ones to not come. I would really like to ask everyone not to come because we all have elderly at home, and nobody has the right to put other peoples lives at risk. To those who come, I would like to ask you to strictly maintain social distancing I wish everyone health The nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases crossed 1.9 lakh on Monday after thousands more tested positive across states, but recoveries also rose further to nearly 95,000 while several cities saw the lockdown restrictions being eased with even traffic snarls returning back on roads. The death toll rose to 5,394 after a record single-day spike of 230 fatalities in the 24 hours since Sunday 8am, the Union Health Ministry said in its morning update. It showed the number of confirmed cases rising by 8,392 to 1,90,535. However, a PTI tally of figures announced by states and union territories as of 9.35pm on Monday showed a higher death toll of 5,501. It also showed the number of confirmed cases across the country having risen to 1,92,174. India is now the seventh worst hit nation by the COVID-19 pandemic after the US, Brazil, Russia, the UK, Spain and Italy, according to the WHO's coronavirus tracker. Globally, close to 62 lakh people have tested positive for the dreaded virus infection ever since it was first reported in China last December, while more than 3.72 lakh have lost their lives. However, close to 27 lakh have recovered worldwide since then and many countries have exited or begun exiting their respective lockdowns to revive stalled economies and safeguard the livelihood of the people. In India, the number of active COVID-19 cases stands at 93,322 while 91,818 people have recovered, giving a recovery rate of 48.19%, according to the the latest health ministry data. The tallies announced by different states and UTs till later in the evening showed the number of recovered or discharged patients having risen to 94,879. Globally, close to 43% people have recovered so far while nearly 6% have succumbed. The health ministry said India's COVID-19 recovery rate has been improving and the rate of fatality has seen a steady decline to reach 2.83%. It said the recovery rate has improved from 11.42% on April 15 to 26.59% on May 3 and to 38.29% on May 18. It further said the case fatality rate in India is 2.8% as against 6.19% globally. "A steady decline can be seen in the case fatality rate in the country. The relatively low death rate is attributed to the continued focus on surveillance, timely case identification and clinical management of the cases," the ministry said. Rajasthan, West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh reported more cases even as measures continued to contain the spread and to beef up the medical infrastructure to treat those contracting the virus. In the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced reopening of barber shops and salons, among various other relaxations, but said spas will remain closed for now. A complete lockdown in containment zones will continue till June 30. Kejriwal also said there will be no restrictions on the number of people travelling in four-wheelers, two-wheelers, auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws and other vehicles in the city. While all shops in markets have been permitted to function, they can be closed by authorities if social distancing guidelines are not followed, according to a government order. Fresh orders would be issued later for further relaxations from June 8 as per the guidelines issued by the Union Home Ministry over the weekend. While domestic flights have begun in a phased manner, the international flights would be allowed only in the third phase of unlocking, though no dates have been decided so far. Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said several factors like restrictions in metro cities and the ban imposed by various countries on the entry of foreigners need to be addressed before resuming international passenger flights. Aviation regulator DGCA separately asked airlines to keep middle seats vacant to the extent possible in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. If a flyer has been allotted the middle seat due to a high passenger load, then additional protective equipment like a wrap-around gown must be provided to the passenger in addition to a three-layered face mask and face shield, the DGCA said. Separately, several states also began allowing various activities that have been restricted since March 25, when the nationwide lockdown came into effect to fight the coronavirus pandemic. (With inputs from PTI) Ronn Torossian Americans get their information from a variety of news sources every day but, despite this, our general trust in the media remains far lower than it should be. This perceived lack of trust can be blamed on a number of factors, but what everyone agrees on is that its an issue. This is especially highlighted in times of great national stress, which is why the CEO of one of Americas chief media institutions says now is the time to prove the value of news. Speaking to CNN, New York Times CEO Mark Thompson said the COVID-19 pandemic, as terrible as it has been, is an opportunity for media to reconnect with audiences that may harbor some doubts about the institution: Moments like this, as extraordinary and terrible an experience which this country and the world is going through, is a moment for news organizations and newspapers to find audiences and prove the value of trustworthy news Other media outlets agree that working around the clock to offer the most up-to-date information about the virus and both its global and local impact are essential. And, in many cases, these outlets are doing so with drastically reduced revenues. Almost across the board, advertising revenue for the past few months is way down. Many businesses had to close, either temporarily or permanently. Others simply chose to stop advertising because they needed to find a way to keep their doors open with dramatically reduced customer numbers. So, the resources many media outlets had to work with were reduced, but the hunger for information rose even higher. Subscriptions at the Times, for example, jumped by about six million in the first three months of 2020, a record increase, according to CNN. According to Thompson, this happened while ad revenue fell by up to 50 percent. Other media outlets faced similar numbers: massive demand, minimal resources. They had to find a way to soldier on. Hence, the opportunity Thompson spoke of. People were watching and listening and reading, desperately hoping for information that would protect their family and, possibly, save their lives. If news outletslarge and small, local and nationalare able to manage to give people clear and accurate information, they could see a turn in the national mood toward the media. There will always be those who dont like one news outlet or another, for a host of reasons. However, if the media gives them information they need that helps them at the proverbial kitchen table level of their lives, then its likely many people will continue going back to that source for their news. Theres a caveat to this, of course. News outlets have to get better and more effective using social media to get the word out and to promote their brand. Digital advertising and information sharing is now the primary go-to for most American consumers, and those numbers will just continue to grow as generations raised on smartphones continue to enter the economy. Traditional media must find a way to meet people where they are, rather than expecting the masses to come to them as they did when they were the only game in town. *** Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, the 2020 American Business Awards PR agency of the year. WASHINGTON - Leaders on Sunday raised alarms that widespread protests against police brutality could lead to a new wave of coronavirus infections, wiping out progress as the region began reopening over the weekend. "When you put hundreds or thousands of people together in close proximity, when we've got this virus all over the streets, it's not healthy," Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, said during an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union." "There's about a 14-day incubation period, so, two weeks from now, across America, we're going to find out whether this gives us a spike and drives the numbers back up or not." District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, urged protest attendees to self-isolate or to get tests depending on their exposure. "While I saw some people social distancing, others were right on top of each other," Bowser said during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press." "We don't want to compound this deadly virus and the impact that it's had on our community." The two elected leaders' comments came as the last D.C. suburbs prepared to gradually reopen their economies Monday, marking the end of a nearly two-month shutdown to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. Montgomery and Prince George's counties will allow retail businesses to offer curbside pickup and restaurants to begin outdoor seating, following similar moves in D.C. and northern Virginia on Friday. After spending much of the spring under stay-home orders, D.C.-area residents over the weekend began dining out again, taking their dogs to reopened parks and booking appointments for long-overdue haircuts. Local officials say they are confident that hospitals are well-equipped to deal with an inevitable rise in cases as people begin to mingle again. The return to normalcy is a ways away, with the rollback of other closures, including movie theaters and swimming pools, dependent on the continued decline of the virus's spread. D.C., Maryland and Virginia on Sunday morning reported a combined 1,843 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 32 fatalities - the lowest number of new deaths since early April. New fatality reports tend to dip on weekends. Sunday's decline was fueled by five deaths reported in Virginia, four in D.C. and 23 in Maryland - also the lowest since early April. Maryland and D.C. on Sunday also reported the fewest number of people hospitalized with covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, since mid-April. Hospitalizations have been stable in Virginia for weeks. The region's gradual reopening is not a return to a pre-pandemic fall, but instead to the early days of mandatory social distancing. Businesses are operating under strict hygiene and social distancing rules, with patrons required to cover their faces while inside businesses and on public transportation. Hogan and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, allowed parts of their states to reopen in mid-May but exempted the D.C. suburbs because of their high levels of infection. Now, hundreds of businesses are preparing to resume operations. Employees and managers at Brooklyn's Deli in Potomac, Maryland, where bagels and corned beef and omelets are staples on the menu, have spent a week planning how to reopen safely with proper cleaning and protective equipment. Brooklyn's kept going during the shutdown with carryout, curbside and delivery service, but even so, business dropped more than 60%, an owner said. The deli is preparing to seat customers again beginning at 8 a.m. Monday, with tables spaced farther apart and thoroughly sanitized between customers, though there was some trepidation. "You've got to think about it hard," said Ibrahim Karama, one of the owners. "It's people's lives we're talking about. You can get money again, but people's lives you can't get back." Montgomery, with a population of 1 million, has the most covid-19 deaths in the state. Gaithersburg hairstylist Bobbie Smith said her phone starting blowing up as soon as Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, a Democrat, announced the reopening. "People say to me, 'I want to feel some kind of normalcy,' " said Smith, whose has two weeks of appointments booked, starting with five on Monday. But it will not be business as usual at her three-employee salon. There will be no blow drying, and stylists and customers will be required to wear masks. The decision to reopen was particularly hard for Smith because her husband has a compromised immune system, placing him at greater risk for complications from the coronavirus. "You have to make a living, or you lose your businesses and the consequences that follow that, or you take the chance," Smith said. "It's a difficult decision, but we have to do it. We can't stay closed forever." Business owners are making similar calculations in neighboring Prince George's County, home to 909,000 people. The county has Maryland's highest number of infections. Nonessential retail stores in the county can open for curbside pickup, manufacturing plants can operate with social distancing measures in place, and barbershops and hair salons may serve customers by appointment. Restaurants may open with outside seating only. No more than six people can sit at a table, and tables must be six feet apart. No more than 50 people total are allowed, and all employees must wear face masks. Debby Portillo, co-owner of the small 2Fifty Texas BBQ smokehouse in Riverdale Park, said the toll of the virus concerned her, but she decided to open with outdoor seating after weeks of offering next-day pickup for the shop's slow-cooked barbecue. As a precautionary measure, the smokehouse hired an employee devoted to disinfecting outdoor tables that can seat about 24 with social distancing measures. "I have customers who think the pandemic is over tomorrow - they are tired of the masks, they are tired of the grab-and-go, and it's understandable. But we can't put our guard down," Portillo said. "I cannot risk my staff's health." Some businesses cannot operate under new restrictions. Franklins, a brewpub in downtown Hyattsville, does not have outdoor seating and is instead trying to serve customers in a nearby city-owned parking lot. If city officials sign off, Franklins could set up tables and serve customers in the lot. "There are some people we have not seen in the last three months, and we miss them," general manager Marc Heckrotte said. "We would love to be able to get open, but once again we'd rather this be slow; we'd rather this be measured; we'd rather anything to be safe than to open our doors and find ourselves back in this situation in two or three months. That would be awful." - - - The Washington Post's Erin Cox and Donna St. George contributed to this report HIV management in developing countries varies with socioeconomic and structural circumstances, with two Flinders University studies finding examples of key ways to close the gap for those worst affected in developing countries. The studies, just published in PLoS ONE journal, call for reforms to nutritional programs and for better treatment of HIV affected prisoners - providing guidance for several sub-Saharan regions as well as other low and middle-income countries. Focusing on the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia, a Flinders University project led by Dr Fisaha Tesfay examined 1757 hospital records of adults living with HIV who enrolled in a nutritional program and also interviewed 33 people living with HIV, health providers and food program managers. "We conclude that the nutritional programs in HIV settings should be reoriented towards addressing the underlying challenges such as poverty, poor livelihood, food insecurity, rather than just malnutrition," he says. "As well, inefficiencies in the programs can discourage people from using them, particularly if they are not well and less able to resist infection." Dr Tesfay says stigma and discrimination in the community flows through to food sharing, with the religious practice of fasting - and challenges of distance and transportation - also detrimental to the delivery and uptake of HIV-directed food programs in Ethiopia. "The need for comprehensive and timely nutritional counselling to people living with HIV is relevant in all countries, including developed economies," he says. The other Flinders University study was a systematic review of HIV care in low and middle-income countries compared to high-income countries. Lead researcher Terefe Fuge says incarcerated people are at increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection relative to the general population. "Despite a high burden of infection, HIV care use among prison populations is often suboptimal and varies among settings, and little evidence exists explaining the discrepancy. The Flinders review of 42 reports found a number of barriers to optimal use of HIV care in prisons around the world, particularly in resource-limited countries. "As well as structural factors, a history of incarceration and re-incarceration, lack of community and social support, stigma, discrimination, substance abuse and negative attitudes to antiretroviral therapy reduced outcomes for HIV positive inmates," says public health researcher Dr Terefe Fuge. "While correctional facilities often didn't match community standards of HIV care, we round they could have substantial powers to contribute to the use of HIV treatment as a prevention strategy. "There is therefore an urgent need to improve interventions in poorer countries where there appears to be higher rates of delayed initiation and suboptimal outcomes of ART in prisoners, aiming to reduce the considerable disparity in the practice of standard of HIV care in low-income countries such as many in sub-Saharan Africa," he says. ### References: Contextual and individual level factors influencing nutritional program effectiveness in HIV care setting in Tigray region, northern Ethiopia: Mixed methods study (April 2020) by Fisaha Tesfay, Anna Ziersch, Lillian Mwanri and Sara Javanparast DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231859 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0231859 A systematic review and meta-analyses on initiation, adherence and outcomes of antiretroviral therapy in incarcerated people (May 2020) by TG Fuge, G Tsourtos and ER Miller ER in PLoS ONE 15(5): e0233355. DOI: 10.1371/journal. pone.0233355 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0233355 Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, called on President Donald Trump on Monday to invoke the Insurrection Act, then deploy active-duty combat units to "show no quarter" in putting down violence and looting in major cities, which he charged have been instigated by left-wing extremists. State governors thus far have not asked for the help of active-duty troops. But Cotton said a massive show of force by the 101st Airborne Division, 10th Mountain Division, 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Cavalry Division and 3rd Infantry Division -- "whatever it takes to restore order" -- might be necessary. Read next: Guard Members, Police Open Fire and Kill a Man in Louisville, Authorities Say "We always respect the rights of peaceful protesters," said Cotton, a former Army captain and Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, but "we have zero tolerance for anarchy, rioting and looting." In a series of tweets and an appearance on the "Fox & Friends" program, Cotton echoed others in the Trump administration, including Attorney General William Barr, in blaming the violence on leftist extremists such as the antifa movement. He appeared to challenge antifa, the far-left militant group, to a fight. "If local law enforcement is overwhelmed and needs backup, let's see how tough these Antifa terrorists are when they're facing off with the 101st Airborne Division," Cotton said on Twitter. "We need to have zero tolerance for this destruction." Under the federal Posse Comitatus Act, the use of active-duty troops for domestic law enforcement is generally banned, but there are exceptions that require the specific request of state governors. Cotton urged Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow for the deployment of active-duty units in law enforcement roles if requested by a governor or state legislature. The Insurrection Act was invoked in 1992, when President George H.W. Bush sent active-duty troops to California at the request of Gov. Pete Wilson, following unrest in the aftermath of the arrest and beating of Rodney King by police. Cotton's calls for more aggressive action by active-duty troops contrasted with early signs that the crisis might be abating. In Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz ordered the partial deactivation of Minnesota National Guard troops called up to assist local law enforcement following relatively peaceful protests in Minneapolis and St. Paul on Saturday and Sunday, and shortened the hours of curfew in effect for Monday and Tuesday nights. However, other governors and mayors extended curfews in an effort to quell violence. "We are keeping the curfew [from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.] in place tonight to protect everyone's safety and help our first responders keep the peace," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a statement. In Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser extended curfews for Monday and Tuesday nights from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. In his comments on Fox News, Cotton tempered his call for aggressive action by the president to quell the violence with a plea for justice in the case of George Floyd. "What the president can do is say that justice will be done in accordance with law for George Floyd and we will always respect the right of peaceful protests," but the line has to be drawn against looting and rioting, he said. However, the American Civil Liberties Union called Cotton's remarks "dangerous" and said they were likely to inflame an already tense situation nationwide. "This approach and mindset in response to legitimate grievances would be irresponsible and dangerous," Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU's National Security Project, told Military.com regarding Cotton's remarks. "We are not in an actual war." In a May 29 news conference, Walz said he had spoken twice to Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley about the possibility of assistance from active-duty troops, but said again Monday that he had made no formal request. The Defense Department on May 30 confirmed that Esper and Milley had spoken with the Minnesota governor and expressed their willingness to provide support, but said Walz did not ask for active-duty troops. However, the DoD said in a statement that U.S. Northern Command had increased the alert status for several active duty-units, including military police, should they be required. "These are units that normally maintain a 48-hour recall to support state civil authorities for several contingencies [like natural disasters] and are now on four-hour status," the DoD statement said. National Guard support as backup for local enforcement increased significantly over the weekend, the National Guard Bureau said Monday. As of May 30, a total of about 5,000 members of the National Guard had been called up in 15 states and the District of Columbia in response to the civil unrest, the Bureau said in a statement. On Monday, the number activated increased to 17,000 in 23 states and the District of Columbia, it added. "The situation remains fluid and, as governors access their needs, the numbers may change rapidly," the Bureau said. "We are here to protect life and property, and preserve peace, order, and public safety," Air Force Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau. The 17,000 National Guard members activated to assist in containing civil unrest, combined with those already activated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, put the total number of National Guard troops activated at historic levels, the Bureau said. A total of about 66,700 National Guard members had been activated as of Monday morning, according to the Bureau. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Related: Minnesota Guard Carrying Guns and Ammo in Response to 'Credible Threat,' General Says Kerala extends lockdown; to decide on reopening places of worship around June 8 India oi-Deepika S Thiruvananthapuram, June 01: In line with Central guidelines, the Kerala government on Monday extended the lockdown in containment zones till June 30, but eased curbs in many sectors including allowing indoor film and television shoots and inter-district bus services connecting neighbouring districts, even as it made it clear schools will not reopen till July end. Cabinet decisions: Centre announces relief for MSMEs, support for farmers | Oneindia News No outdoor shooting will be allowed. Indoor shooting of films will be allowed with a maximum participation of 50 people and following strict health precautionary measures, while for television shoots only upto 25 people would be allowed. Those coming from outside the state will have to register with the government's 'COVID Jagratha portal' and travel after taking pass. The containment zones will remain under a curfew-like situation and people will be allowed only for attending funeral of close relatives and they should approach police station for passes. For train journey, passengers coming with return tickets from other states, need not undergo quarantine. The state will wait to see the details of centre's directives on temples opening and accordingly decide for the state around the 8th of June 8. The government also decided to allow conduct of marriages at the Lord Krishna temple at Guruvayoor, but with limited participation of not more than 50 people. In other temples in the state, permission had been given earlier itself for conducting weddings. Inter-district bus service can be allowed in a limited manner connecting neighbouring districts, no standing passengers would be allowed. All passengers would have to wear masks and sanitisers should be provided on the bus. Besides the car driver, three passengers can travel in a four-wheeler, while in autorickshaws, only two passengers would be allowed. The academic session in the state began on Monday through an online facility and made it clear that the schools will not open until July end. Dmitry Peskov also stated that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky was not invited to Victory Day Parade because of Zelensky's recent statements on WWII Vladimir Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov TASS The Kremlin cannot yet say about the presence of positive dynamics in relations with Ukraine and Georgia at the highest level. It was stated by Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Interfax-Ukraine reported. As for the leadership of these countries, we see that, unfortunately, while we have certain contacts, we cannot boast of positive dynamics in developing dialogues at the highest level, Peskov stated. He also added that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky was not invited to Victory Day Parade because of Zelensky's recent statements on WWII. As we reported earlier, on May 9, a military parade on the occasion of Victory over Nazism in World War II was held in Belarus. The event was attended by more than 3 000 people, military equipment, and aviation. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said at the parade that "there will be people in this distraught world who will condemn it." Take your time to draw conclusions, and even more so condemn us - the heirs of the Victory, the Belarusians. We simply could not do otherwise, we had no other choice. And if we had, we would have done the same, he stated. The NSW government cemented the near term financial fate of James Packers Crown casino at Sydney's Barangaroo with the stroke of a pen on Friday when it inked a deal with rival The Star confirming its exclusive casino rights to operate poker machines for 21 years. Crowns lobbying efforts to alter the terms of its existing agreement that would have banned pokies from Barangaroo had been secretive but determined and abiding. Over the years the lobbying had been spearheaded by Crown executive and former national secretary of the Labor Party Karl Bitar and former federal Labor minister now Packer lobbyist, Mark Arbib. Crown Sydney casino is set to open in December. Credit:Rhett Wyman Government insiders have suggested that Crown came close to signing a memorandum of understanding a few years ago with the then-NSW opposition leader Luke Foley to revisit the Crown poker machine ban. An autopsy found Monday that an African-American man whose death has set off nationwide unrest was suffocated by a police officer, contradicting a preliminary ruling, as cities including New York imposed or toughened curfews in expectation of fresh fury. Violence has erupted for three straight nights outside the White House, where a holed-up Donald Trump has brushed aside the traditional unifying role of a president, and one person was shot dead in Louisville, Kentucky, whose mayor fired the police chief. One week after George Floyd died in Minneapolis, an autopsy blamed his videotaped death squarely on a white police officer who pinned him down with his knee for nearly nine minutes as Floyd pleaded, "I can't breathe!" "The evidence is consistent with mechanical asphyxia as the cause of death, and homicide as the manner of death," Aleccia Wilson, a University of Michigan expert who examined his body at the family's request, told a news conference. An initial finding cited in a criminal complaint pointed to pre-existing conditions, outraging the family. Shortly after the independent report, Hennepin County's medical examiner released its official autopsy that called his death a homicide caused by "neck compression," although it also said he was intoxicated and pointed to heart disease. A memorial for Floyd will take place on Thursday in Minneapolis before a service in North Carolina and a funeral on June 9 in Houston, where he grew up, family lawyer Ben Crump said. - Week of memorials - Floyd, 46, had been accused of trying to buy cigarettes with a counterfeit bill and his aggressive arrest was caught on a cellphone camera. The autopsy revived demands for the arrest of three other police officers who stood guard for Chauvin as Floyd pleaded for his life. "We are tired of this happening. This generation is not having it. We are tired of oppression," said Muna Abdi, a 31-year-old African-American woman at a peaceful demonstration at the Minnesota capitol in St. Paul. Pointing to her three-year-old son, she said: "I want to make sure he stays alive." Officer Derek Chauvin, who had remained in the police force despite persistent complaints about his behavior, had been due to appear in court on Monday but the judiciary said the initial hearing had been postponed to June 8. The delay outraged many activists, although Minnesota has made clear that it seeks to punish Chauvin and has tasked the prosecution personally with the state's attorney general, Keith Ellison, a prominent former US congressman. - Curfew in New York, death in Louisville - New York, the famed "City that Never Sleeps," became the latest city to impose a nighttime curfew after consecutive nights of tension that included looting and the trashing of parked cars. In the upscale SoHo district, Elliot Kurland, owner of the Leica photography store, said his entire shop was emptied by looters including clients' property. He estimated his loss at $1 million. "I hope I have insurance," he said. "My brother heard about it. He called me. I had been about to come here at three o'clock in the morning. My brother warned me, 'Don't go down. You'll get killed.'" New York, like other cities, had just been emerging from weeks under lockdown from the coronavirus pandemic. Kurland said he was still paying employees who were not reporting to work. More than 40 cities have imposed curfews. Washington's mayor, Muriel Browser, said a curfew will start Monday at an unusually early 7.00 pm in hopes of preventing a repeat of the destruction in the US capital -- which included a fire at St. John's, the two-century-old "church of the presidents" across from the White House. Apple, along with several other major retailers, temporarily closed most US stores, and California shut government offices in crowded areas as a precaution. It was the most widespread unrest in the United States since 1968, when cities went up in flames over the slaying of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., and rekindled memories of 1992 riots in Los Angeles after police were acquitted in the brutal beating of black motorist Rodney King. But unlike in Los Angeles, the latest unrest has primarily targeted property, although both protesters and police have reported non-life-threatening injuries. One person was killed, however, in Kentucky's largest city Louisville. Police chief Steve Conrad said officers and the National Guard "returned fire" just after midnight after being shot at as they dispersed a crowd in a parking lot. The dead man was David McAtee, the owner of a popular barbecue business, according to the Louisville Courier Journal, which quoted his nephew. Louisville, the home of Muhammad Ali and Kentucky Fried Chicken, has seen especially passionate protests due to the police killing in March of an African American woman, Breonna Taylor, in her own apartment. The 26-year-old emergency room technician was shot dead after police barged into her home, alleging that drug dealers had used the apartment to receive packages. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said Monday he had fired the police chief, Steve Conrad, because officers did not record body-camera of the episode. - Trump combative - While presidents traditionally seek to bridge national divides during tumult, Trump was again holed up at the White House tweeting attacks on his political rivals and the media. In a conference call with governors that was quickly leaked to several media outlets, Trump told state leaders to "dominate" and said they were "going to look like a bunch of jerks" if they are too soft. The governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, is heard reprimanding Trump directly, saying he was "extraordinarily concerned" by the president's "inflammatory" rhetoric. Trump has blamed the violence on Antifa, the loosely organized collective of far-left activists who advocate aggressive action to stop what they see as the rise of fascism and white supremacists. Joe Biden, Trump's likely Democratic opponent in November elections, met Monday with black leaders at a church in his home of Wilmington, Delaware and promised to form a police oversight commission in his first 100 days as president. "Hate just hides. Doesn't go away. And when you have somebody in power who breathes oxygen into the hate under the rocks, it comes out from under the rocks," Biden said. burs-sct/ft New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday (May June 1), took decisions that will have a transformative impact on the lives of farmers, the MSME sector, and those working as street vendors. This was the first meeting of the Union Cabinet after the Central government entered into its second year in office. The meeting also decided to revise the definition of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) for the first time after 14 years, as this sector has been silently operating in different areas across the country, according to an official statement. More than six crore MSMEs have a crucial role to play in building a stronger and self-reliant India. In the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic, PM Modi has recognises the role of MSMEs in building the nation. Notably, the MSMEs formed a very prominent part of the announcements made under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan. Under this package, the MSME sector has not only been given substantial allocation but has also been accorded priority in implementation of the measures to revive the economy. Implementation relating to several of the key announcements have been made already. Today, the government has laid down the road map for effective implementation of other announcements under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Package too. -Upward revision of MSME Definition. This is yet another step towards ease of doing business. This will help in attracting investments and creating more jobs in the MSME sector; -Proposal for provisioning of Rs 20,000 crore as subordinate debt to provide equity support to the stressed MSMEs has been formally approved by the cabinet today. This will benefit 2 lakh stressed MSMEs. -Proposal for equity infusion of Rs 50,000 crores for MSMEs through fund of funds has also been approved by the Cabinet today. This will establish a framework to help MSMEs in managing the debt-equity ratio and in their capacity augmentation. This will also provide an opportunity to get listed in stock exchanges. Upward revision of MSME definition: The government today decided for further upward revision of MSME definition. In the package announcement, the definition of micro-manufacturing and services unit was increased to Rs 1 crore of investment and Rs 5 crore of turnover. The limit of the small unit was increased to Rs 10 crore of investment and Rs 50 crore of turnover. Similarly, the limit of a medium unit was increased to Rs 20 crore of investment and Rs. 100 crore of turnover. It may be noted that this revision was done after 14 years since the MSME Development Act came into existence in 2006. After the package announcement on 13th May 2020, there were several representations that the announced revision is still not in tune with market and pricing conditions and it should be further revised upwards. Keeping in mind these representations, the Prime Minister decided to further increase the limit for medium manufacturing and service units. Now it will be Rs. 50 crore of investment and Rs 250 crore of turnover. It has also been decided that the turnover with respect to exports will not be counted in the limits of turnover for any category of MSME units whether micro, small, or medium. 140% Increase in land package for a total of 10 square miles Historical artisanal pits and adits found on newly staked ground New Claims to be included in regional exploration program TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2020 / Idaho Champion Gold Mines Canada Inc. (CSE:ITKO) ("Champion" or the "Company"), announces the staking of 184 additional unpatented federal mining claims surrounding the past-producing Champagne project. The Champagne properties now encompass approximately ten (10) Sq. miles of prospective exploration ground in Butte County, Idaho. Figure 1: Champagne Project Property Boundaries "During the desktop study on the historical data, one of the details that has stood out to our technical team was the evidence of a much bigger system at depth. We believe that this system extends beyond our original claims.," President and CEO Jonathan Buick stated. "The presence of artisanal pits and adits within the new claim blocks support there is something to be investigated with the drill bit." A major focus of the Company's exploration thesis is on the patented property (see news release dated April 30, 2020) which hosts past-producing Bema Gold Corporation's ("Bema") open pit. The focus is supported by the recently released (see news releases dated May 11,14, 21, and 26, 2020) historical data that was purchased from Kinross Gold Corporation in March 2020. James Baughman, Sr. Consulting Geologist stated: "The Champagne gold project is located on the southern margin of the Challis Volcanics, home to some of Idaho's most valuable gold projects. Champagne has all the markings of a tier 1 project - past gold producer, numerous historical mines on the property, and a large foot-print of alteration and mineralization on the project site stretching beyond the historic mine pit. We have 100 historic drill holes on the property that contain significant intercepts both within the historic mine pit (which presumably would have been fully or partially mined by Bema) and in the surrounding areas, as outlined in our previous news releases. These historic drill holes were completed to a shallow depth for oxide mineralization. Our summer drill program will test beneath these holes for the source of the surface mineralization at Champagne." Story continues The summer 2020 exploration program will focus on drilling the historical mine area and mapping and sampling outside of the mine area. An IP geophysical program is planned as well for the entire claim block. The goal of this work is to potentially discover an Eocene Intrusive related gold system with significant surface dimensions. Historical Non-NI 43-101 Compliant Resource Estimate The past-producing Champagne project has two historic, non-NI 43-101 compliant reports that calculated mineral "reserves" at the BEMA Gold mine pit before BEMA commenced mining operations therein. Although the BEMA report, Bema Champagne Mine Report, January 1989 and the subsequent Mine Associates Development Associates report titled Summary Report - Orebody Modeling and Mine Design, September, 1989 both refer to "reserves", the Company considers these "reserves" are more accurately categorized as mineral resources as it has not been determined whether these meet the current standard for a reserve classification. This is why in prior news releases the Company referred to these "reserves" as resources. The BEMA report provides that the pit, prior to mining, had a "reserve" estimate of 2.3 million tons ("MT") at 0.902 grams per ton Au and 24.48 g/ton Ag in the proven and probable categories. Mineralized zones were classified by BEMA as proven if within 18 metres (60 feet) of a drill hole or trench. The mineralized zones were classified as probable if within 36 metres (120 feet) of a drill hole or trench. The "reserve" calculation was determined by using sectional polygons, a common method at the time the BEMA report was produced. A subsequent calculation was undertaken by Mine Development Associates. The "reserve" estimate was tabulated directly from the sectional ore blocks as a check of the BEMA results and were found to be within 0.7% of this tonnage with the same average grade . In both reports a lower cutoff of >0.3g/ton Au were used. Neither report provided a description of their QA/QC protocols. The historical "reserve" estimate is considered to be reliable, however, the computational method and calculations used to derive the "reserve" estimate has not been reviewed by a Qualified Person. While the historic "reserve" may be fully or predominantly mined within the old BEMA pit, the Company's thesis, based on the available historic data, including historic trenching and drilling outside the pit and historic drilling that reached below the pit is that additional mineralization may remain in the pit and may extend at depth and continue beyond the mine pit. The continuation of mineralization, include grades, has not yet been confirmed by the Company and is the subject of future exploration work. Readers are cautioned that: (i) a qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves; and (ii) the issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Geology The historical data was acquired by Gold Fields Limited, then Bema, in the development of the Champagne mine. Trench data outlines a gold enriched oxide zone with shallow reverse circulation drill holes located under the trenches that outline a zone of veins and breccia pipes ,which included the mined pit but also extend beyond the pit perimeter, as described above. Field work is being planned for this field season to map and sample the Champagne mine area, including the area under and around the mined pit, in preparation for a reverse circulation drill program. The geology of the Champagne mine area is well documented in maps and reports prepared by the State of Idaho and the United States Geological Survey. Surface host rocks are Challis Volcanics underlain by Devonian-Mississippian Milligan formation composed of quartzites, limestones, and calcareous sediments. The Milligan formation was intruded by Idaho Batholith and subsequent igneous events that located the mineralization at Champagne. Exploration at Champagne will focus on surface delineation of alteration and mineralization and drilling will focus on a deep target (500m) in the Milligan formation. Figure 3: Champagne Project Location Map About Champagne Project The Champagne mine was operated by Bema as a heap leach operation on a high sulfidation gold system that occurs in volcanic rocks. Bema drilled 72 shallow reverse circulation holes in addition to previous operators drilling and trenching. The property had no deep drilling or modern exploration since the mine's closure in early 1992. The historic Champagne deposit contains epigenetic style gold and silver mineralization that occurs in strongly altered Tertiary volcanic tuffs and flows of acid to intermediate composition at Lava Creek. Argillic and sericite alteration is widespread at the historic Champagne deposit. Silica flooding, alunite and barite are closely associated with the gold and silver mineralized zone. Champagne has a near surface cap of gold-silver mineralization emplaced by deep-seated, structurally controlled shears that acted as conduits for precious metal rich hydrothermal fluids. High grade zones in the historic Champagne deposit appear to be related to such feeder shear zones. Drilling in the future to test for polymetallic, base-precious metal deposits at depth will clarify these relationships. Qualified Person The technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Peter Karelse P.Geo., a consultant to the Company, who is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Karelse has more than 30 years of experience in exploration and development. ABOUT IDAHO CHAMPION Champion is a discovery-focused gold exploration company that is committed to advancing its 100% owned highly prospective mineral properties located in Idaho, United States. The Company's shares trade on the CSE under the trading symbol "ITKO". Champion is vested in Idaho with the Baner Project in Idaho County, the Champagne Project located in Butte County near Arco, and four cobalt properties in Lemhi County in the Idaho Cobalt Belt. Idaho Champion strives to be a responsible environmental steward, stakeholder and a contributing citizen to the local communities where it operates. Champion takes its social license seriously and employs local community members to service its operations. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, "Jonathan Buick" Jonathan Buick, President and CEO For further information, please visit the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com or the Company's corporate website at www.idahochamp.com. For further information please contact: Nicholas Konkin, Marketing and Communications Phone: (416) 477 7771 ext. 205 Email: nkonkin@idahochamp.com Cautionary Statements Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of the Company. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of the Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based on are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The Company 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: Idaho Champion Gold Canada Inc. View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/592176/Idaho-Champion-Increases-Land-Package-Around-Past-Producing-Champagne-Project Reading, PA (19601) Today Partly to mostly sunny, brisk, and very cold. Below zero wind chills in the morning. . Tonight Partly cloudy and very cold. Near or below zero wind chills again late at night towards sunrise. Over the past week, police across the country have responded violently to protests against the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis policewith rubber bullets, with batons, and, in city after city, with tear gas. On Saturday, a college student lost his right eye after police allegedly shot a tear gas canister at his face during a protest in Fort Wayne, Indiana. At the same demonstration, a 3-year-old was also reportedly hit with a cloud of tear gas after getting caught in the crossfire. On Sunday, Massachusetts General Hospital had to set up a hazmat tent in Boston in order to treat tear gas victims, as did volunteers in Minneapolis. Tear gas, a class of substances that sting the mucus membranes of the eyes and irritate the upper respiratory tract, emerged largely as a wartime weapon a century ago. How did it find its way to police departments? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tear gas made its debut in trench warfare during World War I as the first chemical agent to be used in the war, according to an article tracing its transition from a military to domestic technology in the journal Technology and Culture. There are some documented cases of the Paris police deploying gas cartridges on a small scale to root out barricaded criminals in the early 1910s, but the French army began using tear gas grenades on a much wider scale on the front lines in 1914. Tear gas was more effective at debilitating people in lower concentrations than toxic ones and forced opposing armies to wear heavy-duty masks, which caused discomfort and made soldiers much less efficient over an extended period of use. Advertisement The U.S. had been conducting research on tear gas throughout the war and eventually developed a powerful new agent using chloroacetophenonebut because this was right before the Armistice that ended the war, the weapon didnt see much use on the battlefield. As a result, the U.S. Chemical Warfare Service, which was created during World War I to research gas munitions, still held a limited supply of the gas as the armed forces returned home. Over the next few years, the CWS received numerous requests for the weapon from police departments in cities like New York and Boston that were responding to a rash of civil unrestfrom 1919 to 1921, there were 29 major strikes and riots that led to intervention from federal troops. Veterans of the war who became police officers were familiar with the gas and encouraged departments to seek it out. One such request, from the Department of Public Safety in Norfolk, Virginia, specifically mentioned that the gas grenades would be effective in subduing black people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CWS was eager to distribute tear gas to police, according to Technology and Culture. The agency was trying to convince Congress that it still deserved funding, and helping to put down domestic protests would prove that it could serve a purpose in peacetime. It also hoped that it could combat the public fear and abhorrence of chemical warfare that WWI had engendered by presenting tear gas as a more humane alternative to bullets and clubs in restraining mobs. (Tear gas can in fact be lethal, especially to children.) The CWS even started holding public tests for police departments in which hundreds of officers were asked to try to catch men armed with gas grenades. An article in the New York Times from 1921 described the scene at a demonstration in Philadelphia: Police Supt. Mills took a battalion of his huskiest men into a roped-off enclosure with instructions to capture six men who were armed with 150 tear gas bombs. Three times they charged, but each time were driven back, weeping violently as they came within range of the charged vapor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. War Department, however, was moving to disband the CWS and initially placed a federal ban on the use and distribution of tear gas in domestic settings shortly after the war in 1919. Because the CWS was the only producer of tear gas at the time, this essentially prevented police departments from getting their hands on it. Yet, this ban only applied to the federal entities; local police could still use it and private industries were still allowed to sell it. In the 1920s, former CWS officers began establishing companies to manufacture tear gas. The CWS, which was still allowed to distribute the agent for research purposes, sent small samples to these companies to help with development. By 1923, more than 600 cities possessed tear gas. Prison wardens, strike breakers, and banks also purchased their own stocks. Use on civilians became widespread. In the ensuing decades, tear gas would play a central role in quashing protests related to overdue wartime payments from World War I in the 1930s, the Vietnam War in the 1960s, the World Trade Organization in the 1990s, and Occupy Wall Street in the 2010s. Though several international treaties have prohibited use of tear gas in war, governments around the world still regularly use it on their own people. The partnership, which is a first between both organisations, will involve a strategic collaboration whereby Qatar Airways will support with the delivery of crucial aid supplies to those most in need during these unprecedented times. The partnership, which will be effective through to May 2022 will see UNHCR work closely with Qatar Airways to utilise the airlines hub-and spoke network out of Hamad International Airport in Doha. By having access to a fleet of more than 200 aircraft, UNHCR will be able to deliver lifesaving support including water, medical care and hygiene materials to keep refugees, internally displaced people and host community members safe around the world. Speaking about the new partnership, Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker said: We are incredibly proud to join efforts with UNHCR to provide relief aid to people and communities most in need. By having a robust international network, we are pleased to be able to give a helping hand to support this great cause. During this crisis, we have worked closely with governments and NGOs to prioritise the shipment of medical and aid supplies transporting over 175,000 tonnes, the equivalent of approximately 1,750 fully loaded Boeing 777 freighters. We are committed to making a difference and by working together, we are confident we will overcome the current adversities with strength, solidarity and resilience. Khaled Khalifa, senior advisor and representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries at UNHCR added: As the depths of COVID-19 continue to take the world captive, we never imagined the magnitude its impact would have, or just how many lives it would touch. Our primary focus at UNHCR is to safeguard the rights and wellbeing of the most marginalised and vulnerable members of society. It is times like these when we must take action and strive to find lasting solutions which is why our partnership with Qatar Airways is crucial. With limited access to water, sanitation systems and health facilities, refugees are particularly at risk right now and that is why we are developing key responses to mitigate these challenges, alongside our respected partners Qatar Airways. Together, we must drive action. Protests over the death of George Floyd turned violent in Birmingham Sunday, with windows smashed and media members attacked live on camera. Similar scenes played out across the state with protesters in Mobile hit with tear gas after they attempted to stop traffic. In Birmingham, protesters attempted to remove Confederate statues at Linn Park before heading into downtown where they smashed windows at Wells Fargo, the Harbert Building and Alabama Power Building museum. A member of the broadcast media was hit on the head with what appeared to be a bottle and his wallet was stolen. Members of the media were attacked during the protest. AL.com reporters Anna Beahm, Ivana Hrynkiw, photographer Dez Wilson and social media manager Madison Underwood were documenting protestors leaving Kelly Ingram Park after Birmingham police instructed them to disperse. Protesters began knocking out windows before one took the wallet of ABC 33/40 reporter Stephen Quinn. Another protester smashed a cup of ice against his head. Took a couple blows to my head and my wallet is gone but Im okay. Thank you to @BhamPolice for your help. @abc3340 @spann #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/955myya7hG Stephen Quinn (@StephenQ3340) June 1, 2020 Protestors then attacked Underwood, first punching him in the face. They continued hitting him until he fell to the ground on his back and pulled his knees into his chest as protestors continued striking him. Underwood and the group from AL.com left the scene and all were OK. To everyone who has reached out- we are okay. Thank you. Thank you. Ivana Hrynkiw Shatara (@IvanaSuzette) June 1, 2020 That was terrible. I'm glad my colleagues are okay. I'm okay. My nose is swollen and bleeding. My phone is gone. I'm thankful to the folks who dragged me out of there, who checked on me, who said nice things. Not sure why that went bad so quickly. https://t.co/1evjmimm4u Madison Underwood (@MadisonU) June 1, 2020 Earlier in the day, an altercation broke out in Hoover as bottles were thrown at law enforcement. Floyd died May 25 while handcuffed after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes. The incident, captured on video, sparked outrage across the country. AL.coms videos from the scenes are below A crowd of some 100 protestors did minor damage at the Hamilton County Courthouse on Sunday night, but left after tear gas was lobbed into a balcony area. Chattanooga Police said afterward the tear gas was thrown by the Sheriff's Office and not the city police. City Police also said they were not given warning that the tear gas was going to be used. In another tense night in downtown Chattanooga, some in the group knocked off a light post at the historic building, prompting the move to force them down. A witness said, "They were on the steps of the courthouse on the jail side on Walnut Street. Some of the protesters went to the top of the steps and were pulling on a banner that was strung between two light posts. "The posts were not very well supported and one started teetering when they were pulling on the banner. The original intent did not appear to be vandalism other than taking down the banner. "Law enforcement ran up the stairs and threw the two to the ground and handcuffed them. People got upset. "Some of them started approaching the officers. Many, many more officers came up the steps to hold them back. There was a little tussle at one point, but then everyone was staying back while officers were pointing very large guns at the crowd - maybe rubber bullet guns? maybe tear gas? "Then a couple of minutes later they fired the tear gas and everyone dispersed temporarily and went back around to the other side of the courthouse." Just as quickly, the protestors headed back toward Coolidge Park, where speakers on bullhorns had been denouncing the action of Minneapolis Police in the death of George Floyd. A number of those in the crowd held signs denouncing racism. In North Chattanooga as midnight approached, members of the National Guard joined with law enforcement at the intersection of Market Street and Frazier Avenue. They stood at the edge of the street holding weapons and wearing riot gear. Protestors milled around and periodically there were sounds that appeared to be fireworks that startled the crowd. Earlier in the standoff at the courthouse on the Georgia Avenue side, protestors on their knees had chanted "Hands Up. Don't Shoot." There was an earlier protest on Sunday afternoon at the County Courthouse with local activist Marie Mott exhorting a small group. Mayor Andy Berke, who had not commented following a night of violence and 11 arrests on Saturday, issued this statement on Sunday night, We encourage everyone in Chattanooga to exercise their First Amendment rights and express themselves in a safe way. Following incidents of violence in downtown Nashville, Governor Bill Lee announced Sunday that the Tennessee National Guard will remain mobilized across the state and that the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, in coordination with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement authorities, will launch an investigation into unlawful incidents that occurred overnight. The right to peaceful protest is foundational to our country, but the violence and vandalism that occurred in Nashville last night was unlawful and tears at the fabric of our community, said Governor Lee. We have reason to believe that many of those involved in unlawful acts are not Tennesseans and we will be working with law enforcement to investigate this further and bring those responsible to justice. National Guard personnel are now mobilized across all three Grand Divisions to assist state and local law enforcement. The Tennessee National Guard stands ready, in partnership with local law enforcement, the Department of Safety, and TEMA, to ensure order and safety are maintained in the supported areas for as long as is warranted by the situation. In addition to support from the Guard, Governor Lee has authorized the continuation of a curfew in Nashville and will support similar measures in other Tennessee cities as requested. Curfew in the downtown Nashville area and Urban Services District of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County will be effective 8 p.m. CDT on Sunday and will continue until 6 a.m. CDT on Monday. The curfew will not apply to law enforcement and fire department personnel, first responders, and other officials assisting with maintaining public safety, including medical personnel in the performance of their duties, and any other persons lawfully on the streets and in public places with permission from law enforcement personnel. Governor Bill Lee also issued the following statement: The protests in Murfreesboro are no longer peaceful demonstrations but have escalated to overt threats to public safety and property. I support Mayor McFarlands 7 p.m. curfew and have authorized both the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the National Guard to provide support on the ground in restoring order for the safety of our citizens. Subscriber content preview The money, included in a government relief package enacted in March, is set to expire July 31. By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON A debate in Congress over whether to extend $600 a week in federally provided benefits to the unemployed looks sure to intensify with the number of people receiving the aid now topping 30 million one in five workers. The money, included in a government relief package enacted in March, is set to expire July 31. Yet with the unemployment rate widely expected to still be in the mid-teens by then, members of both parties will face pressure to compromise on some form of renewed benefits for the jobless. . . . Prince Charles is reportedly lamenting the fact that he and Duchess Camilla, are stuck at Birhall. The two are waiting out the nationwide lockdown and a commenter strongly believes that the two growing tired of it all. Even though both Camilla and Charles are countryside lovers, ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship thinks that they are now fed up. Speaking with Lizzie Robinson on their Royal Rota podcast, Ship said that no matter how much they love the countryside, they must be now at the verge of getting irked about the whole thing and wishing that they chose another residence to practice quarantining and distancing measures. "At what point do they say, 'oh God I wish we decided to spend the lockdown in Highgrove' or 'I wish we'd stayed at Clarence House for the lockdown'? Ship wondered. He is sure that everyone is now a bit bored and wanting a change of their scenery but cannot help but wonder if and when the feeling hit Charles and Camilla. He retracted his statement though by claiming that Prince Charles and Camilla certainly chosen well. The Balmoral estate is huge and really beautiful after all, he said. The two can't take a lot of walks on their stay here and even bond more. For Prince Charles and Camilla to take distancing and quarantining so seriously is understandable though. They are both at the ages quite at-risk of dying from COVID-19 so extra precautions are needed. Not to mention, Prince Charles was already tested positive for mild coronavirus but fortunately recovered. It just means that the virus could not care less of a person's status in life. Just about anyone, even a royal, can be affected by it! It will be prudent for all elderly royals to be cautious, no matter how much they hate being limited in their mobility. Queen Elizabeth herself will continue practicing distancing and quarantine, even as the whole UK starts moving again. Meanwhile, another report claimed that Prince Charles is truly a man of temper. According to Princess Diana's friend, Prince William and prince Harry played a prank on him but instead of making him laugh in the end, he truly went mad. She explained, "One day Wiliam and Harry let a stink bomb off in the hall after Diana had taken them to the joke shop, and then they let another one off in Charles' office." While it made Diana laugh, Prince Charles went "absolutely mad." She added that Prince William and Prince Harry truly took after their mom when it comes to joking and fooling around, because Prince Charles was, and is, truly a serious person. Even though Prince William no longer shows this side of his often to the public, the friend added that he was truly such a practical joker when his mom was still around. At 13, or 14, the friend said that he even called Princess Diana up pretending to be Prince Charles asking for his wife. Princess Diana could not help but guffawed READ MORE: Queen Heartbreak: Prince Harry Will Continue Breaking Queen Elizabeth's Heart She's been keeping fans updated on her home activities in lockdown, one of which includes posing for impromptu photoshoots. And Montana Brown turned up the heat once again as she stunned in a series of Instagram images shared on Monday morning. The Love Island star, 24, caught the eye as she flashed some serious underboob in an incredibly racy crop top with cut-out details. What a babe: Montana Brown turned up the heat once again as she stunned in a series of Instagram images shared on Monday morning Amping up the glamour, the media personality styled her bralet with bedazzled trousers. The reality star ensured focus remained on her striking outfit by opting for minimal accessories, and wore her highlighted locks in a straight fashion. The Hertfordshire native cheekily captioned the images: 'roses are red, violets are blue, my boobs hanging out what about you? - @nastygal 55% off with my code my darlings MONTANAB55.' [sic] 'My boobs hanging out, what about you?' The Love Island star, 24, caught the eye as she flashed some serious underboob in an incredibly racy crop top with cut-out details Earlier in the lockdown, the beauty modelled one of her latest designs for her beachwear collection Swim Society as she expressed her concerns over how the pandemic could affect her business. 'As a small business owner this is a really uncertain time and I was SO excited to share with you our next drop but we will be having a delay on everything,' she told fans. 'Absolutely gutted but I understand everyone is hurting by all of this as its a scary time for everyone. Just sending everyone lots of love and positivity at this hard time.' 'This is an uncertain time': Earlier in the lockdown, the media personality expressed her concerns over how the pandemic could affect her beachwear brand, Swim Society Montana is currently single following her split from model Elliott Reeder in January. She's sworn off dating for the foreseeable future after admitting she's still close and in regular contact with her ex-boyfriend. 'I'm taking a break from dating for now 100 per cent. I'm a bit nervous to go off into the big wide world now,' she told MailOnline in February. 'I was in a long-term relationship and we're still really close and I know I'm definitely not ready for anything. This time is for focusing on work. 'I am such a grandma, I'm not much of a party animal. My happy place is when I'm at home with my hair up watching a film in the comfort of my own home, so it can be hard to meet someone.' BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 1 Trend: Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov had a videoconference meeting with his Afghan counterpart, Mohammed Haneef Atmar, Trend reports citing the press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. Atmar said that his country at the level of the Head of State attaches great importance to expanding the bilateral cooperation relations. He noted with satisfaction Azerbaijan's support for international efforts to ensure security in Afghanistan, as well as the participation of the Azerbaijani peacekeepers in the framework of the Resolute Support Mission, and expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani side for its contribution. Atmar also congratulated Azerbaijan for the successful chairmanship of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Atmar noted that his country is interested in expanding bilateral, trilateral and multilateral formats relations with Azerbaijan and stressed the importance of cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral formats in order to develop relations between the two countries. On his behalf, Elmar Mammadyarov noted that the Azerbaijani side is interested in developing cooperation with Afghanistan on both bilateral and multilateral platforms. Touching upon the online Summit-level meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group with the initiative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan under the "We are together against COVID-19" motto, on May 4, 2020, the minister noted the proposal of Azerbaijan on holding a special session of the UN General Assembly under the same motto. It was noted that the chairmanship of Azerbaijan aimed at strengthening solidarity within NAM and increasing the role of the Movement, continues in accordance with the identified priorities and taking into consideration the current global issues. The parties also exchanged views on the existing opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in political, economic, trade and transport spheres. They noted the strategic importance of the Lapis-Lazuli transport corridor and stressed the importance of discussions at the level of relevant Working Groups to strengthen cooperation in this context. At the same time, it was noted that the laying of a fiber optic cable line along the bottom of the Caspian Sea could be a new component of support for the Lapis-Lazuli project. Considering the possibility of expanding economic and trade cooperation, the sides noted the existing opportunities to ensure the sustainability of mutual trade relations. The ministers also stressed the importance of strengthening the legal and treaty basis of the relations between the two countries. The sides also exchanged invitations for mutual visits after the end of the global pandemic. Having a dance off, broadcasting an online tutorial on how to make a delicious chocolate fudge cake, or running an online art auction are just some of the fun ways that kiwis are being encouraged to help raise funds to make a difference in the lives of people with Motor Neurone Disease. As the country comes out of lockdown thanks to the efforts of our team of five million, the team at MND New Zealand continues to rally around those living with a devastating and deadly disease. Motor Neurone Disease Awareness month kicks off today, the June 1 2020 with the theme It Takes A Team. It takes a team to live with MND, and we want all Kiwis to understand moreboth about the disease itself, and about the amazing teams of peoplefriends, family and whanau, health professionals, researchers, and MND support team memberswho work together to improve the lives of people living with MND, says MND New Zealand CEO Carl Sunderland. Participants in this years fundraising promotion are encouraged to create their own fundraising page and get sponsored to take on a challenge or hold a virtual event. An online auction is one fun way to help raise funds for MND Motor neurone disease MND - is the name of a group of diseases that cause the death of the nerve cells (neurones) that control the muscles that enable us to move, speak, swallow, and breathe. With no nerves to activate them, these muscles gradually weaken and waste away. The body of a person with MND is going into permanent lockdown, and theres nothing they can do about it. There is no cure for MND, and it has an average life expectancy of between three to five years. New Zealand has the highest known rate of MND in the world, with an average of two people diagnosed every week. More than 400 people in New Zealand are living with MND at any one time, and each week MND will cause the death of two New Zealanders. Despite being heavily researched, the cause of MND is not well understood. Furthermore, public awareness of the disease is low something that MND New Zealand wants to change. MND New Zealand is the only organisation in New Zealand that provides free, personalised support and advocacy for almost every person with motor neurone disease in New Zealand. They work together with people living with MND, and their families and whanau, to enable them to have the best quality of life possible. They advocate for, educate, and provide up-to-date information for people with MND and their families/whanau, as well as the health professionals working with them. They also support and fund vital MND research. Carl says this month theyre inviting all New Zealanders to become part of the team as donors, supporters, and advocates, all helping to raise awareness of motor neurone disease and its devastating impacts. He says the message is simple: Get involved! Due to COVID-19 weve adapted our approach, and theres lots for people to get involved in from the comfort of their home, from making a donation to our virtual street appeal, becoming a virtual volunteer collector, taking selfies with a printable frame and sharing them online, to hosting a virtual Cuppa tea for MND on Global MND Awareness Day on Sunday 21 June. There truly is something for everyone, says Carl. Each week throughout Awareness Month well be showcasing a different part of the MND team, showing how each team member makes a difference. It takes a team, so come and join us! To find out more about how you can get involved in Motor Neurone Disease Awareness Month, check out the MND New Zealand Awareness Month webpage here. A cattleman has pledged to appeal a Supreme Court decision to stop the cull of wild horses in the Victorian highlands. Justice Steven Moore on Friday ruled Parks Victoria were not required to consult the community in their call to shoot the feral animals which are destroying the fragile alpine environment. 'It is clear that the decision to remove the horses from the Alpine National Park was the subject of extensive community consultation before the Action Plan was made and is given effect to by the contents of that plan,' Justice Moore said in his ruling. But Omeo cattleman Philip Maguire plans to appeal his case claiming Parks Victoria did not consult with the public over changes to their culling policy to involve the shooting of brumbies in the Alpine National Park. Mr Maguire claimed the ancestors of Bogong brumby horses were originally bred on his land and he often feeds them and provides veterinary care. Parks Victoria said there are about 5,000 feral horses in the Victorian Alps which must be controlled as they are classed as exotic fauna. An Omeo cattleman has pledged to appeal a Supreme Court decision to stop a cull of wild horses in the the Victorian highlands (pictured) He has already rescued several horses onto his land and said he has the capacity to host 150 brumbies. Mr McGuire argued there was no reference the brumbies would be shot in the 2018-2021 Feral Horse Strategic Action Plan, with the public unaware of the shooting plans until a Parks Victoria press release on May 8. Justice Moore said the organisation received 351 comments on using shooting as a control method, with many supporting the notion as a constructive solution. 'About 80 per cent of those comments supported shooting as a control method on the basis of its efficiency, practicality and humaneness,' Justice Moore said. Parks Victoria believe shooting is necessary because of a dramatic increase in the numbers of feral horses in the region. The flora and fauna of the landscape is struggling to rejuvenate after a devastating bushfire season and pressure from the grazing animals. Mr Maguire's lawyers plan to take the matter to the Court of Appeal and halt the cull, with Parks Victoria noting no horses would be shot before June 9. The matter will return to court on Friday. Members of the United States Force Korea (USFK) Union stage a protest against the furlough of Korean employees in front of the main gate of USFK Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, in this April 1 photo. Yonhap By Jung Da-min The government will create a special fund for Korean employees of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) later this year, to provide financial support to those furloughed following the failure of the two countries to reach a defense cost-sharing deal, according to the Ministry of National Defense, Monday. The defense ministry said the relief fund plan was established by a special law passed in April. According to the plan, furloughed Korean employees will be provided with 60 percent to 80 percent of their monthly salary, or 1.8 million to 1.98 million won, starting Aug. 20. The money will be paid retroactively to those affected for up to 270 days after the start of the furlough. They will therefore receive the money until Dec. 26, if Korea and the United States fail to reach an agreement on defense cost sharing for 2020 by then. Employees need to submit relevant documents, such as a notification from the USFK on the furlough, to the ministry. "The money is to support the livelihoods of the furloughed Korean workers," the ministry said. "The law will enable a swift provision of support money for Korean workers if a similar situation takes place in the future." The two governments have continued a tug-of-war over the 11th Special Measures Agreement (SMA) since they began negotiations last September. In early April, the two almost reached a compromise with Korea's proposal of increasing its share by 13 percent annually for the next five years to reach $1.3 billion. However, President Donald Trump rejected this in the last stage of negotiations. Trump has been insisting that Korea should pay much more for the upkeep of the 28,500 USFK troops here. Amid the failure to reach an agreement, 4,000 Korean employees were on unpaid furlough starting April 1. The National Assembly passed the bill for the special law to support them at a plenary session April 29. Georgia Toffolo made the most of England's relaxed lockdown laws on Monday morning as she ventured out in London. With temperatures soaring the former Made In Chelsea star was dressed appropriately in a seasonal pink summer dress while picking up some essentials. Georgia, 25, added to her look with a pair of pale blue espadrilles, while a pair of heavily tinted proved to be her only visible accessory. Stepping out: Georgia Toffolo made the most of England's relaxed lockdown laws on Monday morning as she ventured out in London Opting to go make-up free, the former TV personality drew attention to her naturally pretty features as she enjoyed Britain's current heatwave. Matching her casual style, Goergia effortlessly swept her dyed blonde shoulder-length locks across her head. The reality star's outing comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson - whose father Stanley is a close friend - eased lockdown restrictions by reopening schools and allowing groups of six to converge in public spaces, with non-essential shops set to reopen on June 15. Stylish appearance: With temperatures soaring the former Made In Chelsea star was dressed appropriately in a seasonal pink summer dress while picking up some essentials Finishing touches: Georgia, 25, added to her look with a pair of pale blue espadrilles, while a pair of heavily tinted proved to be her only visible accessory Natural look: Opting to go make-up free, the former TV personality drew attention to her naturally pretty features as she enjoyed Britain's current heatwave The ruling will no doubt be good news for Georgia, who was recently accused of flouting lockdown rules for a second time as she went for a stroll with her father and a friend in May. She appeared in close proximity to her friend, who was carrying a dog, and father Gary Bennett as they headed to her home. Government rules at the time stated that people living in different households should not meet and that people should should not be in gatherings of more than two in public. All change: The reality star's outing comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson - whose father Stanley is a close friend - eased lockdown restrictions by reopening schools and allowing groups of six to converge in public spaces Relief: The ruling will no doubt be good news for Georgia, who was recently accused of flouting lockdown rules for a second time as she went for a stroll with her father and a friend in May Don't mind me: The Made In Chelsea star was alone as she made her way back to her car on Monday morning It comes after she was also previously criticised for flouting lockdown rules to attend a dog's birthday party. The reality star joined her friend Jess Hydleman at her house in London, where two men were also in attendance, reported The Sun. The party was for Jess' dog, where they took part in a Zoom call to celebrate - despite lockdown rules stating people should only leave their homes for exercise and essential trips for food or medication. She's off: Georgia carried a bag over one arm while making her way across the street OTTAWA - The federal government is rushing out $2.2 billion in anticipated infrastructure funding to Canadas cities that municipal leaders say might help with a short-term cash crunch, but does little to fill the budget hole COVID-19 has created. Normally, funding through the federal gas-tax fund is split between a summer payment and a second instalment later in the year, but the Liberals plan to send all the money this month. Municipalities have seen steep losses throughout the pandemic as fewer people pay for transit or parking, and recreation centres stay closed without paid programming. Toronto alone is facing a $1.5-billion shortfall this fiscal year, while the Federation of Canadian Municipalities has estimated the need nationally at between $10 billion and $15 billion, depending on the severity and duration of the shutdown. FCM president Bill Karstens said the $2.2 billion may help some cities with immediate cash flow issues, but noted the money isnt new, has already been accounted for in municipal budgets and doesnt address the stark choices local leaders face. There are municipalities that have certainly indicated to us that, in terms of actual cash flow, they only have another month or so, he said. The only true sustainable solution is for the federal government to show leadership, as I believe they want to, but they need the provinces to engage. Ontario Premier Doug Ford was blunt about the funding, suggesting it doesnt address the key issue for cities: We need more money. Ford said he was willing to help, but the federal government needed to step up as well. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the fast-track spending was a first step as he holds talks with provinces, which have jurisdiction over municipalities. There is a range of services offered by cities that are at danger of disappearing, Trudeau said. Thats why were doing what we can unilaterally and advancing the money forward, but we need to work with the provinces on this. The gas-tax fund is one of the few mechanisms the federal government has to flow money directly to cities instead of having to move it through provinces. Last year, the Liberals doubled funding to $4.4 billion as an end-around on provinces they said were holding up project approvals and slowing down the oft-criticized flow of federal construction dollars. However, the money can only be used for capital spending, not operational costs, which is where shortfalls lie. NDP infrastructure critic Taylor Bachrach called on the government to help cities with operating funding to avoid deep cuts to the services Canadians rely on. While local tax increases should be on the table, the current crisis shows the need for a rethink in how cities are funded and raise revenues, said Mitch Kosny, associate director of Ryerson Universitys urban planning school. There may be some interesting willingness for provincial and federal (governments) and even the bigger cities to sit down and talk about where we go, Kosny said. Thats the opportunity. Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna said the federal government needed to see municipalities go ahead with planned projects, citing as an example the need to boost transit capacity as Canadians head back to work. She said bumping up spending is an example of how we see infrastructure is critical to the restart of the economy. Federal infrastructure spending is traditionally seen as a way to stimulate an economic recovery, but experts have noted the unique challenges this crisis has created. The Liberals have been told to put money into things like child care to help women who have been disproportionately affected by job losses. While it would be helpful to stimulate the economy, Im not convinced that it (infrastructure spending) would be the best way to stimulate the economy because its not the sector that was affected the most, parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux told a Commons committee last week. In my humble opinion as a taxpayer, stimulating sectors that have been most deeply affected by COVID-19 might be a better way to stimulate the economy. The Liberals say spending under their $186-billion infrastructure program has created some 52,000 projects, although Giroux said he only has information to account for about 33,000. I have faith they do exist, but I dont have proof that they exist, Giroux said last week. Asked about the discrepancy Monday, McKenna said the projects Giroux couldnt account for are funded through the gas-tax fund and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2020. With files from Allison Jones Kigali, Rwanda (PANA) - All Rwanda motorcycle taxi operators and other public transport services between provinces that were set to resume activities after a two- month suspension due to COVID-19 lockdown, will remain closed until further notice, the official statement issued by Rwanda's Prime Minister's office in Kigali said Monday At the end of July, Spanish troops will be withdrawn from the Gran Capitan base in Bismayah, which is Spains most important base in Iraq. Before the coronavirus pandemic, 350 out of Spains 530 soldiers in Iraq were stationed at the Gran Capitan base. The base is one of the Building Partner Capacity (BPC) centers run by the US-led international coalition in Iraq, which is tasked with training Iraqi security forces. According to military sources, troops are being withdrawn because the base has completed this mission. The Spanish Defense Ministry is also preparing to withdraw soldiers from Afghanistan by the end of this year or the beginning of 2021, before the 14-month deadline for complete withdrawal of US and allied forces comes to an end, as set out in the deal struck between the United States and the Taliban. Since February 2015, when the Spanish flag was first raised at Gran Capitan, Spanish troops have trained 17 brigades of the Iraqi Army and 10 brigades of the Iraqi Federal Police more than 50,000 people in total. During a videoconference to mark Armed Forces Day on Saturday, the head of the Spanish contingent in Iraq, Colonel Cesar Garcia del Castillo, told Spains King Felipe VI that the mission had completed several phases and that the Iraqi Armed Forces are getting better every day in their level of training and are approaching the definitive defeat of Daesh, in reference to the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). King Felipe VI of Spain, who visited the Bismayah base in January 2019, congratulated the colonel for the success achieved. Since February 2015, Spanish troops have trained more than 50,000 army troops and police officers in Iraq Training of Iraqi security forces was interrupted on January 3, after the Iranian General Qasem Suleimani was assassinated by a US drone. The Gran Capitan base, as well as others belonging to the international coalition in Iraq, was attacked in retaliation in mid-March. But no Spanish soldiers were injured in the rocket offense, which was organized by a local Shiite military group with ties to Tehran. The spread of the coronavirus across Iraq prevented the base from continuing the training program, which led Spain to temporarily withdraw 200 soldiers. Military sources say that the base has completed its mission and that a new Spanish contingent will be sent to Iraq to collect material from the site and prepare to return the facility to Iraqi authorities. Spains Task Force Toro will continue to operate in Iraq after troops are withdrawn from the Bismayah base, which is 45 kilometers southeast of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. This group is made up of 80 members of the armys airborne force Famet, which operates three Chinook helicopters and three Cougar transportation helicopters at the Taji base, located 30 kilometers from Baghdad. Spain will also continue to have special operatives to train and assist Iraqi security forces in Baghdad and Al Taqaddum, with 40 and 70 troops at each site respectively. The three Chinook helicopters will have to return to Spain to be upgraded, meaning that Spain will have fewer than 200 troops in Iraq, a little more than one-third of the force at the beginning of the year. Spain had been willing to transfer its troops from the US-led Operation Inherent Resolve to NATOs Mission Irak (NM-I) to support and stabilize the Iraqi government. But the mission, which already has a handful of Spanish troops, has pushed back its ground deployment, and Spain has decided to withdraw most of its troops from Iraq and postpone further contributions to the allied operation to a future date. Afghanistan The Defense Ministry is also preparing to withdraw Spanish troops from the NATO mission in Afghanistan by the end of this year or in early 2021. This would not be a unilateral withdrawal given that Spain is following the together we arrive, together we leave principle as agreed to by the 39 countries taking part in Operation Resolute Support. However, the deal struck between the United States and the Taliban on February 29 sets out a 14-month deadline for the withdrawal of all foreign troops. In other words, a complete withdrawal by May 2021. Logically, we are not going to wait until the last moment, explained sources consulted by EL PAIS. The first Spanish soldiers arrived in Afghanistan 18 years ago, in January 2002. This mission has suffered the highest number of armed forces casualties, including the 62 victims on UM Airlines Flight 4230, known popularly as the Yak-42, which crashed in 2003 in Turkey, killing all passengers and crew on board. The work of Spanish troops in training Afghan security forces was interrupted weeks ago by the coronavirus crisis, which led Spain to temporarily withdraw half of its 65 troops. Now the Defense Ministry is planning a complete and definitive exit from Afghanistan. English version by Melissa Kitson. Register for Parishka Pe Charcha 2022: Here are the steps to apply CISCE permits Class 10, 12 students to change exam centre India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 01: The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has allowed students to appear for the pending board exams from the city they are in at present and has also given an option to candidates to take up the exam later during compartmental tests, according to officials. The exams, which were postponed in view of a nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19, have been scheduled from July 1 to 14. HRD to come up with announcement for students who are not in same district of board exam centre Cabinet meet: 'Big decisions' expected as govt completes 1st year of 2nd term| Oneindia News However, many students have moved to different locations after the lockdown came into effect on March 25. "We have received requests from schools and parents for a change in the candidate's exam centre. To ensure that students who are not present in the district where their school is located, the candidates have been allowed to appear for the remaining examinations from an exam centre located in a CISCE affiliated school in the location they are in," said Gerry Arathoon, chief executive and secretary, CISCE. Students who are unable to appear for the remaining exams due to COVID-19 will be permitted to take the exams at the time of conduct if compartmental exams, he added. The students have been asked to make request for change in the exam centre by June 7 with their respective schools. The Council has also asked schools to ensure social distancing is followed and directed candidates to carry hand sanitisers and wear face masks. Unlike the CBSE, which will conduct the pending exams in only 29 subjects crucial for promotion and admission to higher educational institutions, the CISCE will hold all pending exams. The pending Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams are scheduled from July 1 to 15. Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16 when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as part of a slew of measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. Later, the government announced a nationwide lockdown which began on March 25. The lockdown was initially imposed for a 21-day period till April 14. However, it has been extended thrice. The current phase of the lockdown will last till May 31. The schedule for the board exams has been decided in order to ensure that they are completed before competitive examinations. While engineering entrance exam JEE-Mains is scheduled to be held from July 18 to July 23, medical entrance exam NEET is scheduled for July 26. A recent report estimates an additional 1.4 million people may die from tuberculosis (TB). This is primarily due to global attention currently riveted on the coronavirus pandemic, while major killers like TB are in danger of being ignored at least for some time. The study, "The potential impact of the COVID-19 response on tuberculosis in high-burden countries: a modelling analysis," was developed by the Stop TB Partnership in collaboration with Imperial College London, Avenir Health, Johns Hopkins University and USAID. The modelling makes for alarming reading in regard to the overall impact of COVID-19, the sheer numbers of people who will die from TB, and the massive setback this will impose on TB care as a result of the current viral fixation. The finding shows that, while stringent responses against the coronavirus may only last for months, they will have a lasting impact on TB diagnosis and treatment. "Globally, a three-month lockdown and a protracted 10-month restoration could lead to an additional 6.3 million cases of TB between 2020 and 2025, and an additional 1.4 million TB deaths," the report states. It further says that global TB incidence and deaths in 2021 would increase to levels last seen between 2013 and 2016 respectively, which will be a setback of at least five to eight years in the fight against TB. These are only some of the possible results of the current trends, while the long-term outcomes can be strongly influenced by the pace of short-term recovery and restoring the focus on TB. The report recommends that to recover the gains made over recent years in the fight against TB, it is important to put in place supplementary measures and resources to reduce the accumulated pool of people with undetected TB. "Such measures may include ramped-up active case-finding, alongside intensive community engagement and contact tracing to maintain awareness of the importance of recognizing and responding to symptoms suggestive of TB, using digital technology and other tools," the report says. However, it should also be stressed that it only highlights the dreadful consequences of COVID-19 vis-a-vis just one disease. Taken together, the pandemic has devastated global healthcare and the number of people dying from preventable diseases should be just as high. One media report noted a sharp 50% decline in emergency calls by heart disease sufferers in England in March and April. The only plausible reason is that people are afraid of going to hospitals, or believe that the stretched healthcare is not in a position to provide help. In several countries, including Pakistan, outpatient departments at public sector hospital have been closed to spare staff for dealing with the increasing flow of COVID-19 patients. Thousands with a range of minor to serious ailments have suffered in the past months. The number of fatalities is not known, but it is imagined to be quite high. The setbacks in the cure of TB need special attention as the disease is one of the major killers. Globally, it is one of the top 10 causes of death. A total of 1.5 million people died from the disease in 2018. And yet it is curable; according to WHO, between 2000 and 2018, an estimated 58 million lives were saved through diagnosis and treatment. After efforts of several years, the world has been slowly moving towards greatly reducing the morbidity rate and finally controlling it by 2030 as part of SDG Target 3.3. The End TB Strategy defines milestones for 2020 and 2025. According to WHO, the milestones for 2020 are a 35% reduction in the number of TB deaths and a 20% reduction in the incidence rate. It also includes a 2020 milestone that no TB patients and their households face catastrophic costs as a result of TB disease. The United Nations, in its first-ever high-level meeting of leaders on TB held on September 26, 2018, issued a political declaration pledging to mobilize at least $13 billion annually for universal access to TB diagnosis and treatment by 2022, and also at least $2 billion annually for TB research. However, all this progress may have come to a halt. Now, the global economy is reeling from lockdown and maximum existing financial and human resources are committed to stopping COVID-19. It is time for experts and leaders to sit back and ponder how we can keep other diseases in crosshairs while dealing with COVID-19 crisis. Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn. Early exposure to anaesthetics may make adolescents more prone to developing alcohol use disorder (AUD), according to a recent research. The study led by researchers from Binghamton University, State University of New York was published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. David Werner, associate professor of psychology, and Linda Spear, distinguished professor of psychology, led a team of Binghamton University researchers in examining whether exposure to anaesthetics during adolescence could affect a persons response to alcohol in adulthood, especially the development of AUD. Anaesthetics are commonly used drugs in the healthcare field and are often administered to children to induce unconsciousness and immobility during surgeries. Researchers discovered that anaesthetic exposure during adolescence may be an environmental risk factor that leads to an increased susceptibility to developing AUD later in life. Although not all adolescents who drink alcohol develop AUDs, Werner said its important to identify risk factors that contribute to an increased susceptibility to alcohol abuse. This is highly concerning. Given that although the age of initiation and subsequent bingeing during adolescence is linked to alcoholism later in life, apart from stress, it was not clear what other environmental factors may play a role. This study now highlights a previously overlooked contributor, Werner said. To test this, researchers exposed early-adolescent male rats to isoflurane, a general anaesthetic, in short durations and tested them on various alcohol-induced behaviours later in adolescence or adulthood. The team found that exposure to anaesthetics in adolescence had extremely similar behavioural and neural effects as adolescent chronic alcohol exposure. During their study, the adolescent rats exposed to isoflurane had a decreased sensitivity to the negative effects of alcohol, such as its aversive, sedative and socially suppressive effects. These rats also showed an increase in voluntary alcohol consumption and cognitive impairment, and certain behaviours continued into adulthood after their initial anaesthetic exposure. These results further suggest that exposure to anaesthetics during adolescence, while in some cases is necessary, may have unintended consequences that incubate over time. Apart from infancy to early childhood, adolescence can be considered the most critical developmental stage following birth, Werner said. Given that adolescence is a time period that most often coincides with initial exposure to drugs of abuse, primarily alcohol, we initially performed a retrospective analysis of alcohol responding to our previous data with regard to adolescents that had experienced a surgical event, Werner added. Werner further said: Noting a potential difference, we then wanted to empirically test whether or not the relationship between adolescent anaesthetic exposure and behaviours linked to alcohol use disorder susceptibility. Although the use of anaesthetics is vital for certain surgeries and cant be avoided, Werner said its important to know the drugs potential effects. Above all, anaesthetics are necessary - which obviously is why they are rightfully included in the essential medicines by the World Health Organization. In the event that the health condition of children and adolescents necessitates an operative procedure, then these should absolutely be used, Werner said. That being said, we hope that this work can be used to inform people, especially younger individuals considering elective procedures that could be delayed into adulthood such as plastic surgery or weight loss procedures, as well as potentially leading to additional screening diagnostics to help identify individuals who may have greater drug use disorder susceptibility, Werner added. Werner plans to continue research on this topic and hopes to examine whether the effects from anaesthetics are similar to other substances, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms in the brain and individual differences. (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 PLA expands high-altitude arsenal to address border threat Global Times By Liu Xuanzun Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/31 18:28:41 Since the Doklam standoff with India in 2017, the Chinese military has expanded its arsenal with weapons like the Type 15 tank, Z-20 helicopter and GJ-2 drone that should give China the advantage in high-altitude conflicts should they arise, Chinese analysts said on Sunday. China's Type 15 tank made its public debut at the National Day military parade on October 1 last year. With a powerful engine, the Type 15 lightweight main battle tank can effectively operate in plateau regions difficult for heavier tanks, and with its advanced fire control systems and 105 millimeter caliber armor-piercing main gun, it can outgun any other light armored vehicles at high elevations, the experts told the Global Times on Sunday. China's most advanced vehicle-mounted howitzer, the PCL-181, also debuted at the parade. At 25 tons, the PCL-181 is lighter, faster and can endure longer than the previous 40-ton self-propelled howitzer on crawler tracks. It can digitally deploy its gun at the press of a button, with automatic calibration and semi-automatic reloading. Both the Type 15 tank and the PCL-181 howitzer were displayed in the high-elevation plateau region of Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region in a China Central Television report on military exercises in January. Another new weapon which debuted at the parade was a multiple-rocket launcher system, which uses an 8x8 wheeled high-mobility chassis and carries two sets of four 370-millimeter rockets, making it viable for high-altitude deployment, according to publicly available reports. In the air, China unveiled the Z-20 utility helicopter at the parade. This medium-lift helicopter can adapt to all kinds of terrain and weather and can be used on missions including personnel and cargo transport, search and rescue and reconnaissance. The Z-20 can operate in oxygen-depleted plateaus thanks to its powerful homemade engine, Chen Guang, vice general manager of Avicopter, the helicopter branch of Aviation Industry Corporation of China that developed the helicopter, told the Global Times previously. Joining the Z-20 is the modified Z-8G large transport helicopter displayed at the Fifth China Helicopter Exposition held in Tianjin in October. Focusing on plateau operations, the Z-8G is the first of its kind in China and can take off from 4,500 meters above sea level with a ceiling higher than 6,000 meters. At Airshow China 2018, the Chinese Air Force unveiled the GJ-2 armed reconnaissance drone, which has a higher ceiling and can carry more payload than the previous GJ-1. Reports said it can be used to patrol the long border in high-altitude areas like Tibet. These specially designed weapons have boosted the Chinese military's combat capabilities in high-altitude regions, enabling it to better safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Chinese analysts said. Border incidents have recently occurred between troops of China and India. Chinese border defense troops have bolstered border control measures and made necessary moves in response to India's recent, illegal construction of defense facilities across the border into Chinese territory in the Galwan Valley region in May. Indian media reports said China recently deployed 5,000 more troops to the border area with India, and diplomats of the two countries have started talks on a peaceful resolution. Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Ren Guoqiang said Friday at a regular press conference that the Chinese border defense troops are devoted to safeguarding peace and stability in the border regions and that the overall situation along China-India border was stable and under control. The two countries are capable of resolving border issues through dialogue and negotiations, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address LONDON, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Bank will provide the Commonwealth of Dominica with a concessional loan worth US$13 million. Its purpose is to improve the overall regional air connectivity and upgrade the airport infrastructure to safely accommodate for diverted flights and other emergencies. The island has been planning on building its first international airport, putting millions aside every month for this from its reputable Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme. Dominica is one of the four countries benefiting from the World Bank's first financing of Caribbean airport projects, along with Grenada, St Lucia and Haiti. Sourced from the International Development Association, the support for Dominica has generous terms such as a 40-year maturity date and a 10-year grace period. "In Dominica, the project aims to improve safety and airport resilience readiness to natural disasters, and to strengthen the capacity of agencies handling air transportation operations and airport investment planning," cites a World Bank press release issued on May 28th. "Navigation and safety equipment will be improved, enabling emergency landing in case of natural disasters and increasing capacity in air traffic control, wildlife management, airport management and planning," the source specifies. The World Bank's Country Director for the Caribbean, Ms Tahseen Sayed, says that these financing projects would also support the islands during the post-pandemic recovery stage. Moreover, Ms Sayed believes that this enhances "the overall resilience of key connection points in the Eastern Caribbean." The institution further explains that the projects "will enable countries to better accommodate diverted flights, emergency landings, and post-disaster relief flights, and improve regional capacity and collaboration in the sector." Dominica takes a different approach to tourism compared to most of its neighbours. Commonly known as the Nature Isle of the Caribbean, the country is emerging as a rare ecotourism paradise. Focusing on the quality of the visitors rather than the quantity, Dominica takes sustainability, climate resilience and nature immersion to a new level. Nature lovers with a globally-minded entrepreneurial spirit have the option to permanently live, work and study in Dominica by becoming 'economic citizens'. This is possible through the Citizenship by Investment Programme, whereby a thoroughly vetted applicant can obtain second citizenship by either contributing US$100,000 to the government's Economic Diversification Fund or investing at least US$200,000 in pre-approved luxury and sustainable resorts. To date, Dominica stands as the best country for citizenship by investment, according to the prestigious CBI Index, published annually by the Financial Times' PWM magazine. Importantly, it uses the CBI funds to modernise the country's infrastructure, develop breathtaking eco-conscious hotels, build a geothermal plant and 5,000 hurricane-proof homes, save up for an international airport, improve healthcare, and many other transformative projects. Ultimately, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit wants Dominica to become 'the world's first climate-resilient nation'. A model for building climate resilience, Dominica strongly believes in the idea of a 'global community', which is also what guides its CBI Programme. Reputable foreign investors are encouraged to join. [email protected], www.csglobalpartners.com SOURCE CS Global Partners Kamtim, 100, sits in her living room with her daughter-in-law Siti Aminah in Surabaya, East Java after recovering from coronavirus AFP/Juni Kriswanto Kamtim, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, was discharged from hospital this week after a month of treatment in her hometown Surabaya, Indonesia's second-biggest city, officials said. East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said she hoped Kamtim's story would give a boost to at-risk residents - the illness is especially dangerous for older people and those with chronic conditions. "I hope her recovery can motivate elderly people during the pandemic," Parawansa added. Born in 1920, Kamtim was taken to hospital last month after showing symptoms and she was later confirmed to have contracted the virus. Siti Aminah, the woman's daughter-in-law, chalked up her recovery to "discipline and persistence". "Every day I checked her condition with nurses and they always told me that she was very strong and diligent about taking her medicine," Aminah told AFP. "She was very motivated to get better." It was not clear how the home-bound woman contracted the virus. "She probably got it when people from the neighbourhood came around to visit since she never goes outside," Aminah said. Indonesia has confirmed more than 26,000 cases of coronavirus and 1,613 deaths. But the sprawling Southeast Asian archipelago of more than 260 million has among the lowest testing rates in the world. Researchers estimate the true number of virus infections and fatalities is several times the official toll. Nicola Sturgeon's government has been accused of manipulating a loophole in the Treasury's coronavirus furlough scheme to divert cash to public sector workers in Scotland. Hundreds of people working for arts organisations have been taken out of work on the programme after the SNP administration encouraged 'cultural organisations' to bid for cash. Historic Environment Scotland and Sportscotland are among those which have furloughed workers despite receiving millions in state grants to part-fund their activities. The Scottish government defended the move, with a spokesman saying the Job Retention Scheme was 'open to public bodies in Scotland and across the UK where public funding only forms part of their income stream and where they have experienced a reduction in other funding', according to the Telegraph. But The Scottish Conservatives' shadow finance secretary Donald Cameron said public bodies accessing the scheme were 'clearly acting against the spirit and the letter of the scheme'. Historic Environment Scotland said it had furloughed 900 staff, 61 per cent of its work force, after being forced to close its attractions. They include Edinburgh Castle, which attracts thousands of visitors and hosts the annual Tattoo military extravaganza (pictured) Hundreds of people working for arts organisations have been taken out of work on the programme after Nicola Sturgeon's (left) SNP administration encouraged 'cultural organisations' to bid for cash. Scottish Conservatives' finance spokesman Donald Cameron (right) said public bodies accessing the scheme were 'clearly acting against the spirit and the letter of the scheme' 'While any business suffering a financial loss as a result of the crisis has every right to apply for this kind of support, those accessing funds they don't need must think twice, given that it will simply increase the cost to taxpayers and slow down our future economic recovery,' he said. 'It would be extremely serious if there is evidence to show that the Scottish Government might be encouraging any sort of ''double dipping'' that is contrary to the rules of the furlough scheme.' The furlough scheme is set to pay out more than 100billion to ensure UK businesses do not lay off workers. Its rules state that it cannot be used by organisations which receive public money to pay staff. But the Scottish Government, in advice to organisations seen by the Telegraph, says that its grants 'usually support activities and outcomes rather than specific staff costs', adding: 'We encourage all cultural organisations to consider whether an application to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme would be a way to mitigate some of the challenges.' Historic Environment Scotland said it had furloughed 900 staff, 61 per cent of its work force, after being forced to close its attractions. They include Edinburgh Castle, which attracts thousands of visitors and hosts the annual Tattoo military extravaganza. A spokeswoman said: 'HES is a Non Department Public Body (NDPB) with charitable status and a large percentage of our funding is sourced through visitor revenue at historic attractions which have been closed since March 18. 'HES has worked in partnership with our Trade Union Alliance to develop our application of the UK Government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which as a NDPB, is accessible to us. 'We are continuing to review the situation, as the Scottish Government continues to set out its plans following the announcement of its phased route-map, and as part of our resumption planning for restarting operations when it is safe and right to do so.' WebPresented is excited to announce that Trent Thompson has joined the company, assuming the role of Vice President, Sales & Marketing as of March 2020. Trent comes to WebPresented with 20 years of individual sales and sales leadership experience. Most recently, Trent spent the last four years in the same capacity at Tour de Force. James Gerdes, President of WebPresented, shares, We are delighted to welcome Trent Thompson as the newest member of our Executive team. Trent adds phenomenal talent, integrity, creativity and experience to the organization. Most importantly, Trent understands what it takes to deliver customer success. James continues, he sets the highest standards for himself and those around him. As WebPresented continues to deliver best-of-breed technology and services to our customers, Trent is a critical component in our continued growth. Prior to his time at Tour de Force, Trent spent several years in the financial industry, with a focus in retail and commercial banking. Trent graduated from the University of Toledo with a Bachelors Degree in Business. Trent lives in Perrysburg, Ohio with his wife Summer and their two children, Luxe and Liam. Trent Thompson shares, "I am ecstatic to be a part of the WebPresented family. The WebPresented culture promotes excellence, idea generation and putting the customer at the center of what we do. In my experience, I have found that distributors are struggling to pull together disparate data. They are in need of creating automation, ensuring proper and expedited movement through their sales cycle. Distributors are looking for partners who understand their business and are a value-added resource. Finally, they are looking for easy. WebPresented hits the mark on all these areas. This is why I am excited about joining this team! WebPresented is a software company that provides Customer Relationship Management (CRM) for hundreds of Wholesale Distributers. WebPresenteds flagship product, WPCRM, syncs data from customers ERP systems and delivers it back to sales reps as actionable intel. More than 20,000 Sales Professionals rely on WPCRM every day to increase revenues, improve efficiency, and collaborate with team members. Based in Columbus, OH, WebPresented has been providing technology solutions for Wholesale Distributors for over 12 years. Learn more at https://www.webpresented.com or reach out to sales@webpresented.com for more information. Thailand reports 4 new coronavirus cases, no new deaths Saudi Press Agency Sunday 1441/10/8 - 2020/05/31 Bangkok, May 31, 2020, SPA -- Thailand reported four new coronavirus cases on Sunday and no new deaths, taking the total number of infections to 3,081 with 57 deaths since January, Reuters reported. Local infections have slowed and over the last two weeks, around 80% of new cases were Thais who had returned from abroad, said Panprapa Yongtrakul, a spokesperson for the government's Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration. Thailand will on Monday begin reopening more businesses classified as medium to high risks, including cinemas and gyms. --SPA 12:06 LOCAL TIME 09:06 GMT 0009 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address HAYWARD (BCN) Hayward police shot a male suspect after responding to alleged looting at a CVS store early Monday morning. Officers responded around 4 a.m. to a call for service about looting at the CVS store at Harder Road and Mission Boulevard. Police said "officers discharged their service weapon" but did not elaborate on what preceded the shooting. The male was taken to a hospital to be treated for minor injuries and has since been released from medical care and is in custody, according to police. Three others are also in custody in connection with the looting. No officers were injured. ALSO: San Francisco police report 80 arrests, looting and trash fires Widespread looting was reported around the Bay Area on Sunday amid demonstrations following the death of unarmed black man George Floyd under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer on Memorial Day last week. The shooting is being investigated by the Police Department and the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective Purnell at (510) 293-7176. 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. By Tong Kim U.S. President Trump's May 29 decision to revoke U.S. preferential treatment of Hong Kong following China's national security legislation for the city of "one country with two systems" confirms the beginning of a fierce Cold War between the two most powerful nations in the world. Washington is also withdrawing from the World Health Organization, which Trump has said was "China-centric" and incompetent in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. China says these measures will backfire to hurt the United States. This turn of events coincides with the pandemic tragedy and the race-related protests that started in Minnesota and quickly spread across the United States. America seems to be back in the Nixon era, fighting in the swamps of Vietnam, with domestic protests against war and civil rights marches. As Trump believes China bashing is helpful to his campaign, and as China is unlikely to back down, there will be no mitigation in the bilateral confrontation, at least until after the November election in America. It may be nerve wracking for South Korea to watch escalating clashes between Washington and Beijing. The points of contention are quadruple: coronavirus, trade, Communist dictatorship and Hong Kong. Attacking China on all four fronts may obscure the epicenter of China's vulnerability. Trump is blunt in rhetoric but his actions are measured to protect the U.S. economy. The new Cold War setting between China and the U.S. puts South Korea in a delicate position. China is Seoul's largest export market for $136.2 billion and the U.S., Seoul's second largest with $73.6 billion and a treaty ally providing a deterrent against the nuclear North. President Moon Jae-in is still waiting for Xi Jinping's visit to Korea this year. Without China's cooperation, it will be more difficult to denuclearize North Korea. So far, Seoul has resisted pressures to choose a side between the two competitors. However, as the competition intensifies, Seoul is likely to find it more difficult to exercise an acrobatic diplomacy of parallel balancing. It may have to opt for an independent position depending on the issue. North Korea, still the top priority of concerns in Seoul, keeps shunning the South. It rejects Seoul's continuing offers of assistance in medical and economic cooperation, even after the Moon government announced that it would not apply the May 24 restrictions on inter-Korean relations, imposed after the sinking of the ROK Navy ship Cheonan in 2010. The North demands complete decoupling of South Korea from U.S. policy on North Korea, something unthinkable for Seoul at the moment. On May 24, the KCNA reported that Kim Jong-un had held the Fourth Enlarged Meeting of the Seventh Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party. The thrust of the report was taken out of context by media in the West, by focusing on Kim's "new policies for further increasing the nuclear war deterrence of the country and putting the strategic armed forces on a high alert operation in line." At the meeting, Ri Pyong-chol, the man in charge of nuclear and missile development at the Party, was promoted to vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission. A scrutiny of the report shows Kim's firm control of the military. Kim also elevated the KPA's general chief of staff Pak Jong-chon to vice marshal. To boost the military's morale, Kim promoted dozens of general officers to their next grade of rank at the same time. The meeting was more about internal discipline, personnel actions, training and indoctrination, and reorganization. At this point, North Korea seems unlikely to cross the presumptive red line of exploding a new nuclear test or launching an improved ICBM. But, we know the North continues to develop its nuclear arsenal and improve its conventional firepower. The rationale for North Korea's strategic deterrence remains unchanged: to survive. This will not change until a comprehensive nuclear deal is worked out in the future. A majority of South Koreans supports their alliance with the U.S. and the U.S. provision of a nuclear umbrella. They would prefer a continued U.S. military presence. However, they would not support the idea of using troop reduction or withdrawal, gradual or not, as a bargaining chip for nuclear negotiations. For decades, the U.S. and South Korea have maintained that any disposition of U.S. troops in Korea is a matter to be determined by the signatories of the U.S.-ROK defense treaty. Without an extensive threat reduction from the North, or a major reconfiguration of power dynamics in the region, the people in the South know they are stuck with the alliance. Moreover, things will evolve for better or worse. Every country should work to serve their common interest in peace and prosperity. ) is a visiting professor with the University of North Korean Studies, a visiting scholar with Korea University, a fellow at the Institute of Corean-American Studies, and a columnist for The Korea Times. Tong Kim ( tong.kim8@yahoo.com The Congress on Monday asked the government to take political parties, country into confidence over restoration of the status quo ante on the border with China in Ladakh. At a press conference, Congress spokesperson Randep Surjewala also asked the government to come clean on the actual position in Ladakh on reports of Chinese intrusion across the Line of Actual Control (LAC). While Government has briefly commented upon resolving the crisis diplomatically, Modi Government must take all political parties and the country into confidence on restoring the status quo ante and protecting Indias territorial integrity, Surjewala said. Surjewala said there can be no compromise on Indias security and territorial integrity and posed a set of questions to the government on the situation at the border in Ladakh. He questioned the silence of the government on the brazen Chinese transgression into Indian territory. Why did the Modi government not share the details of the situation with the country and the people on the situation of Line of Actual Control? ,Surjewala asked. For the past three weeks, Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in a stand-off in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh. It has turned out to be the biggest confrontation between the two countries after the Doklam episode in 2017. On Sunday, the Indian Army dismissed a video purportedly showing a clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in eastern Ladakh describing it as malafide. The two-and-a-half minute long video ostensibly shows a brawl between Indian and Chinese troops on the banks of Pangong Tso (lake). The Congress leader also expressed concern over issues raised by Nepal and hoped the government would find a lasting solution to it. Vanessa Bryant is encouraging fans to "fight for change" as people throughout the country take to the streets to protest the wrongful killing of George Floyd. On Saturday, 38-year-old shared an empowering message alongside a photo of the late Los Angeles Lakers legend, Kobe Bryant, wearing an "I Can't Breathe" shirt, which was taken in 2014. At the time, Kobe wore the shirt to protest the death of Eric Garner, a Black man who was killed in New York in July 2014 after a police officer placed him in a choke-hold. Garner's last words were "I can't breathe." "My husband wore this shirt years ago and yet here we are again #ICANTBREATHE," Vanessa wrote on Instagram, detailing the parallel between the killing of Garner and Floyd. "Life is so fragile. Life is so unpredictable. Life is too short. Let's share and embrace the beautiful qualities and similarities we all share as people." Selena Gomez, Harry Styles and More Speak Out in Response to George Floyd's Death Floyd, who was 46-years-old, died after a white police officer held him down by the neck with his knee for over seven minutes. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has since been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. "Drive out hate," Vanessa continued. "Teach respect and love for all at home and school. Spread LOVE. Fight for changeregister to VOTE. Do not use innocent lives lost as an excuse to loot. BE AN EXAMPLE OF THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE. #BLACKLIVESMATTER." Following the deaths of Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and countless otherscelebrities are using their platforms, influence and resources to speak out about police brutality, racism, white privilege in America and the systemic oppression the Black community face. On Saturday, Chrissy Teigen committed to donating $200,000 to bail out protestors across the country. Other celebrities who also publicized their donations were Steve Carell, Seth Rogan, Kehlani and many more. Celebrities including Jamie Foxx, Porsha Williams, Kendrick Sampson, Halsey and many others also took to the streets in Los Angeles and Atlanta to protest in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Pope Francis has warned that people are more important than the economy, as countries decide how quickly to reopen their countries from coronavirus lockdowns. He made his comments, departing from a prepared script, at the first noon address from his window overlooking St Peter's Square in three months as Italy's lockdown drew to an end. "Healing people, not saving (money) to help the economy (is important), healing people, who are more important than the economy," Francis said. "We people are temples of the holy spirit, the economy is not." The Pope's words were met with applause by hundreds of people in the square, many of whom wore masks and kept several metres from each other. The square was reopened last Monday. Normally tens of thousands attend on a Sunday. The last time the Pope delivered his message and blessing from the window was March 1, before Italy, where more than 33,000 people have died from the virus, imposed a lockdown. The last restrictions will be lifted on Wednesday. Hope Francis led the crowd in silent prayer for medical workers who lost their lives by helping others. He said he hoped the world would come out of the crisis more united, rather than divided. "People do not come out of a crisis like this the same as before. We will come out either better or worse than before. Let's have the courage to emerge better than before in order to build the post-crisis period of the pandemic positively," he said. He also cautioned against pessimism as many people lament that nothing will ever be the same. The Pope noted people now had a tendency to say "nothing will return as before". That kind of thinking, the Pope said, guaranteed that "the one thing that certainly does not return is hope". "In this pandemic, how wrong narcissism is," Pope Francis said, lamenting "the tendency to think only of our needs, to be indifferent to those of others, and to not admit our own frailties and mistakes". Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 13:33:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The United States has delivered 2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine to Brazil, the two governments announced on Sunday, days after the World Health Organization (WHO) halted the anti-malaria drug's clinical trials over safety concerns. "The United States will also soon be sending 1,000 ventilators to Brazil," added a joint statement released by the White House. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said recently that a clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine on COVID-19 patients came to "a temporary pause" while the safety data is reviewed by the Data Safety Monitoring Board. The medical journal The Lancet has published an observational study on hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, in which the authors of the study reported that among patients receiving either of the drugs, when used alone or with a macrolide, they estimated a higher mortality rate. Enditem Photograph: John Minchillo/AP Even as all US states continue further phased reopening of businesses and social movement amid the coronavirus pandemic, governors, mayors and public health officials across the US are raising fears of a surge in cases of Covid-19 arising from escalating protests over the death of George Floyd. Related: Coronavirus live news: US sends Brazil 2m doses of hydroxychloroquine, despite safety fears Floyd, 46, died in Minneapolis a week ago, on Memorial Day, during an arrest by four police officers. The killing focused a fierce light on police brutality towards African Americans, and stoked protest and violence in most major cities. According to figures from Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, the US has seen nearly 1.8m infections and surpassed 105,000 deaths in the Covid-19 pandemic. In a country that does not have universal healthcare, the crisis has disproportionately affected minorities, particularly those who live in crowded urban areas. Images of demonstrators in close proximity, many without masks, have therefore alarmed leaders to the point where some are pleading with those on the streets to protest the right way, in order to better protect themselves. On Monday, New Yorks governor, Andrew Cuomo, expressed concern about super spreaders in the crowds of protesters seen across the state, but especially among throngs in New York City. New York Citys mayor, Bill de Blasio, also urged protesters to maintain social distancing and wear masks. Obviously we dont want people in close proximity to each other, we dont want people out there where they might catch this disease or spread this disease, he said. Police outside the White House fired teargas at protesters on Monday evening while Donald Trump was holding a press conference inside. Substances such as teargas make people cough, which can spread viruses more easily. Im concerned that we had mass gatherings on our streets when we just lifted a stay-at-home order and what that could mean for spikes in coronavirus cases later, Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington DC, had said on Sunday. Story continues Related: Fire, pestilence and a country at war with itself: the Trump presidency is over | Robert Reich Im so concerned about it that Im urging everybody to consider their exposure, if they need to isolate from their family members when they go home and if they need to be tested because we have worked very hard to blunt the curve. Bowser said protests in her city, which has seen violence several days in a row at the White House and other areas, were a mixed bag. While I saw some people with masks last night, others didnt, she said. I saw some people social distancing, other people were right on top of each other. So we dont want to compound this deadly virus and the impact its had on our community. Weve been working hard to not have mass gatherings. As a nation, we have to be concerned about rebound. Bowsers message was echoed by Larry Hogan, the governor of Maryland, and by Keisha Lance-Bottoms, the mayor of Atlanta, who said she was extremely concerned about Covid-19 spreading, and that protests had distracted her from dealing with the pandemic. On Saturday, Bottoms said at a press conference: If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a Covid test this week. On Sunday, she told CNNs State of the Union: I realised that I hadnt looked at our coronavirus numbers in two days. And thats frightening, because its a pandemic, and people of color are getting hit harder. We know whats already happening in our community with this virus. Were going to see the other side of this in a couple of weeks. According to the Georgia health department, more African Americans have contracted Covid-19 in the state than any other race. The question is: how do we do protesting safely? Dr Ashish Jha, the director of the global health institute at Harvards TH Chan school of public health, told CNN. I think masks are a critical part of it. In New York, De Blasio said he supported the publics right to demonstrate peacefully but added that the protests meant an uncertain future. You have all the frustrations about injustice, combined with the frustrations about the injustice within the pandemic, because the pandemic displayed immense disparity combined with the fact that people spent two months cooped up indoors, he said. We dont know what the summer brings. Dr Theodore Long, leading the citys contact tracing strategy, offered advice. We strongly encourage anybody who is out in the protests to wear a mask, practice proper hand hygiene and to the extent possible, socially distance, though we know thats not always going to be feasible, he said. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil prices turned in a relatively lackluster performance during trading on Monday before ending the session modestly lower. After spiking $1.78 to $35.49 a barrel last Friday, crude for July delivery edged down $0.05 to $35.44 a barrel on the day. The choppy trading on the day came as traders looked ahead to an upcoming meeting of the OPEC+ group as early as Thursday to discuss their output policy. Reuters reported that OPEC and Russia were moving closer to an agreement on extending current output cuts and were now discussing a proposal to rollover supply curbs for one to two months. Meanwhile, Beijing has warned Washington of retaliation after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States would ban some Chinese graduate students and start reversing Hong Kong's special status in customs and other areas. 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. Advertisement By Godwin Akor, Makurdi Leader of the observer team from various states, Professor Garba Ibrahim Shekau, today described the local government elections held in Bene state as peaceful. The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, KSIEC,Chairman told journalists after monitoring the election with observers from other states that the turn out was relatively low because of COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisement He said at the polling units he visited within Makurdi metropolis, voters observed social distancing and use of face masks, adding that the elections started as early as eight oclock in the morning. On his part. Chairman of the Benue State Inndependent Electoral Commission, BSIEC,, Mr Tersoo Loko, said considering the COVID-19 scare, the turn out of voters was impressive He said sensitive and non-sensitive materials were distributed early to the 23 local government areas, pointing out that security men escorted them to local government headquarters. According to him, adequate security was provided for the election The state Commissioner of Police, Mukadas Garba, , had disclosed that over 5,000 police men had been assigned to provide security for the local government elections of Saturday, May 30. Reports reaching 247ureports.com indicated that even as there was low turnout of voters, Saturdays local government elections were peacefully conducted across the state. State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, voted at Obagaji, headquarters of Agatu local government while Governor Samuel Ortom voted at Gbajimba, eadquarters of Guam local government area. 247ureports.com checks showed that Makurdi, the state capital was generally busy during the election because the monthly sanitation exercise was canceled to enable the people exercise their franchise under COVID-19 social distancing and other guidelines like use of face masks. Baltimore, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation today announced that Ambassador Fay Hartog-Levin (Ret.), who has served as a trustee of the Weinberg Foundation since 2016, has been elected as chair of the board for a three-year term beginning today. The Weinberg Foundations five trusteesAmbassador Fay Hartog-Levin (Ret.); Robert T. Kelly, Jr.; Paula B. Pretlow; Gordon Berlin; and Nimrod Goorare responsible for setting the policies that guide the Foundations investments and grantmaking. Grants are distributed primarily within the Foundations priority communities, all of which represent personal ties to the life and legacy of Harry Weinberg, as well as communities where trustees reside and provide leadership. The Foundations current assets total approximately $2.9 billion, and in 2020, the Foundation will provide approximately $130 million in grant activity supporting nonprofits, primarily in the US and Israel. It has been a privilege to serve as a trustee of the Weinberg Foundation, and I look forward to serving as the chair for the next three years, said Ambassador Fay Hartog-Levin (Ret.). Since my appointment as trustee four years ago, I have had the privilege of working to advance the mission and agenda of the Foundation as a whole, while also working specificallyin collaboration with our program teamto build a strong Foundation presence in my home of Chicago. Ambassador Hartog-Levin added, The pandemic and resulting economic crisis underscores the importance of the Foundations commitment to supporting individuals and families experiencing poverty, which has become even more critical at this unprecedented time. Ambassador Hartog-Levin succeeds Mr. Robert T. Kelly, Jr., who joined the Foundation in 2006 as a trustee and most recently served as the Foundations chair for a three-year term that concluded May 31, 2020. I am honored to have had the opportunity to serve as chair of the Weinberg Foundation for the last three years, said Robert T. Kelly, Jr., Trustee. As I continue to serve as a trustee, I will remain focused on prioritizing the Foundations asset growth as well as its philanthropic impact. I am confident that Ambassador Hartog-Levin will work successfully with the Board and staff to support the Foundations grantees and partners through this devastating pandemic and beyond. Foundation President and CEO Rachel Garbow Monroe remarked, I wish to personally acknowledge and thank Rob Kelly for his significant contributions as chair over the last three years, including helping to direct the growth of the Foundations investments and real estate holdings; the transition and successful selection of several new board members; and helping to guide the Foundations grant work to be even more strategic and focused. Monroe added, We congratulate Ambassador Hartog-Levin as she begins her three-year term, and we welcome her leadership to the Foundation on a range of important issues, including the Foundations emergency response to COVID-19 that has already exceeded $10.5 million in grant funding. Ambassador Hartog-Levin is a Distinguished Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. She was a lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School from 2013 to 2017. In addition, Ambassador Hartog-Levin was the 65th Ambassador of the United States of America to the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 2009 through 2011. Her parents were Dutch Jews who fled from the Netherlands to Suriname in 1942 and immigrated to the US in 1948, shortly before she was born. Ambassador Hartog-Levins prior professional roles include serving as a senior consultant at Res Publica Group, Vice President for External Affairs at the Field Museum, and a legal advisor to the Illinois State Board of Education. Her professional career includes 20 years in private practice representing primarily school boards, private and public colleges, and social service agencies. Ambassador Hartog-Levin is a graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Russian language and literature. She received her JD from Loyola University School of Law. Ambassador Hartog-Levin also holds an honorary LLM from Knox College. She resides in Winnetka, Illinois with her husband Daniel Levin, Chairman of The Habitat Company and CEO of East Bank Club. Ambassador Hartog-Levin has a daughter, a son, and three grandchildren. ### About The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation: The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private charitable foundations in the United States, is dedicated to meeting the basic needs of people experiencing poverty. In 2020, the Foundation will provide approximately $130 million in total grant activity supporting nonprofits that provide direct services in the areas of Housing, Health, Jobs, Education, and Community Services. The Foundations priority communities include Baltimore, Chicago, Hawaii, Israel, New York City, Northeastern Pennsylvania, San Francisco, and Rural Communities (primarily rural areas within proximity to priority communities). The Foundations trustees are Ambassador Fay Hartog-Levin (Ret.), Chair; Robert T. Kelly, Jr.; Paula B. Pretlow; Gordon Berlin; and Nimrod Goor. Rachel Garbow Monroe serves as President and CEO. For more information, please visit www.hjweinbergfoundation.org. Attachment Britain, France, and Germany have criticized a decision by the United States to end sanctions waivers for companies from countries that remain in the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. Radio Free Europe reports in its article Britain, France, Germany 'Regret' U.S. Decision To End Sanctions Waivers On Irans Nuclear Program that a joint May 30 statement from the three European powers said: "We deeply regret the U.S. decision to end the three waivers covering key JCPOA nuclear projects in Iran." The waivers were part of the landmark agreement signed with Tehran in 2015 that limited Iran's nuclear activities in return for lifting crippling economic sanctions. They allowed European, Chinese, and Russian companies to work on the conversion of a heavy-water reactor in Arak, a major industrial city in western Iran. "These projects, endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231, serve the nonproliferation interests of all and provide the international community with assurances of the exclusively peaceful and safe nature of Iranian nuclear activities." U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on May 27 that Iran's continued "nuclear brinkmanship" in 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. 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 crushing sanctions on Tehran. In response, Iran has breached several provisions of the JCPOA at the fringes, saying that it can reverse them if the United States comes back into compliance. Russia has also criticized the U.S. decision to end waivers, with Moscow claiming U.S. foreign policy was becoming "more dangerous and unpredictable". In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Musavi said the U.S. decision was a "flagrant violation of Resolution 2231 and the charter of the United Nations." He said Iran was ready to "take legal action and act appropriately" if the move harmed its nuclear rights, without elaborating. Iranian Atomic Energy Organization spokesman Behruz Kamalvandi said on May 28 that Washington's "desperate" decision was aimed at distracting attention from its "continued defeats at the hands of Iran. "Under the nuclear deal, this decision has no effect in practice and is simply more hype from the Americans," Kamalvandi was quoted as saying by Iranian media. The Trump administration also provided a 90-day extension for the waiver covering international activity at the Bushehr nuclear power plant to ensure the 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. WATERLOO REGION Kitchener residents who live with disabilities feel forgotten in the pandemic and say they are being denied financial aid to get them safely through it. Two have joined a national chorus now pleading with the federal government to dedicate financial assistance to people who are disabled. Its been a road to hell and back, said JoAnn Herald, sick with cancer and disabled by frail mental health. Herald lost her Kitchener apartment just before the pandemic struck when a landlord lawfully evicted her to renovate. Living on meagre government benefits, she has had to relocate to neighbouring Woodstock to find an apartment renting for less than $900. Her mental health diagnosis prevents her from sharing an apartment. It is not where I want to be. My network is in Kitchener. Thats my home, said Herald, 57, a former call centre worker who is on a waiting list for public housing in this region. It distresses her that while the federal government currently provides $2,000 a month in emergency pandemic cash for people who lose jobs, benefits are stuck at $1,362 or lower for people whose disabilities prevent them from working. Im appalled by it, said Herald, who feels like the government is punishing her for a disability she cant control. People like us are human beings. We deserve to be able to live a halfway decent life without having to wonder, can I eat today? she said. Arguing the same, more than 60 advocacy groups have penned an open letter asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to provide immediate financial support to people with disabilities. Many people on disability benefits live in severe poverty, the letter says. And while pandemic aid for others is welcome, people with disabilities are still waiting for help, and being left behind during the coronavirus pandemic. Kitcheners Roch Longueepee, disabled by his injured brain. agrees with most points the open letter makes. I don't agree that it is only some in the disabled community who are being left behind, he said. He hopes to keep his poor health from worsening. But he says he is struggling to secure timely care from a medical system that has set aside normal operations to prioritize COVID-19. Im fighting right now myself with the medical system, he said, citing delays to see experts, secure drugs and develop a treatment plan. The medical struggle helped sap his strength while he battles the University of Waterloo for admission. A court has ruled the school discriminated against him in rejecting him. Longueepees, 50, sees UWs behaviour as a clear sign of ableism in our society. The pandemic has drawn that out. He defines ableism as applying able-bodied standards to people who have disabilities. Ordered to reconsider his admission, UW appealed and is arguing before the Ontario Court of Appeal that it did not discriminate. The virtual hearing began Monday. Ontarios Human Rights Tribunal backed the university, saying it did not discriminate against Longueepee. This case, regardless of the outcome, poses very important questions about the duty to accommodate, Longueepee said. UW declined to comment on the case. The school rejected Longueepee in 2013, citing the D grade he achieved 14 years earlier at a different university where he dropped out before his injured brain was diagnosed. New Delhi, June 1 : The Border Road Organisation (BRO) has sought the railways' permission to operate special trains from Jharkhand to bring labourers for construction of major projects in Leh, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, J&K and Uttarakhand, bordering China. The request comes amid Jharkhand air-lifting 57 stranded labourers working for road projects in Leh and Kargil last week. A senior BRT officer told IANS, here on Monday, around 8,200 workers were required for projects in Ladakh and 2,500 for projects in J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Commander Kaushik Mitra of the BRTF under Project Vijayak told IANS, "We require around 8,200 labourers for construction of roads along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between Kargil and Leh districts." In normal situation, workers arrived on their own in April, but this time due to lockdown they couldn't come, he said and added, to facilitate their inductions, recruitment teams had been sent. "It's essential to let the pace of development of strategic infrastructure not get impeded," Mitra said and added, the BRO had taken the MHA's sanction and sent request to the railways. He said two projects of the BRT -- Vijayak and Himank -- were in in the Ladakh, one project in J&K (known as Beacon), one project each in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. To bring labourers, he said, "We tie up with the district administration". They are brought from Dumka and Deoghar districts in Jharkhand." The BRO teams reached Dumka and Deoghar districts on May 30 and were coordinating with the district administration and the railways, he said. "Before bringing them here, we take their consent," he said. According to railways officials, the trains will drop the migrant workers at Udhampur, from where they will be taken to Leh, Ladakh, Srinagar and Kargil areas. Similarly, for BRO projects in Himachal Pradesh, the labourers can be transported to Shimla and in Uttarakhand to the nearest railway stations. (Anand Singh can be contacted at annad.s@ians.in) SAO PAULO, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- EMBRAER S.A. (NYSE: ERJ; B3: EMBR3) releases its First Quarter Earnings Results. HIGHLIGHTS Embraer delivered five commercial jets and nine executive jets (five light / four large) in 1Q20, and the Company's firm order backlog at the end of 1Q20 was US$ 15.9 billion ; ; EBIT and EBITDA in 1Q20 as reported were US$ (46.9) million and US$ 9.3 million , respectively, yielding EBIT margin of -7.4% and EBITDA margin of 1.5%. This compares to EBIT of US$ (15.2) million (-1.8% EBIT margin) and EBITDA of US$ 30.9 million (3.8% EBITDA margin) in 1Q19. and , respectively, yielding EBIT margin of -7.4% and EBITDA margin of 1.5%. This compares to EBIT of (-1.8% EBIT margin) and EBITDA of (3.8% EBITDA margin) in 1Q19. The 1Q20 results include special items due to the impacts of COVID-19: 1) US$ 22.2 million in negative fair value changes on the Company's stake in Republic Airways Holdings, and 2) US$ 33.4 million in bad debt provisions on accounts receivables, as the Company adopted a more conservative approach in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic; in negative fair value changes on the Company's stake in Republic Airways Holdings, and 2) in bad debt provisions on accounts receivables, as the Company adopted a more conservative approach in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic; Adjusted EBIT and EBITDA were US$ 8.7 million and US$ 64.9 million , respectively, yielding adjusted EBIT margin of 1.4% and adjusted EBITDA margin of 10.2%; and , respectively, yielding adjusted EBIT margin of 1.4% and adjusted EBITDA margin of 10.2%; 1Q20 Net loss attributable to Embraer shareholders and Loss per ADS were US$ (292.0) million and US$ (1.59) , respectively. Adjusted net loss (excluding special items and deferred income tax and social contribution) for 1Q20 was US$ (104.0) million , with Adjusted loss per ADS of US$ (0.57) . The adjusted net loss in 1Q19 was US$ (61.8) million , for an adjusted loss per ADS of US$ (0.34) in the quarter; and , respectively. Adjusted net loss (excluding special items and deferred income tax and social contribution) for 1Q20 was , with Adjusted loss per ADS of . The adjusted net loss in 1Q19 was , for an adjusted loss per ADS of in the quarter; Embraer reported Free cash flow of US$ (676.5) million in 1Q20, in line with free cash flow of US$ (665.3) million reported in 1Q19, which is historically negative due to seasonal working capital consumption; in 1Q20, in line with free cash flow of reported in 1Q19, which is historically negative due to seasonal working capital consumption; Embraer's liquidity remains solid as the Company finished the quarter with total cash of US$ 2,500.6 million and major debt maturities starting in 2022 onwards. Total debt at the end of 1Q20 was US$ 3,832.2 million , yielding a net debt position of US$ 1,331.6 million versus net debt of US$ 1,103.7 million in 1Q19. Embraer continues to evaluate additional financing to further enhance its cash position; and major debt maturities starting in 2022 onwards. Total debt at the end of 1Q20 was , yielding a net debt position of versus net debt of in 1Q19. Embraer continues to evaluate additional financing to further enhance its cash position; Due to the uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic, financial and deliveries guidance for the Company's 2020 results remains suspended at this point. MAIN FINANCIAL INDICATORS in millions of U.S dollars, except % and earnings per share data 1Q19 4Q19 1Q20 Revenue 823.3 2,085.0 633.8 EBIT (15.2) (67.6) (46.9) EBIT margin % -1.8% -3.2% -7.4% Adjusted EBIT (15.2) 4.0 8.7 Adjusted EBIT margin % -1.8% 0.2% 1.4% EBITDA 30.9 (5.8) 9.3 EBITDA margin % 3.8% -0.3% 1.5% Adjusted EBITDA 30.9 65.8 64.9 Adjusted EBITDA margin % 3.8% 3.2% 10.2% Adjusted net income (Loss) (61.8) (93.4) (104.0) Adjusted earnings (losses) per share - ADS basic (0.3360) (0.5077) (0.5651) Net income (loss) attributable to Embraer Shareholders (42.5) (209.8) (292.0) Earnings (losses) per share - ADS basic (US$) (0.2311) (1.1404) (1.5867) Adjusted free cash flow (665.3) 739.4 (676.5) Net debt (1,103.7) (612.4) (1,331.6) For additional information, please check the full document on our website ri.embraer.com.br INVESTOR RELATIONS Eduardo Couto, Chris Thornsberry, Caio Pinez, Nadia Santos, and Viviane Pinheiro. (+55 11) 3040-6874 [email protected] ri.embraer.com.br CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION Embraer will host a conference call to present its 1Q20 Results on Monday, June 1, 2020 at 10:30 AM (SP) / 9:30 AM (NY). The conference call will also be broadcast live over the web at ri.embraer.com.br Conference ID: EMBRAER Telephones USA / Canada: +1 (412) 717-9627 / +1 (844) 204-8942 Telephones U.K.: +44 20 3795-9972 Telephones Brazil: +55 (11) 4210-1803 / +55 (11) 3181-8565 SOURCE Embraer S.A. Two Iran Aseman Airlines (IAI) flights had to make emergency landings in Iran due to technical issues at Tehran Mehrabad Airport and Ahvaz Airport on Saturday and Sunday due to technical issues. Speaking to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Sunday evening Seyed Mahdi Razzaz, Director-General of Khuzestan Province airports said flight 833 of Iran Aseman Airlines had to return to Ahvaz from near Arak on its way to Tehran's Mehrabad Airport after noticing technical problems. According to Razzaz the plane landed without any issues and all passengers are in good health. A flight has been arranged to transfer the passengers to Tehran on Monday, he said. Another flight by the same airline company from Tehran to Kermanshah in the western province of Kermanshah also had to return to Tehran's Mehrabad Airport on Saturday after the pilot noticed an engine issue. Iran is suffering from an aging fleet of airliners due to long years of U.S. sanctions that prohibit plane makers to sell aircraft and parts to the Islamic Republic. A brief reprieve from the sanctions in 2016-2017 led to large contracts with Airbus to supply new planes, but the reimposition of U.S. sanctions in 2018 scuttled the deal. A spokesman of the National Emergency Services, Mojtaba Khaledi, said two passengers were injured during the emergency landing at Mehrabad Airport "due to anxiety". In a statement on Sunday Iran Aseman Airlines called on all government organizations to avoid making "inexpert and undocumented" comments regarding the causes of the incidents. Iranian news agencies that have published the statement have not commented on the apparent allegations made by the airline against the unnamed government bodies that according to the airline's statement have expressed "inexpert and undocumented views". On May 19 the Iranian Parliament said Aseman Airline and the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran were to blame for the crash of the Aseman flight 3704 near Yasuj in Kohkiloyeh and Boyer Ahmad Province on February 18, 2018. The plane crashed into the mountains and killed all 66 onboard. A giant snowman erected on the bank of Songhua River in Harbin, the capital of Northeast Chinas Heilongjiang province, has drawn much attention online. Around 2,000 cubic meters of snow was used to create the 18.5-meter-tall figure dressed in a red hat and scarf. Since December, ice and snow sculptures featuring Winter Olympics and Lunar New Year elements have popped up across the city famed for its ice festivals, drawing many visitors Jan 20, 2022 06:19 PM An international team of scientists, including a prominent researcher at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, has analyzed all known coronaviruses in Chinese bats and used genetic analysis to trace the likely origin of the novel coronavirus to horseshoe bats. In their report, posted online Sunday, they also point to the great variety of these viruses in southern and southwestern China and urge closer monitoring of bat viruses in the area and greater efforts to change human behavior as ways of decreasing the chances of future pandemics. The research was supported by a U.S. grant to EcoHealth Alliance, a New York-based nonprofit, that was recently canceled by the National Institutes of Health. The grant, for more than $3 million, was well on its way to renewal, and the sudden reversal prompted an outcry in the scientific community. Thirty-one U.S. scientific societies signed a letter of protest on May 20 to the N.I.H., and 77 Nobel laureates sent another letter to the N.I.H. and the Department of Health and Human Services seeking an investigation of the grant denial. The Nobelists said the cancellation appeared to be based on politics rather than a consideration of scientific merit. Public health officials, as well as mayor and governors, are publicly expressing their fears that the massive protests over the killing of George Floyd will lead to a surge in coronavirus cases across the country. This fear comes at a time when many cities are starting to tentatively reopen for business in a country that has seen more cases and deaths than any other. As of Sunday, almost 105,000 people in the United States had died from the coronavirus. Advertisement One of those to speak up about her concern was Atlantas mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, who said her worry was at least partly rooted in the fact that the coronavirus has already been disproportionately affecting communities of color. There is still a pandemic in America thats killing black and brown people at higher numbers, Bottoms said as she urged protesters to get tested. Im extremely concerned we are seeing mass gatherings, she added during a CNN interview. Were going to see the other side of this in a couple of weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials expressed concern that although some of the protesters were wearing masks at the protests, that was not the norm. And it wasnt just demonstrators as footage from the protests often showed law enforcement officers going mask-free. In addition, demonstrators were often in close proximity to one another. Theres no question that, when you put hundreds or thousands of people together in close proximity, when we have got this virus all over the streets its not healthy, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said. Two weeks from now across America, were going to find out whether or not this gives us a spike and drives the numbers back up again or not. Advertisement Advertisement Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, joined her Atlanta counterpart in calling on protesters to get tested. Im concerned that we had mass gatherings on our streets when we just lifted a stay at home order and what that could mean for spikes in coronavirus cases later, Bowser said. Im so concerned about it that Im urging everybody to consider their exposure, if they need to isolate from their family members when they go home and if they need to be tested. Protesters said that while they are aware of the risks, the cause they are fighting for is more important. Its not OK that in the middle of a pandemic we have to be out here risking our lives, Spence Ingram said after marching in Atlanta. But I have to protest for my life and fight for my life all the time. Advertisement Health experts noted that there are certain things protesters could do to protect themselves and those around them during the protests, chief among them wearing a mask. This can be done in a relatively safe manner by trying to distance yourself and wearing those masks, CNN medical analyst Dr. James Phillips said. Dr. Theodore Long, who is leading New York Citys contact tracing efforts, agreed with that advice. We strongly encourage anybody who is out in the protests to wear a mask, practice proper hand hygiene and to the extent possible, socially distance, though we know thats not always going to be feasible, he said. Burma Arakan Army Releases Civilians Seized in Raid on Myanmars Border Police A Border Guard Police outpost in northern Rakhine / Min Aung Khine / The Irrawaddy Sittwe, Rakhine State The Arakan Army (AA) has released two women and a child whom the armed group abducted during an attack on a Border Guard Police outpost in Rakhine States Rathedaung Township on Friday. The AA troops handed the three civilians to Auk Kyaungtaung village elders in the township on Friday evening and they were taken to Zedi Pyin police station. I heard the AA gave travel expenses and released two women and a girl that are relatives of some of the police officers and that they have arrived in Zedi Pyin. I dont know more details, the village administrator of Thein Taung in Rathedaung Township told The Irrawaddy. Myanmars military or Tatmadaw confirmed that four police officers were killed and six others went missing as well as three of their relatives after the AAs attack at around 2am on Friday. Thazin Myaing villagers have since fled their homes. The border police at Thazin Myaing were overrun by heavily armed rebel troops and forced to abandon their outpost and join security forces nearby at around 5am, military spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun said. 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, and a police outpost in Buthidaung Township on July 16. The AA detained the relatives of the police officers after the attacks but released them later. The rebel group stated on Friday that its latest attack was in retaliation for a recent military attack on a temporary medical shelter for injured AA members in Chin States Paletwa Township. The AA has accused the police of assisting military operations, saying artillery attacks are launched from police outposts. In January, four border guards from the Thazin Myaing outpost were robbed of their December salaries on their return from Zedi Pyin police station in Rathedaung Township with the wages. Two of the four border guards went missing. Within hours of Fridays attacks, the AAs ally, the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), intercepted a military convoy in northern Shan State. The TNLA said it destroyed military trucks and seized weapons. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko You may also like these stories: Myanmar Army Sues Reuters, MP for Defamation Over Report on Fatal Shelling Armed Group in Myanmars Shan State Will Release Detained Police Officers Four Police Injured in AA Attack on Outpost in N. Rakhine WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump lashed out at governors during a teleconference Monday following days of mass protests over the police killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis last week. "You have to dominate, if you don't dominate you're wasting your time. They're going to run over you, you're going to look like a bunch of jerks," Trump admonished the governors, according to audio of the call first obtained by CBS News. CBS TWEET The president boasted that the nation's capital "was under very good control, but we're going to have it under much more control. We're going to pull in thousands of people." Police stand by burning barricades in front of the White House during a protest against the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police in Washington, D.C. on May 31, 2020. Samuel Corum | AFP | Getty Images Following a weekend of fires and looting, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a citywide curfew on Monday beginning at 7 p.m. Trump repeatedly encouraged the governors to take a harder line with protesters, who have taken to the streets in dozens of U.S. cities to protest police brutality against black Americans. The president's harsh rhetoric on the protests, which originated in Minneapolis, stands in sharp contrast to his recent call for governors to yield to the demands of protesters to reopen their states' economies amid the coronavirus pandemic. "You've got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you'll never see this stuff again," Trump told the governors Monday. At least one Democratic governor, Jay Pritzker of Illinois, pushed back against the president during the call, reportedly telling Trump his divisive rhetoric wasn't helping the situation. "I don't like your rhetoric much either, especially with respect to coronavirus. You could've done a much better job," Trump replied, according to The New York Times' Nick Corasaniti. If you have coronavirus, whilst wearing a face mask reduces the risk you will infect others, it gives you a higher viral load. Photo: Reuters/Borja Suarez As the talks concerning the formation of a new government continue, at glacial speed, the Greens want a break; to maybe or maybe not elect a new leader. I am sure they have a point. But really. Not happy with wanting three cabinet posts, three junior ministers, three senators and a say in who becomes AG, they now want a new leader. How about one cabinet post, one junior minister and a free tree for every member (all 2,500 or so). Maybe some free mulch as well. It might be different if they made clear what policies they have on anything other than climate change. Was it Seamus Brennan that once said wake up lads, youre playing senior hurling now. David Ryan Co Meath Regularly vandalised Kelly statue should now be moved They keep painting specs on and otherwise daubing the bust of Luke Kelly, and Im convinced that it is such an ugly sculpture the artists may think they are improving it. A good idea could be to move it to higher ground. The devil tempts idle hands especially when within range of something begging to be interfered with. Robert Sullivan Bantry, Co Cork Wearing face masks makes you more susceptible to virus In reference to Larissa Nolans article on the arguments for covering up your face (Irish Independent, May 30), according to many virologists wearing face masks is counterproductive. If you have coronavirus, whilst wearing a face mask reduces the risk you will infect others, it gives you a higher viral load. You breathe the virus droplets out into your mask and then back into your lungs, making your condition worse. If you dont have the coronavirus, wearing a mask and gloves prevents your body access to the 99.99pc of good bacteria and germs in the environment that boost your immune system, without which you become more susceptible to contracting the coronavirus. Paul Collins Rathbeggan, Co Meath Compulsory isolation is only solution on inward travel I agree with Michael OLeary only on one point, that the control of incoming passengers is ineffective but the solution is to replace voluntary self-isolation with compulsory isolation as they do in several other countries to protect their citizens! How do you think Covid-19 took hold in this country? It was transmitted by inward travel from abroad. OLeary better wake up to the fact that there should be no inward travel allowed without compulsory isolation until a vaccine is found for this virus. Otherwise we will face wave after wave of Covid-19 with consequent monumental death piles. Barry OShea Ballinlough Road, Cork Stick to facts on Trump amid constant vilification here After reading Dan OBriens balanced and mostly unbiased article on President Donald Trump (Irish Independent, May 28) it was a bit of a shock to read your editorial of May 29 including your reference to lies, fake news and misleading messages when, according to OBrien, relative to population, Americas confirmed death toll remains lower than Irelands. It was interesting to read your comment that the polling pioneer George Gallop penned a prediction that even if it were known that McCarthy had killed five innocent children they would probably still go along with him, in view of the fact that over 60 million children have been killed in the US through abortion since Roe-v-Wade and it should be noted that no Democrat may stand for election if he/she is not totally supportive of unlimited abortion. It also needs to be said that the Democratic Party has done practically nothing since the last election except try to oust President Trump. Whatever about Trump claiming to be a champion of free speech your comment in your editorial that anything which might threaten is either dismissed (by him) as fake or ridiculed or ignored is reminiscent of what happens on many issues here in our country, particularly regarding anything not considered politically correct, resulting in a grave lack of debate and ignoring of facts here. Re-reading Dan OBriens article again, it is evident that Ireland has not done badly out of President Trumps presidency so perhaps it is now time to acknowledge this and cease the constant vilification which he endures here and stick to facts instead of constant fake accusations against him. Mary Stewart Donegal Town, Co Donegal Business Secretary Alok Sharma got in a tangle today as he was grilled over the government's testing claims. Mr Sharma was pressed in a round of interviews on figures ministers say show there is enough capacity in place to contact trace new coronavirus cases. The government has been giving details of daily tests, but not for how many people have been tested - which is often lower as some need more than one for clinical reasons. Downing Street has blamed 'technical' reasons for the absence of the information over recent days. Asked for the number of individuals tested, Mr Sharma told BBC Breakfast: 'Forgive me, I may be wrong, but I think this was set out, I think it was around 115,000, I think was the figure set out yesterday. 'I'm very happy to come back to you or make sure that we provide you with that information if we have it.' Alok Sharma was pressed in a round of interviews on figures ministers say show there is enough capacity in place to contact trace new coronavirus cases. The Government said there were 115,725 tests in the 24 hours up to 9am yesterday, but the figure is for tests rather than people tested. Mr Sharma tried to clear up his mistake later, acknowledging on Sky News that the Government had 'paused' releasing figures on the number of people being tested. He said there was a need to make sure the data was 'right'. 'Those figures will of course be released and any errors that have been made in the system will be put right,' he said. The PM's spokesman said; 'There is an issue with not being able to get the number of people who have been tested from one of the government's commercial partners. 'We are working to resolve that.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock claimed yesterday that he had hit his 200,000-a-day coronavirus testing target. The Health Secretary said the UK had the 'capacity' for 205,634 tests daily as of yesterday, describing it as 'one of the greatest national mobilisations we have seen'. But he faced questions as the goal does not relate to tests actually carried out - which has still not come close to the 200,000 mark. The level was also only reached by including 40,000 antibody tests. The Government has also been avoiding saying how many people have been tracked and traced in the first few days. There was little fanfare in Uzbekistan when a large domestic producer of household appliances like refrigerators and ovens was awarded a massive deal in a secretive process to make millions of gas meters for the most-populous country in Central Asia. But an investigation by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service showed that the tender that secured the deal for the newly minted Texnopark company showed it had never made a gas meter and that the firm has ties to one of the wealthiest men in Uzbekistan, Tashkent Mayor Jahongir Ortiqkhojaev. The RFE/RL investigation established that the companies which ultimately profit from the deal are all -- directly or indirectly -- related to Ortiqkhojaev, a close ally of President Shavkat Mirziyoev. In a country often cited by international watchdogs for corruption and cronyism, the deal is seen as yet another that lacked transparency and landed on the laps of those closely connected to the government. Uzbekistan ranked 153rd among 180 countries in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index in 2019, a ranking that has been virtually unchanged for many years. The Plan The initiative to introduce the modern gas meters in Uzbekistan officially came from Mirziyoev, who took office in 2016 after serving as prime minister for 13 years. The Uzbek government decided in 2019 to install so-called smart gas meters in more than 3.5 million homes across the country by 2022. Officials in the natural-gas-rich Central Asian nation say the modern devices will upgrade the current "outdated" gas meters and simplify the billing and payment systems. The Energy Ministry says the process is due to begin on July 1 and will be completed in two years, with the state-controlled Hudud-Gaz-Taminot firm in charge of carrying out the work. A special government commission announced in February that the total cost of the project will be about $555 million. The very lucrative contract to make the new gas meters was awarded in a secretive tender to the Texnopark Limited Liability Company (LLC), a household appliances producer set up last year that had no experience making gas meters. Step-By-Step Setup Mirziyoev signed a decree on May 1, 2019, establishing Texnopark at the 141-hectare site of the former Tashkent Mechanical Factory. The company was launched on June 10 with the Tashkent city administration listed as its founder. A month later, Mirziyoev ordered the creation of the Hudud-Gaz-Taminot company, uniting the regional branches of the state-controlled energy giant, Uztrans-Gaz. The president tasked Hudud-Gaz-Taminot with procuring modern gas meters and installing them for all domestic natural-gas customers by 2022. A week later, on July 16, Prime Minister Abdulla Oripov held a meeting of a special group set up to implement the project. Ortiqkhojaev, who was appointed by Mirziyoev to be Tashkent mayor in 2018, was among various cabinet ministers and other government officials at the meeting. A copy of an official document obtained by RFE/RL shows the meeting confirmed that Uztrans-Gaz and Hudud-Gaz-Taminot were charged with placing the order -- on behalf of the government -- to produce the gas meters. And it was ultimately Texnopark that was chosen to produce more than 3.5 million meters bought with millions of dollars of state money. Uztrans-Gaz was given a month to finalize a contract with Texnopark, the document shows. Another company, Fido Business LLC, was given the job of creating a billing and payment system and a process to collect and store data on gas used. At the meeting, which was chaired by Oripov, the National Bank was ordered to provide cash for Texnopark to purchase the equipment and components needed to make the electronic gas meters. 'Tender' Seals The Deal In a rare action in late 2019, the State Anti-Monopoly Committee concluded that the government's handling of the gas-meter project violated Uzbek laws on competition and public procurements. The committee recommended that the government announce a public tender inviting various companies to bid for the lucrative project. RFE/RL obtained a copy of the December 26 letter. The committee's announcement as well as disagreements among different ministries over the cost of the project forced Oripov to temporarily suspend the project. But on December 31, he ordered Hudud-Gaz-Taminot to conduct the tender as ordered by the Anti-Monopoly Committee. But the way events unfolded in the following months seemed to show it was a foregone conclusion that Texnopark would be awarded the profitable contract. Hudud-Gaz-Taminot announced on February 17 that a one-month tender process would be held for firms to bid on the $555 million deal. The initial March 18 deadline for bids was later prolonged until March 28. The announcement stated that only domestically based companies could take part in the tender. The details of the process have not been made public but an Uzbek official with knowledge of the tender told RFE/RL that only three companies were deemed to have met the requirements needed to take part in the bidding. Texnopark was formally competing for the state contract with Gaz Meter LLC and Perfect Plast Profil, the source said. Gaz Meter LLC has been making modern gas meters since 2018. But Texnopark and Perfect Plast Profil had not ever made a single gas meter as the tender began. Texnopark, in fact, was only added to the state register of gas-meter producers on February 26, nine days after the tender started. Perfect Plast Profil was added to the list on March 27, a day before the tender ended. But Gaz Meter LLC -- the only one of the companies with experience in gas meters -- failed to make it to the final round of bidding, with organizers saying the firm garnered less points than the two other competitors because it did not manufacture certain components needed for the device. On April 3, the commission in charge of the tender announced that Texnopark had won the bid over Perfect Plast Profil. As the runner-up, Perfect Plast Profil would automatically take over the contract should Texnopark not be able to complete the project. RFE/RL discovered that Perfect Plast Profil is linked to Ortiqkhojaev through the Artel Akfa company, which the mayor controls. The Power Behind Texnopark The head of the household appliance producer Texnopark, Sarvar Ahadov, previously worked as the manager of Dream Production LLC, which reportedly belongs to Ortiqkhojaev. Without giving an exact date, Texnopark's website says the company began making smart gas meters under the Osten brand in February. Osten is part of the J-United Group, a holding company entirely owned by Ortiqkhojaev. The website goes on to claim that the company has the capacity to make 3 million gas meters a year, apparently implying that Texnopark is capable of producing the 3.5 million smart devices the state needs to complete the project by 2022. Mirziyoev visited Texnopark on February 28, where he was shown on state media checking the firm's first smart gas meters. According to a TV report, the president was satisfied with the quality of the devices. His visit to the firm's plant came just a month before Texnopark won the tender for the contract to make gas meters. Several government officials in Tashkent told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity that during the visit Mirziyoev gave a final "green light" for the deal to be awarded to Texnopark. In Uzbekistan, the president enjoys enormous power that goes far beyond politics. Public tenders often serve only as a smoke screen for dubious deals. Since Mirziyoev came to power after the death of longtime authoritarian leader Islam Karimov nearly four years ago, several major government projects have been given -- without a tender being held -- to companies controlled by Ortiqkhojaev. Among them is the massive Tashkent City project, a project worth some $2 billion designed to transform the Uzbek capital's downtown. 'The Real Winner' Ortiqkhojaev -- who has famously said "any business is a good business" -- has never spoken publicly about his business dealings. The mayor has also said he would not speak to Ozodlik, the local name of RFE/RL's Uzbek Service. One Uzbek government official with inside knowledge of the situation told RFE/RL that Ortiqkhojaev is, as indicated, the real winner of the tender for the huge government contract to make gas meters. "Texnopark -- which belongs to the city administration run by Ortiqkhojaev -- will produce gas meters under the brand that belongs to Ortiqkhojaev. It means that Ortiqkhojaev will make money as the owner of the brand," the official said on condition of anonymity. Ortiqkhojaev, 45, previously made headlines late last year when an alleged audio recording of him threatening journalists was released on social media. The man believed to be Ortiqkhojaev in the recording said he would "destroy" some members of the media. RFE/RL's Uzbek Service contacted Hudud-Gaz-Taminot and Texnopark for comment in mid-May. The press office of Hudud-Gaz-Taminot refused to comment, saying: "We don't talk to media outlets that don't have accreditation in Uzbekistan." When RFE/RL contacted Texnopark on May 18, a company representative said a management-authorized representative would call back. However, no one from the company has done so. Putting Lives At Risk? Another government official familiar with the process said selecting a company with no experience in gas-meter production could be dangerous and risk people's safety. "Who would be held liable if some tragic incident happens? These gas meters [made by Texnopark] haven't passed any extensive testing as required by law," the official explained. The official said the Uzbek government should learn a lesson from the recent tragedy in Sardoba, a newly built dam that collapsed in early May, killing at least four people, driving tens of thousands from their homes, and destroying massive amounts of farmland. The Sardoba collapse shone a spotlight on a wealthy senator, Addulghani Sanginov, who was involved in the construction of the dam through a private company he allegedly owns. Sanginov is said to have used his government position to gain the lucrative state contract for his own company in a fixed public tender. Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: There is no letup in the blowout or uncontrolled emission of natural gas from an oil well of Oil India Limited (OIL) in Assams Tinsukia district even as the oil major is awaiting the findings on the impact on biodiversity in the area. OIL Chairman and Managing Director Sushil Chandra Mishra told journalists on Monday that the public sector undertaking had already served a showcause notice on M/s John Energy Pvt Limited, a Gujarat-based company to which operations were outsourced by the OIL. He said actions would be initiated against employees of the OIL if there was any prima facie evidence of human error. A five-member committee is probing the incident. Wildlife activists and environmentalists are worried considering the threat the blowout posed to flora and fauna. The Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, known for its feral horses, is about 2 km away. The activists claimed the incident had already affected aquatic animals, including highly-endangered Gangetic dolphins, and fish at the river Dibru. Mishra said the OIL was equally concerned about the reported impact on biodiversity. He said the PSU was taking all possible measures to ensure the safety of people living near the site of blowout. The OIL is awaiting the observations and findings of district administration, Forest Department and Pollution Control Board so that all necessary steps can be taken. The OILs Safety and Environment Department is continuously monitoring the ground situation. An expert agency will be engaged for monitoring the environmental impact, the OIL CMD said, adding The OIL is not carrying out any operations within eco sensitive zone (ESZ). The OIL is in touch with three US-based expert groups to cap the well. The blowout at Baghjan BGR Oil Well No 5 had started on Wednesday morning. Sources from the OIL said members of the Crisis Management Team had approached the well head taking all precautionary measures and opened the casing valve. They said water was being pumped continuously through the valve into the well head. An additional plot of land adjacent to the well has been arranged to create a big reservoir of water and place the well control equipment. The OIL's fire service has been stationed at the site since May 27 for continuous water jacketing to avert any eventuality. The quality of gas and air is being monitored at constant intervals, the sources said. Around 2,500 people from 650 families were evacuated from the affected areas and sheltered at three relief camps. An incident like this is rare. During a similar blowout back in 2005 at Dikom in Dibrugarh district, experts had to be flown in from abroad to control a blaze at an abandoned oil well. The situation was brought under control 45 days later. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service has issued a warning to the public after tackling over 170 grass and wildfires over the weekend. On Monday morning 156 firefighters were at three separate fires with fire chiefs saying they would likely remain there for sometime. A Belfast MP said the fires - as well as an arson attack in the city at the Crumlin Road Courthouse - was putting a huge strain on emergency services at a time when they are dealing with a global health pandemic. Read More On Monday morning the Fire Service said 45 firefighters were at a grassland fire close to Flagstaff forest, outside Newry. Just after 7am the service was also sent to a fire at Altnarichard forest at Ballymoney. Nine fire appliances with approximately 65 firefighters were on the scene, including a Specialist Wildfire Team and a command support unit at midday on Monday. And they attended another fire in Castlewellan close to Happy Valley car park. Forty-six firefighters attended. A Fire Service spokesman said: "Since Friday morning NIFRS has responded to 448 incidents across Northern Ireland, 171 of these have involved grass and wildfire. "This has been an exceptionally busy Spring period for fire crews who have worked hard in tough conditions to extinguish these wildfires. "NIFRS are being assisted by representatives from other support services at both these incidents including The Forestry service, NIEA and Skywatch. It is anticipated that NIFRS will be committed throughout today at these incidents. "Due to the recent hot weather, grass and gorse is extremely dry and NIFRS would appeal to members of the public not to light small fires or disposable barbecues as these can lead to significant wildfire incidents and damage to the countryside. "We would ask members of the public to avoid these areas at present to facilitate the movement of appliances to and from the incidents." A large fire in the nature reserve in the Belfast Harbour area led to a warning for some Belfast residents to shut doors and windows as a large plume of smoke engulfed the city on Sunday. Sinn Fein MP John Finucane praised the actions of the Fire Service. "These type of incidents are reckless and are putting more stress on the emergency services at a time when they are already under intense pressure," he said. Those following along with Costain Group PLC (LON:COST) will no doubt be intrigued by the recent purchase of shares by Alexander Vaughan, CEO, Member of Group Executive Board & Director of the company, who spent a stonking UK5.0m on stock at an average price of UK60.00. That purchase boosted their holding by 70%, which makes us wonder if the move was inspired by quietly confident deeply-felt optimism. Check out our latest analysis for Costain Group Costain Group Insider Transactions Over The Last Year Notably, that recent purchase by Alexander Vaughan is the biggest insider purchase of Costain Group shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that even when the share price was higher than UK0.77 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. 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 is very important. As a general rule, we feel more positive about a stock if insiders have bought shares at above current prices, because that suggests they viewed the stock as good value, even at a higher price. In the last twelve months Costain Group insiders were buying shares, but not selling. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! LSE:COST Recent Insider Trading June 1st 2020 Costain Group is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying. Does Costain Group Boast High Insider Ownership? 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. Our information indicates that Costain Group insiders own about UK657k worth of shares. It's always possible we are missing something but from our data, it looks like insider ownership is minimal. Story continues So What Does This Data Suggest About Costain Group Insiders? The recent insider purchases are heartening. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. But on the other hand, the company made a loss during the last year, which makes us a little cautious. We would certainly prefer see higher levels of insider ownership but analysis of the insider transactions suggests that Costain Group insiders are expecting a bright future. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. To that end, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Costain Group (including 2 which are a bit unpleasant). Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting 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. Akash Ohri moved to the Seraing municipality in Liege province of Belgium as the Financial Controller for the industry sector at industrial machinery manufacturer John Cockerill Group in July 2019. The group, having a turnover of 1.3 billion euros, has five verticals and the industry sector is one of them. For Ohri, this move from India to Belgium was a transfer within the company because of a shuffle of responsibilities. Ohri is a board member of the Indian subsidiary CMI Industry Automation and the Chinese joint venture Cockerill Engineering Beijing (CEB). A professional with close to 20 years of experience, Ohri has been in Seraing alone these last few months. His family was supposed to join him in March in this scenic town close to the Belgian border but the travel bans due to COVID-19 threw a spanner in the works. Associated with the industry vertical which largely deals with speciality metals and treatment, Ohri has seen overall demand collapse. "All capex has been deferred to 2021. Clients have allowed us only 10-15% this year, mainly for design," he says. This massive hit on revenues puts a question mark on the organisational structure, Ohri mulls. He is unsure how the fixed costs can be sustained as the sales teams are stuck. "Though we are using Teams, Zoom and other tools, our sales need face-to-face meetings. We do not see the situation improving till mid-to end-June," he says. It will be a slow road to recovery with different parts of the world in lockdown and the logistics of opening up has to be dealt with. He cites the example of a facility at Hedavali, Maharhastra. "It is an open shed, yet it will require at least two days to open and restart it," he says. Though China has opened up ahead of India, business is taking time. "Even if we send someone to China, the person has to stay in quarantine for 14 days. We cannot sustain that kind of cost," he says. China has a quarantine policy when people move from one type of risk zone to another. The company has a joint venture in Wuhan called Cockerill Engineering Wuhan (CEW). As regards the rash of anti-China sentiment across the world, Ohri believes it is unlikely to persist as China is too closely interconnected with the world economy. "Close to half the tourism revenue in Europe comes from China," he says. However, the diversification of risk too is going to be a reality of the new world that will emerge after the pandemic dies. Simultaneously, he believes that India has a chance to attract fresh investments to itself provided it can find a way to cut through its famed red- tapism. He believes the Indian government is trying to do its best under the circumstances. However, investors still do not have 100 percent confidence in the government because the administrative machinery below the top echelons is still what Ohri calls is "old machinery." "The Prime Minister can say that (welcome) but what about the bureaucrats? All countries are linked now. It is no longer a closed circle," he says, speaking of the flow of investments in the post-COVID-19 world. "There is no sure shot formula (out of the current mess). Nobody knows (how this will pan out)," he sayd. Much will change in the future including human behavior, business models and consumer preferences. "Definitely, travel will be avoided for sometime. I guess half the time, we will use tech for meetings. My guess is that at least a quarter of the workforce will be offered the option of work from home. In case of manufacturing there is no choice. We have to be on site," he says. But Ohri does not expect the WFH to take root beyond a certain limit in India. " "Indians like to talk face-to-face," he says. He believes that the government will perhaps play a role in driving consumer behaviour towards more sustainable choices in the post-COVID-19 world. He is looking forward to the lifting of the last phase of the lockdown from June 8 in Belgium. Belgium has reported one of the highest mortality rates for Covid-19, though its government says it is due to the rigour of counting. Belgium's Covid-19 lockdown began on March 18 but had significant relaxations as compared to the stringent Indian lockdown. It allowed offices to work with a third of the workforce. Ohri stays mostly indoors barring a brisk walk in the morning and catches up with a couple of friends on Sundays. In a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays he attends office just so that he can meet a couple of people. He drives around 11-odd kilometres to his office on the appointed days "so as to meet a couple of people" with the social distancing norms. On the other days he works from home. Wednesdays and Fridays are his days of "economic unemployment" -- as 'solidarity' -- a concept where the company does not pay him for those two days, but the Belgian government covers the basic expenses. After work, he goes for an evening walk as the sun sets as late as 9.30 PM in Seraing. Food is simple as he cooks himself for his vegetarian tastes. Thereafter, it is the usual video calls to family, friends and some television. Sundays, a couple of acquaintances meet to rule out the tedium. "There is a bit of homesickness. He is rethinking if his family should join him in Belgium now. His son was scheduled to join him, followed by his wife and daughter. Work and life will not be the same again. "It will be a new world in 2021. And you have to welcome it. You have no choice," he says philosophically. The Police Command in Adamawa has arrested 69 persons for alleged conspiracy, inciting communal clashes, kidnapping, armed robbery and culpable homicide. The states Commissioner of police, Olubenga Adeyanju, disclosed this during a news briefing in Yola on Monday. He said that 25 out of the 69 suspects were members of a local criminal gang called Shila boys, who attacked innocent citizens and robbed them of their belongings. The exhibits recovered from them include one rifle with seven rounds of live ammunition, locally made revolver pistol with three rounds of live ammunition and two cutlasses, he said. Mr Adeyanju said 19 of the suspects were arrested for criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide and kidnapping. The group confessed to have kidnapped Dodde Zumo and Yau Mohammadu all residents of Zumo/Maiha Local Government Area of the state. They collected N1 million as ransom in March 2020 before they were apprehended. We recovered three Ak 47 rifles, one dane gun, one locally made pistol and two motorcycles, he said. READ ALSO: He said investigations further led to the arrest of another syndicate that kidnapped Sule Haro, Solomi Ishaya and killed Pastor Ishaya in April. The police chief said the remaining 25 suspects were arrested for inciting communal clashes, culpable homicide threat to life, impersonation and extortion. He added that one of the suspects, Buba Mohammed, conspired and killed a sergeant, Amos Joseph, and went away with his Ak47 rifle. Police apprehended the suspect and recovered the Ak47 rifle, he added. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the command presented an award of commendation to some hunters for their contribution in the fight against crime in the state. (NAN) Breakthrough measurements of exoplanet Proxima B were made with radial velocity measurements of unprecedented precision using ESPRESSO, the Swiss-manufactured spectrograph the most accurate currently in operation which is installed on the Very Large Telescope in Chile. Proxima b was first detected four years ago by means of an older spectrograph, HARPS also developed by the Geneva-based team which measured a low disturbance in the stars speed, suggesting the presence of a companion. Above This artists impression shows a view of the surface of the planet Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Solar System. ESO/M. Kornmesser The ESPRESSO spectrograph has performed radial velocity measurements on the star Proxima Centauri, which is only 4.2 light-years from the Sun, with an accuracy of 30 centimetres a second (cm/s) or about three times more precise than that obtained with HARPS, the same type of instrument but from the previous generation. ESPRESSO has made it possible to measure the mass of the planet with a precision of over one-tenth of the mass of Earth. Proxima b is about 20 times closer to its star than the Earth is to the Sun, it receives comparable energy, so that its surface temperature could mean that water (if there is any) is in liquid form in places and might, therefore, harbor life. Having said that, although Proxima b is an ideal candidate for biomarker research, there is still a long way to go before we can suggest that life has been able to develop on its surface. In fact, the Proxima star is an active red dwarf that bombards its planet with X rays, receiving about 400 times more than the Earth. Researchers confirmed the presence of the Earth-sized exoplanet Proxima b using independent measurements obtained with the new ESPRESSO spectrograph, and refined the planetary parameters taking advantage of its improved precision. The ESPRESSO data on its own shows Proxima b at a period of 11.218 0.029 days, with a minimum mass of 1.29 0.13 M. In the combined dataset we measure a period of 11.18427 0.00070 days with a minimum mass of 1.173 0.086 M. We get a clear measurement of the stellar rotation period (87 12 d) and its induced RV signal, but no evidence of stellar activity as a potential cause for the 11.2 days signal. We find some evidence for the presence of a second short-period signal, at 5.15 days with a semi-amplitude of only 40 cms 1. If caused by a planetary companion, it would correspond to a minimum mass of 0.29 0.08 M The extended spectral range of ESPRESSO with respect to HARPS, combined with the collecting power of the VLT, allows us to split the spectrum into different wavelength bins to create independent RV series, while maintaining a good photon noise level in each bin. We find that we can measure the decline of a low-amplitude activity signal towards redder wavelengths, as would be expected for spot-induced variations. The planetary signal on the other hand shows a constant velocity amplitude across the full wavelength range, as is also expected for Keplerian signals. We define a chromatic RV, based on the difference between the red and blue velocities, which seems to efficiently track the activity variations of Proxima. Using the time series of the FWHM of the CCF and its gradient, we are able to model the stellar activity in a similar way to the F/F method (Aigrain et al. 2012), obtaining good results when detrending the data from activity to recover the planetary signal. SOURCES- Arxiv, Universite de Geneve. Written By Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) through the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) has presented a total 99,468 bags of Cocoa fertilizers to be distributed to 126 farmer cooperative groups within Wiawso and Akontombra districts of the Western North Region. Mr John Ahi, Boako District Technical Officer, who confirmed the development to the Ghana News Agency, said the 126 farmer corporative groups were from the Wiawso and Akontombra districts with a maximum number of between 250 and 300 members in each group. He said his outfit with the support of the farmer groups have prune all the selected farms to pave way for the application of the fertilizers. He said the farmer corporatives were used to ensure that the government sponsored agro chemicals were fairly distributed to the rightful beneficiaries. Mr Ahi advised beneficiary farmers to take experts advice from the technical officers and that the district has enough Technical Officers to attend to each farmer. He asked them to desist from smuggling the fertilizers to other areas for sale, since the security agencies were on the alert to arrest any farmer who sells the fertilizers and the buyer as well. The District Technical Officer appealed to farmers to regularly maintain their farms in order to get good yields since farm maintenance was key in cocoa production. He urged Cocoa farmers within his operational areas to either join or form farmer cooperatives in order to benefit from the COCOBOD programme and policies. The beneficiary cooperatives groups included, Aseda Ben Association, Kuapa kokoo farmer's union, Yesu Adom women in Cocoa Association, Royal Youth and Eka obi nko Cocoa farmer's Association. The others are Awurade beye Cocoa farmer's Association, Golden Pod farmer's Association and NSO Nyame ye Cocoa farmer's Association among others. Mr Kankam Amos, secretary for Anidaso cooperative Cocoa farmer's group, commended the government and COCOBOD for bringing fertilizers to the door steps of cocoa farmers. He pledged that the fertilizer would be used appropriately. 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 Nirupama Viswanathan By Express News Service CHENNAI: The Royapuram zone of Chennai Corporation is bursting at its seams. Being the worst hit as far as COVID-19 is concerned, the zone, which houses both Central and Egmore Railway Stations is ill-equipped to accommodate the influx of migrant workers. Migrant workers from neighbouring Puducherry, Chengalpattu, Gummidipoondi and Mahabalipuram are arriving in Chennai to board trains to their hometowns in other States. Several of them travel by foot, reaching Chennai at odd hours and finding that they have nowhere to go for taking shelter. On Saturday and Sunday, the Corporations shelter at Kannappar Thidal was at full capacity with around 120 people sleeping inside the shelter and another 100 sleeping outside on the concrete floor. By Sunday, many of them were shifted to a shelter in Tiruvottiyur zone. We dont know what time our train is. We walked for two days to get here from Chengalpattu where we worked. We reached here early on Sunday morning, but havent been informed when our train will be, said Naveen Jha, who is waiting to reach Bihar, the place where he is from. As on Saturday, Royapuram recorded a total of 2,589 COVID-positive cases, the highest among all zones. This raises concerns of the peoples safety who are coming in huge numbers everyday. Vijay, a city resident, who is helping migrant workers reach their destinations, said, I usually accompany migrant workers until they find a shelter. Of late, all the shelters are full and on one night the local staff asked the workers to stay in Bharathi Womens Arts College, which is a quarantine facility for COVID-19 patients. We refused and demanded a different place. According to Corporation officials, migrant workers were initially accommodated in 12 places within the Royapuram zone, including community halls.Sometimes, group of 70-100 people come suddenly and we will have to arrange accommodations. We have accommodated many such people in schools like Don Boscos and St Pauls, Vepery, said a corporation official. Now, we have also begun shifting them to neighbouring zones like Tiruvottiyur and Tondiarpet, the official added. When contacted, a senior Corporation official said that so far, 90,000 migrants have been sent from Chennai in 65 trains.We earlier had accommodated about 2,500 migrant workers. The number has doubled to over 5,000 in the last ten days. When they suddenly turn up in large numbers, we are caught by surprise, the official said. However, vacant centres that can accommodate migrant workers are being identified.We have already organised three fast track teams - one for each region (North, South and Central) to coordinate and take workers to the nearest relief camps, the official said. He provides the voice for the beloved Disney character Olaf from the Frozen animated movies. But Josh Gad revealed to British TV host Graham Norton that his own family is 'somewhat over' his famous alter ego. 'My girls really wish that Moana was their father,' he joked in a recent video chat. Candid confession: He provides the voice for beloved Disney character Olaf from the Frozen animated movies. But Josh Gad says his own family is 'somewhat over' his famous alter ego 'I have to remind them that Olaf pays for their school, the roof over their head and those quesadillas they love eating,' Gad, 39, said. 'So Olaf isnt going anywhere soon if they want to keep eating and drinking!' It's not only his daughters Ava, nine, and Isabella, six, who are done with the singing snowman. His wife Ida also took a stand when a huge statue of Olaf dressed in a grass hula skirt and clutching a guitar arrived at their home. 'It's so unnecessarily big,' Gad said. 'It came in a crate that was right out of Raiders Of The Lost Ark and my wife was literally ready to divorce me,' he added. 'She was like, either it goes in your office or we throw it out... so here it sits. ' Famous dad: 'My girls really wish that Moana was their father,' Gad, 39, joked in a video chat with British host Graham Norton. The actor is pictured with Ava, nine, and Isabella, six, in 2018 Too funny: Gad's wife Ida also took a stand when a huge statue of Olaf dressed in a hula skirt and clutching a guitar arrived at their home, the star told Norton 'Unnecessarily big': 'My wife was literally ready to divorce me,' he shared. 'She was like, either it goes in your office or we throw it out... so here it sits' Beloved character: Gad has provided the voice of singing snowman Olaf in two Frozen films for Disney Gad will next be seen in Kenneth Branagh's Artemis Fowl alongside Colin Farrell and Judi Dench. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the film is set to be released on the Disney+ streaming service on June 12. He is also attached to two high-profile projects slated to go into production once COVID-19 restrictions permit. Gad is set to star in Shrunk, a reboot of 1989's Honey, I Shrunk The Kids, and Moonfall, a new space action adventure from director Roland Emmerich co-starring Halle Berry. A medical examiner on Monday classified the death of George Floyd after a white Minneapolis police officer kneeled for minutes on his neck as a homicide. The finding came hours after a lawyer for Floyds family said an independent autopsy had concluded he died by traumatic asphyxiation and also classified it as a homicide. The death last week, captured in a widely seen video, has sparked protests across the nation. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner said Floyds heart stopped as police restrained him and suppressed his neck, according to the report. Decedent experienced a cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by law enforcement officer(s), the report read. Under other significant conditions it said Floyd suffered was also suffering from heart disease, fentanyl intoxication and recent methamphetamine use, though it does not list those factors in the cause of death. Preliminary results from the examination by the Hennepin County Medical Examiners Office, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case, revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation. The independent autopsy, in contrast, listed cause of death as asphyxiation. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said he commissioned a separate autopsy because, like other families of black men killed by police, Floyds relatives didnt trust local authorities to produce an unbiased autopsy. Floyd, who is black, was in handcuffs facedown on the ground during the incident. Essentially George died because he needed a breath. He needed a breath of air. I implore you to join his family in taking a breath for justice, taking a breath for peace, taking a breath for our country but more importantly taking a breath for George since he didnt get an opportunity to take a breath, Crump said. Forensic pathologists hired by the family reviewed video, photographs and medical evidence, and concluded he died on the ground before the officers released him to emergency responders to attempt a medical intervention. That ambulance was essentially a hearse for George Floyd, Crump said. EMTs, once they got to the scene, were working on an unresponsive pulseless male. They performed pulse checks and found none. The technicians applied electric shock in the ambulance but it did not change his condition, he said. The independent review also came to a different conclusion about the status of Floyds health prior to coming into contact with police on May 25. Dr. Allecia Wilson, one of the pathologists hired by the family, said Floyd did not have significant underlying medical issues. Wilson directs the Autopsy and Forensic Services program at the University of Michigan. The other doctor, former New York City chief medical examiner Michael Baden, said given the pandemic and his own age, I wish I had the same coronary arteries Floyd had. The officer who held his knee on Floyds neck, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter and is in custody in a state prison. The other three officers on scene, like Chauvin, were fired the day after the incident but have not been charged. Chauvin ignored bystander shouts to get off him and Floyds cries that he couldnt breathe. Crump said the family wants Chauvin to face a first-degree murder charge. They are hopeful that all the officers on the scene will face criminal charges. Wilson said at the press conference that the evidence is consistent with mechanical asphyxia as manner and homicide as cause of death in the case of Floyd. Baden made the point that after a little less than four minutes we can see that Mr. Floyd is motionless, lifeless and when the EMS arrive they put him on the stretcher without any CPR. Co-counsel Antonio Romanucci said all four officers are criminally responsible and civilly liable. Romanoucci denounced the conduct of Chauvin and the department and the shameless standby police officers on scene who had every opportunity to stop and prevent a senseless death, a needless one. This was a brutal and public display of an 8-minute prolonged death, he said. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is now overseeing the case. Civil rights advocates say Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman doesnt have the trust of the black community and have mounted protests outside his house, asking him to charge the other three officers. Freeman is still assigned to the case. Baden has done previous independent autopsies in police-involved deaths. He conducted an independent autopsy of Eric Garner, a black man who died in 2014 after New York police placed him in a chokehold and he pleaded he could not breathe. Baden also conducted an independent autopsy of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old shot by police in Ferguson, Missouri. He said Browns autopsy, requested by the teens family, didnt reveal signs of a struggle, casting doubt on a claim by police that a struggle between Brown and the officer led to the shooting. The head of the Minneapolis police union said in a letter to members that the officers were fired without due process and labor attorneys are fighting for their jobs, according to reports. Lt. Bob Kroll, the union president, also criticized city leadership, saying a lack of support is to blame for the days of sometimes violent protests. When asked to respond, Mayor Jacob Frey said: For a man who complains so frequently about a lack of community trust and support for the police department, Bob Kroll remains shockingly indifferent to his role in undermining that trust and support. Frey said Krolls opposition to reform and lack of empathy for the community has undermined trust in the police. Before the police stop that ended his life in Minneapolis, Floyd also appears to have had a run in with the Houston police officer criminally charged in a no-knock police raid that caused the deaths of two people last year. Following the botched raid, Floyd received a letter from the Harris County District Attorney on March 8, 2019 alerting him that former Houston Police Officer Gerald Goines may have been involved in a case that resulted in his conviction. The family hoped demonstrations around the country would be a tipping point that would lead to systemic change in police conduct around the country. The Associated Press contributed. RTHK: Tear gas fired near White House as clashes continue Police fired tear gas outside the White House as as anti-racism protesters again took to the streets of major US cities to voice fury at police brutality. With the Trump administration branding instigators of six nights of rioting as domestic terrorists, there were more confrontations between protesters and police and fresh outbreaks of looting. Violent clashes erupted repeatedly in a small park next to the White House, with authorities using tear gas, pepper spray and flash bang grenades to disperse crowds who lit several large fires and damaged property. Washington's mayor ordered a curfew from 11pm until 6am, as a report in the New York Times said that President Donald Trump had been rushed by Secret Service agents into an underground bunker at the White House on Friday night during an earlier protest. The shocking videotaped death on last Monday of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, at the hands of police in Minneapolis ignited the nationwide wave of outrage over law enforcement's repeated use of lethal force against unarmed African Americans. The Department of Defence said that around 5,000 National Guard troops had been mobilised in 15 states as well as the capital Washington, with another 2,000 on standby. "Congratulations to our National Guard for the great job they did immediately upon arriving in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last night," President Donald Trump tweeted, adding that they "should be used in other States before it is too late!" The widespread resort to uniformed National Guards units is rare, and it evoked disturbing memories of the rioting in US cities in 1967 and 1968 in a turbulent time of protest over racial and economic disparities. Trump blamed the extreme left for the violence, saying he planned to designate a group known as Antifa as a terrorist organisation. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said Trump, who has often urged police to use tough tactics, was not helping matters. "We are beyond a tipping point in this country, and his rhetoric only enflames that," she said on CBS. Joe Biden, Trump's likely Democratic opponent in November's presidential election, visited the scene of one anti-racism protest. "We are a nation in pain right now, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us," Biden tweeted, posting a picture of him speaking with an African-American family at the site where protesters had gathered in Delaware on Saturday. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) Nigerias major carrier, Air Peace, on Sunday evacuated 312 Indians, who were stranded in Nigeria following the closure of borders because of the coronavirus pandemic, back to their country Dhaka, June 1 : Road transport services, including buses and minibuses, resumed across Bangladesh on Monday after being suspended for more than two months in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Mosharref Hossain, general manager of Hanif Paribahan, said they began their operations across the country today. They are charging 60 per cent more than the previous bus fare as per the government circular, Hossain told The Daily Star newspaper. "The presence of passengers is very thin," he added. The government suspended operations of all public transport from March 26. On May 28, the government announced to resume operations of public transport on a limited scale, maintaining all health safety guidelines. The death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh has climbed to 650 after 40 new fatalities, the most in a single day, were registered in a daily count. Another 2,545 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday, raising the count to 47,153, according to the health directorate. SpaceX Crew Dragon docks with International Space Station WORLD: A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying two NASA astronauts docked yesterday (May 31) with the International Space Station, the first time a crewed US spacecraft has performed the feat in nearly a decade. transporttechnology By AFP Monday 1 June 2020, 09:38AM In this still image taken from NASA TV, NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (front) and Doug Hurley reach orbit on Saturday (May 30), after launching from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo: NASA TV It was also a first for the private sector, a triumphant moment for the company founded by Elon Musk in 2002. NASA hopes to build on such partnerships to usher in a new era of space travel. Soft capture, the moment when the spacecraft makes first contact and starts latching with the target vehicle, occurred at 10:16 am Eastern Time (22:16 Phuket time), a little ahead of schedule. At the time, the ISS was orbiting 422 kilometres over the border between Mongolia and northern China. A few minutes later, hard capture was achieved when the two spacecraft were joined with an airtight seal. On board are astronauts Bob Behnkhen and Doug Hurley, both veterans of the Space Shuttle program that was shuttered in 2011. We copy, docking is complete, said Hurley, the spacecraft commander. Its been a real honor to be a small part of this nine year endeavor since the last time a United States spaceship has docked with the International Space Station. Next, the vestibule between the Dragon and the ISS will be pressurized and the hatch will be opened. Behnkhen and Hurley will then join fellow NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and two Russian cosmonauts on board the station. The Crew Dragon capsule had spent the previous 19 hours chasing down the station at speeds of 28,000 kilometres per hour, before carefully aligning its orbital plane and slowing down to a crawl for the delicate docking procedure. SpaceXs two-stage Falcon 9 rocket began its voyage Saturday, blasting off flawlessly in a cloud of bright orange flames and smoke from Floridas Kennedy Space Center. Lets light this candle, Hurley, told SpaceX mission control in Hawthorne, California, before liftoff at 15.22 (01:22 Phuket time) from NASAs storied Launch Pad 39A. Im really quite overcome with emotion, Musk said. Its been 18 years working towards this goal. This is hopefully the first step on a journey towards civilization on Mars, the SpaceX founder said. In a brief interview from space, Hurley said that in keeping with tradition, he and Behnken had named the Crew Dragon capsule Endeavour after the retired space shuttle on which they both flew. The mission, dubbed Demo-2, ends a government monopoly on space flight and is the final test flight before NASA certifies SpaceXs capsule for regular crewed missions. The mission comes amid the coronavirus crisis and protests in multiple US cities over the death of a black man in Minneapolis while he was being arrested by a white police officer. President Donald Trump flew to Florida to watch the launch and delivered remarks to NASA and SpaceX employees on what he called a special day. Trump first addressed the protests, saying he understood the pain people are feeling but that he would not tolerate mob violence. Trump praised Musk and said the launch makes clear the commercial space industry is the future. He also repeated his vow to send American astronauts back to the Moon in 2024 and eventually to Mars. Behnken, 49, and Hurley, 53, are former military test pilots who joined NASA in 2000. They blasted off from Launch Pad 39A, the same one used by Neil Armstrong on Apollo 11s 1969 journey to the Moon. WESTPORT Mondays peaceful protest as a response to the killing of George Floyd was a rally in support of justice and against systemic racism that drew nearly 100 people from around the area. I challenge us. I challenge white and black people to step out of our comfort zones to have those uncomfortable conversations, to go to those town meetings, to talk to people that are in power, said Chantel Williams, a 22-year-old Bridgeport resident. To start our own table. We dont need a seat at the table, we can start our own. The protest, which came together through a social media post and included a march from the Westport Library to Whole Foods on Post Road West, followed one on Sunday. It ended at the Westport Police Department where several members of the crowd spoke, including Police Captain Foti Koskinas. I stand with you on all of these issues and I stand with you on the fact that we cant just meet once, Koskinas said. This is a much bigger issue. The rally like many throughout the nation in the past two days was in response to the deaths of George Floyd, a black man who died on Memorial Day after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee onto Floyds neck, and Breonna Taylor, a black woman who died after Louisville police opened fire in her apartment. The biggest problem is the insidious nature of racism. Its not just the police, Amie Ceesay of Fairfield said. We all need to learn to spend time with each other to know somebody who is unlike you and figure out their story and what they are like. Ceesay, who came to the rally alongside her daughter, said she had a lot of hope in the young generation to break down barriers previously erected between communities. Understand that your parents me included parents make mistakes and what our parents teach us is not always the right thing, and we need you young people to stand up for that, Ceesay said. We have to make people learn to love one another, to live with one another, to respect one another and not to judge people by the color of their skin. Williams said education is important in being proactive, noting that Sunday was the 99th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, when mobs of white residents attacked black residents and businesses of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, Okla. Koskinas, who spoke to his experience as a first generation immigrant from Greece, said other incidents involving police brutality around the nation were also a part of the needed conversation. I want the trust of the community. I dont want you to be afraid of us, he said. The most devastating thing to every officer here is to hear how afraid and disappointed you guys are in us. I stand with you. I am devastated by what happened in Minneapolis, Koskinas said. I am not devastated by the officer alone, Im devastated that three other officers didnt act. Thats devastating. dj.simmons@hearstmediact.com Georg Winter's lab at CeMM uses chemical tools to understand the molecular basis of gene control and aberrations thereof in cancer. To do so, the team combines particularly fast-acting protein ablation systems ("degradation Tag"/ "dTAG", co-developed by Georg Winter in Jay Bradner's lab at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, in Boston) with precise and unbiased measurements of gene activity at high kinetic resolution. Together with Patrick Cramer's lab and others, the international team of scientists now unveiled how the Mediator molecular machine mechanistically directs gene activation, which had long remained poorly understood owing to challenges in experimental manipulation. Mediator was identified over 30 years ago as a molecular bridge that allows DNA-binding proteins, called transcription factors, to communicate with the cellular gene-copying machine, called RNA polymerase II (Pol II), to activate target genes. Understanding the direct role of Mediator in this process requires technologies that rapidly block Mediator function and measure changes in Pol II activity within the subsequent minutes. Using targeted protein degradation, scientists in the Winter lab now managed to rapidly remove individual parts of the Mediator complex to ask the question, whether the copying of all human genes depends to the same extent on Mediator integrity. In contrast to the existing paradigm, the study first-authored by CeMM PhD student Martin Jaeger suggests that Mediator is not generally required for transcription of all genes. Rather, the data imply that Mediator selectively safeguards the expression of a small set of genes, which form densely connected regulatory circuits to instruct cell-type-specific functions. By visualizing Pol II enzymes in cells, the scientists observed that Mediator nucleates large clusters of transcription machinery components that are thought to form around regulatory DNA regions, called super-enhancers. These super-enhancers direct the expression of cell-type-specific genes by physically touching their target genes, which are often millions of DNA bases away. When Mediator was degraded, the large Pol II clusters rapidly disappeared, but super-enhancers still seemed to touch their target genes, indicating that Mediator was not required to maintain these DNA contacts. Together with experts from the Cramer lab in Goettingen, however, the team observed dramatic changes in the dynamics of Pol II turnover at super-enhancer-driven genes after Mediator loss. The data suggested that Mediator clusters drove highly efficient recruitment of Pol II enzymes to these cell-type-specific genes, allowing their copying at remarkable efficiency. At the same time, the majority of other genes seemed to be surprisingly mildly affected by acute Mediator loss, which made the scientists suspect that they undergo some unexpected type of compensatory boost. The team went on to address this compensatory mechanism, and found that promoter-proximal pausing of Pol II was globally reduced in response to Mediator loss. Pausing is a phenomenon, where Pol II enzymes are held back for several minutes right after they started copying a gene. The waiting Pol II constitutes a roadblock that prevents the passing of other Pol II enzymes behind it, thus limiting the number of RNA copies produced in a given timespan. After Mediator degradation, the scientists observed that the main factor responsible for signaling pause release, called cyclin dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), more efficiently bound to DNA in cells and more actively tagged its protein targets with a phosphate group. Chemically blocking CDK9 activity made the transcriptional defects of Mediator ablation less selective for super-enhancer target genes, which highlights that the uncovered CDK9 activation shapes how cells react to acute Mediator loss. This unexpected finding suggested that pausing may have evolved as a buffering capacity to rapidly react to and partially compensate acute defects in Pol II recruitment. The study opens up new avenues to understand the composition of Mediator-nucleated Pol II clusters and how CDK9 is so efficiently activated in response to transcriptional stresses. Furthermore, Georg Winter imagines future possibilities to perhaps tackle diseases, where Mediator function went awry: "Very preliminarily, our work might also have revealed some potential for Mediator as a drug target and next steps might be to develop direct degrader molecules against this complex." ### Authors: Martin G. Jaeger, Bjoern Schwalb, Sebastian D. Mackowiak, Taras Velychko, Alexander Hanzl, Hana Imrichova, Matthias Brand, Benedikt Agerer, Someth Chorn, Behnam Nabet, Fleur M. Ferguson, Andre C. Muller, Andreas Bergthaler, Nathanael S. Gray, James E. Bradner, Christoph Bock, Denes Hnisz, Patrick Cramer,* Georg E. Winter* *co-senior authors Funding: The study was supported by the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the German Research Foundation (DFG), the International Max Planck Research School for Genome Science, and the European Research Council ERC. Martin Jaeger was supported by a Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds PhD fellowship. Georg Winter obtained his PhD from the Medical University of Vienna, working on elucidating the mechanism of action of anti-neoplastic drugs under the supervision of Prof. Giulio Superti-Furga at CeMM. He specialized in proteomics as well as chemical genetic approaches to identifying drug resistance mechanisms and on mechanistically elucidating synergistic drug combinations. He continued his training in chemical biology, working as a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. James Bradner at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School. There, he innovated a generalizable pharmacological solution to in vivo target protein degradation and applied this strategy to the study of leukemic gene regulation. Georg Winter was recruited as a CeMM Principal Investigator in June 2016. His lab develops and applies methods for target protein degradation with the ultimate goal of understanding and disrupting oncogenic transcriptional circuits. To that end, the Winter laboratory combines phenotypic drug screens, chemical genetics and drug-target identification approaches with holistic measurements of global gene activity and genome structure. The ultimate goal of the research conducted in the Winter laboratory is to connect basic research in gene regulation and the ubiquitin-proteasome system with functional genomics and chemical probe development to develop novel and personalized therapeutic paradigms. The mission of CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences is to achieve maximum scientific innovation in molecular medicine to improve healthcare. At CeMM, an international and creative team of scientists and medical doctors pursues free-minded basic life science research in a large and vibrant hospital environment of outstanding medical tradition and practice. CeMM's research is based on post-genomic technologies and focuses on societally important diseases, such as immune disorders and infections, cancer and metabolic disorders. CeMM operates in a unique mode of super-cooperation, connecting biology with medicine, experiments with computation, discovery with translation, and science with society and the arts. The goal of CeMM is to pioneer the science that nurtures the precise, personalized, predictive and preventive medicine of the future. CeMM trains a modern blend of biomedical scientists and is located at the campus of the General Hospital and the Medical University of Vienna. http://www.cemm.oeaw.ac.at There are few things that political candidates love more than announcing endorsements. Its validating to know that somebody wants you to win! But candidates often get a bit overzealous, like when they publicly treat a private wish of good luck as an official endorsement. And voters might be less impressed by an endorsement from the National Association for Progressive Politics, North Brooklyn Chapter, if they knew it was just one person with a Facebook page. Endorsements from some organizations really matter in New York, however, and for the past 22 years, one of those has been the Working Families Party. But the past few years have presented major challenges for the party that has long served as a progressive check on the Democratic Party. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, on the Democratic Partys right, may finally succeed in starving the WFP out of existence. And the Democratic Socialists of America, on the partys left, has grown in size and power, causing the WFP to form an often uneasy alliance. In the middle of it all is the WFPs brand new New York state director, Sochie Nnaemeka, who needs to make sure the partys self-proclaimed progressive seal of approval remains an endorsement that matters. For two decades, the WFPs endorsement came with a nice validating quote from the partys New York state director, Bill Lipton. But now, those quotes are coming from 32-year-old Nnaemeka, who took over for Lipton in December. Nnaemeka came from outside the party she was previously a director at the progressive advocacy group the Center for Popular Democracy. As a younger black woman, she represents a demographic shift from Lipton, who like most party leaders now and throughout history, is an older white man. Nnaemeka was raised in Westchester County, in New Rochelle and Mount Vernon. She was the daughter of Nigerian immigrants who always felt like outsiders in the United States. Politics and organizing soon became a role Nnaemeka herself could play in the country, she said in an interview with City & State, and a way to reshape the United States into a place in which my parents felt wanted. Her career started as an undergraduate at Yale, where she got involved with labor organizing with the schools cafeteria workers. After college and some months on Barack Obamas 2008 presidential campaign, she joined the national labor union Unite Here! Nnaemeka then got a law degree from Georgetown, but never practiced, instead working for the Center for Popular Democracy for two years before joining the WFP. Nnaemeka is a political rarity in New York an actual, registered member of the Working Families Party (and she has been since long before the party hired her). There are only 46,043 registered members in the whole state a miniscule 0.37% of New York voters. But the partys influence goes far beyond that, thanks in part to its active role in funding and consulting favored candidates. Plus, it makes Democratic primary endorsements that many registered Democrats follow. With ballots getting mailed out soon for the June 23 primary, now is one of the highest-pressure moments for the party but even more so this year, because the WFP has made some strategic changes since the 2018 elections. As left-wing activists have grown in influence in New York, thanks in part to Bernie Sanders consecutive presidential campaigns, the party has adjusted. Two years ago, it endorsed a handful of incumbent members of Congress who were funded in part by corporate political action committees, even if they were facing more progressive challengers. Former Rep. Joe Crowley got the WFPs endorsement in 2018, over Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. So did Reps. Tom Suozzi, Yvette Clarke, Carolyn Maloney and Eliot Engel. This years list looks different. Ocasio-Cortez, who beat Crowley two years ago, earned an early, full-throated endorsement. The party declined to endorse Suozzi, Clarke and Maloney, but did not endorse any of their more left-leaning opponents either. That cant be said about Engels race, however, where the WFP endorsed one of his opponents, middle school principal Jamaal Bowman. But of the WFPs 18 congressional endorsements in New York so far, Bowman is the only candidate challenging a Democratic incumbent the WFP previously backed. Nonetheless, the WFP has made some changes to reflect the increasing influence of the DSA. If the Democratic Party is a big tent, and the WFP is a small tent connected to it, then DSA is the group of people outside picketing the tent. And more and more, Nnaemekas WFP is deciding to step outside and join the picket line. The two organizations worked closely together on Tiffany Cabans 2019 run for Queens district attorney, and she remains an official bond. A DSA member, Caban now works for the WFP. The WFP and DSA are aligned again on some local campaigns this year both organizations have endorsed Samelys Lopez for the open South Bronx House seat, plus left-wing state Sen. Julia Salazar. The WFP also joined DSA in endorsing Jabari Brisport for an open state Senate seat in Brooklyn, and the insurgent Marcela Mitaynes over the incumbent Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, also in Brooklyn. While the WFP didnt endorse the DSA-backed Zohran Mamdanis Assembly campaign in Queens, the party also declined to endorse the incumbent hes challenging, Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas, who had the WFPs endorsement in 2018. The only real point of disagreement between the groups this year in local contests is in a Brooklyn Assembly race. The WFP has endorsed the incumbent, Assemblyman Walter Mosley, while DSA has endorsed Phara Souffrant Forrest. The WFPs endorsements this year arent Nnaemekas alone they come out of an internal process with questionnaires and interviews with WFP stakeholders. The partys aim, as Nnaemeka put it, is to build a state, a country, a world that works for the many, and not for the few. In more concrete terms, theyre looking for candidates who support higher wages and universal health care that isnt tied to employment, and candidates who take a clear stance against corporate money and the growth of the billionaire class. That message has been more or less consistent since the partys founding, but the campaigns the party supports have shifted. The WFP is no longer the party that supported Republican state Sen. Nicholas Spanos 2004 reelection campaign over his Democratic challenger future Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins because of Spanos support for raising the minimum wage. But the more recent changes came courtesy of Cuomo. The WFP declined to endorse the governors 2018 reelection campaign, and instead backed his more progressive opponent, the actress Cynthia Nixon. Much has been written about the governors response, but the WFP snubbing the most powerful politician in the state led labor unions to leave the party in droves. Unions had been founding members of the WFP, but theyd also historically been a moderating force for the party, compared to the grassroots activists who made up another segment of its membership. Some more progressive unions, like the New York State Nurses Association and the New York State United Teachers, still officially remain part of the party. And while the departure of some unions has hurt the WFPs numbers, that loss hasnt proven to be a death blow unlike what may be coming next. For the last year, Cuomo has been supporting a measure to raise the standards for third parties ballot access in the state. Though the original measure was struck down by a court, the new standards got passed into law in this years state budget. The WFP has seen this as Cuomos attempt to kill the party, because it means the party will need to earn a higher percentage of the vote than it has in years in order to maintain automatic access to the ballot in the state and the benefits that come with it. Its easy to get lost in the politics of it all the dealmaking and the strategy and the promotional campaign that will be necessary to get New Yorkers to vote on the WFP line on the presidential ballot in November. But Nnaemeka insisted that the WFP wasnt just fighting for the sake of its own survival, but because the party can do good things. Well fight to preserve our party function, but because of what it can do, she said. Not because of the entity it is, but because we know that it can help move us closer to a New York where all of us can thrive. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described why the WFP supported state Sen. Nicholas Spano's 2004 reelection campaign. After four years of exams and studying, the coronavirus pandemic is giving Middletown High School North student Olivia Cerbo a virtual graduation with no pomp and circumstance. So Cerbo and her classmates, as well as those at crosstown rival Middletown High School South, are jointly gathering on Monday outside the board of education building to protest the district superintendents decision to scrap a traditional graduation for an online ceremony, scheduled for June 18. Students are encouraged to wear masks and socially distance themselves at the demonstration, which will run from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. "I have waited 13 years to be able to sit in rows with my classmates, listen to speeches, awards, the band, the choir... To sit there with all my classmates and for one more hour be a Middletown North Lion... We believe we earned an in-person graduation, Cerbo said. She believes the superintendents decision was premature. Gov. Phil Murphy announced last Tuesday that high schools would be permitted to hold outdoor graduations starting July 6, but must follow capacity limits on gatherings in place at the time of the event. (Currently that number is 25 people). But questions and confusion have reigned among superintendents since the governors announcement. They say not yet knowing the total number of people who can attend each ceremony is difficult for such planning. Murphy said last week he doesnt want to give school districts an exact number of how many people can attend, only to reduce it if circumstances change. And some districts have already thrown in the towel, and opted out of having an in-person ceremony. Middletown Township School District Superintendent William O. George laid out his case in a May 30 letter to students and parents, and summed it up by saying: We understand very well that this has been an emotional roller coaster for our graduates and their families. We all want to provide the best experience for our graduates as they end their K-12 school experience. We also want to provide some certainty and closure for them as they look toward new beginnings. We believe our graduation plans provide both while meeting the requirements of the state and protecting the health and safety of our community. He also cited the number of attendees, saying everyone present at the ceremony, including students, relatives, administrators and security must be counted in the capacity limitations. In the letter, George said the states recent graduation guidelines have made holding normal ceremonies for the large graduating classes difficult, so the district opted for a virtual graduation. The schools have about 750 seniors combined, he said. George also expressed frustration and said if there was an increase in the capacity limit, it would have to be made soon to give the district time to secure items needed for the ceremony. There is a chance the Governor will relax his social distancing order, but the attendance limit will have to be increased tremendously and done in a time frame that would give us the ability to contract with vendors for items needed to hold a ceremony on our two high schools fields. These would include renting stages, flooring to cover the fields, chairs, and sound systems to name a few," George wrote. The superintendent issued a new statement on Sunday, saying principals from the schools would meet virtually with student leaders on Monday to discuss alternatives. He said the district is willing to potentially hold a ceremony in August with the hope that Governor Murphy relaxes the restrictions for graduations. Jack Costigan, student body president at Middletown High School North, said he and his peers would be willing to make concessions to have an in-person graduation, whether that means live streaming the event for parents to watch from home or foregoing a stage. He and his classmates just want to celebrate one last time together, he said, and administrators should be creative in re-thinking the event this year. George, in his letter, said the district would start awarding physical diplomas in person starting July 6, but Costigan said school officials havent yet provided details. Costigan said he wrote a letter to the school board and superintendent urging them wait until August to make a decision, when restrictions on crowd sizes might be relaxed. I think our people should be trying to do whatever they can to recognize us as graduates of high school. Its a very important part of most peoples lives," he said. "Weve been working hard for the past four years. Both Republican and Democratic state lawmakers have pressured Murphy to allow in-person ceremonies. The governor was also sued by students in Toms River who argued he acted arbitrarily in barring graduation ceremonies, even with social distancing. Additional state guidelines for graduations include taking body temperatures at the event and excluding anyone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher, and encouraging attendees to wear face coverings and implementing contact-less measures for providing students with diplomas. Middletown high school parents want their children to be able to toss their caps into the air - another tradition the state is discouraging. Even if the parents couldnt attend an in-person ceremony, the kids want to see their friends one last time before college, said Justine Alfano, whose oldest son is a senior at Middletown High School North. Its a big deal. As a community... I think all the parents are heartbroken not to have their kids graduate in front of them. Editors Note: This story has been updated to include a May 31 letter from the Middletown Township School District. 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. Gulf Coast Distillers is churning out a new liquid hand sanitizer in bulk quantities to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus while keeping some 250 workers busy at the family-owned plant in Houstons East End. The 5-year-old distillery, which ordinarily focuses on producing Giant Texas Bourbon, BJ Hookers Vodka and other brands of spirits, has produced close to 1 million gallons of C4U Hand Sanitizer at its 5610 Clinton Drive facility. The 300,000-square-foot plant also houses processing operations for the familys third-generation Aldecoa Coffee business. Our priority was getting our sanitizer out to the community, said Carlos de Aldecoa, the companys president and CEO. Were trying to do our part in bringing normalcy back to our lives. The de Aldecoa family acquired the former Uncle Bens rice plant on 20 acres in the East End about 25 years ago and converted it for coffee operations. It was originally built to produce instant rice for soldiers during World War II, according to de Aldecoa. Gulf Coast Distillers has donated approximately half-a-million dollars worth of sanitizer to first responders, hospitals and nonprofits in 10 states. The recipients include Texas Childrens Hospital, the Houston Zoo, Boys & Girls Country, The Rise School, Houston Police Department and Catholic Charities. The product has also been given medical clinics, transportation firms, petrochemical companies, utility districts, restaurants and other organizations. On HoustonChronicle.com: Chase commits $1 million to help Houstonians impacted by COVID-19 C4U gets its name from the family. De Aldecoa is Carlos III and his son is Carlos IV. We call him C4 at the house, de Aldecoa said. C4U also means Caring for You. That was the idea behind the brand and the name. All three of the companys production lines have been fully engaged in bottling sanitizer for retail sale, donation and distribution to other distillers without the capacity to produce it on a large scale on their own. The sanitizer is available on the companys website and in stores, including Village Liquor, H-E-B, Kroger, Aldi, Specs and Total Wine. C4U is also suitable for spraying on surfaces. As supply concerns ease as more companies produce hand sanitizer, Gulf Coast Distillers recently resumed production of liquor alongside the sanitizer after being idle for eight weeks. The on-site tasting room, Bens Den, also closed. Gulf Coast Distillers products, sold in liquor stores such as Specs and Total Wine, are selling well as more people drink at home rather than at bars and restaurants during the Stay Home, Work Safe period. Were working on it. I think by next week, we should be restocked, de Aldecoa said of rebuilding the inventory. katherine.feser@chron.com twitter.com/kfeser Genetic screening for prostate cancer in GP surgeries could be effective at picking up otherwise undiagnosed cases of the disease, a new pilot study shows. Researchers 'barcoded' men for their genetic risk of prostate cancer by testing each for 130 DNA changes - and gave those at higher risk follow-up checks. Their study found that population screening was safe and feasible, and identified new prostate cancers in over a third of apparently healthy men who were found to have the highest levels of inherited risk. The pilot was the first ever in the UK to assess genetic screening for prostate cancer in the general population, and will now be followed by a larger-scale study that could prove the potential of a new screening programme for the disease. The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust worked with GPs to invite more than 300 healthy Caucasian men aged 55-69 to participate in screening. The findings of the pioneering study will be presented today (Friday) at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) virtual annual meeting. The study was funded by the European Research Council with additional support from Cancer Research UK and the National Institute for Health Research. The researchers collected DNA from saliva samples of 307 men and looked at for more than 130 genetic changes that can influence the risk of developing prostate cancer, each by a small amount. They combined the effects of the genetic changes to assign each man an overall risk score. This in turn allowed men to be placed in different risk bands depending on how their level of risk compared with others in the population. Men in the top 10 per cent of risk - 26 out of the 307 - were selected for screening and contacted by the researchers. Of these, 18 men accepted and underwent an MRI scan and a biopsy, and of these 18 apparently healthy men, seven were diagnosed with prostate cancer. The good level of uptake among men and effectiveness at detecting undiagnosed disease show that population screening is possible and could be reproduced on an even larger scale. Researchers also looked at how aggressive the cancers of those within the top 10 per cent of the genetic score were. All seven prostate cancers turned out to be manageable by active surveillance, with a mean prostate-specific antigen (PSA) score of 1.8 - a level between 0 and 2.5 is considered safe. Now that the initiative has been shown to be feasible, a full pilot study, called BARCODE1, is ready to be launched. This study will involve 5,000 patients from 70 GP practices, and aims to provide a definitive answer on the potential role of population genetic screening for improving detection of prostate cancer. Researchers believe that genetic screening could detect potentially aggressive cancers more effectively than PSA testing - which is controversial because of its high rates of over-diagnosis. Study leader Professor Ros Eeles, Professor of Oncogenetics at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Consultant in Clinical Oncology and Oncogenetics at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: "A man's risk of prostate cancer is determined in part by which combination of at least 170 different genetic changes they happen to inherit. "Our pilot study assessed men's genetic risk by testing for more than 130 genetic changes that have been linked to prostate cancer. We showed that genetic barcoding of men can safely and effectively identify those at the highest level of risk for prostate cancer, so they can be targeted for follow-up checks. "We were able to identify prostate cancers in over a third of the 18 apparently healthy men who we found to have the highest levels of inherited risk. Our hope is that the larger BARCODE-1 pilot study will now be able to definitively show that population genetic screening for prostate cancer can cost-effectively improve diagnosis and ultimately save lives." It's vital that we find ways of putting our increased knowledge of the genetics and biology of cancer to work not only to find new treatments, but also to identify targeted methods for early detection of the disease. This is an exciting early pilot study which for the first time in the UK demonstrates that genetic screening for prostate cancer is safe, feasible and potentially effective. It's great to see that this research is now progressing into a larger-scale pilot, which if successful could show the potential of genetic screening to be a life-saver." Professor Paul Workman, Chief Executive of The Institute of Cancer Research, London Patient Remy Smits, 59, said: "I signed up for the trial after seeing the details advertised at my local GP Practice. Although I met all the criteria for joining, I did not think I would be in the high-risk group. I had a PSA test not long before joining the trial and it was relatively low (2.1) so I was quite surprised when I got called back for further investigations. I had another PSA test, followed by an MRI scan and then finally a biopsy where they detected cancer the size of a grain of sand which is quite remarkable. "I have been put under 'active surveillance' and come into the clinic at The Royal Marsden every six months for repeat PSA testing and MRI scans. "Whilst the realization that I have cancer came as a shock; I feel better knowing that it has been identified at a very early stage. I also feel that I am now in a much better position to make an informed decision about any future treatment options. I also like the fact that being part of this trial will make a difference for many men in the future." Protesters defy curfew in cities across the US after the death of a black man at the hands of police. Protesters run as police use flash grenades to disperse crowds in Washington, DC Image copyrightReuters Violence has erupted in cities across the US on the sixth night of protests sparked by the death in police custody of African-American George Floyd. Curfews have been imposed in nearly 40 cities, but people have largely ignored them, leading to tense stand-offs. Riot police clashed with protesters in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, firing tear gas and pepper bullets to try to disperse the crowds. Police vehicles were set on fire and shops were looted in several cities. The National Guard - the US reserve military force for domestic emergencies - said on Sunday that 5,000 of its personnel had been activated in 15 states and Washington, DC, where crowds once again gathered near the White House, this time lighting fires and throwing stones at riot officers. "State and local law enforcement agencies remain responsible for security," the National Guard added. Police in Washington DC have fired tear gas at demonstrators who set fire to properties near the White House. They include a historic church, St John's Episcopal Church, known as the church of the presidents, near the White House. It has emerged that in Friday night's unrest, President Donald Trump was briefly taken by the secret service into an underground bunker at the White House, for his safety. The US is witnessing the most widespread racial turbulence and civil unrest since the violent backlash to the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968, says the BBC's Nick Bryant. More than 75 cities have seen protests, with streets only days ago deserted because of coronavirus, thronged with demonstrators marching shoulder to shoulder. The Floyd case has reignited anger over police killings of black Americans. For many, the outrage also reflects years of frustration over socio-economic inequality and segregation, not least in Minneapolis itself, where George Floyd died. What's the latest on the protests? There were many instances of police vehicles being vandalised and set alight on Sunday. Riot officers continued to respond with tear gas and flash grenades. In Philadelphia, local TV stations showed people smashing police cars and looting at least one store. Mr Trump tweeted: "Law & Order in Philadelphia, NOW! They are looting stores. Call in our great National Guard." Looting was also reported in Santa Monica, California. At least 4,100 people have been arrested over several days of protests, according to a tally compiled by the Associated Press news agency. Arrests have been made over a range of offences, from looting and blocking motorways to breaking curfew. In Minneapolis, a lorry driver was arrested after reportedly breaching a road barrier before speeding towards a crowd of protesters marching along a major motorway. He has now been charged with assault, CNN reports. Footage posted on social media showed dozens of people surrounding the vehicle and pulling the driver out from behind the wheel after it came to a stop. The driver was later taken to hospital with minor injuries. There were no immediate reports of other casualties. Minnesota's Governor Tim Walz said the motive of the driver was unclear, adding: "To not have tragedy and many deaths is simply an amazing thing." In Denver, thousands of people protested peacefully in Colorado State Capitol by lying face down with their hands behind their backs and chanting: "I can't breathe" - a reference to the circumstances of Mr Floyd's death. Large-scale protests also took place in Atlanta, Boston, Miami and Oklahoma City. There were also several reported incidents of riot police responding disproportionately to the demonstrators. In Atlanta, Georgia, two officers were sacked on Sunday for using excessive force - including firing a taser - on two young college students. Protesters took to the streets on Saturday A sacked white policeman has been charged with murdering Mr Floyd, 46, in Minneapolis. Derek Chauvin, 44, was due to appear in court later on Monday, but his appearance has now been pushed back to 8 June. It follows the high-profile cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Eric Garner in New York and others that have driven the Black Lives Matter movement. For three years, Donald Trump presided over a nation of relative peace and prosperity. The crises he faced were largely of his own making, and he confronted them by rallying his supporters and condemning his opponents. Now Trump faces a situation ill-suited to a playbook of division. The US economy has been hobbled by a deadly pandemic. George Floyd's death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer has spread racial unrest across the nation. The public is uncertain and afraid - and increasingly angry. These are circumstances that would test the abilities of even the most skilful leaders. This president, however, risks becoming lost at sea. His public calls for unity and healing have been undermined by a penchant for Twitter name-calling and bellicosity. Message discipline, a valuable attribute at this moment, is not his forte. There may be no easy way to guide the nation through its current peril. Barack Obama's measured coolness did nothing to stop the fires of Ferguson any more than Richard Nixon's law-and-order edicts quelled Vietnam-era unrest. The economic and social devastation of the pandemic has created a political landscape of dry brush ignited by the lightning strike of Floyd's death. The president may not be able to contain the wildfire, even if he isn't feeding the flames. What happened to George Floyd? On the evening of Monday 25 May, police received a phone call from a neighbourhood grocery store alleging that George Floyd had paid with a counterfeit $20 note. Officers were attempting to put him in a police vehicle when he dropped to the ground, telling them he was claustrophobic. According to police, he physically resisted officers and was handcuffed. Video of the incident does not show how the confrontation started. With Mr Chauvin's knee on his neck, Mr Floyd can be heard saying "please, I can't breathe" and "don't kill me". According to a preliminary autopsy by the county medical examiner, the police officer had his knee on Mr Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds - almost three minutes of which was after Mr Floyd became non-responsive. Nearly two minutes before Mr Chauvin removed his knee the other officers checked Mr Floyd's right wrist for a pulse and were unable to find one. He was taken to hospital and pronounced dead around an hour later. A lawyer for Mr Floyd's family has accused Mr Chauvin of "premeditated murder".BBC Williams Grand Prix Holdings' (ETR:WGF1) stock is up by 4.2% over the past month. Since the market usually pay for a companys long-term financial health, we decided to study the companys fundamentals to see if they could be influencing the market. Specifically, we decided to study Williams Grand Prix Holdings' ROE in this article. ROE or return on equity is a useful tool to assess how effectively a company can generate returns on the investment it received from its shareholders. In simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder's equity. See our latest analysis for Williams Grand Prix Holdings How Is ROE Calculated? The formula for ROE is: Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) Shareholders' Equity So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Williams Grand Prix Holdings is: 28% = UK19m UK70m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2019). The 'return' refers to a company's earnings over the last year. One way to conceptualize this is that for each 1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made 0.28 in profit. What Is The Relationship Between ROE And Earnings Growth? We have already established that ROE serves as an efficient profit-generating gauge for a company's future earnings. We now need to evaluate how much profit the company reinvests or "retains" for future growth which then gives us an idea about the growth potential of the company. Assuming everything else remains unchanged, the higher the ROE and profit retention, the higher the growth rate of a company compared to companies that don't necessarily bear these characteristics. Williams Grand Prix Holdings' Earnings Growth And 28% ROE To begin with, Williams Grand Prix Holdings has a pretty high ROE which is interesting. Secondly, even when compared to the industry average of 13% the company's ROE is quite impressive. So, the substantial 61% net income growth seen by Williams Grand Prix Holdings over the past five years isn't overly surprising. Story continues As a next step, we compared Williams Grand Prix Holdings' net income growth with the industry, and pleasingly, we found that the growth seen by the company is higher than the average industry growth of 3.4%. XTRA:WGF1 Past Earnings Growth June 1st 2020 The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. Doing so will help them establish if the stock's future looks promising or ominous. One good indicator of expected earnings growth is the P/E ratio which determines the price the market is willing to pay for a stock based on its earnings prospects. So, you may want to check if Williams Grand Prix Holdings is trading on a high P/E or a low P/E, relative to its industry. Is Williams Grand Prix Holdings Making Efficient Use Of Its Profits? Williams Grand Prix Holdings doesn't pay any dividend to its shareholders, meaning that the company has been reinvesting all of its profits into the business. This is likely what's driving the high earnings growth number discussed above. Summary On the whole, we feel that Williams Grand Prix Holdings' performance has been quite good. Specifically, we like that the company is reinvesting a huge chunk of its profits at a high rate of return. This of course has caused the company to see substantial growth in its earnings. If the company continues to grow its earnings the way it has, that could have a positive impact on its share price given how earnings per share influence long-term share prices. Remember, the price of a stock is also dependent on the perceived risk. Therefore investors must keep themselves informed about the risks involved before investing in any company. Our risks dashboard will have the 1 risk we have identified for Williams Grand Prix Holdings. 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. New York Protesters in cities across the country are right to express outrage, but they also must know what reforms theyre trying to advance, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today. Its not enough to come and say Im angry, Im frustrated," Cuomo said during a press conference in New York City. And you want what done? You need the answer. You want to make that moment work, yes, you express the outrage, but then you say, and heres my agenda. Heres what I want. The death last month of George Floyd in Minneapolis has sparked demonstrations across the country. Floyd died in police custody after an officer pressed a knee on his neck for several minutes. The officer involved, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with murder. Cuomo said again today he shares protesters outrage and called video of Floyds final moments horrendous and frightening. But protesters havent outlined their goals yet, Cuomo said. He suggested a reform plan of his own: Nationwide ban on excessive force and chokeholds Independent investigations of police abuse Disclosure of the disciplinary records of officers under investigation Education equity Anti-poverty agenda An affordable housing plan Cuomo spoke as multiple cities on Sunday faced another night of unrest and violence in some cases. New York City and communities in Upstate New York, including Syracuse, saw looting, property damage and intense police responses over the weekend. The situation in Syracuse remained largely calm on Sunday after looting and vandalism at multiple downtown buildings and businesses on Saturday. Local officials are likely to lift a curfew they imposed previously. Violence doesnt help, Cuomo said. Thats not righteous indignation, he said. Thats criminality. And it plays into the hands of the people and the forces that dont want to make the changes in the first place. Because then they get to dismiss the entire effort. Theyre going to try to paint this whole protest movement that theyre all criminals, theyre all looters. The real protesters arent the ones causing the problems, Cuomo added. He said he believed people interested in disruption, chaos, anarchy or just plain theft are exploiting the demonstrations for their own purposes. Cuomo also urged protesters to be smart about gathering in large groups amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The state cant afford a setback in its progress agains the virus, he said. He noted New York City is set to begin reopening next week. State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said hes concerned about the potential for infection spikes caused by the protests. I think you can protest, but do it smartly and intelligently, Cuomo said. Protest. Just be smart about it. Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 Singer and music composer Wajid Khan passed away on Monday in a Mumbai hospital. He had recently worked with Salman Khan on the song Bhai Bhai, which was released on Eid. Wajid Khan passes away: Several Bollywood celebrities mourned famous music composer Wajid Khan of the Sajid-Wajid fame, who passed away here on Monday. Terming him as his brother from another mother, actor Preity Zinta expressed her grief by posting a throwback picture with him on Instagram. I used to call him my brother from another mother. Besides being unbelievably talented he was so gentle & sweet, she captioned the picture.Im so heartbroken that I did not get to say Goodbye my sweet @wajidkhan_live I will miss you & our jam sessions forever. Till we meet again #RIP #WajidKhan #Gonetoosoon #Heartbroken, she further wrote. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan was left in a shock after hearing about the death of the music composer and tweeted, Shocked at the passing of Wajid Khan .. a bright smiling talent passes away .. duas , prayers and in condolence. Film director Farah Khan thanked the famed composer for giving some of the best hits to the industry and extended her condolences.Gone too soon #WajidKhan.. thank you for the music. Deepest condolences to his family, she tweeted. I used to call him my brother from another mother. Besides being unbelievably talented he was so gentle & sweet. Im so heartbroken that I did not get to say Goodbye my sweet @wajidkhan7 I will miss you & our jam sessions forever. Till we meet again #RIP #WajidKhan #Gonetoosoon pic.twitter.com/RAq0pqHJwY Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) June 1, 2020 T 3548 Shocked at the passing of Wajid Khan .. a bright smiling talent passes away .. duas , prayers and in condolence Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) June 1, 2020 Gone too soon #WajidKhan.. thank you for the musicdeepest condolences to his family. Farah Khan (@TheFarahKhan) June 1, 2020 Actor Ranveer Singh posted a picture of the departed musician on his Instagram story and added a broken heart along with it to express his grief.In a jolt to Bollywood, Wajid Khan passed away at a hospital in Mumbai. He was 42. The Sajid-Wajid duo had last worked together on Salman Khans song titled Bhai Bhai, which was released on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, amid the COVID-19 induced lockdown. Here are other celebrities who have shared their condolences on social media: shocked hearing this news @wajidkhan7 bhai was extremely close to me and my family. He was one of the most positive people to be around. We will miss u Wajid bhai thank u for the music pic.twitter.com/jW2C2ooZ3P Varun Dhawan (@Varun_dvn) May 31, 2020 Heartbroken. Both @SajidMusicKhan and @wajidkhan7 have been close & true friends. The kind who might see the light on and show up at our studio in the middle of the night just to meet and talk and share a laugh. Can't believe Wajid and I will never speak again. VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) May 31, 2020 Positive, encouraging and full of life is how I remember Wajid bhai @wajidkhan7 Its just so sad and shocking that he has left us too soon Will always miss the way he passionately beat boxed when presenting a new song Condolences to the family kunal kemmu (@kunalkemmu) June 1, 2020 Deeply saddened & shocked by the passing away of a wonderful musical maestro @wajidkhan7 rest in glory my friend. I will miss your smile, your humour.. countless late nights made melodious with your impromptu singing. Condolences to #Sajid bhai and the entire family- pic.twitter.com/dPPCP1AyDc Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) June 1, 2020 Terrible news. The one thing I will always remember is Wajid bhai's laugh. Always smiling. Gone too soon. My condolences to his family and everyone grieving. Rest in peace my friend. You are in my thoughts and prayers.@wajidkhan7 PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) May 31, 2020 For all the latest Entertainment News, download NewsX App Following a night of protests, broken windows and looted stores stand in Manhattans SoHo neighborhood in New York City, N.Y., on June 1, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) At Least 14 Stores Damaged in Lower Manhattan During Weekend Protests New YorkAt least 14 stores were damaged from rioting during protests in the SoHo shopping district in lower Manhattan over the weekend following the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. A few locations in New York City erupted in protests on Saturday night and by Monday the SoHo neighborhood looked like a war zone, with damaged stores clearing up broken glass and boarding their display windows. Protesters had broken through the display windows of the Chanel store on the 139 street on Sunday night and looted goods while luxury jewelry store APM Monaco on the same street was also looted. Workers clearing the broken glass and doing repairs outside APM told The Epoch Times that protesters looted jewelry and cash from their store and that around 50 stores in the neighborhood had been damaged. The display windows of looted Diesel and Burberry were fully covered with boards by Monday noon while a violinist played outside a badly damaged Lulu Lemon store, which sells technical gear for yoga lovers and runners. Andrew Milano, Store Sales Manager of Mulberry, came to Spring Street on Sunday after hearing news of the protesters looting stores on Saturday night and scheduled for their store to be boarded on Monday. And then when I got in this morning, just you see it, its like a lumberyard outside with all the stores being smashed. And luckily, we were spared, but this Chanel seems to have gotten the worst of it, said Milano, adding that he expects the protests to go on for the rest of the week and hes getting his store boarded up to make sure it is safe for the next couple nights. The display windows of UGG, an iconic apparel brand from California, were also damaged. A few men were repairing the ransacked store while outside another man was clearing up broken glass. Workers boarding the damaged display windows of Diesel store in SoHo shopping district of lower Manhattan, N.Y., on June 1, 2020. (Venus Upadhayaya/The Epoch Times) The front door of the Elbaz studio, owned by art dealer and photographer Jacob El-Baz, was also smashed, a UPS notice still stuck on the broken glass. The gallery looked intact inside. Protesters had smashed the display window of Ame, a creative jewelry storethe display window didnt display any products and nothing could be looted; a screen behind the broken glass kept playing Ames ads on Monday afternoon. Julia Gaber, an employee of Ame, told The Epoch Times that she didnt found out about the damage until 9 a.m. Monday. Gaber said her store just had broken glass but several stores were critically lootedcompletely. And as you can see right now, everybody is barricading, she said, adding that when she arrived, most stores were already doing it. A store damaged during the May 31 night protests in SoHo neighborhood of lower Manhattan, N.Y., on June 1, 2020. (Venus Upadhayaya/The Epoch Times) Last Night was an Escalation Milano said he walked around the neighborhood while on his way to work on Monday and that it was pretty scary. He said saw 12 additional stores damaged on Sunday night. Well, its actually interesting because yesterday when I was in SoHo, it seemed like the damage was minimal. Like when all got smashed in, their displays were still intact yesterday, and it didnt seem like anything was looted. It seems like last night was definitely an escalation because from what I saw the damage from yesterday to today, more stores were looted last night. As bad as this. I mean seeing Diesel was targeted, maybe its because they had left all their product in the window, said Milano. NYPD arrested approximately 250 protesters in the aftermath. Correction: A previous version of this article misstated that the Judd Foundation building at 101 Spring Street was damaged. The Epoch Times regrets the error. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 03:54:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Egypt sent on Monday medical supplies and medicines to Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and Zambia to help the two African countries with its battle against COVID-19. A military plane loaded with medicines and medical aid was sent under the instructions of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi to help the two countries fight the spread of the coronavirus, a military spokesman said in an official statement. This assistance comes within the framework of Egypt's efforts to help African countries to overcome the virus and reduce its repercussions on the peoples of the continent. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Egypt has sent shipments of medical supplies to a number of virus-stricken countries. Egypt has so far confirmed 26,384 cases, including 1,005 deaths and 6,297 recoveries. Enditem A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 373,000 people worldwide. Over 6.1 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some governments are hiding the scope of their nations' outbreaks. Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the United States has become the worst-affected country, with nearly 1.8 million diagnosed cases and at least 104,584 deaths. Today's biggest developments: Global cases top 6 million US sends 2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine to Brazil India sees highest single-day rise in infections as lockdown eased Sweden reports no new deaths for 1st time in 11 weeks Fauci says his meetings with Trump 'have been dramatically decreased' Here's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern. Please refresh this page for updates. 2:58 p.m.: WHO director-general reacts to US cutting ties, wants 'collaboration to continue' The director-general of the World Health Organization responded to the decision by the U.S. to end its partnership, saying Monday it was the organization's "wish for this collaboration to continue." "The world has long benefited from the strong collaborative engagement with the government and the people of the United States," Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a COVID-19 briefing in Geneva. "The U.S. government and its people's contribution and generosity towards global health over many decades has been immense and it had made a great difference in public health all around the world." President Donald Trump has been critical of the WHO's response during the coronavirus pandemic. On Friday, he announced the U.S. would be terminating its partnership with the WHO and "redirecting those funds to worldwide, and deserving, urgent global public health needs." Story continues Dr. Mike Ryan, the WHO's emergencies chief, said Monday that the virus does not appear to be weakening or becoming less potent. "It may be that we are, as a community and as a globe, successfully reducing the number, intensity and frequency of exposure to that virus, which on the face of it, the virus then looks weaker," he said. "But it may be weaker because we're doing better, not because the virus itself is weakening. I hope the virus is weakening, we all hope that. But we cannot at this point take that chance." 1:40 p.m.: MTA testing out hand sanitizer dispensers ahead of NYC's June 8 reopening The MTA started installing hand sanitizers at some subway stations on Monday as the transit system prepares for the planned June 8 phased reopening of New York City. "Starting today you might notice hand sanitizer dispensers at some stations -- we're testing different types so we can find a solution that we can bring systemwide," the New York City Transit subway service's Twitter account said. "We're making sure they're sturdy enough, hold enough hand sanitizer, and function properly. Keep an eye out." Starting today you might notice hand sanitizer dispensers at some stationswe're testing different types so we can find a solution that we can bring systemwide. We're making sure they're sturdy enough, hold enough hand sanitizer, and function properly. Keep an eye out. pic.twitter.com/r1jntEbtfi NYCT Subway. Stay Home. Stop the Spread. (@NYCTSubway) June 1, 2020 Hand sanitizer at stations is part of the MTA's preparations for reopening, Sarah Feinberg, the interim president of New York City Transit, said Monday on ABC's "Pandemic." "Weve been planning for this reopening since the beginning so for many weeks," Feinberg said. "First thing is cleaning and disinfecting the system. We now do the station twice a day and the fleet of rail cars multiples times a day." PHOTO: MTA Subway car cleaners pictured doing their jobs at the 96th street station in Uptown, Manhattan on May 26, 2020, in New York City. (Jose Perez/bauer-griffin/GC Images/Getty Images) Masks are required to ride, "but we will have masks on hand for those who forget their masks at home at least for the first few days," she said. Feinberg said she disagrees with the CDC's recommendation that workers should avoid mass transit, like the MTA. "It just doesnt work in New York City. If people in NYC decide not to use mass transit no one is getting anywhere," she said. "Its not going to work." Tune into ABC at 1 p.m. ET and ABC News Live at 4 p.m. ET every weekday for special coverage of the novel coronavirus with the full ABC News team, including the latest news, context and analysis. 11:51 a.m.: New York state reports fewer than 75 new deaths for 7th straight day New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that at least 54 people in the state had died from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. Its the seventh straight day with fewer than 75 fatalities. "That number is dramatically different than what we were looking at for many, many weeks," Cuomo said at Monday's press briefing. New York state recorded its highest single-day increase in coronavirus-related fatalities on April 7, when 799 died from COVID-19. PHOTO: Patrons wear protective face masks during the coronavirus pandemic while standing at tables placed outside of restaurants in New York City on May 28, 2020. (Frank Franklin Ii/AP) Hospitalizations and intubations in the state are also on the decline, which the governor said is "really good news." Cuomo said the Western New York region, which includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, Jamestown and the neighboring suburbs, is on track to move to the second phase of reopening on Tuesday, noting that the data so far "looks very good." A decision will be announced later Monday. He said he also expects the Capital District, the metropolitan area surrounding the state capital, Albany, to enter phase two on Wednesday. 10:15 a.m.: Fauci says his meetings with Trump 'have been dramatically decreased' Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top medical expert on the coronavirus pandemic and a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, said his meetings with President Donald Trump "have been dramatically decreased" in recent days. In a new interview with Stat, an American health-oriented news website, Fauci said the task force used to hold meetings every single day, even on the weekends, and would usually meet with the president afterwards. "But as you probably noticed, that the task force meetings have not occurred as often lately," he told Stat. "And certainly my meetings with the president have been dramatically decreased." PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump is flanked by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, while speaking about coronavirus vaccine development at the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 15, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Fauci, who is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, made the comment when Stat asked whether the president talks to him often about vaccine development, to which Fauci replied, "No." He also told Stat that idea of having a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the year is "aspirational, but its certainly doable." 9:21 a.m.: France prepares to lift more coronavirus restrictions France will enter its second phase of easing coronavirus restrictions on Tuesday after two months of lockdown. Cafes and restaurants will be allowed to reopen in the country's so-called green zones, areas where the novel coronavirus is deemed least actively circulating. Parks, gardens and restaurants terraces only will reopen in Paris, now an orange zone, as inside dining rooms must remain closed. France no longer has any red zones, which denoted areas where the virus was actively circulating. PHOTO: People wear face masks to protect against the novel coronavirus while walking at the Tuileries Garden in Paris on June 1, 2020, as France gradually lifts its lockdown. (Michel Euler/AP) Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has released a list of streets that can be closed to traffic to allow bars, cafes and restaurants to expand their seating outdoors. "In this crisis, Paris needs to support its restaurants and bars," Hidalgo told French daily newspaper Le Parisien on Sunday. "They are the heart of our city." The Louvre museum is set to reopen in Paris on July 6. France began the initial easing of lockdown measures on May 11. The European nation has reported more than 189,000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19 with at least 28,805 deaths, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University. 8:13 a.m.: Russia reports over 9,000 new cases for 2nd straight day Russia's coronavirus headquarters said Monday it had registered 9,035 new cases of COVID-19 and 162 deaths in the past 24 hours. It's the second straight day that the country has reported more than 9,000 new infections during the coronavirus pandemic. The latest daily caseload is still down from a peak of 11,656 new infections reported on May 11, during which Russia registered over 10,000 new cases per day over a 12-day period. Nearly 2,300 of the new cases reported Monday were in Moscow, the hardest-hit city in the nation's outbreak. The Russian capital has accounted for about half of all coronavirus infections in the country. PHOTO: An ice cream seller wearing a face mask to protect against the novel coronavirus waits for customers as GUM (the Russian acronym for State Department Store) welcomes its first visitors after reopening in Moscow, Russia, on June 1, 2020. (Pavel Golovkin/AP) Nevertheless, parks, shopping malls and small businesses such as dry cleaners and repair shops reopened in Moscow on Monday after two months of lockdown. The relaxed restrictions follow Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement that the country's epidemic had passed its peak. Cafes, cinemas and restaurants will remain closed in the capital for now, and mass gatherings won't be allowed through June 14 when the citywide quarantine is set to expire. Russia has conducted 10.9 million tests for COVID-19, including 279,000 in the last 24 hours, according to the country's public health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor. With more than 414,000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19, Russia has third-largest total in the world, behind Brazil and the United States, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University. 6:47 a.m.: Armenian prime minister tests positive for COVID-19 Armenian Prime Minsiter Nikol Pashinyan revealed Monday that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. "I didn't have any symptoms," Pashinyan said in a live video on Facebook. "I decided to take a test as I was planning to visit the front line." PHOTO: Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attends the Eurasian Economic Council in Yerevan, Armenia, on Oct. 1, 2019. (Alexei Druzhinin/AP) The prime minister said his entire family has also been infected. Armenia, which has a population of around 3 million, has reported more than 9,400 diagnosed cases of COVID-19 with at least 139 deaths, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University. 6:08 a.m.: Sweden reports no new deaths for 1st time in 11 weeks Sweden has reported zero coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours for the first time since March 13. Just last week, the Scandinavian nation reported the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in Europe per capita over a seven-day period. PHOTO: People sit in a restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 29, 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images) Sweden has drawn both international praise and criticism by choosing to stay open during the coronavirus pandemic rather than instituting a lockdown. More than 37,000 people in Sweden have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and at least 4,395 have died, according to a count kept by Johns Hopkins University. What to know about coronavirus: How it started and how to protect yourself: Coronavirus explained What to do if you have symptoms: Coronavirus symptoms Tracking the spread in the U.S. and worldwide: Coronavirus map 4:57 a.m.: India sees highest single-day rise in infections as lockdown eased India reported a record spike in coronavirus infections on Monday, as the government eases lockdown restrictions across much of the country. The Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare registered 8,392 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours -- the largest amount the country has identified in a single day since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. That brings India's tally of diagnosed cases to 190,535, which is the 7th most worldwide, surpassing Germany and France. The latest daily caseload surpassed India's previous record of 8,380 cases recorded Sunday. PHOTO: People line in a queue outside a grocery store in Mumbai, India, on June 1, 2020. (Rafiq Maqbool/AP) There were also 230 coronavirus-related deaths registered in the last 24 hours, bringing its toll to 5,395. More than 60% of the fatalities have occurred in just two of India's states -- Maharashtra, the country's financial hub and second-most populous state, and Gujarat, the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although coronavirus infections are increasing rapidly in India, the country began its three-phase reopening on Monday as the nationwide lockdown became unbearable for millions of daily wage earners who had no means of income under the restrictions. The lockdown was lifted in most places except for the containment zones, which are now isolated. 3:52 a.m.: US sends 2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine to Brazil The United States has sent to Brazil more than 2 million doses of an antimalarial drug touted by President Donald Trump as a possible "game changer" treatment for COVID-19, even though there's no evidence the medication is safe or effective for preventing or treating the disease. In a joint statement released Sunday with the Brazilian government, the White House said the doses of hydroxychloroquine had been sent "as a prophylactic to help defend Brazil's nurses, doctors, and healthcare professionals against the virus." "It will also be used as a therapeutic to treat Brazilians who become infected," the statement added. FILE PHOTO: The drug hydroxychloroquine is displayed by a pharmacist at the Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 27, 2020. (George Frey/Reuters) The United States and Brazil are launching a joint research effort that will include randomized controlled clinical trials to "help further evaluate the safety and efficacy" of hydroxychloroquine for both the prevention and early treatment of COVID-19, according to the statement. Last month, Trump announced that he was taking daily doses of hydroxychloroquine as a safeguard against contracting the novel coronavirus after two White House staffers tested positive. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a close ally of Trump, has also been promoting the drug as a treatment for COVID-19. So far, no large scientific studies have backed up using the drug for protecting against and treating COVID-19. Moreover, one recent study of more than 96,000 coronavirus patients in hospitals around the world found that those who were treated with chloroquine or its analogue hydroxychloroquine had a considerably higher risk of death than those who did not receive the antimalarial drugs. The findings, published last Friday in The Lancet medical journal, prompted the World Health Organization to halt global trials of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19. PHOTO: Cemetery workers wearing protective clothing bury a victim of COVID-19 at the Sao Franciso Xavier Cemetery in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 29, 2020. (Carl De Souza/AFP via Getty Images) Last week, Trump suspended travel to the United States from Brazil as the South American country emerged as a new hot spot in the coronavirus pandemic. The new rule does not affect trade between the two nations. As Latin America's hardest-hit country, Brazil now has one of the highest number of diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in the world, second only to the United States. The White House said it will also soon be sending 1,000 ventilators to Brazil. ABC News' Matthew Claiborne, Stephanie Ebbs, Ben Gittleson, Ibtissem Guenfoud, Dragana Jovanovic, Tanya Stukalova and Christine Theodorou contributed to this report. Coronavirus updates: Fauci says meetings with Trump have 'dramatically decreased' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Back in April, we were told that white supremacists were protesting to re-open the country after two months of COVID-19 lockdown. You remember footage of white, armed protestors, flying the Stars and Stripes, in Michigan and elsewhere. They were putting lives at risk by breaking quarantine, we were told. Now were being told that white supremacists are stoking the massive protests weve seen from coast to coast following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after being arrested by police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis. So its white supremacists whove been burning and looting for the last week? I must have missed that footage on TV. Sure, weve seen white faces perpetrating mayhem. But not everyone whos white is right-wing. The deadly Weather Underground, which fomented revolution here in the 1960s and 1970s, were middle- and upper-class, left-wing white kids. Inspired by communist doctrine, they rioted and planted bombs. Decades later, they remain unrepentant about their use of violence. More recently, weve seen Antifa and other lefty agitators, many of them white, violently protest at G7 and the World Trade Organization meetings. These same types launched the Occupy Wall Street movement. They joined in Black Lives Matter protests. They want revolution. They want the power structure overthrown. They target the ruling class. They dont care about your party affiliation. If they view you as rich and privileged, they want you out. Power to the people! More communist pablum. These types have been wearing bandanas, Guy Fawkes masks and other disguises for years already. Pandemic times have suited them just fine. Could there be some right-wingers among the rioters? Sure. Nothing would surprise me. But what weve seen the last weeks has all the violent hallmarks of the lefty protests weve seen many times before. I mean, are Joe Biden campaign staffers donating money to get white supremacists out of jail in Minnesota? I dont think so. Theres no denying the rage at what happened to Floyd. While giving Chauvin the benefit of being innocent until proven guilty, as is his right, the video of the incident is damning. So protest is understandable. But weve seen two kinds of protests in recent days, havent we? There have been daytime gatherings in various cities, which appear to involve local residents, and seem to go off peacefully. We had rallies like that on Staten Island over the weekend. But at night, the protests have exploded to violence. This is work of outside agitators, or nefarious people in the community who see the crisis as an opportunity to cause mayhem. All of them working under the convenient cover of darkness. But the left wants us to believe that its white supremacists who are causing the destruction. They dont want to look their own people in the eye. And politicians whove given free rein to the far left in a cynical exchange for votes refuse to acknowledge that its their progeny rioting in the streets. And the media, so quick to condemn the Michigan protestors as anarchists, paint looters and rioters as paragons of free speech. They shrug when Molotov cocktails are thrown into NYPD vans, when St. Patricks Cathedral is vandalized. They dont want to point out how many Democratic-run cities are exploding. No. It must be the white supremacists. It always is. Those racists raged when Barack Obama, a black man, was in the White House. Now they rage when a white man, Donald Trump, is president? The left cant have it both ways. Not everybody is on the streets for George Floyd. They are using these protests for their own de-stabilizing ends. They need to be called out. Apple CEO Tim Cook sent a memo to employees Sunday addressing the killing of George Floyd. Protests have erupted in cities across the country after the killing of Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police. On Friday, Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer who was filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck before he died, was taken into custody and charged with murder and manslaughter. Widespread anger over Floyd's killing sparked protests, clashes with police and looting in several cities. In the memo, Cook condemned the killing and called for the creation of a "better, more just world for everyone." "We can have no society worth celebrating unless we can guarantee freedom from fear for every person who gives this country their love, labor and life," Cook said. Cook also acknowledged that racial injustice exists in the U.S., including in "our criminal justice system" and "in the disproportionate toll of disease on Black and Brown communities," as well as from economic inequality and disparities in educational opportunities. The memo comes after Apple closed some of its U.S. stores as protests turned violent over the weekend. Here's the full memo: Team, Right now, there is a pain deeply etched in the soul of our nation and in the hearts of millions. To stand together, we must stand up for one another, and recognize the fear, hurt, and outrage rightly provoked by the senseless killing of George Floyd and a much longer history of racism. That painful past is still present today not only in the form of violence, but in the everyday experience of deeply rooted discrimination. We see it in our criminal justice system, in the disproportionate toll of disease on Black and Brown communities, in the inequalities in neighborhood services and the educations our children receive. While our laws have changed, the reality is that their protections are still not universally applied. We've seen progress since the America I grew up in, but it is similarly true that communities of color continue to endure discrimination and trauma. I have heard from so many of you that you feel afraid afraid in your communities, afraid in your daily lives, and, most cruelly of all, afraid in your own skin. We can have no society worth celebrating unless we can guarantee freedom from fear for every person who gives this country their love, labor and life. At Apple, our mission has and always will be to create technology that empowers people to change the world for the better. We've always drawn strength from our diversity, welcomed people from every walk of life to our stores around the world, and strived to build an Apple that is inclusive of everyone. But together, we must do more. Today, Apple is making donations to a number of groups, including the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit committed to challenging racial injustice, ending mass incarceration, and protecting the human rights of the most vulnerable people in American society. For the month of June, and in honor of the Juneteenth holiday, we'll also be matching two-for-one all employee donations via Benevity. To create change, we have to reexamine our own views and actions in light of a pain that is deeply felt but too often ignored. Issues of human dignity will not abide standing on the sidelines. To our colleagues in the Black community we see you. You matter, your lives matter, and you are valued here at Apple. For all of our colleagues hurting right now, please know that you are not alone, and that we have resources to support you. It's more important than ever to talk to one another, and to find healing in our common humanity. We also have free resources that can help, including our Employee Assistance Program and mental health resources you can learn about on the People site. This is a moment when many people may want nothing more than a return to normalcy, or to a status quo that is only comfortable if we avert our gaze from injustice. As difficult as it may be to admit, that desire is itself a sign of privilege. George Floyd's death is shocking and tragic proof that we must aim far higher than a "normal" future, and build one that lives up to the highest ideals of equality and justice. In the words of Martin Luther King, "Every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change." With every breath we take, we must commit to being that change, and to creating a better, more just world for everyone. Tim -- CNBC's Josh Lipton contributed to this report. MERRILLVILLE It could cost the town nearly $200,000 to complete necessary improvements to the former Fieldhouse building. Town Manager Patrick Reardon provided that estimate to the Redevelopment Commission while discussing the work that needs to be done in the facility. That includes mold remediation, securing the property, electrical work, HVAC repairs and other improvements. The town is expected to seek bids for the property once all the improvements are done. Once on the market, it could take about one month to go through the bidding process. This property will be sold in the near future, Reardon said. Town Attorney Joseph Svetanoff said $2.95 million is the minimum amount Merrillville can accept for the site. That figure is based off two appraisals. After repaying about $950,000 from a bond issue that was used to fund the purchase of the Fieldhouse property, the town is planning to use the remainder of sale proceeds to fund the first few years of operations of the community center that should open in 2021. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has stepped up its drive to source local currency financing, allowing it to continue local currency lending to the countries where it invests and strengthening these economies as they grapple with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The Bank is responding to an urgent need for enterprises across its regions to access local currency financing, as the cost and risk of foreign exchange borrowing has risen against a backdrop of increasing exchange rate volatility. In less than one month, the EBRD has secured agreements with three central banks in the economies where it invests to gain access to local currency that it can use for lending to local companies. The EBRD has long placed a strong focus on local currency lending and the development of local capital markets, especially since the 2008-09 financial crisis, which exposed overdependence on foreign currency borrowing as a major vulnerability of emerging markets in its regions. That vulnerability has intensified since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, making the availability of local currency financing more essential than ever. The EBRD moved to address this challenge by sealing currency swap agreements with central banks in three of its economies: Georgia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan. The EBRD and the National Bank of Georgia established a US$ 200 million swap facility in late April that allowed the EBRD to secure access to liquidity in the local currency and lend in lari to firms that are experiencing temporary difficulties. They carried out the first transaction under the accord on 24 April 2020. A US$ 500 million swap facility with the National Bank of Ukraine has increased the availability of Ukrainian hryvnias to local firms affected by the coronavirus. In May, the EBRD joined forces with the Central Bank of the Azerbaijan Republic with a US$ 200 million swap facility for on-lending to local companies. The swap facilities secure reliable domestic access on a temporary basis to Georgian lari, Ukranian hryvnia and Azeri manat liquidity and is in line with the EBRD strategy to develop capacity to source and manage local currency risks on domestic markets. This allows the EBRD to offer more sustainable local currency products to domestic borrowers and to support and enhance domestic market development through direct participation. Dealing with domestic counterparties gives the EBRD a better understanding of the dynamics of the markets and puts it in a better position to work with domestic counterparties to address any problems through reforms or capacity building. Since 2008, the outstanding local currency loan and bond portfolio the EBRD manages has increased steadily to reach currently about 20 per cent of the total outstanding portfolio. Increased local currency lending is just one element in a comprehensive series of response and recovery measures within the EBRDs Solidarity Package that helps countries in the Banks regions deal with the immediate impact of the coronavirus as well as its aftermath. The Bank stands ready to provide support worth 21 billion over the 2020-21 period, dedicating the entirety of its activities to Covid-19 response. The Solidarity Package includes a 4 billion Resilience Framework providing finance to meet the short-term liquidity and working capital needs of existing clients. It is also increasing its trade finance support, offering fast-track restructuring for distressed clients, reaching out to new clients and has created a new emergency facility to meet essential infrastructure requirements. In May 1923, the city of Valparaiso hosted a massive rally with at least 5,000 Ku Klux Klansmen, attracting 30,000 visitors from around the Midwest. Weve come a long way from such a public display of hatred, but study after study shows a dangerous racial bias still exists in white America against black America. If youre unable to understand this, or unwilling to admit to it, you need to step back even further to see the bigger picture. Or look deeper into your own personal blind spots. Donald Trump has accused militant left-wing, anti-fascist demonstrators commonly referred to as Antifa for several violent outbursts in US cities over the weekend as thousands of Americans took to the streets to protest police brutality in the wake of the alleged police killing of George Floyd, 46, of Minneapolis. "Congratulations to our National Guard for the great job they did immediately upon arriving in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last night. The Antifa led anarchists, among others, were shut down quickly," the president tweeted on Sunday, doubling down on his claim from the day before that "Antifa" and "the Radical Left" bear blame for protests turning violent. He later followed up by saying the US would designate it as a terrorist organisation. Mr Trump also took another dig at Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey over his handling of the protests. Deploying the National Guard "should have been done by Mayor on first night and there would have been no trouble!" Mr Trump wrote in his tweet on Sunday. For days now, Mr Trump and others in his administration have blamed Antifa and other left-wing elements for violent clashes with police at demonstrations across the country. Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One to watch NASA and Elon Musk's SpaceX launch a manned rocket into outer space for the first time in roughly a decade, Mr Trump thanked his Secret Service for guarding the White House from agitators protesting at the fence of the executive residence. "They were incredible last night at the White House. They handled that group of Antifa, or whoever they were radical left. They handled it very well. They handled it very, very well. They handled it incredibly. And we owe a lot to Secret Service. Theyre incredible men and women," the president said. Attorney General William Barr has echoed the president's notions of who has been responsible for violent brushes with law enforcement, looting, and vandalism in recent days in cities across America, from Atlanta to Salt Lake City to Los Angeles. 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 Crossing state crimes to participate in violent rioting is a felony that is charged at the federal level. "Unfortunately, with the rioting that is occurring in many of our cities around the country, the voices of peaceful protests are being hijacked by violent radical elements," Mr Barr said in a statement released by the Justice Department on Saturday. "In many places it appears the violence is planned, organized, and driven by far left extremist groups and anarchic groups using Antifa-like tactics," the attorney general said. On Saturday the governor of Minnesota is mobilising the state's National Guard after claiming protests over the death of George Floyd had been hijacked by extremists, domestic terrorists and possibly even foreign forces. "The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd," said Tim Walz, "it is about attacking civil society, instilling fear, and disrupting our great cities." The small Australian hamlet of Mullumbimby is one of the last places on Earth you would expect to find a mens choir singing their hearts out about the Motherland and the Red Army in Russian like they knew the language, but then again thats what makes Dustyesky so special. Mullumbimby, a small, subtropical town near Byron Bay in Australias northern New South Wales, was mostly known for its timber industry, but thanks to the success of the 28 men making up hit choir Dustyesky its also become known for its Russian songs. None of the members of the group actually speak Russian, but they bonded over their love of vodka and Russian folk songs, and they got so good at singing that they even managed to impress the Russians. The group now bill themselves the leading genuine fake Russian choir in southern hemisphere. Photo: Dustyesky/Facebook Dustyesky was the brainchild of Glenn Wright, a former co-owner and talent booker for Sydneys Harbourside Brasserie, who moved to Byron Shire and started a local music festival. He had always been fascinated by Russian army marching songs, Russian composers and had wanted to fly in a Russian choir for his festival, but couldnt, so he decided to create one locally. As luck would have it, one night, at a local vodka-fueled party, Wright met choirmaster Andrew Swain and pitched the idea to him. Swain was of the belief that anyone could sing, so when he put the ad out for members, he didnt mention musical abilities, focusing instead on appearance. We looked for hairy people, so hairy men, woolly men, men that you could find at the bar late at night, Andrew Swain recently told ABC.net.au. I have heard some people say that Dustyesky has three type of men: one with excellent voice, two, kind of hold a tune, and three, good to have a drink with. We sing perfect four-part harmony, even though some of us cannot sing. Dustyesky members come from all walks of life, some are nut farmers, others are teachers, plumbers of carpenters, but they all had one thing in common they needed a reason to leave the house. They were involved in relationships where they had to co-parent and do have the cooking, so going out for a drink with the boys wasnt always an option, so having to rehearse with their fellow Russian choir members was a great excuse, especially since it involved Russian vodka. But the group became something special from the start. With a repertoire of just three songs, they managed to wow the locals who heard them perform and they were soon getting invitations to perform at various festivals. It wasnt long before Russian immigrants started attending their gigs, crying and singing along with them. Even the Russian ambassador to Australia came to see them sing at one point. But their big break was when one of their performances was broadcast on Russian national television and went viral in the motherland. Millions of people loved the idea of 28 men who didnt speak a word of Russian performing their military march songs halfway around the world, and soon the group were getting invited to sing in Moscows Red Square, in front of Vladimir Putin and a huge audience, during one of Russias impressive military parades. Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic messed up Dustyeskys plans to visit the Motherland. Still, they got the opportunity to record a clip from their own homes during the lock-down, which was later edited into a special performance by Russia-Today TV. Millions of people have watched it and Ive been getting hundreds and hundreds of comments from Russian people saying, you guys are amazing, this is incredible, Andrew Swain said. It turns out that Russian people are really generous and are quite forgiving about pretty crappy accents. So yeah, if you didnt know, a Russian choir made up of 28 Australian guys who dont speak Russian is actually a thing. Its called Dustyesky and it is awesome! MONTREALThe number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Quebec continues to decline as the province prepares to resume several activities on Monday. The province has 51,059 confirmed cases, but authorities said just 408 new cases were reported Sunday, numbers not seen since late March. While the province reported 202 additional deaths only 37 were reported in the past 24 hours. Authorities say the other 165 deaths all from the hard-hit Montreal region date back several days and werent counted due to a data transmission snafu. The number of COVID-19 deaths stands at 4,641, while 16,346 people have recovered. Montreal has accounted for half of the provinces novel coronavirus cases and more than 60 per cent of the deaths with 2,919. Across the province, hospitalizations stood at 1,198, with 171 in intensive care. Premier Francois Legault will be in Montreal for his briefing Monday as daycares in the region are expected to reopen with reduced capacity. Elsewhere in Quebec, shopping centres, hair salons, estheticians and tattoo parlours will be permitted to reopen. Provincial courthouses are also set to gradually reopen across the province on Monday. Justice Minister Sonia LeBel said last week the pandemic has sped up the digital transformation of the justice system, which has used virtual courtrooms during the pandemic. Physical courtrooms will have reduced seating to allow for physical distancing and Plexiglas to protect clerks and judges. Also Sunday, Quebec Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge announced Sunday the province will free up $150 million for school districts to stock up on technological and digital equipment. Even though the scenarios to be presented to public health officials soon involve a return to class, Roberge said in a statement the province needs to be ready for any eventuality next fall in the event of a second wave of COVID-19. The need is there according to data gathered by the Education Department in the spring, the province estimates that 80,000 students dont have access to a device to allow for distance learning. Read more about: WASHINGTON - Undeterred by curfews, protesters streamed back into the nation's streets Tuesday, hours after President Donald Trump pressed governors to put down the violence set off by George Floyd's death and demanded that New York call up the National Guard to stop the lowlifes and losers. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. WASHINGTON - Undeterred by curfews, protesters streamed back into the nation's streets Tuesday, hours after President Donald Trump pressed governors to put down the violence set off by George Floyd's death and demanded that New York call up the National Guard to stop the lowlifes and losers. But most protests passed peacefully, and while there were scattered reports of looting in New York City, the country appeared calmer by late Tuesday than it did a day earlier, when violence swept through multiple cities. The president, meanwhile, amplified his hard-line calls from Monday, when he threatened to send in the military to restore order if governors didnt do it. NYC, CALL UP THE NATIONAL GUARD, he tweeted. The lowlifes and losers are ripping you apart. Act fast! One day after a crackdown on peaceful protesters near the White House, thousands of demonstrators massed a block away from the presidential mansion, facing law enforcement personnel standing behind a black chain-link fence. The fence was put up overnight to block access to Lafayette Park, just across the street from the White House. Workers board up windows of a Nespresso store, Monday, June 1, 2020, in the SoHo neighbourhood of New York. Protesters broke into the store Sunday night in reaction to George Floyd's death while in police custody on May 25 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) Last night pushed me way over the edge, said Jessica DeMaio, 40, of Washington, who attended a Floyd protest Tuesday for the first time. Being here is better than being at home feeling helpless." The crowd remained in place after the citys 7 p.m. curfew passed, defying warnings that the response from law enforcement could be even more forceful. But the protest lacked the tension of the previous nights demonstrations. The crowd Tuesday was peaceful, even polite. At one point, the crowd booed when a protester climbed a light post and took down a street sign. A chant went up: Peaceful protest! "Do this peacefully, please." Terrence Floyd On Monday, law enforcement officers on foot and horseback aggressively drove protesters away from Lafayette Park, clearing the way for President Donald Trump to do a photo op at nearby St. Johns Church. On Tuesday, pastors at the church prayed with demonstrators and handed out water bottles. Volunteer community members clean up a looted store in Philadelphia, Monday, June 1, 2020 in the aftermath of protest and unrest in reaction to George Floyd's death while in police custody on May 25 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Protests ranged across the U.S., including in Los Angeles, Miami, St. Paul, Minnesota, Columbia, South Carolina, and Houston, where the police chief talked to peaceful demonstrators, vowing reforms. God as my witness, change is coming, Art Acevedo said. And were going to do it the right way. In New York, midtown Manhattan was pocked with battered storefronts after Monday's protests. Macys flagship store was among those hit when crowds of people smashed windows and looted stores as they swept through the area. Police made nearly 700 arrests and Mayor Bill de Blasio extended an 8 p.m. curfew all week. An emotional Terrence Floyd, second from right, is comforted as he sits at the spot at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis, Minn., where his brother George Floyd, encountered police and died while in their custody, Monday, June 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Were going to have a tough few days," he warned, but added: Were going to beat it back. He pleaded with community leaders to step forward and create peace. Thousands of protesters marched Tuesday night in a string of demonstrations across Manhattan and Brooklyn after merchants boarded up their businesses, fearing a repeat of the night before. Many people remained on the streets after the curfew hour. Police eventually ordered them to move along and began taking some into custody. More than 20,000 National Guard members have been called up in 29 states to deal with the violence. New York is not among them, and de Blasio has said he does not want the Guard. On Tuesday, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo called what happened in the city a disgrace. Volunteers pick up glass from a damaged The Gap store Monday, June 1, 2020, in Santa Monica, Calif., a day after unrest and protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) The NYPD and the mayor did not do their job last night, Cuomo said at a briefing in Albany. Youve got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and youll never see this stuff again. U.S. President Donald Trump He said the mayor underestimated the problem, and the nations largest police force was not deployed in sufficient numbers, though the city had said it doubled the usual police presence. Tuesday marked the eighth straight night of the protests, which began in Minneapolis, where Floyd died, and quickly spread across the country. National map shows locations of protests across the country.; The mother of George Floyds 6-year-old daughter, Gianna, said she wanted the world to know that her little girl lost a good father. I want everybody to know that this is what those officers took, Roxie Washington said during a Minneapolis news conference with her young daughter at her side. I want justice for him because he was good. No matter what anybody thinks, he was good. On Monday, scattered violence flared in multiple protests, including an officer who was shot and gravely wounded outside a Las Vegas hotel and casino, and four officers shot in St. Louis. They were expected to recover. Lt. Alex Reno, of the Hampton, N.H. police department, right, and Dep. Chief Kevin Gelineau, of the Seabrook, N.H. police department, center, take a knee as they join with protesters taking a knee during a rally, Monday June 1, 2020 on Hampton Beach. The group gathered to voice their concerns following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) About a dozen other deaths have been reported around the country over the past week. And nearly 8,000 people nationwide have been arrested, according to a count by The Associated Press. Some protesters framed the burgeoning movement as a necessity after a string of killings by police. It feels like its just been an endless cascade of hashtags of black people dying, and it feels like nothings really being done by our political leaders to actually enact real change, said Christine Ohenzuwa, 19, who attended a peaceful protest at the Minnesota state capitol in St. Paul. Theres always going to be a breaking point. I think right now, were seeing the breaking point around the country. Hanz Jouissance holds up a fist at the conclusion of a prayer vigil at the First AME church Monday, June 1, 2020, in Seattle, following protests over the weekend over the death of George Floyd, a black man who was in police custody in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) I live in this state. Its really painful to see whats going on, but its also really important to understand that its connected to a system of racial violence," she said. Meanwhile, governors and mayors, Republicans and Democrats alike, rejected Trump's threat to send in the military, with some saying troops would be unnecessary and others questioning whether the government has such authority and warning that such a step would be dangerous. Denver is not Little Rock in 1957, and Donald Trump is not President Eisenhower. This is a time for healing, for bringing people together, and the best way to protect civil rights is to move away from escalating violence, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, both Democrats, said in a statement, referring to Eisenhower's use of troops to enforce school desegregation in the South. People gather to protest in Hampton Beach, N.H., Monday, June 1, 2020, following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the president is not rushing to send in the military and that his goal was to pressure governors to deploy more National Guard members. 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. Such use of the military would mark a stunning federal intervention rarely seen in modern American history. Amid the protests, nine states and the District of Columbia held presidential primaries that tested the nations ability to run elections while balancing a pandemic and sweeping social unrest. Joe Biden won hundreds more delegates and was on the cusp of formally securing the Democratic presidential nomination. Police officers stop to look at a burned out police car, Monday, June 1, 2020, in the SoHo neighbourhood of New York. Protesters burned the car in reaction to George Floyd's death while in police custody on May 25 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) Also Tuesday, Minnesota opened an investigation into whether the Minneapolis Police Department has a pattern of discrimination against minorities. Floyd died May 25 after a white Minneapolis officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee on the handcuffed black mans neck for several minutes. Chauvin has been charged with murder. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said prosecutors are working as fast as they can to determine if the three other officers at the scene should be charged too. All four have been fired. ___ Sullivan reported from Minneapolis. Associated Press journalists across the U.S. contributed to this report. The animal kingdom can sometimes seem so symbolically, and physically distant from the life of humans. In many places, when we do interact with animals it is when they have been domesticated and are under our control. Other than this, animal-human interactions are often limited to feeding, killing, and admiring from afar. Since we do not speak the same language and do not see the world in the same way, it can be difficult to know what it really is like to live as a squirrel, a bumblebee, or a tiger. In order to gauge an animals intelligence, we must observe how it interacts with others of its species, and its environment. We must also decide what smart behavior consists of. Are animals considered to be smart when they behave like us? It is estimated there are about 8.7 million animal species alive on Earth today, but we have identified just 1.2 million to date. Here is a look at ten animals currently considered to be quite intelligent. 10. Chimpanzees Close up of a Chimpanzee-family (mother and her two kids). Image credit: Henner Damke/Shutterstock.com Chimpanzees are the closest living animal relative to humans, and are considered to be rather smart. Jane Goodall is an English primatologist who spent considerable time among chimpanzees, and has been instrumental in revealing to us just how smart they are. Chimpanzees can recognize themselves, and care and mourn for others. They have been known to work in groups to kill their prey, and have also shown human-like behaviour by fashioning tools in nature to help them accomplish tasks. Chimps have turned sticks into spears in order to do things like catch fish or insects to eat, and can communicate with others using complex vocalisations. 9. Crows Crow drinking water from a tap. Image credit: Anishz/Shutterstock.com While a crow does not look anything like a human, you might say that at times it acts just like one. Carrion crows are cunning. According to PBS.org, these crows line up with humans at city crosswalks in Japan. When the light changes to walk, the crows enter the crosswalk and place walnuts from the surrounding trees, on the ground. They then exit the street and wait for the light to change, and for the cars to run over the nuts, crushing them. When the light turns red and the stream of traffic stops, this crow has been seen re-entering the street to feast on the newly cracked nuts. Reports indicate that crows in Japan have been cracking nuts this way since the 1990s, and may have learned it from watching nuts being cracked by chance as cars run over them in the road. It is just one example of how smart this bird really is. 8. Wild Hogs Wild pig (Sus scrofa) stop near the Kennedy Space Center Press Site in the Launch Complex 39 Area on their daily foraging rounds. Image credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration / Public domain Pigs have been found to be intelligent, both on the farm and off of it. In fact, wild hogs are so smart they are taking over large sections of the American south, and are moving north, evading farmers attempts to control their numbers. Wild hogs in America with the longest pedigree are said to be descendants of those brought to the Hawaiian Islands around 750 A.D. by Polynesian Islanders. Others are a cross with imported Eurasian wild boars, brought to America for hunting pleasure. Wild hogs are so successful in part because they will eat just about anything. A powerful sense of smell is also helpful, as it allows them to detect scents about 7 miles (11km) away and 25 feet (7m) underground. In general, pigs as a species can remember information about their environment, which allows them to get around well. They seem to have a concept of time, and are playful and very social, something researchers say is an indication of intelligence. These animals communicate with others using a variety of grunts, and if you have them in your midst, they can be difficult to get rid of. If there were a way to use their skills to your advantage however, they could be extremely useful. 7. Elephants Elephant cow assisting and comforting a young elephant down a dusty steep slope in Kruger National Park. Image credit: LouisLotterPhotography According to Scientific American, elephants are even smarter than we realized. These inspiring giants are indeed intelligent. They can recall the location of distance watering holes over vast landscapes year after year, they mourn their dead, comfort one another when they are upset, plan, work as a team, celebrate victories together, and create tools to help shoo away flies and reach food, to name just a few skills. It is thought that elephants may also have a sense of self. 6. Gorilla Gorillas are highly social and intelligent animals. Image credit: Frank Cornelissen/Shutterstock.com Gorillas have fascinated scientists and the public for ages. One gorilla in particular named Koko grabbed our heart strings and revealed to us just how intelligent these animals can really be. Koko lived in captivity and mastered human sign language. She was once interviewed by a writer for National Geographic Magazine who asked her where gorillas go when they die. Koko told the writer in sign language, Comfortable hole bye." Animals may have depths in thinking we do not commonly imagine. 5. Dolphins Two dolphins swimming together. Image credit: Marshalgonz/Shutterstock.com Considered to be one a few intellectuals of the sea dolphins are impressive creatures. According to some scientists, their intelligence is similar to that of great apes. Dolphins can recognize themselves in a mirror, and understand humans gesture sentences. They can also learn to do things based on rewards, such as poking a keyboard underwater to indicate they would like to play with certain toys, similar to the thinking of very young children. These creatures communicate with each other and give their offspring names, just as humans do. 4. Octopus Underwater image of giant octopus in Indian Ocean. Image credit: Myroslava Bozhko/Shutterstock.com The octopus is a type of cephalopod, and all cephalopods-cuttlefish, squid, and octopuses- are thought to be highly intelligent. An octopus named Inky once escaped from the New Zealand aquarium by finding a gap in its tank. It slid out and traveled down a 164-foot-long drainpipe into a nearby bay to freedom. There are also reports that octopuses have learned to turn off light switches by squirting water at them, causing the electricity to short circuit. Smart. It all sounds like stuff that might happen at a highschool detention when the school hooligans have been left in study hall, alone, for just fifteen minutes. 3. Capuchin Tufted capuchin or brown capuchin. Image credit: Adrian Eugen Ciobaniuc/Shutterstock.com These creatures are a type of monkey, and they are considered to be one of the smartest in the New World. Capuchin monkeys live in the tropical forests of Central and South America. Capuchins are often used in lab experiments, and can be trained to the extent that they can be used as a personal assistant to someone with mobility issues. This the case with a California man named Travis Amick who is a quadripalegic. Amicks monkey, Siggy, is so dextrous that when Amicks cell phone fell to the floor and the battery popped out, Siggy retrieved it and put the battery back in, all on his own. 2. Orangutans Female orangutan and her baby in the rainforest. Image credit: Michel arnault/Shutterstock.com According to ScienceMag.org, orangutans are the only great apes besides us humans who talk about events in the past. They have a long-term memory and can make calls referring to the presence of predators long after the predator has left their environment. Orangutans are also sometimes silent when a predator is in their midst, which is seen as a sign of intelligence. They are being quiet so as not to attract attention and become potential prey. Orangutans also have fine control of their laryngeal muscles, which is something they use to communicate well with others. All of these factors add up to a smart animal. 1. Ants Ants forming a bridge. Image credit: Chik_77/Shutterstock.com Ants are one of the tiniest creatures on this list, but they are also intelligent beings, at least collectively. A single ant is not all that smart, but colonies of ants work in impressive ways. Colonies send out individual ants to find food. When they do, they bring it back to their nest, leaving a scented trail of pheromones in their wake. Other ants then use these scents to join in on targeting the food source, creating a distribution network that can be efficient and vast. Time.com equates an ant network to the way Googles algorithms work when searching for information for users. Scientist Jurgen Kurths of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research stated: Id go so far as to say that the learning strategy involved in that, is more accurate and complex than a Google search. These insects are, without doubt, more efficient than Google in processing information about their surroundings. Pretty impressive. So, what makes an animal smart? It is difficult to say at times, as we inevitably see other creatures through a human lense. A sense of self, a concept of time, the ability to identify oneself in an image such as in a mirror, and the ability to recall events and beings long after they are first encountered are all hallmarks of an intelligent animal, as far as we can ascertain. China reiterated on Friday that it is prepared to use all means necessary including force to prevent the self-ruled island of Taiwan from becoming independent. 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 a member of the key 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 Beijing decides the self-ruled island has seceded, or appears 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 stabilise 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. Beijing claims Taiwan is one of Chinas provinces and an inalienable part of one China. Hypocritical The island, now one of the regions most vibrant democracies, has shown no interest in being run by Chinas authoritarian regime, and has condemned Chinas repeated military drills in the seas and skies around the island. Activists in Taiwan show their opposition to Chinas new national security legislation at a demonstration on Thursday. The signs say the national security law is a bad law [David Chang/EPA] China accuses Taiwans president, Tsai Ing-wen, 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, and rejected Chinas talk of one country, two systems. Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party won presidential and parliamentary elections by a landslide in January, vowing to stand up to Beijing. Taiwan has also criticised the move to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong, which is governed under one country, two systems and supposed to enjoy rights and freedoms unknown on the mainland until at least 2047. Taiwan said the legislation revealed the hypocritical nature of the framework, adding that it would further undermine cross-strait relations. Tsai has been supportive of protesters in Hong Kong, and some activists have moved to the island. She announced on Thursday that Taiwan would start work on a formal process to recognise arrivals from the semi-autonomous territory to ensure they would have housing, education and work. In Beijing, senior party officials also spoke at the special ceremony on the anti-secession law. Li Zhanshu, who is the third most senior leader in the Communist party and heads Chinas parliament, said Beijing would not allow Taiwan to be separated from China. While the head of Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office said one country, two systems and peaceful reunification were the best way to bring China and Taiwan together. 1 Jun Maureen Montagne should have been the one to replace Suheyn Cipriani as the reigning Miss Eco International, if not for her goal of winning the 2020 Binibining Pilipinas. In a statement she released on social media, Montagne, who won first runner-up at the said pageant last year, stated that she has poured her "heart and soul" and will continue to chase her dreams of competing on the Bb. Pilipinas stage in the hopes of representing the Philippines on the international stage. "I am thankful for the opportunities I have been offered this week by the Miss Eco International Organization to whom I will always be thankful to, but I know deep down I need to do what's right in my heart. I sincerely wish the woman who will take the crown a wonderful reign ahead," she added. Peruvian beauty Suheyn Cipriani was dethroned recently as she was unable to fulfil her obligations due to pregnancy, and is now being replaced by Malaysia's Amy Tinie Abdul Aziz, who won fourth runner-up in the said 2019 pageant. Amy Tinie will be reigning for four months before the new Miss Eco International is chosen in September this year. (Photo Source: Maureen Montagne Instagram) Police officers stand outside a looted store on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday. About 200 people marched through downtown streets, protesting the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) A man was shot to death Sunday evening, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, a killing committed in an area of downtown Los Angeles that was flooded with protesters decrying police brutality. At 7:20 p.m., a Latino man in his twenties was fatally shot on Olympic Boulevard between Hill Street and Broadway, Officer Mike Lopez said. The gunman fled in a white vehicle. The man wasn't publicly identified Sunday night. It wasn't immediately clear if he was affiliated with the protests in downtown Los Angeles, but by the time of the shooting, demonstrators had flooded out of Grand Park and marched down Hill Street, past the area of the shooting. Apart from an M-80 firework hurled at police, the Sunday night march wasn't violent or marked by the ransacking that occurred Friday, when looters smashed up a Starbucks, stole fistfuls of jewelry and vandalized many more businesses. Advertisement The UK coronavirus death toll rose by more than 400 yesterday as results of historic tests on people who died earlier in the pandemic came back positive and were added en masse, officials said. The Department for Health said 111 people died on Sunday, but the death total rose in all by 556 as the 445 extra fatalities appeared in figures for the first time. These additional deaths are linked to cases that have been identified through testing that has been carried out by commercial partners, rather than testing that has been done in NHS and Public Health England laboratories. Meanwhile Number 10 hit back at warnings from experts that easing the lockdown will cause a further spike in Covid-19 cases, claiming the crucial coronavirus R-rate will stay below one if Brits continue to adhere to the strict social distancing guidelines designed to halt the outbreak. Downing Street said the scientific consensus is that it is 'unlikely' that the relaxation of guidelines in England will push the R rate - the number of people an infected patient passes the virus on to - past one, despite it already being between 0.7 and 0.9 and dangerously close to the threshold. Tories and top scientists have voiced alarm about the consequences of the tweaks in England - which include six people from different households being able to meet up in public places or gardens, primary schools starting to return, and more shops opening. It comes as health chiefs today announced 111 more Britons died after testing positive for coronavirus - the lowest daily toll since Boris Johnson imposed the lockdown on March 23. But death numbers released on Sundays and Mondays are always significantly smaller due to a delay in processing fatalities over the weekend. It comes as separate figures revealed yesterday - the first day of England's lockdown being eased - that almost half of NHS hospital trusts in England have reported no new fatalities in the past 48 hours. Two experts who analysed the statistics also revealed 12 trusts in England (9.2 per cent) have recorded no coronavirus deaths in the past week. In yesterday's Downing Street press conference, Health Secretary Matt Hancock also revealed 1,570 more Brits have tested positive for the infection - the lowest number since the end of March. And he presented data that showed 479 patients were admitted to hospital with England on May 30, down 20 per cent in a week. Beaches and parks were swamped yesterday, with thousands of Brits taking advantage of the scorching weather on the first day of lockdown being eased since the draconian measures were introduced 10 weeks ago. Local public health directors today revealed they fear ministers have lifted too many restrictions, too quickly. Hitting back at the claims, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'We have worked to gradually and safely ease the lockdown measures, the consensus from the scientists is if test and trace is up and running and the public follow the social distancing guidance then it's unlikely the measures will push the R above one.' In other developments to Britain's coronavirus crisis yesterday: Some of the 2million pupils returning to primary school were turned away because headteachers 'weren't ready' for them; Britons were allowed to meet their friends for socially distant fun and games for the first time since March 23, with the easing of lockdown rules; Number 10 admitted the coronavirus alert level has still not been lowered, despite lockdown rules being eased in England; IKEA shoppers at one store formed a giant three hour queue as the DIY furniture giant reopened 19 furniture sites across England; NHS Covid-19 contact tracers said the system is 'obviously not ready' and admitted they have nothing to do all day - despite being paid up to 27-an-hour; The Government's plan to allow more than 2million vulnerable people outside lacks any scientific rationale and amounts to a PR stunt, an expert warned. Scientists who analysed the statistics revealed 12 NHS hospital trusts in England (9.2 per cent) have recorded no coronavirus deaths in the past week, as well as 65 (49.6 per cent) who have registered none in the past 48 hours WHERE ARE THE 65 TRUSTS THAT HAVE RECORDED NO DEATHS IN THE LAST 48 HOURS? AIREDALE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST ALDER HEY CHILDREN'S NHS FOUNDATION TRUST ASHFORD AND ST PETER'S HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST BOLTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST CHELSEA AND WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST DARTFORD AND GRAVESHAM NHS TRUST DONCASTER AND BASSETLAW TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST DORSET COUNTY HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST EAST CHESHIRE NHS TRUST EAST LANCASHIRE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST EAST SUSSEX HEALTHCARE NHS TRUST FRIMLEY HEALTH NHS FOUNDATION TRUST GATESHEAD HEALTH NHS FOUNDATION TRUST GEORGE ELIOT HOSPITAL NHS TRUST GLOUCESTERSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST GUY'S AND ST THOMAS' NHS FOUNDATION TRUST HARROGATE AND DISTRICT NHS FOUNDATION TRUST HOMERTON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST IMPERIAL COLLEGE HEALTHCARE NHS TRUST ISLE OF WIGHT NHS TRUST JAMES PAGET UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST MEDWAY NHS FOUNDATION TRUST MILTON KEYNES UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST NORFOLK AND NORWICH UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK NHS FOUNDATION TRUST NORTH BRISTOL NHS TRUST NORTH CUMBRIA INTEGRATED CARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST NORTH MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL NHS TRUST NORTHERN DEVON HEALTHCARE NHS TRUST OXFORD UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST POOLE HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST PORTSMOUTH HOSPITALS NHS TRUST ROYAL CORNWALL HOSPITALS NHS TRUST ROYAL DEVON AND EXETER NHS FOUNDATION TRUST ROYAL FREE LONDON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST ROYAL SURREY COUNTY HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST ROYAL UNITED HOSPITALS BATH NHS FOUNDATION TRUST SALFORD ROYAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST SANDWELL AND WEST BIRMINGHAM HOSPITALS NHS TRUST SOUTH TEES HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST SOUTHPORT AND ORMSKIRK HOSPITAL NHS TRUST ST GEORGE'S UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST ST HELENS AND KNOWSLEY TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUST TAUNTON AND SOMERSET NHS FOUNDATION TRUST THE DUDLEY GROUP NHS FOUNDATION TRUST THE HILLINGDON HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST THE PRINCESS ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL NHS TRUST THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL, KING'S LYNN, NHS FOUNDATION TRUST THE ROYAL BOURNEMOUTH AND CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST THE ROYAL WOLVERHAMPTON NHS TRUST TORBAY AND SOUTH DEVON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL SOUTHAMPTON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE NHS TRUST UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF LEICESTER NHS TRUST UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS PLYMOUTH NHS TRUST WEST SUFFOLK NHS FOUNDATION TRUST WESTON AREA HEALTH NHS TRUST WHITTINGTON HEALTH NHS TRUST WORCESTERSHIRE ACUTE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST WYE VALLEY NHS TRUST YEOVIL DISTRICT HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST Advertisement The reproduction rate - which the government has put at the heart of its plans to ease Britain out of lockdown - denotes the number of other people an infected patient will pass the sickness on to and it must stay at one or below or Britain will face another crisis. However, the way the R is calculated means it is out of date, and the latest calculation is based on data from around three weeks ago - before the lockdown loosened. Government advisers last week claimed the R range had dropped to 0.7-0.9, down from 0.7-1. Number 10's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance warned that the numbers are 'not coming down fast' in a downbeat update at Friday's Downing Street press conference, and said the rate may be 'very close' to one in some areas. The UK's deaths include 96 in England, nine in Scotland, five in Wales and one in Northern Ireland. Yesterday officials announced 113 more Covid-19 deaths, which was also the lowest daily toll since lockdown began on March 23 (74). Individual authorities have different cut-off points for records to be submitted, meaning the tallies added up for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland often don't match the final breakdown given by the DH. NHS England recorded 108 more patients had died in hospitals. Wales posted five new deaths across all settings, while Scotland and Northern Ireland registered one each. Processes for recording people's deaths are known for slowing down and even stopping at the weekends and on bank holidays, meaning there is a dip every Monday - or Tuesday if it follows a bank holiday - followed by surges on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It comes as two experts today crunched the numbers reported by NHS England, and found that almost half of trusts - 65, or 49.6 per cent - have recorded no deaths in the past 48 hours. Professor Carl Heneghan and Dr Jason Oke, from the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at Oxford University, said: 'Todays reported figure is 108 deaths in hospitals in England: 79 (73 per cent) of these were in the last week.' And they added that 12 trusts had registered no Covid-19 deaths in the past week. These were: Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust (FT), Gateshead Health NHS FT, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS FT, North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS FT, North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust, Oxford University Hospitals NHS FT, Poole Hospital NHS FT, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS FT, Taunton and Somerset NHS FT, The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS FT, Weston Area Health NHS Trust and Whittington Health NHS Trust. For comparison, that rate has barely changed since the academics began to analyse the figures on May 21. And the number of trusts not recording a death for 48 hours is the second-highest since the data collection began, down from 52.7 per cent yesterday. Restrictions across the country lifted today as outdoor markets reopened along with car showrooms. Horse racing also resumed at Newcastle Racecourse but there will be no spectators present at the venue as mass gatherings remain banned. And vulnerable people who have until now been advised to stay indoors due to the coronavirus pandemic will be permitted to go outside. It comes as up to two million pupils were due to return to primary school today. But it was revealed this morning that some were turned away because headteachers 'weren't ready' for them. Up to 1,500 primary schools in England are estimated to be defying the Government's controversial plan to get all reception, year 1 and year 6 children back in the classroom from June 1. Teachers have admitted they were 'anxious' to work and unions demanded the date be pushed back to June 15 at the earliest, amid fears the virus is still spreading at high levels. Parents have revealed many schools will remain closed for at least another week or more, while some have not yet set a date at all. At least two dozen councils have refused to reopen their schools or left it up to headteachers, who are trying to find ways to ensure social distancing and have enough teachers to teach 'bubbles' of up to ten children. MailOnline revealed there was confusion at several schools across London, with some parents arriving with their children only to be informed they couldn't come in and had to go home again. In other developments, ministers are desperately trying to quell a backlash over easing lockdown today despite the coronavirus alert level not having been reduced. With beaches and parks again swamped as people take advantage of scorching weather, Business Secretary Alok Sharma was forced to deny there is a 'dash' to get the country back up and running. He insisted the new contact tracing system means measures can be tightened again in specific areas if there is a flare up. But Downing Street was forced to admit the alert level has still not been reduced from level four to three, even though the guidance suggested easing of lockdown is not possible until it was reduced. Tories and top scientists have voiced alarm about the consequences of the tweaks in England - which include six people from different households being able to meet up in public places or gardens. There are concerns it will be impossible to put the 'genie back in the bottle' if cases increase, with one MP telling MailOnline the government had gone from 'baby steps to giant steps' with nothing in between. In tonight's Downing Street press conference, Health Secretary Matt Hancock (pictured alongside testing coordinator Professor John Newton) also revealed 1,570 more Brits have tested positive for the infection - the lowest number since the end of March The Government has frantically urged Britons to act 'sensibly' as they enjoy a host of new freedoms, following crowded scenes across the country yesterday before the overhaul officially came into force. It came as Ikea stores across Britain today were seeing giant queues form outside, with customers forming three-hour queues as lockdown restrictions were eased. The car park at Ikea in Wembley, north London, which was until recently a coronavirus test centre, was full of cars this morning as the store opened for business for the first time since the lockdown was imposed. IS COVID-19 BECOMING LESS POTENT? Doctors in Italy claim the coronavirus has weakened and become a shadow of the disease that rapidly spread around the world. Italian medics say the infection - which has killed 370,000 worldwide - is much less lethal than it was and 'no longer clinically exists'. Patients are showing much smaller amounts of the virus in their system, compared to samples taken during the peak of the crisis in March and April, they said. Infections and deaths caused by Covid-19 have been falling in Italy for weeks. It was, at one point, the centre of Europe's escalating outbreak. Scientific theory suggests viruses may become weaker over time in a bid to survive - if they kill or cripple all their human hosts they will run out of road. But virologists have today cast doubt on the Italian doctors' claims, saying there is no evidence the virus is losing potency anywhere. One called them 'bulls***'. Viruses known to have mutated in this way, such as HIV and the common cold, have been around for decades and thousands of years, respectively, while the coronavirus was only spotted in humans in December last year. Another scientist said it was possible that the coronavirus would mutate in this way but it was dangerous to assume it was happening simply from swab samples. Advertisement Aerial photos show hundreds of customers queuing around the block in the stifling heat to get into the shops in Nottingham, Reading and Essex, as the Government urged the country to act 'sensibly' amid restrictions being eased. Massive lines of people could also be seen snaking around the car parks at the Swedish furniture giant's branches in Wednesbury, West Midlands. Some eager shoppers had been queuing from as early as 5.30am - over four hours before the store was due to open at 10am today. Huge traffic jams were also reported in and around the areas as people flocked to their local branch following Boris Johnson's further easing of lockdown restrictions. It comes after doctors in Italy today claimed the coronavirus has weakened and become a shadow of the disease that rapidly spread around the world. Italian medics say the infection - which has killed 370,000 worldwide - is much less lethal than it was and 'no longer clinically exists'. Patients are showing much smaller amounts of the virus in their system, compared to samples taken during the peak of the crisis in March and April, they said. Infections and deaths caused by Covid-19 have been falling in Italy for weeks. It was, at one point, the centre of Europe's escalating outbreak. Scientific theory suggests viruses may become weaker over time in a bid to survive - if they kill or cripple all their human hosts they will run out of road. But virologists have today cast doubt on the Italian doctors' claims, saying there is no evidence the virus is losing potency anywhere. One called them 'bulls***'. Viruses known to have mutated in this way, such as HIV and the common cold, have been around for decades and thousands of years, respectively, while the coronavirus was only spotted in humans in December last year. Another scientist said it was possible that the coronavirus would mutate in this way but it was dangerous to assume it was happening simply from swab samples. People fill up the beach at Westbay in Dorset today as they take advantage of relaxation of the lockdown rules Children in Year 1 have their own desks in the modern Harris Academy Primary School in south London. Many headteachers with older schools say they don't have the space Essex: People queuing today at the Ikea store in Lakeside, Thurrock, which has reopened as part of a wider easing of lockdown restrictions in England Bring your own CHAIRS for BBQs, NO paddling pools and sex with someone from another house is BANNED: Government issues detailed instructions on new lockdown rules to try to clear up mass confusion Who can be in my group of six? What is still banned? Visiting friends and family inside their homes Staying stay overnight away from your own home, except for in a limited set of circumstances, such as for work purposes Exercising in an indoor sports court, gym or leisure centre, or swimming in a public pool Using an outdoor gym or playground Gathering outdoors in a group of more than six (excluding members of your own household) Advertisement Anyone you like, although the usual rules about isolation if you have symptoms apply. Social distancing from people not within your own household remains the key. So you can share a picnic rug in the park with anyone you live with, but anyone else still has to stay two metres (six feet six inches) away. And the other key point is that this gathering has to be outdoors. You can have the gathering inside someones' garden, yard or roof terrace, in the street, in the park, in an empty car park. But you cannot have it in inside a house or flat or any other building. The other point to note is that the rules on six only apply to more than one family group. They also point out: 'There is no limit to the size of a gathering in an outdoor space if you are all members of the same household.' Can we go inside at all? You can pass through a house or flat in order to access the garden or terrace, if there is no other way to access them. And in good news for people with small children or those wanting to enjoy a few beers with friends, you are allowed in to use the toilet. The guidance notes: 'Avoid touching surfaces and if you use the toilet wash your hands thoroughly, wipe down surfaces, use separate or paper towels and wash or dispose of them safely after use. 'If you no longer want to remain outdoors, you should go home. 'Dont go into garages, sheds or cabins these are all indoor areas and where the risk of transmission is higher.' Can we have a barbecue and how will it work? eople should not pass food or drinks to those not within their family groups and you should bring your own plates and utensils Barbecues and other al fresco eating like picnics are allowed, but with strict measures in place to avoid contamination. You should bring your own garden chairs if possible, and if you cannot thoroughly clean the ones you sit on. The advice is to 'stay alert'. People should not pass food or drinks to those not within their family groups and you should bring your own plates and utensils. And you should wash your hands frequently. And in bad news for the hosts, it adds: 'If you are in someone elses garden, you must not go inside to help the host carry the food out or to help with the washing up.' What else can we do? Can we get the paddling pool out for the kids? Paddling pools should not be shared by people who are not within the same family group. And the bad news extends to the mega rich who have swimming pools, the rules are the same for them. I don't have a garden, can we all meet up somewhere else? he rules allow separate family groups to travel to another location, as long as there is no overnight stay involved - so camping and weekends away are still banned Yes, the rules allow separate family groups to travel to another location, as long as there is no overnight stay involved - so camping and weekends away are still banned. The guidance states: 'You can travel to outdoor open space irrespective of distance, as long as you can return the same night and do not put others at risk because of services you may need in the time you are away.' This includes 'National Parks or beaches' although it warns that some remain clised - like Durdle Door in Dorset which was swamped with people at the weekend. It also recommends you avoid public transport where possible, suggesting cycling or walking where possible. So no overnight trips allowed? Not for leisure, no. Holidays and visits to a second home are not allowed. The only exception is work travel. The guidance states: 'Premises such as hotels and bed and breakfasts will remain closed, except where providing accommodation for specific reasons set out in law, such as for critical workers where required for a reason relating to their work. 'Hotels are also available to host those self-isolating after arriving in the UK (where no other accommodation is available).' But I don't live with my partner, and I haven't seen them in months... Bad luck. The rules clearly state that conjugal visits are not allowed. In one of the more controversial moves, Boris Johnson's Government has brought in a sex ban. The guidance states: 'Close contact with people from other households means a much higher risk of transmission, and according to the scientific advice, we cannot safely allow people to see people they dont live with indoors without the risk that the virus will spread. 'We recognise how difficult this is for people particularly those who live alone and we are keeping this under constant review.' The rules created a lot of amusement - or horror - on social media, with legal blogger and writer the Secret Barrister pointing out (above) the guidance only applied to sex indoors. But there is some confusion over how well the rule can be enforced. Downing Street helpfully confirmed today that police will not be allowed to enter the homes of people they suspect are breaching the rule, with the Prime Minister's spokesman saying: 'The police will do as they have since the beginning of the health regulations being in place, by exercising their common sense and engaging with the public and only issuing fixed penalty notices when they believe it's a last resort. 'The police do not have the power to enter people's homes under the regulations ... they cannot enter your home unless they expect serious criminal activity is taking place there'. Can I take my mind off this with sports? Solo sports like tennis and golf are allowed in groups of up to six, with social distancing maintained and no sharing of equipment The rules could also be seen to apply to other spots like kayaking or paddle-boarding where people keep their distance Yes, sports are permitted under the same gathering rules. Solo sports like tennis and golf are allowed in groups of up to six, with social distancing maintained and no sharing of equipment. This includes doubles tennis 'as long as you remain two metres apart as far as possible'. And training for team sports like football, rugby and hockey are also allowed. The guidance notes: 'People who play team sports can meet to train together and do things like conditioning or fitness sessions but they must be in separate groups of no more than six and must be two metres apart at all times. 'While groups could practice ball skills like passing and kicking, equipment sharing should be kept to a minimum and strong hand hygiene practices should be in place before and after. A Chinese security officer wears a protective mask at the end of the closing session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People on May 28, 2020 in Beijing, China. Kevin Frayer | Getty Images BEIJING The U.S.-China relationship is at a critical turning point, analysts say, and hints of what the global landscape could look like have emerged in the few days since China's annual parliamentary meeting wrapped up. The highly symbolic congress which concluded last Thursday after nearly a week of meetings sent a strong signal to its people that China has overcome the disease, and that business is quickly getting back to normal. Beijing also used the gathering to introduce a new security bill for the special administrative region of Hong Kong, which enjoys a semi-autonomous status. But China's decision to approve the proposed law, that critics say will grant the central government sweeping powers to crush dissent, set off a strong reaction from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration which threatened retaliation. Geopolitics aside, several analysts agree a reality is emerging for businesses: In the face of a global recession, China looks set to be one of the few countries that will expand, economically and politically. "Given the current pace of things at the moment and the way the (U.S.-China) relationship is shaping (up) at the moment, this is something to be taken seriously by businesses," said Tom Rafferty, regional director of Asia at The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The trade war has shifted into a technological, and now, financial conflict, he said in a phone call, predicting targeted actions such as U.S. sanctions on Chinese financial entities. Investments into China China, where the coronavirus first emerged late last year in the city of Wuhan, is also the first country to recover from business shutdowns imposed in an effort to control the outbreak. More than 4,600 people have died from Covid-19 in China, while the death toll tops 100,000 in the U.S., the hardest-hit country in the world. The virus that caused a global pandemic has infected well over 6 million people worldwide. According to the latest International Monetary Fund projections, China is set to grow just over 1% in 2020, while the U.S. economy will likely contract nearly 6% this year worse than the global 3% decline in growth. "Globalization itself is going to survive. It's going to be adjusted around some of these issues especially the tech," said Walter Lohman, director of the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation, from which the Trump administration has drawn many of its staff. "People are still going to want to invest in China for the China market," he said in a phone call. "We've been talking about it for 100 years. It's here now and there are companies that want to access it. China isn't the worst place to do business. Even on the transparency side it's kind of in the middle." For the first time in about two decades, the world's second-largest economy did not to set an annual GDP target at its latest parliamentary meeting. Instead, authorities set targets for items such as unemployment. Many economists said removing the target will hopefully improve the quality of growth, and predict the economy could expand by about 1% to 3% this year. Geopolitical tensions and the coronavirus have stalled foreign direct investment into China. But companies have vested interests that are unlikely to change quickly. Analysts from research firm Gavekal Dragonomics said in a report in August that in 2016, American business sales in China topped $450 billion, while the Chinese sales in the U.S. were less than $50 billion. "The signals in all of our communications and interactions with government is they are welcoming to American business in China, and really making it a point to ensure that whether it be related to subsidies or other types of support that they are supportive," Alan Beebe, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, told reporters on Friday morning. "That's been a pretty consistent trend that we've noticed this year." Beebe also noted the Chinese government has asked for the chamber's support in recommending to policymakers effective ways that stimulus can be efficiently channeled to small- and medium-sized companies. Tense political talk China has been a little more forceful on the geopolitical front. Controversy over the origin of the coronavirus spurred heated commentary from Chinese diplomats that's spread tensions beyond the U.S. to parts of Europe, Australia and other countries. So you can't expect China to be as quiet as it was 20 to 40 years ago ... China is a different China. It should have the right (to express its) point of view around this world. Wang Huiyao president, Center for China and Globalization China has more students and businesses going global, said Wang Huiyao, an advisor to the Chinese government and the president of Beijing-based think tank, Center for China and Globalization. "So you can't expect China to be as quiet as it was 20 to 40 years ago," he said in a phone call, noting others may begin to see the merits of a different system. "China is a different China. It should have the right (to express its) point of view around this world." Growth still remains the bottom line for China's authoritarian government to ensure social stability. Premier Li Keqiang used a high-profile press conference on Thursday last week to play up China's openness to foreign investment. The country's optimism overshadows remaining challenges at home, and the political risks U.S. and other businesses may face from their own governments. "China's problem is this. There are two Chinas. One is the first world cities that we see and go to. The rest is a third-world country," George Friedman, chairman of Geopolitical Futures, an online publication focused on global affairs, said in a phone call. He's skeptical of China's aim to eliminate poverty this year. "In all likelihood this tension between US and China will likely increase, and China is going to have to deal with the problem domestically, not just to increase domestic consumption but accept the limits of what it can do with the United States." U.S. pressure on Beijing has grown, from Congressional steps toward restricting Chinese stock listings, to efforts aimed at crippling China's telecommunications giant Huawei. The growing U.S. political antagonism toward China will last longer than the current election cycle, said the Heritage Foundation's Lohman. "Really, ideally, to get back to a decent place in the relationship, we need a return to real market reform in China," he said. "That would include privatization, disciplines on state-owned enterprises, better rules around subsidies (and) addressing this issue of technology coercion." Trump felled the latest blow by announcing on Friday he would start to take action for eliminating Hong Kong's special trading status with the U.S. The move was a response to China's formal approval a day earlier of a new security law for Hong Kong, meant to ease Beijing's concerns about the threat of year-long protests in the city to its sovereignty. "The HK legislation's obviously an expression of political confidence on China's side," said the EIU's Rafferty. Lack of detail "One key variable going forward is the U.S. position and whether the U.S. is willing to stay globally engaged in multilateral institutions," Rafferty said. "My base case is America will stay engaged." U.S. President Donald Trump makes an announcement about U.S. trade relations with China and Hong Kong in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, May 29, 2020. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters Australians have been warned not to travel to the Unites States, where violence continues to escalate over the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd. Riots, looting and arson have erupted across the US in recent days, which has resulted in the mass deployment of police and National Guard troops, with curfews enforced in many major cities. The Federal Government declared a red 'Do Not Travel' warning on Monday, and urged those already in the US avoid protests and demonstrations. Australians have been urged to steer clear on the US on the SmartTraveller website Curfews have been enforced in cities such as Los Angeles (pictured) as violence escalates 'Widespread protests have occurred across the country since 27 May 2020, some of which have turned violent,' the government's SmartTraveller website states. 'In response, curfews are in place in a number of cities and the National Guard has been called out in some states.' 'Further protests are expected and there is an ongoing potential for violence.' For Australians already in the US, SmartTraveller advises to avoid large gatherings, including mass demonstrations and protests. 'Monitor the media for information on latest developments and follow the instructions of local authorities, including by obeying all curfews,' the advice states. Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Minneapolis on Sunday for a fifth consecutive day over the death of local George Floyd The violence has continued for a fifth consecutive day over the death of Mr Floyd, 46, who died during an arrest last Monday after a white cop pressed his knee against his neck for eight minutes while face down on the ground. Officer Derek Chauvin was later charged with third-degree murder. The advice is in addition to the current ban on overseas travel due to the coronavirus pandemic. 'If you wish to leave the US due to COVID-19, do so as soon as possible by commercial means, SmartTraveller advises. 'Limited flights to Australia are available from Los Angeles and San Francisco. 'If you're staying in the US, follow the advice of local authorities and minimise your risk of exposure to COVID-19.' G eorge Floyd died of "mechanical asphyxia" due to neck and back compression, according to an independent autopsy commissioned for his family. The African-American died last week after a white Minneapolis police officer held his knee on Mr Floyd's neck for several minutes and ignored his cries of distress. The autopsy found the compression cut off blood to Mr Floyd's brain, and weight on his back made it hard to breathe, attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Mr Floyd's family said on Monday. He called for the third-degree murder charge against officer Derek Chauvin to be upgraded to first-degree murder and for three other officers to be charged. 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 But the family's autopsy differs from the official autopsy as described in a criminal complaint against the officer. That autopsy included the effects of being restrained, along with underlying health issues and potential intoxicants in Floyd's system, but also said it found nothing "to support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation." Mr Floyd, a black man who was in handcuffs at the time, died after Chauvin, who is white, ignored bystander shouts to get off him and Mr Floyd's cries that he couldn't breathe. His death came after a report was made on the evening of May 25, when Mr Floyd bought a pack of cigarettes from Cup Foods, a grocery store but the store employee called 911 because he thought the 20 bill he used was counterfeit. On Monday his brother called for peaceful protests / REUTERS When officers arrived on the scene, they found Mr Floyd in a car after after speaking to him through a window, one pulled out his fun and ordered him out of the car. Mr Floyd "resisted being handcuffed," according to the complaint, but once he was in cuffs he "became compliant". However Chauvin pinned him to the floor for minuteswhere he began to protest that he couldn't breathe. The incident, captured on video, and his death sparked days of protests in Minneapolis that have spread to cities around America. The official autopsy last week provided no other details about intoxicants, and toxicology results can take weeks. London George Floyd protest 1 /20 London George Floyd protest Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Protesters in Trafalgar Square People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in Trafalgar Square, London PA Mr Crump said last week that he was commissioning the family's own autopsy. Mr Floyd's family, like the families of other black men killed by police, wanted an independent look because they didn't trust local authorities to produce an unbiased autopsy. The family's autopsy was conducted by Michael Baden and Allecia Wilson. Mr Baden is the former chief medical examiner of New York City, who was hired to conduct an autopsy of Eric Garner, a black man who died in 2014 after New York police placed him in a chokehold and he pleaded that he could not breathe. Mr Baden also conducted an independent autopsy of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old shot by police in Ferguson, Missouri. He said Brown's autopsy, requested by the teen's family, didn't reveal signs of a struggle, casting doubt on a claim by police that a struggle between Brown and the officer led to the shooting. Chauvin, who was also charged with manslaughter, is being held in a state prison. The other three officers on scene, like Chauvin, were fired the day after the incident but have not been charged. People in several cities around the world have rallied in solidarity with anti-racism protests in the US, which were triggered after the killing of a Black man at the hands of the police. Several thousand people marched in Auckland, New Zealands largest city, on Monday to protest the killing of George Floyd in the US city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25. Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was pinned to the ground by the knee of a white officer in Minneapolis. The officer, who has since been fired and charged for murder, knelt on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes, as Floyd pleaded I cant breathe. Many people around the world have watched with growing unease the civil unrest in the US after the latest in a series of police killings of Black men, women and children. The Auckland protesters marched to the US Consulate, where they knelt, holding banners reading I cant breathe and The real virus is racism. Hundreds more joined the peaceful protests and vigils elsewhere in New Zealand, where Monday was a public holiday. At a gathering in central London on Sunday, thousands offered support for American demonstrators, chanting No justice! No peace! and waving placards with messages like: How many more? In Brazil, hundreds of people protested crimes committed by the police against Black people in Rio de Janeiros working-class neighbourhoods, known as favelas. Police used tear gas to disperse them, forcing some demonstrators to repeat Floyds words: I cant breathe. In Canada, an anti-racism protest degenerated into clashes between Montreal police and some demonstrators. Jumping into a new sector is daunting for any IT leader, but most CIOs are naturals at applying their technology leadership chops to new challenges. Accordingly, joining $13.6 billion agricultural concern Syngenta as CIO and chief digital officer was a no-brainer for Greg Meyers, who spent the previous four years helping to transform Motorola Solutions into a provider of software and services. Im attracted to hard problems, says Meyers, who found the steep side of the learning curve when he joined the Swiss provider of crop protection pesticides and seeds in 2018. Meyers, who previously held IT leadership roles at Biogen, Novartis and Johnson & Johnson, was also committed to Syngenta CEOs vision for becoming an agricultural technology powerhouse. Purpose, it turns out, matters every bit as much as fit. Humans have been cultivating food for many millennia, but the proliferation of heavy industry, including tractors and other combustion engine machines, along with the creation of herbicides, pesticides and synthetic seeds, have facilitated major industrial leaps. For the past several years, Syngenta, as well as Bayer, Land OLakes and others in the sector, have been tapping into the emerging precision agriculture trend for using computer science, data science, drones and other tools to help farmers improve crop yields. Tech boosts crops by the bushel Precision agriculture focuses on boosting the bushel-per-acre yield, a major math problem incorporating soil and water chemistry, weather, seed quality and robustness and probably too many other variables to count. Competing in this emerging science requires agricultural firms to upgrade from legacy to modern tech stacks. This happens to be Meyers specialty. I want to help the company navigate the change, says Meyers, who was brought on board to transform the company and accelerate its digital farming business. Most agriculture firms have mountains of technical debt accrued from years of mergers and acquisitions, and Syngenta is no different. Over time Syngenta moved IT into shared services, which was optimized for cost efficiency, Meyers says. Years of outsourcing Meyers estimates the figure was upwards of 90 percent of IT operations left Syngentas IT department too barebones for Meyers taste. The model also had Syngenta pawning off risk to third parties managing in turnkey fashion, which means the financial incentives of the vendors were not aligned with Syngentas new strategic goals. The more that you give up control and decision-making, the less you need tech people and you wont have interesting work, says Meyers. Heavy reliance on outsourcing sucks out innovation, as IT is neither equipped nor incentivized to discover emerging tech by attending conferences or evaluating startups. Through selective insourcing, Meyers estimates that he increased IT headcount by 30 percent, to the tune of 700 employees. He hired a head of infrastructure, head of networks and a new CISO, among several other tech leaders. With the termination and attrition of vendor contracts, and by moving to flexible cloud services, Meyers reduced the total cost of IT by 25 percent. For example, the company is migrating from several versions of SAP ECC 6 running on-premises to SAP S/4 HANA hosted on Amazon Web Services, a move that allows for more agile compute functions, as well as in-memory analytics. The company also eliminated desk phones in favor of softphones provided by Dialpad, as well as Zoom for video conferencing and Office 365 for productivity and collaboration. Such moves, increasingly table stakes for managing IT today, helped Meyers gain credibility with the business. If you cant keep the trains running on time, youll never get that seat at the table, Meyers says. The next green field: Digital farming To that end, Meyers has been focusing more of his efforts on building software to help tens of thousands of corn and soy farmers, as well as growers who operate sugar cane mills, across 20 countries, including North America, Latin America, Europe and China, to divvy their land into subplots. Syngentas software analyzes the variability of fields based on soil type, climate, seed varieties, as well as what pesticides will protect crops, to recommend the best course of action for farmers. Breeding genetics is a critical factor for growers. Syngentas Seed Selector software uses machine learning running Monte Carlo simulations to inform growers what variety of corn or soy they should plant in certain parts of their fields. For instance, seed varietals can yield varying degrees of stalk strength, which can prove fortuitous in fields buffeted by high winds, Meyers says. Soil chemistry, which ranges from clay-like and moist to sandy and dry, also informs the type of seed growers should plant for maximum yield. Some seeds are bred to tolerate extreme drought. Syngenta isnt doing everything on its own. Last year Meyers oversaw the acquisition of Cropio, a Ukrainian company that uses algorithms to analyze satellite imagery to determine what crops are growing on farmland with 93 percent accuracy. Its a team sport, but we advise farmers what, when and how to use our products based on our experience in R&D, Meyers says. Growers dont want to buy the wrong thing. Industry-switching advice For CIOs looking to dive into a new sector, Meyers advises the following: Embrace the steep end of the curve. Being new to an industry can actually be your biggest strength, not a weakness, so treat it as such. As intimidating as agriculture is for Meyers, his freshness also made him appealing to CEO J. Erik Fyrwald, to whom he reports. I was a little bit wrapped up in my head worrying, how long is it going to take me to not embarrass myself, Meyers says. That naivete, probably my greatest weakness, was actually an asset because I had ability to see something with a fresh set of eyes. Get out of your own head, but stay humble. Self-doubt can cripple you, so dont get stuck dwelling on what you dont know. Many people on the Syngenta leadership team will forget more agriculture than Ill ever know, Meyers says of being a noob. My advice is be humble and listen well. Ask the dumb questions. Seemingly dumb questions can actually hold a room because executives are eager to share their knowledge. They will also appreciate the fact that you dont come in with biases. [June 01, 2020] OTTO Motors Raises $29 Million To Take Its Autonomous Mobile Robots Global Series C round comes amid growing global demand and larger deployments of OTTO's proven AMR technology KITCHENER, Ontario, June 1, 2020 /CNW/ -- OTTO Motors, a division of Clearpath Robotics, today announced it has closed $29 million (USD) in Series C funding for the continued expansion of its autonomous mobile robot (AMR) platform. The investment, which follows years of rapid growth, was led by Kensington Private Equity Fund with participation from BMO Capital Partners, Export Development Canada (EDC), and previous investors iNovia Capital and RRE Ventures. OTTO Motors enables the world's largest companies to create safer and more productive workplaces with autonomous material handling. This funding will be used to expand OTTO's global network of delivery partners and accelerate its product roadmap for enterprise customers with emphasis on its industry-leading autonomous technology. Demand for AMRs has been growing worldwide as manufacturers have struggled to find workers to serve critical needs. The skills gap is projected to leave 2.4 million positions unfilled between 2018 and 2028, according to a 2018 study by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute , and the need for automation is projected to grow as companies seek ways to improve business continuity during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. "Mobile robots are no longer a luxury in the workplace; they are a necessity," said Clearpath CEO and co-founder Matthew Rendall. "In a post-COVID world, AMRs enhance worker safety and bring resiliency to supply chains. As enterprises adapt, AMR demand will accelerate globally. This investment will enable us to grow to meet the evolving needs of the factories and warehouses of the future anywhere in the world." "Clearpath and its OTTO autonomous mobile robots have been on our radar for some time. We see strong trends favouring the acceleration of industrial automation generally, with Clearpath positioned very strongly to benefit from this rapidly growing sector," said Rick Nathan , senior managing director at Kensington . "OTTO's technology leads the market for core infrastructure for the factory of the future. It is becoming increasingly important for customers across all manufacturing and a compelling opportunity for our investors." OTTO has helped Berry Global Group, a Fortune 500 manufacturer, meet increasing customer demand despite labor shortages at a plant in Kentucky. Berry Global's fleet of 19 OTTO AMRs operate 24x7 supplying cases to and from automated production machines. "Our mission to ensure a safe and productive work environment, along with the challenges of persistent labor constraints, has led us to increase investments in creative automation solutions," said Scott Spaeth, director of corporate automation at Berry Global. "The OTTO vehicles address those challenges and deliver improved operations reliability, while enhancing the working environment for our employees." Since launching in 2015, OTTO Motors has emerged as a leader in enterprise AMR deployments. Over 70% of the AMRs installed by OTTO are in Fortune Global 500 companies, including GE, Toyota, Nestle, and Berry Global. In recent months, OTTO has also seen a surge in demand from essential businesses responding to increased operational risks associated with COVID-19, including food, beverage and medical device manufacturing. Including this Series C round, OTTO Motors has now raised $83 million (USD) in funding. About OTTO Motors OTTO Motors is the industrial division of Clearpath Robotics. OTTO Motors provides autonomous mobile robots for material handling inside manufacturing facilities and warehouses. OTTO is trusted for mission-critical deliveries spanning the most demanding of industrial environments. Customers include some of the world's largest organizations, including GE, Toyota, Nestle, and Berry Global. For more information, visit www.ottomotors.com . About Clearpath Robotics, Inc. Founded in 2009, Clearpath Robotics established itself as a pioneer in autonomous robotics when it developed one of the world's first platforms for robotics research. Today, the Clearpath Robotics platform is used to support robotics innovation in mining, military, agriculture, aerospace, and academia. In 2015, the company established the OTTO Motors division to focus on the use of autonomous mobile robots for materials handling in warehouses and factories. Visit www.clearpathrobotics.com and www.ottomotors.com for more information. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/otto-motors-raises-29-million-to-take-its-autonomous-mobile-robots-global-301068300.html SOURCE OTTO Motors [ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com\LTE's Homepage ] The police chief in Louisville, Kentucky has been fired after it was revealed that officers involved in the shooting death of a local business owner during George Floyd protests early Monday did not have their body cameras activated. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced the decision to cut Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad during a Monday afternoon press conference. 'This type of institutional failure will not be tolerated,' Fischer said. Conrad was slated to retire on July 1. Officers in the Louisville police force had been required to wear active body cameras following the death of Breonna Taylor a 26-year-old black EMT who was killed in her home in March by Louisville police carrying out a 'no-knock warrant'. Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad (above) was relieved of duty by Mayor Greg Fischer on Monday after it was revealed two officers involved in the shooting death of a local business owner at George Floyd protests earlier that day did not have their bodycameras activated At 12.15am Louisville police and the National Guard were sent to break up a crowd of protesters at a parking lot and 'returned fire' after someone shot at them, and ended up killing David McAtee (above), 53-year-old black man who owned YaYa's BBQ in western Louisville "Right now, I can't tell you the feeling I have. All I can say -- when a mother loses her child, a piece of you goes along with that child." -- Odessa Riley, #DavidMcAtee's mother #Louisville #BreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/jdtI4mqcZL Philmonger (@phillipmbailey) June 1, 2020 In the incident officers with Louisville police and the National Guard were sent to break up a crowd at a parking lot around 12.15am and 'returned fire' into the group. 'Officers and soldiers began to clear the lot and at some point were shot at. Both LMPF and National Guard members returned fire, we have one man dead at scene,' Conrad said in a statement following the confrontation. The victim was later identified as David McAtee, a 53-year-old black man who owned YaYa's BBQ in western Louisville and was lovingly referred to as 'the BBQ man' by locals. The two officers involved in the shooting were either not wearing or did not have their cameras activated and have been placed on administrative leave. 'That is completely unacceptable. And there is no excuse for their clear failure to (follow) our policy,' Acting Chief Rob Schroeder said. Officers in Louisville had been ordered to wear active body cameras following the March death of 26-year-old black EMT Breonna Taylor. Conrad (above) had previously announced he would retire on July 1 Mayor Greg Fischer shared this statement mourning the death of David McAtee Gov Andy Beshear shared this statement saying he has authorized the Kentucky State Police to launch an independent investigation Finding out the woman in this pic is David McAtees mother, Odessa. #LouisvilleProtests @wave3news https://t.co/osoZdSk1jq Nicholas Picht (@N_Picht) June 1, 2020 Surveillance footage and police radio transmissions were released by the LMPF on Monday but didnt provide answers in the incident. More footage from the incident will be released. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear condemned the incident in a statement Monday morning saying: 'LMPD and the Kentucky National Guard returned fire resulting in death' and that he has asked the Kentucky State Police to independently investigate the shooting. At his morning pres conference Beshear called on authorities to release body camera footage and was outraged to learn there was none. Now he hopes for cell phone or other citizen video of the confrontation to emerge. 'I believe the people of Kentucky deserve to see it for themselves,' he said. On Sunday night alone more than 40 people were arrested marking the citys fourth consecutive night of protests in Louisville Army National Guard Soldiers stand with Louisville Metro Police officers during a protest against the deaths of Breonna Taylor by Louisville police and George Floyd by Minneapolis police in Louisville, Kentucky on Sunday night The National Guard and Louisville Metro Police pictured armed with batons and shields blocking a street during Louisville protests on Sunday A man raises his arms during a protest in Louisville on Sunday night Officials havent said if the crowd in the parking lot of Dinos Food Mart consisted of protesters or customers. The gathering came after the 9pm curfew in Louisville. Protests took place in Louisville over the weekend to denounce the death of black man George Floyd, who died last week after a white police officer in Minneapolis kept a knee on his neck for over eight minutes in a disturbing video that has sent shock waves across the country. Louisville police officers had been ordered to keep their bodycams activated following the police killing of 26-year-old black EMT Breonna Taylor (above) in March during a botch drug raid Protesters also decried the police killing of Breonna Taylor. Taylor's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit claiming that she and her boyfriend thought their home was being broken into when officers entered without knocking. Her boyfriend shot at officers because they didn't identify themselves and in turn Taylor was shot eight times in her bed. On Sunday night alone more than 40 people were arrested marking the citys fourth consecutive night of protests in Louisville. On Thursday seven people were shot in the city during protests that took a violence turn. Officers were not involved in those shootings, Police Sgt. Lamont Washington said at the time, as per NBC. Late Monday a crowd gathered at the parking lot in front of McAtees shop to mourn together. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer arrived after 11am and was seen hugging and consoling McAtees mother. Now locals are voicing their outrage over the death of McAtee. 'He didnt hurt nobody, didnt deserve to get shot down like he did. I dont know what happened, but whatever happened here, my brother didnt do nothing wrong. He was an innocent person, and innocent bystander. He did not deserve this at all,' McAtee's sister said to Wave3. She said that the crowd that gathered wasn't a park of Louisville protests and that this group gathered every Sunday night for food and music and her brother always served food as his restaurant was next door to Dino's Food Mart. McAtee's mother called him a 'community pillar'. 'He left a great legend behind. He was a good person. Everybody around him would say that. My son didn't hurt nobody. He didn't do nothing to nobody,' she said to the Courier-Journal. She said her son even had a good relationship with police and would give law enforcement officers free meals. 'He fed them free. He fed the police and didnt charge them nothing,' she said. Graduation ceremonies for three Birmingham City high schools scheduled to begin Tuesday have been moved earlier in the day, adjusting the schedule after Mayor Randall Woodfin enacted a city-wide 7 p.m. curfew following a night of violent unrest in the downtown area that led to widespread property damage and injury to two news media representatives. Ceremonies originally scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. were pushed back to start at 4 p.m. Here is the current schedule: June 2 - 10 a.m. - Wenonah High School June 2 - 4 p.m. - Woodlawn High School June 3 - 10 a.m. - Jackson-Olin High School June 3 - 4 p.m. - Huffman High School June 4 - 10 a.m. - Carver High School June 4 - 4 p.m. - Parker High School June 5 - 10 a.m. - Ramsay High School This is the third change to the ceremonies, with seniors pushing back on school officials initial plans to hold drive-through ceremonies. A petition signed by more than 2,000 people asked for in-person ceremonies like those held in neighboring school districts. The district announced it would hold in-person graduation ceremonies on May 27. Ceremonies will be held at Legion Field. Social distancing requirements are still in place, and each graduating senior is allowed to have five guests attend. Families of the same household must sit together, and masks are required for all attendees. District officials said the area will be sanitized following each ceremony. Most all of Alabamas high schools have held or are scheduled to hold in-person graduation ceremonies. A high school student in Decatur who attended Austin High Schools graduation May 21 tested positive for the coronavirus, according to officials there. Related: Spain Park seniors, nearly 400, graduate at the Hoover Met A woman performs administrative procedures at the People's Committee Office of District 12 in Ho Chi Minh City in June 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran. The 7.3 percent wage hike for civil servants might be delayed as the government responds to budget pressures exerted by Covid-19. The government is considering postponing a plan to raise the monthly base wages of civil servants and public employees by six months until January 1 next year to tighten the state budget, Finance Minister Dinh Tien Dung told the press on the sidelines of a legislators meeting in Hanoi Monday. He noted that the raise would only benefit people in the public sector and those receiving retirement pensions, while other sections of the society like farmers and the self-employed face not just reduced incomes but loss of jobs and livelihood as a result of the pandemic. "Delaying the wage increase for civil servants means sharing the burden with other parts of the society, especially those affected by the pandemic," he said. In November last year, Vietnams top legislative body, the National Assembly, had approved a government proposal to raise civil servants wages by 7.3 percent from July this year. Under the proposal, the monthly base wage of civil servants and public employees, including teachers and doctors, will go up from VND1.49 ($64) to VND1.6 million ($69), marking the highest wage hike in the past eight years. Apart from postponing this increase, the Finance Ministry has proposed to higher authorities a series of policies to tighten spending, including a minimum reduction of 70 percent to the expense on organizing events, conferences, as well as business trips for state officials, except for activities related to Vietnam's 2020 ASEAN chairmanship. This proposal has recently been approved by the government in a May 29 resolution on what needs to be done to tackle difficulties caused by Covid-19. Vietnams GDP growth in the first quarter fell to a 10-year low of 3.82 percent. The nation now targets an economic growth of 5 percent this year, exceeding international forecasts, banking on a rapid recovery strategy to overcome pandemic impacts. The wage hike was devised after public sector employees complained for years that their earnings were too low. Local economists backed the assertion, noting that low wages have and will continue to foster corruption in the public sector. Data from the General Statistics Office shows that at the end of 2017 there were more than 5.2 million people working in the public sector. The size of Vietnams public sector compared to the population is among the biggest in Southeast Asia, according to the World Bank. In 2017, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered government offices to reduce staff numbers by between 1.5-2 percent every year over the next five years. Vietnam's per capita income last year was $2,800. Its a strange time to be a parent. Most schools in the UK have been closed to all but the children of key workers since Friday 20 March, as part of the nationwide lockdown. Parents and care-givers were forced to transform into teachers overnight, tasked with the mammoth challenge of juggling homeschooling with work in many cases. And the gap between the haves and the have-nots became even more stark, as those without books or the technology needed to access educational resources were left trailing behind their peers. The news, then, that schools in England were reopening from 1 June albeit only for certain year groups should have been welcome. The education of our children is crucial for their welfare, their health, their long-term future and for social justice, Boris Johnson announced during a speech given last month. So in line with the decisions taken in many other countries, we want to start getting our children back into the classroom in a way that is as manageable and as safe as possible. But the erosion of confidence in the government means many parents no longer trust public health advice, with 80 per cent saying they didnt feel it was safe to send kids back to school in June according to a Mirror survey of 42,000 people. The R-number is still estimated to be between 0.7 and 0.9; the UK recently recorded the highest daily death rate in the world. The devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have also come to their own conclusions, and are not reopening any schools more widely from 1 June. Recommended Meet the parents who sacrificed everything to stick to lockdown rules The government keeps saying theyre following the science but they wont show us the science, says Ryan Keane, an engineering inspector from just outside Bath. Hes decided against sending his four school-age children back until the guidelines are clear and proven. Im more worried about risk than anything else, he tells The Independent. The virus is so new, Im not sure what long-term effects it might have on children. We havent been furnished with any clear guidelines, and we dont know yet if the school can demonstrate that theyre able to follow the ones that are in place. It would seem that many schools agree with Ryans assessment. A BBC Breakfast survey of 150 councils found that only 20 said they were advising schools to open more widely on 1 June, while a further 15 said they would not be advising schools to open their doors to the recommended year groups. Some 68 per cent said they couldnt guarantee primary schools would reopen to Reception, Year 1 and Year 6. 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 One parent affected by this is writer and editor Ellen Himelfarb who, unlike Ryan, was keen to see her 11-year-old return to school, and has been left bitterly disappointed by the decision not to reopen. The school was dangling the possibility that things would resume after half term. Then there were rumours swirling around that it wouldnt be 1 June but 8 June. And then the email came sorry, its just going to be reception. Im gutted for her. Ellens daughter, along with the rest of her year 6 cohort, will begin going to secondary school next year. Shes chosen a different school to her best friends; the summer term would have been their last chance to spend quality time together before they all disperse. There were tears on the day it was announced that schools were closing. There were tears, too, when Ellen had to tell her daughter that she wouldnt be returning for the foreseeable. Zoom, though a helpful tool, has not been the same as meaningful face-to-face interactions with friends; Google Classroom doesnt make up for the lack of secondary school transition preparation from a beloved teacher. Theyre not returning to a school they will recognise Its why Gemma Taylor from Ramsgate has decided to send her 11-year-old daughter back to school, despite originally being against the idea. She had a bit of a moment and with tears explained to us just how much she misses a solid routine, says Gemma. I think the social and mental health implications for her at the delicate age she is have made us realise that returning to some sort of normality needs to take priority. However, even for those schools that are reopening, life will be a long way from normal. Im very concerned about the psychological safety of children coming back to school, says Amelie*, a primary school teacher in Kent. Theyve already been through so much trauma theyll be afraid of strangers and touching people and germs and invisible foes and then school, which was a safe space, will be totally different. It wont look the same, it wont feel the same, they wont necessarily be in the same classroom or with the adults they know really well. Government changed schools guidance 41 times says union boss Mary Bousted Amelies school is adopting the bubble method, whereby children only spend time with the other people in their bubble around 10-15 other children, one teacher and one TA with measures introduced to ensure they dont come into contact with anyone else. All equipment will have to be disinfected every night, all soft play and furnishings will be removed, and children can bring nothing in and take nothing out of school including books. Its going to be completely alien to students and staff, agrees Sylvia*, a head of department at a Surrey secondary school. I think its going to be very daunting for everyone. Theyre not returning to a school they will recognise. Lunchtimes, toilet breaks, pick-ups and drop-offs will all have to be managed; there will be fewer desks, all set 2m apart, with a space at the front for the teacher, who can no longer walk freely around the classroom. If Im totally honest, I would feel more comfortable if we waited until September, she adds. Children (and adults!) find social distancing extremely difficult, and for this reason I do feel concerned about having a larger number of students on site. Part of the resistance from teachers unions to reopen has stemmed from the confusion of constantly changing government guidelines more than 40 guidance documents about reopening have been issued to schools in the last month, some of which contradict each other. Its very overwhelming, says Amelie. There are also concerns over students and teachers safety, with the National Education Union (NEU) having called strenuously for ministers to rethink the choice to send children back at this stage. Lauren* from Lincolnshire, who is a secondary school teacher and a mother, is dreading the return to school for both her child and herself. Im really, really nervous about it. My husband and I are both teachers, and every time term starts, we both pick up all sorts of bugs from the kids. Whats to say Im not going to pick up coronavirus and bring it home, or my child wont? I cant imagine the heartbreak of going into a classroom and seeing a gap where a child should be To Lauren, the governments target of reopening schools now feels arbitrary: Its like were expendable, she says. Were painted as lefty moaners, as troublemakers, when actually were just cautious and we do these jobs because we care about people. Imagine going in and giving something to a student, and them getting seriously ill how do you live with that? I cant imagine the heartbreak of going into a classroom and seeing a gap where a child should be. Faced with so much conflicting messaging and the impossible task of balancing safety with childrens need for stability and education its hard for parents and teachers alike to know what the right way forward is. But one things for certain: the reverberations of this pandemic will be felt by the countrys children and young people for years to come. *Names have been changed UAE FM Anwar Gargash said any unilateral move by Israel to annex occupied West Bank will be serious setback for peace. A senior United Arab Emirates official said on Monday that any unilateral move by Israel to annex parts of the occupied West Bank would be a serious setback for the Middle East peace process. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said cabinet discussions would begin on July 1 on his plan to extend Israeli sovereignty to territory Palestinians want for their own state. Continued Israeli talk of annexing Palestinian lands must stop, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said in a Twitter post. Any unilateral Israeli move will be a serious setback for the peace process, undermine Palestinian self determination & constitute a rejection of the international & Arab consensus towards stability & peace. Continued Israeli talk of annexing Palestinian lands must stop. Any unilateral Israeli move will be a serious setback for the peace process, undermine Palestinian self determination & constitute a rejection of the international & Arab consensus towards stability & peace. . (@AnwarGargash) June 1, 2020 The UAE is among the US-allied Gulf states that have recently appeared to be prioritising close ties with the US which they see as vital to countering Irans regional influence over their traditional policy of unswerving support for the Palestinians. Gulf states largely voiced support for a so-called Middle East plan proposed by US President Donald Trump in January that proposed a demilitarised Palestinian state with borders drawn to meet Israeli security needs, and US recognition of Israeli settlements illegal under international law on occupied West Bank land. The Palestinians, who were not consulted during the writing of the plan, rejected it. There have been several indicators in recent years that relations between Israel and the UAE were warming up. Last March, Gargash said Arab states made a very wrong decision in the past when they decided to not have formal relations or contact with Israel. The strategic shift is needed actually for us to progress on the peace front, he said. Faced with the devastating COVID-19 pandemic that has already wreaked havoc with African livelihoods, the Catholic Bishops of Africa under the umbrella association of SECAM are proposing debt forgiveness as one way forward. Paul Samasumo Vatican City Many African countries spend most of their incomes repaying debts to various international lenders. This, in turn, reduces their national budgets and ability to pay for essential public services such as health and education. Burkina Fasos Archbishop of Ouagadougou, Cardinal Philippe Ouedraogo who is President of the association of African Bishops known as Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) says the African Church is appealing for urgent debt cancellation. The Cardinal made the appeal given the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Take a closer look at the case of Africa Thinking beyond COVID-19, we, as leaders and representatives of the Church in Africa and Madagascar, would like to urgently appeal to officials of bilateral and multilateral aid agencies to take a closer look at the case of Africa, which is currently facing the problem of lack of resources in the fight against the pandemic and the lack of safety kits for those who, working in the informal sector, have had to suspend their activities due to lockdowns. Undoubtedly, initiatives have already been taken in the management of the impact of the pandemic. Still, we would like to go further to plead for the massive cancellation of debts of African countries, to enable them to revive their economies. In addition, we plead for substantial aid to be given to the countries to support the establishment of quality health care systems, Cardinal Ouedraogo said in a Pentecost Message seen by Vatican News English Africa Service. In a bid to stem the spread of the pandemic, most African governments have implemented lockdowns, put in place measures to encourage social distancing, closed borders, issued travel restrictions, quarantines, closed schools and prohibited large gatherings. COVI-19 -an addition to pre-existing disasters By comparison, the number of COVID-19 cases and fatalities. in Africa. is relatively low. A recent Caritas Internationalis assessment, however, said that the effects of the pandemic are actually worse on the African continent. The economic situation that was already grim, has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Caritas Internationalis Ecclesiastical Assistant, Monsignor Pierre Cibambo, this is in part, due to pre-existing disasters such as floods, drought, locust invasion, poor harvests and indebtedness. The tragic consequences of the pandemic No one saw the pandemic coming. What is visible is the suffering and also the tragic consequences. Judging from its devastating effects, it can be said without a doubt that the consequences of the pandemic are tragic. On the economic level, the recession is evident due to the shutdown of activities, especially in key production sectors, in the tourism sector, air transport and the hotel industry. The social explosion is to be feared in many countries, and in particular, in Africa that is already burdened with debt and where unemployment continues to worsen, which further increases, even more, the phenomenon of the impoverishment of the populations, said Cardinal Ouedraogo. Debt forgiveness not rescheduling In April, following directives from the G-20 leaders, Finance Ministers announced plans meant to help low-income countries have some resources they need to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the key recommendations was the suspension and deferment of debt service repayments by some of the worlds poorest countries. Now campaigners across the world are calling not just for rescheduling of debt repayments but for total debt forgiveness similar to the debt cancellation championed by the Church and the Jubilee Debt Campaign in the year 2000 and later. How then did African countries end-up with so much debt once more? Experts argue that the underlying drivers and structures of debt contraction existing in the years before the Jubilee Debt Forgiveness movemnt are still in place today. Any new debt forgiveness would need to come with the dismantling of those structures to avoid the vicious cycle of endless borrowing by African countries. By Ghazala Ahmad, TwoCircles.net Uttar Pradesh: In Taprana village of Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, police vandalized Muslim houses, thrashed residents, including women local residents told TwoCircles.net. Support TwoCircles Residents said that a scuffle broke out between police and local residents when Police went to arrest Afzal who was accused of cow slaughtering on the night of May 25. Residents said that the police went to arrest Afzal who had returned home to celebrate Eid with his family. He was not allowed to enter the district by police. During the raid, police clashed with locals and later registered cases against dozens of residents and booked many villagers. According to the residents, in the series of events lasting two days, around 3 a.m. heavy contingents of police force entered the village and deliberately ransacked homes, misbehaved with women, looted jewelry and money. They brutally attacked the people and took some residents with them, they said. In a press note issued by All India Imams Council (AIIC) of Shamli, State President, Maulana Shadab stated that police raided to arrest Afzal (a team in police uniform and others in civil clothes) but they brutally attacked him. Villagers questioned the behaviour of police but in return, police booked 40 residents and filed cases against around 80 people of the village. Maulana Shadab further said, Since lockdown police have been threatening villagers and asking for bribes from poor vendors. On the night of May 27 contingents of police barged in the village, smashed and vandalized houses, assaulted women and men, looted money and other valuables. TwoCircles.net approached Pradhan of village Taprana, but could only manage to talk with his son Wajahat Khan and he verified the claims and statements made by Shamli AIIC President. He said that police came to arrest Afzal but used excessive force and ransacked the houses. Khan also accused police of looting. RLD, Akhil Bansal verified the story and said, the claims by villagers are true and there should be a fair inquiry into the police high-handedness.Ramvir Rathee, District President, Press Club of Shamli also verified the incident. A Muzaffarnagar based human rights activist Ravish Alam told TwoCircles.net that there is fear and panic among villagers and several residents have been booked by the police under severe charges. Many of the victims have migrated to other places due to police highhandedness. Videos and pictures coming from Taprana are very unfortunate. The same kind of brutalities was unleashed by police on people back in 2019. This is very clear that in the name of law and order, human rights of a particular community are violated time and again in the country and especially in Uttar Pradesh. Police brutalities against Muslim communities are very common these days. When police are doing all this, where we will go to seek justice, he added. Another resident from Taprana Parvez Chaudhary, who is a witness of the incident said, Police didnt even spare women and misbehaved with them. There were no female police and male police were harassing women. Police destroyed property also. It was very horrendous. We are very afraid. When police are behaving like this with us, whom should we complain to? Ayyaz Khan, another resident of the village said, The destruction happened in the presence of the Superintendent of Police (SP) Shamli. Villagers are very afraid they are not even talking to the media. We demand a judicial enquiry of the whole incident and residents should be compensated for the loss of property. The police administration did not respond to repeated calls by TwoCircles.net. The two nuclear-armed powers, which have been at loggerheads for decades, have a long record of indulging in such tit-for-tat measures. News of the Government of India on Sunday expelling two Pakistani diplomats for espionage is likely to provoke a similar and speedy response from the other side of the border, if history, both recent and distant, is anything to go by. A senior Indian diplomat has already been summoned for a "strong demarche" to convey its condemnation of the decision it described as "baseless." Hardly anyone should be surprised. The two nuclear-armed neighbours that have been at loggerheads for decades, have a long record of indulging in such tit-for-tat measures. The diplomatic game The uninitiated wondering how this diplomatic chess game works need look no further. As this Firstpost piece explained:"The Vienna Convention that regulates the diplomatic interaction between countries prescribes that diplomats and staff working in diplomatic missions should adhere to the laws of the receiving State. Obviously, this rules out espionage." But almost countries send intelligence officers to work in their diplomatic mission, who, despite having a diplomatic or administrative title, are tasked with obtaining sensitive information through clandestine human and technical means, the piece explains. "Diplomatic missions are kept under surveillance by the counter-intelligence agencies of host countries. A game of shadows goes on all the time. As and when a country catches a diplomat blatantly and unacceptably indulging in the spy game, he is either caught in the act and is ordered to leave or, at times, even without being physically caught is asked to leave." Sometimes this process is undertaken discreetly and is not made public and on other occasions, the diplomat is publicly declared 'persona non grat' and is sent home, the piece concluded. Although there have been numerous such tit-for-tats between the countries, especially during the 1990s, an examination of the three most serious incidents since the turn of this century should prove most illuminating. After Jammu and Kashmir's special status was revoked The most recent such incident occurred in August 2019 in the aftermath of New Delhi deciding to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate it into two Union Territories, when Pakistan responded by downgraded diplomatic ties with India and then, just minutes later, expelled then-Indian high commissioner Ajay Bisaria . Islamabad, in a seething statement issued by Prime Minister Imran Khan, directed that "all diplomatic channels be activated to brutal racist Indian regime, design and human rights violation [sic]." Bisaria, a seasoned diplomat, was in January appointed High Commissioner to Canada. After 2016 Uri attack In late 2016, as simmering tensions between the two countries came to a boil in the aftermath of September's Uri attack, following which India hit terror launchpads in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and the two countries engaged in spate of cross-border firings that resulted in casualties on both sides, the Delhi Police in October arrested Mehmood Akhtar, then a Pakistan High Commission staffer and two others allegedly working as spies in India for over a year and a half. Akhtar, who identified himself as Mehmood Rajput from Chandni Chowk and even presented a fake Aadhaar card to the police, later invoked diplomatic immunity during his interrogation. Akhtar was released, but declared 'persona non grata' and told to leave India within 48 hours. Pakistan responded that very same day by summoning the Indian High Commissioner and conveying its decision to expel Surjeet Singh, then an official of the Indian High Commission, and declare him 'persona non grata.' Nuclear tests, nuclear threats In January 2003, the countries expelled each other's diplomats after exchanging barbs over their nuclear weapons: then defence minister George Fernandes warned Islamabad not to toy with the idea of using nuclear weapons and musing that Pakistan would be 'wiped out' if India decided to retaliate and Pakistan denounced India's firing of a medium-range version of its nuclear-capable long-range Agni missile. India on 23 January accused two high-ranking diplomats and and two officials at the Pakistan High Commission of "activities incompatible with their diplomatic status" and ordered them out of the country. This came after days of New Delhi complaining of its high commissioner being intimidated and his car being followed and Pakistan alleging harassment of its diplomats by Indian intel agencies. Islamabad responded a day later, accusing four Indian High Commission employees, surprise surprise, of "conduct unbecoming of a diplomat" and gave them 48 hours to leave the country. MONTREAL - Bombardier Inc. has completed the sale of its regional jet business to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. for US$550 million, cementing the plane maker's departure from commercial aviation following a three-decade run. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. An entertainer sings from the steps of the 1,000th Bombardier Aerospace CRJ regional jet delivered during a ceremony in Montreal, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2003. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson MONTREAL - Bombardier Inc. has completed the sale of its regional jet business to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. for US$550 million, cementing the plane maker's departure from commercial aviation following a three-decade run. The offloading of its CRJ aircraft series paves the way for Bombardier to focus on its sole future income stream private jets as the company ramps production back up following factory closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, which cost the company up to US$800 million last quarter. The deal adds sorely needed capital to a firm whose debt tops US$9 billion and whose backlog of business jet orders is falling as clients and companies rethink the value of a private plane purchase in a recession. Once a cash cow for the Montreal-based company, the CRJ series now struggles to generate profits, 29 years after its maiden voyage. For the past five years, Embraer SA's E175 narrow-body aircraft has dominated the U.S. market, where the majority of regional jets are sold. "There's been limited orders for the aircraft and limited expectations that they would ever see a material number of orders in the future," AltaCorp Capital analyst Chris Murray said in a phone interview. "The market has been moving away from it." Under the agreement, Mitsubishi scoops up the CRJ's maintenance, marketing and sales activities along with 1,400 employees, but not its manufacturing operations, Bombardier said. The deal includes the related services and support network located in Montreal and Toronto and service centres in Bridgeport, W.Va., and Tucson, Ariz. Some 500 Bombardier employees will stay on to continue assembling the current CRJ backlog 15 planes as of March 31 on behalf of Mitsubishi, with all deliveries expected to be made before 2021. The transaction is part of a string of sales aimed at reducing the company's overhead and injecting liquidity in the wake of debt racked up to fund its C Series commercial aircraft program. In February Bombardier announced the sale of its remaining stake in that business rebranded as the Airbus A220 to Airbus SE, marking the end of its failed bid to take on the commercial aircraft duopoly of Airbus and Boeing Co. Bombardier sold its Q400 turboprop business last year to an affiliate of Longview Aviation Capital Corp. for about US$250 million in net proceeds. The US$500-million sale of its aerostructures business in Belfast and Morocco to Spirit Aerosystems initially anticipated in the first half of 2020 should close "in the coming months," CEO Eric Martel said in May. He said he does not foresee any pandemic-related delays to the US$8.2-billion sale of its rail division to French train giant Alstom SA now undergoing regulatory scrutiny in the European Union expected to close in the first half of 2021. The 78-year-old firm continues to grapple with credit downgrades and a share price hovering near 25-year lows, leaving it a penny stock with junk-status credit ratings. Despite the challenge of vending private planes as the economy plunges into recession, Martel remains hopeful for the segment's prospects, calling the backlog for the Global 7500 the largest Bombardier business jet on offer and listed at US$73 million each "very, very solid." The market for the smaller Learjet and Challenger airplanes, however, looks "a little bit more volatile," he said on May 7. The exposure of a single revenue source in general is heightened by the particularly volatile nature of private plane sales, said Murray of Altacorp Capital. "With Bombardier moving to be primarily just a business jet manufacturer, it does expose the company to more volatile cycles. And they're cycles that have a tendency to be really, really good in some periods and can be very volatile to the downside as well," he said. On the other hand, wariness of commercial air travel could stoke demand for business aircraft, he added. For Mitsubishi, the appeal of the CRJ lies in aftermarket sales and maintenance as well as engineering know-how. 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 acquisition hands a ready-made service network for the Tokyo-based company's upcoming aircraft line. Mitsubishi said earlier this year that the first delivery date for its SpaceJet program formerly dubbed the Mitsubishi Regional Jet would be pushed back from mid-2020 to late 2021 or early 2022. The CRJ production facility in Mirabel, Que., will remain with Bombardier, which will also continue to supply components and spare parts as part of the deal. The union representing the 271 machinists who still work on the CRJ in the Montreal suburb will be relocated within the area to either Dorval or Ville Saint-Laurent, where Bombardier builds the fuselage, cockpit and other sections of its business jets. Bombardier says the transaction is still subject to post-closing adjustments and that the company retains liabilities that represent credit and residual value guarantees totalling US$288 million. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2020. Companies in this story: (TSX:BBD.B) HOUSTON, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- C-Bond Systems, Inc. (C-Bond) (OTC: CBNT), a nanotechnology solutions company, announced today that it has entered into an exclusive, nationwide distribution agreement with Quip Laboratories, Inc. for use of MB-10 Tablets, an EPA-registered disinfectant (Reg No.70060-19-46269) to help in the fight against COVID-19. COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2. This product kills similar viruses and therefore, according to the EPA Guidelines On Emerging Pathogens , can be used against SARS-CoV-2 when used in accordance with the directions for use against MVM on hard, nonporous surfaces. With this new agreement, C-Bond will gain exclusive rights to sell the tablets within the verticals that it serves. Were excited to be working with new partners to deliver the simple and sensible disinfection results that were known for in the research and clinical markets to an expanded customer-base, said Tim Hidell, President of Quip Laboratories. MB-10 Tablets have a proven track record as a cost-effective disinfectant across a wide range of industries, and we look forward to helping C-Bond in that goal for their clientele. MB-10 tablets are registered as a broad spectrum hospital disinfectant that is effective against a wide range of bacteria and viruses, and are safe for hard, non-porous surfaces such as glass, plastics, sealed fiberglass, and a wide range of metals, without leaving residues or odor. MB-10 Tablets also protect without staining or discoloring. The applications for this EPA-registered product align well with our current customer base, presenting an exciting cross-selling opportunity, said Scott R. Silverman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of C-Bond Systems. Well after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, we expect the desire to regularly and thoroughly disinfect hard surfaces to continue to surge. This product perfectly meets the evolving needs of todays marketplace. Leveraging our ever-expanding customer base within the transportation sector, we believe we are uniquely positioned for success with the introduction of this new disinfectant. I look forward to continued operational execution in driving forward our core mission - to make the world a safer place - with the addition of this exciting new product, concluded Silverman. About C-Bond C-Bond Systems, Inc. (OTC: CBNT) is a Houston-based advanced nanotechnology company and marketer of the patented C-Bond technology, developed in conjunction with Rice University and independently proven to significantly strengthen glass in key automotive and structural applications. The Companys Transportation Solutions Group sells C-Bond NanoShield, a liquid solution applied directly to automotive windshields, sold through distributors. The Companys Safety Solutions Group sells ballistic-resistant glass solutions and FN NANO Coating directly to private enterprises, schools, hospitals and government agencies. For more information, please visit our website: www.cbondsystems.com , Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbondsys/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBond_Systems . About Quip Laboratories From Environmental Monitoring and Decontamination services, to proprietary disinfectants and sterilants, Quip Laboratories focuses on providing facility hygiene solutions to a variety of industries. With in-house research and development, pathogen identification, production, quality control and sales teams, Quip Laboratories provides a comprehensive approach to efficient and eco-gentle facility hygiene. You can find Quip Labs on the web at www.quiplabs.com or call us today at 1-800-424-2436. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release about our future expectations, including the likelihood that well after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, the desire to regularly and thoroughly disinfect all means of hard surfaces to continue to surge; the likelihood that leveraging our ever-expanding customer base within the transportation sector, we are uniquely positioned for success with the introduction of this new disinfectant; the likelihood of continued operational execution in driving forward our core mission - to make the world a safer place - with the addition of this exciting new product; constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, and our actual results could differ materially from expected results. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, C-Bonds ability to raise capital; the Companys ability to successfully commercialize its products; the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic on the Companys ability to operate; as well as other risks. Additional information about these and other factors may be described in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) including its Form 10-K filed on March 25, 2020, its Forms 10-Q filed on May 15, 2020, November 14, 2019, and August 12, 2019, and in future filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this statement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. DETROIT, MI A 28-year-old man serving a life sentence for his involvement in a kidnapping and murder when he was a teen will remain in prison, the Michigan Supreme Court said Friday, May 29. 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 two other justices, disagreed with the result, the Associated Press reports. In 2009, Matt Landry, 21, 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 can't be given a no-parole term without a full airing of their childhood and other factors, AP reports. McCormack said "Masalmani's 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 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. RELATED: Ihab Masalmani, convicted in 2009 Detroit-area crime spree, has life sentence overturned Two police officers have been fired and three others placed on desk duty over excessive use of force during a protest arrest incident involving two college students, Atlanta's mayor said Sunday. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said at a news conference that she and police Chief Erika Shields made the decision after reviewing body-camera footage of a Saturday night incident that first gained attention from video online and on local news. 'Use of excessive force is never acceptable,' Bottoms told reporters. Shields called the footage 'really shocking to watch.' Atlanta police officers on Saturday surrounded a vehicle driven by a college student with his girlfriend in the passenger seat The shocking footage showed officers smash the driver's side window and use a Taser on Messiah Young, a 22-year-old student attending Morehouse College Young is visibly injured by the Taser even though he never appeared to have resisted the officers Pilgrim was taken out of the car and made to lay down on the pavement, where officers used zip-ties to bound her hands The two college students have been identified as Messiah Young, 22, and Teniyah Pilgrim, 20. Young is a student at Morehouse College, and Pilgrim attends Spelman College, according to CBS 46 TV. The video, shown on TV as captured by local reporters, shows a group of police officers in riot gear and gas masks surround a car being driven by Young with Pilgrim in the passenger seat. The officers pull Pilgrim out and appear to use a stun gun on Young. They use zip-tie handcuffs on Pilgrim as she lays on the ground. The couple did not appear to be fighting police. TV reporters said the police had earlier broken glass on the car and flattened the tires. Bottoms said Pilgrim was released without charges. She said Young was released, too, and she's ordering the charges against him dropped. She didn't specify what charges he faced. She didn't identify the officers. A GoFundMe crowdfunding page started for the couple has so far raised more than $128,000. She said she'd delayed the news conference several hours to review all the body-camera footage because she and Shields wanted to be certain about what happened. 'I really wanted to believe that the body-worn camera footage would provide some larger view that could better rationalize why we got to this space,' Shields said. Atlanta's mayor said that she will urge prosecutors to drop charges against both Young (left) and Pilgrim (right) 'And having spent most of the afternoon with the mayor, reviewing the footage exhaustively, I knew that I had only one option, and that is to terminate the employees.' Bottoms said she had spoken to leaders at Spelman College and Morehouse College, where she said the the young people were students. She said she'd also spoken to representatives for the students but hadn't yet spoken directly to them. Shields offered an apology and said she knows the officers' behavior was unacceptable and caused further fear. 'Sometimes the best thing, the only thing you can do as a police chief is come in and clean up the mess that's before you,' Shields said. 'When wrong is wrong, we have to, as law enforcement, start dealing with it in the same manner that we would deal with it with non-law enforcement,' Shields said. 'For some reason, we've fallen into a gray area where there's a separate set of rules for law enforcement, and if we want to get out of this space that were in now we have to change how we manage internally.' Shields said she experienced a broad range of emotions as just a few hours before she saw the video, another of her officers was seriously injured. A preliminary investigation indicates the officer was in an intersection on foot to block traffic from passing into an area where there were protesters when a person on an ATV approached at a high rate of speed and hit him. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (left) and the city's chief of police, Erika Shields (right), said they made the decision to terminate the officers after watching bodycam footage of the incident The officer suffered significant injuries to his legs and remained in the intensive care unit Sunday evening, Shields said, adding that she hopes he'll be able to walk again. The ATV rider was taken into custody at the scene and to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police were investigating the cause of the collision. Bottoms imposed a 9pm curfew for Saturday and Sunday. Governor Brian Kemp authorized up to 3,000 National Guard troops to be deployed in cities across the state to respond if needed to protests over the deaths of George Floyd in Minnesota and Ahmaud Arbery in coastal Georgia. Atlanta police said Sunday they had arrested more than 150 people as protesters threw rocks at officers and broke windows in the downtown area. The curfew was initially imposed after demonstrations Friday night turned violent with people setting fires and smashing windows at businesses and restaurants. Express News Service BENGALURU: As the government is mulling over reopening schools in July, a group has started an online petition against the move. Members of the group, called Parents Association, said they will not send their children to schools until the government declares zero Covid-19 cases or till a vaccine is available. Opening of schools in July will be a bad idea, they said dubbing such a move insane. Its like playing with fire when we ought to douse it with full force. The parents should fight against this stupidity with tooth n nail, not a single child to be sent to the schools for their own safety (sic), their petition on Change.org read. It suggested that classes be held on a virtual platform. If schools claim they are doing a good job via virtual learning, why not continue it for the rest of the academic year? it said. As many as 1,06,500 people signed the petition by late Sunday evening. A number of pre-primary schools too have supported the online mode of education, despite NIMHANs recommendation against it. These are unprecedented times and they need an entirely new perspective toward how we approach a problem, which in this case is ensuring learning for our young children does not hit a roadblock. Considering that the physical environment today is not conducive and safe for young children, its imperative that learning moves from on-ground classrooms to a digital environment where our students are interacting with their teachers and classmates, from the safety of their own homes, said EuroKids co-founder and chief executive officer Prajodh Rajan. The Church has decided to extend the suspension of prayers, but allowed the mass with the limited attendance of six monks and deacons The Head of Egypts Coptic Orthodox Church Pope Tawadros II led on Monday a mass celebrating the entry of Jesus Christ into Egypt without attendees under unprecedented measures undertaken to stem the spread of the coronavirus in the country. According to state run MENA news agency, Pope Tawadros II led the mass on Monday morning from Maadis Virgin Mary Church. The mass comes a few days after Egypts Coptic Orthodox Church said on Saturday that it would extend the suspension of prayers and activities in its churches until 27 June due to the spread of the coronavirus. The Church has decided to extend the suspension of prayers, but allowed the celebration of the mass marking the entry of Jesus Christ into Egypt on 1 June and the mass of Pentecost on 7 June with the limited attendance of six monks and deacons. Egypt's Christians make up about 10-14 percent of the country's 100 million-plus population, with the vast majority of Christians in Egypt belonging to the Coptic Orthodox Church. In the past few months, the coronavirus pandemic has interrupted several religious celebrations by the Church, mainly Easter in April. Last April, Pope Tawadros II led Easter mass without attendees at the desert Monastery of Saint Bishoy in Wadi El-Natrun over the virus. The outbreak has forced Copts to celebrate Easter at home, as Egypt continues with its unprecedented measures to stem the spread of the virus, including a nationwide night-time curfew and suspension of prayers and activities at all houses of worship. This is the first time that Easter mass has been held under the current patriarch at a location other than Cairos Saint Mark's Cathedral and without attendants or worshippers. Search Keywords: Short link: The white policeman stands in the center of the photograph, the German shepherd's leash wound loosely around his left hand. With the right, the officer is reaching out to grab the cardigan of the young black protester, drawing him closer to the dog snapping viciously at his waist. The teenager's eyes are cast down, a living symbol of nonviolence, his knee thrust forward as if to block the attack. Behind him on the street, other African Americans look on with alarm. The Associated Press photo, taken on May 3, 1963 as Eugene "Bull" Connor's Birmingham, Alabama, police force trained water hoses and snarling dogs on peaceful civil rights protesters, startled and shamed white newspaper readers across the country. "The image of the savage attack struck like lightning in the American mind," civil rights historian Taylor Branch wrote. Two days later in a White House meeting with liberals, President John F. Kennedy fumed in frustration at the photograph splashed above the fold on the front page of The New York Times and declared civil rights "a national crisis." The image symbolized the brutality of American racism, so it resonated deeply when President Donald Trump conjured it Saturday to warn crowds protesting the death of George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee into his neck. If protesters had attempted to breach the White House fence Friday, Trump tweeted, "they would have been greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen. That's when people would have been really badly hurt, at least." The remarks were met with outrage in many quarters, and a scathing reply from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, D, who said the president had "glorified violence" by recalling some of the worst images in civil rights history. "I'm not sure to what degree Trump even knows the history about this. I doubt that he knows that much," said Tyler Parry, assistant professor of African American and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. "But you don't even have to be an expert to know that threatening protesters with vicious dogs evokes a very uncomfortable and heinous chapter in American history." In fact, many chapters, stretching centuries back, said Parry, who has researched the topic extensively. Dogs were employed as instruments of terror against black people long before the civil rights movement, beginning with their use aboard slave ships, he said, and are still used disproportionately by police against African Americans today. During slavery, the now-extinct Cuban mastiff or Cuban bloodhound, known for its ferocity and powerful jaw, was favored by many slaveholders for catching escaped slaves. Due to long-debunked racist theories, owners believed that African American bodies emitted a scent that was distinct from that of whites and trained their dogs for the hunt by having them chase and tree black men. The fright instilled by slave-catching canines - known in the trade as "Negro Dogs" -- figures prominently in the narratives of enslaved people. "Plenty times da [slaves] run 'way cause dey have to work awful hard and da sun awful hot," reads a 1936 narrative of an ex-slave by the Federal Writers' Project. "Dey hides in de woods and Mr. Snow keep [slave] dogs to hunt 'em with. Dem dogs have big ears and dey so bad, I never fools 'round dem. Mr. Snow take of dere chains to git de scent...and dey kep' on till dey finds him, and sometimes dey hurt him. I knows dey tore de meat off one dem field hands." Dogs remained tools of racial oppression through the Jim Crow era. As African Americans were imprisoned in increasing numbers, often unjustifiably to provide penal labor, hounds were used to hunt down escaped inmates, who would try to throw the dogs off their tracks by sprinkling cayenne pepper or garlic in their wakes. The threat posed by dogs became such a part of black life that it was immortalized in song and verse. Nina Simone crooned about "hound dogs on my trail" in "Mississippi Goddam," Parry notes, and poet Margaret Walker described police "Straining their leashed and fiercely hungry dogs ..." Dogs were often brought to lynchings to intimidate and brutalize black victims. And before the advent of the first police K-9 units in the 1950s, police held public exhibitions in which dogs raced to track down black men The fastest to do so were declared ready for sale, said Parry, who has written about the role of dogs in maintaining racist systems from slavery forward. Well before Bull Connor let loose the German shepherds in Kelly Ingram Park, canines were being deployed against black people throughout the South. In fact, in his pursuit of the fiercest K-9 force around, the Birmingham commissioner of public safety had scoured the region for the best candidates available. Two years before the iconic Birmingham photograph was shot, Greenwood, Mississippi, was a hot spot for K-9 attacks against black residents. "A lot of these attacks were occurring before Birmingham," Parry said. "It's just that Birmingham got national attention and the images were disseminated." Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X even debated how protesters should respond to the canine threat. "If a dog is biting a black man . . . then that black man should kill that dog or any two-legged dog who [sics] the dog on him," Malcom X once said. King sympathized with activists' fears but argued against bringing knives to protests for the purpose of killing attacking dogs. "The reality for black people in the United States is that white people have often sympathized more with animals than they have with black people," Parry said. King believed that "if there were videos or photos of black people stabbing police dogs . . . that that would create less sympathy for the protests." Connor's intentional cruelty has parallels today. In some American cities, African Americans are still terrorized by officers with dogs, just as they are disproportionately pulled over and killed by police. So quick were officers in the Los Angeles Police Department to sic dogs on people of color -- referring at one point to black youth as "dog biscuits" -- that the department's practices were challenged in 1991 by several civil rights groups before the lawsuit was settled amid promises of reform. As recently as 2013, research by the Police Assessment Resource Center uncovered a troublingly high number of African American and Latino residents of Los Angeles had been bitten by police dogs. Two years later, the Justice Department investigation into the Ferguson, Missouri, police department following the 2014 shooting death of Michael Brown revealed that "in every canine bite incident for which racial information is available, the person bitten was African American." Ferguson police officers "command dogs to apprehend by biting even when multiple officers are present," the report concluded. "They make no attempt to slow situations down, creating time to resolve the situation with lesser force. They appear to use canines not to counter a physical threat but to inflict punishment." And so it hardly matters how much history Trump actually knows, Parry argues, given the evidence extending back centuries. "What we're seeing with what the president is saying, is that things are not terribly different in 2020," Parry said. "He is embedded in a system that considers this normal." WASHINGTON - U.S. officials are seeking to determine whether extremist groups had infiltrated police brutality protests across the country and deliberately tipped largely peaceful demonstrations toward violence and if foreign adversaries were behind a burgeoning disinformation campaign on social media. As demonstrations spread from Minneapolis to the White House, New York City and overseas Sunday, federal law enforcement officials insisted far-left groups were stoking violence. Meanwhile, experts who track extremist groups also reported seeing evidence of the far-right at work. Investigators were also tracking online interference and looking into whether foreign agents were behind the effort. Officials have seen a surge of social media accounts with fewer than 200 followers created in the last month, a textbook sign of a disinformation effort. The accounts have posted graphic images of the protests, material on police brutality and material on the coronavirus pandemic that appeared designed to inflame tensions across the political divide, according to three administration officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss investigations. The investigations are an attempt to identify the network of forces behind some of the most widespread outbreaks of civil unrest in the U.S. in decades. Protests erupted in dozens of cities in recent days, triggered by the death of George Floyd, who died after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officers knee. Pandemic-weary Americans were already angry about COVID-19 deaths, lockdown orders and tens of millions of people out of work. The pandemic has hit African Americans harder than whites in the U.S., and the killings of black people by police have continued over the years even as the topic faded from the national stage. But there are signs of people with other disparate motives, including anarchist graffiti, arrests of some out-of-state protesters, and images circulating in extremist groups that suggest the involvement of outside groups. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Sunday that state authorities were hit with a cyber attack as law enforcement prepared to diffuse protests in Minneapolis and St. Paul, the epicenter of the unrest. He described it as a very sophisticated denial of service attack on all computers. President Donald Trump, Attorney General William Bar and others have said the left-wing extremist group antifa is to blame. Short for anti-fascists, antifa is an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups that resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations. Barr on Sunday said the FBI would use its regional joint terrorism task forces to identify criminal organizers, and Trump threatened again to name antifa a terrorist group. The Justice Department is also deploying members of the U.S. Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration on Sunday to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, a senior department official said. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The addition of the federal agents, who will have armoured vehicles, came as Barr warned that prosecutors could seek to use terrorism statutes against violent radical agitators who attempt to hijack protests to cause destruction. An antifa activist group disseminated a message in a Telegram channel on Saturday that encouraged people to consider Minnesota National Guard troops easy targets, two Defence Department officials said. The message encouraged activists to steal kit, meaning the weapons and body armour used by the soldiers. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. As a result, soldiers with the Minnesota National Guard were armed during their mission at protests across the state Sunday, the officials said. The soldiers are sometimes armed but had not been since they moved into parts of the state that had been besieged by riots in the last few days. The troops do not have the authority to make arrests, and are there to act mostly as extra security for police. Others have seen evidence of right-wing extremists. J.J. MacNab, a fellow at George Washington Universitys Program on Extremism, has been monitoring chatter about the protests among anti-government extremists on social media platforms. She has access to dozens of private Facebook groups for followers of the loosely organized Boogaloo movement, which uses an 80s movie sequel as a code word for a second civil war. She also has been poring over images from the weekend protests and spotted some boogaloo bois in the crowds, carrying high-powered rifles and wearing tactical gear. They want to co-opt them in order to start their war. They see themselves as being on the side of protesters and that the protesters themselves are useful in causing anarchy, MacNab said. She also sees signs that the Three Percenters militia movement appears to be taking an interest. Megan Squire, an Elon University computer science professor who tracks online extremism, saw images of at least four members of the far-right Proud Boys group on the periphery of a protest Saturday night in Raleigh, North Carolina. Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators, said a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Trump administration has largely remained silent on local reports that far-right protesters were also involved. Meanwhile, Democratic mayors said Trumps handling of the crisis was reminiscent of one of the darkest moments of his presidency when he said there were good people on both sides of protests in 2017 over white supremacists demonstrating in Charlottesville, Virginia. Americas racial fault lines are a perfect opportunity for foreign adversaries looking to sow discord and portray the U.S. in a negative light, according to James Ludes, director of the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy at Salve Regina University in Rhode Island. This is a real issue and Americans are legitimately upset about it, said Ludes, who studies foreign disinformation tactics. Thats one of the hallmarks of these campaigns. You dont create new issues, you exploit existing issues. Theres a history of this. In 2016, another black man, Philando Castile, was killed by police in a Minneapolis suburb, his death livestreamed on Facebook. Russians used a fake Black Lives Matter page to confuse and stoke anger among the protesters. There were nearly 700,000 followers, but its not clear how many were real. One debunked example from this week: That Atlanta had deployed a child militia. Floyd was accused of trying to pass a bad bill at a grocery store after he was laid off in the pandemic. Disturbing video showed him prone on the street, while a white police officer pressed his knee into Floyds neck even as he cried he couldnt breathe. He later died. The officers have been fired; Derek Chauvin, the officer who pinned Floyd in the video, was charged with murder. At first there were peaceful demonstrations, but violence soon erupted. A Minneapolis police station was torched and protests took off around the country, growing increasingly tense. Video showed a police vehicle ramming into demonstrators in New York. Meanwhile, a van with four New York Police Department officers inside was hit with a Molotov cocktail and torched. Hundreds have been arrested nationwide and cities braced for more protests. But booking information from the county jail in Minneapolis, for example, showed that out of 59 protest-related arrests, 47 people had a home address in Minnesota, with the majority coming from the Twin Cities. Before protests began in New York City, organizers of anarchist groups began raising money for bail, recruited medical teams to deploy for violent interactions with police and planned how to target high-end stores, said John Miller, the NYPDs deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism. Scouts on bicycles would also move ahead of the groups to report where the police would be and then direct small breakaway groups to areas where they could torch police cars or throw Molotov cocktails, Miller said. The NYPD has arrested 786 people related to protests since May 28 and 1 in 7 of them were not from New York City, he said. In Washington, where protesters raged outside the White House, most of the 17 people arrested were from the area. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the groups seemed, at the least, organized to destroy with tools to break windows and distribute materials. ___ Associated Press writers Kathleen Hennessey in Minneapolis; Michael Kunzelman in Silver Spring, Md.; Michael R. Sisak in New York; Michael Biesecker in Reston, Va.; David Klepper in Providence, Rhode Island; and James LaPorta in Delray Beach, Fla., contributed to this report. Delhi government has closed its border for general traffic for one week while allowing most economic activities to take place as per the Centre's guidelines to unlock the economy. Barber shops and salons will now be open but spas will remain closed, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said. "We were following odd-even rule for shops in markets but the central government has not stated any such rule, so all shops can open now. We are sealing Delhi borders for one week, only essential services will be allowed," the Delhi CM said. With borders opening up but Corona cases rising, can Delhi open its hospitals for treatment of ppl from across the country? Will it put pressure on capacity to handle Corona? Should Delhis hospitals be reserved for Delhi residents?- We seek ur suggestions https://t.co/OXe7M6ZRM4 Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 1, 2020 As per earlier order, the number of passengers was fixed in autos, e-rickshaws and other vehicles. But now the government has lifted restrictions on the number of passengers travelling in auto, e-rickshaws and other vehicles. The CM said only essential services will be exempted from border restrictions. "We will take a decision again in one week to open borders after suggestions from citizens," he said. Kejriwal assured that Delhi had the best health infrastructure in the country and that there was no shortage of beds in hospitals. However, he said the AAP government wanted to seek suggestions on opening up of the city borders. "With borders opening up but corona cases rising, can Delhi open its hospitals for treatment of people from across the country? Will it put pressure on the capacity to handle corona? Should Delhi's hospitals be reserved for Delhi residents?" the CM asked the Delhi people. Delhi has reported 19,844 cases so far with 10,893 active cases, 8,478 discharges and 473 deaths. Delhiites can send suggestions on the opening of borders to WhatsApp number 8800007722, delhicm.suggestions@gmail.com by Friday 5 pm, Kejriwal said. Northwestern Memorial Hospital, which is Streeterville, an area where looting took place, asked ambulances to stop bringing new patients to the hospital for about two hours, from about 11:30 p.m. Saturday to 1:30 a.m. Sunday, said Melaney Arnold, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Public Health. Northwestern went on ambulance bypass and a shelter-in-place on the recommendation of the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications, she said. WASHINGTON - The third day of protests in the nation's capital over George Floyd's death began with bent knees, raised fists and pleas that this night, unlike the last, would remain peaceful. And in those moments Sunday, the more than 1,000 people who marched to Lafayette Square across from the White House listened. Then came darkness and with it, another night of mayhem. American flags and parked cars and buildings were lit ablaze - including St. John's Church, a historic landmark opened in 1816 and attended by every president since James Madison. Firefighters quickly extinguished the basement fire, which police say was set intentionally. Downtown, metal baseball bats bashed through shop windows; looters roamed, hitting stores miles from the White House. In the park, protesters faced the familiar pop, pop, pop of pepper bullets and stinging clouds of tear gas meant to push back hundreds of them as they tried, again and again, to break through the police barricades set up around President Donald Trump's home. "Stop it! Stop!" yelled an African American woman who ran over to two skinny young black men as they hurled water bottles at the phalanx of officers. "Civil disobedience! It's civil disobedience, and it means you sit your a-- down there and you don't move until they drag you away," she yelled, her voice hoarse. Defiant, the young men reloaded and kept throwing. "They're dodging water bottles and we're dodging bullets," one yelled back, curling over in rage and near-sobs. "They're still killing us! They're still beating us! I see them put a knee on that man's neck and kill him! Civil disobedience gave us nothing!" The latest confrontation - which climaxed at 10 p.m., when officers launched flashbangs in an apparent effort to clear the park - followed a weekend of intense, often violent clashes between heavily armored law enforcement officers and outraged activists, some of whom looted stores and set buildings ablaze in Washington and its neighboring suburbs. On Sunday, the city and the region braced for another night of mayhem. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, ordered a citywide curfew from 11 p.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday. She also activated the D.C. National Guard. In neighborhoods across D.C., people spent the afternoon hammering plywood boards outside retail shops and restaurants in the hope that their businesses would escape the attacks that others a day earlier did not. For some, those images, paired with the racial tension gripping dozens of cities across the country, conjured memories of the riots that ensued in 1968 after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. This explosion of anger coincides with a global pandemic that has taken more than 100,000 lives, including at least 4,300 in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Though many protesters have worn masks, the gatherings seldom allow people to stay six feet apart from one another. On Sunday, as in the days before, any fear of catching or spreading the virus did little to deter the crowds of people who showed up to express their frustration with police brutality. Among them was Elizabeth Ferris, who had begun recording a video at an intersection just before the scene around her deteriorated. A flash bang fired. A girl sobbed. "We have no weapons, what are you doing?" a man screamed, but Ferris, who is white, kept filming. She held her phone in one hand and poured water into a protester's eyes with the other. Just then, Ferris screamed. The camera panned down. More than a half-dozen sting balls had struck her leg, leaving it pocked with deep, bloody red circles. Four volunteer medics rushed to wrap her leg; she did not want to leave. "I took six rubber bullets, but do you know what didn't happen to me?" said Ferris, a 36-year-old student in foreign policy and public policy at Georgetown University. "No one kneeled on my neck." She got up and limped toward the Capitol. Amid other anxious moments between the two sides - the hurling of water bottles, startling charges by police, a man and woman both pepper-sprayed near the barricades - there were also genuine moments of unity, a stark contrast from the previous night. A black officer, according to witnesses, briefly took a knee in solidarity with the protesters, who erupted in cheers. Not long afterward, another officer made an announcement on a megaphone: "Attention: We will continue to move back unless you break the police line." And again, cheering from the protesters, many of whom appeared to want the officers to join them rather than fight with them. At the Capitol, protesters shouted at police, who stood masked and silent around the property's perimeter, to take a knee. "It's not so hard to take a knee," they yelled at the officers. "I can't breathe, I can't breathe," protesters shouted. "Hands up, don't shoot," they chanted as they raised their hands, and at last an officer responded. "We're listening to you," said the woman, who was white. "We'll stand here all day." Such moments were rarer Saturday, when downtown windows were smashed and fires were set. D.C. police said 17 people, mostly local, had been arrested. U.S. Secret Service and Park Police said they each arrested one person. "We're sending a very clear message to people that they have a right to exercise their First Amendment rights but not to destroy our city," Bowser said Sunday on NBC News's "Meet the Press." "We saw a level of destruction and mayhem among some that was maddening." In Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, declared a state of emergency a day after protests in Richmond and Manassas left businesses wrecked and Confederate statues vandalized. The protests have triggered an angry response from President Donald Trump, who specifically singled out D.C. Bowser, in turn, has blamed Trump for stoking divisions, saying he had "glorified violence." Bowser returned to that refrain during her television appearance Sunday. "I think the president has a responsibility to calm the nation," she said. "He can start by not sending divisive tweets that are meant to hearken to the segregationist past of our country." Bowser was referring to the president tweeting "when the looting starts, the shooting starts," a phrase infamously used by a Miami police chief during racial unrest in the 1960s. Her denunciation of the president was echoed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a prominent Republican who has clashed with Trump in recent weeks over the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. Hogan said he worked to "lower the temperature" during the 2015 protests in Baltimore after Freddie Gray died in police custody, a tack he said Trump had failed to take. "It's just the opposite of the message that should have been coming out of the White House," Hogan said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." Bowser initially dismissed the value of imposing a curfew, saying, "We know people who were disruptive last night are not likely curfew followers." LaToya Foster, a spokeswoman for the mayor, said Bowser changed her mind "out of an abundance of caution." D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham - who noted that 11 of his officers were injured, including one who fractured a leg after being hit by a brick - blamed the violence and vandalism on a small group and said his officers were prepared to handle more unrest. At least one of the business owners whose property was damaged said she bore no resentment toward the protesters. Michelle Brown learned at midnight Saturday that her restaurant near the White House, Teaism, was on fire. Brown, still in pajamas, grabbed her hand sanitizer and car keys to go see the damage. Before she left, she wrote a tweet. "Before anyone puts a single word in our mouths: Black lives matter," she wrote. Brown learned that protesters had destroyed her 20-year-old tea chest and that her beloved artwork would soon be ash. Police prohibited her from entering her restaurant in the middle of the night, but hours later, she returned to find its charred remains. "It was heartbreaking," Brown said. "But this moment is not about us." Brown wanted her customers to focus on the intense suffering that has swept the country instead of the damage done to her restaurant, because, she said, it would one day recover. "This seems pretty minor. . . . We have been through three months of being closed; we have seen 100,000 people die," she said, referring to the pandemic's impact. "I think the protests are great, and I think they are warranted." On Sunday, Jay Michaels, angry and exasperated, decide to join the one outside the White House. The 23-year-old D.C. native walked there with a red bullhorn and a Washington Redskins mask. He wished he did not feel the need to protest but said he had no other choice. "Turn the other cheek hasn't worked," said Michaels, a recent college graduate who wants to go to law school. "We've got to do something." Michaels is tired of people looking at him like he's dangerous because he is black. "This is not about D.C. police - this is about all police," he said. "If we burn everything down, then something has got to give." By the time he arrived, the mood had grown more tense. Each step the Secret Service officers took back from the police line drew taunts and the occasional water bottle. "Do you feel like taking a knee now?" one man called out to a group of officers who briefly put down their riot shields. The officers again stepped forward, and more people ran. "Don't shoot us!" yelled Vashti Mathis, 35. "We can't even walk in our own community. We built this country. We shouldn't have to do this in 2020." The police advanced again; more people ran, and Mathis retreated with them. Even then, Andrew Blunt, who had also come out Saturday, could sense a difference Sunday. It struck him that, after the protesters started throwing objects and jumping the barricade, others shouted at them to stop. It sent a message, the 22-year-old thought: "What we did here yesterday, we're not doing that anymore." But he acknowledged that the message might not hold, because nightfall was coming. - - - The Washington Post's Justin Wm. Moyer, Marissa J. Lang, Tom Jackman, Perry Stein, Gregory S. Schneider, Ian Duncan, Emily Davies, Justin George and Peter Hermann contributed to this report. The Family Firm Institute (FFI) has announced the recipients of the 2020 Achievement Awards. These awards, which will be presented at the FFI Global Conference in October 2020, are as follows: Richard Beckhard Practice Award to Kathryn McCarthy, Rockefeller Trust Company The Richard Beckhard Practice Award honors a founding FFI member and distinguished practitioner in the family business field. It recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of family business practice. Kathryn McCarthy is currently a family wealth and family office advisor. She is a director of the Rockefeller Trust Company (NY) and serves on its Audit Committee. She was the founding President of Marujupu, LLC, the family office of the Sulzberger family, owners of the New York Times. Kathryn is also a frequent lecturer at academic institutions including Columbia University, New York University Graduate Schools of Business, and Imperial College. In October, she will co-present the session Blind Spot: Family office and investment governance at the FFI Global Conference. Go to https://www.ffi.org/awards/richard-beckhard-practice-award/ to see the complete list of recipients of the Richard Beckhard Practice Award. Barbara Hollander Award to Rania Labaki, PhD, EDHEC Business School The Barbara Hollander Award was created to honor the late founder and first president of FFI by perpetuating her profound interest in family business and her love for education and learning. Rania Labaki, PhD, is an associate professor of management at EDHEC Business School and director of the EDHEC Family Business Centre. Her interest ranges from finance in family firms to the play of emotions in family relationships, particularly as emotional patterns are passed through generations. She is also scholar at the Cornell Smith Family Business Initiative, advisor at Lansberg Gersick & Associates and IFERA board member. She is an FFI Fellow, a 2012 recipient of the FFI Best Unpublished Research Paper Award and a 2015 recipient of the FBR Best Article Award. In October, she will co-present the session Ethical Dilemmas of Family Business Members and Their Advisors at the FFI Global Conference. Go to https://www.ffi.org/awards/barbara-hollander-award/ to see the complete list of recipients of the Barbara Hollander Award. Interdisciplinary Award to Andrew Hier, Cambridge Advisors to Family Enterprise Established in 1999, the Interdisciplinary Award recognizes outstanding achievement in the advancement of interdisciplinary services to business families. FFI Fellow Andrew Hier is a senior advisor and partner at Cambridge Advisors to Family Enterprise and a fellow at Cambridge Institute for Family Enterprise. Both organizations comprise Cambridge Family Enterprise Group,a global organization devoted to helping families achieve multigenerational success for their families, enterprises, and financial wealth. He is a facilitator in two programs at the MIT Sloan School of Management and served as a facilitator and guest lecturer at Harvard Business School. He is also a member of FFI GEN faculty, teaching Tools for Positive Change in Family Business Systems: Analysis and application. Earlier in his career, Andrew was CEO of a global apparel company. Go to https://www.ffi.org/awards/interdisciplinary-award/ to see the complete list of winners of the Interdisciplinary Award. International Award to the Successful Transgenerational Entrepreneurship Practice (STEP) Project The International Award recognizes an individual or organization for outstanding achievement in furthering the understanding of family business issues that occur between two or more countries. The Successful Transgenerational Entrepreneurship Practices (STEP) Project is a collaboration of scholars worldwide studying the successful entrepreneurial practices of family businesses over time. It involves rigorous qualitative and quantitative research. Active dissemination of evidence-based knowledge is performed through publications and summits with families. Go to https://www.ffi.org/awards/international-award/ to see the complete list of recipients of the International Award. About the Family Firm Institute: FFI's mission is to be the most influential global network of thought-leaders in the field of family enterprise. We provide research-based learning and relevant tools for advisors and consultants, academics and family enterprise members to drive success. Professionals, educators, and researchers as well as family enterprise members from nearly 80 countries across the globe belong to FFI. Together they create the oldest and most prestigious multidisciplinary professional association for family enterprise in the world. Patrick Reilly joins growing visual intelligence company, Boulder AI, as new VP of Global Sales and Marketing Boulder, Colorado, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Boulder AI, an AI driven IoT hardware and software startup company with an innovative visual intelligence platform, has announced that as a part of their rapid growth plan, the company has appointed industry veteran and serial entrepreneur, Patrick Reilly, as its first Global VP of Sales and Marketing. Patrick knows how to approach our market and hes experienced in building processes and support systems, said Bryan Schmode, CEO of Boulder AI. Were thrilled to have him join our team as we transition to the next phase of business growth. Reilly has three decades of experience helping scale high-tech firms. He has held executive level sales and marketing positions with industry-leading companies, selling six companies when they ended with a successful merger/acquisition for substantial return to the shareholders. He drove the expansion and repeatability of sales at the following companies that were sold to Safenet (Cylink), SAIC (Cloudshield), Cisco (Broadware), Tyco (Proximex), Watchguard (Hexis) and Oracle (Talari). Im excited to be working with Boulder AI because of their amazing technology, their innovative business model for end users and channel partners, and their dedicated team, said Reilly. Customers have deployed Boulder AIs deep learning camera systems and software to get information such as pedestrian and traffic counting; process improvements and safety monitoring for manufacturing; tracking and characterizing changes in environmental situations; and lane monitoring for smart cities. Their highly-differentiated technology allows all of the data processing to be done inside the camera which does not require the costly combination of broadband connections, servers, and on-site data storage, making Boulder AI radically less expensive and easier to maintain compared to current non-edge options. Story continues Weve changed the business model for what people expect with an edge device, said Reilly. Instead of having to buy an expensive license, our software comes with a nominal fee per month and our customers can deploy new insight engines and software updates in real-time from a central dashboard. Our ability to process video and create insights within the camera cuts out an estimated 50% of the cost of current systems. Boulder AI is a graduate company of the Innosphere Ventures commercialization program for high-technology companies. In 2019, the company received a seed round investment from the Innosphere Fund. Boulder AIs privacy-focused video management software has already been sold into a variety of customer segments to inform operations, make planning choices, and automate routine actions, said Mike Freeman, Innosphere Ventures CEO. Attachments Patrick Reilly Boulder AI 408-667-8302 Pat@BoulderAI.com San Jose officials announced a citywide curfew beginning Sunday night amid ongoing protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The curfew will last from 8:30 p.m. to 5 a.m., and remain in place for seven days unless amended, said San Jose city manager Dave Sykes. The curfew will not apply to first responders and emergency personnel, media, civilians engaging in government or emergency work, delivery or utility services, people who leave home to seek medical care or to care for family members, or homeless people, the City of San Jose said. I support the issuance of a curfew order to protect our city and the safety of our residents, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said in a news conference Sunday. We have seen too many episodes of the few taking advantage of this moment to exploit these protests despite the very peaceful intentions of the many. San Jose Police chief Eddie Garcia said protests in the city began peacefully Friday before resulting in numerous acts of violence against first responders and peaceful protesters and millions of dollars in damage to both public and private property. Garcia said some businesses have been looted and police had obtained intelligence of planned looting in other areas of the city. We believe a curfew can be a useful tool to mitigate further violence and property damage, Garcia said. Officers will enforce the curfew judiciously, but violations could result in punishment up to arrest, Garcia said. Were not going to be proactive with it, were not instituting martial law if someones out of their homes, Garcia said. But its an important tool that were going to need in order to stop the violence and the agitators form being involved in what the hope is to be peaceful protests. Sykes said officials will have the option to either reduce or extend the seven-day time frame for the curfew, enacted through a local emergency proclamation signed by Sykes on Sunday. Sykes said the emergency proclamation will likely be ratified by San Joses city council Tuesday. 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. Now Playing: Protesters refused to heed official pleas to stay home Saturday, instead taking to Oakland and Bay Area streets, where police officers in riot gear faced another night of outrage over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Here's an inside look. Video: Matthias Gafni, Erika Carlos We want to be able to support our community and their ability to protest, Sykes said. As the mayor has mentioned, though, we have seen acts of violence and vandalism and looting and we need to be able to protect all of our residents. Garcia said San Jose police have received help from outside agencies since Friday and will have a full-blown mutual aid of about 400 officers available Sunday night if needed. Police made more than 100 arrests in 48 hours beginning Friday afternoon, Garcia said. Garcia said he does not wish for San Jose to require help from the states National Guard. Garcia said the recent violence and activity in San Jose is unprecedented in his nearly 30 years with the citys police department. I do not know if theres ever been a time weve had to call a curfew to quell this type of violence in the city, Garcia said. Matt Kawahara is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mkawahara@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @matthewkawahara WASHINGTON, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) denounces racism and all senseless acts of violence. Racism is a social determinant of health. The structural racism we are witnessing nationwide undermines the health of individuals, families and communities we serve. For eight minutes, George Floyd pleaded for his life as a Minneapolis police officer kept a knee on his throat, but no medical attention was rendered. This is not the first time acts of fatal, brutal force have occurred, including the deaths of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery in just the past three months. ACEP sees these acts as a public health emergency undermining our ability to protect and care for our patients. ACEP's "Non-Discrimination and Harassment" policy states that the College "advocates tolerance and respect for the dignity of each individual and opposes all forms of discrimination against and harassment of patients." It was originally passed in 2005 and applies today even more than ever. Since 1996, our policy advocating for a "Violence-free Society" states that ACEP "strongly supports the goal of a society free from violence," and further states that "ACEP believes emergency physicians have a public health responsibility to reduce the prevalence and impact of violence through advocacy, education, legislation, and research initiatives." As part of that responsibility, ACEP's mission includes the promotion of health equity within the communities we serve. The fate of our nation's public health and safety lies in the balance and we demand change. The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 39,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org and www.emergencyphysicians.org. The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 40,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org. SOURCE American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Related Links www.acep.org African American leaders on Sunday encouraged Oregonians to stay focused on stubborn racial disparities in education, housing and employment and not be distracted by civil unrest that rippled across Portland, prompting a second curfew on the city. Education, civic and religious leaders decried not only the killings of George Floyd and other black men and women at the hands of police but also reminded the public that protests here and elsewhere are a reaction to longstanding and entrenched racist policies and practices. That is what we grapple with every day, said Ron Herndon, the longtime director of the Portland-based Albina Head Start. Racism for us, that is the original pandemic in this country and it cant be escaped. The latest example, he said, is the states failure to adequately protect African American Oregonians from the coronavirus, even though health officials knew the virus has disproportionately hit people of color. What did you do when our lives were at stake, when our grandparents lives were at stake? Herndon said, calling out the Oregon Health Authority as well as city and county leaders. Nothing. The event was held at the North Kerby Avenue offices of Self Enhancement Inc., an African American landmark in a neighborhood that has long served as the heart of Portlands black community. Religious leaders from across the city filtered into the auditorium to listen, while dozens of people, some holding signs that said Black Lives Matter, gathered outside. Herndon directly addressed the damage done by some protesters over the weekend. It appears most of the young folks tearing up the city are younger white people, he said. If somehow you think that tearing up (downtown) is going to help black people, you are sadly mistaken. Please dont think you are doing any of us any favors by tearing stuff up. Mayor Ted Wheeler on Sunday estimated that millions of dollars in damage was done to dozens of downtown businesses as protests on Friday and Saturday turned violent. Over the course of Saturday night, 48 adults were arrested. Thousands of people filled Peninsula Park in North Portland on Friday for an evening vigil that lasted three hours, an event that drew a diverse crowd. As the night wore on, the protest moved downtown, grew violent and was made up younger, predominantly white people. During a press conference early Sunday, a grim-faced Wheeler blasted those who engaged in violence and looting, accusing them of exploiting the moral soul of this movement as cover to destroy our communities. Cities across the country, millions of people all across the country, are waking up to a dark morning in America, Wheeler said. Wheeler announced the 8 p.m. curfew would be extended through Sunday night. The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon said the move would lead to selective enforcement. The Council on American-Islamic Relations of Oregon and the Oregon Justice Resource Center called the curfew an attack on our rights. TriMet on Sunday urged riders to use extreme caution at bus and MAX stations in downtown, the inner east side and in the Lloyd neighborhood due to broken glass and other damage from the protests. The transit agency said it plans to provide service after 8 p.m. Sunday but may alter those plans without warning if violence erupts. Wheeler, in his second public appearance of the day, stood alongside black leaders who gathered at SEI. He told the group that Floyds killing by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25 was the latest example of the steady and persistent reminder of this nations continuing disregard for black lives. I want all of you to know without any doubt that I understand the significance of the moment in which we all find ourselves right now and I acknowledge that the violence and the rioting, the property destruction we are seeing on the streets of this community and across the nation, is a manifestation of a much bigger context, said the typically reserved Wheeler, whose voice cracked at times with emotion. Kali Ladd, executive director of KairosPDX, a charter school focused on educating black students, said Floyds death made her think of her own two children, aged 8 and 11. I see their beauty and innocence, their intellect and brilliance and I wonder how and when the world will snatch that away from them, she said. She said diversity among teachers is a key to helping foster students understanding of each other and the world around them. When we do this, we make our schools safer for our black children, she said. We break down fear for our white children. And collectively our children get one step closer to seeing the humanity of one another. And this is everything," she said. "I believe that when a white child can see the humanity of my black son, it becomes much harder to crush him with their knees. Tony Hopson Sr., founder of SEI, called the riots a painful distraction that takes the focus from plans to improve the lives of black Oregonians. He called for plans to improve education, health and job opportunities and encouraged Oregonians to vote, complete the U.S. Census form, hold leaders accountable, support black-owned businesses and press elected leaders to act on their support for equity. He said SEI plans to hold a free coronavirus testing clinic for African American Oregonians on June 6. We cant legislate how people feel about us, he said. We cant legislate what people think about us. But we can legislate how we hold people accountable for what they do to us. -- Noelle Crombie; ncrombie@oregonian.com; 503-276-7184; @noellecrombie Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. [June 01, 2020] Sema4 to Deliver High Capacity COVID-19 Testing in Partnership with the State of Connecticut Sema4, a patient-centered health intelligence company, today announced a formal partnership with the State of Connecticut to be a COVID-19 testing provider for Connecticut residents. Sema4 will now provide additional testing to state employees, first responders, residents of long-term care facilities, and patients requiring care at primary care facilities, among others. Sema4 is expanding its current COVID-19 viral testing capacity to 10,000 tests per day in early June. Sema4 will also offer antibody testing to identify people who have already been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and have mounted an immune response, with the ability to process 5,000 tests per day by the end of June. To aid employers in managing back-to-work programs when needed, Sema4 will provide an even more complete, end-to-end digital solution for those ordering and receiving these tests, including portals for registering employees, tracking samples, and reporting results to providers and patients/employees, and to the State. A more complete end-to-end digital solution and increased viral testing capacity, coupled with the introduction of antibody testing, builds upon the steps that Sema4 has already taken to help combat COVID-19 in Connecticut. Since April, Sema4 has been collaborating with the State and has performed thousands of COVID-19 viral tests in its Branford, Connecticut laboratory for approximately 30 Connecticut-based health care facilities. "Sema4 is playing a critical role in supporting the state with testing capacity," said Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Chabot, leader of the Connecticut State COVID testing program. "We are very fortunate to have Sema4 as a partner with industry-leading testing experience, state-of-the-art digital tools and analysis, outstanding clinical expertise, and the labs to be able to ramp up COVID-19 testing quickly. Our partnership with Sema4 will make a significant difference in keeping many of our residents safe, including numerous people that are particularly vulnerable to infection." Eric Schadt, PhD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sema4, added: "We are proud that Connecticut has selected us as a partner to fight the coronavirus pandemic. As a health intelligence company, we will fully leverage our technical expertise to deliver a state-of-the-art digital solution for the ordering, tracking, analysis and viewing of test results for providers and patients, in delivering rapid and accurate COVID-19 testing. Our team is working relentlessly to provide expanded viral and antibody testing to support state employees, first responders, and all Connecticut residents who need testing during this public health crisis. We are also engaging with large employers in the state to support their efforts to re-open offices by offering our digital tools and testing to support safe and healthy workplace environments." Sema4, which delivers advanced genomic solutions to hundreds of thousands of patients every year to support women's health and precision oncology care, is actively scaling up its Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified and College of American Pathologists (CAP)-accredited laboratory in Branford, Connecticut to expand COVID-19 testing capacity. Sema4 accepts saliva, nasal swab, and oral swab samples, which are currently collected by a healthcare provider or at an authorized collection site. Sema4 will also soon be accepting saliva collected at home (FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)-submitted). Testing is offered with no out-of-pocket cost to Connecticut residents. The COVID-19 viral tests used by Sema4 are manufactured by PerkinElmer and the antibody tests are run on the Abbott AlinityTM system. Both tests have been validated in accordance with the FDA's Emergency Use Authorization, and achieve the highest levels of sensitivity and specificity that have been demonstrated for these types of COVID-19 tests. Results are returned within approximately 24 hours of receiving the sample for the viral test and within around 48 hours for the antibody test. For more information, please visit https://sema4.com/covid19-testing. About Sema4 Sema4 is a patient-centered health intelligence company founded on the idea that more information, deeper analysis, and increased engagement will improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. Sema4 is dedicated to transforming healthcare by building dynamic models of human health and defining optimal, individualized health trajectories, starting in the areas of reproductive health and oncology. Centrellis, our innovative health intelligence platform, is enabling us to generate a more complete understanding of disease and wellness and to provide science-driven solutions to the most pressing medical needs. Sema4 believes that patients should be treated as partners, and that data should be shared for the benefit of all. For more information, please visit sema4.com and connect with Sema4 on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005283/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 08:22:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Sunday night she was imposing a citywide curfew amid rising tensions between protesters and police outside the White House over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in Minneapolis police custody. Enditem Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday morning announced live on his Facebook page that he and his family had tested positive for COVID-19. "I did not have any symptoms," he said. "Its just that since there were plans to go to the frontline, I decided to take a test, and the test came back positive. Then we were tested with the whole family, and we have a positive result with the whole family." Armenia has confirmed 210 COVID-19 new cases, bringing the total number to 9,402. According to the latest data, 3,402 people have recovered. In total, 139 patientsan increase by 8have died thus far. Two employees of Yerevan City Hall had tested positive for COVID-19 last week. According to City Hall spokesperson Iosif Kubatyan, there are dozens of employees whose relatives have been diagnosed with COVID-19, but those employees offices havent been sanitized and their possible contacts havent been tested. Medical workers have entered the National Assembly of Armenia. Tigran Galstyan, the NA Chief of Staff, told Armenian News-NEWS.am that an employee of the parliament had tested positive for COVID-19, and therefore the medical staff had come to test those who had had contact with this person. The natural gas tariff will not increase for the residential subscribers of Armenia, and the current tariffs for the socially vulnerable will also be maintained, Liana Azizyan, spokesperson for the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC), told NEWS.am Monday. According to the submitted calculations, however, there may be a certain increase in the price of natural gas for those engaged in agriculture. Armenian Ministry of Defense does not comment on the video that appeared on the internet, in which, according to reports, the Armenian Armed Forces fired shots and hit a vehicle of the Azerbaijani army in the direction of Nakhichevan. "We can only say that, in general, the Armenian armed forces never attack, we only respond to their actions," said MOD's spokesperson Shushan Stepanyan. A number of Armenian businesses in Los Angeles have been destroyed and robbed amid riots caused by the death of African-American George Floyd. Digital journalist Wally Sarkeesian took to his Facebook to share photos of the Armenian family's business destroyed by thieves. AP also reported that damages from riots. According to it, another Armenian Alan Kokozian's business has also suffered. He had pleaded for people to spare his establishment and was struck in the head with a bottle. "This was not a political protest, Kokozian noted. Amid the riots, authorities in over 40 US cities have imposed curfews. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 1, 2020) - Getchell Gold Corp. (CSE: GTCH) ("Getchell" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has closed the non-brokered private placement, previously announced on May 11, 2020, totaling 2,800,000 units (each a "Unit") at a price of $0.25 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $700,000 (the "Private Placement"). Each Unit consists of one common share and one-half of one warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant") of the Company. Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one common share at a price of $0.35 per share for a period of two years from the date of issuance. The net proceeds from the financing will be used for the next stage of exploration at the Company's Nevada properties including Fondaway Canyon, Dixie Comstock and Star Point and for general working capital. The impressive 3.5 kilometre Fondaway Canyon gold trend with a known width of up to 800 metres and a vertical range of 670 metres from the higher elevations in the east to the range-front in the west contains numerous exploration targets with significant merits and blue-sky potential. The evidence of thick drill intercepts of Carlin Style mineralization under the pediment at the far western edge of exploration adds yet another dimension to the multitude of exploration opportunities present at Fondaway Canyon. See news releases May 6, 2020 and May 21, 2020. The Company is currently planning for the 2020 drill program at Fondaway Canyon. The drill program will be designed to provide "high value enhancement relative to cost" and set the stage for the further advancement and development of the Project. Dixie Comstock is a low-sulfidation, epithermal gold system localized along a moderately dipping range-front normal fault on the east flank of the Stillwater Range, Churchill County, Nevada. Dixie Comstock is situated 15 kilometres to the northeast and on the opposite (eastern) flank of the Stillwater Range relative to Fondaway Canyon. Dixie Comstock is the site of a historic mine with surface and four levels of underground development. Story continues Star Point, situated 65 kilometres to the North of Fondaway Canyon, is the site of a historic, near surface, copper mining operation underlain by a magnetically defined intrusion. An IP-Resistivity survey conducted in 2018 over the intrusion returned chargeability and resistivity highs interpreted as potential copper sulfide mineralization, possibly intrusion related. The primary target at Star Point is the strong conductor lying below the historic high-grade copper oxide (tenorite) mine. Hot Springs Peak is located 50 kilometres northeast of Winnemucca in Humboldt County, Nevada. A two-hole drill program in 2019 intersected a 26-meter anomalous gold-arsenic zone indicative of a Carlin Style mineralizing system. A number of drill targets remain to be tested. In connection with the Private Placement, the Company paid aggregate finder's fees of $36,750 in cash, and issued 119,000 non-transferable compensation options and 28,000 non-transferable finder's warrants. Each compensation option is exercisable at a price of $0.25 per unit to acquire either: (a) one common share and one Warrant until May 29, 2022; or (b) one common share until May 29, 2025. Each whole Warrant issued to the finder entitles the holder to acquire one common share at a price of $0.35 per share for a period of two years from the date of issuance. The securities issued in connection with the Private Placement are subject to a statutory four month hold period expiring on September 30, 2020, in accordance with applicable securities laws. Scott Frostad, P.Geo., is the Qualified Person (as defined in NI 43-101) who reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release and has verified the data disclosed herein. About Getchell Gold Corp. The Company is a Nevada focused gold and copper exploration company trading on the CSE: GTCH and OTCQB: GGLDF. Getchell Gold is primarily directing its efforts on its most advanced stage asset, Fondaway Canyon, a past gold producer with a significant in-the-ground historic resource estimate. Complementing Getchell's asset portfolio is Dixie Comstock, a past gold producer with a historic resource and two earlier stage exploration projects, Star Point and Hot Springs Peak. Getchell has the option to acquire 100% of the Fondaway Canyon and Dixie Comstock properties under an agreement with Canarc Resource Corp. (see January 7, 2020 news release for further details). For further information please visit the Company's website at www.getchellgold.com or contact the Company at info@getchellgold.com. Mr. William Wagener, Chairman & CEO Getchell Gold Corp. +1 303 517 8764 info@getchellgold.com The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the United States. Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the private placement and the completion thereof and the use of proceeds. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including: the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, use of proceeds from the financing, capital expenditures and other costs, and financing and additional capital requirements. Although management of Getchell have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward looking information. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. 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/56953 SINGAPORE, June 1 (Reuters) - The Singapore government is racing to create additional housing for about 60,000 migrant workers by the end of this year, as it seeks to reduce the density in dormitories which have seen mass outbreaks of the coronavirus infection. The nation of 5.7 million people has more than 35,000 cases, one of the largest numbers in Asia, largely due to infections in cramped, bunk-bed accommodation that house more than 300,000 mostly South Asian workers. Singapore will create additional space through temporary structures that can be put together quickly in a modular form. It will also temporarily fit out unused state properties, such as former schools and vacant factories, the ministries of manpower and national development said on Monday. The government said dormitories were a practical approach to housing migrant workers in land-scarce Singapore, but it was looking to improve accommodation standards. It is testing new standards, including increased living space per resident, decreasing bed numbers in each room and reducing how many people would share a toilet and bathroom. Over the longer term, it is planning to build new permanent dormitories to house up to 100,000 workers, which would take several years to complete. The first would be ready over the next one to two years. The government is also studying the possibility of building and leasing out these dormitories. Presently, commercial operators build and operate them. So far, the government has cleared 40,000 migrant workers of the infection, among them more than 20,000 who have recovered from the disease. (Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan; Editing by Martin Petty) A group of Maryland homeowners accused their mortgage companys branch managers, loan officers and agents of accepting illegal kickbacks in exchange for referrals to a specific title company. The mortgage company argued the lawsuit should be dismissed because its payments to the title company fall within RESPA Section 8(a)s safe harbor provision. Read on for details on why a federal judge agreed to dismiss the class action suit. HONOLULU, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- AES Distributed Energy (AES DE), a division of The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES), was selected by Hawaiian Electric Companies to develop and operate two new utility-scale solar + storage facilities on O'ahu, Hawai'i. Combined, these two projects are expected to generate a total of 137,000 MWh of locally produced, reliable renewable energy, serving upwards of 23,000 homes. The projects represent AES' continued commitment in helping the State of Hawai'i and its people achieve their 100% renewable energy goals while accelerating a smarter, safer and greener energy future. "AES DE is honored to be selected by Hawaiian Electric to advance innovative renewable energy solutions, helping Hawai'i achieve its clean energy goals and reduce its reliance on imported fossil fuels," said Woody Rubin, President of AES DE. "We also recognizes the deep economic challenges facing Hawai'i at this time. The projects will not only deliver clean, locally produced renewable energy but will also provide jobs and economic activity at a time when it's needed most." AES DE, a leading developer of solar PV and solar PV + storage facilities, will develop two proposed projects on O'ahu: one will be a 19.5 MWdc PV facility paired with a 35 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), and the other will be a 60 MWdc PV facility paired with a 240 MWh BESS. The projects are among sixteen selected by Hawaiian Electric as part of the company's Stage 2 RFP issued in August 2019. As an early step in the development process, AES DE will hold initial public meetings to engage with the community and gather feedback on the upcoming projects. Given current COVID-19 considerations, the meetings will be held virtually. Project updates and opportunities for input will continue throughout the development and construction process. Details on the upcoming community meetings will be announced at a later date. Construction of these projects is expected to begin in 2022, pending all applicable permitting and approvals, with completion scheduled in 2023. AES DE currently operates more than 50 megawatts (MW) of solar and solar + storage across Hawai'i, including the 28 MW/100 MWh Lawa'i solar + storage project on Kaua'i as well as another 100 MW of solar + storage projects in development on O'ahu, Maui and Hawai'i Islands, which were awarded under Hawaiian Electric's Stage 1 RFP issued in February 2018. About AES Distributed Energy AES Distributed Energy (AES DE) is a wholly owned subsidiary of The AES Corporation, a Fortune 500 and publicly traded international energy company. Our daily mission at AES DE is to bring reliable and cost-effective distributed energy systems to utilities, municipalities, corporations, schools, and commercial and industrial customers. AES DE's proven project development, financing, and operating experience empowers energy consumers to benefit from the distributed energy solutions we deliver. To learn more, please visit www.aesdistributedenergy.com. Follow AES DE on Twitter @aes_d_energy. About AES The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) is a Fortune 500 global power company. We provide affordable, sustainable energy to 14 countries through our diverse portfolio of distribution businesses as well as thermal and renewable generation facilities. Our workforce is committed to operational excellence and meeting the world's changing power needs. Our 2019 revenues were $10 billion, and we own and manage $34 billion in total assets. To learn more, please visit www.aes.com. Follow AES on Twitter @TheAESCorp. Media Contact: Shane Peters 808-421-9879 [email protected] SOURCE AES DE By Azernews By Akbar Mammadov Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov held discussions on bilateral relations and the Lapis-Lazuli transit corridor with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Hanif Atmar on May 31. During the online meeting, the parties discussed the existing opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in political, economic, trade and transport spheres. Thus, the ministers noted the strategic significance of the Lapis-Lazuli transport corridor and stressed the importance of discussions at the level of relevant Working Groups to strengthen cooperation in this context. In this regard, the sides also underlined the fact that the construction of a Fiber Optic cable line along the bottom of the Caspian Sea could be a new component of support for the Lapis-Lazuli project. Given the possibility of expanding economic and trade cooperation, Azerbaijani and Afghan ministers touched upon the existing opportunities to ensure the sustainability of mutual trade relations. At the meeting, the Afghan minister noted with satisfaction Azerbaijan's support for international efforts to ensure security in Afghanistan, as well as the participation of Azerbaijani peacekeepers in the framework of the "Resolute Support" Mission, and expressed his gratitude to the Azerbaijani side for its contribution. Congratulating his Azerbaijani counterpart for the successful chairmanship in the Non-Aligned Movement, Mohammad Atmar noted that his country is interested in expanding relations with Azerbaijan and stressed the importance of cooperation in bilateral, trilateral and multilateral formats in order to develop relations between the two countries. On his behalf, Mammadyarov emphasized that Azerbaijani is interested in developing cooperation with Afghanistan on both bilateral and multilateral platforms. Noting the online Summit-level meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group with the initiative of the President of Azerbaijan under the theme of "We are together against COVID-19" on May 4, 2020, Mammadyarov touched upon the proposal of Azerbaijan on holding a special session of the UN General Assembly under the same theme. At the same time, the ministers noted that the chairmanship of Azerbaijan aimed at strengthening solidarity within NAM and increasing the role of the Movement continues in accordance with the identified priorities and taking into consideration the current global issues. The Azerbaijani and Afghan ministers also underlined the importance of strengthening the legal and treaty basis of the relations between the two countries. The parties also exchanged the invitations for mutual visits after the end of the global pandemic. BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha on Sunday urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to immediately convene an all-party meeting to discuss the "worsening" Covid-19 situation in the state. Sinha at a press meet in Kolkata claimed that the Covid-19 situation in the state will turn out of hand in the next three months and demanded that the CM immediately convene an all-party meeting. Sinha released copies of his letter addressed to the CM containing 10 points. He called upon Banerjee to seek the cooperation of everyone in this battle. "Please seek the cooperation of everyone. Please announce there will be no politics for the next three months. If you become constructive, if you don't indulge in politics, others will follow you," Sinha said. Alleging the ruling dispensation has kept Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar in the dark about the present situation, the senior BJP leader urged Banerjee to "sit with the Governor to discuss the crisis triggered by Covid-19 and cyclone Amphan and take Raj Bhavan into confidence." Sinha also called upon Banerjee to seek more cooperation from the Centre to tide over the dual crisis of novel coronavirus and Amphan. "By cooperation, I am not referring to financial help, I mean total cooperation," he said. Alleging there was rising dissent among the lower-level policemen in the present crisis, he said, "the CM is trying to crush dissent among police force by some top cops who are trusted by her. This will backfire unless she= takes initiative to address grievances of police rank and file." Sinha urged Banerjee to take the support of religious and charitable organizations in relief and rescue measures. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 05:16:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Two soldiers and two Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Monday in an airstrike and a bomb attack in the Iraqi provinces of Nineveh and Diyala, Iraqi military said. In one of the attacks, two Iraqi soldiers were killed and two others wounded when a roadside bomb exploded on their vehicle during an operation to hunt down IS militants near a mountain outside the town of Makhmour, some 100 km southeast of Nineveh's provincial capital Mosul, the media office of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said in a statement. In Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, Iraqi helicopter gunships bombed IS positions in Udheim area, some 60 km north of the provincial capital Baquba, Alaa al-Saadi from the provincial police told Xinhua. Also in the province, a security force carried out an operation on an IS bomb-making site near Baquba, some 65 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, which resulted in arresting three of the extremist IS militants, al-Saadi added. The incidents came as the extremist IS militants intensified their attacks on the security forces, including Hashd Shaabi forces, and civilians in the formerly IS-controlled Sunni provinces, resulting in the killing and wounding of dozens. The security situation in Iraq has been improving since Iraqi security forces fully defeated the IS militants across the country late in 2017. However, IS remnants have since melted in urban areas or deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Enditem The Maharashtra government on Monday sounded an alert in Mumbai and neighbouring districts in view of the approaching cyclonic storm 'Nisarg', which is expected to hit the state's coast on 3 June. The Maharashtra government on Monday sounded an alert in Mumbai and neighbouring districts in view of the approaching cyclonic storm "Nisarg", which is expected to hit the state's coast on 3 June. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray through video conference and took stock of the state's preparedness to tackle any eventuality, the latter's office said. Ten units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in vulnerable districts, while six others have been kept on a stand-by, officials said. Steps are being taken to ensure there is no disruption of power supply at a time when the state is battling the coronavirus crisis and thousands of patients are undergoing treatment in various hospitals, they said. Adequate precautions are being taken to safeguard chemical and atomic energy plants located in coastal Palghar and Raigad districts. Thackeray, in a statement, said an alert has been sounded in Mumbai city, Mumbai suburban district, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts in view of the cyclonic storm developing in the Arabian Sea. The state Disaster Management and Relief and Rehabilitation department is also geared up to face the cyclone, he said. Fishermen have been asked to come back from the sea and respective district collectors have been asked to ensure there is no loss of life, the statement said. Shah held a discussion with Thackeray on video conference to take stock of the state's preparedness. Thackeray apprised Shah about the situation and steps being taken to tackle it, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said. Shah told Thackeray NDRF battalions from neighbouring states have been kept on a stand-by for relief and rescue operations, if required, the statement said. Thackeray said shelter homes are being kept ready for those who are required to be shifted to safer places, it said. The Coast Guard has been asked to ensure fishermen come back from the sea. In low-lying areas of Mumbai, slum-dwellers will be shifted to safer places. Non-COVID hospitals will be made available for those needing medical assistance. Thackeray asked authorities to examine if field hospitals can be shifted to safer places. He also asked for generators to be kept in hospitals so that patients do not suffer in case of disruption in power supply. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said the low-pressure area formed over the Arabian Sea has intensified into a depression and it will further intensify into a cyclonic storm in the next 36 hours. It said the the cyclonic storm will cross north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts late in the evening on 3 June. Meanwhile, Palghar district collector Kailas Shinde on Monday asked fishermen not to venture into the seat. A similar warning was issued by his Thane counterpart Rajesh Narvekar. Addressing a news conference, Shinde said a total of 577 fishing boats had gone out in the sea of which 100 are yet to return. Efforts were on to get them back with the help of the Coast Guard, Shinde said. He said talukas of Vasai, Dahanu and Palghar have been put on an alert and those living near the coast in 'kutcha' houses would be evacuated and lodged in safer places as a precautionary measures.He said two companies of the NDRF have arrived in Palghar district. Some industries will remain closed on 3 June, he said. Shinde also released helpline numbers to be contacted in case of any emergency during the cyclone. These numbers are 02525-297474/02525-252020/8329439902. In Thane district, too, one company of the NDRF has deployed. Four states have passed laws that grant businesses immunity from civil liability for claims relating to COVID-19, while legislation in at least three other states is advancing. The bills signed into law by the governors of North Carolina, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming go far beyond the immunity that several states granted to health care providers at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. North Carolina provides immunity to a broader swath of essential businesses, such as grocery stores and restaurants, from liability for any harm caused by COVID-19. Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming provide immunity to everyone, as long as safety rules are followed and no laws are broken. Bills to create similar liability protections have also passed the Louisiana House of Representatives and Senate, the Kansas Senate and the Arizona House. They now await consideration by the other chamber. North Carolinas civil liability immunity provision was included in Senate Bill 704, a COVID-19 relief package approved by Gov. Ray Cooper (D) on May 4. The law provides immunity to any entity deemed essential in the emergency orders, retroactive March 27, which is when Cooper first ordered businesses to close or scale back to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Attorney Jeffrey P. MacHarg noted that the immunity protection covers a wide swath of businesses and organizations: Grocery and hardware stores, pharmacies, banks, takeout eateries and even attorneys were deemed essential in the March 27 order. A second May 20 order that reopened many businesses, such as dine-in restaurants, will also expand the immunity protection to cover them, as well, he said in a blog post. The immunity is not absolute. It does not bar regulatory actions, criminal charges or workers compensation claims, MacHarg said. Also, there is no immunity for gross negligence, recklessness or intentional infliction of harm. The immunity continues until emergency orders expire or are rescinded. MacHarg said that may be awhile. As of this writing, we are aware of no immediate plans to rescind North Carolinas emergency declaration, so this immunity would apply to acts occurring now and likely through a full reopening of the economy, he wrote. SB 704 sailed through the North Carolinas legislature, passing both the Senate and the House unanimously in votes taken four dates apart. The bill appears to have slipped under the radar of the states trial lawyers. The North Carolina Advocates for Justice didnt post a notice about the bill until three weeks after it passed. Attorney Carma L. Henson, with HensonFuerst in Raleigh, noted that 375 residents of North Carolina nursing homes had died of COVID-19. Blatant disregard for standards of care have been reported, she said. Suits have been filed on behalf of grieving families in some of these cases, but plaintiffs attorneys are already having to make heart-wrenching decisions to turn down cases due to the language of the law, Henson said in a May 26 blog post. John ONeal, an attorney in sole practice in Greensboro, said he did not become aware that civil immunity legislation had been passed until last week, when he read an email blast from Advocates for Justice. ONeal said he said he understands that business owners want to protect themselves, but he thinks it would be harder to prove a COVID-19 claim than many think. He said any attorney who takes such a claim would have to prove where the plaintiff contracted COVID-19, which would require expert witnesses and a thorough investigation. The threat of litigation is there, theres no question about it, he said. But the plaintiff has a huge burden of proof and a financial burden that is really going to cost. Oklahomas Senate Bill 1946 offers broader protections than North Carolinas new law. The legislation, signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) on May 21, makes everyone immune from liability for any claim by a person who was exposed to COVID-19 as long as no laws were violated and the person of business accused followed official safety guidance. SB 1946 passed the Oklahoma Senate 34-11 on May 11 and the House 76-20 on May 14. Gov. Stitt also signed into law on May 15 Senate Bill 1947, which provides immunity from product liability claims against people who manufacture or supply personal protective equipment or medications used to treat COVID-19, even if dispensed for off-label use. Similarly, Utahs SB 3007 provides immunity to all persons and premises from liability for injury resulting from exposure to COVID-19, unless there was willful misconduct or reckless or intentional infliction of harm. The bill passed the Senate 22-6 and the House 54-21 on April 23 and was signed into law by Gov. Gary Herbert (R) on May 4. Wyomings Senate File 1002 provides immunity from COVID-19 claims to any person or business who acted in good faith and followed safety instructions for the duration of the public health emergency. The bill expires on June 30, 2021. The bill passed the Wyoming Senate 25-4 on May 15 and the House 23-1 on May 16. Gov. Mark Gordon (R) signed it into law on May 20. More than half the states in the country have granted some form of immunity to health care providers, according to the American Tort Reform Association. The organization says such polices are necessary to protect the COVID-19 response effort. Personal injury law firms are already recruiting individuals to sue now even if they have not contracted the disease, ATRA says on is website. The first lawsuits targeting health care providers, employers, retailers and other businesses for COVID-related injuries have been filed. Many more are to come. The governors of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia signed executive orders granting various degrees of limited immunity to health care providers and facilities, an ATRA report says. Legislation to provide immunity to health care providers and facilities was passed legislatures in Alaska, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Wisconsin. Mt Stirling Gold Camp Drilling Update Perth, June 1, 2020 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Torian Resources Limited ( ASX:TNR ) is pleased to announce the completion of its Phase 1 RC drilling program, targeting extensions of mineralisation contained within the Stirling Block at the Mt Stirling Gold Camp (Figure 1*) at depth and along strike. Assay results will be released to the market as they become available.Planning for a much broader Phase 2 drilling campaign will begin following analysis of assay data from Phase 1.Equipped with new geological concepts (ASX 15 April 2020), Torian has completed its Phase 1 drilling program aimed at testing for extensions of mineralisation along strike and at depth, of targets that were identified during the re-examination of the Stirling RC database. The best intersection from previous drilling was contained within RC hole MSRC001 which returned 2.99 g/t over 35m including 48.00 g/t over 2m (refer ASX announcement 28 April 2020). A similar intersection was seen in MSRC002 yielding 0.71 g/t over 39m including 2.09 g/t over 4m (ASX 28 April 2020) (See Figure 1*). The Company's review of the historical database also highlighted that historical intersections contained broad envelopes of halo gold mineralisation associated with higher-grade intersections.Additionally, during re-examination it was noticed an additional open intersection is contained within hole MSRC-024 located 350m southeast of the main zone of mineralisation. This intercept yielded 2.34 g/t over 10m including 5.10 g/t over 2m (ASX 28 April 2020). This intersection also appears to be spatially associated with the higher-grade rock chip results. On the 18th of May 2020 the Company announced that drilling at MSRC-025 had intercepted 274m of quartz-carbonate veining containing pyrite and ending in mineralisation at end of the hole.Assays from MSRC-025 were sent to the lab soon after hole completion with results now imminent. Assay results from the remaining seven holes will be announced to the market as they are received and interpreted by the Company.An aggressive Phase 2 drilling campaign is now being planned to follow up on open intersections, testing further at depth and along strike on the Stirling Block as well as scout testing on the Diorite Block.The Mt Stirling land position (Figures 3 and 4*) is divided into two blocks. 1) Stirling Block and 2) Diorite Block together forming the Mt Stirling Gold Camp.1) The focus on the Stirling block is to drill along strike and down plunge to test the systems at depth. Torian's hypothesis is that this system may run to depth similar to the mineralisation at the Gwalia Mine (Figure 5*).2) The immediate focus of the Diorite block will be mapping and sampling utilising systematic exploration techniques to further locate high priority drill targets. RC drilling in the near term will then test these targets.On the Diorite Block, mapping and prospecting has begun, focusing on the historic Diorite King Mine and Diorite Queen mines (Figure 2; sourced from Mindat.org) and to continue further target generation. The focus of this campaign is as follows (Figure 2*):- Explore, locate and sample the 15 known showings contained within the Diorite historic mining camp (red triangle) with a focus on the historic 73g/t Au [grade sourced from Mindat.org] Diorite King Mine and Diorite Queen mines.- Explore a number of the high priority targets identified by Southern Geoscience Consultants (blue hatched boxes).- Investigate the Iron Formation lithologies (red lines) within the Diorite Block to determine if these units have any potential to host Archean BIF gold mineralisation. BIF gold deposits have been a historic major producer within the Archean of Canada (aka 5Moz Au Musselwhite Mine in Northern Ontario).Torian Chairman Mr Louie Simens said, "Torian firmly believes that Mt Stirling has the potential to host a world-class discovery, hence why we are accelerating our systematic exploration activities.Our Phase 1 exploration drill program at Mt Stirling was designed to test the down plunge on the significant previous intercept of 35m @ 2.99 g/t at the Main Zone, as well as the extent of the mineralisation at the South Zone. These are just some of the many targets property-wide that we intend to be following up as we work to give our shareholders increased exposure to significant exploration upside across the Mt Stirling Gold Camp throughout 2020 and beyond.Pending assay results from our Phase 1 drilling program - due shortly, we envisage an aggressive Phase 2 drilling program at the Stirling block to further test the extent of the mineralisation at depth and along strike.Torian is also embarking on a systematic, property-wide mapping program, the key focus of which will be on the Diorite Block containing the historical Diorite King and Diorite Queen mines, which have never been followed up on until now.Having established a fantastic team of experienced geologists we are confident that this region is a highly prospective location to be looking for large gold discoveries. The Mt Stirling Gold Camp is located within the prolific Leonora region, with the Stirling Block in particular located along the prolific Ursus Fault. This region has recently produced over 14Moz, with Sons of Gwalia, Tower Hill, Thunderbox, Harbour Lights and more recently the Gwalia Mine being some of the key deposits. Red 5's ( ASX:RED ) King of the Hills mine is also in our immediate vicinity.We are extremely excited with the projects we have and the drilling planned. In addition to anticipating assays from the Phase 1 drilling as well as field mapping and sampling ongoing at Diorite, assay results are also pending from the Credo Project Joint Venture. These projects, combined with our Zuleika JV Project, located in the worldclass Zuleika Shear and the Mt Monger project which sits adjacent to Silverlake's ( ASX:SLR ) flagship Mt Monger mine, presents four opportunities for a major re-rating of the Company.We look forward to keeping the market updated on results and developments during this transformative period for Torian."*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Torian Resources Limited Torian Resources Ltd (ASX:TNR) is a gold exploration and development company with an extensive and strategic land holding comprising eight projects and over 400km2 of tenure in the Goldfields Region of Western Australia. Torian's flagship project, Zuleika, is located along the world-class Zuleika Shear. The Zuleika Shear is the fourth largest gold producing region in Australia and consistently produces some of the country's highest grade and lowest cost gold mines. Torian's Zuleika project lies north and partly along strike of several major gold deposits including Northern Star's (ASX:NST) 7.0Moz East Kundana Joint Venture and Evolutions (ASX:EVN) 1.8Moz Frogs Legs and White Foil deposits. Torian's other projects include the strategically located Mt Stirling and Malcolm Projects in the Leonora region (near Red 5's King of the Hills Project), where it recently completed updated Mineral Resource Estimates and preliminary scoping studies, and a suite of other projects in the Kalgoorlie region including Credo Well JV Zuleika JV, Bonnie Vale, Gibraltar and Mount Monger/Wombola. Four MPs are being quarantined in private hospitals after suffering breathing problems Four Egyptian MPs are being quarantined at private hospitals after presenting symptoms of the coronavirus pandemic, Mahmoud Fawzi, secretary-general of Egypt's House of Representatives, revealed Sunday. "Results have yet to show whether they test positive or negative," said Fawzi, dismissing some press reports that they have already tested positive. Fawzi Said Eid Heikal, a Wafd Party MP representing East Cairo's district of Al-Marg, is the latest MP to be confirmed positive, according to Fawzi. Heikal went to a private hospital Sunday after he suffered from some breathing problems," said Fawzi, adding that Medical check-ups showed that Heikal tested positive and right now he is being quarantined in a private hospital and a recent report shows that his general health condition is stabilising." MPs Nawsha El-Deeb and Omar Watany are two MPs who also went to quarantine hospitals in the last few days. El-Deeb, a Nasserist MP representing Giza's district of Imbaba, said she went to Giza's Al-Agouza Hospital five days ago once she suffered breathing problems. "The results will show today (Sunday) whether I test positive or negative," El-Deeb told reporters by telephone. Omar Watani, MP representing East Cairo's district of El-Shorabeya, was taken to a private quarantine hospital Saturday. "Watani is currently receiving treatment at a private hospital's intensive care unit, but results of check-ups have yet to show whether he tested positive or negative," said Fawzi. Hesham Magdi, MP from the Upper Egypt governorate of Beni Suef, also went to a private quarantine hospital Saturday. Fawzi said Magdi suffered from chest pain and breathing problems. "Again, we are still waiting to see whether he will test positive or negative," said Fazwi. Magdi earlier told reporters he had experienced breathing problems. "But thank God I do not suffer from high temperature, and I just decided to go to hospital to make tests, he said. Fawzi also revealed that Sherine Farag, an appointed MP who was the first among parliament's deputies to test positive for the coronavirus two weeks ago, left Qasr El-Aini Hospital in Downtown Cairo after she fully recovered. Fawzi said the fact that some MPs have recently contracted the coronavirus does not mean that parliament will consider postponing plenary meetings. "Life will not stop and so parliament will meet as scheduled on 7 June to complete discussing its legislative agenda," said Fawzi, adding that, Greater precautionary measures will be taken next week to ensure that discussions will be held in a safe and virus-free environment." Search Keywords: Short link: In this article ROG-CH Hong Kong will likely see a mass migration of its youth as the city is thrust into a renewed period of uncertainty, following China's decision to impose a national security bill, one analyst warned. "For young people in Hong Kong, the future is elsewhere, it's as simple as that," David Roche, president and global strategist at Independent Strategy, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday. "Young people, with all of their lives ahead of them, they're making their own decisions," Roche said, adding that Hong Kong's youth are looking to move abroad for reasons such as education and their careers. "A big proportion of these people will seek to leave, whether they're protesters or not." Roche's comments came after China's National People's Congress on Thursday approved the proposal to implement new national security legislation for Hong Kong, a special administration region under China. The move has raised questions over the territory's semi-autonomous status which took effect when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. In response to Beijing's move, U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that he would be taking steps to revoke Hong Kong's preferential trade and travel privileges. One concern among observers is that any potential sanctions which the U.S. applies on China, could also be imposed on Hong Kong. Whether you're a protester or not a protester in Hong Kong, if you're a young person, ... the outlook for you is career-wise, lifestyle-wise not good. David Roche president and global strategist at Independent Strategy Hong Kong is governed by the "one country, two systems" principle which gives it certain freedoms that are not available to those on the mainland, including limited election rights and the power of self-governance. Critics say the new law will grant Beijing greater powers to crush dissent. Even before the proposed security law, Hong Kong was rocked by months of pro-democracy protests last year that were sparked by a proposed extradition bill. Those mass demonstrations turned increasingly violent and morphed into broader anti-government demonstrations. Months of civil unrest thrust the city's economy into a recession as tourist arrivals and retail sales took a hit. Youth 'still pretty defiant' The coronavirus outbreak, with the city reporting its first case in January, brought some reprieve to the city as social distancing measures were put in place. But protesters are back on the streets again after China's new law was proposed. "Whether you're a protester or not a protester in Hong Kong, if you're a young person, the outlook for you given wage levels in Hong Kong and in the Greater Bay Area and everything else. The outlook for you is career-wise, lifestyle-wise not good," Roche said. Riot police in Hong Kong round up a group of protesters during the demonstration protesting against a bill that would criminalise insulting the Chinese national anthem, demonstrators marched on the streets and chanted songs and slogans. Willie Siau | SOPA Images | LightRocket via Getty Images "It's very, very bad. It's probably the biggest hit that can come from the deteriorating situation," he added. Taiwan has stepped forward with the offer to help resettle Hong Kongers who want to leave the city. The U.K. has also reportedly suggested the possibility of offering Hong Kongers with a British National (Overseas) passport a document given to some citizens of the city during its days under the colonial government a path to citizenship, according to the BBC. Still, it is not known how many would actually be able to go away. According to Roche, "approximately 70% of all the people who have demonstrated or voiced either pro-democracy or more independence-type thinking in Hong Kong, do not have a passport which enables them to leave." Commenting on the current sentiment among Hong Kong's youth, Roche said: "Young people are still pretty defiant and I expect we haven't seen the last of the street demonstrations." GLENS FALLS Downtown Glens Falls was closed off by police for a while late Sunday night and early Monday morning after a day of protests at Centennial Circle. A handful of protesters held up signs on the curbs around the circle throughout Sunday afternoon advocating equality and supporting George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis last week. Crowds grew at night and counter protesters arrived, some of them with banners supporting President Donald Trump. There was a large police presence at the circle, with Glens Falls Police supplemented by State Police and sheriff's officers. There was occasional shouting between the two groups. There were instances when Black Lives Matters protesters shouted at police. At another point, a protester hugged a police officer. Police shut off all entrances to the circle late at night. Ridge Street and Glen Street were blocked off outside the downtown area. About 10 police cruisers were parked at the center of the circle at one point. The crowd began to thin out after midnight, though some protesters still lingered. Roads were reopened to traffic and the circle was empty of protesters as of 1:45 a.m. Earlier Sunday, at 4:30 p.m., there were 14 people holding signs that read Black Lives Matter, Say Their Names and I Cant Breathe. The last sign was in reference to the death of Floyd, which has spurred protests around the country. Anthony Grace of Queensbury said he showed up at the circle around noon and had been there all afternoon. He said it was not an organized protest by any group, but rather people had come and gone throughout the day. Its about George Floyd ... Black Lives Matter, he said. Everyones got the same vibe here. Protesters held signs while standing near the curbs that surround Centennial Circle. Some cars honked as they drove by. It seems like we have quite a bit of support by the people driving by, which is a good thing, said Patrick Malone of Glens Falls, who heard about the protest and came down with his wife and her sister. Malone said he was concerned about oppression of minorities in the United States. He said the protest was about equality. I think this is whats right to do for our community, he said. And Im not here to protest against police, because I know a lot of people in the Glens Falls police department and theyre great people. This isnt just about the death of George Floyd, this is about years and years of systematic oppression and racism thats still rampant. The fact that we still have to do this in 2020 is mind-boggling. Riley Brennan of Queensbury said she saw a couple of women at the circle on Saturday and decided to make signs and come on Sunday. She said she was advocating racial justice and accountability. Another protest with a small group of women was held in downtown Cambridge on Sunday. Photographer Bruce Squiers said the women spontaneously got together to stand at the intersection of Park and Main streets. There was also a protest in Saratoga Springs. Follow Sports Editor Greg Brownell on Twitter: @glensfallsse. Love 50 Funny 25 Wow 7 Sad 3 Angry 49 On Friday night in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, protesters descended on an unoccupied New York Police Department van, which quickly became the target of all their anger and angst New York: On Friday night in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, protesters descended on an unoccupied New York Police Department van, which quickly became the target of all their anger and angst. After chasing officers away, people threw rocks, glass bottles, and anything and everything at the van, according to one protester, who would only identify himself as Mike. After failing to turn over the vehicle, protesters set it on fire by burning their signs inside it, he said. Soon, images and videos of the vehicle, with windows broken and engulfed in red flames, spread across social media during the first night of protests in New York City following the death of George Floyd, a Minnesota man who died on 25 May after a Minneapolis police officer pinned him down by his neck for several minutes. By Sunday morning, the department said that 47 police vehicles had been damaged during protests, 13 of them burned in ways that were similar to the attack on the first police van in Fort Greene, according to officials. These vehicles have become the symbol of the unrest and have begun a debate over who is escalating the violence. Some protesters have cheered the destruction as a victory against law enforcement and a manifestation of the pent-up rage against the growing number of incidents of police brutality, while officials have said the damage is proof that a violent element is trying to hijack a tradition of peaceful protest in the city. No place in America has protected protests more than New York City, said Mayor Bill de Blasio on Sunday. And we will continue to do so whatever someones views but it has to be nonviolent. We honour the tradition of civil disobedience. In Union Square on Saturday, protesters climbed onto a police department vehicle, which had a shattered windshield and lights blaring, as onlookers cheered. One image on social media from Brooklyn on Saturday night showed a cyclist taking a selfie in front of a department vehicle that had a broken windshield and was covered in black spray paint. At least four people have been charged in connection with Molotov-cocktail attacks on police vehicles. A woman from the Catskills region, Samantha Shader, 27, was arrested on charges that she had thrown a firebomb at a police van in Brooklyn on Friday, the police said. Her 21-year-old sister, Darian Shader, interfered with the arrest and was also taken into custody, the police said. Minutes after that first firebomb on Friday, the police said Urooj Rahman, 31, and Colinford King Mattis, 32, coordinated a Molotov-cocktail attack on an empty police vehicle, and ignited a small blaze in the back seat. Both were arrested. The total cost of the vehicle damage Saturday night alone is estimated to be in excess of $750,000 and expected to go up, said Sergeant Mary Frances ODonnell, a spokeswoman for the department. One encounter between protesters and a police vehicle has become a flashpoint in the debate over who is to blame for the escalating violence. At around 8 pm on Saturday, two police department vehicles drove through a crowd of protesters, scattering dozens of people who had surrounded the cars, according to videos of the incident and accounts from bystanders. I wish the officers found a different approach, de Blasio told reporters Saturday night, but he added that the protesters in that video did the wrong thing to surround that police car, period. He said the police had seen that tactic before in the past two days, and it could be very, very dangerous to everyone involved. He said the incident would be investigated. One witness to the incident said the scene in Prospect Heights had, initially, been peaceful. Ede Fox, 48, said she was sitting in her parked car on Flatbush Avenue when suddenly the protest turned chaotic when a police SUV sped down the avenue behind the crowd. They only seemed to stoke the fires rather than de-escalate, said Fox, who formerly worked in city government and ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2017. When they pushed into the crowd, I was stunned. Soon protesters began to throw plastic water bottles and other items, including orange cones, at the vehicle. Another police SUV arrived, moving through the crowd. The first vehicle, which was stalled in front of a barricade and a line of protesters, suddenly lurched forward at a high speed. People scattered, officers got out of the SUV, and a protester walked up to the vehicle and busted a window. There were no injuries reported. In an interview on Sunday, Fox said she had become frightened. To be honest, I thought this was a moment that the officers would start shooting or the protesters would start a fire. A protester jumped atop the SUV and appeared to be pleading with others to be peaceful, Fox said. I think she was telling people to stop being violent, she said. Azi Paybarah and Nikita Stewart c.2020 The New York Times Company A senior Iranian lawmaker said on June 1 that 230 people were killed in anti-government protests in Iran in November, state news agency IRNA reported. It is the first time that an Iranian lawmaker has given a death toll in the unrest, which was sparked by an increase in the price of petrol. The four days of unrest was the most widespread and violent Iran had seen since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Mojtaba Zolnour, head of the parliament's national security and foreign affairs committee, said 230 people were killed, about one-fifth of whom were members of the security forces. He said about one-quarter of those killed were passersby not involved in the protests, some of whom were shot in the head or chest from close distances. The lawmaker insisted that the security forces were too far away from the protesters to have done this. He also said a high percentage was killed by bullets that are not used in Iranian standard-issue weapons. Of the remainder, 16 percent died while attacking military bases and police stations, and 31 percent at public places such as malls, banks, and petrol stations. About 2,000 people were injured during the four days of unrest. The demonstrations erupted on November 15 in a handful of cities before spreading to at least 100 urban centers across Iran. Petrol pumps were torched, police stations attacked, and shops looted, before security forces stepped in. Officials had previously rejected death tolls given by foreign media and human rights groups as "lies" and passed responsibility of reporting on it between different state bodies. Amnesty International has put the number of dead at 304, and a group of independent UN rights experts said in December that 400, including at least 12 children, could have been killed based on unconfirmed reports. The United States has claimed that more than 1,000 were killed. Zolnour alleged that those behind the violence had aimed to use the unrest to "overthrow" the system. Tehran has yet to release any official statistics about the scale of the unrest, though two weeks ago the government acknowledged that the security forces shot and killed protesters. With reporting by AP and AFP The University of Chicago Press postponed 18 titles from its spring lineup to September. Our thinking was that between the temporary closure of bookstores and the distracted state of the media and the consumer marketplace, they would have a better shot at reaching a broad audience that way, said Elizabeth Branch Dyson, the presss executive editor. Other publishers have been reluctant to reschedule release dates, since theres no guarantee that things will be better in the fall. Even if more bookstores reopen, customers may still be wary of them, and the economic fallout could worsen. Where are you going to move a book to? Youre going to move it to the fall, where you have the election and all these spring books that have moved? said Morgan Entrekin, publisher and chief executive of Grove Atlantic, which has postponed just a few titles. All the decisions we make are guesswork. None of us know what were doing. For authors with a big international audience, changing a release date gets even more complicated. When Europa Editions decided to push back the publication of Ferrantes novel The Lying Life of Adults from June to September, it scrambled to get two dozen international publishers on board. Europa had already printed 150,000 copies of the English translation by Ann Goldstein, and fans of Ms. Ferrantes My Brilliant Friend books likely would have relished the chance to read her latest while sheltering in place. But her publisher decided against publishing the novel when many independent stores are still closed. It felt like it would have been a betrayal of the booksellers that have done so much for her, said Michael Reynolds, Europas editor in chief. Despite widespread bookstore closures, book sales havent cratered. Print sales so far this year are flat compared with the same period last year, suggesting that readers are still buying, according to NPD BookScan. Well-known writers, like Suzanne Collins, the author of The Hunger Games, as well as John Grisham and Stephen King, are weathering the crisis, since their fans snap up their books and can often find them at big-box stores that have remained open. Younger children went back to schools in England on Monday as Britain began to stir back to life, while the government reported the lowest coronavirus death toll since the start of the national lockdown in late March. Outdoor markets also swung open their gates and car showrooms tried to lure back customers and recoup losses suffered since Britain effectively shut down for business to ward off a disease that has now officially claimed 39,045 lives in the country. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Britain was making "significant progress" against the virus after its daily toll dropped to 111 -- the lowest since the stay-at-home order was issued on March 23. Reporting of virus cases and fatalities is often lower after a weekend and many people still appeared hesitant to start using public transport or shop. "It's very different from usual," Danish Londoner John Jellesmark said on a visit to the usually bustling Camden Market in the north of the capital. "It's still pretty slow. It looks like the market is basically waking up." - Too much, too soon? - Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out a timeline that allows two million younger children in England to return to school on Monday and older ones from June 15. The devolved governments in Scotland and Northern Ireland are eyeing a return in August and September, while Wales is still weighing the benefits of human contact against the dangers of children catching the disease and bringing it home. A survey conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research found that primary school leaders expect about half the families to keep their children home. Principal Claire Syms at the Halley House School in east London said children who do turn up need to feel comfortable in an unfamiliar setting where the desks are spaced out and many around them wear masks. "We've been really conscious about keeping things as normal and as consistent as we can for our children," Syms told AFP. "We're really mindful of their wellbeing and their mental health." The UK government has been encouraged by the positive experience of other European countries that have started to return to something resembling normal life. The House of Commons will debate a government push to get everyone to start voting in person instead of remotely when parliament returns from a break on Tuesday. But critics of the easing believe the so-called R rate of transmission -- estimated nationally at between 0.7 and 0.9 -- was still dangerously close to the 1.0 figure above which the virus' spread grows. - 'Unenforceable' - Scientists and lawmakers are not the only ones to express concern that the government's "cautious and phased" reopening is moving too quickly. "We're only able to take these steps because of what we have achieved together so far," finance minister Rishi Sunak said as he toured Tachbrook Market in central London. London's Metropolitan Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh said current rules such as those allowing people to gather in groups of six in England were unenforceable. "I don't think the public are taking much notice of what is laid down in front of them," Marsh told The Daily Telegraph. "They are doing it how they want to do it." English parks and beaches have been inundated with people over two successive May weekends that came on the sunniest month ever recorded in Britain. Police had warned after seeing growing numbers ignore social distancing measures a week ago that they were serious about sanctioning those who gather in large groups. But some London parks looked like one giant party on Sunday and police issued just a tiny fraction of the fines they had handed out before people were allowed to leave their homes more freely on May 13. "Policing have told the government that unless it's a huge gathering, it's pretty much unenforceable now," a senior police source told The Daily Telegraph. Search Keywords: Short link: Hispanic business owners who are struggling financially during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may not be aware financial assistance is available or may not have been able to access funds from other financial institutions. This is an opportunity for credit unions to help those business owners obtain funding through the Small Business Administrations Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). To do so, credit unions must build relationships with these individuals, gain their trust, and educate them about the program, a panel of credit union leaders said Thursday during Reaching Hispanic Small Businesses: COVID-19 Crisis, a webinar presented by Inclusiv. Theres still plenty of time to make a difference for businesses that are struggling right now, says Jeff Ivey, president/CEO of $109 million asset River City Federal Credit Union in San Antonio. This is a long-term situation and its a huge opportunity for credit unions to step forward and do the right thing. Looking into the current session, Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) shares are trading at $36.20, after a 5.8% increase. Moreover, over the past month, the stock spiked by 24.96%, but in the past year, decreased by 40.52%. Shareholders might be interested in knowing whether the stock is undervalued, even if the company is performing up to par in the current session. The stock is currently higher from its 52 week low by 80.82%. Assuming that all other factors are held constant, this could present itself as an opportunity for investors trying to diversify their portfolio with Airlines stocks, and capitalize on the lower share price observed over the year. The P/E ratio measures the current share price to the company's earnings per share. It is used by long-term investors to analyze the companys current performance against its past earnings, historical data and aggregate market data for the industry or the indices, such as S&P 500. A higher P/E indicates that investors expect the company to perform better in the future, and the stock is probably overvalued, but not necessarily. It also shows that investors are willing to pay a higher share price currently, because they expect the company to perform better in the upcoming quarters. This leads investors to also remain optimistic about rising dividends in the future. Most often, an industry will prevail in a particular phase of a business cycle, than other industries. Alaska Air Group has a lower P/E than the aggregate P/E of 8.61 of the airlines industry. Ideally, one might believe that they might perform worse than its peers, but its also probable that the stock is undervalued. There are many limitations to P/E ratio. It is sometimes difficult to determine the nature of the earnings makeup of a company. Shareholders might not get what they're looking for, from trailing earnings. See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Over the past five years, police in Minneapolis have used neck restraint maneuvers on at least 237 people, rendering 44 of them unconscious in the process, according to a new report. NBC News, which first reported the on the matter after looking at the data and interviewing law enforcement experts from around the US, suggested that the figure appears to be unusually high for a city the size of Minneapolis, which has a population of just 425,000. But the news outlet noted that due to a dearth of publicly available information on police departments' use of force, it is difficult to make accurate comparisons between Minneapolis and other American cities. Data show since early 2015, police in Minneapolis have used neck restraint methods on at least 237 people and rendered 44 of them unconscious. Pictured: Minneapolis Mayoral Candidate Leslie Davis is being dragged away by a cop who has his arm around Davis' neck in 2001 Records obtained by NBC on Minneapolis Police Department's use of force indicate that in 16 per cent of the incidents where chokeholds were applied by officers since the beginning of 2015, the individuals being restrained lost consciousnesses. Nearly half of the people who passed out were hurt, but the police department's records provide no information on the extent of their injuries. According to the police data, 60 per cent of the 44 people who were made unconscious after being put in a chokehold were black and 30 per cent were white, and nearly all were male. A neck restraint, or 'chokehold,' as used by police is defined as using an arm or a leg to compress a person's neck without directly pressing on the airway. On May 25, white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chavuin was caught on video kneeling on the neck of handcuffed black man George Floyd as he pleaded 'I can't breathe,' resulting in his death. Five minutes into the eight-minute restraint, Floyd, 46, who was suspected of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill at a store, stopped breathing, but Chauvin continued pinning his neck to the ground with his knee as his three colleagues looked on without trying to render aid. Chauvin was arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Floyd's death has sparked a wave of increasingly violent protests that have engulfed the country from coast to coast, leading to some fatalities, countless injuries, arrests and acts of vandalism and looting. The specific restraint maneuver used by the now-former officer involving his knee is not taught at any police academy and is not authorized for use by any US police agency, including the Minneapolis PD, according to multiple experts. Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was caught on video pressing his knee into the neck of a handcuffed black man, which is not allowed. George Floyd (right) later died 'Thats just not taught because that can impact their breathing and their carotid artery. So when police look at that video, they are shocked that those tactics were used.' Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, which researches and advises on police practices, told the Associated Press last week. Police recruits learn a variety of use-of-force techniques at the academy, all with the idea that any force employed may equal but not exceed the physical resistance offered by a suspect. Chauvin was arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter One technique is to restrain someone on the ground face-down, but officers are taught to press a part of the lower leg, such as the shin or top of the ankle, across the shoulders or the back. In some cases officers will 'hog-tie' suspects legs to prevent flight or violent resistance. Officers are also taught to get a suspect up from the ground as soon as possible, either sitting or standing, since lying on ones stomach can cause breathing problems, especially for larger people. Most of the Minneapolis incidents in which people were subjected to neck restraints and lost consciousnesses involved individuals who were fleeing from police, or who tensed up while being arrested, NBC News reported. Five of the cases involved domestic abuse or assault. The vast majority of the instances did not stem from a violent offense. At least two of the cases involved teenagers: a 14-year-old in a domestic abuse case and a 17-year-old accused of shoplifting. In one instance, a police officer reportedly used a neck restraint on a person who was 'verbally non-complaint' during a traffic stop. Police departments across the US have been moving away from using neck restraint methods for years because of their 'inherent life-threatening potential.' Pictured: Miami policemen, one holding the man's arm and the other with an arm lock on his neck, drag away a black youth during a clash between police and rioters in August 1968 The Minneapolis Police Department's official policy manual that is available online does allow the use of sanctioned chokeholds and two types of neck restraints: conscious and unconscious. According to the manual, a neck restraint is 'defined as compressing one or both sides of a persons neck with an arm or leg, without applying direct pressure to the trachea or airway (front of the neck). Only sworn employees who have received training from the MPD Training Unit are authorized to use neck restraints.' Officers are permitted to use unconscious neck restraints only on subjects 'exhibiting active aggression,' 'for life saving purposes,' or 'on a subject who is exhibiting active resistance...and if lesser attempts at control have been or would likely be ineffective.' Judging by the date that appears next to the section in the manual that covers neck restraints, it was last updated more than eight years ago, in April 2012. Ed Obayashi, deputy sheriff in Plumas County, California, and a national use-of-force expert who trains state police agencies, told NBC that police departments across the US have been moving away from using neck restraint methods for years because of their 'inherent life-threatening potential.' 'It's common sense,' Obayashi said. 'Any time you cut off someone's airway or block blood flow to the brain, it can lead to serious injury or death as we have seen in so many of these tragedies. By using this tactic, it's a self-fulfilling tragedy.' Calvert City's Ameribration Canceled Jun. 01, 2020 By Jun. 01, 2020 CALVERT CITY - A yearly Calvert City summer tradition has been canceled due to concerns about coronavirus. Organizers announced Thursday all events pertaining to Ameribration this year have been canceled. "It is sad that many important summer activities must be canceled. The response from the Governor's staff was clear about no large gatherings. Therefore, since they are large gatherings, the 4th of July festivities are not allowed," said Mayor Lynn Jones. One of Calvert City's largest events, Ameribration draws thousands of people each year with arts and crafts, live music, cornhole tournament, a parade, and fireworks. "While I am greatly disappointed, I am excited to announce that 2021 is the 150th Anniversary of Calvert City's founding. The celebration for 2021 Ameribration will be the most fantastic. It is going to be a really, really, big event," said Jones. Calvert City was founded in 1871 and plans to organize a fun-filled long weekend in 2021 to celebrate Calvert City. "I'm sorry this year's event must be canceled but we will continue to do our part to stay safe, healthy, and happy." Also planned for the summer was a six-week summer camp program. Because of guidelines set by the Governor's office, the summer camp program will be postponed. "The summer camp for Calvert City's youth does not meet the Governor's requirements and will be postponed until the summer of 2021," Jones said. For six straight nights, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in more than 30 cities across the country to protest in the wake of George Floyd's death. Peaceful protests have continued in the days since Floyd died on Memorial Day in Minneapolis police custody after a white officer pinned him to the ground under his knee for more than eight minutes. In addition to the peaceful demonstrations, violence, vandalism and looting have erupted in Minneapolis, New York, Louisville, Los Angeles and Memphis. Police continue to use tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets in confrontations with protesters and more than 4,400 arrests have been made at demonstrations nationwide, according to a tally compiled by The Associated Press. Amid the chaos and tension, there have been moments of peace and shows of solidarity. Here are some of the most powerful images taken during the protests. Protesters chant in the face of sheriffs deputies during a protest in front of the Hennepin County government center on May 28, 2020. Protestors take a photo in front of a burning building on Lake St. in Minneapolis on May 29, 2020. A woman cries as she joined protestors at Unions Square in Manhattan May 30, 2020. A protestor speaks near a line of National Guard troops near the former location of the Minneapolis Police Departments Third Precinct building Friday, May 29, 2020, in Minneapolis. Rhonda Mathies, 69, of Louisville, gets down on her knees as she sings "We Shall Overcome" along with the crowd Sunday, May 31, 2020, during a Black Lives Matter healing rally in front of KFC Yum! Center in downtown Louisville. Shawanda Hill, right, the girlfriend of George Floyd reacts near the spot where he died while in custody of the Minneapolis Police, on May 26, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minn. A protester walks down Broad Street as Columbus Division of Police officers walk behind during nationwide protests in Columbus, Ohio on May 29, 2020. A man stands with his arms crossed before flash cans were set off in an attempt to send people home during a protest remembering George Floyd at Falls Park in Greenville, S.C. on Sunday. "Go home, the protest is over," a voice said over a loudspeaker on top of a police car slowly moving toward the crowd. Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson high-fives a woman who called his name as he marched with protesters in memory of George Floyd on May 30 in Flint Township, Mich. Florida State Troopers move down North Clay Street as they disperse protesters from in front of the Duval County Courthouse in Jacksonville, Florida on May 31, 2020. Protesters are sprayed with pepper spray by Detroit police officers in riot gear in downtown after an afternoon march and rally against police brutality extended into the evening and became contentious on Friday, May 29, 2020 in Detroit. A group of men raise their fists after making their way on Interstate 75 Northbound and stopping traffic in Cincinnati on May 29, 2020. Marcus Lavon of Des Moines raises his hands during a protest on Friday, May 29, 2020, in Des Moines. The protests were a response to the recent death of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer. A makeshift memorial for George Floyd includeing a mural cards and flowers on June 1, 2020 near the spot where he died while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minn. Contributing: The Associated Press Follow N'dea Yancey-Bragg on Twitter: @NdeaYanceyBragg This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd protests: 19 striking moments from the week's protests Details have emerged about the relationship between Victorian government minister Martin Pakula and a close friend he nominated to become a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria. During his final months as Victorias attorney-general in 2018, Mr Pakula nominated barrister Steven James Moore, QC, to be appointed to the court. Victorian government minister Martin Pakula. Credit:Paul Jeffers Mr Pakula, who became Minister for Jobs, Racing and Tourism after Labors November 2018 state election win, thanked Justice Moore in his maiden 2006 speech to Parliament, naming him alongside three other men for having "been by my side throughout my entire journey in the Labor Party" and for being his "good mates". A document from Mr Pakulas successful 2013 byelection campaign for the then lower house seat of Lyndhurst shows Justice Moore was rostered to man a polling booth in Keysborough. The seat has since been renamed as Keysborough. New Delhi, June 1 : Cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' will affect the coastal districts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, more than Gujarat and other neighbouring states, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday. The IMD said that the depression in the Arabian Sea is slated to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' and cross north Maharashtra and Gujarat coasts between Harihareshwar in Raigad district and Daman on June 3. IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said: "Monsoon vortex or cyclonic circulation has formed in the Arabian Sea. As per our predictions, Maharashtra coastal districts like Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Thane, Raigad, Mumbai and Palghar will be more affected by it." This depression is currently 690 km away from Mumbai. There could be inundation in low-lying areas, townships, and city areas. Wind speed could also cause damage to trees, telephone, and electric poles, he added. He said that the rainfall in Maharasahtra's coastal districts will increase on June 2 and intensify further on June 3. "We are expecting extremely heavy rainfall of more than 20 cm here on June 3." The current depression is likely to intensify into a deep depression by evening on Monday and become furious and turn into a cyclonic storm in the early hours of the morning on June 2. It will then amplify into a severe cyclonic storm by evening or night of June 3 and make landfall. The Director General said that the severe cyclonic storm will have a wind speed of 90-105 kmph when it crosses the coast. "We are accessing it continuously. Central and state government agencies have been informed and are taking the steps," he added. Dr Sunitha Devi, scientist in-charge for cyclones, said that the depression is currently located about 340 km southwest of Goa's Panjim, and 850 km south-south-west of Gujarat's Surat. Maharashtra and Gujarat are on pre-cyclone alert as very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected in parts of the states on June 3 and June 4. Due to its influence, the east central Arabian Sea and south east Arabian Sea is currently rough. Fishermen in Kerala, Lakshadweep, coastal Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, and Gujarat are advised not to venture into the sea till June 4. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has released his income declaration for 2019, the press service of the head of state has reported. "According to the declaration, the income of the head of state and members of his family in 2019 amounted to UAH 28,602,468. The Zelensky family paid UAH 3.6 million in taxes to the budget," the report reads. According to the report, since May 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky has not been engaged in entrepreneurial activities and receives a salary exclusively from the State Affairs Department. The salary received by the head of state from May to December 2019 amounted to UAH 208,787. According to the press service, in the period under review, there was an increase in the salary of the president's wife and a decrease in the salary and business income of the head of state. In particular, in 2019, the president's family received funds to repay the value of domestic government bonds worth UAH 5.1 million and made payments for the purchase of domestic government bonds worth UAH 5.2 million. Zelensky also declared UAH 4.423 million as funds received from the sale of real estate in the city of Kyiv, on Velyka Vasylkivska Street, which belonged to his wife. In addition, the president's family sold the corporate rights of all 12 Ukrainian companies to Serhiy Shefir's family for the amount of UAH 246,144. "In the spring of 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky sold the shares of Green Family LTD, as well as all four brands registered in the Russian Federation. The president also sold corporate rights in foreign companies Vilhar Holdings Limited and Aldorante Limited," the presidential press service said. At the same time, according to the report, Zelensky remains the owner of a large number of trademarks. In particular, in 2019, two trademarks "Servant of the People" were registered in his name. According to the report, PricewaterhouseCoopers evaluated several trademarks in 2019. According to a respective report, the value of the trademark "Evening Quarter" is UAH 45.81 million. The cost of the trademark "Make a Comic Laugh," which was also evaluated by the company, amounted to UAH 14.65 million. Based on the evaluation, Zelensky received royalties from the use of trademarks in the amount of UAH 5.048 million, so his income increased compared to the previous year, the press service said. According to the report, the Zelensky family also received UAH 3.2 million for leasing an apartment in the UK. According to the press service, in 2019, the president's wife, Olena Zelenska, received a UAH 5 million loan from Serhiy Shefir. The loan was repaid by the end of the reporting year. Zelensky spent UAH 11.5 million in 2019 as a contribution to the election campaigning fund of the candidate for president of Ukraine. UAH 567,875 was paid to PricewaterhouseCoopers for consulting services, the report says. "Volodymyr Zelensky's trip to the Sultanate of Oman was paid for by the president's wife, Olena Zelenska. According to the law, expenses and transactions of family members are not declared," the press service said. op Dr. Ala Stanford, founder of the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, in Philadelphia caring for "those I wish would care for me, for us," she says. Read more Police brutality and the pandemic: is there a connection? Absolutely. A disease enters our country from another part of the world, and within weeks is ravaging the United States. By April, this novel coronavirus was killing more African Americans at a rate faster than any other racial group in the United States. For a blink of the eye, there seemed to be an uproar. Then before you could open your eyes, the conversation was over a foregone conclusion. Where was the support? Where were the resources for hard-hit communities? Where was the initiative to decrease all of the black bodies being put in refrigerator trucks and being buried in unmarked graves? Where was the increased testing, where was the empathy, where was the help? It was nonexistent. READ MORE: Local doctors team up to make sure that African Americans are getting tested for the coronavirus Then in Minneapolis, a police officer put his weight on the trachea (windpipe) and esophagus (digestive tract) of a human being, and no other person in power physically tried to remove him. As a surgeon having operated on both of those anatomic areas, I promise you, that action will end a life. It does not take much, and the pressure of an adult man for greater than eight minutes is more than enough. Not one of three other officers present stopped and acknowledged that this is a lack of humanity, nor what their punishment might be if they killed this man. Why? They had privilege, and believed their life was of more value than George Floyds. Murder from police brutality, combined with no swift, concentrated, and deliberate effort to decrease the spread of the coronavirus disease in the black community: What is the message they send? That our lives dont matter to those in power. If we want change, we must create it. We have seen time and again: No one cares about us but us. We were brought to America, our families broken, lives lost, lifetimes taken, women raped, men lynched, and children left to fend for themselves. Then after over 200 hundred years, someone in power proclaimed: OK, youre free now, go do something with yourselves while I have my foot on your neck. Here we are, a century later, and I am so very tired of the feeling I feel right now. I am not asking for a handout, nor your pity party. But I ask that nonblack people in America acknowledge the facts and know the history. In 1911, my great-grandmother was picking cotton in Spartanburg, S.C., forced to build the legacy and foundation for Americans in power so they could continue to rule over those with less. Here we are, a century later, and I am so very tired of the feeling I feel right now. Living your entire life fighting an uphill battle, wondering if this time when I get pulled over by a police officer, will it be the last breath I take. Filled with the angst of questioning: Will my three black sons have an opportunity to truly see their potential in life when the world sees them as a threat? These tears I cry today, however, and all the days before will not drown me. I will continue to use my voice, my knowledge, my power, my money, and every resource I have to save the African American lives that are forgotten. No one who could stop his death spoke up for George Floyd, just as no one is coming to our rescue with COVID-19 with the speed and alacrity that was moved to get the SpaceX shuttle into orbit. READ MORE: Where do we go from here? Thats what we need to ask in the wake of George Floyd protests. | Jenice Armstrong But I am not the only African American doctor, lawyer, professional, businessman, sanitation employee, bus driver, judge, actress, housecleaner, worker who cares for African Americans. Black America: We are here, and we are working as fast and as hard as we can to save us. Please hold tight and have faith. God created us as a resilient, strong, and caring people. We face adversity beyond belief, and our unmasked hues bring forth prejudice and injustice in medicine, the criminal justice system, and every walk of life. But we will rise. Our strength is infinite and infused by the sacrifice of our ancestors. To borrow from Langston Hughes: Beautiful, also, is the sun. Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people. I have believed that all of my life and will continue to believe it forever. So as my final plea, I ask you, America, to start caring for black people the way we have cared and continue to care for you. Ala Stanford, a board-certified pediatric surgeon, founded Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium in her hometown of Philadelphia. The BDCC has provided free COVID-19 testing for nearly 5,000 primarily African Americans in Philadelphia, the surrounding counties, and Camden in less than 20 testing days, without city, state, or federal funding. She is raising her children and their friends to show up for each other and be a support for one another, she said She also echoed the frustration many in the crowd felt over police brutality and the violence in Chicago. Giant magnetic spots on the surface of extremely hot and small stars can trigger giant flares, a study has concluded. Researchers used the so-called Very Large Telescope in Chile to study a special kind of star found in distant stellar cluster and found that their brightness changes. These changes are caused by the presence of giant bright hot spots on the star's surface that come in and out of view as the star rotates. The spots caused by magnetic fields can also release powerful explosions of energy significantly more powerful than anything seen on our Sun. Scroll down for video Giant spots on the surface of extremely hot and small stars can trigger giant flares, a study has concluded. Pictured, an artist's impression of a white spot on an horizontal branch star In their study, Yazan Momany of the Italy's INAF Astronomical Observatory of Padua and colleagues studied a type of celestial object known as an 'extreme horizontal branch star' which are fourfive times hotter than the Sun at half the mass. 'These hot and small stars are special because we know they will bypass one of the final phases in the life of a typical star and will die prematurely," said Dr Momany. 'In our galaxy, these peculiar hot objects are generally associated with the presence of a close companion star.' When found in the dense clusters of stars known as 'globular clusters', however, the vast majority of these extreme horizontal branch stars are found alone. When studying three different globular clusters, however, the researchers found that many of the extreme horizontal branch stars exhibited regular changes in brightness over the course of a few days to several weeks. 'After eliminating all other scenarios, there was only one remaining possibility to explain their observed brightness variations,' said paper author and astronomer Simone Zaggia, also of the Observatory of Padua. 'These stars must be plagued by spots!' he added. Caused by magnetic fields, spots are also seen on our own Sun although instead of being dark and relatively cool, the spots on extreme horizontal branch stars are brighter and hotter than the surrounding stellar surface. Furthermore, the spots on these hot and small stars are much larger than those seen on our sun covering up to a quarter of the star's surface and last for decades rather than the days to months of more familiar sunspots. It is the rotation of the stars bringing the spots in and out of view that cause the change in brightness that the researchers observed in the globular clusters. In their study, Yazan Momany of the Italy's INAF Astronomical Observatory of Padua and colleagues studied a type of celestial object known as an 'extreme horizontal branch star' which are fourfive times hotter than the Sun at half the mass. Pictured, one of the four unit telescopes that make up the Very Large Telescope which the researchers used in their study Alongside the spots, the team also found a couple of extreme horizontal branch stars that appear to fire off superflares sudden explosions of energy. 'They are similar to the flares we see on our own Sun, but ten million times more energetic,' said paper author Henri Boffin of the European Southern Observatory. 'Such behaviour was certainly not expected and highlights the importance of magnetic fields in explaining the properties of these stars.' According to the team, the findings may help explain the origin of strong magnetic fields in many white dwarfs the objects that represent the final stage in the life of Sun-like stars, but also show similarities to extreme horizontal branch stars. 'Changes in brightness of all hot stars from young Sun-like stars to old extreme horizontal branch stars and long-dead white dwarfs could all be connected,' said paper author David Jones of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, in Spain, 'These objects can thus be understood as collectively suffering from magnetic spots on their surfaces.' The full findings of the study were published in the journal Nature Astronomy. China donates medical supplies to help Botswana fight COVID-19 Global Times Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/5/31 12:48:23 China on Friday donated medical protective supplies to Botswana to help the country fight COVID-19. An aircraft carrying the consignment arrived at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Gaborone, Botswana's capital city on Wednesday and was received by Botswana's Minister of Health and Wellness Lemogang Kwape and Chinese Ambassador to Botswana Zhao Yanbo. "China stands firm with the Botswanan government and people," Zhao said while briefing journalists. "Together we will defeat this virus and resume our normal lives, production and normalcy in society." For his part, Kwape said it gave him great pleasure to once again receive medical supplies from China. The donation includes 15,000 protective medical face masks, 150,000 surgical masks, 3,000 medical protective isolation shoe covers, 5,000 pieces of disposable protective clothing, 7,000 medical protective goggles and 7,000 disposable sterilized rubber surgical gloves. "The donation will go a long way in helping the frontline workers as they work day in and day out to fight the pandemic," Kwape said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address [June 01, 2020] Worldwide Open Compute Project (Compute and Storage) Infrastructure Market Revenue Forecast to Grow at a 16.6% CAGR through 2024, According to IDC A new forecast from International Data Corporation (IDC) shows worldwide revenue from the Open Compute Project (OCP (News - Alert)) infrastructure market will reach $33.8 billion in 2024. While year-over-year growth will slow slightly in 2020 due to capital preservation strategies during the Covid-19 situation, the market for OCP compute and storage infrastructure is forecast to see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.6% over the 2020-2024 forecast period. The forecast assumes a rapid recovery for this market in 2021-22, fueled by a robust economic recovery worldwide. However, a prolonged crisis and economic uncertainty could delay the market's recovery well past 2021, although investments in and by cloud service providers may dominate infrastructure investments when they occur during this period. The Open Compute Project (OCP) was established in 2011 as an open community focused on designing hardware technology to efficiently support the growing demands on compute infrastructure at midsize to large datacenter operators (hyperscalers). Open Compute standards are now supported by market leaders such as Facebook, Microsoft (News - Alert), LinkedIn, Alibaba, Baidu, Tencent, and Rackspace. The OCP encourages infrastructure suppliers, hyperscalers, cloud service providers, systems integrators, and components vendors to collaborate on new innovations, specifications, and initiatives across several key categories. "By opening and sharing the innovations and designs within the community, IDC (News - Alert) believes that OCP will be one of the most important indicators of datacenter infrastructure innovation and development, especially among hyperscalers and cloud service providers," said Sebastian Lagana, research manager, Infrastructure Systems, Platforms and Technologies. "IDC projects massive growth in the amount of data generated, transmitted, and stored worldwide. Much of this data will flow in and out of the cloud and get stored in hyperscale cloud data centers, thereby driving demand for infrastructure," said Kuba Stolarski, research director, Infrastructure Systems, Platforms and Technologies at IDC. OCP Technology by Segment The compute segment will remain the primary driver of overall OCP infrastructure revenue for the coming five years, accounting for roughly 83% of the total market. Despite being a much larger portion of the market, compute will achieve a CAGR comparable to storage through 2024. The compute and storage segments are defined below: Compute: Spend on computing platforms (i.e., servers including accelerators and interconnects) is estimated to grow at a five-year CAGR of 16.2% and reach $28.07 billion. This segment includes externally attached accelerator trays also known as JBOGs (GPUs) and JBOFs (FPGAs). Spend on computing platforms (i.e., servers including accelerators and interconnects) is estimated to grow at a five-year CAGR of 16.2% and reach $28.07 billion. This segment includes externally attached accelerator trays also known as JBOGs (GPUs) and JBOFs (FPGAs). Storage: Spend on storage (i.e., server-based platforms and externally attached platforms and systems) is estimated to grow at a five-year CAGR of 18.5% and reach $5.73 billion. Externally attached platforms are also known as JBOFs (Flash) and JBODs (HDDs) and do not contain a controller. Externally attached systems are built using storage controllers. OCP Technology Segment Data, 2019 and 2024 (Revenues are in US$ billions) Market 2019 Revenue 2019 Market Share 2024 Revenue 2024 Market Share 2019-2024 CAGR Compute $13.25 83.1% $28.07 83.0% 16.2% Storage $2.45 16.9% $5.73 17.0% 18.5% Total $15.70 100.0% $33.80 100.0% 16.6% Source (News - Alert): IDC Worldwide Open Compute Project Compute and Storage Infrastructure Market Forecast, May 2020. Buyer Type Highlights OCP Board Member purchases make up the bulk of the OCP infrastructure market and are poised to grow at a 14.8% CAGR through 2024, when they will account for just under 75% of the total market. Conversely, non-member spending is projected to increase at a five-year CAGR of 23.2% and will expand its share of the OCP infrastructure market by just over 600 basis points during that period. In terms of end user type, hyperscalers account for the largest portion of the market at just over 78% in 2019 and are projected to expand spending at a 14.2% CAGR through 2024, although this will result in erosion of total share. Conversely non-hyperscaler purchases will expand 23.8% over the same period, increasing this group's market share by approximately 650 basis points from 2019 to 2024. This IDC report, Worldwide Open Compute Project (Compute and Storage) Infrastructure Forecast, 2020-2024 (Doc #US46344320), provides an overview of the compute and storage infrastructure market based on specifications that are part of the Open Compute Project. This includes OCP Accepted and OCP Inspired hardware. This forecast is the first iteration for this market and forms the basis of subsequent research coverage of emerging technologies, architectural approaches, and use cases. It is based on existing IDC forecasts on servers (compute), external storage systems, and infrastructure software and therefore, has implications on various segments of the datacenter infrastructure market. About IDC International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading tech media, data and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter (News - Alert) at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights: http://bit.ly/IDCBlog_Subscribe. - # # # - All product and company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005176/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The migrant workers crisis in India has got many Bollywood stars doing their best to help out. From Sonu Sood to Swara Bhaskar, celebrities are supporting migrants in reaching their hometowns, by arranging transport for them. Saif Ali Khan acknowledges the privilege he has, being in his situation, and says that whenever someone asks him how he is doing during the lockdown, he worries about what migrant workers are currently going through. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Saif said, "First of all, we are really privileged, so every time someone asks me if I am okay in a lockdown, I start worrying about what migrant workers are going through. So, me sitting and telling you how I can chill - it feels a little hollow. But I think at a time like this and at all times beauty is where it always was - in great books, great music, great conversations, good thoughts and good meals." Saif said that he is spending his time practicing the guitar, polishing up on his French, cooking, and spending time with his son Taimur Ali Khan. The Sacred Games actor also shared that he hopes the healthcare system gets better during the lockdown. "We have all been home and some people are finding it harder than others, financially, emotionally. But the point is we should be prepping for the spike in cases, so I hope that's happening. Because I think at some point we are all going to have to go out and probably risk getting there or some people who can afford it will have to lock themselves up for a year, those are the two choices I can see. I hope the government is preparing," he said. ALSO READ: Saif Ali Khan Says Kareena Kapoor Thinks Like A Hollywood Actor; 'She Is A Born Movie Star' ALSO READ: Sonu Sood Helps Airlift 177 Girls Stuck In Kerala, To Their Home State Odisha MasterChef's Emelia Jackson is the current bookies' favourite to win the show. But regardless of the final result, the 30-year-old couldn't wait for filming to wrap in Melbourne in late May so she could rush home to her partner. 'Five long months apart,' she wrote on Instagram last Thursday as she shared a rare picture with her 'secret boyfriend' after production ended. Homesick: MasterChef star Emelia Jackson (left) couldn't wait for filming to end in late May so she could return home to her boyfriend, Craig Gersbach (right), about whom little is known Daily Mail Australia can reveal that Emelia's boyfriend is named Craig Gersbach. Little is known about their relationship as she rarely posts pictures of them together on Instagram, nor does she name or tag him when she does. Instead, she mainly uses her social platforms to share her wedding cake designs. Her mystery man! 'Five long months apart,' the finalist wrote on Instagram last Thursday as she shared a rare picture with her 'secret boyfriend' Who is he? Little is known about the couple's relationship as Emelia rarely posts pictures of Craig on Instagram, nor does she name or tag him when she does It appears the couple have been together for at least two years. Emelia first shared a selfie with Craig to Facebook in July 2018. She has posted just a handful of pictures with him since they made their social media debut. In September 2019, the lovebirds enjoyed a trip to America together. 'Bye bye San Francisco, see ya soon Yosemite,' Emelia captioned a selfie of the pair posing by the Golden Gate Bridge as they travelled across California. Going the distance! It appears the couple have been together for at least two years now. Emelia first shared a selfie with Craig to Facebook in July 2018 Vacation time! In September 2019, the pair enjoyed a trip to America together and posed in front of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge Emelia is the favourite to win this year's season of MasterChef, according to all major bookmakers. Her odds have been slashed so significantly in recent days that her victory is almost guaranteed. Sportsbet has her at odds of $1.15, and TAB is offering $1.02. Poh Ling Yeow is also tipped to make the finals alongside Emelia, Laura Sharrad and Reynold Poernomo. Government formation talks continue this week and one of the sticking points that has emerged is the Occupied Territories Bill, according to insiders. The bill would ban all trade with the settlements in the territories occupied by Israel in Palestine. Fianna Fail and the Greens back it but Fine Gael is strongly opposed, saying the Attorney General's advice is that it may contravene EU law. ICTU's David Joyce says Fine Gael's claim of its illegality under EU law is shaky. "There's plenty of legal opinion around on this - much of it in support of the Bill," said Mr Joyce. "But Fine Gael insisting on unpublished advice from the Attorney General is not really a sustainable position given the chorus of eminent legal voices who say it can be done." Mr Joyce says Irish support for Palestine must move beyond criticising Israel. "We'd be saying that that support needs to move beyond mere condemnation and needs really ending that culture of impunity enjoyed by Israeli authorities and ensuring that states like Ireland who could view this as an opportunity to take a lead in the EU and act on their international obligation not to render aid or assistance towards an illegal situation." Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Right) with Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli The middle class in India dont generally see Kathmandu as foreign; instead viewing it as very nearly part of India, which is forgivable since Nepali citizens come and go freely, and can rarely be differentiated from our own diverse population. Which is why many would have been shocked at recent tensions between the two countries, with Nepali Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli publicly upbraiding India. Worse, his government seemed determined to up the ante by issuing a political and administrative map that added 335 sq miles of Indian territory to its own, which included an area where Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had recently inaugurated a new road for pilgrims to reach Kailash Mansarovar. All of this has placed the cat squarely among the pigeons. The disputed area, which includes Kalapani, Limipiyadhura and Lipulekh, are of vital importance to India, and Kathmandu knows it only too well. Ongoing tensions with Nepal followed the re-designation of Jammu and Kashmir as a Union territory, and a new map of November that showed Kalapani as part of India. That reflected ground realities to the last inch. Nepali commentators observe that there was always a gentlemans agreement that issuance of any new map would be done after a quiet consultation with Kathmandu. Perhaps this was not done. Then on May 8, Singh declared open an 80-km road to link up with Lipulekh, the gateway to Tibet. China would certainly have objected to that, as it now objecting with troops to roads to infrastructure in Ladakh. China has raised Lipulekh before. In 2018, Wang Wenli, a senior official dealing with Boundary and Ocean Affairs remarked the Indian side has also many trijunctions. What if we use the same excuse and enter the Kalapani region between China, India and Nepal 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 That China has been making inroads into Nepal has been apparent for some time. Oli made a grand visit to Beijing in 2018, with a joint statement reiterating commitment to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) a sure red rag to India and identifying a range of bilateral projects. Nepal is hardly a thriving destination market for Chinese goods, which means that the real intention is strategic. The visit of President Xi Jinping to Nepal followed, in the first by a Chinese President since 1996. The extent of Chinese influence in political circles became apparent in the unprecedented instance of the Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanqi, virtually mediating in an intra-party fight that threatened to bring down Oli. The Chinese soothing down of political tensions was necessitated by consistent infighting in the recently-formed Nepal Communist Party (NCP). The NCP saw the surprising merger of the usually inimical Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) led by Oli, and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) headed by Pushpa Kumar Dahal or Prachanda. On paper the NCP government is the strongest ever to hold office in Nepal, but, power sharing has become an issue with Prachanda and other leaders increasingly side-lined. Olis authoritarian tendency, apparent recently in the promulgation of two ordinances designed to give his more space for manoeuvre, further alienated the others. Prachanda has since teamed up with powerful leaders such as Madhav Nepal, Jhalanath Kanal and Bamdev Gautam, all powerful former comrades of Oli. Oli is in trouble, and his unusually harsh stance which included a diplomatic note to the Indian Ambassador on the opening of the road, the issuing of the map, and claiming that the Indian virus was more virulent than the Chinese or Italian strains seems aimed at showcasing him as a nationalist leader. This posturing was uncalled for, and so was Indian Army Chief MM Naravanes statement that Nepal was acting at the instance of another country. India and Nepal share multifarious military links, all of which are precious. Nepal Army Chief Purna Chandra Thapa was far more sensible, when he was asked to reiterate with a strong rebuttal. General Thapa reportedly refused to be involved in a political matter, leaving the Defence Minister to issue a statement. Then there is the manner in which the Indian bureaucracy has seen fit to deal with a friendly neighbour. Harsh statements on cartographic aggression could have been toned down, and the Nepal Ambassador has yet to get an appointment with an Indian official. A quiet talk with the ambassador could surely have been arranged, at a time when most Nepali politicians are incensed at the charge of collaborating with China in particular. It should be of interest that Chinese nationals, stuck in Nepal due to the lockdown, have since been caught on camera in clashes with Nepali forces, which was met with strong hostility by mainstream media. The Chinese embassy waded in to contain the issue, but the incident serves to show what is apparent in Pakistan as well that Chinese presence is not always welcomed by the locals. There are several shades to this problem, and New Delhi needs to pick the one that suits its goals. Nepal has been a loyal friend for decades, and Indian diplomacy needs to use tact rather than the overly big boss approach. This is not about China. Its about our inability to use a time-tested friendship to prevent hostile countries from gaining this extent of political, physical and economic ingress. Middle class India may see Nepal as nearly a part of India, but that mentality should not be allowed to pervade upwards. A proud Nepali nation deserves more. A village shop has implemented strict rules to deter visitors by only allowing shoppers registered with the local GP or key workers with ID to enter the store. Downderry Stores, a village shop in Downderry, near Torpoint, in southeast Cornwall, issued a set of guidelines in order to 'keep our community and employees as safe as we can'. A poster shared by employee Sharolyn Broad to Facebook read: 'Downderry Stores covid policy. 'To keep our community and our employees as safe as we can, we are currently only serving customers who are: permanent residents and registered with the local GP or key workers with appropriate ID. Downderry Stores, a village shop in Downderry, near Torpoint, in southeast Cornwall, issued a set of guidelines in order to 'keep our community and employees as safe as we can 'We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and do look forward to welcoming everyone to Downderry Stores again soon. 'Thank you for your patience and understanding.' The village of Downderry has a population of 983 and has a dog-friendly sand and shingle beach which attracts visitors throughout the year. Employee of Downderry Stores, Sharolyn Broad, responded to a post on the One Callington Facebook group, where she revealed that outside of her work she is a carer for three vulnerable people. Sharolyn wrote: 'Hello! As a key worker from Downderry Stores I would like to put my opinion forward. Downderry Stores only serves shoppers registered with the local GP or key workers with ID 'Im not sure if your'e aware but Downderry and Seaton have a very elderly vulnerable population, this decision wasnt an easy one to make, we can to consider the mental health and well being of all our community hence this decision. 'Also staff and their circumstances have to be taken into account! (Even though Im sure a small majority of people dont see these people have lives outside of work). I care for three people at home, one with leukaemia, one with heart failure and someone who is bed bound.' She added: 'However I dont have a choice to stay at home as being a key worker I need to try and keep our community going and safe! 'I hope this brings more understanding to you not being able to get water from our shop!' Writing on the One Callington Facebook group, Kate O'Kearney wrote: 'If you go to Downderry with your dogs . Make sure you have water. Shop only serves people from the village' 'This is not being done to be nasty and we welcome people back once this pandemic is over. If you dont feel you want to come back then that is fine too. Thanks.' However the decision was met with opposition from other Cornish locals after one woman from Callington, 13 miles north of Downderry, urged people to carry water when visiting the village. Writing on the One Callington Facebook group, Kate O'Kearney wrote: 'If you go to Downderry with your dogs. Make sure you have water. Shop only serves people from the village.' Employee of Downderry Stores, Sharolyn Broad, responded to a post on the One Callington Facebook group on Tuesday 19 Niki Gregory responded: 'They're normally happy to take outsiders money though. Bad move I'd say.' 'That will be remembered. Not the smartest business decision....,' Mark Readman wrote. Joanne Rattray added: 'Yeah bit silly even just one in at a time and contactless only? Does seem extreme.' Yet many praised the idea and described how 'proud' they were of the owners for keeping residents safe during the pandemic. Commenting on a post in the Downderry and Seaton Village Hall Facebook group, people praised the decision to limit the number of shoppers Commenting on a post in the Downderry and Seaton Village Hall Facebook group, fisherman Brian Parnell wrote: 'For those who don't know the most locals who use this shop are over 60 years old. 'They and everyone who works in the shop do their best to keep people safe and they are proud of it.' Andie Bishop added: 'Thank you all at Downderry Stores and in the village for going above and beyond for helping the elderly and vulnerable people in the village! 'Especially my lovely mum and dad-in-law! Who without them would have been in real difficulties. Deviock Parish Council confirmed the move on Facebook at the start of lockdown on March 27 adding: 'From today the Village stores in Downderry will only be serving customers who are registered with the local GP surgery' 'You have made it a lot less stressful for us all knowing they are being brilliantly looked after!!! I think this decision is a brilliant idea well done for looking after your village.' Deviock Parish Council confirmed the move on Facebook at the start of lockdown on March 27 adding: 'From today the Village stores in Downderry will only be serving customers who are registered with the local GP surgery. 'This is to deter visitors and safeguard this vital service. We do hope everyone understands, and we all look forward to welcoming visitors back to our lovely parish when this is over.' Downderry Stores declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline. Two men who were arrested as teenagers and spent nearly half their lives behind bars after being wrongfully convicted of murder have sued Chicago police and Cook County prosecutors for malicious prosecution, lawyers for the men says. John Fulton and Anthony Mitchell were 17 and 18 years old at the time of their arrests in 2003 for the murder of Christopher Collazo. Both were sentenced to 31 years in prison following their 2006 convictions, even though no physical evidence or eyewitnesses linked either man to the crime. Cook County Circuit Judge Lawrence Flood last year vacated their convictions and the Cook County states attorneys office subsequently dropped all charges. The federal lawsuit filed by Fulton and Mitchell accuses police of manipulating photo evidence, abuse and fabrication of their alleged confession. It seeks 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. Its a nightmare every day of my life. The lawsuit concedes that before the murder, Fulton tried to buy a gun from Collazo, an alleged gang member, who instead of completing the deal robbed Fulton. Collazos body was discovered bound with duct tape and partially burned in an alley in Chicagos Back of the Yards neighborhood. Police allegedly pressured a 17-year-old girl to falsely implicate Fulton, Mitchell and a third person in the murder, according to lawyers. Fulton was at a hospital with his girlfriend and then at their apartment which was monitored by security cameras at the time of the crime. Prosecutors got around Fultons alibi by using misleading photos to make it appear there was an un-monitored back door in his apartment complex The lawsuit contends Fultons alibi also clears Mitchell, since prosecutors alleged Fulton was the instigator of the attack and recruited Mitchell for help. But after false promises of leniency, threats and physical violence, Fulton, Mitchell and a third person each gave multiple false confessions, the lawsuit alleges. Charges against the third person were later dropped after a judge ruled his confession had been coerced. Spokesmen for Chicago police and the Cook County states attorneys office declined to comment on the lawsuit. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Law Enforcement As protests rage on, Facebook and Snap are latest firms taking public stand against racial inequality in the US. Facebook Inc and Snap Inc became the latest United States companies condemning racial inequality in the US as violent protests flared up across major cities over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis last week. The two social media giants stood with Intel Corp, Netflix Inc, Alphabets Google, International Business Machines Corp and Nike Inc in taking a public stance against Floyds death, calling out discrimination against African-Americans. We stand with the black community and all those working towards justice in honor of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and far too many others whose names will not be forgotten, Facebooks Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said late Sunday. Zuckerberg, who said in a Friday post that Facebook would not take action on an inflammatory post by US President Donald Trump about the Minneapolis protests, said Facebook will commit $10m to organisations working on racial justice. Floyds death caused yet another round of outrage across the US on the treatment of African-Americans by police officers, polarising the country politically and racially as states began to ease lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Twitter, which last week was at the centre of a fight with Trump over its actions on his tweets, including a warning over one about the protests, added the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter to its account bio on the site. The US Google and YouTube homepages bore a notice saying they stood in support of racial equality. In an internal company memo criticising racism, Snapchat Chief Executive Officer Evan Spiegel appealed for comprehensive tax reforms in the country, with corporations paying a higher tax rate. We cannot end systemic racism without simultaneously creating opportunity for all people, regardless of their background, he said. In short, people like me will pay a lot more in taxes and I believe it will be worth it to create a society that benefits all of us, he said. On Friday, Nike flipped its iconic slogan to raise awareness about racism. For Once, Dont Do It. Dont pretend theres not a problem in America. Dont turn your back on racism, the company said in a video that has over six million views on Twitter and was shared by celebrities and rival Adidas AG. In the afternoon of 17 Oct, a particularly violent explosion occurred at Anak Krakatau, blasting away a portion of the southern crater rim. A similar event might have been the final trigger for the catastrophic landslide that let the cone collapse and cause a devastating tsunami on 22 Dec 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 15:37:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HANGZHOU, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Once just a pastime for young people, livestreaming has now turned into a hotly contested avenue where big names in the real economy are exploring new growth engines after the emerging industry has created innumerable online celebrities and a huge consumer market. Zong Qinghou, in his signature attire of a light blue shirt and black cloth shoes, became the latest tycoon to show up in a livestream show. The 75-year-old is known as the "king of beverages" for chairing Wahaha Group and was listed several times as among the richest entrepreneurs in China. His three-hour live broadcast attracted over 1 million viewers and received more than 5.27 million likes. He played games, shared his entrepreneurial experiences, sent out gifts during the livestream and talked freely with young netizens. Not long ago, Dong Mingzhu, chairwoman of home appliance giant Gree Electric Appliances, sold an astonishing 310 million yuan (about 43.4 million U.S. dollars) of products in a three-hour livestream show. For most Chinese entrepreneurs who entered the studio, their ultimate goal is not just to increase the sales, but to gain young consumers' recognition of their brands. "My first livestreaming was not aimed to drive up sales, but to communicate closely with Internet users and understand their needs," Zong said. Zong gave 3 million yuan worth of products free of charge to viewers of the live broadcast. "We hope to collect customers' feedback on our products, so we can provide better products that meet their preferences and are of higher quality," he said. "The price of the cloth shoes I am wearing is about 30 yuan. They are very comfortable; I've been wearing them for years," said Zong, while interacting with viewers. Zong represents a batch of China's traditional industrial enterprises that have begun to embrace live broadcasting to adapt to the surging tide of the Internet economy. Data from iiMedia Research, a consulting agency, showed that China's live-streaming e-commerce market has grown rapidly from 19 billion yuan in 2017 to 433.8 billion yuan in 2019, and is expected to exceed 960 billion yuan in 2020, a year-on-year growth of 121.53 percent. Wu Xianfa, 46, has been selling wrenches, screwdrivers and other tools for more than 20 years in the city of Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, known as the "World's Supermarket." Frustrated at his sales performance last year, he began to try livestreaming on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. He also plans to hire a full-time online host, offering a basic salary of 4,500 yuan plus commission. Zong also took advantage of the show to recruit start-up talent. "We plan to recruit 100,000 young people to work at our newly-established e-commerce platform. I will provide them with a subsidized loan of 50,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan as their initial capital," he said. But the booming livestream economy has also created problems such as low-quality products and false publicity. The "entrepreneur anchors" therefore called for better oversight from the authorities as they believe livestreaming is just a channel to lure customers but sustainable development of a company still depends on technology, quality and honesty. Enditem At a vigil in Sheridan Square in Manhattan, protesters read the names of black and trans people killed by the police. New Yorks Days of Protest: What It Looked Like From the Streets These are our most striking photos from five days of protest where crowds of demonstrators stopped traffic and clashed with police. Egypts Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Monday Egypt is expected to witness a surge in the number of coronavirus patients in the next two weeks. Throughout the past week the country has been recording higher rates of the pandemic. In his meeting with the governors via video conference, Madbouly said coronavirus cases were treated at quarantine hospitals only before the Islamic holiday of Eid El-Fitr, but that at present 320 hospitals affiliated to the Ministry of Health are screening and treating coronavirus patients. Egypt has thus far recorded 24,985 coronavirus cases, including 6,037 fully recovered patients and 959 fatalities. The meeting saw the return of Daqahaliya Governor Ayman Mokhtar who recovered from the virus, along with his wife, last week. Search Keywords: Short link: The Sakal Media Group announced plans to close two of its publications leaving at least 45 editorial staff and non-editorial staff unemployed. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Indian affiliates, the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) and the National Union of Journalists (India) (NUJ-I) express concern over mass layoffs and newspaper closures. Sakal Media Groups chief executive officer, Uday Jadhav held a meeting on May 27 informing staff of the impacts of Covid-19 on the media group, announcing the closure of Sakal Media Groups newspapers, Gomantak Times on May 27 and Sakal Times on June 1. Sakal Media Groups requested staff resign by May 31, offering staff one month of salary despite attempting to negotiate for three months salary as compensation. In March, Sakal Media Group asked another 15 from the Sakal Times editorial division to resign. The company has continued to cite the economic repercussions of Covid-19 as the reason for the layoffs. The IJU said: Closing down of the editions and subsequent loss of jobs of journalists during these unprecedented times is both unethical and unfair. The IJU urges media houses to refrain from taking such drastic steps and calls on the government to introduce a stimulus package to the media industry. The NUJ-I said:We strongly condemn the closure of Sakal Times and Gomantak Times under the pretext of COVID19 pandemic. NUJ-I is together with the journalists to discuss the issue and find a way out. The IFJ said: The IFJ urge media owners to understand the dire situation for journalists during the Covid-19 pandemic and the need for secure work. Since March, India has witnessed industry media wide layoffs and journalists working without pay. The IFJ urges the government to consult journalist unions and associations about developing a stimulus package that will secure a future for Indias media industry. From the Great Ocean Road to the states north-east, tourism associations and businesses say they have been inundated with inquiries and bookings from Victorians desperate to break free from home isolation and take advantage of easing travel restrictions. Katie Lamaro owner of Five Acres farm stay on Phillip Island is excited to welcome back visitors. Credit:Joe Armao New rules for internal travel, which came into force on Monday, have allowed accommodation providers to reopen their doors in time for the Queen's Birthday weekend. Under Victoria's revised lockdown, holidaymakers can stay overnight for as long as they wish, camping grounds can reopen as long as they do not offer shared facilities and restaurants and cafes can serve up to 20 people at a time in designated spaces. Many operators are taking extra precautions by allowing more time for cleaning, while restaurants place time limits on meal sittings. Maruti Suzuki posted total sales of 18,539 units in May 2020 that included 13,865 units in Domestic market and sales of 23 units to other OEM. The Company resumed its manufacturing operations post lockdown strictly in accordance with the Government regulations and guidelines, from May 12th at its Manesar facility and from May 18th at its Gurugram facility. The production also resumed at Suzuki Motor Gujarat Pvt Limited (SMG) from May 25th 2020. SMG manufactures cars on a contract basis for Maruti Suzuki. The Company exported 4,651 units following the resumption of port operations at Mundra and Mumbai port. Likewise, the Companys showrooms opened in accordance with Centre and State guidelines in a graded manner across different cities. The remaining showrooms would open in due course if they are not in containment zone or if not specifically restricted by any local guidelines. After resuming operations last, month, an employee in the Manesar plant was tested positive for COVID-19. Resuming after 50 days of closure due to coronavirus-led lockdown MSI confirmed that "One employee of the company's Manesar plant tested positive on May 22, 2020 for COVID-19," the spokesperson told PTI when contacted over the matter. The said employee had last attended the plant on May 15 with normal health after which his residence area came into a containment zone and he did not join work thereafter, he said. The district administration was informed about the employee who has since been admitted in the hospital and his condition is stable, he added. MSI confirmed that it was providing all medical help and assistance to the infected employee as per government guidelines, the spokesperson said. The automaker, in the confirmed case, had undertaken a contact tracing exercise and out of abundant caution, all employees who could have come in contact were advised to stay in home isolation, he said. The company has in place a robust and carefully designed standard operating procedure (SOP) for maximum safety against infection spread at the workplace and transit, which goes well beyond compliance requirement, the spokesperson said. In addition, there is also a COVID-19 Task Force that closely monitors adherence to the SOP in the company, the spokesperson added. MSI had resumed production at its Gurugram plant from May 18. Also Watch: There was a time in the not-too-distant past when it wasnt widely understood that germs could pass from person to person.Before the late 1800s, habits likesharing cups with strangers and spitting in public even amidst crowds werent considered unsanitary. Then a tuberculosis outbreak came, and our behavior changed in some ways irrevocably and in some ways temporarily. What will coronavirus do to our societal norms and relationships? We only have inklings thus far: Changed social expectations of face masks could be one, a new aversion to face-touching may be another. Images of crowds gathered during Memorial Day weekend may suggest that for some people, few social-distancing norms will stick. Still,past epidemics, disasters, and instances of social isolation have demonstrated how these societal disruptions can alter our behavior for years to come. Theyve also demonstrated time and again that humans are fundamentally resilient, making adjustments in the short-term but also falling back into old habits once an acute risk has passed. Take the example of shaking hands. If it were up to Anthony Fauci, we might never shake hands again. But history suggests that handshakes, fraught with so much societal weight, come and go with waves ofpublic health scares. While there are no exact corollaries to our current cocktail of germs and social isolation not even the 1918 influenza pandemic understanding past shifts can help us prepare for change now. Will social isolation change us? In a world that frequently experiences large-scale disasters like extreme storms, mass violence, and economic downturns, dealing with collective trauma is not an unfamiliar challenge. But in the case of coronavirus, that trauma cant be separated from social isolation. Already, a third of Americans reported experiencing high levels of psychological distress during this pandemic, including more than half of people who described their financial situation as poor, according to the Pew Research Center. In times like these, our instinct is to find comfort in our networks of friends and family, and in our community.Research by psychology professor Roxane Cohen Silver at the University of California, Irvine, has looked at how societies reacted to traumatic situations and found that communities became closer as people sought out the company of their loved ones and their neighbors. After the 9/11 attacks, people were more likely to seek greater meaning through engagement in religious and political activities that helped boost their well-being. And inside a small Israeli town that endured seven years of constant bombing, communities that got together in tight-knit groups and supported one another through sharing of resources did best in coping with attacks, Silver said. The cruel irony is that the infectious nature of the coronavirus has forced billions of people across the globe to stay home and cope, or even grieve, alone. That may come with its own set of consequences, which could be especially pronounced among those who have had to be put in forced isolation. In one study, researchers found at the end of a nine-day quarantine during SARS in Taiwan, health care workers (who tested negative for the disease) were more likely than their non-quarantined colleagues to develop symptoms of stress disorders, like exhaustion, irritability, insomnia, and poor concentration. That traumatic stress can linger even after the episode is over, says Kang at the Singapore Institute of Mental Health. And in a small qualitative study in Toronto, which surveyed 21 people who were quarantined during the SARS outbreak, some participants described long-term behavioral changes years after it ended: continued vigilant hand washing, for example, and crowd avoidance. Others said that they struggled to reestablish relationships because of the stigma they encountered, and that a return to normalcy was delayed by several months. But its worth noting that these studies focus on specific groups of people who endure more extreme forms of isolation than most of the population is currently experiencing under social distancing measures. The current situation is new, and many people are dealing with some degree of distress and anxiety, but most people are able to bounce back, said Taylor. Life might not be a return to what it was before, but most people are able to deal with stresses like this. Theres one thing thats particularly different about our current condition of social isolation, adds Taylor: the internet.Research is limited on that front in the study of epidemics given the relatively recent rise of those technologies but we can look to their effects on space travelers. These are people who are isolated for four to six months in space, and they are under the potential dangers of space and cant go outside and take a walk easily, says Nick Kanas, a psychiatrist at the University of California, San Francisco, and author of the book Humans in Space. He spent 15 years as the principal investigator of various of NASA-funded research on the psychological hurdles of space travelers. In one study, he looked for signs in space of what isolated Antarctic researchers call the third quarter phenomenon a period of increased stress and interpersonal tension midway through a mission as explorers acknowledge that they must endure the other half before returning home. We did not find evidence of third quarter phenomenon in our study of the 30 astronauts and cosmonauts, Kanas said. Some got depressed inthe third quarter and some got depressed during the first quarter as they were getting acclimated, so there was no consistent effect. He suggests that may be because unlike the Antarctic researchers who are isolated in an area with almost no telecommunication access, space explorers are able to connect 24/7 with their families through video calls on the International Space Station. (It probably also helps that the crew goes through extensive training beforehand and has support staff who provide brain-stimulation activities as needed.) Thats not unlike many who are currently isolating at home and experiencing quarantine fatigue. Zoom calls and social apps have virtually connected many to the outside world. Yet the reality is that that connection cant fully replace physical touch. When the pandemic eases, its possible our longing for social interaction in the physical space will have us running to friends and family, but stopping short of jumping back into crowded areas as we remain hyper-vigilant about the threat of the coronavirus. Adjusting to a new normal Silver and her team are also in the midst of studying Covid-19, looking at the role of media and constant news consumption in amplifying the symptoms of stress. Were still in the eye of the storm and were still anticipating what might happen, she said. We dont know how long this is going to last, and we dont know how bad its going to get. But she predicts that over time, as new public health measures get phased in, people will gradually adjust to a new normal so that they can leave their homes feeling safe again. (Although the current partisan divides in the U.S. and the politicization of science is expected to muddle the transition.) Thats what happened after 9/11 completely transformed the way people fly. First people accepted that knives were no longer allowed on flights, then as new threats emerged, travelers agreed to take off their shoes during security screenings and tolerated the ban on water bottles. I do not believe we will ever go back to where we were on January 1, 2020, Silver said. But as we get further and further from that time, fewer people may remember how it was before. Read the whole story: CityLab A real opportunity for leading brands to get to know your customers. Rob Anderson - Brand Hubb CEO An innovative digital e-commerce platform, designed and developed in South Africa, has uncovered the holy grail of business-to-consumer (B2C) interactions. Consumer brands that adopt Brand Hubbs unique customer loyalty solutions will go down in history as pioneers in marketing for the digital age. We are challenging leading brands to rethink their digital marketing strategies in favour of meaningful customer interactions through our Brand Rewards solutions, says Rob Anderson, CEO of Brand Hubb. He believes that brands are presently directing their digital advertising spend to the wrong recipients.Leading brands are responding to the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) by pumping cash into digital marketing channels that promise to place their brand in front of customers in the millennial and ensuing consumer demographics. They spend millions of rands on social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube to achieve fleeting exposures to these consumer segments. Success is measured based on how many clicks or views the campaign achieves, but to what end? These campaigns have the unintended outcome of linking brands to customers negative perceptions of invasive digital marketing. Besides, fleeting exposures no longer cut it in the fast-paced digital world.An April 2019 study by the Denmark Technical University suggests that our collective attention span is narrowing. Each rand spent on securing a fleeting interaction from a prospective customer is a Pyrrhic victory. Yes, you had eyes on your brand, but you offered nothing of substance to grab and keep the customers attention. We believe that brands should repurpose their digital marketing budgets in favour of loyalty campaigns that are tightly focused on building direct and lasting relationships with customers, says Anderson. Brands that engage with their customers through brand loyalty programmes are rewarded by lasting relationships that convert into lifetime sales.There are countless studies that support the value of customer loyalty. Bain & Company and Harvard Business School report that increasing customer retention rates by 5% increases profits by 25-95% while Marketing Metrics, a 2011 text by Paul Farris et al, suggests that the probability of selling to an existing customer is up to 14 times higher than selling to a new customer. Imagine the benefit of redirecting your marketing expenditure towards increased customer loyalty rather than fishing for new leads in an increasingly crowded digital universe.Brand Hubb has a four-year track record in building customer loyalty in a digital world. Anderson has supported and funded the business since its establishment, with early backing from ex-CEO of Dimension Data, Brett Dawson. The firm is leading innovation in the digital market space from both a marketing fundamentals and systems perspective. Fundamentally, we propose redirecting the flow of marketing expenditures to the end-customer and expanding campaign reach via customer networks, says Anderson. On the system's front we have introduced an e-commerce platform plus application programming interface (API) that allows brands to offer Brand Rewards on their own online properties. Brand Hubb will soon announce the Chip In programme, aimed at expanding the reach of the programme among family, friends, and followers of customers.The Brand Rewards solutions are structured around measurable loyalty reward programmes that allow brands to pay customers for a range of real-time interactions. A customer will receive Me Bucks for viewing digital content, referring friends, or participating in online surveys that can be linked to from any digital or print (through QR codes) marketing campaign. These Me Bucks can be used to purchase merchandise from participating Brand Hubb brands. An important spin-off from the Brand Hubb B2C loyalty programme is the amount of data the programme generates. Brands can use data gained from customer interactions for product design; market research; and accurate measurement of ROI on marketing spend.Brand rewards enables brands to compensate their loyal customers for interacting with them, instead of bankrolling Facebook, YouTube, and other digital marketing agencies. It is long overdue that brands stop doing things simply because everyone else is doing them, and ask: What makes sense in a new, digitally connected world? Loyalty is priceless, concludes Anderson. We believe that Brand Hubbs B2C solutions will change the digital marketing paradigm forever it is a solution built for the new reward world where a renewed focus on customers will reward visionary brands with growing loyal customer bases and improved sales.Luxury BrandsJeremy Nel (Newser) Julian Assange refused to attend a court hearing Monday in England, even as a group of Australian lawmakers, journalists and human rights advocates pushed for him to be released on bail. A judge in London said an email from the prison where the WikiLeaks founder is being held said that Assange was "refusing to attend the hearing and refusing to sign a refusal form," 7 News Australia reports. Asked if he was ill, Assange's lawyers said he's "had respiratory problems for some time." His extradition hearing is scheduled for September. Assange faces 17 charges in the US under the Espionage Act, as well as conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, per the Guardian. The due date for psychiatric reports on Assange from both sides was postponed till July 31. story continues below Australia's government is under pressure to step in to try to win Assange's release on bail. A letter to the foreign minister cited the delays in the extradition hearings "while deaths within the UK prison populations and illness amongst judicial and penal staff cohorts continue to rise" during the pandemic. Defense lawyers say his lung issues put Assange at greater risk of contracting the coronavirus, and they have complained about their lack of access to him in Belmarsh prison, which is in lockdown. Journalists have said poor audio connections make it difficult for them to monitor the court hearings. A backlog blamed on the pandemic has hindered the search for a new court to take up the extradition case. (Read more Julian Assange stories.) Vatican: Mother Teresa, the celebrated nun whose work with the poor of Kolkata made her an instantly recognisable global figure, will be proclaimed a saint on Sunday. Pope Francis presided over a solemn canonisation mass in the presence of 100,000 pilgrims and with a giant haloed portrait of Teresa smiling down from St Peters Basilica. The sainthood ceremony, for which the Vatican could easily have issued twice as many tickets, comes one day short of the 19th anniversary of Teresas death, at 87, in the Indian city where she spent her adult life, first teaching, then tending to the dying poor. It was in the latter role, at the head of her own still-active order, the Missionaries of Charity, that Teresa became one of the most famous women on the planet. Also read: Vatican: Pope hails volunteers as artisans of mercy on eve of Mother Teresa sainthood Four stages of canonisation Mother Teresa canonisation: The making of a saint Born to Kosovar Albanian parents in Skopje - then part of the Ottoman empire, now the capital of Macedonia - she won the 1979 Nobel peace prize and was revered around the world as a beacon for the Christian values of self-sacrifice and charity. She was simultaneously regarded with scorn by secular critics who accused her of being more concerned with evangelism than with improving the lot of the poor. The debate over the nuns legacy has continued after her death with researchers uncovering financial irregularities in the running of her Order and evidence mounting of patient neglect, insalubrious conditions and questionable conversions of the vulnerable in her missions. A picture of her as someone who was just as comfortable flying around in a private plane as clutching the hand of a dying patient has also emerged to counterbalance her saintly image. Sceptics will be absent from the Vatican today however as Francis pays homage to a woman he sees as the embodiment of his vision of a poor church for the poor. Tomorrow we will have the joy of seeing Mother Teresa proclaimed a saint, the Argentinian pontiff said yesterday. And how she deserves to be! This witness to mercy in our time will join the vast array of men and women who, by their holiness of life, have made the love of Christ visible. By historical standards, Teresa has been fast-tracked to sainthood, thanks largely to one of the few people to have achieved canonization faster, John Paul II. The Polish cleric was a personal friend of Teresa and as the pope at the time of her death, he was responsible for her being beatified in 2003. Achieving sainthood requires the Vatican to approve accounts of two miracles occurring as a result of prayers for Teresas intercession. Click here for full coverage of Mother Teresa's canonisation For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said reports of police misconduct during the weekend's violent protests over the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by a Minneapolis police officer, will be immediately investigated although he defended a "vast majority" of NYPD officers. "A vast majority of officers do their job and do their job well. A vast majority of officers are trying to connect to communities and do the right thing," he said. "They're in this job for the right reason. There are some who do not belong on this job. There are some that use violence when they shouldn't." What started out as peaceful protests erupted into an all-out riot and violence at times from both sides. De Blasio said the city is investigating an incident where two New York Police Department cars were caught on tape driving into a group of protesters in Brooklyn, jolting into the group and pushing them backward. De Blasio was criticized for initially defending the officers, saying that the incident was caused by the group of protesters surrounding the vehicle. On Monday, de Blasio said he thought there were times when NYPD officers' lives were in danger over the weekend. Even so, he said their actions were unacceptable. "There is no situation where a police vehicle should drive into a crowd of protesters or New Yorkers of any kind. It is dangerous, it is unacceptable," de Blasio said. "This was an extremely aberrant situation." The NYPD and an independent review board is investigating the situation, de Blasio said. He said that several other incidents from the weekend are now under review, including when an NYPD officer pushed a protester to the ground and another where an officer opened a car door and hit a protester. In another incident, an NYPD officer pulled his gun out while in the middle of a crowd of protesters and was immediately removed from the situation, de Blasio said. "That officer should have his gun and badge taken away today. There will be an investigation immediately to determine the larger consequences," he said. De Blasio said his daughter Chiara, 25, who is black, was also arrested while peacefully protesting this weekend. "She was acting peacefully. She believes everything she did was in the spirit of peaceful, respectful protest," he said about Chiara. "I admire that she was out there trying to change something she thought was unjust and doing it in a peaceful manner." The city is slowly progressing to begin its phase one reopening, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo said should begin on June 8. De Blasio said that his discussions with some residents indicated that they are still concerned about the coronavirus, which has had a greater toll on minority communities in the city. "It's very hard to say to people when there's such pain, such anger that if you say, 'Don't come out because of the pandemic,'" de Blasio said. "We don't want people to hear that as we are not hearing your concerns, or your concerns are not valid, or we don't have to change things, and it's a very tough balance." The mayor expressed his concern for a possible increase in the spread of the coronavirus as protesters gather in large groups without socially distancing. "There's a real danger here. There's no question this could intensify the spread of the coronavirus just at a point where we were starting to beat it back profoundly," he said. De Blasio also noted that disparity pervades in both crises. "The racism that is inherent that happened in the pandemic is also inherent in all the concerns running through the policing debate," he said. External Article 1 June 2020 Business travel has come to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic, as stay-at-home restrictions have required companies to hold more virtual meetings. While the outbreak is not yet over, experts have started to project a potential rebound for corporate travel. An April poll from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) found that 98 percent of its member companies had canceled international business trips, and 92 percent axed all or most domestic travel. But in a May follow-up poll, more than half the respondents said they plan to resume travel in the near future. Those results should not come as much of a surprise, given the importance of business travel. Certify, a corporate expense report and travel software provider, estimates that around 445 million business trips take place each year, valued at $251 billion (the GBTA puts that number closer to $345 billion annually for travel and meeting expenditures). An Oxford Economics study found that each dollar invested in business travel can result in as much as $12.50 in revenue. Add it all up, and it's a tremendous potential amount of money that corporations rely on to stay in business. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th May, 2020 ) :Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan, MATSUDA Kuninori Friday highly commended the services and contributions rendered by the Pakistan Army to the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations over the past many decades. He, in his letter to Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on the occasion of "International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers" commemorated on May 29, appreciated the services of Pakistan army, said a embassy statement issued here. The ambassador also expressed his best wishes and hoped that Pakistan's flag would continue to rise high in future in the UN peacekeeping missions as the country had a long history with the UN peacekeeping missions. By Kathryn Kovacs Presidential power in the United States has gotten out of hand. Its not just one outrageous president; the presidency itself has burst free of its shackles and threatens to overrun our democracy. But Congress can restore balance by amending a single federal law. The problem isnt the Constitution. The men who wrote the U.S. Constitution didnt anticipate COVID-19, for example. Later Congress drafted the laws that give the president the unilateral power to keep meat-packing plants open, close the nations borders, and redirect billions of federal dollars. The presidents many coronavirus-related decrees rely on the power granted to the office in the National Emergencies Act, the Defense Production Act and other congressionally enacted laws. Take the meat-packing situation. Technically, the law required the president to conclude that meat is scarce and essential to the national defense to keep plants open, regardless of soaring infection rates in these facilities. However, Trump could, in theory, have ordered meat-packing plants to stay open because the chicken industry lobbied him, or because someone on Fox News said he should, or because polls indicate that without bacon people will vote Democratic or just because he likes hamburgers. How is that possible? A president has the power to take these actions without deliberation or consultation because of a Supreme Court decision from 1992: Franklin v. Massachusetts. Because of Franklin, the president can impose tariffs on imported goods, control immigration, and divert billions of dollars to build a wall on our southern border all without public input, deliberation, transparency, or accountability. And all this because Franklin held that the president is not an agency. Lets back up. Congress is supposed to be the primary policy-making body in our government. But Congress doesnt have the capacity to flesh out the many policy issues it deals with, so it creates administrative agencies to help. Federal administrative agencies make policy to supplement Congresss framework laws. When agencies make policy, however, they follow certain procedures that are open to public input and scrutiny. As a society, we accept policymaking by the unelected government officers running these agencies, but only in exchange for an open, deliberative policymaking process capped with judicial oversight. That bargain is reflected in the Administrative Procedure Act of 1946. The APA requires agencies to publish notice of their proposed policies, accept and consider public comments, and publish their final policies along with explanations for their decisions. After that, anyone adversely affected by a policy can challenge it in court. Following Franklin, however, the president is not an agency. The president does not have to follow those procedures when making policy decisions, even if those decisions have an enormous impact on the American public. We require agencies to employ those procedures because it forces them to deliberate carefully and yields decisions that are better informed, tailored, and fair. The president should be held to the same standards. That would ensure that the president enacts policies that are in the best interests of the people not himself or his personal associates. Reining in the presidency isnt about being anti-Trump. This is a bipartisan issue. Each president, one after the other, has extended the reach of the office, and that trend shows no signs of slowing. Dont forget that President Obama declared 12 national emergencies, diverted $70 million for immigration needs, and admitted 110,000 refugees in fiscal year 2017 all using powers Congress granted to the presidency by statute. Congress must act to keep presidential power in check before the monster overruns our democracy. Kathryn Kovacs is a Professor of Law at Rutgers Law School-Camden. 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. Last week, the New York Times published a sobering piece on the prevalence of the coronavirus in the population headlined, The World Is Still Far from Herd Immunity for Coronavirus. They wrote, Official case counts often substantially underestimate the number of coronavirus infections. But in new studies that test the population more broadly, the percentage of people who have been infected so far is still in the single digits. Estimated percentages of antibodies in different populations The threshold for population immunity to the coronavirus, one that naturally drives down the growth of community transmission, remains speculative, but consensus has placed it above 60 percent and some cite over 80 percent. Current seroprevalence studies for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in the population have recently been estimated (modeling via Imperial College London): New York City, 19.9 percent have antibodiesMay 2 Boston, 9.9 percentMay 15 London, 17.5 percent, with the UKs national average at 5 percentMay 21 Madrid, 11.3 percent, with Spains national average at 5 percentMay 13 Barcelona, 7.1 percentMay 13 Stockholm, 7.3 percentMay 20 Wuhan, 10.0 percent of returning workersApril 20 US national average, 4.1 percentMay 21 However, these estimates must be taken with a considerable grain of salt. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), whose absence during the pandemic has been underscored by many epidemiologists and scientists, has gone on record recently writing: Serologic test results should not be used to make decisions about grouping persons residing in or being admitted to congregate settings, such as schools, dormitories, or correctional facilities. Serologic test results should not be used to make decisions about returning persons to the workplace. In most of the country, including areas that have been heavily impacted, the prevalence of the SARS-CoV-2 antibody is expected to be low, ranging from less than 5 percent to 25 percent, so that testing at this point might result in relatively more false-positive results and fewer false-negative results. This poses a conundrum in that the individual testing positive for antibodies does not have a definite guarantee they are truly protected. For those that do carry antibodies, the length of time such immunity remains present is unclear. For instance, immunity to SARS after exposure seems to wane after two years. It cannot be assumed that individuals with truly positive antibody test results are protected from future infection, the CDC writes in their updated guidelines. Serologic testing should not be used to determine immune status in individuals until the presence, durability, and duration of immunity are established. Sweden was hailed as the poster child by those such as opinionated New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, who advocated for a surgical-vertical herd immunity policy. Such a policy would attempt to isolate and protect the vulnerable while placing the younger and healthier layers in harms way to eventually acquire population immunity to protect the economy from the catastrophe caused by national lockdowns. Wait a minute! he wrote. What the hell are we doing to ourselves? To our economy? To our next generation? Is this cureeven for a short whileworse than the disease? These statements consciously sought to establish state policy on the pandemic. SWEDEN vs Neighboring Nations: Created by Derrick VanGennep and Vincent Brunsch of EndCoronavirus.org on 14 May 2020 from data at https://github.com/CSSEGISandData/COVID-19 So, what did happen in Sweden? The governments lack of intervention and call for personal responsibility to slow the spread resulted in a 10-day average of almost 600 daily new cases in April, two to six times higher than the peak of its neighbors, who quickly decelerated the infection rate in their respective countries by imposing strict limits on economic activity and population movement. The cumulative deaths in Sweden had reached 350 per million by mid-May and continue to rise (now at 435 deaths per million). In contrast, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Iceland have kept their numbers under 100 deaths per million and have virtually halted the rise in the number who succumb from the infection. It is not surprising that many have now emphatically decried Swedens experiment as untenable and insane. However, the commercial doors have been flung open, and workers have been forced back to the factories and warehouses. Imperial College, based on their latest modeling projections, estimated that the prevalence of COVID-19 in the US population is approximately 4 percent. With 331 million people in the US, this means that 317 million people remain vulnerable because they have no natural immunity. Accepting the minimum threshold of 60 percent to achieve population immunity, this begs the question: can the working class face an assault on its communities and neighborhoods 15 more times than what it has already been through? Put another way, is the policy of herd immunity being proposed by the ruling class to save its profits and wealth, strangulated by the lockdowns, worth the social catastrophe of culling the working class until sufficient numbers have been infected that the natural course of the infection will burn itself out? The first reference within the scientific community to population immunity (concepts now understood as herd immunity) from a viral pathogen was made in published observations in 1933 by a Baltimore physician, Dr. A. Hedrich, in an article titled, Monthly estimates of the child population susceptible to measles, 1900-1931. He found that the incidence of measles in Baltimore would fluctuate, having a periodicity of two to three years. Just before a major outbreak, the fraction of the population under the age of 15 that was susceptible ranged from 45 to 50 percent. When the epidemic began to fade, the proportion of vulnerable children had fallen to 30 to 35 percent. He concluded that when the population immunity grew above 55 percent, the measles epidemic became contained. Authors of a public health statement, Epidemiologic basis for eradication of measles in 1967, published in March 1967 when efforts were being made to eliminate measles from the US, wrote, It is difficult to estimate whether the threshold of herd immunity for an average American city now would be higher or lower than Hedrichs estimate for Baltimore 30 to 70 years ago. Obviously, a considerable variability must be assumed for this threshold from urban area to urban area and within varying ethnic and socio-economic groups in a single urban area. There is no reason, however, to question the validity of the basic assumption that the occurrence of measles epidemics depends upon the balance of immunes and susceptibles The authors of the 1967 article concluded that in addition to the routine and universal immunization of infants and school children, they endorsed intensive efforts on the part of local, state and federal health authorities to develop practical surveillance efforts and infrastructure for immediate epidemic control by verifying the diagnosis, trace the source of infection, detect other unreported cases, and determine exposed susceptible contacts. The primary goal of this universal vaccination and public health program was to establish a high level of population immunization. If such immunization programs are carried out promptly and effectively, an epidemic of measles can be contained within two to three weeks. The continuation of an epidemic longer than three weeks is a clear indication of the inadequacy of the planned program. It warrants observing that these assessments and prognoses were provided over 50 years ago, although federal funding issues impeded the initiation of a broad measles program in the US once a vaccine was available. Measles is six times more contagious than SARS-CoV-2. Minus a vaccine for broad-based public immunization against the coronavirus, fundamental public health measurescontact tracing, testing, tracking, isolation and treatingremain the cornerstone of curbing the ravages of the pandemic. Given the present technology and medical advances, a collaborative effort to find a vaccine or therapeutic is of primary concern. Such initiatives must quickly be scaled and delivered on a global basis according to guidelines established by medical experts and epidemiologists. Calls for a policy of herd immunity come from the most reactionary voices within the financial oligarchy who use the media to provide social or scientific credibility for their deadly agenda. The implications for the US are that 1.4 million more people will have to die, 3 million to 5 million more people will be hospitalized, with many more convalescing at home and needing care from their family, before the population as a whole could expect the viruss growth to become naturally subdued. Public health measures have already proven much more effective and manageable in many countries, calling into serious question the unhinged policies being promoted. The doctrine of herd immunity is an explicit policy for a socioeconomic pogrom. The Backpack Project Athens, an organization led by students at the University of Georgia, is working to help people experiencing homelessness by giving them supplies, meals and support. PETERBOROUGH, EnglandThe Jamaican bobsleigh team is used to training without snow, but the pandemic lockdown has seen its male athletes resort to pushing a car around the streets of an English city to stay in shape, with an eye on Olympic qualification. Some residents of Peterborough have offered their help to Shanwayne Stephens and Nimroy Turgott as they push a Mini down the road, before realizing it is part of a new training regime to work around the closure of gyms in England. We had to come up with our own ways of replicating the sort of pushing we need to do. So thats why we thought: why not go out and push the car? Stephens, 29, told Reuters. We do get some funny looks. Weve had people run over, thinking the cars broken down, trying to help us bump-start the car. When we tell them were the Jamaica bobsleigh team, the direction is totally different, and theyre very excited. The couple said they had been inspired by the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics mens bobsleigh team, immortalized in the 1993 film Cool Runnings. But they said they aimed to qualify for the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022 and then outperform the 1988 team, who did not officially finish the four-man bob competition after crashing. Those guys set a legacy, and a movie came out of it. For me personally, I want to surpass that level, and even go beyond that, Turgott, 27, said. Turgott, who normally lives in Jamaica, has been staying with Stephens since January, and the pair had always planned to do summer training in Britain, albeit in gyms rather than on roads. If youre able to do the same sort of training without the same equipment, then you should be able to achieve more with the right equipment, he said. The pair are focused on qualifying for Beijing 2022. While the womans team competed for the first time in 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, the mens team failed to qualify. The last Olympics, we missed it by one slot. And now we are using that experience as our motivation moving forward, Turgott said. By Will Russell By PTI NEW DELHI: India on Friday conveyed to the US that it was eyeing to resolve the military standoff with China in eastern Ladakh through existing bilateral mechanisms, sending a clear message to Washington for the second consecutive day that President Donald Trump's offer to mediate on the border row was not acceptable to it. India's position on the issue was conveyed to US Defense Secretary Mark T Esper by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during a telephonic conversation, official sources said. In the midst of the flare-ups between Indian and Chinese armies, Trump on Wednesday said he was "ready, willing and able to mediate" between the two countries. The External Affairs Ministry on Thursday said India was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, virtually rejecting the offer. China too rejected it, saying the two countries are capable of properly resolving their differences through dialogue and did not require the help of a "third party". The sources said Singh conveyed to Esper that existing bilateral mechanisms are being used to resolve the situation. In a statement, the defence ministry said the two sides exchanged views on regional developments of shared security interest, adding the telephonic conversation took place following a request by the US side. "They reviewed progress on various bilateral defence cooperation arrangements and expressed their commitment to further promote our defence partnership," it said. On Thursday too, Trump reiterated his offer to mediate and said that he spoke to Modi, who is not in a "good mood" over the "big conflict". Hours later, top government sources contradicted the US President's claim of the conversation between him and Modi on India's ongoing military standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. Troops of India and China were engaged in a major standoff for over three weeks in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh, in what is turning out to be the biggest confrontation between the two countries after the Doklam episode in 2017. The trigger for the face-off was China's stiff opposition to India laying a key road in the Finger area around the Pangong Tso Lake besides construction of another road connecting the Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie road in Galwan Valley. MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava on Thursday said India was engaged with China at military and diplomatic levels to resolve the ongoing standoff with China, but at the same time asserted that the country is "firm" in its resolve to protect its sovereignty and national security. 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". However, the standoff continued. The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9. 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 tranquillity in the border areas. SYDNEY, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Destination NSW today releases its list of top NSW travel experiences, 213 Ways to Reboot 2020 in NSW, so travellers can make the most of the 213 days that remain in the year and start planning their ultimate trip to Sydney and New South Wales. Supporting the latest phase of the NSW Government's tourism recovery campaign, Now's The Time to Love NSW, the list of 213 NSW travel adventures depicts an array of diverse and unique experiences across the state, curated by the travel interest areas that have made NSW the number one Australian state for holidaymakers. As part of this latest phase, Destination NSW will also be executing a social media campaign targeted to the international markets of the USA, UK, New Zealand and India, which will showcase inspirational destinations from around Sydney and NSW, to help consumers with their future dreaming and planning. "We hope that this list of NSW travel experiences encourages global visitors to love NSW once again, and start planning to visit as many of the incredible towns, sights and experiences that the state offers," said Steve Cox, Chief Executive Officer, Destination NSW. Launching on VisitNSW.com, 213 Ways to Reboot NSW in 2020, is the ultimate source of information and inspiration for anyone planning to travel within or to NSW, showcasing travel experiences which are continually ranked highly by global travel guides and travellers. "Whether it is sailing on Sydney Harbour, hiking through the Blue Mountains, surfing in Byron Bay, diving with marine life on the South Coast, or drinking an award-winning drop from one of our 14 wine regions, people come to NSW from all over the world in search of the awe-inspiring adventures that are available to us right now in NSW. "Now's the time to start dreaming and planning to make up for lost time once you are able to visit Sydney and NSW again," Mr Cox said. More than 102 NSW destinations, 131 operators, 37 hotels and other accommodations, 28 national parks, 19 animal encounters and more, feature as part of the stellar line-up. Highlights of the list include: Only in NSW Hire a yacht and sail on spectacular Sydney Harbour , stopping in at some of the harbour's most beautiful beaches, accessible only by boat. , stopping in at some of the harbour's most beautiful beaches, accessible only by boat. Head to Bondi, Australia's most famous beach, for a surf lesson with Let's Go Surfing and lunch at Icebergs Dining Room & Bar. most famous beach, for a surf lesson with Let's Go Surfing and lunch at Icebergs Dining Room & Bar. Explore Lord Howe Island, home to the world's southernmost coral reef, and endangered and endemic bird life - the island is one of the most unspoilt and sustainable paradises on the planet. Animal Encounters Swim with whales with Dive Jervis Bay , from August to November as whales make their way along 'Humpback Highway'. , from August to November as whales make their way along 'Humpback Highway'. Swim, snorkel and dive with seals in the crystal-clear waters of Montague Island , just off the coast of Narooma. , just off the coast of Narooma. Visit Australia's only Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie, on NSW's mid North Coast, which treats around 250 sick and injured koalas a year. Outdoor Adventures Make a splash in NSW's iconic ocean pools a there are 100 along the coast, including the Merewether Baths and Bogey Hole in Newcastle, Bermagui Blue Hole and Yamba Rock Pool . . Go hiking in the Blue Mountains on one of the many trails and snap a selfie in front of the Three Sisters. Find out if you have what it takes to make it down Australia's longest ski run, Thredbo's Crackenback Supertrail. Food & Wine Dine under the sails of Sydney Opera House at Bennelong Restaurant and order chef Peter Gilmore's stunning dessert, inspired by the iconic building itself. stunning dessert, inspired by the iconic building itself. Enjoy freshly shucked Sydney Rock oysters straight from the farm gate on the NSW South Coast. oysters straight from the farm gate on the NSW South Coast. Sip Australia's most awarded semillon at Tyrrell's Winery in the Hunter Valley, Australia's oldest wine region. Art & Culture Watch the sunset at The Living Desert Sculptures in Broken Hill, an outdoor art collection of 12 sandstone sculptures created by artists from around the world. Explore the Art Gallery of New South Wales , one of the largest public galleries in Australia and home to 2,000+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artworks. of , one of the largest public galleries in and home to 2,000+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artworks. Discover Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) on the banks of the mighty Murray River in Albury. Aboriginal Experiences Change your life on NSW's South Coast with an immersive cultural tour run by Ngaran Ngaran Cultural Awareness at Narooma a learn about the Yuin people and dreamtime stories of Mount Gulaga. View the Walls of China in Mungo National Park in Outback NSW, dramatic formations sculpted by wind and erosion, where 36,000-year-old relics of ancient Aboriginal culture have been discovered. in Mungo National Park in Outback NSW, dramatic formations sculpted by wind and erosion, where 36,000-year-old relics of ancient Aboriginal culture have been discovered. See Aboriginal rock art and hear Dreamtime stories about the culture and mythology of Mutawintji Historic Site near Broken Hill in outback NSW. Take a quad tour of the Stockton Sand Dunes with Sand Du! ne Advent ures through Worimi land. "213 Ways to Reboot 2020 in NSW list is a valuable resource to anyone wanting to reclaim 2020, offering travellers a different adventure for every single day that is left of this year," Mr Cox said. The launch of 213 Ways to Reboot 2020 in NSW coincides with a full campaign of activity including NSW itineraries and international digital advertising. For more information and to view the full 213 Ways to Reboot NSW in 2020 list, go to visitnsw.com/213adventures . Share your favourite Sydney and NSW holidays on social media by using the hashtag #LoveNSW or #NewSouthWales. About Destination NSW Destination NSW is the lead NSW Government agency for the State's tourism and major events industry and is responsible for devising and implementing strategies to grow the State's visitor economy. Our particular focus is driving tourism and acquiring and developing major sporting and cultural events for Sydney and regional NSW. In addition, Destination NSW is the major investor in Business Events Sydney with the aim of securing more international conventions, incentive travel reward programs, corporate events and exhibitions. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1174793/Bridge_Climb_Sydney__Credit_Destination_NSW.jpg Seoul worries that the summit will be an opportunity to force it to choose sides in Washington's anti-China campaign. The move comes as relations between Washington and Beijing hit freezing point over the origin of the COVID-19 outbreak and the Hong Kong crisis. China recently approved a new national security law for Hong Kong considered threatening the city's semi-autonomous status and the U.S. warned that it would revoke its special status that allows it to be treated differently from China in trade. The aim is to bring in traditional U.S. allies to discuss how to deal with future challenges posed by China, according to the White House spokeswoman Alyssa Farah. As the incumbent holder of the rotating G7 chairmanship, he can invite countries outside the rich-nations club that want to attend as observers. U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday invited Korea, Australia, India and Russia to the normally exclusive G7 summit, which has been postponed till September. Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the entire framework, which is not immediately apt to further his personal aims. "I don't feel that as a G7 it properly represents what's going on in the world," Trump told reporters on Air Force One. "It's a very outdated group of countries." It consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the U.K. besides the U.S. "We want Australia, we want India, we want Korea," he added. "That's a nice group of countries right there." He said he is planning the summit as a face-to-face meeting in New York in September, when the UN General Assembly also convenes. A Cheong Wa Dae official said Seoul will discuss the issue with Washington, hinting that the "invite," such as it was, was one of the U.S. presidents off-the-cuff remarks rather than a formal announcement. The Australian government however said it had been contacted Some welcomed Korea's inclusion as a sign of its improved international standing, but others worry that Trump's increasingly belligerent China policy will be a diplomatic nightmare. Trump is obsessed with China as his chances of reelection fade and has harshly criticized it on anything from the coronavirus epidemic to the new Hong Kong security laws. But Korea is in the awkward position of having to balance the interests of its two biggest markets, both of which increasingly resort to bullying tactics in their diplomacy. Meanwhile, Trump had hoped to postpone the summit till only around late June and hold it at Camp David to show how adroitly the U.S. is managing the coronavirus pandemic, but the death toll has ruled that out. Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, one of the "outdated" countries on Trump's list, already rebuffed him saying she "cannot agree" to travel due to the pandemic. Hong Kong: Taxi bill scrutiny discontinued The Government expressed deep regret over the Bills Committee on Franchised Taxi Services Bills decision to discontinue scrutiny of the bill today. In a statement, the Government noted that since the introduction of the bill into the Legislative Council in May 2019, it has been fully co-operative with the bills committee with regard to scrutiny of the bill, explaining the policies in relation to franchised taxis and the content of the bill as well as listening to the views of lawmakers and the public. Since the bills committee has decided to discontinue scrutiny of the bill, the Government will not resume the second reading debate on it in this legislative year. The statement noted that the franchised taxi proposal in the bill is the outcome of years of consultation with the trade and different stakeholders, which has struck a balance among various considerations. The Government still considers the introduction of franchised taxis can meet the new demand in the community for higher quality personalised and point-to-point public transport services with online hailing features. It will take into account the public's views and relevant circumstances when considering whether to reintroduce the bill into LegCo in the next council term. This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. MBABANE We allow alcohol into the country. This statement was made by customs officers stationed at the Ngwenya Border Gate. They mentioned that tonnes of alcohol had been allowed into the country and continued to be cleared for importation. The officers said whenever declarations had not been queried, they allowed those goods into the country, including alcohol which was not illegal. According to the officers, they had not received any communication from government or anyone to stop any alcohol imports. The assertion by the customs officers has proven true as some of the establishments, including Matata Tops, also confirmed to have received their stock over the weekend. Deliveries Truckloads of liquor from South Africa entered the country through the Oshoek Border Gate, with stock worth millions of Emalangeni. Information gathered was that deliveries were made in various outlets in the country including Mbabane Tops at Spar, Manzini Tops and Ezulwini. These outlets are owned by Senator Tony Sibandze and Anita Dlamini respectively. There are other outlets which received alcohol deliveries, but will not be named as they could not be reached for comment yesterday. Sibandze, in an interview, stated that relevant government structures were informed about all matters regarding the deliveries. The senator said all Tops stores in the country received deliveries from their head office in South Africa. Sibandze said the stock was in respect of deals (price negotiations and orders) made prior to the lockdown in SA. Due to the pronouncement by SA president to relax the lockdown, the Spar head office got approval to send the stock to their Tops stores, said the senator. He said the stock was declared at the border gate with Customs and the necessary value added tax and duties were paid. Sibandze said the stock was then cleared into the country in broad daylight, hence the deliveries were made during the day. Meanwhile, he said the COVID-19 regulations addressed the issue of local distribution and manufacturing. He stated that importing alcohol was not a breach of the regulations because the stock will not be sold until government made the relevant pronouncement in the future. The decision not to sell the stock is not because there was anything wrong done but we are responsible at Tops, he said. Trade He said social distancing outside the stores when they sold alcohol was a concern to management, hence the decision not to open for trade. On the other hand, the Matata Tops owner in Big Bend, Dlamini, confirmed that she also received her stock on Saturday, adding that those were orders which were placed before the lockdown was effected. She explained that when South Africa entered the level three stage of the lockdown and eased restrictions on alcohol, they released the stock as it had been ordered. We did not know that by receiving the stock, we were breaking government rules, Dlamini said. She said the goods were rightfully declared at the border gate and everything was done by the book. Following the recent importation of alcoholic beverages, the Ministry of Commerce Industry and Trade has deployed security officers and inspectors to ensure that no illegal distribution of liquor takes place. According to Minister Manqoba Khumalo, inspections would also involve the checking of the manufacturing date to ensure bottle stores that were still in operation were not selling illegally distributed liquor. Action Khumalo said the ministry would take appropriate action against those found to be violating the rules. Further, he advised all outlets that received liquor from neighbouring countries in the past three days to desist from selling their stock until government approved the manufacturing and distribution of liquor. The minister said they were currently in engagement with Eswatini Revenue Authority (SRA) to forge a way forward on how best they could consistently implement the COVID-19 guidelines. Khumalo said they were investigating how the liquor was imported in defiance of the partial lockdown measures. He said they had already engaged Customs officials to alert them to be on the lookout for such illegal activity. Khumalo said the ministry received disturbing reports of the importation of liquor into the country, where a large consignment made its way into the kingdom last Friday. The ministry wishes to remind liquor suppliers that the manufacturing, distribution and wholesaling of liquor remains banned in Eswatini, said the minister. Advertisement Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) Press Statement 31st May, 2020 We read a very shocking Press Statement issued on the 29th May, 2020, by the Kaduna State Police Command and signed by its Spokesman, ASP Mohammed Jalige on behalf of his principal, Kaduna State Police Commissioner, CP UM Muri. In the statement, the police strongly descended on the President of Adara Development Association (ADA) Mr Awemi Dio Maisamari and said he him and said he that he issued a press statement on the 28th May, 2020 in which the police accused him of making fake and malicious statement claiming that 20 persons were killed after the 12-13th May, 2020 violence that engulfed Gonan Rogo, Makyali and Unguwan Rana communities all in Kajuru LGA, in Southern parts of the state. Though the police agreed that 27 persons were killed in the invasion of these villages, it nonetheless vehemently denied any further attack in other communities within the Local Government after that. Advertisement The Command not only threatened to arrest and prosecute those it accused of spreading fake news, but warned journalists of dire consequences of reporting such news. Disturbed by this strong assertion of the police, SOKAPU has made its findings and wishes to say with all sense of responsibility that Mr Awemi Dio Maisamari, the President of ADA, never issued any Press Statement on the 28th May, 2020 for the police to come out the next day so tough on him and journalists. The curious accusation of the police is totally untrue and misleading. Spurred further by the police statement, the President of SOKAPU, Hon Jonathan Asake, led some members of his Central Executive Committee (CEC) to Rimau town, Kallah ward, in Kajuru LGA. At the public primary school in Rimau,we saw hundreds of IDPs communities in Kallah ward. The deeply traumatised villagers told us very heart wrenching stories. The villagers were from the following villages: Magunguna, Idazo, Unguwan Galadima, Unguwan Guza, Etissi, Unguwan Maaji, Unguwan Cantata, Unguwan Araha 1, Unguwan Araha 2, Unguwan Goshi, Unguwan Shaban, Unguwan Jibo, Unguwan Maijamaa, Unguwan Sako, Unguwan Maidoki and Unguwan Masaba, Libere and Mashigin Boka. Fulani residents of these communities became hosts to strange Fulani who rode in on score of motorbikes on the 18th May. Despite assurances by the local Fulani to their long time Adara hosts, that the unfreindly looking guest meant no harm to them it turned to be a ruse. When one helicopter hovered over the villages at very low altitude, they recalled how the sighting of such helicopters meant death, as told by their kinsmen from other parts who had suffered killings in 2019. Some of the villagers started moving out their children, wives and the old. Then in the evening of 19th May, 2020, all hell broke loose. From village to village the Fulani started shorting, burning homes, churches, foodstuffs and killings. The invaders also looted valuables and rustled livestock. Between the 19th to the 21st of May 2020, despite desperate SOS calls to relevant authorities for assistance, not a single police, military personnel, SSS, Civil Defence or any government official came. As at yesterday, the villagers said those who braved it to return to their villagers to find situation of things, said there were at least 30 decomposing corpses strewn about the villages. The Fulani invaders are still patrolling these villages as at yesterday. They said that more might have died either of gunshots wounds, or from fatal injuries from matchete cuts. As at yesterday 30th May, 2020, there were not less than 60 villagers that had been missing since 19hth May, 2020 when the onslaught started. We were given some of the names of the dead and missing ones. There are currently 5 IDP centres in that axes, with the biggest being in Kallah town. So far, not less that 50,000 Adara natives have been displaced in Kajuru LGA since last year. In all their narrations yesterday, two things stood out: the invaders came from a neighboring Fulani settlement that locals call Tampol which is Laduga grazing reserves. The next is the name of one Fulani ardo Makawo of Iibere communty. He said be have networked the invasions with the attackers. Thought we took limited foodstuffs and clothes to them, it is too insufficient we feed the teeming hordes of starving women and children we saw and spoke to. And all the destruction that has been visited on the Adara nation since last year, Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai has not condemned the carnage nor assisted the displaced natives with any palliatives. It is therefore not strange that the Kaduna State Police command is standing firm to deny these atrocities. If this is not a cover up, what is it? These are some of the reasons that SOKAPU is insisting that the unrelenting violence visited on the Adara nation in Kajuru LGA, and other Southern Kaduna communities have all the elements of ethnic cleansings. All that these innocent, harmless law abiding natives want is for them to be allowed to bury their dead with dignity. They want the invaders chased out so that they can return to their homes and start life from the scratch. In conclusion we are calling on the Federal government to also deploy the same military might it is weilding in Sokoto and Katsina state in fighting bandits to do same for Southern Kaduna. We are also calling on the United Nations, Amnesty International, the International Criminal Court, European Union Commission and all international and national bodies that matter to come to our aid. Sign: Luka Binniyat National Public Relations Officer India has done an excellent job in reducing the coronavirus-related deaths by clamping a nation-wide lockdown to combat the deadly virus that has claimed over three lakh lives globally, according to an eminent Indian-American cardiologist. India currently has over 1,82,00 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 5,164 deaths, according to the Union Health Ministry. According to the World Health Organisation's COVD-19 tracker, India is the seventh-most affected nation in terms of coronavirus cases after the US, Brazil, Russia, UK, Spain and Italy. The US is the worst-affected country in terms of cases with 1.79 million cases and over one lakh deaths, and globally over three lakh deaths have been reported and more than 6.15 million infections. "A recent Columbia University study that supports that death is prevented by earlier lockdowns bears the fact that Narendra Modi's government has done an excellent job in clamping lockdown," Tennessee-based Dr Indranill Basu Ray said in a statement. This modeling study showed that if New York had initiated lockdown even two weeks back than the March 3 date when the deaths were around 65,000 - it could have been reduced by 50,000, said Dr Ray, a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist who has also been a Professor of medicine and public health at multiple universities in the US and India. The lockdown in India, was first clamped on March 25 and spanned for 21 days, while the second phase of the curbs began on April 15 and stretched for 19 days till May 3. The third phase of the lockdown was in effect for 14 days and ended on May 17. The fourth phase ended on May 31. The country had registered 512 coronavirus infection cases till March 24. "My opinion for India would be to slowly open places for people that are not hotspots. Determining areas of opening can be based on multiple factors...," Dr Ray said. A slow and step ladder approach may also be taken with a change in course as mandated, he said, as the nation-wide lockdown in containment zones will continue till June 30 in India but extensive relaxations in a phased manner from June 8 are listed in the Union Home Ministry's fresh guidelines on tackling the COVID-19 pandemic issued on Saturday. While hotspots would need to be under extended lockdown but increased testing is mandatory along with isolation to prevent rapid spread, he added. This may be particularly feasible as geographical hotspots seem to be far apart based on official data. More than 80 per cent of the active cases are in five states - Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh - and more than 60 per cent of the cases are in five cities, including Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad. "These hotspots should maintain at least a partial lockdown state and enforce strict social distancing to prevent massive spread and large-scale death particularly of the elderly and the sick," said Dr Ray. According to Dr Ray, it is essential to follow scientific guidelines but open up the economy to mitigate further financial disaster. India is a country with millions still below the poverty line and a few million who are the lower middle class who depend on day to day earnings to provide two square meals to their family and children, he noted. "Our information about what COVID-19 has changed to a large extent on what we had known before. COVID-19 being a new disease, a lot was unknown about this disease," he said, adding that strategies to maintain physical distance, wash hands, and try to avoid touching your face, including wearing masks, especially in crowded places, can mitigate most of the spread. Also read: Lockdown 5.0 begins today: All you need to know about state-wise rules, guidelines Also read: Coronavirus Live Updates: Biggest spike of 8,392 cases in 24 hours; COVID-19 tally surges to 1.9 lakh UB historian says lessons for COVID-19 found in the work of 19th century scientist Alexander von Humboldt BUFFALO, N.Y. When German Chancellor Angela Merkel last year rhetorically asked researchers at the annual meeting of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation what the modern world could learn from the groups namesake, a 19th century Prussian polymath, she quoted in response from an interview with Andreas Daum, a professor of history in the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences. Merkels 2019 keynote address was on the global role of science, but Humboldts keen wisdom, using Daums words, is especially relevant in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Humboldt, too, suffered from the explosion of knowledge [and] therefore sought new strategies to cope with mastering knowledge. He created networks, communicated a lot with others, practiced a division of labor in his scientific research, promoted the new and coming generationand learned from young people, read Merkel, quoting from Daums writing. These are modern strategies [that] can be a model for us today in science and research, as in politics, so that we can tackle common problems as common challenges with an awareness that they impact us all. Alexander von Humboldt was the worlds best-known scientist, naturalist and traveler before the arrival of Charles Darwin, according to Daum, who is currently in Europe as a Humboldt Research Prize recipient. Daum has now highlighted Humboldts take on pandemics around 1800 and what we can learn from it today, facing the COVID-19 crisis, in an essay for a leading German newspaper, the Suddeutsche Zeitung. Humboldt spent five years traveling the Americas from todays Venezuela to Peru, Mexico, Cuba and the young republic of the United States. Upon his arrival in South America in July 1799, he began documenting his observations on infectious diseases, recording information on plagues of a magnitude that far surpasses the deadly reach and impact of the novel coronavirus. When he returned to Europe, Humboldt began writing about this topic and integrated his findings in a multi-volume work on New Spain, most of which later became modern Mexico. Daum has pulled together these astute observations as he continues his research for a forthcoming book on Humboldt and his impact on globalization (Daum already authored a brief biography in 2019). Early 19th century practitioners knew little about the nature of illness and infections. Any notion of medicine as a science was still many decades away from escaping the constricting hold of romantic theories and dubious treatments derived from guesswork or theological speculation. Its amazing how 200 years ago someone travelling with open eyes and open ears articulated these observations in such an imaginative way without knowing anything about bacteria and viruses, said Daum, an expert in modern German and transatlantic history and the history of knowledge. What Humboldt can tell us today is fascinating. Daum says three main arguments emerge from Humboldts writing that are relevant to the current global pandemic: comprehensive data collection, an awareness of the limits of human knowledge, and an understanding of societal factors. Humboldt visited hospitals, spoke with doctors, and examined the archives. He documented the age of the afflicted, climate, ethnicity, said Daum. He understood the absolute necessity of collecting data and putting that information in a comparative perspective that blended conventional parameters with new parameters. But he recognized that the answers didnt reside exclusively in data. He knew we needed to accept that our knowledge will always remain insufficient and up for corrections. Yet he didnt give up on data, nor did he resort to ideologies or engage in protectionism, said Daum. He realized that the problem should never be handed over to anyone who claims to have the easy answer. Most importantly, notes Daum, is that Humboldt saw social inequality as a major factor that influenced how disease affected different segments of society. Disease was not something in quotation marks for Humboldt, said Daum. It can affect people globally but its not a global entity. Its something that affects people in various ways and we have to examine the nature and severity of those differences. Because Humboldt never wrote a monograph on infectious disease, his work on the subject is spread over many volumes. Obscured by the breadth of its distribution it took a lot of time to collect what Humboldt wrote, but the arguments, says Daum, were easily distilled once he had assembled the pieces. Humboldt was the epitome of curiosity unbound, always aware of the need to connect the dots and use our imaginations to make science useful for society, said Daum. Dont give into the demagogues touting simple solutions, because there are no simple solutions. The complexity of the problem points to one of the challenges COVID-19 poses for us today. Unfortunately, we dont have the readymade answer immediately coming out of that complexity. We need to endure insecurity, which aside from the loss of life, is a particularly painful aspect of the pandemic. Thats why Humboldt is important to re-read today. Its his call to endure, but not give up. To give curiosity its space and to push knowledge forward. The prison population has been reduced by over 11% during the Covid-19 pandemic. Data from the Irish Prison Service (IPS) sent to Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, states that, due to the granting of temporary release and a reduced number of committals from the courts, the prison population has reduced from 4,235 on March 11 to 3,763 on May 20. This represents a reduction of 472 or just over 11%. An initial 470 prisoners were granted temporary release in March and since then, further periods of temporary release have been granted resulting in a total of over 600 prisoners being allowed to leave prison, including community return, since the outset of the pandemic. The number of prisoners on temporary release has almost doubled since March, from 217 to 427. The size of the prison population changes on a daily basis as new committals and remands are made by the courts and releases occur as prisoners reach the end of their sentences. However the data released is the best estimate from the Irish Prison Service. The IPS has been hailed for the significant work undertaken to address the pandemic, as considerable challenges lay in tackling the spread of the virus in residential and confined spaces where people are sharing rooms. The service has hired 11 nurses this year, after six left the service in 2019. The number of prisoners sharing cells reduced by 146 from 1,892 in January 2020 to 1,746 in April 2020, with May's numbers expected to be lower due to the number of prisoners released. There have been 20 cases of Covid-19 in Irish prisons, two of which were hospitalised and no deaths have been reported. The data indicates that these cases were all staff. To assist the IPS in reducing numbers of prisoners in custody, the Minister allowed for increased temporary release of low-risk prisoners who were serving sentences of less than 12 months for non-violent offences. Subsequently, prisoners assessed as low risk who had less than 6 months to serve were also granted temporary release from some prisons depending on the risks present. Prisoners granted temporary release were assessed on a case-by-case basis. According to the Minister: "The primary factor in the consideration of any prisoner for early release remains public safety and risks assessed included any convictions for domestic abuse, such as breach of barring orders which present significant risks at the present time." On May 19 there were 752 prisoners in custody with less than 6 months remaining on their sentence. However, many of these prisoners will not be eligible for temporary release due to the nature of their offence, the risk to public safety or further charges pending. The district administration in Madhya Pradeshs Chhatarpur, nearly 350 kilometre North-East of capital Bhopal, has decided to put up barriers at villages to check the spread of coronavirus disease Covid-19. The barriers will check the entry of people from outside without being examined. Chhatarpur in Bundelkhand region is known for UNESCO world heritage site at Khajuraho. The town has 17 Covid-19 positive cases as per the health departments bulletin released on Saturday evening while the neighbouring districts - Sagar, Damoh, Panna and Tikamgarh - have 164, 19, 11 and 9 cases respectively. Sagar, which has of late emerged as a Covid-19 hotspot, has reported seven deaths. Chhatarpur, with a population of more than 17.62 lakh as per 2011 census and 1,210 villages, reported its first Covid-19 case on May 20, almost two months after the outbreak in the state. The district administration placed two of its towns - Khajuraho and Rajnagar - under curfew on March 25 after a tourist tested positive for Covid-19. District collector Sheelendra Singh said, Barriers will be put up at all the villages to be able to get information about the migrant labourers returning to their native villages from other states. In all the villages and wards of the town monitoring committees will be constituted which will keep a watch on movement of migrant labourers. He said, Each of the committee will comprise at least 5 people including those from among health department workers, angwanwadi workers, local teachers, gram rozgar sahayak, panch, sarpanch etc. There will be sector in-charge too engaged with the task of monitoring. The labourers coming from outside will be quarantined before their visiting homes. He said each of the committee will have a meeting every two days to assess the situation in its respective area and will compulsorily apprise the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) concerned of its decisions. The committee will have a responsibility to ensure quarantine of those labourers who have returned in less than 15 days period, lodge FIR with police against those who are not complying with quarantine guidelines, he added. Sub-divisional magistrate of Rajnagar town IAS officer Swapnil Wankhede said, The districts self-help groups of women are manufacturing PPE kits too to provide it to Corona warriors in the district. A kit that includes a disposable gown, shoe cover, face mask, hand gloves and face shield is helping the warriors to discharge their duties efficiently and check spread of Coronavirus. Kalapani gram panchayat Sarpanch Kamlesh Patel said, A few days back a migrant labourer who returned from Delhi was found Covid-19 positive. After that several others tested positive for the coronavirus disease. So far, 168 migrant labourers have returned and more than 60 are expected in coming days. The barrier will certainly help us as its difficult to make understand sometimes some labourers about importance of their being quarantined. Vienna, Brussels, Chicago, Philadelphia, Neu-Isenburg/Frankfurt, Pittsburgh The Austrian Breast & Colorectal Cancer Study Group (ABCSG), Alliance Foundation Trials (AFT), the Breast International Group (BIG), PrECOG, LLC, the German Breast Group, and the NSABP Foundation today announced that the independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) for the global Phase 3 early breast cancer PALbociclib CoLlaborative Adjuvant Study (PALLAS) trial determined that the study is unlikely to show a statistically significant improvement in the primary endpoint of invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) following a preplanned interim analysis. No new safety signals were observed in patients receiving palbociclib, which has been proven effective in advanced breast cancer. PALLAS patients in the active phase of the trial will be counselled/instructed by their physicians. All patients will move to protocol-defined extended follow-up. Long-term follow up of patient outcomes will proceed as planned. PALLAS study design and outcomes The PALLAS trial is a randomized (1:1), prospective, international, multi-center, open-label Phase 3 study comparing the combination of at least five years of standard adjuvant endocrine therapy along with two years of palbociclib (IBRANCE, manufactured by Pfizer) treatment to at least five years of standard adjuvant endocrine therapy (NCT02513394). The study population is pre- and postmenopausal women or men with HR+, HER2- early invasive (Stage 2 and Stage 3) breast cancer, including those at moderate to high risk of recurrence. The study medication is an oral inhibitor of CDK 4 and 6, which are key regulators of the cell cycle. It is currently approved globally for the treatment of patients with metastatic HR+/HER2- breast cancer. The primary study aim was to investigate whether the addition of palbociclib to endocrine therapy significantly improved invasive disease-free survival (iDFS; i.e. reduced the chance of the cancer coming back, or of dying or getting another cancer) compared to standard of care endocrine therapy alone. At the second interim analysis, as reported to the IDMC, the futility boundary was crossed indicating a low probability for meeting the primary endpoint, which led to the Steering Committee's decision. "There remains a great need to improve outcomes for patients with HR+ breast cancer. Our collaborative academic group will continue to closely follow our PALLAS patients and hope to learn from the PALLAS dataset and correlative science how best to improve outcomes in this population," said Erica Mayer, M.D., M.P.H., Senior Physician, Breast Oncology Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, and global PALLAS trial Chair. "Despite this futility result, the PALLAS trial represents a remarkable collaboration between academic and industry partners, and we hope can serve as a model of cooperative trial conduct." Global trial Co-Chair Professor Michael Gnant, MD, FACS, of Medical University of Vienna, Austria, president of ABCSG, pointed out the importance of global academic collaboration: "This has been and will continue to be one of the most successful worldwide collaborations between academic study groups to facilitate such a huge pivotal clinical trial - thousands of physicians, researchers, nurses, and other health care professionals in 21 countries around the globe have worked together for many years to make this. The follow-up of patients will continue for at least 10 years from trial entry and provide many additional insights in how to even better conquer breast cancer in the future. " Angela DeMichele, MD, MSCE, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and global PALLAS Co-Chair, points out another important outcome of the PALLAS study, and describes its potential for further research: "One critically important achievement of PALLAS was the mandatory tissue block collection at the beginning of this enterprise. These samples, along with serially collected blood samples, provide an enormous treasure of opportunities for researchers worldwide to interrogate mechanisms of disease and treatment in numerous translational science projects. Ultimately, this will greatly enhance our understanding of breast cancer, and shed light on the findings of the PALLAS trial." Health authorities, trial investigators, and patients are being notified of the interim findings. The detailed finding from the PALLAS study will be shared with the scientific community at an upcoming major medical congress. Academically-led Global Collaboration The PALLAS trial is being conducted collaboratively by several academic-based global research groups. PALLAS is co-sponsored by the Austrian Breast & Colorectal Cancer Study Group (ABCSG) and Alliance Foundation Trials (AFT) as part of a clinical research collaboration with Pfizer (providing study drug and funding) and other study groups, including PrECOG, LLC; NSABP Foundation Inc; and the Breast International Group (BIG). This targeted collaboration between academia and industry is allowing the independent generation of clinical data whilst providing a unique public-private research partnership aimed at bringing more innovative cancer treatments to patients in more efficient ways. More than 400 participating clinical sites in 21 countries enrolled a total of 5,796 patients. The study opened in August 2015. The global recruitment aim was met on schedule, on November 30, 2018, displaying the well-concerted interplay of participating academic groups and their profound experience in clinical research. ### The Austrian Breast & Colorectal Cancer Study Group (ABCSG) is Austria's biggest and best-established academic research organization that conducts internationally respected clinical trials to investigate breast and colon cancer. So far, about 29,000 patients worldwide have participated in ABCSG trials since 1984. ABCSG is part of the Breast International Group (BIG) network, which comprises over 55 academic research groups (many of which participate in the PALLAS study) and represents the largest international network dedicated to breast cancer research. In the PALLAS study, 20 countries outside the U.S. were under the sponsorship of ABCSG. Together, 242 centers in the ABCGS and BIG networks enrolled 3,381 of the total number of patients in the trial. For further information visit us on http://www.abcsg.com or follow us on twitter, ABCSGVienna. Alliance Foundation Trials, LLC (AFT) is an academic research organization that develops and conducts cancer clinical trials across multiple disease sites, working closely with pharmaceutical partners, research collaborators and the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (Alliance) scientific investigators and institutional member network. AFT seeks to fulfill a shared vision with Alliance to reduce the impact of cancer on people by uniting a broad community of scientists and clinicians from many disciplines committed to discovering, validating and disseminating effective strategies for the prevention and treatment of cancer. Its operational structure and clinical trials management mechanism are separate from the Alliance. In the United States, AFT, PrECOG and NSABP Foundation combined to enroll 2,415 patients on the PALLAS study across 165 sites. For more information about AFT, please visit http://www.AllianceFoundationTrials.org. Breast International Group (BIG): Founded in 1999 and based in Brussels, Belgium, BIG members believe that global collaboration is crucial to make significant advances in breast cancer research, reduce unnecessary duplication of effort, share data, contribute to the faster development of better treatments, and increase the likelihood of cures for patients. Therefore, BIG facilitates breast cancer research at international level, by stimulating cooperation between its members and other academic networks, and collaborating with, but working independently from, the pharmaceutical industry. More than 30 clinical trials are run or are in development under the BIG umbrella at any one time. To date almost 90.000 patients have participated in its trials. For further information please visit http://www.bigagainstbreastcancer.org. PrECOG, LLC is a cancer research group formed as a not-for-profit limited liability company in 2006 by the ECOG Research and Education Foundation, Inc. It operates outside of the National Cancer Institute's federal funding structure, known as the National Clinical Trials Network. A central focus of PrECOG is to support the overall scientific research goals of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group. PrECOG aims to reduce the burden of cancer by advancing research in all aspects of cancer care and thereby improve survival, patient benefit, and quality of life. The current PrECOG portfolio includes phase one and two multi-center trials, as well as US-based and multi-national phase three trials. For further information, please visit http://www.precogllc.org and http://www.ecog.acrin.org. The NSABP Foundation, Inc., an academic research organization, conducts industry-supported cancer research in new chemotherapeutic and targeted biologic agents for evaluation in adjuvant and neoadjuvant clinical trials in breast and colorectal cancers. The NSABP Foundation has research sites in North America and an international network made up of oncology and research professionals. The German Breast Group (GBG) is the largest academic research organisation devoted to breast cancer in Germany and one of the largest world-wide with, over 50,000 thousand patients recruited in their trials. GBG is a founding member of BIG and active in all parts of breast cancer research, including surgery and niche indications such breast cancer during pregnancy, and also running an adjuvant Palbociclib trial, the Penelope-B trial (NCT01864746). Please visit us on http://www.gbg.de or follow us on twitter, https://twitter.com/GBG_Forschung For further information, please contact: Diane Dragaud Director of Communications PrECOG, LLC 1818 Market St, Suite 3000 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Tel. +1 215-789-3612 E-mail: ddragaud@precogllc.org Jamilah Owens Communications Manager Alliance Foundation Trials, LLC Tel: 773 702-9479 E-mail: communications@alliancefoundationtrials.org Elena Kinz PR-Manager Austrian Breast & Colorectal Cancer Study Group Tel. +43 1 4089230-23 E-mail: elena.kinz@abcsg.at By Associated Press WASHINGTON: Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades. Trump spent nearly an hour in the bunker, which was designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks, according to a Republican close to the White House who was not authorized to publicly discuss private matters and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The account was confirmed by an administration official who also spoke on the condition of anonymity. The abrupt decision by the agents underscored the rattled mood inside the White House, where the chants from protesters in Lafayette Park could be heard all weekend and Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers struggled to contain the crowds. Friday's protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. The demonstrations in Washington turned violent and appeared to catch officers by surprise. They sparked one of the highest alerts on the White House complex since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. ALSO READ | US 2020 Presidential polls: How George Floyd protests can influence Joe Biden's running mate choice The White House does not comment on security protocols and decisions, said White House spokesman Judd Deere. The Secret Service said it does not discuss the means and methods of its protective operations. The president's move to the bunker was first reported by The New York Times. The president and his family have been shaken by the size and venom of the crowds, according to the Republican. It was not immediately clear if first lady Melania Trump and the couples 14-year-old son, Barron, joined the president in the bunker. Secret Service protocol would have called for all those under the agency's protection to be in the underground shelter. Trump has told advisers he worries about his safety, while both privately and publicly praising the work of the Secret Service. Trump traveled to Florida on Saturday to view the first manned space launch from the U.S. in nearly a decade. He returned to a White House under virtual siege, with protesters some violent gathered just a few hundred yards away through much of the night. ALSO READ | US Journalists covering George Floyd's death protests face assault, arrest Demonstrators returned Sunday afternoon, facing off against police at Lafayette Park into the evening. Trump continued his effort to project strength, using a series of inflammatory tweets and delivering partisan attacks during a time of national crisis. As cities burned night after night and images of violence dominated television coverage, Trumps advisers discussed the prospect of an Oval Office address in an attempt to ease tensions. The notion was quickly scrapped for lack of policy proposals and the presidents own seeming disinterest in delivering a message of unity. Trump did not appear in public on Sunday. Instead, a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time said Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators. On Sunday, Trump retweeted a message from a conservative commentator encouraging authorities to respond with greater force. This isnt going to stop until the good guys are willing to use overwhelming force against the bad guys, Buck Sexton wrote in a message amplified by the president. In recent days security at the White House has been reinforced by the National Guard and additional personnel from the Secret Service and the U.S. Park Police. On Sunday, the Justice Department deployed members of the U.S. Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, according to a senior Justice Department official. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. We're a family of seven living in Georgia where Andrew's working as a professor at GSU. You can read more about us here Amethi (UP): Rahul Gandhi on Friday asked party workers involved in groupism to mend their ways so that a united Congress can win the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections due next year. Those dabbling in groupism should mend their ways and stay united to give a crushing defeat to other parties in the elections, the Congress Vice President said at a meeting with party leaders that went on till wee hours today. Rahul discussed threadbare the issues before the party and asked party workers to fan out in the interiors to make people aware of Congress policies and programmes. He also discussed ways to counter the strategy of opposition parties. Winding up his three-day visit to his Lok Sabha constituency, Rahul today participated in the district vigilance committee meeting. Meanwhile, some protesting anganwadi workers tried to gather on the route to be taken by the Congress leader to air their grievances. When police tried to stop them they were involved in a fracas. Later, when Rahul arrived on the scene while leaving for Lucknow, he came out of his car and listened to their grievances. Rahul is scheduled to embark on a yatra from Deoria in eastern Uttar Pradesh on September 6 to highlight problems being faced by the farmers. The yatra will conclude in Delhi after a month. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 23 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. 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 WASHINGTON The Taliban have retained close links to al Qaeda and sought its advice during recent negotiations with U.S. officials, despite promising to break ties with the terror group under a preliminary peace agreement with the U.S., according to a U.N. report released Monday. Al Qaeda, which carried out the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S., continues to operate in 12 provinces of Afghanistan, with 400-600 operatives and a training camp in the eastern part of the country, according to the report issued to the U.N. Security Council. Relations between the Taliban, including its partners in the Haqqani network, and al Qaeda remain close, based on friendship, a history of shared struggle, ideological sympathy and intermarriage, the U.N. report said. The Taliban regularly consulted with al Qaeda during negotiations with the United States and offered guarantees that it would honor their historical ties, said the report by the U.N. Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team. The U.N. report suggests the Taliban have failed to keep their word on a provision seen as central to the U.S-Taliban agreement signed on Feb. 29 in Doha. President Donald Trump has portrayed the deal as a success story. Under the deal between the U.S. and the Taliban, the insurgents promised not to allow Afghanistan to be a launching pad for terrorist attacks on the U.S. and to enter into peace talks with the Afghan government. In return, Washington agreed to withdraw U.S.-led troops within 14 months. President Donald Trump hailed the agreement as a breakthrough that would bring American troops home after 19 years of war. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on March 1 that the Taliban have now made the break with terrorist groups and agreed that they would break that relationship and that they would work alongside of us to destroy, deny resources to and have al Qaeda depart from that place. The U.N. report, however, said al Qaeda has reacted positively to the agreement, with statements from its acolytes celebrating it as a victory for the Talibans cause and thus for global militancy. Story continues Related: "They have no intention of abiding by their agreement," one official said. Trump said Friday, "Countries have to take care of themselves." While the U.S. was holding talks with Taliban representatives in Doha in 2019 and 2020, al Qaeda and the Taliban also held meetings to discuss cooperation related to operational planning, training and the provision by the Taliban of safe havens for al Qaeda members inside Afghanistan, according to the report. Asked about the U.N. findings, U.S. special representative Zalmay Khalilzad, who led the negotiations with the Taliban, told reporters on Monday the insurgents had taken some steps toward severing ties with al Qaeda and other terrorist groups but that more action was needed. Khalilzad said that we believe that there is progress, but we will continue to monitor those activities very closely. Image: U.S. envoy for peace in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad (Wakil Kohsar / AFP - Getty Images file) He offered no details of steps the Taliban had taken, saying it was a sensitive issue. The U.S. envoy also did not address questions as to whether insurgents were consulting with al Qaeda during the Doha talks. The Afghan-born U.S. diplomat, who previously served as ambassador to Afghanistan under President George W. Bush after the 9/11 attacks, added that the U.N. report covered a period ending on March 15, and that the U.S.-Taliban agreement was only signed on Feb. 29. Khalilzad also expressed optimism that prospects for peace had improved after a recent ceasefire over the Muslim holiday of Eid al Fitr in May, lower levels of violence and more prisoner releases by both the Afghan government and the Taliban. "I believe we are in a more hopeful moment that validates our approach," he said. Related: U.S. officials said from the beginning that they considered the December attack an act of terrorism. A newly formed Afghan government was discussing when and where to hold peace talks with the Taliban, he said. The face-to-face talks between the two foes were supposed to start in March under the U.S.-Taliban deal but have yet to begin due to disputes over prisoner releases and other issues. As U.S.-Taliban negotiations progressed late last year, al Qaeda worried that its Taliban allies were preparing to abandon their partnership, according to the U.N. report, which was based on information provided by U.N. member states, including from intelligence services, and regional officials. The U.N. report said information indicated al Qaeda operatives carried out an attack on Bagram airfield in December because they were concerned that the prospective agreement called for the Taliban to break ties with al Qaeda and foreign fighters. The report said there were indications that the Taliban leadership had not fully disclosed the details of the agreement, including a commitment to cut ties with al Qaeda and foreign terrorist fighters, to its members out of fear of a backlash and that the issue had surfaced repeatedly as a topic of acrimonious internal debate. If the Taliban abide by their obligations in the U.S. agreement and step away from al Qaeda, it could produce a deep split in the group with one faction refusing to renounce al Qaeda, according to the UN report. Khalilzad said he could not vouch for individual members of the Taliban or factions inside the group, but he said the Taliban as a whole have made this commitment to cut ties to al Qaeda. He added, We recognize the importance of this issue. This is vital, the issue of terrorism. The U.S. will press the Taliban over the issue and when necessary undertake operations that are needed as well, he said. Image: Afghani And U.S. Soldiers Patrol Afghan Villages (Joshua Partlow / The Washington Post via Getty Images file) Thomas Joscelyn, a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies and a critic of the U.S.-Taliban agreement, said the administration has failed to provide concrete examples of how the Taliban have cut ties to al Qaeda as promised. The Trump administration and the Taliban are going to have to show us real evidence of some kind of break with al Qaeda if they're going to continue to portray the Doha agreement as still being in effect, Joscelyn said. NBC News previously reported that the U.S. government had collected persuasive intelligence that the Taliban did not intend to honor the promises they made in the February deal with the United States. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marimaca Copper Corp. (Marimaca Copper or the Company) (MARI.TO) is pleased to release the high level results of a detailed trade-off analysis, conducted by independent consultants, Gestion y Economia Minera Limitada (GEM), for the development of its flagship Marimaca Copper Deposit (Marimaca or the Project). Highlights GEM conducted a detailed trade-off analysis of potential development strategies for Marimaca including: a smaller scale, low capex option utilising existing processing infrastructure at the nearby Ivan Plant; a phased development to grow from smaller scale to full scale production, utilising both the Ivan Plant and/or greenfields plant closer to the Marimaca deposit; or upfront full-scale development utilising standalone greenfields plant at the Marimaca deposit. The GEM analysis confirmed that a full-scale development is the optimum strategy and that Marimaca is an exciting, mid-size, copper project. The full-scale standalone development would comprise: Large, bulk mining, open pit method of extraction; Crushing, Agglomeration, Heap/ROM Leaching and Solvent-Extraction, Electro-Winning (SX-EW) processing; With current Mineral Resources, design capacity for up to 40,000 tonnes of copper cathode production per annum. The Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) is progressing the full-scale option and, despite disruptions due to Coronavirus, is expected to be completed around the end of June or early July 2020. Michael Haworth, Executive Chairman of Marimaca Copper Corp commented: As part of the Preliminary Economic Assessment, we engaged GEM to conduct a detailed trade-off analysis of the myriad of potential development routes available for the exciting Marimaca Project. While this analysis is at an early stage, GEM concluded that Marimaca is clearly a very promising project within the global sphere of copper development peers. GEMs report also confirmed that Marimaca warrants development as a standalone project with a production capacity design for up to 40,000 tonnes of copper cathode per annum. As a result, this assessment has become the design basis for the upcoming PEA. Story continues We remain very excited at the potential to find additional oxide resource tonnes around the Project, which could change its scale and mine life in the future. One of the key benefits of SX-EW processing is the simplicity with which production can be increased due to the modular nature of the processing plant. Lastly, the PEA is progressing well, despite the difficulties many businesses faced as a result of Coronavirus. We are anticipating delivering the results to the market at the end of June or into early July. Marimaca Copper Project Overview Marimaca Copper released an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for Marimaca of 70 million tonnes, with an average grade of 0.60% copper, within the Measured & Indicated Categories (approximately 420Kt of contained copper) and 40 million tonnes, with an average grade of 0.52% copper, within the Inferred Category (approximately 224kt of contained copper) (refer release on 2 December 2019). This represents an increase of almost 100% from the MRE released in April 2018 and makes the Project one of the most significant copper oxide discoveries in Chile in the last decade. The Company is currently undertaking a PEA for the Project, which is anticipated to be completed in the late June or early July 2020. The Project is expected to benefit from low upfront capital development costs and, due to the favourable geometry of the orebody and relatively simple oxide processing through SX-EW, Management believes the Project will have very competitive operating costs, delivering compelling economics in the PEA. GEM Trade-off Analysis Marimaca Copper engaged GEM to conduct a detailed option trade-off and analysis and risk assessment for the development of the Marimaca Copper Project. The objective of the work was to identify an optimal development strategy for Marimaca, but also to provide additional risk-based information to inform strategic decision making by the Company. GEM ran multiple scenarios, using deterministic and stochastic models, to quantify economic outcomes of each potential development strategy, but also the level of risk associated with each strategy based on numerous inputs. The analysis followed a path of first identifying any uncertainties for the Project as a whole, then quantifying risks to the Project and finally an assessment of each of the potential strategies available to the Company. Following the rigorous analytical processes undertaken by GEM, it was clear that the best development strategy was the construction of a full scale, standalone, development of Marimaca, using an open pit and SX-EW plant with a design basis for the production of up to 40,000 tonnes of copper cathode per annum. Given Marimaca Copper enjoys the strong support of two large shareholders, and capital is unlikely to be constrained for a project of the quality of Marimaca, the Company elected to proceed with the full scale, standalone Marimaca development as the go-forward strategy. Qualified Person The technical information in this news release, including the information that relates to geology, drilling and mineralization was prepared under the supervision of, or has been reviewed by Sergio Rivera, Vice President of Exploration, Marimaca Copper Corp, a geologist with more than 36 years of experience and a member of the Colegio de Geologos de Chile and of the Institute of Mining Engineers of Chile, and who is the Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101 responsible for the design and execution of the drilling program. The independent Qualified Person responsible for the Mineral Resource Estimate at Marimaca is Luis Oviedo Hannig, a geologist with more than 41 years of experience at NCL Ingenieria y Construccion S.A. He is a member of the Colegio de Geologos de Chile and the Institute of Mining Engineers of Chile and is registered with the Qualification Commission of Resources and Mining Reserves (CRISCO, CMC, Membership Number 013). He has a postgraduate degree in "Certification and Validation of Mining Assets from Queens University and PUVC. The Qualified Person for other contents than geological information of this news release is Luis Tondo, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Marimaca Copper Corp, a mining engineer with more than 30 years of experience and a Fellow of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, who is the Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101. All QPs confirm they have visited the project area, reviewed relevant project information, allowing the correct technical judgement in their respective areas of expertise, in turn used in the writing and reviewing the contents of this news release. Gestion y Economia Minera Limitada GEM is a Chilean industrial engineering company, founded in 2008, that advises the mining industry in management, strategy and economics. It has five main business areas, which combine its expertise and knowledge with state-of-the-art analytical techniques and tools, applied to mining including project evaluation, strategy development, economics, optimization and training. GEM is part of Codelcos Programa de Proveedores de Clase Mundial (World-Class Suppliers Program), a technical program which led to the development of its proprietary mine planning and decision making software, DeepMine. GEM has successfully delivered around 300 projects, which have enabled our customers to discover and capture the maximum value in their decisions. Marimaca Copper Mining and the Marimaca Project Marimaca is fast becoming recognised as one of the most significant copper discoveries in Chile in recent years as it represents a new type of deposit which challenges accepted exploration wisdom in the region. Marimaca is hosted by intrusive rocks while the numerous manto deposits in the same region are hosted by volcanics. With a lack of new copper exploration discoveries in Chile, the growing Marimaca resource is an exciting development project, situated in the coastal belt at low elevation close to the major regional centres of Antofagasta and Mejillones. This prime location could enable its future development at a relatively modest capital investment. Marimaca will benefit from nearby existing infrastructure including roads, powerlines, ports, a sulphuric acid plant, a skilled workforce and seawater. Contact Information For further information please visit www.marimaca.com or contact: Tavistock +44 (0) 207 920 3150 Jos Simson/Emily Moss marimaca@tavistock.co.uk Forward Looking Statements This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements relate to future events or the Companys future performance, business prospects or opportunities. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the impact of a rebranding of the Company, the future development and exploration potential of the Marimaca Project. Actual future results may differ materially. 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. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by Marimaca Copper, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: risks related to share price and market conditions, the inherent risks involved in the mining, exploration and development of mineral properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological data, fluctuating metal prices, the possibility of project delays or cost overruns or unanticipated excessive operating costs and expenses, uncertainties related to the necessity of financing, the availability of and costs of financing needed in the future as well as those factors disclosed in the Companys documents filed from time to time with the securities regulators in the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Marimaca Copper undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements contained herein whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. By Associated Press PODOGORICA: Montenegro, the first country in Europe to declare itself 'coronavirus-free,' has started letting in foreign tourists as of Monday as it seeks to salvage the tourism season following the virus outbreak. But there's a catch. The tiny Adriatic state's authorities have listed 131 countries whose citizens can enter without any restrictions, if they currently have at most 25 active COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people. Nevertheless, Montenegro's government tweeted Monday that 'tourists mostly from Western European countries started arriving as of midnight.' In a bid to attract wary European tourists looking for a safe place to spend their holidays, Montenegro has been advertising itself as a 'corona-free' destination since it officially has had no new cases of COVID-19 infections for the past several weeks. John Boyega has criticised his followers for their response to recent comments hes made about racism and police brutality against black people. Last week, Boyega posted an impassioned Instagram video in which he spoke out against racism, but he has since been receiving many messages telling him to talk about police brutality against white people. The actor urged his fans not to waste time sending such messages in the wake of the death of George Floyd after being taken into custody by police, Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was fired, arrested and charged with third degree murder and manslaughter. Boyega added: Go for one of your celeb coons for that. That Star Wars movie got you lot all the way f***ed up. I am staying on topic. We are addressing a specific issue. When one follower questioned his use of a racial slur, writing, This is the type of segregation we gotta leave because it divides us, Boyega said he believes that some celebrities have already divided themselves with their statements about the protests. Boyegas tweet comes days after writing I really f***ing hate racists in the wake of Floyds death. The actor was forced to defend his use of a swear word in a passionate Instagram Live video. Thats a continuous cycle, going on, he said of Floyds death, which has sparked protests across the world. I dont live in the States, but Im Black, he continued. F*** that. So Ill say it again: f*** you racist white people. I said what I said. And if you dont f***ing like it, go suck a d***. Its not about career, its not about money... All those things were just a part of my dream, just a part of working. Thats got nothing to do with how you treat people. The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, calls on the British government to reopen churches ahead of the scheduled reopening on 4 July. By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ The Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, has said that it is now time for the phased reopening of churches. Preaching at a Pentecost Sunday Mass in Westminster Cathedral, the Cardinal pointed out that churches accepted the governments decision to close on 20 March because the protection of life required it. However, last week's announcements by the Prime Minister that some indoor sales premises can open tomorrow and that most shops can open on 15 June, questions directly the reasons why our churches remain closed, said Cardinal Nichols. We are told that these openings, which are to be carefully managed, are based on the need to encourage key activities to start up again. Why are churches excluded from this decision? Cardinal Nichols asked. Beginning 1 June, England has eased restrictions on peoples movement while still insisting on the respect of social distancing norms. However, as it stands, churches and other places of worship will not be allowed to reopen until July at the earliest. Faith in society The role of faith in our society has been made even clearer in these last weeks, stressed the Cardinal. It serves as a motivation for the selfless care of the sick and dying; as providing crucial comfort in bereavement; as a source of immense and effective provision for those in sharp and pressing need; as underpinning a vision of the dignity of every person, a dignity that has to be at the heart of the rebuilding of our society. For that reason, the opening of our churches, even if just for individual prayer, helps to nurture this vital contribution to our common good, the Cardinal noted. Churches ready to reopen safely Cardinal Nichols acknowledged the importance of reopening churches safely, but also indicated his confidence that churches can do so. We have developed expert guidance. We are ready to follow the governments guidelines as soon as they are finalized, he said. What is the risk to a person who sits quietly in a church which is being thoroughly cleaned, properly supervised and in which social distancing is maintained? asked the Cardinal. Lucknow, June 1 : Uttar Pradesh recorded its biggest single-day jump with 378 new Covid-19 cases till late on Sunday night, which threw the number of total cases above 8,000 mark. Four deaths were also reported on Sunday. Coming on the eve of 'Unlock 1' when offices will record 100 per cent attendance, all markets will reopen and the public transport will go on road, the spurt is a cause to worry. Dr Vikasendu Agrawal, the Joint Director/State Surveillance Officer, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), said, "One death each was reported from Agra, Meerut, Deoria and Gorakhpur while 378 fresh cases were also reported on Sunday, taking the total to 8,075." Agarwal said, "The 378 fresh Covid-19 cases is so far the highest number of fresh cases reported in a single-day in the state." A senior health official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that "People need to realize the seriousness of the situation-more so since the lockdown conditions are being relaxed. Even a slightest violation of safety protocols could lead to a spurt in Corona cases." Meanwhile, Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said, "We have now achieved the target given by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of having more than one lakh beds in all COVID hospitals including those in level one, two and three. We are now increasing testing in a big way." He said that Uttar Pradesh had become the first state to have one lakh beds for patients in COVID hospitals. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text 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. Rebecca Pretorius 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 your company or economy as a whole... How is your company responding to the crisis? Navigating UK University Admissions with Crimson Strategist George Baxter with Crimson Strategist George Baxter Insights into US Admissions: Who Gets In? A Q&A with Stanfords Former Admissions Officer A Q&A with Stanfords Former Admissions Officer Deep Dive Into Perfecting Your Personal Statement For Your UK University Application Building An Extracurricular Profile & Leadership: How Important Is It? With MITs David Buisson With MITs David Buisson Successful essays for admission to Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Yale and more UK & US Milestones: Your University Application Checklist How to Discover Your True Passion: Getting to Social Entrepreneurship & Leadership Projects Comment on the challenges and opportunities... 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? Has this global crisis changed your view of the future of the industry in any way? Any trends youve seen emerge as a result of the crisis? Do you believe the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a fundamental shift in the education industry that will outlast the lockdown, or do you see teaching returning to its BC (before coronavirus) norm once all is over and done? Your key message to those in the education sector? What do you predict the next 6 months will be like? We chatted to Rebecca Pretorius, Country Manager at Crimson Education, to get her take.As an EduTech company, we already support our students digitally, so in terms of everyday engagement that didnt change and for our Crimson students it was business as usual. What did change was our information sessions that we run regularly. These have been face-to-face workshops and seminars in the past, but we have since delivered live webinars instead. This has been really successful with large numbers of South African and international students, families and Counsellors (Life Orientation/Guidance teachers) joining these. What this has enabled us to do is have information evenings with top admissions experts, former admissions officers etc. from all over the world, who have been able to give their expertise and experience to our local students and families.Weve seen an interesting uptake in students taking online tutoring for their IEB/NSC subjects. Weve also seen growth internationally in Crimson Global Academic (Crimsons online high school), which will be launching in South Africa in September.Weve still seen many students and families over this time wanting to study abroad. But this might change as overall the number of students going abroad is expected to drop globally. Certainly, among our 2019/2020 admits, there is a lot of uncertainty and even anxiety about the impact of the pandemic on their plans. These students would normally be jetting off to their universities in a few months.Universities have responded differently to the crisis with some cancelling classes for the rest of this year. Cambridge has, in fact, cancelled in-person classes for the year from September, with all classes being held online. In addition, for some current students in application year or even applying in 2021/2022, there is some anxiety around cancellations and delays in testing.On the economic front, we have seen the impact on some of our families with whom were making alternative payment arrangements, where theyve been personally impacted by job losses or loss of income.For any new interested students and families looking for information on pathways abroad, we hold webinars every Wednesday covering topics including: How To Keep Your Education On Track: Digital Learning and Covid-19. Weve also held webinars covering all aspects of admissions including:We have many more coming up in June, so students and families can look out for these! For our current students, theyre in the fortunate position of having an Admissions Strategist to keep them updated about whats happening in the world of testing, university plans and so on.The challenges for students and families are definitely financial. International fees are already substantial and for some students, they are becoming less affordable. For Crimson, we are seeing more interest in European university admissions, as Europe is seen as being more affordable than the US and UK. We support students applying to universities across the US and UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands. We also assist students in applying to institutions in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, as well as China.At the end of June, well be hosting a webinar all about European admissions. So, there is opportunity in the challenges too. For students who can self-fund, there may be some advantage in the 2020/2021 round too as universities may be looking for fee-paying students. For students, themselves, this is a great opportunity to show how they respond to a crisis instead of just talking about it in their application. Also, while other students are doing less, playing more video games, watching more TV etc, this is a good time for motivated students to show evidence of what they can bring to a campus and their future careers. Also, while students have more time, without commuting and with extra-murals, its a good opportunity for them to extend themselves by taking additional courses and subjects!Crimson is prioritising the safety and wellness of our employees with every choice we make and has at a leadership level - consulted multiple experts and epidemiologists in creating recommendations. Our goal is to provide resources and support both inside and outside of Crimson to support our teams.As a global company, policies vary regionally depending on local government guidelines. Sixty percent of our global workforce is already on work-from-home policies and offices have been closed in most regions until now, with some regions slowly opening up in line with local guidelines.In South Africa, we closed our physical office by 20 March so that everyone could work safely from home. We have the tech infrastructure to support this. Beyond the work requirements though, we understand that theres an emotional, mental toll in a crisis. We have established a Covid-19 Response Team made up of Crimsons Executive team and each region has someone available to answer questions and provide support quickly and directly. All staff have access to a Crimson Counsellor for support.We have the tech infrastructure and teams of strategists, tutors, mentors, education coordinators and local offices who are engaged with our students and families all the time, so on the academic and admissions front, its business as usual. We work additionally with students to shape extracurriculars in response to the crisis and the challenges theyre facing in this area. From a team point of view, we have daily check-ins and were always in touch with our South African team and our global teams via Slack at all times.I think that now more than ever the education industry is poised for change but that this change is likely to happen faster than it may have happened previously. Students and families have seen the value of a flexible education approach with students able to work at their own pace; cover additional work, courses, interests that they may not have had the time to do; have the time and flexibility to focus more on their interests and passions. Schools, businesses, and institutions then that can support this approach will be well positioned for the future.Weve seen an emerging trend of uninterrupted learning. Students, in well-resourced environments, covering a lot of ground, often at their own pace; accessing vast amounts of information and using new-found time to learn new skills not previously covered in class. Interestingly, driven by students and not schools. Weve also seen a shift in the approach to testing and numerical evaluation of students where testing hasnt been possible in the same way. It will be interesting to see whether this results in bigger changes around standardised testing going forward. Finally, an acceleration of the trend towards online, remote learning.Theres a fundamental shift to online learning with teachers and institutions having to access and harness technology tools and platforms. Technology has stepped in to fill a gap left by teachers and students not being able to be in the same physical space and technology will continue to play a key role going forward even when the need for full-time, distance learning is passed.For this generation, Generation Z, education and technology are not two separate things, and teachers and institutions will have to respond even more to this that they have in the past. Social media is also completely embedded in their lives as a way of both communicating, accessing, and putting out information.With Generation Z, we also see a collaborative approach to solving problems and playing games, and a collaborative learning environment is just an extension of this. While students are physically isolated, even from older, or at risk, family members, they are, in fact, very connected to their peers and people they dont know around the world through social media, gaming, following popular YouTubers and so on. Add to this, the view that the world is currently an even smaller place with everyone facing the same distinct problem, and teachers and schools will need to consider this globalisation and interconnectedness in the classroom more and more going forward.Overall, I see this as a fundamental shift in the role of the teacher, the skills that teachers need, how teachers communicate and engage students, and a revision of the kinds of skills that students need to navigate a crisis like this one and prepare for a world that, even before the pandemic, looked vastly different for the next generations.Despite how challenging the situation is now, this is also an opportunity to use this time to relook at the way we do things; to determine the good things we want to keep and the things that arent working that we should stop doing.As schools start to slowly open with some students staying at home, well continue to see new forms of blended education. As students use distant learning tools, well see students, teachers and parents or carers learn new skills and communicate and collaborate differently. As the economic impact unfolds, we may see students and families look for different, more affordable options for education - online learning will play a big role in this. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Francesco Gilioli with Franck Iovene in Rome (Agence France-Presse) Venice, Italy Mon, June 1, 2020 10:03 599 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb45a4e 2 Art & Culture Venice,gondola,coronavirus,COVID-19,lockdown,Italy Free 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 meters long, 1.38 meters wide and weigh 600 kilograms. 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 (US$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. Read also: Venice Film Festival will go ahead in September: Veneto governor '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. Visakhapatnam: A group of experts called 'Scientists for People' have criticised the report of the joint monitoring committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to probe the styrene gas leakage from LG Polymers near Venkatapuram in Visakhapatnam on May 7. They were disappointed with the scientific quality and integrity of the report. Scientists for People said the committee appointed by NGT wasted an opportunity to investigate the incident. They wondered how the committee members who never visited the plant approved the report. "The report is a futile exercise devoid of any actual investigation. It is a mere compilation of information given by the company," said Dr K Babu Rao, a former scientist of the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT). Pointing out several shortcomings in the report, he said: "The root cause of the incident was identified as self-polymerization due to stagnant high polymer content. The actual root cause appears to be the lack of experience of LG Polymers India and their Korean principal, LG Chem, in monitoring and maintaining full tanks of styrene that were kept idle for several weeks." B Sri Ramachandra Sai, senior general manager at Thyssenkrupp Industrial Systems India at Mumbai, also criticised the report. He has experience of designing and engineering styrene production plants. He said the report did not cover any aspect regarding international practices in designing, operating and maintaining styrene storage installations and comparing with that at LG Polymers plant. He further said the report has not mentioned the condition of other styrene storages at the time of accident, sampling frequency and analysis of styrene during lockdown period for polymer content to use as guidance to take steps to prevent auto polymerisation. "Temperature measurement cannot be the only guidance factor to the operator to prevent auto polymerisation. The report failed to throw light on how the tank temperature is to be brought down and what are the future recommendations for faster cooling of tank before vapour is spread to the environment," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 09:47:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Brazil on Sunday said its nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 514,84 after 16,409 people tested positive in the past 24 hours, while the death toll neared 30,000. The death toll rose to 29,314 after 480 deaths had been reported since Saturday, while another 4,208 deaths are still being investigated for any linkage with COVID-19, the Ministry of Health said. The number of recoveries from COVID-19 totalled 206,555, the ministry added. Southeast Sao Paulo state continues to be the epicenter of the national outbreak, with 7,615 deaths and 109,698 infections, followed by Rio de Janeiro with 5,344 deaths and 53,388 infections. Enditem There's been a change in the way William and Kate use social media. (WireImage) Prince William and Kate changed their social media tactics at the perfect time as they took cues from Harry and Meghans style, according to an expert. Royal fans will have noticed a change in the way the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are using Instagram and Twitter of late, not least as Kate spent the weekend leaving personal comments on entries for her Hold Still photo project. The couple hired David Watkins, who used to work for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex when they were senior royals. He started working for the Cambridges shortly after Prince Harry and Meghan formally stepped back. Popular culture expert Nick Ede, who runs East of Eden, said the changes they have made were welcome and the Sussexes stepping back combined with the coronavirus pandemic meant it has been perfect timing. Read more: Duchess of Cambridge uses Instagram to personally respond to applicants of photo project Ede said: I think that it is fascinating to see how Kate and Williams are using social media and how it has changed significantly in the past few months. Previously it was used as a way of pushing out images and statements but they were posts that were there to give news rather than an insight into who they are. As future King and Queen they have seen that they must progress and use social media as a device that it was created for - to communicate, interact, inform and create conversation. By allowing comments and responding themselves to some this shows they are in touch with their supporters and genuinely want to interact with them. This change has come due to a new social media team and its perfect at this current time when people want more and also in lockdown people are searching and using social media even more. The tone and methods have changed to make them seem more accessible, using video content to illustrate their work and what they have been up to and also pushing other channels like youtube and facebook shows that they are steadily building their own content that will be around for a long time. Story continues All in all this is a really great move for the couple making them more accessible and building on making them even more popular. The Sussex Royal account set a Guinness World Record when it launched, becoming the fastest ever to reach 1 million followers. William and Kate hired Harry and Meghan's old social media expert. (Getty Images) Read more: Sweet detail you may not have noticed in Prince William's documentary They had more than 11 million when they had to mothball the account on 31 March as they stepped back from their senior royal roles and agreed not to use the word royal in any branding. Friends actor Jennifer Aniston set a new record when she joined Instagram - hitting 1 million followers half an hour quicker than the Sussexes. Ede added: They have definitely seen how well the Sussexes did with their online profile and they created a brand from the get go. The Cambridges started their social media more as an add on but now they are using it like the Sussexes did as an extension of them and their own brand which is a very good thing to see. Having been let go by Prince Harry, 35, and his wife Meghan, 37, when they closed their London office, Watkins has confirmed he started working for the Cambridges at the beginning of April. His job title is now digital communications and social media so he could have been hired to help the duke and duchess replicate the success of SussexRoyal on their own account. Turkmenistans Turkmentelekom state telecommunications company and Azerbaijan's AzerTelecom limited liability company (LLC) have discussed the implementation of a project on joint construction, ownership and use of a fiber-optic communication line along the bottom of the Caspian Sea in the direction of Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan, local media reported, citing Turkmenistans State News Agency. A videoconference was held between representatives of Turkmentelekom and AzerTelecom where the current state and prospects of development of the industry-wide bilateral partnership were discussed. This project will connect the cities of Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan) and Siyazan (Azerbaijan), as well as strengthen cooperation in improving telecommunications bridges between Asia and Europe. Turkmenistan prepared proposals for the implementation of this project, which are submitted for consideration and approval of economic, technical and other relevant aspects. Thus, special attention was paid to attracting investment, both in the telecommunications sector, and to discussing the conditions for joint construction, operation, maintenance, and protection of fiber optic networks. LEELANAU COUNTY, MICH. -- A pristine and ecologically important piece of waterfront in Northwest Lower Michigan has been forever preserved -- and in the coming years, will open to the public as a natural area. The non-profit Leelanau Conservancy announced late last week that it had successfully secured two parcels to form the new Lime Lake Preserve, which will protect roughly 30 acres and 1,000 feet of shoreline on Lime Lake, part of Lake Michigans Good Harbor Bay watershed. This parcel is really important for the wetlands and the water quality of Lime Lake, said Claire Wood, the Leelanau Conservancys communications director. Its really quality habitat. Were always looking to protect the land, but when we can also protect the extremely high water quality of Leelanau, its a double whammy. The 670-acre spring- and creek-fed Lime Lake is located about two miles north of Maple City. The preserve features a crescent-shaped shore along the lake, as well as wetlands and a stream. The diversity of habitat welcomes a wide range of wildlife, including songbirds, eagles, waterfowl, otters, brook trout, and plenty of interesting flora. Conservancy officials said saving this exceptional piece of land was a community effort. We are grateful to the Lime Lake Association for their support -- they really understand the importance of protecting these wetlands, Conservancy Development Director Meg Delor said. Weve had an outpouring of support from people around the lake and from the Leelanau community to help preserve this unique ecosystem. Plans are in the works to open the space for public use, but given the ecologically sensitive nature of the preserve, an assessment must first be done on the present plant life to determine where trails can be safely developed. Wood said updates on the preserve will be announced in the Conservancys e-newsletter. In the meantime, more on Lime Lake Preserve, and the Conservancys other nature preserves, can be found at the Conservancys website, leelanauconservancy.org and Facebook page. RELATED: 1,288-acre former Northern Michigan scout camp to open as a public nature preserve Michigans second international dark sky park makes its debut Land conservancy buys 17 acres of old-growth forest, Lake Huron coastline for public preserve The shoreline of Lime Lake Preserve. Photo by Mark Smith RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, May 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is set to become the largest consistent donor to Yemen during the upcoming High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen on Tuesday, 2 June 2020. The Pledging Event for the United Nation's Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan is being hosted virtually by the Kingdom in partnership with the United Nations. A total of USD 2.3 billion is being sought to cover emergency requirements in Yemen across multiple humanitarian sectors, including medical, food and shelter assistance. The event is the first virtual initiative of its kind to be held on this scale, and will be attended by top Saudi Arabian and United Nations officials. Among the high-level attendees will be His Royal Highness Faisal Bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Advisor Royal Court and Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), and Mr. Mark Lowcock, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (OCHA). The event will take place from 8:00-13:40 EDT (New York). Saudi Arabia hopes to attract significant pledges to finance the 2020 Emergency Humanitarian Response Plan to bring relief to the estimated 24.3 million people in Yemen who are currently in acute need. The United Nations has taken the unusual step of extending the implementation period of the existing plan from this June until the end of December 2020 in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Yemen has been the number one humanitarian priority for Saudi Arabia and KSrelief," said Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Supervisor General of KSrelief. "COVID-19 has created new needs there, but is just the latest challenge in an already deteriorating situation. Yemen needs a lot of help, not least because of its weak health system. Saudi Arabia, through its strong partnership with the United Nations organizations, is determined to continue to help the Yemeni people, as it has consistently done since 2015." KSrelief provides impartial and independent assistance to Yemen and other countries. To date, 60-70% of the Kingdom's Yemen assistance has been channeled through the United Nations, always in line with the basic humanitarian principles of impartially and independence from economic, political, military or religious considerations. The Kingdom's ongoing assistance to Yemen is in line with its long history of commitment towards meeting the needs of the country; over the last 5 years, Saudi Arabia has provided nearly USD 17 billion in aid to Yemen, including humanitarian and development aid, support to the Central Bank of Yemen and comprehensive assistance to Yemenis living in the Kingdom. In 2019, Saudi Arabia was the top donor country to Yemen, with contributions totaling USD 1.25 billion, or 31.1% of the total amount sought by the United Nations. Since May of 2015, KSrelief and 88 humanitarian partners have implemented 474 projects across 12 humanitarian sectors, aid totaling USD 3 billion. On COVID-19, Saudi Arabia has established a strategic plan to help countries and regions most in need. Yemen has one of the most fragile healthcare systems on the planet, and at the start of the pandemic, the Ministry of Health of Yemen received immediate support from the Kingdom through capacity-building, funding, and the provision of protective equipment and diagnostic supplies. KSrelief has also worked with many international NGOs and non-UN partners to prevent the global spread of the pandemic. Both KSrelief and the United Nations are hopeful that this important event will result in pledges from donor countries to provide the urgent funding that is so crucial to alleviating the suffering of all Yemenis in need. SOURCE The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre A worker tends to gold bars at a precious metals plant. Gold gained on Monday supported by increasing friction between Washington and Beijing and protests in the United States over racism, however, hopes of a potential vaccine to fight COVID-19 capped bullion's ascend. Spot gold climbed 0.7% to $1,737.48 per ounce. Prices earlier rose 1% to hit an over one-week high of $1,744.19. U.S. gold futures eased 0.1% to $1,750.20. "There are growing concerns that the U.S.-China Phase One trade deal is about to get ripped-off," said Edward Moya, a senior market analyst at broker OANDA, adding widespread protests in the United States has raised concerns of another wave of coronavirus cases. The dollar fell to its lowest since mid-March, further supporting bullion prices. China has told state-owned firms to halt purchases of major U.S. farm products, after Washington said it would eliminate special treatment for Hong Kong. Meanwhile in the United States, National Guard troops were deployed in 15 states and Washington, D.C. in an attempt to quell protests over the death of a black man in police custody. Gold is seen as a safe-haven asset during times of political and economic uncertainty. However, capping bullion's gains was optimism over potential COVID-19 vaccine and easing lockdowns, which underpinned world stocks near three-month highs. On the technical side, "the spot price is now getting close to resistance placed at $1,750. A clear climb above the previous highs ($1,747 on closing and $1,765 intraday) would open space for further rallies," ActivTrades chief analyst Carlo Alberto De Casa said in a note. Holdings of SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, rose to a fresh seven-year high on Friday. Elsewhere, silver gained 2% to $18.20 per ounce, having touched its highest since Feb. 25 earlier. Palladium rose 1.1% to $1,966.18 per ounce, and platinum was 1.7% higher at $852.18. Chinese Government Sends Medical Team of COVID-19 Experts to Sudan 2020/05/29 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian announces: To support the Republic of the Sudan in fightingagainst COVID-19, the Chinese government has decided to send a team of medical experts to the country. The team is put together by the National Health Commission with members selected by the Chongqing Municipal Health Commission. EndFragment A second outbreak of Ebola has hit the Congo as it continues to battle the coronavirus and the world's largest measles outbreak. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has yet to officially declare an end to Ebola after an epidemic of the disease broke out in August 2018, claiming the lives of at least 2,243 people. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said Congolese authorities have identified six cases including four deaths of Ebola the north near Mbandaka. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO, said in a statement: This is a reminder that Covid-19 is not the only health threat people face." Four other people are being held in isolation at a hospital in Mbandaka, Unicef said. The victims died on May 18 but test results confirming Ebola only came back over the weekend, according to Congolese health minister Eteni Longondo. An Ebola survivor who was working as a nurse last year cares for a patient who was suspected to be suffering from Ebola at a treatment centre in Katwa / REUTERS The WHO said it already had teams on the ground. Health minister Eteni Longondo told reporters: We have a new Ebola epidemic in Mbandaka. We are going to very quickly send them the vaccine and medicine. This announcement marks the eleventh time Ebola has hit the province since the virus was first discovered in Congo in 1976. Two years ago an outbreak killed 33 people before the disease was brought under control in a matter of months. The latest cases turned up in Wangata health zone near the port city of Mbandaka, which is home to 1.2 million people. In the east health officials are still waiting to declare an official end to to the epidemic after nearly two years. The last known patient there was released in mid-May but the country must go about another month without any new cases before a declaration can be made. The Ebola virus causes a fever and it is spread through direct contact with body fluids from an infected person, who suffers severe vomiting and diarrhoea. Covid-19 has already touched seven of Congos 25 provinces, with more than 3,000 confirmed cases and 72 deaths. However, like many African countries Congo has conducted extremely limited testing, and observers fear the true toll may be far higher. While Ebola and Covid-19 have drawn far more international attention, measles has killed more Congolese than those diseases combined. The WHO said there have been 369,520 measles cases and 6,779 deaths since 2019. This quadruple threat could prove lethal for millions of children and their families, said Anne-Marie Connor, national director in Congo for the aid organisation World Vision. HOUSTON, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- C-Bond Systems, Inc. (C-Bond) (CBNT), a nanotechnology solutions company, announced today that it has entered into an exclusive, nationwide distribution agreement with Quip Laboratories, Inc. for use of MB-10 Tablets, an EPA-registered disinfectant (Reg No.70060-19-46269) to help in the fight against COVID-19. COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2. This product kills similar viruses and therefore, according to the EPA Guidelines On Emerging Pathogens , can be used against SARS-CoV-2 when used in accordance with the directions for use against MVM on hard, nonporous surfaces. With this new agreement, C-Bond will gain exclusive rights to sell the tablets within the verticals that it serves. Were excited to be working with new partners to deliver the simple and sensible disinfection results that were known for in the research and clinical markets to an expanded customer-base, said Tim Hidell, President of Quip Laboratories. MB-10 Tablets have a proven track record as a cost-effective disinfectant across a wide range of industries, and we look forward to helping C-Bond in that goal for their clientele. MB-10 tablets are registered as a broad spectrum hospital disinfectant that is effective against a wide range of bacteria and viruses, and are safe for hard, non-porous surfaces such as glass, plastics, sealed fiberglass, and a wide range of metals, without leaving residues or odor. MB-10 Tablets also protect without staining or discoloring. The applications for this EPA-registered product align well with our current customer base, presenting an exciting cross-selling opportunity, said Scott R. Silverman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of C-Bond Systems. Well after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, we expect the desire to regularly and thoroughly disinfect hard surfaces to continue to surge. This product perfectly meets the evolving needs of todays marketplace. Leveraging our ever-expanding customer base within the transportation sector, we believe we are uniquely positioned for success with the introduction of this new disinfectant. I look forward to continued operational execution in driving forward our core mission - to make the world a safer place - with the addition of this exciting new product, concluded Silverman. Story continues About C-Bond C-Bond Systems, Inc. (CBNT) is a Houston-based advanced nanotechnology company and marketer of the patented C-Bond technology, developed in conjunction with Rice University and independently proven to significantly strengthen glass in key automotive and structural applications. The Companys Transportation Solutions Group sells C-Bond NanoShield, a liquid solution applied directly to automotive windshields, sold through distributors. The Companys Safety Solutions Group sells ballistic-resistant glass solutions and FN NANO Coating directly to private enterprises, schools, hospitals and government agencies. For more information, please visit our website: www.cbondsystems.com , Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cbondsys/ and Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBond_Systems . About Quip Laboratories From Environmental Monitoring and Decontamination services, to proprietary disinfectants and sterilants, Quip Laboratories focuses on providing facility hygiene solutions to a variety of industries. With in-house research and development, pathogen identification, production, quality control and sales teams, Quip Laboratories provides a comprehensive approach to efficient and eco-gentle facility hygiene. You can find Quip Labs on the web at www.quiplabs.com or call us today at 1-800-424-2436. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release about our future expectations, including the likelihood that well after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, the desire to regularly and thoroughly disinfect all means of hard surfaces to continue to surge; the likelihood that leveraging our ever-expanding customer base within the transportation sector, we are uniquely positioned for success with the introduction of this new disinfectant; the likelihood of continued operational execution in driving forward our core mission - to make the world a safer place - with the addition of this exciting new product; constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, and our actual results could differ materially from expected results. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, C-Bonds ability to raise capital; the Companys ability to successfully commercialize its products; the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic on the Companys ability to operate; as well as other risks. Additional information about these and other factors may be described in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) including its Form 10-K filed on March 25, 2020, its Forms 10-Q filed on May 15, 2020, November 14, 2019, and August 12, 2019, and in future filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this statement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. Investor Contacts: Luke Zimmerman Senior Vice President MZ Group - MZ North America 949-259-4987 CBNT@mzgroup.us www.mzgroup.us Allison Tomek VP, Corporate Communications C-Bond Systems, Inc. atomek@cbondsystems.com 832-649-5658 Yuriy Pedos will be responsible for holding of the institution of an inquiry The Chief of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Vinnytsia region Vinnytsia National Police department Suspended Chief of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Vinnytsia region Yuriy Pedos was appointed as advisor of Head of the National Police Ihor Klymenko, as Ukrinform reported. General Pedos was appointed as advisor of Head of the National Police and he will be responsible for holding of the institution of an inquiry in the territory of Western-Central district, Klymenko said. Concerning other employees of the apparatus of the Chief Department of the National Police in Vinnytsia region who were suspended or dismissed on May 29 after the mass shooting in Brovary, Klymenko said that internal investigation continues; the role of each person will be estimated and we will also prove this information. Earlier, the leadership of the National Police of Ukraine decided to remove Yurii Pedos, the Chief of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Vinnytsia region, from office. 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. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 09:30:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Sunday night she was imposing a citywide curfew amid rising tensions between protesters and police outside the White House over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed in Minneapolis police custody. Bowser said in a statement the curfew would last "from 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, until 6:00 a.m. on Monday, June 1." She had also activated the D.C. National Guard to support the local police. Sunday marked the third day in a row of protests in the U.S. capital over the death of Floyd. While the clash between protesters and law enforcement officers was less severe than that in other parts of the country, D.C. Chief of Police Peter Newsham said on Sunday the Metropolitan Police Department still arrested 17 people Saturday night and that 11 police officers were injured during the protests. Floyd, aged 46, died on May 25 after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "please, I can't breathe." Chauvin was arrested and charged with three-degree murder and manslaughter earlier on Friday. Floyd's plea before his death evoked African Americans' painful memories. In 2014, a cellphone recorded an unarmed black man, Eric Garner, 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. Enditem Police officers outside Prince Edward MTR railway station during the commemoration of the tenth month after hundreds of anti-government demonstrators were attacked by riot police in clashes at the subway station. China's state media hit back at President Donald Trump's decision to strip Hong Kong of its special status with the U.S., and said Washington should deal with its own problems at home instead of interfering in other countries' affairs. In response to Beijing's decision to impose a national security law on Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous region under Chinese rule, Trump said Friday it will "revoke Hong Kong's preferential treatment as a separate customs and travel territory from the rest of China." Trump also said the U.S. will take "necessary steps to sanction" both Chinese and Hong Kong officials who are "directly or indirectly involved in eroding Hong Kong's autonomy." Top Chinese Communist Party newspaper People's Daily said in a commentary on Sunday evening that the U.S. move to slap sanctions on Hong Kong is nothing but a show of political posturing. It highlighted that Washington announced those sanctions just as protests were escalating stateside, after the killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, by Minneapolis police. The paper questioned why the U.S. was "complaining about others" and "attacking" them instead of focusing on its own problems. The commentary also noted that U.S. deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic have hit a new high. "With domestic crises on the rise, (the U.S.) has not forgotten to interfere in the affairs of foreign countries, as well as withdrawing from the world's largest health organization," the paper said, referring to Trump's decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization. "The logic of the US side is understandable and incomprehensible," it added. RESTON, Va., June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lightbridge Corporation (LTBR), an advanced nuclear fuel technology company, today announced that it has received a patent from the Eurasian Patent Office for its innovative nuclear fuel assemblies. This is a divisional patent of the 2014 PCT application and covers an all-metal fuel assembly design with a mixed grid fuel rod arrangement inside the fuel assembly. Lightbridge is developing its advanced metallic fuel designed to make both existing and new nuclear power plants more efficient, more cost competitive, and even safer. Seth Grae, President & Chief Executive Officer of Lightbridge Corporation, said: We are proud to add this latest patent to our growing portfolio of intellectual property. Eurasia includes countries that are signatories to the Eurasian Patent Convention, such as Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Republic of Moldova. These countries represent an attractive market for our proprietary technology, which is designed to enhance the operating safety and efficiency of existing reactors as well as new reactors. About Lightbridge Corporation Lightbridge (LTBR) is an advanced nuclear fuel technology development company based in Reston, Virginia, United States. The Company is developing Lightbridge Fuel, a proprietary next-generation nuclear fuel technology for current and future reactors, which significantly enhances the economics, safety, and proliferation resistance of nuclear power. Lightbridge invented, patented, and has independently validated its technology, with goals of preventing climate change and enhancing national security. The Company has assembled a world-class development team. Four large electric utilities that generate about half of Americas nuclear power advise Lightbridge on fuel development and deployment. The Company plans to operate under a licensing and royalty model and based on the increased power generated by Lightbridge-designed fuel expects to offer high ROI for operators of existing and new reactors. For more information please visit: www.ltbridge.com . Story continues To receive Lightbridge Corporation updates via e-mail, subscribe at https://www.ltbridge.com/investors/news-events/email-alerts Lightbridge is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @LightbridgeCorp at http://twitter.com/lightbridgecorp . Forward Looking Statements With the exception of historical matters, the matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the timing and outcome of research and development activities, other steps to commercialize Lightbridge Fuel and future governmental support and funding for nuclear energy. These statements are based on current expectations on the date of this news release and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ significantly from such estimates. The risks include, but are not limited to: the Companys ability to commercialize its nuclear fuel technology; the degree of market adoption of the Company's product and service offerings; market competition; dependence on strategic partners; demand for fuel for nuclear reactors; the Company's ability to manage its business effectively in a rapidly evolving market; changes in the political environment; risks associated with the further spread of COVID-19, including the ultimate impact of COVID-19 on people, economies, and the Companys ability to access capital markets; the outcome of the arbitration with the Companys former joint venture partner and dissolution of the Enfission joint venture; as well as other factors described in Lightbridge's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Lightbridge does not assume any obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as the result of new developments or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Lightbridges 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 http://www.sec.gov/ and www.ltbridge.com. When Minneopolis erupted in protests last week over the killing of African-American George Floyd in police custody, a famous Indian restaurant called 'Gandhi Mahal' was burnt down to the ground by protesters. As fire engulfed the Gandhi Mahal, Hafsa Islam, whose family has been running the restaurant for ages wrote on Facebook, "This is Hafsa, Ruhels daughter writing, as I am sitting next to my dad watching the news, I hear him say on the phone; let my building burn, Justice needs to be served, put those officers in jail. On Monday, Islam wrote an opinion piece in the Washington Post on why she or her family isn't remorseful over their loss. "I am angry for my dad, for all he worked for gone up in smoke. When I go to check on him, I see the pain in his face. The collection of local art, the microfarm in the basement, lost in the blaze. He watches the news some, and talks some on the phone, to media and family and friends. Then I overhear him: Let my building burn. Justice needs to be served. Put those officers in jail. READ: Indian Restaurant Burnt Down, But Owner Wants Justice for George Floyd But later, Islam had a sudden realisation. In the op-ed, she writes that it became clearer to her than ever that the issue at hand is greater than Gandhi Mahal. "We can rebuild a building, but we will never reclaim the life George Floyd didnt get to live. For years, protesters tried peace. It didnt work. If this is what it takes to get justice, then it will have been worth it," she wrote in the Washington Post. Islam started with how she saw on Monday, Floyd being handcuffed and taken away by the police. "I remember this mans face well. It sticks with me. He was crying, and he was in pain," she wrote, further adding how protests unfolded over the next few days before her family's restaurant was gutted. Protests over George Floyd's death are escalating across US cities. An over 200-year-old historic St Johns church near White House has been vandalised and set on fire. Protestors were also seen pulling down a flag from the landmark that opened in the year 1816 and popularly nicknamed the Church of the Presidents as beginning with James Madison, every president has been an occasional attendee of services. In Washington, Fox News cameras were rolling as flames erupted in the newly renovated basement of the St. Johns Church parish house; it was unclear exactly how the fire started or how much damage had been done to the church. A senior official said more than 50 Secret Service officers have been injured so far Sunday night, with the numbers expected to worsen, as rioters hurled bottles and Molotov cocktails. There were protests in the area all day, and protesters set several fires on Sunday evening. In Georgetown and elsewhere in Americas capital city, people spent the afternoon hammering plywood boards outside retail shops and restaurants in the hopes their businesses would escape the attacks that others a day earlier did not. With inputs from Agencies The body of a 56-year old farmer was found hanging on a tree near Akim Manso A.M.E Zion Basic School in the Asene Manso Akroso District in the Eastern Region. The body was later identified by family members as Kwame Obeng. The body had since been kept in Akim Oda Government Hospital morgue for autopsy. Narrating the incident to the Ghana News Agency(GNA), Mr Antwi Bosiako, the Assembly Member for Dadieso- Aba Electoral Area where the incident occurred said, he had a call from some residents who stayed near the school to inform him about the suicide. He said he also informed the police after visiting the place to look at the body. Mr Bosiako said family members who heard the information rushed to the scene to identify the body. This was confirmed by a police source who informed the GNA that investigations had been initiated by the police to ascertain the cause of death. The deceased left behind a wife and seven children. 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 Just days after super cyclonic storm Amphan ravaged parts of West Bengal, Odisha and coastal Bangladesh, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday warned of another cyclonic storm, named Nisarga, that may hit coastal Maharashtra and Gujarat on June 3. The IMD said that a low-pressure area is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm and cross North Maharashtra and South Gujarat coast on June 3. The Low-pressure area intensified into a depression today morning. To intensify into a Cyclonic Storm and cross North Maharastra and South Gujarat coast during 3rd June evening/night, the IMD tweeted. The weather department is set to share more details on the intensity and expected damage caused by cyclone Nisarga once it has clearer pictures. However, live tracking of the cyclonic formation is possible and can be done through the IMD website. The depression in the south west Arabian Sea is likely to concentrate into a deep depression in next 12 hours and in next 24 hours it is going to become a cyclone: Anand Kumar Sharma, Deputy Director General, India Meteorological Department (IMD) pic.twitter.com/cZGJJlsv3L ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2020 The depression in the south west Arabian Sea is likely to concentrate into a deep depression in next 12 hours and in next 24 hours it is going to become a cyclone, Anand Kumar Sharma, deputy director general, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday. Heres how to live-track cyclone Nisarga: One of the easiest ways to live track and map the current location of any cyclonic formation is by logging on to the IMD website. Select Cyclone from Our services section on the website. The page will have a menu on the left corner from where national, hourly bulletin on cyclone, wind warning and storm surge warning issued by the IMD can be accessed. Click on Track of cyclonic disturbance and the page will lead to the current status of the cyclonic formations. Another way to live-track a cyclonic storm is by visiting another website developed by the IMD. The Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre for Typical Cyclone Over North Indian Ocean has a website that shows all real-time updates of a cyclone. Visit rsmcnewdelhi.imd.gov.in and the live updates related to the cyclone will be displayed on the homepage. Along with that, people are experiencing high levels of fear, uncertainty and anger, said Claire Wardle, executive director of First Draft, an organization that fights online disinformation. That creates the worst possible context for a healthy information environment, she said. Twitter and Facebook did not immediately have a comment. Here are three significant categories of falsehoods that have surfaced on social media platforms about Mr. Floyds death and the protests. George Floyds Fake Death The unfounded rumor that Mr. Floyd is alive is emblematic of the misinformation narrative that a newsworthy event was staged. This has become an increasingly common refrain over the years, with conspiracy theorists saying, among other examples, that the 1969 moon landing and the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School were hoaxes. On Friday, the YouTube conspiracy channel JonXArmy shared a 22-minute video that falsely asserted Mr. Floyds death had been faked. The video was shared nearly 100 times on Facebook, mostly in groups run by QAnon, reaching 1.3 million people, according to data from CrowdTangle, a Facebook-owned tool that analyzes interactions across social media. Jon Miller, who runs the JonXArmy channel, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. YouTube said on its site that it had removed the video, citing its policy on hate speech. On Twitter, posts stating that George Floyd is not dead were also tweeted hundreds of times over the past week, with the phrase peaking at 15 mentions in a 10-minute span on Monday morning, according to Dataminr, a social media monitoring service. In thousands of other posts on Facebook and Twitter, people falsely stated that Derek Chauvin, the Minnesota police officer who was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Mr. Floyds death, was an actor and that the entire incident had been faked by the deep state. "So no one told ya life was gonna be this way!" - Those are the lyrics you'll probably find yourself singing over and over again for the next wee while, because 'Friends' is now on Netflix! The iconic 90s sitcom is finally available for Kiwis to stream and the best news is that all 10 seasons are there too. If you plan on binge-watching the show, you're going to have to churn through 236 episodes - but for true 'Friends' fans it might be worth it. Many people took to social media to share their excitement over the news... "Might have to watch it all for a 3rd time!" one person wrote. "Goodbye world I will see you in 2 weeks." joked someone else. "Most kiwis would've seen all 10 seasons 1000 times over thanks to constant reruns ever since it was released." added another. If you're in need of a new show to binge over winter, this could be it! A Republican member of the state House of Representatives was criticized by both Democrats and Republicans on Monday after he retweeted a racist statement linking African Americans to arson over the weekend. By late afternoon, the lawmaker apologized to the General Assembly and his constituents. The tweet includes a picture of former Vice President Joe Biden. If you arent setting fire to buildings ... then you aint black! says the meme posted on Twitter, which was retweeted by Rep. Craig Fishbein, a conservative whose district includes Cheshire and Wallingford. We unequivocally condemn it, said House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby. In a joint statement, House leaders including Speaker Joe Aresimowicz; Majority Leader Matt Ritter; and Rep. Brandon McGee, chairman of the legislative Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, also harshly criticized the tweet. Representative Craig Fishbein's blatantly racist retweet is beyond tone deaf - it is hurtful, inflammatory and bigoted, they wrote in a statement. We would like to hear how Republican leaders across the state respond to this cowardly act of bigotry by Rep. Fishbein. Silence is not an option. A lawyer in his fourth year in the General Assembly, Fishbein was one of only three members of the House to vote against the shutdown of the House on March 11, its final day prior to the shutdown for the coronavirus outbreak. Fishbein, in an email response Monday afternoon, said he tweeted the post to underscore the issue of free speech, and a reference to a recent remark Biden made and apologized for that a black person whos not sure whether they would support him or Trump aint black. I shared the meme without comment in a subtle attempt to point out a double standard regarding political speech, Fishbein said. Without explanation, there was no context. I was wrong. The meme was offensive, period. I apologize to the people of the 90th district, my colleagues in the General Assembly and to the people of Connecticut. kdixon@ctpost.com The 'number one' challenge before the government, once it unlocks the economy amid the COVID-19 crisis, will be to put the financial sector back on its feet, former Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya said on Monday. In an interview to PTI, Panagariya further said that India is facing a health crisis that has led to a sudden stop of the economy. "To restart and return the economy to the pre-COVID-19 path, we need to overcome the health crisis. Once this is done, the main weakness we will need to overcome is the one we had left unsolved prior to COVID-19: disruptions in the financial markets. "Getting the financial sector back on its feet will remain the government's number one challenge once we unlock the economy," he said. The nationwide lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 for 21 days to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. The lockdown was first extended till May 3 and then again till May 17. It was further extended till May 31 and now has been extended in containment zones till June 30. 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 home ministry on Saturday said 'Unlock-1' will be initiated in India from June 8 under which restrictions will be relaxed to a great extent, including the opening of shopping malls, restaurants and religious places. Replying to a query on India's current macroeconomic situation, the eminent economist said that once normal functioning of life without masks and social distancing becomes feasible, growth will resume fast. "Can we assess quantitatively where the GDP in 2020-21 will end up? I think not. There is simply too much uncertainty regarding when we will be able to begin functioning normally without masks and social distancing. "It is all going to depend on when a vaccine against novel coronavirus and a cure for COVID-19 become available or when the virus would go into remission on its own," Panagariya, a professor of economics at Columbia University, emphasised. On how is reverse migration going to affect the economy, particularly, the rural sector, he noted that migrant workers will return to host states as fast as they left them once the government allows free movement of people and transportation becomes easily available. "The nature of migrant workers is to rush to home when their workplace is shut down and rush back to the workplace as soon as it opens up. "Just as the host states found it impossible to hold migrant workers back once their states went into lockdown, home states will find it hard to hold them back once host states unlock and resume work," Panagariya said. Lakhs of migrant workers in metro cities returned to their native villages after the nationwide lockdown was introduced on March 25 In the longer run, Panagariya stressed that the problem India needs to solve is the creation of a sufficiently large number of well-paid jobs for farmers who want to leave their tiny farms to seek a better living in industry and services. Asked whether he was satisfied by the pace of privatisation, Panagariya said, "Vested interests and socialist mindset have kept the process of privatization from moving forward even though the Prime Minister and his cabinet had blessed it as far back as 2016." He pointed out that COVID-19 has shown that the government needs to do a lot more in the area of health than it has been doing to-date. "But can it do so efficiently without withdrawing from other activities? Not in my view. "The natural activities from which to withdraw to focus better on health is manufacturing that serves no public purpose and is best carried out in the private sector," the eminent economist opined. Panagariya, who recently wrote a book 'India Unlimited: Reclaiming the Lost Glory', also appreciated the government for announcing numerous reforms that will help improve the efficiency of the economy in the medium to long run. "These reforms had been awaited for decades. I hope the announced reforms actually happen rather than shelved once the crisis is over," he said. When asked about criticism by some experts that India needed additional expenditure and not liquidity infusion, Panagariya defended the government's recently announced measures, arguing that fiscal stimulus, which works by creating demand, cannot go far when there are no workers to help generate a supply response. He suggested that while novel coronavirus is on a rampage, the government needs to ramp up health infrastructure to deal with the virus; ensure that the basic needs of people such as food and shelter are met; and provide enough liquidity so that solvent firms do not go bankrupt before the economy opens up. "Various packages that the government announced have focused precisely on these three items," he asserted. Last month, the government announced a Rs 20.97 lakh crore economic package, which included RBI's Rs 8.01 lakh crore worth of liquidity measures. Sitharaman had unveiled the package in five tranches, which included Rs 3.70 lakh crore support for MSMEs, Rs 75,000 crore for NBFCs and Rs 90,000 crore for power distribution companies, free foodgrains to migrant workers, increased allocation for MGNREGS, tax relief to certain sections and Rs 15,000 crore allocated to the healthcare sector. BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Agree Realty Corporation (NYSE: ADC) (the "Company") today announced its progress on May rent collections, recent acquisition and disposition activities, an update on its former Art Van Flagship store, and a capital markets and balance sheet update. May Rent Collections Update As of May 29, 2020, the Company received May rent payments from 87% of its portfolio and entered into May deferral agreements with tenants representing approximately 4% of its portfolio. 100% of the Company's investment grade tenants paid May rent. Acquisition & Disposition Update Total acquisition activity in the second quarter through May 29, 2020 amounted to $147.4 million with six Walmart stores acquired comprising approximately 39% of acquisition capital deployed. Walmart has accounted for approximately 37% of the Company's year-to-date acquisition capital invested and remains the Company's top tenant at approximately 7.5% of annualized base rent. Approximately 87.9% of annualized base rents acquired year-to-date are derived from investment grade retail tenants, increasing the Company's exposure to investment grade retailers to 61.0% of annualized base rent as of May 29, 2020. The Company sold seven properties quarter-to-date through May 29, 2020 for gross proceeds of approximately $16.6 million. Notable disposition activity included the sale of six franchise restaurants, further reducing the Company's franchise restaurant exposure to 1.6% of annualized base rent as of May 29, 2020. Former Art Van Flagship Update The Company has executed a new twenty-year net lease for its former Art Van flagship location in Canton, Michigan with an anticipated recovery rate of 100% of the previous rent. Rent is expected to commence during the latter half of the third quarter of 2020. This was the only Art Van furniture location in the Company's portfolio. Capital Markets & Balance Sheet Update On April 22, 2020, the Company closed an underwritten public offering of 6,166,666 shares of its common stock (the "April 2020 Forward Offering") in connection with a forward sale agreement in which the shares were sold to Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. at a price of $60.00 per share. On April 22, 2020, the Company settled its previously outstanding forward equity offerings and received approximately $267 million of net proceeds upon delivering 3,976,695 shares of the Company's common stock to effect settlement. As of May 29, 2020, the Company had not received any proceeds from the sale of shares under the April 2020 Forward Offering and therefore has approximately $367 million in anticipated net proceeds available from the April 2020 Forward Offering, as well as approximately $148 million in unrestricted cash and full capacity on its undrawn $500 million unsecured revolving credit facility. About Agree Realty Corporation Agree Realty Corporation is a publicly traded real estate investment trust primarily engaged in the acquisition and development of properties net leased to industry-leading retail tenants. As of March 31, 2020, the Company owned and operated a portfolio of 868 properties, located in 46 states and containing approximately 16.3 million square feet of gross leasable area. The common stock of Agree Realty Corporation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ADC". For additional information, please visit www.agreerealty.com. Annualized Base Rent, or ABR, represents the annualized amount of contractual minimum rent required by tenant lease agreements as of May 29, 2020, computed on a straight-line basis. Annualized Base Rent is not, and is not intended to be, a presentation in accordance with GAAP. The Company believes annualized contractual minimum rent is useful to management, investors, and other interested parties in analyzing concentrations and leasing activity. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements about projected financial and operating results. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "potential," "intend," "expect," "seek," "anticipate," "estimate," "approximately," "believe," "could," "project," "predict," "forecast," "continue," "assume," "plan," "outlook" or other similar words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and can include future expectations, future plans and strategies, financial and operating projections, anticipated rent recovery and rent commencement, anticipated financing proceeds or other forward-looking information. Although these forward-looking statements are based on good faith beliefs, reasonable assumptions and the Company's best judgment reflecting current information, you should not rely on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control and which could materially affect the Company's results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, performance or future achievements or events. Currently, one of the most significant factors, however, is the potential adverse effect of the current pandemic of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, on the financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and performance of the Company and its tenants, the real estate market and the global economy and financial markets. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts the Company and its tenants will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, including the scope, severity and duration of the pandemic, the actions taken to contain the pandemic or mitigate its impact, and the direct and indirect economic effects of the pandemic and containment measures, among others. Moreover, investors are cautioned to interpret many of the risks identified in the risk factors discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), as well as the risks set forth below, as being heightened as a result of the ongoing and numerous adverse impacts of COVID-19. Additional important factors, among others, that may cause the Company's actual results to vary include the general deterioration in national economic conditions, weakening of real estate markets, decreases in the availability of credit, increases in interest rates, adverse changes in the retail industry, the Company's continuing ability to qualify as a REIT and other factors discussed in the Company's reports filed with the SEC. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date hereof. Unless legally required, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in the Company's expectations or assumptions or otherwise. SOURCE Agree Realty Corporation Related Links http://www.agreerealty.com UK firms 'jumping before they're pushed' in 10bn export switch to non-EU markets The UK's small firms are "jumping before they're pushed" by diverting over 10bn in exports away from the EU as concerns mount over a possible collapse in Brexit trade talks. As a new round of trade negotiations between the UK and the 27-member bloc resume today [Monday, 1 June] following fractious comments on both sides in recent weeks, new research from Aston University provides the first firm-level evidence that UK businesses are actively switching exports from EU markets to the Commonwealth, BRICS and other developed economies. The team behind the study said the shift went against conventional 'trade gravity' models, in which countries geographically close to each other tend to do more trade. This, they added, had important implications for the UK's future prosperity which should influence how government supports smaller exporting firms - particularly as the economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis becomes clearer. Analysing 340,000 export transactions by 26,000 UK firms over a five-year period, the researchers found that the smallest 'micro exporters' had switched as much as 46 percent of their new export growth by value from EU to non-EU markets since the Brexit referendum of 2016, while for small firms this figure was 19 percent. The value of this trade was 10.45bn per year. Under 'normal' conditions, these exports would have been expected to go to EU markets, but instead went elsewhere. 'Diverted' exports went mainly to the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and Commonwealth countries such as Australia, New Zealand and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, and to a lesser extent to rich OECD countries including the US, Japan and South Korea. The effect, monitored using the latest available data to the end of 2018, was also observed among medium-sized firms, although to a lesser degree (-7 percent). And the very largest exporters actually grew the value of their EU exports, possibly by taking market share from smaller companies that ceased to export there. Industries particularly exposed to potential future tariffs, including food and drink, chemicals, textiles and transport manufacturing, saw the biggest shift, indicating that firms most worried about the current transition period ending without a trade deal were taking pre-emptive action. The Aston University researchers said the divergence could be due to micro- and small exporters' greater reliance on a small number of export transactions and product lines making them less able to diversify their risk than larger firms that sell a range of products. In 2018, the latest available full year, the EU accounted for 45 percent of UK exports of goods and services and 53 percent of imports. The UK had a trade deficit with the EU of 66 billion in 2018 and a trade surplus of 36 billion with non-EU countries (Source: Commons Library). Jun Du, Professor of Economics at Aston Business School, said: "This evidence suggests that UK exporters are jumping before they're pushed - finding alternative markets worldwide for their products even before we know the outcome of the current UK-EU trade negotiations and any potential new barriers. "They also seem to be defying conventional theories of trade gravity, preferring to direct their trade flows towards Commonwealth countries where the UK may still have historical linkages, or emerging economies where future growth potential could offset some of the higher costs of trading. "Of course, we will need to see whether these patterns still hold true in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, which has focused minds on some of the vulnerabilities of long-distance supply chains." Prof Du added that, while diversifying trade patterns made sense for companies facing uncertainty, diversion on a large scale would be "risky". She cited challenges such as higher transport costs and unfamiliar bureaucracy in new markets, as well as currency and credit risks. In addition, there could be a "negative impact on firms' productivity and innovation levels" if the UK pivoted away from the EU's sophisticated market and supply chains towards less-developed economies. "Overcoming these risks calls for focused policy support," she added. "The Government and its trade-promoting agencies need to provide guidance on strategies for adapting to these new trade destinations. They need also to ease export admin and stimulate financial support, risk management and education in strategic marketing. Interestingly, these actions are those that were undertaken by countries like Japan and South Korea in their successful export-led growth from the 1960s onwards." ### This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Every day that 12-year-old Leven OKeefe takes dance class with the Myers Ballet Studio, her mother, Jenny, helps her push all the furniture out of the dining room of their Wilton homeexcept for one heavy wooden chair that she uses as a barre. Her five siblings clear out, and then Leven logs onto Zoom to join her teacher and classmates for the warm-up. The best part about online classes is still being able to have that feeling of being in class, and still being able to do what I love, said Leven, whos been dancing at Myers since she was 5. Without the classes, it would be hard to keep dancing during this time, and they help with having something to do. Before the shutdown in March, Leven took class at the studio in Schenectady five times a weekadvanced technique, jazz, private instruction, choreography and pointe. Our whole schedule revolved around dance because of how dedicated she was to it, so to all of a sudden not have that was definitely a blow, Jenny said. For her to maintain the connection to the studio and her teachers and friends, and to retain that sense of normalcy, is so important for her. The shutdown orders came in the midst of rehearsals for the studios annual spring recital at Proctors and the Festival of Young Artists at SPAC in June. Some of the students had just been cast in New York City Ballet performances at SPAC as well including Leven, who had gotten a part in Swan Lake. Everyone was really in shock, including me, studio founder Darlene Myers recalled recently. This has been my livelihood and my passion for decades the earth was shaken underneath me. And then my dancers in the company [Northeast Ballet] and my students were like, OK, lets go on, you dont have to have a physical studio to do this. So I regrouped myself and my staff and figured out how we could go forwardwho felt comfortable teaching virtual classes, how to restructure classes, and also the safety issues, making sure all the kids were safe dancing in their homes. At first, everyone held out hope that the shows would go on, but while it would be another two months before SPAC officially canceled its season on May 18, it soon became clear that performing onstage wasnt in the cards. As Myers students faced that reality, dancers and teachers at the School of the Albany Berkshire Ballet and its sister school, Cantarella School of Dance in Pittsfield, Mass., were experiencing the same challenges and disappointments as they cancelled performances and transferred classes online. Its a shift that has been easier for the younger students, said director Madeline Cantarella Culpo. The little ones have been having a grand time seeing their teacher on television, Culpo said. Weve met a lot of kitty cats. The downside is for children who have been in the school for 10 or 12 years, and this was their year to graduate and to shine. Well try to do something online for them, but its not the same. Pirouettes and Silver Linings Like Leven, 10-year-old Lars Wiederkehr of Princetown was taking classes at Myers Ballet Studio five times a week before the pandemic. Now, when its time for class, he heads out to a corner of the garage where he has a barre and a full-length mirror. Recently, hes been learning to pirouette, and supplements his three group classes per week with one-on-ones with Miss Myers. For Lars, who keeps a journal recording what he learned in class each day, dancing remotely has been an opportunity to grow in new ways, particularly through private instruction. Ive been learning actually a lot, said Lars, who played the role of Fritz in Northeast Ballets Nutcracker last year and also has a black belt in taekwondo. When I was at the dance studio, my teachers would teach me the basics and now with Miss Myers, she can give me more instructions and make the basics turn into a whole new movement that I havent done before. Lars has done tremendous work and improved so much, Myers said. I think its given him an anchor for this pandemic time period. With online class size limited so that teachers are able to focus on each student, instruction has become more personalized, Myers says, and at the same time, students have been forced to grow into greater self-awareness. I have definitely been able to get better at self-correcting, says Leven. The online classes have helped me think about what Im doing when Im dancing instead of waiting for a teacher to correct me. For Leven, whose 5-year-old sister, Tallis, is also taking remote classes, the sense of community is as important as the dancing itself. She FaceTimes with classmates to create choreography together, and looks forward to checking in with her dance family on a regular basis, as well as to special events like a recent online master class with Peter Stark of the Boston Ballet. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Sometimes after class, well talk about how it went and how were feeling that day, she said. Everyone has been so positive and helpful. Parents have been finding the bright side, too: At Myers, rehearsals and classes are closed [to parents], so you only get to see them dance when theyre dancing around the kitchen, or at a recital or the Nutcracker, said Jenny OKeefe, who sneaks a peek at Levens classes occasionally now that shes dancing at home. Ive always heard her talk about it, but to be able to put together the names with what shes doing and watch the process a little more has been really fun. Leaning Into the Stretch There have been surprising benefits for the teachers as well, as they stretch their skills in ways theyve never been asked to before. As they look ahead to bringing classes back on-site in accordance with social distancing requirements, they are recognizing the unexpected lessons of this strange time. I tell my students, you are in a really small space but I want you to travel in this space as though you had a big room, Culpo said. Yesterday, one girl was doing a waltz in a small circle, and I told her, go right down the hall and then turn around and come back. Some children who felt insecure in the classroom have blossomed in this situation, and others who were concerned about taking class without anyone to follow in front of them have been doing fabulously well. Its exciting to see children who really want to dance working hard and improving. There are laugh-out-loud moments, too, Culpo said: One day I said, Children, youve been working hard, lets sit on the floor and stretch, and one of my students jumped right onto her bed. Teaching remotely isnt something shed want to do for the rest of my life, Culpo says, but it has value. I find that I feel better when I get in front of that computer and Im ready to go to work. Even at my age, its made me a better teacher, says Myers. Doing private instruction has been so rewarding, because its given me the time I havent had to slow down and be with individual students. Now that were not so focused on the final product, we have the time to go through the journey with our students, which is a wonderful thing to go back and relearn. As for Larswho wants to be a dance teacher when he grows uphes looking forward to returning to the studio and to being back on stage. I miss seeing my friends and my teachers, he said. But because of the online classes, I can still dance and I can still express myself, and Im going to feel really confident when I go back. Tresca Weinstein is a frequent contributor to the Times Union. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:40:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A worker loads containers at the port of Yangpu in south China's Hainan Province, April 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Monday released a master plan for the Hainan free trade port, aiming to build the southern island province into a globally-influential high-level free trade port by the middle of the century. A free trade port system focusing on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation will be "basically established" in Hainan by 2025 and become "more mature" by 2035, according to the plan jointly issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council. The authorities expect to make Hainan, China's largest special economic zone, the frontline of China's integration into the global economic system, according to the plan. A STRATEGIC MOVE Supporting Hainan's construction of a free trade port system with Chinese characteristics is a significant move designed, arranged and promoted by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said the document. It has also been a strategic decision of the CPC Central Committee based on the domestic and international situations, it said, noting that the world is facing a new round of major development, changes and adjustment, with protectionism and unilateralism on the rise and economic globalization facing greater headwinds. Building the Hainan free trade port is of vital importance for pursuing an open economy, deepening market-based reform and improving the business environment, as well as a strategic choice for advancing high-quality development and concrete action to support economic globalization and building a community of shared future for humanity, said the plan. Instead of rushing for quick results, China will advance the plan gradually. Hainan will be given more autonomy in reform and will be encouraged to make both the laws and the regulatory system more flexible and efficient, thus clearing institutional obstacles hampering the flow of production factors. The construction of the free trade port will provide support to national strategic goals in terms of institutional innovation, growth impetus and greater opening-up. Hainan will enhance exchanges and cooperation with Southeast Asian countries, and promote joint development with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The master plan also envisions grasping opportunities in the technological and industrial revolution, focusing on tourism, modern services and high-tech industries to foster new competitive edges for the island. The rules and regulations will be made to align with international norms, while a system for risk prevention and control will be in place, it said. BROADER REFORM AND OPENING-UP Focusing on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, the free trade port will adopt a modern industrial system that allows for a smooth flow of key production factors, supported by tailored taxation mechanisms, efficient social governance and the rule of law. To enable the free flow of trade, the island province will introduce measures that center on zero tariffs for the trade of goods, while facilitating both entry and business operation for services providers. Market entry will be markedly widened for investments in an open, transparent and predictable environment featuring strengthened intellectual property rights protection and fairness in competition, in order to further unleash the vitality of market entities. Cross-border flow of funds will be ensured, with efforts including the further opening up of the free trade port's financial sector, which entails support for setting up trading venues for financial products related to energy, shipping, property rights and equities, as well as clearing centers. The general plan also called for more accommodative traveling regulations to encourage talent in high-end industries to stay, reside or work in the free trade port. Logistics will be smoothed under the construction of shipping hubs in the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, with airspace control over the free trade port relaxed and more flights and air routes launched, according to the plan. While ensuring the security of data flow, China will expand the opening-up in the data field, innovating institutional design, and cultivating and developing the digital economy in the free trade port. The document underlined establishing an internationally competitive taxation system that should be suitable for the high-level free trade port by sticking to the principle of zero tariffs, low tax rates, simplified taxation system and the rule of law. Efforts will also be made to advance the reform of government institutions and the transformation of government functions, said the master plan, encouraging the application of blockchains and other technologies in the modernization of China's system and capacity for governance. A system of rule of law for the free trade port will be established in a bid to create an internationally leading rule-of-law environment. In the meantime, effective measures will be rolled out and implemented to forestall and defuse risks in fields including trade, investment, finance, data flow, ecology and public health, in a targeted manner, according to the document. 01.06.2020 LISTEN "If you can't treat someone with dignity and respect, then you need to get out. If you can't treat someone from another gender, whether that's a man or a woman, with dignity and respect, then you need to get out. If you demean someone in any way, then you need to get out. And if you can't treat someone from another race or a different color skin with dignity and respect, then you need to get out. No one can write on a board and question our values. No one can take that away from us. What we should have is a civil discourse and talk about hampering issues in our country, that's a better idea." In the wise words of papa Abraham Lincoln, former President of the United States of America, America will never be destroyed from the outside. He further said in a speech in Peoria, Illinois, October 16, 1854, against the Kansas-Nebraska Act quoting, "My ancient faith teaches me that all men are created equal; and that there can be no moral right in connection with one man's making a slave of another. These are fundamental doctrines, traditional and reality truths spoken indirectly against those who claimed to own America more than the others. My heart bleeds to see 'The Great America' being destroy by people who didn't fight to build it. The historical contributions of blacks in the US when sketching of cities in America were in place in the midst of grave slavery, those who are claiming to be white supremacists today were never seen physically, morally, & ideally. Blacks struggled to build America with their hands, they engineered the blue print of America and forecasted the greatness of America today which every race is now enjoying. Those white supremacists historians didn't capture it in America real history. They abstracted the good works of the blacks and replaced it with their opinions, this is the dying America we have today. The increased repression of blacks in America through mass shooting, compromised criminal justice system, and literature attacks signal a hideous rebellion to come and I foresee a vivid collapse of America Justice system, political system, & economy system as well. When a buffoon & moron white supremacist sits at the echelon of the country's highest seat with no political & military knowledge, he/she runs a gangster paradise administration and careless of the depleting situations on the ground. Yes! We don't trust the current leader of America. Yes! We don't trust the current criminal justice system of America. Yes! Blacks are not safe in America. Yes! Blacks are being discriminated against consistently without realizing that they built America and make it strong today. Yes! America is the only country in the world that preaches equity, but crucify it at the back. They chest beat having the strongest democracy in the world but, it's President chastise Press Freedom, allows Police to shooot unarmed blacks without remorse, and publicly boast by saying; "Make America Great Again." A racism in the highest spectrum of the political & social rights quantum. It is ludicrous, disarray, and uncomfortable for America Justice system to have allowed a man who committed a premeditated murdered, abused the uniform military code of Justice against a citizen he's compelled to protect, but, yet, the System charged him of Third Degree Murder & Manslaughter. In my mind, this is a contradiction and an affront to the founding principles of which America was built on. America is bleeding and the wounds will not be cured until JUSTICE is served to people who were denied justice. The wrath of the spirit of big brother George Floyd and all those who died in similar ways will never forgive America until justice is served. America, be informed that China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, Germany, & France are watching you..... Respect the human race or risk loosing everything! I rest my pen! Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that he would urge maximum discussion and participation on three things in healthcare sector amid the Covid-19 crisis, one of them being advances in tele-medicine. He also pushed for the Make in India cause in health sector and developing more IT-related tools for healthcare. Can we think of new models that make tele-medicine popular on a larger scale? the prime minister said. During the last six years, the Central government gave top-most priority and impetus to reforms in health and medical education, PM Modi said on Monday. Also Watch | Virus may be invisible enemy but Covid warriors are invincible: PM Modi The prime minister outlined the four broad pillars of healthcare development in the country and pushed for Make in India cause in the health sector. Also read: PM Modi chairs Union Cabinet meeting as India enters Unlock 1 At the root of Indias brave fight against COVID-19 is the hardwork of the medical community and our CORONA warriors. In fact, doctors and medical workers are like soldiers, but without the soldiers uniform: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 1, 2020 The initial gains in this make me optimistic. Our domestic manufacturers have started production of PPEs and have supplied about 1 crore PPEs to Covid warriors, he said. PM Modi also emphasised the importance of developing more IT-related tools for healthier societies. I am sure you have heard of Arogya Setu. 12 crore health-conscious people have downloaded it. This has been very helpful in the fight against Coronavirus, he said. There are three things on which I would urge maximum discussion and participation. One is - advances in tele-medicine. Can we think of new models that make tele-medicine popular on a larger scale: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 1, 2020 He said that India needs to have proper medical infrastructure and medical education infrastructure. Work is underway to ensure a medical college or post-graduate medical institute in every district of the country, he said. The prime minister described coronavirus as an invisible enemy and said that nations warriors, medical workers are invincible. In the battle of Invisible vs Invincible, our medical workers are sure to win, he said, reiterating that violence, abuse and rude behaviour against frontline workers will not be accepted. Third is- IT related tools for healthier societies. I am sure you have heard of "ArogyaSetu." 12 crore health-conscious people have downloaded it. This has been very helpful in the fight against Coronavirus: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 1, 2020 The prime minister also reflected on the strides made by the country in the field of healthcare services, developments and infrastructure in the past years. I would like to highlight the success of Indias National Nutrition Mission that is helping youngsters and their Mothers. India is working twenty four by seven to eliminate TB by 2025. This is five years ahead of the global target of 2030, the prime minister said, adding that India has seen rapid progress in setting up 22 more AIIMS. He said, the worlds largest healthcare scheme - Ayushman Bharat - belongs to India and in less than 2 years, 1 crore people have benefitted from it. The prime ministers comments came while he spoke at the 25th foundation day of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka via video conference on Monday. Hangzhou: Describing BRICS as an influential voice in international discourse, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said it was the groupings shared responsibility to shape the global agenda. Leading from the chair, Modi addressed the BRICS Leaders Meeting here, before the 8th annual Summit in Goa from October 15-16. We, as BRICS, are an influential voice in international discourse. It is, therefore, our shared responsibility to shape the international agenda, he said. Our shared responsibility to shape international agenda in manner that helps developing nations achieve their objectives, he added. Modi said that as chair of BRICS, Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions is the theme we have chosen which mirrors central priorities at G20 Summit. Weve taken BRICS out of capitals to involve people from all walks of life. It will be an opportunity to deepen our ties and with BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries. The four other leaders who participated in the meeting of the five-member bloc included Brazilian President Michel Temer, Chinese President Xi Jinping - with whom Modi held bilateral talks earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin and South African President Jacob Zuma. Our summit next month would not only be an opportunity to deepen ties with ourselves, we will also interact with Indias neighbouring countries of BIMSTEC - Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand, who have been invited for the outreach summit. We welcome you all to Goa next month, Modi said while concluding his brief address. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Let them breathe, foreign ministry spokesman tells US as protests seeking justice for George Floyds death intensify. The Iranian foreign ministry has called on the United States to stop violence against its own people in the face of large protests sweeping the nation following the police killing of another Black man in Minneapolis. To the American people: the world has heard your outcry over the state of oppression. The world is standing with you, foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said at a news conference in Tehran on Monday. And to the American officials and police: stop violence against your people and let them breathe, he told reporters in English. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets across the US in recent days to protest against police brutality and demand tougher, first-degree murder charges and more arrests over the death of George Floyd in police custody on May 25. Floyd died after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee on the handcuffed Black mans neck for nearly nine minutes, until he stopped breathing. Chauvin has been fired and was charged with third-degree murder on May 29. We deeply regret to see the American people, who peacefully seek respect and no more violence, being suppressed indiscriminately and met with utmost violence, Mousavi told reporters in English. He also accused the US, a longtime foe of Iran, of practising violence and bullying at home and abroad. The sometimes violent protests in the US have received widespread coverage in Iranian media, especially on state television, which recently aired a programme accusing the US of institutional racism. Hundreds killed in Iran protests Tensions between the two countries have been rising since 2018 when US President Donald Trump withdrew his country from a landmark nuclear accord and reimposed crippling sanctions on Irans battered economy under Washingtons campaign of maximum pressure. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Monday said on Twitter: The knee-on-neck technique is nothing new: Same cabal have been employing it on 80M Iranians for 2 yrs, calling it maximum pressure. It hasnt brought us to our knees. Nor will it abase African-Americans, he said. The US had condemned the Iranian government in November after deadly street violence broke out in the country during protests triggered by a surprise petrol price hike. A senior Iranian legislator said on Monday that 230 people were killed and thousands injured in the November protests, according to state media. It was the first time an official in Iran gave overall casualty figures for the unrest. London-based human rights group Amnesty International has said 304 people were killed in that crackdown, including 12 children, while the US said more than 1,000 people might have been killed. Iranian officials have repeatedly denied death tolls given by foreign media and human rights groups, calling them lies. Federal officials in Massachusetts said federal charges could be pursued in connection with the violence after what had been peaceful protests in Boston Sunday. Boston police arrested 53 people after violence erupted Sunday night. The violence came after the organized protests ended in the city. Several police officers and bystanders were injured, and numerous businesses and monuments were damaged. In a statement issued Monday, U.S. Attorney of Massachusetts Andrew Lelling said federal charges could be levied if needed in response to the violence Let me be clear: the violence and destruction last night in Boston was an embarrassment to the movement for police reform and accountability, he said. The Boston Police, supported by State Police, Transit Police, federal law enforcement and the National Guard, was doing its job the dangerous, necessary job of protecting the public safety. I support them completely and, if needed, I will use federal charges to make that point. Lelling said he commended those people who protested loudly but peacefully. But stealing suits, robbing a jewelry store, and rounding out the night by vandalizing businesses in Back Bay, attacking police and torching cruisers? Thats crime, and nothing more, he said. FBI Boston Special Agent-in-Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta said in a statement that the FBI remains in contact with Boston and Massachusetts State Police and is prepared to assist them. The FBI asked people to send photos or video of people engaged in criminal behavior on Sunday night. Were you in downtown Boston Sunday, May 31, 2020, during the protests that turned violent? If you have photos or videos of individuals engaged in criminal behavior that could help law enforcement, please submit them here: https://t.co/a7GFc9NOme FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) June 1, 2020 We are also working with the Massachusetts United States Attorneys Office to determine what if any federal violations may have occurred, he said. Related Content: New Delhi, June 1 : The Covid-19 vaccine development is moving in a positive direction, next one month is very crucial, said Dr. Krishna Mohan Ella, Chief Executive Officer of Bharat Biotech. The company has formed a collaborative framework with the University of Wisconsin, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Thomas Jefferson University of Philadelphia to develop a vaccine for Covid-19. Talking to IANS, Mohan said: "The vaccine development is moving in a positive direction. The next one month is very crucial. I am a scientist and I believe in science." Queried on Bharat Biotech's plans on vaccine production against the backdrop of the statement by The Serum Institute of India, which said it plans to produce 60 million doses of a potential Covid-19 vaccine by year end, Ella said insisted he is a scientist and the company is working very hard on the development of the vaccine. He expressed satisfaction on the progress of the research connected with vaccine development so far, but insisted "in science, things can change". "If things were not to be moving positively, I would not be talking to you... we are at a very crucial stage, cannot comment on the number of doses (like The Serum Institute) etc," Mohan added. According to the ICMR, the human trials could begin in at least 6 months. Queried on the beginning of human trials of the vaccine, Mohan said: "Let us go by science. I cannot comment on the beginning of the human trials." "We are working very hard on the vaccine, which will benefit the people," he added. Noting that the global media is watching the vaccine development very closely, Mohan refrained from making any comment on the progress made so far and any specific goals set for the next month. India witnessed 8,390 cases in 24 hours on the second consecutive day. The total case count of coronavirus disease mounted to 1,90,535 on Monday. India has emerged as the 7th worst Covid-hit country globally, leaving behind France and Germany. There are at least 93,322 active cases while 91,819 people have been cured. Recovery rate in the country is 48.19 per cent now, while the death rate docked at 2.83 per cent. In May, Mohan said Bharat Biotech is collaborating with the Thomas Jefferson University towards developing a new vaccine for Covid-19 using an inactivated rabies vector platform. He added that the basic proof of concept has been established while using it for other pandemic infectious diseases. Mohan said the company is committed to global public health and will be involved in an end to end development of the vaccine including comprehensive clinical trials to achieve a commercial license. (Sumit Saxena can be contacted at sumit.s@ians.in) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Chinese UN envoy urges U.S., Britain to immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:26, May 30, 2020 UNITED NATIONS, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, on Friday urged the United States and the United Kingdom (UK) to immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs, immediately stop practices of hegemonism and power politics, and mind their own business, rather than provoking tensions and making troubles everywhere. Zhang refuted the fallacy on Hong Kong made by the United States, Britain, and some other countries, saying China opposes and completely rejects the baseless remarks made by the United States and Britain. "The U.S. and the UK, for their own political purposes, have been making unwarranted comments, interfering and obstructing, and attempted to push for an open video conference in the UN Security Council. China expressed strong opposition, and the vast majority of the Council members did not support the U.S. proposal, believing that the Hong Kong-related issues were China's internal affairs and had nothing to do with the mandates of the Security Council. The Security Council rejected the unreasonable request of the U.S., and its attempt failed," said a press release issued by the Chinese Mission to the United Nations. "Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs and allow no external interference. National security legislation for Hong Kong does not constitute any threat to international peace and security. The Council must not get involved in any way," Zhang said. The third session of the 13th National People's Congress, China's national legislature, on Thursday adopted the Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to Safeguard National Security. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address World Vision launches historic $350M campaign against extreme poverty as coronavirus could erase progress Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Warning that the world could experience a 30-year setback in the fight against extreme poverty without intervention amid the coronavirus pandemic, evangelical Christian humanitarian aid organization World Vision has launched a $350 million campaign to help some 72 million people globally with pastors as key players. [This is] the largest ever global response in our 70-year history largest ever, Edgar Sandoval, president of the development organization, told The Christian Post in a recent interview. We are aiming to reach 72 million people, including 36 million children. To do this, we need to raise $350 million and thats what everyone is working really hard to do to raise the funds that we need to serve the most vulnerable. Extreme poverty, according to the World Bank, is living on less than $1.90 a day. The most recent available estimates from 2015 show that 10 percent of the worlds population or 734 million fall in that bracket. That figure is 36% lower than the 1.9 billion who were living in extreme poverty in 1990. With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Sandoval believes the world could basically turn the clock back 30 years on extreme poverty if nothing is done. "This virus has the destructive power to potentially turn the clock back 30 years and all the progress that the world has made on eliminating extreme poverty, Sandoval said. It is urgent that we respond and that we respond with this level of scale. And pastors, said Sandoval, will serve as key players in helping them reach the worlds most vulnerable. We know that pastors and other faith leaders can be a real power, force, in stopping COVID-19 because they have the position of trust in their communities and they can, he said, noting that they are crucial in helping to combat misinformation about the disease. Drawing from previous experience, this is not the first time that World Vision is partnering with pastors and other faith leaders. This is something we have done in every single pandemic that we faced whether it is HIV and AIDS, or the Zika or Ebola outbreaks, this is the model that works, he said. He noted that during the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone in 2014, World Vision worked with pastors and faith leaders to help share safe but real practices and other ways for people to protect their families. Despite Sierra Leone being the epicenter of the Ebola crisis, not one of the 59,000 World Vision supported children and families died. Not one, he said. And that was only possible because of the great work that we did in partnership with the pastors and faith leaders. World Vision will be mobilizing their 37,000 staffers worldwide as well as their network of 400,000 pastors and other faith leaders in the areas where the organization operates along with some 220,000 community health workers. In their three-pronged global response, the organization will focus on: promoting preventative measures to stop the spread of the virus, supporting health systems and the workers that operate in those health systems, and addressing all the secondary impacts of the virus on children and communities. Just in our first two months of [the pandemic] weve already equipped over 36,000 pastors and faith leaders to disseminate the first phase of our response, Sandoval said. The humanitarian organization, which has also been doing significant work stateside to assist vulnerable communities with essential supplies through a network of churches, is primed to help during the pandemic due to seven decades of experience in the WASH sector. WASH is the collective term for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. World Vision is the worlds largest non-governmental provider of clean water in the world," Sandoval said. "We reach a new person with clean water every 10 seconds. We reach a new school with clean water every 60 seconds and so weve learned and weve become a world leader in sanitation, hygiene and clean water practices and so thats the expertise that has helped us and helped the communities that we serve fighting previous pandemics. And in this particular case, the WASH sector is fundamental, essential. The World Bank predicts that due to the coronavirus crisis as well as the oil price drop, the poor could suffer a disproportionate impact through job loss, loss of remittances, rising prices, and disruptions in services such as education and health care. The ongoing crisis, says the international monetary agency, will erase almost all the progress made in the last five years. For the first time since 1998, poverty rates will go up as the global economy falls into recession and there is a sharp drop in GDP per capita, the World Bank said in a recent report. In 2020, the agency also estimates between 40 million to 60 million people will fall into extreme poverty as a result of the coronavirus. The global extreme poverty rate could also rise by 0.3 to 0.7 percentage points, to around 9% in 2020. These are very different times and the amount of uncertainty is quite high, Sandoval said. World Vision has been focused on marching forward with its work through prayer, kindness and a bias for action. We believe this is our time. This is a time where every act of courage, love and belief in the name of Jesus does more than just stop the spread of fear, it replaces it with hope, he said of the work of his organization. He praised the faithfulness of World Visions donors and urged Americans to think about the vulnerable in the rest of the world as the U.S. looks to emerge from a period of high coronavirus deaths and infections. My prayer is that they will be on the minds of Americans especially now that the wealthy and the poor, the powerful and the weak, the north and the south, the east and the west, everyone is simultaneously vulnerable to this same imminent and present danger, he said. GRAND RAPIDS, MI Restaurateur David Reinert has shelved plans to convert an old, industrial building near the burgeoning Bridge Street corridor in Grand Rapids into a new restaurant. Reinert, who owns Butchers Union and OTooles Public House, submitted plans for the concept to the city of Grand Rapids in February, and his request was to go before the planning commission on Thursday. But he decided to pull the proposal, citing the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. For us, we need to feel very confident that were past COVID, and additionally that we fully understand the potentially new restaurant and hospitality landscape post COVID, Reinert said. Dine-in service at restaurants in Michigan was temporarily suspended March 16. It has since been allowed to resume in northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula under social distancing guidelines and reduced customer occupancy rules. But the ban remains in effect elsewhere in Michigan, including Grand Rapids. Reinert declined to discuss the restaurants concept and name. Such details will be revealed should he and his colleagues choose to move forward with the project at a later date. In documents submitted to the city, Reinert estimated the restaurant would require between a $1.5 million to $2 million investment. The proposed restaurant was to be built at an old, industrial building at 337 Summer Ave. NW. Its located less than one block south of Bridge Street, where a host of new restaurants and bars have opened in recent years. Property records show the building was purchased in September 2018 for $880,000 by Summer Avenue Ventures, a limited liability company. Reinert is listed as the registered agent of Summer Avenue Ventures. Reinerts two other restaurants, Butchers Union and OTooles Public House, are also located nearby on Bridge Street. He said neither are offering takeout during the pandemic, and that hes laid off about 125 people at the two restaurants. He said hes focused on supporting and maintaining his existing restaurants during the pandemic. He said his company was approved for a Payroll Protection Program loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration but declined to discuss the amount of the loan or other specifics. The SBA such loans can be forgiven if borrowers use the money to keep all employees on the payroll for eight weeks and other funds are used on expenses such as rent, mortgage interest and utilities. Read more: Friday, May 29: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan Alcohol home delivery possible in proposed legislation to help Michigan bars and restaurants hurt by coronavirus Hundreds pray for Michigan families, elected officials on Capitol lawn during coronavirus pandemic Cafes in Melbourne's Degraves street open for dine in customers on June 01, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. Restrictions continue to ease around Australia in response to the country's declining COVID-19 infection rate. (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images) Victoria Takes Next Step to New Normal Victorians are now able to sit down at their local pub or cafe as months of restrictions have eased to allow 20 people to gather at public venues. Victorians have also been urged to keep their guard up while they get back on the beers and go out for brunch, as months of COVID-19 restrictions ease. Cafes, restaurants and other spaces where groups gather have reopened with 20-person limits under changes to lockdown rules on Monday, but a return to office work will not follow soon. Patrons at eateries still need to maintain 1.5 metres between tables, and contact details will be collected to assist in rapid tracing if anyone falls ill with COVID-19. Premier Daniel Andrews has acknowledged the situation is not perfect for hospitality businesses, and urged Victorians to continue to work from home if they can. As we open up the economy We will see more positive tests, we will see more outbreaks, he said. Now I know theres some frustration there, people like all the rules to come off yesterday. Thats not smart, that wont work. Stressing Victoria cant just switch back to normal, Andrews said one of Chief Health Officer Brett Suttons biggest concerns was hundreds of thousands of people returning to work. Its almost impossible in some office environments to not be coming into contact with very large numbers of people, Andrews told reporters. Then, of course, theres a small matter of how people will get to work with 15 percent of the public transport system able to be safely used and maintain that 1.5 metres distance. Opposition leader Michael OBrien railed against the Premiers comments, claiming theres nothing to stop country communities with little public transport returning to work. The Premier is being very unfair to people who live outside Melbourne. Hes paralysing them because of his inability to run Melbourne public transport safely, he said. Libraries, galleries, museums, amusement parks, places of worship, beauty clinics, nail salons and massage parlours can also reopen, albeit with no more than 20 people at a time. People are also allowed to stay in holiday homes and return to caravan parks and camping grounds. The latest step towards normality in Victoria came as four fresh cases of COVID-19 were confirmed on Monday. They included one who has been in close contact with an infected worker from the Rydges on Swanston hotel. The new case brings the total for that outbreak to eight. Another of the latest cases was a returned traveller in hotel quarantine, while two were discovered through community testing. There have been no new cases linked to the family outbreak in Keilor Downs, in Melbournes northwest, which has now infected 13 people across two homes. Victoria has had 1653 cases, with 1560 people recovering from the illness and 19 deaths. That leaves 74 active cases, with six people currently in hospital, including one in intensive care. Victorias total has included 168 cases where the source of transmission isnt known. Health Minister Jenny Mikakos on Sunday declared Victorias state of emergency would be extended until 11.59pm on June 21. The extension is aimed at allowing health authorities to continue implementing legal directions, including the changes starting on Monday. Bob Davis and Lingling Wei. Harper Business, $29.99 (448p) ISBN 978-0-06-295305-6 Wall Street Journal reporters Davis and Wei deliver an essential look at recent U.S.-Chinese relations, up through the January 2020 trade deal. Going back to the beginnings of Chinas economic rise in the 1980s, they trace the deterioration in the countrys relationship with the U.S., which Beijing officials once likened to an old married couple who needed each other, even though they might bicker. Davis and Wei remind readers that Bill Clinton, now seen as the great globalizer, initially ran as an advocate for reviving U.S. manufacturing and as a harsh critic of Chinas human-rights record, only to forge close economic ties to the country once in office. The potentially dry subject matter is made vivid by the authors references to relevant aspects of their family backgroundsWei's as the granddaughter of a veteran of Maos Long March, and Daviss as the son of a factory owner who encountered intractable competition from Asian manufacturingand by portraits of such key players as Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and Trumps trade adviser Peter Navarro. They end by listing options for the next U.S. president, whether Trump or Joe Biden, to take on China, including more multilateral use of tariffs abroad, and greater use of tariffs at home. This is required reading for anyone concerned about Americas economic future. (June) Minnesota's attorney general said Monday that he is 'very seriously' looking at prosecuting the other three officers who were at the scene when Derek Chauvin kneeled on George Floyd's neck and promised to 'bear all the resources necessary to achieve justice'. 'We're going over it carefully and we are reviewing the video tapes, the audio tapes, all the evidence, and we will make a charging decision based on the facts that we can prove, but I don't want anybody to doubt that we are very seriously looking at that issue,' Minnesota AG Keith Ellison told SiriusXM. 'I don't deny that your eyes are working well and you saw what you saw, but that doesn't mean that when we get to a courtroom that it's going to be some sort of easy slam dunk. History proves that it isn't. So what I'd say is we're going to be fair,' Ellison said. Floyd, 46, was killed on Memorial Day after white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, 44, pressed his knee into his neck as Floyd pleaded that he couldn't breathe. During a press conference on Sunday, Ellison said: 'We are going to bring to bear all the resources necessary to achieve justice in this case. 'Let me also note a dose of reality, prosecuting police officers for misconduct, including homicide, murder, is very difficult.' Scroll down for video Minnesota's attorney general, Keith Ellison (pictured), has been appointed to take the lead in any prosecutions related to the death of George Floyd as he declares that those responsible will be held accountable Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white cop who has since been arrested, was seen in footage kneeling on Floyd's neck for eight minutes as the victim repeatedly said he could not breathe (incident pictured) 'We are pursing justice. We are pursuing truth; we're doing it vigorously. And we are pursuing accountability,' Ellison added. Minnesota Gov Tim Walz made the decision to put Minnesota AG Keith Ellison in charge of the investigation instead of to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, which was a huge win for local civil rights activists who say Freeman does not have the trust of the black community needed to handle a case that has sparked widespread unrest and a national focus on racism in the criminal justice system. Ellison, who was a vocal progressive congressman before winning state office in 2018, has the experience and community confidence for the job, Walz told reporters Sunday. 'Keith Ellison, our attorney general of Minnesota, needs to lead this case,' Walz said, adding that he made the decision after talking to the Floyd family. 'They wanted the system to work for them. They wanted to believe that there was trust, and they wanted to believe that the facts would be heard and justice would be served.' Floyd (pictured), 46, died shortly after Chauvin kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes Walz made the announcement shortly after Freeman released a statement saying he asked Ellison to 'assist' him in the case in a 'joint effort.' Ellison said he and Freeman will be working together. Both men have sought to set expectations in a case certain to be closely scrutinized. 'There have been recent developments in the facts of the case where the help and expertise of the Attorney General would be valuable,' Freeman said. Chauvin was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Three other officers who were involved have not been charged, though Freeman and Ellison have said additional charges are possible. Floyd's death has triggered calls for police reforms, peaceful protests, as well destruction and violence in Minneapolis and cities across the country. Calling in an outside prosecutor is extremely rare, and typically only reserved for cases in which the prosecuting office has a conflict of interest. The move followed days of criticism from activists, who view Freeman as part of the system they want reformed. He served as Hennepin County attorney in the 1990s and was elected to the post again in 2006. While leading the office, he has charged only one officer in a fatal shooting - and that was in the case of Mohamed Noor, a black officer who killed Justine Ruszczyk Damond, who was white. It took four days for Freeman to bring charges against Chauvin, a delay criticized by activists. More than 100 people gathered outside Freeman's home Sunday, calling for a special prosecutor, the arrests of all four officers and for Freemans resignation. 'We want somebody who's on our side. Mike Freeman is not on our side,' said protester Sharaunta Beach. 'We have to have people who are for the truth and what's right.' In a letter to Walz, Ellison and Freeman, the Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said Sunday that having Freeman investigate the police, which his office works with daily, 'fosters distrust and suspicion in the community'. The letter urged that the case be transferred to Ellisons office, where an attorney qualified to handle such cases could be appointed. Thousands across the US (Minneapolis protest pictured on Sunday) have been calling for justice for George Floyd Protesters gather on and around the steps of Wilmington City Hall in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina, on Sunday Demonstrators confront police officers during a protest in Atlanta on Sunday 'Doing so would send a strong message to the community that a third party ... will vigorously pursue justice and police accountability,' Minnesota ACLU president John Gordon wrote. Several Minneapolis City Council members also called on Walz to appoint Ellison, who as attorney general helped form a working group on reducing police-involved deadly force incidents. But Ellison also has a national political profile likely to draw partisan criticism. He rose to national prominence as the first Muslim elected to Congress and served as deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee. After he decided to run for attorney general, an ex-girlfriend accused him of abuse, saying he dragged her off a bed during an argument. An investigation commissioned by Minnesota Democrats ruled the accusation was 'unsubstantiated'. As Ellison was discussed for the Floyd case, a January 2018 tweet resurfaced, showing a picture of him holding up the book 'Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook.' Ellison tweeted that the book would strike fear in the heart of President Donald Trump. Antifa, short for anti-fascists, is an umbrella term for far-left-leaning militant groups that resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations. Federal officials have suggested the group may be involved in the wave of protests this week. When asked about that on Sunday, Ellison said: 'It means nothing. I was in a bookstore. I saw a book. And I think it's just a complete diversion.' On Sunday, Trump tweeted that Antifa will be designated as a 'terrorist organization'. He previously blamed members of Antifa for causing the violence during protests across America following Floyd's death. By Express News Service ALAPPUZHA: Ambalappuzha police have registered a case against Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala and 19 other Congress workers for violating social distancing norms while attending a protest programme against mineral sand mining at Thottappally. Ramesh Chennithala on Sunday visited Thottappally estuary and the venue of the Congress relay satyagraha held in protest against mineral sand mining. Chennithala reached there along with KPCC general secretary A A Shukkur, DCC president M Liju, former MLA Babu Prasad and other party leaders. Ambalappuzha circle inspector T Manoj said the case had been registered for violating social distancing norms. by Paul Wang This year, for "health" reasons, a vigil commemorating the dead in Tiananmen has been banned. Hong Kong is the only place in the Chinese world where that event has been remembered for 30 years. Maria Tam, a former member of the British government and now one of the most faithful voices in Beijing, reassures us: if there are no secessionist claims, the vigil can be held. For the Tam, there is no single party in China, or a dictatorship. Hong Kong (AsiaNews) Will those who remember the people killed in the Tiananmen Square massacre on June 4, 1989, go to prison? This is the question that many young people in Hong Kong are asking now that the Chinese parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC) decided to launch a security law to be imposed on the territory. The law should punish and prevent actions and activities that 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. Hong Kong is the only city in the Chinese world where for 30 years the people killed in the Tiananmen Square massacre are remembered with a vigil that gathers up to 150 thousand people. This year, due to anti-Covid restrictions, the police are not giving permission for gatherings with more than 8 people. Many democratic leaders, supporters of the vigil, suspect that the "health" concerns are only a facade which is allowing the government to achieve its goal of eliminating the vigil for Tiananmen permanently, in line with the wishes of Beijing. In China, anyone who makes a gesture in memory of the massacre is imprisoned. Rthk, the Hong Kong broadcaster, asked Maria Tam, one of the politicians most loyal to Beijing, a member of the NPC Standing Committee, who will be tasked with the roll out of the security law. Maria Tam is famous for being "faithful" to British colonialists as well: in the 1980s she was even part of the Executive Council, the government cabinet. A reporter asked her if it is dangerous for people to shout slogans calling for an end to the one-party in China. The answer always reported by Rthk is: it depends on the circumstances in which these slogans are shouted. She was asked if the new law would prohibit the request for an end to the "single party dictatorship". Maria Tam replied that there is no similar dictatorship in China because the country has many political parties. Indeed, in China there are some small political parties, which however recognize the supremacy of the Chinese Communist Party and are not considered equal. Tam advised that if such a slogan is shouted at a demonstration, it is better that the participants distance themselves, to be on the right and safer side. MONTREAL, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSXV: AEL.H) Amseco Exploration Ltd (Amseco or The Company) announces that it will take advantage of the 45 days delay granted by the Autorite des marches financiers for the filing of its 2019 financial statements, management discussion and analysis, and annual notice. These documents should be produced before June 15, 2020. The Company is waiting for a specific document from Tax authorities, which its auditors require to finalize the financial statements. Until the 2019 financial statements, management discussion and analysis, and annual notice are filed on SEDAR, Amsecos Management and directors and any insider are under a policy regarding prohibitions on transactions in accordance with Section 9 of General Instruction 11-207 - Failure-to-File Cease Trade Orders and Revocations in Multiple Jurisdictions. Since the last published financial statements and since the May 4th 2020 Press Release, no significant events relating to Amsecos business occurred. Should such event occur before the above-mentioned documents are filed on SEDAR, Amseco will immediately publish a press release in accordance with the applicable continuous disclosure requirements. Francois LeComte Director 2159 Mackay Suite 200 Montreal, Quebec H3G 2J2 lecomte.amseco@gmail.com 514-562-9778 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. UW in the News State, national and international media frequently feature the University of Wyoming and members of its community in stories. Here is a summary of some of the recent coverage: UW economists published study, titled The Benefits and Costs of Using Social Distancing to Flatten the Curve for COVID-19, was cited in a New York Times piece, On the Economics of Not Dying. UW economists are Linda Thunstrom, David Finnoff, Stephen Newbold, Jason Shogren and graduate student Madison Ashworth. The Hill cited a study by UW economists, led by Thunstrom, in an article, titled COVID-19 reveals how economists sometimes forget economics. The Guardian quoted UW law Professor Michael Duff and others for an article that focused on New Yorks health care executives who are receiving immunity for their negligence during the coronavirus pandemic. Critics say the states liability shield is linked to higher nursing home death rates during the crisis. Jacobin Magazine published a similar article. Duff also was quoted in South Africa Financial News for a related article on the pandemic involving workers at a McDonalds restaurant. Duff also was interviewed by The Atlantic discussing how employees can be fired for getting COVID-19. Duff said a successful workers compensation claim rests on showing that you caught the coronavirus at work -- but it is something that can be nearly impossible to prove. The Wyoming Tribune Eagle featured UW graduate Christoph Geisler, who has a patent-pending probiotic supplement called Krystalase that contains microbes specifically engineered to address the root cause of gout. The Casper Star-Tribune (CS-T) reported that a number of UW students living off campus have tested positive for coronavirus. The number of positive cases that have been reported has doubled Albany Countys numbers. Oil City News published UWs official release on the announcement. UW law Associate Professor Melissa Alexander told Cowboy State Daily that Wyoming business owners can require customers to wear protective facemasks before entering their respective establishments. BBC World Report included an interview with UW economist Rob Godby, who discussed how Wyomings coal industry faces a big challenge to recover. The segment focused on how the coronavirus has further stalled President Trumps pledge to revive coal mining in the U.S. Godby spoke with Cowboy State Daily for an article focusing on how construction and infrastructure projects can help boost the states faltering economy. Godby also was interviewed by The Gillette News Record commenting on the U.S. Energy Information Administrations report indicating that Americans consumed more energy from renewable sources combined than coal in 2019. The CS-T reported that five finalists were selected for the Wind River Startup competition to pitch their business ideas. UW entities were among the sponsors of the competition, along with the Wind River Indian Reservation tribes. UWs release announcing that the College of Education was ranked first in the nation by Study.com on its list of the 50 Best Colleges for Education Majors was published by Sheridan Media. Hits 106 published UWs release announcing that the university will allow outdoor gatherings of up to 250 people on campus after June 1, in accordance with new state rules. UW Extension offices will soon begin opening on a county-by-county basis as restrictions ease and individual county health protocols are followed, according to The Wyoming Tribune Eagle. Oil City News published UWs release announcing that the university is offering a number of short online summer courses to help assist Wyoming residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. UWs Chris Henry, from Laramie, was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Mens Track and Field/Cross Country first team, according to WyoSports. He will now be considered for national academic honors. Sports Illustrated interviewed Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss on a number of topics, including her late father, Jerry, who was born in Kemmerer and graduated from UW at age 19. On the occasion of International Childrens Defense Day, an outdoor event was held today in Aragatsavan village of Aragatsotn Province of Armenia. The news was reported by Armenian News-NEWS.ams source, which also provided a video showing that not everyone is wearing face masks, and social distancing is not maintained at all. According to the source, there are no representatives from the village council to control the situation so that everyone follows the procedure established by the Commandant for the state of emergency, and more and more people are coming to the event. Today, Armenian News-NEWS.am talked to director of the health center of the village Gor Hovhannisyan, who informed that there are three confirmed cases of coronavirus and the contacts have self-isolated at home. A post-COVID-19 world looks extremely different for Indian mobility startups. While they thrived on point-to-point shared transportation services earlier, these companies are now looking for long-term engagements with their consumers. Players like Vogo, Bounce and others have started offering year-long subscriptions to their users and the initial response has been positive. Bengaluru-based scooter sharing platform Bounce said they have received around 2,000 bookings with the average booking duration of 45 days. In the case of Vogo, booking volumes have reached 40 percent of their pre-lockdown numbers, with a healthy share of renewals as well. The average booking period for Vogo is 15 days. Another Bengaluru-based ride-sharing startup Royal Brothers has also seen around 43 percent of its inventory getting booked on long term subscriptions of their bikes and scooters. Personal safety, better control and financial independence are the reasons for this move towards long term subscription, said a Bounce spokesperson responding to Moneycontrols queries. Industry insiders have pointed out that safety is one of the primary reasons for this shift. Consumers are wary of using public transport and a scooter which gets handled by multiple people through the day is not the safest choice either. Further, the scooters of these companies are parked around the city which raises more questions on safety and hygiene. On the other hand, many consumers are also not in a position to put in Rs 60,000 right now to buy a premium scooter or a bike. The subscription model works both ways. Considering the current economic situation, people are postponing the purchases of high-priced assets using our scooters across multiple days gives users the ability to find a substitute for ownership without making the upfront capital commitment, said Anand Ayyadurai, chief executive officer, Vogo. 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 Bounce, which used to offer self-driven scooters for city commute, is now offering scooters for one to two years rental, under the Bounce Atmanirbhar scheme. They are offering a new Vespa for Rs 5,800 for a year-long lease. For two years it becomes Rs 4,500. Royal Brothers said that 80 percent of their business used to be daily rentals before COVID, now more than 80 percent of their daily bookings are long term rentals. They have a fleet of 2,000 two- wheelers. Not only are companies offering these long term rentals, they are also sanitising the vehicles at the time of delivery. Royal Brothers co-founder Abhishek Chandrashekar said they are undertaking doorstep deliveries of the bikes, and then in front of the customer they are spraying disinfectants on the vehicle to reassure the customer. We are even keeping the key in the ignition slot while spraying the bikes, this ensures that even the keys are sanitised and the customer is convinced, said Chandrashekar. Vogo has adopted a similar procedure while doing deliveries mainly aimed at instilling confidence among consumers. This is a marked shift from their previous business models and survival is one big point which has driven these companies towards this new direction. Industry observers have always stressed how consumers would want to get rid of the additional headache of finding parking, insurance, maintenance and everything that comes with ownership. Sharing would let consumers use scooters, cycles for point-to-point commute but have no headache about maintenance. But all that is changing now. These companies are even ready to take care of the servicing of these vehicles. Ayyadurai of Vogo said that they allow customers to even drop the vehicle at their collection points for servicing and pick up an alternate vehicle. For minor services our mechanics are equipped to go to users homes and carry out the repairs, he said. More than geared bikes, scooters are showing higher popularity, said Chandrashekar. This indicates that many people are looking at these subscriptions as a mode to tide over the current crisis. Royal Brothers customers include doctors and paramedical staff who had to go to work even during the lockdown period. Many executives at software companies which had to be operational during the lockdown also opted for these vehicles. While it started because there was no public transport during the first two phases of the lockdown, it is fast catching up as a trend with wider adoption. A post-COVID world will look very different for mobility startups where they will move more towards a leasing platform. The free Senior High School policy introduced by the Akufo-Addo government started in September 2017. In this policy, every child in Ghana who qualifies for, and is placed in a public Senior High School for his secondary education will have his/her fees absorbed by the government. The implementation of the free SHS policy has resulted in a massive increase in enrolment, making students who could not have continued their education after basic school having the opportunity to continue. The first batch of students to have enjoyed the 3 years free SHS were to complete June 2020 if not for the novel coronavirus pandemic. Like any other policy, the free SHS needs continual evaluation, pruning and tweaking here and there to improve and make it better for the nation and beneficiaries. One area this article seeks to bring the attention of the handlers of free SHS to is the necessity of bringing back cut-off point in placing students in Senior High School for free education. Cut-off point or score according to the glossary of education reform, is the lowest possible score on an exam, standardized test or other form of assessment that a student must earn to either pass or be considered proficient for selection and placement. Introducing cut-off points in selection of Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) candidates to enjoy free SHS means that an aggregate score is going to be set as the lowest possible mark a student should obtain in the BECE before that student can be placed in a Senior High School to benefit from the free SHS. This is what used to be done before free SHS was introduced and we need to go back to it for the following reasons: Quality of Students Placed into SHS Senior High School is supposed to continue and build on the foundations given to students at the basic level. The cut-off point is necessary if we are to feed the SHSs with quality students who have the good foundation for SHS education to build on. Because of the absence of cut-off points, most basic school students are not challenged to put much effort in their academic work. This is because they know that whatever grade they obtain in the BECE, it is highly possible they are going be placed in an SHS to enjoy free education. They are therefore not challenged to put in their best as they would if they knew they wont enjoy free SHS if they dont make a certain grade point. As avowed by Frank Knoll; the brain needs to be regularly challenged in order to attain its uttermost performance. Such students will go to SHS not prepared and with a weak grasp on fundamental concepts he/she was supposed to have before secondary education. Most of these students because of their poor academic background are hardly able to commit to learning at the SHS. They find it difficult adapting to learning and are mostly truants who are found engaging in recalcitrant behaviour. These students who are mostly dumped in deprived schools become a liability in those schools making the work of teachers even more difficult. SHS teachers have syllabi and timeframe within which these syllabi must be completed. If students are placed in SHS who do not have the required basic knowledge and skill expected of a students who has completed basic school, teachers cannot concentrate on the core SHS syllabi within the 3 year SHS period. If we continue flooding our SHS with ill prepared students, they are also going to come out ill prepared and we cannot blame SHS teachers as they cannot use the 3 years in SHS to fix the gap from JHS before teaching SHS syllabi. This can lead to a situation of garbage in garbage out at the SHS level with students completing but not benefiting academically from free SHS except the dining hall food and stationary given to them. The ministry of education should therefore not complain or blame SHS teachers when students come out with poor grades. They are the originators of the problem. Commitment to Studies at Basic level If students are aware that they have to meet a certain grade point without which they will not be placed in SHS, they are going to be motivated to take their class lessons and personal studies seriously. An awareness of cut-off point before one enjoys free SHS will help solve truancy and lackadaisical attitude of some BECE candidates. The fact that there is no challenging cut-off point has made some students lazy. Before free SHS, some grades were regarded as not good enough and it made BECE candidates sit up and take their studies seriously. But now grades ranging from 38 48 which previously never gave others opportunity to even pay fees to be in SHS are now found in free SHS. If a cut-off point of aggregate 30 is set for example and students are preconditioned that they have to make that grade else they cannot enjoy free SHS, it will bring some level of seriousness, urgency and commitment in the way learners take their studies at the basic level. Teachers and parents are also going to be committed and put in much effort to make sure students excel. Basic school teachers like to see most of their students in SHS and are happy when that happens. Knowing that a cut-off point exists will push them to do more so students will meet it and be able to continue their education to SHS. If parents know that for their children to enjoy free SHS, a certain grade point must be obtained, they are going to provide all the necessary support and commitment needed by children to obtain that grade so their children can also enjoy free SHS. Putting Resources to Efficient Use Millions of cedis that could have built hospitals, construct good roads and provide portable water are being invested in the free SHS every year. It is right that citizens who are also stakeholders in these money demand value for money. We must ensure our hard earned resources as a country are spent on students who are willing and committed to learning. Education is an investment and no investor will invest in an unprofitable venture or invest without looking at prospects. The reality we face without cut off point is that there are a number of SHS students who doesnt even understand the sacrifices the nation is making for them to have education or their reason for being in SHS. They have become a liability in the various SHS and the government keep spending the nations resources on them every semester. A cut off point will ensure that resources are channelled to push those who are good and ready to climb the academic ladder and also to identify students who can pursue vocational and technical training and those who can learn skilled work. These resources can also be used to expand existing facilities. Investing in the citizenry by providing free education to improve the literacy rate of the nation is a great thing; however, those who benefit must be students who have the prospect. The wholesale placement into SHS will not only dilute the quality of SHS education and students produced but also cause financial loss to the state. At the end, the country is not going to benefit from the education it intended to give these children for the ultimate good. Universities use cut-off points to prune and properly place students and bringing it back to basic education will enhance the free SHS rather than mar it. Students who dont meet the cut-off point should not be neglected, rather, they should be given the opportunity to learn and rewrite BECE just like Nov/Dec WASSCE. They can then be placed to enjoy free SHS the next year when they meet the cut-off point. Cut-off point is not to deny students opportunity to be educated. Its good for the student as well as the state. It shows the proficiency and readiness of a learner to pursue studies at a certain level. Financial support in education is not just for the needy but also brilliant. In as much as we want to improve the illiteracy rate of the nation, we cant just be wasting resources on students who themselves are not interested nor ready to receive the education we are giving them. As the president has given permission for JHS 3 students to return to school and prepare for their BECE, it is important that candidates are made aware of the introduction of cutoff point in the selection and placement into SHS so they can prepare accordingly. Mayor Brian Bowman says Winnipegs share of an early federal gas tax payout will help the city get through the summer but isnt enough to guarantee council can avoid service cuts or steeper property tax hikes in the longer term. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Mayor Brian Bowman says Winnipegs share of an early federal gas tax payout will help the city get through the summer but isnt enough to guarantee council can avoid service cuts or steeper property tax hikes in the longer term. Ottawa announced Monday it will expedite a $2.2-billion payment of previously committed federal gas tax dollars to municipalities to support their infrastructure as they cope with COVID-19 shortfalls. That means the full payments will arrive this month, instead of a portion coming through later this year. Winnipeg expects to receive about $44 million, which Bowman said is a positive step that will help support city services over the next few months. But if pandemic restrictions continue to linger on without more senior government support, the need to maintain critical services could force some tough choices, he said. "The longer it goes on, the more pressure it places on us to make choices between programs and services and taxation levels," he said. City finance officials recently estimated Winnipeg will lose $73 million this year due to the pandemic, before savings from reduced Transit service and city layoffs are factored in. The losses would increase if any pandemic-related restrictions continued past Aug. 31. The mayor said Winnipeg needs additional provincial and federal support, especially since it cant run an operating deficit. He said a growth funding model could improve the financial outlook, since it could help the city tap into revenues that grow as the economy does. For example, the mayor suggested Manitoba could consider devoting the revenue from one point of its provincial sales tax to support municipal operating costs. Bowman said he wishes to avoid a property tax hike, since he expects it would hinder Winnipegs economic recovery. "(With) property taxes and business taxes any prospect of increases is only going to hurt property owners and businesses at a time when they need as much help as possible," said Bowman. On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the funding "an initial measure" and urged provincial governments to help support cities. "We need to do more and we will do more. But doing more needs to happen hand-in-hand with the provinces who have jurisdiction over municipalities," said Trudeau. NDP Leader Wab Kinew said the provincial government must act quickly to help cities, through financial aid packages and by allowing local governments to run operating deficits for this year only. "The province could step in and give the City of Winnipeg the ability to borrow money for one year just to help them through this difficult period," said Kinew. 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. In an emailed statement, Manitoba Municipal Relations Minister Rochelle Squires noted the province has advanced the city $90.9 million of its municipal operating grant to help address pandemic costs. "We are providing certainty to municipalities to help maintain critical essential services such as emergency personnel, even as we face unprecedented financial challenges as a provincial government," said Squires. The minister did not directly answer whether the province will provide additional funding for Winnipeg but said her government "looks forward" to more collaboration with municipalities and the federal government. -with files from The Canadian Press Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden toured the site of one of the protests in his home state of Delaware on Sunday while calling for protesters against police brutality not to turn to violence. Biden, wearing a face mask, made his second appearance outside his Delaware home since the coronavirus crisis hit in March, visiting an area in Wilmington where demonstrators vented outrage at the death of a black man shown on video gasping for breath as a white Minneapolis policeman knelt on his neck. During Sunday's walkabout, one man in a Delaware State University T-shirt can be heard saying in the video, 'You gotta get that crazy guy out of office, Biden,' referring to President Trump. 'Save us, save us. Please, save us,' he begs. Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visits a site of the protest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, in Wilmington, Delaware The Democratic candidate shared a photo of himself in Wilmington, Delaware where he said there had been protests the night before It's only the second time since lockdown rules were brought in that Biden has been seen out and about A campaign post on Instagram showed Biden speaking with African American residents and inspecting buildings boarded up to prevent damage hours after he issued a statement that 'we are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us.' 'The only way to bear this pain is to turn all that anguish to purpose. And as President, I will help lead this conversation - and more importantly, I will listen, just as I did today visiting the site of last night's protests in Wilmington,' Biden wrote on Instagram. Biden demanded demonstrators stop 'burning down communities' in the midst of their protesting. 'Protesting such brutality is right and necessary,' Biden said in a statement emailed shortly after midnight. 'But burning down communities and needless destruction is not. 'The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest. It should not drive people away from the just cause that protest is meant to advance,' Biden urged. Officers with the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office line to confront protesters in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis Officers with the Wilmington Police Department take a knee after protesters chanted to 'Take a knee for George' in downtown Wilmington on Sunday Officers with the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office and the Wilmington Police Department line up after firing tear gas while confronting protesters in downtown Wilmington Biden's remarks echoed a statement on Saturday by prominent black civil rights activist and U.S. Representative John Lewis of Georgia. Lewis, who in 1965 was beaten unconscious by Alabama state troopers during a march for voting rights, called for protesters to 'be constructive, not destructive,' though he said he knows their pain. Biden will face President Donald Trump in the November 3 presidential election. Trump's re-election campaign manager, Brad Parscale, had said on Saturday that Biden should deliver a more forceful condemnation of violence. Earlier on Sunday it was revealed Biden campaign staffers were funding bail money to protesters who were arrested in the midst of the riots of the last few days. Presumed Democratic nominee Joe Biden called on Sunday for an end to the violent riots that broke out in the wake of the killing of a black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer Biden's comments also come as it was confirmed that at least 13 of his campaign staffers donated to a fund that helps pay bail for those arrested in Minneapolis where the riots originated The riots broke out after video emerged of a black man, George Floyd (pictured), being killed during an arrest after a white police officer held his knee on his neck for eight minutes in Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis wasn't the only city where rioters took to the streets. Here a protester stands in front of a street fire in Los Angeles on Saturday The former vice president is responding to the riots that broke out in Minneapolis after video emerged of four police officers holding down a black man, George Floyd, until he died from suffocation. Derek Chauvin, a white cop, can be seen in the video kneeling on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes as he repeatedly says he can't breathe. The 44-year-old police officer was fired after the video emerged and was taken into custody on Friday following days of protests calling for his arrest and the victim's family continues to call for a more serious charge than third-degree murder. Biden's comments calling for an end to the violence, which has broken out all over the country, comes as it was revealed that at least 13 of his campaign staff have donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which helps pay the bail fees of those arrested in the city. Reuters confirmed that 13 of the candidate's staff advertised their donations on Twitter. In their Twitter posts, Biden's staff called attention to U.S. inequities based on race and income. 'It is up to everyone to fight injustice,' Colleen May, who identified herself as an campaign organizer for Biden in South Carolina, Wisconsin and Florida, said in a Twitter post. She included an image of her receipt from donating $50 to the Minnesota Freedom Fund. The fund specifically opposes the practice of cash bail, or making people pay to avoid pre-trial imprisonment, and uses donations to pay bail fees in Minneapolis. This has translated most recently to the donations paying the bail fees in the largest Minnesota city after its police jailed people rioting in the streets over the killing of Floyd. It is unclear how many people have been jailed after four nights of protests, but Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said on Saturday that many of those arrested have been from out of state. Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates affirmed that the former vice president opposes the institution of cash bail as a 'modern day debtors prison,' but he declined to answer questions on whether the donations were coordinated within the campaign, underscoring the politically thorny nature of the sometimes violent protests. Bates instead pointed to Biden's comments that protesters have the right to be angry but that more violence won't solve justice problems. In his statement, Biden sympathized with those experiencing loss and economic hardship in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and in the black community even seeming to point to his own experience with loss. 'I know that a grief that dark and deep may at times feel too heavy to bear,' Biden wrote. 'I know.' Biden lost his first wife Neilia and their one-year-old daughter Naomi in a car accident in 1972 just one week after winning his Senate election. In 2015, he lost his 46-year-old son Beau to brain cancer. 'We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us,' Biden continued in his statement. 'We are a nation enraged, but we cannot allow our rage to consume us. We are a nation exhausted, but we will not allow our exhaustion to defeat us.' President Donald Trump has threatened to respond to the 'thugs' with deadly force, but has also expressed sympathy over Floyd's death President Donald Trump, who has previously described himself as a 'law and order' president, criticized violent protesters on Friday as 'thugs' and threatened to respond with deadly force. The president has also, on the other hand, expressed sympathy over Floyd's death. Minnesota could be critical in determining the winner of the Nov. 3 presidential election. The Democratic candidate in the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton, narrowly won the state by a 1.5 percentage point margin. Trump hopes to win the state this year and held a large rally in Minneapolis in October. Trump has struggled to attract African American voters, with only 8% of African Americans voting for him in 2016, according to a Reuters/Ipsos Election Day poll. However, a nationwide decline in black voter turnout in 2016 was widely seen as contributing to Trump's victory. - Five Kenyans have accused Uganda of intentionally releasing excess water from Owen Falls into Lake Victoria which led to floods - They claim the action was contrary to an agreement entered between the East African Community (EAC) countries in the 1950s - The applicants alleged Uganda's action had led to displacement of thousands of people around the lake - They want the court to order Uganda to evaluate and compensate the affected families Five Kenyans have moved to court to sue Ugandan government for allegedly failing to control floods around Lake Victoria which has led to displacement of people. The complainants accused Uganda of breaching East Africa Community Treaty and the Nile Basin Comprehensive Framework Agreement by failing to control the amount of water it released to Lake Victoria. READ ALSO: Mombasa: Boda boda rider dies after being unable to pass stool, urine for 4 days Some of the houses that were swallowed in floods along Lake Victoria shores. Photo: Naomi Akoth Source: Original READ ALSO: Magazeti ya Jumatatu, Juni 1: DP Ruto kukutana uso kwa uso na Rais Uhuru Ikulu In a report by the East African Daily, the applicants who include former president of the Law Society of Kenya, Isaac Okero, named Kenya and Tanzania as interested parties. As citizens of Kenya, who reside in Kisumu and are owners of real property located within the vicinity of the shores of the Lake, we have been greatly inconvenienced by the decision by Uganda, says Okero in the court filing. The five applicants said Ugandas breach had caused flooding that had damaged properties and displaced more than 50,000 people around the lake. They said the locals should be compensated for the losses incurred as a result of the floods that were witnessed around the lake. READ ALSO: 9 captivating photos of foul-mouthed "female Andrew Kibe" King Kalala As applicants we plead for the prayers and orders that Uganda is responsible for the compensation of loss and/or damage suffered by the applicants. Order that loss and/or damage suffered by the applicants assessed by the court are paid by Uganda, read the court documents. They accused Eskom Uganda Limited, the country's hydro electricity generating company, for allowing extra flow of water into the lake in a bid to maintain the required water capacity for generating electricity. The applicants said releasing more water into the lake was contrary to the EAC agreement in which the countries agreed not to interfere with the flow of River Nile. The applicants claim Uganda was responsible for the excess water in Lake Victoria that led to flooding. Photo: Naomi Akoth Source: Original READ ALSO: Tour van driver collapses, dies while driving visitors at Nairobi National Park The water flow arrangements were expressed in a series of agreements entered into in 1949 and 1953 between Britain and Egypt and in 1991 between Uganda and Egypt, from which emerged a policy to release water at particular rates to allow for natural flow out of the Lake. The applicants claimed the Eskom Uganda Limited which owns the Owen Falls dam had been allowing more water to flow out of the lake into the dam to meet growing power demands and releasing excess water into the lake whenever it exceeds the required capacity. Okero, and lawyers Geoffrey Yogo, Raymond Olendo, Jared Sala and Moses Omondi, claim to have suffered disruption of life, damage to properties, and economic loss. Ugandas Attorney General, William Byaruhanga, and the EAC secretary General, Liberat Mfumukeko, have been named as the first and second respondents respectively. They are yet to file a response in court. 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 UPDATE JUNE 24, 2020: Escaped Hamilton forensic psychiatric patient arrested in Toronto A forensic psychiatry patient with violent tendencies who may be clad only in his underwear has escaped from the West 5th Campus of St. Josephs Healthcare. Hamilton police issued an alert to the public just before 5 p.m. on Monday, saying Raymond Mitchell was reported as escaping custody more than three hours earlier. Mitchell has violent tendencies and can be verbally aggressive toward others, police say. He was last seen near East 16th Street and police received the report of his escape just before 1:30 p.m. Forensic patients are either undergoing assessments to determine if they are capable of standing trial or have been found not criminally responsible for a crime and ordered to have treatment. Mitchell is 29, five-foot-eight with a heavy build and weighs over 200 pounds He has short, black hair and a bit of facial hair. He was last seen wearing a red T-shirt, red shorts, black shoes and a blue face mask. He left the hospital without his glasses. Police say Mitchell may have stripped off most of his clothing and may be wearing only white underwear and a white T-shirt. It appears this is not the first time Mitchell has escaped from a forensic mental health facility. In 2014, Durham police issued a similar plea for the publics assistance after Mitchell ran off while on a pass from the Ontario Shores centre in Whitby. At that time, police warned he may be aggressive when confronted. Hamilton police are advising the public not to approach him or try to speak with him. If you do spot him, call 911. If you have non-emergent information to assist police, call the staff sergeant at 905-546-3886. The hospitalizations figure, a record, comes amid what has been a steady upward trend in cases since the Arizona Department of Health Services began tracking the numbers in early April. Hannah Silbaugh decided to stay in the street. We were protesting what the cops were doing and I wasnt going to comply with them saying to leave, Silbaugh said. I wanted to exercise my right to peaceful protest. And I was 100 percent peaceful. Erie, PA Woman detained, maced and kicked while under custody. pic.twitter.com/KlUGUx7oY2 AP (@aprado17) May 31, 2020 The choice led to her being kicked to the ground. Multiple people captured the kick on video, and her case quickly gained national attention, thanks to social media. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and others condemned the police officers action after seeing the video. This level of unnecessary use of force, along with all other instances of it across Pennsylvania yesterday, is unacceptable and diminishes us all, Fetterman wrote on Twitter late Sunday afternoon. One video from the incident had 5 million views on Twitter shortly before 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Its a two second video, showing an officer in riot gear and a protective helmet kicking Silbaugh as she sits covering her face. A longer video which shows more of the street appears to show officers spraying Silbaugh and multiple other people with some type of eye-irritant spray. The Saturday evening demonstration in Erie was one of many taking place across the country in response to the killing of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man who died after a police officer pressed his knee into his neck as he begged for air. Silbaugh, a 21-year-old Erie resident who works as a manager at a retail store, said she wanted to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Its very important to me because, yes, I am white, and yes, I have the privilege, she said, but there are .. blacks folks and (persons of color) that are dying and being injured by the hands of police brutality. And I think we all need to stand up. She said she arrived at the protest around 8 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. She said the crowd was rowdy, but they werent violent. But the situation got worse. Silbaugh said she thinks the actions of police officers escalated the tension. Multiple people recorded a police officer striking Hannah Silbaugh during a protest in Erie that began the evening of May 30, 2020. Screen shot from video by PA Post The Erie City Police Department in a statement said the peaceful protest turned into a riot when about 400 people descended on Erie City Hall. The statement said protesters pounded on the doors, spray painted the building and shattered windows. The department said officers gave multiple warnings and released colored smoke, before calling in the SWAT team. At one point, Silbaugh said she and some other demonstrators positioned themselves between police in riot gear and a larger group of protesters. She said police told them to move, but she chose not to. She said police sprayed some type of chemical she wasnt sure if it was mace or pepper spray. The others who were with her left. But I decided to stay seated, Silbaugh said. Silbaugh said she held her hands up in front of her eyes to protect herself from the chemical officers used. She stayed sitting. And then she felt herself hitting the ground she didnt understand why until later. She said police told her that if she didnt move, she would be tazed. She said she ran to the nearest side street to look for a bottle of water. At that point, I was so discombobulated. I couldnt see. I couldnt breathe, she said. A stranger gave her a bottle of water, so she could wash her eyes out. It seemed to her that there was more violence occurring in the streets, and she decided she wasnt safe there. She went home and checked her phone and social media to look for updates and to see if everyone was safe. Then she saw a short video of a police officer kicking a person who was sitting on the ground. I was like, Oh, my goodness, thats me, she said. She looked at more posts and found a longer video. Watching it felt different than experiencing it the first time. When she was in the street, she was confused, and knew she was being pushed around and sprayed. But the video gave her a clearer understanding of what happened. It was really kind of an out of body experience because thats the things that Ive been seeing on the news, she said. And it happened to me, and it was just absolutely insane to see that happen. Silbaugh said she stayed up all night. She didnt go to an emergency room. After a few hours, she called a number for poison control because she still felt a really horrible burning sensations and was told to wait it out. She tried putting in contact lenses Sunday morning but it was too painful. She said she took cold showers to try to help, but even on Sunday evening she said she still felt the burning sensation in her arms and hands. She felt sore, especially where her body hit the ground. She said she had some bruises, but with all the chaos of the night, she wasnt certain what caused them. A statement from the Erie City Police Department didnt directly address Silbaughs case, but said police have several hundreds of hours of videos to watch and would review them. The department invited anyone who would like to make a formal complaint to do so. The police department said more than a dozen officers suffered injuries from bruises, cuts and scrapes, to gashes and burns. The department said the riot gear officers wore prevented them from being seriously injured or killed. (W)hile our officers were being hit with bricks, rocks, water bottles, and fireworks, they just took it all. They showed a lot of restraint, held the line, and did not fire a single shot, the department said. Pennsylvania State Police and the Millcreek Police Department assisted. In a news conference early Sunday evening, Erie Mayor Joe Schember said 11 businesses in downtown Erie were hurt very badly, and he described fire damage and broken windows there. Schember said he saw a video of a police officer striking Silbaugh, and that the city would investigate the case. Obviously, its very brief. I know for a fact that police tried to get her to move very politely for quite a while, Schember said. Their line could not move beyond until she moved.Schember said she wasnt doing anything wrong, but she was preventing the police from stopping the people behind her.] Erie Mayor Joe Schember stands in his office in this file photo. At another point in the news conference, Schember called it a terrible video. The city has not identified the officer who is shown in the video striking Silbaugh. Frank Strumila, a media strategist for the city, said the investigation is ongoing. On Sunday evening, Silbaugh said she had not reached out to the police department, and she wasnt sure if she would file a formal complaint or take any other action. She was grateful for all the support she has received. I have received an outpouring of love, she said. I have hundreds of people, you know, checking on me, making sure that Im OK. A teenager has become a social media sensation thanks to a hilarious video of her trying on ill-fitting yoga leggings. Lucy Booth, 18, of Aberdeen, bought the 14.99 teal leggings from ShinyStar on Amazon in her 'usual' size 8 but was left in hysterics when she tried them on at home and discovered the waistband stretched up to her armpits. Seeing the funny side, Lucy recorded a video of the hilarious fit and shared it on TikTok where it has received more than 9.2million views. Speaking to FEMAIL about her purchase, Lucy said: 'Initially when I first staring putting on the leggings I thought, "these are ace!". The material was actually top quality and they were not see through at all. Lucy Booth, 18, of Aberdeen, bought the 14.99 teal leggings from ShinyStar on Amazon in her 'usual' size 8 but was left in hysterics when she tried them on at home and discovered the waistband stretched up to her armpits (pictured). Lucy recorded a video of the hilarious fit and shared it on TikTok (right) where it has received more than 9.2million views Lucy, who lost her job as a bartender due to the coronavirus crisis, had bought the leggings (pictured) as a cheaper alternative to a similar style from Instagram-friendly label Gym Shark 'I knew they were going to be high waisted as they stated in the description but... they just kept on going.... and going.... and going... until they were all the way up to my armpits! 'The legs fitted wonderfully but dear God the top half was immensely tall. Now, I am not a small woman - I am 5ft 8in - so who knows has a torso of this size? 'I wasnt angry at all at the fit to be honest, it was honestly quite amusing. I walked downstairs in shame, but also trying to hold my laughter to show my family in the living room. I got down there and the burst of hilarity was priceless to say the least.' Lucy, who lost her job as a bartender due to the coronavirus crisis, had bought the leggings as a cheaper alternative to a similar style from Instagram-friendly label Gym Shark. Despite the unusual fit, Lucy revealed she wore the leggings once to the gym, although she covered the waistband with a long top. Now she intends to hold onto the leggings, jokingly describing them as a 'family heirloom'. Pictured, Lucy at home Speaking on her decision to share the video on TikTok, Lucy continued: 'The leggings were sitting on my bed and I just thought to myself, "Id love to share this with my friends I think they would get a good laugh out of it", so thats why I made the video really. 'I absolutely love that people have engaged with my video and the fact I have brought a smile to some peoples faces makes me really happy.' She continued: 'Before I posted the video I had around 500 followers, and now I have 13,000 which is really hard to comprehend in my head. And I am so grateful for everyone who has followed me and even just liked the video. 'I never in my lifetimes imagined that one of my TikTok videos would get around 10 million views, ever. But it has been really great and good fun, it has certainly brightened up my time in lockdown thats for sure.' Lucy, pictured, said she was blown away by the support she has received on TikTok Despite the unusual fit, Lucy revealed she wore the leggings once to the gym, although she covered the waistband with a long top. Now she intends to hold onto the leggings, jokingly describing them as a 'family heirloom'. She added: 'These leggings have been seen by millions, I could never give them away now. It probably seems silly but they are a memory now, and just something that my family can look back on and laugh at. 'Definitely something to bring out at future family gatherings. So I know I am definitely going to keep them.' The administrators running South Africas embattled national airline proposed the government provide a 21 billion rand bailout to help repay debt and resume operations after the lifting of COVID-19 travel bans. The plan includes about 17 billion rand that will go toward repaying South African Airways creditors, the bulk of which was allocated by the National Treasury earlier this year, according to a draft copy seen by Bloomberg. A further four billion rand is needed for retrenchments and working capital, the proposal says. The draft plan is for discussion purposes only and we await comment from the affected persons, a spokeswoman for the administrators said, adding that the team has until June 8 to finalize a rescue proposal. South Africas Public Enterprises Ministry, which is responsible for SAA, said it hasnt yet discussed the plan and no decisions have been taken. While the funding agreement has yet to be finalized, a deal of this nature would represent a truce between the government and SAAs business-rescue team over the airlines future. The administrators, appointed in December, had an earlier request for state funding rejected in April, and subsequently proposed firing the entire workforce to stave off liquidation. Bright future Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan strongly objected to that plan, and announced his ambitions for the creation of a new airline at the start of the month. President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated the governments intention to revive SAA on Sunday, saying he sees a bright future for the carrier. South Africas National Treasury put aside 16.4 billion rand to repay SAAs creditors in Februarys budget, although the funding has yet to be handed over. The carriers two biggest commercial lenders are Johannesburg-based rivals Nedbank Ltd. and Absa Group Ltd., according to the rescue plan. A short-term loan of two billion rand from a consortium of banks comes due by the end of July, as does a 3.5 billion-rand financing package from the Development Bank of Southern Africa. SAAs commercial passenger planes have been grounded since late March, when the government closed borders for non-urgent travel to contain the coronavirus. Some domestic flights are being allowed to operate as of Monday for business purposes, though SAA had previously reduced its local services to a single Johannesburg-Cape Town route. The administrators said they had identified two potential strategic investment partners before the COVID-19 pandemic brought the international aviation industry to its knees. A third company had shown an interest in forming an alliance, according to the draft plan. All talks are on hold while the industry recovers. By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 01, 2020 | 12:13 PM | PADUCAH John Montville, executive director of Mercy Health Lourdes Hospitals oncology service line, recently became one of only seven individuals nationwide to be given the new credential of Certified Oncology Administrator (COA). The certification comes from the Association of Cancer Executives (ACE).The certification is bestowed on oncology executives who meet the standards and requirements of ACE, which includes completion of academic papers on oncology topics, and is given after the candidate passes a stringent interview process.I am honored to have been selected as a member of the very first class of Certified Oncology Administrators, Montville said. As I look to evolve in my career, this is the next step and one I intend to use at Lourdes Hospital to further all the work that continues to be done to take our already excellent oncology program to the next level.COA certification is for five years after which time a recertification process must be completed.Montville joined Lourdes in 2017 and has more than 26 years of experience in oncology management and consulting, including operation of his own oncology consulting company, Medical Management Group. Hangzhou : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday for the first time met new Britains Prime Minister Theresa May in Hangzhou, China and held discussions on enhancing bilateral ties in the aftermath of the UKs decision to exit the European Union. Both the leaders held discussions on the sidelines of the G20 summit on building opportunities after the UK voted to leave the EU- the worlds single largest market. Building opportunities with the United Kingdom. PM @narendramodi meets PM @theresa_may for their first bilateral, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. Building opportunities with the United Kingdom. PM @narendramodi meets PM @theresa_may for their first bilateral pic.twitter.com/fRf7ZvUL9i Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 5, 2016 May was sworn in as Britains Prime Minister on July 13, succeeding David Cameron who resigned after the country voted in favour of exiting the EU. Also read: PM Modi backs BEPS recommendations, urges G20 to eliminate safe havens for economic offenders May, 59, is UKs second woman Prime Minister after Margaret Thatcher, also known as Iron Lady, with whom May is often compared. Modi had congratulated May on her assumption of new responsibility on July 27 and had affirmed Indias commitment to further strengthen the strategic bilateral partnership. Thanking Modi, May had during the telephonic conversation said she looked forward to work closely with India to develop stronger ties and enhance cooperation. Modi earlier in the day said fighting corruption, blackmoney and tax-evasion were central to effective financial governance. He also said, we need to act to eliminiate safe havens for economic offenders, track down and unconditionally extradite money launderers. PM @narendramodi : Fighting corruption,black money & tax evasion central to effective financial governance pic.twitter.com/6z8Ux7QYO1 Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 5, 2016 PM @narendramodi professes India's support for BEPS recommendations and calls on countries to commit to the timeline of 2017-2018 Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 5, 2016 PM:G20's efforts shud b for zero tolerance fr corrp'n &black money;zero admin,policy &treaty loopholes;zero barriers &full cmtmnt to action Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 5, 2016 PM ends:Need energy to support dev needs.Bal'cd mix of nuclear,RE & fossil fuels at core f our policy.Thanks for unreserved support to ISA Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) September 5, 2016 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. President Donald Trump's persistent attacks on mail-in voting have fueled an unprecedented effort by conservatives to limit expansion of the practice before the November election, with tens of millions of dollars planned for lawsuits and advertising aimed at restricting who receives ballots and who remains on the voter rolls. The strategy, embraced by Trump's reelection campaign, the Republican National Committee and an array of independent conservative groups, reflects the recognition by both parties that voting rules could decide the outcome of the 2020 White House race amid the electoral challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Helping drive the effort is William Consovoy, a veteran Supreme Court litigator who also serves as one of Trump's personal lawyers. Consovoy's Virginia-based law firm is handling a battery of legal actions on behalf of the RNC, several state GOPs and an independent group called the Honest Elections Project, which is connected to a Trump adviser. The legal firepower and direct involvement of the national party reflect a major escalation in the conservative battle over voter fraud and voting rights, which until this year had primarily been waged by lesser-known groups with far fewer resources. The tactics of those organizations are now being embraced by new players with connections to influential figures in the president's orbit. Thanks in part to Trump's focus on the topic and his assertion that widespread mail balloting would harm Republicans, claims about the high risks of voter fraud have become central to the GOP's 2020 playbook. Those involved in the legal challenges said their goal is to protect the integrity of elections and minimize the chance for fraud by limiting changes to election rules at a time of overwhelming demand for mail ballots. "There is a serious push to send a ballot to every registrant," said Jason Snead, a conservative policy analyst who has led the Honest Elections Project since it launched in February. "I think there is a serious concern that so many registrations are outdated and ballots are being mailed out at great public expense to voters who may be deceased or have moved away or are ineligible to vote." RELATED: Mail-in voting could turn Election Day into Election Week Trump, however, has taken aim much more broadly at the practice of voting by mail, making sweeping and unfounded claims that it will lead to "MASSIVE FRAUD AND ABUSE," as he tweeted Thursday. "We don't want anyone to do mail-in ballots," the president said earlier in May. That puts Republicans in the difficult position of echoing the thrust of Trump's attacks even as they argue that they are not trying to stop voting by mail - and as they continue to work aggressively on the ground to encourage their own supporters to embrace the practice. Democrats say Republicans are trying to disenfranchise younger and minority voters, who historically have voted by mail in lower numbers than other groups and are less familiar with the practice. The RNC and the president's campaign are pushing to limit mail voting for political advantage, they argue. "You used to have these small-time, right-wing operations," said Marc Elias, a Democratic lawyer who is litigating a raft of voting cases this year. "Because Donald Trump has normalized all of these crackpot theories about voter fraud, they've all now joined forces under the banner of the legitimate Republican establishment." - - - Trump has long made unfounded claims about voting fraud, saying during the 2016 election that the contest was "rigged" and that he would consider not accepting the results if he lost to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. After his victory, Trump claimed, without evidence, that millions of undocumented immigrants had voted. Weeks after taking office, Trump formed an Advisory Commission on Election Integrity with the goal of identifying voting fraud across the country. The commission disbanded within months after a number of states refused to turn over voter data - an "embarrassment" to the White House that frustrated the president, according to one former senior administration official, who, like others interviewed, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions. Now, Trump's fixation on potential voting fraud has been embraced as a top priority of the major organizations on the right, which are waging combat over mail-ballot rules on multiple fronts. The Trump campaign has hired three regional directors dedicated to monitoring ballot issues, including identifying the need for legal action in the states, according to a campaign official. By the end of June, the campaign plans to deploy staff focused on voting in at least 10 battleground states, including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maine, Wisconsin and Florida, the official said. Justin Clark, the campaign's top lawyer, is leading the strategy, and Trump is regularly briefed on the effort in every state. One Thursday in April, Trump met for more than an hour on the topic with Clark and RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, among others. The president regularly tells Oval Office visitors anecdotes of alleged voter fraud he has heard. And his public rhetoric has ramped up as states have begun contending with an overwhelming demand for absentee ballots - claiming not only that mail-in voting will cause fraud, but that it will "LEAD TO THE END OF OUR GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY," as he tweeted Thursday. Ballot fraud is a rare occurrence, and there is no evidence that voting by mail leads to "thousands and thousands of fake ballots" and "massive manipulation," as Trump has claimed. Some Republicans have grown frustrated with the president's comments because they are often inaccurate and distract from the work party organizers are doing - including a massive field effort in the states to encourage Trump supporters to vote absentee, according to two people familiar with the GOP effort. Rohn Bishop, chairman of the Republican Party in Wisconsin's Fond du Lac County, a rural conservative area, said Trump's rhetoric on mail balloting is "over the top." "What we need to do is find out how to be better instead of fighting it," he said. "We should just embrace it." Instead, many national and state Republican leaders are challenging efforts to expand mail voting. The RNC and California GOP, for instance, sued California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, in May, seeking to block his decision to send absentee ballots to voters for the general election. National and state committees are also intervening in lawsuits in Florida, Nevada, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, among others, to block Democratic efforts to relax ballot deadlines, lift witness and signature requirements, and otherwise ease voting restrictions. And thousands of volunteers are being recruited by the RNC and Trump campaign to monitor polling stations this year. Party officials said they are moving aggressively in the wake of the 2018 expiration of a federal consent decree that for three decades limited the party's ability to monitor voting. "In most of these lawsuits, we are going in to defend the laws on the books," said RNC spokesman Mike Reed, who accused Democrats of "using the pandemic" to relax rules meant to prevent fraud. "We're going to spend as much as it takes to make sure the security of the ballot is protected, well over $20 million." The GOP claimed a victory Thursday when a state judge in Pennsylvania ruled against a Democratic suit seeking to allow third parties to collect and turn in absentee ballots, a process Republicans call "ballot harvesting." Meanwhile, the nonprofit group Honest Elections Project has filed supporting briefs in many of these cases. It also launched a $250,000 TV and digital advertising campaign echoing the RNC's rhetoric by calling on Democrats to "stop exploiting the pandemic to push radical election changes." Snead, the group's leader, said Honest Elections, much like the RNC, is playing defense against liberal groups' efforts to change election rules. Yet the group has also launched an aggressive campaign to force states to conduct better voter list maintenance - what Democrats call "purging." The effort is particularly crucial this year, Snead said, when states are contemplating sending absentee ballot applications, and in some cases ballots themselves, to every registered voter. "My primary goal is to defend the integrity of our elections," he said. "That has as a necessary component the cleaning up of voter lists." The group has sent notices of intent to file lawsuits to four states - North Carolina, Florida, Michigan and Colorado - claiming that the voter rolls in those states are bloated with people who have died or moved or are otherwise ineligible to vote. Election officials in those states disputed the group's claims. - - - Conservatives and GOP officials involved in the voting litigation say they are not working together to coordinate their strategy. "There are a number of outside groups that care about these issues and often do great work," said Justin Riemer, the RNC's chief counsel. "But largely, it's a party and campaign effort and so I would leave it at that." However, the legal arguments deployed by the various groups bear remarkable similarities - and share a law firm, Consovoy McCarthy, that is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. Consovoy, whose firm represents Trump in two personal suits, also has advised the Trump campaign, the national GOP, state parties in California, Florida, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, as well as Honest Elections. The RNC has paid Consovoy's firm $1.1 million for legal work since late last year through April, while the Trump campaign has paid the firm an additional $202,000, campaign finance records show. Consovoy is also the signatory on the letters Honest Elections sent state election offices this year, according to correspondence obtained by The Washington Post. The campaign chose Consovoy's firm because it is "nimble and fast," has worked for the president, and was willing to take on "partisan" election cases, according to a senior campaign official. Reed at the RNC said the firm does "great work." Consovoy declined a request for comment. A former law clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas, Consovoy has litigated voting cases for at least a decade, representing Shelby County, Alabama, in the seminal 2013 Supreme Court case overturning portions of the Voting Rights Act. His role at the forefront of voting cases this year has caught the attention of voting rights activists and his Democratic rivals. "I've been his adversary a number of times," said Dale Ho, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Voting Rights Project. "He's a good advocate, he's a good lawyer. When I see him on the other side, I know to take the case seriously." According to people who know Consovoy, he is also a friend of conservative activist Leonard Leo, who has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for conservative causes in recent years and has advised Trump on his appointment of conservative Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch. Leo has spent an increasing amount of time studying voting cases, advising outside groups and encouraging conservative donors to support the efforts, said multiple people with knowledge of his activities. He declined a request for comment. Leo is raising money for two conservative nonprofit networks called the 85 Fund and the Concord Fund, people familiar with his activities said. The Honest Elections Project is a project of the 85 Fund, the people said. Snead called Leo a "supporter" of Honest Elections, declining to comment further. Before joining the Honest Elections Project, Snead worked at the conservative Heritage Foundation with a member of Trump's voter fraud commission and longtime activist on the subject, Hans von Spakovsky. Snead attended the commission's first meeting at von Spakovsky's request to share information from a database he helped compile of past voter fraud convictions in an effort to show it is commonplace, commission records show. Snead said he was not part of the commission or its work. - - - Part of the strategy of Honest Elections, Snead said, is to rebrand an effort that had been dismissed as marginal in the past - and that had often come up short in court. "We want to be very careful how we present this group," he said. "We want to avoid coming off as raising alarm bells about voter fraud for purely partisan purposes. We want to make the case that election integrity is a nonpartisan issue." However, the new GOP strategy is closely aligned with the work of a small group of right-wing activists and organizations that have long tried to persuade the public that foreigners, felons and the dead are illegally voting in large numbers. Two long-standing promoters of such voter-fraud claims - conservative lawyers J. Christian Adams and von Spakovsky, both of whom served on Trump's election integrity commission - have led advocacy groups that sued election officials across the nation, alleging they failed to clean up bloated voter rolls and left the door open to fraud. An advocacy group founded by Adams, the Public Legal Interest Foundation, released a report in 2017 called "Alien Invasion" that named more than 5,500 registered voters in Virginia who it claimed were non-U.S. citizens. Some residents named in the report sued, saying they were in fact citizens. In a settlement, Adams apologized and blamed the mistake on the state's sloppy record-keeping. Adams and von Spakovsky helped lead another advocacy group, the American Civil Rights Union (ACRU), that sued election officials in Broward County, Florida, alleging the county had an impossibly high registration rate - nearly 100% by the ACRU's calculation. Adams litigated the case. In 2018, a federal judge ruled after a five-day trial the allegation was "unsupported by any credible evidence." The judge found that the method the group used to calculate the high voter registration rate was "inaccurate" and "misleading." To arrive at the high rate, the group inflated the number of voters on the rolls and deflated the estimated population eligible to vote, the judge wrote. "By relying upon an inaccurate registration rate as a basis to suggest a lack of list maintenance, the entire premise of this opinion is flawed from the start," U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom wrote. A federal appellate court upheld the decision last year. In a statement to The Post, von Spakovsky said it is necessary to safeguard the vote amid the pandemic, saying mail ballots "are susceptible to being stolen, altered, and forced." For his part, Adams said he welcomed the heightened activity on the right, which he said was long overdue given the number of liberal groups, including Democratic committees, the ACLU and the League of Women Voters, bringing suits this year. "Dozens of groups have been funded to the tune of many millions of dollars over the years to undermine the integrity of elections," he said. "There are 20 at least that do the exact same thing, and had done it unopposed for the last two decades." - - - Honest Elections has embraced the legal strategy of its predecessors, challenging state voter rolls and hoping for success where past efforts have failed. The group argues that high voter registration rates are a sign that ineligible people are improperly registered. It has threatened to sue states that do not take steps to remove dead people or those who have moved from their rolls. "Retaining voter rolls bloated with ineligible voters harms the electoral process, heightens the risk of electoral fraud and undermines public confidence in elections," Consovoy wrote in letters to election officials in four states. Federal law requires election officials to have a "reasonable" program to maintain accurate voter rolls but restricts officials from removing names 90 days before an election. Election security experts say maintaining up-to-date voting rolls is an important measure to prevent potential ballot fraud. But one elections expert said data produced by Honest Elections showing extremely high registration rates is misleading. "It's a bogus methodology that has been wholly debunked," said Daniel Smith, a political science professor and elections expert at the University of Florida who testified as an expert in the Broward County case. Jena Griswold, the Colorado secretary of state, said her state's high statewide registration rate is a point of pride. "Our rate is at 92%, and that's because we're so dedicated to making sure people register and vote," she said. The state has safeguards for removing inaccuracies from the voter list, including tracking deaths among Coloradans and sending out postcards more than once a year, she said. If the postcards bounce back, election officials investigate. Snead said in a statement that he stands by the method his group used to calculate registration rates and that the group was still weighing whether to sue - as well as whether to expand the fight to other states. He said he was aware of the previous court decision but was hopeful for a different outcome in future litigation - and with different lawyers. "Will Consovoy's reputation precedes him," Snead said. "His firm is just top-notch. There is no better place to start." - - - The Washington Post's Scott Clement, Alice Crites, Emily Guskin and Anu Narayanswamy contributed to this report. While their staff is taking pay cuts, like just about everyone else in state government, some Colorado lawmakers could enjoy pay increases this year whether they like it or not. When the Senate took up House Bill 1345, the legislative appropriations bill, Minority Leader Chris Holbert, a Republican from Parker, broke the bad news. The extra money in salary and per diem increases are a matter of law and must go into the state budget. COVER STORY | Legislative leaders size up the grim task ahead As the session resumes, Colorado Politics asked the legislative leaders from both parties to size up the work ahead. Read their essays. "Those were not approved this year," he said on the floor Monday. The schedule of increases for per diem allowances for legislators residing outside the Denver metro area was set in 2007 at 85% of the federal rate, and now that rate has increased, meaning the Colorado rate increases, as well. "This budget has to include those higher numbers, because that's the law," Holbert said, making it clear Monday he wasn't happy about it. Members who live more than 50 miles from the Capitol can collect up to $171 a day to cover travel and housing expenses, while those who live within 50 miles get $45 a day while on official business in Denver. Last year, all 65 seats in the House and roughly half of the 35-member Senate went to a higher base salary of $40,242, which took effect in January 2019. Next January the other half of the Senate is scheduled to go on the higher pay scale. And in 2015, the legislature gave itself a pay raise to allow lawmakers to make 25% of the pay for county judges, and judges received a pay increase this year, meaning lawmakers next year will earn $41,400. Holbert said Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate have discussed the dilemma and ways they can refuse the increase, given the dire times other Coloradans and, especially, the state budget are going through. The General Assembly faces slashing up to $3.3 billion this year, about a quarter of state government's operating budget, from the budget that takes effect July 1. "We can't amend this bill to make that not happen," Holbert said of the pay raises. "This bill has to honor current statute." However, he said he expects to see separate bills to call a two-year time out on the per diem increase and raises before lawmakers adjourn this session. He supports the rest of the Senate increasing to the higher pay level. Sen. Rob Woodward, a Republican from Loveland, wanted to bills to freeze legislators pay now, not later, before adopting a new budget for the General Assembly. "I think we have this a little backwards," he said. Woodward urged delaying passage of the legislative funding bill "until we have shown the people of Colorado we're willing to share teh suffering and the pain with them." The funding bill passed 22-13, with all the opposition made up of Republicans. The General Assembly's proposed budget is about $53 million and covers 309 employees. Islamabad, June 1 (IANS) The Pakistan Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Sindh governments plea to suspend Sindh High Courts (SHC) judgement regarding the release and acquittal of the accused in the murder case of American journalist Daniel Pearl. During the hearing, Justice Manzoor Malik said the petition seeking suspension of the judgment cites irrelevant provisions, reports The Express Tribune. "First of all, the kidnapping of Daniel Pearl must be proved," Justice Malik said. "Evidence must prove that the abductee was Daniel Pearl. The Sindh government claims that a conspiracy was hatched in Rawalpindi. What conspiracy took place in Rawalpindi must also be proved with evidence." The apex court ordered the counsel representing the provincial government to submit the detailed record before the court for the case to be further heard. The hearing was then adjourned indefinitely. The Sindh government had sought time to submit the record of the trial court. On April 2, the SHC had commuted the death sentence of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh the man convicted of Pearl's kidnapping and murdering in 2002 to a seven-year sentence. It 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, said The Express Tribune report. The slain journalist's parents had approached the Supreme Court against the SHC's verdict. Two criminal petitions had been filed by renowned lawyer Faisal Siddiqi on behalf of Pearl's parents against the acquittal and release of the four accused. 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. --IANS ksk/ There will be a hike in fuel prices and several trains and flights will resume from Monday, June 1, as the country will enter the fifth phase of the coronavirus lockdown with a three-phased exit plan. Public transport in some states will also resume and as will the central governments ambitious food security scheme. Here are some of the things that will change or start from June 1: Price of petrol to go up in these states Petrol and diesel prices will increase by Rs 2 from June 1 in Maharashtra, following the state governments decision to hike the cess levied on the two fuels. Petrol price in Mumbai will increase to Rs 78.31 per litre from Rs 76.31. The diesel retail rate will go up to Rs 68.21 per litre from Rs 66.21. The government had on Saturday issued a notification increasing the cess for petrol to Rs 10.12 per litre from Rs 8.12. The cess on diesel is to rise to Rs 3 per litre from Re 1. Besides the 26% and 24% value added (VAT) on petrol and diesel, respectively, the state government levies a cess on the fuels. The Jammu and Kashmir government has also increased the rate of tax on the sale of petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre and Re 1 per litre, respectively. Himachal Pradesh has also enhanced rates on the sale of diesel and petrol effective from June 1. GoAir flights to resume The low-cost carrier had announced in May that its final flight schedule has been approved and the airline will re-commence flying from June 1. Online bookings for one-third of its pre-Covid summer schedule will be open from May 25 to May 31. The airline said that it is prepared to resume safe flight operations and is awaiting clarity on the readiness of respective states and their airports with regards to acceptance of flights and conditions applicable to passengers arriving there. Without clarity on these conditions, GoAir does not wish to inconvenience its passengers by putting on sale flights immediately post May 25 which may have conditions for arriving passengers of which they may be unaware. On receiving clarity, GoAir will open its site for bookings after May 25 up to May 31, as, when and where appropriate, the airline spokesperson said. Assuring its passengers that it is fully equipped to execute Covid-19 specific safety procedures, the airline claimed to have received positive initial customer response. GoAir is the only airline to commence its flight operations from June 1 instead of May 25. 200 passenger trains to resume services The Indian railways will begin operating 200 non-AC special passenger trains per day from June 1 onward, in a step aimed at gradually restoring normal services. These train services will be in addition to the existing Shramik Special trains and special AC trains started by the railways earlier to help stranded migrant workers in various states get back home. Jan Shatabdi trains, Sampark Kranti, Duronto Express and other regular passenger trains are among those that will ply from Monday. No linen, blankets and curtains will be provided on these trains and only those passengers with confirmed tickets will be allowed to enter railway stations. On arrival at their destination, the passengers will have to adhere to strict health protocols as prescribed by the destination state or Union Territory. Religious places to reopen in Bengal West Bengal has allowed the opening of religious places from June 1 with not more than 10 persons gathering at a time. Restaurants and shopping malls have been allowed to open on June 1. Monuments, museums open doors in Rajasthan Monuments and museums run by the state government will be opened from Monday. Entry will be free for tourists for the first two weeks. These monuments will open from 9am to 2am on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays in the first week starting June 1. For the next week, they will open on four days from 9am to 1pm and from 3pm to 5pm. Passenger buses Government and private passenger buses will operate from June 1 in Himachal Pradesh. Buses will be able to ply from 7am to 7pm after a gap of 70 days. Buses will carry 60% of the total capacity but air conditioners will not run. Pubic transport will resume with reduced services within districts in Tamil Nadu but buses will not be operated in worst-affected Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpet districts. One Nation, One Ration Card scheme The governments ambitious scheme providing subsidized food grains to 81 crore people of the country will be implemented in 20 states and Union territories of the country. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced this while declaring a stimulus package of Rs 20 lakh crore in May. She had said this system will be implemented in all the states of the country by March 2021. Once the national rollout is in place, any person holding a ration card under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) can buy his monthly ration from any public distribution system (PDS) outlet in the country just by mentioning his card number. From the earliest days of the civil rights era, officials have been quick to assert that demonstrations were the work of outside agitators, as a way of distracting from the protesters grievances and mobilizing local opinion against them. Last week, as protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer erupted around the nation, the phrase reemerged, amplified by social media and echoed across the political spectrum, from the Democratic mayor of Minneapolis to Attorney General William Barr and President Trump. And in some cases, it seemed, they might be right, although the facts remain hard to ascertain. Had the countless fires, broken windows and vandalized police vehicles seen in cities across the country, from Minneapolis to Atlanta, New York and Washington, D.C., been caused by mostly white, far-left antifascists? Or was it the work of white supremacists or far-right antigovernment Boogaloo Bois trying to provoke a race war? Protesters confront police officers in New York City, May 30, 2020. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) At least in the Twin Cities, the epicenter of the protests, there was support for the idea that many, or even most, of the violence was committed by outsiders. At a press conference Saturday, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said that everyone arrested in relation to civil unrest in his city Friday night had been from out of state, though a spokesman later admitted that claim was based on incomplete information. The Mayor went with the information he had at the time and learned after the media conference more than half are from Minnesota, communications director Peter Leggett told Yahoo News in an email. KARE 11, a local NBC News affiliate in Minneapolis, conducted a review of all arrested made by Minneapolis-based law enforcement agencies during the same time period for crimes related to rioting, burglary and unlawful assembly and found that nearly all of the people arrested in likely connection to the riots live in Minneapolis or the metro area. Protesters in Minneapolis on Friday night. (Salwan Georges/Washington Post via Getty Images) Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, however, was similarly insistent that those whod caused destruction and damage over the last few nights were not Minneapolis residents. In a Twitter thread posted Saturday afternoon, Frey doubled down on this assertion, and echoed a claim made earlier by Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington that initially peaceful protests were being co-opted by white supremacists, members of organized crime, out of state instigators and possibly even foreign actors to destroy and destabilize our city and our region. Story continues In response to a request for more details or evidence that the protests had been infiltrated by white supremacists and other outside actors, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety told Yahoo News: We are unable to provide additional information due to ongoing investigative activity. A spokesperson for the U.S. Justice Department did not respond to a similar request for more information about allegations made Saturday by Attorney General William Barr, who stated that it was, in fact, anarchic and far-left extremist groups, using antifa-like tactics who were responsible for causing the violence that had erupted out of many recent protests. Barrs comments echoed claims promoted by President Trump on Twitter Saturday. Though Trump agreed with the Minnesota officials that the riots were the work of organized groups who had little to do with the memory of George Floyd, he was emphatic about who he believed the real perpetrators were. Its ANTIFA and the Radical Left, he tweeted. Dont lay the blame on others! Trump underscored the point on Sunday, tweeting that The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization. The authority to designate terrorist organizations lies not with the president, but the U.S. Department of State, and is legally applied to clearly established foreign entities, not loosely defined movements based in the United States. Trumps view has been shared on Fox News and by various other right-wing voices on social media, whove been circulating photos and videos of white people dressed in black spray-painting buildings and vandalizing police cars. Antifa members typically wear black, including black face masks, when they take to the streets, but pictures of black-clad demonstrators in various cities proves nothing. But some African-American activists in Detroit and other cities have criticized white protesters for co-opting protests against police brutality with violent and destructive tactics that discredit the movement for justice. Cat Brooks, co-founder of the Oakland-based Anti Police-Terror Project, in an interview with the Guardian, drew a distinction between violence by African-Americans, which she saw as justifiable, and by whites. If a black person decides Im going to set this building on fire its self-determination, she said. But she didnt want black and brown bodies funneled into jails based on white peoples actions. Demonstrators gather at Lafayette Park across from the White House, May 30, 2020. (Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Despite widespread claims on social media, little hard evidence has emerged of organized efforts by white supremacists or other far-right extremists to recruit or mobilize sympathizers to infiltrate protests. But a search of various social media platforms frequented by these movements indicated that the protests had drawn interest from some individuals and groups who are claiming to have joined the action. Conspicuous among them are factions of the so-called Boogaloo movement, a disparate collection of fringe groups with overlapping interests in a coming civil war in America. Proponents of Boogaloo have previously seized on other events, including the gun rights rally in Richmond, Va., earlier this year, where they see a potential for chaos and armed confrontation with law enforcement. While some white supremacists and neo-Nazis, are in fact, promoting the Boogaloo, J.J. MacNab, a fellow at the George Washington University Program on Extremism, cautioned that the Boogaloo movement is not cohesive. While there are pockets of white supremacist Boogaloos, the younger and bigger groups are generally not, MacNab wrote in a Twitter thread Saturday. Though some Boogaloos strongly support Trump, many others hate him, as well as the police. While there are Boogaloos that want to discredit protests angry at the murder of a black man, there are younger Boogaloos that are incensed by the murder and want to join the protests, wrote MacNab. In a detailed report on this confusing and contradictory movement earlier this week, the independent investigative journalism site Bellingcat noted how the mounting protests sparked by the death of George Floyd were seen as a call to arms by some Boogaloo Bois, driven by their own animosity toward law enforcement. Public posts on Facebook and Instagram indicate that adherents have at least been present and heavily armed at recent protests in Minneapolis, Dallas and Philadelphia. One Boogaloo-affiliated Instagram account that has been posting and live streaming from the demonstrations in Dallas urged others on Friday to Come out to support George Floyd tonight! in a post on Instagram. FYI I need 3 unarmed people to volunteer to walk among me and build relationships. We have the same goal as BLM: purify the corrupt justice system. While the stated goals of different Boogaloo factions may vary, they share a desire to bring about violent conflict, including armed clashes with law enforcement, that will ultimately lead to a civil war. The spate of violent clashes between police and African-American activists have caught the attention of some of the more extreme white supremacist and neo-Nazi factions known as accelerationists, who specifically advocate for a race war that will end in an all-white society in the U.S. Public accelerationist channels typically known for promoting white supremacist and neo-Nazi propaganda have been flooded with photos, videos and police scanner feeds from the protests, interspersed with racist and inflammatory language. If someone really wanted to kick off the boogaloo, now would be the fine time to fire some shots and frame the crowd around you as responsible, read one comment posted Thursday on the prominent neo-Nazi channel Terrorwave Refined. Another post from the same day, written in the style of a popular internet meme, displays the caption Heading to Minneapolis to make sure it kicks off like beneath a photo of a person wearing a black skeleton face mask and holding what appears to be a semi-automatic rifle above the caption. Its unclear whether these kinds of posts have actually motivated anyone to join the protests, but they have certainly caught the attention of government and law enforcement officials in many parts of the country. _____ Read more: Even when a business is losing money, it's possible for shareholders to make money if they buy a good business at the right price. For example, although Amazon.com made losses for many years after listing, if you had bought and held the shares since 1999, you would have made a fortune. But while history lauds those rare successes, those that fail are often forgotten; who remembers Pets.com? So, the natural question for West Red Lake Gold Mines (CSE:RLG) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of cash burn. For the purpose of this article, we'll define cash burn as the amount of cash the company is spending each year to fund its growth (also called its negative free cash flow). First, we'll determine its cash runway by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves. View our latest analysis for West Red Lake Gold Mines When Might West Red Lake Gold Mines Run Out Of Money? A cash runway is defined as the length of time it would take a company to run out of money if it kept spending at its current rate of cash burn. As at March 2020, West Red Lake Gold Mines had cash of CA$664k and no debt. Importantly, its cash burn was CA$779k over the trailing twelve months. That means it had a cash runway of around 10 months as of March 2020. To be frank, this kind of short runway puts us on edge, as it indicates the company must reduce its cash burn significantly, or else raise cash imminently. Depicted below, you can see how its cash holdings have changed over time. CNSX:RLG Historical Debt June 1st 2020 How Is West Red Lake Gold Mines's Cash Burn Changing Over Time? West Red Lake Gold Mines didn't record any revenue over the last year, indicating that it's an early stage company still developing its business. So while we can't look to sales to understand growth, we can look at how the cash burn is changing to understand how expenditure is trending over time. As it happens, the company's cash burn reduced by 27% over the last year, which suggests that management are mindful of the possibility of running out of cash. Admittedly, we're a bit cautious of West Red Lake Gold Mines due to its lack of significant operating revenues. So we'd generally prefer stocks from this list of stocks that have analysts forecasting growth. Story continues Can West Red Lake Gold Mines Raise More Cash Easily? Even though it has reduced its cash burn recently, shareholders should still consider how easy it would be for West Red Lake Gold Mines to raise more cash in the future. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. Many companies end up issuing new shares to fund future growth. By looking at a company's cash burn relative to its market capitalisation, we gain insight on how much shareholders would be diluted if the company needed to raise enough cash to cover another year's cash burn. Since it has a market capitalisation of CA$12m, West Red Lake Gold Mines's CA$779k in cash burn equates to about 6.5% of its market value. That's a low proportion, so we figure the company would be able to raise more cash to fund growth, with a little dilution, or even to simply borrow some money. So, Should We Worry About West Red Lake Gold Mines's Cash Burn? Even though its cash runway makes us a little nervous, we are compelled to mention that we thought West Red Lake Gold Mines's cash burn relative to its market cap was relatively promising. Even though we don't think it has a problem with its cash burn, the analysis we've done in this article does suggest that shareholders should give some careful thought to the potential cost of raising more money in the future. On another note, we conducted an in-depth investigation of the company, and identified 5 warning signs for West Red Lake Gold Mines (3 are a bit unpleasant!) that you should be aware of before investing here. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies insiders are buying, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts) 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. A day after actor Samantha Akkineni shared her glorious report card on social media, fan clubs have found Deepika Padukones report card and shared it online as well. Deepika had originally posted the less-than-glowing report cards on Instagram last year. Deepika had shared pictures of comments by her teachers, one of which noted that Deepika tends to day dream, while a couple of others said, Deepika is very talkative in class, and Deepika must learn to follow instructions. Even Deepikas husband, Ranveer Singh, had left a cheeky comment on her post. Trouble maker!, hed called her, and had also agreed about the day dreamer comment. Head in the clouds, hed written, with several cloud and hearts emojis. Also Watch | Deepika Padukone cleans wardrobe, binges on dessert amid lockdown On Sunday, Samantha had shared several pictures of her old report cards on Instagram stories. She has done well. She is an asset to the school, her teacher had written in one of the images. The other image showed remarks such as well done, well done, keep it up. Samantha had posted the pictures with the caption, Look what I found again. Also read: Samantha Akkineni shares pics of her school report card, shows how teachers called her an asset to the school On Sunday, Deepika had celebrated the seventh anniversary of her 2013 romantic comedy, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, by sharing behind-the-scenes pictures with her co-star and ex-boyfriend, Ranbir Kapoor. Ranveer had reacted to the pictures in the comments section, and had written, Cuuuute. The couple has been quarantining in Mumbai during the lockdown, and has also announced a contribution to the PM-Cares fund for coronavirus relief. While Deepikas last film was Chhapaak, Ranveer was due to appear in Sooryavanshi, with Akshay Kumar. The cop thriller has been delayed because of the virus. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Head of Hydrological Service Department, Mr Seth Kudzordzi, has urged the government to engage hydrologists in road construction processes in order to reduce perennial flooding in the country. He said road construction in the country was undertaken mostly without the involvement of hydrologists, and that it resulted in poor road construction because of the disregard for proper drainage systems which would have checked flooding. A drainage facility at Madina Redco. Inspection tour Mr Kudzordzi said this when he joined the Minister of Works and Housing to inspect some flood prone areas in Accra to assess the condition of the drains ahead of the 2020 rainy season. The team visited ongoing drainage projects in Weija, Kasoa , Madina and the Odaw River, all under the 2018 National Flood Control Programme. I want to urge the Department of Urban Roads and the Roads and Highway Authority to consider hydrological services as part of road construction processes, otherwise we will continue to have our roads submerging in water during downpours, he stressed. Proper hygiene The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Samuel Atta-Akyea, encouraged residents in flood prone areas to practice proper hygiene to reduce the impact of flooding in the country. He said one of the leading causes of flooding in Accra was the improper disposal of waste which often choked the drains. He acknowledged that the situation was a major challenge in the country, stressing that it had resulted in the loss of lives and property. Protecting drains Mr Atta-Akyea said regardless of the amount of investment aimed at finding a solution to flooding in Accra, the country might not achieve success if people continued to remain adamant about proper sanitation practices. Government is working tirelessly to ensure a permanent fix of the flooding situations in the country, but for as long as we are not there yet, we as individuals must also support to curb the situation by ensuring proper disposal of our waste, he stressed. He also urged the various assemblies, particularly those in low land areas, to engage their members in voluntary desilting of drains to avoid overflow of sewers when there was a downpour, and encouraged them to enforce the relevant bye-laws on sanitation. 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 In this fall 2018 photo, students are shown walking between classes at Trine University in Angola. This year, due to COVID-19, classes will resume early and the fall semester will end at Thanksgiving. The idea is simple. An audience member, from wherever in the world, is invited to call a phone number. Bosetti answers, and so begins a conversation that is full of possibility and risk. Where will the conversation lead? How much should one reveal to a stranger? Its incredible how it seems to have been written now; its almost frightening, Bosetti says, via email from Italy. Weve only changed small things a detail or a nuance. The reaction we are getting now for this production confirms that maybe when we did it for the first time it was ahead of its time. After 10 years, its the production that needs to be done. A play that takes place entirely by phone seems made for these times. But Theatre on a Line, performed by Italian actor Roberta Bosetti to an audience of one, was conceived 10 years ago, in Melbourne, when we barely could have imagined today's pandemic. Bosetti and her director husband, Renato Cuocolo, who together form the Cuocolo Bosetti/IRAA theatre company, are based in Italy but lived for many years in Australia. The couples best known play was The Secret Room (2000). First performed in a terrace house in Carlton, to a maximum of 10 people, its action revolved around a meal cooked and served by Bosetti as she shared increasingly alarming details about her life. One was never sure what was truth and what invention. The Secret Room was performed 1629 times, in Australia and internationally, over the next 15 years. Works followed such as The Diary Project, part of the 2004 Melbourne International Arts Festival, in which they lived in the Arts Centre foyer for 16 days, reading scenes from their diary, and Private Eye (2005), performed to an audience of one in a hotel room. Since returning to Italy in 2012 the couple has been living between Rome and Bosettis birthplace of Vercelli, a small town near Milan, in Italys north, an early epicentre of the pandemic. For two months they were in strict lockdown in Vercelli, leaving their house only to buy food and to bring their dog, Nuvola, a mischievous Bichon Frise, for walks. Its been very difficult, Cuocolo says. Italy has been one of the hardest hit countries. Apart from the fear of getting sick, even worse has been recognising the fragility of our structures and our way of life the things we thought were guaranteed forever. And yet theres also beauty: silence, deserted cities and, slowly, slowly, we found within ourselves the capacity to react. Enforced isolation created the desire for meaningful connection. Bosetti prefers voice alone to the now-pervasive video call: she finds that the pure connection of a voice allows the imagination wider play in a richer, more mysterious, more provocative and strangely more intimate experience. Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneels on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed man who was pleading that he could not breathe, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 25, 2020. (Darnella Frazier via AP) All Officers Involved in George Floyds Death Complicit, Police Chief Says All four police officers on the scene when George Floyd was arrested are complicit in Floyds death, Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said. Being silent or not intervening, to me, youre complicit, Arradondo told reporters Sunday. So I dont see a level of distinction any different, he added. The charging decisions are up to the county attorneys office but Arradondo said his decision on May 26 to fire the officers stemmed from Floyd dying in our hands. He said he would have hoped one of the officers intervened and changed the situation. Medaria Arradondo, then-Minneapolis deputy chief of police, in a file photo. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) Arradondo, who has not appeared at press conferences in recent days, was speaking to a handful of reporters and a slew of protesters at the location where Floyd was arrested on Memorial Day. The question that provoked the response was passed along by a CNN reporter from Floyds brother, Philonise Floyd. The brother alleged that if there was enough evidence to fire the officers, then the evidence would be strong enough to arrest them. Derek Chauvin, the officer recorded kneeling on George Floyds neck shortly before Floyd died, was arrested last week on third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges. Chauvin was transferred to a maximum security prison, where hell be held in a segregated area to make sure he stays safe, a Minnesota Department of Corrections spokesperson told The Epoch Times. Chauvin and Floyd worked together at the same bar. Protesters hold signs outside the Minneapolis Police 5th Precinct during the fourth night of protests and violence following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Three other officers involved in the arrest were named as Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane. Theyre at home right now sleeping in their bed, relaxing, Philonise Floyd said late Sunday. [Chauvins] in jail, hes only one. The other three need to be in there. My brotherhes in the morgue. Thats not right. I want justice now. He deserves that. Hes a gentle giant. Officials havent disclosed whether theyre considering charging the other three officers. An attorney for Thao told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that the former cop has left Minneapolis for his safety. Lane also left the city, a relative said. Kueng is reportedly staying with family in the city. The remarks came as Terrence Floyd, George Floyds younger brother, criticized violent protesters, admonishing them for turning to mayhem when Floyds family is refraining from doing so. If youre angry, its OK to be angry, but channel your anger to do something positive or make a change another way because weve been down this road already, the brother said. He would want us to seek justice the way we are, the way were trying to do, but channel it another way. The anger, damaging your hometown is not the way hed want. New York City will impose a curfew as demonstrations continue in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Curfew will begin at 11pm and end at 5am, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced. On-duty police officers will also double to 8,000, a massive surge to the streets from the nation's largest policing force. The escalation follows several nights of protests across the city, with as many as eight demonstrations held in one day, calling for justice in the killing of Mr Floyd and an end to police violence that has brutalised communities. Governor Cuomo said he supports the protests but condemns the "people who are looking to distract and discredit this moment" with "violence and looting". "While we encourage people to protest peacefully and make their voices heard, the safety of the general public is paramount and cannot be compromised," he said. Scheduled protests this week include vigils for Mr Floyd and other victims of police violence, as well as a prayer-focussed protest through Brooklyn led by local church leaders, among other events. Mayor Bill de Blasio said the curfew is aimed at protecting against "violence and property damage" after several New York Police Department vehicles were torched and dozens of people were arrested, including the mayor's daughter, while widely shared footage from across the city captured police provoking and threatening crowds, driving into them, swatting them with batons and spraying them with pepper spray. 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 Earlier on Monday, the mayor said officials "have not believed a curfew is the right strategy" but considered implementing one after speaking with the governor and NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea. "A curfew is not a silver bullet, by the way," the governor said. In a statement, Mayor de Blasio said he has spoken with the police commissioner "at length about the incidents we've all seen in recent days where officers didn't uphold the values of this city or the NYPD." "We agree on the need for swift action," he said. Following violence scenes over the weekend, Commissioner Shea told officers: "I want you to know that I'm extremely proud of the way you've comported yourselves in the face of such persistent disrespect, and denigration." Essential workers and members of the press are exempt from the curfew, according to the governor's office, though it's unclear how officers would enforce the measure. Violating curfew could result in three months in jail and a $500 fine, according to state statutes. It also exempts "peace officers, firefighters, first responders and emergency medical technicians, individuals travelling to and from essential work and performing essential work, people experiencing homelessness and without access to a viable shelter, and individuals seeking medical treatment or medical supplies". Haiti - Education : School calendar, denial of the Ministry The Ministry of National Education wishes to make it clear to the general population and to the educational community, in particular, that it has not yet adopted a school calendar for the resumption of activities in order to complete the 2019-2020 academic year. "As a result, the calendars circulating on social networks are not official. In other words, there has not yet been a final validation of a school calendar project. The Ministry warns of any false information shared on networks that appear to be a decision of the Ministry." The Ministry, which has worked on several scenarios for a possible resumption of school activities, has launched a series of consultations with all stakeholders and partners https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30911-haiti-education-two-scenarios-for-the-return-to-school.html before taking any decision which must also take into account the opinions of scientists on the evolution of the pandemic in Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30914-haiti-flash-the-country-crosses-the-bar-of-2-000-cases.html See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30911-haiti-education-two-scenarios-for-the-return-to-school.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30914-haiti-flash-the-country-crosses-the-bar-of-2-000-cases.html HL/ HaitiLibre Some critics wonder why the media covers President Trump's more outrageous tweets and statements. He is the president, and his words matter, even when objectionable. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump, for better or worse, could be the most unfiltered president in the nations history. His public comments often meander and crisscross and, within a span of seconds, contradict themselves. Then theres his Twitter feed, a sandblaster through which he spews a torrent of insults, innuendo and outright lies attacking critics real and perceived; applauds and retweets the apple-polishers and sycophants who are the chorus in his verbal attacks; and positions himself in the eye of a hurricane of chaos. Scattered throughout like patches of grass in a diseased lawn are routine pronouncements about administration actions, the sort of topics that in halcyon days made up the bulk of White House communications. Trump critics offended by the worst of the presidents utterances often ask why the media seem to find all of his lies and provocations newsworthy. Doesnt that just give him what he wants? Isnt the media getting played by the great and terrible Trump, to borrow an image from L. Frank Baum? Why not just ignore the humbug behind the curtain? As tempting as that might be, the media cant tune out Trumps tsunami of tweets and his many utterances in other forums and still meet our fundamental responsibility to report on the news and try to hold government officials accountable for their actions. Trump's attacks occasionally provide a glimpse of executive orders to come. And if the media simply shrugged whenever the president tweeted or said something outrageous, that would hasten the day when that sort of behavior seems normal. Trump, to be sure, has broken the mold on presidential behavior (and not in a good way). He seems to conduct foreign policy by impulse, often bypassing the traditional diplomatic channels of his own government as he threatens acts of war or extends olive branches through Twitter. He has fired people in tweets, the presidential equivalent of dumping a girlfriend via text. His tweets, in other words, can break news. Story continues Granted, he has also lied and goaded, trolled and rewarded in less obviously newsworthy ways. But in this era of unprecedented deception and manipulation from the White House and toxic partisanship just about everywhere else, it is all the more important that the media accurately report on the Trump administration, and Trump himself. How to do so is the question. The work gets even more difficult as Trump and his supporters constantly try to make the media the issue instead of the presidents behavior, and as much of the public conflates talking heads on cable TV roundtables or opinion pieces in newspapers such as this one with news coverage. Add the lightspeed spread of everything, fact and fiction, on social media and the picture becomes even more confusing. This information tower of Babel gives oxygen to this president. Trump rose to power in part by exploiting the cultural and social fractures that belie the notion that we are a nation of united states. The fabric of American society itself has long strained under growing income inequality, racial divisions and regional and cultural distrust. So yes, the media has to cover the man behind the curtain. Not every tweet needs to be documented and analyzed, especially since so much of what the president says consists of intentional provocations rather than reliable indicators of purpose and policy. Yet enough of what the president says becomes policy or directive that his statements must be reported on. His anti-Muslim blasts during the campaign and the start of his presidency became an immigration ban. His jabs at China became a wall of tariffs. His ginned-up complaints about social media platforms censoring conservative voices became last weeks legally dubious executive order seeking to undermine a key protection for free speech on the internet a chilling flex of presidential power. In truth, the media could, and must, do a better job putting this particular president and his words in context. But it cant just ignore them. The undeniable reality is that a presidents words matter, whether they are uttered in anger, to tarnish enemies or praise supporters, to sow dissent, or as an abuse of power. I just broke down, Nahabedian told me. I was sickened by what happened to Mr. Floyd, who wasnt? But then Brindille is attacked? I know its just property and just a building and just a restaurant. Thank God nobody was hurt. But its our restaurant, its my dream, and all the love and care we put into it, and they destroyed it because they could. Its personal, an attack on everything we stand for. Dennis Powell, president of the local NAACP, speaks with a list of the names of African Americans who have died at the hands of law enforcement. PreviousNext Hundreds Gather in North Adams to Protest Police Violence Ray Moore reads off the names. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Ray Moore says he's not just teaching his 14 children how to live, but also how to survive in a world where the color of their skin can make them a target. "My daughter is 17 years old, I've started teaching how to put her hands on the steering wheel if she's pulled over," he said. "I teach my boys how to survive if a cop pulls you over. ... "Being black is difficult in this world right now." That was made clear on Sunday afternoon as he read off a list of 100 African-Americans who have died because of police or vigilante violence, with George Floyd being the 100th. A video showing a Minneapolis police officer with his knee on Floyd's neck last week as Floyd gasped that he couldn't breath while bystanders pleaded with officers to help him sparked a firestorm of protests across the nation. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has since been arrested and charged with murder. More than 300 community members gathered at City Hall on Sunday afternoon; the day before at least 1,000 had been Park Square in Pittsfield. "We continue to repeat the same words. We continue to come together for the message still hasn't been received," said Dennis Powell, president of the Berkshire chapter of the NAACP. "When is enough enough. When are our mothers and fathers going to feel comfortable allowing their children to leave the home and know that they will not be abused or murdered because of the color of his skin. When are we going to say, enough is enough?" Mayor Thomas Bernard spoke of the "apathy of benefiting from a system built on the sacrifice and victimization of black and brown people, and of not shouldering my share of the burden for changing that system. ... "The price of comfort over justice is too high. The stakes are too real. And the responsibility to listen, learn, and act too urgent to ignore any longer. Im here to do my part as we gather today, but as a white person and an elected official in this community Im in this with you for the long haul." The protest had been organized by local resident Katie Law, who had originally thought to just gather a few friends but found more people wanted to be involved. "I'm glad that I started it in the first place because I honestly didn't even realize that there was going to be this much of a presence in our little Northern Berkshire city," Law said as protesters held up signs and chanted "Black Lives Matter" and "I can't breath, it could have been me." Law said she hopes the social justice and civil justice movements can enact lasting change in her generation. "I just really want something permanent, a permanent shift in the way that we police, a permanent shift in the way that we support our communities," she said. "I definitely think that community involvement rather than people from outside the community saying that they are in charge." Mayor Thomas Bernard said there has definitely been a shift in policing in North Adams. Community policing has been central to its efforts for some years and its partnered with mental health services, the schools and other organizations. Its removal from Civil Service has also allowed to change hiring practices to look for more diversity in makeup. "[Police Chief Jason Wood] reached out to the folks at the NAACP and asked for help," the mayor said. "I think that's a that's a shift and a change in culture and mindset. And the NAACP is there to hold us accountable to let us know when we're getting it wrong, to let us know when there's trouble in the community, when there are concerns, but also to support us to sustain us." District Attorney Andrea Harrington told the crowd that she needed their voices in support of social justice initiatives she's been working on, such as diversion programs for adults and support services outside of jail. "In my office, we are working so that we get community support so people have access to economic opportunity so that young children have the mental health care that they need so that they can grow up and be successful and and so that they're supported in our community," she said. "We need to know that this is what our community wants, and that you support these efforts." State Sen. Adam Hinds said people can't simply say they're not racist they must be deliberate in their thinking, and words and actions. "If you're like me, you grow up all the time, people are saying, 'Oh, don't be so politically correct. Don't be so sensitive,'" he said. "It just serves to keep the system going." The speakers were often completing with cacaophony of horns from passing motorists who honked in support though at least one driver showed his disdain with rude gesture. "I have hope they open their eyes and people understand we have the power to make the change," said Moore. "It's in the Constitution. That's our power. Our voices are our vote. You got to get out of vote. Nobody's understanding that, that that vote counts. That's your power."NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Ray Moore says he's not just teaching his 14 children how to live, but also how to survive in a world where the color of their skin can make them a target. "My daughter is 17 years old, I've started teaching how to put her hands on the steering wheel if she's pulled over," he said. "I teach my boys how to survive if a cop pulls you over. ... "Being black is difficult in this world right now." That was made clear on Sunday afternoon as he read off a list of 100 African-Americans who have died because of police or vigilante violence, with George Floyd being 100th. A video showing a Minneapolis police officer with his knee on Floyd's neck as Floyd gasped that he couldn't breath, then fell unconscious while bystanders pleaded with officers to help him sparked a firestorm of protests across the nation. Nearly 300 community members gathered at City Hall on Sunday afternoon; the day before at least 1,000 had been Park Square in Pittsfield. "We continue to repeat the same words. We continue to come together for the message still hasn't been received," said Dennis Powell, president of the Berkshire chapter of the NAACP. "When is enough enough. When are our mothers and fathers going to feel comfortable allowing their children to leave the home and know that they will not be abused or murdered because of the color of his skin. When are we going to say, enough is enough?" Mayor Thomas Bernard spoke of the "apathy of benefiting from a system built on the sacrifice and victimization of black and brown people, and of not shouldering my share of the burden for changing that system. ... "The price of comfort over justice is too high. The stakes are too real. And the responsibility to listen, learn, and act too urgent to ignore any longer. Im here to do my part as we gather today, but as a white person and an elected official in this community Im in this with you for the long haul." The protest had been organized by local resident Katie Law, who had originally thought to just gather a few friends but found more people wanted to be involved. "I'm glad that I started it in the first place because I honestly didn't even realize that there was going to be this much of a presence in our little Northern Berkshire city," Law said as protesters held up signs and chanted "Black Lives Matter" and "I can't breath, it could have been me." Law said she hopes the social justice and civil justice movements can enact lasting change in her generation. "I just really want something permanent, a permanent shift in the way that we police, a permanent shift in the way that we support our communities," she said. "I definitely think that community involvement rather than people from outside the community saying that they are in charge." Mayor Thomas Bernard said there has definitely been a shift in policing in North Adams. Community policing has been central to its efforts for some years and its partnered with mental health services, the schools and other organizations. Its removal from Civil Service has also allowed to change hiring practices to look for more diversity in makeup. "[Police Chief Jason Wood] reached out to the folks at the NAACP and asked for help," the mayor said. "I think that's a that's a shift and a change in culture and mindset. And the NAACP is there to hold us accountable to let us know when we're getting it wrong, to let us know when there's trouble in the community, when there are concerns, but also to support us to sustain us." Making signs at the protest. District Attorney Andrea Harrington told the crowd that she needed their voices in support of social justice initiatives she's been working on, such as diversion programs for adults and support services outside of jail. "In my office, we are working so that we get community support so people have access to economic opportunity so that young children have the mental health care that they need so that they can grow up and be successful and and so that they're supported in our community," she said. "We need to know that this is what our community wants, and that you support these efforts." State Sen. Adam Hinds said people can't simply say they're not racist they must be deliberate in their thinking, and words and actions. "If you're like me, you grow up all the time, people are saying, 'Oh, don't be so politically correct. Don't be so sensitive,'" he said. "It just serves to keep the system going." The speakers were often completing with cacophony of horns from passing motorists who honked in support though at least one driver showed his disdain with rude gesture. "I have hope they open their eyes and people understand we have the power to make the change," said Moore. "It's in the Constitution. That's our power. Our voices are our vote. You got to get out of vote. Nobody's understanding that, that that vote counts. That's your power." Facebook Inc and Snapchat developer Snap Inc became the latest U.S. companies condemning racial inequality in the United States as violent protests flared up across major cities over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis last week. The two tech companies followed Intel Corp, Netflix Inc, Alphabet's Google, International Business Machines Corp (IBM) and Nike Inc in taking a public stance against Floyd's death - calling out discrimination against African-Americans. But tech companies such as Facebook and Google for years have struggled to quell concerns about discrimination against African-Americans in their own workplaces, and black engineers remain underrepresented in their workforces relative to the U.S. population. The challenges are not expected to ease as the novel coronavirus pandemic forces the companies to slow hiring and work remotely for months to come. Facebook employees on Monday urged Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg to take stronger action against an inflammatory post last week by U.S. President Donald Trump about the Minneapolis protests. But Zuckerberg already said in a Friday post that Facebook would not take action on the post. He said Facebook will commit $10 million to organizations working on racial justice. Floyd's death has renewed outrage across the U.S. on the treatment of African-Americans by authorities, polarizing the country politically and racially. "We cannot end systemic racism without simultaneously creating opportunity for all people, regardless of their background," Snap Chief Executive Officer Evan Spiegel told employees in an email criticizing racism and calling for increased taxes "to create a society that benefits all of us." Twitter, which last week was at the center of a fight with Trump over its actions on his tweets, including a warning over one about the protests, added the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter to its account bio on the site. The U.S. Google and YouTube homepages bore a notice saying they stood in support of racial equality. On Friday, Nike flipped its iconic slogan to raise awareness about racism. "For Once, Don't Do It. Don't pretend there's not a problem in America. Don't turn your back on racism," the company said in a video that has over six million views on Twitter and was shared by celebrities and rival Adidas AG. ALSO READ: Infosys to cut multiple senior roles, ensure faster decision-making ALSO READ: Coronavirus vaccine: Pfizer CEO claims COVID-19 medicine could be ready by October-end ALSO READ: Nisarga Cyclone Tracker: Check out route, location, landfall date in Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat Security forces have busted Jaish module in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir and arrested its six associates an official said on Monday. According to the police, the terrorist associates were in close connection with Pakistan-based handlers and involved in the drug trade, the supply of weapons and assisting financially to active terrorists of JeM, he said. Acting on a credible input, a joint team of police, army and CRPF apprehended them from Chadoora area of the district, a police official said. READ: Pakistan violates ceasefire in J&K's Poonch He said the arrested persons have been identified as Mudassir Fayaz, Shabir Ganaie, Sageer Ahmad Poswal, Issaq Bhat, Arshid Thoker and a minor whose identity has been withheld. Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition, including a Chinese pistol, a hand grenade, Rs 1,55,000 cash and one kilogram of narco heroine, were recovered from their possession, the official said. He said the recoveries have exposed the connection between drug dealers and terrorists. A case under the relevant section of law has been registered at Police Station Chadoora and further investigation in the matter is in progress. Meanwhile, Army today claimed to have to killed three terrorists after infiltration bid was foiled along Loc in Nausher sector of Rajouri district. An army official said that in an ongoing counter-infiltration operation which started on 28th may, alert troops of Indian Army foiled an infiltration bid along the LoC in Naushera Sector. READ: 105 new COVID-19 cases in J&K, tally 2,446 3 Pak terrorist killed Three heavily-armed Pakistan trained terrorists have been killed. A search of the area is in progress, the officer added. Pertinently the security forces Sunday evening rescued a policeman who was abducted by terrorists in south Kashmirs Shopian district. A police official said that terrorist appeared in Thairan village and abducted a policeman identified as Shakeel Ahmad. "The security forces immediately rushed to the spot, carried searches and rescued the cop within fifteen minutes of his abduction. he said.The police official said a brief exchange of fire also took place. Reinforcement has been rushed in and the area cordoned off to trace the terrorists, he said. READ: Senior IAS Officer, 2 SSG Commandos tested Covid-19 positive in J&K; admin takes steps READ: J&K Cong lashes out at BJP-led govt, accuses it of destroying erstwhile state Career educator Janice Scott Cover is giving teachers the tools and guidance to make a lifelong career out of education, develop bonds with other teachers through various exercises and discussions, grow their network of resources, showcase their best attributes, and work on their weaknesses. LAKE WORTH, FL, May 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- From the time she was a young girl sitting in a small schoolhouse in Jamaica to becoming the Assistant Superintendent of one the Americas largest school districts, Dr. Janice Scott Cover never doubted her love for children, their well-being or education. Teachers are Burdened: Proven Tips to Lighten the Load and Win by Cover is an insightful tool for teachers, intended to facilitate lessons in classroom management and instruction, work-life balance, confidence in the classroom, and more. By inserting her life experiences into the narrative, Cover is able to highlight important lessons she learned in times of uncertainty and struggle throughout her 40-year career in education. Like most young children in rural Jamaica, Cover loved to play house with dolls and delighted in preparing make-belief meals just like her mother. For Janice, the dolls had a dual role; her offspring during playtime but more significantly her compliant students when she transitioned into a no-nonsense teacher. Today, her love for teaching remains, but along with it comes a lifetime of lessons and insight on how to be a strong educator. I wrote this book to teach what I have been learning and to assure my fellow educators that they too can achieve personal and professional success for themselves and students in their charge that will inevitably leave an eternal impact, Cover said. This is an inspiring book for anyone, whether you are a schoolteacher or a teacher of life. A must read from a phenomenal woman, a reviewer wrote about the book. Readers will enjoy Teachers are Burdened as it provides a unique approach to the teacher-community relationship that has the potential to move schools in a positive direction and benefits students, teachers, families and entire communities along the way. Covers book can also be used as a resource for personal development and guidance on navigating life outside of the classroom. Topics like financial guidance, including tips on continuing ones own education and keeping their family afloat financially on a teachers salary, as well as creating clear boundaries with their partner about their schedule are also highlighted in the novel. Story continues Teachers are Burdened: Proven Tips to Lighten the Load and Win By Janice Scott Cover, EdD ISBN: 9781480884632 (softcover); 9781480884625 (hardcover); 9781480884649 (electronic) Available at the Archway Publishing Online Bookstore, Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the author Since receiving a bachelors of education at Louisiana State University, a masters in educational leadership, and a doctorate of education from Nova Southeastern University, she has worked with each grade level, taught at the university level, served as an assistant principal, principal, director of elementary education, assistant and area Assistant Superintendent. To learn more, please visit www.drjanicecover.com. Simon & Schuster, a company with nearly ninety years of publishing experience, has teamed up with Author Solutions, LLC, the worldwide leader in self-publishing, to create Archway Publishing. With unique resources to support books of all kinds, Archway Publishing offers a specialized approach to help every author reach his or her desired audience. For more information, visit www.archwaypublishing.com or call 888-242-5904. Attachment Kayla Rutledge LAVIDGE krutledge@lavidge.com The Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) is asking the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health to assign health personnel to all schools to provide medical support upon resumption. The Interim Chair of GNECC, Joseph Atsu Homadzi in a Citi News interview said the presence of health workers at the schools will ensure that suspected cases of COVID-19, should there be any, will be handled professionally. We call on the Ministry of Education to collaborate with the Ministry of Health to provide nurses around so that they will be monitoring the children so that should it happen that any child should fall a victim to this virus, they can quickly ensure that the child gets medical attention, he said. He further urged the government to continue with its e-learning program so that students of lower levels who are still home will still be engaged in learning. We encourage the government that the other children are in the house, so the Ministry of Education should continue with the e-learning program going on so that those children in the house can also benefit from education, Joseph Atsu Homadzi added. They should be mindful about children with disabilities so that they can also benefit from these measures The proposal comes after the president, Nana Akufo-Addo on May 31, 2020, announced the reopening of schools for final year students as part of the first phase of easing of COVID-19 restrictions. From Monday, 15th June, 2020, the decision has been taken, after engagement with the Teacher Unions, whose co-operation I salute, to re-open schools and universities to allow for final-year junior high, senior high and university students to resume classes ahead of the conduct of their respective exit examinations. Indeed, final year university students are to report to their universities on 15th June; final year senior high school (SHS 3) students, together with SHS 2 Gold Track students, on 22nd June; and final-year junior high school (JHS 3) students on 29th June. JHS 3 classes will comprise a maximum of thirty (30) students; SHS classes a maximum of twenty-five (25) students, and University lectures will take place with half the class sizes, the president said. The decision to reopen schools amidst the rising confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country was not without a major national debate on the subject with various stakeholder associations expressing divergent views on the matter. GNECC, in contributing to the subject have also called for all teachers and students to undergo mandatory testing before going back to school to ensure that risk of infection in schools are minimized. United States President Donald Trump has postponed a G7 meeting that was scheduled for late June. He now wants to extend the gathering of the worlds most advanced economies to four other countries, including Russia, while pursuing his anti-China agenda. The G7 meeting was initially due to be held in March but delayed to late June because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the week-end, aboard Air Force One, President Donald Trump announced it has now been postponed to at least September or until after the US elections in November. He said he wants to expand the G7 to include Russia, India, Australia and South Korea as he considers the G7 to be "very outdated group of countries" in its current format. "I'm postponing it because I don't feel that as a G7 it properly represents what's going on in the world," Trump said. Most European countries offered no immediate comment on the proposal, with a spokesman for the German government saying Berlin was "waiting for further information". On 28 May, in a phone call to Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told him that she could not attend the face-to-face summit of G7 leaders the US President called for because of health risks. "As of today, considering the overall pandemic situation, she cannot agree to her personal participation, to a journey to Washington," German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said. Russia in, China out The G7 brings together United States, Japan, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada and Italy. Russia was expelled from what was then the G8 in 2014 after Moscow annexed the Crimea region from Ukraine. Russia still holds the territory, and the annexation has never been recognised by the international community. I cannot see how Russia can be reintegrated [within the G7] while excluding other world powers, Bertrand Badie, Sciences Po lecturer and CERI researcher told RFI. Story continues White House spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said Trump wants the countries to discuss China at the summit. His aides indicated he was seeking a larger group that could act as a counterweight to China, whose relationship with the United States is at its worst over disputes over coronavirus and Hong Kong. An extended G7 without China is a coalition against the absentee. Donald Trump is being true to himself in pursuing an agenda against multilateralism and concertation, Badie said. It is highly unlikely the other existing G7 members would want to follow Trump in an active anti-China policy. Europe has so far contrived to mediate between China and the USA, it will be difficult to expect them to follow the White House boss. As for Japan, even if China is its rival, it is highly unlikely that it will want to pursue any anti-China moves. Trump, on 20 May, revived the idea of convening an in-person G7 gathering at Camp David. French President Emmanuel Macron then said that he is open to the idea only if the sanitary conditions allow it. White House officials said Trump was serious about holding the meeting in the US but acknowledged such a summit would be a major undertaking. Normally such a major gathering of world leaders requires many months of planning. The size of the delegations, the logistics of travel, accommodations and very tight security are among several crucial factors to be considered. Cattolica Assicurazioni said on Monday that Italys insurance regulator had told it to raise 500 million euros ($557 million) after the coronavirus crisis knocked its solvency ratio, a measure of financial strength. The Bank of Italy warned last month about the significant hit to the solvency ratios of Italian insurers from falls in market prices and rising risk premia on Italian government bonds, which although down from 73% in 2016 still account for 55% of Cattolicas overall financial assets. Rising Italian debt yields, driven by the prospect of a deep recession and a surge in Romes public borrowing, have an impact on insurers because they must book sovereign bonds at market value to calculate capital and solvency ratios. Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway is the top investor in Cattolica, which said its solvency ratio was 122% as of May 22, versus 147% at the end of March and at least 160% at the end of 2019. Cattolica normally targets a ratio of 160% to 180%. Cattolica said IVASS had written to its board at the end of May and told it to complete a planned capital increase by early autumn and draw up a plan by the end of July to monitor its solvency and liquidity. It also asked Cattolica to suspend bonuses for executives. Cattolica had planned to seek approval at a June 27 shareholder meeting to issue shares worth up to 500 million euros over the next five years to prepare it for potential bancassurance deals. The insurer said it was now considering selling a Tier 1 bond ahead of this new share issue to boost capital. A governance tussle after the ousting of CEO Alberto Minali had already put Cattolica on IVASSs radar. Cattolica said Minali was seeking 9.6 million euros for being dismissed without just cause. ($1 = 0.8975 euros) (Additional reporting by Giulio Piovaccari; editing by Valentina Za and Alexander Smith) Topics Carriers COVID-19 The National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has insisted the party would go ahead with the direct primary mode in picking its flagbearer for the 2020 Edo State Governorship election. The Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee, on Monday, announced its adoption of a direct primary method for the partys June 22 primary election in Edo, a decision described as unconstitutional by Anselm Ojezua, the factional chairman of the APC in the state. Contrary to his (factional chairman) stance, the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, later registered his indifference to the NWCs choice of primaries as he boasted that he would emerge as the partys governorship flagbearer. It doesnt matter whether it is direct or indirect primary, I will win because I know what we have done in Edo State, he boasted, leaning on his over three years performance as the governor of the state. No going back Speaking with journalists at the partys secretariat in Abuja after the NWC meeting with some governors of the party, the national chairman insisted that his decision was backed by the partys constitution. He added that there has not been any letter submitted by Mr Obaseki to protest the APC NWC decision. Obaseki is not here but issues of primaries are well spelt out in our constitution and we are following it as strictly as possible. So, nothing to worry about at all. You are speculating (on Obasekis rejection of direct primaries), I dont have any letter or document to that effect. These are very formal matters. Stop spreading (speculations?), Mr Oshiomhole told the journalists in company of the party governors. Meanwhile, a source within the NWC members confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that one of the governors at the meeting solicited for indirect mode of party primaries but was rebuffed. The Edo APC governorship primaries election has been slated for June 22 even as the tension within the party continues to build up. Jeff Bishop's LinkedIn post gets right to the point: "Houston Oil & Gas Folks -- we're hiring in Texas" for jobs in clean tech. His company, battery developer Key Capture Energy, is making the pitch even as tens of thousands of renewable-energy jobs have dried up amid the coronavirus pandemic. That's because Bishop and a handful of other clean-power executives see an opportunity to recruit talent from the oil and gas industries, which have been even harder hit. While there are plenty of overlapping skills, it wasn't always easy for clean-power companies to lure top talent from oil and gas. Wind and solar were young and niche industries that tended to attract environmentalists. Now they're big energy, and they appeal to a wider class of workers. Since publishing the post two months ago, Bishop has received about 200 applications. "We've always wanted oil and gas folks," said Bishop, Key Capture's chief executive officer. When boiled down, much of oil, gas, wind and solar is about building projects and selling the output. That requires workers with backgrounds in geology, land acquisition, engineering, finance, asset management and energy contracts. "We are hiring oil and gas refugees for sure," said Christian Fong, CEO at Spruce Finance Inc. The solar company moved its headquarters from San Francisco to Houston two years ago to recruit more energy veterans. It plans to boost its staff by 30%, or 20 people, during the second and third quarters. Clean power already has momentum in Texas. It's long been the top wind-power state in the U.S. Solar has been booming. Houston plans to power all of its city-owned properties -- from fire stations to airports -- with renewable energy. And now the city's mayor is trying to bring two Elon Musk companies to the city -- Tesla Inc. and SpaceX -- in his push to broaden the city's economic base beyond oil. "We're having to make certain adjustments," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said. "It's about energy transition." To be clear, clean-power companies aren't even close to being in position to absorb the nearly 90,000 fossil-fuel jobs shed in March and April, including drillers, frackers and refiners. Renewables companies shed nearly 96,000 of their own jobs during that period as lockdowns put rooftop solar installations and other larger projects on ice. But while some furloughed clean-power workers are already being called back to work, the pain in the oil patch continues as the industry suffers its worst downturn ever as the pandemic cripples demand. On Wednesday, Chevron Corp. said it's planning a 10% to 15% reduction in its global workforce this year, the biggest recent cut to headcount yet among global oil majors. It comes after oil-services giants Halliburton Co. and Schlumberger Ltd. have already made steep jobs cuts, including in Texas. Read More: Chevron Sees Job Cuts of Up to 15%, Affecting Thousands In the end, clean-power executives say they're confident they're better-positioned to bounce back and ultimately prevail in the struggle for the future of energy." We clearly see renewable energy coming out as a relative winner from this Covid crisis," analysts from Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. including Deepa Venkateswaran wrote Friday in a note to investors. "The Covid crisis will result in an acceleration of decarbonisation initiatives." Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. In some instances, pay is even better in clean power. The median hourly wage for a mid-career wind-industry worker is now $29.79, above the $26.67 for oil, according to the U.S. Energy & Employment Report from the Energy Futures Initiative and the National Association of State Energy Officials. "Before 2020, I had never heard of any firm specifically hiring from oil and gas into advanced-energy companies," said Nat Kreamer, CEO of the trade-group Advanced Energy Economy and a founder of the solar giant Sunrun Inc. "Now you look at a place like Texas with so much work to be done in renewables and so little work to be done in oil & gas -- it's obvious. "Houston-based Sunnova Energy International Inc. has hired oil and gas workers before, and CEO John Berger expects to hire more. 8minute Solar Energy is looking for oil and gas people with experience in power trading, greenfield development, land acquisition and mineral rights, according to CEO Tom Buttgenbach. "Ten years ago, the idealistic change-the-world folks were attracted to clean energy," said Bishop, whose company has installed three 10-megawatt storage projects in Texas. "Today, we still get some of the change-the-world folks, but it's an increasing number of team members wanting stable jobs in a growth industry." (Adds analysts' comment in 13th paragraph.) For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades. Trump spent nearly an hour in the bunker, which was designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks, according to a Republican close to the White House who was not authorized to publicly discuss private matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The account was confirmed by an administration official who also on condition of anonymity. The abrupt decision by the agents underscored the rattled mood inside the White House, where the chants from protesters in Lafayette Park could be heard all weekend and Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers struggled to contain the crowds. Friday's protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. The demonstrations in Washington turned violent and appeared to catch officers by surprise. They sparked one of the highest alerts on the White House complex since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 . "The White House does not comment on security protocols and decisions," said White House spokesman Judd Deere. The Secret Service said it does not discuss the means and methods of its protective operations. The president's move to the bunker was first reported by The New York Times. The president and his family have been shaken by the size and venom of the crowds, according to the Republican. It was not immediately clear if first lady Melania Trump and the couple's 14-year-old son, Barron, joined the president in the bunker. Secret Service protocol would have called for all those under the agency's protection to be in the underground shelter. Trump has told advisers he worries about his safety, while both privately and publicly praising the work of the Secret Service. Trump traveled to Florida on Saturday to view the first manned space launch from the US in nearly a decade. He returned to a White House under virtual siege, with protesters - some violent - gathered just a few hundred yards away through much of the night. Demonstrators returned Sunday afternoon, facing off against police at Lafayette Park into the evening. Trump continued his effort to project strength, using a series of inflammatory tweets and delivering partisan attacks during a time of national crisis. As cities burned night after night and images of violence dominated television coverage, Trump's advisers discussed the prospect of an Oval Office address in an attempt to ease tensions. The notion was quickly scrapped for lack of policy proposals and the president's own seeming disinterest in delivering a message of unity. Trump did not appear in public on Sunday. Instead, a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time said Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators. On Sunday, Trump retweeted a message from a conservative commentator encouraging authorities to respond with greater force. "This isn't going to stop until the good guys are willing to use overwhelming force against the bad guys," Buck Sexton wrote in a message amplified by the president. In recent days security at the White House has been reinforced by the National Guard and additional personnel from the Secret Service and the US Park Police. On Sunday, the Justice Department deployed members of the US Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, according to a senior Justice Department official. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Also read: Minneapolis protests: 'Google stands in support of racial equality,' says Sundar Pichai Also read: Coronavirus Live Updates: Biggest spike of 8,392 cases in 24 hours; COVID-19 tally surges to 1.9 lakh Events in May offered support to the thesis that Africa can incubate tech with global application. Two startups that developed their business models on the continent MallforAfrica and Zipline were tapped by international interests. DHL acquired a minority stake in Link Commerce, a turn-key e-commerce company that grew out of MallforAfrica.com a Nigerian digital-retail startup. Link Commerce offers a white-label solution for doing online-sales in emerging markets. Retailers can plug into the companys platform to create a web-based storefront that manages payments and logistics. Nigerian Chris Folayan founded MallforAfrica in 2011 to bridge a gap in supply and demand for the continent's consumer markets. While living in the U.S., Folayan noted a common practice among Africans that of giving lists of goods to family members abroad to buy and bring home. With MallforAfrica, Folayan aimed to allow people on the continent to purchase goods from global retailers directly online. The e-commerce site went on to onboard more than 250 global retailers, and now employs 30 people at order processing facilities in Oregon and the U.K. Folayan has elevated Link Commerce now as the lead company above MallforAfrica.com. He and DHL plan to extend the platform to emerging markets around the world and offer it to companies who want to wrap online stores, payments and logistics solution around their core business. Right now the focus is on Africabut were taking this global, Folayan said. Another startup developed in Africa, Zipline, was tapped by U.S. healthcare provider Novant for drone delivery of critical medical supplies in the fight against COVID-19. The two announced a partnership whereby Ziplines drones will make 32-mile flights on two routes between Novant Healths North Carolina emergency drone fulfillment center and the nonprofit's medical center in Huntersville where front-line healthcare workers are treating coronavirus patients. Story continues Zipline and Novant are touting the arrangement as the first authorized long-range drone logistics delivery flight program in the U.S. The activity has gained approval by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and North Carolinas Department of Transportation. The story behind the Novant, Zipline UAV collaboration has a twist: The capabilities for the U.S. operation were developed primarily in Africa. Zipline has a test facility in the San Francisco area, but spent several years configuring its drone delivery model in Rwanda and Ghana. Image Credits: Novant Health Co-founded in 2014 by Americans Keller Rinaudo, Keenan Wyrobek and Will Hetzler, Zipline designs its own UAVs, launch systems and logistics software for distribution of critical medical supplies. The company turned to East Africa in 2016, entering a partnership with the government of Rwanda to test and deploy its drone service in that country. Zipline went live with UAV distribution of life-saving medical supplies in Rwanda in late 2016, claiming the first national drone-delivery program at scale in the world. The company expanded to Ghana in 2016, where in addition to delivering blood and vaccines by drone, it now distributes COVID-19-related medication and lab samples. In addition to partner Novant Health, Zipline has caught the attention of big logistics providers, such as UPS which supported (and studied) the startups African operations back to 2016. The presidents of Rwanda and Ghana Paul Kagame and Nana Akufo-Addo, respectively were instrumental in supporting Ziplines partnerships in their countries. Other nations on the continent, such as Kenya, South Africa and Zambia, continue to advance commercial drone testing and novel approaches to regulating the sector. African startups have another $100 million in VC to pitch for after Novastar Ventures latest raise. The Nairobi and Lagos-based investment group announced it has closed $108 million in new commitments to launch its Africa Fund II, which brings Novastars total capital to $200 million. With the additional resources, the firm plans to make 12 to 14 investments across the continent, according to Managing Director Steve Beck . On-demand mobility powered by electric and solar is coming to Africa. Vaya Africa, a ride-hail mobility venture founded by Zimbabwean mogul Strive Masiyiwa, launched an electric taxi service and charging network in Zimbabwe this week with plans to expand across the continent. The South Africa-headquartered company is using Nissan Leaf EVs and has developed its own solar-powered charging stations. Vaya is finalizing partnerships to take its electric taxi services on the road to countries that could include Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia, Vaya Mobility CEO Dorothy Zimuto told TechCrunch. The initiative comes as Africas 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 platforms. Uber and Bolt have been operating in Africas major economies since 2015, where there are also a number of local app-based taxi startups. Over the last year, theres been some movement on the continent toward developing EVs for ride-hail and delivery use, primarily around motorcycles. Beyond environmental benefits, Vaya highlights economic gains for passengers and drivers of shifting to electric in Africas taxi markets, where fuel costs compared to personal income is generally high for drivers. Using solar panels to power the charging station network also helps Vayas new EV program overcome some of challenges in Africas electricity grid. Vaya is exploring EV options for other on-demand transit applications from mini-buses to Tuk Tuk taxis. In more downbeat news in May, Africa-focused tech talent accelerator Andela had layoffs and salary reductions as a result of the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis, CEO Jeremy Johnson confirmed to TechCrunch. The compensation and staff reductions of 135 bring Andelas headcount down to 1,199 employees. None of Andelas engineers were included in the layoffs. Backed by $181 million in VC from investors that include the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the startups client-base is comprised of more than 200 global companies that pay for the African developers Andela selects to work on projects. Theres been a drop in the demand for Andelas services, according to Johnson. More Africa-related stories @TechCrunch African tech around the 'net Registering citizens to vote and compiling a voters register is a critical part of the electoral process, a basic foundation of our democratic system. It is therefore no surprise that the constitution mandates, and citizens expect an independent, objective, and impartial Commission to conduct transparent, free and fair elections. An election conducted on these terms informs the people their representatives are a true reflection of their vote. BACKGROUND The Electoral Commission(EC) is responsible for providing each political party on a timely basis, a clean Voters register. In this technological age, a clean Voters register is a Comma Separated Value(CSV) version of a Voters register with or without Portable Document Format (PDF) version. In 2012 and in 2016, the EC provided what for all intents and purposes was a useless document in the form of a PDF version of the Voters register. A PDF version of a Voters Register is a flat file. It is of no use to anyone except to compare one set of totals to another. A CSV version of a Voters Register however, is a file which enables enquiries to be made by a savvy I.T. professional to determine the accuracy, reliability and credibility of the Voters register. It can tell through analysis, details of duplicates, triplicates, multiplicates and other irregularities or actions relating to the Voters Register. It is the gold standard Voters register document that must be given to every party in any election. Yet, to this day, the NPP has NEVER seen a CSV version of a Voters register. This means that the NPP has NEVER been given the Voters register for any elections ever in the history of Ghana in this Fourth Republic. THE ELECTION FRAUD MACHINE A bloated Voters register, on its own does not produce a fraudulent election result, it is however, the ability of criminal elements to weaponize the voters register by transferring the fake names or phantom registrants to actual votes, that makes for a stolen election. This is more so in Ghana where a Voters fraud machine which has perfected the art of transferring a bloated register into actual votes, exists. Sources inform us that a large percentage of the EC officials (District Managers, etc.) are NDC operatives who are part - of this criminal enterprise of rigging elections. These EC operatives staff the polling stations with known criminal elements who compromise polling stations and collation centers through their hiring and ensure their criminal purpose succeeds. A system of form-filling of polling station results has been in existence for over two decades. Which simply undermines the whole essence of the electoral system. This system has been perfected over the years, to the extent that there are some known polling stations and constituencies which are compromised to return pre-determined results in every election. A notable constituency is Ketu South. There are many others where analysis has shown that the results are just plainly false, and this exercise is possible where the party representatives of the two major parties tend to be double agents and turncoats. THE 2012 ELECTION FRAUD Since the Fourth Republic, every effort has been made by various persons to undermine the very essence of a free and fair election. Specifically, ballot-rigging through over-bloated Voters Registers, violence, intimidation, threats, abuse of incumbency, and process have been used to tamper with the electoral system to produce predetermined outcomes. It is interesting to note that when Ghana moved to a biometric system in the 2012 elections, all efforts were put in place to make it easier to rig the electoral process in a way unprecedented in the history of our country. Here was a case where the ruling government, the NDC colluded with the Electoral Commission and its two critical contractors to rig the elections. The 2012 election rigging strategy by the NDC consisted of a two-pronged attack on the electoral system: To produce a fraudulent, over-bloated Voters Register with the active support of STL, a contractor of the Electoral Commission and to provide a PDF version of the Voters Register just days before the election. Thus, making it virtually impossible for the opposing parties to have a verifiable Voters Register on a timely basis in the form of a CSV version for the 2012 election. The EC ordered two sets of pink sheets through its contractor, Buck Press, for only the Presidential election(while ordering only one set for the parliamentary elections) and provided the additional Presidential set to the NDC to enable them produce fictitious results by filling the pink sheets and signing them to replace a proper election result in certain select constituencies and polling stations, which their knowledge of the CSV version of the Voters Register allowed them to do. The lamentable and unfortunate fact is that the criminal conspiracy and collusion with a foreign company, working in conjunction with certain E.C. officials in the IT department, as well as the unwitting participation by a Ghanaian company working with high-level E.C. officials (Dr. Afari Gyan and Safo Kantanka) was never prosecuted; and no punitive or corrective action was taken against those who acted to corrupt our electoral system. This made a mockery of our democratic system. It is worth noting that this criminal act which attacked the core foundation of our democracy went unchecked because Ghanas legal system has been so thoroughly compromised as to make this country practically a lawless state. To be clear, a lawless state does not mean there are no laws in Ghana. Rather, it means that the laws of Ghana are ineffectual, toothless and often used to protect, rather than punish the very persons who are to enforce them. Recent Ghanaian criminal cases are placed in the Attorney Generals wasteland, never prosecuted or pretending to be prosecuted but slowly made to die. EFFORTS TO OBTAIN A NEW VOTERS REGISTER IN 2016 The NPP knew before the 2016 election that the Voters register was over-bloated. The party made representations to international donors to assist in replacing the over-bloated register. Through analytical reviews, the NPP was able to convince the international donors that there was a prima facie case for a new Voters register to replace the bloated register, but the international donors requested substantive evidence to support the claim. Since substantive evidence could only be obtained through a CSV version of the voters register which the EC repeatedly and persistently refused to produce, it was therefore impossible to substantiate the allegations made through the analytical reviews. Thus, all efforts to get a new Voters register failed in 2016. THE BARE STATISTICS OF THE CURRENT BLOATED REGISTER To better understand the charge and allegation of an over-bloated register, consider the following facts: In 2012, Ghanas population of 24,965,816 had a total number of registered voters of 14,031,763 which was equivalent to a whopping 56.2% of the total population eligible to vote. Kenya, with a population of 41,609,728 only had 14,362,189 which equates to only 34.1% of the population eligible to vote. Two of our West African neighbors, Nigeria and Senegal have similar figures. Nigeria with a population of 162,470,737 had 67,764,327 which represented 41.7% of the population registered to vote. And Senegal with a population of 12,767,556 had 5,302,349 which equated to 41.5% of the population registered to vote. The above supported the prima facie case for a new Voters register in 2016. The 2012 bloated register was updated in 2016 by a limited registration exercise. In 2016, the registered voters increased to 15,712,505 voters. In 2018, a limited registration exercise to support the increase in the number of regions led to a further increase of 2,200,000 leading to approximately 18,000,000 voters. By so doing, if the EC were to conduct a similar limited registration exercise in 2020, the Voters register would be estimated to be approximately 20 million voters. This will be equivalent to an unthinkable 66% of the total estimated 30 million population of Ghana. It is argued that this is very unsatisfactory because it is estimated that in a fair election [where phantom names are not added to the tally of voters] the number of registered voters will be less than 10 million. This means that if we just increase the Voters register by a simple registration exercise, we will have a Voters register where the presence of a valid voter will be counterbalanced by the presence of an invalid voter. Suffice to say, the Voters register will be woefully inaccurate, over-bloated and unsuitable to produce a free and fair election. A clear opportunity for mischief and fraud therefore will exist if we merely undertake a limited registration exercise. And this becomes more critical considering that the vigilance that took place in the 2016 election which prevented a significant amount of fraud in the polling stations and the collation centers would not be replicated in 2020. THE 2016 STRATEGY The NPP was fully aware that the only way they could win the 2016 election was that fewer people would vote in 2016 than voted in 2012. This is because significant fraudulent numbers were introduced in 2012 based on the form-filling exercise undertaken by the NDC in producing fraudulent results. Indeed, as the results show, the total number of votes cast in the presidential election of 2016 was 10.6 million and the votes for 2012 was 11.8 million. We still contend that there were still significant fraudulent votes in the 2016 elections estimated to be between 2-3 million votes. With this knowledge, the NPP is aware that the NIA registration exercise was expected to produce about 2-3 million less registrants than the 1.5 million that certain critics allege as under-registration. DEMOGRAPHIC AND OTHER TRENDS TO VOTERS REGISTER The National Identification Authority(NIA) has come under increasing criticism for under-registering people in the Northern and Volta regions. However, these criticisms ignore demographic trends our country is facing. Demographically, population changes should affect the Voters Register. In Ghana, were facing migratory trends due to various reasons. One thing that is certain is that people are migrating from the Northern part of Ghana and the Volta region to Greater Accra and the Ashanti Region. However, it was painfully noticeable that notwithstanding all these migratory trends, the voting population of the Northern and Volta regions was going up during the time the register was bloated. It was therefore to be expected that a National Identification registration exercise and ultimately, a Voter Registration exercise would lead to a reduction in the numbers in the Northern and Volta regions. Furthermore, the form-filling exercise makes it difficult for anyone to challenge the accuracy and validity of the NIA registration exercise. THE ROLE OF THE EC AND THE PUBLIC The EC has a tough job to register voters and ensure clean and fair elections. However, we have noted that they are a bunch of unscrupulous people who are bent on disrupting the proper function of the EC because they do not want a new, clean Voters register. Considering the time pressures necessitated by the COVID-19 environment, it is imperative that the government use its powers to deal decisively with such miscreants and enforce the laws. No one should allow lawless people to undermine the proper functioning of a government. Moreso, when it affects the basic democratic foundation of our governance. CONCLUSION The importance of the impartiality, independence, and objectivity of the Electoral Commission cannot be overemphasized. To achieve an honest, free and fair election, the EC must be as transparent as possible in its decisions and actions. It must communicate adequately and honestly to the citizens and all parties involved. In particular, it must ensure that all political parties receive the two critical reports at each registration center each day of the registration exercise to ensure that each party can independently produce its own Voters Register and/or verify the accuracy of the Voters register. These two reports which are given to the parties each day at each registration center of the Voters register exercise should enable us to know the details of all Voters registering each day, as well as, the statistics such as gender, age group, etc. of the people registering to vote each day. The EC must communicate its footprints of the Voter registration exercise in the country, as well as abroad, to ensure that each party has proper representation at each registration center as well as obtain the proper reports each day at each registration center to allow each party to verify the accuracy, completeness and reliability of of the Voters register. The parties themselves must undertake an honest and faithful exercise of participating in the process with proper representation and ensuring that they obtain the necessary reports to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the Voters register. The EC must provide to all the parties, at least 60-90 days before the election day, both the PDF and CSV versions of the Voters register to enable each party to independently verify the accuracy and completeness of the Voters register. The success of the Voter registration exercise is dependent on the EC as well as the parties and the voting public, it is therefore incumbent on all of us to play a vital role to ensure success by being compliant as much as possible. A sanitized Voters register is in the interest of Ghana and acts as the beginning of a transparent, free and fair election. Ghana deserves a new Voters register in 2020! Ghana deserves a transparent, free and fair election! Charles K. Amoo Asante M.A. International Affairs Connecticut, USA +233558062833 +1(202)277-9466(Whatsapp friendly) 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 Children who used to be in classes of up to 30 students were now in groups of up to 15. Desks that were normally bunched together in clusters were separated. Students were encouraged to regularly wash their hands and use hand sanitizer. Some schools banned modeling clay, water play and the use of sandboxes. There were long lines outside entrances, as students and parents observed the two-meter rule. As the number of U.S. coronavirus cases neared 1.8 million on Monday, a new poll shows that a majority of Americans still think it's more important to control the virus' spread than to restart the economy. While nearly 6 in 10 Americans say the pandemic has taken a heavy economic toll on their communities, a majority of a divided country still believes that containing COVID-19 infections is paramount, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows. Overall, 57 percent of all Americans and 81 percent of Democrats say trying to control the spread of the coronavirus is most important right now. But only 27 percent of Republicans agree, while 66 percent of them say restarting the economy is more critical. Nearly 6 in 10 independents say their priority is trying to control the virus's spread, the survey found. And nearly 7 in 10 Americans say they are worried about the possibility of a second wave of coronavirus infections in the fall, the poll showed. Even as Americans continue to worry about the spread of COVID-19, protests erupted in cities nationwide over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Those protests could become new "super-spreader" events for coronavirus, public health experts worry. While the spread of coronavirus has slowed in some of the hardest-hit areas of America, other parts of the country were seeing worrying spikes in cases last week. New York City, once the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, is about to ease restrictions after 10 weeks under lockdown, the Post reported. But even as the New York area began to emerge from strict social distancing measures, other states were seeing jumps in COVID-19 cases, the New York Times reported. Wisconsin saw its highest single-day increase in both cases and deaths just two weeks after the state's highest court overturned a stay-at-home order; Alabama, Arkansas, California and North Carolina are seeing some of their highest case numbers and death tallies yet; and metropolitan areas like Fayetteville, Ark.; Yuma, Ariz.; and Roanoke and Charlottesville, Va., may soon see new highs in cases and deaths. As the U.S. coronavirus death toll passed 104,000 on Monday, jobless numbers released last week show the number of unemployed has now passed 40 million. Concerns about hydroxychloroquine continue Meanwhile, safety concerns over a malaria drug that President Donald Trump has touted as a coronavirus treatment prompted the World Health Organization to remove the medication from a global trial of potential COVID-19 therapies last week. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the international health agency's director-general, said that the WHO decided to take a "pause" in testing hydroxychloroquine after a study published recently in The Lancet medical journal found people who took the drug were more likely to die, the Times reported. Several other studies have found the medication has no benefit and could possibly harm COVID-19 patients. Regardless, Trump has finished taking a two-week course of the malaria drug to guard against COVID-19 infection after two White House staffers tested positive for the coronavirus. And on Sunday, the White House announced it has sent 2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine to Brazil to battle the spread of coronavirus in that country. Not only that, the two countries are embarking on a joint research effort to study whether the drug is safe and effective for the prevention and early treatment of COVID-19, the Trump administration said. Disappointing drug trials Hopes for another drug being tested against coronavirus infection have dimmed, after a major, new study found the drug on its own won't be enough to significantly curb cases and deaths. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that, "given high mortality [of patients] despite the use of remdesivir, it is clear that treatment with an antiviral drug alone is not likely to be sufficient." The remdesivir study involved 1,063 COVID-19 patients and was led by Dr. John Beigel and Dr. Clifford Lane at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The researchers found that the drug, delivered by infusion, did help ease the illness: Patients who got the antiviral recovered after an average of 11 days versus 15 days for those who hadn't received it. Patients who were so sick they required supplemental oxygen, but did not need a ventilator to breathe, appeared to benefit most from remdesivir. But the difference in the overall death rate7.1% of patients on the drug vs. 11.9% of those who didn't get itdid not reach statistical significance, the researchers added. The study does suggest that early treatment works best. "Our findings highlight the need to identify COVID-19 cases and start antiviral treatment before the pulmonary disease progresses to require mechanical ventilation," the researchers said. Early evidence had suggested that remdesivir might help fight coronavirus illness, so the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave it "emergency use authorization." Already, combinations of remdesivir and other drugs are being tried, to see if dual-drug treatments might boost outcomes even more. For example, one federally funded clinical trial is combining remdesivir with a potent anti-inflammatory drug called baricitinib, while a trial from biotech firm CytoDyn is pairing it with an antiviral called leronlimab. Vaccine efforts continue Meanwhile, the search for an effective vaccine goes on. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said May 22 it would provide up to $1.2 billion to the drug company AstraZeneca to develop a potential coronavirus vaccine from Oxford University, in England. The fourth, and largest, vaccine research agreement funds a clinical trial of the potential vaccine in the United States this summer with about 30,000 volunteers, the Times reported. The goal? To make at least 300 million doses that could be available as early as October, the HHS said in a statement. However, many experts have said that the earliest an effective, mass-produced vaccine would be available won't be until sometime next year, and billions of doses would be needed worldwide. Pharmaceutical giant Merck has also jumped into the fight against the coronavirus, announcing two separate efforts to develop a vaccine and a partnership to develop a promising antiviral drug that can be taken as a pill, the Times reported. The United States has already agreed to provide up to $483 million to the biotech company Moderna and $500 million to Johnson & Johnson for their vaccine efforts. It is also providing $30 million to a virus vaccine effort led by the French company Sanofi, the Times reported. According to a Times tally, the top five states in coronavirus cases as of Monday are: New York with more than 375,500; New Jersey with over 160,000; Illinois with over 120,500; California with more than 113,000, and Massachusetts with nearly 97,000. Nations grapple with pandemic In Asia, where the coronavirus first struck, several countries are finally returning to a new normal. In China, 16 new coronavirus cases were reported on Sundaythe country's highest daily spike in almost three weeks, Newsweek reported. The National Health Commission (NHC) said all of the new infections were imported cases, with 11 in the Sichuan province. A further three cases were confirmed in Inner Mongolia, while two more were recorded in Guangdong province, Newsweek reported. Meanwhile, South Korea reported its biggest jump in cases in more than 50 days last week, the AP reported. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 67 of the 79 new cases reported were from the Seoul metropolitan area, where about half of South Korea's 51 million people live. The government has shut public facilities such as parks, museums and state-run theaters in the metropolitan area for the next two weeks, to stem any further spread of the virus. Elsewhere, the situation remains challenging. On Monday, the United Kingdom's coronavirus death count neared 38,000, the second highest in the world, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally. Britain has now surpassed Italy, Spain and France for COVID-19 deaths in Europe. With Prime Minister Boris Johnson easing lockdown measures, schools across England will begin reopening Monday amid fierce debate over whether the move is premature, the Post reported. Brazil is fast becoming the next hotspot in the coronavirus pandemic. By Monday, the South American country had reported over 29,000 deaths and nearly 515,000 confirmed infections, according to the Hopkins tally. Only the United States has more cases. Last week, Trump issued a ban on all foreign travelers from Brazil because of the burgeoning number of COVID-19 cases in that country, CNN reported. Cases are also spiking wildly in Russia: As of Monday, that country reported the world's third-highest number of COVID-19 cases, at nearly 415,000, the Hopkins tally showed. Worldwide, the number of reported infections passed 6 million on Monday, with over 372,000 deaths, according to the Hopkins tally. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Myanmar & COVID-19 Myanmars Third COVID-19 Lab Begins Operating in Mandalay The chairperson and other members of Mandalay Regions Surveillance and Response Team for COVID-19 inspect the new lab in Mandalay in May, ahead of its launch on Monday. / Mayor U Ye Lwin MANDALAYThe National Health Laboratorys new lab in Mandalay, which is equipped to perform COVID-19 testing, started operating on Monday. Located in the heart of the city, the new lab is the first in Upper Myanmar with the ability to test for the coronavirus. The lab has two sets of machines that are capable of doing a total of more than 400 tests a day. The lab is fully operating and is currently processing 113 swabs, including those taken from people being quarantined at Zeepingyi Central Institute of Civil Service [CICS], and from persons under investigation [PUIs] at Mandalay General Hospital and Nyaung Oo General Hospital, Dr. Than Than Myint, section head at the Mandalay Regional Department of Health, told The Irrawaddy. The result of the swabstaken from 106 people who returned from Thailand and are being quarantined at Zeepingyi CICS, six PUIs at Mandalay General Hospital and one PUI at Nyaung Oo General Hospitalwill be announced Monday evening, together with results from two other labs in Yangon. According to U Zarni Aung, the regional minister of power, industry and construction, and the chair of Mandalay Regions Surveillance and Response Team for COVID-19 (SRT), one set of machines was provided by donors from Singapore and the other was donated by China. The lab will test patients under investigation, suspected patients, staff at quarantine centers and social volunteers from Mandalay and the whole Upper Myanmar region. U Zarni Aung said having the lab in Mandalay would be hugely beneficial for all of Upper Myanmar and reduce the workload of the two labs in Yangon. Many Myanmar workers and students currently living abroad will be flooding in soon. So, if we can test more suspected cases, it will benefit all of us and offer greater protection, the minister said. According to the minister, the lab will be funded from the Union governments budget, but if there is an emergency, the Mandalay regional governments emergency budget can offer financial support. Work on the Mandalay lab began over a month ago. Lab technicians were trained in Yangon. Some special training was provided by health experts from Chinas Yunnan province on May 24. According to the Ministry of Health and Sports, two labs in Yangon, the National Health Laboratory and the Department of Medical Research laboratory, have done over 186,000 tests for COVID-19. The ministry announced on Sunday that another new lab in Mawlamyine in Mon State is ready to begin testing and will be fully operational in the first week of June. Two more labs in Taunggyi and Lashio in Shan State are also being prepared to test for COVID-19. As of June 1, Myanmar has reported 228 confirmed COVID-19 cases with six deaths. A total of 138 people have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. Mandalay has seen three confirmed COVID-19 cases, all of whom had recovered and been discharged from hospitals by early May. According to the Mandalay regional government, 76 people are currently quarantined in hotels and 332 are being kept in community-designated quarantine facilities. More than 1,600 quarantine centers have been set up across Mandalay Region. Meanwhile, the Mandalay regional government on Monday lifted bans on passenger buses traveling to and from Mandalay and other states and regions. All highway buses, including passenger buses, are allowed to resume operations with limited numbers of passengers on board. Hotels, motels, inns and guesthouses are also allowed to reopen after having their preventive measures checked by the Department of Health. The requirement that all people arriving in Mandalay must undergo 28 days of quarantine has also been lifted, except for those arriving from abroad, from areas under stay-at-home orders, or from areas hit hard by COVID-19 such as Insein, Mayangone and Mingalar Taungnyunt townships in Yangon. I have not watched any of the videos out of Minneapolis or listened to any of the commentary. I have not watched because I resent having to watch only one genre over and over again. This is the genre in which a white antagonist, presumed guilty at the outset, kills or injures a black protagonist, presumed innocent. More than 15,000 Americans were murdered in 2019, but no movies for national release were made about blacks killing blacks, the most common scenario. Nor were any made about blacks killing whites, Hispanics, or Asians. In fact, these movies are generally suppressed. No, only one genre of movie is allowed. In recent years, we have seen the Trayvon movie; the Ferguson movie; the Baltimore movie; and, for comic relief, the Jussie Smollett movie among others. The most lethal of the movies was the one filmed in Ferguson. The most dishonest one was the Trayvon movie, filmed on location in Florida. In 2019, in his film and book The Trayvon Hoax, filmmaker Joel Gilbert proved beyond any doubt that the State of Florida's star witness in its murder case against George Zimmerman, Rachel Jeantel, was an imposter. Gilbert enlisted a private investigator, as well as two prominent handwriting analysts, an audio expert, and a forensic DNA lab. After poring through page after page of text messages, phone calls, tweets, Facebook messages, high school yearbooks, and crime reports, Gilbert was able to find the real "phone witness," a then-sixteen-year-old Haitian-American hottie Trayvon knew as "Diamond." Diamond had the good sense not to regurgitate the media's false narrative under oath. A Pulitzer awaited the intrepid reporter who followed Gilbert's leads, but the media were not about to reshoot this movie. Not a journalist could be bothered not in New York, not in Orlando, not even in Miami. Only twelve minutes elapsed from the time Gilbert sent an email to the Miami Herald's managing editor asking for his help to the time Gilbert was told, "Thanks for reaching out. We are going to pass." The ensuing email flurry from the Herald newsroom quickly built to Category 5 level contempt, and this was Miami, Trayvon's home. The fact that Trayvon's mother, Sybrina Fulton, undeniably at the heart of the conspiracy, was running for county commissioner did not pique the media's interest. Nor did the fact that her co-conspirator, attorney Benjamin Crump, has gone on to star in several subsequent movies, including Minneapolis. In Ferguson, only the media were corrupt. Not too long after Michael Brown was shot, I spent an afternoon with the officer involved in the shooting, Darren Wilson, pushing his infant daughter in her swing, reviewing his past, and assessing his future. He had no job and no prospect of getting a job, certainly not in the St. Louis area, at least not as a police officer. Were it not for the courage of St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch, a Democrat, Wilson suspected he would be in prison. McCulloch's grand jury introduced too much legitimate eyewitness testimony for the DOJ to ignore. Grateful Democrats responded by defeating McCulloch in the next primary. The cops got the picture. They knew they too could face termination, lawsuits, criminal charges, and death threats, all driven by the mandates of mob justice. They knew, as well, that the political class, from President Barack Obama on down, would gladly throw them to the wolves to preserve the peace. Nationwide, but especially in cities where rioting followed lethal police-citizen encounters, cops instinctively began to pull back from actively policing black neighborhoods. Sensing opportunity, criminals moved into the void. Attorney and Manhattan Institute fellow Heather Mac Donald has dubbed this phenomenon the "Ferguson Effect." Observed Mac Donald in a 2016 Washington Post column, "Arrests, summonses and pedestrian stops were dropping in many cities, where data on such police activity were available. Arrests in St. Louis City and County, for example, fell by a third after the shooting of Michael Brown. Misdemeanor drug arrests fell by two-thirds in Baltimore through November 2015." At an emergency session of police chiefs held a year after the Ferguson incident, Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel explained the phenomenon to Attorney General Loretta Lynch. "[Cops] don't want to be a news story themselves," said Emanuel. "They don't want their career ended early, and it's having an impact." The impact was deadly and undeniable. According to FBI data, the murder rate in the United States declined steadily from 2006 to 2014 except for a minor blip in 2012. As a result, there were three thousand or so fewer murders in 2014 than in 2006. After Brown's death in August 2014, the trend sharply reversed itself. In 2015, the murder rate rose nearly 11 percent, its greatest one-year jump in a half-century. In 2016, the trend continued with an 8.5-percent increase over the year before. What this means is that nearly three thousand more Americans were murdered in 2016 than in 2014, an estimated eighteen hundred of them black. After Donald Trump took office, the murder rate began to decline once again. Missouri proved particularly vulnerable. There, the spike began almost immediately after the August 2014 shooting in Ferguson. As a result, St. Louis had the highest murder rate in the nation in 2014, a dubious honor it held through 2017. Statewide, the murder rate nearly doubled from 2014 to 2017, and there was no good explanation for the surge in Missouri or nationwide other than the "Ferguson effect." I'm sorry George Floyd died in Minneapolis. He may well be as innocent and the cop as guilty as everyone says, but until the media try to undo the damage created in Florida and in Ferguson, I have no interest in helping them create a "Minneapolis Effect." @jackcashill's forthcoming book, Unmasking Obama, is available for pre-order at Amazon. On May 20 Burundi conducted national elections for president and parliament. Real contest for presidency was between the ruling CNDD-FDD party candidate, Evariste Ndayishimiye and opposition National Council for Liberty (CNL) candidate, Agathon Rwasa. On May 25, the electoral commission declared Ndayishimiye winner, with 68.72%, more than double of Rwasas, 24.19%. It also announced 80% victory for ruling party members of parliament. The results have since triggered widespread reactions that could potentially threaten the stability of Burundi. The Catholic Church Assessment The president of the Burundi Conference of Catholic Bishops (BCCB), Bishop Joachim Ntahondereye issued a statement on May 26 disputing the credibility of the polls. The Church, which was the only organized agency that conducted widest observation of the polls, described the process as irregular in regard to transparency. It cited ballot stuffing as well as individuals voting several times. It deployed 2,716 for the exercise in all Burundis 119 municipalities. Its assessment of the new president, therefore, is that he lacks national legitimacy. In response, the ruling party has recommended for defrocking some bishops. Now this opens an early conflict between the state and the Churchwhich is followed by over 62% of Burundians. The assessment offers two major effects; (i) credibility to the oppositions rejection of the results and justifying its court recourse. (ii) Fodder for already existing armed pockets in the commercial capital Bujumbura. The Opposition Court Action On May 28, Agathon Rwasas National Council for Liberty (CNL) petitioned the Constitutional court to declare the election null and void. In anticipation of courts bias, typical of African experiences, Rwasa has promised to appeal to the East African Court of Justice. The effects of this are: (i) Delayed reconciliation due to prolonged court processes (ii) possible escalation into a major conflict in case Rwasa attracts external support or (iii) forcing a consensus-backed unity government. Rwandas FDLR Rebels Kigali believes that its Hutu insurgents in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) receive backing from the Hutu-led government of Burundi. The insurgent group of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) comprises Hutu youth and former Rwandan Hutu soldiers prior to the 1994 genocide. For security reasons Kigali denied them a right to participate in last presidential elections despite a law allowing Diaspora Rwandans to vote. Burundi, meanwhile also accuses Rwanda of sponsoring insurrections in Bujumbura intentioned to install a friendly government there. Much as the new administration in Burundi would wish to settle these scores, they dont appear easy to resolve because: (i) Despite efforts to outlaw ethnic differences in Rwanda, its believed the Tutsis, (14%) of the population, but in control of government, cannot peacefully cede power to the majority Hutu (84%) even after an election victory for the later. (ii) The Hutu with their numerical superiority will always seek any available means, even armed, to assert their strength in Rwanda, if democracy cannot do it. (iii) As long as Rwandan Hutu dissidents remain active, Kigali will always find their connections to their Burundian cousins and be compelled to measurably counteract, causing a never-ending tension between the two neighbors. Western Diplomats A key message in the joint statement issued by Western diplomats in Burundi on May 27 was one advising the aggrieved opposition leader, Rwasa to seek court redress. This has the effects of: (i) court legitimizing the new government or (ii) protracted long court appeals or (iii) driving a sense of optimism in Rwasa to be on the right course of history and, therefore, able to attract external support in case the disagreement escalates. International Self-Isolation Just as circumstances followed each other that led to freezing of development aid to Burundi after a disputed election in 2015, this time again, Burundi has alienated itself from international cooperation. In 2015 it closed offices of the UN-Human Rights Commission following accusations of human rights violations. This time around Burundi has declared as persona non grata the representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), due to his criticism of the ways citizens were being exposed to the coronavirus during electoral campaigns. The self-isolation policies have previously led to: (i) limited global economic space for the nations active participation. (ii) Slowed economic development with consequences directly borne by citizens and explaining Burundis place among the worlds poorest nations. Unless addressed, a combination of negatives risks outweighing national positives to sustain instability in Burundi. The state of Arizona doesnt have to publicly reveal the number of coronavirus cases and deaths among residents of nursing homes, long-term facilities and retirement homes, a state judge ruled on Friday. The ruling marked a loss for news organizations that had sued to get the information. Judge Christopher A. Coury sided with the administration of Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, which had argued the information is private under several state provisions. The lawsuit was filed May 5 against the states department of health. The news organizations werent seeking individuals confidential health records. They sought weekly updates on the number of residents in such facilities who have been transferred to or from an acute care facility, along with information regarding the availability of personal protective equipment. Coury did not rule on the plaintiffs request to know how much personal protective equipment is available, setting a future court date instead. The victory by the state doesnt mean the public wont be able to learn about nursing home outbreaks, however. Thats because earlier this month the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ordered nursing homes to report infections to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As nursing homes report this data to the CDC, we will be taking swift action and publicly posting this information so all Americans have access to accurate and timely information on COVID-19 in nursing homes, the agency said in a May 7 news release. The Arizona Department of Public Health, the main defendant in the lawsuit, has not responded to a request for comment. David J. Bodney, an attorney for the news organizations, said in a statement that the news groups believe strongly in the publics right to know the information that ADHS is concealing from view. We see no possible overriding interest in the nursing home business that requires confidentiality of this information, especially during this pandemic. Well confer with our clients and consider appropriate next steps. Lawyers for the state argued the information is confidential under several laws, including one barring the release of information during a pandemic that would likely substantially harm a business competitive position. They also cite an Arizona law that makes information related to communicable diseases private. Dr. Cara Christ, the states top public health official, has previously said she wouldnt release the information without a court order, explaining that disclosing the locations of the positive cases and deaths would in effect be revealing the addresses of nursing home residents. While the state refuses to release the information, a few nursing homes have confirmed to news organizations the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths among its residents. Maricopa County also has reported that more than 280 residents in long-care facilities _ which includes nursing homes, assisted living and hospice _ have died from the virus, accounting for about 70% of COVID-19 deaths in metro Phoenix. For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The lawsuit was filed by The Arizona Republic, 12 News (KPNX-TV), CBS 5 (KPHO-TV), Azfamily.com (KTVK) and ABC15 (KNXV-TV) against the Arizona Department of Health Services and Christ, the agencys director. Even though the news organizations havent asked for the names of nursing home residents, lawyers for the state argue residents could still be identified if the information were provided to news organizations. The news organizations said the state has misrepresented the content of the public records requests by claiming they were seeking the identities of residents and said the state always has the option of redacting sensitive information before releasing records. The news organizations said the state is taking an overly broader interpretation of state laws in order to prevent the information from being released. The state argued disclosing the information would conflict with the Department of Health Services policy of promoting trust among its community partners and may lead to stigmatization against nursing homes. The states lawyers cited staffing difficulties and other problems that resulted from unfavorable publicity that a long-term care facility in Phoenix received after one of its nurses was charged with sexually assaulting an incapacitated 29-year-old woman who later gave birth at the facility. The news organizations said the state has offered no evidence showing that releasing the nursing home information would inspire the sort of negative reaction that the long-term care facility faced. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics COVID-19 Legislation Arizona Coronavirus patients in hospital may be 65 per cent more likely to see their condition improve if they are given the antiviral drug remdesivir, its manufacturer claims. Gilead Sciences, a California-based company that developed the drug in a bid to tackle Ebola, today reported the promising results for Covid-19 patients. After 11 days patients taking the drug showed small signs of improvement and, for reasons unclear, those were more noticeable if they had taken it for five days rather than 10. Other mixed trials, however, show it is still not a wonder drug. But it is one that doctors have put great stock in - it last week became the first medicine to be approved for the NHS to use specifically to treat Covid-19. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the approval as the 'biggest step forward' so far in treatment of the disease, which has killed 39,000 Brits. Although mixed findings in recent weeks appear encouraging on the surface, there are still a number of uncertainties around the experimental drug remdesivir. Some experts warn the improvements seen in Covid-19 patients are only modest when looking at the bigger picture. It may only work if given at a crucial early point of the disease and for a brief period, giving only a limited window for optimal treatment. And the support for reducing mortality is not compelling, with the largest study of 1,000 patients showing only a very marginal difference. Remdesivir, which was originally tested in Ebola patients, has emerged as a leading potential cure for the coronavirus pandemic Gilead Sciences Inc, based in California revealed the findings of its phase three clinical trials today in a press release before official publication in a medical journal Results from Gilead's study showed that 76 per cent of patients in the five-day remdesivir trial had a clinical improvement in their condition by the 11th day of hospitalisation, compared to 66 per cent of people receiving only standard care. For patients taking the drug for 10 days the improvement rate was 70 per cent, which wasn't statistically significant. More people died in the no-remdesivir group, and around half of people taking the drug had side effects, the results showed Gilead Sciences Inc revealed the findings of its phase three clinical trials today in a press release. It did this before the results could be scrutinised by scientists and published in a medical journal - as it has with its other study results - to save time. The 'SIMPLE' trial evaluated five-day and 10-day courses of remdesivir plus standard care, versus standard care alone. It was not compared against a placebo - placebos are fake drugs that are used to check that the effects of a medication are not caused by random chance or by the patient knowing that they are receiving medication. Each group in the study included around 200 patients who were hospitalised with moderate Covid-19, meaning they were sick but not in intensive care. Patients in the five-day remdesivir treatment group were 65 per cent more likely to have clinical improvement at day 11 compared with those in the standard care group. HOW HAS REMDESIVIR PERFORMED IN CLINICAL TRIALS? 1. The Adaptive Covid-19 Treatment Trial How many people? 1,063, including 46 from the UK, over 70 hospitals globally. What did it trial? The placebo controlled study compared outcomes for hospitalised patients. What did it find? Patients given remdesivir had a recovery time that was almost a third (31 per cent) faster than those given a placebo. Those who received remdesivir recovered four days faster (11 days) than similar patients who received placebo (14 days). Results also suggested a survival benefit, with a lower mortality rate of 7.1 per cent for the group receiving the drug, compared with 11.9 per cent for the placebo group. But this is not deemed a significant difference. Is it published? Yes, in the New England Journal of Medicine. 2. Gilead Sciences' Phase 3 SIMPLE-Severe trial How many people? 397 hospitalised patients What did it trial? The study compared a five-day course of the drug with a 10-day course treatment. It looked at rates of patients recovering to the point where they no longer needed oxygen support and medical care or were sent home from hospital. It was not a placebo controlled study. What did it find? The pharmaceutical company reported that almost two-thirds of patients, or 129 out of 200 patients, recovered by day 14 after a five-day course of treatment. The longer treatment time didn't appear to provide any additional benefit, the company said. Is it published? No. Gilead plans to publish the full data in a peer-reviewed journal in the coming weeks. A summary of the findings were published on its website. 3. Gilead Sciences Phase 3 SIMPLE trial How many people? 600 hospitalised patients with moderate disease, meaning they were not in ICU or on mechanical ventilation. What did it trial? There were three groups of 200 patients. Gilead evaluated five-day and ten-day courses of remdesivir plus standard of care, versus standard of care alone. It was not compared against a dummy drug. What did it find? Patients in the five-day remdesivir treatment group were 65 percent more likely to have clinical improvement at day 11 compared with those in the standard of care group. The odds of improvement in clinical status with the 10-day treatment course of remdesivir versus standard of care were also 31 per cent higher. The statistic is favourable but does not reach statistical significance, meaning scientists can't be certain the result is by chance. Is it published? Yes, it has now been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. 4. The Chinese study, led by Professor Bin Cao, from China-Japan Friendship Hospital and Capital Medical University in China. How many people? 237 hospital COVID-19 patients at ten hospitals in Hubei, China. The study was supposed to recruit 400, but the trial was halted because not enough patients were available due to the epidemic being curbed in Wuhan. What did it trial? It was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial - the golden standard - comparing recovery rates in patients either given remdesivir or a dummy drug. What did it find? Those on the placebo drug had similar outcomes to those given remdesivir. It took a shorter time for the remdesivir-treated patients to get better, 21 days compared with 23, but this is not statistically significant. There was a one per cent difference in mortality rate between the two groups, which again, it's not clear if this means anything important. Is it published? Yes, in the peer-reviewed journal The Lancet. Advertisement Improvement was measured on a seven-point scale, where 1 was death and 7 was 'not hospitalized' at the end of 11 days. The odds of improvement in clinical status with the 10-day treatment course of remdesivir versus standard care were also 31 per cent higher. The statistic is favourable but does not reach statistical significance, Gilead said. Some 70 per cent of patients who received remdesivir for 10 days had improved by one point on the scale by day 11 - which is barely an improvement on the 66 per cent in the standard care group and compares to 76 per cent in the five-day treatment group. It is not clear why those given a longer treatment course did not get better as quickly as those in the five-day group, but it is likely to raise questions. The only information given about whether remdesivir improved patients odds of surviving show there were no deaths in the five-day group, two in the 10-day group, and four among the patients who received only standard treatment. But this is only up to day 11 of treatment, so it's not clear at this stage if any other deaths occurred later on. Scientists are sceptical about the results and say tougher trials are needed. Professor Stephen Evans, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: 'We are all waiting for some good news about a therapy that works in Covid-19, but at the moment the evidence is thin and companies need to provide proper data rather than just press releases. 'They need to share sufficient information for everyone to see what impact the drug has.' Professor Evans explained that the drug appeared only to have made a small impact on recovery, and it was not clear whether people had died after the trial finished. He added: 'These improvements are not dramatic - they are not a "game changer" in the terrible jargon, but at least there is some genuine evidence of improvement. 'For the patients it is good news that few died, but the evidence therefore that remdesivir improves mortality in these patients is uncertain and limited.' Gilead's stock is up almost 20 per cent this year due to rave reviews from scientists. But shares in the company slipped four per cent after the mixed findings were published today. 'These study results offer additional encouraging data for remdesivir, showing that if we can intervene earlier in the disease process with a five-day treatment course, we can significantly improve clinical outcomes for these patients,' said Dr Francisco Marty, an infectious diseases physician at Brigham and Womens Hospital, and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr Marty's comments echo those of other scientists - that remdesivir appears to be effective the earlier it is given, although there is still research ongoing to confirm this. There is also limited data on whether it significantly improves the odds of dying. Despite this, in the UK, only a limited number patients with severe Covid-19 will get access to the drug. It will not be used to prevent the disease from worsening in its early stages. Dr Stephen Griffin, an associate professor in the School of Medicine, University of Leeds, said although the patients in the UK can access remdesivir, it cannot be seen as a 'magic bullet'. 'Rolling out remdesivir will likely mean that the most severe COVID19 patients will receive it first. Whilst this is clearly the most ethically sound approach, it also means that we ought not to expect the drug to immediately act as a magic bullet.' Michael Yee, an analyst at New York based global investment banking firm Jefferies, said the improvements seen in the Gilead trial were only modest. 'COVID-19 patients entering the hospital are likely to get the drug given there are no other major alternatives, but it is understood the drug is meant to be more helpful (and not a cure) in a moderate population, where patients are generally healthier and the mortality rate is expected to be very low,' Yee wrote in a research note. The mortality rate by day 14 was 7.1 per cent in the group treated with remdesivir compared with 11.9 per cent in the placebo group. But this is not deemed a significant difference, meaning it could have been the result of chance. More than 1,000 patients were recruited from 70 hospitals across the world for the Adaptive Covid-19 Treatment Trial. It included 46 patients from the UK. The results were published in the New England Medical Journal on May 22. But not before they were announced by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAD) in the US, which is running the study, on April 29. Dr Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious disease expert, said although the results weren't a 'knock out 100 per cent,' it was an important proof of concept. 'The data shows that remdesivir has a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery,' he told reporters at the White House. 'This is very optimistic, the mortality rate trended towards being better in the sense of less deaths in the REM designate group.' He added that the trial was proof 'that a drug can block this virus,' and compared the finding to the arrival of the first antiretrovirals that worked against HIV in the 1980s, albeit with modest success at first. It led to an emergency use authorisation of remdesivir from the Food and Drug Administration on May 1. However, a separate and less publicised trial of remdesivir carried out in China produced disappointing results. The randomised controlled placebo trial, seen as the gold standard of scientific evidence and the same as that reported by US officials, involved 237 people. Chinese researchers launched two formal studies of remdesivir; one in severely ill patients, and another in people with milder disease, after Gilead agreed to supply remdesivir. Those on the placebo drug had similar outcomes to those given remdesivir. It took a shorter time for the remdesivir-treated patients to get better, 21 days compared with 23, but this is not statistically significant. There was a one per cent difference in mortality rate between the two groups, meaning it didn't shower a clear benefit in survival rates. It was also noted that a larger number stopped their treatment because of adverse events while on remdesivir. Some 66 per cent experienced side effects including constipation and anaemia - but the doctors still classed it as safe. Professor Bin Cao, from China-Japan Friendship Hospital and Capital Medical University in China, who led the research, said it was not the outcome his team hoped for. He said: 'Unfortunately our trial found that, while safe and adequately tolerated, remdesivir did not provide significant benefits over placebo.' The trial was stopped early because the researchers had difficulty recruiting people when the outbreak was curbed in Wuhan, and so the authors said the true effectiveness of remdesivir remains unclear. Commenting on the study, Professor Evans said: 'The numbers in the trial are too small to draw strong conclusions.' Gilead plans to submit the full data of its most recent trial in a peer-reviewed journal in the coming weeks. Its first set of results, of almost 400 patients, were published The New England Journal of Medicine on May 27. The SIMPLE trial evaluated if there was a difference in how well remdesivir worked for hospitalised patients with severe Covid-19 given over five or ten days. The pharmaceutical company reported that almost two-thirds of patients, or 129 out of 200 patients, recovered by day 14 after a five-day course of treatment. The longer treatment time didn't appear to provide any additional benefit, the company said. But the study lacked a placebo controlled arm, making the results difficult to interpret. Remdesivir, which previously failed as a treatment for Ebola, is designed to disable the mechanism by which certain viruses replicate. It was thrust into the limelight as early as January - just a month after China reported the first case of the coronavirus - when the WHO listed it as 'the most promising candidate' for a Covid-19 therapy. Trials have shown the medication can fight against SARS and MERS, cousins of the new coronavirus, in the lab and on animals. The shocking on-camera death of African American George Floyd is drawing attention around the globe. Anti-U.S. protests deploring the mans death erupted in Western capitals on Sunday and newspaper headlines heaped scorn on American police over the incident last week in Minneapolis. Floyd, a black man, died after white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed a knee on the back of his neck for more than eight minutes, even as Floyd repeatedly said he could not breathe. The incident was captured on video. Thousands of protesters gathered in central London to voice support for American demonstrators who have marched in dozens of U.S. cities over the last five days to condemn the police conduct. Some of the worst U.S. violence in decades has erupted, with police cars and government buildings set afire, stores ransacked and looted, and public monuments defaced. The British protesters chanted, "No justice! No peace!" and waved placards with the words, "How many more?". Denmark, Germany Protesters in Denmark marched to the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, carrying placards with such messages as "Stop Killing Black People." In Germany, protesters carried signs saying, "Hold Cops Accountable," and "Who Do You Call When Police Murder?" Germanys top-selling Bild newspaper carried a provocative Sunday headline: "This killer-cop set America ablaze" with an arrow pointing to a photo of Chauvin, who has been fired and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's death. In some newspapers, Floyds death and the ensuing American protests have pushed news of the ongoing worldwide fight against the coronavirus pandemic to second-tier status, at least for the moment. Authoritarian regime perspective In countries with authoritarian governments, state-controlled media showcased the demonstrations in the context of U.S. government complaints about crackdowns on protesters in other countries, such as Chinas treatment of pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong. Hu Xijin, the editor of the Chinese Communist Party-run Global Times newspaper, said U.S. officials can now see the protests out of their own windows: "I want to ask [House] Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi and Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo: Should Beijing support protests in the U.S., like you glorified rioters in Hong Kong?" Iranian state television has shown frequent images of the U.S. unrest, with one unsubstantiated report accusing U.S. police agencies in Washington of "setting fire to cars and attacking protesters. Russia said Floyds death was an example of U.S. police violence against African-Americans and accused the U.S. of "systemic problems in the human rights sphere.'' "This incident is far from the first in a series of lawless conduct and unjustified violence from U.S. law enforcement,'' the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "American police commit such high-profile crimes all too often.'' Lebanon Lebanese anti-government protesters flooded social media with tweets supporting U.S. protesters, with the hashtag #Americanrevolts becoming the top trending tag in Lebanon. MONDAYS STOPPAGES WARNING TO RIGHT-WINGERS, WARMONGERS Mondays stoppages in support of [Communist Party of Australia] Secretary L L Sharkey, involving thousands of workers, were a powerful protest against the Chifley Government. Prime minister Sir Robert Menzies with US president John F Kennedy at the White House in 1963. The workers took-this action in defence of free speech, in defence of the right of the working-class movement to oppose the anti-Soviet war the American imperialists are planning. It was a warning to the capitalists and their Labor lackeys to keep their hands off working-class leaders. During his recent coalfields tour, Mr Menzies, Liberal Party leader, declared that he was looking for the moderates in the labour movement, those who would fight the Communists. How nice it must be for the moderates to know that they command the admiration and support of Mr Menzies, that arch-enemy of the workers, who is out to strangle all that is worthy and decent in the labour movement. MENZIES BOYS Menzies did not have to look far. No sooner did the workers declare their opposition to the use of the Crimes Act against L. Sharkey than Messrs, Crooks, Cockerill, and Simpon, of the Northern Executive of the Miners Federation, directed their members to take no action. The moderates of the Sydney Trades and Labor Council frantically called upon the workers not to cease work. A few nonentities amongst the rank and file also raised their squeaky voices against the powerful protest movement of the workers. The moderates found that the capitalist press was completely at their disposal. They could say what they liked against the Communists in the sure knowledge that newspaper editors would suppress any reply. The reformists and the press did everything possible to confuse the workers and restrain them from struggle. They were so confident that they declared beforehand that the stoppages would prove a failure. NOT GOOD ENOUGH Menzies boys, the moderates, did a good job, but not nearly good enough. Eighteen mines stopped work. Seamen, wharfies, metal workers, building workers and others, in their thousands, held protest stoppages. It is sufficient only to examine the statements and decisions of the moderates to see how closely they are linked with Menzies and the Liberals. In the debate on the Sydney Trades and Labor Council, Mr. Kenny, assistant secretary, declared: The Labor Party couldnt function for one moment in Russia The abysmal ignorance behind that statement is appalling. It is true that there is no Labor Party in Soviet Russia, for the simple reason that the Russian workers tried the Labor Party, experienced the betrayal of its leaders, and rejected it for the Communist Party. The Menshevik Party, or the Russian Labor Party, participated in and even headed governments in Russia after the February revolution in 1917, during the first world war. The masses of the people wanted peace, but the Russian Labor Party leaders supported the imperialist war, just as the Australian Labor Party leaders today support the war plans of American big business. The common people wanted freedom, but the Russian Labor Party leaders sought to suppress freedom of speech and of the press with a Crimes Act no worse than that being by the Chifley Government today. The workers demanded that an end be put to rising prices and that be increased, only to meet with bitter opposition from the Labor Party leaders who were working hand in glove with the employers. Was it any wonder that the workers turned from the base and treacherous Labor Party leaders, the Mensheviks, to the Communist Party and ever since have refused to give any support to the re-establishment of a Labor Party in Russia? SUPPORTED USE OF THE CRIMES ACT Menzies boys on the Labor Council, the moderates, ignoring the past decisions of the trade union movement and the Labor Party, rushed in to support the use of the Crimes Act against the Communist Party and to try and split the workers forces on the issue, on the false grounds that the Communists were out to divide the workers. They charged the Communists with aiming to retard the economic recovery of Australia. NONSENSE, LIES What nonsense! Production is at higher levels today in nearly all industries than at any time in the history of the country. Menzies and Chifley, however, are demanding the introduction of speed-up systems in industry. Incentive payment systems, they call them. It is wellknown that the Labor Council and ACTU moderates are also for the speeding up of the workers. The Communists are opposed to all systems of speed up. They mean that the workers work harder without any corresponding return, and the profits of the boss increase. The next gem we get in the rightwingers resolution is that the Communist Party is out to embarrass the Labor Government with the objective of bringing about its defeat in the forthcoming elections. We give the lie direct to that statement. It almost seems that the Communist Party was using the Crimes Act against the Labor Party instead of the other way around. If the Labor Government starts things which the working class refuses to stomach, then it must carry the blame, and not the Communist Party. The Federal Labor Government has held office for the last eight years, sufficient time for it to have thoroughly consolidated itself. If the Labor Party are defeated at the elections, therefore, they have only themselves to blame. TRUE ROLE OF ALP The Labor Party here in Australia will also be rejected as the workers come to understand its true role. Let us consider the resolution carried on the vote of the moderates, as the capitalist press and Menzies call them, at the Sydney Trades and Labor Council. For 22 years the working-class movement of this country has campaigned against the political and industrial sections of the Crimes Act, because these sections were designed by the Bruce-Page Government to cripple the working class movement and railroad its leaders to [jail]. The trade unions, Trades and Labor Councils, the ACTU and the Labor Party itself have all called for the repeal of those sections of the Crimes Act. In spite of all this, the Chifley Government proceeded against L Sharkey under the Crimes Act. Immediately protests came from all parts of the labor movement. LEARNED BY ROTE The resolution then says that the Communist Party aims to further the political interests of Soviet Russia. The usual claptrap of Menzies and the capitalist press which the trained cockatoos of the Labor Party learned by rote! If tomorrow we joined the lousy gang who want war, with the use of the atomic bomb against Soviet Russia, we would be welcomed like the return of the prodigal son. But we are opposed to such a war. We refuse to join those warmongers whose treasonable activities endanger the independence and future of our country. We will have no truck with the war plans of the Yanks. We are for a policy of peace a truly Australian policy a policy which furthers the interests of the Australian people. The Labor Council resolution records unswerving loyalty to the democratic and constitutional institutions of Australia and then to show how utterly worthless is this declaration they go on to express support for whatever steps the Government takes to protect the democratic rights of our people and safeguard Australia in the event of war. That statement can only mean support for the war plans of the Government and for the use of the Crimes Act to suppress all working class opposition to these plans. In short, the moderates are for war, with conscription, militarisation and destruction of democratic rights. Menzies does not call the right-wingers his moderate friends for nothing. If the Events of the last few days have proved anything, it is how closely allied are the reformists in the trade union movement, the moderates, to big business and the policy it pursues. They are ready to go to any lengths to hold the workers back from struggle on economic or political issues. They support the war plans of imperialism and the suppression of the rights and liberties of the workers. The Australian working class must rally much more firmly and consistently in defence of democratic rights, because the attacks we are now witnessing are part and parcel of the advance to fascism in our country, to the establishment of the fascist police state. They must organise the struggle against the criminal war the imperialists are planning. This article originally appeared in Tribune April, 1949. (Newser) Villagers heard it first: A male gibbon singing a duet with a female on tropical Hainan island off the coast of China. It means that love is in the air, or at least the gibbon version of it, and in this case, it's big news, reports the BBC. That's because the Hainan Gibbon has the unwanted distinction of being the world's rarest primate. About 2,000 roamed the island in the 1950s, but the number plummeted to single digits in the 1970s. Today, the figure has just inched back above 30, which is why that forest duetfeaturing the "flute-like call of the male" and the "hooting" response of the female, per Mongabayis such a welcome sound to researchers. In a new study in Onyx, they explain that the duet took place outside the known territory of the island gibbons, suggesting that the male and female were establishing a new family of their own. story continues below "There are only five families of this species in the world, so every single new family formation is exciting news," says Philip Lo, a conservation officer who is co-author of the new report. If all goes well, a baby will be appearing in the next year or so. The Hainan Gibbon is the only one of 19 species of gibbons in the world showing a stable increase in numbers, even if the grand total is still under three dozen, reports the South China Morning Post. Over the years, conservationists have beefed up the presence of native fig trees the gibbons love to feast on, and they've educated locals on the importance of protecting the animal. The next big goal: reaching a population of 50, which would move the gibbon from "critically endangered" to "endangered." Lo is optimistic. "I can't imagine how sad it would be if Hainan rainforest lost this beautiful animal and its wonderful song." (Read more discoveries stories.) Authored by Jonathan Turley, Yesterday we discussed the four arrests associated with two attacks on New York police officers using Molotov cocktails. It is now being reported that one of the defendants arrested, Colinford Mattis, 32, is a furloughed Pryor Cashman associate. Mattis is a graduate of New York University and Princeton University. He was reportedly arrested with a second attorney in the attack. Mattis is accused of driving a van and passenger Urooj Rahman, 31, threw a Molotov cocktail. Rahman is reportedly a human rights lawyer but also recently lost her job. An NYPD surveillance camera reportedly recorded Rahman throwing the device toward a NYPD vehicle in Fort Greene. A video showed her getting out of a tan 2015 Chrysler Town and Country minivan driven by Mattis and moving toward the patrol car. She was observed lighting a fuse on a Bud Light beer bottle and throwing it through a broken window. It exploded inside of the vehicle and the two fled. The FBI statement included the following description: Officers pursued the minivan and arrested Rahman and Mattis, who was the vehicles driver. The NYPD recovered several precursor items used to build Molotov Cocktails, including a lighter, a bottle filled with toilet paper and a liquid suspected to be gasoline in the vicinity of the passenger seat and a gasoline tank in the rear of the vehicle. They are now charged with causing damage by fire and explosives to a police vehicle. If convicted, each of them faces up to 20 years behind bars. There is a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years. The specific provision charged appears to be 18 U.S.C. 844 (i): Whoever maliciously damages or destroys, or attempts to damage or destroy, by means of fire or an explosive, any building, vehicle, or other real or personal property used in interstate or foreign commerce or in any activity affecting interstate or foreign commerce shall be imprisoned for not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years, fined under this title, or both; and if personal injury results to any person, including any public safety officer performing duties as a direct or proximate result of conduct prohibited by this subsection, shall be imprisoned for not less than 7 years and not more than 40 years, fined under this title, or both; and if death results to any person, including any public safety officer performing duties as a direct or proximate result of conduct prohibited by this subsection, shall also be subject to imprisonment for any term of years, or to the death penalty or to life imprisonment. Unlike Samantha Shaders case discussed yesterday, the vehicle was unoccupied. However, the device did explode (unlike Shaders Molotov cocktail). Still, Shader is looking at more serious charges of attempted murder. I would expect that additional charges might be sought. Pryor Cashmans website described Colinford Mattis, 32, as a member of the firms Corporate Group. That reported entry was deleted after the media learned of the connection. However, two references remain on site. One describes the corporate team that worked on a deal to sell a $319 million stake in AccorHotels. Another entry refers to Mattis as being on the team that launched brand management platform WHP Global on the acquisition of legacy womens fashion brand Anne Klein. According to Pryor Cashman managing partner Ronald Shechtman, Mattis has been on furlough since April due to the pandemic. He said that Mattis employment status will be reviewed. Given the serious federal criminal charges, a review may be in order. Mattis graduated from New York University School of Law in 2016 and received his bachelors degree from Princeton University. He was also previously employed as an associate at Holland & Knight. Rahman was just admitted to the New York bar in June 2019 after graduating from Fordham University School of Law. Here is the DOJ filing: Criminal Complaint According to news published by the US Army website on May 29, 2020, the US Army plans to test the Israeli-made Iron Dome short-range air defense missile system. Two batteries of Iron Dome will be sent at Fort Bliss, Texas, to perform firing tests and could be deployed by at the end of 2021. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link Iron Dome mobile launcher unit (Picture source Army Recognition) The U.S. Army plans to begin phased testing of the Iron Dome systems, as the missiles, launchers and radar go from the assembly line in Israel to White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico to undergo an equipment fielding and training program, said Brig. Gen. Brian Gibson, Air and Missile Defense Cross-Functional Team director. The batteries are scheduled to arrive in December 2020 and February 2021. In August 2019, the United States and the Israel Missile Defense Organization have signed a contract for the purchase of two batteries of Iron Dome. The batteries will be deployed to protect US armed forces in hostile areas of operation. The order also includes two command posts and radars, 12 launchers, and 480 missiles. At AUSA 2017, the Association of United States Army exhibition and conference in Washington D.C., the American Company Raytheon presents the SkyHunter, a US-certified version of the Iron Dome developed jointly by the Israeli Company Rafael and Raytheon. The SkyHunter is a mobile all-weather air defense system designed to destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 to 70 kilometers. The Israeli-made Iron Dome was developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries to provide a new air defense system able to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells. The Iron Dome is the only dual mission system in the world that provides an effective defense solution for countering rockets, artillery & mortars (C-RAM) as well as aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, PGMs. The system is an effective system for countering C-RAM threats with ranges of up to 70 km and for VSHORAD protection (up to 10 km). The system operates in all weather conditions, including low clouds, rain, dust storms, or fog. Since becoming operational by the Israeli Air Force in April 2011, Iron Dome has successfully intercepted hundreds of rockets that have been fired from the Gaza Strip at Southern and Central Israel. Iron Dome system has achieved a very high rate of successful interceptions. In doing so, the system saved lives and prevented serious damages to property. The civil unrest in the Twin Cities continues to take its toll on Minnesota's literary communitysometimes in unexpected ways. Thursday evening, the night before protesters set fire to two adjoining Minneapolis indie bookstores and destroying them both, the reaction to a St. Paulbased literary agents tweet ended up gutting the boutique agency she owns. Three agents affiliated with Red Sofa Literary tweeted this past weekend that they have resigned in response to owner Dawn Fredericks tweet, leaving one subsidiary rights executive besides Frederick still employed there. Frederick's official Red Sofa account on Twitter has been removed. In the tweet that set off the resignations, Frederick wrote that the gas station on her block, in the city's Groveland/ Macalester neighborhood across the Mississippi River from Minneapolis, was officially getting looted. She added that she was calling the police, as someone will need to board up this place. Almost immediately, several followers responded, asking Frederick not to call police on anyone in the midst of widespread civil disobedience in the Twin Cities. (There is a growing concern among area residents and other observers that the police, armed with rubber bullets and tear gas canisters, are targeting people of color protesting George Floyd's murder at the hands of a police officer.) One follower, author Maggie Ryan Sandford, a Red Sofa client, tweeted, "Please do not call the cops right now. Imagine if you were black right now." Although Frederick's side of the exchange between the two was later removed, others captured screenshots that still remain on Twitter. Agent Kelly Van Sant, who specializes in middle grade and YA literature, disclosed about an hour later that she had resigned, effective immediately, in reaction to the tweet. This was a painful decision, but a simple one, Van Sant wrote in a statement that was also tweeted. My commitment to justice for all Black people does not stop when it becomes personally painful or professionally difficult. In response to Van Sant, Frederick posted a statement on Red Sofas website, explaining what had happened on her block the previous night, writing that it was straight up looters rather than protesters. "Seeing this entire situation get misconstrued and to be accused of something Ive worked my entire life to not do is incredibly painful, Frederick wrote. There were no protesters present. Zero protesters. Id never call the police on someone for protesting. Frederick insisted that the people she was reporting to the authorities were not in her judgment protesting police violence against people of color, but, rather, were exploiting the general mayhem by breaking into the gas station and "running out with items in their arms, jumping back into their cars, and hightailing it off the block." By Saturday afternoon, Amanda Rutter, who specializes in SFF, and Stacey Graham, who specializes in romance and nonfiction, had followed Van Sant in resigning, also effective immediately. Rutter tweeted that she could not, in all good conscience, call myself an ally and not react in this way to what I perceive as racism. Grahams tweet announcing her resignation did not refer to Fredericks initial tweet. Due to recent events, I felt I could not stay with the agency any longer, she tweeted. Frederick subsequently posted a second statement on Red Sofas website, apologizing for that tweet, and vowing to be better. She wrote: I didnt equate calling the police to report property damage with the reality that doing so could cause harm to the people currently fighting racism in my community. Frederick declined to speak on the record with PW, as did Rutter and Van Sant. Graham did not respond to PWs request for an interview by press time. Frederick, who founded Red Sofa in 2008, is a well-known fixture in Minnesotas vibrant literary community, serving on the board of directors of the Loft Literary Center and having launched the MN Publishing Tweet Up social group. She also supervises the team of volunteers working in the galley room during the Heartland Fall Forum regional booksellers trade show each year. All weekend, publishing industry insiders have been weighing in on Twitter, many condemning Fredericks statements, a few defending her. Several authors represented by or about to sign with Red Sofa also announced that they would be parting ways with the agency. I was appalled to find out that the agent I was about to sign with, Dawn Frederick of Red Sofa Literary, called the cops on people protesting the killing of George Floyd, Julie Kliegman tweeted. She posted a statement doubling down. I will not condone her racism. Writers, beware. Update: Maggie Ryan Sandford was incorrectly identified in an earlier version of this story. A shocked student has discovered two chicks tweeting from a bird's nest inside the crotch of his jogging bottoms after he left them hanging at his dorm for five months. The pupil, who remains unidentified, made the unusual discovery on his first day back to school after the coronavirus outbreak when he noticed a large hole in the crotch area of his trousers on the laundry rack. He then heard the young birds chirping and found the grass nest with the chicks and an unhatched egg. A stunned Chinese student has spotted two tweeting chicks from a bird's nest inside his jog pants hanging at the dorm after the campus was closed for five months due to the coronavirus lockdown. The pictures above show the animal's home hidden in a pair of black jog pants A video filmed by the student Wednesday shows the bird's nest hidden in a pair of black tracksuit bottoms hanging at the balcony of the dormitory. The student had left the trousers to dry before his college was forced to shut down amid the virus outbreak. 'I was like, wow, this is extraordinary. I didnt think birds could really build their nest in trousers,' the fascinated pupil told Pear Video. The incident took place at Anqing Vocational and Technical College in Anhui province of eastern China as students returned to the campus following a five-month school closure. A video filmed by the student shows the bird's nest hidden in a pair of black tracksuit bottoms hanging at the balcony of the dormitory. The incident took place in Anhui province, China The unusual incident recently took place at Anqing Vocational and Technical College in Anhui province of eastern China as students returned to the campus following a five-month school closure. Pictured, a student moves in the student residence at a school in Shenzhen on April 27 But the student said that the parent bird suddenly stopped coming to feed the chicks after he discovered the nest. 'Maybe the weather has been too hot. I dont know what happened,' he added. The pupil tried to give young birds some breadcrumbs to eat but to no avail. 'They were fine at first but [the chicks] were dying when I went to check again the next day,' he said. The student said that he then buried the dead birds somewhere nearby. A bird's nest filled with eggs has been spotted in the crotch area of a pair of boxers hanging at a dormitory in China after the school was closed for over three months due to the lockdown Last month, a Chinese parent also discovered a bird's nest in a pair of boxers while helping their child move to a dorm at a secondary school in Xiangyang, Hubei province. A student, who remains unidentified, had allegedly left the washed underwear to dry before the school was forced to shut down amid the virus outbreak. Social media footage captured a bird's nest hidden in a pair of black underpants hanging at the balcony of a dormitory. A few eggs can also be spotted at the animal's cosy home. San Antonio Police Department San Antonio police are asking for assistance in identifying a man allegedly caught exposing himself on a home security camera. A woman called police after finding footage of the lewd conduct. Police said the man, described as standing 5-foot-8 and 150 pounds, went to the victim's house twice around 2:30 a.m. on May 24. In a confusing episode that authorities are still trying to clear up, a tanker truck sped toward a crowd of thousands of demonstrators who were marching on a bridge in Minneapolis late Sunday afternoon to protest the killing of George Floyd. Demonstrators managed to scatter, and surprisingly there were no immediate reports of any seriously injured protesters. The harrowing scene was caught on video from multiple angles and shows how the tanker truck barreled toward the crowd that was on the I-35W bridge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A tanker truck barreled through thousands of peaceful protesters in Minneapolis as the crowd rushed out of the way. The driver was arrested and officials said no one was hit, though some protesters told local media that they had seen people with injuries.https://t.co/FohD5ehXFA pic.twitter.com/E6hssu9yaQ The New York Times (@nytimes) June 1, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement Witnesses said the truck sped toward the crowd beeping its horn as dozens had taken a seat or a knee for a moment of silence. A truck came. The horns were blaring. It was picking up speed. It was plowing down the highway into the protesters, Melanie Ramos of Minneapolis told the Star Tribune. It was the most terrifying thing Ive ever seen. Another witness said he could smell the fuel and hear it sloshing around as the tanker approached. Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington described it as one of the most dangerous things Ive ever seen. New cell phone video of a tanker truck driving into protestors on the 35W bridge. Video shot by witness Treye Harrison. pic.twitter.com/jiVvyzIA07 Boyd Huppert (@BoydHuppert) May 31, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protesters parted like the red sea as a tanker came speeding down the I-35 . One guy jumped in front of the truck to try and get the driver to stophttps://t.co/7Gv2lgF3on pic.twitter.com/a1yKVEBGER Pandemic Lefty (@lazylefty) June 1, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement RAW VIDEO: Jeff & Sara Radichel sent us this video of the moment a tanker truck drove through peaceful protesters on the I-35 Bridge in Minneapolis | https://t.co/OA7HXWJUrI #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/N9QetxZzXN WCCO - CBS Minnesota (@WCCO) May 31, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement Protesters swarmed the truck and pulled out the driver. Witnesses on social media said that law enforcement pepper sprayed peaceful demonstrators who had rushed out of the scene. There are reports that some demonstrators tried to stop the attack on the driver and several laid on him as protection. Police moved in and took the driver into custody. He was treated for nonlife threatening injuries before being taken to jail. Officials say it isnt clear whether the driver was injured by the crash or protesters. Advertisement Tanker truck running people over on 35W bridge in Minneapolis pic.twitter.com/5BbnVWMZDP Fuck the Curfew!! (@just_mattriley) May 31, 2020 Advertisement INTENSE VIDEO shows the moments right after a tanker truck driver barreled through a peaceful protest of thousands on 35W in Minneapolis. pic.twitter.com/hzLB4BLqZv TC Crime Watch (@TCCrimeWatch) May 31, 2020 Authorities said the truck was already on the freeway before it was closed for traffic about an hour earlier. I dont know the motives of the driver at this point in time, Gov. Tim Walz said. But at this point in time to not have tragedy and many deaths is an amazing thing. For more Slate coverage of George Floyds death and the nationwide protests, listen to What Next, or read more: William Saletan: Trump Doesnt Believe in Law and Order Matthew Dessem: Police Erupt in Violence Nationwide Joel Anderson: The Police Dont Change Dahlia Lithwick: America Gasps for Air Julia Craven: This Week Has Happened Before Govt puts on hold list of non-Swadeshi items for CAPF canteens India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, June 01: Hours after making it public, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday put on hold a list of non-swadeshi products not to be sold at Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) canteens, saying there were discrepancies and a fresh list would be released soon. Cabinet decisions: Centre announces relief for MSMEs, support for farmers | Oneindia News The MHA has asked the Central Police Welfare Board to put on hold its list, issued earlier in the day, barring 1,026 items of over 70 companies from selling in CPCs, a home ministry official said in a fresh order. The fresh instructions come just hours after a government order said that over 1,000 products will not be sold at CAPF canteens anymore from Monday as they are not 'swadeshi' or are prepared from purely imported products. The de-listed products, includes Nutella, Kinder Joy, Tic Tac, Horlicks Oats, Eureka Forbes, Tommy Hilfiger shirts and Adidas body sprays. Certain brands of microwave ovens and several other home appliances too won't be available from today. Seven firms importing products including Skechers, Ferrero, Red Bull, Victorinox, Safilo (Polaroid, Carrera) have also been de-listed. COVID-19: CRPF worst hit paramilitary force The Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandars, the parent body that runs these canteens, has divided all products into three categories. All products have been divided into three categories based on the information submitted by the firms -- Category 1 - Products Purely Made in India, Category 2 -Raw Materials Imported but Products Manufactured/Assembled in India, and Category 3 - Purely Imported Products. Products placed under Category 1 and Category 2 will be allowed to be on KPKB inventory and for sale, through KPKB Bhandars while products falling under Category 3 will stand de-listed with effect from June 1 and their sale will not be allowed with effect from June 1. Last month, Prime Minister Modi had pitched for the use of products manufactured in the country, saying every Indian has to become "vocal for their local". Later, Home Minister Amit Shah had announced that all canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will sell only indigenous products from June 1 to 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh personnel serving in CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles. Chinese state media has accused the UK of starting a 'technological Cold War' as it slammed Britain's plan to cut out Huawei from its 5G networks. The Global Times, one of China's major propaganda outlets, blasted Britain's 'Cold War-style' move after Downing Street reportedly sought to form a '5G club' of 10 democratic countries to reduce its reliance on the Chinese telecoms giant. The nationalist newspaper also claimed that the UK was 'being manipulated' by the United States and warned No 10 to expect different economic and trading policies from China if its plans fall through. Britain initially allowed Huawei to build up to 35 per cent of the infrastructure necessary to roll out its new 5G network. Pictured, a man walks past a Huawei shop in Beijing on May 18 Boris Johnson (left) is set to scale down Huawei's involvement in Britain's 5G network due to China's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Right: Chinese president Xi Jinping Boris Johnson has 'changed his mind' over an previous deal with Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, according to a senior Government source. The company is to hold crunch talks with Downing Street this week following reports No 10 is seeking a way out of the deal to let Huawei build 35 per cent of the 5G network. The meeting with Sir Edward Lister, one of Mr Johnson's senior aides, has been described as a 'clarifying moment' for the company. A senior Government source told the Sunday Times the Prime Minister wanted to use a new security review 'as cover' for getting out of the deal. Another said Mr Johnson's 'attitude has changed'. Boris Johnson has 'changed his mind' over an previous deal with Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, according to a senior Government source. People wearing protective face masks are pictured looking at smartphones on display at a Huawei store in Shenzhen on May 19 UK has also proposed a 'D10' club of 10 democratic partners - with G7 nations plus Australia, South Korea and India - to create an alternative alliance of 5G technology suppliers, according to The Times. FILE: US President Donald Trump and PM Boris Johnson are pictured attending a bilateral meeting during the G7 summit held on August 25, 2019 in Biarritz, France UK has also proposed a 'D10' club of 10 democratic partners - with G7 nations plus Australia, South Korea and India - to create an alternative alliance of 5G technology suppliers, according to The Times. In an opinion piece published on Sunday, the Chinese state media doubted the possibility of successfully forming such alliance. It criticised: 'By rallying 10 like-minded countries against China, the plan is largely a Cold War-style design. But today's world can't be dominated by ideology as it was during the Cold War era. 'The idea of D10 also reflects that some Western countries still view technological issues through political lenses. 'Many of these countries, which used to be advanced technology leaders, cannot accept and adapt themselves to the fact that China is leading the world in 5G technology.' UK has proposed a 'D10' club of 10 democratic partners with G7 nations plus Australia, South Korea and India, to create an alternative alliance of 5G technology suppliers, according to The Times. Pictured, people wearing face masks walk past a Huawei store in Beijing on May 18 Huawei's involvement in UK 5G explained What is Huawei? Huawei was founded in 1987 in Shenzhen, southern China, by Ren Zhengfei, a former army officer. It started making communications equipment for mobile phone networks and now employs 180,000 workers. What role will Huawei have in the UK? Huawei will be banned from supplying equipment to 'sensitive parts' of the network, known as the core. It is excluded from areas near military bases and nuclear sites, and is only allowed to account for 35 per cent of the kit in a network's 'periphery'. The 'core' is distinct from the Radio Access Network ('periphery'), made up of base stations and masts used to link mobile devices to the core. As more operations are carried out closer to users, and the distinctions between the core and the periphery blurs, there are concerns it will not be possible to keep Huawei out of the network's more sensitive areas. Should we be worried about Huawei? Its founded Ren Zhengfei was member of the People's Liberation Army for nine years until 1983. He is also a member of China's Communist Party. The US has threatened to restrict the UK's access to intelligence shared between the so-called 'Five Eyes' alliance - the US, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Washington claims that Huawei is in the pocket of the Chinese Communist Party and is spying on its people. The US has banned American firms from doing business with Huawei. Advertisement The state tabloid also accused the UK of taking America's side and blindly following the US in waging a technological Cold War on China. 'In that case, the UK cannot expect China to treat it the same as before in terms of economy and trade. 'Britain should avoid being manipulated by the US and serving the latter's interests as foolishly as Australia,' the article said. The telecoms giant, which has been accused by the US of espionage and being in hock to the Chinese Communist Party, was granted permission by Prime Minister in January to supply equipment for the 'non-core' elements of future broadband infrastructure. However, growing rebellion against Huawei has intensified among Tory MPs after China faces global backlash for covering up its true scale of the crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic. There was also international outcry over Mr Johnson's decision, with Donald Trump threatening to ban Britain from intelligence sharing if they let the firm in. The PM has reportedly told officials in late May that he wants China's involvement in UK 5G infrastructure to be nettled down to zero in the next three years. A No 10 source said: 'The world is a very different place from January and the PM knows we have to look at this again.' Huawei has hit back, arguing any U-turn would not make sense. Vice-president Victor Zhang, insisted: 'As a private company, 100 per cent owned by employees, which has operated in the UK for 20 years, our priority has been to help mobile and broadband companies keep Britain connected, which is more vital than ever in this health crisis.' But the No 10 rethink has delighted Tory MPs, with Tom Tugendhat, chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, warning that any continuing relationship with Huawei would be 'extremely problematic' because the company is 'actually owned by the Chinese Communist Party'. A senior Government source told the Sunday Times the Prime Minister wanted to use a new security review 'as cover' for getting out of the deal. Another said Mr Johnson's 'attitude has changed'. Intelligence officials at the National Cyber Security Centre are examining new laws in the US that ban Huawei from using American technology in its equipment. It is understood that No 10 has drawn up a plan to phase out the role of Huawei by a fixed date, with 2023 floated as a possible deadline. Some officials are concerned Huawei could threaten to walk away, leaving the 3G and 4G networks - in which its equipment is used - in turmoil. The PM's U-turn has been welcomed by Tory backbenchers, including MP Tom Tugendhat (pictured), chairman of the prestigious Foreign Affairs Select Committee Mr Tugendhat tweeted on May 23: 'The Path to Zero is exactly what we've been asking for. Im glad the gov is listening. Let's hope this happens' Last week the Daily Mail revealed that Huawei equipment will remain inside part of Britain's mobile phone network for up to seven years, even if Mr Johnson tries to ban it. Industry insiders said it would take years for them to rip out Huawei kit from their infrastructure if they were told to do so by the government. They also warned it would result in long delays to the Prime Minister's plan to deliver full-fibre broadband to all in the UK. Visiting Poland, 2002-2004 By Mark Wegierski Mark Wegierski revives memories of a mostly happier time in East-Central Europe, eighteen years ago Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada of Polish immigrant parents, I have had, over the decades, a deep relation with the land of my forebears. Having visited Poland a number of times as a child and adolescent in earlier decades, I returned over four fairly extensive visits from 2002 to 2004. The places I stayed at during those more recent visits included Ciechocinek, Nieszawa, Torun, Czestochowa, and Grudziadz, among others. I always flew in to Warsaw from Toronto on a direct flight on Polish LOT airlines, which usually takes about nine hours. When one travels in the direction of Torun from Warsaw by car, one normally goes by the Wislostrada (the Vistula Highway). Looking to the west, one can see the various landmarks of Old Warsaw, such as the Royal Castle, the Old Town, and the so-called New Town (dating from the eighteenth century). During my first trip of the recent time, in May 2002, my relatives travelled to Torun not by the Wislostrada, but by a more circuitous route that led along a two-lane road through various picturesque villages. I still remember the look and aroma of the acacia that bloomed prodigiously by the side of the road. Ciechocinek lies about 200 kilometers northwest of Warsaw near Torun, the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus, in the Kujawy-Pomorze (Kuyavia-Pomerania) region. It is a spa and resort town of about 14,000 permanent residents, known for its unique titration towers large wooden structures with thick layers of bramble, through which water from nearby salt springs is filtered, producing a healthy microclimate, which approximates that of sea-air. In Ciechocinek, I mostly stayed at a large, elegant spa known as Pod Tezniami (By the Titration Towers), which has won awards as one of the best such resorts in Poland. Nieszawa, which is about 10 kilometers southeast of Ciechocinek, is a picturesque small town of about 2,200 inhabitants, which lies on a few hillsides above the Vistula River. Standing at the top of the hillside, one can see clear across the broad river to the verdant forests on the other side. Nieszawa has existed on its current site since the fifteenth century, and has a beautiful church dating back to that era, known especially for its original frescoes. Grudziadz is a town of close to a hundred thousand inhabitants, further north along the Vistula, where I recall attending a funeral in 2004. My fathers eldest sister had passed away. The town dates back to the Early Middle Ages, and contains a variety of architectural styles. It was known as a fortress throughout much of its history. The funeral ceremony was carried out with full formality. There were extensive prayers by the open coffin in the basement of the church; then a long funeral mass in the church above, to which the closed coffin had been carried; and then the coffin was conveyed by hearse, for interment at the gravesite, in a large historic cemetery in another part of the town, where the son of the deceased also gave a short eulogy. Obviously, the persons attending the funeral travelled in cars, in a quite impressive motorcade. This was followed by the wake or stypa-- which had been arranged at a particularly elegant restaurant in the town. I also stayed at a few small places to the northeast of Torun, notably a tiny hotel on a lake near Brodnica, and a renovated manor-house itself called Owieczkowo. I had also traversed by car the route from Torun to Bydgoszcz, as well as from Torun to Warsaw, a considerable number of times. On occasion, I was driven from Torun southwest to Lodz and then to Czestochowa. Some of the places I saw along the way included Piotrkow Trybunalski, which was the seat of Polands Royal Tribunal for hundreds of years (hence the second part of the name), and Zarnow, a small town that has a church, the oldest parts of which date back to the tenth century. In one of my most notable trips to Czestochowa, I attended a 60th Wedding Anniversary, including a commemorative ceremony at the famous Jasna Gora monastery, with its glorious image of the Virgin Mary. Mark Wegierski is a Toronto-based writer and historical researcher. He was born in Toronto of Polish immigrant parents. Home By David Shepardson WASHINGTON, June 1 (Reuters) - Pacific Networks Corp and its wholly owned subsidiary ComNet (USA) LLC on Monday urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) not to shut down its U.S. operations. In April, the FCC issued show cause orders to three state-controlled Chinese telecommunications companies, including Pacific, citing national security risks. The FCC directed China Telecom Americas, China Unicom Americas and Pacific Networks to explain why it should not start revoking authorizations enabling their U.S. operations. The other two firms have not yet filed formal FCC responses. Pacific and ComNet said in a 92-page FCC filing that "neither company has been asked by the Chinese government or the Chinese Communist Party to take any action that would 'jeopardize the national security and law enforcement interests of the United States.'" The companies said they have operated in the United States for 20 years without any FCC enforcement action. Pacific Networks resells international voice and data to U.S. operators on a wholesale basis; ComNet provides international termination service, global SIM card service and international calling card and interexchange service, the FCC said. The companies said they "not only operated independently from the Chinese government" but have "complied and cooperated with the United States government." The FCC granted approvals to the companies more than a decade ago. Since then, it said, "the national security and law enforcement risks linked to the Chinese government's activities have grown significantly." Earlier, the U.S. Justice Department called on the FCC to revoke China Telecom's ability to operate in the United States. In May 2019, the FCC voted unanimously to deny another state-owned Chinese telecommunications company, China Mobile Ltd , the right to provide services in the United States, citing risks that the Chinese government could use the approval to conduct espionage against the U.S. government. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by David Gregorio) Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Global Microwave Ablation Market: By Product Types (Generators/Electrosurgical Units and Consumables) Drivers, Opportunities, Restraints, and Forecasts: 20172023 Overview: Microwave ablation refers to the surgical removal of a body tissue by transferring heat to the target tissue. The process is used to remove a tiny or large quantity of tissue. A specially equipped needle is inserted near the site with image-guided modalities such as computed tomography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging. The needle is subjected to various form of electrical tests depending on the type of technology used. This is a form of thermal ablation with energy spectrum of 300 MHz to 300 GHz used to produce tissue-heating effects. The increasing demand for energy-based ablation devices has increased the demand for microwave ablation procedures across the globe. The market is driven by several factors that contribute to the business growth globally. The rise in awareness about minimally invasive surgeries or procedures has created a high adoption as it is less painful, performed as an outpatient procedure, and unlike traditional open surgeries they are less expensive. Minimally invasive surgeries are emerging as potential replacements for conventional therapeutic cancer surgeries for the treatment of various tumors of the prostate gland, lungs, and liver. Further, robotic navigation technologies that perform microwave ablation procedures more accurately are being incorporated to increase the popularity of these surgeries. The cost of microwave tissue ablation treatment is directly proportional to the size of the tissue/tumor and the number of probes required for the surgery. Request for Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/10446 The major products in the market include: Solero MTA System NEUWAVE Microwave Ablation System Evident MW Ablation System AveCure Microwave System MicroThermX Devices The market is dominated by Medtronic, AngioDynamics, NeuWave Medical (now Johnson & Johnson), MedWaves, and Perseon which has more than 75% market share in the Global Microwave Ablation Devices market. Factors, such as the increased prevalence of chronic disorders, growing popularity about minimally invasive surgeries, focus on early prevention, and the increase in disposable income, are driving the market growth. Market Analysis: The Global Microwave Ablation Devices Market is estimated to witness a CAGR of 14.8% during the forecast period 20172023. The market is analyzed based on three segments, namely product type, end-users, and regions. Request for Report Discount: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/10446 Regional Analysis: The regions covered in the report are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (ROW). The Americas is set to be the leading region for the microwave ablation devices market growth followed by Europe. Asia Pacific and ROW are set to be the emerging regions. The emerging markets have a high potential to grow owing to an increase in the number of microwave ablation procedures due to the rise in disposable income, presence of a large pool of chronic patient population, and focus toward healthcare infrastructure. However, the high cost of devices and expensive procedural cost, lack of skilled electrophysiologist, lack of proper reimbursement policies, lack of awareness about advanced ablation devices in developing countries have a significant impact on the overall market growth. Product Analysis: Consumables are the fastest growing segment and dominates the global ablation market with 65% of the total market. Cardiac arrhythmias are the most popular ablation treatment followed by cancer ablation methods in all the ablation types. The increase in the prevalence of chronic disorders and growing number of microwave ablation procedures are expected to drive the consumables market during the forecast period. The generator/electrosurgical unit segment is growing at a steady growth rate and is expected to see a significant growth in the emerging markets. Key Players: Medtronic, AngioDynamics, NeuWave Medical (now Johnson & Johnson), MedWaves, Perseon, and other predominate & niche players. Competitive Analysis: The Global Microwave Ablation Devices market is growing faster and has immense growth opportunities for vendors, especially in the developed regions. The presence of large, small, and local vendors in the market possess high competition. The vendors have a strong focus on acquiring smaller companies and expanding their business operations by leveraging their products portfolio across the globe. The competitive environment in the market will intensify further with an increase in product/service extensions, product innovations, and M&A. They form strategic alliances for the marketing or manufacturing of microwave ablation devices. Benefits: The report provides complete details about the usage and adoption rate of microwave ablation devices for the treatment of various chronic disorders. Thus, the key stakeholders can know about the major trends, drivers, investments, vertical players initiatives, and government initiatives toward the ablation devices adoption in the upcoming years along with details of the pureplay companies entering the market. Moreover, the report provides details about the major challenges that are going to impact on the market growth. Additionally, the report gives complete details about the key business opportunities to key stakeholders in order to expand their business and capture the revenue in specific verticals to analyze before investing or expanding the business in this market. More Info of Impact Covid19@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/10446 A housing charity has called on Northern Ireland government and landlords to act to prevent a spike in evictions after lockdown. The Chartered Institute of Housing said temporary measures to help tenants keep their homes, along with the furlough scheme, had brought temporary respite. CIH said that employed renters were more likely than homeowners to work in jobs which faced the greatest economic and health risks in the crisis. In addition, claims for unemployment benefits had almost doubled during April, while the economy has been tipped to shrink by 7.5% - all of which will make it harder for tenants to pay rent. Justin Cartwright, CIH director in NI, said: "For the 260,000 households who are tenants of private or social landlords in NI, a key part of the hardship and suffering during the crisis has been the struggle to pay their rent and worrying if they will be able to keep their home. "If our society and the economy are to recover from the crisis, it is vital that these fears are allayed quickly and thoroughly." The CIH has proposed measures including a temporary ban on evictions arising solely from Covid-19-related arrears. It also suggests one-off payments to stabilise Housing Executive and housing association finances where hit by Covid-related arrears. CIH chief executive Gavin Smart said:"Our proposals are practical and proportionate to the threat facing millions of people. "We are looking forward to working with the governments across the UK to make them part of our national post-Covid recovery plan." The number of COVID-19 cases recorded in the Bono East Region has seen an increase from one to six cases. The first case in the region was a 31-year-old driver who tested positive for the virus. The new additional five cases were recorded in Tuobodom, Techiman, and Nkoranza. According to the Bono East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Fred Adomako Boateng who disclosed this in an interview with FirstNews, the five additional cases are as a result of targeted testing the health directorate has been conducting. Dr. Boateng said contact tracing is ongoing and by the close of today they would be able to come out with realistic measures to stop the spread. He also said the infected person is currently in isolation undergoing treatment. Dr. Fred Adomako Boateng bemoaned the stigmatization the first case is suffering and called on Ghanaians to stop stigmatizing against COVID-19 Victims. ---FirstnewsRoom.com Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos State Police Command, have arrested a 19-year-old National Diploma holder of the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos, for blackmailing popular artiste, Queen Salawa Abeni, with her nude photos. The suspect, Olufowoke Oladunjoye Emmanuel, a resident of Ogun State, was picked up by the RSS last week Thursday after three days of monitoring him. The 58-year-old music legend had recently went on social media to raise the alarm over plans to blackmail her with her nude photos. She posted her WhatsApp conversation with the suspect and the purported old photos he planned to use for the blackmail. The Commissioner of Police, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, was said to have in April 2020, directed the Commander, RRS, DCP Olatunji Disu, to fish out the blackmailer who was subsequently tracked down, but could not be picked immediately because of the prevalence of the COVID-19, adding that he was later arrested. The suspect, in his statement to the police, allegedly confessed to the crime, saying he just wanted to extort money from the artiste. ALSO READ: Man Records Himself Raping Female Corp Member, Shares Nude Video With Friends In Ogun State The Electrical Engineering graduate, reportedly said he saw the nude pictures in a memory card he picked up on the floor in YABATECH in November 2019. He added that after downloading the photographs on his phone, he got Abenis mobile number from her Instagram page. On 1st of April, 2020, I chatted her up and also called her after sending a few of the photos to her online. My intention was to negotiate with her for a few bucks and for me to destroy the photographs. I thought everything was going on fine until the following day when I heard the news of the blackmail over the radio. I was with my mother. She even cursed the blackmailer unknown to her that I was the one behind it. I immediately sneaked out, destroyed the memory card, and threw my mobile phone and SIM card into a nearby wetland in Magboro. Since then, I never mentioned it to anyone and called Madam Salawa Abeni about it again, he said. The Lagos CP, Odumosu, said no individual would be allowed to commit a crime in Lagos from any state or escape to other states in Nigeria to evade arrest. He advised parents to monitor their children, emphasising that the Internet was a fertile ground for opportunities but the command would not allow criminals to use it to exploit law-abiding residents. ALSO READ: Lady Saved From Committing Suicide After Pastor Shared Her Nude Photos In Churchs Whatsapp Group A mother-of-three with Huntington's disease who fears she only has five years left to live has told how she doesn't remember giving birth to her children - and is terrified they too will inherit the debilitating condition. Charlotte Smith, 33, from Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire, was diagnosed with the hereditary disease in August 2018. She had been suffering with symptoms - which include memory lapses, struggling to concentrate, clumsiness, mood swings, jerky movements and difficulty swallowing - for 25 years, but had never heard of Huntington's until her father was told he was battling it in October 2017. Given the severity of Charlotte's condition and how rapidly she is deteriorating, she fears she won't live beyond 40 and is now planning to make as many memories with her family as she can. Charlotte Smith, 33, from Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire, doesn't remember giving birth to her children (pictured together) - and is terrified they too will inherit Huntington's disease Charlotte has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money towards a two-week 'bucket list' holiday abroad with her partner-of-nine-years Jon Orritt, 40, who cares for her as well as working full time at a bank, and the children. Speaking to FEMAIL, Charlotte said: 'I haven't specifically been told I have five years, but having spoken to a specialist, plus my CAG count [how many times the Huntington's gene repeats] and my rapid deterioration, particularly with my swallowing and choking every day, I have reason to believe this. 'There is no cure for HD and my body will deteriorate to the point where I will have full loss of my body and coordination and need constant looking after. 'There are lifestyle changes I need to consider, and of course my end of life plan. I want to spend as much time as I can making memories for my children, so they see their mum in a good light, rather than the reality of how HD affects me and how it will affect me in the future.' Charlotte has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money towards a two-week 'bucket list' holiday abroad with her partner-of-nine-years Jon, 40, pictured together, who cares for her as well as working full time at a bank, and the children Charlotte said she has always been forgetful and 'doesn't remember much of the last 25 years' - including the birth of her children. 'There are occasions where I feel guilty when the kids mention something from the past, and I can't quite join in the conversation or share the feeling of what the moment was,' she admitted. 'This does cause me sadness and I can get quite short, but I try to deal with my emotions as best as I can.' Prior to her diagnosis Charlotte said she would fall over a lot and often break things like mobile phones. Prior to her diagnosis Charlotte said she would fall over a lot and often break things like mobile phones 'I used to drive but would constantly have accidents or clip the kerb, blowing the car tyres,' she admitted. 'I have jerky movements as well - I take medication for this now - and I'd spill drinks or kick out, either when I'm sleeping or sat still. I was also struggling to eat certain foods and choking, which scared my daughter.' Charlotte told how her father suffered many similar symptoms, but was 'in denial' until he was diagnosed. 'My grandfather died of the disease, but back then it was very unheard of and he was misdiagnosed with Alzheimer's disease,' she added. 'I recently discovered another relative who potentially had the disease in my family whom I am not close to - they spent time in medical and mental institutions as they showed signs of schizophrenia. Given the severity of Charlotte's condition and how rapidly she is deteriorating, she fears she won't live beyond 40 and is now planning to make as many memories with her family as she can 'The reason why I am seeing onset earlier in my life compared to my dad's is that my CAG count, which is the spectrum and severity of HD, is higher than his.' Charlotte said knowing she has Huntington's disease has helped her come to terms with her condition. She explained: 'I am no longer working, but I was struggling to hold down work prior to the diagnosis as I couldn't concentrate or I was always very tired. 'For obvious reasons I gave up driving, as it was too dangerous to get behind a wheel, and my days are now spent at home enjoying what time I have with the children. 'Luckily I am entitled to carers who come in and help me, and I have medication which keeps some symptoms at bay, such as the depression, tiredness and chorea, which is the jerky movements. Charlotte has two sons - aged 12 and 11 - from a previous relationship, and a seven-year-old daughter with Jon 'I have good days and bad days. I do struggle to socialise and I'm not great at leaving the house, so I am confined to familiar surroundings. My circle of friends is low as I often forget to make contact or feel awkward about asking the same questions.' Last year Charlotte took the difficult decision to have a stomach peg fitted so she can be fed via a pump, to reduce her choking. But while that ensures she gets the nutrition she needs, which gives her more energy, she said ultimately it's just slowing down her decline. Charlotte has two sons - aged 12 and 11 - from a previous relationship, and a seven-year-old daughter with Jon, who also has three children with an ex-partner. She said they are both concerned that her sons and their daughter are starting to show some of the symptoms of Huntington's disease already. She suspects one of her boys is autistic due to his behavioural challenges, while the other has anxiety issues. She added that their daughter is quite clumsy, though it could be a sign of her age. Charlotte said knowing she has Huntington's disease has helped her come to terms with her condition, which she inherited from her father (pictured right, with her children) 'I have spoken to specialists and they concluded that unless there was something very severe about the children, testing them for HD this young would only add more pressure to the family, particularly with all the adjustments we are doing for me,' Charlotte said. 'So unless things change I am happy for them to have their own tests when they reach the age of 18. My children all have a 50:50 chance. 'It's a roller coaster of emotions, but in general the kids are aware of my condition, but I am not fully sure they've accepted it and what that means for them. 'They do get support from the HDA (Huntington's Disease Association) who send representatives to their school to discuss my disease. I do rely on them to bring me teas or food, and my eldest son is quite good at reminding me to take my medication.' Charlotte, pictured with her children, hopes her fundraising efforts will help them all enjoy a two-week all-inclusive trip to Turkey at the end of September Charlotte, pictured in a wheelchair, said she's coping OK with the current lockdown, as she's used to being at home a lot anyway Charlotte said she's coping OK with the current lockdown, as she's used to being at home a lot anyway. 'I love the kids being home with me also,' she added. 'Jon is trying his best to homeschool them and has built a routine where he goes off to the shops once a week. 'I've had to stop my carers coming in, but luckily Jon can work from home.' The couple, who are engaged, have been unable to afford a holiday for several years, but Charlotte hopes her fundraising efforts will help them enjoy a two-week all-inclusive trip to Turkey at the end of September. 'Previously we have only been able to afford a week at best, or a long weekend, but the kids love swimming in the sea,' she said. To donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/20kz1xgddc A large truck was seen driving at full speed into a crowd of protesters Sunday on a bridge in Minneapolis, sending people running for safety. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety called it "very disturbing actions by a truck driver on I-35W, inciting a crowd of peaceful demonstrators." The truck driver was injured and is under arrest, the department said. It doesnt appear any protesters were hit by the truck, according to the department. The truck was swarmed and video from the scene showed someone on the hood as it moved. Today I witnessed pure evil. Thousands and thousands of protestors were PEACEFULLY marching the streets to demand #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd and a gas truck came barreling through the crowd. Pray to whoever you pray to for us all. #BlackLivesMatterMinneapolis #blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/M4mjHROxD0 Zachary Donald (@ZachDPfeil) May 31, 2020 Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called the incident "horrifying" and said the truck driver had illegally entered the closed freeway. He was injured after being pulled from the vehicle, Walz said, and his motive was unknown. Walz said officials don't have any confirmed reports of other injuries. Social media suggested some could have been transported privately, but the public safety commissioner said they are not aware of any injured protesters being at local hospitals. Download the NBC News app for full coverage and alerts on this story Just before 6 p.m. a crowd of pedestrian protesters gathered on an Interstate 35 highway bridge, and witnesses said the driver began spraying some sort of substance out of the vehicle. Story continues Minneapolis police spread out across the highway blocking all lanes of traffic with their vehicles and state police worked to clear the bridge of protesters. Image: Tanker truck drives into protesters on bridge (Eric Miller / Reuters) Walz said that the incident could have been a tragedy with many people killed. Minnesota Department of Public Safety Director John Harrington said there had been a crowd of around 5,000 to 6,000 protesters and they moved to the freeway. The freeway was shut down to keep protesters safe, he said. The truck drove through at high speeds and was chased down by protesters and stopped. Minnesota Commissioner of Corrections Paul Schnell said later Sunday that the driver was attacked by people in the crowd, but there was a "large number" of people who stepped in to protect the driver. Miles Kipper told NBC affiliate KARE11 of Minneapolis that he was among those who rushed to protect the driver. "I'm a rugby player so being in a scrum is not something I'm a stranger to," Kipper said. "And it felt very much like an angry scrum with a team of really angry people punching and kicking and screaming bloody murder." He and others rushed to the driver's defense and they formed a line to protect him. "This isn't what the movement's about," Kipper said. "We can't hurt this guy. If we kill him, we're screwed." From transportation camera footage, it appears the truck was on the freeway as it was being closed, Harrington said. "But that does not in any way absolve the driver from driving through a crowd of people at speed," Harrington said. Very disturbing actions by a truck driver on I-35W, inciting a crowd of peaceful demonstrators. The truck driver was injured & taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He is under arrest. It doesnt appear any protesters were hit by the truck. #MACCMN MnDPS_DPS (@MnDPS_DPS) May 31, 2020 The incident is under investigation. The governor said he wants the truck driver charged to the fullest extent possible. "I don't know what his intent was," Harrison said. "But there's just no way for me to see that as being anything other than one of the most dangerous things I have ever seen." Full coverage of George Floyds death and protests around the country Schnell, the corrections commissioner, said some estimated the truck was traveling at around 70 mph. Trucking company Kenan Advantage Group Inc., based in North Canton, Ohio, said the driver is one of its independent contractors. "Our hearts go out to all those who are grieving the events of this past week," the company said in a statement. "We will be cooperating fully with the investigating authorities in the days ahead." In a separate incident in Oklahoma on Sunday, a truck carrying a horse trailer also drove through a crowd of protesters on a highway overpass in Tulsa, hitting two people and causing minor injuries, said Oklahoma Public Safety spokeswoman Sarah Stuart. A third person who was standing on an overpass wall either fell or was pushed after the truck plowed through the demonstration and the crowd parted, she said. The man fell roughly 20 feet and was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, she said. Stuart said state troopers were still interviewing the driver, who she said was with his family and became scared after protesters surrounded his car before authorities closed the road. He had not been charged with a crime in the incident, she said. One of the protesters, Nella Tarcetti, 30, said the event was extremely peaceful when the man drove through a crowd that authorities estimated may have been 2,000 people or more, Stuart said. Tarcetti said the driver appeared to have a gun on his dashboard. There was people screaming for their kids, little kids crying, people crying, she said. it was chaotic. It was really scary. Its cover is usually graced by stars and supermodels, but Vogue has set aside the rich and famous in favour of key workers. The fashion bible has broken with tradition to celebrate the everyday heroes risking their lives during the coronavirus pandemic. Narguis Horsford, a train driver on the London Overground and Rachel Millar, 24, a community midwife in east London, were selected to represent millions of key workers in the UK as part of a 20-page portfolio for the July issue of British Vogue. Meanwhile Anisa Omar, 21, a supermarket assistant in Kings Cross, central London, was also chosen to grace the cover of the magazine. Anisa Omar, a 21-year-old Waitrose partner at King's Cross, central London, features on a Vogue cover after the fashion bible has broken with tradition to celebrate the everyday heroes Anisa Omar, 21, a supermarket assistant in Kings Cross Anisa has been working at Waitrose in Kings Cross for a year, while she studies her second year of Business Management at university. She lives in Islington with her parents and three siblings and said: 'Before the pandemic, people would look at us as service assistants were there to show them where the eggs are or if they want to complain about something. 'But now theyre a lot more understanding. They understand that were here all the time, and they dont have to leave their houses. People are a lot nicer, theyre warmer.' The student was hailed on Twitter for her beauty and make-up skills as she couldn't have a a make-up artist due to Covid-19, and a local Waitrose customer said she sees her every week and 'assumed she was a model'. Advertisement Narguis said working through the pandemic has given her a sense of pride, revealing: My job is to provide an essential service for people who need to travel safely.' That gives me such a rewarding feeling, even more so during these times. Rachel called for the nation not to forget the Thursday Clap for Our Carers once the outbreak is over. She revealed: After the 8pm clapping fades, I hope the NHS wont be forgotten. To resume to normal would be a step in the wrong direction. Narguis Horsford, a train driver on the London Overground, revealed how working throughout the pandemic had given her a sense of pride Narguis Horsford, a London overground train driver Narguis has worked for TFL for 10 years and driven London Overground trains for five, covering the route between Willesden Junction and Stratford, and Gospel Oak to Barking. She lives alone in Bounds Green, north London, and has to get up early as some of her shifts start at 1:30am. Despite being on the front line and having to isolate from her grandmother, she doesn't feel nervous about her job. Based at a depot in Willesden Junction, north-west London and drives two routes: Stratford to Richmond/Clapham Junction and Gospel Oak to Barking. She said: 'I dont feel anxious about going to work, but I still have to distance myself from my family because, obviously, Im out here and Im on the front line. They do worry, especially my grandmother. This has certainly shown us that life is short. And we cant take anything for granted. I cant see myself doing anything else.' Advertisement Meanwhile Anisa said she now feels important, which she described as nice. British Vogue editor Edward Enninful said: If you had told me at the beginning of the year that Vogues July cover stars would be [these three] I might not have believed you. But I can think of no more appropriate trio of women to represent the millions of people in the UK who, at the height of the pandemic, in the face of dangers large and small, put on their uniforms and work clothes and went to help people. It comes after Princess Sofia of Sweden and an Oxford University doctor who is leading the coronavirus vaccine race have been named as among Vogue's first Forces For Change. Meanwhile Rachel Millar, 24, a community midwife in east London, also graces on the cover of the fashion bible Rachel Millar, 24, a community midwife in east London Rachel has worked as a community midwife at Homerton Hospital, in east London, for three years. Originally from Northern Ireland, Cookstown, she lives in Leyton with her friend and graduated from the Uni of East Anglia in 2017 with degree in midwifery. Rachel was inspired to learn more about birth after seeing lambing season at her grandparents' farm. Speaking of the kindness she has witnessed lately, she said: 'One of the hardest moments for me during the pandemic was when I had my bike stolen. 'But, within a few hours, a friend who also works at Homerton Hospital had raised over 500 online to help get me back on the road. Another colleague tweeted the story and within an hour, a local company had donated a brand new electric bike.' Rachel's social media shows she has run marathons for Shelter, is close to her grandfather and she also loves travelling, having recently visited Sri Lanka and South Africa. Advertisement Edward and the Duchess of Sussex, 38, collaborated on September's special 'Forces for Change' edition, which featured a grid of 15 'incredible' women on the cover with articles commissioned by the royal inside. Now the magazine have named five further women whom they consider 'change-makers' making 'a positive contribution to society'. The editor-in-chief had previously declared Meghan Markle's principle 'a movement', with the magazine hosting their first Forces for Change event in March Read the full feature in the July issue of British Vogue, available via digital download and on newsstands from Friday. By Nimot Adetola Sulaimon Nigerian music producer, Don Jazzy has said that rapists and rape apologists deserve to die for their barbaric acts. In reaction to the recent rape and murder of innocent young girls in Nigeria, Don Jazzy took a stance against the shameful action. Donjazzy posted a photo of himself, holding a placard with an inscription; Say No to Rape. He also wrote as caption; I saw a thread on Twitter, different ladies writing about their traumatic rape experiences. I cant begin to imagine how these women feel. The pain they suffered and are suffering mentally every day. It is so heartbreaking. I believe every rapist deserves to die. If you are a rapist out there and you see this, you should be ashamed of yourself and I want you to know that one day you will pay for your barbaric crimes. This goes to rape apologists too and those that know a rapist and is protecting them. SHAME ON YOU. #saynotorape #JusticeforUwa #JusticeforTina #WeAreTired Nigerians are saddened as the news of a 100-level Microbiology student at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Vera Uwaila Omozuwa was raped and murdered at the premises of a RCCG church. A trigger-happy policeman also murdered Tina Ezekwe in Lagos, sending her parents into peril of sadness. Representative image In a first for any airline, Air India has allowed passengers, who had booked to travel during the lockdown before flights got cancelled, to use the same tickets now to fly till August 24. In a communication on May 31, the national airline informed that fliers will be allowed to reschedule their flights at no extra costs. Moreover, the flier won't even need to pay the difference, if any, in the fare. In case the passenger wants a refund, the amount will be returned to the customer without any cancellation charges. On the other hand, if the flier wants to change the route, then only 'the rerouting charges will be waived...but an applicable difference of fare will be charged,' the airline said in the communication. This is the first time that a domestic airline has allowed passengers to use tickets booked to travel during the lockdown period, from March 25 to May 31. Till now, the airlines had taken resort to the DGCA circular, which had asked the carriers to refund only those tickets that were booked during the first lockdown - from March 25 to April 14. And these were for tickets for travel till May 3. For any other ticket, airlines had offered to keep the ticket fare in a credit shell, which could be used later to reschedule the travel. None allowed any refunds. Later, IndiGo and AirAsia India had allowed refunds. The step by Air India is executed to improve demand sentiment, which had been soft despite the government opening up the skies from May 25. Though initially, the traffic loads were in the range of 50 to 55 percent, within days, these fell to below 40 percent. "According to us, Air India would be having tickets worth Rs 500 crore lying unused. We expect up to 80 percent of the people to opt for refunds, and the rest, who would have booked tickets in low/sales fare, will keep their ticket open for use," said Nishant Pitti, CEO, EaseMyTrip.com If not for the incentive, nearly 100 percent of the passengers would have opted for a refund, he added. "This will give positive sentiment to travel, for customers of the national carrier, even though the refund time is bit higher," said Pitti. Airlines had resumed flights on May 25, with one-third of their summer schedule. This arrangement is till August 24, after which the government will take stock again. NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE O n late Friday afternoon, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a pathbreaking opinion affirming the critical importance of due process in campus sexual-misconduct proceedings, even for students at private universities. In a unanimous decision, a three-judge panel held that if a private university promises students a fair process in sexual-misconduct cases, it must provide students with a live hearing and the opportunity for cross-examination. Since a 2011 federal policy change on how universities should address sexual-assault allegations, more than 550 accused students have filed suit against their universities, alleging that they were denied a fair process in campus sexual-misconduct proceedings. For years, the federal government successfully pressured colleges to tilt their procedures in favor of accusers, arguing that doing otherwise would violate Title IX. Students are routinely suspended or expelled without so much as a hearing or the opportunity to see all the evidence against them. Early last month, after a lengthy period of notice and public comment, the Department of Education issued new Title IX regulations. Secretary Betsy DeVos recognized that we can continue to combat sexual misconduct without abandoning our core values of fairness, presumption of innocence, and due process. The new regulations most significant provision requires colleges to decide Title IX cases through a hearing, with cross-examination of witnesses by a lawyer or advocate for both the accusing and the accused student. Opposition to these regulations has been fierce: Presidential candidate Joe Biden has promised to restore the Obama-era policies if elected, and 104 House Democrats signed an open letter denouncing, as flying in the face of common decency, a system in which Title IX accusers could be cross-examined by criminal-defense lawyers. With Fridays ruling, the Third Circuit became the first U.S. Appeals Court to decide a Title IX case since the regulations were issued, and its ruling paralleled the reasoning offered by the Department of Education. In August 2018, two female students at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia accused a male student (identified in the court papers only as John Doe) of having had sex with them without their consent, in separate incidents from many months before. Doe had casual sexual relationships with both of his accusers, fellow sorority sisters, and they conceded that all other interactions with him were consensual. Story continues Like many schools, USciences responded to the previous federal pressure by using a single investigator system to adjudicate sexual-assault cases. A single person, usually hired by the campus Title IX office, interviews the parties and other witnesses, and then writes a report determining guilt. The accused student cannot present his case to a disciplinary panel or ask questions to test the credibility of his accuser or any other witnesses. In this case, a lawyer hired by USciences deemed the accusers more credible than the accused student. Doe went to court, but a U.S. district judge sided with the university, setting up this appeal. In oral argument before a three-judge panel, the universitys lawyer cited the efficiency of the single-investigator model. USciences also received support from 19 law professors, whose amicus brief championed a public healthbased approach that would prevent accused students from defending themselves at a hearing. The court strongly disagreed. Judge David Porter, writing for the court, found that USciencess contractual promises of fair and equitable treatment to those accused of sexual misconduct require at least a real, live, and adversarial hearing and the opportunity for the accused student or his or her representative to cross-examine witnesses including his or her accusers. With this holding, the Third Circuit joined California and the four Midwestern states of the Sixth Circuit in recognizing the centrality of cross-examination to fairly deciding he-said/she-said, credibility-based cases. The First Circuit, based in New England, also has held that due process in the university disciplinary setting requires some opportunity for real-time cross-examination, even if only through a hearing panel. As USciences did here, universities often urge the judge not to second-guess their guilty findings, claiming that theyre acting in an educational capacity. Judge Porter acknowledged the wisdom of this approach in evaluating academic disciplinary matters such as student plagiarism or faculty promotion. But, he pointedly noted, this is not such a case. The investigation and fair adjudication of alleged criminal activity like sexual assault is not uniquely within the province of colleges and universities. The opinion recognized that, in the end, basic procedural protections provide the surest path to fairness given the life-altering consequences of a wrongful finding of guilt. That courts should give more deference to university discipline on cheating allegations than when schools adjudicate quasi-criminal allegations might seem like common sense. So, too, the idea that before deciding that one of its students is a sex criminal, the university should allow the student a chance for meaningful self-defense. In this respect, courts and federal regulators are stepping up where colleges and universities have fallen short. The Third Circuits decision, written by a panel including Trump nominees as well as Obama nominees, was unanimous. This unanimity provides a reminder that campus due process need not and should not be a partisan issue. Universities, accused students, and accusers alike have a common interest in fairly evaluating such serious allegations something that the procedures laid down in both the Third Circuit opinion and the new Title IX regulations will provide them. KC Johnson is a professor of history at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center. Samantha Harris, a campus disciplinary attorney with a law firm, is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). They are co-authors of Campus Courts in Court, NYU Journal of Legislation and Public Policy (2019). More from National Review A British photographer has become one of the first members of the media to be arrested and charged for unlawful assembly while working at the George Floyd protests. Adam Gray, 33, said he had been taking photos of demonstrators near Union Square in New York City on Saturday evening when he was thrown to the ground by one police officer before several other officers climbed on top of him and forced him into handcuffs. Despite telling the New York Police Department (NYPD) officers he had a foreign press card issued by the US State Department, Mr Gray was arrested and put into a police vehicle. He spent the night in custody along with dozens of protestors and was later charged with unlawful assembly. The New York-based photojournalist for the South West News Service (SWNS) agency said: The whole time that I was being arrested, I was shouting that I was press and showing them my foreign press card but they just didnt seem to care. British photographer Adam Gray, currently working in New York (Adam Gray / SWNS) Mr Gray added: Ive worked in many other countries doing work like this and never has it gone as far as this. I couldnt believe it. The photographer had been walking along 13th Street near Union Square when he was detained. I walked down the street taking photos as I went and then the cops rushed the crowd, he said. I photographed the pandemonium that ensued of them pushing and grabbing protesters before one big cop came at me and pushed me to the ground with his truncheon to my chest. I smashed into the floor with my three cameras as three or four cops then got on top of me, restraining me and putting me in handcuffs as I shouted repeatedly that I was press. Mr Gray said the police claimed that they had made several orders for people to leave the area before he had arrived on the street. Recommended Journalists in several cities injured and arrested covering protests The photographer was put into a police van with about 20 other protesters where they had to wait for half an hour before being driven to the police station. I got searched, processed, had my photo taken and then put into a large holding cell of 50 to 70 people at its fullest with zero social distancing, he said. Police had removed masks from some protestors for their photo but then refused to give them back and did not offer any extra masks. Mr Gray was held in custody for eight hours until around 9:15am on Sunday, 31 May, when he had his fingerprints and photos taken. He was charged with unlawful assembly and given a ticket for a court date on 10 September 2020. CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and several members of his crew were arrested live on air when covering Friday evenings protests in Minneapolis. However, they were released without charge about an hour after his arrest and returned to cover the protests. Mr Gray said: I was really shocked when they arrested me, I was just in total disbelief Thankfully, I do not have any injuries but I am in disbelief at what happened. His employer SWNS vowed to help him fight the charge every step of the way. The agencys editor-in-chief Andrew Young said: This is an affront to press freedom and goes against every principle held dear by all journalists and those it aims to inform. Adam Gray has been on the front line daily covering the pandemic To be arrested for simply doing his job, at considerable risk to himself, while chronicling the violence that ensued following the tragic death of George Floyd is frankly outrageous. At least a dozen journalists were injured in cities across America this weekend. CNN cameraman Leonel Mendez and producer Bill Kirkos were both hit by rubber bullets as they were covering the street protests in Minneapolis. MSNBC anchor Ali Velshi was hit in his leg with a rubber bullet fired by police in Minneapolis, while Los Angeles Times photographer colleague Carolyn Cole was struck in the face by a rubber bullet. The BBCs North America editor Jon Sopel shared footage of BBC cameraman Peter Murtaugh being rushed by a police officer close to the White House in Washington DC on Monday night. Mr Sopel said he had been clearly targeted. FREDERICTON, NB, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LuminUltra, the Canadian biotechnology leader and developer of the GeneCount qPCR system, and Florida-based Source Molecular, a leader in pathogen testing, today announced a strategic partnership designed to increase environmental testing for SARS-CoV-2 in North America. LuminUltra's GeneCount qPCR system enables customers to conduct rapid, on-site environmental testing for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and receive results in as fast as 90 minutes. GeneCount enables evidence-based knowledge to verify an environment has been effectively returned to a safe-state, with no indication of SARS-CoV-2, enabling people to fully work, live and play with confidence. In situations where on-site testing presents technical or logistical challenges, Source Molecular will provide industry-leading, lab-based pathogen testing capabilities. "While reopening the economy prior to the introduction of a COVID-19 vaccine will require pervasive human testing and tracing, enabling the economy to stay open amidst inevitable flare-ups and emerging hotspots will demand widespread environmental testing for the presence of SARS-CoV-2," said LuminUltra Chairman and CEO Pat Whalen. "To maintain momentum in the return to normalcy, SARS-CoV-2 will need to be effectively recognized and mitigated as quickly as it reappears in schools, restaurants, offices, and the countless other locations and facilities in which people gather." "At a larger scale, environmental testing for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 can also be applied to wastewater systems as a method to evaluate the health of a population, whether it be in a municipal setting, at a significant industrial facility, or in a campus environment," Whalen continued. "This partnership with Source Molecular creates a full range of testing and analysis options for organizations seeking to maintain an environment free of SARS-CoV-2 and minimize any disruptions caused by the introduction of the virus in the weeks and months ahead," added Whalen. "Coupled with effective disinfection protocols, organizations can now utilize qPCR testing to maximize facility safety and be alerted to even asymptomatic virus spread among employees, students, or residents, either onsite via LuminUltra's GeneCount qPCR system or remotely through our partnership with Source Molecular." "It is clear that if we are going to truly slow the spread of COVID-19 we need a scientific approach to testing our air, waste and surfaces. At Source Molecular we have been helping identify sources of contamination in the environment for close to two decades with our industry-leading pathogen testing program," said Mark McIntosh, CEO of Source Molecular. "We are excited to be partnering with LuminUltra to expand our reach in this time of need." Why Environmental Testing for SARS-CoV-2? qPCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 can be successfully applied to nearly any surface that humans might come in contact with, including tables, doorknobs, and utensils, as well as to the air circulating within a facility. Users of LuminUltra's GeneCount qPCR system require minimal training to collect, process, and analyze samples and in less than two hours will know whether the virus was detected. This allows for additional cleaning to be performed if needed and gives facility operators confidence that risk is being avoided. Until such time as a vaccine is widely available, restoring and preserving confidence in the safety of facilities will be a critical element in the ability to remain open. Confidence can be reinforced through a qPCR-based environmental testing regimen to quickly determine the health of facilities before and after cleaning. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 through environmental testing can also serve as an organization's early warning that danger looms in their facility and potentially among their employees, residents, students, etc., and trigger a variety of crucial actions to mitigate risk and reduce spread, including contact tracing and human testing. "Consistent environmental testing and rapid remediation can help spell the difference between widespread exposures and prolonged closures, and the ability to quickly and decisively certify the health of a facility and keep the doors open," added Whelan. About LuminUltra Founded in 1995, LuminUltra is a molecular diagnostic testing company and developer of the GeneCount qPCR system which enables customers to conduct rapid environmental testing for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Verifying environmental safety has been at the core of LuminUltra's business for 25 years and advocating for a proactive, evidence-based approach to biosafety is a cornerstone of LuminUltra's value proposition. The company has dozens of Fortune 500 customers, sales in over 80 countries, and operations in six countries. At the same time, LuminUltra fosters a culture of innovation and agility and is on an accelerated growth path, acquiring multiple companies in recent years and forming a partnership with the specialized private equity firm XPV Water Partners . Additional information can be found at luminultra.com/environmental For commercial inquiries, contact: Derek Dalton, VP Marketing & Sales - +1-437-776-2591 About Source Molecular As the world's only ISO 17025 accredited environmental lab for SARS-CoV-2, Source Molecular provides industry-leading pathogen testing, mapping and forensics for water, soil, surfaces and air. The company's analytical capabilities target dangerous elements from SARS-CoV-2 to pollution to superbugs that threaten the health and economic strength of our communities. The company partners with clients to identify, track and test microbial contamination and pathogens, as well as interpret the data and craft the remediation plans that lead to real-world solutions. Additional information on Source Molecular can be found at www.sourcemolecular.com SOURCE LuminUltra [June 01, 2020] Rotunda Capital-Backed Trinity3 Technology Announces New CEO Scott Gill Trinity3 Technology, a portfolio company of Rotunda Capital Partners and leading provider of student computing solutions, warranty services, and enterprise products for the K-12 education market, is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott Gill as president and chief executive officer, effective June 1, 2020. As part of a planned transition, current CEO Gary Embretson is retiring, having led Trinity3 through significant growth since the passing of the company's co-founder, Dave Hoeffel, in 2018. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005573/en/ Rotunda Capital-Backed Trinity3 Technology Announces New CEO Scott Gill (Photo: Business Wire) "Since the inception of Trinity3 in 2014, I've had the privilege of serving as CEO, also assuming the role of president in 2018 after the tragic passing of Dave Hoeffel, a great leader and friend of mine," said Embretson. "This company started from scratch and already is an industry leader, serving schools in 48 states. This couldn't have happene without vision and a foundation built on great values-and more importantly, great employees. We're now at a pivotal stage and Scott brings skills that will help Trinity3 seize this huge growth opportunity." "We thank Gary for his remarkable leadership and collaboration, as he leaves Trinity3 in a position of strength," said John Fruehwirth, managing partner at Rotunda Capital Partners. "In 2019, we aligned with this company for various reasons, such as its business model-a natural fit with Rotunda's distribution and specialty finance experience. We keep finding more reasons to be excited about our partnership, and that includes welcoming Scott to the team." Most recently, Gill served as president of Legrand AV, having joined Legrand (Euronext: LR) after the company's acquisition of Milestone AV Technologies (Milestone) in August 2017. He was CEO of Milestone for 12 years, working with the team there to build it from a $60 million business to one exceeding $500 million in annual sales in 2018. He joined the predecessor company to Milestone, Chief Manufacturing, in 2004, after serving as senior principal at Parthenon Group. Earlier in his career, Gill held various technical positions at General Electric. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, respectively, and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. "I'm honored to join the Trinity3 team, particularly now, when the deployment of technology for remote learning is so critical for schools across the U.S.," said Gill. "I look forward to helping build on the legacy Dave and Gary created, and to leading this growing Minnesota-based enterprise focused on delivering exceptional service to our vital educational institutions nationwide." About Trinity3 Technology Trinity3 Technology, a member of the 2019 "Inc. 5000" list of fastest-growing private companies in America, is wholly immersed in serving the technology needs of the education market. The company offers custom-built solutions-including student computing, warranty services and enterprise products-to suit each customer's unique needs. Backed by an experienced team of sales, support, and technical professionals, Trinity3 delivers exceptional value to educational institutions. What makes Trinity3 Technology unique is not just the products and services offered but the people who stand behind them. Each member of Trinity's team shares the same motto, "With Trinity3, it's personal." For more, visit www.trinity3.com About Rotunda Capital Rotunda Capital Partners is a private equity firm that invests equity capital in established lower middle market companies. Rotunda Capital partners with management to build data-driven growth platforms within its targeted sectors, including value added distribution, asset light logistics, industrial/business services and specialty finance/insurance services. Since 2009, Rotunda Capital has completed thirteen platform investments and realized five exits. The Rotunda Capital team actively provides guidance and draws on deep industry and financial relationships to contribute to the successful execution of Rotunda's companies' strategic plans. For more, visit www.rotundacapital.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005573/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 22:28:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LUSAKA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Pupils in examination classes flocked back to school on Monday after two months of lockdown caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. The schools were closed in March as part of government measures to contain the pandemic. The pupils, with face masks, returned to begin their lessons in preparation for their examinations. A Xinhua team that visited some of the schools in Lusaka, the country's capital, found the pupils in classrooms learning. Veronica Nyirenda, a student at Roma Girls Secondary School, said she was excited to be back and resume classes after two months of just staying at home. "I am excited because I missed interactions with my friends," she said in an interview. She said the pupils were happy with the preparations done by the school authorities, adding that all the health guidelines have been put in place. Namangolwa, head teacher at Roma Girls Secondary School expressed happiness that pupils had turned up in large numbers to resume classes. "We have a full house and everything is just okay. The pupils are happy to see each other after a long time," she said. Bernard Mutambwa, head teacher of Ng'ombe PTA School said the school had made preparations in order to abide by the health guidelines as prescribed by health authorities. He said all the pupils came with face masks except for a few who had to be turned away. However, there were reports in local media that in some schools, most pupils were turned away because they did not have face masks. The government had promised to provide face masks to all the pupils before resuming lessons. Enditem New Delhi: Mother Teresa said: The poor give us much more than what we give them. She narrated how once a beggar had given money for her work. She remained undaunted seeing the enormity of the task before her. Mother Teresa will be officially declared a saint at the Vatican on Sunday, September 4. It was my privilege to be present in Rome for her beatification on October 19, 2003. Despite the weather forecast for a rainy day, the skies remained clear. Did one need another miracle? The ancient tradition of the Church, however, requires two scientifically proven extraordinary acts (miracles) attributed to the person that natural causes could not explain and which should have occurred due to prayer to the person being considered for sainthood. One miracle is required for beatification a pre-requisite for sainthood, and the second similarly proved for canonisation. Since both science and theology have to strictly scrutinise the said acts, it usually ends up with a case of some person cured of an incurable disease through the sole intercession to the holy person and to no other. It normally takes decades sometimes even centuries to complete the exhaustive inquiries that the Church deems necessary to confirm without a shred of doubt purported miracles of potential saints. Some claims of miracles dont stand up to the scrutiny and are dropped during investigations. In the case of Mother Teresa, however, it took only 19 years, a relatively shorter period compared to many other saints in the Churchs history. It must be said here that such a process is exclusive only to the Roman Catholic Church. Mother Teresa is more than just a saint. She became a legend in her own lifetime. Born in Albania in 1910, a faraway land from India. She joined the Loreto sisters in Ireland and was not yet 19 when she landed in Kolkata, which eventually made her a saint. And long before making her final journey to her eternal home on September 5, 1997, she had won nearly every Indians heart. And not just in India, but the world over. At her beatification, a well-known Indian journalist who was critical of the Churchs canonisation process said that her life itself was a miracle and that for most Indians she was already a saint. Do we then require this tedious process of the Church? he had asked. While obviously not familiar with the stringent Church procedures, he did make a point. For, much before the Vatican started the long process, her statues had begun to appear next to Ma Durga at many of Kolkatas street celebrations. The late Pope John Paul II had approved the first finding that the healing of a Bengali tribal woman, Monica Besra, was a miracle. It is claimed that a locket with Mother Teresas photo on it had cured the woman of a stomach tumour in Kolkata in 1998. The second miracle, according to sources in the Vatican, involved the healing of a Brazilian man with several brain tumours in 2008. Former chief minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu had cherished a personal friendship with this Saint of the Gutters. No wonder then that Missionaries of Charity, first for women and then for men, had been the fastest growing religious order in the lifetime of its founder. At the time of her death, there were 3,842 sisters serving in 594 homes across 120 countries. Today, there are 5,150 sisters serving in 758 homes in 139 countries. Despite having been accorded such incredible honours, she had her own share of criticism too. British atheist Christopher Hitchens, who made a film against her work titled Hells Angels for a TV channel, was not the only one who was critical of her. She was also an object of criticism by the RSS, whose chief Mohan Bhagwat last year questioned the motive of Teresas charitable work. It was in May 1987 that she visited Indore to inaugurate the first convent of Missionaries of Charity sisters. I had the unbelievable but the covetous task of translating her speeches into Hindi. I sensed distinct spiritual vibrations passing through my being as I stood next to her. It was a day filled with sheer inspiration. A great humbling experience was when I later sat with her. She not only served me tea but also removed the used cup later. The most powerful story I heard that day, which has been often used in my sermons and writings, is about the generosity of the poor. Once she had brought food to a poor family who had not eaten for two days. On receiving the food, the woman went out and returned with only half the portion. When asked where she went, instead of first serving her children, she replied: Mother, my neighbours too have not eaten for two days. They are as hungry. Thats why Mother Teresa was convinced: The poor give us much more than what we give them. She also narrated how once a beggar had lovingly contributed money for her work. She remained undaunted seeing the enormity of the task before her. We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop, she would tell her sisters. On her canonisation, if we could only follow her little piece of advice: Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love. The writer is a founder-member of Parliament of Religion and former spokesperson, Catholic Bishops Conference of India. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Australian parents have fallen out of love with French, Biblical and cinematic baby names over the past year, a study of the nation's most popular monikers has revealed. Trend-watchers McCrindle Research found that two classic girls' names fell the furthest, with Lilly hurtling from 73rd and Holly from 78th to well outside the top 100. Once popular French names also fared badly, with Isabel dropping out from 93rd and Madeline from 97th. Biblical boys' names had their fair share of flops, with Nathan falling from 90th, Nathaniel from 95th and Aaron from 98th position. Scroll down for video Australian parents have fallen out of love with French, Biblical and cinematic baby names over the past year, research from trend-watchers McCrindle reveals (stock image) Monikers inspired by film and television also plummeted in popularity. Peyton, after Hilarie Burton's character 'Peyton Sawyer' in hit US series One Tree Hill, dropped out from 95th, while Harley - Margot Robbie's 'Harley Quinn' in the DC Comics' Batman franchise - dropped from 99th. Despite this departure from many historical favourites further down the list, it seems Australian parents are still in agreement about their two best loved monikers. McCrindle's report found that 2,206 boys have been named Oliver and 1,609 girls have been called Charlotte so far in 2020, continuing their decade-long appearance in the top 10. Oliver has been Australia's most popular boys' name since 2013, while Charlotte has been its favourite girls' name since 2015 when it knocked Olivia off the top spot. Girls' names that fell out of the top 100 Holly (previously ranked 78) Isabel (previously 93) Jessica (previously 99) Lilly (previously 73) Madeline (previously 97) Peyton (previously 95) Source: McCrindle Research Advertisement Boys' names that fell out of the top 100 Aaron (previously ranked 98) Dominic (previously 96) Fletcher (previously 91) Harley (previously 99) Nathan (previously 90) Nathaniel (previously 95) Source: McCrindle Research Advertisement But there's no question that times are changing. To understand the trend for bestowing unique names on children, you only need to look back at research from one generation ago. In 1987, 22 percent of babies born in New South Wales were given one of the top 10 baby names of the time. Today, just 10 percent of children are given a name that features inside the top 10. Gender-neutral names are now on the rise, with Charlie, Riley, Harper, Dylan and Frankie interchangeable for girls and boys - all placing well inside the top 100. Other gender-neutral names surging in popularity include Billie, Jordan, Lucas, Kai and Jesse. The up-and-coming name Luna - the Latin word for moon - made the biggest jump on the girls' list this year from 62 to 49, news.com.au reported. The top ten baby girl names in Australia 1. Charlotte 2. Olivia 3. Amelia 4. Isla 5. Mia 6. Ava 7. Grace 8. Willow 9. Harper 10. Chloe Source: McCrindle Research Advertisement The top ten baby boy names in Australia 1. Oliver 2. Noah 3. Jack 4. William 5. Leo 6. Lucas 7. Thomas 8. Henry 9. Charlie 10. James Source: McCrindle Research Advertisement Classics Charlotte and Oliver continue their reign as Australia's favourite names for the fifth and seventh consecutive years respectively (stock image) McCrindle's report describes a child's name as 'digital real estate' in the social media and technologically-focused world, where quirky and unique names stand out online. It also identified names that still feature inside the top 100 but have seen a sharp decline over the past three years. Girls' names endured the biggest drop, with Addison down 28, Annabelle down 23 and Maddison down 21 spots since 2017. Hebrew boys names fell similarly out of favour, with Zachary down 19, Caleb down 16 and Mathew down 12 positions over the same period. Bengaluru, June 2 : Returnees from domestic travel formed a major share of the 187 COVID cases registered in Karnataka on Monday, raising the state's tally to 3,408, an official said on Monday. "New cases reported from Sunday 5 p.m. to Monday 5 p.m., 187," said a health official. Of the new cases, domestic returnees were 125 or 67 per cent of the cases. Cases who returned from Maharashtra constituted 114 or 92 per cent of the returnees. Incidentally, cases with contact history rose to 54. In the past 24 hours, cases spiked in Bengaluru Urban, Kalaburagi, Mandya, Udupi, Hassan, Chikkaballapura and Shivamogga. Among the new cases, Bengaluru Urban contributed (28), followed by Kalaburagi (24), Mandya (15), Udupi (73), Hassan (16), Shivamogga (9), Chikkaballapura (5), Ballari (3), Dakshina Kannada (4), Bidar, Bagalkote and Dharwad (2 each), Vijayapura, Kolar, Haveri and Ramanagar (1 each). Of the new cases, 127 are men and 60 women, including 11 children below 10. A 90-year-old man patient from Bengaluru succumbed to the virus, raising the state's toll to 52. Across the state, 2,026 are active cases, 1,328 discharged, and 12 patients in ICU. On Monday, 110 patients got discharged. In the past 24 hours, Karnataka has tested 11,241 persons, of which 10,807 tested negative. In total, three lakh samples have been tested so far, of which 2.97 lakh were negative. Top five places with active cases in the state include Yadgir (257), Mandya (224), Udupi (196), Raichur (179) and Kalaburagi (170). Of the total, Bengaluru Urban has so far accounted for 11 deaths, followed by Kalaburagi (7), Dakshina Kannada (6) and Vijayapura and Bidar (5 each) among others. Foolishly, foolishly, I said yes. And that triggered Toronto accountant Terry Dooleys seven-year ordeal as executor of a clients multimillion-dollar estate. A protracted court battle, which began in 2011 (when the deceaseds daughter contested the will) and ended in 2018, left him and the estate trustee on the hook for a combined $1 million in legal costs, he says. Furthermore, Dooley, 73, says he didnt receive one nickel of the $375,000 in compensation he was entitled to as executor. And false allegations of wrongdoing during the trial tarnished his reputation even though he was exonerated, he says. The case is an extreme example of how contentious and onerous the job of executor can become. At best, its a time-consuming and multi-faceted role that more Canadians are being asked to fill as the population ages, fuelling a bequest boom that CIBC predicts will be worth $750 billion by 2026. Executors usually one or more family members or a trusted associate are responsible for administering the estate, which includes distributing the assets, paying expenses and debts, and filing tax returns. If theres no will or the executor turns the job down, the court can appoint an administrator. Interest in executors and other death-related legal matters such as wills and power of attorney (POA) has surged since early March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, says seasoned estate lawyer Edward Olkovich. He puts it bluntly: If youre on a ventilator, its hard to say then what you want done. Olkovich advises naming a backup executor or replacing an elderly one with someone younger. And executors should know where the will is located so they can access it immediately, he adds. Settling an estate takes one year or longer, depending on its complexity, and the executor is entitled to compensation of about five per cent of its value, subject to beneficiaries approval. Dooleys difficulties date back to the summer of 2010 when Martin Williamson, a 65-year-old Burlington businessman who was both friend and client, was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Soon after, he drafted a will leaving the bulk of his estate to his common-law wife, then wrote a second one divvying his wealth among her, friends and business associates. He excluded his daughter because she had been taken care of financially through his separation agreement with her mother (a different person from his common-law wife), Dooley says. Williamson died five months after his diagnosis. Williamsons daughter took the matter to court, arguing that her late father had lacked capacity (and) suffered from delusions, causing him to disinherit her, she told the Star through her lawyer Gregory Sidlofsky. The judge agreed, awarding her the entire $7.5-million estate and finding Dooley and the trustee personally liable for her legal bills. (A trustee is responsible for administering a trust in this case, one established in a will.) Williamsons daughter describes her experience as nothing short of a nightmare, marked by acrimony, attempts to disparage her character and diminish the relationship she had with her father. Dooley, for his part, calls the court decision that left the trustee a longtime friend of Williamson with legal bills of more than $900,000 horrific. He worries that penalizing her for defending her dying friends last wishes could deter others from serving as executors. The trustee declined to comment. Dooley paid $100,000 to lawyers to successfully defend him against accusations of having undue influence over Williamson, bribing a witness and misrepresenting facts, among other things. I really, really care about the allegations against me, the semi-retired accountant fumes, adding the whole case was a grave injustice. Olkovich believes being appointed executor is an honour. But, he adds, many people call it a thankless job they dont want or regret taking on. Tasks and responsibilities start at the moment of death, says Olkovich, the Toronto practitioner and author of Executor Kung Fu, described as a self-defence guide for executors. Making funeral arrangements, looking after pets and changing locks are among immediate duties before bigger issues kick in. If there are just a couple of bank accounts, its simple, Olkovich says. But if you cant get into their computer or cellphone and you dont know the passwords, you could be screwed. And if you have to manage bequests long-term such as a trust fund for grandchildren or run the deceaseds business or sell their house with its 50 paintings on the wall, things can get complicated. The sooner you get professional advice, the better, says Olkovich, suggesting an accountant, trust company, lawyer or just someone to clean out the house. Must-have traits for executors include trustworthiness and the ability to keep meticulous records, says the man behind the website MrWills.com, which offers free online guides. While youll be reimbursed for reasonable expenses, if youre challenged in court, you have to account for every penny, Olkovich cautions. When picking your own executor, he suggests naming all your children if they get along, or consider asking a neutral person. But whoever you choose, talk to them first. According to estate and trust expert Melanie McDonald, many people dont realize they have personal liability. That applies, for example, if you start handing out money to beneficiaries before the will has been validated or if taxes are owed and there are insufficient funds left. Problems that arise from family dynamics or a second marriage may call for unbiased professional help with the whole process or part of it, advises McDonald, a vice-president at BMO Trust Company. BMOs online resources include outlines of an executors role and responsibilities, inventory workbook, task list and forms to keep track of everything. Dooleys advice, based on experience, is to get executors insurance to protect against personal liability in settling an estate no matter how easy it looks. If the will is likely to be challenged or there are unhealthy relationships to navigate, think very carefully about taking on the job, he warns. People turn into creatures you dont even recognize when theres money on the table. CV Carola Vyhnak is a freelance writer living in rural Ontario. Yoshino Spirits releases worlds first ocean-fused whisky Yoshino Spirits has announced the release of new Umiki Japanese blended whisky, which is inspired by the countrys relationship with nature and the ocean. It is the worlds first ocean-fused whisky: created from a mix of local malt and grain whiskies, it is then blended with pure, filtered ocean water. Because of this, Umiki is also the worlds first fully sustainable water-blended whisky, which illustrates one of the brands key aims: a commitment to living in harmony with the environment. Moreover, Umiki is the worlds first whisky to be aged in Japanese Pine barrels, a process which honours the trees that line the Japanese coastlines. Umikis unique production process lies behind the brands name, with umi meaning ocean and ki meaning tree in Japanese. This close relationship with nature is further reflected in the whiskys flavour profile, which offers gentle aromas of sea air and floral notes, soothing freshness and a touch of mint on the palate, and a long smooth finish with heather honey. Umiki has been awarded Double Gold in both the China Wine & Spirits Awards 2020 and the World Spirits Award 2020, and is already an internationally-recognised product; it is committed to sharing and celebrating the value of nature, alongside producing a great whisky. See umikiwhisky.com for more information. 1 June 2020 - NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2020 / Thanks to a growing economy in recent years, the income of Chinese people has increased continuously, however at the same time, China's become a rapidly aging society. Under this circumstance, China's pharmaceutical industry has enjoyed a solid development, with an increasing business revenue and sales volumes. Since the epidemic, the demand for related treatment and prevention drugs, and medical resources has also increased. With the recovery of medicine and medical equipment industries, sales revenue in those industries will also be likely to witness marginal growth. Under the epidemic, many great opportunities will appear in the rapidly developing healthcare industry. Taking IVD (in vitro diagnostic products) as an example, as one of the leading companies in China, the main business of Snibe is to produce and sell full-automatic chemiluminescence immunoassay instruments and supporting reagents. With a favorable policy, China's IVD industry has made rapid development in the recent few years. The industry scale has increased from 10.8 billion in 2009 to 36.9 billion in 2016, with an annual compound growth rate of as high as 16.6% ,However, the current annual per capita consumption of IVD in China is only $5, as compared with the annual per capita consumption of $30 in developed countries, which means, it still has great potential for growth. As pointed out by Guosen Securities, the epidemic situation in China has entered a new stage of focusing on prevention and control of external risks, the new focus has gradually shifted to the return of work and production. However, the epidemic outside China has not been brought under control. Currently the number of new patients in major developed countries tends to stabilize, but there is still insufficiency in IVD, consumables and medical devices for detection, protection, and treatment. In the future, there may be further expansion of the epidemic in developing countries. therefore, the epidemic related sectors are likely to witness new changes in terms of performance and valuation Story continues Luo Yitian , a well-known investor in the healthcare industry, said that in the short term, most enterprises are affected to varying degrees, except for some enterprises that can enjoy growth during the outbreak, in the long run, it could be a boost for the healthcare industry. First, the epidemic has provided the government, market, and society a chance to understand the importance of healthcare resources; second, it will promote the localization of healthcare industry. The government will further engage with healthcare industry and encourage local research and development, this will provide better opportunities for qualify enterprises. From the perspective of capital market, the relevant industries that may receive benefits in the short term include most of the molecular diagnosis companies in IVD field, vaccine companies and pharmaceutical companies with R&D achievements in the field of antiviral and enterprises involving the industrial chain related to all aspects of public health. Meanwhile Luo Yitian also pointed out that in the long run, no matter what the opportunities brought by the market seem like, only the best enterprises that can truly create market value will win eventually. Mr. Tang Haofu, the chairman of Shanghai Creation Investment group, said in an interview with the media, that China has shown the world it's potential as a major manufacturing power during the outbreak, however, over the same time, China's weakness in healthcare systems has also been revealed. This is an opportunity for future development. For example, before the outbreak, few people would pay attention to the production of masks. To defeat the virus, there will need thousands of medical devices and consumables during the prevention, inspection, and treatment, and most of these preparations are inadequate in China. Healthcare Industry consists of five categories, including medicine, medical equipment, medical service, informatization and medical cosmetology. According to Mr. Tang Luofu, several major problems revealed during the outbreak will inevitably lead to reforms in our hospital systems in future, for example, the hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system will be strengthened. In addition, it's necessary to equip hospitals of level 1 and level 2, and community hospitals with more sophisticated medical equipment, improving their medical service. Secondly, in vitro diagnostic products will be next major focus, meanwhile, the demand for therapeutic devices will also be greatly increased. New drugs for Covid-19 are receiving great attention in the field of drug production. Remote diagnosis and consultation are also under the spotlight. In building the temporary hospitals for patients, the on-site imaging and remote consultation equipment, donated by enterprises, have played a very important role, and shown their values during the outbreak. Contact: Global News Onlne +1 (321) 800-3487 info@globalnewsonline.info SOURCE: Global News Online View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/592194/Opportunities-and-Challenges-in-Chinas-Healthcare-Industry-During-Epidemic-Time As protests against the death of George Floyd, an African American man, in police custody continued countrywide for the sixth day, it has been reported that President Donald Trump and his family were briefly taken into an underground bunker at the White House last Friday as demonstrators had surged outside. The Secret Service escorted Trump, his wife Melania Trump and their son Barron to the Presidential Emergency Operations Centre as the bunker is called as officials seemed to have been taken off guard by the number of protestors, the New York Times reported Sunday. The last time the bunker is publicly known to have been used was on September 11, 2001, when Vice-President Dick Cheney was taken there as a plane was feared to be headed for the White House. President George W Bush, who was out of town at the time, was taken there later in the day over false alarm about another plane. Friday night was the first time protestors had converged around the White House. They had clashed with Secret Service and other law enforcement personnel, defaced buildings in the vicinity with expletive-laden graffiti about the president. The next morning, Trump had tweeted about vicious dogs and ominous weapons that awaited the protestors is any of them breached the security and entered the White House premises. Trump has threatened to designate Antifa, who he has blamed for the violence and looting that has accompanied protests in some parts of the country, as a terrorist organization. Antifa, short for anti-fascism, is a movement and not an organization. Besides, it was been noted, only foreign bodies can be labeled terrorist organization under current US law. Security around the White House has been stepped up extensively with barricades all around to prevent protestors from getting close. But protestors continued undeterred for the third night Sunday. They with clashed with the police chanting Youre the threat and other slogans and vandalized and defaced of public and private properties around the area. Among those destroyed was the Oval Room, an iconic restaurant a short distance from the White House, across Lafayette Park, which has been a frequent venue for protests. I got a call around midnight Saturday asking me two switch on the TV, said Ashok Bajaj, its Indian-descent owner. Protestors had smashed the windows and were setting tables on fire. He reached there around 1:00 am (Sunday morning) helplessly watched the restaurant burn. His second restaurant on the same street, Bombay Club, just across the road, was left untouched. I have been here for more than 30 years and have never seen anything like this, Bajaj said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb turned down the request of his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga to reconsider resettling the Bru community people in the Jampui Hills and the adjoining areas of North Tripura district on Monday, saying what the people of his state want would be implemented. Thousands of Bru people have been living in relief camps in North Tripura district since 1997. They had fled Mizoram because of ethnic clashes. Several attempts to repatriate them have failed and by now, the number of these internally-displaced people has risen to around 34,000. A quadripartite agreement signed on January 16 by representatives of the Brus and the central, Tripura and Mizoram governments in New Delhi allowed these tribal people to permanently settle in Tripura. Zoramthanga, in a letter to Deb on May 29, said, "There has been ethnic tension and upheaval between the Mizos and Brus both in Mizoram and Tripura and any strain between the two communities in Tripura will no doubt have repercussions in Mizoram and vice versa, which could defeat the very purpose and spirit of the agreement." He urged Deb to "immediately reconsider and cancel" the proposal for resettling the Brus at the Jampui Hills and the adjoining areas as those were the "traditional habitat" of the Mizos in Tripura. "I do not know how he can make such a request. What the people of Tripura want would be implemented. We live in a federal structure. If he had anything to say, he should have told it to the Union home minister or the prime minister. I always keep in touch with them," Deb said when asked about the issue here. Besides writing to Deb, Zoramthanga sent a letter on the issue to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the same day. The Mizoram chief minister's letters to Deb and Shah followed a recent demonstration by the members of an NGO of the Mizos against the Bru resettlement in Jampui Hills, who claimed that it would have a social, economic, political and demographic impact and result in inter-community clashes and exploitation of resources and green forest area. An organisation of the Brus said an amicable solution to their problems could not be achieved in 23 years due to the noncooperation of Mizoram and now its "interference" was not desired. "We consider Zoramthanga's request a veiled threat to the Brus who are living in Mizoram for ages," Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum general secretary Bruno Msha said. An official associated with the resettlement project said only two of the 12 proposed sites for resettling the Brus were unanimously accepted. "They had some objections about the other spots and a discussion is on," he said. On January 17, a day after the agreement was signed, the Tripura chief minister had said it would take at least six months to resettle the 34,000-odd members of the community. According to the agreement, each Bru family would get a 1,200-square-foot plot and Rs 1.5 lakh to build a house, a Rs-four lakh fixed deposit and Rs 5,000 per month, along with free ration for the next two years. A total amount of Rs 600 crore was sanctioned to resettle them within Tripura. They are now staying in six camps at Kanchanpur and Panisagar sub-divisions of North Tripura district. The agreement was signed a month and a half after the ninth initiative to send the Bru refugees back to Mizoram failed. Of the targeted 4,447 families, the chief minister had said only 350 could be repatriated. The vexed Bru issue started from September, 1997, following demands of a separate autonomous district council by carving out areas of western Mizoram adjoining Bangladesh and Tripura. The situation was aggravated by the killing of a forest guard in the Dampa Tiger Reserve in western Mizoram by Bru National Liberation Front insurgents on October 21 that year. The first attempt to repatriate the Brus from Tripura was made in November, 2009. WATERLOO REGION Waterloo Regional Police Chief Bryan Larkin said he is saddened and angry by the devastating events south of the border. In a video posted on Twitter Monday, Larkin said he is committed to working with the community to root out racism. Intolerable attitudes and incidents of hatred cannot go unchallenged, he said in a two-minute video. Over the weekend protests in Canadian and American cities continued, marking the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died gasping for air last week after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyds neck for several minutes. The officer has been charged with murder. Other officers standing nearby have been fired. Floyds death triggered massive protests across the United States and Canada. The actions of four have set back policing decades. We have been working hard to build trust in our system and make in-roads in our diverse communities, Larkin said in an interview with The Record. Larkin acknowledged that systemic discrimination exists in policing and that police have flaws but the service wants to work with the community to make people feel safe and included. We are not perfect, he said. There is work to be done within our police service. We must take action to make change, he said. Larkin said it is his priority to make the community stronger and more vibrant. I promise you that we will do better, he said. Larkin said he is disheartened to see the impact on peoples lives, particularly the Black communities. I just pause and think about the repeated history and that we can do better, he said. The work we have done, the relationships we have built are hindered and tarnished by unacceptable behaviours, he said in an interview. Larkin said he is concerned about whats next especially within a pandemic and a time of high unemployment. I would describe the last five days for me as disbelief, shock, frustration, worry, he said. Larkin said the nationwide protests remind him that work needs to be done to tear down walls, build bridges and to keep talking. As a police leader, Larkin said tackling cultural change such as systemic barriers has been his greatest challenge as chief. I come from a place of privilege. My role is one of privilege, he said. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a local rally is being held in Kitchener. A K-W Solidarity March for Black Lives Matter is planned in Victoria Park. Larkin said police will support event organizers by ensuring democracy and a right to free speech. Police will work with organizers and the City of Kitchener. Its an important event that will ensure voices are heard, he said. Those planning the event are doing it with heartfelt intentions around healing and heartfelt intentions around a call to action and social justice. But Larkin said opportunists may try to latch on to peaceful events with a counter-protest. Police will be on hand to ensure safety. Roads will be closed near the park. Larkin said he was glad to see organizers telling all those participating to wear face masks. On the surface, the past few days of anger and unrest look the same as the racial justice protests that erupted over several years beginning with the BART police killing of Oscar Grant in 2009. In fact, protest veterans say, its much worse. The optics certainly look alike: peaceful protests by day that sour into violence at night. Scores of arrests, windows smashed and stores in flames. Looting denounced by protest organizers as thievery committed by outside agitators. But all those outbursts after police killings of African Americans Grant in Oakland; Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.; Eric Garner in New York came when the nation had an African American president who called for calm and expressed empathy with rage over racial oppression. Todays uprisings sprang up in the era of President Trump that has seen an escalation of hate crimes and the double blow of a coronavirus pandemic and a historic economic meltdown. And though the president has denounced the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, his main reaction has been to threaten forceful crackdowns on protests. Floyds death could hardly have come at a more explosive time. And the violence and rage reflects that, observers say. This outbreak of demonstrations is not just about George Floyd, said Cat Brooks, who co-founded the Anti Police-Terror Project after Grant was shot to death in Oakland by a BART Police officer. Its about Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor and all the other victims, and about rage by black and brown people that has been going on for many years. Now Playing: On June 2, 2020, residents of San Franciscos Outer Sunset marched in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and against the recent death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. Video: Manjula Varghese / The Chronicle But one thing thats different is that right now, a lot of people doing these protests are stuck in their houses, lost their jobs, dont know if they will be able to make a living, Brooks said. Theyre stressed, they got the bulls $1,200 stimulus check, and theyre angry. This whole thing was a powder keg waiting to explode, she said. Pre-pandemic, it was bad enough. But now that were in the pandemic, black people are getting messed up even more getting infected in bigger numbers than others, having to go to work more than others and get exposed. Brooks has been helping organize protests in the East Bay over the death of Floyd, who was killed Monday when a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes. The officer has been fired and charged with murder. Brooks and other veterans of the protest movement see a weary sameness to the injustices that triggered unrest after Grants killing and other police-involved deaths. Most of the protests of the past few days were not carefully planned, although there was some social media promotion of evening gatherings in Oakland and Emeryville. They appear to have been loosely called for and answered enthusiastically by demonstrators of diverse races and backgrounds. Now Playing: From peaceful protest to mass arrests: Police in Oakland fires tear gas at protesters condemning the killing of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer during the fourth night of demonstrations in the Bay Area. Video: Matthias Gafni, Mallory Moench, Erika Carlos Were in a historic moment where things have gotten worse, but people are very clear that its time for a change, said Rachel Jackson, who for many years has organized protests in San Francisco and the East Bay and is now with the economic justice group Peoples Strike Bay Area. Thats what were seeing as thousands of people are showing up spontaneously in the streets all over the nation. Whats so exceptional is that cities are doing this all at once, Jackson said. In the past they would kind of roll one after the other to some extent. But now? Its more than half the states all at the same time. She and Brooks said one development driving the anger is the emergence of white-power demonstrations since Trump was elected in 2016, and the escalation of hate crimes. An FBI report released this past winter found they were up 12% nationally against individuals. And although the economy was robust before the pandemic, income had remained largely flat among low-wage workers, who disproportionately are people of color. Now Playing: On May 30, 2020, residents from around the Bay Area gathered at United Nations Plaza in San Francisco to march against police brutality. Video: Manjula Varghese Couple that with emergence of social media video as a validation of accusations of police misconduct, often against black people, and the environment was ripe for this, they said. This is just the latest trigger event, and even though many of us are sheltering in place we could not just do nothing and be online or write emails, Jackson said. And as we respond to this, we are preparing for the future it will get worse before it gets better. One of the great frustrations among both police and protest organizers is the destruction of property. Trump blames left-wing extremists, some on the left blame right-wing extremists, and others say the looting and destruction is simply rooted in both rage and poor people seeing an opportunity for free stuff. Most mayors say they think outsiders are doing the damage because locals wouldnt want to destroy their own communities. Brooks said she thinks its all of the above. 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. I also think some people are taking advantage of the situation because it seems entertaining and fun, she said. Its too hard to tell. Also frustrated in the current unrest and feeling misrepresented are police officers themselves. Political leaders from coast to coast say they dont believe racist attacks on minorities represent a majority of law enforcement, and police chiefs including San Franciscos Bill Scott have vigorously echoed that view. Santa Cruz Police Chief Andy Mills took a knee with protesters Saturday in solidarity over Floyds death. A lot of protesters are tarring all officers with a very broad brush, and its not accurate, said Barry Donelan, president of the Oakland Police Officers Association. All of us are as horrified as anyone in watching the treatment of Mr. Floyd. Its disgusting. He pointed out that his union, in concert with those of police forces in San Francisco and San Jose, issued a statement decrying Floyds death. But they also condemned the violence that has broken out at several protests. Now Playing: Protesters refused to heed official pleas to stay home Saturday, instead taking to Oakland and Bay Area streets, where police officers in riot gear faced another night of outrage over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Here's an inside look. Video: Matthias Gafni, Erika Carlos We support everyones right to protest, its embedded in the Constitution, Donelan said. But theyre no longer protesters when they cross the Rubicon and destroy someones business or home, and God forbid, hurt people. Look, there are perennial protesters in Oakland they know the officers, and they make their point. Theyre not hurting anybody. These others are criminals. Brooks and Jackson think another element driving the fury of the moment is the younger generation, which wasnt old enough to participate fully in the 2009 or 2014 protests and now has a more-evolved set of grievances. Those who depend on the historically racist practices in the way we govern and define public safety to remain in power are becoming more irrelevant as younger people are gaining power, Brooks said. I listen to my daughter. I believe in people. I see hope. Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinChron No one thought SpaceX would beat Boeing. Elon Musk proved them wrong. Musk once told The Post that SpaceX was able to rise because the big aerospace companies didnt think it would ever amount to anything. They screwed themselves because they were just arrogant and complacent, he said. Look, Boeing doesnt get out of bed for less than $1 billion. Musk sued the Air Force for the right to compete for contracts, a risky move that annoyed some in the Pentagon. Musk also made a stink over the fact that the ULA used a rocket engine manufactured by Russia. Lockheed and Boeing are used to stomping on new companies, and theyve certainly tried to stomp on us, he said at the time. I think we have a shot at prevailing. But were certainly a small up-and-comer going against giants. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/05/21/spacex-boeing-rivalry-launch/#comments-wrapper SpaceX launch inspires Korea to join space race more actively SpaceX, a private company founded by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, made history Saturday by sending NASA astronauts into space aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft using a Falcon 9 rocket. The launch was the first manned space flight from the U.S. in nine years and the first by a private company. With the successful launch, NASA can rely on SpaceX and other companies for the transportation of its astronauts to the International Space Station. The launch, dubbed "Demo-2," was the final demonstration mission in the human rating process of SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Falcon 9, meaning that the launch vehicle will be certified for operational use for the regular transportation of people into space. It was also a welcome reminder of U.S. technical expertise in space science as the world's most powerful country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic. Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 with a view to reducing space transport costs and to further his dream of colonizing Mars. Musk's goal was dismissed as ridiculous then, but the launch is proof that his plan is no longer a pipe dream. In its bid to shorten the itinerary for space development and save costs, the U.S. turned to the private sector and SpaceX answered with innovation. The company has reduced the cost of a rocket launch dramatically by developing a reusable system. SpaceX's launch inspires South Korea to put more effort into space development. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) plans to launch its orbital rocket KSLV-II next year to take a 1,500kg payload into a 600 to 800 kilometer low earth orbit. During his visit to KARI last year, President Moon Jae-in urged private companies to invest in space programs with confidence, emphasizing the importance of the many failures that lay on the pathway to success. Although space exploration requires a huge investment, the country should join the global space race more actively for our future and posterity. Forthright and analytical, Shane Patton's leadership style will be markedly different than the outgoing police chief according to colleagues who say he is "right into the detail". On Monday, Premier Daniel Andrews revealed Deputy Commissioner Patton will take over the force's leadership from June 27 when current Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton retires after five years in the job. Premier Daniel Andrews announces that Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton will take over the top job as police chief commissioner. Credit:Jason South Mr Patton, 58, stood patiently as the Premier first detailed the states current COVID-19 situation during his press conference on Monday but the deputy commissioner couldnt hold back a smile as it was revealed he'd soon become the states top cop. He said very few people were ever given the opportunity to lead a police force and he was thrilled to begin leading Victoria Polices 22,000 staff from later this month. Copper prices closed out a second consecutive month of gains on Friday, driven in part by hopes for a recovery and further fiscal and monetary stimulus from China, its number one consumer. Although tensions between the U.S. and China over the coronavirus pandemic and new Hong Kong security laws capped gains toward the end of the month, copper priced on the London Metal Exchange closed out Friday's trading day at $5,332.25 per ton. The red metal's spot price closed out May down more than 13% for the year-to-date, having plunged as low as $4,617.50/t in late March as the pandemic spread throughout the world. Copper prices are widely seen as a barometer for confidence in the global economy owing to its broad array of end uses. Bank of America analysts on Friday increased their price forecast for copper in 2020 by 5.4% to $5,621/t, while keeping the 2021 projection unchanged at $6,250/t. A leading archeologist tweeted instructions on how to safely topple an obelisk as George Floyd protestors in her town toppled a Confederate statue during a demonstration that escalated into unrest. University of Alabama at Birmingham archeologist Sarah Parcak took to Twitter Sunday evening offering details on how to bring an obelisk down as demonstrators in the city's Linn Park defaced a Confederate monument and tore down a statue of Confederate Naval captain Charles Linn Sunday night. A day earlier, protestors in Nashville, Tennessee, toppled a statue of Edward Carmac, a former politician and newspaper publisher who wrote editorials expressing racist views. University of Alabama at Birmingham archeologist Sarah Parcak took to Twitter Sunday evening offering details on how to safely bring an obelisk down Parcak tweeted detailed the detailed instructions on how to topple an obelisk safely Sunday evening as demonstrators in the city's Linn Park tore down a statue of Confederate Naval captain Charles Linn Sunday night Demonstrators are pictured bringing down a statue of Confederate Naval captain Charles Linn A statue of Confederate Naval captain Charles Linn Sunday night is pictured as it starts to fall Images of the statue's toppling were captured in video footage that was broadcast by WBRC. Parcak's tweets did not point to any specific protest, but hinted at the Confederate monument in the park, which is an obelisk, and her awareness of the demonstrations that followed the police-related death of Floyd in Minneapolis more than a week ago. She started by saying her comments on Twitter were a public service announcement. 'PSA For ANYONE who might be interested in how to pull down an obelisk* safely from an Egyptologist who never ever in a million years thought this advice might come in handy,' she wrote, explaining in a footnote that she was referring to any obelisk that 'might be masquerading as a racist monument'. Protestors have defaced and destroyed monuments in cities where demonstrations have been staged in response to Floyd's police-related slaying. Even the iconic Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC and the National World War II Memorial weren't spared from vandalism and graffiti amid weekend protests. 'In the wake of last night's demonstrations, there are numerous instances of vandalism to sites around the National Mall,' the National Park Service for the National Mall said in a tweet on Sunday along with photos of monuments covered in graffiti. A day earlier, protestors in Nashville, Tennessee, toppled a statue of Edward Carmac, a former politician and newspaper publisher who wrote editorials expressing racist views. The demonstrators are pictured just before the statue falls Pictured are the demonstrators celebrating after the statue's fall 'For generations the Mall has been our nation's premier civic gathering space for non-violent demonstrations, and we ask individuals to carry on that tradition. ' Parcak, an Egyptologist by training, had won a $1 million TED prize in 2016 and used crowd-sourced funding to use satellite imaging to identify archaeological sites. 'My Bona Fides: I'm an Egyptologist. I have worked in Egypt for 20 years and know a lot about ancient Egyptian architecture. Especially how they raised obelisks,' she wrote in her tweets. Protestors have defaced and destroyed monuments in cities where demonstrations have been staged in response to Floyd's police-related slaying. Even the iconic Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC (pictured) was targeted over the weekend A National Park Service worker power washes black spray paint that read 'Do Black Vets Count?' from the World War II Memorial in Washington DC Sunday after protests over the death of George Floyd Her tweets continued then in detail on how to bring down an obelisk, suggesting two groups of people to do the pulling, but allowing gravity to do most of the work, and the use of ropes and chains. 'I recommend a rhythmic song. YOU WILL NEED SOMEONE WITH A LOUDSPEAKER DIRECTING. There can be only one person yelling. Everyone will be alternating on rope left right left right not everyone on the same side. No one else near the obelisk! Safety first!' she wrote in one of the tweets. Upon finishing her instructions, she tweeted a 'good riddance' to racist-inspired monuments. 'WATCH THAT SUMB*TCH TOPPLE GET THE %^&* OUT OF THE WAY IT WILL SMASH RUN AWAY FROM DIRECTION. Then celebrate. Because #BlackLivesMatter and good riddance to any obelisks pretending to be ancient Egyptian obelisks when they are in fact celebrating racism and white nationalism. Parcak, an Egyptologist by training, had won a $1 million TED prize in 2016 and used crowd-sourced funding to use satellite imaging to identify archaeological sites Pacak noted in one of her tweets that she is a trained 'Egyptologist' She asked that no actual Egyptian obelisks be toppled. 'OK because this is Twitter I need to clarify: PLEASE DO NOT PULL DOWN ACTUAL ANCIENT EGYPTIAN OBELISKS that was not the point of this thread,' she explained in another tweet. She then posted a schematic showing exactly how to bring down an obelisk, and made a reference that there maybe one in downtown Birmingham. 'There might be one just like this in downtown Birmingham! What a coincidence. Can someone please show this thread to the folks there,' she wrote. 'BUT OF COURSE THIS IS ALL ENTIRELY HYPOTHETICAL,' she added. New Delhi, June 1 : The development of a vaccine for Covid-19 is moving in a positive direction and the next one month will be very crucial, said Krishna Mohan Ella, Chief Executive Officer at Bharat Biotech. The company has formed a collaborative framework with the University of Wisconsin, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Thomas Jefferson University of Philadelphia to develop a vaccine for Covid-19. Speaking to IANS, Mohan said, "The vaccine development is moving in a positive direction. The next one month is very crucial. I am a scientist and I believe in science." Queried on Bharat Biotech's plans on vaccine production in the backdrop of the statement by The Serum Institute of India, which said it plans to produce 60 million doses of a potential Covid-19 vaccine by year-end, Mohan said the company is working very hard on the development of the vaccine. He expressed satisfaction on the progress of the research connected with the vaccine development so far, but insisted that "in science, things can change". "If things were not moving positively, I would not be talking to you...we are at a very crucial stage, but I cannot comment on the number of doses (like The Serum Institute) etc.," added Mohan. According to ICMR, human trials could begin in at least six months. Queried on the same, Mohan said, "Let us go by science. I cannot comment on the beginning of human trials. We are working very hard on the vaccine, which will benefit the people." He insisted that the global media is watching the vaccine development very closely, but refrained from making any comment on the specifics of the progress made so far or about any specific goal set for the next month. India reported 8,390 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country's Covid-19 tally to 1,90,535 on Monday. India has emerged as the seventh worst hit country globally, leaving behind France and Germany. There are at least 93,322 active cases, while 91,819 people have been cured. The recovery rate in the country is 48.19 per cent now, while the death rate is 2.83 per cent. Mohan had said last month that Bharat Biotech is collaborating with Thomas Jefferson for developing a vaccine for Covid-19 using an inactivated rabies vector platform. He said that since the basic proof of the concept has been established by using it for other infectious diseases. The company is committed to global public health and will be involved in an end-to-end development of vaccine, including comprehensive clinical trials to achieve commercial licensure, he had said. (Sumit Saxena can be contacted at sumit.s@ians.in) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) A scammer who ripped off more than $360,000 in fake home improvements has been sentenced to prison time. British migrant Martin McDonagh used a string of fake names to rip off eight people for work that was never started, never finished or done without permits. In the County Court on Monday McDonagh was sentenced to two years' jail, but he will be eligible for parole in three months. Pretending to be the owner of various home improvement companies, McDonagh used the names Cody, Austin, Jackson and Harley in the scams he ran across Melbourne's eastern suburbs during 2018 and 2019. In one case he ripped off a Burwood East man for $280,000 after the man called him about a sticking front door. New Delhi, June 1 : After the Union Cabinet decided to widen the definition of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and announced that entities with turnover up to Rs 250 crore or investment up to Rs 50 crore would qualify as medium enterprises, the Congress, here on Monday, termed it as the "headline management by the government". Briefing the media on the cabinet decision, MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari said the changes would benefit over 6 crore MSMEs that together employed 11 crore people. Reacting to the decision, former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh tweeted, "This is Maximum Headlines, Minimum Deadlines. First, PM announces that FM will announce package. Second, FM announces package. Third, Gadkari regurgitates what PM and FM have said." Announcing an increase in investment limits for MSMEs on May 13, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said an additional criteria of turnover had been introduced for recognition of an MSME. Sitharaman had also announced new definition of medium enterprises as one with Rs 20 crore investment and machinery, and Rs 100 crore turnover. The cabinet enhanced it further on Monday. As per the new definition, businesses with less than Rs 1 crore investment and Rs 5 crore turnover would be classified micro enterprises. Under the existing criteria, a manufacturing sector company with less than Rs 25 lakh investment and the services sector firm with below Rs 10 lakh investment were considered micro enterprises. The cabinet has changed this distinction as well and a unified criteria will be applied for micro enterprises. The investment limit of small enterprises has been increased to Rs 10 crore, and the companies would have to have less than Rs 50 crore turnover. Further, the medium enterprises criteria has been extended from companies with Rs 20 crore investment and Rs 100 crore revenue to firms with Rs 50 crore investment and up to Rs 250 crore turnover. Organisation formerly known as 'Diamond Producers Association' relaunches under a new name with a new consumer facing identity and digital platform called, 'Only Natural Diamonds' NEW YORK, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's leading diamond producers today launched Natural Diamond Council (NDC) formerly known as, 'Diamond Producers Association' (DPA). The NDC will serve to promote the desirability of natural diamonds and support the integrity of the diamond jewellery industry. As an industry authority, the NDC will continue to invest in advertising globally but will also become the go-to digital publisher for innovative content covering all that's new and exciting in the industry. As part of the launch, the NDC will also reposition its consumer identity (formerly known as 'Real is Rare, Real is a Diamond') under the brand name, 'Only Natural Diamonds' (OND). "The current economic climate creates unprecedented challenges for the luxury industry. But, as the climate improves, natural diamonds will connect stronger than ever before. Consumers will have a greater respect for all things natural and seek brands that have an honest mission to be truly sustainable. They'll be purchasing luxury goods with a greater meaning, particularly those celebrating connections between friends and loved ones," said Natural Diamond Council CEO, David Kellie. "We need to speak to the younger audience in a different way and we're delighted to have brought in a number of partners that will contribute to the new world of natural diamonds we're creating." "Our new digital platforms will inspire and inform consumers globally about the values and heritage of natural diamonds, as well as promoting the significant innovation happening throughout the world of diamond jewellery," adds NDC Head of Marketing and Communications UK, Lisa Levinson, "the younger audience is clearly engaged and inspired when we present ourselves with authority in the digital world. It's our aim to be number one across all digital platforms in our industry and our ambitious plans reflect these goals." Launching today (June 1st), the new OND website is a digital platform and resource celebrating all that is great in the world of natural diamonds. It includes feature articles from editorial jewellery veterans such as, Jill Newman, Marion Fasel and Carol Woolton, as well as content from innovators from the worlds of jewellery and publishing. The website offers insightful coverage under six key pillars connecting the natural diamond world - 'Epic Diamonds', 'Hollywood & Pop Culture', 'Love & Diamonds,' 'Style & Innovation,' 'Diamonds 101' and 'Inside the Diamond World.' The OND website will also dedicate significant coverage as a trusted educational hub providing all the facts needed when considering buying diamond jewellery. Areas of focus will include access to the sustainability and ethical practices of the producers as well as buying guides, all presented in a dynamic and engaging tone. Alongside its debut, NDC launches its 'Style Collective: Trend Report', a compilation forecasting the natural diamond jewellery trends from leading experts. Style Collective members include Editor At Large, Jill Newman, who penned the report; Curator of Best Jewels, Katerina Perez; Celebrity Stylist, Cristina Ehrlich; Jewelry Director at Moda Operandi, Will Kahn; and British Vogue's Jewelry and Watch Director, Rachel Garrahan. The biannual trend report will serve as both a guide for retailers for the upcoming season and a reference for consumer titles incorporating styling tips. The NDC also launches with a new website dedicated to the industry and features a resource portal for Diamond Professionals, from retailers to designers. This new hub will provide easy access to an array of industry resources, customizable marketing materials, e-learning programs, and the latest industry news. The launch of the NDC reflects the collective commitment of its members, ALROSA, De Beers Group, Dominion Diamond Mines, Lucara Diamond, Petra Diamonds, RZM Murowa, and Rio Tinto, to the growth of the industry going beyond the current economic crisis. "There is no task more important than inspiring consumers with what we call 'the Diamond Dream,'" said Stephen Lussier, Chairman of the NDC. "Our mission is to educate consumers on the industry and positive social contribution diamonds make to the world today. Our members are committed to these goals and the launch of the NDC marks an exciting step on this path." The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) advances diamonds' desirability by publishing trends and sharing resources and information with consumers on the ultimate timeless and natural luxury good. The NDC also works to support the integrity of the natural diamond industry, providing transparency, and insight on the ethics, sustainability and progress of this sector. With a presence in China and India in addition to the US and Europe, NDC's initiatives reach a global market. Media Contact: Natural Diamond Council Lisa Levinson lisa@naturaldiamonds.com I am white and do not reside in the City of Trenton, but I care about our capital city. I have lived in West Windsor for more than forty years and for the majority of those years I have consulted to nonprofit agencies in the areas of development and strategic planning. Twenty of those charities have been located in the City of Trenton. As a result, I have been to Trenton more than 2,500 times over the past 30-plus years. I am aware of Trentons political, social and economic history and of the citys longstanding racial divide. I have written dozens of columns over the past three decades for The Times and The Trentonian about the deep-seated structural problems that Trentons residents face. Most of these are compounded by an inability to adequately finance needed government services; too many of Trentons properties are tax-exempt because they house state offices. Trentonians pay too much in property taxes for the inferior quality of government and education services they receive. Its not surprising that many of them are disillusioned with government, that voter apathy is high and voter turnout extremely low (22% in the most recent mayoral election). I supported Reed Gusciora in his campaign for mayor and served on his Transition Committee because I thought his legislative experience could be helpful in securing desperately needed additional state aid and that he had the temperament to work collaboratively with the City Council. In July, I will be assessing his overall performance at mid-point of his tenure. Suffice it to say the recent verbal exchange between Mayor Gusciora and Councilwoman Robin Vaughn was incredibly disconcerting. None of the participants, including the Mayor, who taunted the Councilwoman from early on in the call, when she questioned his entering into contracts with various do-nothing nonprofits, meet the standard I would set for someone Id vote for. The Mayor admitted that he used inappropriate unprofessional language that was beneath the dignity of his office and offered an apology for this role in the telephone call. Likewise, Councilwoman Vaughn, under heavy pressure, offered a written apology for the vulgar profanity-laced homophobic rant. Joe Harrison should also apologize for his inappropriate utterances in response to horrific comments made about his family. I believe all the council members who were on the call and failed to speak up and demand that the participants tone it down and act in a civil manner, should also apologize to Trentons residents. It is clear to me that a major across-the-board reset in Trenton is needed when Councilman-at-large Santiago Rodriquez said that he refuses to take sides because I was not elected to condemn anybody, I am not a judge. In order to fulfill ones responsibility as a councilperson, you are constantly called upon to decide what is right and wrong and whether people are performing appropriately and take appropriate actions. If you need another example of the total dysfunction in Trenton, consider the councils recent 5-to-2 vote, along political lines, against providing necessary bonding to undertake capital upgrades at the Trenton Water Works. Without an upgrade of the antiquated water system, expect to see a Flint, Michigan-type calamity coming to Trenton. I do not believe that Mayor Guscioras or Councilwoman Vaughns apologies mean that that we will see an end to uncivilized discourse in Trenton. Some folks, like the respected Jeannie Frisby Larue, have called for an intervention. I understand where she is coming from and I respect her point of view, but see it as an exercise in futility and a waste of time. Councilwoman Vaughn, like President Trump, is not going to mend her ways and will be cheered on by a cadre of her supporters who will encourage her in-your-face style. Like President Trump, she wants and craves media attention. She will, no doubt, try and make the case that the various negative words used by the mayor and Councilman Joe Harrison in the teleconference i.e., child, 4-year-old, idiot, ugly, and incompetent were racially motivated signs of disrespect towards a forceful black woman that would not have been used if she were white. The question now is how the community-at-large, the political establishment and the religious community will respond. I hope that responsible members of the community will make it clear that they will not support her if she decides to run again for any political office. Instead of those concerned about Trenton trying to mediate the chasm between the mayor and the council or attempting to re-call Councilwoman Vaughn, Id suggest a full-court press from the citys political, civic, religious, business and community-based groups to recruit, educate and train a new generation of leaders to run for municipal office in Trenton. These constituencies should reach out to prestigious non-partisan entities like the John S. Watson Institute of Public Policy at Thomas Edison College, Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University and Lead New Jersey and engage them to develop a plan that will encourage talented Trenton residents to enter the political fray and provide them with the training in political campaigning/fundraising and the intricacies of municipal government. This effort should mirror what the Center for American Women & Politics at Eagelton has done to spur female candidates for political office. Foundations, corporations and concerned citizens interested in rebuilding Trenton should provide funds to retain one or more of these nonprofit entities to develop a community-based plan to attract the best and brightest residents of Trenton to serve in municipal government. Trenton needs a reset. (@FahadShabbir) Moscow, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 31st May, 2020 ) :Russia has lost its long-held monopoly as the only country able to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station following the flawless manned launch by US company SpaceX. The Russian space agency congratulated the United States and Elon Musk's SpaceX on the first crewed flight ever by a private company, but experts said the launch should be a wakeup call for Roscosmos. "The success of the mission will provide us with additional opportunities that will benefit the whole international programme," cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, Roscosmos executive director for crewed space programmes, said in a brief video address. Saturday's launch was the first of American astronauts from US soil since the mothballing of the US shuttle programme in 2011 that left Russia's more basic and reliable Soyuz spacecraft solely responsible for transporting crews. Astronauts since then have all trained at Star City outside Moscow and studied Russian before blasting off from Baikonur launchpad in Kazakhstan. "These flights have been an unexpected chance for Moscow to keep producing Soyuz and retain a significant voice in negotiations over the ISS," said Isabelle Sourbes-Verger, a specialist in space policy at the French National Centre for Scientific Research. The Russian space agency has also earned large sums by ferrying astronauts: a seat in the Soyuz costs NASA around $80 million. If SpaceX starts taking up all US astronauts, "the annual losses could be more than $200 million, a significant loss for Roscosmos's budget of around $2 billion," said Andrei Ionin, an expert at the Tsiolkovsky Space academy in Moscow. While Musk, the ambitious entrepreneur behind SpaceX, has named the price of a seat on his spacecraft as $60 million, Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin has announced Russia is working to cut its price by 30 percent. Ionin voiced scepticism over the plan. "SpaceX is saving money by using cheap engines and manufacturing almost all its own parts," he said. "To do this, Russia would have to change its production process." Another option is a barter system proposed by NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine: for every Russian riding in a US spaceship, one American would take a Soyuz. - 'Wakeup call' - In a broader sense, the appearance of a rival such as SpaceX should be a "wakeup call" for the Russian space industry, which is "in far worse shape than those in charge admit," said Ionin. A decade ago Russia was behind a large proportion of the world's launches, but that is no longer the case today due to competition from China and SpaceX. "When we were losing the launches market, Roscosmos said everything was fine because we were the only ones sending people up to the ISS. Now that fig leaf has fallen off." Russia's space sector is marred by corruption, with multiple scandals over the construction of the new Vostochny launchpad in the Far East. The country's space industry has also failed to innovate, concentrating on modifying "Soviet technology without any major evolution," Ionin said. The Russian space programme is renowned for having sent the first man into space in 1961 and launching the first satellite four years earlier, and its achievements remain a major source of national pride. But more recently it has endured a series of setbacks, notably losing expensive spacecraft and satellites in recent years. The rise of private companies like SpaceX, which has ambitions to conquer Mars, risks leaving Russia irrecoverably far behind, experts said. - Mars next? - For Russia to keep up, a government body independent of the space sector's main players needs to develop a new strategy, Ionin said. "US President (Donald) Trump reestablished a body -- the National Space Council -- to set policy goals. We need to do the same thing." Some observers sense a lack of political will from President Vladimir Putin who appears to be more focused on using rocket science to develop military capabilities, particularly hypersonic missiles. "For Putin, space exploration isn't a priority when it comes to showing off the might of the state," said independent space expert Vitaly Yegorov. For Ionin, reinvigorating the Russian space programme requires international cooperation, too. Sourbes-Verger suggested any manned international mission to Mars "could be an opportunity for Russia to regain its standing by sharing its skills." Holding up a sign saying Thank you Daily Mail readers with big smiles on their faces, a care home has shown its gratitude for a Mail Force delivery. Staff and residents at High Broom Care Home in Crowborough, East Sussex, were delighted to be handed 1,000 aprons and nearly 200 full-body gowns to help in the fight against Covid-19. So far High Broom home to 30 residents, the eldest of whom turns 100 next Monday has managed to prevent any outbreaks of coronavirus. It went into lockdown on March 11 and since then no family or friends have been able to visit. Smiling in the sun: Residents and staff at High Broom Care Home say thank you. The Mail Force team was first contacted by Jane Rainbow, the daughter of one of the residents, when she heard about the campaign to get personal protective equipment (PPE) to the healthcare front line The Mail Force team was first contacted by Jane Rainbow, the daughter of one of the residents, when she heard about the campaign to get personal protective equipment (PPE) to the healthcare front line. Safe handover: Reporter Xantha Leatham. So far High Broom home to 30 residents, the eldest of whom turns 100 next Monday has managed to prevent any outbreaks of coronavirus In her email she wrote: My mother is in a fantastic care home in East Sussex and I would like to put their name forward to perhaps receive some very needed PPE. They have been doing a brilliant job since they have been locked down and PPE would let them make sure their brilliant job continues. The Mail Force charity, set up by the Daily Mail and its partners to help solve the PPE shortages crisis, has been sourcing protective gear from all over the world. It is funded by donations from philanthropists and Mail readers who have been sending in cheques by the sackful raising more than 9million so far. Manager Karen Theobald said: Weve managed to remain Covid-free. We were all tested and they came back negative, which is fantastic. Coronavirus is in the area weve heard that other care homes unfortunately have had cases. But touch wood, weve been very lucky. To the Daily Mail readers, what can I say? Thank you for thinking of us. Out of all this has come immense kindness... Its so kind for the readers to think of us and we cant thank you enough. Last week Mail Force flew in a million highest-quality surgical masks and at the weekend the majority was handed over to the NHSs PPE operation centre in the Midlands. The Type IIR surgical masks are a higher specification than similar PPE on the market and are much sought-after by doctors and nurses. The batch flown in by Mail Force has been checked and cleared for use in coronavirus environments by the NHS and healthcare regulators. Francisco 'El Primo' Navarrete was the publisher of online newspaper Sol de Tierra Blanca and an alleged leader of a gang tied to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel A Mexican online newspaper publisher, who reportedly moonlighted as a cell leader with the country's most vicious cartel and linked to the 2016 disappearance and murder of five students, was among six people shot dead during a concert that was broadcasted live on Facebook. Francisco 'El Primo' Navarrete was standing on ballroom stage in Tierra Blanca, Veracruz, as the show headlined by local group La Calle or The Street was close to concluding when several shots rang Friday night. Video, posted on Sol de Tierra Blanca's account, showed a startled Navarrete looking around before he pulled out a gun and ran towards the area where the shooting was taking place. Francisco 'El Primo' Navarrete pulls out his gun (circled) moments after shots were fired by gunmen who killed him and six other people, including two members of a local band that was about to finish up a concert at a ballroom in Tierra Blanca, Veracruz, on Friday Francisco 'El Primo' Navarrete (pictured fourth from left to right) was the alleged leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel's cell in Veracruz, Mexico. He was gunned down after a shootout broke out towards the end of a Facebook Live concert According to police reports, Navarrete was shot 50 times and was declared dead on the scene. Among the victims killed were two La Calle band members. Band member Jose Alberto Muniz and concert attendee Yuridia Figueroa were also wounded in the shooting. JALISCO NEW GENERATION CARTEL The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is led by Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera The United States is offering a $10million bounty for his capture The cartel is considered to be the most powerful criminal syndicate in Mexico, operating in 24 of 32 states The cartel also operates in 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 Mencho was designated as a 'kingpin' under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act in April 2015 His American-born children Johanna Oseguera and Ruben 'El Menchito' Oseguera Gonzalez are being held by the United States government Johanna, a 33-year-old mother of two children, was charged with money laundering El Menchito is being tried for drug trafficking Advertisement Local media said Navarrete, who founded his publication October 2019, was the purported leader of a gang in Veracruz that is tied to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, considered the most powerful criminal organization in Mexico. In the past, state and federal had named in investigations that were centered around drug trafficking, murders and kidnappings in Tierra Blanca. In 2016, Navarrete and two other men, including his son, were investigated for organized crime and connected to the January 2016 disappearance of five students, who were arrested by four Tierra Blanca cops, who allegedly turned them over to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Susana Tapia; Bernardo Benitez; Jose Benitez; Jose Alfredo Gonzalez; and Mario Arturo Orozco were reportedly tortured and murdered at a ranch owned by Navarrete. All were residents from the Veracruz city of Playa Vicente, who were returning from a weekend birthday trip in Boca del Rio. Tapia, the youngest in the group, was just 16-year-old. The remains of two of the students were eventually located at a separate ranch in the Tlalixcoyan municipality. However, Navarrete were released from prison in August 2019 after a court found that Mexico's Attorney General had committed errors during their investigation. At least eight members of the Tierra Blanca police remain in custody. La Calle band member Jose Alberto Muniz was wounded in an attack that killed two band members Concert attendee Yuridia Figueroa was one of two people who suffered gun shots wounds Friday night in Veracruz, Mexico WILMINGTON, Del. Joe Biden vowed to address institutional racism in his first 100 days in office as he sought to elevate his voice Monday in the exploding national debate over racism and police brutality. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee offered emotional support and promised bold action during an in-person discussion with black leaders in Delaware and a subsequent virtual meeting with big-city mayors who are grappling with racial tensions and frustrated by a lack of federal support. Hate just hides. It doesnt go away, and when you have somebody in power who breathes oxygen into the hate under the rocks, it comes out from under the rocks, Biden told more than a dozen African American leaders gathered at a church in downtown Wilmington, his face mask lowered around his chin as he spoke. Without offering specifics, he promised to deal with institutional racism and set up a police oversight body in his first 100 days in office, if elected. The former vice president also said hed be releasing an economic plan focused on education, housing and access to capital and investments, especially for minority Americans, later this month. I really do believe that the blinders have been taken off. I think this tidal wave is moving, Biden told the mayors of Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and St. Paul, Minnesota. I realize weve got to do something big, we can do it, and everyone will benefit from it. Largely sheltering in place amid the coronavirus, Biden has struggled in recent weeks to be heard from his makeshift home TV studio over the noise of dueling national crises. But after another night of violent protests, he ventured out into public for the second time in two days and just the third time since the pandemic arrived in mid-March. His hopeful and collaborative approach marked a sharp contrast to that of President Donald Trump, who has made little effort to unify the country. The Republican president slammed governors as weak during a video teleconference on Monday and demanded tougher crackdowns on protesters. Trump also lashed out at Biden on Twitter, writing that Sleepy Joe Bidens people are so Radical Left that they are working to get the Anarchists out of jail, and probably more. Bidens softer style may foreshadow how he presents himself in the five months before the presidential election, emphasizing calm and competence as a contrast to a mercurial president. It is an approach that carries the risk of being drowned out by Trumps much louder voice. On Monday evening, Trump declared himself the president of law and order from the White House as military police and law enforcement fired tear gas and cleared protesters from nearby Lafayette Park. Biden made no mention of the unfolding events during an online fundraiser that took place at the same time, though he talked at length about persistent racism in the U.S. He plans to deliver remarks on the unrest gripping the U.S. on Tuesday in Philadelphia. In the early moments of Mondays gathering at the Bethel AME church in Wilmington, Biden listened quietly and took notes. All the attendees, including Biden, wore face masks but lowered them as they spoke. The vice president came to hear from us. This is a homeboy, pastor Sylvester Beaman said before everyone bowed their heads in prayer. Bidens standing with the black community weighs heavily as he works to deny Trump a second term. African Americans rescued Bidens flailing primary campaign, but its unclear if they will turn out for him in large numbers in November. I want to make something clear. I dont expect anything from the black community, Biden said Monday, insisting he has never taken its support for granted. The former vice president has been doing cleanup since telling a prominent black radio host a week and a half ago that African Americans who back Trump aint black. Yet the mayors who spoke with Biden, three of whom are black, were clearly frustrated and angry with Trump, who has offered military support to address violent protests while denying them federal support to address the coronavirus fallout and repeatedly attacking them on social media. To see the president of the United States say that hes going to send the military into our communities but hadnt mentioned sending a single dime of support into our communities, speaks to where we are in America, said Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Much of Bidens campaign strategy centers on trying to draw a contrast with Trump on temperament and values. He has called the White House contest a battle for the soul of the nation and has been particularly forceful in condemning Trumps handling of moments of racial tension. In an election that is likely to be a referendum on the sitting president, some Biden aides say privately that the best plan may be to let Trump do himself in. Yet there is also a recognition that Biden needs to do more than simply wait for voters who may be turned off by Trump to turn toward him. Some Democrats who have criticized Biden for not being more visible during the onset of the coronavirus said he is making the right moves now. Im sure they have some reluctance, understandably, right now to politicize it. Thats not who he is, said Democratic strategist James Carville. There might be a time for eloquence, but I think that simplicity is eloquence right now. ___ Jaffe reported from Washington; Peoples reported from Montclair, New Jersey. Associated Press writer Brian Slodysko contributed from Washington. ___ Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, Ground Game. Delhi's borders will be sealed for a week in the wake of rising coronavirus cases in the city, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Monday as he sought suggestions from people by Friday to reopen the same. IMAGE: Traffic congestion at Delhi-Noida Direct way, that connects south Delhi with Noida, as police were allowing only pass-bearers to enter Noida, on the first day after the end of COVID-19 lockdown 4.0. Photograph: PTI Photo Kejriwal also expressed apprehensions that people from other states will come to Delhi to avail "best health services" amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis once borders are reopened and that will lead to a shortage of beds for those living in the national capital. Addressing an online media briefing, Kejriwal said people having passes and engaged in essential services will be allowed to enter the national capital while government employees working in Delhi can pass through on the basis of their identity cards. Some people say borders should be reopened after one week but healthcare services in the city should be available only for Delhiites, Kejriwal said. "For now, we are sealing Delhi's borders for a week. We will take a concrete decision after one week once we have taken into consideration the suggestions of everyone including experts," he said. Seeking "guidance" from Delhiites on the reopening of borders with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, the chief minister asked them to send their suggestions on WhatsApp number 8800007722, delhicm.suggestions@gmail.com or by dialing 1031 by 5 pm on Friday. Delhi chief secretary Vijay Dev in an order said: "In view of the current public health situation in Delhi, inter-state movement of non-residents of Delhi shall be allowed only on the production of e-passes issued for essential services or in case of emergent circumstances by authorities of respective states/UTs and/or district magistrates of Delhi." Kejriwal further said that in the last five years, the Delhi government has done "phenomenal work" in the health sector, adding that several new hospitals and mohalla clinics were constructed. He said that there is availability of a good number of beds, ICUs and ventilators in Delhi. At a time when the healthcare systems in several parts of country and the world have collapsed due to rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, sufficient health facilities, including beds, are available in Delhi despite the fact that the number of infectious has been rising, the chief minister said. "At present, there are 2300 COVID-19 patients (admitted at hospitals). There are arrangements of 6,600 beds. The number will reach 9,000 by June 5. "Tomorrow, the government will launch an app through which Delhiites can find beds in hospitals," he said. As Delhi has best healthcare facilities in comparison to other states and it offers free medical treatment in public hospitals, people from across the country will come to Delhi to get treatment and the 9,000 beds available here will be occupied within two days, Kejriwal said. "So, what should we do? Should we reopen borders? he asked. Delhi belongs to all of us. Dilli to dil walon ki hai. Delhi is also of people living in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra among others. Till now, Delhi treats all people. So, how can Delhi deny medical treatment to other people?" he added. The chief minister said that he needs "guidance" from the people of Delhi as they have always supported him and his government in "difficult times". On Sunday, Delhi recorded its highest single-day spike of 1,295 fresh COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking the tally to 19,844, as the death toll due to the disease mounted to 473. The previous single-ay highest spike of 1,163 fresh cases was recorded on May 30. New Delhi: An FIR filed against two officials of Pakistan High Commission, Abid Hussain (42) and Muhammad Tahir (44), who were caught by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police from Karol Bagh said that they were caught while procuring sensitive documents related to the movement of armed forces through railways from an Indian national in exchange of money and an iPhone. In its reaction, Pakistan today summoned India`s acting High Commissioner to the country to register a strong protest over India`s decision to expel two officials of its High Commission in New Delhi on charges of espionage. Pakistan also rejected the allegations against the two officials and called the Indian action a "clear violation" of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as well as the norms of diplomatic conduct. Pakistan also accused India of torturing the two officials who were working at the Visa Section of the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. Sources, however, said that the two officials were never subjected to any torture as claimed by Pakistan. Earlier on Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs had issued a statement saying, "The government has declared both these officials persona non grata for indulging in activities incompatible with their status as members of a diplomatic mission and asked them to leave the country within 24 four hours." Notably, the two High Commission officials, spying for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), were caught red-handed in a joint operation by Military intelligence, Special cell, and IB team while obtaining documents of the Indian security establishment. When the agencies caught Abid and Tahir from the spot, their driver, Javed Akhtar, tried to run away but he was also nabbed. Sources revealing the details of Sunday's operation said the official who nabbed Abid asked him to 'finish eating Samosa fast, your time is up'. Initially, they claimed that they were Indian nationals and even produced fake Aadhaar cards. Abid Hussain posed as Gautam, brother of a media person, to establish contact with an individual working in the Indian Railways. He also tried to gain his confidence by pretending that he needed information about rail movements for his brother who was supposedly doing a story on the Indian Railways and for which he was willing to pay, said Anil Mittal, Additional PRO (Delhi Police). The officials were working at the visa section of the Pakistan High Commission and confessed during the interrogation that they worked for Pakistani spy agency ISI. These two officials were reportedly under the radar of intelligence agencies for about a year for involvement in espionage activities. The motive of the two Pak officials was to extract the details by befriending railway staffers. During the investigation, it has emerged that Hussain reportedly operated under several fake identities to lure people working in organisations and departments of his interest. Military intelligence reportedly stated that "documents used by Indian nationals while applying for a visa are illegally used to procure SIM cards in India. And using that SIM, they try to get in touch with important officials." "After getting in touch with the Indian officials they often try to lure them by using money or other means to target them. And then, they try to make efforts to establish personal relations with them to gain valuable information," it added. Earlier in 2016, Delhi Police had busted an espionage racket, involving a Pakistan High Commission staffer, Mehmood Akhtar, who was allegedly involved in getting information about BSF deployments along the Indo-Pak border. The Pak official was also expelled by India for spying. Britain now includes deaths in care homes and the community in its national toll, but only cases confirmed via a test. Data on so-called "excess mortality" - that is, the number of deaths from all causes above what would normally be expected for this time of year - suggests the true COVID-19 death toll in the United Kingdom is as high as 60,000 compared to the official figure of 38, 376. Loading Van Gucht - the head of viral diseases at the Sciensano public health institute who also heads Belgium's coronavirus scientific committee - says the difference between its official coronavirus death toll and the excess mortality statistics is "almost nothing". The Belgian response is not without controversy. Some business leaders have warned the reporting method damages the country's international reputation and will scare away travellers once the economy reopens. Asked whether the country is being too honest, Van Gucht digs in: "I hear this remark all the time. I think it's really strange that people even dare to ask this," he says. "Countries should report as accurately as possible and as honestly as possible because this is how we help each other, and get the best science and medicine is by being transparent on your data and surveillance." Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes, who is married to former St Kilda player Chris Stone, is also under huge pressure. Wilmes was made caretaker Prime Minister after an inconclusive election last October, and in March was given special powers by nearly a dozen smaller parties to lead a minority administration through the coronavirus crisis. Belgium's Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes after a meeting of the National Security Council. Credit:AP She endured a public relations disaster during a visit to Saint-Pierre Hospital in Brussels two weeks ago when dozens of medical staff turned their back on the Prime Minister's car. Healthcare workers are angry at the government's handling of the pandemic, including a controversial decision to allow some unqualified people to temporarily work as nurses. The news over the weekend that 28-year-old Prince Joachim, a nephew of King Philippe, had caught coronavirus while at a party in Spain last week, will also dismay the Belgians, especially as the 10th in line to the throne had most likely breached Spain's lockdown laws. Van Gucht concedes Belgium has made missteps during the outbreak, which he believes seeded across the country through a combination of Belgians returning from Italian ski fields, the annual Mardi Gras carnival in late February and the country's high density. "Brussels is one of the most densely populated part of Europe," he says. "It is also a very mobile international community, so we had all the right ingredients to be hit hard. But yes, even if you compensate for the counting, Belgium has still been hit quite hard. It is still one of the countries worst hit by the virus. Thats clear." Liliana Van Dyck, 85, says goodbye to her son, Marc, at the end of his visit during a partial lockdown at the Les Jardin D'astrid rest home in Maurage, Belgium. Credit:AP Nursing homes have been badly affected, representing more than half of all COVID-19 deaths in the country. Van Gucht agrees vulnerable residents were not properly protected but suggests the early decision to include probable deaths in the national death toll helped alert the government to an unfolding problem in the sector. "On nursing homes, we could have done more in the beginning. It took us a bit by surprise. We of course knew there was a risk that this was a population that was vulnerable, but we underestimated the potential of the virus to infiltrate the premises and start circulating even unnoticed," he says. "But because we reported this way, and we saw deaths rising, it created a lot of pressure on the system and on politicians to do much more for the nursing homes and control the problem. If we wouldnt have reported this, what was happening would have gone under the radar. "This is the purpose of surveillance. You do it to take action in the field and to improve the situation." A study by the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention found 51 per cent of all coronavirus-related deaths in Belgium had occurred in nursing homes as of mid-May, but just 23 per cent of those were laboratory confirmed. The priority for Van Gucht, the government and the public now is preventing a second wave of the disease. ThaiBev affirms that Vietnam continues to be one of ThaiBevs core markets." Sabeco is the largest brewer in Vietnam. Thai Beverage Public Co. Ltd. (ThaiBev) has rejected rumors that it was seeking a buyer for Sabeco, the largest brewage company in Vietnam. THBEV wishes to clarify that these claims are entirely without merit and that the Company has no intention of selling its businesses in Vietnam in any way, the Thai beverage giant said in a filing to the Singapore Stock Exchange on May 29. On the contrary, the company said it remains fully committed to realizing the full potential of its core businesses in Vietnam, in particular Sabeco, and aims to solidify its position as the largest beverage company in Southeast Asia and a leader in beer. ThaiBev spent nearly US$5 billion to acquire a majority stake of Sabeco, which stands for Saigon Beer - Alcohol - Beverage Corporation, at a price of VND320,000 (US$13.7) a share in 2017. Sabeco shares ended at VND176,400 (US$7.5) apiece on May 29, or a loss of 45% against its purchasing price. Sabeco is now valued at VND113.12 trillion (US$4.83 billion). This is not the first time ThaiBev, which fully owns Vietnam Beverage Co. the largest shareholder of Sabeo with a 53.6% stake, has denied such rumors. At end-2019, Financial Times reported that ThaiBev planned to split its beer business to go IPO in Singapore for expected proceeds of US$2.5 billion. In a filing after that, ThaiBev said Vietnam continues to be one of ThaiBevs core markets and is integral to its goal of becoming a stable and sustainable leader in Southeast Asias beverage industry. ThaiBev repeated the same wording in its May 29 announcement. The Company is confident that its businesses in Vietnam will continue to support its dedication to its vision of growth and diversity, and it remains steadfast in its commitment to making Sabeco the pride of Vietnam. The Thai company tipped that since the acquisition, Sabeco achieved a 5% increase in net sales in 2018 and continued to deliver a strong performance in 2019, reporting a further 5% increase in net sales and a net profit growth of 22%. Sabeco pays generous dividends annually. Vietnam is the largest beer market in Southeast Asia and the third in Asia after Japan and China. Hanoitimes Minh Anh ThaiBev denies it will sell stake in Sabeco Thailands Thai Beverage Public Co Ltd has denied it is seeking potential investors to buy its business in Viet Nam. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the efforts of doctors and frontline workers in India's Covid-19 battle and said that any violence against them was not acceptable. Doctors and medical workers are soldiers without uniforms. It is the battle of invisible (virus) against invincible (doctors and health workers)," Modi said while addressing an event at the Rajiv Gandhi Health University in Bengaluru via video conference. Due to mob mentality, those workers (safai workers, doctors and nurses) on the frontline are subject to violence. I want to state it clearly that violence, rude behavior is not acceptable," he said. The prime minister said at the root of India's brave fight against COVID-19 is the hard work of the medical community and the corona warriors and steps have been taken to protect healthcare personnel. He added that the Centre would be passing a law to deal with the shortage of paramedical personnel. "Steps have been taken to protect you against any form of violence. We have also provided an insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh for those on the frontline (of fighting the pandemic)," he said. In April, the government had issued an ordinance making acts of violence and harassment against healthcare personnel deployed in combating COVID-19 a non-bailable offence, meeting a key demand of health professionals in the wake of recent attacks on them while discharging their duty. The maximum sentence under the new provision is seven years imprisonment and Rs five lakh fine. A person can be sentenced to anywhere between three months and five years of jail, besides a fine between Rs 50,000 and two lakh, for such crimes. In cases where injuries caused are serious, the punishment will range from six months to seven years, and carry fine between Rs 1-5 lakh. The ordinance had amended the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, and the tweaked law will also be invoked if health care personnel face harassment from their landlords or neighbours over suspicion that they may carry the coronavirus infection due to the nature of their work. The prime minister also sought a discussion on advances in telemedicine, use of "Make in India" products in the healthcare and IT tools in the medical sector. Speaking at the event, he said he was also looking for a discussion on whether new models can be created that make telemedicine popular at a bigger level. Referring to the "Make in India" programme, he said the initial advances made in this field give him hope. "Our domestic manufacturers have started production of personal protective equipment and have supplied about one crore PPEs to those in the frontline of fighting COVID-19. Modi also said that the Arogya Setu application was downloaded by twelve crore people and it had proven helpful in India's battle against the viral infection. (With inputs from PTI) The Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have hiked the price of Liquified petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder rates effective from today (1 June) to Rs 37 for a cylinder of non-subsidised LPG in metro cities. The Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have hiked the price of Liquified petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder rates effective from today (1 June) to Rs 37 for a cylinder of non-subsidised LPG in metro cities. Non-Subsidised #LPG cylinder's price increased by Rs 11.50/cylinder to Rs 593 from Rs 581.50 for 14.2 kg cylinder in Delhi pic.twitter.com/czb1pjJzX0 CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) June 1, 2020 The government currently subsidises 12 cylinders of 14.2 kilograms each per household in a year. The price of the 14.2 kilogram cylinder of non-subsidised LPG gas in Delhi has been raised by Rs 11.50 from May to Rs 593 per cylinder while it costs Rs 616 in Kolkata (against Rs 584.50 earlier) and Rs 590.50 (Rs 579 earlier) in Mumbai. The highest increase is in Chennai where the price has been hiked by Rs 37 to Rs 606.50 against Rs 569.50 in Chennai. Additional purchases have to be made at the market price. In a statement on Sunday, Indian Oil Corp said that the retail selling price of LPG in Delhi market for the month of May 2020 was reduced from Rs 744 to Rs 581.50 per cylinder for all consumers in line with drop in International prices. "For the month of June, there has been an increase in International prices of LPG. Due to increase in the prices in international market, the RSP of LPG in Delhi market will be increased by Rs 11.50 per cylinder," it said. It,however, said that, this increase will not impact the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala (PMUY) beneficiaries, as they are covered by the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, and entitled to a free cylinder till June 30. ATF prices hiked Price of ATF in the national capital has been raised by Rs 11,030.62 to 33,575.37 per kilolitre, according to data on the Indian Oil Corp's website. Similarly, that in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai has been raised to Rs 38,543.48, Rs 3,070.56 and Rs 34,569.30 per kilolitre. A kilolitre of jet fuel in June will cost airlines Rs 33,575 in comparison to Rs 22,544 in May an increase of Rs 11,031 per kilolitre. The price of a kilolitre of ATF will cost Rs 33,575 in Delhi while the cost will rise to Rs 38,543 in Kolkata. In Mumbai, a kilolitre of ATF will now cost Rs 33,070. "Just when we were just beginning to take to the skies again, there has been a steep hike of 48%. With poor aircraft occupancy, higher fuel price and weaker rupee, airlines will need to closely examine how many planes should they be flying to keep costs in check as revenue stream is very weak," an official told The Times of India. --With inputs from agencies 01.06.2020 LISTEN The Students Representative Council of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration eulogizes management of the institute for their innovative decision to use technology in the discharge of duties. This development became even more pronounced following last weeks elections to elect new Deputy Rector of the institute. Management has leveraged on technology to plausibly elect the new Deputy Rector of the institute. This process, of course very unusual especially on matters relating to elections of persons, was adopted due to the public restrictions imposed by the President of the Republic of Ghana. Moreover, The Students Representative Council conducts elections for student aspirants to ascend leadership positions every second semester of academic years. There has been a standstill in the process due to the aforementioned reasons. The SRC there of deems it fit to follow suit, by conducting its mandatory elections of student leaders online. The SRC uses this opportunity to congratulate the new Deputy Rector elect, Professor Martin Morgan Tuli on his triumphant victory. Special Felicitation also goes to Professor Sam Agyei-Ampomah for the fierce contest and run in the elections. We are grateful for your efforts. Lovebaja.com scored 44 Social Media Impact. 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Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND The number of right-wing extremist and anti-Semitic acts of violence in Germany rose sharply in 2019. This is revealed in the statistics and figures on political crime presented May 27 by federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (Christian Social Union, CSU). The number of anti-Semitic crimes rose by 13 percent over the previous year to 2,032 cases. The number of attacks on people of the Jewish faith reached its highest level since statistics began being compiled twenty years ago. On average, five to six anti-Semitic crimes were committed each day last year. According to the police, 93 percent of these crimes came from the right. The terrorist attack on the synagogue in Halle was only the tip of the iceberg. In total, the police registered 41,177 politically motivated crimes last year, an increase of 14 percent. 22,342 of these were assigned to the right-wing camp, 9,849 to the left-wing camp. However, these figures have only limited significance, as they are so-called initial statistics. Incidents are recorded when an initial suspicion is raised, regardless of whether criminal proceedings are held or a court sentence subsequently passed. In addition, the crimes involved are highly diversefrom mere propaganda offences (40 percent of all cases) to resistance to the police at demonstrations, to cold-blooded murder. The definition of what is right and left is also left to the police, whose ranks include many sympathizers of the far right. When neo-Nazis march, the police often take brutal action against left-wing counter-demonstrators, with the result that it is these, and not the neo-Nazis, who appear in the violence statistics. All in all, however, the figures leave no doubt that right-wing extremism and anti-Semitism are on the rise in Germany. Even Interior Minister Seehofer, who otherwise notoriously trivializes right-wing extremism, could no longer deny this. The greatest threat in our country comes from the right, he said at the presentation of the report and spoke of a long blood trail of right-wing extremism, ranging from the actions of the terrorist neo-Nazi National Socialist Union (NSU) to the attacks in Munich, Halle and Hanau, to the murder of Kassels District President Walter Lubcke by a right-wing extremist. Georg Meier (Social Democratic Party, SPD), chairman of the Conference of Interior Ministers, said that structures had emerged in the right-wing extremist sector that had not been seen or fought against for too long. The Thuringian state interior minister reported on right-wing concerts in his state with thousands of participants who had given the Hitler salute (Sieg Heil). Given the hostility to the right-wing extremists felt by the vast majority of the population, Seehofer and Meier are trying to cover their tracks. The neo-Nazis and anti-Semites feel strong above all because they have the state apparatus and the parties of the ruling class behind them. Even the hypocritical assertions by officials that they now want to take action against the right-wing threat do not change this. In his book Why Are They Back?, the deputy chairman of the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) Christoph Vandreier has shown in detail how the conditions for the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and its fascist periphery were created at the universities, in the media, in politics and in the state apparatus. Global capitalism has solved none of the problems that led to catastrophe in the 1930s, the books foreword says. All of the social, economic, and political contradictions are erupting once again with full force. The German bourgeoisie is thus confronted again with the same problems it tried to solve through war and fascism and is now returning to the same methods. This began with the trivialisation of the crimes of German imperialism and the Nazi regime by professors such as Herfried Munkler and Jorg Baberowski, and their vehement defence by the media and official politics against student criticism. It continued with the hype surrounding the racist inflammatory writings of leading SPD figure Thilo Sarrazin and the anti-refugee Pegida protests, which were played down as a demonstration by concerned citizens who had to be taken seriously. The campaign against refugees, which was more or less openly supported by all the establishment parties and media, was accompanied by the assertion that the danger of anti-Semitism did not come from the right, but from refugees of the Muslim faith and the left. While the Israeli prime minister feted notorious right-wing extremists such as Matteo Salvini, Viktor Orban and Rodrigo Duterte at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, left-wing intellectuals, artists and activists were denounced as anti-Semites. Only recently, the Cameroonian historian and philosopher Achille Mbembe has become the subject of such a campaign. But the statistics fully confirm that anti-Semitism comes from the fascist right. The AfD has also been courted by politicians and the media and has been entrusted with the chairmanship of important committees in the Bundestag (parliament). Hans-Georg Maassen, when head of the secret service, advised the ultra-right party and openly sympathises with its positions. Only recently, the Thuringia state Premier Bodo Ramelow (Left Party) personally helped the AfD obtain a vice-president post in state parliament with his vote. Above all, the state apparatus has played a major role in building up right-wing extremist structures. The fascist network, from which the NSU terrorists and the murderer of Kassel district president Walter Lubcke emerged, is riddled with dozens of Confidential Informants from the secret service and the Criminal Investigation Departments, who financed and built it up. Not one of them has been brought to justice, and the relevant files remain under lock and key to this day. Numerous articles and television documentaries have also been produced about the so-called Hannibal network, consisting of elite KSK soldiers, special police officers, judges, lawyers and secret service officials, which keeps death lists, hoards weapons and conducts military exercises, without any of those with political responsibility having reacted. Almost all of the networks protagonists are at large. Two weeks ago, when another large weapons cache and Nazi memorabilia were found belonging to a KSK soldier, KSK Commander Markus Kreitmayr wrote a letter to his soldiers, wondering why, in the midst of our community, there are obviously still individuals who belong to the so-called right-wing spectrum. Extremists would be removed, he threatened and then asked them to please leave the Bundeswehr (Armed Forces) of their own accord. Kreitmayr knows better. The soldier, who was arrested in early May, had served in the KSK for 20 years and had also been there when a company commander celebrated his departure two years ago with a right-wing rock concert, Hitler salute, and prostitutes. The existence of right-wing extremist networks in the Bundeswehr has not been a secret since at least February 2017, since the unmasking of Franco A., who had acquired a false identity as a refugee. But the defence ministry, the Bundeswehr leadership and the Military Counter-Intelligence Service systematically shielded them and will continue to do so. The rise in right-wing extremist and anti-Semitic crimes is a warning. In the face of the deepest international economic crisis since the 1930s, the ruling class is once again preparing for dictatorship and war. Vietnam must not sit still and wait for FDI to come. If it does, the best will be skimmed off by other countries, according to Nguyen Dinh Cung, a respected economist. Cung, who was the director of the Central Institute of Economic Management (CIEM), and is now a member of the Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Council, said Vietnam needs to take the initiative in looking for FDI that fits its development strategy. Like other economists, Cung believes that there will be a new foreign investment wave, but warns that if Vietnam sits still and waits, the investment may not head for Vietnam. Some foreign investment projects may still come, but they wont be high-quality projects. It is necessary to take action.Vietnam needs to find investors, Cung said. The economist suggested setting up a special task force which, on behalf of the Prime Minister, would meet and negotiate with multi-national economic groups which have the intention to relocate their production bases out of China. The taskforce would have meetings with investors to provide information about Vietnam and show them opportunities they can expect if they come to Vietnam. The solution would allow Vietnam to understand how groups are performing and what they need, and allow Vietnam to find out what it should do to attract foreign investors and what it needs from investors. The solution would allow Vietnam to understand how groups are performing and what they need, and allow Vietnam to find out what it should do to attract foreign investors and what it needs from investors. The economist also said that now is the right time for Vietnam to change the view about attracting FDI into Vietnam. Existing foreign investors in Vietnam have shown many problems over the years: they have focused on exploiting domestic resources, taken full advantage of the cheap labor force, and exploited the preferences offered by Vietnam. In many cases, they have blocked and hindered the development of Vietnams businesses. Vietnam needs to be more selective in attracting FDI. It needs to say no to labor-intensive and polluting investment projects and prioritize high-quality FDI, especially projects with high technology content. In order to do this, it is necessary to simplify administrative procedures and improve the business environment. Do Nhat Hoang, director of the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), said the agency is collecting and analyzing information about the investment relocation movements in many countries, not only China. He believes this will bring opportunities to many countries. We have accessed associations of businesses and large investors to discuss the incentive packages we may offer to them within the legal framework, he said. Mai Lan Vietnam needs more efforts to lure new FDI wave While other countries are setting up specific and clear priorities to attract FDI projects, Vietnam is still pursuing a strategy with multiple targets that could lead to missed opportunities. Even as the Cyclone Nisarga is projected to make a landfall in Palghar on Wednesday, two teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Andheri, each comprising 35 personnel, have been stationed at Palghar and Dahanu cyclone, said Palghar district collector Dr Kailas Shinde. The district has been issued a red alert, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting extremely heavy rain in the district on Wednesday. Despite warning, 577 boats from Palghar district had ventured into the sea, of which 477 have returned to the base. Around 100 boats, with 1,000 khalasis (fisherfolk) are stranded in the sea and we are coordinating with the Coast Guard to ensure their safety, said Shinde. He said that the authorities have been unable to establish contact with the stranded fishermen. The wireless systems are not working and the Coast Guard are using satellite phones to contact the fishermen stranded at sea, said Shinde. For the next four days, fishermen from Dahanu, Palghar,Vasai and Talasari have been warned against venturing into the seas owing to the cyclone. We have invoked section 144 of IPC in the district. We have also asked commercial establishments to remain closed for a day. Our priority is to ensure minimum loss of lives, Shinde added. The district authorities are coordinating with Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), public works, fisheries, police and other departments to avert any major mishap. We are conducting a survey of all kutcha (thatched) houses in the district and are shifting the elderly, pregnant women and children to shelter homes in government schools in the district, Shinde said. The district authority has also requested locals to remain prepared for a power outage. A low pressure area has been formed over the southeast and east central Arabian Sea and the IMD has predicted that the cyclone will intensify by 2 June. The cyclonic storm will move towards South Gujarat and North Maharashtra by 3 June. The district could receive rainfall of 150-200 mm on 3 June, alongwith Srivardhan, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Raigad districts in the Konkan. Parts of Gujarat such as Anand, Surat, Bharuch,Valsad, till Daman will also receive heavy rainfall,said Dr Shinde. We are also preparing for a possible threat of landslides, as due the first rains, the soil becomes lose,resulting in the landslides, Shinde said. MESH, an independent, award-winning creative and strategic agency with over 17 years in the business, on Monday announces it is expanding its presence to three new locations in the South, with its headquarters remaining in Baton Rouge. Chief Strategist Hector Gonzalez is leading the firms expansion to Chattanooga, Will Jenkins has joined the firm as agency director in Austin, Tx., and Daniel Kedinger has joined as principal and digital director, based in Lafayette, La. We are excited to announce the addition of Will and Daniel, in conjunction with our expanded footprint," said Taylor Bennett, founder and CEO of MESH. "From the southwest in Austin, to our roots in Louisiana, and southeast to Chattanooga, this shift further establishes us as the Agency of the South. As we continue to add new team members across the region, even in remote capacities, our focus remains on our people and our work. This has and continues to enable us to develop a unique, full-service approach for a mid-sized agencyproducing effective campaigns that grow brands and achieve business objectives, all while pushing the envelope on creative and strategic development. "The agencys brand consulting and advertising campaigns have elevated top brands residing in the South. Chattanooga and Austin are ideal next locations for us as we continue to build relationships and grow our network in neighboring cities that show great promisefrom Atlanta to Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, and Knoxville." Despite the interruptions caused by COVID-19, advertising and branding are not going away. We expect the industry to shift, but were looking at this change as a way to reinvest with the only thing that makes us great--our talent," said Mr. Bennett. "Our resilience enables us to be prepared with a solution when brands are ready--a full-service agency with a highly capable core staff." Chattanooga Were excited to introduce MESH to a spirited city that is attracting a creative workforce looking for a change of pace from Silicon Valley and New York, said Mr. Gonzalez, who will lead up the Chattanooga office. The atmosphere here is thrivingblending outdoor adventure with business acumen that enables us to draw top talent from around the world to join our team. MESH joins other significant figures in the advertising and media industry who are investing a presence in the city including Gary Vaynerchuck with Vaynermedia, Alex Bogusky, and Viget. Mr. Gonzalez joined MESH in 2017 and has built the agencys business, brand strategy, and public relations services offerings. Prior to MESH, Mr. Gonzalez held roles at marketing agencies throughout the Mid-Atlantic, spearheading campaigns for DEWALT, Under Armour, Acura, AGCO, Marriott International, among others. Austin Mr. Jenkins joins the team as agency director and is based in Austin, Tx. Before joining MESH, he was a senior strategist at T3, a digital marketing firm in Austin. Prior to T3, Mr. Jenkins was a strategist at the full-service agency, GSD&M, where he worked with top brands such as Southwest Airlines, The United States Air Force, John Deere, Dodge, Jeep, Diageo and Pizza Hut, among many others. Mr. Jenkins received a masters degree in Communications Strategy from the VCU Brandcenter in Richmond, Va. Everyone wants things to go back to normal, and we know that is going to be difficult," said Mr. Jenkins. "My focus is on creating a new normal for MESHs current clients and those yet to come. Our small size allows us to be nimble and work with any sized brand more seamlesslyMESHing with clients in a more consistent way. Were looking forward to less process and more producing. Lafayette As team principal and digital director, Mr. Kedinger, based in Lafayette, will lead the agencys digital strategy and production. He will spearhead campaigns that drive the digital presence of brands, as well as their social media experiences and paid digital efforts. MESHs web and social media teams will report directly to Mr. Kedinger. Prior to MESH, Mr. Kedinger served as vice president of Consumer Engagement at BBR Creative, where he built digital brands and drove online conversations for national and regional clients including TABASCO and Cox Communications. He also held various writing and editing roles, including executive editor for Food Marketing Now, and contributing writer for Practical E-Commerce. Mr. Kedinger is a graduate of Saint Joseph Seminary College, with a B.A. in Philosophy and the Liberal Arts. Ive spent the last 15 years crafting creative digital campaigns for clients in the financial, food and beverage, economic development, energy, and industrial sectors, which aligns perfectly with MESHs core client roster, said Mr. Kedinger. I look forward to taking our digital strategies and use of new technologies to the next levelpositioning us as a top agency in the South. Recent cases of fraud to misappropriate peoples property have caused public concern in sectors including finance, banking, real estate, multi-level trading and e-commerce, with cyber fraud in particular on the rise. Nguyen Huu Tien speaks atone of the seminars organised by the company to lureinvestment before being arrested. Recent cases of fraud to misappropriate peoples property have caused public concern in sectors including finance, banking, real estate, multi-level trading and e-commerce, with cyber fraud in particular on the rise. Scams allegedly orchestrated by firms led by a group of fraudsters in HCM City are one example. The supposed mastermind of the group has been named as Nguyen Huu Tien, 36, residing in Binh Chanh District of HCM City. Tien was chairman of Thien Rong Viet and OTCMAX Company. Tien was allegedly assisted by Pham Viet Son, chairman and director-general of VNCOIN Co. Ltd., in HCM City, Nguyen Hong Quan, the companys IT technician, and Pham Thi Phuong The, the company's employee. According to investigations, from December 2015 to July 2018, Tien, Son, Quan and Thu opened companies named Thien Rong Viet, OTCMAX, VINCOINS and ALLUNEE. They reportedly provided false information to lure investors with promises of high returns. They set up websites to advertise their businesses, as well as handed out leaflets and organised seminars and conferences to build a reputation and attract investment. They stopped paying, but appropriated investors money, according to the police. With the above tricks, Tien and his accomplices are thought to have scammed 10,126 investors and stolen more than VN40 billion. Investment of more than VN460 billion (US$20 million) was poured into their companies. The investigation agency under the Ministry of Public Security believes Tien and his accomplices used the internet, phones and other electronic tools to appropriate property. Police have begun legal proceedings against the four people. To prevent and tackle the fraud and ensure social security and order, the PM requested ministries, agencies and People's Committees of provinces and cities to intensify dissemination and inform people of the typical characteristics of fraud to raise their awareness. The MoPS was told to work with other ministries and localities to review shortcomings in State management on security and order and loopholes in legal documents relating to fraud to misappropriate property. Ministry of Justice was ordered to direct departments of justice in localities to strictly deal with property fraud, protecting the rights and interests of the State, organisations and individuals. The PM entrusted the Ministry of Information and Communications to work with the MoPS, the State Bank of Vietnam and other agencies in strengthening supervision of websites and social network accounts of organisations and individuals that have committed acts of mobilising capital illegally, advertisement of goods on websites or social networks to prevent fraud. The Ministry of Industry and Trade was asked to enhance State management of multi-level trading and work with relevant agencies to detect violations and deal with them promptly. The MoPS was asked to guide authorised forces to launch a campaign to prevent and combat cyber fraud. VNS UPDATED at 6 a.m. Monday Police use tear gas on protesters in Ferguson and arrest three protesters in Richmond Heights, and more businesses are vandalized across the St. Louis area during a fourth night of protests stemming from the death of a black man in police custody in Minneapolis. Here are updates from the region's protests. 3:10 a.m. FERGUSON St. Louis County police report making six arrests from late Sunday into early Monday morning in Ferguson. Police say two officers suffered minor injuries one was hit by fireworks and the other was hit by a rock. Both officers were treated at the scene. One police car in Ferguson was damaged by a Molotov cocktail, and several Ferguson businesses were damaged, police said. 12: 30 a.m. FERGUSON A dumpster fire burns for about 10 minutes near a laundromat in the 700 block of South Florissant Road. Firefighters eventually extinguish the flames. 11:45 p.m FERGUSON As protests wind down, the cleanup gets started. At the Ferguson brewery, workers are removing shards of glass from broken windows. 11:36 p.m. FERGUSON Police order protesters to leave the area near the Ferguson Brewing Co. after someone threw a Molotov cocktail at a police car. 10:59 p.m. FERGUSON Protesters drag a portable traffic stand into the street, tip it over and attack it. They also damage the windows of Ferguson Brewing Co. 10:32 p.m. RICHMOND HEIGHTS At least three protesters are under arrest after fireworks were thrown at police officers. Much of the crowd scattered. At Wilson Lighting on Brentwood Boulevard, some of the windows were broken out as well. 10:25 p.m. FERGUSON Police and protesters are clashing after protesters surrounded a police car. Officers fired a second round of tear gas at protesters, St. Louis County police said, and were investigating reports of shots fired at officers. Throngs of protesters fled as the tear gas was fired, but not before some of them suffered the effects of the gas. 10:10 p.m. RICHMOND HEIGHTS Fireworks are thrown at police officers who scattered protesters by charging toward them. But no arrests have been reported so far, although officers issued a warning that protesters had five minutes to disperse before arrests are made. Officers from St. Louis County and several municipalities, including Normandy, are on the scene. There's also a heavy police presence along Brentwood Boulevard. 9:50 p.m. RICHMOND HEIGHTS Protesters are blocking Brentwood Boulevard and screaming at police officers, who have made no arrests. About 60 to 70 protesters are on the scene after a small group left, shouting that they were headed to Ferguson. Many of the Richmond Heights group have moved toward the Boulevard Shopping Center, across from the Galleria. 9:20 p.m. FERGUSON Police officers fire tear gas at protesters outside the Police Department after fireworks were thrown at officers and the crowd had been told they were an unlawful assembly. One officer suffered minor burns from the fireworks, St. Louis County Police said. 9 p.m. FERGUSON Protesters are throwing fireworks near the Ferguson Police Department as the crowd is growing more raucous. Officers have been ordering protesters to disperse after rocks also were thrown at officers and protesters moved the fence barricade. More than an hour past the 8 p.m. curfew, St. Louis County police are calling it an "unlawful assembly" and announcing that to the crowd. 8:40 p.m. RICHMOND HEIGHTS Protesters are squaring off with police officers on Clayton Road outside the Galleria. The protesters backed up after several dispersal warnings. Protesters squaring off with police on Clayton Road outside the Galleria, police officers backed up protesters across the road after several dispersal warnings. Some of the officers are wearing shields and helmets. 8:20 p.m. FERGUSON A few dozen protesters passed the barricades outside the police department. Some officers have come out of the building wearing helmets and holding shields. On a nearby street corner, protesters have stacked water and milk, which is used to rinse tear gas from people's faces. St. Louis County Police said they were assisting Ferguson officers, who are giving verbal warnings to people in the crowd throwing things at officers. 8:15 p.m. RICHMOND HEIGHTS Police are ordering demonstrators to disperse from Clayton Road in front of the St. Louis Galleria. 7:40 p.m. RICHMOND HEIGHTS All entrances to the St. Louis Galleria mall are barricaded and blocked off to vehicle traffic with a heavy police presence in the area. 7:15 p.m. FERGUSON A crowd of about 100 people are marching down Florissant Road, causing traffic to back up. Mayor James Knowles declared a state of emergency earlier Sunday, setting a curfew from 8 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. Monday. The crowd is chanting "Don't shoot" and "George Floyd." 7:10 p.m. RICHMOND HEIGHTS Police officers in riot gear are patrolling the Police Department from a small band of protesters. No conflicts have erupted in the early evening. 6:30 p.m. RICHMOND HEIGHTS At least 50 protesters are gathered near the Richmond Heights Police Department and have begun to shut down Big Bend Boulevard. National Guard Humvees are on the scene, and police have ordered protesters to disperse. At least one fist fight broke out between a motorist and protesters in front of the police station. Some of the protesters invoked the name of Terry Tillman, the 23-year-old man who was shot and killed outside the Galleria by a Richmond Heights police officer on Aug. 31, 2019. Protesters have also begun to gather peacefully near the Ferguson Police Department. 11:45 a.m. Target has adjusted its list of stores that will temporarily close across the country, removing several. The stores in St. Louis that the company previously said would close will remain open, according to the list. Read more. 9 a.m. Scattered volunteers were sweeping the sidewalks in Ferguson Sunday morning. Beauty World, at 110 South Florissant Road, appeared to be one of the hardest-hit businesses. The business was looted, and a damaged sprinkler head flooded the storefront and basement. Looters also hit the business during the unrest after the Darren Wilson grand jury decision in November 2014. The owner, Su Lee, repaired and restocked the store, reopening in February 2015 with the help of her insurance policy and donations. Read more. 4:50 a.m. St. Louis County police said that seven officers were injured by rocks, bottles or fireworks. Three had to be taken to hospitals for treatment; their injuries were described as "non-life threatening." At least 11 police and fire vehicles were damaged; one was shot at. Officers made no arrests. Read more. Photo: Twitter/RDKB Emergency Info The Regional District of Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has issued evacuation orders for multiple homes in the City of Grand Forks, due to the immediate threat of flooding from the Granby River. A total of 18 properties are now on evacuation order, affecting about 40 residents in rural Grand Forks after Environment Canada issued a Special Weather Statement for the Boundary. Heavy rain continues to fall across the region, in addition to warm temperatures and thunderstorms, causing the Kettle River system to reach between a five-year and ten-year return level by the afternoon of June 1. More than 1,100 other properties remain on evacuation alert across the Boundary area, affecting a further 2,275 people, and low-lying properties in neighbourhoods such as Manly Meadows and Johnson Flats are considered high flood risk. No evacuation centres will be opened due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Instead, evacuees will be directly contacted by British Columbia Emergency Support Services and are encouraged to find a place to stay with friends or family. The RDKB has been working in partnership with the Ministry of Environment Water Stewardship Division to install temporary flood protection works in and around Grand Forks in expectation of high waters in the Kettle and Granby Rivers on June 1. These include Tiger Dams and earthen berms in some areas, including downtown Grand Forks. However, there are some neighbourhoods where the same temporary measures cannot be safely installed, including the Beatrice Street area of Johnson Flats. We have had professionals on site looking at the possibility of installing a variety of structures and have made the joint decision with provincial staff that the risks of back-watering, ground water and creating a whole new channel path for the river by installing anything on this site are too great. This is a very difficult site from a hydrological standpoint, says Mark Stephens, EOC director. This is not a decision we take lightly and I know it is disappointing to local residents who have seen our equipment in their neighbourhood and were hoping to see some kind of dike or berm in place, says RDKB director for Electoral Area D/rural Grand Forks, Roly Russell. We will meet with neighborhood residents soon to review the risks and benefits of the long term options available for Johnson Flats, and to collaborate on identifying future direction for what has been a really complex and frankly somewhat defeating challenge. I'm sorry we don't have simpler answers or a clearer path forward identified for everyone there, especially given that they are dealing with flooding so regularly, says Russell. The RDKB continues to monitor all creeks and rivers, tracking BC River Forecast Centre models and Environment Canada weather alerts. An EOC call centre has been set up for Boundary residents and is staffed 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. Residents can call the toll-free number at 1-800-747-9119. Any erosion and flooding can be reported to the Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre at 1-800-663-3456. For more information, visit the RDKB emergency website. The United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) says it has committed $40 million and launched an urgent appeal for additional funds to support farmers and rural communities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This was disclosed by the president of the agency, Gilbert Houngbo, in a report published recently on its website. IFADs new multi-donor fund, titled The COVID-19 Rural Poor Stimulus Facility, seeks to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on food production, market access and rural employment, the report reads. It said as part of the broader UN socio-economic response framework, the facility will ensure that farmers in the most vulnerable countries have timely access to inputs, information, markets and liquidity. Aside from the $40 million donated already, IFAD said it aims to raise at least $200 million more from member states, foundations and the private sectors. IFAD is an international financial institution and specialised United Nations agency headquartered in Rome, the UNs food and agriculture hub. It invests in rural people, empowering them to increase food security, improve the nutrition of their families, increase their income, and as well help in building resilience through expanding their businesses and taking charge of their own development. We need to act now to stop this health crisis transforming into a food crisis, Mr Houngbo said. The fallout from COVID-19 may push rural families even deeper into poverty, hunger and desperation, which is a real threat to global prosperity and stability. He said with immediate action, people in rural settlements can be provided with the tools to adapt and ensure a quicker recovery, averting an even bigger humanitarian crisis. Purpose The report says The Rural Poor Stimulus Facility will focus on activities which include the provision of inputs for production of crops, livestock and fisheries to small-scale producers so that they can weather the immediate effects of the economic crisis. The report says the facility would help facilitate access to markets in order to support small-scale farmers selling their products in conditions where restricted movement is interrupting the functioning of markets. It says the support involves providing logistics and storage support; providing targeted funds for rural financial services to ensure that sufficient liquidity is available so as to ease immediate loan repayment requirements, thereby maintaining services, markets and jobs for poor rural people. These, the report states, would be done using digital services to share key information on production, weather, finance and markets. Scourge due to lockdown The report says with movement restrictions due to lockdown measures imposed by many countries to contain further spread of the virus, many small-scale farmers are unable to access markets to sell produce or to buy inputs, such as seeds or fertiliser. According to the report, closures of major transport routes and export bans may also affect food systems adversely, since the entire production chains are disrupted, leading to high unemployment rate. The most vulnerable include daily labourers, small businesses and informal workers, who are very often women and young people. The return of workers from cities affected by lockdowns will put further strain on rural households, which will also stop receiving much-needed remittances, it said. READ ALSO: The IFAD report says about 80 per cent of the worlds poorest and most food-insecure people live in rural areas. Even before the outbreak, it says more than 820 million people were going hungry every day. However, a recent United Nations University study warned that in a worst-case scenario, the economic impact of the pandemic could push a further half-billion people into poverty. This pandemic is threatening the gains we have made in reducing poverty over the past years. To avoid serious disruption to rural economies, it is essential to ensure agriculture, food chains, markets and trade continue to function, Mr Houngbo said. A majority of the worlds most impoverished people are already suffering the consequences of climate change and conflict. An economic downturn in rural areas could compound these effects, generating more hunger and increasing instability, especially in fragile states. By PTI WASHINGTON: The US remained a tinderbox of anger and emotion as violent protests erupted for a sixth day across the country over the custodial killing of African-American George Floyd, resulting in the death of at least five people, the arrest of thousands and placing of curfew in nearly 40 cities, while forcing President Donald Trump to take shelter in a White House bunker. Considered to be the worst ever civil unrest in the US in decades, the violent protests have engulfed at least 140 cities across America in the days following the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old man who was pinned to the ground in Minneapolis on Monday by a white police officer who kneeled on his neck as he gasped for breath. ALSO READ | George Floyd to be laid to rest in Houston; no details on funeral date yet Some of the protests have turned violent, prompting the activation of the National Guard in at least 20 states. "At least five people were killed in violence that flared as demonstrations in parts of the country devolved into mayhem," The Washington Post reported. Police have arrested at least 2,564 people in two dozen US cities over the weekend. Nearly a fifth of those arrests were in Los Angeles, it said. ALSO READ | George Floyd: Trump rushed to bunker as protestors start fires near White House; DC guards recalled The unrest initially began in Minneapolis in Minnesota but has now spread across the country, with reports of violence coming in from across major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Houston, Philadelphia and Washington DC. "The United States remained a tinderbox of emotion, anger and continued violence on Sunday, the sixth day of nationwide unrest since the death of yet another black man at the hands of the police," The New York Times reported. In Birmingham, protesters started to tear down a Confederate monument that the city had previously covered with a tarp amid a lawsuit between the state attorney general and the city. In Boston, a police SUV was set ablaze near the State House, sending up a column of black smoke after a large group of protesters had mostly dispersed. ALSO READ | George Floyd case: Protests flare again in US amid calls to end police violence In Philadelphia, police officers in riot gear and an armoured vehicle used pepper spray to try to repel rioters and looters. In New York, demonstrators marched across the Brooklyn and Williamsburg Bridges, snarling traffic. The Manhattan Bridge was briefly shut down to car traffic. Chaos erupted in Union Square, with flames leaping up two stories from trash cans and piles of street debris, the Times said. "It is the first time so many local leaders have simultaneously issued such orders in the face of civic unrest since 1968, after the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr," the report said. The police fired tear gas near the White House on Sunday night to dissuade protesters who had smashed the windows of prominent buildings, overturned cars and set fires, with smoke seen rising from near the Washington Monument, it said. For the past few days, thousands of protestors have gathered outside the White House raising slogans against President Trump. According to CNN, President Trump was briefly taken to the underground bunker for some time during the protest outside the White House, while First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron were also taken to the bunker. President Trump made no public appearances on Sunday, but in a series of tweets he blamed the media for fomenting hatred and anarchy in the country. "The Lamestream Media is doing everything within their power to foment hatred and anarchy. As long as everybody understands what they are doing, that they are FAKE NEWS and truly bad people with a sick agenda, we can easily work through them to GREATNESS!" he said. Earlier in the day, he announced that his administration will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization. ANTIFA is regarded as a militant, left-wing, anti-fascist political activist movement in the US. It comprises autonomous activist groups that aim to achieve their political objectives through the use of direct action rather than through policy reform. US Attorney General William Barr said that the violence instigated and carried out by the organisation and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly. The Trump administration alleges that it appears the violence is planned, organised, and driven by anarchistic and far left extremists, using ANTIFA-like tactics, many of whom travel from out of state to promote the violence. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic party, visited a protest site in Delaware on Sunday. "We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us. We are a nation enraged, but we cannot allow our rage to consume us. We are a nation exhausted, but we will not allow our exhaustion to defeat us," Biden wrote on social media postings on Sunday. "The only way to bear this pain is to turn all that anguish to purpose. And as President, I will help lead this conversation, and more importantly, I will listen, just as I did today visiting the site of last night's protests in Wilmington," he said. The Committee to Protect Journalists, in a late night statement said that several dozen covering the protests have been harassment, as well as arrested by law enforcement agencies. People Across Wyoming Earn Bachelors Degrees in UW-Casper Online Program Caspers Sarah Szewczyk, right, celebrated earning a Bachelor of Applied Science in organizational leadership with, from left, husband Brent and daughters Isabel and Madison. (Sarah Szewczyk Photo) When Sarah Szewczyk finished her associate degree at Casper College in 2014, she was ready to continue her studies in criminal justice with a goal of earning a bachelors degree from the University of Wyoming at Casper. But with the demands of a full-time job and two children, the then 35-year-old found that the program was more than she could handle. A bachelors degree might be a hill too steep to climb. After meeting with Rosalind Grenfell, UW-Caspers academic advising manager, Szewczyk learned about UWs Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in organizational leadership degree program. She enrolled in the online program and found it provided the flexibility she needed. She graduated in December, one of 46 people around Wyoming receiving degrees from UWs BAS program this academic year. With her UW bachelors degree diploma hanging on her office wall, she now feels equipped for career pursuits and success. This degree program is something that worked very well for me and my career advancement. I now can leverage my education in discussions with my employer so there are opportunities to advance, says Szewczyk, who currently works in policy and contract management for Caspers Wyoming Medical Center. At this time in my life, my educational goals are different from when I was 21, and this program was well rounded. The flexibility was very important for me, especially because I work full time, and some of the classes were more catered toward actual work situations. UWs BAS in organizational leadership degree program, now administered by UW-Casper, allows students to stay in their home communities to earn bachelors degrees. This years graduates come from Casper, Cheyenne, Evanston, Gillette, Lander, Laramie, Pavillion, Rawlins, Riverton, Rock Springs, Saratoga and Wheatland. The programs enrollment has more than doubled over the past five years, with students coming from industries including fire science, police, radiography, paralegal studies, government, hospitality, business, computer science and agriculture. This program is ideal for people who are looking to reach that next step in their careers, obtain a degree at their own rate, and who work full time, says UW-Casper Dean Brent Pickett. The organizational leadership degree track provides an opportunity for nontraditional students across Wyoming and the United States to earn a bachelors degree that is completely online. The only requirement is an associate degree in any field. The program also works well for some traditional-age students. Slade Becker, 20, of Riverton, just received his BAS in organizational leadership while living and working in Fremont County. After two years attending UW in Laramie, he was struggling and had determined he likely wouldnt earn a bachelors degree. But Grenfell let him know how he could complete the BAS program online, and he found the experience to be the best for him. I was in a degree program I wasnt happy with, and the move to the BAS program gave me classes I was interested in and that I could apply to real life, Becker says. I would recommend it to anyone just graduating (from high school) right now. I enjoyed the professors and my adviser. It was a really good experience. To complete the degree, Becker worked as an intern for T&A Supply Inc., a wholesale distributor of flooring products based in Kent, Wash. His father, Mike, owns flooring stores in Riverton and Lander, and that connection helped secure the internship. I traveled in Washington, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming with a sales representative checking with accounts, and I worked on product development with luxury vinyl planks for flooring, Becker says. I learned a lot. While the COVID-19 pandemic has made Beckers future employment prospects uncertain, he expects that his bachelors degree will give him a leg up in the job market. He also believes he has developed leadership skills that will help in all aspects of his life. Szewczyk also says the organizational leadership curriculum was useful. I needed a higher understanding of how HR works in general; of business affairs in general; and how government agencies and corporate offices differ in financial and personnel handlings, she says. The interpersonal communication classes were great, too, in showing how leaders and supervisors see things differently from their employees. Szewczyk and her family celebrated her graduation at home in December. While she would have enjoyed participating in commencement celebrations this spring, the home celebration was particularly meaningful -- especially for her two school-age daughters. It was important for them to see how committed I was to it, even though it was really hard, Szewczyk says. It encouraged them to do well in school, and I think they now appreciate what their studies are all about. For more information on the BAS in organizational leadership degree program, email BAS@uwyo.edu. Lithuanian English Siauliu Bankas AB (hereinafter the Bank), company code 112025254, registered address Tilzes g. 149, Siauliai, Lithuania. On 13 May 2020, the Bank announced the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders to be convened on 10 June 2020: https://cns.omxgroup.com/cdsPublic/viewDisclosure.action?disclosureId=939903&messageId=1184043 and announced the draft resolutions of the Board of the Bank on the issues on the agenda of the meeting: https://cns.omxgroup.com/cdsPublic/viewDisclosure.action?disclosureId=939925&messageId=1184070 . The notice on convening the meeting informed that if the quarantine is extended by the resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the quarantine is still valid on the day of the meeting, shareholders will be able to express their will only by filling in and submitting general ballot papers to the Bank in advance. By Resolution No. 515 of 27 May 2020, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania extended the quarantine until 16 June 2020. Considering the fact that the Bank is not able to ensure the distance of 2 meters set by the quarantine regime between the participants of the meeting, therefore the shareholders may vote on the issues of the meeting only in writing in advance. Instructions for filling in and submitting general ballot papers to the Bank are available on the Bank's website at the meeting information: https://sb.lt/en/investors/meetings . The Bank does not accept the shareholders' notifications on the intention to physically participate in the meeting provided for in the notice of the meeting. Staring at your phone screen when you should be sleeping can make you depressed over time, new research suggests. Chinese experiments suggest harmful blue light emissions from your device at night trigger a mysterious neural mechanism, leading to behavioural changes. The research team found that mice exposed to blue light for two hours a night over a few weeks started showing depressive-like behaviour. But by blocking brain signals that are triggered by blue light at night, the mice no longer showed behavioural changes. The neural pathway responsible for this phenomenon may provide insight into how exposure to excessive light at night time affects humans. Artificial sources of blue light include fluorescent bulbs, LEDs, flat screen LED televisions, computer monitors, smart phones and tablet screens. An obsession with smartphones and increased exposure to this artificial light has disrupted natural sleeping patterns, which may result in psychological problems. Excessive light exposure at nightfrom light pollution or electronic deviceshas been associated with depressive symptoms Besides generating vision, light modulates various physiological functions, including mood, the research team said in Nature Neuroscience. 'We showed that light-at-night induced depressive-like behaviours without disturbing the circadian rhythm. These findings may be relevant when considering the mental health effects of the prevalent night-time illumination in the industrial world. While light therapy applied in the daytime is known to have anti-depressive properties, excessive light exposure at night has been associated with depressive symptoms, the team claim. If light activates the same pathway in humans as in mice, this could explain why exposure to excessive night-time light is associated with depressive symptoms ARE YOU ADDICTED TO YOUR SMARTPHONE? If you answer yes to the majority of the researchers' questions, below, you might use your phone too much. Do friends or relatives complain about excessive use? Do you have problems concentrating in class or at work due to smartphone use? Do you feel fretful or impatient without your smartphone? Do you feel the amount of time you are on it has increased over time? Are you missing work due to smartphone use? Are you experiencing physical consequences of excessive use, such as light-headedness or blurred vision? Advertisement Light pollution is common in modern cities and sunset is no longer regarded as a 'signal for the end of the day'. Rather, humans commonly experience an 'over-illuminated night life', which has raised concerns regarding detrimental biological impacts, such as on mood heralding a new scary dystopian future heavy with artificial light. Exposure to what the researchers call excessive 'light-at-night, otherwise known as 'LAN', commonly comes from the use of electronic devices such as mobile phones or tablets or a sky-glow from illuminated buildings in big cities. Both of these modern phenomena have been shown to cause depressive symptoms in humans, but the neural mechanisms underlying this effect of night-time light are unknown, the researchers say. To learn more, the team at Hefei University in China gave mice two-hour doses of blue light at night for three weeks in chambers in the lab. The authors observed that it took up to three weeks for the animals to progressively develop depressive-like behaviour as measured by reduced escape behaviour and decreased preference for sugar. These behaviours could last for at least an additional three weeks following the end of the experiment, they report. In particular, the team identified a neural pathway that could explain these result a connection between a specific type of light receptor in the retina to two brain areas: the dorsal perihabenular nucleus and the nucleus accumbens. Blocking the connection between these two areas prevented the behavioural changes induced by night-time light. The authors also found that light exposure at night activated this pathway much more strongly than light during the day, which may explain why daytime light exposure did not cause behavioural changes. Mice in the lab that were exposed to two hours of blue light at night for several weeks showed depressive-like behaviour - as measured by reduced escape behaviour and decreased preference for sugar The pathway preferentially conducts light signals at night, thereby mediating LAN-induced depressive-like behaviours. If light activates the same pathway in humans, these findings could explain why exposure to excessive night-time light is associated with depressive symptoms, the authors conclude. They also add that depressive symptoms from LAN exposure were unlikely to be a byproduct of the compromised circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythms in mammals are a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle independent of light and dark which explains why we get jetlag. 'It is plausible that although light regulates activities and the sleep/wake cycle in opposite directions in diurnal versus nocturnal animals, when light appears during the "wrong" circadian phase, it may cause depressive-like behaviours in both nocturnal and diurnal animals, the team said. [June 01, 2020] Nearmap unveils general availability of Nearmap AI for automatic aerial imagery insights at scale The launch marks Nearmap as the first among aerial imagery providers to offer both AI analysis and high-definition, frequently updated aerial images on a commercial scale Nearmap AI datasets will allow users to automatically identify and analyze ground features, including residential building footprints and tree overhang, and detect change over time at massive scale and with incredible accuracy SALT LAKE CITY, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading aerial imagery company Nearmap today announced the general availability of new innovation Nearmap Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Mapbrowser, a series of datasets constructed from machine learning models deployed across Nearmap high-definition aerial images. The launch marks Nearmap as the first among aerial imagery providers to offer both AI analysis and high-definition, frequently updated aerial images on a commercial scale. Nearmap AI datasets will allow users to automatically identify ground features, from tree overhang to residential footprints, track changes and verify insights against current aerial imagery at massive scale. Available to businesses and governments in Australia and the United States starting today, Nearmap AI will make it easier for organizations, regardless of size, to access and use AI-driven location intelligence to plan, manage and run their operations. For example, local governments will be able to use Nearmap AI to remotely appraise property developments and detect changes in public construction projects, while insurers can integrate the AI datasets as part of their underwriting and claims management processes. Our customers are the key drivers of our innovation, and they have been telling us about their increasing need to quickly gather location insights that can enhance their productivity and give them a competitive edge, said Dr Rob Newman, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Nearmap.Nearmap AI is a product innovation breakthrough which has been in the making for some time now. Whats unique about it is that it combines the best of both worlds -- data analytics and high-definition, frequently-updated aerial imagery. And when you add Nearmap tools for measurement, search and location identification, businesses get a solution that will exponentially help scale up their insight gathering efforts, with richer and more acurate data. Nearmap AI datasets are integrated with consistent, verifiable aerial imagery from Nearmaps extensive library. The product capitalizes on highly-accurate machine learning models, tailor-made by Nearmap experts and deployed at massive scale across its high-definition aerial images. Innovative use cases across insurance, utilities and government With Nearmap AI, users can instantly identify key features on the ground at massive scale and track changes over time, using data layers on the Nearmap Mapbrowser platform. Professionals across insurance, utilities and local government will be able to explore a variety of use cases, as reflected in the strong demand among early industry adopters during the beta period. These include: Automated property analytics, to facilitate risk underwriting and claims management Digital underwriting and claims processing Supplementary datasets to enrich risk modelling Property appraisals, including detecting changes in developments Assessments of development applications and permits Change detection for property valuations Public safety and planning We believe Nearmap AI will profoundly change the way we plan, build and maintain our cities and infrastructure today, said Newman. With this combination of data analytics and high-definition aerial imagery, local governments, for instance, will benefit from a birds-eye view and automatic analysis of their cities evolution, to inform their planning and construction efforts. Easy access to AI insights and high-definition aerial imagery at scale To access Nearmap AI, subscribers can purchase online or offline export credits, valid for an annual contract period, which will allow them to export AI-derived location intelligence content. Customers will be able to access AI Layers, which overlay Nearmaps high-definition, regularly-updated aerial images in MapBrowser. They can also download relevant datasets for use within their own native systems through the AI Parcel Export function. A freshly-processed set of AI dataset packages, available at launch, will allow automatic analysis and identification of ground features and changes over time. Current attributes include tree overhang, construction sites, residential footprints, roof materials and shapes, solar panels, pools, and trampolines. The list of Nearmap AI attributes is set to expand as Nearmap continues to deepen its product innovation efforts. Technology leadership in the expanding location intelligence market The commercial release of Nearmap AI marks the culmination of more than three years worth of research and development by a dedicated team of close to 20 Nearmap data scientists and machine learning engineers, and comes after an earlier beta program with a select pool of customers. To date, Nearmap has analyzed more than one million square kilometres of imagery across Australia and the U.S., constituting more than 90 million properties. The new Nearmap AI product release represents another significant milestone for the company as it continues to invest heavily in its core technology and customer proposition, developing differentiated and high-value content types to its growing customer base. This follows the successful commercial rollout of Nearmap 3D and roof geometry in 2019, which further anchored Nearmap as a leader in the expanding location intelligence market. About Nearmap Nearmap brings the real world to you . Nearmap delivers high-resolution aerial imagery as a service to businesses across the world, powered by industry-leading geospatial mapping technology. Using its own patented camera systems and processing software, Nearmap captures wide-scale urban areas in North America and Australia multiple times each year, making fresh content instantly available in the cloud via web app or API integration. Every day, Nearmap helps thousands of users conduct virtual site visits for deep, data-driven insightsenabling informed decisions, streamlined operations and robust bottom lines. Founded in Australia in 2007, Nearmap is one of the ten largest aerial survey companies in the world by annual data collection volume and is publicly listed in the ASX 200. For more information, visit https://www.nearmap.com/us/en . PR Contact Taylor Cenicola, 801-624-6869 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 356 new coronavirus cases Monday, raising the statewide total to 72,282. Across Pennsylvania, 5,567 deaths have been tied to COVID-19, including 12 new fatalities reported today. About two-thirds of the coronavirus deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes. About 67 percent of those who are known to be infected have recovered, according to the health department. The health department released new figures Monday; the numbers reflect cases and deaths as of midnight. The number of new cases marks the lowest in a daily report since March 25, when there were 276 new cases. Its worth noting that the health departments figures often are lower following a weekend. Still, the number of new cases has dropped in recent weeks. This marks the 22nd consecutive day there have been fewer than 1,000 new cases, according to health department data. There have been 389,431 people who have tested negative. Nursing homes and hospitals Statewide, 3,557 coronavirus deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, according to the health department. The department said 15,545 residents of those facilities have contracted the virus, along with 2,663 employees. Cases have been found in 608 long-term care facilities, the department said. Fewer coronavirus patients are being treated in hospitals. The health department said 1,302 patients with COVID-19 are in hospitals, a drop of well over 50 percent compared to the peak. Statewide, 5,463 health care workers have been infected. Reopening Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has lifted the stay-at-home order for most of Pennsylvania under his color-coded plan to reopen Pennsylvania (red, yellow and green). The governor said he will lift the stay-at-home order from the remaining 10 red counties, including the Philadelphia area, on Friday. On Friday, the Pittsburgh area and a host of other counties are slated to enter the green phase, the least restrictive. These counties go green on Friday: Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Clinton, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Lycoming, Mercer, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland. By Friday, 34 of the states 67 counties will be in the green phase. 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. More from PennLive An Election Day like never before: Mail-in balloting, new voting machines, multi-day counts for Pa.'s primary Whether youre voting by mail or in person, heres what you need to know for Tuesdays primary election What will fall look like at central Pa. colleges? For now, plans are in limbo Lancaster officials say armed, white nationalists inciting violence at George Floyd protests During a parliamentary session today, head of the ruling My Step Alliance Lilit Makunts said she would like to draw the international communitys attention to Azerbaijans belligerent statements. According to her, there will be a more than adequate and serious response to Azerbaijans aggression at any moment. Recently, Aliyev made another belligerent statement, which was followed by the statement by Minister of Defense of Azerbajian Zakir Hasanov who, in essence, admitted that Azerbaijan unleashed the war in April 2016. I would like to stress the fact that, as in the 1990s and in 2016, the response to Azerbaijans aggression will more than adequate and serious. We will always protect our right to life, regardless of political affiliation and different political views, the head of the parliamentary faction said. She also stated that, nevertheless, the key objective is to draw the international communitys attention to those statements since Azerbaijan always violates one of the three key principles adopted within the format of the OSCE Minsk Group, and especially the principle of non-use of force or threat of use of force. These days, the international community, especially international organizations have made another statement regarding COVID-19. They shouldnt be indifferent since indifference may allow Aliyev to unleash a war in the region, Makunts stressed. We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. In what can seen as the ultimate symbolic move of perceived weakness to the Russians, Chinese, North Korea, etc. by the most powerful man in the world, The President of the United States hides in his bunker basement from his protesting public. Keep in mind the White House is one of the most fortified buildings in the world and not since the insurgency on August 24, 1814, after defeating the Americans at the Battle of Bladensburg, a British force led by Major General Robert Ross set fire to multiple buildings, including the White House. The Burning of Washington marks the only time since the American Revolutionary War that a (foreign) power has captured and occupied the United States Capital. Early Saturday morning, Donald Trump began the day tweeting about his fellow United States citizens (Not the Russian, Chinese, North Koreans, they are AMERICANS) surrounding the White House the night before. Like two weeks back when truck drivers were blowing their horns in contempt, Trump perceived that they were showing their support to trucking policy. Trump must have been feeling pride that the approaching crowds were cheering for his human rights accomplishments. Apparently, with sweaty hands, President Trump praised the U.S. Secret Service, adding, I was inside, watched every move, and couldnt have felt more safe. To feel safe from U.S. citizens demonstrating their First Amendment rights of self-expression is a wonderful and beautiful thing. Trump wants everyone to know hes not worried about himself, after all, he is a man of the people, and besides, he is a masculine self-reliant leader. (If overnight reporting is correct, and the president was brought to a bunker last night as a precautionary measure.) Trump kept going, claiming that many Secret Service agents were just waiting for action. Quoting an unnamed person, who may or may not exist, the president added, We put the young ones on the front line, sir, they love it, and good practice. In President Trumps defense, he was probably envisioning a secret service were performing an exercise protecting him in the event hostile British forces again attacked us. As for assertions that agents were eager for a violent confrontation with protestors, the Secret Services official statement seemed to dismiss this, too. Some of the demonstrators were violent, assaulting Secret Service Officers and Special Agents with bricks, rocks, bottles, fireworks, and other items. Multiple Secret Service Uniformed Division Officers and Special Agents sustained injuries from this violence. The Secret Service respects the right to assemble, and we ask that individuals do so peacefully for the safety of all. Trumps assertion was the Washington DC police department didnt help the Secret Service defend the White House during the George Floyd protests on Friday night. Trump claimed in the early morning that D.C. police were not permitted to address unrest around the White House, and the Secret Service made clear in the late morning that D.C. police were on the scene. But based on statements from both the Secret Service and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, it looks like Trump flatly lied. This was validated but the secret service themselves. To be sure, the Secret Service tends to operate with great care when it comes to political disputes, and Saturdays statement made no specific references to the president. But the context was striking: Trump claimed in the early morning that D.C. police were not permitted to address unrest around the White House, and the Secret Service made clear in the late morning that D.C. police were on the scene. While the Secret Service regularly issues public statements, including through its Twitter account, its highly unusual for such statements to contradict the president directly. D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham in which she addressed Trumps tweet My police department in Washington, DC, will always protect D.C. and all who live and visit here. In fact, thats exactly what we did yesterday and last night, she said. No one needed to ask the Metropolitan Police Department to get involved because we were already involved. Our police were doing their jobs from the start. So, Mr. President, its your word against that of both the Secret Service and the mayor of Washington, DC. So Mr. President, who do we the people believe. The United States currently faced with a pandemic insurgence of COVID-19 with over 103,000 Americans DEAD, over 43 million Americans out of work, major civil unrest crossing the country and American cities burning; and all you can come up with is another of your 18,000 plus lies when what the diverse peoples of the United States need is leadership. Trump briefly taken to underground bunker amid protests FILE PHOTO: The German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt By Sruthi Shankar (Reuters) - European shares rose on Monday, as signs of recovery for the continent's manufacturers prompted investors to continue snapping up cyclical stocks. The pan-European STOXX 600 index <.STOXX> finished up 1.1%, holding at highest level since March 9 even as trading activity was dulled by market holidays for Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. Growth-sensitive sectors beaten up by the coronavirus crisis led the gains, with travel & leisure <.SXTP> jumping 3%, while banks <.SX7P>, miners <.SXMP> and oil & gas <.SXEP> companies rose between 2% and 2.6%. While factory activity still contracted sharply across Europe in May, purchasing managers said April lows had passed as governments began to ease the tough coronavirus-led lockdown measures. After crashing to its lowest reading in the survey's nearly 22-year history in April, IHS Markit's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for the euro zone rose to 39.4 from 33.4. "The current beta rotation is helping the overall market through increased breadth," analysts at J.P.Morgan Cazenove note. But they cautioned the current move up in PMI will not end up building on itself "as the rebound is largely technical in nature." Investors also took relief as U.S. President Donald Trump left the Phase One trade deal intact even as he began the process of ending special treatment for Hong Kong in response to China's plans to impose new security legislation in the territory. China has told state-owned firms to halt purchases of soybeans and pork from the United States, sources told Reuters. Global markets kicked off June on a positive note, with the STOXX 600 recovering nearly 32% since March lows as hopes of a COVID-19 vaccine, easing lockdowns and expectations of more stimulus from the European Central Bank, set to meet on Thursday, helped improve risk appetite. MasMovil surged 23.8% as buyout funds KKR , Cinven and Providence said they had made a 2.96 billion euro ($3.3 billion) board-backed bid for the Spanish telecoms operator. Story continues Italy's Mediobanca jumped 8.1% after billionaire Leonardo Del Vecchio confirmed he had asked for green light from the European Central Bank to increase his stake in the company. Primark-owner Associated British Foods gained 8% as it announced it was working to re-open all the fashion retailer's 153 stores in England on June 15. UK fashion brand Ted Baker reversed course to trade 4.1% higher as it rolled out plans to raise 95 million pounds ($117.84 million) through a stock issue to help it ride out the COVID-19 crisis. (Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur and Peter Graff) Joe Biden held a private memorial service with his family over the weekend to mark the fifth anniversary of his late son Beau Biden's death, the former vice president told MSNBC. Beau, an Iraq veteran and the former attorney general of Delaware, died from brain cancer in 2015. He was 46 years old. "We always have a memorial mass but the churches are closed," Biden, 77, said, referencing nationwide closures due to the coronavirus pandemic and protests in response to the killing of George Floyd. "We're going to have a private mass. A good friend of ours an army chaplain, a catholic priest is going to say mass for our very near family here at our home." Beau's death in 2015 was an emotional loss for the former vice president and partly impacted his decision to run for president in 2016. The former vice president said in a White House address in October 2015 that the window closed on his 2016 campaign while his family was still grieving Beau's death. Biden has referenced son Beau's death in recent months while empathizing with families of the COVID-19 crisis. The novel coronavirus has claimed at least 104,300 lives in the U.S. as of June 1, according to the New York Times. "It's like there's a big black hole you seem to get sucked into," Biden recently told Late Show host Stephen Colbert. "But you've got to remember over time that there's still part of you in your heart and your soul, it's who you are there's this connection that is real. The only way I know, for me, how to get through it is to find purpose. What would the person you lost, what would they want you doing? What can you do to make it better?" He has laid his grief bare in interviews since Beau's passing five years ago, as well as publishing his personal diaries in a 2017 memoir about his son's death, Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose. Beau Biden was, quite simply, the finest man any of us have ever known, he wrote in a statement announcing his son's death in 2015. Story continues RELATED: Joe Biden Recalls Son Beau's Final Moments: He Said 'Dad, I'm Not Afraid' From left to right: Former Vice President Joe Biden and Former Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden take photos with their son Beau Biden and his wife Hallie Biden on February 29, 2012 Mark Wilson/Getty Beau Biden at the Democratic National Convention in 2008. Beau survived the 1972 car accident that killed his mother, Biden's first wife Neilia Hunter, and the pair's 1-year-old daughter Naomi. Beau and his younger brother Hunter, now 50, survived the crash. Beau and Hunter encouraged their father to remarry, according to CNN. The former vice president married Dr. Jill Biden in 1977. Last April, Biden announced his 2020 presidential bid. His campaign hit a surging comeback on Super Tuesday, ignited by a landslide victory in South Carolina. "Every morning I get up, I ask myself, 'Is he proud of me?' Am I meeting the requirement that I promised him that I would do?" Biden told Colbert this month, adding that Beau was his "soul" and Hunter is his "heart." Prior to the weekend, Biden told MSNBC that he's thought of how son Beau, the former attorney general of Delaware, would have handled the response to Floyd's death. "I thought of Beau today and I know what Beau would insist on were he the attorney general," Biden said. "He would make sure that justice was done. He would not care about whatever the political implications of whether or not he would make somebody angry or not angry. He would do the right thing, just as he did when he was here." Biden continued: "And so I, uh, I thought of him today. I thought of him today. He's up in heaven looking down right now thinking, my God, when is it going to end? We've got to end it. We've got to end it. We've got to make it better." LOUISVILLE, Ky. A third night of protests in Louisville sparked by the police shooting of Breonna Taylor resulted in 37 arrests, a city official said Sunday. Chief of Public Safety Amy Hess said at a news conference that officials did not yet know the hometowns of those arrested. Hess said a total of 10 people were arrested during protests Thursday and Friday. Mayor Greg Fischer added that five Louisville police officers were shot at late Saturday night. None were hit, but three officers were in a car that was struck by at least one bullet, he said. Fischer said cleanup efforts were underway in Louisville. He said a dusk-to-dawn curfew would continue Sunday night for a second straight night in Kentuckys largest city. Fischer said the crowds at Saturdays demonstrations were smaller than the previous two days and more manageable. He said the vast majority of protesters were peaceful and respectful. Lets take the energy of this moment, channel that into the ongoing work and make the changes we need to make so that the ideas of equality and justice that are written into our Constitution become real, tangible factors in the daily lives of all Americans, Fischer said. Louisvilles protests followed the release of a 911 call by shooting victim Breonna Taylors boyfriend made 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 her home. The death of Taylor, who is black, has captured national headlines alongside the killings of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia in February and George Floyd, the black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyds neck for several minutes as he pleaded for air. Protesters carried signs calling for justice for Taylor and Floyd, whose death has touched off protests across the country this week. Gunfire erupted during earlier Louisville protests on Thursday night, wounding seven people. During Fridays protests, 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 on air when reporter Kaitlin Rust was heard yelling off-camera: Ive been shot! Ive been shot! Video shows a police officer aiming directly at the camera crew, as Rust describes the projectiles as pepper bullets. Louisville Police spokeswoman Jesse Halladay apologized for the incident and said the video would be reviewed. On Sunday night, "the Church of the Presidents," known as the historic Episcopal church on Lafayette Square opposite the White House was seriously damaged due to fire. Some protesters were prepared to take on instigators who vandalized property and caused violence. People showed mercy for the church and protestors didn't cease to vandalize the church's property. The parish office at the historic St. John's Episcopal Church in Lafayette Square near the White House in Washington, D.C., during riots. Through media, the Rector issues an invitation to worship together on the Day of Pentecost. "In the spirit of the day, wear red!" Checking out the damage at about 1:00 am the church posted on social media; a prayer regarding what happened to their precious property. They wrote a reflective letter to Christians out in the world to spread. "Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart and especially the hearts of the people of this land, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. We write to you with heavy, but hopeful hearts. Our community and our country are in anguish and unrest. And yet, we can see that thousands of people are lifting their voices and organizations are engaging in peaceful, meaningful action to ensure the life of George Floyd and countless others are not lost in vain. Given the recent media coverage of the protests, you may be concerned about our beloved church and parish house. We are fortunate that the damage to the buildings is limited. There is some exterior graffiti, and the protective glass over one of the more modern stained-glass windows on the north side of the narthex has been broken (the stained glass itself is unharmed). Thankfully, there is no damage inside either of the buildings. This morning we secured, as best we could, our most valuable items. We promise to keep you up to date on any developments over the coming days. When it is possible, we will repair the physical damage to our church. Please pray that our country can heal the wounds laid bare by the tragic and unnecessary death of George Floyd." Reporters reached out near the White House and confirmed through Fox News the scene reported- the church had been vandalized with graffiti and set on fire. "This is awful. We saw graffiti, once the door was broken, we saw something similar happen earlier, and as you can see there's definitely a fire here," he said a half-hour before the city's 11 p.m. curfew. "St. John's Church in Lafayette Square is burning right now. Every single president since James Madison has sat in that church. It's a historic landmark and it's on fire." -Katrina B. Hayden (Twitter) "The fire was in the basement of St. Johns and is out, my @washingtonpost colleague @phscoop reports from the DC fire department. Firefighters got there with a police escort and quickly put out the blaze. It did NOT appear to cause any significant damage, and it is unclear how it started." -Michelle Boorstein (Twitter) Police fired tear gas near the White House on Sunday night to dissuade protesters who had smashed the windows of prominent buildings, overturned cars and set fires, with smoke seen rising from near the Washington Monument. The White House went dark, turning off almost all of its external lights, as protesters seethed in dozens of cities, again defying curfews to demonstrate against police brutality following the death of George Floyd in police custody. It was the sixth day of nationwide unrest across the United States since the death of Floyd last week in Minneapolis. A number of buildings near the White House, including the historic St. John's Episcopal Church and the headquarters of the AFL-CIO, were damaged Sunday during protests and a night of unrest in the nation's capital. (June 1) (The Associated Press) Mayors imposed curfews and several governors mobilized the National Guard, but that did not quell widespread protests in cities across the country, some of them marked by violence and looting. In Birmingham, Ala., protesters started to tear down a Confederate monument that the city had previously covered with a tarp amid a lawsuit between the state attorney general and the city. In Boston, a police SUV was set ablaze near the State House, sending up a column of black smoke after a large group of protesters had mostly dispersed. In Philadelphia, police officers in riot gear and an armoured vehicle used pepper spray to try to repel rioters and looters. A wall of officers blocked an entrance ramp to Interstate 676 in the city, where the mass transit system suspending service starting at 6 p.m. as part of a citywide curfew. In New York, demonstrators marched across the Brooklyn and Williamsburg bridges, snarling traffic. The Manhattan Bridge was briefly shut down to car traffic. Chaos erupted in Union Square at around 10 p.m., with flames leaping up two stories from trash cans and piles of street debris. The night before in Union Square, the mayors daughter, Chiara de Blasio, 25, was among the protesters arrested, according to a police official. In Chicago, the police superintendent, David Brown, excoriated the looters on Sunday as Gov. J.B. Pritzker activated the National Guard at the citys request. In Louisville, Ky., a tense confrontation in the middle of a crowded street was partially defused when a Black woman stepped forward and offered a police officer in riot gear a hug. They embraced for nearly a minute. African Center for Energy Policy (ACEP) still stands by its suggestion for government to make the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) a subsidiary of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) with regards to the implementation of the Gas Master Plan and not an aggregator. According to ACEP, Ghana's oil and gas sector is too small to have many independent national players. ACEP had earlier kicked against the approval of the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) as the national gas aggregator by the Office of the President. ACEP said GNGC does not have the capacity to assume the liabilities of the commitments that come with the role of an aggregator in the Ghanaian oil and gas sector. However, the Ghana National Gas Company Limited debunked the claims, stating that GNGC is capable. But a statement signed by the Executive Director of ACEP, Benjamin Boakye explained that, the existence of GNGC as an independent company, as shown in ACEP's earlier analysis, is a product of politics and not an optimal option for Ghana's developing oil industry. ACEPs latest statement is in response to a rejoinder from the Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) on the Centre's Analysis of the Proposal to Make Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) The National Gas Aggregator published on 21st May 2020. It is important to state that ACEP's analysis did not target the operational efficiency, which the Centre has a lot to say about, or the capacity of GNGC to deliver on its functions as is or hopes to be. The analysis was meant to highlight the challenges with the policy directive from the Presidency which GNGC happen to be the proponent of and the beneficiary of the policy change, ACEPs stated noted. ACEP explained that In essence, the analysis was meant for the policymakers, and not an advocate of the policy. Therefore, if GNGC has a response, it should be directed at the policymakers. We look forward to a response from policymakers on the analysis of the issue and not from GNGC. Among other demands, ACEP explained that the weak balance sheet of GNGC makes it unattractive to the investor community, which has implication for resource exploration and production. Background In 2015, government approved the takeover of GNGC by GNPC as a subsidiary for the latter. A key consideration for this consolidation was to make it possible to have a more integrated management and financing of projects in the oil and gas sector. According to ACEP, this was particularly necessary to provide the needed financial securities for the development of the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) project. ACEP's position on this arrangement was that GNPC had the capacity to manage gas projects and had the financial muscle through its share of petroleum revenues to undertake new gas projects, for the purpose of expanding gas processing and transmission facilities. ---citinewsroom THE number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Limerick has dropped below 600 following what appears to have been a second major reclassification of cases which were detected in Clare. According to the latest figures, published this Bank Holiday Monday, the number of confirmed cases of the disease in Limerick now stands at 594. This represents a 5% reduction on the figure of 629 which was released by the Department of Health on Sunday. Mondays figures also show there has been a significant increase in the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in County Clare (from 323 to 360). This suggests that some cases of the disease which had been attributed to Limerick were, in fact, detected in County Clare. While its not known when the reclassified cases were detected, the last time that there were less than 600 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Limerick was on May 15. Previously on May 7 the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 fell from 591 to 574 following a reclassification process relating to address in Clare. In reply to a query from the Limerick Leader, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said: "The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has advised that in the process of validating data and reviewing addresses, cases may be reassigned to another county. It is also possible for cases to be denotified so it is important not to draw inferences from statistically small changes in data that is constantly undergoing validation." Separately, the National Public Health Emergency Team has been notified of 77 new confirmed cases and one additional Covid-19 related death in Ireland. The total number of cases now stands at 25,062 while there have been 1,650 deaths. Statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team The Health Protection Surveillance Centre @hpscireland has today been informed that one person with #COVID19 has died. Department of Health (@roinnslainte) June 1, 2020 Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health, is appealing to people to abide by the public health restrictions. As restrictions ease and we begin to resume social and economic life, we must do all we can to prevent a second wave. It is vital that we continue to practice hand and cough hygiene and social distancing, with the additional hygiene measure of face coverings in appropriate settings. It is important to give space to our vulnerable people when out and about. We must continue to do all we can to interrupt the spread of this virus, he said. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called on lawmakers Monday to urgently pass an anti-terrorism bill, but rights groups warned that state forces could use it to intimidate and arrest government critics, particularly those speaking out against an ongoing narcotics crackdown. Controversial provisions of House Bill No. 6875 would allow authorities to conduct warrantless arrests and hold people deemed as terror suspects for at least 14 days, among other toughened up counter-terrorist measures. Congress should pass the bill swiftly because the Philippines is facing terrorist threats, Duterte said Monday in a letter to House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano. The bill is necessary to address the urgent need to strengthen the law on anti-terrorism in order to adequately and effectively contain the menace of terrorist acts for the preservation of national security and the promotion of general welfare, Duterte wrote. By certifying the bill as urgent, the president hopes the proposed legislation will move faster through the legislative process or be passed before Congress goes on recess, starting June 5, officials with the Duterte administration indicated. On Friday, the House Committee on Public Order and Safety and the House Committee on National Defense and Security both approved a version of the bill. It aims to stop terrorism in the Philippines, three years after militants linked to the Islamic State extremist group took over the southern city of Marawi for five months. The Senate approved a version of the bill in February. Among its measures, it seeks to impose life imprisonment without parole for anyone who would propose, incite, conspire and participate in the planning, training, preparation and facilitation of terrorist acts as well as those who would support terrorists, or recruit anyone to become members of a terrorist organization. Threatening to commit acts of terrorism, helping someone to carry out such acts, or inciting terrorism could lead to 12 years in prison for those convicted of violating the proposed law. The bill not only establishes the countrys jurisdiction over Filipinos who join terrorist organizations abroad, but also over foreigners who would use Philippine territory for training recruits. Handbook for omnipotent Big Brother Philippine rights groups claim that the bill, especially the provision on warrantless arrests, aims to silence critics of Duterte who have questioned the killings of thousands of people during his administrations four-year-old war on illegal drugs. It will terrorize targeted critics, dissenters and social advocates more than the real terrorists with unbridled state power through subjective definitions, arbitrary arrests, and extended detention, Edre Olalia, head of the National Union for Peoples Lawyers, told BenarNews. It will be the manual or handbook for an omnipotent big brother in a police state, said Olalia, whose group represents ordinary Filipinos and groups victimized by alleged rights abuses. Olalia said the proposed law unduly expands the definition of terrorism giving the police and the military the power to arrest and detain suspects on mere suspicion and to order surveillance of suspects for up to three months. Should this bill become a law, we should then expect uninvited guests peering into our private spaces, Olalia said. We can expect the administration-controlled majority to try and ram this bill through plenary and get it approved on the second and third reading with minimal debate, he said, referring to the 302-member House of Representatives. Olalia warned that would only serve to worsen the climate of impunity in the Philippines, where killings of suspected drug addicts and dealers have become a daily occurrence since Duterte became president in 2016. The legislative developments in the Philippines came ahead of a report expected later this month by the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, on the rights situation in the Southeast Asian country. Duterte has consistently blocked U.N. investigators from visiting Manila, claiming that they had prejudged him even before setting foot on Philippine soil. The Philippine police have admitted to killing about 6,000 suspected addicts and drug dealers, saying the suspects were killed while resisting arrest. International rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and the Amnesty International, however, have said that the death toll from the drug war could be four times higher. Commenting on the bill, Roneo Clamor, head of the local rights group Karapatan, accused the House of railroading positions taken by rights groups while fast-tracking the governments bid to crush dissent. From its murderous war on drugs and a rabid counterinsurgency campaign to extending emergency executive powers, as well the numerous attacks on freedom of expression, the passage of draconian amendments ... will seal the deal in Dutertes brutal campaign of State terrorism the final piece in the regimes bid to establish a full blown fascist dictatorship and de facto martial law, Clamor alleged. But on Monday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana dismissed as baseless the fears aired by Olalia and other rights advocates. Human rights is sufficiently covered by the provisions, he said, adding that theres no basis for their opposition. Italian synagogues and churches reopen, but with fewer worshippers allowed By Cnaan Liphshiz (JTA) Synagogues and churches have reopened in northern Italy, where they had been shut down since that area went into lockdown following the first major outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe. The main synagogue of Milan reopened Monday per guidelines agreed-upon last week with government officials, Moked, the Italian-Jewish news site, reported. Synagogues also have reopened in Rome and Florence at least. Italian shops, hairdressers and restaurants also opened Monday, ending a 10-week lockdown. About 3... Kim Kardashian has generously offered to help a protester who was seriously injured by a rubber bullet over the weekend. The 39-year-old reality star was shocked to see a trending photo on Twitter showing a woman who was shot while standing in the street filming during a George Floyd protest in Louisville, Kentucky. The graphic image shows a young woman with a chunk of flesh missing from her forehead and her left eye bruised and swollen shut. Kim Kardashian has generously offered to help a protester who was seriously injured by a rubber bullet over the weekend The reality star was so shocked at the image she offered to help, tweeting in reply, 'This is heartbreaking and so disturbing. Does anyone know how i can get in contact with her? I would love to help her with her medical care if she needs it.' Dozens of people tagged the woman, who's named Shannyn, on Twitter and uses the handle @shannynsharyse so Kim could get in touch. On Monday Shannyn shared a video to her Instagram to address accusations that she faked her injuries. She wrote, 'So apparently a lot of people think what happened wasn't real and its make up. So here's the video from right after I got hit. That being said please remain focused on why we do this. IT IS FOR THE INNOCENT WHO LOST THEIR LIVES THROUGH POLICE BRUTALITY AND RACISM.' The harrowing clip, which was also shared to YouTube, shows a city street with a line of police officers at one end, it's pretty dark but the sound of a shot can be heard followed by screams as Shannyn hits the ground. The video also captures the ensuing panic as her friends came to her aid. The 39-year-old reality star was shocked to see a trending photo on Twitter showing a woman shot at while she was standing in the street filming during a George Floyd protest in Louisville, Kentucky Horrific: Shannyn shared the photos to show people what happened when she was just standing in the street filming the protest Smiling: Shannyn is pictured before the incident on Saturday 'Exhausted by the heartbreak': Kim denounced 'systemic racism' on Twitter this Saturday amid widespread protests after the killing of George Floyd Kim's generous offer comes after she denounced 'systemic racism' on Twitter amid widespread protests after the killing of George Floyd. 'I am exhausted by the heartbreak I feel seeing mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and children suffering because their loved one was murdered or locked away unjustly for being black,' wrote the KUWTK star. She is currently in self-isolation with her husband Kanye West and their four children North, six, Saint, four, Chicago, two, and Psalm, one. 'For years, with every horrific murder of an innocent black man, woman, or child, I have always tried to find the right words to express my condolences and outrage,' she began her statement. 'But the privilege I am afforded by the color of my skin has often left me feeling like this is not a fight that I can truly take on as my own. Not today, not anymore. Like so many of you, I am angry. I am more than angry. I am infuriated and I am disgusted.' Kardashian continued: 'I am exhausted by the heartbreak I feel seeing mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and children suffering because their loved one was murdered or locked away unjustly for being black.' Her take: She wrote that 'with every horrific murder of an innocent black man, woman, or child, I have always tried to find the right words to express my condolences and outrage' She wrote: 'Even though I will never know the pain and suffering they have endured, or what it feels like to try to survive in a world plagued by systemic racism, I know I can use my own voice to help amplify those voices that have been muffled for too long.' Kardashian added: 'Text "FLOYD" to 55156 #BlackLivesMatters #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #JusticeforAhmaudArbery #JusticeforBreonnaTaylor'. The text contributes to a petition organized by Color For Change demanding the arrest of all four Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyd's death. Adding her voice: Kim posted to her Insta Stories earlier this week demanding '#JusticeForGeorgeFloyd' This Friday Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was arrested and charged with manslaughter and third degree murder. Chauvin was caught on video kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than seven minutes during a forgery arrest this Monday. Floyd died at the hospital that day. Four police officers including Chauvin have been fired over their role in the incident but so far only Chauvin has been arrested or charged. Xiaomi is currently focused on launching its laptops series in India but once that happens, it is going to return to its staple business, i.e. launching smartphones. The new launches will be happening under the Redmi series and if you take a look at the recent leaks, it seems that the Redmi 9 series could be next on Xiaomi's platter. What's even better is that this year, there are three new models coming under this series. A tipster going by the name of Sudhanshu Ambhore, who has been coming up with several reliable leaks in the past, has shared an entire specifications sheet of the Redmi 9 series and there are lots of surprises. This year, there are three models, with the newest addition being the Redmi 9C, accompanied by the usual Redmi 9A and Redmi 9. The entire lineup has gone for MediaTek chipsets and some key upgrades. Starting with the base Redmi 9A, this is supposed to be Xiaomi's entry-level smartphone for this year. The Redmi 9A gets a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display with 720p resolution. Instead of a Qualcomm chip, Xiaomi is using a MediaTek Helio G25 chipset that is accompanied by a 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. The phone will be powered by a 5000mAh battery and will get a USB-C port. For the cameras, there will be a single camera setup with a 13-megapixel unit at the back and a 5-megapixel camera at the front. Next in line is the Redmi 9C and this is essentially the same as the Redmi 9A but with crucial upgrades in key areas. The chipset has been upgraded to a MediaTek Helio G35 while the storage goes up to 64GB. The battery capacity remains the same but it's the rear cameras that are different. There's a main 13-megapixel main camera that's accompanied by a 5-megapixel camera and a 2-megapixel camera. This is possibly a combination of a wide, macro and a depth camera. Lastly, there's a Redmi 9 which appears to have identical specifications to the Redmi Note 9, with just a couple of changes. This phone has a similar 6.5-inch IPS LCD display with Full HD+ resolution. Instead of the Helio G85 on the Redmi Note 9, the Redmi 9 uses an Helio G70 chipset, which is paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. There's the same 5000mAh battery, USB-C port and more. The quad cameras at the back comprise of a 13-megapixel main camera along with an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, another 5-megapixel camera and a 2-megapixel camera. The tipster has even come out with the prices. The Redmi 9A is expected to launch in Europe at a price of Euro 120 while the Redmi 9C will launch at a price of Euro 150. The Redmi 9 will carry a price tag of Euro 180. As expected, these will sit under the Redmi Note series. File image: Reuters The US remained a tinderbox of anger and emotion as violent protests erupted for a sixth day across the country over the custodial killing of African-American George Floyd, resulting in the death of at least five people, the arrest of thousands and placing of curfew in nearly 40 cities, while forcing President Donald Trump to take shelter in a White House bunker. Considered to be the worst ever civil unrest in the US in decades, the violent protests have engulfed at least 140 cities across America in the days following the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old man who was pinned to the ground in Minneapolis on Monday by a white police officer who kneeled on his neck as he gasped for breath. Some of the protests have turned violent, prompting the activation of the National Guard in at least 20 states. "At least five people were killed in violence that flared as demonstrations in parts of the country devolved into mayhem," The Washington Post reported. Police have arrested at least 2,564 people in two dozen US cities over the weekend. Nearly a fifth of those arrests were in Los Angeles, it said. The unrest initially began in Minneapolis in Minnesota but has now spread across the country, with reports of violence coming in from across major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Houston, Philadelphia and Washington DC. "The United States remained a tinderbox of emotion, anger and continued violence on Sunday, the sixth day of nationwide unrest since the death of yet another black man at the hands of the police," The New York Times reported. In Birmingham, protesters started to tear down a Confederate monument that the city had previously covered with a tarp amid a lawsuit between the state attorney general and the city. In Boston, a police SUV was set ablaze near the State House, sending up a column of black smoke after a large group of protesters had mostly dispersed. In Philadelphia, police officers in riot gear and an armoured vehicle used pepper spray to try to repel rioters and looters. In New York, demonstrators marched across the Brooklyn and Williamsburg Bridges, snarling traffic. The Manhattan Bridge was briefly shut down to car traffic. Chaos erupted in Union Square, with flames leaping up two stories from trash cans and piles of street debris, the Times said. "It is the first time so many local leaders have simultaneously issued such orders in the face of civic unrest since 1968, after the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr," the report said. The police fired tear gas near the White House on Sunday night to dissuade protesters who had smashed the windows of prominent buildings, overturned cars and set fires, with smoke seen rising from near the Washington Monument, it said. For the past few days, thousands of protestors have gathered outside the White House raising slogans against President Trump. According to CNN, President Trump was briefly taken to the underground bunker for some time during the protest outside the White House, while First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron were also taken to the bunker. President Trump made no public appearances on Sunday, but in a series of tweets he blamed the media for fomenting hatred and anarchy in the country. "The Lamestream Media is doing everything within their power to foment hatred and anarchy. As long as everybody understands what they are doing, that they are FAKE NEWS and truly bad people with a sick agenda, we can easily work through them to GREATNESS!" he said. Earlier in the day, he announced that his administration will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization. ANTIFA is regarded as a militant, left-wing, anti-fascist political activist movement in the US. It comprises autonomous activist groups that aim to achieve their political objectives through the use of direct action rather than through policy reform. US Attorney General William Barr said that the violence instigated and carried out by the organisation and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly. The Trump administration alleges that it appears the violence is planned, organised, and driven by anarchistic and far left extremists, using ANTIFA-like tactics, many of whom travel from out of state to promote the violence. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic party, visited a protest site in Delaware on Sunday. "We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us. We are a nation enraged, but we cannot allow our rage to consume us. We are a nation exhausted, but we will not allow our exhaustion to defeat us," Biden wrote on social media postings on Sunday. "The only way to bear this pain is to turn all that anguish to purpose. And as President, I will help lead this conversation and more importantly, I will listen, just as I did today visiting the site of last night's protests in Wilmington," he said. The Committee to Protect Journalists, in a late night statement said that several dozen covering the protests have been harassment, as well as arrested by law enforcement agencies. Tech deals plummeted during the height of the global pandemic. But that's likely to reverse in the coming months, driven by major tech companies, according to new analysis from Bain & Co. Technology mergers and acquisitions fell 68% in March, compared to the same month a year ago, according to new research from Bain being published Monday. In the first quarter, deal activity was down 43% as the Covid-19 pandemic rattled credit markets and shifted executives' focus away from deal-making. "Deals in March largely dried up," Adam Haller, partner at Bain, told CNBC in a phone interview. "We think it's going to come back in quite a robust fashion deal count will likely bounce back to historic levels, or above, given the opportunities." Mega-cap technology companies such as Apple, Facebook, Alphabet and Microsoft, are in a unique position to strike a deal in this environment, Haller said. They had large cash reserves going into the pandemic and are now presented with opportunities to buy target companies at lower premiums. Tech M&A drops 43% in the first quarter, compared to Q1 2019 Source: Bain & Company Haller pointed to the last recession as the likely playbook for big tech in 2020. Overall, tech M&A continued throughout the recession, with several Silicon Valley companies striking deals that boosted their growth over the next decade. Google, for example, bought DoubleClick for $3.1 billion in 2008. That start-up contributed a bulk of the technology behind the company's core advertising business, which made up 80% to 90% of Alphabet's revenue last year. Another 2009 acquisition enabled Google to expand into mobile advertising. Adobe and IBM also did critical deals in 2008 and 2009, according to Bain. "There's a lot of dry powder out there that can be used for acquisitions, and likely a lot of opportunity for M&A in the downturn," Haller said. "There might be some chances for opportunistic, bargain deals." Antifa hijacks black protests, turns them into violent riots By Rachel Alexander Its one thing to protest. If people think the death of George Floyd involved racism by the police, they have a right to protest. But when they engage in violence they cross the line. Unfortunately, white Antifa activists have hijacked black protests in Minneapolis and other cities, attacking the police and engaging in violence. Many of the rioters in the big cities came from other states or the suburbs, they are not from the downtown areas of the cities they are terrorizing. Nearly two thirds of the protesters in Detroit came from the suburbs. Attorney General Bill Barr said, In many places, it appears the violence is planned, organized & driven by anarchic left extremist groups far left extremist groups using Antifa-like tactics. In the past, the left has gotten caught paying young people to travel to urban areas and riot, so this is not surprising. One ad from Moveon.org said minorities were preferred. These rioters have no connection to the community theyve been bussed in to destroy, so its easier for them to destroy it. Barr noted that it is a federal crime to cross a state border to engage in violent riots, implying that the feds can come in and arrest and prosecute rioters if the blue state leadership and law enforcement do nothing. The attorney general of Minnesota can be seen in a photo smiling and holding up a book promoting Antifa. Members of the black community called out white Antifa for causing violence in their space. One black woman angrily filmed a white Antifa member spraying Black Lives Matter on a business, telling her that was wrong since black people will get blamed for it. She said they were trying to protest peacefully. The AP took a lot of close-up photos of blacks protesting and rioting, making it appear that the rioting was primarily driven by blacks. But photos taken from a distance reveal far more white Antifa rioters than blacks. This video of rioters taken outside the White House doesnt appear to include even one black protester. The only blacks are law enforcement. In another video, a black small business owner can be seen in tears because the rioters destroyed his bar, which he had put his life savings into. This video shows legally armed black business owners standing outside their shops to protect them. How is white Antifa destroying black businesses justice for Floyd? Staffers for Joe Bidens presidential campaign bragged about donating to a fund to pay bail for the rioters who were arrested. So lets get this straight: They are going to pay bail to let white Antifa members out of jail who were arrested for looting and destroying black-owned businesses. Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says white supremacists and Mexican drug cartels are behind the violent rioting. But there wasnt much evidence of white supremacists. The rioters who defaced CNNs sign stood on top of it holding a Mexican flag and Black Lives Matter banner. Democrats posted a meme on the Democratic Underground claiming that the officer who killed Floyd, Derek Chauvin, was spotted at a Trump rally standing right behind Trump, wearing a Cops for Trump t-shirt. But commenters on their own website disputed it, pointing out the facial differences. The left is equivocating the violence to the violence of the American Revolution. But the Founding Fathers did not steal and destroy the property of innocent people who had done nothing wrong. It was a horrific abuse by police. But it was likely not a racist incident, because a few bad apples in police departments have done similar things where the victim was not black and the cop white. In 2016, Tony Timpa, a white man, was pinned down by police for nearly 14 minutes, killing him. Body cam coverage showed Timpa yelling, Youre gonna kill me! The officers joked that he had fallen asleep, and one yelled, "It's time for school, wake up!" Another responded, "I don't want to go to school! Five more minutes, Mom!" One of the officers was black, although he wasnt the main one holding Timpa down. His killing was very similar to Floyds. Charges against the officers were dropped, and they were merely placed on administrative leave temporarily. There wasnt any rioting. And wheres the outrage over a police officer pinning a young black man by the neck backward onto the roof of a car? In the video, filmed on May 22, a young woman standing nearby keeps repeating, He cant breathe. Could it be because the officer was black? What I learned as a prosecutor is that most of the Antifa protesters engaged in violence are doing so because they have criminal records and are mad at the police for getting caught. They are using a genuine misuse of police force to push through their agenda of reducing the power of the police to stop them from their criminal activity. Fortunately, black leaders are speaking up denouncing the violence. They have tremendous influence. They dont want Soros funded white Antifa coming into their neighborhoods, destroying them and making their people look bad. Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Pastor teared up denouncing the rioters for recruiting 14-year-old black kids to attack the police. He says its not fair to drag these young kids into it. Hes furious at the instigators using Martin Luther King Jr.s name to justify doing this to children. Rep. Vernon Jones (D-Ga.), who made waves recently for supporting Trump, called Antifa out on Twitter. I refuse to allow a bunch of ANTIFA affiliated thugs to come to my beloved city of Atlanta and burn it to the ground, under the guise of #BlackLivesMatter. They dont give a d*** about black lives. They only care about DESTRUCTION. One brave black woman stood in front of the protesters and rioters in Brooklyn on Saturday in the midst of a violent demonstration and told them repeatedly they need to protest peacefully. There appeared to be Antifa rioters farther back in the crowd who were hurtling bottles and other objects at the police. There have been over 300 arrests in New York. Trump announced on Sunday that Antifa will be designated a terrorist organization. He tweeted, Its ANTIFA and the Radical Left. Dont lay the blame on others! The left has been crying racism so much that it sparked the protests, then incredibly had the nerve to commit violence to make things worse. Finally, the public is onto them. Rachel Alexander and her brother Andrew are co-Editors of Intellectual Conservative. She has been published in the American Spectator, Townhall.com, Fox News, NewsMax, Accuracy in Media, The Americano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications.mericano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications. Home Democrats will have no dearth of choices to make Tuesday. In addition to the 17th District state Senate race, longtime state Rep. Greg Vitali faces a challenge from activist and former Democratic Committee member Jennifer Leith in the 166th Legislative District. Vitali, who won a 14th term in 2018, is focused primarily on climate and energy issues, for which he has received numerous accolades. He graduated cum laude from Villanova with a bachelors degree in economics and earned a law degree from Villanova in 1981 before opening his own law practice. Leith double-majored in political science and history at Bucknell University and received a Master of Arts degree in history from Rutgers University. She has worked with numerous governmental, non-profit and philanthropic organizations and is currently the executive director of The Douty Foundation. The district includes parts of Radnor and Haverford townships in Delaware County, as well as part of Lower Merion in Montgomery County. Republican Christine Boyle is running unopposed. All three candidates live in Haverford. In the 168th Legislative District, Democrats Deb Ciamacca and Brittany Forman, both of Media, are looking to unseat incumbent Republican Chris Quinn, of Middletown, who hopes to secure a third term. Ciamacca, a Marine Corps veteran and teacher, has advocated improving education, expanding access to affordable health care and protecting the environment. Other major platform planks include reducing gun violence, womens rights and higher wages. Forman, the director at Econsult Solutions Inc., previously worked for the City of Norfolk, Va., and served as a budget analyst at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Her campaign is focused on early education, environmental issues, economic growth and gun laws. The district includes Chester Heights, Edgmont, Media, Middletown, Newtown, Thornbury, Upper Providence and part of Marple. Quinn is running unopposed. Freshman state Rep. Brian Kirkland will also defend his seat in the 159th Legislative District against Chester Township Councilwoman Angela Renee Prattis. Kirkland, of Chester, is a former special projects coordinator for the city, and nephew of Chester mayor and former state Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland. His campaign is focused on increasing school funding, improving education, job creation and issues facing seniors and veterans. Prattis, who has revitalized parks and created programming and activities for children in the community during her tenure on council, has built a platform on the planks of education, criminal justice reform, income inequality, climate change and womens rights. Republican Ruth Moton, of Upper Chichester, is running unopposed. The district includes Chester, Chester Township, Eddystone, Lower Chichester, Marcus Hook, Parkside, Trainer, Upland, and parts of Ridley Township and Upper Chichester. Chester County Democrat Anton Andrew and Upper Chichester activist Cathy Spahr will rehash the 2018 primary Tuesday for the 160th Legislative District as well. Andrew, a Kennett Township attorney, defeated Spahr in that race, but ultimately lost to state Rep. Steve Barrar, of Boothwyn, who is retiring this year. Spahr, the Codes, Planning & Zoning Administrative Coordinator for Newtown Township, is focused on LGBTQ+ and womens rights, the opioid crisis, education and gun violence, among other issues. Andrew supports raising the minimum wage, ending gerrymandering, and transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables. Republican Craig Williams, of Concord, is running unopposed. The district includes Kennett Square, Kennett Township, Pennsbury Township and Pocopson Township in Chester County, as well as Bethel Township, Chadds Ford, Concord and parts of Upper Chichester in Delaware County. Rounding out the Democratic ballot this year is John Kane and Brett Burman, who seek to unseat incumbent Republican Tom Killion, of Middletown, in the 9th Senatorial District. Burman, of Edgmont, is a former public school teacher and current health care consultant. He has advocated health care and education reform, and opposes the Mariner East pipeline. Kane, of Birmingham Township, is a master plumber and business manager of Plumbers Union LU 690, the largest in the state. He also wants to hold Sunoco accountable for the safety and environmental issues stemming from the pipeline, and wants to increase investment in educational and vocational initiatives. The district includes a large swath of Delaware and Chester counties. Many Democrats are habitually, reflexively concerned that images of violent police-protester conflict and urban property damageregardless of the righteousness of the protesters underlying cause or the details of who instigated the violencewill result in backlash-driven electoral losses. The historical reason for this is that amid assassinations, mass protests, and urban violence in 1968, Richard Nixon and segregationist candidate George Wallace won a combined 57 percent of the national vote, and Nixon won the Electoral College. Will the same thing happen in 2020 if violence and looting persists? Both election years involved civil rights protests and a Republican candidate with a history of racist statements. But unlike Nixon, who could present himself as the challenger to an allegedly soft-on-crime liberal administration, Donald Trump is already the president, and thus ostensibly responsible for maintaining (or failing to maintain) order; meanwhile, the American population he would try to pander to is less heavily white than it was in 1968, and his opponents much more united on racial issues. Also, as the president showed Monday morning, he has great difficulty creating political messages that are appealing, or even coherent, to anyone who doesnt keep track of the ideas circulating on the ideological closed loop consisting of the White House, Fox News, right-wing websites and social media figures, and MAGA diehards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres the presidents first public statement after Sunday nights events: I dont see any indication that there were any white supremest groups mixing in. This is an ANTIFA Organization. It seems that the first time we saw it in a major way was Occupy Wall Street. Its the same mindset. @kilmeade @foxandfriends TRUE! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 1, 2020 Advertisement And then: Sleepy Joe Bidens people are so Radical Left that they are working to get the Anarchists out of jail, and probably more. Joe doesnt know anything about it, he is clueless, but they will be the real power, not Joe. They will be calling the shots! Big tax increases for all, Plus! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 1, 2020 To understand this message, one would need to: Advertisement Have heard of antifa, which is a catch-all term for anti-fascist protesters who believe theyre entitled to use violence to defend against police and/or white supremacist aggression. Have followed the right-wing media story about Biden campaign staffers donating to a bail fund for protesters in Minneapolis. Believe that Joe Biden, a 77-year-old career centrist, is secretly controlled by the young, leftist anarchists who show up at protests with wooden weapons to smash the windows of Starbucks stores. Its hard to imagine Bidens campaign strategists worrying too much about how to defend him against that particular line of attack. And by chasing after conspiratorial theories about the hard left, the president is associating protest violence with out-of-touch white antifa radicals, rather than using it to delegitimize the black communitys underlying anger about the issue of police brutality. Nixon would never have taken his eye off the ball like that! Google now postponed one of the most-awaited events of the company for 2020, Android 11 Beta Launch. The reason behind the announcement was not related to coronavirus pandemic, but the issue of racism in the death of Black man George Floyd. The company said that the event will be moved as "now is not the right time to celebrate." Google joins protest vs. George Floyd's death by postponing Android 11 Beta Launch Google's Android 11 Beta Launch Show-- first scheduled to happen on June 3-- will be postponed for a while, according to the recent announcement from the company. This event is one of the most awaited from the company since its last Google I/O 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic. The Beta Launch show was supposedly made to fill in this cancellation. "While the circumstances prevent us from joining together with you in-person at Shoreline Amphitheater for Google I/O, our annual developer conference, we're organizing an online event where we can share with you all the best of what's new in Android," said Google on May 6. However, now the event will still be postponed for a while, not because of the pandemic-- but due to the protests going on in the country. They also said that "now is not the time to celebrate." "We are excited to tell you more about Android 11, but now is not the time to celebrate. We are postponing the June 3rd event and beta release. We'll be back with more on Android 11, soon," the company said. According to Gizmodo and 9to5Google, the Beta Launch was supposedly held using the online platform--since gatherings are not yet allowed in America. Guest speakers would have been with Dave Burke, Android vice president of engineering, and Stephanie Cuthbertson, senior director of product management, among others. The event was even called to set up one of the possible helpful tool for Android users, the live question and answer segment with the hashtag #AskAndroid on Twitter. When will the Android 11 Beta Launch be rescheduled? As of now, Google has not yet announced the exact date of the rescheduled Android 11 Beta Launch. However, what's sure is that the final release date of Android 11 will be happening in the third quarter of this year. So that means nothing changes. 'George Floyd's protests repercussions' The news about George Floyd's death had been one of the most-talked-about issues now on social media. Protestors continue to voice out justice for his death and roamed streets in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Personalities and politicians also have different sides regarding this issue. Even Apple's Tim Cook supported the mass protests and said that the company will stand together with the protestors amid this ongoing pandemic. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A Channel 10 boss is said to be very unhappy that Grant Denyer admitted to filming a sex tape as a teenager. The Family Feud host, 41, revealed on his 2Day FM's Breakfast with Grant, Ed & Ash in March 2019 that he recorded the explicit video aged 18 with his ex-girlfriend. According to Women's Day, a network executive is in disarray over Grant's admission as the TV star prepares to return as host of Ten's family friendly game show Family Feud. 'The focus is meant to be around the show': A Channel 10 boss is reportedly not pleased with Grant Denyer's (pictured) sex tape revelation 'A sex tape isn't really the kind of thing the network wants its host associated with,' the insider told the publication. The source explained: 'The focus is meant to be around Family Feud and the frontline workers we're celebrating.' Family Feud is returning two years after it was cancelled and instead of ordinary families, the guests will be frontline workers who have served their country during the bushfire season. Daily Mail Australia have contacted Channel Ten for comment. He's back! According to Women's Day, a network insider is in disarray over Grant's admission as he prepares to return as host of Ten's game show Family Feud Last week, Grant admitted that he was 'nervous' his former lover may have a copy of the sex tape and sell it to the media. Speaking on Wednesday's The Kyle & Jackie O Show, Grant said: 'There's one out there somewhere. It was an intimate moment with me and my girlfriend at the time. 'A consenting moment. I was a student at the time, I may have borrowed a camera from the media department [to film it]. I don't know where it is now. 'I fear I left it in someone else's possession. You know, relationships can not always end that amicably and you get nervous about their intention.' 'There is one out there': Last year, Grant admitted he filmed a sex tape as a teenager, during a discussion on 2Day FM's Breakfast with Grant, Ed & Ash Grant first revealed his sex tape nightmare on 2Day FM's Breakfast with Grant, Ed & Ash in March 2019. 'There is one out there,' Grant, who has been married to his wife Cheryl Denyer since 2010, confessed. The TV host recorded the explicit footage using a camera borrowed from the audio-visual department of his high school. He said he wasn't even sure if he had erased the video before returning the camera to school administrators. 'What scares me about it being out there is one day it could come out - and that has been my fear my whole life. It could ruin my career,' he added. Fighter aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) were flying along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh, while India continues to keep a close eye on the movement of planes stationed around 100-150 kms at their bases in Hotan and Gargunsa. The tension along the border has soared after China deployed military fighter planes along the border, signalling that the confrontation between the two military powers could become the biggest face-off after the Doklam episode in 2017. According to India Today sources, 10-12 Chinese fighter aircraft have been stationed at the PLA Air Force bases in Hotan and Gargunsa -- close to the Eastern Ladakh area. Chinese fighter aircraft were flying around 30 kms from Eastern Ladakh, nearly 10-kilometre distance away from the Indian areas as per the international border norms. "Chinese have kept 10-12 each of their J-7 and J-11 fighter aircraft which are flying up to 30 kms of our territory. Though the distance maintained from the border is not threatening but we can't take chances as they can come close to our areas within minutes," the sources said. Meanwhile, sources in intelligence agencies said all gaps in surveillance capabilities have been plugged and a close watch is being kept on the Chinese air bases in the vicinity of Eastern Ladakh. Earlier in May, India had rushed its Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft to the Eastern Ladakh sector when an Indian Army chopper and Chinese chopper were close to each other in the air. Also Read: India-China row: Talks continue without success; PLA carries on troop build-up along border The Hotan base has been under the surveillance of the Indian agencies for quite some time now as the Pakistanis have been holding aerial exercise with the PLA Air Force there. "Last year also, we had closely monitored a movement of six Pakistani JF-17s that flew from the Skardu airfield opposite the western side of Ladakh in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir to Hotan where they took part in an exercise named Shaheen-8," they said. Also Read: China deceives India in Ladakh; mobilises forces on mud trucks 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". However, the standoff continued. The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in North Sikkim on May 9. The troops of India and China were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in Doklam tri-junction in 2017. 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 tranquillity in the border areas. With agencies inputs I cant breathe. It is the most basic human plea. We can live for three days without water and maybe three weeks without food. But after 30 seconds without air, most of us are frantic. Thats how George Floyd felt when a Minneapolis police officer, against all logic and decency, was kneeling on his neck as he lay face-down in handcuffs for eight minutes. Eight agonizing minutes. Thats inconceivable, especially because George Floyd was begging the officer to relent, pleading repeatedly, I cant breathe. The video is sickening. The callousness of that officer is unbelievable. Even when being filmed by bystanders who were pleading with him to back off, he kept driving his knee into George Floyds neck. Eventually, it killed him. There is no excuse for restraining a suspect like that none. Floyd was handcuffed and down on the ground, with four officers on the scene. Even if he had been resisting arrest in some manner and thats not even clear the situation had been stabilized. But as African-Americans know, confrontations like this are hardly unprecedented. For decades blacks have been subjected to unnecessary force like this from police officers or vigilante citizens. All too often, it ends in death. George Floyd is the latest person in a long, dreary list of victims that includes Tamir Rice in Cleveland, (12 years old, killed by an officer who thought his toy gun was real), Walter Scott in North Carolina (unarmed and shot in the back while fleeing an officer) and Trayvon Martin, (17 and shot by a neighborhood watchman who thought he looked suspicious). In 2014, Eric Garner even voiced the same tragic plea as he was being arrested in New York, again by numerous officers: I cant breathe. He, too, died. And there are countless others. Before video cameras and cell phones became common, these deaths occurred anonymously. Police could claim they had no choice, and juries almost never punished them. Now theyre being recorded and shown to millions of people, but the pace doesnt seem to be slowing. The Minneapolis officer cutting off George Floyds air supply knew he was being filmed and didnt flinch. Three words: It must end. Yes, those words have been uttered before, after one of the many, many other young black men (or boys) were killed unnecessarily. But we have to start believing those words and doing everything possible to make the killings stop. That means all of us, and that certainly includes white people. White police officers must stop assuming that a black man or youth is guilty of some crime when they are responding to a call. The choke-hold must be outlawed for all law-enforcement officers. Prosecutors and juries must stop making excuses for officers who violate their training. Fellow officers must stop standing by idly while a George Floyd is being choked or a Rodney King is being battered. This is not supposed to happen in the greatest and freest country on earth. This is not a Third World dictatorship but the worlds shining light of democracy. In this country, all men and women are considered equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, starting with life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. George Floyd was deprived of his life cruelly, unnecessarily. It didnt have to happen. It could have been stopped a dozen times. But that knee stayed on his neck until he passed out. None of us can accept this. Its not right. Its not fair. At long last, it must end. A YOUNG man who is accused of breaking into two adjoining houses in the city is facing trial before the circuit court. Jerry Connors, 22, who has an address at Cherryfield Way, Tallaght, Dublin is accused of stealing jewellery worth 4,500 from one of the houses and more than 2,000 in cash from the second. The burglaries occurred at Woodlawn Park, Ballysimon at around 6pm on November 17, 2018. Opposing bail, Detective Garda Cathal OSullivan told Judge Marian OLeary it will be alleged the defendant can be identified on CCTV footage which has been obtained by gardai. He said DNA evidence has also been recovered. The detective said he had no doubt Mr Connors would engage in further criminality if released and he expressed concerns he represents a fight risk as he travels extensively. Barrister Maria Brosnan said her client was entitled to the presumption of innocence and she asked the court to note that he has already been in custody for a considerable amount of time. These matters will be fully contested, she told the court. She disputed the assertion that Mr Connors represents a flight risk saying the father-of-three lives with his mother in Dublin. He will abide by any conditions, she said adding that a significant cash surety was also available. Despite the garda objection, Judge OLeary said she was willing to grant bail subject to strict conditions. Mr Connors must obey a nightly curfew and he must sign on twice a day at a garda station in Dublin. The defendant was ordered to surrender his passport to gardai and he must keep his mobile phone charged and turned on at all times. After she was informed that a book of evidence had been completed and served on Mr Connors, Judge OLeary formally sent the case for trial at Limerick Circuit Court. Hangzhou: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that sainthood for Mother Teresa is a "memorable and proud moment", after her canonisation at the Vatican. "Sainthood of Mother Teresa is a memorable & proud moment," Modi, who is in this east Chinese city for the G20 Summit, said in a tweet. In the same tweet, he also shared a link to the video of his 'Mann Ki Baar' radio address to the nation on August 28. The prime minister had praised the nun, who became a global icon because of her work with the dying and destitute of Kolkata, in that edition of his monthly-radio address. "As Indians we have to feel proud about the canonisation of Bharat Ratna Mother Teresa. She had dedicated her life for the upliftment of the poor. She was an Albanian, and English language was not her mother tongue and yet she adopted it as her language and served the poor," he had said. Teresa's canonisation was announced in March by Pope Francis after the Church recognised two miracles attributed to her after her death in 1997. Born in 1910 to Kosovan Albanian parents in Skopje - then part of the Ottoman empire, now the capital of Macedonia - Teresa had won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Even as thousands of citizens in the United States continued to protest against the killing of an African-American man George Floyd, web giants Google and YouTube joined the protests against racist killings in the US. Google and YouTube on Sunday put a black ribbon on its home page in the US, showing solidarity for protests against the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in police custody. "We stand in support of racial equality, and all those who search for it," the message read on the Google home page. "Today on US Google & YouTube homepages we share our support for racial equality in solidarity with the Black community and in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery & others who dont have a voice. For that feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone," Google CEO Sunder Pichai messaged on Twitter. The same message was also placed on the US home page of Google-owned YouTube and Alphabet. Today on US Google & YouTube homepages we share our support for racial equality in solidarity with the Black community and in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery & others who dont have a voice. For those feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone. pic.twitter.com/JbPCG3wfQW Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) May 31, 2020 Sunder took to Twitter to share the message, even as the chaos continued across the United States. An initially peaceful demonstration in New York spiraled into chaos as night fell Friday, as protesters skirmished with police officers, destroyed police vehicles and set fire. Coming amid the protests, Pichai's tweet has over 31.4k likes. However, many Indian netizens on Twitter criticized Pichai for his tweet, stating that no such measures had been taken during protests in India that took place after the death of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula. Others questioned why Pichai wasn't helping with India's migrant crisis. Dalit scholar Dilip Mandal wrote, "Rohith Vemula was from undivided Andhra, your home state. Show Solidarity with her mother. Do you have any diversity policy while recruiting in India? When will you show solidarity with SC, ST, OBC and minorities?". Rohith Vemula was from undivided Andhra, your home state. Show Solidarity with her mother. Do you have any diversity policy while recruiting in India? When will you show solidarity with SC, ST, OBC and minorities? Dilip Mandal (@Profdilipmandal) June 1, 2020 Why just US Google? Drive the message home to all racists everywhere. ranjona banerji: prophet of doom (@ranjona) May 31, 2020 I am from Algeria originally and I will tell you even in Africa racist exists . It is an idiology isn't person and to fight we should educate future generation about love and passion and ofc tech and help each other to work with each others Ali Daho (@alidahoa) May 31, 2020 What an stunningly hypocritical tweet. Your company has consistently platformed, monetized and profited from racists & racist groups. You refuse to remove racist websites from your ad network. You still allow Nazis to air videos on YouTube. You helped create this environment. Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) May 31, 2020 Sir please stand with Muslims and Dalits of India too. NeoDravidam (@NeoDravidam) May 31, 2020 Former U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign rally for Richard Cordray, Democratic nominee for governor of Ohio, in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., on Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018. Former President Barack Obama on Monday offered advice to activists on how to turn the outrage over George Floyd's death at the hands of a police officer into meaningful reform, while condemning the violence and destruction that has grown out of the protests. Obama, who worked as a community organizer in Chicago before running for elected office, published a blog post on Medium urging activists to reject feeling cynical about the importance of voting. "The bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn't between protest and politics. We have to do both," Obama said. The essay from President Donald Trump's predecessor demonstrates a starkly different approach to the current president's rhetoric in response to the crisis. Trump has opted to share his thoughts on Twitter, rather than in a written speech or an Oval Office address, and has mostly trained his focus on those committing violence and theft. TWEET Crossing State lines to incite violence is a FEDERAL CRIME! Liberal Governors and Mayors must get MUCH tougher or the Federal Government will step in and do what has to be done, and that includes using the unlimited power of our Military and many arrests. Thank you! Massive protests sprang up across the country in the past week after Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man, died in Minneapolis after being pinned to the ground by officer Derek Chauvin, who held his knee on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes. Chauvin, whose conduct with Floyd was captured on video, was arrested and charged with murder and manslaughter. While the demonstrations were largely peaceful, violence and looting erupted in numerous cities over the weekend as groups of protesters clashed with law enforcement officers. At least 4,400 people have been arrested in connection with the protests, according to the Associated Press. In his blog post, Obama said the protests represent "a genuine and legitimate frustration over a decades-long failure to reform police practices and the broader criminal justice system in the United States." "The overwhelming majority of participants have been peaceful, courageous, responsible, and inspiring. They deserve our respect and support, not condemnation," Obama said. But the former president criticized "the small minority of folks who've resorted to violence in various forms, whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism" for "putting innocent people at risk, compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause." He urged Americans not to make excuses for the violence: "If we want our criminal justice system, and American society at large, to operate on a higher ethical code, then we have to model that code ourselves." Obama, who has endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 election, argued that reforming police departments can come through the ballot box. He advocated for increased civic participation in state and local elections, and encouraged activists to craft specific demands to hold accountable leaders who might otherwise "offer lip service to the cause and then fall back into business as usual" once the protests have died down. "Yes, we should be fighting to make sure that we have a president, a Congress, a U.S. Justice Department, and a federal judiciary that actually recognize the ongoing, corrosive role that racism plays in our society and want to do something about it," Obama said. "But the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels." The protests have made Obama "hopeful" amid the fear and uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, he said. "If, going forward, we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action, then this moment can be a real turning point in our nation's long journey to live up to our highest ideals." Ministry of Public Security to guide HKPF to end violence Global Times By Chen Qingqing, Xie Wenting and Bai Yunyi Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/29 23:13:40 Last Updated: 2020/5/30 0:34:14 China to speed up national security law on HKSAR Step by step, China's top legislature is accelerating the formulation of the highly anticipated national security law for Hong Kong, with more details emerging for the first time on how state-level authorities could coordinate with local authorities in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) in preventing, ending and punishing acts endangering national security, after the Ministry of Public Security vowed to give relevant instructions to Hong Kong police. By going forward with relevant laws, the country delivered a clear message to countries that have been trying to pressure Beijing over the law: any attempt to stop China from defending its sovereignty is doomed to fail, observers said. Since the announcement of the national security law for Hong Kong, foreign forces have been increasingly interfering in recent days, especially from the US. Zhao Kezhi, China's Minister of Public Security, vowed in a statement on Friday to fully guide and support the Hong Kong Police Force in ending riots and violence while severely cracking down on the penetration of subversive and disruptive measures by hostile forces and resolutely safeguarding national political security. Such a clear response amid growing external pressure attracted public attention, signaling the central government's iron-clad will to soon enact the law, observers said. It was also the first central public security authority to unveil details after the passage of a draft decision to formulate the national security law for Hong Kong on Thursday at the closing meeting of the third session of 13th National People's Congress (NPC) concerning the coordination between state-level and regional-level authorities under the new law. A close, effective and comprehensive mechanism between Hong Kong and the mainland to prevent, stop and punish any act in the city intended to split the country, subvert state power, or organize and carry out terrorist activities and other behavior that seriously endanger national security, as well as activities of foreign and external forces to interfere in the affairs of the SAR, is also highly anticipated, according to local police officers and some observers. Instruction and cooperation Zhao, a State Councilor and Minister of Public Security, said in a meeting following the closing of the third session of the 13th NPC that the country's public security authority will study and implement the decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong SAR. While the new law is expected to take effect in Hong Kong through Annex III of the Basic Law, some observers expect the law to be formulated by referencing standards in the criminal law of the mainland and that of other countries. It would also entitle the central government's national security organs to set up agencies in Hong Kong - a clause applauded by some representatives of the Hong Kong police. "We need more cooperation with mainland authorities in intelligence work and law enforcement. In terms of guiding the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), central security departments should set up agencies in Hong Kong, mainly in charge of information collection," Wilkie Ng Wai-kei, chairman of the Hong Kong Police Inspectors' Association, told the Global Times on Friday. Over the months-long anti-government protests in Hong Kong in 2019 which later became riots and rampage, the HKPF sees the rise of terrorism in the city, which had been dubbed one of the world's safest places. And the city's homegrown terrorism, connected with separatists and secessionists advocating "Hong Kong independence," has now posed a great threat to the city and the nation. Li Xiaobing, an expert on Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, from Nankai University in Tianjin, told the Global Times on Friday that Zhao's words signaled the central authorities' determination to implement the national security law on Hong Kong. For a long time, Hong Kong police were struggling to cope with the complicated situations in the region. Since last year, mainland police and Hong Kong police were strengthening cooperation. As Hong Kong faces the deep interference of external forces and potential threats of terrorism, mainland police and Hong Kong police need to conduct cooperation in safeguarding national security. "Zhao used the word 'guide' instead of 'lead' because the Ministry of Public Security cannot directly lead the work of HKPF. The instruction could include information sharing and cooperation, and communication of the working mechanism," Li said. The ministry is responsible for the maintenance of social order and national security, which possesses relevant information and can provide instructions. In terms of law enforcement, HKPF will perform duties based on local laws and mainland police can provide some assistance and cooperation if necessary, including information disclosure and some joint action, he added. Resolute opposition Though Chinese officials and experts urged some foreign countries and officials not to undermine China's determination to push forward the law to protect the sovereignty and national security, some countries from the Five Eyes alliance, in addition to American hawks like US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have not dropped their delusion of pressuring the Chinese government on the upcoming law, turning Hong Kong into a battleground for growing geopolitical tensions. In response to Pompeo's threat to revoke Hong Kong's special status, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told Friday's media briefing that any attempt to sabotage and obstruct NPC's enactment of the national security law on Hong Kong is to kick against the pricks and doomed to fail. The decision that the NPC made to improve the legal system and enforcement mechanism to safeguard national security in Hong Kong is China's internal affairs, and no foreign country has the right to interfere. In a joint statement, the US, UK, Australia and Canada criticized China over the national security legislation for Hong Kong. The four countries' joint statement claimed the national security law would "curtail the Hong Kong people's liberties, dramatically erode Hong Kong's autonomy and the system that made it so prosperous," and believed it would undermine the "one country, two systems." Chinese embassies in the US, UK, and Australia strongly condemned the joint statement, stressing that Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs and China does not tolerate foreign interference. "China's answer is firm, rational and well measured. As always, it seeks peace and stability, but most importantly, continues to protect its sovereignty," Angelo Giuliano, a Swiss business representative who has been working in an M&A-related business in Hong Kong, told the Global Times, noting that enacting the national security law is a must and urgent for Hong Kong to be saved from chaos. US President Donald Trump is scheduled to announce punitive measures in response to the law on Friday night, which is widely considered as countermeasures from Washington to pressure China. However, officials from central authorities and the local government in the SAR have been preparing for the worst-case scenarios, which would not shake their determination in rejecting foreign meddling. "No matter how many measures and steps the US government takes, they would not alter the Chinese government's stance and decision," said Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies. Some experts said the US threat to punish China over the national security law cannot cause real trouble for China. Our countermeasures to the US should be accelerating the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong and clearing the external forces in the region, Mei Xinyu, an expert close to China's Commerce Ministry, told the Global Times on Friday. "While the US threatened to punish Chinese companies, we should show a contrary stance by welcoming more US companies and improving our business environment," he said, noting that the world will see who the winner and loser are. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NEW YORK, NY, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE iQSTEL Inc. (IQST), a leading-edge 21st Century Enhanced Telecommunications Service Provider, is pleased to announce its CEO, Leandro Iglesias, has been invited by Stock Market Podcast for an interview. In the podcast, Mr. Iglesias discusses the current state of iQSTEL, along with its subsidiaries, record revenues, acquisitions, exchange up-list plans, and exciting growth for the rest of 2020 and beyond. Mr. Iglesias, iQSTELs CEO, said: iQSTEL has reached major growth milestones in 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussing these, as well as our future plans, with Stock Market Podcast will help enhance the investing publics understanding of our company and where we are headed with 5G, blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT) and more. The company will put out a press release on Monday, June 8th, 2020 with the link to the podcast. About iQSTEL Inc.: iQSTEL Inc. (IQST) www.iQSTEL.com is a US-based publicly listed company offering leading-edge 21st Century Enhanced Telecommunications Services with a focus on a wide range of cloud-based enhanced services to the Tier-1 and Tier-2 carriers, corporate, enterprise, as well as the retail market. iQSTEL, through its subsidiaries Etelix, SwissLink, QGlobal SMS, SMSDirectos, IoT Labs, IoT Smart Gas Platform, and itsBchain, offers "one-stop-shopping for international and domestic VoIP services, IP-PBX services, SMS exchange for A2P and P2P, OmniChannel Marketing, Internet of Things (IoT) applications (IoT Smart Gas Platform), 4G & 5G international infrastructure connectivity, as well as blockchain-based platforms: Mobile Number Portability Application (MNPA) and Settlement & Payments Marketplace for VoIP, SMS, and Data. About Etelix.com USA, LLC: Etelix.com USA LLC www.etelix.com is a wholly owned subsidiary of iQSTEL Inc. Etelix.com USA, LLC is a Miami, Florida-based international telecom carrier founded in 2008 that provides telecom and technology solutions worldwide, with commercial presence in North America, Latin America, and Europe. Enabled by its 214-license granted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Etelix provides International Long-Distance voice services for Telecommunications Operators (ILD Wholesale), and Submarine Fiber Optic Network capacity for internet (4G and 5G). Etelix was founded in 2008 and has been profitable since inception. Story continues About SwissLink Carrier AG: SwissLink Carrier AG www.swisslink-carrier.com is a 51% owned subsidiary of iQSTEL Inc. SwissLink Carrier AG is a Switzerland based international Telecommunications Carrier founded in 2015 providing international VoIP connectivity worldwide, with commercial presence in Europe, CIS, and Latin America. SwissLink Carrier AG is a Swiss licensed Operator, having a domestic Interconnect with Swisscom, allowing their international Carrier Customers direct terminations via SwissLink into all Switzerland Fix & Mobile Networks. Since the takeover from Swissphone in November 2018 and the rename into SwissLink, they operate on a profitable level. About QGlobal SMS LLC.: QGlobal SMS LLC www.qglobalsms.com is a 51% owned subsidiary of iQSTEL Inc. QGlobal SMS is a USA based company founded in 2020 specialized in international and domestic SMS termination, with emphasis on the Applications to Person (A2P) and Person to Person (P2P) for Wholesale Carrier Market and Corporate Market in the US. QGlobal SMS has commercial presence in Europe, the USA, and Latin America. QGlobal SMS has robust international interconnection with Tier1 SMS Aggregators, guaranteeing its customers high quality and low termination rates, over more than 100 countries worldwide. About IoT Labs MX SAPI: IoT Labs MX SAPI www.iotlabs.mx, a subsidiary of iQSTEL Inc, is an Internet of Things (IoT) Mexican technology development company, creator of the IoT Smart Gas Platform and Application. The IoT Smart Gas platform consists of an IoT field device installed on the LP gas tank (adaptable to virtually any gas or liquid storage tank) and, thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT) technology via Sigfox or GSM network connectivity, allows remote managed and improved logistic processes of refilling, usage tracking and tank monitoring in real-time by the Smart Gas mobile app. The new GSM tracking feature allows for mobile use including ground, air, and sea tank monitoring. About itsBchain LLC.: itsBchain LLC www.itsBchain.com is a 75% owned subsidiary of iQSTEL Inc. itsBchain is a blockchain technology developer and solution provider, with a strong focus on the telecom sector. The company is the final stage of development of a series of blockchain solutions aimed at using the blockchain ledger and smart contract solutions to enable more efficiency, quickness in execution, and fraud-prevention in the telco industry. Specifically, the company is developing a solution that will enable users and carriers to transfer mobile phone numbers with just a few clicks, allowing users and carriers the ability to transfer retail users from one mobile carrier to another instantly. Additionally, the company is finalizing a carrier-grade marketplace solution to procure payments between carriers for cross-traffic of VoIP, SMS, and data realtime as traffic is crossed between carriers. This marketplace will allow for instant payment settlement as well as the prevention of fraud between carriers. Safe Harbor Statement: Statements in this news release may be "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements that express our intentions, beliefs, expectations, strategies, predictions or any other statements relating to our future activities or other future events or conditions. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may, and are likely to, differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release and iQSTEL Inc. undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release. iQSTEL Inc. IR US Phone: 646-740-0907, IR Email: investors@iqstel.com www.iqstel.com; www.etelix.com; www.swisslink-carrier.com; www.qglobalsms.com; www.smsdirectos.com; www.iotlabs.mx; www.itsBchain.com Our country club conservatives dodge defending liberty By Michael R. Shannon Breitbart has an interesting interview with conservative Alabama Republican Cong. Mo Brooks. Brooks believes China Flu lockdown orders violate the Constitution. As citizens start to wake up [regarding] the liberty and freedom that theyve lost, coupled with the recognition that what state has done, or cities have done, are unconstitutional and illegal deprivations of life, liberty and property thats when I think youre going to see the bell go off, and people starting to figure out we need to fight for our rights. Just keep in mind, youll be fighting alone. In the past few weeks weve seen antilockdown 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 havent 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. Lets take Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick of Texas. Back in March he appeared on the Tucker Carlson Show and said WuFlu lockdowns are killing the economy. The 70yearold Patrick said hes 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 wasnt there. Luther refused to voluntarily reenter government imposed bankruptcy and in a Boston Tea Partylike action, tore up a ceaseanddesist 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 Luthers place. (A ludicrous offer Patrick knew wouldnt 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 Luthers 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 antilockdown 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 didnt want to get crosswise in Austin with Gov. Greg Abbott, a fellow Republican. That objection doesnt apply to the congressional delegation in Washington. Luthers business Zip Code includes two Republicans, conservative stalwart Rep. Van Taylor and Kenny Marchant. Neither of these conservative exemplars said so much as a single word regarding Luthers 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 Whitmers erratic and punitive lockdown. She directed the Dept. of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to jerk Mankes 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 (Mankes 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, too. 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 Cong. Jeff Van Drew, whose district is just south of the gym, sent a twopage 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 R. Shannon is a public relations and advertising consultant with corporate, government and political experience around the globe. He is a dynamic and entertaining keynote speaker. He can be reached at mandate.mmpr (at) gmail.com. He is also the author of Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with added humor!). Home Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday said that the Union government has decided to disinvest in certain pharmaceutical public sector units (PSU). During an interaction with industry leaders of the pharmaceutical sector, he invited the Indian companies to use PSUs for 'plug and play' model of manufacturing. According to an official statement, Goyal also said that India should become a self-reliant country in the supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) as early as possible with the government taking steps in that direction in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'. He assured the industry of full government support in the industry's expansion, diversification and strengthening. Mentioning the Centre's initiatives to make the country self-sufficient in terms of APIs, he said that the government has already approved the scheme on promotion of bulk drug parks for financing common infrastructure facilities in three bulk drug parks. Also, Production Linked Incentive Scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical KSMs or drug intermediates and APIs in the country has been given a go ahead, he added. During his interaction, Goyal lauded the pharma industry for making India proud, by rising to the occasion during the Covid crisis. He said that India has been recognised as the 'Pharmacy of the World' as over 120 countries got some essential medicines, during the last two months, including 40 of them getting them in the form of grant, free of cost. The minister said that the anti-dumping investigation process has been expedited and assured that in case of ongoing bilateral free trade agreements, if any roadblock or unfair competition is being noticed, the government may be informed and prompt remedial action will be taken. He said the market players should look at large untapped markets in Eastern Europe and Russia. Calling upon a collaborative route in the R&D efforts, the minister said the academicians, universities, ICMR and private sector should join hands. The coronavirus pandemic has shaken up the power structure in Albany. For some New York politicians, their influence has grown dramatically especially for Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the commissioners, advisers and allies he has entrusted to shape the response to the deadly public health emergency and the alarming economic fallout. But other perennial power players abilities have been diminished perhaps most notably among members of the state Legislature, who have ceded significant powers to the governor. The 2020 Albany Power 100 details these ebbs and flows in political influence, with a newly reordered ranking that reflects the ways the crisis has reshaped responsibility in the state capital. And with so many Albany operatives and insiders retiring or resigning from their posts, fully one-quarter of the list is new this year. Read on to see where the new faces and the mainstays are ranked and why they made the cut. Thank you to our sponsors [INSERT_SPONSORS_LOGO] 1. Andrew Cuomo Governor Kevin P. Coughlin/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo The governor has won plenty of political victories during his three terms, but it has hurt his popularity at times. Then the coronavirus pandemic began, and his approval numbers soared into the stratosphere. His daily briefings have mobilized public support behind him to an extent that was unimaginable a few months ago. Its the rare type of political weapon that can counter such threats as a presidential tweet. 2. Donald Trump President Nicole S. Glass/Shutterstock The one person who can stymie Gov. Andrew Cuomo is President Donald Trump. Whether its blocking federal bailout funds, stalling the Gateway Tunnel or capping state and local tax deductions, the president often gets the best of the governor. Yet in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, Cuomo has found ways to pressure or persuade Trump to provide assistance or to push the president out of his way. 3. Melissa DeRosa Secretary to the Governor Kevin P. Coughlin/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo As Gov. Andrew Cuomos top aide, its no surprise that Melissa DeRosa is a regular fixture at his daily coronavirus press briefings. Shes fielded questions about the states strained unemployment benefit system and is leading a maternity task force to help pregnant women during the pandemic. As much as you try to anticipate, theres really no way to predict what will arise, she told Elle in an April profile. 4. Robert Mujica Director, State Division of the Budget New York State Budget Division The states fiscal czar now manages the money for the Second Floor, but he learned his fiscal wizardry during nearly 20 years with the state Senate Finance Committee. This includes playing a role in the formation of an alliance between the Republican majority and a renegade band of Democrats. Nowadays, he has to balance the states books and decide what to cut as the economy crashes. RELATED: New York is in Robert Mujica's Hands 5. Charles Schumer U.S. Senate Minority Leader U.S. Senate U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer has had a rough time of it during President Donald Trumps first term in office, and not even the coronavirus pandemic has improved relations between the White House and New Yorks senior senator. While theres bipartisan support in New York for billions of dollars in aid to bail out states and cities, Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are opposed. 6. Howard Zucker Commissioner, State Department of Health Mike Wren/New York State Department of Health Howard Zucker is by Gov. Andrew Cuomos side during must-see briefings on the states response to the coronavirus outbreak, making him the most important person in New York who most New Yorkers never heard of, as Newsday put it. With a background in global public health and infectious disease, he has the credentials for the job which includes dealing with hospital staffing policies, reopening the economy and ongoing medical developments. 7. Letitia James State Attorney General lev radin/Shutterstock In 2018, Letitia James became the first woman and first African American to be elected attorney general in New York. In the year that followed, she made headlines for filing 20 lawsuits against the Trump administration. More recently, the former New York City public advocate has taken on debt collectors, banning private companies from attempting to seize New Yorkers $1,200 stimulus checks to pay off debt. 8. Thomas DiNapoli State Comptroller Submitted It is surely a stressful time to serve as New Yorks chief fiscal officer. The state has already spent at least $2.8 billion fighting the COVID-19 crisis, and state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has warned that, especially without federal aid, the state may experience a significant cash crunch soon. For the time being, DiNapoli has one piece of good news: The states pension fund has enough money to keep writing checks. 9. Andrea Stewart-Cousins State Senate Majority Leader New York State Senate The Westchester County Democrat has faced plenty of challenges since her party took over the state Senate after the 2018 elections, and she has kept the peace between New York City liberals and moderates in suburban swing districts. While the state Legislature has taken a back seat to the governor during the pandemic, state Senate Democrats will be further empowered if they can win a supermajority in the elections this fall. 10. Carl Heastie Assembly Speaker New York State Assembly The Bronx power broker must balance the demands of the New York City liberals who dominate his chamber while making compromises with the governor and state Senate. Lefties might chafe at some of the deals the speaker has struck with the other two people in the room, but on issues like taxes and criminal justice reforms, the speaker is the foundation of liberal influence in the states halls of power. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- RRA Capital has announced the closing of a $21 million first mortgage bridge loan to finance the acquisition two office buildings on May 15, 2020: Element at Kierland and Mesquite Corporate Center, both in Scottsdale, Arizona. Element at Kierland is a 57,750 square foot, three-story office. Mesquite Corporate Center is a 79,537 square foot, two-story office. The two neighboring properties are in the Kierland community of the Scottsdale Airpark submarket. "We are grateful to have played a role in financing the purchase of two terrific office properties in a vibrant submarket," said Marc Grayson, President and COO at RRA Capital. "We want to congratulate Providence Real Estate Group on their recent acquisition along with Ann McCartney and Team Mandala at CBRE for arranging the transaction." The acquisition was originally scheduled to have been financed with CBMS debt. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CMBS market had effectively closed for new originations activity. RRA Capital's sources of financing remained intact during this period and they were able to close the loan in less than 30 days to meet the purchaser's hard closing date. RRA Capital provided a floating rate loan of approximately $9.5 million representing a 55% LTV advance rate for the acquisition of Element at Kierland, and a floating rate loan of approximately $11.5 million representing a 59% advance rate for the acquisition of Mesquite Corporate Center. "From our first introduction through closing, RRA Capital was responsive, fair-minded, and professional," said Kyle Nelson, President with San Diego-based Providence Real Estate Group. "We would welcome their involvement in future transactions and would confidently recommend them to others looking for CRE bridge financing." About RRA Capital RRA Capital is a fully integrated, middle-market, commercial real estate lending firm specializing in nationwide bridge loans between $2-$15 million with 1-5 year loan terms. Since 2013, the firm has successfully financed over $650 million on behalf of institutional investors across three bespoke bridge credit platforms with no loss of principal. They focus on first-position senior mortgages, mezzanine debt, and preferred equity, with an emphasis on value-add and distressed opportunities. More information and financing terms can be found at www.rracapital.com. SOURCE RRA Capital " " An Israeli settler cleans outside her house in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied east Jerusalem on May 5, 2021. Israeli Jews backed by courts have taken over houses in Sheikh Jarrah in east Jerusalem on the grounds that Jewish families lived there before fleeing in Israel's 1948 war for independence. The claimants want to evict more Palestinians, and Israel's Supreme Court is set to announce a decision soon. EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images Zionism is a nationalist movement that successfully established an independent state for the Jewish people in 1948 and continues to support Judaism's claim to Israel, its ancient homeland. It is also one of the most complex and controversial political ideas of the past 150 years. Although Zionism draws its name from the biblical Mount Zion, it isn't primarily a religious movement. True, many of the Jewish people have yearned for a return to Abraham's "Promised Land" for 2,000 years, but the leaders of the modern Zionist movement weren't driven by messianic zeal. In fact, most were secular and even agnostic Jews who identified the Jewish people as a nation rather than a religion. Zionism for them meant the creation of an independent political state for the Jewish nation. Zionism itself wouldn't be problematic if the Jewish people were the only people with claims on the Holy Land. Palestinian Arabs, who comprised the majority of people living in the land known as Palestine for centuries under the yoke of both the Ottoman and British empires, feel that the land should be rightfully theirs. The result is one of the thorniest and most hotly debated political issues in the modern world. Zionists and other supporters of Israel argue that the safety and continued existence of the brutally persecuted Jewish people depends on the existence of a Jewish state, and the rightful place for that state is Judaism's ancestral homeland. Meanwhile, Palestinians and their supporters cast Zionism as an imperialist (or worse, racist) movement that forcefully colonized Arab lands and subjugated the native Palestinian people as second-class citizens. Beyond those already striking divisions, decades of war and sectarian violence have inflicted deep emotional wounds that turn any discussion of Zionism into a potential minefield. To understand how we got here, let's start with the birth of the modern Zionist movement, which took place in Europe at the tail end of the 19th century. Advertisement The 'Jewish Question' Nationalist movements swept across Europe in the early and mid-19th century. For centuries, different ethnic and cultural groups had been forced to live together under sprawling empires and kingdoms. But now, in places like Italy and Germany, new European states were forged around people with a shared language and cultural history. This left some European Jews wondering, are we not also a nation? Jews were living in a scattered diaspora in nation-states that mostly treated them as suspect foreigners and occasionally welcomed them as full citizens, as France did in 1790. Even before the eruption of violent anti-Jewish raids (pogroms) in Eastern Europe, Jewish intellectuals struggled with what was known as the "Jewish question" or the "Jewish problem." The issue was whether it was even possible for Jews to be truly free and equal in someone else's nation. And as anti-Semitic rhetoric and violence increased in the 19th century, this question became far more urgent. "In many ways, modern Zionism was a response to the 'Jewish question,'" says Daniel Kotzin, a history professor at Medaille College in upstate New York, who has conducted extensive research on the Zionist movement and teaches a course on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "What is the place of Jews in Europe in a post-Enlightenment age?" " " Theodor Herzl, seen here sailing to Palestine in 1898, was the father of modern political Zionism. He formed the Zionist Organization and promoted Jewish immigration to Palestine in an effort to form a Jewish state. Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Advertisement The Dreyfus Affair and Theodor Herzl, the Father of Zionism If Europe's Jews needed a catalyst to pursue independent nationhood, they found it in the Dreyfus Affair. In 1894, a French army captain named Henry Dreyfus was falsely accused and convicted of treason in a highly publicized trial. Dreyfus, a secular Jew, became the target of openly anti-Semitic attacks in the press. "Here is this army officer, the epitome of an emancipated and assimilated Jew," says Kotzin, but even he wasn't seen as a true Frenchman. "The people behind the treasonous accusations spread this false idea that Jews could never be part of the European nation state and should always be viewed with suspicion." Among the journalists covering the Dreyfus Affair was an Austrian playwright named Theodor Herzl, who was living in Paris as a foreign correspondent for a Viennese newspaper. Herzl, himself a fully assimilated and nonreligious European Jew, wrote later that he identified deeply with Dreyfus. If a man of Dreyfus' stature wasn't immune from anti-Semitism, who was? In 1896, Herzl published "Der Judenstaat" ("The Jewish State"), a call to Jewish nationhood that launched the modern Zionist movement. In it, Herzl argued that the establishment of an independent Jewish nation would not only be good for Jews, but good for Europe. "Herzl said that anti-Semitism causes divisions within nations," says Kotzin. "If you can find a place for Jews to go, then that would solve a problem that was more than a 'Jewish problem.' It was a problem that plagued Europe." Coming on the heels of the Dreyfus Affair, Herzl's writings found a ready audience among many Jewish intellectuals. In 1897, the First Zionist Congress met in Basel, Switzerland, and Herzl dedicated the rest of his short life he died from a heart attack in 1904 to securing political and financial support for the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine. Kotzin points out that while Herzl is considered the father of the "Political Zionist" movement, there are several different streams of Zionism present in the 19th and 20th century. "Cultural Zionism," for example, was a movement led by the Ukrainian-born intellectual Ahad Ha-Am, which called for a spiritual rebirth of Judaism in Israel, not necessarily an independent state. " " Arabs demonstrate in the Old City of Jerusalem against the Jewish immigration to Palestine in 1937. The arrow points to Jamal al-Husayni, chairman of the Palestinian Arab Party. AFP via Getty Images Advertisement The Balfour Declaration To Zionists, there are few documents more important than a short letter written in 1917 by the British Foreign Secretary, Arthur James Balfour, to Baron Lionel Walter Rothschild, heir to the Rothschild banking fortune and president of the British Zionist Federation. The letter, known as the "Balfour Declaration," expresses a "declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations" and states that "His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object." While far from a mandate or official compact, the Balfour letter was a huge step forward for the Zionist movement, which to that date had only sent small delegations of Jewish emigres to settle in Palestine, much to the dismay of Arab Palestinians. "Here you have the most powerful empire in the world at the time saying to the Jewish people, we're going to help you find a home in your native land of Palestine," says Kotzin. "This was enormously important." When the British took control of Palestine after World War I, the stage was set for conflict. Jewish immigration to Palestine increased, and Arab resentment of Balfour's betrayal boiled over into violent clashes. The next two decades saw Arab riots and rebellions, and when the British tried to clamp down on Jewish immigration, Zionists also fought back. To critics of Zionism, the Balfour Declaration was a betrayal. Kotzin says that the British "were making promises left, right and center" between 1915 and 1917, including a promise to help create a pan-Arab state in the Middle East in return for Arab support fighting the Ottomans in World War I. Arab Palestinians kept their end of the bargain, and the Balfour Declaration essentially reneged on the deal. " " Following the United Nations vote dividing Palestine, David Ben-Gurion declared Israel a state in Tel-Aviv. Above him is a portrait of Theodore Herzl. Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images Advertisement The Holocaust Changes Everything In his book, "Zionism: A Very Short Introduction," Columbia University historian Michael Stanislawski says that until 1945, Zionism remained a "small minority movement" within the global Jewish community with loud critics from both the religious and secular camps. But the situation changed dramatically after the murder of 6 million Jews at the hands of the Nazis. "The need for an independent Jewish state to serve as a safe haven for Jews became not only widespread but central to Jewish consciousness throughout the world," writes Stanislawski. Large numbers of Holocaust survivors were living at makeshift refugee camps in Europe while Allied governments argued over what to do with them. The British had all but cut off Jewish immigration to Palestine in 1939 in an effort to secure favor with Arab oil-producing nations, but U.S. President Harry Truman now called on Great Britain to allow 100,000 Jewish refugees to enter Palestine immediately, according to Stanislawski. The British, already the target of Arab and Zionist attacks, saw no viable solution, so in 1947 they handed over the seething Jewish-Palestinian problem to the newly created United Nations (U.N.). Advertisement Founding of the State of Israel In November 1947, the U.N. passed a resolution to partition or divide Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab, of roughly equal sizes (at the time the 1.85 million-strong population of Palestine was one-third Jewish and two-thirds Arab.) The Palestinians flatly rejected the U.N. plan and took up arms against the Zionists in what was essentially a civil war for control of the Holy Land. As internal fighting raged on, the British set a date of May 15, 1948, for its official departure. The day before British armed forces left Palestine, the Zionist leader David Ben-Gurion declared the independence of the State of Israel, knowing full well that such a provocation would invite all-out war with neighboring Arab nations. Stanislawski notes that Ben-Gurion's declaration makes no mention of God or the biblical promise of a Jewish homeland. That wasn't the Zionist message. Instead, Ben-Gurion declared the right of the Jews to establish Israel was "the natural right of the Jewish people to be masters of their own fate, like all other nations, in their own sovereign State." As Ben-Gurion and the Zionists expected, five different Arab nations immediately declared war on the new state of Israel. To demonstrate the opposing perspectives of this war and its outcome, Israelis call it the "war of independence" and Arabs call it nakba or "the catastrophe." It's not just the names that are different. As historian Benny Morris has demonstrated, there are also two starkly opposing narratives about how and why hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs left Palestine during the war and became refugees in Jordan and Syria. In the Zionist account, Palestinians willingly fled the war zone because their Arab allies warned of an imminent invasion that would "drive the Jews into the sea." In the Palestinian account, the Israeli army raided their villages and brutally drove them out at gunpoint. According to historical documents, there is clear evidence that some Palestinians fled the homes out of fear of violence by Israeli Defense Forces, both real and imagined. Morris, a defender of Israel, conceded in his book "1948: The First Arab-Israeli War," that "the Jews committed far more atrocities than the Arabs and killed far more civilians and PoWs in deliberate acts of brutality in the course of 1948." Ultimately, Israel won the war and walked away with 50 percent more territory than it would have been granted by the U.N. partition plan. That territory did not yet include the so-called Occupied Territories in Gaza and the West Bank, which were added after Israel's victory in the Six-Day War of 1967. " " A Palestinian firefighter extinguishes a fire from a beachside cafe after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike, amid the escalating flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Israel killed a senior Palestinian militant commander in heavy air strikes on Gaza on Monday and Islamist groups renewed rocket attacks on Israeli cities despite mounting international calls for a ceasefire. Ahmed Zakot/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Advertisement Zionism and Its Critics Today The troubling "Jewish Question" that led to the creation of the Zionist movement has now become the "Palestinian Question." After decades of conflict, can Israelis and Palestinians find a way to live in peace? Many left-leaning Israelis and other Zionists recognize the plight of the Palestinians and support a two-state solution similar to the U.N. partition, while more conservative backers of Israel oppose such concessions, claiming that Palestinian leaders and their Arab allies continue to seek the destruction of the Jewish homeland. Not only is the history of Zionism complex and messy, but so are the emotions and opinions surrounding it. Criticism of Israel's treatment of the Palestinians has stoked protests on college campuses and calls for economic boycotts of Israel similar to those levied against South Africa during Apartheid. Such criticisms of Israel strike a nerve in Jewish supporters of Israel because the line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism is dangerously thin. HowStuffWorks may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Now That's Interesting Herzl and early Zionists explored the possibility of establishing a temporary Jewish state in East Africa while plans for Palestine could be formalized. The plan was called the "Uganda Scheme" though the area proposed was in modern-day Kenya. Advertisement Originally Published: Jun 1, 2020 Kahlil Strickland, 23, was shot and killed and another man, 24, was injured Sunday night on Sherman Street. At approximately 8:13 p.m., Chattanooga Police responded to a shooting call at 2000 Sherman Street. Upon arrival, police located the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and secured the scene. He later succumbed to his injuries. The victim was transported to a local hospital by Hamilton County EMS with life-threatening injuries.He later succumbed to his injuries. A second victim arrived at the hospital by personal vehicle a short time later with a non-life threatening gun shot wound. Investigators with the Violent Crimes Bureau responded to conduct an investigation. Israels defence minister has issued a rare public apology for the killing of an unarmed autistic Palestinian man by police, which sparked protests and comparisons to the death of George Floyd in the United States. Iyad Hallak, 32, was gunned down in the Old City of Jerusalem on Saturday, just metres away from where he attended a special needs school. Hundreds took to the street to demonstrate in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv over the weekend, with some holding up signs saying Palestinian Lives Matter and Justice for Iyad, Justice for George. In a statement, Israeli police said they began chasing Hallak on foot when they spotted what they believed to be "a suspicious object that looked like a pistol. Officers opened fire, which proved to be fatal, after they claimed he failed to obey orders to stop. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld later said no weapon was found. Two officers were briefly detained in the wake of the incident and an investigation is underway. Dr Hatem Awiwi, the cousin of Hallak, said that he was disabled and would walk from his home in Wadi-al Joz in occupied East Jerusalem to the special needs centre every day. "He didn't know what a police officer is," Dr Awiwi told Israel's Haaretz newspaper, explaining the young man had trouble communicating with people. He saw a stranger and fled, and then they shot him." Hundreds attended Mr Hallaks funeral on Sunday night. Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who is also Israel's "alternate" prime minister under a power-sharing deal with Benjamin Netanyahu, apologised for the killing during the weekly meeting of the Israeli cabinet. He sat near Mr Netanyahu, who made no mention of the incident. "We are really sorry about the incident in which Iyad Halak was shot to death and we share in the family's grief," Mr Gantz said on Sunday. "I am sure this subject will be investigated swiftly and conclusions will be reached." Many have drawn comparisons to George Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man who was killed last Monday in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by a white police officer who knelt on his neck for nine minutes. The death of Floyd has sparked some of the largest protests in the US against police brutality and systematic racism in decades, with demonstrations also held in other cities across the world. Saeb Erekat, the Palestinians chief negotiator, wrote on Twitter that Israel must not be treated as a state above the law using the hashtag I cant breathe in a reference to George Floyds last words as he was pinned to the ground. Ahmed Tibi, an Arab lawmaker in Israel, who visited the Hallak family also used the same hashtag, saying that relatives told him Hallaks teacher was accompanying him on Saturday and had told the police that he was autistic. Tensions have risen in recent weeks as Mr Netanyahu has sought to push ahead with unilaterally annex Israeli settlements and the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank, land Palestinians hope will build their future state. The Old City of Jerusalem, home to sacred sites for three of the worlds major faiths, has long been a touchpaper of the conflict. It is heavily policed by Israeli security forces who maintain they are there to keep the peace, although Palestinians accuse them of harassing Arab citizens. Lone Palestinian attackers with no clear links to armed groups have carried out a series of stabbings, shootings and car-ramming attacks in recent years. Internet giant Amazon and supermarket chain owner Kroger among those criticised for praising their staff as heroes for working during the coronavirus pandemic. Retailers in the United States have been criticised for praising their staff as heroes for working during the coronavirus pandemic while at the same time ending a system in which they receive extra pay for dangerous conditions. Unions are calling on companies such as internet giant Amazon and supermarket chain owner Kroger to reconsider. Al Jazeeras Shihab Rattansi reports. The Pentagon has ordered an active-duty battalion of military police soldiers from Fort Bragg, North Carolina to deploy to the Washington, D.C. area as the city braces for more violent demonstrations. CNN was among the first to report the deployment order for between 200 and 250 MPs from Bragg. A Pentagon official confirmed to Military.com that the MPs are from the XVIII Airborne Corps. The official did not specify what orders the MPs had been given. ABC reported, citing a Defense official, that the troops were being sent into the D.C. region but only on standby capacity, in the event that they are needed. Read Next: Army Vet Lawmaker: Invoke Insurrection Act, Deploy Active-Duty Troops to Riots The move comes after the Pentagon on Friday put active-duty MP units from Bragg, Fort Drum, New York; Fort Carson, Colorado; and Fort Riley, Kansas on alert to deploy on short notice to reinforce police dealing with civil unrest in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a unarmed black man who died in police custody May 25. Demonstrators protesting police brutality have clashed with law enforcement in major cities which led to the deployment of thousands of National Guard troops over the weekend. Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark Milley joined President Donald Trump on a Monday call with governors that was leaked to news outlets. In the call, Trump urged governors to "get much tougher" on protestors. The call followed days of sometimes-violent clashes between protestors and police. Trump called the protesters "anarchists" who needed to be arrested and tried. He also told the governors, "most of you are weak." "They're going to run you over and you're going to look like jerks," Trump said. Esper added that "we need to dominate the battlespace." "I stand ready, the chairman stands ready, the head of the National Guard stands ready to fully support you in terms of how they mobilize the Guard at doing what they need to do," the defense secretary said. Trump said Milley was put in charge of the military's response, though he didn't elaborate what role the chairman would play. Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, later told reporters Milley will oversee a command center, but declined to provide additional details, saying, "I'm not going to get ahead of any actions that will be announced." The president also on Monday tweeted support for Republican Sen. Tom Cotton's call to send active-duty soldiers to respond to protests. The boldness of protestors prompted Cotton to call for the deployment of active-duty combat units such as the 101st Airborne Division, 10th Mountain Division, 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Cavalry Division and 3rd Infantry Division to do "whatever it takes to restore order." Meanwhile the National Guard has presented a less aggressive message in talking about the 17,000 Guard troops deployed in 23 states. "We are here to protect life and property, and preserve peace, order, and public safety," Gen. Joseph Lengyel, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said in a statement released today. -- Matthew Cox can be reached matthew.cox@military.com. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Related: Minnesota National Guard Opened Fire on a Vehicle, Commander Says Adoption of cloud computing is accelerating in the Middle East, fuelled by the pandemic, government spending on huge smart city and public administration projects, and the availability of an expanding range of data centre and managed service options to support enterprise adoption of emerging technology. Hyperscale and regional providers alike are rushing to meet demand for cloud services. Data centres from major players including Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Oracle, and IBM have cropped up across the Middle East over the past few years, adding to the existing cloud presence of Alibaba, SAP and regional providers. This bodes well for economic development in the region since cloud technology, with its cost-efficient processing capabilities and data storage possibilities, is essential to unlock the potential of new technology such as blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI). Data centre proliferation is not likely to slow anytime soon. A big reason is the pandemic, which added fuel to an already-growing cloud market. COVID lockdowns spurred cloud adoption The data center market has observed a steady growth due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in heightened access to internet-related services aided by nationwide lockdowns and restrictions, according to a report from Arizton Advisory and Intelligence. The pandemic-era lockdowns spurred cloud adoption by creating a need for technology to support remote work and an increase in e-commerce. These trends created expectations that a new normal going forward will include hybrid work environments and continued e-commerce growth, all of which will depend to a great degree on cloud technology. Spending on public cloud services will grow 26.7% year over year to top $3.7 billion in 2021 and spending on professional cloud services will grow rapidly to a total $1.6 billion this year, according to the IDCs latest predictions. Regional government initiatives, the ascent of innovative start-ups, and the willingness of fast-growing SMEs to adopt emerging technology are contributing to the change the cloud computing landscape in the Middle East. Enterprise interest in hybrid cloud grows Hybrid cloud infrastructure is also expanding. IDCs annual Saudi Arabia CIO Survey shows that more than 25% of Saudi Arabian enterprises plan to use a combination of on-premises and dedicated private cloud systems, public clouds and legacy platforms. The pandemic has become a catalyst for increased demand for a number of technologies that Saudi Arabian government agencies and enterprises have been investing in for some time: mobile apps, government-service internet portals and emerging technology, IDC said. At the same time, the pandemic has spurred digital transformation in the enterprise. While the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented levels of disruption to the region, it has also shone a light on the critical role that digital transformation (DX) plays in ensuring business continuity, said IDCs Jyoti Lalchandani, group vice president and regional managing director for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa in a press release. MENA cloud market set for rapid growth IDC says that the MENA region will be worth approximately US$5 billion to cloud vendors by 2022. Tech vendors continue to look with interest at the potential for further cloud expansion in the region, and most major players have by now staked their claim in the Middle East. Most recently, Chinese technology conglomerate Tencent announce the development of its first data center in the region in March of this year. As part of a memorandum of understanding signed with the Bahrain Economic Development Board, Tencents Bahrain data center is set to go live by the end of 2021. Tencent joins leading global cloud giants in setting up in Bahrain which will drive massive growth in data traffic towards MENA, said Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Bahrains minister of transportation and telecommunications in a press release accompanying the announcement. Moreover, the launch of the new data center stands to create a clustering effect as other global providers turn their attention to the increasingly attractive region, with Bahrain positioned as the destination of choice with proactive initiatives such as the governments Cloud-First policy and nationwide 5G. Oracle is quickly making progress on its plans to move all of its 4,000 on-premises Middle East and Africa customers to the cloud within two years. July of last year saw the US tech giant launch its first regional hub for its cloud data center in the Middle East and North Africa in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and in December 2020 it announced its intention to open up an Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) data center in Israel. Microsoft opened data centres in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in June 2019. The first Microsoft data centres housed in the Middle East, the move was a recognition of the enormous opportunity for digital transformation in the region, according to Microsoft. Amazon Web Services (AWS), meanwhile, opened the first AWS Middle East Region in Bahrain in July of 2019 and has since penned agreements with an array of regional government offices, including Kuwaits Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) and the Information and eGovernment Authority Bahrain. Google announced in March last year their intention to launch their first Middle East region, collaborating with the Qatar Free Zones Authority in Doha. More recently, Google announced plans to open a second cloud region in the GCC, this time in Saudi Arabia. We see substantial interest from many customers in the Middle East and Africa, said Dave Stiver, a senior manager at Google, in a blog post outlining the companys plans for global expansion. An early mover in the MENA cloud rush, the China-based Alibaba Group, in what looked like astute anticipation of an emerging market in the region, has been providing cloud services in the MENA region since 2016 when it opened a data center in Dubai. Public funds, cost efficiency spurs move to the cloud Governments in the Middle East, meanwhile, are working to encourage cloud adoption. Initiatives such as the UAEs Smart Dubai and Smart Abu Dhabi, as well as Saudi Arabias vast Neom project, are allocating big bucks to cloud technology that can support their IoT-managed smart-cities projects. Local governments in Qatar are also investing heavily in e-government projects and ICT sector development, driven by the Qatar National Vision 2030, which in turn is boosting the cloud infrastructure market. Since the implementation of Bahrains Cloud First policy, the nation has seen incredible shifts in its government services. Out of 70 Bahrain government entities, five have been fully migrated to the cloud while 35 services are partially shifted. Bahrains Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) said government spending on IT infrastructure will be reduced drastically owing to the migration of services to the AWS cloud. Nearly 70% of Bahraini government services, said officials, will run on the cloud and the authority hopes to close 72 physical offices as a result of their digital transformation. Along the Mediterranean, the government of Israel published in May 2018 a cloud strategy plan that highlights the role the technology can play in the public sector to achieve a real difference in citizens lives while enabling cost-effectiveness and IT agility. Project Nimbus, Israels flagship project for providing cloud services for its entire public sector, began collecting bids from cloud vendors for the project in 2019. AWS, Oracle, Microsoft, and Google were reportedly in the running, however, local reporting indicates that both Oracle and Microsoft have not made the final cut. Lack of skills slow cloud adoption Despite these developments, cloud spending in the MENA region remains among the lowest globally. A big factor slowing down cloud expansion in the region is the acute skills gap, with currently more demand than supply of workers with cloud-computing related expertise. This accentuates the need for up-skilling and re-skilling workers in jobs affected by automation and emerging technologies. We need to do more work around the skillset challenge which means working with education establishments, universities, technical colleges, etc to get more open source-type training and courses embedded into the curricula and at the same time build the local community, said Adrian Pickering, regional general manager for the Middle East and North Africa region at Red Hat, in a report from the Middle East and North Africa Cloud Alliance. Vendors have been helping. For example, Amazon Web Services Educate has been partnering with the World Bank and the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education since 2018 to train students on cloud technology. If the skills gap is promptly addressed by governments, businesses and other stakeholders in the Middle East, over half a million jobs could be created in different industries and verticals across the region in the period 2017-2022, according to research from IDC and Microsoft. (Additional reporting by Annie Bricker.) Iranians have been told to 'prepare for the worst' as the country faces a potential second wave of coronavirus cases. The Islamic Republic, one of the worst-hit countries in the Middle East, started easing its lockdown in April after a drop in deaths. But on Sunday, the country reported 2,979 new cases of COVID-19, the highest since the lifting of restrictions. There were also 81 new deaths. It means there have been 154,445 infections and 7,878 deaths in total, according to official figures. Officials attributed the jump in cases to people attending weddings and funerals, despite official pleas for them not to. Health minister Saeed Namaki said in a televised interview: 'People seem to think the coronavirus is over... some officials also believe everything is back to normal. 'The coronavirus is not only far from over, but we could at any moment see (another) dangerous peak.' Iranians have been told to 'prepare for the worst' as the country faces a potential second wave of coronavirus cases May saw an uptick in the rate of reported infections compared with mid to late April - an acceleration the government put down to increased testing. 'The outbreak is not over yet and at any moment it may come back stronger than before,' Mr Namaki added. 'If our people fail to respect the health protocols ... we must prepare ourselves for the worst situation.' According to Namaki, the provinces of Sistan and Baluchistan, Kermanshah, and Hormozgan are currently struggling with surges in infections. He added that half Iran's fatalities for the past day were recorded in three provinces, without naming them. 'If this continues, deaths can reach three digits again.' Infections have been on a rising trajectory in the Islamic republic since hitting a near two-month low on May 2. Experts both at home and abroad have voiced scepticism about Iran's official figures, saying the real toll could be much higher. The Islamic Republic, one of the worst-hit countries in the Middle East, started easing its lockdown in April after a drop in deaths. But on Sunday, the country reported 2,979 new cases of COVID-19, the highest since the lifting of restrictions Health officials have repeatedly raised the alarm for Khuzestan province on Iran's southwestern border with Iraq. Khuzestan remains 'red', the highest level on Iran's colour-coded risk scale, and is the only province where the government has reimposed a lockdown. 'We pleaded with the people to not hold weddings or funerals but they did not listen' especially in Khuzestan, said Namaki. Government employees went back to work and mosques resumed daily prayers on Saturday as part of the relaxation of the lockdown. But authorities had to reimpose restrictions in Khuzestan and nearby Sistan Baluchestan in mid-May after an uptick of cases there. 'There is still a long way ahead of us in our fight against this virus ... All the health protocols should be respected,' Namaki said. It comes after harrowing footage showed sick people collapsing in streets across the country. In one of the clips, a man was seen slumped on the kerb in Zahedan, southeast Iran, coughing and clearly in severe pain. It means there have been 154,445 infections and 7,878 deaths in total, according to official figures In another, a woman lay face-down on the floor of a Metro station while bystanders gave her a wide berth. Distrust in the country has grow 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. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2020 / Sarama Resources Ltd. ("Sarama" or the "Company") (TSX-V:SWA) advises that the Company's Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Vice President Exploration, and Vice President Corporate Development (the "Executives") have agreed to receive a portion of their salary in common shares of the Company. Pursuant to the requirements of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V"), the Company has sought approval to implement this arrangement and to issue 353,967 common shares to the Executives on account of services rendered for the period May 1, 2020 to May 31, 2020 (the "Compensation Shares"). The issue price of each Compensation Share is CAD$0.0659, based on a five-day volume weighted average price of the Company's common shares on the TSX-V on May 31, 2020. The issuance of the Compensation Shares is subject to the approval of the TSX-V. The change in Executive pay structure will be reviewed periodically. Following the issuance of the Compensation Shares, Sarama will have 251,013,954 common shares, 17,020,000 stock options and 6,500,000 warrants issued and outstanding. For further information on the Company's activities, please contact: Andrew Dinning e: info@saramaresources.com t: +61 (0) 8 9363 7600 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. ABOUT SARAMA RESOURCES LTD . Sarama Resources Ltd (TSX-V:SWA) is a West African focused gold explorer and developer with substantial landholdings in south-west Burkina Faso. Sarama is focused on maximising the value of its strategic assets and advancing its key projects towards development. CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Information in this disclosure that is not a statement of historical fact constitutes forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information includes statements regarding the potential for the receipt of regulatory approvals and the periodic review of programs by the Company. Actual results, performance or achievements of the Company may vary from the results suggested by such forward-looking statements due to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the Company's ability to carry on its exploration activities, the sufficiency of funding, the timely receipt of required approvals, the price of gold and other precious metals, that the Company will not be affected by adverse political events, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain further financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Sarama does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable laws. SOURCE: Sarama Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/592208/Sarama-Resources-Provides-Corporate-Update Mindanaoan commended for graduating from West Point The Senate today adopted a resolution congratulating and commending Jesson Penaflor of Kalilangan, Bukidnon for graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York City. Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, who introduced Senate Resolution No. 432, said Penaflor was commissioned to the rank of Second Lieutenant (2LT) after finishing his Bachelor of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering at West Point. He said the United States Military Academy, popularly known as West Point, is one of the oldest service academies in the world. It is a higher education institution for the training of commissioned officers for the United States Army. According to Zubiri, the 24-year-old native of Kalilangan, Bukidnon, attended Mindanao State University-Marawi City for three years before being admitted as a cadet of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). He said Penaflor was one of the 30 PMA cadets who applied for the Foreign Service Academy, where he received appointment from both the Australian Defense Force Academy and the United States Military Academy. "2LT Penaflor is the only Filipino citizen in this year's graduating class and the second Mindanaon to graduate from West Point, the first being Christy Isis Achanzar of Davao who graduated in 2008," Zubiri said. "2LT Penaflor is a testament to the fruits of hard work, discipline and a genuine commitment to service. His story will serve to inspire the aspiring servicemen and women of our nation to aim higher and work harder," he added. Today is Monday, June 1, 2020. Let's get caught up. The latest developments this Monday morning: The country enters a new week shaken by violence and unrest as fallout from the death of George Floyd continues; Minnesota's governor appoints the state attorney general to take the lead in the case; Trump, Biden take different approaches to the crisis. Read on for these stories, celebrity birthdays and more. Top stories US heads into a new week shaken by violence and pandemic With cities wounded by days of violent unrest, America headed into a new week with neighborhoods in shambles, urban streets on lockdown and shaken confidence about when leaders would find the answers to control the mayhem amid unrelenting raw emotion over police killings of black people. All of it smashed into a nation already bludgeoned by a death toll from the coronavirus pandemic surging past 100,000 and unemployment that soared to levels not seen since the Great Depression. Watch scenes from Sunday night's demonstrations: Sunday capped a tumultuous weekend and month that saw city and state officials deploy thousands of National Guard soldiers, enact strict curfews and shut down mass transit systems. Even with those efforts, many demonstrations erupted into violence as protesters hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police in Philadelphia, set a fire near the White House and were hit with tear gas and pepper spray in Austin and other cities. Seven Boston police officers were hospitalized. Read the full story here: In other developments ... City and state officials across the country deployed thousands of National Guard soldiers, enacted strict curfews and shut down mass transit systems to slow protesters' movements, but that did little to stop parts of many cities from again erupting into mayhem. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Sunday that the state Attorney General Keith Ellison and not the county prosecutor will take the lead in any prosecutions related to the death of George Floyd Protesters in Philadelphia hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police, officials said, while thieves in more than 20 California cities smashed their way into businesses and ran off with as much as they could carry boxes of sneakers, armloads of clothes, and cellphones, TVs and other electronics. In Minneapolis, a tanker truck driver drove into a massive crowd of demonstrators nearly a week after the death of George Floyd, a black man who pleaded for air as an officer pressed a knee into his neck. No protesters appeared to be injured, and the driver was arrested. Tensions spiked outside the White House, the scene of three days of demonstrations, where police fired tear gas and stun grenades into a crowd of more than 1,000 chanting protesters across the street in Lafayette Park. Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades. President Trump spent much of the weekend using Twitter as a bullhorn to urge law and order and tougher action by police against protesters around the country. Biden quietly visited the site of protests in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, and talked to some of the demonstrators. Several thousand people marched in New Zealand's largest city on Monday to protest the killing of George Floyd in the U.S. as well as to stand up against police violence and racism in their own country. Michael Jordan released a statement on George Floyd and the killings of black people at the hands of police. I see and feel everyones pain, outrage and frustration. I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. We have had enough." Click on the links below for full versions of these stories and scroll further for other news not related to the nation's racial unrest. Other top stories SpaceX's historic encore: Astronauts arrive at space station SpaceX delivered two astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA on Sunday, following up a historic liftoff with an equally smooth docking in yet another first for Elon Musks company. With test pilots Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken poised to take over manual control if necessary, the SpaceX Dragon capsule pulled up to the station and docked automatically, no assistance needed. The hatches swung open a few hours later, and the two Dragon riders floated into the orbiting lab and embraced the three station residents. Read the full story here: More headlines this morning Trending today Image of the day On this date Today in history: June 1 The Beatles album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was released, and more events that happened on this day in history. Happy birthday to ... Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Seoul, South Korea. Credit: shutterstock.com South Korean interventions controlled the transmission of COVID-19 quickly, resulting in a smaller epidemic made up of "clusters" of cases. A new report from the Imperial College London COVID-19 Response Team says that caution is needed in attempting to duplicate the South Korean "test, trace, isolate" response in countries with larger and more generalized epidemics. Despite a rapid growth of cases early in the global pandemic, South Korea brought the transmission of COVID-19 under control with less stringent nation-wide social distancing policies than countries such as Italy, France, and the UK. This has led to substantial interest in their early "test, trace, isolate" strategy as other nations begin to ease lockdown measures. Ms Amy Dighe, one of the authors of the paper, said: "Caution should be exercised if applying South Korea's "test, trace isolate" strategy in settings where transmission is geographically widespread and case numbers are much higher, like the US or many countries in Europe." Professor Steven Riley, Professor of Infectious Disease Dynamics, said: "As we exit lockdown in the UK, we need to learn as much from other countries as we can. The South Korean example shows us the importance of clusters. Although we certainly need to trace the contacts of individuals as quickly and as efficiently as we can, we also need to jump ahead of the virus by identifying clusters and rapidly quarantining, testing and isolating." Seoul, South Korea. Credit: shutterstock.com The research is published in Report 25 from Imperial College London's WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Modelling within the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Jameel Institute (J-IDEA) and Imperial's Department of Mathematics. Test, trace, isolate South Korea controlled transmission of COVID-19 rapidly, resulting in a relatively small epidemic made up of large linked clusters, the Imperial College London COVID-19 Response Team has found. This was in spite of South Korea experiencing a sharp growth in cases early in the global pandemic. As of May 28th, a total of 11,344 cases have been reported in South Korea. While South Korea experienced a sharp growth in COVID-19 cases early in the global pandemic, it has since rapidly reduced rates of infection and now maintains low numbers of daily new cases. This review of South Korea's interventions in response to the COVID-19 epidemic draw insights into the different components of the response. Suspected and confirmed cases were isolated quickly even during the rapid expansion of the epidemic and identification of a cluster of cases among members the Shincheonji group. A localized lockdown was implemented which reduced movement in Daegu decreased by 80% during this period as compared to the same time in 2019. A sign at a Seoul church is telling members of the Shincheonji Church that they are not permitted entry. Credit: shutterstock.com Isolation of cases and self-quarantine of contacts has been a consistent feature of the South Korean response. Suspected and confirmed cases were isolated quickly even during the rapid expansion of the epidemic and identification of the Shincheonji cluster. South Korea swiftly scaled up testing capacity and was able to maintain case-based interventions throughout the epidemic. Alongside this, South Korea asked people to leave their houses only for daily necessities, healthcare and commuting to work, and many community spaces were asked to close. This led to a 38% national decrease in movement which occurred voluntarily between February 24th - March 1st. Cluster investigations Imperial researchers find that contact tracing for infected individuals, rather than associated with a specific cluster, was a relatively minor aspect of the control program. Contacts traced through one individual currently account for only 11% of total cases. Cluster investigations account for a far higher proportion of cases, with 48% of all cases in the Shincheonji cluster and 20% in other clusters. The high volume of testing and low number of deaths suggests that South Korea experienced a small epidemic of infections relative to other countries. The authors say that caution is needed when attempting to duplicate the South Korean response in settings with larger more generalized epidemics as finding, testing and isolating cases that are linked to clusters may be more difficult in such settings. Co-author Dr Lorenzo Cattarino added: "South Korea's response to the COVID-19 outbreak has certainly been multipronged, with fast testing, tracing and isolation of cases and targeted social distancing measures right from the early stages of the epidemic. We need to work more on understanding the relative contribution of test-trace-isolate vs social distancing on South Korea's epidemic to better inform countries' exit strategies." Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak LSU students walk on campus Thursday afternoon, March 12, 2020, in Baton Rouge, La. It was announced Thursday that classes would classes would continue as usual on Friday but that classes are canceled the week of March 16-20. Following spring break, LSU will hold class online beginning Monday, March 30, through the end of the Spring semester. The US remained a tinderbox of anger and emotion as rioting and looting linked to the protests against the custodial killing of African-American George Floyd left a trail of destruction, resulting in the death of at least five people, arrest of about 4,000 and placing of curfew in nearly 40 cities, while forcing President Donald Trump to take shelter in a White House bunker. Police have arrested about 4,000 people in two dozen US cities with a large number of arrests taking place in Los Angeles, according to media reports. Considered to be the worst ever civil unrest in the US in decades, the violent protests have engulfed at least 140 cities across America in the days following the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old man who was pinned to the ground in Minneapolis on Monday by a white police officer who kneeled on his neck as he gasped for breath. Some of the protests have turned violent, prompting the activation of the National Guard in at least 20 states. Dozens of officers across the country have been injured by rocks other objects hurled at them, CNN reported. "We have officers with broken bones and bruises. More than 20 officers went to the hospital. At least two of these required surgery," Chicago Police Superintenent David Brown said. "At least five people were killed in violence that flared as demonstrations in parts of the country devolved into mayhem," The Washington Post reported. The unrest initially began in Minneapolis in Minnesota but has now spread across the country, with reports of violence coming in from across major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Houston, Philadelphia and Washington DC. "The United States remained a tinderbox of emotion, anger and continued violence on Sunday, the sixth day of nationwide unrest since the death of yet another black man at the hands of the police," The New York Times reported. In Birmingham, protesters started to tear down a Confederate monument that the city had previously covered with a tarp amid a lawsuit between the state attorney general and the city. In Boston, a police SUV was set ablaze near the State House, sending up a column of black smoke after a large group of protesters had mostly dispersed. In Philadelphia, police officers in riot gear and an armoured vehicle used pepper spray to try to repel rioters and looters. In New York, demonstrators marched across the Brooklyn and Williamsburg Bridges, snarling traffic. The Manhattan Bridge was briefly shut down to car traffic. Chaos erupted in Union Square, with flames leaping up two stories from trash cans and piles of street debris, the Times said. "It is the first time so many local leaders have simultaneously issued such orders in the face of civic unrest since 1968, after the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr," the report said. The police fired tear gas near the White House on Sunday night to dissuade protesters who had smashed the windows of prominent buildings, overturned cars and set fires, with smoke seen rising from near the Washington Monument, it said. For the past few days, thousands of protestors have gathered outside the White House raising slogans against President Trump. According to CNN, President Trump was briefly taken to the underground bunker for some time during the protest outside the White House, while First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron were also taken to the bunker. President Trump made no public appearances on Sunday, but in a series of tweets he blamed the media for fomenting hatred and anarchy in the country. "The Lamestream Media is doing everything within their power to foment hatred and anarchy. As long as everybody understands what they are doing, that they are FAKE NEWS and truly bad people with a sick agenda, we can easily work through them to GREATNESS!" he said. Earlier in the day, he announced that his administration will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization. ANTIFA is regarded as a militant, left-wing, anti-fascist political activist movement in the US. It comprises autonomous activist groups that aim to achieve their political objectives through the use of direct action rather than through policy reform. US Attorney General William Barr said that the violence instigated and carried out by the organisation and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly. The Trump administration alleges that it appears the violence is planned, organised, and driven by anarchistic and far left extremists, using ANTIFA-like tactics, many of whom travel from out of state to promote the violence. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic party, visited a protest site in Delaware on Sunday. "We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us. We are a nation enraged, but we cannot allow our rage to consume us. We are a nation exhausted, but we will not allow our exhaustion to defeat us," Biden wrote on social media postings on Sunday. "The only way to bear this pain is to turn all that anguish to purpose. And as President, I will help lead this conversation and more importantly, I will listen, just as I did today visiting the site of last night's protests in Wilmington," he said. The Committee to Protect Journalists, in a late night statement said that several dozen covering the protests have been harassment, as well as arrested by law enforcement agencies. In the Midst of COVID-19 MedSend Establishes an Institute of Global Healthcare Missions (IGHM) Advisory Board to Address Global Healthcare Disparities and Severe Shortages of Physicians in Africa and Asia NEWS PROVIDED BY MedSend June 1, 2020 FT. MILL, S.C. June 1, 2020 /Standard Newswire/ -- In response to the urgent need to address severe shortages of frontline healthcare workers and healthcare disparities in Africa and Asia, global healthcare missions organization MedSend announced today that it has established an Advisory Board to explore its Institute of Global Healthcare Missions (IGHM) vision. The vision for the IGHM is to increase the capacity of mission hospitals to train Christian doctors in Africa and Asia. The IGHM's primary function will be to mobilize resources in order to support the numerous organizations involved in training the next generation of frontline healthcare professionals, within the vast global network of mission-based hospitals. "The Institute will set out to accomplish objectives defined with and through its partners," said MedSend CEO Rick Allen. "MedSend's ethos, since its founding twenty-six years ago, has been based on partnerships. We are uniquely positioned within the community of global healthcare missions with fifty-plus partnerships to help shepherd this initiative." "An impressive group of individuals stepped forward to create the Advisory Board," said David Finley, a Managing Partner with Excelerant Consulting and Chairperson of the newly formed IGHM Advisory Board. "They are leaders throughout the healthcare industry including physicians and top industry provider and supplier executives." Dr. Tamara Fitzgerald, a top pediatric surgeon and researcher who has worked in the US, Uganda, Cameroon, Bolivia, Mozambique, Kenya and Malawi, has joined the IGHM Advisory Board. "I am very impressed that a faith-based organization is committed to using a data-driven approach to increase impact and expand healthcare where it is most needed. This strategy will illuminate opportunities for change, strengthen relationships with foreign stakeholders and influence the lives of individuals in many nations," stated Dr. Fitzgerald. There are a growing number of mission hospitals which are capable of conducting specialized residency programs such as surgery, orthopedics and pediatrics. The IGHM will mobilize resources in order to help current programs increase the number of residents and help new programs get off the ground. The Institute will take a long-term view, up to 10 years, to help an organization realize their potential to provide specialized training in the country in which they serve and train. "Today MedSend, through its National Scholars program, provides scholarships to highly qualified physicians to receive the specialized training in existing programs. It is our long-term goal to help grow and support these programs which are vital to building healthcare capacity throughout Africa and Asia," said Allen. "We intend to conclude the exploration phase of the Institute by the end of 2020 or early 2021. The Advisory Board will be conducting research and weighing options during this time," said Finley. About MedSend MedSend is a 501(c)3 non-profit which financially assists frontline healthcare workers who want to serve globally in mission hospitals. To date MedSend has provided over $19 million in support to mobilize and sustain global healthcare workers. MedSend also provides scholarships for the training of indigenous doctors in Africa and Asia. Contact: Laurie Sanders, VP (laurie@medsend.org) for more information or to donate. SOURCE MedSend CONTACT: Morgan Boardman, 469-323-4997, morgan@medsend.org Related Links medsend.org No one from the church was in the building, she said. The fire was was started through a window, by some sort of fire igniter. When she visited the church Monday morning, the damage had been contained, graffiti had been cleaned up, and the federal Bureau of Alchohol, Tobacco and Firearms was investigating. The NAA oo NAA Foundation was established in 2017. It is a Non-Governmental Organization that seeks to promote and enhance the well-being and development of under-privileged communities in Ghana in four thematic areas; Legal, Health, Education, and Entrepreneurship. The foundation has embarked on several legal education and health projects; free blood group check, blood donations, and health screenings for communities in Ghana. The foundation has in the past carried out blood donation and health screening at the University of Cape Coast and its environs which benefitted about 3,600 persons, among other projects and initiatives. On Thursday, 21st May 2020, the foundation, as part of its effort to contribute its quota to the fight against the dreaded coronavirus pandemic in Ghana, this time embarked on a Corona Virus Safety Campaign which saw a distribution of Free hand sanitizers, Facemasks and Veronica Buckets across the Odorkor Trotro station and the Odorkor Market. At the program, the Founder of the foundation, Ms. Rachael Aryee emphasized that it has become necessary for NGOs to make an impact towards battling the coronavirus global pandemic, through public educations, donation of PPEs. She stated, It has become necessary that as an NGO, we also contribute our quota to making the community a better place for all". The Naa oo Naa foundation decided to target the market women and the trotro drivers because these ones are largely not technologically inclined and so there is no easy flow of information to them on COVID-19. It is difficult for our mothers and fathers, and the grassroots-based individuals to get information through social media and other non-traditional mediums of communication, hence the need to go to the grassroots to educate them on the need to observe the Covid-19 protocol. Ms. Rachael went ahead to highlight the various COVID -19 protocols, and with the assistance of Ms. Lilian Nortey, a nurse at Greater Accra Regional Hospital-Ridge, who is also a member of the foundation, they demonstrated to the people how to wear face masks properly, how to wash hands properly and the procedure to observe social distancing. The program was also graced by the Ghana Health Service which was represented by the Ablekuma North Municipal Health Information Director, Mr. Wilson Addai Asare Oyiadzo, who emphasized that the traders and customers without PPEs are not allowed to enter the Odorkor market and Trotro station, as part of the effort to mitigate the spread of the virus. The Information Services Department; a state agency under the Ministry of information was also represented by Madam Mercy Nana Serwaa Asante, the Ablekuma North Municipal Assembly Information Officer. The foundation has demonstrated an example worth emulating, and all Ghanaians share in the responsibility to help contain the spread of the virus. Naa oo Naa Foundation: [email protected] South Africa: President congratulates Elon Musk on historic SpaceX flight President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated South African citizen and global technology pioneer, Elon Musk, for his company SpaceXs historic first commercial flight into space. Powered by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, the companys Crew Dragon spacecraft carried NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley into space on Saturday, 30 May 2020, en route to docking with the International Space Station 19 hours later. In the midst of our struggle against COVID-19, Elon Musk has made us proud as a country and continent. The Dragons successful flight to the International Space Station speaks of the ability of a resilient, industrious, fearless and visionary individual to harness talent and material resources to open new frontiers of hope, adventure and opportunity for generations into the future. It is most appropriate that we have been given this hope and excitement at a time when insecurity and uncertainty defines the human condition in many parts of the world, said President Ramaphosa. This was the first time in history that a private-sector entity launched astronauts for NASA, which is an entity of the United States government. Elon Musk holds South African, Canadian and United States citizenship. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. (Bloomberg) -- The Minneapolis Police Departments website has shown signs of a cyber-attack since late Saturday, days after a video purported to be from the hacktivist group Anonymous promised retribution for the death of George Floyd during an arrest. Websites for the police department and the city of Minneapolis were temporarily inaccessible on Saturday as protesters in cities around the U.S. marched against police violence aimed at black Americans. By Sunday morning, the pages sometimes required visitors to submit captchas to verify they werent bots, a tool used to mitigate hacks that attempt to overwhelm pages with automated requests until they stop responding. Officials with the police department and the city didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Anonymous posted a video on their unconfirmed Facebook page on May 28 directed at the Minneapolis police. The post accused them of having a horrific track record of violence and corruption. The speaker, wearing a hoodie and the Guy Fawkes mask thats a well-known symbol of the group, concludes the video with, we do not trust your corrupt organization to carry out justice, so we will be exposing your many crimes to the world. We are a legion. Expect us. The video was viewed about 2.7 million times on Facebook, during a weekend in which violence swept the U.S. as protesters clashed with law enforcement and National Guard troops. While many demonstrations have been peaceful, others have devolved into rioting. Several cities issued curfews and police have at times turned their rubber bullets and mace on the activists and on journalists covering the protests. President Donald Trump on Sunday cast blame on the media for stoking the violence thats followed the death of Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minnesota police custody. Anonymous began appearing as a loose collective of hacktivists around 2003, emerging from message boards like 4chan, and launching attacks against organizations from the Church of Scientology to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the terrorist group ISIS. Among their other targets were Mastercard Inc., white supremacists and members of the Ku Klux Klan. Story continues During the Arab Spring in 2011, its hackers took down government websites in Tunisia and Egypt and would go on to infiltrate government websites with distributed denial of service attacks in Malaysia, India, Syria, China and Nigeria. A 2012 cyber attack on PayPal in retaliation for shutting off service to Julian Assanges Wikileaks cost the company millions. In 2014, Anonymous attacked Ferguson City Halls website after Michael Brown was shot and killed, prompting riots throughout the city. The group threatened the St. Louis County police chief with the public release of his personal family information if he didnt release the name of the police officer who shot Brown. A member of the group initially misidentified the officer. The group then went on to threaten police and the local government with cyber-attacks if protesters were abused or harassed. In the years since several of its members have been arrested and charged with computer crimes and hacking attacks. Among them was Deric Lostutter, who in 2017 was sentenced to two years in federal prison for hacking a high school football teams website in connection with a 2012 rape case. Last November, James Robinson was sentenced to six years in prison for distributed denial of service attacks on police and local government in Akron, Ohio in 2017. (Updates with Anonymous background from 10th 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. Hyderabad, June 1 : Senior Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) leader in Telangana Chintala Ramachandra Reddy has tested Covid-19 positive and is undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital, here. His condition is stated to be stable. According to hospital sources, the former MLA from Khairatabad was brought to hospital on Sunday with suspected coronavirus symptoms. His swab samples, sent to a government-run hospital, were found positive. After he tested positive, his wife and son too were admitted to the same hospital. Their samples have been sent for testing. He is the first political leader in Telangana to test Covid-19 positive. Almost all Covid-19 patients are undergoing treatment at government-run Gandhi Hospital, the designated Covid facility. Some private hospitals have also been permitted to treat Covid-19 patients. They are required to follow the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) protocol. The health authorities are required to regularly monitor status of patients in private hospitals. However, they are not allowed to do Covid-19 testing. They send samples to Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) or other government-run hospitals. The Telangana High Court had last week permitted private hospitals and laboratories to conduct Covid-19 tests, if approved by the ICMR. The court had found fault with the state government for not allowing private hospitals and laboratories to do the testing. However, the health authorities have not yet issued orders for allowing tests in private hospitals. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Chiara de Blasio pictured in 2014 speaking before she received a special recognition award at the National Council for Behavioural Health's Annual Conference: (Getty Images) The daughter of New York City mayor Bill de Blasio was arrested over the weekend at a protest following the death of George Floyd and police brutality against black Americans. Mr Floyd died 25 May after Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck while detaining him, sparking protests across the US and outcry from politicians, including former president Barack Obama. Mr Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter on Friday and may face further charges in the future, according to county attorney Mike Freeman. Protests initially started in Minneapolis last week, but spread to Los Angeles and New York City, among other cities in the US over the weekend. At a protest in Manhattan on Saturday, Chiara de Blasio was arrested at East 12th Street for unlawful assembly, according to NBC News. Ms de Blasio was arrested at about 10:30pm, after blocking traffic and refusing to move, according to the New York Post. A source for the Post, said that the area where Ms de Blasio was arrested, was a real hotspot, police cars were getting burned there, people were throwing and yelling, fighting with cops. There were thousands of people in that area at that time, the source added. The mayors daughter was released from custody, but was arrested alongside at least 345 people, during protests in the city on Saturday. The outlet reported that she did not tell the authorities that she is the mayors daughter. Mr de Blasio spoke to elected council officials and members of the community over the weekend about his response to the protests. Structural racism haunts the lives of people of color. What were seeing is an overflow due to decades of injustices. I see my own privilege and can only understand so much. I know enough to say that for the Black community every day is pervaded by racism. We will do better. pic.twitter.com/XAK7S0HxoO Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) May 30, 2020 About an hour before his daughter was arrested, he held a press conference, where he spoke about the death of George Floyd and systemic racism in the US. Story continues He captioned his post on Twitter: Structural racism haunts the lives of people of color. What were seeing is an overflow due to decades of injustices. I see my own privilege and can only understand so much. I know enough to say that for the Black community every day is pervaded by racism. We will do better. Read more Trump rushed to underground bunker during protests outside White House Russias President instructs to expand list of industries affected by pandemic kremlin.ru 17:25 01/06/2020 MOSCOW, June 1 (RAPSI) President Vladimir Putin has issued an instruction to expand the list of the sectors of Russias economy most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic by adding to it passenger railroad transportation and inland water transport. At the end of March the President entrusted the government with specifying the sectors most affected by the pandemic. At that time he also ordered to organize an ongoing monitoring of the economic situation in Russia so the said list could be timely updated. In his report submitted to the President Business Ombudsman Boris Titov proposed to adopt an alternative criterion triggering state support for the enterprises affected by the pandemic: a decline in proceeds at or above 30% throughout a reference period; at that, the aid was to be provided not only as concerned core activities, but also auxiliary ones pertaining to those on the list of most affected industries the enterprises registered in the Russian National Classifier of Types of Economic Activities. Among the measures proposed by Titov were loans at 2% interest aimed to save jobs, which could be provided to form 60% to 90% of the affected companies. The Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, in his turn, has earlier noted that an expansion of the list of the sectors of Russias economy most affected by the pandemic resulted in provision of support to 1.4 million employees of small and medium-sized businesses. According to Reshetnikov, the ministry is monitoring the efficiency of the measures and if they are available to individuals and businesses; if banks offer support to those eligible, and if these activities bring the desired results. The monitoring has shown that one of the most pressing issues, which has been frequently under discussion, is the application of the Russian National Classifier of Types of Economic Activities; the fact that small and microbusinesses could use not only their core activities, but also auxiliary ones entered in the Classifier, to obtain aid resulted in a significant increase in the number of the participants of the said programs. Although the government has already undertaken a range of measures to support the most affected industries, they need to be extended to all small and medium-sized businesses, even if it is clear that such a development will require the amount of the aid to be increased two- or threefold, auditor of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation Danil Shilkov has said addressing the State Duma. Businesses are seriously concerned with the problems they face as concerns the types of activities in the Classifier eligible for state support for the industries most affected by the pandemic seeking help from ministries and agencies on their initiative. Meanwhile, President of Russias OPORA lobby group, which represents the interests of domestic small and medium businesses, Alexander Kalinin is of the opinion that basing on the threshold of provision of aid set at a 30% decline in proceeds from the types of economic activities defined as the most affected ones as per the Classifier only 1.5 million of entrepreneurs from their total number of 6 million will be able to receive the aid. The Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) has asked the Ministry of Transport to propose Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc extend the expiry for locomotives and carriages by three years. Carriages are under repair at the Gia Lam Train Joint Stock Company in Gia Lam district in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) Government Decree 65/ND-CP currently regulates that 40-year-old locomotives and carriages can no longer be used, which has caused a shortage of locomotives and carriages for the sector, according to the VNR. At present, the VNR is managing 282 locomotives, of which 262 are in use. The remaining 20 are left idle because they are too out of date, have low capacity and consume lots of fuel while repairs are too expensive. Data of the VNR showed 121 locomotives will not be used from the beginning of next year to 2026 due to the age rule, leaving it with only 141 by 2026. Also under Decree 65, the VNR will have 196 locomotives by the beginning of 2022, but it usually needs about 217 to accommodate the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday rush. Hoang Gia Khanh, deputy director of the VNR, said all of the locomotives in use at present are up to safety standards and some have received overhauls recently. Regarding carriages, the railway sector manages more than 1,030 carriages. Under Decree 65, as many as 794 should have come out of use at the start of this year, but they continue to be used as the VNR says they are in good condition and there is no alternative. Khanh confirmed that all of the carriages are periodically maintained and were certificated by the Vietnam Register for satisfying technical and environmental protection regulations. All of the carriages ensure technological safe norms to operate on the countrys railway system, he said. Khanh said if the 86 carriages that carry materials for railway infrastructure repair went out of use, many difficulties would occur while conducting the project of renovating and upgrading the Hanoi-HCM City railway system. To have enough locomotives, the VNR started a project to invest in buying 32 new locomotives in 2016. However, the project is still in the research stage. Each new locomotive would cost about 1.5 billion VND (65,200 USD), so a great deal of investment was needed, said Khanh. Vu Anh Minh, chairman of the VNR, said investing in new equipment would put a lot of financial pressure on railway enterprises. Minh said that the VNR had worked with different foreign partners to discuss investment methods to get more new trains while reducing this pressure. The partners will build new trains and the VNR will rent them. When the renting period ends, the trains will belong to the VNR. In fact, it is paying by instalments, said Minh. The price to make a train could also be cut by 10 percent by avoiding intermediate expenses. With the form, railway sector can replace all out-of-date carriages, and the more important thing is that it will help improve the sectors quality because it can learn from experience and access modern technology, said Minh./.VNS Vietnam Railway reports VND600bn in losses The Vietnam Railway Corporation (VNR) is facing losses of over VND600bn (USD26m) in 2020 because of Covid-19. Iran, Turkmenistan to reopen borders next week as COVID-19 restrictions ease IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Mashad, May 31, IRNA -- Following gradual easing restrictions due to the global outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Iran and Turkmenistan have agreed to reopen borders next week (on June 10), according to Iranian ambassador to Ashgabat. Gholamabbas Arbab Khales told IRNA correspondent on Sunday that the rail and road borders between the two countries will be reopened while fully observing health protocols. He said that Iran and Turkmenistan had previously agreed to reopen borders on June 1, but the date was then postponed to June 10 for disinfecting operations to protect road and railway transportation. The ambassador noted that the decision to reopen borders was made on Saturday by a joint working group thorough video conference. He also said that in a ministerial meeting among Iran, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as negotiations between heads of railway companies of the three countries, they agreed to reopen borders while installing sanitizing tunnels at both sides of the borders and fully observing health protocols. 9341**1430 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address As marchers took to the streets for a third night in Portland, more than 320 city residents joined together via video conference to grieve George Floyds killing in Minneapolis police custody and talk about how to hold local police accountable. The Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing, a community oversight group required under a city settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, organized the special meeting Sunday night. It drew the most attendees since the groups inception. Lakayana Drury, a co-chair of the group, told participants from the start that the conversation was not to be about riots or protests, but about black lives and how the Portland Police Bureau can change its practices and policies so black people are not dying in their hands. The committee passed a resolution, imploring elected officials and law enforcement in Portland to stand against white supremacy and police violence. We must do more than make symbolic statements against racism, it read. We must change the outcomes of policing, reducing incidents of violence, and the targeting of communities of color and other marginalized groups. The resolution comes less than a week after Mondays death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man who died in Minneapolis after being handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a white police officer, since charged with third-degree murder. The Portland committee also urged Mayor Ted Wheeler to press Oregons federal lawmakers to try to challenge the legal doctrine called qualified immunity, a 50-year-old principle from the U.S. Supreme Court thats meant to protect government employees from frivolous litigation but often shields police from being held accountable in civil suits when officers are accused of using excessive force. Those suing police must meet a high standard, showing that police violated a clearly established precedent, meaning that the detailed circumstances of what occurred had been ruled improper in the past. "It is clear that the legal standards affecting policing in Portland and America need to change,'' the resolution said. "The doctrine of qualified immunity protects public officials individually from lawsuits for violating the legal rights of citizens. It has been used to protect police officers from actions that shock and appall the conscience.'' Committee member Andre La Roche, who described the resolution, told the group, This is a crucial time in all of our communities. Theres a lot of uncertainty, a lot of fear, a lot of anger.'' He said he wanted to take that fear and pain and use it to make changes that prevent future harms. Honestly, bro, I feel like Im seeing the same movie, over and over again, said Mic Capes, a Portland native and local rapper. You get tired of trying to get white people to see the value of our humanity. Capes urged white community members to take diversity seriously, not be afraid to talk to people of color at the grocery store or elsewhere, and dont act like were aliens when you see us. Capes and others called for police to live in the neighborhoods they patrol and visit schools out of uniform to talk with students of color to gain their respect. Others called for outside agencies to investigate police use of deadly force. Kayse Jama, executive director of Unite Oregon, urged community members and elected officials to press for meaningful changes in the citys contract with the Portland Police Association, the union representing the rank-and-file, detectives and sergeants. Those participating in Sunday nights session also urged passage of a bill before state lawmakers that would make it harder for state arbitrators to overturn the firing or discipline of officers for misconduct. Police commissioners in Portland have long complained that they cant effectively manage their work force when discipline decisions are second-guessed and overturned. But the cases that reach arbitration usually are high profile and involve the most egregious conduct, tactics leading to the use of deadly force or, in Frashours case, the use of such force Im sick and tired of seeing black people die on the streets of this country, Jama said. Local resident Dustin Daniel said hed like to see the Portland Police Bureau require officers to volunteer for organizations that work with youths of color to help eliminate the negative perceptions. He also urged more community members be allowed to serve on interview panels for prospective police recruits. Local resident Ricardo Lujan-Valerio said he was buoyed by photos Sunday that caught a flank of Portland police officers downtown taking a knee, in support of protesters. While the photo is powerful, he said the Police Bureau needs to commit to reform, needs to commit to welcoming that reform. Nkenge Harmon Johnson, president and chief executive officer of the Urban League of Portland, blasted the mayors office, Oregons U.S. Attorneys office and the police chief for agreeing earlier this year that the Portland Police Bureau is in substantial compliance with a federal settlement, when people are continuing to die at the hands of police. Portland officers fatally shot five people in 2019, three who were suffering from a mental illness. The five shootings were the most since since 2010. In January, U.S. Department of Justice lawyers said they had found the Police Bureau in substantial compliance with 190 reforms required as part of the city settlement adopted six years ago after a federal investigation determined officers used excessive force against people with mental illness. They found that the bureau had adopted changes to its use of force policies, training, crisis intervention tactics and employee information system developed to identify officers with excessive complaints or uses of force. My chest has been numb for a few days, Johnson said. Still, here we are in a so-called progressive city having to fight to make public servants respect civil rights and do the right thing. People on the streets are sick of it. Im sick of it. Johnson thanked the committee for hosting the listening session. Its good anytime members of our community come together to work together to build justice, she noted. -- 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 Story Highlights 67% say marriages between same-sex couples should be legally valid Current figure matches all-time high recorded in 2018 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Two in three Americans (67%) say marriages between same-sex couples should be recognized by the law as valid, matching the previous high Gallup measured in 2018. The latest figure comes just before the five-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that all states must recognize same-sex marriages. Line graph. Americans support for same-sex marriage. In Gallup's May 1-13 survey, 67% say that same-sex marriage should be legally valid. These data are from Gallup's annual Values and Beliefs poll, conducted May 1-13. Since Gallup's initial measure on support for gay marriage in 1996, when 27% backed it, the percentage of U.S. adults saying it should be legally recognized has climbed by 40 percentage points. Gallup first recorded majority-level support in May 2011, and support has exceeded 60% each year since 2016. In its Obergefell v. Hodges decision on June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that all U.S. states must grant same-sex marriages and recognize those marriages granted in other states. Democrats, Independents Much More Likely Than Republicans to Support Gay Marriage U.S. Democrats (83%) have consistently been one of the most likely groups to favor same-sex marriage, and their support has grown the most (by 50 points) among political party groups since 1996. Support has also grown considerably among independents -- now at 71%, up 39 points since Gallup's initial measure. Republicans have consistently been the least likely to favor same-sex marriage, though they have warmed to the idea over the course of Gallup's trend, growing in support by 33 points. Since 2017, however, their views have remained stable, ranging from 44% to 49%. Line graph. Americans support for same-sex marriage, by political party affiliation. Democrats are most likely to support same-sex marriage, at 86%, followed by independents at 74% and Republicans at 45%. Bottom Line Americans' support for recognizing same-sex marriages as legally valid more than doubled between the late 1990s and the mid-2010s, and has since climbed even higher. The trend parallels the evolution of societal attitudes on legalizing marijuana over roughly the same time. At this time, given both shifts in public attitudes and the Obergefell decision, gay marriage is unlikely to reemerge as a major issue in U.S. electoral politics. No serious efforts by the Republican Party, who were once staunch opponents to legalizing gay marriage, have been made since the court's decision -- even in recent years, under a Republican president. Still, tracking Americans' evolution on the issue has been a fascinating shift to observe; their changing views on this matter are one of the most notable shifts in public opinion Gallup has measured in recent decades. Support for recognizing gay marriages has grown since the court's decision brought the issue to a close. Future Gallup measures will determine if the current two-thirds of Americans who support same-sex marriage is the ceiling, or if there is further growth in the coming decades. Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works. Iran took everyone by surprise, although it might have been expected, that it will develop an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) which will be a threat to ships of other nations. Already Iran has developed systemic warfare capacity that gets a boost from the addition of this specialized equipment to its military forces, having the ability to attack with underwater drones will be a factor to contend with, reported by Forbes in Aerospace & Defense. If the reports are indeed correct and not just random, then it will like the US Navy and Royal Navy that can field bigger underwater drone vehicles. Possession of it will make the Iran Navy nothing to trifle with. Comparison to other Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) This Iranian built and designed UUV is almost equal to the Boeing BA Orca extra-large unmanned underwater vehicle (XLUUV), that is in development for US Navy use. It has the size, with diesel-electric motor drive, and with the necessary technology. Call it the budget model of the Orca, that is more cost-effective, mentioned an article published in USNI. It was first seen by the public at a ceremony conducted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp's Navy (IRGC-N), to showcase its newest weapons and equipment that shows its increased warfighting capacity. Compared to other services in the Iranian army, the Red Guard is willing to adopt new tactics and weapons for its military operations. One suspicion is the deployment of limpet mines, done tankers plying the Persian Gulf. By adding the UUVS and limpet mines, the Revolutionary Guard can fight in unorthodox ways that can confound its adversaries in the Persian Gulf. Also read: US Navy Warns Foreign Ships in Persian Gulf to Keep Distance or Face the Consequences In the parade, there were missile and rocket-armed fast attack craft (FACs) that would specialize in different operations, speed boats, frogmen-use underwater chariots as equipment for the Revolutionary Guard. Other craft seen were ground effect aircraft that flies over but not too high, not innovative compared to some new vessels, but UUV is on a different level altogether, reported by GeoPolitics News. Having the large unmanned underwater vehicles will give the IRGC-N a reputation in the Persian Gulf, as a way to become the premier Navy and add more war-fighting capacity. Also, the long-range given by the diesel-electric propulsion is a bonus for farther striking capacity to the Revolutionary Guard. The UUVs larger size can accommodate more weapons payload and integration. One use will be laying mines safely, without any human piloting it. Confirmed by the Tehran Times, seen on the casing were two personnel, possibly on who uses a remote controller with one more will be helping with the connection cable used for the controller. Just an early version perhaps, and not conclusive too Noticeable on the UUV is no protective sail that a person can stand when on top of the water that is an indicator that it can be a drone mini multi-purpose submarine. Allowing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to mount underwater missions, with no danger to personnel. Most Revolutionary Guard equipment is basic not as complex to similar US equipment, the UUV is basic yet effective, one side has "we can do it" in Iranian. This sub has a cigar-shaped steel hull, and Iran has many mini-subs that they can build, but when remote controls come there is no way to know. With further development, this Iranian Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) might be developed more to be a match to its counterparts. Related article: Five Iranian Fuel Tankers Entered Venezuela Waters Despite US Ships' Warning @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Hundreds More Captives Freed As Part Of Afghanistan-Taliban Prisoner Swap By RFE/RL May 31, 2020 The Afghan government and the Taliban have released more captives as part of a major prisoner swap ahead of formal peace talks aimed at ending the 18-year war. 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 Government has released 710 Taliban prisoners from Pul-e Charkhi, Parwan and other prisons in the provinces since yesterday," National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal tweeted late on May 30. The releases bring to around 2,700 the total number of prisoners freed by Kabul since the U.S.-Taliban agreement was signed. Suhail Shaheen, the spokesman of the Taliban's political office in Qatar, said on Twitter on May 30 that the militants released 73 members of the Afghan security forces in the provinces of Balkh, Kunduz, Logar, Paktia, Khost, and Paktika. He said that the Taliban had so far released 420 government prisoners. The prisoner releases come amid new momentum in the peace process that was on the verge of collapse following intensifying militant attacks. In a surprise move, the Taliban announced a May 24-26 cease-fire to coincide with the Eid al-Fitr Islamic holiday. 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. The developments have raised prospects of an extended cessation of hostilities and the long-delayed launch of direct talks between the government and militants over a permanent cease-fire and a future power-sharing agreement. Since the truce ended, the militants have observed an unofficial reduction of violence, despite staging several deadly attacks on government forces. A Taliban delegation arrived in Kabul on May 28 for talks over the prisoner swap. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/hundreds-more -captives-freed-as-part-of-afghanistan- taliban-prisoner-swap/30644298.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 [June 01, 2020] N2Growth Named by Forbes as Top Executive Search Firm PHILADELPHIA, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- N2Growth, Inc., a global leader in human and organizational performance and top executive search firm, announced today that it was named to the Forbes 2020 list of Top Executive Search Firms for the fifth consecutive year. Mike Myatt, founder and Chairman of N2Growth, said, "We are very grateful to have been ranked by Forbes for the fifth consecutive year as one of America's Top Executive Search firms. Having been one of the fastest-growing executive search firms for several years running, the continued recognition from Forbes serves as further confirmation the market is resonating with our innovative approach." Forbes partnered with analytics firm Statista to survey 25,000 recruiters and 5,000 job candidates and human resources managers who had worked with recruitment agencies over the last three years. Respondents were asked to nominate up to 10 recruiting firms in the executive and professional search categories. Firms could not nominate themselves and last year's findings were considered. More than 17,000 nominations were collected and firms with the most recommendations ranked highest. Tony Morales, Managing Director at N2Growth, said, "We have set the chinning bar for excellence and innovation in executive search, consistently out-pacing legacy-based search agencies. With our proprietary technology, unique pricing model, industry-leading performance metrics and totally transparent search process, we have created the future of executive search." About N2Growth N2Growth is a global leader in human and organizational performance, with practice areas in executive search, leadership development and business transformation. Ranked as a Top 10 Executive Search Firm by Forbes, N2Growth has more than 50 locations across the Americas, the European Community, MENA and APAC. More information on N2Growth can be found at www.n2growth.com. Media Inquiries: Dan Evans N2Growth (830) 715-4007 [email protected] Related Images image1.jpg View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/n2growth-named-by-forbes-as-top-executive-search-firm-301068463.html SOURCE N2Growth [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] WASHINGTON Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across America again Sunday, with peaceful demonstrations against police killings of black people overshadowed by unrest that ravaged cities from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and flared near the White House. City and state officials deployed thousands of National Guard soldiers, enacted strict curfews and shut down mass transit systems to slow protesters' movements, but that did little to stop parts of many cities from again erupting into mayhem. Protesters in Philadelphia hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police, officials said, while thieves in more than 20 California cities smashed their way into businesses and ran off with as much as they could carry boxes of sneakers, armloads of clothes, and cellphones, TVs and other electronics. In Minneapolis, a tanker truck driver drove into a massive crowd of demonstrators nearly a week after the death of George Floyd, a black man who pleaded for air as an officer pressed a knee into his neck. No protesters appeared to be injured, and the driver was arrested. Tensions spiked outside the White House, the scene of three days of demonstrations, where police fired tear gas and stun grenades into a crowd of more than 1,000 chanting protesters across the street in Lafayette Park. The crowd ran away and piled up road signs and plastic barriers to light a raging fire in a nearby street. Some pulled an American flag from a building and threw it into the blaze. A building in the park with bathrooms and a maintenance office went up in flames and people broke into banks and jewelry stores. As demonstrations persisted past curfew, Washington police said they were responding to multiple fires set around the capital. The entire Washington, D.C., National Guard roughly 1,700 soldiers was called in to help control the protests, according to two Defense Department officials who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter. As the protests grew, President Donald Trump retweeted conservative commentator Buck Sexton who called for overwhelming force against violent demonstrators. Secret Service agents had rushed Trump to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades. The president spent nearly an hour in the bunker designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks, according to a Republican close to the White House who was not authorized to publicly discuss private matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The account was confirmed by an administration official who also spoke on condition of anonymity. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, visited the site of protests in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, and talked to some of the demonstrators. He also wrote a post on Medium expressing empathy for those despairing about the killing of George Floyd. At least 4,400 people have been arrested over days of protests, according to a tally compiled by The Associated Press. Arrests ranged from stealing and blocking highways to breaking curfew. In Salt Lake City, an activist leader condemned the destruction of property but said broken buildings shouldnt be mourned on the same level as black men like Floyd. Maybe this country will get the memo that we are sick of police murdering unarmed black men, said Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah. Maybe the next time a white police officer decides to pull the trigger, he will picture cities burning. Yet thousands still marched peacefully in Phoenix, Albuquerque and other cities, with some calling for an end to the fires, vandalism and theft, saying it weakened calls for justice and reform. They keep killing our people, said Mahira Louis, 15, who marched with her mother and several hundred others in a peaceful protest through downtown Boston. Im so sick and tired of it. But as night fell that demonstration also descended into violence, with some protesters throwing rocks, bricks and glass bottles at officers and lighting a police vehicle on fire. In downtown Atlanta, authorities fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said two officers had been fired and three placed on desk duty after video showed police surrounding a car Saturday, then pulling a woman out of the passenger seat and appearing to use a stun gun on a man who was driving. Police Chief Erika Shields called it really shocking to watch. In downtown Los Angeles, a police SUV accelerated into several protesters in a street, knocking two people to the ground. The pair got up and ran onto the sidewalk. Nearby in Santa Monica, not far from a peaceful demonstration, a group broke into a Gap and a Vans sneaker store, where people walked out with boxes of shoes. Others shattered the windows of an REI outdoor supply store and snatched folding chairs, a bike and backpacks. A fire broke out at a restaurant across the street. About 30 miles (48 kilometers) south, as hundreds of protesters gathered in Long Beach, scores of thieves swarmed into nearby outlet stores. A steady stream emerged from a Forever 21 store carrying armloads of clothing. Some hauled it away in garbage bags, and a few stopped outside to change into stolen items. In Minneapolis, the officer who pressed his knee onto Floyd's neck has been charged with murder, but protesters are demanding the other three officers at the scene be prosecuted. All four were fired. Were not done, said Darnella Wade, an organizer for Black Lives Matter in neighboring St. Paul, where thousands gathered peacefully in front of the state Capitol as state patrolmen and National Guard soldiers lined up in front of about a dozen military-style armored vehicles. "They sent us the military, and we only asked them for arrests. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz brought in thousands of National Guard soldiers on Saturday to help quell violence that had damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings in Minneapolis over days of protests. That appeared to help minimize unrest both Saturday and Sunday. Disgust over generations of racism in a country founded by slaveholders combined with a string of recent racially charged killings to stoke the anger. Adding to that was angst from months of lockdowns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately hurt communities of color, not only in terms of infections but in job losses and economic stress. The droves of people congregating for demonstrations threatened to trigger new outbreaks, a fact overshadowed by the boiling tensions. The scale of the coast-to-coast protests rivaled the historic demonstrations of the civil rights and Vietnam War eras. Curfews were imposed in major cities around the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. About 5,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated in 15 states and Washington, D.C. In Indianapolis, two people were reported dead in bursts of downtown violence this weekend, adding to deaths reported in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days. In tweets Sunday, Trump blamed anarchists and the media for fueling violence. Attorney General William Barr pointed a finger at far left extremist groups. Police chiefs and politicians accused outsiders of coming in and causing the problems. At the Minneapolis intersection where Floyd was killed, people gathered with brooms and flowers, saying it was important to protect what they called a sacred space. Among in Minneapolis was Michael Brown Sr., the father of Michael Brown, whose killing by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, set off unrest in 2014. I understand what this family is feeling. I understand what this community is feeling, he said. --By Ashraf Khalil, Tim Sullivan and Aaron Morrison We need to get to the root of why this is happening and that was danced around, Cuevas said. They didnt say how we are going to change the narrative. Thats why they lost the attention of the crowd because these people were here to see a solution and a change. Not people to glorify themselves. AN artist and entrepreneur has scrapped his plans to illuminate Henley Bridge permanently. Clive Hemsley has also begun taking down the two strings of white LEDs that he put up on the Grade I listed crossing in February 2018 without permission. He says he is exhausted by the negative and personal comments condemning his proposals and that he has been defeated by Luddites. Mr Hemsley, of Hart Street, Henley, has twice sought planning permission to replace his temporary lights with something more permanent but was knocked back by Wokingham Borough Council each time. The second application was filed jointly with Henley jeweller David Rodger Sharp following a public meeting at the town hall in February which he organised and invited councillors and supporters and opponents to attend. The pair argued the scheme would bring more visitors to the town and the colours of the lights could be changed for special events such as Henley Royal Regatta and the Thames Traditional Boat Festival. They said many listed bridges in central London were being lit up under the Illuminated River art project. Opponents said that modern lighting was inappropriate to illuminate the 18th century bridge and claimed the lights could damage the stonework. In a letter to this weeks Henley Standard, Mr Hemsley says: Its truly exhausting to get so many negative and personal letters of condemnation and frustrating considering that all these organisations were invited to our public meeting yet none could be bothered to come and give their views and advice. I would like to thank everybody who signed the petition in favour of the lights and for encouraging me to carry on. I apologise to all of you for not seeing it through. There are far more important issues to challenge us these days you would think lighting up such a beautiful bridge would be mentally good for all of us. Although Ive withdrawn my interest, I would encourage other locals like David, who are far more diplomatic and patient, to pick up the torch. Im sure that one day, with the latest technology, it will serve the town proud and cause zero damage to the bridge. On Friday Mr Hemsley began detaching sections of the lights, which were attached using a high-strength construction glue, in areas where they could be reached from the river banks. He will remove the rest when he can access them by boat. Mr Rodger Sharp said: I completely understand why Clive has given up as this has been running for more than two years and I suppose he has lost patience. It has taken a huge amount of time, effort and cost to get this far and this isnt his only priority. Its very frustrating when he organises these public meetings only to have the plans rejected and opposed by people who havent come to see a sample of what the lights might look like. I hope we can find someone else who would be prepared to do it, or that maybe even the town council might be willing to move something forward. Thousands of people agreed that it would enhance the look of the bridge and the river and I truly believe it would have brought more people to the town. The bridge lit up looks so lovely on a cold winters night and really cheers you up if youre feeling a bit blue. Town councillor Will Hamilton said: Clive was incredibly well-intentioned and it was a lovely gesture which made the bridge look fantastic for a while. Unfortunately, in pursuing it, he ruffled the planning authorities feathers in the wrong way. Its a shame he isnt going ahead any longer but lets see whether anything else can be set up. Wokingham Borough Council said Mr Hemsleys application didnt provide sufficient proof that the new lighting wouldnt harm the bridge, nor that it would conserve or enhance the structure and its surroundings in line with planning law. South Oxfordshire District Council expressed similar views, fearing the glue could open up joints in the stonework and speed up its erosion in the long term. It said Henley didnt share the urban connotations of the capital, adding: The bridge itself is a polite form of architecture and it is unclear how the very modern lights can... be consistent with its architectural and historic character. Historic England wanted more proof that the scheme was safe and suggested lighting the bridge from the bank instead. John Whiting, chairman of the Henley Archaelogical and Historical Group, which opposed the scheme, said he welcomed Mr Hemsleys decision. In a letter in last weeks Henley Standard, he said the installation of the lights was an offence in law as the Listed Building Act forbids modifying such structures without planning permission. He said: Were satisfied that Mr Hemsley has chosen to abide by the law and hope he acts soon as he has been under order to remove the lights for many months. We also hope that when he does so, it doesnt pull a piece of the bridge with it as the stonework is very soft and the balustrades are already heavily eroded. We werent against the idea of lighting, maybe with gentle floodlights underneath the arch, but that is not what he was proposing. More than 2,400 people signed a petition calling for the temporary lights to remain when Mr Hemsley was first ordered to remove them by Oxfordshire County Council, which is responsible for the bridge. Mr Hemsley and Cllr Hamilton are now repeating calls for the council to mend damage to the underside of the bridge where boats have crashed into it. MasterChef Australia star Khanh Ong has rushed to the defence of his co-star Poh Ling Yeow after she was highly criticised for getting too much airtime on the Channel 10 cooking show. Khahn, 27, quashed claims Poh receives any special treatment and says the reason the 47-year-old Adelaide chef is always on screen is because she often finds herself in hot water. 'I get that people are saying "oh there's a lot of Poh!" but there's a lot of Poh because she finds herself in jeopardy a lot!' he said in an interview with New Idea. No special treatment! MasterChef Australia star Khanh Ong has rushed to the defence of his co-star Poh Ling Yeow after she was highly criticised for getting too much airtime on the Channel 10 cooking show 'Whatever happens in that episode that makes good TV, that gets air time.' The culinary talent added: 'I think if I had cooked like [Poh], I would have gotten the same amount of air time.' For weeks MasterChef fans have taken to social media to complain they were tired of seeing Poh heavily featured in all of the episodes. Hot water: Khahn, 27, quashed claims Poh receives special treatment and says the reason the 47-year-old Adelaide chef is always on screen is because she often finds herself in hot water Culinary talents: He added, 'I think if I had cooked like that [Poh], I would have gotten the same amount of air time' (Pictured left to right: Tessa Boersma, Khanh and Poh) In the Facebook fan group, Masterchef Australia 2020, many branded this year's series 'The Poh Show'. 'Is this the Poh show?' asked one, while another commented, 'It always was the Poh show, even when she was with Julie [Goodwin] it was still the Poh show. Just over it.' Added another: 'I am a bit over Poh already. If she wins after being told she is the favourite...' 'The Poh Show': For weeks MasterChef fans have taken to social media to complain they were tired of seeing Poh heavily featured in all of the episodes What about the others? Last month eliminated contestant Harry Foster (pictured) sparked speculation of a feud with Poh when he told Hit Mid North Coast co-host Jason 'Bodge' Bodger: 'I think people... want to see less of Poh and more of some of the other guys that haven't featured yet' It comes after eliminated contestant Harry Foster sparked speculation of a feud with Poh after saying audiences 'want to see less' of her. Last month, he told Hit Mid North Coast co-host Jason 'Bodge' Bodger: 'She's been getting a lot of airtime, which is fantastic for her. But I think people... want to see less of Poh and more of some of the other guys that haven't featured yet.' Meanwhile, Hayden Quinn also shared a similar sentiment when he told The Project that Poh had 'had enough', before quipping that he was 'only joking'. MasterChef Australia continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten New Delhi: Global Day of Parents is celebrated every year on June 1. It is a day to honour and celebrate your parents who are the reason behind our existence and success. In 2012, the General Assembly proclaimed June 1 as the Global Day of Parents, to be observed annually in honour of parents throughout the world. Parents are everything. They are the ones who love us selflessly, make sacrifices for us, teach us whats right and whats wrong, help us climb up the success ladder but want nothing in return. Its time we thank our parents for whatever they have done for us and remind them how much we love them. Global Day of Parents provides an opportunity to appreciate all parents for their "selfless commitment to children and their lifelong sacrifice towards nurturing this relationship," says the United Nations (UN). There are several ways to celebrate the day with your parents and the greatest gift a child can give is to meet them. However, due the coronavirus pandemic, if we are living away from our parents, we cannot meet them. Hence, we can video call them, send them gifts online, gift them a shopping voucher or just a text saying thank you would also work wonders. After all, our parents dont want anything in return from us. So, what are you waiting for? Pick up your phones, call your parents and wish them. Thank them, love them, support them and just care for them, thats all they need from their children. Heres wishing all the lovely parents our there a very Happy Global Day of Parents! Senator Dino Melaye has called on the Attorney General of the Federation, Justice Abubakar Malami, the Inspector General of Police, (I... Senator Dino Melaye has called on the Attorney General of the Federation, Justice Abubakar Malami, the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Mohammed Adamu, and the Director-General of the Department of States Services, DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, to arrest the perpetrators of the rape and murder of Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100-level Microbiology student of the University of Benin, UNIBEN. Uwaila was allegedly raped and killed by some unknown persons while reading in an RCCG, church in Benin City. Reacting to the development, Melaye in a tweet on his official Twitter page on Monday, said he would protest in the street if the perpetrators are not arrested. Melaye tweeted: Law Enforcement Agencies must find perpetrators of Rape and Murder of 22-Year-old Uwa Omozuwa that happened in a Church in Benin city. The Attorney General of the Federation, IGP and DG DSS must unravel the demons responsible, or we take to the street. Enough is Enough. Meanwhile, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on Sunday condemned the terrible incident. Adeboye commiserated with the deceased family and called for calm. New Delhi, June 1 : The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) released Rs 868 crore pension along with Rs 105 crore arrear on account of restoration of commuted value of pension by the central government, the Ministry of Labour and Employment announced, here on Monday. Earlier the central government accepted the EPFO Trust's recommendation on one of the longstanding demands of workers to allow restoration of commuted value of pension after 15 years, allowing pensioners receive enhanced pension. Without the provision for commuted pension, pensioners continued to receive reduced pension lifelong. "This is a historical step for the benefit of pensioners under EPS-95," the Ministry said. The Employee's Pension Scheme (EPS 95) was rolled out in 1995. Initially, the ceiling was Rs 5,000, which was raised to Rs 6,500 in 2011 and then to Rs 15,000 in 2014. The EPFO caters to more than 65 lakh pensioners through its 135 regional offices. The EPFO employees processed May pension and ensured its credit in the pensioners' bank accounts on schedule, battling all odds during the Covid-19-induced lockdown. S pain has recorded no new coronavirus deaths in a 24-hour period for the first time since March, said health officials. The country declared a state of emergency on March 14 and entered a nationwide lockdown in an attempt to tackle a Covid-19 outbreak that has claimed at least 27,000 lives. But on Monday, Spanish health officials said no new coronavirus deaths had been recorded in the past 24 hours. Emergency health response chief Fernando Simon said the development is very, very encouraging. He told a news conference there were only 71 new infections over the past 24 hours. We are in a very good place in the evolution of the pandemic, Mr Simon said. The statistics are following a trend. They are going in the right direction. A man cools off in the Mediterranean Sea near La Malagueta beach, as some Spanish provinces are allowed to ease lockdown restrictions / REUTERS Spain reported its first two deaths on March 3 and another was reported two days later. As of Monday afternoon, 27,127 people have died after contracting coronavirus in Spain and there are 239,479 cases of the disease in the country, according to John Hopkins data. It comes after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Sunday that he would ask parliament for a final two-week extension of the nations state of emergency. The current state of emergency is set to expire on June 7, and Mr Sanchez said the request will be the last, definitive extension of 15 days. Mr Sanchez said the final stretch of the lockdown will include the handing back of control over health care to the regions that have shown the most progress in containing the virus. The central government is rolling back confinement measures depending on which areas have fewer infections and are better prepared for a possible second outbreak. The focus is now on keeping the virus in check while reactivating an economy that Mr Sanchez has said will shrink by over 9 per cent this year and take two years to recover. On the outbreak, the PM added: We have almost reached safe harbour. The country is set to lift its 14-day quarantine rule for foreign tourists on June 21 as Spain seeks to attract holidaymakers despite the Covid-19 crisis. Loading.... Transport Minister Jose Abalos said the rule was being lifted earlier than the previously proposed July 1 date so test runs can take place involving holidaymakers from countries and places with low coronavirus contagion rates. A coalition of current and former California district attorneys on Monday called on the State Bar to prohibit elected prosecutors from accepting political contributions from police unions due to conflicts of interest in aligning with groups that often advocate for officers accused of excessive force. The request, which has the support of officials that include San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton, comes a week after the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd and amid nationwide protests over his death. In a letter to California State Bar officials, prosecutors said the well-heeled police unions are known to pour resources into district attorney candidates who share their vision of criminal justice. This creates troubling optics when an officer is under fire for an on-duty incident, and its the prosecutors job to decide whether to charge the officer with a crime. Receiving an endorsement and campaign contributions from an entity that finances opposing counsel creates, at a minimum, the appearance of a conflict of interest for elected prosecutors, the letter states. On a call with reporters Monday morning, Becton, Boudin and his predecessor, George Gascon, who is now running for district attorney in Los Angeles, called on other state and national leaders to endorse similar reforms. I think its apparent to all of us today that America has a crisis of trust in law enforcement, Boudin said. The rule changes that were requesting today will not only help to avoid conflicts ... but the rule change will also enhance trust in our criminal justice system at a time when that trust is sorely needed. Boudin said the conflict of interest has been allowed to go on for far too long, adding that it should be the first of many steps to take money out of politics and create greater police accountability. Several major Bay Area police unions, as well as police chiefs and elected city officials, have condemned the officers involved in Floyds death. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, 44, was captured on video kneeing Floyds neck into the pavement for more than eight minutes while three other officers looked on. Chauvin and the three other officers were fired, and Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. San Francisco Police Officers Association President Tony Montoya, a vocal critic of both Gascon and Boudin, immediately fired back at the proposal Monday, calling the prosecutors political opportunists. Its no accident that two of Californias most ardent criminal apologists want to ban unions and the rank and file police officers we represent from informing our communities about candidates who have a direct impact on their safety, Montoya said in a statement. 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 any attorney running for office does not have the moral and ethical principles to separate politics from their sworn duty, they should turn in their Bar card and not seek public office, he added. In a joint statement last week, the San Francisco police union, San Jose Police Officers Association and the Oakland Police Officers Association said they were concerned the actions of the four officers in Minneapolis 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. In the call Monday, Gascon acknowledged that he accepted police union financial support during his 2011 campaign for San Francisco district attorney, but didnt accept police union money in 2014. He said he has not collected money from police unions in his current campaign in Los Angeles. I will never do so again, Gascon said. Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy The government should stop putting dogma ahead of the national interest and extend the Brexit transition period, Sadiq Khan has said. The mayor of London broke ranks with the Labour Party on Monday to call for a postponement past the end of the year, given the lack of progress in negotiations and disruption caused by the coronavirus crisis. Boris Johnson has refused to sign up to a longer transition despite it being an option under the treaty he negotiated. The formal deadline for extending the period is the end of this month, with the transition itself due to expire at the end of the year. If no trade agreement is signed and there is no extension, the UK will crash out of the single market on 31 December and face high tariffs and long queues at Dover and Calais, with serious economic damage and disruption to trade expected. Mr Khans intervention is notable because the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, has said that he is not calling for an extension to the transition period, despite the looming deadline this month. Speaking on 11 May, Sir Keir said: Ive not called for a pause because the government says its going to get it done by the end of the year. So lets see how they get on. The governments negotiations with the EU and other countries are highly unlikely to progress towards meaningful results and agreements while the pandemic continues, Mr Khan said in a letter to the minister for the Cabinet Office, Michael Gove. An extension to the transition period is now urgently needed to give businesses and public services some certainty that they wont face the threat of another cliff edge in six months time. Otherwise the government risks undermining the unprecedented steps it has taken to protect jobs and livelihoods, by prolonging uncertainty about our economy and the terms on which future trade will be conducted. Mr Khan added that no one anticipated when voting for Brexit that the key negotiations would take place at a time when all governments are rightly focused on fighting a global pandemic. He wrote: The last thing the country needs as it tries to find a way back from the devastation wreaked by coronavirus is more chaos and uncertainty. I urge the government to put political ideology aside and pursue the pragmatic route of seeking an extension to the negotiations so that we and our European partners can focus on recovery from Covid-19. Covid-19 is the biggest health, social and economic emergency we have faced since the Second World War. Further disruption, in the form of tariffs, red tape and new immigration rules when we leave the single market and customs union at the end of the year, would be needless and hazardous. Close regulatory alignment with the EU has never been more vital to protect our economy and support its recovery from the impacts of Covid-19. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has rejected calls for an extension (PA) Trade talks are getting under way again from Tuesday this week, after last months previous round ended in deadlock yet again. Fishing is set to be high on the agenda, with the EU insisting that its mandate will not change to suit UK needs. Other issues on the agenda include trade in goods and services, as well as the so-called level playing field on regulations, and whether Britain will be able to participate in certain EU programmes. The main sticking points in the talks so far are the extent to which the UK will stay aligned to EU rules, the involvement of the European Court of Justice, and whether Britain will commit to maintaining its human rights standards as well as fishing rights for EU fleets. Mr Khan joins other opposition parties, including the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party, who this weekend reiterated calls for an extension. Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Show all 37 1 /37 Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Pro-Brexit supporters celebrating in Parliament Square, after the UK left the European Union on 31 January. Ending 47 years of membership PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Big Ben, shows the hands at eleven o'clock at night AFP via Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Pro Brexit supporters attend the Brexit Day Celebration Party hosted by Leave Means Leave Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage smiles on stage AFP/Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square People celebrate in Parliament Square Reuters Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square A Brexit supporter celebrates during a rally in Parliament square AP Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Police form a line at Parliament Square to prevent a small group of anti-Brexit protestors from going through to the main Brexit rally PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Nigel Farage speaks to pro-Brexit supporters PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square JD Wetherspoon Chairman Tim Martin speaks as people wave flags Reuters Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Brexit supporters wave Union flags as they watch the big screen AFP via Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Brexit Party leader, Nigel Farage arrives Reuters Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Brexit supporters gather AP Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Ann Widdecombe speaks to pro-Brexit supporters PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Brexit supporters wave Union flags as they watch the big screen AFP via Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square People wave British Union Jack flags as they celebrate Reuters Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Pro-Brexit demonstrators celebrate on Parliament Square on Brexit day Reuters Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square A pro-Brexit supporter jumps on an EU flag PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square AP Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square A man waves Union flags from a small car as he drives past Brexit supporters gathering AFP via Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square A pro-Brexit supporter pours beer onto an EU flag PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square An EU flag lies trampled in the mud Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square Getty Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square PA Brexit celebrations in Parliament Square AFP via Getty We are in the midst of a health pandemic and businesses are already struggling to survive. They simply do not have the ability to also prepare for a hard or no-deal Brexit in just a few months time, said the SNPs Brexit spokesperson, Dr Philippa Whitford. She said the UK government had a reckless Brexit obsession and called on ministers to step back from the brink and prioritise peoples safety, their livelihoods and the economy with an extension. Lib Dem MP Layla Moran said: People and businesses have suffered enough this year. Our economy will still be on the ropes from coronavirus in December, and a no-deal Brexit would only worsen the stress and anxiety that many employees and business owners already feel. Advertisement The UK's coronavirus lockdown eases today with millions able to see friends and family and more businesses set to reopen - amid warnings the restrictions are being lifted too soon. Huge queues formed outside Ikea stores in Nottingham, Reading and Essex today as the Government urged Britons to act 'sensibly' as they enjoy a host of new freedoms. Outdoor markets and car showrooms will also be reopening this morning, while Primark, Sports Direct and House of Fraser are set to reopen later this month. Primark owner Associated British Foods (ABF) said it is working to reopen all its 153 stores in England on June 15, after the Government gave non-essential retailers the go-ahead to welcome customers again. Sports Direct is expected to reopen from the same date, with House of Fraser doing the same shortly after. But the president of the Association of Directors of Public Health said today that their experts are concerned ministers are lifting the coronavirus lockdown too quickly, saying the Government's own five tests have not been met. The latest figures show that the number of deaths for patients with coronavirus is nearing 40,000. Today's revelations come as: A number of schoolchildren are turned away because teachers 'aren't ready for them' and others haven't opened at all despite up to two million heading back to classes in England today 2.4 million patients are caught in coronavirus cancer backlog amid fears some tumours could become inoperable as screening checks, hospital appointments and vital treatments are missed during lockdown Health experts warn there is 'no rationale' in letting two million people who were 'shielding' from Covid go back outside and say move is just a PR exercise Three mothers have threatened to sue the Government claiming closing schools during coronavirus crisis may have breached their children's human rights Boris Johnson said the lockdown, which began on March 23, would not be eased until the Government is sure that it would not cause a second spike in Covid-19 cases and risk overwhelming the NHS. Stall holders prepare their stock at Kirkgate market in Leeds, north England following the easing of the lockdown restrictions A stall worker serves customers at Portobello Road Market in London this morning as lockdown restrictions are eased A man wearing a mask shops at Leicester market this morning as Britain begins to see some aspects of normality returning Signs ask customers to observe social distancing measures and stay two meters (2m) apart, at a food truck at Kirkgate market in Leeds, north England People queuing today at the Ikea store in Lakeside, Thurrock, Essex, which has reopened as part of a wider easing of lockdown restrictions in England A car dealership re-opens in West London. Renault new and used car sales on the A40 near Acton. Face masks , wipes, and gloves are at the entrance for customers and staff to use, along with tape on the floor to guide people Customers queue at IKEA, Nottingham before it reopens on June 1 following its closure during lockdown The latest figures show that the number of deaths for patients with coronavirus is nearing 40,000. Boris Johnson said the lockdown, which began on March 23, would not be eased until the Government is sure that it would not cause a second spike in Covid-19 cases and risk overwhelming the NHS Dr Jeanelle de Gruchy told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'The five tests haven't yet been met. 'In terms of the R (rate of infection), it's 0.7 to 0.9 in the latest Government assessment. It is below one but it's a very limited room for manoeuvre isn't it and we know how quickly this virus can spread and it's difficult to predict then with quite a lot of the measures being eased at once what the impact that will have on the R value. 'We're also concerned about meeting all the other operational challenges ready to meet a potential rise in infections.' She said the national testing programme and the test and trace scheme must be 'robust and ready', and that personal protective equipment (PPE) supply must be adequate. 'We're not feeling just yet that we're confident enough to meet any potential challenge if the Government goes too quickly on easing lockdown measures,' she added. Primark owner Associated British Foods (ABF) said it is working to reopen all its 153 stores in England on June 15, having already reopened 112 of its sites across mainland Europe. The government's five tests previously stated that before easing lockdown it must be 'confident that any adjustments to the current measures will not risk a second peak of infections'. Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove yesterday praised the 'terrific dedication' of the public for sticking to the restrictions over the past two months, but urged them to continue social distancing. Customers wait in line for the opening of an Ikea store on June 01, 2020 in Reading, Berkshire Outdoor markets like this one in east London are reopening again today as the lockdown was eased further The Central Line in London today, which the capital's mayor Sadiq Khan says will be overwhelmed if it is used by non key workers The government's five tests previously stated that before easing lockdown it must be 'confident that any adjustments to the current measures will not risk a second peak of infections' (pictured: Kirkgate today) One reason ministers say the lockdown can be lifted is the rollout of the test-and-trace programme. They claim they can carry out 200,000 tests a day (pictured: Kirkgate market in Leeds today) Slow down! Public health officers warn lockdown is falling apart too fast Experts have warned that the coronavirus lockdown is being eased too quickly making a second spike 'inevitable' and police have said the rules are now 'unenforceable' as Britons are again expected to swamp beaches and parks because of more scorching weather. The Government is urging Britons to act 'sensibly' as they enjoy a host of new freedoms, which experts have claimed are coming too fast and will make a second a second spike in UK Covid-19 cases 'inevitable'. Professor Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, said that a second spike of cases in Britain seems likely. She said: 'Looking at other countries in East Asia it seems in some way inevitable. Other countries have shown there's a path to controlling this outbreak. 'This is about getting a robust testing, tracing and isolating system up and running. It's about having monitoring in schools, care homes, hospitals and institutions so you can quickly detect if there are new cases and make sure you break up those clusters. 'This is about mandatory masks on public transport. What's really frustrating is there are things that can be done quite simply that aren't being done'. Advertisement This was echoed by Dr Jenny Harries, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, who said 'we need to be very careful' at this 'critical time'. She added: 'We have to keep applying the social distancing measures, limit the number of interactions we have. Very carefully and sensibly pick up those easements to make our lives better, but not overdo it. So limit the number of interactions.' Dr Harries said it was important to do not just what is possible, but what is 'sensible'. She added: 'What is sensible to do is have as few interactions as possible as you can with other people in all settings.' One reason ministers say the lockdown can be lifted is the rollout of the test-and-trace programme. They claim they can carry out 200,000 tests a day. However, the latest figures yesterday showed the Government carried out just 115,725 tests in the past 24 hours. Despite the Government's optimism, there is growing dissent among scientists over measures being lifted while the number of new cases is still very high. Six have publicly criticised the decision, four of whom are members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage). Professor Peter Openshaw, a member of Sage and an expert in experimental medicine at Imperial College London, said there needed to be a 'massive gearing up' of testing and tracing before the restrictions were eased to 'any large degree'. He told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme: 'To me, we need the numbers [of cases] to be much lower. We need also to gear up test-and-trace in order to be able to cope with many thousands of cases which are now being seen.' Meanwhile Professor Devi Sridhar, an expert in global public health at Edinburgh University, told Sky's Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: 'It's a big risk and gamble for exiting lockdown with a larger number of deaths than we did when we actually entered lockdown months back.' Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show there are an average of 7,700 new cases of coronavirus a day in England, with data from Kings College London suggesting there are 11,300 infections daily across the UK. From today, groups of up to six family members or friends will be able to meet up outside provided they keep two metres apart. Despite the Government's optimism, there is growing dissent among scientists over measures being lifted while the number of new cases is still very high (pictured: Kirkgate today) A car dealership re-opens in West London. Renault new and used car sales on the A40 near Acton A notice at a car dealership in west London reads 'Covid-19: Your safety is our highest priority' as businesses reopen across the country PRIMARK PLANS TO REOPEN ALL 153 STORES IN ENGLAND ON JUNE 15 Primark owner Associated British Foods (ABF) has said it is working to reopen all its 153 stores in England on June 15, after the Government gave non-essential retailers the go-ahead to welcome customers again. It said that it expects to have reopened 281 of its stores by that date, having already reopened 112 of its sites across mainland Europe. The retailer said it is awaiting further guidance regarding stores in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales but anticipates openings in 'late June'. ABF shut all its Primark stores in March in the face of coronavirus, which it said resulted in a loss of around 650 million for every month that all stores were closed. It said that it cut more than 50% off overheads at Primark in a bid to stabilise its finances during the pandemic. In a statement, the company said: 'As European governments have begun to ease restrictions on clothing retailing we have been able to reopen stores. 'Safety has been our highest priority in our detailed preparations to welcome our customers and employees back to stores. We are following government safety advice in all markets. 'Importantly, we will apply the valuable experience gained from more than 100 stores which are already open as we open the remainder of our estate, including stores across the UK. 'Social distancing protocols, hand sanitiser stations, perspex screens at tills and additional cleaning of high frequency touch points in the store are among the measures we are implementing.' The retailer said trading has been 'reassuring and encouraging' in its recently reopened stores, with queues outside most sites. Nevertheless, it said cumulative like-for-like sales since reopening have been lower than the same period last year. The firm added that 'as long as social distancing is required, we expect it to restrict the capacity of our busiest stores from achieving their aggregate pre-Covid-19 sales'. Meanwhile, ABF said operating profits in its grocery business will be ahead of forecasts after 'stronger sales' of branded products, although profits in its sugar arm are predicted to slip. John Bason, chief finance officer of ABF, told the PA news agency that the company feels 'well prepared' to welcome Primark customers back to stores. He said: 'We've largely been able to take the successful operations from overseas and introduce them to the UK stores. 'We've changed the way customers will queue to avoid bottle-necking, but have been able to keep a lot of the experience similar to what customers are used to. 'Our higher density stores, like on Oxford Street, will be more impacted by the social distancing measures, but we think the majority will still be able to perform on track despite the measures.' Shares in the company jumped 7.6% to 138.7p in early trading on Monday. Advertisement Mr Gove, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: 'It is thanks to the terrific dedication of the British public, alongside the continued hard work of our NHS, that we are able today to move to step two of our recovery strategy and begin to carefully ease some lockdown measures. 'With children returning to schools, some shops reopening and a chance to see friends and loved ones outside our households, this is an important step for our wellbeing and that of the country. But we must stay alert and it is absolutely vital that everyone continues to follow social distancing guidelines so that we can control the spread of the virus. The message to the public is simple: Stay alert, control the virus, save lives.' Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab also defended the plan, saying: 'We can't just stay in lockdown forever. We have got to transition.' Asked whether rules will be tightened again if infection rates increase, Mr Raab said: 'If there is any uptick and it could be in a locality, it could be in a particular setting we will target very carefully measures that would apply to it, so we can take these steps but also keep control of the virus.' Contact tracing was abandoned in March, but was relaunched as the NHS's flagship test-and-trace scheme last Thursday. It has faced a chaotic first few days with operators claiming they were not fully trained and only told the night before that the scheme was going live. Many of the 'tracers' also suffered IT issues. The Government is 'taking some risk' by relaxing lockdown measures while the number of new cases of coronavirus recorded each day remains 'relatively high', an expert in infectious diseases has said. Professor John Edmunds, who attends meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) supporting the Government, said many experts would 'prefer' to see the number of Covid-19 infections drop before measures such as a relaxation on social interaction restrictions were introduced. Latest data from the Office for National Statistics suggests there are an estimated 54,000 new coronavirus infections a week in England outside of hospital and care settings, equating to nearly 8,000 per day. The so-called R value, or reproduction rate, is currently between 0.7 and 0.9, and must remain under one to avoid a rise in infections - a key test on whether lockdown measures should be eased, with the Government stressing the need to avoid a second wave of cases which would threaten to overwhelm the NHS. Prof Edmunds, speaking during a Science Media Centre briefing, said the decision to relax certain rules came with a degree of risk. He 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 incidents at a lower level, even if the reproduction level went up a bit, we wouldn't be in a position where we were overwhelming the health service. 'I think at the moment with relatively high incidents, relaxing the measures and with an untested track and trace system, I think we are taking some risk here. 'Even if that risk doesn't play out and we keep the incidents flat, we're keeping it flat at quite a high level.' The Government has launched its track and trace system designed to limit the spread of infection by ordering contacts of those who become infected with coronavirus to isolate. Prof Edmunds, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, supported the decision to essentially substitute a 'blanket approach' to containing the virus with a targeted one, adding it saw a return to 'some level of normality'. He added: 'None of us think, who have looked at this in any great detail, that that will be sufficient to be able to hold the reproduction number below one. 'We all think we will have to have quite significant numbers of wider social distance measures in place. 'The basic reproduction number for this virus is perhaps three, maybe even more, so we cannot relax our guard by very much at all.' He said there was a need to try and get the economy restarted, to get people back to work and to provide a boost to people's mental health. But he said even if track and trace kept the R-value at about one, it would still result in around 8,000 community infections a day in England. Airlines and airports around the world are doing everything they can to instill confidence that it is safe to fly again, despite the coronavirus pandemic. Airlines are requiring face masks for passengers and staff, imposing new aircraft cleaning procedures, using social distancing to board flights, blocking middle seats on planes and, in one case, even prohibiting passengers from lining up to use plane bathrooms. As to the airports, they are screening passengers temperatures through high- and low-tech means; using biometric screening to speed check-in, security and customs and immigration processes; and using autonomous robots to clean terminal floors. But none of it is consistent. And its unclear whether the measures are enough. Will social distancing measures work, for instance, when travelers are sitting on planes for hours with strangers? Temperature checks may identify those already ill, but how do you screen for the virus when, by some estimates, 35 percent of people with it are asymptomatic and 40 percent of transmission occurs before people feel sick? Billionaire banker and Kotak Mahindra Bank Managing Director Uday Kotak is all set to sell stake worth around Rs 6,000 crore in the private sector lender to comply with a settlement agreement struck with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in January on promoter stake dilution, sources told Moneycontrol. The move will bring the curtains down on an extended standoff between the regulator and the bank over the reduction in promoter shareholding. The promoter stake sale will happen via block/bulk deals, which is likely to be launched shortly. Kotak Mahindra Bank has already issued shares as part of the recent Rs 7,000 crore qualified institutional placement (QIP), so Kotak may not have to sell 4 percent stake to meet the 26 percent promoter stake requirement, which was the case earlier, a person familiar with the stake sale plans said. This deal should roughly see the sale of 2-3 percent stake, said a second person. Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Kotak Securities are the advisers to the share sale," a third person added. Moneycontrol has sent an email to Kotak Mahindra Bank but could not elicit an immediate response. Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Kotak Securities couldnt be contacted immediately for comment. On January 30, Kotak Mahindra Bank said RBI has agreed to its proposal to reduce promoter stake to 26 percent from the current 29.9 percent over the next six months. It also said promoter voting rights will be capped at 20 percent of the paid-up voting share capital until March 31 and will be further capped at 15 percent, effective April 1. Kotak Mahindra Bank had added that promoters will not purchase any further 'paid-up voting equity shares' of the bank till the promoter shareholding reaches 15 percent. With this settlement agreement, the bank has decided to withdraw the writ petition filed in the High Court of Bombay after RBI struck down its proposal to issue perpetual non-convertible preference shares to comply with promoter shareholding norms. On February 18, RBI granted final approval to the settlement between both parties. Kotak Mahindra Bank had knocked the doors of the Bombay High Court in December 2018. In a statement to the stock exchanges, the bank noted that since August 2018 it had clarified and conveyed to the RBI its position in relation to perpetual non-cumulative preference shares (PNCPS) being a part of the paid-up capital and the legal basis on the matter of dilution of shareholding under the Banking Regulation Act. We have also shared with the RBI the opinions of eminent jurists and senior most legal counsels of the country, which confirm our understanding. However, we have not heard from the RBI on the above matter, it added. Given the milestone of December 31, 2018, the bank has been left with no option but to protect its interest. By way of abundant caution, the bank has today (December 28, 2018) filed a writ petition with the High Court of Bombay to validate the banks position, the bank said. Six months post the legal action initiated by Kotak Mahindra Bank, RBI slapped a Rs 2 crore penalty on the private sector lender for failure to adhere to the regulators diktat on promoter shareholding norms. The Kotak Mahindra Bank saga is not the only instance of the RBI pulling up a bank with respect to reduction in promoter shareholding. In September 2018, the RBI had frozen the salary of Bandhan Bank CEO CS Ghosh and barred the lender from opening new branches for not following regulatory guidelines on stake dilution. For more details on the origin of the Kotak-RBI battle, the rules of the game and the reason behind the regulators objection to the banks stake dilution strategy, please read this Moneycontrol explainer dated December 14, 2018 A 31-year-old sanitation worker of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) succumbed to Covid-19 on Sunday, officials of the civic body said.. According to NDMC officials, this is the first Covid-19 death reported from the civic body. A senior NDMC official said that the man had last attended office on May 23 and succumbed to the virus on Sunday. On May 23, he told his colleagues that he was going home as he was not feeling well. On May 28, he got himself tested at BLK Hospital and a day later he was found Covid-19 positive. He was then admitted at RML Hospital where he died on May 31, the official, said requesting anonymity. The deceased was deployed at NDMCs drainage service centre in Netaji Nagar. He is survived by his wife and two children a four-year-old son and a three-month-old daughter. The civic body has announced a compensation of Rs 15 lakh to the family of the employee. The official said that contact tracing of staff in contact with the man is yet to be conducted. The deceased was appointed as a Beldaar at the Netaji Nagar drainage service centre and was engaged in desilting drains. We have no idea how was he contracted the virus. There are around 42 people who work at the office. I have written to the senior authorities in NDMC to start contact tracing of all the staff members so that people who had come in contact with the deceased can be identified and quarantined. Around 5-6 of his colleagues, with whom the deceased used to clean drains, have been asked to quarantine themselves, an official at Netaji Nagar drainage service centre, said. In the last two months, a total of 33 Covid-19 positive cases has been reported from areas under NDMCs jurisdiction. Out of these 33 cases, four have recovered and one has died. On May 28, the NDMC had to seal its headquarter building on Sansad Marg after six employees tested positive for the virus here. District administration officials said that the contact tracing of the staff would start from Tuesday. For now, we are trying to find out how the victim got infected with the virus. We will be able to identify high risk and low-risk symptom people only after the contact tracing is completed, a district administration official said. North Delhi civic body junior engineer dies Meanwhile, a 41-year-old junior engineer employed with the North Delhi Municipal Corporation became a victim of the virus on Monday. According to north corporation officials, the junior engineer was deployed at the Civic Centre North corporations headquarter and had tested positive on May 30. Unfortunately, a junior engineer of the north corporation died due to Covid-19 today (Monday). The man had developed fever on May 18 and was on leave since then. He was admitted to Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital on May 20. He tested Covid-19 positive on May 30 and died on June 1 (Monday), a north corporation spokesperson said. The air is thick with grief. We mourn the hundreds of thousands of lives taken by coronavirus globally the true death toll of which may never be known. We mourn our loved ones and key workers who died alone then were buried in the presence of just a handful while the rest of us said our final goodbyes over video call. As this rampant virus continues to cause chaos across the global community, another devastating disease has not only been left to fester it has been exacerbated. Racism is a familiar blade, and for those of us at its sharp end, the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota has not surprised us. However, compounded by the injustice of a Covid-19 landscape in which black people have been, once again, hit the hardest according to data from the Office for National Statistics, this instance of brutality feels like the last straw. Black women in the UK are 4.3 times more likely to die from Covid-19 than white women, while black men were 4.2 times more likely to die. The report went on to say that these alarming disparities seem to be partly a result of socio-economic disadvantage and other circumstances, but a remaining part of the difference has not yet been explained. Spoiler alert: its no mystery structural inequality kills. In the USA, the country with the highest number of confirmed cases of coronavirus (with Brazil, a majority black nation, right behind), black Americans represent 13.4 per cent of the American population, but counties with higher black populations account for more than half of all Covid-19 cases, and almost 60 per cent of overall deaths according to reports from CNN. Add being killed with impunity by the police and its clear why the current landscape is simply too much to bear, too much to ask of anybody. Now neighbourhoods in the USA are on fire. Across the world, the homes of black people have been on fire for centuries. And each time, the onus has been put on black people to dismantle their subjugation themselves and to remain calm while doing so. A viral tweet making the rounds sums this dichotomy up succinctly: My main issue with racism is that its a white problem but black people are the experts. @danieloduntan (Siana Bangura) It speaks to Toni Morrisons reminder that white people have a very, very serious problem and they should start thinking about what they can do about it. Over the last few days, I have felt fury and sadness. I dont like feeling helpless. But I was also filled with a new sense of conviction that the silence of the white people that surround me is now even more so than before completely unacceptable. Silence is betrayal at best, and at its very worst, it is the foundation of all covert expressions of white supremacy, along with indifference (which looks like not confronting the casual or wildly racist comments of your family and friends); minimisation (which looks like claims of we are all one race, the human race); veiled racism in the form of jokes, gaslighting and victim-blaming, right through to calls for violence against black people and the freedom to enforce that violence with impunity. You may not have directly inflicted physical pain on black people in your lifetime, but figuratively in many cases, of course, literally your knees have been pressed on our necks for centuries. The realisation that being anti-racist is a verb, a doing word, seems to be dawning on people. As is the case each time there is a high profile killing of a black person (usually a cisgender black man, but do not forget the names of Breonna Taylor and Tony McDade), white people begin to ask what can I do to help? And many will feel they cant get it right. The pursuit of understanding racism is not a righteous one to create change, you must be humble enough to make mistakes, apologise with your whole heart, and be ready to keep trying. That is truly what is needed now. Some folks want to be spoon-fed answers. That is not how you learn. Fortunately, we are in an era of widely accessible knowledge the same internet you use to ask me to teach you is the same place Google lives. Many, many generous writers and thinkers have written about race, civil rights, white privilege, and what allyship looks like. Head to Twitter and Instagram and youll see that black people and people of colour have created resources with the answers youre searching for start there. Educate yourself and then educate your friends and family by having the necessary painful conversations black people have been having in our families and communities again and again. I believe guilt has little use. We need to see courage and action. As Rihanna reminded us in her NAACP awards speech, its time for you, all of you, to pull up to the movement. 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 In the same way that you love black culture, musicians and artists; our foods, beaches, carnivals and our rhythm, you need to pull up for our struggles too. Pull up as we demand justice for Belly Mujinga, as the British Transport police close her case and take no further action. Pull up as we demand justice for the deaths of black people in custody and at the hands of police officers in the UK. Despite what youve been told, police brutality is rife in this country too. Pull up and put your money where your mouth is, put your bodies on the line with us, and put action to your words. Pull up and challenge other white people be prepared to be uncomfortable and maligned, a feeling black people know too well. And finally, get ready to make necessary sacrifices in this struggle. Remember, nothing worth having was easily won Siana Bangura is a writer, producer, performer and community organiser hailing from South East London, now living, working, and creating between London and the West Midlands. She is the founder and former editor of Black British Feminist platform, No Fly on the WALL; author of poetry collection, Elephant; and the producer of 1500 & Counting, a documentary film investigating deaths in custody and police brutality in the UK. Siana works and campaigns on issues of race, class, and gender and their intersections and is currently working on projects focusing on climate change, the arms trade, and state violence. Across her vast portfolio of work, Sianas mission is to help move marginalised voices from the margins, to the centre This shocking footage shows a protester being beaten up by three white men wielding a metal bar during the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis. The victim - thought to be a person of color - was beaten, kicked and stamped on after coming to a woman's defense when the attackers allegedly harassed her with a machete. The video was taken by 26-year-old Jose Ponce, who told Vice he had seen the three attackers looting burned-out buildings and berating police before they launched their attack. Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey has warned that the protests over the death of black man George Floyd are being infiltrated by people 'using crowds as cover' to 'prey on' the city. This shocking footage shows a protester being beaten up by three white men wielding a metal bar during the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis Ponce said he was walking with 31-year-old Tanis Beiris when they saw the three men stealing things from wrecked buildings and throwing them into the streets. 'They stood out to me in a way. They seemed like they werent from here; they looked very suspicious to me - something didnt feel right,' Ponce said. The footage starts after Beiris had asked the men where they were from, prompting one of them to move towards her with a machete and the victim to intervene. That led the three men to attack the newcomer, one of them swinging the long metal bar. One blow sends the victim crumpling to the ground, where he lies motionless while two of the men kick and stamp on him. The attacker with the metal bar wrestled with another person who appeared to be trying to restrain him before backing away. His two accomplices keep on kicking the prostrate victim, delivering several more blows until they are exhorted to stop by passers-by. One blow sent the victim crumpling to the ground, where he lay motionless while two of the men kicked and stamped on him The victim remains lying on the ground, clearly injured, as the attackers walk off in another direction and the video ends. Ponce said the man had been 'bleeding' and 'twitching' and threw up twice before he was eventually transported to a nearby medical center. Ponce and Beiris thought the victim was a person of color but his ethnicity was not clear from the video. Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey has warned that protests are being infiltrated by 'people using crowds as cover to prey on Minneapolis and destroy [the] community'. 'In the last few days, both our city and state law enforcement capacities have been overwhelmed by simple math - an overwhelming ratio of rioters that even our unified effort has been unable to push back,' he said. 'We are now confronting white supremacists, members of organized crime, out of state instigators, and possibly even foreign actors to destroy and destabilize our city and our region.' Security forces take position during a protest in Minneapolis over the weekend as the country was convulsed by anger and violence over the death of George Floyd Minneapolis saw its sixth straight night of protests yesterday in a wave of anger which has spread around the country after Floyd's death last Monday. Video footage showed a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes despite Floyd's pleas that he could not breathe. It is the latest in a string of similar incidents involving unarmed black men in recent years that has raised an outcry over excessive police force and racism. Many states have called up the National Guard to quell the violence which has spread to New York, Chicago and Los Angeles among other cities. Donald Trump has described the violent protesters as 'thugs' and urged Democratic mayors and governors to 'get tough', while calling Floyd's death a 'grave tragedy'. The protests have once again exposed the sharp racial divisions in the country just month before it decides whether Trump will get a second term. Trump did not appear in public on Sunday as protests raged outside the White House and has declined to make a public address on the subject. His short-lived former communications adviser Anthony Scaramucci last night branded him the nation's 'coward-in-chief'. As Los Angeles and its environs slowly begins opening back up while the coronavirus pandemic abates, citizens throughout the area are venturing out more and more for various errands. One such city dweller was Caitlyn Jenner, seen on Monday in Malibu, California getting out of her Escalade to take her two dogs to the veterinarian. The former Olympian, 70, wore a white long-sleeved top and denim shorts for the solo outing. Essential errands: Caitlyn Jenner was seen on Monday in Malibu getting out of her Escalade to take her two dogs to the veterinarian The parent to six children grabbed her black handbag as she made her way from the driver's side of her vehicle to the trunk, where she let out the dogs. Caitlyn wore white ankle socks and black-and-white sneakers. She let her auburn hair hang loosely at her shoulders and down her back, and wore brownish cat-eye shades in the California sun. Jenner slung her handbag on her shoulder as she led the pooches, one white, one black, inside. Dog mom: The former Olympian wore a white long-sleeved top and denim shorts for the outing Caring for her animals: Jenner slung her handbag on her shoulder as she led the pooches, one white, one black, inside The ex of Kris Jenner has been using her Instagram of late to flout a product known as Lumasol, which is an SPF-infused sunblock mist for the face. Both Caitlyn as well as her 23-year-old live-in companion Sophia Huthchins, who is CEO of Lumasol, have appeared on her feed in support of the product. Last month, Hutchins attempted to put the perpetual rumors surrounding herself and Caitlyn to bed again, by telling an anecdote about how her septuagenarian roommie walked in on her with 'a friend'. New product: Caitlyn as well as her 23-year-old companion Sophia Huthchins, who is CEO of Lumasol, have appeared on their respective Instagram feeds in support of the new product Benefits of SPF: The ex of Kris Jenner has been using her Instagram of late to discuss the benefits of Lumasol The amusing tale was shared on Heather McDonald's Juicy Scoop podcast in mid-May. 'We had to put a lock on my door because Caitlyn decided to barge into my room while I had a friend over,' began the Pepperdine graduate. '[She] kind of saw a lot of things happening.' Later in the interview, Sophia flat out denied she's in a relationship with the 70-year-old ex of Kris Jenner. 'It was never romantic. Never sexual. It was very much friends but I understand why people perceived it that way. We never addressed it and that was part of the problem,' Hutchins told Heather. Gossip: Last month, Hutchins attempted to put the perpetual rumors surrounding herself and Caitlyn to bed again, by telling an anecdote about how her septuagenarian roommie walked in on her with 'a friend' Supermarket giant Coles has taken on Aldi with its own version of its 'Best Buys' range, offering exclusive products every fortnight. The Australian grocery chain has unveiled more than 30 'premium' cookware items that are traditionally not sold in supermarkets. Notable deals include a 3.5-litre digital air fryer for $69.99 and Dutch ovens from $19.99 that rival high-end brand Le Creuset cookware worth as much as $529. Other items from the budget range include cast iron saucepans, grill pans and fry pans for $16.99, a four pack of mason jars from $3.99 and silicone cooking utensils. Supermarket Coles has taken on Aldi with its own version of its 'Best Buys range, offering products set to launch every fortnight. Notable deals include Dutch ovens from $19.99 Coles Best Buys product range 3.5l digital air fryer: $69.99 Cast iron Dutch oven 3L: $19.99 Cast iron grill pan: $16.99 Mason jars 180ml, 4 pack: $3.99 Induction cooker: $49.99 Spatula wood/silicone utensil: $3.99 Advertisement Coles general manager for health & home Jonathan Torr said Coles is constantly looking for ways to inspire customers and offer them great value. 'We have introduced Coles Best Buys to add some sparkle to the shopping experience as well as provide convenient and affordable options to our customers,' he said. 'Customers have told us they love it when they can get all of their needs in the one store. 'We think they are going to love our new range, which is a great example of the good things we're doing to inspire customers by offering them great quality, value and going beyond what they expected when they walked into our store.' The Australian grocery chain has unveiled more than 30 'premium' cookware items that are traditionally not sold in supermarkets, including sauce pan and $49.99 induction cooker The new range also includes silicone cooking utensils and mason jars from $3.99 The range comes just days after Aldi Australia launched its Special Buys range, featuring cast iron and enamel pots, pans and baking dishes, with prices ranging from $19.99 and $24.99 Coles' latest cookware is available at selected stores across Victoria (13 stores) and Western Australia (15 stores) for a limited time only. The 'Best Buys' will be a fortnightly event and will 'evolve' with different themes and new products launching at more Coles stores across the country over the coming weeks. The cookware features on-trend colours, has chemical free surfaces, is easy to clean and is oven safe up to 230 degrees, emulating popular and more expensive brands found in high-end department stores. The latest range comes just days after Aldi Australia launched its Special Buys range, featuring cast iron and enamel pots, pans and baking dishes. Hundreds of shoppers flocked to Aldi on Saturday to get their hands on the budget Le Creuset inspired cast-iron cookware, with prices starting from as little as $19.99. A 58-year-old member of a yakuza gang was wounded in a shooting in Okayama on Saturday afternoon. According to police, the shooting took place at around 2:35 p.m. in Kita Ward near the office of the Ikeda-gumi, a gang affiliated with the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi, Sankei Shimbun reported. Police said the victim, from Ehime Prefecture, was shot in the stomach. He was taken to hospital, along with another member of the gang, a 62-year-old man who was hit by the shooteras getaway car. Police said both men are in a stable condition. The gunman, identified as Akio Kishimoto from Tottori Prefecture, was arrested at around 3 p.m., police said, adding he is also a member of the gang. He was found sitting in his car parked on a street. A gun was in his possession. (Photo : Pixabay) Microsoft Ended Its Contract With PA Media; AI Will Now Create News Stories, Replacing Dozens of MSN Website and Edge Browser Journalists (Photo : Franck on Unsplash) Microsoft Ended Its Contract With PA Media; AI Will Now Create News Stories, Replacing Dozens of MSN Website and Edge Browser Journalists Microsoft is replacing journalists with artificial intelligence (AI) software that will generate the news stories available in the homepages of the Edge browser and the news website MSN. According to The Guardian's previous report, the decision of Microsoft will replace dozens of journalists with robots. The Press Association (PA) Media told its staff, who maintain the news homepages on Microsoft's Edge browser and the MSN website, that they will no longer be required to generate news stories since AI can do their jobs. After Microsoft decided to stop employing humans to edit, select, and curate news articles on its homepages, PA Media told its 27 employees that they would lose their jobs in a month's time. The decision of Microsoft to ending the contract with PA Media is part of a global shift away from humans in favor of automated updates for news stories. The action was taken at short notice as explained by the company to its employees. "I spend all my time reading about how automation and AI are going to take all our jobs, and here I am - AI has taken my job," said one of the staff working on the team. The staff member added that since they were careful to stick to "very strict editorial guidelines" to ensure that the users were not presented with inappropriate or violent content when opening their browser. The decision to replace humans with software is a risky one because robots cannot manually curate news articles. Microsoft ends its contract with PA Media; AI will now create news stories, replacing dozens of MSN website and Edge browser journalists According to The Guardian, although the journalists working in the team did not report original stories, they are still exercising editorial control by selecting news content generated by other news organizations such as The Guardian. The team also edits the headlines and content of the stories to properly fit the format appropriate for the audience. The news articles posted on the website of Microsoft allow the company to share advertising revenue with the original publishers of the news content. Clear headlines that are appropriate for the format are ensured by the manual curation of news stories while avoiding untrustworthy stories and encouraging a spread of political opinions. Manual curation also highlights interesting articles from smaller media outlets, helping them grow. Since the industry is looking to cut costs, the journalists who will be replaced will now face a tough challenge to get jobs elsewhere. The decision of Microsoft to automate the manual curation of its news site is expected to affect other teams of journalists across the globe. Artificial Intelligence in journalism is also being considered by many tech companies such as Google. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. New analysis approach could help identify when and where to conduct food safety inspections Rockville, MD (June 1, 2020) - Each year, thousands of pounds of food are wasted and billions of dollars in food sales lost because of recalls tied to foodborne infections. Using a newly developed approach, researchers identified seasonal peaks for foodborne infections that could be used to optimize the timing and location of food inspections. "We rely upon food producers, distributors and retailers to keep food safe in fields, grocery stores and restaurants," said Ryan B. Simpson, doctoral candidate at Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. "A lapse in food safety practices during any step in the food delivery and supply chain can jeopardize human health, waste food resources and threaten the national food economy." Foodborne infections can be caused by a variety of pathogens, such as Listeria, Salmonella and E. Coli. A single pathogen can lead to outbreaks that peak in different states at different times. Knowing the patterns for each pathogen and state could be used to design an optimized schedule for food safety inspections. To characterize the timing and intensity of infection peaks, Simpson and colleagues developed an analysis method that robustly determines which specific pathogens are likely to cause an outbreak at a given time. Simpson will present the new analysis method as part of NUTRITION 2020 LIVE ONLINE, a virtual conference hosted by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). The research was performed under the supervision of Elena N. Naumova, Chair of the Department of Nutritional Epidemiology and Data Sciences at Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Using their new analysis method, the researchers found that although foodborne outbreaks typically peak in July, food recalls are delayed by 1 to 2 months, peaking from mid-August through mid-September. These findings were consistent across examined states and pathogens. Next, the researchers aim to refine their analysis method by exploring specific foods and food groups linked to foodborne outbreaks. They also plan to examine relationships between outbreaks for particular pathogens with food preparation practices and other factors. "Our future research will provide valuable information that could help refine existing food safety policies while also aiding food producers, distributors and retailers in preventing or mitigating foodborne outbreaks," said Simpson. ### This research is supported in part by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), via 2017-17072100002. The views and conclusions contained herein are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of ODNI, IARPA, or the U.S. Government. This research is also supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service Fellowship. Due to the cancellation of the Nutrition 2020 meeting, which was to be held in Seattle, this abstract will be presented as part of ASN's virtual meeting, NUTRITION 2020 LIVE ONLINE, which will be held from June 1-4, 2020. Contact the media team for more information or register to access the virtual content. This release may include updated numbers or data that differ from those in the abstract submitted to NUTRITION 2020 LIVE ONLINE. Please note that abstracts presented at NUTRITION 2020 LIVE ONLINE were evaluated and selected by a committee of experts but have not generally undergone the same peer review process required for publication in a scientific journal. As such, the findings presented should be considered preliminary until a peer-reviewed publication is available. About NUTRITION 2020 LIVE ONLINE NUTRITION 2020 LIVE ONLINE is a dynamic virtual event showcasing new research findings and timely discussions on food and nutrition. The online meeting, held June 1-4, 2020, is hosted by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) with support from the ASN Foundation. ASN's flagship meeting, Nutrition 2020, was canceled due to the impacts of COVID-19. https://meeting.nutrition.org #NutritionLiveOnline About the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) ASN is the preeminent professional organization for nutrition research scientists and clinicians around the world. Founded in 1928, the society brings together the top nutrition researchers, medical practitioners, policy makers and industry leaders to advance our knowledge and application of nutrition. ASN publishes four peer-reviewed journals and provides education and professional development opportunities to advance nutrition research, practice and education. http://www.nutrition.org Find more news briefs and tipsheets at: https://www.eurekalert.org/meetings/nutrition/2020/newsroom/. The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, which will map millions of galaxies in 3D, reaches final milestone toward its startup Even as the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, or DESI, lies dormant within a telescope dome on a mountaintop in Arizona, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the DESI project has moved forward in reaching the final formal approval milestone prior to startup. DESI is designed to gather the light of tens of millions of galaxies, and several million ultrabright deep-sky objects called quasars, using fiber-optic cables that are automatically positioned to point at 5,000 galaxies at a time by an orchestrated set of swiveling robots. The gathered light is measured by a group of 10 devices called spectrographs, which split the light into its spectrum, or separate colors. The measurements will help scientists map the universe in 3D and learn more about mysterious dark energy - which drives the universe's accelerating expansion - and could also provide new insight about the life cycle of galaxies and about the cosmic web that connects matter in the universe. Project completion culminates 10-year effort by international team After DESI passed a federal review in March, members of a federal advisory board formally approved the completion of the project on Monday, May 11. DESI was designed and built through the efforts of a large international collaboration that now numbers about 500 researchers at 75 institutions in 13 nations. "Congratulations to the DESI team of U.S. and international labs and universities in developing this amazing, state-of-the-art spectroscopic instrument," said Kathleen Turner, DESI program manager at the Department of Energy's Office of High Energy Physics. "We are all looking forward to using DESI's exquisite precision to map the expansion of the universe over time." Michael Levi, DESI project director and a scientist at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), which is the lead institution in the project, said, "This is the culmination of 10 years of hard work by an incredibly dedicated and talented team, and a major accomplish for all involved." He added, "We understand and appreciate the extraordinary privilege we have been given to work with this instrument - and even more so during this challenging time, as we continue as scientists to explore what lies beyond our world." Preparing for a restart in DESI testing In mid-March it became clear that a final testing phase of the instrument would be abruptly suspended due to the temporary shutdown of most activities at Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), where DESI is located, to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. Project participants moved quickly to capture a large, last batch of sky data during the March 14-15 weekend before the instrument was temporarily shuttered the following week, and that data proved useful in the project's review for the construction completion milestone, known as Critical Decision 4, or CD-4. In the months leading up to the temporary reduction in operations at KPNO, which is a Program of the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab, researchers had engaged in DESI observing runs to troubleshoot technical snags and ensure its components are functioning properly. Now, project participants say they are looking forward to a return to DESI testing in preparation for its startup and five-year mission. "The early returns from the instrument were very gratifying after years of development," said Daniel Eisenstein, a DESI spokesperson and Harvard University astronomy professor. "Now the whole team is eager to learn what DESI data will teach us about the Universe." ### DESI is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science; the U.S. National Science Foundation, Division of Astronomical Sciences under contract to the NSF's National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory; the Science and Technologies Facilities Council of the United Kingdom; the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; the Heising-Simons Foundation; the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA); the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico; the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities of Spain; and DESI member institutions. The DESI scientists are honored to be permitted to conduct astronomical research on Iolkam Du'ag (Kitt Peak), a mountain with particular significance to the Tohono O'odham Nation. View the full list of DESI collaborating institutions, and learn more about DESI here: http://www.desi.lbl.gov. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest scientific challenges are best addressed by teams, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and its scientists have been recognized with 13 Nobel Prizes. Today, Berkeley Lab researchers develop sustainable energy and environmental solutions, create useful new materials, advance the frontiers of computing, and probe the mysteries of life, matter, and the universe. Scientists from around the world rely on the Lab's facilities for their own discovery science. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory, managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov. The National Science Foundation's NOIRLab, the U.S. center for ground-based optical-infrared astronomy, operates multiple research facilities including Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), a Program of NSF's NOIRLab. The Laboratory is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) under a cooperative agreement with NSF's Division of Astronomical Sciences. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 to promote the progress of science. NSF supports basic research and people to create knowledge that transforms the future. The Heising-Simons Foundation is a family foundation based in Los Altos, California. The Foundation works with its many partners to advance sustainable solutions in climate and clean energy, enable groundbreaking research in science, enhance the education of our youngest learners, and support human rights for all people. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, established in 2000, seeks to advance environmental conservation, patient care and scientific research. The Foundation's Science Program aims to make a significant impact on the development of provocative, transformative scientific research, and increase knowledge in emerging fields. The Science and Technology Facilities Council is part of UK Research and Innovation - the United Kingdom body which works in partnership with universities, research organizations, businesses, charities, and government to create the best possible environment for research and innovation to flourish. STFC funds and supports research in particle and nuclear physics, astronomy, gravitational research and astrophysics, and space science and also operates a network of five national laboratories as well as supporting U.K. research at a number of international research facilities including CERN, FERMILAB and the ESO telescopes in Chile. STFC is keeping the U.K. at the forefront of international science and has a broad science portfolio and works with the academic and industrial communities to share its expertise. Established in 1958 and aiming at the forefront of astronomical science, the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) conducts cutting-edge astronomical studies, operates major national facilities and develops state-of-the-art technological innovations. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 17:06:14|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ABUJA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Four gunmen were killed when the Nigerian military launched airstrikes to destroy a logistics warehouse of a "criminal gang" in the country's northwest region, the military said on Monday. In a statement reaching Xinhua in Abuja, the military said the weekend bombardment of the gunmen's camp in the Birnin Kogo area of the northwestern state of Zamfara followed credible intelligence. An attack aircraft that scrambled to engage the target had scored accurate hits on a large structure within the camp, used by the gunmen group to store their ammunition and other logistics items, the statement said. The military said the warehouse went up in flames, as a result of its volatile contents, leading to its complete destruction. According to the statement, the airstrikes were in continuation of the renewed onslaught against "criminal gangs" in parts of the Nigerian northwest and north-central regions where kidnapping and armed banditry, among other crimes, had become rampant. Enditem London, June 1 : Despite a ban on mass gatherings in the UK, thousands of people gathered in London and Manchester to protest over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man, in police custody in the US city of Minneapolis on May 25. Chanting "no justice, no peace", the protesters gathered in London's landmark Trafalgar Square on Sunday afternoon before marching through Westminster to Downing Street, reports Xinhua news agency. Videos posted online showed people shouting "I can't breathe" on the square. Taking to their knee, they also chanted "George Floyd", as some of them held banners reading "Black Lives Matter". Protests were also held in Manchester and outside the US Embassy in London. Meanwhile, London's Metropolitan Police said that police were aware of demonstrators gathering outside the US Embassy. "Officers are on scene & engaging with those in attendance. An appropriate policing plan is in place," it tweeted. Protesters continued to take to the streets over the weekend in at least 30 US cities over the death of Floyd. As many as 25 cities across 16 US states have imposed curfews while eight states and Washington D.C. have called on the National Guard to help respond to the unrest. Nearly 1,400 people have been arrested during the protests in 17 US cities. The brand value of the worlds biggest companies is set to decline by $1 trillion due to the coronavirus outbreak, a Brand Finance 2020 report suggests. While aviation will likely emerge as the worst-affected sector, oil and gas, tourism, leisure, restaurants and retail will also log huge losses due to the outbreak. Impact The study has assessed the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak on enterprise value, compared to what it was on January 1, 2020. The industries have been classified into three categories limited impact (minimal brand value loss or potential growth), moderate impact (up to 10 percent loss) and high impact (up to 20 percent loss). Household products, utilities, telecoms, food, pharma, cosmetics and personal care, real estate, soft drinks fit safely into the first category with minimal loss or potential growth. Tech, healthcare, exchanges, auto, car rental services, logistics, tobacco, mining, iron and steel, commercial services, spirits, media, engineering and construction were grouped in the moderate category with up to 10 percent loss. Industries hardest-hit due to the coronavirus crisis, that may suffer up to 20 percent loss, are airlines, airports, apparel, hotels, retail, chemicals, oil and gas, restaurants, beers, tires, insurance, IT services, leisure and tourism, auto components, aerospace and defence, banking and airports. "COVID-19 is undoubtedly going to wreak havoc on the hotel sector in the coming year -- both financially, as hotels are forced to close and bookings are cancelled and reputationally, as brands that do not manage to avoid association with coronavirus may suffer lasting reputational damage. Our analysis has shown that hotel brands could face a 20 percent brand value loss, following the pandemic," said Savio D'Souza, Director, Brand Finance. New Normal According to the report, brands that have adapted to the new normal by offering "in-home or remote working solutions" have seen an immediate surge in demand. Zoom online video conferencing platform saw a massive spike in the number of users. Similarly, food delivery apps like Deliveroo and UberEats, which offer contactless delivery, have also seen a huge surge in demand for their services. In such a setup, the parcel is conveniently left on customer's doorstep and payments are made online to ensure social distancing norms are followed. Gainers While many companies have suffered due to social distancing norms and restrictions on movement, some brands, especially streaming services, are booming as more and more people stay indoors. "Brands like Amazon, Netflix, WhatsApp, Skype, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and British United Provident Association Limited (BUPA) are all doing very well," said David Haigh, CEO, Brand Finance. Effects will linger into 2021? The 2003 SARS outbreak, which infected about 8,000 people and killed 774, cost the global economy an estimated $50 billion. "The COVID-19 pandemic is now a major global health threat and its impact on global markets is very real. Worldwide, brands across every sector need to brace themselves for the coronavirus to massively affect their business activities, supply chain and revenues in a way that eclipses the 2003 SARS outbreak. The effects will be felt well into 2021," added Haigh. Find the full Brand Finance India 100 2020 Report here Read our entire coverage on India' Most Valuable Brands 2020 here. Kilkenny County Council Arts Office has initiated a blanket project to help you use up of all that extra wool you have lying around your house and to help improve the lives of children in South Africa. What better time to get back to knitting, crocheting or indeed take it up for the first time or to get your children knitting. Knit or crochet a square 7 x 7 and your squares will be stitched together into beautiful blankets for the children supported by the Elkana Childcare charity in South Africa. Strong connections This charity has very strong connections to Kilkenny, and so is very dear to our hearts. A magnificent municipal building named Kilkenny Hall stands in the middle of one of Africas largest townships today. It was built via the monies sent from the south east of Kilkenny in a drive spearheaded by Mooncoin farmer John Crowley. John was deeply moved by what he witnessed on his first trip to the Khayelitsha township during the 2002 Kilkenny hurlers holiday to South Africa. So John set about transforming the lives of women and children. The Elkana Charity transforms the lives of children who live in severely adverse situations which negatively impacts on their positive development and future. They are in desperate need of meaningful interventions to prevent/stop the infringement on their human rights to enable them to eventually lead happier and more balanced lives. The charity runs a residential Temporary Safe Care Programme for twenty-four children at any given time and after school programmes accommodating two hundred children. This offers the children a safe place to do their homework, assignments and studies instead of being alone at home after school (which is the case for 95% of their children). Throughout the year children enjoy numerous activities that contribute towards their physical, emotional and social development. This charity has very strong connections to Kilkenny, and so is very dear to our hearts. A magnificent municipal building named Kilkenny Hall stands in the middle of one of Africas largest townships today. It was built via the monies sent from the south east of Kilkenny in a drive spearheaded by Mooncoin farmer John Crowley. John was deeply moved by what he witnessed on his first trip to the Khayelitsha township during the 2002 Kilkenny hurlers holiday to South Africa. So John set about transforming the lives of women and children. An incredible difference has been made so far but here is your opportunity to further support and help these women and children. You too can make a difference and have a positive impact on their lives one square at a time. So we are asking you with a little motivation and a lot of love to take to your knitting and crocheting and encourage your friends to do the same. Take this opportunity to learn a new skill and maybe even teach a loved one how to. If you are interested in getting involved in this wonderful project please let us know by email bernadette.roberts@ kilkennycoco.ie / or call the Arts Office on 056 779 4203. We ask that for now you collect your knitted squares at home and we will send out further instructions regarding collection in due course. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (front, second, left) talks to workers of the Foster Electric Bac Ninh Co. Ltd on May 31 (Photo: VNA) Deputy General Director of the Foster Electric Nguyen Quang Hoang said the group, established in Japan in 1949, is running four factories in Vietnam, and the plant in Bac Ninh is employing 3,600 workers. This year, the COVID-19 pandemics impact has led to a drop in the number of orders, causing difficulties for the firms production and business activities. Facing this, the company has been taking measures to recover production and resigned itself to profit cut to ensure employees livelihoods. At the dialogue with the Government leader, workers appreciated the Party and States efforts against COVID-19, as well as the aid package for people affected by the pandemic, including labourers. They said they will continue complying with preventive measures for the disease and share difficulties facing their business and the country. They also expressed their hope that the Government will keep a good control of the pandemic, assist businesses and export activities to guarantee labourers jobs and income, and support the building of housing, day-care centres and supermarkets to meet their daily needs. In response, PM Phuc said housing for workers is an issue that needs more attention, asking the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour and Bac Ninh authorities to reserve more resources and create favourable mechanisms for the housing construction. He also asked enterprises and localities nationwide to pay more heed to occupational safety and health, including COVID-19 prevention and control. He affirmed the Party and State always create the best possible environment for all domestic and foreign investors to operate successfully in Vietnam. Therefore, both enterprises and state agencies are responsible for developing a healthy business climate. On the occasion of the Workers Month in May, the PM also presented gifts to 100 labourers with outstanding performance and those with disadvantages of the company. Following that, he visited and presented gifts to families living in workers rented housing area in Roi Soc hamlet of Phu Chan commune, Tu Son town. At a working session with key local officials later on May 31, PM Phuc described provinces achievements, including leading positions nationwide in many aspects, as miracles for a small locality like Bac Ninh. He also highly valued the dynamism, creativity, persistence and resolve of the local Party organisation, administration, people and business community. Highlighting the improvement of peoples income as the ultimate goal of economic development, the PM noted that as Bac Ninh is an industrial province with a small area, a big population and a large number of migrant workers from other localities and countries, it also needs to pay attention to ensuring social security, order and stability. Besides, the province has to diversify economic sectors, he said, adding that the development process must always centre on people so that no one is left behind. It needs to work towards inclusive and harmonious growth evenly based on the three pillars of economy, society and environment, according to the Cabinet leader. At the meeting, PM Phuc said as Samsung is a major foreign investor with considerable contributions to local socio-economic development, Bac Ninh should put this firm at the centre of its electronics industry and connect this sectors development with neighbouring provinces as well as the Hanoi Capital Region. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 18:36:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Keren Setton JERUSALEM, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Media outlets reported on Monday that in a recent thwarted Iranian cyber-attack on Israeli water systems, there was an attempt to change the chlorine levels in the water, putting hundreds of Israelis at risk. The latest reports come after weeks of suggestions that Israel and Iran have traded several blows in cyberspace. While the Iranian officials have denied the allegations, Yigal Unna, director general of the National Cyber Directorate in Israel was quoted as saying that May was the "turning point in the history of modern cyber warfare." An alleged Israeli retaliation to the attack also came a few weeks ago. Reports said that computers in a key Iranian port were paralyzed by a major cyber offensive, causing major disruption to naval traffic. "This is already hard-core cyber warfare, where you create actual physical damage as a result of disrupting computer systems which control physical systems of our lives," said Tal Pavel, head of Cyber Security Studies at the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo. While the supposed Iranian attack did not cause any damage in Israel, reports from Iran suggested that the Shahid Rajaee port terminal in the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas took days to resume normal activity. "The Israeli response is really out of the ordinary," Pavel told Xinhua about Unna's public comments. "This is really crossing a line. But Israel apparently wanted it to be known that it was behind the attack." Israel and Iran are arch-rivals that have been engaged in various levels of war-fare for decades. There is always concern that the tit-for-tat attacks will spill over into a wider conflict that will engulf the entire region. Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes against Iranian targets in Syria in recent years. Increasingly, cyberspace has also become a battlefield. In a widely reported incident years ago, Israel, together with the United States, is believed to be behind a computer worm that was unleashed on the Iranian nuclear program computer system. The Iranian uranium enrichment facility's activity was reportedly severely hampered by the mysterious computer virus. The worm attack was a wake-up call for Iranian officials. "In recent years Iran has invested a major effort in developing its cyber abilities after understanding the potential," said Yossi Mansharof, a researcher in the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and the Ezri center for Iran. Israel is considered a leading cyber security power. With a thriving hi-tech eco-system, the cybersecurity sector is a leading one in the country. While Iran has made great advances in its cyber capabilities, many experts in the field believe there is still a major gap in favor of Israel. Yet, Israel is not immune to attacks. "Being a cyber-power doesn't only mean you have offensive capabilities, but also are capable of defending yourself from serious attacks on infrastructure," Pavel added. According to Mansharof, the conflict between Israel and Iran in Syria could well be transferred to cyberspace after years of armed conflict. "Iran is well aware of its military inferiority vis-a-vis Israel and they prefer not to engage in a war but continue in attrition or use of proxies," Mansharof said. "Israel is also largely alone against Iran and is not looking for a war." Enditem George Floyd, the 46-year-old African-American whose death at the hands of a white police officer led to huge protests across USA, shall be buried in his hometown of Houston, after a public visitation in Minneapolis, according to PTI. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the funeral plans but no detail has come out yet on when it will take place. "This is our house. This is the same city that George Floyd grew up, And his body will be returning to this city. To his city," Turner said. Floyd died in Minneapolis on Monday after a white police officer pinned him to the ground. Video footage showed the officer kneeling on Floyd's neck as he gasped for breath. His death has triggered nationwide protests. AP Officer Derek Chauvin has been fired, and on Friday was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, the authorities said. Born in North Carolina, Floyd was raised in Houston and stood out as a star athlete at Jack Yates High School in the southeastern part of the city. He moved to Minneapolis in 2014, but most of his family, including his two daughters, are still in Houston. Houston Police Department chief Art Acevedo is seeking to honour Floyd by giving his funeral a police escort. "Give us that honour," Acevedo said during a rally on Sunday. The department will use a high level of security to transport Floyd's body, comparable to when an officer dies in line of duty, the chief said, adding that he will provide more details at a rally reportedly scheduled for Tuesday, June 2 where protesters will march to City Hall. ABC Funeral arrangements are still being planned, said officials at the Fort Bend Memorial Planning Center in Rosharon. It posted a flyer on Facebook with a picture of Floyd, stating funeral arrangements are forthcoming. Details of a funeral have not been released. Floyd's family and attorneys have yet to confirm funeral arrangements. The family has asked for peace in honour of Floyd whose body is coming home tomorrow. Protests against Floyd's death have taken place across the country and one protest, which went on for nearly 11 hours, involved hundreds of people gathered in downtown Houston to demand justice for Floyd. Nearly 200 people were arrested during the rally. Many of those will be charged with obstructing a roadway, according to the Houston Police Department. Eight Houston police officers suffered minor injuries during the protest, and 16 police vehicles were damaged. Meanwhile, Governor Greg Abbott declared a State of Disaster for all Texas counties following several protests in cities throughout Texas over the death of Floyd. Under this declaration, the governor has the ability to designate federal agents to serve as Texas Peace Officers. FB "Every Texan and every American has the right to protest and I encourage all Texans to exercise their First Amendment rights. However, violence against others and the destruction of property is unacceptable and counterproductive," said Abbott. "As protests have turned violent in various areas across the state, it is crucial that we maintain order, uphold public safety, and protect against property damage or loss. By authorising additional federal agents to serve as Texas Peace Officers we will help protect people's safety while ensuring that peaceful protesters can continue to make their voices heard," he said. Abbott's declaration comes less than a day after he activated the Texas National Guard and deployed state resources to the cities of Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin in order to maintain public safety. Abbott sent more than 1,500 officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety to assist local police departments. In a statement, he said additional resources would be provided as needed. Lifting the limit early on how far Queenslanders can travel will flush tourism towns with cash and get the sector back on the move after months of COVID-19 lockdown. That's the prediction from Tourism Tropical North chief executive Mark Olsen who has welcomed the state government's announcement on Sunday that intrastate travel is back on. Tourism Tropical North chief executive Mark Olsen. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong "It's going to inject an extra $50 million into this economy," he declared on Monday. "Our industry is ready to go, we are here, ready to receive the calls." Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 06:06:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Video: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot imposes a citywide curfew Saturday evening, as looting and protests over African American George Floyd's death have escalated in the third largest city of the United States. (Xinhua) The Illinois National Guard is being ordered to Chicago amid "absolutely devastating" looting and destruction downtown, says Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. CHICAGO, May 31 (Xinhua) -- After the chaos and violence occurred during protests over an African American's death in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Saturday evening, downtown Chicago is quiet on Sunday. Some businesses along the streets are busy boarding up; and volunteers are cleaning the debris left on streets. At a news conference held Sunday morning, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot restricted downtown Chicago, mainly the Central Business District and Loop, to people who work and live within the boundary. Essential workers are also allowed there. Chicago Transit Agency (CTA) transit is also limited. Starting Sunday, "the Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS), Department of Water Management (DWM) and Chicago Police Department (CPD) will reduce access in the Central Business District and Loop area to only employees whose businesses are located within the designated boundaries, individuals who reside in the surrounding area and residents engaged in essential activities as defined in the Municipal Code," a news release read. CTA service has been suspended for trains and buses coming in and out of the Loop for public safety reasons, the release continues. A screengrab from abc7chicago.com on May 31, 2020, shows a frame of its latest report about the Chicago chaos sub-titled "Chicago businesses began the large task of cleaning up after George Floyd protests turned violent Saturday." (Xinhua) Illinois State Police has closed major downtown Chicago expressway ramps. The closure will be in effect until further notice. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker would activate 375 Illinois National Guard soldiers to help manage street closures at the request of Lightfoot. The Guard will not interfere with peaceful protestors, Pritzker said. The Illinois National Guard is being ordered to Chicago amid "absolutely devastating" looting and destruction downtown, Lightfoot said. They would have a "limited presence" tonight. The National Guard would be deployed on the "outer perimeter" of the downtown area, according to Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown. The police days off have been canceled, he said. The precautions followed a chaotic and violent Saturday evening, when many businesses along the streets were looted, police cars were overturned, some properties were damaged, there were six shootings with one death, and police made 240 arrests. A screengrab from Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's Twitter account on May 31, 2020, shows that she tweets about the citywide curfew and the installment of the National Guard to support the city police "to ensure we don't have a repeat of last night." (Xinhua) As a result, Lightfoot issued a citywide curfew effective from 9 pm to 6 am daily beginning Saturday until further notice. George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, died Monday after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was captured on video pinning Floyd down by his neck for eight minutes. Protests erupted in Minneapolis in the following day and quickly spread across the United States. A student stands in front of a private cram school building in Mokdong, southwestern Seoul, Monday. Yonhap By Bahk Eun-ji Concerns are growing over private cram schools as more and more infections are being reported among students studying there, according to education officials, teachers and parents Monday. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) said an older sister of a second grader from Yangchung High School in Mokdong, southwestern Seoul, tested positive for the virus, Sunday. Although the second grader tested negative, not only the private institutions he went to but also others ones in the Mokdong neighborhood have been closed to prevent the spread of the virus. quarantine official disinfects a classroom at a private cram school in Mokdong, Seoul, Monday, after a family member of a high school student, who studied at a private institute in the region, tested positive for COVID-19 the previous day. Yonhap (L-R) David Walliams, Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon attend the Britain's Got Talent 2020 photocall at London Palladium on 19 January, 2020. (Jeff Spicer/WireImage) Amanda Holden as spoken of her gratitude to Simon Cowell for keeping her on as a judge on Britains Got Talent, saying it has paid my mortgage for years. Since the shows inception in 2007, there have been a variety of different judges on the show, but only Holden and Cowell have remained. The 49-year-old has now said how grateful she is to Cowell for his decision to not replace her, and spoken of her friendship with the music mogul as well as those with fellow current judges, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams. Read more: Amanda Holden teases that her BGT blunders might be on purpose Speaking to Emma Willis during an Instagram Live, Holden said: For him not to have changed it when he could have done we do get on very well and you can't fake it that kind of chemistry. Talking of her connection with Cowell, she said: "We tell each other everything, I'm very close to him... and I'm really grateful, it's [BGT] paid my mortgage for years." Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell attend a press launch for Britain's Got Talent in April 2013. (Mike Marsland/WireImage) Talking of her and Dixon and the camaraderie between Walliams and Cowell, she went on: "We wear slippers under the desk, we eat food, we wear Spanx... "And then when David came he pushes all of Simon's buttons, and we got to see that and the relationship between them has lifted the show. So all of us, the four, it works really well we're so lucky." Piers Morgan sat alongside Holden and Cowell for the first four series of the talent show. He was replaced by comedian Michael McIntyre for one series, and a fourth judge was added in the shape of Baywatch actor David Hasselhoff. Read more: Coronavirus: 'Britain's Got Talent' rescheduled for later this year Dixon and Walliams then replaced McIntyre and the Hoff in 2012, making up the line-up which has stayed the same ever since. The latest series of BGT is airing on ITV. Auditions took place before the coronavirus lockdown came into place back in March. It is hoped the next round, which is yet to be filmed, will be aired later in the year. Jennifer Aniston is revisiting one of her sexiest photo moments to help charity. The Friends actress, 51, has joined with longtime photographer Mark Seliger to auction off a stunning nude photo of the actress to benefit COVID-19 relief. The 1995 black and white portrait is one of Aniston's most iconic images, showing the beautiful in the buff but elegantly posed to hide any of her intimate parts. Good cause: Jennifer Aniston is teaming up her longtime photographer Mark Seliger to auction off an iconic nude photo of the star taken in 1995 There was no denying the photo was taken in the 90s, as Jennifer rocked her signature 'Rachel' hairdo' in the pic. An accompanying video showed Seliger working in the dark room. Talking about the fundraising effort in her caption, the Morning Show actress said: 'My dear friend @markseliger teamed up with @radvocacy and @christiesinc to auction 25 of his portraits - including mine - for COVID-19 relief... '100% of sales proceeds of this portrait will go to @NAFClinics, an organization which provides free coronavirus testing and care nationwide to the medically underserved. 'Thank you again to Mark for allowing me to be part of this,' she added before finishing with the tag '#radart4aid.' Portraits of stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Billie Eilish, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg are also being sold. A look: There was no denying the photo was taken in the 90s, as Jennifer rocked her signature 'Rachel' hairdo' in the pic Process: An accompanying video showed Seliger working in the dark room Pause: Back in March, Jennifer's highly anticipated Friends reunion set to premiere on HBO Max was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic Aniston has been hunkering down at her Beverly Hills home since TV and film production halted due to the pandemic. Back in March, Jennifer's highly anticipated Friends reunion set to premiere on HBO Max was postponed. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the unscripted special was supposed to begin filming in late March 'on the show's iconic and former home at Stage 24 of the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank.' Reunited: According to The Hollywood Reporter the unscripted special was supposed to begin filming in late March 'on the show's iconic and former home at Stage 24 of the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank' Core cast: Once filming is able to resume, the special will reunite all six original cast members, Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer Once filming is able to resume, the special will reunite all six original cast members, Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer. Aniston shared to Instagram that a Friends VIP experience is up for grabs, which will allow one lucky winner (and five of their friends) to attend the reunion special. Friends came to a close in May of 2004 after 10 seasons on NBC. When Martha Kebedes adult sons moved from Ethiopia to join her in the United States this year, they had few job possibilities. The brothers took jobs at Smithfield Foods meat processing business near Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where their mother lives. The work there is difficult. It also has become increasingly risky. The new coronavirus has sickened thousands of meatpacking workers nationwide. One day half the workers in one department did not show up for work. Later, the brothers tested positive for COVID-19. It was very, very sad, Martha Kebede told the Associated Press. Almost 175,000 immigrants are employed in the U.S. meatpacking industry. It has historically depended on foreign-born workers for some of the most dangerous jobs in the country. At least 20 meatpacking workers have died from COVID-19. Several meatpacking centers have temporarily closed because of the coronavirus spread. This has raised concerns about possible labor shortages to meet demand for cow, pig and chicken meat. Companies struggling to find workers before the coronavirus crisis are spending millions on new ways to appeal to employees. Their ability to bring in new workers depends on things like unemployment levels, industry changes, and employees feelings about safety. It also depends on U.S. President Donald Trumps immigration policies. Trump has restricted nearly all immigration. But his administration recently gave seasonal workers 60-day extensions, affecting some in the meatpacking industry. Daniel Costa with the Economic Policy Institute said that about 350 foreign workers were given official approval for meat industry jobs in 2019. Such H-2B visa holders, limited to 66,000 per year, are commonly employed in other industries. But there has been willingness to expand. In early March, the Trump administration announced that 35,000 additional foreign workers would be permitted into the U.S. to take seasonal jobs. The following month, the plan was suspended for present economic circumstances. The nonprofit Migration Policy Institute reports that immigrants represent about 40 percent of the nearly 470,000 workers in U.S. meatpacking. Estimates on undocumented immigrants vary from 14 percernt to more than 50 percent at some factories. Industry leaders say they offer jobs with benefits and paths to higher positions for all workers. Paulina Francisco said her 21 years at Smithfield in Sioux City, Iowa, helped her buy a home -- something she did not think was possible when she immigrated from Guatemala. She is now a citizen. Still, most jobs are rural, limiting workers access to lawyers, favorable labor laws and other kinds of jobs. Hourly pay averages around $12 for physically demanding work. Workers in the country illegally fear being sent back if they take action against poor labor conditions. Vulnerable populations work well for the industry, said Joshua Specht, a University of Notre Dame professor. Sudanese refugee Salaheldin Ahmed moved to South Dakota six years ago to work at Smithfield. After escaping war, the 44-year-old says he feels little worry, even after testing positive for the coronavirus. They were killing in front of you, said Ahmed, of the violence he witnessed in Sudan. The coronavirus is nothing. He has recovered from COVID-19. Some data suggests that police raids at these plants may temporarily decrease immigrant employment. Michael Clemens is a migration expert with the Center for Global Development, a nonprofit research group. He said noncitizens represented 52 percent of U.S. meatpacking in 2006 and then 42 percent by 2008. But during the Great Recession of 2008 those percentages changed again. By 2011, about 56 percent of meatpacking workers were noncitizens. With the fast turnover of employees, it is common for factories to re-employ an entire workforce yearly, says the non-profit group National Employment Law Project, or NELP. It seeks policies that support workers rights. NELPs health and safety program director, Debbie Berkowitz said meat packing companies want to look for workers they can exploit, rather than workers that would feel comfortable raising concerns. The North American Meat Institute, an industry trade group, estimates most U.S. factories are at 70 percent production. Many meatpacking companies have added physical barriers between workers and other COVID-19 protections. Im Pete Musto. Stephen Groves and Sophia Tareen reported on this story for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story positive adj. showing the presence of a particular germ, condition, or substance circumstance(s) n. a condition or fact that affects a situation vary v. to be different or to become different benefit(s) n. something extra such as vacation time or health insurance that is given by an employer to workers in addition to their regular pay access n. a way of getting near, at, or to something or someone vulnerable adj. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally plant(s) n. a building or factory where something is made turnover n. the rate at which people leave a place or company and are replaced by others exploit v. to use someone or something in a way that helps you unfairly comfortable adj. not worried or troubled MANAGUA, Nicaragua - Nearly three dozen medical associations in Nicaragua have called on people to observe a national quarantine of at least three or four weeks in an attempt to slow the coronavirus pandemic, a step the government has not taken. The exponential increase of COVID-19 cases has caused the collapse of the public and private health systems, the groups said in an open letter Monday. They said hospitals were full, there werent enough beds, medicines were lacking and essential things like oxygen were in short supply. The government of President Daniel Ortega has not enacted the social distancing measures of its neighbours despite growing evidence of the virus spread. Schools remain open and the government has continued to organize mass gatherings even as Nicaraguans report that some people are being rushed from hospitals to immediate burial by workers wearing protective suits.. The medical associations called for the voluntary closure of nonessential businesses, urged people to remain in their homes, limit grocery shopping to once a week, maintain a safe distance from others and wear masks. Doctors have complained that they are ill-equipped to handle COVID-19 patients and a number have been infected. The letter came shortly after the death of a well-known dermatologist, Aldo Martinez Campos. Roger Pasquier, president of Nicaraguas Association of Anesthesiologists said Martinez had died from COVID-19, making him the 29th health worker to die from the disease. The letter warned that Nicaragua was in the phase of accelerated expansion and community spread, which will continue worsening with greater loss of life if the corresponding auhtorities do not urgently take measures on a grand scale to try to contain the pandemics advance. The Pan-American Health Organization has urged Nicaragua to take steps to slow its spread, but said its offers of expert assistance had been declined. The government has reported more than 700 confirmed infections and 35 deaths, but it has done little testing, and the nongovernmental group Citizen Observatory has counted nearly 4,000 suspected infections and some 800 deaths. Ortega has blamed his political opposition for exaggerating the virus threat, saying that its the same people he accused of trying to overthrow him in 2018. He has said Nicaragua cannot afford to stop working. The gravity of the situation in Nicaragua had led the Costa Rican government to impose strict rules at its borders on commercial truck drivers. Initially, it refused any showing symptoms and made others await test results before allowing them to enter the country. Nicaragua reacted angrily and closed the border, cutting road routes that connect the whole region. After nearly three weeks of interrupted cargo traffic, the border was reopened Sunday. Central American governments signed an agreement Saturday on basic health protocols for cargo drivers after Costa Rica agreed to relax its rules slightly. Costa Rica Foreign Minister Dyala Jimenez said truck drivers would have five days in the country to deliver a load and pick up a new one before leaving. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:39:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan dairy farmers on Monday joined their counterparts from across the globe to mark the World Milk Day as experts rooted for adoption of more hardy animals to enhance production amid challenges of climate change. The day was founded some 20 years ago by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to distinguish the importance of milk as a food and to celebrate the dairy sector. This year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, FAO discouraged the holding of in-person events, calling for social media celebrations. After milking their animals on Monday, some of the dairy farmers in the east African nation toasted their produce in celebration of resilience and hope for more production amid rising challenges. East African nation milk producers are currently facing a myriad of challenges among them shrinking land sizes, erratic weather conditions due to climate change and restrictions to curb the spread of new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that have shrunk the market. Climate change effects have led to erratic pasture production and increased disease and pest incidences. But still, the farmers have been resilient, producing up to 60 million liters of milk a month or 720 million liters annually, according to the Kenya Dairy Board. Rachel Kinyua, a farmer from Meru County in central Kenya, is among those earning a living from milk that her six cows, out of the 15 she keeps, produce. She gets 160 litres of milk every day and delivers to the Meru Union Dairy Cooperative Society, which buys at 35 shillings (about 0.35 U.S. dollars) per liter. "I am happy with the yield but I want to increase the number of milkers to 10, though challenges like severe drought affect production," Kinyua, who keeps Friesian animals, which are very high feeders, said. But as dairy production goes on, experts are calling for adoption of climate-smart animals that are not only hardy but also offer more on less feeds. These include dairy goats, crossbreed cows, camels and sheep. For the goats, crossbreeds of Alpines and Toggenburgs -- European breeds -- have emerged as the most popular among Kenyan farmers seeking to produce more milk. Similarly, crossbreeds of Sahiwals, Fleckvieh and local breed Zebu cattle have also been embraced by dairy farmers in the east African nation. For sheep, farmers are embracing crossbreeds of traditional Red Maasai, Boer and Dorper, the last two which are resilient and imported from South Africa. Camels, on the other hand, are being adopted by farmers in arid and semi-arid areas due to their hardy nature. Initially, the animals were mainly kept in northern Kenya but more farmers in the south, Coast and eastern parts of the country are embracing camels as their milk products like yogurt, fresh milk and meat become mainstreamed in the east African nation's market. There are at least three million camels in Kenya, mostly kept by pastoralists in the north, with the number growing steadily over recent years. George Gitao, a professor of veterinary medicine at the University of Nairobi, noted camels are more important now than ever because they are tough, survive in drought and pollute less. "Camels produce one of the most nutritious milks and the world's best wools, good leather and extremely healthy meat," he said. Bernard Faye, a veterinarian and chair of the International Society of Camelid Research and Development, observed that the global camel market is projected to grow at more than 10 percent for the next decade, thus, farmers must produce more of its milk and meat in the future to reap from the animals. Besides the resilient livestock, experts are advising for adoption of hardy but nutritious fodder that helps in production of more milk from the animals. These fodder include panicum, cobra and cayman grasses that are not only nutritious to animals but also regrow faster after cutting, thus, allowing farmers to have plenty of fodder even with little rains, according to Fredrick Muthomi, an agronomist. Enditem Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Scenario Global Collaborative Robotics Market is expected to reach US$ 8 Billion by 2026 at a CAGR of about 9.5% during a forecast period. The report segments Global collaborative robotics market by payload capacity, vertical, application and region. Based on type, the collaborative robotics market is classified into Up to 5kg, Up to 10 kg, Above 10 kg. Vertical segment is further divided into Automotive, Electronics, Metal & machining, Plastics & polymer, Food & agriculture. Application Report includes in-depth analysis and market forecasting of the applications include assembly, pick & place, machine tending, quality testing, packaging & palletizing. Region Request for Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/10975 By region collaborative robotics market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America. Evolving capabilities of edge computing, easier to program, reducing implementation time are the key factors to boost the collaborative robotics market. Collaborative robots are progressing in capability, simultaneously available in cheaper range and widely available in the array of applications. Collaborative robotics provides solution over the safety working environment will turns to increase demand for industrial automation. Global Collaborative Robotics Market Based on the payload capacity, Up to 5 kg is expected to lead in the collaborative robotics market. Up to 5 kg collaborative robot are easy to deployment, affordability, high adaptability and offers plug and play characteristics, which helps to meet the demand of small and medium scale enterprises. By vertical, automotive industry is estimated the largest share of the collaborative robots market in forecast year. Collaborative robots are cast-off to perform expanded assembly tasks across the automotive industry. These collaborative robots are also recycled to perform other critical tasks in the automotive production industries for the array of applications such as, quality inspection, line pick and place, packaging and palletizing, material handling and machine tending, while proposing safe working environment. In terms of region, Europe hold the largest market share in the collaborative robotics market followed by North America. Rapid growth of the Collaborative robotics in Europe is driven by strong government support to encourage factory automation solutions. Many key players in Europe region have independently established humanrobot collaboration and protection guidelines are driving the growth in collaborative robotics market in this region. Key profiled and analysed in the Global Collaborative Robotics Market ABB,KUKA AGFANUC Corporation ,Robert Bosch GmbH ,Universal robots ,Rethink robotics ,MRK-System GmbH ,Precise automation ,Energrid Technology Corporation, F& p robotics AGMABI AG, Techman ROBOT for quanta storage, Franka , Emika GmbH, AUBO robotics Inc.,YASKAWA Electric Corporation,Comau S.P.A Scope of the Global Collaborative Robotics Market: Make an Inquiry before Buying: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/10975/Single Global Collaborative Robotics Market, by Payload capacity Up to 5kg Up to 10 kg Above 10 kg Global Collaborative Robotics Market, by Vertical Automotive Electronics Metal & machining Plastics & polymer Food & agriculture Global Collaborative Robotics Market, by Application Assembly Pick & place Machine tending Quality testing Packaging & Palletizing Global Collaborative Robotics Market, by Region North America Europe Asia-Pacific Latin America Middle East Africa Key players in Global Collaborative Robotics Market ABB Inc. KUKA AG FANUC Corporation Robert Bosch GmbH Universal robots Rethink robotics MRK-System GmbH Precise automation Energrid Technology Corporation F& p robotics AG MABI AG Techman ROBOT for quanta storage Franka Emika GmbH AUBO robotics Inc. YASKAWA Electric Corporation Comau S.P.A KAWADA robotics corp. Epson robots Locus robotics Omron Robotiq Request for Report Discount: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/10975 The temperature is forecast to rise in northern and central Vietnam over the next days, while rain will continue dampening southern provinces, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. The hot weather pattern began in the northern and central provinces on Sunday, with average highs recorded at 35-37 degrees Celsius, and over 38 degrees Celsius in some areas. Starting on Monday, the heatwave will intensify as the highest temperature is expected to reach 35-38 degrees Celsius in northern Vietnam, 37-39 degrees Celsius in north-central and central provinces, and over 40 degrees Celsius in several areas. In Hanoi, it is forecast to be sunny during the day with rain accompanied by gusts and thunder expected in the evening on Monday. The lowest temperature in the capital will be about 27-29 degrees Celsius while the highest will be between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius. In southern Vietnam, rainfall will continue this week and is likely to occur in the late afternoon and evening. It will remain sunny in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, with showers moving into the metropolis at night. Temperatures in the city will range from 25 to 36 degrees Celsius. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! There are five steps Australian households need to take before the end of the financial year to ensure they remain financially healthy, experts have warned. Many businesses have been hit hard by coronavirus restrictions, with thousands of Australians being stood down or taking temporary pay reductions, and the wider economic effects are still uncertain. However, with the financial year ending on June 30 there are five simple steps you can take to maximise your income in the next 12 months. Financial strategist Theo Marinis said organising things such as superannuation contributions and pre-pay expenses before the end of the month was key to putting yourself in the best financial position for next year. Financial experts have revealed five things Australians should check before June 30 to keep their household budgets healthy amidst the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns FIVE THINGS TO CHECK BEFORE JUNE 30 1. Can you claim working from home expenses in your tax return this financial year? 2. Will making superannuation contributions deliver you tax benefits? 3. Can you access pensions or government benefits as falling asset values, such as lower house prices, improve eligibility? 4. What would be your capital gains or losses from selling investments and should you sell before June 30? 5. Should you change your investments in terms of the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns? Advertisement 'We're human beings and we always kick the can down the road. The lesson of COVID-19 is take control of things beforehand, even though it's our nature to wait,' Mr Marinis told The Daily Telegraph. Mr Marinis said checking insurance policies and whether they need to be increased or decreased could providing a saving. Pre-paying income protection insurance is tax deductable - as is pre-paying investment loan interest. Tax partner from HLB Mann Judd, Peter Bembrick, said another potential tax windfall is claiming working from home expenses during coronavirus restrictions. If you bought any items such as stationery or furniture to setup a home office these can be claimed - and more expensive items such as laptops can be partially claimed for the amount you used them for work. Your household bills such as air-conditioning, electricity, phone and internet can also be partially claimed for the amount you used them during work hours. The Australian Taxation Office has introduced a shortcut method where you can claim an 80c deduction for every hour you worked from home, however, calculating individual expenses may give you a greater saving. Rex Whitford, from Wealth for Life Financial Planning, said making additional contributions to your superannuation account was also tax deductible. There is usually a cap of $25,000 on voluntary super contributions that is tax exempt, however, this year the amount has been raised. 'This is the first year where they can use the previous year's unused concessional cap, as long as their superannuation was under $500,000 on 1 July 2019,' Mr Whitford said. 1 of 2 8,392 new coronavirus cases in India in 24 hours, total tally over 1.9 lakh India recorded highest spike in coronavirus cases on Monday morning with 8,392 fresh cases of infections in 24 hours. Indias case tally surges past the 1.9-lakh mark. With 230 deaths in 24 hours, ending Monday morning, the death toll due to Covid-19 in India climbed to 5,394. According to latest figures by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India has so far recorded a total number of 1,90,535 coronavirus cases. These include 93,322 active cases, while 91,819 have recovered/discharged/migrated. Among states, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are the hotspots for Covid-19 cases. Maharashtra and Gujarat have also reported the highest number of Covid-19 deaths, accounting for nearly 60 per cent of the country's Covid-19 toll. According to the health ministry data updated in the morning, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 65,168, followed by Tamil Nadu at 21,184, Delhi at 18,549, Gujarat at 16,343, Rajasthan at 8,617, Madhya Pradesh at 7,891 and Uttar Pradesh at 7,445. The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 5,130 in West Bengal, 3,636 in Bihar, 3,569 in Andhra Pradesh, 2,922 in Karnataka, 2,499 in Telangana, 2,341 in Jammu and Kashmir, 2,233 in Punjab and 1,923 in Haryana. Odisha has reported 1,819 coronavirus cases, Kerala has 1,208 cases, Uttarakhand has 749, Jharkhand has 563, Chhattisgarh has 447, Himachal Pradesh has 313, Chandigarh has 289, Tripura has 268, Ladakh has 74 and Goa has 70. Read More... YEREVAN, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan congratulated Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on the anniversary of birth. Dear Mr. Prime Minister, On behalf of the people, the authorities of Artsakh and myself personally I cordially congratulate you on your birthday. I am confident that by uniting the efforts and potential of Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora we will be able to jointly, successfully and effectively solve the problems facing our people at these difficult times, implement pan-national programs for the benefit of the development and strengthening of our Homeland. I once again congratulate you, wishing you all the best and good health to you and your relatives, especially during the current coronavirus-related situation, reads the congratulatory letter. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan BOSTON, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Dental of Massachusetts (DDMA) today announced the next steps in its comprehensive COVID-19 relief and recovery plan, which will continue supporting a broad set of oral health stakeholders during and beyond the pandemic. "Our response has been thoughtful, measured and broad, and we have worked hard to understand and address the needs of our members, providers, clients and employees during a particularly challenging time," said Delta Dental of Massachusetts President and CEO Dennis Leonard. "This next set of actions reflects our strong commitment to preventive care and the importance of ensuring the safest possible care environments, consistent with national guidelines, while also providing stability for dentists as they work to return to more regular operations." The next phase of the relief and recovery plan includes several benefits to recognize practice closures and help patients maintain their oral health in the coming weeks and months. For DDMA's individual subscribers, who signed up directly and through the Massachusetts Health Connector, DDMA will provide a 30% credit on premiums paid for April and May coverage, following approval by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance ( MA DOI ). ). For employees of DDMA's clients, who have been furloughed or laid-off and lost their dental insurance coverage, DDMA will provide free access to its Delta Dental Patient Direct card discount plan from June 1 through the end of the year. through the end of the year. For patients who choose to return to the dentist for preventive cleanings, DDMA will provide each member of a fully insured group plan who completes a preventive cleaning visit between June 1 and August 31 with a free electronic toothbrush. DDMA's plan also includes additional support for providers in its network. DDMA will provide dental practices with $10 payments for each in-person patient visit completed between June 1 and August 31 , to help reduce new barriers to care resulting from COVID-19. These payments are above and beyond regular reimbursement payments and can be used to cover a variety of operational costs, including personal protective equipment. payments for each in-person patient visit completed , to help reduce new barriers to care resulting from COVID-19. These payments are above and beyond regular reimbursement payments and can be used to cover a variety of operational costs, including personal protective equipment. DDMA will also simplify its benefit plan design to be more flexible on the scheduling of preventive services to ensure that patients who may have missed an appointment due to the pandemic can still complete two preventive visits this year. This change is subject to MA DOI approval and will benefit both patients and providers. The benefits announced today follow several earlier actions taken by DDMA, including: The Delta Dental of Massachusetts Provider Advance Payment Program, which provides critical aid and cashflow relief to current, independent dentists and oral surgeons working in DDMA network practices across the state. The Delta Dental of Massachusetts Employer Relief Credit, which provides Massachusetts businesses that offer fully insured dental coverage through DDMA with a 60% credit on insurance premiums paid applied in June businesses that offer fully insured dental coverage through DDMA with a 60% credit on insurance premiums paid applied in June Commitment to fully fund the Massachusetts Dental Society Foundation's COVID-19 Recovery Fund, which will provide personal protective equipment to Massachusetts dental practices. dental practices. Donations to the City of Boston's Resiliency Fund, the Worcester Community Foundation's Together COVID-19 Fund and the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts COVID-19 Fund for Pioneer Valley. Taken together, the above elements of DDMA's COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Plan, represent a financial commitment of up to $35M to maintain the oral health of Massachusetts residents and stabilize the state's oral health system. "As a mission-focused organization, DDMA is working hard to improve the oral health of all," said Leonard. "We are proud of the leadership our teams have been able to demonstrate during the pandemic, but we also realize that we cannot do it alone. We call on our industry peers to similarly commit resources to the recovery of our oral health care system in Massachusetts." About Delta Dental of Massachusetts Delta Dental of Massachusetts (www.deltadentalma.com), the largest provider of dental benefits in the state, is a leader in innovative programs that improve the overall health of members, prevent oral disease and reduce health care costs for employers, groups and individuals. Headquartered in Charlestown, Mass., Delta Dental of Massachusetts, a member of the Delta Dental Plans Association (www.deltadental.com), covers more than 2 million people. Follow us on Twitter (@DeltaDentalofMA), Facebook (www.facebook.com/DeltaDentalMA), and Instagram (@deltadentalofma) and check out the monthly oral health calendar at www.keepahealthysmile.com. Contact: Thomas O'Rourke, Head of Corporate Communications at (617) 886-1411 or [email protected] Please note that the Delta Dental Patient Direct Discount Card is not dental insurance. The program provides discounts on dental services from participating dentists in the Delta Dental of Massachusetts network. The Delta Dental Patient Direct Discount Card does not suffice as Evidence of Coverage or satisfy Essential Benefit requirements. SOURCE Delta Dental of Massachusetts Related Links http://www.deltadentalma.com A security officer stands guard as plainclothes personnel march in formation outside the entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing - AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein Experts fear British taxpayers could inadvertently be contributing to funding the Chinese defence programme, after millions of pounds of public funds were poured into technology research undertaken in collaboration with controversial Chinese universities known for their military links. The UKs Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council distributed more than 6.5 million to British universities including Manchester for technology studies that were undertaken with these controversial Chinese institutions, according to disclosures on academic papers. While the research programmes focused on technologies that could be used for civilian purposes, experts have warned that they also have the potential to be used for military applications, prompting fears that taxpayer-funded research by British universities could be exploited by Beijing. In two cases, researchers even stated on their grant application forms that the technologies they were looking at could have both civilian and military applications or be used for military controlling. The disclosure comes days after The Telegraph revealed that Huawei has also backed a string of research projects linking British universities with Chinese defence institutions, which focused on these so-called dual use technologies. Huawei denies any wrongdoing. Experts have now warned that the studies funded by the EPSRC may be part of a worrying pattern of partnerships between British universities and Chinese universities that are known for their strong military ties and that they could be used to fuel both Chinas controversial surveillance regime and its declared ambition to become the worlds most powerful military force by 2049. On Sunday night, Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith said the collaborations were tantamount to transfer of technologies to the Chinese government and accused the EPSRC and British universities of living in a naive world. Story continues You cannot say that there is any [Chinese] institution that is safe from the reach of that government If they take technology as part of a market position, they can use it for other things. His warning comes as Beijing faces growing international hostility over its handling of the coronavirus crisis and attempts to crush dissent in Hong Kong. The EPSRC defended the payments. Executive chairwoman Professor Dame Lynn Gladden said: These grants were fully consistent with government policy. All UK funding was directed to fund research by UK universities. A spokesman added that it allocates funding to research projects rather than individual papers through the lens of the quality of academic research, and that it is for individual universities to decide who they work with as long as there is no legal breach and the other universities cover their own costs. A Telegraph investigation identified seven papers that were undertaken by British institutions in partnership with Chinese universities, as part of research programmes that accessed EPSRC grants totalling 6,637,875. The funding body is one of nine organisations that make up UK Research and Innovation, which states on its website that it is principally funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Two of the papers were co-authored by researchers at China's so-called "Seven Sons of National Defence", universities tasked with developing China's defence programme, and six were undertaken with the in-house academy for the People's Liberation Army. Of the money dished out by the EPSRC, 305,891 went to the University of Manchester for research it undertook with Beihang University an institution sanctioned by America for its work on rockets and drones. The grant application to EPSRC boasted that it would could be used for environmental monitoring or military controlling". A spokesman for the University of Manchester said: We carry out due diligence on all research collaborations and we have clear ethical and intellectual property polices and guidelines which all our researchers, overseas and domestic, must adhere to as part of their professional contracts. Six of the papers were also funded by Huawei, and the remaining one was worked on by its researchers. The company has insisted that they all focused on common areas of research for telecoms equipment suppliers, and that it has strict rules to ensure the research it backs is not used for military purposes. We do not conduct military research either directly, or indirectly, nor do we work on military or intelligence projects for the Chinese government or any other government, a spokesman said. The Delhi High Court on Monday sought to know from the Delhi government and the three municipal corporations north, south and east about steps they have been taken for the safety of the safai karamcharis (sanitation workers) from Covid-19. The court also asked them to file detailed affidavits about the status of dumping of bio-medical waste at common dumping grounds, which they feared can aid the spread of Covid-19 among manual scavengers. A bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad said that dumping of bio medical waste at common dumping ground is a critical area and matter of concern as scavengers would be first to be exposed to the infection. This is a critical area, considering the submission made by counsel for the petitioners that bio-medical waste is being dumped in common dumping grounds, which can itself be a breeding ground of Covid-19 infection if any person unknowingly comes in contact with an infected PPE kit or gloves or masks. This is particularly a matter of concern as manual scavengers will be the first ones to be exposed to the infection, the court said. The courts remarks came while hearing a bunch of pleas seeking PPE kits and other medical equipment for sanitation workers. On Monday, the court noted that the affidavit and status reports filed by the Delhi government and the three municipal corporations were incomplete. It asked the authorities to give details of the number of sanitation workers in their jurisdictions and the number of PPE kits provided to them on a day-to-day basis during the Covid-19 pandemic. It gave the Delhi government and the three municipal corporations a weeks time to file fresh affidavits highlighting the points raised by the bench while also detailing whether sanitizing cubicles have been installed by the civic authorities in each ward and if not, what steps have been taken to ensure that after the safai karamcharis complete their duty for the day, they are adequately disinfected. Advocate Mehmood Pracha, appearing for one of the petitioners Harnam Singh, told the court that while the authorities claim to have distributed the PPE kits, the workers on the ground do not appear to have received them. The Delhi government in the affidavit, filed through its additional standing counsel Gautam Narayan, said that a PPE kit comprises of coveralls, masks, gloves and goggles and it has been receiving these components separately from HLL Lifecare Ltd, a government of India enterprise. It has also said that using different components, it has made 2.77 lakh PPE kits till May 22 out of which 2.75 lakh kits have been issued to chief district medical officers, Delhi government hospitals and health institutions, municipal hospitals and zonal offices of different municipalities where sanitation workers are employed. The matter would be now heard on June 9. Official White House Photo by Tia DufourBy KATHERINE FAULDERS, JUSTIN FISHEL and ALEXANDER MALLIN, ABC News (WASHINGTON) -- In a call with the nation's governors Monday, an angry President Donald Trump told state leaders they must "dominate" out-of-control protests, calling on law enforcement to get "much tougher" and blaming unrest erupting across many communities squarely on "the radical left." The president and Attorney General William Barr used the word "dominate" nearly a dozen times in describing how law enforcement should posture themselves. "You have to dominate, if you don't dominate you're wasting your time," Trump said, according to a recording of the call obtained by ABC News. "They're gonna run over you, you're gonna look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate." "You have to know what you're dealing with," the president told the nation's governors. "And it's happened before, this happened numerous times and the only time it's successful is when you're weak and most of you are weak." Trump said they were making a mistake by letting looters destroy property and called for arresting and prosecuting those captured on camera, saying they should be put in jail for 10 years. "Law enforcement response is not gonna work unless we dominate the streets, as the president said, we have to control the streets," Barr added in his own set of remarks. "We have to control the crowds and not to react to what's happening on the street and that requires a strong presence." A senior DOJ official said Monday that Barr directed the Bureau of Prisons to send riot teams to Miami and Washington, D.C., to assist in crowd control efforts. Around midnight Sunday, Barr dispatched the FBIs elite Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) to assist D.C. police. The official said DOJ will maximize federal law enforcement presence in D.C. tonight. Barr told the governors that DOJ has information of instigators who are "looking for secondary targets and cities where they can go and overwhelm the police forces," which he said was a reason for all states collectively to show a strong response to protesters. "Thats why its so imperative we cant play whack-a-mole with these people," Barr said. "We have to take out the professional instigators and the leadership group and the way to do that is to start with a strong statement in the major cities. President Trump on the call accused many of the governors of being slow to call for federal help like the National Guard in their states. "Why you're not calling them up I don't know -- but you making a mistake and making yourselves look like fools." "These are terrorists," President Trump said of the protesters. "Antifa and the radical left." In his opening remarks, he made no mention of George Floyd, the African American man killed in police custody last week in Minneapolis, and did not address the protesters concerns about racial inequality. At one point, Trump compared the government's mobilization in response to the protests so far as similar to a war-like posture. "It's like we're talking about a war which it is a war in a certain sense, and we're going to end it fast so be tough," Trump said. While many of the governors on the call avoided directly criticizing the president over his response to the protests, Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker confronted Trump over his recent rhetoric, saying he was in many cases making the situation "worse." "I've been extraordinarily concerned about the rhetoric that's been used by you," Pritzker said. "It's been inflammatory and it's not okay for that officer to choke George Floyd to death, but we have to call for calm. We have to have police reform called for." Pritzker added, "the rhetoric that's coming out of the White House is making it worse. People are feeling real pain out there. And we've got to have national leadership in calling for calm and making sure that were addressing the concerns of the legitimate peaceful protesters. That will help us to bring order." Trump shot back, defending his comments made thus far about Floyd and attacking Pritzker over his response to the spread of coronavirus in Illinois. "I don't like your rhetoric much either because I watched it with respect to the coronavirus and I don't like your rhetoric much either," Trump said. "I think you could have done a much better job, frankly, but that's okay we know we don't agree with each other." Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills similarly used the call to express concern over reports that Trump might visit her state later this week. "I am very concerned that your presence may cause security problems for our state," Mills said. "We dont have them yet so Im concerned about that." Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Southfield, Michigan, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sun Communities, Inc. (NYSE:SUI) (the Company), a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns and operates or has an interest in manufactured housing and recreational vehicle communities, today announced the dates for its second quarter 2020 earnings release and conference call. The Company will release its second quarter operating results on Wednesday, July 22, 2020, after the market closes. A conference call to discuss these results will be held on Thursday, July 23, 2020, at 11:00 A.M. ET. To Participate in the Conference Call: Dial in at least 5 minutes prior to start time. U.S. and Canada: 877-407-9039 International: 201-689-8470 The conference call will also be available live on Sun Communities website www.suncommunities.com . Conference Call Replay: U.S. and Canada: 844-512-2921 or 412-317-6671 Passcode: 13704750 The replay will be accessible through August 6, 2020. About Sun Communities, Inc. Sun Communities, Inc. (NYSE:SUI) is a REIT that, as of March 31, 2020, owned, operated, or had an interest in a portfolio of 424 communities comprising nearly 142,000 developed sites in 33 states and Ontario, Canada. For Further Information at the Company: Karen J. Dearing Every spring, the efforts of a select group of local students are celebrated for overcoming difficult times with the Clare-Gladwin Area School Board Association's TurnAround Achievement Awards. The fact that the students weren't able to convene in person for that celebration this year does nothing to diminish the accomplishments that got them there; under the circumstances, it might signal something even more meaningful. This year's batch of awardees - 22 students from Beaverton, Clare, Farwell, Gladwin and Harrison, as well as Bullock Creek, Coleman and Meridian - were notified that they had been chosen by their local teachers and administrators. The package they received included certificates, scholarship information and a printed program sharing their stories of perseverance. "The TurnAround students' stories are as varied as the students themselves," said Sheryl Presler, superintendent at Clare-Gladwin Regional Education Service District, which administers the awards. "Some have fought through deeply traumatic personal experiences; some have learned to deal with extreme anxiety in the school setting. But the common thread running throughout all their stories is grit - the ability, with the aid of friends, family, teachers and administrators, to overcome." Students honored include Dacoda Johnson and Kayla Burch from Beaverton Jr./Sr. High School; Brian James and Danielle Drake of Bullock Creek High School; Craig Humphrey and Haley Grady from Clare High School; Autumn Warner and Damien Ferguson from Clare Pioneer High School; Wesly Davis and Jessica Moore of Coleman High School; Hauck Degeer and Jheda Valdez from Farwell High School; Tyler Shinkan and Brenna Finch of Farwell Timberland Alternative Education; Kelsey Lynn Derck and Victoria Whitney from Gladwin High School; Brooke Farless and Paige Tucker of Gladwin Alternative Education; Walter Worthing and Kaylee Copeman from Harrison High School; Cailey Fedderson of Harrison Alternative Education; and Jessica Raymond of Meridian High School. Recipients of the TurnAround Achievement Awards are given one of three scholarships, each of which entitles them to six credit hours of in-district tuition at Mid Michigan College. The scholarships include the Doug Dodge Academic Opportunity Award for Beaverton, Clare, Farwell, Gladwin and Harrison students; the Al Roeseler Academic Opportunity Award for students from Coleman High School; and the Tom Gilstad Academic Opportunity Award for those attending Bullock Creek High School or Meridian High School. Since the awards began in 2006, it's been standard practice for the TurnAround Awards to bring all the students, their families and the teachers/administrators who nominate them together for a luncheon where their stories are told and they're given certificates from CGRESD and MMC. This year, that wasn't possible, but their achievements still needed to be applauded in the safest way possible. "During these difficult days, it can be hard to find things to feel good about," Presler said. "I encourage everyone to visit the RESD's website at www.cgresd.net or search 'Clare-Gladwin RESD' on Facebook to learn about these amazing students and the obstacles they've battled. At a time when physical, mental and emotional perseverance is so important, these young women and men epitomize that spirit; they're simply inspiring." - Processed by Victoria Ritter, vritter@mdn.net By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 06/01/2020 ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. couple Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Lauren Burnham have shared that Lauren recently suffered a miscarriage with the couple's second child.Lauren and Arie, who fell in love on 's 22nd season, posted a near 30-minute YouTube video on their channel on Sunday, revealing they recently struggled through a miscarriage."This isn't our typical positive vibes type of video," Lauren said at the start of the video.The couple apparently began documenting this heartbreaking journey when Arie was pretty confident Lauren was pregnant again because of how she was acting.Arie said Lauren either loved him or hated him, but Lauren was not convinced she was expecting, although she admitted to having emotional highs and lows probably due to being quarantined.Lauren therefore bought two pregnancy tests and decided to put a plus sign on one of them as a prank. She decided, however, to actually take the other test in order to be confirm or refute Arie's suspicion.When Lauren pranked Arie, the couple shared some laughs and Arie joked it was a "rotten" thing to do -- but then Arie noticed her other test was showing a positive sign as well."Did you just try to prank me but you're actually pregnant?!" Arie asked his wife."I don't know!" Lauren replied in shock. "Seriously? I'm like sweating so bad. I'm so hot... How does it backfire on me like that?! What are the odds?!"As a result, Lauren bought another test to double check, and she admitted she might "have a panic attack" if it's positive since their daughter Alessi was only 11 months old at the time.But the test did, in fact, reveal Lauren was pregnant."I had an inkling because of how you were acting but I feel like at the same time, I was shocked, and we were both like, 'Oh my gosh, too soon.' But then we were both really happy," Arie told the camera.Arie and Lauren embraced in the video and Lauren cried in his arms from a mixture of fear and excitement. Arie gushed, "I knew it!""Guess we're a family of 4 pretty soon!" Lauren said as she cuddled with their daughter, who just celebrated her first birthday on Friday.The couple then explained in the video, "We made so many plans," including moving into a new house with more space."We were planning to share our journey through pregnancy with you, but unfortunately we didn't get the happy story we had hoped for," the couple added.During Lauren's first doctor appointment, Arie waited in the car due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. They were told Lauren's ultrasound showed that their fetus looked to be about five weeks along, but Lauren and Arie estimated he or she "should have been eight weeks.""We were really confused by that," Lauren explained. "But our doctor assured us that it could be a number of things and not to panic about it."When Lauren reunited with Arie, she shared, "I didn't get the best of news. The ultrasound showed I was a lot less far along than I thought I was... It could mean I'm just not as far as long as I was, it could mean I ovulated late, or it could mean that it's not a viable pregnancy."Lauren was upset, but Arie stayed optimistic this was just one of the many stressors that come along with a pregnancy. And he was right at first, because Lauren's hormone levels were rising properly and Lauren felt "reassured."But at Lauren's second doctor appointment, the baby appeared to be six weeks old, which didn't make sense for Lauren."I got bad news again and the baby was measuring only five days more than the last ultrasound, which was two weeks prior... I was expecting to see an 8 week old-ish baby, and now we're measuring at 6 weeks exactly, so that means we've made 5 days progress in the span of 14 days," Lauren explained."I don't even know what to say," Arie noted."It's not the easiest news to take in," Lauren added, while fighting back tears.The couple had to go through another whole week of waiting and "wondering," and Arie confessed he was "speechless."The couple then went to the doctor again on May 28, the day before Alessi's first birthday, only to find out Lauren had suffered a missed miscarriage, the most common miscarriage in which an embryo dies but is not physically miscarried.Lauren's doctor explained her hormone levels were still up because her body hadn't yet recognized the loss yet."It's been a roller coaster of emotions going from scared at first a little bit because it was so soon, then happy, then just stress and worry for weeks on end, and then obviously today was the bad news," Arie told the camera."It's something that you can never really prepare for. We've prepared for good and bad news while trying to stay positive at the same time. It's consumed our thoughts for the last month. It's been hard holding this back from everybody."And Lauren admitted, "I was really excited to tell you guys that we were pregnant, and I feel like this is the best way for us to tell the whole story without having to go through it and talk through it."Although their story "doesn't have the happiest outcome," Arie noted, "It's important for us to document this and show you that you're not alone.""Hopefully the next time you see a video with the word pregnancy it's positive and it's good news. I'm still processing this whole thing, and I think you are too, [Lauren]. We'll get through this," Arie concluded.Arie and Lauren met on 's 22nd season, but Arie chose Becca Kufrin and proposed marriage to her instead during the Final Rose Ceremony, which aired in March 2018. (Lauren finished as the runner-up).Weeks after getting engaged, Arie decided to dump Becca because he claimed he was still in love with Lauren, and so he begged Lauren for a second chance.After Lauren decided to take Arie back, the real estate agent and pro racing driver proposed marriage on : After the Final Rose in March 2018.The couple then moved into their first home together in Phoenix, AZ, in April of that year.The pair announced they were expecting their first child together in November 2018 and revealed two months later they had a baby girl on the way.Arie and Lauren got married at Haiku Mill in Maui, Hawaii in January 2019 and then welcomed Alessi on May 29, 2019.Interested in more news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group Six people were arrested this weekend after peaceful protests downtown took an ugly turn and resulted in looting and vandalism that damaged 39 businesses, authorities report. Multiple arrests resulted from Saturday's looting. Joe Canales, 44, of Uvalde, was arrested for aggravated assault of a peace officer, evading arrest, rioting and resisting arrest. He is being held on $125,000 bond. Wayne Waldrip III, 21, of San Antonio, was arrested for assault, resisting arrest and unlawful carry of a weapon. He is being held on a $26,500 bond Alejandro Yanez, 17, of San Antonio, was arrested for rioting. He is being held on a $15,000 bond. Ryatt Aguilar, 19, of San Antonio, was arrested for rioting and retaliation. He is being held on a $35,000 bond. Davianna Reece for a curfew violation. Ethan Pulliam for a pedestrian in the roadway. Additional information was not known about Reece and Pulliam. All offenses except for the aggravated assault of a peace officer and retaliation charges are misdemeanor crimes. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox More than 5,000 people, outraged at the recent killing of George Floyd, descended on downtown streets Saturday to demand a change in law-enforcement tactics. Video emerged last week of Floyd, a black man, being restrained by a white Minneapolis police officer. Floyd died after officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin was later arrested and charged in Floyd's death. San Antonio Police Chief, William McManus, condemned the killing saying it was "sickening." He did emphasize though that the actions of those who came to San Antonio just to create destruction wouldn't be tolerated. A temporary curfew for the downtown area was enacted Saturday and Sunday night after people started breaking into businesses in the downtown area following the protests. RELATED: Police out in force in downtown San Antonio Sunday night after violence, looting marred Saturdays George Floyd protest If the agitators show up, its not our intention to stay out of sight, Police Chief William McManus said Sunday afternoon, after the initial wave of protests the night before. I want them to know that were there. I want them there to know that were there in force and that well take the action that we need to take if they start destroying property and injuring people. Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 06:19:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Economic activity in the U.S. manufacturing sector contracted for the third straight month in May amid mounting COVID-19 fallout, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) reported Monday. The Purchasing Managers' Index stood at 43.1 percent in May, up 1.6 percentage points from the April reading, which was the lowest level since April 2009. Any reading below 50 percent indicates the manufacturing sector is generally contracting. "Three months into the manufacturing disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, comments from the panel were cautious regarding the near-term outlook," Timothy Fiore, chair of the ISM's manufacturing business survey committee, said in a statement. Noting that the pandemic impacted all manufacturing sectors, Fiore said "May appears to be a transition month, as many panelists and their suppliers returned to work late in the month." "However, demand remains uncertain, likely impacting inventories, customer inventories, employment, imports and backlog of orders," he said. Among the six biggest industry sectors, Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products remains the only industry in expansion, according to the report. Transportation Equipment, Petroleum & Coal Products, and Fabricated Metal Products continue to contract at "strong levels," Fiore said. Despite the continued contraction, Tim Quinlan, a senior economist at Wells Fargo Securities, wrote in an analysis that "a reading of 43.1 in May versus 41.5 in April tells us that the pace of decline is slowing." "After some of the worst months on record, this is a step in a better direction," Quinlan said, while noting that "there are certainly challenges ahead." "Supply chain disruptions and implementation of new social-distancing protocols in factories and workshops not just in the United States, but around the world, likely mean that the recovery here will take longer than the quicker turnaround we expect to see in consumer spending," he said. A business executive from the Transportation Equipment industry also highlighted the new protocols, saying in the ISM report that social distancing measures in the manufacturing plant and customer demand are "impacting the rate of production." "Despite the COVID-19 issues, we are seeing an increase of quoting activity. This has not turned into orders yet, but it is a positive sign," a business executive from the Computer & Electronic Products industry said. The U.S. Commerce Department reported on Thursday that economic activity in the first quarter contracted at an annual rate of 5 percent in a second estimate, 0.2 percentage point lower than the advance estimate. That downwardly revised figure, however, still does not fully capture COVID-19's economic damage, and many analysts believe that the decline in the second quarter is expected to be much deeper. U.S. 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. In a virtual discussion held by Princeton University on Friday, the central bank chief said he was concerned about a second wave of COVID-19 infections, which he believed would dampen consumer confidence and hurt economic recovery. Enditem Audrey Cooper, The Chronicles editor in chief, told her staff Monday she would leave the newspaper later this month for a new position in journalism. Cooper, 42, has been The Chronicles editor since 2015, when she became the first woman to hold the position, shortly before the publications 150th anniversary, and the youngest woman ever to lead a major metropolitan newsroom in the U.S. The Chronicles staff, which has been working remotely since mid-March when Cooper told employees to work from home as a health measure, learned of the news in a meeting held by videoconference. Cooper said her last day would be June 19. She did not identify her new employer. Leading this newsroom has been the honor of my life, Cooper wrote in an email to the staff. When I moved to the Bay Area in 1999, the first place I wanted to see was 901 Mission. I wanted to work here more than anything. It never occurred to me that I might someday become editor in chief. Trapper Byrne, The Chronicles politics editor, helped hire Cooper as an assistant metro editor in 2006. Honestly, after we interviewed her, I thought shed wind up being my boss eventually, Byrne said. Cooper once recalled that it took her five hours to edit her first story. Despite that rocky start, she rose to become The Chronicles metro editor in 2009, assistant managing editor in 2011, deputy managing editor in 2012 and managing editor in 2013. Cooper invigorated The Chronicles digital, investigative and breaking news operations. The California News Publishers Association named The Chronicle the best large newspaper in the state for four years in a row. The Online News Association recognized the newspapers coverage of the Camp Fire with a first-place award in the Breaking News category, and its reporting on the 2017 Wine Country fires won first place for breaking news in the Scripps Howard Awards. The Chronicle also produced a feature-length documentary on AIDS survivors, Last Men Standing, which won two Emmy Awards. 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. Starting in 2016, Cooper began mobilizing a consortium of Bay Area media outlets for a project that annually highlights the crisis of homelessness with days of coordinated coverage. Chronicle Publisher Bill Nagel said the company was looking for Coopers replacement and had retained an executive search firm. Its been an honor for me to work with Audrey, and I think shes elevated our collective performance, he said. My goal in this national search is to drive the change Audreys been making and take it even further. Cooper was born in Topeka, Kan., and raised outside Kansas City, Kan. She and her family, who currently reside in San Francisco, intend to move away from the Bay Area, she said. Owen Thomas is The San Francisco Chronicles business editor. Email: othomas@sfchronicle.com Hong Kong: No change to currency peg Hong Kong has no intention to change the Linked Exchange Rate System which is backed by solid foreign exchange reserves and a sound banking system, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said today. Meeting the media after briefing legislators on Hong Kongs latest economic situation, Mr Chan said the citys banking system has ample liquidity and the sector is healthy and strong. We are very confident that we will be able to defend our linked exchange rate. The Linked Exchange Rate System will be there. We have no intention to change it. We have about US$440 billion in our foreign exchange reserves which is more than twice our monetary base. He also said US actions announced last week in light of the national security legislation in Hong Kong would have a limited impact on the city. What has already (been) mentioned by President Donald Trump is more about goods manufacturing in Hong Kong exporting to the US, subject to possible additional tariffs. On that, the impact on Hong Kong would be pretty limited because manufacturing only accounts for 1% of our GDP and goods manufactured in Hong Kong exported to the US last year was only in the order of about $3.7 billion, so, very small. It only accounts for 0.1% of our total exports. Mr Chan added the Government will not speculate on whether there could be additional measures imposed by the US. On the one hand we (should) get ourselves prepared, we do the scenario analysis and the possible response planned by the Hong Kong SAR Government. On the other hand, we do not need to overreact to such possibilities. This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 30, 2020 | FRANKFORT By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 30, 2020 | 11:49 PM | FRANKFORT Secretary of State Michael G. Adams announced that Kentucky saw total voter registration numbers decline to 3,468,647 during the month of April. There are 1,265 fewer voters on the rolls as of April 30th than on March 31st, a 0.04 percent decrease. Reports show that the number of removed voters exceeds the number of new voters. Democratic registrants continue to represent just more than 48 percent of the electorate with 1,677,637 registered voters. Democratic registration dropped by 1,495, since March 31, a 0.09 percent decrease. Republican registrants total 1,484,338, or almost 43 percent of voters, with a small increase of 276 registered voters, a gain of 0.02 percent since March 31. Almost 9 percent of voters are listed under other affiliations, which saw a decrease of 46 registrants, a 0.01 percent decline. I am committed to cleaning up our voter rolls. Voter registration numbers reveal a decline, due to removal of the deceased, felons, and people who moved out of state. In fact, more dead voters were removed in April than new voters added, said Secretary Adams. Complete registration statistics are available on the State Board of Elections website. A worker sanitizes an area of the downtown Baton Rouge Christina's restaurant in mid-March when restaurants were limited to takeout and delivery orders. That was expanded to outside distanced dining, then 25% dine-in capacity and now goes to 50% with a further loosening of the state's stay-at-home order. Anusha Ravi By Express News Service BENGALURU: With the old guard said to be maintaining some social distancing from them and the newbie ministers showing warmth, the loyal BJP workers seem to be cozying up to the latter. The new ministers are those who jumped ships from the Congress and the JDS barely months ago. Sources in the BJP said that cadres are said to be disappointed with some seniors like Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, DyCMs Laxman Savadi and Dr C N Ashwathnarayana and Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar for not appointing party workers as advisers or secretaries. At a time when the party workers were feeling neglected by our own leaders, the new ministers are calling cadres to give them responsibility and hear their woes, said a party source who has earlier worked with MPs, ministers etc. Considering that they have lost a considerable chunk of supporters and workers when they shifted parties, the newbies like Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar, Food and Civil Supplies Minister K Gopalaiah, Cooperation Minister S T Somashekhar and Urban Development Department Minister Byrathi Basavaraj seem to be creating a new support base. I am now part of BJP and it is my responsibility to respond to the requests of our workers and MLAs, said Basavaraj. All is well in BJP: DyCM Mysuru: Dismissing Oppn leader Siddaramaiahs claim that the BJP government in the state will collapse over infighting, DyCM Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said, All is well in the party and none will cross the Lakshman Rekha. He said the government is safe and strong. He expressed displeasure over party MLAs holding separate meetings. The minor differences should have been discussed in the party forum, he added. Engineering company Monadelphous Group has secured a number of new construction and maintenance contracts worth a combined $150 million.In the iron ore market in the Pilbara region the company has secured a new contract under its existing BHP WAIO Asset Panel Framework Agreement associated with the dewatering of surplus water at Mining Area C. A three-year contract with Rio Tinto for the provision of maintenance services and minor projects on its Pilbara marine infrastructure. And a one-year extension to its two existing fixed plant maintenance and shutdown crane services contracts with Fortescue Metals Group.In addition it has also been appointed to BHP's WAIO site engineering panel for a further two years.In Papua new Guinea the company has also been awarded a new three-year contract to provide minor capital project services at Newcrest Mining's gold operations on Lihir Island.It has also secured a four-year contract to continue providing mechanical and electrical maintenance for a customer in the Queenlsand coal seam gas market.The company says, As always, we remain focused on the safe and efficient delivery of high-quality service solutions and we are pleased to continue to be recognised as a partner of choice by our customers.Shares in Monadelphousare trading 0.42 per cent lower at $11.77. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE MARANGE villagers have alleged that they are being forced by military personnel to work in the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) diamond fields, a month after the United States raised a red flag on the country and banned the trading of rough diamonds mined in the area. The US barred the trading of rough diamonds from Zimbabwe last month, accusing the country of using forced labour at its diamond fields in Marange. The government, however, dismissed the claims, describing the move as constituting a grave and serious attack on Zimbabwes interests. Speaking to NewsDay, Bocha Diamond Community Trust chairman Moses Mukwada said the mining area is so close to their homes that they witness human rights violations on a daily basis. Mukwada alleged that soldiers come into the area and hire youths and other illegal miners to go into the fields and mine the gems, promising them a share of the proceeds, only to confiscate the ore and arrest them later. - Advertisement - The soldiers and police come in the community looking for youths and illegal miners and take them to the fields to work after promising them that they would share the loot. After working for some hours, they are then ordered to leave the fields. On exiting the fields, security guards would confiscate all the ores and subsequently arrest them, Mukwada said. Those arrested are then taken to a military base where they are forced to wash the soldiers uniforms, fetch firewood and cook for them for a week or so. Mukwada said they have witnessed the abuse of youth and illegal miners on several occasions. He also alleged that ZCDC security guards always shoot towards the community to deter villagers from entering the fields. ZCDC security guards shoot direct at people with the intention to kill. This is one of our concerns. The use of live bullets occurred three months ago and is a clear testimony on how ZCDC guards are conducting their business without mercy. We know the names of those killed during the shooting three months ago, Mukwada added. There is no freedom of movement here, especially local villagers who have cars because they need to fork out for car permits which are renewed every month at their own expense. Without vehicle permits, local vehicle owners are harassed on a daily basis and are required to pay $40 for two boom gates at Hot Spring and at Chishingwi Primary School. Mukwada said married women whose national identity documents obtained outside Marange also face challenges entering their homesteads because they are perceived as strangers by the security details in the area. He further said teachers, pastors and mourners from other provinces were not allowed to enter the community. The community leader said they have since suspended traditional ceremonies where relatives from outside Marange are invited. Previous mining companies destroyed Chirasika School and ZCDC has taken over the area, but they failed to rebuild the school and children are walking long distances to Hot Springs School which is 20km away. Most of the school girls are being abused by motorists who offer them transport, Mukwada said. Contacted for a comment last week, Zimbabwe Defence Forces spokesperson Overson Mugwisi asked NewsDay to furnish him with more details on the location of the alleged abuse by the soldiers to enable him to investigate as there were many base stations in the area. NewsDay contacted him again after three days and he asked for questions to be sent by email, but had not responded at the time of going to print. ZCDC spokesperson Sugar Chagonda professed ignorance over reports of use of forced labour in the diamond fields. If anyone has evidence of any kind of forced labour, we will be glad to get more information. What you are alleging to be happening between soldiers and villagers, we dont have any reported cases, Chagonda said. If anything of that sort is happening, it is still illegal. All parties involved must be reported to the police. ZCDC is a responsible State miner that does not condone any form of corruption. We have zero tolerance to corruption and we believe in transparency and accountability. Like this: Like Loading... Dr. Anthony Fauci observed that his meetings with President Trump have dropped off 'dramatically' as the nation's top infectious disease expert said the president would be 'very happy' with a vaccine by the end of the year. Fauci said in an interview published Monday that Trump does not speak with him often about a vaccine which could be a critical step in returning the economy and society to something close to its pre-virus norms. He noted that the coronavirus task force headed by Vice President Mike Pence has had much more infrequent meetings even as U.S. deaths from the disease topped 100,000 last week and infections tick closer to 2 million. Dr. Anthony Fauci (r) says his meetings with the president 'have been dramatically decreased' It was at those meetings and once daily briefings afterward that Fauci became a fixture on television. 'We used to have task force meetings every single day, including Saturday and Sunday, and about 75 per cent of the time after the task force meeting wed meet with the president,' he told Statnews in an interview. 'So I was meeting with him four times a week back, a month or so ago,' he noted. 'But as you probably noticed, that the task force meetings have not occurred as often lately. And certainly my meetings with the president have been dramatically decreased,' Fauci said. There were numerous occasions where Fauci's public statements about lockdowns and the drug hydroxychloroquine appeared to contradict what Trump has said publicly a fissure reporters sometimes tried to probe during question-and-answer sessions. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks alongside U.S. President Donald Trump at a press briefing with members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force on April 5, 2020 in Washington, DC. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a recommendation that all Americans should wear masks or cloth face coverings in public settings. Fauci's comments on hydroxychloroquine carried a lot more caution than Trump's boosterism President Trump has avoided wearing masks in public and in some cases appeared to egg on anti-lockdown protesters Fauci's appearances dropped off after he contradicted Trump on hydroxychloroquine and Trump called to 'liberate' states from lockdowns Fauci has urged American to engage in social distancing and wear masks to try to stem the spread of the coronavirus Trump in March called the drug a 'game-changer,' and said in April there were some 'very strong signs' it works against the coronavirus. Trump stopped Fauci from answering a question about the drug at an April 5 briefing. 'He answered that question 15 times,' Trump said. Last month, Trump revealed he was taking the anti-malarial drug preventively for the coronavirus, which in s number of scientific has shown to have harmful side-effects and even caused an increase in deaths among those taking it. Fauci has repeatedly called for 'solid data' and studies without embracing Trump's hopeful rhetoric that it may work. Fauci is standing by statements that due to a rush project to identify a functioning vaccine, one may become available by the end of the year a timetable he said the president would be happy with. He has said the ordinary time to produce one is about 18 months. 'I think that the president and the administration would be really very happy if we had a vaccine that we could deploy by the end of this year,' Fauci said. He said the initial data with the vaccine being developed by Moderna look 'very promising.' He said he was concerned about the number of 'adverse events' when the drug is given in a high dose. He said it 'looks like' the drug can be effective at a lower and safer dose. T he US has warned Russia after Moscow sent war planes to back its main ally, General Khalifa Haftar, in a flare-up of the Libya conflict. The US plans to counter Moscow by sending training forces to neighbouring Tunisia. For over a year General Haftar has been encircling the capital, Tripoli, claiming he should be Libyas single ruler. Backed by Egypt and the UAE, as well as Russia, he says that the United Nations-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) is the tool of an alliance of Turkey, Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood. General Haftar leads a mixture of tribal militias and mercenaries, thought to include 1,200 fighters from the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organisation. Last month his forces lost a strategic air base at al-Watiya. This opened a supply road to the Tunisian border. Since then GNA forces have been taking key coastal towns such as Sabratha. On the battlefield the use of Turkish drones and anti-drone jamming systems seem to have been decisive. At al-Watiya they destroyed Chinese drones supplied by the UAE. Following the strikes, hundreds of Wagner Group mercenaries were said to have been flown in Russian freight aircraft to desert bases. According to the US Pentagon, Moscow has supplied General Haftar with MiG-29 and Su-24 strike planes though the Russian markings appear to have been painted out at a stopover in Syria. Meanwhile Turkey has reinforced GNA forces with Hawk anti-aircraft missiles and 7,500 militiamen shipped in from the Syrian border. Its a pretty bloody stalemate, said Alison Pargeter, an expert on Libya at Kings College London. Trenton is picking up the pieces after officials estimated more than a thousand people rampaged in the downtown area Sunday night, looting businesses and attacking police. The mayhem came hours after a peaceful protest in the city over the killing of a George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyds death, captured on video as a police officer kneeled on his neck, has sparked both peaceful protests and violent outbursts in cities around the country in the last week. Trenton officials estimated property damage at hundreds of thousands of dollars, as vandals smashed store windows, stole merchandise and threw bricks and filled water bottles at police, said city spokesman Michael Walker. Sixty businesses were damaged in all. At least one police car was torched and other police vehicles were damaged, but no injuries were reported. More than a hundred people were arrested. New Jersey State Police and officers from neighboring towns responded to assist. A curfew is in place for 7 p.m. tonight, lasting until 6 a.m. Tuesday. It wont apply to first responders, essential personnel and those coming home or going to work. Among the downtown Trenton businesses targeted on Sunday were a sneaker and apparel store, banks, food stores, a pharmacy, cellphone store and other small businesses. Those involved in the incident were racially and geographically diverse, Walker said, with many coming from outside of the city. We believe it was a mix of mostly outsiders who fueled the mayhem, but some of our residents were participants in the violence, he said. Firefighters extinguish a vehicle set on fire during a night of violent protests in Trenton. Walker witnessed the mayhem first-hand. Ive never seen anything like this in my entire life, the 54-year-old remarked. Trouble extended into neighboring Hamilton Township, where Mayor Jeff Martin reported that police were averaging as many 90 calls an hour last night and continued receiving calls until about 3 a.m. There were several arrests made and several buildings that were vandalized, but there did not appear to be any looting, he said during a noon press conference Monday. Township police partnered with state police to protect a Walmart, Martin said, which did not have any incident last night." One Hamilton officer who assisted police in Trenton on Sunday was injured when he was struck on the head with an object. The officer, who was wearing a helmet, was treated at a hospital and released, Martin said. Hamilton will also enforce a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew Monday night, he said, adding that other towns in Mercer County may do the same. (Lawrence and Ewing later did so.) Hamilton officials are coordinating with county and state personnel to prepare for the possibility of more trouble Monday night. Boarded up Bank of America building after violence last night in Trenton, N.J. June, 1, 2020 Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for At this time, we are preparing for another potential of violence this evening, but hoping that it does not come to that, Martin said. Trenton Mayor W. Reed Gusciora will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. to discuss the situation in his city. I know for a fact that the mayor is angered by what happened to Mr. Floyd in Minneapolis, Walker said, but at the same time, he is equally disturbed at the response because he doesnt believe that burning down businesses run mostly by hardworking people and attacking police with blunt objects are appropriate ways to express how they feel. The young people involved in the rioting in Trenton likely dont understand the citys history, he added. Trenton is a city that has had a profound impact on the American experience as well as the Civil Rights movement, Walker said. Boarded up Bank of America building after violence late night in Trenton, N.J. June, 1, 2020 Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for 13 Clean up after a night of violence Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday praised the Karnataka government for its deft handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. Addressing the silver jubilee celebrations of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) via digital platform he made a special mention of Karnataka governments efforts in dealing with pandemic. Lauding the efforts of health professionals in the fight against the virus, the prime minister called on everyone to respect the frontline warriors. Doctors and other medical workers are soldiers, but without the soldiers uniform. The world is looking Doctors and medical staff with gratitude. Any kind of abuse, violence or rude behaviour towards them are not acceptable, he said. This is the biggest crisis since two World Wars. Pre-and Post-Covid19, the world will be different. The discussions earlier at global level were centered around economics, and its humanity centric, Modi said. Stressing about the importance of medical infrastructure, the prime minister spoke about the decision taken by Union government to set up a medical college at every district. Nation like ours has to have proper medical infrastructure and medical education. Now every district is going to have a medical college, he added. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Governor Vajubhai Vala, Higher Education Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, Medical Education Minister Dr Sudhakar were present. A municipal worker cleans the water as Russian honour guard stands on duty under the heavy rain at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin wall in downtown Moscow. (AFP) Moscow: Shopping malls and parks are set to reopen in Moscow on Monday as the Russian capital eases coronavirus restrictions despite having the world's third-largest caseload. The relaxation of the confinement orders in Moscow, the epicentre of Russia's outbreak with a population of more than 12 million, comes after President Vladimir Putin announced the epidemic had passed its peak in the country. Under lockdown since March 30, residents of Europe's most populous city were until now only allowed to leave their homes for brief trips to shop, walk dogs or travel to essential jobs with a permit. While Muscovites welcomed the opportunity to return to parks and malls after weeks of being cooped up at home, many ridiculed the Moscow mayor's "experiment" aimed at regulating people's walks and exercise. As a two-week test measure, Sergei Sobyanin said residents of Moscow will be allowed to take walks according to a staggered schedule based on their home address. "Regular walks are allowed between 9am and 9pm but no more than three times a week -- twice on weekdays and once on a weekend," said Sobyanin on his blog, adding that a detailed schedule would be released separately. People can jog or exercise between 5am and 9am but must wear masks, according to the new rules. Sobyanin said he feared that without limits on walking, people would throng the streets in scenes reminiscent of May Day outpourings in Soviet times. - 'Sheer lunacy' - The new regulations unleashed a flood of mockery on social media, with political commentator Alexander Golts calling them "sheer lunacy". Critics quipped that life in Moscow was beginning to imitate dystopian fiction such as the novels of Aldous Huxley and Yevgeny Zamyatin. Popular comedian Maxim Galkin, who has nearly eight million followers on Instagram, released a sketch in which Putin and Sobyanin discuss a "breathing schedule" for Moscow residents. The five-minute parody has been viewed nearly six million times over the past few days. When the restrictions are relaxed, dry-cleaners, laundry services and repair workshops will be allowed to reopen, while restaurants, cafes and cinemas will remain closed for now. Moscow authorities also said that no mass gatherings would be allowed during the city-wide quarantine that will remain in place until at least June 14. On Thursday authorities sentenced prominent reporter and activist Ilya Azar to 15 days in jail for staging a lone protest in central Moscow. Dozens of his supporters have also been briefly detained over the past few days. Rights organisations including Amnesty International and the Council of Europe have warned Moscow against using the coronavirus lockdown as a pretext to muzzle activists. Many critics have also questioned the move to lift the restrictions as Russia reported more than 9,000 new infections on Sunday. With more than 405,000 confirmed infections and over 4,600 deaths, the country has the world's third-largest caseload after the United States and Brazil. Analysts say Putin is keen to open up the Russian economy and has recently ordered a World War II victory parade postponed by the contagion to be held on June 24. The 67-year-old leader is also widely expected to announce a new date for a vote on constitutional reforms that could pave the way for him to potentially stay in power until 2036. A wild Siberian jay parent (left) and its retained offspring (right) foraging together. Credit: Michael Griesser Humans are unusual, even among primates, in the length of our "extended childhood." Scientists think that this period of childhood and adolescence, which gives us lots of time to explore, create, and learn, is a key reason why we are smart enough to learn skills that take years to master. But humans are not the only species with an extended childhood. Elephants, some bats, whales, dolphins, and some birdsespecially corvidsalso have them. But does an extended childhood confer higher intelligence for other species, and if so, what is the role of parenting? A team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, the University of Konstanz and the U.K. tackled these questions by combining the results of their own fieldwork on two corvid speciesSiberian jays and New Caledonian crowswith published data from 127 corvid species and several thousand species in the passerine (songbird) order. The study, published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, offers a groundbreaking new view on the evolution of intelligence in which parenting takes center stage. Parenting pays the costs of extended childhoods Researchers spent years observing two bird species in the wild to understand how young birds' learning is related to parenting received during adolescence and survival in adulthood. At a study site in Sweden, researchers used field experiments to test the ability of young Siberian jays to learn crucial life skills: recognizing a dangerous predator and opening a puzzle box to access food. Across the northern Palearctic, Siberian jays live in family groups that can include not only the young of a breeding pair, but also young that were born in other groups. These young can stay with the family group for up to four years. Young birds that stayed with their parents longer benefited from being with their parents. They learned faster by watching their parents and received more food from their parents. As a consequence, they were more likely to live longer and to start their own family. At a study site in New Caledonia, researchers followed New Caledonian crows to track how juveniles learn a key survival skill: making tools for food retrieval. It takes about a year to learn this skill, a costly time investment for the parents who still have to feed the young. Surprisingly, these crows stay with their parents for up to three years, allowing for a much longer "childhood" than most other crows. Parents and other adults are extremely tolerant of young crows. While adults are using a tool to get food, they feed the juveniles, let them watch closely, and even tolerate tool theft and physical contact by juveniles. As a result of this tolerant learning environment, New Caledonian crows have the largest brain size for their body size of all corvids. Setup of the social learning experiment with Siberian jays. A breeder waits at the feeding board until its offspring has taken food. Parents are tolerant of kin juveniles even in an experimental setting. Credit: Michael Griesser Extended parenting affects intelligence The authors argue that the key role of parenting on the evolution of cognition has been overlooked so far. Often thought of as merely an inevitable chore, parental care is the reason children can spend their childhood learning and making mistakes. "Extended parenting has profound consequences for learning and intelligence," explains Michael Griesser of the University of Konstanz. "Learning opportunities arise from the interplay between extended childhood and extended parenting. The safe haven provided by extended parenting is critical for learning opportunities. It creates extended developmental periods that feed back into the extended childhood." In addition to benefiting young learners, extended parenting pays for the costs of an extended childhood. Having to feed extra mouths is costly, but when there is enough food available in the environment, parents can afford to keep feeding their young for longer periods. With a safe haven, young birds have the time to grow a larger brain, learn difficult skills and access vital food resources. These acquired skills lead to better survival, and possibly also allow the species to expand into new environments. A juvenile wild New Caledonian crow (right) using a tool to probe together with a tolerant adult (left) Credit: Natalie Uomini Corvids are unusual birds, but similar to humans The researchers used phylogenetic comparative methods to analyze the differences between corvids and all other passerines. Corvids have much larger brains relative to their body size, like humans. They also have prolonged developmental periods, both in the nest and after they leaveanother characteristic of humans. "Both humans and corvids spend their youth learning vital skills surrounded by tolerant adults that support their long learning process," explains Natalie Uomini of the Max Planck Institute. "Moreover, corvids and humans have the ability for lifelong learninga flexible kind of intelligence that allows individuals to adapt to changing environments throughout their lifetime." In the light of this study, the importance of parenting comes into even greater focus. Parents have a vital role in helping young brains grow smarter. Children, like young birds, cannot learn skills in isolation. Instead, they need a nurturing, supportive environment that allows the full potential of their large brains to develop. Explore further Sharing parenting leads to healthier young, beetle study finds Advertisement The driver of a semi-trailer that rolled into the midst of thousands of protesters who had gathered on a closed Minneapolis freeway to decry George Floyd's death was apparently confused and didn't intend to hurt anyone, Gov. Tim Walz said Monday. A semi-truck barreled into a crowd of thousands of George Floyd protesters marching on a closed interstate near downtown Minneapolis on Sunday night. Video showed the massive tanker speeding down the I-35W bridge at about 6pm on Sunday as protesters taking up all lanes of traffic fled out of its path. Minnesota Gov Tim Walz (left) said on Monday it appears Bogan Vechirko (right), the driver of the truck that barreled into a group of George Floyd protesters in Minneapolis on Sunday, was confused and did not intend to hurt anyone A semi-truck barreled into a line of George Floyd protesters marching on Interstate 35 in Minneapolis on Sunday night Hundreds of protesters scattered as the truck sped directly at them while they marched across all 10 lanes of traffic It appeared no one was hurt in the incident, authorities said, but some witnesses said a handful of people sought medical attention on their own. Authorities said they could not confirm that. 'He wasn't stopping. He was beeping loudly and driving into a crowd of people,' Drew Valle, a special education teacher, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. 'That's the same kind of malice that brought us here. It's a callous disregard for someone's humanity.' After rolling to a stop, the driver of the rig, identified as 35-year-old Bogdan Vechirko, was dragged from the cabin by angry protesters, beaten up and handed over to the police. Walz said Monday he was 'breathless' as he watched the scene unfold and he thought he was going to see 'dozens or hundreds' of people killed. But he said preliminary information suggests Vechirko somehow got ahead of traffic officials as they were closing the freeway down in sections. He noted the driver braked as he rolled past protesters. 'The driver was frustrated,' Walz said. 'They close in sections and he got ahead of people.' Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said traffic cameras show the driver was already on the freeway before it was closed. 'From what we can tell in our interviews, we have not had any information that makes this seem like this was an intentional act,' Harrington said. 'It wasn't that he went around barricades to get at the protest.' The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (MDPS) said the driver was placed under arrest before being taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He was then booked into Hennepin County jail on a probable assault charge. He was seen with bruises and cuts on his face in his mugshot after being roughed up by the demonstrators. Dozens of protesters approached the semi-truck after it came to a stop in the roadway The protesters were seen pulling the driver onto the roadway before police arrived to control the scene Protesters are seen handing a man believed to be the driver over to police before he was placed under arrest People climb atop a tanker on Interstate 35W on Sunday. The Minnesota State Patrol said they knew of no injuries from the incident. Officials say it initially appeared from traffic camera footage that the semitrailer was already on the freeway before barricades were set up at 5pm for the protest The freeway was among many shut down in the Minneapolis area for the second night in a row as officials imposed an 8pm curfew and sought to make it more difficult for protesters to move around. Bystander video showed the crowd parting seconds before the semi rolled through, then the tanker truck gradually slowed and demonstrators swarmed the truck. Harrington said Sunday that between 5,000 and 6,000 people were on the bridge at the time, and it initially appeared from traffic camera footage that the semitrailer was already on the freeway before barricades were set up at 5pm. The truck was traveling northbound when it came upon the demonstration and maintained a high speed as protesters screamed and scattered. Authorities identified Vechirko as the driver later in the night and released a pair of mugshots taken at the Hennepin County jail, where he is being held on a probable assault charge. Vechirko lives in Otsego, Minnesota, and works as an independent contractor for Ken Advantage, a trucking company based in North Canton, Ohio, according to WCCO. Ken Advantage issued a statement saying it will fully cooperate with the investigation into the interstate incident. 'Our hearts go out to all those who are grieving the events of this past week,' the company said. His first and last names suggest that Vechirko is a native of Ukraine. Records cited by Insider reveal that in 2012, Vechirko was charged in Minnesota with misdemeanor domestic assault, disorderly conduct, and interfering with a 911 call. He served a 30-day sentence at a work house after being convicted of the disorderly conduct charge. The other two counts were dismissed. Vechirko's most recent run-in with the law occurred in January of this year, when he was convicted of failing to display the registration number on a snowmobile. Protesters are seen pulling the driver out of the rig after it came to a stop in the road People hold back fellow protesters from the driver of a tanker truck that drove into thousands of protesters marching on I-35 It did not appear that anyone was hit by the semi-truck. Protesters are seen near the truck after the driver was removed Several police cars quickly arrived to de-escalate the situation after the protesters confronted the driver An aerial view shows police dispersing the crowds that gathered around the semi-truck A man is seen looking inside the cabin of the truck that 'deliberately' sped into the line of protesters The interstate incident came on the sixth day of nationwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed when Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck during an arrest on May 25. The interstate incident came on the sixth day of nationwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd (pictured), a black man who was killed when Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck during an arrest on May 25 Viral video showed Chauvin and three other officers pinning Floyd, who was handcuffed, to the ground as they arrested him for allegedly attempting to buy cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill. Floyd was heard pleading: 'I can't breathe' while Chauvin continued pressing his knee into the man's neck for eight minutes. The 46-year-old did not have a pulse when he was placed in an ambulance, and was pronounced dead at a hospital. The footage prompted fevered outrage as thousands demanded that Chauvin and the other officers be charged with murder. Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter on Friday. But protests persisted into the weekend as activists railed against police brutality and racial injustice. Demonstrations in 25 major cities led to numerous clashes between protesters and police seeking to keep things from spiraling out of control - often using rubber bullets and tear gas. More than 1,300 people have been arrested during protests in cities across the country as several governors mobilized the National Guard for assistance. What are the biggest innovation trends you see in managed services cloudautomation currently? The benefits of cloud automation include the reduction of errors that can occur with manual methods and the reduction of labour costs, especially as processes become more efficient or require less specialized training. As the cloud space continues to mature, we expect to see an increase in hybrid cloud environments along with an increase in automation in both multi-cloud and hybrid cloud settings. We also expect to see more automation around monitoring and measurement of cloud performance as well as security and governance to protect data. What routes are available for the cloud migration service providers to continue providing these services during lockdown? Like many businesses around the world, cloud migration service providers are also working under lockdown conditions. The good news is that many tools, such as BitTitans MigrationWiz, enable migrations to be done from a remote location. This is not the case for all tools on the market, so its important to look for solutions that enable remote migration and avoid those that require people to go onsite. In limited cases, such as businesses running Lotus Notes, some onsite work may be required even with the best tools. However, MSPs can play a critical role helping companies assess their needs, determine the best tools for the job, and make a migration plan. BitTitan helps manage cloud technologies through automation. Can you elaborate on the automation technology? BitTitans MigrationWiz automates migrations, while Voleer helps IT service professionals streamline daily operations and eliminate redundancies with a library of out of the box automations that can be launched in minutes.. For example, with Voleer IT professionals can: Learn, from an automated, in-depth security report, which customers accounts have old, weak or breached passwords. Voleer can monitor Office 365 accounts for vulnerabilities and proactively notify users of unusual activity. Identify unused services and lingering accounts in Office 365 to control costs and boost productivity. Identify excessive permissions to keep businesses running with maximum efficiency. Spot accounts that arent in compliance with multi-factor authentication policies with one-click. Perform a Microsoft Teams assessment to monitor activity, identify guest users and disable accounts. Create a one-click report to assess Azure VM Protection. Who are the end clients of BitTitan? BitTitan works with managed service providers, who partner with businesses of various sizes to advise and guide their cloud migrations. BitTitan also works directly with IT professionals within organizations that may handle their cloud migration projects internally. Key distributors of MigrationWiz in the APAC region include: Wipro, HCL, Microland, Cognizant, Tech Mahindra, 21 Vianet, act 2, Arrow, , Dicker Data, Exceed, , InfoSys, Ingram Micro, Japan Business Systems, SCK Corp, Spilog, Synnex, and Zero One. Finally, what are BitTitans expansion plans in India? BitTitan is looking to broaden awareness of and access to its MigrationWiz cloud migration tool through the expansion of distribution channels and partner relationships within India. This will enable service providers in India to easily increase their cloud businesses through migrations to cloud platforms such as Microsoft Office 365 and M365, and G Suite. BitTitans SaaS-based tools, which employ automation for fast and scalable migration projects that minimize downtime and reduce errors by eliminating manual methods, can be immediately and efficiently leveraged throughout the Indian market. Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams said Monday that she has asked the state attorney generals office to investigate why approximately $150,000 in money seized during drug arrests is missing. Adams also said she has instituted significant changes in the operation of the Lancaster County Drug Task Force, including tighter financial and evidence recording controls. The money that isnt accounted for was seized before she took office in January, she said. Adams succeeded Craig Stedman, who is now a county judge. She said the unaccounted for funds should have been secured at the task force headquarters. Their absence was discovered during a review by the forces new interim officer in charge, she said. Pending the AG investigation, there is little she can reveal, the DA said. She did, however, say the funds in question were seized in 2019 or earlier. Some of the cases involved are still pending court action. At this time, we believe the integrity of those investigations was sound and we do not expect prosecutions to be significantly impacted due to this discovery, Adams said. Changes ordered by her include a requirement that seized funds be deposited in a bank account, a secure area containing cash will be monitored by cameras and will be electronically auditable, and annual audits of seizures will be done by county detectives with no ties to the drug task force. Adams said the log-in system for seizures is being revamped as well. We caution the public from judging any member or members of the drug task force prior to the completion of the full investigation, Adams said. There were a limited number of individuals who had authorized access to these funds. Misconceptions based on broad assumptions made prior to the completion of the investigation could be devastating for the DTF detectives and police everywhere who sacrifice their lives every day to keep us all safe. The Royal Mint has launched a new range of 50p coins that celebrate the contribution Britain has made to the discovery of dinosaurs and they communicate with your phone. In partnership with the Natural History Museum, a brand-new line of coins have been produced which showcase the megalosaurus, iguanodon and hylaeosaurus. The Dinosauria Collection's Brilliant Uncirculated edition uses state-of-the-art colour printing to bring the dinosaurs to life. The hylaeosaurus coin (pictured) is the third and final in the Dinosauria Collection produced by the Royal Mint and Natural History Museum The three coins feature dinosaurs that led British anatomist Sir Richard Owen, the founder of the Natural History Museum, to coin the term dinosauria in a paper in 1842, such as the Megalosaurus (pictured) What makes the coins special though is that their packaging can be scanned by mobile phones, using the Royal Mint app, to show information, pictures and videos of the dinosaurs What makes the coins special though is the augmented reality technology featured alongside them. Clare Maclennan, divisional director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint said: 'As one of the nation's most loved tourist attractions remains closed, we are pleased to partner with the Natural History Museum to bring dinosaurs to life from the comfort of your home. 'It is the first time that The Royal Mint has combined augmented reality with a coin series as we continue to innovate and enrich the experience of coin collecting. 'Simply by scanning the packaging our customers will be able to access exclusive content which celebrates Britain's role in the discovery of dinosaurs, brings the animals to life through animation and explores the intricate details of each coin.' The Royal Mint worked in conjunction with the Natural History Museum (pictured) to create the three coins The packaging the coins come with can be scanned on a mobile phone using the Royal Mint's App. This unlocks facts, video clips and pictures of the prehistoric creatures. The hylaeosaurus coin is the third and final in the Dinosauria Collection and it was the three dinosaurs printed on these special coins that led British anatomist Sir Richard Owen, the founder of the Natural History Museum, to coin the term dinosauria in a paper in 1842. The late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously once said, A riot is the language of the unheard. Theres no way that the slain civil rights leader would have condoned the kind of looting and mayhem that left businesses destroyed and buildings and cars smoldering here and elsewhere over the weekend. But King would have understood it. READ MORE: After a night of rage and destruction in Philly, religious leaders pray for peaceful protest And if asked, he would have explained: America has failed to hear that the plight of the Negro poor has worsened over the last few years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquillity and the status quo than about justice, equality and humanity. And so in a real sense our nations summers of riots are caused by our nations winters of delay. And as long as America postpones justice, we stand in the position of having these recurrences of violence and riots over and over again." I wasnt the first to relate these powerful words from a 1967 speech to a weekend during which Philadelphia police reported 200 arrests and numerous storefronts smashed and businesses looted. But after City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart mentioned his famous quote outside City Hall during a peaceful demonstration Sunday and Marc Lamont Hill referenced it in a tweet, the words reverberated through my head for the rest of the day. I dont condone the looting and violence that took place over the weekend. But I certainly understand where it comes from. What happened to George Floyd, a black Minnesota resident who died May 25 after, video showed, a white police officer kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes, was emblematic of the police brutality African Americans have complained about for decades. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is now in custody and facing charges of manslaughter and third-degree murder. But until other officers involved in Floyds death also face repercussions for what happened, justice will not come close to having been served. And until people stop feeling the need to take to the streets to voice their discontent over how black people are treated in Americas criminal justice system, the risk that this kind of unrest will break out will remain. Our judicial system is biased against people of color, pointed out Charles Gallagher, who chairs the criminal justice program at La Salle University. We need to really rethink how we police in the United States of America. And until this happens, this is going to keep happening." George Floyds case only lit the proverbial powder keg. Other names have been similar rallying cries. Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was jogging in Georgia when he was fatally wounded after being stopped by two men one a former cop. Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency room technician, was killed in Louisville, Ky., when police burst into her apartment while she was asleep. Closer to home, theres the case of David Jones. Ryan Pownall formerly an officer in the 15th Police District now faces counts of murder and related offenses for firing his weapon at the 30-year-old when he ran from a traffic stop in June 2017. Jones later died from two gunshot wounds to the back. Pownall is awaiting trial. Where we go from here for me is for the government and for leaders to call for a frank conversation that will have policies and bills attached to it that deal with white racism, said Chad Dion Lassiter, executive director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. Youre going to have to design a criminal justice system that is built on justice. We have to deal with these things that America is having a hard time dealing with, he added. Until America fixes its deeply flawed criminal justice system, the unheard may continue to resort to riots and unrest, just as King predicted. MONTREAL - The billionaire founder of the Cirque du Soleil is ending efforts to recover millions of dollars paid to Canadian tax authorities relating to his 2009 stay on board the International Space Station. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MONTREAL - The billionaire founder of the Cirque du Soleil is ending efforts to recover millions of dollars paid to Canadian tax authorities relating to his 2009 stay on board the International Space Station. Quebec businessman Guy Laliberte says he won't seek leave to appeal a Federal Court of Appeal decision to dismiss the case. 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. Canadian billionaire Guy Laliberte reacts during a news conference at the Star City, on Tuesday Oct 13. 2009, following his return from the Space Station. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Mikhail Metzel In a 26-page decision, Justice Mary Gleason agreed with the Tax Court of Canada that Laliberte's appeal may appear "unusual and exotic," but not when the case is considered on its merits. Laliberte was trying to avoid having to pay tax on the $41.8-million bill that accompanied his space trip, by arguing that these were business expenses and not a personal stay. Laliberte was Canada's first space tourist. He used his weightless journey to raise awareness of the problems linked to the accessibility of water in the world. The tax court allocated the business portion of the trip at 10 per cent leaving the remaining $37.6 million as a taxable benefit. Spokeswoman Anne Dongois says Laliberte was "disappointed" by the Federal Court ruling issued Friday, adding that the taxes were paid several years ago. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2020 Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 23:58:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Any attempt or remarks by the U.S. side to harm China's interests will meet with resolute countermeasures, and Washington's scheme of impeding China's development is "bound to fail," a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks when asked to comment on U.S. President Donald Trump's accusations over a range of issues ranging from China's national security legislation for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to COVID-19 pandemic and bilateral trade. Calling the U.S. leader's allegations a "total disregard of facts," Zhao said the moves constitute a flagrant interference in China's internal affairs and have undermined bilateral ties, which are bound to damage the interests of China and the United States itself. "China resolutely opposed such accusations," the spokesperson said. The National People's Congress decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security is aimed at better implementing the "one country, two systems" principle and maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong, said the spokesperson, noting that foreign countries have no right to interfere and should not do so. "The gross meddling of the United States in our legislation completely runs counter to international laws and basic norms governing international relations, which is doomed to fail," Zhao said. The spokesperson said that for some time, the United States has abused the concept of national security and maliciously suppressed Chinese companies on trumped-up charges. The current threats of investigating Chinese companies listed in the United States and restrictions on visas for Chinese students have "seriously violated the market competition principle" and "ran against the common wish of the two peoples to engage in friendly exchanges," Zhao said. "This will further undermine bilateral trade relations and the social foundation of bilateral ties." In spite of the international consensus on opposing stigmatization and promoting united cooperation in COVID-19 response efforts, Zhao said the United States has been making unwarranted accusations against China and the World Health Organization. This was an attempt to divert public attention and cover up the truth of its fumbled pandemic response. "Such a move is immoral and can never deceive us in any way," said Zhao. Noting that China and the United States benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation, Zhao said China is committed to working with the United States to develop bilateral ties on the basis of non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. "At the same time, China will resolutely safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests." "China urged the United States to rectify its mistakes immediately, discard its Cold War mentality, zero-sum-game mindset and ideological bias, discreetly and properly deal with relevant issues, and refrain from going too far on the wrong path," Zhao added. Enditem ISRO congratulates NASA, SpaceX for their "historic" manned mission India oi-Madhuri Adnal Bengaluru, June 01: Indian Space Research Organisation on Monday congratulated NASA and SpaceX for their manned mission and termed it as "historic." "Congratulations to #NASA and #SpaceX for historic first launch of manned mission after 2011. Great job !" ISRO tweeted. SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft with two NASA astronauts on Sunday successfully docked with the International Space Station after a historic launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the dawn of a new age in commercial space travel. Saturday's liftoff also assumes significance as it marks the launch of humans into orbit from US soil for the first time in nearly a decade. Cabinet meet: 'Big decisions' expected as govt completes 1st year of 2nd term| Oneindia News Two NASA astronauts climb aboard SpaceX rocket for historic flight The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, carrying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley had lifted off at 3:22 pm EDT on Saturday atop the company's Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. India too is preparing for its first manned space mission "Gaganyaan". The Rs 10,000-crore ambitious project is expected to be launched in 2022, the year of the 75th anniversary of India's Independence. Four Indian Air Force fighter pilots are currently undergoing training in Moscow, and are going to be the potential candidates for the Gaganyaan project. MIDLAND, Mich., LONDON, and ZIBO CITY, China, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dow (NYSE: DOW) and Johnson Matthey (LSE: JMAT) today announced China-based company, Zibo Qixiang Tengda Chemical Company, Ltd. (SZSE: 002408, QXTD) has selected LP OxoSM Technology to produce isononyl alcohol (INA) at its new manufacturing facility. "QXTD will be the first in the industry to take advantage of our process technology for more sustainable INA production," said Donna Babcock, global business director for Industrial Solutions, a business segment of Dow. "This technology requires a smaller manufacturing footprint and less energy consumption compared to typical INA production processes, without a loss in efficiency and throughput." INA is often used to make plasticizers of Diisononyl Phthalate (DINP), Diisononyl Adipate (DINA), and Triisononyl Trimellitate (TINTM). Primarily used in the PVC industry, products made using INA can be found in automotive, wire, cable, and conducting applications, among others. Given the evolving health and environmental regulations associated with downstream applications, INA is well positioned to grow above industry average with its unique properties that meet these needs. "We are happy to have been able to finalize our license agreement despite the impacts of COVID-19," said Mr. Zhang Jin, Chairman of Cedar Holdings, the parent group of QXTD. "This licensed process will differentiate us in the industry as we are able to bring new INA volume online to enable downstream products with improved health and environmental profiles." "JM science is put to work every day to enhance lives, create a positive contribution to a cleaner and healthier world, and help keep our economy going. This will be our 56th license of LP OxoSM Technology in partnership with Dow, building on our current portfolio with our new INA process," said John Gordon, Managing Director for Johnson Matthey. "We are committed to bringing value to QXTD and look forward to working with them through the design phase and commissioning of this innovative technology." The plant will be built at QXTD's integrated petrochemical complex in Zibo City, China and produce 200,000 metric tons of annual capacity. The plant operation is expected to come online in 2023. To date, the suite of LP OxoSM Technology has been licensed into a significant number of projects across 15 countries, representing a majority of the world's oxo alcohols capacity licensed over the past 45 years. Licensees are provided design and technical support at every step and performance warranties to ensure success. Learn more at www.dow.com . About Dow Dow or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter. About Johnson Matthey Johnson Matthey is a global leader in science that enables a cleaner and healthier world. With over 200 years of sustained commitment to innovation and technological breakthroughs, we improve the performance, function and safety of our customers' products. Our science has a global impact in areas such as low emission transport, pharmaceuticals, chemical processing and making the most efficient use of the planet's natural resources. Today around 15,000 Johnson Matthey professionals collaborate with our network of customers and partners to make a real difference to the world around us. For more information, visit www.matthey.com . Inspiring science, enhancing life. Zibo Qixiang Tengda Chemical Company, Ltd.. For further information, please contact: Kayla Susko +1 (989) 633-6436 ksusko@dow.com Jennifer Rennick +1 (732) 996-1666 jennifer.rennick@matthey.com Zibo Qixiang Tengda Chemical Company, Ltd. Investor Relations Tel: +86-533-7544231/7547782 SM Servicemark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow Thirty-six people, including a Khanna-based doctor couple and four undertrials, were tested positive for the coronavirus in Punjab on Monday, taking the tally of those infected by the disease in the state to 2,382. Besides the doctor couple (one a cardiologist and the other an oncologist) and the four undertrials lodged in the Borstal Jail, a 31-year-old pregnant woman, a four-month- old baby, and a 20- year-old youth who returned from Gurugram were tested positive in Ludhiana district. One of the doctors is suspected to have contracted the infection while treating an 80-year-old patient. In Hoshiarpur district, Nangli Jalapur village recorded eight fresh cases and was declared a containment zone. Till date, 25 residents of the village have tested positive. Nine adjoining villages have come under the prohibited zone. 9 new cases, Amritsar crosses 400-mark With nine fresh Covid-19 cases reported on Monday, Amritsar became the first district in the state to cross the 400-mark. Two fresh community spread cases were reported after two men from the city were tested positive. Besides, a man, who returned from New Delhi, was found infected. Six others were also tested positive in the district. In Gurdaspur, a resident of Kothe Majhithi village, who recently returned from Mumbai, tested positive. ASHA worker, 2 NRIs infected in Patiala Four persons, including an accredited social health activist (ASHA) worker (36) and two Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), tested positive for the coronavirus in Patiala on Monday. The two NRIs, aged 24 and 26, who returned from Kuwait, were quarantined. A 40-year-old woman of Shimbro village who returned from New Delhi was also infected. In Bathinda, two more were tested positive, taking the number of active cases in the district to seven. Also, one case each surfaced in Jalandhar and SBS Nagar districts. (Inputs from Jalandhar and SBS Nagar and Bathinda) A mural to George Floyd on May 30, 2020 in Minneapolis Six nights of furious demonstrations against police brutality and racism have rocked the United States. Here, AFP answers the key questions surrounding America's worst civil unrest in years. - What sparked the protests? - The trigger was the killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, at the hands of police in Minneapolis last Monday. Floyd died after officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nearly minutes after arresting him for allegedly trying to buy cigarettes with a counterfeit note. His death, captured on mobile phone footage, reignited long-felt anger over police killings of African Americans, and echoed high-profile cases like Michael Brown in Ferguson and Eric Garner in New York that spurred the Black Lives Matter movement. Peaceful demonstrations quickly turned violent in the Midwestern city, which saw looting and arson, before erupting from coast-to-cost in United States. Many commentators say Floyd's death was a match that lit the fuse on resentment stemming from years of health, social and economic inequalities. Some also see the COVID-19 pandemic -- which has cost 100,000 lives and 40 million jobs, disproportionately affecting minority communities and leaving countless youths stuck at home under lockdown -- as having created the perfect storm. - How have the authorities responded? - At least 40 cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago and the capital Washington, have imposed night-time curfews but they have done little to deter protesters or suppress rioting. Anti-racism demonstrations outside the White House degenerated into chaos Governors have also mobilized thousands of National Guard soldiers, a rare move that evoked disturbing memories of rioting in US cities in the late 1960s following the death of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Police have filed rubber bullets, tear gas, stun grenades and pepper spray at demonstrators who have launched projectiles, including water bottles and rocks, at officers. The measures have been unable to stop widespread looting and vandalism, including of luxury stores in New York, the blocking of roads, and the burning of police vehicles. Politicians of all stripes have said the violence must stop. But many local leaders have also expressed sympathy at decades of injustice against the black minority and some police officers, including in New York and New Jersey, have knelt in sympathy with demonstrators. - What has Donald Trump been saying? - Trump has yet to address the nation since the unrest flared up, but he has been tweeting -- a lot. A New York City police officer kneels during a demonstration in Times Square over the death of George Floyd In summary the US president has blamed the rioting on left-wing extremists, saying he planned to designate a loose-knit anti-fascist network known as Antifa as a terrorist organization. Trump has branded demonstrators "thugs" and demanded that state governors restore law and order -- and has sought to politicize the crisis by attacking Democratic officials for their handling of protests. While the president has acknowledged Floyd's death to be a "grave tragedy," he also sparked outrage and accusations that he was stoking further violence when he tweeted: "When the looting starts, the shooting starts." In contrast, Trump's Democratic rival Joe Biden has said the nation was "in pain" and that as president he would "listen" and "lead a conversation" about the protesters' grievances. - What happens next? - Looters emerge from a store with merchandise during a riot on May 31, 2020 in Santa Monica, California The question on everyone's mind is how long the unrest will last -- and how much further it might spread. "Riots like this, protests like this... usually burn out after three or four days," says Candace McCoy, a criminal justice professor and expert on the history of protests at the City University of New York. Will that prove true this time around, in a supercharged political climate five months from the election? "What is different now is the political situation is very volatile," said McCoy. Floyd's younger brother, Terrence Floyd, has condemned the violence and called on protesters to "just channel your anger elsewhere." In an interview with ABC News he said: "Sometimes I get angry. I want to go crazy. My brother wasn't about that. You'll hear a lot of people saying, 'He was a gentle giant.'" Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer, has been charged with third-degree murder, but protesters want the charge toughened, arguing he killed Floyd with intent. They also want charges against the three officers who assisted Chauvin. Even that may not be enough -- with widely-shared footage of heavy-handed policing against protesters fanning the flames and all-but-drowning out appeals for calm by the likes of Floyd's brother. But looking ahead, McCoy also sees a hopeful sign in the large numbers of white protesters joining forces to demand racial justice for the black community. A stance echoed by former president Barack Obama, who penned an op-ed suggesting this could -- perhaps -- prove "a real turning point" in the quest for criminal justice and police reform. Special Aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, has chastised Editor of The Informer Newspaper, Andy Kankam, for inferring that the likes of Koku Anyidoho who served as the Director of Communication for the late President Atta Mills is more of a son to the late President than Mr Mahama who served as his Vice President. Lawyer Edudzi Tamakloe strongly asserts the NDC shares a common bond and there is no "Mills or Mahama camp" as evidenced in former President Mahama's decision to work with virtually the same ministers who served under the late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills during the latter's tenure. To him, the Informer Newspaper Editor is wrong to infer that there are Mahama and Atta Mills factions in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to the point of calling some people in NDC as children of Atta Mills and others step-children. Speaking on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, he revealed that after his tertiary studies at the University of Ghana and the completion of National Service in 2008, he, together with a couple of NDC activists used to sleep at Kuku Hills to galvanize support for the late Atta Mills campaign team. Even President Mahama himself is a son to the late President Evans Atta Mills and all of us used to be at Kuku Hills...we all worked for Mills until he died...all I know is that everyone in the NDC is a son to Mills; it was the love we all have for him that is why we sacrificed and worked hard for him in his first attempt in 2004 till he was successful and was sworn-in in 2009 as President with his desire to transform this country and make it a better Ghana... H.E John Mahama continued with the agenda which our father Mills started. As for me, I dont know any Mills person and Mahamas person; we are all one body in the party, he added. The private legal practitioner further pointed out that the response from Hon. Samuel Atta-Mills, brother of the late president and Member of Parliament for Komenda-Edna-Eguaafo-Abirem, closes all argument about the brouhaha concerning calls for an autopsy into the death of the Prof Mills, when he asked members of the general public, especially politicians, to respect their wishes and allow the memory of the former leader to rest in peace. 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 Startups serving government have come with a compelling value proposition almost every time: better, faster, cheaper ways to do the publics business. Their pitches were often buoyed by the momentum of early wins elsewhere, the boundless energy of charismatic founders dedicated to game-changing breakthroughs, and deep-pocketed funders that provided a sufficient runway to prove out the new business model and attendant technology (or vice versa), that ultimately turned skeptics into believers that a new kind of government was becoming possible.The startup narrative was a source of hope and aspiration in government for years. That is, until March 2020, when the magnitude of the global change wrought by the novel coronavirus became clearer to a watching (but self-isolated) world. Beyond the human toll, job losses in the U.S. alone were counted in the tens of millions and the economic rescue plans fashioned in Congress began in the trillions of dollars. The world had changed in ways that made the future largely unfathomable. And startups, those nimble self-styled agents of change, were among the displaced.Startup company responses to the conjoined health and economic crises in the face of COVID-19 took one of three forms.Established startups have been able to reposition themselves to help public agencies support remote work, manage COVID-19 resources and spin up specialized service centers. Several companies in particular show promise in speeding delivery including EVA, an infrastructure company that supports large-scale delivery drones that could have an important role in getting COVID-19 tests to the lab and blood plasma to where its needed. On the ground, Coord has made some of its services available to cities for free in a frenetic scramble to adapt unused parking spots to handle surges in deliveries as needs change in public health and safety. Perhaps most strikingly, wastewater epidemiology startup Biobot Analytics has launched a program in collaboration with MIT, Harvard, and Brigham and Womens Hospital to solicit and analyze sewage samples from treatment facilities across the U.S. to test for the virus and measure the scope of the outbreak.Bird and Lime, once two darlings among urban transit options, introduced fleets of sharable bikes and scooters to cities across the country until the funding ran dry. At the end of March, Bird laid off over 400 of its employees and a Lime investor said companies should expect to survive on a budget of zero. Even gov tech startups with multiyear government contracts acknowledge government agreements are a double-edged sword. On one hand, a contract provides stability. On the other, government is not universally known as a prompt payer. Incumbent players also concede that new customer development and sales in the public sector are likely non-starters. Moreover, with 30 million startups in the country, it remains unclear whether the federal rescue packages will be sufficient to shore up gov tech or civic tech companies. Lets also not forget the distinct possibility that struggling startups are very likely to be targets of acquisition efforts of the companies themselves, their intellectual property or their key talent.Government needs startups that treat the publics business as more than just another vertical. A shared commitment to a shared mission is a rare, valuable thing. Public agencies are ultimately the responsible parties in meeting fiduciary obligations for moving money and permissions under the law. But startups often bring creativity and flexibility to the execution of plans developed together with public authorities. These young, nimble and robust companies tend to wake the innovation within public service, helping it be better than it was while increasing competence, confidence and capacity.In a post-coronavirus world or in a world between the novel coronavirus and whatever the next global challenge is neither government nor the private sector is equipped to go it alone. Nor is there a need for that. If we are deliberate and intentional, we have the chance to combine private-sector discipline and innovation with public-sector mission to create a world in which we can all live, thrive and figure out what the next new normal is. Fear of contracting coronavirus and various mandatory quarantine protocol of states have kept the number of domestic chartered passenger flights low during the first week of their operations in India, aviation sector executives said. Some of these domestic chartered passenger flights have been in news recently for taking migrant workers home. India resumed its domestic "scheduled" passenger flights, for which an airline can sell the tickets publicly, on May 25 after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. Domestic "non-scheduled" passenger flights, also called chartered passenger flights, also started operating from Monday. Aviation sector executives told PTI that India's top two airports -- Delhi and Mumbai -- handled just 2-3 chartered passenger flights per day each between May 25 and May 30. During the pre-lockdown period, the Delhi airport handled over 30 chartered flights per day while the Mumbai airport handled around 50 chartered flights per day, they added. Between March 25 and May 24, Indian aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) did not allow any domestic passenger flights (scheduled or non-scheduled) due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. However, chartered ambulance flight services were permitted to operate as usual. "Most of the chartered flights that have operated from Delhi since Monday went and came back the same day as the crew members wanted to avoid the destination state's mandatory quarantine. These strict quarantine rules are also the reason for which flyers are avoiding booking these flights," the executives said. Also read: Air India pilots threaten to stop flight operations; seek clarity on COVID protocol Almost all states in the country have issued protocols under which every flyer arriving there has to undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine. While some have mandated institutional quarantine, others have made home quarantine compulsory. For example, Assam has made it clear that women travelling alone and senior citizens will be put in 14-day home quarantine while all other passengers have to undergo mandatory 14-day institutional quarantine. "Chartered flights are generally booked by HNIs (high net worth individuals) on small aircraft that have at most 20 seats. The fear of contracting the virus is prevalent among them as the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the country. "That is why, just like any other traveller, their priority is to travel only when essential," the executives stated. Meanwhile, as most of the HNIs may not be travelling themselves or with their families on chartered flights, there are a few who are booking such flights on big narrow-body aircraft to take migrant workers home amid the lockdown. Last week, AirAsia India operated two chartered flights for migrant workers - one was the Mumbai-Ranchi flight on Thursday booked by the alumni association of National Law School and the other was the Kochi-Bhubaneswar flight on Friday booked by actor Sonu Sood. The first one had 160 workers while the second one had 167 workers as passengers. AirAsia India spokesperson told PTI, "Our clients (National Law School Alumni, Mr Sonu Sood) paid the amount for the charter flight to help transport the migrants and we agreed to support them in this noble initiative by bearing any remaining cost of operations." The executives said the cost of chartering a 180-seater A320 aircraft is around Rs 4-5 lakh per hour. Not just domestically, chartered flights are going to start operating internationally as well, they said. The executives said Mangaluru International Airport will handle around seven flights, which are not part of the Vande Bharat Mission, during the next two weeks that will bring back stranded Indians from the UAE and Saudi Arabia. These seven flights have been booked by Gulf-based HNIs. Also read: Emirates lays off 180 pilots amid coronavirus crisis, more job cuts likely Dubai-based Praveen Shetty, Chairman of Fortune Group of Hotels, has organised a chartered flight to bring back 177 Indians - his hotel staff and their family members - from Dubai to Mangaluru on June 1, the executives said. This flight will be the first of seven aforementioned flights to land at Mangaluru. The government launched the Vande Bharat Mission on May 7 to bring back stranded Indians from abroad. Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India. Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express have been operating repatriation flights under the Vande Bharat Mission till now. However, IndiGo on May 21 said it will be operating close to 100 repatriation flights from Gulf countries to Kerala under this mission. Other private carriers are expected to operate a total of 80 international repatriation flights under the mission. On Monday, the Civil Aviation Ministry issued guidelines for domestic chartered flight operations amid the coronavirus pandemic. Most of them were similar to the ones issued for domestic passenger flight services. Also read: IndiGo grounds crew on Chennai-Coimbatore flight as passenger tests positive for coronavirus In its guidelines, the ministry said if a passenger had manually booked a ticket for a chartered helicopter flight, the boarding pass will be issued at the helipad or heliport with minimum contact and after following all sanitisation protocols prescribed by local administration. Passengers should report at the airport, heliport or helipad at least 45 minutes before the departure time, the ministry said. "The charges of air travel (on chartered flights) to be as per mutually agreed terms between operators and the travellers," the ministry said. Amaravati, June 1 : An employee of Andhra Pradesh Secretariat has tested positive for Covid-19, prompting the authorities to shut down two blocks on Monday and advise 84 employees to work from home for next two weeks. Employees working in blocks 3 and 4 were directed not to come to the secretariat and were instead advised to work from home for 14 days. Health authorities took up disinfectant operations in the entire premises including the two blocks. The infected Secretariat employee, who works in the Agriculture Department, had, along with many others, returned last week to Amaravati from Hyderabad, where they were stranded during the lockdown period. The government employees, who have their families in Hyderabad, used to travel to the Telangana capital every week. Many were stranded due to sudden imposition of the lockdown. Ten RTC buses last week brought the stranded employees back to Amaravati. They were taken to Mangalagiri where Covid-19 test was done on them at a convention centre. Lunch was also arranged for the employees at the same venue and it is alleged that the social distancing was not maintained. Later, a total of three government employees including the one who works at Secretariat tested positive. However, they said to have attended their respective offices for two days before the test results were known. The Secretariat employee who tested positive stays in a hostel provided by the government. He shares a room with two other employees. The apartment building has 40 inmates, all government employees. The health officials were busy identifying the primary contacts of the employees tested positive to send them to quarantine. Meanwhile, panic gripped the Secretariat after the employee tested positive. The attendance was thin in other blocks. Some ministers have shifted the venue for their departmental reviews to other places in Vijayawada. Last month, six staff members of the Raj Bhavan had also tested positive. The other staff were advised home quarantine. Andhra Pradesh on Monday reported 105 new Covid cases, pushing the state's tally to 3,676. The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has entered poll mode with about a year to go for the Assembly elections, announcing a series of virtual meetings, the first of which will be addressed by union home minister Amit Shah on June 8. The party also named its new state executive that would lead the party to the elections. Mondays announcements came barely four days after the party released a 9-point charge-sheet against Mamata Banerjees nine-year rule and called for toppling the state government in 2021. That day, they also launched a campaign branded as Aar Noi Mamata, which literally means no more Mamata. In these virtual meetings, there will be a dais, with two-three speakers. 1,000 party workers would be able to directly participate and ask questions. Another 1,000 would be able to watch the proceedings using a link, BJP state unit president Dilip Ghosh said. Amit Shah will be the main speaker in the first such meeting, scheduled at 11 am on June 8. This event is slated to be aired live on social media. There will be four other such meetings, to be addressed by other national and state-level leaders. Ghosh said that they had to make this move because political meetings had come to a halt due to the lockdown and social distancing norms. While party workers will be the attendees at such events, the proceedings would later be shared on social media. We will highlight the achievements of the Modi government in the past one year and also during this unprecedented crisis over coronavirus. Besides, the Mamata Banerjee governments failures in dealing with the pandemic, the ration scam, the apathy towards migrant workers, and the lack of preparation in handling the post-cyclone situation would also be highlighted, Ghosh said. TMC secretary-general and state education minister Partha Chatterjee said that the party was not going to indulge in politics at this hour, as it was busy with relief work. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has said a few days ago, Well fight the political battle later. BJP, however, has accused the government of playing politics by disallowing BJP leaders from carrying out relief work. BJPs new state leadership, comprising 12 vice-presidents, 5 general secretaries, and 10 secretaries has several of those who switched over from the states ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Left, which has been a weaker opponent of TMC than the BJP. Former TMC MP-cum-youth wing chief Saumitra Khan, who switched over to BJP in January 2019 and got elected to the Lok Sabha, has become BJPs new youth wing chief. Former Left MLA Mahfuza Khatun, who joined BJP in 2018, has been made one of the vice-presidents, along with Arjun Singh, a former four-time TMC MLA-turned BJP MP. Former three-time Left MLA-turned-BJP MP Khagen Murmu has been made head of the Scheduled Tribes morcha of the party. Former TMC-MLA Sabyasachi Dutta has been made a secretary. BJP emerged as TMCs principal opponent in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, bagging 18 of the states 42 Lok Sabha seats, against 22 won by TMC. In the 2016 Assembly elections, TMC won 211 of the states 294 seats, while BJP won only 3. The rest were won by the Left-Congress informal alliance. Political analysts said that the timing of the launch of the campaign was wrong. Psephologist Biswanath Chakraborty said, Open indulgence in general political activities at this hour may backfire and turn some peoples sympathy towards Mamata Banerjee. Political scientist Amal Mukhopadhyay, former principal of Presidency College, called BJPs move unfortunate. They should have waited for the situation to improve and should have focussed on dealing with the peoples distress. This may boomerang, he said. Wizz Air is today reintroducing operations from its bases in Belgrade and Tuzla with its two aircraft stationed in both cities. Although Wizz resumed flights from London to Belgrade on May 18, the service is operated by its British registered aircraft and crew. The budget airline will this week commence services from Belgrade to Basel, Dortmund, Hanover, Baden Baden, Memmingen, Eindhoven, Gothenburg, Malmo and Skavsta, while flights to Larnaca, Malta and Beauvais are to launch in mid-June. From Tuzla, the airline will reinstate operations to its entire network this week, including Vienna, Billund, Basel, Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, Hahn, Friedrichshafen, Baden Baden, Memingen, Eindhoven, Gothenburg, Malmo, Skavsta and Vaxjo. Last week, the carrier announced it would commence a new two weekly service from both Belgrade and Tuzla to Salzburg starting July 2. As EX-YU Aviation News learns, Wizz Air will not be removing either of its two aircraft based in both Belgrade and Tuzla. Despite the ongoing pandemic, the low cost airline is set for a busy first week back at the two airports, with inbound flights seeing high load factors, some even being overbooked. This week, Wizz will also resume flights between Budapest and Sarajevo. Furthermore, it will reintroduce all of its services from Nis, after restarting flights from the city with a single route two weeks ago. Wizz Airs CEO, Jozsef Varadi, said last week, We are one of the very few airlines in Europe which can deliver growth capacity when everyone else is cutting and contracting capacity. Mr Varadi noted the airline would retain its primarily eastern and central European focus but would be more opportunistic in western Europe. Wizz, whose Abu Dhabi-based joint venture is due to start flying later this year, is also opening new bases at Milan, Larnaca, Lviv and Tirana. Many airports are approaching us, Mr Varadi said. Wizz has a strong balance sheet and while it has cut 19% of its workforce, it is sticking with plans to grow its fleet and was one of the first airlines to restart flights. President Donald Trump's persistent attacks on mail-in voting have fueled an unprecedented effort by conservatives to limit expansion of the practice before the November election, with tens of millions of dollars planned for lawsuits and advertising aimed at restricting who receives ballots and who remains on the voter rolls. The strategy, embraced by Trump's reelection campaign, the Republican National Committee and an array of independent conservative groups, reflects the recognition by both parties that voting rules could decide the outcome of the 2020 White House race amid the electoral challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Helping drive the effort is William Consovoy, a veteran Supreme Court litigator who also serves as one of Trump's personal lawyers. Consovoy's Virginia-based law firm is handling a battery of legal actions on behalf of the RNC, several state GOPs and an independent group called the Honest Elections Project, which is connected to a Trump adviser. The legal firepower and direct involvement of the national party reflect a major escalation in the conservative battle over voter fraud and voting rights, which until this year had primarily been waged by lesser-known groups with far fewer resources. The tactics of those organizations are now being embraced by new players with connections to influential figures in the president's orbit. Thanks in part to Trump's focus on the topic and his assertion that widespread mail balloting would harm Republicans, claims about the high risks of voter fraud have become central to the GOP's 2020 playbook. Those involved in the legal challenges said their goal is to protect the integrity of elections and minimize the chance for fraud by limiting changes to election rules at a time of overwhelming demand for mail ballots. "There is a serious push to send a ballot to every registrant," said Jason Snead, a conservative policy analyst who has led the Honest Elections Project since it launched in February. "I think there is a serious concern that so many registrations are outdated and ballots are being mailed out at great public expense to voters who may be deceased or have moved away or are ineligible to vote." RELATED: Mail-in voting could turn Election Day into Election Week Trump, however, has taken aim much more broadly at the practice of voting by mail, making sweeping and unfounded claims that it will lead to "MASSIVE FRAUD AND ABUSE," as he tweeted Thursday. "We don't want anyone to do mail-in ballots," the president said earlier in May. That puts Republicans in the difficult position of echoing the thrust of Trump's attacks even as they argue that they are not trying to stop voting by mail - and as they continue to work aggressively on the ground to encourage their own supporters to embrace the practice. Democrats say Republicans are trying to disenfranchise younger and minority voters, who historically have voted by mail in lower numbers than other groups and are less familiar with the practice. The RNC and the president's campaign are pushing to limit mail voting for political advantage, they argue. "You used to have these small-time, right-wing operations," said Marc Elias, a Democratic lawyer who is litigating a raft of voting cases this year. "Because Donald Trump has normalized all of these crackpot theories about voter fraud, they've all now joined forces under the banner of the legitimate Republican establishment." - - - Trump has long made unfounded claims about voting fraud, saying during the 2016 election that the contest was "rigged" and that he would consider not accepting the results if he lost to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. After his victory, Trump claimed, without evidence, that millions of undocumented immigrants had voted. Weeks after taking office, Trump formed an Advisory Commission on Election Integrity with the goal of identifying voting fraud across the country. The commission disbanded within months after a number of states refused to turn over voter data - an "embarrassment" to the White House that frustrated the president, according to one former senior administration official, who, like others interviewed, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions. Now, Trump's fixation on potential voting fraud has been embraced as a top priority of the major organizations on the right, which are waging combat over mail-ballot rules on multiple fronts. The Trump campaign has hired three regional directors dedicated to monitoring ballot issues, including identifying the need for legal action in the states, according to a campaign official. By the end of June, the campaign plans to deploy staff focused on voting in at least 10 battleground states, including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maine, Wisconsin and Florida, the official said. Justin Clark, the campaign's top lawyer, is leading the strategy, and Trump is regularly briefed on the effort in every state. One Thursday in April, Trump met for more than an hour on the topic with Clark and RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, among others. The president regularly tells Oval Office visitors anecdotes of alleged voter fraud he has heard. And his public rhetoric has ramped up as states have begun contending with an overwhelming demand for absentee ballots - claiming not only that mail-in voting will cause fraud, but that it will "LEAD TO THE END OF OUR GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY," as he tweeted Thursday. Ballot fraud is a rare occurrence, and there is no evidence that voting by mail leads to "thousands and thousands of fake ballots" and "massive manipulation," as Trump has claimed. Some Republicans have grown frustrated with the president's comments because they are often inaccurate and distract from the work party organizers are doing - including a massive field effort in the states to encourage Trump supporters to vote absentee, according to two people familiar with the GOP effort. Rohn Bishop, chairman of the Republican Party in Wisconsin's Fond du Lac County, a rural conservative area, said Trump's rhetoric on mail balloting is "over the top." "What we need to do is find out how to be better instead of fighting it," he said. "We should just embrace it." Instead, many national and state Republican leaders are challenging efforts to expand mail voting. The RNC and California GOP, for instance, sued California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, in May, seeking to block his decision to send absentee ballots to voters for the general election. National and state committees are also intervening in lawsuits in Florida, Nevada, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, among others, to block Democratic efforts to relax ballot deadlines, lift witness and signature requirements, and otherwise ease voting restrictions. And thousands of volunteers are being recruited by the RNC and Trump campaign to monitor polling stations this year. Party officials said they are moving aggressively in the wake of the 2018 expiration of a federal consent decree that for three decades limited the party's ability to monitor voting. "In most of these lawsuits, we are going in to defend the laws on the books," said RNC spokesman Mike Reed, who accused Democrats of "using the pandemic" to relax rules meant to prevent fraud. "We're going to spend as much as it takes to make sure the security of the ballot is protected, well over $20 million." The GOP claimed a victory Thursday when a state judge in Pennsylvania ruled against a Democratic suit seeking to allow third parties to collect and turn in absentee ballots, a process Republicans call "ballot harvesting." Meanwhile, the nonprofit group Honest Elections Project has filed supporting briefs in many of these cases. It also launched a $250,000 TV and digital advertising campaign echoing the RNC's rhetoric by calling on Democrats to "stop exploiting the pandemic to push radical election changes." Snead, the group's leader, said Honest Elections, much like the RNC, is playing defense against liberal groups' efforts to change election rules. Yet the group has also launched an aggressive campaign to force states to conduct better voter list maintenance - what Democrats call "purging." The effort is particularly crucial this year, Snead said, when states are contemplating sending absentee ballot applications, and in some cases ballots themselves, to every registered voter. "My primary goal is to defend the integrity of our elections," he said. "That has as a necessary component the cleaning up of voter lists." The group has sent notices of intent to file lawsuits to four states - North Carolina, Florida, Michigan and Colorado - claiming that the voter rolls in those states are bloated with people who have died or moved or are otherwise ineligible to vote. Election officials in those states disputed the group's claims. - - - Conservatives and GOP officials involved in the voting litigation say they are not working together to coordinate their strategy. "There are a number of outside groups that care about these issues and often do great work," said Justin Riemer, the RNC's chief counsel. "But largely, it's a party and campaign effort and so I would leave it at that." However, the legal arguments deployed by the various groups bear remarkable similarities - and share a law firm, Consovoy McCarthy, that is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. Consovoy, whose firm represents Trump in two personal suits, also has advised the Trump campaign, the national GOP, state parties in California, Florida, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, as well as Honest Elections. The RNC has paid Consovoy's firm $1.1 million for legal work since late last year through April, while the Trump campaign has paid the firm an additional $202,000, campaign finance records show. Consovoy is also the signatory on the letters Honest Elections sent state election offices this year, according to correspondence obtained by The Washington Post. The campaign chose Consovoy's firm because it is "nimble and fast," has worked for the president, and was willing to take on "partisan" election cases, according to a senior campaign official. Reed at the RNC said the firm does "great work." Consovoy declined a request for comment. A former law clerk for Justice Clarence Thomas, Consovoy has litigated voting cases for at least a decade, representing Shelby County, Alabama, in the seminal 2013 Supreme Court case overturning portions of the Voting Rights Act. His role at the forefront of voting cases this year has caught the attention of voting rights activists and his Democratic rivals. "I've been his adversary a number of times," said Dale Ho, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Voting Rights Project. "He's a good advocate, he's a good lawyer. When I see him on the other side, I know to take the case seriously." According to people who know Consovoy, he is also a friend of conservative activist Leonard Leo, who has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for conservative causes in recent years and has advised Trump on his appointment of conservative Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch. Leo has spent an increasing amount of time studying voting cases, advising outside groups and encouraging conservative donors to support the efforts, said multiple people with knowledge of his activities. He declined a request for comment. Leo is raising money for two conservative nonprofit networks called the 85 Fund and the Concord Fund, people familiar with his activities said. The Honest Elections Project is a project of the 85 Fund, the people said. Snead called Leo a "supporter" of Honest Elections, declining to comment further. Before joining the Honest Elections Project, Snead worked at the conservative Heritage Foundation with a member of Trump's voter fraud commission and longtime activist on the subject, Hans von Spakovsky. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Snead attended the commission's first meeting at von Spakovsky's request to share information from a database he helped compile of past voter fraud convictions in an effort to show it is commonplace, commission records show. Snead said he was not part of the commission or its work. - - - Part of the strategy of Honest Elections, Snead said, is to rebrand an effort that had been dismissed as marginal in the past - and that had often come up short in court. "We want to be very careful how we present this group," he said. "We want to avoid coming off as raising alarm bells about voter fraud for purely partisan purposes. We want to make the case that election integrity is a nonpartisan issue." However, the new GOP strategy is closely aligned with the work of a small group of right-wing activists and organizations that have long tried to persuade the public that foreigners, felons and the dead are illegally voting in large numbers. Two long-standing promoters of such voter-fraud claims - conservative lawyers J. Christian Adams and von Spakovsky, both of whom served on Trump's election integrity commission - have led advocacy groups that sued election officials across the nation, alleging they failed to clean up bloated voter rolls and left the door open to fraud. An advocacy group founded by Adams, the Public Legal Interest Foundation, released a report in 2017 called "Alien Invasion" that named more than 5,500 registered voters in Virginia who it claimed were non-U.S. citizens. Some residents named in the report sued, saying they were in fact citizens. In a settlement, Adams apologized and blamed the mistake on the state's sloppy record-keeping. Adams and von Spakovsky helped lead another advocacy group, the American Civil Rights Union (ACRU), that sued election officials in Broward County, Florida, alleging the county had an impossibly high registration rate - nearly 100% by the ACRU's calculation. Adams litigated the case. In 2018, a federal judge ruled after a five-day trial the allegation was "unsupported by any credible evidence." The judge found that the method the group used to calculate the high voter registration rate was "inaccurate" and "misleading." To arrive at the high rate, the group inflated the number of voters on the rolls and deflated the estimated population eligible to vote, the judge wrote. "By relying upon an inaccurate registration rate as a basis to suggest a lack of list maintenance, the entire premise of this opinion is flawed from the start," U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom wrote. A federal appellate court upheld the decision last year. In a statement to The Post, von Spakovsky said it is necessary to safeguard the vote amid the pandemic, saying mail ballots "are susceptible to being stolen, altered, and forced." For his part, Adams said he welcomed the heightened activity on the right, which he said was long overdue given the number of liberal groups, including Democratic committees, the ACLU and the League of Women Voters, bringing suits this year. "Dozens of groups have been funded to the tune of many millions of dollars over the years to undermine the integrity of elections," he said. "There are 20 at least that do the exact same thing, and had done it unopposed for the last two decades." - - - Honest Elections has embraced the legal strategy of its predecessors, challenging state voter rolls and hoping for success where past efforts have failed. The group argues that high voter registration rates are a sign that ineligible people are improperly registered. It has threatened to sue states that do not take steps to remove dead people or those who have moved from their rolls. "Retaining voter rolls bloated with ineligible voters harms the electoral process, heightens the risk of electoral fraud and undermines public confidence in elections," Consovoy wrote in letters to election officials in four states. Federal law requires election officials to have a "reasonable" program to maintain accurate voter rolls but restricts officials from removing names 90 days before an election. Election security experts say maintaining up-to-date voting rolls is an important measure to prevent potential ballot fraud. But one elections expert said data produced by Honest Elections showing extremely high registration rates is misleading. "It's a bogus methodology that has been wholly debunked," said Daniel Smith, a political science professor and elections expert at the University of Florida who testified as an expert in the Broward County case. Jena Griswold, the Colorado secretary of state, said her state's high statewide registration rate is a point of pride. "Our rate is at 92%, and that's because we're so dedicated to making sure people register and vote," she said. The state has safeguards for removing inaccuracies from the voter list, including tracking deaths among Coloradans and sending out postcards more than once a year, she said. If the postcards bounce back, election officials investigate. Snead said in a statement that he stands by the method his group used to calculate registration rates and that the group was still weighing whether to sue - as well as whether to expand the fight to other states. He said he was aware of the previous court decision but was hopeful for a different outcome in future litigation - and with different lawyers. "Will Consovoy's reputation precedes him," Snead said. "His firm is just top-notch. There is no better place to start." - - - The Washington Post's Scott Clement, Alice Crites, Emily Guskin and Anu Narayanswamy contributed to this report. Over 100 love letters penned by a wartime airman to his sweetheart have come to light at a Bristol auction. The letters by Flying Officer Jack Shelley to Gladys Wright showcase his heartache at being apart from his loved one, and in one note he proposes to marry his sweetheart. The airman provides Gladys with stories during his time serving in the Second World War, where he suffered a series of crashes while flying all over the world. Over 100 love letters from a wartime Flying Officer to his love have come to light in Bristol Jack Shelley (L) wrote to his love Gladys Wright (R) throughout his time serving in the RAF during the Second World War He does not conceal any of his hardship as he reveals he has been involved in three crashes which left his face scarred. However, he reassures her that 'they are not so bad when you get used to them'. Flying Officer Shelley was clearly pining for Gladys and was counting down the days before they could be together. In another letter he proposes to her, telling her 'what do you say to us getting married - I'm all for it'. The couple did wed after the war and are thought to have enjoyed a long and happy marriage. Jack wrote regularly to Gladys, often pining for her and on one occasion he proposes to her This postcard written by Jack to Gladys lets her know that he is 'still living' while away in Cape Town, South Africa, and he says he would like to spend a holiday there with her The letters emerged from a house clearance at a deceased estate and sold with East Bristol Auctions alongside Flying Officer Shelley's leather flying helmet, jacket, uniform and family photos for 300. Andy Stowe, specialist at East Bristol Auctions, said: 'I've never read such a touching collection of letters - they are so filled with love, hope and dreams I respect of his future with Gladys, they're really so sweet. 'The way Jack proposes to 'his Gladys' is just the most charming thing. They aren't just letters - they are a real snapshot of life during the 1940's from the perspective of two young lovers. 'Jack appears to have been stationed all over the world, whilst Gladys patiently waited at home for his return. It's very moving to read such outpourings of love and sentiment between two people. 'Even through something as monstrous as the war, these two people were able to continue a relationship and eventually get married. It's rather unusual to have letters from this period which actually show a dislike for being in the RAF. 'Usually letters are full of praise and longing for active service, but these very often show Jack's raw human emotion - and he seems to actively dislike the Royal Air Force.' The letters emerged from a house clearance and sold alongside Flying Officer Shelley's leather flying helmet, jacket, uniform and family photos for 300 This is the flying helmet which belonged to Jack Shelley during his time serving the RAF Flying Officer Shelley, from Macclesfield, Cheshire, began his military career in the British Army with the Middlesex Regiment before transferring to the RAF. Throughout the war, he was stationed in Northern Ireland, Canada, Italy, India and the US. He served in 120 Squadron, flying Liberators. His unit sank 14 U-Boats in the north Atlantic and damaged many more. In one of his early letters dated September 1943, he writes to Gladys from his hospital bed after a near miss in an aircraft accident. He describes hitting the ground with an 'awful wallop' and his aircraft bursting into flames. He writes: 'I suppose you know by now that I was involved in an aircraft accident - fortunately however I'm not seriously injured and although I'm in hospital at the moment I hope to be out in a few days. 'I lost all my kit in the crack-up (it was a fire) including the presents I had bought for you. However I managed to save my neck even though I hit the ground with an awful wallop - I only got two cuts on my face, nothing else anywhere.' Jack was still stationed after the war ended and said the Air Force was a 'dead end' as he longed to return home to Macclesfield, Cheshire, to be reunited with Gladys The long-lasting effects of the crash are mentioned in a letter from February 1944 when he states: 'You needn't worry about the scars on my face because they aren't so bad when you get used to them. They are not very plain and I'm not the least bit disfigured.' A month later, he proposed to Gladys, writing: 'I'll probably be with you 18 months from now - let us hope so. Anyway... what do you say to us getting married when I get home on my first leave - personally, I'm all for it!' The later letters are tinged with sorrow at his continued separation from Gladys as he continues to serve his country. In 1944, he writes: '...(I) pray that it won't be long before we're back together again...shall we go away again for a day or two and just make whoopie in the old home town?' It appears his patience has finally ran out by November 1945, by when the war was over but he was still stationed at RAF Waterbeach, Cambridge. He laments: 'You know I'm fed up to the teeth with this life in the RAF - and I shall be glad when I get back to my old job again. 'As far I'm concerned this Air Force is a dead end and a sheer waste of very valuable time...(they're) arranging for me to see another nerve specialist and you can rest assured that I've made up my mind I'm not going to fly again.' Lake Ontario water levels have gone down around 6 inches since cresting on May 5 and are expected to continue dropping through the summer, according to the International Lake Ontario St. Lawrence River Board. The lakes level on May 5 was 247.38 feet 4 inches below the general flood stage and 20 inches lower than the peak in 2019. The lakes level on May 27 was at 247.18 feet. It was at 248.85 feet on that date in 2019. Lake levels are expected to continue their seasonal decline through the summer, according to Andrew Kornacki, chief of public affairs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Buffalo District. This prediction comes despite very high inflows to Lake Ontario from the overall Great Lakes watershed where the lakes are experiencing extremely high water levels. Meanwhile, drier conditions have prevailed in recent weeks, including around Lake Ontario and in the Ottawa and lower St. Lawrence River basins. High inflows (from the Great Lakes system) will continue for the foreseeable future and, in response, Plan 2014 will continue to prescribe very high outflows (from the Moses-Saunders Dam in Massena), which will enhance Lake Ontarios seasonal decline, according to a news release from the River Board. However, the Boards extended general deviation authority (as granted by the International Joint Commission (IJC) in October of last year) ended once the lake peaked on May 5. The Board is no longer deviating by releasing outflows above Plan 2014 prescribed flows, since Lake Ontario reached its peak and began its seasonal decline. Meanwhile, lower Lake Ontario levels and the continuing high outflows from the Moses-Saunders Dam in Massena are causing increased currents in the St. Lawrence River below the dam and also extremely low levels on Lake St. Lawrence, the area in the river just upstream of the dam. The River Board is assessing the situation if necessary, will lower the releases in the coming weeks. Kornacki said the main concern for commercial and recreational boat traffic below the dam is that with low water levels, increased water flows from the dam (which translate into increased velocity of water) created unsafe navigation conditions. In addition, reduced water levels above the dam can influence municipal and industrial water intakes. Its a balancing act. The bottom line is that water levels of Lake Ontario are still above their long-term averages, and strong winds can still cause significant damage and temporary surges in local water levels. Communities along the lakes south shore and in the St. Lawrence River should continue to look into and invest in long-term coastal resiliency measures to lessen the impact during high and low waters, the Board said. MORE: Yikes! Theres a gray fox family in my backyard -- what should I do? DEC seeks angler input to manage trout streams statewide Syracuse deer management program: Sharpshooters killed 159 deer in city this winter iStock/ChiccoDodiFCBy: JON HAWORTH, EMILY SHAPIRO, MEREDITH DELISO AND MARC NATHANSON, ABC News (NEW YORK) -- The death of George Floyd, a black man who died on Memorial Day after he was pinned down by a white Minnesota police officer, has sparked outrage and protests in Minneapolis and across the United States. The National Guard has been activated in Washington, D.C., and 17 states: Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, Utah, North Dakota, California, Missouri, Virginia, Kansas, Illinois and Nevada. In the wake of Floyd's death, murder and manslaughter charges have been filed against Derek Chauvin, the officer who prosecutors say held his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin and the other three officers at the scene have been fired. The Department of Justice is investigating. Here is how the news developed Sunday. All times Eastern: 2:40 a.m.: In several cities, protesters and police share a hug Although Sunday's protests included much of the looting and violence of the previous week's demonstrations, there were signs throughout the country that relations between protesters and police were warming. In Orlando, Florida, photos on social media showed two police officers holding hands with protesters through a barricade. A video on Twitter showed a Florida Highway Patrol trooper in Miami detach himself from a security line to offer a hug to a woman sitting on a motor scooter, who said, "I appreciate your patience" after troopers remained calm when protesters approached them. Elsewhere in Miami, video showed a group of protesters shattering the glass door of a CVS as they prepared to loot the store -- only to be stopped by a group of peaceful protesters who formed a line to prevent them from entering until the police arrived and dispersed the crowd. In New York City's Foley Square, a cheer went up among protesters when a group of NYPD officers took a knee in a show of solidarity. In Oklahoma City, cameras also captured sheriff's deputies taking a knee, with some hugging protesters near the Oklahoma County Jail. And in Flint, Michigan, video showed Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson telling a crowd of protesters that he'd ordered his deputies to lower their batons and that he wanted to make the event "a parade, not a protest." The crowd then applauded the sheriff and invited him to join the march. 12:41 a.m.: Clashes continue in some cities, while others are more calm Confrontations between police and protesters continued for another night in Brooklyn, where demonstrators clashed with officers outside Barclay's Center. In Boston, an SUV drove through a crowd of protesters but officials said no one appeared to be seriously hurt. In Washington, D.C., members of the U.S. Marshals Service and DEA agents were called in to assist National Guard troops responding to protests near the White House, a Department of Justice official said. In Atlanta, two police officers were fired for using excessive force during an arrest of two college students during Saturday night's protests. Video of the incident appeared to show officers Tase the two students as they sat in their vehicle, and then forcefully drag them out of the car. Protests in other cities, however, remained largely peaceful Sunday. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said protesters were "largely cooperative" in his state. Large crowds surrounded the State Capitol in Denver but stayed calm, according to reports. 11:19 p.m.: White House in 'elevated security posture' during protests The White House was in an "elevated security posture" Sunday night amid protests, according to an email obtained by ABC News. [D]ue to ongoing demonstrations the EOP [Executive Office of the President] Complex maintains an elevated security posture, an email from the White House Management Office sent to White House staff around 9:30 p.m. reads. The email advised that staff should only come to the White House complex on Monday for essential duties, and to hide their badges until entry if they do. Up to 1,000 protesters have been demonstrating in Lafayette Park, across from the White House, Sunday night. Police used flash bangs to prevent another group of protesters from reaching the park. Photos showed smoke from what appeared to be several fires burning near the White House and the Washington Monument. Washington, D.C., entered a citywide curfew at 11 p.m., as did San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. 10:08 p.m.: More cities placed under curfew Denver, Orlando, Florida, Chicago, Milwaukee, Salt Lake City and Columbus, Ohio, are under curfew as of 10 p.m. Protests are also ongoing in Boston and Philadelphia, among other cities. Looting has been reported in Long Beach, California, where video appears to show looters inside a boarded up business. The perpetrators are seen breaking second-story windows from inside the store, then jumping back onto the street with stolen goods. In Birmingham, Alabama, a Confederate monument in a downtown park has been taken down after a speaker at a rally called for its removal earlier in the afternoon. The Confederate Soldiers & Sailors monument in Linn Park has been the subject of a legal fight between Birmingham and the Alabama Attorney Generals Office, with the city wanting it removed. 9:51 p.m.: Trump was briefly in bunker Friday, say sources As protesters pushed toward the White House Friday evening, President Donald Trump was briefly moved into White House's so-called "bunker," multiple senior level sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News. The detail was first reported by the New York Times. The underground command center, known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, serves as a secure shelter that presidents have used in the past during terrorist attacks. The United States Secret Service released a statement on Saturday saying projectiles were thrown near the White House on Friday. Meanwhile, New York Police Department sources tell ABC News that the daughter of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was among the protesters arrested Saturday. Chiara de Blasio was among 345 protesters arrested by NYPD officers Saturday night, and was given a desk appearance ticket to face charges of unlawful assembly. 9:03 p.m.: Cities enter 9 p.m. curfew The cities of Minneapolis, Atlanta and Louisville, Kentucky, as well as the Missouri cities of Kansas City and Ferguson, and Miami-Dade County in Florida, are under curfew as of 9 p.m. Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a curfew for 11 p.m. after not ordering one Saturday. "We know that the people who were destructive last night are not likely curfew followers," she said at a press briefing Sunday. 8:32 p.m.: Semi plows through crowd protesting in Minneapolis The driver of a tanker truck is in custody after he plowed his tractor-trailer into a crowd of protesters on a Minnesota highway. Gov. Tim Waltz quoted reports saying multiple protesters were treated for injuries after the truck barreled through protesters on I-35W, which was closed to vehicular traffic. "A horrifying image on our television -- a semi ... with a flammable or toxic substance going full force into a crowd of peaceful protesters," Walz said. Authorities said they don't yet know the driver's motives. 7:31 p.m.: Protesters gather en masse in Minneapolis, NYC, LA, elsewhere After nearly two months without tourists due to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, New York City's Times Square is jammed with demonstrators. Protesters made their way to the area from Bryant Park for the city's fourth night of protests over George Floyd's death. Mayor Bill de Blasio said he wasn't considering a curfew following clashes between demonstrators and police Saturday night. Demonstrators are marching for a sixth night of protest in Minneapolis, where Floyd died. The Minnesota National Guard announced earlier Sunday that more than 5,000 soldiers and airmen were activated in the Twin Cities. In Boston, hundreds of protesters marched to Boston Police Headquarters for a prayer service. A separate protest made its way toward the Massachusetts State House. Thousands were also gathered near the White House in Washington, D.C., with other protests ongoing in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Santa Monica, California. 6:23 p.m.: Houston may give Floyd funeral police escort Speaking at a rally in support of George Floyd, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said he wants to give Floyd's funeral a police escort when Floyd's body arrives in Texas for burial. Floyd, a Houston native, will be laid to rest there following his death Monday in Minneapolis. "Give us that honor," Acevedo said. Houston Police will use a high level of security to transport Floyd's body, comparable to when an officer dies in line of duty, Acevedo said. 5:50 p.m.: Bomb found in vandalized Minneapolis store: FBI FBI bomb technicians found an explosive device in a vandalized auto parts store in Minneapolis on Saturday, the bureau announced. The FBI alerted law enforcement agencies about the discovery, which it said was a possible incendiary transfer device. The device contained paraffin oil and an unidentified black liquid, the FBI said. The owner and employees of the business, which was vandalized on Friday, did not know about the bomb, according to the bureau. 4:23 p.m.: Richmond curfew extended as police investigate shooting Police in Richmond, Virginia, are investigating a shooting that took place around 1 a.m. during the overnight protests. A man suffered a life-threatening gunshot wound when the car he was riding in came in contact with a group of protesters. Detectives have determined the gunshots came from behind the car. There is no suspect description at this time and the investigation is ongoing. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency on Sunday. "I acknowledge each of the voices crying out for justice and healing across the United States and in our Commonwealth. I affirm the deep concerns from the black community," Northam said. "As Governor of Virginia, I call on all Virginians to join together and build a renewed commitment to working for justice and fair treatment." A curfew in Richmond has been extended through Wednesday. Residents must stay in their homes from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. 4:10 p.m.: Beverly Hills issues curfew, LA County declares state of emergency A state of emergency was declared in Los Angeles County in the wake of the widespread protests overnight, which included looting and spray painting. The proclamation said the numerous acts of violence pose "extreme peril" to people and property. "If you are assembling to protest, please do so peacefully and with respect for all those who are suffering," Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said in a statement. In Beverly Hills, officials on Sunday issued two curfews: the first is in the city's business district -- which includes Rodeo Drive -- and lasts from 1 p.m. on Sunday to 5:30 a.m. on Monday. The second curfew is citywide from 4 p.m. Sunday to 5:30 a.m. Monday. "Violence, looting, and vandalism will not be tolerated in our city," Beverly Hills Mayor Lester Friedman said. "Its unfortunate that the message of the peaceful protesters has been diminished by criminal behavior." "We encourage all of our residents to remain at home," Friedman said. The Los Angeles Police Department earlier issued a mandatory curfew from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for the entire city. 3:53 p.m.: Philadelphia mayor says destruction 'disappointed me beyond words' Protests in Philadelphia turned violent on Saturday. Fires were set -- including on police cars -- and stores were looted through the night. Mayor Jim Kenney said Saturday night's "destruction" "disappointed me beyond words." "I'm sure it saddened every Philadelphian who takes pride in our city -- especially the thousands of Philadelphians who came out earlier in the day yesterday to peacefully yet forcefully protest," he said Sunday. "They made a tremendous statement about their decades of anger over a system that degrades black Americans because of the color of their skin. That statement was important. And it in no way should be diminished by other organized groups of people who tried to cause chaos in our city." "Those vandals in Center City did a great disservice to the many others who chose to speak out forcefully against institutional racism and violence at the hands of police," Kenney continued. "In looting downtown, these individuals not only desecrated private businesses, they also desecrated the important message that was heard in the earlier, peaceful protests." The Ben Franklin Bridge and all streets in Center City Philadelphia have been shut down for cleaning, officials said, according to ABC Philadelphia station WPVI-TV. A citywide curfew is in effect from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., during which time residents can only leave their homes to go to work at an essential business, get medical attention or get police help. Retail businesses have been ordered to close immediately and any business owners or residents cleaning up vandalized stores must finish by 5 p.m., officials said. 3:30 p.m.: At least 155 arrested overnight in Minnesota At least 155 people were arrested Saturday and overnight in Minnesota, the epicenter of the protests -- and that number is expected to rise as jails book suspects, authorities said. Arrests ranged from rioting to weapons violations to curfew violations. AR-15s were among the 12 guns confiscated from protesters, officials said. Cars without any license plates or lights drove through communities, and when they were pulled over, drivers fled on foot, officials said. One officer was shot at but was not hit, officials said. The two people in the car from which the shot was fired were arrested and an AR-15 was recovered in that case, officials said. Authorities shutdown major freeways in the city and closed off key routes between Minneapolis and St. Paul to prevent groups from moving between the two cities. A police line blocked the Ford Parkway Bridge. About 40 minutes after Saturday's 8 p.m. curfew began, riot police seemed to appear from every direction, dozens coming off of city buses and deploying flashbangs and tear gas. But unlike the violent protests in Minneapolis earlier in the week, Saturday night did not see fires set, looting or destruction of property, police said. The curfew and freeway closings will be extended into Sunday night, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said. All transit service in Minneapolis is suspended through at least Monday. At a Sunday press conference, Walz said he's proud of Minnesota's accomplishments, and that the state ranks second to Hawaii for happiness -- but only for Minnesota's white residents. "You cannot continue to say you're a great place to live if your neighbor, because of the color of their skin, doesn't have that same opportunity," Walz said. Floyd's family has asked Walz to let Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison prosecute the case, the governor said. No decision has been made, he added. Walz said rapper Jay-Z called him to discuss the protests and brought up his concern about hoping the prosecution will move forward fairly. "It wasn't Jay-Z, international, you know, celebrity ... it was a dad, and quite honestly, a black man whose visceral pain" was clear, the governor said. "He was passionate, he was gracious," Walz said. "He knows that the world is watching how Minnesota handles this" and that that'll have "an impact across the country." 3 p.m.: DC mayor pleads, 'we do not want our city to be destroyed' Seventeen people were arrested overnight in Washington, D.C., police said. The U.S. Secret Service said it made one arrest overnight after protesters tried to knock over security barriers and vandalized six Secret Service cars. The National Park Service is reporting vandalism to historic sites around the National Mall. The night prior, more than 60 Secret Service personnel were injured from thrown bricks, rocks, bottles and fireworks, officials said. "Secret Service personnel were also directly physically assaulted as they were kicked, punched, and exposed to bodily fluids," the Secret Service said. "A total of 11 injured employees were transported to a local hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries." "No individuals crossed the White House Fence and no Secret Service protectees were ever in any danger," the Secret Service added. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Sunday pleaded with residents, "we do not want our city to be destroyed." "We certainly recognize and empathize with the outrage that people feel ... and we certainly empathize that the killing of George Floyd wasnt the first," she said. "Our police, and firefighters, and members of the public safety team for Washington, D.C., along with our federal partners, have been working to make sure people can exercise their First Amendment rights, while not destroying Washington, D.C." 2 p.m.: 'State of Disaster' declared in Texas Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared a statewide "State of Disaster" amid the protests. "Violence against others and the destruction of property is unacceptable and counterproductive," Abbott stressed. "As protests have turned violent in various areas across the state, it is crucial that we maintain order, uphold public safety, and protect against property damage or loss." "By authorizing additional federal agents to serve as Texas Peace Officers we will help protect peoples safety while ensuring that peaceful protesters can continue to make their voices heard," he said. The body of George Floyd, who was a native of Houston, will be returned to the city, Mayor Sylvester Turner said. Floyd's family and attorneys have yet to confirm funeral arrangements for the 46-year-old. "The focus needs to be on supporting and uplifting his family," Turner said. "And that's what I want to keep bringing this conversation to. George Floyd. It's not about these other individuals, who won't be a moment. It's about George Floyd, and justice for George Floyd." 1:45 p.m.: Protests reach US Embassies in Europe, 5 arrested in London The protests over Floyd's death have also gone international, with crowds gathering at U.S. Embassies in Dublin, Berlin and London. In London, several hundred people sat in the street outside the embassy on Sunday, The Associated Press reported. The Metropolitan Police said officers were sent to the scene to engage with those in attendance. Five people were arrested: three for violating COVID-19 rules and two for assaulting police, authorities said. They were between the ages of 17 and 25, police said, and have been taken into custody. Woody Johnson, U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, tweeted, "Freedom of Speech and Assembly are cornerstones of a healthy democracy. I thank those peacefully making their views heard today outside the US Embassy in London and the Met police for ensuring everyones safety." 1:30 p.m.: Illinois National Guard activated after request from Chicago mayor After "multiple public safety incidents and property damage" during protests overnight, Chicago officials on Sunday announced new precautionary measures for the city. Access to Chicago's Central Business District and Loop will only be available for people who live in the area, work in the area and who are there to engage in essential activities, the city said. Train and bus service will also be suspended for the Loop area "for public safety reasons." "Following today's announcement, the City is working closely with the organizers of rallies and protests scheduled to take place within the area this afternoon to provide an alternative, optional route for marches to peacefully and safely return in Chicago," city officials said. A citywide curfew is effective from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily until further notice. Gov. JB Pritzker said he is activating the Illinois National Guard after a request from the mayor. "To those peacefully expressing the pain, fear, and rage of this moment, I hear you," the governor said in a statement. "Your voices matter. We must address the profound injustices in our society and bring about real and meaningful change." 1:15 p.m.: Denver police looking for driver who struck cop car, injuring 4 Denver authorities are looking for a driver who they say hit a police car, severely injuring three officers and a citizen, during the protests. One officer remains in the hospital but all three are expected to make a full recovery, police said. The condition of the injured citizen was not clear. Denver police say they arrested 83 people for curfew violations. Some protesters are facing additional charges for allegedly throwing missiles (any object or substance), damaging property and having prohibited weapons, said police. 12:44 p.m.: LA County declares state of emergency A state of emergency has been declared in Los Angeles County in the wake of the widespread protests overnight, which included looting and spray painting. The proclamation said the numerous acts of violence pose "extreme peril" to people and property. "This is a time for us to come together to stand against injustice in ways that will make us stronger as a County and as a nation," Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said in a statement. "If you are assembling to protest, please do so peacefully and with respect for all those who are suffering." The Los Angeles Police Department earlier issued a mandatory curfew from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for the entire city. 12 p.m.: NYC police cars plow through crowd, mayor calls for investigation In New York City, mostly peaceful daytime marches on Saturday turned violent overnight, with people throwing projectiles and torching police cars. At least 345 people were arrested, according to police sources. At least 33 officers were injured, including some seriously, police sources said, and dozens police cars were damaged or destroyed. But police are also facing criticism after NYPD SUVs drove through a Brooklyn crowd where people were holding a metal barricade. There was no loss of life and no major injuries. Mayor Bill de Blasio is calling for an investigation which will be led by the city's corporation counsel and Department of Investigation commissioner. "There were many things done right by the NYPD," he said, but "there were also mistakes that must be investigated." Overall, he said the NYPD demonstrated "tremendous restraint." 10:12 a.m.: Richmond police investigating shooting incident during protests Police in Richmond, Virginia, are investigating a shooting that took place around 1 a.m. during the overnight protests. A man suffered a life-threatening gunshot wound when the car he was riding in came in contact with a group of protesters. Detectives have determined the gunshots came from behind the car. There is no suspect description at this time and the investigation is ongoing. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said he's authorized a curfew in Richmond and has placed the Virginia National Guard on alert. "They stand ready to assist in protecting our residents, businesses, especially small and black-owned businesses, and the capital city," Northam said in a statement Sunday, "I acknowledge each of the voices crying out for justice and healing across the United States and in our Commonwealth. I affirm the deep concerns from the black community," he said. "As Governor of Virginia, I call on all Virginians to join together and build a renewed commitment to working for justice and fair treatment." 5:57 a.m.: At least 1 killed in shooting during Indianapolis protests Police Chief Randal Taylor of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department held a press conference late last night confirming that at least one person has been shot and killed and three more people had been shot throughout the day as protests engulfed the city. "Earlier this evening our officers worked to protect our residents' right to peaceful protests. Most of those protesters cooperated and did a fine job. For that, we're thankful. However, there was a small group of people that escalated to violent acts, including throwing projectiles at officers and breaking windows of government buildings," Taylor said. "Since then, we have seen continued and escalating incidents of violence. This includes shots fired and loss of life. This is not acceptable in this community. This behavior will not be tolerated by IMPD." "We're asking that residents who do not live in the downtown area go home. Enough is enough. Indianapolis, we are better than this. Downtown is not safe at this time. Residents who do not live in the downtown area, we're asking to please vacate the area," Taylor added. The IMPD did not give any further details on the circumstances around the death of the individual involved in the shooting and said that they had "lost count" of the number of reported shots being fired across the city. 4:32 a.m.: 28 arrested in Nashville; horses used to back crowd away from precinct A total of 28 people have been arrested by the Metro Nashville Police Department after the 10 p.m. curfew took effect. Earlier in the day, protesters marched down Broadway and 1st Avenue North arriving at 1 Public Square to continue protesting outside of the Metropolitan Nashville Courthouse. Protesters could be seen shouting "no peace" and "don't shoot' as they gathered on the steps of Public Square Park. Protesters reportedly broke out windows of Metro courthouse and spray-painted obscenities against law enforcement on the walls and sidewalk. A group of people also managed to break into the Metro courthouse and set fire to the outside and inside of the building before authorities were able to disperse the crowd using fireworks and a smoke bomb. Protesters could also be seen outside the front of the courthouse burning an American flag. 3:39 a.m.: Target temporarily closes 175 stores in 13 states due to protests Target said Saturday night it will be temporarily closing 175 stores due to ongoing protests. Target closed 71 stores in Minnesota; 49 stores in California; four stores in Colorado; two stores in Georgia; seven stores in Illinois; one store in Michigan; five stores in Missouri; 12 stores in New York; one store in Nebraska; eight stores in Oregon; four stores in Pennsylvania; nine stores in Texas; and two stores in Wisconsin. Team members impacted by store closures will be paid for up to 14 days of scheduled hours during store closures, including COVID-19 premium pay. 2:02 a.m.: Atlanta police arrest 70 people, majority of protesters have now dispersed Atlanta Police have issued a statement saying that they are no longer working any major incidents and the vast majority of protesters have dispersed. A total of 70 people have been arrested Saturday night into Sunday morning. 1:12 a.m.: Protests mount in Ferguson, Missouri Ferguson, Missouri, took violent turn when protesters have vandalized the police department. Ferguson was the center of civil of unrest in 2014 after the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man. All non-essential personnel were evacuated at the Ferguson Police Department. Missouri Governor Mike Parson declared a state of emergency late Saturday and activated the Missouri National Guard to stand ready to assist. Two officers were injured and transported to the hospital while two others were treated on the scene for minor injuries. 12:53 a.m.: Miami-Dade Police arrest 38 people, suspends all transit services on Sunday The Miami-Dade Police Department have announced that 38 people have been arrested so far after Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez signed a local state of emergency declaration, ordering a curfew that took place at 10 p.m. last night until 6 a.m. on Sunday after some protesters began to burn police cars at the Miami Police Station. The Department of Transportation and Public Works also has suspended all Miami-Dade Transit services on Sunday, May 31, including Metrorail, Metromover and Metrobus. This decision was made in an abundance of caution, and to ensure the safety of all passengers and employees, according to a statement released by Miami-Dade County. 12:46 a.m.: Biden releases statement on protests, urges understanding but cautions against 'needless destruction' Former vice president Joe Biden released a paper statement just after midnight eastern on the ongoing unrest and protests currently gripping several major American cities, urging an understanding of the trauma many people of color in America are facing in the wake of George Floyd's death, but also speaking out against the "needless destruction," that is playing out as a result of the protests. "These last few days have laid bare that we are a nation furious at injustice. Every person of conscience can understand the rawness of the trauma people of color experience in this country, from the daily indignities to the extreme violence, like the horrific killing of George Floyd," Biden wrote. "Protesting such brutality is right and necessary. It's an utterly American response. But burning down communities and needless destruction is not. Violence that endangers lives is not. Violence that guts and shutters businesses that serve the community is not," he added. The presumptive Democratic nominee also added that the protests going on tonight should not overshadow the cause they are trying to advance. "The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest. It should not drive people away from the just cause that protest is meant to advance," Biden wrote. Biden also acknowledged the widespread pain across the country, not only from the pain of Floyd's death, but from coronavirus as well, relating to the feeling of grief, but implored the country to use the current anger to "compel our nation across this turbulent threshold into the next phase of progress, inclusion, and opportunity for our great democracy." "I know that there are people all across this country who are suffering tonight. Suffering the loss of a loved one to intolerable circumstances, like the Floyd family, or to the virus that is still gripping our nation. Suffering economic hardships, whether due to COVID-19 or entrenched inequalities in our system. And I know that a grief that dark and deep may at times feel too heavy to bear," Biden said. "I know." "And I also know that the only way to bear it is to turn all that anguish to purpose. So tonight, I ask all of America to join me -- not in denying our pain or covering it over-- but using it to compel our nation across this turbulent threshold into the next phase of progress, inclusion, and opportunity for our great democracy." "We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us. We are a nation enraged, but we cannot allow our rage to consume us. We are a nation exhausted, but we will not allow our exhaustion to defeat us," the statement said. Biden also pledged, if elected, to help lead a conversation on the issues that have caused the current unrest, and referenced again his recent conversation with George Floyd's family and a promise he made to ensure his death will not just be a "hashtag." "As President, I will help lead this conversation and more importantly, I will listen. I will keep the commitment I made to George's brother, Philonise, that George will not just be a hashtag. We must and will get to a place where everyone, regardless of race, believes that 'to protect and serve' means to protect and serve them," Biden wrote. "Please stay safe. Please take care of each other," he added, ending his statement. ABC News' Whitney Lloyd, Aaron Katersky, Jeff Cook, Christine Theodorou, Ahmad Hemingway, Josh Hoyos, Alexandra Faul, Marcus Moore, Clayton Sandell, Bonnie McLean, Sarah Shales, Luis Martinez, Jake Date, and John Verhovek contributed to this report. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Several Bollywood personalities including Arshad Warsi, Milind Soman and Ranvir Shorey have joined the ongoing "Boycott China" campaign on social media. Warsi took to Twitter and shared that he is consciously going to avoid using Chinese goods. "I am consciously going to stop using everything that is Chinese. As they are a part of most of the things we use, it will take time but I know, one day I'll be Chinese free. You should try it too," he wrote. Actor-model Milind Soman said he is no longer using the Chinese short-video making application TikTok. "Am no longer on tiktok. #BoycottChineseProducts," tweeted Soman. Actor Ranvir Shorey simply wrote: "Bilkul. Beshaq. #BoycottChina. #CKMKB." The hashtags #BoycottChineseProducts and #BoycottChina started trending after educator and innovator Sonam Wangchuk, whose life inspired the Aamir Khan-starrer "3 Idiots", shared a video on YouTube urging all to avoid Chinese goods amid the growing tensions between India and China in Ladakh. Netizens and a string of known personalities alike have followed Wangchuk's lead. Among them is television actress Kamya Punjabi requested everyone to use only Indian goods. "I never had such apps on my phone. Would like to request all who have commercials attached with such chinese products to use alternative Be Indian buy Indian #BoycottChineseProducts," Kamya tweeted. Writer Raaj Shaandilyaa asked everyone to join the "Boycott China" movement. "Boycott "MADE IN CHINA" movement ka hissa bane... aur apne desh ki pragati main yogdaan dein. Jai Hind Jai Bharat. (be a part of the boycott Made In China movement and help in the prosperity of your country.) #BoycottMadeInChina," Shaandilyaa tweeted. Celebrity photographer Atul Kasbekar praised US President Donald Trump, who gave a strong speech on Friday against China. Kasbekar wrote: "You can make all the memes you want about Pres. Trump but you have to admire the guts he's shown in taking on the Chinese govt. Fact is they've shown no sense of accountability for the pandemic and someone needed to call them out. Rest of the world should join in isolating them." As the implementation of gener al community quarantine (GCQ) looms in the National Capital Region, (NCR), and a portion of public utility vehicles (PUVs) are once again allowed to operate, Metro Manila residents can at long last return to some semblance of normal in their lives. Of course, some safety standards need be met, as Covid-19 remains to be a threat. Keeping this in mind, Grab Philippines is doubling down on its safety and hygiene standards to minimize risks of the spread of COVID-19 for its mobility service, GrabCar, by implementing a set of policies supporting the governments health and safety regulations, when ride-hailing companies in resume their service on today in Metro Manila. In line with its efforts to protect both its driver passengers and users from the deadly disease, Grab PH is introducing GrabProtecta robust set of safety and precautionary initiatives and features against Covid-19, which include online health and hygiene checklist, a mask selfie verification tool, safety and hygiene certification, hygiene kits, mandatory deep disinfection of vehiclesaimed toward the enforcement of higher safety and hygiene standards for public transport in the country. grab.com To support the regulations set by the government, Grab urges individuals who meet the following classifications to stay at home and not to use any public transportation: Individuals below the age of 21, and those 60 years old and above (unless they will need to purchase essential items, or classified as workers belonging to operating industries) Individuals who are infected with COVID-19 Individuals who are immune-deficient Individuals who are mandated to remain in-residence Individuals who are pregnant grab.com The countrys biggest ride-hailing service provider is also implementing 10 new policies in support of the Philippine Governments health and safety regulations for Covid-19. These include: Cashless payments on all Grabs mobility service offerings paid via GrabPay or Credit/Debit Card. Each GrabCar will only have a maximum seating capacity of two (2) passengers, and each will sit close to the windows at the back of the vehicle; Only public health vehicles are allowed to transport COVID-19 positive individuals; Driver-partners and passengers are required to wear facemasks at all times; Driver-partners are required to keep their vehicles disinfected at all times, especially every end of the trip; Each vehicle is required to have a non-permeable acetate barrier installed between the passengers and the driver-partner; To aid in an effective contact-tracing procedure when deemed necessary, passengers are not allowed to book for others. They are required to show their booking code to their respective driver-partner before entering their assigned vehicle unless in cases of emergencies wherein the destination is a hospital and the account holder or companion was the one who made the booking. Driver-partners are required to open and close the doors for the passengers, passengers are not allowed to open the doors themselves; Eating and/or drinking is not allowed inside the car, and passengers are required to clean after themselves Every time a passenger books for a ride, the passenger will receive a notification via GrabChat reminding them of the proper safety and hygiene protocol during the ride. Story continues Brian Cu Safety has always been at the core of what we do at Grab, said Grab PH President Brian Cu. While we understand that the public health situation remains to be fluid and ever-changing, we will continue to introduce innovations and policies that would protect and support the lives and livelihoods of every Filipino. Photos from Grab, Brian Cu Facebook page Also read: Moving Forward: Whats the Action Plan for Shared Mobility after Covid-19? ECCP Tackles Future of Ridesharing Abid Hussain and Muhammad Tahir, two officials of the Pakistan high commission who have been apprehended by Indian law enforcement authorities for carrying out espionage activities in the country. (PTI) New Delhi: Two Pakistan officials expelled by India over spying allegations returned home Monday, an embassy spokesman said, as the nuclear-armed rivals wrangled over the claims. The Indian government said Sunday that the two had been detained for "indulging in espionage activities", and given 24 hours to leave the country. The move came amid heightened tensions between the arch-rivals foes over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, which was split between them in 1947 when they gained independence from Britain. India media said the two officials -- both working in the embassy visa department -- had been detained Sunday while trying to obtain information on an Indian security establishment. The pair returned to Pakistan via the Wagah border crossing, which has been closed for several weeks because of the coronavirus lockdown, a Pakistan embassy spokesman told AFP. Pakistan summoned India's charge d'affaires to express its "condemnation" of the expulsion order. The foreign ministry called the allegations "baseless" and said Delhi's action was a "clear violation" of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. Kashmir has become a bigger source of tension between the two powers since India last August scrapped the Muslim-majority region's semi-autonomous status and imposed a major security clampdown. In response, Pakistan recalled its ambassador from Delhi and sent back the Indian envoy. India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars since independence over Kashmir. Shelling across their Kashmir demarcation line is a near-daily occurrence, and in February 2019 they conducted tit-for-tat airstrikes. Rebel groups in Indian-administered Kashmir have battled for decades for the region's independence or its merger with Pakistan. Since 1989 the fighting has left tens of thousands dead, mostly civilians. India has more than 500,000 troops in Kashmir, where clashes are a common occurrence but last month extended into the regional capital Srinagar. New Delhi regularly accuses arch-rival Pakistan of arming and sending rebels across the heavily militarised border. Islamabad denies the claims. As healthcare facilities grapple with personal protective equipment shortages, West Virginia University researchers are going against the grain to help with an earthy, unorthodox resource: wood. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gloria Oporto, associate professor of wood science and technology, had researched woody biomass for food packaging and pharmacy novel applications. Woody biomass are timber-derived products that can be converted to energy through combustion or gasification. Oporto would grow increasingly concerned about reports of the lack of PPE for medical professionals, sparking the question, "Why can't we use renewable materials, such as wood derivatives to supplement the PPE?" She then reached out to Rakesh Gupta, chemical engineering professor. With the aid of a National Science Foundation RAPID award for nearly $200,000, Oporto, Gupta and their team will develop and test antimicrobial, renewable mask biofilters constructed of composite biomaterials. The goal is to produce a prototype - a reusable, environmentally-friendly biofilter to serve as a filtering, facepiece respirator - that enhances the safety of masks currently used in the medical setting. RAPID grants are awarded to researchers tackling quick-response projects supporting severe or urgent situations. RAPID awards have been granted to other University researchers already confronting the COVID-19 crisis. According to Oporto, the three key components of the mask filters are: polylactic acid, a biodegradable plastic derived from agricultural and renewable resources; nanocellulose, a nontoxic, lightweight substance produced from wood pulp; and nano copper, which contains antimicrobial properties. "We have the materials and we are ready to prepare," Oporto said. "It will be biodegradable and reusable, and we'll be working heavily with mechanical engineering to produce these with 3D printers. It's not just dreaming of producing something. This is real." By incorporating small-sized antimicrobial/antiviral nano copper particles, the filters will likely prevent not only COVID-19, but other viruses and microorganisms, from penetrating a mask. Because the project is funded by RAPID award, the team is aiming to develop and optimize the fabrication of these filters by the end of the year. Developed filters will be tested to demonstrate that they have all the properties required for masks to be worn by medical personnel. If the research is successful, it will result in the development of a reusable medical mask that is superior than the single-use mask that is currently in use. "Our project is intended to help healthcare professionals, but developing these for the general public would be a logical next step," Oporto said. "If we can develop this now, certainly, we can have something that would be useful for the larger population." The filters will undergo heat tests and researchers will examine most effective ways to clean and reuse them. The project could even lead to innovations around the development of surfaces and other antimicrobial products resistant to the novel coronavirus, Oporto said. "These materials are going to be antimicrobial/antiviral, so there's that level of protection where, ideally, you may not need to clean or use chemicals on surfaces," she said. "That's one possibility that may come out of this." Another objective to the project is to promote collaborations across different fields such as wood science, health science, engineering, chemistry and biology which, in turn, will support training and education of students in these fields. Members of the team include Jonathan Boyd, orthopaedics; Sushant Agarwal, chemical engineering; Rosaysela Santos, pathology, anatomy and laboratory medicine; and Edward Sabolsky, mechanical and aerospace engineering. "For me, working with something I love, like wood, and having an incredible team with different skills and talents," Oporto said, "there's an extra level of happiness that we can develop something that can help to so many people." ### Top scientists, health officials and the WHO on Monday rushed to counter claims made by a leading Italian doctor who said the new coronavirus "no longer exists" in the country. The row came as Italy prepared the next stage of its gradual easing of a national lockdown imposed three months ago to fight the spread of the deadly virus. "In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy," said Alberto Zangrillo, head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan. "The swabs performed over the past 10 days have showed a viral load that is absolutely infinitesimal in quantitative terms compared to those carried out a month or two months ago," he said in an interview on RAI television on Sunday. "Someone has to take responsibility for terrorising the country," Zangrillo added. Milan is the capital of the northern region of Lombardy, which took the brunt of the pandemic in Italy. Several specialists, in Italy and abroad, were quick to object to Zangrillo's remarks. Dr. Oscar MacLean, of the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, said Zangrillo's claims were "not supported by anything in the scientific literature, and also seem fairly implausible on genetic grounds". Martin Hibberd, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "In a situation where the numbers of severe cases are falling, there may be time to start observing people with less severe symptoms -- giving the impression that the virus is changing." - 'Still a killer virus': WHO - And the World Health Organization also stressed that the new coronavirus had not suddenly become less pathogenic. "We need to be careful: this is still a killer virus," WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan told journalists. "We need to be exceptionally careful not to create a sense that, all of a sudden, the virus, by its own volition, has now decided to be less pathogenic," said Ryan, who has a background in epidemiology. "It is not the case at all." The head of Italy's National Health Council, Franco Locatelli, said he was "baffled" by Zangrillo's comments. "It's enough to look at the number of new positive cases confirmed every day to see the persistent circulation in Italy of the new coronavirus," he said. The director of the prestigious Spallazani infectious diseases institute in Rome, Giuseppe Ippolito, also said there was no scientific proof the virus had mutated or changed in potency. The government has insisted this is one of the most dangerous phases of a pandemic that has claimed over 33,000 lives in the country. It has urged people to abide by social distancing rules and wear masks to prevent the virus from spreading once again. A contact-tracing app to help the country avoid a virus relapse was being launched Monday in four of the country's 20 regions, with others soon to follow. As part of the next stage of reopening the country, from Wednesday, foreign tourists will be able to enter Italy again and people will be able to move between regions. A number of specialists were quick to object to Zangrillo's remarks The Colosseum in Rome reopened on Monday as Italy continued to ease its lockdown The worst day of Patrick ODonoghues career was March 16. As the CEO of the Gleneagle Hotel and Apartments, the neighbouring Inec event centre, and the Brehon Hotel puts it, its the day someone pressed pause on life in Killarney. It is also the day he temporarily laid off almost all his staff. We were very upset when the Covid-19 restrictions came in because one of the worst days of my career was temporarily laying off the 500 staff that we have, said Patrick. That was very traumatic for everybody. Ultimately, the immediate effect is that for four months the businesses are effectively shut and all the staff have been furloughed. Everybody is in the same boat. We didnt do anything wrong. It was just one of those things that has happened and we are no different to any tourism business around the country and there is nothing we can do about it. We have to be philosophical about it, I suppose. Gap of Dunloe Boatman Dermot O'Donoghue with his traditional wooden Gap boat in his shed in Killarney at the weekend. While it was traumatic for Patrick and his staff, the temporary closure of the Gleneagle Group is bad for the entire town. It is said that when the Gleneagle Hotel is busy, the town is busy, and when its quiet, so is the town. The annual Bike Fest, one of the biggest events in the town, was cancelled, and other events - including concerts in the Inec - have either been cancelled or deferred. Although this years Rally of the Lakes was cancelled, last years event has at least provided the town with a timely Hollywood endorsement. Actor Michael Fassbender, who took part in last years rally and who grew up in the town, has just released a three-part documentary of the rally. The fact that, as a Killarney Tourism Economic Impact Review report noted, tourism is the economic lifeblood of Killarney makes the impact from Covid-19 on the town all the more poignant. Indeed, while the recent Three Regional Assemblies 'Covid-19 Regional Economic Analysis' report puts Kerry as the county most likely to be negatively impacted by Covid-19, it rates Killarney as one of the worst-hit towns in the county. Empty streets which would normally be full of American Tourists and motorbikers at this time of year in Killarney, County Kerry during the COVID-19 crisis. That may change if the government bows to pressure to open up the country sooner. The 1.1m-plus people who visit the town annually generate more than 410m; American and Canadian tourists spend 80% more than domestic tourists. And they have all but gone, leaving the jobs of more than 3,120 people employed in tourism under threat. This year was looking like one of the best ever," said Patrick. "It was about 5%-10% up on last year. Covid-19 has meant that any business we had in March, April, May, June and early parts of July is non-existent. Laura Tangney, whose family run Tangneys of Killarney Jaunting Cars, says the company has also been badly hit. Laura Tangney, Killarney Jaunting Cars pictured in Killarney at the weekend. The jaunting car has been in her family for more than 220 years. The company relies heavily on corporate business and is generally booked out for tours more than a year in advance. By this time in any given year they would be more than 80% booked up. However, they shut on March 17 and since the business has been dead. Business is gone, said Laura. It all just happened so bloody quick. On the Thursday before St Patricks Day, we were like a human shooting ground in the office. It was just cancellation, cancellation, cancellation, and it was all big groups cancelling. And it really continued from then. I am still getting cancellations. It's a worrying time for us. Its a family business and we dont have any other type of revenue. We know nothing else. It is in our veins and we are all invested in it, which is a worrying thing for us. We have 40 horses to feed and those are ongoing costs that are there, even when the tourist isnt there. We breed a lot of our own horses, and we know them as babies. So they are our siblings, as we say, and that is our company policy: our horses come first. They are our priority now to make sure they stay safe and they stay fit. When they are not working they become very unfit very quickly. So come July 20, if I dont keep my horses fit, we dont work. However, that is not an option for Laura. The company will be taking fewer customers on the various sized jaunting cars they operate and see-through plastic screens are being erected to separate the driver from passengers. We have to adapt to succeed and that is what we are at at the moment, she said. People have asked us if Covid-19 will kill the jaunting car. No, it wont. We are strong enough, we have pride in what we do and we are ready to take on the challenge of the Covid and work through it. Of course, we are doing it in worrying times but you cant lie down either. Tourists take in the magnificient view at Aghadoe Killarney in glorious May sunshine. The scene is one of the most photographed views in Ireland and the setting for many films. Pictures: Don MacMonagle Patrick and his colleagues at the Gleneagle Group aren't for lying down either. Currently working on plans for a July 20 reopening, he has introduced intensive cleaning regimes, deployed more hand sanitizers, and introduced an advanced check-in, check-out, and digital billing system. Rooms will have fewer paper amenities such as notepads and guest directories and there will be enhanced staff safety with personal protective equipment. Whether or not this means youll be greeted by staff wearing N95 face masks remains to be seen. At the moment it is hard to see beyond that because that is what we are used to seeing in our supermarkets and anywhere else where there is customer interaction, said Patrick. However, despite all that has happened over the past few months, Patrick is seeing signs of hope in his business and in the town. The hotel group has noticed an increase in the number of people from Ireland who are making reservations to stay. In normal circumstances, the hotel group would expect August to be 50% booked up, but bookings are creeping past the 25% mark. Were reasonably optimistic now that we have dates to get going again from July 20, Patrick said. We are already seeing some green shoots in the context of people booking for their summer holidays. There is potential there in August that people who would traditionally travel abroad who are already committing to staying at home this year. We are seeing bookings coming in from July 20 onwards. So we hope to be reasonably busy for August which would be our busiest month of the year anyway. We are delighted. Its showing signs of life. Killarney mayor Michael Gleeson said there isnt one single thing that will get the town out of its current crisis - it is will be a combination of things. Michael Gleeson, Mayor of Killarney pictured on a very quiet Main Street at the weekend. It will be the continued co-operation of all the interests in the town, combined with the health advice we are currently getting, said Mr Gleeson. And while we put a value on the people who come to stay here, this isnt just a monetary value and we need to continue to emphasize the warmth of the welcome we are famous for. Laura speaks for many in the town when she says: Killarney is tourism. If you ring any number, we all have the same story. I dont just go to trade shows and sell my tours, I sell Killarney, and I think that will stand to us. As a destination as a whole, all the businesses in the town work well together. Now, more than ever, its all about getting together now and selling Killarney as a destination rather than just trying to fill your hotel bedroom or your jaunting car. The town getting together to get through Covid-19 is very much on the mind of Pat Falvey, whose adventure business in Ireland and around the world has ground to a halt. Mountaineer Pat Falvey who organises many mountain and walking trips to Killarney as well as all over the world pictured in The Gap of Dunloe Killarney. Theres an apocryphal tale his mother once told him that sums up his hopes for Killarney. Its about the 1976 Seattle Special Olympics when - according to the story - moments after the 100-yard dash started, one of the contestants fell. Others stopped, turned back, picked him up, and then they linked arms and walked over the finishing line together. My hope is that we all cross the finishing line together, the veteran explorer said. And both he and other businesses in the town are hoping they can all get back in the race sooner rather than later. Tourism is effectively on hold at the moment, said Patrick. The pause button has been pressed on life, on the industry, and everything that happens in Killarney. And we are just waiting for the play button to be pressed again, so that we can get going and see our staff back working again and we are back looking after our guests. Open source Foreign Ministry of Turkey informed about the decision to open the borders and resume passengers traffic with Ukraine from July 1, 2020, as the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine reported. On June 1, Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held a phone talk with Turkeys Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu. Head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry informed about the decision of the Turkish side to open its border for foreign tourists and renew the regular passenger carriages with Ukraine starting from July 1, 2020. He also assured that his country will create all necessary conditions for the safe rest of the Ukrainian citizens in summer, the message said. Besides, the sided determined the priorities of the development of the strategic partnership between Ukraine and Turkey. Moreover, the heads of the foreign ministries agreed that the next session of the Joint Group of Strategic planning at the level of the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Turkey will take place in Antalya. As we reported, Ukraine and Turkey have agreed to start procedures that are aimed at resuming air connection between them. KYODO NEWS - Jun 1, 2020 - 13:44 | All, Japan, Coronavirus The Japanese health ministry began testing around 10,000 people for coronavirus antibodies Monday in a bid to better grasp the scale of infection, as the country braces for a possible resurgence following the lifting of a state of emergency last week. The tests, which look for specific proteins made by the immune system in response to infection, began in Tokyo and Miyagi Prefecture, and Osaka will follow suit on Wednesday. The government hopes to find out the rough number of people who have been infected with the virus including asymptomatic people from the blood tests of 3,000 randomly-chosen residents aged 20 or older in each prefecture. The results are expected to help authorities gain an outlook for infection numbers if a resurgence takes place and estimate how many people will need a vaccination once one becomes available. Related coverage: Wearing face masks to be new normal in pandemic-time air travel Japan to start virus antibody tests on 10,000 people in June At a test site in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward, a nurse from the Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association wearing a face shield, mask and gloves, explained to the media prior to the start of the tests that it takes about one to two minutes to take a blood sample. "Knowing the actual conditions of infection should help the government take measures in the future," an association official said. In Natori, Miyagi Prefecture, a 69-year-old man who took the test said he has not felt ill since the virus outbreak began. "I hope my data will help society," he said. The tests for COVID-19, the contagious respiratory disease first identified late last year in Wuhan, China, will use three methods and take less time than the currently dominant polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, test that uses a swab from a patient's nose and requires a minimum of several hours to produce a result. Japan has had more than 17,500 infection cases, with over 900 deaths. The government fully lifted the state of emergency on Monday last week. Tokyo and Fukuoka Prefecture have seen an increase in the number of infection cases in recent days but the government said it has no immediate plan to place the areas under an emergency declaration again. Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky have given fans a rare look inside their incredible $20 million Byron Bay mansion. The happy couple showed off their huge living room as they fooled at home on Sunday. The actor, 36, and actress, 43, filmed themselves raving to the popular EDM song Freak by Australian DJ Fisher while sitting at a dining table. Bohemian luxe: Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky gave fans a look inside their gorgeous living room in their incredible $20 million Byron Bay mansion on Sunday The couple's homely living room features high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, white walls and a large fireplace. Chris and Elsa have opted for a very modern bohemian look when it comes to their furniture, with a large white couch, huge wooden dining table and expensive artwork featured throughout. The outside of the home was also visible in the video clip, with the camera panning across the infinity pool and large BBQ entertaining area. It was in July when Chris finally unveiled his $20million Byron Bay mega-mansion after a staggering three years of construction. And the property certainly has some very specific and luxurious quirks. Big project: It was in July when Chris finally unveiled his $20million Byron Bay mega-mansion after a staggering three years of construction Forever young! The actor, 36, and actress, 43, filmed themselves raving to the popular EDM song Freak by Australian DJ Fisher Huge: The outside of the home was also visible in the video clip, with the camera panning across the infinity pool and large BBQ entertaining area According to the Gold Coast Bulletin, who report that they've seen the floor plans, the Thor star, his wife and their three children have access to a whopping ten bathrooms. And the family have a total of 26 surfboard racks to use, no doubt handy for keen surfer Chris. For a touch of old-fashioned glamour comes in the form of a butler's pantry, a space traditionally used for preparing food for a large number of guests. Fooling around: The couple's homely living room features high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows and white walls Two bars are also well suited to entertaining the couple's large circle of friends. The property functions as it's own retreat too, with a steam room, sauna room and massage room, as well as a gym. There's also a 50 metre infinity pool fit for a luxury resort and a lovely outdoor pond. A games room, TV room, living room, dining room, lounge and fire pit make for a both cosy and spacious home. Rounding up the features are seven car spaces, five bedrooms, and a study. To infinity and beyond: Chris and Elsa pose in front of their infinity pool last month For Elsa's clothing, there is a massive walk-in-wardrobe measuring a massive 6.8m by 4m. One of the giant rooms has been decorated with a mural by Indigenous painter Otis Hope Carey. There is also what appears to be an elevated hallway, as well as a long concrete bench running along the wall below the mural. The palatial property offers plenty of room for Chris and Elsa's children - daughter India Rose, seven, and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, five - as well as breathtaking views of the Broken Head Nature Reserve. Chris and Elsa first purchased the property in 2014 for $7million and began renovation at the end of 2016. Locals have dubbed the enormous home 'the shopping centre' and 'fortress Hemsworth', according to The Daily Telegraph. Dust off your water skis because summer has begun! Clean your grills for fresh burgers and dogs -- the neighbors are coming over! Put on your Uncle Sam hat and wave your mini flag -- the parade is about to come down Main Street! Not this year. The COVID-19 stay-at-home orders will affect most of us this Memorial Day, and maybe that's a good thing. Though Americans might share salutations of "Happy Memorial Day!," the last Monday in May ought to be a serious affair -- a living remembrance of our nation's fallen. Originally called "Decoration Day," Memorial Day -- which only became a federal holiday in 1971 -- was a special day in spring for families of the fallen Civil War dead to decorate graves and hold gatherings to recognize the 600,000-plus men who died in the war. Some historical accounts describe that the first Memorial Day commemoration was hosted by a group of freed slaves in South Carolina, only a month after the confederacy fell in 1865. The following year in 1866, citizens of the small town of Waterloo, New York, shuttered their businesses, placed all flags at half-staff, draped the town in black and held processions to each of the village's three cemeteries to recognize and grieve their Civil War dead. They continued this tradition every subsequent year, and, in 1966, the U.S. Congress declared Waterloo "the birthplace of Memorial Day." Perhaps most interestingly, all shops were closed -- a far cry from this century's tributes to consumerism frequently held on the last Monday in May. In this century, though many people still visit cemeteries to lay flowers on the grave of a loved one, or march in a local parade dressed in a timeworn military uniform, many Americans celebrate by throwing a summer party, by taking advantage of the sales -- with no thought of "social distancing." The many restrictions due to COVID-19 have stripped the "happy" from our Memorial Day, perhaps reminding us that without neighborhood barbecues and retail bonanzas, the day is really about what the small town of Waterloo began. Arlington National Cemetery will remain closed to the general public this year, though immediate family will be offered limited visitation. My husband, who is in his 25th year of service as an Army officer, was hoping to visit his father. Buried at Arlington, my father-in-law Kevin Burke was an armored cavalry platoon leader during Vietnam. For his valor, he was awarded the Silver Star; for his injuries, two Purple Hearts. Rather than pay tribute at his headstone with the typical teaming crowds at Arlington, we will remember him at home, tell stories to our children, and say a prayer. Perhaps these quiet, lonely reflections on those who served and died for our country are the purest form of a Memorial Day "celebration." Before these various Memorial Day traditions ever began, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on Nov. 19, 1963, as part of a ceremony honoring the soldiers killed during the Battle of Gettysburg earlier in July and later interned at Gettysburg National Cemetery. In the three-day battle, the Union lost 23,000 men and the Confederates lost more than 28,000. During the speech, Lincoln's assistant secretary, John Hay, observed the president as "sad, mournful, almost haggard." Though the battle was a victory for the Union, Lincoln's address had no such tinge of triumphalism. It was deliberate grief for the valiant service of the dead: "But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we cannot consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced." The silver lining of our quarantines, our solitude, and our adherence to stay-at-home orders is that this Monday may be full of thoughtful memories, solemn tributes and quiet commemorations -- an acknowledgement of sacrifice rather than a frenzied dash to the local big box stores. This year, shed of celebration, the shadow of COVID-19 gives us the opportunity to remember "those who here gave their lives that that nation might live." Frances Tilney Burke is a visiting research fellow in foreign and defense policy at the American Enterprise Institute and a proud Army spouse. She wrote this for InsideSources.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Florida Keys is welcoming back tourists once again. The Keys have been closed to tourists since March 22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two checkpoints were put into effect five days later. Sunday night, Monroe County Sheriffs officers and the countys public works department dismantled the two checkpoints on roads connecting the Florida Keys to mainland South Florida so visitors can return, according to CBS Miami. However, officials are stressing personal health responsibility. Im a combination of excited for our economy to get going again so the people can get some money but Im also a little nervous because weve been very successful in controlling the spread of the virus down here, said Monroe County Mayor Heather Carruthers. Almost half of the Keys workforce is employed in tourism-related jobs. The Keys tourism councils website, highlights protective health practices for visitors. There is also a video featuring Dr. Mark Whiteside, Monroe Countys medical director, who discusses guidelines recommended for all visitors arriving from areas outside the Keys, as well as for residents. The decision to shut down the Keys to non-residents to help slow the spread of the virus was successful. Monroe County has a total of just 108 cases and four deaths. Monroe County officials have said if there is a surge in coronavirus cases in June, restrictions may be reinstated and amenities may close once again. 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. Read more: Christo, the Bulgarian-born conceptual artist who turned to epic-scale environmental works in the late 1960s, stringing a giant curtain across a mountain pass in Colorado, wrapping the Pont Neuf in Paris and the Reichstag in Berlin and zigzagging thousands of saffron-curtained gates throughout Central Park, died Sunday at his home in New York City. He was 84. His death was announced on his official Facebook page. No cause was specified. Christo he used only his first name was an artistic Pied Piper. His grand projects, often decades in the making and all of them temporary, required the co-operation of dozens, sometimes hundreds, of landowners, government officials, judges, environmental groups, local residents, engineers and workers, many of whom had little interest in art and a deep reluctance to see their lives and their surroundings disrupted by an eccentric visionary speaking in only semi-comprehensible English. Again and again, Christo prevailed, through persistence, charm and a childlike belief that eventually everyone would see things the way he did. At his side, throughout, was his wife, Jeanne-Claude, who, like her husband, used only her first name. In the mid-1990s she began sharing equal billing with him on all their projects, formalizing what the couple insisted had been their practice all along. She died in 2009. The Gates, Christos Central Park project, typified his approach. Like nearly all his projects, it began with a drawing, executed in 1979. Then came the seemingly eternal round of lobbying public officials, filing forms, waiting for environmental impact studies, speaking at hearings, rallying support. All of this, Christo insisted, was part of the art work. For me esthetics is everything involved in the process the workers, the politics, the negotiations, the construction difficulty, the dealings with hundreds of people, he told The New York Times in 1972. The whole process becomes an esthetic thats what Im interested in, discovering the process. I put myself in dialogue with other people. When New Yorks parks commissioner at the time, Gordon J. Davis, rejected The Gates in 1981, setting forth his reasons in a book-length document, Christo simply incorporated the rebuff into the project. I find it very inspiring in a way that is like abstract poetry, he told the College Art Association. He adds a dimension to the work, no matter what he thinks. Given the go-ahead by the administration of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, The Gates was finally installed in February 2005. For two weeks, thousands of strollers wandering 23 miles of the parks pathways passed underneath 7,503 steel frames supporting free-hanging panels of saffron-colored fabric. It was a stunning success. In the winter light, the bright fabric seemed to warm the fields, flickering like a flame against the barren trees, Michael Kimmelman wrote in The Times. Even at first blush, it was clear that The Gates is a work of pure joy, a vast populist spectacle of good will and simple eloquence, the first great public art event of the 21st century. Christo Vladimirov Javacheff was born on June 13, 1935, into a prominent family in Gabrovo, Bulgaria. He took painting and drawing lessons as a child and went on to study at the Fine Arts Academy in Sofia, the capital, while the country was under Communist control. One of his propaganda assignments was to advise farmers along the route of the Orient Express how to arrange their haystacks and machinery in a way that suggested bustling activity and prosperity. He later said that this experience had taught him how to work in open spaces and deal with people outside academia. He was studying and working at the avant-garde Burian Theater in Prague in 1956 when Soviet forces crushed the Hungarian uprising. Seeing no future in Eastern Europe, he escaped to Vienna, hiding in a freight car loaded with medical supplies. After studying for a semester at Viennas Academy of Fine Arts, he moved to Geneva and then, in 1958, to Paris, supporting himself by painting portraits. There he met Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon, his future wife, while painting a portrait of her mother. In his Paris studio Christo began collecting bottles, paint cans, oil drums and wooden crates, some of which he wrapped in resin-soaked canvas, tied with twine and coated with black or grey automobile paint in an evolving work he called Inventory. In 1961, as part of his first solo show, he stacked oil drums and a wrapped Renault car inside the Galerie Haro Lauhus in Cologne. Nearby, on the docks, he arranged mysterious wrapped objects that he called Dockside Packages. Some critics saw in this early work an incisive critique of packaging and advertising in late-capitalist society. The next year Christo staged a brilliant coup de theatre, a work he called Iron Curtain: Wall of Oil Barrels. As part of a solo show at the Galerie J in Paris, he blocked off the narrow Rue Visconti for several hours with 204 stacked oil barrels, while his wife kept the police away through a series of diversionary tactics. After two of his wrapped Packages from 1961 were included in the New Realists show at the Sidney Janis Gallery in Manhattan in 1962 one of the earliest exhibitions of Pop Art and the related French movement known as Nouveau Realisme he and Jeanne-Claude turned their attention to the United States. Encouraged by promised exhibitions at the Leo Castelli Gallery in Manhattan, Christo, though he spoke almost no English, moved to New York in 1964 with his wife and their young son, Cyril. That year, the Castelli Gallery exhibited his Store Front, two display windows flanking a shop door surmounted by a wrapped air-conditioner. For several years Christo had wanted to wrap not just packages but entire buildings. He drew up plans to sheath five different art museums. One of them, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, agreed to be wrapped in 1969. Later that year, on an even larger scale, he wrapped a million square feet of coastline near Sydney, Australia, in erosion-control fabric. Several projects on a grand scale followed in the 1970s. For Valley Curtain he strung orange nylon fabric along steel cables over a narrow pass in Rifle, Colorado; a large semicircular opening allowed cars on the state highway below to pass through. Fierce winds ripped the curtain to shreds two days later, a setback that Christo shrugged off. I as an artist have done what I set out to do, he said. That the curtain no longer exists only makes it more interesting. Then came Running Fence, a series of white nylon fabric panels that snaked their way over ranchland in Sonoma and Marin counties in Northern California and crossed Highway 101 on their way to the ocean in Bodega Bay. For Valley Curtain, Christo and his lawyer devised the system that made all of his subsequent works possible. For each project a corporation was created, with Jeanne-Claude as director and Christo as a salaried employee. Financing came from the sale of drawings and small models to collectors and museums; Christo never accepted grants or public money. When the artwork was taken down, the corporation dissolved itself, having earned zero profit. He began to achieve star status with several urban projects in the 1980s and 90s. In Surrounded Islands, he dressed 11 tiny islands in Biscayne Bay in South Florida in flamingo-pink polypropylene skirts, which made them look like floating tropical flowers. Then came the wrapping of the Pont Neuf in Paris, stalled for decades by the French bureaucracy and the political rivalry between Jacques Chirac, Pariss mayor, and Francois Mitterrand, the president of France. It was a popular triumph when finally completed in 1985. The honey-coloured fabric 440,000 square feet of woven polyamide covering the bridge and its 44 lamps blended harmoniously with Pariss urban palette, and the bridges artful draping was deemed worthy of a couture house. Whether it was art, they neither knew nor cared, John Russell wrote in The Times of the publics love affair with the wrapped bridge. If it was fundamentally vacuous, nobody complained. It was something to look at, something to walk on and something to think about. Even more difficult, politically, was Christos plan to wrap the Reichstag in Berlin. The first drawing was made in 1971. For decades thereafter he encountered nothing but resistance from West German officials. But with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, momentum shifted his way, and in 1995 the work was completed. In between the Pont Neuf and Reichstag Projects, Christo and Jeanne-Claude simultaneously placed 1,760 yellow umbrellas in the Tejon Pass, just north of Los Angeles, and 1,340 blue umbrellas on a hillside near Ibaraki, Japan. The Umbrellas, Japan-U.S.A. came to grief when one of the 485-pound umbrellas in California came unmoored in high winds and killed a woman and injured several other people. The two artists ordered the umbrellas in both countries to be taken down immediately. As a Japanese crane operator prepared to remove one of the umbrellas, his crane made contact with a power line, fatally electrocuting him. For The Floating Piers, completed in northern Italy in 2016 and the culmination of his dream, he would say, to walk on water he used nearly two miles of saffron fabric to create a pedestrian walkway connecting two small islands in Lake Iseo to the mainland. It was the subject of the documentary Walking on Water, released last year. At his death, Christo had one major project forthcoming: wrapping the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. First conceived in 1962, the project was to wrap the landmark in 25,000 square meters of silvery blue polypropylene fabric and 7,000 meters of red rope. The project will go ahead in September 2021, according to the statement announcing Christos death. Christo and Jeanne-Claude have always made clear that their artworks in progress be continued after their deaths, the statement said. Other unrealized projects include Over the River, a sequence of silver panels to be hung at intervals above a 40-mile stretch of the Arkansas River in Colorado. Another, a mastaba, or flat-topped pyramid, made of more than 300,000 oil drums, was to be built in Abu Dhabi as Christos only permanent large-scale work. (He built a smaller version of it in Hyde Park in London in 2018.) Christo is survived by his son, Cyril Christo, a wildlife photographer; his brothers Anani and Stefan, who spell their last name Yavachev; a grandson; and two nephews, Vladimir Yavachev and Jonathan Henery, both of whom helped him with his work. The public loved Christo. Art critics delivered mixed reviews. To some, he seemed more showman, or even charlatan, than artist. The fact that their work is so accessible is a factor in the disdain and hostility it evokes in certain quarters, Calvin Tomkins wrote in The New Yorker in 2004. It makes some critics and quite a few artists exclude them from the pantheon of serious art. Both camps saw him as an unclassifiable figure. The artist Saul Steinberg, a good friend, said of Christo, He not only invented himself, he invented his art and, even more amazing, he invented his public. Ultimate Media appoints Lerato Letsoalo Ultimate Media has appointed Lerato Letsoalo to be responsible for managing its Johannesburg agency portfolio. He will work closely with Simon Parkinson, director of Ultimate Media. Letsoalo and Ultimate Media will also be joining forces as equity partners to set up a new venture which will explore revenue streams from advertising categories previously untapped by Ultimate Media. He is a highly experienced radio professional with a long and successful track record in sales and management across a number of stations, including Ukhozi FM and, most recently, Power 98.7 and Capricorn FM. Letsoalo commented: "This is an exciting time in media and, specifically, the radio industry with Covid-19 presenting us with challenges that are forcing us to create new ways to advertise. While some might be deterred by the changes we're facing, Ultimate Media are seeing it as an opportunity to get creative and try new avenues." VANCOUVERIt was a relatively easy decision for Dean McGee to send his children back to high school in Surrey, B.C., on Monday. Online learning has worked well enough at home but the opportunity to return to something closer to normal, if only for a few weeks, was attractive. My kids are doing OK with their actual studies at home if Im right there to help them or if my wife is right there to help them, but theyre definitely missing the classroom component. Plus, were all ready to get out of the house a little, he said. So, when I heard about two weeks ago that the plan was to start going back, we started looking into it and trying to find out exactly what that was going to mean. Two of McGees children were among thousands who returned to classrooms Monday for the first time since the pandemic forced schools to close in March. Attendance is optional and with only a few weeks left before the end of the term, many are looking at this a soft start to identify possible challenges ahead of a potential full return in September. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said on Saturday that the reopening will cause some anxiety, but it will help the province plan for a larger restart in the fall. She urged those who do not feel comfortable to return to continue with online learning. About 5,000 students, including the children of essential workers and those needing extra support, have already been attending school across the province. Expanding to a much larger number while also continuing to provide online learning at home has been a significant job, said Stephanie Higginson, president of the BC School Trustees Association. In the weeks since the health and safety guidelines were released, districts have had to find ways to make them fit into each school environment. Its like a game of Whack-A-Mole, she said. But with the first school day more than halfway through, Higginson said she hadnt received any reports of things going sideways yet. The planning and preparation that has gone into reopening schools appears to have paid off, she said. The biggest challenge is convincing families that its safe. Whats making international or national news isnt necessarily relevant in B.C. because weve done so well, she said. Higginson has been fielding many questions from parents relating to the COVID-19 situation in the United States, or how its unfolded in Italy or South Korea, she said. In Quebec, the provinces education department announced that 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. But Higginson said what happens in other jurisdictions arent foregone conclusions in B.C. Our context is very different. Stellys Secondary School in Saanich, B.C., published a video walking tour of the school on the weekend. A vice principal walked down corridors halved with yellow tape for one-way walking and warned students that it may take longer to get where theyre going, but it will be safer. Vancouver school district superintendent Suzanne Hoffman said the first day was going incredibly well. I think when we started the day, certainly there was a degree of anxiety and nerves. But certainly, as the day unfolded, that has been replaced by the excitement of the kids being back in school, the relief that everything went as planned, she said. About 42 per cent of Vancouver families surveyed said they were planning to return and a little under that number attended, she said. From a planning perspective, that made it easier to handle, she said. For McGee, who is also a member of the Surrey District Parents Advisory Council, the decision to send his kids Monday was worth it. They came home reporting only three kids in one class, and math class outdoors. His youngest said he got lots of work done and his middle child had a learner support teacher session in the library that was staffed with two teachers for five kids. While he has heard some parents complain that their kids are being used as guinea pigs, McGee doesnt agree. The reopening of schools has coincided with the reopening of many elements of society, including restaurants and other businesses. But he said there were a few kinks in the change to online learning, like some students having difficulty logging in to online portals, and now is the time to figure those things out for the fall. If September still isnt back to 100 per cent, then they will have this couple of weeks to try and figure out how its going to go, he said. Read more about: Pakistani spy Abid Hussain wanted to lure and trap the railway staff and then acquire information about the movement of Army units via trains, Delhi Police said on Monday. They said that investigation in the espionage case revealed that Hussain operated under several fake identities to lure persons working in organisations and departments to get information. Officials said that he posed by the name of Gautam and said he was brother of a media person to establish contact with an individual working in Indian Railways. They said he tried to gain his confidence by pretending that he needed information about rail movements for his brother who was supposedly doing a story on Indian Railways and for which he was willing to pay money. . The real motive, they said, was to lure and trap railway staff and then acquire information about the movement of Army units and hardware via trains. Sources said the Military Intelligence laid a trap for two Pakistan High Commission (PHC) employees who eventually turned out to be working for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). An audio-video has also been gathered by the Military Intelligence where Hussain can be seen meeting a decoy (a person from the Indian security whose purpose was to gather information from the spy). He can be heard falsely stating that he is an Indian Army Field Post Office (FPO) Employee and went for exercise in a forward area. He offers job to the decoy and mentions that four clerks in the Indian Army were working for him. The Military Intelligence laid a trap to capture the two ISI spies and traced their contacts. They also captured audio/video of meetings of spies and the first meeting of Hussain was recorded on February 16 this year. Hussain and Muhammad Tahir, both officials of Pakistan High Commission, were apprehended in New Delhi by security agencies for indulging in espionage activities. They initially claimed to be Indian nationals and produced their fake Aadhar cards but later confessed to be officials of the High Commission (PHC) working for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Sources had said on Sunday that they were caught red-handed in a joint operation by Military intelligence, Special cell and IB team while obtaining documents of Indian security establishment from an Indian and handing him over money and an iPhone. (ANI) India's fuel demand recovery gathered momentum in May as easing of lockdown restrictions helped nearly double the sales when compared with the previous month, according to preliminary data available from state-owned fuel retailers. The demand is set to rise further as more curbs on transport and industrial activities have been lifted in the fifth phase of the nationwide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus. Lockdown 5.0 begins from June 1. Petrol sales in May declined by 36.5 per cent to 1.59 million tonne as compared to the year-ago period, but were up from 9,73,000 tonne sold in April. In April, petrol sales declined 61 per cent. Diesel sales fell by 31 per cent to 4.81 million tonne in May from a year earlier. In April, they had fallen by 56.5 per cent at 3.25 million tonne. With most airlines grounded, jet fuel (ATF) sales fell 85 per cent to 9,600 tonne in May. The only fuel that showed growth was LPG as the government dole of free cooking gas cylinders to poor households fired up consumption by 13 per cent to 2.3 million tonne from the year-ago period, the data showed. LPG sales had risen by 12 per cent to 2.13 million tonne in April. The data pertains to sales by only public sector oil companies and industry numbers are expected to be released only next week. Fuel demand had evaporated as the lockdown imposed with effect from March 25 set most vehicles off the road, suspended flights, stopped rail movement and shut factories. As restrictions were eased in subsequent phases, the demand came back. The government had on Saturday announced a phased lifting of the nationwide lockdown by allowing malls, restaurants, and places of worship to open from June 8 in an attempt to revive an economy ravaged by the world's toughest restrictions to curb COVID-19. The stringent lockdown rules will be extended till June 30 in areas that have a large number of active cases. While some domestic flights started operations from May 25, resumption of international air travel is planned only in the final phase. India has been easing the lockdown curbs since April 20 with its economy likely headed for a first full-year contraction in more than four decades. Gross domestic product expanded 3.1 per cent in the three months to March, the slowest quarterly growth rate since the global financial meltdown in 2008-09. The easing of restrictions came amid India registering the biggest single-day spike of 8,392 COVID-19 cases. Total cases have now risen to over 1.9 lakh with 5,394 deaths. India is the seventh worst-hit nation by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Also read: Coronavirus lockdown: Power consumption declines 14% to 103 billion units in May Also read: Lockdown extension to have strong impact on Indian economy: Bank of America Bahrains trade balance -- the difference between exports and imports -- recorded deficit of BD139 million during April 2020, compared to a deficit of BD178 million for the same month of the previous year, a 22 per cent improvement in trade balance, a report said. Bahrains value of imports decreased 19%, reaching BD362 million during April 2020, compared to BD448 million for the same month the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 68% of the value of imports, said the foreign trade report of April 2020, encompassing data on the balance of trade, imports, exports (national origin), and re-exports, issued by the Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA). According to the report, China ranked first when it came to imports to Bahrain, with a total of BD61 million; Saudi Arabia was second with BD30 million; and Brazil was third with BD28 million. Aluminum oxide emerged as the top product imported into Bahrain with a total value of BD24.4 million, while non-agglomerated iron ores and concentrates was second with BD24 million, and four-wheel drive cars third with BD16 million. The value of exports of national origin decreased by 9% to BD186 million during April 2020, compared to BD204 million for the same month of the previous year. The top 10 countries in terms of the value of exports of national origin purchased from Bahrain accounted for 79% of the total value. Saudi Arabia ranked first among countries receiving Bahraini exports of national origin, importing BD37 million worth of goods from Bahrain. The United Arab Emirates was second with BD20 million and Egypt third with BD18 million. Unwrought aluminum alloys was the top product exported with BD37 million, unwrought aluminum (not alloyed) was second with a value of BD31 million and agglomerated iron ores and concentrates third with BD22 million. The total value of re-exports decreased by 42% to reach BD38 million during the month, compared to BD66 million for the same month of the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 93% of the re-exported value. Saudi Arabia ranked first with BD14 million, the UAE was second with BD9 million, and China third with BD4 million. Parts for aero planes was the top product re-exported from Bahrain worth BD4.45 million, cigarettes containing tobacco came in second place with BD4.12 million, and parts for machines of working metal came third with BD4.04 million. - TradeArabia News Service Slimming the government apparatus is one of the prime initiatives in the Vision 2040, public policy analyst Ahmed al-Mukhaini told Al-Monitor. In his capacity within the national development strategy, he contributed to Omans latest reform: the contracts of 70% of foreign experts and consultants working in civil and government units will not be renewed. The move is arguably one of Omans boldest labor market reforms in recent years. Tackling a long-standing dependence on foreign workers is key to reform the poorly diversified rentier economy. Yet in the short-term their know-how comes in handy to drive the transition. A diplomatic source in Muscat told Al-Monitor that Oman might fire more people than what they need to operate efficiently and "need to re-hire if things do not move as expected." We may run short of some expertise, but it will not be the end of the world because as long as we say to ourselves, We do not want to lose expertise, we will always be dependent on foreign consultancy. We need to equip Omanis, Mukhaini said. Joachim Duster, a former German diplomat with over 50 years of experience on Oman, believes the move to be very much political. Speaking to Al-Monitor, he characterized the decision as "more like an indication in which direction things are going, to show Omanis that they are not the only one to suffer. The decision is similar to announcements made a decade ago that have been continuously ignored, because it is easy to ask foreigners to do everything, the public policy analyst said. Public sector jobs Besides foreign experts and consultants, Omani employees working for civil government units and whose services exceeded 30 years are requested to retire by Dec. 31, 2020. According to Mukhaini, it is the only way to allow the young generation to come into the government at a time when youth unemployment rates are high. This, however, raises suspicions over Omans seriousness in tackling the preconception among its population that a public sector job is the way to go about 43% of Omanis work for public entities. Mukhaini acknowledged the circular is only a step toward the long-term objective, not an end in itself. If the government does not cut on wages in government entities and state-owned companies, does not reduce annual leaves [and does not make jobs in the private sector more appealing to Omanis], then this step would be no more than a brief relief, he said. In recent years, the Gulf country has expressed interest in driving young Omanis toward the private sector and promised to allocate 223,000 direct tourism jobs to Omani nationals by 2040 as well as to support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises. This mantra of saying, 'Look for jobs in the private sector,' if you are Omani, you must think someone is playing a joke at your expense. Where are the jobs in the private sector? There are none, Duster said, adding that "Omanization" policies in the private sector are nothing new." New influx of pensioners Since the oil bust of 2014, Omans public debts have multiplied twelve-fold, annual budgets are expected to be in the red until 2023 and Fitch Ratings expects the 2020 fiscal deficit to widen to around 16% of the gross domestic product. Oman is trapped into a vicious circle of debt commented a macro analysis by the Denmark-based Saxo Bank. In this context, curtailing of public spending is required. Alongside the exit of senior public servants and foreign experts, the salaries of new government employees will be cut by up to 23%. Analysts believe shrinking the workforce may happen sooner than later. The sultanate employs about 180,000 civil servants whose salaries and bonuses account for a large share of the annual budget. No matter how good you are with your austerity measures, it is very easily consumed by the huge number of people on the payroll, Mukhaini noted. However, is Omans pension system ready to absorb the influx of Omani public servants whose services exceeded 30 years? We have estimated that it might take up to three years of readjustment for pension funds, Mukhaini said, calling to reduce the benefits to minimize the impact. That is the other thing [for which] we are awaiting the announcement, he said. As Oman's debts are piling up, its model of development is becoming unsustainable. To reverse the trend, the Omani government has cut down on capital expenditures and reduced by 10% the budgets of ministries and government units for 2020. Omans wide-reaching social welfare system is also expected to be downsized and public taxation is on the rise a serially delayed value-added tax could be implemented in 2021. The labor market reform announced on May 28 is thus in line with a need to put the house in order. According to rating firm S&P, the Omani monarch will face a difficult trade-off to address high unemployment among youths, weak growth, and fiscal and funding pressures. The golden time of Sultan Qaboos is definitely a matter of the past Sultan Haitham has to take tough decisions delayed by his predecessor, which could endanger his rule, Duster said. But on the other hand, he has this fantastic excuse that it is all due to COVID-19. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Veronique Dupont (Agence France-Presse) Margate, United Kingdom Mon, June 1, 2020 21:05 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb5b97a 2 News United-Kingdom,Britain,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,travel,tourism,Margate Free It may seem like an odd message from a summer resort, but businesses in Margate on England's south coast are urging people to stay away to avoid a second wave of the coronavirus. After spending more than two months in confinement, many Britons rushed to the beach last weekend, families and small groups of people basking in the first of the summer sun. They were encouraged to the coast not only by the weather but also the government's gentle attempts to loosen lockdown restrictions, including allowing day trips by car to the coast. Yet fear of the new illness is palpable among many small business owners in Margate, whose sandy beaches are a favorite sunny weather retreat for Londoners. "Normally we'd be absolutely excited to have beautiful weather on a bank holiday, we'd be organizing events," says Jodie Ellena, one of the owners of the Bus Cafe, a restaurant that overlooks Margate's bay. "But not now. It's too early." Read also: UK to introduce 14-day quarantine for international arrivals Small space, big crowds Ellena's cafe, in a red double-decker bus, has been closed since March, when Britain announced its lockdown in its response to the spread of the virus. "We're quite a small cafe," says Ellena. "We've got a very small area. "So, to be able to honestly maintain social distancing and be safe to our staff and our customers and the public, we're quite reluctant at the moment, until we have got some strict guidelines." Instead she wants cafes to open by July, which would allow them to get through the winter financially. Ellena said she would rather suffer for a few more months financially than risk a second virus surge, whose prospects feel especially frightening in a country with Europe's highest official death toll, now up to nearly 38,000. But not everyone is in full agreement with the cafe owner. Some think it would be rather healthy for Britons to finally go out and soak in the sun. Everything is closed "It is good for the mind to go out," explains Ian Walters, a construction salesman who to Margate. The town has been immortalized in song, "Down to Margate" by duo Chas and Dave, and on popular British television programs. More recently, it has developed a reputation as a local art center, becoming the new home of the Turner Contemporary gallery in 2011. However, although restrictions are being lifted, few places are open. Elena Monzchi, a young Italian from London, is disappointed. "I didn't expect everything to be closed like this," she says, having a beer with a friend. Read also: Don't come here! UK tourist hotspots tell people to stay away 'Only source of income' Ed Warren, owner of Cliffs cafe and vinyl store, is one of those who has backed the "Don't Come to Margate" campaign and says he is convinced that there will be a second wave in the UK, "given the way things have gone". "I understand that some businesses want to reopen," he says, before adding: "I would feel guilty for encouraging people to come given the state of things." The virus has been a health disaster for Britain, with some data suggesting that Britain's real toll could be 46,000 or even higher. Despite the sad statistics and some warnings that it is too early to open up, the government considers sufficient progress has been made to allow retail businesses to reopen from June 15. Rachel and Ben Williams relaunched their artisan ice cream parlor this past weekend and can't wait to do the same for their adjoining antique store. "This is our only source of income. And we are far from earning as much as before the coronavirus," says Ben. "During the confinement people didn't come at all," laments Rick Everett, chairman of Thanet Council, which takes in Margate. "Now they can't spend money." Dangerous methamphetamine-making chemicals seized in east Belfast could have caused in explosion, a court was told on Monday. Police claimed the equipment and "cooking" instructions found inside a van were linked to a gang distributing the Class A drug across Northern Ireland. Details emerged as a 34-year-old man was refused bail on charges connected to the find made early on Saturday morning. Tomas Sujan, a Slovakian national, is accused of possession and production of methamphetamine. Belfast Magistrates' Court heard police searched his flat on the Ballygowan Road and discovered a small quantity of the drug. Chemicals, a suspected deal-list, scales and directions on how to cook methamphetamine were located in the van parked outside. A detective said: "The operation to produce these drugs would be highly volatile and dangerous. "It's our belief that more has been made an distributed throughout Northern Ireland." District Judge George Conner was told Sujan denies any role in the production. But the detective said his account about the material found in his vehicle "doesn't add up". He claimed the accused has specialist knowledge which made him an asset to a wider gang operating within the Belfast area. "There was an immediate and real threat to the public had the wrong chemicals been mixed slightly differently," the detective added. "It would have caused an explosion and serious harm." Defence solicitor Hamill Clawson told the court Sujan accepted owning the van, but maintained that the caustic soda and cleaning products found in it belonged to someone else. Denying bail, however, Mr Conner said: "Because of the nature of this particular drug, the manner in which it is manufactured, and the dangerousness that arises from its consumption, there's too high a risk that members of the public may be seriously injured." He remanded Sujan in custody to appear again by video-link in four weeks time. (L-R) TNT, TBS, truTV, HBO & HBO Max Content Acquisition EVP Michael Quigley, HBO Max CCO and TNT, TBS, & truTV President Kevin Reilly and HBO Max Head of Original Content Sarah Aubrey appear onstage during the HBO Max executive session segment of the 2020 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 15, 2020 in Pasadena, California. AT&T's newest streaming service, HBO Max, may be filled with DC superheroes, wizards, hobbits and Looney Tunes, but that may not be enough for investors. The new platform also faces tough comparisons with Disney+, Disney's foray into subscription streaming, which not only had a massive number of subscribers at the time of its launch in November but has been praised for its streamlined service and original content. "HBO Max's launch has thus far been notably less smooth than the launch of Disney+, due to a variety of factors, including confusing branding, uncertainty about how to get the product, and limitations on how consumers can actually watch the product, particularly on television," Vijay Jayant, analyst at Evercore ISI, wrote in a note to investors Sunday. Part of the confusion lies with AT&T's previous streaming apps HBO Go and HBO Now. HBO Go was designed for customers that have HBO as part of their cable package but want to stream HBO. HBO Now was created for people who don't have cable but want to have access to HBO content. HBO Max houses the entire HBO catalog but also contains WarnerMedia's content. However, unlike Disney, which planned its streaming service Disney+ around five major franchises Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic AT&T's brands are less cohesive, making the content feel jumbled. HBO Max contains original programming from HBO, the DC Extended Universe, Adult Swim, Crunchy Roll, Studio Ghibli, Cartoon Network, Sesame Street and Harry Potter, among others. "The brands don't resonate the same way because they aren't as clear," Craig Moffett, of MoffettNathanson, said Friday during one of the firm's bimonthly conference calls with clients. Reviews of the service have called it an "odd hodgepodge of content" with a focus on older titles instead of new originals. The content, the $15 monthly fee to use the service, roughly the same cost of HBO as part of a cable package, and the fact that the company did not secure deals with Roku and Amazon to make the product more widely available to the market have led Michael Nathanson, one of the lead analysts at MoffettNathanson, to dub HBO Max an "opportunity lost." In the bigger picture of AT&T's strategy, content is only a small portion of the business. It's not core to the company in the same way that it is for Disney. Because of this, "HBO Max isn't a game changer for AT&T," Jayant wrote. "We see little chance that investors will begin to look at AT&T on a sum-of-the-parts basis, valuing HBO Max on a per-subscriber basis, as with Disney and Disney+," he said. Just under 90,000 people downloaded the HBO Max app on its launch day last week. That doesn't include any of the existing HBO and HBO Now customers who may have been automatically switched to the HBO Max service. Around 8 million people have HBO accounts, but it's unclear how many of them took advantage of the new HBO Max option. Despite Evercore's criticism of its launch, "we believe HBO Max is a good product, with a strong content lineup, a solid (but not particularly distinctive) user interface, and the backing of a highly-regarded brand," Jayant said. The U.S. Supreme Court is seen in Washington on May 4, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Criminal Aliens Fearing Persecution at Home Have Right to Appeal Deportation, Supreme Court Holds A federal law barring a Lebanese immigrant who committed felonies from challenging a negative asylum ruling before being deported is invalid, the Supreme Court ruled June 1. The decision is a defeat for the Trump administration, which opposes the mans bid to stay in the United States. President Donald Trump has vowed to get tough on those who violate U.S. immigration laws and on noncitizens who commit serious crimes in the United States. The ruling makes it more difficult to deport criminal aliens. The case dates to 2007, when petitioner Nidal Khalid Nasrallah became a lawful U.S. permanent resident. He later bought almost $600,000 worth of cigarettes he believed were stolen from undercover federal agents. He pleaded guilty to two felony counts of receiving stolen property in 2013 and received one year in prison. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides that an alien convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude committed within five years of the aliens admission, for which a sentence of one year or longer may be imposed, can be removed from the country. The INA also strips courts of jurisdiction to review final deportation orders for criminal aliens found guilty of crimes deemed aggravated felonies under the law. The government determined Nasrallahs convictions qualified as aggravated felonies under the INA and an immigration judge found he was subject to deportation because he had committed crimes involving moral turpitude. During his deportation proceedings, Nasrallah argued that he couldnt be removed because he faced probable torture in his homeland and was entitled to relief under the international Convention Against Torture (CAT). On appeal, the Board of Immigration Appeals vacated the CAT relief order and ordered Nasrallah removed to Lebanon. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals refused to review the CAT order because Nasrallah had committed a serious crime and because Circuit precedent forbade it. Nasrallah argued it would be unjust to deport him because he would face religious persecution. Because he is a member of the Druze religious minority, he claims he may be persecuted in Lebanon by Muslim terrorist groups such as Hezbollah if returned there. Oral arguments in the case, known as Nasrallah v. Barr, on appeal from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, were heard in person March 2 by the nations highest court. In the Supreme Court decision written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the court ruled 72 against the government. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a dissenting opinion, which Justice Samuel Alito joined (pdf). According to Kavanaugh, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act, and REAL ID Act, establish that orders made pursuant to CAT may be reviewed together with final orders of removal in a court of appeals. It would be easy enough for Congress to preclude judicial review of factual challenges to CAT orders, just as Congress has precluded judicial review of factual challenges to certain final orders of removal, the Supreme Courts newest justice wrote. But Congress has not done so, and it is not the proper role of the courts to rewrite the laws passed by Congress and signed by the President. A statutory withholding order prevents the removal of a noncitizen to a country where the noncitizens life or freedom would be threatened because of the noncitizens race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. That question is not presented in this case, and we therefore leave its resolution for another day, Kavanaugh wrote. The dissenting opinion by Thomas stated the majoritys decision will bring about a sea change in immigration law. Though todays case involves CAT claims, there is good reason to think that the majoritys rule will apply equally to statutory withholding of removal, he wrote. The court should only be examining jurisdiction over certain claims of criminal aliens, instead of looking at larger policy issues. As has been the case for decades now, the decisions of this Court continue to systematically chip away at this statute and other jurisdictional limitations on immigration claims, thus thwarting Congress intent, Thomas wrote. Because todays erroneous result further weakens a duly enacted statute, I respectfully dissent. Emmy-winning producer Justin Theroux armed himself with a CDC-recommended mask and disposable gloves to walk his pet Pit Bull through Manhattan's Soho neighborhood on Monday. The Washington, D.C.-born 48-year-old bared his biceps in a white muscle tee and wore a matching beanie with Army green cargo pants and black sneakers for his outing. As of Monday, there have been over 203K confirmed COVID-19 cases in New York City leading to over 21K deaths - according to Johns Hopkins University. Canine companion: Emmy-winning producer Justin Theroux armed himself with a CDC-recommended mask and disposable gloves to walk his pet Pit Bull through Manhattan's Soho neighborhood on Monday Safety first: The Washington, D.C.-born 48-year-old bared his biceps in a white muscle tee and wore a matching beanie with Army green cargo pants and black sneakers for his outing While out, Justin - who boasts 819K followers - Instastoried a mural painted by contemporary artist Steve 'ESPO' Powers. He also stopped to talk to a smiling New York City police officer, who was handling a dog of his own. Theroux shares his apartment with little Kuma ('bear' in Japanese), whom he adopted in 2018 from Austin Pets Alive in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. The SNL guest star ended his seven-year relationship with Wanderlust castmate Jennifer Aniston in 2017 and, according to TMZ, there was no record of a marriage license in LA County. On his walk: Justin stopped to talk to a smiling New York City police officer, who was handling a dog of his own Photographer himself: Theroux was seen taking photos while on his dog walk Admiring art: While out, Justin - who boasts 819K followers - Instastoried a mural painted by contemporary artist Steve 'ESPO' Powers City watchmen: The actor (left) also stopped to chat with The Guardian Angels, who are a non-profit volunteer organization of unarmed crime prevention Justin's noisy neighbors the Resnicows - whom he's suing - just called him 'threatening' and accused him of 'public humiliation as a weapon to destroy us.' 'Our verbal dispute, which was recorded without our consent, had nothing to do with Justin Theroux or with the lawsuit he has filed against both of us,' Mrs. Resnicow told TMZ on Monday. 'He is using the pain of public humiliation as a weapon to destroy us. I feel threatened by Justin, not my husband.' '#formalfriday': Theroux shares his apartment with little Kuma ('bear' in Japanese), whom he adopted in 2018 from Austin Pets Alive in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey (pictured April 10) Rage-filled outbursts? The Lady and the Tramp star's noisy neighbors the Resnicows (Norman Resnicow pictured) - whom he's suing - just called him 'threatening' and accused him of 'public humiliation as a weapon to destroy us' Theroux is 'seeking civil or criminal punishment' for Norman, whose 'rage-filled outbursts violate a restraining order put in place as part of their ongoing litigation.' The Lady and the Tramp star will next appear in the Rosemary's Baby-inspired 2020 horror flick False Positive alongside screenwriter-star Ilana Glazer and Pierce Brosnan. Justin will also play 'The Voice' in Justine Bateman's 2020 feature directorial debut Violet alongside Olivia Munn, Luke Bracey, and Laura San Giacomo. 'On the set!' Justin will next appear in the Rosemary's Baby-inspired 2020 horror flick False Positive alongside screenwriter-star Ilana Glazer (L, pictured June 4) and Pierce Brosnan Three unidentified militants were killed as the Army foiled a major infiltration bid by ultras along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district in Jammu region on Monday. Sources told DH that on the intervening night of May 29 and 30, an infiltration bid took place on LoC in Kabootar Gala area located in Kalal of Nowshera sector. While the infiltrators were trying to sneak in, an explosion took place that was possibly after one of the infiltrators stepped on an anti-personnel mine. Soon after it, the ambush parties of the army cordoned around 400 meters area and a fierce firefight took place which lasted for several hours, they said. Inspector General Police (IGP), Jammu, Mukesh Singh while confirming the killing of three heavily armed militants said fourth one sustained injuries for whom search operation is on. Three militants have been killed. It was an infiltration bid and they were trying to sneak in, he said and added that a fourth militant was injured in the exchange of fire and may be hiding in the area. Sources said a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the encounter site, which includes an American made M-16 rifle, two AK 47 rifles and Under Barrel Grenade Launcher along with grenades. Unconfirmed reports said ten more infiltrating militants were killed in Mendhar sector of neighbouring Poonch district. Indian Army retaliated to the Pakistani ceasefire violation and destroyed a terror launch pad housing 10 to 15 terrorists who were waiting for the opportunity to infiltrate into the Indian side, sources said. They said the Army had the inputs that a group of 10 to 15 militants had assembled at a launch pad across the LoC. To help the infiltrators cross over the LoC, the Pakistan Army resorted to the unprovoked ceasefire violation which was retaliated by the Indian troops. In the retaliation, the terror launch pad was targeted in which ten terrorists were killed and others were injured, sources said. They added that with cornavirus pandemic spreading chaos everywhere, the Pakistan army is trying to take advantage of the crisis and push militants into Jammu and Kashmir. Since last two months several attempts were made by the infiltrators with Pakistani army giving them covering fire along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. Lt Gen B S Raju, General-Officer-Commanding (GOC) of strategically located 15 Corps in Srinagar, anticipates an increase in infiltration attempts from across the border this summer to replenish the diminishing militant cadres in J&K. The back of terrorism has been virtually broken and that Pakistan is unable to digest that Kashmiris are experiencing peace and an improved law and order situation. I anticipate more and more attempts to replenish the depleting cadres, as the window for infiltration is also restricted to the summer season only, he said. The general said there have been several ceasefire violations by Pakistani Army to support the infiltrating militant groups, but added such designs have been frustrated as our befitting response to ceasefire violations has been swift, hard and punitive. The Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill being introduced by Boris Johnsons Conservative government is a draconian assault on civil liberties. The Bill passed its first reading in parliament on May 20. Home Secretary Priti Patel introduced what ministers are describing as the biggest overhaul of terrorist sentencing and monitoring for decades. Given how far and how punitively this area has been legislated in the last 15 years, this is a serious warning. The Bill seeks to indefinitely restrict the movements of terrorism suspects not convicted of any offense and lower the standard of proof required for monitoring suspects. It seeks to reintroduce controversial control orders, which were repealed in favour of allegedly less intrusive measures. Boris Johnson and Priti Patel Human rights organisations Liberty and Amnesty International have expressed concerns at the level of oversight available under present parliamentary pandemic restrictions. Amnesty warned that rushing the Bill through under these conditions suggests the government could be trying to minimise scrutiny for significant legal changes. The Bill would see a drastic extension of sentencing for convicted offenders. Offenders sentenced to lifewhere a minimum tariff must be served before consideration for release by a Parole Boardmight never be released if they are subject to an Extended Determinate Sentence (EDS). Prisoners with an EDS face extended licence periods of up to 10 years after release. Paroled offenders would spend the rest of their life on licence, subject to recall to custody. A new category, the serious terrorist sentence, would carry a minimum 14-year jail term followed by an extended period of 7-25 years on licence. The Bill would increase from 10 to 14 years the maximum penalty for some offences, including membership of a proscribed organisation, supporting a proscribed organisation and attending a place used for terrorist training. At present, judges are able to consider the possibility of a terrorist connection for specific offences, allowing them to increase custodial sentencing. The Bill would allow them to consider whether there is a proven terrorist connection for any crime carrying a sentence greater than two years, giving them the option to extend sentencing everywhere. The Bill would introduce a Sentence for Offenders of Particular Concern (SOPC), aimed in part at youth offenders. Under the SOPC, offenders would spend two-thirds of their sentence in custody before being eligible to apply for parole. Release would be followed by a mandatory 12-month licence period. The Bill seeks to extend licence supervision, with 12 months being the minimum period for all offenders. Paroled adult offenders would also have to take lie detector tests. The extension of surveillance marks the Bills most draconian measures. At present, terrorism suspects not convicted of an offence can be monitored for up to two years by Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIMs). TPIMs, often based on secret intelligence, are considered the strictest control measures available to the security services against suspects who are not being prosecuted or deported. At present, TPIMs offer 14 restrictions, including residence requirements, exclusion zones, police reporting, limits on the use of financial services and electronic equipment, and a ban on holding travel documents. The Bill would allow more, including mandatory drug-testing and having to account for all electronic devices in a household rather than just the subjects own. TPIMs will no longer be restricted to two years but could be renewed indefinitely on review. Potentially, this could see suspects not prosecuted but subject to restrictions on travel and accommodation for the rest of their lives. TPIMs are used against those who cannot be prosecuted, but breach of a TPIM is a criminal offence allowing for imprisonment. The standard of proof required for imposing a TPIM will also be lowered. At present, the home secretary must base the decision on a balance of probabilities. The new legislation changes this to the less stringent reasonable grounds for suspecting someone is or has been involved in terrorist activity. The Home Office has refused to comment on whether it believes the Bill will see an increased use of TPIMs. The TPIM proposals have exposed the repressive content of the Bill. Critics warn that the proposals would mark a return to draconian control ordersa form of house arrest in place previously. Introduced by Tony Blairs Labour government in the Prevention of Terrorism Act (2005), control orders allowed suspects to be placed under close supervision with restrictions imposed on movement, association and use of specific facilities. Control orders were to be signed off by the home secretary. In 2006, a High Court judge, Justice Jeremy Sullivan, declared that section 3 of the 2005 Act was incompatible with the right to fair proceedings under the European Convention on Human Rights (which outlaws indefinite detention without trial). He noted that it had been drafted in such a way as to prevent courts from overturning control orders. In 2011, the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition replaced control orders with TPIMs, which it claimed were less intrusive and had greater concern for civil liberties. That the current Bill would effectively reverse even that gesture in favour of more repressive measures is a mark of the escalating threat to democratic rights posed by the Johnson government. This Bill follows legislation enacted in February allowing for the indefinite detention of those charged with terrorist offences and prisoners suspected of radicalisation. Patel has justified the Bill, like Februarys Act, on the basis of recent terrorist attacks in London. She said these attacks had revealed serious flaws in the way terrorist offenders are dealt with. Human rights bodies have noted that the Bill is solely concerned with incarceration. There is no consideration of the reasons people undertake terrorist activity. Liberty, which has described the Bill as a threat to fundamental pillars of our justice system, said, The governments counter-terror strategy is failing, yet instead of reviewing the errors it is rolling out a bill that threatens all of our civil liberties. Without an evidence-based approach the government is failing to address the root causes of these incidents and therefore failing to stop them. Earlier this year, it was reported that Islamic extremists had been able to meet up and network in prisons. Professor Ian Acheson, a former prison governor who conducted a government review of Islamic extremism in prisons, called for more focus on how extra time for violent extremists in custody will be used to challenge and change their hateful ideologies. If this isnt effectively addressed, the new measures will simply delay further attacks, and might even inspire them. One man who works in de-radicalising jailed terrorists told The Independent simply that the plans were crazy. The police have broadly welcomed the Bills extension of their monitoring powers. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, the senior coordinator of UK counter-terrorism policing, said monitoring changes would only work effectively if used alongside a whole society approach aiming to reduce that threat in the long term. Haydon wants the controversial Prevent programme to be bolstered. Another creation of the Blair government, Prevent was ostensibly aimed at countering the supposed threat of religious radicalisation, but centred on targeting the Muslim community and creating wider anti-Muslim sentiment. Its remit was expanded in 2011 and it has become more nakedly a vehicle for political surveillance and suppression. In 2015, it became a statutory requirement for schools, local authorities, prisons and National Health Service staff to report any individual deemed vulnerable to radicalisation to the programme. Prevent is widely opposed. Last year the government was forced to announce a review of Prevent, but appointed as its head Lord Carlile, a loyal supporter of both the programme and of the security services. He was removed after a legal challenge, but the post remains vacant. The review was due to be completed by August, but the current Bill scraps that statutory deadline. Instead the aim is to review Prevent by August 2021. The Bill faces no obstacles in going through. After backing the rushing through of Februarys legislation under then party leader Jeremy Corbyn, Labour under his successor, Sir Keir Starmer, has welcomed the Bill. Shadow Justice Secretary David Lammy said, The horrific terrorist attacks on British soil in recent years demonstrate the need to update terrorism sentencing legislation. He pledged that Labour will work constructively with the Government on measures that reduce the chances of those who commit terrorist offences from re-offending. Labour Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds MP declared, As a responsible opposition, we will work with the Government to scrutinise this proposed piece of legislation to make it effective. Jonathan Hall QC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, said he was uncomfortable with getting rid of protections for individual rights that dont appear to have caused any real problems for the authorities to date. These criticisms will not lead to him opposing anything. The position of independent reviewer of terrorism legislation is just window-dressing to give the appearance of oversight. Hall was appointed to the position in May 2019 and has supported further attacks on civil liberties. In a speech to the conservative Henry Jackson Society think-tank in January, Hall said section 49 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) 2000 is too difficult for police and intelligence agencies to work with. Section 49 of RIPA allows police and others to legally order suspects to hand over their passwords for encrypted information. Hall spoke in favour of legislating a new offence of failing to hand over a password during a terrorism investigation. Official: 63 more Iranians die from coronavirus over past 24 hours IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, May 31, IRNA -- Head of Iran's Health Ministry Public Relations Office Kianoush Jahanpour said on Sunday that 63 more coronavirus deaths were reported over the past 24 hours in Iran, bringing the total to 7,797. He said that, during the past 24 hours, 2,516 new cases had been detected and 515 of them were hospitalized. Jahanpour added that the total number of people infected with the coronavirus reached 151,466; 118,848 of whom were recovered or released from the hospital, but 2,527 people are in severe conditions. Taking into consideration the 63 new deaths, a total of 7,797 people have so far died of COVID-19 in Iran, according to the official. Iran has administered 935,894 coronavirus tests so far, Jahanpour noted, adding that Isfahan, East Azarbaijan, West Azarbaijan, Lorestan, Kermanshah, Hormuzgan and Sistan & Balouchestan provinces are on high alert due to the coronavirus spread. Iran has taken numerous steps to stop the spread of the disease, ranging from shutting down businesses, schools, and universities to canceling cultural and religious gatherings. It is also constantly disinfecting and sanitizing public places. 9416**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his 10th address to the nation on the fight against COVID-19 in Ghana has announced measures to set the pace for the easing of restrictions as a way of getting life back to normalcy. With the level of high expectations that awaited the president's address on Sunday night, social media has been awash with reactions to the presidents address. Since Ghana recorded its first 2 cases of Covid-19 on March 12, 2020, the government in trying to contain the virus which has with time infected over 8,000 persons instituted measures which have also affected the social and economic lives of Ghanaians. Some of the measures included a ban on church and mosque activities, weddings, funerals, as well as the closure of schools. But speaking to the nation on Sunday night, President Akufo-Addo outlined some affected activities that will have its imposed restrictions eased starting from Friday, June 5, they included the ban on church and mosque activities and the closure of schools. without social distancing sef see ucc exams spacingNana Addo just hurt we pic.twitter.com/TPbL4xz970 . (@thearmah_) May 31, 2020 Nana Addo Open everything but he say Campaign rally de3 lie lie in Kelvynbowys voice.Nana Dey play Mahama wicked paa oo SARKODIE NEBA SARK (@NebaSark) May 31, 2020 Final years students rn after hearing Nana Addo say theyre to go back to school on 15th June pic.twitter.com/6z5a2dLoa7 o (@iamKomlah) May 31, 2020 Final year students after the Nana Addos address ; pic.twitter.com/58ix4vwz6u Weffrey Jellington (@jeffwellz) May 31, 2020 Nana Addo: Final year students will resume school. Final year students: pic.twitter.com/HESBchoOEs Dr. Ayigbe Borla Bird (@Mr_Ceyram) May 31, 2020 Dear Nana Addo, Please dont open schools because weve moved on with our lives. Signed, Fellow Ghanaians pic.twitter.com/d3Qz1RkWrv Kojo Prempeh (@Mr_Anane_) May 31, 2020 #fellowghanaians Now this is not funny anymore Nana Addo has disappointed her la She said she's not in the mood pic.twitter.com/5IWgmIKQUH Ben-Brown (@theben_brown) May 31, 2020 Pastors after hearing Nana Addo say they can start church service on the 7th of June. pic.twitter.com/xNiCda9rO9 o (@iamKomlah) May 31, 2020 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 aviation regulator DGCA on Monday urged airlines to try and keep the middle seats vacant. In case it cannot be done, it added, the passengers should be provided with wrap-around gowns. Social distancing is a big part in the battle against coronavirus. Attempts should be made to keep the middle seat empty to the extent possible... If the middle seat is occupied due to high load, the flyer should be provided with a wrap-around gowns, said the DGCA. India resumed domestic flight operations from May 25, kickstarting a gradual reboot of air travel that was halted two months ago on account of a lockdown imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The government has capped the air fares for three months (till August). Soon after, possibly as a trade off, the DGCA withdrew its earlier circular on keeping the middle seat vacant on every flight. The latest move by the regulator seems like an attempt to balance the interests of the airlines and also to protect the fliers. Earlier, the Supreme Court had also questioned the logic behind allowing bookings for the middle seats on Air Indias non-scheduled relief and rescue flights on international routes. How can you say it will not affect anyone? Outside (aircraft), there should be a social distancing of at least 6 feet. Will the Virus know it is in the aircraft and is not supposed to infect?, the court questioned. However, it allowed Air India to book middle seats till June 6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly Mann Ki Baat broadcast on Sunday, warned people against letting their guard down while noting that a big part of the economy has opened and train and flight services have begun operating partially with more relaxations on the anvil. After such austere penance and after so many hardships, the countrys deft handling of the situation should not go in vain, he said. Modi said, Whether it is the mandatory do gaz ki doori (two yards of distancing), wearing face masks or staying at home to the best extent possible, there should be no laxity on our part in complete adherence to the laid down norms. We must not let this fight weaken. Becoming careless or lackadaisical cannot be an option. The fight against coronavirus is still equally serious. You, your family, may still face grave danger from coronavirus, he cautioned. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former Channel Nine star Sonia Kruger has set the record straight about her rumoured 'seven figure' pay offer to go to the Seven network. Speaking in TV Week magazine on Monday, the 54-year-old glamazon denied she defected to her old network over her pay packet. 'Regardless of what was reported, the money was the same,' she told the publication in no uncertain terms. In the money? Sonia Kruger, 54, (pictured) has revealed the TRUTH about that rumoured 'seven figure' pay deal to TV Week magazine, after her defection from Nine to Seven The former Today Extra host said she opted for the change as she wanted to take her career in a new direction. 'You can stay and keep doing the same thing, but I like to change things up,' she added. 'When I left Channel Seven in 2011, I had completed 11 seasons of Dancing With The Stars so I wanted to get out while it was still on top.' Money, money, money! 'Regardless of what was reported, the money was the same,' Sonia (pictured) told the publication in no uncertain terms Sonia dramatically resigned on-air last year, when she had been a fixture at the network for eight years. The TV personality broke down as she revealed her plans to 'do something new' and 'spread her wings', while her co-host David Campbell, 46, watched on in shock. 'After eight fabulous years, I'm leaving the show and the Nine Network. I have had an amazing time here,' Sonia said, as David pleaded for her not to cry. 'I'm leaving the show and Nine': Sonia resigned live on air on Today Extra in November last year, after eight years with the network. Pictured with co-host David Campbell (L) An insider told Daily Mail Australia at the time: 'She's leaving because Channel Seven are prepared to pay far more money than Channel Nine'. The insider claimed her new salary at Seven is said to be a package worth as much as $4million over three years, or $1.3million per year. However, a source close to Kruger said her salary is 'basically the same' as she was on at Nine. New chapter: The mother-of-one broke down as she revealed her plans to 'do something new' and 'spread her wings', while David watched on in shock during her on-air resignation Sonia signed on with Nine in late 2011. Nine had reportedly offered Sonia a new three-year contract worth over $1.5million, but negotiations hit a wall. Speaking in Stellar this year about her rumoured 'seven figure deal' from Seven the former dancer insisted that her defection had nothing to do with money. 'For me, it doesn't come down to the money, it comes down to the role. I've always been of the opinion that you need to keep reinventing yourself,' she said. Sonia did reveal, however, that like other Seven employees, she has received a 20 per cent pay cut amid the coronavirus pandemic. Bengaluru: Karnataka on Sunday shelved its plans to reopen hotels, places of worship and malls by a week in keeping with the central government guidelines on Unlock1.0, even as it opened up its borders to allow people to travel in freely, as long as they kept to norms on home quarantine. The special rules will apply on all except those from Maharashtra. The state which has prided itself on keeping Covid-19 transmission in control, on Sunday saw its highest single-day spike of 299 cases. A bulk of the cases more than 80 per cent were reported from among those who returned from Maharashtra. These were mostly migrant workers who had returned to their native districts of Yadgir, Udupi, Belagavi or Bidar in North Karnataka just across the border with Maharashtra. In fact, this has been consistent for over two weeks now that about 80 per cent of fresh cases have been reported from among the Maharashtra returnees. Although until now all those who came from three high-risk states Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra were asked to go for institutional quarantine compulsorily, the new guidelines on Sunday restricted mandatory seven-day institutional quarantine to only Maharashtra. Those coming from all other states will be asked to go for home quarantine for 14 days. Those with Covid-negative reports will be allowed to skip institutional quarantine. Transit travellers from Maharashtra or any other state must show proof of their travel tickets to their destination state. As for business travellers, they won't need to abide by quarantine rules, but must show confirmed return tickets of within seven days from arrival, and address proof of their native state. Business travellers from Maharashtra by road, rail or flight need to bring Covid-negative certificates that are not older than two days prior to their travel to Karnataka, else they will be required to stay in institutional quarantine for two days and get tested at their own cost during this time. All travelers anyone at all who wants to enter Karnataka must register on the government website with their mobile numbers, failing which they will not be allowed to enter. While the state has been keen on restarting many activities after two months of lockdown, it has decided to postpone opening of places of worship, hotels and restaurants, and malls to June 8 going by central guidelines. Apart from this, companies and industries can resume operations from June 1 with 100 per cent capacity as long as they keep to social distance norms. Like the rest of the country, Karnataka has not yet decided on when to reopen academic institutions. Board exams for class 12 and 10 will be held in June, schedules for which have already been announced. There is no decision on when swimming pools, gyms will open either. Public transport has begun in a restricted manner, although Bangalore Metro is yet to resume operations. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation said that it will run about 3,500 buses on Monday, as against its pre-lockdown routine of 8,500 buses. The Williams Companies, Inc. WMB recently announced its plan to install solar projects with capacities around one and 40 megawatt (MW) on lands nearby its existing facilities. The solar power installations are expected to come online in late 2021. To this end, the company has already identified initial sites suitable for solar photovoltaic (PV) plants in nine states comprising Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Of these, Colorado will be the first region wherein Williams will earmark spots for solar installations. This U.S. natural gas processing and transmission firm aims to produce solar electricity for its operations by capitalizing on the federal and state tax credits as well as lowering losses on long-haul transmissions. Per the company, the declining cost of solar technology and available tax credits make solar plants cost competitive in comparison to traditional combined cycle power generation. Williams currently buys more than 400 MW of electricity for the facilities wherein solar farms will be fixed to generate the intended power capacity. The on-site farms are estimated to produce a combined 350 MW of power with some hubs having the potential to sell any excess power generated back to the grid. Solar is already popular among households. However, it is gaining more acceptance from oil and gas energy players for providing a quick, clean, cheap and flexible source of energy unlike coal and natural gas plants. Apart from the Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) Williams, some oil and gas integrated players like Occidental Petroleum OXY, a major entity in the shale oil industry in the Permian Basin, unveiled plans to launch a solar-powered facility to power oilfields. Additionally, oil giant ExxonMobil XOM is targeting an enormous output of one million oil-equivalent barrels per day by 2024 as it signed a multi-year contract with Orsted, which is expected to supply roughly 500 MW of wind and solar energy to Exxon's facilities in the Permian Basin. Also, Royal Dutch Shell RDS.A runs a portion of its oil fields in the Permian with solar power. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Story continues Undoubtedly, the novel coronavirus outbreak, which dealt a major blow to almost all industries across the board, is expected to hurt U.S. solar stocks too. However, solar investors should remain optimistic considering the affordability of solar, which plummeted from $3.53/W in 2010 to 80 cents/W in 2019, indicating its bright, long-term future as an alternative energy source. It is still a more attractive natural resource than coal or gas when it comes to electricity generation. Meanwhile, the current low prices of natural gas and oil may just be a temporary blip to the leverage of renewables in the market. Zacks Single Best Pick to Double From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each picked their favorite to gain +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Zacks Director of Research, Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all. This young companys gigantic growth was hidden by low-volume trading, then cut short by the coronavirus. But its digital products stand out in a region where the internet economy has tripled since 2015 and looks to triple again by 2025. Its stock price is already starting to resume its upward arc. The skys the limit! And the earlier you get in, the greater your potential gain. Click Here, See It Free >> 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 Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Williams Companies, Inc. The (WMB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A) : Free Stock Analysis Report Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Mother Nature doesn't always check the calendaror pay attention to the news. Before hurricane season officially kicked off, we already had two named storms, Arthur and Bertha, off the southeastern coast. Add to that devastating floods in Michigan, wildfires in the Florida panhandle, and a turbulent tornado season in the Midwest, and summer 2020 is off to a rough start. By all accounts, the Atlantic hurricane season is going to be busier than usual. The major forecastersincluding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationare predicting 13 to 19 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), including three to six major hurricanes (category 3, 4, or 5). Thats concerning enough in normal times, but with the coronavirus pandemic still unfolding, evacuating during a natural disaster becomes even more fraughtand logistically complicatedby the added worry of potential exposure to infection. Natural disasters wont wait, so I encourage you to keep COVID-19 in mind when revising or making your plan for you and your loved ones, said Carlos Castillo, acting deputy administrator for resilience at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on a press call announcing the forecast. Indeed, in light of the pandemic, you might need to adjust the emergency plans you made in previous years, says Greta Gustafson, a spokesperson for the American Red Cross. First, ask folks outside your area whether you could stay with them in the event of an emergency. Ideally, you are staying safe yourself and finding loved ones who are also taking appropriate precautions and are not at high risk themselves. Remember that if you or the people you are staying with have been recently exposed to COVID-19 or are showing symptoms, you should quarantine in a separate room upon arrival. The Red Cross and FEMA are also revising their normal emergency procedures. Because of the need for social distancing, large congregant shelters like school gymnasiums are no longer the first option, though in the event of a large-scale evacuation they may become necessary: Instead of opening large shelters, were prioritizing individual hotel rooms or dormitory-style rooms to make sure people have a safe place to stay if they cant return home after a disaster, Gustafson told CR. Story continues The New State of Preparedness The Red Cross recommends gathering your supplies now, because they may become less available once a storm is predicted or approaching. If you dipped into your emergency stashcanned food, bottled water, and other nonperishablesduring the quarantine, make sure to replenish the supplies you used. Its also a good time to check with hotels, motels, and campgrounds to see whether they've opened. And find out whether your local emergency management agency has adapted its sheltering plans, based on any stay-at-home orders or loosening quarantine restrictions. Red Cross Gustafson recommends putting together two emergency supply kitsone for sheltering at home and another for evacuating. In both cases, plan on assembling a one-month supply of the prescription and over-the-counter medications you depend on. Keep your meds in a separate bag so that you can easily grab them no matter where you go. Heres what the Red Cross recommends for each scenario. Stay-at-Home Kit (2 Weeks of Supplies) Gather everything you need to stay at home for at least two weeks, including food, water, household cleaning and disinfectant supplies, soap, paper products, and personal hygiene items. Dont forget to stock up on face masks, something we didnt have to think about in previous years. Even if you dont have to evacuate, you may be without power for an extended time. If you have a portable generator, make sure its in good working order and that you have a supply of gas on hand (gas stations may not be operational if they lose power, too). And make sure your carbon monoxide detector is in working order. If you dont have a portable generator, now is a good time to consider buying one. A portable generator can keep four to six appliances and electronic devices runningrefrigerator, window air conditioner, TV, phones. Always place the generator at a minimum of 20 feet from your house, with the exhaust vent directed away from any windows or doors. More on top-performing portable generators below. Evacuation Kit (3 Days of Supplies) Your to-go kit should be a lightweight, smaller version of your stay-at-home kit that you can take with you if you must leave your home quickly. Include everything you need to be on your own for three days, such as food, water, personal hygiene items, and cleaning and disinfectant supplies that you can use on the go (tissues, hand sanitizer with 60 percent alcohol, and disinfecting wipes). Make sure that you have enough face masks for everyone in your household. If You Need to Go to a Shelter Gustafson says that the Red Cross is doing its best to ensure its shelters are safe. Our goal is to provide anyone in need after a disaster with a safe place to stay, where they feel comfortable and welcomed, she says. To help keep people safe, we will work with local officials to put in place additional precautions. Those include: Setting up a health screening process for everyone coming into a shelter. Creating an isolation care area for anyone who is sick. Providing masks, tissues, and plastic bags. (Its also a good idea to bring your own.) Following social distancing practices, as much as possible, by staggering meal times and adding extra spacing between cots, chairs, tables, etc. Providing additional hand-washing stations, in addition to normal restroom facilities. Increasing wellness checks to identify potential illness, including self-monitoring and checking temperatures of both shelter residents and staff. Enhancing both cleaning and disinfecting practices throughout the shelter. Keep in mind, Gustafson says, that face coverings are not a substitute for physical distancing. Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others, whenever possible. For more on emergency preparedness, see our Storm and Emergency Guide and go to FEMAs website, Ready.gov. To track storms and forecasts, go to the National Hurricane Centers website, at hurricanes.gov. The Safest Portable Generators If youre shopping for a portable generator, Consumer Reports recommends buying newer models that are designed to emit less carbon monoxide, or that have automatic shutoff sensors that turn off the units when dangerous levels of carbon monoxide are detected. CR members can read below about three generators that have at least one of these safety features and also are recommended by CR. 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. The nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases crossed 1.9 lakh on Monday after thousands more tested positive across states, but recoveries also rose further to nearly 95,000 while several cities saw the lockdown restrictions being eased with even traffic snarls returning back on roads. IMAGE: A worker, wearing protective suit, assists an ill passenger travelling from Delhi at Jai Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna. Photograph: PTI Photo The death toll rose to 5,394 after a record single-day spike of 230 fatalities in the 24 hours since Sunday 8 am, the Union Health Ministry said in its morning update. It showed the number of confirmed cases rising by 8,392 to 1,90,535. However, a PTI tally of figures announced by states and union territories, as of 9.35 pm, showed a higher death toll of 5,501. It also showed the number of confirmed cases across the country having risen to 1,92,174. India is now the seventh worst hit nation by the COVID-19 pandemic after the US, Brazil, Russia, the UK, Spain and Italy, according to the World Health Organisation's coronavirus tracker. Globally, close to 62 lakh people have tested positive for the dreaded virus infection ever since it was first reported in China last December, while more than 3.72 lakh have lost their lives. However, close to 27 lakh have recovered worldwide since then and many countries have exited or begun exiting their respective lockdowns to revive stalled economies and safeguard the livelihood of the people. In India, the number of active COVID-19 cases stands at 93,322 while 91,818 people have recovered, giving a recovery rate of 48.19 per cent, according to the the latest health ministry data. The tallies announced by different states and UTs till later in the evening showed the number of recovered or discharged patients having risen to 94,879. IMAGE: Municipal workers wearing protective suits prepare to cremate the body of a COVID-19 patient in Maharashtra's Karad. Photograph: PTI Photo Globally, close to 43 per cent people have recovered so far while nearly 6 per cent have succumbed to the virus. The health ministry said India's COVID-19 recovery rate has been improving and the rate of fatality has seen a steady decline to reach 2.83 per cent. It said the recovery rate has improved from 11.42 per cent on April 15 to 26.59 per cent on May 3 and to 38.29 per cent on May 18. It further said the case fatality rate in India is 2.83 per cent, as against 6.19 per cent globally. From 3.30 per cent on April 15, India's COVID-19 fatality rate declined to 3.25 per cent on May 3 and came down further to 3.15 per cent on May 18. "A steady decline can be seen in the case fatality rate in the country. "The relatively low death rate is attributed to the continued focus on surveillance, timely case identification and clinical management of the cases," the ministry said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the world must unite and focus on 'humanity-centric' aspects of development. Addressing the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in Bengaluru via video, he said the debates on globalisation have focused on economic issues so far, but now the advancements the nations make in the healthcare sector will matter more than ever before. Among various states, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh reported more cases even as measures continued to contain the spread and to beef up the medical infrastructure to treat those contracting the virus. A group of health experts, including doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and two members of an Indian Council of Medical Research research group on COVID-19, has said that community transmission of the coronavirus infection has been well-established across large sections or sub-populations in the country. IMAGE: Migrants sit in a bus to reach their native places after they arrive at Howrah station by train in Kolkata. Photograph: Swapan Mahapatra/PTI Photo The government has, however, maintained that India has not yet reached the community transmission stage of the disease. A senior scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has also tested positive following which the entire ICMR building is being sanitised, sources said. The scientist, who is from Mumbai, had come to Delhi a few days ago and tested positive for the virus on Sunday morning. In the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced reopening of barber shops and salons, among various other relaxations, but said spas will remain closed for now. A complete lockdown in containment zones will continue till June 30. Kejriwal also said there will be no restrictions on the number of people travelling in four wheelers, two wheelers, auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws and other vehicles in the city. While all shops in markets have been permitted to function, they can be closed by authorities if social distancing guidelines are not followed, according to a government order. Fresh orders would be issued later for further relaxations from June 8 as per the guidelines issued by the Union Home Ministry over the weekend. Kejriwal, however, said Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh will be sealed for a week in the wake of rising coronavirus cases in the city and sought suggestions from the people by Friday to reopen them. At the Delhi airport, authorities have set up a dedicated area at the entry point of its parking zone to ensure cabs coming there to pick up passengers are thoroughly sanitised. While domestic flights have begun in a phased manner, the international flights would be allowed only in the third phase of unlocking, though no dates have been decided so far. Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said several factors like restrictions in metro cities and the ban imposed by various countries on the entry of foreigners need to be addressed before resuming international passenger flights.' Aviation regulator DGCA separately asked airlines to keep middle seats vacant to the extent possible in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. If a flyer has been allotted the middle seat due to a high passenger load, then additional protective equipment like a wrap-around gown must be provided to the passenger in addition to a three-layered face mask and face shield, the DGCA said. Separately, several states also began allowing various activities that have been restricted since March 25, when the nationwide lockdown came into effect to fight the coronavirus pandemic. IMAGE: A municipal worker operates a customised tractor to spray disinfectants at a police housing colony in Ahmedabad. Photograph: PTI Photo In Gujarat, life returned to near normal in many parts including in Ahmedabad, the state's worst coronavirus-hit district, as several restrictions were eased. Roads bustled with traffic as people came out in large numbers to visit markets, which have been allowed to remain open till 7 pm in all areas except in containment and micro-containment zones. In Ahmedabad, a limited number of city buses also began plying with 50 per cent seating capacity to maintain social distancing, while auto rickshaws hit the roads for the first time in ten weeks. The Ahmedabad civic body has also identified 'micro-containment zones', thereby reducing the number of people covered in restricted areas to nearly 70,000 as compared to almost 13 lakh earlier. Gujarat reported the tally of confirmed coronavirus cases rising to 17,217, with addition of 423 new cases, while the state's death toll rose to 1,063 after 25 more patients succumbed to the infection, 22 of them in Ahmedabad. In Maharashtra, the worst-hit state, more than 100 doctors and nurses from Kerala will join the medical staff at some Mumbai hospitals to help them in the battle against COVID-19 pandemic. The state saw the number of cases rising by 2,361 on Monday to reach 70,013, while the death toll rose by 76 to 2,362, the state health department said. West Bengal reported eight more fatalities to take its death toll to 253, while the number of cases rose to 5,722 after 271 more people tested positive in the last 24 hours. In Kolkata, people came out on the streets in large numbers, while traffic snarl was noticed at many places following the lockdown relaxations. Some religious places also reopened for worship by the people, which was also the case in various other states. In neighbouring Odisha, the number of positive cases rose to 2,104 after a record number of 156 cases were detected during the day. Of these, 153 were detected at various quarantine centres, while three others were found positive during COVID-19 contact tracing. In Tamil Nadu, 11 more people died of COVID-19 to take the toll to 184, while a record number of 1,162 new cases were detected to take the state's overall tally to 23,495. In Kerala, 57 new cases were reported, 55 of whom had come from abroad and other states, taking the state's infection tally to 1,326. More than 1.39 lakh people are under observation in the state. Andhra Pradesh reported 105 new cases, while the virus infection hit the state government's secretariat complex also with two government staff testing positive. The U.S. judge in the criminal case against President Donald Trump's former adviser Michael Flynn defended himself on Monday, saying it was proper to seek outside views on the Justice Department's request to drop a charge to which Flynn has pleaded guilty. Lawyers representing U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said in a court filing that he is not a 'mere rubber stamp' and needed to carefully consider the department's 'unprecedented' request. Democrats and former federal prosecutors have accused Attorney General William Barr of politicizing the criminal justice system to go light on Trump associates in key cases. A lawyer for Flynn, who briefly served as national security adviser, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But the Justice Department urged the appeals court to bring an end to the criminal prosecution. Justice Department lawyers said in a court filing that, instead of inviting further proceedings, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan should have granted their May 7 request to drop the case against Flynn. Not a 'rubber stamp.' Judge Emmet Sullivan tells appeals federal court judges that he is carefully examining how to deal with the 'unprecedented' case of Michael Flynn, who was Trump's first national security advisor and pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI but is now being backed by prosecutors who say he should be allowed to abandon his plea The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit had ordered Sullivan to respond to an emergency petition in which Flynn said the Justice Department's request to drop the prosecution should be quickly granted. Sullivan, who has tapped former federal prosecutor Beth Wilkinson to represent him in the appellate court case, has not yet ruled on the department's May 7 request to drop the false-statement charge against Flynn. The department made the request after Trump and his allies publicly criticized the case against Flynn. Critics also have assailed the department for abandoning a tough sentencing recommendation by career prosecutors after the conviction of longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone. Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with former Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak in the weeks before Trump took office. 'Unprecedented.' Federal judge Emmet Sullivan said Attorney General Bill Barr's Department of Justice's handling of this case is highly unusual Sullivan asked retired judge John Gleeson, a former prosecutor, to serve as a 'friend of the court' and instructed him to present arguments against the department's request - including whether he should hold Flynn in contempt for perjury. Gleeson's legal brief is due June 10. Sullivan 'will not blindly accept Judge Gleeson's recommendations,' Sullivan's lawyers said on Monday. 'Someone needs to fill the adversarial gap to ensure full consideration of the issues, and a former prosecutor and federal judge is well-positioned to do so,' the court filing said. Flynn initially agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in a plea deal, but later changed legal tactics and pursued a scorched-earth approach that included accusing the FBI of a secret plot to entrap him. Barr this year tapped Jeff Jensen, a federal prosecutor in St. Louis, to review the case. Jensen later urged Barr to drop it on the grounds the investigation lacked a proper legal basis. That led the lead prosecutor on the Flynn case to withdraw. Sullivan said in Monday's court filing that his handling of the case was proper in light of the unusual way it has unfolded. 'It is unusual for a criminal defendant to claim innocence and move to withdraw his guilty plea after repeatedly swearing under oath that he committed the crime,' Sullivan said. It was also 'unprecedented' for Justice Department leaders to overrule career prosecutors in the way they did in the Flynn case, Sullivan said. Srinagar: Clashes broke out in south Kashmirs Shopian district on Sunday morning with protesters setting ablaze a mini-secretariat building while curfew remained clamped in parts of Srinagar on a day the all-party delegation was in Srinagar on a two-day visit aimed at restoring peace in the Valley. Normal life in the Valley was paralysed for the 58th day as restrictions continued in the rest of the Valley which has been hit by violence since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in July. People in Penjoora village of Shopian tried to take out a protest rally which was stopped by the police, leading to clashes, an official said. Also read: Hizbul chief threatens to turn Kashmir into graveyard for Indian forces: Reports Separatists don't speak for Kashmir, says RSS leader as all party delegation heads to Srinagar The protesters also set afire the mini-secretariat building, housing the deputy commissioners office in the area, the official said. He said the security forces resorted to baton charge and tear-gas shelling to disperse the protesters. There are some injuries but more details are awaited, he said. Yesterday, protesters in the neighbouring Kulgam district burnt a house of the ruling PDPs block president Gulzar Ahmad. Ahmad had facilitated a meeting of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti with the family of a victim of violence in the district. Mehbooba had visited the family of Late Mashooq Ahmed, firing victim of Kund, Kulgam and offered condolences to the bereaved family on Saturday. Curfew remains in force in five police station areas of downtown Srinagar, a police spokesman said. He said curfew in these areas of the summer capital continued as a precautionary measure in view of the call given by separatists asking people to occupy Airport road, city centre Lal Chowk and district headquarters against the all-party delgations visit. The spokesman said curfew has been lifted from the other areas of the city where it was in force on Saturday. The all-party delegation led by Home Minister Rajnath Singh reached here today for a two-day visit during which it is expected to hold talks with a cross-section of people. Curfew has been lifted from Batamaloo and Maisuma areas in the uptown city in view of the improving situation, the police spokesman said. He, however, said restrictions on the assembly of people were in place in the rest of the Valley. Normal life remained affected in Kashmir due to the separatist sponsored strike on 58th day. Shops, business establishments and petrol pumps continued to remain shut during day time and open only in the evening. Public transport continued to be off the roads. The separatists have extended the shutdown till September 8.As many as 71 persons, including two police personnel, have been killed and several thousand others injured in the clashes between protesters and security forces in the Valley since Wani was killed in an encounter in south Kashmir on July 8. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Under a blistering sun, at least 1,500 people marched Sunday afternoon from Huizenga Plaza to the Fort Lauderdale police station to protest the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers. It was a peaceful event, but that didnt last. Early in the evening, after the march had run its course, a clash erupted. Police officers in riot gear gathered inside a parking garage near a park that had been the protesters staging area. A number of the protesters had parked in that garage. What happened next is not totally clear. Fort Lauderdales police chief says an officer called for help. Another officer who responded was seen shoving a protester. Water bottles were tossed toward the officers. With little warning, police responded by firing tear gas canisters and rubber bullets. A handful of protesters picked up the canisters and tossed them back at police. That set off a series of confrontations that lasted for the next two hours, until police announced they would arrest anyone who didnt leave the area and the city imposed a curfew. Afterward, Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione told reporters that an officer called for help shortly before the first skirmish broke out. There was an officer in need of assistance. Several officers responded to provide that assistance, Maglione said. That officer was in fear. Another officer caught on video pushing a woman after responding to the call has been suspended and is under investigation, Maglione said. Video of the incident appeared to show the crowd responding by throwing water bottles at police. The march that preceded the confrontations took place late in the afternoon. When it converged on the police station on Broward Boulevard, protesters gathered directly outside the door, chanting No justice, no peace, and Black lives matter. It was one of dozens of protests around the nation. Marchers surge over a bridge between Huizenga Plaza and the Fort Lauderdale police station. There was a heavy police presence in the area, including Broward Sheriffs Office deputies. A police riot squad and anti-personnel vehicle had staged in the parking lot. They were not needed to keep the peace at least not then. Story continues Organizers grabbed loose rocks from the parking lot and hid them in the bushes to prevent escalation. Someone took down the American flag from its pole and replaced it with one on which were written the words Justice for some. As the marchers made their way to the police station down Broward Boulevard, they were led and trailed by officers in cruisers, SUVs and on motorcycles. A couple of marchers briefly taunted the officers. The protesters wore clothing and signs, including one bearing the message Thats not a chip on my shoulder. That your foot on my neck. a quote from Malcolm X. A couple of marchers fainted from the heat. A riot squad waits in full crowd-control gear behind a fence at Fort Lauderdale police station. In front of the building, protesters chanted No justice no peace. The protest, organized by the Black Lives Matters Alliance, had originally been scheduled to take place in Lauderhill, but was relocated to Fort Lauderdale. The last-minute change did not deter protesters from attending. Organizers emphasized non-violence and non-engagement with the police to attendees. This action is being led by black women, Tifanny Burks, a co-organizer with Black Lives Matter Alliance of Broward, told the gathering at the staging area. Trust our leadership...we know how to get results. You all need to fall in line with that. The crowd cheered so loudly she had to pause for nearly a minute before continuing her speech. Kristen Herisse, 20, of Pompano Beach, said so many people showed up Sunday because we are tired of sitting and talking. Being black is a crime in America, Herisse said. Enough is enough. Volunteer medics distributed masks and water. A group of more than a dozen white attendees volunteered to serve as a physical barrier between people of color and police if necessary. I thought it was the best way to help, said Nick Montecalvo, a high school debate teacher in Broward County. He said he hopes his students learn that protest is an effective means for change. Protesters wore masks but social distancing was difficult in the parks amphitheater. The coronavirus pandemic was not far from peoples minds. Members of the Palm Beach County Tenants Union attended the rally because they are concerned about a statewide moratorium on evictions that expires soon. Were about to see a wave of police violence against black and brown tenants, said Adam Wasserman of the tenants group. As the crowd chanted, boats full of shirtless and bikini-clad partiers motored by on the New River blasting music Miami Herald staff writer Daniel Chang contributed to this report. As the protests have carried on throughout the weekend following the murder of George Floyd, one of the strangest developments has to do with the National guitarist Aaron Dessner. Some right-wing Twitter accounts have accused the guitarist/songwriter of helping incite and organize riots in Ohio, and have cited him as being Antifa (anti-fascist). On Sunday, Dessner responded to the accusations with a lengthy post on Twitter of his own. Im very fortunate and grateful to wake up every morning in the rural countryside I live in, looking at farmland and these beautiful mountains. Ive been here for three months now isolating with my wife and young children, Dessner wrote. This morning Ive woken up to the unpleasant and surprising news that Ive been misidentified by some social media users as someone seen encouraging rioting in Columbus, Ohio. I am not the person some are suggesting I am and I would never support violence of any kind. Nor have I been in Ohio since June 2019. Like so many, Im hoping for peaceful resolution and actual process addressing these persistent issues in our society, he concluded. Many music figures have spoken up this weekend as the protests surrounded Floyds death continued. Jay-Z reached out to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz about the Floyd situation, saying that he seeks justice for him. Killer Mike delivered an impassioned plea to protestors in Atlanta to not burn down their own houses in anger on Friday. On Saturday, Halsey was hit by rubber bullets and shrapnel during a protest in Los Angeles. Other musicians have voiced their anger with the situation and spoke out against racism while Lady Gaga and Billie Eilish have penned angry messages about privilege.On the other side, Lana Del Rey was slammed for sharing footage of people looting. Read his statement in full below. Recent protests and unrest in the United States, treatment of protesters by U.S. law enforcement in comparison with Iran, and the approach of the highly censored Iranian media to the issue have become hot topics in Persian-language social media in the past few days. Regime supporters have been attacking dissidents who they say are always ranting about regime suppression but are now "mum" about what is happening in the United States. The Iranian state-run television has been devoting a lot of attention to the protests while the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi, has urged the U.S. government "to stop the violence" and to "listen to the voice of protesters". In response to U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien's allegations that countries such as Iran were trying to exploit the protests, Mousavi on Monday said it is the United States, not Iran, that meddles in the affairs of other countries. Iran state-run TV (IRIB) reporter interviewing protesters in front of the White House. Dissidents are never interviewed during similar incidents in Iran. When it comes to the recent protests in the United States, those who oppose the Iranian regime are divided, too. Some Iranian dissidents point out that the way the two governments deal with protests and unrest is fundamentally different. The Islamic Republic has a long record of brutality against protesters, shooting at defenseless people, killing them in the hundreds and putting others behind bars for nothing more than holding up placards or chanting, they say and maintain that protesters in the United States are not shot in the head as they are in Iran. Others accuse those who defend the U.S. government or remain silent about the issue -- of of being biased. But they, too, agree that the Iranian regime is much more repressive, does not allow independent reporting of protests by the media and even shuts down the internet to prevent the news and footage of protests to reach domestic and foreign audiences. "When you see the regime lackeys going on about protests in the United States, remind them that if they are able to see footage of the protests as they happen is because the internet there is still working," a Twitter user wrote. "Right now, the reporter of the IRIB [Iranian State TV] is reporting from in front of the White House. Dear IRIB I wish you would report about protests in Iran with as much concern," another user tweeted with photos of the IRIB reporter in Washington DC interviewing protesters. Another Twitter user posted a composite photo of the front page of Iranian newspapers during the November 2019 protests in Iran that were completely censored ignoring the events. Next to it a photo of Iranian newspapers shows photos of U.S. protests on the front page of most dailies. Images of unrest in United States on front pages. No mention of Iranian protest in November 2019. "Just imagine if the U.S. police kills not 1,500 or even 300 but just five by shooting at their heads in the protests in Minneapolis, and then they say they were rioters...What would the world think?," another user tweeted with reference to the killing of hundreds of protesters by Iranian security forces in November many of whom were shot in the head. In November 2019 protests against the tripling of the price of gasoline which quickly spread across the country were heavy-handedly suppressed. The regime for months refused to disclose the death toll. Only seven months later, on Sunday, Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli admitted that around 200 protesters had been killed. Many believe the death toll is as high as 1,500. On May 29 the Republican senator for Texas, Ted Cruz called for a criminal investigation into the actions of Twitter as Axios reported. Cruz claims the company is violating U.S. sanctions with Iran and has demanded the company is investigated. This comes in the context of Twitter adding fact checks and a warning label to President Trumps tweets. The President has fired out at Twitter meaning Cruzs calls for a criminal investigation just add to issues for the company. What exactly has Happened On Friday 29 May Ted Cruz wrote a letter to Attorney General Bill Barr and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin accusing twitter of violating sanctions with Iran. He claims that Twitter has allowed Iranian leaders to maintain accounts on the service despite these sanctions. Advertisement Cruzs is quoted as saying, 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. This type of attack on Twitter only adds to the companys woes as they have been in disputes with politicians for months now. Twitter, who currently has record number of users thanks to the lockdown measures, claims that it is in the public interest to have political figures on their platform. This is even if some find their speech objectionable. Republican politicians are up in arms about this considering the way President Trump has been treated on the site. The Background Arguments between Twitter and U.S. politicians have been raging for a while now. Back in February Cruz campaigned to the Twitter CEO to ban Iranian leaders from the platform. Twitter responded in April claiming that their service was exempt from such sanctions. The company claims that public conversation is critical to the platform especially in current times. Advertisement Twitters legal, public policy & trust and safety lead did respond directly to the claims. Vijaya Gadde said, Fundamental values of openness, free expression, public accountability, and mutual understanding matter now more than ever. He went onto say that this applied regardless of the political agenda of a nation-state. Twitter believes banning these individuals would be against its purpose which is to serve the public. However, Twitter has declined to comment on Cruzs most recent calls for a criminal investigation. This war between politicians looks as if it is going to rage on over the coming weeks and months. With more strict fact-checking and rules around glorifying violence coming into play, it is difficult to see this going away. Twitter has taken a strong stance on fake news as well its community guidelines so it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Karnataka reported 187 fresh positive Covid-19 cases and a related fatality, taking the total number of infections in the state to 3,408 and the death toll to 52, the health department said on Monday. It said 117 out of 187 cases are returnees from other states, mostly from neighboring Maharashtra, while three returned from the UAE. As of June 1 evening, cumulatively 3,408 Covid-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 52 deaths and 1,328 discharges, the health department said in its bulletin. It said that out of 2,026 active cases, 2,014 patients are in isolation at designated hospitals and are stable, while 12 are in Intensive Care Units. On Monday, 110 patients were discharged. A 90-year-old man from Bengaluru Urban became the 52nd Covid-19 related fatality in the state. The elderly patient was secondary contact of a patient earlier tested positive. He was admitted on May 24, in view of de-saturation. On May 24 the sepsis worsened along with multi-organ failure and he died on May 31 at a designated hospital, the bulletin said. Among the districts where the new cases were reported, Udupi accounted for 73, followed by Bengaluru urban 28, Kalaburagi 24, Hassan 16, Mandya 15, Shivamogga 9, Chikkaballapura 5, Dakshina Kannada 4, Ballari 3, two each from Bidar, Bagalkote and Dharwad, and one each from Vijayapura, Kolar, Haveri and Ramanagara. Bengaluru urban district still tops the list of positive cases with a total of 385 infections, followed by Kalaburagi 305 and Yadgir and Mandya 285. Among discharges too Bengaluru urban tops the list with total of 237, followed by Kalauragi 128 and Davangere 121. A total of 3,04,816 samples have been tested so far, out of which 11,241 were tested on Monday alone. So far 2,97,052 samples reported as negative and out of them 10,807 reported negative on Monday. Canada is a country located in the northern part of the North American continent. It borders the United States of America and Alaska. Canada is the second-largest country in the world and has a population of over 16 million people. The countrys capital city is Ottawa, where nearly one million people live. Although Canada is neighbors with the United States, there are many differences between the two countries, including currency and languages. Here are 15 things you should know when crossing the Canadian-American border: 15. Land mass Canada is bigger than America. It covers 3.85 million square miles and has the worlds longest coastline which spans 151,019 miles. America, in comparison, covers 3.79 million square miles; it is approximately 2% smaller than Canada. 14. Population size Although Canada is larger than the United States, it has a significantly smaller population. There are 37.59 million people living in Canada compared to 328.2 million people living in the United States. The state of California has a higher population than Canada, with 39.51 million people making it their home. 13. Food The outside of a Tim Hortons Coffee Shop in Canada. Image credit: Mikecphoto/Shutterstock.com Although Canada and the United States share a lot of similarities in the foods they eat, there are some differences. Canadas national dish is the French-influenced poutine; it is a meal that consists of fries, cheese, and gravy. Another difference you may notice when crossing the border is the abundance of Tim Hortons, Canadas favored coffee provider. You will notice three times more Tim Hortons than Starbucks. 12. Currency A Woman Fanning Out Canadian Cash. Image credit: Stefan Malloch/Shutterstock.com Canadas currency is the Canadian dollar, which is subdivided into cents. One-dollar coins are used instead of bills and there is even a two-dollar coin called a toonie. Although you can use major credit cards in Canada, you will not be able to pay in United States dollars so it is best to change your money before crossing the border. 11. Driving on the right Canada used to be a British colony and most ex-British colonies drive on the left-hand side but Canadians drive on the right-hand side, like in America. This is to make it easier for those crossing the border. 10. Legal drinking age In most provinces of Canada, the legal drinking age is 19. However, in Alberta, Quebec and Manitoba it is set at 18 years. You may be required to show your ID if you look under 25 years old. Americans are allowed to legally drink in Canada at 18 or 19, despite being under-age in the United States. 9. Healthcare In America, healthcare is usually provided through private companies. However, in Canada, they have a publicly funded healthcare service. Known as Medicare, the service covers 70% of Canadians healthcare needs, the 30% that is not covered consists of medicine, optometry, and dentistry. Canadians take out supplementary health insurance to help cover these costs. However, Canada does not pay for hospital or medical services for its visitors, so you will need to make sure you have health insurance before crossing the border. 8. Measuring system The United States uses the Imperial system of measurement where length is measured in feet, inches, and miles; volume is measured in fluid ounces, pints, and gallons, and temperature is measured in Fahrenheit. Canada uses the metric system; temperature is measured in Celsius, volume is in liters, and weight is in kilograms. 7. Languages Canada has two official languages: English and French. The majority of Canadians speak English, so signposts and information are provided in English. Americans crossing the border will have no problems with navigating their way around. Most of Canadas French speakers live in Quebec, so the signs and information are in French, which may be difficult for American visitors. 6. Internal flights Boeing 747 of Delta Airlines. Image credit: Lerner Vadim/Shutterstock.com America has a number of airlines, including Delta, Spirit and American Airlines which make internal flights in the US fairly cheap. However, Canada has only two major airlines so there is no competition to provide cheap flights. There are also very high landing and airport fees, 200% more than at US airports. Because of this, internal flights are very expensive in Canada, which is worth remembering when crossing the border. 5. Milk cartons Milk bags used in parts of Canada. Image credit: Alex Dawson/Wikimedia.org If you wish to buy some milk when in Canada, you may be surprised to find that it is not sold in cartons but sold in bags. The milk bags are mainly sold in Ontario, the Maritimes and Quebec and have been in production since the 1970s. The method was introduced as it was cheaper and more practical than the heavy glass bottles that were originally used. To drink the milk, simply insert a bag into a pitcher, snip off the corner and pour. 4. Spelling Although Canadian vocabulary is much like American, you may notice when crossing the border that spelling is slightly different. Canadian English often retain British English spellings for words that end in er or or. For example, colour and centre instead of color and center. However, spellings in such words as recognize and realize remain the same. Despite the differences, Canadians and Americans have no problem understanding each other. 3. Government system Although the United States and Canada are both federal states, there are important differences between the way the countries are governed. One of the biggest differences is that Canadas head of state is the British monarch, who is represented by the governor general. The head of state chooses Canadas prime minister, who is the head of government. In contrast, America is a republic; this means that the head of government is elected by its people. Here, the head of state and the head of government are the same thing. Another difference worth noting is that America has two major political parties: Democratic and the Republican, whereas Canada has five: The Conservative Party, Liberal Party, New Democratic Party, Green Party, and Bloc Quebecois. 2. Schooling system AD - Coolidge Middle School 51. Image credit: US Department of Education/Flickr.com There are a couple of differences between the American and Canadian educational systems that are worth knowing. The first is that school typically begins later in Canada with an average start time of 8:43 am. Secondly, the Canadian schooling system does not have middle school. Children begin with elementary school and end with seventh grade, before entering high school through twelfth grade. 1. Cost of living It has been suggested that it is 22% more expensive to live in the United States than in Canada. You will find that meals at inexpensive restaurants cost a couple of dollars less in Canada than they do in America, but the real differences are in rental prices, utilities, and medical prescriptions where the monetary difference is much more apparent. Anil Kapoor is one of the most recognised Indian actor and producer, globally. He has appeared in over a hundred Hindi-language films, as well as international films and television series. He has also won numerous awards in his career, including two National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards in varied acting categories. Anil Kapoor appeared in his first film with a small role in the Umesh Mehra's romance Hamare Tumhare (1979) that marked as his debut. Having spent 40 years in the industry, Anil Kapoor has done some great movies and shot at various different locations. Here are Anil Kapoors movies that will inspire wanderlust in you. Read ahead to know- Anil Kapoor movies that will inspire wanderlust in you Race (2008) Abbas Mastans Race was shot in Durban and Dubai, with a reported budget of 46 crores. The movie had Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Katrina Kaif and Bipasha Basu in lead roles. The plot of the film revolves around how destiny makes two brothers, Ranvir and Rajiv, enemies of each other. The plotline followed the theme "Everything is fair in love and war". Also Read | Anil Kapoor Took Part In THESE Social Media Challenges, Check Out Posts Here Race 2 (2013) Abbas Mastans Race 2 was shot in Turkey and Cyprus with a reported budget of 94 crores. The movie casts Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, and Jacqueline Fernandez. The plot of the film revolves around Ranvir, who treads through the world of the Indian mafia in Turkey as he simultaneously finds ways to avenge the death of his lover and partner in crime. Also Read | Anil Kapoor's Never-ending Love For Shades Is Evident In These Pics Dil Dhadakne Do (2015) Zoya Akhtars Dil Dhadakne Do was shot at beautiful locations like Italy, Izmir, Istanbul, Ruins of Ephesus, Cappadocia, Antalya, and Mumbai. The movie was made with a reported budget of 83 crores. The movie cast includes Anil Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, and Shefali Shah in lead roles. The plot of the film revolves around the Mehra family that must contemplate over their way of living and their love lives while on a cruise celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary. Also Read | Anil Kapoor Poses With His Celebrity Friends From The Industry In These Pictures Race 3 (2018) Remo DSouzas Race 3 was shot in Abu Dhabi with a reported budget of 150-185 crores. The movie casts Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Bobby Deol, Saquib Saleem, Jacqueline Fernandez, and Daisy Shah in lead roles. The plot of the film revolves around relationships and loyalties of a criminal family planning its next big heist are tested when some shocking revelations strike them. Also Read | Anil Kapoor Extends Birthday Wishes To Paresh Rawal, Says 'you Are A Great Co-actor' Malang (2020) Mohit Suris Malang was shot in Mauritius and Goa with a reported budget of 84.50 crores. The movie cast includes Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur, Kunal Khemu, and Disha Patni in lead roles. The plot of the film revolves around Advait, who visits Goa where he meets Sara, a free-spirited girl who lives life unshackled. Opposites attract and all goes well until life turns upside down. Years later, Advait is on a killing spree with cops Aghase and Michael on his tail. 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. Britons will be able to fly to Greece this summer after officials reversed a decision to blacklist the UK due to its high rates of coronavirus infection. 'It will now depend on airport of origin, not country (of origin),' a government official told AFP. Last week, while citizens of 29 other countries were approved to travel, the UK was initially blacklisted from flying to Greece owing to its high number of coronavirus cases. The list published Friday approved tourists from countries including Australia, Croatia, Serbia, Romania and Lebanon. Greek authorities changed their stance over the weekend, allowing people from high-risk countries to travel but with mandatory quarantine measures on arrival. Britain has 13 high-risk airports including Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted. But Edinburgh, which before the pandemic had direct flights to Greece, is not on the danger list. People enjoy a day at Akti Vouliagmenis beach resort on May 23, 2020 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 Authorities said they will conduct tests on visitors arriving from airports deemed high-risk by the European Union's aviation safety agency (EASA) when it opens its airports to tourism traffic on June 15. 'If you originate from an airport on the EASA affected area list, then you will be tested upon arrival,' the ministry of foreign affairs said in an announcement, adding that movement restrictions will also apply. 'If the test is negative, then the passenger self-quarantines for 7 days. If the test is positive, the passenger is quarantined under supervision for 14 days.' The extension and testing rules also apply to France, Spain and Italy. For France, the quarantine measures will apply to flights from the Ile-de-France region in and around Paris, officials said. For Italy, airports in the northern regions of Emilia Romagna, Lombardy, Piemonte and Veneto are considered high-risk. The same holds for Spanish airports in Castile and Leon, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalonia and Madrid, all areas hit hard by the coronavirus. A foreign ministry document said Greece had drawn upon the recommendations of the EASA to determine which EU airports were still a public health danger. And future flight policy will be based on EASA's notifications that are renewed on a weekly basis, a second government official said. From June 15 to 30, flights will only be allowed into Athens and Thessaloniki. Other regional and island airports will open on July 1. 'If your travel originated from an airport not in the EASA affected area list... then you are only subject to random tests upon arrival,' the ministry said. 'If you originate from an airport on the EASA affected area list, then you will be tested upon arrival,' it added. Platis Gialos Beach remains nearly empty at the beginning of the delayed tourist season in Mykonos, Greece on Sunday, May 25, 2020. After months of being in lockdown due to the coronavirus, Greece plans to begin inviting visitors from mid-June 'An overnight stay at a designated hotel is required. If the test is negative then the passenger self-quarantines for seven days. If the test is positive, the passenger is quarantined under supervision for 14 days,' the ministry said. 'Compulsory testing and quarantine will be limited only to travellers, irrespective of nationality', it added. On Friday, Greece had announced 29 countries as safe points of departure in a long-awaited statement. The list included over a dozen EU countries but Britain, France, Italy and Spain were not among them owing to the spread of the pandemic there. Certain flights into Athens international airport were still allowed during the lockdown for state affairs, cargo, emergencies and other purposes, but passengers entering the country had to quarantine. Since May 4, Greece has progressively opened tourism-related businesses following a lockdown imposed in March to stave off an economic contraction that could reach 13 percent of output this year. Year-round hotels are to resume operations on June 1, followed by seasonal hotels on June 15. The Mediterranean nation, which emerged from a decade-long debt crisis in late 2018, relies heavily on tourism - about 20 per cent of its output - for its economic recovery. A nationwide lockdown imposed in March helped Greece contain the spread of infections to just below 3,000 cases and fewer than 180 deaths, a relatively low number compared with elsewhere in the European Union. But it brought the tourism sector to a virtual standstill. Greece's economy is seen contracting by up to 10% this year. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 16:53:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TIANJIN, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Robots that heal themselves after being damaged have frequently appeared in science fiction movies. They are, however, now becoming less far-fetched since a recent breakthrough material has been developed which can achieve fast, autonomous self-healing results under all conditions, particularly in multiple harsh environments. Synthetic materials that can mimic self-healing natural tissue, such as skin and muscle, have been developed and used for e-skin, wearable electronic devices and artificial muscles. However, it remained challenging for global scientists to enable such materials to withstand extreme conditions, such as at ultra-low temperatures in deep ocean water or in strong acid or alkali environments. To solve the problem, researchers from China's Tianjin University have created an elastomer, an elastic rubber with the ability to self-heal, out of polymers that look like yellow jelly. When cut into two pieces, the elastomer can stick back together completely without any external energy. The experimental results, published in the latest issue of the journal Nature Communications, showed the new self-healing material realized rapid healing within 10 minutes at room temperature. It was also able to withstand more than 500 times its weight after healing. The material also exhibited high healing efficiency in minus 40 degrees Celsius, in high-concentrated saltwater at minus 10 degrees Celsius, as well as in acidic and alkaline conditions, according to the study. Lead researcher Zhang Lei said the study illustrated promising potential of the material, with highly stretchable and rapid self-healing properties in harsher conditions than ever before. The research team is working on the further development of self-healing artificial e-skin applied in the deep sea and polar regions. "The new material is expected to find uses in making robots, deep-sea detectors and other high-tech equipment," Zhang said. Enditem The province reported one new coronavirus case on Sunday, which means Manitoba has now identified a total of 295 of lab-confirmed positive and probable positive instances. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us This electron microscope image made available and color-enhanced by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Md., shows Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, orange, isolated from a patient. (NIAID/National Institutes of Health via AP) The province reported one new coronavirus case on Sunday, which means Manitoba has now identified a total of 295 of lab-confirmed positive and probable positive instances. There were no new cases reported on Saturday. Since this single new case was not discovered in Prairie Mountain Health, the regions total amount of COVID-19 cases remains fixed at 26. Even though 10 cases are still active in the province, no Manitobans are currently hospitalized or in an intensive care unit because of the virus as of Sunday evening. Seven residents have died due to COVID-19, although 278 individuals have made a full recovery. Otherwise, government officials are advising residents to visit manitoba.ca/restoringsafeservices to brush up on their Phase 2 reopening strategy, since it takes effect today. Now, for the first time in months, indoor facilities like gyms and senior centres will be accessible to the public, as long as they abide by proper social distancing guidelines. Manitobans will also be allowed to travel north of the 53rd parallel in the province, although they are advised to stay home if they have any symptoms of COVID-19. The Brandon Sun Dr. Timothy F. Kosinski, a Bingham Farms, Michigan dentist is looking for individuals who are willing to be evaluated to see if they are eligible for dental implants at greatly reduced prices. Dr. Kosinski is looking for 16 patients to be involved in his teaching program for doctors learning his techniques in implant dentistry. Candidates must be missing upper or lower back teeth and have no uncontrolled medical problems. A no-fee evaluation will be completed to determine if they are candidates for this teaching program. Once selected, the individuals will receive a dental implant and abutment for $699 an incredible $1,500 savings. After healing, a CAD/CAM zirconia crown over the implant will be created by Dr. Kosinski, also for a reduced fee. All patients accepted in this program will receive a CT scan, or three-dimensional X-ray to idealize their situation. Check out this video of the Digital Scan https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cyGS7F2Hnxqluzo8kRGAE9wfrnfKJIQd/view Anyone interested in the reduced priced implant procedure should contact Dr. Kosinski's office, SmileCreator of Bingham Farms. To find out if you qualify please call Jan or Lorry at 248-646-8651 to schedule a free, no cost or obligation appointment. Dr. Kosinski is a Dental Practitioner who has established himself in the dental implant field and has trained hundreds of professional dentists and dental students in the best techniques for successful implants. Dr. Kosinski has placed well over 14,000 dental implants in his dental career and did over 1,100 implants last year alone. The implants at greatly reduced prices are offered because Dr. Kosinski participates in a dental training program he offers in cooperation with the Engel Institute led by Dr. Todd Engel. Professional dentists will come to Dr. Kosinski's office to be trained and under his mentoring will perform implant surgery on select patients. Dr. Timothy Kosinski is also proud to introduce the Vatech dental CT scan and the Medit digital scanner into his dental implant practice. These tools allow him to evaluate spaces in the mouth to determine the available bone in three dimensions and to create crowns digitally. This allows for more accurate placement of dental implants and ideal crown fabrication. Other health issues can also be evaluated including decay and abscesses. Dr. Kosinski uses this dental CBCT in his dental implant evaluations daily. It allows his to virtually place implants properly prior to any surgical intervention on his patients. Dr. Kosinski provides complete implant therapy from diagnosis to surgery to the final implant crown, full mouth bridges or hybrids or overdentures. All these techniques improve the quality of life of his patients by improving the ability to chew efficiently and smile confidently. The SmileCreator of Bingham Farms office is located at: 31000 Telegraph Rd., Suite 170, Bingham Farms, MI 48025. For more information call: 248-646-8651 or visit: http://www.SmileCreator.Net or www.michiganimplantdentist.com. About Dr. Timothy F. Kosinski, DDS, MAGD Dr. Timothy Kosinski is an Affiliate Adjunct Clinical Professor at the University Of Detroit Mercy School Of Dentistry and serves on the editorial review board of Reality, the information source for esthetic dentistry and is the Associate Editor of the Academy of General Dentistry journals. Most recently he was named the Editor of Dentistry Today Implants. He is a Past President of the Michigan Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Kosinski received his DDS from the University of Detroit Mercy Dental School and his Mastership in Biochemistry from Wayne State University School of Medicine. He is a Diplomat of the American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry, the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and the American Society of Osseointegration. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry and received his Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Kosinski has received many honors including Fellowship in the American and International Colleges of Dentists and the Academy of Dentistry International. He received the "Humanitarian Award" from the Academy of Dentistry International in recognition of significant contributions to the enhancement of quality of life and the human condition. He is a member of OKU and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Dr. Kosinski was the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry Alumni Association's "Alumnus of the Year." In 2009 and 2014 he received the Academy of General Dentistry's "Lifelong Learning and Service Recognition." Dr. Kosinski has placed more than 14,000 dental implants, published over 210 articles on the surgical and prosthetic phases of implant dentistry and was a contributor to the textbooks, Principles and Practices of Implant Dentistry, and 2010's Dental Implantation and Technology. He was featured on Nobelbiocare's Nobelvision and lectures extensively. Media Contact: Scott Lorenz, President of Westwind Medical Marketing 734-667-2090, scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or www.WestWindCos.com The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, students wing affiliated to the RSS, has demanded the Maharashtra government to withdraw its decision of not holding the final year university exams in the state. The decision is not in accordance with the Maharashtra Universities Act, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) said in a statement issued late Sunday night. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the state is not conducive to allow holding of the final year university exams. Aggregate marks of semester exams will be taken and students will be given marks, Thackeray said. I held talks with vice chancellors.I may be the CM and they may be vice chancellors but we all are also parents. We cannot let our children suffer. Those students who feel they could have done better if they had appeared for the final year exams, they will be given a chance when the situation normalises, the chief minister said. Reacting to it, the ABVP said the government has double standards over such an important issue, as it has allowed students to appear for grade improvement exams in next semester. Therefore, this is an injustice with students and it will harm their future prospects,it said. Thackeray on Sunday also said the state government is more keen to ensure the academic year starts on time in June than re-opening schools. Schools in rural areas where there is no pandemic spread can start whereas in cities online education can be given priority, he said. "Biden went to a protest site. Trump went to his bunker. That says everything." Following the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, the United States has been experiencing a series of violent clashes amid protesting demonstrators and police across cities. Several cities in the United States looked like a war zone after rioters torched several police clubs. The US President Donald Trump on Friday took shelter in a bunker as anti-racism protesters gathered outside the White House in Washington, DC. The President was there for a little under an hour before being brought upstairs. On Saturday, only hours after the protests outside the White House had ended, Trump declared himself safe as he lashed out at the city's Democratic mayor and raised the prospect of his supporters gathering in a place that night in what would amount to a counter-protest. The news of Trump "hiding" in the presidential bunker was broken by The New York Times and once Twitter got the whiff of it, they came down hard on the US President. "Donald Trump is hiding in a WH bunker. Most cowardly "tough guy" in history," tweeted one user. Trump is hiding in an underground bunker rn. No joke. Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) June 1, 2020 Trump wants to portray himself as a strongman, authoritarian...did he really go hide in a bunker from some 20 year old kids? real tough guy Marcus H. Johnson (@marcushjohnson) June 1, 2020 Tweeting hate from a secure underground bunker beneath The White House and surrounded by the Secret Service.What a real tough guy that Donald Trump is. Don Winslow (@donwinslow) June 1, 2020 Trump literally hid in a bunker while Biden met with protesters. Covie (@roper_93) June 1, 2020 BREAKING: White House surveillance video released of Donald Trump heading down to his bunker - after protestors surrounded the White House on Friday.#BunkerBitch FAKE PRESIDENT pic.twitter.com/0uGHpN2P8h Paul Lidicul (@PaulLidicul) June 1, 2020 While Trump hides away in his bunker...pic.twitter.com/YhFeALRUn1 Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) June 1, 2020 Donald Trump is hiding in a WH bunker. Most cowardly tough guy in history. Publius (@ThePubliusUSA) June 1, 2020 Biden went to a protest site. Trump went to his bunker. That says everything. Scott Dworkin (@funder) June 1, 2020 Trump being in a bunker is cracking me up in ways I cant explain quinta brunson (@quintabrunson) June 1, 2020 Trump is hiding in...wait for it...a bunker. Richard Marx (@richardmarx) June 1, 2020 (With CNN inputs) COVID-19: A Boon for Telehealth? The COVID-19 crisis has led to an explosion in telehealth use in all settings, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has temporarily lifted longstanding barriers involving reimbursement requirements, HIPAA rules and licensure. Some of these regulatory changes to address COVID-19 could become permanent. We are seeing a lot of emergency rule changes to broaden the scope of the use of telehealth and allow for continuity of care during this time, which is so important, said Danielle Louder with the Northeast Telehealth Resource Center. Our organization doesnt advocate or lobby, but we provide data and information that helps policymakers make decisions. We are encouraging people to think upstream. This really is an opportunity. While some pieces of the expanded policies may make sense to walk back, there will be some that absolutely should stay in place and we hope that they do. The sudden increase in telehealth use is straining broadband network capacity. If the telehealth surge persists, it may force government officials to consider prioritizing health care in the regulation and expansion of telecom networks. Abby Sears, CEO of OCHIN, said that during the crisis, rural clinics are noticing service quality problems. We are seeing degradation of networks. Providers seeking to use broadband to access services sometimes are not able to access them, she told a March 26 committee meeting of the federal Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. At the same meeting, Denise Webb, a health IT consultant and former CIO of Marshfield Clinic Health System in Wisconsin, said health system CIOs are telling her that the sudden increase in video visits is putting a strain on their networks. She suggested that CMS offering payment parity for telephone visits and video visits, when appropriate, could ease physician demand for video connections. The FCC is getting more funding to address some of these needs. As part of the CARES Act passed at the end of March, Congress appropriated $200 million to the FCC to support providers use of telehealth services in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Plus, bipartisan legislation introduced in April would give the FCC an additional $2 billion to expand telehealth services during the crisis. These funds are expected to help eligible providers purchase telecommunications, broadband connectivity and devices necessary for providing telehealth services. This is in addition to the longer-term Connected Care Pilot Program that would study how connected care could be a permanent part of the Universal Service Fund by making available up to $100 million of universal service support over three years to help defray eligible health-care providers costs of providing telehealth services to patients at their homes or mobile locations, with an emphasis on providing those services to low-income Americans and veterans. Broadband Underpins Frontier Clinics State-Level Activity Increasing Demand for Telehealth Services Social determinants of health is a hot topic among government and health system executives. The phrase usually refers to basic food, housing and transportation disparities that can lead adjoining ZIP codes to have drastically different life expectancies. But could lack of broadband Internet access also be considered a social determinant of health? Many rural health advocates say yes, and they are trying to do something about it by pushing for the infrastructure to enable telehealth programs and remote patient monitoring.Broadband is defined as high-speed, reliable Internet with actual download speeds of at least 25 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of at least 3 Mbps. It can be delivered via fiber, wireless, satellite, digital subscriber line (DSL) or cable. According to a 2019 Pew Trust report, 60 percent of health-care facilities outside of metro areas lack broadband access.Researchers have a name for areas that have both low rates of home broadband and higher-than-national-average mortality rates for cancer and other diseases: double-burdened counties.The Federal Communications Commissions Connect2HealthFCC Task Force has created a mapping platform that allows for the overlay of cancer mortality and other disease conditions with broadband access coverage. This allows them to pinpoint hot spots. In these areas, for example Appalachia, the task force found that more than 70 percent of counties with the highest lung cancer incidence and mortality have rural broadband access below 50 percent.Telehealth efforts have made progress in connecting rural hospitals to academic medical centers to allow specialists to visit with patients and their care providers without arduous travel. But getting broadband access to smaller clinics and individual homes has proven more difficult, because telecom companies dont find it financially viable to connect homes in rural areas at affordable rates. The FCC and U.S. Department of Agriculture have programs that subsidize the cost of broadband for some rural health providers, but those programs have traditionally been oversubscribed. Therefore, in-home virtual visits and remote patient monitoring for patients with conditions such as cancer, diabetes and chronic heart failure are not as widespread as they could be.One multi-stakeholder effort, the LAUNCH initiative (Linking and Amplifying User-Centered Networks through Connected Health), is targeting rural Kentucky with a novel approach to participatory design of a potential solution. Created in 2017, LAUNCHs goal is to demonstrate broadband-enabled connected health and community-based co-design, said David Ahern, a behavioral scientist researcher at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston, who chairs the LAUNCH collaborative. The project brings together the FCC and the National Cancer Institute to coordinate improving broadband access and cancer outcomes in rural Appalachia. Other partners are a user-centered design team from the University of California, San Diego and the Markey Cancer Center in Lexington, Ky.In some Appalachian counties, a trip to Markey might take two-and-a-half hours by car, but for many people with financial and transportation challenges, it might as well be on the other side of the moon, Ahern said. People understand that if we could deliver some aspects of cancer care remotely, it would improve outcomes. Gaining connectivity into those counties is crucial.One of the rationales for the collaborative is that we could take an informatics approach to identify targeted communities and work with the National Cancer Institute to try to deploy a user-centered design approach to create tools to improve cancer care in that region, Ahern said. The co-creation concept is key, he explained. Rather than having experts coming into a rural area and saying, We have a solution for you, the idea is that to be successful, solutions that are meaningful and likely to be used in areas with particular cultures have to be built with lots of input from participants.The first use case involves doing online distress screening for cancer patients. Research has shown that monitoring patient-reported outcomes through a Web portal actually lowers mortality rates among cancer patients, Ahern noted. Accrediting agencies of cancer centers require distress screenings, but they have been done in a haphazard way in paper form, he explained. LAUNCH is making the process electronic and building the workflows around responding quickly if patients rate their stress levels very high.Ahern emphasizes that the project is not just about connecting doctors and patients. We want to engage caregivers, family members, community health organizations and church leaders who can be part of a broader solution enabled by connectivity, he said. Fundamentally, it isnt just putting in the broadband and walking away. We are looking at infrastructure as a core element to broaden the ecosystem.In its contribution to the project, the FCC is talking to companies and associations in the telecom industry to step up and assist wherever they can. And theres been a lot of interest from companies wanting to be part of LAUNCH, according to Ahern. Given the COVID-19 epidemic, there is a recognition that we need to have an all-hands-on-deck approach wherever there can be better connectivity that will save peoples lives, so the industry is poised to do that more rapidly than they might have otherwise done. We are working on that pretty diligently right now, particularly with satellite providers. We think there are some immediate opportunities there.During a summer 2019 LAUNCH project meeting, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai described a recent trip he had taken to Allen County, Ky., an economically challenged rural area near the Tennessee border. The school system there has more than 3,000 students but not one pediatrician. The nearest one is a decent drive away in Bowling Green. But now, thanks to broadband, local students can see a pediatrician simply by walking down to the school nurses office, Pai said. There, they can be seen virtually by a top-notch physician from Vanderbilt Universitys Childrens Hospital, which has a partnership with the school district, he said. Think about what a difference all this makes: Students are healthier, parents worry less and dont have to take time off work, and teachers can focus on teaching.Nic Powers, CEO of Winding Waters Community Health Centers in Enterprise, Ore., spoke last June at a congressional briefing about the value of the FCCs Rural Health Care program, which provides broadband subsidies. He explained how this program makes affordable, reliable broadband to rural clinics possible. This is an essential program for rural health-care providers, and it needs to work a lot better to continue making a positive impact, he said. Broadband connectivity underpins so much of the work we do every day and its so expensive in rural America.Winding Waters belongs to a collaborative operated by Portland-based nonprofit OCHIN , which provides hosted electronic health records as well as networking and telehealth support to 450 community health clinics with more than 10,000 clinicians across the nation.Jennifer Stoll, OCHINs executive vice president of government relations and public affairs, describes Winding Waters as being in frontier country. You leave Portland, drive east for five hours, bank a left and drive another hour north and you hit Enterprise, she said. The town has very deep canyons surrounding it, so even though they have patients who are only seven miles away, it takes them hours to get to the clinic because they have to drive around the canyons to get there. They have a health-care site that has a very difficult time with their broadband connectivity, she added. When Powers told congressional leaders that the FCC program has to work better, he essentially meant it needs more funding. The funds for the Rural Health Connect program need to be tripled, Stoll said. It is way oversubscribed right now. That slows down the applications and approval processes. We would like to see more consistency in how the program operates, because health centers need reliability in terms of broadband.Of course, the COVID-19 crisis has opened policymakers eyes to the value of telehealth (see sidebar, p. 14). I think the COVID-19 crisis is elevating the conversation to a whole new level, Stoll said. We have to build capacity and there has to be redundancy. We support frontier areas in the West where there is one fiber line in, and on an almost regular basis, that line gets cut. It connects the one hospital in the county and they have to med-evac patients to the nearest local city. That is not the most efficient way to deliver health care. So where we have critical delivery systems of health care, we need redundancy.Because the federal grant money is disbursed from multiple agencies, some state governments have created broadband offices to manage state budgets and help coordinate how organizations in their state apply for federal funding. Among states with such offices are Oregon, Washington and Ohio. In March, the recently created Ohio Broadband Strategy announced a telehealth pilot project to connect K-12 students with mental health counselors in the rural Switzerland School District in Monroe County, located in southeast Ohio. The goal is to expand the project to other Ohio schools.The Michigan affiliate of a national nonprofit organization called Connected Nation recently released a study that examines the use and perceptions of telehealth in five rural Michigan counties.Eric Frederick, executive director of Connected Nation (CN) Michigan , said the study conducted random surveys of residents in the targeted counties to better understand whether they have Internet connections at home and how they interact with health-care providers. Overall, we found about 60 percent had Internet connection at home, lower than state and national averages. So as we are considering telehealth virtual visits, 40 percent cant participate right off the bat, he said. These are very rural places, so it is not surprising, but it sheds a light on the importance of getting everybody connected.In a survey of physicians, remote patient monitoring was the most commonly used online health service. It is gaining in popularity, Frederick said, but again, if 40 percent dont have an Internet connection to begin with, it is a nonstarter.CN Michigan is holding focus groups in the five counties to better understand the barriers to telehealth and to brainstorm some solutions. The organization is also recommending that the state follow through on the steps laid out in the 2018 Michigan Broadband Roadmap to improve broadband access, adoption and use. One of the road maps key recommendations was to create a state broadband grant program. That has now been done, Frederick said. A $20 million program was created and now it is in the process of final review of grant applications. For those grants, it helps to have a large anchor institution like a hospital because that helps make the financial case for expanding infrastructure further into the community.Danielle Louder, program director for the Northeast Telehealth Resource Center , leads efforts focused on implementing and growing telehealth programs in New England, New York and New Jersey. She says broadband issues continue to impact rural communities in her region, including islands off the Maine coast. The Medicaid programs in several states in the Northeast allow for the home to be the telehealth originating site, rather than a clinic, and we see that there are lots of rural homes that have very poor or nonexistent Internet service.Some rural health-care provider organizations have decent broadband access, she adds, but there is often less competition, which can impact price. Every time you add a new service line or consider different use cases like live video, that uses more bandwidth, she said. Telehealth solution vendors are getting better, she added, at using less bandwidth for live videoconferencing applications, leading to fewer dropped calls. Even a few years ago, dropped calls were a big issue. For both providers and patients, that is a good way to turn people off from telehealth if the technology isnt working.Louder said that the shift by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and private insurers from fee-for-service payments to value-based care has meant that there is increasing interest in following patients discharged from the hospital more closely. For accountable care organizations that want to stay in touch post-surgery, telehealth is how to do it. Chronic heart failure is another use case for remote patient monitoring, she said. Studies have shown a greater than 75 percent reduction in rehospitalization for those patients, so anytime we can keep folks out of the hospital or going back to the hospital, there are cost savings and patient satisfaction is much higher. Burma Myanmar Parliament Rejects Move to Oust House Speaker U T Khun Myat arrives at the Lower House in March 2018 before being elected speaker of the house. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy YANGONThe majority of lawmakers voted on Monday to defeat a bid by Myanmars military-backed former ruling party and military-appointed lawmakers to impeach the Parliaments house speaker over his handling of the constitutional reform process. A total of 243 members of the Lower House (62 percent of those in attendance) voted down the proposal by the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and military appointees to remove Union Parliament Speaker U T Khun Myat. The accusation alleged that he violated the Constitution and parliamentary laws by favoring Daw Aung San Suu Kyis government in its Charter reforms attempts, launched last year, and also on several other occasions. Military-appointed lawmaker Lieutenant Colonel Myo Htet Win said that the speaker broke the law by allowing the National League for Democracy (NLD) to submit an urgent proposal to form the Constitutional Amendment Committee in January 2019 and by blocking full parliamentary debate on charter amendment proposals submitted by military lawmakers and the USDP. The head of the legislative bodys failure to abide by the law harms the Parliaments image, the lieutenant colonel said. In addition to accusing the speaker of thwarting debate on their charter-amendment proposals, the USDP and military-appointed lawmakers also accused U T Khun Myat of misusing his power to deny some of their motions on Monday during debate over their impeachment proposal. Lawmaker Brigadier General Win Moe said that the speaker committed an act of negligence and dishonesty by blocking motions that were important for the nation and its citizens. We were patiently forgiving his negligence, he said, but added that it is time to remove the speaker from his position. NLD lawmakers rejected the proposal to remove the speaker and stood by his actions and handling of the charter change process, saying he abided by the Constitution and the Parliaments laws. The impeachment proposal also drew strong objections from ethnic Kachin lawmakers who showed their support for the ethnic Kachin Speaker. Lama Naw Aung of the Kachin State Peoples Party said the USDP and the military appointees made the proposal knowing it would fail but hoped to record their accusations. According to the laws and by-laws of Parliament, a proposal to remove the speaker or deputy speaker can be submitted once it has the support of 110 lawmakers, or a quarter of all lawmakers. To pass, however, it requires support from two-thirds of lawmakers in a secret ballot vote. On Thursday vote, the proposal was backed by only 132 lawmakers (less than 34 percent). You may also like these stories: Irrawaddy Business Roundup This Week in Parliament Myanmar Parliament Speaker Rebukes Military, USDP MPs for Charter-Change Comments Im a member of what is likely a reasonably sizable informal group of people who trained to be a CEO but declined the job in my case, several times. So I dont envy the position that Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is in as he tries to figure out a way to do the right thing concerning the spread of false information and defend his company against an attack by the designated leader of the free world. Ive been receiving email and social media queries asking me to use my influence to get Jack to do the right thing. There are two issues with this: 1) I dont know Dorsey personally, and 2) I understand and appreciate that the guy is between a rock and a hard place concerning doing what is right and ensuring the survival of Twitter. Ill delve into some of the challenges he faces and then close with my product of the week AMD and Dells fascinating joint effort that resulted in one of the best values in gaming notebooks, the Dell G5. The Duties of a CEO Most people who never have studied to be or served as a CEO think it is a dream job. You can do what you want, you dont have any bosses to keep happy, and you can just sit around and give orders. Ive seen new CEOs try to operate with this theory, and Ive never seen that end well. As the CEO of a public company, you dont have one boss you have a lot of them. You report to a board that represents your investors, and on that board are people who hold or control a lot of the firms stock. These people often dont have the same agendas, but they collectively have the power to fire you. Also, you have to contend with the actual stockholders. If they dont like you they will sell their stock, driving down the value of the company and prompting those who are on your board to fire you. You have your large customers and pools of smaller customers who control your income, and if enough of them dont like what you are doing, they can stop buying so your firms revenue dries up and yes, once again, you get fired. You have the SEC. If the commissioners dont like what you say, or they think you are misbehaving, they can have you removed from office and incarcerated. You have your CFO who reports to you and the board. A CFO who doesnt like you can move behind your back to get you removed from office (Im running out of creative ways to say fired). Yes, the job pays well, and those who fail generally get a golden parachute that makes anyone elses severance package look incredibly anemic. Still, once youve served as a CEO, you are usually thought to be overly qualified for any other job, and failed CEOs who then succeed as advisors, board members, or consultants are rare. You are pretty much done, and since most CEOs value status highly, the massive loss of status can be personally catastrophic. As CEO of a large public firm, thousands are dependent on your doing the job well. If you dont, you could face strikes or in extreme situations, attacks. When at NCR, Mark Hurd had his tires slashed. When one of the CEOs I worked for was burned over most of his body in a plane crash, there was speculation that the collision wasnt accidental (though that was never proven). You are the face of the company, so if people get pissed off at your firm, they may take their anger out on you. Further, given your income, you and your family could be targeted by blackmailers or kidnappers. Finally, you tend to be a minor celebrity, so if you decide to have dinner with a subordinate, customer or stockholder of the opposite sex, there is a high probability youll be accused of having an affair. Should you actually have an affair, it may cost you your job and make you unemployable. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Far from enjoying the ultimate freedom, CEOs generally find themselves bound by rules they dont understand full. Their responsibilities may far exceed their capabilities, and they might face internal and external threats that arent associated with any other job in the private sector. Oh, and I should point out that when done right, the job requires a level of commitment that has a history of destroying families. At the end, CEOs may have a ton of money and a lot of personal regrets. Twitter Chief Jack Dorsey Jack Dorsey is CEO of not one company but two. In addition to Twitter, he runs Square, the leading mobile payments company. If you are buying services, you probably are paying for them over Square (it probably should merge with PayPal). Currently, one of the most powerful investors in Twitter is moving to have Dorsey fired, so he is also at personal risk. With Twitters ad revenue falling broadly, thanks to the pandemic, the firm is at financial risk. In short, Dorsey isnt Steve Jobs at Apple. (And though it seemed Jobs could do most anything, even he got fired once.) Dorseys exposure means he cant afford a war with anyone, let alone the president of the United States, given that Twitter is an unlimited company. In terms of power, even the most powerful company tends to be overmatched when fighting a government. Even Google was forced out of China, and Google is nearly as powerful as a small country. It now is at risk of being broken up by the U.S. or the EU. So if Twitter goes to war with the U.S. government, it will be overmatched, and Dorsey currently is at risk as to its CEO. Dorsey could cut President Trump from Twitter, as some have suggested. However, its likely he wouldnt survive as CEO, and his successors first act of self-preservation likely would be to reverse that decision assuming Twitter survived as a company. As a result, there is little Dorsey can do that wont result in his termination and the likely reversal of anything he might do that would materially impact the presidents ability to post falsehoods on the site. The Recommended Fix This problem the inability to ensure the validity of content from the very powerful is something that surrounds all of the social media players. If it doesnt get addressed, there is a high likelihood that one or more of them will get nationalized, broken up, over-regulated or shut down. The firms most at risk are Facebook, Google and Twitter. Now Im an analyst, and my job isnt to complain about things but to analyze the problem and suggest a fix that will stand in the face of the threat. I think the closest model is Underwriters Laboratories, which is a third-party industry-funded quality assurance organization. The organization is one of the strongest providers of proactive protection against liability for unsafe products. It isnt perfect, and there have been products that passed UL tests but performed poorly. Still, it has been far more successful over time than internal quality control when it comes to protecting companies from liability. UL does have a positive impact on overall quality. It is a science-based organization focused on quality, suggesting its mission might be broad enough to assume responsibility for ensuring the quality of social media posts. It would be a considerable stretch, though, and staffing would be more connected with fact-checkers than systematic hardware and software testing. So you might start with them for the general model but then move to create another fact organization mainly focused on the veracity of information. Funded by social media companies, the organizations goal would be to provide a remedy to the spread of false information and protect the firms supporting it from excessive government interference, liability and extreme penalties. It would need not only fact-checking elements but defensive litigation elements, so that it could both ensure and protect the decisions it makes concerning content and banning users. Bans could cross all social media platforms. Its efforts could include identity solutions that would monitor behavior to identify banned users who tried to reenter using new IDs. Instead of going after the social media companies individually, governments would be forced to challenge an organization explicitly designed to weather these kinds of attacks. For example, if the president were banned, he likely would be banned on all major platforms. His recourse would be to attack the regulatory body that already would be ramped for defense. Further, it would have access to both the major news organizations and social media platforms, along with the courts, for to mount itd defense. If set up properly, it could call on the resources of the combined social media companies to defend their decision and protect their mission. This group could be focused on addressing other problems, like illegal or illicit behavior on the platforms, with a high probability of mitigating or preventing that behavior before traditional law enforcement got involved, avoiding damage to the related brand image and significantly reducing harmful behavior. Wrapping Up We have a plague of false information, and it costs lives. There is little doubt that once this pandemic settles down, the amount of civil litigation that will result will be unprecedented, and networks that have been promoting false information, as well as the social media networks that have spread it, may face unprecedented liability. News organizations do have protections that social media companies dont. Still, I doubt theyll hold given the massive number of deaths. At an estimated liability of $10M per case, there arent a lot of countries let alone companies that could bear the economic burden. Creating a collective firewall against that eventuality now could reduce liability significantly. More importantly, by ensuring that information provided is accurate, a significant number of lives could be saved. What Im suggesting is adoption of the Underwriters Labs model for information accuracy, with enhanced enforcement and the ability to requisition resources from participating companies to form a defense against powerful politicians who compromise the platforms and put them at risk. The organizations mission would include the identification and elimination of illegal activity on the platforms as well. We refer to the Internet as the Wild West. To address crimes in that era, marshals were established as a locally funded law enforcement agency that reduced the need for government-funded law enforcement. Jack Dorsey and Twitter cant fight off the president alone, but the technology industry collectively could. It is past time for it to step up to this responsibility, because this pandemic has showcased that the effective use of fake news has put the industry and the nation at mortal risk. Currently, AMD is unique in the market. Like Qualcomm does for smartphones, AMD provides both high-performance CPU and GPU technology to the platform. As a result, it can create synergy between core elements to provide extra performance. However, this advantage works only if the total solution is implemented. Sadly, that is rarely the case. Im into cars, and I just received a reminder of why it is essential to have a single entity undertake the solution. In my case, instead of using an engine builder to create a high-performance engine, I had my mechanic slap together a bunch of high-performance parts, and the result is that Im around 125 HP off from where I should have been. Now, this isnt a typical mistake for me, but it resulted from finding out too late that my existing engine was crap, and I didnt want to toss out the work wed done and start over, even though in hindsight, that is what should have happened. In my defense, Id wanted to do that, but my mechanic convinced me it would be a waste of money. I now have a new mechanic. The Dell G5 15E is one of the rare exceptions in which the performance components were specified mainly by AMD against a Dell requirement. The result is a gaming laptop that performs in line with other gaming laptops, costing half-again as much. Dell G5 15 Special Edition Gaming Laptop Should you ever make it back into an office, this laptop looks like a business machine, so it doesnt carry the stigma that bringing a more traditional gaming laptop into the office might create. What also makes this laptop unique is that Frank Azor, known for Dells highly successful Alienware and XPS efforts, left Dell and joined AMD during the development of this product and formed a powerful bridge between the firms. I think efforts like this are critical to returning excitement to this segment. Much like the Corvette C8 is making supercars affordable, for example, it will help make PCs exciting again. Oh, and it is a bargain, so it is a natural candidate for my product of the week. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECT News Network. Post-resumption of tolling, toll collections reached 30-35% of pre-COVID-19 levels in last week of April 2020, which subsequently improved to 50-55% in May 2020, it added. Mumbai: The National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI)decision to extend concession period for toll road operators to compensate for toll revenue loss during the lockdown is unlikely to provide adequate relief to the concessionaires, ICRA said on Monday. The Ministry of Road Transportation and Highways (MORTH) had suspended tolling on all national highways for a 25-day period between 26 March 2020 to 19 April 2020. According to the rating agency, the extension of concession period by 3-6 months will not compensate for the loss incurred by concessionaires, who have a longer balance concession period (more than five years), during the period of lockdown. The agency noted that entities which suffered a maximum of 18 percent revenue loss and have a balance concession period of up to five years are the only ones which are better off with the extension in concession period as they are protected in net present value terms. "However, the relief will not be helpful for those having higher losses (more than 18 percent), despite having a balance concession period of up to 5 years. Also, those having a balance concession period of 15-20 years, this extension of 3-6 months will provide no relief," it said. Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak Post-resumption of tolling, toll collections reached 30-35 percent of pre-COVID-19 levels in last week of April 2020, which subsequently improved to 50-55 percent in May 2020, it added. "On an annual basis, for projects witnessing up to 25 percent loss in revenue, the extension in concession period would be 90 days and for projects witnessing more than 50 percent dip in toll collections the increase in concession period is capped at 180 days," ICRA said. Rajeshwar Burla, Vice President, Corporate Ratings, ICRA said, "In net present value terms, the relief measure does not adequately compensate for the losses incurred by the majority of the operational BOT (build, operate, transfer) toll road projects. "Such departure from the concession agreement could have been avoided as it may have ramifications on attracting investments in TOT (toll, operate, transfer) and NHAI's InvIT," Burla said. Apart from extension of the concession period, NHAI's relief package also includes providing loans to concessionaires who have not availed or have not been granted moratorium under RBI guidelines. Many BOT concessionaires have already opted for loan moratorium on their project debt, thus, in such cases, the quantum of COVID-19 loan eligibility is not significant. However, for the entities that have not opted for loan moratorium earlier, the COVID-19 loan is a positive from a liquidity point of view, the agency noted. "Nevertheless, this approach may end up becoming contentious with concessionaires disputing the proposed relief measures. "Also, these measures discriminate between concessionaires as entities that have not opted for loan moratorium earlier are better off they would now have access to COVID-19 loan from NHAI at a much cheaper rate of bank rate plus 200 basis points with flexible repayment terms," Burla added. Chennai, June 1 : Forty-six year old C. Mohan's phone has been ringing continuously ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday mentioned about him in his 'Mann ki Baat' radio programme. "I have lost count of the number of calls I have received. It could be over 250 calls," Mohan told IANS. During his Mann ki Baat programme, Modi said Mohan, who owns a salon in Madurai, had spent his entire savings to help people in distress during the Covid-19 lockdown. "Shri Mohan ji runs a salon in Madurai. Through sheer hard work, he had saved five lakh rupees for his daughter's education. But he spent the entire amount in the service of the needy and the underprivileged in these difficult times," Modi had said on Sunday. According to Mohan, he had saved the amount for his daughter M. Nethra's education. She is now in eighth standard. "Originally, we were from Ramanathapuram district. We came to Madurai twenty years ago and set up the shop," Mohan said. He said it was Nethra who was very much moved by the people's distress during the lockdown and urged to help them. Then Mohan dipped into his savings of Rs 5 lakh and donated essentials to about 600 families. This he did despite the fact that his salon was closed for two months as part of Covid-19 lockdown and he had no income during that period. According to him, the money could be saved later also but help for the people in distress had to be rendered immediately. On Monday, a steady stream of visitors - media and others - were at his home to wish him. At a time when corporates are demanding the lenders to write off part of their loan/interest dues, Mohan's gesture is nothing but appreciable. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text 25 years ago: US fighter jet shot down as Bosnian war escalates Capt. Scott O-Grady at a press conference after his release On June 2, 1995, a United States Air Force F-16 jet was shot down by Bosnian Serb forces over Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it was patrolling a NATO no-fly zone. The rescue effort for its pilot, Captain Scott OGrady, was used by the Clinton administration to divert public attention from the crisis of US foreign policy and the drift toward an all-out war in the Balkans that had been escalating in prior weeks. OGrady eluded capture for a week before his rescue on June 8. The enormous efforts by Washington to rescue the downed pilot came in the midst of a dramatic escalation of the Bosnian crisis, a chapter in the imperialist break-up of Yugoslavia, a series of wars and massacres that led to tens of thousands of deaths and made millions of refugees among all of the regions ethnic and religious communities. UN sources reported that the Bosnian Muslim government was massing up to 30,000 soldiers outside Sarajevo in preparation for an offensive aimed at breaking the siege of the Bosnian capital, and had reportedly given an ultimatum to a Canadian battalion of the UN peacekeeping forces to withdraw. One UN official told Reuters, Theres never been a massing of troops like this in the Bosnian war. Bosnian Serbs, meanwhile, had announced a general mobilization to counter the military buildup. After Bosnian Serbs seized hundreds of UN troops as hostages, UN officials signaled that they would no longer order NATO air strikes against Serb military targets. Britain, which along with France had the largest contingent of UN troops in the former Yugoslav republic, warned that a Muslim offensive around Sarajevo could potentially provoke a UN withdrawal. Before the plane was shot down, the US, Britain, and France had all dispatched military reinforcements in response to the mounting crisis between UN and Bosnian Serb forces. The month prior saw not only the shelling of Sarajevo and Tuzla by Serb gunners, but also the May 1 Croatian government offensive against the Serb-populated region of the western Slavonia region, which claimed hundreds of lives and turned thousands more into refugees. 50 years ago: Nixon and intelligence chiefs draw up Huston Plan J. Edgar Hoover, center, and Richard Nixon, right. Pictured with Bebe Rebozo, a banker and political crony of Nixon On June 5, 1970 US President Richard Nixon met with four heads of American intelligence agencies to draw up a new domestic spying plan. The Huston Plan, named after White House aide Tom Charles Huston who authored its original draft, outlined a massive expansion of operations against anti-war and left-wing organizations. Present at the meeting were J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI, Richard Helms of the CIA, Noel Gayler of the National Security Administration, and Donald V. Bennett of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Hoover, whose career as anti-democratic bureaucrat stretched back to World War I, served as the chair of the meeting. According to documents declassified in 2003, the purpose of the Huston Plan was for the FBI, CIA, NSA and DIA to provide the president with information on the efforts of new left subversive groups in directing dissident activities in the United States. The plan outlined the removal of significant restrictions on intelligence collecting. Powers granted to the intelligence groups would include the intensification of phone surveillance, the intercepting of the mail of targeted groups and individuals, an expansion of the number of groups designated for infiltration, and the monitoring of students studying or traveling abroad. Some elements of the Huston Plan were not new and had been staples of the FBIs COINTELPRO, which had been operating since 1956. The Huston Plan was intended to deepen this work and expand its tactics and collaboration across all of the intelligence branches, dissolving the constitutional and legal barriers between foreign and domestic espionage, to create a single, massive spying network. The Huston Plan was officially called off by Nixon in July 1970, just one day before it was to go into effect. However, much of the framework and strategy of the plan continued to be used by the intelligence agencies. Some of the activities prompted by the plan included the creation of Nixons special intelligence group the Plumbers Unit and the raid on the office of Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg in 1971. The Huston Plan came one month after massive anti-war demonstrations shook the US in the wake of the illegal invasion of Cambodia. Nixon and the ruling class response was to meet these protests with brute force, exemplified in the killing of students at Kent State in Ohio and Jackson College in Mississippi. 75 years ago: Pope Pius XII warns of the threat of revolution in Europe Pius XII's nuncio to Germany throughout World War II, Cesare Orsenigo, with Hitler and Joachim von Ribbentrop On June 2, 1945, Pope Pius XII warned in an address to the College of Cardinals that the fragile peace established in Europe with the defeat of the Nazi regime by the Allied powers could give way to socialist revolutions of the working class. The war, the Pope stated, had created one of the gravest perils not only for religion and morality but also for harmonious relations between men. It has, above all, created those mobs of dispossessed, disillusioned, disappointed and hopeless men who are going to swell the ranks of revolution and disorder, in the pay of a tyranny no less despotic than those for whose overthrow men planned. The Pope condemned any attempts to establish a new political or cultural system. He cited Jesus, declaring: Poor world, to which then might be applied the words of Christ: And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. In other words, the prospect of the establishment of workers power was worse than the fascist regimes. Pius made this plain by bemoaning the sweeping advances of the Soviet Red Army throughout Eastern Europe, where it overthrew right-wing dictatorships that had been aligned with the German Third Reich and the Vatican. His comments were made amid mass ferment throughout Western Europe and internationally, as millions of workers and anti-fascist partisans strove for a decisive settlement with the capitalist system, which they correctly recognized as the source of the horrors of the previous six years. Much of Pius speech was a tortured attempt to explain away the Churchs signing of a concordat with Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler when he came to power in 1933. This, he claimed, had been the only way for Catholics to gain an assurance of respect for their convictions, for their faith, rights or liberty of action. Pius hypocritical denunciations of the Nazis as satanic were aimed at covering up the Churchs collaboration with the fascist regimes and preparing broad sections of the clergy, who had supported those extreme right-wing governments, to make the necessary adjustment to align with the victorious Allied powers. The Church had not only colluded with Hitler, but was also intimately involved in the war crimes committed by Benito Mussolinis fascist regime in Italy, along with the brutal suppression of the Spanish Revolution and the establishment of a military dictatorship under General Francisco Franco. As he was speaking, senior figures within the Church were involved in establishing rat lines that would allow fascist criminals to escape justice, including by fleeing to Latin America. 100 years ago: Ku Klux Klan launches recruitment drive William Joseph Simmons, "Imperial Wizard" of the Ku Klux Klan On June 7, 1920, William Simmons, the Imperial Wizard of the fascist Ku Klux Klan (KKK), hired the Southern Publicity Association (SPA), a reactionary PR firm owned by Klan member Edward Young Clarke, and Mary Elizabeth Tyler, a member of the Klans womens organization, the Daughters of America, to conduct a systematic recruitment drive for new members. Under the guidance of the SPA, Klan propaganda aggressively targeted blacks, Jews, Catholics, immigrants and socialists, and advocated 100% Americanism. The SPA hired organizers and the firm received a portion of the $10 initiation fee. In six months the KKK had grown to 85,000 members. At its peak in the mid-1920s, it had 4-5 million members. Simmons had founded the second Klan, in 1915 after he had seen Birth of a Nation, the film by D.W. Griffith, which depicted the first Klan of the reconstruction period following the Civil War as heroic. Simmons also utilized the imagery and ideology in the novels about Reconstruction on which the film was based, The Leopard s Spots (1902), The Clansman (1905), and The Traitor (1907) by white supremacist author Thomas Dixon. Dixon was also deeply anti-socialist and wrote a novel that was turned into the 1919 film, Bolshevism on Trial . The growth of the Klan was the product of the reaction by the ruling class and sections of the lower middle class to the tumultuous struggles of the working class after the war, including the great coal and steel strikes of 1919, and the formation of the Communist Party, which was spurred on by the Russian Revolution of 1917. As a battering ram against the working class, the Klan operated with the tacit encouragement of the federal government. It marked in several respects a carryover from the state-sponsored nationalist propaganda during World War I and the governments efforts to suppress the working class, especially the assault on socialists, Communists and anarchists by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer after 1919. Dave Turnier processes mail-in ballots at at the Chester County Voter Services office in West Chester. Read more HARRISBURG, Pa. A primary election like none other in state history awaits Pennsylvania voters Tuesday, when those who have not contributed to the flood of mail-in ballots may encounter new machines designed to improve security by creating a verifiable paper record. Polling places in some counties have been moved or consolidated to cope with a pandemic-driven drop in election volunteers, and special social distancing rules will be in place at the still-open locations. Twenty-two counties, or about one-third, will use new voting systems for the first time, while this election marks the debut of no-excuse mail-in ballots under a law approved by Gov. Tom Wolf and lawmakers last fall. More than 1.8 million voters applied for a mail-in or absentee ballot, smashing expectations by state officials. But some officials have said they worried that voters wouldn't receive their ballot in time to return it by the 8 p.m. election day deadline. Delaware County, which already sent out approximately 80,000 ballots, said it was still sending out 6,000 ballots on Monday, and that another 400 would not be mailed to voters who had requested them due to "timing and staffing constraints." READ MORE: The top races to watch in Tuesdays Pennsylvania primary Voters who do not receive their ballot in the mail can vote provisionally at their polling location. In addition, Delaware County, Philadelphia and some other counties were providing ballot drop-off spots. In a video conference with reporters on Monday, Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar said state elections officials were monitoring nationwide protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis but have not made any changes to voting as a result. Boockvar said more than a million voters have already cast ballots by mail or by dropping them off at county elections offices. Boockvar said results in close races may be delayed and urged voters to be patient. Its not going to look or feel as it has in non-pandemic times, and the results may take longer, she said. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. The result of the highest profile contests on the ballot are a foregone conclusion, as President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden are the presumptive major-party nominees. The only statewide races are for the row offices attorney general, auditor general and treasurer. Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro is unopposed in seeking his party's nomination, as is Pittsburgh lawyer Heather Heidelbaugh for the GOP nod. There is a six-candidate Democratic primary and a lone Republican seeking the nominations for attorney general, as incumbent Eugene DePasquale is term-limited. Unopposed in the treasurer primary are incumbent Democrat Joe Torsella and Republican Stacy Garrity. All 18 of the state's members of the U.S. House of Representatives are seeking reelection, although only two have primary opposition from within their own party suburban Philadelphia Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican, and Pittsburgh Rep. Mike Doyle, a Democrat. In the Legislature, all 203 House seats and half the 50-member Senate are up this year. The most notable vacancies were created by the retirements of House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, and Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson. There are 17 retirements in the state House, which currently has a 110-93 Republican majority, and two in the Senate, where the GOP, with one independent, holds a 29-21 margin. Primary voters will also pick delegates and alternates for the two major parties presidential nominating conventions. The election was postponed from April 28 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the meantime, Pennsylvania voters have returned about 1.1 million ballots by mail of the 1.8 million requested. Before last fall's state law, those who did not wish to cast their ballots in person had to provide one of a limited number of permitted excuses to qualify for an absentee ballot. The unexpected volume of mail-in ballot requests has proven to be a challenge for county elections officials, and they are warning that election results are likely to be delayed well past election night. Where those delays will occur and how long it will take to get results are open questions. The conversion to new machines caused some problems in November, including malfunctions in Northampton County that one official likened to a three-alarm fire. All the classic, creative elegance of traditional Venetian glassblowing meets the playful nature of the circus in a new line of lighting called Balloon Collection. Representing a collaboration between design brand Magic Circus Editions and esteemed glassmaker Venini, these pendant lamps look a bit like confectionary delights dangling from the ceiling. Magic Circus Editions and Venini's Envisioned by designer Marie-Lise Fery and brought to life by Venini, Balloon blends a little bit of decadent French cabaret style with the timeless look of mouth-blown glass. Each pendant lamp is fitted with an energy-efficient LED bulb and features a fluted shape, with either a brass or nickel base in polished or brushed finish. The two designs include the swirling Canne and the flower-bud-like Spirale. Magic Circus Editions and Venini's Tasty, playful, and wonderful, the new Balloon collection by Magic Circus Editions defies gravity with haute-couture, weightless designs, states a press release on the collection. Are they giant beehives or helium-filled balloons from our childhood memories? This is the elegant fantasy world suggested by these mouth-blown creations featuring colorful and warped motifs crafted with exquisite fineness. The fourth collection by Magic Circus Editions was made possible by the brands alliance with Venini glassworks. Widely recognized as one of the greatest representatives of Murano glass artistry since it was founded in 1921, the company has lent the talents of its glassworkers to some of the most prominent names in art and design, from Ettore Sottsass to Tadao Ando. Magic Circus Editions and Venini's Coming in various shades of vivid red, cobalt blue, sunny yellow, and a range of pastels, the swirling stripes of the lamps really do evoke a vintage circus aesthetic and cute little wrapped candies all at once. Best of all, theyre sculptural and undeniably fun a characteristic the modern design world could certainly use a bit more of. They dont come cheap, though. you can find them for upwards of 5,000 each at fine lighting retailers like Eames. Story continues Magic Circus Editions founder Fery approached the project with a sense of humor, aiming to bring a little bit of fantasy into the world of high-end lighting. The designers approach to her work is to use light to tell stories, offering a new take to shift perspectives of what lighting can look like and achieve. Calling herself a free-spirited antiquarian, Fery is known for blending modern and retro elements for pieces that feel fresh and unique. Magic Circus Editions and Venini's Venini was founded in 1921 by Milanese lawyer Paolo Venini, Venetian antiquarian Giacamo Cappellin, and Venetian artist Vittorio Zecchin, establishing a stylistic identity that embraces the avant-garde while mastering glassmaking techniques with the help of Venices most talented artisans. The brand shot to fame with its iconic Veronese vase, which remains its best-known work to to this day, and has been elevating the profile of Venetian glass around the world for nearly a century since. Magic Circus Editions and Venini's The brands website explains that countless artists have collaborated with VENINI, past and present. Theyve come from all over the planet to meet the mysterious charm of the fornace (kiln). Each encounter gives life to a cross-contamination between artisanship, Muranos glassmaking heritage, avant-garde design, and the purest form of creativity. An endless adventure that embodies the identity of VENINI. A final year Junior High School student has allegedly committed suicide at Nakaba, a suburb of Enchi in the Aowin Municipality of the Western North Region. The body of the deceased, Prince Meisu, 14, was discovered hanging on a cross bar in his place of abode. The Enchi District Police Commander, Superintendent of Police Bernard Akotoge who confirmed the story to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said on Saturday, May 30, 2020, Opanin John Kojo Asemiah, the deceased grandfather reported to the Enchi Police post that at about 1600 hours on that day, Meisu returned from town but few minutes later they detected he had committed suicide. He said the police proceeded to the crime scene and found the deceased lying on a bed with a whitish substance foaming from his mouth. According to Superintendent Akotoge, the Police suspects no foul play as there were no marks of violence when the body was inspected. He said the body has since been conveyed and deposited at the Enchi Government hospital morgue for preservation awaiting autopsy with investigations on going. ---GNA Russia has lost its long-held monopoly as the only country able to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station following the flawless manned launch by US company SpaceX. The Russian space agency congratulated the United States and Elon Musk's SpaceX on the first crewed flight ever by a private company, but experts said the launch should be a wakeup call for Roscosmos. "The success of the mission will provide us with additional opportunities that will benefit the whole international programme," cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, Roscosmos executive director for crewed space programmes, said in a brief video address. Saturday's launch was the first of American astronauts from US soil since the mothballing of the US shuttle programme in 2011 that left Russia's more basic and reliable Soyuz spacecraft solely responsible for transporting crews. Astronauts since then have all trained at Star City outside Moscow and studied Russian before blasting off from Baikonur launchpad in Kazakhstan. "These flights have been an unexpected chance for Moscow to keep producing Soyuz and retain a significant voice in negotiations over the ISS," said Isabelle Sourbes-Verger, a specialist in space policy at the French National Centre for Scientific Research. The Russian space agency has also earned large sums by ferrying astronauts: a seat in the Soyuz costs NASA around $80 million. If SpaceX starts taking up all US astronauts, "the annual losses could be more than $200 million, a significant loss for Roscosmos's budget of around $2 billion," said Andrei Ionin, an expert at the Tsiolkovsky Space Academy in Moscow. While Musk, the ambitious entrepreneur behind SpaceX, has named the price of a seat on his spacecraft as $60 million, Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin has announced Russia is working to cut its price by 30 percent. Ionin voiced scepticism over the plan. "SpaceX is saving money by using cheap engines and manufacturing almost all its own parts," he said. "To do this, Russia would have to change its production process." Another option is a barter system proposed by NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine: for every Russian riding in a US spaceship, one American would take a Soyuz. - 'Wakeup call' - In a broader sense, the appearance of a rival such as SpaceX should be a "wakeup call" for the Russian space industry, which is "in far worse shape than those in charge admit," said Ionin. A decade ago Russia was behind a large proportion of the world's launches, but that is no longer the case today due to competition from China and SpaceX. "When we were losing the launches market, Roscosmos said everything was fine because we were the only ones sending people up to the ISS. Now that fig leaf has fallen off." The Russian space agency has also earned large sums by ferrying astronauts / Russian Space Agency Roscosmos/AFP/File Russia's space sector is marred by corruption, with multiple scandals over the construction of the new Vostochny launchpad in the Far East. The country's space industry has also failed to innovate, concentrating on modifying "Soviet technology without any major evolution," Ionin said. The Russian space programme is renowned for having sent the first man into space in 1961 and launching the first satellite four years earlier, and its achievements remain a major source of national pride. But more recently it has endured a series of setbacks, notably losing expensive spacecraft and satellites in recent years. The rise of private companies like SpaceX, which has ambitions to conquer Mars, risks leaving Russia irrecoverably far behind, experts said. - Mars next? - For Russia to keep up, a government body independent of the space sector's main players needs to develop a new strategy, Ionin said. "US President (Donald) Trump reestablished a body -- the National Space Council -- to set policy goals. We need to do the same thing." Some observers sense a lack of political will from President Vladimir Putin who appears to be more focused on using rocket science to develop military capabilities, particularly hypersonic missiles. "For Putin, space exploration isn't a priority when it comes to showing off the might of the state," said independent space expert Vitaly Yegorov. Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a video link with cosmonauts onboard the International Space Station / SPUTNIK/AFP/File For Ionin, reinvigorating the Russian space programme requires international cooperation, too. Sourbes-Verger suggested any manned international mission to Mars "could be an opportunity for Russia to regain its standing by sharing its skills." But, she said, the costs of any such mission would be so high that China -- now the world's second space power in terms of launches -- would need to be included. Yet that prospect seems unlikely, she added, given that "the US Congress refuses any space cooperation with China." Im grateful that someone felt that I was worthy enough to be nominated, says Graham Preston on hearing that he was being awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education. Graham was the key driver of the establishment of the Bethlehem Educational Campus in Tauranga. It is representing a special type of education, a special character and faith-based education. Were grateful that New Zealand is a country where Christian families can choose a Christian education, and its supported by the Government to allow us to do it, says Graham. The Christian Education Trust was formed in 1986 to acquire a suitable site for Grahams vision of an independent school founded on Christian principles. Campus development began in 1988 and today the campus includes Bethlehem Tertiary Institute, an onsite early childhood learning centre, and four other centres. Once we took the plunge then Government supported us later. So were very grateful that we can provide a quality Christ-centred education. Graham and his wife Vicky have been married 52 years and have tried to do everything together. When the vision of Bethlehem became urgent I asked Vicky if she would release me to do this because it would be demanding, not just a nine-to-five job, and we had two children who were coming in towards their teenage years. She made it possible, she never grumbled, she never stopped me. She was always there, when I was down, she always encouraged me. So it was a joint endeavour. Graham also acknowledges that it was far more than just the two of them. There were literally hundreds of people that were a part of what I would call the Bethlehem campus governance team and leadership team, and all volunteers, all committed and all singing from the same song sheet and not worrying about who was getting the credit. I stand totally amazed at the team that surrounded me. It was just a joy. Graham first had the vision for the college early in his adult life. I came to the Lord when I was 20 and I sensed a call, literally a voice in my hearing and I looked around and wondered who was talking to me telling me that my destiny lay in developing a Christian school. I didnt know what that was, I just assumed it was church-based. About 17 years after that word, I sensed God say do it. And do it now. And so thats what we did. The Christian Education Trust was formed in 1986. It was charged with fulfilling the dream. In 1987 we purchased the first block of 120 acres to get the job done and in July 1988 the first student started. Graham was Principal of Bethlehem College from 1988 until 2006. In 1999 Bethlehem College became a state integrated school and now has a roll of more than 1,700 with 60 international students. From 2009 to 2016 Graham helped establish Chapman College in Rotorua. He established a network of smaller Christian schools across Gisborne, Taupo, Rotorua, Matamata, Paeroa, Whakatane, Hamilton and Te Awamutu for sporting and cultural event exchanges. Graham has been Chairman of the New Zealand Association of Christian Schools and the Association of Integrated Schools. He helped establish the New Zealand Christian Proprietors Trust for the extension and support of non-denominational Christian education. He has also undertaken reviews of special character schools in New Zealand and Australia, and initiated professional development opportunities for educators in Christian Education through the Koinonia Institute. He was also involved with the establishment of the Amped for Life Drug Education Trust. The Bay of Plenty is the most wonderful place, and if I had to choose any other place in the world it would still be here, says Graham. To be able to work with people who are so positive and warm, and people who have made the dream possible is just so enormous. Its just mind-boggling really. I thank all of those people, and governments, and civil authorities even though they were hard at times, we did get there, and came to our rescue on many occasions. It is a community effort, and to each and every one who made it all possible and continue to do it by supporting us, a big thanks. The Chronicle began covering the coronavirus crisis before the first cases were reported in the Bay Area and a pandemic was declared. We reorganized the newsroom to dedicate nearly every resource to stories focusing on the health and economic disasters. Every day we have published live updates to reflect the most critical local, national and global updates on COVID-19, and this news is free of charge in an effort to keep our community safe and informed. Read the previous batch of updates from May 29-30. Read the previous batch of updates from June 2-3. See the full timeline. Updates from Monday, June 1: 4:41 p.m. Bay Area hospitalizations fall: The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the nine Bay Area counties fell from 265 on Saturday to 257 on Sunday, according to state data analyzed by The Chronicle. The number of Bay Area residents in the intensive care unit rose to 108 on Sunday, up from 98 on Saturday an increase largely driven by a doubling of ICU patients in San Mateo County, from 13 to 26. 3:57 p.m. Company misses safety review deadline in Gavin Newsoms nearly $1 billion mask deal: Californias highly touted medical mask deal with a Chinese manufacturer could be canceled after the company failed to obtain a federal safety certification by the May 31 deadline. The Chronicles Dustin Gardiner has the story. 3:55 p.m. Santa Clara County eases shelter-in-place order: Select businesses in Santa Clara County can re-open Friday and low-risk activities can resume under an amended shelter-in-place order that allows for in-store shopping, outdoor dining, manufacturing, small business services and childcare programs, officials announced Monday. The order will also allow outdoor religious, cultural and civic gatherings of up to 25 people. 3:52 p.m. Tesla safety criticized: A Tesla worker is criticizing the company, saying workers at the reopened factory lack protective gear and safe distance from others. 2:37 p.m. One new death reported in Contra Costa County: Health officials said one additional person has died from COVID-19 in Contra Costa County, bringing the total number of deaths to 38 on Monday. Twenty-one new cases were confirmed for a total of 1,468 in the county. The countys previous death was reported May 24. 2:29 p.m. Contra Costa County considers loosening restrictions: Health officials in Contra Costa County are considering loosening restrictions on office-based businesses, services that dont require close customer contact, outdoor museums, indoor retail shops, childcare and outdoor social gatherings. Details of specific restrictions that will be reduced are expected to be released on Tuesday, according to health officials. 1:05 Stock markets rise to kick off June: U.S. stocks rose Monday amid increasing hope of a reopening economy. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 107 points, or 0.4%. The S&P 500 climbed 0.5% while the Nasdaq Composite added 0.8%. The major averages had fallen slightly when the markets opened. 1:02 p.m. State officials conducted 67,000 coronavirus tests Sunday: Gov. Newsom said state officials conducted 67,000 coronavirus tests yesterday, and he urged people to visit the states website to find a testing site near them if they want to get tested. People are being tested, Newsom said when asked if he was concerned people were not being tested due to demonstrations. 11:47 a.m. New Ebola outbreak found in Democratic Republic of the Congo: World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Six cases have been found and four of those peole have died, he said. The country is also in final phase of battling Ebola in eastern DRC, #COVID19 & the worlds largest measles outbreak, Ghebreyesus said in a tweet. 11:21 a.m. Inmate in San Bernardino County dies of suspected COVID-19: A 10th inmate at the California Institution for Men in San Bernardino County has died of what officials say appears to be COVID-19 complications. The exact cause of death had not been determined yet, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. No further information about the person was released. 10:54 a.m. The Stud marks end of an era: A virtual drag funeral on Sunday officially marked the end of San Franciscos oldest gay bar. The legendary spot at Ninth and Harrison streets hopes to reopen at a new location, but while the coronavirus pandemic continues to keep bars and nightclubs closed, The Stud will remain shut as well. Read details from last nights event here. 10 a.m. Tolling resumes on Bay Area express lanes: Citing a rise in traffic as shelter-in-place restrictions are relaxed, the Bay Areas three express lane operators the Alameda County Transportation Commission, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission resumed weekday tolling on Monday. MTC officials said that commuters can expect several Bay Area transit agencies to soon resume express bus services after temporarily suspending operations. 9:15 a.m. How to throw parties on Zoom during a pandemic: Despite coronavirus, life goes on and so do parties. Make yours a success with a plan that you email to guests beforehand, and dont forget tech support. Read the full story. 8:09 a.m. San Francisco records additional death: A 43rd person in San Francisco has died of COVID-19 and 12 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed, bringing the number of known cases to 2,570, according to the Department of Public Health. 7:57 a.m. Tests on remdesivir drug touted as potential cure shows limited benefits: A phase 3 trial of the drug remdesivir, which is manufactured by Gilead Sciences Inc., showed only a limited benefit in a large trial of patients with moderate symptoms of COVID-19, according to a Bloomberg report. 6:35 a.m. Shares drop after May rally: Worries about consumer confidence following coast-to-coast protests weighed on shares Monday morning. The Dow dropped 0.5% as more than half of a group of chief financial officers surveyed by CNBC said they expected shares to drop back to 19,000 before rebounding to pre-coronavirus levels. 6:15 a.m. Global cases creeps toward 6.2 million: The number of cases of the coronavirus across the globe reached 6,194,508 as of Monday morning, while 372,501 people have died from COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. Updates from Sunday, May 31: 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. 4:24 p.m. Mayor of nations capital worried about COVID-19 resurgence: Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said Sunday she was very concerned that the protests could provide fertile ground for a new series of coronavirus outbreaks. Many D.C. protesters wore masks, but without social distancing. Weve been working very hard in these last eight to 10 weeks to not have any mass gatherings, Bowser said. As a nation, we have to be concerned about a rebound. 3:49 p.m. Bay Area hospital cases reach 2-week high: The number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in hospitals in the nine Bay Area counties rose to 265 on Saturday, the areas highest one-day total since May 14, according to state data reviewed by The Chronicle. The number had decreased to 231 on May 21. Alameda County has seen the steepest climb, reporting 105 hospital cases on Saturday, its highest one-day total since at least April 1. 3:31 p.m. Santa Clara County infections rise again: Santa Clara County recorded 46 new cases of the coronavirus, a one-day jump that brought the countys total so far to 2 776 cases. Officials reported no additional deaths. 2:15 p.m. Miami beaches stay closed in light of violence, vandalism: Miami-Dade will not allow beaches to reopen as planned Monday, Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced Sunday after a night of vandalism, theft and damaged storefronts in downtown Miami. Reopening the coast was to have kicked off revival of the industry and local recreation after 10 weeks of closure under COVID-19 orders. Gimenez said beach closures will last until a countywide curfew is lifted. 2:00 p.m. Social distance out the window at protests: As protests over the police killing of a handcuffed George Floyd in Minneapolis have swept the nation, progress on safeguards against the deadly coronavirus pandemic has eroded at least at demonstrations. A flier announcing a Sunday protest in Washington bore a picture of a face mask, but demonstrators have all but abandoned notions of social distancing designed to slow the diseases spread. 12:40 p.m. Testing centers closed in LA due to protests: Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said all COVID-19 testing centers in the city closed as of Saturday due to safety concerns as protests against the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis continued. It was not clear if the closures extended throughout the county where 36 free testing locations, can reach 20,000 people a day. 12:28 p.m. Cases creep up in Bay Area: San Francisco recorded another 26 cases of the coronavirus and another death in the lastest single-day counts, officials reported Sunday. Alameda County added 101 cases and 1 death to its cumulative total as it continued to rise as the Bay Areas hardest hit area, and Contra Costa County added 24 cases, but no additional deaths. 11:50 a.m. Its not just Trump some people just wont wear masks: Mask-wearing is increasingly mandated by businesses and jurisdictions, and some believe the rules should be broader. University of San Francisco researchers wrote an open letter signed by more than 100 scientists urging governors to require masks in public. Some people just dont want to do it, however, and one poll finds that 8% see it as a sign of weakness. Read the full story here. 9:15 a.m. LA mayor rues toxic mix of pandemic, protests: Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said the convergence of protests that erupted after Minneapolis police killed a black man as the nation grapples with the coronavirus pandemic represented the heaviest moment Ive experienced as a resident of Los Angeles since the riots in 1992, the Los Angeles Times reports. This was supposed to be a weekend of openings, and then we saw the closing of a life in Minneapolis, Garcetti told reporters Saturday. 8:53 a.m. SF homeless tents sprawling more than ever: In the four weeks since San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced an ambitious plan to clean up and slow the flood of homeless tents in the Tenderloin, there have been some small improvements but there are more tents than ever. The Chronicles Phil Matier has the story. 8:40 a.m. Coronavirus health, behavior legacy yet to come: Beyond COVID-19s roulette wheel of infection, life and death, researchers are looking into another insidious danger that the disease could be inflicting lasting, even permanent, damage on its victims. Evidence is mounting of a variety of chronic problems. Read Peter Fimrites story here. 8:16 a.m. Alameda County now in dubious No. 1 spot coronavirus leader in Bay Area: New cases of the coronavirus in Alameda County jumped more than 30% last week over the previous week, and the county has surpassed Santa Clara County as the Bay Areas hot spot. Expanded testing explains some of the increase in cases but theres more to it, officials say. Read the details from The Chronicles Erin Allday. Rajan Srinivasan, CEO & Founder, Scatter writes about marketers who are planning to beef up their content marketing teams Looking for a versatile writer who owns content and has what it takes to lead a team of writers and editors. Sounds familiar, right? This and a few other traits are on the wish list of every marketer looking to hire a content resource for their budding content marketing ecosystem. In fact, Im yet to meet a CMO who isnt looking to hire a content resource for their marketing team. Are you one of them? Are you looking to replace someone who is moving out, or are you building a content marketing team from scratch? Well, grab a cup of coffee and read on because Im going to share some secrets on building a world-class content marketing team. And these real-world learnings are from my experiences while building Indias first and largest content marketing practice Scatter. One month into the ongoing lockdown, I was talking to a couple of marketers from within the same organization. One was the marketing head and the other her deputy. They were looking to hire a content marketing resource and wanted to know if I could recommend a suitable person for the role. This would have been the first hire for their fledgling team. Curious, I asked the marketing head what her expectation was from the person she sought to hire. Her take: someone with a few years of experience, could write community content, emailers, blogs, website content and, work with internal teams and her content agency. The key asks: she wanted a writer more than anything else. Next day, I spoke to her deputy about the potential hire, and guess what. He had a completely different take. He was looking for someone who could build a content approach and writing was just half the job. A single role, yet the expectations from both people on the marketing team were so different. I could see them looking to replace this person within a few months of joining. Why you ask? Given the recent crisis that has engulfed all of us, content marketing has become even more central to marketing teams. Investment in content marketing activities and content marketing teams are sure to deliver a bigger bang for the buck. As a marketer, Im sure you know this. Therefore, you may be tempted to fill that content marketing role and fast. Read on to understand why you need to be strategic in your hire and desist the temptation of a quick hire. A writer is not a strategist: Always remember there is a difference between a writer (content creator) and a thinker (content strategist). That is not to say writers cant think but they are not the best-suited for crafting strategy. Their gift is unique; it is their storytelling abilities. So first off decide whether you need a content writer or a content strategist. Grey hairs matter: There is something to be said for experience. If this is your first hire in content creation, stay away from hiring someone with a few years of experience. My suggestion: Hire an editor more than a writer, especially if your organization has already begun creating content with external partners. Why? Because an editor can help the marketing team manage and supervise content production, direct a writer or writers collective and ensure a that the brands business objectives are well woven into content. Hiring an editor also works if you already have an inhouse team of writers and are looking at upping the ante on your content marketing quality. Even the best writer shouldnt edit their own work, someone famously said. Creative burnout is real: Understand creative fatigue and you will avoid content creator burnout and attrition. I realise as a marketing team you are feeding multiple platforms with multiple content formats and you still have so much to say. But remember if you dont back the first hire with another content marketing hire within 6 months, you are likely to go back to square one. You will post job ads having to build your team from scratch, yet again. The marketing head and the deputy I spoke to had unwittingly charted a clear path to potential employee burnout and mutual disappointment. Make sure you go for quality over quantity in content creation. Good content takes time and effort to create and be respectful of that. Build a team: I always tell my clients that they need to build a content marketing team. It could be a team of writers and editors. It could be a mix of creators and strategists. But its got to go beyond one person even if you happen to work with several freelancers or content creating companies. Like one swallow doesnt make a spring, one content marketing hire doesnt make content marketing success. Build this team fast and brace yourself for the great results content marketing success brings along. Think before hiring: If you run a search on building a content marketing team, most U.S. organizations will suggest hiring people from a journalistic background as a content writer or editor. Most blogs are three to five years old when we didnt have as many professional content marketing writers and editors. My personal experience in India has been the contrary. Some very senior journalists in India themselves have warned against getting their ilk on board. I did not agree and am four times bitten and eight times shy. Today, though the demand for content marketing writers/editors is still high, the supply-demand gap has narrowed. I think, content creation professionals who come from a branded content background fit better than a journalist or a copy writer. It all comes down to strategy, again: You cannot have a successful content marketing team without having a content strategist on board. They inherently understand what makes content marketing work and stand in between the marketing team and the content creators. They are invaluable when it comes to planning editorial calendars, working stylesheets, documenting a content marketing strategy, and measuring the efficiency of content that has been published by a brand. A good content marketing strategist will audit your content marketing, scan competitive content environment, work closely with SEO teams, and be adept and up-to-date with social and listening tools at the marketing teams disposal. The robust growth of digital marketing has not only made agencies more specialized but also made marketing teams a lot more granular. Most marketing teams have sub-teams that overlap in scope. Result: internal territorial battles over budgets, ideation, success, and laurels. It is very likely that content marketing teams will soon be the fulcrum of creating better customer experiences and sales. Invest today, both in time and money, to build that powerful content marketing team and see it future proof your organizations fortunes. Play this on the front foot and youre certain to hit the ball out of the park. Three Brantford men are facing charges after an alleged stabbing at a quarry in Hagersville on Saturday night. Haldimand OPP says a witness called 911 after seeing someone stabbed at the quarry on Concession 12 Walpole. The witness reported three men fleeing the scene on foot. The OPPs emergency response team arrested the three suspects not far from the quarry. The stabbing victim was taken to a hospital with serious injuries but is expected to recover. While piecing together what happened, officers learned that multiple people were at the quarry when three man confronted the victim. The four started arguing and the victim was allegedly stabbed. A second person intervened to help the victim and was also assaulted. A 19-year-old Brantford man is charged with aggravated assault, possessing a weapon, and disobeying a court order. Two 18-year-olds face assault charges, with one also charged with uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm. It is Immigrant Heritage Month, based on an article. It means that it is the month again for the people of the United States of America to celebrate the diversity brought in the country through immigration from different parts of the world. Celebrating The Immigrants Of The United States Based on an article, Immigrant Heritage Month is observed across the country to celebrate everything about immigrants from their culture, their contributions to the country, and everything about them through different media such as films, street festivals, and community conversations. However, it will be a challenge to hold in-person activities and events across the country as the coronavirus pandemic had introduced a new normal to everyone requiring various COVID-19 preventive measures such as social distancing and frequent cleaning and sanitation. One way of getting in the spirit of Immigrant Heritage Month by making adjustments on how it can be celebrated amid the constraints brought by the coronavirus pandemic. Based on an article, United We Dream, a youth-led group for Immigrants, had devised a way to help celebrate the awesomeness of immigrants across the United States. Additionally, the article states that United We Dream had collected recipes and putting them in a cookbook called 'Undocumented Cookbook.' The group had made the recipes available to everyone to recreate meals while still under quarantine. It means that those who cannot go outdoors can still celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month with their family with the recipes they can recreate from the collection. People can be protected from the coronavirus by choosing to cook at home the recipes from the cookbook. Check these out: Statistics on Immigration in the United States According to an article, there are more or less 44.7 million foreign-born citizens in the United States in 2018 out of the approximately 327.2 million total population of the country. Additionally, this total represents 13.7 percent of the total population of the country. The article also states that 44 percent of the country's immigrants are of Latin American descent. Additionally, a Latin American country gets the top spot as the largest group of immigrants in the United States. Mexico tops the list. It is followed by Indians, Chinese, and Filipinos. Other Latin American nations that take a spot in the top ten of the largest immigrant group in the country are El Salvador, Cuba, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. Furthermore, the United States had witnessed an incline in the total number of Venezuelan immigrants from 2010 to 2018 by 120 percent. One of the many reasons why immigrants should be celebrated in the country is their growing population and contributions to the U.S. economy. Based on an article, 28 percent of the total population of the country are foreign-born citizens and their children born in the United States. It proves that their population is growing and they need to be recognized in the country as contributors to the growth of the U.S. economy. Haiti - News : Zapping... North : 5 aftershocks in 24 hours The earthquake with a magnitude of 4.7 on the Richter scale recorded on Sunday morning northeast of Borgne (Northern Dept.), was followed by 5 aftershocks in the same area having magnitudes ranging from 2.6 to 3.4 on the Richter scale https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30906-haiti-flash-earthquake-of-47-in-the-north.html Traffic paralyzed on RN #1 Sunday morning traffic was paralyzed on the RN #1, at Cazeau (Tabarre). Angry residents have erected barricades to protest against the Haitian National Police (PNH) which, according to various accounts, having shot and injured on Saturday night two young people before continuing their patrol without helping the injured. MODEP calls for anti-government mobilization The Popular Democratic Movement (MODEP) called on the Government to avoid using the pandemic as a political and humanitarian tool and called for the continuation of anti-government mobilizations. The opposition platform urges the government to adopt measures such as reducing the prices of petroleum products and those of basic necessities. It also requires the state to provide good health and hygiene services, access to water, electricity, food and public transportation, while the country experiences a high rate of local transmission See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30920-haiti-covid-19-daily-report-june-1-2020.html The Dominicans enter the space age The Dominicans are working on the design and manufacture of their first artificial nanosatelitte called "QuisqueyaSat-1". This project designed and coordinated by the astronautical and aerospace engineer Edwin Sanchez Camilo results from the collaboration between the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology and the "Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo" (INTEC) through National fund for innovation and scientific and technological development, support from the Dominican Institute for Civil Aviation and the Higher Defense Institute. The "QuisqueyaSat-1" is a nanosatellite or "CubeSat" composed of 3 modules of 10X10X10 cm, that is when assembled 30 centimeters high and weighs around 30 kg. QuisqueyaSat-1 will be used to study the increase in sea temperature that promotes the growth of invasive Sargassum algae. The nanosatellite will also collect data on rising Earth temperatures that help create heat islands that increase temperatures in cities and urban areas. The dust cloud of the Sahara that reaches the country every year and affects terrestrial and marine ecosystems, the health of people, animals and weather conditions will also be studied by this nanosatellite. "Although a CubeSat is relatively small, this does not translate into potential limitations" underlined Sanchez Camilo adding "What is essential is the good design of the subsystems, programming and assembly, which are the activities that will be carried out at INTEC. To date around the earth more than 450 nanosatellites evolve in space... HL/ HaitiLibre Popular Nigerian cross-dresser, Bobrisky has taken to social media to advise her fans on judging other people. The socialite pointed out that it is unwise to draw conclusions about other people without meeting them first. According to her, many people who have met her shared a certain level of regret for haven blasted her in the past. READ ALSO Crossdresser, Bobrisky Showers Encomium On Tonto Dikeh Advertisement In her post, she wrote: Have meant lot of people, when dis people meet me in person they regret ever judging me without knowing me first. Media is d wrong place to judge people personality See Her Post Here: No screaming on the roller coaster, socially distant spooks in the haunted house and please refrain from high-fiving your favourite superhero: welcome to Japanese amusement parks in the coronavirus era. As Japan's funfairs slowly reopen, a group of park operators have released joint guidelines on how to operate safely under the threat of the virus. Among the recommendations, thrill-seekers will be asked to wear masks at all times and 'refrain from vocalising loudly' on roller coasters and other rides. As Japan's funfairs slowly reopen, a group of park operators have released joint guidelines on how to operate safely under the threat of the virus - and 'vocalising loudly' on roller coasters is a no-no 'Ghosts' lurking in haunted houses should maintain a healthy distance from their 'victims', the guidelines add. Park staff, including those dressed up as stuffed animal mascots and superheroes, should not shake hands or high-five with young fans but maintain an appropriate distance. Superheroes engaged in fights to the death with evil villains should also avoid whipping up support from spectators to prevent screams - and potentially coronavirus-laden droplets - from flying through the air. Virtual reality attractions should not operate unless the special glasses or goggles can be fully sanitised, the guidelines suggest. And perhaps to parents' relief, vendors will be asked to refrain from putting out toys or food samples for young visitors to touch, play with or eat. 'These guidelines will not bring infections to zero, but will reduce the risk of infection,' the operators admit, pledging to continue studying ways to bring down transmission risks. Japan's best-known theme parks - Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, pictured - remain closed Japan's best-known theme parks - Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan in the western city of Osaka - remain closed with no date yet set for reopening. But Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday lifted a nationwide state of emergency after a sharp drop in the number of coronavirus cases in Japan. Citizens and businesses have been urged to adapt to a 'new normal' in the coronavirus era, including mask-wearing and social distancing where possible. RacingJunk.com, Alaska Raceway Park, Tulsa Raceway Park, and Racing Promotion Monthly join forces Wednesday June 3rd at 2PM EST for Facebook Live webcast On Wednesday June 3rd at 2PM EST RacingJunk.coms Business Development team will host a live webcast with Tulsa Raceway Parks co-owner, Todd Martin, President at Alaska Raceway Park, Michelle Lackey Maynor, and Joe Skotnicki, Director of Racing Promotion Monthly to chat about live racings current state as COVID lockdown is gradually being lifted throughout the country. Each guest will share their experiences of what live racing currently looks like to them. Plus, the group will share personal insight to track reopening strategies, local mandated protocols, strategies to make up lost revenue and how and why this could shape the live racing industry forever. The webcast will be streaming live on RacingJunks FB page and will be available for via Racing Junks Youtube page following the broadcast. RacingJunk.com is the flagship website of Internet Brands Automotive Classifieds Group. For over 20 years its been the trusted place for performance enthusiasts to buy, sell, or trade new & used classifieds. In addition, RacingJunk.com also boasts original content, event listings, and product giveaways. To learn more about RacingJunk.com go to http://www.racingjunk.com. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 13:11:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SEOUL, June 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export dropped in double digits in May as global demand weakened amid the COVID-19 outbreak across the world, a government report showed Monday. Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, amounted to 34.86 billion U.S. dollars in May, down 23.7 percent from a year earlier, according to the country's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The daily average export retreated 18.4 percent on a yearly basis. The coronavirus pandemic damaged global demand for locally-made products, leading to the export's double-digit reduction for the second consecutive month. The export plunged 25.1 percent in April. Import contracted 21.1 percent from a year earlier to 34.42 billion dollars in May on the back of lower global crude oil price. The import slumped 15.8 percent in April. Trade balance recorded a surplus of 0.44 billion dollars in May, after posting a deficit of 1.39 billion dollars in April. Enditem Derek Chauvin, the officer filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck, was arrested and charged with murder and manslaughter. Investors around the world focused on widespread civil unrest unfolding in the U.S. Hundreds of people were arrested over the weekend as protesters and police clashed in cities across America after the killing of George Floyd sparked more than 100 protests, rallies and vigils, according to NBC News. London's FTSE 100 provisionally closed 1.5% higher, while France's CAC 40 climbed 1.4%, Italy's FTSE MIB gained 1.8% and Spain's IBEX was up 1.8%. Markets were closed in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland for a public holiday. European stocks closed higher on Monday as lockdown measures eased across the continent, while protests continued throughout the U.S. following the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, last week. The arrest and charges failed to quell public anger over the death, however, and protests, some violent, have continued. Mayors of major cities from Los Angeles to Philadelphia to Atlanta imposed curfews and at least 12 states, as well as Washington, D.C., activated National Guard troops. Follow CNBC's live blog covering all the latest news on the demonstrations gripping the U.S. At the same time, the coronavirus pandemic remained in the spotlight. The number of coronavirus cases globally has now topped more than 6.1 million and the death toll stands at 372,116, a tally from Johns Hopkins University shows. On Wall Street, stocks rose slightly amid optimism over the reopening of the economy. Many European countries are beginning to ease lockdown measures and gradually reopen their economies, a key source of upward momentum for markets of late. On the data front, Chinese figures released over the weekend showed the country's factory activity expanded in May, with the official manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) coming in at 50.6. That was a decline from the 50.8 print in April and below the 51.0 level expected by analysts, according to Reuters. Still, the figure for May was above the 50 level, which separates expansion from contraction in PMI readings. The biggest individual mover across the European indices was British property developer Hammerson, which climbed 12% after announcing that all its flagship destinations in England would reopen from June 15. Nurses, labourers and electricians are some of the jobs currently thriving on the Australian market as the country reopens after the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 39.7 per cent more jobs being advertised on employment website Seek from May 10 to May 24 than the April average. Waiters, baristas, cooks and managers are back in demand as hospitality and tourism job advertisements increased by 185 per cent from April to May. Sales representatives and managers are also wanted as the sales industry job ads jumped by 141 per cent while secretaries are needed as admin and office support positions were boosted by 121 per cent. A nurse wears PPE in St George Hospital in Sydney. Nurses, labourers and electricians are some of the jobs currently thriving on the Australian market as the country reopens after the COVID-19 pandemic With schools reopening, teachers, teaching assistants and education consultants are still needed as ads for education and training job leaped by 104 per cent. The federal government is set to announce a multi-billion dollar stimulus package for home renovations to help the construction industry recover. As a result, labourers, electricians, fitters, turners, machinists and automotive workers are in high demand with the job ads increasing by 67 per cent. The constriction industry accounted for almost a fifth of advertised jobs on seek, contributing to 19 per cent of ads. Essential workers in the healthcare and medical industry continue to be in demand as job advertisements increased by 23 per cent. Nurses, GPs, physiotherapists, psychologists, counsellors and social workers are some of the jobs included in the demand. Two miners pose at a site in WA. Miners, operators, engineers and maintenance workers are in high demand as job advertisements in the mining, resources and energy industry have increased, according to Seek Of the total ads on Seek, 27 per cent came from the public sector, followed by professional services with 23 per cent. Meanwhile, construction and consumer services jobs each contributed 19 per cent and the industrial sector made up 12 cent. Miners, operators, engineers and maintenance workers are needed in the mining, resources and energy industries, according to Seek. Increased demand for delivered goods amid the COVID-19 pandemic has been a huge boost for the manufacturing, transport and logistics industry. Truck drivers, warehouse workers, assembly workers and machine operators are all needed to ensure products continue to be delivered. The large number of people working from home has also been positive for information and communication technology companies seeking to keep people connected. Developers, programmers, software engineers, project managers, business and systems analysts are all in demand. Two electricians modify wiring in Brisbane. Electricians, labourers,fitters, turners, machinists and automotive workers are widely needed with the job ads increasing by 67 per cent The increase in job advertisements comes after the unemployment rate increased from 5.2 per cent in March to 6.2 per cent in April. Around 975,000 Australians lost their jobs between March 14 and April 18. As a result, 1.6 million unemployed people are now on the $1,100-per-fortnight JobSeeker allowance, also known as the dole. Meanwhile, 3 million people are not working but will keep their jobs thanks to JobKeeper wage subsidies payed to companies by the government. Its expected that 3.5 million people will apply in total, resulting in $70 billion in wage subsidies by September. Calumet City's curfew went into effect Sunday night and will remain in place until further notice. "I deeply am saddened by what has transpired. As the mayor of Calumet City, I must protect the citizens and the work that has been done to try to improve our community. Therefore, I must announce a curfew be enacted immediately to safeguard our families and children," she said. "This curfew restricts all vehicular and pedestrian movement unless related to emergency personnel, law enforcement, or essential worker commuting. No one else is allowed in any public place during those hours. This curfew will be enforced to the fullest extent of the law." Hammond blocked off many of the street to neighboring Cal City and extended its curfew for one more night, running from 9 p.m. Monday until 5 a.m. Tuesday. Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said Sunday night was calm in Hammond, but the city is taking precautions. Venice Ray was eager to return to work when the state announced that child care centers, like the one she was laid off from in March, could immediately reopen. But re-enrolling her 4-year-old son? That gave her pause. As many restaurants, hair salons and shopping malls across the country welcome back customers, some states are allowing day care centers and preschools to reopen, acknowledging that child care plays a foundational role in the U.S. economy. But for millions of working parents like Ray, the choice to send their children back to a place known for spreading germs, even in more normal times, is not an easy one. And in an industry operating on razor-thin margins, the survival of many child care centers is in doubt. The coronavirus cost the industry more than 355,000 jobs in March and April, about a third of the pre-pandemic total. And a survey by an industry group showed that many providers were so short of cash that they could go out of business permanently, unable to pay rent, mortgage payments or other fixed costs. Democrats in Congress are introducing bills this week and next that would spend $50 billion to keep centers afloat and provide tuition relief to families. The bills would also help put in place new safety measures, which could be vital to ensuring that parents feel safe re-enrolling their children. In a majority of American families, both parents hold jobs, making child care essential for a functioning economy. But the United States is rare among industrialized nations in not providing a universal option, leaving families with the burden of figuring it out themselves. Many struggle even in the best of times. Experts now worry that if licensed centers disappear during the pandemic, more families will resort to ad hoc arrangements, such as relying on relatives, friends or neighbors who lack experience, let alone formal training in safety or education. But for families balancing professional and economic pressures with health concerns, the idea of re-enrolling in center-based care can be profoundly anxiety-provoking, even with new sanitation and social distancing practices required by federal and state guidelines. That is the situation the Ray family found itself in. Ray is confident that the new procedures will make it safe for her to return to work when her employer, a day care and preschool, reopens Tuesday. But as a mother, she felt unsure about whether her son should go back, too. In particular, she was concerned about her in-laws, who have been babysitting her older children. What if the youngest, their 4-year-old son, brought the virus home and passed it on to them? Its a really tough one, she said. After days of debate, she and her husband decided that Ray would go back to work the family needs her $475-per-week salary, and she loves her job but their son would go to his grandparents for care. A similar conversation took place in Alison Larkins home in Chicago. Before the coronavirus outbreak, Larkin, a 35-year-old social work consultant, had a dream situation for her toddler, Clementine: a coveted spot in a respected day care just a few minutes away. But now she and her husband, who have been trading child care shifts while working from home, are preparing for their current arrangement to last until there is a vaccine, even though Illinois is allowing day care centers to reopen this week. My sense of things is that the virus is not going anywhere for quite some time, Larkin said. This could be an indefinite state of being. Mandy Zaransky-Hurst, a mother and corporate executive in Chicago, has been sorely missing her 4-month-olds day care since it was shut down in March. She has a full-time job as the chief operating officer of a training and development company. Her husband, who is also working from home, is a lawyer. Its not sustainable, Zaransky-Hurst said of their current arrangement, which requires her to frequently rise at 4 a.m. to begin a 10-hour workday, while also caring for their 6-year-old. But at the same time, she worries that day care is not safe, given the constant flow of teachers and children in and out. How can companies really expect their employees to return to work in a normal fashion? she asked. What true flexibility and understanding will companies give to employees who cant send their kids back to day care? So far, there have not been major coronavirus outbreaks reported in U.S. child care centers, although one in Canada was the site of an alarming cluster of cases. The industry typically serves more than 12 million U.S. children younger than 6, the majority of whom attend day cares in private homes. Providers are licensed by state and local governments, and must follow regulations for education, health and safety. Generally, experts recommend that one trained caretaker be responsible for no more than four infants, six toddlers or 10 preschoolers. Coronavirus guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention call for child care centers to disinfect surfaces and shared objects several times per day; avoid toys, like stuffed animals, that cannot be easily washed; stagger childrens arrival time to limit contact between parents; and to seat and nap children at least 6 feet apart from one another. States are issuing their own guidelines, which can differ significantly. A protester is detained by State Police after staying out beyond the governors 8 p.m. curfew during the sixth night of protests and violence following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 31, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Beijing Exploiting Floyd Protests to Stoke Tensions, Undermine US, Experts Say The Chinese regime is exploiting the unrest across America to attack the United States and divert attention away from its tightening grip over Hong Kong, experts say. Over the past few days, Chinese diplomats and state-run media have taken to social media, heaping criticism on the United States over its handling of ongoing protests over the police custody death of George Floyd, which have recently descended into violence in dozens of cities across the country. Floyd died on May 25 after a police officer pressed his knee against Floyds neck. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying on May 30 responded to a tweet by the U.S. State Department decrying the regimes encroachment into Hong Kong by writing: I cant breathe, quoting what Floyd was caught on video saying before he died. Huas message came one day after President Donald Trump announced that the administration would be revoking Hong Kongs economic privileges as a result of the regime imposing a national security law on the city. The move, Trump said, showed that the regime had broken its word to allow Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy when sovereignty was transferred from Britain to China in 1997. Beijing has not yet formally responded to Trumps decision, but state-run outlets have ramped up their coverage of the U.S. protests, quick to make comparisons between the U.S. protests and the ongoing pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. Hawkish state-run newspaper Global Times on Saturday ran a commentary titled: Watch out! Beautiful sight in HK is spreading across the U.S. The headline was a dig at remarks made by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last year when she said the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong were a beautiful sight to behold. U.S. national security adviser Robert OBrien on Sunday called out Huas trolling of the U.S. state department, adding that he saw tweets from Chinese diplomats taking pleasure in witnessing the chaos in America. Our foreign adversaries are going to take advantage of this crisis to sow discord and to try and damage our democracy, OBrien told ABC. Never Let a Crisis Go To Waste The crisis is a propaganda gift to the communist regime, which is currently drawing widespread condemnation over its encroachment into Hong Kongs autonomy, said Helle Dale, a senior fellow for public diplomacy at Washington-based think tank The Heritage Foundation. Beijing has been handed the situation on a platter and theyre making the most of it, Dale told The Epoch Times. Theyll do whatever they can to fan the flames of the problems we have. It is attempting to turn world opinion against the United States, shift opinions domestically, as well as stoke racial tensions to exacerbate the crisis, she said. Gordon Chang, China expert and author of The Coming Collapse of China, said that while the Chinese regimes specific goal is to shift the global conversation away from Hong Kong, its propaganda efforts form part of a multi-decade campaign to undermine the United States. The regime is trying to go after the U.S. and tar our reputation in general, Chang said. Their real goal is to destroy the United States. Dale said that the regime has proven itself to be quite nimble in taking advantage of current events, and has ramped up its global propaganda efforts since the CCP virus outbreak. During the pandemic, Beijing sought to deflect attention away from its responsibility in causing the viruss worldwide spread by spreading disinformation about the virus origins and portraying the regime as an exemplar in global containment efforts. Weaponizing Social Media Robert Spalding, a senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank Hudson Institute and the author of Stealth War: How China Took Over While Americas Elite Slept, said authoritarian regimes like China are weaponizing social media platforms to sow chaos and discord in the United States. The regime is likely using bot networks on Twitter to amplify messages that incite people to join the unrest, he said, citing recent research showing that bots play a critical role in shaping the conversation on the pandemic. Analysts at Carnegie Mellon University found that 40 percent of the discussion around COVID-19 came from bots. Those accounts formed 82 percent of the top 50 influential re-tweeters, and 62 percent of the top 1,000 re-tweeters. Spalding said a review of the current discussion on the protests would likely lead to similar results. The social media environment will provide an easy platform for state actors to incite more activity [in the protests], Spalding told The Epoch Times. Theyre using these platforms to increase the scale of the violence. Attacking Democracy U.S. officials have decried Beijings attempts to equate the Hong Kong protests with the unrest in the United States. The Chinese regime has consistently described the citys pro-democracy protesters as rioters who need to be suppressed. These are completely different, Pompeo told Fox News on Sunday. We have the rule of law. We have decent Americans all across this country who are troubled by what happened, and they have the opportunity to speak freely about that. None of that exists inside of China. The Chinese Communist Party prevents that kind of freedom of expression. Meanwhile, OBrien pointed out that the difference between the United States and its foreign adversaries is that, When this happens, well get to the bottom of it and well clean it up. Its not going to be covered up. And this wasnt done on behalf of the Party or on behalf of the state. Dale called out the hypocrisy behind some of the regimes remarks on the Floyd protests. Hua on Monday wrote in a tweet: All lives matter. We stand firmly with our African friends. We strongly oppose all forms of racial discrimination and inflammatory expressions of racism and hatred. Dismissing the tweet as opportunistic, Dale pointed to the regimes extensive human rights abuses against ethnic minorities, as well as its own record on police brutality. Civil unrest in the United States feeds into the regimes message that its authoritarian model is superior to democratic governance, K. T. McFarland, the former deputy national security adviser, told The Epoch Times American Thought Leaders program. Theyre pointing to all of these things, whether it was the economic crisis in 2008, whether its the pandemic, whether it is the American demonstrations, looting on the streets, whether it is the impeachment trial, McFarland said. And theyre saying, See, we dont have these problems in China. Democracies have these problems, free-market systems have these problems.' She added, The more divisive America looks and the more pictures of Americans looting on the streets all of these things, it just feeds into that Chinese narrative. A teenage girl may have fallen so ill after heading back to a tradesman's room for sex that she was 'twitching with her eyes rolling back into her head', it has been claimed in court. And the next evening, a second female passenger on the Royal Caribbean ship Explorer of the Seas likewise became sick during a threesome with the same couple, before being found 'naked and disorientated'. Cruise authorities then detained Daniel Rawlings, 32, on the ship for the final six days of his 10 day South Pacific cruise, amid a false allegation he raped the ill threesome participant. Details of the earlier incident emerged at the NSW District Court on Monday as Mr Rawlings sues the cruise ship company for $400,000 in damages over his November 2016 Schoolies Week detention. Mr Rawlings's best friend and cabin-mate, Matthew Champion, and one of his tearful cruise ship flames gave evidence in court on Monday. Daniel Rawlings (right) with his friend Matthew Champion (left), claims he was wrongfully detained in November 2016 and is now suing Royal Caribbean for $400,000 Mr Rawlings, 32, (left and right) is a successful air conditioning and refrigeration mechanic. He was held prisoner for six days over a false rape claim while on board a cruise ship The tradesman was held in detention for most of his 10 day Explorer of the Seas cruise (above, in Sydney Harbour). He was never charged with any offences The woman told the court she had 'sexual activity' with Mr Rawlings after drinking through the evening of November 13, 2016. 'Do you remember going over to the young woman and seeing that she was twitching and her eyes were rolling back in her head?' She had guzzled a vodka Red Bull and had fallen ill while in Mr Rawlings' room. 'I'd never actually had vodka mixed with Red Bull before because it's not a good drink.' She said Mr Rawlings called the ship's medical staff and a doctor asked the woman if she had taken drugs, or recalled being drugged, the court heard, which she did not suggest. The woman - who cried at one point while giving evidence - told the court how she had approached the third woman at a ship bar the next night and asked her to return to Mr Rawlings' room. 'I believe I just asked her if she wanted to come back to Daniel's room and i gestured towards him with the two of us,' she said. 'I remember Daniel and I specifically spoke about the sexual activity that was going to happen. I don't remember how it was worded to (her)'. Mr Rawlings's best friend, Matthew Champion, told the court they were 'chalk and cheese' during the trip. Mr Champion had just learned his partner was pregnant with their first child. During questioning from Royal Caribbean's lawyer James Sheller SC, Mr Champion told the court Mr Rawlings had roused him the evening of the first incident and was 'very worried', so much so he called the ship's nurse. 'I'd say it was alarming because Daniel was very worried,' Mr Champion said. 'Me, I'd just woken from my sleep it seemed serious but not over the top.' Mr Champion repeatedly said he 'did not recall' if Mr Rawlings had told him there was something wrong with the girl, if he had asked him whether she took drugs, or if Rawlings had just said she had been drinking. 'Do you remember going over to the young woman and seeing that she was twitching and her eyes were rolling back in her head?' Mr Sheller asked him. 'I can remember her twitching, I can't remember her eyes rolling back into her head,' Mr Champion said. After he was shown a police statement he had given, Mr Champion said the incident which happened on the next night was more 'prevailing in my memory'. That was where the other woman fell ill after a threesome with Mr Rawlings and a woman in the mates' cabin. Mr Rawlings is pictured on an evening out with with Mr Champion (right) and a third friend Police boarded the Explorer of the Seas cruise ship when it docked at Circular Quay in November 2016 and questioned Rawlings over the threesome incident. No charges were laid Mr Rawlings was travelling from Sydney to Vanuatu at the time. Above, an island near Port Vila Mr Champion told the court on the night of November 14 to 15, he was woken up by Rawlings and the two women returning to the room and giggling. He told the court he stormed off with a pillow and blankets and slept on a sunbed on the top of the ship. He was 'annoyed' he had been woken for a second night in a row and did not return to the room until after sunrise. During Mr Rawlings' activities, court documents state that the third participant in the encounter fell sick and cleaned herself up in the bathroom. Defence documents said the woman was later found 'naked, intoxicated and disorientated' elsewhere on the ship and was taken to the medical centre. There, ship officials classified what was happened to the girl 'sexual assault'. On Monday Mr Champion told the court when he returned after sunrise, he found the two single beds in his room had been pushed together. He then went to sleep on the floor, he said. Security guards later banged on the door and took the mates away, placing a padlock on the outside of their old cabin. Rawlings was detained for six days until the ship returned to Sydney on November 20, where he was questioned by detectives. He was never charged with any offence after NSW Police inquiries. His statement of claim said he suffers post-traumatic stress disorder and a major depressive illness as a consequence of his ordeal. The hearings continue in front of Judge John Hatzistergos. We are now in the midst of a record-breaking period for the global economy, but for all the wrong reasons. With data now available for April, the first full month lockdown restrictions were in force in most major western nations, most indicators make for depressing reading. To take just a handful of examples, car sales in Britain were down 97% compared with last year, with the lowest number of new registrations since 1946. In the US the unemployment rate has hit nearly 15%, a post-war high. Meanwhile, in the UK, almost 11 million workers are currently being supported by the chancellor's Job Retention and Self-Employed Income Support Schemes. The Government's Covid-19 policies to date have committed an additional 118bn of public spending for the current financial year alone ( 324m per day). In the space of nine weeks the Federal Reserve's interventions have seen it expand its balance sheet by $2.6trn. For a period that involved printing dollars at the rate of $1m per second. Similarly, the Bank of England is unleashing a lot of financial firepower, too, for what it expects to be the worst downturn since 1706. The good news is that we are very possibly at the moment of maximum negativity right now: the UK Government and devolved administrations in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh are starting to map out how their economies will emerge from lockdown and return to a semblance of normal economic activity. There has been a lot of discussion over what the Covid-19 recovery will look like, a V-shaped bounce, with the steep initial fall in GDP being followed by a swift return to normality, appearing to be overly optimistic at present. A W-shaped recession, with another dip to come in the months ahead, is possible, as is a U-shaped downturn, with a period of stagnation before any growth. But another idea gaining traction lately is that of a recovery shaped like the Nike 'Swoosh' logo: a sharp decline followed by a more gradual return to pre-crisis conditions. Whatever the overall recovery looks like, the experience of businesses across the economy is likely to differ considerably from sector to sector. Some industries such as aviation, travel and hospitality have already experienced large-scale disruption, and given the social distancing requirements that are likely to remain in force for the foreseeable future, it is difficult to see these sectors being able to get back to business as usual any time soon. Indeed, Willie Walsh, CEO of British Airways owner IAG, has said it is unlikely the airline industry will return to normal before 2024. Covid-19 has accelerated a number of trends. Most notably the sudden increase in working from home looks like it is here to stay, with major technology firms such as Google and Twitter already deciding to offer remote working to all staff for the rest of 2020 at least. Facebook is set to localise employees pay based on their working from home location. If you don't live in the expensive San Francisco Bay Area, you will no longer get San Fran Bay Pay. Companies that supply streaming services from films to fitness classes and cyber-security software, for example, are already benefiting from the lockdown. There may also be the chance for domestic businesses to become suppliers to larger organisations, as corporations take steps to increase their resilience and so reduce their vulnerability to the kind of international supply chain. Recovery is not going to be an overnight process, but one factor that is likely to play a particularly important role in getting the economy and society back to normal is innovation, not just in terms of the medical advances needed to develop Covid-19 treatments and/or a vaccine, but also in relation to flexibility and resilience. Businesses and individuals will need to show these attributes in order to thrive in the new environment and hopefully soon to be post-Covid world. Fortunately, the human species has an excellent track record when it comes to solving the most important problems it faces, and adapting to changes in its environment. Ultimately, innovation should develop a vaccine for the virus. Thereafter, innovators and entrepreneurs will create and shape a new economy as they always have done. Richard Ramsey is Ulster Bank chief economist The Victorian Liberals are demanding an investigation into Labor cabinet minister Martin Foley, saying he failed to declare a link to controversial property developer John Woodman. Liberal backbencher James Newbury alleges Mr Foley broke ministerial and parliamentary rules by not declaring his family owns an interest in the Mornington Peninsula office building where Mr Woodman runs his Watsons consulting business. Labor minister Martin Foley. Credit:Simon Schluter. The controversial developer and planning consultant is at the heart of the scandal engulfing Casey Council in Melbournes south-east, with explosive allegations against Mr Woodman and former Casey councillors aired at public hearings of the corruption watchdog IBAC. Premier Daniel Andrews indicated on Monday there would be no investigation and that Mr Foley had declared all his interests in accordance with parliamentary rules. West Bengal: 'Our Sundarban Is Unrecognisable': Life After Cyclone Amphan Wrecked the Island by Himadri Ghosh June 01,2020 | Source: The Wire I have become a beggar now. All I had was a small hut, God snatched even that from me, 63-year-old Shabitri Midha of Pakhiralaya village in the Sundarbans said. In the last 30 years, Midha lost nine bighas (60,840 square metres) of ancestral land as the Bidyadhari river engulfed parts of the delta. Pointing to the waters, Midha said, This river took almost everything we had. Now, this storm has just finished us. The Sundarbans delta is located around 100 km from Kolkata. To get there from the state capital, it takes at least four hours by car and then boat. The Wire visited the Gosaba block on Tuesday. This block was one of the worst affected in the Sunderban islands by Cyclone Amphan last week. There is no prettiness here to invite the stranger in. Yet, to the world at large, this archipelago is known as the Sundarban, which means the beautiful forest, Amitav Ghosh had written in his novel The Hungry Tide. Forget prettiness, after Cyclone Amphan, the Sundarbans have become unrecognisable. Just as we got down from a boat at the Gosaba ferry ghat, we spotted a wrecked launch boat on the right, half of it submerged. It seemed like the launch boat was preparing us for the devastation ahead. We went towards Rangabelia, about four km from the Gosaba market; we had been told much of the devastation was in this area. On reaching the river bank, just opposite Rangabelia primary school, we found high tides were slowly eating into the remains of the embankment. A group of 20-25 people were carrying tree trunks and sandbags, trying to fix the embankment as quickly as possible. Hundreds of houses were wiped out in Rangabelias Uttor Para, about one km from the primary school. Ananta Mondal, 67, lost three bighas (20,280 square metres) of farmland and is now living with his family in the local school, which is being used as a shelter house. I dont know what we have done, why nature wants to punish us, Ananta said. Ananta and his family took shelter in the school on the afternoon of May 20. He is sad, though, that he could not save one of his calves. When asked about the storm, he said, I have witnessed many storms and floods since I was a child, but never seen such a storm in my life. At one point, I thought we were all going to die. Sukumar Mondals wife Rekha Mondal started crying as she showed us their house. Almost fully submerged, only the houses roof can be seen. Sukumar has around two bighas (13,520 square meters) of land on which he grows paddy and three mid-size ponds, which now looks like they are a part of the river. Saltwater has inundated all the farmland in the village creating another big concern for the villagers. We cant farm on these lands in the next 2-3 years. Nothing will grow here, Sukumar said. Cyclones and floods have become a part of life for these villagers the destruction barely shocks them anymore. We have now accepted this as our fate. We will have to live this way until we die, Sukumar said, with a nonchalant expression. A senior officer at the Gosaba Block Development Office said that the change in direction of Cyclone Amphan, and better preparedness, helped the Gosaba area, or else the destruction would have been far worse. We have zero casualties in the block. Some of our major embankments were breached and thus, a lot of areas here were flooded. However, considering the intensity of the cyclone, the damages could have been far worse, he further said. Cyclone Amphan was the first super cyclone to form in the Bay of Bengal since 1999, and one of the fiercest to hit West Bengal in the last 100 years. As we moved to the interiors of the Rangabelia, the water was still waist-deep; this was six days after the cyclone made its landfall in Bengals Ganga Sagar Island. When we reached the Gangamandir area, locals told us that that on the day the cyclone struck and the next, water was flowing 10-12 feet above their farmland. Rangabelias Uttar Para is caught between two rivers Bidyadhari on the right and Gormor on the left. This further aggravated the scale of destruction in Rangabelia. A stretch of road from Gangamandir to Jotirampur ghat was completely washed away and looked like one vast lake. Arjun Dey and Joynal Mistry, who are leading the embankment repair work in Rangabelia, said, Around four km of road washed away. Currently, we are fixing embankments between Gangamandir and Jotirampur ghat on an emergency basis. Both Arjun and Joynal lost their houses in the cyclone. When asked how, even after their loss, they are working, Joynal said, If we dont, who will? They are working from 4 am to 7-8 pm. They dont even know how much the panchayat will pay them; they are working to save whatever is left. Speaking to The Wire, Jayanta Naskar, Trinamool MLA from Gosaba in South 24 Parganas, said around 61,000 houses were destroyed in his assembly constituency alone. I have never seen a storm like this in my life. Devastation is unimaginable. People here wont be able to farm in the coming years. Next, we moved to Haritala village in Amtali village panchayat, another affected region in the Gosaba block. The images here were the same as Rangabelia, with large areas still submerged and houses completely inundated. Hundreds of people are now living in Aamtali Binapani School, which was turned into a shelter home. We met 51-year-old Bhim Bhangi, who took khichuri (a broth made out of rice and lentils) in a small aluminium bowl and walked towards his home, which he was trying to fix. When asked about the storm, Bhim said, Never in our lives have we witnessed such a storm. My house was completely damaged; since this morning my son has been trying to fix it. Bhim told us that he had invested all his savings to lease three ponds. Everything is gone. All I have now is over 300 kg of dead fish, Bhim said. Lakhan Dutta was sitting inside a makeshift tent, made of tarpaulin given by the panchayat. Just next to the tent, in a low-lying area, his house was still submerged. Lakhan told us that the first time he got a cooked meal was six days after the cyclone hit Bengal. We were getting dry food from the camp. Today, for the first time, we got some food. Cyclone Aila, which had struck in 2009, devastated this eco-sensitive part of Bengal. Sundarban dwellers took several years to get back to their feet. Cyclone Amphan, which was more powerful and created widespread devastation, throws a larger challenge for the island people. Paritosh Mondal, a Gosaba Block Development Office employee, now in-charge of medical screening for those coming in from different states, told The Wire, Our Sundarban is unrecognisable. Thousands of people who were already impoverished now lost their houses and farmland. Its like a death knell for them. We saw hundreds of trees fallen, electric poles uprooted and overhead wires snapped across different areas of Gosaba, which cut off the island from other parts of the state. However, the most far-reaching consequence is the saltwater from the sea that entered agricultural fields, increasing the soils salinity and likely reducing yields significantly for the next few years. Kamal Kanti Sen, former co-ordinator of tropical soil biology and fertility management at Jawaharlal Nehru University and a noted expert on the Sundarbans, said, After Alia, life paused on the island. I fear a similar situation this time, or even worse. A major humanitarian crisis is in the offing; hectares of land will remain uncultivated for the next two years. I am really concerned about the agricultural prospects in the coming year, as almost 80-90% of farmland in my constituency is submerged in saline water. I am thinking of speaking to some agricultural experts and professors from Jadavpur University who can advise us on this. I am also open to engaging with top national and international NGOs who work in this sector. We all need come together for our poor farmers, Pratima Mandal, Trinamool Congress MP from Jaynagar, told The Wire. As we headed back to Kolkata after a boat ride from Gosaba to Godkhali, we stumbled upon a rather tall man, wearing a red sleeveless t-shirt and blue shorts, carrying a big suitcase in his left hand. He was telling the medical check-up personnel that he was coming from Tripura. I struck up a conversation with him. His name is Tapan Sarad. He was working as a waiter in a restaurant in Agartala. He began his journey home a day before Cyclone Amphan struck Bengal. After walking for days and hitch-hiking when possible, he reached Godkhli only to learn from his cousin that their house was washed away in the cyclone. The first struggle was to reach home. Then I find there is no home. Maybe this is destiny, Sarad said. Late Elder Akwo Gabriel Makia Family Akwo Gabriel Makia, 41, Elder of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC, Kumba-Town Congregation died at dawn Sunday, May 31, 2020 when armed separatists opened fire on his car. Sources say the armed men mistook his green RAV-4 vehicle for belonging to the military especially given that places were still dark. Accompanied by a relation of his, Makia was on his way to Batibo, Momo Division of the North West Region where he was due to traditionally wed Mbah Marion Nah. Just two of them were in the car. Makia was sitting on the passengers seat in front while a relation of his was driving. Around Ikiliwindi Village in Konye Subdivision, not far from Kumba, bullets started raining on their car from nearby bushes. It will appear the armed separatists in the area mistook their car for a military vehicle since it was still dark, a family member of the diseased familiar with the incident said. Our source says the person driving sped off in an attempt to escape the shooting scene. Unfortunately, a bullet penetrated the right back door, ran through Makias seat before entering his lower abdomen. He shouted that he had been hit by a bullet, fell on the driver and bled profusely. The driver struggled and parked the car behind a deserted house. When he opened Makias door, he saw that Makia had died. Cameroon-Info.Net learnt that the armed separatists mounted barricades along the road in a bid to foil a military reinforcement. They then got to the scene where the attacked car had stopped and the driver surrendered himself. After being interrogated, the armed men extended their apologies. They said they had mistaken the vehicle for belonging to the military and so thought soldiers were aboard. They later disappeared into the wild. It took the intervention of the military for the road blocks to be cleared and the corpse transported to Kumba where Christians, friends and family members were gathered. Family members say Makia will be buried in Kumba on June 13, 2020, the date he had set aside to celebrate his civil marriage at the Kumba I Council. (Alliance News) - Sirius Real Estate Ltd on Monday said its profit in its most recently ended financial year suffered from unfavourable revaluation of its investment properties, while revenue increased on higher rental rates. In addition, the company said it appointed Caroline Britton and Kelly Cleveland as independent non-executive directors with effect from the start of June. Britton is a chartered accountant and was an audit partner at Deloitte LLP from April 2000 to May 2018, having qualified with its predecessor firm Touche Ross & Co. Cleveland is also a chartered accountant, having qualified in New Zealand in 2001 at PricewaterhouseCoopers and has worked in real estate in the UK since 2004. Sirius Real Estate also said Jill May and Justin Atkinson will be stepping down at the close of the company's annual general meeting on July 31, enabling them to focus on their various other roles and further opportunities with other organisations. Finally, Sirius Real Estate named Anthony Gallagher as company secretary, with effect from Friday last week. The business parks operator reported pretax profit of EUR110.8 million for the year to March 31 compared with EUR144.7 million profit a year earlier, as gains on revaluation of investment properties slipped to EUR55.8 million from EUR99.9 million. Revenue, meanwhile, rose to EUR150.0 million from EUR140.1 million. Sirius Real Estate said like-for-like annualised rent roll increased 6.1% to EUR81.2 million, with like-for-like average rental rates rose 4.1% to EUR6.07 per square metre. Net asset value per share increased by 8.9% to 77.35 cents year-on-year, with EPRA NAV per share of 80.62 cents as at March 31 versus 74.82 cents. Sirius Real Estate declared a dividend per share of 1.80 cents, giving total dividend for year of 3.57 cents, up from 3.36 cents paid a year ago. Looking ahead, the company said its like-for-like book value increased by 9.9% to EUR1.07 billion. In light of the on-going uncertainty with regards to the impact of Covid-19 in the current financial year, the company said it does not consider it prudent to provide full year financial guidance but will continue to monitor the situation and update the market in due course. "While we look to the future with caution, due to the uncertainties created by Covid-19, I believe the company is well placed to endure the economic difficulties being created by the crisis and also take advantage of opportunities with our strong balance sheet," said Chief Executive Andrew Coombs. "With our significant cash resources available to make acquisitions, further vacancy to develop and reversion potential to capture, Sirius is well positioned to meet the challenges ahead," added Coombs. Sirius Real Estate shares were trading 1.2% lower in London on Monday at 78.45 pence each, while in Johannesburg, the stock was up 1.4% at ZAR16.83 a share. By Evelina Grecenko; evelinagrecenko@alliancenews.com Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. The Alameda County Sheriff's Office issued a warning Sunday night for all county residents to stay home, given the civil unrest reported around the East Bay, particularly in Oakland and San Leandro, as well as parts of neighboring Contra Costa County. Authorities said there was major rioting and looting at San Leandro's Bayfair Center, including reported shots fired. RICHMOND, Va., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Energy Virginia is expanding assistance to Virginia customers facing hardship, offering a more generous payment plan and new direct assistance, while asking permission from regulators for an additional four-month extension of the "no disconnection" policy. The efforts come as the pandemic continues to impact millions of Americans across the country. "We recognize the challenges that many are facing and want customers to know we are here to help, as we continue to navigate this pandemic together," said Robert Blue, co-chief operating officer and executive vice president, Dominion Energy Virginia. "Our mission of supporting our customers and the communities they live in has never been more important." On March 12, Dominion Energy voluntarily suspended disconnections for customers falling behind on their bills, while offering a range of assistance to help them. Virginia's disconnection policy, implemented after the company's voluntary suspension, is due to expire June 15. The State Corporation Commission is accepting comments on next steps. To create certainty for customers, we are requesting the SCC allow the company a four-month extension of the disconnection policy, through October 14. We are also requesting to continue waiving late fees through that period. During that time, we will encourage customers to work with us to develop payment plans for their unique circumstances. At the end of the proposed extension, we will re-evaluate next steps based on a range of factors, including the needs of our customers and economic conditions at that time. Payment Plans: We have long offered both short-term payment extensions and long-term payment plans to help customers manage balances. Starting June 15, we will expand our long-term payment plans and offer customers up to 12 months to pay past due amounts, with no minimum down payment required. Customers are encouraged to contact us, so we can begin working toward solutions. They can access options through their online account at www.dominionenergy.com, which is available at any time, or by calling (866) 366-4357. Payment Assistance: We're increasing the benefits made available through EnergyShare, our year-round assistance program for individuals and families facing financial hardship. The Virginia program, supported currently with $13 million in annual corporate contributions, is implemented in partnership with relief and community support agencies. Planned changes include: Effective June 1 , the maximum benefit is increased to $1,200 for this year, up from $900 . the maximum benefit is increased to for this year, up from . Customers under the age of 60 are now eligible to receive funds without a disconnect notice, similar to customers 60 and over. We are preparing to increase EnergyShare funding to help meet the needs of our Virginia customers and intend to implement a temporary program to help small business customers. We will share details when they are available. customers and intend to implement a temporary program to help small business customers. We will share details when they are available. To learn more about EnergyShare, please visit www.DominionEnergy.com/EnergyShare or call 2-1-1. Save on Energy: For some customers, additional time at home and higher energy usage could result in increased bills. We've put together a series of tips to help you be mindful of your energy use. Visit www.DominionEnergy.com/WaysToSave. Protect Yourself from Scams: As the pandemic spread, we saw a spike in scams. Remember that Dominion Energy will never call and demand immediate payment or ask for payment on a pre-paid debit or gift card. If you are unsure if a call is valid, even if our number shows on the caller ID, don't provide information. Verify what you're being told. Sign into your online account to confirm payment status or call us at 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357). About Dominion Energy More than 7 million customers in 20 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to sustainable, reliable, affordable and safe energy and is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy with more than $100 billion of assets providing electric generation, transmission and distribution, as well as natural gas storage, transmission, distribution and import/export services. The company is committed to achieving net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions from its power generation and gas infrastructure operations by 2050. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more. SOURCE Dominion Energy Related Links http://www.dominionenergy.com In this combination of file photos, former Vice President Joe Biden speaks in Wilmington, Del., on March 12, 2020 (L) and President Donald Trump speaks at the White House in Washington, on April 5, 2020. (AP Photo) Trump Accuses Biden Campaign Staff of Helping Get Anarchists out of Jail President Donald Trump on Monday responded to reports that staffers for presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden have contributed money to a group that helps Minnesota protesters get out of jail on bail amid sometimes violent protests, looting, and riots following the death of George Floyd. Sleepy Joe Bidens people are so Radical Left that they are working to get the Anarchists out of jail, and probably more. Joe doesnt know anything about it, he is clueless, but they will be the real power, not Joe. They will be calling the shots! Big tax increases for all, Plus! Trump wrote on Twitter. Later, he suggested in a post that people go out and vote in the general election on Nov. 3. A report from the Reuters news agency found that around 13 Biden staffers wrote on Twitter on Friday and Saturday that they made donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which opposes the practice of cash bail, in Minneapolis. It comes as looting, arson, and violence were reported in the city following the death of Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis police custody last week. Officers stand guard beside a burned-out mini-New York Police Department vehicle, abandoned on Broadway in Lower Manhattan in New York, N.Y. on May 31, 2020. (Kathy Willens/AP Photo) It is up to everyone to fight injustice, Colleen May, who identified herself as a campaign organizer in South Carolina, Florida, and Wisconsin, wrote on Twitter. Her post included a receipt after donating $50 to the Minnesota Freedom Fund. Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said the former vice president opposes cash bail as a modern day debtors prison. Trumps campaign stated it was disturbing that Bidens team would financially support the mayhem that is hurting innocent people and destroying what good people spent their lives building, responding to the Reuters report. Bidens team has not responded yet to a request for comment. In a statement over the weekend, Biden said that protests following Floyds death are appropriate but spoke out against the violence and looting. Demonstrators vandalize a car as they protest the death of George Floyd, near the White House in Washington on May 31, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo) Protesting such brutality is right and necessary. Its an utterly American response, he said. But burning down communities and needless destruction is not. Violence that endangers lives is not. Violence that guts and shutters businesses that serve the community is not. Meanwhile, despite curfews in big cities across the United States and the deployment of thousands of National Guard soldiers over the past week, demonstrations descended into violence again on Sunday. Protesters hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police in Philadelphia, set a fire near the White House, and were hit with tear gas and pepper spray in Austin, Texas, and other cities. Seven Boston police officers were hospitalized. On Sunday, Trump took a step further and said the United States is going to declare the far-left Antifa group a terrorist organization in light of the violence. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Over a quarter (27%) of workers expect everyone to wear masks when they return to the office. (Getty) Only 44% of UK employees currently working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic are eager to return to the office, a survey has found. Almost two-thirds (63%) of employees said they are open to working from home full time and never going back to the office, according to the survey of 2,000 employees by job site Glassdoor. Logistical challenges and the the implementation of social distancing measures are some of the factors putting employees off from getting back into the office, with 75% expecting sitting two metres apart from colleagues will be mandatory and 66% anticipating restrictions on how people use the corridors. A third (34%) think there will be barriers or screens up around the office and 64% anticipate use of communal spaces such as kitchens and bathrooms will be restricted. Over a quarter (27%) of workers expect everyone to wear masks and 16% expect people to wear gloves at work. READ MORE: Google rescinds 2,000 job offers The coronavirus pandemic has also had an impact on what employees expect from their workplace, with 57% currently working from home say that office-based perks such as free food, games machines, fancy coffee machines and on-site gyms are now less important to them. Instead, 58% said that they are now more concerned with employee benefits and perks related to physical and mental wellbeing, such as mindfulness and fitness apps, wellbeing allowances, private healthcare and access to online therapy. The majority (72%) of employees currently working from home think there will be a slow, phased return to the office, with 46% expecting to go back into the office between June and August 2020. A further 30% expect to be back at their desks between September and October this year and 1% think they will have to continue working remotely until 2021. For those workers who are keen to get back into the office, 69% want to get back behind the desk to regain some feeling of normality, 63% miss socialising with colleagues, 38% are tired of working from home and 36% said there are fewer distractions in the office. Story continues READ MORE: Half of UK businesses caught off guard by remote working Joe Wiggins, EMEA director at Glassdoor, said: Many people are understandably cautious about returning to the office, imagining all sorts of restrictions ranging from which entrances and exits they can use to how they get a cup of coffee. Wearing a mask and gloves all day sitting at a desk does not sound like much fun: so much so that 63% of employees are open to working from home full time and never going back to the office. Deputy commissioner Pradeep Kumar Agrawal said here on Monday that the migrant labourers, who want to travel to their home states by trains and could not get themselves registered earlier, or who are still waiting for their turn, can visit the Guru Nanak Stadium at 11am on Tuesday and Wednesday and get themselves registered. He appealed to migrants not to bring their luggage while coming for registration. He said after their registration, trains would be arranged as per their numbers. He said special counters are being set up at the stadium for the registration of migrants. U.S.-China tensions have bubbled up again, and commodity markets could be caught up in the turmoil, not least LNG. Aviation activity and jet fuel are also in the mix this week, along with corn fundamentals in North and South America, and UK solar power. 1. U.S. LNG exporters face new test as China tensions resurface (Click to enlarge) (Click to enlarge) Whats happening? The U.S. move to no longer recognize Hong Kongs independence from mainland China could lead to new tariffs and a potential collapse of the Phase 1 trade deal that promised $50 billion in U.S. energy purchases through 2021. That would be significant for U.S. LNG exporters, after deliveries to China resumed April 20 following a 13-month halt due to the impact of tariffs. Whats next? Despite major coronavirus-related lockdowns earlier in the year, Chinese LNG demand has recovered fairly robustly this spring, with imports averaging over 8 Bcf/d in May, a year-on-year build of 9%, according to S&P Global Platts Analytics data. The global LNG market will continue to look to China to be an engine for demand growth this year, helping to balance a historic supply overhang. Normalizing LNG trade relations with China would be critical to efforts by U.S. exporters to benefit from that recovery and by developers of new liquefaction terminals to secure financing for their projects. 2. Asian jet fuel boosted by plans to ramp up flights from Koreas Incheon (Click to enlarge) Whats happening? Jet fuel traders across Asia expect to see improved bids for June and July-loading cargoes after major South Korean airlines said they plan to resume international flights. Korean Air is adding 19 international routes on June 1 including U.S., Asian and European destinations. This will increase the airlines operations to 32 international routes, with 146 flights a week from June 1. Asiana Airlines is eyeing similar moves. The airline will resume 13 international routes from June 1 one to Seattle and 12 to Chinese cities raising its services to 27 international routes versus 73 before the outbreak. Whats next? South Koreas Incheon airport is one of the busiest air traffic hubs in Asia alongside Singapores Changi airport. Re-opening of flight routes to and from Incheon should lift regional jet fuel demand and propel recovery in refining margin for the fuel. The FOB Singapore jet fuel/kerosene assessment rebounded by more than threefold from its trough of $13.06/b on April 22 to $37.79/b at the Asian close on May 26. Platts assessed the FOB Korea jet fuel cash differential at minus $2.20/b to the Mean of Platts Singapore jet fuel/kerosene assessments on May 28, a solid rebound from an all-time low of minus $4.65/b on April 22. 3. UK solar causing grid stability headaches but it could be worse (Click to enlarge) Whats happening? The UKs National Grid is seeking capacity turn-down offers from wind and, for the very first time, solar farms during weekends, in an emergency move to secure grid stability. This expensive last-resort action is necessary, the operator says, because of lockdown-affected electricity demand and, in part, rising seasonal solar output. Into this mix comes the announcement that the government has approved the UKs largest solar scheme to date, the 350 MW Cleve Hill project in Kent, while a 500 MW project in Cambridgeshire is close to an application. Related: Have Oil Traders Abandoned Fundamentals? Whats next? As the lockdown eases, so working week electricity demand should recover, at last to some extent but weekends will continue to challenge grid stability with low demand and surplus generation. UK solar capacity stands at 13.4 GW installed, with midday peaks forecast to approach 9 GW into early June. With demand falling below 20 GW at weekends, the grids challenge becomes clear if the wind blows. The real story, however, is that the midday peak problem would be much worse had solar subsidies not been withdrawn several years ago. Flagship projects like Cleve mask the fact that in the last year, just 195 MW of new solar have been added an increase of less than 1.5% over the period. 4. U.S.s record corn acreage adds to price woes; Brazil sees more support (Click to enlarge) Whats happening? Prices of corn in Brazil, the worlds second-largest exporter of the coarse grain, hit record nominal highs this year as robust domestic demand, low stocks and favorable exchange rates boosted local prices. At the same time, producers in the U.S., the top exporter of corn, are seeing corn prices at breakeven levels due to the collapse in demand from ethanol sector, which accounts for the bulk of the consumption, following COVID-19 related restrictions on movement. Whats next? Markets are keeping a close eye on Brazil, as corn prices are likely to ease when the harvest of second corn crop hits the market in June. However, Brazilian corn prices are still expected to be significantly higher than previous years even during the peak supply season, as most of the corn is consumed by the livestock industry, unlike the heavily ethanol-dependent U.S. corn market. U.S. corn prices have already hit multi-year lows recently, reaching $3.01/bu on April 21. The outlook for corn prices remains bleak in the U.S., as the corn planted area in the 2020-21 marketing season is projected to touch a new record, while corn stocks are seen at levels not seen since 1987-88. By Zerohedge.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Repeated Hurricanes Reveal Risks and Opportunities for Social-Ecological Resilience to Flooding and Water Quality Problems Environmental Science & Technology June 1 is the start of hurricane season in the Atlantic, and with 2020 predicted to be particularly active, residents in coastal regions are keeping watchful eyes on the weather. Flooding is often the most damaging effect of tropical storms, and it can disproportionately affect vulnerable people and ecosystems. Now, in ACS Environmental Science & Technology, researchers study water quality impacts of two recent hurricanes in North Carolina and suggest interventions to protect susceptible areas. Water quality problems caused by flooding can threaten the health of humans and wildlife. Rising waters can make wastewater treatment plants, sewers, hazardous waste sites, agricultural lands and animal feeding operations overflow, carrying pollutants into waterways. Flood hazard maps exist to help keep homes and businesses out of flood plains, but the maps arent always accurate. Danica Schaffer-Smith and colleagues wanted to find out how well the maps predicted actual flooding from two recent hurricanes. They also wanted to identify threats to water quality and find opportunities to improve the areas resilience to future storms. The researchers developed a computer algorithm that, using satellite images, mapped areas in North Carolina flooded by Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Florence in 2018. They found that hurricane flooding occurred beyond the state-mapped flood hazard zones during both storms. When the team correlated the flooded areas to socioeconomic characteristics of the people living there, they found larger impacts on communities that had higher proportions of older adults, people with disabilities, unemployment and mobile homes. The researchers mapped many potential sources of water pollution within the flooded areas, including hazardous waste sites, industrial discharges, wastewater treatment plants, and swine and poultry farms. Certain interventions, such as government land buyouts, forest restoration or wetland conservation, could help lessen the impacts of future hurricanes, the researchers say. The authors acknowledge funding from The Nature Conservancy, the Arizona State University Center for Biodiversity Outcomes, the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, the School of Geographical Sciences & Urban Planning, and the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment. The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people. The Society is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a specialist in scientific information solutions (including SciFinder and STN), its CAS division powers global research, discovery and innovation. ACS main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. Jane Fonda has spoken out about white privilege and racism following the death of George Floyd. The actor and activist was interviewed by Don Lemon on CNN over the weekend, as protests continued across the US in reaction to Floyds death. Its important for white people to understand the benefit of white privilege. Talk to me about that quickly if you can, Lemon asked her. Fonda replied: Because were white, we have had privilege. Even the poorest of us have had privilege. And we need to recognise that, and we have to understand what it is that keeps racism in place the policies, redlining, banking policies, mortgage policies. All of the things that are really making it very, very difficult for black people to lift themselves up. The policies have to be changed, and then white people have to understand the history that has led to this and we have to try to change within ourselves. Earlier in the interview, Fonda deemed the current situation a very important moment, adding: We have an election coming, we have a pandemic crisis, we have a climate crisis, we have a race crisis, and we have a choice to make. Floyd died aged 46 in Minneapolis, Minnesota on 25 May after a white police officer knelt on his neck. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. The National House of Chiefs is expressing worry over war threats being issued by some political elements ahead of the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections. It has therefore called for calm and peace over the proposed compilation of a new voters register. It would be recalled that the CID recently commenced investigations into threats made by PNCs National Chairman, Bernard Mornah, against the Electoral Commission and its staff concerning the voters register. At a press conference, Mr Mornah, who is largely seen as surrogate of the opposition NDC, says People who are already Ghanaians are already registered are going to be taken out of the voters register, dont you 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 said press conference was organized by the Inter-Party Resistance Against New Register (IPRAN) on May 26, 2020. And in a statement, the National House of Chiefs said: We are very concerned about the growing tension in our country, at a time when we are confronted with a lot of challenges Covid-19 pandemic, CSM epidemic, flooding, joblessness, etc.-that naturally require that we stick together and work towards finding the appropriate solutions. In the face of these challenges, it says, Ghanaians need hope and not fear. But sadly, our airwaves are filled with intimidation, and threats of anarchy, mayhem, war, according to the House of Chiefs, adding Our political leaders appear to be more concerned about winning power, than the development needs and happiness of our people. It noted that central to the escalating tension is the decision of the Electoral Commission to compile a new register. Unfortunately, the EC failed to honour invitations to the National House of Chiefs, when our traditional leaders wanted the opportunity to promote dialogue in the interest of peace, it says. The House of Chiefs statement was jointly signed by its President, Togbe Afede XIV and Vice President, Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII. 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 SYDNEY: Australias economy is expected to have shrunk in the first quarter as the global coronavirus pandemic is set to tip the country into its first recession in three decades. Annual growth likely slowed to 1.4% from 2.2% in 2019, the survey showed. If the economy contracts in both the March and June quarters it would be Australias first technical recession since the early 1990s. A Reuters poll of 15 economists forecast the A$2 trillion economy to contract by 0.3% in the three months to March - the first quarterly decline in nine years. The economic fallout deepened in Australia as the number of local coronavirus cases surged from less than 100 in early March to more than 7,000 now, forcing the government to shut borders and restrict large gatherings. The countrys central bank stepped in by cutting the cash rate to a record low 0.25% and launching an unlimited bond buying programme. It is widely expected to sit tight at its monthly policy meeting on Tuesday. Some economists see a small chance of a positive Q1, partly thanks to a run at supermarkets and solid export demand. That means Australia might escape technical recession. Again, said Deutsche Bank economist Phil Odonaghoe forecasting a 0.1% growth in March quarter. Risks to our outlook are to the downside. Even before the coronavirus-related mobility restrictions kicked in, Australias economy was struggling from a devastating bushfire season, a slowdown in tourism and weak domestic demand. A significant contraction in 2Q is looming, Bank of America-Merrill-Lynch analysts wrote in a note. Looking ahead, we do not expect a strong rebound in growth into 2021. We expect some of the lost output will not be recovered... Hence, there is risk for unemployment to rise by the end of the year. MANILA, Philippines Hundreds of Filipino workers repatriated from Kuwait are set to return to the country this week, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said. In a statement on Sunday, DOLE cited a report from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Kuwait stating that 380 distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFW) will arrive in Manila on June 1 and June 3. They will be repatriated via two chartered flights, each carrying 190 OFWs, arranged by the Kuwaiti government. The repatriation of this batch is part of the State of Kuwaits Amnesty Program which started in April 2020, DOLE said. According to DOLE Undersecretary Claro Arellano, 2,277 Filipinos were repatriated by the Kuwaiti government following the March 30 implementation of its Amnesty Program covering all expatriates with expired residency visa including those with absconding cases provided that they have no travel ban. Kuwaiti government shouldered the airfare costs, including provision for food and accommodation to qualified OFW availees pending their departure to the Philippines, Arellano said. DOLE said closely coordinated with the Public Authority for Manpower and the Ministry of Interior, through the POLO in Kuwait, to ensure that qualified OFWs are given priority access on the amnesty program of the host government which ended on April 30. The post 380 distressed Filipinos from Kuwait to return home this week DOLE appeared first on UNTV News. ZTE recently filed a patent for a foldable smartphone with clamshell-like design. As per the latest patent filed by the company, it seems to be working on yet another foldable smartphone. With the tri-fold display, the company is experimenting with a completely different approach. The renders from the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) hints that the new ZTE foldable smartphone will come with a tri-fold display. When unfolded, this device looks very much the same as the TCLs triple folding phone concept smartphone revealed in March of this year. Patent reveals ZTEs foldable smartphone with tri-fold display However, both these devices use a completely different folding mechanism. Once the device is folded, the middle part of the display stays at the front. The sides of the foldable display will be folded over to the back of the device. As seen on the Huawei Mate X, this foldable smartphone also comes with a grip to hold on one side. Advertisement It should also be where we might find the cameras, CPU, and most other internals. Apart from a unique tri-fold mechanism, the patent filing does not reveal any other details about the new ZTE foldable smartphone. As seen earlier, these patents might not turn into an actual device. Will this foldable smartphone launch outside of China? Even if the company is able to pursue further, the final product might look completely different from the above render. As per the patent filing, the company is only looking to patent the folding mechanism but not the design. Hence, we couldnt find any information about the buttons or port placement. ZTE might also limit the availability of its upcoming smartphones mostly to the Chinese market. Just like other Chinese manufacturers, ZTE is also completely exposing the foldable display on its devices. Since the foldable display comes with plastic protection, it is prone to damage even with everyday objects like keys and coins. Well have to wait for this foldable technology to get even more mature before we see the foldable smartphones go mainstream. Advertisement ZTE is also one of the first smartphone brands to jump on the foldable smartphone bandwagon. The Axon M, launched exclusively on AT&T in the US, offered a folding mechanism using two separate displays. But the visible hinge between the two displays never offered a seamless experience. While it sells smartphones outside of China, the company never got off the ground after the initial ban imposed by the US government in 2018. Earlier today, the company launched a new mid-range 5G smartphone called the Axon 11 SE 5G in China. It packs the new MediaTek Dimensity 800 chipset and supports dual-mode 5G. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) Another 552 people in the country have contracted the coronavirus disease, with the nationwide tally climbing to 18,638, the Department of Health confirmed on Monday. Of the newly logged infections, 119 have been classified as fresh cases or those diagnosed within the past three days. The other 433 are late cases or those detected at least four days ago, but were only recently validated by the DOH. Meanwhile, 70 more patients have survived the illness, while another three have died. These figures bring the total recoveries to 3,979, and the death toll to 960. A further breakdown of the total number of new cases showed that 231 or over 40 percent come from Metro Manila. Central Visayas registered 99, while 202 were from other regions. The remaining 20 infected are returning overseas Filipino workers, the DOH added. The agency began to differentiate fresh from late cases, as they clarified that the spike in daily confirmed infections is due to the countrys increased testing capacity and aggressive efforts to catch up on the testing backlog. Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier explained that the mass hiring program as well as the recent rollout of the COVIDKAYA information system helped speed up the validation of COVID-19 cases. Public health epidemiologist Dr. Troy Gepte also said that the coronavirus case fatality rate and case doubling time are down, indicating that the country is able to manage the pandemic. Metro Manila eased on Monday to a general community quarantine, where more businesses are allowed to reopen, after over two months under strict lockdown. This move to downgrade the community quarantine status in the countrys capital came amid concerns to revive the ailing economy, as the pandemic has forced a lot of industries to shut down. However, some experts and lawmakers have forecasted that this transition will result in a rise in daily confirmed infections. Officials continue to remind the public to observe health protocols and preventive measures to contain the virus. Globally, COVID-19 has infected over 6.1 million people. Of this number, more than 370,000 died, while over 2.6 million recovered. (Alliance News) - The UK Financial Conduct Authority on Monday has outlined the insurers who will be taken to task in its Business Interruption policy court case. Previously, the watchdog has written to insurance firms, telling them how it expects them to handle claims by small and medium enterprises against business interruption cover during the Covid-19 pandemic. The FCA has sought a court declaration to resolve the contractual uncertainty around the validity of many BI claims. The regulator said it is looking to "achieve clarity". Interim Chief Executive Christopher Woolard said: "The court action we are taking is aimed at providing clarity and certainty for everyone involved in these BI disputes, policyholder and insurer alike. We feel it is also the quickest route to this clarity and by covering multiple policies and insurers, it will also be of most use across the market". As part of this process, the FCA has contacted 56 insurers and reviewed over 500 relevant policies. "We have identified a sample of 17 policy wordings that capture the majority of the key issues that could be in dispute," the regulator added. Among the insurers that use the policy wording highlighted by the FCA is London-listed Aviva PLC, RSA Insurance Group PLC and Hiscox Ltd. European peers Zurich Insurance Group AG, Allianz SE and AXA SA were also cited. The FCA has asked RSA, Hiscox and Zurich - among other smaller firms - to help with the court case, however. "From all the policies we reviewed, we have selected a representative sample of 17 policy wordings to give as much clarity as possible to both insurers and policyholders alike. Rather than select firms by market share, we have identified policies which are representative of the key arguable issues and invited insurers to participate on the basis of securing the maximum relevant coverage for relevant policies whilst minimising the number of parties engaged before the court in order to make the process as swift as possible for the court," the regulator explained. Woolard added: "The identification of a representative sample of policies and the agreement of insurers who underwrite them to participate in these proceedings is a major step forward in progressing the matter to court". RSA Insurance, Hiscox and Zurich all said they "welcome" being part of the case. RSA noted, as at the end of April, it had received valid claims across travel, wedding cancellation (UK only) and commercial lines business interruption and related policies with an estimated cost of about GBP25 million net of reinsurance. This has not "materially changed", RSA said Monday. RSA said: "The FCA has made clear in their statement that in selecting policy wordings and insurers for the court case they have sought breadth of coverage across the key arguable issues, whilst minimising the number of parties engaged before the court. Market share has not been a determining factor in selection, and RSA's inclusion is not representative of its market share on the relevant policy wordings. The FCA expects the outcome of the court proceedings and related rulings to be directly relevant for all insurers providing business interruption insurance in the UK". RSA also noted previous statements from the FCA saying the great majority of business interruption claims are not expected to be eligible under their coverage terms for Covid-19, and the court proceedings seek to address the legal interpretation of just a small minority of policies and schemes. "RSA has a comprehensive reinsurance programme, with core catastrophe covers in place across the group (including the UK) as well as a group-wide aggregate protection. These arrangements (described in the group's full year results) are expected to provide substantial protection in the event that downside claims scenarios were to arise," the FTSE 100-listed insurer added. Hiscox said it recognises "these are extremely difficult times" and noted it is "committed to seeking expedited resolution of any contract dispute". The insurer said its capital position remains "robust". Zurich said, based on an internal review, its wordings do not provide cover for business interruption in relation to the Covid-19 outbreak. "This view is further supported by the limited numbers of claims received to date by Zurich's UK business in relation to business interruption, and the very low level of disputes over coverage experienced by the group," the Swiss insurer added. On the basis of this opinion, experience to date and Zurichas scenario analysis, the company remains "confident" that its total P&C claims cost for the full year will remain in line with the approximately USD750 million guided for in its the first-quarter update - though did note this is "subject to significant uncertainty". In the "unlikely event" that the UK High Court were to judge that all industry wordings reviewed in the FCA process do provide cover for business interruption in relation to Covid-19, then Zurich estimates that this would result in about USD200 million of claims net of reinsurance. By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. A research has revealed that health facilities in the northern part of the country are not ready to manage suspected or real cases of COVID-19. The research found out that whilst health staff had low confidence in themselves and their facilities capacities to handle cases of COVID-19, basic protectives such as disinfectants, thermometer guns, medical masks, gloves and soap were also not available at all the public health facilities, especially those that were the first points of calls for communities. It also found that whilst some training was held for some health staff across the regions including Police with focus on handwashing, referral system, and management of personal protective equipment, officers of the National Disaster Management Organisation had been left out of the training. The research, which was conducted in May, by NORSAAC, an NGO, assessed amongst others the infrastructural and logistical, as well as professional readiness of health staff in handling suspected or real cases of COVID-19 at the community, district and regional health facilities. A total of 108 front line health staff from 90 community and district level health facilities in 18 districts in the Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East, and Upper West Regions, and 59 Regional and District level COVID-19 response teams in those areas were interviewed as part of the research. NORSAAC disseminated the findings of the research in a virtual event for journalists and other stakeholders from its base at Shishegu in the Sagnarigu Municipality of the Northern Region. By May 31, the countrys COVID-19 case count stood at 7,881 with 2,841 recoveries and 36 deaths, and all the regions in the northern part of the country have recorded cases of the disease. The research also assessed the reliability of water supply for enhanced handwashing protocols at the facilities and found that 78 percent of the facilities had reliable water supply whilst 22% did not have reliable water supply adding that the water supply sources included 52% being boreholes, 18% being poly tanks, 26% being standpipes, and five percent being other sources. It also found that antenatal (ANC) and post-natal (PNC) attendance at health facilities had reduced due to fear of contracting COVID-19 at the facilities. It also found that adolescents access to reproductive health services at health facilities had also reduced because they did not frequent the facilities for fear of contracting the disease. In light of the findings, the research had recommended that the Ghana Health Service and district assemblies urgently train all medical and non-medical staff on COVID-19 issues to boost their confidence in managing such cases. The government must demonstrate transparency around the utilization of the COVID-19 fund and the equipment that had been procured and distributed to the regions, the study added. It said, As a matter of urgency, the Regional COVID-19 emergency committees must publish the list of health facilities and the COVID-19 equipment supplied to facilities at the district and community levels. It said, The districts must ensure regular water supply to CHPS Compounds and health centers, especially those relying on dams and rivers for handwashing. NORSAAC is an NGO that connects the realities of women, children, and youth to national discourse and dialogues. It has experience in responding to emerging issues with a focus on the needs of its constituents. 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 Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has accused his predecessor, Mohammed Abubakar, of taking N50 million from the coffers of the ... The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has accused his predecessor, Mohammed Abubakar, of taking N50 million from the coffers of the state each time he travelled to Abuja during his tenure. The Governor, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, said this on Saturday during a media chat to mark his first year in office in reaction to allegations by the All Progressives Congress. At the event held at the Command Guest House, Bauchi, Mohammed in reaction to allegations by the APC in the state that the present government does not follow due process in awarding contracts, said: I dont go to Abuja very often. In the past, the former occupant spent N50 million to go to Abuja. Just to go to Abuja. And to them, that is due process. N50 million just to go to Abuja. It is there on record. I dont even take it. My protocol, yes, as a governor, will take N3 million to N5 million to go with me. We are not saying this to beguile anybody, but it is there. If you take N50 million times four, that is N20 million. You cannot do anything. You need projects. We know we are being prudent and we will continue to be prudent and we are not looking for anything. God has given us everything. Colleges and universities like ours are hoping to reopen campuses and resume in-person instruction in the fall, but they face significant physical and logistical obstacles in protecting their students. Residential colleges are sometimes described as landlocked cruise ships, because students live, eat, study and socialize together, often in close quarters. Under ordinary circumstances, that is a good thing. But such tightly knit campus communities are tailor-made for spreading an easily transmissible illness like the coronavirus. The American College Health Association and others have laid out a basic process for reopening: Test all students on arrival, then again after one to two weeks, and periodically throughout the semester (though where colleges will get all these tests and the personnel to administer them remains a mystery). Isolate students who test positive, trace all close contacts and quarantine those exposed for two weeks. Maintain physical distancing protocols by reconfiguring residence halls, dining facilities, classrooms and other gathering places. Require everyone to wear masks in public, insist on frequent hand-washing and good hygiene, disinfect high-touch spaces and surfaces regularly and restrict travel to and from campus. Identify adequate quarantine space, probably by reserving blocks of hotel rooms. Analysts at the AM Best ratings firm say their initial stress tests of insurance companies globally to gauge the preliminary impact from the COVID-19 pandemic on their financial strength found good news: most insurers capital levels provided an adequate buffer against a potential shock to their balance sheets. Sensitivity to the pandemic was greater for life/health insurers with high asset and mortality risks; insurers with material exposures to mortgage loans; carriers operating in domiciles in higher country-risk tiers; and companies with smaller capital bases. AM Best believes that the initial negative impact on the P/C insurance industry will likely be in the form of a significant decline in earnings. Reputational risk may also be a problem, as any legal disputes become more visible. Insurers are likely to see a significant hit to earnings in 2020, rather than a material decline in risk-adjusted capitalization, said Mahesh Mistry, senior director, AM Best Rating Services. Reputational risk in certain markets may also be a problem, as any legal disputes become more visible to consumers, policyholders, regulators and legislators. The stress test focused on the impact of COVID-19 on underwriting and assets, as well as available capital. Since the stress test, market conditions have evolved rapidly, and AM Best said it recognizes that insurers need to be proactive in monitoring economic, regulatory, and industry developments. The AM Best stress test did not take into account a scenario in which contracts might be voided by legislation or the courts. But the report warns that if attempts to change contract language on business interruption are successful in forcing insurers to retroactively apply cover for losses from COVID-19 related business interruption despite specific exclusions in their policies these considerations would have grave impacts for the industry, specifically for commercial lines insurers. Stress Test Results As explained in its Bests Special Report, Stress Testing Rated Companies for COVID-19, the stress test analysis covered approximately 1,400 rating units worldwide, and focused on the impact of COVID-19 on underwriting and assets. Overall results showed that the median Bests Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR) score at VaR 99.6 of the rated population declined to 43% from an estimated year-end 2019 BCAR of 49%, demonstrating the resilience of the insurance industry. Because the insurance market is well capitalized, most companies were able to comfortably withstand the stress test, with no change to the BCAR assessment for 75% of rating units (most of which remain in the Strongest category), while 14% moved down by one assessment category. Property/casualty insurers in the U.S. and Canada performed relatively well, compared with life/annuity and U.S. health insurers. Most companies in the Asia-Pacific market generally performed well also, as did those in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa and in Latin America. Given the solid capitalization of the U.S. and Canadian P/C markets, most companies saw no change in their BCAR assessments in the stress test. AM Best considers the overall level of risky assets in P/C insurers portfolios modest. The median P/C insurers BCAR score experienced a modest decline of three points. The BCARs of most P/C companies in Europe remained largely in the Strongest category, similarly to their U.S. counterparts. However, there are concerns regarding business interruption and event cancellation. Reputational risk may also be a concern as insurers dispute claims. AM Best notes that companies that have performed well on AM Bests stress test could still face credit rating pressure if conditions deteriorate beyond the prescribed scenarios. According to AM Best, these include a second wave of mortality losses arising from a resurgence of the pandemic; a significant spike in claims experience for commercial lines segments, such as event cancellation, business interruption or trade credit insurance; rulings on contract clauses, results of litigation and government decisions; and further deterioration of financial markets resulting in material investment losses or write-downs of assets. The property/casualty analysis assumed a moderate increase of 5% in the loss ratio for certain commercial lines. If there is any additional worsening experience for business interruption, event cancellation, workers compensation, travel insurance or trade credit insurance, these business lines will need to be addressed case by case as developments unfold. AM Best said it will continue to monitor developments and adjust its analysis. Topics Carriers COVID-19 USA Market Property Casualty AM Best By PTI TEHRAN: In Iran, which has in the recent past violently put down nationwide demonstrations by killing hundreds, arresting thousands and disrupting internet access to the outside world, state television has repeatedly aired images of the US unrest. Foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi urged the US government and police to stop the violence against their own people during a press conference in Tehran on Monday. 'To American officials and police! Stop violence against your people and let them breathe,' Mousavi said and also sent a message to the American people that 'the world is standing with you.' He added that Iran is saddened to see 'the violence the U.S. police have recently' set off. NORWALK As a 4-month-old baby stopped breathing and lay unconscious, the girls day care owner was in another room taking explicit photos of herself to send to her partner, according to a newly unsealed arrest warrant. The whereabouts of the former Norwalk day care owner, Christine Limone, on the day of the infants death were detailed in an arrest warrant released Friday 15 days after the 50-year-old was charged with five felony counts of risk of injury to a minor stemming from the 2016 incident. Limone, who is the daughter of Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling, put the baby down to sleep in a mesh Pack n Play crib which investigators later determined was unsafe around noon on Oct. 5, 2016, the arrest warrant stated. An assistant at the day care told police Limone left the day care area in order to take care of her five dogs. More for you Former Norwalk day care owner where baby died charged with risk of injury Fifteen minutes after Limone put the baby down to sleep, the assistant checked on her, the warrant said. She was the last person to see the infant alive. An investigation led by Detective Christopher Allegro of the state police Western District Major Crime Squad found that Limone left the baby and four other children each under 3 years old unsupervised in the day care area, located in the basement of her Hunters Lane home, as she participated in an activity that took her more than a mile away from her home as part of a health app on her phone, the warrant stated. Around 12:25 p.m., GPS monitoring from Limones phone placed her at Thorp Lane, a quarter mile away from her home, the warrant said. Six minutes later, her phones GPS placed her on Douglas Drive, just north of Timothy Road, nearly 1.2 miles away from her home, the warrant said. When Limone returned, the assistant said they sat and talked for a while, the warrant said. After their chat, Limone told the assistant she could leave early, the warrant said. In the half hour leading up to when she found the baby unresponsive, Limone was engrossed in a sexually explicit exchange with a man, according to the warrant. From 1 to 1:28 p.m., the two sent more than 20 emails to each other, the warrant said. Two minutes after Limones final email, she found the baby dead in her crib, the warrant said. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said the cause of death was sudden unexpected infant death. A state Department of Children and Families report, cited in the warrant, further concluded that the babys death occurred due to (Limones) neglect. According to the DCF report, Limone placed the baby down for a nap on her stomach contrary to recommendations and did not utilize safe sleep practices, and then left the scene without adequate supervision, the warrant stated. The lack of adequate supervision created a situation whereby Limone failed to notice that (the baby) had aspirated while lying on her stomach, the warrant concluded. Attorney Frank Riccio, who represents Limone, did not respond to a request for comment. Between 2002 and when the incident occurred in 2016, Limone was cited numerous times by the state Office of Early Childhood, which oversees nurseries and day cares. The violations included failing to demonstrate good judgment with regard to supervision and safety of children, having a hazardous environment, improper case management and having expired first aid and CPR certifications, and three separate instances of being over capacity. During an unannounced inspection in March 2016, months before the tragedy, Limone was found caring for seven children (three of whom were under the age of 3) without any assistants, the warrant said. According to the warrant, Limone later submitted a corrective action plan to the OEC, claiming the infractions would be rectified immediately. But a followup by the OEC a month later found that Limone failed to fix many of the issues, the warrant said. After the babys death, the OEC suspended Limones day care license and scheduled an administrative hearing. The OEC claimed Limone failed to demonstrate good judgment about the supervision and safety of children, failed to protect children, failed to meet the children's physical needs and was over-capacity at the time of the incident, the warrant said. Limone voluntarily surrendered her early childhood license, though she disputed the OECs claims in a statement at the time. While I deny the agency's allegations contained in the file, I hereby voluntarily surrender my license to operate a family child care home instead of challenging the allegations, she said. Conflicting statements During their investigation, police said they found Limone had provided investigators with conflicting statements in the wake of the incident, Allegro wrote in the warrant. Norwalk firefighter John Kelly Jr., who was one of the first responders to the scene, told police he found Limone standing inside her garage and cradling the child in her arms, the warrant said. Kelly Jr. urgently took the infant from Limone, as she was NOT administering CPR (neither rescue breaths nor compressions). Kelly Jr. carried the infant down into the day care and began CPR, the warrant reads. At which time, Kelly Jr. observed the infant's lips to be ashen (not blue) in color and described her skin as cool to the touch, rubbery, and almost doll-like. Kelly Jr. told police that while he performed resuscitation on the child, he first heard Limone claim that only 20 minutes had elapsed since she laid the infant down for a nap, at which time the child was alive, the warrant said. She later reiterated this claim during interrogations with Norwalk police, the warrant said. Though Limone revised the time frame in later interviews with investigators, Kelly Jr. told police he found the claim to be disconcerting and questionable based on the childs condition, the warrant said. Joseph Kearney, a paramedic who also responded to the scene, echoed Kelly Jr.s concern, citing a degree of rigor mortis that was present in the infant, the warrant said. Based on Kearney's medical experience, including the infant's presentation/condition, he assessed the infant had been deceased much longer than the 25-30 minute claim, the warrant said. The medical examiner later determined the infant had been deceased much longer than the 25-minute period provided by Limone, according to the warrant. Alfredo Camargo, an investigator for the medical examiners office, also noted in his report that he was surprised to learn that the scene had already been released back to Limone by (Norwalk police) personnel, nearly three hours after the initial 911 call was made. A day after the incident, Chief States Attorney Richard Colangelo, who at the time was the states attorney for the Stamford-Norwalk Judicial District, requested that the investigation be turned over to state police due to a conflict of interest, according to the warrant. Limones father served as the citys police chief for 17 years before being elected mayor in 2013. Rilling declined to comment on his daughters case. Limone is scheduled to be arraigned in state Superior Court in Norwalk on June 22. Will not allow any dilution of out International borders says Shah India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 01: India will not tolerate any breach of its borders and befitting replies will be given, Union Home Minister, Amit Shah amidst the border row with China. Shah, however, said that diplomatic and military level dialogues are on with China and the issue will be resolved soon. Shah during an interview with a television channel said that the Narendra Modi government will not allow any dilution of its international borders and would take all steps to protect the country's sovereignty. No one should have any doubt about that he also said. India, China bring in heavy equipment and weaponry to their rear bases near eastern Ladakh Cabinet meet: 'Big decisions' expected as govt completes 1st year of 2nd term| Oneindia News Asked about the repeated Pakistani attempts to breach the border, Shah said India has never adopted an expansionist policy, but at the same time, it would not tolerate any violation of its borders. "If someone tries to do that, we will give a befitting reply. It is our duty and responsibility," he said. Referring to the ongoing battle against COVID-19, the home minister said the Modi government has been successful in combating the outbreak. "It is not known when the vaccine and medicine will come. How long will people remain in their homes? I can say that India and Narendra Modi's battle against COVID has been successful thus far," he said. Shah said the entire country is fighting together as one with a single mind and hence the fight against coronavirus has been successful. "As far as Unlock-1 (beginning Monday) goes, states, districts, panchayats, ASHA workers are ready. An army is ready to fight the COVID," he said. The Home Minister said the central government, the Prime Minister and he himself were sad that some migrant labourers had to go home on foot, despite arrangements being made for their transportation. CDS, Service Chiefs brief Rajnath Singh as China wants India to half work at along LAC "This has happened may be due to miscommunication or lack of awareness. But I want to say that about 4,000 'Shramik Special' trains were run by the Railways in which more than 50 lakh people have travelled to reach their respective homes. Another about 40 lakh people used buses to reach their destinations." "I want to congratulate the Railways, that despite them not having the route drivers, they managed to run so many Shramik trains," he said. Asked about West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's criticism of the central government policies, Shah said be it fight against coronavirus or tackling the cyclone, things were not in a good shape in West Bengal. "One thing is sure that in the coming days, the BJP will form the government in West Bengal. People of Bengal are looking for a change," he said. Last night, the group of cyber activists known as Anonymous launched a threat towards the US government after the death of George Floyd. The reason given by the group is that if the government was not willing to bring justice in the case, then they would begin to expose some of the crimes that the US has been hiding. **Follow all the latest developments on the aftermath of the death of George Floyd** Anonymous on the offensive A few hours after the Anonymous video hit the internet, the cyber activists exposed the relationship of renowned personalities with the Jeffrey Epstein child trafficking network. These names included Ivanka and Ivana Trump, Naomi Campbell, Chris Evans (the English TV host, NOT the Marvel actor), Mick Jagger and Will Smith, just to name a few. The list with hundreds of names on it was uploaded through a file on their social networks under the name of "The Little Black Book of Jeffrey Epstein", and in it they exposed all the people who attended parties organised by Jeffrey Epstein, where it is said that he "recruited the children." The case of Jeffrey Epstein was so impactful that Netflix released a documentary about it. After his guilt had been proven, the businessman is said to have taken his own life rather than spend it behind bars, although there are some who do not believe he committed suicide, but instead was murdered to prevent him from revealing information about others. Anonymous's direct threat to Donald Trump Athough names such as Ivanka and Ivana Trump appear, the group of cyber activists also launched a direct threat against the President of the United States, Donald Trump, whose name also appeared on the aforementioned list and has been accused of raping minors. He is also alleged to have a record on organised crime, a reason given for why he is being blackmailed by Russia, a country that has all the necessary evidence against him. In addition, Anonymous removed the Minneapolis police website, hacked Chicago police radio to pronounce "Fuck the Police, and exposed the royal family for having been involved with the Princess Diana murder. Their message is that the police keep arresting protesters instead of arresting the real criminals, and so more secrets will continue to come out. GLEN CARBON The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced that I-270, from IL 3 to just east of the I-55/70/270 interchange, will be intermittently restricted to one lane in each direction beginning on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, weather permitting. These lane closures will happen on Wednesday and Thursday evening from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and will continue throughout the weekend starting at 7 p.m. Friday, June 5 and ending at 6 a.m. Monday, June 8. This work is necessary to do pavement repairs. This portion of the work is expected to last three weekends. These closures are part of a larger resurfacing project which will include additional intermittent lane closures that will start after the Fourth of July weekend. Future press releases will detail these closures. The Coalition of Muslim Organisations, Ghana (COMOG) on Monday advised Muslims not to throng mosques as the Government has eased restrictions on religious meetings but to allow the necessary COVID-19 preventive measures to work. Hajj Abdel-Manan Abdel-Rahman, the COMOG President, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said though the restriction on meeting at mosques had been eased it was important for Muslims to take their time as the COVID-19 situation had not yet normalised. He said even though some countries had the same maximum number of 100 congregants in mosques, the mosques still remained closed to avoid any happenings that would further spread the disease. COMOG is advising Muslims leaders not to rush in opening mosques for congregational prayers, we will support any decision and directives by the National Chief Imam in this regard, he said. All Muslims have to await for the final decision from the National Chief Imam on how best congregational prayers could be effectively carried out. Nii Okai Aryee, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Ghana Muslim Mission (GMM), has outlined a number of activities they would embark on before allowing congregational prayers to take place. He said the Mission had plans to fumigate and disinfect the Mission and schools, organise clean up exercises, arrange for medical practitioners to educate members on COVID-19 and observe the safety protocols. He added that markings would be made at the mosque to allow people to observe social distancing, whilst Veronica buckets would also be provided for handwashing to contain the spread of the disease. Mr Mustapha Mawuli, the Public Relations Officer of Ghana Academy of Muslim Professionals, told the GNA that although the move to relax the restrictions was good, it could pose problems due to the lackadaisical attitudes by some people. "I will rather urge the Chief Imam to engage all community leaders to insist that all mats and Ablution kettles be removed from all mosques. Everyone coming to pray must perform ablution at home or buy pure water sachet to do same. They must also come along with their own mats. No one should share his or her mat with anyone," he stated. Hajia Fatima Dorkenoo, an Administrator of a construction firm, also expressed her disagreement with the opening of mosques. She added that the means of getting infected from the place of worship, especially the mosque, was imminent as "from the prayer mats in the mosques, kettle used for ablution, the likely disregard for prayer time among others nullifies the whole process". President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his 10th COVID-19 National Address on Sunday, outlined an abridged format for religious services to commence from June 5 amid the Coronavirus pandemic as part of Ghanas quest of easing the restrictions on social gatherings and safety protocols. The directives require that religious leaders ensured a mandatory one metre rule of social distancing between congregants. In addition it is mandatory for the wearing of masks for all persons at all times in churches and mosques. Each religious facility is also mandated to keep a register of names and contact details of all worshippers, fixed handwashing facilities and make provision for sanitizers. According to the Presidential Directives each service is to last a maximum of one hour. Religious institutions that were desirous of opening their premises to their members, such as churches, mosques and others, must disinfect, fumigate and put in place the requisite logistics needed to guarantee safe opening and operation. They must work with the designated, regulatory bodies and undertake test runs of the protocols outlined. President Akufo-Addo said the Minister of Religious Affairs would, from Monday, June 1, outline in detail the specific guidelines for the safe reopening of the churches and mosques. He explained that the decision to gradually ease the COVID-19 restrictions was reached by consensus, which emerged from consultations with various stakeholders who advised that the country should embark on a strategic, controlled, progressive, safe easing of restrictions to get our lives and economy back to normal. Ours is going to be a phased approach, involving a selected list of public gatherings, based on their risk profile, socio-economic impact, and, most importantly, our capacity to enforce and to respond in the event of a flare up in our number of infections. 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 Further roadworks will take place on Rue du Cimetiere in Bonnevoie and on Monday there will be roadworks on Rue de Merl. Avenue de la Faiencerie The road will be one way only from 6am on Tuesday 2 June until 5pm on Saturday 6 June, between Allee Scheffer and Rue Batty Weber. This will impact the 3 and 30 bus services towards the city centre, which will be diverted to the bus stops for line 19 on Avenue Pasteur. Rue du Cimetiere in Bonnevoie Work on the water network will begin on Rue du Cimetiere in Bonnevoie from 7am on Tuesday until 6pm on Saturday, blocking off the road in parts. Buses 3, 30 and 27 will be affected. Rue de Merl From 6am on Monday works will take place on Rue de Merl, closing the road between Cure des Celtes and Rue de la Barriere. The works will last until 6pm on Saturday and will affect bus stops for the lines 12, 15 and 27. EmpowerMX EmpowerMX Touchfree ETC will meet all regulatory mandates for Clean Operations in the MRO industry, reduce the risk of contact-based virus spread, and help shops provision for workspace employee safety in a frictionless manner. EmpowerMX, the leading cloud-based MRO platform for the aviation industry today announced the launch of Touchfree Electronic Task Card (ETC), a contact-less solution for companies that are planning to resume post-pandemic operations. In the new reality, paper-based operations will subject multiple users to physical contact with a paper trail, leading to potential increased spread of COVID-19 said Dinakara Nagalla, CEO of EmpowerMX. The EmpowerMX Touchfree ETC is an elegant, mobile-ready solution that can works seamlessly with any existing MRO solution to enable operators on the floor to digitally complete tasks without coming into contact with paper. As a fully integrated digital platform, Touchfree ETC offers engineers and field operators the ability to collaborate with remote support using built-in video technology in mobile devices. It can also record these support calls and permanently save them as part of the aircrafts records. With many MROs launching drone inspections, Touchfree ETC delivers the ability to stream the drone footage directly into the mobile device and onto the task card, as well as photos taken with hand -held devices. This will allow the MRO organization to maintain a single point of storage for all aircraft maintenance activities. EmpowerMX Touchfree ETC is an industry-first electronic task card solution that helps MRO organizations migrate to digital operations in a very short time. Legacy PDF and images that are currently the norm are rapidly digitized with the Touchfree ETC conversion engine, which then makes all data available for any hand held digital device. Powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence, Touchfree ETC can auto recognize the correct signatories, where they should sign, and if they are qualified to sign, irrespective of the document format. It can seamlessly deliver any technical document that engineers and field service personnel use todayincluding formsthrough mobile devices and can be executed electronically, enabling a fully digital operation. Having been in the airline industry for decades, I was excited by the EmpowerMX vision to transform a paper-based operation to a fully digital process, irrespective of the source documents, said Jim Sturgis, COO at EmpowerMX. Our product design focus has been to help MRO shops start off using ETC with current projects on the floor, even as they work to bring their legacy paper-based data to the digital realm. It is time for the industry to embrace this path towards a complete digital operation that helps minimize the impact of current pandemic crisis as well as saving very significant costs through improved operational efficiencies and increasing regulatory compliance. EmpowerMX Touchfree ETC will meet all regulatory mandates for Clean Operations in the MRO industry, reduce the risk of contact-based virus spread, and help shops provision for workspace employee safety in a frictionless manner. For more information, contact sales@empowermx.com About EmpowerMX: Based in Frisco, TX, EmpowerMX is a leading cloud-based software platform that is designed to accelerate digital adoption in the Airline, MRO, and Defense establishments. Its product suite helps Engineering and Compliance, Heavy and Line Maintenance, Shop and Materials Management. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 1, 2020 15:01 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb4d636 1 World Indonesian-migrant-workers,Indonesia-Malaysia,citizen-deportation,undocumented-foreigners,undocumented-worker,Kuala-Lumpur,Malaysia Free Malaysian authorities are set to deport around 4,800 undocumented Indonesian migrant workers being detained at several immigration custody centers, a local high-ranking official has said. The Malaysian Immigration Department and the Foreign Ministry coordinated with the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur [on May 28] about the deportation, Malaysian Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yakoob said in a live telecast from Kuala Lumpur on Saturday as quoted by antaranews.com. The migrant workers will first undergo rapid test testing for COVID-19 before returning to Indonesia. The Indonesian Embassy will be invited to attend the testing, Ismail added. The first phase [of the deportation] will start on June 6 for some 2,189 undocumented Indonesian migrants that are now still in custody in the detention centers at the Malaysian peninsula and Sarawak region, with 672 more who are still in detention centers in Sabah region, he said. Read also: 421 Indonesians arrested in Malaysian immigration raid The first group, comprising 450 deportees, will return home on June 6 on three flights to Jakarta, Medan in North Sumatra, and Surabaya in East Java, and 445 others will return home on June 10 via the same routes. Of the 4,800 workers, 1,294 will travel by ship to Medan later this month. The [Indonesian] embassy will be allowed to make consular visits [to the immigration depots] to complete the administration needs of deportees who do not have travel documents, Ismail said. Kuala Lumpur, he went on, appreciated the cooperation that had been shown by Jakarta regarding the handling of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia. When asked about the issue, Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah confirmed to The Jakarta Post on Monday that it was regular deportation conducted by the Malaysian authorities. He explained that it was not a coordinated repatriation, like what had been carried out by the government to facilitate Indonesians abroad who wanted to return home amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it still needs to be coordinated, in terms of how to ensure the deportation follows a standardized health protocol. In addition, we must also ensure the readiness of the entry points at home, he said. TORONTO - Bell Canada will sell most of its data centres for $1.04 billion to California-based Equinix Inc., which provides locations to house equipment for cloud computing and internet services. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Bell Canada logo is seen Tuesday, June 21, 2016 in Montreal. Bell Canada has agreed to sell 25 data centres at 13 locations across Canada to Equinix Inc. for $1.04 billion in cash. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson TORONTO - Bell Canada will sell most of its data centres for $1.04 billion to California-based Equinix Inc., which provides locations to house equipment for cloud computing and internet services. Montreal-based Bell, the main subsidiary of BCE Inc., will also form a partnership that provides about 600 clients of Bell Business Markets with full access to the Equinix platform. "Our data centres house the key digital infrastructure that powers the digital economy," said Jon Lin, Equinix's president for the Americas. "We've been very committed to the Canadian market and looking for expansion opportunities over the years." Lin said Equinix has been operating in Canada for about a decade, mostly in the Toronto area, but sees the acquisition as a way to expand geographically and gain more than 500 new customers currently with Bell. "We see a great opportunity to expand Bell's ability to serve Canadian multinationals everywhere around the world," Lin said. Equinix currently has more than 210 data centres in 55 cities around the world, including two in Toronto. The Bell deal will add 25 of data centres at 13 locations in eight cities. Besides Toronto, others are in Vancouver, Kamloops, B.C., Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Millidgeville, near Saint John, N.B. "We don't actually touch or handle the customers data," he added. "They're putting their servers, their storage infrastructure inside of our building and we're making sure the building is secure for them." Bell will continue to own and operate five of its data centres at its own operations in Calgary, Halifax, Saint John, St. John's, N.L, and Toronto. Analysts said Bell could be use proceeds from the sale for the next round of spectrum auctions, which will provide Canadian wireless networks with more of the frequencies they'll require for deploying fifth-generation services over the coming years. "In our view, this will be a positive for the stock given that the valuation is solid (ahead of our expectations) and it affords BCE greater balance sheet flexibility going into the spectrum auctions," Canaccord Genuity analyst Aravinda Galappatthige wrote in a note to clients. Drew McReynolds of RBC Dominion Securities also noted that data hosting and co-location services have become less of a priority for telecom companies. 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 believe the transaction enables BCE to redeploy capital to more strategic opportunities (such as network investment including spectrum)," McReynolds wrote. Bell Canada said the sale is expected to serve the needs of its enterprise clients while strategically redeploying capital to be used in other parts of its business, which includes Bell and Virgin Mobile wireless, Fibe internet and television, and Bell Media. "This transaction reinforces Bell's strategy to focus investment on the network infrastructure, content and services necessary to advance how Canadians connect with each other and the world," Mirko Bibic, president and CEO of both Bell Canada and its parent BCE Inc., said in a statement. The cash deal is expected to close in the second half of 2020, subject to regulatory approval and completion of other conditions. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2020. Companies in this story: (TSX:BCE) Among those who lined the walkway was Robert Cervantes, who, with Sustaita, is a founding member of the Organization of Hispanic Veterans. Cervantes is vice president of the group. Even though I havent known him terribly long, I grew up here in Waco and Mannys name was just one of those respected names in the Hispanic community, Cervantes said. He was a mover and a shaker, just one of those people who saw a need and set about to fill it. He rallied people and he reached out to people in need. That is what I remember growing up, and now to be sitting at the same table has just been an incredible honor. Just to watch his service, to see his compassion to really understand what the community needs and what each individual can do for the community was an awesome experience, Cervantes said. Robert Gamboa, a researcher and historian of veterans and related issues, has known Sustaita since they were fourth-graders at the former Sul Ross Elementary School. Both have worked side-by-side for years on veterans and community issues. Hong Kong officials slam US for moving to end special treatment of city Iran Press TV Sunday, 31 May 2020 5:56 AM Hong Kong government officials have criticized US President Donald Trump for moving to strip the semi-autonomous Chinese territory of its special rights status. In an attempt to punish China for introducing a new security law for Hong Kong, Trump said on Saturday that the city no longer warranted economic privileges and some of the territory's officials could face US sanctions. Trump claimed the new legislation would decrease the level of autonomy in Hong Kong, and threatened to impose sanctions on Hong Kong government officials who supported the law. Hong Kong's Justice Minister Teresa Cheng said hours later that the premise for Trump's move was "completely false and wrong." Cheng also said Trump was infringing the principle of non-interference, arguing that stripping the government of its special status amounted to meddling in China's internal affairs. Separately, Security Minister John Lee told reporters that Hong Kong's government could not be threatened and would push ahead with the new law. "I don't 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, referring to the American officials. Chinese state media also lashed out at the US president for his decision regarding Hong Kong. China Daily said on Sunday that Trump's decision would hurt the United States and strengthen the bond between Hong Kong and mainland China. The state-run Global Times tabloid also wrote that the US would run afoul of Hong Kong's citizens. "China has already prepared for the worst. No matter how far the US goes, China will keep its company. If Trump's plan continues, Washington will soon run counter to the interests of most Hong Kong people," Global Times wrote. North Korea backs China's decision Meanwhile, North Korea said it supported China's decision to tighten security with its new legislation, calling it a "legitimate step" to safeguard state security. "Since Hong Kong issue is an issue pertaining thoroughly to the internal affairs of China, any country or force has no rights to say this or that about the issue," North Korea's KCNA state news agency cited a representative of North Korea's Foreign Ministry as saying. "We categorically oppose and reject the outside interference detrimental to the security and the social and economic development of Hong Kong," it said. Hong Kong has witnessed protests over the security law as a lockdown imposed over the coronavirus outbreak gradually loosens in the city. The law was recently passed by the National People's Congress (NPC). It aims to boost security measures and safeguard national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) after violent protests rocked the region for months last year. Hong Kong's legislature debated and passed the Beijing-proposed bill on Wednesday. It is expected to criminalize sedition, secession, and subversion against the mainland. It would further pave the way for Chinese national security institutions to operate in the city for the first time since 1997, when Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule. Beijing and Hong Kong officials have assured the people in the region that the security law will only target a small group of trouble-makers who undermine the business hub's stability. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran presents the Final Solution to the question of Palestine By Lt. Col. (ret.) Michael Segall On Friday, May 22, Iran and the Muslim world celebrated International Jerusalem Day or Quds Day, which falls on the last Friday of the month of Ramadan. In line with a ruling by Ayatollah Khomeini and the Iranian government, this day has been observed each year since 1979. During it, Muslims express their yearning for the liberation of Jerusalem and the restoration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinians in Palestine. Even today, Khomeinis doctrine, in general, and Jerusalem Day, in particular, continue to dictate, define, sustain, and shape the goals of the Islamic Revolution, not least the call that is reiterated each year for the destruction of the Zionist entity that is, Israel. This year, Israels Jerusalem Day, marked each year (on the 28th of the Hebrew month of Iyar) to commemorate the citys unification, fell on the same day as the Iranian International Quds Day. Since its establishment, International Jerusalem Day has become a major highlight in the calendar of the Islamic regime. It is prepared for long in advance, both in Iran and among Muslim (particularly Shiite) populations outside of it. Among its main features are mass processions, usually after recruitment and organized transportation by the regime and its arms, in which placards proclaim Death to Israel and Death to America. This year, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, of which Iran is one of the epicenters, the Iranian regime made do with virtual activity. Its centerpiece was an online speech by the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who asserted, among other things, that the Zionist virus will not last very much longer and will be eradicated. Iran also waged a wide-scale propaganda campaign on social networks and in its propaganda organs that featured calls for the annihilation of the Zionist entity (the regime that occupies Jerusalem). In that context, it also presented the Iranian peace plan along with denunciations of the Trump Peace Plan the deal of the century. In the run-up to International Jerusalem Day, Khameneis office sent out a poster (in English, Farsi, and Arabic) on social networks with the provocative, offensive, impudent, and deliberately intended title, which is unambiguous in the context of the Holocaust of the Jewish people: Palestine will be free. The final solution: Resistance until referendum. Amid the wide media impact, Khamenei clarified the poster by saying: Eliminating Israel does not mean eliminating Jewish people.It means abolishing the imposed regime & Muslim, Christian & Jewish Palestinians choose their own govt & expel thugs like Netanyahu. The Iranian leaders plan is not new; he invokes it from time to time under various circumstances. In November 2019 he posted a similar plan on his website in English with the title: How will the abolition of Israel be accomplished? and offered the main points of the plan. For his part, Foreign Minister Zarif tweeted (broadly hinting at Germany, which recently added Hizbullah to its list of terror organizations): Disgusting that those whose civilization found a Final Solution in gas chambers attack those who seek a real solution at the ballot box, through a REFERENDUM. The poster was aimed at uniting the various elements of the resistance camp. It included indicators of the struggle and of Palestinian sacrifice, alongside symbols of the conflict with a focus on Jerusalem. These were linked with Irans decisive role, as Khamenei also made sure to emphasize in his speech, in strengthening the Palestinian camp and providing it with tie-breaking weapons (missiles and rockets) that are intended to balance the force equations between the Palestinians and Israel. Khamenei thereby defied the moderate Arab (Sunni) camp (particularly the Gulf States), including PA President Mahmoud Abbas himself who, in Khameneis view, has abandoned and even betrayed Palestine in contrast to Iran, which is portrayed as a key regional power that spearheads the anti-Israel resistance camp. For their part, the leaders of the resistance camp rose to the occasion with online speeches, including Ismail Haniyeh (Hamas), Ziyad al-Nakhalah (Palestinian Islamic Jihad), Hassan Nasrallah (Hizbullah), Kais al-Khazali (leader of the pro-Iranian Shiite militia Asaib Ahl al-Haq in Iraq), and Abdul-Malik Badreddin al-Houthi (leader of the Houthis in Yemen). The poster is brimming with details, and its setting is the entrance to the al-Aqsa Mosque, possibly during the holding of a referendum. The figure of Qasem Soleimani, who was commander of the Quds Force of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and was assassinated by the United States, and whom the Iranian regime is turning into a historical-religious-religious myth transcending time and location, appears in many places in the poster (even more than Khomeini and Khamenei do). To emphasize that the struggle against Israel goes beyond borders and countries, the flags of Palestine, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hizbullah, and the IRGC all appear in the poster, as well as some of the flags of the pro-Islamic Shiite militias in Iraq and a picture of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was assassinated along with Soleimani (in the background, the Israeli flag is going up in flames). Also visible in the poster are martyred Palestinian leaders (shahids) such as Ahmed Yassin (the Hamas leader who was assassinated in Gaza), Fathi Shkaki (the Islamic Jihad director-general who was assassinated in Malta), Imad Mughniyeh (a senior Hizbullah figure and associate of Khamenei, assassinated in Syria), and Muhammad Bakr al-Hakim (a senior Shiite figure in Iraq and one of the staunch opponents of Saddam Hussein, assassinated in Najaf). On one side of the poster, there also appear two women making a threatening T-shaped gesture with their hands the gesture adopted by Nasrallah after Soleimanis killing, which is meant to hint to the United States: You send your soldiers to the region standing up, and they will come back lying in coffins. Nor did the Iranians forgo the Jewish context in the poster, which includes a number of figures representing ultra-Orthodox Jewish elements who oppose Zionism and Israel. Concomitantly, Khamenei stated in his speech regarding the final solution: Palestine belongs to the Palestinians.A referendum should be held in which all the religions (Christians, Jews, and Muslims) will participate.This is our old proposal and it is still valid it is the only solution to the challenge that the question of Palestine has faced and will face.That which should definitely go is the Zionist regime, since Zionism is a bizarre innovation which has been planted in Judaism and is totally alien to it. In this regard, the Iranian regime coerced Rabbi Yehuda Gerami, chief rabbi of the Iranian Jewish community, to lash out (in Hebrew) at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israelis as Iran marked Quds Day: You dont represent Judaism. We Iranian Jews want to send this message to the Zionists, and first and foremost to Netanyahu.Know that you Zionists do not represent Judaism and do not represent the Jewish people.You only represent the idea of a political movement whose ideas and values oppose the ideas and values of our holy Torah and the Jewish religion.We strongly condemn your aggressive actions and emphasize to the whole world: There is a big difference between Judaism and Zionism. A Worldwide Revolutionary Vision In tandem, not coincidentally, with the Iranian Jerusalem Day, five tankers were making their way to Venezuela carrying Iranian fuel for the Maduro regime in blatant violation of the U.S. sanctions on both countries. One tanker has already arrived and the others are in transit. With this tanker convoy, Iran is not only demonstrating readiness to clash with the United States if need be, but also that the resistance camp ranges far beyond the boundaries of the Middle East and that the struggle with the Great Satan is global. In social networks, Iran and Venezuela were portrayed as components of the anti-imperialist front, which, as far as Iran is concerned, is the international extension of the regional resistance front. Here, too, Qasem Soleimani is included in the campaign alongside the symbols of the ongoing anti-imperialist struggle in South America Hugo Chavez, Simon Bolivar (El Libertador, the Venezuelan who freed South American countries from the yoke of Spanish rule), Che Guevara, and Fidel Castro. The Spirit of the Times Thus, Khomeinis doctrine The destruction of Zionism is almost a necessary condition for solving the contemporary problems of Islam continues to resonate and to guide even the second and third generations of the revolution, a sort of eternal precept that brooks no deviation, questioning, or disagreement and that one must strive constantly and actively to fulfill. According to this doctrine, the ongoing struggle against Israel and the United States is not a separate phenomenon but part of the centuries-old battle against Western arrogance and imperialism, which implanted the Zionist entity in the heart of the Muslim domain and the world of Islam. Iran, as noted, has been broadening this struggle as part of its fight against the U.S. sanctions regime, even to the borders of the United States itself. It is also extending the regional resistance front to include the struggle against U.S. imperialism in South America, now specifically involving Venezuela, which is also contending with a sanctions regime. Hence, for Iran, the arrival of the fuel tankers to Venezuelas shores, breaching the wall of U.S. sanctions, is a dramatic economic and moral achievement at a time when Iran is undergoing a severe economic, political, and medical crisis. Irans HispanTV strongly propagated this message. Thus, Iran seeks to incorporate both the anti-Israel resistance camp and the anti-imperialist camp into its border-transcending revolutionary vision. During the tankers voyage, the hashtag #IranYVenezuelaUnionAntiimperialista (Iran and Venezuela united in the anti-imperialist struggle) has gone viral on social networks, and the Qasem Soleimani symbol has made the long journey to the shores of Venezuela, thereby melding with the mythological symbols of the struggle against imperialism and its handiwork the Zionist entity. Amid Soleimanis glorification after he was killed, as he became an integral part of the Shiite mythology, Khamenei likened him to Malik al-Ashtar, one of the most loyal companions of Imam Ali (father of Imam Hassan). Al-Ashtar, who fought in the foundational battles of early Islam (the Battle of the Camel, the Battle of Siffin, the Battle of Yarmouk, and others), is regarded as a skilled and fearless warrior. Indeed, the photo of Soleimanis severed hand with its ring, which circulated on social networks and became one of the symbols of the assassination, is of great import in the Shiite believers iconography and corresponds with the myths of the battles (particularly Karbala) and the self-sacrifice of the historical Shiites. Iran is thus trying to link Soleimani as a symbol with the regional and international struggles against imperialism and the U.S. sanctions, and with the ongoing struggle of the Palestinians, Hizbullah, the pro-Iranian Shiite militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen against regional enemies who are supported by the United States. In the harsh anti-Israel and anti-Zionist rhetoric of Khamenei, the top regime officials, and the IRGC there is nothing new. They are indeed echoing the original slogans of the Islamic revolution, attuning them to the spirit of the time and place, and linking them with the new geostrategic reality that is emerging in the region and the world, and with the essential, overarching attitude that guides Iran: hostility and suspicion toward the West (particularly the United States) and Israel (which, as noted, it regards as a Western implant in the region). The pro-active interpretation that Khomeini gave to Shiite Islam, and the revolution in Shia that he brought about, are regularly revalidated. For the current leaders of Iran, even amid the difficulties they are now undergoing, these factors link the successes in the national-Iranian dimension (bearing up under the sanctions, the continuing nuclear program, the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the revival of the Shiites in Iraq and Lebanon, the Palestinian and Hizbullah victories against Israel) and in the religious dimension (the hand of the Mahdi through Divine intervention). This, in turn, bolsters belief and righteousness in the justness of the path, and in the ongoing rationale for standing firm. Just as Khomeinis prophecies about the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of Saddam are seen as having been realized, these leaders likewise believe in his prophecy about the demise of Israel, with Iran as the agent bringing it about. An Activist Approach Amid the complex weave of the efforts to export the revolution and promote the Islamic regimes revolutionary aspirations, each year the repeated call for the destruction of Israel (the Zionist regime, the Zionist entity, the regime that occupies al-Quds) offers Iran an opportunity to showcase an ongoing activist approach to the Palestinian problem and a far-reaching domain of activity wherein the vision of the instigator of the revolution, Khomeini, can be realized. Tehran contrasts this stance with the impotence of the Sunni Arab leaders, who, in its view, are normalizing their relations with Israel and thereby betraying the Palestinians. Iran, as Khamenei underlined in his speech, is arming Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza and helping them achieve a balance in the armed struggle with Israel. (Khamenei has also called to arm the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria.) In the past, Iran tried to wrap its radical ideological messages, whose real meaning is the destruction of Israel, in cellophane. Today the messages are more blatant and unabashed in the vein of the final solution. The Iranian regime is not likely to change its ideological conception of Israel as a foreign implantation and cancerous tumor (the phrase reappeared this year as well in Khameneis Jerusalem Day speech), and it will continue to market that concept in the region and in the international arena. The meaning of the Iranian peace plan or, as packaged this year, a referendum as the final solution to the problem of Palestine is Israels eradication as a Jewish state. The calls for Israels destruction and of Death to America will keep reverberating around the world next year as well, and Iran will keep pursuing its meandering strategy toward the production of nuclear weapons. On Jerusalem Day in 2005, Ahmadinejad called on the Palestinians to wisely stand firm for a short time, and if we go through it successfully, the process of destroying the Zionist regime will be simple and brief. In September 2015, Khamenei asserted that Israel would not exist for another 25 years. Next year in Jerusalem Day? IDF Lt.-Col. (ret.) Michael (Mickey) Segall, an expert on strategic issues with a focus on Iran, terrorism, and the Middle East, is a senior analyst at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and at Acumen Risk Advisors. Home The mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, has suspended indefinitely the use of 'no-knock' search warrants allowing police to enter a home unannounced, more than two months after a botched drug raid killed 26-year-old trainee EMT Breonna Taylor. Taylor's name is now one of those being chanted during nationwide protests decrying police killings of black people. The unrest began after the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded that he couldn't breathe as white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground with a knee for several minutes. Chauvin was arrested last week and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Scroll down for videos Breonna Taylor, 26, died on March 13 when police fired at least 20 rounds into her apartment. More than two months later, the mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, last week suspended indefinitely the use of 'no-knock' search warrants Police and Kentucky National Guard troops chase protesters as they flee toward a fence Sunday in a parking lot at the corner of East Broadway and South Brook Street in downtown Louisville Taylor's name is now one of those being chanted during nationwide protests decrying police killings of black people. Pictured: Army National Guard Soldiers stand with Louisville Metro Police officers on Sunday A protester walks with police officers during a protest over the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor on Saturday in Louisville Protesters and police stand off as tear gas is deployed in the streets on Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky Taylor and her boyfriend were in bed when a trio of armed men smashed through the front door of their apartment. Gunfire erupted, killing the unarmed black woman. Ben Crump, a prominent civil rights lawyer who is representing Taylor's family, said last week the raiding officers fired between 25-30 rounds into Taylor's apartment from all angles. The three men turned out to be plainclothes police detectives, one of whom was wounded in the chaos and violence that March night. Taylor's death led to protests and a review of how Louisville police use 'no knock' search warrants, which allow officers to enter a home without announcing their presence, often in drug cases to prevent suspects from getting rid of a stash. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced the change last week, but civil rights advocates are calling for a permanent ban on 'no-knock' search warrants, though Oregon and Florida are the only states that have outlawed such warrants. Fischer suspended the policy after an outcry from Taylor's family and they sued the department and the three officers who served the warrant. The new policy requires Louisville's police chief to sign off on all no-knock warrants before they go to a judge. '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. He continued: 'these changes, and more to come ... should signal that I hear the community and we will continue to make improvements anywhere that we can.' The three narcotics detectives had a no-knock warrant when they busted down the door of Taylor's apartment after midnight on March 13. They were investigating a drug dealer named Jamarcus Glover, who was arrested elsewhere the same day. Police said Glover was using Taylor's address to receive packages they believed could be drugs. No drugs were found at her apartment. Tom Wine, the city's top criminal prosecutor, said he believes police knocked and announced their presence. 'Simply because the police get a no-knock warrant does not mean they can't knock and announce,' Wine said last week. But the lawsuit filed on behalf of Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, says neighbors didn't hear the plainclothes detectives knock or identify themselves as officers before they crashed into the apartment. Taylor's family filed suit against Louisville police on April 27. The three plainclothes officers who shot and killed her have been reassigned Last week, as protests in Louisville and across the country exploded in violence, leaving multiple people wounded, Taylor's mother urged demonstrators to continue demanding justice but without hurting each other. In her statement, Tamika Palmer said her daughter - an aspiring nurse - devoted her life to others and the 'last thing she'd want right now is any more violence.' Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, told investigators that he thought he was being robbed or that it might be an ex-boyfriend of Taylor's trying to get in. Walker told police he heard knocking but did't know who it was. He said he and Taylor were moving toward the door when it was knocked down, so he fired a shot that hit an officer. Authorities had charged Walker with attempted murder but dropped the case last week. Wine said he wanted to let state and federal authorities complete their review of the shooting. Police in Montgomery County, Maryland, in March shot and killed 21-year-old Duncan Lemp in his family's home while serving a no-knock search warrant Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky has urged city leaders to ban no-knock warrants, saying they lead to the deaths of innocent people. A 2014 ACLU report on police militarization detailed several botched SWAT team raids as no-knock warrants were served, including one that year in Georgia that ended with a toddler in a medically induced coma. More recently, police in Montgomery County, Maryland, shot and killed 21-year-old Duncan Lemp in his family's home while serving a no-knock search warrant. An eyewitness said Lemp was asleep in his bedroom when police opened fire from outside his house, according to an attorney for his family. Police said Lemp, who was white and a suspected anti-government militia man, was armed with a rifle and ignored commands. Lemp family attorney Rene Sandler said police began using no-knock warrants decades ago as a tool in the nation's war on drugs. They have become the 'norm' for many kinds of criminal cases, including non-violent offenses, she said. 'It's an abuse of authority across the board,' said Sandler, a former county prosecutor. Law enforcement consultant Melvin Tucker, who's been a police chief in four cities in the U.S. South, said the element of surprise afforded by no-knock warrants isn't always justified. Demonstrations in Louisville on Friday night as protesters demand action after Taylor's killing Demonstrations in Louisville on Friday night as protesters demand action after Taylor's killing. Pictured: A tear gas canister erupts as protesters disperse Soldiers with the Army National Guard stand with Louisville Metro Police block a street during a protest against the deaths of Breonna Taylor by Louisville police and George Floyd by Minneapolis police, in Louisville on Sunday 'If youre going in on a drug case where the quantity is so small that they could dispose of it by flushing it down the toilet, you probably shouldn't be there with a search warrant in the first place. It's not worthwhile,' said Tucker, who has been an expert witness in dozens of court cases. The number of no-knock warrants served during SWAT team deployments has grown from approximately 1,500 annually in the early 1980s to about 45,000 in 2010, according to Eastern Kentucky University professor Peter Kraska, an expert in police militarization. He said police are adept at working around restrictions and tailoring paperwork to suit the standards of judges issuing search warrants. 'Banning no-knock warrants, if any jurisdiction can pull that off, is an important step,' Kraska said. 'At the end of the day, banning them probably won't accomplish much in the real world. But getting them off the books on one level is important.' Kentucky has a 'stand your ground' law that gives residents the right to use deadly force against an intruder. Those laws generally haven't protected people who unwittingly shoot at officers entering their homes, but Walker's dropped charges suggests the circumstances of Taylor's death could be an 'ideologically compatible situation for the left and right,' Kraska said. 'These different groups that normally would be at odds with one another all agree on the inappropriateness of no-knock warrants,' he added. 'Theres been a lot more political agreement that this is problematic.' More than 500,000 people in the country estimated to smoke cigarette on daily basis and other tobacco users are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and succumbing to it, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has warned. This is because the hand to mouth contact during smoking and sharing of mouthpieces and shisha tubes could easily aid the spread while the weakening of the lung due to the smoking, makes it difficult for the body to fight the virus. The FDA has therefore cautioned all smokers especially the youth who are fond of using innovative forms of tobacco like shisha to quit or stop smoking in public places so they do not endanger the lives of second-hand smokers. Second-hand smokers are persons who do not smoke but inhale combination of smoke from the burning ends of a cigarette and the smoke breathed out by smokers. The Head of Tobacco and Substance Abuse Department of the FDA, Dr Mrs Olivia Boateng made the disclosure in an interview with the Ghanaian Times on Friday, ahead of this years World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) which was marked yesterday. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and global partners on every 31 May, mark WNTD to raise awareness on the deadly effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure as well as discourage the use of tobacco in any form. The theme for this years edition is, Protecting youth from industry manipulation and preventing them from tobacco and nicotine use. As of yesterday morning, Ghana had recorded 7,881 cases of COVID-19 with 36 deaths and nearly 2540 recoveries. Dr Boateng explained that a review of studies by public health experts convened by WHO on April 29 2020 confirmed the higher risk of smokers to COVID-19 aside other respiratory diseases. The act of smoking meant that fingers and possibly contaminated cigarettes are in contact with lips which increases the possibility of transmission of virus from hand to mouth, she said. Giving details of data on smokers she said the 500,000 daily cigarette smokers figure, was estimated by the Tobacco Atlas Ghana and that it included more than 425,200 men, 69,200 women and 2,700 boys. On prevalence amongst the youth, she said that per the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) Ghana Facts Sheet 2017, 8.8 per cent of boys and 8.1 per cent of girls in the country currently used any tobacco products. The survey further revealed that some preferred electronic cigarettes and this category had 4.9 per cent of students out of which 4.9 per cent were boys, and 5.0 per cent were girls. She said tobacco killed more than eight million people globally every year out of which more than seven million were from direct tobacco use and around 1.2 million are due to non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. In Ghana, she said, smoking of cigarettes alone killed about 75 men weekly. Dr Boateng said the markets surveillance, enforcement of ban on tobacco advertisement, high registration tobacco product fees and public smoking had helped to reduce the prevalence to a large extent but the authority would need collaboration and more resources to reduce it drastically. Source: Ghanaian Times 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 phase-I lockdown was put in place from 25 March with an almost complete shutdown of all services and factories. Subsequently, there have been several relaxations. The Centre has extended the lockdown period till 30 June, with updated guidelines put in place to ease the gradual transition of opening up the economy. Even as we move into Lockdown 5.0 (or Unlock 1.0, as many are calling it), there is still little evidence on how the social mobility and distancing has changed across these many different phases of lockdowns. Earlier, on 12 May 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that lockdown 4.0 will be different from the previous ones. The comment had attracted a lot of curiosity. The underlying rationale for the government's strategy was that since coronavirus is expected to stay for a while, we must start adjusting our lives around it and kickstart economic activity by relaxing certain restrictions. Many, however, have argued that the restrictions were not very different from the previous lockdowns. There are already many debates on the effect of the lockdown on the COVID-19 outbreak in India; we do not wish to get into those debates in this article. We attempt to answer a more fundamental question: How effective was the lockdown in terms of compliance across different phases on the ground? In other words, how has public mobility been impacted as a result of these shutdowns over time? To what extent did the crowding reduce as a result of it? Measuring the level of compliance of a nationwide lockdown is inherently difficult. There was detailed media coverage of the ground reality following the announcement of the lockdown: the reports ranging from places showing high to low compliance. It is fairly obvious that making a general claim about compliance based on media reports is problematic, as it picks particular incidents and biases the sample in multiple ways. We need systematic data to make a general claim about its effectiveness. Thus, we used anonymised location data aggregated at the country-level from phones released by Google as an indicator for the level of social distancing during the different phases of lockdown. For more details on how the data is collected, you can visit the Google mobility website. One obvious advantage of this data is that it is systematic in nature. Second, it also provides a baseline, which enables us to compare pre-lockdown and post-lockdown situations. The baseline is the median value for the corresponding day of the week during the 5-week period (3 January6 February). In our view, this provides a better basis to measure and compare the level of social distancing. Janta Curfew The first big lockdown announcement was made by Modi when he exhorted people to observe a Janata Curfew on Sunday, 22 March. According to the public mobility data, there was a very high degree of compliance seen on this day. Figures 1-5 show a sharp drop in the number of people visiting retail and recreation spaces, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations and workplace. It also shows an increase in people staying at homes. Note that residential changes are less compared to other indicators because residential change is measured by change in duration, while the other indicators are measured as change in number of visitors. After 22 March, as would be expected, we see a sharp increase in mobility with more people visiting retail and recreation spaces, parks, groceries and transit stations. However, interestingly, the mobility to work still went down and the amount of time spent at homes increased. This suggests that even before the complete lockdown was announced, people had started avoiding workplaces and were staying at home. Lockdowns The phase-I lockdown was put in place from 25 March with an almost complete shutdown of all services and factories. All indicators show a sharp fall in the number of visitors and an increase in the duration of people staying at home. Post that, the lockdown 2.0 and 3.0 announcements have made several relaxations, but these have not led to any significant changes in mobility across various indicators. Rather, after the announcement of lockdown 2.0, there was a sudden drop in visitors at retail places and parks. Follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak here Movement to grocery stores and pharmacies, regardless of the announcements, has been going up steadily. This could be the result of falling supplies of daily essentials and medicines at home, which are forcing people to come out of their houses despite severe movement restrictions. Modi had said that the fourth phase of the lockdown would be different from the ones before it. The prime minister had said that we need to find a balance between fighting coronavirus and moving forward. However, if data is anything to go by, the changes in guidelines have not led to a lot of change in mobility levels. A strict lockdown without opening up any economic activity may not be feasible anymore. The recently-released quarter 4 GDP numbers show that the Indian economic growth is at 4.2 percent, even though it accounts for only one week of the lockdown phase (25 March to 31 March). This already is an 11-year low for India. On the back of an already precarious economic position, the coronavirus-induced shutdowns will only lead to deeper economic troubles for India. Some estimates suggest that for every day that the lockdown persists, the economy suffers a loss of Rs 35,000-Rs 40,000 crores. In the latest announcement by the MHA, the lockdown has been extended to 30 June. All inter-state and intra-state travel restrictions are to be lifted by 1 June; and malls, restaurants, and religious places will be allowed to open from 8 June in some states. These measures are likely to encourage an increase in mobility across the country. However, only time will tell how much the announcement can really allay the uncertainty and concerns about possible risks, as a result of which activity revival may still take time. Although mobility data provides insights, it comes with certain caveats that must be pointed out. Since the data is collected from the mobiles phones with GPS, it leaves out a significant section of the population people without GPS-enabled phones or people with no phones. Hence, some incidents could systematically be missed by this data: such as situations where migrant workers were forced to congregate for food distribution, registration for travel, etc. Therefore, the data over-represents the mobility patterns of the reasonably well-to-do segment of the population. Notwithstanding the limitations, we believe it is still a better indicator than other publicly available alternatives, such as media reports. Fahad Hasin studies political science at Ashoka University. Ishaan Bansal studies economics at Ashoka University. IPREX, a US$420 million network of communication agencies with 1,600 staff and 110 offices worldwide working across a spectrum of industries and practice disciplines and the third-largest global network of independent PR firms, announced its new global leadership team. Xavier PRabhu, Founder & MD, PRHUB (IPREX Partner in India), one of Indias prominent branding, communications and entrepreneurship voices will take on the role of President - APAC region for IPREX effective June 1, 2020. In his new role, he will be part of the 6-member global board and 13-member global executive committee which together sets the strategy and direction for the whole network. With more than 60 IPREX partners worldwide, the global communication network is uniquely positioned to embrace the new era of communications that is not limited by borders or languages and welcomes diversity of thought. In her comments on the new leadership team, Alexandra Mayhew, Executive Director, IPREX said, IPREXs greatest strength is its incredible partners and global connectivity, which has been on display the past several months as our partners have come together to support one another through Covid-19. The communications industry is shifting to a more global mindset and the advantages of having independent agencies from around the world come together to truly support one another has proven invaluable, especially during the current pandemic. Look forward to working with the new leadership team which is dynamic, experienced, and driven. On his new role of President, APAC Region for IPREX, Xavier PRabhu, Founder and Manager Director, PRHUB, said, Would like to thank Andrei, the outgoing global President, Julie, the incoming global President and the entire board for reposing the confidence in me to play a role in a region that is diverse, different, and thus inherently more complex. In Alexandra and Alaina, have an awesome team, on whom will heavily count on in the days and months to come to get IPREX to expand in Asia-pacific. Personally, look forward to the new role as one that will involve great learning working closely with some of the best minds in the business from across the world. With 25 years experience across advertising, journalism, and PR, Xavier PRabhu is among Indias most visible PR entrepreneurs. A TEDx speaker, he speaks regularly in India and beyond (10+ countries including the US, Mexico, Kazhakstan, Iran, Slovenia, Belgium, Germany, UK, Turkey, and Japan) on branding, communication, PR, entrepreneurship, leadership, etc. He was the Founding Editor of a unique business handbook being bought out of Bangalore and led a one of its kind full credit course on Emerging economies for a leading Indian universitys unique, residential MBA program focused on producing entrepreneurs. In the age of the coronavirus pandemic, safety is measured in distance. Right now, the standard is 6 feet of space, or 30 feet in San Francisco if were not wearing masks. The reminders of the new distancing norms are everywhere. Signs on streets and tape marks on sidewalks give us physical reminders of what being 6 feet from each other looks like when its measured out. So do indicators on the floors of essential businesses that keep us lined up safely with enough spacing. Some businesses even have workers now helping keep space, and keep traffic flowing, in the socially distant lines that are now part of a visit to the grocery store. But even though the mantra 6 feet of space is well advertised, do people really know what that distance looks like without the tape marks? Everyone has different tips on how to measure what 6 feet of social distance looks like in everyday life. For some, its using the length of their wingspan from one hand to the other to help determine safe spacing. Some use the length of sidewalk squares for checking their distance from the person ahead of them, and others say everyday items like dog leashes are helpful visual cues for learning what 6 feet looks like. Theres even a new app coming to Android that will help you see what 6 feet looks like through the phones camera. Blaine Merker, an urban planner and partner at the urban research and design consulting firm Gehl, says that without a vaccine, its pointless to try and predict an end to social distancing measures. But if we take it as a fact of life until further notice, what we can focus on now is how to do distancing well and do it in a way that communicates togetherness as a joyful activity, a symbol of vitality that can restart local economies rather than as a restricted act, he says. Its an understatement to say our relationships with the space around us have changed because of the pandemic: Now, as Bay Area cities roll out plans to reopen indoor retail businesses and dining on June 15, our understanding of how to move through the world while maintaining that recommended social distance will be a key part of the immediate future. Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle For some people, being able to measure distance in real-life settings while being conscious of the surroundings comes more easily, says Theresa Dickinson, a choreographer and dance instructor. Spatial awareness can really vary person to person, Dickinson says. Some people really have no awareness at all of distance or how theyre contained in their bodies. But Dickinson says it can be learned. Even just talking about space with people makes them notice it better, Dickinson says. Its an easy thing to learn when you remember that most of us are navigating people and spaces all day. Just walking down the street, youre making calculations about spatial relationships without even knowing it. Myles Thatcher, a choreographer and soloist at San Francisco Ballet, says that since March, hes seen a total change in the level of attention most people pay to their movement in public. As a dancer, youre trained to have this relationship to movement thats very specific to observing the people around you in the corps, Thatcher says. Now, even going to Trader Joes and standing in line, you see people focusing in a different, more intense way about where they are and their position relative to other people. I think this is less about them being able to exactly measure 6 feet of distance and more about them just having a greater awareness about that need for space. Nick Otto/Special to The Chronicle Dickinson and Thatcher agree that theres been an enormous shift in peoples awareness of movement and space in the past two months. In dance, Thatcher explains, sometimes a performer will be asked to execute a motion with a specific task or purpose in mind. The collective task society is now faced with, keeping themselves and each other safe from virus exposure, comes with a lot of gravity, Thatcher says, and you see it in the way people are carefully avoiding coming close to each other. Urban design will be a key part of how people continue to adapt to distancing measures in the coming months, Merker says. As spacing becomes something people grow more accustomed to, he says, its psychologically important that the cues about spacing be clear but not in-your-face. We dont want an overwhelming sense of restriction and control. The first order is to create more nuanced, human ways to keep people safely distanced and to be able to integrate those things into dining, shopping and other experiences. Another essential element to urban design during the pandemic, Merker says, is a need for greater monitoring and management of public spaces so cities know whether measures theyre taking are effective. Its a human system; its going to be messy, Merker says. We need to invest in understanding how people are behaving and be able to adjust and respond according to what the data show. Laura Crescimano, the co-founder of strategic design firm SiteLab Urban Studio, says that in her work shes noticed two conversations around adaptations to public spaces and how we interact with each other in them. One side of the discussion is the practical, immediate concern of how cities rethink the use of public areas to allow appropriate spacing. That includes repurposing certain amenities like who uses streets. Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle We dont often think about streets as a public space, because cars use them, Crescimano says. But now were looking at how different our streets can be. Its a fundamental democratizing of space. Were asking how we really live and work in different places and what that means when things are less centralized and more about neighborhoods. She points out examples of recent slow streets closures in Bay Area cities to expand outdoor dining or create more room for pedestrians to walk with social distance as notable adjustments. The other major concurrent conversation, she says, is how those changes are serving their communities and whether they are equitable across different communities. 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. Something underneath all this is how our public spaces relate to our public health, Crescimano says. The history of urban design and planning arises from health and sanitation and needing systems for that. Theres now been a rise in studying how public space, green space, access to nature and fresh air relate to health. With the coronavirus, those issues of public space and public health are more enmeshed than ever. Crescimano says the pandemic provides an opportunity to think about how cities can make things like green space and usable public areas more equitable in their distribution and to address people who have been impacted historically by bad urban design and who are more impacted by it right now. Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle For Brandi Thompson Summers, an assistant professor in the geology department at UC Berkeley and a sociologist, one of the most important conversations social distance measures brings up is who we move for. The hope is that we move for anyone we see thats another person on the street; you dont privilege or prioritize the needs of any particular group over another, Summers says. Its about a mutual form of respect, who we deem worthy of shifting our path for. Thinking about issues like race and class, we will hopefully see how we do this to specific groups of people. Crescimano compares social distance measures to the culture shift that happened in America around 9/11. I think it will be a pendulum swing like it was after 9/11 with security measures, she says. There were a lot of blockades around buildings at first, but now, they mostly exist only in places like courthouses and airports. I dont think 6 feet spacing is for generations to come, but for the foreseeable future it will reshape a lot of places. For some people, sensitivity to keeping 6 feet of space has been easier to adjust to than others. Recently, Thatcher was walking through San Franciscos Alta Plaza Park and noticed a father-son interaction that spoke volumes about the present. I saw a guy with his kid, and the kid was calling people out for not doing correct social distance, Thatcher says. He went to his dad and would point at people and say, Thats not enough space. Tony Bravo is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tbravo@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TonyBravoSF 1. President Trump threatened military action against acts of domestic terror. Calling himself the president of law and order, Mr. Trump vowed to call out the military to stop the violent protests roiling the country. In a Rose Garden address this evening, he cited professional anarchists and antifa as elements behind the political dissent and looting that have plagued cities since George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died a week ago in the custody of police officers in Minneapolis. These are not acts of peaceful protest, these are acts of domestic terror, said Mr. Trump, adding that if governors dont end the violence, he would use the military to solve the problem for them. NORWICH, England and ARROYO GRANDE, California, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Many people are struggling a bit with life right now. This moving short documentary, Game of Life, shows how a man reconnects with his mojo with the help of an online friend, his family and video games. The film goes live at 9am BST / 10am CET on Tuesday, 2nd June 2020, at https://www.redbull.com/int-en/episodes/game-of-life. Tallulah Self, 21, is on a mission to give her grandfather back his wings. Garry Bowhill-Mann, 74, is an RAF veteran and full-time carer for his wife. He lives in a bungalow in Norfolk, England, and over time has become increasingly isolated. While Garry's life is getting lonelier and harder, he is escaping into another unexpected life. Late at night he finds his own personal solace in a room that only he uses. There he transforms into a ruthless assassin, a seasoned soldier, a fearless flying ace. All through the liberation of video games. For the past year Garry's passion has afforded him the rare opportunity to meet new people and he's found a regular peer to play with. He's been meeting up online with Mike Nolan, 71, who lives on the other side of the world. Mike is also a services veteran and happens also to live in a village. Although his one happens to be in sunny California, not grey East Anglia. Garry and Mike have never met face-to-face. Until now. Tallulah just wants to bring her granddad back to the person she used to know: a vivacious bloke who was the star of the local panto. So she's come up with a plan to take him to California to meet his gaming mate, Mike, in an effort to lift Garry's spirits. Game of Life was produced by Mediorite, London for Red Bull Media House, London & Salzburg - part of an initiative focused on excellent storytelling applied to human interest documentaries. The film was directed by Leanne Rogers and Tallulah Self. Leanne is Head of Creative Content at London-based production company Mediorite. She launched her documentary career with "Violet Vixen" for Little Dot Studios, which received national press and TV coverage as well as over 1 million views on social media. This is her second mid-length documentary. Tallulah is an Editor at London-based TV production company, The Connected Set, working on a wide range of factual content, primarily for the BBC. She trained at the National Film and Television School. Director Leanne Rogers said: "To me, this is a story about unusual friendships across the ocean with contrasting characters which challenges our stereotypes of the elderly. As soon as I met Garry I knew this was a story I wanted to tell." Director Tallulah Self said: "By taking my granddad on a journey across the world, I wanted to find the fun granddad I knew him to be when I was a child and show him that really, almost anything is possible. I think sometimes we all need to be a little more fearless." Executive Producer Adam Gee said: "As many people are finding life rather hard-going at present for obvious reasons, it is inspiring to watch a person get back in touch with his younger self and, regardless of challenging circumstances, live life to the full." SHORT DESCRIPTION By day, RAF veteran and grandfather Garry is living a narrow, tough life as an aging carer. By night, however, he's a rampaging gamer. Granddaughter, Tallulah, is on a mission to connect his two realities and help him get back in touch with his free spirit. LOGLINE A man gets back his lust for life with the help of his online gaming pal, his granddaughter and the video games he loves. Watch Game of Life at: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/episodes/game-of-life You can preview the full film at: https://vimeo.com/409923649/e7409482ec NB This link is for PREVIEW ONLY - NOT to be circulated/published Embed Code: Link to Press Pack (including stills, video trailers, etc.): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pmt8746tavzk4op/AADdUYOWtIgTUCxAPdYxob_Ta?dl=0 NOTES TO EDITORS/WRITERS About Game of Life An original production by Mediorite Running Time: 24 minutes Directed & Produced by Leanne Rogers & Tallulah Self Commissioned & Executive Produced by Adam Gee About Leanne Rogers - Director Leanne is Head of Creative Content at London-based production company Mediorite. She joined Mediorite on graduating from university in 2014 and worked her way up through the company. She enjoys telling unusual stories from unheard voices. Her previous documentary, "Violet Vixen," received over 1 million views on social media, with national press and TV coverage. It was selected for numerous film festivals and won the Best Documentary Short award at Brighton Rocks Film Festival. About Tallulah Self - Director Tallulah is an Editor at London-based TV production company, The Connected Set, working on a wide range of factual content, primarily for the BBC. She started working in the industry at the age of 18, training at the National Film and Television School. She is the youngest of the Red Bull Storytellers directors. About Adam Gee - Commissioning Editor & Executive Producer Emmy and 5-time BAFTA winner Adam Gee is based in London where he commissions for Red Bull Media House (Salzburg, London) and Little Dot Studios (London, LA, Berlin). Prior to that he was a long-time commissioning editor at Channel 4 (London). His collaboration with Victoria Mapplebeck, Missed Call, won this year's BAFTA for Best Short Programme - the first film made primarily for YouTube distribution to win an Academy Award anywhere in the world. YEREVAN, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS. In 2019 a total of 49 death cases of servicemen have been registered in the Armed Forces of Armenia and the Defense Army of Artsakh. The cases directly linked with the military service have declined by 47%, Prosecutor General of Armenia Artur Davtyan said today in the Parliament, introducing the report of the 2019 activity of his Office. The declining dynamics of crimes in the Armed Forces continued in 2019, the crimes decreased by 18.5%, the discovery rate again comprised 97%. 49 death cases of servicemen have been registered in the Armed Forces and the Defense Army of Artsakh in 2019, 20 of which were linked with the military service and the 29 took place under circumstances not related to the military service. As for comparison, in 2018 the number of these cases was 63, he said. Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan NASA, SpaceX launch astronauts to space Global Times Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/5/31 3:29:47 NASA and SpaceX launched Crew Dragon spacecraft from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, carrying two American astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 3:22 p.m. Eastern Time, from historic Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. Veteran NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are co-commanders on the mission. U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence watched the launch at the center. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted, "For the first time in 9 years, we have now launched American astronauts on American rockets from American soil. I'm so proud of the NASA and SpaceX team for making this moment possible." NASA confirmed main engine cutoff and separation of the rocket's first and second stages minutes after the lift-off. Falcon 9's reusable first stage booster has successfully landed on the "Of Course I Still Love You" drone ship off the Florida coast. The Crew Dragon reached Earth orbit about 12 minutes after takeoff, and is making its way to the ISS, according to NASA. The spacecraft is scheduled to dock to the space station on Sunday at 10:27 a.m. Eastern Time. The spacecraft is designed to do this autonomously, but the two astronauts and the station will be monitoring approach and docking, and can take control of the spacecraft if necessary. After successfully docking, Behnken and Hurley will be welcomed aboard station and will become members of the Expedition 63 crew. They will perform tests on Crew Dragon in addition to conducting research and other tasks with the space station crew. The mission will conclude with the Crew Dragon undocking from the station, deorbiting, and returning Behnken and Hurley to Earth with a safe splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean, according to NASA. The mission duration has not been announced yet. NASA said it will be determined once on station based on the readiness of the next commercial crew launch. Behnken and Hurley were among the first astronauts to begin working and training on SpaceX's next-generation human space vehicle, and were selected for their extensive test pilot and flight experience, including several missions on the space shuttle, according to NASA. Behnken will be the joint operations commander for the mission, responsible for activities such as rendezvous, docking and undocking, as well as Demo-2 activities while the spacecraft is docked to the ISS. Hurley will be the spacecraft commander for the mission, responsible for activities such as launch, landing and recovery. This is SpaceX's final test flight for NASA's Commercial Crew Program and will provide critical data on the performance of the Falcon 9 rocket, Crew Dragon spacecraft, and ground systems, as well as in-orbit, docking and landing operations. The test flight also will provide valuable data toward certification of SpaceX's crew transportation system for regular flights carrying astronauts to and from the space station. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Roadside Bomb Blast Kills 9 Near Somali Capital By Harun Maruf May 31, 2020 Somali officials say nine civilians were killed and 10 others were wounded in a roadside bomb explosion outside Mogadishu on Sunday. The blast from an improvised explosive device hit a bus transporting civilians from Mogadishu to the town of Wanlaweyn, 90 kilometers west of the capital. The Somali government says al-Shabab is responsible for the attack. "The federal government of Somalia condemns the barbaric act of terrorism committed against the Somali civilians," read a statement issued by the Ministry of Information. Governor of Lower Shabelle region Ibrahim Aden Najah told VOA Somali that seven victims died on the spot while two others died in hospitals. He said there were a total of 22 people in the bus and only 3 people escaped unharmed. Al-Shabab has been known to plant IEDs in the area of the explosion known as Hawa Abdi, about 18 kilometers west of Mogadishu, to target the Somali military and African Union peacekeepers. These IEDs often miss their targets and kill civilians. Al-Shabab has been using IEDs increasingly in its attacks in Somalia. Last week, 14 government soldiers were killed in two separate IED attacks in Middle Shabelle and Lower Shabelle regions. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for both attacks. The Director of the U.N. Mine Action Service Agnes Marcaillou told the U.N. Security Council earlier this month that there more than 160 IED attacks through the end of April in 2020. The U.N. has reported a drop in civilian casualties in Mogadishu this year, which was attributed to the current security plan and military operations in the neighboring Lower Shabelle region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Xiaomi is all set to launch the Redmibook 13 in India although the laptop is rumoured to be renamed for the Indian market under the Mi Brand. The information comes from a report by 91mobiles where the leak also reveals some details about the specifications. Xiaomi According to 91mMobiles, the laptop will feature a Core i7 processor by Intel and may come with other configurations. The Redmibook 13 was launched by Xiaomi in China last December and we are expected to see a similar model for the Indian market. Xiaomi has already confirmed that the laptop will be priced on the premium side. The laptop is said to have a bezel-less 13.3-inch HD display, a 256GB SSD and 1C charging. The Redmibook 13 was launched in China for around Rs 44,500 for the 10th Gen Intel i5 variant while the Core i7 version was priced at Rs 55,000. We can expect the prices for the laptop to be a bit higher than its China pricing due to import duties and other costs. The laptop is being introduced to the Indian market at a time when work from home has become the norm and demand for new laptops has risen in the past few months. The laptop is also said to have a basic 2GB Nvidia MX250 graphics card targeted towards content creators and graphic designers. Xiaomi In terms of ports, the laptop is said to have 2 USB 3.1 ports, 1 HDMI port, a 3.5mm jack, Bluetooh 5.0 and can last for 11 hours on a single charge. The laptop also weighs only 1.23 KG making it the perfect portable laptop for professionals. Of course, these specifications are based on leaks provided by 91mobiles and are based on the Redmibook 13. We will know more once the laptop is made official by Xiaomi on June 11th. Source: 91mobiles Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 01:12:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close -- The master plan for the Hainan free trade port aims to build the southern island province into a globally-influential high-level free trade port by the middle of the century. -- A free trade port system focusing on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation will be "basically established" in Hainan by 2025 and become "more mature" by 2035. -- The authorities expect to make Hainan, China's largest special economic zone, the frontline of China's integration into the global economic system. HAIKOU, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Monday released a master plan for the Hainan free trade port, aiming to build the southern island province into a globally-influential high-level free trade port by the middle of the century. A free trade port system focusing on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation will be "basically established" in Hainan by 2025 and become "more mature" by 2035, according to the plan jointly issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council. Aerial photo taken on April 4, 2020 shows the Sanya international duty-free shopping complex in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun) The authorities expect to make Hainan, China's largest special economic zone, the frontline of China's integration into the global economic system, according to the plan. It has been a strategic decision of the CPC central committee based on the domestic and international situations, it said, noting that the world is facing a new round of major development, changes and adjustment, with protectionism and unilateralism on the rise and economic globalization facing greater headwinds. Building the Hainan free trade port is of vital importance for pursuing an open economy, deepening market-based reform and improving the business environment, as well as a strategic choice for advancing high-quality development and concrete action to support economic globalization and building a community of shared future for humanity, it said. Instead of rushing for quick results, China will advance the plan gradually. Hainan will be given more autonomy in reform and will be encouraged to make both the laws and the regulatory system more flexible and efficient, thus clearing institutional obstacles hampering the flow of production factors. The construction of the free trade port will provide support to national strategic goals in terms of institutional innovation, growth impetus and greater opening-up. Hainan will enhance exchanges and cooperation with Southeast Asian countries, and promote joint development with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The master plan also envisions grasping opportunities in the technological and industrial revolution, focusing on tourism, modern services and high-tech industries to foster new competitive edges for the island. Aerial photo taken on April 4, 2020 shows the Atlantis resort in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun) HIGH STANDARDS, HIGH TECH In April 2018, China announced plans to build a pilot free trade zone covering the whole island and explore the establishment of a free trade port with Chinese characteristics. In an effort to create an international and convenient business environment, Hainan in April decided to grant more rights to its seven key industrial parks, as an institutional innovation to serve its free trade port construction. Benefiting from the policy, an administrative bureau was launched on April 15 in the Hainan Resort Software Community (RSC), a park focusing on the internet industry and home to about 5,000 registered companies. A batch of provincial-level administrative powers have been delegated to the bureau. Photo taken on April 1, 2020 shows a view of Hainan Resort Software Community in Chengmai County, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng) "It means cutting red tape for businesses, and the enterprises in the park can enjoy more convenient and efficient services," said Yang Chunzhi, general manager of the Hainan Resort Software Community Group Co., Ltd, which runs the park. A blockchain research institute, jointly established by the RSC and the University College Oxford Blockchain Research Centre at Oxford University, was officially opened in 2018 and has attracted many international talents. Yang said the RSC is developing new industries, including blockchain and digital health and services. "The park will make good use of the policy and promote industrial innovation through our technological advances," he said. Aerial photo taken on April 9, 2020 shows the construction site of Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu) As the province focuses on modern services, high technologies and tourism, a number of the world's top enterprises and industry leaders have invested in Hainan, including Temasek, SOSV and Deloitte. Data from the Hainan Provincial Commerce Department showed that 338 foreign-funded enterprises were set up in Hainan in 2019, up 102.4 percent year on year, and the actual use of foreign capital reached 1.5 billion U.S. dollars, soaring by 100 percent year on year. From January to April this year, Hainan's actual use of foreign investment reached around 316 million U.S. dollars, up 252.3 percent year on year. The province saw 110 newly-established foreign-funded companies, covering trade, investment, medicine and logistics, data showed. "The foreign-funded enterprises have become an important force to boost the development of Hainan's economy," said Peng Wei, deputy director of the department. Peng said Hainan will target the highest levels of opening up, thereby creating a more favorable business environment by better using foreign capital, promoting quality development of trade and further opening up trade in services. A worker loads containers at the port of Yangpu in south China's Hainan Province, April 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) "China's door is opening wider and wider and Hainan is becoming the new highland of China's reform and opening up," said Han Shengjian, director of the Hainan International Economic Development Bureau. "The special policy of the Hainan free trade port is of great significance especially amid the COVID-19 epidemic. It reflects China's firm determination to expand its opening up and will definitely bring more opportunities to global investors," he said. (Reporting by Zhou Huimin, Chenglu, Chen Yongrong, Li Laifang, Cui Enhui; Video reporters: Zhou Xuan, Guo Liangchuan, Deng Chimin, Yue Xitong, Huang Shunda; Video editor: Wu Yao) NEW YORK, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Independent nonprofit FAIR Health announced today that it will embark on its next phase of promoting shared decision making (SDM) in healthcare discussions. With a generous grant from The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation (Samuels Foundation), FAIR Health will develop and disseminate a curriculum on SDM to providers and clinicians in New York City who serve older adults facing critical palliative care decisions. SDM, the discussion between patients and/or caregivers and healthcare providers regarding various treatment options, has been known to increase patient engagement and reduce healthcare costs. The new initiative marks the next chapter of FAIR Health's efforts to promote SDM to consumers. Earlier this year, in March, FAIR Health launched a groundbreaking SDM website feature on fairhealthconsumer.org, FAIR Health's free, award-winning consumer website that enables consumers to estimate the typical costs of medical and dental procedures in their geographic areas and learn the fundamentals of health insurance. The SDM feature combines clinical and cost information to support seriously and chronically ill patients and their caregivers in the process of SDM with clinicians for palliative care scenarios for: Kidney dialysis for patients with kidney failure (whether to continue or stop); Nutrition options when swallowing is difficult; and Breathing assistance (whether to continue or stop). The new online curriculum, which FAIR Health will develop with the significant input of experts in palliative care and SDM, will offer guidance on integrating SDM in discussions with patients and caregivers when making decisions related to palliative care. FAIR Health will subsequently disseminate the curriculum to provider organizations and clinicians such as physicians, nurses and social workers in New York City who serve the older adult population. FAIR Health President Robin Gelburd stated: "We are truly honored by the generous support of the Samuels Foundation, a renowned New York City-based philanthropy. Through this initiative, FAIR Health will build on our existing efforts to bring SDM to consumers by focusing on educating providers who serve older adults. The initiative is a natural extension of our commitment to serving all healthcare stakeholders and equipping consumers with the tools they need to navigate the healthcare system." Lauren G. Weisenfeld, Deputy Director of the Healthy Aging Program at the Samuels Foundation, commented: "Older adults in New York City with serious illnesses and their caregivers often face critical decisions when weighing options for palliative care. The Samuels Foundation is proud to support FAIR Health's efforts to promote shared decision making through a comprehensive curriculum aimed at providers and clinicians who serve older adults in New York Cityan initiative that will simultaneously build upon FAIR Health's existing efforts in SDM and enrich the existing portfolio of programs that the Samuels Foundation supports." Follow us on Twitter @FAIRHealth About FAIR Health FAIR Health, a national, independent nonprofit organization that qualifies as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the tax code, is dedicated to bringing transparency to healthcare costs and health insurance information through data products, consumer resources and health systems research support. FAIR Health possesses the nation's largest collection of private healthcare claims data, which includes over 31 billion claim records contributed by payors and administrators who insure or process claims for private insurance plans covering more than 150 million individuals. FAIR Health licenses its privately billed data and data productsincluding benchmark modules, data visualizations, custom analytics and market indicesto commercial insurers and self-insurers, employers, providers, hospitals and healthcare systems, government agencies, researchers and others. Certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as a national Qualified Entity, FAIR Health also receives data representing the experience of all individuals enrolled in traditional Medicare Parts A, B and D; FAIR Health houses data on Medicare Advantage enrollees in its private claims data repository. FAIR Health can produce insightful analytic reports and data products based on combined Medicare and commercial claims data for government, providers, payors and other authorized users. FAIR Health's systems for processing and storing protected health information have earned HITRUST CSF certification and achieved AICPA SOC 2 compliance by meeting the rigorous data security requirements of these standards. As a testament to the reliability and objectivity of FAIR Health data, the data have been incorporated in statutes and regulations around the country and designated as the official, neutral data source for a variety of state health programs, including workers' compensation and personal injury protection (PIP) programs. FAIR Health data serve as an official reference point in support of certain state balance billing laws that protect consumers against bills for surprise out-of-network and emergency services. FAIR Health also uses its database to power a free consumer website available in English and Spanish and an English/Spanish mobile app, which enable consumers to estimate and plan for their healthcare expenditures and offer a rich educational platform on health insurance. The website has been honored by the White House Summit on Smart Disclosure, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), URAC, the eHealthcare Leadership Awards, appPicker, Employee Benefit News and Kiplinger's Personal Finance. FAIR Health also is named a top resource for patients in Dr. Marty Makary's book The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Careand How to Fix It and Elisabeth Rosenthal's book An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back. For more information on FAIR Health, visit fairhealth.org. About The Samuels Foundation The mission of The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation's Healthy Aging Program is to improve the health care and overall quality of life for New York City's older adults. Our success will be measured by the positive impact that the program has on their lives. The Foundation's Healthy Aging Program aims to improve the way health and social services are delivered by providing support for innovative, effective, efficient and caring organizations. Contact: Dean Sicoli Chief Communications Officer FAIR Health 646-664-1645 [email protected] SOURCE FAIR Health Related Links https://www.fairhealth.org Research California Students Face Hurdles to Transfer Success A new survey found that California colleges and universities could be doing a much better job of helping students move from their community colleges into four-year programs. A report of the findings asserted that transfer students need those institutions to develop "a more holistic and integrated approach" to help them reach their goal of earning bachelor's degrees. The transfer process will become even more important, researchers observed, as higher numbers of high school graduates choose to pursue community colleges closer to home than attend the online programs delivered by the state's four-year schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was undertaken by The Research and Planning Group for California Community Colleges, which surveyed and interviewed more than 800 students at 31 California campuses. The research was part of a multi-year project funded by College Futures Foundation. An earlier phase in the study found that over a five-year period, almost 300,000 students had made significant progress toward transfer, but couldn't make the move to a university. In the newest study, most students (92 percent) reported that they were pursuing a bachelor's degree to increase their career options and make more money (86 percent). But students identified four factors that were dampening their ability to transfer: Affordability . Three-quarters of students described the cost of university tuition as "very challenging." Almost half said it was the biggest challenge they faced as they considered transfer. And two-thirds noted that living expenses weighed heavily in their worries. Three-quarters of students described the cost of university tuition as "very challenging." Almost half said it was the biggest challenge they faced as they considered transfer. And two-thirds noted that living expenses weighed heavily in their worries. School-life balance , mentioned by 58 percent of students. Four-year schools do a poor job of helping students align course offerings with off-campus responsibilities, the report stated. As one student told researchers, "I have to take calculus for business ... The problem is [my college] doesn't offer [it] at night or on the weekends. It's a morning class at [the main campus] ... That may work for a millennial, but not for someone with a full-time job." mentioned by 58 percent of students. Four-year schools do a poor job of helping students align course offerings with off-campus responsibilities, the report stated. As one student told researchers, "I have to take calculus for business ... The problem is [my college] doesn't offer [it] at night or on the weekends. It's a morning class at [the main campus] ... That may work for a millennial, but not for someone with a full-time job." Understanding the steps needed for transfer . While some students suggested that their colleges were proactive and "effectively reaching out about transfer," a greater share of students said "significant self-reliance" was required "to navigate often confusing transfer pathways." While some students suggested that their colleges were proactive and "effectively reaching out about transfer," a greater share of students said "significant self-reliance" was required "to navigate often confusing transfer pathways." Lacking a support network that could help individual students maneuver the transfer process, while also "boosting their financial awareness, fostering school-life balance and helping them navigate the transfer path." For each factor, the report offered "areas of opportunity," where institutions could improve their practices. For example, in the area of financial concerns, the report suggested that school representatives sit down with students and help them understand the total cost of getting a bachelor's degree as well as what financial supports are available at the institution and from other sources; and then to convene workshops and sessions to help students fill out aid forms and make sense of financial aid award letters. The report concluded with a call for both two-year and four-year schools to participate in the effort of "building the transfer capacity" for more students. That's a three-step process that includes reaching out to students who are close to transfer right now, quantifying the transfer population on the campus, and engaging students as partners in redesigning the transfer process. The 28-page study, "Students Speak Their Truth About Transfer: What They Need to Get Through the Gate," is openly available on the RP Group website. The Directorate-General for the Arts (DGArtes) of Portugal reopened on Friday the contests for artistic projects to win financial support worth 2.8 million euros (3.09 million U.S. dollars) in total. Culture Minister Graca Fonseca pointed out that the amount foreseen for this year "means an increase of 780,000 euros (861,000 U.S. dollars) compared to 2019", according to a statement from DGArtes quoted by Portuguese Lusa News Agency. The minister explains that "different levels of support" have been set, ranging from 1,000 to 50,000 euros, with registrations closing in July. The winners would be announced in September, according to the minister. "These are projects that include activities in face-to-face, virtual or a combination of the two," said the minister. Financial support is available for all artistic areas, including street arts, dance, music, theater and even architecture, visual arts, design, photography and multimedia. Associations, informal groups or even individuals can apply, as long as they carry out "professional activities in artistic areas" in Portugal. The opening of this year's DGArtes grants was scheduled for March, but was postponed due to the state of emergency decree amid the pandemic of COVID-19. A convicted firearms smuggler has been sentenced to prison after Laredo police raided his home and discovered assorted ammo, according to an arrest affidavit. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana sentenced Jose David Escamilla-Hernandez to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Escamilla-Hernandez, 30, pleaded guilty on Nov. 4, 2019, to possession of ammunition by a person having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. On August 28, 2019, Laredo police executed a search warrant at a residence in the 4000 block of Eagle Nest Lane. During the raid, LPD narcotics officers located a small amount of heroin inside the defendants jacket inside the master bedroom. Police also located an ammo box containing 31 rounds of .40 caliber ammo, nine rounds of .380 caliber under the water sink in the master room and 14 rounds of .22 caliber ammo in a container. LPD identified the occupant of the residence as Escamilla-Hernandez and took him to the Webb County Jail. There, task force officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives met with Escamilla-Hernandez. He told officers that he was born in Nuevo Laredo and was living in Laredo illegally. Records show that he was deported on Feb. 20, 2015 in Del Rio. When asked about the ammunition, the defendant stated that he purchased the house in March of 2018 and that the previous owners left the ammunition. He told agents that the ammunition was originally inside a dresser located in a rear room behind the main house, his plea documents state. ATF task force officers further confirmed that Escamilla-Hernandez was convicted on Feb. 26, 2016 of smuggling goods from the United States. He smuggled two 7.62x39mm caliber firearms into Mexico in 2011. The defendant told agents that he knew he could not possess ammunition because of his status as convicted felon, his plea records state. If Thole and Smith were to lose this lawsuit, they would still receive the exact same monthly benefits that they are already slated to receive, not a penny less. If Thole and Smith were to win this lawsuit, they would still receive the exact same monthly benefits that they are already slated to receive, not a penny more, Kavanaugh wrote. The plaintiffs therefore have no concrete stake in this lawsuit. Reporters Without Borders counts 68 attacks on reporters by the police and demonstrators since the Minneapolis demonstration in the wake of the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd by police officers. The journalism watchdog blames Donald Trump's relentless attacks on the press for triggerding the violence against reporters. President Trump's demonization of the media for years has now come to fruition, with both the police and protesters targeting clearly identified journalists with violence and arrests, Christophe Deloire, RWB's secretary general, said in a statement. It has long been obvious that this demonization would lead to physical violence." The organization has "has warned about the consequences of this blatant hostility towards the media, and we are now witnessing an unprecedented outbreak of violence against journalists in the US," he added. Deloire calls for US authorities to ensure the safety of journalists covering the continuing protests, including a moratorium on the arrests of journalists and immediate guidance to police making it clear that reporters are not to be directly targeted by crowd-control measures, and that journalists must be protected from violent attacks by protesters. The Free Press advocacy group also blasted the "unprecedented number of attacks against journalists at many of these protests as law-enforcement officers have specifically targeted those engaged in First-Amendment protected newsgathering and reporting." It noted that Trump "has egged on the police crackdown in a series of recent tweets, including one that labels news outlets covering the protests as the enemy of the people. "The First Amendment prevents law enforcement from silencing the voices of protesters and from beating back the journalists who seek to share their concerns with the world," said Alicia Bell, FP's News Voices Organizing Manager. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 12:13:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SUVA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- China donated medical supplies to Fiji on Monday to help the South Pacific island nation fight against COVID-19. At the handover ceremony of the medical supplies, Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Qian Bo said China will provide 1,008 test kits for Fiji. China's Guangdong province provides 20,000 medical masks, 5,000 disposable gloves, 1,000 surgical masks and 500 medical disposable protective clothing to the Fijian government. Up to now, China has provided 400,000 U.S. dollars in cash to support Fiji in fighting against the virus, said the Chinese ambassador. The ambassador stressed that virus knows no national borders, and the epidemic distinguishes no races. China will work with the Pacific island countries to enhance epidemic prevention cooperation. For his part, Fiji's Health Minister Ifereimi Waqainabete thanked China for the donation, saying that over the past months, Fiji has continuously received medical supplies from China, and Fiji is very grateful for China's support to help the island nation fight COVID-19. Currently, 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. Enditem An image from Academy Award-winner John Ridley's feature-length documentary "Let It Fall: LA 1982-1992," which aired on ABC in 2017 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Rodney King riots. (ABC) At a moment already suffused with horrifying, even traumatizing images of police violence against black people; in turn against citizens protesting said violence and the journalists covering it; of looting and vandalism across the city and country it's understandable if more TV to watch is the last thing on your mind. But TV is also one of the primary mechanisms for receiving information about, or momentarily escaping from, the often-frightening world beyond our walls. In can clarify who are leaders are and aren't. It can expose, and perhaps challenge, our privilege. And it can reframe crises in powerful ways. Here are five shows to watch this week, whether you need a break from the news or want to learn more about its historical antecedents. "Let It Fall: LA 1982-1992" Available on: Netflix In light of the eruption of demonstrations around the country protesting the killing of unarmed black men by police, John Ridley's documentary about the origins of the 1992 uprising in Los Angeles should be required viewing. The Oscar-winning screenwriter ("12 Years a Slave") teamed up with ABC News' Lincoln Square Productions for the project, which examined violent incidents in the decade preceding the riots, as well as their aftermath. Many of the issues that Ridley probed in the documentary can be linked to the current outrage. The film was shown in theaters, while a shorter version was broadcast on ABC. Greg Braxton "Amy Schumer Learns to Cook" Available on: Food Network Imagine if Ina Garten suggested viewers put a butt-ton of salt in a dish or get a shot of this with my dirty nails. The latest addition to the Food Network features comedian Amy Schumer and her husband, chef Chris Fisher, turning their at-home food escapades into a fun, perfectly unpolished and relatable antidote to the network's other fare. But unlike some other series being produced remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic , this one wont make you feel like youre stuck in another work meeting. As their son naps, the couple shoots the series from the homey kitchen of the cabin where they are riding out the stay-at-home order. Instead of using video conferencing platforms, cameras are strategically placed around the kitchen (a camera operator mans the movements remotely) and their sons nanny, Jane, records with a handheld camera often giggling while she does so because, in reality, Schumer is barely learning to cook. Shes making us laugh! Whatever skills she lacks on the cutting board are made up for with funny commentary as Fisher focuses on the meal; her entertaining libation recipes; and phone calls to her dad or bestie Jennifer Lawrence. Its an added bonus that the hosts are sporting the same unkempt sweats and T-shirts combo I often do in the kitchen and that the dishes featured on the show dont feel intimidating to make. Plus, they somehow make fennel a scene stealer. Story continues Yvonne Villarreal Molly (voiced by Kristen Bell) belts one out in Loren Bouchard's "Central Park." (Apple TV+) "Central Park" Available on: Apple TV+ This lively, lovely, lyrical animated series from Loren Bouchard ("Bob's Burgers"), Josh Gad and Norah Smith is a musical comedy set in and around Frederick Law Olmsted's great green space, with contributions from Sara Bareilles, Fiona Apple and Cyndi Lauper, among other songwriters. Gad takes the role of busker and "Our Town" narrator Birdy, with the action centered on the Tillerman family, who live there: fretful park manager Owen (Leslie Odom Jr.), who manages it all, fretfully; wife Paige (Kathryn Hahn), who writes for "a small weekly newspaper that is the No. 1 most-left-on-the-subway newspaper in the city"; lovelorn daughter Molly (Kristen Bell), an aspiring comic book artist, whose sketchbook drawings which become a cartoon within a cartoon resist her own hopeful narrative; and son Cole (Tituss Burgess), who wants a dog. (Hearing Burgess wrap his voice around "free rich people ice cream" is almost as good as having Titus Andromedon back.) Threatening the sanctity of the space is hotel owner Bitsy Brandenham (Stanley Tucci, voicing across gender), who has a plan to develop it. Having been represented so often on-screen, either as a location or soundstage re-creation, the park is universally understood as a paradise, playground and refuge; "Central Park" does it justice. Robert Lloyd "Quiz" Available on: AMC, AMC Premiere This may not seem like the time to recommend a show about a guy coughing repeatedly in a crowded TV studio, but Quiz is just too good to pass up. In three brisk, funny episodes, Quiz relates the story of Charles and Diana Ingram (played by the dependably brilliant Matthew Macfadyen and Sian Clifford), a middle-class couple accused of cheating on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? during the height of its popularity in the U.K. Their 2003 trial became a tabloid sensation, with most of the British public assuming they were guilty, but the drama from director Stephen Frears and writer James Graham is much less conclusive. With an episode that largely focuses on the development of the Millionaire format at ITV and pivotal events unfolding on 9/11, it also provides insight on the cultural and political climate of the early aughts, when reality TV was ascendant and the governments of the U.S. and the U.K. were building the case for war like prosecutors in a legal procedural. While this particular scandal may be less familiar to American viewers than, say, O.J. Simpson, the absurdity of the Ingrams saga and the media coverage of it is something we can all understand. Meredith Blake Instant Hotel Available on: Netflix You may have never thought you wanted to combine the tranquil escapism of HGTVs House Hunters on Vacation with the deliciously judgmental quality of TLCs Four Weddings. But this Australian competition which has duos of do-it-yourself hoteliers staying at each others Airbnbs all over the country is equal parts travel program, interior design showcase and trashy reality show. The guests assess each property not just by its decor but also its pricing, quality of overnight rest and local activities (some of which are way more appealing than others). The second season is even better than the first, with a streamlined scoring system and a final episode thats a legit nail-biter. Ashley Lee NAIROBI, KENYAA Somali police officer says at least eight civilians were killed when a minibus hit a roadside bomb outside the capital on Sunday morning. Abdullahi Ahmed says the minibus hit the bomb in the Hawa Abdi area near Mogadishu. The death toll may rise because many of the surviving passengers were seriously wounded, Ahmed said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. However Somalias extremist group al-Shabab, which is allied to al-Qaida, has carried out a series of bomb attacks in the area in recent months. WASHINGTON After years of hype around a new generation of batteries that would revolutionize the automotive sector and change the electrical grid, the great project of the 21st century energy sector appears close to a once unlikely milestone. With a steady run of design improvements, analyst are now projecting the price of battery-powered engines to be on par with internal combustion engines within three years. Elon Musk, founder of the electric car maker Tesla, has suggested that point could come even sooner, telling analysts recently that a coming battery announcement by the company will blow your mind. Even Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette, hardly a foe of fossil fuels, is touting the lithium-ion batterys ability to soon be deployed across the U.S. power grid. I think were on the verge of solving grid-scale batteries, he said in an interview earlier this month. On HoustonChronicle.com: Does clean energy have a mining problem? If those optimistic takes turn out to be correct, it stands to revolutionize transportation and power sectors that have run on petroleum and other fossil fuels for more than a century. As motorists shift to cleaner and easier to maintain electric vehicles, gasoline pumps lining roads and highways would be steadily replaced by electrical charging stations. Refineries lining the Gulf of Mexico would slow their production, leaving less need for the oil that Texas pumps in abundance. Likewise, deploying large batteries across the electricity grid would accelerate the expansion of weather-dependent wind and solar farms, reducing the need for coal and natural gas plants. This fast-approaching future follows a decade in which the costs of lithium-ion batteries plummeted nearly 90 percent. Driving down the costs, scientists say, are a combination of the improved manufacturing processes that come with time and practice and a shift away from rare and costly minerals and metals used in lithium-ion batteries. Scientists have for years steadily reduced the amount of the most expensive metal in lithium-ion batteries, cobalt. Most of the worlds cobalt supplies are found in the unstable Democratic Republic of Congo. At the University of Texas, scientist say they have developed a battery that requires no cobalt, substituting common nickel. They are awaiting peer review of their study. On HoustonChronicle.com: Automakers all in on electric cars, even as sales dip The improvements we are making, the new compositions, there is no other choice but the transportation sector is going to be electric, said Arumugam Manthiram, an engineering professor at the University of Texas who helped develop the original lithium-ion battery at Oxford University in the 1990s. Its a matter of time. Already, some financial analysts forecast a mass shift to electric vehicles. Bloomberg New Energy Finance, a research arm of the news and data provider Bloomber LP, projects global sales will grow from around 1.7 million cars and trucks today about 2 percent of total sales to 26 million in 2030 and 54 million in 2040. Such a massive shift would not come easily. It would mean expanding supply chains for metals and battery components as well as upgrading power grids to provide a much larger portion of the worlds energy supply, both requiring massive investment. It would also reorder the geopolitics of energy. Already, Indonesia, the worlds largest supplier of nickel, has announced a ban on exports of nickel ore as it seeks to build up a domestic processing industry with an eye towards supplying the battery market. The dilemma is: Is the timing realistic, said Michelle Foss, an energy fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute. There are a lot of open questions, and theres not any good overall objective view of how to do all this compared to what people claim can be done. Everything is so hyped right now. But battery evangelists, citing the technological advances made over the past decade, maintain shifting the worlds transportation sectors to electric vehicles, while logistically challenging, is more than possible. FUEL FIX: Get energy news sent directly to your inbox A case in point is China, which, in just 15 years, has developed the worlds leading battery manufacturing sector from scratch, said George Crabtree, director of the Energy Departments Joint Center for Energy Storage Research. China is a poster child of how to do this, he said. You cant reach half the new cars being EVs overnight. Thats going to take more than 10 years to happen, but people feel we can get there. In the meantime, most of attention is focused on Musk, who has recently promised a battery that could run for a million miles before being replaced. Teslas next big announcement was scheduled to take place this week in Texas or New York, with reports the company is already able to produce a battery at a cost on par with internal combustion engines, which would allow Musk to reduce the price of his already best selling Model 3 electric vehicle to compete with gasoline models. Teslas stock price has almost doubled since the beginning of the year to more than $800 a share. But with the conronavirus pandemic currently limiting large gatherings, the event has been pushed back until next month. james.osborne@chron.com twitter.com/@osborneja On Sunday, January 19, SpaceX successfully completed an in-flight test of Crew Dragons launch escape capabilities from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This test, which did not have NASA astronauts onboard the spacecraft, demonstrated Crew Dragons ability to reliably carry crew to safety in the unlikely event of an emergency on ascent. Falcon 9 and Dragon lifted off at 10:30 a.m. EST, or 15:30 UTC, with the abort sequence initiating approximately one and a half minutes into flight. Crew Dragon's eight SuperDraco engines powered the spacecraft away from Falcon 9 at speeds of over 400 mph. Following separation, Dragon's trunk was released and the spacecraft's parachutes were deployed, first the two drogue parachutes followed by the four upgraded Mark III parachutes. Dragon safely splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean and teams successfully recovered the spacecraft onto SpaceX's recovery vessel. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is alleging that the decision by the government to ease restrictions is a ploy to pave way for the Electoral Commission (EC) to embark on their rigging agenda. There has been a ban on public gathering in the country since March as a precautionary measure against the spread of the deadly Coronavirus (Covid-19) disease. In an address to the nation last night, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, he said government has taken the decision to gradually ease the ban on restrictions. In line with that, the National Identification Authority (NIA) and the Electoral Commission has been given the green light to go ahead with their respective registration exercises. Reacting to the Presidents address at a press briefing today, the main opposition party has accused that government of towing that line to allow the EC to carry out its rigging agenda. We are of the firm belief that this decision is mainly intended to pave way for the Jean Mensah-led EC to carry out its rigging agenda, through the execution of their needless and wasteful new voter registration agenda, a press release signed by National Communication Officer Sammy Gyamfi said. Another portion of the statement explained, The fact that church and mosque gatherings, are not supposed to have more than 100 people in attendance, and are supposed to last for just an hour but the NIA and EC have been given the freedom to register an unlimited number of people from 7am to 5pm, thats for a period of 10 hours, shows clearly that, the so-called partial reopening of schools, churches and Mosques was only a ruse to the President's main agenda. The NDC believes that the easing of restrictions was motivated by the Presidents parochial political interest and not the interest of the nation. Read full statement below: A BMC official said that Ajay Devgn offered to help the civic body when he heard that they needed oxygen cylinder supply in the health centre in Dharavi. Ajay Devgn has donated oxygen cylinders and ventilators to a 200-bed COVID-19 health centre in Mumbai's Dharavi via his production house's Ajay Devgn Films Foundation, according to a Mumbai Mirror report. (Click here for LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak) Devgn's foundation had previously helped provide ration for 700 families in the locality. Here is the tweet Dharavi is at the epicentre of the Covid19 outbreak.Many citizens supported by MCGM are working tirelessly on ground through NGOs to provide the needy with ration & hygiene kits. We at ADFF are helping 700 families.I urge you to also donatehttps://t.co/t4YVrIHg3M#MissionDharavi Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) May 27, 2020 Mirror states that the facility is built on an unused plot of 4000 sqm owned by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), reserved to build a parking lot for the Maharashtra Nature Park. Now, the health centre is being used to treat all patients except those who are in a critical condition. Kiran Dighavkar, the assistant municipal commissioner of the G North Ward said that as the cases in Dharavi increased, there was a need to have sufficient supply of oxygen cylinders at the centre. He told Mirror that Devgn offered to help the civic body buy over 200 oxygen cylinders and portable ventilators. The actor is among the many Bollywood celebrities who are lending a helping hand during the pandemic. Shah Rukh Khan had previously offered their 4-story office space as quarantine facility. Sonu Sood has been organising transport for migrant workers who have been stranded in Mumbai due to the nationwide lockdown. Swara Bhasker distributed 3000 pairs of slippers to migrant labourers housed in a shelter run by the Delhi government. On Eid, Salman Khan handed out 5000 meal kits for sheer qorma and he has also launched a food truck initiative. The Dabangg actor has also donated hand sanitisers to the Mumbai Police from his recently launched personal grooming brand FRSH. Health experts expect cooler weather conditions in the winter to trigger a more intense transmission of the Covid-19 infection, warning it is "very likely" the illness will show a similar seasonal pattern to other coronaviruses. The warning comes as countries in the Southern Hemisphere brace for a potential uptick in Covid-19 cases during the winter months. To date, more than 6.1 million people have contracted the coronavirus across the globe, with 372,099 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The pandemic has brought large swathes of the world economy to a halt in a matter of months, with political leaders imposing stringent measures on the daily lives of billions of people. President Donald Trump had previously suggested that the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes, Covid-19, would "miraculously" go away on its own during warmer summer weather in the Northern Hemisphere. But, Marc Lipsitch, professor of epidemiology at Harvard has said that while he anticipates a slight decline in the contagiousness of the coronavirus in warmer, wetter weather, "it is not reasonable to expect these declines alone to slow transmission to make a big dent." In winter, however, Lispitch said he did have reason to believe Covid-19 "may transmit somewhat more efficiently" when compared to summer. The size of the change was expected to be modest and Lispitch conceded he did not yet know the mechanisms responsible. Nonetheless, colder weather, dryer air both indoors and out, and the way people behave during winter were all cited as factors likely to impact the trajectory of the coronavirus. "I think it is a pertinent point," Simon Thornley, senior lecturer of epidemiology and biostatistics researcher at Auckland University in New Zealand, told CNBC via telephone. It is "very likely" Covid-19 will show a similar seasonal pattern to other common human coronaviruses, he continued, citing types including HKU1, 229E and OC43. These coronaviruses all cause influenza-like illness, Thornley said, "or at least they have a higher seasonal peak in the winter." Secretly burying a 55-year-old man who died of stab injuries has spelled trouble for his son and other family members. Muniraju, a carpenter, was found dead near his home close to Mangammanapalya Lake in southern Bengaluru, on May 20. It was morning walkers who had found the body and immediately identified it as that of Muniraju because he was known to many people in the area. Munirajus son Manjunath (25) and other family members soon learnt about the death. Although the death was suspicious because of the stab injuries, the family didnt inform the police and took it directly to the graveyard for final rites. However, police learnt about the death in the nick of time and rushed to the graveyard. They stopped the final rites and shifted the body to the mortuary. A post-mortem was requested. We suspected something fishy and registered a case of unnatural death under mysterious circumstances, a police officer said. When questioned by the police, Manjunath and others said that Muniraju had died after collapsing under the influence of alcohol or suffering cardiac arrest because of alcoholism. Police managed to retrieve a blood-soaked shirt, trousers and innerwear of the deceased from his house, which his family had changed before the final rites. The clothes clearly indicated that he was stabbed to death and that the injuries were not caused by any accidental fall, a senior officer said. The post-mortem report arrived on May 23. It stated: Death was due to shock and haemorrhage as a result of stab injury sustained. However, viscera has been sent for chemical analysis. Police changed the tone of the FIR, invoking IPC sections related to murder and causing disappearance of the evidence of the offence. While police do not suspect Manjunath, they are trying to track down the people who had informed him first. It was these people who had asked Manjunath to not file a police complaint as they had seen with their owns eyes his father collapsing on the ground under the influence of alcohol. We have some major clues about the killers and well arrest them soon, the officer said. Relatives of Adilson Carlos Sousa waited 27 hours until a funeral service arrived at the Manguinhos favela in Rio de Janeiro to remove the body of the 61-year-old man who died with COVID-19-like symptoms. Joao da Silva, a member of the non-governmental organization Rio de Paz providing social work support during the pandemic and distributing food among residents of the shantytown, was called by the family to help. He shot a video of the moment Sousa's body was removed from home by workers of a funeral parlor. Relatives told da Silva that two ambulances arrived at the house after Sousa died, but neither of them took the body. In Brazil when someone dies, the police or the medical service has to be notified to release a death certificate but only the funeral service can remove the body. After spending hours looking for information, the family found a funeral parlor willing to remove their loved one's body. Sousa arrived at home about 10 days after being released from hospital where he was treated for pneumonia. According to da Silva, he had symptoms of COVID-19 but the family could not take him back to the hospital. "What happened with Mr Adilson, we believe it's happening in the communities (favelas) of Rio. People are dying, victims of the virus and the state keeps inert, keeps looking indifferent (to the favelas) as it always did," da Silva said. Brazil has been hard-hit by the pandemic where, according to the registry office, the number of deaths at home increased in 23% between February 26 when the first case was confirmed in the country - and May 16. It means that 10,076 more people died in that period compared with the same period last year, according to the registry office statistics. In Manaus, Eldon Cascais had been battling lung cancer for the past five years. He visited public hospitals frequently for treatment, the same hospitals that collapsed in April after the pandemic hit the Brazilian rainforest city with full force. So, when the 34-year-old fell sick after going out to run errands, he didn't seek medical help. Seven days later, on May 9, Cascais passed away in his home, alone. Like most Manaus residents who die at home, Cascais was never tested for COVID-19, despite having suffered from the most common symptoms of the disease cause by the new coronavirus. Workers of SOS Funeral, a service supported by Manaus City Hall that provides free coffins and funeral services to those who can't afford them, removed the body of Cascais as they did with Leivane Bibiano only three days after. Bibiano, an HIV-positive mother of four, died at age 42 and was also treated for tuberculosis at the local tropical diseases foundation. Two weeks before her death, Bibiano developed a fever, diarrhea and an incessant, different cough according to her eldest son Leandro. She was never tested for COVID-19. "The deaths at home usually come with acute respiratory insufficiency, and there is no sample collected to be tested later for COVID. But from our day-to-day experience, we understand it is related to COVID-19," said Lenise Trindade, the head of SOS Funeral. Of the country's 27 states, 22 registered an increase in the number of deaths at home. In Manaus, the increase between February 26 and May 16 was 159%, according to the registry office comparing the numbers with the same period last year. By Sunday, Brazil had registered 29,314 deaths linked to the virus, the country with the fourth highest number of victims in the world, after the United States, the UK and Italy, according to Johns Hopkins University. Brazil's close to 515,000 reported cases is the second highest toll behind the US. For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by those with mild or no visible symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death. CAMBRIDGE, MA -- One promising strategy to treat cancer is stimulating the body's own immune system to attack tumors. However, tumors are very good at suppressing the immune system, so these types of treatments don't work for all patients. MIT engineers have now come up with a way to boost the effectiveness of one type of cancer immunotherapy. They showed that if they treated mice with existing drugs called checkpoint inhibitors, along with new nanoparticles that further stimulate the immune system, the therapy became more powerful than checkpoint inhibitors given alone. This approach could allow cancer immunotherapy to benefit a greater percentage of patients, the researchers say. "These therapies work really well in a small portion of patients, and in other patients they don't work at all. It's not entirely understood at this point why that discrepancy exists," says Colin Buss PhD '20, the lead author of the new study. The MIT team devised a way to package and deliver small pieces of DNA that crank up the immune response to tumors, creating a synergistic effect that makes the checkpoint inhibitors more effective. In studies in mice, they showed that the dual treatment halted tumor growth, and in some cases, also stopped the growth of tumors elsewhere in the body. Sangeeta Bhatia, the John and Dorothy Wilson Professor of Health Sciences and Technology and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and a member of MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, is the senior author of the paper, which appears this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Removing the brakes The human immune system is tuned to recognize and destroy abnormal cells such as cancer cells. However, many tumors secrete molecules that suppress the immune system in the environment surrounding the tumor, rendering the T cell attack useless. The idea behind checkpoint inhibitors is that they can remove this "brake" on the immune system and restore T cells' ability to attack tumors. Several of these inhibitors, which target checkpoint proteins such as CTLA-4, PD-1, and PD-L1, have been approved to treat a variety of cancers. These drugs work by turning off checkpoint proteins that prevent T cells from being activated. "They work incredibly well in some patients, and they've given what some would call cures, for about 15 to 20 percent of patients with particular cancers," Bhatia says. "However, there's still a lot more to do to open up the possibility of using this approach for more patients." Some studies have found that combining checkpoint inhibitors with radiation therapy can make them more effective. Another approach that researchers have tried is combining them with immunostimulatory drugs. One such class of drugs is oligonucleotides -- specific sequences of DNA or RNA that the immune system recognizes as foreign. However, clinical trials of these immunostimulatory drugs have not been successful, and one possible reason is that the drugs are not reaching their intended targets. The MIT team set out to find a way to achieve more targeted delivery of these immunostimulatory drugs, allowing them to accumulate at tumor sites. To do that, they packaged oligonucleotides into tumor-penetrating peptides that they had previously developed for delivering RNA to silence cancerous genes. These peptides can interact with proteins found on the surfaces of cancer cells, helping them to specifically target tumors. The peptides also include positively charged segments that help them penetrate cell membranes once they reach the tumor. The oligonucleotides that Bhatia and Buss decided to use for this study contain a specific DNA sequence that often occurs in bacteria but not in human cells, so that the human immune system can recognize it and respond. These oligonucleotides specifically activate immune cell receptors called toll-like receptors, which detect microbial invaders. "These receptors evolved to allow cells to recognize the presence of pathogens like bacteria," Buss says. "That tells the immune system that there's something dangerous here: Turn on and kill it." A synergistic effect After creating their nanoparticles, the researchers tested them in several different mouse models of cancer. They tested the oligonucleotide nanoparticles on their own, the checkpoint inhibitors on their own, and the two treatments together. The two treatments together produced the best results, by far. "When we combined the particles with the checkpoint inhibitor antibody, we saw a vastly improved response relative to either the particles alone or the checkpoint inhibitor alone," Buss says. "When we treat these mice with particles and the checkpoint inhibitor, we can stop their cancer from progressing." The researchers also wondered whether they could stimulate the immune system to target tumors that had already spread through the body. To explore that possibility, they implanted mice with two tumors, one on each side of the body. They gave the mice the checkpoint inhibitor treatment throughout the entire body but injected the nanoparticles into only one tumor. They found that once T cells had been activated by the treatment combination, they could also attack the second tumor. "We saw some signs that you could stimulate in one location and then get a systemic response, which was encouraging," Bhatia says. The researchers now plan to perform safety testing of the particles, in hopes of further developing them to treat patients whose tumors don't respond to checkpoint inhibitor drugs on their own. To that end, they are working with Errki Ruoslahti of the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, who originally discovered the tumor-penetrating peptides. A company that Ruoslahti founded has already taken other versions of the tumor-penetrating peptides into human clinical trials to treat pancreatic cancer. "That makes us optimistic about the potential to scale up, manufacture them, and advance them to help patients," Bhatia says. ### The research was funded by the Koch Institute Support (core) Grant from the National Cancer Institute, a Core Center Grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the Koch Institute's Marble Center for Cancer Nanomedicine. Bhatia also has affiliations with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 22:17:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KINSHASA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- An eleventh outbreak of the Ebola virus disease was declared on Monday by Congolese Minister of Health Eteni Longondo in the city of Mbandaka, in Equateur Province in northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo). "The samples taken in Mbandaka and sent to the National Institute of Biomedical Research in Kinshasa were positive," said the health minister during a press conference in Kinshasa. According to Eteni Longondo, the heads of the National Institute of Biomedical Research in Kinshasa confirmed on Monday the result of the test taken from the patients on the spot in the town of Mbandaka. A few days ago, the authorities of the city of Mbandaka in Equator Province alerted at least four cases of suspicious deaths in the same health zone of Mbandaka. For health authorities in Kinshasa, the Ebola response team is already in place at the provincial level and another team will be deployed from Kinshasa to strengthen the response. The announcement comes as health authorities started a countdown to declare the end of the tenth Ebola epidemic that has plagued the east part of the country since 2018, which has left more than three thousand people contaminated and two thousand people dead. According to WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who has confirmed six cases, including four already dead by his Twitter account, WHO already has its teams on scene to support the fight against the epidemic. The tenth epidemic has been the deadliest in the history of the country since the discovery of the first Ebola epidemic around 1977 in the province of Bandundu. Enditem Dan Crenshaws coffee break focuses on flood mitigation On May 21 at 10 a.m., over 300 people joined in a Zoom teleconference to hear U.S. District 2 Congressional Rep. Dan Crenshaw conduct what he called a Coffee Break with Dan. Crenshaw hosted the event from the lakeside dining area of the Cedar Restaurant on the shores of Lake Houston. It was a particularly appropriate location for the subject at hand: flood mitigation updates and preparing for the fast-approaching rainy months and an active hurricane season. Joining him was Russ Poppe, executive director of the Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD). Justin Lurie of Atascocita was the moderator for the questions-and-answers portion of the meeting and asked questions that had been previously submitted as people registered to join in the conference. In his opening update, Crenshaw summarized the current state of ongoing flood-mitigation efforts. We have not forgotten Harvey even though it was 996 days ago, and we all know that were going to be in hurricane season pretty soon. he said. Behind me is Lake Houston and the Lake Houston spillway. Nearly 1,000 days ago, this entire area Huffman, Crosby, Atascocita, Humble and Kingwood were all flooded. Since then we have worked diligently with FEMA to repair schools and replace infrastructure that was damaged. Weve not only repaired them, we have made them more resilient for future flooding. Look at Kingwood High School. We got $40 million approved to flood proof the school. In Huffman we were able to elevate many of the facilities to make them more resilient, Crenshaw said. He explained how the Army Corps of Engineers, under the direction and funding from FEMA, has spent nearly $80 million removing sediment from the San Jacinto River. He pointed out that the project is now being completed with state and local funds to continue to remove sediment from the mouth bar, an obstructive sandbar located at the confluence of the river and Lake Houston. Crenshaw explained the status of the Lake Houston Dam spillway expansion. On April 15, a three-year project was kicked off to increase the capacity of the structure. During Harvey it was only able to release 10,000 cubic feet-per-second of water which was not enough. The new dam gates will allow a greater release rate while keeping the residents below the dam safe from future risks as well, he said. Crenshaw summarized the overall flood control projects covered by the HCFCD bond issue, including retention projects in the Champions area of District 2 and the land at Raveneau Country Club. He addressed the issue of why it is taking so long to do all of these District 2 projects. This is all a floodplain that is interconnected. It takes longer than people would like to study where the projects should be and where the cost benefit should be allocated but it is happening, he said. Poppe updated the meeting on the specific details of Lake Houston area HCFCD projects. However, he focused on the coming months and the approaching hurricane season more than anything else. We do have a lot going on and there are a lot of partnerships to report, but I want to mention that this hurricane season is looking to be fairly active. Right now, we are looking at around 16 main storms that are being forecast and eight of those becoming hurricanes, Poppe said. He emphasized that residents should take advantage of two online resources to help prepare for the storms. Poppe highlighted readyharris.org to help put together individualized plans. We are in this together and we need our residents to have a plan, so when these disasters happen they have a solid plan and can execute it, he said. Poppe explained how the HCFCD web site (hcfcd.org) can help residents to know their own individual risk. He said when on the website, residents should click on the Floodplain tab and fill in their address in the box provided. In that way they can determine if they are within the 100-year floodplain. It is important to know your risk. After you figure out if you are inside the floodplain or not, I would advocate that you look at getting flood insurance, he said. Poppe pointed out that the in last five years, the flood data indicates that 60% of the homes impacted from flooding were outside the map of the 100-year floodplain. Poppe announced a flood alert service is available. He said that the HCFCD flood warning system now has almost 300 gauges that measure real-time rainfall as well as the bayou levels across all of the Harris County watersheds. You can actually sign up for customizable alerts. Go to the HCFCD website for details, he said, and explained that residents can look up the rain gauges online for homes, schools, commuting locations and offices. Following the updates and Poppes recommendations, Crenshaw turned the meeting over to Lurie to ask some of the questions that had been selected from those submitted. We received scores of questions and have selected a few that are similar that are for the theme of the meeting, Lurie said. The first question was from a constituent named Hannah. Flood mitigation: who is responsible for what? How do federal and state and local agencies work together? she asked. Crenshaw answered, Its a great question and is often the source of a lot of confusion. In general, local agencies are responsible for building those links to community. Local government knows best and is right there next to the problem. You dont want people in Washington micro-managing exactly what your plan is going to be down to the local level. Crenshaw explained the state gets involved as issues go across county lines and the federal government gets involved when the issues become national in scope or are so big as to require federal help like the Army Corps of Engineers, other resources, federal approvals and permitting to meet federal requirements. The questions went on for nearly an hour, covering mainly San Jacinto River drainage issues but also some tax-related issues and agency responsibility questions. The last question, from a constituent named Christine, was about the mouth-bar situation Crenshaw had described earlier. The mouth bar: shouldnt we be seeing improvements? she asked. Crenshaw explained that the mouth bar was determined to have existed before Harvey and therefore it was not clear about how FEMA could take responsibility and spend its Harvey recovery money to resolve the issue. As a result, local funding resources had been found to be able to get the sediment removal underway. In addition, a study to address the whole inter-related drainage situation was in progress. The study should be completed soon. There is a lot more to it than just the mouth bar, Crenshaw said, and added that on April 14 a sedimentation study was funded to study the West Fork of the San Jacinto River and its confluence into the lake to see if there is a way to address the sediment issue upstream before it gets to the lake. As the meeting ended, Crenshaw expressed his appreciation to those who participated. He noted the teleconference ended up being larger than expected and said he will keep using Zoom in the future, even when people can come to the meetings in person. He closed with a recommendation for everyone. Remember to help out your local businesses Texas is leading the nation on that, he said. Police are searching for those involved in a deadly drive-by shooting on the East Side on Sunday night. A man, officials say in his late 40s, was standing in a driveway near the 3400 block of Action Lane just after 9 p.m. when individuals in a passing vehicle opened fire, according to San Antonio police. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox It appeared that a small white vehicle, followed by a white SUV had pulled up to the home and started shooting, SAPD said. The suspects fled in the vehicles and weren't located. A small handgun was recovered near the victim and police believe that the victim may have been returning fire. Police believe once the victim was hit, he tried to run back to the house but someone got out of the vehicle and chased him down still shooting. When police arrived, they found the man laying in a pool of blood with multiple gunshot wounds near the area where the house meets the driveway, SAPD said. The man was still alive at that time, but died shortly after. Police found several shell casings in the street. The victim's house had also been shot multiple times. Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway Islamic State Claims Blast That Killed Afghan Journalist, Technician May 31, 2020 The Islamic State (IS) extremist group has claimed responsibility for a bomb blast that killed an Afghan journalist and a technician in a minibus carrying employees of a local television station. At least seven people were wounded in in the capital, Kabul, in the evening rush-hour attack on May 30. "Our colleagues Mir Wahed Shah, an economic reporter, and Shafiq Amiri, an employee in the technical department, were martyred in the incident," said Mohammad Rafi Rafiq Sediqi, the chief executive of the private Khurshid TV. The IS group, which battles government forces and Taliban militants, has claimed some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan in recent years. It did not give a reason for the May 30 blast. Pictures shared on social media showed a white minibus, which was carrying 15 employees of Khurshid TV, with extensive damage to its front. The United States, the European Union, and NATO condemned the attack. Last year, two employees of Khurshid TV were killed and two wounded in a similar attack in Kabul. The Taliban and IS have both attacked reporters in the past. Last year, the Taliban warned the Afghan media to stop broadcasting what it called "anti-Taliban statements." Afghanistan is one of the world's deadliest places for journalists. In January, the Afghan Journalists Safety Committee reported five journalists were killed in 2019. The media-freedom group Reporters Without Borders said 15 Afghan journalists were killed in 2018, the deadliest year yet. Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/islamic-state- claims-blast-that-killed-afghan-journalist -technician/30644218.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 After hundreds of protesters in New York City peacefully confronted police in front of the Barclays Center late on Saturday, the crowd then marched across the street and came to a stop outside of a Target in Atlantic Terminal, a mall and train hub in downtown Brooklyn. Tensions quickly spiked, as the chain store has been preyed upon in riots across the country recently. But in Brooklyn on Saturday, protesters confronted one another on how to proceed: Should they express their frustration peacefully or fully engage their anger by breaking into the shopping center? A few white-knuckled minutes passed as protest organizers linked arms to hold at bay the few people who were angling for the doors of the store. The march then moved on, leaving the closed Target store undisturbed. The brief showdown illustrates a growing division between the vast majority of protesters who aim to remain nonviolent, and the few who see the moment as an opportunity for violence or even chaos. Outrage over the death of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground with his knee for more than eight minutes, added to long-simmering anger and frustration over the many black Americans who have died in circumstances considered avoidable Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin and countless others. Full coverage of George Floyds death and protests around the country While most people are moved to hit the streets to peacefully protest against unequal policing, racism and the perceived devaluation of black American lives, once among the massive crowds, an individual's motives are difficult to discern. Image: *** BESTPIX *** Protests Against Police Brutality Over Death Of George Floyd Continue In NYC (Justin Heiman / Getty Images) One of the main organizers in Brooklyn, who asked to be identified as Shaman, helped steer the peaceful protest from early Saturday afternoon. After setting the marchs direction, leading chants and speaking directly to police, he ended up putting his body between demonstrators and the entrance to Target. Story continues Some people arent being realistic, he said, as the march began to disperse around midnight after police officers charged demonstrators with pepper spray and batons. They want to fight with emotion. You cant do that as a community. We have to fight with intelligence and let them know that were not going to play that game. Were going to play by our rules and show you what our true character is. Many protesters and those leading the marches this past week said that a nonviolent message was key to effectively share their disdain. Yet there is a growing feeling, fed in part by local, state and federal leaders, that there are outside groups trying to undermine that message or take advantage of it for their own chaotic means. This is a growing frustration for some demonstrators who feel their message is being hijacked and used as cover for more nefarious acts. People are aware of the fact that there are two different groups out there, said Jay Maki, 39, a photographer in Minneapolis who went to the protests in his city this week. And when there is one person in the crowd behind you who throws a bottle at the police, theres a sense hes using the other peaceful protesters as a human shield. Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said Sunday that about 20 percent of those arrested were from out of state, much less than an earlier claim by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz that 80 percent had come from outside Minnesota. Download the NBC News app for full coverage and alerts on this story Walz had also suggested without evidence that some of the rioting may have been directed by white supremacist groups or drug cartels. in Washington, Attorney General William Barr claimed the rioting was planned, organized and driven by anarchic and far-left extremist groups using antifa-like tactics. While the driving ideological force remains unclear, Maki said that the 20 percent of people coming to the city to stir up trouble was enough to strain a movement and change the tenor of a demonstration. I saw a lot of white people destroying businesses in communities of color, he said. To me, even if it was only 20 percent of the people arrested thats enough to incite a riot, thats enough to influence, and its disheartening to see the looting of black businesses that are lifting up oppressed communities. Image: (Lucas Jackson / Reuters) And its enough to scare a community. Stacie Brudenell, the founder of Sovereign Hughes, a small film studio in Minneapolis, said she is up until 4:30 every morning, but it isnt because shes participating in the protests. She lives in a historically black neighborhood where many of the demonstrations and the rioting have occurred. At this point, Brudenell said, shes exhausted physically and emotionally. Its all exhausting always has been, she said. You keep us in a spot economically, a lower class. We get paid less, our properties are worth less, our schools are underfunded and yet you tell me I should love it. Why? Thats not equality. While she said that it appears some white people may finally have begun to understand the historical brutalities that minorities face in the United States after the viewing the graphic video of Floyd's death as he is pinned by police, Brudenell noted the difficulty she finds in having to constantly explain her experience. The lack of empathy, emotional curiosity and historical reckoning is what has led to this moment, she said. People have a computer in their hands every day, and they ask us to explain these atrocities that are systemic," Brudenell said. "You have a massive search engine that can get you any answer you want and you wont do it yourself? Thats the part thats exhausting to black people: They [white people] have no interest in us, and so they have no interest in peace. But the biggest challenge that protesters and organizers say they face is how the police have reacted to them so far. For demonstrations to remain peaceful, organizers say, they must be met peacefully by law enforcement. Ive been trying to hold people together, Shaman said, but its difficult when rubber bullets and tear gas get used whether were peaceful or not. And I think police have proven that over the last week. A 13-year-old boy in California became the youngest college graduate earning four associate degrees and a remarkable GPA of perfect 4.0 Jack Rico, a child prodigy, plans to study at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas as a full scholar. Young Jack achieved four degrees at Fullerton College in Southern California over the course of two years and has made history for being the youngest graduate of the said school. According to Daily Mail, out of the 21,000 students, Jack was the youngest and became popular on the campus. On a report, Jack said that he has been treated just like any other student and he uttered the people in their school are nice since he has made some friends along his journey. Jack's journey as a young student Jack articulated that he had a fun and interesting experience in school and at first he did not know what he was looking into. Moreover, Jack admitted that studying was both challenging and stressful but he was determined to continue and push on. In an interview, Jack admitted that he still could not believe he was able to achieve something extraordinary and he never thought at first that he could do such a thing. The Orange County Register reported that Jack's initial goal was to finish an associate's degree but landed taking classes in four subjects including arts and human expression, history, social behavior and self-development, and social science. Due to the pandemic crisis, Jack's first official graduation was canceled which made his family hold a drive-by parade outside their front door for him. Jack said that he was disappointed and sad at the same time since he never had graduation. Read also: 14-Year-Old Girl from Iran Murdered by Own Father, Sparking Outrage in the Country He is planning to take up history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and pursue a bachelor's degree in the said course. Jack claimed he has been interested in history since it is the story of where people come from. He is expecting hi classes to start by next month and initially, he will be taught from home. As stated by Jack, he is only 13 and does not want to rush things. He is still in the process of figuring things out and for the time being, he wants to focus on learning and it is something that he loves to do. Eventually, Jack's entire family plans to move to Las Vegas from their home in Whittier near Los Angeles and for three days in a week stay in a hotel as Jack will attend his classes in person, which will be the scenario for the first three days of each week. Jack's older sister, who is 15 years old and is also home-schooled, will come along with their family in Las Vegas. University to welcome the child prodigy In a report by News Break, Tony Allen, the UNLV spokesman, said that despite Jack's young age the university will do everything to make him feel at home. According to Allen, Jack is a remarkable young man and a bright future is ahead of him. The entire university is moved by his choice of continuing his academic journey in UNLV. Allen added that UNLV has a history of Rebels making their dreams turn into reality and they look forward to welcoming Jack and his family. Although Jack will be majoring in history, he plans to study a variety of other subjects. Ru Andrade, the mother of Jack, said that his son is not a genius. She added that Jack works very hard and that he loves information and learning. According to Andrade, Jack acts as a really 13-year-old boy when it comes to playing that he will finish his work as fast as he can just to play his video games. She added that Jack came to outsmart and that he was like an old soul. Jack, was home-schooled which gave him enough time to learn and be creative. Related article: Chinese Grad Students With Ties to Military Schools Face Expulsion as US Cancel Visas @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Louisiana bars will be allowed to reopen this weekend after they were shuttered months ago amid the growing coronavirus pandemic. Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a Monday press conference that the state can enter Phase 2 of reopening on June 5. The reopening of bars is part of that. Louisiana moving to Phase 2 of coronavirus restrictions; here's what that means Louisiana is loosening its restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus, allowing bars to reopen and expanding the occupancy re New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, however, has said New Orleans will not move to Phase 2 with the rest of the state. When bars reopen, they must do so at 25% capacity. That same limitation has been on restaurants and bars with food permits. Public-facing employees must still wear masks. Read more about Phase 2 in Louisiana here. The seminary did not start ordaining women as rabbis until the mid-1980s, but Schwartz noted that it admitted the first woman to its academic programs in 1902: Henrietta Szold, founder of the Jewish womens volunteer organization Hadassah, who took classes in advanced Jewish studies at a time when the rabbinical school was for men only. Schwartz has taught as a professor of American Jewish history, focusing on modern Jewish life and Jewish gender studies. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Tehran, Iran Mon, June 1, 2020 14:47 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb4c8ff 2 World Iran,Iran-US,George-Floyd Free Iran's foreign ministry Monday called on the US to "stop violence" against its own people following protests across the country over the death of black American man George Floyd. "To the American people: the world has heard your outcry over the state of oppression. The world is standing with you," spokesman Abbas Mousavi said at a news conference in Tehran. "And to the American officials and police: stop violence against your people and let them breathe," he told reporters in English. On Monday, protests sweeping the United States over the death of George Floyd reverberated on the other side of the globe when thousands marched in solidarity on the streets of New Zealand. The rallies were peaceful in contrast to the days of violent protests in the US after Floyd, an African-American, died after being handcuffed and as a white police officer, who has since been charged with murder, knelt on his neck. In Auckland, about 2,000 people marched to the US Consulate chanting "no justice no peace" and "black lives matter". Another 500 gathered in Christchurch, and a large crowd was expected to maintain a candlelit vigil outside the parliament buildings in Wellington. Nigerian-New Zealand musician, Mazbou Q, who organised the protest, said the gatherings were not just about the death of Floyd. The federal government has lifted the ban on religious gatherings across the country. The government had imposed the ban two mont... The federal government has lifted the ban on religious gatherings across the country. The government had imposed the ban two months ago to check the spread of coronavirus. But at the briefing of the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 on Monday, Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation and chairman of the PTF, announced that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the relaxation of the ban for four weeks. The PTF submitted its recommendations and the PRESIDENT has approved the following for implementation over the next four weeks spanning 2nd 29th June, 2020, subject to review-: Cautious advance into the Second Phase of the national response to COVID-19; application of science and data to guide the targeting of areas of on-going high transmission of COVID-19 in the country; Mobilisation of all resources at State and Local Government levels to create public awareness on COVID 19 and improve compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions within communities; sustenance of key non-pharmaceutical interventions that would apply nationwide and include: ban of gatherings of more than 20 people outside of a workplace; Relaxation of restriction on places of Worship based on guidelines issued by the PTF and protocols agreed by state governments. Mustapha also announced that from June 2, banks would operate within the normal working hours. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 22:10:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HELSINKI, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The societal and economic repercussions of a possible second COVID-19 wave may be more serious in Finland, a Finnish governmental policy group warned on Monday in a report. In the report, the group, headed by Martti Hetemaki, the Permanent State Secretary of the Finnish Ministry of Finance, noted that Finland will be weaker in encountering the second wave due to the impact of the first wave. It urged that the "epidemiological response should be as efficient as in the first wave" while the economic impact should be kept smaller. The group noted that in responding this past winter, some responsibilities "fell between administrative branches," which brought inefficiencies to curbing COVID-19. And to avoid this in the future, all levels of administration should be included in future planning. The group warned that if the crisis lingers on, not all enterprises can be saved, and Finland should choose those that are nationally essential when giving public assistance. It underlined "green recovery" and the promotion of carbon neutrality. "Finland is worth aiming at being a front runner in climate action, as innovations there could improve exports." The group also acknowledged that it is not realistic to correct the fiscal sustainability deficit created by the COVID-19 response within a few years. According to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland has to date confirmed a total of 6,885 COVID-19 infections, of which 26 cases were new. The death toll rose to 318, while at least 5,500 people have recovered. From Monday, restaurants and cafes throughout the country started to reopen, while a special law restricts the opening hours and limits the number of customers at a time to half the normal capacity. These temporary rules will remain in force until the end of October. Enditem In its order charting out guidelines for further relaxations during the ongoing nationwide lockdown, the Delhi government Monday said shopping malls, places of religious worship and restaurants would remain closed for now, even though the guidelines issued by the Centre on Saturday provides room for states to allow these to open from June 8. While senior officials in the Delhi government maintained that a review meeting is likely on June 7, following which a fresh order concerning malls, restaurants and places of religious worship may be issued, several prominent malls, restaurants and religious places in the city have their plans ready for resuming regular functioning after remaining shut or partially functioning for more than two months. Shopping malls, restaurants and places of religious worship see large gatherings and they are places with a high risk of disease transmission. It is good that the government did not prioritise them in their relaxation strategy. But shopping malls and restaurants also employ thousands of people. One has to be very careful about policies concerning such enterprises and institutes considering the spike in Covid-19 cases that Delhi is currently witnessing, Jugal Kishore, head of community medicines department in Safdarjung Hospital, said. RELIGIOUS WORSHIP Several religious places have worked out their own rules to ensure social distancing on the premises if and when gatherings are allowed. Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, said, The government must have taken the decision after careful consultation with experts. We respect the decision. Close to 10,000 people offer Friday prayers at the Jama Masjid in Old Delhi during summer and the number goes up to 22,000 in winter. But post-Covid, Bukhari said the numbers are going to be much fewer. Temples such as Jhandelwalan Mandir and Gauri Shankar temple in Chandni Chowk have worked out measures to control the crowd inside the complex. Jhandewalan temple authorities have decided to do away with the system of puja thalis and are doing a virtual aarti since the lockdown started. We will continue with the online aarti even after the temple complex is allowed to open, a member of the temple management committee said. At Sacred Heart Cathedral, Savarimuthu Shankar, the spokesperson of Delhi Catholic Archdiocese, said a plan for social distancing inside the church will be prepared only when the Delhi government gives the go-ahead. Manjinder Singh Sirsa, chairperson, Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee, said, We are hopeful that gurdwaras will be allowed to be opened from June 8. We are yet to receive guidelines regarding the opening from the government. However, we have made our own rules for when the gurdwaras are opened. We will increase the number of entry and exit points at gurdwara so that human interactions are kept to a minimum and to ensure crowd control. Hand sanitisers will be kept at a different points on the premises and central ACs will remain off. We are still unclear if devotees would be allowed to sit and pray, Sirsa said. MALLS AND RESTAURANTS The major city shopping malls too are ready to reopen with a long list of self-regulations from requesting shoppers to download the Aarogya Setu app, to full personal protective equipment (PPE) kits for staff and special demarcated spaces for visitors. The shopping experience will be different from before, as safety and hygiene will be our top priority. Tweaks in design and markings will help visitors and retail outlets maintain the necessary social distancing of six feet, as per government norms. There will also be proper marking at counters and cash registers to stop crowding, fixing plexiglass shields at all checkout points are also being looked into, a spokesperson of Select City Walk Mall, in south Delhis Saket, said. The spokesperson said the public areas will be sanitised every 60 minutes. An isolation room has also been identified in case a Covid-19 positive visitor is found. Besides, various retail outlets are formulating guidelines on trials and return/exchange of products. Also, parking will be restricted and will be kept to 50% of the total capacity. Dinaz Madhukar, executive vice president, DLF, retail luxury and hospitality, said, Masks, sanitizers, gloves, PPE kit and face shields will be stocked in every retail store. The number of visitors will be limited. We are also working on touch-less parking experience and encouraging digital payment. Valet service will not be available and there will be a strict protocol on the movement of cabs and personal drivers in the basement, she said. Praveen Khandelwal, secretary-general, Confederation of All India Traders, said, Covid-19 cases are increasing every day so it is advisable that malls not be opened as maintaining social distancing would be a tough task. Malls have a central AC system and the virus spread is more quicker in such environments. However, restaurants should be allowed to open from June 8 with all necessary guidelines. Priyank Sukhija, member, National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), said, So far, there is no clarity if restaurants with bars will be allowed to open or not. Also, if we are asked to shut by 9pm, it will not help all kinds of outlets. We are waiting for the association to come up with a set of guidelines based on which we will prepare for opening shop eventually. WASHINGTON - In cities across America on Sunday, people awoke to see shattered glass, charred vehicles, bruised bodies and graffiti-tagged buildings. Demonstrators gathered again in peaceful daytime protest of racial injustice. By evening, thousands had converged again in front of the White House, where people had rioted and set fires the night before. President Donald Trump stayed safely ensconced inside and had nothing to say, besides tweeting fuel on the fire. Never in the 1,227 days of Trump's presidency has the nation seemed to cry out for leadership as it did Sunday, yet Trump made no attempt to provide it. That was by design. Trump and some of his advisers calculated that he should not speak to the nation, because he had nothing to say, according to a senior administration official. He had no tangible policy or action to announce, nor did he feel an urgent motivation to try to bring people together. So he stayed silent. Trump let his tweets speak for themselves. One attacked the Democratic mayor of Minneapolis; another announced that his administration would designate the antifa movement a terrorist organization; a third accused the media of fomenting hatred and anarchy; and in yet another, he praised himself for the deployment of the National Guard and denigrated former vice president Joe Biden, his presumptive general-election challenger. In one of his missives, Trump wrote, "Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors. These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW. The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe. Is this what America wants? NO!!!" The United States is visibly, painfully broken by the unprecedented confluence of health, economic and social crises, any one of which alone would test a president. It was extraordinary then to hear some in the public arena suggest Sunday that this president ought stay in the background, arguing that Trump lacked the moral authority and credibility necessary to heal the country. "He should just stop talking. This is like Charlottesville all over again," Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," referring to Trump's equivocations after the "Unite the Right" rally in 2017 in which a man from Ohio killed a counterprotester. "He speaks, and he makes it worse. There are times when you should just be quiet. And I wish that he would just be quiet." This weekend exemplified many of the characteristics that have defined Trump's five years as a presidential candidate and president - chaos and unrest, fear and anger, division and disruption. Some of these themes and qualities helped draw Trump's supporters to him and keep them faithful, giving him a chance at reelection in November despite the carnage on his watch this spring. Yet these same attributes make it challenging if not impossible for him to inspire unity, according to officials and strategists in both political parties. It is an open question, too, whether Trump aspires to unite. There is ample evidence that he does not, as he built a political strategy around pitting groups against one another and declaring winners and losers. "The rioting in the streets has put an exclamation point on what this president cannot do: To bring people around and say we are all in this together," said Tom Rath, a longtime Republican official and former attorney general in New Hampshire. "On his automatic transmission, there is one speed. It is not conciliate. It is not comfort. It is not forge consensus. It is attack. And the frustration right now is that nobody is in charge. Anarchy rules." Inside Trump's political circle, advisers have expressed conflicting views about how the president should demonstrate leadership after the death of a black man, George Floyd, in the custody of a white police officer sparked outrage nationwide. The president, in consultation with some aides, decided not to give a speech Sunday about the violent protests over what many see as systemic racial injustice by law enforcement. Some on Trump's reelection campaign team, as well as some White House staffers, have been pushing for the president to deliver an Oval Office address, and he could decide to do so later in the week. But aides first want him to embark on a listening tour of sorts to develop constructive ideas, according to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal plans. Trump intends to convene events this week with law enforcement officials, black leaders and other stakeholders, which aides see as opportunities for him to address the unfolding situation and develop policies, some in concert with the Justice Department, the official said. "We want to be talking about law and order, how we can heal the relationship between the police community and the African American community, and what tangible policy steps we can take, and also try to expose these more organized bad actors that are manipulating this moment of tragedy and turn it into an opportunity to sow discord and distrust," the official said. Attorney General William Barr signaled aggressive steps to come in apprehending and prosecuting what he called "groups of outside radicals and agitators" and singled out antifa - protesters who describe themselves as antifascists - as responsible for some of the riots. "It is time to stop watching the violence and to confront and stop it," Barr said in a statement issued Sunday. "The continued violence and destruction of property endangers the lives and livelihoods of others, and interferes with the rights of peaceful protesters, as well as all other citizens." Asked Sunday by CNN's Jake Tapper whether Trump planned to address the nation, national security adviser Robert O'Brien replied that the president already had made "very eloquent comments" about Floyd's death and that he "addresses the country almost every day" on social media or in other ways. "He's trying to stop the violence that we saw that took place overnight, and the message to - and it's a strong message, that we want law and order in this country," O'Brien said. "We want peaceful protesters who have real concerns about brutality and racism. They need to be able to go to the city hall. They need to be able to petition their government and let their voices be heard. And they can't be hijacked by these left-wing antifa militants." Trump's record of racially insensitive and sometimes outright racist comments over the years has led many Democrats and even some Republicans to conclude that he does not fully comprehend the nation's history of racism and the corresponding tensions that live on today. "Obviously the unrest and the anger is well-justified," said Al Cardenas, a Florida-based Republican strategist and a former chairman of the American Conservatives Union. "Hardly goes a week by when some white person, whether it's a white supremacist or a racist law enforcement officer, does not kill a black person needlessly. . . . What the country needs and wants from the president, they're not going to get. This president, I don't believe, relates to the racism, relates to the pain. At least I haven't seen it." During his visit Saturday to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida - where he and Vice President Mike Pence witnessed the successful launch of the SpaceX spacecraft - Trump addressed Floyd's death and called it "a grave tragedy. It should never have happened. It has filled Americans all over the country with horror, anger and grief." The president described himself as "a friend and ally to every American seeking justice and peace" but said he firmly opposes "anyone exploiting this tragedy to loot, rob, attack, and menace." A few hours earlier on Saturday, Trump said on Twitter that demonstrators outside the White House on Friday night were met by Secret Service agents with "the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons, I have ever seen," a seeming reference to the law enforcement practices in America's segregationist past. He said many agents are "just waiting for action" and claimed that one had told him that fighting protesters was "good practice." District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, replied to Trump on Twitter by noting that the president "hides behind his fence" and that "there are no vicious dogs & ominous weapons. There is just a scared man. Afraid/alone . . ." Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the nation's most prominent black Republican elected official, said he has advised the president to focus on Floyd's death, to recognize the benefit of peaceful protests and to lead with compassion. As for Trump's tweets Saturday, Scott said on "Fox News Sunday," "Those are not constructive tweets, without any question." David Greenberg, a history professor at Rutgers University, said past presidents at moments of national crisis, whether George W. Bush after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks or Bill Clinton after the Oklahoma City bombing, have instinctively shifted their message and tactics in an effort to heal. "Most presidents have found a way to rise to the occasion, even if it meant swallowing hard and suppressing some of their own anger and frustration," Greenberg said. "There's no mystery that Trump is not sticking to the normal presidential script here." New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he's imposing a curfew on New York City starting Monday night and has the state's National Guard on standby after a weekend of violent protests over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of police in Minneapolis. Cuomo said the curfew starts at 11 p.m. and will be lifted at 5 a.m. Tuesday, he said in an interview with WAMC public radio on Monday. The governor and Mayor Bill de Blasio will review whether to renew the curfew in the morning, he said. The New York City Police Department will also double its presence to help prevent violence and property damage, Cuomo and de Blasio said in an emailed statement. The additional officers will be deployed to areas where violence and property damage occurred during Sunday night's protests specifically in lower Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn. "I've told mayors all across the state that I can call out the National Guard," Cuomo said at a news conference earlier Monday. Cuomo said he believe the New York Police Department should have enough personnel, but he will call in the National Guard if they need more backup. Some of the violent actions taken by the NYPD have exacerbated the problem, he said. "There are videos of some NYPD actions that are very disturbing. There are videos of NYPD cars driving into a crowd that are very disturbing. Pulling a mask down off of a person to pepper spray them. Throwing a woman to the ground. It's on video. It's on video," he said. Cuomo said he asked New York Attorney General Letitia James on Saturday to conduct a report on those officers acting aggressively toward the protesters. He said that no immediate actions have been taken until James submits the report. "I asked the attorney general for a report. I want that report done 30 days from when I asked her just two days ago. But I'm going to speak to the mayor about, in the meantime, what is the response for those police actions on video." Cuomo said that he has the legal authority to impose a curfew, which a handful of cities across the country have implemented, but he's not at that point. However, he said he knows "something has to be done because last night was not acceptable and the night before was not acceptable on any level." An estimated 5,000 demonstrators marched through the streets of downtown San Antonio on Saturday evening to protest the death of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes. Although the march largely was peaceful, protesters afterward smashed windows and clashed with police in streets near Alamo Plaza. Officers fired tear gas to scatter protesters massed at North Alamo and East Houston streets. Elsewhere, police fired pepper-spray projectiles. Visit ExpressNews.com to see more photos from the night. Representative image The Union Cabinet at its meeting on June 1 has approved changes to the definition of micro, small and medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Raising the turnover limit for medium enterprises to Rs 250 crore, the government aims to broaden the scope of MSMEs. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said the new definition of MSMEs would benefit units. Enterprises with Rs 1 crore investment and Rs 5 crore turnover would now qualify as micro enterprises. Businesses with an investment of less than Rs 10 crore and turnover less than Rs. 50 crore will now be classified as small enterprises. The definition for medium enterprises has been revised upwards to an investment of Rs 50 crore and a turnover of Rs 250 crore. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on May 13, announced a tranche of six measures for the MSME sector, including revision in the definition of MSMEs. The definitions have been further revised since the announcements under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package. At present, around 63.4 million MSME units in India contribute around 6.11 percent of manufacturing GDP and 24.63 percent of services GDP as well as 33.4 percent of India's manufacturing output. They provide more than 11 crore jobs. Due to the lockdown, most MSMEs have working capital issues and have been facing a cash crunch, rendering it difficult for them to carry on work and pay salaries. The government has also announced a Rs 20,000 crore distressed asset fund to aid stressed MSMEs. Further, a Rs 50,000 crore equity infusion via a fund of fund has been announced for MSMEs. New moderate income housing program could be on the way to Long Beach A man jumps on a vandalized California Highway Patrol squad car in Oakland on Sunday during another night of demonstrations. (Karl Mondon / TNS) The high notes of broken glass being shoveled into metal dumpsters reverberated through downtown Sacramento on Monday morning as shopkeepers and volunteers cleaned up after another lawless night. It was a scene repeated across much of Northern California, after thousands of demonstrators took to streets Sunday for a third day of protests after the death in Minnesota of a black man, George Floyd, at the hands of a white police officer sparked national outrage last week. While daytime events have been largely without violence, after sundown, crowds have faced off with police and turned their anger and attention on retail stores and other businesses, despite the efforts of some organizers to prevent mayhem. The protests have been strongly anti-law enforcement, with people scrawling graffiti targeting police on sidewalks, statues and state buildings. Some 500 members of the California National Guard arrived in Sacramento on Monday afternoon to guard critical infrastructure, city officials said, two days after Gov. Gavin Newsom deployed 1,000 guard troops to Los Angeles. Those deployed in Sacramento are not expected to handle protests but are there to help free up local officers from more mundane duties, city officials said. In San Francisco, 200 additional officers were sent from other jurisdictions including Merced as part of a mutual aid agreement. In Oakland, a spokesperson for Mayor Libby Schaaf said the California Highway Patrol was assisting local police. Police in many areas have grown increasingly aggressive as the protests persist. Sunday, law enforcement fired tear gas, rubber bullets and other nonlethal weapons into crowds at multiple locations throughout the region. Multiple injuries have been reported of both officers and protesters. Thieves and vandals also struck numerous businesses, in both cities and suburbs, raiding stores including Best Buy, Target and Japanese clothier Uniqlo. In some places, groups converged on stores at once, in areas without large protests, leaving police scrambling to respond. Story continues In Oakland, police arrested three people early Monday in a shooting at police department headquarters. Overall, about 60 people were arrested on gun charges, firing at officers, vandalism and other charges, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. In San Francisco, police arrested dozens for unlawful assembly as protests swirled around city hall, with a small one outside the home of Mayor London Breed. As of Sunday night, Breed had not asked Newsom to dispatch the National Guard, after previously asking the governor to put the Guard on standby. In San Leandro, people ransacked and stole goods from two malls Marina Square and Bayfair and there were media reports a car dealership was also attacked. There also was unrest in suburbs such as Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Danville and Fremont. In Walnut Creek, a woman was shot and injured in the arm in one of the melees. Walnut Creek, Danville, San Jose and San Francisco were among the cities imposing curfews Sunday night. As of Monday, BART had closed at least seven transit stations Civic Center, Concord, Lafayette, Powell, San Leandro, Walnut Creek and 12th St. Oakland City Center. Sunday night, some police in both Oakland and Sacramento could be seen kneeling with protesters, according to images on Twitter and other social media. Last week, Oakland's police union, representing rank and file officers, took the unprecedented step of condemning Floyd's death and the actions of the officers involved. "We stand with all in our community who have traditionally been marginalized, oppressed, and who have been harmed by our systems and institutions," the Oakland Police Department stated in a tweet. Across the nine Bay Area counties, the number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in hospitals rose to 265 on Saturday, the areas highest one-day total since May 14, according to state data reviewed by the Chronicle. Many protesters did not wear masks and few if any practiced social distancing. With an incubation period of up to two weeks, it remains unclear how the protests will affect the containment of COVID-19. The toll of damage was also hard on small-business owners, some of whom have already been financially hurt by the pandemic. In Sacramento, Manny Hundal stood in front of his pizza store, Pieology, on Monday broom in hand, surveying the holes where three floor-to-ceiling glass windows used to be. Manny Hundal cleans up glass from the broken windows of his pizza shop after vandals broke them during protests on Sunday. (Anita Chabria / Los Angeles Times) Hundal said he received a call from his security company around 11:30 Sunday night informing him something was happening, and he drove down to see. By then, his store had already been hit and the street near the state Capitol was "pandemonium," he said. He said he expects more vandalism Monday night, but also believes there may be a harsher crackdown by law enforcement in the face of ongoing destruction. "This is not what it's all about," he said. The Irish flags from the St. Patricks Day parade that never was hung forgotten on the lampposts in Somerville. Theyd been there for two months. At the once-bustling downtown in Somerset County, the sidewalks were nearly deserted. Masked restauranteurs hovered outside their eateries, waiting for the handful of takeout customers that barely allow their businesses to limp along. They are the lucky ones rows of stores are closed altogether, bearing aging handwritten signs referencing the coronavirus pandemic. This time of year, Somerville is supposed to be popping, full of shoppers willing to lay down $25 for a New York strip steak, $12 for a Manhattan or $130 for a pair of G-Star jeans. But in a downtown that just months ago was heady with optimism, the signs of the deadly outbreaks economic impact are everywhere. Like countless small communities across New Jersey, Somerville has weathered many financial threats to its existence before. The rise of the mega malls that devastated downtowns for decades, the Great Recession of the late 2000s and its lasting stagnation. But will the Somervilles, Cranfords, Haddonfields, Montclairs and Westfields withstand a contagion that has upended everything? The damage to New Jerseys downtowns threatens to be profound. Theres a snowball effect when storefronts start going empty. Fewer people visit, sucking sales away from those shops that remain. More businesses close their doors, throwing more employees out of work. Developers with the next big project begin looking elsewhere. The tax base craters, leading to cuts to services or tax hikes as residents are forced to reach into their wallets to make up the difference. On West Main Street near one edge of Somervilles downtown, youll find Patrick Mannion, the longtime owner of an Irish pub, who wonders whether hell have to sell his home to stay in business. A short stroll away, Penny Milligan, who runs a bakery for dogs, questions if she made the right decision when she expanded her store last year. On the other side of the downtown, Angelina Rivera-Flores put $150,000, most of her life savings, into Nailed It DIY when she opened the crafts studio less than a year ago on East Main Street across from the county courthouse. Pretty much everything we have is invested in this, Rivera-Flores said, and its pretty scary there to think we may not be able to survive or to open back up. To tell the story of the struggles of one downtown, NJ Advance Media interviewed more than two dozen stakeholders in Somerville, an up-and-coming, middle-class borough of 12,100 people that consistently makes Top-10 lists of best downtowns. Whether shop owners or landlords, bartenders or political leaders, many expressed fears of widespread business failures, even as they hoped for a quicker turnaround than some experts anticipate. Ive been asked by numerous people, What is the town going to look like in six months, 12 months? How is Main Street going to succeed?" said Colin Driver, Somervilles economic development director. And the answer is, we can guess, but we dont really know. The classic car nights that drew flashy Corvettes and Mustangs to the borough for the past 30 years have been canceled. So have the outdoor movies that pack in hundreds of people throughout the summer to watch Little Shop of Horrors" or the Three Stooges, family-friendly fare to entice them to the shops and restaurants that are Somervilles lifeblood. There are empty parking spaces throughout Main Street, which should be jammed. Theres the odd quiet of a place thats usually filled with the brouhaha of the crowd. Theres the reality that at 11 a.m. on a recent sunny Saturday, not a single person walked down Division Street, Somervilles pedestrian-only commercial heart. Flash back to before the disease struck, and countless entrepreneurs like Rivera-Flores were feeling bullish about the future of New Jerseys downtowns. Empty nesters and millennials alike have been flocking to walkable cities, and commercial centers like Somerville have become cultural destinations, where residents increasingly live, work and play. An attractive downtown has an attractive social life, drawing people out of their day-to-day isolation to mix with strangers at quirky shops and hip bars that churn with the press of humanity. Yet coronavirus has upended all of that. Almost overnight, Somervilles character has been transformed by a disease that requires people to avoid the exact social situations that the borough and other downtowns have long embraced as central to their identity and their prosperity. Exciting expectation has given way to painful reality: that as unemployment soars and business loses mount, recovery will likely be counted in years and not months, even as crushing restrictions on public life are being gradually lifted as the contagions threat appears to diminish. Somerville is by no means giving up. Its merchants are battling as hard as ever, believing in the future of their community. They remember the years of doldrums after Bridgewater Commons, a giant mall, opened just outside town in 1988, rocking the boroughs commercial life. They overcame that, and this too shall pass, they are reminding themselves. Two days before the Memorial Day weekend, tattoo artist Leah Friesens eyes lit up as she saw a dozen people milling along Division Street, where her shop has been closed since the outbreak. Sure, some were out only for exercise, and werent ordering from the restaurant workers looking for business. But at least it was something. This is still quarter capacity, Friesen said through a turquoise mask, her hidden smile broadcast by the joy in her voice. But this is hope. This is hope. This makes me happy." Leah Friesen, owner of Artisanal Tattoo on Division Street off Main Street in Somerville, N.J. May, 21, 2020. Friesen's children made the signs. The business is closed due to coronavirus. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for While Gov. Phil Murphy has begun easing restrictions on public activities amid a decline in the coronavirus, he has yet to announce big steps toward a return to consumer life the resumption of dining in bars and restaurants, shopping at nonessential retail, or the reopening of gyms, salons and other personal care businesses. But Murphy has said some of those decisions could be made in the upcoming weeks, while insisting they will be driven by public health considerations. In the meantime, some businesses, including Friesens, have received forgivable loans through the federal Paycheck Protection Program that help pay cover a portion of their ongoing expenses. Others have negotiated breaks on their rent with their landlords. Some landlords, in term, have been granted short-term relief on their mortgages from their lenders. But with commercial inactivity stretching at least through the unofficial start of the summer, many merchants are wondering how long they can hold on with dwindling savings accounts and little or no income. Theyre casting forward to the day when theyll reopen, and asking whether they will be able to get back on their feet if customers are afraid to return to their stores, or lack the finances to spend as freely as they once did. My biggest fear is that when the government says the party can begin, nobody shows up to the party, said Eric Berger, who owns two buildings on Division Street, and is also a landlord in Metuchen, Morristown, Old Bridge, Edison and other communities. The biggest enemy we have right now is fear, and it is hard to overcome fear," Berger said. Theres a lot to lose. Pat Mannion, the owner of the Irish pub on West Main Street, needs only to look out his window to see the promising transformation that Somerville has undergone in his 21 years there. Catty corner to his left is a Starbucks that signaled a new era for the once beleaguered borough when it opened several years ago. Theres a supermarket behind it, anchoring the livable downtown. More upscale development is planned around him: on a vacant lot directly across the street, at a boarded-up Asian market to Mannions immediate right, and behind him, where a high-end apartment building is nearing completion. Yet Mannion is preparing for a long haul before life returns to any sort of normalcy. The other day, he finally unplugged his ice machine, a small but telling self-admission that itll be a while before his customers return. In March, Mannions Pub and Restaurant lost $80,000 after the St. Patricks Day parade the years biggest draw for anything Irish was canceled at the last minute, leaving him with 1,000 pounds of corned beef alone that ended up in a trash bin. In April, as the shutdown continued, he estimated he was $55,000 in the red. Pat Mannion watches Governor Phil Murphy give his daily coronavirus briefing on television at Mannion's Pub and Restaurant on West Main Street in Somerville, N.J. May, 20, 2020. The pub is closed for all but takeout.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for Recently, Mannion said he sat down to calculate his expenses and was shaken by what he found: each month, he has bills that total $25,000, even with his operations at a standstill, with takeout the only option. If restrictions wear on, he said, he may have to entertain what was once unthinkable: having to decide what is more valuable to him, his house or the restaurant he has sacrificed for since he bought it at a sheriffs sale more than two decades ago. He is prepared to sell his home to stay in business, saying he is convinced that despite everything, good times are ahead for Somerville. It is going to come back again, Mannion said. This is just a blip. While he waits, Mannions empty bar is frozen in time. On a mirror, St. Patricks Day shamrocks and a pot of gold still hung as decorations. Other St. Patricks Day tchotchkes sat unused in cardboard boxes. Every creak of the wooden floors reached the ears. On a good night, Mannion will employ 25 bartenders, servers and cooks, many of whom have worked for him for years, greeting regular customers with hugs and a sympathetic ear. But with his doors closed, there is no one to order $6 shots of Jamison at the bar. There are no diners at the booths eating $14 shepherds pie. Upstairs, at a clubhouse he runs that caters to a younger set, nobody is playing pool or throwing darts while hoisting back $3 Fireballs or $3 Miller Lites. Mannion has a handful of workers who he still manages to hire for a few hours each week. Among them are Chris Lance and Courtney Climes, who say they couldnt make it on the unemployment they are also receiving, if not for the $600-a-week bump that federal lawmakers approved in the early days of the pandemic a benefit that a divided Congress may not extend. Even with it, the couple said, they are barely staying afloat. Mannion has told his employees that he doesnt know when hell be able to bring them all back. That includes his 25-year-old daughter, Kelly Mannion, who is studying for a doctorate in psychology at Central Michigan University. She has worked for her father since she was 12, and was planning to come home once the school year ended. Shes staying there until I can figure out how to get some work for her, Mannion said. I have nothing for her. He thinks about the all students who rely on a thriving Somerville for summer work. Thats a big story right there, Mannion said. What are these college kids going to do?" Mannion's Pub and Restaurant has been empty since it was closed for all but takeout due to coronavirus. St. Patrick's Day decorations are still up more than two months later at the restaurant on West Main Street in Somerville, N.J. May, 20, 2020.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for Unemployment in New Jersey has soared to 15.3%, with nearly 1.2 million New Jersey residents filing for benefits since mid-March. Across the state, some business and political leaders have begun pressuring Murphy to reopen more quickly, saying that with coronavirus on the wane, it is time to ease the economic pain. That wont come too soon for Brian Gallagher, a former longtime mayor who is now a Somerset County freeholder. Looking at the stores downtown, they are itching to unlock their doors, Gallagher said. They want back at it and their customers are itching to be back at it. The outbreak has killed more than 11,500 people in the state. As of Saturday, Somerset County recorded at least 417 deaths and 4,567 infections -- among them six fatalities and 132 infections in Somerville. Sitting alone downtown waiting for an order of takeout empanadas on a nearly empty Division Street, Ryan Collina of Bridgewater said he is happy the state is moving cautiously. He has a relative who is in the hospital on a ventilator, he said. It sucks for right now, but it will get better later, said Collina, who called it shortsighted to open too fast and risk a new wave of the disease. And fears of contagion may extend beyond the immediate concerns of coronavirus and its ghastly death tolls. They could reshape society in ways that have downtown boosters reexamining their longtime redevelopment model the larger the crowds, the better for businesses and asking whether it will work in a post-pandemic world. Will merchants be able to sustain themselves short-term if they reopen at only half capacity, given ongoing social distancing? How about long-term, if overflowing sidewalks and shoulder-to-shoulder attractions become a relic of the past? Previously, the focus was very much on how do we increase foot traffic downtown, how do we pack downtown, how do we get people downtown, said Natalie Pineiro, the executive director of Downtown Somerville Alliance, which promotes local business. Certainly, we have to rethink the approach in order to ensure that we are clean, safe and a healthy community. But while there are so many unknowns, advocates insist people will ultimately return, and downtowns will not lose their identity. We are social animals, said Courtenay Mercer, the executive director of Downtown New Jersey, a Jersey City-based nonprofit. We are going to want to go back to restaurants, to go back to walking down the streets. Social Distancing sign on Main Street in Somerville, N.J. May, 20, 2020 Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for How quickly that may happen is a question mark. Village Brewing Co., an upscale brewpub at a sprawling former Woolworths, opened a year ago, a more than $4 million investment for its founders. Its hip, industrial-style floor is massive, with 17-foot-high ceilings, a bar that stretches 52 feet and seating for 300. The companys plans were as big as its footprint: it hoped to convert its basement into a performing arts and events center, doubling its size. Thats now on hold indefinitely, since it remains unclear when crowded concert venues will be viable again, said co-owner Iris Frank as she stood in the empty restaurant, where chairs were stacked on tables, three big screen TVs were dark, and the dining area was blocked off. Overhead, the Polices Dont Stand So Close to Me played a coincidence, Frank said. On her beer board, one of the offerings was coronavirus-themed: an American Pale Wheat called Six Feet... Yo!!! Her 41 employees have been laid off, and the restaurant is doing less than 10% of its normal business by offering food and growlers to go. Its tough, Frank said. Its tough to look at an empty bar and an empty restaurant. One customer who came by was Matthew Ramirez of Bridgewater, who said he loves Somerville when it is booming. I miss it, Ramirez said. Its one of those things I looked forward to every Thursday, Friday night. You get a group of your friends and just go out. Matthew Ramirez picks up a growler from Iris Frank co-owner of Village Brewing Company on Main Street in Somerville, N.J. May, 21, 2020. Customers can come in and pick up orders to go or get curbside service. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for In normal times, Ramirez might spend hours at Village Brewing, surrounded by people who turned out for trivia night or to hear a live band. But this visit was far more impersonal: He and Frank wore masks and a large bottle of Purell sat on the counter. Ramirez did not linger, leaving in minutes with beer, wings and an order of cauliflower, with Frank disinfecting the glass growler before he carried it away. A typical recession takes three to four years to gradually recover from, said Luis Portes, a professor of economics at Montclair State University. But whether this recovery will be typical, given the likelihood of ongoing restrictions on life, remains unanswered, he said. What we see in downtowns are those small and medium sized businesses," Portes said. Thats the ones that have been hit very hard. Daniel Mistichelli, a real estate appraiser in Somerville, sees empty storefronts ahead. Vacancy rates at offices, which were at about 10%, could rise to more than 25%, he said. Retail and restaurant space, which was in high demand, could approach vacancies of 20%, he said. And what if coronavirus impact is life altering and the public doesnt return, with the days of browsing shops or splurging on a night out becoming fewer and fewer? James Cavanaugh, a commercial landlord in town, believes in Somervilles promise and sees it making a comeback. But he also thinks back to his parents, who were shaped by the Great Depression, which left his father so afraid of debt that he never had a credit card. People who came out of the Depression were extremely cautious, Cavanaugh said. I dont know if coming out of this, people will be more cautious about spending money. Still, urban centers may show more durability than big-box malls, since it is easier to socially distance on sidewalks and streets than on escalators and elevators, said Clinton Andrews, a professor of urban planning at Rutgers University. Across downtowns, the economic losses will likely be uneven, with an economically distressed township such as Irvington unable to bounce back as quickly as a Princeton, Andrews said. We are going to continue seeing this uneven patchwork, Andrews said. I wont say some towns will disappear, but I will say some downtowns will fail to draw. Sign at Fresh Tiki Bar on Division Street just off Main Street in Somerville, N.J. May, 21, 2020. They are doing delivery or pick up but no one is allowed inside the store.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for In Somerville, no one is throwing in the towel. Aimee Suprenants tropics-themed smoothie and ice cream cafe, Fresh Tiki Bar, opened in 2017 as a walkup window on Division Street. With dining prohibited, she has returned to those roots, taking pickup orders she fills for customers who remain outside. In her narrow quarters, the bright pink plastic flamingos she uses for decoration were pushed into corners, and a poster read, Life is Great." Despite the upheaval, she says she is going to make it work. Her days are as long as her optimism. In the evenings, she and her partner, Matt Lewis, become a delivery service. Theyll bring helium balloons and pineapple decorations to your door for graduations, anniversaries or birthdays. Theyll bring you decadence, a giant doughnut ice cream sandwich, which they pack in thermal bags in their van and keep cool with dry ice. They put on a lot of miles making 20 to 25 deliveries a night, and sometimes dont get home until after 10 p.m. Youve got to roll with the punches and youve got to evolve, Suprenant said. Youve got to. Lewis has his own store, Division Street Music Shop, which is closed. Hes moved some of the drumming lessons he teaches online and is selling instruments on eBay. But when the state lifts restrictions, he worries whether his customers will re-emerge. Are people going to want to come back and sit with teachers? Some will, some wont, Lewis said. When they say we can open, were going to try. Were going to see whether they come in. Their neighbor, Friesen, the tattoo artist, has the same fear. She is trying to do everything she can to ensure her shop is safe, what with two children, including a 10-year-old son with Type-1 diabetes, at home. Friesen has plans for Artisanal Tattoo to reflect the new health realities. Though impulse tattoos" represent about half of her business, her shop will become appointment only, with customers ushered into the 10-foot private booths that each of her artists have. Entourages of supporters typical for those facing a needle, especially for the first time will no longer be permitted. There will be sanitizing stations and she and her employees will wear not only masks and gloves, but face shields and protective gowns. Friesens message: Tattoos artists were already hyper aware of cleanliness and the invisible spread of disease, even before the pandemic. Theyll only be more so now. Yet she has anxiety dreams at night, afraid of losing what she calls her second home for the past 12 years. Shes trusting that an old adage proves true. I think people will get tattooed. I think people want this. This is an outlet, Friesen said. It has always been somewhat recession proof, right? Even in normal times, not all small businesses make it, and theres always turnover in downtowns as one entrepreneur gives up and another comes forward with an idea to take its place. But these are not normal times. Talk to veterans of the boroughs struggles and they look back to the dark days, when Bridgewater Commons came in and the sidewalks were deserted every evening as the downtown failed to compete with the new malls allure. If you have empty storefronts, which Ive seen over the years, people are not going to come to town," said Penny Milligan, who owns The Hungry Hound, the bakery for dogs on West Main Street. It is scary to think of how many businesses are not going to come back from this. Jennifer Caskey picks out a shirt with the help of Kathy Bala at The Hungry Hound Dog Bakery on Main Street in Somerville, N.J. May, 20, 2020. Customers are not allowed inside the store due to coronavirus restrictions. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for Because she makes pet food, Milligans shop was deemed essential by the state and could have kept operating as normal throughout the shutdown. But at her store until recently, a folding table stood across the entrance, and customers were asked to order their goods from there: the dog treats she bakes on site, the homemade dog-friendly ice cream, the chew toys she sells. Just one longtime employee, Kathy Bala, helped her, and they were only open five days a week, instead of seven. Milligans store spans 6,000 square feet, and she moved into it last year, from a longtime location across the street that was four times smaller. Knowing what she knows now, she said, she wouldnt have made the move, given the added expenses in an economy that has suddenly ground to a halt. Milligan is finally opening her store back up, but gradually. On Thursday, she brought back another of her workers and allowed customers inside again, though only two at a time, with arrows on the floor to direct their movements. Milligan spoke with NJ Advance Media over several days, including May 21, when the borough took down its Irish St. Patricks Day flags and replaced them with American flags as Memorial Day beckoned. It marked another big event that came and went without the usual fanfare. Every year over the long holiday weekend, the downtown usually hosts the Tour of Somerville, which is billed as the oldest bicycle race in the United States, and which draws thousands of top cyclists from across the globe. It too was canceled this year. 43 Economic impact of Covid-9 on Main Street Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Riley Yates may be reached at ryates@njadvancemedia.com. Sergei Mokhnatkin, who had been in and out of prison since he tried to protect an elderly woman from police at a Moscow protest in 2009, has died at the age of 66. And on the global stage, U.S. President Donald Trump wants to invite Russia and three other additional countries to a G7 summit this year. RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss. Then-national security adviser to President Donald Trump, Michael Flynn, arrives to a swearing in ceremony of White House senior staff in the East Room of the White House on Jan. 22, 2017. (Andrew Harrer-Pool/Getty Images) Flynn Judge Asks Higher Court to Allow More Time for Decision The federal judge presiding over the case of former Trump adviser retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn has told the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals it should stay out of his decision to prolong the case even after the Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped the case against Flynn almost a month ago. Beth Wilkinson, lawyer for District Judge Emmet Sullivan, said the DOJ motion to dismiss the case does not conclusively establish that it acted properly in seeking the dismissal. Because Sullivan hasnt yet decided whether to accept the dismissal, Flynn isnt entitled to a higher courts intervention, she argued in a June 1 response to the appeals courts order. Sidney Powell, a former federal prosecutor and lawyer for Flynn, said Wilkinsons response ignores the true facts and the applicable law, in a response emailed to The Epoch Times. Sullivan hired Wilkinson after the higher court took the rare move of ordering him on May 21 to respond within 10 days about why he hasnt approved the motion to drop the Flynn case. Flynn, a former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency during the Obama administration and former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty in 2017 to one count of lying during an FBI interview. In January, he disavowed the plea and asked the court to allow him to withdraw it. The DOJ moved to drop Flynns case on May 7, saying the FBI interview wasnt based on a properly predicated investigation and seems to have been undertaken only to elicit those very false statements and thereby criminalize Mr. Flynn. Sullivan has so far refused to affirm the dismissal and has instead laid out a schedule that would prolong the case for possibly months. Hes 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 Powell, on May 19 filed a petition for a writ of mandamusa request to the higher court to order Sullivan to accept the case dismissal, cancel the Gleeson appointment, and assign the case to another judge. Wilkinson is arguing that the DOJ motion to dismiss is so unusual, the judge needs more information to evaluate it. Among her arguments, she said that the motion included no affidavits or declarations, was signed by the Acting U.S. Attorney alone, with no line prosecutors joining, and didnt address other allegedly false statements of Flynns included in his statement of offense. Missing from Wilkinsons argument is any mention of the documents the DOJ cited as a reason for dismissing the case. The documents were revealed by Jeffrey Jensen, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, who was directed in January by Attorney General William Barr to perform a review of the case. The documents showed the FBI was closing the Flynn investigation on Jan. 4, 2017nearly three weeks before agents came to interview him. A number of FBI and DOJ officials involved at the time, all of whom have since left their posts, were interviewed by Congress and the FBI about the Flynn case, but none of them could articulate why exactly was the FBI still investigating Flynn at the time of the interview. The Government cannot explain, much less prove to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt, how [Flynns] false statements are material to an investigation, the DOJ motion to dismiss said. Wilkinson further focused on the fact that Flynn reiterated his guilty plea multiple times and that Sullivan should be allowed to conduct investigations as necessary into whether Flynn should be held in contempt of court for disavowing the plea. But a motion to withdraw a guilty plea cannot be grounds for contempt, as the district courts own rules allow it, said appellate attorney John Reeves, former assistant Missouri attorney general, in an email to The Epoch Times. Moreover, the plea is legally irrelevant to the case dismissal, according to Powell, because Flynn was in no position to say what was and wasnt material to a legitimate FBI investigation. He had to accept on faith that the questions [the FBI asked him] were material, she said in the petition. Powell has argued the judge doesnt have a legal authority to delay accepting the dismissal. His role is merely ministerial and mainly in place as a safeguard from prosecutorial harassment, where the government dismisses a case that doesnt go well for it only to charge the person again later. Thats not the case here, because the DOJ moved to dismiss with prejudice, meaning the case cant be brought again. Wilkinson argues that the judge also needs to consider whether the dismissal adequately protects the public interest, citing the 1974 case of United States of America v. Robert Louis Ammidown. In that case, however, the ruling was non-binding and the court has since ruled in a way that has effectively discarded it, Reeves wrote in a May 29 amicus brief to the appeals court. He also rebutted Wilkinsons argument that Sullivan has more say in the case because it was already in the sentencing stage. The Government has complete control over the case until the court enters a final judgment, and a final judgment does not occur until the court imposes a sentence, which it has NOT done in this case, he said. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in interviewed by Ben Fordham on air during the breakfast program at 2GBs Pyrmont Studio in Sydney, on June 1. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett) PM Scott Morrison Urges Australians Not to Follow Violence Seen in US Protests With protests being planned in some Australian cities in solidarity with Americans devastated by the death of George Floyd, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that he does not want to see the same disturbing violence in American that has detracted from otherwise peaceful protests happen in Australia. Talking to 2GB radio on June 1, Morrison said he found the video of Floyds death awful while calling upon Australians not to repeat the scenes of violent protest. Theres no need to import things happening in other countries here to Australia, he said. Floyd died while in police custody last week in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His death has sparked outcry over the treatment of Black Americans in police custody, as well as seen planned violence and rioting across the United States by opportunistic groups that has been described as domestic terrorism. The police officer who was filmed kneeling on Floyds neck for an extended period of time resulting in Floyds death has since been arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter and third-degree murder. Morrison said he the footage of Floyds arrest was upsetting and terrible. Protests exploded in dozens of cities around the nation including Minneapolis, Louisville, Washington, New York, Atlanta, Detroit, and some other cities on Friday night with occasional looting, arson, and vandalizing. In light of the riots breaking out in America, Morrison said: When I see things like that, I am very thankful for the country I live in. The prime minister has cautioned individuals against any violence at the protests organised this week in Australia. One event, Black Lives MatterProtest Against Deaths in Custody announced for Hyde Park, Sydney, on June 2, will be in solidarity with the Indigenous communities here in Australia and the African American community in America. Keiran Stewart-Assheton, an indigenous Australia from the Australian Communist Party, took over leadership for the event at the last minute on June 1, after organisers of the original eventwhich emphasised the need for a peaceful protest stepped aside, citing a need for leadership from first nations peoples. The original event, Stop Aboriginal Deaths in Custody& George Floyd Peaceful Protest, was described to be in solidarity with George Floyd and raise awareness about the misrepresentation of our Indigenous population by those working in the Australian legal system. Peaceful Protest Sydney tomorrow, Tuesday 2nd June 5pm Stop Aboriginal Deaths in Custody & George Floyd. We stand with Minneapolis Australia is not exempt from injustices faced for people of colour and the Indigenous population.#ICANTBREATHE https://t.co/4X2ZMK663T pic.twitter.com/eJVO6Yqg96 NSW Council for Civil Liberties (@NSWCCL) June 1, 2020 Another event also posted on Facebook called Stop Black Deaths in Custody Justice for George Floyd #BLM, organised by Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, is scheduled for June 6 in Melbourne. This event has attracted interest from over 4,000 people. At ground zero of the protests, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has been forced to established a state of emergency and call in the National Guard after violent protesters looted, smashed, and set fire to buildings and property. Morrison said that the United States is going through a difficult time and wished them well. Third examination estimates damage from theater project embezzlement at $2 mln RAPSI, Kirill Ryabchikov 15:27 01/06/2020 MOSCOW, June 1 (RAPSI) The third examination in a case involving theater director Kirill Seerebrennikov over embezzlement of budget funds has fixed up infliction of the 129 million-ruble (nearly $2 million) damage to the arts project Platforma, attorney Irina Poverinova has told RAPSI. The examination results were announced in court on Monday. According to them, over 129 million rubles were embezzled from the project, the lawyer said. Defense lawyers disagree with the findings and call the examination prejudged. The next hearing is scheduled for June 5. In late 2019, the court commissioned the third complex financial and economic, and art valuation examination. A previous evaluation in 2018 failed to establish a fact of embezzlement. Defendants in the case along with Serebrennikov are producer Alexey Malobrodsky, ex-head of Seventh Studio stage company Yury Itin, ex-official of Russias Culture Ministry and current director of the Russian Academic Youth Theater Sophia Apfelbaum. Ex-chief accountant of Seventh Studio Nina Maslyayava is tried separately. She admitted guilt in full. Other defendants pleaded not guilty calling charges against them pointless and absurd. Moreover, Serebrennikov and Malobrodsky lay the blame on Maslyayeva. One more defendant, producer Yekaterina Voronova has been put on the international wanted list and arrested in absentia. According to investigators, defendants in the case stole 133 of 214 million rubles ($3.3 million) of budget funds allocated to the Seventh Studio company in 2011-2014 for development and popularization of contemporary art in Russia as part of the project Platforma. Serebrennikov was arrested in late August 2017 and then placed under house arrest. In early November, Moscows Basmanny District Court seized assets belonging to Serebrennikov including apartment, car, and money in the amount of more than 360,000 rubles ($5,300), over 60,000, and $4,000. Investigators believe that he was an organizer of the budget money embezzlement. He allegedly created Seventh Studio stage company to actualize Platforma project for promotion of art and called alleged accomplices into the organization. A few months back, we had reported that after Kumbalangi Nights, writer Syam Pushkaran and producer Dileesh Pothan will be collaborating once again with actor Fahadh Faasil for a project titled Thankam, to be helmed by Saheed Arafath. Initially, the names of Fahadh, Joju George, and Dileesh Pothan were announced along with the title poster. Now we learn that Aparna Balamurali will be once again sharing the screen with Fahadh after Maheshinte Prathikaram. Aparna plays one of the significant characters in the film aside from Fahadh, Joju, and Dileesh, says a source close to the Thankam team. The team had initially announced that the shoot would begin last December. However, that did not pan out. They were then looking at a May start when the Covid-19 pandemic forced them to reconsider. As of now, there is no clarity on the shoot plan as the script has Coimbatore and Mumbai as principal locations. As for the possibility of filming in alternate locations, the source tells us, Thats going to be a little difficult as the story happens mostly in these two locations and it will be a major challenge to tweak the script at this point. The team thinks its best not to make any immediate decisions now given how unpredictable the situation is. Syam and Dileesh are shepherding the project under their Working Class Hero banner in association with Fahadhs home banner Fahadh Faasil and Friends. Saheed had told us earlier that the film will be a crime drama and is different from Syams previous scripts. Besides Thankam, Fahadhs upcoming projects include a film of debutant Akhil Sathyan which he was slated to join when the pandemic hit. Akhil is the brother of Varane Avashyamund director Anoop Sathyan. Fahadh recently completed filming Mahesh Narayanans second directorial feature, Malik, which is slated for theatrical release at some point. Meanwhile, Dileesh is set to return from Africa after shooting for Djibouti, in which he has a starring role. The Vodafone idea voucher of Rs 251 brings with it data of 50GB. It also has a validity of 28 days. The Rs 251 plan is available in limited circles. If you are a Vodafone prepaid user, then there is good news for you. Vodafone Idea has launched a Rs 251 add-on voucher that brings with it a validity of 28 days and a data cap of 50GB. There is no daily limit in this voucher and users can use it as they please. 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The plans are priced at Rs 151, Rs 201, and Rs 251 and bring with them data capacity of 30GB, 40GB, and 50GB respectively. These are a part of Reliance Jios work from home plans and do not bring with them any calling or messaging abilities. If you are looking to upgrade your broadband to an unlimited broadband plan, you can check out our comparison of all unlimited broadband plans here. If long term validity is what you are looking for then you can check out the plans offered by BSNL. The BSNL Rs 2399 plan gives users a validity of 600 days i.e. 1.64 years! With this plan, users get 250 minutes of calling per day i.e., 4.16 hours of calling per day and 100 SMS per day limit. There is, unfortunately, no data as a part of the plan and those that use data will be charged Rs 0.25 per MB used. So users who opt for this plan will have to rely on some data pack for internet usage. You can read more about it here. Click here to know more about mobile recharge prepaid plans. DETROIT, MI -- Detroit police, after asking uncooperative protesters to disperse and comply with an 8 p.m. emergency curfew, deployed tear gas, rushed, tackled and arrested numerous people Sunday night. Police acted quickly and with force, chasing and arresting fleeing protesters after they regrouped and again began marching through downtown Detroit following the tear gas deployment outside Detroit police headquarters. While there was still a hint of tear gas lingering in the air about 9:45 p.m., police had already swarmed the city and arrested or dispersed most protesters. Mucus and tears covered one mans face as he struggled to catch his breath walking near Broadway Street, not far from Ford Field. I was just trying to walk and protest and cops started to chase us all down, he said, declining to give his name. And then I tripped and they picked me up. They tossed me to the fence. They started to spray my face and they started (expletive) stepping on me and stuff. The man said police did not arrest him but told him to go home. Other than a few stragglers walking alone or in small groups, and a heave presence of police zipping through the city streets, downtown Detroit was quiet and apparently unscathed, as far as looting, fires or any significant vandalism. Some windows on a federal building that houses FBI offices were covered in boards after being struck with rocks Saturday night. Over the first two nights of protesting, Detroit police reported over 140 arrests, the majority of those being people who live outside the city of Detroit. Minutes before police initially fired tear gas back at police headquarters Sunday, a crowd of several hundred closed in on police wearing riot gear. Nearly 100 officers, some with clumps of white cable-tie-style restraints sprouting from their pockets, stood in a silent row along the front of the Detroit police headquarters wearing face shields or gas masks, strapped with batons, Tasers and guns. Protesters and police at times were only a couple yards apart. A chant of take a knee, take a knee broke out. Protesters knelt and urged officers to do the same, as a symbolic display of support for the movement to stop police brutality, especially against people of color. Police stood firm still as helicopters hovered above. One painted in military green, flew just a few hundred feet above the crowd. Faces, presumably those of police, could be seen looking down on the crowd from atop the police parking garage. The protesters eventually broke out in cheers as one Detroit police officer who was speaking to the crowd through a megaphone joined the group in taking a knee. However, the protesters were still not ready to leave the area or abide by the citys curfew order. Some were seen throwing bottles of water at police from the crowd. People were kneeling, we kept hearing a police chief walking up and down, saying, Hey, were going to do gas," said Andrew Gaz, 28, of Ypsilanti. "They started putting on their gear. It looked like they were going to come and all the sudden, out of nowhere, they just start running toward us. It was completely unprovoked. At least I didnt see anything on out side. As police rushed protesters, there was a bang, indicating tear gas had been fired. Police chased and tackled numerous protesters running north on Third Street. At least one group of protesters numbering nearly 100 reformed and began walking down the center of downtown streets, chanting, No justice, no peace, no racists ass police. When they turned back toward downtown, numerous police vehicles with flashing lights converged and officers took off on foot, chasing and arresting protesters. Sunday was the third night in a row police and protesters clashed following an otherwise peaceful rally and march against police brutality in the name of George Floyd. Each day, large crowds met at the Detroit police headquarters on Third Street downtown, marched through the city and returned to the police headquarters. On Saturday, protesters were met by a line of police in riot gear blocking the street, which caused some tension and was a precursor to a more violent encounter later the same night. On Sunday, the first day of the curfew imposed by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, police took a different approach. They allowed protesters to freely return to the police headquarters about 7 p.m., where they sat in the grass and listened to several speakers, including an 18-year-old from Ecorse whom police arrested Saturday. I woke up this morning with swollen wrists, said the woman, who was arrested for disorderly conduct. Last night, I pleaded to five officers to please let me go or my arm was going to break, for screaming black lives matter, for having a sign. Tristan Taylor, 37, acted as the emcee during a series of speeches before the formal protests concluded just before 8 p.m. Weve got brothers and sister here today that were violated by (Detroit police) ... beaten up for doing nothing but standing strong, Taylor said. "Bullies get really upset when they dont get their way after being used to getting their way. So we have to make sure, yall, that we show up and we demand that everyone that was detained, that all charges against them are dropped. A few minutes later, Taylor said he received word that Detroit Police Chief James Craig wanted to meet with him about dropping all charges against the protesters. This is how sellouts happen, Taylor said. When these conversations happen in closed doors, nuh uh. So heres my proposal ... I want to reconvene Wednesday at 4 oclock and I want Chief Craig to join us so we can have that discussion together as a movement. If hes serious about it, he can bring the mayor too. More on MLive: MLive photographer struck with rubber pellet 84 arrested on second night of protests in Detroit Detroit protest turns violent on second night Grand Rapids protests turn violent 1,500 attend first Detroit protest Kalamazoo protests police brutality Whitmer wants peaceful protest zones The Downtown Improvement District email noted, "We know that everyone is struggling with the effects of being closed during the pandemic and now this incredibly emotional time. We wish we could celebrate the lifting of restrictions so that our businesses can operate safely. Unfortunately, we believe at this moment that it is safest to suggest that our businesses close early and send employees home today." As of 11:45 a.m. Monday, the Flagship Restaurant Group had closed all its downtown Omaha restaurants and was making sure that employees who already had reported for work were getting home safely, said Chief Operating Officer Anthony Hitchcock. Hitchcock said he had no plan so far to board up windows at the restaurants: Plank and Blue Sushi near 12th and Howard Streets and Roja near 13th and Farnam Streets. He also didnt plan to close Blatt Beer & Table on 12th Street across from TD Ameritrade Park, but said that might change as he got more information. Restaurant officials discussed boarding up the properties on Sunday, he said, but he was glad they decided against it. Two of the Elgin looting incidents occurred about 10:35 p.m. Sunday at Metro by T-Mobile, 565 N. Mclean Blvd., and Bens Mobile Phones and Repair Center, 557 N. Mclean Blvd. Neither police nor an employee cleaning up glass at one of the locations Monday would disclose the extent of the damage or what was taken; both sites were boarded up. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 19:24:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MADRID, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Spain did not receive any foreign tourists or any income from tourism in April due to the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, according to data from the Spanish Statistical Office (INE) on Monday. In a monthly report, the INE said this follows a drop of 64 percent in the number of international tourist arrivals in March, as the country closed to foreign visitors from March 15. Meanwhile, the fact that travel restrictions remained in place throughout May means that the month that has just finished will also end with zero tourists from abroad and zero income from the sector. By contrast, Spain welcomed 7.2 million tourists from abroad in April 2019, with each tourist spending an average of 990 euros (1,100 U.S. dollars) to generate a total income of 7,095 million euros during the month. Spain welcomed around 84 million foreign tourists in 2019, with the sector creating around 12 percent of the country's GDP. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said a week ago that Spain will end its quarantine restrictions to allow foreign tourists to return to the country in July. (1 euro = 1.11 U.S. dollars) Enditem Two Brooklyn lawyers who were charged for allegedly tossing a Molotov cocktail into a New York Police Department vehicle early Saturday morning were also trying to pass out firebombs to other George Floyd demonstrators, federal authorities said Monday. Colinford Mattis, 32, a corporate attorney with Pryor Cashman, and attorney Urooj Rahman, 31, allegedly threw the bomb into an empty police cruiser that was parked outside the 88th Precinct station house in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, cops say. It was revealed on Monday that Mattis and Rahman also attempted to pass out the incendiary devices to others who were at the protest. According to the New York Post, a bystander told authorities that Rahman 'tried to distribute Molotov cocktails to the witness and others so that those individuals could likewise use the incendiary devices in furtherance of more destruction and violence'. The bystander even snapped a photo of the pair in the car while they were allegedly trying to pass out the devices. Scroll down for video Lawyers, Colinford Mattis, 32, and Urooj Rahman, 31, who were charged for allegedly tossing a Molotov cocktail into a NYPD vehicle early Saturday morning were also trying to pass out firebombs to other George Floyd demonstrators, federal authorities said A witness told authorities that Rahman (pictured during the incident) 'tried to distribute Molotov cocktails to the witness and others so that those individuals could likewise use the incendiary devices in furtherance of more destruction and violence' Urooj Rahman stands by the side of the sidewalk after being arrested for throwing a Molotov cocktail at an NYPD van in Brooklyn Colinford Mattis stands handcuffed on the street after being arrested for tossing a Molotov cocktail during unrest on Friday night Police say Rahman, a registered attorney in New York, tossed a bottle filled with gasoline through a broken window into the cruiser just before 1am but the Molotov cocktail failed to ignite. Rahman then jumped into a van that Mattis was driving and together they sped away from the scene according to the New York Daily News. The bomb attempt was caught on video surveillance cameras outside the precinct located on DeKalb Avenue. Police chased and stopped the duos van on Willoughby Street and found the makings of another Molotov cocktail in the backseat and a gasoline container. Both Rahman and Mattis were arrested and charged with attempting to damage or destroy law-enforcement vehicles. Neither had been arrested before. They face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in jail. They face federal charges and were arraigned Monday. 'No rational human being can ever believe that hurling firebombs at police officers and vehicles is justified,' Brooklyn US Attorney Richard Donaghue said. Mattis lives in East New York and graduated from Princeton University and New York University law school in 2016, according to his Linkedin page. On the night of the incident, police chased and stopped the duo's (Mattis, left and Rahman, right) van on Willoughby Street and found the makings of another Molotov cocktail in the backseat and a gasoline container Mattis is a corporate attorney with Pryor Cashman and graduated from Princeton University and New York University law school The smoldering remains of a scorched police car pictured above vandalized during riots in Fort Greene in Brooklyn on Friday Hes an associate with Pryor Cashman, a corporate law firm in Times Square where he specializes in start-ups, and is a member of Community Board 5 in East New York. By Sunday evening his profile on the law firm's website was deleted. 'This is shocking news to me. The allegation does surprise me because that doesnt sound like him,' Andre Mitchell, president of Community Board 5, said to the Daily News. Rahmans social media shows she graduated from Fordham University in New York. The super of Rahmans building in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn described her as 'an angel' who recently lost her legal job. 'I cant believe it. Im stunned. This kid? Shes an angel,' George Raleigh said. They were among some 3,000 demonstrators who took to the streets in New York City over the weekend as part of a series of nationwide protests over the death of Floyd who was killed by a white cop in Minneapolis on May 25. New York City was not exempt from the violence that even saw two patrol cars drive through a crowd of protesters. According to the city's mayor, Bill de Blasio, the officers involved in the incident will be investigated. 'There is no situation where a police vehicle should drive into a crowd of protesters or New Yorkers of any kind. It is dangerous. It is unacceptable,' de Blasio said. Also on Monday, an autopsy commissioned for Floyd's family found that he died of asphyxiation due to neck and back compression when Minneapolis Derek Chauvin, 44, held his knee on Floyd's neck for several minutes and ignored his cries of distress, the family's attorneys said. The autopsy by a doctor who also examined Eric Garner's body found the compression cut off blood to Floyd's brain, and weight on his back made it hard to breathe, attorney Ben Crump said at a news conference. Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder on Friday. A tropical storm has killed at least 17 people after "life-threatening" flash floods and mud slides swept through El Salvador and Guatemala. El Salvador's Interior Minister Mario Duran said on Sunday that heavy rains from storm Amanda made rivers overflow, flooding city streets and producing landslides. More than 7,000 people were scattered across 154 shelters, after a quarter of the rain that the country normally receives in a year fell in 70 hours. Weve seen people asking for help, asking for the Government," said Mr Duran. "We havent deployed everywhere, the situation is overwhelming." Among those killed was an eight-year-old boy, who died after the house he was in collapsed. People try to move a taxi dragged by the water during floods caused by Tropical Storm Amanda at El Modelo neighborhood, in San Salvador / REUTERS On Sunday evening, the US National Hurricane Center warned heavy rainfall could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides across portions of Central America and southern Mexico, and these threats will continue over the next several days even after Amanda is no longer a tropical cyclone." President Nayib Bukele visited one of the most affected communities on the outskirts of San Salvador. Some 50 families lost their homes and Mr Bukele said the Government would give them funding to rebuild. One woman whose home was damaged, Maria Torres, said: Weve never experienced this. The rain was so strong and suddenly the water entered the homes and we just saw how they fell. Tropical Storm Amanda 1 /26 Tropical Storm Amanda A woman walk in front of damaged cars during floods caused by Tropical Storm Amanda Reuters Members of the volunteer stretcher corps and rescue firefighters remove a survivor from a collasped house AFP via Getty Images View of Los Esclavos River during tropical storm Amanda AFP via Getty Images Soldiers assist flood victims in Santa Lucia colony in Ilopango AFP via Getty Images View of houses devastated by the overflowing of a creek due to the torrential rains AFP via Getty Images A soldier wraps a child in a blanket during an operation to assist flood victims in Santa Lucia AFP via Getty Images Neighbors try to move a taxi dragged by the water during floods Reuters Relatives of a victim of the heavy rains caused by tropical storm Amanda comfort each other in Modelo, San Salvador AFP via Getty Images Rubbish is left in the street after the river burst its banks through La Malaga REUTERS A rescuer observes as the water level at the channel of the Acelhuate river AFP via Getty Images People try to move a taxi dragged by the water during floods caused by Tropical Storm Amanda Reuters View of Los Esclavos River during tropical storm Amanda AFP via Getty Images The roof of a submerged vehicle in seen in the flooded Santa Lucia AFP via Getty Images A woman cleans her house after floods Reuters Vehicles are seen in a flooded street of Santa Lucia AFP via Getty Images A woman wearing a face mask walks holding a cat during floods caused by Tropical Storm Amanda Reuters Rescuers remove goods. Reuters A woman observes houses from a bridge after they were devastated by the overflowing of a creek AFP via Getty Images A worker tries to recover vehicles dragged by the water during heavy rains AFP via Getty Images A woman cleans her house damaged by the overflowing of a creek AFP via Getty Images The Legislative Assembly approved the governments use of a 389 million dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund to deal with the pandemic and the storms impact. El Salvador reports more than 2,500 infections and 46 deaths from Covid-19. In Guatemala, a nine-year-old boy was swept away by a river and drowned and another person was killed when a home collapsed, said David de Leon, spokesman for the national disaster agency. Amanda pounded El Salvador with rain for days before moving ashore as a tropical storm on Sunday and pushing across Guatemala. It quickly dissipated, but the US National Hurricane Centre has said its remnants might form another storm in the Gulf of Mexico in coming days. New Delhi: Union Minister for Home Affairs, Amit Shah on Monday (June 1, 2020) held a high-level review meeting with officials of NDMA, NDRF, IMD, and Indian Coast Guard on preparedness for dealing with Cyclone Nisarga brewing in the Arabian Sea. The Cyclone is expected to hit some parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Daman and Diu. Shah also held a video conference meeting with Chief Ministers of Gujarat and Maharashtra, Vijay Rupani and Uddhav Thackeray and Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Praful Patel. He assured them all Central help in view of the impending Cyclone and asked them to spell out in detail the requirements and resources needed to deal with the situation. Meanwhile, NDRF has already deployed 13 teams in Gujarat including 2 kept as reserve and 16 in Maharashtra including 7 teams as a reserve, while one team each was deployed for Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. NDRF is aiding the State Governments for the evacuation of people from low lying coastal areas. Earlier, India Meteorological Department informed that the well-marked low-pressure area over South-East and adjoining East-Central Arabian Sea & Lakshadweep area concentrated into a Depression and it is very likely to intensify into a Deep Depression during next 12 hours and intensify further into a Cyclonic Storm over the East-Central Arabian Sea during the subsequent 24 hours. Region 12 District Superintendent Megan Bennett announced on Friday that a graduation plan for Shepaug Valley High seniors has been given to parents. Shepaug Valley draws students from Washington, Bridgewater and Roxbury. Shepaug will hold a graduation ceremony on the Bridgewater Fairgrounds on the evening of Saturday, June 20, Bennett said. The seniors will start at Shepaug with a car parade through the three towns that concludes at the fairgrounds. The graduation ceremony will be projected on a movie screen (drive-in movie style). At the conclusion of the ceremony, students will be driven to the stage to receive their diploma if they are comfortable exiting their car. Bennett said the celebration is still a work in progress. She will continue to work with local officials and health department officials to create a safe celebration. Senior prom, however, was canceled. We tried to keep some senior traditions such as painting the rock at Shepaug while using social distancing practices, Bennett said. The Shepaug administration is also making new traditions by creating fun, virtual events for the senior class in the final days of their high school career. Google and YouTube on Sunday put a black ribbon on its home page in the US, showing solidarity for protests against the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in police custody. "We stand in support of racial equality, and all those who search for it," the message read on the Google home page. The same message was also placed on the US home page of Google-owned YouTube. Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted: "Today on US Google & YouTube homepages we share our support for racial equality in solidarity with the Black community and in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery & others who don't have a voice. "For that feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone," Pichai added. Last week, a policeman choked an African-American man Floyd, to death by kneeling on his neck in Minneapolis. Several states in the US erupted in protests after the video went viral. The riots stretching from New York on the east coast to Los Angeles on the west rocked the nation that was just beginning to relax the Covid-19 restrictions threatening to spread the disease. The force of the protests that have turned violent comes from the ongoing brutality against minorities by police with two other recent cases adding to the fury behind the killing of Floyd. Head of the Department of Psychology, University of Ghana, Legon, Professor Joseph Osafo has admonished Christians to observe the precautions against COVID-19 infections as they resume religious activities. President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday, May 31, 2020 eased restrictions on public gatherings resulting in the opening of churches and mosques. He however has directed the churches and mosques to ensure a 100-member congregation and an hour religious service, hence failure to comply with the directives will attract sanctions. Touching on the President's easing of restrictions on religious activities, Professor Joseph Osafo appealed to church leaders and members not to lose sight of the pandemic disease and forgo the social distancing protocols as well as the preventive etiquette towards the disease. We need to be cautious. The government has done its part, the rest of the responsibility lies on our shoulders. Be careful with your life and don't live recklessly, he stressed. He was however worried about how ''one-man'' churches with disorganized structures would maintain the 100 membership rule and also ensure social distancing among the members. The President has faith that we will take the right steps but the question is who are these religious leaders? If you have structured leadership and I know there are a lot of churches in Ghana have structured leadership, that helps because in a such a church, when orders are given from the top; it cascades...But when you take structured and organized churches, a good number of churches in Ghana are not organized. You don't really see where is the leader; who is the leader, he said and called on the Minister of Religious Affairs to ensure the right measures are adopted for these churches to conform to the directive. 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 Irene Leckey with her granddaughters Grace Connolly (right) and Meabh Connolly (left) Dozens of Catholic parishioners in west Belfast have been blessed with holy water at their doorsteps during lockdown. A priest at the city's oldest Catholic church, St Mary's, visited residents struggling to remain in good spirits during the coronavirus restrictions. Some elderly parishioners have been remaining indoors most of the time, unable to attend Mass and with little ability to access internet sermons, said Irene Leckey, who helped organise the event. She said: "People were struggling with mental health because of the isolation from their families. "Many people almost wanted the priest to hear their confessions, talking about their feelings. "It was a relief for the people to be able to speak to the priest privately. "As much as it was at their own door they were able to speak privately with the priest giving the blessing." Ms Leckey (52) distributed bottles of blessed holy water because people were unable to visit church to pick up their own supplies. Fr Timothy Bartlett from St Mary's and a deacon gave blessings. Ms Leckey added: "A lot of them were very emotional today, very grateful. Fr Tim wanted to keep the connection between the people and the church." They blessed the houses from a distance due to social distancing requirements. Ms Leckey said: "They had realised how many people were missing the church." May 31 was Pentecost Sunday, the festival when many Christians celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. "And I think for me, I've learned that every single action that you take, on social media, the way you talk to people, the way you look at people, all of it matters," she said. "As a brand we've always believed that we led with humanity and empathy. We're looking at that to make sure that everybody within our brand is educated. We want to make sure that we have a conversation that ... continues to ensure that we are moving forward in the right direction." Two weeks into the first phase of the states plan to reopen from coronavirus-related shutdowns, the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the Baystate Health system has fallen below a quarter of its April peak. Baystate hospitals are caring for 41 COVID-19 patients, the health network said Monday, with four in critical care units. Another 12 hospital patients have tests pending. At one point in April, nearly 180 COVID-19 patients were under care at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield and the systems three other hospitals. Since Sunday, testing by Baystate Health confirmed only four new COVID-19 cases, bringing its total number of positive tests to 1,758 out of 13,850 individuals tested. Another 51 test results are pending. Trinity Health Of New England, parent company of Springfields Mercy Medical Center, has tested 30,211 individuals through its facilities in Massachusetts and Connecticut, confirming 7,456 cases. Another 376 are pending results. Massachusetts Department of Public Health data released Sunday showed 19 COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Mercy, with three in intensive care. As of Sunday, a total of 6,846 deaths in Massachusetts have been linked to COVID-19 since the beginning of the outbreak. The state has recorded over 95,000 confirmed cases. This Gray Matters column originally published in January 2018. Marianne Williamson walked to the middle of the stage, paused for a second, then she asked all the black people to stand. The New York Times best-selling author, internationally known spiritual teacher and native Houstonian was in town recently for her "Love America Tour" at Unity of Houston. She urged the 200 of us from our seats. She then instructed a white person to hold the hand of a black person standing. A white woman and a teenage girl who looked to be mother and daughter in the row behind me took my hand and arm. Williamson then told the white people to repeat after her. She began with, "I apologize ... ." I was at Williamson's event to celebrate my birthday, January 15, the same as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Each year, I try to attend a talk, lecture or event for my birthday that inspires and uplifts as he did. This year, it was Williamson's sell-out talk at Unity Church with some 700 people in attendance. Her focus was on racism and politics, saying that until the United States addresses slavery honestly, gets deep about its enduring impact on African Americans and makes amends, we will continue a cycle of hate and racism in this country. She cited Germany's effort to apologize to Jewish people for the Holocaust and pay out billions in reparations. According to The New York Times, many Germans are not even aware that their country, after paying $89 billion in compensation mostly to Jewish victims of Nazi crimes over six decades, still meets regularly to revise and expand the guidelines for reparations. The mission is to reach as many of the tens of thousands of elderly survivors who have never received any form of support. TIPS FOR PARENTS: How to talk with your kids about police, race, protests The U.S. State Department also has paid or approved 90 claims for $11 million in reparations from France to former World War II prisoners who were carried to Nazi death camps in French trains the first French reparations paid to Holocaust survivors living in the U.S. Reparations, even the "forty acres and a mule" promised in part by General William Tecumseh Sherman on Jan. 16, 1865, to former slaves, has been an ongoing debate in this country, but that's not really what Williamson focused on. A black woman stood up and told Williamson, who is Jewish, she was struggling to deal with the hurt and hate in her heart for white people because of racism. Williamson said one of the problems is that many white people are in denial about racism, don't want to talk about it and want black people to "get over it." Jayme Gershen/Bloomberg Black people are angry, and it's understandable, she said. Unfortunately, anger is our Achilles' heel. A colleague, whom I have tremendous respect for, once asked me why many black people are so angry today. I responded with, "Why aren't you angry?" She looked at me with a puzzled stare. I explained that ending racism is just as much a responsibility for her white community to "get it" as it is for my black community to "explain it." Frankly, I said many of us are tired of explaining racist actions and racially insensitive and dismissive messages that permeate our world. It's time for white people to get it and speak up, too. That's why Williamson's apology to African Americans at Unity was so powerful. In 2016, she penned, "Prayer of Apology to African Americans," and shared it on Twitter. "With this prayer I acknowledge the depth of evils that have been perpetrated against black people in America. ... I apologize, please forgive us." Before she even started, I felt on edge as I often feel when white people say things, like "You don't talk black." Honestly, I was waiting to be offended. With nearly 200 black people in the audience on their feet, Williamson apologized for slavery, lynching, murders, rapes of black women, destruction of the black family, mass incarceration of black men, being called the N-word and systemic and institutionalized racism and more. As she continued for what seemed like forever, I felt a rage boiling inside of me that was followed by a Viola Davis ugly cry. (Fans of Davis in ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder" know what I'm talking about.) KEYS TO HAPPINESS: How to be happy in an unhappy world I never thought I needed an apology from white people, but it felt like I was crying for my grandmother, my great-grandmother and all my people who endured and died because of hate in this country. I cried for all of the times I've felt marginalized, discriminated against and invisible because of the color of my skin, even in my own industry. I cried for all of the times I've watched black children, especially girls, had their esteem beaten down to nothing because they didn't fit the standard of white beauty. I cried because I didn't know how deep the hurt was. I could not stop crying. I opened my eyes to see everyone around me white, black, Asian like my friend, Sydney Dao, who is Vietnamese crying, too. I nearly collapsed to floor from the emotional weight I was feeling. But the harder I cried, the tighter the white woman and girl held on to me. There was a white man in the front pew who had turned around to face the entire audience. He had no one black to hold onto, but he seemed to be shouting Williamson's words for me to hear. It was one of the most powerful spiritual experiences I have ever had. On my way out, I whispered "thank you" to the white woman and girl who held onto me so tightly. They had kind eyes and thanked me back. Marianne Williamson is right. We need healing. We need real talk about racism in this country. It's time for white people to get it. An apology is a start. GIRL POWER: You go, girls! Authors encourage young readers to be bold Bookmark Gray Matters. It's a start. Protests formed across America again Sunday, even as glass and graffiti from the previous nights unrest were still being cleaned up, with some violence and crime flaring in pockets of largely peaceful demonstrations fueled by the killings of black people at the hands of police. From Boston to San Francisco, protesters took to the streets once more, and some signs of trouble emerged in cities that have closed streets and imposed curfews after days of turmoil. People robbed stores in broad daylight in Philadelphia and Santa Monica, California, and a semitruck drove into a massive crowd of people that took over a portion of a highway in Minneapolis. Its unclear if there were injuries. Protesters crawled on the truck, and police came in force to clear the highway in the city where the turbulence emerged after the death last week of George Floyd a black man who pleaded that he couldnt breathe after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee into his neck for several minutes. The protests quickly became national, spreading to dozens of cities large and small. The officer who pressed his knee onto Floyds neck has been arrested and charged with murder, but protesters are demanding charges against all four officers at the scene. All four were fired. In neighboring St. Paul, thousands gathered peacefully in front of the state Capitol, pledging to keep up the protests. Were Minnesota nice, but were not Minnesota dumb, and were not done, St. Paul Black Lives Matter organizer Darnella Wade said. They sent us the military and we only asked them for arrests. Minnesotas governor brought in thousands of National Guard soldiers to help quell violence that had damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings in Minneapolis over days of protests. The immense deployment appeared to have worked Saturday night, when there was comparatively little destruction. On Sunday, in a display of force, long lines of state patrolmen and National Guard soldiers were lined up in front of the Capitol, facing the demonstrators, with perhaps a dozen military-style armored vehicles behind them. Across America, demonstrators called again for an end to police violence. They keep killing our people, said Mahira Louis, 15, who marched with her mother and several hundred others through downtown Boston. Im so sick and tired of it. Many also joined police in pleading for a stop to violence, saying it weakened calls for justice and reform. It only hurts the cause, said Danielle Outlaw, head of the police force in Philadelphia, where more than 200 people were arrested as fires and looting engulfed the heart of the city. Disgust over generations of racism in a country founded by slaveholders combined with a string of recent racially charged killings to stoke the anger. Adding to that was angst from months of lockdowns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately hurt communities of color, not only in terms of infections but in job losses and economic stress. The droves of people congregating for demonstrations threatened to trigger new outbreaks, a fact overshadowed by the boiling tensions. Maybe this country will get the memo that we are sick of police murdering unarmed black men, said Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah. Maybe the next time a white police officer decides to pull the trigger, he will picture cities burning. The scale of the protests, sweeping from coast to coast and unfolding on a single night, rivaled the historic demonstrations of the civil rights and Vietnam War eras. Curfews were imposed in major cities around the U.S., including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. About 5,000 National Guard soldiers and airmen were activated in 15 states and Washington, D.C. At the Minneapolis intersection where Floyd was killed, people gathered with brooms and flowers, saying it was important to protect what they called a sacred space. The intersection was blocked with the traffic cones while a ring of flowers was laid out. Among those descending on Minneapolis was Michael Brown Sr., the father of Michael Brown, whose killing by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, set off unrest in 2014. I understand what this family is feeling. I understand what this community is feeling, he said. County Commissioner Angela Conley said the demonstrations and confrontations with police would continue until the other three officers who were at the scene when Floyd was pinned down are arrested and prosecuted. The officer who held his knee on Floyds neck, Derek Chauvin, was charged last week with murder. All four officers have been fired. Well continue to have this militarized presence in our community until justice is done, Conley said. In tweets Sunday, President Donald Trump blamed anarchists and the media for fueling the violence. Attorney General William Barr pointed a finger at far left extremist groups. Police chiefs and politicians accused outsiders of coming in and causing the problems. The fury also spread to Europe, where thousands gathered in Londons Trafalgar Square, clapping and waving placards despite government rules barring crowds because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Indianapolis, two people were reported dead in bursts of downtown violence, adding to deaths reported in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days. Buildings around the U.S. were defaced with spray-painted messages, from the facade of St. Patricks Cathedral in New York to the historic Hay-Adams hotel near the White House. Some of Floyds gasped last words I cant breathe were repeated, alongside anti-police messages. Crews near the White House worked to replace windows that had been shattered with large pieces of wood. Buildings for blocks were marked with graffiti, including curses about Trump. Shattered glass still covered the sidewalks. The damaged buildings included the Department of Veterans Affairs, directly across the street from the White House. The three-party Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra cannot be saved if those within the coalition get upset and leave, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday even as he distanced the BJP from any overt attempts to pull the government down. In an exclusive interview with Network18s Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, Shah said the BJP cannot break the trust of the three coalition partners in the state government Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress from outside. How can the government fall if the three alliance partners continue to trust each other? If those who are in the government get upset and leave the government, then who can save the government no one, he said, implying that if the government falls, it would be due to internal discord. On being asked about any possibility of any backchannel talks between the BJP and NCP, Shah once again hinted towards coalition governments internal upheaval, and said the BJP is not making efforts to destabilize any state government amid the ongoing fight with the novel coronavirus. Asked to comment on former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane demanding Presidents rule in Maharashtra, the home minister said he (Rane) was a Member of Parliament and reserved the right to express his thoughts as anyone else in the country. Rane was not the first to meet the Governor with the demand ever since the coalition government came to power over six months ago despite the BJP being the single-largest party in the state. Several other BJP leaders have flocked to the Governors office with similar demands. After Rane met the governor, the NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Sena head and state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had held a meeting for longer than 90 minutes. The three coalition partners scotched talk of any political changes and said that the government is steady and all parties are as firmly together as they were six months ago, but the buzz of a political coup has refused to die down. Rumours in political circles are rife that there are internal dissensions over the handling of the coronavirus crisis, with both the NCP and the Congress being unhappy over not having a bigger say in the response. Maharashtra has been badly hit by the pandemic and has the most cases in the country. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also distanced himself from the state government last Tuesday, when he said the Congress is only playing a supporting role in Maharashtra. But Pawar had denied any threat to the government, saying the coalition is stable. Amit Shah, in the interview, underlined the fact that Centre has stood firmly at every juncture with the Maharashtra government, just like other state governments, in the fight with novel coronavirus. Since it would be too much of a stretch to refer to a series of stage performances as Carnival, the Government has decided to offer instead a Taste of Carnival. For traditional Carnival interests whose events will be facilitated and supported by the State, the proposal presented on Wednesday by the Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Randall Mitchell, must be a welcome case of half a loaf being plenty better than none. WASHINGTON Nearly 60 years ago, the Supreme Court decided the case of Clarence Gideon, a Florida drifter accused of breaking into a poolroom who was tried and convicted without a lawyer. In a unanimous ruling, Gideon v. Wainwright, the court transformed criminal justice in America, announcing that poor people accused of serious crimes were entitled to lawyers paid for by the government. But the court did not say how the lawyers should be chosen, and many states settled on a system that invites abuses: They let the judge appoint the defendants lawyer. That system has long been criticized for promoting cronyism and dampening the zeal of lawyers who want to stay in the good graces of judges. A new study documents a more troubling objection. Elected judges, the study found, tend to appoint lawyers who contribute to their campaigns. NEWS FLASH Greeces Aegean Airlines has delayed the resumption of all of its flights to Croatia until September. The airline initially planned to to reinstate services from Athens to Zagreb, Dubrovnik and Split during the first week of July. Under the revised schedule, flights to Split will resume on September 1, Zagreb on September 2, while services to Dubrovnik will restart on September 3. Endeavor chief marketing officer Bozoma Saint John said Monday that she wants to see more companies put money behind their statements against racial injustice. Saint John, who was previously chief brand officer at Uber and the head of consumer marketing for Apple, said on "Closing Bell" that she wanted companies to make "systematic changes" and not just use the nationwide protests as a marketing opportunity. "I want to see more corporations put their money where their mouths are. Of course talk is cheap. Money isn't cheap. Money goes to fuel defense. It goes to fuel action. So I want more corporations to put their money where their mouth is," Saint John said. As demonstrations and protests swept across the country last week and over the weekend following the death of George Floyd, many companies have expressed support for the protests on social media. Apparel giant Nike released a video advertisement titled "For Once, Don't Do It." Saint John said that it was important to employees and workers that companies to make such statements. "Even if it's not perfect, acknowledging this very moment in time is extraordinarily important," she said. Saint John did single out Twitter for praise, citing that the company put "Black Lives Matter" in its social media bio. "Right now I feel like a lot corporations and perhaps most politically correct ways of talking is not necessarily about blackness. And right now that's what we're talking about. That complete issue, that total issue, is what we are talking about, and so let's not color it with anything else," she said. New Delhi, June 1 : Amid reports of Chinese transgressions into Indian territory, the Congress has questioned the silence of the government and demanded clarity on the issue, posing five questions. It said the people of India and all political parties should be taken into confidence on this issue. This is "brazen Chinese transgressions" into Indian Territory as Modi Govt is silent! There can be no compromise with India's "Security and Territorial Integrity", said the Congress. "Why has the Modi Government not taken the nation into confidence vis-a-vis the actual position on the ground?", the Congress asked. "While the government has briefly commented upon resolving the crisis diplomatically, the Modi Government must take all political parties and the country into confidence on restoring the status quo and protecting India's territorial integrity," Congress' Chief Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala demanded. The Congress said that umpteen news reports reflect that Chinese forces have made serious transgressions into Indian Territory at three points in Ladakh and Sikkim. The transgressions are reportedly in Galwan River Valley and Pangong Tso Lake Area in Ladakh. "Reports of Chinese Army moving thousands of troops in Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso Lake Area (Ladakh) are shocking and audacious attempt on our 'territorial integrity'," said the party leader. Security experts and Army veterans are seeing the Chinese transgressions in the Galwan River Valley as an attempt to threaten the "Darbuk-Shyok-DBO Road" which is vital to servicing Indian troops in Sub-Sector North and close to the Karakoram pass. The Congress said if these reports are true, the Modi Government must answer -- Have the Chinese troops occupied Indian Territory in the Galwan River Valley and Pangong Tso Lake in Ladakh? "Have they crossed into Indian Territory even beyond China's own 'Claim Line', pitched hundreds of tents, constructed concrete structures and built a few kilometres of road along the LAC in Galwan River Valley as also on the north bank of Pangong Tso Lake? And is it correct that Chinese troops have occupied the 'Finger Heights near Pangong Tso Lake?' asked the Congress. The Congress said that the government should clarify that the Chinese transgressions into Galwan River Valley threaten the operation of "Darbuk-Shyok-DBO Road" vital to servicing Indian troops in Sub-Sector North and Karakoram pass. The Congress asked the government what steps has the Modi Government taken to resolve this all important issue of "National Security and Territorial Integrity", including strategic preparations? Renee Taylor, a dealer at Borgata, who came to help clean up in Atlantic City on Monday, June 1, 2020. Shes sweeping up outside Brooks Brothers outlet. Read more ATLANTIC CITY For hours, the protesters played all their peaceful cards in the familiar streets of this casino town. They lay down in front of the police station and said, I cant breathe. They marched past an old Trump casino, through the citys Outlets, blocked traffic from entering town from the Atlantic City Expressway. They gave raw speeches about the killing of George Floyd outside Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. Police Lt. Mark Benjamin took a knee with protester David Paredes, an Atlantic City native, and promised to meet regularly with protesters in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd. You gotta start somewhere! they both called out to the agitated crowd Sunday at the steps to the Clayton G. Graham Public Safety building. Everyone took a knee. But still, at 5 p.m., four hours after the protest began, Atlantic City took yet another blow to its resilient but churning gut, as the looting that gripped other cities began with a brick thrown through the window of Soltz paint, an old business in town. It was not clear if any paint was looted. But that was followed by hours of looting at the Polo Ralph Lauren outlet on Atlantic Avenue, and then multiple other stores in the citys Outlet district, then further into the citys other business areas, onto Pacific Avenue, a Monopoly game of crash and loot. Rocks were thrown. READ MORE: Here's live coverage of what's happening Tuesday Businesses around town rushed to board up, including old stalwarts like 123-year-old Docks Oyster House. Police in riot gear appeared, militarized. A family from Northeast Philadelphia hurried back from the beach past looted storefronts on Michigan Avenue, trying to get out of town. Tommy Hilfiger. Brooks Bros. Walgreens. Vans. Nike. Forever 21. All the places the city usually tries to let people know actually are in Atlantic City suddenly were in the spotlight, as people livestreamed the crashes of storefronts breaking, followed by screaming and then looting, in surreal real time dispatches. Several people, one man bleeding from his face, were taken into custody in the middle of Michigan Avenue by baton-wielding officers, prompting Tnaiah Kitt of Philadelphia to stand in the middle of the street, railing in pain. This is not cool! she cried. I came here on vacation, Im going to be 21 in two weeks. My birthdays coming up. Im done. Im fed up." Lots of people were. By Monday, as police and business owners all over Absecon Island guarded against possible new protest and looting activity, and people headed to the citys jetties to catch abundant and enormous bluefish and fluke, Mayor Marty Small Sr. was apologizing to business owners, many of them immigrants, and vowing that the city would come back, as it has before. He said 17 people had been arrested, six of them from Atlantic City. Some of the others were from out of state. More than 100 state troopers were in town to assist. A 7 p.m. curfew was instituted through next Monday, and police said they were collecting surveillance footage to identify and charge those engaged in criminal activity. Inventories were wiped out, Small said of the 20 businesses at the Tanger outlets that were vandalized. He described his personal anger, as a black man, at the Floyd killing. "This is not just an Atlantic City situation, he said. "Dont lose faith in the city of Atlantic City. " Small didnt let the people of Atlantic City off the hook, chastising those who filmed the events as well as those who take advantage to tear down the businesses. Listen, our city is not perfect, he said. As soon as we started to open up businesses to give our economy some sense of normalcy, this happens." He said Atlantic City would bounce back, as it has so many times before. I want to let the world know this is not going to stop us from thriving, he said. Volunteers came out early Monday morning to sweep up the broken glass and empty Nike boxes that had littered the streets after the looting. Some came from Atlantic City schools, others were casino workers. A group from the Muslim community center swept up outside Forever 21. Im just trying to help as much as I can, said Renee Taylor, a dealer at the Borgata. I work here. I have family here. It matters to me. We just got to keep praying and things will get better. Steven Young, the organizer of the protest and a longtime Atlantic City activist, insisted that he had executed a peaceful event, and that the looting had only come after he had ended the event outside the police building with a group self-hug. But his provocative comment to the marchers to go window shopping and come back later to buy was taken in some places as an invitation to later looting. Young said he was saying the opposite, and thats how it was interpreted as he led the march peacefully throughout multiple business districts. He said hed ended the march, but people stayed after he left at the entrance to the police building, standing on pillars, asking for white police officers to come out and talk to them, pointing up at officers who watched from upper floors. Police took five of the protesters upstairs to talk with police brass, and ultimately white officers came out, but by then, the remaining protesters had left the police building and headed for the stores. Some of the people who remained until the end were local with specific grievances against the police; others, many of them young people, spoke about the pain of being black in America. Young said the protest was critical to send the message he has been trying to get across for decades. And while he did not condone the looting, he said, it is part of the message as well. Economic oppression has happened to every black community throughout this country, Young said. And nobody is listening to some of those young brothers from here. And that builds up. The beat down of their mothers, their fathers, that builds up. We have to look at the conditions in our community, all this oppression for all of these years. This Walk, over 150 stores, we dont own them. All these stores, no black businesses. Back at the police station Sunday night, Police Chaplain Eric McCoy stood on the now empty steps, and said he understood the motivations. He said the key agitators were from outside the city. Its human nature, what people do when theyre frustrated, McCoy said. I thought we had the beaches and it was calm, thats what I told Chief. But these people came from up north and they came to just take advantage. We have to figure out how to take care of each other, he said. Will it get better or will it get worse? 2014 In 2014, his first birthday as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi visited Gandhinagar to seek blessings from his mother Heeraben. Reports said Modi travelled alone in a normal vehicle from Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar on his 64rth birthday. His mother donated Rs 5,000 for the Prime Ministers Relief Fund for flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir on the occasion. Later in the day, Modi hosted a special dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping in Ahmedabad. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison would hold a virtual summit with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Thursday during which the two leaders would discuss bilateral ties and discuss their responses to the coronavirus pandemic as well as issues like defence, trade and maritime security, according to a media report. Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, Morrison said he was looking forward to discussing the countries' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and would hold talks with Prime Minister Modi through a virtual meeting on Thursday on various other issues, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) reported. "Prime Minister Modi and I will also discuss new opportunities in defence, trade, maritime safety and security, science and technology, and education," Morrison said. "As like-minded democracies and natural strategic partners, Australia and India are in full agreement that our strong bilateral relationship is key to a more open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific," he said. Morrison, who was due to visit India in January this year, had to cancel his trip following the bushfire crisis in south-eastern Australia. On Sunday, Morrison shared his picture holding a plate of samosas and mango chutney on twitter and wrote ''Sunday ScoMosas with mango chutney, all made from scratch - including the chutney! A pity that my meeting with Narendra Modi this week is by video link. They're vegetarian, I would have liked to share with him. Prime Minister Modi responded, saying the samosas looked "delicious", the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News reported. "Connected by the Indian Ocean, united by the Indian Samosa! Looks delicious, PM @ScottMorrisonMP!," he said in the tweet. "Once we achieve a decisive victory against COVID-19, we will enjoy the Samosas together. Looking forward to our video meet on the 4th." The deadly coronavirus has created havoc across the world, infecting 6,172,448 people and killing 372,136, according to Johns Hopkins University. Australia has reported a total of 7,193 confirmed COVID-19 cases along with 103 deaths. Hyderabad/Vijayawada, June 1 : With the beginning of Unlock 1.0 on Monday, Telangana allowed inter-state movement of people while neighbouring Andhra Pradesh continued the restrictions. The Telangana government lifted the restriction on inter-state movement of people. They no longer require passes to enter the state. Though the state government is yet to allow state-owned Road Transport Corporation (RTC) or private operators to operate inter-state services, those using their own transport were allowed to enter without restrictions. The Telangana government has already extended the lockdown in areas outside containment zones till June 7 and in containment zones till June 30. The movement of special trains also resumed in Telangana on Monday without restrictions while the other Telugu state restricted the movement of trains. The railway authorities had earlier announced that 22 trains passing through Andhra Pradesh will stop at 71 stations but the state government requested the Railway Board to stop the trains only at major stations like Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Kadapa and Guntakal. It cited lack of facilities to screen passengers at all stations. In another move, the Andhra Pradesh government restricted all intra-state movement of the passengers within the state. All passenger movements where both the boarding station and de-boarding station for a passenger falls within the state of Andhra Pradesh stands restricted until further advice, said South Central Railway. It advised passengers to cancel the tickets for getting refunds. Andhra Pradesh also continued the restriction on inter-movement of people by road. People from Telangana heading to Andhra Pradesh were stopped at the inter-state check posts and asked to produce passes. Large number of vehicles were seen stranded at Garikapadu check post on Hyderabad-Vijayawada border. People without passes were forced to return while those with passes stamped 'home quarantine for 14 days' on their hands. The government has announced that people coming from other states need to obtain passes through online Spandana app. Those coming from states not badly affected by Covid-19 can be in home quarantine for 14 days while those coming from badly-affected states will be sent to institutional quarantine for seven days. After this period, Covid-19 test will be done. Those who test positive will be sent to designated hospitals while those negative will have to be in home quarantine for another seven days. States like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi fall in this category. People above 60 years, below 10 years, pregnant women and diseased will be allowed 14-day home quarantine. Director General of Police Gautam Sawang said that restrictions will continue till the government takes a decision on inter-state travel. State nodal officer A. Srikanth said there will be long waiting period for those coming to Andhra Pradesh from other states at the check posts for screening. Every individual will be subjected to tests at the borders. About 14 inter-state trains from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Delhi are running via Vijayawada junction. All those arriving in Vijayawada will be subjected to the tests. Based on their results, their quarantine will be decided. People coming from abroad will have to go to Institutional or paid quarantine. Derek Chauvin after his arrest - Hennepin County Jail/AFP via Getty Images The 19-year police career of Derek Chauvin - the police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck - was littered with complaints about his conduct. Seventeen were filed against him, of which two resulted in formal reprimands. The others appear to have been closed without further action being taken. Chauvin, 44, nevertheless also received two commendations, including the police departments medal of valour in 2008. He moonlighted providing security at El Nuevo Rodeo, a nightclub in the heart of Minneapolis. George Floyd, the man Chauvin is accused of killing, was also a bouncer at the club, but it is not thought the two men ever came into contact. Maya Santamaria, the clubs former owner, told the Minnesota Star Tribune, that Chauvin became her main guy when it came to security. Ive seen him in action and Ive seen him lose it and Ive called him out on it before, she said. Ive told him its unnecessary and unjustified, some of the ways that he behaves. He just loses it. Apparently Chauvin was particularly uneasy on Twerk Fest Tuesdays, a night when there would be a higher proportion of black patrons. In late 2018 and early 2019, Chauvin also worked as an estate agent as well as serving as a police officer. Chauvin's wife, Kellie, this weekend filed for divorce. Her lawyer said Ms Chauvin had been deeply upset by Mr Floyd's death. "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," the Sekula Law Offices said in a statement on behalf of Ms Chauvin. Some details of Chauvins chequered career in law enforcement were included in a report compiled by Communities United Against Police Brutality, a 20-year-old non-profit organisation in Minneapolis. The first incident of note took place in 2005 when two people were killed after their car was hit by a vehicle being chased by Chauvin and another officer, Terry Nutter. Story continues In 2006 Chauvin was one of six officers who responded to an emergency call following a stabbing in the south of the city. The suspect, Warren Reyes, was shot dead after he pointed a sawn-off shotgun at the police. A grand jury cleared the officers of wrongdoing, saying the use of force was justified. Two years later Chauvin was involved in another shooting incident when he and another officer were called to a domestic violence incident. In this case, the suspect, Ira Latrell Toles, was shot in the abdomen during a struggle in which he tried to grab Chauvins gun. In 2011 Chauvin was placed on administrative leave after being one of several policemen present when another officer shot Leroy Martinez, who refused to drop his gun. (TNS) Even before the coronavirus came to the United States, cashless was becoming king.Now, as retail businesses in the Capital Region and across New York prepare for the second phase of the state's economic reopening, business owners will be looking for more ways to reduce the number of hand-to-hand transactions taking place in their stores. One step they may take is enacting no-cash policies at the register."Retail is going away, and naturally people are shopping online for everything," said Brian Clark, an assistant professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Lally School of Management. "But even once you go in-person, I think were already moving toward cashless anyway. A lot of its here, and I think the pandemic will probably accelerate things."Participants in a Federal Reserve survey published in 2019 used cash in 26 percent of their transactions, down four points from the previous year. The use of debit and credit cards, meanwhile, both jumped by two points accounting for 28 percent and 23 percent of all payments, respectively. Cash is widely used for smaller purchases, accounting for 49 percent of transactions under $10 and 42 percent of payments less than $25."These trends were already coming, and its been sort of jump-started by the pandemic," Clark said.Still, it is not quite clear how effective cash is at spreading the virus. The primary mode of COVID-19 transmission is through close person-to-person contact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said: "...it may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this isnt thought to be the main way the virus spreads."Plus, cashless does not necessarily mean touchless. Customers using a debit or credit card may still have to interact with a pin pad, or hand a clerk their card, for every transaction.A cashless society can make life incredibly inconvenient for those who are poor or don't have access to a bank account, said Virginia Eubanks, an associate professor of political science at the University at Albany and author of 'Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor.' That includes anybody from undocumented immigrants who can't open a bank account because they don't have a government ID to folks who don't have the minimum funds to open an account and may not be able to afford various fees.About 8.4 million households in the U.S. or 6.5 percent were unbanked in 2017, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. reported. More than half of those households said they did not have bank accounts because they could not afford to keep money in them. About 8.7 percent of households in New York were unbanked.Cashless systems are also ripe for abuse, Eubanks said."The data trail thats created by cashless transfers creates really a bonanza of opportunity for private companies and government agencies to spy on us, to track our movements, to track our purchases," Eubanks said. "Its not really the states business if, for example, if I decide to go to a corner store and buy $200 worth of snacks near Sing Sing Prison, or a political protest, or a meeting of an unpopular political group. And thats a good reason to use cash."Cash is flexible, untraceable and maximizes peoples' autonomy, Eubanks said. A lot of informal work gigs like babysitting and yard work rely on the currency.Since the CDC has not indicated that cash is a major vector of the virus, Eubanks said people should consider why society is trudging toward cashless systems in the middle of a pandemic."Sometimes interested parties use disaster to push through solutions that they already had in their drawer," Eubanks said. "I suspect one of the reasons cashless transfers are so popular is theres so many ways to make money on them. Its the perfect way to pop people in small and often unnoticeable ways one percent there, three percent there, a fine here, a fee there and make literally billions of dollars because of the scale that were talking about."Those fees are exactly why Matt Baumgartner, owner of Wolff's Biergarten, which has locations in Albany, Troy, Schenectady and Syracuse, instituted a cash-only policy."When we first opened, I wanted to open them in the most simple way possible and the way that would be most profitable," he said. Card companies take three to four percent of every transaction. That may not sound like much, Baumgartner said, but it adds up.Other venues owned fully or partially by Baumgartner, including June Farms in West Sand Lake, The Berlin in Troy and The Olde English Pub in Albany, have all accepted cards. Wolff's will follow suit once it's re-opened, Baumgartner said."We do certainly care about peoples' safety, so we are going to be taking credit cards in the beginning," he said. "I can't promise it will continue forever."There's nothing wrong with expanding the means by which people can make purchases, Eubanks said. But don't consider a cashless society to be an end-all, be-all solution."Im all for expanding the number of routes to payment," Eubanks said. "Im just saying that cash is still a really good, really useful technology that lots of people rely on. Theres no reason at all particularly because it doesnt look like a major vector of transmission to push for a cashless society, except for because it potentially offers such incredible profits and so many opportunities for social control." Algeria, which currently holds the presidency of the the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), has proposed the meeting planned for 9-10 June be brought forward to facilitate oil sales for countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait. Moscow/London: Russia has no objection to the next meeting of OPEC and its allies, known as OPEC+, being brought forward to 4 June from the following week, three OPEC+ sources familiar with the meetings preparations told Reuters on Sunday. Algeria, which currently holds the presidency of the the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), has proposed the meeting planned for 9-10 June be brought forward to facilitate oil sales for countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait. The lack of Russian opposition to an earlier date could indicate that it is moving closer to an agreement with OPECs de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, on how to extend oil production cuts for the rest of the year. OPEC+ decided in April to cut output by a record 9.7 million barrels per day, or about 10 percent of global output, to lift prices battered by a drop in demand because of lockdown measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Reduced production from OPEC+, combined with a record decline in output from non-members such as the United States and Canada, helped to lift oil prices towards $35 per barrel, though they remain at only half the levels at the start of the year. Sources have told Reuters that Saudi Arabia is proposing to extend record cuts from May and June until the end of the year but it has yet to win support from Russia, which believes that curbs could be eased gradually. On Friday a monthly survey by Reuters showed that OPECs oil output hit its lowest level in two decades in May as Saudi Arabia and other members delivered record supply cuts. However, the survey showed that overall compliance was about 75% because Nigeria and Iraq failed to comply fully with their share of reductions. Market research firm IDC predicts that by 2023, 25% of Fortune 500 companies will gain a competitive advantage from quantum computing. Its a bold prediction given the current dearth of real-world examples of quantum computing in action. However, theres plenty of industry activity to back up IDCs forecast. In fact, early this year at the Consumer Electronics Show the biggest buzz wasnt the newest smartphone, wearable device or autonomous-driving technology, but rather unprecedented computing power based on an area of quantum physics Albert Einstein described as "spooky action at a distance." While quantum computing hasnt yet factored into solving worldwide problems such as the coronavirus pandemic, that is exactly the type of problem quantum has the potential to address. That potential will turn into a reality, according IBM, one of a handful of tech giants leading the quantum charge. This is the decade that quantum computing gets real, says Katie Pizzolato, director at IBM QStart. For that reason, Pizzolato said, it was important to keep quantum public-facing rather than keep it a technology buried in research facilities. We wanted to get quantum out of the labs and into the real world, she said in reference to IBMs strong presence at CES. Companies such as Google, Microsoft, D-Wave and Rigetti are also eager to move quantum forward, and based on IDCs recent report Quantum Computing Adoption Trends: 2020 Survey Findings, the technology is building momentum. Questions are being raised over the response to the death of a central Queensland man believed to have been the nation's youngest person to die with COVID-19, after a coroner found he did not have the virus. The death of 30-year-old Nathan Turner last week had baffled authorities and placed residents in his small mining town of Blackwater on notice after an initial test following his death returned a positive result. Nathan Turner, who was thought to be Australia's youngest COVID-19 victim, has tested negative to the virus after his death, Queensland Health has confirmed. Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young confirmed in a statement on Monday night that the coroner advised "further tests" had come back negative. "He is yet to determine the man's cause of death," Dr Young said. The countrys competition regulator, the ACCC, has estimated that Google and Facebook together earn some Aus$6 billion (US$4 billion) per year from advertising in Australia. Sydney: Google has rejected demands it pay hundreds of millions of dollars per year in compensation to Australian news media under a government-imposed revenue sharing deal. The companys top executive in Australia said Google made barely Aus$10 million (US$6.7 million) per year from news-linked advertising, a fraction of a government watchdogs estimates for the sector. In an effort being closely watched around the world, Australia is set to unveil plans to force major internet firms to share advertising revenue they earn from news featured in their services. The countrys competition regulator, the ACCC, has estimated that Google and Facebook together earn some Aus$6 billion (US$4 billion) per year from advertising in Australia. Leading news publishers have demanded the two companies pay at least 10 percent of that money each year to local news organisations, which they say have lost the vast majority of their advertising revenue to the global technology giants. Mel Silva, Googles managing director for Australia, dismissed such figures as wildly unrealistic. We all agree that high-quality news has great social value, but we need to understand the economics as well, Silva said in a blog post Sunday. She said Google last year earned just Aus$10 million in revenue from clicks on ads placed next to news-related search queries. The bulk of our revenue comes not from news queries, but from queries with commercial intent, as when someone searches for running shoes and then clicks on an ad, she said. Silva also denied ACCC arguments that the tech firms gain significant indirect benefits from displaying news since the content draws users to their platforms. News represents only a tiny number of queries on Google, accounting last year for barely one percent of actions on Google Search in Australia, she said. Job cuts The Google executive said her company on the other hand provided Australias news media with substantial value by sending people to their websites. To put it plainly, a lot of people (Australians and beyond) click from Google through to Australian news websites, which gives publishers the chance to make money by showing them ads or turning them into paying subscribers, she said. She said Google search accounted for 3.44 billion visits to large and small Australian news publishers in 2018, valuing those referrals at more than Aus$200 million per year for the news companies. Googles position bodes ill for negotiations which the ACCC hopes to pursue between Google, Facebook and Australian media companies over a mandatory code of conduct governing issues such as revenue sharing, curbing disinformation and protecting user privacy. The regulator suggested last month that Australian publishers might need to organise a collective boycott of Google and Facebook if voluntary negotiations on the code of conduct fail. Silva said Google was prepared to take part in the process, but added that its important to base decisions on facts, not inaccurate numbers and unfounded assertions. The ACCC has until the end of July to draw up the final code, which the government has said it will quickly implement. Google and Facebook have had a huge impact on media companies across the globe as they capture the lions share of online advertising spending. In response to falling revenues, exacerbated by the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Australian outlets have permanently or temporarily closed more than 150 newsrooms, slashing more than 20 percent of jobs in the sector since 2014. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Hours of peaceful protests in Atlantic City gave way to destruction Sunday evening as a crowd smashed windows and looted stores, leading officials to issue a citywide curfew. Some people broke windows at the Tanger Outlets, an outdoor mall in the city. A crowd of about 100 people gathered in the area. Police were deployed with helmets and shields. Windows were smashed at the Ralph Lauren and Timberland stores, among others. Police said the earlier protest turned to criminal activity and urged people to avoid the city. As looting continued, officials announced a citywide curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Only people traveling for work or seeking medical or police assistance will be allowed out. All others are subject to arrest, the citys Office of Emergency Management said. A section of the Atlantic City Expressway eastbound was closed at Exit 2, according to an alert from Brigantine police. If possible stay at home and avoid Atlantic City as they are experiencing looting and civil disorder at this time, the departments alert said. Unfortunately, the peaceful protest that took place earlier by many has transitioned to criminal activity now taking place by a few. If you can, avoid Atlantic City at this time. AtlanticCityPD (@AtlanticCityPD) May 31, 2020 Demonstrations in Atlantic City over the police killing of George Floyd six days ago in Minnesota were peaceful for at least four hours before looting began and after many early participants left. Elsewhere in New Jersey, peaceful protests formed in Newark, Trenton and Camden. Looting at Ralph Lauren in Atlantic City pic.twitter.com/nAzpSgegv7 Amy S. Rosenberg (@amysrosenberg) May 31, 2020 As the demonstrations in Atlantic City grew violent, several streets were blocked by police and crowds, causing disruptions to mass transit. Due to local police activity, NJ Transit bus is unable to provide service in Atlantic City. Customers will be serviced at the last stop prior to Atlantic City, a message on Twitter from the transit agencys South Jersey bus service said. White House subs, an iconic sandwich shop in the city, posted on social media what it was closing because of safety concerns. Atlantic City police beat a man with a nightstick as looting continues. People are crying and screaming. I feel bad for everybody, one woman just said. pic.twitter.com/YQUOcCfj2x Amy S. Rosenberg (@amysrosenberg) May 31, 2020 Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. By Akbar Mammadov On May 28, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to the UK Tahir Taghizade responded the recent article published in the British Guardian newspaper on the decision of the European Court of Human Rights into the case of Ramil Safarov. In his letter published in the same newspaper, the ambassador stressed that Nagorno-Karabakh is not a disputed territory as described in the recently published article about the case of Ramil Safarov. "It is an integral, internationally recognised part of Azerbaijan which, together with seven other regions of Azerbaijan, has been occupied by Armenia for more than 25 years. More than a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs)." Taghizade highlighted the fact that in 1993 the United Nations Security Council adopted four resolutions demanding the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the territory of Azerbaijan. These resolutions are yet to be implemented. The letter also emphasized that Ramil Safarov was forcibly expelled as a child from his home town, Jabrayil, which is also under Armenian occupation. "His extradition from Hungary where he had already served eight years in prison to Azerbaijan was done on a legal basis, and it is the constitutional right of the head of any sovereign state to pardon its citizens. While Azerbaijan is calling for justice for its refugees and IDPs, Armenia employs all instruments and platforms to solidify its occupation of Azerbaijans territories", Taghizade said. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz MG Motor India on Monday reported retail sales of 710 units in May amidst supply chain constraints of coronavirus-induced lockdown. The company has resumed production at its Halol manufacturing plant with approximately 30 percent capacity utilisation, MG Motor India said in a statement. About 65 percent of its showrooms and service stations across the country are also operational with reduced manpower, it added. Commenting on business resumption and sales performance, MG Motor India Director Sales Rakesh Sidana said, "supply chain disruption coupled with stricter credit financing along with non-operation of some dealerships due to the lockdown have impacted our sales in May." He further said, "the production loss notwithstanding, our front-end retail operations continue to operate with less-than-normal staff strength. At these times, we remain connected with our customers waiting for delivery of the HECTOR and continue to prioritise deliveries with supply chain improvements in June." Sidana said that the company hopes to restore normalcy from July onwards. "All of our vehicles' stocks across channels and dealership inventory are BS-VI units," he added. The company said as part of its 'Phase 2' expansion plan, the carmaker is introducing the ZS EV in six new cities including Pune, Surat, Cochin, Chandigarh, Jaipur, and Chennai from June 2020. Besides, it is also expanding the presence of the pure electric vehicle across 11 markets in India, the company added. Also read: Hyundai Motor India exports over 5,000 units in May Also read: Coronavirus impact: Maruti registers 89% decline in sales in May 2020 Credit: CC0 Public Domain A new blood test can predict how well men with advanced prostate cancer will respond to treatment and could replace some of the existing methods used to characterise and track the disease. The non-invasive test is less painful and more convenient than tissue biopsies and can help pick out men who are less likely to respond at the start of treatment, or those more likely to relapse later on. This type of blood test, known as a liquid biopsy, could drive more precise patient careallowing clinicians to tailor treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer, and to stop drugs that are unlikely to work as quickly as possible. Researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust analysed traces of cancer DNA that had entered the bloodstream to assess the ability of liquid biopsies to inform and guide treatment of advanced prostate cancer. The research, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) virtual annual meeting, received funding from Roche and Genentechthe trial sponsorsand from the charities Cancer Research UK, Prostate Cancer UK, the Movember Foundation and the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Repeat blood tests to monitor patients The team looked at more than a thousand blood samples from 216 men with advanced prostate cancer who were taking part in a clinical trial looking at the benefit of the targeted drug abiraterone with or without an experimental drug, ipatasertib. The researchers found that men with high levels of tumour DNA at the start of treatment had a significantly worse outcomethose patients with traces of cancer DNA in the blood saw their disease progress and get worse two and a half months earlier than those negative for ctDNA at the start of treatment. Next, the team monitored patients with repeat blood tests while they were on treatment, to assess whether liquid biopsies could enable them to predict response to treatment. Men who responded to treatment had the greatest fall in the amount of cancer DNA in the bloodstreama 23 percent reductionwhile those who partially responded to treatment had a reduction of 16 percent. Conversely, men whose prostate cancer continued to get worse or stayed the same only saw a reduction of 1 percent or 4 percent, respectively. Genetic changes linked to drug resistance Analysing the DNA from the blood tests, the researchers also found specific genetic changes associated with drug resistancewhich indicate that men are at risk of early relapse. They detected mutations in the well-known cancer genes, p53, PTEN and PI3K/AKT. The ICRa charity and research instituteis focused on understanding and combating cancer evolution and drug resistance. It has 2 million still to raise for a new Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery, which will open later this year and will house an ambitious 'Darwinian' drug discovery programme. Next, the team at the ICR and The Royal Marsden is planning to incorporate liquid biopsies into other clinical trials to assess their benefit in predicting men's response to treatment. Huge potential of liquid biopsies Professor Johann de Bono, Professor of Experimental Cancer Medicine at the ICR and Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden, said: "Our study shows that a simple blood test could help us track how cancer evolves and responds to treatmentinitially as part of clinical trials and eventually in routine care. "These so-called liquid biopsy tests are minimally invasive, cost-effective and can be performed often and with ease. Tracking prostate cancer with a blood test instead of a painful surgical biopsy could significantly improve patients' quality of life. "Our study offers further evidence for the huge potential of liquid biopsies to help guide treatment, design personal treatment plans and improve patient outcomes." Professor Paul Workman, chief executive of the ICR, said: "Our exciting work to develop liquid biopsies is starting to have a real impact on how doctors can track the way cancers evolve and respond to treatment. These simple blood tests detect traces of cancer circulating in the bloodstream and help us anticipate cancer's next move. They can help doctors come up with personalised treatment plans and to stay one step ahead of the disease. "This study showcases the value of liquid biopsies for guiding therapy. They are a faster, kinder, more flexible alternative to traditional tissue biopsies and are set to become a gold standard for cancer treatment." Explore further Prostate cancer 'fingerprint' detected in blood sample Anwar Akram Sultan, who currently resides in Berlin, has been identified as someone who formed and ran a shabiha group, which suppressed protests and arrested resident writes Zaman Al-Wasl. An eye-witness and former detainee has revealed to Zaman Al-Wasl the identity of a Syrian militant who aided Security services in cracking down and arresting Syrian citizens in northern Aleppo province in 2011. The Berlin-based Anwar Akram Sultan, who applied for asylum five years after leaving Aleppo, had formed a group of shabiha, pro-regime thugs, in his hometown of Aleppo which was affiliated to the Military Security Division. Sultans group had participated in the suppression and arrest of hundreds of Aleppos residents, according to the eye-witness who saw Sultan in Germany and confirmed his identity. The eye-witness said he was tortured and arrested by Sultan in Aleppo along with dozens of protestors. He said that Sultan should be held accountable and prosecuted in Germany. Meanwhile, Sultan is illegally working in money transfer and surrounded by bodyguards, mostly gangsters. Last month, two suspected members of Bashar al-Assads security services had charges of torture and sexual assault read out against them in a German court, in what lawyers say is the first trial for war crimes by Syrian government agents, according to Reuters. Attempts by Western powers to set up an international tribunal for Syria have been blocked by Russia and China at the UN Security Council. Syria is also not a signatory to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Campaigners and survivors hope the trial will open the door for similar processes in other European countries such as Norway, which have similar universal jurisdiction laws and where former Syrian security service members are believed to live. 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. This is a continuation of the report in 1057News of the couple who are guilty of starvation and abuse. The pair imprisoned a 15-year old boy in a small room, abused a 10-year old who escaped, and killed an 11-year old girl by feeding her bread and water, then keeping her death a secret. But things get much worse. According to WATE News, the abuse got worse when a warrant was obtained by police to search the house of the Tennessee couple in their residence in Knox County. The search lead to a grisly find of the remains of an 11-year girl, whom they adopted and abused till she died in misery at their Roane County residence. During a search and inspection done by the police, they found another gruesome remains of a boy, which the couple hid from the authorities. The boy is Jonathan Gray, a natural-born child of the couple. The police were at the house located at 6000 block of Cedarbreeze Road to conduct a thorough inspection of the place where Michael Gray Sr, Shirley Gray and Michael Gray Jr used to stay until their transfer to Roane County and live in Knox three to four years back. Suspects are identified as Gray Sr. and Shirley Gray who are now facing several counts of child abuse, with child neglect when their foster daughter died from their horrific abuse, making a grave for her in the backyard in Roane county, including locking their 15-year old son in a decrepit basement room. Their neighbors at their former Knox County residence told the police that the two dug a hole, then manhandled a heavy object from the shed which looked like a cage, that may have looked suspicious. BDTOnline said the remains were dug up by the police who think it belongs to another killed foster child that was recovered via a warrant. The investigator stated that the Jonathan Gray was under Gray's care, whose estimated death was between 2015 or 2016. Also read: Suspect Who Dumped Bodies of Two Sisters With Bags on Their Head Arrested One of the adopted kid's talk about the hellish Gray's The foster boy told the police that he was imprisoned at the house in Knox County, given little food and with no running water. He said his parents did the same thing to his brother, after he got sick and was gone from the house, reported by CrimeOnline. When Gray Jr, who owned the Knox County home learned about the crime, he was surprised by the child abuse and neglect that led to the children's death and getting into hidden graves in Knox and Roane Counties. He added that the Tennessee couple informed that they were removed by the Department of Children Services in the warrant. When interrogated, Gray Sr informed investigators that he had no idea of the children's grisly demise, adding that he thought they went to another foster family. Gray Jr said his parents paid to stay in the Knox residence with the foster kids. All payments were online until the transfer to Roane County. Authorities doubt Michael Gray Jr that he knew of the child abuse. He was even collecting tax returns in the past. The couple's abuse caused the death of two children, but the still case continues. 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. A high-level committee constituted by Assam government to suggest measures to revive the states economy hit by the Covid-19 pandemic has recommended focus on industries, agriculture and skill development. The seven-member advisory committee for revitalization of Assams economy headed by retired IAS officer Subhash Das submitted its report to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at the latters official residence on Monday. The government had constituted the committee on May 3. Among others, the committee has recommended formation of a farmers commission, notification of the states agriculture policy, interest subsidy to industry on loans for working capital and a social security scheme for workers in unorganized sector and industry. The recommendations of the committee will go a long in reviving Assams economy. Industry and agriculture will be the priority sectors, Sonowal told journalists after receiving the report. In order to study the report and implement its recommendations, a three-member committee headed by health and finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been formed by the state government. Industries minister Chandra Mohan Patowary and agriculture minister Atul Bora will be the other members. The advisory committee had focused on industry, agriculture as well as skill development. We will study the report and inform what steps need to be taken to implement it, Sarma told journalists. As with other states, the Covid-19 pandemic has badly hit Assams revenues. On Sunday, Sarma said that in April , the states GST collection was Rs 147 cr and in May the figure was Rs 360 cr. In comparison, in 2019, the states average GST collection per month was Rs 693 cr. Speaker of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine censor.net.ua Photographers and TV cameramen will be able to work in the session hall of the Ukrainian Parliament. Dmytro Razumkov, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, said this during the Conciliatory Board. 112 Ukraine TV channel broadcasted the session of the Parliament. "This week, TV camera crews and photo reporters will be able to work on the balcony in the session hall of the Verkhovna Rada. However, there are certain restrictions on the number", Razumkov said. Speaker admitted that certain quarantine restrictions in the Parliament's work still remain. On May 28, the Speaker signed the respective decree that allows the presence of one TV crew member or one photographer per medium in the media room that is located on the balcony in the session hall, with the restriction of no more than 30 people in total. If a reporter owns a special accreditation card and an extra pass issued by the apparatus of the Parliament, he/she still will be able to work in the press centre, located on the second floor of the Parliament's building. In March, reporters were allowed to work only in the press center. The entrance to the balcony and the sidewalks of the Parliament was banned. Thailand on May 29 decided to shorten the night curfew by an hour, starting June 1, when the country enters the third phase of COVID-19 lockdown easing. Secretary-General of the National Security Council General Somsak Rungsita said that the new curfew time will be from 11pm to 3am, instead of from 11pm to 4am as applied in the second phase. Thailand will also ease inter-provincial travel restrictions, but has not yet decided to reopen beaches, except cultural, archaeological and heritage sites, he said, adding that foreign tourists are not allowed to enter the country. On the day, the Thai Foreign Ministry announced that under the third phase of the lockdown relaxation, foreigners with work permits or permission from the Labour Ministry or other government agencies will be allowed to enter the country after registration. They, however, must have health insurance and a health certificate and will also be subject to 14- quarantine on entry to Thailand, either in a state facility or in a private facility at their own cost. On May 29, Thailand reported 11 new infections, who all had returned from Kuwait, raising the total to 3,076, including 57 deaths. The country is expecting a complete removal of lockdown in July. Meanwhile, the Cambodian Government announced that any traveller entering Cambodia and found violating the mandatory 14-day quarantine will be punished in accordance with the law. The announcement comes following last weeks lifting of entry bans for travellers coming from Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Iran and the United States with the condition of presenting a health certificate issued by the host countrys health countries, indicating that the traveller is cleared for COVID-19. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen once again called for high vigilance to prevent a second wave of COVID-19 infections, although the country has so far confirmed 124 cases, of whom 122 have given the all-clear. In other developments, on May 29, Laos continued to loosen several social restrictions after 47 straight days going through without new cases. From June 2, students of the last grades are allowed to return to school and short-term training courses to resume. And all schools are allowed to reopen on June 15. Cinemas, night markets and restaurants can also serve locals again. However, Laos will continue to restrict entry-exit activities until the end of June. Meanwhile, on May 29, Indonesia reported 678 new infections, bringing the tall to 25,216, including 1,520 fatalities. As of May 30, Malaysia confirmed 7,731 COVID-19 infections, with 103 more cases reported on May 29./.VNA RICHFIELD, Ohio - Winemaking requires a variety of skills, demands hard work, and absolutely pulls out every ounce of patience in those working the grapes. Michael Oravecz and Loretta DiChiro have that patience and passion. In 2003, the Richfield couple who work in commercial real estate "kind of blindly invested in 55 acres in Alexander Valley and took it from there," Oravecz said. They bought a ranch between Geyserville and Healdsburg in Sonoma County. They didn't just sign paperwork, hire a bunch of help, and walk away. They spent a dozen years learning wine and nurturing their vines before bottling their first vintage. They met people in the industry and began traveling. From Spain to South Africa, they scoured the world. The blend of their knowledge, travels, passion and work resulted in Mila Family Vineyards, a biodynamic winery. Mila is a portmanteau of their first names. "We had a passion for grenache," he said. "We traveled around and saw where all the Grenache was made and how it was made, both from a farming and winemaking standpoint and kind of crazily did our thing in Alexander Valley." The area is mostly known for its Cabernet Sauvignon. "We did a grant with UC-Berkeley and studied soils for three years," he said. They chose rootstock, learned what and how to plant, and worked part of a crush in South Africa. "Part of that 16-year journey - a good half of it - was just learning," he said. "The next half was learning making wine." This will be the sixth year they will be growing grapes. The first year, 2015, they made wine but didn't sell. The following year they began selling. The couple is from Summit County - Oravecz grew up in Copley, DiChiro went to Revere - and their Northeast Ohio home means as much as their California wine venture. Which is why Oravecz calls their winery "a more Ohio-centric project even though the winery is in Sonoma." "We're going to bring Sonoma to Ohio," he said. (It's also the other way around: Several years ago, the couple shipped two 19th century Ohio barns to be constructed on the property, and even had Amish builders from Ohio come to California to rebuild the agricultural barn. Unfortunately, some of the timbers were lost in the 2019 fires.) They make wines from four grapes - Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Carignon and Grenache. Their wines include a Rose (96% Grenache, 4% Carignan) and a Block 2 Grenache, which is aged 18 months in neutral French oak and a year in the bottle. "We find our wines need time and age," he said. Michael Oravecz and Loretta DiChiro. A blend include what Oravecz said might be the only one of its kind in California - 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Carignan and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. "Its a passion and a business," he said. They sell 80 percent of their wines direct, making 2,000 cases, though they use a distributor from Cincinnati. Their wines are in Lockkeepers and Dante and are distributed in California, Ohio and Utah. Their love affair with Grenache began when they tasted one years ago that "was elegant and powerful," Oravecz said. "We also liked being different." "We tasted all kinds of wine. We just fell in love with Grenache." While Spanish in origin, Grenache is a backbone of many French wines and is nominal in tannins. It is pronounced gren-AHSH, or for the Spanish Garnacha, gar-NAH-cha. It is viewed as a challenging grape to grow but, as Wine Bible puts it, at its best the wine can take on "an unmistakable purity, richness, and beauty, plus the evocative aroma and flavor of cherry preserves." "It's been a lot of fun introducing people to Grenache," Oravecz said. "It goes great with food and people are figuring it out." What people also are doing is asking for biodynamic wines, and that fits with the couple's philosophy. "We've been biodynamic from the beginning," he said, adding several workers at the winery are dedicated to the biodynamic standards. "Our short view on biodynamics was if you spray Roundup or chemicals on the ground then you have to spray another chemical to fertilize it and make it better, and that never made sense to us," Oravecz said. "Our goal on our 55-acre property is to create its own ecosystem. We're not there yet. It's a lifetime journey and project." Oravecz travels frequently to the West Coast, and the trips are anything but drop-in visits. He's there for farming, blending, bottling and a bit of sales and marketing. "I know the vines pretty well," he said. They are planning to open Sonoma Table next year in Brecksville. The wine club with bar and retail offerings will serve hard-to-get wines in Northeast Ohio. But for now, the winery is a priority. "We started with the property and the dirt," Oravecz said. "We started with a clean palette of 55 acres, and we cleared the land we needed to plan, we studied the soil. This for us is more than rolling up the sleeves. Our heart and soil is into this." I am on cleveland.coms life and culture team and cover food, beer, wine and sports-related topics. If you want to see my stories, heres a directory on cleveland.com. CVPR is an annual meeting covering every aspect of computer vision and pattern recognition, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Since the 2016 conference in Las Vegas, RSIP Vision has provided attendees with a daily magazine, CVPR Daily, packed full of highlights from the previous day and enticing previews of events to come. CVPR Daily not only benefits those in attendance at the conference, but the community at large through a program called "Feel at CVPR as if you were at CVPR", dedicated to scientists, scholars, and anyone with an interest in proceedings who could not attend in person. This year, due to the ongoing global pandemic, CVPR 2020 will take place 14-19 June as a virtual event. Now more than ever, CVPR Daily is central to preserving components of the in-person attendee experience that everyone values. "It is inspiring and a real honor to meet thousands of the top minds of our generation every year," declares Ralph Anzarouth, the editor of CVPR Daily. "At CVPR, we witness all the scientific progress that the field has to offer, presented to us by those who are making it happen. The logistics may be a little different, but this year's event looks set to be as fascinating as ever, and our CVPR Daily magazine will continue to distill the best of the best for our readers." Event Producer Nicole Finn says: "The CVPR Daily magazine is always a highlight of the CVPR annual conference! We look forward to continuing the tradition - fostering the excitement and sharing ideas and attendees' contributions to the community through this publication." Each year, CVPR Daily presents a host of exciting features and this year will be no exception. Readers can expect exclusive interviews with keynote speakers and senior professors; reviews and previews of oral and poster presentations; daily picks suggested by participants; and reports and news from workshops and tutorials. Daily editions also regularly include interviews with "Women in Computer Vision" female scientists sharing their work, career, experience and challenges with the community. There is a gender imbalance in the community, and this feature gives a voice to diverse role models who can serve as examples for younger scholars. The daily magazine this year will be published on June 16, 17 and 18. As well as CVPR Daily, RSIP Vision offers its parent publication, the renowned monthly magazine Computer Vision News, as a gift to the community. The July issue of Computer Vision News will include a BEST OF CVPR section, containing a selection of the top articles featured in CVPR Daily. About CVPR 2020 CVPR is the premier annual computer vision and pattern recognition conference. With first-in-class technical content, a main program, tutorials, workshops, a leading-edge expo, and attended by more than 9,000 people annually, CVPR creates a one-of-a-kind opportunity for networking, recruiting, inspiration, and motivation. CVPR 2020, originally scheduled to take place 14-19 June 2020 at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle Washington, will now be a fully virtual event. Authors and presenters will virtually deliver presentations and engage in live Q&A with attendees. For more information about CVPR 2020, the program, and how to participate virtually, visit http://cvpr2020.thecvf.com/. About RSIP Vision RSIP Vision is a global leader in artificial intelligence and computer vision technology. The company draws on a depth of knowledge and experience to provide customized development services, of sophisticated algorithms and deep learning technology, to the Healthcare companies. RSIP Vision develops practical AI modules that ensure precision, reduce time to market, cut costs, and free the core R&D team staff for other endeavors, saving significant time and money and giving businesses a real edge over the competition. From research to customized algorithms development utilizing its diverse inhouse team of: Algorithm experts, computer science engineers, mathematics, physics, biomedical engineers, internal medical annotation team and inhouse radiologists. RSIP Vision is headquartered in Jerusalem, with U.S. office in San Jose, CA. More information is available on the company website: https://www.rsipvision.com/ SOURCE RSIP Vision Related Links www.rsipvision.com SEOUL, June 1 (Reuters) - South Korean President Moon Jae-in told U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday that he would willingly accept the American leader's invitation to join this year's Group of Seven summit, South Korea's presidential Blue House said in a statement. Trump and Moon spoke by phone, the Blue House said. Trump said on Saturday that he is postponing until September the G7 summit that had been scheduled for late June, and that he wants to invite Australia, Russia, South Korea and India to the meeting. (Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Catherine Evans) [June 01, 2020] Relief Therapeutics and NeuroRx Announce Enrollment of First Patients with RLF-100 in Phase 2b/3 Clinical Trial in Patients with COVID-19 Associated Acute Respiratory Distress First participants treated at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine with intravenous RLF-100 Clinical trial to enroll 144 patients total with expansion to additional sites including the University of California, Irvine and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia RLF-100 is a patented formulation of Aviptadil (synthetic human Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide VIP), which binds to alveolar type 2 cells in the lungs inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines. Type 2 cells are essential to oxygen exchange and are selectively targeted by the SARS-CoV-2 virus MIAMI, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG (SIX:RLF) (Relief) and its U.S. partner, NeuroRx, Inc. today announced treatment of the first patients with RLF-100 at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Fla. This is part of a Phase 2b/3 clinical trial to assess RLF-100 as a treatment for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation. RLF-100 is a patented formulation of Aviptadil, a synthetic human vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), that targets alveolar type 2 cells in the lungs that could be the major target of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. VIP is known from numerous animal models of lung injury and lung disease to inhibit inflammatory cytokines and to protect pulmonary epithelial cells that line the air sacs (alveolae) of the lungs. ARDS is the primary cause of COVID-19 related deaths triggered by acute inflammation in the air sacs (alveolae) of the lungs. As a result, they fill with fluid rendering them unable to deliver oxygen to the body. There is an urgent need for a treatment that can specifically protect type 2 alveolar cells and suppress excessive inflammation, said Dushyantha T Jayaweera M.D., principal study investigator at the University of Miami. We are pleased to be the first site to treat patients with RLF-100, it reflects our commitment to advancing clinical research on COVID-19 to provide critically ill patients the best care and improve their chances of survival. Jonathan Javitt, M.D., MPH, CEO of NeuroRx, added, RLF-100 previously showed promising phase 1 results in ARDS related to sepsis and promising phase 2 results in the treatment of other inflammatory lung conditions. Aviptadil specifically binds to the cells in the lung that are essential to transmitting oxygen to the body and to making surfactant that is essential to oxygen exchange (the Alveolar Type II cells). These are the same cells that are targeted and killed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Fifty years of research into the biology of VIP suggests that it may protect the vulnerable cells in the lungs while inhibiting the inflammatory cytokines that contribute to disease progression, without impairing the immune response necessary to clear the infection. The multicenter randomized placebo-controlled trial aims to enroll 120 patients with COVID-19 who have Acute Respiratory Distress and require intensive care with mechanical ventilation. Patients will be randomized to intravenous (IV) RLF-100 plus maximal intensive care or placebo plus maximal intensive care. The primary endpoints will be mortality and index of respiratory distress. The secondary endpoint will include levels of TNFa and multi-system organ failure free days. For more details on the clinical trial, go to the governments website: www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04311697). Relief Therapeutics and NeuroRx are engaging clinical trials authorities in the European Union, he United Kingdom, Russia, and Australia in order to broaden the clinical study and increase access to RLF-100. About VIP in Lung Injury Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide (VIP) was first discovered by the late Dr. Sami Said in 1970. Although first identified in the intestinal tract, VIP is now known to be produced throughout the body and to be primarily concentrated in the lungs. VIP has been shown in more than 100 peer-reviewed studies to have potent anti-inflammatory/anti-cytokine activity in animal models of respiratory distress, acute lung injury, and inflammation. VIP has a 20-year history of safe use in humans in multiple human trials for sarcoidosis, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma/allergy, and pulmonary hypertension. COVID-19-related death is primarily caused by Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). The trigger for ARDS is widely attributed to a cytokine storm in the lungs, in which the virus causes release of inflammatory molecules called cytokines. As a result, the air sacs (alveolae) of the lungs fill with water and become impermeable to oxygen, even in the setting of mechanical ventilation. Before this acute phase, however, there is evidence of early viral infection of the alveolar type 2 cells.1 These cells are known to have angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors at high levels, which serve as the route of entry for the SARS-CoV-2 into the cells. Although not yet shown for COVID-19, the coronavirus that causes SARS (SARS-CoV) is shown to replicate in alveolar type 2 cells, but not in the more numerous type 1 cells. 2 These same type 2 alveolar cells have high concentrations of VIP receptors on their cell surfaces giving rise to the hypothesis that VIP could specifically protect these cells from injury. Injury to the type 2 alveolar cells is an increasingly plausible mechanism of COVID-19 disease progression. These specialized cells replenish the more common type 1 cells that line the lungs. More importantly, type 2 cells manufacture surfactant that coats the lung and are essential for oxygen exchange. Patients with early COVID-19 lung injury commonly describe crackling sounds in their lungs, combined with extreme shortness of breath. No currently proposed treatments for COVID-19 specifically target these vulnerable type 2 cells. About RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG The Relief group of companies focus primarily on clinical-stage projects based on molecules of natural origin (peptides and proteins) with a history of clinical testing and use in human patients or a strong scientific rationale. Currently, Relief is concentrating its efforts on developing new treatments for respiratory disease indications. About NeuroRx, Inc. NeuroRx draws upon more than 100 years of collective drug development experience and is led by former senior executives of Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca, PPD. In addition to its work on RLF-100, NeuroRx has been awarded Breakthrough Therapy Designation and a Special Protocol Agreement to develop NRX-101 for the treatment of suicidal bipolar depression and is currently in Phase 3 trials. Its Board of Directors and Advisors includes Hon. Sherry Glied, former Assistant Secretary, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services; Mr. Chaim Hurvitz, former President of the Teva International Group, Lt. Gen. HR McMaster, the 23rd National Security Advisor, Wayne Pines, former Associate Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Judge Abraham Sofaer, and Daniel Troy, former Chief Counsel, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. About RLF-100 RLF-100 (Aviptadil) is a patented formulation of Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide (VIP) that was developed based on Dr. Saids original work and was originally approved for human trials by the FDA in 2001 and the European Medicines Ageny in 2005. VIP is known to be highly concentrated in the lungs and to inhibit a variety of inflammatory cytokines. Reliefs predecessor company, Mondo Biotech, was awarded Orphan Drug Designation in 2001 by the U.S. FDA for Aviptadil in the treatment of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and in 2005 for treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Mondo was awarded Orphan Drug Designation by the European Medicines Agency in 2006 for the treatment of acute lung injury and in 2007 for the treatment of sarcoidosis. Both the U.S. FDA and the EMEA have granted Investigational New Drug licenses for human trials of Aviptadil. RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the symbol RLF. Disclaimer: This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG, NeuroRx, Inc. and their businesses. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG and/or NeuroRx, Inc. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG 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. CORPORATE CONTACTS Jonathan C. Javitt, M.D., MPH CEO NeuroRx, Inc. [email protected] Yves Sagot, Ph.D. Chief Scientist Relief Therapeutics Holding, SA [email protected] MEDIA CONTACT Gloria Gasaatura LifeSci Communications [email protected] 646-970-4688 1 Mason R. Pathogenesis of COVID-19 from a cell biologic perspective. Eur Respir J. April 9 Epub ahead of print. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7144260/ 2 Moseel EC, Wang J, Jeffers S, et. al. SARS-CoV replicates in primary human alveolar type II cell cultures but not in type 1-like cells. Virology 2008;372(1):127-135 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18022664/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Canberra, June 1 : Australians have been urged to be patient as coronavirus restrictions continue to ease across the country. Steven Marshall, Premier of South Australia (SA), told reporters on Monday that the state would continue to ease restrictions in a "careful and considered way, not a reckless way", reports Xinhua news agency. SA on Monday moved into stage two of lifting restrictions with the maximum gathering size increased to 80. In Victoria, pubs, cafes and restaurants opened their doors to customers for the first time since March. "We have said from day one in South Australia, it is not just about opening. It is about opening sustainably," Marshall said on Monday. As of Monday, there were 7,204 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia. There have been four new cases in Victoria, three in New South Wales (NSW) and two in Western Australia (WA). Prime Minister Scott Morrison in May announced a three-stage plan to restart Australia's economy in a "COVIDSafe environment" by July. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text We must acknowledge that far too many of us have come to accept fear and pain as part of normal life. Fear should not be the first thing we feel in the morning and the last thing we feel at night but it is for many in the African American community. If we are going to progress as a society, this moment must lead us to confront racism in all of its forms on a daily basis. The spread of misinformation on social media can result in the public breaking lockdown, a study has found. An NUI Galway study also found that while social media networks can provide information on the crisis, once users are "overloaded" with social media content, they are more likely to believe unverified information. Misinformation is defined as false information which is intended to deceive the public, and the study was carried out by the JE Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway. "We have already seen the impact misinformation spreading through social media can have in political elections," said co-author of the study Dr Eoin Whelan, senior lecturer in Business Information Systems at the business school. "Now, we are witnessing its harmful effects on public health in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. "Our study suggests when people become overloaded with social media content, they are not only more likely to believe unverified Covid-19 information, but will further contribute to the problem by spreading the misinformation on to others." Anxiety The study also examines 'cyberchondria', which is the unfounded concern around common symptoms based on online searches of those symptoms. The data shows that those who are more susceptible to Covid-19 spend more time searching online for symptoms, which increases their stress and anxiety. Dr Whelan said that social media companies can play a part in curbing misinformation by restricting the amount of Covid-19 information. "Additionally, health organisations can use our findings to educate social media users to consume content in a sustainable manner and thus avoid these problems," he said. "WhatsApp has already introduced restrictions on the forwarding of messages containing Covid-19-related information, while Google directs people searching for Covid-19 related information to trusted websites." The study was authored by Dr Whelan with Samuli Laato and Najmul Islam of the University of Turku in Finland and is published in the European Journal of Information Systems. Derry City and Strabane District Council tonight elected a new Mayor to represent the City and District for the incoming 2020-21 year. SDLP councillor Brian Tierney took over the reins from Sinn Feins Cllr Michaela Boyle at the councils virtual annual meeting this evening. The new Mayor, who will be supported in his role by the DUPs Alderman Graeme Warke who takes up the position of Deputy Mayor, said he was deeply honoured and privileged to represent the city and district. He vowed to represent everyone, highlighting that campaigning for increased investment for the North West would be his key priority for the year ahead. I intend to be a Mayor for each and every citizen across this Council area and will do my best to represent this council area and every citizen within it to the best of my ability. "I intend to be out and about the City and District as much as I can and no area will be left out or indeed favoured over another. I intend to represent people in every DEA on behalf of the Council to deliver the best possible future we can for our people. Acknowledging the difficulties faced and sacrifices made as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Tierney said he hoped his year could be marked and remembered as the time when people can be brought back together and when communities across the city and district will reunite once again. Outlining his commitment to campaign for investment, Mayor Tierney said: Throughout my time as Mayor I intend to put a huge amount of my time into encouraging and fighting for as much investment in this City and District as we can. This is a critical moment. As Mayor, when it comes to investment in this city, I want to preside over a turning of the tide not another false dawn. I will work day and night to ensure that people in the North West are not let down again. There have been some signs of progress - but we have a long way to go. He outlined his commitment to advancing to the next stages of the City Deal and the expansion of Magee University. He said that while it was understandable that the key focus for the British Government, the Executive and Council over the recent months has been on fighting Covid-19, it is vitally important that conversations on strategic projects are not put on hold. Pausing these projects because of a pandemic simply cant mean they are permanently postponed. None of us can allow that to happen. I intend to bang every door that I can in Belfast, Dublin or London to make sure that we have a strong case put forward for investment in Derry and Strabane. If the opportunity arises I will travel wherever I have to, to ensure that people across the world know that Derry and Strabane is open for business and will welcome visitors to our beautiful Council area. Most banks arent very forthcoming in extending the loan moratorium to non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) and microfinance institutions even after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extended the facility by another three months till August 31. Through informal communications, many banks have conveyed to NBFCs and micro lenders that they arent in favour of extending the moratorium, at least three NBFC industry officials told Moneycontrol. They tell us that NBFCs have already received liquidity assistance from the government and RBI, hence moratorium is not required. They are unwilling to give us the reason in writing because we can challenge their decision in courts or take it up with the RBI, said an industry official who did not want to be named. Immediately after the RBI had announced the extension of loan moratorium facility for another three months till August 31, NBFCs had approached banks for moratorium availability. Under the economic package, the government had announced liquidity schemes worth Rs 75,000 crore for NBFCs. Of this, Rs 30,000 crore is backed by full government guarantee and Rs 45,000 crore is covered by partial credit guarantee. On March 27 , the RBI first announced a moratorium facility for all term loans falling due between March 1 and May 31 as part of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19 relief measures. This was further extended till August 31 in view of the prolonged nationwide lockdown to fight COVID-19. We had meetings with them, but most of them are not extending moratorium, said another official who heads a micro lending business in Hyderabad. Some NBFC-MFIs, however, arent keen to seek moratorium from banks. MFIs are approaching banks for moratorium to the extent their borrowers are availing moratorium, P Satish, Executive Director, Sa-Dhan, a lobby of microfinance institutions, stated. In the first round too, a section of banks were cagey on the moratorium offer to NBFCs, saying that financial intermediaries are not eligible for this facility. This created problems for NBFCs since they had to extend moratorium to their borrowers. Banks finally agreed to look at permitting moratorium to NBFCs after meetings with the Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das. Microlenders had sought a one month moratorium extension from RBI. But the central bank, taking an industry view, extended the facility by another three months till August. A section of MFIs fear whether this will lead to problems in credit culture among low-income groups. With the easing of lockdown relaxation, economic activities are slowly inching back to normalcy. MFIs have seen collections improve in the last two weeks. While RBI has extended temporary aid to the banking industry till August 31 to avoid defaults, analysts are wary about defaults on such loans after the moratorium period. The economy has been under lock down for nearly two months. This has impacted the businesses and employment scenario. One needs to see what happens on banks asset quality when the moratorium period gets over, a Mumbai-based banking analyst told Moneycontrol.Indian banks have seen spike in their stressed asset levels in recent years. Gross non-performing assets (NPAs) have now surged to over Rs 9 lakh crore. A significant part of these NPAs are from corporate loans. As part of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package, the government had also announced loan packages targeting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with government guarantee. Companies can avail 20 percent of their outstanding loan amount under this scheme. A virtual celebration to honor Broadway is being postponed due to the nationwide unrest over police brutality against black Americans. Broadway On Demand had scheduled a fundraising special for Sunday night which was put together in place of this year's Tony Awards, but is now delaying the celebration 'in solidarity with Black Lives Matter,' according to Deadline. Sunday was originally the night that the 2020 Tony Awards were set to air but they had been previously postponed due to the coronavirus. Taking a stand: Broadway On Demand had scheduled a fundraising special for Sunday night which was put together in place of this year's Tony Awards, but is now delaying the celebration 'in solidarity with Black Lives Matter,' according to Deadline Broadway On Demand CEO and President Sean Cercone released a statement explaining their decision not to move forward with the show. 'We are collectively saddened and angered by the senseless murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor and disheartened by the ongoing racism and injustices that continue to permeate our society,' the statement began. Cercone said that his organization does not 'tolerate hate, racism, injustice or bigotry' and called the violence against black citizens 'inexcusable.' In response to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down business, Broadway On Demand was launched May 17 to stream events like concerts, shows and classes online. 'We are collectively saddened and angered by the senseless murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor and disheartened by the ongoing racism and injustices that continue to permeate our society,' the statement began. 'We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.' (George Floyd, pictured) 'We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter,' Broadway On Demand's statement continued. 'This is a pivotal moment in our nations history and our priorities at this time are to listen, to engage in meaningful dialogue and to do our best to enact real change in our industry and in our nation.' The special, which replaced the time slot of the Tony Awards, was originally put together to raise money for the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League. 'We truly believe theater has the power to educate, inspire, develop empathy, bridge cultural divides and ultimately unite under the banner of humanity,' Cercone added. 'That is why it is of the utmost importance that the programs we deliver adhere to these beliefs and reflect the world in which we live.' Stage to screen: The special, which replaced the time slot of the Tony Awards, was originally put together to raise money for the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League and would have streamed on the recently launched Broadway On Demand network Deadline reported that this is the third Broadway cancellation or postponement due to the unrest around the nation. New Yorks Drama Desk Awards were postponed indefinitely as well as the virtual We Are One Public gala put on by New Yorks Public Theater. Last week, protests broke out in dozens of cities across America following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer who knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes. Floyd died on May 25, after a convenience store clerk called police and claimed he paid with a counterfeit $20 bill and that he was 'drunk' and 'not in control of himself.' Black Lives Matter: The postponement comes after protests broke out in dozens of cities across America last week following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer who knelt on his neck for nearly 9 minutes Two police officers arrived on the scene, where Floyd was in his car outside the store. Officer Thomas Lane drew his gun and pointed it at Floyd, while telling him to show his hands, though no reason has been given so far as to why Lane's firearm was drawn After being handcuffed, Floyd was seen being compliant on bystander videos, though the police claim he began resisting arrest as the tried to put him in the police car. The police report claims that Floyd then 'stiffened up, fell to the ground, and told the officers he was claustrophobic.' Heartbreak: Floyd repeated 'I can't breathe' over and over while also begging for his mother and his words have become a rallying cry for activists protesting violence against black Americans More police officers, including Derek Chauvin, arrived on the scene for backup, and Chauvin pulled Floyd out of the car, causing him to hit the ground, according to the report. While he was facedown and still handcuffed, other officers restrained him as Chauvin put his knee on Floyd's neck. Floyd repeated 'I can't breathe' over and over while also begging for his mother and saying, 'please, please, please.' Taking to the streets: Protests erupted nationwide - many of which peaceful - however, some turned violent with rampant looting After six minutes, he stopped breathing and became unresponsive, but Chauvin stayed on his neck for another two minutes, all while bystanders filming the altercation shouted for him to step off. His killing sparked outrage in Minneapolis that soon spread across the country with thousands taking to the streets to protest racist police brutality. Many of the protests were peaceful, however some turned violent with rampant looting. As a result, 40 cities imposed mandatory curfews, 11 states called in the National Guard for support and thousands were arrested. More protests are scheduled for Monday. On 31 May 2020, the Hindi television industry in Mumbai was granted permission to resume shooting by the government of Maharashtra, provided the producers, cast and crew adhere to guidelines issued to combat the spread of COVID-19 on sets. And now, the producer of the popular sitcom, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has revealed that the team is gearing up to resume shoot at the earliest. This was closely followed by a few cast members sharing their thoughts about the teams decision. Lead actor Dilip Joshi Aka Jethalal told TOI, The lockdown allowed us to take a break for a long time, something that we have not done for years. Initially, we welcomed the break, but we missed the sets a lot. Abhi guidelines toh mili hain, but kitni practical hain we will have to see. Its a mixed feeling actually. We trust Asit bhai, woh decision sabke barein mein soch kar hi lenge. He went on to add, Asit bhai called us and he took our opinion on the same. Even he was a little confused. At the end of the day, he is answerable for anything that happens on the set. Todays was a very basic meeting. Abhi aur soch vichaar karenge, detailed planning ke baad hi start hoga. We are positive about it. (sic) Meanwhile, who plays Sonu on the show revealed that everyone is excited and slightly wary at the same time. We are excited as well as a little apprehensive. Excited obviously because we will get back to doing what we love so much and apprehensive as we dont know how things are at the ground level. We are yet to receive a confirmation on when exactly we will begin shooting but weve been told that we will have to follow stringent protocols to ensure our own as well as others' safety at work. Nevertheless, just the thought of shooting at Gokuldham Society is very exhilarating, she said. ALSO READ: Raj Anadkat On TMKOC Completing 3000 Episodes: 'There Will Be Some Grand Dhamakedar Celebrations' Orbital structures are becoming increasingly important for worldwide communications and a new generation of technologies. But scientists are warning that the danger of space debris is increasing very quickly. Space debris can include pieces of old rockets, non-operational satellites, lost tools and other parts. These pieces of wreckage present a risk to spaceships, satellites and space stations. In an effort to reduce the amount of debris orbiting the Earth, some experts suggest creating orbital-use fees. A group of economists at the University of Colorado at Boulder proposed a yearly fee, or tax, on satellite operators for their use of an orbital path. The groups study on the subject appeared recently in the publication Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Matthew Burgess helped write the study. He said in a statement: Space is a common resource, but companies arent accounting for the cost their satellites impose on other operators when they decide whether or not to launch. Burgess added, We need a policy that lets satellite operators directly factor in the costs their launches impose on other operators. The researchers said current rules do not permit satellite operators to secure property rights to orbital paths high above the Earth. Other operators also do not have to pay for costs related to incidents involving space debris, the researchers noted. The study said that this situation gives companies a reason to quickly launch into Earth orbit before it gets too crowded. Akhil Rao was the lead writer of the study. He said most proposed answers to the problem have been based on using technology to clear away the debris. Some suggestions, for example, call for nets or other devices that capture the space wreckage. But, Burgess said that removing debris only means that operators will launch more satellites. He said an international treaty calling for a yearly fee or tax would push companies to be more mindful about launching more objects into space. Holger Krag heads the European Space Agencys Space Debris Office. He called the idea interesting and said his agency was studying similar possibilities. ESA was also considering ways to account for the environmental costs of space operations. Christopher Newman is a professor of space law at Northumbria University in Britain. He told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that carrying out a space tax could be tricky. Newman noted that such a cost could be seen as a restriction on the free use of space. That freedom is guaranteed in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. The United Nations document has been signed by more than 100 nations. Newman added that the effort to place a fee on the use of space could easily be slowed by the many details involved. Im Mario Ritter Jr. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted this Reuters story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story impose v. to cause something, such as a tax, to affect people using official power factor in n. to consider or include something when making a judgement Operation Rescue Endorses Pro-Life, Pro-Trump Kris Kobach for U.S. Senate in Kansas NEWS PROVIDED BY June 1, 2020 WICHITA, Kan., June 1, 2020 / Christian Newswire / -- Operation Rescue, a leading national pro-life organization based in Wichita, Kansas, that is dedicated to ending abortion, has endorsed Kris Kobach for U.S. Senate. Kobach is running to replace Republican Senator Pat Roberts. "I have known Kris Kobach for many years and have been impressed with his understanding of what our nation needs at this important time in our history," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. "Kris is solidly pro-life, and fully supports President Donald J. Trump's America First agenda, which will bring our nation back to greatness. We need strong pro-life Senators that will back up our President Trump 100 percent of the time, and I know that Kris Kobach can be counted on to be there for him and for the people of Kansas without equivocation." Kobach served as Kansas Secretary of State from 2011-2019 during which he established a Voter ID law to prevent voter fraud. Kobach also has worked on immigration reform and supports President Trump's border policies. In October 2018, President Trump held a rally in Topeka, Kansas, in support of Kris Kobach. "The Senate is vitally important because of its role in confirming Federal Court judges, including Supreme Court justices. It is the liberal courts that gave us abortion on demand and has protected it for decades," said Newman. "The courts have the power to undo this travesty, and I know that Kris Kobach will stand strong in defense of President Trump's pro-life appointments, which will likely be presented with a future opportunity to make America abortion-free, once and for all." About Operation Rescue Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation and has become a strong voice for the pro-life movement in America. Click here to support Operation Rescue. SOURCE Operation Rescue CONTACT: Troy Newman, President, 316-683-6790 ext. 111; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Vice President, 316-516-3034; info.operationrescue@gmail.com Related Links As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise on the African continent, public health experts are concerned as the rainy season approaches and thus malaria. The coronavirus has in some cases destabilized an already very fragile health system. And malaria could explode due to disorganized access to care. Researchers warn that the increase in hospital admissions for Covid-19 has also diverted already limited resources from addressing the regions major health problems. The warning came ahead of World Malaria Day on Saturday May 30. Malaria remains one of the leading killers in low-income countries. Sub Saharan Africa had 93% of the worlds cases of malaria and 94% of deaths in 2018, the WHO said. The deaths were mainly children under the age of 5. According to new projections of WHO, in a worst-case scenario, 769,000 people could die of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa this year as campaigns to combat it are interrupted. The Texas retail electricity market shrank again as NRG Energy, one of the states biggest electricity sellers, bought Texans Energy and part of Windrose Energy. With the deals, the states two largest retail electricity providers NRG and Vistra Energy control at least two-thirds of the deregulated electricity market in Texas, a concentration that raises anti-competitive concerns and will likely make it more difficult for consumers to find good deals on power. NRG, based in Houston and Princeton, N.J and whose brand names include Reliant Energy, Green Mountain Energy and Discount Power, said Friday it bought the customer accounts of Texans Energy, a company based in Sugar Land known for its low-cost electricity plans on the state shopping site Power to Choose. The sale comes a day after NRG said it bought some customer accounts of Windrose Energy, a retail electric provider based in The Woodlands. Neither price nor number of customers were disclosed for either sale. NRG and Vistra have snapped up smaller competitors in recent years. Last year NRG paid $300 million to buy the retail power and natural gas business of Stream Energy of Dallas. Two years ago it bought Discount Power from Volterra Energy Holdings for an undisclosed sum. Irving-based Vistra Energy, best known for its TXU brand, bought Crius Energy of Connecticut and its TriEagle Energy brand for $328 million last year in a deal that made Vistra the nations biggest seller of residential electricity. Also last year, Vistra bought Dallas electricity retailer Ambit Energy in a $475 million deal that expanded Vistras retail footprint in Texas. The big players have been eager to grow, hiring third-party vendors to sell plans door-to-door and at grocery stores and trade shows. But its expensive to acquire individual customers and many find it easier and cheaper to grow by buying competitors. Companies typically pay $100 to $250 per customer, according to one energy expert. The practice has become so common that starting and selling electricity brands has become a successful business venture, said Trent Crow, CEO of the electricity concierge electricity shopping site Real Simple Energy. Companies launch a new brand, become a low-cost seller on Power to Choose, get 10,000 to 15,000 customers and then sell to NRG or Vistra. But the sales reduce customer choices, said Crow, who has put many customers into Texans Energy plans because theyve been some of the cheapest on Power to Choose. Its also easier for companies to collude in markets when there are fewer sellers, said Ed Hirs, an energy economist with the University of Houston. It has happened with airlines, pharmaceuticals, bread bakers and vitamin-makers, said Hirs, adding that retail electric providers might be next. Sellers post their prices and others follow in a practice known as price signaling, he said. Its harder to do when there are lots of suppliers willing to offer lower prices to gain market share. GROWING LARGER: More consolidation in retail power as Vistra buys another rival NRG believes Texas has a competitive market with more than 50 active retailers. Customers have an array of choices, from renewable energy to budget-friendly plans, NRG spokeswoman Pat Hammond said. Nothing about this acquisition will change that, she said. Texans residential customers will be folded into NRGs Discount Power brand while small-business customers will go to NRGs Cirro Energy. The transition is expected to be completed in late June or early July. Texans Energy CEO Javed Meghani said the time was right to transfer its business to NRG. Customers of Windrose will be added to Discount Power at the end of June. "It was a good business opportunity," Windrose president Tom Strickland said. lynn.sixel@chron.com twitter.com By Jonathan Jackson Vulcan Energy Resources (ASX:VUL | FWB: 6KO) has doubled its share price since its low point in March, when COVID-19 struck global markets. The companys recovery on the market, is due to the work it is doing to help the world become a more sustainable place. When COVID-19 struck, Vulcans stock was sold off to as low as 15 per share amid the uncertainty, having climbed to 38 per share an almost 150% gain from the start of the year.Since then, buyers have begun to return to the stock, more than doubling the companys share price from its March lows. Further gains are predicted, with German research house Alster Research setting a price target of $2.45 (1.45) per share on VUL. Alster stated, this would be the first time in our company history of 14 years we initiate coverage with a ten bagger. The $15 million capped Vulcan, is attracting increased attention as it seeks to supply the crucial battery material, lithium hydroxide, to the European electric vehicle battery market (EVBM) the fastest growing EVBM market in the world. The EVBM market will be crucial to the plans of governments around the world as they look at sustainable ways to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The European Union, in particular, has set a goal to become climate neutral by 2050. The EU has recognised climate change and environmental degradation as an existential threat to Europe and the world and seeks to build a resource- efficient economy where there are no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 and economic growth is decoupled from resource use. The European Green Deal is a roadmap for making the EUs economy sustainable. It will transform climate and environmental challenges into opportunities, boosting the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean, circular economy and restore biodiversity and cut pollution To achieve climate neutrality in 2050, a European Climate Law has been proposed that would turn the political commitment into a legal obligation and a trigger for investment. Story continues The EU says reaching this target will require action by all sectors of the economy and includes investing in environmentally-friendly technologies, rolling out cleaner, cheaper and healthier forms of private and public transport and decarbonising the energy sector. Vulcan recently presented its Zero Carbon Lithium TM Project to European Commission and European Investment Bank Vice-Presidents, alongside Volkswagen, BASF, Umicore and French utility company EDF as part of a European Battery Alliance (EBA) presentation by key European battery industry leaders. Vice-President European Commission, Maros Sefcovic commented: We will set up a dedicated alliance to remove bottlenecks in the critical raw materials supply chain. Europe will need 18x more lithium by 2030. He added, Im absolutely convinced that the owners of electric vehicles want a full story. They want to know that the product, the car, has been manufactured to the highest environmental standards. That the raw materials have been extracted in a sustainable way. Thus, Vulcan could play a crucial role in the EUs plans. Vulcan is extracting lithium from brine using geothermal power, via a process that generates zero net carbon emissions. A scoping study undertaken in February by Vulcan, illustrated the potential for a combined operation producing lithium hydroxide and renewable energy, with net zero carbon footprint. Importantly for the company, its investors and Europes sustainability targets, the Vulcan Zero Carbon Lithium TM Project became the first negative-carbon lithium project in the world right in the heart of Europes auto and EV battery industry. Location is important here. Vulcans assets are located in Germanys Upper Rhine Valley, which includes Europes largest lithium resource. This is where the companys strong management team is based and where it can best demonstrate its progress towards a commercial dual revenue operation (geothermal energy and lithium hydroxide). Further, the rise of Europes auto and battery industries and the increasing political pressure to reduce carbon emissions will open doors for Vulcan in securing approvals and funding. Given its rapid momentum to date, construction of Vulcans own pilot plant to demonstrate and de-risk the Zero Carbon Lithium TM Project is expected to be completed this year. Visit FinFeed more ASX Small Cap News Just as it has the rest of society, the coronavirus has put the idea of celebrating a normal high school graduation on hold for the foreseeable future. When schools shut down for a brief period in March, it was only supposed to be a brief period, but that brief period got longer and longer, and eventually, school districts in the Lehigh Valley were shut down for the remainder of the year. For freshman, sophomores and juniors, that meant a bizarre story to reminisce for the remainder of their high school career. For seniors, much worse. The last two months, and arguably the most important, of their high school experience was ripped away from them, having to be lived through Zoom classes and group FaceTimes with friends. And while no one will be walking across any stages in the next couple of weeks, area schools are coming up with alternatives. Some will happen in cars, some will wait until the end of July and some will just be online. But Lehigh Valley high schools are determined to honor their graduates in one way or another. Heres a list of area high schools that currently have plans for celebrating graduation. Allen High School: Virtual commencement June 27; tentative in-person commencement 1:30 p.m., Aug. 1 at PPL Center. Allentown Central Catholic High School: Senior Parade Celebration 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., June 4 at ACCHS. #ACCHSseniors A message from Principal Randy Rice for our Class of 2020! Mark your calendars for our ACCHS SENIOR PARADE... Posted by Allentown Central Catholic High School on Thursday, May 28, 2020 Bangor High School: The school district held a virtual graduation ceremony with speeches, as well as a fireworks display. Building 21 High School: Virtual commencement June 28; Tentative in-person commencement Aug. 3 at Allentown Symphony Hall (Time TBD). Catasauqua High School: Commencement ceremony 10 a.m., July 25 at Alumni Field. Good afternoon Rough Riders! Here is updated information for this year's Graduation Ceremony! It has been rescheduled for July 25, 2020, at 10:00AM. It will be held at Alumni Field. See the image below for important details about the ceremony. #GoRoughs #CattyPride pic.twitter.com/5t0JMo1bln Adam Schnug (@aschnug) May 5, 2020 Dieruff High School: Virtual commencement June 26; tentative in-person commencement 6:30 p.m., Aug. 1 at PPL Center. Easton Area High School: Graduation vehicle procession and conferral of diplomas 6 p.m., June 10, starting at EAHS. Freedom High School: Commencement ceremony 7 p.m., July 23 at BASD Stadium. Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts: Tentative commencement ceremonies by artistic major July 30-31, Charter Arts Theatre Liberty High School: Commencement ceremony 7 p.m., July 24 at BASD Stadium. Nazareth Area High School: Parade of graduates 6:30 p.m., June 1, starting in Mitchell Lot; Commencement ceremony 7:30 p.m., July 31 at Andrew S. Leh Stadium. Northampton Area High School: Commencement ceremony 7:30 p.m., July 24, District Stadium. Northern Lehigh High School: Commencement ceremony, in person or virtual: July 24. We are happy to announce that we will be planning our Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2020 on FRIDAY, July 24th. We are planning for a traditional ceremony if restrictions are lifted. If not, it will be virtual with some fun community events on the same date! #NLSD4U pic.twitter.com/xi0mDpE996 Matthew Link (@NLSD_Supt) May 23, 2020 Parkland High School: Virtual graduation ceremony 7 p.m., June 9 on YouTube and Parkland TV. Roberto Clemente Charter School: Hybrid commencement ceremony 6 p.m., June 18, students will be in attendance but families and friends can watch on RCCS Facebook page. Saucon Valley High School: Commencement ceremony 6 p.m., June 5 in SVHS parking lot (in cars). Whitehall High School: Virtual graduation ceremony June 4. If your school is not featured on the list but has alternative graduation plans in place, please reach out to clagore@njdvancemedia.com. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to Lehighvalleylive.com. Connor Lagore may be reached at clagore@njadvancemedia.com. During an interview on CNN on May 31, national security adviser Robert O'Brien denied that there is systemic racism that exists in the police forces in America. O'Brien also argued there are only a few bad police officers that give law enforcement a bad name. Systemic racism Robert O'Brien appeared on CNN's "State of the Union" with Jake Tapper and he was asked if systemic racism is alive and well in police agencies all across the United States. O'Brien said that he does not think that there is systemic racism and he thinks that 99.9% of the law enforcement officers are great Americans. O'Brien added that many of the law enforcement officers are of different races and they are all working the toughest neighborhood and they have the hardest jobs to do in the country. He added that there are "some bad apples" in the force and there are bad cops who are racist. He also called for the firing of the "bad apples" and the racist cops. O'Brien is referring to the protests against police brutality and racism towards the black community in the United States, and the protest is the aftermath of George Floyd's death. He also said that the violence that has broken out during the protest is driven by militants and that he had not seen any reports that white supremacists added to the already tense situation. According to O'Brien, President Donald Trump and everyone in the White House support peaceful protests and the right of every American to be heard. Also Read: Celebrities Speak Out About George Floyd's Death, Offers Help to Bail Out Protesters Anti-racism protest George Floyd was an unarmed black man who was killed by a white policeman, Officer Derek Chauvin after he pressed his knee on his neck for almost 9 minutes. The incident happened in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the first protest also took place last week. The protesters are calling for the rightful conviction of Derek Chauvin and the other three police officers who just stood by and watched. So far, officials only charged Chauvin with third-degree murder and manslaughter, which the public and Floyd's family says is not enough as it should be first-degree murder. Even though the protesters in the country are calling for justice in Floyd's murder, they also want to draw attention to hundreds of African American lives lost to police violence and racism, including Eric Garner and Mike Brown. After O'Brien, Democratic Senator Cory Booker also talked to Jake Tapper about the ongoing protests on the streets. He said that black people in communities all across America live in fear of the police. His statement took a different tone from O'Brien who assured the public that there is systemic racism in the force. Sen. Booker, who represents New Jersey, then said that the protest happening now is not just a reaction to Floyd's murder, but it is the final nail in the coffin after years of oppression and blatant racism. Former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden spoke last week about the trauma and the anxiety that black people feel constantly while living in America. Related Article: George Floyd Autopsy: Family Rejects Findings by Medical Examiners, Will Seek Private Autopsy @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An election official checks in a resident at a drive-up polling place set up outside of Roosevelt Elementary School on April 07, 2020 in Racine, Wisconsin. Erica Friedle had not missed a vote in seven years. Then came the coronavirus pandemic. Friedle told CNBC she didn't receive her absentee ballot for April's Wisconsin presidential primary. And now she fears that a lack of preparation by state officials and the continued threat of the disease might force her to sit out the upcoming November election in the swing state. As health officials predict that the pandemic might last into the fall, many states are beginning to plan for the likelihood of people opting to vote by mail instead of showing up in person, where the risk of contracting and spreading the coronavirus is greater. For some people, the coronavirus has made voting a nerve-wracking action. Some Americans and voting rights groups are concerned that the pandemic is forcing voters to choose between avoiding contact with people to stay healthy and exercising their right to vote. Come November, these concerns might linger. "Are people going to want to stay in line to vote? Are people going to be requesting absentee ballots? Do people even have the technology to request a ballot online?" Friedle asked, listing out some of her immediate worries in an interview with CNBC. "There are so many unknowns right now." The Wisconsin primary in particular has been criticized for its disorganization and last-minute changes, leading to voter confusion and disenfranchisement and serves as an example of what voting rights groups hope will not happen in November. Complicating matters, President Donald Trump and members of the Republican Party are on the attack against widespread mail-in voting while Democrats push for expanded access. Late last month, Trump threatened to withhold funding from Michigan and Nevada for expanding their mail-in voting services in an effort to avoid crowded polling centers during the coronavirus pandemic. "More and more states are allowing vote-by-mail without voters having to provide a reason or excuse for it," said Andrea Hailey, CEO of Vote.org, a nonprofit focusing on advancing voter ballot access. "Other states are mailing applications to voters, which is critical for ensuring that all voters can participate in the electoral process." More than half, or 54%, of Americans said they would back voting by mail in the upcoming presidential election if the pandemic persists, according to an April Morning Consult poll. And 66% of surveyed Americans said in March that they were concerned about voting in person during the coronavirus outbreak. "We are seeing signs that voters are registering at numbers unseen from our organization, and that they are very much interested in voting by absentee," Hailey told CNBC in an email. But mail-in voting can bring its own concerns, especially if there are underlying circumstances that affect support, such as the potential for U.S. Postal Service operation failure or miscommunication between state officials and voters. Friedle, a second-grade teacher, said she applied for an absentee ballot but did not receive it ahead of the Wisconsin presidential primary on April 7. She is a single mother with a 10-year-old child, sharing custody with her ex-husband, a scientist at a large pharmaceutical company who at the time of the primary had been working on a vaccine for Covid-19. The combination of being unable to leave her child alone and fearing getting sick at the polls made Friedle miss the vote. "I didn't want to put myself at risk for getting sick," she said. "I've been taking care of my daughter the whole time. Her father works crazy hours, and at that time, he was telling me he might get locked out in his work, that he wouldn't be able to leave his work." She added: "That just made me nervous. Who's gonna watch my daughter?" Friedle, 41, is not within the most vulnerable age group for contracting the most severe form of the virus. But there's still a lot at stake for people like Friedle: parents with young kids or teachers whose students are relying on them even as online classes persist. Knowing the risks, Friedle chose instead to skip out on voting. She feared if she contracted the virus, she would pass it on to her daughter or potentially be unable to teach. Voting rights groups stress that the most susceptible people are "older voters and people with pre-existing conditions," according to Brett Edkins, political director at New York-based Stand Up America, a nonprofit focused on advancing Democratic goals. "Children and younger parents are at relatively low risk of becoming seriously ill. Election experts across the partisan divide say that mail-in voting is the safest alternative to in-person voting." But Friedle's experience during the Wisconsin primary gave her a taste of what November might look like for her and other voters across the nation, she said. She's hoping to see her state take action in the coming months to reduce the likelihood of people experiencing what she did. This includes "having multiple ways to vote, whether you want to vote early, via an absentee ballot or in person." At the same time, she's concerned about whether officials are considering the feasibility of these moves. "How can we do that? How can we do it safely so people aren't being exposed to germs or viruses?" she asked. "Lots of organizations are out there that drive people to the polls. Are people still organizing these things with Covid going on?" In other states, some voters are concerned that there won't be enough done to make in-person voting safer. Angel Wells, a frequent voter and a self-described human rights activist based in Arizona, said that's what's driving her fears today. Voting can get chaotic in Arizona, said Wells, a veteran. In her voting area, "there are 64 voting offices where you can cast your vote. But that's not enough when you live in a valley with millions of people." "When people go out to vote, those lines are long. The polling booths are close [together]. They're not six feet apart. How are we supposed to have this vote and keep within health guidelines?" "People are rightly concerned about having to choose between their right to vote and their health," Edkins of Stand Up America said. "I think we're hearing a lot of those concerns from our community and from voters everywhere." CLEVELAND, Ohio Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and Police Chief Calvin Williams on Sunday defended police actions during the Saturday protests over the death of George Floyd, saying that officers did the best they could in the situation. We are handling our business, Jackson said at a Sunday night media briefing. I believe we did the job that we needed to do at that time. The mayor did acknowledge, however, that the police tactics such as throwing tear gas canisters and spray pepper spray at protesters did not lead to a desirable outcome. Were there lessons learned? Yes. Could we do things better now than we did then? Yes. Did we desire a better outcome? Yes. But what happened, happened. And our police officers stepped up and did their job, Jackson said. Williams also defended his officers and the citys preparations, saying they could not have foreseen the exact circumstances that took place. It becomes a civil disturbance event because you cant plan for every single thing, Williams said. Things happen that you cant plan for. Our No. 1 goal was to make sure officers were safe while things were going on. Williams defense comes after the Cleveland Police Patrolmens Association president, Jeff Follmer, told cleveland.com Sunday that the city failed to plan for the protests turning violent. He said more officers were needed, and that the city only started calling in more officers Saturday morning. Cleveland City Councilman Mike Polensek, who attended the early, peaceful portion of the rally, also said it appeared city officials failed to plan for the protests turning into riots, as they have in cities across the country. Additionally, neither Jackson nor Williams elaborated on the claim Williams made during a press briefing just before 1 a.m. Sunday that many of the individuals who wreaked havoc on the city vandalizing storefront and looting were not from the area. Officials say 65 adults and one juvenile were arrested in the aftermath of the riots. They are jailed and facing charges that range from aggravated rioting to violating the imposed curfew. Arrest records have not been made available. When pressed Sunday night, Williams said that some of the 65 people arrested were not from inside the state of Ohio, and Cleveland police are working with partners to determine exactly where those individuals are from. However, no specifics were provided. Williams said there were a ton of people at the Saturday protest who did not live within the borders of Cleveland or even the state of Ohio. Jackson said that the curfew extension now through 8 p.m. Tuesday puts the city in a much better position than we were yesterday. Looking forward, Cleveland will come out of this in a much better position. City officials plan to hold another media briefing this week, though an exact date and time were not provided Sunday night. You can find Sunday nights briefing here. 97 Cleveland protesters rally for justice in the death of George Floyd Read related coverage: City of Cleveland extends curfew through Tuesday night following Saturday riots Protestors at Cleveland George Floyd demonstration organized in advance, denounced violence Cleveland business owners, residents clean up after protests: See the damage Credit: CC0 Public Domain They worked in hospitals hundreds of miles from the epicenter of COVID-19. Their city of 24 million people locked down hard enough, and did enough testing, that it only had a few hundred cases of the disease. But hundreds of young Chinese doctors in a new study still experienced a sharp drop in mood, a rise in depression and anxiety symptoms, and a doubling of their fear of workplace violence, in just the first month of the coronavirus pandemic. The new findings, published in JAMA Network Open by an American and Chinese team, show in stark terms the potential mental toll of being a frontline healthcare worker in the time of COVID-19. The rise in symptoms among 385 first-year medical residents in Shanghai contrasts with data from members of the previous year's crop of residents, who took part in the same study from 2018 to 2019. Where this year's class saw sharp change across most measures of mental health and workplace violence during the first half of the training year, last year's class had stable scores at the same point in their training. Other research in Chinese and American residents has shown that the strain of first-year medical training is linked to a sharp rise in depressive symptoms over pre-residency scores. "Even before this pandemic, the levels of depression and anxiety symptoms among our healthcare workers were high and our findings indicate that they are getting worse," says Srijan Sen, M.D., Ph.D., the University of Michigan psychiatrist and neuroscientist who leads the Intern Health Study that yielded the data. "As it is clear that this pandemic will be with us for the foreseeable future, we need to prioritize the well-being of our healthcare workers, not only for themselves, but also for the patients that will need them in the coming months and year." Sen worked with colleagues from U-M's Michigan Neuroscience Institute, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, to gather and analyze the data. Weidong Li, M.D., Ph.D., co-first and co-corresponding author of the new paper and a professor at SJTU, notes that typically, late winter is a time of elevated moods in China, due to the Lunar New Year celebration. "Our findings indicate that the negative mental health effects of COVID-19 are not limited to physicians working at the center of the initial outbreak in Wuhan, but extend to other places like Shanghai, which is 500 miles away," he says. "With the numerous new cases spread worldwide, this has important implications for the way communities around the globe respond to this growing public health crisis." Li is the deputy director of the Brain Science and Technology Research Center, and vice dean of the Bio-X Institutes, at SJTU. Elena Frank, Ph.D., director of the Intern Health Study, notes that the data provide a strong reminder about the impacts of infectious disease outbreaks on both the physical and psychological health of healthcare workers. "It's easy to forget that they face many of the same additional stresses as the rest of usconcerns about elderly or at-risk family, loss of childcarewhile simultaneously managing an increased clinical workload, and all while placing themselves and their families at greater risk of infection," she says. "The potential mental health consequences of confronting such enormous pressures cannot be overlooked." Unwitting sentinels of a pandemic's effects When the 385 doctors in the study volunteered for the research project last summer, they were about to begin the same intense, sometimes grueling training experience that marks the start of a medical career in many countries. A few weeks ago, data from earlier cohorts of residents was published as a preprint - a report that has not undergone peer reviewby Sen and Li's colleagues. It shows a similar rise in depression symptoms happened in 7,000 first-year residents (also called interns) at more than 100 U.S. hospitals, and 1,000 Chinese first-year residents at 16 Shanghai and Beijing hospitals across three years of the study. Like study participants before them in the U.S. and China, members of the Shanghai intern class entering 12 hospitals in August 2019 agreed to track their mood daily on a smartphone app, and every few months answer standardized questionnaires about their mental health and whether they had experienced, observed or feared physical or verbal violence in their workplace. Little did they know that their data would give some of the clearest indications yet of the mental toll of being on the front line of a pandemic. The new study looks at changes in scores between the surveys that the residents took in October and November 2019, and the ones they took in January and February, as the pandemic reached its peak in China. It also measures changes in daily mood between those two quarters. Sen, who is also the associate vice president for research at U-M, and the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg Professor of Depression and Neurosciences, has been involved in mental health programs for residents at Michigan Medicine, U-M's academic medical center. His decade-long study has focused on first-year residents because they all start and end their training year at the same time, and have similar experiencesmaking them an ideal study population for the question of how intense stress affects mental health. Explore further Study reveals mental health of medical personnel working with COVID-19 patients A guard escorts an immigrant detainee from his "segregation cell" back into the general population at the Adelanto ICE Processing Facility. (John Moore / Getty Images) Belkin Peralta watched longingly May 8 as 16 women in her dormitory at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in Bakersfield changed out of their blue uniforms and emerged in their street clothes. Without notice or explanation, they all had been told they were free to go. Mesa Verde guards had told Peralta and the two other remaining women in the dorm that they would be transferred to a different facility. The 22-year-old panicked, thinking it meant she would likely be sent back to the gang violence she had escaped in Honduras. "In my mind, we had lost, and they were going to deport us," she said. Instead, the next day, Peralta was taken to a nearby holding facility and released. Peralta's cousin in Van Nuys bought her a bus ticket and picked her up at the local station that evening. She now lives with her aunt near San Diego. Peralta's dorm was emptied as immigration officials, under orders from a federal judge, are scrambling to create sufficient space for social distancing among detainees and staff. But her case also illustrates the inconsistent manner in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, as infections are escalating. As of Thursday, 1,392 detainees and 44 ICE employees at detention centers had tested positive for COVID-19 . The biggest outbreak by far is at Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego, where 158 detainees have tested positive, one of whom has died. Nationwide, 25,900 people were detained by ICE as of May 23 down by nearly 12,000 people since March. In response to lawsuits and public pressure, ICE has released hundreds of immigrants from detention facilities. Others have been released after paying bond. ICE says it has voluntarily freed more than 900 others, including Peralta and her dorm-mates, due to the pandemic. Some of the women had previously been deemed by the agency as being too dangerous to release, lawyers said. On its website, ICE keeps a running tally of detainees who have been released under judicial order, noting that the agency is fighting many of those decisions in court. Story continues As of Thursday, 392 detainees had been released under judges' orders, according to the agency, 202 of them in California. ICE notes that half had been charged or convicted of crimes ranging from homicide to DUI. "Many of the individuals ordered released by federal courts have extensive criminal histories and pose a potential public safety threat," the website reads. Listing off some charges of released detainees, ICE spokesman Alexx Pons said they "all align with ICE's core mission to identify and remove those who pose a significant risk to public safety." "When you're looking at custody determinations, those factors are weighed, along with an individual's medical considerations," Pons said. Peralta and others said social distancing is impossible at the facilities, that detainees don't have access to adequate hygiene supplies and that many people with COVID-19 symptoms aren't tested. Dozens of immigrants around the state have participated in hunger strikes in recent weeks, including Peralta. In the end, just one woman in Peraltas dorm was deported, after being transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana. Advocates pointed to the other releases as proof that ICE exaggerates the number of detainees it claims are dangerous while ignoring the risks associated with keeping masses of people detained during a pandemic. "They've always had the prosecutorial discretion to release folks immediately," said Juan Prieto of the California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance. "It's a matter of challenging that notion that they should incarcerate individuals simply for being in this country without documentation." Prieto and other advocates scrambled to arrange temporary lodging, meals and transportation to family, or other long-term accommodations, for the women who were released unexpectedly. Under a class-action lawsuit brought by the San Francisco Public Defenders Office, the American Civil Liberties Union foundations of Northern and Southern California and others, 61 people have been ordered released from Mesa Verde, which has space for 400, and the Yuba County Jail, which holds up to 220 ICE detainees. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria issued a searing ruling April 29, slamming ICE for failing to produce a list of detainees who are at high risk for serious outcomes if they were to contract the novel coronavirus. Chhabria ordered ICE to provide information on every detainee at both facilities to review them for potential release on bail. At the same time, lawyers have submitted applications on behalf of dozens of people for the judge to review. So far, he has rejected 56. ICE has opposed each application up for review. In Pennsylvania, some immigrants who were released under judicial order were later told to return to detention. Lawyers dont expect that to happen in the case of Mesa Verde and Yuba County Jail. But in another class-action case in California, concerning detainees at the Adelanto ICE Processing Facility near Victorville, the district judges far more sweeping order was overruled in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Terry Hatter had ordered ICE to decrease the population at Adelanto, which currently holds about 1,200 people, to permit social distancing. He directed the agency to stop admitting new detainees to the facility and to reduce the existing population by at least 250 people by April 30. ICE appealed the decision. In the 9th circuit, a panel of judges reversed all but one aspect of Hatters ruling, maintaining that Adelanto facility administrators substantially comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for detention facilities concerning COVID-19. The reversal halted a wave of petitions for the release of immigrants held at Adelanto. Before the 9th Circuit decision in the class-action case, Hatter had ordered the release of dozens of detainees whose lawyers filed individual petitions seeking their release. But similar cases of immigrants who hadnt been released are now paused. Nicolette Glazer, an immigration lawyer in Los Angeles who represented 11 of the detainees Hatter released, said the 9th Circuits decision sends the message to other courts that ICE has met whats required of it by law. A district court may be swayed by some of the reasoning and, regardless, ICE will be emboldened to appeal, she said. If we started getting more written opinions, they would become binding on district courts. For those who remain detained, the legal twists and turns are anxiety-inducing. In some cases, different judges have rejected or approved petitions brought by detainees with similar medical issues and legal cases. One of those is Marco Montoya Amaya, whose request for release from Mesa Verde was denied by a federal judge in early April because the parasitic infection with which he has been diagnosed is not included in the list of conditions identified by the CDC as high-risk factors for COVID-19. Montoya, a 42-year-old from Honduras, also has latent tuberculosis. "We are scared to die inside of here," he said. "Every day I am ending up more traumatized." His lawyer Eleni Wolfe-Roubatis of the nonprofit Immigrant Legal Defense said the patchwork of releases and rejections across the country shows what advocates have long known about what she calls "the luck of the draw of the judge." But when its life or death like this, its all the more stark, she said. On Thursday, Chhabria ordered ICE to release Montoya. He walked out of the facility that afternoon. Human remains in house foundation F40 of the Haminmangha site. Credit: Yonggang Zhu, School of Archaeology Jilin University While recent advances in ancient DNA analysis have established the major patterns of prehistoric human migration in western Eurasia, the population history of eastern Eurasia remains little understood. Northern China is of particular importance, as it harbored two of the world's earliest agricultural centers for millet farming: the Yellow and West Liao River basins. Both basins are famous for their rich archeological cultures and their influence on nearby regions. However, little is known about their genetic interactions and how these affected the dispersal of millet farming over northern China and surrounding regions. To tackle these questions, a team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History (MPI SHH) in Germany collaborated with geneticist Prof. Dr. Yinqiu Cui and her team at the School of Life Sciences at Jilin University in China. With joint forces, they were able to sequence 55 genomes from across northern China dating between 7,500 and 1,700 years ago, covering the Yellow River, West Liao River and Amur River regions. Their results add to discussions concerning the relationship between genetic contacts and subsistence change while providing the first comprehensive genetic overview of northern China. Correlated changes of genes and subsistence The researchers find that, contrary to the strong genetic continuity in the Amur basin, genetic profiles in the West Liao River region substantially changed over time. Yellow River, however, showed a general genetic stability but received genetic contribution from populations related to present-day groups in southern China since the middle Neolithic. Location of the 19 archeological sites covering 55 ancient individuals in this study. Each symbol corresponds to a site from a specific region Credit: Ning et al., 2020 "Although the genetic changes in each region differ in timing and intensity, each shift is correlated with changes in subsistence strategy," says lead author Chao Ning of the MPI SHH's eurasia3angle team. "As we look backwards in time, an increase of Amur River affinity in West Liao River corresponds with the inclusion of a pastoral economy during the Bronze Age, prior to that, an increased Yellow River affinity in the same region is correlated with the intensification of millet farming in the late Neolithic. Finally, our earliest results show that an affinity of Yellow River to populations from southern China (e.g. from the Yangtze River basin) since the middle Neolithic is concordant with the northward dispersal of rice farming." Corresponding author Choongwon Jeong, formerly a geneticist on the eurasia3angle team now affiliated with Seoul National University in South Korea, puts the findings in perspective. "We realize that our current dataset needs ancient genomes from people who brought rice agriculture into northeast China, such as ancient farmers from the Shandong and Lower Yangtze River regions, but nevertheless our study is a major step forward in understanding how this region developed." "For me, as a linguist, our findings truly are an eye-opener," says senior author Martine Robbeets, principal investigator of the eurasia3angle team. "As the West Liao River Basin is associated with the origin of the Transeurasian language family and the Yellow River Basin with the Sino-Tibetan family, our results fuel the debate on the historical correlation between archeological cultures, languages and genes." The study is published in Nature Communications. Explore further Ancient DNA unveils important missing piece of human history More information: Chao Ning et al. Ancient genomes from northern China suggest links between subsistence changes and human migration, Nature Communications (2020). Journal information: Nature Communications Chao Ning et al. Ancient genomes from northern China suggest links between subsistence changes and human migration,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16557-2 Rome, 31 May 2020 (SPS) - The participants in the international conference, which was organized by the Department of Europe in the External Relations of the Polisario Front, in coordination among the representation of the Polisario Front and the International Committee for the Development of Peoples (CISP) in Italy and the Sahrawi Red Crescent, on Saturday agreed on the necessity to raise the level of joint action and coordination among various organizations, international cooperation agencies, Sahrawi bodies and civil society in order to expand the circle of humanitarian support for the refugees. According to the final statement of the conference, the participants focused on ways and means through which the 15 million dollars set by the UN humanitarian agencies and the Sahrawi Red Crescent could be raised to provide the necessary needs for the refugees in light of the global crisis caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, particularly in the areas of health, water, nutrition and education, as well as the protection of those most affected by the situation. The statement highlighted that the international assistance to Sahrawi refugees had declined in recent years, despite promises and planning, the result was a constant emergency, along with the stalemate in the political action and the peace plan, all of which exacerbated the situation and conditions of these refugees, which subsequently developed as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing measures that affected air traffic coming to the host country, Algeria. The conference was attended, besides the Sahrawi Red Crescent, by the National Union of Sahrawi Women, the Algerian Red Crescent, the European Coordination of Solidarity with the Sahrawi People, as well as representatives of international humanitarian organizations and agencies in the Sahrawi refugee camps. (SPS) 062/SPS/T A senior United Arab Emirates diplomat on Monday slammed Israeli plans to annex Palestinian lands of West Bank saying any such unilateral move by Israel would be a serious setback for the Middle East peace process. His comment comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said cabinet discussions would begin on July 1 on his election pledge to extend Israeli sovereignty to the territory Palestinians want for their own state in the contentious West Bank. On Twitter, UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash warned that such Israeli motives would undermine Palestine's right to self-determination and constitute a rejection of international and Arab consensus towards peace and stability in the restive region. Continued Israeli talk of annexing Palestinian lands must stop. Any unilateral Israeli move will be a serious setback for the peace process, undermine Palestinian self determination & constitute a rejection of the international & Arab consensus towards stability & peace. . (@AnwarGargash) June 1, 2020 READ | Israeli PM Says He Will Not Miss 'historic' West Bank Annexation Opportunity Annexation plan Israel's Netanyahu had on May 25 reportedly said that he will not miss a historic opportunity to extend the countrys sovereignty to parts of the West Bank. While calling the move one of his governments top tasks, Netanyahu is all set to put Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the West Bank under Israeli sovereignty. As per reports, the Israeli PM has set July 1 as a starting date for cabinet discussions on the issue. The Palestinians, on the other hand, consider such a step as illegal annexation of occupied land they seek for a future state. According to an international media outlet, they even declared an end to security cooperation with Israel and its ally, the United States, in protest at the territorial plan. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also called the matter complex. He reportedly had said that the matter required coordination with Washington. READ | Palestinians Say They Were Not Informed Of UAE-Israel Flight UAE's mindful choices The UAE and fellow Gulf states largely voiced support for a so-called "Middle East plan" proposed by US President Donald Trump in January that proposed a demilitarised Palestinian state with borders drawn to meet Israeli security needs, and US recognition of Israeli settlements illegal under international law on occupied West Bank land. The Palestinians, who were kept out during the drafting of the plan, have rejected it. Reports suggest the UAE and other Gulf states wish to enhance ties with Israel, a key US ally, in their larger plan to counter Iran. Although, Abu Dhabi is mindful of the fact that they risk alienating Palestinians and the larger Arab population sympathetic to their cause should they cozy up too much to Tel Aviv. READ | Israeli Cyber Chief Says Country Thwarted Major Virtual Attack On Water Systems READ | India, Israel To Conduct Join R&D For Rapid Coronavirus Testing The halo that surrounds our own Milky Way galaxy is much hotter than scientists once believed - and it may not be unique among galaxies. The new findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society, held online this week because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In previous work, researchers at The Ohio State University found that parts of the Milky Way's halo - the hazy fog of dust, gas and dark matter that surrounds some galaxies - was at least 10 times hotter than anyone had known before. This new research found that the extreme temperatures the researchers found in the original analysis - up to 10 million degrees Kelvin, or about 18 million degrees Fahrenheit - could possibly be found in the entire halo, said Smita Mathur, professor of astronomy at Ohio State. "We can't say for sure that it is everywhere, because we have not analyzed the entire halo," Mathur said. "But we know now that the temperatures we saw in the first study definitely are not unique, and that is very exciting." Mathur, senior researcher on the trio of studies presented, said the findings could help astronomers understand more about how the Milky Way and galaxies like it form and grow. "We are trying to learn about the elements that form these halos, and about the temperatures there," she said. "Knowing those things can help us understand more about how galaxies connect with the rest of the universe, and how they formed and where elements might have come from." Learning more about the halo, which is the final link between a galaxy and the wider universe around it, could help researchers understand the ways a galaxy grows and changes over time. The data they analyzed came from an X-ray observatory telescope run by the European Space Agency. That telescope, called XMM-Newton, collects data in X-rays that would have otherwise been blocked by Earth's atmosphere. The telescope collected that data from within the Milky Way, focused in one direction. "It showed us that the halo was much hotter than we had known, but it didn't show us whether that was the case throughout the galaxy, or if the telescope had picked up an aberration caused by an unknown force coming from the direction where the telescope was pointed," Mathur said. Anjali Gupta, a visiting astronomy researcher at Ohio State, analyzed data from the Japanese X-ray satellite telescope Suzaku, which collected spectrum from the Milky Way's halo in four different directions. That analysis confirmed their earlier finding, that the halo is much hotter than had previously been known, and also showed that the other parts of the halo likely are that hot. The researchers also wondered if the temperatures they found in the Milky Way's halo might be found in other galaxies. Mathur and Sanskriti Das, a graduate student at Ohio State who co-authored the previous study about Milky Way's halo, analyzed data from a galaxy about 200 million light years away from us. That galaxy, NGC 3221, is similar to the Milky Way in shape and size. The analysis found that the halo that surrounds that galaxy is about as hot as the halo surrounding the Milky Way. Mathur, Das and Gupta all presented about the findings in separate presentations at AAS. ### CONTACT: Smita Mathur, mathur.17@osu.edu Written by: Laura Arenschield, arenschield.2@osu.edu Patients with cancer, heart problems and other life-threatening ailments are feared to have died at home as the NHS turned its focus to the pandemic. Alarmingly, delays in cancer surgery alone will cost more lives than the number of virus patients saved in hospitals, predicts Britains Institute of Cancer Research, one of the worlds most-respected health bodies. The wake-up call, in an Institute report, warns a three-month delay in operations on the most common adult cancers risks 5,000 extra deaths. A six-month delay would push those excess fatalities up to 11,000. The NHS waiting list already stretches to many millions and now faces one of the steepest backlog of cases in its history. The British Medical Association says that for doctors and all healthcare workers, this is a daunting prospect [File photo] The disturbing report follows shocking new figures released by Cancer Research UK that more than two million patients have missed out on vital cancer tests and treatment during the pandemic. Last week, Macmillan Cancer Support warned that nearly 2,000 cases of cancer are going undiagnosed every week due to the crisis. The Mail revealed the unfolding tragedy of untreated patients last month. By the end of April, just a few weeks after the NHS switched its attention to Covid-19 sufferers, hospital referrals for cancer treatment in England had dropped by nearly 70 per cent. Under 100 organ transplants were carried out in April, the lowest for 36 years, according to NHS figures. On a day in April, only six of its 24 liver transplant centres were open. Professor Peter Friend, director of the Oxford Transplant Centre, says that liver, kidney, and heart patients were already dying on lengthy waiting lists before the pandemic. The effect of doing fewer transplants means that this mortality rate must increase, he has warned. The ordinary public seems to think that hospitals are dangerous places to be right now. One allergy specialist told the Mail that in his north of England clinic, only the most seriously ill risk being infected by the virus [File photo] Cardiac specialists have reported a 60 per cent decline in hospital admissions for heart attacks, a condition which the NHS says requires immediate treatment in casualty. Meanwhile, a death certificate count by the Office for National Statistics shows almost 13,000 more people than expected have died in England and Wales since mid-March from causes other than coronavirus. Statisticians at Oxford and Cambridge are now calling for a national inquiry into the extra deaths amid fears that a lack of medical care is responsible. Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter, chairman of the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication at the University of Cambridge, explained: Theres a huge spike in non-Covid deaths at home very quickly into the epidemic. Its important to know how many might have been at least delayed if the normal (NHS) healthcare system had existed. Visits to Englands accident and emergency departments have halved since the outbreak, tumbling to the lowest since records began. It means people displaying the early signs of serious diseases have stayed away in their thousands. A nurse and Mail reader has sent us reports with photos showing how many people were at four main casualty departments on a recent Monday afternoon. The waiting rooms at the finest flagship hospitals in London Chelsea and Westminster, St Thomas in Westminster, St Marys Paddington and the Royal London in the East End had just a handful of patients. It suggests people are afraid of going to casualty in case they break lockdown rules or catch the virus while there. The ordinary public seems to think that hospitals are dangerous places to be right now. The wake-up call, in an Institute report, warns a three-month delay in operations on the most common adult cancers risks 5,000 extra deaths. A six-month delay would push those excess fatalities up to 11,000 [File photo] One allergy specialist told the Mail that in his north of England clinic, only the most seriously ill risk being infected by the virus. These are people who are desperate for help. They will take a risk. Others are afraid of coming to my clinic and could lose their lives because of that. NHS England has produced a complex road map for opening up hospitals to all patients. Those accepted for treatment or operations will have to isolate for 14 days and be clear of any symptoms before admission. Inevitably it will mean more delays. Significantly, there will be tests on patients before they arrive to make sure they are Covid-19 free to protect others working and being cared for in the hospitals. But when the virus is defeated, children are back to school, shops reopened, and cities no longer in lockdown, what will happen to the countless numbers who are seriously ill and whose treatment has been delayed? The NHS waiting list already stretches to many millions and now faces one of the steepest backlog of cases in its history. The British Medical Association says that for doctors and all healthcare workers, this is a daunting prospect. A spokesman said: They want nothing more than to provide the best care for their patients and avoid delays in essential treatment for diseases. One has to wonder whether the doctors goodwill will really be enough. On May 26, the U.S. Africa Command announced in a written statement that Russia recently deployed military fighter aircraft to Libya. This is an effort to support about 1,200 mercenaries of the Russian state-sponsored military contractor Wagner Group, who, according to media reports, have been deployed to Libya to strengthen the forces of renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar. Haftar has led the militia known as the Libyan National Army in an offensive against the United Nations-recognized Government of National Accord headed by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj. "Russia is clearly trying to tip the scales in its favor in Libya," said General Stephen Townsend, commander of the U.S. Africa Command. According to the Africa Command statement, Russia has employed Wagner mercenaries in Libya to conceal its direct role there, and to afford Moscow plausible deniability of its malign actions. U.S. Africa Command assesses that Moscow's military actions have prolonged the Libyan conflict and exacerbated casualties and human suffering on both sides. For too long, Russia has denied the full extent of its involvement in the ongoing Libyan conflict. Well, there is no denying it now. We watched as Russia flew fourth-generation jet fighters to Libya -- every step of the way, said General Townsend. Neither the [Libyan National Army] nor private military companies can arm, operate, and sustain these fighters without state support -- support they are getting from Russia." Painting over the flags on its fighter aircraft will not hide the truth. Russia's destabilizing activities in Libya are plain to see. Neither the international community nor the Libyan people are falling for Russia's claims that its mercenaries are somehow distinct from Russia's malign, self-serving agenda in Libya. The United States opposes the Libyan National Armys offensive against the Government of National Accord. We support an immediate end to external interference and the involvement of foreign mercenaries in the conflict, and call for de-escalation, a ceasefire, a return to a UN-facilitated political process. It is not the warring parties but the Libyan people who must resolve this crisis through political negotiations; negotiations that cannot proceed when external actors such as Russia fuel the conflict. The incidence rate was 13.18 per 100,000 people as of June 1, with an acceptable rate of 12. The number of new COVID-19 cases confirmed in the capital city of Kyiv over the past seven days per 100,000 people (incidence) exceeds the level set by the government to ease the quarantine-related restrictions, according to Ukraine's Health Ministry. Read alsoFour regions not ready for stage 2 of quarantine easing in Ukraine health ministry In particular, the incidence rate in Kyiv was 13.18 per 100,000 people as of June 1, with an acceptable rate of 12, according to the ministry's data published on its website on June 1. As of May 31, the incidence rate in the capital city was 12.2. The following regions have incidence indicators that are higher than the government's level: Volyn region (14.45), Lviv region (13.54), Rivne region (29.15), and Chernivtsi region (32.62). In addition, Donetsk region is not ready for lifting the curbs, as the average number of tests made with the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods there over the past seven days per 100,000 people was insufficient. The testing coverage rate there is 8.93 with the norm being 12. As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers on May 20 decided to introduce an adaptive quarantine in the country from May 22 to June 22, taking into account the epidemiological situation in the regions. In particular, the government introduced certain indicators: an incidence the average number of confirmed COVID-19 cases over the past seven days per 100,000 people, which should be lower than 12 cases per 100,000 people; bed occupancy in hospitals designated for COVID-19 patients should be below 50%; and the number of tests done with the use of PCR and ELISA methods should be more than 12 per 100,000 people over the past seven days. Primark owner Associated British Foods (ABF) has earmarked a "late June" reopening of its stores in Northern Ireland. The retailer said it is working to reopen all its 153 stores in England on June 15, after the UK Government gave non-essential retailers the go-ahead to welcome customers again. It said that it expects to have reopened 281 of its stores by that date, having already reopened 112 of its sites across mainland Europe. The retailer said it is awaiting further guidance from the devolved administrations regarding stores in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales but anticipates openings in late June. The Northern Ireland Executive has placed non-food retail in step two of its five stage route out of lockdown. However, there is no date for that to be implement and as has been seen in stage one, not all elements are implemented at one time. Primark has nine stores across Northern Ireland at Ballymena, two in Belfast, Derry, Lisburn, Lisnagelvin, Newry, Newtownabbey and Newtownards. The company's flagship Belfast store in Bank Buildings was devastated in a fire in August 2018 which forced its closure and many surrounding businesses. While work in the Bank Buildings is ongoing, an extension has been opened as well as a second store. The fire was estimated to cost the company and Belfast city centre businesses nearly 100m. Read More ABF shut all its Primark stores in March in the face of coronavirus, which it said resulted in a loss of around 650 million for every month that all stores were closed. It said that it cut more than 50% off overheads at Primark in a bid to stabilise its finances during the pandemic. Expand Close A Primark store in Nottingham after the company shut its doors in the face of the pandemic (Tim Goode/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Primark store in Nottingham after the company shut its doors in the face of the pandemic (Tim Goode/PA) In a statement, the company said: As European governments have begun to ease restrictions on clothing retailing we have been able to reopen stores. Safety has been our highest priority in our detailed preparations to welcome our customers and employees back to stores. We are following government safety advice in all markets. Importantly, we will apply the valuable experience gained from more than 100 stores which are already open as we open the remainder of our estate, including stores across the UK. Social distancing protocols, hand sanitiser stations, perspex screens at tills and additional cleaning of high frequency touch points in the store are among the measures we are implementing. Read More The retailer said trading has been reassuring and encouraging in its recently reopened stores, with queues outside most sites. Nevertheless, it said cumulative like-for-like sales since reopening have been lower than the same period last year. The firm added that as long as social distancing is required, we expect it to restrict the capacity of our busiest stores from achieving their aggregate pre-Covid-19 sales. Meanwhile, ABF said operating profits in its grocery business will be ahead of forecasts after stronger sales of branded products, although profits in its sugar arm are predicted to slip. Sundays weather is clear and sunny and the week ahead is currently forecasted to have a slight chance of rain on and off with possible morning thunderstorms on Wednesday and again in the afternoon on Friday. Following are updates related to flood recovery resources and activities: Additional First Responders to Assist Edenville Township Beginning Monday, June 1, first responders from the following fire departments will be staffing both Edenville Township Fire Stations to provide adequate response: City of Mt. Pleasant Fire Department City of Midland Fire Department Larkin Township Fire Department Breckenridge/Wheeler Fire Department Laundry Vouchers Free vouchers for access to laundry facilities for Midland and Gladwin County residents impacted by the flood are available at the nine United Way distribution sites in both counties (see locations under United Way below). The following laundry locations will accept the vouchers beginning Saturday, May 30: Lifestyle Garment Care 2706 N. Saginaw Road Totally Clean Coin Laundry two locations: 717 Waldo Avenue and 1720 N. Saginaw Road Coleman Laundryland - 403 E. Washington Street, Coleman Sun and Suds Laundromat - 352 Ross Street, Beaverton Gladwin Cleaners 231 E. Cedar Ave., Gladwin Resources for Residents with Diabetes The American Diabetes Association and the Diabetes Disaster Response Coalition are offers its support to residents with diabetes during the recent flooding event. For questions or support regarding diabetes, diabetes supplies, and management, contact the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-342-2383, Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 5 p.m. or visit www.diabetesdisasterresponse.org/resources. For residents who would prefer to contact a representative in Midland County, please contact Kerri LaFore at 989-859-2339. Vaccine Clinic Available Monday The Midland County Department of Public Health will be hosting a vaccine clinic to provide vaccinations that can protect residents in the event they are injured while working in flood-contaminated areas. Injuries sustained in unsanitary conditions carry a risk of contracting a disease. Vaccines for Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) and Hepatitis A will be available at both clinics. The clinic will be held Monday, June 1, from 10 a.m. 3 p.m. at Jerome Township Fire Station 1, 725 Irish Street in Sanford. Potable Water Stations Available in Edenville Midland County residents without water service can get potable water at both Edenville Township fire stations. These stations are located at: 420 Moore Street 4708 N. Lake Sanford Road Residents should bring their own containers for transporting water. Assistance for Residents with Non-Functioning Wells Residents who are experiencing issues with their groundwater wells should contact the Midland County Department of Public Health at 989-832-6380 to report their concerns. A member of Environmental Health will be dispatched to assist property owners with options. TDS Telecom Service Restoration Ongoing in Sanford TDS Telecom will continue work on its temporary equipment hub site Saturday, May 30. Switch equipment is currently being delivered and work on electrical and HVAC systems is ongoing. Additional TDS staff will be on-site to aid in and continue network assessment. Reminders from previous releases: Construction Permits and Inspections for Flood-Damaged Properties and Infrastructure Property owners in Midland County are reminded that they should secure all required permits and inspections as they make repairs and replace infrastructure in their homes and businesses. The process for requesting these services is outlined below. Midland County: Residents in townships, the City of Coleman, or the Village of Merrill are encouraged to contact a licensed building contractor or restoration company to obtain the needed permits for their homes and businesses. To schedule an inspection or apply for a permit, contact the Township Code Authority of Midland County at 989-837-6521 or contact the appropriate department. Individual inspection departments can be reached as follows: Plumbing/mechanical 989-246-4817 Electrical 989-737-6375 Building 989-313-2168 To find building permit applications forms, building permit and inspection information coverage areas, and more, please visit www.townshipcodeauthority.com. City of Midland: To schedule a building inspection or apply for a building permit related to the recent flooding event in the City of Midland, residents should call the Building Department at 989-837-3383 and leave a voicemail message regarding their project or email the appropriate staff member. Individual inspectors can be reached as follows: Steve Taglauer, Chief Building Official staglaue@midland-mi.org Mike Streeter, Electrical Inspector mstreeter@midland-mi.org Jim Armstrong, Plumbing/Mechanical Inspector jvarmstrong@midland-mi.org For fire safety inspections and other plans related to fire safety, please contact Midland Fire Department Fire Marshal Tony Lelo at 989-837-3413 or alelo@midland-mi.org. To find City building permit applications forms, building permit and inspection information, and more, please visit www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/building. For fire department permit and inspection information, visit www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/fire. Fees will be waived for all City permits related to flood damage. United Way Distribution and Donation Information The following locations will serve as both drop-off sites for individuals who wish to donate the items listed above and pick-up sites for individuals who need access to these supplies. These sites will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. at the following locations: West Midland Family Center, 4011 W. Isabella Road Coleman High School, 4951 N. Lewis Road Sanford Senior Center, 3243 N. West River Road Meridian Elementary School, 3353 N. Meridian Road North Family Center, 2601 E. Shearer Road Gladwin Parking lot behind Forge Fitness, 237 W. Cedar Avenue, Gladwin (Parking lot is at the corner of Arcade Street and Grout Street) Midland High School, 1301 Eastlawn Drive Bullock Creek High School, 1420 S. Badour Road The current list of items needed includes: Personal protective equipment (PPE) Cleaning supplies Food Water Personal care items Household goods Clothing donations will not be accepted at this time. In collaboration with Dow and the Midland Emergency Operations Center (EOC), United Way of Midland County has created a process for those who wish to donate and those in need of items for flood relief. The Supplies Donations Plan provides a framework to collect and distribute donated items to those in need. Businesses or organizations who wish to donate items must first fill out the Supplies Donations Survey online at www.reliefmidland.org and click the link under Corporate Supplies Donations to complete a donation survey. United Way will be in contact with all survey submissions within 72 hours to discuss next steps. Urgent donations needs will be processed as soon as possible. Individuals should drop off donations only at the locations listed above. Midland Sanitary Landfill Hours Extended to Sunday The Midland Sanitary Landfill is currently open during its regular operating hours, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. 4 p.m. Customers accessing the Landfill will be required to report where flood debris originated from for State of Michigan reporting requirements. Due to the high anticipated volume of customers accessing the Landfill, wait times may be significant. Shower Facilities Available Displaced residents in need of shower facilities may access showers at the following locations during the specified hours: North Midland Family Center - 2601 E. Shearer Rd, Midland; Open Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. 6 p.m. West Midland Family Center 4011 W. Isabella Rd, Shepherd; Open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. 5:30 p.m. Rest Station Available Meridian High School, 3303 N. Meridian Road in Sanford, is open as a rest station daily from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. providing Wi-Fi, electrical charging stations,, and water resources. For previous updates, flood response information, and details on relief efforts, please visit the following resources: www.midland911.org www.cityofmidlandmi.gov www.co.midland.mi.us Facebook channels for the following entities: Midland County Emergency Management (MI) Midland County 911 City of Midland, Michigan Municipal Government Twitter: @CityofMidlandMI Twitter: @MidlandCountyMI Call 2-1-1 Sign up for 911 text and email alerts through Nixle.com Hamilton Spectator reporter Katrina Clarke took home a first-place award at the 2019 Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) awards for investigative reporting Saturday. Clarke, a former reporter at The Daily Gleaner in Fredericton, N.B., took first place in the Community Media category for a series of stories on New Brunswick school vaccination policies published in the Gleaner last spring. Im super honoured to have won it, she said. It was a lot work and Im glad that it was recognized because it was important to me, and I think itll be important to a lot of New Brunswickers. The winning series, A Shot in the Dark: New Brunswick school vaccination policies, exposed the failure of school districts in New Brunswick to comply with vaccination requirements for students, and shed light on the fears and frustrations of parents of children with compromised immune systems. Clarkes reporting resulted in action from the education minister, including a probe into trends in vaccination rates and an order to school districts to report vaccination statistics. Its rewarding because some of its potentially life-saving stuff, she said. And even if its not life-saving, thats going to reassure the minds of parents who have immunocompromised kids. And I think the issue of people being immunocompromised is more in the spotlight right now with COVID. Clarke, who joined the Spectator team in June of last year, beat out entries from CBC Prince Edward Island, ONFR+/tfo, The St. Catharines Standard and The Telegraph-Journal. It is a well-deserved honour and we are all thrilled for Katrina. She is a terrific journalist, as her work before and since she joined The Spectator shows, said Paul Berton, editor-in-chief of The Hamilton Spectator. Due to restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the awards were presented over a video conference attended by the finalists and livestreamed on Facebook. The CAJs top prize, the Don McGillivray Award, went to BuzzFeed News Craig Silverman for his reporting on a companys use of Facebook to lure people into buying subscriptions. The CAJ congratulates all the recipients and finalists and thanks all those who submitted entries for consideration, the CAJ said in a media release. Journalists continue to produce striking, important, and meaningful work that educates, informs, exposes, uncovers, affects change, and makes our communities better places to live. BGR Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, up to and including the present day, shoppers have encountered the effects of everything from supply chain disruptions to pandemic-related labor constraints which have unfortunately led to grocery store shortages. Just as the effects of the pandemic are not evenly distributed around the country, though, neither are these kinds of products The post 5 popular grocery shortages that are making shoppers so angry right now appeared first on BGR. The banks' credit to NBFCs increased by Rs 5,000 crore in April 2020, while bank credit growth to service sectors saw a rise too, even as most of economic activity remained suspended due to coronavirus lockdown. Global rating agency Moody's downgraded India's foreign currency and local currency long-term issuer ratings to Baa3 from Baa2. Softbank-backed hospitality chain OYO has allotted employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) worth Rs 130 crore to all its furloughed employees impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Read for more top stories from the world of business and economy: 1. Credit to NBFCs rises in April; retail credit lowest since Jan 2008: SBI report Among services, there has been an increase in credit to transport operators by Rs 4,300 crore, and retail traders Rs 6,900 crore in April. 2. Moody's cuts India's sovereign rating to Baa3, maintains negative outlook The decision to downgrade India's ratings reflects Moody's view that the country's policymaking institutions will be challenged in enacting and implementing policies which effectively mitigate the risks of a sustained period of relatively low growth, the agency said. 3. Coronavirus impact: Oyo allots ESOPs worth Rs 130 crore to furloughed employees On April 8, OYO founder and Group CEO Ritesh Agarwal had said that the company will place a certain number of employees on furloughs. 4. Cabinet approves Rs 50,000 cr equity infusion for MSMEs; MSP for 14 kharif crops increased The government also gave a nod to Rs 20,000 crore subordinated debt for stressed MSMEs, benefiting two lakh stressed small businesses. 5. Barclays sees 2020 GDP degrowth at 4%, pegs lockdown cost at $306 billion With over 190,000 confirmed cases as on May 31, India has the world's 7th highest number of recorded coronavirus infections. However, more than 48 per cent infected people have recovered fully with death rate of less than 3 per cent among confirmed COVID-19 cases. A police officer inspects the damage to a Vons supermarket Sunday hours after it was looted in Santa Monica. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) The owner of Cisco Home on Lincoln Boulevard, a designer furniture store, said he rushed to his shop after his neighbor texted him Sunday that people were doing crazy things. Inside, a couch was flipped over and water from the sprinklers had damaged some of the furniture. We lost everything in 10 minutes, said the owner, Roman, who declined to give his last name. He estimated that the damage would cost up to $6 million. Merchants across Santa Monica were surveying the damage after looters hit scores of stores Sunday, using the opportunity of largely peaceful protests to steal merchandise and set several fires. The looting hit large chain businesses like Vans, Vons, banks and other retailers in and around the Santa Monica Place mall. But small business owners also were targeted. Police made hundreds of arrests, but it took hours to get the situation under control. The owner of a nail salon near Lincoln and Broadway stood outside his business at 8 p.m., giving instructions to workers unloading a truck full of wooden boards. The owner, who didnt want to share his name, said he arrived about 4 p.m. to find his business destroyed. Rafael Resendez, the owner of the barbershop next door, was also speaking with workers, helping them board up his business. Looters had taken $12,000 worth of equipment, including hair cutting tools and cash registers, he said. Resendez said Sunday was the first day his shop, Lincoln Barbers, had been open in two months because of the coronavirus outbreak. He closed at 2 p.m., telling his employees he didnt think the looters would target them. He had posted a sign that read Mexican owned and messages in support of the protesters in hopes they would avoid his business. It didnt work. I feel guilty for not doing more, he said. Those people are looking for excuses to commit crimes. They dont care about [George Floyd]. I do care about him. This is not the way to do it. Times staff writers Joseph Serna and Arit John contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 2) The House of Representatives approved on Monday the bill which seeks to increase the limit for election campaign expenditures of political candidates. House Bill No. 6095 got an overwhelming vote in the plenary, as 213 lawmakers voted for its approval while only six dissented and one abstained. The House bill will amend provisions of Republic Act No. 7166 or the law calling for the synchronized national and local elections in the country. The loud and growing clamor to adjust the poll spending cap did not only come from the candidates, political parties, and COMELEC (Commission on Elections), but from international election observers, House Deputy Speaker and Misamis Occidental Rep. Henry Oaminal, who is one of the bills authors, said in its explanatory note. The proposed measure sets a total of 500 to 1,000 percent increase in campaign spending per voter for each elective position. Under the bill, those running for President and Vice President can spend up to 50 per voter for their campaign. In RA 7166, candidates for these positions can only spend up to 10 per voter. Candidates for senators, district representatives, governor, vice governor, board members, mayor, vice mayor, and councilors can spend up to 30 per voter under HB 6095. Their expenditure cap limit set in the existing law is at 3 per voter. The proposed House bill also seeks to increase the expenses of political parties. For national candidates, the cap is at 50 per voter compared to the 5 per voter in the present statute. While local candidates, who dont have an expenditure limit in RA 7166, now has a cap of up to 30 per voter in the new measure. In effect, national candidates can spend up to 100 per voter while local candidates have up to 60 per voter as expenditure. Another provision in HB 6095 orders Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, National Economic and Development Authority, and Philippine Statistics Authority to adjust the authorized campaign expenses every six years. Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, one of the six who voted against the bill, said the bill favors the rich and powerful during the elections. It distorts the already skewed election playing field to the benefit of rich and powerful political families who have the means to max out their campaign expenses, while eligible ordinary Filipinos had to make do with limited exposure, said Brosas. Candidates seen to be overspending will be charged under the Omnibus Election Code, with penalties of imprisonment of one year to six years, disqualification from holding public office, and removal of one's right to vote. Losing senatorial bet and former Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas was the biggest campaign spender in the 2019 senatorial elections, with 179,193,153.04. He also received the biggest amount of contributions, amounting to 167,050,000.00. While Senator Bong Go came in second with 161,418,299.31 and got contributions amounting at 162,035,537.34. The Senate version of the bill currently hangs in the committee level and needs to pass on second and third readings there. Both chambers need to pass the bill before President Rodrigo Duterte signs it into a law. During the 17th Congress, the House passed a similar bill but failed to get the nod in the Senate. READ: The cost of winning: How politicians fund their campaigns Larry Kramer, the pioneering AIDS activist who died on Wednesday, May 27, was many things: an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter; a controversial novelist; an acclaimed playwright; and one of the most important leaders in the movement for LGBTQ equality of the last 50 years. But more than anything else, to the end of his 84 years on earth, he was an indefatigable hell-raiser. He was, in the words of Susan Sontag, one of Americas most valuable troublemakers. When the American establishment wanted to ignore the hundreds of thousands of gay men who were dying of AIDS in the 1980s and 1990s, Kramer gave blistering speeches, wrote harrowing plays and relentlessly spoke truth to power. He helped get life-saving drugs approved faster, and he was a ferocious combatant of discrimination against queer people. In 1981, Kramer was one of the founders of the first AIDS service organization in America, the Gay Mens Health Crisis, which endures to this day. In 1987, he co-founded ACT UP, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, a confrontational direct action protest group. In an interview with NBC News in 2002, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease, observed that there were two eras of medical history: before Larry Kramer and after Larry Kramer. In Ronald Reagans 1980s, people living with AIDS were routinely labeled victims and were expected to passively follow the guidance of their doctors as they trudged obediently toward an inevitable death. Kramers anger could both galvanize and repel. I was trying to make people united and angry, he once explained. I was known as the angriest man in the world, mainly because I discovered that anger got you further than being nice. And when we started to break through in the media, I was better TV than someone who was nice. Although he spent 50 years of his life in New York City, his influence was felt far beyond Manhattan including Houston from the stages of The Alley Theatre and the mean streets of Montrose to the vaunted position of grand marshal of the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade, Dallass annual LGBTQ pride celebration, in 2009. In 1987, at the height of the fear and loathing of the early days of the HIV crisis in Houston, The Alley Theatre bravely staged Kramers landmark AIDS drama, The Normal Heart in a moving production directed by George Anderson. The piece was an autobiographical and passionate appeal, documenting in piercing detail Kramers experience watching helplessly as his circle of friends, and finally the man he loved, were extinguished by AIDS from 1981 to 1984 in New York City. In a quintessentially Kramer moment, the playwright took full advantage of press interviews designed to promote the Alleys production to rebuke Houston and the state of Texas for doing so little to help Texans living with AIDS. Im told that the AIDS Foundation of Houston doesnt get one penny of city or state support, which is shameful, he told the Houston Chronicle. But Kramers most lasting and profound impact on Houston was in the flowering in the early 1990s of Queer Nation Houston, a confrontational group of LGBTQ activists who jolted the gay community into an uprising to combat anti-gay violence and to fight discrimination against Texans living with HIV. Queer Nation had learned the lessons of ACT UP and Kramer well, creating highly theatrical street protests with strong visuals that were catnip to TV news cameras. When a gay banker was brutally murdered on the streets of Montrose in 1991 and an obvious hate crime received little attention, Queer Nation mobilized a protest that brought out 1,000 people who shut down traffic at the intersection of Montrose and Westheimer for over an hour, placing the murder on the front page of the newspapers and at the top of every newscast. When former Klansman and notorious anti-Semite David Duke brought his hate filled presidential campaign to League City in 1992, Queer Nation infiltrated a packed rally, and at a climactic moment, unfurled a banner declaring Nazi go home! I was a member of Queer Nation, and was both terrified and inspired by the audacity of Kramers rage and fearlessness. How could he relentlessly call out presidents and powerful elected officials for their negligence in responding to the AIDS crisis? I was not the only gay man who Kramer helped to find his voice and own his power. Larry Kramer valued every gay life at a time when so many gay men had been rendered incapable of valuing our own lives, wrote the author Dan Savage on Twitter. He ordered us to love ourselves and each other and to fight for our lives. Thirty-three years after the founding of ACT UP, another pandemic is sweeping across America, targeting African Americans and Latinos with a lethal ferocity. And another president is negligently bungling the governments response to a public health crisis. Four decades after he took his rage to the streets with ACT UP, the example of Larry Kramers life and his relentless hell-raising remain profoundly relevant in this particular American moment. Edmonson serves on the board of directors of The Oral History Project, which is capturing, preserving and sharing the stories of Houstons response to the AIDS crisis. He won the Award of Special Merit from the Texas Chapter of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. Family members of George Floyd are set to receive the result of a private autopsy on Monday after rejecting the medical examiners official ruling that he hadnt died from strangulation. Floyd, 46, died in Minneapolis police custody last Monday after being restrained by officer Derek Chauvin, who had pinned him to the ground and kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes, ignoring his repeated cries of I cant breathe. An autopsy conducted by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office the following day found no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation. The report also said Floyd had underlying health conditions, including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease. In conclusion, the medical examiner ruled Floyd likely died from a combination of underlying health conditions and potential intoxicants in his system that were exacerbated by the restraint placed on him by police officers. But the notion was vehemently rejected by the Floyd family, who enlisted the services of renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden to conduct a second, independent autopsy. They say the underlying health conditions cited in the official report are an illusion. The preliminary results of an autopsy on George Floyd have found he died from a combination of heart disease and potential intoxicants in his system that were exacerbated by the restraint placed on him by police officers not by strangulation or asphyxiation Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white cop who has since been arrested, was seen in footage kneeling on Floyd's neck for eight minutes as the victim repeatedly said he could not breathe (incident pictured) The family and I reject this notion from the Minneapolis Medical Examiner that the knee from the police officer on Georges neck for almost nine minutes was not the proximate cause of his death, the Floyd familys lawyer, Ben Crump said in a statement over the weekend. The family does not trust anything coming from the Minneapolis Police Department. How can they?' attorney Ben Crump said. 'We already saw the truth.' Ben Crump and S. Lee Merritt said in a press conference Friday that they have called on Dr. Michael Baden, a renowned forensic pathologist, to conduct an independent autopsy instead of the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office. Dr. Baden conducted a separate autopsy on Eric Garner, whose death in 2014 while being placed in an unauthorized chokehold by NYPD Officer Daniel Panteleo was also captured on video. Panteleo wasn't criminally charged but was fired from the police force in 2019. Dr. Baden also previously conducted an autopsy on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that suggested he may have been murdered, in addition to testifying at the OJ Simpson murder trial. The results of Baden's autopsy on Floyd are expected back today, after he flew from New York to Minneapolis to carry out the independent investigation on Saturday. Crump will announce the results at 3pm ET. 'We're going to take custody back of George Floyd's body, and we're bringing in Dr. Michael Baden to perform an independent autopsy because we saw in the Eric Garner case and so many other cases where they have these people who work with the city come up with things that are such an illusion,' Crump said Friday. 'They're going to have their own autopsy. We're not going to rely on this DA or this city to tell us the truth. We already saw the truth. 'He had asthma, he had a heart condition - all these things that are irrelevant when they were living, breathing, walking, talking, just fine until the police accosted them,' Crump added. Former NYC medical examiner Dr. Michael Baden is a celebrity pathologist who carried out the private autopsy on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that suggested he may have been murdered. The family of George Floyd has hired him to conduct an independent autopsy Floyd family attorneys Ben Crump (left) and S. Lee Merritt (right) said in a press conference Friday that they have called on Dr. Michael Baden, a renowned forensic pathologist, to conduct an independent autopsy instead of the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office Floyd's family released this statement after the arrest of former police officer Derek Chauvin Baden, a former New York City chief medical examiner, confirmed to Fox News Friday that he had been asked to perform the autopsy by the family. They also called for a more serious charge to be brought against Chauvin and for the arrests of the other three officers who were fired alongside Chauvin over Floyd's death - J Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. 'We call on authorities to revise the charges [against Chauvin] to reflect the culpability of this officer,' the statement continued. 'We fully expect to see the other officers who did nothing to protect the life of George Floyd to be arrested and charged soon.' 'We need a national response -- we can no longer do this on a case-by-case basis' Merritt said. 'We have been dealing with the pandemic of racism and discrimination for far too long,' said Ben Crump. 'It is a pandemic, a national pandemic, we cannot keep looking at this regionally, this is affecting all African Americans, this a state of emergency. If we don't address this in the next month or two we will see another senseless, unjustifiable killing of an African American at the hands by people who are police or pretend to be police.' Floyd, who was being arrested for forgery, is repeatedly heard telling officers he can't breathe. About four minutes into the video, he appears to lose consciousness The incident has drawn comparisons to the case of Eric Garner (pictured) an unarmed New York man who died in 2014 after he was placed in a chokehold by police and pleaded for his life saying he couldn't breathe 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. Floyd repeatedly asked for the officer to get off his neck but Chauvin remained. Chauvin is also heard saying that Floyd will be 'staying put where we got him'. Video showed Floyd was unresponsive for the last 2 minutes and 53 seconds. He died minutes later in police custody. Chauvin was fired along with three other officers hours after the footage emerged. A criminal complaint was filed against Chauvin Friday in which he was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. In the days since, protests erupted in Minneapolis last week before spreading to the White House, New York City and to numerous other states across the weekend. Though the protests began peacefully, the majority have since descended into chaos, becoming riots dominated by violence, vandalism and looting. George Floyd's younger brother, Terrence (pictured), has spoken out about the violent riots that have spread across several major US cities, calling for the 'destructive unity' to come to an end Terrence (pictured with Floyd) said his brother 'was about peace' and believes the violence happening during demonstrations is 'overshadowing' Floyd's memory. Since last Thursday, authorities across the nation have arrested more than 4,100 people in 17 cities. At least three people have died since the protests began George Floyds younger brother, Terrence Floyd, appeared on Good Morning America on Monday, calling for the destructive unity to end. Terrence said his brother 'was about peace' and believes the violence happening during demonstrations is 'overshadowing' Floyd's memory. Since last Thursday, authorities across the nation have arrested more than 4,100 people. At least three people have died since the protests began. When asked what he thought about the violence at the protests, Terrence told GMA: 'I do feel like it's overshadowing what's going on. Like I said he [Floyd] was about peace. He was about unity. But the things that's transpiring now... they may call it unity but it's destructive unity. 'That's not what my brother was about,' Terrence added. 'It's OK to be angry, but channel your anger to do something positive or make a change another way because we've been down this road already,' Terrence told GMA. 'The anger, damaging your hometown is not the way he'd want,' he added. Welcome, DISH customer! Please note that we cannot save your viewing history due to an arrangement with DISH. Watchlist and resume progress features have been disabled. ACCEPT (TNS) Nearly three months after Connecticut courthouses were reduced to handling a severely limited number of criminal cases because of the coronavirus pandemic and some courthouses were closed completely, many defense attorneys are growing increasingly frustrated over the mounting backlog and the toll this is taking on defendants.New Haven Superior Court on the corner of Elm and Church Street in New Haven photographed on May 29, 2020.Photo: Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut MediaThe Judicial Branch has ignored private lawyers as stakeholders, said Jay Ruane of Ruane Attorneys in Shelton.Our complaints are falling on deaf ears, Ruane said. Were 10 weeks into this and theyve done nothing except saying Were working on it.Ruane said he has 47 criminal cases pending in Meriden Superior Court, whose courthouse has been closed since mid-March.Moreover, Ruane said, We have 13 attorneys in our firm with700 criminal cases pending in Connecticut.The state Judicial Branch administers the court system.Because of the delays and backlogs, Ruane said, Our clients are being kept in jail longer. Theyre sitting there, waiting for their day in court.Ruane is concerned that when defendants finally do get hearings, they will be more inclined to plead guilty rather than fight the charges because they need to get back to their jobs and other facets of their lives.New Haven Public Defender Beth Merkin, whose office is at New Haven Superior Court, noted: This holding pattern is a problem. Our clients are sitting in jail and theres little movement or activity on their cases. And its a horrible time to be incarcerated.Seven Connecticut inmates have died from COVID-19 and hundreds more have tested positive. The most recent inmate death was a 60-year-old man held at Osborn Correctional Institution, according to the state Department of Correction.But there are signs of a slow return to expanded operations in the courthouses. Chief Court Administrator and Judge Patrick Carroll III recently issued a news release that announced a partial resumption of operations in three courthouses that will re-open June 8; the Middlesex Judicial District Courthouse in Middletown, Rockvilles Geographic Area No. 19 Courthouse and the Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse in Torrington.Cassandra Day - The Middletown Press Middlesex Superior Court Middletown courthouse housePhoto: Digital First MediaBut some courthouses, including the one in Meriden, will remain closed, Carroll said, until further notice.Ten courts in Connecticuts state system have stayed open throughout the pandemic, although with cutbacks in hours and in the types of cases handled. These are the Supreme and Appellate courts; the Judicial District courthouses in Bridgeport, New Britain, New Haven and New London; the Geographical Area courthouses in Hartford and Waterbury; and the juvenile courts in Hartford and Bridgeport.New Haven Superior Court on the corner of Wall and Church Street in New Haven photographed on May 29, 2020.Photo: Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut MediaThe courthouses that have remained open are operating on limited hours: Mondays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those courthouses will continue to be closed Tuesdays and Thursdays until further notice.SafetyCarroll said the open courthouses will continue to handle only priority one business. This includes arraignments of defendants held on bond; arraignments of defendants in domestic violence cases; emergency child custody matters; and juvenile detention hearings.The Judicial Branch we left behind as this crisis emerged will not be the same Judicial Branch we return to, Carroll said.Masks, social distancing, hand sanitizers, limitations on the number of people allowed in courtrooms and courthouses and enhanced sanitization protocols are all going to be with us for the foreseeable future, the judge said. The remote processing and handling of court matters via video conference will now be routine components of the court system.Carroll added, This remains a fluid situation and frankly, there are some issues for which we dont yet have solutions. Our planning process will be deliberate and careful, guided by the desire to provide for the health and safety of everyone who works in or enters a courthouse. There is no other way to do it.Carroll was asked by the New Haven Register to address the complaints of private criminal defense attorneys such as Ruane that the Judicial Branch has not communicated well with them.Milford Connecticut Superior CourtPhoto: Viktoria Sundqvist / Hearst Connecticut MediaEverything we have done, we have immediately posted to our Judicial Branch website. Nothing could be more transparent, Carroll said in an email.As for the frustrations over when the courthouses might return to a semblance of normal operations, Carroll said: Given the nature of COVID-19, it is impossible to speculate when the Judicial Branch will return to full operations.Our goal is to resume court operations in as many courthouses as possible as quickly as possible but there are a myriad of public health and logistical issues which must be addressed, Carroll said. The resumption of business in currently closed facilities is largely dependent upon guidance from public health officials and implementation of safety measures that must be in place.Carroll said we are making steady progress toward that goal.RightsBut criminal defense attorney Michael Mosowitz, based in New Haven, said he and his clients are extremely frustrated over the pace of the judicial systems re-start. He said he hasnt been in a courthouse since mid-March, when the closures occurred.Everybodys waiting, he said. Its opening too slowly for peoples Constitutional rights.Moscowitz said he represents a defendant, a New Haven man, who is charged with robbery and assaulting a prison guard. A hearing on his competency to stand trial was ordered in March but we cant get to a hearing. Hes being held at a correctional facility on $150,000 bond and he has asked for a hearing on reducing his bond. But we cant do that until we stipulate his competency.Hes been in jail for close to a year and he tested positive for the coronavirus, Moscowitz said. Theyre keeping him isolated. But I cant do anything to help him.Moscowitz later called back to report a competency hearing has been scheduled for June 10.Ruane spoke of similar situations with his cases. I have plenty of clients who are in jail with cases pending.Ruane cited Asante Gaines , 23, who was arrested in January because police said he was linked with a shooting outside a Bridgeport courthouse that left four people wounded. But Gaines was charged with breach of peace and interfering with an officer. His bond was set at $5,000; he cant afford to post it and get out of jail while he continues to wait for his case to be heard. His next court date is listed as Aug. 19.The courthouse on Golden Hill Street, in Bridgeport, Conn.Photo: Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media file photoEvery couple of weeks he calls me from jail and asks, Whats going on? Ruane said. His charges are relatively minor but they caused him to be violated on his parole. But he cant get a parole hearing.Ruane, like Moscowitz, noted Constitutional issues are at stake. Ruane said: If you are charged with a crime, you have a fundamental right to confront your accuser.Moscowitz said Carrolls list of courthouses set to open June 8 should have included the one in Meriden. Compared with the soon-to-be-reopened courthouses in Rockville and Torrington, Moscowitz noted, Meriden has a much heavier caseload.TechnologyThe attorneys also expressed dismay over what they said is some of the technological limitations of the state court system.In federal court, Moscowitz said, if I have a hearing, all I have to do is go on Zoom (an online video meeting service).The state courts need to convert to Zoom so that the courts are accessible to everyone, he said. They need to open Zoom to the public. We have modern technology but theyre not taking advantage of it. They need to take bold steps.Moscowitz wants to do that June 10 competency on Zoom but he said he was told he must come to the courthouse and do a teleconference there.Moscowitz and Ruane said they think the states courts also need to allow attorneys to file criminal case motions electronically, via email. This is now allowed for civil cases.Carroll responded that technical limitations of legacy systems limit the opportunities for electronic filing by external users.But he said a new criminal/motor vehicle case management system has been under development for months.As for Zoom, Carroll said it is not being used because of security risks. We have successfully deployed and utilized other video conference programs, including WEBEX and Microsoft Teams to conduct a wide range of video conferenced proceedings across all divisions.New Haven States Attorney Patrick Griffin said his offices conference room has been converted into an arraignments room with a camera and screen linked to the main courtroom in New Haven Superior Court. Arraignments are handled three days a week.The judge sits in the courtroom with a Judicial District court reporter and a clerk, Griffin said. Its worked very efficiently.A New Haven public defender has a similar set-up in that office for use during those hearings. The defendant is also involved with the same remote set-up from where he or she is being held.Griffin said, I think well be operating remotely for the foreseeable future. But he noted that when sentencings resume, victims and their families will have the right to be present and to be heard. Griffin said the new rules about social distancing will have to be addressed.TrialsBut Griffin noted the Judicial Branch has suspended jury trials until further notice. He was reluctant to predict when they could resume.Moscowitz said jury cases are an important part of the case backlog. Were dependent on jurors. But will they be willing to come into the courthouse?Ruane noted a trial by a jury of ones peers is a fundamental legal right for Americans. But how are you going to put 30 strangers in a room for jury selection? Nobodys going to want to show up for jury duty.Carroll called jury trials an especially challenging issue. He cited a broad range of logistical and public health considerations to be addressed before trials can resume.We all share the common goal of getting the jury system back up and running as quickly as possible, he added. However, it would be imprudent to speculate as to when there will be a resumption of jury trials in Connecticut. There is no easy solution.Ruane raised a related issue: the sheer volume of people, many of them family members of victims and defendants, who customarily have flocked to the courthouses at 10 a.m. every weekday, the common time for pretrial cases to be heard.You have this massive influx of people, Ruane said. You amass a ton of bodies in a small courtroom to dispose of justice in two-to-three-minute clips. Thats not going to be healthy for anybody. Judges might be at risk because of their age.Asked if he has concerns for his own safety, Ruane replied, Absolutely. I have to be able to provide for my own health and safety. I have family; I have kids. How can I maintain social distancing with my clients? Theyre coming from jail, a high risk situation. How are they going to protect us?He said his father, James Ruane, is an attorney too but is over 70 years old, in a high risk category for COVID-19. I dont want to send him to a courthouse and put him at risk. I told him, You cant go. Youre officially retired until this is resolved. He said he wants to go in and fight for his clients.Carroll said that in addition to requiring masks, plexiglass barriers and hand sanitizer stations are being installed in the courthouses. Also, there will be a limit on the number of people allowed on an elevator at the same time.We also continue to review a myriad of other options such as staggered dockets and a significant expansion of court matters and proceedings being handled by virtual and remote means, Carroll said.Griffin asserted: We feel confident in my office that when the Go order is given for expansion, well be ready.Well be living with the threat of this pandemic certainly through the winter, Griffin said. The challenge for the Judicial Branch is to fashion a plan thats safe, efficient and fair. Queen Elizabeth II met former U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama for the first time in 2009. Since then, the Queen has grown fond of the couple with whom she has developed a special friendship with. In fact, a former royal staff revealed to author Tom Quinn about how the Queen would request her courtiers to arrange with Barack to come and visit London again even after his presidency. In Quinn's book entitled "Kensington Palace: An Intimate Memoir from Queen Mary to Meghan Markle," the said royal staffer also shared how her Majesty has developed a soft spot for the Obamas. "The Queen has a soft spot for Americans after meeting Barack Obama who she completely fell in love with," the insider told Quinn. Obamas Feel The Same Way Now, according to recently unearthed reports, the Queen's admiration for Obama is mutual, as the world leader has also developed a soft spot for her Majesty. In 2016, Obama made a heartwarming confession about the Queen. "She is truly one of my favorite people. "I confess I've also come back to wish Her Majesty the Queen a happy 90th birthday," Obama said during a joint press conference with former Prime Minister David Cameron, per Express U.K. Obama's good praises came after the Queen celebrated her 90th birthday. He also recalled their visit to the Queen at Windsor Castle earlier that day. It was their first stop during their three-day state visit. "Earlier today Michelle and I had the honor to join Her Majesty and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh as their guests at Windsor Castle where we conveyed the good wishes of the American people," Obama added. The former U.S. President and his wifer were also treated to a car ride with Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II from the castle grounds to the castle. Michelle joked about it, saying: "I have to say I have never been driven by a Duke of Edinburgh before. I can report that it was very smooth riding." Queen Elizabeth's Friendship With Nelson Mandela While it would be unusual for her Majesty to host Obama now that he is no longer President, he won't be the first one to be treated to such privilege. Nelson Mandela, who has developed a tight friendship with the Queen, has visited the Queen even after two years since he stepped down. Queen Elizabeth II and Mandela have developed a close friendship not everyone knew about. Zelda la Grange, who worked as Mandela's personal assistant for years, shared details of the close relationship of her Majesty to one of the world's most admired leaders. In her memoir "Good Morning, Mr. Mandela," she shared that Mandela would call the Queen by her first name and she did the same to him. "On a visit to Britain, I was struck by the warm friendship between Madiba and the Queen. 'Oh Elizabeth,' he would say when he greeted her, and she would respond: 'Hello, Nelson,'" Grange revealed. Zindzi Mandela also shared her dad's endearing nickname for her Majesty. In a report released by Hello magazine, Zindzi recalled meeting Prince Harry in Copenhagen for the first time. She revealed talking to him about his grandmother's relationship with her father. "He used to call her 'Lizzie.'" Zindzi said. Popular Kenyan female rapper Femi One has praised Ghanas President, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, describing him as far better compared to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. Femi who was expressing her disappointment at a cross-section of Ghanaians who have never found anything good with Akuffo Addos leadership said that she and her fellow Kenyans wish they had Akuffo Addo as their President. Expressing her opinion on Twitter, she wrote, Ghanaians youre always yapping about your President Nana Addo We Kenyans wish if we could give you our President just for two days you feel the difference. Nana Addo is far wa better than President Uhuru Kenyatta Ghanaians you're always yapping about your President Nana Addo ...We Kenyans wish if we could give you our President just for two days you feel the difference. Nana Addo is far wa better than President Uhuru Kenyatta FEMI ONE (@femione) May 31, 2020 President Akuffo Addo has received considerable praises from Nationals of other countries for his management of affairs in the country, especially since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.He has also received considerable criticism from a section of Ghanaians who have accused him of not doing enough to help citizens during these difficult times. 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 Shimla, June 1 : Jagdish Chander Sharma has been appointed as new Principal Secretary to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, replacing Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Sanjay Kundu, who is the new Director General of Police. Sharma, also a horticulturalist, will also hold an additional charge of the PWD, Excise and Taxation, besides Information and Public Relations. In a major administrative reshuffle, 22 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers and two Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services (HPAS) officers were transferred on Sunday night. R.N. Batta is the new adviser to the Chief Minister, besides holding the additional charge of Principal Private Secretary to him. Batta replaced HPAS officer Vinay Singh, who has been appointed Special Secretary to the Chief Minister. Ram Subagh Singh is now the Additional Chief Secretary of MPP and power, and ndustries. He will continue to hold the additional charge of HP State Electricity Board Ltd as its chairperson. Sanjay Gupta is the Additional Chief Secretary (Forests) R.D. Dhiman has been appointed the Additional Chief Secretary of Health and Family Welfare, Personnel and Language, Art and Culture. Rakesh Kanwar has been appointed as the Managing Director of HP Power Corporation Ltd. He will continue to hold additional charges as state Project Director with zero budget natural farming. The coronavirus crisis could be preventing thousands of people from completing the final steps to receive U.S. citizenship, activist groups say. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the agency that processes citizenship requests. It suspended its in-person services on March 18 to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. A message on the agencys website says the suspension will remain in place until at least June 4. The process of becoming an American citizen is known as naturalization. The final step in this process is to take an oath of loyalty to the country at an official ceremony. Wendy De Los Santos is a 38-year-old medical assistant who lives outside Boston, Massachusetts. She came to the United States from the Dominican Republic. She has passed all naturalization requirements except for the final step of publicly declaring the oath. In the middle of March, officials said they would tell her in a few weeks when she could complete the final requirement. She is still waiting for that information. It is causing some anxiety. It would be nice to finish the process, even if it has to be done virtually, De Los Santos told The Associated Press. She noted that her daughter was able to continue taking school classes through a video conferencing system. Were here. Whats the problem? While many parts of American life have been able to keep operating online, the citizenship process has come to a halt. A few small naturalization ceremonies have taken place in some areas. But critics say the government has not been good at communicating to people when the final step will happen. Citizenship groups have warned that the delays could limit the rights of thousands of voters in the countrys elections later this year. Time limits for election registration are nearing in a number of states. Individuals seeking to vote must be citizens when they register or risk facing criminal charges or possible deportation, the groups say. This is yet another attempt to politicize access to voting, Kristen Clarke told the AP. She is president of the Washington, D.C.-based Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Clarke added that the final step for citizens should not be used as a way to keep people meeting all other requirements from voting. The deputy director of policy for USCIS, Joseph Edlow, said the agency is holding more ceremonies as it becomes better at finding new ways to operate. He said that federal law requires people to take their oath publicly and in person. Edlow noted that some parts of the ceremony cannot be done virtually, such as collecting permanent resident cards and issuing proof of citizenship documents. USCIS has not said exactly how many people have taken part in ceremonies since the coronavirus crisis began. But it said at least 85 have been planned through June 4 in 12 American cities. The agency also has not said how many people are waiting to complete the final citizenship step. But activist groups have estimated it could easily be in the hundreds of thousands. Earlier this month in Phoenix, Arizona, about 30 people a day took part in small naturalization ceremonies outside the USCIS office. The citizenship seekers wore face coverings as they waved small American flags while waiting to declare the oath. And in York, Pennsylvania, officials began completing oath ceremonies outside the local courthouse in the middle of May. About six people can take part in each ceremony. 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 oath n. a formal promise anxiety n. worry or concern virtually adv. using computer and internet technology to conduct activities normally carried out in person deportation n. the forced removal of a person from a country access n. a way of getting near, at or to something or someone deputy n. someone who has the second most important job in an organization resident n. someone who lives in a particular place An Australian television journalist has awkwardly stormed off camera after her cross about cinemas re-opening was cut short for coverage of the American riots. Sky News Adelaide bureau chief Emily Burley was presenting in front of Adelaide's Palace Nova Cinema on Monday morning when she was cut off by the network's Sydney studio. The cinema is understood to be the first to re-open its doors in Australia - having been shut for 10 weeks as part of social distancing restrictions. Producers wanted to switch to a story about the rolling protests on the streets of the US city Minneapolis following the alleged murder of African-American man George Floyd at the hands of a white cop on May 25. An Australian television journalist has awkwardly stormed off camera after her cross about cinemas re-opening was cut short for coverage of the American riots. Pictured: Demonstrators turn over a car during a protest over the death of George Floyd on Sunday in Washington Sky News Adelaide bureau chief Emily Burley was presenting in front of Adelaide's Palace Nova Cinema on Monday morning when she was cut off by the network's Sydney studio 'Sorry but we're going to take you live now to Minneapolis where authorities give an update on the rolling protests there,' the studio presenter said. But the decision to abruptly cut her off midway did not go down well with the Adelaide-based reporter, who visibly rolled her eyes before walking out of shot. It comes as chaos continues to unfold in cities across America, with cops clashing with protesters in New York on Sunday evening. The historic St. John's Church near the White House was set ablaze and police were attacked in Philadelphia on the sixth night of demonstrations denouncing the police killing of black man George Floyd. It comes as Australian reporters in the US put themselves in the firing line while covering the mass protests. Australian reporter Alexis Daish was left fearing for her life during the Los Angeles protests as a firework exploded metres away while she was live on air. She and her cameraman were filming in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon local time when the firework round exploded nearby. Tensions have escalated on the streets of Los Angeles over the weekend, almost 2000 miles away from where George Floyd died in Minneapolis on Monday Ms Daish was reporting live for Monday morning's edition of the Today show and was describing the chaotic scenes to Australian viewers when she was interrupted by a massive explosion and let out a chilling scream. The frightening ordeal comes a day after Ms Daish was confronted by protesters when she asked them to explain their outrage. 'We're tired of people like you guys telling us how to feel about our own lives,' one of the protesters said pointing at the young blonde reporter. 'This anger is coming from hundreds of years,' he went on to say. 'Three people in two weeks... How many times does this have to happen?' Another protester added: 'We have done everything white people have asked us to do.' New Delhi, June 1 : The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Anil Baijal, on Monday paid his condolences to the family members of a sanitation worker employed with the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) who died of coronavirus, and directed for all possible help to his family. "Deeply saddened at the death of (the) sanitation worker of SDMC. His untimely demise is irreplaceable loss for the organisation. He will always be remembered as a COVID warrior. Directed for all possible help to his family. My sincere condolences to the family members," the LG said in a tweet. The SDMC also paid homage to the deceased worker, calling him a "Corona Warrior". "The SDMC pays homage to (the) members of his family... Safai Sainik, who made the greatest sacrifice in this fight against Covid-19," the civic body said in a tweet on Monday. This article, 5G myths, debunked: 5G doesn't cause COVID-19 and won't replace 4G, originally appeared on CNET.com. The next generation of high-speed mobile data, known as 5G, is live in many countries including the US, the UK and Australia. But as the new network rolls out, many misconceptions and confusion around the technology remain. Most recently, conspiracy theorists have tried linking 5G with the COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in people burning cell towers and many social media platforms, including Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, scrambling to curb the spread of this misinformation. This isn't completely surprising -- 5G will have an impact on many people's lives all around the world, so there are understandably still a lot of questions being asked. Not only will these 5G networks connect users to a super fast mobile network, but entire industries will benefit from the faster connectivity of 5G as well, like self-driving cars, drones and the internet of things. As the 5G rollout continues throughout 2020, it's predicted that there will be 1 billion 5G customers by 2023. To learn more about 5G, we're debunking a few 5G myths. And if you want to know more about 5G in general, read our FAQ: Everything you need to know about the 5G revolution. Is 5G safe? One of the biggest concerns people have about 5G is that the network's radio frequency will be unsafe, expose people to radiation and cause cancer. The fears aren't completely unfounded -- a 2011 report from the World Health Organization suggested that cellphone radiation should be listed as "possibly carcinogenic to humans." In 2016, a study funded by the US government showed a link between radio frequency radiation and cancers in rats. And popular phones like the iPhone and Galaxy handsets may exceed the level of radio frequency radiation allowed by the FCC. But the link between cancer and phones may be overstated. For one thing, a number of things that we encounter every day are considered to be carcinogenic hazards to some degree, including diesel fuel, aloe vera and pickled food. The aforementioned 2016 study also exposed male rats to levels of radiation that exceeded radiation levels that humans would come across from their cellphones. Though it's too early to be 100% confident, we do know that on Aug. 8, after more than six years of research and review, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai circulated a proposal to deem cellphones, including ones that use 5G, as safe. As CNET Senior Writer Maggie Reardon reported, that includes "current exposure levels for cellphones, wireless towers, Wi-Fi routers and all other devices emitting RF signals." In addition, "Agency officials ... don't have any concern for new gear using 5G technology, including gear that uses millimeter wavelength frequencies." Related: Is 5G linked to COVID-19? With the unprecedented outbreak of the novel coronavirus, many conspiracy theorists posited the idea that 5G is the cause of the virus. In addition, one Facebook user reported that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates created 5G to decrease the world's population. These claims have no scientific merit. According to scientists, health experts and doctors, the new coronavirus is the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease, and is spread through person-to-person contact -- not 5G networks or radio waves. For more of our coverage, read CNET's FAQ, Coronavirus explained: Symptoms, lockdowns and all your COVID-19 questions answered. Will 5G replace 4G? Will I need a new phone? While you will need a 5G phone to access a 5G network, it doesn't mean you need one to reap some of its speed benefits. In fact, as the next-gen network rolls out, you may experience faster speeds on 4G as well (more on that below). In addition, 5G is not replacing 4G altogether. Rather, it's building on top of existing 4G networks. All major carriers in the US and around the world are a ways away from a solid network-wide rollout. Even if 5G is available in your area, your phone isn't obsolete just yet. It will still work perfectly fine on 4G. For more on this topic, read No, 5G isn't going to make your 4G LTE phone obsolete. But will my current phone be faster? According to a GSMA Intelligence report, 15% of global mobile connections will be on 5G by 2025. By that same year, 4G LTE usage will be about 59% -- an increase from 43% in 2018. In short, 5G will not replace LTE in the way that 4G did with 3G when it launched. Taking that into consideration, those with 4G phones may see a boost in speed as 5G networks roll out. This is due to two reasons: dynamic spectrum sharing and carrier aggregation. Coming to the US in 2020, DSS technology allows carriers to employ the same spectrum band for 4G and 5G. As people transition to 5G, "lanes" for 4G will be kept open for smart home devices and users who aren't on 5G yet. As more people leave 4G, its capacity increases and so will speeds. Carrier aggregation allows carriers to combine 4G signals with other 4G signals, which will result in "a huge performance and capacity lift," according to Verizon's vice president of technology, Heidi Hemmer. 5G builds on 4G technology too, so you'll also experience lower latency periods (aka: the time between when your phone pings the network and when it responds) as carriers develop their 5G networks. Will 5G force me into an unlimited data plan? Depending on the carrier the answer is most likely yes, for now. In the US, Verizon has four unlimited plans and three of them include 5G for an extra $10 a month on top of the regular plans. Two of AT&T's unlimited plans include 5G (one is called "Extra" for $40 per line a month and the other is "Elite" for $50 per line a month). T-Mobile, which has merged with Sprint, is an exception in the US. Its 5G service will be unlimited but won't cost more than its existing 4G plans. In general, 5G plans will cost more but don't expect carriers to be completely clear and transparent about it. As CNET Executive Editor Roger Cheng reported, "LTE didn't cost any more when it first came out; you just needed to buy a new phone. But pricing models do change over time. Since 4G launched, carriers both took away unlimited plans and brought them back." Angela Lang/CNET Will 5G allow me to stream the best-quality video at all times? Not necessarily, as this depends on your video streaming service provider and your plan. Netflix, for example, has a Basic Plan that only lets you stream videos in standard definition. There is a more expensive Premium Plan too, where you can watch high-definition and ultra high-definition videos when available. And while most devices support Hulu's HD programming, its 4K Ultra HD content is currently only available on some devices included Apple TV (fifth generation or later), Chromecast Ultra, Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Xbox One and more. Disney Plus, however, gives all subscribers access to 4K and HDR high-quality video. Will 5G really allow for remote surgeries and autonomous vehicles? Back at MWC 2019 in February, CNET Senior Reporter Shara Tibken witnessed what was billed as the first live surgery over 5G that involved a doctor consulting the surgeon from another location. The doctor was able to relay instructions and draw on a video of the patient in real time, as surgeons were performing the procedure. While entire surgeries performed over 5G isn't going to be possible right away, there is little doubt that 5G will revolutionize the health care industry. Surgeries performed in remote areas with a doctor located in a different location will be possible over 5G since the network can handle the high bandwidth, quick responsiveness and low latency required to carry out such an endeavor. 5G can benefit the industry in other ways. High-definition streams and sophisticated imaging of patients can bring health experts into the home, and emergency responders can get immediate mapping and terrain information when they are out in the field (say, a firefighter receiving the schematics of a burning building in real time on an AR headset). As for autonomous cars, that won't likely come around for many years, if at all. But 5G is seen as "an enabler" and an "accelerator" for self-driving cars when it comes to communication, latency and bandwidth, according to Dmitri Dolgov, chief technology officer at Google's Waymo self-driving car business, in a May 2019 interview with VentureBeat. In addition, CNET Senior Editor Stephen Shankland reported that "C-V2X, a communications technology using the same 5G networks coming to our phones, will allow vehicles to communicate wirelessly with each other, with traffic signals and with other roadside gear, improving both functionality and safety. " Related: Will 5G really close the digital divide? Not exactly. While the US is ahead of some countries, such as China, Japan and Russia, with its 5G rollout, the switchover from 4G to 5G will be staggered. That means that while some pockets will have 5G initially, many larger areas will still be on 4G for a while. There are also many agricultural and rural areas in this country that still don't have internet, let alone high-speed internet or mobile data. This upcoming 5G era may actually widen the gap even further. Related: PHILADELPHIA and OXFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc (Adaptimmune)(ADAP), a leader in cell therapy to treat cancer, today announced that it intends to offer and sell 12,500,000 American Depositary Shares (ADSs) in an underwritten public offering. The offering is subject to market conditions, and there can be no assurance as to whether or when the offering may be completed, or as to the actual size or terms of the offering. Adaptimmune also expects to grant the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase additional ADSs at the public offering price. All of the ADSs in the offering are to be sold by Adaptimmune, with net proceeds to be used to advance the development of Adaptimmunes immunotherapies into and through clinical trials as well as for other general corporate purposes. Cowen and SVB Leerink are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering and Roth Capital Partners is acting as lead manager for the offering. A shelf registration statement on Form S-3 relating to the public offering of the ADSs described above was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on September 10, 2019. The offering is being made only by means of a written prospectus and prospectus supplement that form a part of the registration statement. A preliminary prospectus supplement relating to and describing the terms of the offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SECs web site at www.sec.gov. When available, copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement relating to these securities may also be obtained by sending a request to: Cowen and Company, LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY, 11717, Attn: Prospectus Department, by email at PostSaleManualRequests@broadridge.com or by telephone at (833) 297-2926; or SVB Leerink LLC, Attention: Syndicate Department, One Federal Street, 37th Floor, Boston, MA 02110, by telephone at (800) 808-7525, ext. 6218, or by emailing syndicate@svbleerink.com. Story continues This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of these securities, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is not permitted. For readers in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom In any EEA Member State and the United Kingdom (each, a Relevant State), this communication is only addressed to and directed at qualified investors in that Relevant State within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. The term Prospectus Regulation means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129. For readers in the United Kingdom This communication, in so far as it constitutes an invitation or inducement to enter into investment activity (within the meaning of s21 Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 as amended) in connection with the securities which are the subject of the offering described in this press release or otherwise, is being directed only at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) persons who have professional experience in matters relating to investments who fall within Article 19(5) (Investment professionals) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the Order) or (iii) certain high value persons and entities who fall within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (High net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc) of the Order; or (iv) any other person to whom it may lawfully be communicated (all such persons in (i) to (iv) together being referred to as relevant persons). The ADSs are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such ADSs will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this communication or any of its contents. About Adaptimmune Adaptimmune is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel cancer immunotherapy products for people with cancer. The Companys unique SPEAR (Specific Peptide Enhanced Affinity Receptor) T-cell platform enables the engineering of T-cells to target and destroy cancer across multiple solid tumors. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA). These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, and include, without limitation: the success, cost and timing of our product development activities and clinical trials and our ability to successfully advance our TCR therapeutic candidates through the regulatory and commercialization processes. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to our business in general, we refer you to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 14, 2020, and our other SEC filings. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date the statements were made and we do not undertake any obligation to update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Adaptimmune Contacts: Media Relations: Sebastien Desprez VP, Communications and Investor Relations T: +44 1235 430 583 M: +44 7718 453 176 Sebastien.Desprez@adaptimmune.com Investor Relations: By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan exported non-oil products worth $549 million in January- April 2020, which is 5.8 percent less compared to the same period last year, the Center for Analysis of Economic reforms and communication reported on June 1. Russia was the top exporter of Azerbaijans non-oil products, exporting $186.2 million (increase by 13 percent). Turkey exported non-oil exports worth $122.2 million (decrease by 17.3 percent), Georgia - $58.8 million (decrease by 5.6 percent), Switzerland - $48.5 million (increase by 9 percent) and China - $18.1 million (increase by 45 percent). In the list of non-oil exports for January-April 2020, tomatoes rank first ($73.3 million) followed by cotton ($44.3 million) and gold in raw form ($43.7 million). In total, during the first four months of 2020, exports of fruits and vegetables amounted to 153.9 million, plastics and plastic products to 60.5 million, cotton fiber to 45 million, aluminum and aluminum products to 25.8 million, chemical products to 26.5 million, electric power 34,3 million, ferrous metals and their products 15,1 million, cotton yarn 8,7 million, alcoholic and soft drinks 4,8 million and sugar 4,5 million. Moreover, in January-April 2020 Azercosmos OJSC exported services worth $ 16.6 million to 26 countries. Azercosmos' revenues from the export of services amounted to 90 percent of total revenues. Additionally, it was noted that in January-April 2020, Azexport.az portal received export orders worth $209.2 million. In April 2020, the value of export orders received by the portal amounted to $61.5 million, with an increase of 20.8 percent compared to the same month last year. Note that in the period between January 2017 and April 2020 (for 40 months), the value of export orders received by Azexport.az portal from 141 countries amounted to $1.8 billion. Furthermore, the value of non-oil exports through the Single Window Export Support Center in May 2020 amounted to $15.4 million. In January-May 2020, the Single Window Export Support Center issued relevant export certificates to hundreds of entrepreneurs, resulting in non-oil exports worth $46.7 million. In 2019, Azerbaijan's non-oil exports amounted to $1.9 billion. The Ministry of Economy estimates that Azerbaijan's non-oil exports will exceed $3 billion by 2024. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Stamp duty could be thrown out in New South Wales under a new taxation review to be handed to the state government this week, according to the AFR. On median house prices, Sydney and Melbourne buyers currently pay more than $40,000 in stamp duty. Under new possible arrangements, buyers may be able to decide whether they wish to pay the one-off stamp duty or a smaller annual land tax instead. Visit Business Insider Australia's homepage for more stories. Stamp duty may become the latest casualty of the COVID-19 crisis, as state governments reevaluate the golden goose of taxation. The New South Wales government is considering phasing out the tax in favour of a land tax as part of a broad taxation review to be handed down this week, according to the AFR. Victoria could also follow suit according to the report, in what would constitute the largest shakeup of state taxes in many years as the COVID-19 crisis puts large-scale reforms on the table. In what's shaping up to be a week for property reform, the news comes as the federal government is finalising a scheme that could hand homebuyers more than $20,000 in grants. The case against stamp duty Stamp duty, paid on top of a home's purchase price, represents an extra cost of tens of thousands of dollars. In Sydney and Melbourne, the country's most expensive capitals, the median house price attracts stamp duties in excess of $40,000, having tripled since 2004, according to Domain. Under the current system, those duties have come to be worth some $20 billion a year to state government coffers, entrenching them despite a growing army of critics. While that money has proven useful for funding state projects including schools, hospitals, and roads, state budgets quickly become dependent on rising property prices, as well as healthy buying and selling activity. Just as significantly, the sheer quantum of tax has had major implications on residents. With most people understandably reluctant to shell out $40,000 any more frequently than absolutely necessary, the large one-off tax produces economists' pet hate: inefficiency. Story continues For average punters, the translation is simple enough. The tax stops them from freely buying, selling, moving and chasing their preferred jobs if and when they desire. Land tax has often been touted as a substitute, but the transition is as important as the replacement Instead, economists, think tanks and other groups have long-advocated for stamp duty to be replaced by a broad-based land tax that would be paid over a number of years, under a more flexible arrangement. Such a tax wouldn't disincentivise movement, and would help free up housing stock, as people become more willing to upsize, downsize and move, advocates argue. Despite the evidence supporting such a reform, only the ACT government has actually made a move on it, waiving the tax for buyers with a combined income of less than $160,000. The reason no state government has ever had the appetite has been two-fold. Firstly, they fear losing votes by upsetting those residents who have already paid stamp duty. Secondly, such a transition would take longer than the three-year election cycle which most governments are inextricably bound to. "Thats why it hasnt happened the politics have been too hard," Domain economist Trent Wiltshire told Business Insider Australia last year, estimating the reform could provide a $17 billion boost to the economy. "Its not a reform that will offer a short-term boost. Its a difficult reform that will take a long time for the payoff to eventuate. Thats the payoff which has really been missing and the kind we really need to give the economy a boost." Therein lies the challenge now facing New South Wales, and perhaps Victoria. Both governments will be closely scrutinised on what they do next. One way forward reportedly on the cards for NSW would involve giving buyers a choice to either pay stamp duty in one lump sum or pay an annual land tax. Under the plan, those who have already paid stamp duty would be exempt from the land tax as long as they remain in the property on which they paid it. If successful, the transition could open the door for other states to abolish stamp duty for good. The potential bomber hasn't been identified yet. The Metro bridge in the city of Kyiv has been blocked over a bomb threat. The Kyiv police say they have received a phone call from eyewitnesses who have reported that on the bridge there was "a man who claims that a bomb has been planted" there and it may explode. Traffic along the bridge has been halted. Several subway stations in Kyiv Dnipro, Hydropark and Livoberezhna have been shut down over the threat, the municipally owned Kyiv Metropoliten's press service reported. On first photos taken on the scene, there is an unidentified man wearing a face mask, according to dtp.kiev.ua, a portal about local incidents, accidents and crimes. A bag whose contents are unknown is seen beside him. Police forces in large numbers have been pulled up there. Deputy Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko told UNIAN that the man had not been identified yet. "I don't know anything but I think it's a matter of hours," he told journalists on June 1. Journalist Max Nazarov said on Telegram that the offender had been detained. According to him, shots were heard during the detention. Videos of the detention have appeared on social media. MILWAUKEE, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Meyer Van Severen, S.C., a criminal defense law firm based in Milwaukee, WI, continues to expand its Wisconsin footprint. On June 1, 2020 the firm hired criminal defense attorney Conner Helvig. Additionally, the firm announced the opening of its Port Washington, WI office. Meyer Van Severen, S.C. Port Washington Office Criminal Defense Attorney Matthew Meyer Matthew Meyer, co-founder of the firm, expressed his excitement: "We've always been dedicated to helping people in tough situations. With the addition of Conner and the Ozaukee County office, we'll be in an even better position to do that. I'm looking forward to what the future holds for our firm." Meyer indicated the firm is exploring further expansion options throughout Wisconsin. "Opening up offices in various counties allows us to help on a local level. Not everyone can easily drive to our main office in Milwaukee." This is the second round of expansion for the firm in 2020. In March, the firm moved to a larger office in the Third Ward neighborhood of Milwaukee, WI after Gregory Isaac joined the team. About Meyer Van Severen, S.C. Meyer Van Severen, S.C. began serving clients facing criminal and drunk driving charges throughout Wisconsin in 2015. The criminal defense attorneys at Meyer Van Severen defend drunk driving, violent crime, firearm, homicide, child abuse, drug, domestic violence, property, and sexual assault cases. The firm handles cases at both the trial and appellate level. Prior to Mr. Helvig, the firm consisted of Matt Meyer, Ben Van Severen, Matt Last, and Gregory Isaac. Individuals seeking representation can contact Meyer Van Severen, S.C. directly at (414) 270-0202. For more information, please visit https://milwaukee-criminal-lawyer.com Contact To learn more about Meyer Van Severen, S.C., please contact Matthew Meyer, Partner 316 N. Milwaukee Street, Ste. 200 Milwaukee, WI 53202 Office: (414) 270-0202 [email protected] SOURCE Meyer Van Severen, S.C. Prince Charles is said to be walking and doing bodyweight exercises. (Getty Images) Prince Charles has been making the most of his military roots to keep up his fitness levels during lockdown, it has been claimed. Charles, 71, suffered with coronavirus early on in the pandemic in the UK, but only had mild symptoms, and made a good recovery. Hes said to believe his high level of fitness helped him. Charles served in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy between 1971 and 1976 and enjoys walking. According to the Daily Mirror, he has been bookending his days with a full body workout, that requires no equipment. The paper reports he does a series of stretches, sit-ups, back extensions, push-ups and scissor jumps. Charles skips lunch each day, and is also said to be going out for walks around Balmoral. He spent 40 years of his adult life playing polo, something his sons both play now too, and also cites scuba diving and sailing as interests on his website. Read more: Eight things we learned as Prince Charles turned DJ on Classic FM Prince Charles on board a Royal Navy's helicopter in 1972. (Getty Images) He and wife Camilla are staying in Birkhall, their Scottish home, where they have been since before the coronavirus lockdown. Camilla, 72, previously revealed she has been doing Pilates and taking ballet classes online to keep up her fitness levels during the pandemic. At the end of April, the duchess revealed her own secrets to keeping in shape during lockdown, which includes the Silver Swans online ballet classes offered by Royal Academy of Dance. Silver Swans classes are specifically designed for over-55s, and have been adapted to be safe for older people. Read more: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, 72, reveals impressive fitness regime that includes ballet and Pilates Charles and Camilla have been working from their home in Scotland. (Getty Images) Speaking about her daily exercise, she said: We have all got to keep active because if we dont we will seize up, we wont be able to get out of bed. It doesnt matter if it is 10 minutes or 20 minutes, it just starts off the day. I do a combination of a bit of Silver Swans, a bit of pilates and a lot of walking, which I love. Story continues Charles and Camilla were already integral members of the Royal Family, particularly as the Queen can not travel abroad any more. But they have made sure to be visible through a series of video call engagements which replace their usual day to day charity work. Charles was interviewed on Classic FM last week and then hosted his own programme, playing his favourite classical pieces and highlighting the problems faced by orchestras in lockdown. Xi stresses significance of Civil Code, better protecting people's legitimate rights, interests PLA Daily Source: Xinhuanet Editor: Chen Zhuo 2020-05-30 00:19:29 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sullivan refused to go along in early May when the government moved to abandon its long-running prosecution of Flynn, who admitted lying to the FBI in 2017 about his conversations with Russias ambassador to the United States before Trump took office. The departments change of heart 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 former special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed his deepest condolences at the loss of life due to lightning and thunderstorm in various districts of the state on May 30. He has announced a compensation of four lakh each for the kin of the deceased and proper treatment for the injured persons. The Chief Minister has directed the officers to provide relief and help the affected people with the utmost urgency. According to the latest report released by the Relief Commissioners Office, on May 30, a total of 43 people died in various districts of the state due to thunderstorm and lightning. Before Prince Harry met Meghan Markle, he was in a few other high-profile relationships. The prince dated actress Cressida Bonas for about two years, and perhaps his most notable relationship was with billionaire heiress Chelsy Davy, which lasted for six years. However, both relationships ended in breakups, and both had something to do with Harrys role as a prince. Prince Harry married Meghan Markle in 2018. | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Meghan Markle has had a difficult time in the royal spotlight Its no secret that Meghan hasnt had the easiest time in the royal family. When she and Harry started dating, the press instantly dug up anything they could on the former actress. The rumor mill started, and the royals had to release a statement asking that Meghan be left alone. When the two wed, things didnt get much easier. Though they both dedicated as much time as possible to being activists, the press harsh treatment of the duchess drove a wedge between her and the public and nothing was getting better with time. Eventually, Harry and Meghan filed a lawsuit, and a few months later, the two announced that they were permanently leaving the family. RELATED: Why the Medias Attacks on Meghan Markle Are Beyond Hypocritical Chelsy Davy always had doubts about becoming a royal Harry dated Chelsy Davy, the daughter of a Zimbabwean billionaire, for far longer than he dating Meghan before proposing. Yet, despite the length of their relationship, the two clearly did not end up together. It was later learned that the real reason the two didnt marry is because Chelsy never wanted to become a royal. It was so full-on: Crazy and scary and uncomfortable, Davy once said in an interview, according to Harpers Bazaar. I found it very difficult when it was bad. I couldnt cope. Chelsy and Harry remained friends, and she attended his 2018 wedding to Meghan. Cressida Bonas recently revealed she had a fear of joining the royal family Actress Cressida Bonas dated Harry from 2012 to 2014, and the two had an amicable split. But Bonas recently opened up in an interview about why the couples relationship didnt work out and it boiled down to her fear of becoming a royal. The fear of failing, the fear of rejection, the fear of not getting it right, the fear of not being perfect I think that has limited me in certain situations in my life, Bonas revealed, according to The Daily Telegraph. Still, the two have remained friends. Cressida was also a guest at Harry and Meghans wedding. Prince Harry and Cressida Bonas in 2014 | Karwai Tang/WireImage RELATED: Before Meghan Markle, Prince Harrys Ex Cressida Bonas Was Spooked and Overwhelmed By All the Media Attention Prince Harry has never loved being a royal, either Harrys ex-girlfriends didnt want to take on the royal duties, and he was never crazy about royal life, either. In a 2017 interview with Newsweek, Harry revealed that hed always wanted to be something other than Prince Harry. Though the world thinks his royal departure was Meghans doing, it might actually have been something he wanted all along. Its clear from how the press has treated Meghan that joining the royal family is no easy task, so it makes sense why his former love interests never had an interest in it themselves. Asian investors are the buyers in most M&A and capital contribution deals in Vietnam. However, more and more investors from the US and EU have appeared in recent deals. Reports all show increased interest of American and European investors in Vietnamese businesses. The US is in the top 10 countries and territories with the highest value of M&A. Thoi bao Kinh Te Sai Gon cited a report of the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) as showing that in the last four months, US investors carried out 101 transactions of buying into Vietnams enterprises with total value of $68.58 million. The figures represent an increase of nine deals and two times in value in comparison with the same period last year. Analysts noted that at the same time, only 37 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects from the US were licensed with total investment capital of $25.5 million. This means that the total FDI capital from the US was just equal to 1/3 of the value of M&A deals made by the US investors. Even European countries, which always had low number of M&A transactions, have also begun buying into more Vietnams businesses. In the first four months of the year, France had 78 M&A transactions with total value of $27 million. Though the value of the M&A decreased by $11 million, there were 37 more transactions than the same period last year. In the last four months, US investors carried out 101 transactions of buying into Vietnams enterprises with total value of $68.58 million. The figures represent an increase of nine deals and two times in value in comparison with the same period last year. As for the UK, the country made 32 M&A deals with total registered capital of $38.56 million, an increase of 14 transactions. The Netherlands made 15 M&A transactions with contributed capital of $46 million. The figures were 27 and $4.74 million, respectively, and Switzerland had 14 transactions. Other European countries, including Denmark, Belgium, Italy and Finland also had M&A deals in Vietnam. Analysts noted that following Asian investors, the investors from the EU and US also want to invest in Vietnams businesses, which can help them penetrate the Vietnamese market quickly and more cheaply. FIA reported that foreign investors have invested $2.5 billion in Vietnam through M&A deals in the first four months of the year. The figure represents a 34.7 percent decrease in value, but 33 percent in number of deals (3,210). South Korea topped the list of biggest investors with 1,042 capital contribution deals (+ 267 deals), followed by China with 557 deals (+ 154). However, considering the total value of the deals, Japanese will be in the No 1 position. They only had 287 deals, but the amount of capital they spent was the biggest - $743 million. An analyst commented that now is the right time to buy into Vietnams enterprises. As enterprises have become weaker in Covid-19, they have become cheaper. Kim Chi Is Vietnam ready to receive new FDI wave after Covid-19? Prof Nguyen Mai, an expert on FDI, and chair of the Vietnam Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises (VAFIE), pointed out three problems in the picture of FDI in Vietnam. (Natural News) Bill Gates is the worlds largest vaccine producer and the single largest donor to the World Health Organization (WHO)since President Trump halted U.S. support pending an investigation of WHOs handling of the COVID-19 crisisand the CDC Foundation. Those agencies are now marketing arms for his vaccine empire. (Article by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. republished from ChildrensHealthDefense.org) In January of 2019, Gates had WHO declare vaccine hesitancy a top global health threat (with Ebola, HIV, war, and drug-resistant pathogens among others), signaling a worldwide Pharma Gold Rush to mandate vaccines to all people. Gates maxed-out in donations to Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiffs PAC. In February of 2019, Schiff wrote to Facebook, Google, and Amazon, demanding they censor vaccine misinformation, a term meaning all skepticism toward government and industry pronouncements about vaccine safety or efficacywhether true or not. Vaccines are both effective and safe, Schiff wrote. There is no evidence to suggest that vaccines cause life-threatening or disabling disease. This was misinformation. A year earlier, Schiff pushed a bill to hike the Vaccine Court admin budget to $11,200,000 to reduce vaccine injury backlogs. The court had already paid out $4 billion for vaccine deaths and disabilities. Facebook and Pinterest said that they will rely on Gatess WHO and CDC to say which online statements are misinformation or hoaxes. Facebook and Google hired FactChecker (Politifact) to censor vaccine misinformation. The Gates Foundation is FactCheckers largest funder. In his article, Facebook Fact-Checker Misinforms Users about Vaccine Safety investigative journalist Jeremy Hammond concludes, Facebook is guilty of misinforming its users about vaccine safety. . . .They have no problem with lies about vaccine safety and effectiveness, as long as its intended to persuade parents to vaccinate their children. On May 4, 2017, FactChecker declared false Del Bigtrees statement, Vaccines include aluminum and mercury, which are neurotoxins, and vaccines cause encephalopathy. FactChecker explained, Current data show vaccines are safe and do not cause toxicity or encephalopathy. Manufacturers inserts reveal that many vaccines contain aluminum and mercury, and cause encephalopathy. Finally, massive gifts to NPR and PBS buy Gates biased vaccine coverage from public media. Read more at: ChildrensHealthDefense.org HOUSTON, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) and Energy Capital Partners, LLC, (ECP), a private equity and credit investor specializing in energy infrastructure projects, today announced that they have closed on the sale of CenterPoint Energy Services, Inc. (CES) to an affiliate of ECP. Net proceeds of the sale will be used to repay a portion of outstanding CenterPoint Energy debt. In connection with the closing of the transaction, CES changed its name to Symmetry Energy Solutions, LLC, (Symmetry Energy) and entered into a structured long-term Preferred Supply agreement through which Shell Energy North America (US), L.P. will provide gas supply and collateral support, as well as receive equity warrants. "We are pleased to have completed this transaction as we continue to focus on the long-term performance of our core electric and natural gas utility businesses," said John W. Somerhalder II, interim president and chief executive officer of CenterPoint Energy. "We appreciate CenterPoint Energy Services' contribution to our business and feel confident that ECP is the right company to continue growing CES, now Symmetry Energy Solutions, and position it for long-term success." Incoming Symmetry Energy CEO Alan Dunlea said, "I am excited to lead a talented team in the next phase of Symmetry Energy's growth, with a commitment to continue delivering innovative solutions and superior service to our broad base of customers." Andrew Gilbert, a partner at ECP said, "ECP looks forward to partnering with Symmetry Energy and its employees to extend the company's long track record of reliable gas supply and customer service." Headquartered in Houston, Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission & distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. CenterPoint Energy's competitive energy businesses include energy-related services, energy efficiency and sustainability solutions, and owning and operating intrastate natural gas pipeline systems that help fund utility operations. As of March 31, 2020, the company owns approximately $33 billion in assets and also owns 53.7 percent of the common units representing limited partner interests in Enable Midstream Partners, LP, a publicly traded master limited partnership that owns, operates and develops strategically located natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets. With approximately 9,600 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com. Energy Capital Partners, founded in 2005, is a North American-focused investor across both equity and credit infrastructure assets, including natural gas power generation, renewables and storage solutions, midstream, environmental infrastructure and opportunistic energy situations emphasizing the transition to clean energy while avoiding the more volatile energy subsectors like exploration and production. The ECP team, comprised of 61 people with 600 years of collective industry experience, deep expertise and extensive relationships, has consummated more than 60 transactions over the last 10 years, representing more than $45 billion of enterprise value. Forward-Looking Statement The statements in this press release contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements made in good faith by us and are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "objective," "plan," "potential," "predict," "projection," "should," "target," "will" or other similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions of management which are believed to be reasonable at the time made and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to benefits of the sale, use of proceeds, future strategies and future growth. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release speaks only as of the date of this release. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the provided forward-looking information include risks and uncertainties relating to: (1) the impact of COVID-19; (2) financial market conditions; (3) general economic conditions; (4) the timing and impact of future regulatory and legislative decisions; (5) effects of competition; (6) weather variations; (7) changes in business plans; and (8) other factors discussed in CenterPoint Energy's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, CenterPoint Energy's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 and other reports CenterPoint Energy or its subsidiaries may file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. CenterPoint Energy Communications CenterPoint Energy Investor Relations Elizabeth Reese: 713-207-7736 David Mordy: 713-207-6284 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE CenterPoint Energy, Inc. Related Links http://www.centerpointenergy.com Last May, Egypt began repatriating nationals stranded in Kuwait after Kuwaiti authorities broke up riots by Egyptian workers with invalid residencies seeking to return home Around 1,643 Egyptians stranded in Kuwait are set to return to Egypt through seven slights on Monday, Kuwaits Civil Aviation Authority announced in an official statement. According to the statement, six airliners, including EgyptAir with three flights, will head to Cairo on Monday. The other carriers include Kuwaits Jazeera Airways and Kuwait Airways. Another flight will be operated to the Red Seas Marsa Alam on Egypts Air Cairo, according to the statement. The seven flights will run until 10 pm on Monday, it added. Egyptians in Kuwait and other Gulf countries have been pleading to get repatriated during the past weeks. Last May, Egypt began repatriating nationals stranded in Kuwait after Kuwaiti authorities broke up riots by Egyptian workers with invalid residencies seeking to return home. Egypt has closed its airports to international flights since mid-March as part of the preventive measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus. It is mainly keeping its airspace open to cargo and domestic flights during the flight suspension. Egypt is just operating flights to repatriate its citizens abroad and has returned home at least 12,000 Egyptians so far. The government is covering the cost of those staying at university hostels. Those willing to spend their quarantine period at designated hotels in the Mediterranean city of Marsa Alam will have to pay for their stay. Those arriving on Monday will be placed under a seven-day quarantine after the Egyptian health ministry decided in May to shorten the mandatory quarantine period for overseas returnees from 14 days to one week. Search Keywords: Short link: First-term Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey appeared to be doing everything right. He worked with the citys booming business community and the City Council. He reached out to minority neighborhoods and advocated for affordable housing. He implemented stricter disciplinary measures against police who violated the citys body camera policy. When George Floyd, a handcuffed black man, died on May 25 after a white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes and ignored his I cant breathe pleas, Frey quickly expressed outrage and called for charges against the officer. Four officers were fired the next day, and on May 29, Officer Derek Chauvin was charged in Floyds death. But Freys leadership is being questioned after police failed to quell several nights of rioting, fires and ransacking of local businesses that followed Floyds death. Frey, who pleaded for calm, also approved the decision to abandon the citys 3rd Precinct station on Thursday night, surrendering it to protesters who set fire to the building. The night the station burned, Frey appeared at an early-morning news conference after hours of criticism on social media for a police response that didnt confront the violence despite the activation of the National Guard. As he began talking, one reporter snapped, Whats the plan here? Frey struggled to answer, and the next morning, Gov. Tim Walz like Frey, a Democrat criticized the abject failure of the citys response and said the state had taken control. President Donald Trump took to Twitter to call Frey a very weak Radical Left Mayor and threatened to get involved. By early Saturday morning, it was Walz who found himself struggling with the enormity of the challenge, conceding that he didnt have enough people to cope with the protests and moving to mobilize another 1,000 Guard members. Walz also took pains to praise Frey, who appeared alongside him after another night of unrest. Some wonder whether Freys approach to the crisis might damage his chances for reelection next year. The 38-year-old former lawyer, community organizer and one-term City Council member took office in 2018 after defeating Betsy Hodges, whose time as mayor was marred by two high-profile police shootings. The 2015 shooting of 24-year-old black resident Jamar Clark after a scuffle with two white police officers set off weeks of protests; neither officer was charged. The 2017 shooting of unarmed Australia native Justine Ruszczyk Damond, who had called 911 to report a possible sexual assault behind her house, provoked an international outcry. The black officer in that case was convicted of third-degree murder and is serving a 12 1/2-year term. Frey campaigned partly on a promise to add police officers. But a City Council committee this spring voted against applying for a federal grant to hire 10 new officers for traffic enforcement, with one member saying he worried it would exacerbate racial disparities in vehicle stops. Community activist Mel Reeves, who said he has led rallies to protest Floyds killing, refused to discuss the mayors response except to say that Frey had been put in a difficult position. He said the black community doesnt trust police and prosecutors to do the right thing. The mayor is new, and he said all the right things, Reeves said. This is not about the mayor; its about the police department. The day after the 3rd Precinct fire, University of Minnesota political science professor Larry Jacobs said Frey was out of his depth and clearly unable to understand what he has to do to restore order while also creating the kind of healing that has to happen in Minneapolis. He said abandoning the police station sent a powerful message that the city was not in control. There needs to be another message: `Here is the line and order will be maintained, said Jacobs. Youve got businesses that are just shocked without words to see property going up in flames, often with no police intervention at all. You have the black community (that has) heard his words but does not believe them. He worked really hard at those relationships and they appear to be in tatters. And I think a lot of residents are unnerved by the violence and the chaos. Jonathan Weinhagen, president and CEO of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber, said the mayor still has his support, and that many businesses damaged by the violent protests, including those owned by minorities and immigrants, want to rebuild. There is a lot of fear right now. If your store has been hit, you feel violated, said Weinhagen, adding that some businesses already were suffering because of the coronavirus restrictions. They were just beginning to see some light and this hit. But he believes the mayor is leading with his values and getting a lot of things right, including requesting the Guard assistance and implementing a curfew Friday and Saturday nights. Jacobs, the political scientist, said Frey has been energetic, upbeat and dynamic, effectively leading the fast-growing city. But his inexperience with crisis management has shown. Until about a week ago, he looked to be on glide path to reelection, and within a week, his mayorship looks like its crumbled, Jacobs said. Webber reported from Fenton, Michigan. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Abuse Molestation Law Enforcement New Delhi: Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin on Saturday vowed to block any peaceful political resolution to the Kashmir conflict. Speaking to Times of India from Muzaffarabad PoK, Kashmirs most-wanted terrorist threatened to train more Kashmiri suicide bombers, who would turn the Valley into "a graveyard for Indian forces", and to take his struggle outside Kashmir. "The Kashmiri leadership, people and mujahideen should know there is no formal, peaceful way." There wasn't any option but to "launch a target-oriented armed struggle", he told TOI in an interview at his office in Baila Noor Shah area of Muzaffarabad. Salahuddins remarks came a day ahead of the visit of a delegation of major political parties led by home minister Rajnath Singh to Jammu and Kashmir as part of the effort to de-escalate tensions. Talks, he said, could not be held without India's acceptance and recognition of Kashmir as a dispute. "If you do not accept it as an issue, then what is the need for dialogue," he asked. "We will have to display our might," he threatened. Salahuddin warned Hizbul's "struggle" wouldn't remain confined to Kashmir but "take the entire region into its fold". Salahuddin and his Hizb have been a crucial factor in J&K militancy. Unlike the terrorists who belong to Pakistan and are deployed by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul draws its ranks from among the youth in the valley which helps Pakistan argue that the secessionist movement is an indigenous fight for self-determination. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Autoworkers in Detroit, Michigan and Kokomo, Indiana denounced the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and expressed support for the tens of thousands of young people of all races who were protesting against police violence across the country. The workers rejected efforts to brand the protesters as violent and said the real violence was being perpetrated by police and National Guard troops dispatched by state and local officials and incited by President Trump. Its very upsetting to me that the mainstream media focuses on race, when it is very clear that the demonstrators are black, white, multiracial, said a worker at Fiat Chryslers Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in suburban Detroit. I was moved to see the video of the Amish people protesting the murder of George Floyd. The media is also focusing on the violence, much of which is caused by police provocateurs and plants. Sure, there are some ordinary people looting, too, but there is a lot be angry about, he said. To see a man suffocated in broad daylight and knowing the video youre watching was taken by a 17-year-old girl says a lot about America, he continued. To give a panoramic view of the situation, as an autoworker I feel like we all have a knee on our necks because we are forced to return to work in the middle of the pandemic. Im working 10 hours a day, wearing a mask that makes me dizzy. Im forced to choose between my health and a paycheck. We are treated like cattle. I feel paranoid. Who might have the virus? Is the air conditioning circulating the virus? There were three more confirmed COVID cases at the plant before we all returned. At least four SHAP workers have already died. The police murder of Floyd, the worker said, was part of a whole series of measures taken by the Trump administration and the government to deprive workers of their basic rights, including the right to live. The government and the corporations are oblivious to the safety and lives of workers. The back-to-work order puts profits over life. When I see what has happened to the meatpackers, that to me is the same thing as a cop pressing his knee on George Floyd. The system is suffocating the life out of the working class. I feel the same way when I see children being taken from their families. There are immigrants in detention centers, and children covered with aluminum blankets. The way the entire pandemic is being handled is also criminal, he said. Its like were in a Third World country. And what do the Oprah Winfreys and Tyler Perrys have to say? Theyre very wealthy, and they say, Calm down. Its not about race, its class. I can see why it is that the ruling class sees a threat if the working class in its entirety, globally is united. The ruling class does not want the merging of the working class. An autoworker at Fiat Chrysler's Kokomo Transmission plant also spoke in support of the protests and the need for workers to organize a fight for safe working conditions. "I believe George Floyd's murder has ignited something. The protests are happening all over the world now. His name will be remembered in history. Enough is enough. I can't imagine how his family feels. The police have been doing this to people of every skin color. Now it is on video, and we're able to see it. In every situation, police escalate to violence, and nothing ever happens to these cops. People are so sick and tired of the government lying to them. Politicians are sharing false information about the coronavirus in order to reopen states. People are not idiots, like the government seems to think we are. "We need to fight to show the public the conditions in these plants. Neither of the plants I worked at had hot water, and wed run out of gloves all the time. They made us use recycled gloves, which were sent off somewhere when we were done with them to be cleaned, but they would come back in bad condition. One woman at Chrysler cut herself because a piece of metal was in the gloves. There is no way that you're ever six feet away from anyone on those lines. You could reach out and touch someone on the sub-assembly line, for example. "When someone goes into the plants when the virus is going around, that person could bring it home to their loved ones. Chrysler has an abundance of transmissions in their warehouses, so I don't understand the point of putting people in the plants where they risk their lives and their families' lives. They have enough stored up for us not to need to work for at least three months." On the question of Democratic and Republican politicians across the US deploying the National Guard against protesters, she responded, "Why didn't these governors call the National Guard in when white supremacists with guns protested at the state capitols? Why were they allowed to act violently and maliciously, but they're going to send the National Guard to shoot protesters who are against violence? If they send troops, they're going to shoot them. Isn't violence the only thing the American government has shown the world? I'm tired of the Democrats and Republicans. She continued, "What the union does is criminal. The UAW has divided workers in the plants. They take money from us, they do nothing with it but pocket it. Why aren't union safety reps being held accountable? They're spending thousands of dollars to send them to classes to learn safety and health. And the medical unit at Chrysler is a joke. It's a band-aid clinic, which is just there so OSHA doesn't come in." The worker responded to the call for workers to build rank-and-file committees to oversee safety and health in the plants and for the working class to advance its own answer to social inequality, police violence and other attacks on democratic and social rights. "It needs to be done. We need to organize to fight and stop what's going on. The plants have always been places where people got hurt and died. People should be able to go to work and not be harassed for speaking out when they see that things are not safe. The economy is going in two ways: either you're rich or you're poor. The people protesting are fighting for humanity, fighting for survival, for us to be one and not be defined by gender or race." Another SHAP worker added, The police are riling things up, coming in full blast, guns blazing and firing tear gas at protesters. On social media you can see police moles breaking windows and stirring up things. The police are even firing rubber bullets at reporters, and a whole camera team got arrested in Minneapolis. Ive known about the way the police operate since Rodney King in LA. They do what they want and feel they can get away with it. Usually after beating or killing someone, they get put on administrative leave and get away with it. But what the cop did to Floyd was caught on video, and everybody is coming together, black and white, to demand justice. People are getting together, exchanging numbers, using social media and groups are being created to speak out more than ever. There were protests in England and even in Iran. This is very vast. What the police are doing now, trying to put down a lot of people, is even larger than a single murder. It sheds light on the whole imbalance in society. The working class has to come together, that would be the most powerful way to fight police killings, unemployment and all the issues workers face. Contrary to a preliminary report, a private autopsy report has found that George Floyd died not just because of the knee lodged at his neck by a white ex-police officer, but also because of the other officers who helped hold him down. An initial autopsy conducted by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner had said Mr Floyd died of coronary artery disease, hypertensive heart disease and possible intoxicants lodged in his system. 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 earlier autopsy read. This differs substantially from the findings of a private autopsy commissioned by Mr Floyds family and conducted by Allecia Wilson of the University of Michigan and Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner. The autopsy found that Mr Floyd died from asphyxiation caused by sustained neck and back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to his brain, Washington Post wrote. The autopsy shows that Mr Floyd had no underlying medical problem that caused or contributed to his death. This is confirmed by information provided to Dr. Wilson and myself by the family. Mr Baden said. Mr Wilson described the manner of death as homicide at a news conference Monday. Also, the familys lead lawyer, Benjamin Crump, said emergency medical records showed Mr Floyd was dead at the scene. For George Floyd, the ambulance was his hearse, Mr Crump said in a statement. The knee to his back compressed his lungs and prevented them from being able to take air in and out, he said. He further called for the arrest of all other officers who played a role in Mr Floyds death. One of the officers, Derek Chauvin, had been charged, and his court hearing has been adjourned to June 6. The other three have been fired. But Mr Crump asked that a first-degree murder charge to be brought against Mr Chauvin for pinning Mr Floyds neck to the ground for nearly nine minutes as seen in a viral video shared on social media. Mr Floyd, 46, was in that video seen cuffed, his neck pinned to the ground by three policemen, his nose bleeding as he gasped for breath. The fourth officer stood close by to wade of bystanders. Minutes later, Mr Floyd laid motionless, his eyes shut, as he foamed from the mouth before an ambulance arrived. He was declared dead at a hospital shortly afterwards, CNN reported. Angst has spiked across the United States since then as many protesters and critics see the third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges against former officer Derek Chauvin as soft. For this reason, several cities across the U.S. have been besieged with crowds who defied curfews to march in solidarity against police brutality and racism. The cities have also seen vandalism, looting and chaos as a church close to the White was torched before the fire was eventually put out on Sunday. Local report by CNN estimated that over 4,000 arrests, as well as dozens of injuries by protesters, police officers and journalists, and about five deaths have been recorded. In some states, face off between the demonstrators and the police have turned brutal, while elsewhere like Michigan, the police reached a truce, joining the procession of agitators to calm nerves. More than 17,000 National Guard members have been deployed to support the police in quelling the nationwide civil unrest. This is approximately the same number of active duty troops deployed in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, according to CNN. The protests against police brutality and racism have spilled over to other countries. Hundreds of protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square in central London on Sunday afternoon and marched toward the United States Embassy. Protests also took place in Germany, New Zealand and Denmark. Microblogging site Twitter on its part changed its bird logo to black, with the caption black lives matter. Racism does not adhere to social distancing. Amid the already growing fear and uncertainty around the pandemic, this week has again brought attention to something perhaps more pervasive: the long-standing racism and injustices faced by Black and Brown people on a daily basis. pic.twitter.com/8zKPlDnacY Twitter Together (@TwitterTogether) May 29, 2020 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Advertisements President Donald Trump, who some have criticized for not addressing the country and holing up in the White House, said through spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany that statements dont stop anarchy. What I would note is continual statements as hes made day and day again they dont stop anarchy, CNN quoted Ms McEnany saying. What stops anarchy is action. And thats what the President is working on right now for the anarchists. The cause of Mr Floyds death remains pending as it is being investigated by local, state and federal law enforcement, the Hennepin County Medical Examiners Office said in a statement. Judge Sullivan appointed a retired judge from Brooklyn, John Gleeson, to critique the governments request and help evaluate whether Mr. Flynns contradictory statements under oath amounted to criminal contempt of court. Mr. Flynns defense lawyer then asked the appeals court to force Judge Sullivan to immediately dismiss the charge, arguing that her client had been abused, and a panel ordered the judge to explain himself. Defending Judge Sullivans decision to appoint a friend of the court to critique the governments new position, Ms. Wilkinson a well-known trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor who helped represent Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court confirmation fight cited several cases in which judges have taken that step to ensure they would have adversarial arguments to consider when the prosecution and the defense had aligned. The Justice Department and lawyers for Mr. Flynn have argued that Judge Sullivan has little choice but to drop the case, citing a 2016 opinion by the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that said that the judiciary generally lacks authority to second-guess executive branch decisions about whether to charge or drop a case. But in the new filing, Ms. Wilkinson argued that the 2016 case was different for several reasons. Among them, the trial judge in the 2016 case had already made a decision about the issue in dispute, but Judge Sullivan has not. That case did not involve a defendant who had already pleaded guilty, as Mr. Flynn has. And, Ms. Wilkinson argued, the prosecutions abrupt reversal in the Flynn case suggested there might be something irregular, justifying the judge carefully scrutinizing it. The departments motion to dismiss the charge, she noted, featured no affidavits or declarations supporting its many new factual allegations; it was not accompanied by a motion to vacate the governments prior, contrary filings and representations; it cited minimal legal authority in support of its view on materiality; and it did not mention the March 2017 statements regarding Mr. Flynns work for Turkey that were relevant conduct for his guilty plea. Ms. Wilkinson also noted that Judge Sullivan needed to resolve the contempt-of-court issue, apart from deciding whether to dismiss the false-statements charge against Mr. Flynn, and argued that it would be more efficient for him to assess all the issues together. But the Justice Department brief argued that Judge Sullivan had no basis to independently scrutinize whether Mr. Flynn lied under oath to the court, because even if he did, that should be treated as the crime of perjury which only the Justice Department can prosecute rather than as contempt of court. Katie Benner contributed reporting. Then there's the scholar, Charles Shoultz, who stabbed a protestor with a sword, before getting the ever-loving shit kicked out of him by a group of protestors. Schoultz admits it was a mistake writing in a series of posts, "Hey, funny story. The guy in this video getting his ass kicked? That's me. I had a bit of an adventure this evening trying to protect a bar I love, one that ended with me in the hospital. But I am quite alive, if a bit worse for the wear." Continue Reading Below Advertisement What? This guy treats attempting to murder someone like it's a plot point in How I Met Your Mother. This isn't "a bit of adventure," dude, where you make a mistake and just get to shrug it off until the next episode comes around. This is an entire race of people advocating for their right not to be murdered by the police, and you stabbed one of them to protect the place where you presumably get shit-faced and tell women to call you Aragorn. Hopefully, these two idiots are the only data points, and we later refer to these incidents as "the time two morons attacked protestors with medieval weaponry." Otherwise, we have to face the even harsher reality that there are more of these weird nerds that see protesters not as people, but as targets in a live-action role-playing game. 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: StockSnap/Pixabay Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Its the end of an era. Thats how former Santa Fe Opera general director Charles MacKay described the May 1 death of Santa Fe attorney Thomas Tommy Catron III. He was 98. Catron was instrumental in the founding of the Opera by John Crosby in 1954 and was active on its board for 60 years. When Crosby came to Santa Fe as a 27-year-old with the seemingly outlandish idea of starting an opera company, Catron volunteered to help. Without Toms belief in Johns vision and his tireless support over the course of seven decades, the opera and the rich arts community of Santa Fe would not be what it is today, Santa Fe Opera General Director Robert Meya said in a statement. He was a man of unmatched principles, a pillar of the community and a kind and selfless crusader for the betterment of humanity. Catrons name opened doors. His grandfather Thomas B. Catron is credited with helping New Mexico achieve statehood in 1912. But the family is also associated with allegations of land grant theft in the late 1800s. When Tommy Catron was named a Santa Fe Living Treasure in 2007, the organization that bequeathed the award said, Coming from one of the most illustrious (and perhaps notorious) families in the American era in New Mexico, Thomas B. Catron III faced high expectations from the start. He exceeded them all. Catron was the son of Fletcher A. Catron and Carolyn Updike Catron Bergere. He grew up and attended elementary school in Santa Fe, but after his parents divorce, he moved to Los Angeles with his mother and stepfather Antonio Luna Bergere. He attended New Mexico Military Institute for high school. His college years at Stanford University were interrupted when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942, not long after the bombing of Pearl Harbor drew the United States into World War II. Catrons military service took him to Italy, where he was introduced to opera, a lifelong passion. Another longstanding love affair was with his wife, June Ellis Catron, whom he met in his freshman English class at Stanford in 1940 and married in San Francisco in 1946. The couple had three children, Fletcher, Stephen and Peggy, and celebrated their 74th wedding anniversary days before Catrons death. After Tommy Catron completed law school at Stanford, the Catrons moved to Santa Fe, where Tommy joined the Catron law firm on the Santa Fe Plaza founded by his grandfather in 1867. MacKay said the first time he met Tommy and June Catron was when he was about 8 years old and a member of the Boy Scouts, one of the many civic organizations that Catron was active in. At one point, he was Santa Fe district chairman of the Boy Scouts of America. My frame of reference spans 60 years. My overriding impression was that Tom Catron was a really remarkable man. He always treated everyone with respect, said MacKay, who began his career at the Opera as a parking lot attendant. He later served as general director from November 2007 to October 2018. During his time on the Operas board, Catron held every position possible, MacKay said, including chairman, president, treasurer and secretary. Catron played a pivotal role in keeping the Opera running when a fire destroyed the first amphitheater in July 1967. Tom was probably the one who filled out the insurance forms and obtained construction permits from the county to rebuild, MacKay said. He knew everyone. He knew how to make things happen. In 1962, Catron led the creation of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation. He served as its chairman for 26 years and on its board until his death. Prior to the foundations formation, state museums had no way to solicit donations or acquire. Catron is credited with facilitating the donation of designer Alexander Girards 1,000-piece folk art collection to the Museum of International Folk Art on Museum Hill in Santa Fe. He was also a director and vice president of the Spanish Colonial Arts Society, which operates the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art. In 1972, Catron helped organize Santa Fes Capital Bank, which was eventually acquired by Bank of America. Catron served as chairman of the board for 20 years and the bank became Santa Fes largest bank. Catron has been buried in the National Veterans Cemetery in Santa Fe. A memorial service will be held when it is deemed safe for groups to gather in the wake of the coronavirus. NEW YORK - Protests erupting across the nation over the past week and law enforcement's response to them are threatening to upend efforts by health officials to track and contain the spread of coronavirus just as those efforts were finally getting underway. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/5/2020 (599 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A group marches through the streets of downtown Pittsburgh Sunday, May 31, 2020 protesting the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day, May 25. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) NEW YORK - Protests erupting across the nation over the past week and law enforcement's response to them are threatening to upend efforts by health officials to track and contain the spread of coronavirus just as those efforts were finally getting underway. Health experts need newly infected people to remember and recount everyone they've interacted with over several days in order to alert others who may have been exposed, and prevent them from spreading the disease further. But that process, known as contact tracing, relies on people knowing who theyve been in contact with a daunting task if theyve been to a mass gathering. And the process relies on something that may suddenly be in especially short supply: Trust in government. These events that are happening now are further threats to the trust we need, said Dr. Sandro Galea, dean of the Boston University School of Public Health. If we do not have that, I worry our capacity to control new outbreaks becomes more limited, he said. Government officials have been hoping to continue reopening businesses, churches and other organizations after months of stay-at-home orders and other infection-prevention measures. But health experts also hoped that any reopening would be accompanied by widespread testing, contact tracing and isolation to prevent new waves of illness from beginning. A woman is helped after being hit with pepper spray after curfew on Sunday, May 31, 2020 in Minneapolis. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) Over the past week, protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pinned a knee to his neck, have involved thousands of people gathered tightly together in large crowds in more than 20 cities nationwide. Its unclear if the protests themselves will trigger large new outbreaks. The protests were outside, where infections dont spread as readily as indoors. Also, many of the protesters were wearing masks, and much of the contact was likely less-hazardous transient moments of people moving around, passing each other, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University. But, still, experts worry that public efforts to contain the disease in the future could be undermined. In Los Angeles, the citys mayor announced Saturday that COVID-19 testing centres were being closed because of safety concerns related to violent protests. Testing in Minneapolis will be affected because some of the clinics that provide the service have been damaged in the protests, according to a city government spokesperson. Reduced testing could be giving the virus another head start, Schaffner said. And contact tracing, which is only just getting going in several states, is an even bigger concern. It involves people who work for or with health departments asking intimate questions about where a person has been and who they've been talking to and getting full, truthful answers in return. FILE - in this Saturday, May 30, 2020 file photo, protesters climb on a flipped over police vehicle, in Salt Lake City. Protests in Salt Lake City that drew several thousand people are a setback for contact tracers already struggling to contain the spread of the coronavirus, said Tair Kiphibane, infectious disease bureau manager for the Salt Lake County Health Department. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) In this current environment which has enhanced or brought forth a mistrust of governmental authority, it might make them disinclined to speak with anyone in government, Schaffner said. That is especially true in black communities trying to cope with episodes of police violence and longstanding frustrations with how they have been marginalized and mistreated by people who work for government agencies. And those are the communities that have been hardest hit by the coronavirus in the U.S. and most in need of public health measures to help control it. Protests in Salt Lake City that drew several thousand people are a setback for contact tracers already struggling to contain the spread of the coronavirus, said Tair Kiphibane, infectious disease bureau manager for the Salt Lake County Health Department. She became concerned as she watched hundreds of protesters go by her downtown Salt Lake City office Saturday afternoon where she and her staff were working another weekend day after seeing increases in COVID-19 cases last week. She sent contact tracers home three hours early Saturday as protests grew violent near the office. She expects further increases in cases because so many people were close to one another during the protest. Tracing the web of infected people that may have been exposed will be daunting since protesters likely won't have names and phone numbers for many of the people they were around. It is going to make it so much harder, Kiphibane said. It could be anybody. They don't know most of those people ... It is just too many people." In a press conference Saturday, Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington used the term contact tracing when describing an investigation into arrested protesters there. He said the goal is to see if there are crime or white supremacy organizations that have played a role and to understand how do we go after them, legally, Harrington said. But Harrington's use of contact tracing by law enforcement may complicate the job of health workers as they try to track the virus's spread, some experts said. That was an abuse of the word 'contact tracing.' That is not what contact tracing is, said Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 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. "Contact tracing is a service to patients and their contacts to provide services for patients and warning for contacts. It has nothing to do with police activity. Nothing," said Frieden, who is now president of Resolve to Save Lives, a non-profit that works to prevent epidemics. Galea said he hopes many people will separate in their minds the contact tracing done by public health workers from crime investigations by the police. But, he added, I do think sometimes it's difficult to make a distinction when you feel marginalized by, and targeted by, the entire government. ___ Associated Press writer Brady McCombs contributed to this report in Salt Lake City. ___ 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. On Sunday afternoon, President Donald Trump tweeted that, The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization. The declaration, via social media, comes on the heels of Attorney General William Barr blaming the violence from the protests that have erupted across the country in response to the murder of George Floyd on far-left extremist groups. In a Department of Justice press release from Sunday, Barr noted that the violence instigated and carried out by ANTIFA and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly. There was no mention of any of the far-right extremist groups that have sought to capitalize on the protests to advance their own violent agenda. Advertisement Antifa, or anti-fascists, is a loose collection of individuals and groups that engage in aggressive mobilization against far-right extremist movements, especially violent white supremacists. Within antifa there are also anarchists, a portion of whom descend on protests to engage in vandalism and violence, with the overall goal of destruction and destabilization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Antifa is decentralized to the point of having no identifiable leadership, no specific funding streams, training camps, or strategy for recruitment. The movements entire raison detre is its opposition to what its adherents consider fascists, typically defined as neo-Nazis and other racists. This weekend was not the first time Trump has addressed antifa. In August 2019, following a rally in Portland, Oregon, where antifa members clashed with members of the far-right, including the neo-fascist Proud Boys, Trump tweeted, Major consideration is being given to naming ANTIFA an ORGANIZATION OF TERROR, adding that Portland is being watched very closely. He made no mention of the actions of white nationalists and alt-right demonstrators. Advertisement Advertisement While the president and attorney general may have political motivations for wanting to stigmatize a left-wing movement by tagging it with the terrorist label and thus seek to assign blame for the violence engulfing several U.S. major cities, it is unlikely that Trump can do so within existing legal authorities. In the United States, there are two competent authorities for designating terrorist groups. First, the Department of State can designate groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act. It can also designate both groups and individuals as terrorists under Executive Order 13224. This order was established shortly after Sept. 11 as part of an effort to provide the State and Treasury departments enhanced capability to block terrorists from the U.S. formal financial system. Advertisement Advertisement However, for the State Department to designate a group, it must document that the organization operates overseas, and that the groups leaders, camps, and operations are based outside of the continental United States. Antifa, by virtue of its domestic presence and lack of any organizational cohesion, would be impossible for the State Department to designate. Advertisement Advertisement Even if it could, it is unlikely that antifa, a movement of individuals and not a coherent group, would likely meet the first prong of the State Departments legal criteria for designation. To designate an FTO, the State Department must satisfy three legal criteria. First, the entity must have characteristics of a group and be primarily based overseas. Second, the entity must engage in terrorist activity (every FTO on the State Departments list has carried out an attack that has resulted in death). Third, the terrorist activity cited in the second prong must be a threat to U.S. national security interests. Advertisement Advertisement Antifa would be unlikely to meet the second criteria, since there is no evidence that the organization has carried out a politically motivated attack resulting in death, even as the group is known to engage in destruction of property, menacing, intimidation, and other crimes, including crimes involving violence. Advertisement Advertisement The Treasury Department can also sanction terrorists per Executive Order 13224. But it can only piggy-back on an already existing designation of a group, typically one that is already labeled by the State Department as a terrorist organization. Without an underlying State Department designation, the Treasury Department cant act. And, while Treasury has designated a number of domestic-based charities as terrorist entities, those groups were linked to foreign organizations such as Hamas, the Tamil Tigers, Lebanese Hizballah, and al-Qaida. Advertisement So where does that leave the president in his desire to designate antifa as a terrorist group? The United States doesnt have a domestic terrorism lawthough several have been proposed in the wake of recent attacks by domestic extremistsand that also limits what the president can do against domestic based-entities. Even if antifa were an organization and not a loose-knit set of individuals who identify as anti-fascist, there is no underlying statute the president could use to sanction it. The only outlet would be for the president to create a new executive order that designated antifa as a domestic terrorist group. Advertisement Whether such an executive order could withstand legal scrutiny is an open question, but lets presuppose he simply designates antifa without any underlying authority. The point of State and Treasury designations of foreign-based groups and individuals is to thwart their access to finance and to provide leverage for the Department of Justice to prosecute would-be material supporters. Using these same tools against U.S. persons via an executive order would have profound implications for civil liberties and First Amendment rights. U.S. citizens associated with the antifa movement, but with no links to international terrorism, could find their bank accounts frozen and subject to 20 years (a common stint for providing material support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization) of jail time for providing support. Antifa isnt the first group Trump has proclaimed would be designated via media. In 2019, Trump said he would designate the Mexican drug cartels as terrorists. The president never followed through, however, implying that his suggestion to do so was based more on domestic politics and responding to his political base than on any desire to actually protect American citizens from violence. Last year, the Trump administration also publicly announced that it would designate the Muslim Brotherhood. That group, like the Mexican cartels, remains undesignated. Advertisement Advertisement It is quite possible that the president will similarly fail to follow through on his threat to designate antifa as a terrorist organization, once his staff informs him of the lack of existing authorities, legal obstacles, and policy challenges associated with doing so. Trump did follow through on his controversial decision to designate Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group, but the designation was not entirely unjustified as the IRGC trains other terrorists and militias beyond Irans borders. If Trump were serious about designating domestic extremist groups as terrorist organizations, there are several groups that would be a much higher priority than antifa. For example, several white supremacist extremist groups have a presence in the United States, including the Atomwaffen Division, the Rise Above Movement, and the Base. The Atomwaffen Division has been linked to several murders already, and its members have been arrested while in possession of HMTD, a homemade explosive, along with other explosive precursors. Revolt Through Tradition, a group affiliated with the neo-Nazi Robert Rundo, claimed on Telegram that it was present in Atlanta during the riots at CNN headquarters this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As much as the president would like to make terrorism into a partisan issue, it isnt one. Career professionals in federal law enforcement and the intelligence communitythe front line against terrorismshould be agnostic to the ideology motivating groups and are foremost concerned with preventing violence. If, at some point, antifa coalesced into a coherent organization with a modicum of command and control that engaged in acts of political violence, and if legal authority were developed to address domestic threats, it might qualify. But so far, unlike several prominent white supremacist groups, this has yet to occur. The sad irony surrounding the debate on whether to designate of antifa is that if it transpires, those subject to the resulting criminal charges could potentially face longer stays in jail than George Floyds murderer. Minnesotas state sentencing guidelines for third-degree murder convictions is 12 years, compared with 20 years for convicted terrorists. If that happens, it would be a miscarriage of justice. New Delhi: Expressing disappointment on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's decision to seal Delhi border for one week, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said that the decision is very unfortunate. The traders association stressed that on one side the shops and factories are opening whereas on the other side the borders have been sealed which is now a matter of concern. The CAIT further said that large number of traders and their employees resides in nearby towns of UP like Ghaziabad, Noida and Faridabad, Gurgaon, Bahadurgarh in Haryana therefore not opening the border would make it difficult for them to travel for work. Not only this but many residents of Delhi also have their business in the NCR region, said the association. The border sealing decision of the Delhi government will create a major roadblock in the smooth movement of people and will adversely affect trade and commerce activities in Delhi and neighbouring states, stressed CAIT, adding that the decision will have major impact on trade and commerce activities in all these states.. Calling it a non-visionary decision, CAIT said that though we appreciate concerns of the Government for combating the threat of coronavirus but it will be advisable if Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal should talk to CMs of both states (Haryana and Uttar Pradesh) should take a decision mutually. They said, proper and effective measures should be installed on the Delhi border on either side to provide smooth movement of people and the border should be opened immediately. It is to be noted that, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Monday that he borders of Delhi will continue to remain sealed for a week while all shops and factories have been allowed to function in the national capita GREENWICH Work began Monday morning to put up barriers to close off the lower part of Greenwich Avenue to vehicular traffic and open up the area to pedestrians. The first phase of a multi-prong approach to open up Greenwich Avenue as an outdoor mall will officially go into effect Tuesday, but the barriers and new signs were going up early Monday. Members of the Department of Public Works went to working on the Avenue early, putting in place the barriers that will close off vehicle access for the rest of the summer along the towns signature shopping strip. Initially, the vehicle restrictions will be only for the lower part of Greenwich Avenue from Havemeyer Lane by the Starbucks down to Railroad Avenue. That portion includes 17 of the 27 restaurants on Greenwich Avenue. The new policy is designed to allow for more outdoor seating along the street as part of the state and towns business reopening plans after the coronavirus outbreak. The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the plan last week. The selectmen are expected to consider the next two phases of the three-part plan at their June 11 meeting. Phase two will cover Greenwich Avenue from Putnam Avenue to Lewis Street, and phase three will cover from Lewis Street to Havemeyer Place. The closure to vehicular access is scheduled to last until Sept. 2, allowing restaurants to have more outdoor seating for the summer. If it is a success, Greenwich is expected to consider it as a yearly program. A 20-foot emergency travel lane will be available to emergency vehicles, and Chief of Police James Heavey has said there will be exceptions for garbage pickup and commercial deliveries on The Ave. Parking will be moved to side streets, and new handicap spaces will be added to make up for those lost in the temporary vehicle restrictions. First Selectman Fred Camillo will tour the area Monday afternoon with Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz. This is expected to be part of long-term planning for Greenwich Avenue as the town works to better connect it with the downtown waterfront and provide further economic opportunity there. Theres lots of things we can do, Camillo said last week. It keeps evolving. We can really make this a nice attraction and destination for people. We want to get it up and running and get these businesses going. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com Chennai, June 1 : DMK's Organising Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP R.S. Bharathi on Monday was granted conditional bail after he had surrendered before a local court here. Arrested on May 23 and granted interim bail till May 31, he surrendered on Monday. A case was filed against him under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act after his speech on February 15 at a party office against judges and Dalits was considered insulting and Athi Tamilar Makkal Katchi leader Kalyanasundaram lodged a police complaint. However, speaking to reporters on February 15, Bharathi said his speech was twisted in the social media and his arrest is to "satisfy someone". He had then said that he had lodged a complaint against Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam for corruption. Blood taken for donation and pathology tests will be used to try to measure the nations rate of hidden coronavirus infections, with thousands of cases potentially missing from the official tally. The strategy is part of a new national COVID-19 surveillance plan and will see blood samples from across the nation tested for coronavirus antibodies. Blood donations will be screened in an attempt to pick up previously undetected cases of coronavirus. Credit:Tamara Dean Meanwhile, mass testing using throat and nose swabs to detect current infections will continue to focus on those most at risk, with priority given to those with a fever or acute respiratory illness, contacts of confirmed cases and people with links to outbreaks. Professor Kristine Macartney, director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, said targeted testing had been key to the nations success to date. But she also warned against any complacency. Emirates airline president Sir Tim Clark expects air travel to likely return to normal in the summer of 2021. During the opening session of Arabian Travel Markets inaugural virtual event, ATM Virtual, Clark outlined the impact of COVID-19 on the aviation industry, as well as the measures implemented by the company in response to the pandemic. Speaking during an interview with aviation expert John Strickland, Director of JLS Consulting, Clark said: I don't think in my career I have seen anything like this, it is a huge structural change to our industry. In general terms, we have seen a US$15 trillion torpedo hit the global economy and its crippled many, many sectors, with transportation and leisure just a few of the casualties. My own belief is there is sufficient resilience in the global economy to take this trauma as long as it doesnt go on for too long. If we can accept there is a finite point where we will see the back of this, with adjustments to the way we go about our lives, the way we go about our business, and our travel aspirations, we will see things moving back to some kind of normality during the course of 2021, he added. With many fleets around the world grounded and potentially some not coming back, Clark, who has dedicated 35 years to growing Emirates Airline to become the largest long-haul airline in the world and helping transform Dubai into a major global travel hub, also discussed the future of the airline. Planning for resumption is quite complicated, needless to say, we have a 24/7 watch on it as countries start to relax their access requirements but I see some difficulties as I dont believe they will open at the pace we would like. I think there will be a degree of what they started to call the bubble effect, i.e. countries selecting other countries that are relatively Covid free and therefore allowing services between those countries." Weve seen the beginning of this and until we get much more clarity on quarantine, flight protocols and how airports are going to handle these passengers when they eventually get moving, its still early days in terms of understanding what is going to happen. Speaking more generally about the aviation industry, Clark concluded by outlining the important role that governments play around the world, understanding what the airline industry requires, he said: The aviation business is in a critical and very fragile state at the moment and needs all the help it can get. Access, getting passengers and freight moving again, not necessarily to the levels pre-Covid, but at least getting things going to give the cash lifelines they need, otherwise Im not optimistic that some of the carriers here today, having already been significantly bailed out, will get through the next few months. The aviation industry will be a recurring theme throughout the three-day virtual event and will include an interview with aviation heavyweight, CEO of Wizz Air, Joszef Varadi on June 3. Varadi is set to discuss the measures implemented by the budget airline which has enabled it to continue operating during the pandemic. He will also be discussing the forthcoming opening of Wizz Airs subsidiary in Abu Dhabi, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company. In addition, a webinar by Cirium, the data intelligence experts, will showcase the power of analytics in supporting business performance. The webinar, which takes place on the final day of ATM Virtual, will be led by Ciriums Paul Trewin and Seera Groups Data Vice President, Louise Blake. The webinar, which will be focused on the aviation industry, and will utilise Ciriums years of analytical experience, will highlight the power of analytics and outline new ideas for incorporating analytics into team performance. ATM Virtual features a range of comprehensive webinars, live conference sessions, roundtables, speed networking events, and one-to-one meetings. Highlights on day two will include The Virtual ATM China Forum, which will focus on the recovery of outbound travel from China, taking place from 11am 12pm GST (8am 9am BST) and the debut Travel Forward Virtual event, featuring the Catapulting Resilience Through Technology and Analytics session. A live webinar titled Bouncing Back: Tourism Strategies for the Future will see a range of industry experts discussing how the long-term tourism development strategies implemented by the regions governments will become a catalyst for recovery when travel patterns adjust to the new norm. Travel Forward will include Facebook-led session, Conversational Commerce for Travel brands, which will look into the potential of conversational commerce and how it can help businesses keep their customers connected and engaged. The day will conclude with the Technology and the New Normal session, hosted by Uber, which will discuss how technology can support businesses post-Covid-19. There will also be a series of independently moderated, roundtables designed to discuss emerging hot topics such as domestic travel, luxury travel trends, corporate travel, food travel and tourism recovery plans. Day two will kick-off with the Effects that Covid-19 could have on food-driven travel live webinar from 10am 10.45am GST (7am 7.45am BST), moderated by Caterer Middle East editor Simon Ritchie. Other round tables are available on demand and include The Future of Corporate Travel led by Breaking Travel News; The Changing Face of Luxury Family Travel hosted by Destinations of the World News; The New Normal: What the Future Looks Like for the Hotel and Tourism Industry and Middle East: The New Asian Source Market both by Trav Talk Middle East, as well as TTN Middle Easts Challenges Faced Today by the Travel Providers and Latest travel updates, projections and upcoming trends and focus on near-, mid- and long-term travel prospects. Also, key travel editors and leading travel and tourism experts have written blogs on topical subjects spanning not just regional but international industry verticals. - TradeArabia News Service Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:12:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin (L) awards a military memorial medal to Chinese expert medical team member Tang Kejing in Belgrade, Serbia, June 1, 2020. Another three members of a six-strong Chinese expert medical team to Serbia were awarded on Monday with military memorial medals for their assistance in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. (Xinhua/Shi Zhongyu) BELGRADE, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Another three members of a six-strong Chinese expert medical team to Serbia were awarded on Monday with military memorial medals for their assistance in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The medals were awarded by Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin to the three members, who arrived on May 4 to replace their colleagues. Following the award ceremony, Cheng Shouzhen, a member of the Chinese medical team, said the team has toured many places in Serbia, such as COVID-19 hospitals, elderly care facilities, and child care centers. "We shared our experience gained in China and especially in Wuhan. We openly exchanged suggestions and opinions in line with the current epidemiological situation about treatment of patients, abolition of the state of emergency, gradual return to work and restarting production, as well as opening borders," she said. Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Chen Bo congratulated the country on excellent response to COVID-19, adding that the joint battle against the pandemic strengthened ties between the two countries. "The Chinese expert medical team to Serbia became a symbol of the friendship between our two countries," Chen said. Defense Minister Vulin thanked the Chinese experts for their help. "We learned from you as doctors, but also as human beings. You have demonstrated discipline, endurance and diligence," he said. The Chinese medical expert team has been assisting Serbia in fighting the COVID-19 since March 21. On May 6, Serbia lifted the state of emergency, and opened borders for passengers recently. Enditem Television presenter Fiona Phillips introduces then-Labour Party leader Ed Miliband during a shadow cabinet public consultation event at the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham. (Geoff Kirby/PA Images via Getty Images) Fiona Phillips has spoken of her very scary battle with coronavirus and revealed that abuse she received after sharing her symptoms made her delete her Twitter account. The 59-year-old TV presenter picked up the virus in March and said fighting COVID-19 left her feeling like she was at deaths door. But she also had to contend with online trolls who hounded her so much she felt compelled to close her Twitter account. Read more: TV presenter Fiona Phillips says she has coronavirus The Watchdog star received sympathy when she revealed her symptoms on Twitter, but there were also people who gave her lots of abuse. Fiona Phillips and husband Martin Frizell at the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards in October 2016. (Dave J Hogan/Dave Hogan/Getty Images) Opening up to The Mirror, Phillips said: "I came off Twitter altogether because even when they think youre on deaths door, there are still people making nasty comments about you." Talking of her experience with the virus, she went on: "COVID-19 isn't a cuddly, friendly visitor. It might think its cosily wheedled its way into my bed, and my body, but its definitely not welcome. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UKs Up Close and Socially Distant "And, having come bearing gifts such as a fiery sore, high temperature/fever, shortness of breath, annoying dry cough, aches, pains, lethargy and a whole-body-sized cloak of sweat nice Ill be doing my best to make sure he doesn't stay too long either. Read more: Fiona Phillips details horrible coronavirus experience "Theres an element of fear. The unknown is very scary. But I didnt have time to think of whether I might not get through out because it knocked me out. The former GMTV presenter went on to explain how she had to let the illness take over, because her condition left her unable to do anything but spend days in bed so she could get rid of it properly. Phillips is married to This Morning editor Martin Frizell. They have two sons. Coronavirus: what happened today Story continues Read more about COVID-19 How to get a coronavirus test if you have symptoms How easing of lockdown rules affects you In pictures: How UK school classrooms could look in new normal How public transport could look after lockdown How our public spaces will change in the future Help and advice Read the full list of official FAQs here 10 tips from the NHS to help deal with anxiety What to do if you think you have symptoms How to get help if you've been furloughed The Times Union has lifted the paywall on this developing coverage to provide critical information to our community. To support our journalists work, consider a digital subscription. Total COVID-19 cases: 371,711 in New York state, including 29,917 deaths. 66,110 recovered. 2,113,777 total tested. 1,811,370 in U.S., including 105,167 deaths. 458,231 recovered. 17,340,682 total tested. 6,264,742 worldwide, including 375,526 deaths. 2,695,829 recovered. Note: The figures include presumed COVID-19 deaths. The number of positive confirmed cases is cumulative and includes people who have recovered as well as those who died. Additional resources: Monday's latest updates: 5:00 p.m. Below are the latest coronavirus statistics for the Capital Region broken down by county Albany County Total cases: 1,737 (+1) Total deaths: 112 (+1) Currently hospitalized: 25 (+5) Recovered: 1,359 (+19) Total tested: 25,301 (+537) Tested positive: 7.4% Columbia County Total cases: 390 (+10) Total deaths: 34 (+1) Currently hospitalized: 18 (+1) Recovered: 243 (+12) Total tested: 4,429 (+94) Tested positive: 8.8% Greene County Total cases: 299 (+10) Total deaths: 18 (+0) Currently hospitalized: 0 (-3) Recovered: 260 (+5) Total tested: 2,975 (+79) Tested positive: 8% Rensselaer County Total cases: 522 (+5) Total deaths: 28 (+0) Currently hospitalized: 6 (+0) Recovered: 431 (+14) Total tested: 10,402 (+274) Tested positive: 4.7% Saratoga County Total cases: 481 (+4) Total deaths: 16 (+1) Currently hospitalized: 6 (+0) Recovered: 418 (+11) Total tested: 13,670 (+487) Tested positive: 3.5% Schenectady County Total cases: 684 (+3) Total deaths: 33 (+1) Currently hospitalized: 10 (+1) Recovered: 703 (+11) Total tested: 13,052 (+482) Tested positive: 5.3% Warren County Total cases: 243 (+0) Total deaths: 32 (+0) Currently hospitalized: 1 (+0) Recovered: 225 (+1) Total tested: 5,113 (+112) Tested positive: 5% Washington County Total cases: 204 (+1) Total deaths: 13 (+0) Currently hospitalized: - Recovered: 177 (+0) Total tested: 4,067 (+99) Tested positive: 5.8% Source: Case data per counties; test data per NY COVID tracker Note: Number in parentheses is the daily change. Cumulative cases represent lab-confirmed cases only. Recoveries may appear higher than cumulative cases for some counties because they include presumed cases when counting recoveries. ___ 3:46 p.m. Schenectady County confirms man in 70s dead from virus County officials reported their 33rd death from coronavirus on Monday. The victim was a man in his 70s. Officials also reported three new cases of the virus and 11 new recoveries, for 684 lab-confirmed cases and 703 recoveries to date. The countys recovery figure includes presumed cases from early on in the pandemic, which is why it exceeds the number of confirmed cases. Ten residents were hospitalized with the virus Monday, an increase of one from the day before. ___ 3:30 p.m. Columbia County announces another virus death County officials did not release any details about the victim, but the new death brings the countys known death toll from coronavirus to 34. One more resident tested positive for the virus overnight, and 12 more were deemed recovered for 390 confirmed cases to date and 243 recoveries. Eighteen residents were hospitalized with the virus Monday, an increase of one from Sunday. ___ 12:06 p.m. Saratoga County confirms another virus death The victim was a 69-year-old man from Halfmoon, county officials said. The county's known death toll from the virus is now 16. Overnight, there were four new cases of the virus and 11 new recoveries confirmed in the county. To date, 481 residents have tested positive for the virus and 418 people have recovered. Six residents are currently hospitalized with the virus. ___ 11:30 a.m. Albany County leaders urge weekend protesters to get tested for virus Albany County officials are carefully watching to see whether Memorial Day weekend gatherings and this weekends protests over police killings of black people may lead to a spike in cases down the road, and are urging anyone who was at this weekend's gatherings to get tested for the virus. The urgings came as County Executive Dan McCoy announced another death from the coronavirus on Monday. The victim was a county resident in his 70s with multiple underlying health conditions, he said. While the county has lost at least 112 people so far from the virus, county officials said that virus numbers are currently trending in the right direction and believe the region should be able to satisfy the metrics needed to move on to phase two of reopening Wednesday. Ill be very happy to see the governors press conference tomorrow and hopefully he announces that were going to be able to go into phase two, McCoy said. Read more ___ 6:18 a.m.: New York dentists' offices to reopen statewide Monday Dentists' offices can reopen statewide on Monday as coronavirus hospitalizations and deaths continue to decline, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said in a news release Sunday. Some offices had remained open amid the pandemic, but only for emergency dental procedures. Starting Monday, the offices can reopen following state-issued safety and social distancing standards that intend to minimize the risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19. Read more ___ Sunday: Total COVID-19 cases and deaths reported in the Capital Region Albany County: 1,644 cases, 27 hospitalized, 1,237 recoveries, 76 deaths Columbia County: 379 cases, 17 hospitalized, 207 recoveries, 32 deaths Greene County: 281 cases, 3 hospitalized, 248 recoveries, 18 deaths Rensselaer County: 497 cases, 6 hospitalized, 394 recoveries, 28 deaths Saratoga County: 464 cases, 5 hospitalized, 403 recoveries, 15 deaths Schenectady County: 658 cases, 15 hospitalized, 652 recoveries, 31 deaths Warren County: 240 cases, 3 hospitalized, 152 recoveries, 30 deaths Washington County: 199 cases, 177 recoveries, 13 deaths ___ Sunday: State-run DMV offices to start some services The state Department of Motor Vehicles said that beginning Monday, June 1, state-run DMV offices in the counties of Albany, Onondaga, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, Westchester and in New York City will begin to process vehicle registrations and other transactions by mail, and beginning June 4, will accept transactions through secure drop boxes located at each office. County Clerks that operate DMV offices in the remaining 51 counties of the state are advised to follow the state DMVs timeline and guidance for reopening. For specific information about services offered by county-operated offices visit https://dmv.ny.gov/dmv/dmv-office-locations ___ Sunday: 5 new Rensselaer County cases Five new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed to the Rensselaer County Health Department, the county announced on its Facebook page Saturday. The five new cases bring the total number of confirmed cases in the county to 515. The new cases include: A 26-year-old North Greenbush man. A 52-year-old Rensselaer man. A 52-year-old Schodack woman. A 72-year-old Rensselaer woman. A 26-year-old Rensselaer woman. There are now six residents in the hospital and none in ICU. There are two residents at Samaritan, one at St. Peter's and three at Albany Medical Center hospitals. There are about 110 residents now in monitor quarantine. There have been 9472 tests administered to residents, including 181 tests recorded Friday. There have been 28 deaths of county residents due to COVID-19. The last death from COVID-19 was recorded on May 15. The county also announced two cases cleared for recovery. There are now 415 cleared cases. ___ Sunday: Schenectady County sees another coronavirus-related death The death toll from COVID-19 has hit 32 after a man in his 70s succumbed to the the deadly virus as the number of reported cases of the disease inches up to 679 . Ten people remain hospitalized as a result of the virus. The number of people in quarantine is down to 355 while individuals in recovery and isolation have increased. ___ Sunday: More deaths added to Albany County total Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy said Saturday that 24 more deaths have been added to the toll, which had been reported to the state but not the county Health Department from three private nursing homes between April 21 and May 26. ___ Read more updates from Sunday Titled Will History Stop Repeating Itself?, Lee posted the video on his Twitter account by saying, 3 Brothers-Radio Raheem, Eric Garner And George Floyd. The video originally debuted on CNN. Talking to Don Lemon Lee stated, We are seeing this again and again and again. This is the thing, the killing of black bodies, that is what this country is built upon. MORRIS PLAINS, N.J., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CherryRoad Technologies Inc. today announced it has signed a NASPO ValuePoint Participating Addendum with the State of Alaska, allowing the State to simplify its entire cloud procurement process. CherryRoad markets its cloud solutions and managed services to state and local governments through NASPO ValuePoint's Master Agreement awarded by the State of Utah. The State of Alaska is the sixteenth state government to contract with CherryRoad to address its unique cloud-solution needs. Other states that currently have Participating Addendum's in place to leverage CherryRoad's services include: Florida; Hawaii; Illinois; Massachusetts; Mississippi; Missouri; Nebraska; Nevada; New Jersey; New Mexico; Oklahoma; South Dakota; Utah; Vermont; and Washington. Cloud solutions provided by CherryRoad include Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) which were developed specifically for state and local governments. NASPO ValuePoint is regarded as the nation's most significant public contract cooperative due to its unparalleled value for members as well as contractors, competitive pricing, and superior terms and conditions. NASPO ValuePoint Cloud Solutions Master Agreements are only awarded through a competitive RFP to a limited number of cloud solution providers whose offerings meet stringent security and data protection requirements. "By signing a Participating Addendum with CherryRoad, the State of Alaska has the opportunity to leverage our diversified technology portfolio and supplier networks, embrace new procurement models, and drive innovation for the State and its entities," said Tom Heldt, Executive Vice President, Sales of CherryRoad Technologies. "As a trusted technology provider for the public sector, our focus is to help the State achieve the best value in the cloud marketplace." About CherryRoad Technologies Inc. At CherryRoad, our clients entrust us with the success of their IT solutions, whether we're delivering on-premise ERP, cloud-based application management, business intelligence, process optimization, hosting, or change management consulting. Throughout our 30-year history we've successfully partnered with hundreds of public sector and commercial clients to modernize, optimize and manage their back-office functions. Headquartered in Morris Plains, N.J. with offices across the U.S., we've earned a solid reputation for combining technology, organizational, functional, and vertical market expertise into practical solutions that deliver results on-time and on-budget. For more information, visit www.cherryroad.com About NASPO ValuePoint NASPO ValuePoint is a unified, nationally focused cooperative aggregating the demand of all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the organized US territories, their political subdivisions and other eligible entities spurring best value, innovation and competition in the marketplace. The NASPO ValuePoint Cooperative Purchasing Organization (formerly WSCA-NASPO) provides the highest standard of excellence in public cooperative contracting. By leveraging the leadership and expertise of all states with the purchasing power of their public entities, NASPO ValuePoint delivers best value, reliable, competitively sourced contracts. Since 1993 NASPO ValuePoint has been the cooperative purchasing arm of NASPO (the National Association of State Procurement Officials) encouraging, fostering and guiding the nation's most significant public contract cooperative. SOURCE CherryRoad Technologies Inc. Related Links http://www.cherryroad.com Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu faces June 6 recall after being accused of neglecting his duties when he ran for president. A recall vote for a high-profile mayor is stirring political acrimony in Taiwan, with accusations of voter intimidation and official interference, and could bring new problems for the main opposition party after its comprehensive defeat in January elections. The Kuomintang (KMT) soundly lost the presidential and parliamentary polls. Since then, under a youthful new leader, Johnny Chiang, it has tried to rethink its unpopular policy of seeking closer ties with China. Now it faces further headaches as its defeated presidential candidate, Han Kuo-yu, faces a June 6 recall vote for mayor of the southern city of Kaohsiung, a major port whose leadership post he unexpectedly won in late 2018. On Sunday, thousands of people took to the streets there to rally against Han, vowing to reclaim Kaohsiung and urging people to recall him in the vote on Saturday. Han and the KMT have called on people to boycott the vote, which the election commission approved after a petition organised by WeCare Kaohsiung, a civic group. Please, good friends who support Han Kuo-yu, dont vote on June 6, and dont attend any political activities, Han wrote on his Facebook page last month. Han says the government is conspiring to kick him out, alleging that more trains have been scheduled for Saturday so people can go vote. The DPP-led government says that is untrue. Three-month absence Hans critics say he lacks interest in the city, pointing to the three-month leave of absence he took from his new mayoral duties to run for president. Chang Po-yang, one of the recall vote organisers, said Hans defeat would present a major setback for the KMTs China policy as well as a rejection of closer ties with China. If we succeed, it means the Kuomintangs China policy no longer has any market, he told Reuters. Chang is a representative of the Taiwan Statebuilding Party, a pro-independence bloc close to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). President Tsai Ing-wen and the DPP won Januarys elections on promises they would stand up to China, which claims Taiwan as its sovereign territory. Meanwhile, Taiwan police say they will deploy about 500 officers to polling stations after receiving reports that gangsters plan to intimidate people into not voting on Saturday. The DPP has stepped up its attacks on the KMTs China stance. Premier Su Tseng-chang on Friday accused the Kuomintang of supporting one country, two systems, Chinas proposal of autonomy to win Taiwan over. Hong Kong, which China rules under such a system, is in the midst of protests over a Beijing-imposed security law that critics say would undermine most freedoms. Kuomintang Chairman Chiang said this was standard DPP trickery to smear the party red, a reference to the colours of Chinas Communist Party, and that he had repeatedly expressed his opposition to one country, two systems. The Houston culinary scene has lost another establishment amid the coronavirus pandemic. Penny Quarter in Montrose announced on Sunday that it has indefinitely closed. The all-day cafe and bar is from Bobby Heugel (Anvil, Better Luck Tomorrow, The Pastry War) and his partners James Beard Award-winning chef Justin Yu (Oxheart, Theodore Rex, Better Luck Tomorrow) and Steve Flippo (Better Luck Tomorrow, Squable). It first opened on August 12, 2019. Closings: Houston favorite Bernie's Burger Bus to close all locations permanently We have made the very difficult decision to indefinitely close Penny Quarter. We would like to sincerely thank you for all of your support - especially over the past couple of months, the group said in a Facebook post. We are unsure if we will ever reopen, but we are very proud of what our team accomplished at Penny Quarter over the last year. Texas restaurants -- temporarily closed in March to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus -- have been hit hard. Although they were allowed to reopen at 25 percent on May 1 under Gov. Greg Abbotts guidelines, and at 50 percent on May 22, nearly 700,000 restaurant jobs were lost in Texas with a projected $4.2 billion in lost sales through the end of April. The economic impact of the shutdown took a toll on Penny Quarter's operations, which would require significant debt in addition to opening debt to rebuild, according to the Facebook post. Closings: Barry's Pizza closes after 37 years of business in Houston Why close? Because a new business with lower prices and a casual cafe setting cant survive COVID-19. We pay our staff higher wages for our industry in addition to providing health benefits for all employees, and we refuse to do any less. To achieve this, however, we need lots of people in our space throughout the day to afford to do so, the Facebook post reads. Situated behind Anvil at 1424 Westheimer, Penny Quarter was set in a two-story space inspired by Montrose's cafe and bar culture. The concept served high-quality coffee, wine and a simple menu from morning to night. Rather than letting the inevitable slowly play out, we feel we are better able to care for our staff by making this choice now, rather than later," the group said via Facebook. "Again, thank you Houston for your support; we love serving you. Washington: Expressing grief over the death of Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov President Barack Obama has said that the United States remains committed to its partnership with the central Asian nation. Obama in a condolence speech said that "At this challenging time of President Islam Karimov's passing the United States reaffirms its support for the people of Uzbekistan. He talked about his closeness with Karimov "This week I congratulated President Karimov and the people of Uzbekistan on their country's 25 years of independence". "As Uzbekistan begins a new chapter in its history, the United States remains committed to its partnership with Uzbekistan to its sovereignty security and to a future based on the rights of all its citizens," the US president stated. Karimov was Uzbekistan's first and only president after it became independent from the then USSR in 1991. Karimov died at the age of 78 after reportedly suffering a stroke over the weekend. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. CLEVELAND, Ohio With National Guard soldiers and vehicles in the streets, Cleveland police turned commuters away from downtown Monday morning, based on the city curfew that lasts until Tuesday night. The citys civil emergency proclamation says that persons traveling to and from their place of employment during regular business hours are exempted from the curfew, but there was confusion over who the clause referred to. The city revised its order Monday afternoon. Ward 3 Cleveland City Councilman Kerry McCormack tweeted at 9:35 a.m. that he had spoken to the Cleveland chief of police and learned that all businesses and affected areas are to be closed. This includes downtown office buildings. Employees of closed offices should not try to come downtown. The Cuyahoga County Twitter account tweeted: If you do not have to be downtown or in a curfew zone, please avoid those areas as travel restrictions are being enforced and there are reports by some that even those who work in those areas are being turned away. If you do not have to be downtown or in a curfew zone, please avoid those areas as travel restrictions are being enforced and there are reports by some that even those who work in those areas are being turned away. Cuyahoga County (@CuyahogaCounty) June 1, 2020 The city sent this alert before 8 a.m.: "A Curfew AND Parking Ban for Downtown and the area of W 28th to W 25th from Lorain Ave to Superior Viaduct is in effect starting at 8am on June 1st and ending 8pm on June 2nd. All highway entrances to downtown are closed. Please avoid the area. Rachel Rood, a producer for Ideastream employee, tweeted that she was turned away from driving to the office on Playhouse Square, even after telling the office that the Mayors order allowed essential employees to work during their business hours. I drove to another intersection and was able to get in. Very confusing. The blockades have caused major traffic issues. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson late Sunday extended the citys curfew, after protests over the death of George Floyd devolved into riots. The curfew area was expanded to include the central business district of downtown Cleveland, as well as the Market District of Clevelands Ohio City neighborhood. Related coverage: Cleveland mayor, police chief say officers handled George Floyd protest well, even as it devolved into violence City of Cleveland extends curfew through Tuesday night following Saturday riots Protestors at Cleveland George Floyd demonstration organized in advance, denounced violence Cleveland officials provide no proof that rioters were out-of-towners, no info on 65 arrests downtown Suburban shopping centers closed after downtown Cleveland protests turn violent Australia will slash the number of returning citizens allowed into the country by half as it struggles to contain a worsening coronavirus outbreak in its second-largest city Melbourne Canadian researchers have developed a mathematical model of the effectiveness of social distancing in controlling the COVID-19 epidemic in Ontario. They predict that a radical lifting of these precautionary measures in the province, without parallel screening tests or other compensatory measures, could saturate hospital services within a month. In Europe and elsewhere around the world, countries are gradually emerging from lockdown. But to what extent is it possible reopen parks and restaurants and return to normal life without risking a second wave of contagion? Canadian researchers have analyzed the different possible scenarios. Published on May 27 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the conclusions of the study conducted in Ontario suggests that the lifting of all social-distancing measures in the coming weeks would lead to a rapid resurgence of the virus that would saturate intensive care services in the province within a month. The prediction, developed by Population Medicine Professor Amy Greer at the University of Guelph and researchers at the University of Toronto, Canada, is based on a mathematical model created in the early spring, which took into account the number of of COVID-19-infected patients in intensive care in Ontario between March 19 and May 3, and the death rate among these patients. The new study presents a revised version of this model, which has now been adjusted to reflect events that transpired following its creation. "This paper goes back, uses the same model, but updates it by calibrating it with observed Ontario data as well as data on what we now know about the biology of the disease," explains Professor Greer. Five times the number of deaths without social distancing According to the new study, the province of Ontario would have had five times as many deaths without social-distancing measures introduced in mid-March. Deaths among hospitalized patients without the intervention were estimated at 12.7 deaths per 100,000, compared to 2.5 deaths per 100,000 with social distancing. Story continues The research team also examined the time it would take to exceed the available number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds in the province if social distancing was relaxed without any other compensatory measures. Assuming that social distancing reduced contact in Ontario by 70%, the study predicts that hospitals would be overwhelmed in just 35 days without it. Even if current restrictions remain in force until mid-June, the researchers also found that a subsequent abandonment of all social-distancing measures would lead to the health system being overwhelmed in just 41 days. "The amount of contact that happens as we begin to relax is a major factor for determining how quickly ICU capacity is exceeded," points out Professor Greer, who goes on to conclude: "If we let up on physical distancing without concurrent increases in testing and tracing, there will be a rapid return to exponential growth." VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- K2 Gold Corporation (K2 or the Company) (KTO:TSX-V) is pleased to report that it has identified a new target area, Gold Valley, at the Companys Mojave Project (Mojave) in southern California. In addition, K2 has received the results of the WorldView-3 high-resolution, multi-spectral, remote sensing survey of the property which has identified at least five new targets, two of which are more than a kilometre in length. The Mojave project spans 5,830 hectares and is located 240km north west of Las Vegas and 30km south east of the town of Lone Pine. Highlights Include: New gold target identified in colluvium at Gold Valley from soil sampling, interpreted as the NNW extension of Dragonfly Zone Completion of WorldView-3 remote sensing survey over the Mojave Property and discovery of two strong linear alteration zones (~2km and 1.5km in length) at Upland Valley and several other secondary priority anomalous areas throughout the property. Grab rock sampling at Dragonfly returned up to 15.2 g/t Au, and limited trench sampling including 2.5g/t Au over 4.6m has confirmed previous work by BHP The new discovery at Gold Valley is exciting and significant; it may result in the discovery of the extension of the previously drilled Dragonfly mineralization beneath cover and over a strike length of approximately 2km, stated Stephen Swatton, President and CEO of K2. Additionally, the preliminary WorldView results have given the company new targets to follow up which have similar alteration footprints to known mineralization; two of the new anomalies are over 1km in length and have never previously been explored or sampled. K2 completed preliminary target definition exploration of the Mojave property in early March 2020. The Company took a total of 1,335 soil and 622 rock samples (of which 486 were chip/channel samples). In addition, K2 completed a 189 line-km ground magnetic survey on the eastern portion of the property and staked 151 new claims increasing the land position to 5,830 hectares. Highlights from the Newmont, East, and Broken Hill targets on the south-eastern portion of the property were previously released and included trench results of 3.78 g/t Au over 43m (East Zone); 2.46 g/t Au over 34m (Newmont Zone); and grab samples up to 24.7 g/t Au (see the Companys new release dated April 6, 2020, available on SEDAR). Results of soil sampling completed on the north-eastern portion of the property, including the Dragonfly and Gold Valley targets, are presented in this release, in addition to, the results of a recently completed WorldView-3 remote sensing survey covering the Mojave property. Story continues Please CLICK HERE to view all figures related to this news release Gold Valley New Target Recent soil sampling has defined a new target area which is approximately 750m NW of Dragonfly. The Gold Valley target area consists of a 700m x 650m NNW trending Au soil anomaly. The samples range from trace to 385 ppb Au, with 8 samples returning >100 ppb Au. The samples were taken at the NE end of a broad 5km NE-SW trending valley which comprises colluvium and unconsolidated soils. The depth of the colluvium is unknown. The south-west end of the valley is host to two strong linear unexplored multi-spectral Alunite-muscovite anomalies that are more than a kilometre in length. The Gold Valley appears to occur along a NNW extension of the structural trend that hosts the Dragonfly zone. Dragonfly and Gold Valley are separated by colluvial cover that potential masks the geochemical response in this area. It is interpreted that the two targets are connected beneath cover and would form a 2.3km trend of alteration and anomalous gold mineralization. The Dragonfly-Gold Valley target area is considered a high priority for follow up work and plans are underway for follow up rock chip/channel sampling and geologic mapping to refine the targets. The Dragonfly was discovered by BHP and hosts some of the strongest oxide gold mineralization reported on the property to date including historic chip results of 4.2 g/t Au over 42.67m, rock samples up to 22.53 g/t Au; and significant intercepts in historic drilling including 1.54 g/t Au over 24.38m starting at surface and 3.84 g/t over 12.19m starting at 42.19m depth from CM97-4. Mineralization on the Dragonfly occurs along a series of NNW oriented structures lithologic contacts and is associated with quartz-sericite alteration, strong iron oxide staining, brecciation, and minor quartz-carbonate veining. Eastern Target Area A total of 972 grid soil samples were taken over the Eastern target area and were designed to follow up and expand upon historic sampling conducted in the area. This includes 411 previously released samples over the Newmont, East, and Broken Hill target areas (see the Companys new release dated April 6, 2020, available on SEDAR). Individual values for the soils ranged from trace to 1,040 ppb Au with 36 of the samples returning >100 ppb Au. The samples were collected 50m apart on E-W oriented lines spaced 150m apart. WorldView Remote Sensing The Company also recently completed a WorldView-3 remote sensing survey (WV3) on the Mojave Project. The WV3 satellite shows a dramatic improvement in spatial and spectral resolution compared to the previous generation of resource satellites Landsat and ASTER - and is the best remote sensing satellite technology commercially available to assist mineral exploration at high-resolution project scales. The WV3 satellite data was processed by the Exploration Mapping Group, Las Vegas, NV, and includes a variety of spectral processing techniques to discriminate surface geology and map high concentrations of iron, clay and silica minerals potentially associated with alteration and mineralization on the property. In addition to helping refine known targets on the property, the survey identified at least five new targets on the property. The most significant target is in the south-central portion of the property between the Stega and Newmont target areas called Upland Valley. WV3 results indicate the potential for significant alteration over a 2.5km x 1km, N-S, trending area with overlapping assemblages of quartz, argillic, phyllic, and iron-oxide (hematite-goethite-jarosite) styles of alteration detected by the survey. The area is unexplored, though, USGS geologic mapping indicate multiple faults in the area that correspond to the alteration footprints. The target is considered a high priority for follow up work including geologic mapping, prospecting, and soil sampling to confirm the reported alteration and potential for mineralization. Rock sampling - Dragonfly K2 confirmed previous rock sampling by BHP in the 1990s by undertaking a limited rock sampling survey over Dragonfly. Highlights of the program include two grab samples of 16.5 g/t Au and 15.2 g/t Au, and limited chip sampling include 2.5g/t over 4.6m, 2.0g/t over 7m and 0.59 g/t over 10m. History of the Mojave Property Mobil first discovered gold mineralization at what is known as Soda Ridge, located in the northwest corner of the Mojave property, in 1984. Prior to K2s recently completed work, at least eight other gold rich areas on the property had been recorded and partially investigated by exploration and mining companies, most notably Newmont and BHP. To date, 145 drill holes have been completed by three companies: Newmont in 1985 (22 RC holes), Asamera in 1986 (113 RC and diamond drill holes), and BHP in 1997 (10 RC holes) on three of the nine gold targets. Other companies that have explored on the Mojave property include Great Bear Resources and SSR Mining but the recent work by K2 is the most extensive and comprehensive since 1997. There are now 12 gold and base metal exploration targets on the Mojave property. The historical drill programs focused on three different target areas on the property, Newmont, East Zone and Dragonfly. Highlights of historical drill results include 16.8m of 2.1 g/t Au, 24.4m of 1.54g/t Au, and 12.2m of 3.8 g/t Au (see Table 1, below). The best trench result to date is an undrilled section of the Dragonfly area where BHP reported 42.7m of 4.2 g/t Au (Great Bear Resources news release October 2013). Table 1. Highlights of historical drilling results from Newmont, East Zone and Dragonfly Target Hole ID From (m) To (m) Int (m) Au (g/t) Newmont CGL-1 8.23 11.28 1.52 8.23 CGL-3 38.40 55.17 16.76 2.08 CGL-12 208.79 225.55 16.76 1.09 CGL-19 74.68 99.06 24.38 0.91 Incl. 74.68 80.78 6.10 3.07 CM97-9 120.40 135.64 15.24 1.00 East CGL-8 51.816 56.388 4.572 1.82 Dragonfly CM97-3 47.24 53.34 6.10 2.00 And 163.07 172.20 9.13 1.17 CM97-4 0.00 24.38 24.38 1.54 Incl. 16.76 22.86 4.95 6.10 And 42.67 54.86 12.19 3.84 And 88.59 97.54 9.14 1.55 CM97-5 146.30 158.50 12.20 1.48 Geology of the Mojave Project The Mojave property is underlain by a Palaeozoic, carbonate-dominated stratigraphic sequence of siltstone, shale, limestone, and conglomeratic units that have been subjected to multiple deformational events. The units are commonly folded and thrusted and are cut by late, steeply dipping, normal to strike-slip faults. Jurassic intrusive plug, dikes, and sills also locally disrupted the units. Gold mineralization at Mojave is typically oxide, sediment hosted, and structurally controlled by steeply dipping faults and lithologic contacts. The alteration, mineralization, and geochemistry have similarities to both Carlin and epithermal type gold systems. Polymetallic Au-Ag, Cu, and/or base-metal occurrences are also recognised on the property and typically form proximal to Jurassic intrusive units indicating the potential for porphyry and other intrusion-related mineralization. Assay Methodology & QA/QC The analytical work on the Mojave project was performed by MSALABS an internationally recognized analytical services provider, at its Langley, British Columbia laboratory. All rock samples were prepared using procedure PRP-910 (Dry, crush to 70% passing 2mm, riffle split off 250g, pulverize split to better than 85% passing 75 microns) and analyzed by method FAS-111 (30g fire assay with AAS finish) and IMS-130 (0.5g, aqua regia digestion and ICP-AES/MS analysis). Samples containing >10g/t Au were reanalyzed using method FAS-415 (30g Fire Assay with gravimetric finish). Samples containing >100 ppm Ag and/or >1% Cu, Pb, & Zn were reanalyzed using method ICF-6 (0.2g, 4-acid digest and ore grade ICP-AES analysis). Samples containing >1000 g/t Ag were reanalyzed using method FAS-418 (30g Fire Assay with gravimetric finish). All soil samples were prepared using procedure PRP-757 (Dry, screen to -80 mesh) and analyzed using method IMS-131 (20g, aqua regia digestion and ICP-AES/MS analysis). The reported work was completed using industry standard procedures, including a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program consisting of the insertion of certified standard, blanks and duplicates into the sample stream. The Qualified Person has reviewed the data and detected no significant QA/QC issues. Qualified Person Jodie Gibson, Vice President of Exploration and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information on this release. About K2 K2 is a well financed gold and silver exploration company with approximately $1.5M cash and projects in SW USA, Yukon and Alaska. The Company is focussed on the Mojave property in California, a 5,830 hectare oxide gold project with base metal targets. The ambient climatic conditions at Mojave enable the Company to have year-round news flow on many targets including multiple previously recognized surface gold targets that have been successfully drilled in the past by majors BHP and Newmont. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Stephen Swatton President and CEO K2 Gold Corporation. For further information about K2 Gold Corporation or this news release, please visit our website at www.k2gold.com or contact Investor Relations at 604-354-2491, or by email at info@k2gold.com . K2 Gold Corporation is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit: www.discoverygroup.ca . Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the exploration program at Mojave, including results of drilling, and future exploration plans at Mojave. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, the Company's inability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its planned activities, and the Company's inability to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies. The reader is referred to the Company's public disclosure record which is available on SEDAR ( www.sedar.com ). Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except as required by securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. No securities of the Company have been or will, in the foreseeable future, be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the 1933 Act) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. By IANS LUCKNOW: The ice has begun to melt and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav is apparently ready to mend fences with his estranged uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav. After withdrawing the petition seeking disqualification of Shivpal from the Assembly, Akhilesh is now ready for a 'seat adjustment' with his uncle's Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia in the 2022 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh hinted at 'strengthening' the truce when he said that his party may strike an 'adjustment' on the Jaswantnagar seat from where Shivpal is a sitting MLA. Shifting from his earlier stand of contesting the 2022 Assembly elections alone, Akhilesh said, "We may take smaller outfits along and make some adjustments at the local level but will not enter into any major alliance." In a video conference organised by a television channel, Akhilesh said on the issue of joining hands with uncle Shivpal and getting him back into the SP fold, "He is heading a separate political outfit. Us party ko adjust kar liya jayega Jaswantnagar seat par (We may have an adjustment with his party for Jaswantnagar Assembly seat)." Shivpal Singh Yadav, meanwhile, said all options should remain open in politics. "We will see if the offer is according to my stature," he said, refusing to comment further. Shivpal, meanwhile, has personally invited Akhilesh Yadav to attend the inauguration of the Lohia Trust building in Etawah, scheduled to take place in mid-June. Samajwadi patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav will be the chief guest at the event which will also mark the grand reunion of the family. A senior SP MLA who spoke on condition of anonymity, admitted that a rapprochement between the two warring factions was very much on the cards. "Both, Akhilesh and Shivpal, have faced sliding fortunes since 2016 when the factional war began. For our political survival, it is important that they sink their differences and revive the party. Akhilesh has charisma and Shivpal has organisational skills. The combination can help the party regain lost glory," he said. Sources said that Mulayam Singh Yadav had convinced Akhilesh to join hands with Shivpal. "Netaji (Mulayam) has been keeping not too well and during one of his hospital visits, he asked Akhilesh that he wished to see the family and the party united. After this, Akhilesh has softened his stand and he now talks frequently on phone with Shivpal -- something he had not done in the past four years," said a family member. 'I am sure our DRDO will surely be on the job towards building similar capability to counter the threat posed by this Chinese helicopter,' observes Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd). IMAGE: The Chinese Helicopter Drone-AR500c/AV500c. All photographs: Kind courtesy People's Daily, China/Twitter.com A recent news report on China's Unmanned Helicopter Drone seems to be more of a publicity stunt by the Chinese. If one goes to the manufacturer AVIC's Web site, there is no mention of this helicopter drone. Having been a helicopter pilot myself and closely associated with drone operations in the military I can counter the Chinese claim about the AR500c unmanned helicopter. 1. As of now this is a technology demonstration. The helicopter only seems to have hovered and done some flight manoeuvres close to the ground (as seen in the video released). In what time frame and when will the Chinese be able to prove the entire flight envelope of the claimed heights and speeds is the question. And even if they do, how long will it take them to operationalise the system? There is still a long way to go! IMAGE: The handheld console to control the helicopter Drone-AR500c. 2. What is the payload it will be able to carry if it has to take off from a field at 16,000 feet? That has not been specified anywhere. As far as my knowledge goes, helicopter capability above 4 km to 4.5 km altitude tapers off drastically. If a certain helicopter can carry 4 tons at sea level, the same machine taken to 12,000 feet would carry barely 20% of its stated capability. So to carry out its mission, it would be forced to reduce the fuel carried which will have a direct bearing on the range and endurance of the machine. 3. The Chinese are known to pick up technology off the shelf and reverse engineer it for military use. Here the Chinese are claiming use of the system from upwards of 5,000 metres altitude to 6,700 meters.(16,000 to 22,000 feet). Machines designed to operate at such altitudes would require 'mil-standards' of equipment. I have my doubts if equipment used in this machine is as per military specifications. It is a known fact it is difficult and costly to produce equipment of military standards. 4. The airframe and engine, besides the ground crew who service the machine, would have to weather extreme cold conditions. Ask a helicopter pilot the difficulties of operating and handling a machine at that altitude and he will tell you that it is tricky, you are operating at the edge of the flight envelope and there is very less margin for error. In mountains, there exist strong winds and currents which make even manned helicopter operations difficult. I wonder if the Chinese have developed the technology to counter the effects of all elements of weather -- a difficult proposition to say the least. So, given the constraints of weather, will the machine be able to carry out 24/7/365 ops, a 'must' for operations, especially int gathering. A dedicated anti-icing system on the helicopter is a must to operate in such conditions; have the Chinese been able to go around the weight penalties for fitment of such a system? As far as my knowledge goes, the fitment of an appropriate anti-icing system for UAvs has been in the development phase so far. Rubberised and plastic components as also the composite technology used in the machine make it very prone to failures in extreme cold conditions. Composite technology is also very vulnerable to vagaries of weather. Last but not the least, this is a very light machine as compared to a real helicopter. The effect of winds and turbulence at that altitude on a small airframe would require highly sensitive and complicated flying controls. Even when bigger helicopters operate at these altitudes, there are numerous occasions when flights cannot be undertaken due to weather limitations. IMAGE: The GCS for the helicopter Drone-AR500c. 5. Certain Line of Sight issues which affect operations: The helicopter has to operate in line of sight (LOS) of the ground control station. In the mountains, to have a clear line of sight to advantage is a big problem. So, your range will be drastically reduced in this sub-optimal LOS. This can be remedied by use of satellite based control but how and where are they going to put the receiver antenna (on the UAV) out of the shadow of the rotors of the helicopter is the question that comes to mind. The rotor system is a mass of rotating metal which is likely to interfere with the control signal from the satellite. Also, the satellite also needs to be in 'view' of the ground control station(GCS) which is located in the mountains. There is no workable technology that comes to mind when one can use the machine to the limits of its range in the mountains as of now. Additionally, one needs to keep the GCS at a height from where it can get optimum range. This is heavy equipment and in the absence of roads/connectivity to such high grounds, the location of the GCS would be more based on administrative convenience and may not provide for optimum ranges. IMAGE: Inside the GCS for the helicopter Drone-AR500c. When one analyses the terrain on both the sides of the India-China divide, it is clear that if one pops up beyond the highest feature from the Indian side, one will be able to see for miles into Tibet, both visually as well as electronically. But in the case of the Chinese, the undulating hills of the Himalayas till they merge with the Gangetic plain won't allow good clarity of view on both counts to them. Today we can be happy with the fact that we have the equipment and platforms to look deep inside Tibet in every which way we want, and should this new unmanned Chinese helicopter appear on the horizon even earlier than what we think, it shouldn't be a cause for too much worry. The wars of tomorrow will be based on accurate intelligence which is provided by ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) platforms such as these unarmed aerial vehicles. It has been proven time and again in all warfare, that he who has timely and accurate intelligence will have an upper hand over his adversary. Every nation's war fighting capability is therefore based on its intelligence gathering machinery and expertise, a fact that should not be lost sight of. Also, the wars of the future will be fought at large standoff distances and remotely; and therefore, the fighter aeroplane will have to give way to the unmanned vehicle in the years to come. I am sure our DRDO will surely be on the job towards building similar capability in the near future to counter the threat posed by this Chinese helicopter. We have much better experience than the Chinese of operating the Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) systems in mountains and this should be further exploited to ensure that we are upto the task when required. Overall, it is a signal for us to buck up in the race to obtain UAVs to operate in all terrain and weather conditions of the Indian subcontinent. Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), a Chinese government company, has made a good beginning in producing a demonstration model of the unmanned helicopter and set the stage for the race for supremacy of unmanned vehicles in our sub-continent. Production: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd) is a helicopter pilot who served the Indian Air Force for 35 years and was part of United Nations Peace Keeping Force operations in the Congo. He wrapped the Reichstag in Berlin in silvery fabric, dressed several islands near Miami in flamingo-pink skirts, ran a 24-mile-long fence through Northern California and installed 7,500 goal-post-like gates in New York's Central Park. His installations, which in some cases attracted millions of visitors, expanded the definition of contemporary art. Christo, 84, a Bulgarian-born environmental artist known for his monumental works, died May 31 at his home in New York City. His office announced the death in a statement but did not give a precise cause. Bespectacled and nerdy in appearance, Christo was the Evel Knievel of artists, pulling off seemingly impossible feats, such as erecting thousands of giant umbrellas simultaneously in the United States and Japan and persuading hundreds of German lawmakers to let him wrap the Reichstag. Measured by the number of people who saw his work, he was probably the most successful artist of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. New Yorker art critic Calvin Tomkins marveled at Christo's "grandiose, ephemeral, absurdly beautiful spectacles," while noting that their very accessibility evoked "disdain and hostility . . . in certain quarters." Among art-world insiders, Christo's installations, which required armies of workers and millions of dollars to pull off, were sometimes viewed as a triumph of spectacle over art. But his thousands of drawings and models - which he sold to finance his projects - were art by anybody's definition. From 1987 to 2003, Tomkins reported, Christo had sold more than $66 million worth of his work. For most of his career, Christo collaborated with his wife, the former Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon; together, they completed 23 large public projects. They developed ideas jointly, after which Christo made drawings and scale models while Jeanne-Claude (she, too, was known by her first name) handled logistics. Although the body of work was initially attributed to Christo, the artists in 1994 retroactively applied the joint name "Christo and Jeanne-Claude" to all their large-scale pieces. Christo rarely talked about the meaning of his work, but he traced its roots to his years in art school in Sofia, Bulgaria. The communist government wanted to impress passengers aboard the Orient Express, traveling between Paris and Istanbul, and dispatched students to the countryside to cultivate an ordered look. Christo, as he explained to Surface magazine in 2018, had to tell residents "that they should keep everything very clean and organized. I was talking to farmers and workers, ordinary people not involved with art." He added: "All that is part of what I am doing today. I'm still talking to people who have not the slightest idea what art is, who are not interested in art. I enjoy that adventure." Christo Vladimirov Javacheff was born in the Bulgarian city of Gabrovo on June 13, 1935 (the same day as his wife). His father ran a fabric factory, and his mother was the secretary at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sofia. In 1957, he stowed away on a train that took him across the Iron Curtain to Vienna. He soon moved to Paris, where he supported himself by painting portraits. He met Jeanne-Claude, the Moroccan-born daughter of a French army officer, in 1958, when he was commissioned to paint a portrait of her mother. While pregnant with Christo's child in 1959, she married a man her parents considered more suitable. But she left her husband after three weeks, later telling The Washington Post, "His key didn't fit my lock." She gave birth to a son, Cyril, in 1960 and married Christo two years later. In 1961, Christo and Jeanne-Claude produced their first joint work, a temporary installation on the docks in Cologne, Germany, consisting of oil drums covered in tarps. The next year, they used more oil drums to close off a narrow street in Paris, creating a kind of "iron curtain" in protest of the Berlin Wall. The couple moved to New York in 1964. Five years later, they were invited by an Australian collector to wrap nearly two miles of coast and cliffs along Little Bay, outside Sydney. The project required almost 1 million square feet of fabric and 17,000 person-hours to erect. It was dismantled after 10 weeks, setting a precedent: All of the couple's large-scale works were temporary. Their first monumental installation in the United States - a 200-foot-long curtain across a canyon in Colorado - was put in place on Aug. 10, 1972. Bright orange and strung across a giant gulch, it looked like a fabric dam or the broken smile of a geologically scaled jack-o'-lantern. The so-called Valley Curtain lasted 28 hours before it was destroyed by gale-force winds. The project was the subject of an Oscar-nominated documentary by filmmakers David and Albert Maysles, as were several other Christo and Jeanne-Claude installations. In 1972, they turned their attentions to Running Fence, a fabric stripe nearly 18 feet high and 25 miles long meant to cross Sonoma and Marin counties in Northern California. Nine lawyers were engaged to win approval from 59 landowners. Construction, using 2 million square feet of nylon hung from 2,000 steel posts, was completed in 1976; the fence remained up for two weeks. The couple later surrounded 11 islands in Miami's Biscayne Bay with millions of square feet of pink polypropylene fabric and in 1985 wrapped the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris, in sand-colored cloth. Their next installation involved setting up thousands of umbrellas simultaneously in Ibaraki, Japan, and at the Tejon Ranch in Southern California, in the fall of 1991. The $26 million project seemed like an innocent expression of international solidarity. But fast winds knocked over an umbrella in California, killing one person and injuring several others. Christo and Jeanne-Claude immediately ordered the umbrellas closed "out of respect." A second death - of a worker - occurred when the umbrellas were being taken down. Meanwhile, the couple had spent more than two decades seeking approval to wrap the Reichstag, the seat of Germany's Bundestag (parliament). In June 1995, the building was covered in more than 1 million square feet of fireproof polypropylene fabric, which gave it an otherworldly appearance and, to many, symbolized Germany's rejection of its past. New York Times architecture critic Paul Goldberger wrote that the Reichstag, "a heavy, bombastic building that epitomizes German excesses of the late 19th century, is rendered light, almost delicate." The project, he observed, "got Berlin into more of a celebratory mood than anything since the fall of the wall." Their efforts to install 7,503 metal frames festooned with orange fabric in Central Park began in 1979. A breakthrough came 22 years later with the election of Mike Bloomberg, an arts patron, as mayor. With Bloomberg's support, the installation, known as The Gates, was unveiled on Feb. 12, 2005. About 5 million people visited The Gates during its 16-day run; 600 "gatekeepers" distributed a million free fabric samples as souvenirs. The project's cost - $21 million - was borne entirely by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. After Jeanne-Claude's death in 2009, Christo continued executing projects they had planned together, notably working to create a silvery canopy over 42 miles of the Arkansas River in central Colorado. The project, mostly on federal land, faced opposition from a local group and was canceled by Christo in January 2017, after the election of Donald Trump. "I use my own money and my own work and my own plans because I like to be totally free," Christo told The Times. "And here now, the federal government is our landlord. They own the land. I can't do a project that benefits this landlord." He calculated that he and Jeanne-Claude had completed 23 projects but had failed to realize more than twice that many. In 1962, he had the idea to wrap the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, the project, involving 25,000 square meters of silvery blue fabric and 7,000 meters of red rope, is slated to open September 2021 - almost 60 years after Christo conceived it. Christo lived and worked in a loft building in New York's SoHo neighborhood that he and Jeanne-Claude bought in 1973, the year he became an American citizen. Survivors include his son, filmmaker and photographer Cyril Christo of Santa Fe, New Mexico; two brothers; and a grandson. Of his large pieces, Christo told The Times in 2014, "They're totally irrational and absolutely unnecessary. They cannot be bought, you can't charge for tickets. The world can exist without them. And this carries a kind of absolute freedom." A view from Wrexhams Member of Parliament This article is old - Published: Monday, Jun 1st, 2020 Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Members of Parliament and Assembly Members to write a monthly article with updates on their work in their respective Parliaments and closer to home you can find them all here. Today, Wrexhams MP Sarah Atherton writes The coronavirus outbreak has taught us a lot about ourselves; our ability as individuals to adapt to fast-changing environments where work, family and social lives are thrown out of balance; the strength of our community; and, our resilience as a nation. As your MP I have been humbled to see some of these extraordinary efforts in Wrexham. From volunteers producing face visors using 3D printers, to the hard work and dedication of our key workers, our communities response to this pandemic has been truly heart-warming. Id like to take this opportunity, to once again, thank all of our key workers, volunteers, and individuals who have listened to the Governments advice, and for the role they have played during these unprecedented times. https://twitter.com/AthertonNWales/status/1260204664454352896?s=20 As we enter the next phase of this crisis, as lockdown measures are slowly and gradually lifted, it is important that we continue to listen to expert advice. Whilst the next stage will be challenging, the UK Government has announced further support to protect jobs, businesses and the economy. From extending the Self Employment Support Scheme for three months, to the introduction of flexible furlough, making it easier for furloughed workers to return part time. Further, Im pleased that the Welsh Government have listened to calls to reopen the Economic Resilience fund, providing support for many businesses across Wrexham. I thank the @WelshGovernment for listening to mine and colleagues concerns and for their decision to reopen the Economic Resilience Fund, a decision that Im sure many #Wrexham businesses will be delighted to hear. pic.twitter.com/y4a59QQiG7 Sarah Atherton MP (@AthertonNWales) May 22, 2020 The effect of coronavirus on family finances cannot be underestimated, that is why Im pleased that the Government has taken the necessary steps to support hardworking families, with a three-month extension of the mortgage payment holiday. This remains one of the most comprehensive and generous packages of support anywhere in the world. https://twitter.com/AthertonNWales/status/1265321808938643456?s=20 Much of my work now takes place virtually, from voting to meeting with constituents and colleagues about local issues. Despite my office closure, I continue to hold advice surgeries via skype, helping constituents on a wide variety of issues. https://twitter.com/AthertonNWales/status/1265342724317863936?s=20 I continue to work closely with my colleagues to represent North Wales and Wrexham, holding the Welsh Government to account, ensuring that North Wales is not left behind in our fight against coronavirus. Im pleased that the Welsh Government have now reconsidered their decision and will start testing some residents in care homes. However, this must go further we must test all residents to get a true picture of the extent of the the virus in this environment https://t.co/GV51dii8G8 Sarah Atherton MP (@AthertonNWales) May 5, 2020 I recently took part in Campaign Forces zoom evening, encouraging others from the Armed Forces community to run for public office, a cause which is close to my heart. Our 8th session inspiring our armed forces community to stand up and serve again! Thanks @AthertonNWales for an inspiring insight into your journey. Honest, real and authentic #StandUpServeAgain https://t.co/UbG9GLfvgo CampaignForce CIC (@campaignforceuk) May 27, 2020 With that in mind, as part of my role on the Defence Select Committee, we have launched an inquiry into the Armed Forces contribution to the ongoing efforts in tackling this pandemic. Together we will beat coronavirus, but in order to ensure that our sacrifices are not in vain, we must continue to follow the Welsh Governments advice as we slowly and gradually emerge from lockdown measures. It is vital that we all stay alert. Although my office is closed until further notice, my team and I continue to work to help Wrexham residents. If there is anything I can do to help, please dont hesitate to contact me: Email: sarah.atherton.mp@parliament.uk Phone: 020 7219 4885 | 01978 291742 Post: House of Commons, Westminster, London, SW1A 0AA Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Welsh and UK Parliament representatives to write a monthly article with updates on their work and closer to home you can find them all here. A total of 685 Indian nationals stranded in Sri Lanka due to the COVID-19 linked international travel restrictions were evacuated on Monday from the island nation onboard an Indian Navy warship. INS Jalashwa, carrying 685 people, including 125 women and seven children, started sailing back home from Colombo port in Sri Lanka on Monday night, Defence sources said here. The ship is expected to arrive in Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu before noon on Tuesday, they said. Participating in the third phase of Navy's mission to bring back Indian citizens stranded abroad, it had reached Colombo on Monday morning. The Indian Navy under its ambitious "Operation Samudra Setu" programme had safely repatriated nearly 1,500 Indian nationals from the Maldives in first two phases in its two vessels--INS Jalashwa and INS Magar on May 10, May 12 and May 17. This was part of the Vande Bharat mission to repatriate stranded Indians in foreign countries through air and sea routes. Freitag will continue as member of board of directors and serve as special counsel in transitional role through October ALACHUA, Fla., June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Axogen, Inc. (AXGN), a global leader in developing and marketing innovative surgical solutions for damage or discontinuity to peripheral nerves, today announced the appointment of Brad Ottinger as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. He is a proven executive with more than 25 years of experience in legal, compliance, and HR/administrative functions of both public companies and private firms. Ottinger has extensive experience in the medical device industry and holds professional certifications in corporate compliance and ethics. He will assume the duties of Greg Freitag who retired from his position as General Counsel today. Freitag will continue as a member of the Companys Board of Directors and assume the role of Special Counsel during a transition period expected through October 2020. Greg has been instrumental in Axogens success and we thank him for helping to build the company into the industry leader we are today, said Karen Zaderej, chairman, CEO, and president of Axogen. As CEO of our reverse merger partner LecTech, Greg joined Axogens executive team in 2011 and his leadership, informed insights, and positive attitude have had a meaningful impact on our operations ever since. I am thankful we will continue to benefit from his thoughtful counsel as he remains a valued member of our board of directors. Ottingers appointment is effective today, June 1, 2020. He will report directly to Zaderej and be responsible for all legal and compliance activities for Axogen. We are excited to welcome Brad to our executive team, his knowledge of corporate compliance and experience leading med tech legal teams will be valuable as we continue to grow both our business and the nerve repair market, commented Zaderej. Brads skills will be a great complement and addition to the breadth of knowledge and experience within our leadership team. Story continues Prior to joining Axogen, Ottinger served as Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Administrative Officer and Secretary of MicroPort Orthopedics Inc., a manufacturer of total hip and knee implants. He had previously served as Vice President of Legal, Compliance and Human Resources at MicroPort. Before joining MicroPort, he was Associate General Counsel for Buckeye Technologies Inc. While at Buckeye Technologies, Ottinger provided a span of legal services with a primary focus on corporate transactions. Prior to joining Buckeye Technologies, Ottingers private practice included extensive work in business/corporate services and ethics and compliance for international and domestic clients. Ottinger holds a J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis, an M.Ed. from Vanderbilt University, and a B.A. in Liberal Arts from the Pennsylvania State University. I look forward to joining the highly regarded team at Axogen, said Ottinger. I am impressed with the drive and passion of the people Ive met there and look forward to contributing to achieving the companys mission to improve quality of life for patients with peripheral nerve injuries. About Axogen Axogen (AXGN) is the leading company focused specifically on the science, development and commercialization of technologies for peripheral nerve regeneration and repair. Axogen employees are passionate about helping to restore peripheral nerve function and quality of life to patients with physical damage or transection to peripheral nerves by providing innovative, clinically proven and economically effective repair solutions for surgeons and health care providers. Peripheral nerves provide the pathways for both motor and sensory signals throughout the body. Every day, people suffer traumatic injuries or undergo surgical procedures that impact the function of their peripheral nerves. Physical damage to a peripheral nerve, or the inability to properly reconnect peripheral nerves, can result in the loss of muscle or organ function, the loss of sensory feeling, or the initiation of pain. Axogen's platform for peripheral nerve repair features a comprehensive portfolio of products, including Avance Nerve Graft, a biologically active off-the-shelf processed human nerve allograft for bridging severed peripheral nerves without the comorbidities associated with a second surgical site; Axoguard Nerve Connector, a porcine submucosa extracellular matrix (ECM) coaptation aid for tensionless repair of severed peripheral nerves; Axoguard Nerve Protector, a porcine submucosa ECM product used to wrap and protect damaged peripheral nerves and reinforce the nerve reconstruction while preventing soft tissue attachments; Axoguard Nerve Cap, a porcine submucosa ECM product used to protect a peripheral nerve end and separate the nerve from the surrounding environment to reduce the development of symptomatic or painful neuroma; and Avive Soft Tissue Membrane, a processed human umbilical cord intended for surgical use as a resorbable soft tissue barrier. The Axogen portfolio of products is available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and several other European and international countries. Cautionary Statements Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations or predictions of future conditions, events, or results based on various assumptions and management's estimates of trends and economic factors in the markets in which we are active, as well as our business plans. Words such as expects, anticipates, intends, plans, believes, seeks, estimates, projects, forecasts, continue, may, should, will, goals, and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements related to the expected impact of COVID-19 on our business, statements regarding our growth, product development, product potential, financial performance, sales growth, product adoption, market awareness of our products, data validation, our assessment of our internal controls over financial reporting, our visibility at and sponsorship of conferences and educational events. The forward-looking statements are and will be subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect our business and our market, particularly those discussed under Part I, Item 1A., Risk Factors, of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, as well as other risks and cautionary statements set forth in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. The forward-looking statements are representative only as of the date they are made and, except as required by applicable law, we assume no responsibility to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances, or otherwise. DES MOINES -- Iowa saw the best and worst of the George Floyd protests this past weekend. In Des Moines, law enforcement officials and protesters knelt together in a sign of solidarity, ending one protest peacefully. In Davenport, two people were killed and a police officer was injured as protests there turned violent. On Monday, Gov. Kim Reynolds and other Iowa leaders held a press conference to express their willingness to listen to the peaceful protesters and condemn those who turned to violence. One of the speakers was Ako Abdul-Samad, a black state legislator from Des Moines who spent much of the weekend in the thick of the Des Moines-area protests, working to ensure protesters voices were heard and that demonstrations did not turn violent. Abdul-Samad spoke Monday from the same Iowa Capitol grounds where on Saturday night he was cleaning pepper spray out of his eyes. During that protest, law enforcement officers used pepper spray to prevent demonstrators from approaching and potentially damaging the Capitol. Abdul-Samad during Mondays press conference said the peaceful protesters came with a mission to talk about justice, but a small minority of violent protesters hijacked that message. We knew we had to step in so these young peoples message could get across, but these individuals who hijacked it, a message has to be sent to them: We are all in this together. And were not going to let you hijack our babies, were not going to let you hijack our message, and that you need to take that out of Iowa, Abdul-Samad said. Because Iowans have come together to stand together and make sure that you cant hijack what we have. The protests happened throughout the weekend and across the state --- including in Des Moines, Davenport, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids and Sioux City --- as demonstrators expressed their anger at the death of George Floyd, a Minnesota man who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck for almost 9 minutes. More protests were expected Monday night in Des Moines. Reynolds said she wants protesters to know their message has been heard, and that state leaders must work to implement systemic change. We want to be a part of that. We want to help drive that, Reynolds said of her administration. Its going to be uncomfortable. Ive not walked in your shoes. I dont know what youve experienced. Help me understand what youve experienced and what were doing wrong so that we can get rid of those injustices and continue to lift everybody and give everybody the chance to be successful. This is a land of opportunity, and we need everybody to be able to have that same opportunity. Reynolds began the press conference by calling on Iowans to be united in grief and anger over Floyds death and in solidarity with the peaceful protesters. She also said that violence is not the answer to this or any problem. As the governor, I want all Iowans to know that I hear you. I hear your frustration. And I am committed listening and having a respectful dialogue about what we need to address the injustices that are felt by so many, Reynolds said. And that might mean having some very uncomfortable and eye-opening discussions. But theyre discussions that we must have if were going to bring about positive and impactful change. Betty Andrews, president of the Iowa and Nebraska chapter of the NAACP, said the protests showed that black Iowans want their voices to be heard. It shows why, she said, the Black Lives Matter movement is so important. Its important that our voice is heard, Andrews said. You often hear people say black lives matter, and when you see that, you hear people say black lives matter over and over again. Why are they saying that? Because they need to be heard. They want to be heard. So what youre seeing right now is simply an opportunity to take a microphone and make sure that they are heard. Saying the movement must progress from protest to policy to power, Andrews said she invites Iowans to join with the NAACP as the organizations works with state lawmakers on policy proposals. Reynolds noted work her administration has done on criminal justice reform, and pledged to accelerate that work while engaging community members. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. When astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley boarded the International Space Station Sunday, they became the latest chapter in a grand, two-decade endeavor that has welcomed 240 people from 19 countries as an orbiting home and science lab. They are also much needed hands on deck, joining a small crew. The International Space Station is typically home to six people living some 250 miles above the Earth. But prior to Behnken and Hurleys arrival, NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner were its only occupants. It was the first time since a three-month stint between December 2018 and March 2019 that just one American was onboard. Were down to a single American astronaut on the station, Douglas Loverro, the former NASA Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations, told the NASA Advisory Council prior to his unexpected resignation on May 18. That is not a condition we like to be in. SATURDAY'S LAUNCH: NASA, SpaceX pull off first astronaut liftoff from U.S. soil since 2011 Saturdays launch from Kennedy Space Center was a test flight for NASAs Commercial Crew Program, which has spent years working with SpaceX and Boeing to develop vehicles capable of carrying astronauts to the International Space Station. SpaceX reached that milestone first with its Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft, but it must return the astronauts and review the mission data before the company can receive NASA certification for more routine flights. And since the astronauts would be docking with the space station as part of the test flight anyway, NASA extended their stay and will put them to work. Behnken and Hurley could be living in microgravity for a yet-to-be-decided amount of time between one and four months. Im really looking forward to having a couple crewmates here to help distribute the duties, Cassidy said during a recent interview from the space station. But also to eat with and laugh with and joke around with. Itll be a great adventure with them. The cosmonauts have tasks on the Russian side of the space station that keep them busy for much of the day. But all three welcomed Behnken and Hurley aboard from their Crew Dragon capsule, named Endeavour. The hatch opened at 12:02 p.m. CDT, and the Endeavours crew floated onto the station 20 minutes later, where they got big hugs from Cassidy. Their arrival comes during a big year for the space station: Nov. 2 will mark 20 years of continued human presence. During that time, more than 4,000 researchers in more than 100 countries have conducted more than 2,900 experiments. Escaping the full force of Earths gravity can provide new insights as it allows smaller forces, processes and phenomena to be seen. Protein crystals, for instance, can be grown into larger, more perfect crystals in space. When they are returned to Earth, scientists might see new structural details. Knowing more about a proteins structure can help researchers design drugs that work with the protein. The stations location in low-Earth orbit is another perk, providing a useful vantage point for examining Earths lands and seas, and the tools created to help people live in microgravity have found uses on Earth. Technology in the Canadian-built robotic arm, for instance, is being adapted for surgical uses. And finally, the space station provides the perfect platform for studying how the human body behaves during extended stays in microgravity. The Twins Study, a 340-day investigation to see how the health of identical twins Scott and Mark Kelly differed while Scott was in space and Mark was on Earth, garnered a lot of attention. Such studies aid efforts to keep astronauts healthy on future trips to deeper space, such as to Mars. Recent projects for Cassidy during his time on the ISS include working on Astrobee, a system of three free-flying, cube-shaped robots that can move autonomously or via remote control by astronauts, flight controllers and researchers on the ground. They are designed to do tasks such as taking inventory, using built-in cameras to document astronaut-run experiments and working together to move cargo throughout the station. The robots could help astronauts reduce time spent on routine duties. Cassidy said his household-like chores, such as taking out the trash and changing bathroom canisters, can take between 30 and 40 minutes a day. Maintenance is another necessary but time-consuming task. I wouldnt say it takes away from the science, Cassidy said, but keeping those things healthy are what enables us to do the science. Since Cassidy has received more training on the systems of international partners, hell likely be working on their to-do lists while Behnken and Hurley work on the stations U.S. tasks. The Crew Dragon visitors might also do the lions share of unloading the Japanese cargo spacecraft that arrived May 25 and then refilling it with trash. After the vehicles two-month stay, it will leave the station and is designed to burn up in Earths atmosphere. A DINOSAUR SEEN IN MICROGRAVITY: Friends, neighbors watch astronaut Bob Behnken make history Cassidy sent the SpaceX crew an email before their trip. He said something about hes looking forward to seeing our ugly mugs onboard space station, Hurley said during a news conference before he launched into space. And I dont particularly agree with him on that part, but he is working very hard out there as you might imagine . . . . And were hoping to just go up there and lend a couple extra sets of hands and hopefully not make more work for him in the meantime. NASA said the International Space Station plans to increase its typical six-person crew to seven people once SpaceX and Boeing begin regular flights to the station. Boeing does not yet have a date for when it will launch people. To be sure the agency maintains a continued U.S. presence in the meantime, NASA is paying $90.3 million to have one of its astronauts on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft set to launch in the fall. NASA has relied on the Soyuz to take its astronauts into space since the shuttle was retired in 2011. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said hed like to keep this relationship strong even after SpaceX and Boeing begin flying more regularly. We see a day when Russian cosmonauts can launch on American rockets and American astronauts can launch on Russian rockets, Bridenstine said. Remember half of the International Space Station is Russian. And if were going to make sure that we have continual access to it and that they have continual access to it, then were going to need to be willing to launch on each others vehicles. andrea.leinfelder@chron.com twitter.com/a_leinfelder Around nine lakh students between KG and class 12 from the Delhi government schools have benefited from the online and SMS/IVR supported learning during the lockdown, Education Minister Manish Sisodia said on Sunday. The Minister reviewed the online and SMS/IVR supported learning for Delhi government school students along with his team. Sisodia said five different interventions for children across different grades between KG to Class 12 were running during the lockdown. These interventions impacted nearly nine lakh children of Delhi government schools, he said Soon after the lockdown was announced, the Delhi government introduced digital learning for children across different grades. Im glad to see we could minimise academic damage due to the loss of learning time. This is perhaps the first time in our country that a new academic session started during the lockdown, Sisodia said. He said it was challenging, at first, to conduct online classes with the help of digital technologies in these extraordinary times. We had never used such technologies at this scale before. Along with Sisodia, Director of Education Binay Bhushan, Education Advisor Shailendra Sharma and Additional Director (School) Saroj Sain were also there in the review meeting, which was streamed online. Bhushan said the Department is planning to track the students on a weekly basis from now onwards till they are back in school. Sharma, on the other hand, explained about five programmes -- Live online classes for Class 11 students; Everyday English and personality development for classes 10 and 12 students; Online maths classes for class 9 students; Digital Entrepreneurship Mindset classes for students of 9 to 12; and SMS/IVR enabled activity classes for KG to 8 through parents. Apart from these programs for children, 15 sessions of Online Happiness class for family were also organised during the same period, viewed on an average by 40,000 people every day, Sharma said. The live Online Classes for students of Class 11 was launched on April 6 in partnership with the Career Launcher and 85 per cent students registered for the class. The maximum attendance recorded was for English class with 60,500 students logging in, as per the data recorded by the DoE. These classes concluded on May 30, Sharma said. In the everyday English and personality development classes for the students of Class 10 and 12, the maximum attendance recorded on any particular day was 83,545. These classes were launched on May 4 by the government in partnership with British Council and MacMillian Education to provide an opportunity to acquire new skills for the students waiting to complete their board exams. The cycle of 30 sessions will conclude on June 2, Sharma said. In the online Maths classes in collaboration with Khan Academy, around 1.75 lakh students of Class 9 accessed the Maths lessons assisted by 1,015 teachers who were oriented by Khan Academy to guide the students of their respective schools. The online maths classes were launched on April 27 and concluded on May 29. In the Digital Entrepreneurship Mindset class for students of class 9 to 12, around 45,000 students participated in 10 activities on 5 themes - creativity, self awareness, managing fear, dream big and decision making. Besides, two live interactions with accomplished entrepreneurs have also been organised and two more are scheduled for June 3 and 10. In the Mission Buniyaad and Happiness class through SMS and IVR to parents of the students between classes KG and 8, nearly 5.7 lakh students took part. Launched on April 2 and concluded on May 31, 25 IVR based activities each for Mission Buniyaad and Happiness and 52 inputs to parents shared with nearly 5.7 lakh students. These activities ranged from building reading, writing and numeracy skills to self reflection, critical thinking and responding to lockdown situations. A report based on a geospatial analysis conducted by researchers from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) in collaboration with TAPTAP Digital, using additional data from Predicio and Tamoco, identifies the areas in Spain that require increased measures of protection against new outbreaks of the COVID19 epidemics. Based on their population density, Madrid and Barcelona are the Spanish cities with an increased risk of infection; however, when considering other variables, such as the rates of the at-risk population and, in particular, coverage of critical points of interest (such as hospitals, pharmacies or supermarkets), the areas requiring additional measures of protection, in particular contexts, can be identified. The most vulnerable areas, according to the proportional concentration of at-risk groups, are Castellon, Cantabria and Gipuzkoa. Likewise, Toledo, Segovia, Salamanca, and Navarre are the areas which have the least hospital coverage in relation to their vulnerable population, according to the conclusions of the study. "The analysis of indicators which affect the evolution of the virus or risk in a particular geographic area in isolation could lead to incorrect conclusions or biased assessments. The multi-variable rates provide a more comprehensive analysis", the report indicates. Extracting multi-variable rates facilitates a broader analysis of the evolving behavior of the COVID-19 pandemic based on several factors such as, the area, the population's mobility or possible propagation of the virus in relation to the phased recovery of commercial and industrial activity, for example. From 25km to 5km a day during isolation At a national level, the population's mobility decreased from 25 to 5 kilometres per person per day during the isolation period, a decrease of approximately 80%. In addition, the study finds that the restriction of all non-essential activity began to significantly affect mobility about 5 days later. "These results can help institutions and the community analyse various indicators and better understand the COVID19 pandemic", explains one of the report's authors, Ruben Cuevas, a professor at the UC3M's Telematics Engineering Department. This research has been carried out as part of the TAPTAP Digital-UC3M Chair. "Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to use our geospatial engine, called Sonata Location Intelligence (LI), to gain an understanding of the population's mobility, demographic significance and interactions with points of interest or essential services, such as hospitals, pharmacies or supermarkets, during the isolation period", notes Alvaro Mayol, Partner and Chief Product & Technology Officer at TAPTAP Digital. This tool enables additional analyses with regard to other issues related to COVID-19. "Because the data provided by TAPTAP and its partner, Predicio, is global, we are now working on a scientific article which compares population mobility patterns in different countries", notes Ruben Cuevas. ### More information: TAPTAP COVID-19 Report 01.06.2020 LISTEN The Ladima Foundation, in partnership with the DW Akademie, is excited to announce a short-film competition aimed at African women during the world-altering Covid-19 pandemic and related lockdown. The competition is open to African women content creators and filmmakers of any age or experience level, currently living in Africa. The competition aims to encourage women to share their stories as we create a living document of a time and place a of the specific circumstances that women in Africa currently find themselves, under various degrees of lock-down, through the limitations on movement, opportunity, and often, basic freedoms. The impact of Covid-19 across the globe, and especially in Africa, is felt more by the vulnerable in society. In many African countries womenas opportunities and access to opportunities are limited, and the economic and social impact of Covid-19 is, in many cases, impacting women harder and in different ways than their male counterparts. There are issues affecting woman such as domestic violence, altered access to opportunities, increased burden of care, and many others. This film competition invites women to share these experiences a be they challenging, positive or simply questioning. The stories should be honest, personal, and specifically related to the current COVID-19 situation. Entries across genres are welcome, from animation and fiction, to documentary or interview style a just as long as the content is 2 minutes or shorter. Entry is FREE and women will need to register on the Ladima Foundationas newly revamped A-List in order to enter: https://ladima.africa/film-competition/ To coincide with the competition launch, the Ladima Foundation has upgraded the A-List from a simple searchable database to an interactive platform for sharing job, funding, and training opportunities, and for connecting and networking. When it was launched in late 2018, the A-List quickly garnered members and support a with an initial uptake of over 500 women. The list currently has close to 1,000 members from over 30 countries, and with the new upgrades and features is sure to attract many more women. Vetted companies and organisations can still search the platform to find women in key sectors and companies, whilst women who are members can find and connect with each other and share and apply for opportunities. Registration on the A-List is free to any woman living and working in Africa within the many skills areas of the film, TV and content sectors. The list, already a valuable tool for networking and sourcing skills from across Africa, is now poised to become a truly interactive community with further upgrades planned for the near future. Ten winning films will be selected by a jury and then streamed on the Ladima website along with other partner websites. Each winning filmmaker will also receive 500 EURO as well as access to a yearas worth of educational and inspirational webinars on the USAas Women Make Movies platform, https://www.wmm.com/ ,valued at approximately $500. Selection & Judging Criteria: Any woman currently living in Africa may enter. In order to enter you must register on the A-List: Competition opens at 9am Monday, June 1st 2020 and entries must be received by midnight GMT + 2 on Sunday June 21st 2020. Full terms and conditions are on the Ladima website. The films must be under 2 minutes and must focus on the following themes through an inspirational, educational, personal, or leadership lens : Women with special needs / Coping with special needs during the Lockdown / Caring for Persons with special needs during a global pandemic Impact on family / domestic life Economic / impact on work life Domestic violence / abuse in the time of Covid-19 Hope in the time of Covid-19 Are women paying a higher price? How does the crisis highlight and affect the role of women? The crisis as a kick to rethink the social order Solidarity and empowerment among women in times of Covid -19 The films will be judged on the following criteria: THEME Connection and relevance to the themes above STORY Concept Story has a clear message and a unique storyline Originality of story and / or approach Rich and vibrant storytelling that engages, amuses or provokes the viewer QUALITY OF PRODUCTION Best use of technology Technical aspects such as lighting, sound etc. CREATIVITY Original and captivating Imaginative writing and directing Presents the theme in an interesting way EMOTIONAL IMPACT/AUDIENCE APPEAL Visually appealing and entertaining Affects the audience through eliciting an emotional response Creates a lasting impression STRUCTURE Images / elements are arranged logically in a way that fits the purpose of the film About the Ladima Foundation The Ladima Foundation is a Pan-African non-profit organisation founded with the aim of contributing to correcting the major imbalances within the film, TV and content industries. The Ladima Foundation supports and recognises African women in Film, TV and Content. Through training and networking programmes, we uplift, connect and include. Ladima operates in the spirit of positivity, excellence and integrity. Through a number of initiatives, The Ladima Foundation supports, trains, and mentors women in a variety of roles within the film, TV, and content spaces. Through partnerships and collaborations in various countries, as well as through Pan-African networks and interventions, the Ladima Foundation is committed to developing training, networking, and related opportunities for women professionals who demonstrate their seriousness and commitment to their craft. www.ladima.africa About DW Akademie DW Akademie is Deutsche Welle's center for international media development. As a strategic partner of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), DW Akademie carries out media development projects that strengthen the human right to freedom of opinion and promote free access to information. DW Akademie also works on projects funded by the German Foreign Office and the European Union - in approximately 50 developing and emerging countries. New Delhi, June 1 : The Rajya Sabha biennial polls, which were deferred in March, will now be held on June 19. The results will be declared the same day. The Election Commission had issued a notification on March 6 for filling 55 Rajya Sabha seats from 17 states. The polling was scheduled for March 26. The last date for filing nominations was March 13. After the last date of withdrawal on March 18, a total of 37 candidates were declared elected. Obviously, the states from where they got elected saw exactly as many candidates as the number of vacant seats. Those who made it to the Upper House in the first go included NCP President Sharad Pawar, Union Minister of State and RPI leader Ramdas Athawale (both from Maharashtra) and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh. The elections for the remaining 18 seats were postponed due to the Covid-19 induced lockdown and the curfew that followed. Of the 18 outstanding seats, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat account for four each, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan three each, Jharkhand two and Manipur and Meghalaya one each. Jyotiraditya Scindia, who defected to the BJP along with 22 MLAs and paved the way for the overthrow of the Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, is in the Rajya Sabha fray on a saffron party ticket from MP. Also pitted in the contest is senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh. While both are expected to sail through comfortably, Sumer Singh Solanki of the BJP and Phool Singh Baraiya of the Congress will fight it out for the third seat. Congress' prospects are marred by defections and continuing factionalism. Similarly, Gujarat has four seats, while a total of five people are in the race, three on behalf of the BJP and two as the nominees of the opposition Congress. The BJP is working hard to pick up three seats, leaving only one for the Congress. The ruling YSR Congress may make a clean sweep of all four seats in Andhra Pradesh. The Telugu Desam Party, with barely 23 people in the 175-member Assembly, is not in a position to garner the 36 votes needed for winning a single seat. The JMM has fielded party patriarch Shibbu Soren in Jharkhand. The party has left the second seat for its ally, Congress. The BJP has put up its state president Deepak Prakash. The Congress may end up putting up a token fight. AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal is the Congress nominee in Rajasthan. The BJP nominee is Rajendra Gehlot, senior party leader from Jodhpur. In Manipur, the BJP has fielded former royal Leisemba Sanajaoba. The Congress has put up T. Mangi Babu. The BJP is certain to win the solitary seat. In Meghalaya, ruling National People's Party candidate Wanwei Roy Kharlukhi is expected to win by defeating Congress nominee Kennedy Cornelius Khyiem. Minister speaks of prospects for declaration of assets by all Ukrainians 22:40, 01.06.20 2082 Citizens could be told to put "bleached" money on deposits or invest in government bonds. They could also be offered to pay to the budget 5% of the amnestied sum. A blood thinning drug and experimental cancer treatment pill are among five drugs which will be trialled on Covid-19 patients in NHS hospitals. The medications are part of the first wave to be selected from a list of 200 potential candidates, and will each be tested on dozens of hospitalised patients. If proven to be effective, officials will fast-track them into larger coronavirus trials in the UK involving thousands of Brits infected with coronavirus. One of the drugs is heparin, a blood-thinner used to treat heart attacks and hoped to stop blood-clotting observed in critically-ill Covid-19 patients. Scientists also hope zilucoplan, produced by Belgian firm UCB, will reduce damage to healthy lung tissue caused by the virus. The Department of Health had already revealed compounds bemcetinib, MEDI3506 and acalabrutinib were involved in the trial. A total of six drugs will initially enter the programme - but the sixth drug has not yet been revealed. British-Norwegian biopharma company BerGenBio's bemcentinib was the first drug to be selected to go into phase 2 studies Heparin, a blood-thinning agent used on the NHS in products such as Fragmin, will be given to Covid-19 patients for the first time next month Thirty NHS hospitals across Britain will be involved in the ACCORD study, which was approved to begin at the end of April. The University of Southampton-led trial aims to give an early indication of whether a drug is effective in treating hospitalised coronavirus patients. Once proven successful, the drugs can enter larger clinical trials such as RECOVERY - currently the world's largest randomised trial run by Oxford scientists. Calquence is a medication for a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma known as mantle cell lymphoma but has the potential to dampen the body's aggressive immune response to Covid-19 'We are looking for a signal of both safety and efficacy, something that could reduce the severity of the disease, shorten its duration and prevent patients going into the intensive care environment,' Tom Wilkinson, ACCORD's academic lead told The Guardian. The respiratory medicine professor and consultant, from the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, said: 'These are small, rapidly deliverable studies if we get patients in so were looking only to achieve around 60 patients for each arm of the trial to receive one of the drugs compared to usual standard of care.' NHS hospitals that have signed up include St Thomas and Guy's in London - where Boris Johnson was treated - and major hospitals in Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Leicester and Glasgow. British-Norwegian biopharma company BerGenBio's Bemcentinib was the first drug to be selected to go into the phase two study the stage of a clinical trial focused on the testing of a drug on patients to assess how effective it is and side effects. The once-a-day pill, originally developed for cancer, is hoped to defend against coronavirus by stopping it from entering cells and preventing it 'switching off' one of the bodys most important antiviral defence mechanisms. BerGenBio chief executive Richard Godfrey told The Mail on Sunday that he was extremely optimistic the pill would save lives. I think theres an 80 per cent probability of it working and being of benefit to patients, he said. The results of a trial of 120 patients at Southampton General Hospital are expected at the end of June. Laboratory studies by the University of Iowa found the pill could boost immune response and switch off AXL receptors, which when turned on, allow the virus to enter and multiply in lung cells. The Department of Health revealed one of the others being looked at is acalabrutinib, the generic name for Calquence, produced by AstraZeneca. WHAT OTHER DRUGS ARE BEING TESTED? Only limited numbers of people can be enrolled in trials and only certain people - usually otherwise healthy patients - are eligible for them. For those who do make it onto trials there is often still a 50/50 chance that they get a placebo - a fake drug - anyway. These are some of the medicines being trialled on COVID-19 patients in the UK: Lopinavir-Ritonavir (normally used to treat HIV) Dexamethasone (a steroid) Azithromycin (pneumonia; Lyme disease; chlamydia) Tocilizumab (rheumatoid arthritis) Hydroxychloroquine (malaria prevention; lupus; rheumatoid arthritis) Convalescent plasma (blood from a recovered patient) Advertisement Calquence is a medication for a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma known as mantle cell lymphoma but has the potential to dampen the body's aggressive immune response to Covid-19. A small study of the drug at the Walter Reed General Hospital in Washington showed 'some clinical benefit' against Covid-19. Jose Baselga, of AstraZeneca, the company which will produce billions of doses of Oxford University's experimental vaccine, told Forbes the effects of Calquence 'are clear'. Officials have revealed MEDI3506, also produced by MedImmune, a subsidiary of Cambridge-based AstraZeneca, will be involved in the ACCORD trial. It has been dished out in early trials for eczema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) - a crippling lung condition. It works by dampening down an over-reaction of the immune system, which can be prompted by the body reacting to the coronavirus. Heparin, a blood-thinning agent used on the NHS, will be given to Covid-19 patients for the first time next month, The Guardian reported. Dr Wilkinson claimed that it can have a 'dramatic effect in the lung' as the 'big sticky molecules can attach to viruses and stop them from entering cells'. The compound, used in drugs such as Fragmin to prevent blood clots, may also be useful for critically ill Covid-19 patients who are at risk of blockages. Doctors say blood clots are responsible for a large amount of coronavirus deaths - even after a patient is discharged from hospital. Other studies have shown abnormal blood-clotting in Covid-19 patients results in a significantly increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Experts hope a fifth drug, called zilucoplan, will stop the overreaction of the immune system, which can lead to the death of healthy lung tissue. 'A lot of the damage is focused on the blood cells and the very small blood vessels in the lung,' Dr Wilkinson said. UCB's drug - originally given to treat a skeleto-muscular disorder called myasthenia gravis - is injected under the skin. MailOnline has contacted the Department of Health and Social Care for details of the sixth drug that is being tested. British scientists are hoping hundreds of patients will sing up for trials of medicines which will speed up the race for a cure. It comes just days after global studies - including Britain's landmark RECOVERY trial - of hydroxychloroquine were halted. Concerns about the Donald Trump-touted medicine were raised in a scientific paper published in The Lancet, that found it raised the risk of death and had no benefit. RECOVERY also looks at antibiotic azithromycin, steroid dexamethasone, HIV drug lopinavir-ritonavir, and an anti-inflammatory called tocilizumab. A killer who beat his father to death while being tormented with "mental illness and delusional thoughts" fled from a secure hospital unit where he is being held indefinitely. Stuart Reid was the subject of a PSNI missing persons appeal last Tuesday after he went missing from Knockbracken Health Care Park in Belfast. He was located within 24 hours having boarded a bus and travelled 20 miles to Downpatrick, but at no point did the PSNI warn that the 41-year-old could be dangerous and should not be approached by members of the public. Reid has been held at the mental health facility since he killed his father Ronald Reid in Bangor on Christmas Eve 2014. As part of his rehabilitation programme he was allowed to go at first on accompanied walks, and then unaccompanied walks, around the huge 275 acre site. It was during one of the unaccompanied strolls last Tuesday that he exited the front gate and got a bus to Downpatrick. Sunday Life understands that Reid has now lost these privileges. A spokesman for the Belfast Trust said it could not talk about the case as it has a strict policy of "not commenting on named individuals". Stuart Reid was found guilty of killing his father after a 2017 trial. Expand Close Ronald Reid / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ronald Reid The jury heard how Ronald Reid's body was discovered in his Bangor flat on December 24, 2014, and that he had suffered extensive injuries to his body caused by a severe beating. The 63-year-old sustained multiple fractures to his ribs, and his voice box was crushed from having been choked. His son was arrested for disorderly behaviour three days later at the Ulster Hospital, telling medical staff that his dad was lying dead at his Savoy apartment home on the Donaghadee Road. A prosecution lawyer told the court that in the weeks leading up to the killing, there were a number of incidents demonstrating that Stuart Reid was behaving in a "bizarre and irrational way". In one instance a "clearly intoxicated and agitated" Reid claimed he "could not trust his mother because she was a clone and he was working for MI6 and the Marines in west Belfast". Expand Close Knockbracken Health Care Park / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Knockbracken Health Care Park The day his father died, he made a series of emergency calls, involving either him dialling 999 or the emergency services trying to call back. When analysed Ronald Reid could be heard in the background breathing and coughing, or attempting to shout out his address, or saying his "son is a psychopath... he's trying to kill me... he's leaning towards me". The prosecution argued that a "clearly unwell Stuart Reid", who apparently got on well with his father, had for some unknown reason "needed to detain his father and subjected him to considerable violence from which he died". The judge said the only option was to make Reid the subject of a hospital order for an indefinite period. cbarnes@sundaylife.co.uk Overwhelming yes vote for exec decrees THAILAND: Three executive decrees have sailed through parliament after a five-day marathon debate. CoronavirusCOVID-19economics By Bangkok Post Monday 1 June 2020, 09:10AM Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak arrive at Parliament for the debate on three executive bills on Wednesday (May 27). Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill. House Speaker Chuan Leekpai yesterday (May 31) called MPs to vote on three decrees worth B1.9 trillion in total to tackle the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. For the first decree that authorises the Finance Ministry to borrow about B1trn to fund the governments economic and social rehabilitation in the aftermath of the pandemic, 274 out of 481 MPs voted in favour, with zero against, and 207 abstained. For the second decree worth B500 billion which provides financial support for affected SMEs, 275 out of 481 MPs voted in favour, with one against and 205 abstentions. For the other decree worth B400bn which aims to maintain financial stability, 274 of 482 MPs voted in favour, with 274 against, 12 abstentions, and one failed to cast a vote. Another executive decree on electronic meetings was also approved with 270 of 457 MPs voting in favour, 11 against and 176 abstentions. The vote came after Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha dismissed accusations from opposition parties that the package lacked transparency, stressing he is open to public scrutiny of the governments use of borrowed money to revitalise the economy. As for project proposals, graft has not been found yet, Gen Prayut said adding that there are many agencies which can launch investigations. This 1-trillion-baht portion requires the same procedure as general disbursement. Independent constitutional organisations can also launch probes. The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council will create a website for the public to follow up on projects. Gen Prayut insisted he did not oppose the motion calling for the special House committee to monitor government spending on the post-COVID-19 recovery of the country. Meanwhile, former deputy prime minister Chaturon Chaisang said the prime minister failed to explain the balance between maintaining public health safety and loosening up COVID-19 restrictions so the economy can be revived. Mr Chaturon added the premier has not shown how the massive relief spending will be scrutinised for transparency. He also did not come across as being keen to set up a House committee to monitor the spending. As the country is rocked by protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis officer, some in Jersey City are calling for more oversight of the police. In our country and in cities like Jersey City and Minneapolis we have a criminal justice system that has gone unchecked, said Pamela Johnson, executive director of the Jersey City anti-violence coalition, in an email. Black communities throughout the country are tired of years with no accountability. After a violent brawl earlier this month on Bostwick Avenue, in which Jersey City police officers were caught on video using pepper spray and batons, Johnson was among the activists who called for the creation of an independent oversight body. Last Thursday, Jersey City Ward E Councilman James Solomon posted a call on social media to create a Civilian Complaint Review Board. It is the urgent responsibility of all who hold political power, myself included, to listen to communities harmed by racism and to partner with them to pursue anti-racist policies, Solomon wrote. The idea of a civilian body to oversee Jersey Citys police is not a new one. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said that a board has been discussed for years, with much of city hall coming out in favor of it. In reality the administration, myself, the public safety director, and most of the council has indicated that were 100% supportive of a civilian review board, Fulop said. The problem, he said, is that such a board is currently on uncertain legal ground. Jersey City is looking to Newarks civilian police review board as a model. The Newark board, reportedly one of the strongest in the nation, was established in 2016 after the federal Department of Justice found the Newark police repeatedly violated residents rights. The board was granted sweeping legal powers: the ability to subpoena documents, appoint investigators, and force officers to testify. It also attracted a swift legal challenge from Newarks police union. That lawsuit is still working its way through the courts. Judges decisions in the battle over the board have varied over the years. In 2018, a Superior Court judge stripped the body of its subpoena power; a year later, an appellate court restored it. Last month, the New Jersey Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case. Fulop said a decision from the Supreme Court would inform what powers a Jersey City oversight board could legally have. Until its resolved, were not going to put the city into a predicament where we have taxpayers paying added costs for litigation, Fulop said. If its legal, well implement it right away. If its not legal, then were going to talk to our state representatives about amending the state law. The city currently has some semblance of the institution, a police citizen advisory board that meets monthly with public safety director James Shea. Fulop said that the board members have been instrumental in instituting a number of improvements in the citys police force, including implementing police body cameras and installing CCTV cameras in more areas of the city. Theyve had a big impact, actually, he said. But Solomon said the advisory board, which can only make recommendations for the police, doesnt have enough teeth to make a significant difference. They have zero power and authority, he said. The key idea is that a civilian review board is given genuine authority. Johnson, who is on the advisory board, also called for more authority to review police actions. We not only need a board, but we also need procedures in place that give that board power to effect change and punish bad policing, she said in an email. This board and the oversight power it must have will allow good police to continue to shine and we can overall improve the quality of policing in Jersey City." And Solomon said there was no need to wait for a court decision to get started on creating the body. We can do a lot of work to put it in place now, he said. I think if you wait, youre delaying a whole series of conversations that need to happen for us to come up with the ideas behind the board. Police officers from a central Pennsylvania force rescued a newborn deer from a busy stretch of Route 30. That rescue occurred around 8:15 p.m. Friday after several motorists reported seeing the frightened fawn wandering around on the New Holland Pike section in Lancaster County, Manheim Township police said Monday. The fawn was frightened and could barely walk, police said. The shaky little critter was picked up by officers and reunited with a doe seen roaming in a nearby field. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, finding fawns separated from their adult mothers is not uncommon. They noted that adult animals often leave their young while they forage for food, but they dont go far, and they do return, police said. By Fanny Potkin, Elizabeth Culliford and Katie Paul (Reuters) - Facebook employees walked away from their work-from-home desks on Monday and took to Twitter to accuse Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg of inadequately policing U.S. President Donald Trump's posts as strictly as the rival platform has done. Reuters saw dozens of online posts from employees critical of Zuckerberg's decision to leave Trump's most inflammatory verbiage unchallenged where Twitter had labeled it. Some top managers participated in the protest, reminiscent of a 2018 walkout at Alphabet Inc's Google over sexual harassment. It was a rare case of staff publicly taking their CEO to task, with one employee tweeting that thousands participated. Among them were all seven engineers on the team maintaining the React code library which supports Facebook's apps. "Facebook's recent decision to not act on posts that incite violence ignores other options to keep our community safe. We implore the Facebook leadership to #TakeAction," they said in a joint statement published on Twitter. "Mark is wrong, and I will endeavor in the loudest possible way to change his mind," wrote Ryan Freitas, identified on Twitter as director of product design for Facebook's News Feed. He added he had mobilized "50+ likeminded folks" to lobby for internal change. A Facebook employee said Zuckerberg's weekly Friday question-and-answer session would be moved up this week to Tuesday. Katie Zhu, a product manager at Instagram, tweeted a screenshot showing she had entered "#BLACKLIVESMATTER" to describe her request for time off as part of the walkout. Facebook Inc will allow employees participating in the protest to take the time off without drawing down their vacation days, spokesman Andy Stone said. Separately, online therapy company Talkspace said it ended partnership discussions with Facebook. Talkspace CEO Oren Frank tweeted he would "not support a platform that incites violence, racism, and lies." Story continues SOCIAL JUSTICE Tech workers at companies including Facebook, Google, and Amazon.com Inc have pursued social justice issues in recent years, urging the companies to change policies. Employees "recognize the pain many of our people are feeling right now, especially our Black community," Stone wrote in a text. "We encourage employees to speak openly when they disagree with leadership. As we face additional difficult decisions around content ahead, we'll continue seeking their honest feedback." Last week, nationwide unrest erupted after the death of a black man, George Floyd, in police custody in Minneapolis last Monday. Video footage showed a white officer kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes before he died. On Friday, Twitter Inc affixed a warning label to a Trump tweet that included the phrase "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." Twitter said it violated rules against glorifying violence but was left up as a public interest exception. Facebook declined to act on the same message, and Zuckerberg sought to distance his company from the fight between the president and Twitter. On Friday, Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post that while he found Trump's remarks "deeply offensive," they did not violate company policy against incitements to violence and people should know whether the government was planning to deploy force. Zuckerberg's post also said Facebook had been in touch with the White House to explain its policies. Twitter used the same label as for Trump on Monday to hide a message by Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida that likened protesters to terrorists and called for them to be hunted down "like we do those in the Middle East." Gaetz said in response he would "see" Twitter in the Judiciary Committee. Some of Facebook's dissenting employees have praised Twitter for its response over Trump. Others, like Jason Toff, a director of product management and former head of short-form video app Vine, started organizing fundraisers for racial justice groups in Minnesota. Zuckerberg wrote on Facebook on Monday the company would contribute an additional $10 million to social justice causes. Toff tweeted: "I work at Facebook and I am not proud of how we're showing up. The majority of coworkers I've spoken to feel the same way. We are making our voice heard." (Reporting by Fanny Potkin in Singapore, Elizabeth Culliford in Birmingham, England, and Katie Paul in San Francisco; Editing by David Gregorio and Christopher Cushing) Insulin developed from the venom of a predatory sea snail could be used to create a 'safer and more effective' diabetes treatment, researchers claim. It mimics the ultra-fast-acting properties of the sea snail venom to lower blood sugar levels, without long-term side effects seen in other types of diabetes treatment. University of Utah scientists developed what they call the world's smallest, fully functional version of the insulin hormone from the venom. They say the findings, based on animal studies, could jumpstart the development of insulin treatments capable of improving the lives of those with diabetes. A scuba diver holds a live specimen of Conus geographus collected during a night dive. Scientists used insulin extracted from this snail's venom to produce a hybrid form of fast-acting insulin that could work in humans 'We now have the capability to create a hybrid version of insulin that works in humans and that also appears to have many of the positive attributes of cone snail insulin,' says Danny Hung-Chieh Chou, one of the study authors. Cone snails slither across coral reefs and as they do so they are constantly on the prowl for prey - one version of the species gives off a plume of toxic venom. The venom of the Conus geographus snail contains a unique form of insulin. It spouts this venom into the surrounding water and this causes the blood glucose levels of nearby fish to plummet, temporarily paralysing them. As the fish flounders, the snail emerges from its shell to swallow the subdued victim. Diabetes treatments could be improved following the development of a dramatically modified form of human insulin, called Mini-Ins, that successfully mimics the ultra-fast-acting properties of cone snail venom insulin Chou and colleagues discovered that the venomous insulin from the snail had similar traits to human insulin and worked faster. Faster-acting insulin would diminish the risk of hyperglycemia and other serious complications of diabetes, says Helena Safavi, a study co-author. Safavi from the University of Copenhagen said It also could improve the performance of insulin pumps or artificial pancreas devices. Adding that this would automatically release insulin into the body as needed. 'We want to help people with diabetes to more tightly and rapidly control their blood sugar,' she says. In pursuit of their goal, the researchers found that insulin derived from cone snail venom lacks a 'hinge' component that causes human insulin to aggregate or clump together so it can be stored in the pancreas. The aggregates must break into individual molecules before thay can begin to work on blood sugar - a process that can take up to an hour. Cone snail insulin doesn't aggregate, so it is in essence primed and ready to work on the body's biochemical machinery almost immediately. Intrigued, the researchers began to investigate ways to transform the insulin that cone snails use as a weapon into a different form. They wanted to create something that people who have Type-1 diabetes could use to rapidly restore equilibrium in their bodies. 'We had the idea of making human insulin more snail-like,' says Safavi, who is also an adjunct professor of biochemistry at U of U Health. Helena Safavi, left, helps her colleague, Jose Rosado from Maputo, Mozambique, sort cone snails collected by scuba divers near the Solomon Islands in the south Pacific. The scientists set up a mobile lab on the diving ship to dissect and preserve the biological samples 'So, we sought to basically take some of the advantageous properties from the snail and graft them onto the human compound.' The researchers thought this was possible because cone snail insulin essentially has the same basic structure or 'backbone' as human insulin. Despite its rapid properties, the team faced a dilemma: the snail's insulin is far less potent than human insulin. In fact, the researchers suspect that humans would require 20 to 30 times more of the cone snail insulin to lower their blood sugar levels. Chou and colleagues sought to overcome these problems by adapting the cone insulin to work more effectively and increase its potency. First, they used structural biology and medicinal chemistry techniques to isolate four amino acids that help the snail insulin bind to the insulin receptor. Cone snails slither across coral reefs and as they do so they are constantly on the prowl for prey - one version of the species gives off a plume of toxic venom. The venom of the Conus geographus snail contains a unique form of insulin Then, they created a truncated version of a human insulin molecule without the region responsible for clumping. The team integrated modified versions of these amino acids into the human molecule in hopes of creating a hybrid that does not clump and binds the human insulin receptor with high potency. In tests with rats, this hybrid insulin molecule, which the scientists call 'mini-insulin,' interacted with insulin receptors in ways that cone snail insulin doesn't. These new interactions bound mini-insulin to insulin receptors in the rat's body just as strongly as normal human insulin would. As a result, mini-insulin had the same potency as human insulin but acted faster. 'Mini-insulin has tremendous potential,' Chou says. 'With just a few strategic substitutions, we have generated a potent, fast-acting molecular structure that is the smallest, fully active insulin to date. 'Because it is so small, it should be easy to synthesize, making it a prime candidate for the development of a new generation of insulin therapeutics.' The study appears in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology. This summer, the fight against the novel coronavirus will be a local one. Despite the country's bungled response to the pandemic, coronavirus cases and deaths nationally are trending downward as Americans emerge from months of widespread lockdowns. Major U.S. cities with the biggest outbreaks - New York, Detroit, New Orleans - are flattening and even lowering their curves. The nation's testing capacity has dramatically improved, and a larger share of cases are being caught. Yet as the virus continues flaring in some rural and suburban areas, tamping it down will be a county-by-county project, dependent on the ability of local health officials to spot new cases and contain them. While life could look close to normal in some communities, others will have to stay vigilant with social distancing procedures to ensure these mini-flares don't become regional or statewide outbreaks. "There isn't going to be one curve. There are going to be many curves," Marynia Kolak, a health and spatial data science researcher at the University of Chicago, told me. These localized outbreaks can be found across the nation, many in states that reopened earlier but also in some states that held back a little longer. According to a map put together by University of Chicago's Center for Spatial Data Science, clusters can be found in nearly every area of the country except for the northernmost states and parts of the West. Kolak pointed to Montgomery, Alabama - part of the South's "Black Belt" - where cases are suddenly surging. There are also hot spots in the state's Tuscaloosa and Walker counties, along with several counties in central Mississippi. She's paying close attention to a cluster of cases in southwest Kansas spilling over into the Oklahoma panhandle, which have been linked to outbreaks at a meatpacking plant. Nowhere are cases more concentrated than in the Navajo Nation, an American Indian territory that spans northeastern Arizona, southeastern Utah and northwestern New Mexico. There, leaders have imposed weekend and nightly curfews in an effort to stem the virus, which has infected more than 400 people out of every 10,000 Navajo Nation residents. These types of actions - expanding social distancing restrictions - is something every local official across the nation will have to consider if they start observing increased spread, experts say. That's according to Max Henderson, CEO of Covid Act Now, a website providing coronavirus data. He's working on a county-level scoring system that notifies policymakers and citizens when their region is about to become an outbreak area. "We really have to look at our data in our area and decide whether this is the right action specific to our circumstances," Henderson said. It's part of trying to find a new normal, where communities seek a sustainable way of living life even before a coronavirus vaccine is available. What's reasonable policy in, say, rural counties in California will look very different from the situation in heavily populated regions such as Los Angeles or San Francisco, Henderson said. "I don't think we're going to go back to a period where state level, one-size-fits-all is going to be a reasonable response," he said. And the states that opened earliest aren't seeing massive spikes in cases despite dire predictions. Governors who started reopening first were widely criticized, as some epidemiologists predicted large increases in cases and fatalities. But in most of these states - many in the southeast - the overall number of daily new cases is either relatively flat or even diminishing slightly. The curve is bending upward in Texas - but only slightly. That's also true of Mississippi, which is confirming 300 new cases per day compared with about 250 cases daily a month ago. In Georgia, where Republican Gov. Brian Kemp moved to reopen some businesses in late April, about 625 new cases are being confirmed daily, according to 91-DIVOC, a visualization project created by University of Illinois professor Wade Fagen-Ulmschneider using coronavirus case numbers from Johns Hopkins University. That's down slightly from one month ago, when closer to 700 new cases were being confirmed every day. Daily confirmed cases are also trending downward in Colorado, where Democratic Gov. Jared Polis was the most aggressive blue-state governor in reopening. The state is finding about 300 new cases per day, compared with about 550 new cases per day one month ago. It's a similar story in Florida, where the curve of new cases has remained flat for weeks. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis recently blasted reporters for waxing "poetically for weeks and weeks about how Florida was going to be just like New York." "Wait two weeks, Florida is going to be next, just like Italy," DeSantis said. "Well, hell, we're eight weeks away from that and it hasn't happened." (Photo : Eric Thayer on Reuters ) Coronavirus: George Floyd's Protestors Equals New Wave of Positive COVID-19 Victims, Warn Experts (Photo : Jonathan Drake on Reuters ) Coronavirus: George Floyd's Protestors Equals New Wave of Positive COVID-19 Victims, Warn Experts Since the video of George Floyd's death was circulated online, protestors in the United States, mainly in Minneapolis, Minnesota, had been enraged for justice. However, the issues of racism and discrimination were not the only problems these protesters must face. They could also be facing the next wave of positive coronavirus victims soon. Atlanta Mayor advises George Floyd's protestors to test for COVID-19 Fox News reported this week that a new wave of COVID-19 victims might soon appear in the country if George Floyd protestors will not test for the virus. Since all protestors are piled up in the streets of Minnesota and police forces are also trying to stop them, it was hard to follow the required social distancing needed to stop the widespread of Coronavirus. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, said that if protestors stayed for too long in the streets filled with lots of people, it would be better for them to stay healthy and test for COVID-19. "If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a COVID test this week," she said Saturday at a news conference. "There is still a pandemic in America that's killing black and brown people at higher numbers." New York City officials also had the same suggestion as Bottoms. Dr. Theodore Long, the one leading New York City's contact tracing efforts with its public hospital agency, said that anyone that contributes or active on the mass protests should be tested. This was also the same guy that signed an executive order to put curfew for the city. "We strongly encourage anybody who is out in the protests to wear a mask, practice proper hand hygiene, and to the extent possible, socially distance, though we know that's not always going to be feasible," Dr. Long said. However, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz mentioned that wearing masks may be an excuse for protesters to hide their identities on the protests. 'We have no choice' Local news 9News reported that a lot of protestors were also worried about acquiring Coronavirus. However, they still want to voice out their issues on the streets to protect what's been happening in the U.S.-- especially in the issues of racism and discrimination against dark-colored skin people. "It's not OK that in the middle of a pandemic we have to be out here risking our lives," Spence Ingram, a black woman, said after marching with other protesters to the state Capitol in Atlanta on Friday. "But I have to protest for my life and fight for my life all the time." 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The family of Nathan Turner are demanding an apology from the government after the coal miner was declared 'Australia's youngest COVID-19 victim' only for an autopsy to reveal he didn't have the virus. The 30-year-old was found dead at his home in Blackwater, in regional Queensland, by his fiancee Simone Devon last Tuesday. Queensland Health said Mr Turner died from coronavirus in a case that puzzled doctors given he had not left his small town since February. Health authorities had been investigating whether a nurse from Rockhampton was the source of his infection. She had bizarrely driven in a 400km round trip to Blackwater to 'watch the sunset'. But on Monday, in a shocking twist, an autopsy found Mr Turner did not have the deadly virus. Mr Turner's friends have created a Change.org petition calling on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and chief health officer Jeannette Young to apologise to his family and the community for creating 'chaos and panic'. The family of Nathan Turner are demanding an apology from the government after the coal miner was declared 'Australia's youngest COVID-19 victim' only for an autopsy to reveal he never had the virus Mr Turner's friends have created a Change.org petition calling on Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Dr Young apologise to his family Mr Turner's family are demanding Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also say sorry to the Blackwater community for creating 'chaos and panic' in the small mining town THE DEATH OF NATHAN TURNER TUESDAY MAY 26: Nathan Turner was found dead at his home in Blackwater, in regional Queensland, by his fiancee Simone Devon. WEDNESDAY MAY 27: Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk held a press conference with health authorities and said Mr Turner died from coronavirus. Ms Devon was put into isolation after experiencing coronavirus symptoms. Mystery surrounded the suspected coronavirus case, after it was revealed Mr Turner had not left the small town in months and there were no other known local cases. Since his May 26 death, Mr Turner's family maintained they didn't believe COVID-19 caused his death, as he also suffered from epilepsy and asthma, and regularly caught the flu. MONDAY JUNE 1: Autopsy found Mr Turner did not have the deadly virus. Mr Turner's friends created a Change.org petition calling on Ms Palaszczuk and chief health officer Jeannette Young to apologise to his family and the community for creating 'chaos and panic'. Queensland Health confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that further tests have returned negative for COVID-19. 'The Coroner tonight advised that further tests have returned negative for COVID-19. He is yet to determine the man's cause of death,' Dr Young said. Advertisement 'Your leadership created emotional, mental and physical trauma to the loved ones of Nathan's family and friends and especially to his fiance Simone who endured so much pain then anyone else,' family friend Nicole Muller wrote on the petition. 'Nathan's passing was used as tool to create chaos and panic to a community, state and a country. 'You should be ashamed of yourself and if you had any human decency left then you will apologise for creating trauma to this family whilst you caused panic to our community. 'This is unacceptable behaviour from our leaders in power who forced a family to sit in silence and not to comment about the chaos they were about to inflict on our state.' After just a few hours the petition had already gathered 2,082 signatures from its 2,500 goal. Ms Devon, who works at the town's bakery, broke the news that her fiance never had coronavirus via her employer's Facebook page. 'We have just got word from our staff member Nathan's partner that his autopsy report has come in and Nathan has been CLEARED as COVID 19 NEGATIVE,' Ms Devon's colleague Kelly Bunyoung posted on Facebook. Queensland Health confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that further tests have returned negative for COVID-19. 'The Coroner tonight advised that further tests have returned negative for COVID-19. He is yet to determine the man's cause of death,' Dr Young said. Ms Devon's mother Lorraine told The Australian Queensland's coroner had confirmed the results of the post mortem to the family. 'They have told us that there was no trace of the virus in his system,' she said. 'The autopsy has not been completed, and they can't yet say how he died.' Mr Turner had a series of health problems and had been displaying symptoms in the weeks before his death, but was only tested after his body was found. Nathan Turner, who was thought to be Australia's youngest COVID-19 victim, didn't die from the virus Nathan Turner is pictured with his partner Simone Devon, who discovered his body last Tuesday after she returned from work Mr Turner had a series of health problems and had been off work since November after suffering seizures He had been off work since November after suffering seizures. After the 30-year-old's death was made public, Dr Young said suggestions he did not have the disease appeared incorrect. 'There was a test done ... which is a very sensitive test and it came back positive,' Ms Young told reporters. 'I believe it was a positive.' Ms Young said Mr Turner had a 'complicated medical history' that 'needs to be worked through' and did not know the impact of his other medical issues. 'Whether or not COVID-19 was the precipitating cause for his death, that's how we report it,' she said. Since his May 26 death, Mr Turner's family has maintained they didn't believe COVID-19 caused his death, as he also suffered from epilepsy and asthma, and regularly caught the flu. Mystery surrounded the suspected coronavirus case, after it was revealed Mr Turner had not left the small town in months and there were no other known local cases. Mr Turner's death sparked fears of an outbreak in Blackwood and locals were tested en masse last week. Ms Devon tested negative to the virus three times and more than 500 Blackwater residents also returned negative results. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said today he has talked to Birmingham city leaders about Mayor Randall Woodfins plans to remove the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors monument from Linn Park. Marshall said if the city removes the 115-year-old monument, he would pursue a civil case that could a result in a $25,000 fine against the city. He said thats the only enforcement authorized under the Alabama Monuments Preservation Act, passed by the Legislature in 2017 to protect Confederate monuments. Woodfin said earlier today the fine would be less costly than continued civil unrest over the monument. A crowd damaged and tried to topple the monument Sunday night at a protest triggered by the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minnesota and police killings of other African-Americans. Woodfin called for restraint and asked protesters to allow the city to remove the monument safely. Marshall has previously won a civil case against Birmingham for placing a plywood screen around the monument. The city appealed, and the Alabama Supreme Court upheld the law and the $25,000 fine. The Alabama Monuments Preservation Act provides a singular avenue for enforcement the filing of a civil complaint in pursuit of a fine, which the Alabama Supreme Court has determined to be a one-time assessment of $25,000," Marshall said. "The Act authorizes no additional relief. Should the City of Birmingham proceed with the removal of the monument in question, based upon multiple conversations I have had today, city leaders understand I will perform the duties assigned to me by the Act to pursue a new civil complaint against the City. In the aftermath of last nights violent outbreak, I have offered the City of Birmingham the support and resources of my office to restore peace to the City. Woodfin, who declared a state of emergency in Birmingham and a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew after Sunday nights protest erupted into violence, said the cost of continuing civil unrest would be greater than a fine for removing the monument. I understand the AGs office can bring a civil suit against the city and if theres a judgement rendered from a judge, then we should be held accountable and I am willing to accept that because that is a lower cost than civil unrest in our city," Woodfin said. This story will be updated. Corrected at 1:11 p.m. to say the city placed a plywood screen around the monument, not concrete. Protesters are arrested by police in front of City Hall as they demonstrate in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday. More than 500 arrests were made after looting and vandalism sweep the area. (Los Angeles Times) Amid reports from across the country about escalating clashes between protesters and law enforcement, it's worth looking underneath the images for the roots of the outrage. It is the extrajudicial killings of unarmed people by police, and not the protests against them, that too often spark the cycle of violence and death in the United States. It is the cruel and unyielding knee on the neck of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and thousands of other police officer knees, fists and trigger fingers that undermine public safety and instill fear. That's why we need to demand accountability and change from law enforcement and the criminal justice establishment that too often shrugs at police violence. The ties that bind elected officials to police unions must be broken. District attorneys and other elected prosecutors should reject campaign donations and endorsements from law enforcement labor groups, because union support compromises a prosecutors independence and clouds the decision over whether to criminally charge police who abuse their power. It diminishes a D.A.s incentive to seek out and share with defense lawyers as the 6th Amendment requires the names of officers whose past misconduct undermines their value as prosecution witnesses. It undercuts a D.A.s impulse to fight laws that hide from the public the names of problem officers. Bar associations should revise their ethics rules to forbid candidates for district attorney (and city prosecutor and states attorney) to accept police union money. Lawmakers should adopt laws to likewise prohibit the practice although they will find it easier to do if they, too, say no to police union largess. Police unions have every right to advocate for the pay, benefits and working conditions of their members. But one of their tasks is to defend officers in misconduct cases, and that makes the conflict of interest readily apparent. An elected official considering whether to prosecute officers should not be, in essence, on the political payroll of the agency defending the very same people. Story continues These unions' power to raise and dispense large amounts of campaign cash has warped the electoral process and has slowed or blocked reasonable efforts to hold officers accountable for bad performance. Elected prosecutors should not be in the unions thrall. Nor, for that matter, should elected sheriffs. A handful of police unions criticized the officers involved in the death of Floyd. But police unions are generally the loudest voices defending bad officers and dismissing reasonable efforts to improve officer performance. A case in point: Minneapolis Police Union leader Bob Kroll is a strong supporter of President Trump at least in part because of the presidents contempt for the 2015 recommendations of the federal Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Many law enforcement unions decried the task force report, which called for sensible steps to improve police transparency and accountability, enhance oversight and strengthen relationships with policed communities, all in order to build public trust. It was a lost opportunity, and we are now paying the steep price. Public trust in police is lacking because of actions like the killing of Floyd. Relationships that might have permitted a more constructive response to his death were not built. Even before the Floyd killing, reform advocates in Los Angeles and elsewhere began calling for police budgets to be slashed and the money spent instead on social services. Its an understandable position, although off-base in its particulars. Lower funding translates into fewer officers, which in turn leads to precisely the occupation-style approach to policing that causes such tension here and in other U.S. cities. But at a time of economic near-collapse, L.A.s proposed budget includes officer raises far out of proportion to pay increases for other city workers plus shocking bonuses for officers with college degrees. The L.A. Police Protective League which, it should be noted, issued a statement decrying the killing of Floyd in Minneapolis is a big financial supporter of most of L.A.s elected officials. Earlier this year, without raising money for incumbent Los Angeles Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey directly, the union put up $1 million to defeat her reform-oriented opponent, George Gascon. (The Times has endorsed Gascon.) It was an independent expenditure, and as such it backed the candidate without necessarily creating the same kind of conflict of interest as a direct donation. On Sunday, Lacey issued a rather weak statement regarding the culmination of injustice, decrying violent protests and expressing sympathy to Floyds family. It made no mention of police or the cause of Floyds death. Meanwhile, a group of more than 40 district attorneys put out a statement Thursday calling for structural changes in the criminal justice system along the lines of the task force recommendations, including severing the financial link between elected prosecutors and police unions. Lacey was invited to sign. For now, at least, she has not. A looter robs a Target store as protesters face off against police in Oakland California on May 30, 2020, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes. Josh Edelson | AFP | Getty Images Major retailers across the country are temporarily closing their stores in areas hit hard with protests against police violence. Target, Apple and Amazon-owned Whole Foods are among the retailers that announced they would shutter locations temporarily or adjust store hours around citywide curfews. Some Apple, Target and Whole Foods stores were damaged by looting, as demonstrations turned violent in several cities across the U.S. In recent days, protests have erupted nationwide over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police. On Friday, Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer who was filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck before he died, was taken into custody and charged with murder. The anger in response to Floyd's killing resulted in clashes with police and looting in several cities. The protests are likely to set back some retailers' plans to reopen stores that were closed in the wake of the pandemic. For example, Apple had already shuttered about half of its 271 stores in the U.S. amid the coronavirus outbreak, though it reopened roughly 100 stores last week. Here are some of the announcements retailers have made so far regarding store closures tied to protests: Amazon Whole Foods, which Amazon acquired for $13.7 billion in 2017, said Sunday it was temporarily closing or adjusting store hours at several locations across the country. Whole Foods' stores near Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Chicago all remain closed. The company's Bryant Park store in New York City has only been open for grocery delivery for several weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak, but the store is ending online orders early as a result of protests, a Whole Foods spokesperson told CNBC. The spokesperson said Whole Foods is ensuring that affected locations close well ahead of when citywide curfews begin so that store associates can get home safely. Minneapolis, Chicago and Los Angeles all announced curfews this weekend that are expected to last at least through Monday morning. Amazon also sent a notice out to Flex drivers late Saturday advising them to stop delivering packages "immediately," according to documents viewed by CNBC. The notices were sent out to drivers in almost a dozen cities, including Minneapolis, Seattle, Los Angeles, Nashville and Miami. Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Cheeseman told CNBC in a statement: "We are monitoring the situation closely and in a handful of cities we've adjusted routes or scaled back typical delivery operations to ensure the safety of our teams." News of the delivery changes was first reported by Bloomberg. Flex drivers are independent contractors of Amazon that use a mobile app to find package delivery jobs in their area. Drivers log onto the Flex app to sign up for shifts, referred to as "blocks," that may be for a range of Amazon services, such as Whole Foods, Prime Now and AmazonFresh orders. In the notice sent to Flex drivers, Amazon said it closed delivery locations "near the activity" and would reopen those locations when it has confirmed it is safe to do so. "We are in close contact with local officials and will continue to monitor the protests," the notice said. "We are proactively monitoring every zip code in the area, and are re-routing drivers to ensure that routes you take for deliveries are safe." Some cities also showed fewer blocks in the Flex app to accommodate citywide curfews. For example, in Miami, drivers were able to select blocks up until 7:30 p.m., ahead of the city's 8 p.m. curfew, according to a separate document viewed by CNBC. Target Target announced late Saturday that it's temporarily closing 175 stores across the country as a result of ongoing protests. The company, which operates 1,900 stores across the U.S., closed 71 stores in Minnesota and at least a dozen stores in California and New York. Any Target employees impacted by the store closures will be paid for up to 14 days of scheduled hours, including Covid-19 premium pay, the company said. A looter rob a Target store as protesters face off against police in Oakland California on May 30, 2020, over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes. Josh Edelson | AFP | Getty Images Employees can also work at other nearby Target locations that remain open. While many stores closed during the coronavirus outbreak, Target and other retailers like Walmart and Whole Foods kept their stores open. Some businesses have been looted and vandalized in cities across the U.S. as protests turned violent, including a Target stores in Minneapolis and Oakland. Target CEO Brian Cornell said in a post on Sunday that the company was supporting the more than 200 team members "displaced" by the closure at its Lake Street store in Minneapolis," as well as at other stores "that are damaged or at risk." "As a Target team, we've huddled, we've consoled, we've witnessed horrific scenes similar to what's playing out now and wept that not enough is changing," Cornell said. "And as a team we've vowed to face pain with purpose." Apple Apple announced that it would not open many of its stores on Sunday due to the protests. "With the health and safety of our teams in mind, we've made the decision to keep a number of our stores in the US closed on Sunday," the company said in a statement. A man loots an iMac through the broken window of the Apple store at the Grove shopping center in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles on May 30, 2020 following a protest against the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while while being arrested and pinned to the ground by the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. Valerie Macon | AFP | Getty Images Apple has 271 stores in the U.S. and about half of those are already closed because of the pandemic. Last week, the company reopened about 100 stores in nearly 20 states across the U.S. Several Apple stores were vandalized and looted amid protests across the country, including in Minneapolis, Brooklyn and Washington, D.C. Walmart Walmart said Sunday evening it would close hundreds of stores nationwide, the company confirmed to CNBC. Some Walmart stores were physically damaged or looted amid protests that turned violent. On Friday, the company closed stores in Minneapolis and Atlanta. As the protests continued throughout the weekend, Walmart later moved to close stores at locations across the country, a Walmart spokesperson said. The company is monitoring information from law enforcement, social media activity and the situation at individual stores to determine store closures, the spokesperson said. Walmart is working to determine how to support employees displaced by store closures, they added. "We want to make sure all [our employees] are being taken care of," the spokesperson said. "That's been the hour by hour leading factor driving these decisions and as the situation unfolds, we'll figure out how else to take care of them." Walmart plans to reopen stores that were shuttered on Monday, as long as there is no physical damage at those locations and it's determined that the surrounding area is safe, the company said. It will continue to watch the situation closely, Walmart added. Like Target, Walmart kept its stores open during the coronavirus pandemic. However, the company reduced store hours to allow more cleaning and restocking, among other measures. Nike Nike is closing some of its U.S. stores that were impacted by the protests, the company confirmed to CNBC. "Nike supports free and peaceful protests and we do not condone violence," Nike said in a statement. "We are closely following the protests occurring across the country." It's unclear how many locations were closed and when Nike will reopen those stores. Looters broke into a Nike store in Manhattan during protests on Saturday evening. Adidas Local elections in Kyiv are expected to be held in late October 2020. Ukrainian Member of Parliament Oleksandr Tkachenko has confirmed that he will take part in the primaries to be held by the ruling party, Servant of the People, prior to the mayoral elections in Kyiv. Read alsoEvery fourth Kyiv resident ready to choose among ruling party candidates for mayor's post poll "I think it's time to be proud again of what city [Kyiv] could be today and tomorrow. A city for people rather than for greedy officials or real estate developers. A beautiful city where one can live a decent, good, pleasant life. Therefore, I've made up my mind to participate in the primaries of the Servant of the People [Party] before the mayoral elections," he wrote on Facebook on May 31. As UNIAN reported earlier, 131 lawmakers from the Servant of the People parliamentary faction signed a letter, asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to convince the party's leadership to conduct intra-party primaries to nominate candidates for mayors in the country's all major cities of strategic importance. Speaking at a press conference on May 20, Zelensky announced the primaries would be held by the ruling party, Servant of the People, before the mayoral elections in Kyiv, and he would support the party's best nominee. "As for the primaries. In Kyiv, I will support a candidate for the mayor of Kyiv who will be nominated by the Servant of the People Party. Will the primaries be held? Yes, they will! Will only members of the Servant of the People Party be competing during the primaries? There will certainly be candidates from the Servant of the People, that is, those who are members of the Servant of the People, and there will be independent people who are ready to fight at open primaries at a meeting of our Servant of the People faction," he said. In recent times, the Ex-President who is anxiously seeking re-election in Ghana has continuously played politics with the COVID-19 pandemic since it's inception. The ex-president went ahead to set-up a political medical team to fight COVID-19, meanwhile, we were dealing with a national and non-partisan issue and the least advantage he gets to speak he chastises Government on his approach. Recently when Mr. Mahama was speaking he attributed an increase spread of the virus to bad communications of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has done massively well pertaining to the fight against COVID-19, the timely address to the citizens by the President and education from Ghana Health Service, National Communication For Civic Education (NCCE), other government agencies like NADMO, state and private media houses, District and Municipal Assemblies has really done well to educate people on COVID-I9 pandemic. Government has been able to share hygiene items to all Municipals and District Assemblies across the Nation, government has also made it a project by educating people against the stigmatisation of recovered patients. Government has also boosted the production of local personal protective equipment, these are all laid down measures by Government against the fight of CODVID-19. Upon all these efforts by Government Ex-President Mahama has still found his way to play politics with the pandemic, he has intentionally refused to see the massive ongoing Education across the nation in order to chastise the government for political gains. His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been commended for the good work on the pandemic by other countries and World Health Organisation (WHO) so it is petty for Ex-President Mahama to say the President's bad Communication skills has led to the increased spread of COVID-19. .. signed.. Edmund Kyei Asokwa Constituency 1st Vice Chairman NPP National Communication Member 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 Binghamton, N.Y. A playground in the Southern Tier was destroyed by a fire early Monday morning. WBNG reports the Binghamton Fire Department responded to a fire at Recreation Park around 12:45 a.m. The fire destroyed the parks accessible playground, firefighters said. According to Press Connects, more than 1,000 people gathered at Recreation Park hours earlier on Sunday to protest police brutality and the death of George Floyd, who died on Memorial Day when a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck. Later in the night, about 40 people reportedly began spraying graffiti on buildings and streets in downtown Binghamton; the crowd dispersed around 10 p.m. FULL VIDEO: Fire now out at Rec Park in Binghamton but earlier in the day, this was the place were at least 1000 people gathered to protest peacefully #blacklivesmatter #alllivesmatter #georgefloyd pic.twitter.com/fgprSKfzfh PaulWBNG (@PaulWBNG) June 1, 2020 Officials have not said if they believe the playground fire was connected to protesters. Binghamton police told Press Connects on Monday that it did not yet have not comment on the suspects or activity at the park overnight. The fire remains under investigation. A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money to help repair the playground. More than $9,600 has been raised of Monday morning. (Bloomberg) -- Two American astronauts boarded the International Space Station from a SpaceX capsule, marking the first time humans have traveled to orbit on a commercially developed craft, forging a new era for NASA and visionary billionaire Elon Musk. The Dragon craft carrying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley arrived at the orbiting lab at 10:16 a.m. Eastern time Sunday, about 19 hours after lifting off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. They entered the station at 1:22 p.m. after completing a series of arrival checklists. We have to congratulate the men and women of SpaceX, Hurley said after the docking. Their incredible efforts over the last several years to make this possible cannot go overstated. The milestone flight is the first time American astronauts have flown from U.S. soil since the space shuttle program ended in 2011. The achievement comes 18 years after Musk founded Space Exploration Technologies Corp. with the ultimate goal of populating other planets. Hurley called it an incredible time to be at NASA, with three manned-vehicle programs in the works and progress toward a return to the moon. Welcome to Bob and Doug, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told the astronauts from Mission Control in Houston shortly after the two men entered the station. The whole world saw this mission and we are so, so proud of everything you have done for our country and to inspire the world, he said. QuickTake: Why U.S. Astronauts Hitched Historic Ride With SpaceX The highest-profile U.S. rocket launch in decades captured interest around the globe, watched live on Saturday by approximately 10 million people. The flight comes at a time when people are clamoring for good news amid the Covid-19 pandemic, surging unemployment and growing U.S. protests against police violence. This is just one effort that we can show for the ages in this dark time that weve had over the past several months to kind of inspire, especially the young people in the United States, to reach for these lofty goals and work hard and look at what you can accomplish, Hurley said from the space station. Story continues So Proud President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were among those who gathered with Musk to watch the spectacle. Trump spoke with the two astronauts prior to the launch and, in a brief exchange with reporters, referred to Musk as one of the great brains, according to a pool report. The rooftop shook as the rocket rumbled to orbit, according to the report. Within seconds, Elton Johns Rocket Man -- a Trump rally classic -- began to play over speakers, the report said. They have a long way to go but thats a very dangerous part of it there, Trump said. Im so proud of the people, of NASA, public and private. When you see a sight like that, its incredible. When you hear that sound the roar you can imagine how dangerous it is. The launch and the initial phases of the journey proceeded smoothly. The main rocket booster flew back to Earth and stuck the landing on a drone ship -- a once-remarkable feat that has become routine for SpaceX. The two astronauts joined the Expedition 63 crew members already in residence on the space station. Their voyage, known as Demo-2, is the final major test of SpaceXs human spaceflight system before the National Aeronautics and Space Administration certifies it to fly working missions to the space station. Boeing Co. is also preparing to carry people to the orbiting lab as part of the same Commercial Crew program at NASA. Weather Clears The SpaceX launch was originally slated for May 27, but was scrubbed due to bad weather. While rain showers earlier Saturday briefly raked launch complex 39A, the weather cleared and SpaceX loaded fuel onto the Falcon 9 rocket and moved through a final check of its systems. Gwynne Shotwell, the companys president and chief operating officer, said she was super-nervous, stomach-in-throat, in a television interview from SpaceX headquarters minutes before lift-off. Shotwell and her team monitored the mission from the companys control center in Hawthorne, California, wearing masks and sitting at carefully spaced terminals. Successfully carrying humans to space would mark the latest breakthrough for a company known for setting audacious goals. In the decade since the first Falcon 9 rocket reached orbit, SpaceX has eclipsed rivals like Europes Arianespace and United Launch Alliance, a Boeing-Lockheed Martin Corp. venture, to grab the lead of commercial launches. Launching satellites is nice and we got to bring in more money than we spend, this is important, but ultimately this is life beyond earth, Musk said at a briefing after the launch, where he recalled how he developed SpaceX with funds he got from PayPal. Hopefully this is the first step on that journey for life becoming multi-planetary for the first time. Musks space company is valued at about $36 billion, and its bravado and reusable rockets have inspired other entrepreneurs. The competition could get fierce this decade as Blue Origin, founded and funded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, Northrop Grumman Corp., ULA and Sierra Nevada Corp. all bring new spacecraft to market. Numerous Providers At least thats the dream for Bridenstine, the NASA administrator. The U.S. space agency is seeking to change the notion that government must create both demand and supply for spaceflight. He said at a post-launch briefing that NASA is seeking a business model where its not the only customer. We want to have numerous providers competing on cost, innovation and safety, he said in an interview on Bloomberg TV on May 27. Commercial spaceflight has taken a long time to evolve since 2001, when engineer and entrepreneur Dennis Tito, founder and CEO of Wilshire Associates, became the first private individual to buy a seat to space aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket. Now, with the financial disruption from Covid-19 injecting fresh uncertainty into the industrys immediate future, Bridenstine vowed to push ahead. He said he hoped the moment would be a bright spot amid the nations many challenges. I was praying for Bob and Doug, I was praying for their families, I was praying for their safe return, he said. If this can inspire a young child to become the next Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos or Sir Richard Branson, then this is what this is all about. (Updates with entry to space station and comments in first six paragraphs) 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. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 15:36:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. exit from the World Health Organization (WHO) would undermine international efforts to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic that guarantee public health and save lives, officials and experts across the world have warned. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that his country is "terminating" its relationship with the WHO. The announcement came days after the White House, in a letter to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, threatened to make the temporary freeze of U.S. funding "permanent" and reconsider its membership in the organization. Experts have voiced concerns over the decision made by the U.S. government, saying the move is undermining the irreplaceable role of the WHO in coordinating global efforts in combating COVID-19 and delivering necessary aid to developing and particularly under-developed countries whose public health systems are very vulnerable. For those countries which are still struggling with the rising COVID-19 cases and are highly dependent on the guidance, equipment and concrete life-saving services provided by the WHO, the U.S. funding freeze is no doubt a fatal shock, they said. Dad Mohammad Annabi, an Afghan researcher and editor-in-chief of the Islah Daily, said: "Cutting more than 400 million U.S. dollars to the WHO definitely would undermine the global health agency's performances including the war on COVID-19 and research on how to make a vaccine to cure the killing disease in the world." "Afghanistan is part of the international community and like other nations has been fighting COVID-19, and certainly a financial cut to the WHO would undermine the entity's support to Afghanistan," Annabi said. Trump's plan has also triggered widespread criticism from the international community, even from the traditional allies of the United States. The U.S. exit from the WHO is contrary to multilateralism and would disrupt global efforts to fight against the virus, especially those in vaccine development. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, and Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said in a statement that "the WHO needs to continue being able to lead the international response to pandemics, current and future." "For this, the participation and support of all is required and very much needed. In the face of this global threat, now is the time for enhanced cooperation and common solutions. Actions that weaken international results must be avoided," they said in the statement. "In this context, we urge the U.S. to reconsider its announced decision," they said in the statement. Irish Minister for Health Simon Harris described Trump's plan to cut ties with the WHO as an "awful decision" on Twitter. "Awful decision. Now more than ever the world needs multilateralism. A global pandemic requires the world to work together," Harris tweeted. Apart from criticism from the international community, Trump's announcement also triggered disagreement across the United States. The country alone has reported more than 1.7 million COVID-19 cases with over 104,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Both figures are far higher than those in any other country or region. Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law and director of the O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University, described the move as "foolish and arrogant" on Twitter. "Trump's action is an enormous disruption and distraction during an unprecedented health crisis," said Gostin, also the director of the WHO collaborating center on national and global health law. "The President has made us less safe." Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia said that "the United States cannot eliminate this virus on its own and to withdraw from the World Health Organization -- the world's leading public health body -- is nothing short of reckless." Enditem MIAMISBURG, Ohio, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Verso Corporation (NYSE: VRS) today announced that Terrence M. Dyer has been appointed Verso's Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Communications, effective June 1, 2020. "I am pleased to have Terry join Verso and our senior leadership team with responsibility for leading our human resources and communications initiatives that support our strategic business plans," said President and Chief Executive Officer Adam St. John. "Terry brings more than 20 years of human resources experience to Verso and has a solid reputation for companywide talent strategies that support current and future business performance, employee engagement and retention." Mr. Dyer has served in human resources leadership roles at several Fortune 1000 companies, including Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Worthington Industries; Vice President, Human Resources for Armstrong World Industries Inc.; and Human Resources Manager at Burlington Industries, Inc. Mr. Dyer holds a bachelor of arts degree in Psychology from East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina. Mr. Dyer will replace predecessor Kenneth D. Sawyer who retired from Verso effective June 1, 2020. Mr. Sawyer will remain with Verso through the remainder of June to assist with the transition to Mr. Dyer. "On behalf of the entire Board and senior leadership team, I would like to thank Kenny for his nearly 10 years of leadership and substantial contributions to Verso's success through many significant changes and challenges and wish him the very best during his retirement years," said St. John. "Additionally, Kenny's willingness and commitment to transition this important role to Terry prior to his departure is greatly appreciated." About Verso Corporation Verso Corporation is the turn-to company for those looking to successfully navigate the complexities of paper sourcing and performance. A leading North American producer of graphic and specialty papers, packaging and pulp, Verso provides insightful solutions that help drive improved customer efficiency, productivity, brand awareness and business results. Verso's long-standing reputation for quality and reliability is directly tied to our vision to be a company with passion that is respected and trusted by all. Verso's passion is rooted in ethical business practices that demand safe workplaces for our employees and sustainable wood sourcing for our products. This passion, combined with our flexible manufacturing capabilities and an unmatched commitment to product performance, delivery and service, make Verso a preferred choice among commercial printers, paper merchants and brokers, converters, publishers and other end users. For more information, visit us online at versoco.com. SOURCE Verso Corporation Related Links http://versoco.com Tyer Cautions Public Health Data Will Inform Phase 2 Reopening PITTSFIELD, Mass. In her weekly COVID-19 update on Friday, Mayor Linda Tyer asked residents to stay strong during the potential last week of Phase 1 of the reopening process. She said as the state enters the third and potentially final week of Phase 1, residents need to continue to practice "safer at home" protocols. "I am confident that the city will do what needs to be done as we always do because even in the toughest times our community pride finds a way to shine bright," Tyer said. She reiterated that the beginning of the next phase will be guided by public health data and said the governor announced this week that the state was past the "surge." "That is certainly goods news for Massachusetts and it reflects the collective commitment that so many people like yourselves who have adhered to the preventive measures to keep our communities healthy and safe," she said. She said the city will continue contact testing that will surely increase the number of cases but give the city more data to inform its own reopening. Tyer added that CVS on West Street is now providing testing. Those who qualify can pick up a kit to be later dropped off at a drop box at the store to be sent out for testing. She said they are only allowing 50 tests a day by appointment and people can visit CVS website to see if they qualify. The city will continue to work with businesses and establishments opening up in Phase 1 and preparing those getting ready to open up in the coming phases. The state has asked local boards of healths to inform reopening businesses who have not used their buildings in some time that their water systems may be unsafe for use. She said those reopening should check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control website for more information. Tyer said it was released that the 62 percent of the deaths in the state were cases from long-term living facilities. She said although this is heartbreaking, this has not been the case in Pittsfield, which has been working closely with local nursing homes. "We are deeply saddened by this reality and we are grateful that none of our nursing homes have experienced loos of lives because of this virus," she said. Tyer noted that there is a nationwide unemployment scam being reported and victims have received claim notifications from the Department of Unemployment. She said anyone who believes they have been victimized should contact the Department of Unemployment. In closing, Tyer urged residents to continue to enjoy the nice weather safely and visit the downtown to view the banners set up to honor the Pittsfield and Taconic high school graduates. Bourbon Blue, which helped usher in a new era in Manayunk when it opened by the Manayunk Canal in late 2002, has closed, a victim of the coronavirus pandemic that also claimed the nearby Mad River Bar & Grill two weeks ago. Owner Brendan McGrew, who started as one of the New Orleans-theme spots first line cooks, segued into front-of-house management in 2005, and bought it from Sean Coyle in 2009, told his 29 employees last week. Given the pandemics destruction of the restaurant industry, it was a conversation that some saw coming, but it still was emotional because were a family, he said. Bourbon Blue had been doing takeout and deliveries since the start of the government-ordered shutdown in March. I was looking at the reopening models coming out of this situation, and it just couldnt work, said McGrew, 39, who ran Bourbon Blue with his girlfriend, Melissa Gregory, whom he met at the restaurant 11 years ago when she was a customer and he was general manager. McGrew said he thought they had turned the corner last year when the Small Business Administration loan was repaid. About 40% of Bourbon Blues $2 million annual revenue came from events. At 50% occupancy when the restaurant is eventually allowed to reopen the numbers would not make sense. Even when outdoor dining is permitted, Bourbon Blues 860-square-foot deck would be able to accommodate only 12 people. Despite takeout and off-site catering, theres too much to lose to make it financially," he said. Personally, yes, it sucks, but Melissa and I will be able to rebound and find ourselves in a better place. Manayunks retail and nightlife scenes soared from the mid-1980s through the 1990s with restaurants such as Jakes, Thomas, Kansas City Prime, and Sonoma finding fortune during a massive private redevelopment of its sleepy, largely vacant Main Street. Manayunk became a victim of its own success, however. Longtime residents complained about assorted issues, notably parking. In 1997, City Council imposed a five-year moratorium on new restaurants along Main Street and its side streets. Bourbon Blue, set up in a circa-1815 stone building that was once a mill that supplied cotton for Union uniforms during the Civil War, was the first major restaurant to follow the moratorium. But while Manayunk eventually picked up some, it lost much of its cache and momentum as nightlife entrepreneurs turned their energies to other neighborhoods downtown, chiefly Old City. Then mainly a daytime commercial district, Old City attracted such destinations as Buddakan (1998) and Cuba Libre (2000). As Louisiana begins a new month it also passes a grim milestone with reported cases of the novel coronavirus surging past the 40,000 barrier. There were 425 new cases confirmed across Louisiana on Monday bringing the state's total to 40,341, including 14 new cases in Orleans Parish and 68 in Jefferson Parish, according to health officials. The state's death total is now at 2,690 after four more deaths were reported. Across Louisiana, 661 patients are currently hospitalized as a result of coronavirus, including 86 people on ventilators. That marks a decrease of 17 patients overall, but an increase of two in terms of patients on ventilators. . There are now 31,728 listed as having recovered from coronavirus. Orleans Parish's death toll now sits at 507, the highest of any parish in Louisiana. But it has recorded zero new deaths in four of the past five days. The second-most deaths reported as a result of coronavirus in a parish is 451 in Jefferson Parish with one additional death reported on Monday. Nearby St. Tammany Parish is also among Louisiana's hardest-hit with 1,764 cases and 158 deaths, an increase of 14 new cases but no new deaths. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards was expected to announce Monday afternoon the latest plans for Phase 2 of the state's reopening. His press conference was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and restrictions could be further loosened as early as Friday if deemed appropriate. Whatever decisions are made, however, won't impact New Orleans with local leaders having announced they want to see more data before a decision is made to further reopen the city. +2 Should Louisiana move into Phase 2 of reopening this week? It might be too soon Gov. John Bel Edwards is expected to announce on Monday whether Louisiana has made enough progress suppressing the spread of the coronavirus t Orleans Parish followed a similar route in handling Phase One, which began statewide on Friday, May 15 but not until the following day in the New Orleans area. City leaders retained similar restrictions to the state's plan but with several more heightened protocols. Scroll below for more statewide and local data: LOUISIANA (Increase from Sunday in parentheses) Cases : 40,341 (up 425 from 39,916) : 40,341 (up 425 from 39,916) Deaths : 2,690 (up 4 from 2,686) : 2,690 (up 4 from 2,686) Presumed recovered 31,728 31,728 Patients in hospitals : 661 (down 17 from 678) : 661 (down 17 from 678) Patients on ventilators : 86 (up 2 from 84) : 86 (up 2 from 84) State tests : 21,833 (up 732 from 21,102) : 21,833 (up 732 from 21,102) Commercial tests: 365,537 (up 1,530 from 354,007) 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 ORLEANS PARISH (Increase from Sunday in parentheses) Cases : 7,141 (up 14 from 7,127) : 7,141 (up 14 from 7,127) Deaths : 507 (no change) : 507 (no change) State tests : 1,794 (up 1 from 1,793) : 1,794 (up 1 from 1,793) Commercial tests: 45,679 (up 792 from 44,887) JEFFERSON PARISH (Increase from Sunday in parentheses) Cases : 7,652 (up 68 from 7,584) : 7,652 (up 68 from 7,584) Deaths : 451 (up 1 from 450) : 451 (up 1 from 450) State tests : 1,127 (up 65 from 1,062) : 1,127 (up 65 from 1,062) Commercial tests: 47,513 (up 1,075 from 46,438) The Louisiana Department of Health provides updated numbers every day at noon. See COVID-19 cases by New Orleans neighborhoods here. See updated state data here: George Floyd, a 46-year-old black American was arrested and killed on May 25 by four police officers from Minneapolis Police. The incident has drawn rage and sparked protests all over America with people calling out to police brutality and racism. Tech giants Tim Cook and Satya Nadella addressed their employees and have voiced their views against racism separately. In a memo addressed to his employees, Apple CEO, Tim Cook condemned the killing of George Floyd. "To stand together, we must stand up for one another, and recognize the fear, hurt, and outrage rightly provoked by the senseless killing of George Floyd and a much longer history of racism," Cook wrote. Apple had to shut some of its stores in the US after protests took a violent turn. Cook acknowledged the presence of racism in today's society and wrote, "That painful past is still present today not only in the form of violence but in the everyday experience of deeply rooted discrimination. We see it in our criminal justice system, in the disproportionate toll of the disease on Black and Brown communities, in the inequalities in neighborhood services and the educations our children receive. While our laws have changed, the reality is that their protections are still not universally applied." Cook further said that the communities of colour continue to endure discrimination and trauma. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, too, spoke against racism in a Town Hall meeting with his employees and Kathleen Hogan, Chief People Officer & EVP, Human Resources. "I want to start by talking about an issue that is important to all of us and is impacting and hurting many amongst us, very directly, and very severely. I also know that the every-day racism, bias, and hatred in the news today is not new, and it's far too often the experience and reality in daily lives, particularly for the Black and African American community," Nadella said. "My feeling is that we can start by checking in with each other, ask all colleagues how they're doing and what they need, have empathy for what others are feeling." On late Sunday evening, Google and YouTube condemned the killing of George Floyd. Pichai wrote, "Today on US Google & YouTube homepages we share our support for racial equality in solidarity with the Black community and in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery & others who don't have a voice. For those feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone." Floyd was arrested after a deli employee called 911 accusing him of buying cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill. In a video that went viral, Floyd is seen being pinned to the ground by one of the police officers. The officers who violated the policies of the Minneapolis Police Department were fired. Derek Chauvin, the officer seen pinning Floyd to the ground was charged with murder and manslaughter. Steven Boyne Attorney Florida Healthcare Law Firm has announced that they have added Steven Boyne to the team. Steven brings over twenty plus years experience working with different types of healthcare entities from Air Ambulances to large healthcare insurance companies, and everything in between. Steven specializes in areas including specific healthcare business human resource issues, telemedicine and HIPAA, strategic disaster planning for healthcare providers, business interruption insurance, health insurance and air ambulances. Positioning your healthcare business to be proactive is one of the most important things you can do. Who would have imagined wed see a global pandemic in our lifetime? Being prepared for interruptions help keep your business afloat when disaster strikes, especially when it comes to finances. Steven's experience in large health insurance companies brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will help individual practitioners be just as prepared as the big guys. And, as technology grows in the healthcare industry, Steven is on board to help with his tech expertise, Florida Healthcare Law Firm COO Autumn Piccolo says. Founder and President, Jeff Cohen, goes on to say that, We advise many clients on telemedicine and telehealth laws. Stevens passion for tech is a great addition for current and future clients. His unique firsthand knowledge on cyberbreaches, tech software and security systems is hyper-specific, which will benefit healthcare business owners. Steven will also be contributing to the monthly webinar and blogs held by the firm. The law firm has an industry-leading reputation for their heavy focus on community education through their newsletter, blogs and webinars, which provide updated and free information on trending topics in the medical field. Anyone who owns or manages a medical business is free to read the blogs and view the monthly webinar. Dates and topics are announced on social media with weekly reminders and viewers can also request new topics to be covered. We know that its impossible to stay up on the latest trends in the industry. Theres more opportunity than ever for small healthcare business owners and doctors alike. Think about a doctor who has their own practice and now wants to add telehealth as a delivery system. What do they do? Who can they go to for some basic information? Would you rather read something written by a copywriter or something actually written by a lawyer who works in that field? Our blogs and webinars give us a chance to connect with former and potential clients and provide them with reliable legal advice. For more information, contact 561-455-7700 or visit: https://www.floridahealthcarelawfirm.com/contact-page/ Florida Healthcare Law Firm has been around for years, providing high-quality legal assistance to medical businesses and individual clients throughout the State of Florida. Monthly events including free webinars, blogs and other options are conducted to provide business owners and managers a platform to get detailed information related to their field. If you would like to see a topic covered or if you have any questions, feel free to contact us today. A report released by VpnMentor on Sunday reported of a data breach on a website floated to onboard merchants on to NPCI's BHIM app. The breach may have left data records of at 72.30 lakh users public. The website (cscbhim.in) was floated by CSC e-Governance services, a system implementation agency that partnered with several eco-system players to develop the BHIM app. Reports say screenshots uploaded on the website included key data-points such as Aadhar card, PAN Card, Caste Certificates, proof of residence and income, professional certificates, and even banking data such as biometrics, fund transfer details and bank account data etc which may have been made public during the course of the breach. The Israeli security monitoring firm VpnMentor reported that the major breach was detected first sometime in April and was subsequently conveyed to the CSC e-Governance team. The team plugged the loophole as early as May 22. Researchers say that they had to contact India's Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) twice in a month's time to get the loophole fixed. "The scale of the exposed data is extraordinary, affecting millions of people all over India and exposing them to potentially devastating fraud, theft, and attack from hackers and cybercriminals," the security researchers from vpnMentor wrote in a blog post on Sunday. A team of Noam Rotem and Ran Locar of vpnMonitor said that the screenshots containing merchant-data and other information may have been inadvertently stored on a misconfigured Amazon Web Services platform. This AWS platform remained publicly accessible and may have lead to a major breach. According to the analysts, data as early as February 2019 may have been made publicly visible. The volume of exposed data which was first discovered by the security researchers as on April 23 amounted to 409GB. "In this case, the data was stored on an unsecured Amazon Web Services (AWS) S3 bucket," the researchers said, adding that S3 buckets are a popular form of Cloud storage across the world but require developers to set up security protocols on their accounts. "We reached out to the website's developers to notify them of the misconfiguration in their S3 bucket and to offer our assistance. After not receiving a reply, we contacted India's Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), which deals with cybersecurity in the country," a report from the analysts added. "The exposure of BHIM user data is akin to a hacker gaining access to the entire data infrastructure of a bank, along with millions of its users' account information," the report added. The NPCI has said that the BHIM app was safe for general customers to use. An NPCI clarification reads, "We have come across some news reports which suggest data breach at BHIM App. We would like to clarify that there has been no data compromise at BHIM App and request everyone to not fall prey to such speculations. NPCI follows high level of security and an integrated approach to protect its infrastructure and continue to provide a robust payments ecosystem." Egyptian prosecutors renewed on Sunday the detention of an underage Egyptian TikToker known by the alias Menna Abd El-Aziz and six others for 15 days pending investigations into the young girls sexual assault claims, a judicial source said. Abdel Aziz, 17, was arrested on 26 May. Prosecutors accused her of inciting debauchery and forging an online account, rights group Egyptian initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), whose lawyers represent the girl, said on Sunday. The public prosecutors office said in a statement Saturday that some of the defendants raped Abd El-Aziz, while others sexually assaulted, beat and robbed her. The prosecution said that Abd El-Aziz will be examined by a forensic pathologist to determine how her injuries were sustained and to what extent she was sexually assaulted. The prosecution did not disclose in its statement the details of the incident, merely describing it as painful. EIPR has called for the immediate release of Abdel Aziz, saying that prosecutors should have dealt with her as a victim and a rape survivor rather than a defendant. Last week, Abd El-Aziz said in a live Instagram video that one of her friends had raped, beaten and injured her. She added that the person also filmed the incident without her consent. She claimed that three of her female friends conspired with the alleged rapist to assault her, and then one of these female friends uploaded a video of part of the incident online. In her video, Abd El-Aziz pled for help from the government. Abd El-Azizs video went viral, sparking a lot of controversy on social media, with some people claiming that the alleged rape victim deserved what happened to her due to what they described as her inappropriate behaviour and social media posts, while many others came to her defence, saying that rape is a crime regardless of the victims behaviour. In a series of videos and social media posts, the assailants mentioned in Abd El-Azizs video denied her claims, accusing her of stealing a mobile phone and claiming that she had sex with the alleged rapist consensually. Later, Abd El-Aziz appeared in an Instagram video with her alleged rapist where she said that she has made up with him, asserting that people were trying to drive a wedge between them". The prosecution said in its Saturday statement that Abd El-Aziz was pressured by the family of one of her attackers to announce on social media that she had reconciled with him. The defendant [Abd El-Aziz] has admitted to committing some crimes that she could be punished for; however, the young minors harsh socioeconomic conditions led her to commit such crimes, the prosecution said. The prosecution added that Abd El-Aziz was driven into a dangerous life in which she met with the rest of the defendants who assaulted her. According to Article 267 of the Egyptian penal law, the crime of sexual intercourse with a female without her consent is punishable by death or life imprisonment. The article also says that the perpetrator can face the death penalty if the victim has not reached the age of eighteen, or if the perpetrator was the victims kin, guardian, wage servant, had authority over her, or if multiple perpetrators committed the crime. Article 268 of the penal law stipulates that sexual assault is punishable by a minimum prison sentence of seven years and a maximum of life imprisonment. The prosecution said this case, and other cases that it has investigated recently, warns of imminent dangers to the youth of this country that are reaching them through cyberspace. It added that this cyberspace is not subject to any monitoring, under fake slogans falsely calling for freedom of expression. It urged parents and officials to not turn a blind eye to things that are spreading lewdness among the youth under calls for liberalisation. This is not the first time that the public prosecutors office has attacked social media and warned of what it perceives as moral dangers targeting the youth in the unsupervised cyberspaces. In late April, two female TikTok influencers were arrested for immorality. On 14 May, TikTok influencer Mawada Eladhm was arrested and charged with violating the Egyptian familys values and principles. Eladhm, who has 3.1 million followers on TikTok, became famous for posting lip syncing and dance videos. On 21 April, 20-year-old Haneen Hossam, also a TikTok influencer with over 1 million followers on the app, was arrested and charged with "inciting debauchery and immorality" through posting videos on the app. Hossam was charged for a video in which she was recruiting women to join a group she created on short-video sharing platform Likee, with the purpose of promoting the platform in return for payment. Two days after she was released on EGP 50,000 (approximately $3,000) bail on 7 May, a Cairo court accepted the general prosecutions appeal against the order, and ordered the renewed 15-day detention of Hossam, who has been detained ever since. TikTok is a Chinese social media application in which users typically share short lip syncing, dance and comedy videos. According to a report by the technology news website The Verge in April, the application has been downloaded over 2 billion times. Search Keywords: Short link: Looking for more of the best deals, latest celebrity news and hottest trends? Sign up for Yahoo Lifestyle Canadas newsletter! GETTY IMAGES Yahoo Lifestyle Canada 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. Hailey Bieber was recently spotted in Beverly Hills, making her way to a dermatologist appointment. And while it was just a short and rare outing for the 23-year-old model, who has recently returned to Los Angeles after months spent in quarantine at the Kitchener, Ont. home she shares with hubby Justin, she made sure to dress to impress for the occasion. To match her black non-medical face mask, she decked out in an all-black ensemble which made up of a sheer long-sleeve top from T by Alexander Wang and vinyl pants (similar to a pair of Saint Laurent ones Bieber has worn previously). 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Air Jordan Retro 1 High Union Los Angeles Blue Toe SHOP IT: StockX, starting at $1,716 If youve been a long-time fan of the Calvin Klein model, you know shes a huge sneakerhead. Her latest Air Jordan Retros join a long list of collector must-haves including pairs from Nike x Comme des Garcons, Chanel and Off-White. And while these shoes may be a bit out of price range for most, here, weve gathered together a few fan-favourite colourways of Jordan 1s to help you get the look for less (kind of). Story continues Air Jordan 1 UNC to Chicago SHOP IT: Farfetch, $585 Air Jordan 1 High OG NRG "Aleali May" Court Luxe SHOP IT: Farfetch, $702 Air Jordan 1 Retro High Bred Toe SHOP IT: StockX, starting at $464 Air Jordan 1 Retro High Royal Toe SHOP IT: StockX, starting at $296 Melody Ehsani x Wmns Air Jordan 1 Mid 'Fearless' SHOP IT: Goat, $745 Air Jordan 1 Retro High SB 'NYC to Paris' SHOP IT: Goat, $180 Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and sign up for our newsletter. 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... Numerous arrests were made overnight in connection to the incidents, he said. Police will have more information later on Monday morning, local time. Davenport Mayor Mike Matson said George Floyd's death was unjust and extended his condolences to his family, but said that demonstrators had terrorised the city overnight. "The incidents of the last night were not about promoting justice, and they were not about the memory of George Floyd," he said. The White House was put in lockdown again during the protests. After being briefly moved to an underground bunker during Friday night's protests outside the White House, Trump spent the night again sheltered as violence raged nearby. The fast moving events leave his presidency - and his bid for a second term in November - consumed by a backdrop of smouldering cities; 104,000 dead from COVID-19 and counting in a public health disaster he failed to take seriously until it was too late; and unemployment approaching Great Depression-levels. The divided nation ended up across the street from the White House, where police fired tear gas and stun grenades into a crowd of more than 1000 chanting protesters. They scattered, piling up road signs and plastic barriers to light a raging fire in a street. Some pulled an American flag from a nearby building and threw it into the blaze. Others added tree branches. A cinder block building housing bathrooms and a maintenance office in the park was engulfed in flames. Loading The entire Washington National Guard - about 1700 soldiers - was being called in to help control the protests, according to two Defence Department officials. Advisers both inside and outside the White House on Sunday, US time, were urging the President to tone down his violent rhetoric, which many worry is escalating racial tensions and hurting him politically, and weighing up the value of an address to the nation from the Oval Office. Jonathan Swan, from the US news website Axios, reported that the biggest source of internal concern was Trump's Friday tweet, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts". But others believe the "law and order, tough guy rhetoric" works well with his supporters as long as it's laced with sympathy for "legitimate protesters and for those actually mourning Floyd's death". In tweets on Sunday, Trump blamed anarchists and the media for fuelling violence. Attorney-General William Barr pointed a finger at "far-left extremist" groups. Police chiefs and politicians accused outsiders of coming in and causing the problems. Loading On Sunday US time, National Guard members had been activated in 15 states and Washington, DC. As the evening protests escalated, more states activated the Guard, including Tennessee, Washington, Massachusetts, and more. More than 40 cities imposed curfews in response to the ongoing protests. Atlantic City, New Jersey, extended its curfew for a full week, and Cleveland, Ohio, extended its curfew through Tuesday. Protesters in Philadelphia hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at police, officials said, while masked crowds broke into upscale stores in a San Francisco suburb, fleeing with bags of goods. Los Angeles Police said it would investigate after a police SUV was seen driving into protesters during Sunday's demonstrations (Monday AEST). On video, the SUV could be seen accelerating into protesters and knocking two people to the ground. Those people could be seen getting up after being struck. Demonstrators then chased after the patrol car, which backed up and sped away. In New York City, police arrested about 350 people and 30 officers suffered minor injuries during clashes. Mayor Bill de Blasio said police conduct was being investigated, including widely shared videos showing a police vehicle lurching into a crowd of protesters who were pelting it with debris in Brooklyn. De Blasio said he had not seen a separate video showing an officer pulling down the mask of a black protester to spray something in his face. Among those arrested for unlawful assembly the night before was de Blasio's 25-year-old daughter, Chiara, according to a New York Police Department source, who said she was issued a "desk appearance ticket" and released. Loading Meanwhile, Bogdan Vechirko, the man who drove a tanker truck into a crowd of protesters on a Minnesota interstate road on the sixth night of protest in that city, was charged with assault, according to records at the Hennepin County Jail. At least 4100 people have been arrested over days of protests, according to a tally compiled by The Associated Press. Arrests ranged from looting and blocking highways to breaking curfew. Yet thousands still marched peacefully, with some also calling for an end to the fires, vandalism and theft, saying it weakened calls for justice and reform. "They keep killing our people," said Mahira Louis, 15, who marched with her mother and several hundred others through downtown Boston. "I'm so sick and tired of it." National Guardsmen stand watch as protests over the death of George Floyd continued in Los Angeles. Credit:AP The former officer Derek Chauvin who pressed his knee onto Floyd's neck has been charged with murder, but protesters are demanding the other three officers at the scene be prosecuted. All four were fired. "We're not done," said Darnella Wade, organiser for Black Lives Matter in neighbouring St Paul, Minnesota, where thousands gathered peacefully in front of the state Capitol. "They sent us the military, and we only asked them for arrests." Los Angeles Police Department commander Cory Palka stands among several destroyed police cars. Credit:AP Disgust over generations of racism in a country founded by slaveholders combined with a string of recent racially charged killings to stoke the anger. Adding to that was angst from months of lockdowns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately hurt communities of colour, not only in terms of infections but in job losses and economic stress. The droves of people congregating for demonstrations threatened to trigger new outbreaks, a fact overshadowed by the boiling tensions. Michael Jordan in a scene from 'The Last Dance' documentary. The scale of the coast-to-coast protests rivalled the historic demonstrations of the civil rights and Vietnam War eras. NBA icon Michael Jordan, once infamously apolitical, has spoken out on the race riots sparked by Floyd's death. Brand Finance has assessed the impact of COVID-19 based on the effect of the outbreak on enterprise value, compared to what it was on 1 January 2020 As the COVID-19 pandemic wreaks havoc on the global and national economy, Indias top 100 most valuable brands could lose up to 15 percent of brand value cumulatively, a potential drop of nearly $25 billion compared to the original valuation date of 1 January 2020, according to according to Brand Finance India 100 2020 report. As per the report, brand value is understood as the net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market. Brand strength is the efficacy of a brands performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors. Brand Finance has assessed the impact of COVID-19 based on the effect of the outbreak on enterprise value, compared to what it was on 1 January 2020. The likely impact on brand value was estimated for each sector. The industries have been classified into three categorieslimited impact (minimal brand value loss or potential brand value growth), moderate impact (up to 10 percent brand value loss), and heavy impact (up to 20 percent brand value loss) based on the level of brand value loss observed for each sector in the first quarter of 2020. Among the companies, Tata Group retained the title of Indias most valuable brand, breaking the $20 billion brand value mark for first time and showing a 2.3 percent growth. The report said that luxury hotel chain Taj (also a Tata Group company) was the countrys strongest brand. Tata Group is the only Indian brand to feature in the top 100 of the Brand Finance Global 500 2020 the ranking of the worlds 500 most valuable brands. The sheer size and diversity of Tata Group could mean that it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, relatively speaking, unscathed, said Savio D'Souza, Valuation Director, Brand Finance. "Despite citing considerable difficulties in the current climate and warnings of a significant downturn in profits for some of its businesses namely, Tata Steel and Tata Motors the Group will hope that the stability and strength of the TCS and Tata Consumer Products Ltd brands will offset any damage to other arms of the Group," he said. The countrys largest insurer Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) grabbed the second spot with a 10.7 percent growth in brand value at $8.1 billion. Reliance Industries took the third spot with a 25.2 percent growth in brand value at $7.9 billion. Reliances strategic decision to shift its focus from the oil and gas sector to the retail, media and telecoms sectors have proved fruitful for the brand. The brand now claims 34 percent share of market revenue in the Indian telecoms sector, the report said. That being said, Reliance has not neglected its core energy business, entering solid strategic partnerships with BP in the UK and Saudi Aramco in the Middle East to support its ambitious growth plan, the report said. Banking brands record solid growth There are 14 banking brands in the ranking, with a cumulative brand value of $24.9 billion, recording an average brand value growth of 25 percent, demonstrating the sectors defiance against NBFC pressure and the Central Banks tightened monetary policy. The State Bank of India (up 8 percent to $6.4 billion) and HDFC (up 22 percent to $5.9 billion) have retained their positions in the top 10, with the latter climbing one spot to 6th position in the ranking following a healthy 24 percent brand value growth over the previous year. Indian banks, like many other banks across the world, have been suffering as a result of the fragile global economic and political landscape. With the banking sector in the heavy impacted bracket in the report's COVID-19 analysis, equating to a potential 20 percent brand value loss, the road ahead looks similarly rocky, it said. Taj is country's strongest brand In addition to measuring overall brand value, Brand Finance also evaluates the relative strength of brands, based on factors such as marketing investment, familiarity, loyalty, staff satisfaction, and corporate reputation. Alongside revenue forecasts, brand strength is a crucial driver of brand value. According to these criteria Taj (brand value $309 million) is Indias strongest brand with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 90.5 out of 100 and a corresponding elite AAA+ brand strength rating. The combination of the successful implementation of the brands 5-year plan - which focuses on selling non-core assets, becoming less ownership driven and reducing dependence on the luxury space and the brand strong leadership has thrust the brand back into the ranking, while claiming the title of the nations strongest brand. The brand has set its sights on expanding its global footprint wider, with 13 new properties and 2,900 rooms already in the pipeline. 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 An aggregator has announced the appointment of its new general manager of distribution. Mortgage Choice welcomed David Zammit into the role from today, 1 June 2020. Zammit has 14 years of experience in financial services spanning from boutique firms to multinational corporations. Most recently, he was the head of banking and wealth management distribution at CitiBank. Davids appointment comes at a critical time, as we gear up for a new era in the broking industry, said Mortgage Choice CEO Susan Mitchell. We have made it a priority to invest time and resources into building a competitive and ever-evolving technology and compliance offering to support our network for Best Interests Duty. According to Mitchell, client satisfaction rose to an all-time high during Zammits tenure at CitiBank, leading the business to achieve record volumes across mortgages, investments and FX transactions. I believe that Davids understanding of the lending industry and ever-changing regulatory environment will help to position Mortgage Choice and its franchisees for the changes that lie ahead, she added. Zammit has expressed excitement over joining the iconic Australian brand. I have a deep passion for building and growing successful businesses, both large and small. I look forward to building strong relationships across the franchise network and learning firsthand from its experienced franchisees what they need in order to be successful and grow their businesses and to drive the change required to deliver to those needs," he said. I have always believed in the strong value proposition of the broking channel and its ability to put the customer first, which makes me optimistic about the future. I have seen the industry undergo tremendous growth over the years and I believe there is much more to come. Mitchell also thanked former general manager of distribution Neill Rose-Innes for his 12 years with the company. [Rose-Innes] has played a significant role in the strategic evolution of the business over the years and his authentic style has allowed him to build strong relationships at Mortgage Choice and within the wider industry. I wish Neill all the best in his new journey, she said. Having sex could spread the coronavirus - and only abstinence or masturbating are low risk, scientists have warned. Doctors at Harvard University in Boston have ranked different sexual scenarios based on how likely someone is to catch the coronavirus. The most risky was having multiple sexual partners from different households, while the least risky was avoiding sex until the virus has disappeared. They admitted that abstaining from sex was 'not feasible for many' and that doctors should be prepared to discuss how to minimise the risk of patients catching Covid-19 during sex. Avoiding kissing, wearing masks, and showering before and after sex could reduce the risk of catching the virus, they said. While phone sex or sexting could be suitable for adults, the researchers warned it could lead to other problems such as blackmail, and that online sexual predation had increased during the pandemic. In their study, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, the team ranked sexual scenarios in the following order of risk: Abstinence - No sexual contact of any kind. Behaviour adds no risk of infection, 'though unfeasible for many'. Masturbation - 'Low risk for infection'. Sexual activity on digital platforms - Low risk for infection but potential for online abuse, legal complications arising from screenshots, not suitable for minors because of the potential for abuse or illegality. Sex with people within household - High risk of infection if partner catches the virus outside of the home. Sex with people from other households - High risk of infection, especially if there are multiple partners. The UK Government, as it lifted some strict lockdown rules today, clarified that any physical contact - including sex - with someone who you don't live with is still against the rules. And a study of 900 adults in Britain found only four out of 10 have had sex since the start of lockdown, with young married couples most likely to have done so. Lockdown rules in Britain prevent anyone from having sex with someone who doesn't live in their home. A survey found only four out of 10 British adults have been sexually active since the lockdown started in May (stock image) Researchers at Harvard University in Boston said abstinence (no sex) or masturbation were the lowest risk option, but that there were measures couples could take to try and prevent the spread of the virus, including wearing masks and avoiding kissing Guidance issued by British officials today said: 'Close contact with people from other households means a much higher risk of transmission, and according to the scientific advice, we cannot safely allow people to see people they don't live with indoors without the risk that the virus will spread. 'We recognise how difficult this is for people - particularly those who live alone and we are keeping this under constant review.' Some users on Twitter joked that the rule seems only to apply to sex indoors - not outdoors. But people are still prohibited from coming within two metres (6'6") of anyone who doesn't live in their household. Researchers do not know yet whether the coronavirus can infect people from semen or vaginal fluids if someone has sex with a person infected with the virus. No studies have managed to prove the virus is present and infectious in sexual fluids. The close contact inevitable in sex, however, means people would be at high risk of catching the virus when it was airborne or on a surface which both people touched. SWISS BROTHELS CAN REOPEN AFTER SEX WORKERS LIST 'SAFE' POSITIONS THAT WON'T SPREAD COVID Swiss brothels have been given the green light to open on June 6 as the country exits lockdown, with strict health rules including keeping your faces 'one forearm length apart' during sex. Doggy style and reverse cowgirl are the two positions which would comply with the new rule - but threesomes are out and 'anal practices' will require gloves. Anonymity is also a thing of the past because clients' personal details will have to be kept for four weeks in case they are needed for contact tracing. Rules drawn up by a sex workers' group also call for masks to be worn if possible and bed sheets to be washed after each client departs to stop the spread of coronavirus. Prostitution has been legal in Switzerland since 1942 and industry group ProKoRe has been lobbying the government to let it restart as soon as possible. Their wish was granted when the Swiss health ministry put 'erotic business' on a list of activities which could resume on June 6. ProKoRe has already drawn up an exhaustive list of rules to be distributed to individual brothels and agreed with sex workers. 'During sex, positions should be used in which the transmission of droplets is low,' the guidelines say, referring to the small particles thought to spread the virus. 'There will be no services with close facial contact. There must be a distance of at least one forearm length between the two people.' The rules continue: 'Services involving two or more clients will not be offered. 'Wearing a mouth and nose covering is recommended for all services. Anal practices will only take place with gloves.' The rules also say that rooms used by prostitutes should be aired for at least 15 minutes between each encounter. Bed sheets should be washed at 140F (60C) after each client has finished, and both the client and sex worker should ideally have a shower before and afterwards. In addition, 'all clients are made aware that contact details will be recorded and kept for four weeks for the purpose of contact tracing'. The guidelines also apply to cars, which could have their numberplates recorded in order to ensure that infected clients can be tracked down later. Advertisement Harvard experts, led by Dr Jack Turban, said in a paper aimed at doctors: 'Patient[s] should be counseled on the risk for infection from partners.' Admitting that telling people not to have any sex was unlikely to work, the team suggested risk-reducing measures. These measures included avoiding a partner if they had coronavirus symptoms, no kissing, or activities that involved contact with faeces, urine or semen. They suggested couples could consider wearing masks, showering before and after sex, and disinfecting the area where they had sex afterwards. Dr Jack Turban and colleagues said: 'Data are lacking regarding routes of sexual transmission. 'Two small studies of SARS-CoV-2infected people did not detect virus in semen or vaginal secretions... 'Moreover, these data are moot, given that any in-person contact results in substantial risk for disease transmission owing to the virus' stability on common surfaces and propensity to propagate in the [throat] and respiratory tract.' They said studies had suggested urine and faeces could be contaminated by the coronavirus but it wasn't clear if they were infectious. Dr Turban and his colleagues said the public was almost certain not to follow a rule that tried to stop them from having sex. They said: 'For the population at large, a recommendation of long-term sexual abstinence is unlikely to be effective, given the well-documented failures of abstinence-based public health interventions and their likelihood to promote shame.' A survey by scientists at the universities of Anglia Ruskin, in Cambridge, and Ulster in Northern Ireland, found that only 39.9 per cent of Brits say they have been sexually active during lockdown. The research showed six out of 10 people in the UK have not had sex for more than two months, since the strict social distancing rules were imposed. Partners who do not live together have been driven apart by the rules, not allowed within 2m of one another unless they hastily moved in together after the announcement. Younger married couples were the group most likely to still be sexually active, the study found. The scientists said it was a concern because regular sex can improve people's heart and brain health, as well as their mental wellbeing. Dr Lee Smith said: 'When starting this research we expected there to be a high level of sexual activity while social isolating at home, but interestingly we found a very low level. 'This low level of sexual activity could be explained by people currently feeling anxious and stressed owing to the pandemic and not being in the mood to engage in the act. 'Moreover, those who are not married or cohabiting may not currently be able to meet up with their sexual partners and similarly those who use online apps to facilitate casual sex will currently not be able to do this. 'A lot of my previous research has shown that a frequent and trouble-free sex life is important for higher levels of enjoyment of life and general mental health, and this is particularly true for older adults. 'However, this study showed that older adults were less likely than younger adults to engage in sexual activity.' Dr Lee's study was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 19:37:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RAMALLAH, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Monday accused Israel of attempting to take over the only industrial zone for Palestinians in East Jerusalem, after Israeli authorities ordered the demolition and eviction of nearly 200 private establishments in the area. The Israeli authorities' demolition orders in Wadi al-Joz neighborhood of East Jerusalem will paralyze the only area where Palestinians own car repair workshops and commercial enterprises, said the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement. "At the same time, Israeli authorities upscale the construction of industrial zones for settlers, as part of its colonial scheme to Judaize the city," said the statement. Palestinians want the eastern part of Jerusalem, which was occupied by Israel in 1967, as the capital of their future state, while Israel insists that the city is its undivided capital. Enditem [June 01, 2020] Simplilearn and Caltech CTME to Launch Online Post Graduate Program in DevOps Collaboration Will Offer a Comprehensive Program in DevOps for Learners Around the Globe BANGALORE, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Simplilearn, a global provider of digital skills training, today announced its collaboration with CTME (Caltech's Center for Technology and Management Education) to offer a specialized Post Graduate Program in DevOps. CTME joins Purdue University and a growing list of higher education partners offering joint professional learning programs with Simplilearn. This is the first of Simplilearn's Post Graduate Programs to be launched simultaneously around the globe. The Post Graduate Program (PGP) in DevOps brings together the academic excellence of CTME, the professional education arm of Caltech, with Simplilearn's award-winning Blended Learning delivery model. The Blended Learning environment combines live online classes, self-paced learning, labs and projects, extensive peer-interaction, and 24/7 access to Teaching Assistants (TA's). The online program will be offered in India and select international locations to help prepare a global workforce for advances in software engineering. Aspiring developers and technologists will learn essential skills in architecture, coding, and cloud computing. On completion of the program, learners will have a core understanding of various automation tools for developing digital pipelines (Continuous Integration/Continuous Development) and designs, and implementing software integration across the DevOps lifecycle. Learners will be equipped with the skillset to manage workflow automation through integration and deployment processes, along with front-end and back-end coding skills. Along with a comprehensive curriculum that covers the core concepts and the latest industry best practices, the program also provides over 20 live projects to work on, Capstone projects in four industry domains, and Masterclass from experts at CTME. This blended learning approach ensures that the program participants receive an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals and abundant opportunities for hands-on practice and learning. Speakig on the launch of the program, Anand Narayanan, Chief Product Officer, Simplilearn said, "With rapid technological advancements, the expectation from organizations to expedite delivery of quality tech products and services is a given. It is this need gap that efficient implementation of DevOps can address, also indicating the growing career prospects for DevOps based job roles. At Simplilearn, we use our understanding of the growing sectoral requirements to make our PGP program more comprehensive: we deep-dive into each program module and cover a wide range of related subjects. By introducing the PGP DevOps program in collaboration with CTME, we aim to create a job-ready workforce by equipping learners with industry-specific skills." "Today, the world is in the process of digital transformation, and professionals urgently need to equip themselves with the right skills to stay ahead of the curve. CTME's Post Graduate Program, in association with Simplilearn, offers a comprehensive curriculum and provides an opportunity for career growth in the DevOps domain," said Dr. Rick Hefner, Program Director, CTME. "We are happy to collaborate with a leading digital training company to offer these certificate programs to aspiring engineers and coders. The organizations that harness digital capabilities help spark the innovations that can help society." On completion of the PGP DevOps program, participants will receive a joint industry-recognized certificate from CTME and Simplilearn, CTME Circle Membership, and be eligible for 25 CEUs (Continued Education Units) that can be applied to professional qualifications and employer development requirements. The program graduates of the PGP will also be enrolled in Simplilearn's JobAssist job placement service. About Simplilearn Simplilearn enables professionals and enterprises to succeed in the fast-changing digital economy. The company provides outcome-based online training across digital technologies and applications such as Big Data, Machine Learning, AI, Cloud Computing, Cyber Security, Digital Marketing, and other emerging technologies. Based in San Francisco and Bangalore, India, Simplilearn has helped more than one million professionals and 1,000 companies across 150 countries get trained, acquire certifications, and reach their business and career goals. The company's Blended Learning curriculum combines self-paced online learning, instructor-led live virtual classrooms, hands-on projects, student collaboration, and 24/7 global teaching assistance. For more information, visit Simplilearn.com. About Caltech CTME The Caltech Center for Technology and Management Education (CTME) provides customized training programs to professionals in technology-driven organizations. The Center, in Caltech's Division of Engineering and Applied Science, offers a broad range of certificate programs, interactive workshops, and short courses, including advanced engineering, project management, operations, data analytics, technical marketing, leadership, and innovation. In additional to public classes for individuals, CTME provides customized educational solutions for organizations. For more information about CTME, visit https://ctme.caltech.edu/swe. About Caltech The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is a world-renowned science and engineering Institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions and pressing societal challenges. Caltech prizes excellence and ambition. The contributions of Caltech's faculty and alumni have earned national and international recognition, including 38 Nobel Prizes and nearly 60 National Medals of Science. The Institute manages the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for NASA. Details on CTME's programs can be found at https://ctme.caltech.edu. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1100016/Simplilearn_Logo.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1175137/Caltech.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Gerry Adams' successful appeal at the UK Supreme Court to overturn his convictions for attempting to escape from Long Kesh in the 1970s could "open the door" to a flood of compensation claims, former UK Attorney General Geoffrey Cox said yesterday. Mr Cox spoke out as he endorsed a new report from think-tank Policy Exchange, titled Mishandling The Law. "It exposes the government to the risk - or certainty - of numerous legal proceedings for false imprisonment, to which it will have no defence," the legal expert told the Mail on Sunday. "This consequence of Gerry Adams' victory before the Supreme Court may itself warrant legislative intervention, as the authors argue, but more troubling still are the judgement's wider implications for how government is carried out." The former Attorney General's warning yesterday has already been somewhat overtaken by events. Fifty former internees, both republican and loyalist - are preparing to sue the British state for false imprisonment. Their legal actions were sparked by the Supreme Court decision in Mr Adams' case, according to solicitor Kevin Winters, of KRW Law, Mr Adams had been interned without trial, a policy introduced as violence raged in Northern Ireland. The former Sinn Fein president's detention and convictions for attempting to escape from lawful custody were held to be unlawful, as the order for his detention was not considered personally by the then Secretary of State, William Whitelaw. Nearly 2,000 people were interned over a four-year period in the early 1970s. | By Lou Cortina Planning a global health project during a global health crisis is a difficult task, but thats exactly what the inaugural recipients of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Presidents Global Impact Fund (PGIF) have been doing over the past month. For instance, School of Nursing (SON) professor Kirsten Corazzini, PhD, FGSA, has had to make adjustments to her project, Developing Capacity for Long-Term Care of Older Adults Living with Dementia in Brazil, because the studys population includes nursing home caregivers and residents, a group at the highest risk of COVID-19-related deaths. Kirsten Corazzini, PhD, FGSA, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, is among the inaugural recipients of the University of Maryland, Baltimore Presidents Global Impact Fund. Just as we see nursing homes in the United States struggling to keep residents and staff safe, so, too, are our geriatric medicine clinician-researcher partners in Brazil struggling to provide safe and compassionate care, says Corazzini, whose project partners are SON assistant professor Vivian Schutz, PhD, MBA, RN, and School of Pharmacy assistant professor Ester Villalonga Olives, PhD, MSc. How to collect data and co-develop new models of care in this context, therefore, requires integrating COVID-19-related measures and questions, ensuring that the knowledge gained addresses our shared and emergent needs. Virginia Rowthorn, JD, LLM, assistant vice president for global engagement and executive director of UMBs Center for Global Engagement, which is organizing PGIF, says the fund recipients are eager to move forward once its safe to do so and are working on revising their projects timelines. The pandemic changes every single project, she says, but the grantees are adjusting their plans and remain very excited to proceed with them when they are able to. PGIF is a $250,000 initiative providing support for 11 projects that aim to develop cross-campus and international collaborations to enhance UMBs global engagement and reach (see list of projects below). The fund was launched following the 2019 UMB Global Health Summit, which brought researchers, practitioners, and interprofessional teams to campus to highlight the Universitys commitment to improving the human condition through collaborative health and human services. UMB Interim President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, says he hopes PGIF will be a catalyst for innovative initiatives, create new opportunities for students, and elevate the strong global work of UMB through all of its schools. It was extremely gratifying to see, woven into all the applications we received, a deep understanding of mutually beneficial international collaboration and the knowledge that we have as much to learn from our partners as we have to share, Jarrell says. School of Medicine (SOM) faculty members Melissa McDiarmid, MD, MPH, and Joanna Gaitens, MSN, MPH, PhD, received funding for their project, UMB and Its Duty of Care: Building Resilient Health Systems with Host Country Partners. McDiarmid says a June visit to the West African nation of Gambia has been postponed but other aspects of planning have continued virtually via WhatsApp and Skype. McDiarmid adds that while a public health crisis brings health worker protections to the forefront, its also important to protect these front-line practitioners from more common, everyday exposures such as tuberculosis and hepatitis B. We are optimistic that our project will ultimately help protect our global health partners over the long term and lay the foundation needed to strengthen the overall global health system, she says. Two SOM faculty members, Nadia Sam-Agudu, MD, and Alashle Abimiku, PhD, MS, are leading the project, Developing an Implementation Science Mentoring Toolkit for Early Investigators in West and Central Africa. According to Sam-Agudu, the projects goal is to provide hands-on, productivity-focused mentoring for aspiring independent investigators in the West and Central African nations of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We may have to delay intensive implementation for some time, Sam-Agudu says. However, some of the activities can be conducted virtually, so we will be adapting accordingly to make progress. After all, part of our mandate will have to be responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with impactful research studies. Regardless of the delays or challenges brought on by COVID-19, recipients were thankful for the support of PGIF. Were enormously gratified to have received this grant, McDiarmid says. This builds upon six years of foundational collaborations with colleagues in the Gambian Ministry of Health and at the University of Gambias School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences. The award will allow us to expand upon that initial work and share it more widely across UMBs expansive global portfolio in life-saving medical and public health research. Says Corazzini, We are delighted to see Dr. Jarrells continuing commitment to invest in research that will advance UMB's historic strengths in global health at a time when we are ever more aware of our global interdependencies. Sam-Agudu, meanwhile, says her project is part of the realization of a long-term dream. I'm really looking forward to implementing this project in collaboration with UMB departments, faculty, and students in the United States and in West and Central Africa, she says. Professor Abimiku and I are honored to be among the first group of UMB faculty to receive the PGIF award. It was the best news Ive received in some time. UMB Presidents Global Impact Fund Inaugural Recipients UMB and Its Duty of Care: Building Resilient Health Systems with Host Country Partners Locations: Gambia, UMB Melissa McDiarmid, MD, MPH, School of Medicine Joanna Gaitens, MSN, MPH, PhD, School of Medicine Project collaborator: Bill Roberts, MA, PhD, St. Marys College of Maryland Strengthening Capacity in Health Research Ethics and Research Methodology in The Gambia Locations: Gambia, UMB Veronica Njie-Carr, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, FWACN, School of Nursing Henry Silverman, MD, MA, School of Medicine Project collaborator: Francis Sarr, PhD, MSc, MEd, University of The Gambia Energizing Gastroenterology Development in Rwanda (EGD-Rwanda) Location: Rwanda Erik von Rosenvinge, MD, School of Medicine Kenechukwu Chudy-Onwugaje, MBBS, MPH, School of Medicine Project collaborators: Vincent Dusabejambo, MBBS, and Eric Rutaganda, MBBS, MPH, University of Rwanda; Steve P. Benson, MD, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College; Frederick Makrauer, MD, Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard University mLearning in Morocco: Feasibility and Pilot Cluster Randomized Trial with the Safe Delivery App Location: Morocco Nancy Bolan, PhD, MPH, FNP/CNM, School of Nursing Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, School of Nursing Project collaborators: Dr. Bouchra Assarag, National School of Public Health, Morocco; Dr. Rabii Larhrissi, Ministry of Health, Morocco; Dr. Stine Lund, Maternity Foundation Samoa-UMB Partnership in Preventive Medicine Location: Samoa Myron M. Levine, MD, DTPH, School of Medicine Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, School of Nursing Michael Greenberger, JD, Francis King Carey School of Law Devang Patel, MD, School of Medicine Sachin Desai, MD, School of Medicine Project collaborators: Dr. Take Naseri Leausa Toleafoa and Dr. Robert Thomsen Tagaloa, Ministry of Health, Samoa Environmental Justice, Human Rights and Public Health Legal Theory and Practice Seminar Locations: Malawi, UMB Diane Hoffmann, JD, MS, Francis King Carey School of Law Peter Danchin, JSD, LLM, LLB, Francis King Carey School of Law Robert Percival, JD, MA, Francis King Carey School of Law Project collaborator: Chikosa Banda, LLB, LLM, Chancellor College, University of Malawi UMAP (University of Maryland-Angola-Portugal) Malaria Working Group Development Locations: Lisbon, Portugal, Angola, UMB Joana Carneiro da Silva, PhD, School of Medicine Miriam Laufer, MD, School of Medicine Shannon Takala-Harrison, PhD, School of Medicine Project collaborators: Filomeno J. Fortes and Ana Paula Arez, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Lisbon, Portugal; Joana Morais Afonso and Jose Franco Martins, Instituto Nacional Investigacao em Saude, Luanda, Angola Developing Capacity for Long-Term Care of Older Adults Living with Dementia in Brazil Locations: Brazil, UMB Kirsten Corazzini, PhD, FGSA, School of Nursing Ester Villalonga Olives, PhD, MSc, School of Pharmacy Vivian Schutz, PhD, MBA, RN, School of Nursing Project collaborators: Alessandro Jacinto, MD, PhD, Federal University of Sao Paolo, and Patrick Wachholz, MD, PhD, Sao Paulo State University Strengthening the National Cancer Registry in Rwanda Location: Rwanda David Riedel, MD, MPH, School of Medicine Clement Adebamowo, ChB, ScD, FWACS, FACS, School of Medicine Project collaborators: Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana and Dr. Francois Uwinkindi, Rwanda Biomedical Centre; Dr. Marc Hagenimana, Rwanda National Cancer Registry; Adeloa Akintola, Nigerian National System of Cancer Registries, Center for Bioethics and Research, Nigeria Developing an Implementation Science Mentoring Toolkit for Early Investigators in West and Central Africa Locations: Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Nadia A. Sam-Agudu, MD, School of Medicine Alashle G. Abimiku, PhD, MS, School of Medicine Project collaborators: Jean B. Nachega, MD, PhD, MPH, University of Pittsburgh/Catholic University, DRC; Marcel Yotebieng, MD, PhD, MPH, Thomas Einstein University/University of Kinshasa, DRC; Kwasi Torpey, MD, PhD, MPH, University of Ghana/WHO Regional Training Center; Ha Yumo, MD, PhD, MSc, R4D International, Cameroon/University of Nigeria Nsukka; LaRon Nelson, PhD, RN, and Echezona Ezeanolue, MD, MPH, Yale University/University of Nigeria Nsukka Global Health Rotation in Zambia Location: Zambia Lottie Hachaambwa, MB, ChB, School of Medicine Cassidy Claassen, MD, MPH, School of Medicine Project collaborator: University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has rejected Donald Trump's latest proposal to readmit Russia to the G7, stoking old divisions between the American president and the rest of the group. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference at Rideau Cottage during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Monday, June 1, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has rejected Donald Trump's latest proposal to readmit Russia to the G7, stoking old divisions between the American president and the rest of the group. Trump was to host the G7 summit later this month but postponed it to the fall because of the mass protests rocking the United States. He also mused that he would like to see Russia, India, South Korea and Australia added to what he calls a "very outdated" group of countries. It wasn't the first time Trump has raised the possibility of bringing Russia back to the G7 he made similar comments two years ago on the eve of a leaders' summit that Trudeau hosted in Charlevoix, Que. Trudeau said Monday that nothing has changed since the G7 ejected Russia from what was then the G8 in 2014, over its annexation of territory from Ukraine. "Russia was excluded from the G7 after it invaded Crimea a number of years ago. And its continued disrespect and flaunting of international rules and norms is why it remains outside of the G7, and will continue to remain out," the prime minister said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes part in a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump during the G7 Summit in Biarritz, France on August 25, 2019. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Russia is not welcome in the G7 any time soon. Trudeau is flatly rejecting today a suggestion by U.S. President Donald Trump to readmit Russia, which was kicked out of the group of leading democratic countries after its invasion of Ukraine in 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick The 2018 summit ended in disarray with Trump hurling insults at Trudeau over Twitter after he departed Charlevoix. Canada and the U.S. were mired in a contentious renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement at the time, and Trudeau reiterated his opposition to U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs at the summit's closing press conference. Trump was bound for a historic summit in North Korea when he heard them. Trump threw a monkey wrench into the start of the summit, when he said before arriving that Russia should be participating. Trump has always been outraged by the findings of U.S. intelligence services that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election that brought him to power. Bessma Momani, an international affairs expert at the University of Waterloo, said many G7 leaders might not want to be associated with Trump given he has become such an international outlier in recent weeks. "It would be difficult for many political leaders to give Trump the aura of global leadership at a time when race relations are their worst in the United States," said Momani. "There is some global support for the Black Lives Matter movement and many of the G7 governments may be mindful that providing Trump with a photo-op will be misconstrued as support for his actions and words in these tense times." John Kirton, the University of Toronto professor who has made a career out of studying the G7 summitry, said Trump could have still hosted the summit, albeit in a videoconference format, despite the current challenges. "Why he wouldn't have wanted to show the American people that he was working, and doing it, and that he had gotten these important countries ... to work co-operatively, only he knows. If, in fact, he can remember what his thinking was." Ben Rowswell, the president of the Canadian International Council, said the postponement could potentially lead to the summit being missed altogether this year. "President Trump's proposal to add countries that are hostile to the group, such as Russia, greatly reduces the likelihood that the group will agree to a communique," he 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. "Frankly, skipping a year may be the best outcome for the ongoing relevance and effectiveness of the G7, to avoid the kind of confrontation that would put future summits in jeopardy." Late last month, Trump and White House officials were considering the idea of holding an in-person G7 summit near Washington. Trudeau said then that in-person G7 meetings leaders are more effective than the virtual alternative, but he said he wanted to make sure the U.S. had plans to deal with the health risks posed by COVID-19. "We've always been working with the United States to co-ordinate when we can hold this important G7 meeting. It's really important to keep holding these meetings and co-ordinating internationally in this time of crisis," Trudeau said Monday. The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the U.S., with the presidency rotating annually among member countries. The European Union is also a member. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2020. SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Plug and Play, the global innovation platform and British Telecommunication PLC (BT) today announced a new Founding Partnership to explore breakthrough innovations through engagement with startups/scale-ups in the UK and further afield. Plug and Play will support BT to launch its first ever Green Tech Innovation Platform. The platform aims to uncover the latest technologies from UK-based tech startups and scale-ups that could support BT and its public sector customers transition to Net Zero and will explore three areas: Smart Streets: Actionable insights from environmental monitoring and traffic optimisation sensors which can be easily integrated into 'street furniture' like the next generation of BT Street Hub units. Smart Buildings: IoT capable solutions supporting energy and water management in social housing and other public sector buildings. Remote Working: Uncover ways 5G can be used to support innovative products and enterprise tech solutions that will reduce travel, e.g. using video, AI, augmented reality or virtual reality to carry out remote pre-diagnosis, triage and repairs by health and other public sector workers. Plug and Play are calling for startups/scale-ups working in the areas of smart streets, smart buildings and remote working to get in touch at: [email protected] The partnership also marks Plug and Play's entry to the UK market where they will work with industry to build a collaborative innovation platform, welcoming corporations, startups, government and academia. Plug and Play's innovation platform will provide new business, investment and partnership opportunities for the whole ecosystem. Saeed Amidi, Plug and Play's CEO and Founder said: "At Plug and Play, we believe that real change can be achieved through bringing together all stakeholders including corporations, government, startups, and academia. We are passionate about connecting the UK to our global innovation network, making local investments, and supporting startups and corporations in their innovation journeys. We look forward to working with BT to expand our presence in the UK and helping them to achieve their goals." Michael Sherman, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, BT said: "BT has a long history of innovation in the UK, and across the world, and having Plug and Play on board will only increase our reach and impact. As we start working together, I look forward to uncovering the latest innovations and working with the best and brightest tech scale ups in the UK and beyond." About Plug and Play Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 30 locations globally giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 10,000 startups and 400 official corporate partners, we have created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. Companies in our community have raised over $9 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, Lending Club, and PayPal. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/. About BT BT's purpose is to use the power of communications to make a better world. It is one of the world's leading providers of communications services and solutions, serving customers in 180 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to its customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband, TV and internet products and services; and converged fixed-mobile products and services. BT consists of four customer-facing units: Consumer, Enterprise, Global and Openreach. For the year ended 31 March 2020, BT Group's reported revenue was 22,905m with reported profit before taxation of 2,353m. British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on the London stock exchange. For more information, visit www.btplc.com. SOURCE Plug and Play Related Links https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com RIVERSIDE TWP, MI A 94-year-old Lansing man was killed in a crash that occurred Missaukee County over the weekend. At 5:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, a trooper from the Michigan State Police Houghton Lake Post was dispatched to a single-vehicle rollover crash on Stoney Corners Road near Burkett Road in Riverside Township. The driver and lone occupant was identified as Gerald Kincaid, MSP said in a press release. According to MSP, Kincaid was westbound on Stoney Corners Road just west of Burkett Road in a Ford Fusion and failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway. The vehicle left the roadway to the right and struck an embankment causing the vehicle to overturn multiple times. Missaukee EMS responded and treated Kincaid at the scene. Kincaid was flown to Munson Hospital in Traverse City by Aero-Med and died from his injuries, MSP reports. According to MSP, Kincaid was not wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash and alcohol does not appear to be a factor. The crash is still under investigation. MSP was assisted by the Missaukee County Sheriffs Department and the McBain Fire Department. Two hurt when motorcycle hits deer PITTSFIELD Two people were injured when their three-wheel motorcycle hit a deer and both where thrown off. Bobby O. Lewis, 76, of Jacksonville was driving west on Interstate 72 on the Hannibal, Missouri, bridge approach in Pike County at 11 a.m. Sunday when a deer ran into his path, according to Illinois State Police. Both Lewis and his passenger, Janet L. Lewis, 67, of Jacksonville, were thrown from the trike motorcycle because of the impact, police said. Bobby Lewis was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Janet Lewis was flown to the hospital. Police said both were wearing helmets and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Jacksonville Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Todd M. Linear, 30, of 986 Prairie St. was arrested at 2:36 a.m. Sunday on a possession of drug paraphernalia charge after police said a glass pipe with suspected drug residue was found in his car in the 800 block of West Morton Avenue. He was also arrested on a criminal trespassing charge for being at Jiffi Stop convenience store, 841 W. Morton Ave. Andrew J. White, 27, of 654 S. Diamond St. was arrested at 1:14 a.m. Saturday on a charge of resisting or obstructing a peace officer after police said he did not comply with orders to leave West Morgan Depot, 213 W. Morgan St. THEFTS, BURGLARIES A bicycle was stolen from a residence in the 600 block of Jordan Street between midnight and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, according to a report filed at 9:08 p.m. Saturday. Compiled by David C.L. Bauer T he number of Covid-19 cases in Brazil today passed 500,000 as the crisis tightened its grip across Latin America. It came after a third consecutive day of record increases in South Americas most populous nation, which is ranked second in the world with only the United States having recorded more cases. The death toll has surpassed France to rank fourth for global coronavirus fatalities, with the total yesterday reaching 29,314, according to health ministry data. President Jair Bolsonaro continued to play down the outbreak and was seen maskless on horseback shaking hands with supporters at a rally in Brasilia. The crowd outside the government palace was heard chanting Myth! myth! myth! echoing his dismissal of the virus threat. Brazil now accounts for around half of the million cases across South America and the Caribbean, which is becoming a worsening hotspot for Covid-19. Chile said it had recorded 1,000 deaths after a sudden increase in the last two weeks and Peru has 4,500. Four of Bolivias nine regions have vowed to defy an order to lift containment measures today, instead extending them. At the Vatican, Pope Francis prayed for the Amazons particularly vulnerable indigenous people in his first address in Saint Peters square in nearly three months. Meanwhile, the US has sent to Brazil more than two million doses of a malaria drug controversially touted by President Trump as potential protection against the coronavirus and treatment of it. The White House said it was also sending 1,000 ventilators. Camden voted against the agreement, saying he thought it was hypocritical of the school board to have policies in place that prohibit bullying and harassment of the staff, and then accept a settlement that essentially says by virtue of your public employment you can be pilloried with any comment about you personally or your family. Its not surprising Dr. Ludvik Prevec downplayed his role in creating a wildlife vaccine for rabies with a McMaster University colleague. Prevec, a virologist, created the vaccine with Dr. Frank Graham, an award-winning and internationally renowned biologist who has done pioneering work in gene therapy. It came on line in 2006 and is now used by the Ontario government to control rabies in animals like raccoons. It is called Ontario Rabies Vaccine Bait (ONRAB) and has also proved successful on raccoons in the United States. Without Frank, there would have been no project, Prevec told The Spectator in 2016. Im just pleased we were able to contribute ... It started as a scientific lark and ended up as a useful product. Friends like Allan Dingle, a fellow McMaster scientist, say Prevec who died March 29 at the age of 83 was always unusually modest of his own accomplishments. In a remembrance by friends and family put together for The Spectator by Dr. Alan McComas, former chair of the department of biomedical sciences, Prevec was called a good man who touched many lives and through his work as a researcher of viruses probably saved a number of lives too. Had Lud lived a little longer, he would have watched the continuing COVID-19 onslaught with alarm, said McComas. Had he been twenty years younger he and Frank would have been leading the fight against it. The pair also worked on a vaccine at the time of the SARS outbreak in the Toronto area. They took the project on with no specific research funding and published a paper on it in 2006. McComas said Grahams research into the cell lines of mammals is being used by biotechnology companies and universities in a search for a COVID-19 vaccine. Prevec, who came to McMaster in 1966, was also known for the work he did on VSV, a virus that infects pigs, cattle and horses. He was involved in the writing of 67 papers on viruses between 1963 and 2011. The son of a gold miner, Prevec had a sideline as a licensed gold prospector. He often attended the annual northern mining conference in Toronto. Friends on social media called Prevec a great mentor, who was always positive and taught his students to be critical thinkers. Some also spoke on how he had a good work and life balance. Lud mentored me through me PhD, said Earl Brown. He was generous and fun-loving and genuine. He was outgoing and engaging. Lud loved life, his job and his family. He was a spirited mentor in science and had a broad view of science. Jean Vas called Prevec a true gentleman and a scholar who lived his life his way. Not only have the family lost a gentle soul, but so will all those who knew him, Vas added. Daniel and Wendy Coleman said that Prevec had a curiosity to learn that flowed through everything, whether from rocks or epidemiology or friends and neighbours. He fed our own curiosity and interest in the world. The longtime Aldershot resident was born August 19, 1936, in Kirkland Lake to Anton and Margaret Prevec. His parents came to Canada from Slovenia. His father worked as a timberman and machineman in the Wright-Hargreaves gold mine and his mother was a homemaker and a cleaning woman. His father had served in the Austro-Hungarian Army during the First World War. Prevec graduated from geology and physics from the University of Toronto in 1959. He changed fields after being influenced by the work of Dr. Harold Johns, the father of medical biophysics in Canada who performed groundbreaking work in radiation therapy for cancer patients. Prevec switched to molecular biology and virology. He got his MA and then his PhD in his new fields from the University of Toronto in 1965. Prevec did a post-doctoral fellow at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia before he came to McMaster and joined the biology department. He also was a visiting scientist at the Institute of Virology in Glasgow and in the department of microbiology at the University of Ottawa. After he retired and became a professor emeritus in 1996, Dingle recalled Prevec set up a weekly meeting for retirees from his department. Although the core group was made up of biologists, it grew to include medics, physicists, historians, visiting scientists and, occasionally, the university president, Dingle said. Regrettably ... when Lud had to stop attending the entire enterprise quietly folded. Outside of McMaster, Prevec liked to fish, play chess and sing in the choir at St. Josephs Church in Hamilton. He had an interest in 19th century Arctic explorer John Rae, who had ties to Hamilton, and often wrote and spoke about him. Prevec was active in the Hamilton Association for the Advancement of Literature, Science and Arts, and spoke to the group about Rae. He served as president between 1996 and 1998. Lud Prevec was a guiding force and a good friend to the association, always interested in helping it prosper, the HAALSA said in a statement. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Prevec is survived by his wife Rosemary, sons Steve and John and daughter Rose Anne. He is also survived by six grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother Anton, who died of whooping cough when he was 10. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) Solicitor General Jose Calida maintained that he is "not at loggerheads with Congress" on the franchise woes of broadcast giant ABS-CBN. During the joint hearing on Monday of the House committees on legislative franchises and good government and public accountability, Calida reiterated that he only cautioned the National Telecommunications Commission against granting provisional authority to allow ABS-CBN Corporation to operate without a Congressional franchise. "I am not at loggerheads with Congress. I only cautioned NTC of its possible encroachment on the legislative power if it issues a provisional authority without a law authorizing such action," he said. "I never mentioned the name of Speaker [Alan Peter] Cayetano and any congressman in my advisory letter to the NTC or in any of my subsequent press releases," Calida reasoned. Further keeping distance, Calida said that he could not answer any questions "of any matters pending before the Supreme Court" with his quo warranto petition. Calida repeatedly said in the past that he was only fulfilling his duty to advise the NTC of what is legal or not, even after hinting at Congress' inaction on the matter. He even came to the commission's defense, noting that it shouldn't be blamed for "only following the law." Meanwhile, the NTC said that it was only following its mandate when it ordered ABS-CBN to shut down. "Sana po sa aming pagpapatupad ng aming trabaho ay wag mabigyan ng kung anumang kulay o interpretaton na ito ay may masamang hangarin," NTC Commisioner Gamaliel Cordoba told the panel. [Translation: We hope that in fulfilling our mandate it will not be subject to any color or any interpretation that we have any ill motive.] Calida previously warned the agency's commissioners that they may be slapped with graft charges if they give the network a provisional permit pending franchise renewal. He said a letter from the House leaders and a Senate resolution cannot be used by the NTC as basis for it to grant any temporary permit as they only express the sentiments of the legislature. Despite its earlier commitment to issue a provisional authority, the NTC ordered the network to stop broadcasting on May 5, two days after the Office of Solicitor General issued its warning. President Donald Trump (left) listens as Moncef Slaoui, a former GlaxoSmithKline executive, speaks about the coronavirus in the Rose Garden of the White House on May 15. Read more Glen Gaulton, a top virologist at Penn Medicine, was at breakfast last Friday when his old Harvard lab partner flashed onto the kitchen TV along with President Donald Trump. There was Trump introducing Moncef M. Slaoui as Operation Warp Speeds chief scientist, assigning the Gladwyne resident the high-stakes task of finding a coronavirus vaccine by the end of this year a timeline viewed skeptically by many drugmakers and health-care experts. Why, Jane Gaulton, Glens wife, asked, would Slaoui want that tough job? This is good news," replied Gaulton, who, as chief scientific officer at Penns medical school, connected often with Slaoui when he headed vaccines for GlaxoSmithKline. Moncef is not the type of guy to take a job like this if he didnt think we could get something done, Gaulton said. Glaxo ranks with Merck, Novartis, and Sanofi as the worlds dominant vaccine makers. Slaoui understands vaccines from the ground up, and all the different means vaccines can be developed: isolated proteins, modified virus, RNA, DNA, Gaulton added. "He had the personal traits to become a leader. He is extremely bright. A very good scientist. Not a guy you can BS. Not a guy you can run things by without a lot of scrutiny. Very thoughtful. Very quick on his feet. A good listener. Assembles information quickly. He has a tremendous passion for data science and bringing products forward. READ MORE: Will the George Floyd protests cause a spread in COVID-19? Wait two weeks. Slaoui, 60, worked almost half his life at GlaxoSmithKline, joining the firm in 1988 and heading up its vaccines from 2008 until his retirement in 2017. He did not respond, through federal officials, to questions for this story. Born in Morocco, educated in Belgium and the Ivy League, and a registered Democrat, Slaoui is a world-renowned immunologist, Trump declared, just the man to run Operation Warp Speed, the public-private project that the president compared to the Manhattan Project that built the atom bomb in World War II. One of the most respected men in the world in the production and, really, on the formulation of vaccines, he added. Its great to have you on board. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, whose agency is funding the $10 billion vaccine drive, called Slaoui arguably the worlds most experienced and successful vaccine developer." On Slaouis watch, Glaxo produced more than a dozen new vaccines, including ones for malaria, cervical cancer, child gastroenteritis, and Ebola fever. Since leaving Glaxo, as a partner at Switzerland-based venture capital firm Medicxi, Slaoui had invested in a string of biotech start-ups, some of which are promoting vaccine candidates that Slaouis team would review. He has remained a fixture on the vaccine global circuit, trading notes at conferences and elsewhere with academics such as Gaulton, government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and nonprofit powerhouses such as the Gates Foundation. Slaoui called the presidents timeline very credible if extremely challenging and himself really confident that a host of official players, from the National Institutes of Health to the U.S. Army, along with the private sector, could "deliver a few hundred million doses by the end of the year. After his appointment, some critics and leading Democrats said that Slaouis investments raised ethical questions. Dr. Slaouis had an extensive web of financial interests, faces potential conflicts of interest, and should resign all drug and biotech board seats, U.S. Sens. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.), Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), and nine other Democratic colleagues urged in a letter to the White House. Slaoui should also disclose ties to firms making COVID-19-related products, and divest holdings in such firms, the senators wrote. Advocacy groups Public Citizen and Lower Drug Prices Now sued to have Slaoui designated a government employee subject to disclosure laws, rather than a contractor. As a contractor being paid $1 for his services, Slaoui is exempt from rules that would require him to reveal all of his outside positions, stock holdings, and other potential conflicts. Nor is the contract position subject to the same conflict-of-interest laws that executive branch employees must follow. After Trump named him vaccine czar on May 14, Slaoui quit the board of coronavirus-vaccine developer Moderna Inc., and said he would sell his stock options in the company, which have fluctuated in value between $10 million and $20 million as the shares whipsawed in recent weeks. Moderna, a firm worth nearly $30 billion though it has no product or sales, caused a stir earlier this month when it announced positive early tests of its COVID-19 vaccine on just eight volunteers. Investors later bid down the stock after the sketchy results were scrutinized. READ MORE: The U.S. could see a double-dip recession if Trump administration, Conress fail to act Slaoui remained on the board of Vaxcyte, a vaccine developer that on Monday said it plans to go public, disclosing that Medicxi, where Slaoui served as partner, owns shares worth $10 million. (Vaxcyte has not announced plans for a coronavirus therapy.) Merck chief executive Ken Frazier on Wednesday called Trumps and Slaouis goal to create a coronavirus vaccine by late 2020 very aggressive, adding he would not want to hold his companys scientists to such a rapid rollout in an industry where safe vaccines typically take years to test before they are deemed safe and effective. The next day Moderna shares fell 10 percent, amid similar drops at Novavax, Montgomery County-based Inovio and other which are small small vaccine developers. Al Mauroni, director of the U.S. Air Force Center for Strategic Deterrence Studies, said in a review for WarOnTheRocks.com that the Warp Speed management framework gives too much power to the military, which he said has a poor record for developing medicines, and not enough to the civilian CDC, National Institutes of Health, or Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), which he says are better able to build vaccines. After earning his doctorate in microbiology and immunology from the Free University of Brussels and postdoc projects at Tufts and Harvard, Slaoui chose corporate labs over academe. He joined his first wife, immunologist Claudine Bruck, in Philadelphia working at what was then SmithKline Beckman. The couple raised three sons, then separated; she is now chief executive at Prolifagen LLC. In 2011, Slaoui married Kristen Belmonte, a Glaxo vice president, and bought a home in Gladwyne for $2.6 million, records show. Slaoui moved into management at a time when drug companies had been shifting away from the costly in-house research approach, as at Merck. Glaxo in part outsourced key research, engaging Penn specialists to investigate new therapies. As executive dean at Penns medical school, Gaulton worked closely again with Slaoui once GSK set up a 10-year research partnership with Penn. FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered. This corporate/academic phase did not endure. The Penn-Glaxo deal wasnt renewed, and drug giants shifted toward the holding-company arrangement pioneered by Johnson & Johnson, in which profits from legacy products were tapped to buy competitors, whole business lines, and promising start-ups. That made Slaoui a business strategist with billions to spend. He knew the big pharma industry had to change. He was progressive the way he thought about that, Gaulton said. He ushered them through massive change." Not all Slaouis bold moves paid off. In 2007 he announced plans for a new Glaxo research center in Shanghai that he said would employ 1,000 scientists and cost $100 million. The deal raised eyebrows: China had a reputation for seeking control of private research. The Shanghai center shut down around the time he left Glaxo. China later convicted the companys top China-based executive of bribery and fined the company nearly half a billion dollars. Slaoui was not accused of any wrongdoing. In 2008 Slaoui oversaw the $700 million acquisition of Sirtis Pharmaceuticals, and in 2012 the $3 billion acquisition of Human Genome Sciences, both of which failed to deliver big profits from promised drugs. In 2016 Glaxo named its new Slaoui Center for Vaccines Research at Rockville, Md., in his honor. Six months later he retired, with Glaxo stock worth $10 million. He became a partner with Medicxi, which has offices in Switzerland and London and whose investors include Glaxo and Novartis plus units of Johnson & Johnson and Google parent Alphabet. He also joined the board of a string of venture-backed firms, including Modernas, a common step for venture capitalists. Can such an industry veteran be impartial? Lets face it. Anybody whos going to be really good is going to be in the industry, said Penns Gaulton. Its almost a given that top people will have relationships. But profiting personally from your position is a different thing. Moncef did the right thing when he pledged to exit his vaccine-developer relationships. And is a year-end vaccine really possible? Gaulton says its less unlikely than it used to be. By his account, manufacturing and packaging have lately grown rapid enough to make it fast and safe to put shots on the street once animal and human testing are complete. Congress has also approved funding to permit vaccine manufacturers to conduct key tests all at once, rather than spreading them out in sequence over months. Trump said he expected Slaouis effort to pick at least 14 leading candidates from among the 100-plus now seeking a vaccine. He said once the scientists have made a vaccine, he will find a way to distribute it quickly, perhaps even using the military. Warp Speed, Trump said in the Rose Garden, better come up with a good vaccine because were ready to deliver it. And if not, Trump added, he plans to reopen the country even without a coronavirus vaccine. (Includes material added after print publication) A crowded passenger van crashed into a parked truck on a highway in southern Nepal early on June 1, killing 12 people and injuring 21. Two of the injured were in critical condition while the rest were in stable condition, according to officials at Bheri Hospital. On giving an account of the tragedy, Dr. Prakash Thapa, at Bheri Hospital said, "The van carrying passengers and on the way to Dang met with an accident just after midnight and the injured were brought in here for treatment. We were informed that the van was crowded with 33 people on board, including the driver. When they were brought to the hospital, we found out that 11 of them had already died in the accident. We treated all the injured but one of them succumbed to the injuries." Local news reports said the van had been speeding on the highway that passes through jungle near Rapti Sonari village. The village is located about 400 kilometres (250 miles) southwest of the capital, Kathmandu. Police launched an investigation into the deadly collision. Nepal's coronavirus lockdown in place since March requires vehicles to obtain a permit to operate on roads. It wasn't clear if the van had such a permit. Drivers have been known to use their vehicles at night to avoid getting stopped by the police. Highway crashes in Nepal are mostly blamed on poorly maintained roads and vehicles. (Image credit: Representative Imgage) In Miami, the Army Corps is studying a 13-foot-high flood wall along the densely developed shoreline from North Miami to Brickell. The idea is to protect 2.8 million people and over $300 billion in property in an area that often floods at high tide. Most of the estimated $8 billion price tag would be covered by federal taxpayers. The plan also includes buying or elevating hundreds of properties. In Galveston, Texas, the Corps has proposed placing a massive Dutch-style surge gate in front of the Houston Ship Channel to keep a wall of water from swamping dozens of oil refineries and storage facilities. The plan known as the Coastal Spine includes a levee ringing the back side of Galveston Island, which was inundated in 2008 in Hurricane Ike; restored marsh along the nearby Bolivar Peninsula; and dramatically wider beaches with towering sand berms. The estimated cost has ballooned from $2 billion to $37 billion. A related proposal calls for a 27-mile levee and floodwall along the upper Texas coast, near Port Arthur and its oil facilities. That would cost about $2 billion. In New Jersey, the Corps last year published a preliminary plan to protect billions of dollars of property lining the states bays. Tens of thousands of houses along Barnegat Bay and the back sides of several barrier islands were inundated in 2012 in Hurricane Sandy. The storm caused about $35 billion in damage statewide and led to a fourfold increase in federal flood payouts. The Corps plan looks at a mix of surge gates, barriers, levees, restored wetlands, and home buyouts and elevations. Cost estimates range from several billion dollars up to $15 billion. In New York, the Corps proposed building a huge seawall across Lower Manhattan to block storm surge in hurricanes like Sandy, which pushed a 13-foot wall of water onto Wall Street. The cost would be enormous somewhere between $62 billion and $119 billion, with the wall extending for five miles from Sandy Hook, New Jersey, to Breezy Point, in the city borough of Queens. Last winter, the project was quietly placed on hold after President Trump ridiculed it as foolish and advised New Yorkers to get mops and buckets ready. Yale Environment 360For millions of visitors each year, Charleston, S.C., is a reminder of a bygone era, showcasing antebellum mansions, arty row houses, historic African-American churches, and sprawling views of the harbor from a Civil War-era promenade.What those visitors dont see is that Charleston is drowning in slow motion and soon will face an existential threat to its survival from rising seas and bigger, more powerful storms this, even as development continues nearly unchecked.The city is limned by its harbor and three rivers. It leaks at every bend and curve, filling streets, pooling on critical evacuation routes, disrupting business, and rushing into homes in storms. Those million-dollar antebellum mansions tucked behind the Low Battery have flooded three times since 2015, resulting in millions in damage. Homes in nearby neighborhoods, such as James Island, store sandbags under their car ports. Built atop spongy marsh and old tidal creeks filled with sawdust, they flood repeatedly, including last month when a storm pushed nearly a foot of water into some homes.Its a nightmare, says Ana Zimmerman, who moved her family to higher ground after her James Island home flooded twice once in 2015 in a 1,000-year rainstorm and again in Hurricane Irma in 2017.Charleston officials are preparing to rewrite the citys master plan to deal with chronic flooding all across the 112-square-mile city and may end a controversial practice allowing developers to fill and build on old creek beds. In mid-April, they endorsed an even more dramatic plan by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to wall-off the historic downtown with an 8-mile-long seawall that would cost nearly $2 billion.If you even want to have the opportunity to prosper for another 350 years, even another 100 years, I believe you have got to look at the reality of doing something like this, Mayor John Tecklenburg told the Charleston Post and Courier.The proposed barricade is just one of a growing number of extravagantly expensive seawalls, surge gates, levees, and other barriers the nations engineers have proposed to defend Charleston and other U.S. coastal cities in an era of rising seas and climate-fueled floods and storms. No doubt some will be slowed by the COVID-19 economic meltdown. But for now, most are moving ahead.The debate over these barriers is sometimes heated and points to the difficult and costly choices facing coastal communities.The debate over these and other barriers is sometimes heated and points to the difficult and costly choices confronting taxpayers, political leaders, and coastal communities as diverse as Boston, Tampa, Norfolk, Wilmington (North Carolina), and Charleston. Even as the risks become better known, many coastal communities are continuing to grow in some cases, dramatically. The challenges of managing that growth pit development and profits against the steady, seemingly inevitable encroachment of water with development winning in most cases.Welcome to America, says Robert S. Young, director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines at Western Carolina University. In America, we have yet to come to terms with the fact that climate change tells us there are some places where growth is no longer possible. In a way, we need to come up with a new definition of what success means beyond simple growth.Young contends a seawall wont stop flooding in Charleston and may give homeowners a false sense of security. For those and other reasons, he calls it a big wall of distraction.University of Miami geologist Harold R. Wanless takes an even sharper view of the Corps seawalls, saying they are very arrogant and poorly thought through.He is especially critical of the Miami seawall, which is designed to stop hurricane storm surge, not rising sea levels. The city is built on top of porous limestone, he notes, which allows water to seep up from underneath, flooding the streets during full moons and King Tides, so-called nuisance flooding. The wall wont do anything to stop that, he says.With sea level rise accelerating, Miami is drowning in place, Wanless adds. But Miamians seem to have this horrible concept of permanence of place, even though Miami has only been around a hundred years.Researchers generally agree that sea levels are likely to rise by at least 3 feet by the end of the century. But Wanless believes warming oceans, ice melt in Greenland and Antarctica, and other factors will result in two to three times those estimates a view some other scientists share. That will amplify the risks at a time when wetter, more intense storms are causing unprecedented damage along the East and Gulf Coasts nearly $1 trillion worth in the last four decades. Damage from hurricanes tops that caused by wildfires, earthquakes, and tornadoes combined, federal data show. Coastal storms also account for three-quarters of all payouts by the National Flood Insurance Program , which is $20 billion in debt from hurricanes and other storms over the last two decades.Risk aside, Americans keep flocking to the coast, and builders keep accommodating them. Charleston has added thousands of new houses in recent decades, city data show, including on Johns Island, a low-lying barrier about 10 miles from downtown. Part of the island belongs to Charleston. Officials have been criticized for allowing developers to fill old creek beds and build into the sides of sand dunes, creating swales and exacerbating flooding. With an elevation of only six feet in places, new houses are also exposed to storm surge.The city is talking about building a wall around the city while they ignore the kind of abuses going on out here on Johns Island, says Phillip Dustan, a biology professor at the College of Charleston and a longtime resident of Johns Island. We just continue to have this old antiquated view that developers know best, and just let them roll. Now, we have all of these people living in low-lying areas.Charlestons mayor and town council are aware that they need to do more to address flooding, says Dale Morris, a researcher and co-author of a recent study of the citys flood issues. The report was funded by the city and critical of development trends on Johns Island and other neighborhoods vulnerable to flooding. It recommended the city prevent builders from filling creek beds for new houses. Morris noted that many building permits were issued under old land use regulations that he says need to be revised. Hopefully, they will be able to do a better job linking land use to future development when they write the new comprehensive plan in the next year, he said.The Charleston mayors office did not respond to a request for an interview.The seawall will only protect the downtown, which accounts for just 25 percent of Charlestons population of 136,000.The study Morris co-authored known as the Dutch Dialogues for incorporating many ideas from the Netherlands about living with water included suggestions for raising roads, elevating houses, and leaving areas in parts of Charleston undeveloped to store water in future storms. The study also suggested that some form of perimeter defense may be needed to save the historic downtown but did not explicitly endorse a seawall.The question is whether a wall will keep out the water. The Army Corps plan calls for an 8-mile-long barrier that can be elevated to 12 feet, with a series of pumps to remove water near the walls. But it is intended to stop storm surge in a hurricane, not sea level rise, and doesnt include any of the recommendations from the Dutch Dialogues. At least some water will continue to leak from beneath the peninsula, flooding roads and neighborhoods. And the rampart will only protect downtown, which accounts for just 25 percent of Charlestons population of 136,000, most of whom live on James Island and other neighborhoods.Charleston isnt perfect, Morris said, but from what I can see it is far ahead of most of the other cities on the East Coast in trying to deal with flooding.And that points to a problem, says Ana Zimmerman, the James Island resident who is an immunologist and a vocal flood activist. If Charleston is the model, then coastal communities have a long way to go before they are truly resilient.Zimmerman has been battling with city officials over flood issues for several years, and in 2018 documented problems on James Island in a 17-page letter to city and federal officials. She is still waiting for a response, she said. The way I look at it, the Dutch Dialogues was a photo opportunity for the mayor, she said. Were continuing with more building on a peninsula thats sinking. Wildlife officials in Botswana have dismissed poaching and poisoning as reasons for the deaths of 110 elephants since March. Authorities in the country, which has the largest population of elephants in the world, continue to search for a reason for the deaths. Fifty-four elephants were found dead at the end of May on the Okavongo Delta, less than two weeks after 12 were found. It adds to 44 which were discovered in March, officials said. Wildlife officials in Botswana have dismissed poaching and poisoning as reasons for the deaths of 110 elephants since March. Pictured: One of the dead elephants. The picture was posted on the Facebook page of local media outlet Botswana Safari News Dimakatso Ntshebe, a regional wildlife director for the Botswanan government, told Bloomberg News: 'I would say 90% of the new cases we have found are old carcasses we previously did not locate.' 'However, a few are indeed new deaths. All recovered carcasses do not show signs of poaching.' The carcasses have reportedly tested negative for anthrax, according to local media outlet Botswana Safari News. And after the bodies of 12 elephants were found in May, Mr Ntshebe said it was 'very unlikely' the animals had been poisoned. 'If it was poisoning, some scavengers who were feeding on elephant carcasses could have died but that was not the case,' he added. However, efforts to find out the cause of death have been hampered by travel restrictions imposed in an attempt to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. Authorities in the country, which has the largest population of elephants in the world, continue to search for a reason for the deaths It means that the sending of samples for testing have been delayed. There are an estimated 135,000 elephants in Botswana. They have become a political issue because they have damaged crops and trampled villagers in the past. Last year, the country's president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, lifted a ban on hunting elephants. And in February, a major auction for big game hunters to kill 70 elephants was held, the first since the hunting ban was scrapped. The sale was conducted by a local firm Auction It from the premises of the Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Tourism in the capital Gaborone. Masisi fended off criticism of his government's decision to lift the hunting ban, saying the move would not threaten the elephant population. SENATOR Lynn Ruane vented online after being asked not to wear a swimming suit as a top, while out grocery shopping. The independent senator, from Tallaght, Dublin, took to Twitter to air her frustration after a trip to a Lidl supermarket. Ms Ruane tweeted: Lidl wants me to wear a different top to shop there apparently. As if me wearing a swimsuit for a top in the Summer is any different to any other little tank top Id wear. Get a grip. Men walking round in vests showing just as much skin. She followed up with another tweet explaining how the experience had impacted her. I have to say, I went home, checked the mirror, berated myself that maybe you could see too much of my upper thigh through my sarong (although he (staff member) didn't comment on my bottom half). The senator, who was in April reelected to the Seanad after securing Trinity Colleges final seat, explained to her Twitter followers that she was inside the store when a male member of staff told her to dress in a more appropriate top. She took a photograph of the tie dye swimming top she was wearing and it seemed to have a similar appearance to a vest top. I was already in there You can see the same amount of skin as you would wearing a little summer dress or tank top, she tweeted. I also have a big, coloured sarong around my waist, so I didnt just walk in in a swimsuit only. I only wanted bread. Felt so embarrassed. The issue garnered a major backing for the politician, who has recently commented on the issue of men being allowed to go topless during warm weather, while women are not permitted this same right. She later tweeted: Lidl have communicated with me very promptly, apologising for the incident and Im glad they will be communicating their policy with the store and security involved. A Lidl spokeswoman said: We have been made aware of a situation in a store regarding an inappropriate comment to a customer regarding her clothing. This comment was made by a member of Lidls third party security company and not by a Lidl employee. In an effort to manage social distancing there are increased levels of security in stores and many of these guards are not overly familiar with store policies. We have been in touch with the customer to apologise directly and we have contacted the company to ensure that all third party staff contracted to Lidl are re-briefed on policies. Islamabad: A legal expert in Pakistan has opined that the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha dam may have a severe impact on the climate change. The Pakistani government recently signed a Rs 442 billion contract with a joint venture of China Power and Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) for the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha dam. Fazila Amber, Advocate of High Court Pakistan, said even as new dams are widely seen as sources of green energy, they also cause substantial and often unacknowledged environmental damage. Meanwhile, warning the impact of the dam on climate change, Fazila Amber, Advocate of High Court Pakistan, wrote in his Op-ed in Daily Times: "Apparently, dams appear to conserve water by storing it, but the bigger picture shows the opposite. In many ways, the water crisis results from the lack of governance, failure of the public institutions to manage resources for the well-being of humans and ecosystems." "Water storage worsens the impact of climate change by releasing greenhouse gases, depriving ecosystems of nutrients, destroying habitats, increasing sea levels, wasting water, and displacing poor communities. If poorly maintained, it increases flood risk endangering lives and putting a significant financial strain on local governments and industry," she said. "The threat to health and water pollution-related mortality is higher for at-risk socioeconomically disadvantaged people and ethnic and racial minority groups. The consequences for vulnerable groups are a concern, and for those poverty struck communities through food insecurity and worse agricultural outcomes," she said. She further said: "Although these projects and decisions claim long term planning keeping national and economic interest at heart, its translation into public interest has not been a particularly noticeable priority. The potential fallout of an economic and ecological downturn on Pakistan as well as Globally are likely to be profound and inevitable if not dealt as an upcoming crisis yet to face." The Chinese state-run firm holds 70 per cent and the FWO, a commercial arm of the Armed Forces of Pakistan, 30pc share in the consortium, reports Dawn News. The project will include construction of a diversion system, main dam, access bridge and the 21MW Tangir hydropower project. The eight million acre feet (MAF) reservoir with 272-metre height will be the tallest roller compact concrete (RCC) dam in the world, reported Dawn News. President Donald Trump talks with members of congress that greeted him upon arrival at Lehigh Valley International Airport, in Allentown, Pa., before visiting the Owens & Minor, Inc., Thursday, May 14, 2020. (Doug Mills/The New York Times) Russia's space agency criticised US President Donald Trump's "hysteria" about the first spaceflight of NASA astronauts from US soil in nine years, but also said on Sunday it was pleased there was now another way to travel into space. SpaceX, the private rocket company of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, on Saturday launched two Americans into orbit from Florida en route to the International Space Station (ISS), a landmark mission that ended Russia's monopoly on flights there. Trump, who observed the launch, said the United States had regained its place as the world's leader in space, that U.S. astronauts would soon land on Mars, and that Washington would soon have "the greatest weapons ever imagined in history." NASA had had to rely on Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, to get to the ISS since its final space shuttle flight in 2011, and Trump hailed what he said was the end of being at the mercy of foreign nations. The U.S. success will potentially deprive Roscosmos, which has suffered corruption scandals and a number of malfunctions, of the lucrative fees it charged to take U.S. astronauts to the ISS. "The hysteria raised after the successful launch of the Crew Dragon spacecraft is hard to understand," Vladimir Ustimenko, spokesman for Roscosmos, wrote on Twitter after citing Trump's statement. "What has happened should have happened long ago. Now it's not only the Russians flying to the ISS, but also the Americans. Well that's wonderful!" Moscow has said previously that it is also deeply worried about what it fears are U.S. plans to deploy weapons in space. Moscow would not be sitting idly by, Ustimenko said. "..We are not going to rest on our laurels either. We will test two new rockets this year, and next year we will resume our lunar programme. It will be interesting," said Ustimenko. Unions controlling key votes in the Virgin Australia administration process have expressed serious concerns about Bain Capital's tilt at the airline due to the buyout firm's history of slashing jobs and imposing harsh conditions on workers offshore. Virgin's 9000 employees are owed a combined $450 million from the collapsed airline and will be a vital voting block to get any rescue bid approved. As a result, the unions representing the carrier's workers have emerged as kingmakers in the bidding process which will this week hit a pivotal juncture. Bain part-owned Toys R Us has a patchy industrial relations record in the US, particularly when dealing with workers made redundant during insolvency. Credit:Jane Dyson Bain, which in Australia is led by former Olympic diver Michael Murphy, is among the contenders for the airline alongside local private equity outfit BGH Capital, Richard Branson linked Cyrus Capital, US airline investor Indigo Partners and Canadian funds management giant Brookfield. Virgin's administrators Deloitte spent the weekend working through second round bids and could announce a shortlist of two final bidders as soon as Monday. El-Aaiun (Occupied Territories), 17 May 2020 (SPS) - The Association for the Monitoring of Resources and the Protection of the Environment in Western Sahara (AREN) has denounced the illegal activities carried out by Indian Larsen & Toubro, along with other foreign companies, in the occupied parts of Western Sahara by Morocco. The Sahrawi Association said that the aforementioned company is seeking to build a power plant in the occupied city of Dakhla, considering such activities only perpetuate the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara and support the Moroccan regime and encourage it to continue to commit more serious violations of human rights, looting and depleting the Sahrawi wealth and prolonging the conflict. The Sahrawi Association reminded all companies that any economic activity in Western Sahara was illegal and violated international law in view of the legal status of Western Sahara. (SPS) 062/SPS/T The BJP will sound the poll bugle in Bihar next week with a 'virtual rally' by Union minister and party's senior leader Amit Shah who will address the people of the state through video conference and Facebook live, a senior party leader said here on Monday. Sanjay Jaiswal, the state president of the BJP, said the party has set a target of roping in "at least one lakh people across the 243 assembly segments in Bihar" for the video conference, besides those who may prefer to listen to the speech on the social networking site. "The virtual rally can be verily called the commencement of our digital campaign for assembly elections in Bihar. The June 9 rally by the Home Minister will be followed by similar public addresses from party president J P Nadda on a later date. Itinerary for the same will be made known in due course. Nadda is expected to address the people in two phases covering north and south Bihar," he said. Assembly elections are due later this year. The BJP has been sharing power with the JD(U) headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar since 2005, barring a four-year gap from 2013-17. Notably, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, also a veteran BJP leader, had recently ruffled many feathers when he spoke of the possibility of digital campaigns and online voting replacing old-style massive rallies and the long queues outside polling booths, in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. Media reports, quoting Election Commission sources, claim the possibility of online voting in near future has been ruled out by the poll panel. While large gatherings are prohibited under what is being termed as ''Unlock 1.0'', it remains to be seen whether conventional poll campaign involving rallies and roadshows will be allowed by the time the election schedule is announced. Most parties in Bihar fear that a campaign restricted to the "digital" mode would be of disproportionate advantage to the BJP, which has a well-oiled IT cell, and, by virtue of being in power at the Centre for more than six years, can marshal resources with far greater ease than its rivals. Replying to queries, Jaiswal dismissed suggestions that the Centre was not providing adequate assistance to Bihar where an already fragile economy has been hit hard by the lockdown and massive influx of migrants from other states. "Thanks to the benevolent leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar is getting much more than a larger state like Maharashtra, be it in terms of financial assistance or the burden shared by the Union government for central schemes," said Jaiswal, who is also the BJPs chief whip in the Lok Sabha. Interestingly, Jaiswal's averment comes barely a couple of days after Sushil Modi wrote to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, urging that the Centre bear full expenses of all centrally sponsored schemes for one year. "Be it fixing the problem of bad debts in banks, or long-standing issues like triple talaq and Article 370, the Modi government has always acted decisively," Jaiswal said. "The low incidence and fatality rate in the country during the COVID-19 outbreak have also been by virtue of the Prime Ministers leadership. A reason why he rules the hearts of the masses and would continue to do so," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 18:52:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LAGOS, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Scores of Boko Haram militants, including senior commanders, have surrendered to government troops in northeast Nigeria, a military spokesman said on Monday. The militants' surrender came after the government's sustained Operation Lafiya Dole offensive, John Enenche, the military spokesperson, confirmed to Xinhua in a statement. Enenche did not give the exact number of Boko Harm militants who have surrendered. Boko Haram has been trying to establish an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria since 2009, extending its attacks to countries in the Lake Chad Basin, posing enormous security, humanitarian and governance challenges to countries including Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Benin and Niger. Enditem Cyclone Amphan, which recently hit East India and Bangladesh, brought in unprecedented damage and destruction with it. 'Amphan', pronounced as 'Um-pun', means sky and was suggested by Thailand in 2004. Aila, Maya, Nargis, Nilofer might sound like the names of people, but they are, in fact, names of lethal cyclones that brought in massive destruction and loss of lives in the regions adjacent to the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The naming of cyclones might seem insensitive or juvenile, but the practice of naming cyclones dates back several centuries when cyclones were usually named after Roman Catholic saints. Although cyclones are primarily named to distinguish one cyclone from another, the naming system has always had a pattern to it. The Padre-Ruiz Hurricane of 1834 for instance, was named after a Catholic saint in the Dominican Republic, while the San Felipe Hurricane of 1876 was named after a Catholic priest. In 1944, the United States Army Air Forces forecasters at the Saipan Weather Center took to naming storms or hurricanes after their wives or girlfriends. The United States Weather Bureau, however, decided to drop the idea of naming Atlantic hurricanes as they felt it was silly, disregarding and inappropriate. But when in August and September 1950, three tropical cyclones occurred simultaneously and impacted the United States, it confused the media and the public. That is what prompted the practice of naming cyclones in public statements and reports. Three years later, in 1953, the practice of using women's names to name cyclones officially came into existence. The US Weather Service adopted a new phonetic alphabet system from A to W leaving out a few letters for the naming of cyclones, which sparked protests against the usage of female names only. The system was then revised to include mens name as well. The names of cyclones in the Atlantic and Pacific regions are recirculated every six years, while skipping to name a cyclone when it claims lives or results in huge property damage. The United States National Hurricane Centre, United States Central Pacific Hurricane Centre, Japan Meteorological Agency, Mauritius Meteorological Services, Fiji Meteorological Services, Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics, Papua New Guinea National Weather Service and the Indian Meteorological Department, currently name cyclone based on the coordinates on which the storm is formed. However, the naming happens in a slightly different way around the Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian Sea region. After long deliberations among the eight-member nations, i.e., Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, the naming of tropical cyclones over the north Indian Ocean commenced from September 2004. The nations suggest names alphabetically which is arranged in a sequential list. The Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC) here in New Delhi gives a tropical cyclone an identification from the names list. For instance, as Cyclone Fani pounded the Odisha coast, last year, the name, which was suggested by Bangladesh, evoked curiosity. Mritunjay Mohapatra, the additional director-general of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), said Fani, pronounced as 'Foni', means a snake's hood. Similarly, Bangladesh suggested 'Onil' the first in the list, which originated in Arabian Sea. Cyclone Phetai, suggested by Thailand, originated in the Bay of Bengal. The next cyclone named 'Vayu' was suggested by India. Of the 64 names suggested by these eight countries, 57 have been utilised. Some of the other names suggested by India are Agni, Jali, Bijli, Akash, while Mala, Helen and Nilofar were suggested by Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan respectively. Here, the names are not rotated every few years. It is believed that since the cyclones cause so much death, destruction and devastation, names are considered for retirement and hence is not used repeatedly. Amphan" was the last name on the current list before a new one starts. In 2018, the WMO/ESCAP expanded to include five more countries, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The new list released in April has 169 names of cyclones, a compilation of 13 suggestions each from 13 countries. According to the Press Information Bureau, the next few cyclones will be named Nisarga (suggested by Bangladesh), Gati (India), Nivar (Iran), Burevi (Maldives), Tauktae (Myanmar) and Yaas (Oman). In the new list, India has suggested names like Tej, Murasu, Aag, Vyom, Jhar, Probaho, Neer, Prabhanjan, Ghurni, Ambud, Jaladhi and Vega. The fundamental criteria of a name being deemed as acceptable are that the name should be short and readily understood when broadcasted. The names definitely must not be culturally sensitive or convey some unintended and potentially inflammatory meaning. Storms over South Pacific and Indian Ocean are known as cyclones. In the North Atlantic, central North Pacific, and eastern North Pacific ocean, the term hurricane is used. The same type of disturbance in the Northwest Pacific Ocean is called a typhoon. The stand-off between Indian and Chinese forces at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh continues with both sides reinforcing their respective positions. While tensions may be reduced through continuing dialogue in mechanisms put in place over the past several years, the key issue is whether Chinese troops agree to vacate the area they have occupied by violating the Line of Actual Control (LAC). China would be content if, after altering the facts on the ground, the stand-off is defused, say by a limited disengagement of a few metres between the troops, leaving most of the encroached territory in Chinese hands. China may agree to vacate the occupied area but expect concessions in return. These could include a halt to border infrastructure development on the Indian side of LAC, even the dismantling of built up structures. In the Doklam stand-off in 2017, the forces of the two sides disengaged. China halted additional road-building activity but continues to consolidate its position in the occupied area. The bottom line facts on the ground remain altered to Chinas advantage although Indias action forestalled further ingress. Therefore, unless India is able to find an effective counter-strategy to this pattern of Chinese behaviour, incidents of the kind we have seen at many points on LAC are not only likely to continue but to intensify. There is another feature to the Chinese playbook. This is evident at the India-China border and in other theatres such as the South China Sea, the Taiwan Straits and the Yellow Sea. Each Chinese action, taken in isolation, may not be regarded as threatening enough to require a strong and countervailing military riposte. Over a period of time, however, a string of such isolated incidents add up cumulatively to a significant change in the balance of power on the ground. Chinas dominance of the South China Sea, its occupation and militarisation of several offshore islands, have reached a point where only a major military offensive, perhaps even war, may be necessary to reverse Beijings advantage. As is apparent, such risky actions are unlikely. At the most, one may expect the now alerted major powers, to prevent any further gains by China. So this is another important part of the playbook incremental advances short of the threshold of a likely military response from adversaries, but resulting over time in a more favourable balance of power. We have seen this at the India-China border over the years. There has been constant nibbling activity which the Indian side confronts, but it is unable or unwilling to go on a military offensive to reverse Chinese gains. We have to understand these salami-slicing tactics and develop an effective counter-strategy. This may require the ability to use the ambiguity of LAC to make asymmetric gains in zones where we have a tactical advantage. Only then will there be some bargaining chips available with us to restore the status quo. There is a third element in the Chinese playbook that needs attention. China calibrates its posture towards any country based on a careful assessment of the balance of economic and military capabilities. This may sometimes go wrong because Chinese leaders are relatively insular and self-centred in their outlook. There is a cultural predilection towards tactical agility, even deception, in interState relations and little patience with notions of statesmanship. After the 1962 war, Chinas default position on the border was the so-called package proposal, essentially formalising the prevailing status quo. In 1985-86, after the Wandung incident in the eastern sector, the package proposal was reinterpreted to mean that a settlement required India to make meaningful concessions in the east, the area of largest dispute, for which China would make appropriate-though-undefined-concessions in the western sector. Subsequently, it was conveyed that in any settlement, Tawang would have to be returned to China. What we now see is a further moving of the goalposts, with Chinas behaviour suggesting that the ambiguity over the precise alignment of LAC gives it the opportunity to trigger incidents at points of choice in order to make both local, tactical gains but to also convey a larger message that it has a stronger hand when dealing with India. Some analysts suggest that India should not provoke China by moving closer to the United States (US), the implication being that distancing from the US and other countries which China regards as adversaries, would somehow lessen the pressure on India. This is strange logic. It suggests that decisions on Indias foreign policy are being made in Washington but should that be replaced by their being made in accordance with Chinese preferences instead? Indias foreign policy should be made in New Delhi in Indias best interests. It has been New Delhis experience that strong relations between India and the US, indeed with other major powers, give India greater room for manoeuvre and ability to manage the China challenge. The more isolated India is, the greater its vulnerability to Chinese pressures. At this juncture, no military alliance with the US is on the cards. But building and strengthening a strong and credible countervailing coalition of major powers, which share Indias concerns about the Chinas predatory predilections, is prudent policy even as India must marshal its energies to reduce the asymmetry of power with China which is at the heart of our current predicament. Shyam Saran is a former foreign secretary, and senior fellow, Centre for Policy Research The views expressed are personal As protests against the death of George Floyd continue in the United States, China reportedly said that the demonstrations show chronic disease of racism. The protests erupted across the US over the killing of an African-American man George Floyd by a Caucasian police officer who choked him to death pinning him on the ground with his knee. Floyd's tragic death has angered millions across the world and demonstrators said that the focus of the protests is the alleged institutional bigotry in American police forces. Chinas reported statement comes after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that he is certain that Beijing would use the riots in American as a tactic to take the situation on the ground for their benefits and gain more territory. Pompeo noted that the situation is being used to fuel disinformation by the Chinese government and trying to equate citation in America with that in Hong Kong. The angry demonstrations in the US are being dealt with tear gas by the army and it is also believed that the scenes are similar to month-long anti-government unrest in the former British colony. However, Pompeo reportedly said that the situation is completely different. READ: George Floyd's Death: More Than 15 People Arrested During Charlotte Protests China accused of preventing freedom of expression Furthermore, Pompeo even accused China of preventing freedom of expression and said, Theyre out using disinformation about whats taking place in American cities and trying to equate that somehow to whats happening in Hong Kong. These are completely different. We have the rule of law. We have decent Americans all across this country who are troubled by what happened, and they have the opportunity to speak freely about that. He added, "None of that exists inside of China. The Chinese Communist Party prevents that kind of freedom of expression. And the results, the risk to America as a result of that are real, and were going to respond to them. READ: Looting Rampant In Downtown Washington Amid Protests Over George Floyd's Death George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, died in police custody and the video of the incident spread rage across the United States while the country was already battling the fatal coronavirus outbreak. In the viral footage, the police officer, who has now been arrested, could be seen kneeling over Floyds neck while he was struggling for breath while being handcuffed. All four police officers involved in 46-year-olds arrest have been fired and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched a federal civil rights inquiry. READ: Lewis Hamilton Lashes Out At F1 Community For Silence Over George Floyd's Death READ: George Floyd Protests Live Updates: 'Will Always Stand Against Violence & Disorder': Trump Amendments in the essential commodities act, dismantling of Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) and a new price signalling system for farmers will be among the major agricultural reforms to be announced after the Union Cabinets meeting on Monday, sources said. Officials, in the know of the developments, also said a new definition of Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises will be put in place. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the meeting of the Union cabinet on Monday as the country entered the first day of the Centres three-phased unlocking plan throughout the country. This was the first meeting of the Union cabinet after the central government entered into its second year in office. The Centre had said in May it will amend the Essential Commodities Act to deregulate food items like cereals, pulses and onion besides bringing a new law to give marketing choice to farmers for enhancing their income. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said the government will amend the EC act to make the agriculture sector more competitive and ensure better price realisation to farmers. This will also help in attracting investment in the farm sector. The government had also said it will also frame a new law to provide marketing choices to farmers. The central law will be formulated to provide adequate choices to farmers to sell their produce at an attractive price. It will enable interstate trade without restrictions and create a framework for electronic trading of farm products. Farmers currently are bound to sell agriculture produce only through APMC mandis, which restrict the free flow of farm products. At present, farmers lack an enforceable standard mechanism for predictable prices of crops at the time of sowing, the government had said. The Economic Survey had earlier this year pitched for the scrapping of the essential commodities act, saying the law is anachronistic that leads to harassment and is of no help in checking price volatility. The act was enacted to control production, supply and distribution of, and trade and commerce in, certain goods considered as essential commodities. The act does not lay out rules and regulations but allows states to issue control orders related to dealer licensing, regulate stock limits, restrict the movement of goods and requirements of compulsory purchases under a levy system. (With agency inputs) A large fire at Belfasts Crumlin Road Courthouse is believed to have been started deliberately (Liam McBurney/PA) A large fire at Belfasts former Crumlin Road courthouse is believed to have been started deliberately, the fire service said. Around 25 firefighters, three appliances and an aerial appliance tackled the blaze. It started in the early hours of Monday. Expand Close Scene of the fire at Crumlin Road Courthouse in Belfast (Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Scene of the fire at Crumlin Road Courthouse in Belfast (Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service/PA) The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said the cause is believed to be deliberate ignition. The courthouse closed in 1998. It was in use for around 150 years and connected via an underground passageway with Crumlin Road Gaol. The grisly crimes of the Shankill Butchers, the supergrass trials, that of senior loyalist and peace process figure Gusty Spence and Shankill Road IRA bomber Sean Kelly were held there. It has planning permission to be converted into a hotel and has been put up for sale by Liverpool developer Signature Living. The embattled CEO of Connecticuts soon-to-be-dissolved education partnership, Mary Anne Schmitt-Carey, is owed more than $120,000 in severance if terminated provided she doesnt publicly criticize the public-private initiative, according to contract information obtained by the CT Mirror. But hedge fund billionaire Ray Dalios philanthropic arm not the state would cover any separation costs owed by the Partnership for Connecticut. Thats because Dalio Philanthropies has agreed to pay all partnership personnel costs, according to Gov. Ned Lamonts office. State officials also pledged last week that all financial transactions by the partnership would ultimately be released, closing the book on an experiment that has been marked by controversy over transparency since its inception nearly one year ago. Although the Dalios received praise for contributing $100 million over five years an amount the state pledged to match to invest in some of Connecticut lowest-performing schools, the Dalios offer came with an unprecedented qualifier: the process would be exempt from state disclosure and ethics rules. Lamont and Democratic leaders in the General Assembly granted the Dalios request when they passed legislation establishing the partnership, but that decision led to persistent criticisms that decisions were being made without full transparency including those related to the hiring process for its CEO and her ultimate removal. Following a Freedom of Information request from the CT Mirror, the Lamont administration last week released the contract sent to Schmitt-Carey, who was hired March 23. Although you are an at-will employee, should the Partnership decide to exercise its right to terminate your employment, the Partnership will provide you with a severance payment equal to six (6) months salary, reads the agreement, which set Schmitt-Careys annual compensation at $247,500. But while the partnerships original blueprint called for Connecticut and Dalio Philanthropies to fund the partnership equally, it has been the organizations practice to have all operating expenses be paid for by the Dalios, said Max Reiss, spokesman for Lamont. The issue of severance pay and Schmitt-Careys future are uncertain for two reasons. Partnership Chairman Erik Clemons placed her on paid administrative leave on May 7, three days, she asserts, after Clemons and Dalio Philanthropies representatives urged her to resign. Less than two weeks later, on May 19, Lamont announced Ray and Barbara Dalio, who first proposed the joint venture, had grown frustrated about news leaks and decided to dissolve the partnership. The Dalios have pledged to continue funding their end of the project, even though the partnership is over. CEO compensation had been a source of disagreement Schmitt-Careys compensation was a sticking point between the Dalios and the state even before she was hired. The partnership had budgeted $247,500 for the post. Legislative leaders who serve on the partnerships Board of Directors said they balked when asked to consider annual compensation in excess of $300,000 more than what most superintendents earn and noted that taxpayer funds would match the couples investment dollar-for-dollar. The partnership ultimately settled on $247,500 and hired Schmitt-Carey, longtime CEO of Say Yes to Education, another nonprofit focused on improving inner city education, lauding her experience in the field. The honeymoon didnt last long. Just six weeks into the job, Schmitt-Carey charged that Clemons, Barbara Dalio, and partnership staffer Andrew Ferguson ambushed her with false and defamatory allegations during a May 4 phone call and urged her to resign. Schmitt-Carey described the meeting in a later email to all partnership board members. Elected state officials on the partnerships board said they would not learn of these actions until May 8. The CT Mirror posed questions to Dalio Philanthropies and the partnership through Global Strategy Group, a public relations firm retained by the Dalios. They declined to comment. Schmitt-Carey also refused to be interviewed. Non-disparagement agreements raise concerns in public sector While Schmitt-Careys contract has a severance provision, it also stipulates she will not at any time make, publish, or communicate to any person or entity or in any public forum any defamatory or disparaging remarks, comments, or statements concerning the Partnership, or any of its employees, officers, and associated third parties. Such non-disparagement agreements, though common in the private sector, have increasingly come under fire in state government. The Senate passed a bill in 2015 barring public agencies from reaching deals with managers after the state university system paid departing President Gregory Gray $70,000 through a non-disparagement deal. [The bill died in the House.] Gray had faced sharp criticism from faculty and legislators. The state auditors also urged lawmakers to ban the practice altogether after Connecticut Lottery Corp CEO Anne Noble stepped down in 2016 following an investigation into gaming fraud. Despite resigning, Noble was given the post of senior advisor and paid $25,000 per month through a non-disparagement deal an arrangement auditors said allowed her to reach a 10-year employment threshold and qualify for public retirement benefits. A tumultuous year When the Dalios, via the Lamont administration, insisted that the partnership be exempt from state disclosure and ethics rules, legislators granted the demand over strong objections from House Republicans. The Dalios and Lamont defended the exemption by saying the problems facing Connecticuts school systems couldnt be solved without difficult, sensitive conversations that would never occur if they were subjected to public scrutiny. Board decisions and finances, they said, still would be explained afterward and made public through website reports and community briefings. Critics, like Gwen Samuel of Meriden, president of the Connecticut Parents Union, said the approach was counter-intuitive, limiting access to families most concerned about improving public schools. If were talking about parents taking responsibility for their children, if were talking about parents being engaged, then this approach was contradictory to all of the efforts of our public school system, she said. You dont meet privately and tell us what you did afterward. You have to include us. There is no way around that. But the Dalios also sought to vet and approve legislative leaders appointments to the partnership board. Democrats and Republicans balked at this, and a compromise was reached for top lawmakers to serve themselves on the panel. Then, when Attorney General William Tong concluded elected state officials on the board would have to disclose partnership documents in accordance with FOI rules, Dalio representatives proposed empowering a subcommittee of the board one that included no elected officials to make most major decisions. It has become clear that its not working because of political fighting, Barbara Dalio wrote in a statement on May 19. I am not a politician and I never signed up to become one. I only want to help people. Through this experience Ive learned about our broken political system and I dont see a path through it to help people. She added that even without the partnership the Dalios still would invest $100 million in public schools in poor communities. When the partnership ultimately broke down, the Dalios blamed House Republicans particularly Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby and the news media. But Connecticuts partnership with the Dalios who have won praise from education leaders for previous initiatives to assist at-risk students in several communities was different from state initiatives from the start. In a May 23 post on Twitter, Ray Dalio never named Klarides but effectively identified her, charging her with playing partisan politics and leaking distorted stories to some media folks who wanted to write sensationalistic stories. But Klarides wasnt the only critic, even among legislators. Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, said the proposal to empower an executive subcommittee to run the partnership would have reduced the role of legislators to window dressing. And after the partnership collapsed, two Democratic leaders Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney and House Majority Leader Matt Ritter both said the basic approach, in hindsight, was flawed. Lamont, at the end, was frustrated that Schmitt-Careys personnel issue had made news reports, and expressed surprise the offer to provide limited access to the process, through reports, briefings and press conferences, hadnt assuaged critics. We worked through this, I thought, he said. We were going to earn the trust of the people of Connecticut. The governor and the four legislative leaders on the board have declined to discuss specifics of the CEO matter, noting that personnel issues among public school employees normally are exempt from disclosure under FOI law. But Lamont and all four legislative leaders on the board Looney, Fasano, Klarides and House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz all asserted last week that the partnerships fiscal records still would remain public. Absolutely, Aresimowicz said. We voted on it as a board. That would be consistent with the original language in the [partnership] bylaws. Obviously, whatever money is left, we should have a detailed accounting, Fasano added. Reiss said between $14 million and $15 million of Connecticuts $20 million contribution to the partnership for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, remains unspent and would be returned to the state. The partnership board would need to adopt a resolution to dissolve, he added. No vote has been announced to date. Legislative leaders said theyre still researching whether the full General Assembly also must vote to disband the partnership. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Showers early becoming a steady light rain later in the day. High 42F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Cloudy with freezing rain expected. Low 29F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 90%. Midland and Gladwin county restaurants can open with appropriate precautions to allow food to people who no longer have a facility for food preparation because of flooding, according to an executive order issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The order, which also allows restaurants to open in Arenac, Iosco and Saginaw counties, specifies restaurants must take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. "The order should not be interpreted to broadly suspend all emergency orders issued to respond to COVID-19," according to information from the Michigan State Police, released on Friday. "Only those orders, to the extent they impede necessary flood response activities are suspended." Other examples listed as included in impact areas include the opening of campgrounds to offer flood survivors a place to stay and the opening of certain retailers to allow impacted residents to purchase goods they may have lost due to flood (clothing, appliances, durable goods). Pizza Sam's assistant manager and shift leader Mason Loose says it feels great to have the downtown Midland restaurant's dining room open to customers again. "It was almost like we were back to the old Pizza Sam's, honestly. It was nice to see the old faces back," Loose said enthusiastically at 1:30 Sunday afternoon, noting that the business at the corner of Main and Ashman streets had first reopened its dining room at 11 a.m. Saturday and had at least 60 dine-in customers over the first five hours. The dining room was scheduled to remain open until 9 p.m. Sunday night, he said. To curb the spread of the coronavirus, restaurants and bars in Michigan were ordered by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to close to sit-down eating starting March 16, and only those in the Upper Peninsula and in counties in the far northern Lower Peninsula were allowed to reopen on May 22. Since March 16, Pizza Sam's and many other restaurants had still offered take-out and delivery orders. Loose said that the Pizza Sam's manager had determined that the dining room was allowed to reopen on Saturday provided the restaurant took the necessary health precautions. "Anybody who is dealing with customers has to be wearing a facemask, and we have to wear gloves when we carry orders out to customers," Loose explained. "We're trying to take pride in keeping everything clean and sanitary." Customers are not required to wear masks, Loose said, but Pizza Sam's is requesting that they do. "We're not requiring that they wear masks, but we're recommending it. We have a sign by the door that says, 'Please wear masks,'" Loose said. He estimated that at least 60 percent of dine-in customers so far have been wearing masks. And the customers are as happy as Loose is that they are able to dine in again at the restaurant, which opened in 1961. "All our customers are really happy to be back and to be able to talk to people who are behind the scenes making the pizza," he enthused. "Take-out and delivery are not as personal as our dine-in experience is." And especially in the wake of the flooding that has destroyed or damaged many homes and businesses in Midland County and beyond, Loose is glad that customers can enjoy the experience of dining out again. "We're trying to help the community during this tough time. Our lobby being open is just one way we can help out the community," Loose said. He said that ice cream, in particular, has been very popular since the dining room reopened. Photo credit: The Nation According to The Nation, irate youths of Elugwu Ettam Community in Okpuitumo Ikwo Local government area of Ebonyi state at the weekend set ablaze the country home of Celestine Okah. Okah is the husband of Ebonyi Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Wendy Uchechi Okah. According to a source, the incident happened on Saturday. The source said Okah was accused of involvement in some crimes in the community, which he vehemently denied. His denials did not stop his summoning by the communitys village head who ordered him to swear an oath to prove his innocence in keeping with the customs and traditions of the community. But, Okah, it was gathered, refused to swear to the oath. He instead resorted to calling the attention of the Police. His refusal and involvement of the Police infuriated the youths around who pounced on him before moving to the location of his house where they vandalised and set the property ablaze. Not done, the youths proceeded to burn another building belonging to another member of the community whose child is named after the Commissioner By the time the Police got to the scene, the destruction had been carried out. But they succeeded in rescuing Okah and whisked him out of the area. The community, it was learnt, warned the Police to take Okah out of the community, warning him not to enter the community again. Police Spokesman, Loveth Odah confirmed the incident. She said the Police was able to rescue the victim. Mrs. Odah noted that when the Police went back on Sunday, the Community dug a deep trench to prevent them from accessing the community. She noted that the Police was able to restore order in the area and have warned the community to toe the line of peace to settle whatever dispute they may have with the victim. The victim whereabout could not be ascertained at press time. Calls to his Phone lines were not answered. His wife and Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Mrs Uchechi Wendy Okah, refused to react on the issue when our reporter called her on phone. I dont want to make any comment for now, said the Commissioner in an emotion- laden voice. Commissioner for Internal Security and Border Peace, Stanley Okoro Emegha wondered why the community would take the laws into their hands. He said the State Government has waded into the matter with a view to amicably settling the matter. SpaceX's first attempt at launching astronauts from American soil this week is a historic moment that will stress the decades-long relationship between the U.S. and Russia in space. Why it matters: Since the Cold War, the U.S. and Russia have collaborated intimately in space. As the U.S. regains the ability to launch people with its own rockets, the future of Russia's already struggling civil space program and how the U.S. will collaborate with it is unclear. Where it stands: The U.S. and Russia are locked in a state of mutual dependence. NASA needs Russian rockets, and Roscosmos, Russia's state-run space agency and NASA counterpart, needs U.S. money. For nine years, Russian rockets have been the only ride to orbit for U.S. astronauts. A seat on the Soyuz rocket, which experts say hasn't evolved much since the 1960s, cost NASA $80 million on average in recent years. experts say hasn't evolved much since the 1960s, cost NASA $80 million on average in recent years. Roscosmos's 2020 budget is the equivalent of roughly $1.7 billion; in 2014, it was about $5 billion. NASA, with a 2020 budget of $22.6 billion, spent approximately $1 billion between 2017 when SpaceX and Boeing were initially expected to start flying astronauts and 2019 to fly its people on the Soyuz. What's happening: If SpaceX and Boeing, which has its own crewed spacecraft program and contract with NASA can deliver astronauts to space, the U.S. plans to stop purchasing flights from Russia. NASA just bought what the agency expects to be its last purchased seat for $90 million. Instead, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine hopes NASA and Russia will trade seats on flights with one another instead of paying for them, maintaining redundancy and the relationship in the process. "If we don't launch on their rockets and they don't launch on our rockets, we could end up in a situation where the only people on the space station would be Americans or the only people on the space station would be Russian," Bridenstine told Axios during a media roundtable this month. Still, Roscosmos is about to lose a significant revenue stream. "The price we pay for the Soyuz is cash that is a significant revenue generator for Russia. A pretty big portion of it probably funds Russian space activity and it will probably be a pretty big cut in revenue." Brian Weeden of Secure World Foundation On top of that, Russia's program has taken several other hits recently. OneWeb, a major Roscosmos customer, filed for bankruptcy in March. Engines that Russia sells to the U.S. including for national security satellite launches are being phased out and replaced due to a congressional mandate. Russia's program to build a new rocket to replace its outdated fleet has been repeatedly delayed. Their aerospace industry, like that in the U.S., has an aging workforce. And then there is corruption in the industry, the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout in the country. "It is a nightmare scenario for the Russian space agency, one industry expert tells Axios. "Were building a replacement to every rocket and spacecraft they provide." What they're saying: Dmitry Rogozin, director general of Roscosmos, accused SpaceX of predatory pricing to squeeze others out of the launch industry. In April, Rogozin told Russian President Vladimir Putin the agency is lowering its launch cost "by more than 30%" to better compete in the international market. Roscosmos did not respond to requests for comment for this story. What to watch: Experts say Russia could turn to existing partners the Europeans, Canadians and Japanese, for example as customers. It could also turn to tourists and other governments looking to get into space (the UAE, for one). But those are small markets. They could also look to China, but China has its own technology and plans in motion, including a space station, a lunar orbiter and more. "If they went to China, it would be like doing it to annoy the person I want to be friends with so they ask me to come back," Weeden says. Russia is reportedly interested in participating in the planned Artemis program to send people back to the Moon. When the U.S. and Russia each have launch capabilities again, that will take them back to the original model for how the ISS partnership should work and potentially reestablish opportunities for cooperation, says Mike French of the Aerospace Industries Association. "The [ISS] program was developed in the midst of a complex relationship," says French, who says the same shouldn't be ruled out because of today's geopolitical landscape. The big question: "Are we going to go back to the Great Powers having individual space programs and everyone picks teams, or is there still an opportunity for everyone to collaborate on one big program?" asks Weeden. Many royal fans are still trying to adjust to the shock of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's decision to step away from their senior royal titles earlier this year. However, another royal family may also be preparing for a messy departure from one of its members. Princess Mary and her husband Prince Frederick are Denmark's Princess and Crown Prince of Denmark. When Queen Margrethe's reign comes to an end, Prince Frederick becomes the head of the Danish throne, and Princess Mary will automatically become the Queen of Denmark. In a report by Woman's Day, they have learned that the couple is looking at the British Royal Family, particularly Prince William, despite rumors that his younger, controversial brother, Prince Joachim, is going to do a "Megxit" and also ditch his royal ties. Insiders within Amalienborg Palace fears that the 50-year-old prince will cut his ties and distance himself from royal life and make a new life outside of Denmark. Royal Feud Like Prince Harry and Prince William, Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim are also having some difficulties with their relationship. "The fact that Joachim and Marie spent the summer in France rather than with the family at their country castle is very telling," a source told Woman's Day. Just like Prince Harry, Prince Joachim has reportedly struggled with being the "spare" in the family. A tipster told Woman's Day, "Harry and Joachim are very similar men. They both grew up being the younger brothers of future kings, with a bit of a 'spare to the heir' complex." A tipster told the magazine that the couple has been feeling unsettled with the royal life for years, and they reportedly feel like it's going nowhere. "They're very much in Fred and Mary's shadow, which is a source of frustration for them." Prince Joachim -- who is now the sixth in line to the throne behind his 51-year-old Crown Prince Frederik, and his four children to Princess Mary -- is married to 44-year-old Princess Marie. The tipster further revealed that ever since Princess Mary came along, the Crown Prince has been able to do "no wrong things" in the eyes of the public. Prince Joachim of Denmark welcomes Prince Harry to an event with military veterans in Copenhagen. pic.twitter.com/mxKxoDpfiw Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) October 26, 2017 Similarities to Prince Harry and Meghan "It's also worth noting that while Frederik and William both married women who were prepared to do their duty to their countries as faultless future queens, Joachim and Harry weren't quite looking for the same thing and have courted a lot of controversy in their choice of wives." The source further claims that the 35-year-old Duke of Sussex chose an American divorcee, and Prince Joachim's first wife, Alexandra, came from Hong Kong, "and it was over between them within ten years." Speaking of Prince Joachim's first divorce, the source shared that Prince Frederik remembers how disappointed his parents were with his younger brother, "and is looking at how William and Catherine dealt with Harry's departure in case it happens in his own family." Royal author Phil Dampier told New Idea, "Harry and Meghan's departure from the British royal family has probably speeded up any thoughts Joachim and Marie had about going their way." "It won't surprise anyone if the palace announces his official exit, any day now." READ MORE: Royal Favorite: Why THIS Royal Family Member is Admired By Queen Elizabeth II For more than seven years, Maria has visited her mom at a long-term care facility in Trumbull. Her mom has dementia, and even as her memories have faded, Maria was there every day at lunch time, usually with goodies like flowers or sweet treats for her mother. Maria hasnt seen her mother since early March, except through video chats facilitated by her mothers nurses. Her mom, who at 91 actually contracted COVID and recovered, lives on the fifth floor of the building, so window visits arent an option. I dont know how long theyre going to keep us out for, said Maria, who asked not to use her last name for fear of retaliation against her mom. We do the video chat but thats not the same as being there. When my mom is doing the video chat shes staring up at the ceiling. Does she hear me? She doesnt respond. The video chats are more for us to see her because she is my mom, you know exactly when theres something wrong. Now, with the state opening up, family members of nursing home residents are calling on Gov. Ned Lamont to consider opening up visitation, even if its only in limited capacities. Lamont says its too early. He has worried since the first signs of coronavirus about the states population living in long-term care facilities. As he watched the virus rage through nursing homes in Washington State, became one of the first governors to end visitation to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. At the time, in early March, many assumed that would last a few weeks at most. Its been three months with no visitors except for rare exceptions. Even so, the virus found its way into these settings. More than 2,300 people have died with the virus in nursing homes, which is 11 percent of all licensed beds; and more than 8,300 have tested positive for the virus. Family members say their loved ones are suffering other health consequences as a result of not being allowed outside or to have visitors. Marias family others have watched the state begin to reopen. Theyve watched staff go in and out of the facilities where their family members live many work in several facilities and wondered why they cant do the same. They understand the virus and its disproportionate impact on the elderly, so theyre willing to take all of the necessary precautions: to isolate before visiting, maintain an appropriate distance, dress head-to-toe in personal protective equipment, whatever is needed. Lamont has offered no clarification on when family members might gain even limited access, saying only that he doesnt foresee opening up visitation at long term care facilities anytime soon. There is no mention of expanded visitation in any of the reopening phases that have been presented to the public thus far. His executive order is in effect through September. I hear the anguish. You cant see your grandmother, you cant see your father there, its been now a matter of months, Lamont said Friday in an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media. The social isolation is just so, so, so hard. But theres nothing more dangerous than walking into a nursing home and the potential of bringing COVID in with you so were trying to get that balance ... Id like to see the infection rate in the nursing homes go down a little more along the lines of what weve seen outside the nursing homes. We are making progress there but not enough. Maria, like so many others, has no idea when, or whether, she might next see her mom. I just hope that we do get to get up there at some point before she does die. I know that sounds awful, but thats reality, Maria said. Shes 91 years old and has dementia. I just want to see her. To me its heartbreaking. You love your mom. Youve only got one. Shes 91 years old, shes not going to last much longer. Those people deserve to have dignity. Its very frustrating. Mental and Physical Consequences Lucille Dernago didnt know when her husband went to the hospital for health problems unrelated to COVID, that it could be the last time shed see him for two months. William Dernago, her husband of 60 years, is 84 so he was transferred to Whispering Pines Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in East Haven to recover. Hes been kept on a non-COVID floor and has never tested positive for the virus, but he hasnt been allowed out. Lucille Dernago said hes developed a bed sore from not being allowed or helped out of bed enough. His muscles have atrophied, making it harder for him to get up anyway, and hes lonely, she said. We dont know whats going on in there, Dernago said. I dont understand why we cant go see him. Im taking him out of there and Im going to take him home. I think we can take care of him better here. Hes got to get back on his feet. In a prepared statement, the nursing home said, Consistent with our mission to provide quality of life through quality of care, Whispering Pines has continued to provide excellent, professional care, great compassion and regular clear updates to our residents and their family members throughout the difficult time of the pandemic and will continue to do so providing an important service to our residents, and to our community. The couple lives in a 55-and-older complex in Branford, and shes working to get all of the supplies her husband needs, and plans to pay nurses to help out in their home. Their story is not unique. Mairead Painter, the states long term care ombudsman, said 100 percent of the complaints shes received in recent weeks are related to visitation, and the subsequent health consequences for residents of long term care facilities. Residents want access, they want time out of their rooms, they want to see their loved ones even if its at a distance, Painter said. We have been advocating very strongly for that consideration. I totally understand the infection control concern but we need to find a way to make residents feel less socially isolated. Weve got to start to reengage them because social and emotional needs are as important as some of the medical components of this. State Sen. Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, a ranking Republican on the General Assemblys aging committee and a lawyer specializing in elder services, and said many people have reached out to him with concerns about not being able to see their loved ones. They worry about how residents are treated without family members as an outside check. Looking at the experience of Italy and the state of Washington, it was known that nursing homes needed extra protection because the virus is particularly lethal to the senior population, Kelly said. But now were protecting from COVID and were also setting up situations where theyre going to become more exposed to other issues and other health problems that are equally as lethal. Its critical that these families who are the eyes and ears get back in. Kelly said expanded testing for all long-term care residents is critical, and that a blanket reopening without safety precautions is unwise; no one is arguing for that anyway. Especially when we get into July and August I dont understand why we couldnt have socially distanced, PPE protected, outdoor meetings, Kelly said. Its critical for the health of these people who havent seen their families in months. That can have just as much of an impact on their well-being. Balancing Act Matthew Barrett, president of the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities, said its reasonable for families to watch the outside world reopen and wonder why they still cant gain more access to their loved ones. The risk is simply still to high, he said. While the hospital capacity numbers are improving, we still have a large presence of COVID in assisted living facilities, he said. With that knowledge I dont believe were near a decision to reopen nursing facilities and loosen up the strict visitor ban. But, he said, there could be a sign of loosening. He said families should pay close attention to how reopening is going outside of nursing homes for an indication of when they might see restrictions start to ease in elder care facilities. No one is really sure that we wont see a resurgence of COVID, Barrett said. If we fail at reopening and we slip, then it will elongate the opportunity to revisit the visitor restrictions. If we were a state that didnt have COVID in the community outside the nursing homes, it might be different. But that is not Connecticut. The risk is too high right now. Doesnt make sense For people like Joan Laws grandmother-in-law, Mary Law, a spry 102-year-old whod put many people half her age to shame, thats not the news theyre hoping for. Mary Law lives mostly independently in a congregate setting in Manchester, and a family friend has visited her every day for the past several years to help her with small tasks. Joan Law and her husband live in Stratford, and used to visit Mary frequently. Under Lamonts executive order, that person, who has isolated at home, isnt allowed into the Mary Laws apartment. But the family could hire a certified nurse for $60 a day to do those same tasks. There have been no cases of COVID in the facility where Mary lives. But those people are going into multiple homes, Joan Law said. We could dedicate somebody to keep her safe that would only go to her apartment because shes our loved one. It doesnt make any sense that a nurse could go in that is going to multiple homes, but we cant. Theres a fear that we could bring the virus in, but I think family members are going to take better care and do everything to not bring it to our loved ones. Because Mary lives in a mostly independent facility, she is allowed outside and her family has seen her that way. But no one is able to help her with small tasks like putting eye drops in her eyes every day or helping with her hair because those tasks happen inside where visitors are banned. It just doesnt make any sense, Joan Law repeated. kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt DEAR DR. ROACH: I have been taking Sabril for five years. I have drug-resistant epilepsy, and this is the first drug that has worked. It is a high-risk medication, as it can affect eyesight. I have my eyes checked every three months. You don't hear much about this drug. Is this safe to keep taking, or should it be only taken for a short time? I would appreciate any information. C.N. ANSWER: Many people equate seizures and epilepsy. There is more than one kind of seizure, and only a person with recurrent seizures can be said to have epilepsy. Seizures from fever in children, for example, are not necessarily epilepsy. Epilepsy is best taken care of by a neurologist, ideally one with subspecialized knowledge. As opposed to a generalized seizure, where the whole brain becomes involved, the drug you're taking is used for drug-resistant focal epilepsy. "Focal" means that one particular part of the brain is affected. Focal seizures may cause motor symptoms, such as uncontrollable movement of one part of the body; sensory symptoms, such as abnormal taste or odor sensation; autonomic findings, such as bladder, bowel or blood pressure changes; or central nervous symptoms, which may cause symptoms of fear, anxiety or deja vu. Complex focal seizures are often characterized by staring into space, but may also consist of a nonpurposeful repetitive movement, such as lip smacking, grunting or blinking. Sabril (vigabatrin) is used when other medicines have failed. As many as 30% to 50% of people who are on this medicine for five years will develop vision problems, which may not be noticed by the person taking the medicine. This is why frequent vision tests are mandatory. As long as the medicine is working and not causing any side effects, and the vision tests show good results, the medication is safe to keep taking. You must continue to get the vision tests (especially testing the visual field) as long as you take the medicine, and stop if any vision problems develop. DEAR DR. ROACH: I had an echocardiogram for palpitations, and doctors found I have trivial mitral regurgitation. What is the meaning of that diagnosis? I.M.A.F. ANSWER: There are four valves in the heart; of these, the mitral valve keeps the blood in the left ventricle from flowing backward into the left atrium. All four valves have the potential to leak ("regurgitation" or "incompetence" are the terms used) or to fail to open fully, called "stenosis." Leaking valves are graded on a scale of severe, moderate, mild or trivial. Trivial regurgitation is extremely common and is not a need for medical concern. The tricuspid valve, between the right atrium and ventricle, has a trivial amount of leak in most people. Unfortunately, many doctors don't take the time to explain that the echocardiogram is so sensitive it can find these small amounts of leakage. Naturally, anytime a person hears their heart valve is leaking, they can get concerned that something is very wrong. But I can assure you that unless it gets worse, which is unlikely, or unless it is happening in combination with some other heart abnormality, it is not something to worry about. Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu or send mail to 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 As the U.S. erupted in protest over the weekend in response to the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, health officials are warning that mass gatherings will likely exacerbate the coronavirus outbreak in the most vulnerable communities. The protests come as schools and businesses across the country have been closed for months in a bid to keep people home and curb the spread of the virus. The coronavirus has now infected more than 1.7 million people across the U.S. and killed at least 104,383, according to Johns Hopkins University data. "I think there's going to be a lot of challenges coming out of the events of the past week," former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said in an interview on "Squawk Box" on Monday. "One of them's going to be that probably chains of transmission will have gotten lit by large gatherings. I don't think there's really a question about that." People march during a racial justice protest in Charlottesville on May 30, 2020. - Demonstrations are being held across the US after George Floyd died in police custody on May 25. RYAN M. KELLY The protests, which were sparked after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin killed Floyd a week ago by kneeling on his neck for almost nine minutes during an arrest, present a particular threat to Minnesota, which was already struggling with an uncontrolled outbreak, Gottlieb said. While some states, including those hardest hit by Covid-19 such as New York and New Jersey, have managed to drive the outbreak into decline, Gottlieb said Minnesota's is "expanding" with hospitalizations on the rise. City and state officials across the country echoed Gottlieb's concerns over the weekend, calling for protesters to get tested and continue to practice social distancing. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan told CNN on Sunday that there's "no question" the protests will lead to spread of the virus, but that's the "next step" for officials after quelling the protests and violence. "If you were out protesting last night, you probably need to go get a Covid test this week," Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said Saturday at a news conference. "There is still a pandemic in America that's killing black and brown people at higher numbers." Protesters become emotional during a demonstration on May 31, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. Across the country, protests have erupted following the recent death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Elijah Nouvelage | Getty Images JUNIOR Minister, John Paul Phelan, TD, is urging clubs and organisations across Kilkenny to apply for funding under the 10 million Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme. The funding is one element of a 30 million package of co-ordinated and complementary supports which the Government launched over the past week as part of the Rural Development Investment Programme which is funded under Project Ireland 2040. The other elements of the package announced were the 15 million Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the 5 million CLAR Programme. Each scheme will play its role in the social and economic recovery of rural communities over the coming months, following the COVID-19 outbreak. The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme provides funding for the development of new and existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in rural areas. The Scheme is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development in partnership with Failte Ireland. The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme has been crucial to the development of the recreation facilities enjoyed by growing numbers of locals and tourists in rural areas in recent years. These facilities are now more important than ever in light of the COVID19 emergency. The COVID situation has given people a renewed appreciation of the benefit of the outdoors to their wellbeing. More than ever, they value the outdoor recreation infrastructure in their local areas, Minister Phelan continued. The walking trails, cycleways, mountain access routes and other facilities that the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme supports provide vital opportunities for people in rural areas to enjoy the outdoors in a safe environment, Minister Phelan said. The 2020 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) will provide funding under 3 separate measures. Measure 1 is for small scale repair/promotion and marketing (grant up to 20,000). Measure 2 covers medium scale repair/upgrade and new Trail/Amenity Development (grant up to 200,000). Measure 3: Large scale Repair/upgrade and new Strategic Trail/Amenity Development (grant up to 500,000). Project applications are submitted via the Local Authorities under all measures. Funding will be provided to a maximum of 90% of total project costs. This increased funding level has been introduced in recognition of the difficulty in raising match funding due to the impact of COVID19. KITCHENER Industrial robot manufacturer Otto Motors has raised $29 million (U.S.) in its latest funding round, a move the company says will accelerate its global ambitions. Based in Kitchener, Otto Motors is the industrial division of Clearpath Robotics, and makes self-driving robots used for material handling in manufacturing facilities and warehouses. After years of steady growth in North America, Otto Motors announced a partnership earlier this year with a Japanese firm, Altech, that marked its first formal expansion into an overseas market. Altech is certified to do system design, installation, maintenance and support for Otto products in Japan. Otto Motors is already running pilots in a handful of other undisclosed international locations, Clearpaths co-founder and chief executive officer Matt Rendall said. Funding rounds in prior years reflected confidence in prototypes and the ability to repeatedly deliver a quality product; this one is much more about scaling out what weve already proven, Rendall said. Now its really about getting it into as many hands of as many customers as possible, globally. This funding round was led by Kensington Private Equity Fund, with participation from BMO Capital Partners, Export Development Canada and previous investors iNovia Capital and RRE Ventures. Clearpath and its Otto autonomous mobile robots have been on our radar for some time. We see strong trends favouring the acceleration of industrial automation generally, with Clearpath positioned very strongly to benefit from this rapidly growing sector, Rick Nathan, senior managing director at Kensington, said in a release. With automation already on the rise, COVID-19 is advancing that trend. Robots arent concerned with physical distancing and cant fall ill, and a spike in sectors such as e-commerce and medical equipment is increasing demand for more warehousing and logistics facilities. Were seeing very strong signals from our market that the demand for autonomous vehicles in factories and warehouses will accelerate pretty substantially coming out the other end of COVID, Rendall said. The pandemic has also exposed the fragility of global supply chains, meaning some North American manufacturers may choose to return production and sourcing to these shores. That could further increase the demand for automation in the domestic market. With its certified partners unable to go into customers facilities during the pandemic, Ottos service teams quickly created 90 service manuals allowing customers to perform maintenance on the robots themselves. Rendall said the move will better equip the company to support global clients going forward. Otto Motors will continue to invest aggressively in technology as it ramps up its global reach, he said. The company has more than 250 employees. Rendall said the latest funding round bringing the total raised by Otto Motors since its 2015 launch to US$83 million has been in the works for about eight months. Were really excited to have this under our belt. OUTDOOR GATHERINGS Fairview-Riverside State Park and Fontainebleau State Park campgrounds have reopened for Louisiana residents only during the state's Phase I reopening. Book three nights at LAStateParks.com and use the code "Welcome Back" to receive the fourth night free! overnight guests. Both are also open for day use. The Fontainebleau Park in Mandeville offers grassy expanses and views of the lake, as well as a splash pad (closed on Mondays for cleaning) and a playground. Admission is $3 a person; seniors and children 3 and under are free; 62883 LA 1089. Cash is recommended to reduce contact and speed up. Fairview-Riverside Park two miles east of Madisonville at 119 Fairview Drive offers 99 acres along the banks of the Tchefuncte River. Canoe on Castine Bayou June 5 at 9 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. The three-hour paddle in a canoe for two/family will be led by longtime paddling guide Byron Almquist, who will discuss and describe bayou habitats and history. Sponsored by Northlake Nature Center. Cost $40 for one paddler; $70 for two adults; and no charge for a maximum of two children (11 or younger). Nonmembers pay an extra $5 per person. Masks must be worn at launch site. Limited space available so register as soon as possible by calling (985) 626-1238 or email Rue@northlakenature.org Snakes of Louisiana will take place at the Northlake Nature Center on June 6 at 10 a.m. with Fred Mattingly, a local community snake enthusiast at heart, who will introduce Louisiana's "cool" native snakes. Free for members, $5 for everyone else. To register, call (985) 626-1238 or email Rue@northlakenature.org A Mushroom Walk at Northlake Nature Center with mushroom enthusiast John Mansfield at 10 a.m. June 20. The program starts in the pavilion with a slideshow presentation, followed by a scavenger hunt for 'shrooms. Learn which ones to pick and which ones to not touch. Space is limited; reservations required. Free for members; $5 for others. Call (985) 626-1238 or email rue@northlakenature.org. GOING BACK TO MARKET Abita Springs Farmer's Market open Sundays 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at its temporary location across from Town Hall at 22161 Level St. Drive-thru and pedestrian service. For details on restrictions and style of operation, visit townofabitasprings.com. Covington Farmer's Market open, with modifications, on Wednesday from 10 a.m.-2 p..and Saturdays from 8 a.m. - noon; 609 N. Columbia St. Currently features grab-n-go service and select vendors offering pre-orders. St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Mandeville Trailhead Market open Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., with changes. Food vendors only. For more information, see mandevilletrailheadmarket.com. Located 675 Lafitte St. HEALTH The St. Tammany Health Systems Nurse Residency Program has been accredited the American Nurses Credentialing Center, a hospital program designed to improve quality and safety by reducing nursing turnover, increasing job satisfaction and improving clinical competence at the Covington medical facility. "The idea of creating a transitional program to mentor new nursing graduates into becoming confident, critical thinkers dates back to 2008-2009, said St. Tammany Hospital chief nursing officer Kerry Milton. Our first group of residents to participate was in 2011." Accreditation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center validates hospital residency or fellowship programs that transition registered nurses and advanced practice registered nurses into new practice settings that meet rigorous, evidence-based standards for quality and excellence. With (this) accreditation, our transitioning nurses gain the skills and confidence needed to perform effectively within a new practice setting, Joan Coffman, the St. Tammany Hospital System's president and chief executive officer. This is only the second health system in Louisiana and the 161st in the United States to achieve such a recognition, according to the St. Tammany medical facility. FAITH Aldersgate United Methodist Church will host an online informational meeting on June 8 to discuss details concerning a February 2021 trip to Israel. The trip will be coordinated through a faith-based tour company and is open to the public. The meeting will take place on Zoom and can be viewed via laptop, iPad or cellphone. Advance registration is required to receive a link to the 7 p.m. meeting. Contact Gayla Nelson at nelnest@charter.net or Suzie Hunt at suzie@aldersgate-slidell.org or call (985) 768-6294. Staffers for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden announced that they have donated to a group that pays bail fees in Minneapolis as riots over the death of George Floyd consume the city. At least 13 Biden campaign staffers wrote on Twitter on Friday and Saturday that they have donated to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which says it supports the protesters. The group opposes cash bail and says it pays criminal bail and immigration bond for those who cannot afford to as we seek to end discriminatory, coercive, and oppressive jailing, according to its website. We are in awe of the support coming through right now, the group stated. Biden opposes cash bail as a modern day debtors prison, the presumptive Democratic nominees campaign spokesman Andrew Bates told Reuters. Riots broke out in Minneapolis and other cities across the country last week and continued through the weekend over the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody after a since-fired police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for several minutes during an arrest. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said officials believe white supremacists and out-of-state instigators were involved in the protests. Governor Tim Walz also said over the weekend that the majority of the protestors arrested were from outside Minneapolis. Rioters in Minneapolis burned police cars and buildings including a police precinct building smashed storefronts, and looted merchandise last week. Many did not wear face masks intended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd,Walz said Sunday. It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cities. The riots spread to New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. over the weekend. In a statement, the Trump campaign called it disturbing that the Biden campaign would financially support the mayhem that is hurting innocent people and destroying what good people spent their lives building. Story continues Its also troubling that Biden himself has failed to condemn the rioting in his public remarks, the statement said. More from National Review For the past four months, life has been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of us have faced challenging experiences: from self-isolation to job insecurity or juggling working from home with remote learning for the kids. It's been a unique and difficult situation for all. For many people the support and love of family and friends help get them through tough times but it's not that way for everyone. Sadly, its likely that some older people in our communities will be at greater risk of abuse during the pandemic, and that elder abuse will increase. With data from Queenslands Elder Abuse Prevention Unit showing there were 1,780 notifications of abuse reported in 201819, and following World Elder Abuse Awareness Day earlier this month, this is something we all need to be aware of and know where to get help. If you suspect that an older person is being abused, phone the Elder Abuse Helpline on 1300 651 192 for advice and support anyone can make the call. But what exactly is elder abuse? The World Health Organisation defines elder abuse as: 'A single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person'. Most reported cases of elder abuse occur within family relationships. Types of Elder Abuse: Physical abuse An act that causes physical pain or injury, like hitting, pushing or kicking. Psychological or emotional abuse An act that causes emotional pain or injury, including insults, threats, humiliation, disrespect, or controlling behaviours Financial abuse The misuse or theft of money or assets, including using finances without permission, using a legal document such as an enduring power of attorney in a way that doesnt serve the interests of the older person, withholding care for financial gain, or selling or transferring property against the persons wishes or without their knowledge Sexual abuse Any sexual behaviour performed without an older persons consent, including sexual contact and non-contacts acts of a sexual nature that cause an older person to feel uncomfortable or threatened, or cause physical hurt Neglect The failure of a carer, or other responsible person, to meet an older persons basic needs, like: food, housing and essential medical care. It includes providing inadequate food, drink or supervision, allocating medication inappropriately, or failing to meet essential physical needs (for example, in relation to hygiene or skin care). So how do we know if someone is being abused? Well, elder abuse can take various forms, including: physical, psychological or emotional, financial, and sexual. It can also be the result of intentional or unintentional neglect. To understand and recognise elder abuse, its also important to know the signs . Some signs or behaviour changes that could indicate someone is a victim of elder abuse are: Unusual bruises or other injuries they cant or wont explain Fear of someone close to them, or people generally Anxiety or nervousness for no obvious reason Withdrawal or depression Rigid posture and reluctance to talk or make eye contact Deferral to another person to speak on their behalf Contradictory statements unrelated to mental confusion Lack of money to pay for bills, medication or necessities when this wasnt a problem previously Significant changes in appearance that make you concerned about their health or wellbeing Being alert to elder abuse is always important especially now in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Three pandemic impacts that could exacerbate the risk of elder abuse are: ISOLATION Social and physical isolation can heighten the risk and severity of abuse, particularly in situations where older people are living with someone who may behave abusively. The abuser may be spending more time at home and it could be difficult for the victim to tell others about the abuse, seek help or remove themselves from abusive situations. Isolation may also mean that older people are more dependent on others for obtaining essential things such as groceries and medications. They may hand over their bank cards and pin numbers for these purchases to other people who take advantage of the situation. And the concerning thing is that if family members and others are no longer visiting as much, and the older person is spending less time in the community, then elder abuse will be less visible and may continue or worsen as the perpetrator goes undetected. Thats why its important for us all to be alert to problem signs or situations at this time. FAMILY STRESS Families may be under more stress during the pandemic, due to financial issues, anxiety about health, and other worries. And with normal coping measures like exercise and socialising restricted, the risk of family conflict and elder abuse may rise. Physical abuse, for example, is usually more common where the perpetrator and victim live together and more time spent together is likely to increase the risk. If home care services have been postponed or reduced because of concerns about COVID-19, then a family member providing care for an older person might be required to take on more caring responsibilities potentially increasing the risk of carer stress and burnout, and resulting in neglect of the persons basic care needs, or other forms of abuse. FINANCIAL PRESSURES Loss of employment or reduced income due to the pandemic may result in greater financial dependence on older family members and greater risk of financial and other abuse. Perpetrators may threaten the older person, force them to hand over money or assets, use their finances without permission, or abuse them in some other way. Some perpetrators may even move in with their victim if they have lost their job, further increasing the risk of abuse. HOW TO HELP If you suspect that an older person in your life is being abused, the best option is to contact the Elder Abuse Helpline on 1300 651 192, for specialised advice and assistance. Helpline staff can advise about prevention strategies and support services that best suit the persons situation and needs. However, these are some general questions to consider if you suspect abuse is occurring and are concerned about someones safety: Is there a safe place that the older person can go to avoid the abuse does their bedroom or another room have a lock? Is there somewhere they can go and stay? Can they contact someone do they have access to a mobile phone or medical alerting device? Do they know who to call and have the phone numbers saved into their phone? Have they spoken to someone they trust and disclosed the abuse, and enlisted support? Do they need a codeword or phrase? Can someone regularly check on them? Could they speak to their neighbour/s and ask them to contact the police if they hear or see the abuse? If they need groceries or medication, is there someone who can get these for them to reduce dependence on perpetrators? If you witness violence, or are worried the older person is at immediate risk, call the police immediately on triple zero (000). Can Chicago recover quickly? Downtown and bustling North Side areas surely will, but parts of the rest of the city will need concentrated, consistent attention. They did before. They especially do now. Chronic gun violence in some neighborhoods is one obstacle. Then months of businesses shut down due to the coronavirus. Add a weekend of mass destruction, and will business owners reinvest? Or bolt? Defense Secretary Mark Esper told the nation's governors they should use thousands of National Guard forces to 'dominate the battle-space' on a call where the President Trump told them they would look like 'fools' otherwise. Esper pressed governors on the call Monday morning to dramatically increase the use of National Guard troops on the streets, after the president scolded them, saying they would have to 'dominate or you'll look like a bunch of jerks. 'At my urging, I agree we need to dominate the battle-space,' Esper told the governors, who assembled on a conference call. 'We need to dominate the battle-space,' Defense Secretary Mark Esper told governors on a conference call with President Trump Monday He told them only 17,000 National Guard forces had been deployed and said only two jurisdictions had more than 1,000 in place. The White House later reinforced the point by saying hundreds of thousands of troops were available. 'We have deep resources in the Guard,' he said. 'I stand ready, the chairman [of the joint chiefs' stands ready, the head of the National Guard stands ready to fully support you in terms of helping to mobilize the Guard,' he said. 'Most of the guard is not being called up. There's only a few states, I count two states where more than 1,000 troops have been called up,' said Esper, who succeeded Defense Secretary Jim Mattis after officials including himself held the post in an acting capacity. 'There will be a central command center in conjunction with state and local governments,' said White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, when asked about Trump's statement he would put Gen. Mark Milley in charge of the response White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the president wants governors to call up more National Guard troops Members of the District of Columbia National Guard ride in a vehicle on West Executive Avenue next to the White House, Monday, June 1, 2020, in Washington, as protesters over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis, demonstrate nearby Military vehicles carrying National Guard personnel drive along West Executive Drive, following national protests against the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 1, 2020 Trucks transport District of Columbia National Guard troops along Pennsylvania Avenue in support of law enforcement officers that are keeping demonstrators away from the White House June 01, 2020 in Washington, DC California National Guard soldiers stand guard outside a bike center during nationwide unrest following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, amid the global novel coronavirus outbreak in Santa Monica, California, U.S., June 1, 2020 A member of the National Guard stands at the entrance to the Santa Monica Pier, the morning after rioting and looting caused widespread damage, on June 1, 2020 in Santa Monica, California People, who gathered to protest the death of George Floyd, face off with Metropolitan Police District officers near the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 31 May 2020 Violent protesters surrounded the White House for a fourth day on Sunday and it was revealed that Donald Trump was taken, for a short period of time, to the bunker in the residence on Friday and has expressed he is concerned for his safety 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 'I think the sooner that you mass and dominate the battle space, the quicker this dissipates and we can get back to the right normal,' he told them. He spoke after another night of angry street clashes that began with protests over the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis polis. Trump jumped back on after Esper spoke and said Guard forces want to 'fight for the country.' 'I don't know what it is politically when you don't want to call out people,' Trump groused. 'They are ready willing and able. They want to fight for the country,' he said. He told governors: 'We're waiting for you. We're shocked at certain areas LA,' he said, calling out the California metropolis that feature clashes between protesters and police. 'You're not calling them up. I don't know. But you're making a mistake because you're making yourself look like fools,' he told them, according to an audio obtained by the Washington Post. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany drove home the point at a White House press briefing, where she said Guard troops were deployed in 24 states, with a total of 350,000 troops available 'overall and for the lawlessness we are seeing, far more needs to be done.' 'More needs to be done. Governors across the country must act, deploy the National Guard as is fit, and protect communities,' she said. She pointed to police lines that have clashed with demonstrators, and repeatedly brought up looting and window-smashing in the area just around the White House. 'Those lines have been overwhelmed by massive protests that have turned into riots. ... When those are overwhelmed, law enforcement gets on the defense. So what the president has said is he wants to dominate the streets with national guard, with a police presence,' she said. She got asked about Trump's statement that he would but Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley in charge of the response. 'There will be assets to put across the nation. There will be a central command center in conjunction with state and local governments that will include general Milley and Attorney General Barr,' she said. The federal Posse Comitatus statute prohibits the use of the Army and the Navy as a force inside the country. She cited the Insurrection act, which was amended in 2006 and allows the president to use the guard to 'suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy if such insurrection, violation, combination, or conspiracy results in a condition' that 'hinders the execution of the laws of a State.' Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a statement blasting the call, which she called 'deeply disturbing.' 'I do not know why governor Whitmer would be dismayed at the president telling governors to do their job,' McEnany responded when DailyMail.com asked her about the comment at Monday's White House press briefing. 'It is their responsibility to police their streets. They have the police power embedded in the Constitution. They have quite clearly, many of them, failed to do their job,' she said. 'It has gotten to the point where today, the president has said enough is enough. There are tools we can use. Namely deploying the National Guard, namely. Many others the Insurrection Act,' she said, referencing another authority she got asked about. 'That is one of the tools available. Whether the president decides to do that, that is his prerogative. Right now, we are focusing on the National Guard,' she said. 'That's where it currently stands. She said Trump was 'encouraging the governors to up those levels' and said there would be 'additional federal assets deployed across the nation.' She called out the differences between peaceful protests and violent protesters, and provided an unusual coda to the White House briefing by playing video of scenes where law enforcement forged bonds with peaceful protesters. Whitmer said in a blistering statement: 'Instead of offering support or leadership to bring down the temperature at protests, President Trump told governors to 'put it down' or we would be 'overridden.' He said governors should 'dominate' protesters, 'or you'll look like a bunch of jerks.' The president repeatedly and viciously attacked governors, who are doing everything they can to keep the peace while fighting a once-in-a-generation global pandemic.' Jade Thirlwall has said she refused to talk about her mixed-race heritage after joining Little Mix because she subconsciously feared not being as popular. The 27-year-old pop stars maternal grandfather is from Yemen and her maternal grandmother is from Egypt, while her father is white. Thirlwall, from South Shields in Tyne and Wear, said she had felt ashamed of her background but now realised she had been uneducated about race issues. Expand Close Little Mix on stage (Peter Byrne/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Little Mix on stage (Peter Byrne/PA) Appearing on the No Country For Young Women podcast, she said: I think because I was bullied quite badly in school because of the colour of my skin and for being Arab I wasnt very proud of who I was. I think when I then entered the group I subconsciously didnt want to talk about my heritage or what my background was in fear of not being as popular, which sounds awful to say but I was only 18 years old and through years of being ashamed of who I was I found it quite hard to talk about it. I think it was through a lack of education as well. Even now I am constantly learning what the right things are to say and I would hate to talk about my race and my heritage and not say the right things. Expand Close Jade Thirlwall was bullied at school because of her ethnicity (Ian West/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jade Thirlwall was bullied at school because of her ethnicity (Ian West/PA) Thirlwall also detailed the abuse she suffered from other pupils at school. I think it is a lack of education, she said. Video of the Day Where I am from, if you werent evidently black you were literally put in a bracket of being called the p-word. When I was at school if I was ever bullied for the colour of my skin Id get so confused as Id be like, well Im not from Pakistan. I remember one time I got pinned down in the toilets and they put a bindi spot on my forehead, it was horrific. Expand Close Jade Thirlwalls maternal grandfather is from Yemen and her maternal grandmother is from Egypt (Ian West/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jade Thirlwalls maternal grandfather is from Yemen and her maternal grandmother is from Egypt (Ian West/PA) Thirlwall later attended a Catholic secondary school with a majority of white students, where she struggled to fit in. She said: When I went to secondary school I was literally one of three people of colour in the school. It was a very predominately white Catholic school. I went through a lot in the first two years of secondary school. It was known as a really good school and my mam wanted me to have a really good education. In hindsight I probably would have just rather gone to school were I would fit in more. She added: I have constantly had this inner battle of not really having who I am or where I fit in or what community I fit into. Some of the things I think about that I can laugh about now are just so crazy. I used to be in an amateur operatic society, they would literally put white powder on my face to whiten me on stage. Even now me and my mum will talk about it and well be like, That was f****** mental. We never really understood what was going on at the time. Little Mix Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Perrie Edwards and Thirlwall were among the numerous artists forced to cancel summer tour dates due to the coronavirus pandemic. No Country For Young Women is available now on BBC Sounds. The Police Force Headquarters in Abuja has deployed additional homicide personnel to Edo State to speed up the manhunt for those responsible for the fatal attack on a university student in Benin. Inspector-General Muhammad Adamu despatched the homicide detectives on Monday morning to complement existing manpower at the states police commander, chief police spokesperson Frank Mba said, in a statement Monday afternoon. The number of additional officers being sent to Edo State was not disclosed in the statement, and Mr Mba did not immediately return a request seeking clarification. Vera Omosuwa, a microbiology sophomore at the University of Benin, died on May 30 after suffering a gruesome assault from unknown assailants, police said. She was studying at a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God near Ikpoba Hill when she was raped and brutalised on May 27, the police said in a statement citing initial complaints from her father. The 23-year-old passed on at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital after doctors tried unsuccessfully to save her. Officers who visited the scene of the attack took photographs, fingerprints and other materials that may aid in their investigation. Ms Omosuwas death sparked yet another cycle of uproar amongst rights activists who decried rising cases of rape and other violent crimes against women. The countrys feeble criminal justice system and limited investigative capacity of law enforcement have not helped the efforts to curb the menace, with many on social media suggesting perpetrators now appeared perpetually emboldened. Although Mr Mba did not acknowledge a pattern of violence against women in his Monday afternoon statement, he assured that justice would be promptly and adequately served in the murder of Ms Omosuwa. The Force will surely bring the perpetrators of the callous act to book in the shortest possible time, he said. The COVID-19 lockdown in Himachal Pradesh has been extended till June 30 with more relaxations such as opening of religious places, hotels and plying of inter-state buses services, according to a government notification issued on Sunday. The district magistrates of Hamirpur and Solan already issued orders on May 25 extending the curfew in their areas up to June 30. Relaxation in curfew has been extended and it would be from 6 am to 8 pm, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Sunday during a video conferencing with deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and chief medical officers . In a five-page notification, Chief Secretary Anil Khachi said the lockdown has been extended with more relaxations on the directions of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the chairperson of national executive committee (NEC). Religious places and shrines will be open for locals of Himachal Pradesh following necessary standard operating procedures, the notification stated. Hotels will be opened for use of guests for non-tourism purposes such as housing of people visiting the state for official, business purposes only, it said. The chief secretary stated the natives of Himachal Pradesh can stay in hotels but tourists from other states would not be entertained till further orders. Similarly, restaurants and dhabas can serve food by operating at 60 per cent of their seating capacity and in accordance with SOPs to be issued by department of tourism, he said, adding HRTC and private buses will be allowed to operate with maximum 60 per cent capacity. However, movement of people will remain strictly prohibited from 8 pm to 6 am throughout the state, the chief secretary stated in the notification. Meanwhile, director of higher education Amarjeet Kumar Sharma said vacation in state-run schools has been extended up to June 15. Chief Minister Thakur said over 1.60 lakh natives of Himachal Pradesh stranded in various parts of the country have reached the state. Inter-district movement of the people would be allowed without any pass. But permits would be required for inter-state movement, he said, adding people coming from other parts of the country would be quarantined. Those coming from red zones will be institutionally quarantine and others home quarantined, the chief minister added. Also read: Lockdown 5.0 begins today: All you need to know about state-wise rules, guidelines Also read: Coronavirus Live Updates: Biggest spike of 8,392 cases in 24 hours; COVID-19 tally surges to 1.9 lakh African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat The following is a declaration of African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat on the occasion of Africa Day on May 25. ED. My African brothers and sisters, Today we commemorate the establishment, on May 25, 1963, here in Addis Ababa, of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). It will be exactly 57 years to the day. This date, which is considered as Africa Day, is, like all important celebrations, a moment not only of joy, but also of pride, reflection and meditation. 57 years ago, Africa laid the foundations for its unity that had been undermined by colonization, by establishing a common organization, the OAU, which became the African Union in 2002. Fifth-seven years after this founding act, Africa liberated itself from the colonial presence and from apartheid. It initiated its political unity, and made significant economic, social and cultural progress. However, such progress cannot conceal the sometimes flagrant shortcomings and delays. We are constantly plagued, not without anguish, by many questions. Has Africa become the continent of freedom, peace, prosperity, and success that our Founding Fathers dreamt of? Are Africans united, interdependent and thriving? Has Africa gained a place commensurate with its immense potential and legitimate ambition in the international arena? The scorecard of the continent's half a century of independence and freedom leaves one in doubt. In spite of its huge economic potential, and its rich, young and dynamic human capital, most African states have difficulties in ensuring the welfare of their populations. Key sectors such as education, health and security are largely dependent on foreign aid. Communitarianism and tribalism have become more marked due to multiparty systems and democratic principles that have oftentimes been perverted. Ranging from open crises, caused by terrorism and inter-tribal or inter-religious conflicts to post-electoral crises, Africa is constantly beset, here and there, by scenes of violence, fragility and uncertainty over the future. As chairperson of the African Union Commission, one of whose key commitments is to silence the guns on the continent, I am deeply touched by the sight of the current events in Libya, one of the founding members of the OAU, and the principal initiator and proponent of the African Union. The tragedy being played out in this country is of profound concern to us all. No-one is blameless in the failure, neither is any segment of the international community, which has a great responsibility in the persistence or even escalation of the conflict. My African brothers and sisters, Friends of Africa worldwide, Against this mixed backdrop, there are some glimmers of hope, insofar as there is great determination to overcome the odds, and immense resources to break the cycle of dependency and poverty. Positive developments and new impetus, as well as fierce determination, and spectacular results, have continued to emerge and pave the way forward. Regional organizations are being established, while continental flagship projects such as the AfCFTA are on the right track. The continent's economic integration, another founding aspiration of our peoples, is now within reach. The emergence of the continent is certainly feasible. However, the ardent wish of the peoples of Africa, particularly the youth, is that leadership and governance invest greater efforts to ensure that Africa gives and avails itself of its best. A more Africanist vision of this leadership, focusing on common and binding strategic objectives, will be required if we are to pursue the legitimate aspirations of our youth and our Founding Fathers. The reform of the African Union is intended to provide the commission with appropriate legal and policy resources to become an effective instrument for the achievement of priority actions, the essence of which is reflected in Agenda 2063. Our common ambition, that of our leaders and hundreds of millions of Africans, is to advance with greater force and resolve towards this horizon. Brothers and sisters of the continent, The coronavirus pandemic currently ravaging the entire world as has rarely been seen, has destroyed certainties, undermined assurances, and shattered most of our beliefs. Never before has humanity appeared so fragile and impotent. Perhaps the time has come for humanity to reflect on its vanities and limitations, in order to re-think universal civilization. Right from the onset the pandemic, much to the surprise of those who have always belittled the continent, Africa mobilized itself. A continental response strategy was developed and implemented promptly. I would like to pay a well-deserved tribute to the specialized organs of the Union in charge of this implementation, as well as to the current chairperson of our union, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, for the pertinent initiatives taken. My tribute also goes to all our member states, which in a remarkable manner, promptly took appropriate measures, consistent with the continental strategy. We should however redouble efforts, determination and perseverance in strictly implementing the pillars of the strategy. We should go beyond the present situation, by preparing for post-pandemic conditions in the world. There is an urgent need for Africa to develop new forms of resilience. In a world in which multilateralism is sorely tested, Africa must stop expecting solutions from others. Africa should no longer be satisfied with this role of never-ending reservoir for some, and dumping ground for others. There is an urgent need for Africa to chart its own course. Its food dependency and insecurity are unacceptable and intolerable, as is the state of its road, port, health and educational infrastructure. Africa's land, forests, rich fauna, mines, energy potential, and maritime and inland waterways, hold the necessary resources to provide an adequate response to the needs of its peoples. We should, in full lucidity, boldly opt for an innovative approach that is inward-looking rather than outward-looking. Let us live on what we have, using what we have, in other words let us live within our means! As we embark on this path, our leaders will be closer to our citizens, and our nations will become stronger. In my opinion, this inward-looking and self-reliance approach, will be a catalyst for the renaissance of our nations. It is only when they are tested, that nations and states truly emerge. We are now at that point in history. The COVID-19 pandemic brutally reminds us of a major issue, which is the imperative need to put a stop to dependency on the exterior. This can be achieved through the twofold objective of living on our own resources, and resolutely focusing on our industrialization process. Other entities with less resource than we have, were able to achieve this in record time. I strongly urge women, youth, intellectuals, academics, politicians, entrepreneurs, and civil society activists, to engage in fruitful and active discussions on the issue, which is key to our material survival, our independence, our freedom and our dignity. The only way to contain COVID-19 and its disastrous effects, is to ensure our food sufficiency, create millions of jobs, and save hundreds of millions of African citizens, who are currently seriously exposed to pandemics and various other hazards. This entails a real outpouring of solidarity for a truly strong and lasting African resilience. There is no nobler manner of celebrating Africa Day than by initiating this intellectual, moral and political venture, which is essential for the genuine renaissance of our dear continent. God bless Africa. There is no draft resolution in connection with resolving the crisis of the Constitutional Court (CC). Lilit Makunts, the head of the majority My Step faction in Armenias legislature, stated this Monday during a briefing with journalists in the National Assembly. "You know that the Ministry of Justice has addressed [respective] inquiries to the Venice Commission, after receiving feedback from where, the My Step faction will discuss proceed with which option. We do not rule out that we will proceed with the very option that is being circulated," she added. To note, the authorities are considering the option according to which, the serving CC judges who have been in office for more than 12 years shall resign, new judges shall be elected, after which a CC President shall be elected. In the case of this model, although Hrayr Tovmasyan will be deprived of his current post of CC President, he will remain a judge of the CC, as he became a member of the Constitutional Court only in 2018. The Delhi government will launch a special programme later this week to bring together job seekers and prospective employers in the city to generate more employment opportunities in wake of the coronavirus lockdown, an official said on Monday. According to the official, the AAP government will soon come out with a slew of reforms to revive the national capital's economy which has been adversely affected due to the coronavirus lockdown which has been in place for more than two months. Last month, Lt Governor Anil Baijal had written to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, suggesting ... GRAND RAPIDS, MI The Rev. Mariela Perez-Simons is the new senior minister of Fountain Street Church, officials announced Monday, June 1. Perez-Simons, born in Cuba, makes history as the first woman and person of color to serve in that role at the church founded in 1869. An ordained Unitarian Universalist minister, she most recently served as an intern minister at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Tulsa, Okla. The church has the largest Unitarian Universalist congregation in the world. Perez-Simons gained attention in Tulsa, where she grew a following of people who were drawn to her charismatic preaching style, intellect, sensitivity and openness, according to the press release about her appointment. A search committee chose her as their 11th senior minister, following a national search. On Sunday, Fountain Street members affirmed the nomination. She succeeds the Rev. Frederick Wooden, who retired in April after 15 years as in the position. There is a place for the liberal church in America churches that provide a place to ask questions, Perez-Simons said in a statement. I believe our tradition is enriched by our theological diversity. We draw from many sources because theres wisdom in each of them to help give meaning and purpose to our lives and to live our values in the world. Officials describe Fountain Street Church, located at 24 Fountain St., as a 150-year-old liberal, non-denominational congregation. The Rev. Christopher Roe, minister for spiritual life and learning at Fountain Street Church, believes Perez-Simons will inspire members of the church as well as the surrounding community. Mariela brings with her an awareness and a social competency that our congregation is craving, a sense of collegiality and collaboration that I have been praying for in a colleague, and a commitment to justice, the community, and diversity that 2020 and beyond demands of us all, Roe said in a statement. Perez-Simons is married to Dean Perez-Simons. They have two children, Christopher, 24, and Lucia (Lulu), 13. She said her family contemplated other offers but felt Fountain Street was a good fit. I like that Fountain Street is an urban church. I need a big space, and a church that is open to possibilities and wants to grow with me: in health, in vitality, in enthusiasm, in diversity and in numbers,'' she said. She and her family entered the U.S. in 1995 as asylum seekers. Over the next two decades, she earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Writing and Literature from Bennington College in Vermont and built a successful web design and photography firm, according to the news release. She previously earned a bachelors degree from Instituto Superior Pedagogico in Havana in elementary education. This spring, Perez-Simons received a a Master of Divinity from Chicagos Meadville Lombard Seminary. Elias Ortega-Aponte, president of Meadville Lombard Theological School, recommended her to Fountain Street. More information about Rev. Perez-Simons is available at marielaperezsimons.com. More information about the church available at fountainstreet.org. More on MLive: Businesses grapple with reopening following Teen faces felony rioting charge in Grand Rapids violent weekend Whats allowed to reopen in Michigan and what isnt? Michigan now has more than 38,000 coronavirus recoveries Australian troops and US Marines listen as then-US President Barack Obama delivers an address at RAAF Base Darwin on November 17, 2011. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) US Marines to Arrive in Northern Territory This Week The Northern Territory will once again see a rotation of United States Marines despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The first of about 1200 U.S. Marines will arrive in Darwin for joint exercises this week as part of a near decade-long arrangement that has been delayed for two months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the risk of re-introducing COVID-19 to the Top End, which was declared free of the disease nearly a fortnight ago and not had any locally diagnosed cases for eight weeks, Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said in early May the six-month rotation would go ahead. Northern Territory Health Minister Natasha Fyles said strict guidelines had been placed on the rotation with all Marines to quarantine for 14 days on a military base when they arrive in Darwin. There is a very, very low risk to the community, she told reporters. Each Marine will be screened four days before departure, screened and tested upon arrival in Australia and at the end of the quarantine period. Rotation numbers had been reduced to 1200 with troops coming in smaller groups during June and July and will stay in Australia until September. The Northern Territorys last two cases of COVID-19 were two defence force members who contracted it in the Middle East and who flew back to Darwin to recover in hospital. The first U.S. service member to test positive was based in South Korea. He had recovered and was released in mid-April after 49 days in isolation. The 2019 rotation consisted of 2500 U.S. Marines and a range of aircraft and other equipment. By Greg Roberts From the Genesis Church in South Sacramento, California Gov. Gavin Newsom delivered a sober message regarding the demonstrations unfolding in California over the death of George Floyd. "The black community is not responsible for what is happening in this country right now. We are," Newsom said. "Let's just call that out. Our institutions are accountable. We have a unique responsibility to the black community in this country, and we've been paying lip service about that for generations." Newsom applauded people engaging in peaceful protests and said our country needs to listen to their messages. "To those of you out there protesting, I want you to know you matter I care we care," he said. "I want you to know I have a unique responsibility to prove that to you." Newsom later said, "We better start listening. We better start hearing people. We better own it, live up to our responsibility. We are our behaviors. Each of us has an obligation to do more, to do better." Looting and violent acts against others "has no place in this state or this nation," Newsom said, regarding people who are taking the protests to an unsafe extreme. The governor said these people are "exploiting the moment" and the nation needs to address the issues that are propelling the violence. More than 4,500 members of the National Guard have been called on to help jurisdictions ensure the safety of communities during protests, Newsom said. The California Highway Patrol is also assisting with efforts. While many cities around the state implemented curfews to step protests from escalating, Newsom said there aren't any plans for a statewide curfew as conditions vary widely from place to place. Genesis Church Pastor Tecoy Porter introduced the governor and described the current situation as a "pandemic on top of a pandemic." Porter said one pandemic is the coronavirus and the other is racism. Newsom also acknowledged the protests are triggered by deep-rooted racism in the country that needs to be addressed. "There is a stain in the history of this country we have concealed and its showing its head because we have never healed," said Newsom, adding the stain is racism. Demonstrations have unfolded across California in recent days with some of the most widespread racial unrest errupting in the U.S. since the 1960s. The protests are spurred by the killing of George Floyd by a policeman in Minneapolis on May 25 and demonstrators have taken to the streets to decry the killings of black people by police. Amy Graff is a digital editor at SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com. A meeting at Western Sydney University last Friday was a case study in the industrial policing role of trade unions. It displayed their anti-democratic methods and desperation to suppress resistance by workers to the slashing of jobs, wages and conditions via the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite outraged opposition, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) pushed through a vote for a pay-cutting Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the management. It did so by a combination of preventing genuine discussion, refusing to circulate opposing resolutions, backing management threats and making totally misleading statements about the contents of the MOU. The meeting was called just a week after the NTEU abandoned a national COVID-19 framework deal with the employers, fearing a growing revolt by university workers and the defeat of its plan in a plebiscite of members. Two months of backroom talks, in which the union volunteered wage cuts of up to 15 percent, had produced widespread hostility. Last Fridays events at Western Sydney confirmed the warning issued by the WSWS that despite its debacle the union will intensify its collaboration with individual managements to seek to impose deep cuts to jobs, wages and conditions. For weeks, the NTEUs branch committee backed the unions national negotiations. But a branch membership meeting on May 22 voted by 143 to 21 to defeat its call to endorse the National Jobs Protection Framework. The NTEU then rapidly finalised, together with the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), an MOU with the Western Sydney management to achieve much the same result, albeit with smaller pay cuts. The purpose of the MOU was summed up in its preamble. Recognising the financial strain placed upon the University by the impacts of Covid19, the document committed the unions to supporting measures to protect the financial security of the institution and the employment security of University staff. In other words, the NTEU and CPSU, which covers some professional staff, agreed to impose cost-cutting measures on their members, while pretending this would enhance employment security. The MOU does nothing to protect any employee. It agrees to pay cuts over the next six months via the purchase by staff of up to eight extra leave days and to forced leave-taking during specified periods. The document commits the management to nothing in return, just no forced redundancies for COVID reasons in 2020 and no stand-downs without pay during 2020. This does not prevent the management from eliminating jobs for other reasons, such as course closures or restructurings, or from standing down workers on part-pay. It has an even freer hand for 2021 and beyond, when greater revenue losses are expected. For those on limited-term contracts, the MOU explicitly states: In consultation with unions, the University reserves the right not to continue fixed term employment contracts where the work in which they are engaged is not available. There is no ban on increasing academic or administrative workloads, which has already taken place. In some instances, staff members have had their workloads virtually doubled. There is a vague promise to retain the overall budget for casual workers at the same level as March 2020, but many casuals will not be employed in the coming second semester, because full-time staff have been asked to work over load. Despite the earlier vote to reject the NTEUs national framework, the document specifies that the managements actions will be consistent with the national Framework. A revised version of the MOU was circulated to NTEU members just an hour before last Fridays meeting, giving them no time to properly review it. Throughout the meeting, the union sought to prevent any genuine debate. No opposing motions, including one submitted in advance by Socialist Equality Party member Mike Head, were circulated or permitted to be put. A vote was set for 12.10, just 40 minutes after the meeting began. A motion to halt the vote for a week to allow members to study the MOU was brushed aside, despite angry protests. Then followed a filibustering report by the branch president, David Burchell, designed to ensure that virtually no time was left for debate. Burchell falsely claimed that the MOU would ensure job security for almost everyone, and insisted that it would protect casuals in particular. The branch president declared repeatedly that the vote had to be taken, or the management would put the MOU to a postal ballot on its own. Thus, he lined up behind the managements intimidation. Eventually, a few speakers were allowed two minutes each. Opposing the MOU, Head said it was another version of the national deal that members had overwhelmingly rejected. The SEP member emphasised the globally worsening pandemic and the universal drive to make the working class bear its burden, enforced by all the unions. He explained that the pandemic was a product of the conditions created by global capitalism and was being worsened by profit-driven government responses. That was why an alternative anti-capitalist, that is socialist, perspective was necessary. Head urged the formation of rank-and-file action committees of tertiary education workers and studentsindependent of the NTEU, governments and employers. He said these were essential to (1) organise a nationwide, unified struggle to defend all jobs and basic rights, (2) protect university staff from unsafe COVID-19 conditions and (3) link up with workers internationally who are facing similar critical struggles against the impact of the worsening global crisis. After the severely truncated debate, 80 percent of the 223 participants reportedly voted yes. This primarily represents a relatively small layer of union supporters, compared to the 3,500 or so full-time staff at the university, plus thousands more casuals. The management will now put the MOU to a ballot of all staff, both academic and professional. Staff members need to carefully study the MOU and vote no. That is a first step in fighting back against the mounting attack on pay, jobs and conditions taking place across the country. Encouraged by the NTEUs role in blocking resistance while the union engaged in lengthy talks with the employers, managements everywhere have gone on the offensive, including by announcing hundreds of job losses. The NTEUs anti-democratic methods are not new. By such means, the NTEU has imposed regressive workplace agreements for decades. These have helped successive governments, both Liberal-National and Labor, to transform universities into businesses servicing the needs of the ruling financial elite. The bitter experience at Western Sydney shows that the NTEU will stop at nothing to satisfy the employers and retain its enforcement role. To fight this assault, there is an urgent necessity to build genuine working class organisationsrank-and-file committees. This means turning to a socialist perspective, based on the total reorganisation of society in the interests of all, instead of the financial oligarchy. All those who want to take forward this fight should contact the Committee For Public Education, established by the SEP. Email: cfpe.aus@gmail.com CFPE Facebook Twitter account @CFPE_Australia Saudi Arabia unveiled a $13.3 billion stimulus package to protect banks against an expected drop in profits and rise in bad loans as they confront the double whammy of the coronavirus shock and lower oil prices. The move by the central bank, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, will help lenders amend and restructure loans, without additional fees, and support private sector employment and credit. It follows a 50-billion-riyal ($13.3 billion) program in March to help banks provide loans to businesses so companies didn't have to cut jobs. Saudi Arabia's non-oil economy is expected to contract for the first time in over 30 years. Lenders in the world's largest oil exporter -- already dealing with a fragile economy before this year's crisis -- are expected to be hit hard as lockdown measures and lower government spending impact earnings and increase defaults. Central banks around the world in recent months have unveiled emergency stimulus packages after the pandemic forced authorities to restrict international travel and shut down large parts of their economies. Turkey unveiled its most expansive credit incentive scheme in four years to help the economy, with the nation's three largest state-owned banks offering mortgages, loans for used cars, credit for home appliances, holiday packages and other products. Saudi Arabia's injection "shows that SAMA is committed to support the sector beyond SMEs in this unprecedented crisis," said Edmond Christou, a banking analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. "This is likely to boost liquidity at no cost and mitigate part of the pressure on banks from relief repayments or debt restructuring to sectors beyond SMEs." Dollar-forwards for the Saudi riyal fell, with 12-month forwards dropping to 94, from 107.5 on Friday, the lowest since April 15, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The kingdom's dollar-denominated bonds strengthened for the first time in four days. The yield on the debt due 2060 fell 4 basis points to 3.96%. The Tadawul Banks Index, composed of 11 Saudi lenders, rose as much as 0.9%, while the broader gauge in Riyadh climbed as much as 0.8%. On top of the stimulus package, the gauges were helped by a 7% increae in crude. Banks in the kingdom have so far been able to avoid liquidity issues. The statutory loan-to-deposit ratio fell to 78.5% at the end of April, partly due to the slowdown in new lending. The measures are "helpful" but "irrelevant" for most companies, Tarek Fadlallah, head of Nomura Asset Management's Middle East unit, said on Twitter. The government is looking to its largest-ever debt program to keep the depletion of reserves limited to 120 billion riyals, as originally planned in the budget. The kingdom has also turned to austerity measures and tripled the value-added tax in an attempt to cope with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the oil-price rout, which has cut deeply into government revenue for the kingdom. At the same time, officials say they're seizing investment opportunities abroad. In the first quarter of this year, the Public Investment Fund -- Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund -- went on a stock buying spree, investing billions of dollars in companies like cruise operator Carnival, BP Plc, Boeing Co., Citigroup Inc. and Facebook Inc. In a statement over the weekend, Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan said the government had transferred around $40 billion from the central bank's foreign currency reserves to the sovereign fund in March and April to enable it to take advantage of recent market turmoil. Saudi Arabia's fiscal deficit this year is set to widen to nearly 13% of gross domestic product, according to the International Monetary Fund. Gross official reserves are set to drop to around $456 billion this year, continuing the trend into 2021, when they're estimated to reach just over $409 billion, IMF projections show. At the end of April, the central bank's net foreign assets stood at $443 billion. - - - Bloomberg's Filipe Pacheco and Netty Ismail contributed to this report. Sources said the government is looking at several complaints filed by the notified associates flagging the names of hundreds of such certification firms that are operating without experts, experienced auditors and office address. New Delhi: With demands for Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), masks and gloves mounting each day to protect frontline workers and others involved in the fight against highly contagious coronavirus, the unauthentic certification firms have popped across the country to make quick money. According to the experts, many of these fly-by-night operators distributing certificates for meagre Rs 5, 000-10,000, are neither by National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB), an organisation working under the aegis of Quality Council of India nor registered with the drug controller under medical devices rules to carry out an audit of the manufacturing site. NABCB provides accreditation to certification and inspection bodies based on the assessment of their competence and in accordance with international standards and guidelines and those seeking to register with drug controller needs to have prior accreditation from NABCB. Sources said the government is looking at several complaints filed by the notified associates flagging the names of hundreds of such certification firms that are operating without experts, experienced auditors and office address. Some suppliers are flaunting ISO number to claim certification from US and Europe based accreditation bodies, operating as non-governmental organisations. Significantly, only 11 firms are NABCB accredited bodies and eight companies registered with drug controller are authorised to carry out an audit of medical device manufacturers. Anil Jauhri, former CEO of NABCB told Firstpost that these unauthentic PPE certification bodies are taking gullible buyers for a ride because these cannot be authenticated by a third party. Jauhri said those agencies directly buying from the manufacturer must examine if the certificate is issued by NABCB notified bodies because we are at least 18 months away from strict regulation for medical devices. We do not have regulation in force today to ensure standardization of medical devices. PPEs are also not regulated and for the next 18 months, we have to rely on the voluntary regime as far as quality is concerned. Now, in the absence of regulation, anything is selling in the market. A large number of certification bodies are distributing certificate, which is of no worth at all. That is why my suggestion is not to go for export of PPEs because we are not producing standard quality PPEs and we should not be branded with China for providing sub-standard PPEs, Jauhri said. "Secondly, the buyers need to be educated about the difference between bogus and genuine accreditation and the must-have tools to check whether they have been certified by NABCBs notified bodies. Also, in the absence of regulation, genuine manufacturers should go for Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) voluntary certification that would ensure quality PPEs and masks, he said. The medical devices which were earlier not defined have now been notified effective from 1 April 2020 but manufacturers have been given 18 months breather to meet the rules. Aradhana Mishra, senior general manager of MTIC INTERCERT, an European notified body for PPEs and medical devices, said many PPEs buyers purchasing directly from a small manufacturing unit doesnt even know if they have NABCB rating. She said Delhi has become a hub for phoney certification of PPEs and medical device and requires strict crackdown by the government. Some are even offering certification for Rs.5000. This is shocking because it simply means they are printing the name of suppliers on the certificate without actual audit etc. They will only be caught if exporting these materials on the basis of such a certificate because the lie will be called immediately by international accreditation bodies. We have been raising this issue and trying to create awareness in MSME meetings, Mishra said. Jauhri said in order to ensure the quality of PPEs, the procuring agencies must purchase it from manufacturers tested and certified which also includes nine authorised labs as recommended by textiles ministry. "Ministry of Textiles have done a commendable job in producing quality PPEs during the ongoing pandemic. The ministry not only eliminated our dependence on Chinese import but also put in place a mechanism to check the quality. Now, hospitals, government or private agencies must buy PPEs from manufacturers certified by these nine labs as suggested by the ministry, Jauhri said. Dr BK Rana, founding CEO of Quality and Accreditation Institute said the government has started enforcement measures and they have formed a group of experts from textiles and quality consultancy domain to run an awareness campaign for the users to spot a sub-standard PPE coverall and unauthentic certification. Rana said plethora of suspicious certification firms is sprouting just to make quick money taking advantage of this distressful situation. Many of these certification bodies registered in India or abroad are not illegal but at the same time, they are not recognised by international standard organisations. We have struggled with this issue for the last two months and now putting a mechanism in place to check suspicious certificates and poor quality PPEs. Even for the gloves that doctors wear, we have noticed some manufacturers have used cheap material and after wearing it for an hour, the hand is turning white. So we have started an awareness campaign as well for the procurement agencies, Rana said. Soumik Mondal of SGS India, a notified body of NABCB said they are having a series of webinar with the government as well as industry experts to educate more people about PPEs certification. The big issue is legal vacuum and lack of awareness among procuring agencies, Mondal said. Jauhri also clarified that normally in no country there is a specific law to regulate the issue of certificates but in India, due to rampant abuse, there is need for a law to regulate both accreditation and conformity assessment bodies, which means labs, inspection bodies and certification bodies. Since there is no specific law, anyone can open a certification body or lab and issue certificate or report. We would not know if its competent or follows right process or method, Jauhri said further adding that many certification firms today are taking advantage of lack of regulatory mechanism. Steps to ensure standardisation In the absence of strict regulation, the BIS has relaxed testing norms for critical components for safety wear and have also allowed third-party testing certification for manufacturers, who lacks the in-house facilities. BIS is the national standard body of the country for the harmonious development of the activities of standardisation, marking and quality certification of goods. BIS has said that the latest move will boost the number of PPEs being manufactured every day in the country. It said the norms have been relaxed to enable more manufacturers to be brought in the ambit of BIS product certification scheme, which will, in turn, result in a greater quantity of BIS certified PPEs being made available to the users. The details of new norms reviewed by Firstpost for three components filter half masks, surgical face masks and eye protectors reveals the testing procedures though relaxed will ensure that products are certified by a notified body and accredited lab, approved by the government. The experts believe this move will have twin advantage -- help small manufacturing sector and bring more manufacturers under the ambit of standard. For face masks, BIS has approved sub-contracting for tests with enough safeguards. As per the new guidelines, the lab must be recognised by the BIS or it should be a government lab empanelled by the BIS. Conformity of the materials to the requirements of the standard may be established either through the supplier/manufacturers test certificate or test report issued by BIS lab/BIS recognised Lab/BIS Empanelled Lab or through in-house testing, BIS guidelines for masks manufacturers said. For the manufacturing of Eye Protectors, BIS said if the testing of sample is done at the factory of a BIS licensee, it will be conducted under supervision of a BIS certification officer. Rajiv Nath, forum coordinator of Association of Indian Medical Device Industry said this relaxation was sought for N95, three-layer surgical mask and eye protectors (goggles) to enable a larger pool of compliant manufacturers so that non-licensed manufacturers could use the facility of the licensed manufacturer as cost of test equipment like for three-layer surgical mask manufacturing is Rs 15-16 Lakh. The cost is quite prohibitive for an SME manufacturer and it takes time to set up. He also said for users who are dependent on HLL the move by BIS means access to a larger pool of indigenous manufacturers with lower prices than imports currently and for new manufacturers, it will ensure flexibility and ease of doing business. There is an acute shortage of goggles and also of masks. So by sharing of limited testing equipment and resources, we are trying to have more suppliers added to pool, Nath said. Joe Bidens search for a running mate could be reshaped by the police killing of George Floyd and the unrest it has ignited across the US, raising questions about contenders with law and order backgrounds and intensifying pressure on the presumptive Democratic nominee to select a black woman. Mr Biden, who has already pledged to pick a woman, has cast a wide net in his search. Some of the women on his list have drawn national praise amid the protests over Mr Floyds death, including Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who delivered an impassioned appeal for calm in her city on Friday night. But the outcry over police brutality against minorities has complicated the prospects of Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, who had a controversial record addressing police violence as a prosecutor in the city where Mr Floyd died. Mr Bidens choice of a running mate will be among the most consequential decisions he makes in the campaign, particularly given that the 77-year-old is already talking about himself as a transition candidate to a new generation of Democratic leaders as he prepares to duel with President Donald Trump for the keys to the White House. It is THAT feeling again. The one that makes me sick to my stomach and nudges me to hold my children close....And YES Ive felt it EACH time, at home and watching it from afar. I, too, am America. ~Langston Hughes #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/yw4PF5gRqc Keisha Lance Bottoms (@KeishaBottoms) May 27, 2020 His pick will also be viewed as a signal both of his values and who he believes should have representation at the highest level of the US government. Even before the outcry over Mr Floyds death, some Biden allies were already urging him to put a black woman on the ticket given the critical role African Americans played in his path to the Democratic nomination. Those calls have gotten louder in recent days. The more we see this level of hatred, the more I think its important to confront it with symbolic acts, including potentially the selection of an African American woman as vice president, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers and one of the labour leaders who has been asked for input by Mr Bidens team on the selection process. Ms Bottoms is one of several black women under consideration by Mr Bidens campaign. Expand Close Disorder in New York (Wong Maye-E (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Disorder in New York (Wong Maye-E (AP) Others Mr Biden is believed to be considering include California Senator Kamala Harris, Florida Representative Val Demings and Stacey Abrams, the Georgia Democrat and voting rights activist. Ms Demings did not answer directly when asked if the events of the past week increased pressure on Mr Biden to choose a black woman in an interview on Sunday. Well, weve never seen a black woman selected as a vice presidential candidate. But I think the American people want someone who cares about their issues and are willing to move the ball forward, Asked if she believes race should be left out of the conversation, she was careful to defer to Mr Biden. It doesnt really matter what I think, she said. What matters is what Americans think, and what Joe Biden thinks. Ms Demings, a former Orlando police chief, wrote a high-profile editorial on Friday challenging her former colleagues in law enforcement. As a former woman in blue, let me begin with my brothers and sisters in blue: What in the hell are you doing? Ms Demings wrote in The Washington Post. Politicians with law-and-order backgrounds have been viewed sceptically by some in the Democratic Party given the high-profile instances of police brutality against minorities and other inequities in the criminal justice system. Expand Close Stacey Abrams (Michael A. McCoy/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stacey Abrams (Michael A. McCoy/AP) In an interview on Sunday, Ms Demings defended herself and other potential contenders with such backgrounds, declaring youre either gonna be part of the problem or part of the solution. And I think the community wants people who understand the system from the inside out in order to bring real life necessary reforms, she said. Ms Harris faced criticism throughout her Democratic primary campaign for her record as a prosecutor and attorney general in California, when she resisted reforms that would have required her office to investigate killings by police and established statewide standards for body cameras. Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid suggested a resume as a prosecutor could be problematic for potential contenders. Prosecutors are not very popular, especially among young people now, he said. Ive got a granddaughter who is graduating from law school and she wants to be a public defender. She doesnt want to be a prosecutor. And I think a lot of younger people feel the same. New announcement: Attorney General @keithellison will be directly working with Hennepin County prosecutors to take on George Floyd murder case. Keith will bring his vast experience and an unending commitment to justice to the case. Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) June 1, 2020 Ms Klobuchar, who also sought the Democratic nomination, has faced questions about her eight years as prosecutor for Minnesotas largest county during the primary. Most of the more than two dozen people who died during police encounters in her tenure were people of colour, according to data compiled by Communities United Against Police Brutality and news articles reviewed by the AP. An officer involved in one of those past fatal incidents was Derek Chauvin, who was arrested and charged on Friday with Floyds murder. Since ending her campaign, Ms Klobuchar has emerged as a key Biden surrogate and some Democrats see her as a running mate who could help him appeal to some of the white, working-class voters who turned against the party in the 2016 election. Yet some Democrats say the renewed focus on police brutality could complicate her path. Expand Close Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (Ben Gray/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (Ben Gray/AP) This is very tough timing for her, said Representative James Clyburn, a top Biden ally. Ms Klobuchar has said that she is confident Biden will make the right choice and that she is not thinking about politics right now. Mr Biden has said he will announce a running mate by August 1, a timeline that leaves plenty of time for the national mood to shift again, particularly as the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic collapse pressed on. Those twin crises have already led to increased scrutiny for others in the mix to become Mr Bidens running mate. Expand Close Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer (AP) Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, a frequent Trump target during the pandemic for her resistance to lifting stay at home orders, faced questions after her husband allegedly tried to skip the queue with a dock company and get his boat in the water ahead of other patrons over Memorial Day weekend. And governor Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico was criticised by Republicans in her state following a report that she purchased jewellery from a local business just days after she ordered non-essential businesses to shut down and told residents to stay home. Former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, who was vetted as a potential vice presidential pick in 2004, said the scrutiny contenders are facing now has proliferated. The scrutiny compared to when I was vetted is so much more intense and potentially troublesome for a VP candidate, he said. Mr Bidens search process is still in a relatively early phase. A search committee has been meeting with power players on the left, with special attention to Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill and across organised labour. Mr Biden, who has largely been cloistered at his home in Delaware during the pandemic, would also like to conduct in person meetings with finalists. Its important for him to see the candidate, talk to the candidate, get body language from the candidate. And I dont mean one time. I think it needs to be several times, said Cedric Richmond, a Louisiana congressman and campaign co-chairman. Former police officer at center of Floyd case set to appear in court on June 8 Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged in connection with the death of George Floyd, is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing at 1:30 p.m. CT on June 8, according to the Hennepin County website. Chauvin was initially scheduled to appear in court on Monday but the appearance was later pushed back until June 8. The ex-officer has now been moved to a Minnesota Department of Corrections facility in Oak Park Heights, northeast of Minneapolis, partially due to the COVID-19 concerns. The former police officer, who knelt on Floyd's neck for minutes in Minneapolis, was arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, amid nationwide outrage following the 46-year-old black man's death. At least 40 cities have imposed curfews and National Guard troops have been deployed in 15 states and Washington, D.C. amid an array of race protests. Police have arrested at least 1,669 people in 22 cities in recent days with nearly a third in Los Angeles, according to the AP. A seven-year-old boy has become Britain's youngest drug dealer - but his age means he cannot be charged. West Yorkshire Police held the child with intent to supply an unnamed drug in 2019, but he could not be charged as he was under 10, which is the legal age of criminal responsibility. A poll of police forces by The Sun has revealed 2,380 under 17s were arrested in 36 constabularies across England and Wales. The number of under 17s being arrested rose last year, with a seven-year-old from West Yorkshire the youngest to be quizzed by police. File photo In 2018 the number children being arrested was just under 2,000. Last year London saw the highest number of arrests with 553 youths detained, including a 12-year-old who was suspected of dealing cocaine. Five 13-year-olds were suspected of dealing crack or heroin. County Lines gangs are being blamed for the sharp rise in young people being led into a life of crime. These gangs use children to transport drugs and commit other crimes across police and local authority boundaries, often exploiting vulnerable children by using peer pressure to coerce them. Anastasia De Waal, of childrens charity I Can Be, told The Sun: 'Were seeing a troubling trend. It is stealing childhoods, as well as all too often setting vulnerable youngsters up for years of criminality.' She believes the penalty for exploiting children for criminal gain should outweigh any benefit gangs may have by using them. Barnardo's added: 'Children who are dealing drugs have often been abused and exploited, and need safeguarding.' The director of the Newark Police Department, Anthony F. Ambrose, who is white, made a tactical decision not to position police officers in military-style gear along the route. And members of the Newark Community Street Team, an entity formed six years ago to de-escalate violence in the city, and other community groups were deployed throughout the crowd to try to isolate those intent on destruction. But in more than a dozen interviews, protesters and city leaders said it was the potent determination of predominantly young African-American members of the Newark community many of whom have had past run-ins with the police who stood in the way of widespread destruction. It was a combination of anarchists and opportunists waiting for a window to be broken so they could go in and grab something, said Aqeela Sherrills, the director of the 50-person street team. But I tell you: The community wasnt having it. At one point during the march, protesters lit an American flag on fire in the middle of Broad Street as a young man used a bat to strike a window of a Dunkin Donuts store, witnesses said. He hit the window one time and there was like 20 people standing in front of him, Mr. Sherrills said. As protesters whom he called provocateurs moved toward buildings owned by Prudential Financial, the citys most prominent business anchor, which has maintained a presence in Newark for 145 years, a similar standoff was defused, he said. James Wright Jr., a Newark resident and a student at Boston University, said he initially was not planning to march. But Mr. Wright, who is black, decided it was important to be heard. Flash Despite the ban of mass gatherings in Britain, thousands of people gathered Sunday in London and Manchester to protest over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man suffocated to death by a white police officer in the mid-western U.S. state of Minnesota on Monday. Chanting "no justice, no peace", the protesters gathered in London's landmark Trafalgar Square shortly after 1 p.m. (1200 GMT) before marching through Westminster to Downing Street. Videos posted on twitter showed people shouting "I can't breathe" on the square. Taking to their knee, they also chanted "George Floyd", as some of them held banners reading "Black Lives Matter". Protests were also held in Manchester and outside the U.S. embassy in London. Meanwhile, London's Metropolitan Police said on its twitter account that police are aware of demonstrators gathering outside the U.S. embassy. "Officers are on scene & engaging with those in attendance. An appropriate policing plan is in place," it added. Protesters continued to take to the streets on Saturday in at least 30 U.S. cities over the death of Floyd. As many as 25 cities across 16 U.S. states have imposed curfews while at least eight states and Washington D.C. have called on the National Guard to help respond to protests and unrest as of Saturday. Nearly 1,400 people have been arrested during the protests in 17 cities since Thursday, according to an AP tally, which added that the actual number is likely higher as protests continue on Saturday night. In Washington D.C. on Saturday, protesters gathered outside the White House for the second straight day, chanting "hands up, don't shoot" and "I can't breathe." Goodwill spreads as the partners donate GAC-made masks to local medical institutions GUANGZHOU, China, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The 550,000 masks that GAC Motor began shipping overseas in early April have arrived in 26 countries for local employees, distribution partners, and customers. Some partners spread the goodwill by donating part of the masks to organizations in need of medical supplies such as local medical institutions. Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.prnasia.com/mnr/gacmotor_202005.shtml GAC Motor received strong support from overseas employees and partners to support the COVID-19 prevention and control in China at the early stage of the epidemic. At the end of February, GAC Group, the parent company of GAC Motor, transformed and set up mask production lines for long-term prevention and control. As the outbreak spread, overseas employees and partners were also experiencing masks shortages. GAC Motor decided to help them in return with GAC-made masks. Goodwill never stops. After receiving the masks, the partners decided to pass on the goodwill and donate part of the masks to local medical institutions. CIG Motors, GAC Motor's partner in Nigeria, donated 50,000 medical surgical masks and other supplies to local health facilities. Impofactor CA, the representative company of GAC Motor in Ecuador delivered 30,000 masks to the National Emergency Operations Committee to support the fight against COVID-19, and supported the Canar Red Cross to carry out rapid testing of COVID-19 at home with GAC MOTOR's vehicles. Its exclusive distributor in Panama Grupo Auto Comercial donated 10,000 masks to the local children's hospital and the Instituto Nacional de Medicina Fisica y Rehabilitacion. In Bolivia, about 10,000 GAC-made masks were sent to the government of Santa Cruz, which will distribute them to hospitals and health centers in the city. With the assistance from GAC Motor headquarters, overseas dealers have also taken actions to fight against the epidemic and ensure continuity of business operations, including strictly implemented daily disinfection, temperature checks and other epidemic prevention measures. They also shared car care and cleaning tips to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 for consumers. The company considers the health and safety of customers and employees a top priority. To this end, its parent company GAC Group has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health to jointly build an engineering technology center and production base for respiratory infection prevention and control. One of the focuses of the facility will be researching and developing disinfection, infection prevention and control technology for cars, which is expected to be applied to GAC MOTOR's products in the future and provide enjoyable experience of mobility for the company's global consumers. For more information, please visit: Official Website: www.gac-motor.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GACMotor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gac_motor Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/gac_motor YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/GACMotorOfficial Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1174398/video_gacmotor_720p.mp4 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1174394/1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1174395/2.jpg Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in a booking photograph (L) and (R) Chauvin, when still an officer. (Hennepin County Jail; Darnella Frazier via AP) Officer Charged in George Floyds Death Transferred to Maximum Security Prison The former Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of George Floyd was moved to a facility with higher security, Minnesota officials said. Derek Chauvin was arrested last week after videos showed him kneeling on the neck of Floyd, a black man who was arrested for alleged forgery. Charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, Chauvin was held at the Ramsey County Jail before being taken to the Hennepin County Jail on Sunday. The officer was moved to Minnesota Correctional FacilityOak Park Heights, state Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell said. The facility, located in Stillwater and able to hold up to 473 inmates, has level five security, the highest in the state corrections system. The majority of inmates housed here are maximum and close custody, as some of the inmates need a higher level of security, the agencys website states. According to the June 1 inmate profile report, nearly 300 inmates at the facility were sentenced for murder. Chauvin will be held away from the facilitys general population, a Minnesota Department of Corrections spokesman told The Epoch Times. Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin 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) The transfer wasnt atypical, according to Schnell, who noted former Minneapolis Police Officer Mohamed Noor was also moved to Oak Park Heights when arrested in connection with the killing of Justine Damond, an unarmed woman. Hennepin County Sheriff David Hutchinson asked for Chauvin to be transferred to the Oak Park Heights facility. The department spokesman told The Epoch Times in an email that the transfer was made out of an abundance of caution to ensure he is safely held and after concern about space in the jail due to large numbers of arrests related to the unrest over the last few nights. Chauvin was released to another authority within the state on Sunday at 8:38 p.m., according to jail records. He was being processed on Monday morning. The former police officer is scheduled to appear in court on June 8. After 18 years of fighting, the Afghan war is at a deadly stalemate. Afghanistan is divided among government forces backed by international troops, the Taliban and its militant allies, the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, and a collection of smaller foreign terrorist groups. The United States and the Taliban signed a landmark agreement in February aimed at "bringing peace to Afghanistan." That deal foresees a power-sharing arrangement between the Afghan government and the Taliban, and the full withdrawal of all foreign troops. As a Taliban delegation arrived in Kabul for talks on prisoner releases and the Afghan government and the Taliban prepare to launch direct peace talks, most of the country is fiercely contested and ravaged by violence, with warring factions pursuing a "fight-and-talk" strategy. WATCH: Some 900 Taliban members were freed from Afghanistan's largest prison outside Kabul as part of a prisoner swap under a cease-fire deal on May 26. Government The Afghan government controls the capital, Kabul, provincial capitals, major population centers, and most district centers, according to Resolute Support, the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan. Around 30 percent of Afghanistan's 407 districts are in government hands, the Taliban commands some 20 percent, and the rest of the country is contested, according to Long War Journal (LWJ), a project run by the Foundation for Defense Of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank. The LWJ's "living map," based mostly on media reports, is the only publicly available source that tracks district control in Afghanistan, after Resolute Support stopped assessing territorial control and enemy-initiated attacks over the past two years. Afghan security forces have been on the defensive since NATO's combat mission in Afghanistan ended in 2014, losing much-needed assistance with logistics, air support, and intelligence. Resolute Support is training, advising, and assisting the 273,000-strong Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police. Additionally, the Afghan government employs around 20,000 militiamen who are part of the Afghan Local Police. Meanwhile, a separate U.S. counterterrorism force is combating foreign terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and the IS group and also elements of the Taliban. The United States also funds and supports special Afghan paramilitary units. The Afghan forces have a large numerical advantage: There are an estimated 60,000 full-time Taliban militants and some 90,000 seasonal fighters. But government forces are suffering from record casualties, high attrition, and low morale. That is widely blamed on a resurgent Taliban, ineffective leadership in the armed forces, and chronic corruption. President Ashraf Ghani said in January 2019 that about 45,000 Afghan soldiers and policemen had been killed since he took office in September 2014 -- or a staggering 849 per month. In 2018, the government stopped publicizing fatalities. "The internationally recognized and elected government doesn't have a monopoly on the use of force nor control over the majority of the country," says Jonathan Schroden, a security expert with the U.S.-based nonprofit research and analysis organization CNA, who has provided assessments on the security situation in Afghanistan to the U.S. military and Congress. The Taliban, which claims to be a government in exile, "has eroded much of the government's control but cannot do so to the point of becoming the recognized government," Schroden says. The result, he says, is a "strategic stalemate." Government forces had been in an active defensive mode since a weeklong reduction-of-violence agreement preceding the U.S.-Taliban deal. But after two devastating terrorist attacks this month that the government blamed on the Taliban, Ghani ordered government forces to go on the offensive. The political crisis over the disputed presidential election in September also affected the government's military posture. There were fears of civil war after Ghani's leading challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, threatened to form a parallel government and proclaimed himself the president, a scenario that threatened the cohesion of the security forces. The standoff was resolved after Ghani and Abdullah signed a power-sharing deal -- their second after consecutive elections -- on May 17. "The government faced serious challenges for months," says Obaid Ali, an expert on the insurgency at the Afghanistan Analysts Network, an independent think tank in Kabul. "The government didn't have a military strategy because the leadership was focused on the internal crisis after the presidential election's outcome and the U.S.-Taliban talks." Ali says the months-long political feud sank morale and complicated logistics within the security forces. Taliban The Taliban controls more territory than at any time since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 toppled the fundamentalist group from power. The fundamentalist militant group's leadership fled to neighboring Pakistan, where it allegedly received sanctuary, training, and arms, an accusation Islamabad has denied. From its safe havens in Pakistan, the Taliban has waged a deadly insurgency against Afghan and international troops. The Taliban has been following what security experts call an "outside-in" strategy that was effectively employed by other insurgencies in Afghanistan, including the mujahedin who fought Soviet and Afghan government forces in the 1980s. From its sanctuaries in Pakistan, the Taliban captured rural areas of Afghanistan and consolidated control over larger swaths of the countryside while generating recruits and resources. In recent years, the Taliban has encroached on more populated areas with the aim of isolating and then seizing them. The militants have twice briefly seized control of the northern city of Kunduz, the country's fifth-most populous. "The Taliban has so far been successful in seizing and contesting ever larger swaths of rural territory, to the point where they have now almost encircled six to eight of the country's major cities and are able to routinely sever connections via major roads," Schroden says. "The major thing holding the Taliban back at this point is the government's supremacy of the air and its superior strike forces in the form of the commandos and special police units. But those units are being worn down and the Afghan Army has been slowly failing as an institution for the past five years." The Taliban insurgency has been a unifying cause for some smaller foreign militant groups. Around 20 foreign militant groups are active in Afghanistan, including Pakistani extremist groups like the Pakistani Taliban, Lashkar-e Jhangvi, Lashkar-e Taiba, Jaish-e Muhammad, and Central Asian militant groups including the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), the Islamic Jihad Union, and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, a militant group fighting for Uyghur independence in China. Ali says the Taliban has ties to some of these foreign militant groups. "Some of these groups operate under the Taliban umbrella," he says. "They can't operate in Afghanistan without the Taliban's permission. Each of these groups has a unique relationship with the Taliban -- operationally, ideologically, or economically." Al-Qaeda is a largely diminished force, with only several hundred fighters in Afghanistan. But it remains a crucial part of the Taliban insurgency. The two groups have been longtime partners and are co-dependent, according to experts. According to the U.S. State Department, the "implementation of the U.S.-Taliban agreement will require extensive long-term monitoring to ensure Taliban compliance, as the group's leadership has been reluctant to publicly break with Al-Qaeda." Under that deal, the Taliban committed to "preventing any group or individual, including Al-Qaeda, from using the soil of Afghanistan to threaten the security of the United States and its allies." A January report from the UN's Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team stated that ties between Al-Qaeda and the Taliban "continue to be close and mutually beneficial, with Al-Qaeda supplying resources and training in exchange for protection." Islamic State Afghan security forces said on May 11 that they had captured the IS group's regional leader for South Asia, Abu Omar Khorasani, in an operation in Kabul. This was the latest in a string of recent setbacks for the group. In April, Afghan security forces in the southern city of Kandahar captured the leader of the IS branch in Afghanistan, Abdullah Orakzai, along with several other militants. According to the United Nations, since October 2019, over 1,400 IS fighters and affiliates have surrendered to Afghan or U.S. forces. The U.S. military said the IS group's stronghold in the eastern province of Nangarhar was "dismantled" in November 2019 due to U.S. air strikes, operations by Afghan forces, and fighting between the Taliban and IS militants. The U.S. military said around 300 IS fighters and 1,000 of their family members surrendered. The fighters and family members who did not surrender have relocated to Pakistan or the neighboring province of Kunar, a remote, mountainous region along the border with Pakistan, it added. The U.S. military estimates that there are between 2,000 and 2,500 IS fighters active in Afghanistan. Ali says that the IS group has bases in a few districts of Kunar Province, and they are also likely present in parts of neighboring Nuristan Province, another remote, mountainous province. But he says recent reports that IS militants were active in northern Afghanistan are "unreliable." "The group has lost most of the territory it held in eastern Afghanistan," Ali says. "The recent operations against IS have severely weakened them and most have gone underground." But he says the recent arrests of IS fighters and leaders in major urban areas shows that there are still IS "sleeper cells" in the country. Most IS fighters are thought to be former members of Pakistani militant groups, especially the Pakistani Taliban. "There are a smaller number of Afghans, Central Asians, and even fewer from other regional countries," Ali adds. The truism about India is that for everything that you see, that you hear, frequently the opposite is equally true. Indias scientists successfully launched the Mars Orbiter Mission, executed a perfect slingshot to place it in orbit and left the world in awe at a price less than what it cost Hollywood to produce the Oscar-winning movie Gravity. Lunar explorations continue apace with Mission Chandrayan 3 to be launched in November 2020. Indias engineers are designing and executing the worlds highest railway bridge over the river Chenab in Kashmir. Indias Election Commission manages the exercise of franchise in the worlds largest democracy, enabling over 910 million citizens to vote, whether at 15,000 feet above sea level in Anlay Phu in Ladakh or 35 kilometres deep into the Gir forests. 304pp, Rs 699; HarperCollins And yet, the above maxim about the multiple truths that are India is unfortunately proven by the sordid state of affairs in the delivery of public goods and services. The countrys ability in dealing with complexities and scale, alas, has not resulted in creation of capacity for transformative change. Truth be told, our many governments central, state and local have flailed and failed in delivering basic governance. The promise of piped drinking water continues to be a pipe dream. Households and businesses spend hours cursing power outages despite the claims of surplus power. The inadequacies of preventive and primary health care systems render the poorest the most vulnerable. The millions coming out of Indias broken school education system lack the rudimentary comprehension of the basic three Rs reading, writing and arithmetic. And the security of homes/ businesses depends on outsourced private security contractors. It used to be said that India is a nation of many nations. Fact is, India is morphing into a nation of gated republics. Slowly, these gated republics are spreading across the landscape and their tell-tale signs are evident in anecdotal snapshots. The empirical picture is changing at a glacial pace and the scale is momentous. Year after year, governments launch new avatars of old promises to deliver public goods and services and taxpayer money is poured into these avatars, but at every milestone of per capita income and affordability, there are public policy failures. The many failures of public policy are propelling a ceaseless secession. The term secession owes its Latin origins to plebeians withdrawing from ancient Rome to force patricians to address their grievances. Early settlers, said Jean Jacques Rousseau, resolved disagreeable conditions within groups by withdrawing from one and seeking another. The choice before Indias denizen is to grieve, grate and grimace, or get out. In his seminal tome Exit, Voice, and Loyalty, Albert O Hirschman points out, Once this avoidance mechanism for dealing with disputes or venting dissatisfaction is readily available, the contribution of voice that is, of the political process to such matters is likely to be and remain limited. The voice of the average Indian is not heard and the wait has been too long. And so Indians are desperately seceding, as soon as their income allows, from dependence on government for the most basic of services water, health, education, security, power and are investing in the pay-and-plug economy. In the last decade, total government expenditure, both central and state, has shot up from Rs 18.52 trillion in 2009 to Rs 53.6 trillion in 201819. That is Rs 6,120 million of taxpayer monies per hour, every day. Over one-fourth, or 26 per cent, of this money is devoted to what the government defines as allocation for delivery of social services. The expenditure on education has shot up from Rs 1.62 trillion to Rs 4.41 trillion in 10 years, yet more parents are pulling their children out of government schools and sending them to private ones. Allocations for health have more than trebled from Rs 742.73 billion to Rs 2.25 trillion between 2009 and 2018. Despite this, nearly 70 per cent of people prefer being treated by private health care service providers. This pushes millions below the poverty line as they borrow to pay for health care, triggering catastrophic costs for families. That there is this continuing exodus even as the government is allocating more and more money has led public-policy pundit and economist Lant Pritchett to ask in the context of delivery of public services if India is a flailing state? Shankkar Ayar (Courtesy HarperCollins) The system is wracked by a curious dysfunction there is too much government and too little governance. There are the passive government failures resulting in inferior outcomes as well as active policy failure, where the design and implementation of policy results in outcomes that worsen the situation. During the research for this book, what has been intriguing to learn is how taxpayers and other citizens have internalized the incapacity of the state to deliver public goods and services. Millions are opting out mentally from holding governments accountable and are turning to private service providers, despite the double whammy of costs. Central and state governments harvest revenue by taxing income and consumption. Overall tax collections between 200910 and 201819 have more than trebled from Rs 9.84 trillion to Rs 34.94 trillion. The primary imperative and obligation of the state is to deliver education, health care, water supply, electricity and security. In reality, parents of over 75 million children in private schools are dealing with the cost economics of education, millions are choosing to seek health care from private providers, and households are dependent on inverters. They are paying for services they have already been taxed for. The secession is not by choice but by compulsion and in sectors which form the crucible of economic development. The normalization of failure is accompanied by misplaced notions of what constitutes a big government. A fallacious and gratuitous explanation often used is that it is better that these services are offered against payment by private providers. The popular Thatcherism, Government has no business being in business, is being distorted in perverse persuasion. True, government must not run commercial enterprises such as airlines and hotels. But when did the moral obligations of government providing basic amenities to taxpayers and citizens get defined as business? South Korea, Japan and Finland have good education systems and these are run by their governments. Canada has a good health care system and it is run by the government. Singapore and Israel are innovative in water management and their governments are at the forefront of it. Top power companies SGC China, Enel Italy, EDF France, Tepco Japan and Kepco Korea are owned by national governments. Policing and security is an essential public service provided by governments across the globe. A lucid construct of the role of the state is drawn up by Adam Smith in An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Smith says the sovereign or the government has three duties of great importance to attend to. First, the duty of protecting the society from violence and invasion of other independent societies; secondly, the duty of protecting, as far as possible, every member of the society from the injustice or oppression of every other member of it, or the duty of establishing an exact administration of justice; and, thirdly, the duty of erecting and maintaining certain public works and certain public institutions which it can never be for the interest of any individual, or small number of individuals, to erect and maintain; because the profit could never repay the expense to any individual or small number of individuals, though it may frequently do much more than repay it to a great society. Essentially, the obligation of providing education, health, security, water and electricity squarely rests on the state. The history behind the idea of a nation state has gone through evolutionary and revolutionary iterations where the role of the state has been emphasized and re-emphasized. The idea of the state dates back 10,000 years to Mesopotamia and has evolved since. It was Thomas Hobbes, founder of the concept of the Leviathan, who argued that society without order of a state would descend into bellum omnium contra omnes or the war of all against all. John Locke, who propounded the social contract theory, believed the role of government was to protect its citizens unalienable rights of life, liberty and property. Thomas Paine, in the treatise Rights of Man, declared that welfare is not charity but an irrevocable right. And Beatrice Webb, the patron saint, so to speak, of the welfare states visible across the world, crafted the blueprint that called on governments to provide for an enforced minimum for a civilized life. There are good reasons why Victor Hugo evangelized the value of education in Les Miserables; why the US and Europe went for universal education; or why a primary focus of Meiji Restoration was on education. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, elementary education was not just free, it was also made compulsory. The School Medical Service was the early avatar of the National Health Service in Britain. Every modern-day, global economic power focused on education and health during their rise in power and status. The legitimate object of government, Abraham Lincoln said, is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done but cannot do. These imperatives, among others, were addressed through political agency. The US had three successive programmes the New Deal of Franklin D Roosevelt, the Fair Deal by Harry Truman and the Great Society agenda, under which Lyndon B Johnson expanded education and health care as a strategy to reduce poverty. The Gated Republic is an enquiry into the history and politics of public policy and the anatomy of failure. Part IV of the Constitution of India, the Directive Principles of State Policy, in Article 38 (1) states: The State shall strive to promote the welfare of the people by securing and protecting as effectively as it may a social order in which justice, social, economic and political, shall inform all the institutions of the national life. Seven decades after Independence, the piety of the promises made by the founding fathers has paled. Latter-day politicians and governments are blithely ignoring their responsibilities and Indians are paying the price, literally. Can India... develop and progress without a healthy and educated workforce, all without clean water, reliable power and security? The Gated Republic by Shankkar Aiyar releases on June 1, 2020. Crosss co-teacher, Casey Zebell, chimed in then to remind the dozen 3- and 4-year-olds, one of whom was jogging back and forth across his sofa, that it was still Ms. Cross underneath that mask, even if they could no longer see her face. The lesson, held last month, was the teachers second devoted to mask-wearing explaining it, justifying it, making it seem less outlandish since the novel coronavirus forced the closure of all Virginia schools, including the Nysmith School for the Gifted, a Herndon private school that offers prekindergarten through eighth grade. Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser imposed a city wide curfew on Sunday as protests against the death of black man George Floyd in Minneapolis intensified. Bowser also announced that she is activating the DC National Guard to support the Metropolitan Police Department.The Mayor made the announcement following the third day of protests demanding action be taken against the police officers responsible for the murder of Floyd. Mayor Bowser is ordering a citywide curfew for the District of Columbia from 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, until 6:00 a.m. on Monday, June 1. She has also activated the DC National Guard to support the Metropolitan Police Department. Mayor Muriel Bowser #StayHomeDC Lite (@MayorBowser) May 31, 2020 Massive protests erupted near White House with hundreds of protesters coming out on the streets making it tough for the law enforcement officials to maintain law and order in the city. In a related development, US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that the anti-fascist group Antifa will be designated as a terrorist organization by the government. Antifa is a left-wing, anti-fascist political activist movement in the US. It is made up of autonomous activist groups that aim to achieve their political objectives through the use of direct action. The announcement, which is sparked a controversy, comes amid violent nationwide protests about police brutality following the death of Floyd who was seen on video finding it tough to breathe as a police officer in Minneapolis put his knee on Floyd's neck. US Attorney General William Barr condemned the nationwide protests claiming that "outside radicals and agitators" have hijacked protests in US cities over the killing. "Groups of outside radicals and agitators are exploiting the situation to pursue their own separate and violent agenda," Barr was quoted as saying by Reuters. Notably, it is still unclear how many protesters participating in demonstrations across the US are from Antifa. Meanwhile, four police officers in Minneapolis have been sacked for their involvement in Floyd's death. The incident took place on Monday (May 25) when the officers responded to a call about an alleged forgery and found the suspect sitting inside a car. 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 Floyd, who "appeared to be suffering medical distress." Police added that the man died at a hospital after few hours. WASHINGTON, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The nation's leading journalism and press freedom organizations today called on law enforcement, mayors and governors across the country to halt the unprecedented assault against journalists in the field covering the protests for social justice. The following open letter to police nationwide was signed by 18 organizations including: The National Press Club (NPC), The National Press Club Journalism Institute (NPCJI), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, National Association for Black Journalists (NABJ), Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS), Pen America, NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists, News Media Alliance, National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), RTDNA, Freedom House, Online News Association, News Leaders Association, National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), and Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). Open Letter to Law Enforcement Working to Keep the Peace in America's Cities First, you have our utmost respect. The job you are being asked to do is difficult and requires extraordinary courage and discipline and we can see that most of you are working diligently to restore a sense of peace and calm to your cities. Thank you for your best efforts. Still, we need something more. You must persuade your colleagues, commanders and chiefs, and the mayors and governors who direct them, to halt the deliberate and devastating targeting of journalists in the field. We are at a crossroads for our nation. Over the past 72 hours police have opened fire with rubber bullets, tear gas, pepper spray, pepper balls and have used nightsticks and shields to attack the working press as never before in this nation. This must stop. This is against all training and best practices of policing. Your Public Information Officers have spent countless hours training in how to best proceed in these circumstances. Now is the time to put that training into action. A few years ago in Ferguson, Missouri, police attempted some of these tactics and they failed. Courts found against governments that illegally arrested journalists and then tried to ban them from their state. It was devastating for Missouri's reputation. This will happen again. We are addressing here law enforcement in Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Denver, Fargo, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle, Washington DC and other cities. When you silence the press with rubber bullets, you silence the voice of the public. Do not abandon our Constitution and its First Amendment. And above all do not abandon your training. You are professionals. You have been trained in how best to work with journalists in the most trying circumstances. That is not happening here. Talk to your PIOs. Talk to your commanders. Talk to your officers, the men and women to your right and your left. Be leaders. Do not fire upon members of the working press. We are in this together. These cities belong to all of us. The people that live in them will learn of your bravery and courage and training through news coverage by journalists. Do not fire upon them. Do not arrest them. The world is watching. Let the Press tell the story. PRESS CONTACT: LINDSAY UNDERWOOD FOR NATIONAL PRESS CLUB; (202) 662-7561, [email protected] SOURCE National Press Club Related Links http://press.org She has been faithfully paying tribute to healthcare workers on a regular basis from her balcony. But Sarah Silverman specifically made some noise for abortion providers on Sunday. The actress, 49, proudly banged her pan from her New York balcony as she marked the anniversary of the death of Dr. George Tiller, an abortion provider who was murdered at age 67 exactly 11 years ago. Let's make some noise: Sarah Silverman specifically honored abortion providers during her nightly salute on Sunday Sarah beamed with joy as she clapped together her tongs and pan alongside a friend, who was also banging together kitchen supplies. The actress enjoyed the mild spring weather in a sporty purple top, camouflage print trousers, and a dark beanie placed atop her midnight black hair. She shielded her eyes behind a pair of clear shades, which added a cool touch to her dressed down look. Arms resting on the railing of her balcony, Sarah had a sense of peace to her as she banged the kitchen utensil against her metallic pot. Showing her support: Sarah beamed with joy as she clapped together her tongs and pan alongside a friend, who was also banging together kitchen supplies Can you hear me? The actress spoke over her noise making Hours earlier, Sarah urged her followers to specifically salute abortion providers during their nightly applause to healthcare workers. 'TONIGHT AT 7 wherever you are, Join in dedicating your salute to essential workers to abortion providers,' Sarah wrote on Instagram. 'This is the anniversary of the assassination of Dr Tiller, and we are honoring him and all those who are providing abortion care. #abortion #feminism #essentialworkers #clapforourcarers #clap4abortionproviders.' For a cause: Arms resting on the railing of her balcony, Sarah had a sense of peace to her as she banged the kitchen utensil against her metallic pot Double trouble! Silverman's friend jubilantly banged kitchen supplies together Sarah also showed her solidarity with those protesting in response to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after since-fired police officer Derek Chauvin held him down with a knee to the back of his neck. 'We haven't posted until now about what is happening in the world,' she wrote on Instagram. 'We are heartbroken and tired and so so sad. We want to do more to help than just post on social media. There are things we know how to do. We can put our skills to work for those who have taken to the streets. If you need legal counsel we are here. 'If you are somewhere we can not help we will use our network built from fifteen plus years of criminal defense and social justice work to find you help. I went to law school to fight against mass incarceration, the prison industrial complex and the systemic racism, poverty and oppression the government machine thrives on. Now more than ever we need to turn our words into action and our thoughts into progress. Let us know if you need us. We love you.' Meet Salmiati, a 40-year-old woman from Padang City in Indonesia's West Sumatra province. Salmiati divides her time as a wife, mother of two children, and looking after over 100 street cats she has taken in off the streets, creating a shelter for the animals. Footage recorded on June 1, shows inside the cat shelter and Salmiati rescue one cat from huge mounds of garbage, placing the animal into a basket attached to her motorcycle. "Every day I treat these cats as my own children. In one day I have to prepare two kilograms of fish mixed with two kilograms of cat food for them to eat," Salmiati said. To carry out her mission, Salmiati looks for abandoned cats by visiting places such as landfills or markets where homeless cats roam. "It's a pity to see abandoned cats, so I take them home. In a day, sometimes I can save three to five cats," she said. Salmiati has been carrying out this noble mission for a year and she now receives private funds and donations to help cover the cost of food and medicines. It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Colgate-Palmolive (CL). Shares have added about 2.9% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500. Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Colgate-Palmolive due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers. Colgate Beats on Q1 Earnings and Sales, Withdraws View Colgate has reported first-quarter 2020 results, wherein earnings and sales beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate. In the reported quarter, gains from strong volume growth and robust pricing were offset by unfavorable foreign currency. The company has withdrawn its guidance for 2020 due to the uncertainty regarding the coronavirus pandemic. Notably, it expects a mid-single-digit negative impact related to foreign exchange on net sales for 2020, based on current spot rates. Moreover, incremental volume growth witnessed in the first quarter is likely to be balanced in the quarters ahead as consumers work on pantry inventories in certain categories. Additionally, the company expects to witness reduced category growth in many markets due to the uncertain consumer behavior and government actions in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak. Adjusted earnings of 75 cents per share rose 11.9% from the prior-year quarter and surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 73 cents. Including one-time items, earnings were 83 cents per share, reflecting growth of 27.7% from 65 cents earned in the year-ago period. Total net sales of $4,097 million rose 5.5% from the year-ago period and beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4,056 million. The year-over-year improvement can be primarily attributed to a 7% increase in unit volume and a 2% rise in pricing, somewhat offset by a negative currency impact of 3.5%. On an organic basis, the companys sales improved 7.5%. Let's Delve Deeper Adjusted gross profit margin of 60.3% increased 110 basis points (bps) from the prior-year quarter. In dollar terms, adjusted gross profit rose 7.4% to $2,469 million. In the reported quarter, adjusted operating profit of $958 million increased 6% from the year-ago quarter. However, adjusted operating margin was flat with the prior-year quarter at 23.4%. Operating margin was mainly impacted by rise in adjusted selling, general & administrative expenses, as a percentage of sales, which partially offset the increase in gross margin. Colgates market share of manual toothbrushes reached 32.1% year to date. Further, the company continued with its leadership position in the global toothpaste market, with market share at 40.5%. Segmental Discussion North Americas net sales (23% of total sales) improved 9%, reflecting a 9.5% rise in unit volume, offset by a 0.5% negative currency impact. Pricing remained flat in the quarter. On an organic basis, sales grew 8%, driven by growth in the United States. Latin Americas net sales (22% of total sales) were flat year over year as 4% growth in unit volume and 6.5% gains in pricing were partly offset by negative currency impact of 10.5%. On an organic basis, sales were up 10.5%, led by Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. Europes net sales (16% of total sales) increased 12% year over year on a 16.5% rise in unit volume, somewhat offset by a 1.5% decline in pricing and a 3% adverse impact of unfavorable currency exchange. Further, organic sales in Europe increased 6.5% on robust growth in the U.K. and Germany. The Asia Pacific segments net sales (15% of total sales) declined 9.5%, attributable to an 8.5% fall in unit volume and a 2% negative impact of unfavorable currency rates, offset by 1% pricing gains. On an organic basis, sales for the Asia Pacific declined 7.5% mainly due to a decline in Greater China and India, partially offset by organic sales growth in Australia. Africa/Eurasias net sales (6% of total sales) grew 5% year over year, owing to a 10% rise in unit volume, offset by a 0.5% decrease in pricing and a 4.5% adverse impact from foreign exchange. Organic sales for Africa/Eurasia improved 8%, driven by gains in Turkey and Russia. Hills Pet Nutritions net sales (18% of total sales) rose 20% from the year-ago quarter. Results gained from a 17% increase in unit volume and a 4% rise in pricing, offset by a 1% negative impact of currency. On an organic basis, sales were up 21%, aided by gains in the United States and Europe. Other Financial Details Colgate ended first-quarter 2020 with cash and cash equivalents of $854 million, and total debt of $7,846 million. Net cash provided by operating activities amounted to $768 million as of Mar 31, 2020. Story continues How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then? It turns out, estimates revision have trended downward during the past month. VGM Scores Currently, Colgate-Palmolive has a great Growth Score of A, a grade with the same score on the momentum front. However, the stock was allocated a grade of D on the value side, putting it in the bottom 40% for this investment strategy. Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of B. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in. Outlook Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, Colgate-Palmolive has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months. 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 ColgatePalmolive Company (CL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Nigerian Odion Ighalo is not returning to Shanghai Shenhua so soon, as he has agreed an extension of his loan deal with Manchester Uni... Nigerian Odion Ighalo is not returning to Shanghai Shenhua so soon, as he has agreed an extension of his loan deal with Manchester United until end of January 2021. The deal is now awaiting English FA approval. United agreement with his parent club Shanghai Shenhua officially expired on Sunday night. But according to The Telegraph, both sides have agreed for the 30-year-old to stay in Manchester until the new year. The newspaper said Ighalo will discuss a new contract with Shanghai Shenhua once he returns in 2021. Ighalos agent Atta Aneke had hinted that talks were in place for the ex-Watford man to remain at Old Trafford. Aneke told Nettavisen: We are nearing an agreement with Manchester United on an extended loan. The agreement will mean that Ighalo will remain with them until January 2021. Ighalo swapped the Chinese Super League for the Premier League in a shock deadline day loan deal back in January. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Wedding receptions of up to 300 guests can now resume in Ohio, with no dancing, no mingling and other coronavirus restrictions for restaurants. And as school lets out for the summer, Ohio daycares and day camps can open, limited to nine children per classroom. Downtown Cleveland the Market District of Ohio City are off-limits until Tuesday night, under a city curfew to quell the riots that stemmed from protests Saturday over George Floyds death. The Cuyahoga County Justice Center and other buildings are closed. So are downtown businesses, after being ransacked. The Ohio Department of Health reported Sunday that 35,513 Ohioans have been infected by the novel coronavirus, jumping more than 400 cases in a day. Of the cases, 2,155 Ohioans have died. The Ohio Department of Health is now estimating a January onset of coronavirus symptoms for at least 13 cases in eight counties. Ohio Director of Public Health Amy Acton on Friday issued two health orders, one continuing a ban on most mass gatherings through July 1, and the other lifting restrictions on liquor sales to non-Ohio residents in six counties near the Pennsylvania border, Jeremy Pelzer reports. You can find the list of cancellations and reopenings from Friday here. Beginning June 8, assisted living facilities and intermediate care homes for the developmentally disabled can resume outdoor visitation. State officials have reopened E-Check stations in Northeast Ohio. CVS will open 34 additional testing sites for the COVID-19 coronavirus today at stores in Ohio, including several locations in Northeast Ohio. Cleveland plans to bring back bulk pickup of refuse in June, but no date has been set. Just because a business does not make any money, does not mean that the stock will go down. For example, although Amazon.com made losses for many years after listing, if you had bought and held the shares since 1999, you would have made a fortune. Nonetheless, only a fool would ignore the risk that a loss making company burns through its cash too quickly. So, the natural question for Veg of Lund (STO:VOLAB) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of cash burn. In this article, we define cash burn as its annual (negative) free cash flow, which is the amount of money a company spends each year to fund its growth. We'll start by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves in order to calculate its cash runway. View our latest analysis for Veg of Lund How Long Is Veg of Lund's Cash Runway? You can calculate a company's cash runway by dividing the amount of cash it has by the rate at which it is spending that cash. As at March 2020, Veg of Lund had cash of kr16m and such minimal debt that we can ignore it for the purposes of this analysis. Looking at the last year, the company burnt through kr18m. So it had a cash runway of approximately 10 months from March 2020. To be frank, this kind of short runway puts us on edge, as it indicates the company must reduce its cash burn significantly, or else raise cash imminently. Depicted below, you can see how its cash holdings have changed over time. OM:VOLAB Historical Debt June 1st 2020 How Is Veg of Lund's Cash Burn Changing Over Time? Whilst it's great to see that Veg of Lund has already begun generating revenue from operations, last year it only produced kr1.6m, so we don't think it is generating significant revenue, at this point. As a result, we think it's a bit early to focus on the revenue growth, so we'll limit ourselves to looking at how the cash burn is changing over time. The skyrocketing cash burn up 141% year on year certainly tests our nerves. That sort of spending growth rate can't continue for very long before it causes balance sheet weakness, generally speaking. Veg of Lund makes us a little nervous due to its lack of substantial operating revenue. So we'd generally prefer stocks from this list of stocks that have analysts forecasting growth. Story continues Can Veg of Lund Raise More Cash Easily? Given its cash burn trajectory, Veg of Lund shareholders should already be thinking about how easy it might be for it to raise further cash in the future. Generally speaking, a listed business can raise new cash through issuing shares or taking on debt. Many companies end up issuing new shares to fund future growth. By looking at a company's cash burn relative to its market capitalisation, we gain insight on how much shareholders would be diluted if the company needed to raise enough cash to cover another year's cash burn. Veg of Lund has a market capitalisation of kr53m and burnt through kr18m last year, which is 35% of the company's market value. That's not insignificant, and if the company had to sell enough shares to fund another year's growth at the current share price, you'd likely witness fairly costly dilution. Is Veg of Lund's Cash Burn A Worry? We must admit that we don't think Veg of Lund is in a very strong position, when it comes to its cash burn. Although we can understand if some shareholders find its cash runway acceptable, we can't ignore the fact that we consider its increasing cash burn to be downright troublesome. After looking at that range of measures, we think shareholders should be extremely attentive to how the company is using its cash, as the cash burn makes us uncomfortable. Separately, we looked at different risks affecting the company and spotted 5 warning signs for Veg of Lund (of which 4 are a bit unpleasant!) you should know about. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies insiders are buying, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts) 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. Buoyed by record sales bookings of Rs 5,915 crore last fiscal, realty firm Godrej Properties expects to repeat its strong performance on sales front this year despite coronavirus pandemic, but sees cash flow as a challenge due to slow construction activities New Delhi: Buoyed by record sales bookings of Rs 5,915 crore last fiscal, realty firm Godrej Properties expects to repeat its strong performance on sales front this year despite coronavirus pandemic, but sees cash flow as a challenge due to slow construction activities. In an interview with PTI, Godrej Properties Executive Chairman Pirojsha Godrej said there will be a slowdown in the industry but people who want to buy properties during this time will certainly prefer real estate companies with strong financial capabilities to execute projects. "Our sales bookings in the first two months of this fiscal have grown over the last year. Even during the last 10-15 days in March, we had quite a lot of sales," he said. The national lockdown was imposed from March 25 to curb the spread of COVID-19, bringing construction activities as well as physical sales to a grinding halt. Godrej expressed confidence that the company would have another good financial year in sales perspective despite the current situation. Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak "We hope for a good performance this year as well. Hopefully, we can do even better than that," he said when asked about sales bookings outlook for the current fiscal. The company is witnessing quite a lot of interest from prospective buyers, particularly non-resident Indians (NRIs). Godrej Properties has been witnessing 10-15 percent sales bookings by NRIs through digital route, he said, adding that this experience helped the company a lot during this lockdown period. Godrej, however, said the cash flow situation and speed of construction would be challenging this year. "Cash flows will be something that we need to focus a lot on. Its two months now, and barely any construction has happened. In this industry, cash flow is linked to achieving certain construction milestones," he said. That said, the company does not have any liquidity issues as around Rs 2,000 crore cash is in the balance sheet, with a healthy debt-equity ratio, Godrej stated. Asked about the overall impact on the housing market, Godrej feels that the residential segment might not be severely affected, as widely believed, despite the tough economic scenario. "Most people are expecting the residential segment to do extremely badly this year. My own view, while we have to wait and watch and that may be the case, I would not take that as a given," he said. "Obviously economic sentiments are weak, people will be somewhat reluctant to commit for big-ticket purchases. People are losing jobs, salary cuts are happening, so affordability will worsen. But, on the other hand, the kind of security home ownership offers, it becomes even more attractive in a pandemic like this," Godrej observed. One would have to wait and watch to see how it plays out between economic difficulties and having a security of home ownership, he said. Godrej said the government has taken a lot of measures on the supply front, but there is a need for demand-side intervention. He suggested that stamp duty/GST rates should be relaxed for the next six months to encourage people to invest in the property market. On the launch pipeline, Godrej said the company has not launched any new projects during the last two months and rather focusing on selling inventories in existing projects through attractive payment plans. However, Godrej said the company is holding on to its guidance to launch 15 million sq ft area during this fiscal year compared to 11 million sq ft in the previous year. He said most of the launches could get bunched up in the second half of this fiscal year. This is not unusual for the company, he said, adding that even during the last fiscal year, its fourth-quarter sales bookings were three times higher than the first-quarter sales. "We can make up for the lost time in the second half," he said. Godrej Properties has acquired many projects, either outright purchase of land or through joint ventures with landlords, in the last three years across major cities -- Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru. "We have a strong portfolio. Our focus now will be launching these projects and generating cash flows from these projects," Godrej said. However, he did not rule out acquiring more projects if there are good opportunities in the current market situation. "The sector was already facing a crisis. The coronavirus outbreak is a double whammy to the sector. Overall, the sector will have sharp liquidity issues. The process of consolidation will become faster," he said. Meanwhile, Godrej Properties, the real estate arm of business conglomerate Godrej group, posted a net profit of Rs 267.21 crore on a turnover of Rs 2,914.59 crore during the last fiscal year. On the operational front, Godrej Properties'' total sales bookings rose to Rs 5,915 crore last fiscal year from Rs 5,316 crore in the previous year, possibly the highest booking value achieved by any publicly listed real estate developer in India in FY20. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump has announced that he would withdraw funding from the World Health Organization, end Hong Kongs special trade status and suspend visas of Chinese graduate students suspected of conducting research on behalf of their government, escalating tensions with China that have surged during the coronavirus pandemic. Trump has been expressing anger at the World Health Organization for weeks over what he has portrayed as an inadequate response to the initial outbreak of the coronavirus in Chinas Wuhan province late last year. The president said in a White House announcement Friday that Chinese officials ignored their reporting obligations to the WHO and pressured the organization to mislead the public about an outbreak that has now killed more than 100,000 Americans. We have detailed the reforms that it must make and engaged with them directly, but they have refused to act, the president said. Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating the relationship. The U.S. is the largest source of financial support for 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. He noted that the U.S. contributes about $450 million to the world body while China provides about $40 million. Congressional Democrats said in April, when the president first proposed withholding money from the WHO, that it would be illegal without approval from Congress and that they would challenge it. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday called the move an act of extraordinary senselessness. Other critics of the administrations decision to cut funding called it misguided, saying it would undermine an important institution that is leading vaccine development efforts and drug trials to address the COVID-19 outbreak. Severing ties with the World Health Organization serves no logical purpose and makes finding a way out of this public health crisis dramatically more challenging, said Dr. Patrice Harris, president of the American Medical Association. The WHO declined to comment on the announcement. Officials of the U.N. agency have not directly addressed a letter that Trump sent to the general director on May 18 warning that he would make permanent a temporary freeze on U.S. funding and reconsider U.S. membership unless it committed to major substantive improvements within the next 30 days. The United Nations reiterated Secretary-General Antonio Guterres statement on April 8 after Trumps initial announcement calling WHO absolutely critical to the worlds efforts to win the war against COVID-19. The U.N. chief said then that it was not the time to examine how COVID-19 emerged, spread so quickly, and how all those involved reacted. Guterres said once we have finally turned the page on this epidemic these issues must be examined. Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, chairman of the Senate health committee, warned that the presidents decision could interfere with vaccine trials and international cooperation during future outbreaks. Certainly there needs to be a good, hard look at mistakes the World Health Organization might have made in connection with coronavirus, but the time to do that is after the crisis has been dealt with, not in the middle of it, said Alexander, echoing a point made by others, including the head of the United Nations. Tensions over Hong Kong have increased over the past year as China has cracked down on protesters a nd sought to exert more control over the former British territory. Trump said the administration would begin eliminating the full range of agreements that had given Hong Kong a relationship with the U.S. that mainland China lacked, including exemptions from controls on certain exports. He said the State Department would begin warning U.S. citizens of the threat of surveillance and arrest when visiting the city. China has replaced its promised formula of one country, two systems, with one country, one system, he said. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo notified Congress on Wednesday that Hong Kong is no longer deserving of the preferential trade and commercial status it has enjoyed from the U.S. since it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997. Its not yet clear what impact the decision will have on U.S. companies that operate in Hong Kong or on the citys position as Asias major financial hub, or how China will react to the decision. The downward spiral in the bilateral relationship has now reached lows not seen since the June 4, 1989, Tiananmen massacre, and there is little reason to expect things to get better soon, said Dexter Tiff Roberts, an Asia expert at the Atlantic Council, which publishes nonpartisan policy analysis. The president also said the U.S. would be suspending entry of Chinese graduate students who are suspected of taking part in an extensive government campaign to acquire trade knowledge and academic research for the countrys military and industrial development. Allowing their continued entry to the country would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, Trump said in an order released after the White House announcement. Revocation of the visas has faced opposition from U.S. universities and scientific organizations that depend on tuition fees paid by Chinese students to offset other costs and fear possible reciprocal action from Beijing that could limit their access to China. The presidents order includes an exemptions for students whose work was not expected to benefit the Chinese military. China seemed to signal in recent days that it was hoping to ease tensions. Premier Li Keqiang told reporters on Thursday that both countries stood to gain from cooperation and to lose from confrontation because their economies have become so interconnected. We must use our wisdom to expand common interests and manage differences and disagreements, Li said. Still, the country has insisted that its control of Hong Kong is an internal matter, and it has disputed that it mishandled the response to the virus. ___ Associated Press writers Kevin Freking in Washington and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report. In 2014, Oscar and Tony-Award winning actress Viola Davis landed the redefining role of the vulnerable yet brilliant lawyer Annalise Keating in How to Get Away With Murder. Although many fans wanted the Shondra Rhimes-produced series to continue much longer, it ended after six seasons. In a Good Morning America interview, Viola Davis shared what she learned from portraying Annalise. Annalise Keating | Brian Bowen Smith Viola Davis portrayed Annalise Keating in How to Get Away With Murder Born to Ophelia Harkness in Memphis, Tennessee, Anna Mae, who later changed her name to Annalise, attended Harvard Law, where she began dating Eve Rothlo (Famke Janssen). However, Annalise broke up with Eve for her married therapist, Sam Keating (Tom Verica). He left his wife for the brilliant law student, and the two ended up marrying. Annalise then passed the bar and began working as a ruthless yet successful defense attorney. After harshly cross-examining Bonnie Winterbottom (Liza Weil), a woman accusing Annalises client of rape and fathering her lost child, Annalise decided to quit the firm and helped Bonnie get her own degree. Its the series finale everyone is talking about. Did they get away with it? #HTGAWM is streaming now, on demand and on Hulu. pic.twitter.com/b1LetgdRqm How To Get Away ABC (@HowToGetAwayABC) May 16, 2020 RELATED: How to Get Away With Murder: Is Annalise Keating the Mastermind or a Martyr? The lawyer met Frank Delfino (Charlie Weber) shortly after when her husband asked Annalise to help get him out of jail. She succeeded, and Frank and Bonnie began working for her. After finally getting pregnant, Wallace Mahoney, a former client, arranged Annalises death in a pre-planned car accident for retaliation. While she fortunately survived, her unborn child and marriage did not. Sam began cheating on her with multiple women, and Annalise found comfort in the arms of police officer Nate Lahey (Billy Brown). Annalise Keatings ending in How to Get Away With Murder In 2014, Annalise inducted law students Connor Walsh (Jack Falahee), Asher Millstone (Matt McGorry), Michaela Pratt (Aja Naomi King), Wes Gibbons (Alfred Enoch), and Laurel Castillo (Karla Souza) into the coveted Keating 5 to work at her firm. On the night of the bonfire, all five, except for Asher, went to the Keating mansion looking for Rebecca Sutter (Katie Findlay), who they believed snuck into the home to find proof that Sam killed his pregnant mistress, Lila Stangard (Megan West). Wes then murdered the drunk therapist in self-defense by hitting him in the back of the head with a trophy when Sam began strangling Rebecca. After finding out what happened to her husband, Annalise chose Wes, who she had a personal relationship with, and helped him and the others clean it up. Throughout the four remaining seasons, the Keating 5, minus Wes who later dies, stayed close together much in part to the numerous murders they committed or were attached to. SPOILER ALERT "Who I am is a 53-year-old woman from Memphis Tennessee named Anna Mae Harkness. I'm ambitious, black, bisexual, angry, sad, strong, sensitive, scared, fierce, talented, exhausted and I am at your mercy." Rewatch all 6 seasons of #HTGAWM now streaming. pic.twitter.com/IHaZw2y083 How To Get Away ABC (@HowToGetAwayABC) May 15, 2020 RELATED: How to Get Away With Murder: Did Annalise Keating End up With Tegan or Eve? Fans Are Divided Although Annalise never murdered or ordered the killing of anyone, the FBI launched a massive investigation into her, which resulted in several counts of murder conspiracies for all the deaths including and following Sams. However, the self-representing attorney was found not guilty of any of the charges, even though Connor and Michaela provided false testimony against her in exchange for their freedom. In flash-forwards, viewers see that Annalie continued living her life, despite the tragic deaths of Bonnie and Frank, and ended up with either Eve or Tegan Price (Amirah Vann). The professor eventually died of old age after mentoring Laurels son, Christopher, who began teaching the same class she taught at Middleton Law. What Annalise Keating taught Viola Davis In an interview with Good Morning America, which they recorded while the How to Get Away With Murder cast filmed their series finale, the award-winning actress who portrays Annalise, Viola Davis, explained what she learned from the bold yet vulnerable character. According to Davis, Annalise taught me I define me. She continued and revealed Anna Mae Harkins opened me up to see myself differently. Davis then quickly clarified, not even differently. But really see me. RELATED: Whats Next for Viola Davis Now That HTGAWM Is Over? She also opened up about the bold moment when she took her wig off, saying it gave her a revelation that we wear the mask. Therefore, the actress thought it was great for other women to see it being taken off on national television as theres no such thing as perfection. The actress continued and explained the moment was powerful because it made female viewers feel less alone, which is what her character has also done. The first stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched the Demo-2 mission on May 30, 2020, arrives in Florida's Port Canaveral on June 2, 2020. (Image credit: SpaceX via Twitter) Crew Dragon and the astronauts have now made it through two major milestones launch and docking without encountering any major issues. That's a huge win for SpaceX, which has been working toward this moment since the company was founded in 2002. It's also a point of celebration for NASA, which made the controversial decision to ask the private sector to design vehicles for transportation to the ISS after the Space Shuttle program retired in 2011. NASA has long partnered with the private sector, but it had never before handed over design, development and testing of a human-rated spacecraft to a commercial company. Togbega Anyome, the Chief of the Wli Agorviefe in the Wli Traditional Area of the Volta Region, has pledged to join the effort of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to curtail the smuggling of cocoa beans from Ghana, across the eastern border to neighbouring Togo. He gave the assurance that he will begin to mobilize his people to assist the local security agencies to stop the illegal trafficking of goods through his town, particularly, cocoa related items like cocoa beans, COCOBODs agrochemicals and fertilizers. The Chief said this when the Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Hon. Joseph Boahen Aidoo led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on him, following a visit to the Wli Agorviefe Immigration post. Wli Agorviefe is right in a valley which separates Ghana and Togo in the northern part of the Volta Region. It has over the years gained some notoriety for being a popular route for armed syndicates who smuggle goods in and out of the country. In addressing the Chief and the other leaders of the community present at the meeting, Hon. Boahen Aidoo spoke about the adverse effect of the criminal activities on the cocoa sector. He emphasised the importance of cocoa to the Ghanaian economy; being a major source of revenue from which many development projects are funded. He went on to inform them about the new risk compensation package which COCOBOD has established as part of an anti-smuggling effort. Hence, any security personnel and ordinary citizen, who is involved in foiling the smuggling of cocoa beans from Ghana or any agrochemicals, fertilisers and machinery meant for use by Ghanaian cocoa farmers only, will be compensated for the risk taken. Two-thirds (2/3) of the value of the seized items will be the amount given to those involved in stopping the smuggling. The COCOBOD Boss said that going forward there will be further engagements with the leaders of the town, as they have a vital role to play in disseminating information to the townsfolk and mobilising, especially, the youth, to work closely with the security personnel stationed in the town to make the anti-smuggling effort a success. In response, the Chief admitted that it was regrettable that the activities of criminals have tarnished the image of the otherwise peaceful town. It was for that reason that he wants to seize the present opportunity created by COCOBOD to stop the criminals, and in so doing, clean-up the image of the town. He promised to avail himself and the towns leaders to further engagements to help make the anti-smuggling effort a success. 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 Cape Town, June 1 : South Africa speedster Kagiso Rabada reflected on the previous season and admitted he felt out of place and rusty. Rabada, who has been leading the Proteas' bowling attack for a while now, also opened up regarding his on-field aggression, which has gotten him into trouble many-a-times in recent past. The 2019-20 season was rather indifferent for Rabada, according to his own high standards. He failed to live up to the expectations on the India tour and scalped just seven wickets in three Tests as the hosts romped to a 3-0 victory. "The past season was a disappointment," Rabada was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo. "Even though I see that my stats are okay, I just felt really rusty and a bit out of place." Rabada did better on home soil against England, where he scalped 14 wickets in three matches. Rabada couldn't feature in the fourth Test as he was handed a one-Test ban for his celebration after taking the wicket of England Test captain Joe Root in the third Test. This proved costly for the Proteas as they lost the final Test in the absence of Rabada at Wanderers and conceded the series 1-3. This wasn't the first time for Rabada, as earlier, he was handed similar bans for breaching the ICC's code of conduct against England in 2017 and against Australia in 2018. "It's passion, but everyone has their opinion and they are entitled to their own opinion," Rabada said. "I have identified things that I needed to identify and I will address them with the people that are closest to me and who I feel should be helping me address it." File Photo Noida: A 12-year-old student spent Rs 48,000 from her savings and helps three migrant labourers to reach their homes. People are praising Niharika's initiative. With the help of Niharika, not only were the three labourers able to reach their homes, but they also got a chance to board the flight for the first time. Niharika is very happy to help them. Advertisement PhotoEarlier, students of National Law School, Bangalore had collected money and send 180 stranded labourers to Ranchi. When the students found out that some workers were trapped near Mumbai IIT and did not have the money, they planned to help them. All the students raised money. PhotoNGOs and the police also helped them. Thus all were sent to their homes in Jharkhand. However, the students did not disclose their names for this assistance. They said that they did not help them to make a name for themselves. San Antonio police are investigating what led to a deadly West Side shooting on Monday. Officers were called to the 2100 block of SW Loop 410 just after 6 a.m. for a shooting in progress. When they arrived, they found a man suffering from gunshot wounds. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox The victim was transported to University Hospital, where he later died. Police offered little information about what led to the shooting or who may be involved, saying the circumstances surrounding the incident is still under investigation. Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway The economy of a country is its backbone. Africa has a pool of some of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Spanning 54 countries, Africa is a high-flyer when it comes to natural resources. Despite its social and political issues, the 15 largest economies in Africa have proven to be a force to reckon with in the coming years. Image: facebook.com, @AckeeTreeClothing Source: UGC For the strongest economy in Africa, resources like trade, agriculture and human resource should be looked into. Sales in commodities and manufacturing play an essential role in the GDP of the country. The following is a compilation of the top 15 largest economies in Africa by GDP. List of the Largest economies in Africa by GDP (Nominal) African countries economic ranking based on the GDP (nominal) is sorted according to data and information from the International Monetary Fund. The difference in the cost of living is not put into consideration in the following order. The rankings can change yearly due to the fluctuations in the currency of the country and the exchange rate. It is essential to note that the GDP is calculated as per the population times the market value of the goods and services produced in a country, per person. 1. Nigeria nominal GDP per capita US$ 2,233.45 Nigeria tops the list of the largest economies in Africa by GDP per capita. Its economy significantly expanded in the last four years with bold steps of its central bank, boosting credit growth. The increase in oil output has also played an essential role in elevating Nigerias economy. The country had a strong end in the year 2019, but the top economic watchers believe that it needs to strengthen its economy more for it to take care of the large chunk of its population struggling with poverty. Nigeria is well-heeled in natural resources with oil, rubber and cocoa as some of its top exports. The country has the best economy in Africa and is a powerhouse of economic development compared to other African countries. 2. South Africa - nominal GDP per capita US$ 6,331.46 As much as the economy of South Africa grew by 1.3%, it is currently placed in second place when it comes to the top economies in Africa. South Africa is well-known for its growth in agriculture, mining and manufacturing. Its major exports include gold, diamonds and fruit. Predictions show the country may remain as one of the largest economies in Africa, 2030. 3. Egypt - nominal GDP per capita US$ 3,019.72 Egypt is one of the African countries that pride itself with a vibrant trade history. Despite its ups and downs in the past few years, it still manages to clinch the third spot on the list. The year 2013 saw a fall in their foreign exchange reserves that affected the countrys economy negatively. The Egyptian government had to come up with economic reforms to salvage the situation. Egyptians main exports include insulated wire, petroleum and gold. The land of the Pharaohs and pyramids is famous for its textile production, tourism and food processing. 4. Algeria - nominal GDP per capita US$ 4,229.78 The slight decline in hydrocarbon production in 2017 slowed down the countrys economic growth. It did not deter the country from moving forward. Instead, the Algerian government concentrated on its biggest exports which are petroleum and natural gases. The country also pressed forward exporting principal farm crops like wheat, citrus fruits, olives and dates. 5. Morocco - nominal GDP per capita US$ 3,409.95 Over half of the countrys GDP is accounted for by the services sector, which includes mining, construction and manufacturing. Morocco is known for exporting electric components, transistors, citrus fruits and vegetables. The significant economic concerns include structural unemployment and its massive external debt. The country also struggles with youth unemployment which is something that may affect its future economy. READ ALSO: Top 10 richest cities in Africa in 2020 6. Kenya - nominal GDP per capita US$ 2,010.51 Image: facebook.com, @CitizenTVKe Source: UGC Kenya is one of the countries whose economy has drastically been affected by post-election violence. Despite this, the country has been reviving its economy hammer and tongs. Kenya has put considerable effort in trade which plays a crucial role in its economy. It has taken advantage of its agricultural sector, which is one of the pillars that enable it to maintain a top 6 position as one of the biggest economies in Africa. 7. Angola - nominal GDP per capita US$ 3,060.02 For a country that has dealt with 27 years of civil war, Angola beats the odds to appear at the top 10 African countries with the biggest economy. Angola is also one of the fastest-growing countries in the world. The Angolan government has been able to cut down expenditure and concentrate on exporting crude oil, petroleum products, diamonds and agricultural produce. Fishing is also one of the main activities in the country that contribute positively to their economy. 8. Ethiopia - nominal GDP per capita US$ 951.10 Ethiopia is famous for its unique delicacies and delicious menus. Besides, it happens to be one of the largest economies in Africa 2018/2019. As much as the country has the second largest population in the continent, it remains one of the fastest-growing economies in the world today. Its accelerated economic growth is because of industrial activities that include investing in infrastructure like the Grand Renaissance Dam. Its principal exports such as leather, spices, textiles and natural gum have also contributed to the stability of the countrys economy. 9. Ghana - nominal GDP per capita US$ 2,262.57 Image: facebook.com, @ragashanti Source: UGC Many African countries struggle with their politics which end up affecting their economy negatively. Ghana is one of the countries that have taken significant strides towards democracy under the multi-party umbrella. The country has strongly recovered in the service industry with a non-oil growth of 6.0%. As much as the country has its challenges in the meeting revenue targets, its government continues with its fiscal consolidation to strengthen its economy. 10. Tanzania - nominal GDP per capita US$ 1,172.18 Tanzania is one of the African countries that takes a lot of pride in its culture and traditions. It is also known for its sumptuous and exquisite menus. More than half of the countrys workforce is employed in the agricultural sector. Tanzanians reliance on agriculture makes it vulnerable to environmental shocks that can adversely affect its economy. 11. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)- nominal GDP per capita US$ 495.08 The DRC is the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa and has a surface area equivalent to that of Western Europe. The country is still recovering from a series of conflicts that occurred in the 1990s. Despite its slow growth of 4.4% in 2019, owing to commodity prices, DRC still maintains to be top 15 of the top African economies. 12. Cote dIvoire - nominal GDP per capita US$ 1,722.26 Cote dIvoire is one of the African countries that have made a major come-back after its post-election war. It is deemed as one of the fastest-growing countries in the world. Maintaining this rapid growth is one of the challenges that the country faces since it has to deal with poverty rates at 46.3%. 13. Libya - nominal GDP per capita US$ 6,835.62 Libya is one of the countries that had its political conflicts take a severe toll on its economy. These conflicts have negatively impacted the World banks commitment to supporting the country's analytical services as well as grant financing. 14. Cameroon - nominal GDP per capita US$ 1,537.61 Cameroon has a lower-middle-income population of over 25 million along the Atlantic Ocean. The Nachtigal Hydropower Dam is one of the bold partnerships between the government and the private sector. It plays a vital role in boosting the urban and rural cities in Cameroon. 15. Tunisia - nominal GDP per capita US$ 3,072.51 As many African countries struggle with their political conflicts, Tunisia has made steady progress in its political transition since 2014. The Tunisian government has put more emphasis on its key ingredients to improve management and natural resources. The top 15 largest economies in Africa are giving some of the top players in the world, a run for their money. With the majority of African economies working on their weaknesses and improving their strengths, the top largest economies in Africa, 2050, will have very high positions in the world rankings. READ ALSO: Top 10 most powerful African countries ranked 2020 Source: TUKO.co.ke Seven members of staff at the same primary school have tested positive for coronavirus, as thousands of pupils returned to the classroom across the country today. Arboretum Primary School, in Derby, has been closed following the positive tests, with the staff members, who have mild symptoms, now recovering at home. The school is believed to have remained open throughout the lockdown, with children from local schools and those of key workers attending. It will now remain closed for a week to undergo a deep clean, before reopening next week. It comes as thousands of children returned to school today, with restrictions eased to allow reception, year one and year six pupils to go back to the classroom. Up to two million pupils were due to return to lessons, though it is thought that as many as half a million did not. Arboretum Primary School, in Derby, has been closed after seven staff members tested positive for coronavirus A teacher talks to a child at Watlington Primary School, with other pupils socially distanced on the day that thousands returned to classrooms Some were turned away because headteachers 'weren't ready' for them while around half of parents have chosen to keep their children at home because of safety fears. On Arboretum Primary School, a spokesman for the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust said: 'Following one member of staff reporting symptoms, the school quickly identified any other members of staff, parents/carers and/or children who may have been in contact and instructed them to isolate for the Government's recommended period of 14 days. 'Since then, six members of staff have tested positive and four members of staff who were in contact have tested negative. There have been no reports of parents/carers or children displaying symptoms. A child washes her hands after playing at St Dunstan's College junior school in London as some schools re-opened today A child has his temperature taken at Harris Primary Academy in south London today A child has his hand sanitised with the help of a member of staff at a Croydon Primary School this morning. While children skipped in the playground while watched by teachers in full PPE 'The trust is pleased to confirm that all members of staff affected have experienced only mild symptoms and are recovering well at home. Primary school is forced to close after member of staff tested positive for coronavirus as it delays reopening classrooms until June 8 Thorpe Primary School in Idle, Bradford, was forced to shut as pupils prepared to head back to the classroom. The school told parents it would have to close on Saturday, pushing back its reopening until June 8, according to Yorkshire Live. Parents were told by the school: 'We have been informed today that a member of our staff has tested positive for COVID-19. 'Therefore any key worker parent or parent of a vulnerable child who is planning to send their child back to school on Monday 1st June will not be able to do so. Thorpe Primary School in Idle, Bradford, is thought to be the second school to have to shut as pupils prepared to head back to the classroom, after staff tested positive for covid-19 'They should self isolate for another seven days. 'We will reopen on the June 8 for key worker and vulnerable pupils then. 'Thank you for your support and understanding.' Advertisement 'In line with guidance, the school has closed this week to allow a deep-clean to be completed and will re-open next week, initially to children of key workers and vulnerable children.' A Derby City Council spokesman added: 'The school will re-open on Monday, June 8 and all of those adults who may have been in contact with the affected staff have been informed.' One local resident said: 'I thought there was something wrong because this morning there were no cars in the car park and the school was shut. 'Recently, I have seen children going there and so it was odd that it was shut this week when schools are supposed to be reopening.' At least 54 councils in England have taken the side of teaching unions, who have argued it is not yet safe for its members to return to schools amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The councils have either told schools not to reopen today, or left the decision up to headteachers. It meant as few as '40 per cent of eligible primary pupils' returned to classes today, with around 550,000 staying at home, as schools stayed shut, turned children away or even held 'staff training days'. The Association of School and College Leaders said that of the facilities that are open attendance is 'highly variable' and ranges between '40 per cent and 70 per cent'. But the union's general secretary Geoff Barton said this figure is likely to increase as 'parents become become confident about sending their children to school'. Up to 1,500 primary schools in England are estimated to be defying the Government's plan to get all reception, year 1 and year 6 children back in the classroom from June 1 as teachers admitted they were feeling anxiety about returning to work and unions demanded the date be pushed back to June 15 at the earliest. Parents have revealed that many schools will remain closed for at least another week or more, while some have not yet set a date at all. In other cases schools decided they can only increase the number of places for key workers' children, not for everyone. A younger workforce is often a big boon to a countrys economy. Similarly, a younger population of followers is also of great advantage to a religion. It means that the religion has a higher potential to grow than those with an older population of adherents. A younger population means more children in the future adhering to their parents religious beliefs adding to the number of followers of a religion. In this article, we take a look at the median age of adherents of the major religions of the world and learn how this age factor will influence the growth of these religions in the coming decades. The Religious Composition Of The World According to a Pew Research in 2015, Christians were the biggest religious group in the world accounting for 31.2% of the global population. Next came Islam with its followers representing 24.1% of the total population. Hindus, Buddhists, and practitioners of folk religion made up 15.1%, 6.9%, and 6% of the global population respectively. A large section of the population also claimed to be not affiliated to any religion and they accounted for 16% of the total world population. Median Age In Relation To Growth Of Religions The religious composition of the world is set to change by the middle of this century if the given trend continues. A major alteration would be Islam possibly replacing Christianity as the worlds biggest religion. The median age of the population would be a vital factor in driving this change along with other factors like fertility rates. The table below represents the median age of major religious populations. The data has been sourced from Pew Research Center's demographic projections. Muslims are praying at Biswa Ijtema, the second largest Muslim congregation after the Hajj at banks of Turag,Tongi, Bangladesh on January 15, 2016. Image credit: Bayazid Akter/Shutterstock.com The worlds Muslim population has a median age of only 24, the lowest of all major religions. This means that the low median age coupled with the high fertility rates of Muslim women (2.9 children per woman) will allow the Muslim population to grow tremendously in the coming times. As per projections, while the world population will grow by 32% between 2015 and 2060, the Muslim population will increase by 70% within this time span. With a median age of 30, the worlds Christian population will also grow but only by 34% between 2015 and 2060. This growth will primarily be concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa while that in Europe and North America will be much lower. With a median age of 27 that is lower than the global median age, the Hindu population of the world will also grow but by only 27% as the fertility rate of this population of 2.3 children per woman is lower than that of both Christians (2.6) and Muslims (2.9). The Jewish population with a high median age of 37 and a fertility rate of 23 is expected to grow by 15%. The ultra-Orthodox Jews will primarily contribute to this population growth due to their higher birth rates. Buddhism is projected to suffer heavily and experience a loss of 7% of the population between 2015 and 2060. The religion has a high median age of 36 and fertility rates too low to sustain the population. Also, although the religiously unaffiliated people contribute to 16% of the global population, they will experience much slower growth as they have low fertility rates and high median age of 36. Consequences Of Change In Global Religious Composition Unity in diversity is what the world's population should aim for instead of fighting off each other. Image credit: Lorelyn Medina/Shutterstock.com Religion has always played a major role in driving the sociopolitical changes in the world. Wars have been fought for religion. Genocides, persecutions, and forced conversions have occurred. As mentioned above, the religious composition of the world will change in the coming decades and that will trigger new issues and power struggles. The dominant religion of a country often dictates the societal and cultural norms in the country which are bound to vary with alterations in the religious landscape. Sometimes such changes will also be reflected in the laws of the country. A new Ebola epidemic has been declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 620 miles away from the ongoing outbreak in the country's east. Health Minister Eteni Longondo said four people who died in Mbandaka had tested positive at the national biomedical laboratory in the capital Kinshasa. 'We have a new Ebola epidemic in Mbandaka,' Longondo told reporters. 'We are going to very quickly send them the vaccine and medicine.' The outbreak was confirmed by World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who tweeted: 'This outbreak is a reminder that #COVID19 is not the only health threat people face.' A file photo of nurses caring for a suspected Ebola patient inside the Biosecure Emergency Care Unit (CUBE) at the Ebola treatment centre in Katwa, near Butembo, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, October 3, 2019 A new Ebola epidemic has been declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 620 miles away from the ongoing outbreak in the country's east Tedros said the WHO already had staff in Mbandaka who were offering their support to the Congolese authorities. The capital of Equateur Province, Mbandaka is a transport hub on the Congo River with a population of more than a million. The province was previously hit by an Ebola outbreak between May and July 2018, in which 33 people died and 21 recovered from the disease. 'This is a province that has already experienced the disease. They know how to respond. They started the response at the local level yesterday (Sunday),' Longondo said. Congo has been struggling to put an end to a nearly two-year-old Ebola outbreak near its eastern borders with Rwanda and Uganda, which has killed more than 2,200 people, the world's second-deadliest outbreak of the disease on record. For it to be officially ended, there must be no new cases of the disease reported for 42 days, which is double the incubation period. A file photo of healthcare workers carry a coffin with a baby, suspected of dying from Ebola, in Beni, North Kivu Province of Democratic Republic of Congo, December 15, 2018 It was just days away from ending the epidemic in April, its tenth since the virus was discovered in 1976, when a new chain of infection was confirmed in the east. However, no new cases have been detected there in over 30 days. Two experimental vaccines have been administered to more than 300,000 across the country in a bid to eradicate Ebola. But efforts to wipe it out have been hindered by violent civil war and assaults on health workers in volatile regions controlled by militia. Meanwhile the country has the coronavirus pandemic to keep a handle on. More than 3,100 infections have been reported - 2,896 in the capital Kinshasa - with 72 fatalities, according to Monday's figures. Despite this the government has struggled to communicate the dangers posed by the disease, with many citizens refusing to believe it exists. An activist gestures while handing over face masks during a COVID-19 coronavirus awareness campaign in Kinshasa on May 29 Activists walk along the street during a COVID-19 coronavirus awareness campaign in Kinshasa on May 29. Many people in Kinshasa deny the reality of coronavirus 'We are in an ascending period of the curve,' Longondo said, adding that it was still too 'risky' to lift measures imposed on March 20 to stem the spread of COVID-19. Under the measures, travel is banned between Kinshasa and the rest of the country. No coronavirus cases have been reported in Equateur province. Mbandaka is 600 kilometres (370 miles) from Kinshasa, but the two cities are connected by the Congo river, with a trip down it taking about a week. DR Congo's coronavirus front man, virologist Jean-Jacques Muyembe, first identified Ebola in 1976 along with Belgian Peter Piot. 'I have devoted all my life and all my career to fighting Ebola,' Muyembe has said. The country is also facing a measles outbreak which has killed more than 6,000 people since early last year, as well as recurring flare-ups of cholera and malaria. Myanmar & COVID-19 NLD Warns Yangon Chief Minister Over Breach of COVID-19 Rules Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein at the Yangon Investment Forum 2019 in Yangon on May 10, 2019. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy NAYPYITAWThe National League for Democracy (NLD) has issued a warning to Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein for violating the governments ban on mass gatherings by attending a Buddhist religious event in the last week of May, according to NLD spokesman Dr. Zaw Myint Maung. The Yangon Region chief minister, his wife, members of his cabinet and other officials attended a Buddhist religious event at the riverside Botahtaung Pagoda in Yangon on May 24. It included the launch of a raft carrying a statue of Shin Upagotea fabled Buddhist monk who is believed to live on the high seas and protect worshippers from floods and stormson the coast nearby, as well as the relocation of a number of Buddha idols and a life-sized statue of Mya Nan New, a spirit (or Nat) known for granting the wishes of those who whisper in her ears, so that some maintenance work could be done. As curious onlookers joined the invited attendees, the number of people at the assembly swelled into the dozens, visibly breaching an order by the Myanmar Presidents Office banning mass gatherings, which remains in effect until June 15, and defying the Health Ministrys request that citizens not organize public events and avoid gathering in groups of more than four people. We warned him about it. We warned him to follow the rules set by the partys Central Executive Committee [CEC] in the future, Dr. Zaw Myint Maung told reporters in an online press conference on Sunday. U Phyo Min Thein is a member of the NLD CEC. The party also urged regional and chief ministers to follow the orders, requests, instructions and suggestions issued by the National-Level Central Committee for COVID-19 Prevention, Control and Treatment, he said. Our fight against the coronavirus has been successful because members of the public follow the instructions. So, we urged them to follow orders, instructions and suggestions issued by the central committee, said Dr. Zaw Myint Maung. U Naing Ngan Lin, Yangon Region social affairs minister and chairman of the regions COVID-19 Control and Emergency Response Committee, attended the religious event together with the chief minister and told The Irrawaddy that the regional government would listen to the warning by the partys CEC. We must listen to the partys CEC. We have to comply. We will act according to the instructions of the Union government in the future, said U Naing Ngan Lin. Government spokesman U Zaw Htay told reporters in an online press conference Saturday that the Presidents Office asked the Yangon regional government to explain the gathering and said that the government will take action depending on the chief ministers explanation. No one should violate the instructions issued by the Health Ministry, said U Yan Shin, Yangon regional lawmaker for Mayangone Township. A South Dagon Township resident filed a complaint with the Botahtaung Township police station against eight individuals, including the chief minister, under the Natural Disaster Management Law last Friday. The police station has accepted the complaint and is waiting for the approval of the Presidents Office to proceed. Meanwhile, a local court in Mon States Kyaikmayaw Township recently sentenced a person to nine month in prison for defying the governments ban on gatherings by organizing a Buddhist religious event. Similarly, the Chanmyathazi Township Court in Mandalay also sentenced 12 Muslim men to three months in prison for the same offence. The Yangon regional COVID-19 Control and Emergency Response Committee has also filed lawsuits against four people, including pastor Saw David Lah, who organized religious gatherings that have been linked to at least 80 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Yangon, including two deaths. After the photos of U Phyo Min Thein and his cabinet members at the religious event went viral on social media, the chief minister hurried to tell the media that he had not broken any rules, only attracting further calls on social media for punitive action against him. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Lower House Passes Law Boosting Govts Powers to Fight Epidemics Myanmar Extends Ban on Mass Gathering Until June 15 Music industry giants are coming together in solidarity with the black community days after George Floyd's death at the hands of police in Minneapolis. Universal Music Group, Sony, Atlantic, and Capitol were just a few of the companies who have announced they will be observing 'Black Out Tuesday' on June 2. The record labels have all committed to halting business activity for the day. Stand united: Music industry giants - including Sony - are coming together in solidarity with the black community days after George Floyd's death at the hands of police in Minneapolis Gone too soon: The national unrest began less than a week ago in Minneapolis when Floyd (pictured), a 46-year-old security guard, died after police officer Derek Chauvin - who has since been fired and charged in the incident - kneeled on the back of his neck Other companies involved include: Capitol Music Group, Columbia Records, Def Jam, Elektra Music Group, HitCo, Interscope Geffen A&M, Island Records, Pulse Music Group, Reservoir, Republic Records, Sony/ATV, Virgin EMI, and Warner Records, among others. On Friday an image began circulating on social media calling for a music industry 'Black Out' on Tuesday along with hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused. Several of the record companies took to social media to announce that they were participating including Columbia Records who posted: 'Black Out Tuesday is not a day off. 'This is not a day off': Several of the record companies took to social media to announce that they were participating including Columbia Records 'Instead, this is a day to reflect and figure out ways to move forward in solidarity. We continue to stand with the Black community, our staff, artists, and peers in the music industry. Perhaps with the music off, we can truly listen.' The announcement of solidarity comes amid days of nationwide protests. The national unrest began less than a week ago in Minneapolis when Floyd, a 46-year-old security guard, died after police officer Derek Chauvin - who has since been fired and charged in the incident - kneeled on the back of his neck (while he was handcuffed), rendering him unable to breathe in a horrifying incident that was caught on camera. Solid: On Friday an image began circulating on social media calling for a music industry 'Black Out' on Tuesday along with hashtag #TheShowMustBePaused In the incident, arresting officers said Floyd matched the description of a forgery suspect, and subsequently resisted them when they took him into custody. In an accompanying clip, Chauvin was seen pinning his knee into the back of Floyd's neck as Floyd pleaded with him to relent. 'Please, please, please, I can't breathe,' Floyd said. 'Please, man ... my stomach hurts, my neck hurts, everything hurts ... I can't breathe.' Unrest: The announcement of solidarity comes amid days of nationwide protests, a mural and memorial is seen in Minneapolis, Minnesota Floyd later died in police custody in a nearby hospital. Chauvin faces charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, though the trio of officers he was with, who were also fired, haven't been charged in connection with the incident. In the wake of the jarring sequence of events, riots began in Minnesota and spread both nationwide and internationally, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets, even amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Derek Chauvin faces charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, though the trio of officers he was with, who were also fired, haven't been charged in connection with the incident In the three straight nights of rioting, The Associated Press reported that at least 4,100 arrests were made in connection with the demonstrations in major metropolitan areas nationwide. The incident has drawn parallels to the Los Angeles riots of 1992 which broke out after police were acquitted in their trial over the beating of Rodney King, which was caught on video camera. In the five days of rioting, more than 60 people died, 2,000-plus were hurt and damages to destroyed property topped $1 billion. Jio Platforms hot streak of investment continues, with Microsoft reportedly in talks to buy a 2.5% stake for US$2 billion. The US-based firm has worked with Reliance Industries in the past, with the firms pledging last year to extend Microsoft Azure cloud services to Indian tech startups and SMEs by 2021. Additionally, the companies offered free connectivity via mobile operator Reliance Jio. However, the deal is not agreed, and Indias Economic Times reported that Microsoft has expressed its interest in digital payments services to a number of potential partners. If a deal is reached, it would be Jio Platforms sixth largest investment. The digital unit of Reliance Industries has recently accrued investment worth over $12.3 billion from five foreign-owned firms: Facebook, Silver Lake, Vista Equity Partners, General Atlantic, and KKR. Interest in the unit may not be limited to US-based firms. The Economic Times reports that Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Investment Company is also in talks over a potential $1 billion investment in Jio Platforms, although the companies have not confirmed any further details. Louisville, Kentucky, Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad has been relieved of duty after it was revealed that the officers involved in a shooting that killed a local business owner early Monday did not activate their body cameras. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer announced the decision to relieve Conrad on Monday afternoon during a news conference, where the deceased was identified as David McAtee. Conrad had been set to retire later this month. "David was a friend to many, a well-known barbecue man that nurtured so many people in their bellies and their hearts before," Fischer said of McAtee. "And for him to be caught up in this, for him to not be here with us, is a tragedy. It's just hard to put into words." The two officers involved, who either were not wearing their cameras or did not have them activated, have been placed on administrative leave. It is unclear whether the fatal shot was fired by law enforcement or someone else, acting Chief Rob Schroeder said Monday. "We are working diligently to determine what happened. The community has a lot of questions, and we share those same questions," Schroeder said. Other audio and video from the incident will be released, officials said. Download the NBC News app for breaking news and alerts Louisville officers and the National Guard were sent to a parking lot to break up a crowd at around 12:15 a.m., according to a statement Conrad gave earlier Monday. He said officers were "shot at" at some point while trying to clear the area and returned fire, leaving one person dead. Image: Protests in Louisville (Bryan Woolston / Reuters) In a statement Monday morning, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said that "LMPD and the Kentucky National Guard returned fire resulting in death" and that he had asked the Kentucky State Police to independently investigate the shooting. Officers were required to wear active body cameras following the death of Breonna Taylor, 26, a black woman who was killed in her home in March by Louisville police while they served a "no-knock" warrant against the couple in an alleged drug case. Taylor's family claimed in a wrongful death lawsuit that she and her boyfriend believed their home was being broken into and that they shot at officers because they did not identify themselves. Story continues Taylor's death has been a catalyst for protests in Louisville, demonstrations that were reignited over the weekend by the death of George Floyd, the Minneapolis man who died last week after a police officer kept a knee on his neck for over eight minutes. More than 40 people were arrested Sunday night, the city's fourth consecutive night of demonstrations, NBC affiliate WAVE of Louisville reported. On Thursday, seven people were shot in the city during protests that turned violent. Officers were not involved in the shootings Thursday, police Sgt. Lamont Washington said at the time. Kaitlin Rust, a reporter for WAVE, was on the air Friday when she yelled and said she was "getting shot" by rubber bullets or pepper bullets. This is a developing story; please check back for updates. Editorial COURT RULES IN WORKERS FAVOUR! Two weeks ago, a full bench of the Federal Court ruled on the significant WorkPac Pty Ltd v Rossato case with far-reaching implications for workplace relations. The ruling was a huge win for workers. In short, the important aspect of the case centred around the definition of casual work. According to the summary provided by the Federal Court, the applicant, WorkPac, submitted to the court that Mr Rossato (the respondent) couldnt make claims with respect to paid annual leave, personal/carers leave, and compassionate leave entitlements under the National Employment Standards because he was a casual employee within the meaning of ss 86, 95 and 106 of the Fair Work Act 2009. The reason behind their claim was that there was no firm advance commitment as to the duration of the employees employment or the days/ hours the employee will work. However, the court disagreed with WorkPacs reasoning and found that Mr Rossato was not a casual employee for the purposes of the FW Act and for the purposes of the 2012 EA [Enterprise Agreement Ed] and found that the parties had agreed on employment of indefinite duration which was stable, regular and predictable such that the postulated firm advance commitment was evident in each of his six contracts. According to the Australian Financial Review, Justices Mordy Bromberg, Richard White and Michael Wheelahan, unanimously held that Mr Rossato was not a casual based on his pattern of work, even taking WorkPacs case at its highest. Many will argue that the ruling is unfair as casuals receive up to twenty-five per cent loading in place of entitlements. This statement would be true if casuals were working within a casual capacity. However, they arent. Understanding the ruling being based on the pattern of work is crucial in understanding how employers rort employees. According to the chief executive of the Australian Industry Group (AIG), Innes Willox, casuals make up twenty per cent of our workforce. A closer look at that number shows starker statistics. According to AIGs own report, Casual work and part-time work in Australia in 2018, the top three industries with casualisation are accommodation and food services (55.1 per cent), arts and recreation services (34.6 per cent), and retail trade (34.3 per cent). These industries offer some of the lowest wages in our country. According to the ABS report that same year, in major occupation groups sales workers had the lowest average weekly total cash earnings ($735.90), when it came to industry the lowest average weekly total cash earnings was for employees in the Accommodation and food services industry ($616.20). This information, including how many hours casuals work, was omitted from AIGs report. With these kinds of statistics, we know businesses arent hiring casuals in a causal capacity. Many work part-time or full-time hours and have worked at a business for prolonged periods. This is also evident in the aftermath of the COVID-19 restrictions where, in a matter of days, massive layoffs occurred, with zero repercussions for the businesses in question. Employers are able to save millions by regulating their workforce with casual positions. They dont have to pay paid annual leave, paid personal/carers leave and paid compassionate leave. They also have a flexible workforce which means they can fire and hire at will. This is particularly handy if someone raises an issue with the conditions of a workplace, or if someone attempts to unionise a workplace for better pay and conditions. Casualisation places the power of workplace relations squarely in the hands of the employer, leaving employees in a precarious situation. The ruling upheld a precedent set by the court in the WorkPac Pty Ltd v Skene and should be seen as a bright spot in what has been a terrible time for workers around this country. Members of the Morrison government have already voiced their disapproval of the ruling. Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter even opined about government intervention: There is of course potential for an appeal in the matter and if that were to occur, the government would closely consider the merits of intervening. This is not surprising given that this is a government that attempted to ram through parliament its Ensuring Integrity bill. We must watch closely and be militant. We cannot let the government and its backers, big business, destroy our workers rights! Fashion designer Virgil Abloh, who was once described as Kanye Wests protege, is getting slammed online. In the midst of the protests happening around the country right now, some celebrities and wealthy citizens are donating funds toward bail or legal defense funds. Others are decrying the riots, and some are mum. Ablohs words and actions landed him on peoples bad side. Virgil Abloh | Kristy Sparow/Getty Images Who is Virgil Abloh? Abloh is an Illinois native who graduated with two degrees: one in engineering and one in architecture. But he turned his passion for fashion into a career by connecting with Kanye West and landing a job on his creative team. He started designing streetwear apparel such as tees, opened a boutique with Wests tour manager, and even interned with the rapper at Fendi. Abloh parlayed everything he learned during that time with West and in 2013, launched his own brand, Off-White. Over the years, hes collaborated with Nike, West, and a number of luxury brands. Now, he designs for Louis Vuitton and still manages Off-White, a company that pulls in an estimated $20 million per year. He recently designed Hailey Biebers wedding dress. Abloh has a net worth of roughly $4 million. What did Virgil Abloh do and say? Abloh was one of many high-profile figures who decided to pitch in to the protest bailout funds and threw a few bucks toward the cause$50. Abloh posted a note and screenshot about his $50 donation to his Instagram stories. It read, The Miami community Im crazy inspired. For kids in the streets that need bail funds for George Floyd protests. It included a link to match the donation. DJ Akademiks shared this image: People are criticizing and insulting Abloh to the tenth power for what theyve deemed to be a paltry donation. Twitter is roasting Abloh It did not take long for Twitter to get hold of Ablohs message and share the screenshot around the internet. Theres a thread on his timeline with messages such as Open your purse, Bum, and Can I have $51? Elsewhere on the platform,commenters pointed out that $50 would only pay for one sock from his Off-White brand. One person wrote, Its crazy because I was just about to buy an off white bag. Its clipped now. Youre telling me that your selling products at $900 and up, were supporting YOU. And YOU CANT donate more that $50.00. YOU DONT EVEN SELL ANYTHING FOR $50. Another added, I cant believe im seeing #virgilabloh flex that $50 donation to BLM. are u kidding me? Ive donated more than that & idek if I have a job to go back to. Trash. Abloh responded to the criticism After catching wind of peoples reactions, Abloh hit social media to address the criticism about his $50 donation. According to Complex, a new, but now-deleted Instagram story was posted. View this post on Instagram essentially A post shared by @ virgilabloh on May 7, 2020 at 6:32am PDT He wrote, More light before a narrative forms around false assumptions around the donation. The $50 donation described in a recent screenshot was part of a matching funds movement of friends I follow in my timeline. Abloh went on to explain it was part of a donation match campaign among friends. He said that people didnt see a Google document with information on where to send funds for protesters. RELATED: Twitter Praises Nick Cannon for Joining Minneapolis Protests (Newser) After a tumultuous weekend of protests across America over the death of George Floyd, police departments nationwide reported multiple arrests. On Monday morning, President Trump made an allegation against his presumptive challenger in November on those people behind bars. "Biden's people are so Radical Left that they are working to get the Anarchists out of jail, and probably more," Trump tweeted. "Joe doesn't know anything about it, he is clueless, but they will be the real power, not Joe. They will be calling the shots!" Shortly before that, Trump had simply posted: "NOVEMBER 3RD." Fox News notes Trump's tweets seem to refer to a Reuters report from Sunday that more than a dozen Biden campaign staffers had posted online they made donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, a group opposing cash bail and keeping people who can't pay it in jail before their trial. story continues below The group solicits donations so it can pay bail fees. It appeared Trump's tweets were spurred by him watching Fox & Friends, as his two previous tweets just minutes before those tagged the show, with one of those posts mentioning the bail money issue. A Biden campaign rep wouldn't confirm to Reuters if the donations had been coordinated by the campaign itself, but he did note that his boss considers the concept of cash bail to be akin to a "modern-day debtors prison." On Saturday, the Trump campaign blasted Biden's team for "financially [supporting] the mayhem that is hurting innocent people and destroying what good people spent their lives building," though Fox notes that the former VP has come out against the violence at the protests. "Protesting such brutality is right and necessary," Biden said in a Saturday statement. "But burning down communities and needless destruction is not." (Read more President Trump stories.) Did the tragic video of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis throw you into a fit of rage? Of sadness and despair? Did it make you want to burn down a police station? Whether it did or (more likely) did not, you might be among the many Americans who sympathize with the outburst of anger behind the overturning of police cruisers and the smashing of storefronts in cities across the country in the wake of Floyd's death, even if you disagree with property destruction. Though "violent" protest tactics are generally unpopular, they command attention and force us to ask: How did we get here? President Donald Trump, Attorney General William Barr and their allies have a simple and convenient answer: "It's ANTIFA and the Radical Left," as Trump tweeted on Saturday. "In many places," Barr explained, "it appears the violence is planned, organized and driven by anarchic . . . and far left extremist groups using Antifa-like tactics." "Domestic extremists," Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., tweeted, are "taking advantage of protest to further their own unrelated agenda." After another night of destruction that included the burning of the former slave market called the Market House in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Trump upped the stakes on Sunday by declaring that "the United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization." Trump's reckless accusations lack evidence, like many of his claims. But they also intentionally misrepresent the anti-fascist movement in the interest of delegitimizing militant protest and deflecting attention away from the white supremacy and police brutality that the protests oppose. Short for anti-fascist in many languages, antifa (pronounced AN-tifa) or militant antifascism is a politics of social revolutionary self-defense applied to fighting the far right which traces its heritage back to the radicals who resisted Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler in Italy and Germany a century ago. Many Americans had never heard of Antifa before masked antifascists smashed windows to shut down Milo Yiannopoulos in Berkeley, California, in early 2017 or confronted white supremacists in Charlottesville later that year - when a fascist murdered Heather Heyer and injured many more with his car in a way that frighteningly presaged the New York police officers who drove into protesters on Saturday in Brooklyn. Based on my research into antifa groups, I believe it's true that most, if not all, members do wholeheartedly support militant self-defense against the police and the targeted destruction of police and capitalist property that has accompanied it this week. I'm also confident that some members of antifa groups have participated in a variety of forms of resistance during this dramatic rebellion. Yet it is impossible to ascertain the exact number of people who belong to antifa groups because members hide their political activities from law enforcement and the far right, and concerns about infiltration and high expectations of commitment keep the sizes of groups rather small. Basically, there are nowhere near enough anarchists and members of antifa groups to have accomplished such breathtaking destruction on their own. Yes, the hashtag "#IamAntifa" trended on Twitter on Sunday, suggesting a very broad support of the politics of antifascism. Yet there is a significant difference between belonging to an organized antifa group and supporting their actions online. Trump's declaration seems impossible to enforce - and not only because there is no mechanism for the president to designate domestic groups as terrorist organizations. Though antifa groups exist, antifa itself is not an organization. Self-identified antifa groups like Rose City Antifa in Portland, Oregon, the oldest currently existing antifa group in the country, expose the identities of local Nazis and confront the far right in the streets. But antifa itself is not an overarching organization with a chain of command, as Trump and his allies have been suggesting. Instead, largely anarchist and anti-authoritarian antifa groups share resources and information about far-right activity across regional and national borders through loosely knit networks and informal relationships of trust and solidarity. And in the United States, antifa have never killed anyone, unlike their enemies in Klan hoods and squad cars. Though the specific tradition of militant antifascism inspired by groups in Europe came to the United States in the late 1980s with the creation of Anti-Racist Action, a wide variety of Black and Latinx groups, such as the Black Panthers and Puerto Rican Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional (MLN), situated their struggle in terms of antifascism in the 1970s and 1980s. Expanding the picture further, we can trace the broader tradition of collective self-defense against white supremacy and imperialism even farther back through resistance to indigenous genocide and the legacy of militant black liberation represented by Malcolm X, Robert F. Williams, C.L.R. James, Ida B. Wells, Harriet Tubman and slave rebellions. This black radical tradition, black feminism and more recent abolitionist politics influenced by organizations like Critical Resistance and Survived and Punished clearly inform the actions of protesters far more than antifa (though there are black antifa and others who have been influenced by all of the above). Trump is conjuring the specter of "antifa" (while Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz blamed "white supremacists" and "the cartel") to break the connection between this popular groundswell of anti-racist and black activism that has developed over recent years and the insurrections that have exploded across the country in recent days - which put police brutality in full view whether we agree with how it got there or not. Paradoxically, this move actually suggests a tacit acknowledgment of popular sympathy with the grievances and tactics of the protesters: If torching malls and police stations were sufficient on their own to delegitimize protests, there would be no need to blame "antifa." This is not the first time Trump or other GOP politicians have called for antifa to be declared a "terrorist" organization. So far, such calls have amounted to little more than rhetoric - but they carry an ominous potential. If antifa groups are composed of a wide range of socialists, anarchists, communists and other radicals, then declaring antifa to be a "terrorist" organization would pave the way to criminalizing and delegitimizing all politics to the left of Joe Biden. But in the case of the George Floyd protests, right-wing attempts to blame everything on antifa - perceived by many to be predominantly white - evince a kind of racism that assumes that black people couldn't organize on this deep and wide of a scale. Trump and his allies also have a more specific motive: If the flames and broken glass were simply blamed on "antifa" or "outsiders" - as if anyone had to travel very far to protest - then the urgency would shift from addressing the root causes of Floyd's death to figuring out how to stop the shadowy boogeyman Trump rails against. Even if you disagree with property destruction, it's easy to see the chain of events between Floyd's death and burning police cars. Trump's misinformation aims to mislead us all. - - - Bray is a historian of human rights, terrorism and political radicalism in modern Europe at Rutgers University. He is the author of "Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook." T3 Expo rendering of an Event Safe registration site. One thing is for certain is that in-person events will not disappear, but companies will have to redesign, build and host events in a different way," said Tim Heffernan, chief development officer, T3 Expo. T3 Expo, Inc. the general service contractor for creating shareable moments for trade shows and corporate events, today announced that it has launched Event Safe, a service offering that includes the guidelines and blueprints for helping support the safe reopening of events, conferences and trade shows. As experts in building the physical manifestation of brands, T3 Expo has worked on the state and federal level to use its knowledge to help keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. First, through its work in aiding the Jacob Javits Center Convention Center in New York City to construct hospital beds and then with the International Franchise Association (IFA) in response to the White House Working Group to reopen the country. Leveraging that knowledge, T3 Expo is uniquely positioned to help businesses, events and other operations open safely. With T3 Expo Event Safe, business and associations will have the guided support to conduct in-person events as safe and attractive as ever. T3 has been delivering the physical manifestation of brands since our inception 11 years ago and creating elements which guide people through a journey that provide shareable moments, said Chris Valentine, CEO, T3 Expo. The Event Safe guide will help prepare organizations to open safely and still maintain branding while delivering these shareable moments that everyone is still craving. T3 Expo has always been engaged at every level of the event from delivering upfront elements of the show design and floor layouts to coordinating with labor and the unions, to the loading docks, set up, break down and shipping. With decades of experience in the events space, the company is positioned to help clients and venues plan for a safe event in the new COVID-19 reality and can help support clients on how to optimize space, how to create the safe flow of people and how innovative design and structures to bring an event together in an organized and safe way. T3 Expo Event Safe concepts begin with designs for things like signage, floor plans, structures and individual show areas. It flows to ensuring that a clean and safe production and fabrication process reassures that surfaces and structures are assembled, packed and shipped in a clean manner. And, the Event Safe program focuses on everything from advanced warehouses, to managing loading docks, labor teams, cleaning schedules, and adjusted work schedules. Show hours or specifically expo hours may have to be adjusted, and certain age and risk groups may be given their own time slots at events. T3 Expo planners can help rethink all these details including rest room access or even seating for food and beverage services. T3 Expos detailed and step by step Event Safe guide and process ensures that not just attendees, but show organizers, sponsors, venue staff and labor are all accounted for as part of a safe plan for clients. In addition, T3 Expo has been working with its client and partner, IFA to form a report for submission to the federal government, which was an aggregation of reopening guidelines across all 50 states that can provide recommendations to businesses across multiple industries on how to safely reopen and conduct commerce. T3 Expo co-wrote the report that derived best practices and perspectives from franchise business leaders across hotels, restaurants, spas and salons, automotive, commercial services, residential services, senior care, fitness, and education. Event Safe can provide the tools to stay open for businesses and Associations with more options than just cancelling or postponing their event or converting them to digital platforms. As we eagerly await the decision that is 'all clear for events,' it is imperative for organizers to brace for the new normal and thoroughly assess all their options that make sense to help them achieve strategic objectives, said Tim Heffernan, chief development officer, T3 Expo. One thing is for certain is that in-person events will not disappear, but companies will have to redesign, build and host events in a different way. Whether a client has increased its leased space by 40 percent, or they are reducing their attendance targets by 60 percent, T3 Expo can guide them through what venues are expecting and what events in the new era will look like. Change is inevitable and we will see that across the events industry with trends such as Plexiglas dividers, hard wall structures for booths and registration lines that require social distancing markers on the floor, added Valentine. Whatever the changes, our Event Safe program can help clients get back to creating safe events that provide value and some fun too. For more information about T3 Expos Event Safe program, please reach out to us at http://www.t3expo.com About T3 Expo T3 Expo is the shareable moment general contractor that defines, develops and delivers what is needed for event managers to better manage what exhibitors want and attendees dream. T3 Expo has scores of Eventgineers, who apply their collective experience each and every day to redefine the design, development and delivery of events around the world. Our Eventgineers can rebrand entire events overnight or apply their decades of experience to save clients planning and production headaches. With the use of T3s Presta technology, T3 Eventgineers are able to work with clients to create an event space that is needed to foster important ideas and shareable moments that generate community and commerce. All trademarks, service marks and company names are the property of their respective owners New leadership named at Comau in preparation for its future as a publicly-listed company Paolo Carmassi joins as CEO from Malvern Panalytical and previously Honeywell Alessandro Nasi appointed Chairman Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) (NYSE:FCAU / MTA:FCA) announces that Paolo Carmassi has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Comau (Comau or the Company) in preparation for its future as one of the worlds leading global providers of Industry 4.0 enabling systems, products and services and its stock market listing. Alessandro Nasi will become the Companys Chairman. Mr. Carmassi joins Comau with significant experience in global high-technology business management. For the past four years, he has led Malvern Panalytical Ltd. (a Spectris company), a major provider of scientific instrumentation for materials analysis. Previously, he was head of the Aerospace business in EMEA for Honeywell, where he spent 23 years holding a series of positions of increasing leadership responsibility, in both the automotive and aerospace sectors. Headquartered in Turin, Italy, Comau is a world leader in industrial automation for the automotive industry for which it provides joining, assembly and machining solutions for both traditional and electric vehicles, and robotized manufacturing including wearable robotics. The Company also offers specialist project management and consultancy services, maintenance and training, and operates through an international network of 7 innovation centers, 5 digital hubs, 8 production plants, employing over 9,000 people in 14 countries. Comaus experience and expertise are clearly applicable to general industry and so it is well-placed to develop its business by supporting clients in new sectors as they transition to an industry 4.0 world. This will see processes and products re-imagined to capture the opportunities presented by developments such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual and Augmented Reality.. Alessandro Nasi joined the Fiat Group in 2005, having begun his career working in banking and finance. He has held senior roles at Fiat Powertrain Technologies, the Engine and Powertrain division of Fiat Group and CNH Industrial, which manufactures agricultural machinery and construction equipment, where he serves as a member of the Board and is also Chairman of Iveco Defence Vehicles. He is also member of the Board of EXOR. As previously announced by FCA on 18 December 2019, shortly following the merger of FCA and Groupe PSA, the shareholding in Comau will be distributed for the benefit of the shareholders of the newly merged company. Commenting on the appointments, Mike Manley, Chief Executive Officer of FCA said: The appointments of Alessandro Nasi and Paolo Carmassi are a significant step forward for Comau as it prepares for life as a public company. Were particularly delighted to welcome Paolo who brings with him a wealth of relevant experience to take Comau into a new phase of its development as a trusted partner helping businesses capture the opportunities of Industry 4.0. London, 1 June 2020 For further information: tel.: +39 (011) 00 63088 Email: mediarelations@fcagroup.com www.fcagroup.com Attachment As rioters clashed with police and set cars on fire in Austin on Sunday, the mayhem touched an often-forgotten segment of the Texan city: the homeless. Video footage shared on social media showed a homeless mans mattress and belongings being dragged into a fire by rioters, as a camera crew from conspiracy site Infowars filmed the carnage. According to one self-described anti-capitalist and anti-fascist activist, the blaze was started by the Infowars team, so they could film it and frame the left-wing rioters for the act. An InfoWars crew here in Austin set fire to a homeless man's belongings and shared their despicable act through various social media accounts in an effort to demonize protestors, who I know for a fact would never do this.Note at the end, he's shouting directly at the cameraman. https://t.co/9f5CojvkhZ Eldon Katz (@eldon_katz) June 1, 2020 Commenters zoomed in on the pixelated head of one of the arsonists, and claimed his hat was emblazoned with Infowars logo. However, its impossible to tell from the grainy footage. But there was more to the story. Infowars cameraman told the site that he had started filming when he noticed Antifa dragging people from their cars on the I-35 highway. His assistant, Savanah Hernandez, then released a video showing multiple angles of rioters gathering up material from the homeless encampment and setting it alight. People are trying to blame the destruction of the homeless people's property on Infowars. Here are multiple angles of rioters stealing from and burning the property of the homeless throughout the night and starting fires near their camps. pic.twitter.com/7LnnS7GvBL Savanah Hernandez (@sav_says_) June 1, 2020 In one bizarre and depraved scene, protesters pause to take selfies next to the destruction. Alex Jones, the iconoclastic polemicist behind Infowars, has promised to file defamation lawsuits against the Twitter users supposedly smearing his site. Until the case is brought to court an unlikely possibility the true series of events on Sunday night is unknown, lost in the fog of unrest. The same kind of blame game has played out all across the country over the six nights of riots and looting that followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last Monday. Democratic officials have blamed white supremacists, drug cartels, and even white men in general for stoking the lawlessness, while conservatives and the Trump administration have blamed Antifa and the radical left. By Ayya Lmahamad The U.S. capital, Washington, DC, has declared May 28 Azerbaijan National Day, the State Committee for Work with Diaspora press service reported on May 31. Mayor of Washington Muriel Bowser signed the relevant proclamation on the 102nd anniversary of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic. It is stated in the proclamation that Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) declared its independence on May 28, 1918, becoming the first secular parliamentary republic in the Muslim world. It also states that during the ADR period, women were granted the right to vote and equality of all citizens regardless of their racial, sexual, ethic, religious and national belonging was recognized. It reminded that in 1920, Azerbaijan became part of the USSR, and then in 1991 restored its state independence. Azerbaijan had strengthened its independence since and had become a reliable ally and strategic partner of the United States, the proclamation reads. It should be noted that members of the Working Group on Azerbaijan in Congress, Paul Cook representing California and Paul Gosar representing Arizona, made a statement on the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of republic. The statements say that Azerbaijan cooperates with the U.S. in energy security, increase of bilateral trade and investments, transnational threats and fight against terrorism. Furthermore, it notes that Azerbaijani soldiers participated in operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Balkans jointly with US troops and that Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to support the United States after the attacks of September 11, 2001. In his statement Cook also highly appreciated Azerbaijan's partnership relations in the sphere of economy and security, stressing Azerbaijan's relations with the US allies, especially Israel, noting that Azerbaijan provides 40 percent of oil consumption by Israel. The statement emphasizes Azerbaijan's important role in the diversification of energy routes in Europe and ensuring energy security, especially in the leading role in the Southern Gas Corridor project. In addition, Cook highly valued the traditions of religious tolerance in the country, noting that Jewish and Christian communities live together in Azerbaijan, which is a secular state, and the majority of the population is Muslim. In his statement, Gosar emphasized that Azerbaijan shows an example of freedom in the region and its determination to solve modern problems in the name of freedom. In conclusion, members of the Congress once again conveyed their best wishes to the people of Azerbaijan and expressed aspirations with continuation of partnership between countries and willingness to work for further development of cooperation in the future. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Former hotel worker Claire Hindley was jailed for 2 years and made the subject of a five year restraining order An unruly daughter, who used her Dr Martens boots to repeatedly stamp on her elderly father after he berated her for getting drunk and frittering away money, has been jailed for two years. Former hotel worker Claire Hindley, 36, went berserk at widower Keith Hindley after he said: 'What happens to your brain when you get money? You just lose it' when she returned empty handed from a shopping trip. During the savage attack in Wythenshawe, Manchester, father of three Mr Hindley, 63, was stamped on or kicked up to 15 times before his daughter attempted to assault with him with a hammer and then a sledgehammer. She fled the house, she had been temporarily sharing with the victim, after biting the palm of his left hand and throwing a meat pie in his face. Mr Hindley who suffers from numerous illnesses and who had previously suffered four strokes was later treated in hospital for multiple abrasions and cuts over the face and head, swelling and bruising to the right eye and nose. He also had bruising to the right upper chest and a small laceration from the bite wound. He told police had been assaulted and bitten on a previous occasion by his daughter which occurred just 24 hours after his late wife Julie passed away. At Manchester Crown Court, Hindley admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and unlawful wounding. The attacks occurred between September and November after she moved back in with her father at his flat in Wythenshawe. Prosecutor Neil Fryman said: 'The defendant has been staying there due to splitting up from her partner and also following the death of his wife - her mother. Pictured is Keith Hindley (right) and his late wife Julie (left). Mr Hindley who suffers from numerous illnesses and who had previously suffered four strokes was later treated in hospital for multiple abrasions and cuts over the face and head, swelling and bruising to the right eye and nose At Manchester Crown Court, Claire Hindley (pictured right) admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and unlawful wounding 'He had allowed her to stay hoping she would change her ways and also so she could look after him. But only the day after his wife died, the defendant bit him on his left forearm after she came home in the early hours. 'She had been drinking and was being verbally aggressive and an altercation ensued where he was having to hold her down on the couch. She bit him on the arm and he injured his finger holding her down during the incident. She also kicked and heeled him on his head. 'The victim chose not to pursue matters then and he continued to let the defendant stay at his home. He had thought he needed her to look after him. 'In October 2019 the victim was having a drink of brandy and lemonade his other daughter Victoria had got him. He didn't drink often, the last time being at his wife's funeral and he sent Claire to the shop with 10 to get herself something to drink. 'The defendant left but didn't return until 10.30 pm without the drink or the money. She did not like it when he confronted her about not getting drink and about the excuse she gave. 'She left again ... at 1am on Friday, 1 November the defendant returned, and he opened the door for her. He told her she needed to behave herself if she was to continue living there but she didn't like being told what to do. At that point she went for him. 'She grabbed him using both her hands on the front of his t-shirt. She started hitting him and he grabbed her. He fell to the floor. He was unsteady on his feet anyway having previously suffered four strokes. 'She then started kicking him to the head, face and body and used the heel of her Doc Marten boots. 'Mr Hindley managed to sit half-way up but the defendant grabbed a little hammer that was in the kitchen and tried unsuccessfully to hit him with it. He managed to grab it off her but she then picked up a sledgehammer that was on the side, which had been used to hold down the cover over his late wife's mobility scooter. 'She couldn't manage to lift the sledgehammer properly but brought it down on his stomach, albeit not very hard. She bit him on the left hand too that night and threw a pie at him from the microwave before leaving the house via the backdoor continuing being verbally aggressive. 'He said he had grabbed her to stop her and might have scratched her in the process, where he had long nails. He had also pulled her hair and banged her head against a wall or door to stop her and to defend himself. Afterwards he rang his other daughter and his son but on getting no answer he rang the police and reported the incident. 'He went to hospital for treatment and was discharged with antibiotics in relation to the bite.' When she was arrested Hindley told police: 'What about what he's done to me?' and pulled the neck of her sweatshirt down but she had no signs of injury. She later claimed her father was the aggressor, went for her first and was holding her down on the floor as she was kicking him to the face to try and get him off her. She also claimed her father grabbed her by the throat and claimed injuries she caused to him were as a result of self-defence. In mitigation defence barrister Estelle Parkhouse said: 'Her family unit was complex and at times dysfunctional, but of course that does not excuse her actions. 'She wants to better herself and does not wish to go back to the life she was leading. The first incident happened the day after her mother died, she was suffering from grief and was in drink and her judgement was impaired. 'The current pandemic has made her reflect on her relationship with the father. Her sister Victoria has asked her to resume contact and she is delighted with that. Her father also wishes to retain contact over the phone. She has shown genuine remorse.' But sentencing Judge Richard Mansell QC told Hindley: 'Your father has clearly found this whole sorry episode very difficult. He has tried to do his best by you, notwithstanding the fact that you have problems with drink and violence. But you showed no remorse on your arrest and were more concerned about the scratches you sustained. You accused your father of telling lies whilst it was you who was being aggressive.' Hindley was also made subject of a five year restraining order preventing her from going to her father's home. But the order will allows them to have contact on the phone. "We think, with this help, we can stay open until things get better," says Nestor Cruz, co-owner of Taqueria La Paz, a local restaurant. Chicago Fellowship, an assembly of faith-based community and business leaders, has partnered with seven community-based nonprofits to provide food, protection, and employment to residents affected by COVID-19 in some of Chicagos most under-resourced neighborhoods. Within days of launching its fund last month, the fellowship raised $140,000 and formed partnerships with well-established nonprofits and local restaurants in East Garfield Park, Austin, Woodlawn, Westhaven Park, North Lawndale, Altgeld and Cabrini Green. Together, this unique alliance of business leaders, nonprofits and restaurants is meeting critical needs. To date, the group has secured funding to provide meals and personal protective equipment for over 11,000 Chicagoans. How it works: after nonprofits identify beneficiaries, the Chicago Fellowship purchases meals from local restaurants and provides reusable personal protection equipment (PPE) with each one. Partners organizations include: Breakthrough Urban Ministries, By the Hand Club for Kids, Circle Urban Ministries, GAP Community Center, Sunshine Gospel Ministries, Together Chicago and YMEN Chicago. We know the same groups that face persistent poverty are the ones contracting coronavirus and bearing the brunt of its economic cost, says Tom Formolo, longtime board member of the Chicago Fellowship. Through this unique collaboration of nonprofits, restaurants, donors and volunteers across the city, were providing support where its needed most. Committed to working with local businesses, the initiative also provides much-needed economic stimulus for the restaurant industry. As Illinois moves through its next phases of reopening the economy, efforts like these critically bridge the gap to keep local restaurants open until full recovery. We were beginning to have problems where we couldnt catch up on bills. We had 15 employees, most living in this area, and we cut half of them, says Nestor Cruz, co-owner of Taqueria La Paz. We got so excited about [the relief fund]. We think, with this help, we can stay open until things get better. The Chicago Fellowship COVID-19 Relief Fund continues to accept donations, 100% of which will go directly to those who need it most.More information about the effort, partner organizations and donating can be found at https://cfcovidrelief.org/. About the Chicago Fellowship: Founded in 1990, the Chicago Fellowship is an assembly of local faith-based business leaders committed encouraging men toward acts of compassion and justice into the broken places of the world. Find out more at http://www.chicagofellowship.com. Tammy Hembrow's ethnic heritage has come under scrutiny after she addressed the #BlackLivesMatter protests which have erupted in the US over the past week in response to the death of George Floyd. The Australian influencer, 26, shared a post with her 11 million Instagram followers on Monday declaring her solidarity with anti-police brutality demonstrators. She also acknowledged her 'privileged' position as a light-skinned woman, prompting one of her fans to point out that she'd previously identified as mixed race. Discussion: Tammy Hembrow's ethnic heritage has come under scrutiny after she addressed the #BlackLivesMatter protests that have erupted in the U.S. over the past week in response to the death of George Floyd Tammy's post read in part: 'I know that I am privileged because of the colour of my skin and will never truly understand the injustices that have been going on since forever and that are still happening today. 'I have many friends that are POC [people of colour] as well as family members and I am doing them a disservice by staying quiet on my platform with everything that is going on. I need you to know that I hear you and I stand with you.' One of her followers replied, 'But I thought you were a person of colour.' In response to this, Tammy clarified her ethnic background. Demonstrations: Anti-police brutality protests have erupted in at least 75 cities across the U.S. after the death in custody of unarmed black man George Floyd (pictured) Statement: The Australian influencer, 26, shared this post with her 11 million Instagram followers on Monday declaring her solidarity with anti-police brutality demonstrators Race matters: She acknowledged her 'privileged' position as a light-skinned woman, prompting one of her fans to point out that she'd previously identified as mixed race 'I am mixed,' she wrote. 'But when you look at me and don't know me, you don't see that by the colour of my skin.' A discussion about Tammy's racial heritage began in the comments section, as several fans noted that they 'didn't know she was mixed' until she mentioned it. Others said the businesswoman should be considered a person of colour because her mother, Nathalie Stanley, is Trinidadian. 'I am mixed': One of her followers replied, 'But I thought you were a "person of colour"', which prompted Tammy to clarify her ethnic background Unexpected: A discussion about Tammy's racial heritage began in the comments section, as several fans noted that they 'didn't know she was mixed' until she mentioned it 'You are still black!' Others said the businesswoman should be considered a person of colour because her mother, Nathalie Stanley, is Trinidadian 'You [are] still black, regardless of your complexion. Even your children have black features,' one follower wrote. Another commented: 'Your mother is Trini, honey, you're black. You're a person of colour. Doesn't matter if you're mixed.' Meanwhile, several fans agreed Tammy had made the right decision by acknowledging her privilege as a light-skinned person despite having some black heritage. 'She made it clear she has privilege': Several fans agreed Tammy had made the right decision by acknowledging her privilege as a light-skinned person despite having some black heritage 'You are barely mixed': A small number of followers seemed to miss the point of Tammy's comment about being mixed, saying she should just identify as white One wrote: 'Tammy made it clear she has this privilege because of her skin colour as people can't tell she has colour in skin as she looks white.' Another added: 'If police pull her over, they see white. Even if she is multiracial.' A small number of followers seemed to miss the point of Tammy's comment about being mixed, saying she should just identify as white. 'You are barely mixed, Tammy... just say you're white and go,' one of them wrote. Background: Tammy's father, Mark Hembrow, is a white Australian. Her mother, Nathalie Stanley (pictured), is of mixed heritage from Trinidad and Tobago Tammy's father, Mark Hembrow, is a white Australian. Her mother, Nathalie Stanley, is of mixed heritage from Trinidad and Tobago. She explained her ethnic background in a YouTube video from 2018 entitled 'Meet my mum'. 'I told everyone how you're from Trinidad and Tobago, and everyone is like, "Why isn't she black?"' she said, addressing her mother. 'I am black,' replied Nathalie. When her daughter asked, 'But why aren't you [black] actually?', Nathalie responded matter-of-factly: 'It's called mixed race.' Turning the camera to herself, Tammy said: 'Yeah, so my mum is actually from Trinidad and Tobago. My grandma is black.' Unrest: Over the past week, hundreds of protests have unfolded in at least 75 cities across the United States in an unprecedented display of civil unrest following the death of George Floyd. Pictured: protesters vandalising a car in Washington D.C., on May 31 Anti-police brutality protests have erupted in at least 75 cities across the U.S. after the death in custody of unarmed black man George Floyd. Floyd, 46, died last Monday after he was arrested by four Minneapolis police officers for allegedly using a fake $20 bill. He was brought to the ground and white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for eight minutes. Floyd, who was unarmed and handcuffed, repeatedly said he couldn't breathe and later died in custody. The horrific assault was caught on video and sent shockwaves across the world. Police brutality: Floyd, 46, died last Monday after he was arrested by four Minneapolis police officers for allegedly using a fake $20 bill. He was brought to the ground and white cop Derek Chauvin (pictured) pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for eight minutes Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He, along with the three other officers who arrested Floyd, have been fired from the force following outrage over the African American's death. Over the past week, hundreds of protests have unfolded in at least 75 cities across the United States in an unprecedented display of civil unrest. At least 40 cities have imposed curfews in response to the riots and violence. Former Home and Away actor Mark Furze has auditioned for The Voice Australia. The 34-year-old, who played bad boy Ric Dalby on the long-running drama, revealed to his followers that his audition will air on Monday. He shared an Instagram post that said, 'guess what? I auditioned for The Voice'. 'I auditioned for The Voice': On Monday, former Home and Away actor Mark Furze, 34, revealed his audition for The Voice is set to air and joked that he 'wasn't nervous at all' 'And I wasn't even nervous at all. I definitely didn't almost vomit or pass out either,' he wrote in the caption. The former actor added: 'Just the thought of my episode going to air on Monday, June 8 at 7:30pm doesn't give me butterflies and an anxious/sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. 'Why not? Because I'm calm. I AM calm... Shut up, I'm calmer than you are,' he joked. Mark first rose to fame as Eric 'Ric' Dalby - who was the grandson of Alf Stewart, played by Ray Meagher - in 2004. Soap star days: Mark first rose to fame as Eric 'Ric' Dalby - who was the grandson of Alf Stewart, played by Ray Meagher - in 2004. He starred alongside the likes of Chris Hemsworth, Isabel Lucas and Sharni Vinson (pictured) He starred alongside the likes of Chris Hemsworth, Isabel Lucas and Sharni Vinson, and left the soap on 2008. The actor landed a role in TV series Underbelly: The Golden Mile in 2010, and Australian film A Heartbeat Away in 2011. He then left for the US, but failed to make a name for himself in Hollywood. Mark turned his attention to his music career and his band, Falcon Road. Music man: After failing to make it in the US, Mark turned his attention to his music career and his band, Falcon Road In 2015, he tied the knot with Laural Barrett, who was New Zealand's Miss Universe candidate in 2007. Last year, Mark revealed things have been tough, career-wise, after work dried up for the actor. 'I haven't worked over here anywhere near as much as I'd have liked to,' Mark told New Idea. The Voice continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine A logo for Pfizer is displayed on a monitor on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange, July 29, 2019. Check out the companies making headlines midday Monday: Pfizer Pfizer dropped more than 8% after the pharmaceutical giant reported disappointing results from its breast-cancer drug trial. The trial is unlikely to show a statistically significant improvement in the primary endpoint of invasive disease-free survival," a release from the company said. Coty The beauty products company surged more than 18% after the company announced that it had agreed to sell a majority stake in its hair product lines to private equity firm KKR. The sale includes Coty's Wella and Clairol brands, and Coty had announced that it was working on such a deal last month. As part of the deal, KKR will buy $1 billion of convertible bonds from Coty and deliver about $2.5 billion in net cash when the transaction closes. United, American, Delta, Southwest Airlines, which are positioned to benefit from the economy reopening, rose on Monday with United Airlines and American Airlines jumping more than 6%. Southwest and Delta gained 5.7% and 4.7%, respectively. Alaska Air Group gained 5.8%. Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean Cruises Shares of cruise operators rallied as the economy continues to gradually reopen on hopes of recovery in travel demand. Carnival and Royal Caribbean Cruises jumped 6.5% and 4.9%, respectively. Norwegian Cruise Line gained more than 8%. Chipotle Mexican Grill Shares of the restaurant chain rose 2.8% after Wedbush raised its price target on the stock to $1,200 per share from $870. The firm said in a note that positive signs from its research justified cutting its estimated decline in same store sales for the second quarter by more than half. A more permanent increase in people ordering takeout would also be beneficial for Chipotle, Wedbush said. Amazon Amazon shares gained about 1% after a Morgan Stanley analyst hiked his price target on the e-commerce giant to $2,800 per share from $2,600 per share. The new price target represents a 12-month upside of 14.6% from Friday's close of $2,442.37. "2020 is setting up to be an e-commerce inflection year as the combination of shelter-in place, lower spend on experiences (dining out, bars, travel, etc) and gov't stimulus have driven dollars online," the analyst said in a note. Canopy Growth Shares of the cannabis grower dropped 8% after a Stifel analyst downgraded them to sell from buy. "We believe the valuation has yet to fully reflect the challenges ahead," said the analyst in a note to clients. Target Target dipped nearly 3% after the retailer announced late Saturday that it's temporarily closing 175 stores across the country as a result of ongoing protests against police violence. Some businesses have been looted and vandalized in cities across the U.S. as protests turned violent, including Target stores in Minneapolis and Oakland. Paramedics are the first public sector workers to launch industrial action over the Berejiklian government's wage freeze, refusing from Monday night to bill patients. The move comes as Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned that jobs were at risk if Labor and crossbenchers use the NSW upper house to block the government's savings measures. Paramedics will not bill transported patients as part of industrial action against the NSW wages freeze. Credit:Isabella Porras The government has maintained the wage freeze would save $3 billion which it would invest in job creation and infrastructure. But from 9pm on Monday, paramedics refused to fill out billing paperwork for patients, action that will see the state forgo between $400 and $900 for each ambulance trip. Personally, I have a visceral negative reaction to this kind of divisive and inflammatory rhetoric, Mr. Zuckerberg said in a post to his Facebook page on Friday. But Im responsible for reacting not just in my personal capacity but as the leader of an institution committed to free expression. Mr. Zuckerberg spoke briefly with Mr. Trump in a telephone call on Friday, according to two people familiar with the matter. The call, which was previously reported by Axios, was described as productive, though it was not clear what was said. Mr. Zuckerberg explained his position to employees in a live-streamed question and answer session later that day. In a video of the session that was reviewed by The Times, hundreds of employees voiced opposition by posting comments alongside the session, and some questioned whether any black people had been involved in making the decision. The lack of backbone, and this weak leadership, will be judged by history. Hate speech should never be compared to free speech, one employee wrote. The president (sic) is literally threatening for the National Guard to shoot citizens. Maybe when were in the middle of a race war the policy will change. Mr. Zuckerberg said the posts were different from those that threaten violence because they were about the use of state force, which is currently allowed. While there was some support for the chief executive during the livestream, the results of an internal poll taken during the session and posted by a staff member showed that more than 1,000 Facebook employees voted against Mr. Zuckerbergs choice. Nineteen of the respondents said they agreed with the decision. Ablation is a treatment option for patients with cardiac arrhythmias in which physicians use a catheter to create lesions and destroy heart tissue that causes abnormal rhythms. The DIRECTSENSE Technology provides data on the impedance around the catheter tip to measure the ability of the tissue to respond to RF energy before physicians deliver therapy. During ablation, the tool tracks the change in local impedance which, in conjunction with other measures, offers physicians a distinct understanding of tissue characteristics and how they are affecting that tissue. These insights may indicate temperature change in the tissue, helping to reduce the chances of over-ablation and avoid complications. "Knowing the change in impedance around the tip of the catheter provides unique information about local tissue characteristics and the development of the lesion," said David J. Callans, M.D., professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania the first center to use the new technology in the U.S. "Unlike existing products on the market, the DIRECTSENSE Technology assists physicians in evaluating pre-ablation tissue health, while supporting better clinical understanding of how they are influencing that tissue to guide minimal, predictable ablation during a procedure." According to chronic data from the LOCALIZE clinical trial, a retrospective analysis of the DIRECTSENSE Technology presented by Ignacio Garcia-Bolao, M.D., director of cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain at Heart Rhythm Society 2020 Science, a local impedance decrease of 16.6 ohms with an inter-lesion spacing of 6mm showed a 98% positive predicative value of durable pulmonary vein block at three months in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). "Building upon the success seen with the DIRECTSENSE Technology in Europe, we are pleased to introduce this tool to physicians and their patients in the U.S.," said Kenneth Stein, M.D., senior vice president and chief medical officer, Rhythm Management and Global Health Policy, Boston Scientific. "This approval marks an exciting milestone for our growing electrophysiology portfolio, providing physicians a more direct understanding of lesions and procedural efficiency to obtain optimal patient outcomes." The company continues to expand its electrophysiology offerings with the recently granted CE Mark for the POLARx Cryoablation System and plans to launch the product and begin enrolling European patients in a post-approval registry with the device in the coming months. The addition of this new single-shot therapy, alongside existing products and services, affirms the company's commitment to providing meaningful advancements for the treatment of patients with AF. For more information on the Boston Scientific portfolio of electrophysiology products please visit: www.bostonscientific.com/rhythmia. About Boston Scientific Boston Scientific transforms lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of patients around the world. As a global medical technology leader for 40 years, we advance science for life by providing a broad range of high performance solutions that address unmet patient needs and reduce the cost of healthcare. For more information, visit www.bostonscientific.com and connect on Twitter and Facebook. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "anticipate," "expect," "project," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "intend" and similar words. These forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and estimates using information available to us at the time and are not intended to be guarantees of future events or performance. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding our business plans, product launches and product performance and impact. If our underlying assumptions turn out to be incorrect, or if certain risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. These factors, in some cases, have affected and in the future (together with other factors) could affect our ability to implement our business strategy and may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the statements expressed in this press release. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of our forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such differences include, among other things: future economic, competitive, reimbursement and regulatory conditions; new product introductions; demographic trends; intellectual property; litigation; financial market conditions; and future business decisions made by us and our competitors. All of these factors are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of them are beyond our control. For a further list and description of these and other important risks and uncertainties that may affect our future operations, see Part I, Item 1A Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we may update in Part II, Item 1A Risk Factors in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q we have filed or will file hereafter. We disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which those expectations may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this document. CONTACTS: US Media: Steve Bailey Media Relations (651) 582-4343 (office) [email protected] Susie Lisa, CFA Investor Relations (508) 683-5565 (office) [email protected] SOURCE Boston Scientific Corporation Related Links http://www.bostonscientific.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 18:55:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WELLINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of New Zealanders joined Black Lives Matter protesters in the United States on Monday by demonstrating peacefully in several Kiwi cities. Protests were seen in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin over the death of George Floyd in the mid-western U.S. state of Minnesota on May 25. Thousands of people gathered in a square in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, with hundreds more protestors in Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington. Some demonstrators wore masks and carried signs, or did haka in support of Black Lives Matter, protesting against the murder of George Floyd in the United States. Enditem YEREVAN, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS. Chairwoman of the Federation Council of Russia Valentina Matviyenko congratulated Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on birthday, the Armenian PMs Office told Armenpress. Dear Mr. Prime Minister, Please, accept my warm and sincere congratulations on your birthday. As a prime minister you do a lot for Armenias development, strengthening of its security and preserving its national interests at the international arena. The relations of Russia and Armenia are based on good traditions of friendship and mutual respect. The policy run by you enables to further reveal the potential of the Russian-Armenian strategic multi-vector partnership. The Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia is interested in deepening the parliamentary dialogue which is a key component for the entire bilateral cooperation framework. We highly value your role in this process. I wish you good health, welfare and success in your high state position. Let your knowledge, energy and determination serve as a reliable base for a productive work for the benefit of the brotherly Armenian people, reads the congratulatory letter. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan I feel very fortunate. I have a baby boy, Im married to the love of my life, and Ive been able to stay safe during this pandemic. My meaningful work with families who have lost loved ones to violence, and who have lost loved ones to incarceration, has moved mostly online. After a cold spring trying to entertain our child indoors, I should be looking forward to a (socially distant) summer. But at this time of extraordinary change, the protests of this weekend have woken a fear in me. Not of property destruction: the value of black lives and dignity is much higher than that of Foot Locker or Starbucks. The protests have woken in me the fear of how cities respond to crisis and uprising: with a generation of economic devastation for communities of color. I know what happens when cities respond to crises with policing and prison instead of community investments that sustain black and brown neighborhoods. I grew up in a Brooklyn scarred by the divestment and police brutality of the 70s and 80s. When I was 15, at the rise of the crack cocaine crisis, I made the awful decision to leave my loving Brooklyn home to sell drugs in Philadelphia. I committed a horrific act and took the life of another teen and spent 30 years in prison for it, only having the chance to come home when the Supreme Court ruled that children couldnt be sentenced to die in prison. As I saw in prison, violence is caused by divestment from schools, youth programs, jobs, and generational disrespect for young black men by the police. Soon, our City Council will review the proposed budget for our police department and programs meant to stave off violence. It isnt a pretty picture. The budget that Mayor Jim Kenney has put before City Council in this time of the coronavirus and rage for black lives is a recipe for putting a new generation of young people, mostly of color, into a life of unimaginable loss and incarceration. It is a recipe for filling our jails, and filling the prison halls I used to walk, with young people full of extraordinary potential. At a time when our Department of Public Health is slated for an over $8 million cut, when projects that put leaders of color on the street to stop violence are defunded, when Parks and Rec programs that save lives every summer are shuttered and face a $13 million cut, the police are getting raises and a budget increase of $14 million. That is unacceptable. At a time when our public defenders face a huge cut, when our community colleges and libraries have a $10 million blow each to absorb, this is absolutely unacceptable. It isnt more cops that we need. Its rent control, universal internet access, and the programs above. More police in black neighborhoods with nothing for our young people will lead to despair and death like that of George Floyd, struggling for breath under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. They will lead to young black and brown people a mothers son, a grandmothers pride turning from their future to the streets, where they will be targeted by predictive policing and named as violent, punished for mistakes that a white child would be forgiven for. Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw started this coronavirus crisis by forgoing arrests for drugs, thefts, and charges that would have filled our infected jails and put thousands of city workers, including police, at risk. Organizing pressure on the courts, the mayor, and the district attorney meant that over 1,000 people came home from jail with no increase in recidivism. What that showed us is we dont need more police in our neighborhoods, or to refill our jails that have dropped to under 4,000 locked inside the first time that has happened in over 20 years. More police wont quiet the rage we saw in the streets this weekend. It will stoke it and scar our city for years. As organizers always say, a budget is a political document, and its a chance for the mayor and Council to show that their politics lie with us, and not with police oppression. Kempis Songster lives in Philadelphia with his wife and son and is the healing justice organizer with Amistad Law Project. Gabriel Mendez Ramirez shipped off to Marine Corps boot camp in late May with a whole lot less baggage than he used to carry. Friends at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, California, used to shout out "Meatball!" when Ramirez walked down the hall. Read Next: Sailors Who Stopped Corpus Christi Terror Attack May Receive Awards As a freshman, he weighed 365 pounds. By the time he left for Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego on Monday, though, Ramirez was outrunning other poolees at his recruiting station, having dropped 186 pounds in his quest to join the service. "He is extremely fit," said Staff Sgt. Anna Rodrigues, his recruiter. "He was motivating other kids to push themselves past their boundaries." Ramirez shared his years-long battle to lose enough weight to qualify for the Marine Corps in a recent release published by his recruiting district. He's now in a two-week quarantine before starting boot camp, so wasn't available for interviews. In the release, he credited Rodrigues with seeing past his weight the first time they met. Over two years, he said, his recruiter challenged and encouraged him to meet his goal. Rodrigues, now the staff noncommissioned officer in charge of Recruiting Sub-Station Oceanside, met Ramirez when he was a sophomore in high school. He might not have looked like a typical Marine prospect, but Rodrigues said that, when she became a recruiter, she told herself never to shut anyone down. "I'm not looking for the strongest; I'm not looking for the smartest or the fittest," she said. "I'm looking for people that have heart because that will carry you further than anything else." At 5 feet, 8 inches, Ramirez was far heavier than the 180-pound max the Marine Corps sets for his height. Rodrigues told the high schooler that if he were really interested in becoming a Marine, he should show up to poolee events and train with them -- and he did. It was going to hurt, she recalled telling him in the beginning, but he'd need to push himself physically. Despite a few roadblocks, he got stronger and faster over time. Now, he's planning to join the infantry. "I'm honestly really impressed with Gabriel and how far he's come," Rodrigues said. "And if I would have been that person to shut him down, who knows where Gabriel would be right now. He's proving all those people wrong who doubted him." The number of young people who don't meet military weight and fitness standards is a major concern for recruiting officials in every service. A 2018 report from the Council for a Strong America, which advocates for policies that promote good health and nutrition for kids, found that obesity disqualifies about a third of young people from serving in the military. Rodrigues said she's working with another poolee who lost 180 pounds to qualify for boot camp. "There are a lot of kids that aspire to do this," she said, adding that recruiters shouldn't be quick to turn someone away if they show determination to meet a tough goal. As Ramirez worked toward his goals, Rodrigues said he motivated others along the way. He was vocal about everything his recruiters did to help him and told other poolees to follow their advice. "He honestly developed into a true leader," she said. "It was a really proud moment for me just to see how far he came. I'm really happy he went through with it. He accomplished everything." -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Related: Marine Corps Suspends PFT for Remainder of 2020 * Low transmission rates may scupper fast vaccine trials * Vaccine volunteers need to be put at risk of infection * Drug developers search for pandemic hotspots at home and abroad By Kate Kelland and Julie Steenhuysen LONDON/CHICAGO, June 1 (Reuters) - The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic may be waning. For vaccine developers, that could be a problem. Scientists in Europe and the United States say the relative success of draconian lockdown and social distancing policies in some areas and countries means virus transmission rates may be at such low levels that there is not enough disease circulating to truly test potential vaccines. They may need to look further afield, to pandemic hotspots in Africa and Latin America, to get convincing results. "Ironically, if we're really successful using public health measures to stamp out the hot spots of viral infection, it will be harder to test the vaccine," said Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health in the United States. A vaccine is seen as essential to ending a pandemic that has killed nearly 370,000 people and infected more than 6 million so far, with world leaders looking at inoculation as the only real way to restart their stalled economies. But running large-scale clinical trials of potential vaccines against a completely new disease at speed is complex, scientists say. Showing efficacy in those trials during a fluctuating pandemic adds extra difficulty - and doing so when outbreaks are waning makes it harder still. "For this to work, people need to have a risk of infection in the community. If the virus has been temporarily cleared out, then the exercise is futile," said Ayfer Ali, an expert in drug repurposing at Britain's Warwick Business School. "The solution is to move to areas where the infection is being spread widely in the community that would be countries like Brazil and Mexico at the moment." Vaccine trials work by randomly dividing people into a treatment group and a control group, with the treatment group getting the experimental trial vaccine and the control group getting a placebo. All participants go back into the community where the disease is circulating, and subsequent rates of infection are compared. The hope is that infections within the control group will be higher, showing the trial vaccine is protecting the other group. Story continues With COVID-19 epidemics in Britain, mainland Europe and the United States coming down from their peak and transmission rates of the coronavirus dropping, a key task for scientists is to chase fluctuating outbreaks and seek volunteers in sections of populations or in countries where the disease is still rife. A similar problem emerged when scientists were seeking to test potential new vaccines against Ebola during the vast 2014 outbreak in West Africa. Then, drugmakers were forced to drastically scale back plans for large trials because their vaccines were only test-ready late in the epidemic when case numbers were dwindling. https://reut.rs/36OmkVu For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread, open https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser LOOKING ABROAD Among the first COVID-19 vaccines to move into phase two, or mid-stage, trials is one from the U.S. biotech company Moderna and another being developed by scientists at Oxford University supported by AstraZeneca. The United States in July is planning to launch vast efficacy trials of 20,000 to 30,000 volunteers per vaccine. Collins said U.S. health officials will tap government and industry clinical trial networks in the United States first and use mapping to detect where the virus is most active. They will also consider looking abroad if domestic disease rates fall too far, he said. The U.S. government has experience in Africa of testing vaccines against HIV, malaria and tuberculosis. "Africa is now beginning to experience lots of cases of COVID-19. We might very well want to run part of the trial there, where we know we can collect the data effectively," said Collins. Adrian Hill, director of the Jenner Institute at Britain's Oxford University which has teamed up with AstraZeneca, started mid-stage trials last month which he said would aim to recruit around 10,000 people in Britain. He told Reuters that with COVID-19 disease transmission rates dropping in the UK there is a possibility that the trial would have to be halted if they didn't have enough infections to yield a result. "That would be disappointing, and at the moment it's unlikely, but it's certainly a possibility," Hill said. CHALLENGE TRIALS Underscoring the level of concern in the industry, AstraZeneca's chief executive Pascal Soriot said his researchers were even contemplating running so-called "challenge" trials - where participants would be given the experimental vaccine and then deliberately infected with COVID-19 to see if it worked. Such trials are rare, high risk and hard to get ethical approval for. As a more practical and swifter option, Soriot and others are looking to Brazil and other countries in South America, as well as parts of Africa where COVID-19 outbreaks are still growing and peaking, as ripe drug and vaccine testing grounds. Difficulty recruiting candidates for mid-stage vaccine trials in countries where the COVID-19 pandemic is on the wane may be foreshadowed by the experience of doctors seeking infected cases for the World Health Organization's multi-country Solidarity trial of potential treatments for the disease - including the generic drug hydroxychloroquine and Gilead's remdesivir. In the Swiss portion of that trial, for instance, it took three weeks to get all of the ethical and regulatory approvals from authorities, and another week to get all the drugs, said Oriol Manuel, an infectious disease expert and national coordinator of the Solidarity study in Switzerland. "We were able to enroll some patients in (one trial centre in) Lausanne," Manuel said. "But when all centres were ready, the cases were fortunately disappearing." (Reporting by Kate Kelland in London, Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago and John Miller in Switzerland. Editing by Carmel Crimmins) A car participates in a caravan protest Sunday in Oakland. (Johana Bhuiyan / Los Angeles Times) Protesters in the Bay Area demanded justice for the killing of George Floyd for the third day on Sunday, when a caravan of thousands of vehicles drove through downtown Oakland for more than three hours. The procession was organized by the Anti Police-Terror Project, a group co-founded by former Oakland mayoral candidate Cat Brooks, as a safe means to demonstrate against the deaths of Floyd and other victims of police brutality without violating social distancing guidelines. "We're in the middle of a pandemic that is inequitably and disproportionately impacting black and brown bodies, so it's important for us to have different ways to protest," Brooks said. "Not everybody wants to get out there and get tear-gassed or get out there and risk getting [COVID-19]. But that doesn't mean that they're not just as enraged as everybody else. They just need a way to protect themselves." To organize the thousands of vehicles driving slowly from the port through downtown Oakland and around Lake Merritt, the group broadcasted commentary and directions on its Facebook page and over the radio. People on bikes rode through the lines of vehicles and asked drivers to tune their radios to 88.1 FM. A cyclist directs protesters to tune to 88.1 FM during Sunday's caravan through Oakland. (Johana Bhuiyan / Los Angeles Times) Between songs by artists including Gary Clark Jr., Childish Gambino and A Tribe Called Quest, protest organizers delivered speeches, updated participants on the procession's progress and told drivers where to turn because there were reports of people losing the caravan. "We've got to fight back with love. We have to protect our own. We have to protect what's right," a speaker identified as Michael said during the radio broadcast. "For those of you brothers and sisters that are not black, thank you," Michael said. "Revolution requires everybody." More than 90 minutes after the protest began, many vehicles still hadn't passed the point from which the first cars in the caravan had departed. KQED estimated that more than 5,000 vehicles were present. Story continues Remnants of Friday evening's protests in Oakland during which violence broke out as cops clashed with protesters, and some stores were damaged and looted could be seen downtown during the caravan. Floyd's name was spray-painted across many boarded-up businesses along with calls to "end police violence." Graffiti on one side of the 12th Street BART station read simply: "Was it worth it?" Cars in the caravan drove past graffiti in Oakland. (Johana Bhuiyan / Los Angeles Times) The signs on vehicles in Sunday's procession invoked Floyd's name, as well as those of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency room technician who was shot by police at least eight times in her Louisville, Ky., home on March 13, and Steven Taylor, a 33-year-old man who was shot by police in a San Leandro Walmart during what his attorney says was a health crisis in April. Other signs covering the thousands of cars read "Black Lives Matter," "Filipinos for Black power," "A badge is not a license to kill" and "Justice now." Chants of "Black lives matter" filled the airwaves and the city as people blasted their radios from their cars and honked their horns along with the chants. Several protesters said they saw this demonstration as the first opportunity to have their voice heard amid the pandemic. Oakland resident Tracey Corder said she took part in the caravan because she is immunocompromised and felt safer protesting in her car. (Johana Bhuiyan / Los Angeles times) Tracey Corder has lived in Oakland for six years and said that, although she has friends who participated in Friday's protests, she is immunocompromised and felt more comfortable having her voice heard from a car. "People are making the best decision for themselves, but trying their best to stay safe and support each other," she said. Despite the risks of being exposed to the coronavirus and being arrested or targeted by police, she said it was important for her to show up in protest of the killing of Floyd and others, because "we can't normalize it." "I've been to so many protests [over police brutality] in Oakland," said Corder, who wore a shirt she got in 2014 that read "Don't shoot." "This is not the first. It continues to happen. And so anytime it happens, we have to show up, because this isn't normal." Other protesters said this is one among many demonstrations on their calendars. Reyhaneh Rajabzadeh and Lincoln Daw, who drove together, attended Friday's protests, and they plan to attend a march organized by Oakland Technical High School on Monday. "I'm really hopeful that the privileged can ... keep the pressure on politicians and lead to substantive change so that police brutality against black people and other people of color stops," said Daw, who moved to the Bay Area from Australia two years ago and works in tech. As the procession made its way around Lake Merritt, a separate group of protesters began gathering in San Francisco. Thousands marched down Market Street in the afternoon and wrapped up around 6:30 p.m., before an 8 p.m. curfew that was set by Mayor London Breed in response to looting that took place after a peaceful march on Saturday. Like Friday's protest in Oakland, it's unclear who organized the San Francisco march. A woman holds a sign as protesters caravan through Oakland on Sunday. (Johana Bhuiyan / Los Angeles Times) Brooks said people had turned to her group for guidance on whether to attend Friday's march. The Anti Police-Terror Project did not endorse the protest, but it didn't discourage those who wanted to attend. Her group offered social distancing guidelines and organized a bail fund for those who might have needed it on Friday. "It's never our job to tell people what and what not to do," she said. "But people do look to us to provide guidance and strategic thinking about how we hope people should engage." Brooks emphasized to the thousands of vehicles in the caravan broadcasting the program that tactics might vary, but it is important to take advantage of the movement that is happening across the country. "How are we going to leverage all this attention and noise and rage and pain?" Brooks said over the sound of cars honking. "How are we going to leverage this and build something that actually moves the needle for change?" "We can't let this moment pass," she said. "I love you, Oakland." Dining at a table where each person is enclosed by a clear plastic shield might look and sound futuristic, but it could be one way for some restaurants to reopen. It also might help out if your companion orders escargots, heavy on the garlic. The prototype plastic shields are known as the Plexeat, and they resemble big clear lampshades suspended from the ceiling. They are being showcased temporarily at H.A.N.D., a Parisian restaurant seeking a way to reopen its dining room as coronavirus restrictions are relaxed. As restaurateurs around the world seek to resume in-person dining amid the pandemic, they want to adhere to social distancing rules while also trying to serve as many customers as health and safety measures will allow. Some are putting mannequins at every other table to put some space between the actual customers, like at Augustas and Barbora, a restaurant in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius. Some of its faux diners are dressed casually, while others look as though they are at a ball. The clothes showcase the work of local fashion designers. We want to fill the space with fun things, said owner Patrikas Ribas. Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Simasius called the initiative a perfect match of communal spirit and creativity working side by side. In Hofheim, Germany, the Beefn Beer is using large teddy bears seated at some tables to keep diners properly spaced apart. They also ensure a cozy, less-sterile atmosphere. At Amsterdams Mediamatic restaurant, the owners have erected small glass houses that surround each table, served by waiters in protective shields. While many restaurants offered take-out and delivery during the health crisis to keep generating at least some income, such practices are less common in France, although Michelin starred chefs such as Alain Ducasse have started doing take-out service. Owners are seeking solutions that will coax back customers while also easing their anxiety about catching the virus. Mathieu Manzoni, the director of H.A.N.D, said he thinks the plastic shields are a pretty, more poetic solution for restaurateurs who fear that social distancing could cut their capacity by half or more. There is a bit of a panic, Manzoni said. Makers of the Plexeat say they have received more than 200 preorders around the world, including from France, the U.S. and Japan. Designer Christophe Gernigon said he got the idea after visiting a store in Bangkok with three individual domes with chairs where people would sit and listen to music. He merged the idea with the large face shields that have proliferated since the pandemic began, although there is no filtration system to keep any viruses from spreading. Being French, theres a version for more intimate dining, of course: a dome that cocoons its occupants in romantic isolation from the rest of the room. Among other revamped restaurants across Europe: At El Salamanca, a Barcelona beachfront restaurant known for paella, menus are gone and customers use their smart phones to scan a QR code to consult what is on offer. Greek restaurants are using salt and pepper sachets inside of shakers, and menus are either thrown away after each meal or are laminated and wiped down regularly. Many waiters have face shields. Some tavernas have staff in matching face masks. In the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod, a restaurant on the banks of the Volga and Oka rivers has set up 20 plastic huts for couples. It is awaiting approval from authorities to open if it meets safety standards. Italian restaurants are using contact tracing. Diners are supposed to reserve tables ahead of time and owners are keeping their contact information: If someone subsequently reports testing positive, the restaurant can quickly identify and contact those who ate there at the same time. Some coffee bars in central Rome also are attaching stylish arched glass partitions to divide tabletops down the middle. After being shut for over two months, barber shops and salons were set to reopen in Delhi, but spas would remain closed, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday while announcing the next phase of relaxations. Addressing an online media briefing, Kejriwal said there would also be no restrictions on the number of persons travelling in four-wheelers, two-wheelers, auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws, and other vehicles in the city. 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 A woman is led away by police during a Black Lives Matter protest outside the US Embassy in London. (AP) London: Hundreds of people protested in London and Berlin on Sunday in solidarity with demonstrations in the United States over the death of a black man shown on video gasping for breath as a white policeman knelt on his neck in Minneapolis. The protesters knelt in central Londons Trafalgar Square, chanting No justice, no peace, and then marched past the Houses of Parliament and finished up outside the U.S. Embassy. The Metropolitan police said they had made five arrests outside the U.S. Embassy, three for violations of the coronavirus lockdown guidelines and two for assault on police. Several hundred protesters also staged a rally outside the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, holding up posters saying Justice for George Floyd, Stop killing us and Whos neckst. The death of George Floyd after his arrest on Monday has triggered a tide of protests in the United States, unleashing long-simmering rage over racial bias in the U.S. criminal justice system. Some rallies have turned violent as demonstrators blocked traffic, set fires and clashed with riot police, some of whom fired tear gas and plastic bullets in an effort to restore order. Sydney, June 1 : A New South Wales court upheld a decision that ruled that news outlets can be held responsible as publishers of allegedly defamatory posts even if those comments were made by their readers on public Facebook pages of their outlets. This is because they "encouraged and facilitated" comments by setting up public Facebook pages, according to the ruling on Monday by the NSW Court of Appeal, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. The media outlets including Nine and News Corp Australia are considering a High Court challenge, said the report. The case dates back to 2017 when former Northern Territory youth detainee Dylan Voller initiated defamation suit against Nine, News Corp and the Australian News Channel over comments posted by readers on the Facebook pages of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, the Centralian Advocate, Sky News Australia and The Bolt Report. NSW Supreme Court Justice Stephen Rothman in a pre-trial decision in June last year said that the companies were legally responsible for the comments as they had "published" them. The Supreme Court has not yet decided whether the comments were defamatory or not. The NSW Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal from the decision on Monday. Regarding the argument that the media outlets promptly removed the comments about Voller when they became aware of it, the judges said it was "immaterial" and they should still be held responsible because they had "participated in the publication ... from the outset" by inviting comments. The three media outlets -- Nine, News Corp and the Australian News Channel -- said in a joint statement that the decision showed "Australian defamation law is completely out of step with the realities of publishing in the digital age". "The decision fails to acknowledge that it is Facebook that controls its platform, including that Facebook gives media companies no ability to turn off comments on their pages," they said. "It is Facebook that must be held responsible for content posted by its users, not media companies." The ruling has implications for other people and organisations which have opened public social media accounts. MA XUEJING/CHINA DAILY On Feb 2, an Air Algerie charter flight arrived in Wuhan, bringing 500,000 surgical masks, 300,000 pairs of medical gloves and 20,000 pairs of medical goggles to support the people of Wuhan during the epidemic. Algeria was among the first batch of countries to provide emergency medical supplies to China. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune specially sent a condolence letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping noting that the Chinese government has made tremendous efforts to fight against the pandemic and made contributions to ensuring international and regional public health security. He paid close attention to China's pandemic situation and expressed his support to the Chinese people on behalf of the Algerian people and government, and said Algeria will stand together with China at this difficult time. An ancient Chinese poem goes: "You throw a peach to me, and I give you a white jade for friendship." President Xi also said that a true friend is known in the day of adversity. In the most difficult time of China, many members of the international community gave China sincere help and support. We will always remember and cherish the friendship. Since the first COVID-19 case confirmed in Algeria, China has upheld the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind and actively supported the Algerian government's fight against the pandemic. Our efforts were mainly reflected in the following four aspects: First, as the main international aid partner of Algeria, China directly provided emergency medical supplies to Algeria. The Chinese central and local governments, Chinese-funded enterprises including those in Algeria, and overseas Chinese in Algeria have organized multiple batches of material assistance including masks, testing reagents, ventilators, protective suits, medical gloves and goggles to help Algeria fight against the pandemic. Second, as the main international supplier of medical materials for Algeria, China has assisted Algeria in purchasing medical supplies from Chinese companies. When there was an extreme shortage of medical supplies in the world, China was under pressure producing 75 percent of the global medical supplies, while its domestic production was not yet fully resumed. Under such circumstances, China conducted a lot of communication and coordination for Algeria on the procurement issues, and facilitated the flights of Algerian military aircraft to China to transport the medical supplies back to Algeria. Third, as the main anti-pandemic partner of Algeria, China has actively shared its experience in combating the coronavirus. We organized four video meetings where Chinese medical experts shared their diagnosis and treatment plan with their Algerian counterparts. Fourth, as a comprehensive strategic partner, the Chinese government sent an anti-pandemic medical expert team to Algeria. This is of great significance as it was the first such group sent by the Chinese government to North Africa and the Maghreb region. China and Algeria have set a good example of anti-pandemic cooperation that shows the two countries are trustworthy comprehensive strategic partners, and also fully proves that Algeria is China's good friend, good brother and good partner, and is working together with China to build a community with a shared future for mankind. The friendly relations between China and Algeria have withstood the test of the pandemic. Recently, President Tebboune said to the media that China is a close friend of Algeria. Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad also praised the glorious past, solid present and looked forward to an even better future for China-Algeria relations at the Chinese government anti-pandemic materials handover ceremony. Solidarity and cooperation are the most effective weapons for the international community to fight against the virus. President Xi has emphasized many times that humanity is a community with a shared future, and all countries must unite and cooperate to deal with the pandemic. During the recent 73rd World Health Assembly held via video, the leaders of all countries called for strengthening international cooperation and fighting against the pandemic together. The famous historian and philosopher Ibn Khaldun living in the Maghreb region in the Middle Ages said that solidarity and cooperation make for path. History has repeatedly shown that humanity is a community with a shared future, and sticking to solidarity and cooperation has always been the right path. Facing the test of the pandemic, the cooperation between China and Algeria have become a model for battling the COVID-19. This will certainly help to overcome the pandemic as soon as possible and build a community of common health for mankind. The author is the Chinese ambassador to Algeria. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily. MINNEAPOLIS - Two autopsies of George Floyd differ on exactly what caused his death, but they agree on this much: The 46-year-old African American man was a victim of homicide. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner released a report Monday saying that Floyd died of "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression." The report notes that Floyd also suffered from heart disease, fentanyl intoxication and recent methamphetamine use, but it does not list those factors in the cause of death. The official results contrast with an independent autopsy commissioned by Floyd's family, which was released earlier Monday. That autopsy, conducted by former New York City medical examiner Michael Baden and the University of Michigan's Allecia Wilson, determined that he died of "asphyxiation from sustained pressure" after being pinned down by his neck and back. "Essentially, George died because he needed a breath," Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the family, said at a news conference Monday. Baden said no underlying medical conditions caused or contributed the Floyd's May 25 death. Floyd, who was suspected of trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill at a deli, died after an arrest in which 44-year-old police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck, even after he lost consciousness. Other officers also helped restrain Floyd. "The officers killed him based on a knee to his neck for almost nine minutes and two knees on his back, compressing his lungs," Crump said. "The ambulance was his hearse." Chauvin was arrested Friday on charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Floyd's family has pushed for first-degree murder charges, and Crump said they want the other officers involved to be prosecuted "to the fullest extent of the law." The findings marked the latest twist in a case that set off a wave of angry and at times violent protests in dozens of cities around the country. In a call Monday, President Donald Trump chided the nation's governors, calling them "weak" in the face of mounting protests over racial injustice and urging them to crack down aggressively to quell unruly demonstrations. Curfews remained in place in cities from coast to coast. Military vehicles rumbled through major urban streets, where authorities in riot gear have become a common sight. Minneapolis saw a respite from the worst of the unrest as Sunday gave way to Monday - finally, a night without the barrage of fires, looting and violence that have cut a wide swath of devastation through the heart of this Midwestern city. But it remained a city on edge inside a nation on edge. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz said Monday that a 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew would stay in effect as the state tries to emerge from days of upheaval. He added that Floyd's funeral, scheduled to take place on Thursday, would be a "significant event" for the state as it moves toward healing. Walz also said he objected to Trump's characterization that states with violent protests had become a "laughingstock" to the rest of the world. "I said, 'No one's laughing here,' " Walz said. "We're in pain. We're crying. We saw a man lose his life." Walz said he took issue with Trump's emphasis on a "posture of force," saying it was unsustainable, both "militarily" and "socially." "It's the antithesis of how we live," he said. "It's the antithesis of civilian control." The release Monday of the autopsies once again highlighted a central question that has lingered since video of Floyd's brutal arrest surfaced: Will justice eventually be served in the case, and what exactly would that look like? Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who has taken over as prosecutor for the Floyd case, cautioned the public Monday about expecting certain results. In an interview with SiriusXM's "The Black Eagle," Ellison reminded listeners of multiple instances in which police officers have avoided consequences sought by prosecutors even after their misconduct has led to a black man's death. He mentioned in particular the case of Freddie Gray, who died in Baltimore in 2015 after suffering a severe spinal injury while riding in the back of a police van. "I just want to caution folks," Ellison said. "I don't deny that your eyes are working well and you saw what you saw, but that doesn't mean that when we get to a courtroom that it's going to be some sort of easy slam dunk. History proves that it isn't." Chauvin, the officer who used his knee to pin Floyd's neck to the ground, will have his first court appearance on June 8, according to Hennepin County District Court filings. Chauvin and three other officers involved in Floyd's arrest were fired following the incident. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman signaled last week that three other officers who were fired after the incident - Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng - also could soon face criminal charges. And Walz has vowed "swift" justice for those involved in Floyd's killing. While a shaken community awaits that justice, while it prepares to formally mourn Floyd this week, and while the anger over his death and others like it simmers unresolved, people in Minneapolis tried to pick up the pieces of the dark week behind them. After traveling from Brooklyn to Minneapolis to visit the site of his brother's death, Terrence Floyd expressed disappointment that some protests across the country have turned violent. Speaking on ABC's "Good Morning America," Floyd said George was a "gentle giant" who valued peace and unity and would want protesters to channel their anger "to do something positive." In an emotional speech at the site of his brother's killing, Terrence Floyd urged an end to violence and more focus on enacting change through voting. "I understand you're all upset. But like it was already said, I doubt you're all half as upset as I am," he said, adding that causing damage to the community would prove counterproductive. "That's not going to bring my brother back," he added. In Northeast Minneapolis, a residential area with a blossoming arts district, traffic on main thoroughfares started to pick up to levels not seen in weeks as people began to resume old routines interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic and the recent protests. Bars and restaurants began to open for patio service, which on Monday was permitted for the first time since the state's stay-at-home order took effect. "A lot of us have been at the protests. I support everything that has been going on," said Kevin Smith, 35, a bar manager at Stanley's, where workers were setting up tables on the patio. "We are ready to work, but our minds are very much in other spots right now." At Mama Sheila's House of Soul, a small restaurant located at 38th and Bloomington, just down the road from the incident that sparked the protests of recent days, owner Sheila Brathwaite was preparing for the lifting of coronavirus restrictions. She would soon be whipping up her signature buffet of mac-and-cheese, yams, collared greens with turkey, and fried chicken. But her mind was also on the unrest unfolding in her city. "You can imagine the devastation I felt to see my whole community go up in flames," she said. "It's surreal. It's unbelievable at this time. There are so many things that are going on with coronavirus. It's just too much." Just a block from where Floyd died, Smoke in the Pit was also open on Monday. "It's a workday," said the owner, 58-year-old Dwight Alexander. "I got to feed my family." Alexander has lived in the neighborhood for three decades. He has seen good, bad and everything in between. Now, he said, he feels a duty to help feed some of the hundreds of people gathering nearby each day to mourn Floyd and to push for national change. "If I don't open up, they won't eat," he said. "I got to feed my people." - - - The Washington Post's Sheila Regan and Jared Goyette in Minneapolis, and Ben Guarino, Lateshia Beachum, Kim Bellware, Marissa Iati, Abigail Hauslohner, Julie Tate and John Wagner in Washington contributed to this report. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Banjarmasin Mon, June 1, 2020 16:39 598 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb5118f 2 National Islamic-State,Banjarmasin,terrorism,terrorism-in-Indonesia Free A sword-wielding militant killed an Indonesian policeman and critically injured another on Monday in what authorities described as a suspected Islamic State-linked attack. The attacker was shot dead during the early morning raid at a police post in South Daha district on Kalimantan -- Indonesia's section of Borneo island. Indonesia's national police initially said there were two attackers, but local authorities later said only one militant was directly involved. "One police officer was killed and the attacker also died," South Hulu Sungai police chief Dedy Eka Jaya told AFP. "We're still investigating possible links" to IS, he added. The militant -- identified as a 19-year-old local named Abdurrahman -- initially set a car on fire outside the police post, Jaya said. "When it exploded, one of the officers came outside to check and that's when the initial attack started," he added. Images from the scene showed an apparently deceased man lying on his back inside the police station. Authorities said they confiscated his sword, a Koran, a handwritten letter calling for jihad and a flag bearing the "tauhid" -- which expresses the belief in Allah as the one and only god. Images of the black and white-lettered flag showed it resembled one commonly used by IS followers. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, has long struggled with Islamist militancy and is home to dozens of radical groups that have pledged loyalty to Islamic State's violent ideology. Monday's incident happened on a public holiday that celebrates the Southeast Asian archipelago's pluralist democracy, and many past attacks have been against police and other state symbols. In April, a couple with links to Islamic State went on trial for a failed assassination attempt on Indonesia's former chief security minister last year. The pair were allegedly members Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), an IS-linked extremist group responsible for a string of attacks, including suicide bombings at churches in Indonesia's second-biggest city Surabaya in 2018 that killed a dozen people. In November, an IS-linked suicide bomber killed himself and wounded six others in a police station attack on Sumatra island. First Minister does not rule out more precise localised lockdowns to combat future virus spread This article is old - Published: Monday, Jun 1st, 2020 More precise localised lockdowns are possible in Wales to combat virus spread, First Minister Mark Drakeford has said today. Previously there had been indications from Welsh Government that such smaller reactive lockdowns were seen as unworkable, or possibly problematic. Elsewhere specific areas have seen localised lockdowns take place, for example city-wide in China or separate specific municipalities in the provinces in Italy. UK Government have previously indicated in England lockdowns could be at a town or even school level if required. On May 22nds edition of the Political Party podcast the First Minister was asked about localised lockdowns and pointed to them not being his preference, saying: Given how challenging it has been to have had a different message for the whole of Wales to England, then trying to calibrate the methods that it is different in one part of Wales one other part of Wales, and then to enforce it because if youre going to say there are different rules. Youre going to have to find a way of making those rules. So, my conclusion up until now has been that while the case can be made on paper. In practice, it, it just isnt deliverable. Rebecca Evans MS was asked about the topic last week by LBC at the daily lunchtime Welsh Government briefs, and said: At the moment we are not considering differential lockdowns across different parts of Wales. Part of that is the strengths of the message is that it is a clear message that applies to everybody. If you do look for differential lockdowns, or lockdowns in small areas, there is potential for a great deal of confusion. Today we asked the First Minister if localised lockdowns been ruled out in Wales , and if Wales wide responses are the tactic, how is locking down Wrexham going to help deal with a spike in say Swansea? The First Minister replied, We definitely havent ruled out more precise localised lockdowns if that is what the contact tracing system tells us is happening. I referred in my opening remarks to identifying hotspots and if there are hotspots, and the best answer is to take particular measures in that area, then that is what we will do. That will be a very ordinary response to a public health problem. You take the action in the place where the problem comes to the surface. So, weve definitely not ruled that out. Our participation in the joint biosecurity centre thats being set up across the United Kingdom will give us all, over time, that more precise and localised information. So weve definitely not ruled out doing things in that way. We also asked the First Minister about modelling of further waves, and what timescales Welsh Government were looking at if they exist. The First Minister replied: The modelling definitely does take place on that, and that joint biosecurity centre will be an important part of that modelling work because the idea of the centre is that it will draw in the maximum amount of data from the maximum number of sources, and then be able to analyse outbreaks from that sort of comprehensive set of data, including if it can be made to work effectively, from the NHSX app. So the modelling is definitely happening. Weve got better ways in which we can make that happen in the future, we can do it on a four nation basis, and it will give us rapid insights and precise insights into how Coronavirus is behaving, how it is affecting different localities and the steps we need to take therefore, to try and mitigate the risk that further mass peaks will occur right across the country. 7 1 of 7 Albany city officials have a press conference Sunday May 31, 2020 to address damage after rioting. Massarah Mikati Graffiti and damage along South Pearl Street in Albany Sunday May 31, 2020 after rioting Saturday night. Kenneth C. Crowe II Graffiti and damage along South Pearl Street in Albany Sunday May 31, 2020 after rioting Saturday night. Kenneth C. Crowe II Graffiti and damage along South Pearl Street in Albany Sunday May 31, 2020 after rioting Saturday night. Kenneth C. Crowe II Graffiti and damage along South Pearl Street in Albany Sunday May 31, 2020 after rioting Saturday night. Kenneth C. Crowe II Graffiti and damage along South Pearl Street in Albany Sunday May 31, 2020 after rioting Saturday night. Kenneth C. Crowe II Graffiti and damage along South Pearl Street in Albany Sunday May 31, 2020 after rioting Saturday night. Kenneth C. Crowe II ALBANY City and community leaders Sunday grappled with the fallout from Saturday demonstrations against police brutality that were at first peaceful, but then turned into aggression toward police officers, vandalism and looting - the likes of which the city has not seen in recent memory. Dozens of businesses worked Sunday to board up broken windows and clean-up the inside of their destroyed storefronts, as others prepared for what might happen Sunday night after both Albany and Schenectady instituted curfews. The same scene was played out in cities across the nation this past weekend in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis on May 25 after a police officer placed his knee on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes while he was handcuffed on the ground. "This set us back years, said Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple, who said 82 members of his department assisted in the city of Albany Saturday night. Apple spoke at Albany County Executive Dan McCoy's daily coronavirus press briefing Sunday morning, which was turned into a talk about the confrontations. What happened in this county, this city last night was despicable. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan held a press conference Sunday morning on the steps of City Hall to address what happened Saturday about an hour after peaceful protests ended at the city police's South Station. Officials acknowledged that the shutdowns in response to the pandemic which has caused people stress, depression and anxiety has only fueled people's dismay about continued abuses against the black community. But Sheehan said the people who committed the violence late Saturday were not those who had peacefully marched earlier in the day. I acknowledge that there is a tremendous amount of pain. There is pain because of what we witnessed with a police officer literally suffocating an individual in custody, Sheehan said. However, she continued, the violence that emerged in Albany later Saturday night was not about a protest that violence was about a riot. She issued a curfew for the city from 7 p.m. Sunday to 7 a.m. Monday in an attempt to maintain order. Businesses were putting plywood over their windows Sunday late afternoon worried that the violence would continue for a second night. Schenectady instituted a curfew also fearing violence would erupt in that city. On Sunday afternoon, protests were peaceful in the Electric City as Schenectady Police Chief Eric Clifford and other officers were seen in a photo shared on twitter taking a knee in solidarity with protestors. This is not about the police stopping and hassling people for being out, she said. This is about a curfew that we are putting out there as a signal to our residents to be safe. But community activists say the emotions that led to the violence were real and valid, and the conversations focusing on the violence misses the perspective of what is at stake. Theres a moment happening across our nation, and its happening peacefully and its happening with uprisings, said Amy Jones, a community organizer with Citizen Action of New York. These are people with no structural power. What theyre seeing and feeling is a moment of empowerment. But pain plus trauma can equal rage. And the oppressor cannot tell oppressed people how to protest their oppression. Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins said the city has gotten anecdotal comments from those at the incidents that they did not recognize the people who were responsible for some of the violence. Police are investigating those comments. Hawkins was pressed by reporters about where he was Saturday, and he eventually confirmed he was not in Albany. But he refused to explain where he was or why. "I had other business. I was communicating all day with my command staff," Hawkins said. One officer was sent to the hospital Saturday night after they were hit with a brick and sustained a head injury. The officer has since been sent home. Two people were arrested during the confrontations, but police said it was for burglary charges that were unknown to have been related to the violence. Meanwhile, other gun violence continued in Albany, as a 15-year-old and 18-year-old were both injured in gunfire during unrelated incidents. READ MORE: Damage on South Pearl Street after Saturday violence Businesses and government buildings along South Pearl Street and Central Avenue had their windows smashed late Saturday night, in addition to people throwing rocks, lighting fireworks that were directed toward police horses and setting fire to objects around the police's South Station. People stole cash registers and cell phones out of stores. Graffiti was also written on buildings on South Pearl Street. A truck driver also lost the items in his flatbed after people set the contents on fire, Apple said. "We are better than what happened last night," Sheehan said. "We will come together, we will work together. Today is a day for all of us to take a deep breath. We need to stay home, keep your kids home." McCoy said 30 windows were smashed at the Board of Elections on South Pearl Street. Windows were also broken at the county's probation building, department of mental health and the Albany County Judicial Center. Looters also smashed open a glass door at Colonie Center and ran around the empty mall; Colonie police were unsure if items were taken. "It's troubling to me to see the protestors who take advantage of a situation and turn things upside down," McCoy said, adding "you were being terrorists. It's shameful." READ MORE: Albany community organizer calls for clean-up after Saturday riots But local activists stressed that some of Saturdays protesters were grieving the losses of their own George Floyds loved ones who died at the hands of the police or otherwise. I think everyone personalized it. It opened a wound, Albany County Legislator Carolyn McLaughlin said at a Sunday rally in the South End. Because when you think about this stuff, it brings tears to your eyes, and to think that nobody cares So last night, you dont care about me, I dont care about you either. Right or wrong. At her press conference, Sheehan criticized that many of the businesses targeted were black- and brown-owned. However, Jones said some of the damage she saw done was by people who didn't live in the immediate neighborhood. I was at the South Station, she said. It was white kids with backpacks and bandanas covering their faces who threw bricks through the windows of the police car. Albany police announced Sunday evening that James Vail, a 21-year-old white man from Delmar, had been charged with throwing the brick that hit an Albany police officer around 7 p.m. Saturday. The officer sustained a concussion and was treated at a local hospital. Barbara Smith, a nationally recognized black feminist, said people are fed up with what she described as the disregard and dehumanization of black life. She, and other activists, believe the focus must not be on the vandalism and burglaries. I cannot equate a lynching with the destruction of property, Smith said. And while the fact that many of the targeted Albany businesses are minority-owned is upsetting, Smith said, property destruction during rebellions in response to injustice has been the norm from the Jim Crow-era she lived through and beyond. Its excruciatingly painful to think about the loss of peoples livelihoods and businesses, she said. But it just is not in the same category as someone having their life choked out of them on video with three other officers standing around watching. Hope can come in many forms: A thick envelope from a college. A line on a pregnancy test. A set of keys to a new home. On a recent Sunday, it looked like this: Two brown paper bags. Fabian Lagos hands them to me as I stand on the sidewalk outside the northern Virginia townhouse he shares with his wife, Lissette. "I hope you like them," Lissette says through a mask as I hand her $28. I can't see her mouth, but her eyes are smiling. "Please be honest. Let us know if there is anything we can improve." Inside the bags, tucked in beds of Styrofoam and foil, are seven empanadas made from the recipes Fabian grew up watching his grandmother prepare in a rural part of Chile. One is filled with shrimp and cheese, another with shredded chicken and a third with a mixture of beef, olives and a hard-boiled egg. Type "Chilean empanadas" and "D.C. area" into Google and you won't find many places where you can buy them. You definitely won't see a listing for the ones the Lagos family makes. To find those, you have to have heard about them from someone who heard about them or who knows Fabian and Lissette. That's because the couple never expected to be selling them - and they definitely didn't expect to be selling nearly 300 on a recent weekend. The coronavirus pandemic has pushed tens of millions of people across the country out of jobs that kept their lives comfortable, or at least manageable. Jobs that allowed for budgeting and planning and even splurging. Jobs that brought stress, but also stability and predictability. Strip that away and it changes people. The Great Recession showed us that. It showed us middle-class families struggling to see themselves as homeless and people with nice cars embarrassed to be standing in line for free food. But it also showed us something else - people who reinvented themselves. People who when broken down, rebuilt themselves into something completely different. During the recession in 2009, Washington Post photographer Michael Williamson and I spent four months traveling across the country, taking back roads and sleeping in cheap hotels, to document how people were adjusting. We found the predictable and the surprising. We found people sleeping in borrowed spaces and men squeezing into spandex. In a West Virginia town that saw its largest employer, a Volvo plant, forced to lay off 2,400 people, two-thirds of its workforce, we discovered a wrestling camp that was bustling with newly jobless and optimistic men. One of them had spent nine years helping to build 18-wheelers before losing his job. Of him, I wrote, "He figured that if the real world no longer had a leash on him, why not run wildly toward what he'd always enjoyed?" "In reality, the economy tanking really turned my whole life around," he told us at the time. "It cost me some things, but it's given me more." In quiet, easy-to-miss ways around us, that is happening again. The newly jobless are undoubtedly hurting right now as bills and stress mount, but some are also hitting depths that are forcing them to reevaluate their skills, talents and hopes. To see that, we just have to look closer at those empanadas. Before the pandemic, Fabian Lagos was working as a carpenter, installing staircases inside homes. Then came the virus and the call for social distancing, and not surprisingly, people no longer wanted work crews in their houses. One week passed without him working. Then two. Then four. "My husband started to worry and so did I, because it was one week after another," recalls Lissette who works for a title company. "After the fourth week, we were really struggling to make ends meet with one salary." She also noticed that her husband seemed to be slipping "somewhere else spiritually." "I started seeing him look really down," she says. They had been active volunteers with their church, but during some Zoom meetings, she noticed he remained quieter than normal. "I just kept reinforcing 'Don't worry, it's fine with me, and I know if it was vice versa, you'd be there for me.' " Fabian enjoyed baking bread for the family and had taken some culinary classes in Chile, but he viewed cooking as a side interest. Then one day Lissette came home from work, and found that he made a batch of empanadas for dinner. Her family is also Chilean, but she has spent most of her life in the Washington region. Her family moved here in 1980, because her grandfather was a diplomat with the Chilean embassy. "I remember saying, 'Oh my God, these are amazing,' " she recalls of her husband's empanadas. "He said, 'Are they really that good?'" They made some for relatives and members of their church, and soon people were encouraging them to sell them. The first weekend they did, they sold about 40. The next weekend, they sold about 80. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Now, they stop taking orders when the demand hits about 300. (They space out pickup times to keep their customers and themselves safe. Lissette says she has high blood pressure, so has been especially diligent about taking precautions.) She describes the demand for the empanadas as "unexpected" and "inspiring." "We're exhausted, but we're happy," she says. "We're like 'Wow, can you believe this? Is this real?' " On those rare weekends when they have taken a break from selling, she says her phone fills with texts from people asking when they will be available again. Her sister, who is now helping make them, has also spread the word at her church and posted about them on her private Instagram page. A recent post tells people that orders are already being taken for June 6. "The seafood empanadas were 'everything,' " one person wrote about the ones that contain shrimp, mussels and clams. "I've been to Chile and these empanadas take me right back, they're so good!!" wrote another person. When I meet Lissette and Fabian, I tell them that I spent seven months studying in Chile in college and remember well the savory empanadas that were so different from the sweet ones I grew up eating in Texas. I also let them know that I am not a food critic, so my opinion of their empanadas doesn't matter. (In case you're wondering, though, those seven empanadas did not last long on my family's dinner table and I might have sent an email the next day about them containing the word "amazing" followed by an exclamation point). Soon, you might be able to judge for yourself if you like the texture of the dough or the flavors of the fillings. Because in the last month, the empanadas have become more than just a way to pay bills for the couple. They've become a source of hope for them. Hope that they will soon be able to save up enough money to get a food truck. Hope that the food truck will do well enough that they will eventually be able to open a restaurant. Hope that when people pass under that restaurant's sign years from now, they will see a name that speaks to how the couple worked together to create something good out of this awful time. Right now, they are a leaning toward registering a name that is a combination of theirs - FabiLissias Empanadas. DAKAR, Senegal - Dozens of armed men on motorcycles have attacked a town in western Niger that has been hosting 35,000 displaced people, killing three and cutting off the communitys water supply, the U.N. refugee agency said Monday. UNHCR said it was working to help provide water to the community following Sundays attack so that people could continue washing their hands. Niger already has had 64 confirmed deaths from COVID-19, and while the virus has yet to reach the area of the attack, there are fears it may be only a matter of time. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault in Intikane, but Islamic extremists with links to the Islamic State group are known to be active in the region along the porous borders of Niger and Mali, often operating in dozens mounted on motorcycles. Two of the victims were leaders within the local refugee communities, UNHCR said. The attackers also set fire to relief items and destroyed mobile phone towers, cutting off communications in the immediate area. The heinous and senseless act against vulnerable refugees and their hosts is heartbreaking and must be condemned in the strongest terms, said Alessandra Morelli, UNHCR representative in Niger. Intikane has been hosting some 20,000 refugees from Mali and 15,000 other people internally displaced from other parts of Niger. Morelli lamented that hundreds of people were now fleeing yet again, a setback after a careful balance had been built to allow solidarity with the local communities. Islamic extremists have increasingly established themselves in remote areas of Niger following the 2013 French-led military operation to oust them from power in neighbouring Mali. Last year Nigers army suffered unprecedented fatal attacks on its forces, underscoring the tremendous challenges it faces even after receiving military training from the United States and former colonial ruler France. 44% of companies claim they want to hire more marketers. TopMarketingCompanies.com, a B2B marketplace connecting brands with digital marketing experts, identified the schools that cultivate leading marketing talent for brands to hire in 2020. The best marketing schools in the US to hire from are: 1. Bentley University 2. University of Pennsylvania 3. Bryant University 4. Indiana University Bloomington 5. University of Wisconsin 6. Saint Josephs University 7. Siena College 8. University of Florida 9. Arizona State University Tempe 10. The Catholic University of America 11. William Peace University 12. Middle Tennessee State University 13. Houston Community College Brands can view the top-ranked marketing agencies by price, expertise and location on TopMarketingCompanies.com. About Top Digital Marketing Agencies: TopMarketingCompanies.com is a B2B marketplace connecting brands with digital marketing experts around the world. The site acts as a directory of digital marketing companies carefully ranked by their area of expertise, industry experience and US location. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 05:39:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KHARTOUM, June 1 (Xinhua) -- A visiting Chinese medical team on Monday met with members of Sudan's Higher Committee for Health Emergencies to exchange experiences in combating COVID-19. "The Chinese medical delegation made field visits to get acquainted with the health conditions and the challenges facing the country with regard to fighting COVID-19," Hiba Ahmed, member of the higher committee, said in a statement. Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Sudan Ma Xinmin, stressed in a statement the continued cooperation between China and Sudan to confront the coronavirus. China is seeking to support Sudan in the best possible way through exchanging and sharing the experiences in monitoring and controlling COVID-19, Ma said. The Chinese medical team arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Thursday from Algeria after ending its two-week anti-coronavirus mission there. China has offered help to Sudan in its fight against COVID-19. In late March, the Chinese Embassy in Sudan donated over 400,000 surgical masks to the Sudanese government. On April 23, Chinese medical experts held a video conference with Sudanese counterparts to share China's experiences in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Sudan's Health Ministry on Monday announced 147 new infections with COVID-19 and 12 deaths, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 5,173 and the death toll to 298. Enditem Press Release June 1, 2020 De Lima seeks probe into prolonged quarantine of repatriated OFWs Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has called upon the Senate to investigate the reported delays in the release of repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from their designated isolation and quarantine facilities which aggravated their anxieties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. De Lima, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, filed Senate Resolution (SR) No. 426 seeking to identify the lapses in the OFW repatriation program and help determine any accountability for the suffering of the OFW repatriates. "There is a complete and utter failure in the handling of the return of the repatriated OFWs. There were no plans to test them prior to this month. Many of them had to endure sub-optimal living conditions. And, most importantly, they are woefully uninformed of any plans to reunite them with their families," she said. "The lack of any semblance of protocol for the return of repatriated OFWs to their hometown led to them having to spend extended period in quarantine (and) spend their hard-earned savings just to survive and without any idea on when and how they will be able to be reunited with their families," she added. Last April 20, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) issued Resolution No. 26 which determined that "all arriving OFWs, whether land-based or sea-based, shall be required to undergo a mandatory fourteen-day facility-based quarantine, and shall be subject to rapid antibody testing for COVID-19." The Department of Foreign Affairs had reportedly managed to repatriate 24,422 OFWs - 16,936 of whom were sea-based and 7,486 were land-based OFWs, as of May 2. However, thousands of OFWs awaiting the delayed release of their COVID-19 test results and certification were left stranded in the quarantine facilities without specific information on when they will be able to return to their homes. Mr Duterte later confirmed that some Local Government Units (LGUs) are refusing to accept the returning OFWs over concerns of them spreading COVID-19 in their areas. "Due to the failure to test the quarantined OFWs [on time], the national government failed to provide the proper assurance to the LGUs that the OFWs are safe to return to their hometowns. It was only after over one month in quarantine that the national government initiated the mass testing programs for the OFWs," she recalled. In filing SR No. 426, De Lima said such investigation is important because OFWs are modern-day heroes who deserve the best possible treatment that the country can offer. "They should be able to enjoy their right to spend the remainder of their stay here in the Philippines with their loved ones during these uncertain times beneath the specter of this global pandemic," she said. MIDDLETOWN June has arrived in Middlesex County and throughout our great nation. However, as was the case with March, April and May, it is not a typical Middlesex County June as we all continue to collectively grapple with the COVID-19 crisis. I continue to be very proud of my chamber team which has done a great job for our membership and for the business community at large during this difficult time. Last week featured well-run and productive meetings of the chambers Westbrook Division, East Haddam and Haddam Division, Arrigoni Bridge Committee, Womens Leadership Collaborative, and Middletown Car Cruise Planning Committee. We also held another very successful Tuesday Tips workshop, and an important session on PPP Forgiveness with the Connecticut Small Business Development Center. The calendar moves full steam ahead this week with a host of important meetings, events and activities conducted through online portals. It kicks off Monday with a Zoom Executive Committee meeting led by our Chairman, Don DeVivo. The chambers Executive Committee features a variety of business and community leaders from a number of industry sectors. It will feature an update from key chamber members and staff, along with a breakdown of our efforts to support the business community through this crisis. Also chamber staff will be busy this week executing important meetings of our LEAD CT Steering Committee, Portland and East Hampton Division, Environment and Infrastructure Committee, Central Business Bureau, Real Estate Council and Chester, Deep River and Essex Division. June 11 features an important virtual chamber member luncheon with keynote speakers Gov. Ned Lamont and DECD Commissioner David Lehman. Both of these gentlemen have been working around the clock since this COVID 19 crisis began back in March. They are doing a very good job under very difficult circumstances, and we look forward to hearing their thoughts about how far we have come, and where we go from here. The event will focus on the gradual reopening of Connecticuts economy, which is underway, and what precautions will be necessary for the foreseeable future. I thank both Gov. Lamont and Commissioner Lehman for taking the time to visit with our members, and Liberty Bank for their sponsorship of this important chamber event. Liberty Bank CEO David Glidden and his team have also been working extremely hard in recent weeks, and we always appreciate their efforts and their unwavering commitment to our community. Our Middletown Car Cruise Planning Committee has been meeting on a weekly basis as it gears up for Start your Engines to Sunday Funday Middletown is Virtually Cruisin. This event is powered by NAPA. We have been heartened by the overwhelmingly positive feedback we have received from the community about this creative event June 14. It will be a fantastic virtual event that will celebrate and cheer on the many American heroes who have been serving on the front lines through this difficult period. The route has been designed to pass the Middletown Police Department, fire and emergency personnel and Middlesex Health. We ask all who participate to honk as they drive by as a show of appreciation and support for these heroic efforts. We are expecting a number of vehicles, but please note that we will be following the social distancing guidelines outlined by the state of Connecticut. This event will benefit Middletown youth programs, including the Hal Kaplan Middletown Mentor Program and the Middletown Summer Youth Employment Program. I will certainly have more to share in next weeks chamber column, but you can visit cruisenightonmain.com anytime for more information. I thank Alicia Beal and the entire team at NAPA Genuine Parts Company for their great support of this event and of our chamber. In another example of the chamber team adapting to a difficult situation, our annual Travelers Championship Member Breakfast Meeting will take place, via an online portal, June 23. This years Travelers Championship will go on as scheduled, although it will unfortunately have to be played without fans due to COVID-19. We plan to hold the member breakfast meeting virtually, and we look forward to welcoming an exciting PGA player as keynote speaker. I will have much more on this exciting chamber event as we get closer, including the formal announcement of the speaker, but please save the date and save the dates for another exciting week of professional golf right here in Middlesex County. I would like to thank Travelers Companies once again for their outstanding support of our chamber, and of so many community based initiatives in our state. Switching gears a bit, I want to take a moment to congratulate Jeff Polke, Dan Grace, and the entire team at GCI Outdoor of Higganum on a very successful Memorial Day weekend on QVC. GCIs Kickback Rocker was the special of the day on QVC, and it was featured over a 24-hour stretch on the popular home shopping television network. We are fortunate to have this innovative and terrific company right here in Middlesex County, and we appreciate their support of our chamber and of many community initiatives. I also want to take a moment to remind everyone that the chambers reLAUNCH Campaign is officially underway. It serves as a catalyst to assist the Middlesex Chamber community with recovering and emerging from COVID-19 through innovation, communication and collaboration. Please visit middlesexchamber.com/relaunch to view what is essentially a resource guide which covers everything from communications and PR, marketing, human resources, workforce development, best business practices, signage, access to financing and much more. This will be a living guide that will grow as more information comes in and more restrictions are lifted. I would like to thank our Strategic Planning Committee, led by Teresa Opalacz, and chamber VP Johanna Bond for all of their great work on this important product. Before closing, I want to again urge our COVID weary community to hang in there and trust that we are going in the right direction. The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce has known since the beginning that this is first and foremost a public health crisis, but we never stop thinking about our regional economy and the health of our businesses. This chamber is working every day with our partners at the federal, state, and local levels, and we are doing our best to support the business community in Middlesex County in every conceivable way. The tide is turning in our favor, but we must remain vigilant and smart, and we must continue to work together. I am so proud of and have so much faith in this community, and I know we will be standing strong in the end. I must unfortunately close this weeks column on a sad note after the recent passing of George M. Eames III of Durham at the age of 94. George Eames led a terrific professional career, and he was an outstanding supporter of me, and of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce. He worked for Durham Manufacturing Co. for 47 years, serving as treasurer, president, vice chairman and chief executive officer. He also supported a host of community initiatives throughout his life, mostly in his beloved home town of Durham. Our chamber was honored to present George with our Distinguished Citizen Award in 1990, an honor very well deserved. George was instrumental in the process that led to me becoming president of the chamber in 1983. I will always be grateful for his friendship and support. Our thoughts and prayers are with Georges wife, Lee, to whom he was married for an amazing 73 years, and his entire family at this difficult time. George M. Eames III led a life well-lived, and he will be missed by many. Larry McHugh is president of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce in Middleotwn. The state government has used the WA Day public holiday to announce its biggest ever Western Australia-focused tourism campaign, encouraging sandgropers to Wander Out Yonder. After providing a COVID-19 update (one new case overnight, a woman in her 30s who had returned from overseas and was now in hotel quarantine, meaning 29 active cases in WA) Premier Mark McGowan announced a $2 million spend over six months to encourage West Australians to holiday at home. Tourism WA's new campaign materials. This will be the biggest spend on such a campaign ever, bigger than Do it in WA which was quickly announced then just as quickly canned as the pandemic took hold. The launch follows the reopening of regional borders for the long weekend, and precedes both the start of Phase 3 in WA's recovery roadmap on Saturday, and a possible reopening of major Kimberley tourism towns on Friday. A pregnant Bethlehem woman is accused of threatening the father of her unborn child with a knife following a dispute over text messages. Selena Vega, 25, of the 600 block of Itaska Street, is charged with making terroristic threats and harassment in the crime this past Friday. Bethlehem police shortly before 8 p.m. were called to Vegas home for a reported domestic disturbance. A male victim reported getting into a dispute with Vega, who is eight months pregnant with his child, over texts in his phone. Court records state the two were in a romantic relationship. Vega broke a television on the second floor and told the victim she would take other items from the home, according to police. When the victim went to grab a television from the first floor to prevent it from being taken or broken, Vega allegedly came at him with a kitchen knife. The victim reported Vega threatened him by allegedly thrusting the knife at his head. The victim told investigators the knife was inches away from his head when Vega threatened to thrust it at him several times, according to police. Vega allegedly stated, Im going to stab you in the head." The victim told investigators he was fearful of being stabbed and it wasnt the first time Vega has made threats at him, police said. Vega was arraigned Friday before District Judge Patricia C. Broscius, who set bail at $5,000 unsecured. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. FOR A LIMITED TIME, DONORS WHO MAKE A GIFT OF $250 OR GREATER WILL RECEIVE AN OFFICIAL BLUECOATS COMMEMORATIVE HELMET. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 28 May 2020 NORTH CANTON, OH During the past few months, the Bluecoats Community has demonstrated a level of support unmatched in Bluecoats history. The cancellation of the Bluecoats 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic has created one of the most significant challenges the Bluecoats organization has ever faced. At the beginning of May, Bluecoats announced a 2020 fundraising goal of $350,000. So far, the Bluecoats Community has come together to raise over $177,500 towards that goal. With just under half that goal remaining, the Helmet Campaign is being launched. Donors who make a gift of $250 or greater will receive an official Bluecoats commemorative helmet as a thank you for their generous donation. An outgrowth of the Canton Police Boys Club, Bluecoats has always been tied closely to the police tradition. The custodian (bobby) helmet is an iconic image of the police, and was a wonderful icon of the Bluecoats for many decades. As drum corps traditions have changed and the new Bluecoats image rose quickly to the forefront of the drum corps activity, the Bluecoats use of the helmet became a thing of the past. Only 45 helmets remain at Bluecoats, so the gift is a very special memento, emblematic of the rich Bluecoats history. Since being founded by the Canton Police Boys Club, Bluecoats has been committed to providing a world class performance arts experience to young people, and to leading the drum corps artform for hundreds of thousands of aspiring young performers and the music education industry. Donations during this pivotal time in Bluecoats history ensure the Bluecoats Experience continues for young people and that crowds will once again enjoy a Bluecoats performance. About Bluecoats Founded in 1972, Bluecoats is a 501(c)3 non-profit performing arts education organization known around the world for the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps and Bluecoats Indoor . Bluecoats brings performing arts education to thousands of aspiring young musicians both in Stark County, and around the globe. For more information, visit bluecoats.com/about. Photo courtesy of the Bluecoats. The COVID-19 pandemic and the new normal economic environment represents a massive challenge for the aviation industry. At the same time, the crisis offers an exceptional opportunity for creative startups to help reboot and redefine the transportation industry AirNav Systems, a global flight tracking and monitoring company, announced its partnership with BrightCap Ventures, an early-stage tech-focused venture capital firm to launch a new funding program for start-up ventures anxious to leverage ADS-B data and technology solutions. Selected start-ups will address the various challenges in the field of flight safety, ground and flight operations enhancements, aircraft health monitoring, aircraft operating conditions, UAV operations, and anti-UAV systems by utilizing innovative technology solutions that rely on ADS-B data. The goal of such ventures should be to develop commercial applications of ADS-B data that will enhance aviation safety and/or develop meaningful insights for aviation/aerospace industry leaders. BrightCap seeks innovative technology companies that address solutions with large market potential. The partnership aims to identify start-ups worldwide via a rigorous selection process that includes an in-depth review of each potential company, along with the products unique value proposition, market size, and potential competitors. AirNav Systems LLC will work closely with BrightCap Ventures during the review and evaluation process. Selected startups will receive up to 200,000 equity funding from BrightCap Ventures. In addition to the capital and mentoring/oversight of BrightCap, these startups will also be given the opportunity to collaborate with AirNav Systems LLC to utilize the companys available historical and real-time tracking data in order to best develop the technology solutions that exhibit both engineering maturity and go-to market capabilities. Upon further progress with product commercialization, BrightCap Ventures can invest up to 3,500,000 in selected startups as part of further Seed/Series A rounds. Given the current state of our economic world due to the Coronavirus pandemic particularly in the aviation industry businesses may very well need non-standard solutions to revive operations as quickly as possible at low costs, said Andre Brandao, President of AirNav Systems LLC. "This partnership will enable us to extend the reach of our technology capabilities even further. As a team made of computer science engineers and airline pilots we are thrilled to support these kind of innovations for the industry. The COVID-19 pandemic and the new normal economic environment represents a massive challenge for the aviation industry. At the same time, the crisis offers an exceptional opportunity for creative startups to help reboot and redefine the transportation industry, said Georgi Mitov, Managing Partner at BrightCap Ventures. Many successful companies are born during turbulent times. The new economic outlook will encourage companies to look for smart and cost-efficient ways to run their operation. Our partnership with AirNav will allow startups to benefit from our entrepreneurial experience and leverage the benefits which Bulgaria has to offer as R&D destination - helping startups develop world-class products with excellent talent at a competitive cost. Companies interested in being considered should visit https://www.radarbox.com/challenge to obtain the information needed to submit a proposal. The parties may end this program without further notice. The goal of the partnership program is to identify several high-growth potential companies that can leverage ADS-B technology and data from AirNav Systems, and capitalize on pre-seed or seed round investment of BrightCap Ventures. About AirNav Systems LLC AirNav Systems LLC is the industry leader focused on aircraft tracking solution using in-house built ADS-B hardware and software components. Based in Tampa, Florida, with a research and development center in Europe, our business operations include providing related data to aviation service providers worldwide. For more information visit https://www.radarbox.com/about About BrightCap Ventures BrightCap Ventures is an early-stage, tech-focused VC fund registered in the Netherlands with its main office in Sofia, Bulgaria. BrightCap invests in startups with defensible technology and aggressively pushes them to pursue global market domination while maintaining a sizable part of their engineering in Bulgaria. Since establishing BrightCap in 2018, the fund has made eight investments and one exit (to Vista Equity Partners company). Portfolio companies benefit from the extensive entrepreneurial and investment experience of the partners and a strong list of advisors in Israel and Silicon Valley. For more information visit https://brightcap.vc/ Police made eight arrests during late-night protests in Chattanooga on Sunday night. Officers said they responded to the County Courthouse around 10:30 p.m. when they were advised "a protest was turning destructive." Police said drone footage showed some lights being destroyed at the courthouse, which dates to 1913 and was designed by famed architect R.H. Hunt. More law enforcement officers responded to the scene. Police said the crowd began pushing toward the entry doors to the courthouse. Police said, "The protest was evolving into a riot as property was being destroyed and it appeared that several people were about to make entry to the courthouse. Police could already hear chants of destruction and burning. Police told the crowd to back away from the doors. The report says, "After several failed warnings, police began to push the crowd back from the entry of the courthouse. Police said Thomas Luke Sylvester, 34, of 312 Lindsay St., refused to move back. He was eventually taken to the ground and handcuffed. He was charged with rioting and criminal trespass. Officers said Gary Lockwood, 27, was among those involved in vandalizing the light fixtures on the courthouse steps. When two deputies tried to take him into custody he kicked both in the face, breaking their glasses. Police said Lockwood would not put his hands behind his back and was screaming at the crowd to incite them more. Lockwood said he is homeless and is a native of Michigan. He was charged with reckless endangerment, aggravated assault, aggravated assault on police, inciting to riot, vandalism and resisting arrest. At a protest at 928 Market St., police said Luis R. Padilla Pascual, 20, of 314 McBrien Road, tried to throw a rock at an officer. When officers began to detain him they said he began to yell and "cause a huge scene." Police said it brought a crowd to the site. He was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Also, police said Christopher L. Graham, of 190 Lillie Dr., Chickamauga, Ga., Alex McCain Barbee, 20, of 972 Brotherton Lane, Chickamauga, Ga., and Riley McKenzie Cash, 20, of 123A Kelley Lane, Flintstone, Ga., were arrested after an incident at 150 River St. Police said they and the National Guard "responded to a riot at Coolidge Park." They said an effort was made to get protestors off of the roadways and into the park. However, they said Graham, Barbee and Cash refused to leave the Market Street Bridge. Warren Tefft, 26, of 4715 Bonny Oaks Dr., was arrested after police said he was being disorderly and unruly in the 300 block of Market St. Police said he refused to move out of the roadway, but continuing sitting on a bicycle. Police said John William Davis, 27, of 2309 Union Ave., was at the 300 block of Market Street. Police said he became unruly, jerked away from officers, and tried to run off. South Africa: Spotlight on childrens rights The Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, will today host a virtual meeting aimed at giving children a voice in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic. As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across South Africa, causing major disruptions in family life, concerns about the safety and wellbeing of children have significantly increased, with many of them currently out of school for an extended period of time, the Department of Social Development said. To give children a voice in this unprecedented time, Zulu will host a virtual meeting with child ambassadors, who represent all nine provinces. This will give children an opportunity to share their lived experience on issues affecting their lives, such as home/online schooling, living under lockdown and measures that government and civil society organisations can put in place to ensure their protection, Zulu said. The virtual meeting between the Minister and child ambassadors is held in celebration of International Childrens Day on 1 June every year to draw attention to childrens rights, as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The CRC was amongst the first international instruments that South Africa ratified after its readmission to the international community post 1994. The celebration of International Childrens Day takes place in the context of the annual Child Protection Week campaign, which Zulu officially launched in Rustenburg, North West, on 31 May, under the theme: Let us all protect children during COVID-19 and beyond. This years campaign seeks to create greater awareness of the risks that children face in these uncertain times by engaging families and communities to take a stand against any form of child abuse, neglect and exploitation, the Minister said. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-06-01. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. TORONTO, ON/ ACCESSWIRE / June 1, 2020 / Nuinsco Resources Limited ("Nuinsco" or the "Company") (CSE:NWI) today announced that it will not be in a position to file its unaudited financial statements for the period ended March 31, 2020 and the related management's discussion and analysis, as required by Part 4 and Part 5 of National Instrument 51-102: Continuous Disclosure Obligations (collectively, the "Financial Statements") by the filing deadline of June 1, 2020. This news release is being issued in accordance with the blanket relief of a 45-day extension, provided by Canadian Securities Administrators and Ontario Instrument 51-502: Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements, for periodic filings normally required to be made by issuers during the period from March 23, 2020 to June 1, 2020. The challenges posed by COVID-19 have resulted in a delay in the finalization and filing of the Financial Statements. However, the Company's board of directors and its management confirm that they are working to meet the Company's obligations relating to the filing of the Financial Statements. At this time, the Company anticipates being able to complete the Financial Statements on or before July 14, 2020. There have not been any material business developments since the date of the last interim financial reports of the Company that were filed. The Company confirms that its management and other insiders 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, such that they are in a black-out period until the end of the second trading day after the Annual Filings have been disclosed by way of a news release. About Nuinsco Resources Limited Nuinsco Resources has over 45 years of exploration success and is a growth oriented, multi-commodity mineral exploration and development company focused on prospective opportunities in Canada and internationally. Currently the Company has two properties in Ontario - the high-grade Sunbeam gold prospect near Atikokan and the large, multi-commodity (rare-earths, niobium, tantalum, phosphorus) Prairie Lake project near Terrace Bay. In addition, Nuinsco has recently completed an agreement for gold exploitation at the El Sid project in the Eastern Desert of Egypt - a project with the potential to provide near-term revenue. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements." All statements, other than statements of historic fact, that address activities, events or developments that Nuinsco believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate, "expect," and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may," "will," "can," "should," "could," or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of Nuinsco based on information currently available to Nuinsco. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of Nuinsco to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on Nuinsco. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, failure to successfully complete financings, capital and other costs varying significantly from estimates, production rates varying from estimates, changes in world copper and/or gold markets, changes in equity markets, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions, imprecision in resource estimates, success of future development initiatives, competition, operating performance of facilities, environmental and safety risks, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain tenure to properties and/or necessary permits and approvals, and other development and operating risks. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Nuinsco disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although Nuinsco believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. To learn more, please contact: Paul Jones, CEO paul.jones@nuinsco.ca 416 626-0470 x 229 Sean Stokes, Executive VP sean.stokes@nuinsco.ca 416 626-0470 x 224 Cathy Hume, Consultant cathy@chfir.com 416 868-1079 x 231 Website: www.nuinsco.ca Twitter: @NWIResources SOURCE: Nuinsco Resources Limited View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/592312/Nuinsco-Announces-Postponement-in-Filing-of-Q1-2020-Financial-Statements New Delhi: The government is likely to drop a clause of evaluating plant machinery for electronics manufacturing in the recently notified Rs 48,000 crore worth incentive schemes to ease shifting of base for companies like Apple and contract manufacturers to India, according to sources. The Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) wants to go full throttle to capitalise on sentiments of the US, Japan, Taiwan and other nations looking to shift their companies' base out of China amid the COVID-19 crisis. "Meity is likely to drop the clause to evaluate plant machinery and other capital goods at 40 per cent of the original value in the recently announced incentive schemes. The changes are likely to be notified in a day or two," a source said. On April 1, the government notified three schemes comprising total incentives of around Rs 48,000 crore to boost electronics manufacturing in the country. The electronics manufacturing companies will get 4 -6 per cent incentives based on certain incremental sales every year. Apple's iPhone assembly partner Pegatron is also planning to set up a plant in India to take benefit of the new schemes. Pegatron will be the fourth partner of Apple to set its footprint in India after Wistron, Foxconn and Compal Electronics. At present, only Wistron and Foxconn assemble iPhones in India. Wistron has already announced to expand its operation by increasing the manpower by about 10 times to 20,000 people over the next 2 years with an initial investment of around Rs 2,000 crore. Under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, an electronic company has the potential to get an incentive of around Rs 7,500 crore if it scales up production to worth about Rs 1.5 lakh crore over next five years. The government expects to generate manufacturing revenue potential of Rs 10 lakh crore and create direct and indirect jobs for 20 lakh people by 2025 through these schemes. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. New Delhi, June 1 : The Union Cabinet on Monday approved a distressed asset fund for MSMEs to facilitate provision of Rs 20,000 crore as subordinate debt. The scheme was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last month under the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'economic package. The government contribution to the distressed asset fund is Rs 4,000 crore through its investment in the Credit Guarantee Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) set up by it along with Sidbi. The CGTMSE, in turn, provides partial credit guarantee to banks. Functioning MSMEs which have become non-performing assets or are stressed will be eligible for access to the fund. Under the scheme, the Centre will provide guarantee coverage of up to 85 per cent for loans up to Rs 5 lakh and 75 per cent for loans beyond Rs 5 lakh to MSMEs from financial institutions. It provides a debt facility of up to 15 per cent of promoter contribution or Rs 75 lakh to the promoters, who, in turn, will infuse the amount in the MSME unit as equity. According to the government, around 2 lakh MSMEs will be benefited by the move. Further, the Union Cabinet on Monday also approved the Rs 50,000 crore fund of fund for MSMEs which would help these entities to get equity. The fund of funds will be set up with a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore and provide equity funding for MSMEs. It will be operated through a Mother Fund and a few daughter funds and its structure will help leverage Rs 50,000 crore of funds at daughter funds level. It will also help MSMEs to get listed on the main board of stock exchanges. Mumbai, June 1 : Actress Seerat Kapoor on Monday recalled how, while shooting with Nagarjuna for "Raju Gari Gadhi 2", the Telugu superstar had insisted that she should not call him "sir". "We were amidst a conversation about spirituality when Nag sir recollected his role in 'Shirdi Sai', which is when this moment was captured. He noticed I was glued to the visuals till the very end and said, 'It's okay, you don't have to watch the entire video!' and laughed it off. He also tried his best to wave me off from addressing him as sir. That's the kind of camaraderie we shared off sets. Wisdom and fun, the best of both worlds," Seerat shared. On Instagram, she posted a throwback picture that shows her sitting next to Nagarjuna. On the work front, Seerat will be next seen in "Krishna And His Leela" and "Maa Vintha Gaadha Vinura". -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Good Governance Advocacy Group Ghana (GGAGG) has petitioned the National Peace Council (NPC) to intervene in the impasse between the Electoral Commission said by the ruling NPP against opposition political parties over the compilation of a new voters register to avoid further escalations. The EC has taken an entrenched position to compile a new voter register despite opposition from the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and other parties. Also, the parties are kicking against plans by the EC to resort to the use of Ghana card and passport as proof of citizenship for the upcoming voters' registration exercise to take place later this month. According to the NDC and other opposition parties, many Ghanaians will be disenfranchised if the Ghana card and passport are accepted as the only proof of citizenship but the EC says a registered person can vouch for 10 people who do not have any of the two documents. This has created tension between the EC and the opposition parties. GGAGG in its petition addressed to the Chairman of the Peace Council Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Kwaku Asante, called on them to intervene before things escalate to destroy the peaceful democracy Ghanaians are currently enjoying. Rt. Rev. Chairman, in the spirit of discontent and distraught in your course of action as a Body, we write to invoke Sections 1, 2 and 3 of THE NATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL ACT, 2011, ACT 818 which unambiguously explains the Establishment of National Peace Council, Object of the Council and Functions of the Council respectively to seek you to intervene in the recent happenings involving the leadership of the Electoral Commission on one side and stakeholders of elections in Ghana on the other side. Prof. Chairman, the crux of all the ensuing disagreement which is gradually degenerating into destruction of peace in Ghana is about election 2020; the attempt by the leadership of electoral commission to compile a new voter register, at all cost, without satisfactory justification, the petition said. It added that: Rt. Rev. Chairmanwe petition you to intermediate between all processes i.e. before, during and after the election 2020 to help bridge the gap of consensus building to avert any action that could trigger violence that would jeopardise the enviable peace and stability we have enjoyed as Ghanaians in this Fourth Republic. Prof. Chairman, we deem this a call of your organisation to a nation saving duty. Please, we embolden you to take action now and stop procrastinating. Wake up and be seen to be working in order to avert the saying HAD WE KNOWN which would have been at last. ---classfmonline Dang Tuyet Dung, country manager for Visa Vietnam and Laos Could you shed some light on Visas latest research findings about the payment attitude of Vietnamese consumers? Despite living in a digital age, consumers in Southeast Asia remain reliant on cash for their day-to-day purchases and see it as an important and enduring part of society. However, according to the Visa Consumer Payment Attitudes study in Southeast Asia, Vietnamese consumers are bucking the trend somewhat, as only seven in 10 are defaulting to using cash as a payment option. The Consumer Payment Attitudes 2019 study commissioned by Visa has found that Vietnamese consumers are using less cash in favour of digital payment methods, including new payment technologies such as contactless card and mobile payments, as well as mobile e-commerce payments. The study was prepared by ENGINE Insights in 2019 and surveyed 1,020 people across the country who are working part-time or full-time with a demographic mix that sought to create a representative mix of ages and genders. The survey itself was prepared last year and surveyed 5,102 people across Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar. The study found that Vietnam only ranks behind Thailand in the region in its enthusiasm to go cashless. Around 80 per cent of Vietnamese consumers plan to use cashless payments more often and move away from cash. Among those that are carrying less cash, the most commonly stated reason is that they found more places that accept digital payment. These trends are reinforced by figures from VisaNet, the companys payment processing network, which show that the value of purchases made by Vietnamese consumers on their Visa credit and debit cards increased by 39 per cent on-year, while the number of transactions grew by 54 per cent over the same period (VisaNet data Jan-Dec 2018 vs Jan-Dec 2019). Consumers in Vietnam are also very supportive of government plans to evolve the country into a cashless economy. Specifically, around 79 per cent of consumers in Vietnam are in favour of the government goal to become a cashless nation. These trends show that there is an increasing awareness of the benefits of cashless payments in Vietnam as well as the governments vision to build a cashless nation. Indeed, cashless payments have spread rapidly in the Southeast Asian countries, leading Vietnamese especially young people to carry less cash in their wallets. Visa has been one of the forerunners in supplying global markets with advanced cashless payment methods What is the role of Visa in promoting cashless transactions in Vietnams rapidly-evolving payments landscape? Visas mission in Vietnam has been to offer consumers the most efficient, convenient, and secure forms of payment possible a goal which relies heavily on the adoption of new technologies. As such, its incredibly gratifying to see the results of this study, which demonstrate clearly that Vietnamese consumers are broadly recognising the benefits that payment technologies can bring to their lives, and adopting them at increasingly high rates. One of the key new technologies that the study looked at was contactless payments payments where a user simply taps their card, phone, or wearable device against a point of sale terminal. At present, 37 per cent are using contactless card payments, while interestingly, an even higher number (42 per cent) are currently using mobile contactless payments. Eighty-five per cent of consumers who use contactless card payments are using them at least once a week. The study found there is clear room for growth with these new technologies, with four out of five consumers who have not used contactless card payments indicating that they are interested in using them. As the worlds leader in digital payments, Visa has been bringing cashless payment technologies and innovations to Vietnam. Visa has collaborated with several banks to introduce contactless payment cards to Vietnamese consumers. As a result, Vietnamese consumers can now experience the speed, simplicity, and security of contactless payments at a number of merchants who accept contactless payments, including supermarket chains, fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and more. In addition to bringing in new technologies, what are Visas other focus areas to accelerate the adoption of cashless payments? Security plays an important role for consumers to go cashless. According to the Visa Consumer Payment Attitudes study, 84 per cent of Vietnamese consumers feel that their personal information is safe while making mobile payments. This high degree of confidence is reflected in the usage figures: mobile contactless payments, QR payments, and mobile payments in e-commerce all increased over 2018. In particular, 82 per cent of respondents said they are using mobile contactless payments at least once a week. In addition, Vietnamese consumers may be open to sharing their financial information with banks and payment providers. Vietnam takes a lead in the region in terms of consumers trust in payment providers when it comes to providing access to personal information (76 per cent). There are a few countries that are less willing than Vietnam to grant access, such as the Philippines (67 per cent), Thailand (61 per cent), and Singapore (58 per cent). It is clear that the growing number of cashless transactions is one of the main factors behind the rising demand for payment security in Vietnam. Therefore, Visa is committed to strengthen payment security of the digital payments system to boost cashless transactions in the country. In March last year, Visa launched its Future of Security Roadmap for Vietnam focusing on a number of key initiatives which will enable security to evolve at the same pace as the technologies change the way consumers pay. How do you see the prospects of Vietnam heading towards a cashless economy? Over the last couple of years, there has been an expansion in the forms of digital payments in Vietnam, including the likes of credit cards, internet banking, mobile wallets, and digital payment apps, among others. Thus, Vietnamese consumers are increasingly embracing digital payments as a faster and more convenient way to pay, with consumers using cashless payments more often for in-store and online purchases. The Visa Consumer Payment Attitudes study also found other new technologies that are garnering interest among consumers, with 82 per cent saying they were interested in making biometrically authenticated payments, such as by using their fingerprint or voice recognition to complete a transaction, while 81 per cent were interested in digital banking. To realise Vietnams vision to achieve a cashless economy, Visa will continue to bring cutting-edge payment technologies to the market, while working closely with our stakeholders to ensure that we clearly communicate the benefits of these technologies to end users. In addition, Visa also sees tremendous opportunities to digitise government service payments in Vietnam, having successfully implemented digital payment services for governments around the globe. Visa will actively work with agencies and financial institutions to help make cashless payments a success for the government. Moving forward, it is an exciting time for commerce in this market, and Visa looks forward to playing a role in assisting the ongoing modernisation of the Vietnamese economy. Following history-making catastrophic flooding that devastated portions of the region, Dow Chemical Employees Credit Union (dcecu.org) has committed $100,000 to assist with flood relief efforts. The donation will be distributed among the American Red Cross of East Central Bay-Michigan, the Midland Area Community Foundation, the Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network (EFPN), United Way of Clare and Gladwin Counties, and United Way of Midland County for use on a variety of flood relief initiatives at the discretion of each organization. The American Red Cross of East Central Bay-Michigan will use the funds to help with local flood relief in several ways: assisting nonprofit and community partners; working as part of the emergency operation centers and long-term recovery groups; facilitating disaster assessment; sheltering and feeding individuals displaced by the flooding; and responding to needs ranging from cleanup kits, bug spray and sunscreen to medical equipment. Personal donations can be made and additional information about how the Red Cross is responding to the flood can be found by visiting redcross.org/michigan and clicking the Red Cross Response button in the red drop-down Midland Flooding bar at the top of the page. The Midland Area Community Foundation will apply the donation to its Flood Relief Project Fund to provide for disaster relief in Midland County, with use determined by the Midland County long-term recovery group in consultation with the Midland County emergency manager. Personal donations can be made by clicking the Midland Area Community Foundation Response Fund button at reliefmidland.org. The Midland County Emergency Food Pantry Network will use the funds to support its vision of Always food in every home through its eight food pantries and special programs. EFPN provides coordination among pantries, supporting churches, groups and agencies in the distribution of food and supplies. Personal donations can be made by clicking the How You Can Help tab at the top of midlandcountyefpn.org. United Way of Clare and Gladwin Counties will use the funds to assist Gladwin County partner agencies that are identifying and addressing community needs. Personal donations can be made at unitedwaycgc.org or by mail and should include a notation that the contribution is intended for flood relief in Gladwin County. United Way of Midland County will apply the donation to its Rise Together Fund, which was designed to help the areas asset-limited, income-constrained, employed (ALICE) population recover from the flood. Personal donations can be made by clicking the United Way of Midland County Response Fund button at reliefmidland.org; gifts will be matched by The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation until $500,000 in matched donations is reached. Donations of personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, food, water, personal care items and household goods can be dropped off at a variety of locations listed on the Relief Midland website. Signup for United Way flood relief volunteer opportunity alerts can be done by clicking the Volunteer Alerts button on the website. At a time when so many people and businesses in our local communities are already struggling in various ways due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the added devastation of this flooding is almost incomprehensible, said DCECU Chief Executive Officer Michael Goad. We hope that our contributions to these five organizations will provide a boost as our neighbors, members and employees work to rebuild their lives and their communities after the flood. NEW YORK, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the brand ELLE. This milestone continues to honor its legacy of empowering women to live life to the fullest and bring their daily (r)evolutions. ELLE is thrilled to announce its powerful partnership with BossBabe, a digital platform providing inspiration and resources for ambitious women. They will transcribe stories of women and collaborate on a high impact campaign to promote women's empowerment in the U.S. and U.K. This will launch a contest where female entrepreneurs can pitch business ideas to a panel of accomplished businesswomen. An exclusive limited collection with Kohl's endorsed by BossBabe will be available for purchase in October 2020 for all. Since launching, BossBabe has featured in Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Business Insider and more, while commanding an impressive 2.3 M following. ELLE and BossBabe's collective reach will invite supporters, host podcasts, launch the international contest to reward best entrepreneurial initiatives, and more. ELLE is confident that female support and empowerment is timeless and everlasting. "For 75 years, beyond fashion and beauty, the ELLE brand has accompanied women in their daily (r)evolutions," says Anne Billaz, CEO of Lagardere Active Enterprise (a non-media ELLE brand business). "The collaboration with BossBabe was apparent: it properly embodies this special 75th." Co-founder of BossBabe, Natalie Elizabeth Ellis defines what being a BossBabe means to her: "It means being unapologetic in the pursuit of creating your version of success." Partnering with ELLE is perfect, as both strongly believe in female empowerment. "We're excited and honored to be working with ELLE, a champion of women empowerment." Pitch Your Biz, the nationwide contest, is for female entrepreneurs who just started their business. The winner will win $15,000 and a home office make-over; top ten contestants will receive ELLE education classes of choice for up to 140 hours, worth up to $1,200 and BossBabe business programs. Contestants can submit their video entry at BossBabe.com/elle during the contest entry period: June 1st to June 30th. The winner is announced in October at the virtual event. Contestants must be over 18 and reside in the U.S. ELLE, BossBabe and female entrepreneurs like Rebecca Minkoff, Babba Rivera, Janice Bryant Howroyd, Beatrice Dixon, Natalie Ellis, and Danielle Canty are here to support the success of the female community. SOURCE ELLE / Lagardere Active Enterprises America Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Its a beautiful day. Larry Mullen Jr., the drummer for the Irish rock band U2, has donated $100,000 to the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund, the group announced this week. The grassroots organizations GoFundMe account has raised more than $4.3 million. Volunteers have delivered food, water and supplies to 6,400 households in tribal communities during the pandemic. We feel real kinship with the Irish, who have a shared legacy of colonization, and we are truly grateful for Mr. Mullens donation and all donations that have come from our Irish brethren, group founder Ethel Branch said in a news release. Go raibh maith agat and ahehee! Someday we hope to repay you for these beautiful and meaningful acts of solidarity made during our time of great need. More than 25,000 Irish citizens have donated. Many posting on the GoFundMe page and on the groups social media say the donations are efforts to repay the Native American community for their help during Irelands time of need. In the 1840s, the Choctaw Nation raised about $170, more than $5,000 in todays dollars, for Ireland during the Potato Famine, according to The Irish Times. The group says the drummers donation will fund two weeks of food for 1,000 Navajo and Hopi households. Deliveries are meant to help vulnerable Navajo and Hopi residents who need supplies to stay at home during the pandemic. New Delhi, June 1 : After two Pakistan High Commission officials who were caught spying on Sunday, an operation by Military Intelligence (MI) found that the men would visit Indian defence personnel posing as clerks of the Indian Army to gather information about troop deployment on the border. Following their detention, both Abid Hussain Abid and Mohammad Tahir have been declared persona non grata and expelled from India. According to top Intelligence sources, Abid and Tahir both identified themselves as clerks working with the Indian Army during their meeting with a decoy on Sunday afternoon in Delhi's Karol Bagh area. "They said that they were posted as clerks in the Indian Army and some times they gave their identity as working in other government offices. And they tried to gather information about the deployment of the Indian forces," the source said. On Sunday, the MI detained three men - identified as Abid (42), an assistant in the Pakistani mission, Tahir (44), a clerk, and Javed Hussain (36), a driver - who had been under surveillance for the past few months. According to the Intelligence officials, they were caught red-handed while obtaining information on the Indian security establishment from a decoy. The source said that they are being sent back to Pakistan and they will be crossing the Punjab's Atari border on Monday evening. An official statement of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday night said that the two officials of the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi were apprehended for indulging in espionage activities. Pakistan's Charge de Affaires was issued a demarche, in which a strong protest was lodged with regard to the activities of the officials of the High Commission of Pakistan against India's national security, the government said. IANS has also accessed the call and audio recordings of Abid with a decoy and their meeting in the Karol Bagh area. In the call, that was made on the decoy's phone by Abid, the alleged Pakistani spy can be heard saying, "I have taken your number from a friend thinking that it was my friend." Abid further told the decoy that there was a friend with the same name and that was the reason why he asked for his number from one of the friends in the Indian Army. Abid also informed the decoy that he has kept his family in Noida and stay there with them and not in the unit. In the audio, Abid is also heard asking the decoy, whether he uses WhatsApp, to which he replied that they are not allowed to use the WhatsApp. Abid then interferes with him and said that there is no such rules and "we use it (WhatsApp)". "May be you are new that is the reason why," Abid told the decoy. Abid also asked the decoy to save his mobile number. In the 22-minute audio clip recorded during the meeting of the spy with the decoy, which has been accessed by IANS, the two spies can be heard asking the decoy if he shall eat anything in a restaurant. The decoy of the Military intelligence said that now those (troops) who have gone on leave, will not come. Abid then asks the decoy to sit with them in the canteen for the talk. The decoy can also be heard saying that the troopers who have gone back to their homes have exhausted their leaves. Then one of the spies also told the decoy that during the nationwide lockdown their company in the BRT were also not allowed to go for seven day exercise. However, they were sent back later. One of the spies told the decoy that he shall brief him about the work. "If you understand the work, then say ok," he is heard saying in the audio clip. The decoy then tells the spies that the condition (Covid-19 pandemic) is not such worse as what has been said. "Is anyone giving the clear picture of how many people have died. News channels say a lot of things," the Pakistani spy asks the decoy. The spy then once again asks the decoy, how did he manage to come out of his unit. The decoy replies to the spy that he came out after informing that he was going to "market". The spies can be heard saying in the audio xlip that it is very tough to go out of the unit these days. The decoy then says that earlier those who went back to their house, the unit asked them to report to work. "And our leaves were also cancelled," he told the spies. However, 10 minutes later the team of the MI, assisted ny the Delhi Police Special Cell and the Intelligence Bureau detained the two spies. According to intelligence sources, out of the two, Hussain (42), working as an assistant in the Department of Trade in Pakistan High Commission, was an operative of Pakistan's spy agency, ISI and is from Punjab province of Pakistan. While indulging in espionage activities, he told Indian defence personnel that he was from Amritsar. His colleague, an upper division clerk in the high commission, Tahir (44), who is from Islamabad, would accompany him on the espionage missions. The two officials had been on the radar of the Indian agencies for their suspicious activities including attempts to contact and lure service personnel for espionage, a source said. The source further said that the MI's operation to bust the espionage racket was going on for last five to six months. "But the lockdown delayed the operation as there was complete ban on the movement of the troops from their unit," he added. The source further said that as per the secret plans of the ISI, they started to work with the Pakistan High Commission since 2013, while one got posted as the driver. They were also paid hefty amount every month for the espionage, the source said. The source said that the job of the two spies was to collect information related to the Indian Military deployment on the borders with Pakistan, the details of the armoury and other classified information. He also said that both the Pakistani spies were having good contacts with the people posted in the lower grades in the Army and have made familiar relations with many of them. (Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in) S ix people have been arrested as demonstrators took to the streets of London for a Black Lives Matter protest. Scotland Yard did not give specific details of the arrests but said six people were detained as officers "enforced Covid regulations". Crowds gathered on Monday at around 1pm in Windrush Square in Brixton before marching towards Marble Arch and finally dispersing at around 4pm. Footage posted to social media, showed police officers scuffling with protesters at Marble Arch as people flouted social distancing rules. The rally came after thousands broke lockdown rules and descended on London on Sunday to protest against the death of African-American man George Floyd in Minneapolis. Demonstrations and riots have erupted across cities in the US after a white police officer Derek Chauvin, who has now been charged with manslaughter and third-degree murder, held down the 46-year-old by kneeling on his neck. Black Lives Matter protests in London continue - In pictures 1 /12 Black Lives Matter protests in London continue - In pictures Black Lives Matter protesters descend on Londons streets Getty Images Protesters practice social distancing Getty Images Police detain a protester Getty Images Protesters practice social distancing Getty Images Protesters take part in a 'Black Lives Matter' demonstration near Marble Arch on June 01 Getty Images The death of an African-American man, George Floyd, at the hands of police in Minneapolis has sparked violent protests across the world Getty Images Protesters wearing masks at Marble Arch amid the coronavirus pandemic Getty Images Police detain a protester Getty Images Police detain a protester Getty Images Crowds of demonstrators broke lockdown rules on Sunday to march through the capital and protest in Trafalgar Square and outside the US embassy over the death of Mr Floyd after he was arrested by police in Minnesota. The Met Police said: "At around 1pm on Monday, local officers attended a gathering of people in Windrush Square, Brixton. "At around 1.50pm, the group moved away from the area and walked together to Marble Arch. Officers engaged continuously with the group throughout that time. "The group began dispersing shortly after 4pm. A number of people did not comply with police instructions, despite several hours of engagement. "A total of six people were arrested as officers enforced Covid regulations." The Standard has contacted the Met Police for comment over apparent police scuffles. A man was fatally shot by law enforcement in Louisville, Kentucky, during protests against the killing of George Floyd, according to local reports. The incident occurred at around midnight, an hour after a curfew imposed on the city after several nights of protests. Early reports say that local police officers and the National Guard were attempting to break up a gathering in a parking lot outside a grocery store when they were fired upon from the crowd. They returned fire, and one person was at some point shot dead. The chief of the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department, Steve Conrad, told local media that several persons of interest are being interviewed. More information is expected later today. More follows New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday (June 1, 2020) congratulated the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and SpaceX for their historic first launch of manned mission after 2011. ISRO took to its official Twitter account to congratulate NASA and SpaceX. Congratulations to #NASA and #SpaceX for historic first launch of manned mission after 2011. Great job ! ISRO (@isro) June 1, 2020 Yesterday (May 31), two NASA astronauts crossed over into the International Space Station (ISS) after their Crew Dragon capsule docked with the orbital outpost within a 19 hour of journey from Flordia (US). "This is the first time in human history @NASA_Astronauts have entered the @Space_Station from a commercially-made spacecraft. @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug have finally arrived at the orbiting laboratory in @SpaceX`s Dragon Endeavour spacecraft," NASA tweeted. This is the first time in human history @NASA_Astronauts have entered the @Space_Station from a commercially-made spacecraft. @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug have finally arrived to the orbiting laboratory in @SpaceX's Dragon Endeavour spacecraft. pic.twitter.com/3t9Ogtpik4 NASA (@NASA) May 31, 2020 Were just happy to be here and Chris [Cassidy] is going to put us work. And hopefully we will fit in and not mess too many things up. @Astro_Doug on him and @AstroBehnken being the newest crew members of the @Space_Station. pic.twitter.com/Y5xZJFn2As NASA (@NASA) May 31, 2020 Earlier on May 31 at 12:52 AM IST, Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk-owned SpaceX created history by becoming the first private rocket company to launch two American astronauts toward orbit from Florida, in their second attempt after the first one was deferred due to the poor weather conditions. The mission is significant as it marks the first spaceflight of NASA astronauts from American soil after a gap of over nine years (2011). Astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This is the terrifying moment a crowd of looters raid an Amazon delivery van in broad daylight in Santa Monica. Footage taken Sunday shows as a group of people pull items from the back of the van, which was parked on residential street in the city. The shocking clip came amid a weekend of violence, vandalism and arson following protests against the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. Curfews expired early Monday as cities in the state assessed widespread damage. Officials in Santa Monica confirmed the curfew would be back in place Monday afternoon. Recording the footage journalist Kyli Singh said: 'My heart is breaking. This @amazon prime truck was broken into on 5th and Broadway in #SantaMonica. 'This is theft, NOT protesting.' Singh told DailyMail.com: 'The driver came to the scene after looting occurred and spoke with police. He swept the glass off and had to drive the van away.' DailyMail.com has contacted Amazon for comment. Scroll down for video Footage taken Sunday shows as a group of people pull items from the back of the van The shocking clip came amid a weekend of violence, vandalism and arson following protests against the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody The clip shows people break the windows of the van before opening its back doors and removing goods. Singh added: 'I dont have any words right now. Im in shock.' Unrest in Santa Monica happened not far from a peaceful demonstration near the city's famous pier as thieves targeted shops near the popular Third Street Promenade. As protesters gathered in Long Beach, thieves swarmed nearby stores and carried away armloads of clothing. Some stopped to change into stolen items. More than 400 people were arrested Sunday, Santa Monica Police Chief Cynthia Renaud said. She said: 'So what we can glean from intelligence online is that there are opportunists who are tracking where peaceful protests are occurring, and they are then going to that city, knowing that resources will be tied up in ensuring First Amendment rights to free speech. 'They take advantage of that. And they loot and they perform criminal activity.' States that have called in the National Guard As of Monday morning, National Guard Soldiers and Airmen were activated in 23 states and the District of Columbia, 'in response to civil disturbances', the bureau said. That brings the total number of Guard members on duty to nearly 62,000. These are the states that, according to CNN, have already called on the National Guard in the wake of George Floyd's death: Arizona Arkansas California Florida Illinois Michigan Nebraska Nevada Oklahoma Oregon Virginia Colorado Georgia Indiana Kentucky Minnesota North Carolina Ohio Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Washington Wisconsin The District of Columbia Advertisement Santa Monica Mayor Kevin McKeown said: 'Much was lost on Sunday, including property and innocence. 'As mayor, I'm grateful that we did not lose any lives. Our public safety officers showed professional restraint and resolve under the most difficult of circumstances.' Unrest in Santa Monica happened not far from a peaceful demonstration near the city's famous pier as thieves targeted shops near the popular Third Street Promenade. As protesters gathered in Long Beach, thieves swarmed nearby stores and carried away armloads of clothing. Some stopped to change into stolen items. Thieves had smashed their way into stores across California carrying away armloads of sneakers, clothes and electronics. Armed members of the Guard protected Los Angeles City Hall on Sunday after upheaval in the nation's second-largest city and then rolled into suburban Santa Monica and Long Beach as throngs savaged businesses there. Hundreds of people have been arrested during the disturbances that forced cities and counties to place millions of people under overnight curfews. In Los Angeles County, the tactic appeared to help quell trouble. Neighboring San Bernardino County said it would imposed a curfew Monday evening after there was vandalism and thefts at businesses a day earlier. In Sacramento, where no curfew was imposed, Sunday night brought more violence and destruction at businesses in the midtown area and near the Capitol after a largely peaceful daytime protest. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at those who ignored orders to leave. Other violence statewide included an arm wound suffered by a gunshot victim in Walnut Creek. And across the state, devastated shop owners cleaned up. In Emeryville, across the bay from San Francisco, where thieves stormed malls late Saturday, Keyla Calderon swept up glass outside the medical scrubs shop Uniform Advantage. Calderon's store had just reopened after being shuttered for six weeks under California's orders to stem spread of the coronavirus. She turned on the news to see scenes of people breaking into her shop and others. 'To hear the alarm ring and see people destroy the store before my eyes, it was heartbreaking,' Calderon said. In nearby Oakland, about 60 people were arrested, including three detained on suspicion of opening fire on police department headquarters early Monday. No officers were injured, authorities said. Gov. Gavin Newsom deployed 1,000 members of the Guard to assist the 20,000 officers of the Los Angeles police and sheriff's departments, Garcetti said. Humvees lined up outside Los Angeles City Hall, and troops stood behind police on the steps of the building as protesters gathered. About 1,000 people marched through the streets of San Francisco, carrying signs and chanting 'George Floyd,' and 'Black lives matter.' 'We're here because George Floyd was murdered in cold blood,' Aliasiah Allah said. George Floyd (left) was accused of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill at a grocery store after he was laid off in the pandemic. Disturbing video showed him prone on the street, while a white police officer (Derek Chauvin, right) pressed his knee into Floyd's neck even as he cried he couldn't breathe People run off with merchandise from a store during widespread protests and unrest in response to the death of George Floyd on Sunday in Santa Monic Looters emerge from a store with merchandise during a riot on Sunday in Santa Monica At least 80 people were arrested late Sunday for violating curfew and looting as police officers seized firearms and explosives, said San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott. The demonstrations were overwhelmingly peaceful but some 'defiant individuals' refused to disperse and threw bottles at officers and started trash fires, Scott said. In San Diego, police fired tear gas to disperse a crowd they said pelted them with rocks and bottles. Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said officers had acted appropriately, though he acknowledged some 'individual failures'. Moore said he would look into an incident caught on video in which a police car struck a person at a downtown protest on Sunday. A police statement said the officers were responding to a robbery report when they encountered numerous protesters and stopped. Protesters surrounded them, threw objects into the car and shattered its rear window and damaged a side mirror, it said. 'Officers attempted to drive away, when people ran out in front of the cruiser. One of them was struck but got up and ran away before they could be identified,' the statement said. It added that firefighters responded but were unable to find anyone who was involved. A row of police officers stand guard during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis Police custody, in Santa Monica on Sunday Santa Barbara County police officers confront a row of protesters on Sunday Five LAPD officers have been injured in clashes and two hospitalized, including one who required surgery after his skull was fractured by a brick, Moore said. San Francisco Mayor London Breed said the city's 8 p.m. curfew would be extended indefinitely. Breed expressed sadness about the destruction and said she was not going to tolerate the violence. 'I was extremely upset because unfortunately with some of the vandals, they thought this was a game, they thought this was funny,' Breed said. Protests also roiled the east San Diego suburb of La Mesa, where two adjacent banks burned to the ground. 'I think people are hurting and they're angry and they're trying to be heard because there's no other way to get anyone's attention,' Ally Kaiahua said of the property damage in La Mesa. Floyd died after white officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes as he was arrested for allegedly trying to use a counterfeit $20. Police have found the body of a man believed to be a 40-year-old reported missing west of Brisbane at the weekend. A search was sparked for Kane Matkovich after he was reported missing on Friday, two days after he was last seen at a Goodna home. A search was sparked for Kane Matkovich, 40, after he was reported missing from Goodna on Friday. Credit:Queensland Police Police said they held concerns for the man as he suffered from a medical condition. Property belong to Mr Matkovich was later found around the Goodna boat ramp where authorities, including police divers, focused their efforts on Saturday. The federal and New South Wales governments will spend an extra $3.5billion to start building the Western Sydney Airport train line this year, creating 14,000 jobs. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday said the $11billion metro line would be complete and operational when the airport is opened in 2026. The area around the airport is also being built up into a thriving urban region known as the aerotropolis. Initial construction on the rail line begins this year and the major works will start in 2021. The metro line will run from St Marys train station to the airport's north, via Luddenham and Orchard Hills. Around the airport will be a metropolitan subregion known as the aerotropolis. Pictured: An architect's impression of a building in the aerotropolis The area around the airport will be called the Western Parkland City. Pictured: An artist's impression Initial construction on the airport begins this year and the major works will start in 2021. Pictured: An artist's impression of the area around the airport Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday said the $11billion metro line would be complete and operational when the airport is inaugurated in 2026 This is an artist's impression of what the new metro line will look like when opened in 2026 Commuters would then have to switch to the existing train network for onward travel to Parramatta or the Sydney CBD. The federal and NSW governments will each tip in an extra $1.75 billion to bring the project foward, with Canberra taking up the cost burden in the early stages. Mr Morrison said the government would continue looking to expedite infrastructure projects amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 'This is how Australia makes its way back out of the COVID-19 crisis,' he told reporters on Monday. 'These are job-making investments - when I talk about a 'JobMaker' program, it's through projects like this.' NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the project would create 14,000 jobs, which she said was 'music to her ears'. 'We know we have a job ahead of us of getting people into work, into sustainable jobs. Having those direct and indirect jobs is fantastic,' she told reporters. The construction of the airport at Badgerys Creek is projected to cost $5.3 billion. The first stage began on 24 September 2018. Prime Minister Scott Morrison greets NSW Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance during a Western Sydney Airport Rail Link announcement Machinery at work as Prime Minister Scott Morrison attends a Western Sydney Airport Rail Link announcement on June 1 Which new stations are being built? The Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport includes six proposed metro railway stations, including: Two stations within the airport site, at the airport terminal and at the airport business park; A station serving the commercial heart of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis; A station at St Marys, interchanging with the existing suburban railway station and connecting customers with the rest of Sydney's rail system; A station at Orchard Hills; and A station at Luddenham to service a future education, innovation and commercial precinct. Travel time from the airport to the CBD is one hour Advertisement Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said Western Sydney residents will reap the benefits of this investment well before the first train leaves the station. 'This project will support 14,000 jobs, bringing new opportunities for the people of Western Sydney, closer to home.' 'It represents an economic stimulus in the middle of Western Sydney, supporting jobs for electricians, carpenters, plumbers, tunnellers, surveyors, crane and forklift operators and truck drivers. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian are seen arriving for a press conference at the Western Sydney International Airport Experience Centre NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said supporting the airport and Aerotropolis is a key part of the Western Sydney City Deal, a 20-year agreement signed in March 2018 by the Commonwealth Government, NSW Government, and eight Western Sydney councils. 'The Metro Western Sydney Airport project will be a game-changer for the region, providing the backbone for the economic and broader development,' Mr Ayres said. NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the new line will service greater Western Sydney and the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport. 'This new metro railway line will become the transport spine for the region, connecting travellers from the new airport to the rest of Sydney's public transport system.' [June 01, 2020] TechSee Wins 'Best Use of AI' Accolade at the Annual Auggie Awards NEW YORK, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- TechSee, the category leader in Intelligent Visual Assistance, has won the Auggie award for Best Use of AI, recognizing the company's unique self-service customer assistant powered by Augmented Reality and Computer Vision AI. TechSee's next-generation AR assistant, built on a range of patented technologies, enables customers to independently resolve a wide variety of issues that cannot be handled by traditional "blind" chatbots. The customer simply points their smartphone at their equipment, allowing the real-time recognition of the device and its issue with over 98% accuracy, and the location of a proven resolution from the company's knowledge base. Using real-time AR tracking, step-by-step visual and conversational guidance is then provided on the customer's mobile screen, to explain the actions required. In use cases ranging from onboarding and installation to troubleshooting and maintenance, the solution is already driving unprecedented call deflection and self-service containment rates, enhancing customer experience and slashing operational costs for leading enterprises. In a strong field, TechSee was chosen on account of its groundbreaking fusion of AR and AI and the enormous ptential of its solution. The award comes hot on the heels of TechSee's inclusion in Fast Company's top ten list of the most innovative AR companies of 2020, and after the company won Computing Magazine's prize for Most Innovative AI Solution at the AI & Machine Learning Awards. Eitan Cohen, Founder and CEO of TechSee, said: "We're delighted to have been honored by the Auggie judges. This award is testament to the vision and talent of our Product and R&D teams, who have gone above and beyond to redefine the future of self-service technology. "Enterprises across industries understand the growing demand for fast, effective, low-effort self-service experiences. We believe that AR assistants will soon replace user manuals, simplifying the way consumers interact with physical products, and I'm looking forward to seeing more implementations of our visual virtual assistant in the months and years ahead." About TechSee TechSee revolutionizes the customer experience domain with the ?rst visual engagement solution powered by Computer Vision AI and Augmented Reality. It enables enterprises around the world to deliver better customer assistance, enhance service quality and reduce costs. TechSee is led by industry veterans with years of experience in mobile technologies, arti?cial intelligence and big data. The company is headquartered in Tel Aviv with o?ces in New York, London, and Madrid. For more information, visit www.techsee.me For more information, please contact: Liad Churchill, VP Marketing [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/techsee-wins-best-use-of-ai-accolade-at-the-annual-auggie-awards-301068447.html SOURCE TechSee [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A court here on Monday directed the district police to investigate the rape complaint against youth Congress leader Varun Joshi after registering an FIR. A woman has alleged that Joshi of Himmatpura village in Moga raped and blackmailed her by threatening to upload videos of her getting intimate with another person on the internet. She stated in her complaint that in December 2019, Joshi had demanded a sexual relation from her and 5 lakh to delete the videos. I paid 4 lakh to one Balwinder of Himmatpura and Joshi assured that he had deleted all the videos. On April 24, he again came to my office and told me he has deleted only a few clips and demanded 3 lakh more. Joshi then took me to a secluded place on Bhagi-ke-Saidkoke road and raped me, she stated. The survivors counsel, Ranjit Singh Dhaliwal, argued that she had narrated the incident to police officials, but they did not initiate any proceedings against the accused as he is an influential person. Sub-divisional judicial magistrate Amandeep Kaur ordered that the police was required to register an FIR and had no right to carry out a preliminary inquiry to verify the credibility of information supplied by the victim. Keeping in the view the facts and circumstances, the SHO of Nihal Singh Wala police station is directed to investigate the matter after registering an FIR, Kaur said. Mr Peter Ayamga Ayinbisa, the Bongo District Chief Executive, said over 80 boreholes would be provided for more than 30 communities in the District as part of measures to address the water challenge there. He said the Assembly was working assiduously to address water and its related challenges confronting the people of Bongo in the Upper East Region and also address the effects of the high fluoride content in the area. Speaking with the Ghana News Agency in an interview, Mr Ayinbisa said the Bongo District Assembly received GHC4.1 million to undertake projects as its share of the One Million Dollars per Constituency from the Northern Development Authority (NDA). He said 32 boreholes had been constructed within the last two weeks as part of the project sum. In the last two weeks we have drilled 32 boreholes, I wrote to the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and they gave me 16 boreholes and all have been drilled except two because they hit dry, so they came back to find suitable places to drill the remaining two, so in all 48 boreholes have been drilled in the last two weeks. All the 48 boreholes are yet to be tested to ascertain the quality of the water especially the fluoride content before the platforms would be constructed, the DCE said. Mr Ayinbisa said through the Assemblys effective collaboration with other institutions, additional 30 boreholes were in the offing and would soon be rolled out, declaring year 2020 as the Year of Water in the area. He said the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), a Non-Governmental Organisation, had approved 10 boreholes for the District, which would soon be constructed. The Assembly itself is going to drill 15 more this year and I expect a colleague of mine from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to give me five more boreholes and that would make it 30 and it would move the total to 78 boreholes for this year alone. Meanwhile the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has also given us five boreholes and all the five have been drilled and are ready for commissioning. I have commissioned two so far while the three are waiting for commissioning, so we have declared Bongo District, 2020, a year of water, he stated. The DCE assured the people that their health was paramount and, therefore, the high fluoride underground water content in some parts of the area would be checked before the boreholes were opened for use. Whilst reiterating the Assemblys commitment to addressing the water challenges in every community of the District, the DCE expressed optimism that when the Tono Dam Water Plant was completed, the Vea Dam, which currently serves Bolgatanga, would be redirected to the Bongo District and it would contribute immensely to solving the water related challenges. Mr Ayinbisa explained that as part of the NDA projects two new Community based Health Planning Services (CHPS) Compounds with Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities among other things were under construction at Zorkoawaa and Vea communities to help enhance quality health delivery. On education, the DCE said: We are renovating Adaboya Teachers quarters and it is about 60 per cent complete. We are further building a three-unit classroom block at Lungu Primary School. 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 Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, Deputy Director of the Information Office of China's Ministry of National Defense (MND) and Spokesperson for the MND Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), answers reporters' questions at a regular press conference on May 29, 2020. (Photo: mod.gov.cn) (The following English text of the press conference is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.) Question: When attending a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army(PLA) and the People's Armed Police Force(PAP) at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress, President Xi Jinping pointed out that COVID-19 posed a major test to the Chinese military. The peoples military took immediate action upon the Partys orders and contributed a great deal to the battle. Please brief us on the militarys achievements in assisting civil sectors and other countries to fight the pandemic. Answer: Since the COVID-19 outbreak, President Xi Jinping, as the core of the Communist Party of China(CPC), commander-in-chief of the military and leader of the people, has personally directed and deployed the national response, and led the whole Party, whole military and people of all ethnic groups in the war against the pandemic. Upholding the people-oriented development philosophy, and acting on its fundamental purpose of serving the people whole-heartedly, the PLA has bravely took on the most difficult and arduous tasks, making great contributions to the strategic achievements in preventing and controlling the epidemic. With the spread of COVID-19 across the world, the PLA has actively engaged in international anti-epidemic cooperation with the defense authorities and militaries of many countries. The Chinese military has dispatched military anti-virus experts to four countries including Laos and Cambodia; provided epidemic control supplies to the militaries of more than 20 countries, including Pakistan, Russia, and Thailand; and, held video conferences with militaries of Russia, South Africa, and other countries to share epidemic prevention and control experience. In these ways, the PLA contributed the Chinese strength to the global anti-virus efforts. The virus respects no borders, but true friendship stands in hardships. As President Xi has pointed out, mankind lives in a community with a shared future. Only through solidarity and collaboration could we defeat the pandemic. The PLA will continue to work closely with foreign defense departments and militaries to jointly disperse the gloom of the pandemic with the sunshine of cooperation, and safeguard our common home through solidarity. Question: In the just concluded Two Sessions, it was announced that Chinas defense budget for 2020 will grow by 6.6 percent compared with the previous year. Whats your comment on that? Please brief us on how the defense budget will be used. Answer: As examined and approved by the 3rd session of the 13th NPC, the defense budget of the central government for 2020 will increase by 6.6 percent from the previous year, maintaining a moderate and steady growth. China stays committed to the path of peaceful development, a defensive defense policy, and balanced economic and defense development. The scale of defense expenditure is determined in accordance with economic development, defense needs and the current domestic and international situations. Chinas defense budget will mainly be spent in the following areas. First, in view of Chinas economic and social development, the defense budget will be used to improve the working, training, and living conditions of the armed forces, and provide better benefits for the officers and soldiers. Second, it will be used to promote the modernization of weapons and equipment, implement the major programs and key projects specified in the 13th Five-year Plan and eliminate certain outdated equipment and upgrade some outmoded equipment. Third, it will be used to advance defense and military reform and provide finance for the reform of military policies and institutions. Fourth, it will be used to strengthen combat-readiness and realistic training and provide support for diversified military missions, such as international peacekeeping, vessel protection, humanitarian aid, and disaster relief and rescue. As China grows stronger, the PLA will better fulfill its missions and tasks in the new era, provide more public security goods to the international community, and make greater contributions to world peace and stability, and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Question: This year is the final year of achieving a decisive victory in the battle against poverty. What has the military done to help win this battle? Answer: When attending a plenary meeting of the delegation of the PLA and the PAP at the third session of the 13th National People's Congress on May 26, President Xi Jinping pointed out that the armed forces, while performing their military tasks, shall support the civil sectors in economic and social development and winning the battle of poverty alleviation, and assist the civil sectors to maintain social stability. Being a peoples military under the absolute leadership of the CPC, the PLA has always put people first and has exerted its strengths to carry out a variety of campaigns of targeted poverty alleviation. Being an important force on the special battlefield against poverty, the PLA has provided targeted assistance to 924,000 impoverished people of 293,000 households in 4,100 poor villages. The PLAs engagement in poverty alleviation has three defining features. First, it follows the Partys absolute leadership. The military has resolutely implemented the decisions and instructions of the CPC Central Committee and President Xi, and taken poverty alleviation as a key political duty. It has went to rural areas to publicize the Partys and the nations decisions on eliminating poverty and policies for improving the well-being and welfare of rural households, boosting peoples confidence and resolve to step out of poverty and backwardness through hard work. Second, it stays in alignment with the PLAs purpose of serving the people. All troops view the places they station as their hometown and the local people as their families. They have helped form Party branches in 3,468 poor villages. Provincial military commands have recommended over 5,100 veterans to be secretaries or members of the Party branches. Based on the actual needs of the villages, the troops have supported 8,351 projects covering farming, animal husbandry, rural tourism and agricultural products processing to help local people earn higher incomes. Third, it has generated many practical measures for targeted poverty alleviation. The PLA has made targeted efforts to help eliminate poverty through education. It has helped build 156 Bayi Aimin Schools along the route of the Long March and 1,544 primary schools and kindergartens in designated villages. It has also provided medical assistance by building 1,458 clinics in impoverished villages and 113 hospitals at or above level-2 in poor counties. Besides, officers and soldiers have been organized to plant trees every year to help improve ecological environment. Lifting Chinas poor people out of poverty is a dream pursued by the Chinese nation for thousands of years. With the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and President Xi, the military will act on its fundamental purpose of serving the people whole-heartedly and make strenuous efforts both in the battle of improving combat readiness and the battle of poverty alleviation, so as to live up to the Partys and the peoples expectations. Question: In recent years, more and more young people of draft age are willing to join the military. Many of them are interested in the policies of recruiting non-commissioned officers(NCOs) directly from college graduates. At present, the epidemic prevention and control has leveled off. Could you please brief us on this years NCO recruitment? Answer: On May 4th, the Youth Day, President Xi Jinping sent the message "youth shines through hardships and life is elevated through hard work" to young people of all ethnic groups across the country. We welcome aspiring young people to join the military and serve the country. This years recruitment of NCOs from college graduates has been scheduled to start on August 1 and end on September 30. At present, the national conscription website has opened an online registration channel for that. Compared with previous years, this years conscription has the following characteristics: First, the number of college graduates recruits will increase to implement decisions and plans of the CPCCC. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CPCCC and the State Council have made a series of decisions and plans on securing employment, broadening employment channels for college graduates, increasing the number of college graduates recruits and increasing the proportion of fresh graduates in conscription. Therefore, this years recruitment of NCOs will be focused on civilian college graduates, especially fresh graduates. This move is conducive to recruiting young talent for the military and broadening the employment channels for college graduates. It can help improve combat capabilities of the armed forces and ease employment pressure in civil sectors. Second, the draft of NCOs will be organized together with that of conscripts to expand the talent pool. Based on the Implementation Plan for the Reform of Biannual Recruitment and Retirement for Service Members approved by the State Council and the CMC, this years recruitment of NCOs will be organized together with the recruitment of conscripts for the second half of the year. For conscription authorities, it would be easier to manage and coordinate conscription and improve the quality and efficiency. For the armed forces, they would be able to select talent from a larger pool and recruit more high-calibre personnel. For the young people registered for conscription, they would have more opportunities and realize their dreams of joining the military and serving the country. Third, the recruitment will be conducted with more targeted measures to strengthen the overall NCO team in the military. This years conscription will be organized directly by the conscription office of the MND instead of prefecture-level authorities in previous years. More specifically, an online registration of young applicants will be organized nationwide to have a clear understanding of the number and professional abilities of the applicants. This can help ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of the conscription plan, recruit more young people with specialties needed by the military and strengthen the overall NCO team. Question: According to media reports, China's first domestically-built aircraft carrier Shandong has left the Dalian Shipyard on May 25 for military missions at sea. This is its first training since being commissioned five months ago, showing that the Shandong has primarily formed its combat capabilities. Could you please brief us on this? Answer: The PLA Navy is conducting sea trials and training exercises for aircraft carrier Shandong in accordance with the annual training plan to test the performance of weapons and equipment, strengthen training and enhance the ships capabilities to perform missions and tasks. Question: At present, Chinas domestic epidemic prevention and control has entered a normalized stage. What measures has the military taken for normalized epidemic prevention and control? Answer: The domestic situation of containing COVID-19 has been steadily improving. However, the task of defeating the disease remains arduous as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread in the world. Following the national plans and requirements on disease control and prevention, the military will work together with all public health forces in the nation to carry out normalized control measures and further enhance epidemic control in the military. First, control measures for military units concerning the entry and exit, movement of personnel and public facilities management will be adjusted in line with the risk levels of the areas the military units stationed. We will implement the normalized control measures and will not let our guard down. Second, our overseas military units including peacekeeping forces will strengthen epidemic control and take necessary and reasonable measures to ensure their safety. Third, we will highlight epidemic control in key areas such as the reopening of military schools and send supervision teams for the reopening. Fourth, we will strictly implement the measure of "early identification, reporting, isolation, and treatment" for people with suspected symptoms such as fever, investigate suspected cases promptly and effectively block pathogen transmission. Question: The United States has taken a series of negative actions against China recently. The White House issued a so-called United States Strategic Approach to the Peoples Republic of China to exaggerate US-China confrontation. US military vessels and aircraft frequently came to the South China Sea to conduct freedom of navigation operations. What is your comment to these actions? Answer: The US report ignores basic facts and deliberately distorts Chinas political system and strategic intentions to exaggerate the so-called China threat and advocate all-round toughness against China. The report is full of Cold War and hegemonic mentality, arrogance and prejudice. It starts with a false presumption and comes up with a wrong judgment and conclusion. China is strongly dissatified and firmly opposed to it. The current situation in the South China Sea is generally stable. The United States sent warships and aircraft to the South China Sea to carry out the so-called freedom of navigation operations to conduct close-in reconnaissance against China's islands and reefs and hold targeted military exercises. These operations are the real drivers for militarization of the South China Sea. China urges the US side to respect the efforts made by the countries in the region to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea and make more positive and constructive efforts. Question: Recently, at the unveiling ceremony of the United States Space Force service flag, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that in the past few years, US opponents have militarized the space and turned it into a battlefield. On May 18, Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono announced the official establishment of the first Space Operations Squadron within the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, the Space Domain Mission Unit. What's the comment of China on the establishment of space forces by the US and Japan in succession? Answer: We pay close attention to what you mentioned. In fact, outer space is the public property of humankind and should be used for peaceful purposes. It is a common responsibility of the international community to safeguard the security of outer space. China has always advocated and proactively committed to the peaceful use of outer space, and firmly opposed the weaponization of and arms race in outer space. Some countries build up their military forces and seek absolute military superiority in outer space under the pretext of military threat from other countries, which will trigger arms race therein, and hurt global strategic stability. China urges the countries concerned to hold a prudent and responsible attitude to prevent the outer space from being reduced to a new battlefield, and to work together in safeguarding lasting peace and tranquility therein. Question: In recent years, the defense and military ties between China and its neighbors have been strengthened. However, there are also some disputes and differences. Whats your comment on Chinas military cooperation with neighboring countries? Answer: It should be noted that the current security situation around China is generally peaceful and stable. China has always focused on building a community of shared future with its neighboring countries, pursued the foreign policy of "building friendship and partnership with neighbors," and developed friendly and cooperative relations with its neighbors. China is committed to peacefully resolving disputes over territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. Meanwhile, China will unswervingly defend its own national sovereignty, security, and maritime rights and interests. In the new era, China has made a lot of progress in promoting military cooperation with neighboring countries. First, there is greater mutual trust between China and its neighbors. Following the direction set by the heads-of-state, the PLA has strengthened high-level exchanges, strategic dialogues, and professional exchanges with the defense departments and armed forces of neighboring countries. It has promoted cooperation mechanisms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization(SCO), Beijing Xiangshan Forum, and security cooperation under the China-ASEAN framework and continued to deepen new security partnership with neighboring countries. Second, there have been extended practical cooperation. China and its neighboring countries have regularized bilateral and multilateral joint exercises and training on counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, rescue, maritime security and service tactics. They have had extensive exchanges in border and coastal defense, academic institutions and think tanks, education and training, medicine and medical treatment, and equipment technology. These efforts have enriched the contents of Chinas defense relations with neighboring countries. Third, anti-pandemic cooperation has achieved remarkable results. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the PLA leaders have expressed mutual sympathies and support with defense and military leaders of Chinas neighboring countries. we have provided each other with material assistance. China has sent military anti-epidemic expert groups to some neighboring countries and held video conferences to share the experience of pandemic prevention and control. With these activities, the friendly relations between the PLA and the defense departments and armed forces of neighboring countries have been further enhanced. Question: On this years May 4th Youth Day, President Xi Jinpings message received strong response from Chinas youth. The military barracks has attracted many aspiring young people to make contributions to the great course of building a strong military. Please tell us what the military has done to study and internalize the spirit of President Xis message. Answer: President Xis May 4th message to young people of all ethnic groups in China received a strong response in the military. Based on its own realities, the military organized a series of activities under the theme of Bear in mind President Xis words and build a strong military with your own efforts to celebrate the May 4th Youth Day. The activities include themed Communist Youth League activities, keynote lectures, and publicity of young members meritorious service. The military units and individuals that have being commended this year by the national Communist Youth League collectively launched an initiative, calling on the military youth to firmly obey the Party's command and follow the Partys lead, actively participate in military training to improve combat preparedness, practice strict discipline and healthy and civilized lifestyle, and make contributions in areas needed most by the Party and the people. Youth shines through hardships, life is elevated through hard work. During their study and discussion, young service members said that they would unswervingly implement the decisions and plans of the CPCCC, the CMC, and President Xi Jinping, take the passion for the Party and the country as the driving force, make relentless efforts to realize the Chinese dream and the building of a strong military as a new force for military build-up in the new era. Question: Recently, the official WeChat account of the PLA Rocket Force released a video of the opening of a military school. According to reports, many military academies have been reopened and resuming classes successively. Please confirm and introduce the situation. Answer: In accordance with the plans for pandemic control and prevention of the nation and the military, the opening of the spring semester in military schools shall be organized prudently based on local epidemic control situations and implement an accountability mechanism. At present, military schools are gradually reopening and organize the return of students. According to our information, military schools have made solid preparations, including adjusting curriculum and upgrading teaching facilities, to ensure a quick start of normal classroom teaching after the returning of students. Question: Some foreign media reports say a border confrontation happened recently between China and India. Please confirm. Answer: Chinas position on the border issue between China and India is clear. The Chinese border defense forces stays committed to maintaining peace and stability in the border areas. At present, the situation in the China-India border areas is generally stable and controllable. The two sides can resolve related issues through the established border-related mechanisms and diplomatic channels. Question: Tsai Ing-wen took office as the leader of Taiwan on May 20. On May 21, the US State Department approved the sale of an estimated $180 million worth of MK-48 Heavy Weight Torpedoes and related equipment and technology to Taiwan. Whats your comment? Answer: China firmly opposes the sale of arms by the US to Taiwan. The wrong action of the US seriously violates international law and the basic norms of international relations, the one-China principle and regulations of the three China-US joint communiques. It is a grave interference in Chinas internal affairs and greatly undermines the relations between China and the US and the military-to-military relationship. It harms the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and is extremely dangerous. We urge the US to stop selling arms to Taiwan immediately, stop developing any form of official relations with Taiwan, and do not send wrong messages to the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. The House Thursday passed bipartisan legislation, on a 417-1 vote, to ease restrictions on how businesses use the paycheck protection program, expanding the terms of the loans. Also on Thursday, the Small Business Administration in partnership with the Treasury Department announced that $10 billion of the PPPs round two funding will be set aside for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). NAFCU appreciates the Treasury Department and the SBA allocating $10 billion in PPP funding to be lent exclusively by CDFIs, said NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger. NAFCU has consistently advocated for more PPP funds to be set aside for CDFIs and MDIs to ensure low-income and underserved communities have the financial resources needed to weather the pandemic. This decision will allow emergency capital to reach the communities that need it the most during this difficult and uncertain economic period. NAFCU will continue to advocate for additional CDFI funding, Berger added. The agencies indicated CDFIs have approved more than $7 billion in PPP loans as of May 23, with $3.2 billion occurring during round two. The Perspective Atlanta, Georgia May 31, 2020 AU Conference Center built by China Three decades ago, Africa was on an ideological pendulum, swinging left or right, between East and West, never managing to find its own ideological path. A new Cold War is pointing in the horizon and Africa may again be caught in a game where she could be torn between the US and China this time around. The Africa Union (AU) launched its Center of Disease Control with support from partners including the US, China, and many others. The US is shouldering 15 percent of the budget, the salary of the director, and support for researchers at the center. China decided to build the headquarters for the US $80million. Now President Trump has threatened that if China were to build the headquarters, the US will withdraw its support from the AU CDC. African leaders, after the ministers, are expected to vote on the issue later this year. In February 2020, President Trump said the Chinese just want to spy on African research. This comes against the background that some AU technicians accused China of spying on Africans deliberations in the new AU headquarters they built in Addis Ababa pictured above. Did they or not? It would be naive to think that they did not or will not. In that building, all technical maintenance is carried out by Chinese personnel. A voice in the elevators welcomes visitors with a greeting that says the name of the Chinese company that made the elevator. The few Africans working in the building mostly carry on janitorial services. The issue goes beyond the impeding Cold War but Africas capacity to take care of its basics needs that serve as building blocks to its self-determination and development. Most of the AU budget comes from external donors since the death of Gaddafi who used to pay close to 60 percent of the budget. Germany is building the Security center. Every major building on the AU campus was or is being built by a donor. Trump is on a collision course and Africa with China could become the fighting ground. Africa has more than the capacity to build its conference center. African leaders fly into Addis Ababa on private jets yet would not meet their obligations to the Union. When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. Africa is the next frontier. Will Africans stand on the sidelines and be spectators or would they lead? The issue of the CDC headquarters is just the tip of the iceberg. The Trump campaign will point to China for the ravage caused by Covid-19 and the blame game will be a central narrative for both Democrats and Republicans going into the elections. China will respond in kind. A new wargame of disinformation is just about to start. Will Africa allow itself to be used as a pawn? GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Since the state of emergency was announced March 5 in the occupied Palestinian territories, the Palestinian government has imposed a series of measures, including a lockdown, in order to contain the coronavirus outbreak. These include shutting down the border crossings and educational facilities, and preventing the movement of individuals in the governorates, villages and refugee camps. The government required that the citizens stay confined at home. This preventive measure, although of significant importance in the fight against the novel virus, has been harmful to many children who have been subject to violence during the pandemic. Palestinian Minister of Social Development Ahmad Majdalani said May 13 that his ministry provided counseling and psychological services to 610 children who have been subjected to abuse in the West Bank in the past two months. Majdalani said in a press release that the children and their families were contacted by phone, and that the families received instructions on how to deal with the children. According to Majdalani, 47.5% of the abused children are ages 6-12, while those between the age of 16 and 18 represent 13.5% of the cases. While the ministry has the names of these children, it has kept the identity of the abused children and their families confidential. Al-Monitor obtained the contact details of families from a social worker at the General Directorate for Children in Hebron and reached out to them. Many families did not want to speak about the challenges they are facing with their children, but some did. Zeinab Ibrahim, a mother of four from Nablus, in the northern West Bank, told Al-Monitor that she found herself in a very difficult situation a few weeks after the state of emergency was declared and everyone was told to stay at home. She said, I found myself solely in charge of four children who cannot leave the house and of protecting them from the cruelty of their father who had to quit his job in Israel because the border crossings are closed. Raghed, Ibrahims nine-year-old daughter, said, The coronavirus has turned the house into a prison. I cannot play outside with my friends and my father beats me when I ask for anything. My mom always tries to protect me from him. There was this time when he broke my finger because I asked him for pocket money, which he did not have. I cried my heart out." Rafi Salami, 12, from Hebron, in the southern West Bank, told Al-Monitor that he had to run away from his mother to his uncles house, located a few blocks away, despite the lockdown. He recounted that the long hours he spends on videogames have angered his mother. I can't find anything to do at home other than that. Schools and playgrounds are closed. What am I supposed to do? Haneen Zahra, 16, said that her father does not let her talk to her friends on any video chat app. Every time he sees me video calling them, he ruthlessly beats me, she told Al-Monitor. Once he hit me while I was on the phone with my friends. It was very embarrassing. She added, I only wanted to spend some time and have fun with the girls. I feel like I cant breathe anymore at home, and I do not know when this confinement is going to end. I really hope to wake up tomorrow to the news that the coronavirus has vanished and I can go back to school and see my friends." Asem Khamis, director of the family and childhood directorate general at the Ministry of Social Development, said that 59.2% of the child abuse cases they handled were located in the cities, 34.5% in the villages and 6.3% in the refugee camps. Khamis told Al-Monitor that the relatively low number of reported cases in the camps is likely attributed to the presence of popular committees or the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which are already dealing with issues related to children. Commenting on the forms of abuse, he said that most cases include negligence and mistreatment, followed by sexual and economic exploitation, and sexual abuse. He noted that most of these abuses were domestic. Khamis explained that the confinement measures preventing the children from moving freely and being in contact with others, as well as the social distancing measures, have increased tensions within the family and resulted in a larger number of domestic violence cases. Ayed Abu Eqtaish, accountability program director at the Palestinian branch of Defense for Children International, warned that the number of cases published by the ministry is likely to increase in light of the lockdown and economic hardship the Palestinian families have experienced. Abu Eqtaish told Al-Monitor that the coronavirus and the state of emergency in the West Bank do not justify violence and abuse of children, and noted that it is the states responsibility to protect the children from violence, whether it is domestic or not, through governmental measures or laws. He called on the Palestinian Authority to revisit the Palestinian Child Law and impose severe sanctions against the perpetrators of violence against children. Article 5 of the Child Law of 2012 stipulates that whoever neglects a child in his care shall be sentenced from one to three months in prison. The law also requires that the authorities protect the children from any threat to their safety or physical or mental health, or that would put them at risk of delinquency. Children under the age of 18 make up nearly 45% of the total population in the Palestinian territories, namely 42% in the West Bank and 48% in the Gaza Strip, according to April figures by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Haneen Zidan, a social and psychological specialist, said that although good, the ministrys services are insufficient. She told Al-Monitor that there are cases of domestic violence against children that remain unreported, and that based on that the number is higher and is likely to rise. She said violence against children is venting anger on the most vulnerable segments. Zidan said that the parents need to understand their childrens behavior, refrain from treating them as "prisoners" and prepare a daily routine and program that would help them release the energy they have. She noted that it is very important to explain to the children what the state of emergency is about in order for them to go back to their normal routine once it is over, so as to protect them from any gap or shock when they get back to performing daily routines. President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate relaxation of the restriction placed on worship centres as part of measures to limit the spread of COVID-19. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, made this known at the daily Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing on Monday. The relaxation which will span for a period of four weeks will be effective from June 2 to June 29. He said this decision will be reviewed on the four weeks completion. The PTF submitted its recommendations and the PRESIDENT has approved the following for implementation over the next four weeks spanning 2nd 29th June, 2020, subject to review-: Relaxation of restriction on places of Worship based on guidelines issued by the PTF and Protocols agreed by State Governments, he said. READ ALSO: The federal government had placed a ban on religious gatherings to limit the spread of COVID-19 which is currently ravaging the world. Despite this ban, some states governors already directed churches and mosques in their respective states to continue conducting services in religious centres. Details later Islamabad: Alarmed by the growing Indo-US defence ties, Pakistans cabinet has given the go-ahead for negotiating a long-term defence agreement and security cooperation with its all-weather ally China, a media report said on Sunday Pakistans cabinet in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on July 15 at the Governor House in Lahore gave the go-ahead for negotiating a long-term defence agreement with China, The Express Tribune reported. The cabinet considered the summary to initiate negotiations on a draft agreement between Pakistan and China on a long-term strategic framework agreement for enhancing defence and security cooperation in diversified fields. The cabinet held detailed discussions on the proposed agreement before giving the nod of approval, the report said. The cabinet was informed that the draft agreement was based on principles of mutual respect for each others territorial integrity, sovereignty, non-integration and non-interference in each others internal affairs, equality and cooperation for mutual benefits, and peaceful coexistence for strategic gains in defence and security, including arms and technology transfers. It was also informed that input from ministries of foreign affairs, interior and defence production as well as the Joint Staff Headquarters had been obtained and incorporated in the draft agreement which was subsequently vetted by the law and justice division. In April 2015, when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Pakistan, the two countries agreed that their relationship had acquired greater strategic significance against the backdrop of complex and changing international and regional situations. They agreed to elevate the Pakistan-China relationship to the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. The reports of defence agreement surfaced a week after the US signed a key logistics agreement with India governing the use of each others land, air and naval bases for repair and resupply. Pakistan had called the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement between the US and India as an agreement between the two sovereign states and hoped it would contribute to peace and stability.Pakistan would like to see that such arrangements do not contribute to polarising the region by disturbing the strategic balance in South Asia and escalating the arms buildup, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria told a news briefing on Thursday. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. By Ismaila Chafe Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha said Nigeria is yet to reach the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. We have not reached the peak yet and I wont want to fool Nigerians by telling them that we are out of the woods. No, we are not out of the woods. As we even open up and accommodate more enterprises, because we are trying to have a balance between livelihoods and life, theres a likelihood of increase in transmission in cases, he said. Mustapha spoke on Sunday as the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control gave the new national caseload of the virus as 10,162. Despite the ballooning figure of cases, Mustapha gave some hope that Nigeria is achieving some successes in tackling the virus. We are winning. As a matter of fact, you juxtapose the rate of cases with our fatality rate, which is basically about three per cent, in other countries and other climes, its over 10 per cent. But the most important thing that you will realise, when we started this exercise, we had only five testing stations, now weve ramped it up to 28, without the expected increase in the number of deaths. We have gone beyond 60,000 now. That reflects in the number of confirmed cases Members of Mustaphas PTF on Sunday submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari their recommendations on partial reopening of schools, places of worships and some additional businesses. Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said the PTF has no problem with state governments that ordered reopening of places of worships in view of the power given to the states to do so by the constitution. He said the states are sub-nationals. Thats part of what we have considered in its totality. We will await Mr President on that, once I receive his approval, going forward, to certain recommendations we have put in place, we will know how that would happen. The issue of easing up, you know we are in the first phase, we had an extension of two weeks for the first phase, the next phase should be the second phase and along with that will come in with a lot of recommendations, which we expect Mr President to consider. So, the issues of places of worships; the issues of schools; the issues of some certain businesses that were not opened hitherto are part of the packages that we have looked at. We have made the appropriate recommendations, but you know that Mr President is the only one that can take decisions in respect of that. In the framework, the states are sub-nationals, they have their own responsibilities too. So, it is in the exercise of those responsibilities that they had meetings with those religious bodies and agreed on the guidelines and protocols on how they open up, but in the framework of the national response we are taking that into consideration. Mustapha assured that essential parts of the economy would continue opening up to boost socio-economic activities across the country. We have started, even in the first phase and the extension that came with it. Essential parts of the economy were opening up by way of allowing agricultural production, people that produce fertilizers. The oil and gas industry was never closed for one day and some aspects of the financial sector were opened. After we receive Mr Presidents approval tonight or tomorrow morning, we will now know which segment of the economy he has allowed to open, he further revealed Childcare has been defined to exclude relatives caring for children in new coronavirus laws following the Dominic Cummings scandal. The prime ministers chief adviser drove from London to County Durham with his wife and son on 27 March, when lockdown restrictions made it illegal to be outside without reasonable excuse. After the journey was revealed by the press, Mr Cummings said they had stayed at a cottage on his parents' farm and that relatives had offered to look after his four-year-old son after the couple developed coronavirus symptoms. At the time, the Health Protection Regulations made it legal to leave home in order to access critical public services, including childcare and police found Mr Cummings had not broken the law with the initial journey. Childcare was not defined in the legislation at the time, but the meaning of the word has been narrowed under changes that came into force on Monday. A paragraph has been added to part of the law governing its application and interpretation, reading: Childcare has the same meaning as in section 18 of the Childcare Act 2006. That law states that it cannot include care provided by relatives, adding: Relative, in relation to a child, means a grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother or sister, whether of the full blood or half blood or by marriage or civil partnership. The change means that childcare would no longer be a legal exemption for Mr Cummings journey to Durham, but the new law cannot be applied retrospectively. None of our usual childcare options were available, he told a press conference. If we were both unable to look after our child, then my sister or nieces could look after him. Government ministers, including the attorney general, defended Mr Cummings actions, and Boris Johnson said coronavirus rules made it absolutely clear that if you have particular childcare issues that is a factor that has to be taken into account. Police investigated Mr Cummings for potential breaches of the Health Protection Regulations, which allow officers to fine or arrest people for violating the lockdown. Durham Constabulary said that he had not broken the law as it stood at the time for relocating to the family farm, but that Mr Cummings might have with a later trip to Barnard Castle. Cummings outside No 10 (AP) The force emphasised that it only had the power to enforce the law, rather than government and NHS guidelines which were stricter at the time. Police said there was 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 previously fined at least two people who travelled to the county from London. After the findings were announced on Thursday, a Downing Street spokesperson said: 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 definition of childcare is one of numerous changes made to the Health Protection Regulations as the government eased lockdown restrictions in England on Monday. They previously banned people leaving home without reasonable excuse, but the provision has been replaced by stringent curbs on where people can sleep and gather together. While the powers are in force, no person may participate in a gathering which takes place in a public or private place outdoors, and consists of more than six persons, or indoors, and consists of two or more persons. A separate provision makes it illegal to stay overnight outside your home without reasonable excuse, which can include moving home, work, attending funerals, providing care and escaping harm. There is no exemption for couples who do not live together, meaning that the law has effectively banned them from having sex indoors or staying at each others homes. Police can arrest or fine people for breaking the law, with the default penalty standing at 100 in England, but do not have the power to enter properties to check for violations. Sinn Fein has come out against legalising abortion in cases of non-fatal foetal abnormalities in Northern Ireland. The party was criticised by pro-choice campaigners over the weekend after it emerged that it was tabling an amendment to a DUP motion to restrict new abortion regulations. The Westminster government last year passed a law to lift Northern Irelands near ban on abortion. Regulations to legalise access to abortion for the first time came into effect from March, but no abortion services have yet been commissioned by the Northern Ireland Department of Health. Under the regulations, abortion is available with no restriction on reason up to 12 weeks gestation. Terminations when there is a risk of the womans physical or mental health being injured are available up to 24 weeks gestation. An abortion would also be available in cases of foetal abnormalities, with no gestational limit. The regulations were based on recommendations to reform Northern Irelands abortion law from the UN committee on the elimination of discrimination against women (CEDAW). Expand Close Campaign group Solidarity with Repeal holding a rally calling for abortion rights outside Belfast City Hall. Photo: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Campaign group Solidarity with Repeal holding a rally calling for abortion rights outside Belfast City Hall. Photo: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images On Tuesday, the DUP will table a motion in Stormont which rejects the imposition of abortion legislation which extends to all non-fatal disabilities, including Down syndrome. A Sinn Fein amendment would limit the motion to rejecting just the abortion regulations which would legalise terminations in cases of non-fatal foetal abnormalities. In Northern Ireland, abortion is legal in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities but not in cases where the foetus is likely to survive. There have been concerns that legalising abortion in cases of non-fatal foetal abnormalities would lead to terminations on the grounds of disability. In a lengthy statement, Sinn Fein said that it was in favour of legalising access to abortion in Northern Ireland, including free access up to 12 weeks. However, Sinn Fein does not support CEDAWs recommendation to provide abortion in the case of severe fetal impairment, a spokesman for Sinn Fein said. Expand Close Grainne Teggart (right) from Amnesty International with colleague Anna Hughes (left) and solicitor Jemma Conlon outside Belfast's Crown Court Photo credit: Liam McBurney/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Grainne Teggart (right) from Amnesty International with colleague Anna Hughes (left) and solicitor Jemma Conlon outside Belfast's Crown Court Photo credit: Liam McBurney/PA Wire Heidi Crowter, a disability rights activist, wrote an open letter to MLAs asking them to reject discriminatory abortion legislation from Westminster". Ms Crowter, who has Downs Syndrome, said she found the new proposed abortion legislation in Northern Ireland hurtful and offensive. The Westminster government is responsible for human rights in all devolved UK nations. A ruling last year said that Northern Irelands anti-abortion laws were a breach of human rights, forcing the UK government to intervene. Amnesty International said that because the regulations come from Westminster, tomorrows motion will change nothing but would be a clear signal that the DUP wants to roll back the hard-won rights of women and girls. Sinn Fein and other parties must not prop up a dangerous anti-choice agenda instead, they should support human rights and show theyre on the side of women, Grainne Teggart, a campaign manager for Amnesty International, said. Women and girls are being failed and forgotten left without vital abortion services, despite regulations coming into force 2 months ago. She added that while new abortion services had failed to be introduced in the north, Covid-19 had made it unsafe to travel for an abortion, severely restricting womens ability to access the service outside Northern Ireland. Lung cancers account for approximately 25 percent of all cancer deaths. Even among those who do not smoke, 1 in 15 men and 1 in 17 women are expected to develop lung cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. Lung cancer has confounded scientists who strive to develop better therapies for this aggressive and deadly disease. About 15 percent of lung cancers are classified as small cell lung cancer. Recent studies have indicated that four major subtypes of small cell lung cancer exist, yet approaches to tailor treatment of these subtypes have not yet become standard of care. Today in the journal Cancer Cell, scientists outline new findings about the origins of these lung cancer subtypes, paving the way for a new foundation to study this disease. Trudy Oliver, PhD, a lung cancer researcher at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) and associate professor of oncological sciences at the University of Utah (U of U), is working to improve our ability to fight this disease. Prior work in her lab helped create a mouse model of small cell lung cancer, providing researchers with a sophisticated tool to better understand how this disease progresses and to analyze potential treatment approaches. According to Oliver, "Small cell lung cancer has historically been treated as a single disease, which has been an unsuccessful approach for most patients. Thanks to rapid advances in the field, we now understand that each type of small cell lung cancer has specific traits--including traits that may help us understand better ways to tailor treatment for patients." U of U graduate student Abbie Ireland, a member of Oliver's team and first author on the study, developed a new assay that allowed the team to follow single cells from tumor samples and observe how they change over time. Ireland and colleagues found that the major subtypes of small cell lung cancer are not so discretely different after all. Rather than thinking of them as distinct diseases, the team found that one tumor subtype can evolve to become a different subtype. And further, a tumor may have cells representing multiple subtypes at any given time. "Human development involves multiple stages--infancy, adolescence, and adulthood. While we are humans at each of those stages, we have unique characteristics and behaviors at each stage," says Oliver. "Our data suggest that small cell lung cancer is the same way, that it changes at different stages and displays unique characteristics and behaviors in each stage." Oliver's team believes this means small cell lung cancer will have unique vulnerabilities as it evolves. To treat these sophisticated tumors may require a therapeutic approach that acknowledges the tumors are a "moving target" and that treatments need to evolve over time with the tumor. It is also possible these cancers will require combinations of drugs that can target multiple subtypes of the tumor at the same time. This finding may also aid in understanding other cancers known to have subtypes, such as breast cancer or glioblastoma. The team speculates that subtypes in other cancers may also represent stages of tumor evolution. Through a collaboration with HCI lung cancer physicians, Oliver was able to access samples of tumors donated by 21 patients who had surgeries at HCI. Tumor samples of small cell lung cancer are very difficult to obtain, and this opportunity to study tumor traits from tumors donated by patients was important to advance insights into this disease. Ireland and her colleagues analyzed tumors for markers of small cell lung cancer subtypes and found that many tumors had markers of more than one subtype, consistent with their ability to change subtype or evolve. Additionally, through a collaboration at Washington University in St. Louis, the team studied one human tumor at the single-cell level using a relatively new, advanced technology called single-cell RNA sequencing. Oliver's group further showed that a gene called MYC, which is known to promote tumor growth in many cancers, appears to be responsible for driving the evolution of small cell lung tumors. "Together, the results of these human tissue analyses revealed that small cell lung cancer tumors indeed harbor multiple subtypes," says Oliver. Oliver posits this may explain why so many therapies have failed for small cell lung cancer in clinical trials. Since the tumor is naturally evolving, there may need to be multiple, simultaneous treatments in order to be effective. Oliver's team now plans to investigate how the evolution of tumors may affect response to various therapies. ### The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute including P30 CA042014, U01 CA231844 02, U24 CA213274, and R21 CA216504-01A1, and Huntsman Cancer Foundation. The study acknowledges support from many collaborators, including Wallace Akerley, MD; Sonam Puri, MD; Gabor Marth, PhD; and Benjamin Spike, PhD, at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah; and Siddhartha Devarakonda, MD, of the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University in St. Louis. 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. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 11:24:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, May 31 (Xinhua) -- A countywide curfew was issued Sunday evening by U.S. Los Angeles County following weekend protests and riots over the death of African American George Floyd. The curfew will be in effect from 6:00 p.m. Sunday to 6:00 a.m. Monday local time in the most populous county in the United States with a population of over 10 million, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, noting the dangers which often occur under cover of darkness and the difficulty to preserve public safety during these hours in the midst of chaos. During the curfew, all residents are required to stay off "public streets, avenues, boulevards, places, walkways, alleys, parks or any public areas or unimproved private realty within Los Angeles County." However, officials said that the order does not apply to peace officers, fire fighters, and National Guard or other military personnel deployed to the area, individuals traveling to and from work, people experiencing homelessness and without access to a viable shelter, and individuals seeking medical treatment. Any violation of the order is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed 1,000 U.S. dollars or by imprisonment for a period not to exceed six months, or both, according to the terms of the curfew. The announcement came after the protests over Floyd's death went into the fifth straight day on Sunday in the Los Angeles area. Floyd, an unarmed black man, died of white police brutality in Minneapolis on May 25. Hundreds of demonstrators flooded the streets of the city of Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon. But the peaceful protest turned violent as some looters began to attack stores along the streets. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County on Saturday night and authorized assistance by the National Guard to cope with the unrest. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a curfew on Sunday for the city of Los Angeles for the second straight night. The Consulate General of China in Los Angeles issued a note Sunday to Chinese citizens living in the area, reminding them to follow the curfew imposed by local authorities and avoid places where the protests and riots erupted. Enditem Photo: The Canadian Press A CN locomotive passes by freight containers at the CN Taschereau yard in Montreal on November 28, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes Canadian National Railway confirms one of its employees has been killed while performing switching operations in a rail yard in Surrey, B.C. CN spokesman Chris Krepski says the accident happened at about 2 a.m., Monday. He says the Transportation Safety Board is investigating and the BC Coroners Service also confirmed it is aware of the death. Krepski says he can't provide information about the worker or what the employee was doing at the time of the incident. He says an investigation is just getting underway and officials must speak with crews in the switching yard and gather other information, including data downloaded from any locomotives involved. Once those details are obtained, Krepski says the company will have a better idea of the direction of its own investigation. LANSING, MI The Michigan Republican Party will host its spring convention in a virtual format this year as the party prepares to elect at-large delegates to send to the Republican National Convention in August. The states virtual convention will take place on Saturday, June 13. At it, delegates will also elect the Republican National Committeeman and Committeewoman. On June 13, the Michigan Republican Party will show Governor Gretchen Whitmer that no matter how many executive orders she passes, she cant shut us down. said Laura Cox, Michigan Republican Party Chairman in a press release. While we had hoped to kick off the 2020 election in a different way, our virtual convention will not only protect the safety of our delegates and alternates, but also help us lay the groundwork to reelect President Trump in 2020. I look forward to leading this historic convention. The convention was originally scheduled for April but as the state continues to be under orders to limit the number of people gathered to limit the spread of the coronavirus, Michigan Republicans said they cannot wait until the order is lifted to make these decisions. After selecting the delegates and alternates, the delegates will make travel arrangements to attend the national convention. The national convention is scheduled to take place from Aug. 24-27 in Charlotte, North Carolina. However, according to the Charlotte Observer, President Donald Trump and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper have publicly argued over how the convention will take place. Trump has asked the state to allow the convention to be held with no social distancing guidelines in place and with no requirements for masks. Cooper has said its possible for the convention to be held in that manner, but it would have to be with a significantly reduced crowd in the arena. Trump has refuted that offer and the Republican National Committee has asked for a firm answer from the state by this Wednesday. 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 Historic St. John's Church near White House torched by rioters Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The parish office at the historic St. John's Episcopal Church in Lafayette Square near the White House in Washington, D.C., was torched as riots escalated Sunday night. Fox News White House correspondent Kevin Corke was at the scene to report that the church had been vandalized with graffiti and the basement nursery set on fire. "It does appear that St. John's Church is on fire, the parish office," Corke said. "We went downstairs, and it is on fire." "This is awful. We saw graffiti, once the door was broken, we saw something similar happen earlier, and as you can see there's definitely a fire here," he said a half-hour before the city's 11 p.m. curfew. Antifa is burning down the historic St. John's Church by the White House. It's completely up in flames. pic.twitter.com/VI0A2PAVBV Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 1, 2020 "It's a sad scene. This is a beautiful church. ... St. John's Church is a landmark in many ways, so it's very difficult to see this building go up in flames. Hopefully, they can get here and put out the fire." Fox News host Shannon Bream explained that the church is a place presidents have gone to for spiritual guidance in challenging moments in the nation's history. "Numerous presidents ... have sat in those pews. They have gone there in times of national trouble, they've gone there for regular Sunday services. For generations, presidents and their families have walked across Lafayette Park and gone and sat in the pews of St. John's," Bream said. "On Inauguration Day, you'll see them go there and have a prayer service welcoming in the new administration," she continued. The Metropolitan Police Department posted an alert on Twitter at midnight, notifying the public that police and the DC Fire Department were "responding to multiple fires intentionally set around the city, including at St. Johns Episcopal Church in the 1500 blk of H Street, NW, with @dcfireems. This church has been standing in our city since the early 1800s. Please avoid the area." Earlier in the night, rioters ripped down a U.S. flag displayed outside the church as people chanted burn that s**t. From earlier: American flag stolen from church and burned outside White House on H St #protests2020#dcprotestpic.twitter.com/yD5tFYixw0 Steven Nelson (@stevennelson10) June 1, 2020 The Episcopal church says on its website that it's known as "the Church of the Presidents," because every president since James Madison has attended a service at St. John's. Pew 54 is reserved for presidents when they attended. Consecrated on Dec. 27, 1816, the church is registered as a National Historic Landmark. In a letter to parishioners on Sunday, hours before the parish office was set on fire, the Rev. Rob Fisher addressed the unrest in the country and detailed damage the church had already sustained in the previous night's protests: We write to you with heavy, but hopeful hearts. Our community and our country are in anguish and unrest. And yet, we can see that thousands of people are lifting their voices and organizations are engaging in peaceful, meaningful action to ensure the life of George Floyd and countless others are not lost in vain. As Bishop Curry wrote this morning, in the upcoming days and weeks, we will unite as a church community to follow the path of love and to channel this anguish into concrete, productive and powerful action. Given the recent media coverage of the protests, you may be concerned about our beloved church and parish house. We are fortunate that the damage to the buildings is limited. There is some exterior graffiti, and the protective glass over one of the more modern stained-glass windows on the north side of the narthex has been broken (the stained glass itself is unharmed). Thankfully, there is no damage inside either of the buildings. This morning we secured, as best we could, our most valuable items. As you know, today is Pentecost, one of the churchs primary feasts. If we had been in church, we would surely have sung "Sweet, Sweet Spirit," a St. Johns favorite. You know the words: "Theres a sweet, sweet spirit in this place, and I know its the spirit of the Lord. Sweet holy spirit, sweet heavenly dove, stay right here with us, filling us with your love. Hymn 120, "Lift Every Voice and Sing, II." Its hard to imagine a more appropriate prayer for the place in which we as a nation find ourselves. We are proud to be a church that welcomes all and champions the path of love. In peace, The Rev. Rob Fisher, Rector Paul Barkett, Senior Warden Jeff Hanston, Junior Warden Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah on Monday commissioned a newly refurbished National Information Research Centre (NIRC) of the Information Services Department (ISD). The Centre has been equipped with modern computers, state-of-the-art ICT equipment, servers and furniture to enable the personnel to collect empirical data and feedback from the public on government policies and programmes to inform decision making. The NIRC is the second phase of the National Information Contact Centre (NICC) popularly known as 311 Call Centre, for collating information on COVID-19 measures and government interventions, which was launched by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia in April, this year. Speaking at the commissioning of the Research Centre in Accra, Mr Oppong Nkrumah highlighted the importance of factual information and public feedback to the Government for decision-making. He said the personnel who would manage the Centre had received training to ensure proper processing of data for better understanding. The Minister announced that since the commissioning of the Call Centre in April, it had received more than 500,000 concerns from the public. He, therefore, urged the personnel at the Research Centre to own the facility and deliver value to their supervisors and the Central Government. Mr Hassan Tampuli, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), one of the partners that provided financial support towards the refurbishment of the Centre, expressed delight at its inauguration, believing that it would aid the ISD to execute its mandate and improve the quality of information disseminated to the Government. Mr Abraham Kofi Asante, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), said it would collaborate with the ISD by linking its 241 ICT centres across the country to the Department's Research Centre for speedy dissemination of information. Mr Charles Wereko, the Director of the ISD, in his welcome remarks, commended Mr Oppong Nkrumah for initiating the move towards the transformation of the Department and refurbishment of the Centre, which hitherto lacked modern logistics for efficient functioning. He expressed profound gratitude to the partners - the NPA, GIFEC and ADB, for providing the financial support towards the completion of the Centre. The ceremony was witnessed by the two deputy Ministers of Information; Mr Pius Enam Hadzide and Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah Adjei, and senior management members of ISD. 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 Patrick Kingsley, an international correspondent, and Laetitia Vancon, a photojournalist, are driving more than 3,700 miles to explore the reopening of the European continent after coronavirus lockdowns. Read all their dispatches. WICHELEN, Belgium You can smell the gin distillery before you see it the whiff of alcohol floats down the street outside. And if you head inside on the right morning, youll find a mustachioed chemist infusing that alcohol with juniper berries, coriander seeds and aniseed. But last Thursday the chemist, Michael Levantaci, was mixing something very different. Hed put the herbs and fruit to one side, and was instead standing on a stepladder, pouring glycerin and ether into a silver vat. The former makes the alcohol kinder to the touch, the latter makes it undrinkable. The Rubbens Distillery has made gin since 1817, when Belgium was still part of the Netherlands. Since the coronavirus crisis started, prompting a Europe-wide shortage of disinfectant, it has also bottled approximately 37,000 gallons of hand sanitizer. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 22:24:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RABAT, June 1 (Xinhua) -- China and Morocco have strengthened relations through joint efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. In parallel, their multilayered cooperation in public health, culture and other fields has deepened under the Belt and Road framework. In early February, when China was rushing to contain the spread of the coronavirus and worried about a lack of medical equipment, the Bank of Africa, a large commercial bank based in Morocco, donated 150,000 surgical masks and 900,000 medical gloves to the central Chinese province of Hubei. As a Chinese proverb goes, "whoever gives a drop of water will receive spring water." Months later, when Morocco needed medical equipment to tackle the outbreak of COVID-19, the China Development Bank showed its solidarity with the Moroccan people by offering dozens of respirators and 98,000 medical protective masks. It was an example of how cooperation between China and Morocco went beyond economics. On March 20, a batch of supplies, including 15,000 medical gloves, 20,000 N95 masks and 2,000 medical protective suits, which were donated by the southwestern Chinese province of Guizhou, arrived in Morocco's capital Casablanca. On March 26, China held a video conference with countries in West Asia and North Africa to share its experience in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Moroccan medical experts and officials participated. Mesiane Belfkir, an official with the Moroccan Health Ministry, said that China's experience in combatting the disease is inspiring and useful. Although the pandemic is somehow hindering exchanges and communication among countries, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is still effectively promoting exchanges in various fields. Morocco has been actively participating in the construction of the BRI, which is a win-win cooperative approach and contributes to the development of the African continent, said Mohammed Tawfik Mouline, director general of the Royal Institute for Strategic Studies in Morocco. In early May, the Chinese Cultural Center in Rabat launched a series of activities themed "'Cloud' Traveling to China" via its social media accounts. The activities included sharing anti-epidemic knowledge online, home isolation tips and other relevant content such as a documentary regarding China's fight against the virus and other videos. The section won the praise and affirmation from many netizens. Nasser Bouchiba, president of the Africa-China Cooperation Association for Development in Morocco, said that Morocco and China supported each other in the COVID-19 fight, adding that the BRI has promoted all-round cooperation between Morocco and China and brought the two peoples closer together. Enditem In the waning moments of the last day of school, Nikki Silva typically asks her students to line up near the doorway for an emotional goodbye. When the third graders walk out of that classroom, they officially become fourth graders, Silva tells them. But first, Silva reminds her students how much she loves them. And she promises she will always be there for them, no matter how old they get. This year, with Silvas students from Carterets Nathan Hale Elementary School marooned at home because of the coronavirus pandemic, Silva knows the ending wont be the same. I will probably say that when you hit End on this Zoom call, you are officially fourth graders, Silva said, her voice already shaky just thinking about it. I am just going to miss hugging them that one last time and seeing their faces, looking them in the eye. New Jerseys unexpected foray into remote learning is nearing its conclusion after three months of students and teachers stuck at home. But these final weeks are proving to be anything but easy as closed buildings and social distancing requirements force teachers and administrators to rethink everything from yearbook distribution to locker clean out to simply saying goodbye. Frustration persists over a lack of clear guidance from the state Department of Education on matters including graduation after the most trying academic year in recent memory. The logistics of trying to figure out how to close your buildings based upon the guidance that we get or dont get is really challenging, said Eric Hibbs, superintendent of Marlboro Township Public Schools. How do you do everything you normally could do, that you sort of took for granted, and now have to do remotely while trying to still make them special and relevant to kids and the community?" There are the sentimental rituals: graduations, moving-up ceremonies and retirement parties for teachers. There are logistical necessities: the return of textbooks, library books and devices. And there are critical academic realities: deciding which students need extra summer support and how to best provide it. Its all happening as administrators who once expected school closures to be short-lived and simple turn one eye to the overwhelming task of reopening their buildings next fall. We figured we would be back in two weeks, maybe a month, said North Bergen School District Superintendent George Solter. It exploded." The most controversial year-end challenge for districts is graduation ceremonies, the annual rite of passage that became a flash point in the push to reopen the state. Gov. Phil Murphy warned in April that he couldnt see districts holding traditional ceremonies, leading many to plan virtual ceremonies or drive-thru parades. Only last week, after most districts had solidified June virtual graduation plans, did Murphy announce outdoor, in-person ceremonies are allowed beginning July 6, though he has yet to say exactly how many people can attend. The state then sent conflicting guidance about when drive-thru parade ceremonies are allowed. The changing guidelines leave some districts still trying to decide if they should keep their June ceremonies or prepare plans for multiple ceremonies of varying sizes in July while awaiting further state guidance. Schools also need to be focusing on their fall reopening plans as soon as this academic year ends, said David Cittadino, superintendent of the Old Bridge Public Schools. But officials now feel pressure to hold in-person graduation ceremonies in July because of public demand, he added. By July, we want to be focusing only on 2021, he said. We had hoped to have that wrapped up and done by the end of June." For some districts, these planned June graduation events are about more than just honoring seniors. Theyre about logistics, considering students havent set foot on campus in three months. The ceremonies will also be opportunities for returning items that belong to the district and receiving their personal belongings. Long Branch Public Schools spent weeks preparing for an elaborate, days-long ceremony with students driving to the school at a specific time, hopping out of their car, walking across a stage, smiling for a photo with their family and then driving away. As part of that visit, the students would also stop at stations to drop off textbooks and devices and receive senior gifts, Superintendent Michael Salvatore said. They would also get bags with the belongings they left in their lockers when they last walked out of school in mid-March. For now, the district is waiting for more guidance from the state on July graduations before finalizing its ceremony, Salvatore said. Other districts are laying similar plans for the return and retrieval of items, with the idea that laptops or devices returned by students must be handled by staff wearing masks and gloves and placed in a room to sit, potentially for weeks. Theoretically, then the virus would not be active on any devices that came in, Solter said. But those logistical issues are secondary to the academic priorities, superintendents said. Marlboro will be administering a more comprehensive math exam than usual to measure how far students have fallen behind during remote learning, Hibbs said. Red Bank Regional High School is developing a plan for an optional online summer program for students who want more time to catch up on work before next school year, Superintendent Louis Moore said. Long Branch, like many districts, is trying to coordinate services for special education students who would typically have an extended school year and receive in-person services during the summer, Salvatore said. Meanwhile, teachers across the state have begun cleaning out their classrooms during designated shifts. Wearing masks and gloves, they sometimes enter through designated side doors and under strict orders to keep their distance from other staff members. When many returned for the first time, they were greeted by a March date on the whiteboard. The last day their students were in class. The last day this school year felt normal. As challenging as remote learning has been, Silva said she is most worried about what happens when it ends. Without the daily Zoom calls, without the structure of school work, how will her students navigate the upheaval and uncertainty caused by the pandemic? It is not the same feeling, and we have never had this before, Silva said of the coming summer. As far as trying to tie up this experience, this is like uncharted waters. 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. On a night of tears, anger and sorrow, there were also moments of unity and hugs. Protesters on Sunday evening began trying to tear down a Confederate monument in a downtown Birmingham park. Later, the protest turned violent as demonstrators turned and attacked several members of the media, including from AL.com. At least one TV reporter was struck in the head with a bottle. The monument withstood attempts to bring it down before Birminghams mayor asked the crowd to leave before police were to step in. The Thomas Jefferson statue at the Jefferson County Courthouse, adjacent to the park, was damaged about 10 p.m. after someone set a fire at its base and several windows in the courthouse were broken by rocks thrown in the demonstration. Police moved into the park minutes later and demonstrators moved a block south of the park on 6th Avenue North at 20th Street North where they burned a flag on a pole at the Wells Fargo building. Demonstrators also spray painted windows and broke out windows in the ground floor of the skyscraper where some entered the building. Windows were also broken out of the neighboring Harbert Plaza as the protesters continued marching south. Demonstrators also broke out windows at the Alabama Power building at 18th Street and 6th Avenue North and entered the building. At 1:40 a.m. Monday, firefighters and police were putting out a fire in the California Fashion Mall store at 1901 3rd Ave N. There were several other businesses along Third Avenue that had windows smashed. [Video here]. Protestors gather in front of the Confederate monument at Linn Park. Posted by al.com on Sunday, May 31, 2020 The effort began after a speaker at a rally for George Floyd on Sunday afternoon called for its removal. Comedian Jermaine FunnyMaine Johnson, called for demonstrators to tear down the monument. Weve got a lot cities around the country. Theyre tearing down Target. Theyre tearing down city hall. We cant do that. We gotta protect our city," Johnson said. We cant tear down 16th Street Baptist Church. We cant tear down the civil rights museum. We cant tear down Carver. We cant tear down A.G. Gaston Plaza. But what Im not telling you to do is walk to Linn Park. Im not telling to walk to Linn Park after this rally. Im not telling you to tear something down in Linn Park. Im not telling you that Im going to be over there after this rally, he said. Birmingham protestors say they will tear down a Confederate monument in Linn Park. Posted by al.com on Sunday, May 31, 2020 The monument in Linn Park has been the subject of a legal fight between Birmingham and the Alabama Attorney Generals Office over historical monuments. The City of Birmingham has wanted it removed, but has lost a legal fight with the Alabama Attorney Generals Office. It wasnt the first legal fight over the monument. Save Our South filed a lawsuit a month after the Birmingham Park and Recreation Board unanimously approved a resolution in July 2015 to remove the Confederate Soldiers & Sailors monument. At first protesters on Sunday took down a plywood barricade at the base of the monument, placed there by the city before the legal fight. Then demonstrators began to chip away at the monument with anything they could find. Ropes were then placed around the monument in an attempt to bring the large monument down. Demonstrators also spray painted the base and chipped away at the inscriptions at the bottom. Chains or ropes were also placed around the monument and people were trying to pull the monolith down. A pickup truck also was being used to help pull. The rope broke on the first attempt. Birmingham police officers stood by watching the protesters and did not attempt to stop them. Officers later pulled back further from the scene. Protesters also turned their attention - and were successful - in taking down a metal statue of the parks namesake. Protesters then chanted one more to go," referring to the main granite Confederate monument. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin appeared at the park, and using a bullhorn next to Johnson, asked the crowd to stand down. The crowd was angered at the request. I understand the frustration and the anger that you have, he said. Allow me to finish the job for you. The mayor didnt explain how he would finish the job. Birmingham, this is not the road to reform. Do not destroy the community you worked to build. pic.twitter.com/yDgW9JBdqF Randall Woodfin (@randallwoodfin) June 1, 2020 Woodfin said if the crowd continued police would move in. He said he didnt want anyone in the crowd to get arrested. Johnson said that Woodfin was asking for 24 hours and that the mayor deserves to get that time. If the monument isnt down by Tuesday Johnson said he would be back out. The protesters have been a part of demonstrations and rallies around Alabama and the nation over the death of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer who kept his knee on Floyds neck until he couldnt breathe. > Police shoot pepper balls at Mobile activists as peaceful protest turns violent > Here is the earlier reporting from this afternoon telling of protests around the state President Muhammadu Buhariled government has been called on Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, to be transparent over the increasing debt profile of Nigeria. The Secretary-General of CNPP, Willy Ezugwu, made this call in a statement released on Monday Mr Ezugwu further stated that the decision of the Federal Government to resort to external borrowing at the slightest chance is creating problems for the countrys future. CNPP charged the All Progressives Congress-led government to reduce the cost of governance and explore other options, including harnessing non-oil revenues, instead of borrowing. Ezugwu recalled that Nigerias internal and external debt stock stood at N12.06 trillion ($63.5 billion) as of March 2015. But as of September 30, 2019, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO), Nigerias total public debt jumped to about N26.2 trillion (or $85.4 billion). CNPP further stated that the Nigerian Senate which lament over the increase in the nations debt still went ahead to approve a fresh loan. In March this year, the same Nigerian lawmakers approved President Buharis $2.36 billion loan request. In April, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved $3.4 billion in emergency financial assistance under the Rapid Financing Instrument to Nigeria. The coalition of parties revealed that they were surprised when President Buharis administration, despite getting tranches of Abacha loots, is seeking a fresh $5.513 billion. CNPP expressed worry over the Buhari administrations revelation that debt servicing would gulp a part of the total revenue accruable to Nigeria in 2020. The government is now spending N2.452trn or 29% out of its N8.42trn set as revenue target in 2020 to service debts. When a country continues to borrow in the face of rapidly dwindling oil revenue, the future of Nigerians yet unborn will eventually be squandered by our generation. CNPP decried that in many parts of the country, foreigners are harvesting Nigerias solid minerals free of charge while the federal government has continued to borrow to fund the 2020 budget. The political parties in their call to reduce cost of governance, called for the blocking of leakages, farmers empowerment, improved internal security and provision of incentives to encourage young people to invest in farming. Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has sent a Freedom of Information request to Buhari to provide spending details of all loans obtained by his government since May 29, 2015. The president was given a seven days ultimatum to provide the details. Share this post with your Friends on New Delhi: As of now, an old hacker group Anonymous has returned to add to its voice to the criticism against the Minneapolis Police Department after the recent murder of George Floyd. Its trending big, big time. Anonymous is said to be the largest hacker group in the world and it has become quite active over the weekend. In a video message posted on its Facebook page, a member of the group spoke at length about the police brutality across the US. He added that the Minneapolis Police Department is among the worst and has a horrible track record of violence and corruption. The killing of George Floyd is just the tip of the iceberg in a long list of high profile cases of wrongful deaths at the hands of officers in your state, the person, sporting a facemask and a hoodie, said. The video revealed details of the recent killing in Minnesota and added that the police officers involved in them should face charges and the officer who killed George Floyd should face murder charges. Unfortunately, we do not trust your corrupt organization to carry out justice. So we will be exposing your many crimes to the world. We are Legion. Expect us, it concluded by saying. Watch the video here. Anonymous message to the Minneapolis Police Department, read the caption. Social media has lent its support to the Black community and Black Lives Matter movement, in the wake of the death of George Floyd. The 46-year-old African-American man died last Monday in Minneapolis, Minnesota after a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck for more than eight minutes. The officer was arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree murder. Primark is getting its 153 stores in England ready to reopen on 15 June in line with Government directives, but will not do any 'special' discounts on clothes. The retailer said it is awaiting further guidance regarding stores in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales but anticipates openings in 'late June'. The fast-fashion chain, which is owned by Associated British Foods and has furloughed 68,000 workers across Europe, has already reopened most of its stores on the continent. It had shut down all its UK stores when lockdown was introduced on 23 March and has seen sales shrink from 650million a month to zero as it has no online business to fall back on. Primark said trading in Europe, where it has already reopened most of its stores, has been 'encouraging'. (Pictured: people lining up to enter a Primark store in Berlin on May 15) Primark said its buying team has done a review of its spring-summer stock and has earmarked 'certain products' to be held in storage to be sold next summer, 'without the need for special discounting beyond our normal practices'. 'We will continue our policy of offering the best everyday low prices and will seek to avoid any markdown on excess stock,' Primark said. The company, which has faced criticism over order cancellations with suppliers in Asia, last month said its inventory had reached 1.5billion and that it expected to take a 284million hit from stock languishing in its warehouses. Primark's owner ABF also said it is putting in place social distancing protocols and is looking at ways to improve customer flow, especially at checkout, 'which has already been identified as a bottleneck'. It is also introducing all the new regular post-Covid features, including hand sanitiser stations, perspex screens at tills and additional cleaning of 'high frequency touch points', with staff working wearing masks and gloves. Trading at its recently reopened stores in Europe has been 'reassuring and encouraging', with queues outside most sites. It has seen strong demand for children's clothes and pajamas but also summer products like shorts and t-shirts. Nevertheless, it said cumulative like-for-like sales since reopening have been lower than the same period last year. It also expects sales to be affected most by social distancing rules in its 'higher density stores', which represented 10 to 20 per cent of pre Covid-19 total Primark sales. The firm added that 'as long as social distancing is required, we expect it to restrict the capacity of our busiest stores from achieving their aggregate pre-Covid-19 sales'. Primark is getting its 153 stores in England ready to reopen on 15 June Meanwhile, ABF said operating profits in its grocery business will be ahead of forecasts after stronger sales' of branded products, although profits in its sugar arm are predicted to slip. ABF shares climbed, closing 8 per cent higher at 19.67 on Monday. Mark Nelson, an analyst at Killik & Co, says: 'ABFs shares have performed poorly as some of its other businesses have offset increasing profits at Primark. 'Going forward, we continue to believe that the Primark proposition is like few others in the space, and its lack of online presence is understandable given that the low cost of its products makes it extremely difficult to get the ecommerce economics to work. 'However, we do have concerns about the relevance of the Primark offering in a post-COVID-19 world, in which sustainability may become an increasingly important factor for consumers.' Majak Daw will make his fairytale return to the AFL within weeks after being told he will not need surgery on his torn pectoral muscle. The 29-year-old met with surgeon Greg Hoy on Monday who said he will not need to operate, meaning Daw can return to the field in as little as three weeks. 'I've had a fair bit of information come my way and that's why we've come to the conclusion today that I don't need surgery,' Daw said. The North Melbourne Kangaroos defender ruptured his pectoral muscle in the gym on Friday doing a dumbbell press - delaying his comeback from injuries suffered in a bridge fall two years ago - and has now pledged to push himself in recovery. Majak Daw (pictured with girlfriend Emily McKay) will make his fairytale return to the AFL in as little as three weeks after surgeons told him his torn pectoral muscle does not need to be operated on 'Obviously it's pretty well known that I haven't played for a long time and I just miss playing footy,' Daw said. Daw was due to return to the AFL this season for the first time since falling from the Bolte Bridge and suffering horrific hip and pelvic injuries in 2018. He will likely miss his highly anticipated comeback against GWS Giants on June 14, but was determined to overcome the setback and grace the AFL field once again. 'It's a new injury. It's a new challenge, but the hunger's still there to come back and play AFL footy,' Daw said. Daw (pictured with girlfriend Emily McKay) has pledged to push himself in his recovery to return to the field sooner Daw was the first Sudanese-born player to play in the AFL when he made his debut with the Kangaroos in 2013. He enjoyed a breakout season in 2018, playing 18 matches as defender, before he was pulled from the Yarra River with injuries to his hips and pelvis on December 17. Daw had reportedly fought with his partner and taken prescription drugs before he drove to Bolte Bridge in Melbourne and abandoned his car in the stopping lane. He then plunged into the Yarra River below. Following the fall, Daw released a statement thanking fans and members for their love and support. Daw has not played in the AFL since falling from the Bolte Bridge in 2018. Pictured: Daw with girlfriend Emily McKay and their son Hendrix Kuat William Daw 'The circumstances surrounding my incident have been extremely challenging for my family, friends and anyone that knows me for that matter. 'I'm making huge strides with my recovery, both physically and mentally. I have been blessed with a second chance at life. 'My attitude and outlook towards everything has improved. I hope to be back out there playing in the blue and white stripes soon. 'Thank you all for respecting my need for privacy and for giving me the chance to get better going forward.' Daw made one of AFL's greatest comebacks and returned to North Melbourne after recovering in March last year. He then played his first senior game since Round 23 in 2018 in the Marsh Community Series AFL pre-season competition. Daw was on the cusp of selection for Round 1 this year but was forced out by illness and the coronavirus suspension of the AFL season. McConnell Says Fourth CCP Virus Stimulus Bill Will Be the Last Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said May 29 that the fourth economic stimulus package will be the last, adding that expanded unemployment insurance wont be included. Congress has been stuck in talks about additional aid, coming about two months after lawmakers passed the $2.2 trillion CARES Act that provided up to $1,200 to eligible people. House Democrats passed the $3 trillion HEROES Act but McConnell and other Republicans have expressed an unwillingness to support it. The HEROES Act would provide more relief to healthcare workers, state and local governments, up to $1,200 for adults and children, and more benefits. McConnell told reporters that the fourth and final bill will be proposed in about one month, coming as unemployment numbers have surged following business closures intended to stop the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. The Republican leader said the measure would focus on jobs and schools as well as for small businesses and health care. He, however, said GOP lawmakers wont consider an additional $600 per week for unemployment insurance. Unemployment insurance is extremely important, but it is not designed to encourage you to stay home; it is designed to get you through a trough until you can get back to work, McConnell said. I think you can certainly assume we will not be paying people a bonus for staying home in another bill. The American Flag illuminates a street in Times Square amid the COVID-19 pandemic in New York, N.Y., on April 30, 2020. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images) Congress is still in need of more time to assess the economy before voting on another stimulus package. We need to push the pause button here and think through the next step and do it very carefully, he said. We do have the potential long-term health of the country with this level of massive debt. Democrats in the Senate have offered critical words for McConnell, saying he is not doing enough to provide aid during the pandemic. Among them was Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who said that youd never know that the nation was in the midst of a crisis based on McConnells comments. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin last month said that there is a likelihood that the United States will need another stimulus bill. I think there is a strong likelihood we will need another bill, but we just have $3 trillion were pumping into the economy, he told The Hill. Were going to step back for a few weeks and think very clearly how we need to spend more money. As South Korea eased COVID-19 restrictions, a mobile operator company in the country is reportedly using a robot to reduce human contact and maintain sanitation in the building. According to an international media outlet, a self-driving robot equipped with cameras and an LED screen greets visitors at the lobby of the firm. The robots also check the temperature of the employees and also dispenses hand sanitiser and disinfect the floor. The white robot politely also reminds people to take part in social distancing. Several corporate companies in South Korea have now reportedly been using robotic for tasks including manufacturing and cleaning. The technology is now also getting a boost as people are trying to minimise human contact due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak. READ: South Korea Says It Will Discuss Donald Trump's Invitation To G7 Summit With US Robot to minimise human contact As per reports, the robot is developed jointly by SK Telecom and Omron Electronics Korea. The technology transmits data to its server in real-time, powered by the telecom companys fifth-generation (5G) technology. Furthermore, the robot reportedly also sets off an alarm if anyones temperature is over 37.5 Celsius. While using artificial intelligence (AI), the robot also detects gathering and advises people to disperse. Moreover, the robot also reminds people to put on make if they are not wearing one. READ: South Korea Reports 27 New Coronavirus Cases While speaking to an international media outlet, Ra Kyhong-hwan, head of data business cooperation at SK Telecom and one of the developers, said that the robot helps minimise people-to-people contact and reduce the time thats taken for temperature checks at the entrance, and the AI technology raises accuracy. Kyhong-hwan also informed that the technology is also armed with ultraviolet lamps and two disinfectant sprayers and the robot can disinfect 99 per cent of the surface area in 10 minutes. Several businesses and retailers are eyeing robots and especially amid COVID-19 pandemic. Similar to the South Korean firm, the Singapore government also started using spy robots in a bid to remind people to stay safe, stay home. In order to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus, Singapores Public Utilities Board are now using robots to make sure there are no large gatherings in public spaces. According to an international media report, the O-R3 shares data collected through its 360-degree surveillance camera with public health officers. (Image: Rep/AP) READ: In Virus-hit South Korea, AI Monitors Lonely Elders READ: COVID-19 Pandemic: South Korea Postpones Reopening Of Schools CAIRO - The United Nations said Libyas warring factions have agreed to resume cease-fire talks, following days of heavy fighting and eastern-based forces retaking a key town from their rivals after a string of setbacks. The U.N. Mission in Libya said it hoped the new round of talks would mark the beginning of calm on the ground, especially to allow the countrys war-scarred health system to cope with a coronavirus outbreak. Delegates from the rivals, Khalifa Hifters east-based forces and militias allied with the U.N.-supported government in Tripoli, will conduct the talks through video calls because of the pandemic, the U.N. Mission said in the announcement late Monday. It didnt say when the talks would resume or give further details. As the foreign-fueled proxy war teeters on the edge of a major escalation, the statement signalled that both sides, and their foreign backers, may prefer to pull back from the brink. Spokespeople for the military factions did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the fate of the political process remains unclear after previous agreements collapsed. On Sunday, Hifters self-styled Libyan Arab Armed Forces recaptured the strategic town of al-Asabaa, about 50 kilometres (31 miles) south of the capital, after launching airstrikes on militias in the area, according to Ahmed al-Mosmari, a spokesman for the group. Their troops were chasing Tripoli-allied forces to their stronghold in the nearby town of Gharyan, he added. A statement for the Tripoli-allied forces did not acknowledge the defeat, with spokesman Mohamed Gnono saying only that they were targeting LAAF forces on the towns borders. But two Tripoli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters, admitted they lost the town after heavy shelling and airstrikes by eastern forces. Control of the town gives the LAAF better access to Tarhuna, their main western stronghold and supply line southeast of the capital. Hifters gain more broadly reflects the seesawing nature of the war, which in recent weeks had turned dramatically in favour of rival Turkish-backed Tripoli militias that ousted Hifters forces from a key western airbase and several towns. The Tripoli government had been struggling to fend off a yearlong siege of the capital by Hifters forces when Turkey escalated its air support. The battle for Tripoli has threatened to plunge Libya into chaos on the scale of the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, as foreign backers increasingly intervene. Hifter is backed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Russia, while the Tripoli-allied militias are aided by Turkey, Qatar and Italy. Last month, in an unusually bold statement, the U.S. military accused Russia of deploying 14 aircraft to Libya to help Hifters forces, saying the move was part of Moscows longer term goal to establish a foothold in the region that could threaten NATO allies. Russia dismissed the claims as stupidity. The coronavirus has infected at least 168 people in Libya, but testing is extremely limited. The impact of a large outbreak would likely be severe given the continued fighting and the state of the countrys health system. Listen to Outbreak Alabama: Stories from a Pandemic, above. Today, we hear from AL.com reporters Sarah Whites-Koditscheck and Dennis Pillion. They, along with Ramsey Archibald, recently reported on Tuscaloosas spike in coronavirus cases, which had more than doubled as of last Friday afternoon. With the surge, Tuscaloosa joins a handful of Alabama counties witnessing rapid rise in the second half of May. State officials say the sudden rise comes in large part because of institutional settings like nursing homes and jails. As of Saturday, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health, there were 738 confirmed cases in Tuscaloosa County, with 14 deaths and 10,735 people tested. I spoke to Sarah and Dennis about the spike in Tuscaloosa, what the citys hospitals will do if they run out of ICU beds and what Mayor Walt Maddox said he will do if numbers keep going up. Outbreak Alabama will release two or three episodes per week, chronicling the experiences of those directly impacted by COVID-19s spread, including health care professionals, business owners, city leaders, artists, AL.com reporters and many others. If you or anyone you know is affected by the coronavirus and want to share your story, please email bflanagan@al.com. For all of our coverage on the outbreak and how it continues to impact Alabama, visit AL.com/coronavirus. Listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Acast or wherever you get your podcasts. If you like the show, please rate it and write us a review. Thank you for listening. More from Outbreak Alabama: Nick Saban steps it up Whats next for schools? The spike in Montgomery Astonishing disparities in the rural South Where is the nursing home data? Is it a mistake to reopen now? Whiter Thomas on staying creative during the pandemic Our successes and failures so far The return of retail A barbers dilemma Is it really time to reopen Alabama? A coronavirus survivors message to the rest of us Ivey not ready to reopen just yet Crime in the age of coronavirus What role do our churches play? The absence of sports Learning from a distance Walt Maddox on leading Tuscaloosa through coronavirus Social distancing, or not Coronavirus early impact on musicians Alabama restaurants A pro-democracy supporter is detained by riot police during a protest in Hong Kong on May 24, 2020. (Anthony Kwan/Getty Images) US Senator to Introduce Hong Kong Asylum Legislation Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) has announced a plan to introduce new legislation this week to automatically grant asylum to people in Hong Kong. The Chinese Communist Partys willingness to break its treaty obligations on Hong Kong shows the world that Beijing cannot be trusted to honor any agreements, said Sasse, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, in a May 30 press release from his office. Last Thursday, Chinas rubber-stamped legislature, the communist partys National Peoples Congress (NPC), adopted a national security law for Hong Kong that is to grant Beijings security apparatus the ability to operate in the Chinese-ruled city. A day after the NPCs decision, President Donald Trump announced decisions to curtail ties with Hong Kong, with plans to adopt measures such as revoking Hong Kongs special trading status with the United States and imposing sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials directly or indirectly involved in eroding Hong Kongs autonomy. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, speaking to Fox News on Sunday, said that he had been told by Trump to review every preferential treatment that Hong Kong had and work to eliminate it. Currently, Hong Kong enjoys multiple special treatments not available to China under U.S. law. According to a May 29 briefing by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC), these treatments include recognizing Hong Kong as a separate customs territory with differentiated terms of access to U.S. exports of sensitive technologies. Early last week, Pompeo certified that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China while reporting to Congress for its annual review under the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019. Victims of communism will always find refuge in the United States, Sasse added. The brave Hong Kongers who have stared down the threat of communist oppression will find safety here until their home is free. The press release does not outline what kind of documentation will be needed by Hongkongers to claim asylum in the United States. Since the start of Hong Kongs mass protests last June, Hong Kong police have arrested over 8,000 people. There have been many instances in which Hong Kong protesters and journalists were victims of police violence. As of February, police have fired 16,191 tear gas rounds, 10,100 rubber bullets, 2,033 bean bag rounds, and used 1,491 bottles of pepper spray, to disperse protesters, according to a report by the citys police watchdog. The watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Council, has been criticized by the UN Human Rights Committee for a lack of independence, as its members are appointed by Hong Kongs Chief Executive. The body has no investigative powers and cannot call on or protect its own witnesses. Paris-based NGO, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), warned on May 26 that the national security law will endanger press freedom in Hong Kong. National security is the pretext that the Chinese authorities most often use to justify imprisoning journalists in conditions that pose a threat to their lives, sometimes even going so far as to impose a life sentence, said Cedric Alviani, the head of RSFs East Asia bureau. On May 28, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFLCIO), the largest U.S. coalition of labor unions, awarded its annual human rights award, the George Meany-Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award, to Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), a Hong Kong-based coalition of pro-democracy groups. I am proud to stand with them as they fight to provide a broad platform for unions, civil and human rights organizations, and other allies to coordinate and advance an agenda for democracy and fundamental worker and human rights, said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka in a press release. Trumka called on the pro-Beijing Hong Kong government to drop charges against 15 democracy activists, among them CHRFs deputy convenor Figo Chan, who were arrested in April. CHRF, in a May 31 statement, said that the award belonged to all those who have taken part in the ongoing protest for basic freedoms in the city. I hope everyone will continue to work hard in the future, to continue our calls for the five demands, and oppose the national security law, CHRF stated. The five demands include an independent inquiry into police violence and universal suffrage. KYODO NEWS - Jun 1, 2020 - 14:29 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Many schools in Japan reopened Monday after being closed for an extended period due to the coronavirus pandemic, taking steps to reduce the risk of infections. In Tokyo, students at Katsushika Elementary School were divided into three groups that arrived at different times to avoid crowding. "I'm happy I can meet my friends again after what's been a while. I want to play a lot while avoiding bunching up as much as possible," said Kaito Fukuda, 8. Mikan Yamada, 8, said, "I had been worried I might not be able to attend school ever again." "I want to attend classes with others and play with them and eat with them," she added. Related coverage: Japan starts coronavirus antibody tests on 10,000 people Japan eyes easing ban on entry from Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and NZ OPINION: Preparations necessary for global security in coronavirus age The pace of school reopenings picked up after the Japanese government lifted the state of emergency for all Japan by May 25, but since then there have been reports of new infections in some parts of the country, including Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. The southwestern Japan city said on Sunday that five students at a city-run elementary school are infected with the virus. In the nine days through Sunday, the city reported a total number of 97 infections, including the five students, after having logged no new cases between April 30 and May 22. The education board of Kitakyushu has requested schools to ask parents to keep children at home when they or a family member has a fever. One of the five students at the Moritsune Elementary School who was found to be infected had developed a mild fever, but this was not detected during a body temperature check at school. At the time, her mother also had a fever. "We regret we were unable to stop (the infections) at an early stage," said a senior official of the board. As the remaining four students displayed no symptoms, an education board official said there is a limit to what schools can do, although it will take measures to avoid similar cases. At Meido Junior High School in Fukui Prefecture, which resumed classes after about three months, students wore face masks and used different entrances, and teachers checked the students' temperatures as they lined up while keeping their distance from one another. "It is hard to avoid crowding or close contact with others at a school, but we must thoroughly implement the measures that need to be taken since we have a responsibility to look after children," said Hiroyuki Watanabe, a teacher at the school. As soon as I walk to my car they jump out with the sticks, the police jump out with their sticks and their shields and stuff on," Smith said. It looked like something out of a movie. It looked like a freaking war zone. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 1, 2020) - Getchell Gold Corp. (CSE: GTCH) ("Getchell" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has closed the non-brokered private placement, previously announced on May 11, 2020, totaling 2,800,000 units (each a "Unit") at a price of $0.25 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $700,000 (the "Private Placement"). Each Unit consists of one common share and one-half of one warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant") of the Company. Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one common share at a price of $0.35 per share for a period of two years from the date of issuance. The net proceeds from the financing will be used for the next stage of exploration at the Company's Nevada properties including Fondaway Canyon, Dixie Comstock and Star Point and for general working capital. The impressive 3.5 kilometre Fondaway Canyon gold trend with a known width of up to 800 metres and a vertical range of 670 metres from the higher elevations in the east to the range-front in the west contains numerous exploration targets with significant merits and blue-sky potential. The evidence of thick drill intercepts of Carlin Style mineralization under the pediment at the far western edge of exploration adds yet another dimension to the multitude of exploration opportunities present at Fondaway Canyon. See news releases May 6, 2020 and May 21, 2020. The Company is currently planning for the 2020 drill program at Fondaway Canyon. The drill program will be designed to provide "high value enhancement relative to cost" and set the stage for the further advancement and development of the Project. Dixie Comstock is a low-sulfidation, epithermal gold system localized along a moderately dipping range-front normal fault on the east flank of the Stillwater Range, Churchill County, Nevada. Dixie Comstock is situated 15 kilometres to the northeast and on the opposite (eastern) flank of the Stillwater Range relative to Fondaway Canyon. Dixie Comstock is the site of a historic mine with surface and four levels of underground development. Star Point, situated 65 kilometres to the North of Fondaway Canyon, is the site of a historic, near surface, copper mining operation underlain by a magnetically defined intrusion. An IP-Resistivity survey conducted in 2018 over the intrusion returned chargeability and resistivity highs interpreted as potential copper sulfide mineralization, possibly intrusion related. The primary target at Star Point is the strong conductor lying below the historic high-grade copper oxide (tenorite) mine. Hot Springs Peak is located 50 kilometres northeast of Winnemucca in Humboldt County, Nevada. A two-hole drill program in 2019 intersected a 26-meter anomalous gold-arsenic zone indicative of a Carlin Style mineralizing system. A number of drill targets remain to be tested. In connection with the Private Placement, the Company paid aggregate finder's fees of $36,750 in cash, and issued 119,000 non-transferable compensation options and 28,000 non-transferable finder's warrants. Each compensation option is exercisable at a price of $0.25 per unit to acquire either: (a) one common share and one Warrant until May 29, 2022; or (b) one common share until May 29, 2025. Each whole Warrant issued to the finder entitles the holder to acquire one common share at a price of $0.35 per share for a period of two years from the date of issuance. The securities issued in connection with the Private Placement are subject to a statutory four month hold period expiring on September 30, 2020, in accordance with applicable securities laws. Scott Frostad, P.Geo., is the Qualified Person (as defined in NI 43-101) who reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release and has verified the data disclosed herein. About Getchell Gold Corp. The Company is a Nevada focused gold and copper exploration company trading on the CSE: GTCH and OTCQB: GGLDF. Getchell Gold is primarily directing its efforts on its most advanced stage asset, Fondaway Canyon, a past gold producer with a significant in-the-ground historic resource estimate. Complementing Getchell's asset portfolio is Dixie Comstock, a past gold producer with a historic resource and two earlier stage exploration projects, Star Point and Hot Springs Peak. Getchell has the option to acquire 100% of the Fondaway Canyon and Dixie Comstock properties under an agreement with Canarc Resource Corp. (see January 7, 2020 news release for further details). For further information please visit the Company's website at www.getchellgold.com or contact the Company at info@getchellgold.com. Mr. William Wagener, Chairman & CEO Getchell Gold Corp. +1 303 517 8764 info@getchellgold.com The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the United States. Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the private placement and the completion thereof and the use of proceeds. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including: the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, use of proceeds from the financing, capital expenditures and other costs, and financing and additional capital requirements. Although management of Getchell have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward looking information. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. 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/56953 In the wake of one violent protest in Harrisburg and one peaceful one, the city may be seeing several more marches and demonstrations in the coming week. And there appears to be some confusion perhaps intentionally about two events, scheduled for the same time, that could have brought together two groups on opposite end of the political divide. It started with a protest in response to the death of George Floyd, which broke into violence in Harrisburg on Saturday. It started off peacefully, but Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse and police Commissioner Thomas Carter say out-of-town people with agendas started the violence. Another smaller rally was held Sunday on the Capitol steps with no issues. The next rally is scheduled for this evening. According to an event posted on Facebook, The Movement Harrisburgs Protest to Protect All People is set for 5 p.m. Monday at the state Capitol. The organizers could not immediately be reached for comment, but the event page describes it as a continuation of the Saturday protest, saying we were heard and now its time to continue the movement. The details state, Please join us as we continue to demand a stop to police brutality, a stop to killing innocent lives, a stop to racism, discrimination, bias, and stigmas. The March Against Injustice and Gun Violence is scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, according to an event posting on Facebook. Organizers could not immediately be reached, but the event is described as being hosted by Be a Man Inc. and All You Can Inc. The event will feature several speakers, and organizers say lets be a part of the solution and not the problem. There is a Facebook event promoting the Stand Your Ground Against Socialism Rally, which will be hosted by the Pennsylvania Right to Keep and Bear Arms Rally and the Firearms Owners Against Crime groups at 10 a.m. Monday, June 8. State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe sent a letter May 20 to Gov. Tom Wolf in support of this event. Metcalfe wrote that the governor instructed that all events at the Capitol be canceled through July 5, but he added we do not need your permission to freely exercise our Constitutional rights to peacefully assemble and denounce your tyrannical regime. Neither Metcalfe, nor organizers of this event could not immediately be reached. There was some confusion circulating on social media about two other events on June 8, both organized by a Facebook user called Scobo. Social media users posted the two events, side-by-side, wondering if it was a trap to bring two different groups together in one place, potentially stoking violence. Two rallies, scheduled for the same time and bringing in different groups on the political divide, were posted on Facebook. The events have since been deleted, and there are questions about their legitimacy. (Screenshot). One event was called the George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Duncan Lemp Protest, Harrisburg Pa. and the other was called Gun Rally, Harrisburg Pa. June 8, 2020. Harrisburg police Commissioner Thomas Carter told PennLive opinion editor Joyce Davis in a Facebook Live interview that he is aware of those posts and the police are monitoring it. Evidentially, the same person is sponsoring both rallies, Carter said. I think its a set up. Some people want to see conflict. They want to see clashes. They want the system to be in an uproar. The same person is sponsoring both rallies, and we feel theyre trying to start something bad here in the city. Both events have since been deleted, and the user could not be reached for comment. They do not appear to be connected to the Stand Your Ground Against Socialism event, though the user advertised them for the same time. 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. Fort Detrick Biological Base is situated in the US state of Maryland. It was little known to the residents of the state let alone the general public. At least that was the case before many Americans started suffering from an unknown respiratory infectious disease before the outbreak of COVID-19. Since the outbreak, Fort Detrick has been mentioned more and more frequently. The reason why the base had come under the spotlight was the unexplained outbreak of a deadly respiratory disease near it several months prior to the epidemic in China. This was covered by the US media. More importantly, last July, Fort Detrick was mysteriously closed, and the US government has so far been unwilling to explain the sudden closure. Questions have been asked in the United States, and calls for clarification on a possible link between the closure of Fort Detrick and an outbreak of "large-scale influenza" and COVID-19 are getting louder. A screenshot of the White House petition website. On March 10, a netizen named B.Z. launched a petition on the White House petition website. The petitioner listed the timeline related to the COVID-19 outbreak and the Fort Detrick, hoping that the US government would give a reasonable explanation: 7/2019: The top secret US army's medical research institute of infectious diseases at Fort Detrick was closed; 8/2019: A large-scale outbreak of "influenza" killed more than 10,000 people; 10/2019: The United States organized Event 201 A Global Pandemic Exercise with the participation of the Deputy Director of CIA; 11/2019: An outbreak of pneumonia of undetermined origin was found in China; 2/2020: The epidemic became global; 3/2020: A large number of English-language news reports about the closure of Fort Detrick were deleted from online access. What makes things even more puzzling is the Event 201, a Global Pandemic Exercise, mentioned in the timeline above. This exercise, organized in October, 2019, has attracted continued international attention for the similarities between its scenario and the development of today's pandemic. According to the official website of "Event 201", the exercise was to simulate an outbreak of a novel zoonotic transmitted from bats to pigs to people that eventually becomes efficiently transmissible from person to person, leading to a severe pandemic. The pathogen and the disease it causes are modeled largely on SARS, but it is more transmissible. What's so "fishy" after all The US media bluntly described Fort Detrick as a cutting-edge lab. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was the center of the US government's darkest experiments. Allen Dulles, who ran the CIA's covert-operations directorate and would soon be promoted to direct the agency, envisioned and established a mind-control project. This is said to be the prototype of what would later become the CIA's infamous "mind control" (MK-ULTRA) program. In 1951, Dulles hired chemist Sydney Gottlieb to design and oversee a systematic search for the key to mind control. MK-ULTRA ended in failure in the early 1960s. Nonetheless Fort Detrick, as it was renamed in 1956, remained Gottlieb's chemical base. After the end of MK-ULTRA, he used it to develop and store the CIA's arsenal of poisons. In his freezers, he kept biological agents that could cause disease, including smallpox, tuberculosis and anthrax as well as a number of organic toxins, including snake venom and paralytic shellfish poison. In 1970, US President Richard Nixon ordered all government agencies to destroy their supplies of biological toxins. Army scientists complied. But saxitoxin enough to kill 55,000 people was discovered and only destroyed in 1975. More than 100 residents near the base developed cancer Just when everyone thought that this dark history was a thing of the past, in 2011, an ABC report sparked renewed attention. More than 100 residents suffered from fatal cancer near the fort, according to US media reports. A term not often used in everyday life deadly cancer cluster, appeared in the ABC report. Such an important base is suddenly closed Eight years later, the base was in the news again. In July 2019, Fort Detrick was suddenly closed, but the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) refused to release critical information for "national security reasons". According to the The New York Times, the government suspended military research at the frontier biological defense center due to the handling of hazardous materials. It is reported that the suspended study involved a total of 67 "selective agents" and toxins, such as microorganisms that cause Ebola, smallpox, anthrax and plague, as well as organisms that cause ricin. According to RT TV, the CDC highlighted problems in the wastewater system. Data from CDC Bio-base and "vaping illness" Shortly after the Fort Detrick base was closed in July 2019, an inexplicable "vaping illness" broke out in the surrounding area in August 2019. Vaping illness is a lung ailment more commonly associated with the e-cigarette or vaping products. Maryland Secretary of Health Robert R. Neall issued a new mandate on Oct 3 for doctors after 23 lung-related illnesses were linked to vaping in the state. The number should only include voluntarily-made reports. The symptoms and prevalence of e-cigarette patients have sparked a heated debate in the US. A doctor even went so far as to say that something was very wrong. Patients, mostly otherwise healthy and in their late teens and 20s, are showing up with severe shortness of breath, often after suffering for several days with vomiting, fever and fatigue. Some have wound up in the intensive care unit or on a ventilator for weeks. On Oct 2, 2019, the New York Times detailed cases of vaping illness in a separate story. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic examined samples of lung tissue from 17 patients, all of which looked as if the people had been exposed to toxic chemicals, the researchers said. Local unexplained influenza According to an ABC report on July 12, 2019, a deadly disease broke out at the Greenspring, retirement community in Springfield, Virginia. The community is only an hour's drive from Fort Detrick base. Some people suspected that the outbreak in the community last year was actually the novel coronavirus, but the reporter who reported the news denied this claim, saying that the local health department's test conclusion was caused by Haemophilus influenzae. However, many netizens recommend testing the community members to see if they had the novel coronavirus antibody. According to the Fairfax County Health Bureau, on June 30, 2019, the community discovered the case of this unexplained respiratory disease for the first time. As of July 15, 2019, the number of deaths related to the disease in the community rose to 3, a total of 63 community residents were sick, and 19 staff members also showed symptoms. It was reported that the patient's symptoms include "fever, cough, body pain, wheezing, hoarse voice, and general weakness", and some patients also have symptoms of pneumonia. To this day, the origin of COVID-19 remains unidentified. But experts and scientists around the world agree that the place where the earliest cases were reported is not necessarily the origin of the virus. (Newser) Police in Hong Kong have banned the annual candelit vigil in memory of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacreand organizers fear it will never be allowed again. In 1990, an estimated 180,000 people attended the vigil in Victoria Park to mark the first anniversary of the massacre of pro-democracy protesters in Beijing. The vigil became an annual event, even after the 1997 handover, when Hong Kong became the only place in China where the crackdown was commemorated. Police said the mass event is not being allowed due to coronavirus concerns, although organizers said attendees could come to the park in groups of eight, as allowed under current regulations, and maintain social distancing, the BBC reports. story continues below China is finalizing details of a strict new "national security law" for Hong Kong, and activists fear the ban on "subversion" will be broad enough to include the vigil next year and beyond. Exiled 1989 student leader Zhou Fengsuo says he hopes commemorative events being held online will teach young people on the mainland more about the events of June 4, reports RTHK. He says China's silencing of a doctor who tried to raise the alarm about the coronavirus shows the importance of freedom of speech. "Freedom of speech was one of the demands in the '89 student movement, and the pandemic spreading from Wuhan to the rest of the world was a man-made disaster resulting from Chinas authoritarian rule, the lack of freedom of speech, and the governments attempt to maintain social stability above all," he says. (Read more Hong Kong stories.) Screenwriter Apurva Asrani's dream of buying a house with his partner, Sidharth, came true, and he took to his Twitter handle to share the news. In his tweet, he wrote how the two of them, for years, pretended to be cousins so that they could rent a home together, and now that they bought a home, they voluntarily telling their neighbours that they are partners. Apurva's tweet was received with much love, not only in India, but all over the world. Apurva is overwhelmed with this outpouring of love, and spoke about how LGBTQ families should be normalized. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Apurva said about his tweet, "I simply wanted to celebrate a moment like a straight couple. They celebrate birthdays, weddings, their relationships, etc, which is not the case for the LGBTQ+ couples. Moreover, an image of names of two men on a name plate is rare. I didn't know the tweet would go viral. Sid and I are family and have the blessings of our families. I felt that the world should know that LGBTQ+ are not about boys and girls just having fun but we are about family, too." He added that people have been very supportive and loving that they are humbled. He said that they are still some people who are scared or don't understand homosexuality and send negative comments. He continued, "I am a film editor and a screenwriter, and I am known to people in the film circle and not others. So, while renting apartments one would hope the landlord didn't know me, so it would help us get the house. Though, I was never afraid that they would find out later. But we have been thrown out of apartments when people realized that we were two guys living together. We didn't want to worry about such things so we bought a place. I also wanted to inspire others from the LGBTQ+ community to go ahead and realize their dreams." Take a look at Apurva's tweet here - For 13 years we pretended to be cousins so we could rent a home together. We were told 'keep curtains drawn so neighbors don't know 'what' you are'. We recently bought our own home. Now we voluntarily tell neighbors we are partners . It's time LGBTQ families are normalised too. pic.twitter.com/kZ9t9Wnc7i Apurva (@Apurvasrani) May 29, 2020 ALSO READ: Writer Apurva Asrani And His Partner Pretended To Be Cousins For 13 Years To Rent A House Together! Nadia, a four-year-old Malayan tiger, inhabitant of Bronx Zoo (New York, USA), tested positive for Covid-19 in early April this year and soon six other feline zoo inhabitants showed similar symptoms. These animals had got the virus during a lockdown from a zoo employee, a human. It seems that no species is safe from the clutches of this deadly virus. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in India responded to the situation with specific guidelines on how to protect the wild animals from Covid-19 in the Indian subcontinent. But what will be the impact of this lockdown on the tigers and tiger reserves across the country? No tiger reserve in the country has reported any case of wildlife being infected by this Sars-Cov-2 virus that causes the coronavirus disease.There were reports that the camp elephants in Uttarakhands Rajaji Tiger Reserve were showing symptoms of Covid-19. But these reports were wrong and many senior veterinarians confirmed that elephants cannot be infected by Sars-CoV-2. Also, the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan has reported that two tigresses have given birth to four cubs during this lockdown and the total tiger population of the reserve has risen to 20. This is a cause for celebration as the tigers had become locally extinct in Sariska around 2005 and the species had to be re-introduced from the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. Initially, a few cubs were born to these tigers but then for a long period, no new births were recorded. Now there is less plastic and pollutants in the clear water of the rivers that originate from outside the boundaries of the tiger reserves. Because of the lockdown, incidents of illegal collection of honey have not been reported. This activity, along with the presence of tourists in the buffer zones of the reserves, contributed immensely to the incidents of forest fires. As a result, there has been a drastic reduction in the number of forest fires this year as a result of the lockdown. Another way in which this lockdown may have had a positive impact on the wildlife is by the reduced levels of glucocorticoids, a stress hormone in tigers. There are some scientific studies that indicate lower levels of glucocorticoids in tigers during the closed season when tourists are not permitted inside national parks. A higher level of this stress hormone has been linked to an adverse impact on the reproduction of the tiger, and consequently, the very survival of this creature. Therefore, these studies would suggest that this lockdown has been a boon in disguise for the tigers in India. But I would like to point out that in the last four estimates of tiger population in India, a constant rise in tiger numbers proves that tourism is not as lethal for tigers as concluded in these studies. If tourism, and the presence of humans around, did lead to a much higher production of stress hormones in tigers, then zoos all over the world would not have had any tiger in their enclosures. Because tigers in zoos are generally more stressed due to limited space and constant flow of the visitors throughout the year. But tigers are breeding well, producing litters, and surviving more in zoos than in the wild. So this takes us to the next part, the humans (officers and front line staff) involved in conservation work to figure out how this lockdown is affecting the tigers and tiger reserves? One has to take into consideration the impact on these people to get a complete picture of the impact of the lockdown on the wildlife. A discussion with them has revealed more about the ground situation in these areas. As per the guidelines of NTCA, tourism is permitted only in 20 percent area of a tiger reserve and most of our tiger reserves are open either for five or six months in a year. As per the policy of the government of India, tourism in Protected Areas (PAs) is permitted to educate people to elicit public support for conservation. I agree that unregulated tourism should not be permitted, where encircling tigers by tourist vehicles becomes a common sight and the management should come up with strict regulations to save the animal from such behavior by the tourists. Such regulations could include a ban on the driver of the vehicle and accompanying guide for a duration which should give them a chance to realise their mistake (but such scenarios are confined to only a few tiger reserves in India). Therefore, the lockdown is a big relief to the management of tiger reserves as the inflow of tourists has stopped and such untoward incidents are not happening. The constant phone calls to officers with requests to facilitate trips that are out of the usual routine have stopped completely. As a result, they are able to spend more time protecting the tigers. There is also more time available to the management of the reserves to contain poaching of animals, illicit felling of trees and land encroachment. Villagers within the vicinity or in the enclaves of the tiger reserves have limited access to resources for livelihood and food. Initially the lockdown aggravated the situation. To combat the issues of unemployment and lack of supply of essential commodities, the management of these reserves have come up with innovative initiatives to provide employment, health care and supply of rations from their own resources during this lockdown. The frontline staff in remote posts of the tiger reserves had it worse. They were not prepared for the lockdown and could not store food items, medicines and other essentials as they do during the monsoon when the tiger reserve is closed to tourists. Their regular supply of food, medicine and other essentials items are either delivered by vehicles involved in tourism or departmental vehicles every six to ten days. That supply chain got disrupted for staffers living inside the reserves. Let us take the example of Corbett Tiger Reserve to understand the initial impact of the lockdown on the frontline staff, where these frontline staffers live 40 to 65 km from the nearest habitation. The staff is totally dependent on camp elephants or boats for supply of essential items. But these vehicles werent coming. On many days, they slept without proper food, surviving by eating boiled potatoes, wild fruits or rice with salted water. That ended only after the nationwide lockdown was eased and the supply chain was restored. It was a difficult time for the frontline staffers on the personal front too. Their families live either in small neighboring towns for the education of the children or in their native villages. They visit them at the beginning of the month after getting their salaries and make payments to shop keepers for groceries and other items purchased on credit. But they are putting in extra efforts. Some of them described their own problems as miniscule, comparing their plight with that of villagers in the forest enclaves. The villagers, they told me, neither have a permanent source of income nor a steady supply of essential items. The staffers called it their duty and privilege that they were able to help the villagers during the lockdown despite their limited means. And for this, I salute the zeal and spirit of the frontline forest staff of the tiger reserves. Now focusing on the people who work in the area around the reserve and are a part of the tourism sector. The nature guides, vehicle drivers, lower staff in resorts are helpless and many have lost their livelihoods. Resort owners, vehicle owners, and suppliers of goods and services have not been able to repay their loans because of the lockdown. With the closure period of the tiger reserves just round the corner, the recovery will take some more time. They need an alternate source of income and employment to sustain themselves. Overall, this means that the tiger reserves benefited from the lockdown because the managers had more time to focus on the protection and preservation of the wildlife. The animals were also positively affected because of the reduced human presence in their territories. And the frontline staff, in spite of the hardships, had been very effective in maintaining their areas and in performing their duties. Of course, the situation is not perfect but things are under control and the majestic beast with black stripes is safe. (Digvijay Singh Khati is a former Indian Forest Service officer and retired as principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden, Uttarakhand) President Nana Akufo-Addo is likely to announce re-opening of the countrys borders when he addresses the nation this evening. Sources within the Presidency have told Angel News that Nana Akufo-Addo will also announce re-opening of schools across the country. However, only students preparing for their examinations at the various levels of education will be allowed to go back to school, the source added. These final year students will be provided with free reusable nose masks to prevent transmission of the COVID-19 disease, we have gathered. The Ghanaian leader on March 21, 2020, announced the closure of the countrys land, sea and airports as a measure to control the spread of the pandemic. Fellow Ghanaians, all that the government is doing is intended to achieve five key objectives: limit and stop the importation of the virus, contain its spread, provide adequate care for the sick, limit the impact of the virus on social and economic life, and inspire the expansion of our domestic capabilities and deepen our self-reliance, the President said in his third address on the deadly virus. The country had confirmed just 21 positive cases of the disease also known as COVID-19 as at the time the border closures were announced. But as of Saturday, May 31, the Ghana Health Service reported that the countrys recorded coronavirus cases have increased to 7,768. According to the Service, 35 persons have now lost their lives after contracting the virus. Meanwhile, Angel News is learning that some airlines have already started scheduling flights which they cancelled following the imposition of the restrictions. Flight operators are said to have been given directives to be strictly adhered to, as the country is gradually returning to normal ways of doing business. It is, however, expected that a lot of things will change as people will be mandated to follow the protocols put out by the health service. Source: angel 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 (TNS) Twice last week, Norton, Ohio, City Council was forced to cancel public meetings due to technical difficulties.Like other public entities, the council has shifted during the coronavirus crisis to livestreamed meetings.Software used for that purpose is designed for group gatherings from business conferences to public and private meetings. Different entities use different software.But technical glitches forced the council to cancel meetings on Tuesday and Thursday.City Council President Joe Kernan said Friday that a "perfect storm" of events doomed the two meetings, but Norton isn't alone.On March 27 as the coronavirus crisis intensified, the Ohio Assembly passed legislation granting authority to conduct public meetings by livestreaming on the internet.The legislation requires that "The public body shall ensure that the public can observe and hear the discussions and deliberations of all the members of the public body, whether the member is participating in person or electronically."For entities that are new to livestreaming, that's sometimes difficult to achieve.Barberton City Council, for instance, has been able to livestream their meetings so far. But audio quality is sometimes so poor that viewers aren't able to hear what council and administration members are saying.The video takes place in council chambers where a handful of council members and city officials attend in person. Members present at the meeting remotely can't be seen.The city is working to fix the audio problem, but it hasn't been a quick fix.On Thursday, the Barberton Board of Education meeting was delayed about 30 minutes due to technical difficulties. When the meeting was posted, incorrect names were attached to images of some members onscreen. Other attendees weren't imaged.Barberton schools Superintendent Jeffrey Ramnytz could not be reached Friday to discuss the problems.Some cities are pros with the technology.Green Communications Manager Valerie Wolford said via email Friday that the city has been livestreaming council and other meetings for about seven years.Images are crisp and sound quality is good for the meetings.The city uses a combination of Granicus and Microsoft Teams for the videos. Microsoft Office is used to connect virtually.The council president and video production staff are on-site in council chambers."All other staff [the] remaining six council members, mayor and city directors connect via [Microsoft] Teams to the meetings," Wolford said.The administration has also been using Microsoft software to coordinate its "Green Together" initiative during the coronavirus crisis.Kernan said Norton's difficulties began on Tuesday with a Zoom software account that had been downgraded.The action kept council from livestreaming the meeting and led to the first cancellation. The city is investigating why the downgrade occurred.On Thursday, the city tested its software to ensure the broadcast would go forward without a hitch.A test run earlier in the day went smoothly, Kernan said. "Everything was fine."But troubles began when the meeting was supposed to be broadcast at 7 p.m."We worked at it for a half hour and we could not get the livestream to work," Kernan said. "I decided that we were going to stop the meeting and reschedule it for Monday."Kernan said it was later determined that a Youtube policy prevented another livestreaming effort that day."We had exceeded the number of times we could do a livestream with Youtube," he said. "We had no idea."Kernan said the good news is that city services like road paving, police and fire continue unimpeded by the livestreaming difficulties. But he said it's frustrating, especially since the city has videoed meetings before.On Monday, council will meet in chambers while maintaining social distancing guidelines and wearing personal protective equipment. A couple of council members will attend remotely, Kernan said."It certainly is stressful because council wants to take care of the business of Norton," he said. President Moon Jae-in holds hands with U.S. President Donald Trump during a G20 summit event in Germany in this July 2017 photo, with Chinese President Xi Jinping standing behind them. Korea is once again faced with diplomatic pressure over whether to side with the United States of America or the People's Republic of China. / Korea Times file Moon accepts Trump's invitation to G7 Summit By Kang Seung-woo Amid the fast deterioration of ties between the United States and China, Korea, long-sandwiched between the two, is once again facing growing pressure to choose the "right side" in pursuing its foreign policy. Last Friday's surprise replacement of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor missiles by the Korean and U.S. militaries has raised speculation that China might again opt for economic retaliation against Korean companies. In addition, U.S. President Donald Trump's unexpected invitation of Seoul to this year's G7 Summit is putting Seoul in the thick of worsening Sino-U.S. relations as the envisaged meeting is likely to serve as an attempt to contain China, Korea's largest trading partner. Noting that Korea is being placed in a difficult diplomatic situation, experts advise the country to take an approach that best benefits its own interests. Last Friday, Korean and American troops delivered new missiles to the U.S. THAAD base in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in a surprise overnight operation to "replace older equipment." In the wake of the delivery, the Chinese foreign ministry confirmed its opposition to the U.S. deployment of THAAD on the Korean Peninsula despite the South Korean government's advance notification. "China and South Korea have reached a clear consensus on a phased resolution to the THAAD issue. We hope that the South Korean side will strictly adhere to the agreement, properly deal with the THAAD issue, and uphold China-South Korea relations and regional peace and stability," ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Friday. "We urge the U.S. side not to do anything that hurts China's interests and disrupts China-South Korea relations." May 20, 2020, Christians from Egypt full of despair, showed up discouraged due to their church being demolished. From the bottom of their heart, Christians in the village state the church was a place where their children were baptized, believers got married, and a place for their last goodbyes to loved ones. The building they were protecting was their 15-year-old church, which served 3,000 Christians in the village. According to Open Door U.S.A, The church had become too small to host Sunday School classes and other church activities, so they had decided to add onto their building. "Please don't take away our church!" they yelled. People who are involved clearly stated that the police were careless about the true information and attacked Christians regardless of their behavior with other Muslims who did not cease to hurt them. "The police, and some Muslim extremists from our village that came along with them, insulted our priest and hit him in the face and chest so badly he fainted. Then they fired tear gas at us church members and attacked us physically; they even hurt women and children. They arrested 14 church members, including some women and a man whose arm was broken by the attackers. The church members weren't released until the next day. The man with the broken arm was given no medical treatment." "The church lawyer made an official appeal against this order but the mayor ignored it-despite being informed-and sent 200 policemen without warning," says Bishoy. Meanwhile, the church is on the verge of being demolished, Christians are concerned about their beloved church building being torn down and the altar, sanctuaries, and books they have owned. Christians in Egypt are sincerely reaching out for prayer for our brothers and sisters to become bolder and to encourage one another for their strong faith in God. "Where will the church members go to pray together now, where will they teach their children about Christ, keep their own faith alive? They don't know." "The nearest church now is 15 km away. It is too far if you consider that we Copts go to church multiple times a week and most of us don't have the means to travel out of our village. Please pray for us." The Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD) has thrown its weight behind the decision by the Electoral Commission (EC) to compile a new voters register for this years parliamentary and presidential elections. The Acting General Secretary og the party, Kwame Manu Sarpong called on all other political parties to support the EC in its quest to deliver credible elections. He told Peacefmonline.com in an interview that the decision by the EC is laudable. If any political party believes in democracy, then I dont see the need for them to object the compilation of the new voters' register. RPD is solidly behind the EC and has told all its supporters to register when the exercise starts, the 2016 running mate of the party said. Kwame Manu Sarpong however condemned the parties inciting war ahead of the compilation. It is unfortunate but the EC as an independent institution must be allowed to do its work that will benefit the country, he said. 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 In late March, I made the choice to graduate early from NYU Grossman School of Medicine to join the workforce just as the surge in COVID-19 patients hit New York Citys hospitals. After years of training, I knew I couldnt live with myself if I failed to step up in this time of need. But even as I felt a sense of duty, Ive been surprised by how its been framed. Two days after my graduation from medical school, Jim Dwyer published a piece in the New York Times comparing my decision to that of a group of soldiers enlisting for the war in Iraq. In an attempt to rally its staff, NYU branded all of its employees part of a COVID army, and my fellow early graduates and I have been referred to variably as redeployed or reinforcements. This mirrored the military jargon our collective language had already been deploying to talk about the crisis the fight on the front lines against the invisible enemy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This pandemic has highlighted our deep civic interconnectedness, not a small cohort of individuals heroic bellicosity. Perhaps it is my peacenik Upper West Side upbringing, but something in the comparison did not sit right with me. Yes, my peers and I had assumed personal risk in making the decision to enter the hospital. But we neednt resort to war metaphors to describe any public-spirited civic choice; not all dangers faced need to be thought of as soldiering. And after six weeks on the wards treating patients, Ive realized that there is a harmful imprecision in the analogy between fighting a war and withstanding a global pandemic. What we should recognize and take away from this crisis is not that our doctors and health care workers heroically charged into the heat of battle, but that all of usessential workers and those staying at homehave embraced our collective civic duty and rapidly and fundamentally changed our lives to stem the tide of COVID-19. This pandemic has highlighted our deep civic interconnectedness, not a small cohort of individuals heroic bellicosity. Advertisement Advertisement The war metaphor fails in obvious ways. War deals with the infliction of harm and health care with the provision of healing. The day-to-day care of patients is a complex psychological task as well as a medical one. Preoccupation with the virus as an invisible enemy shifts focus away from the personhood of the patient who is afflicted. My role as a physician is not to fight an enemy but to care for a patient holistically. The first patient I treated as a newly minted physician was a homeless woman with schizophrenia. She died suddenly and unexpectedly of complications from COVID. The patients condition was obfuscated by her underlying mental health issues, but treating a patient is often complex and challengingall the more reason we cant have our scope narrowed by conceiving of our task as merely a battle with an enemy pathogen. After the patients death, her family talked to me about the rich life she had led. She had remained particularly close with her siblings, who described their sister as incredibly stubborn but clever and resourceful. Every doctor probably remembers their first patients in a particular way, but I remain haunted by this case, fearing that my implicit biases and early conception of COVID might have affected the care I gave her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The soldier/essential worker analogy is also used to suggest sacrifice and heroism. In Dwyers piece about my classs graduation, he writes about the first soldier in the 101st Airborne Division who landed in Iraq, reportedly a 20-year-old man who was tragically shot and killed. Dwyer alludes to the rashness of young soldiers. The implication is that my peers and I, young and galvanized like these soldiers, signed up for a dangerous, potentially mortal appointment. But I was not drafted or conscripted, nor was I seeking glory. This was a choice made willingly and without imprudence, grounded in the foundational values of my medical trainingcompassion for suffering, a desire to heal, a responsibility to mankind. Not all selfless decisions need to be framed by the metaphor of war. Advertisement Advertisement The skills I need bolstered are more likely to be found in the humanities than in war games and disaster strategy. Im not a soldier, a martyr, or a hero, and I have no interest in dying with glory. To NYUs and Bellevue Hospitals credit, I have been compensated and felt adequately protected in the workplace. If these protections had not been afforded me, I would not have felt compelled to work. The supposed praise suggested by the military metaphor rings hollow when so many essential workers havent been granted the same protections I had. Moreover, the military metaphor suggests that it is impudent and unpatriotic, a shirking of duty, to advocate for these protections, to protest inequities, and to demand dignity for all. That robs each of us of rights that ought to be inalienable. Advertisement Advertisement A mentor physician who is intimately involved in training medical students said to me recently that he is considering adding some exercises from military officer training programs to the student curriculum. His idea is that, given how unprepared we were for the COVID pandemic, we need to train more doctors with leadership and disaster preparedness skills. Maybe that would help with logistical issues. But given my experience on the wards thus farfilled with difficult end-of-life decisions, a staggering amount of untimely death and futile attempts at resuscitationmy sense is that the skills I need bolstered are more likely to be found in the humanities than in war games and disaster strategy. The deeper challenges that this crisis has confronted me with relate to lifes fundamental questionsthose of philosophy and the arts. How do I persist despite immeasurable human suffering? How do I cope with repeated confrontation with the limits of my power to help? How do I find comfort in all this uncertainty? Advertisement Advertisement There is one important way in which I believe the military metaphor is apt. Both soldiers and essential workers suffer at the whim of those with power. Soldiers are often victims of governments mistakesthey were in the war in Iraq. Today, essential workers are at the whim of government and business powers. Some of them have paid a drastic price for their leaders failures. Despite all the talk of honoring the heroes in the war against COVID, so far there is little indication that such honor will include the creation of a more compassionate, egalitarian, and just society. Doing so would require a radical restructuring of how we compensate workers, since jobs we have deemed essential in this momentcare workers, teachers, food servicesare often poorly paid and worked by groups of peoplewomen, people of color, undocumented immigrantswho are most exploited by our businesses and most marginalized by our body politic. Advertisement Advertisement Working at Bellevue Hospital, which is the countrys oldest public safety net hospital, I have been able to see firsthand how insidious the military metaphor has been for our patients. Many of Bellevues patients are undocumented and uninsured, a population that has been disproportionally affected by this pandemic. Many of the patients I have cared for work in essential but low-wage jobs that did not allow them to stay home and to stay safe. But even now, the honor of the military metaphor is not usually extended to them. And indeed, if they are soldiers, they are treated shamefully, as cannon fodder, expendable, as some states rush to reopen. One such patient, Mr. T, was transferred to my team during my first week on the medicine floors. For the preceding days, Mr. T had been in the intensive care unit intubated, but was improvinga glimmer of light amid much despair. My daily rounds to Mr. Ts room became my favorite part of the day, and as his oxygen requirements diminished and he regained strength, we were able to have longer conversations. Mr. T told me that he works in the food industry. He had been compelled to continue working by his bosses and because of financial needhis wife had lost her job and with it the familys health insurance during the pandemic. Each time Mr. T returned home, he was meticulous about taking the necessary precautions, since his whole extended family lived together in a multiunit building. He recounted a routine for returning home that had become familiar to me: removing his clothing, washing his hands, showering, wiping down his phoneall these things weve quickly adopted as the new normal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr. T described feeling proud when, at 7 p.m., he heard the eruption of cheers in his neighborhood. In a city that can sometimes be coldly impersonal, it was nice to feel part of a community with a higher cause. Despite his best efforts, though, nearly every adult in his extended family contracted COVID. Three of his family members passed away while he was intubated. Like countless others, he didnt have the chance to say goodbye to his loved ones. Toward the end of my month on the wards, Mr. T was discharged home. Jay-Zs Empire State of Mind played on the PA system as he was wheeled into the elevator. Outwardly, he projected a graceful poise. After 24 days in the hospital, he was most excited to take a shower. As I watched him go, I couldnt help but wonder if he shared any of my righteous indignation. I wondered how much comfort he would find in being told hed been brave. Wouldnt it be preferable to live in a society that paid respect to all its members in a more regular, quotidian way? Perhaps I was just projecting. Perth, Australia, June 1, 2020 - (ABN Newswire) - Torian Resources Limited (ASX:TNR.AX - News) is pleased to announce the completion of its Phase 1 RC drilling program, targeting extensions of mineralisation contained within the Stirling Block at the Mt Stirling Gold Camp (Figure 1*) at depth and along strike. Assay results will be released to the market as they become available. Planning for a much broader Phase 2 drilling campaign will begin following analysis of assay data from Phase 1. Equipped with new geological concepts (ASX 15 April 2020), Torian has completed its Phase 1 drilling program aimed at testing for extensions of mineralisation along strike and at depth, of targets that were identified during the re-examination of the Stirling RC database. The best intersection from previous drilling was contained within RC hole MSRC001 which returned 2.99 g/t over 35m including 48.00 g/t over 2m (refer ASX announcement 28 April 2020). A similar intersection was seen in MSRC002 yielding 0.71 g/t over 39m including 2.09 g/t over 4m (ASX 28 April 2020) (See Figure 1*). The Company's review of the historical database also highlighted that historical intersections contained broad envelopes of halo gold mineralisation associated with higher-grade intersections. Additionally, during re-examination it was noticed an additional open intersection is contained within hole MSRC-024 located 350m southeast of the main zone of mineralisation. This intercept yielded 2.34 g/t over 10m including 5.10 g/t over 2m (ASX 28 April 2020). This intersection also appears to be spatially associated with the higher-grade rock chip results. On the 18th of May 2020 the Company announced that drilling at MSRC-025 had intercepted 274m of quartz-carbonate veining containing pyrite and ending in mineralisation at end of the hole. Assays from MSRC-025 were sent to the lab soon after hole completion with results now imminent. Assay results from the remaining seven holes will be announced to the market as they are received and interpreted by the Company. Story continues An aggressive Phase 2 drilling campaign is now being planned to follow up on open intersections, testing further at depth and along strike on the Stirling Block as well as scout testing on the Diorite Block. The Mt Stirling land position (Figures 3 and 4*) is divided into two blocks. 1) Stirling Block and 2) Diorite Block together forming the Mt Stirling Gold Camp. 1) The focus on the Stirling block is to drill along strike and down plunge to test the systems at depth. Torian's hypothesis is that this system may run to depth similar to the mineralisation at the Gwalia Mine (Figure 5*). 2) The immediate focus of the Diorite block will be mapping and sampling utilising systematic exploration techniques to further locate high priority drill targets. RC drilling in the near term will then test these targets. On the Diorite Block, mapping and prospecting has begun, focusing on the historic Diorite King Mine and Diorite Queen mines (Figure 2; sourced from Mindat.org) and to continue further target generation. The focus of this campaign is as follows (Figure 2*): - Explore, locate and sample the 15 known showings contained within the Diorite historic mining camp (red triangle) with a focus on the historic 73g/t Au [grade sourced from Mindat.org] Diorite King Mine and Diorite Queen mines. - Explore a number of the high priority targets identified by Southern Geoscience Consultants (blue hatched boxes). - Investigate the Iron Formation lithologies (red lines) within the Diorite Block to determine if these units have any potential to host Archean BIF gold mineralisation. BIF gold deposits have been a historic major producer within the Archean of Canada (aka 5Moz Au Musselwhite Mine in Northern Ontario). Torian Chairman Mr Louie Simens said, "Torian firmly believes that Mt Stirling has the potential to host a world-class discovery, hence why we are accelerating our systematic exploration activities. Our Phase 1 exploration drill program at Mt Stirling was designed to test the down plunge on the significant previous intercept of 35m @ 2.99 g/t at the Main Zone, as well as the extent of the mineralisation at the South Zone. These are just some of the many targets property-wide that we intend to be following up as we work to give our shareholders increased exposure to significant exploration upside across the Mt Stirling Gold Camp throughout 2020 and beyond. Pending assay results from our Phase 1 drilling program - due shortly, we envisage an aggressive Phase 2 drilling program at the Stirling block to further test the extent of the mineralisation at depth and along strike. Torian is also embarking on a systematic, property-wide mapping program, the key focus of which will be on the Diorite Block containing the historical Diorite King and Diorite Queen mines, which have never been followed up on until now. Having established a fantastic team of experienced geologists we are confident that this region is a highly prospective location to be looking for large gold discoveries. The Mt Stirling Gold Camp is located within the prolific Leonora region, with the Stirling Block in particular located along the prolific Ursus Fault. This region has recently produced over 14Moz, with Sons of Gwalia, Tower Hill, Thunderbox, Harbour Lights and more recently the Gwalia Mine being some of the key deposits. Red 5's (ASX:RED.AX - News) King of the Hills mine is also in our immediate vicinity. We are extremely excited with the projects we have and the drilling planned. In addition to anticipating assays from the Phase 1 drilling as well as field mapping and sampling ongoing at Diorite, assay results are also pending from the Credo Project Joint Venture. These projects, combined with our Zuleika JV Project, located in the worldclass Zuleika Shear and the Mt Monger project which sits adjacent to Silverlake's (ASX:SLR.AX - News) flagship Mt Monger mine, presents four opportunities for a major re-rating of the Company. We look forward to keeping the market updated on results and developments during this transformative period for Torian." *To view tables and figures, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/B0C58ADL About Torian Resources Limited: Torian Resources Ltd (ASX:TNR.AX - News) is a gold exploration and development company with an extensive and strategic land holding comprising eight projects and over 400km2 of tenure in the Goldfields Region of Western Australia. Torian's flagship project, Zuleika, is located along the world-class Zuleika Shear. The Zuleika Shear is the fourth largest gold producing region in Australia and consistently produces some of the country's highest grade and lowest cost gold mines. Torian's Zuleika project lies north and partly along strike of several major gold deposits including Northern Star's (ASX:NST.AX - News) 7.0Moz East Kundana Joint Venture and Evolutions (ASX:EVN.AX - News) 1.8Moz Frogs Legs and White Foil deposits. Torian's other projects include the strategically located Mt Stirling and Malcolm Projects in the Leonora region (near Red 5's King of the Hills Project), where it recently completed updated Mineral Resource Estimates and preliminary scoping studies, and a suite of other projects in the Kalgoorlie region including Credo Well JV Zuleika JV, Bonnie Vale, Gibraltar and Mount Monger/Wombola. Contact: Louie Simens Non-Executive Chairman info@torianresources.com.au Source: Torian Resources Limited Copyright (C) 2020 ABN Newswire. All rights reserved. Spring has passed, and summer has come to us along with the first summer month, new holidays and memorable dates Main dates of June 2020 112 Agency June is a very busy month, which, however, is suitable for the first summer month. Unfortunately, this year the coronavirus pandemic significantly influences almost any mass event or celebration. We will probably not see mass events this month. However, neither holidays nor just important dates were canceled. And that's what awaits us all in June. So, firstly, let us talk about the days off in June. In addition to the usual weekends on Saturdays and Sundays, this months non-working days will be Monday, June 8, and Monday, June 29. In both cases, there is a transfer of days off. This year's Trinity is on Sunday, June 7, so, according to the law, the non-working day is postponed from June 7 to June 8. The same goes for the Constitution Day which is to be celebrated on Sunday, June 28. Monday, June 29 is going to be a day off. Childrens Day, June 1 Children's Day Open source Ukraine and over 60 countries celebrate International Children's Day on June 1. Celebration of the holiday began in 1950, festive events were held in 51 countries. In 1959, the UN adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, which called on parents, civil society organizations, and governments to recognize and promote children's rights. True, this document was, rather, a recommendation. And in 1989, the organization introduced the first relevant international document - the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In 1991, Ukraine joined the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, however, it began to mark the holiday since 1998 - after President Leonid Kuchma signed the Decree On Children's Day on May 30. Ukrainian Journalists' Day, June 6 The holiday was established on May 25, 1994, by the President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk. It is no coincidence that the celebration of Journalist's Day is on June 6. It is on this day the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine was admitted to the International Federation of Journalists. The vast majority of its members voted for it. World Blood Donor Day, June 14 Another important and, accordingly, recognized worldwide holiday is the Blood Donor Day, established in honor of people who voluntarily donate blood to save someone's life. It was established relatively recently - on May 23, 2005. On that day, doctors from all over the world gathered at the 58th session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva (Switzerland) and, analyzing the statistics for the past year, concluded that the promotion of blood donations has a positive effect, and therefore it has to last. The date of the holiday was chosen because Nobel Prize winner Karl Landsteiner was born on this day. Without his knowledge, a blood transfusion would not be possible nowadays. He is a scientist who discovered human blood types and thus introduced blood transfusions as a common medical practice. In current conditions of quarantine and the Covid-19 pandemic, the problem of blood donation has become even more acute. Day of Mourning and Commemoration of War Victims, June 22 This is a memorable date impossible to ignore. 79 years ago, on June 22, the major stage of World War II began, which later became known as the Great Patriotic War. In particular, Germany attacked the Soviet Union, which included Ukraine until 1991, and began a sad countdown to bloody days and nights. We still do not know the exact death toll, but it was enormous. Thus, President Leonid Kuchma, by his decree of November 17, 2000, decided to mark the date at the state level in order to honor the memory of Ukrainian people who died during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, their feat and sacrifice. Constitution Day, June 28 Constitution Day Open source One of the most important public holidays in Ukraine is Constitution Day. It was established in honor of the adoption of the main legislative document of the country - the Constitution. It was this document that in June 1996 enshrined the legal foundations of independent Ukraine, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, which, unfortunately, today we are again forced to defend. In addition, it also became the most important step in ensuring human and civil rights, which further enhanced Ukraine's international prestige on the world stage. Traditionally, solemn events with the participation of the first persons of the state took place in the capital on this day. We will see what will happen in the conditions of this year's coronavirus pandemic. It is an official holiday throughout the country. Other dates June 4 - International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression; June 5 - World Environment Day; June 16 - Medical Worker's Day and Father's Day; June 20 - World Refugee Day; June 23 - UN Public Service Day; June 23 Ukraines Public Service Day June 25 - Day of the Customs Service of Ukraine; June 26 - UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture; June 26 - International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking; June 30 - Youth Day. Church Calendar Church Calendar Open source Firstly, it is, of course, Holy Trinity Day on June 7. It is transitional and is celebrated on the 50th day after Easter. The Apostles, the disciples of Christ, decided to establish the Day of the Holy Trinity as a holiday. According to the biblical tradition, it was then that the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles in the rays of light, revealing to them the knowledge of different languages, the gift of healing and prophecy, thus proving the trinity of God. On the same day, the first sermon took place, after which more than 3,000 people joined Christianity, which began the construction of the Kingdom of God on Earth. In a week, on June 15, the Apostles' Fast begins. Its start always falls on Monday, exactly one week after the Day of the Holy Trinity, and it lasts until July 11 - the Day of the celebration of the memory of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Kupala Night Kupala Night Open source June is considered not only the calendar but also the astronomical beginning of summer. However, in astronomy, its countdown begins not on the 1st, but on the 21st, because it is on June 21 that the summer solstice falls - the longest day of the year when the sun reaches its highest position. In ancient times it was believed that the sun has divine power over all living things, and the summer solstice meant the highest flowering of all the forces of nature. Therefore, many people still associate the solstice with the worship of the forces of nature and divination. Kupala Night has long been celebrated on the territory of modern Ukraine. In some parts of the country, it is still celebrated in the old style. Photograph: Jerry Holt/AP The Minneapolis police officer who spent almost nine minutes kneeling on the neck of George Floyd was charged with murder on Friday. But the fate of his colleagues, who stood by as Floyds strained cries grew silent, is yet to be determined. Related: Minneapolis police chief: all four officers complicit in George Floyd's death Three colleagues of Derek Chauvin, who is accused of third-degree murder and manslaughter, were fired after Floyds death but have not been arrested and have reportedly gone to ground as protests have spread from Minneapolis across the US. On Friday the Hennepin county attorney, Mike Freeman, who announced the charges against Chauvin, said he expected charges would be brought against the now ex-police officers J Alexander Kueng, Tou Thao and Thomas Lane. Freeman is yet to detail the charges the three men could face, but all three were mentioned in the documents charging Chauvin. Kueng, according to the official complaint, held Floyds back while Lane held down his legs as Chauvin placed his knee on Floyds neck. As Floyd repeatedly told the officers I cant breathe, Kueng, Lane and Thao, according to prosecutors, stayed in their positions. Chauvin, 44, had worked for the Minneapolis police department since 2001. It was a career littered with violent incidents. In 2011 he and four other officers were placed on leave after they shot and wounded an indigenous man. The same year, Chauvin was part of a team that responded to a domestic violence call where the suspect was shot, although not by Chauvin. Chauvin shot and wounded Ira Latrell Toles during a domestic abuse call in 2008, the Minnesota newspaper the Star Tribune reported, and in 2006 Chauvin and five other officers were involved in the shooting death of Wayne Reyes, who allegedly pointed a shotgun in their direction. Away from his police career, Chauvin had worked security at a Minneapolis dance club, the Star Tribune reported. His former manager there said he had been the subject of complaints from customers. Story continues Ive seen him in action and Ive seen him lose it and Ive called him out on it before, Maya Santamaria told the newspaper. Ive told him its unnecessary and unjustified some of the ways that he behaves. He just loses it. Floyd also worked security at the club. In total, Chauvins 19-year history at the police department included 15 conduct complaints, according to the Star Tribune, most of which were closed without Chauvin being disciplined. In a statement released through lawyers over the weekend, Chauvins wife, Kellie Chauvin, said she had filed for divorce. She is devastated by Mr Floyds death and her utmost sympathy lies with his family, with his loved ones and with everyone who is grieving this tragedy, said Sekula Family Law Offices. Protesters have demanded that Lane, Thao and Kueng also be charged. Records show that Thao, like Chauvin, had a history of complaints. Thao, a fellow officer and the city of Minneapolis were sued in 2017 for alleged use of excessive force, according to the Los Angeles Times, after Lamar Ferguson claimed Thao and another officer assaulted him three years earlier. In a court deposition, Thao, 34, said he punched Ferguson after one hand slipped out of his handcuffs. At this point hes actually resisting arrest, Thao said. So I had no choice but to punch him. The case was settled out of court for $25,000, the Times reported. Lane, 37, and Kueng, 26, received their law enforcement licenses last August and had not been the subject of any complaints. Freeman did not elaborate on the charges he expected Thao, Lane and Kueng would face. But on Sunday the chief of Minneapolis police suggested the three men also bore responsibility for Floyds death. Mr Floyd died in our hands and so I see that as being complicit, Chief Medaria Arradondo told CNN. Silence and inaction, youre complicit. If there was one solitary voice that would have intervened thats what I would have hoped for. Not just a moment, make it a movement. That was the mantra repeated by leaders and marchers during Dariens Cross Walk Sunday. Hundreds of people joined together at the steps of Dariens historic First Congregational Church for a last minute coordinated walk by the towns clergy. The Rev. Dale Rosenberger, First Congregational Churchs pastor, told The Darien Times that the idea for the Cross Walk came to him and his fellow clergy after taking the temperature of the community. Theres a great deal of sadness and sorrow, and it was already there in light of the coronavirus pandemic. People need help. They are grieving and need to find a healthy expression for their grief. If we can move beyond anger and outrage to sadness, sorrow and lamentation, then we can look for transformation, he said. Statewide protests Gov. Ned Lamont wore an I cant breathe T-shirt in a video message Sunday supporting peaceful demonstrations as protesters across Connecticut called for justice following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. Floyd is a black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee into his neck for several minutes. Protesters closed both sides of Interstate 84 in Waterbury, I-95 in New Haven and several other highways temporarily on Sunday. Hundreds gathered in front of City Hall in New Haven, chanting I cant breathe and hands up, dont shoot. Related: Protests of Floyd death shut down some Connecticut highways Demonstrators rallied in Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport and other Connecticut cities for a second day Saturday to protest the death of Floyd. Hundreds walked the streets of Hartford and gathered outside city police headquarters, shouting no justice, no peace, black lives matter and I cant breathe. In Bridgeport, protesters forced the closure of Route 8 for more than three hours by demonstrating on the highway, resulting in two arrests, police officials said. Related: Demonstrators in Connecticut protest George Floyd death Dariens march Our hearts feel deep anguish due to recent agonizing and violent events. There is much grief around us. With the brutal deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, and the 100,000 plus deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic (a disproportionate number of those among persons of color), it is time for First Congregational Darien to stand together and assist our community in mourning, the invitation to the community from First Congregational Church said. The YWCA Darien/Norwalk, which includes a stand against racism in its mission, also shared the invitation. According to the churchs education director, Christine Geeding, numerous houses of worship were represented at the walk. Among them were Noroton Presbyterian, Talmadge Hill Community Church, Trinity Church Greenwich/Darien, Christ Community Darien, Congregation Shir Ami Greenwich (Reformed Jewish), St. Thomas More Darien, Fairfield Congregational Church, St. John Church (Darien), St. Lukes Episcopal and Ridgeway Church (White Plains). The Cross Walk is usually on Good Friday, but the towns church leaders were forced to cancel it due to the pandemic. Sundays walk followed the usual Cross Walk path, starting at First Congregational and traveling down the Post Road to St. Lukes. Related: After 30 years: Darien churches forced to cancel longtime tradition of Good Friday Cross Walk Darien Police coordinated the walk, which took up the southbound lane of the Post Road and had to be closed to traffic in that lane. The police escorted the walk and kept walkers safe from traffic. Several of Dariens local leaders and politicians were in attendance. First Selectman Jayme Stevenson told The Darien Times she was walking to acknowledge the anger, frustration and fear many of us are feeling in our community and to redirect those destructive emotions towards faith, caring and peace. Im walking today to stand up against abuses of power of all kinds whether in our homes, our communities or in our government. Im walking today to support our Darien Police Officers, first responders and healthcare workers who put their lives on the line each day to save and protect ours. And Im walking today because Im afraid for my own children and all those who live in cities where protests are turning violent, she said. Though Sen. Bob Duff could not attend, as he was attending a protest in Norwalk, he told The Darien Times that Every American in every community should stand up and speak out against police violence. What happened to George Floyd is shameful and yet another example of why none of us can tolerate a double standard of justice. Mr. Floyds death is nothing short of murder, erodes the very freedoms police are charged to protect and the officer should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, he said. The open wound of racism will never heal if this country doesnt directly confront the disparities that exist within our legal, health care and educational institutions. Lets march, but also, lets act, he said. State Rep. Terrie Wood said Sunday morning that a couple of sound bite sentences would not do justice to the complex discussions needed around the death of George Floyd and coronavirus impact in our communities of color. In short, I look forward to joining our caring and compassionate churches in Darien in coming and walking together today, she said. Darien resident Holly Jespersen said she felt Sunday was incredibly moving. While we did not have a Memorial Day parade this year I felt that todays march really brought us together as a community showing our support and love for the greater community, she said. It was a time to feel our feelings, to grieve for our country, to just be and be together. Thank you to the Darien clergy for organizing and the Darien Police Department for escorting us down the Post Road. I was blown away by the turnout, Jespersen said. Evonne Klein, speaking on behalf of the Action Network of Darien Democrats, who was in attendance at the walk, said we come together to recognize and mourn the disparity that has plagued our nation for centuries. In 2020, that disparity continues to result in more unnecessary deaths at the hands (and knee) of police officers and a pandemic, Klein said. What matters most is what we do tomorrow to make the necessary systemic changes; whether its improving education for all students, providing families with opportunities for housing, increasing access to healthcare, and ending racial profiling by law enforcement at all levels. Weve all been called upon to participate in and lead change to build a just nation as well as a just world, Klein said. Darien Police Chief Don Anderson said he had called in extra staff for the event. It was somewhat larger than we envisioned but we had brought in extra staffing specifically to be prepared for a contingency like this. I would estimate probably between 300 to 400 people were in attendance, Anderson said Sunday after the walk. I am very proud of the patient, dedicated and professional service provided by our officers today. In addition to this cross walk march, we also staffed the Rescue Main Street gift card exchange occurring in Koons lot during the same time frame, he said. The right to peaceful protest and assembly is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution. I am heartened that all the folks involved today kept the march both peaceful and orderly, Anderson said. Why the Cross Walk Rosenberger said the cross is the symbol of many things it is a symbol of loss and grief, but it also gives people hope. It reminds people of how the powers of the world will take those of little standing and treat them as expendable. That is how the Romans treated Jesus. The cross also points beyond Good Friday to resurrection and hope, he said. This years Good Friday was a day the churches and Darien were already smarting. he said. The Cross Walk has been a tradition in Darien for 30 years. It was the height of the lockdown and people were deprived of that release that carrying the cross gives, Rosenberger said. Sunday was the perfect reason to do it, Rosenberger said, saying the days since the death of George Floyd, and the ensuing riots, have been all like Good Fridays. He collaborated with staff ministers Christine and Ben Geeding to decide if they could organize the walk on Friday. In response, he said First Selectman Jayme Stevenson was terrific. Rosenberger particularly praised the Darien Police Departments handling of the parade, particularly right now, when their morale is probably sagging, and they may be being judged by the conduct of the officers involved with the death of George Floyd. They were magnificent compassionate, skillful, professional. The churches of Darien are all grateful to them, he said. Rosenberger also said that attendees were respectful of social distancing. He said the cross was sanitized in between every turn to carry it. Rosenberger said he was also grateful for the participation of religious organizations and churches from out of town. The cross was our common rallying point. It is the heart of our faith and the symbol of Christianity. I see what we did as a Christian witness, more than a public demonstration. I spoke about it in those terms from the steps and people were very amenable to it being described that way, Rosenberger said. As far as the turnout, Rosenberger said they were gobsmacked. We knew we needed eight to 10 people to carry the heavy cross for a couple of miles, he said, adding that the crowd exceeded everyones expectations. Today was the Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit is celebrated. The spirit of God was moving in this peaceful and hopeful gathering in Darien, Rosenberger said. MINNEAPOLIS - The whole city still smelled like fire, but Yvonne Passmore wanted to survey the damage wrought by days of violent protests. So she stood beside three neighbors in southern Minneapolis, all of them black, all of them trying to process what had happened the past few days, and months, and years. "First, we had the coronavirus, which is wiping us out," said Passmore, 65, pushing down her face mask so she could breathe a little better. "And now it's this." The neighbors debated the intensity of the protests, which left a trail of wreckage in this neighborhood off Lake Street. Had it gone too far? Small markets and convenience stores had been looted and destroyed, taking away a crucial source of fresh produce. The Walgreens was destroyed; the post office, too. But, as four black people living in the United States in 2020, they understood the anger that led to it being nearly burned to the ground. This is what they agreed on: They were scared. They were mad. They were exhausted. "This isn't just about George Floyd," said Passmore, 65. "This is about years and years of being treated as less than people - and not just by police. It's everything. We don't get proper medical. We don't get proper housing. There's so much discrimination and it's not just the justice system. It's a whole lot of things." The month of May brought a particularly glaring accrual of trauma and grief to black communities across the country, which have been ravaged by the pandemic and its economic fallout. A series of attacks on black people, including several caught on tape and circulated in recent weeks on social media, sent additional waves of pain through communities already suffering through a heavy assault by the novel coronavirus. The accumulated anger has been evident in the protests - including demonstrators from diverse backgrounds - that have convulsed dozens of U.S. cities after video emerged of a white police officer in Minneapolis using his knee to pin down a black man by the neck for more than eight minutes. The man, George Floyd, died in the encounter. Less visible is the private weariness and anguish felt by many black people in the country, some of whom are either too fearful for their health to join the protests or who may disagree with the methods of some of the most riotous demonstrators. "I'm exhausted," said Tanya Faison, an activist in Sacramento, California. "All of these things build up and they make your soul feel such unrest. And then you add that to all the lives that nobody got justice for." For months, Faison has been staying home, worried that if she catches the virus she may die because of a preexisting respiratory condition. But the fear of the coronavirus, she said, is outweighed by the urgent need to push for change while political leaders and nonblack communities are paying attention. "There comes a time when you need to figure out what's more of a risk," she said. "So I'm going to put my mask on, I'm going to put my gloves on, and I'm going to protest." Before the protests began, the pandemic had pushed black people and their neighborhoods to new levels of despair, said Eddie Glaude, chair of the African American studies department at Princeton University. "Covid[-19] is devastating our communities and people are wound so tight because it seems like the country doesn't care. It seems as if there's a general disregard for what's happening in black America," Glaude said. "Many of the folks who live in these communities, because of the nature of their work, they have to go out and expose themselves to covid, risk themselves for wages that barely make ends meet." Glaude stressed that the graphic video of Floyd's death was a spark laid on decades of kindling. He pointed to decades of disinvestment in black neighborhoods and growing income inequality. Those conditions, in turn, exacerbated the health effects and the economic consequences of the pandemic in black communities. "This is not 1968. This is worse. There's a global pandemic killing people," Glaude said. "I'm angry all the time. All the time. And it's an anger that has a tinge of sadness to it; it's a blue-soaked anger. The nation has faced these sorts of moments before, and our history doesn't bode well for what we're going to do." "And then, on top of that all, the police won't stop killing us," he said. "They won't stop." In Brunswick, Georgia, Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed while on a jog that turned into a pursuit by two armed white men. In Louisville, Kentucky, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was fatally shot in her apartment by police officers as they searched for drugs. In New York City, a white woman was filmed threatening to call the police on Christian Cooper, a black man who had asked her to follow park rules by putting her dog on a leash; she told a 911 dispatcher that Cooper was "threatening my life." Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, a grass-roots political organization based in Atlanta, called the current moment "a perfect storm - or imperfect storm." "People are talking about two viruses - the virus of racism and the coronavirus," he said. "We're not all shot by police, but all of us in our daily lives are dealing with people like the [woman who called the police on the birdwatcher in New York]. It's hard to really even put it in context; it's like drinking water from a fire hydrant, then combine all that with the crazy man in the White House doing things to disrespect us." Glaude, in Trenton, New Jersey, said the frustrations felt by black people extend far beyond the partisan and cultural wars that have defined the Trump administration. "We blame it on Trump when in fact this is the culmination of 40 years of a particular ideology that has produced unimaginable wealth inequity and deepening racial divides and despair," he said. "The only thing Trump has done is broken the implicit rule of manners around how one pursues these policy initiatives. He doesn't have a dog whistle, he has a fog horn." And anti-Trump sentiment among liberals has brought new attention to the long-standing "struggle for justice in black communities," said Faison in Sacramento. In some ways, the diversity of those protesting nationally may have been facilitated by the growing frustrations felt by white liberals in the Trump era. "I know a lot of people are saying all this stuff has gotten worse since Donald Trump was elected. But I just think people are paying attention now," she said. Vincent Williams said he has friends who lost their jobs, and neighbors who had been hospitalized after contracting the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease covid-19. There is collective grief wrought by the pandemic, he said, and Floyd's death appears to have united a lot of people in anger. "I think we done got tired of the same stuff year after year after year," said Williams, 60. "Everybody's sick of it. White people, black people, green people, purple people - it doesn't matter what color you are. We know it's wrong when a man chokes another man to death." For Brianna Baker, 25, a teacher in Kansas City, Missouri, news of Arbery's death hit hard. For the first time, she began worrying about her own frequent 3 1/2-mile runs through Brookside, a residential neighborhood of quaint Tudor homes. "He couldn't even run through his neighborhood without being shot down like a dog," she said. "Worse than a dog." Baker was grappling with this new fear when George Floyd's death left her further shaken. Constant news alerts on her phone brought her to tears. "How many more people have to die?" She said. "It's like, enough is enough. We're not threats, we're people." Back in Minneapolis, Passmore said she was not terribly surprised at the way unrest had spread across city. She was not sure she was terribly angry about it, either. "Something had to happen to wake people up to the injustice," she said. "People are so angry, so angry that they've turned bitter. And bitterness is why people came in here and destroyed." At her side were Tanisha Cardon, 40, and her friend Marcus Ellis, 49, who lived in the same building as she. They nodded, mostly in agreement, as Passmore spoke. They had been harassed by police and knew what it was like to live in a neighborhood where the streets weren't as nice and laws were not enforced in the same ways in other parts of Minneapolis. But Cardon wondered about the ultimate costs of the protests. She had already wanted to move but was unsure of the destination. And now, even with more promises by mostly white politicians to change the systemic racism she encountered in her daily life, she was especially skeptical. "I am just scared, and I want to leave," Cardon said. Passmore looked at her. "But where will you go?" Passmore asked. The same problems exist everywhere. "That's why I am staying right here," she said. "Nobody is going to run me out." The US has sent to Brazil more than 2 million doses of a malaria drug touted by President Donald Trump as potentially protecting against and treating the coronavirus, even though scientific evidence has not backed up those uses. No large, rigorous scientific studies have found the drug, hydroxychloroquine, safe or effective for preventing or treating Covid-19, and some smaller studies have indicated worse outcomes from those taking the drug. Brazil, now Latin America's hardest-hit country, continues to see a surge in virus cases, and last week Trump announced that the US was restricting travel from the country to prevent travellers from spreading the virus in the US. In a joint statement with the Brazilian government on Sunday, the White House said the doses of hydroxychloroquine had been sent to Brazil as a prophylactic for front-line health workers and as a therapeutic for those who may come down with the virus. The White House said it was also delivering 1,000 ventilators to Brazil. Trump revealed in May that he took a two-week course of the drug to protect against the coronavirus, despite warnings from his own government that it should only be administered for Covid-19 in a hospital or research setting due to potentially fatal side effects. Trump's announcement that he was taking the drug was criticized by medical experts who warned that his actions could encourage others to take the drug outside of a medical setting. Trump said he decided to take hydroxychloroquine after two White House staffers tested positive for the disease. The one person arrested so far as a result of the violent confrontation between police and protesters in Harrisburg on Saturday was a juvenile, a spokesman for the Capitol Police said Monday. The teens arrest came as officers reacted when a violence erupted near the Capitol during what had been a peaceful protest over the Memorial Day death of George Floyd, a black man who died in the custody of Minneapolis police. Troy Thompson, Capitol police spokesman, said he could not name the teen who was arrested due to the fact that he is a juvenile. The teen was released to the custody of his parents will be prosecuted as a juvenile on a charge of disorderly conduct, Thompson said. Capitol Police so far have been the only ones to make an arrest due to Saturdays violence, which was centered at Front and State streets just west of the Capitol. Officials said two officers fromthat force were injured and police cars were damaged during what Mayor Eric Papenfuse described as a riot. The injured officers were released after receiving medical treatment. 5 Damage to Harrisburg police vehicles Papenfuse said earlier that police were trying to identify a white woman who smashed a police cruisers window with a pole and punched an officer in the face. The woman escaped as police rescued fellow officers from the midst of the unruly crowd, Papenfuse said. The mayor and city Police Commissioner Thomas Carter said they believe agitators from outside the area ignited the violence. Much more serious rioting has occurred in Minneapolis and other U.S. cities in the wake of Floyds death and the circulation of a video showing a white Minneapolis police officer kneeling on Floyds neck for more than 18 minutes as Floyd was handcuffed and on the ground. FILE - In this Monday, May 25, 2020, 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. Police around the U.S. and law enforcement experts are broadly condemning the way Floyd, who died in police custody, was restrained by a Minneapolis officer who dug his knee into the man's neck. (Darnella Frazier via AP, File)AP Floyd was arrested after being accused of using a counterfeit $20 bill at a deli. Police said he resisted arrest, although that is being disputed. Several witnesses recorded the incident with the cameras of their smartphones. The officer who was filmed kneeling on Floyds neck, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. OTTAWA - Politicians across the country were united in denouncing racism on Monday, as anger over the police killing of a black man in the United States sparked calls for more action north of the border to end the systemic discrimination of racialized communities in Canada. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, on Monday, June 1, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang OTTAWA - Politicians across the country were united in denouncing racism on Monday, as anger over the police killing of a black man in the United States sparked calls for more action north of the border to end the systemic discrimination of racialized communities in Canada. Yet exactly what those same politicians were prepared to do to address the problem, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described as a real and unacceptable threat to many Canadians of colour, remained unclear. The focus on racism by political leaders in Canada followed days of protests and violence in many U.S. cities, as the video showing police in Minneapolis killing a black man, George Floyd, has set fire to long-held anger over racism in the States. A police officer knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd pleaded that he couldn't breathe, then fell still. Those protests echoed in Canada over the weekend, including in one largely peaceful rally involving thousands of demonstrators in Montreal Sunday that later turned violent with looting and nearly a dozen arrests. Speaking during his daily news conference in Ottawa, Trudeau condemned those who "took advantage of these peaceful protests to do significant damage to communities and stores as we saw in Montreal," saying they did not represent the majority. The prime minister went on to lament that many racialized Canadians still face discrimination and live in fear, saying: "As a country, we can't pretend that racism doesn't exist here." Yet despite asserting that the status quo is unacceptable and more action was required, Trudeau did not provide any indication that new actions or measures are being contemplated by the government to address the problem. The prime minister instead listed several initiatives the Liberals have rolled out since 2015, including last summer's release of a three-year anti-racism strategy that includes $45 million in new funding and money to collect more data on racialized communities. Trudeau himself faced accusations of racism after pictures and video emerged last year showing him wearing blackface makeup on several occasions when he was younger, raising questions about his moral authority to speak on the subject. The prime minister, who has previously apologized, acknowledged that his actions "hurt many, many people. "But at the same time, we need to focus on doing better every single day, regardless of what we did or hadn't done in our past," he said. "I will continue to be an ally to minority communities, to racialized communities across this country and around the world." Several of Trudeau's cabinet ministers took to Twitter on Sunday and Monday to denounce racism, including Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, a former Toronto police chief, and Families Minister Ahmed Hussen, who immigrated to Canada from Somalia and said he worries about how his sons are seen and treated. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer also addressed the killing of George Floyd during a news conference on Parliament Hill, saying he was "heartbroken" and that no one should ever feel unsafe around police officers because of the colour of their skin. "When you're looking at a tragic incident where a man was killed in police custody with all the context around the discrimination that many black people feel in the U.S. and around the world it's clear all levels of government have much more to do," he said. That includes supporting communities that feel marginalized and are victims of racism and discrimination, he said, as well as calling out racist acts and teaching future generations about the damage caused by hate and intolerance. During his own emotional news conference, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh recalled his experiences dealing with racism as a practising Sikh while noting the "casual violence" and "callousness" of the Minneapolis police officers who killed Floyd. "When you see somebody who looks like you being killed like that, it makes you feel like you have no worth and no value," Singh said. "It makes you angry. And I speak as an ally who has felt the painful words and the physical violence of racism." The NDP leader, who at one point criticized the Liberals for only unveiling their anti-racism strategy after four years in government, went on to call for systemic changes to police training, the justice system and education and health care to eliminate inequality. Provincial leaders also weighed in, with Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Quebec Premier Francois Legault condemning racism and intolerance while acknowledging that more action is needed to eliminate the problem. "We must acknowledge where it is coming from and that means coming face to face with some of the most difficult problems we face as a society and many of these issues are deeply rooted," Ford said. 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. "They stem from a history of racism and abuse. But it is not only by bringing these issues to light, it is only by facing them. It is only by working together that we can begin to address them." Legault, whose government has been roundly criticized for introducing a controversial ban on public servants' wearing religious symbols, described the video of Floyd being killed as "shocking, revolting." "I understand all those who are revolted and I'm in solidarity with them," he added. "We have to fight against racism. All humans are equal, are all the same, regardless of the colour of their skin." The Quebec premier later went on to say that while there's "some discrimination" in the province, there isn't a "system" of discrimination. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2020. With files from Allison Jones and Morgan Lowrie WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Medical devices company Boston Scientific Corp. (BSX) announced Monday the U.S. launch of the DIRECTSENSE Technology, a tool for monitoring the effect of radiofrequency or RF energy delivery during cardiac ablation procedures. The Technology, which received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in April, is available on the RHYTHMIA Hdx Mapping System. According to the company, it is the only tool to monitor changes in local impedance - electrical resistance - around the tip of the INTELLANAV MiFi Open-Irrigated or OI ablation catheter. This offers physicians an additional measurement of therapy effect during an ablation. Ablation is a treatment option for patients with cardiac arrhythmias in which physicians use a catheter to create lesions and destroy heart tissue that causes abnormal rhythms. Boston Scientific said its new Technology provides data on the impedance around the catheter tip to measure the ability of the tissue to respond to radiofrequency energy before physicians deliver therapy. David Callans, professor of medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania - the first center to use the new technology in the U.S., said, 'Unlike existing products on the market, the DIRECTSENSE Technology assists physicians in evaluating pre-ablation tissue health, while supporting better clinical understanding of how they are influencing that tissue to guide minimal, predictable ablation during a procedure.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de A call to extend the Brexit transition period to give businesses more time to deal with coronavirus has divided the Stormont executive. SDLP Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has proposed that executive colleagues jointly urge the UK Government to ask the EU for an extension beyond the end of 2020. While her call was backed by ministers from Sinn Fein and the Alliance Party, the DUP and UUP opposed the move, resulting in a tied vote. Even if Ms Mallon had secured a majority around the executive table at Mondays meeting, the proposal would still have fallen if the DUP had voted against it, under cross community voting rules. Disappointed the DUP voted against my proposal today for the Executive to write to the British Govt to request a Brexit extension. Hoping that when we revisit this proposal in a fortnight's time, all Ministers agree this pragmatic approach to protect our businesses & communities. pic.twitter.com/nazkULLazc Nichola Mallon (@NicholaMallon) June 1, 2020 During the meeting of the devolved administration, ministers agreed to revisit the issue in two weeks time. Ms Mallon said businesses and communities were consumed by the impact of coronavirus. In recognising this I brought a proposal to the executive today that as a Northern Ireland Executive we would write to the UK Government requesting an extension to the transition period, just as they have done in Scotland, just as they have done in Wales, she said. It was disappointing that the DUP didnt vote in support of my proposal. She added: I think its very important at this time that we do all we can to protect our businesses and our communities and that is why we must request an extension of the British Government. Story continues The EU has stated a willingness to consider a two-year extension of the transition arrangements to provide time to reach a comprehensive trade agreement. But the UK Government has insisted the transition period will end as scheduled at the end of the year. When the transition period ends the Northern Ireland protocol will come into force an arrangement by which the region continues to follow single market rules for goods and administers the EUs customs code at its ports. First Minister Arlene Foster (left) and Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill (Kelvin Boyes/PA) Later at Mondays daily Covid-19 media briefing, DUP First Minister Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill stated their different perspectives on the call for an extension. Mrs Foster, who said the executives private deliberations should not have been made public, stressed that an extension was a matter for the UK Government. Its not a matter for the executive here in Stormont, she added. I believe something we need to focus on doing is making sure that we have the minimum amount of risk to the Northern Ireland economy, thats certainly where my focus is at currently in terms of the Northern Ireland protocol, and I hope its where the focus of my colleagues is at as well. I would much prefer to move forward in terms of consensus, building consensus. I think we have consensus around the fact that we all want to protect the economy of Northern Ireland after Brexit and after the transition period, and therefore we should focus on that and make sure that we do our best for the economy and the people of Northern Ireland. Mrs ONeill said an extension was necessary because the local economy was on its knees. Given the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic impact thats having on our economy, I think its only reasonable the deadline should be extended, she said. Theres a need for an extension in order to allow us to be able to deal with the economic catastrophe that is Covid-19 and its implications for our economy. There isnt anything good to come from Brexit, there should be an extension and if this is going to be foisted upon us then my opinion is that there should be an extension. Our local economy is on its knees because of the coronavirus epidemic and the fact that theyre having to respond and deal with all of that and to have that shock, and then to have the Brexit shock, the outcome of which remains to be seen, so there should be an extension. Arkansas -- Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) says President Donald Trump should send U.S. military to cities facing protests and violence after the death of George Floyd, who died last week when a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck. Cotton told Fox News Monday that if necessary the president should use the Insurrection Act to deploy active-duty military forces to these cities to support our local law enforcement and ensure that this violence ends tonight, not one more night. What the president can do is say that justice will be done in accordance with law for George Floyd," Cotton said. Lets see how these anarchists respond when the 101st Airborne is on the other side of the street. According to The Hill, the Insurrection Act was passed in 1807 to give the U.S. president the power to deploy active U.S. military troops on U.S. soil. The law was last invoked in 1992 when the governor of California requested federal help with riots after the Rodney King trial in Los Angeles. Anarchy, rioting, and looting needs to end tonight. If local law enforcement is overwhelmed and needs backup, lets see how tough these Antifa terrorists are when theyre facing off with the 101st Airborne Division. We need to have zero tolerance for this destruction, Cotton wrote on Twitter. And, if necessary, the 10th Mountain, 82nd Airborne, 1st Cav, 3rd Infantrywhatever it takes to restore order. No quarter for insurrectionists, anarchists, rioters, and looters. We should have zero tolerance for anarchy, rioting, and looting. If necessary, the president should use the Insurrection Act to deploy active-duty military forces to these cities to support our local law enforcement and ensure this violence ends tonight. Not one more night. pic.twitter.com/a41ExMrgIZ Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) June 1, 2020 Representatives for the Arkansas senator, a Republican and a close ally of Trump, told The Daily Beast he had not spoken with the president as of Monday morning. On Sunday, Trump said he would seek to designate Antifa protesters as a domestic terrorism organization and blamed them for riots over the weekend. Thousands marched in protest over police brutality and Floyds death in dozens of cities; some also saw violence, looting and property damage. CNN reports at least 40 cities, including Syracuse, responded by imposing curfews. The National Guard was also activated in 15 states and Washington, D.C. A senior Defense Department official told The Washington Post on Saturday that no one in the department is talking about invoking the Insurrection Act. Trump has not responded to Cottons comments as of early Monday afternoon. As social distancing measure continue, The Lake Houston Wilderness Park provides an outdoor option for residents looking for an outlet. The park is open daily for hiking, biking, canoeing, horseback riding and getting back outside in many ways on nearly 5,000 acres at 25840 FM 1485, New Caney. WHAT TO DO: These 19 Houston attractions survived coronavirus and are reopening The park is open with limitations they will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday with an entrance fee of $3 for people between the ages of 13 to 64 with free entry for military and seniors. The Lake Houston Wilderness Park is closed on Tuesday. Park officials will not offer rentals or open park facilities except for restrooms, which are cleaned three times a day. Areas that are not in use are being sanitized once a week as a precaution. Overnight camping is not available at this time. The park only closed due to the coronavirus during Easter weekend when Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner closed all city parks. It was the first time a mayor closed Lake Houston Wilderness Park in at least 15 years, said Lauren Hollenbeck, a park naturalist at Lake Houston Wilderness Park. Hollenbeck said with the size of the park, it is easy to continue to socially distance while getting outside. Trails, for the most part, are not challenging and the Peach Creek Overlook is Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA accessible. The great thing about Lake Houston Wilderness Park is that it is decently sized its almost 5,000 acres, Hollenbeck said. We have over 20 miles of trails so if you come up here its great to pack a lunch and plan to take a long hike because you can walk on a trail for a couple of hours and only run into a few other people, and its really easy to social distance that way. Peach Creek Overlook is often a popular location in the park for swimming and fishing. Hollenbeck recommends if visitors plan to stop at this area in the park, to spread out and come with immediate family. We do suggest that if youre going to do that then you need to come with your immediate family and you spread out, Hollenbeck said. It is kind of a small beach, so weve been kind of making sure that not too many people are there and not too many large groups are there. HOUSING AND CORONAVIRUS: Houston-area evictions set to pick up in June Hollenbeck believes that getting outside is important and a good way to get to feeling better mentally and physically during the closures, changes and new normals. She recommends researching before visiting to the park, bring hand sanitizer, wear a mask if coming into contact with people and to practice safe social distancing. The parks website also urges visitors that if anyone has been sick in the last two weeks to stay home. I think that getting outside right now is really important and getting into nature is really important because sitting inside your house can be kind of mentally hard. When youre not sure with the COVID stuff, it can kind of get difficult, Hollenbeck said. So getting out here and reconnecting with nature can make you feel better mentally and I think it makes you feel better, you get exercise, you get your heart pumping, which is awesome. Its kind of a nice little escape. For more information on Lake Houston Wilderness Park, visit their website here. savannah.mehrtens@chron.com vivo just announced its flagship X50 family of smartphones - the vivo X50, X50 Pro and X50 Pro+. The last two are defined by the exceptional photography capabilities, while the first one is the slimmest 5G phone to date. vivo X50 Pro+ The vivo X50 Pro+ is the first phone to pack Samsung's brand new 50MP ISOCELL GN1 1/1.3" sensor. It's the first to combine the ISOCELL and Tetracell and it can do 12.5MP stills in binned mode with huge 2.4m pixels. The company says that in combination with the motion deblur algorithm and continuous focus tracking make the videos and stills look amazing at night. Speaking of night, all X50 handsets support Super Night Mode and Astro Mode for clear pictures of the night sky. A periscope zoom camera promises up to 60x hybrid zoom called Hyper Zoom. The camera itself has an 8MP sensor and F/3.0 lens with around 5x optical magnification (135mm). There's also an 8MP ultrawide snapper with 120-degrees field of view that can also be used for macro shots since the camera is capable of autofocusing just 2.5cm away from the subject. The fourth 13MP f/2.5 unit is a dedicated portrait camera and judging by the focal length, it offers 2x optical zoom so you don't have to get in the face of the subject.. Beyond photography we are looking at a 6.56" OLED display and a Snapdragon 865 chipset. The Pro+ runs Funtouch OS 10.5 on top of Android 10. vivo X50 Pro The X50 Pro has another exciting camera setup - where the main camera has a gimbal-style stabilization that promises to deliver videos more stable than any of its competitors. It packs a slightly less impressive 48MP sensor - the Sony IMX598 - but offers a faster f/1.6 aperture. The gimbal system that extends the rotation angle and anti-shake area significantly compared to the standard OIS systems nowadays. vivo X50 Pro The other three cameras are almost identical with the small exception of the periscope module offering slightly slower f/3.4 aperture. And the selfie cam is 32MP with f/2.5 aperture. While the X50 Pro shares the extremely curved OLED of 1080 x 2376px resolution with built-in fingerprint sensor, it comes with a Snapdragon 765G chipset. A 4,315 mAh battery keeps the lights on and supports 33W fast charging with the charger in the box. While not explicitly confirmed we believe the Pro+ has the exact same battery capacity and charging speeds. vivo X50 The vanilla X50 misses on the gimbal stabilization and the periscope zoom and has design as its key selling point. In fact the vanilla vivo X50 is the thinnest 5G phone measuring just 7.49mm. It too runs on the Snapdragon 765G chipset and packs a 6.56-inch AMOLED of the same resolution as its siblings, only this time the panel is flat. The punch-hole houses a 32MP camera just like on the X50 Pro and X50 Pro+. There's the smallest of differences in the aperture - the X50 has an F/2.48 lens vs F/2.45 for the Pro phones. Around the back you get the same 48MP sensor with f/1.6 aperture as on the X50 Pro but it uses standard OIS instead of the advanced solution on the more premium phone. The ultrawide and the 13MP "short" telephoto cameras remain the same. The juice is provided by a 4,200 mAh battery that can be charged at 33W with the included charging brick. Pricing and availability The vanilla vivo X50 is available in 8GB/128GB version for CNY3,498 ($490) and 8GB/256GB at CNY3,898 ($550). It's sales begin on June 6 and available colors are Black, Pink and Blue The vivo X50 Pro is offered in Black and Blue with the same two memory variants - 8GB/128GB for CNY4,298 ($600) and 8GB/256GB costing CNY4,698 ($660). Sales for that one start on June 12. The pricier X50 Pro+, on the other hand, has an additional 12GB/256GB variant selling for CNY 5,998 ($840) while the 128GB and the 256GB will set you back for CNY 4,998($700) and CNY 5,498($770), respectively. Actual availability is coming in July. World's coronavirus caseload passes 6mn, Latin America registers grim milestone Iran Press TV Sunday, 31 May 2020 6:34 AM The new coronavirus has been found in the blood of more than six million people around the globe so far, according to Johns Hopkins University, and some 369,126 people have died of the disease caused by the virus (COVID-19). Latin America reported a grim milestone of 50,000 deaths from COVID-19 and some one million confirmed cases. Experts say the true number could be much higher. The European Union (EU) has called on US President Donald Trump to rethink a decision to terminate ties with the World Health Organization (WHO), and Pope Francis has implored world leaders to act generously to end the pandemic of poverty amid the global health crisis. The following is the latest on the pandemic from the last 24 hours: Brazil second only to US in caseload Brazil reported a record 33,274 new cases of the viral infection on Saturday, according to the country's Health Ministry, which put the overall tally at 498,440. Brazil's death toll also increased by 956 to 28,834. According to the data, Brazil's outbreak is now second only to the United States, which stands on the top of the list of the most affected countries both in terms of cases and deaths. The United States has reported 1,769,776 known cases of infection and 103,685 deaths. Though cases are on the rise in Brazil, states are set to ease quarantine restrictions, as far-right President Jair Bolsonaro continues to play down the threat from the viral outbreak and keeps calling on governors to reopen economies. Mexico's death toll nears 10,000 Mexico, which is struggling to stem the spread of the virus, recorded 2,885 new cases and 364 more deaths on Saturday. Those brought the total number of known cases to 87,512 and the fatality figure to 9,779. Colombia to shut down neighborhoods in capital Meanwhile, Colombian authorities are planning to shut down the largest neighborhoods in the capital, Bogota, as the country's caseload surpassed 28,200 and its death toll reached 890. Bogota alone has reported more than 9,600 of the country's cases. The government issued new restrictive measures in three of the most affected cities, including Bogota, on Saturday, while the rest of the country prepared to relax quarantine rules. Police and the military will enforce the lockdown in the capital and Cali and Cartagena. No one will be allowed out except to seek food or medical care or in case of an emergency. Chile overtakes China in confirmed cases In Chile, health authorities said the country had registered 94,858 cases of COVID-19 and 997 related deaths. The country has now surpassed China in the number of known coronavirus infections. Peru reports record daily rise in cases Peru reported a record 7,386 daily infections on Saturday, bringing the nationwide tally to 155,671, the Health Ministry said. The number of deaths rose by 141, taking the total to 4,371, according to official data. President Martin Vizcarra, however, brushed aside concerns over the rise in the COVID-19 cases, saying it was the result of larger number of tests being carried out in the country. He said that as the number of infections increased, the number of people who recovered from the illness also rose. Some 42 percent of all confirmed cases have already recovered, he said. Peru is the second-hardest-hit country in terms of confirmed cases in Latin America. EU urges Trump to rethink WHO ties at a time of threat Meanwhile, the EU's top diplomats called on the US administration "to reconsider its announced decision," to cut ties with the WHO. "In the face of this global threat, now is the time for enhanced cooperation and common solutions," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on Saturday. "Actions that weaken international results must be avoided," they said. Trump announced on Friday that he was terminating the relationship with the UN agency, accusing the WHO of becoming a puppet of China during the handling of the coronavirus pandemic. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus denied the allegation but promised a review of its performance after the pandemic eases. Pope calls on world leaders to end poverty pandemic Pope Francis implored world leaders on Saturday to provide economic aid to "end the pandemic of poverty in the world." Speaking in a video message to mark the feast of Pentecost, the Pope called for the enormous sums of money used to make armaments to be instead used to fund research to prevent similar catastrophes in the future. "From the great trials of humanity among them this pandemic one emerges better or worse. You don't emerge the same," he said. The pontiff will also address people on Sunday from his window overlooking Saint Peter's Square for the first time since March. Germany's cases rise by 286 The number of known cases in Germany has risen by 286 to 181,482, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases. It said the deaths also rose by 11 to 8,500. Russia reports 9,268 new cases Russia reported 9,268 new cases of the viral infection, taking the national tally to 405,843. Some 138 people died of the disease in the last 24 hours, pushing the overall toll up to 4,693. China reports 2 new cases China, which was the first-ever country to report an outbreak, has recorded a total number of 84,128 cases and 4,634 deaths. The National Health Commission (NHC) reported two new cases for Saturday. Both cases were imported to the Chinese province of Shandong. No additional deaths were reported. South Korea reports 27 new cases South Korea recorded 27 more cases on Sunday, according to health officials, who put the total caseload at 11,468. Authorities also reported one death, taking the total toll to 270. Singapore 518 new cases Singapore's Health Ministry reported more 518 cases on Sunday, bringing the total tally to 34,884. The ministry has so far reported 23 deaths from the epidemic. Al-Aqsa Mosque reopens after 2 months Al-Aqsa Mosque reopened to worshipers on Sunday after more than two months of closure under coronavirus restrictions in the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds. The Council of Islamic Waqf lifted entry restrictions and reopened the compound, citing the slowed local spread of the coronavirus. The holy mosque had been shut in mid-March. Some 700 Muslims gathered for dawn prayers early on Sunday, Reuters said. Muslim authorities, however, imposed some measures to reduce the risk of contagion among worshipers, including making wearing face masks mandatory for those who wished to pray inside the shrines or on the compound's outdoor grounds. Israel has so far reported 17,000 cases of COVID-19 and 284 deaths. There have been 386 cases and three deaths in the occupied West Bank. Rwanda records 1st death Rwanda recorded the first death from COVID-19 on Sunday. The victim, a 65-year-old, had fallen ill in a neighboring country where he resided before returning home, said the Health Ministry. Rwanda eased a coronavirus lockdown on May 4, allowing businesses to resume with essential staff. The East African country has reported 359 confirmed cases. Officials have so far conducted 66,976 tests. Authorities are moving to lift restrictions in and out of the capital of Kigali in Monday. The country's borders, however, remain closed. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 31, 2020) - C21 Investments Inc. (CSE: CXXI) (OTCQB: CXXIF) (the "Company") today supplements its news release from May 28, 2020, regarding its reliance on temporary regulatory filing relief, pursuant to the British Columbia Securities Commission's blanket order, BC Instrument 51-515 Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements (the "Exemption"), and comparable exemptions in other Canadian provincial jurisdictions. As a result of logistical delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company is relying on the Exemption to postpone the release of its January 31, 2019 audited annual financial statements, and management's discussion and analysis (the "Annual Filings"). The Company is otherwise required to release its Annual Filings on or before June 1, 2020 pursuant to National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations, which is now estimated to be filed on or before July 14, 2020 in reliance of the Exemption. The Company has imposed an insider trading blackout pending the release of its Annual Filings. Members of management, directors and other insiders will comply with the Company's insider trading policy and the guidelines described in section 9 of National Policy 11-207 Failure-to-File Cease Trade Orders and Revocations in Multiple Jurisdictions, until the Annual Filings have been released. There have been no material business developments in the Company's operations which have not previously been disclosed. The CSE has not accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release Media contact: Skyler Pinnick Chief Marketing Officer and Director Sky.Pinnick@cxxi.ca +1 833 BUY-CXXI (289-2994) Investor contact: Michael Kidd Chief Financial Officer and Director Michael.Kidd@cxxi.ca +1 833 BUY-CXXI (289-2994) About C21 Investments Inc. C21 Investments is a vertically integrated cannabis company that cultivates, processes, and distributes quality cannabis and hemp-derived consumer products in the United States. The Company is focused on value creation through the disciplined acquisition and integration of core retail, manufacturing, and distribution assets in strategic markets, leveraging industry-leading retail revenues with high-growth potential multi-market branded consumer packaged goods. The Company owns Silver State Relief and Silver State Cultivation in Nevada, and Phantom Farms, Swell Companies, Eco Firma Farms, and Pure Green in Oregon. These brands produce and distribute a broad range of THC and CBD products from cannabis flowers, pre-rolls, cannabis oil, vaporizer cartridges and edibles. Based in Vancouver, Canada, additional information on C21 Investments can be found at www.sedar.com and www.cxxi.ca. Cautionary Statement: Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements in this news release include the estimated release date of the Company's Annual Filings. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company, including the ability of the Company to restructure its secured debt and to service its restructured debt. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent the Company's expectations as of the date hereof, and are subject to change after such date. 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 required under applicable securities regulations. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56948 Watch the debate live here: Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Joe Kennedy III will square off in a debate on Monday night in Springfield, bringing a major Senate primary thats already been overshadowed by President Donald Trumps impeachment and the coronavirus pandemic back under the spotlight. While the debate may be geared toward western Massachusetts, it comes one week after the death of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis ignited both peaceful protests and unrest across the nation. The Democrats are sure to face questions on institutional racism, peaceful protests and escalating violence between people in the streets and law enforcement thats left police cruisers burning and storefronts smashed in dozens of cities, including Boston. Both candidates have said they support the Black Lives Matter movement and justice for 46-year-old George Floyd, who died after his neck was pinned under the knee of a white police officer. Kennedy is an original cosponsor of the resolution led by Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar, Barbara Lee and Karen Bass, to condemn police brutality, racial profiling and the use of excessive force. Markey has expressed support for the measure. What time and channel? The live hour-long debate is set for 7 p.m. in Western Mass News studio in Springfield. It will be broadcast by WGGB-TV/Western Mass News and streamed by WBUR, WCVB, The Boston Globe, UMass Boston, UMass Amherst and MassLive. Due to coronavirus precautions, the studio will be empty. The debate will also be broadcast by Univision stations WUNI and WHTX, and radio listeners can tune in on WBUR and New England Public Radio. Whos moderating and hosting? Western Mass News anchor Dave Madsen, WBUR Morning Edition host Bob Oakes, The Boston Globe columnist Adrian Walker and WCVB On the Record anchor Janet Wu will moderate Monday nights debate. The event is hosted by a group of statewide media and educational partners, including MassLive, Western Mass News, The Boston Globe, WBUR, WCVB NewsChannel 5 and the University of Massachusetts Bostons John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies. What are some issues likely to arise? With campaigning thrown for a loop amid the coronavirus the last few months, both men have touted their efforts to help secure personal protective equipment and to challenge the Trump administration to ramp up its pandemic response. The candidates largely agree on a host of issues. They debated on WGBH in February and focused on experience and whod be the best advocate for progressivism in Markeys seat after Election Day. Kennedy entered the race in September with a lead in polls; he has maintained an edge in fundraising but polling has tightened in recent months. Markey, 73, has consistently said hes running on a 40-year track record of getting things done in Congress, including successful fights against the fossil fuel and gun industries. An original co-sponsor of Sen. Bernie Sanders Medicare for All Act, Markey has focused on his background fighting for Alzheimers research and efforts to successfully secure $200 million in National Institutes of Health for a universal flu vaccine. Markey is also likely to discuss support for western Massachusetts, including efforts to secure funding on infrastructure, telecommunications and combating the opioid crisis. Kennedy, a four-term congressman in the 4th District and member of the best-known political dynasty in the U.S., is running on not only a history fighting for mental health issues, substance use disorders and defending the Affordable Care Act, but for what hes described as an effort to bring stronger, more effective leadership to the Senate. The 39-year-old former prosecutor has taken some heat for taking on Markey, an established progressive. But Kennedy emphasized in the last debate that its more than voting the right way and filing the right bill. This is making sure you are a constant presence in Massachusetts and the people in the state know youre fighting for them." Kennedy and his campaign have accused Markey, a Malden resident who owns a home in Maryland, of not being in the commonwealth enough a notion Markey characterized as blatantly false. Kennedy has pushed for the repeal of authorizations for use of military force and targeted Markeys vote on the Iraq War as an example of a poor decision at a crucial time. Markey has described the vote as a mistake but noted that the Bush administration lied about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction. The Democrats late last year tussled over debate timing and location, with Markey pushing for a November forum on climate, his signature issue, and Kennedy calling for a climate-themed debate in a frontline community in 2020. Eventually, Kennedy chose not to appear as Markey discussed climate change and policy at Stonehill College alongside labor attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan, who ended her bid earlier this year. Are more debates coming? At least three more debates are scheduled before the Sept. 1 primary, including an Aug. 18 debate in the Boston area hosted by the same media consortium, which includes The Republican, Entravision, New England Public Radio, UMass Amherst School of Public Policy and WJAR in Providence. Related Content: A cab driver seriously hurt after being hit while a Portland, Ore. police officer chased a motorist the wrong way down Interstate 84 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, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. They sought over $260,000 in reimbursement for medical expenses, lost income and other damages, city senior claims analyst Jessica Bird told the council. According to police 59-year-old Christopher Cannard, hit another car on April 19, 2018 and then drove away. Then-Portland officer Alfonso Valadez Jr. later saw Cannards vehicle and chased 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, about 30 seconds after the police started the chase. 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 over a year 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. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Law Enforcement Oregon UAE flag By Yi Whan-woo The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is expanding measures to curb the COVID-19 pandemic and resume economic activities, with over 2 million coronavirus tests conducted, opening of field hospitals and operation of a virus tracker app, according to the UAE Embassy in Seoul last week. The embassy said the country is expanding international cooperation against the pandemic as well, providing test kits and other medical equipment while handing out complimentary hygiene kits to every passenger departing and arriving in Dubai. "Our investments in the future paid off sooner than expected. It is reassuring to know we're heading in the right direction," Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, crown Prince of Dubai and chairman of Dubai Executive Council, was quoted as saying. The crown price said the Middle Eastern kingdom is "encouraged to redouble efforts, to accelerate our digital transformation for Dubai to become a model smart city, forever exceeding expectations." With restrictions remaining from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. in accordance with the National Disinfection Program, the country has developed a homegrown laser test that has 85 percent to 90 percent accuracy. This is expected to help the UAE speed up virus testing, following the over 2 million tests. The aggregate number of tests means one test for every 4.5 people and that the country maintains "leading position globally," according to the embassy. The country recently opened a new field hospital with 1,200 beds, as part of a plan to open at least five field hospitals in "coming days." The UAE has been running a virus tracker app for over a month to keep the virus under control while minimizing restrictions on economic activities. For international cooperation, it provided more than 658 tons of COVID-19 aid equipment to 57 countries, with Tajikistan and Iraqi Kurdistan being the latest beneficiaries. In coordination with the Yemeni government, it helped 100 displaced Yemenis hit by the civil war to return home. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces, donated 200,000 test kits worth $20 million to a coronavirus screening test center in Las Vegas. The flag carrier Emirates Airline is handing out complimentary hygiene kits to every passenger at Dubai International Airport and on ?ights to Dubai. The kits include masks, gloves, antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer. The UAE reported 34,557 infections as of May 31, including 661 new cases. A total of 17,372 were recovered by then while 264 died. Announcement comes after calls by protesters, activists and Floyds family for Keith Ellison to take over case. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said Sunday that the State Attorney General Keith Ellison would take the lead in any prosecutions related to the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died on Monday after a white officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as he pleaded that he could not breathe. Walzs decision to appoint Ellison, who is Black, take the lead comes after requests from activists and protesters, some City Council members and a civil rights group, who said putting the attorney general on the case would send a strong message that justice will be vigorously pursued. Walz said Ellison has the experience needed to lead the prosecution. Ellison said on Friday he that it was with a large degree of humility and a great seriousness, I accept for my office the responsibility for leadership on this critical case involving the killing of George Floyd. He added: We are going to bring to bear all the resources necessary to achieve justice in this case. It with a large degree of humility and a great seriousness, I accept for my office the responsibility for leadership on this critical case involving the killing of George Floyd. We are going to bring to bear all the resources necessary to achieve justice in this case. pic.twitter.com/XXafzFT0Kd Attorney General Keith Ellison (@AGEllison) June 1, 2020 Earlier Sunday, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, who had been leading the case, said that he had asked Ellison to help him in the case, and Ellison agreed they would be full partners. There have been recent developments in the facts of the case where the help and expertise of the Attorney General would be valuable, Freeman said. He did not elaborate. But by Sunday evening, Walz said that unfortunately, our constituents, especially constituents of colour, have lost faith in the ability of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman to fairly and impartially investigate and prosecute these cases. Derek Chauvin, the 44-year-old white officer who knelt on Floyd, was charged Friday with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The three other officers who were involved have not been charged, though Freeman and Ellison have said additional charges are still possible. Chauvin and the three other officers were fired last week. On Sunday, more than 100 people gathered outside Freemans demanding the arrests of all four police officers involved in Floyds death, and the resignation of Freeman. Community leaders and organisers have told Al Jazeera that they have been calling for Ellison to handle the case, saying there is a history of mistrust between Freemans office and members of the community. Walz said Floyds family had also requested Ellison take over, saying, They were very clear they wanted the system to work for them, they wanted to believe that there was trust. Ellison, who was a US congressman before being elected attorney general, has good ties with the community, organisers have told Al Jazeera. He recently helped lead a state working group on police use of deadly force. But it turns out they are not so easily written off. The posse plans to ask the group's board this week to hold an extraordinary shareholders' meeting in September, where the chairman's foes -- Cho Hyun-ah, Bando Engineering and Construction, and corporate raiders Korea Corporate Governance Improvement -- will again try to appoint three board directors who are loyal to them. The battle for control of Korean Air is far from over even though Hanjin Group chairman Cho Won-tae in March fended off an assault from his "nut-rage" sister and her posse of raiders. The anti-Cho Won-tae alliance is upping the pressure by filing a lawsuit seeking to void the vote in the last shareholders' meeting that defeated them, and has also bought another two-percent stake in holding company Hanjin KAL. One industry insider said, "Chairman Cho is struggling to keep Korean Air afloat amid the severe coronavirus cash crunch, and now he has to defend his control" over the conglomerate. An investor thought to be Bando acquired a two-percent stake in Hanjin KAL or 1.23 million shares on May 26. That could give them a 44.75-percent stake in the holding company, weakening the position of Cho Won-tae who controls 41.15 percent. Industry watchers say cash-strapped Korean Air simply does not have the ammunition to buy more stakes itself. But many variables remain. Hanjin KAL's board may reject the extraordinary meeting in September, which would then require a court decision, and since that usually takes about six months, a fresh date would be unlikely until December. So far the chairman has the backing of the National Pension Service, which owns a 2.9-percent stake in Hanjin KAL and came to his rescue in the March meeting. But even supposing it sides with him again, the stake of his enemy alliance would be 0.7 percentage points higher, another close call. Huh Hee-young at Korea Aerospace University said, "A protracted management dispute could hinder a recovery and damage the carriers enterprise value." Blood drives The American Red Cross has an urgent need for blood donations as the demand increases for blood products. Healthy and eligible individuals are encouraged to make appointments to donate blood or platelets to prevent a shortage. In Twin Falls, several blood donation opportunities are available from 12 to 7 p.m. June 8 at La Quinta Inn, 539 Pole Line Road; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 9 and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 10, both at the Canyon Crest Dining and Event Center, 330 Canyon Crest Drive. Also from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 17 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 26, both at the La Quinta Inn; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 24 at the Twin Falls Area Battle of The Badges, 630 Addison Ave. W.; 12 to 7 p.m. June 25 at the Twin Falls Idaho South Stake Center, 541 Orchard Drive; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 27 at the Twin Falls Church of the Nazarene, 1231 Washington St. N. In Burley, blood drives are scheduled from 12 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Hampton Inn, 560 Hampton Drive, and 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. June 22 and 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. June 23, both at the Zion Lutheran Church, 2410 Miller Ave. Blood drives are also planned from 1 to 6:30 p.m. June 18 and 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. June 19, both at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 821 Broadford Road, Hailey; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 26 at the War Memorial Building, 203 Third Ave. W., Gooding. All blood types are needed to maintain a reliable supply. A blood donor card or drivers license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Donors are required to wear a face covering or mask in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance. Anyone giving blood or platelets through June 30 will receive a $5 Amazon.com gift card via email, courtesy of Amazon. Appointments should be scheduled in advance by using the free blood donor app, visiting redcrossblood.org, calling 800-733-2767 or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. Donors can use RapidPass online at redcrossblood.org/rapidpass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire. To do for you is a listing of health-related activities, events and education. Submit information by noon Thursday for publication in the following Mondays edition to ramona@magicvalley.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: A rights body on Monday claimed that at least 251 migrant workers had died while trying to return home during the lockdown. In its report COVID-19 Lockdown: The impact of Singapore Syndrome in Indias dormitories, the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) claimed the lockdown had failed to contain community transmission of infections as reflected in 564 confirmed cases with 10 deaths on March 24 to 1,82,142 confirmed cases with 5,164 deaths as on May 31. During the lockdown from March 24 to May 31, at least 251 migrant workers including 170 persons in other transports and 81 persons in Shramik trains had died while trying to return home to escape instant joblessness, homelessness and hunger in the metropolis. Migrants died in road accidents, forest fire, due to exhaustion, illness, negligence in relief camps etc while the Shramik trains have turned into living hell-holes without water, food and constantly running late without fans during scorching Indian summer, the RRAG said in the report. Explaining the Singapore Syndrome, RRAG director Suhas Chakma said it is all about faster spread of COVID-19 cases during lockdown in situations where maintaining social distancing is impossible like the cramped dormitories housing the foreign migrant workers in Singapore. By March 5, 2020, Singapore was hailed as being the model country in tackling COVID-19 but by May 27, it not only became the country with the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South East Asia despite the lockdown from April 7 to June 1 but out of the total 32,417 COVID-19 cases in the country, a whopping 30,623 or 94.5% were dormitory cases, Chakma said. He said places like Dharavi slum in Mumbai were all but big dormitories far worse than the dormitories of Singapore. Infections of 15% of the total foreign workers or about 31,263 out of the total 2 lakh foreign workers of Singapore by May 27 were indicative of the spread of the virus in Indian dormitories, he said. Lockdown without addressing immediate needs of the migrants and the poor on real time basis has caused spread of COVID-19 and many of these migrants returning home are carrying the disease with 2,433 returnee migrants in Bihar testing COVID positive as of May 30 and the states in the Northeast, which are like Islands, are also witnessing spurt of cases from 61 cases on May 1 to 1,689 positive cases on May 31, Chakma said. He added: Indias lockdown has caused the largest internal displacement ever recorded in history and it exposed the migrants to colossal humanitarian crisis not only because of failureto ensure the right to life and liberty, the right to freedom of movement to return home with safety and dignity as guaranteed under Articles 14, 19(1) and 21 of the Constitution and enforce Section 12 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The rights body suggested to the Central government to work out a national strategy with full and meaningful participation of all states and Union Territories and the opposition political parties by keeping aside electoral politics and include epidemiologists in decision-making and ensure respect for human rights while tackling the pandemic. Confirmations and communions postponed because of the pandemic will begin again from late summer, the Catholic Diocese of Limerick announced yesterday. The diocese has set up a special registration system to make sure all those who want to participate are included. And Bishop Brendan Leahy appealed to the families of children whose sacraments were cancelled to register at the earliest opportunity for the rescheduled ceremonies using the diocesan website. Speaking at St John's Cathedral in Limerick, Dr Leahy said the celebrations will be the same special sacramental rite of passage except for the numbers involved, in compliance with public health advice. Expand Close Appeal: Dr Brendan Leahy urged families to register on the diocesan website. Pic Frank Mc Grath / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Appeal: Dr Brendan Leahy urged families to register on the diocesan website. Pic Frank Mc Grath Girls and boys had been "very much looking forward to the big day", he said, adding: "My hope is that from late summer onwards we will be able in small groups to begin celebrating the sacrament of confirmation in parishes across the diocese." Since the children involved will by late summer have left their current school, the diocese has set up a registration system which will facilitate arrangements operating through parishes. Families of children who had been preparing for communion have been asked to register via the same form on the Limerick Diocesan website. The diocese will then inform the parishes about dates and the parishes in turn will contact the families directly about the ceremonies. Separately, Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin yesterday blessed wristbands which will be given to confirmation candidates on the day of their sacrament. The wristbands carry the message: "You will be my witnesses". Addressing the students online from St Patrick's Church, Strandhill, Co Sligo, Dr Doran acknowledged young people's disappointment at the cancellation of their big day. "I know you didn't get a chance to finish your primary school or to celebrate your confirmation," he said. But he said that even though they would be in a new school from September, they still belonged to their own parish community and it is the parish that will help them finish their preparation for confirmation in the autumn. In Limerick yesterday, Bishop Leahy also reminded sixth-year students who were due to commence their Leaving Cert examinations on Wednesday that he will preside at an online "liturgy of encouragement" that day at 7pm. The liturgy will be streamed from St John's Cathedral webcam as well as relayed via Facebook Live and the Limerick Diocesan Facebook. It won't be a graduation ceremony or a Mass but will be "a reflective moment to mark the conclusion of second-level studies", Bishop Leahy said. "Even though they've had incredible uncertainty in the last weeks or months, nevertheless, this is an important moment to mark. It is a milestone," he added. "The class of 2020 will bring with them to future generations a unique experience, one that has certainly brought home both the fragility of life and the importance of focusing on what really matters." Dr Leahy also appealed to people not to be complacent about the risks of coronavirus now that the country seems to be getting on top of the first wave of Covid-19. "The R rate (the reproductive rate of the virus) we're told is going in the right direction," he said. "Let's remember the motto, 'More haste less speed'. Moving steadily and safely we will save lives." US national security adviser OBrien accused Zimbabwe and China of stirring unrest in US over George Floyds death. Zimbabwe has summoned the ambassador of the United States to the country over remarks by a senior US official accusing it of stirring anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd in police custody. In an interview with ABC news on Sunday, US national security adviser Robert OBrien referred to Zimbabwe and China as foreign adversaries using social media to stoke unrest and sow discord, without citing any evidence. Zimbabwes foreign ministry spokesman James Manzou said US Ambassador Brian Nichols was called in to explain OBriens remarks on Monday. The United States has been rocked by days of sometimes violent protests after Floyd, an unarmed African American, died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, while a white police officer knelt on his neck, ignoring complaints he could not breathe. US President Donald Trumps administration has portrayed the violence as the work of outside groups. Officials are investigating whether foreign adversaries are behind a burgeoning disinformation campaign on social media. Statement by Ambassador Nichols on his Meeting with Foreign Minister Moyo pic.twitter.com/SmcphOCxoD U.S. Embassy Harare (@usembassyharare) June 1, 2020 Government spokesman Nick Mangwana said Zimbabwe did not consider itself Americas adversary. We prefer having friends and allies to having unhelpful adversity with any other nation including the USA, Mangwana said in a Twitter post on Sunday. Zimbabwe-US relations have been tense since Washington imposed sanctions on former president Robert Mugabe and members of his inner circle in 2002 over rights abuses. Those sanctions were extended in March of this year, with Washington citing President Emmerson Mnangagwas failure to implement reforms as well as his violent crackdowns on opposition since he took power in 2017. Mnangagwa, Mugabes successor, is one of the more than 80 Zimbabweans who are sanctioned by the US government, which prevents them from having US bank accounts and traveling to the US. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Vice Admiral George Ursabia as the new Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard, the PCG announced on Monday. Ursabia, the 27th head of the Coast Guard, replaced Admiral Joel Garcia who retired Monday after 35 years of service. A copy of his appointment paper signed by Duterte was also released. I know that VADM Ursabia will continue the significant developments that as a leader at the helm, must be geared upon for the greater benefits of the Command, Garcia said. The new commandant has more than 36 years of active service. Prior to taking up the position, Ursabia was the PCG Commander for Marine Environmental Protection Command. He was also the Commander of Coast Guard Districts in Central Visayas, Palawan, Southeastern Mindanao, and Northern Luzon, and the Commander of the Coast Guard Ready Force and Staff for Maritime Safety Affairs. He graduated from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1987. He then pursued a Master of Science Degree in Maritime Safety and Environmental Protection as a scholar, followed by a post-graduate degree from the World Maritime University in Sweden in 1999. Ursabia also earned the Command-at-Sea Badge for serving as commander of three Coast Guard Search and Rescue vessels: the BRP Romblon, BRP Davao Del Norte, and BRP Pampanga, as well as three 30-meter patrol boats of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. In terms of keeping public health and safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Ursabia heads the Task Group Laban Covid-19 Water Cluster -- a joint effort of the PCG, Philippine Navy, and the Philippine National Police Maritime Group. WASHINGTON Connecticut is preparing to build a first-of-its-kind underground flood wall. Virginia has planned an intricate system of berms, pump stations and raised roads to keep the flood-prone city of Norfolk dry. Louisiana has broken ground on a new community for people forced to flee a village on its sinking coast, the countrys first government-resettled climate migrants. Projects in 13 cities and states, which were part of the Obama administrations push to protect Americans from climate change after the devastation from Hurricane Sandy, are now in jeopardy because of the coronavirus pandemic, state and local officials warn. And they need Republicans in Congress to save those projects. On Monday, officials told lawmakers that the coronavirus will prevent them from meeting the conditions of a $1 billion Obama-era program for large-scale construction projects that defend cities and states against climate-related disasters. That money must be spent by the fall of 2022. Missing that deadline, which officials say is likely because of delays caused by the coronavirus, would mean forfeiting the remaining money, scuttling the projects. States and cities have been moving swiftly in the design phases and to secure permits since the Obama administration awarded the funds in 2016. Officials will ask Congress to extend the deadline for construction by three years, according to a copy of the letter obtained by The New York Times. On Wednesday, members of the local chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority the group recognized 9 seniors at Northeast High School as part of the group's annual outstanding minority youth program. Members of the local Zeta Phi Beta Sorority usually hold this event in the month of March and they recognize outstanding minority youth from throughout East Mississippi in West Alabama, but this year that was compromised due to the COVID-19 crisis. Spain's prime minister has insisted the country needs 15 more days of lockdown until June 21 "to finish with the pandemic once and for all". Pedro Sanchez said yesterday he would ask parliament to approve a final two-week extension to the stay-at-home rule. "We have almost set out what we set out to do," Mr Sanchez told a press conference, as he expressed his intense relief that the number of new cases of Covid-19 in Spain, one of the nations hardest hit by the virus, had fallen dramatically. From June 21, a national state of emergency would end and with it the lockdown, allowing citizens to move freely in their regions. From July 1, citizens will be able to move throughout the country. Spain's death toll rose by two yesterday to 27,127, the health ministry said, while the number of infections rose by 96 overnight to 239,429. Spain imposed a state of emergency on March 14 that involved a strict lockdown under which people could leave their homes only to buy food, seek medical care or for jobs where they could not work from home. Children were initially confined inside all day. Restrictions are being gradually eased. Despite opposition to a recent lockdown extension from right-wing parties and protests across Spain, Mr Sanchez has struck a deal with Catalan separatist party Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya that should guarantee his minority government enough support to extend the lockdown. Ilinois Representative Jesus Garcia urged Governor Pritzker to make sure that Hispanics will be hired as contact tracers because of their knowledge about the community, according to a recently published article. COVID-19 Cases and Death Toll in the State of Illinois The United States still remains as the country with the highest number of infections and COVID-19 death cases. As of today, the country has recorded more than 1.8 million infections and a death toll of more than 106,000 according to worldometers. One of the hardest-hit states in the country is the state of Illinois which has recorded more than 120,000 cases and a death toll of more than 5,300. Additionally, the Latino and Hispanic communities are the most affected by the global pandemic in the state. This makes Illinois the third state in the country with the highest number of COVID-19 cases and death toll. According to the data obtained from worldometers, they are just below from New York and New Jersey. The population of Latinos and Hispanics in Illinois Overall, Latinos are considered as the largest minority group in the U.S. with more than 32 million and they are followed by the African-Americans. The population presented do not include undocumented immigrants. In a 2019 census, Illinois has a total population of 12.6 million. Hispanics and Latinos have accounted for around 17 percent or nearly 2.1 million. The group is next to the White-Americans and they are followed by the African-Americans. Rep. Garcia Urged the state Governor to Hire the Latinos and Hispanics Hispanics and Latinos are playing a very important role in Illinois not only in the upcoming election bust also in contact tracing. Rep. Garcia told Governor Pritzker, "Keep in mind, Governor, there is a body of these folks who are experienced, who people trust and they know how to knock on doors when it is safe to do so." Garcia said this during the Facebook Live when he discussed the negative impacts of the global pandemic to the Latino and Hispanic communities. Latinos have a disproportionate share on the number of infections in the state. Meanwhile, Gov. Pritzker asserted that there are 66 sites in the state where there are vast numbers of Hispanics. During his discussion with Garcia, he emphasized the efforts of the state in hiring more contact tracers to control the pandemic. Moreover, Garcia, who is the only Hispanic Congressman in the state, has been doing its best to combat COVID-19 particularly for the immigrants no matter what their status is. Either they are legally or illegally staying in the state. What is the Job All About and How to Apply? During the state briefing, the governor said: With Illinois' daily availability of testing among the best in the nation now, we want to grow our voluntary contact tracing so that we can further control and reduce the rate of spread of COVID-19 and stop outbreaks in their tracks." The job of the contact tracer is to help the government by patching together people who have contact direct contacts with persons who are diagnosed with the virus so that they can be tested. Through this, the number of infections will be controlled. The governor encouraged those who are interested to work as Contact Tracers most especially the Latinos and Hispanics to apply through the Illinois Department of Public Health website at dph.illinois.gov/COVID19. Take note also that the hiring process will be done by county and health departments while the state will act as the clearinghouse for applications and will help pay for the salaries. Read a related article: Salman Khan Recalls Being Punished At School Khan went on to reveal that when his father found out why Salman was being punished, he stood under the flagpole as punishment. "He is not supposed to pay the fees, I am. You are supposed to keep him in class. I am running short of money. I will pay the fees but right now, if you need to punish, you need to punish me.' So he went and stood under the flagpole," Salman recalled the incident. Salman Khan Recalls Being Hit By Brother Arbaaz The actor also shared a hilarious incident from his childhood during the episode. He revealed that when he was younger, his brother Arbaaz Khan had broken Salman's teeth. Salman added, "Ya he had chipped my two front teeth. I think for a while I even did some modelling with the chipped teeth." Coming back to Salim Khan, Salman is currently staying away from his father during the lockdown, and they also celebrated Eid away from each other. While talking about the celebration this year, Salim Khan told TOI, "He has been spending a lot of time there. I just spoke with him today on the phone and we exchanged wishes. We are always in touch with each other through our regular phone calls." Salman Khan Released Three Songs During Lockdown Salman is staying at his Panvel farmhouse and is keeping himself busy by making music videos and working out. The actor has also been active in providing financial and other aid to the needy during India's fight against Coronavirus. Over the past week thereve been some curious fluctuations in the value of Chinas currency that could create yet another flashpoint in the escalating tensions between China and the US. Early last week Chinas renminbi was trading at 7.1965 to the US dollar, its weakest level since 2008. On Friday The Peoples Bank of China acted to support the currency, setting the mid-point for the band in which it allows it to trade at 7.1316. Curious fluctuations in the value of Chinas currency could trigger a new front in the escalating tensions with the US. Credit:Bloomberg The fact that the RMB is trading above a ratio of 7:1 against the dollar is by itself significant. When the currency broke through that level last August, during the most intense period of the trade war with the US, it ignited a US response. The US declared China a currency manipulator and was considering more sanctions until the trade truce late last year that ended with the Phase One agreement by China to buy an extra $US200 billion ($297 billion) of US goods and services. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 22:40:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta said on Monday the Chinese-built Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), that stretches 485 km from the coastal city of Mombasa to the Rift Valley town of Naivasha will lead to the growth of cities in Kenya and open new markets across the Horn of Africa. Addressing Kenyans during the celebrations to mark 57 years since the country gained self-rule from colonialists, Kenyatta said critics of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), just like those who criticized the old meter-gauge railway built-in 1901, will be proven wrong. "Turning to railways now, this is where my biggest critiques reside. But that's ok, they are not alone, they are in fellowship with the colonizers who called our railway the Lunatic Express," said Kenyatta, in reference to the nickname given to the old railway by critics. "But those who called it the railway to nowhere did not realize that they were describing Nairobi. Nairobi was a nowhere, when the railway was being constructed," said the president in reference to the capital city whose growth is partly attributed to being the headquarters of the Kenya-Uganda railway. "Nairobi and most of our country were created by the railway," he said. Kenyatta said that is why he had started the process of linking the old railway line to the SGR in order to open more markets within the country and across the borders. The first phase of this linking is already underway from the capital city to the northern town of Nanyuki, 240 kilometers, which passes through the agriculture rich central Kenya region. The second phase, which the president said is underway will link the SGR from the town of Naivasha to the shared border town within Uganda known as Malaba, a distance of 350 kilometers. This will not only open up another agriculture-rich region of the central Rift Valley, the western region and lakeside city of Kisumu but also create efficiency in transporting goods from the port of Mombasa to the landlocked countries of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The president said the rehabilitation of the old railway lines and linking with the SGR will create a seamless new functional railway infrastructure that is part of a bigger development strategy to link the hinterlands with the Lamu Port and the Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor. "When this happens then Kenyans can expect new markets to emerge along the railway line, and the cities to blossom, in response," said Kenyatta. Enditem CEDAR RAPIDS In urging Iowans to get tested for COVID-19 as she continues to reopen businesses, Gov. Kim Reynolds has stressed her Test Iowa Initiative and its pop-up sites are just one tool in the toolbox. Iowans also can get tested at hospitals, clinics and care facilities depending on a persons circumstances creating banquet of testing options, which Reynolds said is key to keeping coronavirus cases from spiking as restaurants, bars, malls and other venues blink back to life. And more Iowans have been getting checked according to data the governor and the Iowa Department of Public Health release daily, with about 15,000 Iowans tested last week. The numbers, however, dont tell the whole story including just how many of the states total tests have been performed under the $26 million Test Iowa Initiative, which organizers in April committed would conduct 3,000 tests a day. Considering that total testing numbers on many days have hovered around 3,000 or below, lawmakers and constituents have expressed concerns about whether theyre getting what the public paid for under the no-bid contract. Theres a stunning lack of transparency on the data for Test Iowa, to see how many tests have been conducted at each individual site, as well as their efficacy and how well theyre working, Rep. Chris Hall, D-Sioux City, told The Gazette. There are other concerns with the program, too including the challenges Iowans have reported about getting appointments at nearby sites; questions of efficiency and productivity at the individual sites; lack of transparency around how the sites are chosen and kept open; lengthy wait times for results; and accuracy of results once they arrive. It seems like confidence is the most important thing for families and small businesses and for our states economy, Hall said. And at the core of creating confidence for the public is the ability to know that we can trust our data and that the numbers the public is hearing are ones that reflect reality on the ground. And that seems to be one of the biggest question marks. The governors office didnt answer The Gazettes questions last week about the Test Iowa program including how many of the Iowans tested so far have done so under the program; whether the state is tracking test numbers by program and site; and, if so, why it hasnt made that data public. At a daily briefing, Reynolds just days ago boasted that about 15,000 Iowans have been tested at Test Iowa sites which would put the daily test average far below the 3,000 promised when the program debuted in late April. She noted last Tuesdays Test Iowa totals reached 2,258, qualifying as a new daily record, with more than 2,700 Test Iowa appointments on tap for last Wednesday. When asked by a reporter that day when she projected Test Iowa would meet the 3,000-tests-a-day threshold, she conflated total test numbers with Test Iowa numbers. I think were doing pretty close. I think weve had over 88,000 Iowans that have been tested in the month of May, she said. Weve hit capacity for the last three days in Polk County We hit another high scheduled today. So were there, she said. We have the capacity, and were continuing to see Iowans use it. Reynolds reiterated that sentiment Friday, reporting during her briefing, Yesterday, we had another record. We had 2,503 tests completed just with Test Iowa, she said. We have over 3,000 tests that are already scheduled for today at the various sites across the state of Iowa. So were going to continue to enhance the processes, continue to look at what the data is telling us, and if we continue to see a need, we will adjust what were doing to meet the need of Iowans. Scheduling snags In order to take a COVID-19 test under the Test Iowa program, residents must complete an online assessment at TestIowa.com that poses a range of questions including age, risk factors, living situation and symptoms if any. At the end of the assessment, Iowans learn whether theyve qualified for a test which most now do, since Reynolds about a week ago announced anyone can get a Test Iowa appointment, regardless of symptoms or risk factors. But scheduling a test isnt so easy. The programs drive-through test sites, at this point, are in 11 of the states 99 counties. Many who complete the assessment report they find there are no times or dates available at their nearest location. In some cases, the nearest available appointment is an hour or so away. Those without a good option are asked to fill out a scheduling application bringing them in days later. The governors office didnt answer The Gazettes questions about how many people who have completed the assessment are waiting to book an appointment, how many appointments are scheduled and how long on average people are waiting for a slot at their nearest site. Hall said he had a family member denied a Test Iowa appointment weeks ago and then right after the nearest Sioux City site unexpectedly closed now qualified. With the closure, though, the family member would have to drive an hour for an appointment raising for Hall more questions about how the state is deciding where to operate test sites. Reynolds, in response to questions during her briefing about access and waits, voiced enthusiasm for the level of interest. According to state data, more than 559,000 Iowans had taken the assessment by Saturday morning. Slightly more than 150,000 people have actually been tested, though the state doesnt report how many in that total come under the Test Iowa program. I wouldnt be discouraged if you cant get in immediately, Reynolds said. We actually have been at capacity for the last three days. It is exciting to see what were able to offer Iowans all across the state. She reported virus activity and population density among the factors considered in deciding where we move the test sites to and how we can start to maybe expand or move to address the needs of Iowans. HOPE FOR THE BEST Shari Hintermeister, 70, of North Liberty, got in and out of her Test Iowa appointment Friday morning in Cedar Rapids relatively quickly weeks after first taking the online assessment and being denied due to lack of symptoms. Following Hintermeisters denial, Test Iowa continued sending her emails asking about any new symptoms. And then the program advised her she now qualified since it was open to all. I obviously jumped on that opportunity, she said. I wasnt going to pass it up by any means. When Hintermeister rolled up for her appointment at 10:30 a.m. Friday, only a few other cars were at the site outside the Kirkwood Community College. She got in and out lickety-split and reported only minor discomfort when practitioners swabbed her nostrils. Hintermeister, although symptom-free and practicing strict isolation, has been anxious about her potential to get sick considering her age. For that reason, she would have liked to get a test sooner. And she does have some qualms about validity of results having heard concerns with the systems efficacy. After the Cedar Rapids site opened, Linn County officials complained it had tested just 334 people over four days and even so, almost 10 percent of the test results came back inconclusive and jeopardized the ability to perform tracing to see who those with the infection had come into close contact with. Mostly, Hintermeister said she hopes finally taking the test will put her mind at ease. Im hoping my test is going to be negative, and nothing will happen to it and I can rely on the results, she said. But it does give you second thoughts. Legislative oversight? Rep. Hall, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, and Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines, D-Des Moines and ranking member of the House Government Oversight Committee, are hoping to answer their constituent questions issuing a public call Thursday for an investigation into the states $26 million no-bid contract for Test Iowa. When the Republican-controlled legislative session resumes next week, the Democratic lawmakers hope to kick-start an investigation noting the dearth of answers and information from the state sends a message. Its clear that Test Iowa failed to meet the goals outlined by Gov. Reynolds, the lawmakers wrote in a joint letter. When Reynolds in April announced she had approved the contract with Utah companies to launch the program, she said its $26 million price tag would be paid by the states share of federal aid. The tests are free to Iowans who take them. Gaines said shes heard a range of Test Iowa concerns, including the delay in meeting the 3,000-tests-a-day promise, long wait times and lack of transparency. Hall said he spent a week trying to glean information from a governors liaison about the rumored closure of the Test Iowa site in his Sioux City district. And he in fact never was able to confirm with me that the site was indeed closing that included the day before the site closed, Hall said. He was not able or willing to confirm that to me, even though I had asked. And I had to read about it in local news, which I think is the wrong approach to work with any lawmaker, regardless of their political party. Should the governors office continue to not respond to lawmakers requests for more information about Test Iowa, Hall said he hopes to compel the data through the legislative process. If the Government Oversight Committee is unwilling to do its job, House Democrats will seek to review the contract and its implementation during the appropriations process, according to letter by Hall and Gaines. If Iowans cant get the answers they deserve regarding Test Iowa, it may be time to cancel the contract. Press Release June 1, 2020 DELA ROSA PUSHES TO FINISH MARAWI REHABILITATION ON TIME Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa was elated on the effectual efforts to rehabilitate the war-torn Marawi City as he urged the concerned government agencies to go on with the work to meet the timeline set by Malacanang. In a joint hearing under the Committees on Finance and the Economic Affairs, Friday, Dela Rosa, as Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation, asked the rehabilitation czar Eduardo del Rosario on the updates on the government's efforts in the devastated city in Mindanao. "Aside doon sa effect ng pandemic doon sa timeline natin sa Marawi rehabilitation, budget-wise, hindi ba apektado yung budget niyo particularly yung [year] 2020 budget natin? Wala bang nabawas dun at na-realign para dito sa response sa COVID-19? Or all is well in your post, okay lang ba kayo?," Dela Rosa asked. Del Rosario assured the senator that all the rehabilitation efforts are in place and that the target date of completion of the projects will be met. "Actually yung pondo para sa Marawi rehabilitation ay wala tayong pagbabago, and with regards to the timeline, we will inform and coordinate with our implementing agencies and their contractors that they have to double-time so that the timeline can be preserved and we get complete rehabilitation by December of [year] 2021," Del Rosario said. "So meaning, up to date pa tayo kahit na may dumaan na COVID-19, yung timeline natin kayang kaya pa rin?" Dela Rosa clarified. "Yes, your honor, we can meet the target," Del Rosario noted. "Salamat. Thank you sir, kasi good news yan. Maraming Salamat," Dela Rosa, who is also from Mindanao and actually studied in Marawi City, noted. Dela Rosa and the other members of the Senate Special Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation did an ocular in the city together with the Task Force Bangon Marawi and local officials followed by a hearing on the progress of the said rehab last February 21. It will also be recalled that President Duterte has convened the heads of national government agencies involved in the Marawi rehabilitation last March 4. Also present in the meeting were local government officials and leaders of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Marawi City. The President has designated Del Rosario as point person who will be in charge of the budget and work directly with the Department of Budget and Management to fast track reconstruction efforts in the devastated city. The Senate Special Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation is currently preparing its committee report. Protests continue for sixth night over George Floyd's death Violence has again erupted during a sixth night of demonstrations in the United States over the death of African-American George Floyd in police custody. Protesters have clashed with police in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Philidelphia with tear gas and rubber bullets fired, while curfews have been put in place in 40 cities. Also in Minneapolis, where Mr Floyd died, a truck was driven at high speed towards a crowd of demonstrators marching along a motorway. The driver was pulled from the vehicle and arrested, while there were no reports of any injuries to the marchers. Protests were also held in London yesterday and the Metropolitan Police said 23 people were arrested. 'Almost half of pupils' could be missing when schools return today Schools across England anticipate a significant number of pupils and teaching staff will not return to the classroom this week despite the easing of coronavirus lockdown measures, a report suggests. Senior education leaders expect near half of families will keep their children home while more than a quarter of available teachers will only be able to work from home, according to the study by the National Foundation for Educational Research. Primary schools in England have been told to reopen to pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 from this week, with nurseries also expected to resume sessions as part of the easing of lockdown restrictions that start today. PM urged to take lead over global Hong Kong response A group of seven former UK foreign secretaries have reportedly asked Boris Johnson to lead a global effort to respond to the ongoing crisis between Hong Kong and China. Chinas ceremonial legislature, the National Peoples Congress, endorsed a security law for Hong Kong earlier this week requiring the territorys government to enforce measures to be decided later by leaders on the mainland. According to the BBC, the cross-party group of former cabinet ministers has urged Mr Johnson to establish an international contact group of allies to coordinate any joint intervention action. Hot start to the week The hot weather is set to continue as lockdown retrictions ease with highs in some parts of England forecast to hit 27 degrees today. The Met Office is also predicting tomorrow could see the hottest temperatures of the year so far in the south before cooler temperatures and even thundery showers later in the week. The warm end to May saw a significant milestone for the UK with the nation recording its sunniest spring since records began in 1929. The Met Office is expected to confirm later today that it was the driest May for 124 years. Former Labour deputy Tom Watson 'denied peerage' Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson is one of three people to have their nominations for peerages by ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn blocked, the Independent has reported. It suggested Mr Watson was rejected for a peerage after he highlighted the claims of fantasist Carl Beech who claimed a paedophile ring had operated in Westminster. Former Commons speaker John Bercow, and the former director of Mr Corbyns office Karie Murphy were also declined peerages by the independent watchdog that oversees appointments, The Independent claimed. Queen seen for first time following lockdown The Queen has been pictured riding in the grounds of Windsor Castle in her first public appearance since the coronavirus lockdown began. Windsor is said to be the Queens favourite royal residence and she has been photographed over the weekend riding one of her ponies, a 14-year-old Fell Pony called Balmoral Fern. It is the first time Her Majesty has been seen since she was driven from Buckingham Palace to Windsor on March 19. GRAND RAPIDS, MI Police say a protest could be planned at 3 p.m. Monday in downtown Grand Rapids, the scene of weekend rioting. Police asked residents not to attend any rally. The Kent County Courthouse and Prosecuting Attorneys Office closed early as a precautionary measure, Prosecutor Chris Becker said. Sheriff Michelle Lajoye-Young said workers were leaving early so that they could get to their vehicles and leave the downtown area to avoid potential congestion. Grand Rapids police are aware of a protest that is thought to be starting downtown and possibly marching to an unknown location, police said in a statement. Organizers have not sought permits. Grand Rapids police have been unable to contact organizers. We would very much like to speak to anyone associated with this rally in order to coordinate efforts to keep the community safe and not have a repeat of recent events, police Chief Eric Payne said. What we have been hearing about lately is the need to work together, well, this is definitely one of those times. He said that police would strictly enforce 7 p.m. curfew. It was in effect Sunday, with nine people arrested. The department preferred education as its first deterrent when the curfew went into effect, however, nine arrests were made yesterday in the downtown area for failing to comply, police said in a statement. The riot in Grand Rapids came after a march protesting police brutality, including the death of George Floyd, a black man who died while his neck was pinned down by an ex ex-Minneapolis police officers knee. Marches and some riots happened across the country. Read more: Girl, 14, suffers life-threatening injuries in stabbing by another girl, 14, police say Majority of arrests during Detroit protests were people who lived elsewhere, police say Rioters had different mindsets than marchers at peaceful protest VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunniva Inc. ("Sunniva", the "Company", "we", "our" or "us") (CSE:SNN,OTCQB:SNNVF) announces that, further to the press release dated May 14, 2020 in respect of the action (the "Action") commenced by Matrix Venture Capital Management Inc. filed on May 6, 2020 seeking a bankruptcy order regarding Sunniva, there will not be a hearing on June 1, 2020 as previously reported. Sunniva will provide a further update in respect of the Action in due course. For more information about the Company please visit: www.sunniva.com. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information or Statements This press release contains forward-looking information or statements. All statements that are or information which is not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding Sunniva's intention to provide a further update when the hearing date is rescheduled, are "forward-looking information or statements". Forward-looking information or statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. With respect to forward-looking information and statements contained herein, Sunniva has made numerous assumptions including, among other things, assumptions about general business and economic conditions. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the risk factors included in the Sunniva's continuous disclosure documents available on www.sedar.com. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking information or statements. Although Sunniva has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information or statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking information or statements. Sunniva assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information or statements, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law. Company Contacts: Sunniva Inc. Sunniva Investor Relations Dr. Anthony Holler Rob Knowles Chairman and Chief Executive Officer VP Corporate Development Phone: (866) 786-6482 Phone: (587) 316-4319 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Sunniva Inc. Related Links http://www.sunniva.com Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19, social media platforms have taken on a more active role in addressing information disorder (misinformation, disinformation and malinformation). From flagging posts, to actively pointing users to authoritative sources of information and even accelerating verification of accounts belonging to public health authorities, they have adopted a range of measures in the fight against the pandemic. However, the flip-side of this new-found interventionism is that calls for these platforms to take a more active role in addressing harmful content have only grown more strident. Acting against Trump One of the most polarising figures on social media is US President Donald Trump. For years many have asked the question 'What will it take for Twitter to act on his tweets?' In March, the company deleted tweets by Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro and Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro for COVID-19 related misinformation. After that, it became a question of when, not if, it would take action against content posted by Mr. Trump. It took another step in this direction by blocking the hashtags "InjectDisinfectant" and "InjectingDisinfectant" after Trump suggested it could be a cure for COVID-19 but stopped short of acting on his original posts. It finally took the plunge on May 28 when it flagged tweets in order to enforce its 'civic integrity policy', which aims to prevent election interference and misleading voters. And the proverbial lightning struck twice, when a day later it placed a 'Public Interest Notice' on another tweet for violating its glorification of violence policy. The content of this tweet was replicated by the official handle of the White House and it too, was flagged. Facebook which, as Evelyn Douek, lecturer at the Harvard Law School who studies global regulation of online speech, points out, has a policy on voter suppression and intimidation that it could have applied on similar content posted on its platform. It had previously taken action against content posted by Jair Bolsonaro, again, for COVID-19 related information. Instead, it chose not to take action stating, not for the first time, that private companies should not be 'arbiters of truth'. US government response The reaction from the American Executive was swift, an Executive Order was signed. This order will insert itself into a very long-standing debate on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act which provides protection for 'Good Samaritan' blocking and screening of offensive material. The clause makes moderation possible since before this, as technology analyst Ben Thompson points out, an attempt to moderate any user-generated content could make an electronic service liable to moderate all of it. In fact, section 230, has been described by cybersecurity law professor at the United States Naval Academy Jeff Kosseff as 'the 26 words that created the internet. In parallel, Yoel Roth, head of site integrity at Twitter, was attacked by right-leaning media outlets and social media accounts for having previously posted anti-conservative views on Twitter. Accusations of pro-liberal biases on the internet are a long-running theme. As far back as 2006, Conservapedia a conservative antidote to Wikipedia's alleged liberal bias, went online. And as recently as last week, there were reports of a panel that would look into allegations of bias against conservatives in the United States by social media platforms. Indian experience This is unsurprising given how tribalism is firmly part of the social media package. We've seen this in India too. A photograph of Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey, holding up a poster which said 'Smash Brahmanical Patriarchy' enraged many in November 2018. In February 2019, the IT Standing Committee 'summoned' Jack Dorsey to appear in front of it, after concerns that the platform was not safeguarding 'citizens rights'. This action followed a #ProtestAgainstTwitter campaign accusing it of an 'anti-right wing attitude'. Later in the year, it faced ire from the other end of the ideological spectrum when lawyer Sanjay Hegde's Twitter account was suspended leading many users to temporarily adopt Mastodon. And we now appear to have come a full circle. In March, Wikipedia was accused of an 'anti-Hindu' bias after a tussle between editors on a page on the 2020 Delhi riots. And in April, Twitter suspended media personality, Rangoli Chandel's, account for a post containing 'dangerous speech'. Claims of unjustified account suspensions or shadow bans continue. After the executive order, some Indian news channels even held TV debates on whether this should be replicated in India to check what is perceived to be selective or biased censorship by social media platforms. And at the time of writing this, there appears to be some limited activity on Twitter using #TwitterTimeUp and #Twitterpickssides in the aftermath of that debate. The graphic illustrates a diffusion chart of tweets using the hashtag #TwitterTimeUP Blind imitation wont work But before resorting to isomorphic mimicry, it is important to understand what the executive order proposes. A reading suggests that it seeks to narrow the definition of 'good faith' under which a platform can carry out 'Good Samaritan' blocking. Experts in the field such as Kate Klonick were quoted in the media as saying that the order was not enforceable and even referred to it as 'political theatre'. Daphne Keller published an annotated version of the order in which she classified various sections as 'atmospherics', 'legally dubious' and points on which 'reasonable minds can differ'. The current trajectory in India appears to be headed in the opposite direction. A recent PIL in the Supreme Court, filed by a BJP member, sought to make it mandatory to link social media accounts with identification. While the petition itself was disposed of, the petitioner was directed to be impleaded in the ongoing Whatsapp Traceability case. The draft Personal Data Protection law proposes 'voluntary' verification for social media intermediaries. And the draft version of the Intermediary Guidelines of the Indian IT Act, published in November 2018, seeks to put more responsibility on platforms by changing the 'safe harbour' protection they currently enjoy. Assuming that the guidelines do not change substantially in their final form, platforms will resort to over-regulation of speech in order to avoid liability. The result of such a regulatory regime will likely be, more, not less censorship. (Prateek Waghre is a research analyst at The Takshashila Institution) Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH. AUSTRALIA IS US MOST LOYAL MILITARY ALLY, BUT WHEN IT TRADES WITH CHINA, TRUMP BULLIES IT LIKE ANYONE ELSE Despite years of supporting the US in major war efforts, Australia is being treated with contempt by the Americans, who want to dictate who the country does business with. While there appears to be this unfaltering assumption that Americas greatest ally who must be protected at all costs can be found in the Middle East, most Americans seem oblivious to the fact that Washingtons most diehard backer since World War II is more likely to be found in Canberra. In fact, Australia has contributed to every major US war effort including Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf and even Iraq. Note how many of these conflicts became absolute PR nightmares and resulted in little but wanton destruction. Other notably close allies such as Israel did not support or partake in the destruction of Iraq. Imagine supporting and assisting a close ally through some of its dirtiest, darkest secrets, and then having to deal with the inability of Donald Trumps administration to entertain diplomacy on any sort of level. The current go-to mantra of the US president and his cohorts appears to be as simple as yelling its our way or the highway at everyone on the world stage and expecting a fearful reaction. This was seen again in US Secretary of State Mike Pompeos recent warning to Australia that the US would simply disconnect and simply separate from Australia if the state of Victoria proceeds with its Belt and Road agreement with Beijing. I wish someone could issue a similar warning to the US the next time it decides to extra-judicially assassinate prominent political figures. Washingtons insistence that countries bow to the will of the Trump administration puts almost every nation in an increasingly unrealistic universe; one in which it could never please the United States even if it tried. China is Australias largest trading partner. At the end of the day, this fact alone will dictate the overall relationship between the two parties. As Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said in response to questions over Pompeos remarks: It doesnt mean we agree on everything. There are many things we dont agree on. But what I think all of us here, and indeed, both parts of our partnership, both Victoria, Australia and China, surely we all have to concede, we all have to recognise, that a good strong partnership is in everybodys interests. US HARSH STANCE Having been following this particular topic for years, I cant help but feel Washingtons stance is egregiously harsh in the circumstances. Australia is one of the few countries that joined in the berating of China over the COVID-19 pandemic from the outset. When Australia called for an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus, it swiftly dug itself a compromised hole which quickly escalated into Beijing slapping an eighty per cent tariff on Australias barley exports, blocking beef imports from four of its abattoirs and restricting imports of Australian coal. Further, while echoing the US State Department on a regular basis, Canberra has often accused China of foreign interference, building roads to nowhere in the Pacific, and has engaged in competing with China for control over the Pacific region, and even sent warships to the South China Sea. Its not as if Australia hasnt given China a good run for its money those naval ships are not there to sightsee. Yet the US, as is often the case, is ready to turn a blind eye to years of unfettering loyalty if it even sniffs that some sort of meaningful progress with China is being developed in the background. China, for its part, is set to increase its defence spending by 6.6 per cent. Some experts think the actual spending is higher than it would appear, as some items are not even included in the official defence budget. Unsurprisingly, there is a heavy focus on the navy; as we have seen even during the pandemic, Chinese and American warships and fighter jets are continuing to confront each other in the South China Sea. AMERICAS WARNING TO AUSTRALIA Caught between a rock and a hard place, Australia also received a stern message from China to distance itself from the US amid the rising tensions between the two nations. As has become clear, these two countries have the means and mechanisms of having a dramatic effect on the Australian economy and/or its international security, leaving it in somewhat of a delicate situation. But then again, Australia may have other cards up its sleeve. The recently announced Trans-Tasman travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand is now likely to be extended to allow in their smaller Pacific neighbours, helping to jumpstart a woeful economic situation. Given that some of the smaller Pacific states have done a tremendous job of preventing the COVID-19 pandemic from decimating their shores, this could very well become a reality. However, the real reason behind Australias willingness to proceed down this path may be so that it can generate a means to counter Chinas rising stature in the region. For example, if a country has a strong trading relationship with China, Australia could tell that country to take a hike until that relationship is either severely downsized or made completely redundant. Personally, I dont see a war (whether hot or cold) involving China or the United States or any other country for that matter as being in the best interests of anyone. I had hoped the recent pandemic would have helped put a number of geopolitical issues into some much-needed perspective, but it has only helped to aggravate and accelerate them. Russia Today San Francisco police said they arrested around 80 people, mostly for violating the city's emergency curfew and looting even as police affirmed that most demonstrations remained peaceful. Some of the arrests, which were largely in the Market Street, South of Market and Union Square areas, resulted in the seizure of firearms and explosives, police said. It was the second night of high activity for San Francisco police. On Saturday night, violent protests in the Union Square and downtown areas resulted in 10 felony arrests for looting, according to San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott, who said many others were detained and released, including juveniles. Some people were cited, he said. Scott said hes working with the district attorneys office to enhance criminal charges for people who are arrested for looting during a public health emergency. The enhancements for looting will continue, Scott said during a press conference Sunday. San Franciscos new curfew, implemented Sunday evening, requires people to stay inside from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. until further notice. The curfew does not apply to emergency responders; people headed home, to work or seeking medical care; homeless people and journalists. Scott warned residents that they may be stopped by law enforcement if theyre out during the curfew. Please understand that we are doing our jobs were doing what you pay us to do, Scott said. We will do that constitutionally, we will do that with dignity, we will do that with respect, but we will do that. 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. Law enforcement officials in Oakland said they made three arrests on suspicion of burglary, assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm Saturday. Officers from other agencies made six arrests for burglary, Oakland police said Sunday. There were no reported injuries. In San Jose, officers made 50 arrests Saturday, according to spokeswoman Gina Tepoorten. Some businesses along Santa Clara Street had their windows broken, she said. Tatiana Sanchez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tatiana.sanchez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TatianaYSanchez June 1 (Reuters) - The United Kingdom has put forward its own new UK-wide Emissions Trading System (ETS) to replace the European Union's system for trading carbon emissions, which Britain will leave at the end of this year as the Brexit transition period ends. The UK-wide ETS, which will put a cost on carbon pollution to encourage polluters to reduce the greenhouse gases they emit, includes plans to cut the present emissions cap by 5%, Britain's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said in a statement. The United Kingdom has a target for net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Emissions trading systems work by setting a cap on the total amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted from certain sectors, with the cap being reduced over time so that total emissions fall. "After each year, every covered company must surrender enough carbon allowances each representing tonnes of carbon dioxide to cover all its emissions, or additional fines of up to 100 per allowance are imposed," the department said. About one-third of UK emissions and nearly 1,000 UK factories and plants are currently covered by the EU ETS and will continue to be covered by the UK system, according to the statement. The British government said on Monday it would be open to considering a link between a UK ETS and the EU ETS "if it suits both sides' interests". "This is subject to the ongoing trade negotiations between the UK and EU," the government said. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Giles Elgood) By Vrishti Beniwal India missed its fiscal deficit target even before the worst of the coronavirus hit the economy, with the budget set to slide deeper into the red this year. Suvodeep Rakshit, an analyst at Kotak Institutional Equities in Mumbai, estimates the shortfall could reach 7.2% of gross domestic product in the year through March 2021. That would be the widest since 1991. The government racked up a budget deficit of 4.6% of GDP in the fiscal year that ended in March, data released Friday showed, higher than the revised target of 3.8% set in February. The shortfall in the budget for the new financial year started April 1 has already touched 35% of the full-year target in the first month. For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here The governments fiscal position had been weak even before the imposition of the nationwide lockdown, said Rakshit. We cannot rule out even further slippages. The deterioration in governments finances follows a protracted period of economic slowdown that hurt revenue collection. With the coronavirus pandemic forcing the nation of 1.3 billion people into a lockdown for more than two months, economic activity has suffered severely and is bound to depress the governments income from taxes and assets sale. With the crisis catapulting the economy toward its first full-year contraction in more than four decades and the government loosening its budget to support businesses, the fiscal deficit could widen to 7.4% of GDP, according to Citigroup Inc. The shortfall from Indias 28 states could push the combined deficit to 11.4% of GDP, Citi said. The wider gap means the government might have to suspend a fiscal law that had required it to bring the deficit down to 3% of GDP by the end of this financial year. It was suspended once before during the global financial crisis more than a decade ago. Rakshit said a downgrade in the nations sovereign rating isnt an immediate worry. He expects Moodys Investors Service to lower the rating by one notch, and sees S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings Ltd. cutting their outlook to negative. Thank you for tuning in to episode 75 of The CUInsight Experience podcast with your host, Randy Smith, co-founder of CUInsight.com. This episode is brought to you by our friends at PSCU. As the nations premier payments CUSO, PSCU proudly supports the success of more than 1,500 credit unions. While credit unions remain focused on safely providing much-needed services for their members, many leaders are beginning to think about how they can adapt their credit union to our rapidly changing world. On this weeks episode, Im chatting with Mary Beth Spuck, President and CEO of Resource One Credit Union in Dallas, Texas, about some of the opportunities and service options that she and her team are thinking through, including an intriguing subscription-based fee model. Mary Beth and I discuss how she is putting her experience with the NCUFs DE Program to good use helping her team think more holistically about their members, service channels, and cooperatives in general during this time. We also explore Mary Beths thoughts about member interactions post-COVID, potential changes to our current financial model, and her credit unions above-and-beyond approach to service. In discussing her professional life, Mary Beth and I chat about why she took the position at Resource One Credit Union and how the inspiration has changed over the years. She reminds us to be authentic to ourselves, and shares how her network of mentors have helped her throughout her career. Mary Beth and I also talk about her new found love for biking when she has a day off and needs to recharge. During the rapid-fire questions portion of the show, Mary Beth tells us about a time she went hooky-bobbing with a friend as a child. We also learn that she wanted to be a translator when she grew up, that she views her grandmother as the epitome of success, and that shes trying to spend more time by the pool these days. This conversation was a blast for me! I hope you enjoy it! Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher Books mentioned on The CUInsight Experience podcast: Book List How to find Mary Beth: Mary Beth Spuck, President and CEO of Resource One Credit Union marybeth.spuck@r1cu.org www.r1cu.org Facebook | LinkedIn Show notes from this episode: A big shout-out to our friends at PSCU, an amazing sponsor of The CUInsight Experience podcast. Thank you! Check out all the outstanding work that Mary Beth and her team at Resource One Credit Union are doing here. Learn more about the National Credit Union Foundations DE program here. Shout-out: Mary Beths husband, Michael Shout-out: Lois Kitsch Shout-out: George Ombado Shout-out: Jim Morrell Shout-out: Bill Cheney Shout-out: Julie Ferguson Shout-out: Mary Beths son, Joshua Shout-out: Ann Richards, former Governor of Texas Shout-out: Mary Beths father Shout-out: Jill Nowacki Album mentioned: Rumours by Fleetwood Mac Album mentioned: Greatest Hits by the Steve Miller Band Book mentioned: The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter, Updated and Expanded by Michael Watkins Book mentioned: The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling Shout-out: Mary Beths grandmother Previous guests mentioned in this episode: Lois Kitsch, George Ombado, Jim Morrell, Bill Cheney, Julie Ferguson, Jill Nowacki (episodes 4, 18, 37 & 64) You can find all past episodes of The CUInsight Experience here. In This Episode: [02:05] Mary Beth, welcome to the show! [03:18] Mary Beth shares why DE is essential and how it benefits her credit union in Dallas. [05:40] She speaks about what her credit union already had in place before the pandemic that helped them once everything was shut down. [07:08] Do you think this crisis will affect how members interact with credit unions? [09:39] Mary Beth shares what she believes needs to change for credit unions to remain relevant. [11:26] Mary Beth speaks about what she will be most proud of having accomplished a year from now. [14:08] What inspired you to take the job with Resource One Credit Union? [15:48] Mary Beth shares how the inspiration has changed over the years. [17:13] Nobody should be anywhere in their life where they are not 100% all-in, whether personally or professionally. [18:04] Mary Beth says that she has learned over time to make tough decisions. [19:49] Is there a common myth about leadership you want to debunk? [19:30] Mary Beth shares a mistake she made when she first started and the ones she sees young leaders make today. [22:22] Mary Beth speaks about her network of mentors and how important she believes they are to her career. [23:39] Mary Beth shared a moment when she was full of self-doubt. [25:20] She discusses what she does to unwind and recharge. [26:39] What were you like in high school, and do you remember when you got into memorable trouble? [28:52] Mary Beth chats that she wanted to be a translator or interpreter at NATO. [29:29] She makes her bed every morning because if she doesnt, her day feels off. [30:22] What is the best album of all time? [31:32] Do you have a book you believe everyone should read? [32:29] Mary Beth says that family time has become more important, and a clean house has become less important. [33:20] Mary Beths grandmother is the first to come to mind when she hears the word success. [35:15] Do you have any final thoughts or asks for our listeners today? [36:23] Thank you so much for being on the show today! The states capital and two largest cities issued curfews Sunday in response to riots over the weekend that saw police cars set on fire, the windows of numerous businesses smashed and protesters square off against armored police officers. In Detroit and Grand Rapids, city leaders announced temporary curfews early Sunday after having weathered long nights of riots that overshadowed earlier peaceful protests against police brutality. Related: Peaceful protest in Grand Rapids devolves into riot, looting and fires The curfews, as well as a forceful police response in Detroit, appeared to have an effect on subduing further property damage during and after demonstrations in the states largest cities Sunday. In Lansing, the curfew was put into place late in the day Sunday, as protests began getting out of hand. A car was flipped over and windows broken out of a downtown bank, but activity in the state capital seemed to wane later in the evening. The Michigan National Guard were called in to offer support for cities, should they need the reinforcements. The protests are part of continued nationwide demonstrations sparked by the death of George Floyd. Floyd, 46, died after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, knelt on Floyds neck for several minutes May 25. Chauvin and three other officers have since been fired. Chauvin was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. What follows are some of the highlights from weekend in Michigan filled with speeches, marches and, in some cases, violent confrontations and destruction: Grand Rapids Members of the Michigan National Guard assemble Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Mayor Rosalynn Bliss issued a curfew for 7 p.m. Sunday after a night of protests. (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP)AP As midnight approached, the newly instituted curfew in Grand Rapids appeared to be effective in preventing a repeat of Saturday nights events. Apart from a half dozen people staging a sit-down protest arrested for violating curfew, downtown was almost entirely empty. Related: Downtown Grand Rapids quiet under curfew after night of rioting Earlier in the day, the downtown was abuzz with people cleaning up the debris and extensive damage from the night before. Still others were boarding up windows in apparent anticipation of a second wave of destruction. Outside downtown, streets were similarly empty, with some liquor stores, pharmacies and stores like Meijer closing early. Michigan National Guard vehicles and guardsmen, requested by Mayor Rosalynn Bliss to enforce the curfew law and protect property, were seen gathered at a city facility near the edge of downtown Sunday. Detroit Detroit police fire tear gas at protesters during the third day of protesting police brutality and justice for George Floyd Sunday May 31, 2020. Nicole Hester/Mlive.com In Detroit's third night of protests, police quickly and forcefully imposed the city's 8 p.m. curfew. After asking a crowd of several hundred protesters gathered outside police headquarters to disperse in accordance with the new curfew, Detroit police officers deployed tear gas, rushed and tackled the protesters and arrested numerous people. Related: Detroit police clash with protesters in third night of George Floyd police brutality demonstrations A crowd that reformed afterward had begun walking in the roadway and chanting when police converged and scattered them. Downtown Detroit was quiet later Sunday evening, save for some small groups, and apparently not the target of further looting or vandalism. Muskegon Hundreds of people came out for peaceful protests outside the Muskegon county building, 990 Terrace Street, on Sunday, May 31. They held signs and chanted the name of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in Minnesota, while cars on Apple Avenue honked their horns in support. (Anya van Wagtendonk | MLive.com) Hundreds of people marched Sunday outside the county building in Muskegon chanting Black lives matter," No justice, no peace," and echoing Floyds final words I cant breathe. Muskegon County Sheriff Michael Poulin told the crowd he supported them, and told them his agency was there to serve them. Related: Hundreds gather in Muskegon to march for racial justice Do not let one criminal act define all of us, he said, to cheers. We are better than this as a law enforcement family, and were better than this as a community. Earlier in the day, at least 100 people and 25 local pastors gathered in Hackley Park to pray for racial harmony and peace. Into the early evening hours, there were no signs of unrest. Lansing More than 1,000 people gather to honor George Floyd and protest police brutality in a peaceful demonstration on Sunday, May 31, 2020 at the state capitol in Lansing. (Jake May | MLive.com)The Flint Journal, MLive.com Thousands of protesters gathered in Lansing Sunday afternoon for a peaceful demonstration against police brutality. For nine minutes, hundreds of people laid on the ground and others stood silently with fists raised in memory of the duration that Floyd was detained on the ground with a knee on his neck. Related: Thousands gather at Michigan Capitol for protest against police brutality As nightfall grew closer, there were reports of protesters smashing business windows and flipping over a car, MLive media partner WLNS reported. Lansing Mayor Andy Schor ordered residents off city streets, instituting a curfew just after 9 p.m. The situation is unfolding quickly, and the police are present to help keep our city safe, said Schor, who said the demonstration had turned violent, in a statement. I understand the frustration, the anger, and outrage, but I implore our residents to continue to demonstrate peacefully," he said. Flint More than 300 people gather to honor George Floyd and protest police brutality in a peaceful demonstration on Sunday, May 31, 2020 in Flint. (Jake May | MLive.com)The Flint Journal, MLive.com More than 300 protesters marched across downtown Flint during a second night of demonstrations in the city. One of the faces in the crowd was that of Genesee County Sheriff Deputy Deon Smith. Related: Organizers call for seat at the table with police during second night of protests in Flint As a black officer, what I saw that day I was disgusted, Smith said of Floyds death. As a officer, period, I was disgusted. Justice needs to be served. As a police officer, you guys look to us as the ones that come in your communities and keep you safe. Protest organizer Johnie Franklin III said he wants black residents have more of a voice in area law enforcement. We want to have a conversation at the table. We want a seat at the table, Franklin said. We want to know what the heck is going on. We want to make some change. More than 8,000 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and 230 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours pushing Indias tally to 190,535 on Monday, the first day of the Centres move for a phased unlocking of public activity after the rigorous lockdown since March 25. India has reported a daily rise of more than 8,000 Covid-19 cases for the second day in a row as the Union health ministry data showed there were 8,392 new Covid-19 cases between Sunday and Monday morning. There are 93,322 active cases of the coronavirus disease in the country so far, the health ministrys Covid-19 dashboard showed. Also read: Driving in lockdown 5.0 - Delhi-Noida border remains sealed, Gurugram border open As the death toll stood at 5,394, the number of people who have been cured of the highly-infectious disease went up to 91,818 from 86,983 from Sunday. It brings the rate of recovery in the country to 48.18%. Maharashtra with 67,655 Covid-19 cases is among four states with more than 10,000 cases. The western state has also reported most of the 8,392 deaths with 2,286 fatalities. Tamil Nadu has 22,333 cases of the coronavirus disease and its death toll is at 173, while Delhi has 473 fatalities and 19,844 patients so far. Gujarat has a lower tally at 16,779 but it has reported that 1,038 people have died across the state till date. A day after the Centre unveiled the first of a three-phase plan to lift lockdown curbs in a graded manner, several states, including those worst hit by Covid-19 such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu, announced a conditional easing of several restrictions on Sunday. Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Rajasthan issued their own guidelines. Apart from them, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Punjab and Karnataka too announced their rules effective Monday. While several states allowed the resumption of public transport and interstate travel from Monday, many remained undecided on reopening hotels, restaurants and places of worship which, according to the central guidelines, can be opened from June 8. States such as Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala were yet to announce the new norms. Delhi will release its guidelines on Monday. A New York police officer appeared to brandish his gun during protests Sunday night in downtown Manhattan, sending demonstrators scrambling, and a video of the incident is being investigated by the department. A police union has since said a subsequent video showed the officer was reacting to his supervisor being attacked. The incident continues to fuel the debate about police tactics across the U.S. Earlier on Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio called the officer's actions "absolutely unacceptable," and said that while claims of police use of excessive force are "rare," they "must be addressed in every instance." Full coverage of George Floyds death and protests around the country "Any officer who should not be wearing that uniform needs to get off this force," de Blasio said at a news conference Monday. NBC News has not confirmed what was happening between the officer and the protesters in the video. The officer has not been identified. A source shared this video, which he says he took at around 10 pm near near 12th and Broadway. It appears to show an NYPD officer pointing a gun at protesters outside the Strand pic.twitter.com/pCTNIYL7op Jake Offenhartz (@jangelooff) June 1, 2020 But after the original clip was widely shared on social media, a new, longer video of the incident emerged that appeared to show the officer's supervisor being struck by a brick. The Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York, which represents 24,000 rank-and-file officers, posted the clip to its Twitter account and said: "Now we have the full story: this police officer unholstered his weapon only after his supervisor was nearly killed with a brick. #FactsMatter." Now we have the full story: this police officer unholstered his weapon only after his supervisor was nearly killed with a brick. #FactsMatter pic.twitter.com/6PzqgI991I NYC PBA (@NYCPBA) June 1, 2020 New York and other cities have seen days of protests since George Floyd, a black man, died in police custody in Minneapolis last week. Some demonstrators in several cities have clashed with police, leading to a wave of fresh complaints of excessive use of force. Story continues Some of the incidents have been captured on video and in photos, stoking further outrage about what protests call police brutality. One protester told NBC News that despite the demonstrations around Union Square in Manhattan, that particular block seemed peaceful at first, and people were confused and started running when they saw the officer holding out his gun. The incident follows others now under scrutiny, including a pair of NYPD SUVs apparently seen plowing into a crowd Saturday in Brooklyn. Initially, de Blasio blamed a group of "protesters converging on a police vehicle, attacking that vehicle" for triggering the event. But the mayor has since shifted his criticism onto the officers, saying that an independent review would examine their actions and what could have been done differently. Multiple city officials told NBC News there were no injuries. State lawmakers on Monday demanded the firing of two police officers involved in the shoving of a young protester in Brooklyn on Friday night. It's unclear what led up to the encounter, but the protester, who identified herself on social media as Dounya Zayer, said she was hospitalized. This is the officer. He threw my phone before throwing me. As you can see I was already backing up. All I asked was why. pic.twitter.com/8mct5GrztV Dounya Zayer (@zayer_dounya) May 30, 2020 State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, a Democrat from Brooklyn, tweeted that the officers, whom he identified, "must be removed." Initially, PBA President Pat Lynch defended officers in a response Monday to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, saying that officials appear to be "wrongly blaming the chaos on the cops." NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea has called the video "disturbing," but didn't immediately respond to a request about an independent investigation that de Blasio said had been opened. On Monday, Shea told NBC's "TODAY" show that he was also "troubled" by the incident involving the SUVs. But, he added, police have been overwhelmed by the protesters, who he says are also goading the officers. "It is inappropriate for protesters to surround a police vehicle and threaten police officers," Shea said. "That's wrong on its face and that hasn't happened in the history of protests in this city." In other cities, officials have acted swiftly to reprimand officers seen using overly aggressive tactics. Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced Sunday that two officers had been fired and three others placed on desk duty in an excessive force case from Saturday night. A video of the incident showed one of two college students getting dragged from a car, while the driver, who remained behind the wheel, was tased and then pulled out of the vehicle. It's unclear what preceded the incident, but Shields apologized to the students. "We are still working to get it right," she added. Download the NBC News app for full coverage and alerts on this story Other accounts have emerged of police using pepper spray, rubber bullets, batons and other items against protesters, whether in response to provocations, such as looting or vandalism, or seemingly unprovoked. Carl Marcel, a protester and photographer, said he was out amid the peaceful protests in downtown Seattle on Sunday afternoon when he saw an officer on a bicycle physically restrain a man who was on the sidewalk in front of him. "He was just walking. I did not notice anything happening beforehand that would make the cop feel provoked," Marcel said. "It all happened out of the blue." Police in downtown Seattle used physical force to detain a protester on May 31, 2020. (Carl Marcel) Photos taken by Marcel show the officer appearing to pull the man down onto the sidewalk. Marcel said the man was detained and handcuffed, and afterward, a crowd gathered with their hands up, and officers "started pepper-spraying and throwing smoke bombs." Seattle police did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. Another protester with Marcel, Raven Hamilton, said she witnessed the same incident. "It appeared the officer became angry that the protester was in his way and grabbed him by the neck and they were on the ground before the protester involved had a chance to react," Hamilton said. She said she saw another officer on a bike kick a protester in the head as he was tying his shoes on the sidelines of a mass gathering. "I think the message they are trying to convey is that they do these things because they can," Hamilton said of police, "and are trying to exert their authority." A woman raises her fist during a demonstration calling for justice for George Floyd in Montreal, May 31, 2020. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Arrests Made After Montreal Anti-Racism Protests Turn Violent U.S. to designate left-wing militant group Antifa as a terrorist organization Eleven people have been arrested after a Montreal anti-racism protest held in solidarity with U.S. protests in support of George Floyd descended into violence Sunday. Floyd, who was black, died in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white police officer pressed his knee on Floyds neck for nine minutes. His death has sparked nightly protests in major U.S. cities. I have nine arrests for breaking and entering, one for armed assault, and one more for misdemeanor, Montreal police spokesman Raphael Bergeron told CTV News on Monday. The investigation is ongoing this morning as there may be other information from stores that have been vandalized. Thousands marched through downtown Montreal on Sunday afternoon without incident, but Montreal police declared the gathering illegal about three hours after it began when they say projectiles were thrown at officers, who responded with pepper spray and tear gas. Tensions flared after the formal rally had concluded and some demonstrators made their way back to the starting point downtown. Windows were smashed, fires were set, and the situation slid into a game of cat-and-mouse between pockets of protesters and police trying to disperse them. Some were also seen looting local businesses, including a music store, a fast-food restaurant, and an adult erotic shop along Ste-Catherine St. E., not far from Montreal police headquarters. Steve Haboucha, who cleared broken glass from the frame around the front window of his Koodo Mobile store on Montreals Ste Catherine Street on Sunday, said security video shows a stream of people entering the cellphone store and leaving with accessories over a 30-minute period. About 10 police officers were there, standing on the broken glass, keeping guard outside. Haboucha said the police told him there were hundreds of stores that suffered the same fate along the route the protesters took. A few kilometres west on the same downtown street, the loud pops of cracking glass echoed through the neighbourhood, preceding a group of people who turned their destruction onto seemingly random targets. On one corner, a group used a metal construction sign and its steel stand to smash the window of a payday loan store. All along Ste Catherine, people smashed windows and looted stores, while trying to evade police. The demonstrators gathered to denounce racism and police brutalityboth in the U.S. and Canada. The gathering drew Montrealers of all stripes and backgrounds, holding posters with slogans. Protesters chanted Black lives matter and I cant breathewhich Floyd was caught on video saying as the officer knelt on his neck. The Montreal rally followed one in Toronto on Saturday, which remained peaceful. So too did Sundays rally in Vancouver, where thousands gathered outside the citys art gallery, waving signs and chanting their support of the Black Lives Matter movement and Floyd. But the violence and unrest that Montreal experienced on Sunday signals Canada could face the same destruction that has plagued U.S. protests this past week. Protests have turned increasingly violent across the U.S., with widespread looting and destruction of property in many major cities. Disturbing footage of violent acts against business owners defending their property have also appeared on social media. U.S. President Donald Trump has blamed anarchists, members of the left-wing militant movement Antifa, and the media for fuelling the violence. Trump announced Sunday that the United States will be designating Antifa as a terrorist organization, accusing the movement of perpetrating violence during protests over Floyds death. Officials in several cities have warned that those who are raiding stores are not there to protest Floyds death, but to create chaos. With files from The Canadian Press With Covid-19 disrupting business, fraudsters are targeting controls on existing processes which may not be functioning as designed due to remote working, employer distraction and operational or workforce disruption. These fraud patterns are continuing to evolve and need your ongoing attention. With this in mind, businesses should be asking: Are they assessing these threats sufficiently, or are there gaps that leave their business exposed? Are they re-evaluating the new fraud risks that have arisen due to new working arrangements? Are they considering whether current policies are effective for employees operating from remote locations? Are they taking the right action when an incident occurs? When economic survival is threatened, the line separating acceptable and unacceptable behaviour can become blurred. Experience from previous recessions shows that criminal organisations and individuals will view the current environment as an opportunity to be seized. Covid-19 has also introduced challenges which heighten the risk of fraud. Remote working arrangements are weakening the oversight provided by the three lines of defence. This can impact internal controls in areas such as payroll, receivables and payables. Cyber risks are also heightened with IT changes being rapidly deployed and network access being requested from multiple locations. Opportunistic threats are increasing as criminal organisations seek to exploit the changing environment. Businesses must remain alert and respond appropriately. A big part of this will involve providing employees with specific guidance on how to spot suspicious activity. Challenging times require businesses to take practical anti-fraud measures along with reviewing or establishing an anti-fraud programme. What four key actions should businesses take now? Unprecedented times like this call for innovative solutions to identify and tackle the increase in fraud. Businesses must ensure that their Covid-19 fraud management program minimises risk across all its operations. It is important to have the flexibility to adapt to changes and uncertainty. 1. Update your existing fraud risk assessment During challenging times, fraud risk assessment involves a significant commitment by management and staff. It should be directed or managed by personnel with fraud risk expertise. The key steps include: establishing the context; identifying the new risks; analysing the risks; evaluating the risks and treating those unacceptable risks. Risk identification should not be confined to only financial risks. Some fraud, such as cybercrime and information theft, damage reputation as well as the bottom line. 2. Consider the impact of reducing headcount and cost-cutting measures When businesses downsize, the remaining staff and management take on additional responsibility outside of their scope and expertise as a result of work being realigned. This can result in weaknesses in the internal control structure such as: lack of segregation of duties; staff don't have the correct skill sets; staff are overworked and under-resourced; documentation of controls is impacted; increase in fraud; and increased pressure on governance structures. Consider whether all updated processes and procedures are understood, including revised roles and responsibilities. 3. Consider risks attached to fast-tracking new suppliers and other business partners Commercial pressure may arise to quickly deliver products or services to market. Existing suppliers and third parties who are fully vetted or screened may not be able to meet this demand or are facing their own challenges. Whilst it may be desirable to "fast-track" new suppliers or third parties, appropriate measures should be implemented to mitigate the risk of engaging unsuitable third parties. Have sufficient steps been undertaken to independently verify new and existing suppliers and business partners? 4. Internal audit considerations During times of heightened fraud risk, Internal audit should review management's commitment to internal controls and report on any suspicions or allegations of fraud. Internal audit should ensure that they: Review and expand or redirect internal audit coverage. Prioritise fraud risk in the internal audit plan. Assess the adequacy of the control environment with appropriate planning and management oversight. Assess adequacy of company's whistle-blowing procedures. Increase in data monitoring and analysis. Conduct, where appropriate, surprise audits. Having a robust fraud management program and a culture where the tone at the top promotes integrity and holds employees accountable will go a long way to protecting critical assets and weathering times of uncertainty. Will O'Brien is director of PwC Cyber Practice A senior Italian doctor believes that COVID-19 is becoming less fatal and is losing its potency. According to Alberto Zangrillo, head of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan in the northern region of Lombardy, "In reality, the virus clinically no longer exists in Italy." Italian experts surmise that the novel coronavirus is gradually losing its vigor. This belief is providing hope to the public anticipating to carry on with living a normal life. The coronavirus develops, loses the strength of transmission, and possibly deadly extent, Prof. Massimo Gicozzi of the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome remarked to the Senate. "The swabs that were performed over the last 10 days showed a viral load in quantitative terms that was absolutely infinitesimal compared to the ones carried out a month or two months ago," Zangrillo said, according to Yahoo! News. Italy had initially acquired the 3rd highest tally of fatalities from the coronavirus globally with 33,415 deaths since the pandemic marked its beginning on February 21. Addressed to Arab News, Massimo Clementi, director of the microbiology and virology laboratory at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, said, the first assessment is associated with the clinical expression of the illness, which has grown less hostile. In the height of the spread, from late March and early April, 80 people were being admitted to their hospital. The majority of the patients were instantly transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU). Usually, it is too dire to save them, he added. Also Read: Another Outbreak on the Rise? China's 'Bat Woman' Warns COVID-19 is Just 'Tip of the Iceberg' Italy has the 6th largest number of confirmed cases at 233,019. In May, new deaths and infections have consistently decreased. Also, Italy is easing a number of the firmest lockdown measures being implemented. Things have progressed in recent weeks at San Raffaele Hospital as their ICU is no longer hard-pressed and the hospital offers more beds for usage. This situation was almost impossible for them during the height of the infection. Al Jareeza reported that according to Zangrillo, a number of specialists were too pessimistic regarding the potential of another advent of infections. Politicians also are in need to acknowledge this new truth. Zangrillo asserted that they are in dire need to return to being a normal nation. Someone has to be held accountable for terrorizing their nation, he added. According to Clementi, newly-surfacing viruses are consistently combative in its 1st phase, then they adapt to coexist with their prey, their method of survival. The virus cannot reproduce if it kills. The government promoted vigilance because it was too early to declare victory. According to an undersecretary at the health ministry, Sandra Zampa, in a statement, she would like to invite individuals sure of scientific evidence in line to aid the thesis that the coronavirus does not exist anymore. Virology laboratories in universities and hospitals have launched a network to divulge and expand studies and observations on the coronavirus, along with new treatments' experimentations. Related Article: COVID-19 Vaccine Undergo Trials With 130 People to Take Experimental US Drug @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Children's commissioner Anne Longfield has called for pupils to be offered summer schools to help them catch up on their education. Across the UK, pupils in Year 1, Year 6 and Reception returned to their classrooms today for the first time since March following the enforced closure of schools due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Ministers are now said to be considering leaving schools open over summer to help disadvantaged children cover missed work, according to the Daily Telegraph. Children's Commissioner Anne Longfield wants to see summer schools set up to help pupils Children across the UK returned to their classrooms on Monday as schools began to reopen Writing in the newspaper, Anne Longfield, the Children's Commissioner, said: 'Based in school buildings and running throughout the holidays, summer schools could provide activities of all kinds, meals and potentially some learning too. 'The idea is also likely to be popular with parents, who however well-intentioned and motivated may need a break from home schooling and may also be in desperate need of childcare as they return to work.' Ms Longfield was appointed Children's Commissioner in 2015, with the role aimed at bringing about long term change and improvements for all children. Since taking up the post, Ms Longfield has championed several campaigns and schemes focused on children's mental health, vulnerable children and the digital world. St Michael in The Hamlet Community Primary School in Liverpool has reopened but only to the vulnerable and the children of key workers Downing Street said the Government was looking at the support available for children over the summer months following calls for pupils in England to be offered catch-up classes. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'The Education Secretary has set out his commitment to doing everything he can to make sure young people are not losing out as a result of coronavirus. 'We are looking at what additional measures may be required to ensure every child has the support they need, including over the summer.' 'As few as 40% of eligible primary pupils' returned to classes today after schools stayed shut, turned children away or even held 'staff training days' Millions of children set to return to class on Monday but many schools are only partially reopening or not at all Teachers shared messages of solidarity as they prepared for work - many admitted they're anxious to go back Some schools had told parents they would reopen only to say they weren't ready when parents arrived today Ministers have said it is safe for schools to return - but unions have said this isn't true and should be delayed Is your child's primary school opening today? Email martin.robinson@mailonline.co.uk As few as '40 per cent of eligible primary pupils' returned to classes today as schools stayed shut, turned children away or even held 'staff training days'. The Association of School and College Leaders said that of the facilities that are open attendance is 'highly variable' and ranges between '40 per cent and 70 per cent'. But the union's general secretary Geoff Barton said this figure is likely to increase as 'parents become become confident about sending their children to school'. Up to two million pupils were due to return to lessons but some were turned away because headteachers 'weren't ready' for them while around half of parents have chosen to keep their children at home because of safety fears. Up to 1,500 primary schools in England are estimated to be defying the Government's plan to get all reception, year 1 and year 6 children back in the classroom from June 1 as teachers admitted they were feeling anxiety about returning to work and unions demanded the date be pushed back to June 15 at the earliest. Parents have revealed that many schools will remain closed for at least another week or more, while some have not yet set a date at all. In other cases schools decided they can only increase the number of places for key workers' children, not for everyone. At least two dozen councils, mostly Labour run, have refused to reopen their schools or left it up to headteachers, who are trying to find ways to ensure social distancing in their school buildings and ensuring they have enough teachers to teach 'bubbles' of up to ten children. But while hundreds of thousands of young students are back in class and reunited with their friends and teachers today, MailOnline can reveal there was confusion at several schools in London with some parents arriving with their children only to be informed they couldn't come in and had to go home again. Parents at Winsor Primary School in east London were turned away today and told teachers are still making arrangements. Glauciane Conti was turned away at the school gate this morning with her son who is in year one. The 35-year-old cleaner from Forest Gate said: 'My son just went in to ask the teachers and they say it is not open as they are still making arrangements. I don't understand. Now I have to go to work'. Gallions Primary School, also in Beckton, plans to remain closed to the general public this week. Hanif Hazari, 58 accompanied his son Mahmamudullabi who is a year 6 pupil at Havelock Primary School in Southall, west London after being informed via a text message that it was reopening following the easing of the lockdown. Mr Hazari said: 'The playground was completely deserted so I went into the school office and they told me that the school has now decided to remain closed and they don't have a date as yet as to when it will open. It's very confusing, I don't know what's going on. The Government appears to be saying one thing and the schools another.' Mahmamudullabi, 11, added: 'I hope the school opens soon because I'm getting really bored at home.' Jaswinder Grover, who arrived at the school with his daughter Simran, a year 6 pupil said: 'I was initially told that the school would reopen today but as you can see, hardly anybody has turned up. And now the school is telling me something completely different. The Government needs to be a clearer about what's actually going on and when our kids can go back to school, which I hope is soon.' A Havelock Primary official told MailOnline the school is now not scheduled to reopen until June 15 at the very earliest. He added: 'Some parents were under the impression that we were opening on June 1. We're very sorry for any confusion that's been caused, and parents will be notified as soon as possible.' A government source denied the situation was 'chaos', insisting the process of returning appeared to be going well. 'Many schools are welcoming back more pupils, take-up is in line with expectations,' the source said. 'We always said schools would begin the wider reopening from this week, it'll be a gradual process.' As schools reopened for the first time in ten weeks, it also emerged today: Public health officers warn lockdown is being eased to fast and police say the rules are becoming impossible to enforce. Beaches have been crammed because of continuing good weather; Britain have been handed a host of new freedoms from today including meeting with friends and family, the reopening of some shops and pupils returning to school. But health experts warn there is 'no rationale' in letting two million people who were 'shielding' from Covid go back outside; Huge queues formed outside Ikea as the Government allowed more shops, markets and car showrooms to open; A child has his temperature taken at Harris Primary Academy in south London as up to 2million pupils were due to return to class A child has his hand sanitised with the help of a member of staff at a Croydon Primary School this morning. While children skipped in the playground while watched by teachers in full PPE Children in Year 1 have their own desks in the modern Harris Academy Primary School in south London. Many headteachers with older schools say they don't have the space A child is dropped off at Queen's Hill Primary School, Costessey, Norfolk as reception, year 1 and year 6 pupils return across England today Reception pupil Braydon washes his hands whilst watching an electronic timer at Queen's Hill Primary School, Costessey, Norfolk. Children will be asked to wash up regularly through the day Children arrive for their first day back at Watlington Primary School (left) in Oxfordshire and at St Michael in The Hamlet Community Primary School in Liverpool (right) 2m social distancing markings and signs at Ashton Gate Primary School in Bristol as children return after lockdown How mostly Labour-run councils have refused to obey the Government and open primary schools on June 1 Opposed Brighton and Hove (Labour) Slough (Labour) Teesside Labour) Solihull (Conservative) Stockport (Labour) Bury (Labour) Liverpool (Labour) Hartlepool (Labour) Wirrall (Labour) Calderdale (Labour) Birmingham (Labour) Bradford (Labour) Leeds (Labour) Have expressed 'reservations' but leaving it to schools Wakefield (Labour) Barking and Dagenham (Labour) Redbridge (Labour) Bristol (Labour) Southampton (Labour) Newcastle (Labour) Advertisement However, Children's Commissioner Anne Longfield believes schools will need to hold summer schools to enable pupils to catch up on work they have missed during the enforced break. Ms Longfield said in The Telegraph: 'Based in school buildings and running throughout the holidays, summer schools could provide activities of all kinds, meals and potentially some learning too,' she said. 'The idea is also likely to be popular with parents, who however well-intentioned and motivated may need a break from home schooling and may also be in desperate need of childcare as they return to work.' One teacher wrote this morning: 'Lots of us are going to feel very apprehensive and anxious about the new changes, however that looks in our school. We stand with each other.' Cathy Moden, headteacher of Hiltingbury Infant School in Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, said she had anticipated 45 of the 90 children in Reception to attend on Monday but only 39 turned up. Ms Moden said: 'I do expect it to increase, I think some parents have made a decision on what they have heard in the media, I have heard from some parents they aren't ready yet to send their children.' Queen's Hill Primary and Nursery School near Norwich reopened to reception children on Monday, with 46 attending out of a total of 75 in the year group. The school has been open to children of key workers throughout the coronavirus lockdown, with plans to reopen to nursery children next week and to children in Years 1 and 6 from June 15. Emma Corps, 39, was in a socially distanced queue of parents as she dropped off her five-year-old daughter Isla at the school gates. 'I was a bit anxious but she was excited and I think they need to go back to school as there needs to be some sort of normality back in their lives,' she said. 'For the 10 weeks she was saying 'when am I going back, when am I going back?' then at 6.30am this morning it was 'mummy, quick'!' Jo Frost, 37, who was dropping off her five-year-old son Max at Queen's Hill Primary and Nursery School near Norwich, said: 'It's obviously a difficult decision but you've got to weigh up everything in life. 'You can't just shut yourself away and wrap yourself up in cotton wool. You could just walk out the door and anything could happen. 'The school have really thought about it. They've sent out lots of letters, pictures and given us all the information we need. I feel confident that they're doing everything right. We were quite relieved, to be honest, as it's quite a long time that he's been off and at his age it's really important to be with his peers. Penny Sheppard, head teacher of Queen's Hill Primary and Nursery School near Norwich, which reopened to reception children on Monday, said: 'I think if I'm honest a lot of headteachers were quite surprised about June 1 because I think we'd been doing a lot of reading about things in the media. 'Probably a lot of us had thought 'OK, we won't be having children back until September'. But then like anything you take it in your stride don't you? 'You think OK, right, after that little bit of a shock announcement, let's think about this logically and then just start a plan of action to work towards that. 'We've been open throughout this and I've had 60 children (of key workers) in childcare so I know that the systems I've put in place are workable and the children, I've been keeping them in their separate 'pods'. 'I knew it was just an extension of that'. A child makes a bubble at Watlington Primary School in lunch break on the first day back for many children A teacher during an outdoor class at Watlington Primary School as some schools re-open as the lockdown eases Schools, like this one in Norfolk, are using fruit to mark out where children should sit in their class bubbles, which are less than ten A year 6 sturent returns to a Bristol school with his mother today - most children are not wearing uniform to ensure children wear clean clothes each day Summer camps may be set up to enable children to catch up on lessons after the closures. Queen's Hill Primary School, Costessey, Norfolk opened today Pupils will begin returning to classrooms across England today, at Heath Mount Prep School in Watton-at-Stone, desks have been moved further to maintain social distancing rules Desks have been taped off with smaller classroom sizes at some schools, including Holywell Village First School in Northumberland Freddie Noble, six, and his little brother Will, three, are returning to school in West Norfolk today CORONAVIRUS CASE CONFIRMED AT PRIMARY SCHOOL A Primary School in Gloucestershire sent a letter to parents last week confirming someone at the school had tested positive for coronavirus. Woolaston Primary School in Lydney believe the person contracted the illness at a holiday camp held at the school, and sent the letters to parents last week. It comes as schools across the country reopen their doors on Monday for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6. Woolaston Primary's acting headteacher Emma Gomersall confirmed the school carried out a deep clean on Wednesday and Thursday. Advertisement Ministers are in discussions over summer camps to enable disadvantaged children, along with a 'catch-up premium' that will grant schools extra funding for initiatives to help the most affected pupils. This comes as Education Secretary Gavin Williamson acknowledged the recent school closures would have the biggest impact upon the poorest children. An announcement is due to come in the next few weeks, despite objections from teaching unions if the plans involve working over the summer. This could lead to another row between the government and unions, in the face of Ms Longfield's concerns that pupils may be absent from schools for up to six months. History teacher Chris Beach said: 'First day back in school today. We in Guernsey are blessed to have no active cases, but I am worried for friends and ex-colleagues in the UK - stay safe everyone.' Another commented 'Anxiety through the roof for many,' as primary school children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 are able to return to school after 10 weeks out. Schools have been preparing for classrooms to reopen for weeks, corridors have been marked off to keep pupils apart as they go about their school day, while desks have also been moved to maintain a distance of two metres between schools. Bowie Cool, four, and her mum Lozzie Cool from West Sussex, took a practice walk to school on Sunday to prepare for a return to the school run this morning Children as young as four are being put in social distancing bubbles in classrooms and playgorunds to prevent the spread of Covid-19 germs Corridors have been marked off to keep pupils apart at a school in Northumberland 'Scaremongering' Charlotte Church is blasted over 'hatred-inciting' call for England's parents to keep children off school in foul-mouthed Twitter rant Charlotte Church today suffered an avalanche of criticism after urging England's parents not to send their children to school claiming Boris Johnson doesn't 'give a flying f**k' about them. The 34-year-old mother of two's extraordinary Twitter outburst came despite the singer living in Wales where schools will remain closed until September. Taking to Twitter on Sunday morning, she wrote: 'Highly recommend if you can help it, not sending your children back to school tomorrow.....this government doesn't give a flying f**k about you, your children, your elders or your vulnerable.' Parents who want their children to return to school have accused the star of 'shaming' them, with one saying: 'What a ridiculous and hatred inciting statement'. Another replied to her message saying: 'This is shocking. There are many children who haven't had any education for the last 10 weeks. You as a mother I would have thought would have understood the importance of this'. And critics have also pointed out that Ms Church's advice to parents with children in mainstream school came despite her decision home school her own offspring since 2016. Last year she enraged her Glamorgan community by turning her 2.5million home into a private school where she hopes to 'liberate' children up to 20 children. One neighbour said: 'She has no educational background or track record in managing a school.' Ms Church homeschools her own children Ruby, 11, and Dexter, 10, and claims she now she is pledging to give other children in their area freedom over what to learn. Advertisement Most teachers have reduced class sizes, which will operate in bubbles, with no interaction with other classes. For younger years, toys have been taken out of classroom and are being kept in storage out of fear they could hold Covid-19 germs. Brian Walton, head teacher at Brookside Academy in Somerset, spoke to Good Morning Britain ahead of pupils' arrival from 7.30am. He said: 'Like headteachers up and down the country we've been planning this probably from when lockdown started really. It's taken meticulous plans consultation with staff and parents. 'Like most of the teachers right now I'm glad it was a really early start because I probably wouldn't have slept anyway.' Children are at an extremely low risk of catching coronavirus. The majority of hospital admissions are people over 60. The main concern over pupils returning to school is the potential spread of germs between different households, while teachers who may be at risk could also be exposed. Headteachers have also predicted that more than one in five teachers will be forced to work from home because of health conditions, their age or because members of their family are vulnerable. Co-headteacher Matt Ferris of Kingsholm Primary School has explained many of the new features in response to parents' questions over how their children will adapt to social distancing measures, They will be given a designated time slot and and allotted area - or pen - where they leave their child before heading off along a designated walkway. Pupils will be told to maintain social distancing between others, and they will only be allowed to mix with a small number of others. Students who do not conform with the social distancing rules will also be sent home on a three-strikes policy. In a video published on the school's website, Mr Ferris talks parents through what they can expect when Year 6, Year 1 and Reception and nursery children return on June 1. Drop off and collection times will be staggered with queues and marked walkways for parents and pupils to follow. Kingsholm is using timeslots based on surnames, with parents being asked to drop children off alone, without siblings or other children. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Hertford has prepared its classrooms for pupils' return What can I do as lockdown measures ease in England? Coronavirus rules are changing in England from today, here are some important things to bare in mind. Can I meet more people? From June 1 you will be able to meet up to six people from separate households, in outside spaces. This means that you can meet limited numbers of family and friends in gardens and parks, but you must continue to follow social distancing rules. You can play sports with the people that you meet, but only if it is possible to keep a two-metre space between you, such as tennis or football. Will my children go to school? Primary schools can begin to open for pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 from Monday. Vulnerable children and children of key workers can still go to class, and teaching can start for older pupils in Year 10 and Year 12 in two weeks time, Monday June 15. Will any more shops be open? Most non-essential shops will remain closed on Monday, but car showrooms and outdoor markets will be allowed to reopen. Other non-essential shops can start to trade again from June 15. Can I go on a day out? Day trips to outdoor spaces are allowed as long as you do not stay the night. While on a trip people have to maintain social distancing and hotels are still closed. Will there still be punishments for breaking the rules? Yes, and fines for rulebreakers have been increased. Penalties for a first offence are now set at 100 (reduced to 50 if paid within two weeks) and double for every subsequent rule breach, up to 3,200. If I am shielding can I leave the house? From Monday, the two million people who have been shielding in England can now leave the house to spend time with people outdoors. Those considered extremely vulnerable will be able to go outside with members of their household, while continuing to follow social distancing guidelines. And those who live alone can meet outside with one other person from another household, also adhering to social distancing guidelines. What are the rules in Wales? From Monday people from two households in Wales will be able to meet outdoors, as long as they do not travel more than five miles and observe social distancing. People who have been shielding will also be able to exercise outdoors and meet people from another household, but must not go into another house or share food. What are the rules in Scotland? Since Friday, people north of the border have been allowed to meet in groups of eight, outdoors in parks or gardens, but these gatherings can only include members of two separate households. There have been no changes to rules for people who are shielding. What are the rules in Northern Ireland? Some rules will be relaxed in Northern Ireland on June 8. In a week, some more shops such as car showrooms can open, and outdoor weddings will be able to take place, but limited to fewer than ten people. Pets can also go to grooming parlours, and outdoor sport facilities will be allowed to open. Advertisement Pupils will be dropped off by parents in to pens that will be sectioned with barriers as they arrive. Parents have raised their own concerns however, Vix Lowthion wrote: 'My children are not going back to school tomorrow. I have spent weeks trying to influence this govt's pathetic handling of the pandemic. 'It's now got to the point I have to protect my own kids and their teachers and families. It's the responsible thing to do.' Other parents are happy with a return to school life though, with one father saying his child was going 'stir crazy,' during the lockdown. Ministers last night reassured parents that reopening primary schools today is safe amid fears that up to a million children may be kept away. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said it was 'extremely important' children went back to school. It comes as a study suggested up to half of families may shun sending their youngsters to lessons due to worries about the spread of coronavirus. This means that a million children, half of those in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6, could be kept off, in a blow to the government's hopes of getting back to normal. The majority of primaries are expected to open from today, despite fierce opposition from the National Education Union. At the 11th hour, the union again attempted to scupper openings, claiming they should be delayed until June 15 to protect youngsters and teachers. Unions are also vehemently opposed to rumours of summer school classes being set up for vulnerable children. Minsters are thought to be considering it as a possibility to make sure pupils get the best opportunities. Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), told Sky teachers should not have to work over the summer holidays. She told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday: 'Teachers have been working flat out to provide education for children at home. 'So what should happen is and we do support this clubs and activities on a volunteer basis.' But Education Secretary Gavin Williamson attempted to allay parental and staff concerns, insisting that Government decisions throughout the pandemic are 'based on the best scientific and medical advice'. He said: 'While there might be some nervousness, I want to reassure parents and teachers that the welfare of children and staff continues to be at the heart of all of our considerations. 'For the past three weeks the sector has been planning and putting protective measures in place.' Speaking at the Downing Street briefing, Mr Jenrick said ministers believe it is 'possible to open schools safely'. He pointed out that 80 per cent of schools have been open throughout the pandemic, with thousands of teachers already educating children of key workers as well as vulnerable pupils. Mr Jenrick said: 'It may be that there are some parents out there today who have not yet made the decision to send their children back to school but will do so in the days ahead when they've seen other people make that step and schools manage to reopen safely. 'I certainly hope so, because it's extremely important that we do get children back to school. 'All of the evidence suggests that it is children from the most deprived, the poorer households, who are losing out by not having that crucial face-to-face contact that you get in a school setting. I don't want to see that continue for any longer.' Government safety measures include returning primary pupils having access to coronavirus testing, along with symptomatic members of their family. They will be kept in small, socially distanced groups of no more than 15 throughout the day, with staggered breaks, lunchtimes, drop-offs and pick-ups. Dr Jenny Harries, deputy chief medical officer, told the press conference that testing capacity across the country 'is now very significant' at up to 200,000 a day. She pointed out that the 'risks of social interactions are reduced' as pupils will be kept in small groups. Boris Johnson wants nurseries and early years providers to reopen today, and primary schools to allow back their Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 groups. Some students in Year 10 and 12 will be allowed to meet face-to-face with their teachers at secondary school from June 15. The majority of primaries are expected to reopen. But many are only admitting a fraction of eligible pupils, with the introduction of rotas, as they struggle to adapt to smaller classes and reduced teacher levels. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said it was 'extremely important' children went back to school The National Foundation for Educational Research surveyed 1,233 head teachers in state primary and secondary schools in England. They expect nearly half (46 per cent) of families to keep their children at home because of their concerns around coronavirus or the need to self-isolate. The figure is slightly higher for primary schools (47 per cent) compared to 42 per cent in secondary schools. Across all schools, those with the highest proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals an indicator of poverty estimate the figure to be 50 per cent. This compares to 42 per cent in schools which have low levels of disadvantaged students. Three mothers are considering launching legal battle with Government claiming school closures during coronavirus crisis may have breached their children's human rights By Jim Norton for the Daily Mail Three mothers may sue the Government over school closures, claiming it may have breached children's human rights. They have written to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson to ask whether the mental welfare of pupils has been considered. They also fear draconian social distancing rules planned for returning schools could cause long-term psychological damage. Welfare fears: Campaigners Liz Cole, 46, left, and Christine Brett, 48, right, are two mothers who could sue the government over school closures Campaigner Christine Brett, who has two children, said: 'These are healthy children who have been quarantined for 12 weeks they shouldn't be treated like they're germs, disinfected on entry and separated on to individual tables.' Schools will return today for select year groups for the first time since March 20. The three mothers launched the Us for Them campaign for parents who say they were made to feel like pariahs for disagreeing with children being kept at home because of Covid-19. Molly Kingsley, 41, Liz Cole, 46, and Mrs Brett, 48, all from Cambridgeshire, have one child returning to school and another still at home. They said evidence the lockdown harms youngsters' well-being may have been overlooked. The group is also arguing against extreme distancing as it may breach the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Former lawyer Molly Kingsley (pictured) is one of three mothers who said evidence the lockdown harms youngsters' well-being may have been overlooked They have instructed lawyers to examine whether Government actions so far and the distancing plans may have been unlawful. Former lawyer Mrs Kingsley said if it failed to take into account children's welfare, they are prepared to sue. Almost 2,000 parents and teachers have backed the campaign. A Department for Education spokesman insisted the welfare of children had been 'at the heart of all considerations'. Children and young people will experience high levels of loneliness and depression for up to NINE YEARS after lockdown ends Children and young people are likely to experience high rates of depression and anxiety long after the lockdown ends, according to a review. The research draws on more than 60 pre-existing, peer-reviewed studies into topics spanning isolation, loneliness and mental health for young people aged between four and 21. It concludes that young people who are lonely might be as much as three times more likely to develop depression in the future, and that the impact of loneliness and mental health could last for at least nine years. Authors of the study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, said clinical services need to be prepared for a future spike in demand. It concludes that young people who are lonely might be as much as three times more likely to develop depression in the future The study comes as NHS England's top doctor for children and young people's mental health has urged parents to be alert to signs of anxiety, distress or low mood as some pupils return to school on Monday. Dr Maria Loades, clinical psychologist from the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath, said: 'From our analysis, it is clear there are strong associations between loneliness and depression in young people, both in the immediate and the longer term. 'We know this effect can sometimes be lagged, meaning it can take up to 10 years to really understand the scale of the mental health impact the Covid-19 crisis has created. 'There is evidence that it's the duration of loneliness as opposed to the intensity which seems to have the biggest impact on depression rates in young people. 'This means that returning to some degree of normality as soon as possible is of course important. 'However, how this process is managed matters when it comes to shaping young people's feelings and experiences about this period. Schools should be resourced and given clear guidelines on how to support children's emotional wellbeing during the transition period as schools reopen, the experts say 'For our youngest and their return to school from this week, we need to prioritise the importance of play in helping them to reconnect with friends and adjust following this intense period of isolation.' Members of the review team were also involved in a recent open letter to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson. They suggest that the easing of the lockdown should be done in a way that provides children with time and opportunity to play with peers. Schools should be resourced and given clear guidelines on how to support children's emotional wellbeing during the transition period as schools reopen, the experts say. They call for play - rather than academic progress - to be the priority during this time. Their letter concludes: 'Poor emotional health in children leads to long-term mental health problems, poorer educational attainment and has a considerable economic burden.' Professor Prathiba Chitsabesan, NHS England's associate national clinical director for children and young people's mental health, said the return to school may cause anxiety for some pupils as well as those who remain at home feeling isolated or left out. She stressed that NHS mental health services remain available for children and young people. 'Children and young people may be experiencing a variety of feelings in response to the coronavirus pandemic, including anxiety, distress and low mood, and it is important to understand that these are normal responses to an abnormal situation,' Prof Chitsabesan said. 'The NHS offers a large amount of mental health support for children and young people, and if a child needs urgent mental health support or advice, check nhs.uk for services in your area, including 24/7 crisis support.' NHS England issued advice on what parents should look out for and steps they can take to look after their child's mental health. Signs include finding children are more upset or struggling to manage their emotions, appearing anxious or distressed, increased trouble with sleeping and eating, appearing low in mood, reporting worried thoughts or more bed wetting in younger children. Parents can help by making time to talk to their children, allowing them to talk about feelings, trying to understand their problems, helping their child do positive activities, trying to keep a routine and looking after their own mental health. Nadine Dorries, minister for mental health, said: 'As many children start to return to school, it's vital we continue to give them the support they need to maintain their mental health and wellbeing and deal with any feelings of uncertainty or worry they may be experiencing. 'The NHS remains there for those who need it and our mental health services are adapting to best support families and children as we all get used to these changes in routine.' The International Webinar on Global Science and Technology Development and Governance under the COVID-19 Epidemic was held on May 30 in Beijing. The event, held under the theme "Build Consensus for Cooperation and Jointly Tackle Challenges," was sponsored by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and held both online and offline. Huai Jinpeng, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Secretary of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), and 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 (WFPHA) attended the webinar and delivered speeches. Huai noted in his speech that in the face of the threat posed by the COVID-19 epidemic on the lives and health of people around the world, countries should enhance international exchanges and cooperation and make joint efforts to safeguard global public health security. He said the Chinese sci-tech sector is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with global countries to maintain sustainable development through science and technology and jointly protect the shared homeland of mankind. Hassan expressed his gratitude for the assistance China offered to epidemic-hit countries, especially African countries, expressing his admiration for the international cooperation on COVID-19 control carried out by Chinese scientists. He also spoke highly of CAST for its science-based epidemic prevention and control approach. International cooperation in science and technology can do much to advance the development of COVID-19 vaccines, and the only way to defeat the virus is still through solidarity and cooperation, Chan remarked in her speech. Ricciardi expressed his gratitude to China for the help it offered Italy during the epidemic. He pointed out that international cooperation should be made more open, transparent and structured. The WFPHA is willing to offer support for public health development in each country, and hopes more organizations, institutions and individuals can actively join in the international cooperation. The webinar was one of a series of events held to mark the fourth National Science and Technology Workers Day of China. Experts from Italy, Switzerland, Sudan, Japan, Australia, Brazil and Singapore took part in the event, which was livestreamed by dozens of media outlets, including Peoples Daily Online, and watched online by over 10 million people. A woman who repeatedly screamed abuse at a BBC DJ and his family has been convicted of harassment and stalking. Sarah Jayne Rook, 43, was found guilty of 'persistently' stalking Gilles Peterson in February and March. Mr Peterson, 55, previously told Stratford Magistrates' Court in east London Rook repeatedly turned up outside his north London home and hurled abuse. It included 'all kinds of stuff from paedophile to Hiroshima and rapist - all very extreme words that were shouted at my house'. Sarah Jayne Rook (pictured), 43, has been convicted of subjecting DJ Gilles Peterson and his family to a campaign of harassment in February and March Mr Peterson, whose real surname is Moehrle, also previously said he found a torn-up picture of himself clipped to the windscreen of his car and he had been scared by a tweet sent to him while on air reading 'f****** kill him'. During a barrage lasting up to 30 minutes on February 15, Rook repeatedly shouted expletives including 'c***' outside the family home as well as calling Mr Peterson's wife Atsuko a 'Hiroshima b****'. On another occasion, Mr Peterson, whose real surname is Moehrle, said Rook had been seen shouting obscenities outside his studio and felt 'very threatened'. He said: 'It was a very traumatic situation. I was concerned. It seemed to be so frantic and extreme.' Rook, of Surbiton, south-west London, pleaded not guilty to stalking, racially aggravated harassment and an alternative charge of non-aggravated harassment. Asked whether she would give evidence, Rook told the court: 'It's probably a waste of an exercise, to be honest.' However, she later provided a written statement to the court which said she was conducting a 'freelance investigation' regarding the history of a jazz club owner linked to author John Steinbeck. Writing in the third person, Rook said: 'She is unsure why Mr Peterson has embarked on this legal action but she hopes to see release to continue her book and investigative journalism.' She was convicted of stalking Mr Peterson on Monday by District Judge Louisa Cieciora, who also found the harassment against Mrs Moehrle was racially aggravated. Gilles Peterson, DJ for BBC Radio 6 Music, leaves Stratford Magistrates' Court, east London, where Rook appeared on charges of harassing and stalking him and his wife She was also convicted of racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress against Pc Karlene Richards by calling her a 'f****** negro' after her arrest on March 16. Mr Peterson's wife told the court on Monday she had racist abuse repeatedly 'screamed' at her by her husband's accused stalker at their home. Giving evidence behind screens, Mr Peterson's wife Atsuko said she was called a 'Hiroshima b****' more than 20 times in one torrent of abuse. Mrs Moehrle said the first incident began around 10pm on February 15 after a woman knocked on the door asking for Mr Peterson. She said: 'I didn't open the door because I knew there was something very wrong. 'She started shouting ''you f***** b****, open the door b****''. She just started screaming obscenities.' Mrs Moehrle said the woman, said to be Rook, 'didn't say many sentences, just words'. She told the court: 'She repeatedly said ''Hiroshima b****'', she called it more than 20 times. 'It was racist words. it was targeted towards me. She asked if I was Atsuko, so she was aware of my name too. Obviously that's my background. I'm Japanese. 'She was not just shouting, she was screaming, the entire street could hear it.' The court was shown footage, recorded by the couple's son Luc, of Rook outside the family home shouting the word 'c***' and yelling 'you dirty rapist c***' towards them. Mr Peterson (pictured), 55, previously told Stratford Magistrates' Court in east London Rook repeatedly turned up outside his north London home and hurled abuse Mrs Moehrle said Rook knocked on the door of their family home again at around 5pm on March 6, pretending to be a charity worker and asking for her email address. She said: 'I recognised her voice straight away. It was quite a traumatic experience.' Mrs Moehrle added Rook then tried to push her hands through the letterbox and began to scream expletives and ''open the door b****''. I tried to call the police but my hands were shaking.' Mrs Moehrle said Rook began banging on the window, adding she was scared she might be trapped if the window broke. The following day, Mrs Moehrle was alerted to a woman sitting on a building site opposite their family home by a neighbour. She told the court: 'She was sitting on the building work inside the scaffolding, it was the same person. I didn't go close to her, I was scared.' On March 8, Mrs Moehrle said she saw Rook trying to open Mr Peterson's car outside their north London home before hitting it with a pole 'three or four times'. The Radio 6 Music DJ also told the court he was abused on Twitter while presenting his regular show, from an account in Rook's name. After the BBC was informed about the harassment, Mr Peterson's security was increased so he was escorted to and from his car at the central London studio. Rook, of Surbiton, south-west London, denied harassing Peterson and his family at their home and studios in north London. She pleaded not guilty to harassment, stalking, racially aggravated harassment and racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress. Passing judgment, District Judge Cieciora said Rook had engaged in a 'campaign against Mr Moehrle'. The judge said: 'She loitered in and around his home address, she loitered around his work address and attempted to contact him in inappropriate ways. 'She targeted his family. She loitered in and around Mrs Moehrle's home address and was abusive and demonstrated hostility based upon her race.' District Judge Cieciora adjourned sentencing until June 22. Royal titles can be a difficult subject to navigate, especially when it comes to Queen Elizabeths plethora of styles. Her Majesty goes by many titles around the world, some of which depend on where she is visiting. Although many royal watchers still refer to her as the Queen of England, you may be surprised to learn that she is technically not the Queen of England at all. Queen Elizabeth | Geoff Pugh WPA Pool /Getty Images What is Queen Elizabeths official title? Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne following her fathers death in 1952. She has sat on the throne for the past 68 years, making her the longest-reigning monarch in British history. In 2022, Her Majesty will celebrate 70 years on the throne and her husband, Prince Philips, 100th birthday. Over the course of her reign, the Queen has gained many titles. When she inherited the crown, her full official title was Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith. RELATED: Kate Middletons Body Language Proves Her Relationship With Queen Elizabeth Is Not As Tense As It Once Was She also holds several unofficial titles, depending on where she is visiting. When Her Majesty is in Jamaica, for instance, she goes by the name Missis Queen, and in Canadas Salish nation she is called the Mother of all People. Queen Elizabeth inherited a few titles that are passed down to every reigning monarchy, regardless of their gender. This includes the title of the Duke of Normandy whenever she is in the Channel Islands. Why isnt Her Majesty the Queen of England? Speaking of her unofficial titles, Queen Elizabeth is often referred to as the Queen of England in the media. While many royal watchers know her by this name, she is not technically the Queen of England. Her Majestys officially shortened title is actually Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Queen Elizabeth I was actually the last monarch to hold the title of the Queen of England. When she passed away in 1603, King James I took over the crown and was coronated the King of the United Kingdom. This united three kingdoms (England, Scotland, and Ireland) for the first time in history. Since 1603, all of reigning sovereigns have taken the title of King of Queen of the United Kingdom. Unless something drastic changes, that will hold true to Queen Elizabeths successor, Prince Charles. Nevertheless, Elizabeth is still referred to as the Queen of England, a tradition that probably isnt going away anytime soon. Was Queen Elizabeth ever a duchess? There was a time, of course, when Queen Elizabeth was not the Queen of the United Kingdom. When she tied the knot with Philip in 1947, her father, King George VI was still on the throne. Many members of the royal family receive a dukedom upon marriage, a title that is the highest rank outside of the king or queen. After she exchanged vows with Philip, King George granted him the title of the Duke of Edinburgh, which made her the Duchess of Edinburgh. RELATED: Queen Elizabeth Is Passing On One Very Unexpected Title to Prince Charles as He Prepares To Take the Throne Queen Elizabeth was forced to give up her title as the Duchess of Edinburgh when she took the throne. The reason she could not keep both styles is because it is a lesser title. Philip, on the other hand, was able to keep his title as the Duke of Edinburgh, a style he holds to this day. Most of Queen Elizabeths titles, meanwhile, will be passed down to Charles once he is on the throne. The same holds true for Prince William, who is currently second in line to the throne. When Charles takes the crown, he will be forced to give us his title as the Duke of Cornwall and the Prince of Wales as well. Christo changed the way people look at the worlds most famous monuments and the way they engaged with the outdoors. Christo, the Bulgarian-born artist, best known for his monumental installations that wrapped some of the worlds most celebrated buildings and played with peoples perceptions of landscape and the outdoors, died on Sunday at his home in New York. He was 84. Christo lived his life to the fullest, not only dreaming up what seemed impossible but realizing it, the office of the artist, born Christo Yavacheff, said in a statement. Christo escaped from then-communist Bulgaria via Prague, Vienna and Geneva in 1957. In Paris, he met Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon. They were born on the same day, June 13, in the same year, 1935, and, according to him, In the same moment and would become partners in life and art until her death in 2009. The couple won worldwide acclaim for ambitious and ephemeral works that they began in the 1960s and took years of painstaking preparation. In 1985, they wrapped the Pont Neuf, Pariss oldest bridge. A decade later, it was the Reichstag in Berlin cocooned in shimmering silver and attracting millions of people in the two weeks the installation remained in place. Absolutely free In 2005, they created, The Gates, an installation of thousands of saffron-coloured gateways winding through New Yorks Central Park. Christo and Jeanne-Claude in front of a model for their artwork, Wrapped Reichstag, during the opening of the exhibition in July 2009 [Raquel Manzanares/EPA] Christo and Jeanne-Claudes artwork brought people together in shared experiences across the globe, and their work lives on in our hearts and memories, the statement said. To finance the ambitious projects and maintain their artistic freedom, the couple would sell their preparatory work, including collages and drawings. I like to be absolutely free, to be totally irrational with no justification for what I like to do, he said. I will not give up one centimetre of my freedom for anything. Christo continued to work after Jeanne-Claudes death, creating, The Floating Piers, on Italys Lake Iseo in 2016; a project the duo had first conceived more than 40 years previously. A three-kilometre (1.9-mile) undulating walkway across the northern lake, the installation of 200,000 floating yellow cubes was hugely popular creating paths for visitors to reach scattered islands and giving the impression of walking on water or perhaps the back of a whale, Christo said. Two years later, The London Mastaba a 20-metre-high (66-foot) sculpture of an ancient Egyptian tomb, made from 7,506 red, white and mauve barrels on a platform in a lake in Londons Hyde Park. Arc de Triomphe At the time of his death, Christo was working on a project to wrap the Arc de Triomphe in Paris in 25,000 square metres (269,100 square feet) of recyclable polypropylene fabric in silvery blue and 7,000 metres (23,000 feet) of red rope. It will still go ahead. Christo and Jeanne-Claude have always made clear that their artworks in progress be continued after their deaths. Per Christos wishes, LArc de Triomphe, Wrapped in Paris, France, is still on track for September 18 October 3, 2021, the statement said. It will be accompanied by an exhibition at the citys Pompidou Centre about the couples time in the city. A statement sent to AFP by the Pompidou Centre on Sunday paid tribute to the artist as an enchanter who was essential to the history of art of our time. Christo was a great artist, capable of giving new depth to our every day, said the Pompidou Centres president, Serge Lasvignes. Bulgarian artist Christo walks, The Floating Piers, on Lake Iseo during the last day of the installation on July 3, 2016 [Filippo Venezia/EPA] The centres director, Bernard Blistene, said they had worked passionately with Christos team to put the exhibition together in parallel with the Arc de Triomphe project. Let the exhibition that we will be opening on July 1 pay tribute to this exceptional body of work, bestriding all disciplines and so essential to the history of art of our time, he added. Sundays statement from Christos office concluded: In a 1958 letter Christo wrote, Beauty, science and art will always triumph. We hold those words closely today. Founder and Leader of Royal House Chapel International, Rev Sam Korankye Ankrah has called on the Electoral Commission to collaborate with all the political parties in the country to ensure a peaceful elections in December. On the dispute of a new voter register, Rev Ankrah called for a consensus between the Electoral Commission and the various opposing political parties to ensure free, fair and transparent elections come December 7, 2020. The National Democratic Congress(NDC) has kicked against the compilation of a new voter register.He indicated that there would be a peaceful elections in December. He gave the advice during Citi TVs programme 24-hour worship and prayer programme Intercede Ghana. Rev Ankrah also called for an end to stigmatization against people who have recovered from COVID-19 in the country. He admonished Ghanaians to change their attitude towards people who have been healed from COVID-19. Rev Ankrah noted that in the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson who had the virus is back to work after he was healed and he has not been stigmatized against this he indicated is an example for Ghanaians to learn from. More than 4,000 people have been arrested across the US in connection with wild protests over George Floyds murder. At least 40 cities have also reportedly imposed curfews. Additionally, as protests spread across the US, the US National Guard has accordingly been activated across 15 States as well as Washington DC. George Floyd was an unarmed Blackman killed by a white police officer named Derek Michael Chauvin. Chauvin was seen in a video that has since gone viral, kneeling on George Floyds neck for 8 minutes 46 seconds, leading to his death. Derek Michael Chauvin was later charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. However, protesters believe the charge isnt harsh enough, and are demanding charges for the other officers involved. Arrests began on Tuesday, May 26. Floyd died on Monday, May 25, 2020. Solidarity March Thousands of people around the world have marched in solidarity with George Floyd protesters. People in Denmark, UK, Germany, and other places, held placards over the weekend as they joined a spontaneous Black Lives Matter march at Trafalgar Square in London to protest the death of George Floyd on May 31. On Sunday morning, protesters gathered at Trafalgar Square in London, to show their support. A total of 23 protesters were reportedly arrested for a series of offenses including breaches to coronavirus legislation. Also, thousands gathered across several states in New Zealand, for Black Lives Matter demonstrations and vigils for Floyd. The cities included Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. Protesters also gathered in Berlin, Germany, in front of the US Embassy on Saturday and Sunday, holding signs that bear slogans of the Black Lives Matter movement like I cant breathe and No justice, no peace. Protests are also being planned this coming week in Australia. One is scheduled in Sydney on Tuesday, one for Brisbane on Saturday, for Melbourne on Saturday, and more. Thousands have marked themselves as attending in each of the protests Facebook event pages. Shots Fired Meanwhile, shots have reportedly been fired at a police building in Oakland, California after midnight local time in Oakland. State officials recently tied up with a Florida doctor to provide COVID-19 test results to over 100,000 residents regardless of the recent status of the medical professional who, according to reports, "had been on probation for 10 years by the state medical board." Officials of the Emergency Management said on Friday that Dr. Eric Pantaleon, a pediatrician, was fired because of complaints that thousands of COVID-19 test results had been delayed. The state hired Pantaleon and the Medical Associates Network, the company which the pediatrician owns, to supervise 12 test sites which include the fairgrounds at Florida International University and the Holiday Park in Fort Lauderdale and. Meanwhile, the Florida Division of Emergency management director Jared Moskowitz said, the state knew the delays in the test result. However, he added, last week's ousting of Pantaleon's firm was due to his history. The Doctor's Past Story Dr. Pantaleon, the Florida Department of Health records indicate, was put on probation by the board of medicine of Florida 10 years ago, after inappropriately treating multiple patients for HIV. Also, based on records from the US Drug Enforcement Administration, his name appeared as well, on a list of doctors in Florida who had purchased ample "amounts of opioids" last year. The doctor has not responded yet to phone calls, emails, and voicemails requesting for comment on the issue. News agencies found that the residents were told to call him if, within five days, they have not received their results yet. However, a lot of them said, the pediatrician was never returning their calls. For instance, John Gillen, a media company reported, had his test in end-April. He said, it took 17 days before his results came out, which happened to be negative. Gillen explained to Sun-Sentinel that they are "forcing people to get back into work that is not necessarily safe" since they are encountering people like them, who think they are safe but they are not receiving their test results to confirm if they really are. There were no clear details as to how Pantaleon's history "slipped through the cracks" while the hiring process was going on. Labs the State has Tied-Up with for the COVID-19 Test Results The state is contracting with laboratories to operate testing sites. It is also using third parties to rely on the results. Most of these labs like LabCorp or Quest are processing results in just up to three days and usually, it is the doctor or nurse who calls with the results. Hover, for Genetworx Laboratories which has over 100,000 processed tests in Florida, was sub-contracted by CDR Maguire, a firm which Pantaleon then, hired. Based on reports, this company has also terminated the pediatrician. Tina Vidal, the Executive Vice President of CDR Macquire said, as test sites turned out to be "more widely available state-wide," there was an exponential corresponding rise in getting in touch with patients." The company has since introduced an internet-based notification portal for people so they can have their results checked. However, the portal stayed inactive as of Friday. According to Vidal, it is currently being updated. A 24-year-old research analyst at FIU, Charles Bond said, he could not leave his house and go into the laboratory to work until he got his test results. Bond said he had experienced COVID-19 symptoms so he was urged by his boss to get tested first before going back to work. Check these out: The streets were on fire as National Guard troops streamed into American cities. The shouts were soaked in anger and anguish: Were sick of it! There was dark talk of radical agitators. Violent outbursts and arrests piled up across the republic. The White House issued martial statements about law and order. On TV, footage of unrest and anger played on a continuous loop. The voice from mission control was cool and calm as the rocket soared into the sky and towards space. Stage One propulsion is nominal. It was the late 1960s. It is right now. For Americans of a certain age and for those mindful of the past it is impossible to ignore the similarities between these past few days and some of the more unsettling moments from the 1960s. In particular 1968, a year marred by assassinations and violent social unrest. And there are reasons to believe that 2020, not yet half done, may even surpass 1968 as one American historys most powerful social and political flashpoints. From an impeachment trial to a devastating pandemic, from galloping unemployment to George Floyds death at the hands of Minneapolis police, all the threads are there, flowing together into a raging, muddied river that serves up unimaginable challenges. All these things are being woven together, says historian Thurston Clarke, author of The Last Campaign, which chronicles Robert F. Kennedys 1968 presidential campaign and assassination on June 6 of that year. Its like an anti-hit parade, a convergence of the greatest catastrophes of the past 100 years or so, all hitting us at once, Clarke says. And with what hope? In the morass that is 2020, historys ghosts from an assortment of American eras have resurfaced: From 1918, when a pandemics first wave ravaged, ebbed and then gave way to a more powerful second wave. From 1930, when an economic crash revealed its longer-term effects on American citizens in the form of the Great Depression. From 1974, and the governmental disarray that preceded Richard M. Nixons resignation, echoed in January and February with the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. From 1992, and its images of Los Angeles burning after the acquittal of four police officers in the beating of Rodney King. Perhaps the most uncomfortable era to summon for comparison is the one no one really wants to talk about: 1860, when the final pieces of polarization fell into place for what would be a cataclysmic Civil War. Slavery, America's greatest historical shame, was the flashpoint then. Today, it is police brutality against black people, a descendant of that awful legacy. Then, as now, there was deep economic disparity, and a debate between individual rights and the common good. Different visions of American life. Different sets of facts and ever-hazier notions of truth. Whats fundamentally common for all of these things in our history is a lack of agreement of what reality is a lack of agreement about facts, about causes, says U.S. historian John Baick of Western New England University. When we cant agree on basic truth, we reach our greatest periods of divide. Now, we also must navigate a social media landscape overloaded with instantly uploaded imagery to persuade and provoke an echo chamber full of lighter fluid that itself is a subject of national contention, thanks in part to the president. Problems sometimes addressed, sometimes ignored, never truly solved. Thats what makes the deepest impression on Frederick Gooding Jr., who teaches about race. He sees parallels between today and the Reconstruction period that immediately followed the Civil War, when African Americans coming off a war that, on paper, rebooted American society for them were confronted with the realities of life in the postwar United States. You had the premise that 'Im free, but I walk the streets in psychological terror, says Gooding, an associate professor of African American studies at Texas Christian University. There really is nothing new under the sun here about the fundamental structure of our society and the way it behaves, Gooding says. The cycle is starting to repeat. Theres outrage, it flares up, theres new understanding, things are put in place, and then it rears its head again. But right here, right now, 1968 seems the most relevant touchpoint of all. Then, it was politics and economics and race the death of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in particular with the backdrop of the Vietnam War, a long-running national cataclysm that was killing many thousands of Americans. Now, it is politics and economics and race the death of George Floyd in particular with the backdrop of the pandemic, a long-running national cataclysm that is killing many thousands of Americans. There are key differences, of course. The power structures have evolved and to some extent are more inclusive, though nowhere near where many hoped theyd be. One example: Chicago, where in 1968 Mayor Richard J. Daley decried the protests at the Democratic National Convention and pushed the aggressive policing that helped make that a national flashpoint. Today, the mayor is Lori Lightfoot, an African American woman and first openly gay person to hold the office. Perhaps the most striking difference is the one that may be fueling the fires of anger across the land: Now, unlike any other moment in history, protesters in one place can, with a device in their pockets, see and hear whats happening elsewhere and match or surpass it in real time. Some questions, then: Is this period what one Minneapolis resident called a volcano finally erupting after years of simmering a singular moment in American life? Its hard to declare that from within, but it certainly has most of the convulsive themes that have driven and riven U.S. history since its beginnings. Will people gathering and colliding in the most aggressive of fashions shouting in each others faces in the era of the coronavirus create repercussions we cant even consider? This can be kind of a tinderbox for COVID, protester Rosa Jimenez Cano said in Miami. On Saturday afternoon, the SpaceX rocket streaked into the sky from Cape Canaveral, summoning an American moment of pride, control and expert accomplishment. And like those Apollo missions in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it left a troubled planet behind. Congratulations to the Astronauts that left Earth today, actor and comedian Andy Milonakis tweeted. Good choice. Below it, all else felt tumultuous, a word that has been used so often to describe 1968 that it has become a cliche. Nevertheless, the word fits 2020, too like a well-constructed face mask. For a surprisingly large number of Americans, I think, 1968 marked the end of hope, Charles Kaiser wrote in 1968 in America, his 1988 book. Twenty years later, it may now be possible to start unraveling the mystery of how its traumas and its culture changed us. Is that how long it will take this time? Will 20 years be enough? And, as with Apollo 11 in 1969, might there be small steps and giant leaps just ahead breakthroughs in figuring this all out that help Americans find new ways to soar again? Photos: What protests against police looked like yesterday in cities across US The country convulsed through another night of unrest over the death of George Floyd and other police killings of black people, with police cars set ablaze and reports of injuries mounting on all sides. Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The KB Kookmin Card headquarters in Seoul / Courtesy of KB Kookmin Card By Park Jae-hyuk KB Kookmin Card is facing growing concerns over its international creditworthiness after the credit card issuing unit of KB Financial Group requested Fitch Ratings to withdraw its ratings that were downgraded recently amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the request, the global credit-rating agency announced its withdrawal of KB Kookmin Card's rating, Thursday, a month after it downgraded the card firm's long-term issuer default rating (IDR) to BBB+ from A- with a negative outlook. "The ratings have simultaneously been withdrawn," Fitch analyst Matt Choi said in a report. When Fitch downgraded KB Kookmin Card's ratings on April 29, the agency cited KB Financial Group's weakening ability to support its credit card subsidiary. The card firm was also expected to face further ratings downgrades, considering Fitch's negative outlook. "This is due to two factors, the first being the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the second being the impact of the bank holding company's rapidly rising common-equity double leverage and eroding consolidated capital buffers, mainly due to its continued expansion into non-bank operations," Choi said at that time. "The negative outlook reflects our expectation that KB Financial Group's ability to support KB Kookmin Card could deteriorate further if the pandemic extends longer than our base-case scenario." A capital market insider said investors could doubt a company's soundness, if it asks rating agencies to remove it from their lists of businesses subject to their credit assessments. In response, KB Kookmin Card said it does not need corporate credit ratings. "Because we've only issued asset-backed securities overseas, the recent withdrawal of corporate credit ratings will not cause any problems with us attracting foreign investments," a KB Kookmin Card spokesman said. However, KB Kookmin Card had boasted of the corporate credit ratings from Fitch, until the agency downgraded its ratings. When it got an A- in its long-term IDR in July 2019 for three consecutive years, the card firm said in its press release that it would pursue overseas expansion and attract foreign investments, based on its high corporate credit ratings. Moreover, the company did not ask Moody's Investors Services to withdraw its corporate credit ratings. Moody's has maintained KB Kookmin Card's A2 ratings with a stable outlook. Critics regarded KB Kookmin Card's request for withdrawal of Fitch's rating action as a form of "rating shopping," which refers to companies asking credit rating agencies to withdraw their unfavorable ratings. The Financial Supervisory Service has tightened its supervision of the scheme, because it hinders rating agencies from making fair evaluations. Twitter A white man in Chicago armed with a customised AR-15 and decked out in tactical gear showed up to a protest on Sunday and was peacefully turned away by police, despite flagrantly breaking the state's open carry law. On the sixth day of protests over the killing of George Floyd by former Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin, an armed white man attended a protest and was eventually asked to leave by the Chicago Police Department. A user on Twitter who posted a video of the man being ejected from the protest claimed the individual was pointing his gun - what appears to be a modified AR-15 - in the faces of protesters. In the video, the man - who is wearing a body armour plate carrier and has a pistol strapped to his left leg - is seen talking to police before being sent away as protesters on both sides of the street yell at him. Illinois law prohibits the open carrying of a firearm. Despite the man in the video having two visibly displayed weapons, the police do nothing to stop him. "This white man had a gun to me and my friends' face. He was not w/ the police he was just out here instigating. If he had been black he would have been thrown to the ground arrested and beaten. But he was peacefully [turned] away. Because he's white," Twitter user @taygang98 wrote in a tweet accompanying the video. Chicago 40th Ward Alderman Andre Vasquez pointed out that the double standard shown by the Chicago police was exactly what spurred the protests in the first place. "This was in HYDE PARK. You're telling me this guy isn't a cop and he's allowed to just walk freely while armed like this while we have teenagers getting beat with batons," he wrote in a Twitter post. "THIS is what had people out in the streets in the first place!?" Many users compared the incident to that of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was killed by Cleveland police while he was playing with a toy gun. Others pointed to the scene as the "epitome of white privilege." Story continues According to Crain's Chicago, approximately 2,000 people connected to the protest were arrested in the city over the weekend. Chicago PD Superintendent David Brown said that of those arrested, nearly 700 people have been charged with crimes, mostly for looting. Read more George Floyd's brother calls for end to violence at scene of arrest Omjasvin MD By Express News Service CHENNAI: It was a happy moment for Dr A Ravi when he donned his white coat again and got back to treating COVID-19 patients after a fortnight. Appointed as the nodal officer for COVID-19 treatment at Stanley Hospital in January, Dr Ravi has treated hundreds of patients and has been part of all the official meetings in the hospital. But he didn't know at the time that he would contract the virus and turn into a patient himself. I had a high fever some 15 days ago but got well the next day. But again, I got fatigue and a dry cough, which is when I decided to take a test, he told reporters at a press conference at the hospital on Monday. Speaking to The New Indian Express, the Salem native said it was an emotional setback for him when he tested positive but later on he self-isolated himself. In ten days, I showed improvement and recovered 75 percent. After that, I tested negative and now am ready to get back, he said. On Monday, Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar had taken to Twitter to congratulate Dr Ravi. The Minister along with the Health Secretary also met the doctor at the hospital. Despite following all the hygiene measures and wearing kits, I still got infected. It could be because of the high viral load that doctors are exposed to, says Dr Ravi. Like any other patient affected by COVID-19, Dr Ravi also grappled with loneliness during his isolation. Yes, I felt lonely as I needed to be in self-isolation. I also tend to overthink about the complications, he said. He tells people with comorbid conditions to be cautious. People with diabetes must not just take tablets but also check their blood sugar levels and ensure it has come down. If we are taking our medications correctly, we will come out well, he added. Dr Ravi suggests that Kabasura Kudineer and vitamin tablets would also help in boosting immunity. Take proper food and have adequate sleep, he adds. June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and in the past 50 years, it has grown into a massive money-making machine with an estimated 1,500 Pride events globally. It's become a month when big businesses can show their support for the community and their employees. It's also an opportunity to win over the support of LGBTQ+ consumers by shelling out millions on Pride-related ads, sponsorships and merchandise. In June 2019, New York hosted World Pride, which honored the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Those events maxed out the city's hotel capacity in June, and while an official report has not been published on how much money the events made for businesses in the city, it's estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. But due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, June 2020 is looking much different. Most Pride organizers have pivoted to virtual platforms. InterPride, the overseeing body for World Pride, is co-producing an international virtual event called Global Pride, which will hit each time zone with new content, performances and speeches made for and by the countries within that time zone. This is a first for Pride organizers, so many weren't exactly sure what a virtual Pride would look like, especially when discussing ads and sponsorships. Despite hardships, many big corporate donors are still thinking of creative ways to be involved. But in the past decade, some members of the LGBTQ+ community are disturbed that many Pride events have focused too much on sponsorships and not enough on LGBTQ+ rights. Organizations like the Reclaim Pride Coalition are trying to make sure these corporations are really walking the walk for the LGBTQ+ community, not just using Pride as a marketing opportunity. With all of the changes to this year's lineup, many are left wondering how these virtual events will maintain their support of small LGBTQ+ owned businesses, such as restaurants, bars and brick-and-mortar stores, as well as LGBTQ+ focused nonprofits, many of which heavily rely on the revenue spike in June to keep their doors open and services running. Watch CNBC's deep dive into virtual Pride for the whole story. Kevin Hart urged the media to consider the message they were sending as protests continue unfolding in response to the death of George Floyd. Nationwide, protests and riots have erupted after Floyd was killed while in custody last week. Hart, 40, posted a moving message onto his Instagram account, where he urged reporters and journalists covering the issue to be 'a part of the solution' with the narrative they were telling. 'You guys control the narrative': Kevin Hart urged the media to consider the message they were sending as protests continue unfolding in response to the death of George Floyd Hart asked the media to focus on the injustices sparking the protests in the first place, after noticing the narrative beginning to shift onto the rioting and looting. Speaking from his backyard, Kevin calmly yet sternly addressed reporters and journalists early Sunday morning. 'You guys control the narrative,' he said. 'So I feel like you guys have a job to do about pushing the correct narrative. Right now I'm watching that narrative slowly change into the rioting, into the looting. 'We're not talking about the reason, we're not talking about why we're witnessing what we're witnessing. There's a reason. I don't want to lose sight of that reason. That reason is because another man died in the hands of a police officer. 'I'm watching that narrative slowly change': Hart noticed a shift in how the story was being told 'He started off kneeling': Hart then brought up Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers player who began kneeling during the anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality in 2016 'George Floyd, rest in peace, as we know was killed by a cop. It was another senseless death. When I say "another," that's because we've got several that we can talk about. Several that we can talk about, that's the reason. So within the narrative, when you know that people are looking for justice, when you know that people are looking for this to stop, when you know that you're looking for correction, your job should be pushing that as well.' Hart then brought up Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers player who began kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality in 2016. 'The media, you should be pushing that there needs to be a change as well. You should be pushing. It's not just the people that are protesting. You know why they're protesting. You know why people are enraged. You know why they're angry. So as the media, you should be on the side of angry people. You should be on the side of the solution and not the problem. We've seen a narrative change before, happened the same thing with Colin Kaepernick. Speaking up: Speaking from his backyard, Kevin calmly yet sternly addressed reporters and journalists early Sunday morning 'He started off kneeling and it was for social injustice, and that quickly got changed. The narrative quickly got changed, it became disrespecting of the American flag, not respecting the country, not respecting the soldiers. That's not what it started off as. He wanted to bring awareness to social injustice, plain and simple. And it got changed, it got switched, it got maneuvered all over the place, and before we knew it, who knew? Who knew what it was? Because the definition changes so many times, because the media controls the narrative. 'If you're going to control the narrative, then be apart of the solution. Within a solution is the fine for change, and that change is justice. That officer was only charged for third degree, it should be first degree murder. The other officers there still have yet to be charged. They should be charged. 'That's bringing justice. That's making people feel like something is going to change. Force the hand of the people that are higher. Everybody's conversation should be about the change. We can't keep just saying quality. We have to take actionable steps in going in that direction. 'Control the narrative correctly': Hart believes reporters had a responsibility in the way the issue was being framed 'Control the narrative correctly. Control it correctly. Make sure people know what the anger and frustration is about, and make sure that you're on the side of wanting to see justice. Charge the other officers, make sure that first officer, make sure he gets the godd**n book. Whatever it may be, push that narrative. Don't change the narrative to just looting and rioting. And when you do, you make sure you show everybody's that's out there doing it. Because it's not just us. Control the narrative.' Demonstrations have erupted nationwide in response to the death of Floyd, a black man who died after since-fired police officer Derek Chauvin held him down with a knee to the back of his neck. Chauvin has since been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. This isn't the first time Hart has addressed the matter either, with the actor calling for police officers to be held accountable in a previous post. A group of protesters in Louisville created a human barricade to protect an officer separated from his unit during a protest over the death of Breonna Taylor. On Thursday peaceful protests suddenly turned volatile as gunfire rang out and fires set ablaze while as many as 600 civilians flooded the streets. Clashes between authorities and civilians continued throughout night, but a moment of solidarity between the two was captured in now-viral photos. An officer in Louisville, Kentucky, (left) was protected by a human shield during protest over the death of Breonna Taylor In the photos, shared by Louisville-native Nancy Duncan, a white officer in riot gear stands in front of Bearnos By-the-Bridge restaurant as protesters crowd the nearby street. A single barricade of mostly African-American men stands in between as the only line of defense to make sure the officer wasn't harmed. The photos appear to show just one man protecting the officer at first before at least five others join in. Each man linked their arms together. Chris Williams, one of the men in the human shield, said people stepped in once they realized the officer was outnumbered and alone During the commotion of the protest, the officer (left) reportedly got separated from his unit The officer was reportedly separated from his unit during the protest commotion, Louisville Courier-Journal reports. Chris Williams, one of the men in the human barricade, told WHASII that the officer was caught amid a sea of protesters. 'At first, they were pulling him to response and the officer was outnumbered really bad,' Chris said. 'We were like, scoot back bro and the people were marching with their kind of linked arms all the way around him.' The officer was alone after reportedly becoming separated from him unit during protests last week Pictured: A protester hides behind a board after police fired tear gas during a protest over the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor on Saturday The photos have since gone viral on social media, with the set receiving more than 11,000 likes and 3,800 retweets. 'Last night in Louisville. Protesters protected an officer separated from his squad,' Duncan wrote on Twitter, in response to MSNBC contributor Joyce Alene. The protests were first sparked by the death of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT who was shot eight times by narcotics detectives in March. Taylor and her boyfriend were in bed when a trio of armed men smashed through the front door of their apartment. Gunfire erupted, killing the unarmed black woman. Breonna Taylor (pictured), a 26-year-old EMT worker, was killed in her Louisville home after narcotics detectives shot her eight times Last Thursday, protesters held a demonstration in the streets of Louisville, Kentucky, to fight against police brutality and the death of Breonna Taylor Pictured: Protesters talk with police officers during a protest over the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor during a protest Saturday Ben Crump, a prominent civil rights lawyer who is representing Taylor's family, said last week the raiding officers fired between 25-30 rounds into Taylor's apartment from all angles. The three men turned out to be plainclothes police detectives, one of whom was wounded in the chaos and violence that March night. Taylor's death led to protests and a review of how Louisville police use 'no knock' search warrants, which allow officers to enter a home without announcing their presence, often in drug cases to prevent suspects from getting rid of a stash. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer later suspended 'no knock warrants.' No arrests have been made in the case yet. Authorities said narcotics detectives were at Taylor's home because of an investigation int two men who they believed were selling drugs. No drugs were found inside the apartment. Two months later, cell phone footage showed Derek Chauvin, a white officer with the Minneapolis Police Department, kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for eight minutes. Floyd, 46, later died after being transported to a hospital from police custody. Following Floyd's death, all four officers pictured in cell phone footage of the incident were fired from the Minneapolis Police Department Pictured: People stand near a burning building during protests sparked by the death of George Floyd while in police custody Both deaths have sparked protests across the United States with demonstrators fighting against police brutality and systematic racism. In Louisville, protesters held up their hands while yelling 'No justice! No peace! Prosecute the police!' At one point, a group of protesters formed a human wall separating protesters from authorities. Demonstrators chanted 'Breonna' and signs read,'Until all police states burn we fight for black lives.' At least seven people were injured after shots were fired. Demonstrations have taken a hold on Minneapolis as residents have protested for six straight days over the death of Floyd. The National Guard was deployed as businesses were looted, a police precinct torched and clashes between people turned violent. As some protests grew volatile, several cities imposed nighttime curfews and the National Guard was deployed to especially heated areas. Several protests have launched across the United States over the death of George Floyd The most recent wave of protests on Sunday saw at least five people killed during protests in Indianapolis, Chicago, Oakland, Detroit and Oakland. Buildings were torched, a federal protective officer shot dead and more than 50 secret service agents were injured during clashes with civilians outside the White House. President Trump urges states 'get tough' by calling the National Guard to oversee protests and demands 'Law and Order!' He also announced on Twitter that he will designate Antifa, a loose but radical far-left group, as a terrorist organization after blaming them for protest violence. In New York City, more than 250 people are arrested as six NYPD officers were injured and looters targeted luxury stores in the SoHo district. The government is facing a backlash from a group of Tory MPs over its quarantine plans as trade leaders warned it would kill the travel industry. Several former ministers including Chris Grayling are backing calls for a rethink of the 14-day isolation period for people entering the UK, according to The Daily Telegraph. Home secretary, Priti Patel, announced the quarantine scheme last month and it is due to come into force on 8 June. However, travel and aviation leaders have criticised the plans and demanded that they should be scrapped. All the evidence we have is that this will just kill travel, Simon Mcnamara, of the International Air Transport Association, told The Times. Governments seem to me to have a stark choice. They cannot pretend that quarantine enables their international travel markets to open up. If they persist with quarantine it is effectively the same as locking down your country. It comes after Heathrow airports chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, warned earlier this month that closing our borders to all will be closing Britain to business. Travel and tourism bosses also described the quarantine plan as poorly thought-out, wholly detrimental to industry recovery and more or less unworkable. The Independent revealed on Saturday that at least 2 million people including bus drivers and dentists will qualify for exemption because of their jobs. These are desperate times, and given the gravity of the situation, every positive news fills our hearts with hope and resolve. With so many of our doctors, nurses, paramedics, police and security personnel aka Corona Warriors going beyond their call of duty to protect us from the deadly pandemic, it doesnt take much to feel grateful for their selfless service. Twitter Marcusbharat However, there also exist many unsung heroes amid us, who are contributing in their own ways to help the country fight this outbreak a little better. One such individual is 80-year-old Mujibullah who is a coolie at the Charbagh Railway Station, who despite the threat of a looming infection is offering 8-10 hours of daily service even now in order to help returning migrant workers. Twitter ModhHAMZASddi1 He carries the luggage of returning migrant labourers for free and calls it his way of offering khidmat. That isnt all, the old man is also volunteering to help train passengers with food and water. Speaking about his efforts, Mujibullah told ANI that, "Many people including doctors and police personnel are contributing in the fight against COVID-19. I also render 8-10 hrs of service every day. Name: Mujibullah Age: 80 years, at the Charbag station Lucknow, free goods are being carried by the migrant laborers, when someone gave money, they started saying, brother, you are in so much trouble, you cannot take money from you. pic.twitter.com/DTzMJMcSEs The Folks (@thefolksteam) May 31, 2020 Mujibullah is also a vigilant citizen and ensures that maintaining hygiene in times like these isnt compromised around his workplace. He says, It is also important that we maintain hygiene in public space and should spit and urinate only at places meant for it. If I see someone urinating in the open, I show them the way to the washroom. Twitter ANI Its heart-warming to see how so many individuals are trying to help out fellow human beings in their personal capacity even during these testing times. Kudos to this old man for leading by example, and we hope other others will take inspiration from his efforts and help India fight this battle better and stronger. Long lines as Iranian fuel arrives at Venezuela's gasoline stations Iran Press TV Sunday, 31 May 2020 10:44 AM Fuel shipped from Iran has begun arriving at Venezuela's gasoline stations as the fifth cargo of an Iranian flotilla approached the Caribbean Sea and was expected to reach Venezuelan waters Sunday. Venezuelans have spent hours or even days in line for gasoline in some areas of the country as fuel shortages intensified in the past two months. Lines of drivers began forming at stations on Saturday in cities including Maracay, Valencia and Caracas in anticipation of the gasoline distribution. As US sanctions imposed on Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA have limited the sources and types of products Venezuela can import, Caracas has turned to Iran for refining parts and fuel. With Washington threatening foreign governments, seaports, shipping companies and insurers, Iran took the bold step of sending five fuel tankers to Venezuela this month. The US navy sent warships to the Caribbean in an apparent bid to discourage Iran from sending the shipments, but the Islamic Republic's somber warning of a retaliation if its vessels were intercepted forced the United States to back down. Four tankers have already reached their destinations and discharged their loads, with the fifth tanker, the Clavel, expected to arrive in the South American country later Sunday, according to Refinitiv Eikon. Venezuela's military has escorted each tanker through its exclusive economic zone, with the navy posting images of its ships alongside the Iranian cargoes to show it remains unbowed by pressure. "This is a war, my dear fellow countrymen who listen to me, a brutal war," Present Nicolas Maduro said Saturday, adding, the US was "persecuting any company that brings a drop of gasoline to Venezuela." The oil industries of Iran and Venezuela are both under US sanctions. Iran is providing its fellow OPEC member up to 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and refining components to help ease an acute shortage, the result of the sanctions. Meanwhile President Maduro announced Saturday new fuel prices as well as a supply mechanism to ensure fuel will be provided to all users amid an acute nationwide shortage. As of Monday, the heavily-subsidized gasoline in Venezuela will be sold at 5,000 bolivars (around US$0.03) a liter. A monthly quota of 120 liters per vehicle will also be enforced. On Friday, Reuters said the Trump administration has quietly warned foreign governments, seaports, shipping companies and insurers that they could face stiff US sanctions if they aid the Iranian tanker flotilla. Elliott Abrams, Washington's special representative on Venezuela, said that diplomatic warnings, known as demarches, had been sent privately to governments "around the world". "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 said. 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. However, the Washington Post said on Friday "Trump's sanctions are failing". By showing that they were able to trade to mutual benefit, Iran and Venezuela "not only successfully circumvented US sanctions, they also scored public relations points in the process", the paper said. The Post touched on the Trump administration's "maximum pressure" strategy against Iran and Venezuela, saying the two allies "show no signs of bending to external pressure". Iran and Venezuela have been moving closer together for years. The relationship began to flourish after Venezuela hosted the 2006 OPEC summit, when then-Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez formed a personal tie to his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Soon after, Chavez visited Ahmadinejad in Tehran. Direct flights between Tehran and Caracas began. Iran invested in Venezuela, particularly in construction. The Islamic Republic even set up an auto manufacturing plant. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Two teenagers from Montgomery County, Maryland, who started helping their grandparents during the novel coronavirus outbreak have turned their goodwill into a nationwide volunteer delivery service with 14 chapters across the country. The friends from Montgomery Blair High School, Dhruv Pai, 16, and Matt Casertano, 15, were both buying groceries for their grandparents in early March, as coronavirus cases started to appear in the Washington region. That's when Dhruv realized the greater need - and a possible solution. There are plenty of older Americans who don't have younger relatives nearby to help during this pandemic. Dhruv and Matt created Teens Helping Seniors, which connects older adults with volunteers who will deliver groceries or other supplies right to their doorstep. They developed the idea in March just before schools closed because of the outbreak, which suddenly gave them and their classmates a lot more time to help out. Matt said they originally planned for Teens Helping Seniors to be a network for classmates at their high school, but within a week they started to expand because of the high demand. By the end of the second week, Matt and Dhruv already had their first chapter outside Montgomery County, in Albany, New York. The group now has more than a dozen chapters in the United States - from California to New York - and one forming abroad in Montreal. "We've had a really rapidly growing demand," Dhruv said. "Working out those kinds of logistics can be really hard." Most of the teens who deliver groceries have a driver's license, but Matt and Dhruv don't, so they walk, bike or carpool with their parents to a store to fulfill an order for a client. Their chapter has completed about 350 deliveries. One volunteer even presented a senior with a homemade birthday cake for his 85th birthday, free of charge, to go along with his groceries, Dhruv said. "That kind of blew my mind because the teen and the senior didn't know each other. I mean, they were strangers," Dhruv said. In Montgomery County, the group has about 250 volunteers. Some shop and make deliveries, and there's a team dedicated to logistics, connecting seniors with volunteers. Others maintain the group's social media presence, getting the word out about the service. Seniors who are interested in the service can email the group and include a home address and preferred schedule for deliveries. The teens will assign a volunteer, and the client will email over a grocery list. When the volunteer is about to go to the store, they call the client to confirm the delivery time. The clients can leave their payment outside or pay using Venmo. Teens Helping Seniors also will deliver prescriptions and other necessities, Dhruv said. Volunteers who do deliveries wear gloves and masks, which Matt said they've received free from local mask-making organizations. "Seniors and volunteers have to be extremely careful about this," Matt said, adding that volunteers are instructed to use disinfectant wipes to clean the bags of groceries before dropping them off. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states on its website that older adults and people with underlying medical conditions "might be at higher risk for severe illness from covid-19. Matt said it makes sense for teens to volunteer to deliver groceries if older adults are more vulnerable. Plus, they certainly have time on their hands. The co-founders have been featured in CNN and People Magazine. To spread the word, the group has been posting to Facebook and Nextdoor, a social network for neighborhoods. Regula Guess, a retired speech pathologist who lives in Potomac, Maryland, heard about Teens Helping Seniors on Nextdoor, when the region started to shut down in mid-March. Guess, 65, said her husband is at risk due to his age, and she was "scared to death" about going to the store. Teens Helping Seniors connected Guess with Jacob Kaplan-Davis, a junior at Wootton High School, who volunteered after learning about the group on Instagram. Guess said Jacob would call her from the store if he had questions, such as, "What flavor of Greek yogurt would you like?" Or, "Do you prefer the cinnamon-flavored cereal over the light brown sugar variety?" "I was just so impressed by these young people doing this," she said. "He always called and was very polite. It's just amazing how this brings out the good in people." Guess said she goes to the grocery store early in the morning, when there are fewer people around, but she added she'll absolutely email Jacob again if the number of covid-19 cases increases in the county. Jacob, 16, said he spends six to eight hours a week buying groceries, coordinating deliveries around Rockville, Maryland, and organizing the group's national efforts. On average he makes two regular deliveries a week, and in a busy week three or four. "The first time I went, it took me forever to find everything. I had to go to every aisle multiple times, but you start to learn the layout and get faster," said Jacob, who rarely went grocery shopping before volunteering for Teens Helping Seniors. "It's definitely given me a greater appreciation of my mom when she goes grocery shopping," he said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) The controversial anti-terrorism bill has been certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte to allow Congress to fast-track its approval days before sessions end. President Rodrigo Duterte wrote a letter to House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday afternoon, saying House Bill 6875 which was approved at the committee level last week must be immediately passed "to address the urgent need to strengthen the law on anti-terrorism" and "effectively contain the menace of terrorist acts." He added that the bill will help preserve national security and general welfare. The House of Representatives and Senate will close their regular sessions on June 5, with the last session day often held every Wednesday. Lawmakers will return by late July in time for Duterte's State of the Nation Address. Being certified as urgent will allow lawmakers to pass the measure on both second and third readings in a day, foregoing the required three-day window between the two votes. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana bared plans to certify the bill as urgent during the noontime media briefing in Malacanang. Back in February, the Senate approved the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, which seeks to repeal the Human Security Act of 2007 with stronger measures to allow the government to curtail supposed acts of terror. A counterpart measure was approved by two committees in the House last week. Being certified as urgent will allow lawmakers to pass the measure on both second and third readings in a day, foregoing the required three-day window between the two votes. The proposed law wants to extend the number of days suspected terrorists can be detained without a warrant of arrest from three days under the current law to up to 14 days. It also removed the provision under the Human Security Act that orders the payment of half a million pesos in damages for each day that a person wrongfully accused of terrorism is detained. Meanwhile, any person who shall threaten to commit any act of terrorism, propose any terroristic acts or incite others to commit terrorism shall suffer the penalty of 12 years in prison. Netizens have been calling against the passage of the measure, with the hashtag #JunkTerrorBill trending in the Philippines on Friday. Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan earlier questioned provisions of the bill that will allow the police and military to conduct a 60-day surveillance on suspected terrorists, and the authority to compel telecommunications firms to disclose their calls and messages, saying this could be used as a tool to silence opposition leaders and critics of the administration. Cabinet officials maintained there are enough safeguards against the abuse of surveillance power, as some noted that the measure's provisions can be used to silence freedom of speech, activism, and criticisms against the government. "Ang comment ko lang sa mga umo-oppose dito ay wala namang basehan ang kanilang opposition. Binasa ko ang panukalang batas... 'Yun namang karapatan ng tao ay may sapat na provisions tsaka 'yung mga law enforcement agencies ay may sapat ding kaparusahan sa mga umaabuso [My only comment for those opposing this bill is there's no basis for their opposition. There are ample provisions to protect human rights, while law enforcement agencies will face enough punishments for abuses]," Lorenzana said. Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano said separately that the bill is necessary to quell terrorist acts not only here but globally. "Kailangang makapaghanda tayo, very timely na ito para kung bumalik na tayo sa bagong normal, nakahanda na po ang ating mga batas sa pagpapatupad at hindi na po tayo magkaroon ng problema sa terorismo," the official added. "Ito po naman ay para sa kaligtasan ng lahat, pinag-isipang mabuti, at sinisigurado po natin na walang abusong mangyayari." [Translation: We need to be prepared, this is very timely so that before we return to the new normal, we are prepared to enforce this law and we will not have any more problems. This is for everyone's safety, this was well thought of, and we will ensure that there will be no abuses.] BRIDGEPORT A man on the run for nearly eight years after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl was denied release on Monday because of the pandemic. Cesar Oliva has tested positive for COVID-19 and his continued confinement will be a detriment to his health, argued Olivas lawyer, Wayne Keeney. But Supervisory Assistant States Attorney Maureen Ornousky retorted that after admitting that he sexually assaulted the young girl in 2012, Oliva took on the identity of a dead man a deceased Guatemalan immigrant. He fled the jurisdiction to avoid being sentenced, she told Superior Court Judge Joan Alexander. The judge denied the motion for release. Oliva was arrested late last month after a Stamford police officer recognized him while Oliva was working as a cashier at a Stamford store. Oliva, 30, was charged with failure to appear at court along with first-degree forgery, identity theft and criminal impersonation. He was held in lieu of a $275,000 bond. According to court records, Oliva, then 23, was arrested on August 9, 2012, and was charged with second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a child. Police at the time of his arrest in 2012 said he allegedly sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl whose father complained to police that Oliva who then lived on Lockwood Avenue was having sex with his daughter. 1. Last week, Hillary Clinton labeled the peaceful protesters in state capitals wanting their businesses to reopen as "domestic terrorists." Yet, for the last four days, she has not labeled as terrorists those who are looting, rioting, destroying property, attacking police officers, and committing arson in our cities. I guess "terrorism" is in the eye of the beholder: regular citizens are, for Clinton et al., terrorists when demanding constitutional rights, whereas left-wing anarchists are upstanding citizens if anti-Trump. Protesting on behalf of worshiping in church is something "deplorables" do; blaming America is something "sophisticated" people do. Hillary and friends have a different, and rather sick, value system. Minneapolis Police Third Precinct on fire. 2. The mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, is more concerned about police overacting against rioters than the destruction and looting rioters are causing in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey is so immersed in feelings of guilt and kinship for protesters that he is neglecting his duty to the citizens of his city as mayor, standing by while it is destroyed. Liberal mayors of many major cities are not doing their job to protect citizens because deep down, they must empathize or identify with the rioters. It is the typical liberal mindset that places more concern for criminals and violent revolutionaries than for law-abiding, innocent citizens. 3.These are no longer protesters, but rioters who simply want to loot, burn, and destroy and have found an excuse to do so. The lust for destruction is a demon that must be vanquished as opposed to supported in the name of "social justice." 4. Antifa and other left-wing organizations are highly involved in the burning down of America we are witnessing. Antifa is a perpetual underground strike force ready to pounce the minute there is a "social justice" problem in an American city. These are Marxist Brown Shirts funded by ideologues who wish to overthrow America and replace it with them at the helm. They want to take away our liberties and our economic well-being. They hate America and its people. They are the real fascists, prodded by the media and Democrat politicians who give them a pass in the name of "social justice." 5. The rioters are destroying America's historic buildings and statues as a way to destroy American history and brainwash Americans into being ashamed of our past, thereby replacing our system of governance with a socialist/Marxist authority. 6. A synagogue in Los Angeles has been torched, indicating that among the leftist groups, there may well be Middle East terrorist sympathizers. Some reports claim that groups from Pakistan and Afghanistan are engineering some of the riots. 7. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is wrong when it says racism is systemic to America and its institutions. That is a purposeful falsehood promoted by the ADL to brainwash Americans into believing that our country is not good and must acquiesce, in perpetual repentance, to the left-wing agenda of the intersectional grievance-mongers. The truth is, America was horrified by what was done to George Floyd. The president immediately brought in the FBI. Attorney General Barr quickly announced a federal civil rights probe into George Floyd's death. The justice system arrested the policeman and has charged him. The American people are not institutionally and systemically racist. There are individuals who are, but not the country as a whole. It is the ADL that is expressing bigotry against the good citizens of this country by claiming that our country is systemically racist. The ADL is now run by hard-left ideologues. The vast majority of the American people were initially supportive of the original protesters and understood their anger. This outpouring from Americans contravenes the ADL's irresponsible claim that America is a racist country. Only now that the protests have become destructive riots have people become disenchanted by what they are seeing. 8. The mayors of Washington, D.C. and Chicago, who publicly used despicable foul language and cursed the president, are very bad role models. They, like many other left-wing office-holders, are absolving themselves of the duties they are neglecting by calling the president ugly names. They have lowered the level of discourse and bring shame on their offices. Some think they are cool because they can use the F-word. Still teenagers! 9. Many mayors and governors who for the last two months flexed their authoritarian muscles by threatening innocent shop-owners with imprisonment for wishing to make a living are now engaging in acts of cowardice and betrayal, allowing those who are destroying private property to go unpunished and un-threatened and, at times, even supporting the lawbreakers. The foolish, guilt-ridden mayor of Minneapolis has even offered them coronavirus masks for protection while they rampage through the city's streets. Funny how he doesn't offer protection to the citizens he is supposed to safeguard. 10. The daughter of Ilhan Omar and the daughter of the Governor of Minnesota, and the son of its attorney general, tweet offers of help to the rioters. Many of the rioters are themselves middle-class and white, youngsters of great privilege. Who has poisoned these young people to so hate their country and the freedoms we all share? Who has poisoned them to want to overthrow America? Photo credit: YouTube screen grab. They worked in hospitals hundreds of miles from the epicenter of COVID-19. Their city of 24 million people locked down hard enough, and did enough testing, that it only had a few hundred cases of the disease. But hundreds of young Chinese doctors in a new study still experienced a sharp drop in mood, a rise in depression and anxiety symptoms, and a doubling of their fear of workplace violence, in just the first month of the coronavirus pandemic. The new findings, published in JAMA Network Open by an American and Chinese team, show in stark terms the potential mental toll of being a frontline healthcare worker in the time of COVID-19. The rise in symptoms among 385 first-year medical residents in Shanghai contrasts with data from members of the previous year's crop of residents, who took part in the same study from 2018 to 2019. Where this year's class saw sharp change across most measures of mental health and workplace violence during the first half of the training year, last year's class had stable scores at the same point in their training. Other research in Chinese and American residents has shown that the strain of first-year medical training is linked to a sharp rise in depressive symptoms over pre-residency scores. "Even before this pandemic, the levels of depression and anxiety symptoms among our healthcare workers were high and our findings indicate that they are getting worse," says Srijan Sen, M.D., Ph.D., the University of Michigan psychiatrist and neuroscientist who leads the Intern Health Study that yielded the data. "As it is clear that this pandemic will be with us for the foreseeable future, we need to prioritize the well-being of our healthcare workers, not only for themselves, but also for the patients that will need them in the coming months and year." Sen worked with colleagues from U-M's Michigan Neuroscience Institute, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, to gather and analyze the data. Weidong Li, M.D., Ph.D., co-first and co-corresponding author of the new paper and a professor at SJTU, notes that typically, late winter is a time of elevated moods in China, due to the Lunar New Year celebration. Our findings indicate that the negative mental health effects of COVID-19 are not limited to physicians working at the center of the initial outbreak in Wuhan, but extend to other places like Shanghai, which is 500 miles away. With the numerous new cases spread worldwide, this has important implications for the way communities around the globe respond to this growing public health crisis." Weidong Li, M.D., Ph.D., co-first and co-corresponding author of the new paper and professor at SJTU Li is the deputy director of the Brain Science and Technology Research Center, and vice dean of the Bio-X Institutes, at SJTU. Elena Frank, Ph.D., director of the Intern Health Study, notes that the data provide a strong reminder about the impacts of infectious disease outbreaks on both the physical and psychological health of healthcare workers. "It's easy to forget that they face many of the same additional stresses as the rest of us - concerns about elderly or at-risk family, loss of childcare - while simultaneously managing an increased clinical workload, and all while placing themselves and their families at greater risk of infection," she says. "The potential mental health consequences of confronting such enormous pressures cannot be overlooked." Unwitting sentinels of a pandemic's effects When the 385 doctors in the study volunteered for the research project last summer, they were about to begin the same intense, sometimes grueling training experience that marks the start of a medical career in many countries. A few weeks ago, data from earlier cohorts of residents was published as a preprint - a report that has not undergone peer review - by Sen and Li's colleagues. It shows a similar rise in depression symptoms happened in 7,000 first-year residents (also called interns) at more than 100 U.S. hospitals, and 1,000 Chinese first-year residents at 16 Shanghai and Beijing hospitals across three years of the study. Like study participants before them in the U.S. and China, members of the Shanghai intern class entering 12 hospitals in August 2019 agreed to track their mood daily on a smartphone app, and every few months answer standardized questionnaires about their mental health and whether they had experienced, observed or feared physical or verbal violence in their workplace. Little did they know that their data would give some of the clearest indications yet of the mental toll of being on the front line of a pandemic. The new study looks at changes in scores between the surveys that the residents took in October and November 2019, and the ones they took in January and February, as the pandemic reached its peak in China. It also measures changes in daily mood between those two quarters. Sen, who is also the associate vice president for research at U-M, and the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg Professor of Depression and Neurosciences, has been involved in mental health programs for residents at Michigan Medicine, U-M's academic medical center. His decade-long study has focused on first-year residents because they all start and end their training year at the same time, and have similar experiences - making them an ideal study population for the question of how intense stress affects mental health. The research was made possible by a longstanding partnership between the U-M Medical School and SJTU. The study was funded by that partnership, and by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Shanghai Education Commission Research and Innovation Program, and the Chinese government's 111 Project. WASHINGTON, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today is the launch of The Washington Center's 2020 Summer Virtual Internship Program, with 579 participants; 322 students starting their virtual internships across 13 different federal agencies, and another 257 students being placed with 162 organizations across the country. Nearly 4 million students are graduating with a college degree this academic year, during the COVID-19 global pandemic and the worst job market since the Great Depression. And many students who were planning to launch their careers or get job experience through summer internships have found their internships were canceled. Summer is normally TWC's busiest season for internships, between the Academic Internship Program (AIP) and summer federal internship programs, bringing some 700 students to Washington, D.C., to get meaningful work experience, professional development programming, and one-on-one advising. AIP students get academic credit from their home institutions, and the federal internship programs all pay stipends. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, TWC worked with its partners and host sites to transition to a virtual internship. While some private organizations did not transition to a virtual model, all federal agencies that work with TWC stepped up to the challenge, allowing TWC to increase the number of students placed in federal internships by 22 percent over last year. "These students have been through a lot of anxiety and change because of COVID, and they've had their summer and future plans upended," said Chris Norton, TWC president. "With the federal agencies and employers transitioning to host virtual interns, these students will still be able to get the enriching summer experience they have been planning on." Students in the VIP will intern 20-25 hours per week, participate in virtual career readiness sessions and workshops such as resume writing, interviewing, and more. They will have the opportunity to learn skills that will enable them to adapt, grow, and excel in the workforce. The Washington Center for Academic Internships and Seminars The Washington Center is the largest and most established student internship program in Washington, D.C. Since our founding, we've helped more than 60,000 young people translate their college majors into career paths. We use our scale and expertise to customize each student's experience to be truly transformative. Media Contact: Carmenchu Mendiola Chief Marketing Officer [email protected] SOURCE The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars Related Links http://www.twc.edu What happened Shares of South African chemical supplier Sasol (NYSE:SSL) are up 13.8% as of 12 p.m. EDT today. The rise in shares comes after the South African government announced it was moving to level three of its coronavirus response lockdown protocol. So what South Africa's response to the coronavirus pandemic and global demand for petroleum products has hit Sasol's business hard. A little over a month ago, it announced it was suspending operations at its Natref crude oil facility and was reducing the production of synthetic fuel (a gasoline-like product manufactured from coal) by 25%. These moves all came at a time when the company was dealing with an extraordinarily high debt load. Today, though, the South African government announced it was moving to what it calls level three of its lockdown procedures. Under these guidelines, it will ease several restrictions, one of which allows chemical manufacturing facilities to scale up to 100% capacity. As the nation's largest chemical manufacturer, this was a welcome change for Sasol. Large manufacturing facilities like those owned by Sasol have lots of fixed costs. For them to be profitable, they need to run at high utilization rates. While no facility is ever able to run at 100% all the time, the closer to full capacity, the better. Now what This is good news for Sasol as it allows them the flexibility to run facilities at 100%. That doesn't necessarily mean, though, that there is enough demand such that it needs to run all its facilities at full capacity. There are still a lot of restrictions in place in South Africa and the rest of the world, and petrochemical demand is still well below what it was a few months ago. The most likely outcome of this is that the company will run some facilities at as high of a production rate as possible while keeping other operations suspended. All that said, returning to normal operations doesn't fix the company's balance sheet issues or make it a good investment. The company's stock has declined 77% on a total return basis over the past decade compared to an S&P 500 total return gain of 244%. Maybe there's a chance things will improve from here, but history isn't on Sasol's side. Local farming has been severely affected by the water shortages Summer may have just begun, but many places across Vietnam have already recorded intense heat waves with temperatures climbing to 40C. Vietnams central region has been particularly affected, a victim of the foehn effect caused by dry south-westerly winds. Despite it being the years first heat wave, residents have already faced extreme difficulties in obtaining clean water. Current water sources from rainfall and underground streams are increasingly scarce during dry season, with some even being salinised and alum-contaminated. Furthermore, in several far-flung areas, local water supply systems have long been deteriorated, therefore, failing to serve the surging demand for fresh water in the summer. The situation has caused many disturbances to daily life and the agricultural activities of local residents. To meet family water demands, many people have to take time away from their work for long-distance travel to collect water outside their neighbourhoods. Regarding their agricultural production, large areas have experienced withered crops and decreased productivity, with complete crop loss a possibility if the drought persists. Successful schemes have created positive changes in the lives of residents Hoping to share the burden with the people of central Vietnam by bringing fresh water to this arid region, Huda last year launched the Fresh Water for Beloved Central initiative, starting with three projects in the central provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Ha Tinh. Following early successes, from April the Central Pride Runs Deep brand began its second year of conducting impactful activities in many other locales within the region. Hop Thanh, an agricultural commune in the eastern low-lying area of Yen Thanh district of the central province of Nghe An, is the site of Hudas first project of 2020. The local fresh water supply system has been unable to meet the ever-increasing demand due to weak capacity combined with the deteriorating condition of the water pipes leading to frequent leaks and cracks. Over the course of many days, residents in several areas have only had access to fresh water for a few hours a day for use in household activities including washing, cleaning, and cooking. Suffering from the unstable source of tap water, local residents have had to build their own rainwater reservoirs, using this meagre supply only as a last resort. They have long ceased using well water, once viewed as an answer to the fresh water shortage, due to high levels of salinity and alum. Given the urgent circumstances, Hudas fresh water project in Hop Thanh commune commenced work in April and is expected to be completed this month, just in time to meet the needs of residents in the face of summer heat waves. In the weeks and months leading up to the start of the project, Huda experts fast-tracked plans, undertook local surveys, and collaborated with local authorities and residents to settle on the most effective solution. Based on local conditions, the proposed solution focused on repairing and restoring existing water supply systems, including the construction of water tanks and water filtration as well as upgrading and adding sedimentation and synchronised clarification systems. The resulting doubling of water supply capacity has eased the fresh water challenge facing the residents of Hop Thanh, allowing them access to clean water needed for their daily lives and agricultural activities. Relieved of the arduous task of collecting water from rivers and streams as well as its associated costs, commune households can now focus their resources on improving their quality of life. In the second year of implementation, the Fresh Water for Beloved Central campaign is also expanding to Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Binh, and Quang Tri provinces. Granting an additional 15,000 people from 4,000 households access to fresh water through the annual programme, Huda has reaffirmed its commitment to bettering the lives of the residents of central Vietnam. MINNEAPOLIS (dpa-AFX) - Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook condemned the killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, and called for the creation of a 'better, more just world for everyone,' according to reports citing a memo to employees. Tim Cook reportedly said in the memo that the protections for people are 'still not universally applied', despite change in laws. Cook reportedly acknowledged that racial injustice exists in the U.S., including in 'our criminal justice system' and 'in the disproportionate toll of disease on Black and Brown communities.' In recent days, protests have erupted across the U.S. following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. Fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death. Meanwhile, Apple, Amazon-owned Whole Foods, Target, Walmart, and other major retailers across the country have temporarily closed or adjusted store hours in areas hit hard with protests. 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. Microsoft has teamed up with Google to launch a new spell checker. The spell checker will be available for both the Edge browser as well as Google Chrome. It looks like Microsoft has just introduced a spellcheck feature on its own Edge browser which was developed by Windows Spellcheck. The feature has been developed in a collaborative effort with Google and users on Chrome will also get access to this feature. The spell checker adds a bunch of new features and replaces the previous Hunspell Spellchecker. Microsoft says that the new spell checker will include support for "additional language and dialects, an improved shared custom dictionary, better support for URLs, acronyms, and email addresses." In a blog post, the company stated that This feature was developed as a collaboration between Google and Microsoft engineers in the Chromium project, enabling all Chromium-based browsers to benefit from Windows Spellcheck integration. If you want to use the spell checker on Windows Edge, you will have to install Microsoft Edge version 83 on both Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. For Chrome users, you will have to enable a flag and head to chrome://flags/ and search Use the Windows OS spellchecker. After you have done the required steps, restart Chrome and the feature will then be available to use. In other Microsoft news, the latest Windows 10 May 2020 update has rolled out but users should wait a bit before downloading it. You can read more about that, here. And, if youre interested in the Microsoft Edge, you can check out everything new that is coming to Edge, right here. Microsoft has also launched the Bing wallpaper app for Android and if you want to know more about that, you can head here for more info on the topic. US President Donald Trump announced on May 31 that the United States will designate Antifa as a terrorist organisation after protests flared across the country over the death of George Floyd. Trump, a staunch critic of Antifa, believes that the group has been responsible for the violent protests and looting that started in Minneapolis and similar protests were reported from various parts of the country. On May 29, many protesters gathered outside the White House, some of them even pelting stones which reportedly prompted the security personnel to move the US President to a bunker. The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020 Antifa is a vaguely defined militant political activist movement which identifies itself as far-left and anti-fascist. According to Merriam-Webster, the first known use of the term Antifa was way back during Nazi Germany and is borrowed from German Antifa, short for antifaschistisch 'anti-fascist, in Antifaschistische Aktion (multiparty front initiated by the German Communist Party in 1932 to counter Nazism) and in other collocations. The members of Antifa hold a range of left-wing ideologies and a majority of them describe themselves as revolutionaries with anti-capitalist and anti-government views. They dress in black, sometimes covering their face with masks and helmets to remain unidentified from alt-right groups and police. They use a variety of tactics to disrupt the event of alt-right groups which they deem fascists and the most extreme factions carry pepper spray, knives, bricks and chains. The far-left group defends the use of violence to fight the fascist forces and, according to an AOL report, call it appropriate tactics against Trumps unprecedented levels of surveillance, incarceration, deportations, and police brutality and murders against the US Public. It gained new prominence in 2017 after it confronted white supremacist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville in August 2017. Read: Donald Trump Briefly Taken To Underground Bunker As Protests Turned Violent: Report Instances of violent protests There have been several instances when such encounters between Antifa and far-right groups turned violent. During a May Day march in 2017, the Antifa protesters allegedly attacked police officers and destroyed property, leading to 25 arrests. In June 2019, members of Antifa clashed with Proud Boys, a far-right group, in Portland, Oregon, leaving members of both sides injured. The group has drawn criticism from many liberal figures for their violent activities and bringing disrepute to anti-fascist movements in the country. Famous American linguist and philosopher Noam Chomsky voiced his frustration with Antifa, calling it a gift to the far right and US state repression. Speaking to The Independent, Chomsky said that the use of force by Antifa in completely unacceptable and also provides some justification for the absurd claim that Antifa is comparable to the far-right forces. Read: Trump Unleashes Attack On 'all Dems' For Handling Protests, Says 'world Is Laughing' Read: Violent Protests Allow Trump To Tweet About Looting Rather Than Murder By Police Officer: Cuomo A new 'mutant' blood-sucking tick has been discovered in Russia amid a surge in tick bite victims, according to official government papers. In one region of Siberia, there is reportedly 428 times more ticks than usual, reports from the Russian defence ministry's own newspaper suggest. And scientists have now reportedly discovered a mutant form of the arachnid which is said to have the 'worst qualities' of two common forms of ticks found in Russia. The swam has also sparked growing fears that hospitals in the sparsely populated Siberia are running out of vaccines and medications for the types of diseases which ticks can inflict on the humans they bite. These include encephalitis - an inflammation of the brain which is estimated to have killed more than 150,000 in 2015 - and the often debilitating if untreated Lyme disease. The scale of the swarm has left some hospitals - already stretched with rising numbers of coronavirus deaths and infections - without vaccines and medications. A new and deadly 'mutant' blood-sucking tick has been discovered in Russia amid a surge in tick bite victims, according to official government papers. Pictured: Ticks in container in a laboratory In one region of Siberia, there is reportedly 428 times more ticks than usual, reports from the Russian defence ministry's own newspaper suggest. Pictured: A scientist inspects a tick in a laboratory Ticks (such as the one pictured) can carry diseases including encephalitis - an inflammation of the brain which is estimated to have killed more than 150,000 in 2015 - and the often debilitating if untreated Lyme disease In the Krasnoyarsk region, in central Russia, medics report 8,215 tick bite cases including 2,125 involving children. The suburbs of Krasnoyarsk city are infested with 214 ticks per square kilometre, compared with the 'safe' figure of 0.5. Almost two per cent carry tick-borne viral encephalitis, which can lead to permanent brain damage, with a third capable of passing on tick-borne borreliosis - or Lyme disease, attacking the joints, heart, and nervous system, reports the region's Epidemiology and Hygiene Centre. Several Siberian regions have been hit by swarms of hybrid ticks, reported Zvezda, the Russian defence ministry's newspaper. Among the report includes mention of a 'mutant' tick, which combine the 'worst qualities' of two common types of Russian tick - Ixodes persulcatus, the taiga tick, and the 'malicious' Pavlovsky or Far Eastern tick. 'Mutant ticks are attacking - this is not a tabloid headline but a fact,' stated its report. The ticks latch on to humans from both long and short grass before finding a place to bite their victims, from which they suck blood. A 'large number inter-species hybrids' which produce 'fertile offspring' have invaded Novosibirsk and Tomsk regions, said Dr Nina Tikhunova, of the Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk. The mild winter is seen as a key reason for the rise in tick numbers. A 'large number inter-species hybrids' which produce 'fertile offspring' have invaded Novosibirsk and Tomsk regions, said Dr Nina Tikhunova (pictured), of the Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Novosibirsk Among the report includes mention of a 'mutant' tick, which combine the 'worst qualities' of two common types of Russian tick - Ixodes persulcatus, the taiga tick, and the 'malicious' Pavlovsky or Far Eastern tick. Pictured: A scientist studies the ticks in a laboratory The ticks latch on to humans from both long and short grass before finding a place to bite their victims, from which they suck blood The mutant tick 'is capable of carrying infectious agents associated with both parent species'. The resulting tick bites are 'very unpleasant for people', she said. Everyone bitten by a tick must seek medical help to check if the creature is infected. Novosibirsk has seen a 150 per cent jump in people seeking medical help after suffering bites from 'abnormally active' ticks which bite beneath the skin into blood vessels. Twenty two people have been hospitalised suspected of encephalitis. In Sverdlovsk region in the Urals, 17,242 people have been bitten by ticks, among them 4,334 children, with 36 per cent said to have Lyme disease. Novosibirsk has seen a 150 per cent jump in people seeking medical help after suffering bites from 'abnormally active' ticks which bite beneath the skin into blood vessels The rise in figures come despite Russians until recently being under lockdown over coronavirus. Many cities say they have no stocks of immunoglobulin to treat sufferers, or only enough for children. Khabarovsk region says it is has run out of immunoglobulin and encephalitis vaccine. New supplies are only expected in July, with people urged to stay home. In Kemerovo region, Svetlana Guglya from Prokopyevsk urgently needed an injection of immunoglobulin but could not find supplies in the city. It should be injected no more than four days since the bite. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari was detained along with party workers for alleged violation of lockdown norms on Monday after they gathered at Rajghat to protest against Arvind Kejriwal government's failure to contain COVID-19 cases in the national capital. Tiwari denied that the protest was a "political" activity and added that police had detained him and his party workers fearing that the protest would lead to a large gathering. "We had gathered at Rajghat to protest against Kejriwal government's failure to contain coronavirus in Delhi. Only a few party workers without carrying party flag were present there maintaining social distance norms," he said. Police said nine persons, including Tiwari were detained from Rajghat for gathering in violation of lockdown norms. "Nine people including Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari were detained for organising a protest in violation of lockdown norms. They were taken to Rajender Nagar police station and were released later," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Sanjay Bhatia said. Tiwari attacked the Delhi government and the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during the protest, alleging that they were trying to divert attention from the growing number of COVID-19 cases. "Kejriwal government has failed to check coronavirus in Delhi and more than 1,000 fresh cases have come to light in the past four days. To divert attention from this, they have demanded Rs 5,000 crore from the Centre, sealed Delhi borders and raised the issue of patients from outside coming to Delhi to avail treatment," Tiwari said. Besides Tiwari, former Delhi BJP president and Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta was also detained during the protest near the Rohini East Metro station. The Union Home Ministry in its guidelines for "Unlock-1" has clubbed political gatherings along with other prohibited activities till June 30. Several senior leaders, including national vice presidents Shyam Jaju and Dushyant Gautam, Lok Sabha MPs Parvesh Verma and Ramesh Bidhuri, also led protests in different parts of the city. Delhi BJP Yuva Morcha president Sunil Yadav, spokesperson Pravin Shankar Kapoor and Harish Khurana, media department head Ashok Goel also took part in the protest organised by the Delhi BJP. View this post on Instagram The Queen has made her first public appearance since lockdown in the UK began, on horseback. The 94-year-old took Balmoral Fern, a 14-year-old fell pony, for a ride in the grounds of Windsor Castle, where she and the Duke of Edinburgh have been isolating. She hasnt stopped with official duties and delivered her message to the nation on VE Day last month, encouraging the country to never give up, never despair. Click the link in our bio to find out more. (PA Media) #Queen #QueenElizabeth #England #UK #BBCNews Seen is an aerial view of Samsung Electronics' NAND flash memory chip production plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. Samsung said Monday it will add a new memory chip production line there. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics 'Investment plan has no relation to President Moon's repeated calls to bring Korean firms back home' By Baek Byung-yeul Samsung Electronics plans to invest 8.5 trillion won in its advanced flash memory chip plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, as the virus-induced push to the digital economy should see increased demand for corporate servers. The world's largest memory chip manufacturer said in a statement that its decision to construct cutting-edge V-NAND flash memory chip-producing lines at its Pyeongtaek plant is aimed at responding to increasing demand for products utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT) and fifth-generation (5G) networks, which require heavy consumption of flash memory chips. Samsung plans to mass-produce NAND flash chips at the Pyongtaek factory by late 2021. The investment announcement came 11 days after the company said it would build a new foundry line in the Pyeongtaek plant on May 21. Prior to COVID-19, the digital transition was already well on its way thanks to strong growth in cloud computing services, e-commerce and other digital technologies. This trend has been accelerating with video streaming led by hyperscale data center users like Netflix and YouTube surging, creating immense demand for all relevant supporting infrastructure including corporate flash chips. Samsung also mentioned the decision was in accordance with the new trend as people are unlikely to let go of the benefits of the digital economy after they have been practically forced to make the transition because of the spread of COVID-19. More precisely, the virus is accelerating corporations' transition to digital as social distancing measures encourage virtual meetings in lieu of in-person meetings. Also, the virus has changed the consumption patterns of consumers. Even though Samsung faces a challenging business environment, the move is to reinforce its leading position in the memory chip market and widen the gap with its competitors, the company added. But Samsung downplayed the significance of its investment by saying the investment plan has no relation to President Moon Jae-in's repeated calls to bring manufacturing companies back to South Korean soil. President Moon said earlier he will be aggressive in persuading South Korean manufacturing companies to return home and to win more foreign direct investment. Samsung operates NAND flash chip manufacturing plants in Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek and Xi'an in China. Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong recently visited the Chinese city of Xian as the company is in the process of constructing a second NAND chip line there. Lee's visit raised expectations that Samsung would focus on producing NAND chips in China and advanced DRAM chips in South Korea. "The preemptive investment in the NAND flash memory chip line shows that Samsung is determined to keep its promise to tighten its grip on the memory chip market even though the business environment surrounding the tech giant is not good," an industry official close to the matter said. "The new investment reaffirms our commitment to sustain undisputed leadership in memory technologies, even in uncertain times," Choi Cheol, executive vice president of memory global sales and marketing at Samsung, said in the statement. "We will continue to serve the market with the most optimized solutions available, while contributing to growth of the overall IT industry and the economy in general." Los Angeles, May 22 (IANS) The production on James Cameron's much-awaited "Avatar" sequels is expected to restart in New Zealand next week. Image Source: IANS News Wellington, June 1 : Filmmaker James Cameron, along with over 50 crew members, has reached New Zealand to resume the shooting of the much-awaited "Avatar" sequels. The unit reached Wellington, New Zealand, on Sunday for preparation in order to resume filming of the film series. The 54-member unit arrived by a chartered plane. However, filming will not restart immediately because the team has to self-isolate first, reports variety.com. "I want to get back to work on 'Avatar', which right now we're not allowed to do under state emergency laws or rules. So it's all on hold right now," Cameron said. Producer Jon Landau took to Instagram to share that the crew would self-isolate as per guidelines laid by the New Zealand government. "Made it to New Zealand. Our 14-day government supervised self-isolation now begins. #avatarsequels #jamescameron #newzealand #airnewzealand #selfisolation," Landau posted. Work on the "Avatar" sequels came to a halt in March with lockdown orders by the New Zealand government due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to variety.com, the borders of New Zealand are still officially closed and "Cameron, Landau and the foreign crew elements used a border exemption clause for foreigners considered of significant economic value". The government of New Zealand has come up with a detailed set of guidelines for how productions should operate amid the pandemic. When "Avatar" filming restarts, it will be the first foreign movie to use New Zealand's production protocols. Back on May 22, Landau had shared that the staff will be heading back to New Zealand. "Our 'Avatar' sets are ready -- and we couldn't be more excited to be headed back to New Zealand next week," Landau wrote while sharing a photograph of two water vessels used in the films. "Check out the Matador, a high speed forward command vessel (bottom) and the Picador jetboat (top) -- can't wait to share more," he added. Earlier in an interview with Empire for the new Celebration Of Cinema issue, Cameron shared that he is confident that his much-awaited "Avatar 2" will release as planned. "Avatar 2" is currently slated for release on December 17, 2021. It is believed that the sequel takes place 12 years after the events of the first movie. It follows Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) as he roams the planet of Pandora with the new family he has with Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). The first part was a huge success, becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time when it released in 2009. Its worldwide record was broken last year by "Avengers: Endgame". Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - June 1, 2020) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed Global Diversified Marketing Group Inc. (OTC Pink: GDMK) ("the Company"), a company that operates as a food and snack manufacturer, importer, and distributor through its subsidiary in the United States, Canada, and Europe. President and CEO of the Company, Paul Adler, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly. Jolly began the interview by asking Adler about the Company's growth strategy. "What we're basically looking to do is expand our brick and mortar business," explained Adler. "Right now, we're distributing nationwide directly with major retailers," he continued, adding that the Company recently signed an agreement with Asian American Trade Associations Council (AATAC) in an effort to expand their line of Biscottelli Italian Croissants into the C-Store channel nationwide. Jolly then asked whether the Company more closely identifies as an importer and distributor or as a manufacturer. "We are mainly classified as a manufacturer/importer and distributor," said Adler. He then explained that the Company is always looking for unique products which will eventually be contract-manufactured along with their trademark branded products. "We import them to the US and distribute them directly to many retailers," said Adler, noting that many companies in the same space choose to outsource many of these steps, allowing the Company to stand out as a more diversified contender. The conversation then turned to the launch of the Company's Amazon marketing program, which resulted in a 151% increase in sales. "For the past twelve months, we've been expanding into eCommerce, and the eCommerce has been doing phenomenal for us," shared Adler. "As far as recently, in January, the number started skyrocketing," he added. "We believe that this is a very sustainable model going forward to diversify ourselves into an eCommerce business," said Adler, noting that the Company plans to continue expanding to additional eCommerce platforms. Story continues "Are you thinking of any new products that you'll be bringing online?", asked Jolly. Adler shared that the Company launched a shelf-stable macaron product prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Usually this item is a refrigerated item," he explained, noting the uniqueness of the product. "We were able to bring it under our brand and launch as a soft launch in early February," said Adler. "We decided to do a full-scale distribution going forward over the next several months." Jolly then asked how the Company's segment varies from others in the industry. "We're an essential segment," said Adler. "Over the last six months, the snacking percentage in growth has increased four-fold." To close the interview, Adler shared that the Company will continue forward with a strong focus on its diversification, which they plan to achieve by raising additional capital and completing numerous acquisitions. To hear Paul Adler's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7596160-global-diversified-marketing-group-inc-discusses-its-diversification-and-expansion-strategy-with Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/ About Global Diversified Marketing Group Headquartered in Island Park, NY - Global Diversified Marketing Group Inc operates as a food and snack manufacturer, Importer & distributor through its subsidiary in the United States, Canada and Europe. The company operates through snacks segment. The snacks segment offers Italian Wafers, Italian filled croissants, French Madeleines, Wafer Pralines, shelf stable Macarons and other gourmet snacks. The company sells its products direct and through various distribution channels comprising specialty, grocery retailers, food-service distributors, DSD as well as vending, pantry and micro market segment. Safe Harbor Statement Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements and are prospective in nature. Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "anticipate", "expect", "believe" or "continue", or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, information concerning the ability of the Company to successfully achieve business objectives, and expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: the ability of the Company to develop the Company's brand and meet its growth objectives, the ability of the Company to complete acquisitions that are accretive to the Company's revenue, the ability of the Company to obtain and/or maintain licenses to operate in the jurisdictions in which it operates or in which it expects or plans to operate. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice. Contact: Global Diversified Marketing Group Inc Paul Adler, Chairman, President & CEO 800-550-5996 paul@gdmginc.com About The "Stock Day" Podcast Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America. Stock Day recently launched its Video Interview Studio located in Phoenix, Arizona. SOURCE: Stock Day Media (602) 821-1102 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56968 The first anniversary of the National Democratic Alliance government, popularly referred to as Modi-2, may have been somewhat subdued due to the lockdown as a result of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). But the achievements of the last 12 months were succinctly encapsulated in Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modis recent letter to the nation. At the outset, he referred to the 20 lakh crore economic package that he dedicated to the nation on May 12 and stressed his desire to make India self-reliant. There comes a time in a nations life when momentous decisions are taken in the interest of not just the current generation, but generations to follow. The year 1991 was a defining moment for independent India, when the then PM, PV Narasimha Rao, opened the countrys zealously-guarded doors to the wider world. It was a decision taken out of compulsion. India was impoverished, out of money and vulnerable. Fear and suspicion were deeply embedded in Indias psyche. We were suspicious of strong foreign forces recolonising us through giant multinational companies A slew of bold decisions and policy announcements in Modis address to the nation on May 12 will go down in the nations history as more momentous than those taken in 1991. Modis steely political will to make India self-reliant is as courageous as it is visionary. Some of the far-reaching announcements included the push for structural reforms in key areas such as agriculture, defence, coal and public sector enterprises. Linking the benefits to states with their performances was among the highlights of the package. While their positive impact will take time to kick in, there is no doubt that these structural reforms will boost growth. Some in the country expected an instant fiscal stimulus beyond what the country could afford at the moment, or perhaps a reduction in the Goods and Services Tax and income tax rates. They also wanted to see the governments effort directed exclusively to dealing with the emergency-like situation that we find ourselves in. They gave examples of the United States (US) and United Kingdoms stimulus packages. Modis ideas are all-encompassing. The measures he took ensured that the supply side became robust. Immediately after the lockdown, the government announced a big relief package of 1.7 lakh crore for the bottom 20% of the population. This was followed by a series of measures to provide relief to the poor and farmers. They included cash transfers of over 52,000 crore through Jan Dhan accounts and allocation of an additional 40,000 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to create jobs for those living on the margins of society. The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector, the backbone of our economy which contributes significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is the worst hit by the pandemic. The Modi government has taken targeted measures to boost the MSMEs, including with the support of a sovereign guaranteed loan of 3 lakh crore through equity and subordinated loans. The government deserves appreciation for the path-breaking step of changing the definition of MSMEs. What is also commendable is that despite a huge economic package, the government has not tried to punch above its weight. The Reserve Bank of India has also been proactive in supporting the governments initiatives and has taken many unconventional measures such as the Targeted Long-term Repo Operation to create the right amount of liquidity available in the system for banks, non-banking financial companies and industry. With the economy in motion again, we have the supply side in place. I am certain some more stimulus measures, within the bounds of fiscal prudence, will be taken to boost demand, which will help the economy accelerate. We have to remind ourselves that the pandemic is still wreaking havoc on the world. But a day will surely come when all this is behind us. That, many believe, will signal the beginning of a new world order built on the collapsed edifice of the international order that emerged in the aftermath of World War 2. Where will India be? This is the most important question on the minds of policymakers. Focusing on the pandemic alone would have been a populist but short-sighted move. Modi has wisely recognised the gravity of the current situation and made bold decisions which will help us maintain our position as a leading global player The PMs clarion call for self-reliance is a game changer. Imagine the force, energy, skills and strength a self-reliant nation of 1.3 billion people will bring to bear on the global polity. If the goal of self-reliance is achieved, we will be in a position to perhaps even compete with China in the near future. Modis call to self-reliance is in our national interest. In a post-pandemic world, many countries will look to strengthen production and supply chains and promote homegrown products. Self-reliance will come only with a mindset change and some amount of sacrifice and patience. A self-reliant India, he argued, would be in a much better position to contribute to the world But self-reliance does not mean an entire reset of the economy or a throwback to the swadeshi model. It is our own India First policy. When we become truly self-reliant, we will be one of the worlds leading economic powerhouses. Syed Zafar Islam is national spokesperson, BJP, and former managing director, Deutsche Bank, India The views expressed are personal Technavio has been monitoring the automotive brake wheel cylinder market and it is poised to grow by USD 94.33 million during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of almost 3% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005452/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Automotive Brake Wheel Cylinder Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact The market is concentrated, and the degree of concentration will accelerate during the forecast period. Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., Akebono Brake Industry Co. Ltd., Continental AG, Delphi Automotive Plc, Endurance Technologies Ltd., Hella GmbH Co. KGaA, Robert Bosch GmbH, Tenneco Inc., Valeo SA, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG are some of the major market participants. Although the increase in the adoption of SUVs by consumers will offer immense growth opportunities, the decrease in the sales and production of vehicles globally will challenge the growth of the market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. The increase in the adoption of SUVs by consumers has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. However, the decrease in the sales and production of vehicles globally might hamper the market growth. Automotive Brake Wheel Cylinder Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Automotive Brake Wheel Cylinder Market is segmented as below: Type Passenger Cars Commercial Vehicles Geographic Landscape APAC Europe MEA North America South America 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=IRTNTR32185 Automotive Brake Wheel Cylinder Market 2019-2023: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our automotive brake wheel cylinder market report covers the following areas: Automotive Brake Wheel Cylinder Market size Automotive Brake Wheel Cylinder Market trends Automotive Brake Wheel Cylinder Market industry analysis This study identifies the increasing adoption of additive manufacturing in the automotive industry as one of the prime reasons driving the automotive brake wheel cylinder market growth during the next few years. Automotive Brake Wheel Cylinder Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the Automotive Brake Wheel Cylinder Market, including some of the vendors such as Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., Akebono Brake Industry Co. Ltd., Continental AG, Delphi Automotive Plc, Endurance Technologies Ltd., Hella GmbH Co. KGaA, Robert Bosch GmbH, Tenneco Inc., Valeo SA, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the Automotive Brake Wheel Cylinder Market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Automotive Brake Wheel Cylinder Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist automotive brake wheel cylinder market growth during the next five years Estimation of the automotive brake wheel cylinder market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the automotive brake wheel cylinder market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of automotive brake wheel cylinder market vendors Table Of Contents : PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT 2.1 Preface 2.2 Preface 2.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE Market ecosystem Market characteristics Market segmentation analysis PART 04: MARKET SIZING Market definition Market sizing 2018 Market size and forecast 2018-2023 PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY VEHICLE TYPE Market segmentation by vehicle type Comparison by vehicle type Passenger cars Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Commercial vehicles Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by vehicle type PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023 North America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Europe Market size and forecast 2018-2023 South America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 MEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Key leading countries Market opportunity PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES PART 11: MARKET TRENDS Emergence of EPBs Increasing adoption of additive manufacturing in the automotive industry EV manufacturers' focus on hub motors PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd. Akebono Brake Industry Co. Ltd. Continental AG Delphi Automotive Plc Endurance Technologies Ltd. Hella GmbH Co. KGaA Robert Bosch GmbH Tenneco Inc. Valeo SA ZF Friedrichshafen AG PART 14: APPENDIX Research methodology List of abbreviations Definition of market positioning of vendors PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO About Us 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/20200601005452/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/ By Laman Ismayilova Opera Europa spring conference has been successfully held. The conference brought together 193 members of the association. The conference focused on topics essential to the continued health of opera companies, where sharing and common actions may deliver benefits. The chief conductor and music director of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, Honored Artist Ayyub Guliyev took part in the virtual meeting. During the conference, Ayyub Guliyev highlighted projects timed to the 100th anniversary of the Baku theater. On the first day of the conference, the participants were greeted by the president of the Opera Europa Association Birgitta Svedenden (Sweden) and director Nicholas Payne (Great Britain). The speakers also included leaders of world-famous opera houses Anna Maria Meo (Italy), Sebastian Schwarz ( (Italy), Alexandra Stampler-Brown (Germany), Bob Brandsen (Great Britain), Hanna Fontana (Finland), Aviel Cahn (Switzerland) and others. Furthermore, Helsinki Theater - "Opera Beyond" presented new digital opera project "Opera Beyond" with the participation of the Finnish conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen and theater director Gita Kadambi. The virtual meeting was followed by adoption of resolution. The conference participants agreed on holding International Opera Day (October 25). Future of European theaters after the pandemic will be discussed on June 10. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 20:18:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SINGAPORE, June 1 (Xinhua) -- A first-ever online art festival for children to play, learn and create with art was launched Monday in Singapore, as part of efforts to bring more art experiences to audiences amid the COVID-19 crisis. Presented by the National Gallery Singapore, its biennial children's festival, Small Big Dreamers, returns for its second edition with a digital twist, said the National Gallery Singapore in a media statement. This year's "#SmallBigDreamersAtHome" festival runs from Monday to March 28, 2021, even as the gallery remains temporarily closed due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. An interactive website will host fun and engaging activities for children aged six to 12, featuring close to 30 interactive games, hands-on activities, and videos inspired by artworks from Singapore and Southeast Asian artists. These are designed to let them unleash their inner artist while learning about artworks within the national collection and beyond. Suenne Megan Tan, director of audience development and engagement at National Gallery Singapore, said it is a chance for parents to engage their children with art, even as more families spend time at home to curb the spread of COVID-19. "#SmallBigDreamersAtHome allows children to learn while being in their element with the online platform and ignites their imagination through creative play. We hope that it will serve as a springboard for new and regular visitors to take their own self-guided adventures into the world of art," she said. As they scroll through the website, visitors can learn about the artistic process, as well as interesting facts and details behind each artwork. These range from learning about still life painting as shown in Singaporean artist Georgette Chen's "Tropical Fruits", ink painting in Yeo Shih Yun's "My INK-credible Adventure" and the use of lines in Indonesian artist Sudjana Kerton's "Gamelan Orchestra" piece. Using the collection of activity sheets, children can also take part in arts and crafts projects, such as how to make a pendulum painting, a 3D house and shadow art. They also get to play with interactive games which educate them on the artmaking techniques used within the artworks. The children can also explore a series of on-demand tutorial videos facilitated by educational experts, independent artists, and illustrators, and get inspired to embark on projects of their own. Storytelling sessions along with sit-down chats with artists, educators and curators will join the line-up later this year. The festival is supported by the Gallery's development partner, Tote Board. Fong Yong Kian, chief executive of Tote Board, said that they are seeing new ways of community engagement - from online classrooms for students to teleconferencing with vulnerable seniors. "These are trying times but organisations are adapting to new ways of operating, and Tote Board is ready to support the Gallery in devising novel unconventional ways of bringing art to the people." "A dose of art and fun for the whole family can be especially beneficial to mental and emotional well-being," he added. Enditem A village in Sweden has been put up for sale for $7.3 million during the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has brought the global property market to a standstill even in Sweden which never went into lockdown completely. The wellness village called Satra Brunn is located on the outskirts of the Swedish capital of Stockholm. With a history from the 1700s, when doctor Samuel Skragge discovered the water source at Satra and bought the surrounding land. A well, well house, church, hospital and housing in the village was built by him. The water around with high purity was said to make a rebalancing and healing effect on ones health and wellbeing. Natural Springs were popular at this 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 Satra Brunns water and it's healing properties became popular which lead to the local elites to build summer homes which were donated to the land's owners. Warm and cold plunge baths would also be offered to guests invited, they would drink the water every day and believed to help with emotional imbalances. The grounds and houses were bought by a bishop from the city of Vasteras in the 1740s who left it one of Swedens top universities- Uppsala University a few years later. In 2002, the university then sold Satra Brunn to 16 local entrepreneurs and the village has since been run as a spa and events venue. Since 2015, a bottling business has also operated in the village, which is included in the sale. It is only one of seven springs to be awarded Swedens highest water purity designation. 60 acres of land is covered by the village currently and about 84 acres of undeveloped land around it will be included in the purchase. Satra Brunn and all its real estate is registered as a limited company, meaning there are no restrictions for foreign buyers, according to broker Jonas Martinsson, who described the architecture of the village as a walk through time. Residence Fastighetsmakleri, an affiliate of Christies International Real Estate in Sweden, holds the listing. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 01:39:51|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOSCOW, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump at the initiative of the U.S. side, discussing issues related to the Group of Seven (G7) Summit and oil markets, the Kremlin said Monday. "Trump informed Putin about his idea of holding a G7 summit with the possible invitation of the leaders of Russia, Australia, India and South Korea," it said in a statement. The importance of enhancing the bilateral dialogue on strategic stability and confidence-building measures in the military sector was noted. In addition, the presidents addressed world oil market developments in the context of implementing the OPEC+ agreement. "It was stated that this multilateral agreement, reached with the active support of the presidents of Russia and the United States, would lead to a gradual restoration of oil demand and price stabilization," it said. Putin and Trump also touched upon space cooperation and fighting coronavirus, agreeing to continue contacts at various levels, according to the statement. Enditem A Belgian prince who tested positive for coronavirus after attending an illegal lockdown party has apologised. Prince Joachim, 28, left Belgium for Spain for an internship on May 26 and attended a party with 26 others two days later in Cordoba, where his rumoured girlfriend Victoria Oritz lives. Prince Joachim of Belgium (centre) has apologised after contracting coronavirus following an illegal lockdown party. Photo: Getty According to the BBC, the prince, who is the nephew of Belgium's King Philippe and 10th in line to the throne, has said in a statement: "I deeply regret my actions. "I apologise for not respecting all quarantine measures during my trip," the statement reads. He added: "In these difficult times I did not want to offend anyone." In Cordoba, lockdown rules mean no more than 15 people are allowed at gatherings together and those who have been found breaking the rules will be fined up to $16,500. Prince Joachim is believed to be suffering mild coronavirus symptoms and remains in Spain, with everyone who attended the party also in quarantine. Rafaela Valenzuela, a representative of the Spanish government in Cordoba, slammed those who attended the party, calling them "irresponsible". "I feel surprised and angry. An incident of this type stands out at a moment of national mourning for so many dead," she said. Prince Joachim, who is the nephew of Belgium's King Philippe and 10th in line to the throne, has said in a statement: "I deeply regret my actions". Photo: Getty Images The five children of Princess Astrid, Prince Joachim, Prince Amedeo and his fiancee Elisabetta Rosboch von Wolkenstein, Princess Laetitia Maria, Princess Maria Laura and Princess Luisa Maria. Photo: Getty Images Spain is in the top five countries worst hit by the coronavirus according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. They have had 239,479 cases with 27,127 deaths. In comparison, Australia has had 7,202 cases and 103 deaths. Spain is now beginning the process of emerging from one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe. The Spanish royal family lost the first royal to coronavirus in March when Princess Maria Teresa died at 86-years-old. Got a story tip or just want to get in touch? Email us at lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com Philadelphia Sheriff Officers and volunteers load boxes of food, bound for North Philadelphia residents, from the Share Food Program distributed at the Young Chances Foundation in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Philadelphia in April. Read more Since March 30, the City of Philadelphia has run 40 food distribution sites supplied by anti-hunger nonprofits every Monday and Thursday to feed people during the pandemic. Those spots were closed on Monday because of fears generated by the protests roiling the area. The result: Around 16,000 city households missed out on 250,000 pounds of food for the day, according to George Matysik, executive director of Share Food Program, one of the hunger-fighting agencies. Share typically provides food for the Monday distributions. Beyond that, Philabundance, the other distributor of food for low-income individuals in the region, was compelled to skip food delivery to many of its approximately 350 food pantries on Monday because of safety worries. It wasnt clear how many people were directly affected. Although city officials said the plan as of late Monday afternoon was to give away the Share supplies on Tuesday, families denied food for just a day were forced to scramble to make up for the nutrition theyve come to depend on. One day off from food is not something any of us need, said Luisa Baerga, 53, an evangelical minister who lives in poverty in Hunting Park. She suffers from congestive heart failure, and her 12-year-old son has Down syndrome. Her other son, 20, has been unable to find work during the pandemic, and spends his days watching his brother. Though she needs food desperately, Baerga said, she always gives some of her supply to homeless people in her area. She was once homeless herself, she said. Baerga understands why losing food can be catastrophic. Not getting food Monday cuts us from three meals to one for me and my two kids," she said. "And Im not sure if breakfast is guaranteed for Tuesday. My children cannot go hungry. Already hard hit by the physical savagery of a plague that especially victimizes low-income residents, Philadelphians living in poverty have had to contend with the job losses and wrecked economy ascribed to COVID-19, as well as the physical fallout from demonstrations that have burned and bedeviled their own neighborhoods. Add to that a raft of meals lost to a food-insecure population for whom even a days delay in eating means discomfort and potential health issues. After a weekend of planned meals, parents depended on Mondays food to start the agenda for a new week of eating, said Asteria Vives, executive director of the nonprofit Home Quarters and Friends, which serves families in Fairhill, Philadelphias poorest neighborhood. "Now they face an imbalance. This is a curve ball. Itll bring concerns come Monday night, when lots of children wont be eating and, because of that, wont be sleeping, either. Today, people were either calling me complaining about the rioting, or crying because their grandchildren need food that wasnt there. Even a small kink in the food safety net will result in bringing increased food insecurity here, said Samantha Retamar, spokesperson for Philabundance. Matysik, of Share, said that not being able to disburse food that he knows people are depending on pains him. And, he said, need is only trending upward. He said he was disappointed to learn that over the weekend, two of the nonprofits whose sites are typically used to give away food were vandalized during demonstrations. Matysik wasnt sure Monday evening whether food was stolen. Unlike an electric bill or a landlord looking to evict, food is not something a family can negotiate or put off, said sociologist Judith Levine, director of Temple Universitys Public Policy Lab. Youre layering pressing deprivation and a whole new level of uncertainty of not knowing where the next meal is coming from onto people, she said. This is a very sad consequence of whats been happening" amid the widespread demonstrations. Unlike middle-class residents who have been able to stock their pantries during the pandemic, low-income Philadelphians dont have the money to lay in a supply of food ahead of time to stave off disaster, Levine said. You go day by day, and thats a very dire situation. The halting of the Monday food giveaway was the talk of hunger fighters throughout the city, said Compton Chase, a missionary who runs the Somerton Interfaith Food Pantry in Northeast Philadelphia. Remember, people only go out to get free food if theyre in need, Chase said. When its not available, it increases their stress. Its a lot of pain for a parent to have to explain to a child why the food they were counting on is not here today. Reminded that middle-class people may not understand why postponing a food distribution for 24 hours can mean so much, Chase grew angry. The middle class, if they dont know by now how Philadelphians are suffering, theyve got their heads buried in the snow, or someplace else, he said. I come from Guyana, and I know what poverty is. Here, we are getting closer to that kind of poverty. How much more can people stand? A multibillion-dollar construction stimulus will offer grants to build more than 100,000 new homes and create thousands of new jobs across the country by turbo-charging the industry. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the government is close to finalising a new package that will offer new home grants of at least $20,000 to encourage construction and help shield the building industry from the coronavirus-induced economic slowdown. A multibillion-dollar construction stimulus will offer grants to build more than 100,000 new homes. Credit:Michele Mossop The sector has warned the industry faces a 30 per cent decline in construction - around 43,000 new homes - next year and a significant loss of jobs. Master Builders Australia has called for a $13 billion package to help boost new housing construction after the existing pipeline of projects slows down in the second half of this year. Journalists across the country covering the protests and unrest in response to the murder of George Floyd have been attacked and arrested by police, with several of those incidents occurring on air. Police forces have regularly attacked and arrested journalists at protests in this country. But often it has been unfamous [sic] journalists from non-corporate outlets, so no one paid attention to it, Jeremy Scahill of The Intercept wrote. Now, the police are deliberately & consistently attacking corporate journalists too. One such incident occurred in Louisville, Kentucky, where reporter Kaitlin Rust for WAVE 3 was covering a march protesting the death of Breonna Taylor, a woman who was fatally shot by police in March. While reporting from behind the protest line, Rust and her cameraman were fired upon by police with pepper balls during a broadcast. Tyrannical, militarized police in Louisville shot NBC Louisville reporter Kaitlin Rust with pepper bullets. ????: Christopher Bishop pic.twitter.com/NRuY0R4nax EMPIRE TV ???? (@TheEMPIRETV) May 30, 2020 Also Read: Michelle Obama, The Rock and More Celebs Call Out Systemic Racism Amid George Floyd Protests There is simply no justification for the Louisville police to wantonly open fire, even with pepper balls, on any journalists under any circumstances, WAVE 3 said in a statement. Jessie Halliday, special advisor to Louisville Metro Police, apologized in a statement to the Courier Journal. Its not something that should have occurred if she was singled out as a reporter, and that is what the video looks like occurred, Halliday said. Its a little difficult to determine, in the midst of all of this, who that officer is. We will be taking a look at the video again after this situation is resolved, and if we need to do any investigation for discipline, we will do that. In Denver, local news team Adi Guajardo posted a picture of her cameraman, who was hit four times by a volley of paintballs and tear gas from police. Luckily, I ducked and avoided getting struck, she wrote. Story continues Police just fired off paintballs and tear gas. Our photographer got hit four time and our camera got hit. Luckily, I ducked and avoided getting struck.#denverprotests @DenverChannel pic.twitter.com/8KstNp39HS adigtv (@AdiGTV) May 30, 2020 In Minneapolis, photographer Linda Tirado said on Twitter that she was hit and permanently blinded in her left eye by what was believed to be a rubber bullet. Doctors have advised her to stay away from further protests. Hey folks, took a tracer found to the face (I think, given my backpack) and am headed into surgery to see if we can save my left eye Am wisely not gonna be on Twitter while Im on morphine Stay safe folks pic.twitter.com/apZOyGrcBO Linda Tirado (@KillerMartinis) May 30, 2020 Also Read: LAPD Arrests More Than 500 People After Friday Protests Result in Battery on Police, Vandalism and Looting Its absolutely bonkers that before I got on the road I made sure I had local criminal defense counsel in case Im arrested in the course of my job as a journalist, she wrote on Twitter. I have bylines in five continents but I dont trust that Id be considered press, because Im freelance. Several journalists were arrested in Las Vegas during demonstrations, including freelance photographer Bridget Bennett, who was there on behalf of AFP, and Ellen Schmidt, photojournalist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. It is appalling that Las Vegas police officers, who have nothing to do with what happened in Minnesota, would so forcefully take into custody two people who were obviously working photojournalists and posed no threat to law enforcement or public safety, Review-Journal executive editor Glenn Cook said in an email to CNN. They never should have been touched, let alone arrested and then booked into jail. The arrests and violence have extended to mainstream media reporters. MSNBC anchor Ali Velshi, who was covering the Minneapolis protests on the ground, was struck in the leg by a rubber bullet on Saturday. The Huffington Post said in a statement that one of their reporters, Chris Mathias, has apparently been taken into custody while doing his job as a journalist and was released early Sunday morning. CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and crew members Bill Kirkos and Leonel Mendez were taken into police custody in the middle of a broadcast right after they told authorities they would move to whatever location was best. Also Read: Louisville Cop Fires Pepper Balls at News Crew Covering Protests on Live TV (Video) The police violence against reporters has been decried by journalists and officials alike. To the police arresting, targeting, or shooting journalists: Dont for a minute think your unlawful actions will go unanswered. We will hold you to account, the ACLU said in a statement on Twitter. To journalists risking their lives to keep the public informed: Stay safe. We thank you and weve got your back. To the police arresting, targeting, or shooting journalists: Don't for a minute think your unlawful actions will go unanswered. We will hold you to account. To journalists risking their lives to keep the public informed: Stay safe. We thank you and we've got your back. ACLU (@ACLU) May 31, 2020 When journalists are attacked, societies are attacked, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said. No democracy can function without press freedom nor can any society be fair without journalists who investigate wrongdoing and speak truth to power. When journalists are attacked, societies are attacked. No democracy can function without press freedom nor can any society be fair without journalists who investigate wrongdoing and speak truth to power. Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) May 30, 2020 Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, a reporter with Pasadena City Colleges KPCC Radio, was on the scene of protests in Long Beach when police in riot gear moved in. Shortly thereafter, he was hit with a rubber bullet in the neck. I had just interviewed a man with my phone at 3rd and Pine and a police officer aimed and shot me in the throat, I saw the bullet bounce onto the street, he tweeted, along with a photo of the bruise that was left. The rubber bullet hit stings like a mf. I just got hit by a rubber bullet near the bottom of my throat. I had just interviewed a man with my phone at 3rd and Pine and a police officer aimed and shot me in the throat, I saw the bullet bounce onto the street @LAist @kpcc OK, thats one way to stop me, for a while pic.twitter.com/9C2u5KmscG Adolfo Guzman-Lopez (@AGuzmanLopez) June 1, 2020 Fox News Channels Leland Vittert was harassed while covering the protests in Lafayette Park outside the White House in Washington, D.C. late Friday night-early Saturday morning when as many as a dozen protesters surrounded him and his crew. After a protester advanced towards Vittert, he and the Fox News crew made a run for it, only to be chased by the angry, growing crowd. As they fled, they were cursed at, hit with projectiles and a Fox News camera was broken when a member of the mob tried to grab it. The Daily Caller recorded the event, that clearly rocked Vittert. Warning: the language is NSFO. Read original story Journalists Targeted at Protests by Police, Hit With Rubber Bullet and Tear Gas At TheWrap By PTI MUMBAI: No-frills airline AirAsia India on Monday said it is offering 50,000 seats without charging base fare to the doctor community who, along with other frontline workers, are working to save lives amid the coronavirus pandemic. "As a mark of respect to our doctors and in recognition of the admirable values they have displayed through the last few months, we at AirAsia India wanted to express our gratitude for their tireless efforts in keeping the nation safe and healthy," Air Asia India Chief Commercial Officer Ankur Garg said. Under the RedPass initiative, AirAsia India will give away 50,000 seats without any base fare on flights across its domestic sectors to doctors as a gesture of gratitude for their commendable efforts in support of the nation, the airline said in release. However, airport fees, charges and statutory taxes will be borne by the traveller, it said. To avail the offer, doctors can submit their contact details and desired sector and date of travel between July 1 and September 30 with their registration number or ID as proof on its website, the airline said adding that the applications can be submitted by June 12. Besides these base free passes, they would also be given special privileges like priority boarding at the airport. The RedPass would be valid for a one-way flight for the successful applicant doctors on the AirAsia India domestic network, the airline said in the release. The viral video of New York police kneeling with demonstrators Sunday dramatically documented the cracks that have formed in the thin blue line of America's law enforcement agencies as some officers denounced the death of George Floyd and sometimes joined the protests. A white former Minneapolis police officer is charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter after Floyd, an African American man, died pleading for his life as the officer pinned his neck to the ground for more than 8 minutes. Protests, many of them violent, have convulsed the country for almost a week. Some police and sheriff's officials across the country have said the behavior of the Minneapolis officers on May 25 was unacceptable. Typical of the responses was one from Art Acevedo, the police chief in Houston, Floyd's hometown, who said two days later that Floyd's death should be "condemned by all in law enforcement and our extended community." "His death serves as a stark reminder that when bad policing happens, it disproportionately impacts communities of color and poor communities," Acevedo said. But as demonstrators have continued to turn out by the thousands in the face of riot police, National Guard troops and the threat of infection with the coronavirus, Acevedo and some other law enforcement officers have gone a step further. Image: Art Acevedo (Mark Felix / AFP - Getty Images) Acevedo, who joined a Justice for George Floyd march on Saturday, addressed a crowd outside a Houston-area church Sunday, his eyes rimmed with emotion, to say not only that he understood the protests but also that he was outraged at Americans who "don't see a problem." Minneapolis officers "showed no mercy when they put their knee on his neck," Acevedo said in video published by NBC affiliate KPRC. "For every black mother, brother, sister, uncle, cousin, they saw their family in George's face," he added. Full coverage of George Floyds death and protests around the country Story continues Acevedo said he had asked Floyd's family to allow Houston police to provide a guard of honor when Floyd's body is returned to Houston. "We don't fear when people are angry, because we join them when they are angry," he said. But Acevedo's department has come under scrutiny and criticism after a series of shootings in the last two months in which six people were shot and killed by Houston police officers. Community leaders have called for greater transparency, the release of body-camera footage, and an independent police review board. When protesters arrived Saturday at the police station in Flint Township, Michigan, Chris Swanson, the sheriff of Genesee County, took off his helmet, laid down his baton and addressed the crowd. "We want to be with y'all for real," Swanson told the crowd in video published by NBC affiliate WEYI of Flint, adding: "I want to make this a parade, not a protest. ... You just tell what you need to do." The crowd started chanting "walk with us, walk with us," whereupon Swanson waved his arm, said, "Let's walk," and joined the march. As hundreds of people gathered Saturday on Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz, along the Central Coast of California, Police Chief Andy Mills joined Mayor Justin Cummings in taking a knee. The police department said in a statement that Mills knelt to demonstrate solidarity with protesters and to bring "attention to police violence against Black people." In Coral Gables, Florida, near Miami, police chiefs from across Miami-Dade County knelt in prayer with protesters Saturday. "This was a good first step in the right direction. It was a touching moment," a spokesman for Miami-Dade police told NBC Miami. Police and protesters locked arms Sunday afternoon near police headquarters in Bellevue, Nebraska, NBC affiliate WOWT of Omaha reported. Police Sgt. Howard Banks denounced the Minneapolis officers' actions, telling the crowd: "It's all of us versus bad people and bad cops and we want to get them out of the line of duty and police work, because they make all of us look bad." Passing motorists honked their horns in support, WOWT reported. The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday exempted defence and paramilitary personnel returning to UT for joining duties from compulsory rapid tests for Covid-19 and subsequent administrative quarantine. Armed Forces and CAPF personnel returning to join their duties in J&K are exempted from RTPCY and administrative quarantine. They will be sent to their respective battalions and units, said an official spokesperson. He, however, informed that travellers from red districts to orange districts within the UT will undergo Covid-19 test followed by 14-day quarantine. If tested negative, they will go home for quarantine and in case tested positive, they will go to hospital, he said. The government, however, has exempted certain categories from mandatory administrative quarantine of 14 days and they include pregnant women, cancer patients, chronically ill and dialysis patients, mothers with infants below one year old child, children below 10 years travelling alone, government of India personnel on duty and passengers with negative RTPCR test results. Note to readers: This is the second instalment of a two-part series on events that transpired at IL&FS Transportation Networks India Limited (ITNL), a subsidiary of the infrastructure conglomerate that needed a government rescue to stay aloft and whose financial troubles triggered concerns of a larger bad loan crisis in Indias shadow banking system, based on a forensic report by Grant Thornton. Read the first part here. The previous management of debt-laden Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) surreptitiously attempted to hide the dire financial condition of the company, conceal cash flow stress and mislead regulators into adopting a restructuring plan, according to a forensic report reviewed by Moneycontrol. The audit findings by consultancy Grant Thornton (GT) reveal that the management knew about the financial challenges that the group was facing since 2016 and it had also discussed with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to make necessary regulatory amendments to facilitate fundraising at the holding company level. The steps taken by the management eventually led to the financial ruin of IL&FS and it wasnt until two years after these events in 2018 that the government finally acted to replace the IL&FS management with a team led by banker Uday Kotak. The report also highlights the then managements admission of the near-bankruptcy situation of its subsidiary, IL&FS Transportation Networks Limited (ITNL), in May 2018 and instead of reporting the same to the regulators, it tried to use its contacts to influence the RBI to adopt a restructuring plan outside Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The forensic report has indicated that ITNL continued to use every trick in the book of corporate violations circular transactions, insider trading by key management personnel (KMP), gross irregularities and anomalies, power nexus, circumvention of rules and compromised tendering process to mislead regulators, investors and policymakers. Influencing RBI and hiding cash flow stress In a communication on March 19, 2016, Ravi Parthasarathy, the then chairman of IL&FS, details his meeting with the then RBI Deputy Governor R Gandhi on the agenda of formulating new legislation to facilitate fundraising by holding companies as they were facing difficulties raising funds for ITNL post-March 2016. We have raised resources for ITNL under adverse circumstances over the past six months. Going forward we need to face the reality that the current architecture (of ITNL) may not remain viable, said Parthasarthy in a March 2016 email. The report points out an email correspondence from Parthasarty to the top management of IL&FS in May 2018 in which the chairman admits that ITNL cash flows are unsustainable. However, management has been advised against approaching NCLT or IBC by a law firm and the top brass was advised to work with the RBI to develop a scheme of its own. Based on the discussion with Udayan Sen (of Deloitte), the best way forward is to formulate a (restructuring) scheme of our own, as per the mail sent by Parthasarathy to IL&FS top brass. An email query sent by Moneycontrol to the RBI did not elicit any response so far. The Serious Fraud of Investigation Office (SFIO), in its report on IFIN, had also pointed out the RBIs lapses in regulating IL&FS despite being aware of the financial stress in the company. Anomalies in acquisition and sale of Spanish firm The GT report lists out alleged anomalies in ITNL's acquisition of Elsamex SA, a near-bankrupt Spanish company, for 12.15 million euros in December 2007. Elsamex was engaged in the operations and maintenance of road infrastructure in Europe, Latin America, and various Asian countries including India. Importantly, the Spanish firm was on the verge of insolvency at the time of the acquisition, as was pointed out in the due diligence report in December 2007. In FY2017, ITNL sold its entire stake in Elsamex SA to its subsidiary IIPL in Singapore for Rs 413.16 crore. However, IIPL settled the sum to be given against the sale of investment in Elsamex SA through the issue of equity shares to ITNL. The GT report points that with this transaction, ITNL received additional shares in its already existing wholly-owned subsidiary. Based on the review of the profit and loss statement for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, it was noted that ITNL had recorded profit before tax of Rs 78.86 crore which consisted of a profit on the sale of investments of Rs 140.93 crore. Thus, it appears that ITNL might have recorded a potential loss before tax of Rs 62.14 crore, in case if they had not recorded the gain on the sale of the investment in Elsamex,SA, the report reads. GT report also questions the financial stability of Elsamex that did not reflect any indicator of financial stress or liquidity constraints till December 2017 but there was a need to write off a significant Rs 1,037.3 crore in the profit and loss for December 2018 on account of projects in Botswana, Ethiopia and Haiti. IL&FS and ITNL refused to comment on this story. Circular transactions and round-tripping of loans In a separate transaction, ITNL and Punj Lloyd jointly bid for the prestigious Hazaribaug Ranchi Expressway Limited (HREL) project. ITNL put in Rs 96.94 crore as equity and Punj Lloyd invested Rs 34.06 crore. In the audit report, it was identified (in an email dated January 21, 2014) sent by Vijay Kini, Vice President, ITNL, to Manhar Kapoor, VP, Corporate Legal and Secretarial at Punj Lloyd that ITNL would transfer Rs 34.04 crore to Punj Lloyd which would further be invested in HREL. Subsequently, according to ITNL FY15 annual report, ITNL had acquired an additional equity stake in HREL from Punj Lloyd Limited for a total consideration of Rs 38 crore, increasing its stake from 74 percent to 99.99 percent. Punj Lloyd, once a feted construction company, is going through a longwinded insolvency process. Importantly, the consideration payable by ITNL for the acquisition of HREL was settled by adjustment of the loans given to Punj Lloyd amounting to Rs 38 crore during the acquisition of HREL. Thus, there was no actual outflow of funds and the loans given were converted into equity investments. Punj Lloyd did not respond to an email sent by Moneycontrol. Favours, preferences and funds routing Another contractor, APCO Infratech Private Limited, accounted for nearly 13 percent of total projects worth Rs 25,000 crore awarded by ITNL. The GT report said ITL offered preferential treatment to APCO Infratech over other vendors and potential assistance in the bidding process. The contractor allegedly assisted IFIN in circumventing the RBI regulations. The report also found potential donations to institutions of KMPs, potential conflict of interest or close nexus and potential gifts given to the then KMPs of IL&FS to get these contracts from ITNL. In various emails between ITNL officials and APCO, the GT report points out instances of APCO agreeing to equal the price ITNL had budgeted for construction works, and potentially there was no bidding process carried out for the project. In an email dated April 2017 from Biju Rajan, senior manager at ITNL, it appears that a loan from APCO was proposed to be routed from MBEL indicating that APCO was one of the contractors that used to assist ITNL in routing the funds. In another email dated November 17, 2017, from Ajay Menon, who works in the treasury department of ITNL, it appears that APCO had been provided a loan from IFIN equivalent to the amount due from ITNL. It also mentioned that ITNL will pay APCO, and subsequently loan of IFIN will be repaid by APCO. Thus, it appears that potential funds were being routed through contractor APCO. There are other instances where the contractor got projects without competitive bidding. The GT audit report reads: As per standard operating procedure followed by ITNL, in case of sub-contracting construction works, quotations are invited from various sub-contractors at the cost estimation stage and after competitive analysis, the sub-contractors with the lowest quote are selected. However, in APCOs case, this procedure was not followed by the company. An email dated November 29, 2010, which was sent by S Narasimhan, an employee of APCO, to Ravi Sreehari, Managing Director at ITNL International JLT, wherein it was noted that based on the communication with Mukund Sapre, S Narasimhan was interested in working with ITNL for implementing various EPC works in the state of Bihar. Further, he had also suggested various ways of partnership through which projects can be undertaken by APCO. The GT report also identified an email dated December 17, 2010, which was sent by Sreehari to Narasimhan indicating that while ITNL was in a process to bid for a project of NHAI, APCO was to be appointed to undertake 50 percent of the project work of NHAIs Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Transfer (DBFOT) road packages. In an e-mail response, APCO said the companys agreements and transactions with the IL&FS group comply with rules and regulations. Being a responsible corporate citizen and law-abiding company, at this juncture when the matter related to ITNL and/or IL&FS Group entities are already subjudice and investigations are on, it will NOT (be) appropriate for APCO Infratech to offer any comment on any documents/mails or selective quoting/abstracts which are in your possession or access of which you may have got through any route/person. Our only submission is that our agreements or transactions with IL&FS group entity were/ are in strict compliance with law of land and purely based on merit also not carrying any conflict of interest, the company stated. APCO said it and its subsidiaries are not engaged by ITNL or any IL&FS group company for the execution of any project in Bihar. Alleged favours to Beigh Construction Company According to the audit report, Beigh Construction Company (BCC), another contractor, managed to borrow large sums without having adequate financial capabilities. The firm did not have the required financial strength right from its inception to carry out the projects allocated. Based on the circular transactions between ITNL and BCC, it appears that BCC was aware about the potential issues in ITNL and they were assisting the IL&FS Group in circumventing regulations for extra benefits, the audit report observed. In the financial year 2016-17 and 2017-18, the net worth of BCC was Rs 5.52 crore and Rs 8.87 crore, respectively. However, the total borrowings in the financial year 2017-18 were Rs 243.76 crore, of which Rs 200 crore was borrowed from IFIN, based on a letter of comfort issued by ITNL. Also, the said amount of Rs 200 crore was later transferred by BCC to ITNL. The GT audit identified an email dated February 28, 2018 sent by Jyotsna Matondkar, an employee of ITNL, to Karunakaran Ramchand, MD of ITNL, requesting his approval for availing a loan of Rs 200 crore from BCC. Upon further review, it was noted that ITNL had issued a letter of comfort to IFIN for the loan provided to BCC. The amount received by BCC from IFIN was further transferred to ITNL. Also, we noted that BCC had earned a margin of 0.60 percent of the loan amount for the potential routing of funds of Rs 200 crore, the forensic audit observed. What BCC says Replying to Moneycontrols queries, BCC Managing Director Imran Beigh blamed the ITNL top brass. During the period from November 2017 till mid-2018, ITNL started demanding favours from us knowing our vulnerable position. It knew that huge amounts of monies were payable to us and that, given our weak bargaining position, we would agree to whatever demands they made, Beigh wrote. Beigh said in November 2017, ITNL asked his company to borrow Rs 23 crore from its sister concern, IFIN, and use that money to pay the dues owed by ITNL to a third-party vendor. "ITNL assured us that even though the loan would be availed by us, it would be ITNL which would be servicing the loan. In fact, ITNL also paid the first instalment towards this loan. Needless to say, it never bothered paying the remaining instalments, as a result of which this loan still stands in our books, he said. Beigh said ITNL again approached his company in February 2018 to borrow Rs 200 crore from IFIN and use that money to pump it back into ITNL. We were told that our assistance was being called as ITNL needed funds from IFIN which IFIN could not release directly to ITNL. We were also told that other contractors were also being asked to cooperate with ITNL, and they had also agreed to do it. To show that this transaction was in lieu of a valid consideration, the rate of interest payable by ITNL to us was shown as 0.6 percent higher than the rate of interest that we had to pay IFIN. However, this was only meant to be a paper formality, as we were specifically told by the then executive director of ITNL (in writing) that the transaction would be a cash-neutral transaction for us, he said. In other words, we were never expected to, nor did we ever, derive any financial benefit from this transaction. Even otherwise, this 0.6 percent would have translated to only Rs 1.2 crore which was pittance as compared to the huge financial liabilities that ITNL had owed towards us, the MD added. Compromised bidding process The forensic audit report highlights potential bidding issues in relation to the operation and maintenance contract for Pune Sholapur Road Development Company Limited. The bidding process involved three companies - Vinati Infratech Private Limited, Elsamex Maintenance Services Limited and Premavati Infrastructures. Vinati Infratech, with a paid-up share capital of Rs 1 lakh, placed a bid of Rs 21.42 crore. Also, the name of Vinati was struck off as per a Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) letter dated May 5, 2017. The letter states that this company has not conducted any business in the two preceding years. But the company potentially placed a bid on August 22, 2017. The company was also not on the empanelled list of vendors of IL&FS, a violation of process. Similarly, in the case of West Gujarat Expressway Limited, SGMS Maintenance Services was a potential bidder for toll collection. It is observed that SGMS is involved in the business of providing housekeeping and related services and does not have any experience in toll collection, said the forensic report. Theres definitely nerves, he said. Of course, nobody wants to get sick, nobody wants to cause anybody to get sick. We just want to get back to normal as soon as we can and the way to do that, I think, is follow the rules as best we can and make sure we try to keep everybody safe. Trump spent nearly an hour in the bunker, which was designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks Washington: Secret Service agents rushed president Donald Trump to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades. Trump spent nearly an hour in the bunker, which was designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks, according to a Republican close to the White House who was not authorized to publicly discuss private matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The account was confirmed by an administration official who also on condition of anonymity. The abrupt decision by the agents underscored the rattled mood inside the White House, where the chants from protesters in Lafayette Park could be heard all weekend and Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers struggled to contain the crowds. Fridays protests were triggered by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after he was pinned at the neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. The demonstrations in Washington turned violent and appeared to catch officers by surprise. They sparked one of the highest alerts on the White House complex since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 . The White House does not comment on security protocols and decisions, said White House spokesman Judd Deere. The Secret Service said it does not discuss the means and methods of its protective operations. The presidents move to the bunker was first reported by The New York Times. The president and his family have been shaken by the size and venom of the crowds, according to the Republican. It was not immediately clear if first lady Melania Trump and the couples 14-year-old son, Barron, joined the president in the bunker. Secret Service protocol would have called for all those under the agencys protection to be in the underground shelter. Trump has told advisers he worries about his safety, while both privately and publicly praising the work of the Secret Service. Trump traveled to Florida on Saturday to view the first manned space launch from the U.S. in nearly a decade. He returned to a White House under virtual siege, with protesters some violent gathered just a few hundred yards away through much of the night. Demonstrators returned Sunday afternoon, facing off against police at Lafayette Park into the evening. Trump continued his effort to project strength, using a series of inflammatory tweets and delivering partisan attacks during a time of national crisis. As cities burned night after night and images of violence dominated television coverage, Trumps advisers discussed the prospect of an Oval Office address in an attempt to ease tensions. The notion was quickly scrapped for lack of policy proposals and the presidents own seeming disinterest in delivering a message of unity. Trump did not appear in public on Sunday. Instead, a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the plans ahead of time said Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators. On Sunday, Trump retweeted a message from a conservative commentator encouraging authorities to respond with greater force. This isnt going to stop until the good guys are willing to use overwhelming force against the bad guys, Buck Sexton wrote in a message amplified by the president. In recent days security at the White House has been reinforced by the National Guard and additional personnel from the Secret Service and the U.S. Park Police. On Sunday, the Justice Department deployed members of the U.S. Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House, according to a senior Justice Department official. The official could not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Joe may have to move up his selection timetable if prospects keep falling by the wayside. Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images Joe Biden has let it be known that hes in no rush to choose a running mate, despite the endless veep speculation swirling around him. This week he publicly said he hoped to announce his decision by August 1. Thats less than three weeks before the opening date of the Democratic National Convention on August 17 (which will likely be virtual), indicating a fairly conventional timetable. And so, as my colleague Gabriel Debenedetti recently explained, Biden has been willing to hold what amounts to an open audition for the vice-president gig, not doing much to help people guess which way he is leaning: Ever since the formal process actually began last month, Biden himself has been uncharacteristically tight-lipped about his preferences, and absent in-person campaign events to showcase his chemistry with the contenders, thats left even some of the people closest to him parsing his every statement about possible choices. Yes, word will eventually leak out about who is and is not formally being vetted, but its early enough in the process for Biden to change his mind a time or two. His freedom of action, however, is being circumscribed by events beyond his control. One prominent prospect, Nevada senator Catherine Cortez Masto, has taken herself out of the running. Another, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, may have damaged her suitability significantly by a jewelry purchase that arguably violated her own stay-at-home order. Cortez Masto and Grisham were the two most frequently mentioned Latinas under discussion as potential Biden running mates. Now the sudden upsurge of protests over police killings, sparked by George Floyds death in Minneapolis, is threatening to knock Amy Klobuchar out of contention, as the New York Times reports: Senator Amy Klobuchar swept into office in 2007 as a former tough prosecutor, boasting of how she had reduced crime in the biggest county in Minnesota. But as protests over George Floyds death in police custody bring chaos and violence to Minneapolis, her seven-year record as prosecutor there is facing renewed scrutiny as she prepares to be vetted as a leading vice-presidential contender. With a police force in Minneapolis that has long faced accusations of racism and complaints of abuse, Ms. Klobuchar declined to bring charges against multiple police officers who were involved in shootings during her seven-year tenure. This fresh airing of an old controversy adds to earlier concerns about Klobuchars successful murder prosecution of a black teenager as Hennepin County District Attorney in 2002. The choice of Klobuchar was already going to be controversial among African-Americans who want Biden to choose a black running-mate and progressives who are looking for a gesture in their direction. The new focus on racial justice in Minneapolis might sound a death knell for her veep prospects. Indeed, there is some talk already that current racial tensions over police shootings and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on African-Americans and Latinos could ratchet up the pressure on Biden to choose a woman of color for vice-president. Complicating the calculus is the fact that two of the most prominent African-American names in the hopper, Kamala Harris and Val Demings (who penned an op-ed condemning the police misconduct in Minneapolis), both have law enforcement backgrounds. Harriss shaky record on criminal-justice issues as a prosecutor and attorney general in California became an area of scrutiny during her presidential campaign, and such concerns wont go away in the current climate. You could look at these developments and conclude that real life is helping Biden whittle down his veep list. But it might be happening a bit too fast. Two dogs savagely killed Robby Taylor, a nine-year-old boy, when he went to check his family's mail, in Faulkner County, Arkansas. Later, investigators found his lifeless body in a nearby field after the boy did not return home. Taylor's neighbour, Trey Wyatt, 25 years old, owned the two dogs that are suspected of mauling the young boy to death and has been taken into custody, as reported by Metro. Untimely death A spokesman for the Taylor family told KARK about their grief and sadness over the event which they claimed was entirely avoidable. "The Taylor family is shocked and heartbroken over the loss of their son, Robby," he added. Lt. Erinn Stone of the Faulkner County Sheriff's Office said that the incident had been a blow to the deputies, investigator, and dispatchers of the county. He added that the case is still being investigated and they are doing what they can to bring to light what exactly happened. Stone expressed his condolences to the Taylor family and said that no family should ever experience something as gruesome as this. According to NBC News, The victim's mother said he went out to check for their mail, but after several minutes, still did not return home. She stated that when she tried to look for him, she saw several dogs running towards the field when she called 911. Respondents found the boy's body in the nearby field. They began to question witnesses and anyone near the area where two were suspected to be connected to the death, and they revealed that a local animal shelter acquired two dogs. Also Read: Severd Body Parts of Chimpanzee in Germany Sparks Speculations, But Not Related to COVID-19 Research History of dog attacks A previous incident also had a five-year-old boy die from a Pit Bull attack that his family owned in Oro Grande in early February. According to NBC Los Angeles, an adult family member was supervising the young boy when the dog attacked him for unknown reasons, said Sgt. Jeff Allison of the SB County Sheriff's Department. "Unfortunately, the child did not survive," added Allison. Later, Animal Control quarantined the dog to ensure it does not attack anyone else, and they have already notified the parents of the child, said authorities. Victor Valley sheriff's station detectives were currently investigating the case and interviewing the family of the deceased, added Allison. Recently as well in the middle of May, a french bulldog, as described by local officials, killed a woman from Chicago. The woman adopted the dog which was bred to be violent, authorities added. According to USA Today, investigators found, Lisa Urso, the victim, unresponsive on the patio of her residence on Saturday, May 9, and revealed that she was killed by an attack from one of her three canines. Authorities found a second French bulldog that had blood on it, and they also found a border collie. "I hate to say it, but unfortunately, it was a vicious attack," said Lake County Coroner Dr. Howard Cooper. He added that there is not much reason to believe that a smaller breed of the dog could be capable of such a horrendous feat, but noted that the animal has incredible jaw strength. Cooper revealed that the dog attacked its owner inside her residence before she could make it to the patio, where she met her end. Official observations of the woman's body found bite wounds and scratches on her arms, legs, and torso, which suggests that the attack went on for several minutes. Related Article: Australian Zookeeper Mauled by Lions, Suffered Critical Bites on Head and Neck @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. SAN FRANCISCO, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Medsender is the first healthcare cloud communication company to partner with Patagonia Health. The two companies joined forces to help provide public health departments with an easy way to securely collect patient information from any healthcare provider or lab. This new capability will allow Patagonia Health clients to automatically triage and digitize incoming medical documents in real-time and aggregate incoming COVID-19 patient statistics in their EHR, all with Medsender's proven reliability to ensure no communication falls through the cracks. "Because of our partnership, we now have local health departments that are using Medsender to communicate faster and more reliably with providers than ever before. They are getting digitized data on which towns have the highest infection rates. This is what we built Medsender for, to provide any company with a robust out-of-the-box healthcare communication solution that can be setup by anyone in minutes," said Medsender CEO Zain Qayyum. Information can be sent to Medsender users from anywhere, regardless of the data type or source. Senders do not need any software or workflow changes, allowing health systems to focus on patient care instead of IT woes during the pandemic. According to a recent article published by Minnesota Public Radio, public health officials are stuck communicating over fax with providers. Faxes are blurry, busy signals interfere, and sometimes faxes go to the wrong place entirely, making it unreliable. Medsender's technology is helping healthcare move off of faxing by combining health record integrations with its cloud encryption and digital data sharing network. "With the majority of provider and lab communication currently taking place over fax, we are excited to transition public health departments to digital communication and use these new capabilities to help health officials make data-driven decisions on their COVID-19 response strategy," said Sonali Luniya, Chief Customer Officer at Patagonia Health. "They are able to communicate seamlessly and compliantly across all EHRs, emails, and unstructured data sources such as faxes." About Medsender Medsender provides the best way to communicate in compliance with HIPAA through its easy-to-use cloud application and EHR integrations, all of which can be setup within minutes with no training required. With over 99.9% reliability, Medsender is trusted by medical offices, hospitals, pharmacies, labs, imaging centers, public health departments, and more. For developers and EHR vendors, Medsender also offers a modern API designed for deep, rapid integration and deployment with just a few lines of code. For more information, please visit medsender.com . About Patagonia Health Patagonia Health, Inc. is a healthcare software supplier with a cloud and apps-based software solution that is designed specifically for Public and Behavioral Health agencies. The solution includes an integrated, federally-certified, Electronic Health Record (EHR), Practice Management (PM) and Billing software. The company's mission is to solve two major barriers to EHR adoption usability and cost and address customers' number one problem: billing. Patagonia Health's highly-intelligent solution is extremely easy to use and provides timely data for organizations to improve workflow, streamline operations and take their organizations to the next level. For more information, visit https://patagoniahealth.com . Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Medsender Related Links https://medsender.com Geojit's report on Agri Picks IMD reiterated that conditions will become favourable for the onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala coast on Jun 1, the normal onset date for the four -month long monsoon season. The India Meteorological Department will hold a press conference at 1430 IST on Monday to give an update on forecast made for southwest monsoon rains. In the coming kharif season, basmati rice acreage is likely to shrink nearly 10% on year as a drop in prices and grim prospects of exports are seen discouraging farmers from sowing the premium-quality crop, sources. After months of hardship, the poultry sector seems to be slowly getting back on track, but the recovery is likely to be long-drawn and painful. Swarms of locusts have hit the kharif crop in 25 out of the 33 districts of Rajasthan seriously affecting 90,000 ha across Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Nagaur. The Centre may set the June sugar sale quota for mills at 1.85 mln tn, higher than 1.7 mln tn for May, a senior government official said. The government is likely to extend the deadline for mills to sell sugar under the May quota to Jun 15 as mills have unsold stocks due to the ongoing lockdown, a senior government official said. The Central government decided to extend the lockdown in COVID-19 containment zones till Jun 30, but lift most of the curbs in rest of the country. Only essential activities will be allowed in containment zones, which will be demarcated by the district authorities taking into account the guidelines issued by the central government, the home ministry said in an order. Export of tea by Sri Lanka fell 12.6% on year to 18.1 mln kg in April, according to data released by Tea Exporters Association of Sri Lanka. For all commodities report, click here Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies 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. Read More CLEVELAND, Ohio Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson has extended the citys curfew, imposed Saturday night after riots broke out downtown, through Tuesday night. The curfew, which was slated to expire at 8 a.m. Monday, now runs through 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to a press release from the Jackson administration. The area affected by the curfew has also been extended to include the central business district of downtown Cleveland, as well as the Market District of Clevelands Ohio City neighborhood. No one is allowed on the streets of these areas, whether walking or driving. Officials provided for limited exceptions for cleanup and those who live and work downtown. However, they encouraged those who live and work in the area to also stay home. The curfew was originally put into place at 8 p.m. Saturday to contain the chaos that broke out following an otherwise peaceful rally demanding justice in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The curfew was extended throughout the day Sunday so that city crews, as well as volunteers and business employees, could clean up the destruction caused by vandals and looters. The press release Sunday night also presented more details regarding the law enforcement efforts during and after the Saturday rally. Sixty-five adults and one juvenile were arrested. They are jailed and facing charges including aggravated rioting, vandalism, disorderly conduct and curfew violations, the city said. The Cleveland fire department responded Saturday to two building fires; 10 vehicle fires, including four police cars and 11 other fires, such as dumpsters and ticket booths set ablaze, the news release says. Additionally, city paramedics took 20 people to area hospitals for various injuries, and while several first responders were injured, none reported serious injuries, the city said. The city said pepper spray and tear gas were deployed on the protesters outside the Justice Center only after multiple orders given by law enforcement to disperse were ignored. But cleveland.com reporters at the rally did not hear any dispersal orders, nor were they tweeted. Jackson and Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams plan to hold a media briefing at 9:30 p.m. Sunday to further address the ongoing situation in the city. You can watch the briefing on the citys Facebook page. Related coverage: Protestors at Cleveland George Floyd demonstration organized in advance, denounced violence Cleveland officials provide no proof that rioters were out-of-towners, no info on 65 arrests downtown Suburban shopping centers closed after downtown Cleveland protests turn violent Samsung is looking to expand its NAND flash memory chip production capacity. The company is constructing a new production facility at Line 2 of its Pyeongtaek factory in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The construction of the new facility began last month. The South Korean giant hopes of making it operational by the second half of 2021. Itll pave the way for mass production of Samsungs cutting-edge V-NAND memory next year. The new facility will be dedicated to manufacturing the companys most advanced V-NAND memory chips. Advertisement Samsungs Pyeongtaek factory was established in 2015. It is the hub for next-generation memory technologies and consists of two of the worlds largest-scale production lines. The company is now further expanding the production capacity at this factory. Samsung also has NAND flash production facilities in Hwaseong city of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, as well as in Xian, the capital of Shaanxi Province, China. It is constructing a new production line at its Xian factory as well. The new line will be operational in the first half of next year. Samsung to expand memory chip production capacity The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted more people to work from home. As a result, theres an increased demand for computers and servers globally. To keep up with the growing demand, Samsung is looking to expand the production of its NAND flash memory chips. Advertisement The company is also anticipating a continued rise in demand for memory chips in the future due to the increasing adoption of several next-gen technologies, such as AI, 5G, and IoT. The added capacity will play a major role in helping to address mid- to long-term demands for NAND flash memory, the company says. Samsung has been the world leader in the NAND flash memory segment for the past 18 years. In July last year, the company introduced the industry-first sixth-generation (1xx-layer) V-NAND SSD (solid-state drive). The company also announced that its developing the industrys first 160-layer or higher NAND flash memory chips earlier this year. This solution allows for higher storage capacity in memory chips. Advertisement The South Korean giant continues to build on its expertise in manufacturing and technology. It is now investing heavily in this segment to further cement its market leadership. Samsung did not disclose the amount it would be investing for the construction of the new facility. However, analysts say the range of investment would be between KRW 7 trillion (~$5.7 billion) and KRW 8 trillion (~6.5 billion). The new investment reaffirms our commitment to sustain undisputed leadership in memory technologies, even in uncertain times. We will continue to serve the market with the most optimized solutions available while contributing to the growth of the overall IT industry and the economy in general, said Cheol Choi, Executive Vice President of Memory Global Sales & Marketing at Samsung. Ghaziabad: The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) on Monday initiated the commercial operations of about 500 buses from the Ghaziabad region for different cities and towns in the state. About 180 state-run buses departed to various destinations till Monday evening, officials said, adding that online reservation facility will also be available from Tuesday. The commercial operation of buses was started after the state government on Sunday rolled out the plan to open up activities in accordance with the May 30 directions of the Union ministry of home affairs, which has allowed inter-state and intra-state movement. On Sunday, the UP officials had said that UPSRTC would initiate intra-state operations. About 180 buses departed till Monday evening and we are expecting more response on Tuesday. Closing of borders by Delhi will not affect us much and our buses, which earlier also operated from Anand Vihar, will now depart from the nearby Kaushambi area. So, people of Delhi can come to the border on foot and board buses to their home towns. Since we have started the commercial operations, the passengers are now charged the normal fares for travel, said AK Singh, regional manager of UPSRTC. The buses, which left Ghaziabad on Monday, departed for different cities, including Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Bareilly, Shahjahanpur, Farukkhabad, Kasganj, Etah, and Mainpuri, among others. The Ghaziabad region operates 980 buses, including luxurious and Pink Line Women-only ones, to different cities in Uttar Prdesh and other states like Delhi, Bihar and Uttarakhand, among others. We did not rope in high-end Volvo and Scania buses on Monday, while Pink Line Women-only buses and normal AC buses departed. The buses left with seating capacity of 50 passengers who were properly screened with infrared thermometer and nobody was allowed to board without mask. There are strict directions that only seating will be allowed and no one should travel standing, Singh added. Hundreds of passengers arrived at Kaushambi and maintained social distancing as the UPSRTC staff asked them to sanitize their hands and details of every passenger were noted down. Dinesh Kashyap, a passenger at Kaushambi, said, It took some time to board the bus due to several precautions like social distancing, screening, etc. The staff also noted down personal details like addresses and mobile number of every passenger on board. Since I could not get a train ticket, I preferred to travel by bus to my home town. Awanish Awasthi, UPs additional chief secretary (home), said directions have been given for surveillance and tracking of passengers. Since the train services have also started, we have proposed to give handbills to every passenger about precautions to be taken against Coronavirus. We have also written to the chairman of the Railway Board in this regard. At every station, there will be deployment of police and health department teams who will monitor passengers, he added. 232 samples taken from Vaishali Meanwhile, the Ghaziabad district administration on Monday implemented its sector scheme to seal Vaishali, which is now divided into two administrative zones and four sectors. We have deployed a three-member team comprising a doctor, a lab technician and a pharmacist in each sector to take up sampling and surveillance in households. On the first day, 232 samples were taken from Vaishali. Each team has been given a target to cover 150 households, said a statement from the district magistrates office. An ambulance has been kept ready in each sector to deal with any emergency. Extensive sanitization by three fire tenders and fogging activity by the municipal corporation were also undertaken. The district magistrate has given instruction for strict implementation of sector scheme in Vaishali, the statement said. District magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey did not respond to calls on Monday. Till May 31, the total number of Covid-19 cases stood at 34 in Vaishali. The sealing activity in the locality was initiated on Monday in order to keep in check rising number of cases. A similar sealing is already in place in Khoda since May 10 and in Loni since May 27. According to official records, 15 cases came from Khoda till May 9 after which the sector scheme was initiated on May 10. Thereafter, 25 more cases have emerged from Khoda. Likewise, in Loni which saw about 22 cases till May 26, six more have come till May 31 after sealing was put in place on May 27. The Covid-19 cases are still coming in from Khoda and Loni, and positive cases may continue to come from Vaishali also. But our teams are trying to contain any spread further. This is why the sector scheme has been initiated in Vaishali. People having symptoms like fever, cough and cold, etc, will be screened by out teams and appropriate treatment will be provided, said Dr NK Gupta, chief medical officer. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Professor Nicolas Nsowah-Nuamah, President of the Dominion University College, has called for teachers and final year students to be tested for COVID-19 before schools re-open on June 15. He said the two weeks interval granted by the President should be used for proper planning, including COVID-19 testing, to ascertain their status in order to allay the fears of teachers, tutors, lecturers and students. Prof. Nsowah-Nuamah made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Monday in reaction to the President's Directive on easing of restrictions on social gatherings. In his 10th national broadcast on measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 last Sunday, President Akufo-Addo said effective Monday, June 15, final year students of junior high schools (JHS), senior high schools (SHS) and universities will go back to school. All final year students of educational and training institutions which are being managed by ministries other than the Education Ministry were to return to complete their exit examinations. Final year university students were to report to campus on June 15, SHS 3 students together with SHS 2 Gold Track students were to report on June 22 whilst the JHS 3 students would report on June 29. All JHS 3 classes will comprise a maximum of 30 students, SHS classes 25, and university lectures will take half the class size. Prof. Nsowah-Nuamah welcomed the President's decision to reopen schools for the final year students and underlined the need for school managements to improvise strategies to ensure smooth teaching and learning. Commenting on the psychology of students towards observing social distancing, he noted that it was risky because there was the tendency for students to relax. "The problem is once the President has spoken and eased the restrictions people tend to think that the problem has subsided and so the strict adherence of the social distancing protocols might not be observed by the students. "You remember when the three-week partial lockdown was lifted what happened, it's likely some students may behave in a similar fashion," he said. Prof. Nsowah-Nuamah, therefore, called for sustained efforts of educating the students and teachers alike to observe the safety and hygiene protocols. Ghana recorded its first two COVID-19 cases on March 12 and since then Government had taken a number of measures to contain the respiratory disease. They include the closure of the country's borders, setting up of screening centres at the various points of entry, creation of holding rooms for suspected COVID-19 cases, isolation and treatment centres. Other measures include closure of schools, churches, mosques, drinking spots and ban on conferences, festivals and sporting activities across the country. Government imposed a three-week partial lockdown on epicentres of the virus including Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Greater Kumasi. Also, government provided free water to all Ghanaians and subsidised electricity tariffs for all categories of consumers, as well as tax rebate for all frontline health workers and 50 per cent increase on their basic salary for four months and provided one billion stimulus package for businesses that have been affected by the virus. 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 New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Cloudy skies. Some mixed winter precipitation possible. Low 28F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies. Some mixed winter precipitation possible. Low 28F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. 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: 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: 28:
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All three officers were fired last week, as was a fourth officer at the scene. The cause of death, according to the private autopsy, was mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death was homicide. Shortly after the familys autopsy findings were announced, the Hennepin County medical examiner released its own findings, also concluding that the manner of death was homicide. The county attributed the cause of death to cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression. In other words, Mr. Floyds heart stopped beating and his lungs stopped taking in air while he was being restrained by law enforcement. The one-page summary also noted that Mr. Floyd was intoxicated with fentanyl and had recently used methamphetamines. The criminal complaint said that the autopsy revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation. Mr. Floyd, the complaint said, had underlying health conditions, including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease. NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE A ccording to President Trump and his most ardent supporters, he is a disruptor here to shake up established Washington ways. Nevertheless, in announcing that he will designate Antifa, the far-left radical movement, as a terrorist organization, he is pulling a page from the Swamps playbook. It is political rhetoric portrayed as legally significant action to bring to heel an array of sociopaths that, to be sure, are playing their now familiar instigators role in the rioting that roils American cities. The purported designation would be pointless, in that the means of taking aggressive enforcement action against Antifa, and against domestic terrorism generally, are plentiful and ready to hand. The presidents move would also be legally invalid because, under federal law and for very sound reasons, designation is available only for foreign terrorist organizations. Antifa is a domestic enterprise. The name Antifa has a European pedigree, going back to the self-described anti-fascist movements of the radical Left, beginning in the 1920s. And there are some overseas groups that also use the name. To the extent, however, that Antifa has a relevant identifiable existence as an entity promoting seditionist violence in the United States, it is as a loosely knit, interstate American group (as much as Antifa itself would be repulsed at the thought of being part of AmeriKKKa and fancies itself as an agent of global anarchism). As the New York Times has reported, Antifa is organized in local autonomous cells around the country. Though it is said to lack official leaders, it does have operatives who move across the country making mayhem. More significantly for present purposes, on Sunday (the same day the presidents imminent designation of Antifa was announced), the Trump Justice Department branded Antifa a domestic terrorist group. As Attorney General Bill Barrs press statement put it, the violence instigated and carried out by Antifa and other similar groups in connection with the rioting is domestic terrorism and will be treated accordingly. Story continues Federal counterterrorism law provides for the designation only of foreign terrorist organizations. It criminalizes material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations. The distinction between foreign and domestic terrorism has an important history. There is no need to designate a domestic insurrectionist group as a terrorist organization, because there is an extensive panoply of laws, at the state and federal level, by which such groups can be investigated, prosecuted, and otherwise thwarted. To take an easy example, in 1993, I led the prosecution of the U.S.-based jihadist cell run by the so-called Blind Sheikh (the late Omar Abdel Rahman), which carried out the World Trade Center bombing and was plotting other ambitious attacks in the New York metropolitan area. Concededly, though these terrorists operated domestically, they had ties to foreign terrorist organizations. This was of no moment, though, because the law that enabled the process of designating foreign terrorist organizations was not enacted until 1996. The lack of a designation process did not matter a whit. Because the jihadists plotting and attacks took place on U.S. soil, the full scope of U.S. law applied to all their activities. We indicted them as terrorists (under the seditious-conspiracy statute that criminalizes conspiracies to levy war against the United States). They were convicted and sentenced as terrorists. By contrast, foreign terrorist organizations operate, for the most part, outside the jurisdiction of American law-enforcement agencies and beyond the writ of the federal courts. The designation process was essentially an effort by Congress to impose some American jurisdiction and legal consequences on foreign actors. The designation, for example, makes alien members of a foreign terrorist organization inadmissible to enter the U.S., and it facilitates their removal. It enables the Treasury Department to freeze assets of foreign groups and block their financial transactions. It signals to the governments of the countries in which these foreign terrorist organizations operate that the United States regards the group they are hosting as hostile; the foreign government knows it must either deal with the problem or resign itself to the possibility that we will take forcible action. None of this is necessary when a terrorist organization is domestic. But what about the federal law barring material support to terrorist organizations? Wouldnt it be useful to apply that to domestic terrorists? Yes . . . thats why it already does apply. Our criminal law has two material-support provisions. One (Section 2339B), as already noted, makes it a crime to contribute resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. But the other (Section 2339A) makes it a crime to give material support to terrorists foreign or domestic. It does this by barring contributions of resources to various specified activities (e.g., bombing, attacking government officials) that are commonly associated with terrorism. A third law (Section 2339C) criminalizes the financing of terrorism. Again, there is no need for a formal terrorist designation; it is the terrorist conduct that matters. Finally, the foreigndomestic distinction has a salient history one that should resonate today, as we continue learning about investigative abuses in the TrumpRussia probe. There were major spying scandals in the United States, beginning in the late 1960s, that involved the use against American citizens of national-security surveillance powers that are supposed to target agents of foreign powers. Unavoidably, politically motivated violence is bound up with constitutionally protected political dissent. Alien terrorists, especially those operating principally outside the U.S., have no constitutionally protected interests in seeking to overthrow or radically alter our constitutional system. Consequently, applying intelligence-gathering authorities to foreign persons and entities generally does not pose constitutional problems. By contrast, applying them to Americans inevitably results in the monitoring of constitutionally protected activity including the activity of Americans who, though they may bitterly oppose our government or our society, protest peacefully and lawfully. Thus, the line we draw in the investigation of Americans is at violence and lawbreaking. In fact, even though FISA (the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) permits the court to issue surveillance warrants if the FBI shows probable cause to believe a person inside the United States is acting as an agent of a foreign power, the standard is different depending on whether the target is an American or an alien. If the government wants to monitor Americans, it must show not only that they are being directed by a foreign power but also that their activity appears to involve violations of federal criminal statutes. Interestingly, President Trump and his supporters, who rightly complain about the abusive surveillance of the 2016 Trump presidential campaign, have recently argued that FISA must be reformed to make it more difficult, if not illegal, to subject Americans to national-security surveillance. They insist that, unless the FBI can show probable cause that Americans are guilty of crimes, the government should leave Americans alone. Yet now, many of the very same Trump supporters want to designate a domestic group as a terrorist organization. Since we already have a slew of criminal laws for investigating terrorists, the only point of such a designation would be to permit the surveillance of Americans in the absence of probable cause that they have committed crimes. But thats the very abuse these Trump supporters claim to find objectionable about FISA. Pardon me, but Im confused. We should absolutely treat Antifa as a terrorist organization. Some (mainly) anti-Trump commentators claim that Antifa is too amorphous to be regarded as an organization. That is specious. Our law does not require conspiracies and racketeering enterprises to be regimentally organized and hierarchical. Loosely knit groups that scheme to carry out violent criminal objectives qualify for enforcement action. We can investigate Antifa as terrorists, prosecute them as terrorists, sentence them as terrorists, and give them harsh prison sentences befitting terrorists. But there is neither a need nor a legal basis to designate them as terrorists. More from National Review The White House sat dark on Sunday night, the exterior lights that illuminate the executive mansion shut off as a security precaution. Inside, Donald Trump re-election strategy was undergoing its latest makeover. The president and his top aides are selling him as "the law-and-order president," with a get-tough approach to the violent protests raging in major US cities. Across Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, the pedestrian thoroughfare on the White House grounds' north side, protesters were scurrying away as uniformed US Secret Service and US Park Police officers fired tear gas to disperse the latest violent demonstration in the capital city in as many nights. Mr Trump had remained inside the White House, out of public view on Sunday, and is slated to be out of view of reporters and television cameras again on Monday in closed-door meetings. But he offered glimpses of how violent protests have forced the latest change to his campaign messaging after the death of a black man, George Floyd, while in the custody of Minneapolis police left law enforcement vehicles burning, storefronts shattered and looted, and tear gas canisters smoking in urban areas from coast to coast. "Get tough Democrat Mayors and Governors. These people are ANARCHISTS. Call in our National Guard NOW," he tweeted on Sunday afternoon, as protests were ramping up again in Philadelphia, Washington, DC, New York, Atlanta and other major US cities. "The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe. Is this what America wants? NO!!!" With his intentions to seek a second term largely by arguing his policies had created a booming economy with plump investment and retirement accounts for many older and suburban swing voters that political operatives say will decide the election on ice after the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Trump shifted over the weekend back to one of the core planks of his 2016 campaign message. "LAW & ORDER!" he tweeted early on Sunday evening as the cable television networks he watches religiously showed more images of burning police vehicles and shops being broken into and robbed in the light of day. That came after he criticised, without naming them directly, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kennedy, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz Democrats, all. "Law & Order in Philadelphia, NOW! They are looting stores. Call in our great National Guard like they FINALLY did (thank you President Trump) last night in Minneapolis. Is this what voters want with Sleepy Joe? All Dems!" the GOP president wrote. He told Mr Walz on a Monday teleconference that one reason the situation there, according to the president, was calmer on Sunday night was because the governor decided to "dominate" protestors with Minnesota National Guard troops the night before. Mr Trump also said state executives will look like "jerks" unless they "toughen up." Rather than try to unite the country with messages of calm and restraint, Mr Trump has described the protesters as "anarchists," and called for governors and mayors to use force against them. On Sunday, he even threatened those taking to the streets with the "unlimited power" of the US military and there are laws on the books, which some of his predecessors have used during civil rights crises, that would allow him to send in active-duty troops. With a hobbled economy and two other major crises playing out just six months before voters will head to the polls, Mr Trump is trying to dust off former President Richard Nixon's "law-and-order" playbook from the 1968 presidential campaign, experts said on Monday. "I don't think the president has a grand strategy. I think he is doing what makes him feel comfortable," said Evan Siegfried, a Republican strategist. "It's what he did in 2016: I'm strong. I have strength. ... But I don't think it helps him at this point. I don't think it helps him expand." Mr Trump, who won a majority of female and older voters in 2016, has been shedding them for three years. The latest version of the Quinnipiac University poll showed former Vice President Joe Biden leading among women, 59 per cent to 31 per cent. Mr Biden also has a 10-point lead among voters 65 and older (51 per cent to 41 per cent.) He deployed his new press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany to the Fox News morning show in an apparent effort to help sell his message that his get-tough approach towards the protesters would keep suburban women's families safer than under a Democratic president. "This president's taken bold action. This is the law and order president. Going back to his [2016] convention speech, he's always been about law and order in this country and he's taking every single possible action to ensure that our streets are safe, because what this does, this demeans the peaceful protestors who have a legitimate grievance," Ms McEnany said. 'Not going to stop Antifa' Even some of the president's critics have said, with some major cities burning, Mr Trump could use a primetime address behind the Resolute Desk to try and calm things down. Aides reportedly are arguing inside the West Wing about such a tactic, which his predecessors have used in similar moments. "A national Oval Office address is not going to stop Antifa. What's going to stop Antifa is action, and this president is committed to acting on this," Ms McEnany said on Monday. "He has several meetings pertaining to that today and that's his focus right now, is acting and keeping our streets safe." (Legal and national security experts, however, question whether the president has the legal authority to slap the terrorist label on any domestic group.) Still, once again, even after spending part of Friday night in a secure bunker beneath the White House at the US Secret Service's behest, Mr Trump is following his gut instincts. "Trump may have finally met his match. He's now confronting crises that are beyond his control, and possibly beyond his comprehension. Trump always looking to be the strongman is nowhere to be found," said one Democratic strategist, granted anonymity to be candid. "Things can change quickly but what had been Trump's 2016 strength -- positioning himself as disrupter, provocateur, and agitator may be his 2020 downfall." William Galston, a Clinton White House aide now with the Brookings Institution, says Mr Trump has altered his crises-laden campaign message around two themes and likely soon will tack on a third. "First, divide the country along every available axis of hot-button controversy. And second, reflect blame for everything that has gone wrong on enemies foreign and domestic," Mr Galston said. "When the dust settles, I expect the Trump campaign to feature a third element, which is largely muted right now: namely, a no-holds-barred attack on the character, record, and fitness of Joe Biden." "I don't think Trump can win re-election on this basis," he added, "but it's all he has left." Former Irish President Mary Robinson said developed nations should go vegetarian to help fight climate change. Mary Robinson has said coronavirus has made her optimistic that we can tackle climate change. Ms Robinson, who is chair of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working together for peace, justice and human rights and UN Human Rights Commissioner, said that 2020 was set to be a significant year for global climate action, but the disruption caused by Covid-19 has shown the possibility for a global change in how we treat our environment. "At first it might seem as though there is no hope of achieving the kind of climate action needed," the former president wrote in an article for Sky News. "Yet, the pandemic has also shown that the international community can come together when the need arises. It has demonstrated that it is possible for human behaviour to change at pace on a global scale. "While COVID-19 has intensified prevailing inequalities, these issues are all parallel to those with which we must grapple to overcome the climate crisis too." Expand Close Important: Mary Robinson has backed students demonstration. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Important: Mary Robinson has backed students demonstration. Photo: PA Ireland became the second country in the world to declare a national climate and biodiversity emergency just over a year ago, but the country was still ranked the second-worst in the EU in relation to climate. Ms Robinson said that she was dejected at the beginning of 2020, that "we lacked any sign of the kind of leadership needed to meet the climate commitments". She has been encouraged by the response to the coronavirus by ordinary people, however, and by leaders who took decisive action, like those of Germany, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, New Zealand and Taiwan. The first female president of Ireland did say that the pandemic has highlighted leaders who did not respond well to the crisis. "The pandemic has shown us how crucial international collaboration is to tackle global crises, it has also exemplified the inextricable links between public health and planetary health," she wrote. "Health professionals and scientists are telling us that health systems are not resilient enough to cope with the existential threat of the climate emergency. "Some individual country responses to the Covid pandemic have also demonstrated the dangers of sidelining the science - it has given us a glimpse of the human cost. "Scientific convergence of opinion on what is needed to fight climate change is so strong that any failure to urgently act now, even in the face of other crises, would be a grave injustice to our children and future generations." "Now is the time to act," she concluded. Then there is the inertia. When it comes to reform, Americas police leaders have long been content to kick the can down the road because making real change is so hard. In most cities, chiefs of police are hired for their ability to communicate with the public, to reassure people and to know what to say to skeptics. These are important skills, but they do not equal an ability to reach deep into an organization that has an entrenched culture and a reactionary union, and bend it toward modernity. And the odds were in their favor, so it paid for police leaders to roll the dice. If you add up all the police killings that have shocked us even if you add up all of the police killings that happen every year the chance that one of them will happen in any particular police department is very small. There are nearly 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the nation, with roughly 700,000 police officers, but the incidents that convulse us as a nation are a handful. Nearly all officers spend their careers without so much as firing a shot. Most chiefs are a product of the very labor unions they need to fight and are lifelong friends with the cops they need to reform. Rolling the dice keeps a department on an even keel; reform is a constant aggravation in comparison. A year ago, when I was a chief of police in Vermont, I sent a group of officers to the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Ala. It is a testament to the nations history of racial terror: it has hundreds of metal boxes suspended from the memorials roof, meant to evoke the thousands of black Americans murdered by lynching as whites stood by and did nothing or helped, including the police. I wanted to show my officers the legacy a citizen might have in mind during an encounter with them. With the recent killing of Mr. Floyd, and of Ahmaud Arbery, a shooting involving a retired police officer, it seems like the present, and not like history at all. Many of my officers were skeptical. Some of them hated it. They thought that it was a waste of money better spent on tactical training, that it amounted to a publicity stunt to satisfy the politically correct needs of the liberal city where Bernie Sanders lives and was once mayor. They said they had never heard of anyone being lynched in Vermont. Our department hadnt killed unarmed citizens. Why was it their fault if a citizen feared the police? Because justice is about more than actuarial probability. A series of shootings by the police have accumulated into a national nightmare. They betray a profound vacancy of values, and the profession hasnt been able to prove that they are just aberrations. Jordan Edwards, a boy of 15, was shot in the head in Balch Springs, Tex., as a passenger in a car leaving a party. Walter Scott was shot in the back as he fled a South Carolina traffic stop on foot, and the cop planted a Taser next to his dead body. Philando Castile was shot in front of his girlfriend and her young daughter in a suburb of St. Paul, Minn., as he reached for his identification after telling the officer who pulled his car over for a broken taillight that he had a licensed handgun in the car. Atatiana Jefferson was shot to death through the window of her Fort Worth home for apparently no reason at all. Just eight prosecutions have been taken in the last decade for illegal burning of vegetation in Munster, it has emerged, as emergency services fought several wildfires this weekend, including one close to an explosives plant. Irish Air Corps and Coillte helicopters were involved in a major aerial fire fighting operation in Clonagh, near Enfield on the Kildare-Meath border, after fire on bogland spread to forestry in Hortland, close to the Irish Industrial Explosives plant. As a condition red extreme fire risk warning remains in effect, emergency services were also tackling a forest fire in Enniscrone and another large fire close to forestry in Laois which appears to have been started by illegal waste burning. Under the Wildlife Act, it is illegal to set controlled fires in an attempt to clear scrub or vegetation from March 1 to September 1. But a number of large gorse fires in Cork and Kerry in recent weeks prompted several cease and desist warnings to landowners in relation to controlled fires. It has now emerged that the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has taken just eight prosecutions for illegal burning of vegetation in counties Clare, Cork and Kerry since 2010. Fines have ranged from 50 to 600 with in some cases defendants also paying the prosecution legal costs, a spokesperson said. The department also liaises with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) on cross-compliance issues. It is the departments understanding that where there is sufficient evidence to indicate that lands have been illegally burned, DAFM will withhold payments. This sends out an important message. Meanwhile, the department has announced an expansion of the use of drone technology to help combat the spread of forest and hill fires during this high-risk period. The drones are equipped with cameras that can see through smoke, and with sensors to detect wind direction and other weather variables that affect fires. I have such anger in my heart, but people of your race do not understand the hurt beneath it they only see the anger, says Hayes, an entrepreneur. I ask for people to see the hurt. Hurt comes before anger. And my question is How much do you have to see, and how much do you have to experience, to see the hurt before the rage and the anger? . . . The world better hurry up, because right now everybody is still marching for peace, and marching for equality. But soon people will be marching in rage and revenge. And thats when well have a problem. The Panama government on May 26 reportedly said that next month the country will start to relax measures imposed to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus. While addressing a press conference, Panamas Health Minister Rosario Turner said that in June the country will permit sectors such as construction, nonmetallic mining, and pharmaceuticals to resume operations. Rosario said, Starting on Monday, June 1, the opening of the second block of economic activities can begin. Commerce Minister Ramon Marinez further called it second stage of reopening the economy and added that the textile, electronics and electricity sectors will also be able to resume operations. Moreover, Martinez informed that Panamas curfew will also be relaxed, and places of worship, parks and sporting facilities may also reopen at up to 25 per cent capacity. READ: Protesters Mass In Hong Kong Before Anthem Law Is Debated READ: World Watches As South Korea Cautiously Returns To Life Panama was the first country to announce a strict quarantine measure that separated citizens by gender. The government has allowed both men and women to step out of the house for two hours, however, on different days. The gender-wise restrictions were to protect and save the life of every citizen, said security minister Juan Pino. With a comparatively lower number of confirmed coronavirus cases, the authorities recently also informed that 41 migrants had been tested positive of the virus and nearly 119 others were in quarantine at a relief station near the border with Colombia. Last month, in a bid to treat COVID-19 patients, the authorities also inaugurated the Panama City hospital. President Laurentino Cortizo had also said that the hospital was a part of a border strategy and will allow an aggressive testing program that will help authorities to identify people with the virus and devise a plan to begin treating them. (Image: @angelslopezl/Unsplash) READ: Chinese Summit Everest Amid Bid To Remeasure Peak READ: YouTube Investigates Automatic Removal Of Comments Critical Of China's Communist Party MakeMyTrip will be laying off 350 employees, as the Covid-19 impact on travel continues to hurt the travel industry. "Over the past two months, we have analysed the impact closely and have spent considerable time thinking about the path to business recovery. As a result, its become clear that there are certain lines of business that are deeply affected and will take much longer than the others to recover. As we revisited some of our strategies, it is evident that the pandemic has changed the context and viability of some of our business lines," said Rajesh Magow, CEO, ... Egypt said it could reach 100,000 or a million in cases; as all scenarios of epidemics in the world are possible, the minister said. Egypt could reach 100,000 or even one million cases of the coronavirus in the future under a governmental hypothetical scenario, Egypts higher education and scientific research minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said on Monday. We may reach 100,000 or a million [cases]. All scenarios of epidemics in the world are possible, especially in a country of 105 million people, the minister said in a televised statement. Thus, the rates of the spread [of the virus] and the rates of the increase in the numbers [of cases] are likely over a period of time, he added, stressing that prevention measures can help avoid an undesired surge in numbers. Egypt has so far reported 24,985 confirmed cases of the virus, including 959 deaths. Hisham El-Askary, a professor in earth science at Chapman University, US, told the briefing that it is statistically "impossible to rule out that Egypt will not reach 50,000 cases." Abdel-Ghaffar and El-Askary, whose research team works with Egypts higher education ministry, shared their updates on projections presented by the minister last month. The minister said on 21 May that the true number of coronavirus infections in Egypt could be over 71,000 even though the health ministry had only recorded 14,229 confirmed infections. Those numbers, according to Abdel-Ghaffar, were based on a hypothetical model that assumes that the official recorded cases are fivefold lower than the actual numbers. The minister said in Monday's statement that based on that hypothetical model Egypt may have over 117,000 cases at present. Abdel-Ghaffar explained that the new updates are taking into consideration all the changes that happened recently; since the statistical models used by the ministry are dynamic thus they are altered on a daily basis. According to the higher education minister, all numbers predicted by the ministry based on increasing rates in the past (hindcasting) have been so far relatively accurate. On 4 or 5 June we will reach 30,000 cases, and its not implausible to reach 40,000 cases between 10 to 13 June, Abdel-Ghaffar said. The number of cases in Egypt is still increasing exponentially in a horizontal manner, which means that the inflection point is still not in the horizon, El-Askary said. He stressed that it is now scientifically "impossible to rule out that Egypt will not reach 50,000 cases." According to El-Askary, those models are based on the data collected by the health ministry, and they are used to predict the future to predict the timing of the peak, and when the virus will recede. He explained that the predictions cannot be 100 percent accurate, but they are sufficient to mimic the future. According to Abdel-Ghaffar, Egypt's curve is yet to transfer into the bell-shaped curve which indicates that the outbreak is receding like the current curve in Italy which has a decreasing daily infection rate. Egypt is still sustaining an R 0 value (which indicates how contagious the virus is) of 1.4, meaning that every 10 infected people transmit the disease to 14 others, Abdel-Ghaffar said, explaining that the ultimate goal is to have an R 0 value less than one. The minister explained the daily percentage of virus growth in Egypt, saying that at the beginning of the outbreak it was between and percent and 10 percent, then it became at an average of five percent. However, when the daily cases exceeded 1,000 the percentage increased to 6.5 percent. According to Abdel-Ghaffar, this rate is very important since many forecasts are based on it, especially when predicting the inflection/turnaround point, or the zero case point (the end of the outbreak). The ministry also uses satellite footage to examine the relationship between peoples movement and the increase in the number of cases and deaths. He explained that the relationship between the amount of emissions from human activities and the number of new cases is used to indicate if restrictive measures like lockdowns or curfews have an effect on the increasing rate. When there have been lots of human activity, infections increased, and when movement decrease so does the number of infections El-Askary explained. Abdel-Ghaffar said that the rate of emissions resulting from human activities is critical for decision-makers. He explained that, for instance, the ministry detected the most human activities emissions in Cairo governorate; so consequently, the health ministry increased its preparations in the region to contain new cases, as cases were expected to increase in the governorate. The minister also shared the ministrys efforts since the start of the outbreak, saying that besides statistical modelling using big data, the ministry has conducted several clinical trials in Egyptian universities and research centres. According to the minister, Egypt has conducted over 50 out of a total of 64 clinical trials conducted in Africa, and more than all Middle Eastern countries. The minister added that the ministry is researching the virus gene sequencing, treatment protocols, and plasma treatment. He added that they are also working on vaccines that are now in the animal trials phase. Search Keywords: Short link: President Trump has reportedly been urged by members of his inner circle, including top aide Hope Hicks and outside advisers like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, to tone down his rhetoric as the nations cities are engulfed by rioting. The president in recent days has been warned that comments he has posted on Twitter, including inflammatory statements such as when the looting starts, the shooting starts, could turn off voters he needs to win re-election, Axios is reporting. Trump is in danger of alienating key voting blocs like suburban women and independents who were key to his 2016 election victory, his advisers fear. According to Axios, Hicks, who is counselor to the president and is considered one of his more trusted aides, raised concerns about the tweet Trump posted on Friday. Some of President Trump's (above) key advisers from both within and without the government are urging him to tone down his rhetoric as nationwide protests over the police-involved death of George Floyd escalate Hope Hicks (left), a top White House adviser, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (right), both expressed their concerns to the president, according to a report by news site Axios As the violence intensified in Minneapolis, Trump stated in the Friday post: 'I can't stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, 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.' He later added that It was spoken as a fact, not as a statement. DailyMail.com has reached out to both the White House and Facebook seeking comment about the claims made in the Axios report. Trumps tweet was slapped with a disclaimer by Twitter, which flagged the president for violating the companys rules about glorifying violence. Trump initially posted this message to Twitter and Facebook just before 1am on Friday Within hours, Twitter hid the post behind a warning which accused the tweet of 'violating rules about glorifying violence'. Facebook, meanwhile, left the post up without any disclaimers Earlier in the week Donald Trump was officially 'fact-checked' by Twitter over 'misleading' claiming mail-in ballots will lead to fraud The presidents aides were also worried about the connotations of the language. The phrase when the looting starts, the shooting starts was made famous by Walter Headley, Miamis chief of police who was known to be a racist and who used it when describing attempts to put down race riots in the late 1960s. Trump told reporters that he was unaware of the racially charged history of the phrase. In trying to clarify, the president later 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.... 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. Trump advisers are reportedly worried that the president's tone could alienate independent voters. The image above shows protesters outside the White House late on Sunday night Honor the memory of George Floyd! But Trump returned to his default, combative tone on Saturday morning, tweeting that protesters outside the White House would be greeted with the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons if they breached the fence. Others also expressed their worries to the president, including Zuckerberg. On Friday morning, a company representative raised concerns with the White House about the presidents language and urged Trump aides to moderate his approach. Later that same day, the president made a phone call to Zuckerberg during which the social network boss expressed concerns about the tone and the rhetoric, a source familiar with the call told Axios. The source added that Zuckerberg didnt make any specific requests to Trump. Trump has also used harsh language in describing protesters who have clashed with police across the street from the White House in recent days Another source told Axios that Zuckerberg let Trump know he personally disagreed with the presidents incendiary rhetoric. Zuckerberg also told the president that he was putting Facebook in a difficult position. The next day, Trump tried to show a softer side by expressing sympathy with the family of George Floyd while at the same time denouncing the rioters and looters. The death of George Floyd on the streets of Minneapolis was a tragedy, the president said in prepared remarks after watching American astronauts blast off into space from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. It should never have happened. It has filled Americans across the country with horror, anger, and grief. The president added: I understand the pain that people are feeling. We support the right of peaceful protesters, and we hear their pleas. Unfortunately, what we are now seeing on the streets of our cities has nothing to do with justice or peaceful protests. The memory of George Floyd is being dishonored by rioters, looters, and anarchists. Leaked exchanges from internal posts at Facebook show employees wanted to remove Trump's 'looting and shooting' tweets that were reposted to the site despite Zuckerberg saying they were 'essential state advice' Some workers at Facebook are unhappy with the social media giant's decision to not take any action on controversial posts by Trump, despite having been flagged on Twitter. Some of the employees are calling on Facebook executives to reconsider the decision to keep up Trump's controversial posts about mail-in ballots and the Minnesota protests. 'I have to say I am finding the contortions we have to go through incredibly hard to stomach,' one employee was quoted in an email as reported by The Verge. More than 700 employees ended up responding to the internal Facebook posting and asked why the site did not take action on Trump's post about Minnesota protests 'All this points to a very high risk of a violent escalation and civil unrest in November and if we fail the test case here, history will not judge us kindly.' However, Facebook and Twitter were aligned in criticizing Trump''s executive order on 'preventing online censorship' which was issued on Thursday. Trump signed the order in a bid to strip social media platforms of some of the legal protections that they currently enjoy as 'platforms' rather than 'publishers'. Facebook has promised to 'restrict more speech online, not less', while Twitter called the executive order a reactionary and politicized approach to a landmark law. Trump's offensive came after Twitter decided to fact check two of the president's tweets in the form of a hyperlink that were tagged onto his postings. After the executive order had been issued, Twitter then flagged a fresh tweet from Trump about the violent Minneapolis protests. Twitter said that the tweet violated Twitter policies about glorifying violence. The tweets were also cross-posted to Facebook. Monika Bickert, Facebook's vice president of global policy management, explained the company's rationale for not taking action on the mail-in ballot post in a lengthy blog post seen internally by the company's workers. Mark Zuckerberg has revealed why Facebook chose to keep President Trump's controversial 'looting leads to shooting' post up on its site despite Twitter hiding the same update because it 'glorified violence' In a status update shared Friday night, Zuckerberg said that the Commander-in-chief's post included a reference to the National Guard and Facebook users therefore had a right to know 'if the government was planning to deploy force' 'We reviewed the claim and determined that it doesn't break our rules against voter interference because it doesn't mislead people about how they can register to vote or the different ways they can vote,' Bickert stated in the blog posting. 'If it had, we should have removed the post from our platform altogether because our voter interference policy applies to everyone, including politicians.' 'That said, we do not believe that a private technology company like Facebook should be in the business of vetting what politicians say in the context of a political debate. 'As is the case with the President's tweets, speech from candidates and elected officials is highly scrutinized and debated. 'We think people should be allowed to hear what politicians say, make up their own minds and hold politicians to account,' Bickert wrote. More than 700 employees ended up responding to the posting and asked why the site did not take action on Trump's post about Minnesota protests. 'Would it be possible to explain in more detail the interpretation of our community standards?' one employee asked. 'Does this post violate them but get an exemption, or is it not violating?' Trump's comment on the Minneapolis protests (pictured Thursday night) that 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts' is now hidden by a warning that it violated Twitter's rules - but the message can be bypassed and the tweet remains live On Friday afternoon, it appeared that nobody from the company had responded to the questions from workers. 'It's egregious that nobody from policy has chimed in or provided any sort of context here,' one employee said. Another worker suggested nobody had responded 'because Facebook's community of employees has demonstrated many times that private deliberations will be leaked to the press and taken out of context.' 'I don't think employees are asking anything here that the public doesn't deserve to know,' a colleague responded. 'Makes me sad and frankly ashamed,' another worker wrote. 'Hopefully this wasn't the final assessment? Hopefully there is still someone somewhere discussing how and why this is clearly advocating for violence?' 'It's been said previously that inciting violence would cause a post to be removed. I too would like to know why the goals shifted, and where they are now,' chimed another. On Friday, Zuckerberg revealed why the social media platform Facebook chose to keep the controversial posts up on its site. In a status update shared Friday night, Zuckerberg said that the commander-in-chief's post included a reference to the National Guard and Facebook users therefore had a right to know 'if the government was planning to deploy force'. Trump initially shared the post to both Twitter and Facebook shortly before 1am Friday, following a third night of violent protests in Minnesota over the death of black man George Floyd. Zuckerberg finally spoke out late Friday evening, stating: 'I've been struggling with how to respond to the President's tweets and posts all day. 'Personally, I have a visceral negative reaction to this kind of divisive and inflammatory rhetoric... But I'm responsible for reacting not just in my personal capacity but as the leader of an institution committed to free expression.' He continued: 'I know many people are upset that we've left the President's posts up, but our position is that we should enable as much expression as possible unless it will cause imminent risk of specific harms or dangers spelled out in clear policies. 'We looked very closely at the post that discussed the protests in Minnesota to evaluate whether it violated our policies.' 'We decided to leave it up because the National Guard references meant we read it as a warning about state action, and we think people need to know if the government is planning to deploy force.' The Facebook CEO then explained that Trump later shared a follow-up which 'explicitly discouraged violence'. For a young cop there is a desperate desire to fit in to do what you are told and not rock the boat. Solidarity is everything. Witness the Minneapolis police officers who failed to intervene as their colleague Derek Chauvin slowly killed local citizen George Floyd in front of their eyes. Simple humanity can be usurped by the desire to be staunch. When Victorias next chief commissioner, Shane Patton, was still a young cop he was sent to one of Melbournes busiest stations, St Kilda. Kildare Fire Service is continuing to manage a significant bog and forest fire in north west Kildare. The scene of the fire is adjacent to Hortlands, Donadea. Air Corps helicopters have dumped thousands of tonnes of water in 'Bambi buckets'. The scene of the fire is close to the Irish Industrial Explosives plant at nearby Clonagh. Firefighting has been ongoing since last week. Kildare Co Council said that bog fires are extremely difficult to extinguish, and the current dry and sunny weather conditions are not favourable. Kildare Fire Service is receiving significant support from local farmers who are providing their expertise and machinery to support firefighting efforts. Coillte has also organised helicopter support to provide water drops onto the forestry areas. The fire is near to the Irish Industrial Explosives site near Enfield and Council officials are monitoring the site on an ongoing basis in conjunction with the operator. The Council said there is no immediate risk to the site from the fire and crews will continue to be vigilant. A Council spokesperson added: "Some concerns have been raised locally about the Fire Service not being on the bog at night. Bogs are dangerous places especially in fire conditions. "For their safety our firefighters do not actively firefight on bogs during darkness. "If residents are concerned about their properties during darkness, they should call 999 or 112 and we will respond to protect life and property." The Council also issued general health advice to local residents to stay out of the smoke if possible. A spokesperson added: "Smoke is an irritant and can make your eyes and throat sore. Provided there is no risk from the fire itself, staying indoors with doors and windows closed can give a good level of protection. "Some people may be sensitive to the effects of smoke. Those with existing heart or lung disease (including asthma), young children and the elderly may experience symptoms. "If you are experiencing symptoms, reduce your level of activity, take your medications as appropriate and seek medical advice." Lucknow: With lakhs of migrants returning to Uttar Pradesh during the lockdown that was announced to contain the spread of coronavirus, official figures show that migrants constitute nearly one-fourth of the total Covid-19 cases in the state. As per official figures, as of now, 2,165 migrants who have returned from other states have tested positive for Covid-19, taking the tally to 8,075 cases. The state also recorded its biggest spike in the last 24 hours with a whopping 378 cases reported on Sunday. Speaking to media on the issue, Health Department's State Surveillance Officer Dr Vikasendu Agrawal, said, Samples of around 69,000 migrants were collected for testing, out of which 2,165 have tested positive for Covid-19 till date. Meanwhile, it just took three days for the cases to climb to 8000 from 7000 in the state. As per official data of the UP Health Department, till Sunday evening, the situation in Gautam Buddh Nagar was critical with 49 new cases being reported taking the tally to 457 cases. At present, there are 171 active cases in Gautam Buddh Nagar, while 756 have been discharged and six people have died due to coronavirus. The second steepest hike with 33 new Covid-19 cases was reported from adjoining Ghaziabad district, taking the tally to 328. Till date, 211 people have been discharged while 113 cases are still active. The district has recorded four coronavirus deaths. There are 3,015 active cases in the state while 4,843 have been discharged. The Covid-19 death toll stands at 217. During a press briefing in Lucknow on Sunday, Principal Secretary Health Amit Mohan Prasad said, After achieving the goal of 1 lakh beds under the three-tier medical system of L1, L2 and L3 hospitals in the state, our focus will be on increasing the quality of the systems so that patients could be given better treatment." Prasad added that at present, 2,938 people are being treated in isolation wards and as on Saturday a total of 9,976 samples were tested in the state. He said that the target was to increase the sampling to 15,000 by June 15. The work of surveillance is going on and so far, 77,68,346 houses were monitored under which 3,94,22,639 people are being monitored. We are using the Arogya Setu app and so far, we have contacted 47, 235 people from the control rooms, out of which 120 said that they are infected and being treated in various hospitals, while 52 persons have fully recovered and have been sent home," Prasad said. He added that ASHA workers have screened 11,28,804 workers, and symptoms were found in 1,027 people. Their samples are being tested and action is being taken accordingly, he added. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it supports total compliance with the Constitutional provisions on Autonomy for States Judiciary and Legislature in the country. NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, expressed the congress support in a statement on Monday in Abuja, while commending the Executive Order 10 issued on May 22, by President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr Wabba said the Executive Order 10 primed at promoting Section 121 (3) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution is a step forward towards deepening the democratic process and good governance in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Executive Order 10 makes it mandatory for state governments to include the allocation of the judiciary and legislative arms of government as first line charges in their annual budgets, he said. He, therefore, said that the history of arm-twisting and abuse of the judiciary and legislative arms of government at the sub-national level in Nigeria was a long one, adding that this had only gotten worse in recent years. Mr Wabba said the legendary distortion of due process, checks and balances, and public accountability, were the core ingredients in the principle of separation of powers. He said this got to a head when legislators in some of the State Houses of Assembly rejected constitutional proposals to grant them financial autonomy during the constitutional review process led by the 7th National Assembly. The NLC president noted that the asphyxiation of the legislative and judiciary arms of government at the state level and the increasing concentration of powers in the hands of the executive arm of government should be of great concern to every Nigerian. According to the French philosopher, Baron de Montesquieu, the fundamental aim of the principle of separation of powers is to ensure that no arm of government usurps total power. This is what Section 121 (3) of Nigerian 1999 Constitution seeks to promote. The last constitution amendment led by the 8th National Assembly and assented into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on June 8, 2018 seeks to put an end to executive meddlesomeness at the state level. We need to emphasise the point that strong legislative and judiciary institutions of government are the strong pillars of democracy and good governance, Mr Wabba said. He said that a resilient judiciary and a conscientious legislature were therefore sine qua non to the deepening of the democratic process, promotion of public accountability and ensuring popular participation. READ ALSO: Mr Wabba, however, said that it was pertinent to note that it was the collective duty of the political leaders at all levels to uphold, promote and sustain the virility of the public institutions especially the legislative and judiciary arms of government. The truth is that if our political leaders were alive to this duty, there would not have been any need for the Presidential Implementation Committee set up on March 22, 2019, he said. He noted that this was almost one year after Section 121(3) had been assented into law and at least the exercise of one budget cycle. Mr Wabba said until the release of Executive Order 10, there were very little signs to show seriousness on the part of state governors to comply with the clear demands of Section 121 (3) of the constitution. This is a direct violation of the oath sworn by our state governors to uphold the Nigerian Constitution at all times in the interest of good governance, strengthening the principle of separation of powers, national stability, and overall development of Nigeria. We urge political leaders at every level to respect the wishes of the Nigerian people and allow the full exercise of financial autonomy for the judiciary and legislature in the states, he added. He said democracy must remain the government of the people, by the people, and for the people. (NAN) Cole Sprouse has revealed he was arrested while peacefully protesting racial injustice following the death of George Floyd. The Riverdale actor, 27, was detained while participating in Sunday's protest in Santa Monica. Sharing his experience onto Instagram on Monday, Sprouse wrote, 'A group of peaceful protesters, myself included, were arrested yesterday in Santa Monica. So before the voracious horde of media sensationalism decides to somehow turn it about me, there's a clear need to speak about the circumstances: Black Lives Matter. 'Peace, riots, looting, are an absolutely legitimate form of protest. the media is by nature only going to show the most sensational, which only proves a long standing racist agenda. Cole Sprouse has revealed he was arrested while peacefully protesting racial injustice following the death of George Floyd (pictured February 2020) 'I was detained when standing in solidarity, as were many of the final vanguard within Santa Monica. We were given the option to leave, and were informed that if we did not retreat, we would be arrested. 'When many did turn to leave, we found another line of police officers blocking our route, at which point, they started zip tying us. It needs to be stated that as a straight white man, and a public figure, the institutional consequences of my detainment are nothing in comparison to others within the movement. 'This is ABSOLUTELY not a narrative about me, and I hope the media doesn't make it such. This is, and will be, a time about standing ground near others as a situation escalates, providing educated support, demonstrating and doing the right thing. This is precisely the time to contemplate what it means to stand as an ally. I hope others in my position do as well. 'I noticed that there are cameras that roll within the police cruisers during the entirety of our detainment, hope it helps. I'll speak no more on the subject, as I'm (1) not well versed enough to do so, (2) not the subject of the movement, and (3) uninterested in drawing attention away from the leaders of the #BLM movement. I will be, again, posting the link in my story to a comprehensive document for donations and support.' The Riverdale actor, 27, was detained while participating in Sunday's protest in Santa Monica The Santa Monica Jail administrator has no record of Sprouse's May 31st arrest, it confirmed to The Sun. The administrator added it was likely the actor was taken in, and not fingerprinted or booked. Demonstrations have occurred nationwide in response to the death of Floyd, a black man who died after since-fired police officer Derek Chauvin held him down with a knee to the back of his neck. Doing his part: Sprouse stressed the narrative should not focus on his participation (pictured 2019) Chauvin has since been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Santa Monica, where Cole had been protesting, will be observing another night of curfew after various stores were damaged and looted. A number of celebrities have turned out to protest racial injustice at various rallies. Ariana Grande, Halsey, Machine Gun Kelly, and Nina Dobrev are just a few of the stars showing their support for the cause at various protests. Many other stars have used their platform to speak out against racial injustice on social media. [June 01, 2020] U.S. Cellular Announces CEO Transition U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM), an 83%-owned subsidiary of Telephone & Data Systems (News - Alert) (NYSE: TDS) announced today that Laurent C. Therivel ("LT") will be appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2020. Kenneth R. Meyers will be appointed to "Senior Advisor to the CEO" until his retirement on September 4, 2020. Meyers and Therivel will work closely to ensure a smooth transition period. Therivel will also be appointed to replace Meyers on both the U.S. Cellular (News - Alert) and TDS Boards of Directors. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005719/en/ Laurent Therivel, incoming CEO of U.S. Cellular (Photo: Business Wire) Therivel, 45, joins U.S. Cellular from AT&T (News - Alert) where he served most recently as CEO of AT&T Mexico, a wireless company that operates under the AT&T and Unefon brands, where he led a team of over 18,000 employees. Prior to joining AT&T, Therivel served as Chief Operating Officer for IPcelerate (News - Alert), Inc., a Voiceover- IP applications development company. "As a result of an orderly succession planning process and an extensive search, we are very pleased to announce LT's appointment," commented LeRoy T. Carlson, Jr., Chairman of U.S. Cellular and President and CEO of TDS. "With his deep experience in the telecommunications industry, LT brings tremendous insight and perspective to this role. During his years at ATT he had a variety of important assignments leading wireless and wireline operations, strategy and finance. He is highly customer-focused which aligns well with U.S. Cellular's mission of providing exceptional wireless experiences to our customers. I am confident LT's leadership, experience and collaborative style will build upon the success that U.S. Cellular has achieved under Ken Meyers' leadership." "I look forward to joining U.S. Cellular, which is in a strong position to continue providing customers with high-quality wireless service," said Therivel. "More than ever, the essential nature of our solutions has been validated over the past few months during the pandemic. I am excited to work alongside U.S. Cellular's talented management team and with all of its associates to build on the successes of its customer and community-focused strategies. I am honored to have the opportunity to contribute to U.S. Cellular's bright future and am intensely focused on working toward long-term growth and sustainability." "We greatly thank Ken for his many years of exemplary service to U.S. Cellular and the TDS Enterprise," continued Mr. Carlson. "This includes his many contributions to the growth and development of thousands of associates through 33 years of dedicated leadership. We wish him much health and happiness during this next chapter in his life." "Ken has spent over three decades of his career with TDS and U.S. Cellular in a variety of leadership positions including executive vice president and CFO for both Companies. Throughout his time as CEO, Ken applied his deep understanding of our industry, as well as his strategic and financial knowledge to further improve U.S. Cellular's performance and operational efficiency. He led and developed a strong senior management team to execute aggressive, yet economically sound, customer-focused strategies. Ken's effective leadership and commitment to the Company's culture will leave a lasting effect on U.S. Cellular." Therivel holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a double major in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Texas A&M. He also served as a Communications Officer in the US Marine Corps. About U.S. Cellular U.S. Cellular is the fourth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier is building a stronger network with the latest 5G technology and offers a wide range of communication services that enhance consumers' lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube (News - Alert).com/uscellularcorp. About TDS Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS), a Fortune 1000 company, provides wireless; cable and wireline broadband, video and voice; and hosted and managed services to approximately 6 million connections nationwide through its businesses, U.S. Cellular, TDS Telecom, BendBroadband and OneNeck IT Solutions. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Chicago, TDS employed 9,400 people as of March 31, 2020. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005719/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A horrifying video emerged from Saturday night's protests in Democrat-run cities across America, showing a Dallas man beaten into a bleeding, contorted pulp because he had armed himself with a machete to keep looters out of his neighborhood. The Dallas Morning News purported to report on the event, but what it churned out was pure anti-Trump propaganda. The article deserves to be analyzed so people can see how it's done. The spin begins with the headline, which makes the article about Trump rather than Democrats run amok. The headline states, "President Trump tweets about machete-wielding man beaten by Dallas crowd during protests." The subtitle then makes the beaten man the actor, not the victim: "Dallas police officials say the man confronted protesters, apparently trying to protect neighborhood." The report, authored by three journalists and four staff writers, is only 14 paragraphs long. The paragraphs break down as follows: Paragraph 1's opening sentence is framed to imply that the beaten man is the criminal and that Trump supports his criminal activity: "President Donald Trump on Sunday demanded arrests and severe punishments for Dallas protesters who beat a machete-wielding man the night before[.]" Paragraph 2 quotes Trump's tweet calling the attack terrible and demanding long-term jail sentences. The paper explains that Trump was "retweeting and amplifying an unfounded claim by a California musician who blamed the attack on 'Antifa.'" The journalists again ignore the details of the attack and work, instead, to protect Antifa. Paragraph 3 discusses the "California musician" who is blaming Antifa for the nation's violence. It does not mention Antifa's history of violence. Readers are told only that the "term" stands "for anti-fascists and broadly refers to far-left extremists or anarchists who view government and wealthy elites as oppressors." Paragraph 4 has the paper denying that any group was involved. Again, the focus is on Trump being wrong rather than on the savage attack. Paragraph 5 informs readers that police have made no arrests. Paragraph 6 admits that the attack followed peaceful protests in Dallas that turned violent. The "reporters" then explain that the protests are about George Floyd's death "and many other incidents of police brutality against African Americans." Paragraph 7 says Dallas is under a curfew. We're now seven paragraphs in the story and still have learned nothing about the video (which you can see here if you have a strong stomach). Instead, Antifa is elided away, and Trump is made out to be a punishment-mad fool. Paragraph 8 finally acknowledges that there are graphic videos on social media showing "demonstrators ... stomping and kicking the man[.]" Not to worry, though, because he's in "stable condition." Paragraph 9 concedes that more happened than "stomping and kicking": "One attacker appeared to slam a skateboard into the man at least once and possibly several times, while at least one other appeared to pummel him with a fist-size stone." Paragraph 10 assures the reader that, while videos showed the man "bloody, contorted and motionless on the ground," a later image showed him sitting up as medics treated him. Paragraph 11 is a masterpiece of passive-aggressive writing. It asserts that the police say the man went out with a machete to protect his neighborhood from "protesters." The man "confronted" the protesters with the machete, which is a careful way to say he didn't attack them, "and was subsequently assaulted," which is a passive-voice way to remove the protesters from responsibility for the attack. Paragraph 12 explains that there are a couple of other social media videos that show the seconds leading to the attack. Paragraph 13 finally gets to the dynamics of the attack. A video shows "several people hurling objects at the man, who appears to be holding a long-bladed object." When the man runs toward someone carrying a skateboard, "[t]hen more than a dozen people descend on him and attack from all sides." Paragraph 14 trails off, saying that it's not clear what happened. Story over. The Dallas Morning News is not reporting; it's spinning. Its approach is typical for the way the media handle any event that might reflect badly on the leftist narrative. Deflect, deflect, deflect...and blame Trump. As always, the problem with America's so-called media is their pretense of impartiality. Many Americans are wising up to the fact that most media outlets are the propaganda arms of the Democrat party, but some are still naive enough to think they're getting objective news. Until that fiction ends, Americans will never be fully informed voters. Remember that in 1968, which was the last time the Democrat party rioted, the left-leaning media still did straight reporting. Americans promptly voted for Richard Nixon, the Republican candidate. This time, the media are openly sympathetic to the rioters. The media have also primed voters to hate Trump. It is, therefore, anybody's guess how voters will respond to the riots come November. Ontario electricity ratepayers can choose to bolt from time-of-use pricing after Halloween. While the Progressive Conservatives are freezing electricity prices round the clock at 12.8 cents per kilowatt hour through Oct. 31, Energy Minister Greg Rickford said consumers will then be able to select the billing plan that works best for them. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing more people to work from home, Rickford on Monday moved to eliminate time-of-use (TOU) pricing for the next five months. At the start of the outbreak, he cut peak pricing to 10.1 cents per kilowatt hour with rates higher at other times of day, which saved the average household around $20 a month through May. Homeowners will notice very little difference from one bill to the next, the minister said of the immediate change to one fixed pricing. The new COVID-19 recovery rate will provide stability for Ontario electricity consumers, while we work to reopen our province and restart our economy, he said from Kenora. We recognize that businesses and families are living with a great deal of uncertainty, and they need to know what they can expect when they open their electricity bills every month. Rickford said that starting Nov. 1, hydro ratepayers will be able to either to return to time-of-use pricing or opt for a new tiered plan that will provide a set rate for electricity up to a certain level of consumption. The minister noted that Queens Park is already subsidizing residential, farm and small business electricity bills by 31.8 per cent, which will cost the treasury $5.6 billion this year. But NDP MPP Peter Tabuns (Toronto Danforth) said Premier Doug Fords government has still failed to deliver on its 2018 campaign pledge to lower rates. Ford promised a 12 per cent drop in electricity bills, and instead hes only hiked them higher and higher, said Tabuns, noting the rates have gone up two per cent since the Tories took over from Kathleen Wynnes Liberals. Every day, families are paying for his failure to fix the broken, privatized system. The government should be doing more to lower electricity bills, not making them more expensive in the middle of a pandemic, he said. Also Monday, Rickford said the Ontario Energy Boards winter disconnection ban was being extended until July 31, meaning no one is can be cut off from their electricity or natural gas. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which has long criticized smart meters, praised the end of time-of-use pricing. Small business owners have been overwhelmingly unable to adjust their consumption habits based on time-of-day usage, as they are dependent on their clientele and regular hours to survive. TOU pricing is largely viewed as a tax on small businesses for being open, said Plamen Petkov, the organizations Ontario vice president. London Thousands of people marched through London on Sunday to support demonstrations across the United States in response to the Minneapolis death of George Floyd. Starting at Trafalgar Square and moving through the city to the U.S. Embassy, British demonstrators chanted slogans including "I can't breathe," and "Black Lives Matter." "This is our respect to people in America who are suffering right now," Paige Adjarhore, 18, told CBS News. "We're too far away to go there and help them, but this is us showing that we support them. We're with you and we feel your pain," she said. "What people don't understand is that when you're black, you're under attack," said Kieran Blackman, 28. "We have fought for equality, and it's not happening." The demonstration was in violation of U.K. lockdown rules to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which forbid large gatherings. The police, however, did not disperse the crowds. "People are killing black people all over the world, not just in America. We're just asking to be heard," Blackman said. Protests have erupted throughout the U.S., with some turning violent, over the death of Floyd, who was captured on video pleading for air as a police officer knelt on his neck while he was handcuffed. Four Minneapolis officers have been fired and one, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Other European countries held protests in solidarity as well over the weekend, with demonstrators converging on the U.S. embassy in Denmark carrying signs bearing messages like, "Stop killing black people," the Associated Press reported. In Germany, hundreds took to the streets carrying signs saying, "Who Do You Call When Police Murder?" and "Silence is Violence," the AP reported. A small protest in London on Saturday saw about a hundred people chant, "Stop killing us." Story continues Protest in front of the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen Protesters gather during a 'Black Lives Matter' demonstration against the death in Minneapolis police custody of African-American man George Floyd, in front of the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark May 31, 2020. Ritzau Scanpix/Ida Guldbaek Arentsen via REUTERS U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab declined to comment on unrest in the United States, calling the footage of a police office with his knee on Floyd's neck "very distressing." Five demonstrators were arrested, according to the police: Three for violating coronavirus lockdown rules and two for assaulting officers. "It makes me upset because there should be justice everywhere. We're human beings at the end of the day, and we're just not given a fair share, fair shot, or fair crack," one protesters, who declined to give his name, told CBS News. To the demonstrators in the United States, he said, "We stand by you. Keep it going. Keep it up. Black lives matter." "Racism is the real pandemic in the world," Adjarhore said. "It's not COVID-19, it's racism." Further protests were planned for the coming week in London. Authorities suspect white supremacists and far-left extremists are behind violence at protests SpaceX makes history with successful rocket launch Protests continue across the U.S. over the death of George Floyd They prepared to commit property damage and directed people who were following them that this should be done selectively and only in wealthier areas or at high-end stores run by corporate entities, he said in a telephone briefing with reporters. Such activity was still under investigation, Miller said, but many participants, he said, were from outside New York. They instructed group leaders to tell the people following them that this was not meant to be orderly activity, he said. Former Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday left his home for a site in Wilmington, Delaware, that has seen protests over the recent death of a black man at the hands of a white police officer. It was his second time in a week he ventured outside after having elected to campaign from his house since coronavirus lockdowns went into effect. On Monday, Biden had attended a brief Memorial Day ceremony with his wife. We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us. We are a nation enraged, but we cannot allow our rage to consume us. We are a nation exhausted, but we will not allow our exhaustion to defeat us, Biden wrote Sunday on social media posts across Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. His posts showed a photo of him wearing a mask and kneeling across from a black man and child. Videos on his Instagram story show the presumptive Democratic nominee taking photos and chatting with other men wearing masks. The only way to bear this pain is to turn all that anguish to purpose, Biden added. And as President, I will help lead this conversation and more importantly, I will listen, just as I did today visiting the site of last night's protests in Wilmington. Demonstrations spread across the country following the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer pinned Floyd down with his knee to Floyd's neck. The officer, Derek Chauvin has since been charged with third-degree murder. The unrest comes as the coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 104,000 people in the U.S. and infected more than 1.7 million which is also disproportionately affecting people of color. Some weekend protests were overtaken by violence. Even as many people peacefully chanted and knelt in solidarity, others set fires, looted buildings and engaged in physical altercations. Police officers tear-gassed and fired nonfatal rubber bullets at protesters and journalists. Curfews have been ordered in a number of places, including in Washington, D.C. Story continues In a separate statement released earlier Sunday, Biden warned against needless destruction, though protesting is right and necessary. The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest, Biden wrote. It should not drive people away from the just cause that protest is meant to advance. Wilmington was one of the cities that saw peaceful protests take a turn Saturday when people began looting businesses. According to WDEL.COM, one of the organizers of the protests, Hyland Henry, told Delaware Gov. John Carney that looting and vandalism were not what the organizers wanted. That's not our enemy; that's not our battle," Henry said. On Sunday evening, a crowd of protesters gathered again in Wilmington, chanting George Floyd, no justice, no peace, and cant breathe, WECT TV6 reported. Police used inert gas after people refused to listen to orders to clear streets and intersections. President Donald Trump has blamed far-left radicals and antifa for the violence. He went as far to tweet Sunday that he was designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization," though its not clear if antifa is an organization in the usual sense of the word or if Trump has the legal authority to do that. Trump condemned Floyds death and like Biden has spoken to Floyds family. But the president has been accused of exacerbating racial tensions and stoking violence in his tweets. Trump has labeled protesters as thugs, said vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons were ready to greet protesters if they scaled the White House fence, and blamed Democratic leaders and Sleepy Joe. Biden has seen strong support among older black voters, though a few of his gaffes (like saying "if you have a problem figuring out whether you're for me or Trump, then you ain't black") have drawn criticism. A Washington Post-ABC News poll released Sunday found Biden led Trump by 10 points, 53 percent to 43 percent among voters nationally. That margin was a virtual dead heat two months ago, according to the Post. Still, Biden is viewed less favorably overall compared to his standing last fall. And Trumps supporters are more enthusiastic and committed to voting for him in November than people backing Biden are, the poll found. After two months, Saudi Arabia has eased restrictions on mosques. Physical distancing and face masks remain mandatory. The elderly, children and the chronically ill are still banned. Sermons and prayers by clerics cannot exceed 15 minutes. Riyadh (AsiaNews/Agencies) After more than two months, mosques in Saudi Arabia opened their doors for the first time this weekend. This follows the decision by the kingdom's authorities to ease lockdown restrictions imposed to contain the COVID- 19 pandemic. It is great to feel the mercy of God and once again call people for prayers at mosques instead of at their homes, said Abdulmajeed al-Mohaisen, who issues the call to prayer at Al-Rajhi Mosque, one of the largest in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. At dawn, early worshippers headed to mosques, wearing protective masks and personal prayer mats, avoiding handshakes and staying two metres apart. Worshippers must perform ablution rites, washing the face, arms and legs before prayer, at home. However, seniors, minors under 15 and people with chronic diseases are still not allowed in mosques. In a tweet, the kingdoms Ministry of Islamic Affairs noted that Worshippers rushed to the home of God to perform their obligatory duty (prayers) after the reopening of mosques. The ministry also posted a video showing a mosque with many worshippers wearing face masks and reaching out for a large bottle of hand sanitiser after prayers. The authorities urged mosques to avoid crowding and handing out of food and drinks, and using incense. However, in some places, people failed to respect the rules. A ban remains in place for pilgrimages (Hajj and Umrah), which usually attract millions of people from all over the world every year. So far Saudi Arabia, a nation of about 30 million, has reported more than 83,000 cases of the novel coronavirus with 480 official deaths, the highest numbers among Gulf states. However, this is still far less than what reported in Europe and the United States. In Jerusalem al-Aqsa mosque, the third most important holy place in Islam, reopened to the public attracting hundreds of Muslims. Upon entering, some worshippers chanted "God is greater" (Allahu akbaru), whilst others kissed the ground. In the Holy Land, Christian places of worship like the Holy Sepulchre and the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem also reopened. Despite the easing, the same measures imposed in other parts of the world to contain the coronavirus pandemic remain in force everywhere; they include minimum distancing, temperature taking at entrances and compulsory masks. Al-Aqsa was closed in March and remained out of bounds to worshippers during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting and prayer, which just ended. In recent days, as the authorities prepared to ease restrictions, millions of Muslims shared messages in different languages about what to do when visiting mosques, including the requirement for clerics to keep sermons and prayers to no more than 15 minutes. Brad Keselowski simply stole a win at Bristol on Sunday. Keselowski took advantage of two crashes as drivers were racing for the lead ahead of him to win for the second time in three races. The second crash happened between Chase Elliott and Joey Logano with less than three laps to go. Elliott got to the inside of Logano but his car snapped loose in the corner. Elliott slid into Logano and the two went into the wall as Keselowski drove on past. This didn't work for Chase Elliott. (via Fox) Elliott and Loganos crash was preceded by a restart for a caution caused by Denny Hamlins spin while racing for the lead. Hamlin spun after he was racing with Elliott and Logano for the lead. How Denny Hamlin crashed. (via Fox Sports) Oh my goodness. I think everyone on this Discount Tire Ford Mustang team is going to go to Vegas, Keselowski said. Is it open yet? Keselowski was fifth when Hamlin spun after working his way into the top five on fresher tires than the cars ahead of him. But he wasnt going to be in a position to get the win without some help. And boy, did he get some help. I could see Joey and Chase, they were really racey there, Keselowski said. I didnt know what was going to happen but I knew if I just kept my eye open, something good might happen and it turned out it did. Clint Bowyer finished second. Keselowski got the win thanks to a, uh, patient call by NASCAR race control. After throwing quick cautions earlier in the race for mild wall hits by Austin Dillon and Kevin Harvick, NASCAR chose to let the race finish under green after Elliott and Logano hit the wall. Keselowski won the Coca-Cola 600 a week ago after he stayed out on the track when a caution flag flew with two laps to go. Elliott, the race leader, pitted for fresh tires. But seven other cars stayed out with Keselowski and Elliott restarted 11th. Keselowski held off Jimmie Johnson for the win on old tires. Elliott and Logano talk it out Elliott and Logano had a pit road conversation after the exited their cars. And put on their masks, of course. Logano told Fox that he had to coax an apology out of Elliott. Story continues He wrecked me. He got loose underneath me, Logano said. The part thats frustrating is afterwards, a simple apology, like be a man and come up to someone and say My bad. But I had to force an apology, which to me, is just childish. Logano continued. Its hard racing at the end. I get that. Its hard racing, he said. But golly man, be a man and take the hit when youre done with it. Elliott said that he felt like that moment was his shot at the lead. Just going for the win and trying to get a run underneath him. I dont know if I had a tire going down or if I just got loose on entry but as soon as I turned off the wall, I had zero chance in making it, Elliott said. Ill certainly take the blame. Blaneys bad Bristol luck Ryan Blaney was running second when saved his car from a spin during the second stage of Sundays race. And he still finished last. Why? Well, just watch. This was a great save. But Ryan Blaney still had a torn up car. (via Fox Sports) Its the second time in three years that Blaney has been caught in a crash while running near the front at Bristol. He led 100 laps in the 2018 spring race at the track and finished 35th after he couldnt avoid a crash ahead of him. He led 60 laps on Sunday, the fourth time in the last five races at Bristol that hes led at least 60 laps. Were betting that Blaney will win a race at Bristol sometime soon. Jimmie Johnson finishes third Is Johnson getting closer and closer to ending his winless streak? Johnson hasnt won a Cup Series race in three years. But he was a top-10 fixture on Sunday and even got up to as high as second in the final stage. Johnson ultimately finished third, ahead of Kyle Busch and Erik Jones. And its hard not to see the seven-time champion winning a race in his final season given the speed that Hendrick Motorsports has shown so far. The team has won two races already this season and Elliott was in line for a potential third win in nine races if it wasnt for that final crash. After Johnson missed the playoffs for the first time in 2019, it would be fun to see him end his Cup Series career on a better note. And while he was disqualified after running second at Charlotte a week ago, its pretty clear that things are better in 2020 than they were in 2019. An enjoyable race The finish to Sundays race will immediately make it a memorable one for most fans, even if they watched just 50 or all 500 laps. But its worth pointing out how enjoyable the entirety of Sundays event was. Especially as it was the first event at Bristol with NASCARs reduced downforce rules. NASCAR admitted the mistake of high downforce at short tracks in 2019 and cut it significantly for all small tracks in 2020. On Sunday, that led to drivers on the edge in the corners and lots of moments where guys were on the edge of control. Its fun to watch drivers muscle 3,000-plus-pound stock cars off a corner, and thats what we got at Bristol. Martinsville, the site of a race on June 10, was the track most impacted by the high downforce changes in 2019. If Bristol is any indication of what we could see at Martinsville in less than two weeks, the racing in Virginia will be a whole lot more fun than it was a year ago. Full results 1. Brad Keselowski 2. Clint Bowyer 3. Jimmie Johnson 4. Kyle Busch 5. Erik Jones 6. Austin Dillon 7. Kurt Busch 8. William Byron 9. Christopher Bell 10. Bubba Wallace 11. Kevin Harvick 12. Ryan Preece 13. John Hunter Nemechek 14. Michael McDowell 15 Ryan Newman 16. Matt Kenseth 17. Denny Hamlin 18. Daniel Suarez 19. Timmy Hill 20. Martin Truex Jr. 21. Joey Logano 22. Chase Elliott 23. Chris Buescher 24. Brennan Poole 25. JJ Yeley 26. Garrett Smithley 27. Quin Houff 28. BJ McLeod 29. Aric Almirola 30. Gray Gaulding 31. Matt DiBenedetto 32. Corey LaJoie 33. Joey Gase 34. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 35. Cole Custer 36. Tyler Reddick 37. Alex Bowman 38. Bayley Currey 39. Ty Dillon 40. Ryan Blaney More from Yahoo Sports: By Azernews By Akbar Mammadov On May 28, Azerbaijan's Ambassador to the UK Tahir Taghizade responded the recent article published in the British Guardian newspaper on the decision of the European Court of Human Rights into the case of Ramil Safarov. In his letter published in the same newspaper, the ambassador stressed that Nagorno-Karabakh is not a disputed territory as described in the recently published article about the case of Ramil Safarov. "It is an integral, internationally recognised part of Azerbaijan which, together with seven other regions of Azerbaijan, has been occupied by Armenia for more than 25 years. More than a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs)." Taghizade highlighted the fact that in 1993 the United Nations Security Council adopted four resolutions demanding the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the territory of Azerbaijan. These resolutions are yet to be implemented. The letter also emphasized that Ramil Safarov was forcibly expelled as a child from his home town, Jabrayil, which is also under Armenian occupation. "His extradition from Hungary where he had already served eight years in prison to Azerbaijan was done on a legal basis, and it is the constitutional right of the head of any sovereign state to pardon its citizens. While Azerbaijan is calling for justice for its refugees and IDPs, Armenia employs all instruments and platforms to solidify its occupation of Azerbaijans territories", Taghizade said. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. A power cut led to police finding a a huge cannabis factory near the sprawling Berkshire estate belonging Kate Middleton's parents. Police officers were joined by a 'fleet of lorries' on Thursday after the illegal farm was discovered in a barn in Bucklebury. The Duchess of Cambridge's parents Michael and Carole Middleton live in nearby Bucklebury Manor, a mansion with an 18-acre estate. Police swooped on the quiet village of Bucklebury in Berkshire last Thursday after the electricity board found a cannabis farm Stable View in Briff Lane, Bucklebury, where police swarmed a cannabis farm last week Police following a power outage on Wednesday, which led to an investigation by the electricity board. When workers discovered the farm on Thursday morning, the police were called. Carole and Michael Middleton live on the sprawling Bucklebury Manor, a mansion with an 18-acre estate in Berkshire Onlookers say six lorries joined police at the farm and began loading up with the contents inside the large green barn. A witness said: 'The police arrived after the electric board had been at the property all morning trying to work out why the electrics had blown. Last week's bust was near the home of Kate Middleton's parents 'The electric board left and the police arrived shortly after, around mid afternoon. 'The barns were swarming with police cars and officers monitored the property all night. 'By Friday morning, more police had arrived with a fleet of lorries who had come to take away the evidence. 'There were massive vans and lorries clearing it, I think there were about six lorries in total for the clearance.' A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: 'On Thursday officers attended a farm building in Bucklebury to reports of a potential cannabis factory. 'Officers found some equipment to suggest that cannabis had been cultivated in the farm building. 'Officers are making ongoing enquiries and anyone with information should call 101 quoting reference 818 28/5/20. 'No arrests have been made in connection with the discovery.' Onlookers say six lorries joined police at the farm and began loading up with the contents inside the large green barn Investigating officer Detective Constable Teresa Miller of Area CID based at Newbury police station, said: 'We are carrying out an investigation following the discovery of a cannabis factory. 'We are asking anyone with information to please come forward to assist us with our ongoing enquiries.' LONDON: Days after she went into quarantine, Britain's Queen Elizabeth was photographed riding a 14-year-old Fell pony in Windsor Home Park on Sunday as the country eased stringent measures to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. Queen Elizabeth II went into quarantine back on March 19, when a member of her palace was found to be covid-19 positive. Ever since she has been isolating at the Windsor Castle along with her 98-year-old husband Prince Philip and 22 royal staff members. From there, she has issued a number of rallying messages to the nation, including televised addresses that have been a rarity during her 68-year reign. Experts had earlier said that the royal might stay in self-isolation for months or years until the UK is free from coronavirus. Talking to The Sun, Royal biographer Andrew Morton said that he feared the Queen might never return to her regular duties due to the deadly disease. As per him, the monarch will most likely be seen on TV or video instead of making public appearances. With inputs from Reuters Virus quarantines and shuttered restaurants sent millions of Americans back to their homes, only to rediscover the joys of firing up an oven and cooking something special for themselves. Whether by desire, necessity, or both, many of us have certainly been spending more time in the kitchen these last few months. And we haven't just been hungry for the food itself. Americans have also been hungry for new ways to make it. Case in point, the Allrecipes Alexa skill saw recipe requests surge by 67 percent during March and April, while new users skyrocketed by 80 percent. Pizza is an eternal crowd-pleaser, but plenty of chefs get intimidated at the thought of making crust and sauce from scratch. Thankfully, professional chef Tim Cunningham is on the case and his 1-hour crash course Pizza Making: Bake the Best Sourdough Pizza at Home! seeks to prove that anyone with basic kitchen skills is more than capable of baking up a delicious pie. The Australian-born Cunningham is a veteran of rustic Italian and Mediterranean cuisine and over this step-by-step instruction, students learn the fundamentals for making a world-class pizza that doesn't require expensive equipment or ingredients. Over these seven lectures, Cunningham starts by explaining how to make your own sourdough starter from yeast and bacteria so your handmade crust will always be absolutely stellar. From there, he walks students through the creation of a Napoli sauce for pizza bases. Then armed with your crust and sauce, you're already more than halfway to a homemade pizza that will put anything you have delivered from Grubhub to shame. Over 1,200 students have taken chef Cunningham's course, bestowing a 4.2 out of 5-star rating, so you know you can likely expect pizza brilliance so long as you can follow his easy-to-digest guide. Best of all, the training to bake one of the world's greatest pizzas yourself actually costs less than an order from Domino's or Pizza Hut. The $200 course is now on sale for over 90 percent off, just $13.99. Prices are subject to change. "The Hoowaki NP Collection Swab is an important answer to the challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic," said Ralph Hulseman, president of Hoowaki LLC. "Our design allows for production to be quickly scaled in communities around the worldrapidly addressing the rising demand for swabs, a critically important element of all COVID-19 testing." A recent study by Harvard University [https://ethics.harvard.edu/files/center-for-ethics/files/roadmaptopandemicresilience_updated_4.20.20_0.pdf] cites the need for up to 20 million COVID-19 tests per day by the end of summer. The proprietary Hoowaki NP Collection Swab is manufactured using advanced injection molding technologies that utilize existing equipment that is readily available in communities throughout the world. The swab's scalability is due to Hoowaki LLC's formulations and engineering designs working at existing injection molding facilities, which enables the swab to be produced in quantities that meet local demands anywhere in the world. "Prisma Health collaborated with Hoowaki LLC in the testing and development of the innovative new design. The soft feel and ease of use of the Hoowaki NP Collection Swab tip impressed my team," said Jennifer Meredith, Ph.D., clinical microbiology director at Prisma Health-Upstate. "Prisma Health is excited to see a locally produced solution that could help ease the shortage of swabs for COVID-19 sample collection," said Meredith. "Hoowaki LLC's product has the potential to help us meet our commitment to our patients in the fight against COVID-19." Prisma Health, the largest healthcare system in South Carolina, harnessed its Rapid Innovation Task Force to help with the project. Hulseman credits several public-private partnerships that have helped to provide start-up funding for the swab's development: "As is the case for many businesses in today's environment, Hoowaki LLC adapted quickly to meet new challenges where demand is outpacing supply so we could remain not only viable as a company, but also pursue this pioneering technology. We're grateful for the backing of the Greenville Local Development Corporation (GLDC) and SC Launch, Inc., an investment affiliate of the South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA), who have been instrumental in helping us develop the Hoowaki NP Collection Swab." "Hoowaki LLC is a great example of a small business that has proven to be a powerhouse of innovation during a time of incredible challenge," said David Barnett, Chairman of the Greenville Local Development Corporation. "We are proud of our continued support for Hoowaki LLC in the development of the NP Collection Swab." To learn more about the Hoowaki NP Collection Swab visit www.hoowaki.com/covid19-swabs or call Hoowaki LLC at (864) 238-5631. Product inquiries may be sent to [email protected]. About Hoowaki Hoowaki, LLC is a micro surface engineering services and product solutions company that has developed unique micro surface pattern designs, engineering algorithms, software and manufacturing know-how to address major markets. The company's micro surface technology provides grip or slip solutions in the form of films for medical devices, packaging and other industrial and consumer products. Their team includes experienced micro surface engineers, physicists, friction experts, medical device experts, entrepreneurs, inventors and developers. Hoowaki has market deployment partnerships with Havi (packaging) and BvW Holding AG (implanted medical devices). Hoowaki has a broad patent coverage of micro surface technology. SOURCE Hoowaki LLC Related Links http://www.hoowaki.com/covid19-swabs A Kolkata-based woman is at the forefront of finding a vaccine at Oxford University to cure the deadly novel coronavirus. 34-year-old Chandrabali Datta, who lives in Oxford, works as a quality assurance manager at the university facility and she is now part of a team that's trying to develop a vaccine the could potentially end the pandemic. Source/TOI/Reuters Jenner Institute is where Phase II and III of human trials of the vaccine named ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 are being conducted as a possible tool to fight the deadly virus. Datta's role as a Quality Assurance Manager means it is her task to ensure all levels of compliance are met before the vaccine could progress to the trial stage. According to TOI, Datta, who hails from Kolkata, went to Gokhale Memorial Girls School and completed her B.Tech in engineering and biotechnology from the Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata and then moved to the UK to study MSc-Bioscience at Leeds University. We are all hoping that it works in the next stage; the whole world is looking to this vaccine, said Datta. It''s like a humanitarian cause to be a part of this project. We are a non-profit organisation, putting in extra hours every day just to make this vaccine successful so that human lives can be saved. It is a massive team effort and everyone has worked around the clock towards its success. I feel honoured to be a part of this project, PTI quoted her as saying. Datta told TOI, From what I have heard, we are planning to start mass manufacture at Serum Institute in Pune before the trial passes as soon as the trial passes, it can go to the market." Datta explained to TOI that manufacturing a vaccine usually takes three to four years, but given the current state of affairs, their team has managed to do it in a few months. She added that they have approximately made 600 of the vaccine and says that a 1,000 more could be mass-produced. But they are now on the hunt for manufacturing facilities in the UK. Reuters/Image For Representation We have never seen a pandemic like this in our lives. We used to read in history but never imagined that in the 21st century we will actually see such a pandemic which will mean we have to be locked in our houses for months. The main focus is to bring human life back to normal and to save lives, she said. My parents were really worried and paranoid about me going in to work during this crisis. But I had to help my team. Everyone is under stress, given the pandemic, and we supported each other through this crisis period. Whenever someone was struggling, there were people around to help, PTI quoted her as saying. While she manages to stay in touch with family and friends back in India through regular WhatsApp calls, Datta is hoping she can be with her parents for her annual Christmas trip by the end of the year. All Inputs: TOI/PTI Armed bandits on Monday shot dead the district head of Yantumaki, Abubakar Atiku, in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina. Residents said the armed men spent at least two hours at the Yantumaki community during a downpour, trailing their prime target, the district head, Mr Atiku, until he fell to their bullets a few minutes to 12 midnight. A source added that a palace guard sustained injury during the attack. The bandits mission was, allegedly, to assassinate the traditional ruler as they did not hurt anyone, apart from the palace guard, who was obviously hit by stray bullets, a source said, asking not to be named for security reasons. Also, in another separate attack, gunmen also killed the All Progressive Congress (APC) Chairman of Batsari Local Government Area, Abdulhamid Sani, following alleged inability of the deceased to secure the release of one arrested bandit. The police spokesperson in Katsina, Gambo Isah, confirmed the incidents . He said the police were doing their best to protect the lives and property of Nigerians and they would continue doing that, whatever the circumstances may be. The late APC chairman was a member, reconciliation committee working to ensure peaceful coexistence between Fulani residents, who are predominantly living in the bush and Hausa communities, who live in the town. Residents said the APC chairman was killed by a faction of unrepentant armed men who accused him of failure to secure the release of one of them who was arrested by the security agents, weeks ago. Its off to the races for the worlds largest asset manager, BlackRock Inc. (NYSE:BLK). At a time when the majority of Wall Streets megabanks are just starting to buy into the green investing ethos, BlackRock has quickly established itself as the purveyor of ESG and renewables investing. BlackRock owns one of the largest global renewable power platforms, with $5.5 billion in equity assets under management (AUM). In January, the firm pledged to grow its ESG and green portfolio from $90 billion to more than a trillion dollars in the space of a decade. BlackRock now appears desperate to be seen as the kingpin of the green drive, even recently bowing to the demands of Canadian oil and gas producer Ovintiv (NYSE:OVV) shareholders, a move it probably would have considered infra dig just a few years back. And the Fed and the investing universe are loving it. BLK shares have been on a tear, surging 21% over the past two weeks and 8.8% in the year-to-date after the company clinched a deal with the Fed to run a junk-bond purchase program as part of its multi-pronged stimulus effort, never mind the fact that BlackRock happens to be one of the biggest issuers of said ETFs. BlackRock has a similar equities-buying program with the Central Bank of Israel. Even PNC Financial Services Group (NYSE:PNC) recent sale of its 22% stake in BlackRock worth $17 billion due to fears of a torrid U.S. economy was not enough to stop the BLK momentum with large institutional investors from as far off as the Middle East scooping up the shares. In contrast, the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSEARCA:XLF), an ETF that holds Wall Street bank stocks such as JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM), Bank of America (NYSE:BAC),Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC), Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) and Citigroup (NYSE:C), is down 22% in the year-to-date. Related: COVID-19 Is A Hackers Paradise BLK is the only large Wall Street investment firm still in the green in the ongoing market rout while the six Wall Street banks are languishing in the red. Source: CNN Money Wall Street mega-banks are lagging behind by a country mile. Last year, Goldman Sachs became the first big U.S. bank to rule out financing new oil exploration or drilling in the Arctic, as well as new thermal coal mines anywhere in the world. But thats far from adequate remediation in the eyes of shareholders. Indeed, Wall Street banks have together conducted fossil fuel financing to the tune of more than half a trillion dollars since the ratification of the Paris climate accord in 2015. Source: Washington Post Socially Conscious Investing BlackRock has invested nearly $2 trillion in more than 800 product offerings across a wide range of investment strategies and asset classes. One of its key products is iShares exchange-traded funds, a class of ETFs that has lately become a big hit with the investing universe thanks to its flexibility and low costs. In April, BlackRock announced that its iShares portfolio had recorded $13.8 billion in net inflows during the first quarter, a remarkable feat considering that the broader market benchmark S&P 500 lost 16% over the timeframe. iShares now boast $1.85 trillion in assets under management (AUM), representing nearly 30% of BlackRocks $6.47 trillion in total assets. Another big reason why BlackRock ETFs have become so popular is due to the firms laser-focus on the ESG investment megatrend. A decade ago, green investing was largely associated with a warm moral glow but was hardly regarded as part of mainstream investing. However, that has changed dramatically over the past few years thanks to increasing climate awareness, investors demanding socially and environmentally conscious options, and a growing shift in policy even by banks themselves. Related: Could COVID-19 Lead To Authoritarianism? Indeed, ESG investing is no longer a nice-to-have but a must-have in the hedge fund industry. As per ETFGI data, ESG ETFs now represent $52 billion of the $6 trillion AUM for the global ETF market. A 2020 Global ETF Investor Survey found that 74% of global investors plan to increase their ESG allocations over the next year. BlackRock has become a trailblazer in the space, and has pledged to increase its ESG portfolio from $90 billion in 2019 to more than a trillion dollars by the end of the decade. After years of what critics considered prevarication and greenwashing, BlackRock now appears desperate to be seen as the kingpin of the ESG drive, even recently giving in to the demands of Ovintiv (NYSE:OVV) shareholders to get the Canadian oil and gas producer to disclose its plans to meet targets set by the Paris Agreement. BLK investors are hardly complaining, though. Bailing out Wall Street BlackRock has been tapped by the Fed to be the investment manager for investment-grade corporate bonds as well as junk bonds as part of its bailout strategy, in effect, meaning that BlackRock will be buying its own ETFs. Interestingly, BlackRock is also managing U.S. securities purchases for the Central Bank of Israel. The Fed has come to the defense of the BlackRock deal, swiftly dismissing the screaming conflict-of-interest thus: The Manager shall treat BlackRock-sponsored ETFs on the same neutral footing as ETFs sponsored by other entitiesIf the holdings of BlackRock-sponsored ETFs by the Company at any time exceeds or is expected to exceed the then-current market share of BlackRock-sponsored ETFs in the corporate bond ETF market on average (calculated with reference to the most recently ended calendar month), the Manager will notify the Company and consult with the FRBNY, as managing member of the Company, to review the holdings of the Company and implement such adjustments as the FRBNY may direct. The Fed will use $75 billion of the $454 billion allocated for the CARES Act for its two corporate bond-buying programs. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com: Atanu Biswas By Covid-19 is now widely regarded by many as the greatest illustration of the butterfly effect in our lifetime. This metaphor is borrowed from the concept of Chaos Theory and was propagated by MIT mathematician Edward Lorenz. The theory says some systems, highly sensitive to initial conditions, are simply too complex to be predictable over the long term. The butterfly effect, widely known after a lecture delivered by Lorenz entitled Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterflys Wings in Brazil Set Off a Tornado in Texas? at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1972, indicates that tiny changes might result in unpredictable effects. A 1952 short story A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury about time travel is often credited as the origin of the term butterfly effect. Bradbury illustrated how the death of a butterfly in the past could have drastic changes in the future. In fact, Lorenz himself first realised this phenomenon in 1961 when he was using a computer program to simulate weather. He was astonished to observe that a tiny alteration in the input value like rounding off a number representing atmospheric conditions from 0.506127 to 0.506 utterly transformed his long-term forecast of the weather. The initial round-off errors were the culprits; they were steadily amplifying until they dominated the solution, Lorenz later commented in his 1993 book The Essence of Chaos. In addition to severe health effects, the pandemic is certainly an acute shock to the world economy, its education system, job market, social stability, process of globalisation, international trade, the global supply chain model and international politics. However, was the global spread of Covid-19 orchestrated by a Chinese butterfly (or Chinese pangolin or bat) alone? People grossly overlook some aspects inherent in the philosophy of the butterfly effect. A big phenomenon comprises a long chain of successive small events. Lorenz provided an input in his simulation exercise. A tiny alteration or approximation in the input may be interpreted as a flap of a butterfly. However, there are innumerable conditions thereafter, mostly random, in the process, beyond the input providers control, which would eventually yield some output. At the input stage, you have no other way than to average out all the future random events, and thus the butterfly effect seems the only dominating issue to you. Its essentially a perspective look. It thus prevents us from isolating specific causes of later conditions. However, we shall never know what would have happened if we had not disturbed it due to numerous subsequent random eventsmost of which are flaps of other butterflies. How the event unfolds, thus, depends very sensitively upon its present state, so that, even though it is not random, it seems to be. However, in reality, we usually look at any event in a retrospective angleafter it has already occurred. Innumerable butterfly flaps in the complex path of the event have already happened by then. These are realisations of different random variables, each of which had potential to change the course of the event as well. Its certainly a reflection of the domino effect or chain reactionthe cumulative effect produced when one event sets off a faraway change. However, the chain can completely be broken or directed differently by shifting just one domino a bit. For example, in late February, when the US President Donald Trump was on a state visit to India, Dr Nancy Messonnier, the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the US, publicly sounded an alarm about the severity of the coronavirus outbreak, warning that the outbreak would soon become a pandemic. And an angry Trump, in denial, threatened to fire her. Had Trump paid attention to her warning instead, the US might have averted the present situationwho knows! Again, the World Health Organization is under fire with the allegation that it ignored a crucial December email from Taiwan inquiring about the person-to-person spread of Covid-19. A timely action could have possibly reduced the intensity of the pandemic drastically. Did the initial reliance on herd immunity prove to be too costly for the UK? Were the countries of Europe late to close their respective borders? There are innumerable such butterflies in the complex route from the wet market of Wuhan in China to Italy, Europe, America and other parts of Asiamany of them had the potential to drastically cut the severity of the pandemic in different countries. Our usual instinct is to attach a specific cause to an event, and we cannot easily accept the randomness of the world. In the 2004 Hollywood movie The Butterfly Effect, the character played by Ashton Kutcher travels back in time and alters his troubled childhood so that the present could be altered. The results were dismal though. It clearly indicates that our ability to analyse and predict the functioning of the world is inherently limited. This pandemic, initiated by a Wuhan butterfly, is likely to be a combination of a lot more butterfly effects over time across the globe, and it might cause hurricanes that are longer and much more severe than we can currently predict. Atanu Biswas Professor of Statistics, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata (Email: appubabale@gmail.com) A pro-government think tank, the Danquah Institute has criticised the lack of clarity in the Electoral Commissions (EC) communications on the voter registration and other election-related controversies which it claims paved the way for propaganda by opponents. At a press conference held today, Monday, the Executive Director of the Institute, Richard Ahiagbah, said communication failure from the part of the EC contributed to the general unease on the matter. We find the EC's public education and sensitisation as a major reason why many Ghanaians are worried and sceptical about the compilation of a new voters register. The EC's public relations has also failed to give comfort to a coalition of civil society organizations and some political parties, Mr. Ahiagbah stated. One of the points of contention has been the ECs move to make the Ghana Card and Passports the only valid forms of identification for registering onto the electoral roll ahead of the registration in June. The commission has presented the Public Election (Amendment) regulation, 2020 (C.I. 126) to Parliament to amend C.I 91 in this regard. This sparked concerns from observers and political stakeholders alike that a significant number of Ghanaians will be disenfranchised because the National Identification Authority is yet to complete its registration exercise amid the disruption brought on by the novel coronavirus. This has even led the National Democratic Congress (NDC) accusing the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of conniving with the EC and the National Identification Authority(NIA) to rig the 2020 elections. On complaints about the identification requirements, Mr. Ahiagbah said: This is a needless dispute that we have had to engage in because the EC did not perform or function in its public relations as they ought to. He thus urged the EC to open up for engagement and objectively assess recommendations put forth by leading civil society organisations and members of the anti-corruption coalition. ---citinewsroom The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the oversight board responsible for resolving Puerto Rico's debt crisis, rejecting a bondholder challenge and bolstering the panel's efforts to pull the island out of its record bankruptcy. In a unanimous decision Monday, the Supreme Court said the board was appointed constitutionally, dismissing contentions that members needed to be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. A ruling against the board would have meant more upheaval for a U.S. territory that has been pounded by a hurricane in 2017 and earthquakes and the coronavirus outbreak this year. The bondholders, led by Aurelius Investment, were seeking to unravel much of the board's work and eventually get more for their stakes than the oversight panel is offering. Resolving the commonwealth's bankruptcy and debt load could eventually help clear the way for more investment and economic growth. "If they would have thrown out the board, it would have added significant uncertainty to a process that is already in some disarray due to the pandemic," said John Ceffalio, municipal credit research analyst at AllianceBernstein, which manages $50 billion of munis, including Puerto Rico bonds. "There are so many uncertainties and at least this takes one of those uncertainties off the table." Aurelius said the board violated the Constitution's appointments clause, which requires Senate confirmation for "officers of the United States." Writing for the court, Justice Stephen Breyer said the board wasn't subject to the appointments clause because the panel handles primarily local affairs. "The board possesses considerable power -- including the authority to substitute its own judgment for the considered judgment of the governor and other elected officials," Breyer wrote. "But this power primarily concerns local matters." Congress created the board in 2016. President Barack Obama selected the members, three Democrats and four Republicans, from a list provided by congressional leaders of both parties. The oversight board said in a statement it welcomes the ruling and is looking forward to continuing its work in the interest of the people of Puerto Rico. "Promesa's appointment process has established a bipartisan oversight board, ensuring balanced decisions to help Puerto Rico recover and prosper," the panel said, referring to the 2016 legislation that created the board. "It is paramount that we turn the corner from this crisis as soon as we can." The ruling is also a victory for the Trump administration, which backed the board at the Supreme Court. In a concurring opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor questioned whether Congress had any power to create the board at all, pointing to a 1950 agreement between the federal government and Puerto Rico. The "long-awaited promise" of that accord "seemed to be that the people of Puerto Rico may choose their own territorial officers, rather than have such officers foisted on the territory by the federal government," wrote Sotomayor, whose parents were born in Puerto Rico. Sotomayor said she "reluctantly" joined the court's judgment because those issues weren't before the justices. Aurelius had asked the Supreme Court to order dismissal of two of the bankruptcy cases, including the one centering on debt directly owned by the commonwealth. Although it's good to have the debate resolved, the ruling shouldn't affect bond prices, said Daniel Solender, head of municipals at Lord Abbett & Co., which manages $27 billion in state and local debt, including Puerto Rico securities. The more pressing issue for investors is whether the board will ask them to take bigger losses than those proposed in February with a group of bondholders, Solender said. The board last week said the island will have an estimated $15 billion less to pay investors during the next 12 years because of the coronavirus pandemic. "Right now the focus is on whether the commonwealth will stick with the previous plans or whether they will use the current economic situation to try to renegotiate," Solender said. The case is Financial Oversight and Management Board v. Aurelius, 18-1334. A major infiltration bid has been foiled by the Indian Army in the Kalal area in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on Monday. According to sources, the Indian Army deployed on the line of control noticed a group of terrorists trying to infiltrate into the Indian side through Arsal Nallah. On being challenged, the terrorists started firing towards the army. The fire was retaliated and in the fire, three infiltrating terrorists have been killed, sources added. Pakistan's efforts to spread terrorism foiled The Indian Army has been foiling all the efforts by Pakistan to create unrest in the Kashmir Valley. On Saturday, two unidentified terrorists were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. A cordon and search operation was launched following information about the presence of terrorists in Wanpora area of the south Kashmir district, according to a police official. The terrorists fired upon the forces, who retaliated. Two terrorists were killed in the gunfight, the official said. The identity and group affiliation of the slain militants were being ascertained, he added. On Thursday, the Pulwama police, the CRPF, and the Indian Army detected and destroyed a vehicle fitted with an IED after receiving timely input and taking proper action. READ | From CAA to COVID fight: Home Min Amit Shah lists achievements of Modi 2.0's first year Joining Republic TV live on Thursday, DGP Dilbagh Singh revealed that the police had received a credible tip-off about an IED-laden vehicle moving from one location to another and that the vehicle - a white Santro - was intercepted later after a couple of rounds were fired. The DGP also revealed that the modus operandi was similar to that of the heinous February 2019 Pulwama terror attack, pointing out that once again it was a car that was used, with a fake registration number. Further, a big barrel with 50-60 kg IED materials was found inside the vehicle. Further, the J&K DGP said that Pakistan-based Lakshar and Jaish were involved in this incident and that further investigation was underway. READ | Amit Shah says India in talks with China via 'diplomatic channels & Army officials' The terrorists managed to flee the spot after abandoning the car, and a manhunt is in progress in this regard. This happened on Wednesday evening after a vehicle skipped a signal between 8:30 to 9:30 pm at Aayangund Rajpora, Pulwama. The forces fired rounds in the air, and then followed the vehicles, forcing those inside it to scarper. READ | Amit Shah's interview with Arnab Goswami: On COVID, Mamata, CAA, Maharashtra, China & more READ | Amit Shah reveals reason for 'Unlock 1', says 'army of COVID warriors readied in 2 months' (With PTI inputs) A white Nebraska bar owner will not be charged in the fatal shooting of a black protester in downtown Omaha during a weekend of unrest over the death of George Floyd, it was revealed today. The shooting occurred at around 11pm on Saturday in the citys Old Market area and within a couple of blocks of where protesters had gathered. Police said they arrested someone within the hour in connection with the shooting of 22-year-old James Scurlock. Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said Monday that Jake Gardner, 38, a retired US Marine with a history of weapons charges who owns two popular bars near where the shooting happened, fired the fatal shot during a scuffle with protesters outside one of his businesses, the Hive. Kleine said the bar owner claimed self-defense, saying he feared for his life before the clash. Omaha bar owner Jake Garnder (left) won't face any charges in connection to the shooting death of James Scurlock, 22 (right), a black protester In a video, Gardner wearing a gray shirt appears to be speaking with the victim, who is in a dark shirt and jeans (left) Footage circulating on social media shows Scurlock being gunned down by Garnder Prosecutors showed video of the incident before Kleine announced that he wouldnt file charges. Shortly before the shooting the bar owner dressed in a gray shirt was backing up away from protesters and asking them to leave. Then Gardner was shoved to the ground before he fired two shots. Then Scurlock jumped on top of the bar owner. Kleine said Gardner asked Scurlock to get off of him several times, telling him, 'Get off me, get off me, please get off me,' before he fired the fatal shot, striking the young man in the neck. 'We felt that this case was a self-defense case at this time,' he said. Some witnesses said Gardner allegedly 'taunted' protesters and went out to the sidewalk yelling 'n****r lover'. From the video, it's unclear what happened before the shots were fired but witnesses claim Scurlock - who was with his brother - jumped on the shooter's back to stop him from using his weapon. Kleine, however, said during Monday's press conference that video evidence and witness accounts appear to contradict the narrative that Gardner was taunting protesters or using racial slurs. He quoted one protester who was interviewed by police as saying: 'I'm not a fan of the police department, but I was there and I didnt hear anything like that [slurs] when I was standing there.' Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine announced Monday his decision not to file charges against Gardner based on evidence that he acted in self-defnese Gardner, 38, pictured with his dog Bron, owns two bars in Omaha, The Hive and The Gatsby Just hours before the deadly incident, the retired Marine posted this update on Facebook, saying he planned to guard his business during protests Kleine said on Monday he hoped the decision not to file charges won't lead to additional protests in Omaha. 'It is a senseless death, a loss of a young man's life, it shouldn't have happened,' he said. 'We know that emotions are running very high...this decision may not be popular and may cause more people to be upset. I would hope that they understand that we're doing our job to the best of our ability and looking at the evidence and the law. Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, a Republican, threw his support behind Kleine's decision not to prosecute. 'Don Kleine is a well-respected prosecutor in the law community both in Omaha and in the state. If Don Kleine doesn't believe he can bring charges at this time, I believe him,' he said. 'Keep an open mind. We have to heal, and move on together.' A state senator acting as a lawyer for the Scurlock family appeared before reporters on Monday, calling Kleine's decision a 'rush to judgement,' and said that the case should have been brought before a grand jury to decide if there is enough evidence to charge Gardner. Prior to Kleine's announcement, James Scurlock's father, also named James, spoke out and called on the prosecutor to bring charges against his son's shooter. 'Last night, I lost a son,' he said Sunday afternoon at the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation Visitors Center. 'My kids lost a brother. His daughter lost a father. ... We want them to go to court,' as Omaha World Herald reported. Gardner is a retired Marine who served tours of duty in Iraq and Haiti between 2000-2004. Video played by Kleine on Monday shows a confrontation between Gardner and Black Lives Matter protesters outside his bar The Hive Gardner, left, is seen pointing a finger at one of the men gathered at the scene According to his LinkedIn page, Gardner opened The Hive Bar in Omaha in 2011, followed by The Gatsby in 2017. Documents obtained by The Daily Beast indicate that he has a past criminal record stretching back to the late 1990s, which includes multiple weapons-related charges, as well as arrests on counts of assault and battery. In 2016, Gardner, who reportedly self-identifies as a Libertarian, sparked a controversy when he posted on Facebook that transgender women should not use the women's bathroom at his establishment, unless they have had their 'appendage' removed and their identification legally changed. Just hours before the deadly clash, Gardner posted a status update on Facebook about protecting his business amid the unrest. 'Just when you think, "what else could 2020 throw at me?" Then you have to pull 48 hours of military style firewatch,' Gardner wrote. Following the shooting, which took place amid a second night of violent protests in Omaha, officials imposed a curfew on Nebraskas largest city, and national guard troops were mobilized to help police. The incident took place outside The Hive Bar on Saturday before 11pm. The homicide occurred after protests ended according to the mayor Police said they responded to the scene at approximately 11.01pm after officers reported hearing shots fired near 12th and Harney Street. 'Upon officers' arrival to the scene of 1207 Harney Street [the location of The Hive], they found a male suffering from a gunshot wound,' Omaha Police Department said in a statement. 'The male was transported to the Nebraska Medical Center where he succumbed to his injury.' 'The Omaha Police Department is not currently looking for any suspects,' OPD added. 'Investigators are in the process of reviewing all collected evidence, video, witness interviews and conferring with the Douglas County Attorney's office.' Police initially said Saturday night that the suspect was at large but soon after they tweeted that the shooter was in custody. On Sunday afternoon Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said the shooter was still detained but that any booking or 'charging decision on that front will come from the county attorney's office'. Protesters rally in response to the killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis near 72nd and Dodge in Omaha on Friday A man yells at Omaha police during a Black Lives Matter protest at 72nd and Dodge Streets on Friday Loved ones of Scurlock's have created a GoFundMe page to help his family. 'James was passionate for Justice, but today his fight ended as he was shot and killed downtown Omaha while protesting for the same Justice he deserves,' the page creator writes. 'May you Rest In Peace James.' On Sunday afternoon, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert said that protest were peaceful but following the demonstrations groups started destroying businesses. Police said the majority of people arrested on Saturday were white. According to witnesses, Scurlock was killed outside a business that had been damaged earlier in the night. Paul Kuroda/Special to The Chronicle A group of Oakland Police officers took a knee with protesters late Sunday amid a third night of demonstrations in the city over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The apparent act of solidarity was captured in a video posted to Twitter and retweeted by the Oakland Police Department. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Elastomeric foam insulation products are those which have insulation properties. These are light weight and thus reduce the overall weight of the structure. Furthermore, increasing industrialization, increasing miniaturization, and improving technologies are giving rise to an increased demand for the insulation materials, thus creating opportunities for elastomeric foam insulation which quickly made their stance in the market as soon as they were introduced. The properties of insulation and light weight within affordable price ranges have attracted the customers. New high-performance materials have been developed in the past decades and have proved to be useful in major application areas of the industrial and automotive sectors. But due to economical pricing and superior properties, elastomeric foam insulation materials have created their own niche. Research Methodology The elastomeric foam insulation market has been analyzed by utilizing the optimum combination of secondary sources and in-house methodology along with an irreplaceable blend of primary insights. The real-time assessment of the market is an integral part of our market sizing and forecasting methodology, wherein our industry experts and panel of primary participants helped in compiling the best quality with realistic parametric estimations. Further, the participation share of different categories of primary participants is given below: Request for Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/10295 Key Market Insights The automotive sector and the construction industry are the major contributors to the Global Elastomeric Foam Insulation Market owing to the high demand from developing countries and the increased foreign investment by the companies in these geographies. Regulations to limit the noise is further growing the demand of these products in the industrial and healthcare sectors. Healthcare is also one of the key growing end-users of the elastomeric foam insulation products. 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These insights help the business decision-makers to make better business plans and informed decisions for the future. In addition, the study helps the venture capitalists in understanding the companies better and take informed decisions. Request for Report Discount: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/10295 The production market is very competitive in the Global Elastomeric Foam Insulation Market with the presence of many big multinational companies competing among each other. All the companies are making huge investments on R&D to innovate and to attain more customers, thus, increasing their market share. Some of the prominent companies operating in the Global Elastomeric Foam Insulation Market include BASF SE, PolyOne Corporation, Dow Chemical Company, SABIC, Armacell, and K-Flex. Report Scope: Application Acoustic Insulation Hybrid Thermal Insulation End-users Automotive Construction Electrical & Electronics Healthcare Industrial Others Regions Asia Pacific Europe North America Rest of the World Industry outlook: Market trends, drivers, restraints, and opportunities More Info of Impact Covid19@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/10295 The White House in Washington, D.C., US, March 27, 2020. /Xinhua The former British Governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, has claimed that China wants a new Cold War. This is a blatantly false claim that completely ignores the unprovoked American hybrid war of aggression against China that's pushing the two towards this scenario. Patten is an imperialist by virtue of his former position; so his stance on this issue should be taken with skepticism and understood to be representative of foreign interests. The US and its closest allies, especially those in the so-called "Five Eyes," the intelligence-sharing alliance of Anglophone states, have been propagating a slew of information warfare narratives in recent months that share the common theme of indoctrinating their targeted audiences into thinking that China is responsible for an inevitable new Cold War. Some of the most popular claims are that it's a "regional aggressor" (particularly in the South China Sea), engaged in "unfair" trade practices," laying so-called "debt traps" for its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partners, and guilty of unleashing COVID-19 onto the world, among others. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned during a press conference on May 24 that these allegations are part of what he described as a "political virus" that's taking China and the US to the brink of a new Cold War. Now, Patten openly accuses China of wanting exactly that. An objective assessment of the facts reveals that China has not engaged in any hostility towards the US, but rather, has proudly defended its interests from its counterpart's attacks. The former British colonial official is perverting reality by misportraying the victim as the aggressor and vice versa, using Beijing's draft national security legislation for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) as the supposed pretext for his claims. This was a calculated move intended to cultivate the impression that the city is a flashpoint in the new Cold War. Hong Kong was selected for this role by foreign players because of its relatively recent reunification with the rest of China, which they believe makes it more prone to separatism than any other region of the country apart from Taiwan. Such thinking is evidence of mistaken judgement since the overwhelmingly vast majority of the city's residents are proud of having finally completed their historically inevitable task of reuniting with their brethren in the mainland following 150 years of imperial occupation. Some of the imperial legacy still persists, however, which is why it was agreed to gradually proceed with the political reincorporation of the city into the rest of China through the "One Country, Two Systems" policy. The HKSAR is an integral component of China, but it still retains some special political features as a result of its present autonomous status. This said status is an emotive issue for the city's residents, hence why it's been weaponized by external players over the past year. There is no credible risk to the city's autonomy despite whatever the US and its "Five Eyes" allies are fearmongering about in terms of the draft national security legislation for restoring law and order to the region following a year of externally exacerbated unrest. Nevertheless, these meddlers' foreign audiences are almost exclusively exposed to the same narrative being pushed upon by their governments alleging that the Chinese central government not their own is responsible for provoking the city's violent protest movement. Since Hong Kong used to be part of the Western world during the imperial period prior to its reunification with China in 1997, it's relatively easy to manipulate narratives surrounding the city in order to mislead foreign audiences into believing that China is behaving "aggressively." The US and its allies desperately need an external foe to distract their people from ever-worsening economic problems and to "justify" multi-billion-dollar military-industrial expenditures, which explains their obsession with sparking a new Cold War with China. For production designer Susie Mancinis work on the new Netflix series Space Force, the design directive was clear: Think Dr. Strangelove. The iconic brutalist-style sets created by production designer Ken Adam for the 1964 Stanley Kubrick classic proved the perfect fresh and futuristic inspiration for the new military workplace comedy starring Steve Carell. (Most notably, Adams concrete-lined bunker and triangular War Room with an oversize round conference table.) Executive producer Greg Daniels (writer and producer of The Office) and Mancini wanted to create a look that is steeped in a slightly enhanced reality while creating backdrops that dont overwhelm or distract the audience, she says. The series is a satirical look at Americas newly formed sixth branch of the armed forces known as Space Force. Actor and series cocreator Carell (The Office) plays four-star General Mark R. Naird, who, along with head scientist Adrian Mallory (John Malkovich), is ordered by the president in a text to put boots on the moon by 2024. (The comic text in question actually reads boobs on the moon.) Photo: AARON EPSTEIN/NETFLIX Mancini, who has never created the final frontier before, designed an expansive Space Force campus as the backdrop for much of the films action. There, a colorful team of scientists, engineers, and astronauts work to achieve world dominance in space. In the story, the campus is situated in Wild Horse, Colorado (exteriors were filmed at the California State University, Dominguez Hills theater building in Torrance). The designer says the structure of the headquarters was inspired by brutalist buildings, and she devised a design backstory as part of the process. We were really lucky to find a university campus [that] looked like a military base, she notes, and figured the government would have an abandoned building, particularly the old Soviet buildings that exist around the world. Story continues Photo: AARON EPSTEIN/NETFLIX Since the interiors were filmed on a soundstage, space was at a premium, so Mancini adapted the brutalist theory of less is more when it came to the windows. Every time you have windows, you use so much space, so I wanted to avoid them as much as possible and focus on the light coming from above. The result is a large ceiling in the central atrium area that casts shadows on the floor, creating a textured environment where the light is the protagonist. The designer also used classic brutalist details such as strong geometric lines and concrete, glass, iron, and metal materials with an accent of wood to give the industrial aesthetic a touch of warmth. For the color palette, Mancini offsets the redundancy of the architecture by using different tones of gray and black for the walls, adding texture with the marble floors and green tiles to break up the gray whenever possible, along with red fire extinguishers for a pop of color. Photo: AARON EPSTEIN/NETFLIX Inspired by the work from another Ken Adam film, the 1967 James Bond movie You Only Live Twice, Mancini favored the beautiful linear environment with very masculine materials and lines, she says. Set decorator Rachel Ferrara looked to the usual sources (antique shops, prop houses, thrift stores, and online along with custom-made tables and sconces) for General Nairds office, where organization, minimalism, and neatness were the order of the day. As part of the backstory that Naird would want his office to center on his past, his collection of medals and other items marking his achievements in his 20 years in the Air Force is prominently displayed. Photo: AARON EPSTEIN/NETFLIX Though NASA and the Pentagon did not open their doors to the production team for research, Mancini did get guidance from military advisor Max Vasquez. This is not a documentary and doesnt have to be exact and on point, she says, but we did want the experts to lead us on details of the way people interacted in the headquarters and on the military base. Photo: AARON EPSTEIN/NETFLIX The design team also worked with the private aerospace company Spacex (founded by Elon Musk) for direction on all things involving spaceship exploration. We havent been on the moon for a long time, and so many memories we have are grounded in the past. There is no official model of what it looks like [today], so we used Spacex for research, says Mancini. She discovered that the environment at Spacex is entirely different from what weve seen in movies such as Apollo 13 and The Right Stuff. As a movie viewer, I thought the cockpit was all metal and buttons, and now its a little room with one large screen that looks like an iPad. The control room was filled with midcentury chunky desks, old microphones, and phones, and lots of paperwork everywhere. As the command center, the control room was different from what the designer envisioned (complete with IKEA desks), so she created one with glass walls, a large screen, and a 360-degree environment where everyone could watch the launches. Photo: AARON EPSTEIN/NETFLIX See the video. Homage is also paid to Stanley Kubricks 2001: A Space Odyssey (where an astronaut/monkey astronaut conducts maintenance repairs) for the space environment both inside and outside the shuttle. And since this series is classic farce, the designers found inspiration for the chief of staff boardroom at the Pentagon from none other than North Korea. The ceiling is a lightbox and a nod to 2001, while the rest of the room is very much based on North Koreas conference room design with columns in the corner, paneling, and a big map of the world made of copper. No word yet if its Kim Jong Unapproved. Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest Embattled Governor Godwin Obaseki finally met his partys national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Lagos on Sunday. But Obaseki returned to Benin empty-handed. Tinubu had nothing but a shattering news for Obaseki. He could not save him from his godfather, Adams Oshiomhole, charging with a political cudgel. Rather, Tinubu advised Obaseki to go out there to test his popularity in the partys direct primary scheduled for 22 June. Tinubu gave the same advice to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state as the two governors and seven others met at a parley. The meeting was hosted at the Lagos House Marina by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Also at the meeting were governors Atiku Bagudu, Simon Lalong (Plateau), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Mai Buni(Yobe), Adegboyega Oyetola(Osun), Abubakar Bello(Niger) and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), who was the host. At the meeting Tinubu reportedly described democratic primary as a core element of internal democracy should not be jettisoned. A source at the meeting held at the State House, Marina, Lagos, said Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, emphasised the importance of primary to democracy, admonishing party leaders to safeguard it in the preparation for the choice of standard bearers. The Progressives Governorss Forum, led by Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu, unfolded plans last week to mount pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to support their push for right of first refusal to two of their colleagues, Akeredolu and Obaseki, for the governorship tickets. The polls will hold in Edo in September and Ondo in October. No fewer than 10 chieftains are competing for the ticket in Ondo APC with Akeredolu, who is seeking a second term. In Edo, other contenders have stepped down for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who is challenging Obaseki at the shadow poll. The Edo governor is also seeking re-election. Last week, National Working Committee (NWC) announced that direct primary will be adopted for the Edo APC shadow poll. According to the source, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma could not make it due to undisclosed reasons. The governors, who appeared to be in one accord, wanted the party to be fair to their two colleagues, who they said, should not be muscled out. Specifically, the governors wanted Tinubu to prevail on the party leadership to give Obaseki the right of first refusal, the source said. However, Tinubu went to the meeting with the position that it is better, more democratic, constitutionally right and politically defensible that all aspirants should go for primaries to test their popularity. He added that through free and fair selection process, the ruling party will successfully build a strong democratic culture. Tinubu, the source said, urged the governors to support the guidelines released by the NWC, maintaining that they are in the interest of the party. Although some of the governors revisited the acrimony and controversy generated by the contrasting perspectives on the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole leadership, which they acknowledged as a battle within battles, Tinubu pointed out that it was normal in political life. Besides, according to the source, the party stalwart counselled that since the conflict had been resolved, stakeholders should put the past behind them and forge ahead in harmony. The source said Asiwaju Tinubu reiterated his belief in fairness to the incumbent governors and other interested governorship aspirants in the two states. Asiwaju also said he believed in the direct primary. His argument was that the direct primary will boost the confidence of the flag bearer as he prepares for the main governorship election. Asiwaju Tinubu may have intervened in this sensitive nomination matter with a benefit of hindsight because as he rightly pointed out, direct primary produced Oyetola as Osun APC candidate and Babajide Sanwo-Olu as flag bearer in Lagos State. Besides, I think Asiwaju Tinubu is of the opinion that where there are more than one contender, primary should be adopted to foster equity, fairness and justice. After the meeting, Sanwo-Olu took the governors to see the photo exhibition of his activities in the last one year. Vogue editor Anna Wintour has published an impassioned plea for Joe Biden to name a woman of color as his vice president, calling on the Democratic presumptive nominee to act swiftly and urging her readers to register to vote in 'the election of our lifetimes'. Wintour, one of the most influential women in fashion and who has edited the magazine since 1988, spoke of her despair at the state of America in the midst of country-wide protests over racism and police brutality. 'The signs of division, anger, and chaos in our country are overwhelming and heartbreaking. And we have a disgraceful president who seems capable only of vile statements of hate, of stoking our divisions, and turning Americans against one another,' she wrote, in her magazine. 'I stand with those calling out that Black Lives Matter - even as I do not advocate violence and feel true pain at the damage to our cities and communities,' she wrote. Vogue editor Anna Wintour, pictured working from home during the coronavirus pandemic, has written a blog post urging Joe Biden to choose a woman of color as his running mate She said that Biden, the Democrat candidate to fight Trump for the presidency in November, must choose a woman of color as his running mate to better represent the American people. 'Joe Biden has already spoken with feeling and empathy about the death of George Floyd, but he has to do more: assume the mantle of president in waiting, raise his voice, and become the national leader we so desperately need,' she wrote. 'He must surround himself with the best and the brightest minds who represent all of America - and that means he should choose a woman of color to be his vice president, and he should do it soon. 'What an important symbol she will be for a country that is long and tragically overdue for new leadership.' Biden has already said that he will choose a woman as his vice president. Joe Biden pictured on March 9 at a rally in Detroit - one of his last campaign stops before covid His team have reportedly been in discussion with Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar, who challenged Biden for the nomination. Klobuchar, however, has been facing tough questions about a series of police brutality cases that went uncharged during her 1998-2006 tenure as county attorney in Hennepin County, where George Floyd was killed last week. Asked on Friday whether her track record in Minneapolis should disqualify her from being Biden's running mate, she replied: 'This is Joe Biden's decision and he was an excellent vice president and he's going to make the best decision for him for, our country, for the [coronavirus] pandemic and the crisis we're facing.' Biden is also believed to be considering several women of color - among them California senator Kamala Harris, the daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants; Thai-American senator Tammy Duckworth; and African American politician Stacey Abrams, a former member of the Georgia house of representatives and the first black woman to become the gubernatorial nominee for a major party in the United States. Kamala Harris, California senator, challenged Biden for the nomination but now endorses him Harris and Biden pictured at a March 9 rally in Detroit - the day after she formally endorsed him Stacey Abrams, the first black woman to become the gubernatorial nominee for a major party in the United States, is said to be another possible vice president for Joe Biden Tammy Duckworth, Illinois senator, is reportedly being considered as Biden's vice president Wintour described the November vote as 'the election of our lifetimes'. She wrote: 'The signs of division, anger, and chaos in our country are overwhelming and heartbreaking. And we have a disgraceful president who seems capable only of vile statements of hate, of stoking our divisions, and turning Americans against one another. 'The challenges ahead of us are steep. We have historic unemployment, endless lines at food banks, and an epidemic that has disproportionately and cruelly affected minority communities.' She urged her readers to register to vote, and called on Biden to make his vice president decision quickly. Former health minister and a member of the National Democratic technical team for the coronavirus, Mr. Alex Segbefia has bemoaned the lack of discipline as the government has eased restrictions on some aspect of social gatherings. He underscored the need for Ghanaians to be disciplined and adhere to the safety protocols despite alluding to the fact that discipline does not exist. He was worried some persons are still of the belief that the coronavirus was a myth. Mr. Segbefia admonished churches, mosques to put in measures to ensure the virus is contained. The easing of restrictions and the directive to allow the Electoral Commission and National Identification Authority (NIA) to resume their operations means they would be more contacts hence the need for strict measures to be taken to ensure the cases are not increased further. Speaking to Kwame Agyapong on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5f, he cautioned authorities not to bang all their hopes in our low mortality rate but rather strive to protect lives. Persons with underlining health conditions such as diabetics, heart disease, hypertension and others stand at higher risk should we record more cases and so we have to protect all these persons, he added. President Nana Akufo-Addo on Sunday announced changes to the COVID-19 protocols being implemented to contain the spread of the virus. Mr Akufo-Addo indicated that schools should resume for final year students in Universities, Senior High Schools (SHSs) and Junior High Schools (JHSs). Similarly, churches and mosques have been asked to resume normal worship services but only with 100 people in attendance during each period. Attendees are to wear masks, observe social distancing and names recorded for each service. Meanwhile, fumigation of churches, mosques and schools will be undertaken ahead of reopening whereas all teachers and students will be provided with face masks. Security services have been tasked to enforce rules of easing. The president declared that institutions who flout regulations will be sanctioned without fear or favour. Source: rainbowradio.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 Albany County Executive Dan McCoy estimated that over $1 million worth of damage was done to businesses and property across the county in the violence that broke out hours after an anti-police brutality rally in Albany on Saturday. The rally unfolded during the afternoon and ended peacefully but individuals later gathered at the police department's South Station, throwing rocks at police vehicles and then officers who came out in riot gear to drive off the crowd. Afterward, individuals vandalized property along South Pearl Street, Central Avenue and other streets in the city, smashing windows and doing other damage to government offices and businesses. Windows are replaceable right? Bricks and mortar are replaceable. Buildings are replaceable, McCoy said. But the scar it leaves on the community going forward for a while makes it hard, right? And we need to heal and we need all to come together and figure out why we ended up where were at and talk to community leaders and African-American leaders in the community and see how we can go forward. In the aftermath, McCoy said it was upsetting to speak to business owners, some of whom were preparing to finally reopen their businesses after months of shutdown due to the pandemic. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Several county office buildings were damaged including the Board of Elections and Office of Mental Health in the old state Department of Motor Vehicle building near South Station. The county courthouse and probation department were also damaged. Saturday's rally was held to protest the continued use of lethal police force against unarmed black people, including the recent death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. The Company has Surpassed its Previous Monthly Record, of $19,062.25 in E-Commerce Sales, Posted During April 2020 NEW YORK, NY, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: TAUG) (Tauriga or the Company), a revenue generating, diversified life sciences company, with proprietary CBD & CBG infused chewing gums and edibles product(s) as well as two ongoing Biotechnology initiatives, today announced that its highest margin business segment (E-Commerce), continues to demonstrate accelerating levels of growth, momentum, and overall strength. For the month of May 2020, the Company has established a new monthly record with respect to its E-Commerce sales. The Company is confident that its existing fulfillment infrastructure can handle significant levels of additional growth, should that occur. Additionally, the Company maintains substantial levels of inventory on hand, for all of its products and product lines (fully paid for). On May 22, 2020, the Company announced the launch of its redesigned and revamped E-Commerce website with Shopify integrated as its functional platform. In addition, the Companys E-Commerce fulfillment center is now shipping orders of its Peach-Lemon flavor Cannabigerol (CBG) infused version of Tauri-Gum. Please visit the Companys E-Commerce website at: www.taurigum.com ABOUT TAURIGA SCIENCES, INC. Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (TAUG) is a revenue generating, diversified life sciences company, engaged in several major business activities and initiatives. The company manufactures and distributes several proprietary retail products and product lines, mainly focused on the Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG) Edibles market segment. The main product line, branded as Tauri-Gum, consists of a proprietary supplement chewing gum that is both Kosher certified and Vegan formulated (CBD Infused Tauri-Gum Flavors: Mint, Blood Orange, Pomegranate) & (CBG Infused Tauri-Gum Flavor: Peach-Lemon). The Companys commercialization strategy consists of a broad array of retail customers, distributors, and a fast-growing E-Commerce business segment (E-Commerce website: www.taurigum.com). Please visit our corporate website, for additional information, as well as inquiries, at www.tauriga.com. Complementary to the Companys retail business, are its two ongoing biotechnology initiatives. The first one relates to the development of a Pharmaceutical grade version of Tauri-Gum, for nausea regulation (specifically designed to help patients that are subjected to ongoing chemotherapy treatment). On March 18, 2020, the Company announced that it filed a provisional U.S. patent application covering its pharmaceutical grade version of Tauri-Gum. The Patent, filed with the U.S.P.T.O. is Titled MEDICATED CBD COMPOSITIONS, METHODS OF MANUFACTURING, AND METHODS OF TREATMENT. The second one relates to a collaboration agreement with Aegea Biotechnologies Inc. for the co-development of a rapid, multiplexed, Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) test with superior sensitivity and selectivity. The Company is headquartered in New York City and operates a regional office in Barcelona, Spain. In addition, the Company operates a full-time E-Commerce fulfillment center located in LaGrangeville, New York. DISCLAIMER -- Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which represent managements beliefs and assumptions concerning future events. These forward-looking statements are often indicated by using words such as may, will, expects, anticipates, believes, hopes, believes, or plans, and may include statements regarding corporate objectives as well as the attainment of certain corporate goals and milestones. Forward-looking statements are based on present circumstances and on managements present beliefs with respect to events that have not occurred, that may not occur, or that may occur with different consequences or timing than those now assumed or anticipated. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements due to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, such as are not guarantees of general economic and business conditions, the ability to successfully develop and market products, consumer and business consumption habits, the ability to consummate successful acquisition and licensing transactions, fluctuations in exchange rates, and other factors over which Tauriga has little or no control. Many of these risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in the Risk Factors section of Taurigas Form 10-K and other filings made from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and Tauriga assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. CONTACT INFORMATION Tauriga Sciences, Inc. 555 Madison Avenue, 5th Floor New York, NY 10022 Chief Executive Officer Mr. Seth M. Shaw Email: sshaw@tauriga.com Cell # (917) 796 9926 Instagram: @taurigum Twitter: @SethMShaw Corp. Website: www.tauriga.com E-Commerce Website: www.taurigum.com Attachment LANSING, MI -- Lansing residents were put under curfew shortly after 9 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, as protests against police brutality in the citys downtown area near the capitol grew increasingly violent, according to city leaders. Residents were notified of the curfew in an emergency alert, which warned people to stay off city streets. In a press release, Lansing Mayor Andy Schor said the curfew would run until 5 a.m. on June 1. The rally this afternoon was peaceful and respectful, and focused on expressing anger and frustration with police brutality and racial injustice. I was there to stand with the Lansing Police Department as they reaffirmed that they do not stand for police brutality. Unfortunately, the demonstration has now turned violent. The situation is unfolding quickly, and the police are present to help keep our city safe, Schor said in a press release. I understand the frustration, the anger, and outrage, but I implore our residents to continue to demonstrate peacefully. The destruction of property will not solve our problems. The loss of life is tragic and senseless, and I am here to listen and learn. Please reach out to me to create platforms for city leaders, our police, and the community to dialogue, said Council President Peter Spadafore. The Michigan State Police in a tweet said the order was issued due to the destruction of property in downtown Lansing and warned those who do not leave would face arrest. Notice: City of Lansing has enacted a curfew effective immediately due to violence and destruction of property occurring in downtown. Individuals are advised to leave now or face arrest. #LansingProtest MSP First District (@MSPFirstDist) June 1, 2020 Thousands of protesters gathered in Lansing Sunday afternoon for a peaceful demonstration against police brutality after the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died after being handcuffed by Minneapolis police investigating an alleged forgery on May 25. Video shared widely on social media shows white Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyds neck for several minutes. In the footage, Floyd can be heard repeatedly saying he cannot breathe as civilians urge Chauvin to get off him and check his pulse. Related: Thousands gather at Michigan Capitol for protest against police brutality The incident sparked protests across the nation and in Michigan, where other large cities are also under curfew. Detroit put an 8 p.m. curfew in place, and Grand Rapids put a 7 p.m. curfew in place after demonstrations in both cities escalated and turned violent this weekend. In Lansing, the daytime protest was peaceful. But as the city edged toward nightfall, photos and videos of broken windows in the citys downtown district circulated on social media. MLive media partner WLNS reported protesters smashed the windows of a Chase bank branch and flipped over a car. Related stories: Grand Rapids mayor orders 7 p.m. curfew after night of rioting Detroit to impose curfew Sunday night starting at 8 p.m., says Mayor Mike Duggan Police brutality protests in Michigan: What you need to know from this weekends rallies, riots Thousands gather at Michigan Captiol for protest against police brutality Body of woman found in Cancun that of Venezuelan resident Cancun, Q.R. The State Prosecutors Office (FGE) says they are moving forward with their investigation into the discovery of a deceased woman in SM 217 of Cancun Saturday morning. The Fiscalia General del Estado (FGE) says the woman, who has been positively identified by family, was reported missing May 26. Police began a search for her, however, they say an anonymous call to emergency 911 reporting the finding of a lifeless body lead to her discovery. The woman has been identified as 29-year-old Venezuelan national Corina Y.V.Z. She was a 2-year resident of Cancun and had worked for Uber. Her body was found decapitated lying on Leona Vicario Avenue in region 217. Motive for her death is unknown. No arrests have been made. Police continue to search for those responsible. * GRAPHIC-2020 asset returns: tmsnrt.rs/2jvdmXl (Recasts, adds comment, changes dateline from Singapore) By Pratima Desai LONDON, June 1 (Reuters) - Copper prices rose on Monday as stronger manufacturing data from top consumer China and loosening of lockdowns to contain the new coronavirus stoked expectations of healthier demand prospects. Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange was up 0.7% at $5,415 a tonne at 0853 GMT. Prices of the metal used widely in the power and construction industries earlier touched $5,457.50 a tonne, close to the 10-week high of $5,464 seen on May 21. Barring the tail risks of a second wave, we seem to be past the trough, but it is a gradual grind upwards, said Capital Economics analyst Kieran Clancy. Clearly though there is some permanent damage from the first few months of the year, stocks have built up and we expect metal prices to end the year below where we started. INDUSTRY: A private business survey showed Chinas factory activity unexpectedly returned to growth in May, while a similar survey for larger Chinese firms showed rising activity in the services and construction sectors. However, both surveys showed export orders shrank. TECHNICALS: Copper has breached the 100-day moving average at $5,442. Traders say stronger momentum is needed for an attempt at the upside and resistance at the $5,590 Fibonacci retracement level. INVENTORIES: Stocks of copper MCUSTX-TOTAL in LME registered warehouses at 255,725 tonnes are double the levels seen in the middle of January. Sliding tin stocks MSNSTX-TOTAL in LME warehouses, at a one-year low of 2,455 tonnes, and large <0#LME-WHC> holdings of warrants and cash contracts CMSN0-3 are behind the elevated premium for the cash over the three-month contract. The premium hit a one-year high above $190 a tonne in May and was last at $97 a tonne. Three-month tin was up 0.8% at $15,530. OTHER METALS: Aluminium was down 0.7% at $1,537 a tonne, zinc was little changed at $1,987, lead slipped 0.8% to $1,660 and nickel added 1.3% to $12,490. (Reporting by Mai Nguyen; Editing by Vinay Dwivedi and Mark Potter) TWO PSNI officers selected for random drugs tests were found to have shaved every hair from their body. This resulted in the tests, which would have indicated if they had taken drugs in the last three months, being abandoned as they rely on analysis from hair samples. The cops, who were based at the same station in Belfast, are still with the force. Details of the farce emerged after PSNI chiefs confirmed that 15 serving officers have tested positive for a controlled drug being in their system. The admission was contained in a response to a Freedom of Information request by a member of the public. Read More Expand Close Hair drugs test / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Hair drugs test However, many more have been missed including bent cop Allan Kennedy who is serving a jail sentence after pleading guilty to drug dealing while a serving officer. The PSNI said: "Since the inception of random and intelligence-led drug testing, there have been a total of 1,475 tests. Of these tests a total of 15 indicated as 'positive' for the presence of a controlled drug." PSNI sources who alerted Sunday Life to the issue said that drug-taking by officers is a bigger problem than the public realises. One revealed: "I have personally overheard officers talking about their drug use while on duty, it's as common in the PSNI as it is in any other profession. "I also know of some crazy situations involving testing. There was a round of drug testing at a station in Belfast and two officers turned up to a briefing without a single hair on their bodies. "They had obviously been tipped off that there were drug testers waiting on them. One of those involved has a close relative who is a senior officer. The feeling is that this person forewarned them about the drug tests." The PSNI introduced compulsory random drug testing over a decade ago. Those officers selected to take part are only supposed to find out at the last minute, but insiders say that test plans are often known days before. "It's the intelligence-led drug tests that have turned up the positive results, not the random ones because most officers find out when they are to take place," added a source. In its most recent internal service instruction document from 2018 the PSNI strongly warns its staff against taking drugs. It advises: "Any individual involved in the misuse of drugs exposes themselves to vulnerability in terms of corruption, blackmail, and integrity and faces disciplinary and criminal consequences." Internal PSNI drug testing usually involves taking a urine sample, however this only indicates whether drugs have been consumed in the previous 10 days. The hair follicle test, which is generally only used on new recruits, covers a three-month period. In 2017 rogue cop Allan Kennedy (left), who was based at Strandtown PSNI station in Belfast, pleaded guilty to dealing drugs and being a cocaine addict while a serving officer. He was jailed for five-and-a-half years after also confessing to trying to buy an untraceable gun on the dark web. Searches of the 34-year-old's car and home uncovered cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis. Jailing him, a judge said: "It is accepted that you were a user of class A drugs and were supplying others in order to feed your habit. It is accepted you should be treated as a commercial supplier of drugs." The Sri Lankan government is planning to reopen the tourism industry in the country within two weeks by inviting small tour groups which would be allowed to stay only in five-star hotels, Colombo-based The Sunday Times has reported. These groups would be accommodated from the middle of the next month under strict health restrictions, the newspaper has reported. Individual tourists, however, would not be entertained. "The tourists will be required to carry a COVID-19 free certificate issued either by their governments or a reputed agency. On arrival, they will be held back at the airport for six hours during which a PCR test will be carried out," Sri Lanka's Tourism Ministry Secretary S. Hettiaarachchi said. Assistance would be sought from private hospitals, and lab facilities would be set up by the government at Bandaranaike International Airport and the Mattala International Airport. The luxury hotels where the tourists will be accommodated would also need to obtain a clearance certificate stating that necessary precautions have been taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus. 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 tourists will not be allowed to get off the buses midway and will be able only to visit selected destinations where they could avoid crowds," Hettiaarachchi said. Among other precautions, a second test would also be conducted to determine whether they have been infected with the virus, and regular temperature checks will be carried out, according to the report. Sites such as the Yala national park, Udawalawe, Arugam Bay, Trincomalee and selected beach areas would be accessible to the visiting groups. Several countries in Europe, including Greece and Portugal, are planning to open their borders for tourists in a gradual manner after months of being in a lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Press Release June 1, 2020 Hontiveros urges OWWA: Address food, health needs of OFWs awaiting transport to their provinces Gov't must closely coordinate OFW repatriation efforts in airports, quarantine centers, senator says Senator Risa Hontiveros today urged the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to immediately address the food and health needs of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) waiting for their flights back to their home provinces, after reports showed that many OFWs stuck at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were not provided with food, water and other basic services. "Our Overseas Filipino Workers, as modern-day heroes, deserve to be treated better. Huwag naman sana hayaan ng pamahalaan na pagkatapos ng kalbaryo sa mandatory quarantine, ay maharap pa sa gutom, pagod at buong araw na pila ang mga OFW para lang makauwi sila sa kanilang mga pamilya," she said. Hontiveros made her call after a number of OFWs complained about the lack of assistance of OWWA and other government agencies to OFWs forced to wait for long hours at the NAIA Terminal 2 just to fly home to their provinces. The OFWs, who have finished weeks of mandatory quarantine upon returning to the country, were not provided ample meals or water, and were stationed in hot, uncomfortable areas in the airport as they waited for nearly 24 hours for available flights. A female OFW even reportedly collapsed while at the terminal, due to heat, hunger and exhaustion. She said that OWWA and other agencies handling the transport of OFWs under the 'Balik Probinsiya' program should closely coordinate with airport officials to provide for the basic needs of OFWs now being dropped off at NAIA and other airports for their flights. "Naiintindihan natin na medyo limitado ang mga flights ngayon kaya may congestion, pero siguro naman ay kaya ng OWWA na magorganisa ng pagbigay ng sapat na pagkain at tubig para sa mga OFW habang sila ay naghihintay sa paliparan," she said. She added that the Department of Health and other agencies should ensure that vulnerable passengers like the elderly, pregnant women, and newly-born children will have separate holding areas to better protect them from health risks, as she noted that some pregnant OFWs have lined up in the airport despite the danger posed to their health. Citing the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)'s recent recommendations, Hontiveros said that government should immediately review the capacity of NAIA Terminal 2's holding areas and study how the airport could shorten waiting time for OFWs, provide more buses to ferry stranded OFWs, and ensure the faster release of COVID-19 test results for OFWs staying in quarantine centers. "If government fails to act, this problem at the airports will only worsen given that 42,000 more OFWs are set to return to the country in the months ahead. We should implement comprehensive solutions that will allow our OFWs to safely return to their loved ones at the soonest time possible," she said. - President Akufo-Addo has indicated that Ghana now imports less and produces more products locally - This formed part of his address to Ghanaians on Sunday, May 31, 2020 - The president gave details of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) produced to stem the spread of COVID-19 Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in President Akufo-Addo has revealed that Ghana now relies less on imports and now produces more locally. As part of measures implemented by the government to combat COVID-19, he shed light on measures taken by the government in that regard. According to him, Ghana has so far produced a significant number of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to stem the spread of the coronavirus. READ ALSO: COVID-19: Nana Addo lists 11 local foods to boost immune systems of Ghanaians He explained that they include 4,440,690 gloves, 3,524,205 nose masks, 62,194 goggles and 109,829 litres of sanitizers. Ghana has also produced 85,995 headcovers, 82,655 gowns, 53,517 medical scrubs and 43,633 N-95 face masks. YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the Ministry of Trade and Industry has teamed up with some financial institutions to provide support for companies under the One District One Factory Initiative. YEN.com.gh has learned that 172 companies have enjoyed GHC1.7 billion as part of the governments industrialization agenda. Shedding light on the details of the package, the sector minister, Alan Kyeremanteng, explained that the funds come in the form of interest subsidies or counterpart financing. READ ALSO: EOCO arrests Payboy officials after they were chosen to pay debts owed Menzgold clients Enjoyed reading our story? Download YEN's news app on Google Playstore now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news! Bawumia fires Mahama - Stop embarrassing yourself; always check the data before you talk | #Yencomgh Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page or on Instagram with your stories, photos or videos Source: YEN.com.gh Man who threatened to blow up Metro Bridge in Kyiv detained police Police on Monday arrested a man who threatened to blow up the Metro Bridge in Kyiv. "At 15:20, a man, who said he possessed a bomb and threatened to blow up the Metro Bridge was arrested," Ukraine's Patrol Police said on Facebook on Monday. A slimming group in Co Armagh, which has taken its meetings online during the lockdown, has notched up the highest virtual number of members in all of Ireland. The Portadown, Craigavon and Lurgan branch of Slimming World Group has seen around 1,300 of its usual 2,000 members tuning in via Zoom for their weekly classes and additional support. It makes the team, which has 16 consultants, the most successful out of all the Slimming World groups across Northern Ireland and the Republic. And despite the temptations of comfort eating during lockdown, many members have not only achieved their target weights, but credit the group with easing isolation and keeping their spirits up. Among them is healthcare worker Annabelle Merriman, who has lost two stone and four pounds despite working long shifts. She and new husband Mark, who has also reached his target weight, recently moved to Portadown from Scotland. She said: The group has been very important to help both of us feel part of the community. Ive met some wonderful people, people who I will be friends with for life and Ive made some wonderful memories. We have shared laughs at our meetings and virtual meetings and looking back Im so glad that I joined because I definitely couldnt have lost that weight without the support of the group and now our virtual groups. Meanwhile, grandfather-of-12 Sid Irwin, who struggles with his mental health, said the group meetings had helped him cope despite a few meltdowns. He also achieved his three-and-a-half stone loss milestone award last week. The 59-year-old said: Im a very sociable person, love chatting, so being told to stay away from everyone, especially grandkids, isnt easy. I miss my church and coffee shops. Slimming World consultant Geraldine Haughian said that even older members who werent familiar with technology had managed to take part online, and that the classes had been hugely successful. When the announcement was made that meant we couldnt run groups, we were devastated, she said. We contacted every one of our members who were also feeling lost and worried about how they were going to cope. So we knew we had to find a way. Like everyone, our members were dealing with a whole range of issues, worrying about family and friends becoming ill, whether they could work or not, feeling isolated and comfort eating as a result. She added: Being able to chat and catch up with friends is wonderful and its what is helping everyone deal with our new normal and be able to have a more positive outlook for what lies ahead. For more information log on to Co Armagh Slimming World Facebook page or phone Amanda Girvan on 07515 945 461 or Geraldine Haughian on 07857 254 669 The Kapurthala police have cracked the NRI couple murder case and arrested three persons, including their tenant, here on Monday. Canada-based Kirpal Singh and his wife Davinder Kaur, both in their 70s, were found dead at their house in Onkar Nagar on Saturday night. They had come to their ancestral house four months ago. Addressing a press conference here, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Satinder Singh said the accused tenant, Jagdev Singh, along with his two friends brutally murdered the couple with sharp-edged weapons and later fled from the spot. The SSP said Suraj Kumar of Friends Colony and his friend Ranjeet Singh from Haryana helped Jagdev to execute the couple before looting 12,000, two gold bangles and mobile phones. Suraj has been arrested from Phagwara, while Jagdev and Ranjeet were nabbed from Haryana. A police team is bringing them back, the SSP said adding, Motive of the crime will be ascertained after interrogating the accused. A case under Section 302 (murder) has been registered against the trio. The damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic to Hong Kongs retail sector showed signs of easing in April, with the value of retail sales dropping 36.1 per cent year on year, a slight improvement from the 42.1 per cent year-on-year contraction in March. But the sector still marked its 15th consecutive month of contraction in April, according to provisional figures released on Monday by the Census and Statistics Department, while the citys retail management association has warned of a very challenging time in June. The values of total retail sales in April and March were HK$24.1 billion (US$3.1 billion) and HK$23 billion respectively. By volume, retail sales dropped 37.5 per cent year on year in April, compared with 44 per cent year on year in March. In the first four months of the year, spending in dollar terms fell 35.3 per cent from the same period last year to HK$107.55 billion. A pedestrian walks past a shuttered shop in Mong Kok. Photo: K.Y. Cheng A government spokesman said: The year-on-year decline in retail sales remained huge in April, though narrower than that in March, reflecting severe disruptions caused by the pandemic and its containment measures. He added that the business environment for retail trade remained challenging, as the pandemic had brought inbound tourism to a halt, and austere labour market conditions and various uncertainties continued to weigh on consumption sentiment. Hong Kong Retail Management Association chairwoman Annie Tse Yau On-yee said: The narrowing down of decline in April could be because people were forced to cancel their overseas trips during Easter and remain in the city amid the Covid-19 shutdown. She also expected a very challenging time in June amid signs of a resurgence of anti-government protests. The association urged the citys landlords and developers to cut retailers rents by up to 75 per cent for at least six months to help them survive the recession. Story continues Tse said the rent discount that landlords and developers had earlier offered was not enough to cover losses and support operations. She also urged the government to take a cue from Singapore and introduce regulations to restrict landlords from taking legal action against retailers who had been unable to pay rent for at least nine months. The Hong Kong government rolled out a series of travel curbs and social-distancing measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus after the pandemic hit the city in January. The measures included closing all but three border checkpoints, suspending classes in schools and asking civil servants and private sector employees to work from home. In March, the government expanded mandatory quarantine measures to all international arrivals, while air entry by non-residents was barred entirely except for those from mainland China, Macau and Taiwan. Tourist arrivals in Hong Kong collapsed in March to 82,000, down 99 per cent year on year. In April, the number fell further to 4,125. More from South China Morning Post: This article Coronavirus: Hong Kong retail sales still falling but April figures offer signs of hope first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. The Temple Mount compound reopened on May 31 to both Muslims and Jews after being closed for more than two months. Hundreds of worshippers arrived to the site on Sunday, after the announcement on the opening. Muslims are still not allowed to enter Al-Aqsa mosque. The mosque and the Dome of the Rock remain closed to all visitors, with Muslim prayers held in the open in marked areas. The current instructions for all prayer houses are in place for the Temple Mount, limiting public gatherings to 50 people. Jews are allowed to visit under the usual conditions of entering the complex at specific time slots in the morning and in the afternoon, and without praying. Hundreds of Muslim worshipers waited outside the gates to the Temple Mount complex at dawn on Sunday, many of them singing, With blood and spirit we will redeem al-Aqsa." The site had 206 Jewish visitors, including several former Knesset members on the political right. Leaders of the Muslim Waqf, which manages the site, refused at the beginning of the pandemic to ban Muslims from entry. They changed their minds on March 15 as the virus spread. The Israeli police placed a blanket ban on Jews visiting the site for the same reason. According to some reports, Israel, Jordan (which is also involved in the management of the site) and the Waqf authorities reached an agreement to close the site, with only a handful of Waqf officials authorized to enter. Reacting to these reports, Israeli activists petitioned the court for the ban to be lifted, but the request was rejected. Israels government agreed to reopen prayer houses as of May 20. But the reopening of mosques was delayed until after Eid al-Fitr on May 24 to avoid mass gatherings, with the reopening of Temple Mount compound set for June 1, after the Muslim Eid and after the Jewish Shavuot holiday. Still, the reopening of the site comes at a particularly tense moment in Jerusalem, with police apprehensive over possible conflicts and riots. On May 30, an Israeli police officer shot and killed autistic 32-year-old Iyad al-Hallak, sparking outrage among Palestinians. Hallak was shot in Jerusalems old city, with police claiming he had appeared to be holding a gun. According to reports, Hallak was unarmed and had apparently not understood officers orders to halt. The killing of Hallak generated large demonstrations in East Jerusalem, and hundreds of people attended his funeral procession on May 31. Despite the growing tensions in the city, Israel police reported that the reopening of the especially volatile Temple Mount compound went relatively calmly. Police detained eight Muslims after they allegedly shouted nationalistic slogans at a group of Jews visiting the site, trying to disrupt their visit. But no major conflicts were reported. Tara Poleon at the spot where she saved the womans life A shopper who decided to have a sandwich by the Boyne ended up rescuing a woman who had got into difficulty in the water. Tara Poleon grabbed a life ring and she and other members of the public managed to get the woman out of the river in Drogheda. Tara was credited with saving the woman's life by the Boyne Fishermen's Rescue and Recovery Service (BFRRS), which said it was a timely reminder to never tamper with life rings. "I went to the shop for a housemate and as it was just coming up to lunchtime I decided to get myself a roll," Tara said. "It was a nice day, so I sat at the water's edge and fed some of it to the seagulls. I do that regularly enough." Tara was "not really paying a lot of attention to anyone around me", and then she spotted somebody in the river. Tara, who is originally from Dunboyne, Co Meath, said: "I thought about it for a second and then decided it was iffy-looking and I went down and took a look. "When I did, I saw the woman was floating in the water and her dress was around her and I knew something was wrong." Cold Tara shouted to people on the nearby De Lacy Bridge beside Scotch Hall Shopping Centre to telephone for help, and then rushed to the water's edge. "I was thinking, 'Oh, my God, what am I going to do?' I wouldn't even swim across a swimming pool. "I thought time was of the essence and nobody else would have been close enough to get to her in time." Just as she was wading into the river, a man threw her a life ring. "I looped it in my arm and got into the water and started heading towards the woman. It was brutally cold," Tara said. "She was face down and not moving. "She was probably six feet away from me and I was up to my chin, trying to walk on my tiptoes. "She was kind of getting away from me, going with the current, so I made a big lunge and grabbed her dress." The man who threw the life ring had come down the steps and was walking along the rocks, so Tara was able to shout to him to tug the rope, and he managed to pull the two of them to the bank. They were met by a boat crew from the BFRRS, who took the woman to the medical room at their base and tended to her until an ambulance crew arrived a few minutes later. Tara was also checked out at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and was allowed to go home a few hours later. The woman she rescued was also taken to the hospital, and her family has been in contact with Tara. Rescue service spokesperson Jason Clarke said: "Well done to the woman who saved her. With the help of the life ring, this person's life was saved. "The rescue highlighted that life rings should not be tampered with. "We get a serious amount of them being tampered with. They help save lives, and this is an example." Dangerous One of the rescue service's calls last week was to a group of around 15 youths in the Boyne near Townley Hall on the Drogheda to Slane road. "There was a massive group playing in the most dangerous part of the river at the salmon traps," Mr Clarke said. "Out there seems to be a hotspot, and the kids don't realise the undercurrents, especially when the tide turns." Tara said it was not the first time she had saved someone's life - she performed the Heimlich manoeuvre on a woman choking in a restaurant in Trim four years ago. Press Release June 1, 2020 Bong Go warns Filipinos against scammers; urges concerned government agencies to investigate, put to justice those who take advantage of COVID-19 crisis to make money Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go warned the public against scammers who use his name and President Rodrigo Duterte's to buy and sell medical supplies amid the current COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Go said that he was made aware of reports on certain groups using his name and that of the President to purchase and sell medical supplies. He then clarified that his office does not buy nor sell such supplies because that is not his job as legislator, and that there are concerned government agencies in charge of procuring them. "Scam at walang katapusang fake news po iyan. Hindi po bumibili ang opisina ko ng anumang medical supplies. Hindi ko trabaho iyan," he said. "Mayroon pong ahensya ng gobyerno na may mandato para bumili ng mga iyan. Kung marami po kayong supply ng masks, i-donate niyo nalang sa mga nangangailangan nang walang bayad kaysa magpaloko po kayo sa mga nangsasamantala at ginagamit pa ang pangalan namin sa kalokohan nila," he added. The Senator further emphasized that he and President Duterte will not allow these unscrupulous individuals to profit using their names and that even their families and friends are "prohibited to use their names for vested interests." "Gaya ng sinabi ko noon, kung may kaibigan o kamag-anak kami na gagamit ng pangalan namin ni Pangulong Duterte para sa sarili nilang interes, dapat automatic denied iyan," Go said. "Kung mayroon naman kaming staff na pumapasok sa negosyo para rin sa sarili nilang interes, automatic tanggal iyan sa trabaho," he added. As chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go stated that he is ready to conduct an investigation on any anomaly connected with the purchase or selling of medical supplies and equipment by abusive officials or entrepreneurs. "I am urging the Executive Branch, particularly the National Bureau of Investigation, to investigate, initiate filing of cases, and arrest corrupt officials and private individuals who are taking advantage of this situation to make money," he said. Go also reminded private individuals not to take advantage of the COVID-19 crisis to make money. "Sa mga pribadong indibidwal naman, huwag ninyo pong pagkakitaan o gawing negosyo ang krisis na ito. Lahat po ng mga Pilipino ay naghihirap, huwag ninyo naman pong gamitin ang pagkakataong ito para pagsamantalahan pa sila," he said. As for the general public, Go reminded them not to fall for these scams and warned scammers that justice will eventually catch up with them. "Huwag po tayo magpaloko. Kung walang magpapaloko, hindi mananaig ang mga manloloko. Sa mga nangsasamantala lalo na sa panahon ng krisis, huwag kayo mag-alala. Aabutan rin kayo ng hustisya." To intensify the country's fight against misinformation and scams especially in times of public health emergencies, Go has recently filed a Senate Bill 1528 which seeks to amend Republic Act 11332, also known as the "Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act". Aside from strengthening the country's efforts in disease surveillance and epidemiologic investigation, the proposed measure also seeks to hold liable those who are involved in prohibited acts during a health crisis, such as taking advantage of the situation to prey on the public through scams, phishing, fraudulent emails, or other similar illegal acts. It also prohibits creating, perpetuating, or spreading false information on social media and other platforms. This includes spreading information clearly geared to promote chaos, panic, anarchy, fear, or confusion. At the end of his statement, Go emphasized that scams and abusive business practices should not be allowed most particularly in times of crises. "Every peso counts especially in times of crises. We should not allow scams and abusive business practices to take advantage of the vulnerabilities of fellow Filipinos," Go said. "Tanging konsensya nalang natin ang makapagbabantay sa ating mga ginagawa lalo na sa panahon na naghihirap ang ating mga kababayan. Hindi po tayo papayag na may nangsasamantala pa sa panahong ito. Magtulungan nalang po tayo para sa ikabubuti ng kapwa nating Pilipino," he concluded. Transportation Minister Jose Luis Abalos raised the possibility on Monday of allowing movement between provinces and regions that have entered Phase 3 of the governments deescalation plan. Only the Canary Islands of El Hierro, La Gomera and La Graciosa, and the Balearic Island of Formentera are currently in this stage. But more than half of the country may join the islands on June 8, when the next phase change is scheduled to take place. According to Abalos, the restrictions on movement could be relaxed under Phase 3 if the coronavirus outbreak continues to slow, and if the move is supported by the regional governments, which will have control of the final stage of the deescalation process, as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Sunday. Once the state of alarm is over, the restrictions on movement cannot be maintained Transportation Minister Jose Luis Abalos In an interview with Spanish radio station RTVE, Abalos explained that a level of mobility could be established within a region or even between regions that are in the same phase, in reference to Phase 3. The minister said that the relaxation of the restrictions would be based on the consideration of the regional authorities and the figures on the pandemic. The Spanish government secured support on Saturday for a final extension of the state of alarm until June 21. The extraordinary measure, which was implemented mid-March in a bid to halt the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, gives the government the power to prohibit travel between the provinces. But the Madrid region and the metropolitan area of Barcelona are not likely to have entered Phase 3 before the state of alarm comes to an end. Asked about this situation, Abalos admitted that there will not be an instrument that allows us to control movement [...] and as such the spread of the virus. The minister added that the decree to extend the state of alarm involves greater joint responsibility from the regions. Evidently, once the state of alarm is over, the restrictions on movement cannot be maintained. We hope that when this day arrives, and if the health figures continue to evolve as they are, we hope that this movement will be possible, he said. In any case, we have to be vigilant. Abaloss statement contradicts the secretary of state for communication, who released a guide on the deescalation process on Sunday. This guide indicated that residents will in Phase 3 will only be able to circulate within their province, island or territorial area. It added that trips to other parts of Spain will only be allowed for health, work, professional or business reasons, to return to a family residence, to care for seniors, dependents or people with disabilities, or for reasons of force majeure. The communication department of the Health Ministry was also unaware of Abaloss proposal, reports Emilio de Benito. The idea of allowing movement between provinces of the same region that are in Phase 3, or even between regions that are in this stage, has the support of Valencian premier Ximo Puig. The premier of Murcia, Fernando Lopez Miras, however, told radio network Cadena SER that what he has most insisted upon in the weekly videoconferences with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is the capacity to limit movement. Murcia has a very low rate of coronavirus contagions, and regional authorities are concerned the arrival of visitors from other regions, such as Madrid, which has been hardest hit by the epidemic, could lead to a new outbreak in cases. English version by Melissa Kitson. The Chhattisgarh government has decided to provide regular counselling, medical check-ups and easy leave procedures for the states police personnel in its bid to lessen incidents of suicides and fratricides among the stressed law enforcement employees, especially those deployed in the Communist Party of India (Maoist)-hit Bastar region. Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has directed the states director-general of police (DGP), DM Awasthi, to take special steps to relieve the mental stress of the police personnel. The CM directed me on Sunday to take special measures to improve the mental health of the police personnel. Ive called a meeting of senior IPS (Indian Police Service) officers and a psychologist on Tuesday. Well formulate a mechanism to help the police personnel relieve their mental stress, said DGP Awasthi. The CM told me that the police personnel are working in challenging conditions, especially those deployed in the Maoist-affected Bastar region, and steps should be taken at the earliest to lessen their stress levels, he added. Were planning to create a conducive environment for the police personnel. Theyll be provided regular counselling. Yoga sessions, sports, and other recreational activities are being planned. Plans are also afoot to give music therapy to them as well, and a group has been formed at the zonal level to that effect, the DGP said. Chhattisgarh has reported around 50 suicidal deaths of security personnel, including both police and paramilitary forces, over the past two years. The Maoist-hit Bastar division has recorded 18 of those suicidal deaths. The primary reasons behind suicide among the states police personnel are depression, difficulty in getting their leaves sanctioned, and homesickness. Our records show that over 50% of these suicides occurred due to personal or family reasons, illness (11%), work-related dispute (8%), and other reasons (13%), said an IPS officer. Last December, six Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel died at their camp in Narayanpur district because of fratricidal killings. While a similar incident claimed two CAF jawans lives at their camp in Mingahcal village of Bijapur district on June 19, 2019. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ritesh Mishra State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh. Reports Maoism, Politics, Mining and important developments from the state. Covered all sorts of extremism in Central India. Reported from Madhya Pradesh for eight years. ...view detail (Reuters) - Shares of Pfizer Inc fell nearly 8% on Monday after an independent data monitoring committee determined the drugmaker's breast cancer treatment was unlikely to meet the main goal of a late-stage study. The treatment, Ibrance, was being tested along with the standard of care for early breast cancer in men and women, against standard of care alone, the company said on Friday. The study was broadly seen to have a high probability of success readout, but the early failure represents a meaningful setback for Pfizer, JP Morgan analysts said in a note, cutting its price target on the stock by $1 to $37. At least three other brokerages cut their price targets on the stock. Ibrance, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2015 for metastatic breast cancer, brought in sales of $4.96 billion in 2019. Shares of Pfizer fell 7.7% to $35.25 in early trade. (Reporting by Trisha Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli) More than 100 doctors and nurses from Kerala are expected to reach Mumbai in the next few days to join the medical staff here in the battle against COVID-19 pandemic. Mumbai needs more human resources in terms of medical staff. A team of 16 doctors from Kerala is expected to reach Mumbai on Monday, Dr Santhosh Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, told PTI. Nearly 50 doctors and 100 nurses from Kerala will be in Mumbai in the next few days, said Kumar, who has already reached here along with two other doctors. "We will be working in the Seven Hills Hospital. It is safe for medical practitioners here and they should volunteer in this effort to fight COVID-19. All doctors who are coming to help the medical staff in Mumbai are working in the private sector back home (Kerala) and have volunteeredto assist their fraternity members here," he said. Kumar said he is working with a Kerala government hospital, but he also volunteered along with private doctors from his state to assist doctors in Mumbai in the fight against COVID-19. The Seven Hills Hospital, located in Andheri area here, is well-equipped and safe for medical staff, he said. "What is lacking is the human resources. Even doctors from Maharashtra should join in," he said. Kumar rejected comparisons between the COVID-19 situation in Kerala and Mumbai. "There is no place in Kerala like Mumbai. This is a huge city with 30 million people and slums. Reasons for the infection in both the places are different and hence, strategies to deal with the virus are different," he said. Members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) bury people who passed away due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the new Wadi Al-Salam cemetery on the outskirts of the holy city of Najaf By Alaa Marjani NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi paramedic Sarmad Ibrahim cut his teeth treating fellow Shi'ite Muslim militiamen in the war against Islamic State. Now, he buries COVID-19 victims - an exhausting task where he must also get to grips with both Muslim and Christian burial rites. "So far, we're coping," Ibrahim said as fellow volunteers from the Imam Ali Combat Brigade prepared to handle a coffin just sent from Baghdad. "But if we start receiving more bodies we might not be able to bury according to religious rules." He and the other team members work at a new cemetery in the southern Shi'ite holy city of Najaf, Iraq's only graveyard specifically for those who have died of COVID-19. Established after an edict from Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, it is dwarfed by the nearby Wadi al-Salam cemetery, the largest in the world, but is expanding. More than 200 people have died since the outbreak began in Iraq in February and the volunteers say they receive two to four corpses each day. The country's confirmed coronavirus infections have doubled from around 3,000 to more than 6,000 in the space of just over two weeks, according to health ministry figures. Ibrahim and his comrades joined the brigade part of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) paramilitary umbrella grouping, to fight Islamic State several years ago. While this enemy is very different, the work is both physically and emotionally draining. Bodies often arrive at night. The volunteers, in full protective suits, wash and wrap the corpses in black burial shrouds before putting them back in the coffins. They carry the coffins to the graves under the headlights of their vehicles. STIGMA AND UNFAMILIAR RITES The team has struggled to expand beyond its dozen or so members. Some medics say suspected exposure to the virus has alienated them from their families and neighbours and for these volunteers it is no different, even though there is no evidence COVID-19 can spread via corpses. Story continues "If we face a shortage of men, I'll have to ask friends or other fighters to come and help us. I'm afraid that if someone catches the virus, relatives will blame me for it," said a 46-year-old militiamen, who gave his name as Abu Sajad. He had not told his family he is working in the cemetery and said the friends who know that he is are reluctant to meet him. Some tribes and local religious leaders have refused to bury victims of the virus in local cemeteries, one of the reasons this new graveyard was set up. "In the beginning bodies were brought back to the morgue, where they stayed for up to 15 days," said Abdul Hassan Kadhim, who leads the burial volunteer team. "They ended up being buried without proper religious rites." At this cemetery the team must respect those rites. With relatives allowed to watch from a distance, a student from a local seminary leads prayers around each Muslim grave. Two Christians were recently buried here as well. "We know they'd prefer to be buried in their own graveyards. But because of the pandemic, they now rest here," Abu Sajad said kneeling in front of one of the Christian graves. "We asked for advice on Christian burials, to be able to carry them out according to their own rituals and traditions. I didn't know about them before. But we did everything the way our Christian brothers told us." (Reporting by Alaa Marjani; writing by Charlotte Bruneau and Ahmed Rasheed; editing by John Davison and Philippa Fletcher) Due to breaking news events in New York this weekend, Spectrum News NY1 and the Drama Desk organization have made the decision to postpone tonight's planned airing of the 65th Annual Drama Desk Awards. In a statement, Drama Desk Co-Presidents Charles Wright and David Barbour said, "The Drama Desk celebrates all that's outstanding in the work of New York's diverse theater artists and craftspeople. We regret the postponement of our awards ceremony tonight but, as an organization committed to the principle that all voices must be heard, we stand together with our black colleagues against the racial injustice and violence in our nation and city. We are grateful to Spectrum News NY1 for its comprehensive news coverage of this painful moment." More details on a rescheduled date and time will be made available soon. Secret Service agents on Friday night rushed President Trump and his family to an underground bunker in the White House used in years past to protect against the possibility of terrorist attacks while protests raged across the street over George Floyds death. Trump and his family were left rattled by the episode, though it is not clear what specifically prompted the Secret Service to take the extraordinary measure, The New York Times reported. Minutes after the Times posted its story, Trump tweeted: FAKE NEWS! Judd Deere, a White House spokesperson, told DailyMail.com on Sunday: The White House does not comment on security protocols and decisions. In times of emergency, the Secret Service will quickly move the president into an underground area of the White House known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center. President Trump (seen above at the White House on Saturday) was rushed to a secret underground bunker by the Secret Service on Friday night while hundreds protested the death of George Floyd across from the White House The underground bunker, also known as the President's Emergency Operations Center, has been rarely used since the early days of the 'war on terror.' The above image shows then-Vice President Dick Cheney (right) and then-National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice (left) inside the bunker on September 11, 2001, moments after terrorists hijacked four airliners Large crowds have been seen near the White House for at least three straight days to protest Monday's police-involved death of Minneapolis man George Floyd Minutes after it was revealed that the president was rushed to an underground bunker on Friday, he tweeted: 'FAKE NEWS!' The underground bunker was where then-Vice President Dick Cheney was rushed to on September 11, 2001, when terrorists hijacked four commercial airlines. Two planes hit the World Trade Center, one rammed into the Pentagon, and another was brought down in Pennsylvania. There were fears that one of the planes was aiming for the White House, which led the Secret Service to seek to protect Cheney. George W. Bush, who was president on that day, was not in Washington, DC. In April 2005, Bush was rushed to the bunker due to fears that a suspicious plane was headed to the White House. This turned out to be a false alarm. In the years since 9/11, the bunker has been fortified to withstand the impact of a jetliner crashing into the White House. According to the Times, Trump, his family, and his aides seemed taken off guard by the sight of hundreds of protesters surging toward Secret Service and United States Park Police officers just across the street from the White House on Friday. At no time was Trump or anyone inside the building in any real danger, according to the Times. A protester holds his hands up as police officers enter Lafayette Park on Saturday during a demonstration against the death in Minneapolis police custody of black man George Floyd The Secret Service form a line outside the White House as agitators attempt to breach their barricade during a protest over the death of George Floyd on Saturday On Saturday, Trump tried to project defiance, warning that protesters near the White House would be attacked by vicious dogs and ominous weapons if they broke through the barricades. Some of the protesters threw bottles and bricks at the officers who had erected a barricade to separate themselves from the demonstrators. The mayhem outside the White House continued all throughout the weekend. The Secret Service released a statement to CNN late on Sunday saying that more than 60 of its agents and officers needed medical treatment as a result of injuries suffered during clashes with protesters. The Secret Service said their officers were struck by 'projectiles such as bricks, rocks, bottles, fireworks and other items,' according to the statement. 'Personnel were also directly physically assaulted as they were kicked, punched and exposed to bodily fluids.' Eleven Secret Service employees were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The Secret Service said no one crossed the White House fence and no one being protected was ever in danger. Officers made one arrest near the White House on Saturday night. Police fired pepper spray at demonstrators near the White House and the D.C. National Guard was called in as pockets of violence and vandalism erupted on Saturday. Hundreds of people converged on the White House and marched along the National Mall, chanting Black Lives Matter, I cant breathe and No justice, no peace. Police were in tactical gear. The DC National Guard was activated at the direction of the secretary of the Army and at the request of the Park Police to help maintain order near the White House, Commanding Gen. William J. Walker said in a post on the Guards Facebook page. While some protesters stayed near the White House, others marched through the streets chanting, 'No justice and no peace' and 'Say his name: George Floyd.' The mood was angry and several speakers implored marchers to remain peaceful. The march paused between the the Washington Monument and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Demonstrators sat down in the street for a moment of silence lasting for the eight minutes or more that the Minneapolis police officer reportedly knelt on Floyds neck. A protester runs away with a police baton he snatched from a policeman during scuffles in the vicinity of the White House on Sunday Police and an anarchist clash at Lafayette Park near the White House during a protest amid nationwide unrest following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd An anarchist reacts to the camera during a protest in Washington, DC, on Sunday The area around the White House has been teeming with protesters in recent days Milk is poured into a demonstrator's eyes to neutralize the effect of pepper spray during a rally at Lafayette Park near the White House on Sunday Demonstrators gathered at Lafayette Park near the White House in Washington to protest the death of George Floyd put their hands up during a rally on Sunday People run during a protest near the White House in Washington, DC, on Sunday Law enforcement officers from Calvert County Maryland Sheriff's Office standing on the Ellipse, just south of the White House in Washington, DC, as they watch demonstrators protest the death of George Floyd, on Sunday People who gathered to protest the death of George Floyd scuffle with Metropolitan Police District officers near the White House on Sunday A demonstrator lifts his arms and approaches Metropolitan Police District officers near the White House on Sunday Protesters and officers scuffled near the White House in Washington, DC, on Sunday One protester is seen shoving a police officer holding a shield near the White House in Washington, DC, on Sunday Washington, DC's mayor, Muriel Bowser, announced a city-wide curfew that will go into effect at 11pm local time on Sunday At the Lincoln Memorial, one organizer spoke over a megaphone. 'Look to the left and to the right and thank that person. We cant hug anybody because of COVID, but I love you anyway.' Many of the protesters wore masks, but did not socially distance themselves. Another group circled through the Capitol Hill neighborhood for at least an hour in cars, honking. A helicopter hovered overhead. In a series of tweets earlier Saturday, Trump doubted protesters allegiance to Floyds memory, saying they were 'professionally managed.' He offered no evidence to back his assertion, and the president even seemed to invite supporters to make their presence felt: 'Tonight, I understand, is MAGA NIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE???' Trump later rejected the suggestion that he was stoking a potential conflict between protesters and his supporters. A police officer shakes hands with a protester near the White House in Washington, DC, on Sunday Riot police form a line along 17th Street NW to block demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd on Sunday Protesters hold signs near the White House in Washington, DC, on Sunday 'I was just asking. But I have no idea if they are going to be here,' he said. 'MAGA is Make America Great Again. By the way, they love African American people. They love black people.' At Saturdays demonstration, there was no evidence of a counter-move by Trump supporters. Trump said he had 'watched every move' from inside the executive mansion during Fridays protest and 'couldnt have felt more safe' as the Secret Service let the protesters carry on, 'but whenever someone ... got too frisky or out of line, they would quickly come down on then, hard didnt know what hit them.' The president also criticized the mayors of Washington and Minneapolis. Trump said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey 'is probably a very good person, but hes a radical, left mayor.' He then described how he watched as a police station in the city was overrun. 'For that police station to be abandoned and taken over, Ive never seen anything so horrible and stupid in my life,' Trump said when speaking briefly to reporters at the White House. He said Minnesota officials have to get tougher with rioters, and that by doing so they would be honoring the memory of Floyd. The Secret Service said in a statement Saturday that six protesters were arrested in Washington and 'multiple" officers were injured. There were no details on the charges or nature of the injuries. A spokesman for US Park Police said their officers made no arrests, but several suffered minor injuries and one was taken to a hospital after being struck in the helmet by a projectile. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf on Saturday called the protesters 'criminals' who committed 'acts of violence while hiding behind their First Amendment right of lawful protest.' Late Saturday and early Sunday, protesters vented their rage by breaking into tony shops of Georgetown, on the western edge of the District, and in downtown Washington, breaking windows and glass doors of many stores and looting some of them. Protesters get close to police officers clad in riot gear near the White House in Washington, DC, on Sunday Police appear to use tear gas to disperse protesters near the White House in Washington, DC, on Sunday A protester standing in front of the White House holds a sign which reads: 'My complexion is not a crime!' Demonstrators hold signs during a protest near the White House in Washington, DC, on Sunday A protester holds a sign which reads 'White silence is violence' during a demonstration near the White House in Washington, DC, on Sunday Police officers and protesters scuffle near the White House in Washington, DC, on Sunday Protesters put their hands up as police officers in riot gear form a line near the White House in Washington, DC, on Sunday In his tweeting, Trump claimed that many Secret Service agents were 'just waiting for action' and ready to unleash 'the most vicious dogs, and the most ominous weapons, I have ever seen.' His reference to 'vicious dogs' potentially being sicced on protesters revisits images from the civil rights movement when marchers faced snarling police dogs and high-pressure fire hoses. In a news conference Saturday afternoon, Muriel Bowser, mayor of the nations capital, called Trumps remarks 'gross' and said the reference to attack dogs conjures up with the worst memories of the nations fight against segregation. 'I call upon our city and our nation to exercise restraint, great restraint, even as the president tries to divide us,' she said. 'I feel like these comments are an attack on humanity, an attack on black America, and they make my city less safe.' In contrast with the presidents tweets, the Secret Service said it 'respects the right to assemble and we ask that individuals do so peacefully for the safety of all.' Social media video and images show protests and demonstrations continuing near the White House on Sunday evening. Bowser announced a curfew beginning at 11pm local time on Sunday and stretching until 6am on Monday. Bowser also announced that she was activating the DC National Guard to aid the Metropolitan Police Department. Although he did not comment on the discriminating Citizenship Amendment Act in India, he has spoken up for Muslims during Trumps Muslim ban For those feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone, Pichai said, sharing a screenshot of the Google search home page which said, We stand in support of racial equality, and all those who search for it. (Photo | Wikimedia Commons - Nguyen Hung Vu) Washington: Google stands in support of racial equality, the tech giants Indian-American CEO Sunder Pichai has said, expressing solidarity with the African-American community in the US in wake of protests sparked by the death in police custody of African-American George Floyd. Floyd, a 46-year-old African American restaurant worker, died in Minneapolis on Monday after a white police officer pinned him to the ground. Video footage showed the officer kneeling on Floyds neck as he gasped for breath, sparking widespread protests across the US. The police officer has been fired, and on Friday was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Pichai said that the company has decided to share its support for the racial equality in solidarity with the black community and in memory of Floyd on Google and YouTube home pages in the US. Today on US Google & YouTube homepages we share our support for racial equality in solidarity with the Black community and in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery & others who dont have a voice, Pichai wrote on Twitter on Sunday. For those feeling grief, anger, sadness & fear, you are not alone, Pichai said, sharing a screenshot of the Google search home page which said, We stand in support of racial equality, and all those who search for it. Pichai has been consistent in his stand against discrimination in the United States. Earlier when President Trump had imposed a ban on immigrants from Muslim nations, Pichai had said, It is disheartening to see the intolerant discourse playing out in the new...But we must speak out particularly those of us who are not under attack. However, he has steered cleared of commenting on similar issues in India, where the Citizenship Amendment Act paves way for people of every religion except Islam from Indias neighbouring countries to seek citizenship in India. Combined with the National Register of Citizens, the home minister of India hinted, the CAA would disenfranchise the Muslim community. SPRINGFIELD A shouting match between neighbors standing on their respective balconies escalated to one pulling out a gun and shooting it in the air. Johnathan Marrero, 25, was arrested Friday evening on 10 charges following the dispute and police recovered an unlawful large-capacity firearm in his home, said Ryan Walsh, police spokesman. Police were called to an apartment building on Fort Pleasant Avenue at about 6:40 p.m. and found Marrero and an elderly neighbor had been in a dispute, shouting at each other while standing on their balconies. Marrero is accused of shooting a gun in the air and threatening the neighbor verbally during the argument, Walsh said. Officers investigating the complaint found Marrero in his apartment and discovered he had an active warrant from New Jersey charging him with burglary and arrested him, he said. Officers then located a firearm in plain view in his apartment. Officers also recovered a magazine loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition, he said. Marrero is charged with possession of a large-capacity firearm during the commission of a felony, witness intimidation, threatening to commit a crime, fugitive from justice on a court warrant, possession of a firearm and ammunition without a permit, possession of a high-capacity magazine, improper storage of a large-capacity firearm, carrying a dangerous weapon while having an active warrant, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building and threatening to commit a crime, Walsh said. .. After the directives issued by the Government of India to resume domestic flight operations from May 25, the Mumbai International Airport managing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), has operated a total of 391 flights, which include 196 departures and 195 arrivals, in the last one week. CSMIA has handled a total of 42,503 passengers, which include 31,665 passengers at departures and 10,838 at arrivals. CSMIA was operating to 14 sectors until Wednesday and saw two sectors - Kolkata and Rajkot added on Thursday. In the last one week, the passenger load capacity has been the highest on Mumbai - Delhi route with 8,130 passengers departing out of CSMIA, said MIAL spokesperson. Due to the mandate by the aviation ministry and the state government, CSMIA has been operating 50 commercial passenger flight movements. On Monday, CSMIA handled flights to destinations like Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Kochi, Calicut, Guwahati, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Ranchi and Patna. Apart from six flights operated by GoAir, Air Asia India and Air India Express operated one departure and one arrival, Air India operated four flights, IndiGo operated 20 flights, SpiceJet operated 12 flights and Vistara operated four flights. Thus, CSMIA handled 50 flight, its maximum permitted flight operations by the government. GoAir started its operations from CSMIA, on Monday, with three departures and three arrivals from Patna, Lucknow, and Varanasi route, carrying 320 passengers at arrivals, and 538 passengers at departures from Mumbai airport. GoAir was first scheduled to operate on Delhi route but, it cancelled, and instead operated from Patna route, an airport source said. [June 01, 2020] American-Danish Business Council Joins CMMC Academy as an International Alliance Member EL SEGUNDO, Calif., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The CMMC Academy announces that the American-Danish Business Council has signed on as a member of its International Alliance program. The American-Danish Business Council (ADBC) is a non-profit association for American companies operating in Denmark and Danish companies in the U.S. The ADBC is dedicated to promoting mutual cooperation and better working relationships between the two countries. H.E. Lone Dencker Wisborg, Ambassador of Denmark to the United States, serves as chairman. ADBC's participation in theInternational Alliance will provide opportunities for ADBC and the CMMC Academy to work together to provide information on CMMC implementation and compliance, including virtual events and special video content. "I am very pleased that the American-Danish Business Council will be joining the CMMC International Alliance. Cyber security is fundamental in maintaining operational resilience in today's business environment. Sharing knowledge on best practices to comply with standards is key. The Alliance will be a great support in keeping the industry informed on the CMMC as the companies adopt the new regulation," said Commander s.g Jesper Rasmussen, Defense Industrial Attache at the Royal Danish Embassy in the United States. "CMMC compliance is crucial for companies that contract with, or seek to contract with, the U.S. Department of Defense, and it will have ramifications for businesses in other industries as well as other countries," said Tommy McDowell, General Manager of Celerium. "We are thrilled with the addition of the American-Danish Business Council to bolster the CMMC Academy's International Alliance, and we look forward to working with them in support of our mission to help companies learn about CMMC." The International Alliance was launched in late April with Aviation ISAC as the inaugural member. Bank of America, a provider of supply chain financing, is a sponsor of the Academy. CMMC Academy is a free initiative from Celerium Inc., a for-profit company that offers cyber threat intelligence and cyber threat sharing solutions for the defense, aviation, automotive and energy sectors. About Celerium Celerium is the leading supplier of cyber threat intelligence and cyber threat sharing solutions for critical infrastructure organizations serving the defense, aviation, automotive, and financial services industries. Celerium also powers the next generation of information-sharing organizations, including ISAOs and ISACs. Relied on by government agencies, enterprise risk management teams, CISOs, and SOC analysts, Celerium supports all critical infrastructure and market sectors. Learn more at www.celerium.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-danish-business-council-joins-cmmc-academy-as-an-international-alliance-member-301068287.html SOURCE Celerium [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] FNB has announced its new monthly bank account pricing as well as new eBucks rewards which will take effect from 1 July 2020. These price changes will see monthly account fees on individual accounts remain unchanged. There will be no price increases on monthly account fees for Easy, Gold, Premier, Private Clients, Private Wealth and RMB Private Bank clients. The Gold Fusion monthly account fee will be reduced from R109 to R89 and customers will get up to 30 days interest-free on credit card purchases. Fusion Gold customers holding a personal loan and Fusion Premier customers holding a personal loan and a revolving facility can bank for free by maximising new rebates on offer, FNB said. We are cognizant that customers are facing financial pressure, therefore unchanged monthly account fees and several free transactions will provide relief to many, said FNB Retail CEO Raj Makanjee. The financial impact of COVID-19 has also highlighted some gaps in the way some customers manage their money so we will be giving customers even more value to improve their banking behaviour. The work we have done over the years allows us to extend the benefits of unchanged fees and enhance rewards to help customers make their money go even further in this uncertain time, Makanjee said. The bank said its eBucks programme has also been very successful, with customers earning in excess of R2.4 billion in eBucks over the past year. 56% of FNB customers are now spending 100% of their pharmacy spend at Clicks after the retailer became an eBucks partner in April 2020. Previously, this behaviour was prevalent among only 27% of customers. eBucks Rewards changes FNB said customers who use family and spousal accounts will now be able to earn up to 40% back in eBucks on their Netflix and Spotify subscriptions. The list of eBucks earn rule changes for 2020 is below: To help with maximising on rewards during this uncertain time, eBucks level 1 will start at zero points and customers will get new once-off booster points to help them move up reward levels quicker within a month. Customers could earn up to 40% back in eBucks on Netflix and Spotify monthly subscriptions when they use family banking or qualifying spousal accounts. Customers could earn additional eBucks through Smart Spend on their qualifying FNB and RMB Private Bank cards or when using FNB Pay. Customers who hold FNB investment accounts could bank for free by earning up to 100% of their monthly Fusion or Cheque account fees back in eBucks, depending on their reward level and minimum balance. Customers who take up an FNB Connect SIM after 1 July 2020 will get up to 1GB, 30 voice minutes and 30 SMSs for the first 3 months, thereafter, the free FNB Connect allocation will depend on their eBucks Reward level. FNB customers can also earn points to move up a reward level when they use their cards on streaming services such as Netflix and Spotify. We pride ourselves on putting customers at the centre of our banking solutions and the changes we are implementing demonstrate our commitment to value-based banking, especially during these tough economic times, Makanjee said. Our solutions also allow customers to get even more value from banking or managing their money as a family. Overall, the changes were making will go a long way to building main-bank relationships with our customers. FNB also announced that its cash-at-till withdrawals will be free for all individual customers effective from 1 July 2020. Private Clients, Private Wealth, and RMB Private Bank account holders, and Easy Smart customers will now also benefit from two free send money (eWallet) transactions per month via the FNB App and FNB.mobi, FNB said. Airtime and data purchases via the FNB App, Online and FNB.mobi will be free for all individual customers. Now read: You will pay more for ATM cash withdrawals from Monday The nation and Connecticut are reopening fitfully from a shutdown that many think should not have happened many including Pulitzer-Prize-winning columnist Thomas Friedman of the left-leaning The New York Times and Dr. David L. Katz, a Connecticut MD with a public health degree from Yale University. Our one-size-fits-all shutdown policy was a strange approach in the face of a virus which afflicts different population segments in such wildly different ways. For those over age 65, who comprise only 16 percent of the countrys population, the virus has been devastating. This age group has sustained about 80 percent of nationwide deaths 94 percent of Connecticut fatalities have hit people over 60. Additionally, it is just plain common sense that people with serious prior conditions would be at greater risk, and that transmission would be greatest in densely populated urban areas and in communal residential settings for seniors. Before the U.S. shutdown began, data out of China and Italy were unambiguous that the virus attacked the elderly and spared those younger. Moreover, the first U.S. outbreak occurred at a nursing home in Washington state. To have imposed a uniform stay-home-shutdown policy was like a shoe store selling only size-8 shoes. Tragically, the attempt to protect everyone left the most vulnerable nakedly exposed. An estimated one-third of national fatalities have occurred in nursing homes, and almost 70 percent of Connecticut deaths have occurred in nursing homes and assisted living communities. Nursing homes were overlooked at best, and, even worse, in New York and some states, governors forced them to admit infected seniors. Thats gross negligence. A central precept of medicine in the context of scarce resources is triage. God knows, we had scarce resources as the pandemic broke out. When everyone cant be saved, triage means focusing policy, effort and resources in a manner designed to maximize survivors. In the case of this virus, that means protecting those most clearly vulnerable. Just after the shutdown began, Freidman wrote a column entitled A Way to Get America Back to Work, articulating the same grave concern about the shutdown of the economy as expressed by The Wall Street Journal, this columnist and many others, then and now. Friedman worried about group think. He was concerned that the universal focus upon the virus would crowd out treatment of other serious illnesses and conditions, e.g., someone in cardiac distress might hesitate to go to the hospital or be unable to summon an ambulance. He pointed out that a prolonged shutdown would make us all significantly poorer with consequently poorer general health. Friedman referenced Dr. Katz, who had penned an op-ed two days earlier advocating a pivot from the horizontal interdiction strategy restricting the movement and commerce of an entire population to a more surgical or vertical interdiction strategy focused on protecting and sequestering those most vulnerable. Katz said everyone should stay home for two weeks (the usual incubation time for the virus), rather than indefinitely. Those who develop symptoms should self-isolate; those who dont, if in the low-risk population, should be allowed to return to work or school. Katzs strategy is compelling, especially considering that our actual strategy has failed to prevent the highest infection and death rate in the world and, here in Connecticut, one of the highest rates of fatalities in the nation. Had younger people not stayed home and socially distanced, they would have become infected with only the rarest incidence of serious cases and herd immunity would have developed, greatly reducing transmission and spread in the future. The universal stay-home-shutdown approach has come at great economic cost. In contrast, the targeted approach would not have required a total shutdown, quite simply because it would have protected and sequestered almost exclusively people of retirement age. The economic fallout of the shutdown has been catastrophic: Unemployment has hit about 38.5 million nationally and, in Connecticut, over 500,000, or more than one-third of the states private sector labor force (by contract, state employees cannot be laid off). GDP has collapsed, with forecasts of a terrifying 30 percent GDP drop in the second quarter. Income tax revenues will evaporate as businesses sustain losses and individuals suffer massive declines in income. Some say focusing on the economy is putting money before lives. Does anyone seriously believe that these apocalyptic numbers do not spell extreme pain and decreased life expectancy for the vast majority of Americans? What now? We have flattened the curve, our original objective. We are reopening, but painfully slowly. Some state governors, including Gov. Ned Lamont, are imposing myriad rules and regulations which effectively extend the shutdown and continue to scare the public. The likely result will be an anemic recovery. We need to reopen aggressively to survive the economic apocalypse we have put ourselves through, and, in the public health arena, we need to focus almost exclusively on seniors and those with prior conditions, not every single citizen. If the virus resurges before development of effective treatments and/or a vaccine, we should not shutdown again, but rather persevere with the targeted strategy. Red Jahncke, a Greenwich resident, is president of The Townsend Group Intl. A version of this op-ed first appeared in The Hill . Former RBI governor R Gandhi said that the RBI needs to re-introduce a one-time restructuring package and mere moratoriums will not suffice in unprecedented times like the COVID-19 pandemic. Former RBI governor R Gandhi on Monday expressed doubt over the efficacy of the government's stimulus package, terming the aim of Rs 7.9 lakh crore uptick in lending to small businesses, agriculture and power discoms as not "feasible". He also said that the RBI needs to re-introduce a one-time restructuring package and mere moratoriums will not suffice in unprecedented times like the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the over Rs 20 lakh crore package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rs 3 lakh crore was devoted to collateral-free loans to micro, small and medium enterprises, Rs 2 lakh crore were to be given to farmers through kisan credit cards and a liquidity injection of Rs 90,000 crore was assured to the fund starved power distribution companies. Gandhi, who used to handle the banking regulation function at the central bank, said all the banks put together gave out incremental loans of Rs 6 lakh crore in the entire fiscal year 2019-20, when the growth had not plummeted as it is expected to now. Additionally, there are other segments of the economy as well which are in need of credit, Gandhi said, adding that the same number will be over and above the Rs 7.9 lakh crore. "Feasibility of the package ...(it) is unlikely to be really possible because actually the calculations which have been made by the government are based on the total eligibility based on the government's assessment," Gandhi said, speaking at an online webinar hosted by payment system company Electronic Payments and Services. He said it is "unlikely" that all the borrowers from the MSME sector will be availing the entire credit which they are assumed to be taking because of the economic sluggishness and added that many such businesses have folded up as well. "Credit only gives you a little bit of liquidity, whereas the businesses have to look forward that there will be a demand for services, hope for profitability, then only they will come to avail credit," he said. He also said that bankers will be hesitant about extending loans to such companies because of concerns on the borrowers' profitability and also to reduce their own dud assets positions in an environment like this. Over two years after the RBI completely did away with the loan restructuring system, Gandhi sought a reintroduction of the same in the current times. "It (a loan) should not be stamped as an NPA. The forbearance should be given in the current days, mere moratorium is insufficient," he said, adding that the troubles on the economic front, including aspect like an entire quarter lost to lockdowns will make it necessary for the relief to be extended. He, however, said that the RBI must also increase the general provisioning on assets given the volatile times we are in. He also pitched for the government to rely more on cash transfers, rather than spending on infrastructure building, to revive the economy, explaining that the latter is good in normal times while the former helps create consumption demand which is very much needed. Gandhi also said that despite the COVID-19 situation, the government or state-run entities have not released payments for small businesses, and sought the introduction of an automated system to make the payments possible so that the small businesses do not suffer. He also said that the government and the RBI have laid out the enabling regulation and bankers should start taking their credit calls based on their assessments, and not depend on spoon-feeding on what to do. Given the change in environment and a larger portion of credit being taken by the services sector, there is a need to reimagine credit delivery where a banker does not depend on collaterals alone while assessing a proposal, he said, stressing on the need for looking at cash flows as well. The career central banker said loan monitoring has become topsy-turvy during the last quarter because of the lockdowns and the same should be internalized by the top management. The Government is facing a major revolt over plans to scrap the virtual coronavirus Parliament after it emerged MPs will have to form a Commons 'conga' line up to a mile long in order to vote. Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg tabled a motion on Monday preventing the resumption of virtual voting, which allowed MPs to have their say from afar during the pandemic. If the House approves the plan on Tuesday, MPs may have to form long queues in order to obey social distancing rules when voting - despite the Lords planning a move online. The move has been attacked as a backwards step that could prevent MPs who are elderly or shielding for other reasons from attending. Others, notably from the Scottish Highlands, also face a long journey on public transport that could be avoided with remote voting. Senior Tories including Robert Halfon, the chair of the Commons education committee, who is currently shielding, have called for virtual proceedings to continue for those who need them. Another senior Tory MP said voting under the expected new rules would be like doing the 'Parliamentary conga'. He told MailOnline: 'Some of it is going to be outside. Are we expecting the PM to stand in line? I wonder about the security aspect of all this. Is he going to stand in New Palace Yard?' Labour and other opposition parties that afternoon tabled an amendment that would allow the current 'hybrid' model to be kept. Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg tabled a motion on Monday preventing the resumption of virtual voting, which allowed MPs to have their say from afar during the pandemic Labour former minister Chris Bryant said: 'The government should keep remote voting and participation. Otherwise it's disenfranchising MPs who are shielding and those with families to protect. Democracy can't be survival of the fittest' Shadow leader of the house Valerie Vaz said: 'Jacob Rees-Mogg's discriminatory proposals would result in two classes of MPs. Those who can physically attend and those unable to owing to the Government's own rules, including having an underlying health condition or shielding responsibilities. 'The abolition of the hybrid remote parliament which allowed all MPs to take part regardless of their personal circumstances is discriminatory and would not be acceptable in any other workplace. 'We remain ready to work with the Government and all parties to reach a consensus that would allow all MPs to participate on an equal basis.' Before coronavirus, MPs simply gathered in groups in either the yes or no lobbies outside the Commons chamber. But during the lockdown electronic voting was trials. There were some problems with the technology - most notably recording Chancellor Rishi Sunak voting against the Government - but no major problems were reported. Rees-Mogg argued that democracy would 'once again flourish', having been 'curtailed under the hybrid halfway house' which allowed MPs to take part in debates and vote remotely while up to 50 were in the chamber. And he insisted that the Government is working to establish how shielding MPs could continue to take part. Senior Tories including Robert Halfon (centre right, on the mobility scooter) who is currently shielding, have called for virtual proceedings to continue for those who need them The Government's motion requires voting to take place in person at the Palace of Westminster and that MPs must follow Public Health England guidance. The mechanics of voting would then be left down to Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to set out, with parliamentarians having to avoid the narrow division lobbies. He has described a single file of MPs snaking through Parliament as a 'supermarket queue' that will lead through the centre of the chamber and to the dispatch box. Mr Rees-Mogg defended the Government plan in The House political magazine, saying that the total numbers on the estate 'will not increase significantly', with MPs' staff continuing to work from home. 'The virtual Parliament brought us through the peak of the pandemic but it is no longer necessary to make the compromises it demanded. We can do so much better,' he wrote. 'In the chamber frontbenchers will have to keep on their toes as interventions are once again made possible. This exceptional aspect of British democracy, curtailed under the hybrid halfway house, can once again flourish. 'For those MPs with underlying health conditions who have been told to shield or are receiving specific Government advice about their health, the Government is working with the House authorities to see how they can continue to contribute to proceedings within the House.' The Prime Minister's official spokesman added today that MPs who need to shield 'should continue to do so' and said that informal arrangements such as pairing would be in place to allow this. The House of Lords is developing a new online voting system for peers expected to be ready by the middle of the month as the Government demands that MPs vote in person despite the coronavirus crisis. 'We're developing rapidly a brand new, secure online voting system for the House of Lords,' a Lords spokesman said. 'Peers will be able to vote at the touch of a smartphone screen or on a laptop or other device.' Legal advice from Thompsons Solicitors commissioned by Labour said the plans to scrap the virtual Parliament 'would be likely to amount to discrimination' under equality laws if MPs were considered to be employees. Labour former minister Chris Bryant said: 'Westminster can't be the worst at adapting to a global pandemic. 'The government should keep remote voting and participation. Otherwise it's disenfranchising MPs who are shielding and those with families to protect. Democracy can't be survival of the fittest.' And shadow solicitor general Ellie Reeves added: 'These proposals are not only a risk to public health, but they also discriminate against MPs who are having to shield from the coronavirus and cannot safely return to work as usual.' The Electoral Reform Society said: 'If this goes ahead, it is beyond a farce. 'It is unacceptable when there is currently a safe, secure and speedy option for voting available: remote/digital voting. MPs have already used it, and it works. 'Since some MPs are shielding and are not safe to travel in person, these plans - if confirmed - pose a real threat for democratic representation and political equality.' MANZINI - There was huge disappointment as about 5 400 needy Kwaluseni Constituency residents were left out of the ongoing COVID-19 food aid programme, forcing the initial registration to be discarded. New registrations will be done as allegations of malpractice surfaced regarding the initial exercise. Kwaluseni constituency is located in the densely populated Matsapha, which is referred to as the industrial hub of the country and about 13 100 people registered for the food aid programme by government. However, after the registration process, the politicians of the constituency (MP, constituency headman and chiefdom councillors) were told that only 7 700 people would benefit from the programme. Benefit According to Kwaluseni Member of Parliament (MP), Sibusiso Mabhanisi Dlamini, after the registration, they met with a non-governmental organisation (NGO), which is heading the whole process under the inkhundla and it gave them the number of people who would benefit. The MP said they tried to reason with the NGO to appeal to government to at least treat Kwaluseni differently. He argued that the about 13 100 people who registered under the inkhundla desperately needed food because when registering them, they ensured that only those who were needy or those whose income was affected due to the outbreak of COVID-19, would benefit. Again, the MP argued that Kwaluseni should be treated differently under the COVID-19 food aid programme because in the constituency, there were two main types of residents; people who were born and raised there and tenants who came from the four regions of the country. He said most of these people worked at Matsapha Industrial Site while others were employed in surrounding areas like Manzini and Ezulwini. He added that a majority of them had been stuck in their rented flats without an income since the partial lockdown started on March 27, 2020 as they were placed on unpaid layoffs. They could not go home because at work they were told that they would be recalled anytime. Again, they were not allowed to travel because of the partial lockdown, the MP said. He added that even though some of them, especially those who were employed in the textile and apparel sector were recalled to work, they were working reduced hours. He said this meant that the salary they were getting was not enough to take care of them. In fact, he said with the salary, they could not even pay rent. On top of that, the parliamentarian said some of the workers who resided at Kwaluseni were living with their families, including school-going children. He said that was why schools like Matsapha National School, formerly known as Swazi National School, had so many class streams as the demand for classes was huge. Again, he said there were university students, from the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) to be specific, who came from underprivileged families and they remained in their rented flats to continue with their studies and research projects. He said such students also registered because the monthly allowances they were getting were not enough to sustain them through this trying times of COVID-19. Once more, he said vendors in the constituency were also facing financial challenges as they were getting support from the workers, who were on unpaid layoffs and or were now working reduced hours. They also had to register for the food aid programme, Dlamini said. Logoba Chiefdom Councillor (Bucopho) Musa Tembe, who is also hands on in the matter, said they had been in constant contact with the team heading the food aid programme, over their plea. He said even though there was no positive response at the moment, they had been promised to get feedback soon. He said they were patiently waiting for the response because they were having sleepless nights as the destitute residents visited them daily to enquire about the food they registered for. It is worth noting that recently, this publication reported that people living in the urban area (towns) would not benefit from the COVID-19 food aid programme. This was despite the fact that the commercial hub of the country (Manzini) was in a stringent lockdown as the Manzini Region was identified as an epicentre for COVID-19. Again, during the month of April 2020, the head of government, Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini publicly announced that the administration would distribute food parcels to more than 300 000 people from 63 000 households across the country. It is, however, worth noting that the population of the country is about 1.3 million. Last week at Makhewu in kaLanga in the Lubombo Region (rural area), elderly people who had registered for the food aid programme, were allegedly sent from pillar to post and they eventually returned home empty-handed. It has since emerged that the registration exercise under Kwaluseni will have to be re-done following a litany of allegations. We have decided to do the registration afresh. This is what the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Russell Dlamini said regarding the issue of food aid for Kwaluseni constituency. Afresh Dlamini was not clear why they decided to redo the registration, but he mentioned that the NGO, which did the initial registration, had been replaced. However, a source close to the matter alleged that there were suspicions that the registration process was flouted and that was why NDMA decided to redo it. The source alleged that the suspicions were that the programme had been used to campaign for the 2023 national elections. It is worth noting that this publication had reported allegations that certain individuals were using the food aid programme to campaign by choosing their own beneficiaries, without following the laid down procedures. Efforts to get a comment from the NGO proved futile at the time of compiling this report. Conventional auto dealers face issues that online-only sellers do not, particularly in setting prices. Automakers use discounts and incentive programs to change prices as often as every month. Manufacturers give sales representatives leeway to cut prices to close deals, and customers know that the sticker price may not be the last word. Dealers resort to such discounts in part because other dealers in the area are competing to sell the same cars. Colorados one-size-fits-all rules for reopening restaurants cannot work. Gov. Jared Polis should immediately revise or rescind them. Consider Casa Bonita, the legendary Lakewood restaurant made world-famous by an episode of South Park. With 52,000-square-feet, the business seats up to 1,100 patrons surrounded by caves and a make-believe Mexican festival of actors, music and cliff divers. Yes, tell the world that we are fed up. But, Black liberal, know that we are finished with you, too. As you ready yourself to attempt to hijack the work of radicals, to go undercover dressed in our clothes and slip into the crowd pretending that you were always there and that you are us, know that we see you. Even now, as you are preparing your watered-down Black Lives Matter syllabi and your Hope and the Black Spring in the Time of Corona book manuscripts, which are by now ready for press, filled as they are with the same dimly lit, unimaginative pablum about improving race relations, feel-good anti-racism, and ways to move forward. We see you. We know why you have come. You are here to translate an uprising. You are here to show your black skin so that you can claim the mantle of authority on anti-Blackness that white liberals have bestowed upon you. You are here to sit at their pundit tables, before their cameras. Your face beaming across the world as it provides the safest possible interpretation of a revolution in order to police its possibilities and pave over the threat of abolition with as mild and ineffective a reform as possible. Although uprisings are spearheaded by radicals, we are shut out of the public discussion. Neither the Black radical, nor Black radical thought is given air time. Instead, we are forced to endure being talked about and having the revolution we fought for be defused and repackaged to be palatable to a white liberal audience. We see you gearing up for your mission. You will not be able to blend into the crowd this time. No interpretation of a revolution is needed. Its commentators should not be the people who yesterday were only too happy to sit at the table with white nationalists and who took smiling pictures with the good police. It cannot be narrated by the same people who alongside their white liberal colleagues jump Black radicals, beating us down with tired Martin Luther King Jr quotes in an attempt to discipline our anger and fix the boundaries of our action. Not by the same people who spew King at every opportunity, wielding him as a cudgel against those whom they have trained in the belief that King is king and his word is law. It is a cult of King sustained, on the one hand, by the power of white liberal media, schools and corporate offices that have bled him of what little anti-colonialism he had in order to parade him for their purposes, and on the other hand, by the effective silencing of his contemporaries and his contemporary critics. We have had to endure the silencing of people like Kwame Ture, who said, In order for nonviolence to work, your opponent has to have a conscience. The United States has no conscience. We have endured the silencing of people like Assata Shakur, who said, Nobody in the world, nobody in history, has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them. You have not only been complicit in the silencing of the radicals, but by hogging the mic and having the prerogative on how Black struggle is spoken of and its history remembered, you have engineered it. Even as our people are permanently incarcerated or are made refugees and hunted, they die a second death in your willful amnesia. Black radical critics have proven to be right although you would not know it by how little their names are known and how little room you have given them. Get off the mic and give it to the people. Get off the platform and out of the newsroom. Your time is up. For far too long, Black liberal, you have been allowed to domesticate Black radicalism. Because our oppressors prefer you to us and at any sign of trouble, rush out to find you to speak on behalf of all Black people, you have eagerly taken the chance to hog all of the mics and silence us. You weaken our revolt with your narration. We know that even now you are preparing to invade us with your linked arms performing that played out we shall overcome nonsense in order to reframe destruction in the colony and of the civil order as a quest for policy changes. You have come to firehose the fire in our uprising while pretending to be angrier and more rebellious than the rebels. As if it were not just yesterday that you were standing shoulder to shoulder with police and politicians begging for calm and agreeing that this is sad. We know that by the immensity of your power and the relative strength of your megaphones you will have some successes in the coming fraud. But no matter how well you carve and gut this revolution and lay its skin on your face as your mask, we will still see you. We know that when we say abolish prisons and police you will intercede on behalf of the state and white power with your deliberate mistranslation saying we asked for less harsh sentences and more trust between the police and Black community. When we say we want this thing over with, you will say we want change. When we say this white supremacist settler-colony has anti-Blackness in its DNA and is incapable of providing any adequate liberation you say, America is failing Black people. We say we want to get out of here. You ask how do we move forward? As if we do not hear in your tone the hope that all this unrest can be quelled and we can move quietly onto the next killing. You insist on mistranslating us. Black liberal, your time is up. You have held the mic for too long. Give the mic to any random protester on the street. Any one of them will have something more insightful and analytically sound to say than you do. When you dress up in clothes with our slogans and go on TV all you do is cry. What are you crying about? I cannot remember the last time I have smiled so much. You have been smiling too long with our oppressors. There is no reason to cry when the resistance comes out. We would have thought you would be ecstatic, all you who have professed to be interested in change. You who would speak lovingly of the English peasants of 1381 who, torch in hand, emerged from the ruins of the Black Death to burn the property of the ruling classes in the hope of emancipating themselves. But now, when Black people who are forced to witness themselves publicly hunted and tortured to death on a weekly basis rise up, you attempt to coax them away from their cigarette lighters. When the Target starts burning down, the Black liberal will fight harder to put it out than its owners. But as Malcolm X said: You had another Negro out in the field. The house Negro was in the minority. The masses the field Negroes were the masses. They were in the majority. When the master got sick, they prayed that hed die. If his house caught on fire, theyd pray for a wind to come along and fan the breeze. They gave you the platform, but there are more of us than there are of you. The greatest trick you ever pulled off was to make it seem that it was you who represented the majority of Black people and it were those radically against colonial policing who were few and far between. Now you see us in our thousands. Stop crying. X: That Uncle Tom wore a handkerchief around his head. This Uncle Tom wears a top hat. Hes sharp. He dresses just like you do. He speaks the same phraseology, the same language. He tries to speak it better than you do. He speaks with the same accents, same diction. And when you say, your army, he says, our army. He hasnt got anybody to defend him, but anytime you say we he says we. Our president, our government, our Senate, our congressmen, our this and our that. And he hasnt even got a seat in that our even at the end of the line. So this is the twentieth-century Negro. Black liberal, as we brace for the second wave of repression from your government, remember that we still see you. When your police, your National Guard, your dogs are sicced on us, when your P W Botha/Bull Connor of a president who agitated for a Sharpeville 1960 against the migrants, prepares to commit atrocities, despite our masked shouts, stones and placards, we still see you. We know why you have come. But you are too late. For the first time in a long while we have also been seen and know that we are not alone. Before we might have stepped out sheepishly, politely asking to consider more radical solutions, thinking that we were moving, vulnerably, naked and alone, into an open field of attack dogs. But now that we have stridden bravely forth, without shields, into the centres of white supremacy, we have discovered that we are covered by a multitude of good people. Look at the world. We are not alone. As you jump the bandwagon and attempt to wrestle the reins away from us, know that this is a Black radicals moment. See us. Black radicals are here to stay. Come up off that mic and get out before you get looted. And take those Barack and Michelle posters with you. They never belonged to us. The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards Malcolm. Peace after revolution. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. All Christians whatsoever really and truly belong to the religious class, and there is no difference among them except in so far as they do different work. A shoemaker, a smith, a farmer, each has his manual occupation and work; and yet, at the same time, all are eligible to act as priests and bishops. Every one of them in his occupation or handicraft ought to be useful to his fellows, and serve them in such a way that the various trades are all directed to the best advantage of the community, and promote the well-being of body and soul, just as the organs of the body serve each other. Martin Luther, from An Appeal to the Ruling Class In 1517, no one expected a little-known monk at a brand-new university in an out-of-the-way town to transform the world. But the printing press afforded Martin Luther a reach throughout Europe he could not have known otherwise. According to Andrew Pettegree, over the course of the 16th century, printers issued nearly 5,000 editions of Luthers ... You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe to Christianity Today magazine. Subscribers have full digital access to CT Pastors articles. 1 EASTHAMPTON A paraglider, caught in a tree after launching off Mount Tom Saturday afternoon, was brought safely back to the ground following an hours-long rescue effort. The accident was reported about 4 p.m. Police closed Mountain Road while emergency personnel, including members of the Western Massachusetts Technical Rescue Team, staged the rescue. This rescue was especially difficult because there was no high point above the victim to attach lines and provide anchors, according to a post on the teams Facebook page. Arborist Topher Mira participated in the effort, according to Easthampton police. Easthampton firefighters and Holyoke police, along with Massachusetts State Troopers, assisted at the scene. Western Mass News, television partner to The Republican and MassLive.com, reported the pilot was brought to the ground shortly after 8:30 p.m. The Western Massachusetts Technical Rescue Team, which has been in operation since 2014, is made up of 74 career, volunteer and call firefighters from around the region, according to its website. Cette annonce nest plus disponible et aucune proposition ne peut etre transmise. Regional Protection Coordinator East Africa a Djibouti Overall Purpose of the Role The DRC Regional Protection Coordinator will play a strategic role in leading the protection in humanitarian and nexus contexts for DRC East Africa and Great Lakes Region. Apart from guiding the strategic vision for DRCs protection response at the regional and national level, she/he will also play a pivotal role in providing learning opportunities on the most relevant and up-to-date protection related issues, thematic areas and initiatives. This post will also proactively provide evidenced based analysis to support and nurture the durable solutions frameworks and advocacy initiatives on behalf of internally displaced people, refugees and other people affected by displacement in the region. She/he will report directly to the Deputy Regional Director and collaborate closely with the Protection Unit in Copenhagen, as well as the other coordinators in the region. Responsibilities Lead technical support to country operations and protection staff, particularly in the following programmatic areas: Protection Monitoring and Individual Protection Assistance, Community-Based Protection, Protection Information Management, Psychosocial Support, Child Protection, Gender-Based Violence prevention and response, Housing, Land and Property, Case Management and Legal Aid, as well as Protection Mainstreaming. Provide strategic and technical inputs into the development of programmes at regional and country office level. Develop technical guidance notes and undertake capacity-building initiatives to enhance understanding and quality implementation of protection interventions. Support the regional office and the country offices with the development of concept notes, proposals, protection-related standard operating procedures, and contextual tools for protection activities. Support in-country capacity on Protection Information Management (PIM) as per international standards and principles. Advise the countries and regional office on protection in strategic documents and proposals and ensure that protection, age, gender, and diversity, and conflict sensitivity are mainstreamed and adequately reflected in relevant strategic documents, decisions and practice. Provide guidance and technical support to DRC staff in national protection cluster co-coordinator roles across the region. Participate in the recruitment of protection coordinators and managers at country office level within the region. Propose, lead and support initiatives on cross-border protection and integrated programming within the EAGL region. Contribute to / take lead in developing DRC and joint policy position papers / briefs and advocacy messaging on thematic protection issues in close collaboration with the regional advocacy coordinator. Provide technical guidance on developing protection integrated programming for the region. Participate in regional and/or national cluster/AoR meetings and in regional working groups (e.g. Regional CP Network, Regional GBV Working Group, etc.) to represent DRC and to highlight the concerns and needs of displacement affected people, and propose solutions. Take the lead in raising the protection profile of DRC in the region by conducting external trainings and participating in seminars/webinars. Conduct thorough technical review of DRCs protection programmes across country offices in the region and produce recommendations for improvement as needed. Ensure links with Regional Office initiatives such as the Mixed Migration Center (MMC) and the Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat (ReDSS) and provide them with technical protection guidance as required, with a view to enhancing the protection outcomes of MMC and ReDSS initiatives/work. Interface with relevant representatives/staff of donor agencies and build alliances with relevant INGOs/NGOs at regional and country level. Provide surge support to country programmes, when essential. Ensure a regular and proactive communication with the protection unit at the HQ level, in Copenhagen Reporting The Regional Potection Coordinator will report to the Deputy Regional Director About you In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRCs five core competencies: Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process. Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback. Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation. Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly. Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values. Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience) Post-graduate qualification in the field of law, political and social sciences/humanities, in general. Minimum 10 years of working experience in protection in humanitarian and nexus contexts, of which majority is field-based Proven experience in training and development of national and international staff members and organisations. Working experience in an international humanitarian organisation or UN agencies Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and adaptability Excellent networking skills Experience working in insecure environments and willingness to travel within the region Work related experience from the East Africa and Great Lakes region or similar complex displacement situations. Languages: Fluent in written and spoken English Fluent in written and spoken French Conditions Contract:One year contract with possibility of extension, subject to funding and performance. Salary and other conditions are offered in accordance with DRCs Terms of Employment for international staff graded at Employment Band F Availability: June 2020 Duty station:The position will be based in one of the DRC offices either in Nairobi, Goma, Djibouti or Bujumbura. This position is non-accompanied. Application and CV Only motivated applications that address the stipulated duties and meet the required qualifications, sent together with a CV, will be considered. DRC only accepts applications sent via our online-application form on www.drc.ngo under Vacancies. Please submit your application and CV in English no later than 11 June, 2020. Gender Equality: DRC is committed to achieving gender parity in staffing at all levels. In light of this, women candidates are particularly encouraged to apply to bridge the gender gap. Equal Opportunities: DRC is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, disability status, religion, ethnic origin, colour, race, marital status or other protected characteristics. DRC only accepts applications sent via our online-application form on www.drc.ngo under Vacancies. Please submit your application and CV in English no later than 11 June, 2020. Emplois & Services, Emplois 1 juin, 2020 449 vues au total, 0 vues cette semaine Christopher Hollins on Monday became the third Harris County clerk in three years, appointed to the post after the incumbent, Diane Trautman, resigned after 17 months because of unspecified health concerns. He has pledged to hold the job only in an interim role, avoiding the potential distraction of running a campaign this fall. Still, the 33-year-old lawyer faces a difficult task in running the July primary runoff and November general elections the latter likely to be the highest-turnout contest in county history during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Hollins said he grasps the scope of the challenge and is up to the task. Though he has no experience in elections administration and has never run for office, he said his background in government consulting will serve him well in his new role. Elections already are a really large task under normal circumstances, he said. And you add to that the concerns and complications that come with a global pandemic, and we have this massive undertaking ahead of us to make sure all the residents of Harris County are able to vote safely, conveniently, and with the confidence their vote is going to be counted. The primary role of the county clerks office is to maintain property and vital records, including the issuance of marriage licenses, but the clerks most visible job is conducting elections. Harris Countys sheer size more than 1,700 square miles and largest-in-Texas voter roll of 2.4 million long has complicated the task of running elections. Vote-counting delays during Republican Stan Stanarts two terms frustrated candidates and residents. Both high-turnout elections overseen his successor, Diane Trautman, had problems and upset even her fellow Democrats. Hollins hopes his work experience will help him avoid the same fate. For six years, he worked for global consulting firm McKinsey & Company, where he focused on helping government agencies become more efficient. He said he could not disclose specific clients, though they were in the police, fire, emergency response and immigration sectors. I would step into large organizations learn them inside and out in a short period of time, and help them solve really tough problems, combining best practices, innovation (and) deep analysis of the organizations data, he said. Commissioners Court members said they were impressed with Hollins credentials, as well as his commitment not to seek the job permanently. I think that McKinsey background will be helpful in getting procedures in place to get through this (elections) process, Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said. Hollins said he would take that outsiders approach to the clerk role and would retain the offices senior staff, including Elections Director Michael Winn and Chief Deputy Teneshia Hudspeth. A key issue for elections during the pandemic is which residents may be permitted to vote by mail. The Texas Elections Code permits all residents 65 and older to request mail ballots, as well as those away from the county during the election period or who claim a disability. Whether a fear of contracting the new coronavirus at a polling place is a disability is unclear. The state Supreme Court last week ruled lack of immunity to the virus alone would not meet that standard, however, it could be one of several factors that constitute a disability. Trautman in April secured $12 million from Commissioners Court to send a mail ballot to any voter who requests one for the July or November elections. Hollins said he lacks expertise in Texas election law, and will defer to the county attorney on mail voting. Assistant County Attorney Douglas Ray said the county will let voters choose whether they qualify for a mail ballot. Its up to the voter to decide, Ray said Monday. Were not going to require any proof. Were not going to require any explanation. Hollins background as a Houston-area native and voter will inform his approach to the job, he said. He was surprised on Primary Day in March to find his regular polling place, the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in the Third Ward, was not in use. He used the county clerks online app to find different place to vote, but said he worried other residents were unable to do the same. A Houston Chronicle analysis found that Trautman had signed off on a plan to place more than two thirds of voting machines in Republican county commissioner precincts, despite accurate predictions that Democratic turnout would be far higher. Hollins said he supports countywide voting, Trautmans signature initiative which allows residents to cast ballots anywhere on Election Day. He said he would ensure polling sites are fairly distributed around the county. Hollins said he will keep his personal injury law firm and remain as vice chairman of finance for the Texas Democratic Party, though he will significantly scale back the time he spends in both roles. He said voters need not be concerned that his role in a political party will impair his ability to run fair elections. The duties of the county clerk are not partisan issues whatsoever, Hollins said. zach.despart@chron.com 01.06.2020 LISTEN The Free SHS launched by Ghana's government has guaranteed the enjoyment of free tuition for many students who couldn't attend SHS for different reasons. The universities' limited infrastructure has raised several concerns about admitting the large number of students who will apply for universities. In the wake of COVID-19, the educational institutions have embraced online learning just like other organizations. Mr. Eric Appiah, Public Relations Officer of the Students' Representative Council of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA SRC) has urged educational institutions to use the online learning infrastructure that facilitates online learning processes to accommodate a large number of students from senior high school. Going to school is the best available government policy resource for increasing skills. Although school time can be enjoyable, and can boost social skills and social knowledge, the primary point of being in school from an economic point of view is that it improves a child's potential. Only a relatively short learning time does this; even a fairly short period of missing school would have implications for the development of skills. COVID-19 does not leave any sector uninfluenced in any country in the world and its implications will be felt for years to come. At a time when enormous efforts were being made to transform and improve higher education in Ghana, COVID-19 is in danger of destabilizing the sector, with serious consequences. Sure, the crisis has created an incentive for all institutions of higher education to rapidly develop and optimize their ICT operations. Nonetheless, most do not have the opportunity to offer whole programs online in full. He advises the government could adopt an educational model that could scale up the IT infrastructure and implement free tuition for university students. The government could acquire cloud servers from amazon for this purpose He advises. Online learning platforms make the work of the lecturers easier by ensuring quick delivery of lectures and automatically marking scripts. Russian space chief Dmitry Rogozin got back at SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's jab, who jokingly said in the post-launch press conference that the trampoline is working, referring to the former's jibe at the United States a few years ago. As per reports, Rogozin had once said that Washington may soon be forced to deliver its astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) using a trampoline. After the successful launch of the Crew Dragon, Elon Musk said the trampoline is working and added, 'it's an inside joke." NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine, who was sitting next to Elon Musk at the time laughed. Read: Russian Space Agency Congratulates SpaceX For Its Successful Launch Dmitry Rogozin took to his Twitter handle on May 31 to congratulate NASA and SpaceX for the successful launch and docking of the spacecraft to the ISS. Dmitry also got back at Elon Musk saying he loved his joke and is looking forward to further cooperation. Elon Musk was quick to respond to the senior Russian official's Tweet as he wrote cyrillic script "Thanks sir, haha. We look forward to mutually beneficial and prosperous long-term cooperation." Dear @JimBridenstine, it's safe to congratulate you at this point with a successful launch and docking. Bravo! I know how anxious you were for this major event to become a success. I wish @NASA team to successfully finish up reconstructing its national space transportation system (@Rogozin) May 31, 2020 , , -. . - Elon Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 31, 2020 Read: ISRO Congratulates NASA And SpaceX For Their "historic" Manned Mission Crew Dragon launch SpaceX created history after it became the first private company in the world to successfully send humans into space. SpaceXs Falcon 9 launched Crew Dragons second demonstration (Demo-2) mission from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30 at 3:22 p.m. EDT. The test flight with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on board the Dragon spacecraft returned human spaceflight to the United States after nine long years. Crew Dragon on May 31 successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) at 10:16 a.m. local time, a few minutes earlier than planned. Read: SpaceX's Mission Space-suits Will 'probably' Be Available As Merchandise, Says Elon Musk Read: Crew Dragon Officially Join International Space Station Crew After Successful Docking George Clooney has penned a powerful essay about the widespread race riots across the United States, sparked by the tragic death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. 'There is little doubt that George Floyd was murdered,' Clooney, 59, began in the piece published by The Daily Beast. 'This is our pandemic. It infects all of us, and in 400 years we've yet to find a vaccine.' Clooney has written the piece as America heads into a new week of civil unrest, as political leaders struggle to control the coast-to-coast outpouring of fury over police brutality, and the police killings of black people. Speaking out: George Clooney has penned a powerful essay about the widespread riots across the U.S., sparked by the tragic death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Speaking of the systematic racism that is embedded into the fabric of American history, the actor added: 'The anger and the frustration we see playing out once again in our streets is just a reminder of how little we've grown as a country from our original sin of slavery.' 'We need systemic change in our law enforcement and in our criminal justice system. We need policymakers and politicians that reflect basic fairness to all of their citizens equally,' Clooney continued. In a clear dig to President Trump, he added: 'Not leaders that stoke hatred and violence as if the idea of shooting looters could ever be anything less than a racial dog whistle. Bull Connor was more subtle.' Riot act: Police are seen standing guard outside The White House on Sunday following riots across the country triggered by fury over the death of George Floyd Taking aim: Clooney said we need leaders who do not stoke 'hatred and violence' in a clear dig to President Trump Theophilus Eugene 'Bull' Connor was an American politician who strongly opposed the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Clooney, who is married to Human Rights lawyer Amal Clooney, finished his piece by urging Americans to vote for change. 'So this week, as we're wondering what it's going to take to fix these seemingly insurmountable problems, just remember we created these issues so we can fix them. And there is only one way in this country to bring lasting change: Vote.' Meanwhile, it was reported Monday that President Trump had told governors during a video conference from the Situation Room that they are 'weak' and need to 'dominate' cities ravaged by riots or they will look like 'jerks.' 'You have to dominate, if you don't dominate you're wasting your time. They're going to run over you, you're going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate,' audio of the call revealed. Pictured: Police take security measures near White House during a protest over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after being pinned down by a white cop 'The only time it's successful is when you're weak and most of you are weak,' he added, CNN reported, claiming that if governors and local leaders were more tough on rioters, there would be less destruction of their major cities. 'You've got to arrest people, you have to track people, you have to put them in jail for 10 years and you'll never see this stuff again,' Trump said during the 55-minute call. 'We're doing it in Washington, D.C. We're going to do something that people haven't seen before.' SEBEWAING A long-abandoned and once contaminated industrial site in the heart of Sebewaing Village will be going to the dogs. The Northwest corner of the property at 249 N. Center St., will be developed into a park for dogs. The park will consist of about one acre. The plan is for the park to have water, benches, trees, an agility course and fences to contain the dogs with one section for larger dogs and other for smaller dogs. The park would be an added value for the village residents who own a dog, said village President Julie Epperson. To help with the parks development, the project was awarded a $1,000 grant from the Huron County Community Foundation as part of the program to help communities enhance public spaces. The 249 N. Center St. site was home to Sebewaing Industries for a number of years, as well as other businesses under different names, and then TI Automotive. The last former owner was Lapeer Metal Stamping, which bought the factory in 2004 and then closed it in 2008. Eventually, the property reverted to the county for unpaid property taxes. After the county was unable to sell it at auction, the village received the property. Because the location was a long-time manufacturing site, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality did extensive monitoring and testing for contamination. Sebewaing Village officials worked for several years with the MDEQ to clean up the site utilizing state grant funds as much as possible. The property has been declared contamination free. The site covered several blocks from Center Street to Albert Street to Union Street to Sharpsteen Street. And, that is not the only idea for Center Street development. The council approved the purchase of a caboose for $6,000 contingent on an agreement with Sebewaing Township and the logistics of being able to hall it to its final destination. The plan is to place the caboose next to the Sebewaing Historical Society Property at 325 North Center St. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dyaning Pangestika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, June 1, 2020 12:25 599 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb474ba 1 National COVID-19,Indonesia,new-normal,doni-monardo,covid-19-task-force,coronavirus Free Some 100 regencies and municipalities labeled as green zones and have not been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak can start new-normal measures, the government has announced. President [Joko Jokowi Widodo] ordered the national COVID-19 task force to allow 102 regions to conduct productive and safe public activities, task force chief Doni Monardo said in a televised conference on Saturday. These include 14 areas in Aceh, 15 in North Sumatra, three in Riau Islands, four in South Sumatra, 14 in East Nusa Tenggara, one in Central Java, five in Southeast Sulawesi and 17 in Papua. They have recorded zero cases of COVID-19. Areas categorized as yellow zones have a low COVID-19 risk, orange zones have a moderate COVID-19 risk and red zones a high risk of the disease. Read also: Jakarta ready to welcome 'new normal' soon, minister says Still, Doni urged the COVID-19-free areas to maintain strict health protocols to further prevent transmission. He added that cities and agencies that decide to reopen and resume economic activities must involve experts, the medical sector and prominent community figures in their decision-making process. According to the COVID-19 task forces expert staff chief, Wiku Adisasmito, the 102 regencies and cities have fulfilled the governments criteria for reopening. For a region to reopen and loosen large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), they must meet 11 indicators. We are using criteria from epidemiologists, as well as public health surveillance and health services, with recommendations from the World Health Organization, Wiku said. The indicators for public health services as recommended by the WHO included decreasing the number of positive cases within two weeks after the latest peak, decreasing the death toll from positive cases and probable cases, decreasing the number of positive patients treated in hospitals, an increasing number of recovered patients and a less than 5 percent positivity rate (out of 5 percent positive samples). Dublin Zoo today announced it will reopen to the public on June 2 in a reduced capacity and under new strict health and safety protocols. Tickets to attend Dublin Zoo must now be pre-booked online in advance, solely via the Dublin Zoo website. Tickets will not be sold at the gate. Visits will be divided into two daily sessions, one morning and one afternoon, with a maximum of 500 people in each for an initial trial period. Dublin Zoo is initially limiting its daily allowance of visitors to two daily slots with 500 hundred people maximum in each session, less than 10% of usual capacity at any one time. The morning session will run from 9.30 -13.00 and an afternoon session from 14.00-17.30. Visitors will travel through Dublin Zoo by following a new outdoor, one-way walking route which reinforces strict social distancing. The outdoor route, also known as the Dublin Zoo Outdoor Safari Trail, will be noted on a map which will be available to all visitors. Hand sanitiser stations will be available and there will be visible signage reinforcing physical distancing, hand-hygiene, coughing/sneezing etiquette. A new, enhanced cleaning regime has also been implemented and all Dublin Zoo personnel will be provided with, and trained in the safe and appropriate use of, relevant Personal Protective Equipment. Speaking on the reopening of Dublin Zoo for the first time since March 12th, Director of Dublin Zoo, Leo Oosterweghel said: We are pleased to announce that Dublin Zoo will reopen its doors on June 2 under new stringent health and safety protocols. As we approach this new chapter of our history with cautious optimism, our priority during this reopening phase will be to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our staff, visitors and the continued provision of world-class animal care. This will be a careful, phased reopening where we limit the number of entrants at any given time whilst establishing strict social distancing and hygiene measures, to protect both Dublin Zoo visitors and staff. These past weeks have been a very challenging time for Dublin Zoo, but I would like to take this opportunity to thank the public for the thousands of messages we have received extending their love and support to us. In the same vein, we have received numerous queries regarding our reopening date and while we are pleased to announce it will be June 2nd, it is important to stress that this is a trial period for Dublin Zoo and patience and understanding will be required from visitors as we navigate our new pre-booking system, two daily opening sessions and one-way walking route. We have worked hard to ensure Dublin Zoo can once again reopen to the public, but health and safety come first, and we ask all visitors to bear that in mind when coming to see us. We would also like to strongly advise anyone considering a visit to Dublin Zoo that they check current government travel restrictions to ensure they are abiding by them. We look forward to welcoming visitors once again to Dublin Zoo. To ensure strict social distancing and new public health guidelines can always be adhered to at all times in Dublin Zoo, internal animal houses and enclosed habitat viewing areas, retail units, and playgrounds will be closed to the public until further notice. Due to enclosed habitat viewing areas, visitors will not be able to see the wolves, hippo, Waldrapp ibis, Amur tigers and the red pandas. However, visitors will be able to see the majority of the animals including the herd of Asian elephants, chimpanzees, the Western lowland gorillas, giraffe, rhino, zebra, sealions, penguins, lemurs, orangutans, and lions. Educational tours and classes will also not take place during this time. To book your tickets, or for further details on how visitors can prepare themselves for their visit to Dublin Zoo and what to expect, please visit www.dublinzoo.ie. Before booking a ticket to attend Dublin Zoo, please check that you are adhering to current Government travel restrictions. Explained: How Delhi recorded a massive surge in number of COVID-19 cases India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, June 01: The recent number of positive cases of coronavirus in Delhi seems to have spiling them over to its neighbouring districts as well. Haryana has been recording a large number of cases in areas that are adjoining Delhi, such as Gurugram, Faridabad and Sonepat. The reason to this can probably because of easing several activities, including limited public transport, after the third phase of lockdown ended on May 18. On Sunday, the national capital recorded 1,295 new cases, which was the fourth consecutive day of 1,000-plus cases in the city. Senior ICMR scientist tests positive for coronavirus Recently, there has been an increase of almost 6,000 cases in Delhi, which presently has close to 20,000 cases. But, the concerns shifts focus on the increase in the number of dead. In the last two weeks, the number of deaths has been increased massively from 123 on May 15 to 473 now. Looking at the official data provided by the Union Health Ministry, as a city, only Mumbai has a bigger caseload, and more number of dead. Cabinet meet: 'Big decisions' expected as govt completes 1st year of 2nd term| Oneindia News Coronavirus outbreak: COVID-19 tally rises above 1.90 lakh in India; 230 deaths in 24 hours So far, the national capital has not faced any hospital or manpower shortage that Mumbai is stumbling upon. Mumbai, which has close to 40,000 infections has already begun converting large public premises into makeshift hospitals. With more relaxations in lockdown rules coming into effect from today in the "Unlock 1", the chances of another surge in the number of cases is high in the coming days. On Sunday, more than 8,500 new coronavirus-related cases were reported from across the country. The total number of infections in India is now more than 1.9 lakh. With these many cases, more than 91,000 people have so far recovered from the disease. According to the official data, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Gujarat can be seen constantly contributing the positive cases. States that are reporting COVID-19 cases in an extremely slow pace include Punjab, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh. Trump slams China over Hong Kong security law, threatens severe action Iran Press TV Sunday, 31 May 2020 2:01 AM US President Donald Trump has slammed China over the recently-passed national security law by the legislative council in the former British colony of Hong Kong, claiming that Beijing had broken its word regarding the city's autonomy and vowing that the territory no longer warranted US economic privileges. "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, further threatening to impose sanctions on individuals seen as responsible for "smothering - absolutely smothering - Hong Kong's freedom." The US president also told reporters at the White House that approval of the security bill in Hong Kong amounted to a tragedy for the world, but offered no timetable for the threatened measures, leading the city's residents, businesses and officials to contemplate just how far his administration will go. "China has replaced One Country, Two Systems with One Country, One System", he further claimed in a prepared statement that attacked Beijing on several fronts. "This is a tragedy for Hong Kong... China has smothered Hong Kong's freedom." The development came after Hong Kong's legislature debated and passed the Beijing-proposed bill on Wednesday that criminalizes sedition, secession and subversion against the mainland. It would further pave the way for Chinese national security institutions to operate in the city for the first time since 1997, when Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule. The bill also requires that China's national anthem known as "March of the Volunteers" be taught in schools and sung by organizations, and imposes jail terms or fines against those who disrespect it. Beijing insists the new bill due to become law by September does not pose a threat to Hong Kong's autonomy and the interests of foreign investors, noting that it is merely meant to prevent terrorism and foreign interference there, as was evident in violent, Western-backed protest rallies there against the mainland. Trump also added that the State Department would revise its travel advisory for Hong Kong in light of what he referred to as "increased danger of surveillance" from China. China slams Trump's move on Hong Kong, cites dismal US rights record In response, senior Hong Kong government officials blasted Trump's threat to strip the city of its special status in a bid to punish China for enacting national security laws on the global financial hub. Speaking hours after Trump said the city no longer warranted economic privileges and some officials could face sanctions, Security Minister John Lee said in a Saturday press briefing that Hong Kong's government could not be threatened and would push ahead with the new laws. "I don't 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. The city's Justice Minister Teresa Cheng further said the basis for Trump's actions was "completely false and wrong", insisting that the need for national security laws were legal and necessary. Meanwhile, diplomats at the United Nations said Russia and China have responded during Security Council discussions on Friday by criticizing Washington over the Minneapolis killing of an unarmed African American 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 China's right to restore peace & order in Hong Kong while brutally dispersing crowds at home?" Russia's deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy posted on Twitter after the council discussion. China's UN ambassador Zhang Jun also 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 China's internal matters is doomed to fail." Beijing rejects US interference On Thursday, China dismissed US attempts at the United Nations to have the UN Security Council (UNSC) hold a meeting over Beijing's proposed national security law for Hong Kong, emphasizing that the issue was an internal matter. During a UNSC meeting on Wednesday, US and Chinese envoys 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 UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said later on Twitter. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:48:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- More than 400,000 students in Beijing on Monday returned to primary and middle schools as the COVID-19 epidemic continues to wane in the Chinese capital. Due to the epidemic control, the spring semester originally slated for February was postponed. On Monday, over 1,000 primary and middle schools reopened. In Beijing No.2 Experimental Primary School in the downtown, more than 670 students from 18 classes in the sixth grade attended a national flag-raising ceremony Monday morning. "I have longed for celebrating International Children's Day with my classmates. When I entered the classroom, I was excited to see a paper bag in everyone's seat, which contained festival gifts for us," said Guo Yiwei, a grade six student from Beijing Primary School. On Monday, primary schools only allowed grade six students to return to school, while middle schools have seen all the students return. You Na, deputy director of the Dongcheng District Education Commission of Beijing, said that according to the requirements of the Beijing municipal education commission, teachers and students in schools should wear face masks in class. Students can take off their masks in physical education classes while keeping a safe distance. The fourth and fifth grades of primary schools are scheduled to return to school on June 8, and the first to third grades are expected to resume class later, said Li Yi, spokesperson of the municipal education commission. Li said the municipal authorities have launched "safe campus" supervision. A total of 2,452 schools and kindergartens have passed the district-level "safe campus" supervision. According to the requirements, all the students should have their body temperature measured upon entering campus, while schools follow the epidemic prevention measures preparing disinfection items. Beijing activated the highest level of public health emergency response on Jan. 24 to contain the outbreak of the epidemic. It lowered the emergency response from the top level to the second level on April 30 after seeing no new confirmed local and imported COVID-19 cases for 13 consecutive days. Enditem insights from industry Josef X. Brunner CEO neosim AG COVID-19 is a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that affects the respiratory system in humans. By using realistic lung simulators, clinicians can train how to apply respiratory support to patients affected by the virus. Why is simulator-based training so important and why is it important to use accurate and realistic simulators when training? The airline industry has been using simulation-based training for decades, and has become one of the safest industries in the world. The topic of training is not flying per se, but to experience rare and dangerous flight conditions and to learn what to do in those cases. Such cases need to be highly realistic to achieve the desired training effect. How does the TestChest achieve realistic simulation? What factors does the TestChest consider when converting a students actions into a lifelike response, and what vital statistics does it show? The key is that the access points that are identical to a patients access points: the airways and peripheral circulation. Therapy is provided by connecting the airways to a respiratory support device and adjusting the support parameters. The sensors inside TestChest measures the level of therapy, and the microprocessor built into TestChest calculates the response of the patient depending on the pre-set pathology. The microprocessor also calculates the resulting oxygen saturation in the arterial blood, sending this data to an artificial finger to which a pulse oximeter of any brand can be attached. The oxygen saturation provides a measure of the outcome of the therapy. Image Credit: Organis GmbH What modalities are possible when connecting the TestChest to a ventilator? How is the TestChest compatible with ventilators and parts already used? As the TestChest can be treated like a real patient, any ventilator or respiratory device will connect to TestChest. This includes intensive care ventilators as well as CPAP systems and anesthesia machines. The artificial finger takes any pulse oximeter on the market. What are the benefits of this simulator compared to other simulators used for respiratory training? Conventional simulators require an operator to adjust the outcome variables, like oxygen saturation, based on the perceived benefit of the therapy delivered by the trainee. You can imagine that the response will not only differ from trainee to trainee but also from operator to operator. In contrast, TestChest is fully autonomous, no operator input is needed. As a result, simulation is highly consistent. In what applications and areas of medicine is the TestChest most beneficial? TestChest is a dedicated lung simulator for training of respiratory therapy in intensive care medicine. How could the TestChest revolutionize medical treatments? Today, 100000 patients die every year because of medical errors. In intensive care, the guidelines to ventilate patients are often not followed, although they have been shown to improve care. It is our bias that simulation-based training is key to applying safe respiratory therapy and to avoid catastrophes in case of exceptional and dangerous situations. How does the COVID-19 virus affect the lungs? I am not a physician so unfortunately, I cannot comment on this. However, we have learned from clinicians at the bedside that COVID-19 patients show very unusual respiratory mechanics and gas exchange, and have implemented the observations into scenarios for TestChest. Because TestChest is highly versatile, we could implement these unusual observations without any problem. Image Credit: iunewind/Shutterstock.com When and why did neosim look at applying TestChest to the COVID-19 pandemic? Why is simulator-based training applicable to COVID-19? It was quite obvious after the first feedback from clinicians that a lung simulator would be great to train and explore new ventilation possibilities. We got many suggestions for testing and exploring, including the use of one ventilator for several patients. How has the TestChest been used to help with the COVID-19 pandemic so far? TestChest was helpful as a training tool in preparation for clinical personnel to provide respiratory support as well as a test device for ventilator developers, for example at CERN, Geneva, ETH in Zurich, or CAE in Canada. How is the TestChest being used to develop new ventilators for treating COVID-19? Developers need to create ventilators for patients, not for physical entities. For this reason it would be great to have a patient in the lab, which obviously, is not possible. With TestChest, the engineers can test directly on a near patient which certainly helps to speed up development. Has the use of TestChest helped to improve understanding of the effect of COVID-19 on the respiratory system? No, TestChest is a phenomenological system, i.e. it acts as if it would be a real patient. Lung mechanics and gas exchange are like in real patients, yet the mechanisms behind TestChest are mathematical models, not biology. How could TestChest help to keep people prepared for the possibility of future respiratory-based virus pandemics? Since TestChest is highly versatile, I trust that we can simulate future respiratory diseases even if we do not know them today. Image Credit: Aqai What do you see the future of simulator-based training to be? ZERO preventable deaths. Simulation based training is key to patient safety. I have heard that a British Newspaper once wrote: Pilots train in simulators, doctors on patients. With the advent of high-tech simulators, training on patients might one day be obsolete. Where can readers find more information? Read more about neosims lung simulators Read about availability in the USA here Read about availability in Asia here About neoism AG neosim AG is a family-owned business and was founded to create the best autonomous lung simulators. LuSi is the star product, a baby to simulate lung function. Josef X. Brunner, PhD, started his career as a developer for a NASA ventilator for space, spent 20 years with Hamilton Medical to create their new closed-loop control ventilator fleet, and later created a couple of start-ups, all in the field of respiratory support and diagnostics. Today, he is the CEO of neosim AG. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Some 50 fighters carry out well-planned operation against Intikane camp in Tahoua region, UN refugee agency says. At least three civilians have been killed in a coordinated attack on a camp housing thousands of Malian refugees in western Niger, according to the United Nations. Some 50 fighters launched a well-planned operation against the Intikane refugee camp in the Tahoua region on Sunday afternoon, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Niamey told AFP news agency. The three victims were the head of a refugee committee, the head of a refugee vigilance group and a representative of a Tahoua nomadic group, the UNHCR said on Monday. The attackers also abducted a guard and sabotaged the camps water supply. The jihadists inflicted damage on the camps facilities, in particularly emptying the food supplies and destroying the system which supplies drinking water to the area within a radius of 40km (25 miles), the UN agency said. Alessandra Morelli, the UNHCRs representative in Niger, denounced the attack. It is very serious, the terrorists have destroyed our space to live, Morelli told AFP. A security source told the news agency that before the attack, the fighters destroyed telephone relay antennas in the area. Alongside the local population, the town of Intikane is hosting some 20,000 Malian refugees and 15,000 internally displaced Nigerien citizens all of whom fled their villages due to violence perpetrated by armed groups. 200530063608378 Fighters with links to al-Qaeda and the ISIL (ISIS) group have increasingly mounted attacks across the Sahel in recent years despite the presence of thousands of regional and foreign troops in the region. The violence has hit Mali and Burkina Faso the hardest, rendering large swaths of those countries ungovernable, but it has also spilled into Niger, which shares long and porous borders with its two neighbours. Niger is home to nearly 60,000 Malian refugees who fled their countrys north after it fell under the control of al-Qaeda-linked groups in 2012, according to the UN. A French-led military intervention the following year pushed them out, but parts of Mali remain out of government control and awash with armed groups. Niger has also endured unrest in its southeast from Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province, a breakaway group from Boko Haram. In January, the UN envoy for West Africa told the UN Security Council that attacks have increased fivefold in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger since 2016, with more than 4,000 deaths reported in 2019. PHILIPSBURG:--- As the region enters the 2020 hurricane season, K1 DIRECT (K1 Britannia Foundations Disaster & Crisis Team) has started to make preparations to assist not only the Dutch Caribbean but also islands in the region, during the wake of a disaster. In the last several months, K1 DIRECT has expanded its capacity by enhancing its supplies, operational capabilities, regional and international partnerships as well as the qualifications of the volunteer team. Most recently, K1 DIRECT has been involved in coordinating the packaging and distribution of food packages during the COVID-19 crisis, which has further developed and given the team the experience and immediate preparedness needed for any future disasters. K1 DIRECT has been actively engaging in disaster preparedness since the teams conception in 2017. Its members are trained in crisis management, emergency medicine, registration in emergencies, data collection, information management, psychosocial support, organization and distribution of relief goods, shelter management, and emergency logistics. K1 DIRECT is also equipped with the logistics, supplies, and regional partnerships needed to be effective in immediate relief. K1 DIRECT Program Manager, Priya Thirumur stated, The teams first priority is to the island of St. Maarten, in which K1 DIRECT has maintained a dialogue with St. Maarten Government Emergency Support Function 7 (ESF7). These dialogues outline the teams pre-determined roles within shelter management, first response, and distribution management on the island. This partnership was an outcome of the experiences of Hurricane Irma, but also through COVID-19 which continued to build the foundation of a strong partnership, and set clear criteria of processes and procedures for disaster management. Over the years, the disaster team has dynamically played a role in the relief efforts of Hurricane Irma, St Maarten (September 2017), Hurricane Maria, Dominica (October 2017), and Hurricane Dorian, Bahamas (September 2019). K1 DIRECT Program Manager, Alan Schet states, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season amid the global pandemic and although we are hoping that we do not endure any disasters, we must be prepared and K1 DIRECT has been making necessary steps of preparedness via training and expansion of the team, over the years. K1 DIRECT has undergone extensive training in disaster management including disaster management training with the UNDAC (United Nations Disaster Assessment & Coordination) amongst many others in CPR, First Aid, Emergency Medical Response, Logistics, and more. K1 DIRECT has also established a branch in Curacao which supports the St. Maarten team in regional disaster relief, and also have been given relevant training over the last two years. For more information on how you can be joined or support K1 DIRECT, please visit their website www.k1britanniafoundation.org, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit their Facebook www.facebook.com/k1sxm. A Metropolitan Police officer faces misconduct proceedings after failing to circulate CCTV images of a suspect who went on to kill a woman in an acid attack. Xeneral Webster, 20, was identified the day after the detective constable, who has not been named, finally passed on the evidence 20 months after a woman was caught in the midst of an acid attack at a cinema in Ealing, west London. By then he was starting a 17-year jail sentence for the manslaughter of carer Joanne Rand, 47, after admitting the first acid killing in the UK in 2018. As an innocent bystander, Ms Rand was fatally wounded when she was hit with sulphuric acid in High Wycombe in June 2017 during a fight between Webster and another man. Joanne Rand worked as a burse before the attack. After being doused in acid she died of septicemia When it emerged Webster was the prime suspect in an attack three months earlier in March 2017, Ms Rand's family said she might still be alive had the Met not allegedly let her attacker slip through the net. Ms Rand's family said: 'Had this acid attack in March 2017 been investigated properly at the time, Webster the alleged perpetrator would have been dealt with and may not have been free to carry out the horrific attack in June 2017 on Jo and she may still be with us.' 'We feel let down by the Metropolitan Police.' A probe by the police watchdog found the detective constable obtained CCTV images a day after the Ealing attack, in which the woman suffered significant leg injuries. He said the images would be circulated via an internal database when he was next on duty on the crime report. But they were not circulated until November 8 2018 and Webster was identified the next day. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the officer has a case to answer for misconduct and the Met will arrange disciplinary proceedings. IOPC regional director Sal Naseem said: 'Our investigation began against a backdrop of an escalation in acid attacks in London. Xeneral Webster riding away from the scene of the acid attack on Joanne Rand in Frogmoor, High Wycombe, carrying a bottle of acid 'The consequences of such attacks are devastating, and my sympathies are with the family and friends of Joanne Rand because the circumstances surrounding her death are truly tragic. 'Having assessed all of the evidence we concluded the failure on the part of the detective constable to circulate the CCTV image was not intentional or deliberate, however it was entirely avoidable. 'The officer had an opportunity in April 2017 to circulate the CCTV but this did not happen. 'We passed our report and its findings to the Metropolitan Police Service who agreed with us that the officer had a case to answer for misconduct. 'They will now arrange for a misconduct meeting to take place during which the evidence will be assessed.' The IOPC said it only names officers facing gross misconduct proceedings. Cellphone video captured the moment looters smashed up a Target store, and the chain and other major U.S. retailers announced they are closing their doors in cities hard-hit by looting and vandalism as protests erupt across the country. Target, Walmart, CVS, Apple, Nike and Adidas are among the stores to announce closures, while Whole Foods is operating on a reduced schedule in some cities. Amazon has told some of their contract delivery drivers to cease work in almost a dozen cities. Cellphone footage shows looters trying to smash open a cash till at a Target store The thief tried to smash open the cash register inside the Target store during a night of riots Video circulating on social media has shown the ransacking of the Target store, with thieves attempting to smash into a cash register, and others carrying armfuls of stolen goods. Violence has flared since the killing on Monday of Floyd, 46, in Minneapolis. A Target store in Minnesota was engulfed in flames during protests at Floyd's killing He died after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck during his arrest, and pinned him to the ground for almost nine minutes. Protests began on Tuesday night in Minneapolis and have since spread to 140 cities nationwide, with some of the protests turning into a frenzy of destruction and looting. A Target store in southern Minneapolis, close to where Floyd was killed, was set alight on Wednesday night. On Sunday Target, which has its headquarters in the city, announced it was closing six stores - two in Minneapolis, and one in Chicago, Oakland, Atlanta and Philadelphia. At more than 200 of its stores, Target said it had either adjusted hours or temporarily closed over the weekend, though most of the stores were scheduled to reopen. Walmart said it closed hundreds of stores late Sunday afternoon to protect employees and customers. Scott Pope, a spokesman, said several dozen stores were closed all day Sunday because of damage from protests. He said he did not know when those stores would be able to reopen. The loading dock at Target in southern Minneapolis is pictured in flames on Wednesday night Aftermath of the fires and riots at the Minneapolis branch of Target, pictured on Thursday Looters in Minneapolis raid a Target on Wednesday afternoon, before the fires started Thieves are pictured attacking the cash tills at Target in Minneapolis on Wednesday afternoon CVS said it had shuttered locations are in more than 20 states and the District of Columbia. A spokeswoman said pharmacies at closed stores will reroute customers to a nearby CVS so they can get prescriptions filled. 'We are continually monitoring protests as they occur in the communities we serve and will close stores, if needed, to help ensure the safety of employees and customers,' CVS said in a statement. Protestors form a line in front of a CVS store to avoid people breaking the store windows during a rally in Miami on Sunday night. CVS has announced closures of several stores Looters stealing from an Apple store in Los Angeles, in the Grove mall in the Fairfax district Apple said it decided to keep some of its stores closed Sunday after looters raided stores including one in the Grove shopping center in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. It did not say how many were affected. Nike, which was raided on Saturday night in Manhattan, also closed some stores. 'Nike supports free and peaceful protests and we do not condone violence,' Nike said in a statement. 'We are closely following the protests occurring across the country.' Adidas is temporarily closing all of its U.S. stores, after at least one location was hit by looters Saturday evening, the Wall Street Journal reported. Riot police stand guard outside a Target store in St Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday A man walks past a boarded up Target store in Oakland, California, on Saturday And Amazon, the parent company of Whole Foods, also announced reduced operating hours and delivery. Whole Foods' stores near Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Chicago all remain closed, CNBC reported. The company's Bryant Park store in New York City has only been open for grocery delivery for several weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak, but the store is ending online orders early as a result of protests, a Whole Foods spokesperson told the site. Amazon has told its 'flex delivery' team - independent contractors of Amazon that use a mobile app to find package delivery jobs in their area - to cease deliveries in almost a dozen cities, including Minneapolis, Seattle, Los Angeles, Nashville and Miami. Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Cheeseman said: 'We are monitoring the situation closely and in a handful of cities we've adjusted routes or scaled back typical delivery operations to ensure the safety of our teams.' Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 21:21:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Aerial photo taken on April 4, 2020 shows the Atlantis resort in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. (Photo by Zhang Liyun/Xinhua) BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping has underlined the importance of high quality and high standards of construction in the Hainan free trade port, while prioritizing the innovation of institutional integration in the process of building the port. Building Hainan free trade port is a significant strategic decision to push forward the innovation and development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and a matter of great importance in the progress of China's reform and opening up in the new era, said Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, in an official instruction. Xi stressed the importance of sticking to the leadership of the CPC and to the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, aligning with high-standard international economic and trade rules, promoting the smooth flow of production factors and building Hainan into a high-quality free trade port with high standards. He said that the innovation of institutional integration would be prioritized to free people's minds to make bold innovations and ensure enduring progress. Xi urged the local government of Hainan to act boldly and proactively to accomplish the goal of laying a solid foundation for the construction of the Hainan free trade port, while central authorities should support Hainan's daring reforms and innovation, pushing for new achievements in the construction of the port. China is aiming to establish a set of free trade port policies focusing on trade and investment facilitation across the whole island of Hainan by 2025, building an economy with a new height of openness by 2035 and a high-level free trade port of global influence by the middle of the century. There's a reason Billings Public Schools are struggling to find a workaround to a COVID-related technicality and get a school levy election scheduled. The reason: The levy money is desperately needed to keep schools functioning. Districts across the state are facing the same issues that Billings is, including budget cuts that mean there's not enough money to pay teachers both regular and substitute much less fix buildings. As Billings Gazette education reporter Matt Hoffman reported last week, levies "are a fundamental part of Montana's school finance system. State rules set a base budget using a mix of state, local and federal funds, but school districts can choose to run elections about raising local property taxes to exceed that maximum budget by up to 20 percent through general fund levies. Schools can also run more specialized levies to raise money for things like small infrastructure projects or technology costs." Billings superintendent Greg Upham has previously announced likely cuts of almost 40 positions, and that's not enough to balance the books. Without levy money, more cuts are inevitable. Governor Roy Cooper Announced NC Will Receive $6 Million Federal Grant for Employees Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic COVID-19 Updates: Staying Informed & Prepared Updates on Testing and Tracking DHHS Campaign to Reach Underserved Communities Get All of the Latest Information in Spanish Tweet of the Week This pandemic has cancelled plans and caused disappointment, but its also brought out the best in our communities. Great to see North Carolinians like this young man stepping up and finding innovative ways to celebrate their loved ones. https://t.co/hoSa0C2Zk9 Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) May 28, 2020 Governor Cooper announced this week that North Carolina will receive $6 million to help dislocated workers with job training and temporary employment related to COVID-1.Division of Workforce Solutions will partner with local workforce development boards throughout the state to help eligible people participate in the program if they have been temporarily or permanently laid off due to COVID-19. The funds can be used for on-the-job training, temporary positions focused on COVID-19, or short-term training for workers to learn new skills that are in demand now.said Governor Cooper.The State Department of Commerces Division of Workforce Solutions will partner with local workforce development boards throughout the state to help eligible people participate in the program if they have been temporarily or permanently laid off due to COVID-19. The funds can be used for on-the-job training, temporary positions focused on COVID-19, or short-term training for workers to learn new skills that are in demand now.Read the Press Release 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 This week Governor Cooper announced that CVS is opening 55 drive through testing locations across North Carolina. Governor Cooper also shared that Community Cares of North Carolina has almost finished hiring the 250 contact tracers needed to surge this important effort. CCNC has focused on recruiting a diverse workforce of contact tracers.said Governor Cooper.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.COVID-19 is shining a bright light on longstanding inequalities in health care. This week, NC DHHS launched a radio and video campaign to share important messages about COVID-19 to historically marginalized populations. African Americans and LatinX/Hispanic communities make up more than half of all lab-confirmed cases and total deaths, despite representing a smaller cross-section of the states population.said Governor Cooper.NCDHHS is partnering with key influencers to reach historically marginalized populations with public health messages about reducing their risks for contracting COVID-19. The messages are part of the Departments focus during the COVID-19 response to address long-standing health disparities impacting communities of color across North Carolina.NCDHHS is partnering with Radio One to create messages on various health topics to better inform these communities. DHHS also partnered with community members to create informational videos in English or Spanish Read the Press Release 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. Sadiq Khan has said commuters must still avoid using public transport during rush hour as week three of the lockdown easing begins. The London Mayor renewed calls for commuters to walk or cycle between 5.45am and 7.30am as well as between 4pm and 5.30pm to prevent overcrowding. He tweeted: 'Anyone who can work from home must continue to do so, so those who have no alternative can use our buses, trains, trams and tubes safely. 'If you do need to use public transport, wear a non-medical face covering and please try to avoid these times: 05:45-07:30. 16:00-17:30.' But his comments again appeared to have had little effect as people crammed on to some Underground services in the capital. People were packed on the Central Line - which runs across London - this morning, with many not wearing the recommended face coverings. Yet elsewhere the system seemed quiet, with pictures from Clapham Common station - which is usually overflowing with commuters - eerily empty. There were 124,095 people using the service - running at 90 per cent capacity - during the rush hour period this morning, which is up by 15,000 on Friday. It is still only 11 per cent of the normal figure for this time of year, with 1,124,825 using the Tube on the same day in 2019. It comes as lockdown measures have been further eased today and thousands more people will have to rely on public transport to get to work and school. The Mayor called for commuters (pictured on the Central Line) to walk or cycle between 5.45am and 7.30am as well as between 4pm and 5.30pm to prevent overcrowding People are pictured on a busy Central Line - which runs across London - this morning, with many not wearing the recommended face coverings Yet elsewhere the system seemed quiet, with pictures from Clapham Common station (pictured) eerily empty Clapham Common, which on a normal working day would be overflowing with commuters, was eerily quiet on Monday Classes have reopened for Reception as well as years One and Six pupils and outdoor markets are back along with car showrooms. Up to six people are now able to meet outside their homes in England and elite competitive sport can resume behind closed doors. Data from TomTom this morning shows London congestion was at 22 per cent, which was about the same as last week. But Apple mobility trends for the capital shows driving, walking and transit figures were creeping up over the last seven days. TfL introduced a 'rigorous cleaning regime', which includes anti-viral fluid sprayed inside areas used by passengers and hand sanitiser at stations and platforms. Mr Khan has also again hinted he was 'considering' handing out face coverings on public transport in the capital. Data from TomTom this morning shows London congestion was at 22 per cent, which was about the same as last week Apple mobility trends for the capital shows driving, walking and transit figures creeping up over the last week More congestion is expected in the coming days as classes are reopening for Reception as well as years One and Six pupils (pictured at St Anne's primary school in Sale) Scientific and medical advisers have warned the UK risks losing control of coronavirus and is at a 'very dangerous moment' as it continued to ease restrictions. One of the slowest countries to lock down, Britain is now one of the worst-hit and is starting to take tentative steps to reopen parts of the economy. Four members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) called the lifting premature. They said the track and trace system was untested and unlikely to cope with an infection rate of around 8,000 new cases a day. John Edmunds, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and a member of SAGE, said the easing was risky. He told Sky News: 'Track and trace was only launched the day before yesterday, so we can't be sure that that is working effectively yet and yet we're going ahead and making these changes anyway. I think that that is rather dangerous.' He said living with the infection rate at its current level would lead to many more cases and more deaths. John Edmunds (pictured), from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and a member of SAGE, said the easing was risky Three other members of SAGE and London mayor Mr Khan also expressed their concern. Deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam agreed the country was at a very dangerous moment and said the easing would only work if the track and trace system succeeded and if people followed the rules. Van-Tam said the more than 50 members of SAGE, which includes scientists, medics and academics, often held differing opinions but they all agreed that any easing must be painstakingly slow and extremely cautious. 'This gets out of control quite quickly if you allow it to, and it then takes many weeks to get the brakes on it,' he said, adding the track and trace system would take time to bed down and people must not 'tear the pants out' of the new guidance. PM Boris Johnson's government said the slight relaxation of the rules would ease the burden of lockdown while keeping the virus' reproduction rate down. Deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam (pictured on Saturday) said the UK was at a dangerous moment and the easing would only work if the track and trace system succeeded The country has recorded more than 270,000 cases of coronavirus and says more than 38,000 have died after testing positive for the illness. The Office of National Statistics and other sources of data put the figure of fatalities from suspected and confirmed cases at 48,000. The government is now caught between the need to prevent a second wave and the need to reopen the economy and keep companies alive. It says while it may have made some mistakes it is grappling with the biggest public health crisis since the 1918 influenza outbreak and that it has prevented the health service from being overwhelmed. SAGE member Peter Horby said the next three weeks would be crucial. 'Returning to a situation where we've lost control again is far worse than a week or two (more) of social measures.' Popular Nollywood Actress, Genevieve Nnaji has taken to social media to lament the death of 17-year-old Tina Ezekwe and 22-year-old Uwa Omozuwa who are both allegedly murdered by men. KanyiDaily had reported that Uwa Omozuwa was brutally raped and murdered by unknown assailants inside RCCG church where she went to read in Benin, while Tina Ezekwe was was shot dead by a trigger happy policeman in Lagos. The deaths of both young girls had sparked outrage among Nigerians on social media the hashtags #JusticeForTina and #JusticeForUwa. Genevieve Nnaji has now reacted to the trending topics with the phrase we live in constant fear of men, and some people seem to have a problem with her tweet. They either abuse their power, or have the power to abuse. In or out of uniform, we live in constant fear of men. Tina Ezekwe. Vera Omozuwa. Rest In Peace my darlings. We will get justice, she wrote. They either abuse their power, or have the power to abuse. In or out of uniform, we live in constant fear of men. Tina Ezekwe. Vera Omozuwa. Rest In Peace my darlings. We will get justice.?? pic.twitter.com/e9c4ODcEri Genevieve Nnaji MFR (@GenevieveNnaji1) May 31, 2020 See some of the reactions about her tweet below: Yeah and not because of men, but Genevieve must chase clout, hows it men men anytime one man commits a crime but we dont generalize when it comes to their gender? Ushie King (@UshieGu) May 31, 2020 For Genevieve to generalize and say women live in the constant fear of men doesnt make sense at all. Call rapist by their name & dont categorize is it as all men. If you are a man & you support what Genevieve said about men you are a rapist. QUDUS (@QdPaper) May 31, 2020 The men under Genevieves post are actually the men we women are scared of. Sadly you guys are bodly proving that: In or out of uniform, we live in constant fear of men. izzkenny (@izzkenny) May 31, 2020 Genevieve couldnt say we live in constant fear of SOME men, & i dont feel this generalises how many are seen, i didnt chose to be a man, the tittle MAN hasnt taken me anywhere in life, Im just exsisting as Chiedochie Collins Elebor. cause if you tag me directly as a rapist OneKYNguY?? (@Chiedochie_) May 31, 2020 Saying NOT ALL MEN is just the same as saying ALL LIVES MATTER, both statements are true BUT very insensitive considering the matters on ground, I see absolutely nothing wrong with what Genevieve tweeted. 24karat (@GoldEtela) May 31, 2020 Not all men have common sense otherwise they wont have attacked Genevieve, cos common sense would have told them that she cannot refer to all men but she generalized by saying Women are living in constant fear of men That is becos she cannot know which is a Rapist or not..! M? (@infonaija_247) May 31, 2020 Twitter users are exceptional at missing the point of pressing issues. I have never seen a better set of nitpickers in my life. A girl was raped and murdered, youre worried about what Genevieve said about your gender. Are you the class rep of your gender? Emenala (@danielalaneme) May 31, 2020 I agree with Genevieves tweet 100% I cannot remember one single day in my life I was not scared to walk alone at night because the guy coming towards me or the one behind me might try to rape, mug me or kill me. Yes. We live in constant fear of men. Yinka ? (@deyinkaadedoyin) May 31, 2020 You lot are embrassing. Genevieve made a tweet about women living in fear of men and shes being dragged for not saying some men. Moe (@Mochievous) May 31, 2020 If you have a problem with Genevieves tweet youre a RAPIST! How can you say constant fear of some men? OGA THEY FEAR US CAUSE STUPID MEN LIKE YOU KEEP SEXUALLY ASSAULTING THEM. That sexy zona? (@ObiRichard17) May 31, 2020 Dear Genevieve. Am a man and very much honest, Men are basically the problem of this earth. We are hungry for power. We oppress the weaker once be it Male or female but most victims seem to be Female who aint a match to our physical might. Am a gud person and I say AM SORRY STAY SAFE #COVID (@_Splash_alo) May 31, 2020 Before you say not all men in response to Genevieves tweet, just think from the perspective of a woman walking alone at night. She cant identify which man around her is good or bad, so she has to treat every man as a potential predator? Now you see what Genevieve meant Femi Uche? (@iamspreado) May 31, 2020 I see men have gone to build a tent under Genevieves post to show us whats TRULY important to them. Not the rape that occurs, not the deaths, not their fellow men constantly putting womens lives in dangers but being told that women are living in fear of men. WHERE IS THE LIE ? ebele. (@ebelee_) May 31, 2020 Genevieve Nnaji and clout chasing has never and will never belong in the same sentence. She only spoke the truth; go figure! IG: @Dhorkhie (@Seunton) May 31, 2020 An average Nigerian young lady starts walking fast if shes walking at 9pm and a guy is walking behind her. She doesnt know if hes good or bad. She just wants some distance between them for safety reasons. And you have a problem with Genevieve saying women live in fear of men? Cynth Ade-Martins (@iamcindymartins) May 31, 2020 Genevieve Nnaji made a tweet about women living in constant fear of men after uwas death and men are there shouting NOT ALL MEN!! BAD MEN instead of facing the actual issue at hand. Nawao well be here for a while M-X ? (@dat_igbo_nigga) May 31, 2020 Not all men have common sense otherwise they wont have attacked Genevieve, cos common sense would have told them that she cannot refer to all men but she generalized by saying Women are living in constant fear of men That is becos she cannot know which is a Rapist or not..! M? (@infonaija_247) May 31, 2020 ALSO READ: Nigerians Attacks Slimcase Over Insensible Comments On George Floyd And Tina Ezekwes Deaths Advertisement Chaos has continued to unfold in cities across America with more than 50 Secret Service agents injured in clashes with protesters in Washington DC, police charging into demonstrators in New York City and lootings continuing to unfold in major cities like California, Philadelphia and Boston. Demonstrations from Washington DC to Los Angeles swelled from peaceful protests - sparked by the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis police custody last Monday - into scenes of violence that drew National Guard troops in at least 15 states and Washington. More than 4,100 people were arrested this weekend alone as the violence continued to escalate and cities enacted strict curfews. The threat of heavy officer presence didn't deter protesters from lighting fires just mere feet from the White House, crowds raiding high-end stores in New York and San Francisco or hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails at police in Philadelphia. Police fired tear gas and stun grenades outside the White House late Sunday as fires were set in the historic St. John's Episcopal Church and Lafayette Park in front of the White House. In some cities, thieves smashed their way into stores and ran off with as much as they could carry, leaving shop owners, many of them just ramping up their business again after coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, to clean up their shattered storefronts. Protests have unfolded in at least 145 cities across the country over the past week as people gather in outrage over the horrifying death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed while in the custody of a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Memorial Day. The demonstrations have marked unparalleled civil unrest in the US that hasn't been seen since the 1968 assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Donald Trump spent Sunday berating his enemies on Twitter and demanding 'law and order' in Democratic-run cities but did not appear in public and opted against making a televised address to calm tensions. It has since emerged that Trump was rushed by Secret Service agents to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside. WASHINGTON DC: Chaos continued to unfold in cities across America late Sunday night including Washington DC, just steps from the White House, where police and Secret Service deployed tear gas as they faced off with protesters during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd WASHINGTON DC: Police stand guard outside the White House late Sunday as chaotic demonstrations took place in Washington, D.C. WASHINGTON DC: Protesters jump on a street sign near a burning barricade near the White House late on Sunday. Fires were set in the historic St. John's Episcopal Church and Lafayette Park in front of the White House ATLANTA, GEORGIA: A protester is pinned down by a police officer as cops in riot gear including shields and helmets clash with protesters on Sunday night PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA: Smoke and debris at a looted hardware store in Philadelphia last night after it was targeted by looters during the George Floyd riots SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA: An armed vigilante attempts to stop a bank robbery in Santa Monica during the widespread riots yesterday, as protesters turned on looters in some places MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: People flee for their lives as a tanker truck drives towards thousands of protesters on a highway yesterday. The truck did not appear to have struck anyone BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Protests continued to rage fury in Boston on Sunday evening where a police car was set ablaze In other developments: A man was shot in Louisville last night after a crowd gathered in the city, following other deaths in Detroit, Indianapolis and Omaha since the protests began; A giant tanker barreled into a crowd of thousands of George Floyd protesters marching on a highway near downtown Minneapolis, but did not appear to have struck anyone; It emerged that Donald Trump was taken to an underground bunker at the White House as protests raged on Friday, which was previously used by Dick Cheney on 9/11; Members of the president's inner circle including Hope Hicks urged him to tone down his rhetoric following his inflammatory statement about 'looting and shooting'; In New York City, mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter Chiara de Blasio was arrested after police broke up an 'unlawful assembly' in Manhattan; Derek Chauvin - the fired Minneapolis cop facing a murder charge over Floyd's death - was moved to one of the nation's most secure prisons in Minnesota as he awaits his first court date. At least 40 cities have imposed curfews - the most since the aftermath of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr in 1968 - in light of the riots and violence and National Guard members have been activated in 15 states and Washington, DC. Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Monday that some of the protesters that terrorized the city overnight had come prepared with tools and supplies. She said they set fires to try and draw police away. 'We recognize that people are frustrated and mad but tearing up our beautiful city is not the way to bring attention to what is a righteous cause,' Bowser told NBC's Today. She said the city was 'prepared for multiple days of demonstration' and officials were working with intelligence to determine who was coming. In Washington DC, fury erupted even as the hour of an 11pm curfew neared and as police fired tear gas and pepper spray amid blazes in the capital. On Sunday alone more than 50 Secret Service officers were injured so far, a senior official said to Fox News, after rioters threw bottles and Molotov cocktails at them. People were seen throwing branches and fireworks into the fires as police advanced forward in a line in a bid to push back the crowds to send people home. Before the blaze at St John's Episcopal Church broke out, church officials said they were thankful that the church wasn't hit by protests the day before. The fire was set shortly after 11pm. 'We are fortunate that the damage to the buildings is limited,' Rev. Rob Fischer, the rector of the church, said earlier on Sunday. He said that that same morning church officials had secured its valuables. A fire was also set in Lafayette Park, located just in front of the White House, where a protester set a US flag on fire sending smoke into the air as more than 1,000 gathered and raised their fists in solidarity. Police and Secret Service pictured standing guard in front of the White House as protesters edge closer on Sunday Demonstrators pictured flipping a car over and smashing its class windows during a protest near the White House on Sunday A protester raises their first near a fire outside the White House as protests engulfed the country for another night The historic St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington DC was set ablaze in protests on Sunday. Police form a line in front of the church late Sunday Protesters set an American flag on fire at Lafayette Park in front of the White House as they rallied against police brutality on Sunday evening Over 1,000 protesters gathered around a fire ignited near the White House on Sunday evening CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA: A woman is bundled into a vehicle by police officers as protests in downtown Charlotte turned violent on Sunday night NEW YORK CITY: A hooded man tries to smash a window in New York where protests continued following George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police a week ago SAVANNAH, GEORGIA: Protester Kendrick Cutkelvin of Savannah uses a SWAT vehicle loudspeaker to disperse a small crowd of protesters after a peaceful protest in Georgia last night Trump took shelter in White House bunker as protests raged outside Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump to a White House bunker on Friday night as hundreds of protesters gathered outside the executive mansion, some of them throwing rocks and tugging at police barricades. Trump spent nearly an hour in the bunker, which was designed for use in emergencies like terrorist attacks, according to a Republican close to the White House. The abrupt decision by the agents underscored the rattled mood inside the White House, where the chants from protesters in Lafayette Park could be heard all weekend and Secret Service agents and law enforcement officers struggled to contain the crowds. The demonstrations in Washington turned violent over the weekend and appeared to catch officers by surprise. They sparked one of the highest alerts on the White House complex since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. In recent days security at the White House has been reinforced by the National Guard and additional personnel from the Secret Service and the U.S. Park Police. On Sunday, the Justice Department deployed members of the U.S. Marshals Service and agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration to supplement National Guard troops outside the White House The president and his family have been shaken by the size and venom of the crowds, according to the Republican. It was not immediately clear if first lady Melania Trump and the couple's 14-year-old son, Barron, joined the president in the bunker. Secret Service protocol would have called for all those under the agency's protection to be in the underground shelter. Trump has told advisers he worries about his safety, while both privately and publicly praising the work of the Secret Service. Trump traveled to Florida on Saturday to view the first manned space launch from the U.S. in nearly a decade. He returned to a White House under virtual siege, with protesters - some violent - gathered just a few hundred yards away through much of the night. Demonstrators returned Sunday afternoon, facing off against police at Lafayette Park into the evening. Trump continued his effort to project strength, using a series of inflammatory tweets and delivering partisan attacks during a time of national crisis. A White House official said Trump was expected in the coming days to draw distinctions between the legitimate anger of peaceful protesters and the unacceptable actions of violent agitators. Advertisement The White House plunged into darkness last night as the executive mansion's lights were turned off in an unusual move. Donald Trump had returned to a White House under virtual siege after traveling to Florida for the Cape Canaveral space launch on Saturday, and did not appear in public on Sunday. While Trump remained out of sight, his advisers discussed the prospect of an Oval Office address in an attempt to ease tensions. But the notion was quickly scrapped for lack of policy proposals and the president's own seeming disinterest in delivering a message of unity. At least five people have been killed in protest violence after gunfire rang out in Detroit and Indianapolis and in Omaha a 22-year-old black protester was killed in a struggle with a local business owner. A man was shot dead by law enforcement officers in Louisville on Sunday on the fourth night of unrest in the city in a shooting believed to be linked to the protests. At least one shot was fired by someone in a large crowd which had gathered in the city, WLKY reported. Louisville's protests have also focused on the March 13 death of Breonna Taylor, who was shot eight times by narcotics detectives who knocked down her front door. Two Atlanta police officers were fired Sunday after video emerged showing them using excessive force during protests this weekend, including tasing and dragging two college students from a car. Sporadic violence broke out in Boston following peaceful protests as activists threw bottles at police officers and lit a cruiser on fire. On Sunday afternoon, a tanker truck drove into demonstrators on the I-35 highway in Minneapolis, which had been closed to traffic. The driver was pulled from the cab and beaten by protesters before police took him into custody. It did not appear any protesters were hit by the truck. On the West Coast, there were also clashes in Portland, Oregon, where TV footage showed small fires burning as police fired tear gas at protesters who set off fireworks. In Santa Monica, California, upscale stores were looted along the city's popular Third Street Promenade before police moved in to make arrests. The vandalism followed a largely peaceful march. Further south, in the Los Angeles suburb of Long Beach, a group of young men and women smashed windows of a shopping mall and looted stores before they were dispersed before a 6 p.m. curfew. Thousands of people gathered peacefully on Sunday afternoon for a rally in St. Paul, adjacent to Minneapolis, as state troopers surrounded the state capitol building. About 170 stores in the city have been looted, its mayor told CNN. Washington state governor Jay Inslee has been among those to send for the National Guard after vandalism and looting in multiple cities, calling the riots 'illegal and dangerous' but adding they should not 'detract from the anger so many feel at the deep injustice laid so ugly and bare by the death of George Floyd'. Police armed with plastic shields, bulletproof vests, and weapons pictured at Lafayette Park as demonstrators gathered for the sixth night on Sunday evening Demonstrators prepare to burn a US flag at a protest near the White House on another night of protests across the country Police officers charge forward during a protest outside the White House on Sunday After 11pm, curfew in Washington DC, the White House shut off its exterior lights and went dark on Sunday nights as protesters still rioted outside A man raises his fist in front of the White House as smoke envelopes the capital's front lawn on Sunday Outside of the White House, protesters stand feet away from a police line chanting, George Floyd. Say his name. pic.twitter.com/clMAEeAuSh Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) June 1, 2020 On Sunday protests decrying the police killing of black Minneapolis man George Floyd continued. Using a fire extinguisher and their bodies, a group of protesters in New York stopped looters from entering a closed business Peaceful protesters pictured making a chain with their arms to block looters from entering this closed Tory Burch store on Sunday evening amid growing civil unrest Pictured left: A New York police officer embraces a protester after kneeling together with them in Queens yesterday; right: a protester raises their fist near a burning fire in Washington Protesters pictured taking a knee and raising their hands in the middle of Canal Street amid a stand off with police over the death of George Floyd at a rally Sunday evening New York City police officers block Canal Street as protesters demonstrate. Thousands of National Guard troops patrolled major US cities after five consecutive nights of protests over racism and police brutality that boiled over into arson and looting A man in a Spiderman costume raises his fist in solidarity with protesters with the Freedom Tower shining in the back during protests in Brooklyn Sunday evening Stronger together: Activists pictured arm in arm as they march to the Brooklyn Bridge on Sunday People protest in Manhattan, New York, lighting fires and creating barricades on another night of nationwide protests A man carrying a skateboard vaults over a burning barricade in New York on another day of angry protests over Floyd's death Horrifying video footage has emerged of New York Police Department officers clashing with protesters on Sunday night, chasing them and flinging them to the ground on the sixth night of demonstrations denouncing the police killing of black man George Floyd Looters take Soho: Smashed windows at Chanel and Bloomingdales after another wild night of riots that saw more than 250 arrests and a shooting as NYPD commissioner says 'it got ugly quick' Soho in New York City was ravaged by looters on Sunday night who smashed the windows of luxury stores like Gucci, Chanel and Bloomingdales to steal goods in a wild night of riots that saw more than 250 arrests, cops being injured and one man being shot. It remains unclear if those who smashed up the stores were part of protests against George Floyd's death, or if they belonged to different groups and were merely taking advantage of the chaos unfolding across the country. Across New York City on Sunday night, more than 250 people were arrested. Six cops were injured, none seriously, and a man in his twenties was shot in the abdomen after an argument with a different group of young men. The man was shot at 12.30am at the corner of Crosby Street and Spring Street, a stone's throw from the stores that were ransacked. He is in the hospital in a stable condition. NYPD cops in riot gear patrolled the streets and helicopters hovered above the neighborhood - known for its trendy restaurants, luxury clothing stores and expensive apartments - throughout the night. In New York City, the looters reportedly distributed goods to each other after smashing stores before police arrived. Dozens were arrested on Sunday night and more were still being taken into custody on Monday morning. Commissioner Dermot Shea said on Today that the entire weekend was 'incredibly challenging' for cops. 'Ninety percent of yesterday went very well. Five or six thousand protesters throughout New York City, less violence as the days before. The majority of the protesters were peaceful making their point. 'When it got dark it got ugly and it got ugly quick. We had some violence, we had another incident of an individual with a Molotov cocktail in Brooklyn. Chanel in Soho on Monday morning after looters smashed windows to ransack luxury stores in another night of chaos The looters pulled down plywood to get into the stores. They are not thought to have been part of the Floyd protests A young man on a Citibike on Monday morning after taking from Balmain, one of the many stores that was looted on Sunday night The smashed window at G-Shock on West Broadway on Monday morning Happy Socks on West Broadway on Monday morning NYPD officers on Monday morning outside Chanel in New York City. More than 250 people were arrested in NYC on Sunday night 'We had an individual, two officers in a marked car in Queens, a bullet hit that car. That's clearly alarming to us. The looting. The looting turned very quickly in portions of the city, in Brooklyn, and primarily in Manhattan 'There were hundreds and hundreds of arrests in a very short time in that area and some are still going on. It was a very challenging time for police officers,' he said. An NYPD spokesman told DailyMail.com on Monday morning it was unclear whether the looters had come from out of the city or if they were planned groups who had nothing to do with the Floyd protests but were merely taking advantage of the escalating chaos. The New York Post cites witnesses who say they had a system whereby one group would enter the store and grab the goods then flee on scooters and bikes. 'The looters have been going systemically from store to store. They had people go in, grab the [items]. Then had people on Revel [scooters] take off. It was hundreds of people,' they said. In Manhattan a line of cops armed with plastic shields and batons were seen storming into a crowd of protesters on Sunday evening amid growing agitation. A circle of eight cops was seen gathering around one protester, flinging him to the ground and arresting him. Nearby also in Manhattan a car was sent up in flames Sunday evening, leaving demonstrators scrambling. Mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter Chiara de Blasio was arrested Saturday night alongside protesters in Greenwich Village for unlawful assembly and was later released, police said. Another jewelry store on West Broadway that had its windows smashed on Sunday night Jewelry store Aurate on Monday morning after being smashed up by the looters An NYPD cop points his gun at a man who was driving erratically and crashing into cars in Soho on Sunday night Dozens of people were arrested in Soho on Sunday night, including the driver of the car. Cops knelt on his back to subdue him De Blasio had earlier rejected the idea of a curfew, like those adopted in other major U.S. cities. The Democrat credited police for 'tremendous restraint,' but appointed two city officials to review incidents caught on video, including an officer ripping a man's mask off to spray his face with a chemical and two police cruisers lurching into a crowd of demonstrators in Brooklyn. 'We all better get back to the humanity here,' de Blasio said. 'The protesters are human beings. They need to be treated with tremendous respect. The police officers are human beings. They need to be treated with tremendous respect.' Elsewhere in New York, hundreds of people helped clean up Sunday after shop windows were shattered and vehicles torched in Rochester and Albany and Buffalo. Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo said the National Guard is on standby and that hundreds of additional troopers were made available to upstate cities. In Schenectady on Sunday, police marched with protesters, with some officers holding signs saying 'Black lives matter. Period!' Police Chief Eric Clifford and other officers knelt with protesters. Later, the mayor declared a state of emergency with a 7pm curfew, citing likely civil unrest. The New York Civil Liberties Union criticized curfews. 'It isn't the protesters who need curfews, it's the police. There is no excusing the police terror we have seen this weekend against protesters,' said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman. Looters in New York pictured leaving a broken into store in Manhattan after ransacking its merchandise Sunday Looters pictured running out of a vandalized Coach store in Manhattan on Sunday Designer destroyed: This New York Dolce and Gabbana store was completely raided and cleared of its shelves Sunday Looters in New York pictured running away from a vandalized store on Sunday evening A line of police officers holding batons and wearing helmets - some of them also wearing masks - confront protesters in New York in the latest round of protests last night A protester runs on top of a line of cars in New York on Sunday evening as protests continued around the country Protesters pictured breaking their into a Gucci store in Soho, Manhattan Sunday evening Protesters pictured ransacking a 7-Eleven store in New York late Sunday In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the heart of protests in the country, law enforcement officials said they believe white supremacists have infiltrated demonstrations in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell said Sunday night. 'They're agitators,' he said to CNN, saying there have been reports of Antifa members attending demonstrations. Antifa is short for anti-fascists and are people whose political beliefs lean to the far left and are not in line with the Democratic Party. Such complaints are sweeping the nation as a divide emerges among peaceful protesters, rioters, and looters. On Sunday evening a man later identified as Bogdan Vechirko drove a tanker truck into a crowd of protesters on the Minnesota I-35W bridge on Sunday night and was later charged with assault. No protesters were hurt but his actions were described as 'inciting a crowd of peaceful demonstrators'. Another closely watched protest was outside the state capitol in Minneapolis' twin city of St. Paul, where several thousand people gathered before marching down a highway. 'We have black sons, black brothers, black friends, we don't want them to die. We are tired of this happening, this generation is not having it, we are tired of oppression,' said Muna Abdi, a 31-year-old black woman who joined the protest. Minneapolis police later reported they had discovered caches of homemade firebombs around the two cities. Boston police pictured armed with batons and protective gear as a police cruiser burns behind them Sunday night A man tries to light a cigarette from the flames engulfing a Boston Police cruiser during clashes in Massachusetts last nihgt Looters pictured ransacking a jewelry store during demonstrations on Boston on Sunday evening Boston Police in riot gear stand in front of a burning police cruiser during demonstrations over the death of George Floyd Cops pictured lined up protecting a Walgreens in Boston amid threats of riots and store raids A protester pictured clashing with Boston and Massachusetts State Police on Sunday during demonstrations against the police killing of George Floyd Protesters pictured assisting a man who was hit with pepper spray during clashes with police at Boston protests on Sunday Philadelphia: Officials closed off much of the city after peaceful day protests turned into utter destruction by night fall on Sunday. People pictured running away from a GameStop during civil unrest Chicago: The DuSable Bridge is raised in an effort to stop access to downtown Chicago after looting and destruction of property in the city center The windows of a Chase Bank are seen shattered in downtown Chicago on Sunday In Los Angeles the county sheriff said people were out on the streets 'acting like terrorists' following a day that saw peaceful protests alongside widespread looting and store raids. 'The peaceful [protesters]... tend to remain peaceful but what's embedded within them are people that are right now, they're just acting like terrorists, trying to instill fear, damage property and loot,' Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said to press Sunday. 'There's no lawful protesters left anymore. Everybody who's here is just trying to do damage,' he added. Officials in LA - a city scarred by the 1992 riots over the police beating of Rodney King, an African-American man - imposed a curfew from 4pm Sunday until dawn, and the National Guard was called up for the first time since then. In Long Beach, police chief Robert Luna called the violence 'heartbreaking' after admitting his force had been overwhelmed by the number of protesters. 'We planned for a large group of protesters to express their anger in a positive way. We knew we were going to get agitators but we didn't expect this number,' he said. Addressing the looters, he said: 'We're going to come after you and we're going to put you in jail.' In Philadelphia officials closed off much of the city after peaceful day protests turned into utter destruction by night fall. Store windows saw their glass windows smashed near City Hall and their shelves raided with merchandise spilling out into the streets. Philadelphia: A man is arrested by police with debris strewn across the street during protests on Sunday Looters pictured leaving a hardware store with lamps and merchandise in their hands after the store was raided in Sunday protests Police pictured arresting a man who was caught looting a hardware store during George Floyd protests on Sunday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Utter destruction: Stores were left completely destroyed in the store raised with racks swept clean, unwanted clothes thrown on the ground, and shelves empty of merchandise Barely anything left: Shelves at this hardware store were practically cleared out and unwanted boxes and goods left on the ground in disarray in Philadelphia on Sunday In Chicago, vandals smashed windows at a shoe store in the heavily-Mexican Little Village neighborhood and crowds broke into a Family Dollar store at a South Side strip mall. By midday Sunday, six people had been shot, one fatally, 240 people were arrested and about 20 police officers injured in connection with the demonstrations, Chicago police said. Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who ordered an indefinite nightly 9pm curfew, said the Illinois National Guard had been requested to help keep order. She said access to the central business district would be restricted to only essential workers and people who live there. Public transportation was temporarily suspended, major streets blocked with sanitation trucks and Chicago River drawbridges allowing traffic into downtown remained lifted. 'Seeing the murder of George Floyd sickened me and it still does,' Lightfoot said at a news conference, taking several breaks to compose herself. 'But rather than respond to his death as we should and focus our energy toward doing the hard work to create the change that we need, we have instead been forced to turn our focus and energy toward preventing wanton violence and destruction' Police Superintendent David Brown said officers were working 12-hour shifts to respond. When asked by reporters about what appeared to be a lack of police intervention as some businesses were destroyed, he said the public shouldn't 'switch the blame to the cops' and commended officers' professionalism. George Floyd died on May 25 after he was arrested by four Minneapolis police officers for allegedly using a fake $20 bill. He was brought to the ground and white cop Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for eight minutes, despite Floyd's desperate repeated pleas for help saying, 'I can't breathe'. The horrific assault was caught on video and sent shockwaves across the nation. In total Chauvin had his knee on Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds; two minutes and 53 seconds of which occurred after Floyd became unresponsive. After civil unrest and protests, Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter and he along with the three other officers who arrested Floyd have been fired from the force following outrage over Floyd's death. Los Angeles County Sheriff's officers patrol Sunday in Santa Monica, California after peaceful protests turned into mass lootings Protesters pictured being detained by officers during a rally against the death of George Floyd late Sunday Police pictured wearing protective gear as they arrest protesters at a rally in Minneapolis on Sunday A view of the damaged lobby of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations headquarters in Washington pictured Sunday following protests A man smashes the window of a restaurant amid nationwide unrest following the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Washington state on Sunday A man with a hammer attacks another man as a result of a disagreement about vandalism during demonstrations over the death of George Floyd in New York on Sunday A line of police officers pictured at an intersection in Richmond, Virginia on Sunday evening Police pictured facing off with protesters at a rally in Brooklyn, New York on Sunday A woman protests in front of a line of Las Vegas Police officers on the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday Terrifying moment giant tanker speeds into a crowd of thousands of George Floyd protesters marching on a Minneapolis highway before vigilantes pull driver from the rig A semi-truck barreled into a crowd of thousands of George Floyd protesters marching on a closed interstate near downtown Minneapolis on Sunday night. Video showed the massive rig speeding down the I-35W bridge at about 6pm local time as protesters taking up all lanes of traffic fled out of its path. Authorities said the truck did not appear to have struck anyone before it came to a stop in the middle of the road. Protesters were seen climbing on the rig and pulling the driver, identified as 35-year-old Bogdan Vechirko, out of the cabin and beating him in the road. Photos showed Vechirko with blood on his face and shirtless torso as protesters handed him over to police officers working to contain the situation. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (MDPS) said the driver was placed under arrest before being taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He was then booked into Hennepin County jail on a probable assault charge. He was seen with bruises and cuts on his face in his mugshot. Authorities said the driver's motives were unclear but his actions appeared to be deliberate. A semi-truck barreled into a line of George Floyd protesters marching on Interstate 35 in Minneapolis on Sunday night Hundreds of protesters scattered as the truck sped directly at them while they marched across all 10 lanes of traffic Dozens of protesters approached the semi-truck after it came to a stop in the roadway The protesters were seen pulling the driver onto the roadway before police arrived to control the scene Protesters are seen handing a man believed to be the driver over to police before he was placed under arrest Interstate 35 was closed on Sunday as hundreds of peaceful protesters gathered to march south across all 10 lanes of traffic. It's unclear how the semi-truck, which appeared to be an oil tanker, managed to gain access to the roadway. The truck was traveling northbound when it came upon the demonstration and maintained a high speed as protesters screamed and scattered. A witness said the truck was blaring its horn and showed no sign of stopping as it neared the crowd. 'You heard a horn,' the unnamed witness told KARE 11. 'It was barreling into that crowd and they were separating, just parting, thankfully.' After the truck came to a stop, several protesters approached and pulled the male driver out of the front seat. MDPS said the driver was injured but did not offer any specifics about the confrontation with protesters. Minnesota Gov Tim Walz said of the incident: 'Law enforcement responded immediately. Had to clear the bridge. Incident underscores the volatile situation we have, don't know motives of the driver at this time. At this point in time to not have tragedy and many deaths is an amazing thing.' Authorities identified Vechirko as the driver later in the night and released a pair of mugshots taken at the Hennepin County jail, where he is being held on a probable assault charge. Vechirko lives in Otsego, Minnesota, and works as an independent contractor for Ken Advantage, a trucking company based in North Canton, Ohio, according to WCCO. Ken Advantage issued a statement saying it will fully cooperate with the investigation into the interstate incident. 'Our hearts go out to all those who are grieving the events of this past week,' the company said. Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin is moved to one of the nation's most secure prisons as he awaits his first court date in the death of George Floyd By Ben Ashford for DailyMail.com Fired Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was moved to one of the most secure prisons in the US Sunday night, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal. In a highly unusual move, Chauvin, who is facing a murder charge in the death of George Floyd, was transferred late Sunday to Oak Park Heights Prison - Minnesota's only Level Five maximum security facility. The 407-inmate prison boasts of never having had an escape and is also regarded as one of the country's safest, having only had one homicide in its history. Located on the border with Wisconsin, between the cities of Bayport and Stillwater, it accepts some of America's most hated and high-risk inmates. Chauvin was due to appear in court on Monday but with Minneapolis still gripped by unrest the appearance was pushed back until June 8. According to recent data released by the Minnesota Department of Corrections, the Oak Park Heights Prison currently houses 297 murderers, 69 sexual predators and eight kidnappers. Derek Chauvin, 44, was arrested Friday on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, which has sparked violent protests Some 46 percent of the prison population is black. The 16-acre, rural prison is carved into the side of a hill and has been featured on the National Geographic show America's Hardest Prisons. Cells are 7 by 10 feet with cement slab bed and toilets and sink made of steel so they can't be broken off to use as weapons. The reinforced windows are said to be so secure that it would take 12,000 hacksaw blades to cut though the steel bars. Chauvin had spent the weekend locked in solitary confinement in a heavily fortified Minnesota jail guarded by police marksmen and barbed wire barriers, DailyMail.com can reveal. SWAT teams armed with rifles and binoculars kept lookout from the rooftop of the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center while a phalanx of Sheriff's Deputies stood guard behind hastily erected steel fences. Chauvin was held there Friday through Sunday because of the carnage unfolding outside jail facilities in Minneapolis. Ramsey County deputies took no chances, sealing off the area with concrete bomb-proof barriers and mounting round the clock patrols in case protesters decided to target the jail in downtown Saint Paul. But despite demonstrators running amok across large swathes of the Twin Cities, the expected onslaught never happened and authorities were able to quietly transfer Chauvin to downtown Minneapolis Sunday afternoon. TMZ reported that Chauvin has a camera focused on him all day and and cops check on his cell in person every 15 minutes. Such checks said to be common in such a high-profile case. Oak Park Heights Prison is Minnesota's only Level Five maximum security facility The facility is located on the border with Wisconsin and accepts some of America's most hated and high-risk inmates It has not been revealed whether the 44-year-old ex-cop, charged with the third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter of unarmed Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nine agonizing minutes, will appear in person or via video link. Hennepin County has two facilities for adult inmates within Minneapolis but authorities have not released specifics about where he is being housed, stating only that Chauvin is at a 'public safety facility'. The disgraced former lawman is yet to post the $50,000 bond needed to get out of jail after bail was set Friday at $500,000. He has two properties, one in the leafy Oakdale suburb of Saint Paul, the other in Windermere, Florida, worth that amount combined. However DailyMail.com understands the homes are jointly owned by his beauty pageant winner wife Kellie, 45, who would likely resist any attempt to use them as surety after vowing Friday to divorce her husband of ten years. Kellie Chauvin released a statement on behalf of her and her family: '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,' it read. Bill de Blasio's daughter Chiara, 25, is ARRESTED during George Floyd protest in Manhattan where 'demonstrators clashed with cops and torched patrol cars' New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter Chiara (pictured) was reportedly arrested at a George Floyd protest in Manhattan on Saturday night New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter was reportedly arrested at a George Floyd protest in Manhattan on Saturday night. Chiara de Blasio, 25, was taken into custody around 10.30pm after cops infiltrated an 'unlawful assembly' at 12th Street and Broadway in Lower Manhattan. A police report obtained by DailyMail.com showed that she was among about 100 protesters who were arrested after they refused to move out of the roadway and were throwing objects at officers. 'That was a real hotspot, police cars were getting burned there, people were throwing and yelling, fighting with cops,' a source told the New York Post. 'There were thousands of people in that area at that time.' Chiara gave 181 East End Avenue - the mayor's residence at Gracie Mansion - as her address, according to the report, but sources claimed she didn't tell arresting officers who her father was. She was reportedly released at about 8am Sunday after receiving a desk appearance ticket. Chiara's arrest came about an hour before de Blasio urged protesters to disperse. 'We appreciate and respect all peaceful protests, but now it is time for people to go home,' the mayor said at a 11.30pm press conference in downtown Brooklyn. 'If you went out peacefully to make a point about the need for change, you have been heard and change is coming in the city. I have no doubt about that. It's time to go home so we can all move forward.' New York City police said that nearly 730 people have been arrested since protests erupted in the city late last week. De Blasio did not mention that his daughter had been arrested during either of the two briefings he held about the protests on Saturday night and Sunday morning. At the Sunday morning briefing, he said that officers had showed 'tremendous restraint overall' during the weekend's demonstrations and appointed two city officials to review how the protests unfolded and how they were handled by police.He also promised an investigation into a video showing two police cruisers lurching into a crowd of demonstrators in a Brooklyn street, knocking people to the ground. De Blasio didn't mentioned Chiara's arrest during either of the two press conferences he held on Sunday. The mayor is pictured with his wife Chirlane McCray, son Dante and daughter Chiara at the New York City Pride Parade in 2015 Police in riot gear walk down a street during protests in Brooklyn on Saturday night. Chiara's arrest came about an hour before de Blasio urged protesters to disperse A police report obtained by DailyMail.com (pictured) showed that Chiara was among about 100 protesters who were arrested after they refused to move out of the roadway and were throwing objects at officers Timeline: George Floyd's death at the hands to Minneapolis police sparks nationwide protests George Floyd (pictured) said 'I can't breathe' when Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for eight minutes 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 and 46 seconds. Two minutes and 53 seconds of this was after Floyd was unresponsive. 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 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 Trump warned on Twitter that 'when the looting starts, the shooting starts' 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. Derek Chauvin, 44, was arrested Friday on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, which has sparked violent protests Twitter flags Trumps 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. Mayor Frey declares a nighttime curfew in Minneapolis that begins Friday at 8pm and extends until 6am Saturday President Trump is reportedly rushed to the White House's underground bunker and Secret Service and George Floyd protestors clash Saturday, May 30 At least 25 cities impose emergency curfews as protests and demonstrations continue into the weekend. 11 states and the District of Columbia activate the National Guard as tensions flare. The National Guard is deployed to Los Angeles amid protests - the first time in nearly 20 years since the 1992 Los Angeles Riots The National Guard is activated at the White House as Secret Service agents struggle control demonstrators in Washington D.C. Sunday, May 31 At least five people are killed during protests in Indianapolis, Chicago, Oakland, Detroit and Oakland as around 140 cities hold a sixth night of protests. Federal Protective Services Officer Patrick Underwood is shot dead outside a federal courthouse during late night demonstrations. The historic St. John's church, built in 1816, is set ablaze near the White House in Washington D.C. as more than 50 Secret Service agents are injured. At least 40 cities impose emergency curfews in light of riots, violence and looting. President Trump urges states 'get tough' by calling the National Guard to oversee protests and demands 'Law and Order!' Trump announces on Twitter that he will designate Antifa, a loose but radical far-left group, as a terrorist organization after blaming them for protest violence. The daughter of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Chiara de Blasio, 25, is arrested during a George Floyd protest in Manhattan. More than 250 people are arrested in New York City as six NYPD officers are injured and looters target luxury stores in SoHo George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests have spread internationally, with demonstrations in London and Berlin. Derek Chauvin is moved to one of the US's most secure prisons ahead of his first court appearance on June 8. Advertisement Lincoln Memorial and other monuments on National Mall defaced with 'Black Lives Matter' graffiti while Confederate statues across the country are targeted during George Floyd protests The iconic Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. and the National World War II Memorial are among the landmarks in the nation's capital that were vandalized amid weekend protests and defaced with graffiti. 'In the wake of last night's demonstrations, there are numerous instances of vandalism to sites around the National Mall,' the National Park Service for the National Mall said in a tweet on Sunday along with photos of monuments covered in graffiti. 'For generations the Mall has been our nation's premier civic gathering space for non-violent demonstrations, and we ask individuals to carry on that tradition. A group that held a march and then a rally at the Lincoln Memorial saw the words 'Yall not tired yet?' spray-painted. The question 'Do black Vets count?' was also spray-painted across part of the National Mall World War II Memorial. The memorial honors and remembers the one million black veterans who served. A National Park Service worker was later seen using a power washer to remove the paint on Sunday morning. Several people were charged with rioting in the city. The Robert E. Lee statue and Daughters of Confederacy building in Virginia were also defaced by George Floyd demonstrators as several Confederate monuments were targeted in protests across the country. Spray paint that reads 'Yall Not Tired Yet?' is seen on the base of the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, the morning after protests over the death of George Floyd Spray paint that reads 'Do Black Vets Count?' is seen World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, Sunday. The memorial honors and remembers the one million black veterans who served Graffiti that reads 'No More Black Bodies' was painted near the Washington Monument As tense protests swelled on Saturday into Sunday morning, monuments in Virginia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Mississippi were defaced. The presence of Confederate monuments across the South - and elsewhere in the United States - has been challenged for years, and some of the monuments targeted were already under consideration for removal. In the former capital of Confederacy, protesters sought to condemn police brutality and the racism woven into America's history by damaging confederate monuments in Richmond. The statute of Gen. Robert E. Lee, a Confederate officer in the Civil War who owned nearly 200 slaves, was covered in graffiti. Messages like 'Amerikkka,' 'Black Lives Matter,' 'No More White Supremacy' and 'F*** 12,' which is a reference to law enforcement. The Stonewall Jackson Memorial, Jefferson Davis Memorial and the J.E.B. Stuart statue were also targeted. A statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis had 'cops ran us over,' spray-painted on the base. A noose had been flung over Davis shoulder. A fire burned for a time at the headquarters of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, a group responsible for erecting many Confederate statues and fighting their removal. The building, too, was covered in graffiti, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. It was later extinguished by local firefighters. The Robert E. Lee statue in Richmond, Virginia, was defaced with graffiti on Saturday night as protests over the death of George Floyd continued Several Confederate monuments across the US were damaged by protestors who're fighting racism and police brutality Protester Andie Baker, right, of Richmond, holds a US flag in front of the graffiti-covered statue of Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart after two previous nights of unrest Demonstrators hold signs near the graffiti covered statue of Confederate General Stuart. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam issued a curfew for Sunday evening Messages like 'Abolition','One Love' and 'Police are Creepy' were written on the headquarters building In the coastal city of Norfolk, protesters climbed a Confederate monument and spray-painted graffiti on its base, according to photos posted by a Virginian-Pilot journalist. Norfolk is among the Virginia cities that have signaled intent to remove their Confederate monuments. In February, state lawmakers approved legislation that would give cities autonomy to do so. A commission in Richmond recommended removing one of five Confederate statues along the city's famed Monument Avenue. The debate around removing Confederate monuments came to a head in Virginia in 2017, when white supremacists and protestors clashed at the Unite the Right rally. In Mississippi, the words 'spiritual genocide' in black spray paint, along with red handprints, stained the sides of a Confederate monument on the University of Mississippi campus Saturday. Photos shared by Skye Spiehler on Facebook appeared to show the one young man responsible for the defaced statue. One person was arrested at the scene. Ole Miss administrators, student leaders and faculty leaders have recommended moving the statue - installed in 1906 and a rallying point in 1962 for people who rioted to oppose the university's court-ordered integration - from a central spot to a Civil War cemetery that's in a more secluded location on campus, but the state College Board has delayed action. Critics have said its display near the university's main administrative building sends a signal that Ole Miss glorifies the Confederacy and glosses over the South's history of slavery. Pictured: Protesters toppled the statue of Edward Carmack outside the state Capitol after a peaceful demonstration turned violent City of Midland Community Affairs Director Selina Tisdale encourages Midland County homeowners and business owners impacted by the recent flooding to continue to submit flood damage assessments, of which about 5,100 have already been completed. "We are asking people to continue to submit damage assessment information because we will either use it locally or it will be included in the numbers we will submit (to the state)," Tisdale said. A link to a flood damage assessment is at the top of the City of Midland homepage at cityofmidlandmi.gov. Midland County Emergency Management is preparing to send flood damage assessments to the state government, which will review them and send them on to the federal government. If the county is declared a major disaster area by President Donald Trump, it would then be eligible for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "We know (FEMA knows) we're in dire straits, and they're just waiting to hear from us," Tisdale said. "So I'm sure that they will be responding just as quickly as they can." Locally, the monumental work continues of cleaning up flooded and, in some cases, destroyed homes. Tisdale said that of last week, the City of Midland had declared 42 buildings, all residential, as "condemned," or currently structurally unfit for habitation, due to the flood. Those homes are still owned by the residents, Tisdale emphasized, and the city is working with the residents to help them remediate the structural issues. As residents continue to haul flooded items to the curb, City of Midland refuse collection crews are transporting them to the landfill on East Ashman, just east of US-10. "Yesterday was one of our biggest days as far as the number of trips to the landfill," Tisdale said. "We are making progress, but people are still hauling things to the curb, and we will continue to work with residents until those are all gone." The landfill will also be open every day this week, including Sunday, June 7, for individuals to bring items from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. "This will probably be the last Sunday that we maintain Sunday hours (at the landfill)," Tisdale said. "At the landfill, they are starting to see individual (visits) slow down a bit. That gives us some indication that we are over the peak, but it's hard to say." The City of Midland issued a reminder on Monday that all debris at the curb in areas of the city that were flooded should be considered contaminated and hazardous. It is a misdemeanor to scavenge any such items during the current declared city emergency, punishable by a fine of up to $500 and up to 90 days in jail. Residents with flood debris at the curb are encouraged to spray-paint those items to discourage scavenging. Free clean-up kits available The Salvation Army has announced that more than 1,000 free clean-up kits containing masks, gloves, brooms, etc. are available for those in need. They can be picked up at the Corps Community Center on Waldo Road, and at the United Ways distribution centers throughout Midland County. The flooding was massive, and though the immediate emergency disaster response to this crisis seems to be subsiding, we are preparing for all of the ways we will serve our community in the months ahead, including spiritual and emotional care, said Captain Brian Goodwill of The Salvation Army Midland Corps Community Center. Anyone in need of spiritual and emotional care or counseling is welcome to call The Salvation Army Emotional and Spiritual Care Hotline at 1-877-220-4195, seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. County road commission determining whether Curtis Road bridge can be saved The Midland County Road Commission sent the following email to the Daily News on Monday about the east-west Curtis Road bridge in Edenville: "The Curtis Road bridge and roadway approaches received significant damage during the flood events. There is currently utility work going on near the bridge. Structural analysis of the bridge is still ongoing. The road commission is currently working to hire a contractor to clear the debris off the piers so the analysis can be finalized. This is needed to determine if the bridge can be saved or must be replaced. "We will be applying for Federal Emergency Relief money to assist with the repair costs. This may help with a permanent repair, a temporary repair, or both depending on the final structural analysis. Our goal is to safely get this critical link in the county open to traffic as soon as possible." Also, due to the presence of hazardous debris, no timeline has yet been set for the reopening of the two bridges on M-30 in Edenville that were damaged or destroyed by the flood almost two weeks ago, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation. "There is so much debris in some cases, entire trees, some with all their roots blocking us from being able to do a safe inspection (of the two bridge areas)," MDOT spokesperson Jocelyn Hall said on Monday. "So we don't have a timeline yet (for rebuilding the bridges). Until we get the debris removed and do an inspection, we won't know a timeline." In the case of the shorter M-30 bridge over the Tittabawassee River, a large part of the bridge structure is still standing, but the approach to the bridge on the south side is completely washed away," Hall explained. But the causeway bridge that has Stryker's Marina on its north end, was completely washed away by the flood, Hall said. Rio Tinto is under pressure to explain the destruction of a 46,000-year-old Aboriginal rock shelter site in Western Australia with a leading investor group saying its members were shocked and wanted answers. The nation's top iron ore miner has apologised to traditional owners after detonating explosives at a culturally significant site in Juukan Gorge, the only inland site in Australia to show evidence of continual human occupation through the last Ice Age. Rio, which had all the necessary legal approvals for the blasting, said it believed it had the consent of the traditional owners of the land near its Brockman mines in the Pilbara until it was too late. The view on May 15 over the rock shelters, cleared, but before the blast. Credit:PKKP "Everyone is shocked to see what has occurred at the Juukan Gorge rock shelter sites and the loss of these significant cultural sites," Australian Council of Superannuation Investors chief executive Louise Davidson told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. "The first questions investors are asking Rio is, 'How did this happen?' The second is, 'What are they doing to ensure something similar never happens again?'" Following this recognition, Appnext announces the availability of its ORP designed to boost app growth on the hottest on-device placements TEL AVIV, Israel, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Appnext, the largest on-device and in-app mobile discovery platform, announced it had been ranked among the leading media partners making the top 20 in India and the top 10 in SEA in the biannual AppsFlyer Performance Index, the authoritative data set that offers an insightful who's who of app marketing companies. Appnext celebrated a record year in 2019 within its market in India, with over 3.5 Billion daily app recommendations from its platform. This has propelled Appnext to stand as the #1 independent app discovery platform in the region. Together with the operators and publishers that are included in the data, Appnext holds 6th place in the volume rankings for non-gaming apps in the Indian subcontinent. Since opening its 8th office in Indonesia, Appnext has quickly climbed to claim second place as the region's most prolific app discovery platform. Again, including operators and publishers in the data places Appnext 9th in the volume rankings and 8th in the growth rankings for non-gaming apps. Appnext already serves 12 Billion monthly app recommendations to mobile users in Indonesia, a number that is growing continuously. "We are proud to be awarded a spot in AppsFlyer's Global Growth hall of fame, making the top 20 in India and the top 10 in SEA. This is undoubtedly thanks to our revolutionary device level app discovery and unique placements and technology," said Elad Natanson, CEO & Co-founder of Appnext. "Our deep and longstanding relationship with so many leading app developers places us in a strong position to help our customers accelerate their user's mobile journey." Appnext is pleased to announce the availability of its Organic Recommendation Program (ORP) that is dedicated to meet users' expectations for personalized experiences by bringing new discovery options into their everyday activities. The program provides an exclusive opportunity to be included in Appnext's organic recommendations and engage with relevant users on top OEM brands to recommend an app, game or services. Upon joining this program and listing their app, developers will enjoy a range of benefits by working with Appnext on growing their activities that raise usage and discoverability. Program requirements: 1M installs and above, 3.5 and above store rating and proven prominent service. Join the program. About Appnext Appnext is the largest app discovery platform, offering the only recommendation engine on the market, which encompasses both in-app and on-device discovery. Appnext discovery platform powers 4B daily app recommendations via over 20 interactions along users' daily mobile journey. Through its direct partnerships with top OEMs, operators and app developers, Appnext creates a discovery experience in over 10,000 mobile touchpoints. Powered by proprietary AI technology, Appnext 'Timeline' predicts the type of apps users are likely to utilize next and recommends which ones to install. Appnext's recommendations are helping app marketers reach more engaged users and get their apps discovered, used and re-used. Media Contact: Orit Sharon Director of Marketing [email protected] SOURCE Appnext Related Links https://www.appnext.com UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, strongly condemns the targeted killing of two Malian refugee leaders and a local host community leader in an attack by unidentified armed elements in Western Niger late Sunday, 31 May. Over 50 armed men on motorbikes swarmed into Intikane, which is located 72 kilometres from the Malian border and hosts some 20,000 refugees and an additional 15,000 displaced Niger nationals. In addition to brutally killing the three men, the assailants torched stocks of relief items. They also destroyed mobile phone towers and the main water station and pipes, cutting communication and the water supply to the displaced population and their host communities. Reports indicate that hundreds of people are on the run following the senseless murders and are heading to Telemces, a small village 27 kilometres from the site. The heinous and senseless act against vulnerable refugees and their hosts is heartbreaking and must be condemned in the strongest terms, said Alessandra Morelli, UNHCR Representative in Niger. By targeting refugees and cutting lifeline supplies, these armed groups are forcing vulnerable people to flee again, to leave from a place where they had found hope and where a careful balance had been built to allow solidarity with the local communities, she adds. UNHCR is working to support the survivors and is providing urgently needed assistance for example organizing water delivery to make sure that refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities have water available for drinking and for hand washing, which is critical in preventing COVID-19 from spreading. The past few months have seen a sharp increase in attacks in the Liptako Gourma region, where Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger share borders, forcing people living in the area to flee. Despite violent attacks and insecurity severely limiting humanitarian access to those in need of protection and assitance, UNHCR is stepping up its response in Niger, focusing especially on providing shelter, education and programmes to prevent and address sexual and gender-based violence. Niger also continues to demonstrate its commitmet to protecting people fleeing violence. UNHCR renews its urgent call on warring parties in the Sahel to protect civilians, people forced to flee and communities hosting them, as civilians are bearing the brunt of increasing attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. In the past couple of months, refugee camps in Burkina Faso have been the target of attacks and incursion, forcing many to leave. For more information on this topic, please contact: Following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the NBAs Milwaukee Bucks declined to show up for their scheduled game on Aug. 26 as a sign of protest. When we take the court and represent Milwaukee and Wisconsin, we are expected to play at a high level, give maximum effort and hold each other accountable In this moment, we are demanding the same from our lawmakers and law enforcement, the team said in a statement obtained by ESPN reporter Malika Andrews. Numerous other NBA teams followed their lead, and soon other leagues were following suit. The WNBA also went on strike, as did several Major League Soccer teams and Major League Baseball teams. In addition, tennis pro Naomi Osaka withdrew from her ATP tournament, stating, As a black woman, I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis. In striking, these professional athletes are joining a long history of American labor movements that have used large demonstrations to produce lasting change. At the dawn of the 20th century, many workers in America labored as much as 12 hours a day, six days a week, in conditions that were wildly unsafe. However, after a century of protests, workers today are guaranteed a minimum wage, and many enjoy a 40-hour workweek. So, which of these protests had a lasting impact? Which strikes or marches helped address injustice in a way that forced society to react? Heres a closer look at some of the most important protests in American history and what their impact was over time. Last updated: Aug. 27, 2020 1768 New York Journeyman Tailors' Strike The first recorded strike in U.S. history happened well before the labor movement began. About two dozen journeyman tailors waged a walkout in 1768 to protest a wage reduction, according to Tim McNeeses book The Labor Movement: Unionizing America. The striking tailors defied the master tailors they worked for by advertising their services in local newspapers and setting higher wages for themselves. There had been other earlier labor protests, but the tailors turnout more closely resembled modern-day strikes, McNeese wrote. Story continues 1824 Textile Workers' Strike More than 100 women walked off their jobs on May 26, 1824, when the owners of the cotton mill where they worked in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, decided to cut wages by 25% and increase the workday from 12 hours to 13 hours, according to the New England Historical Society. Workers from other mills joined the strike, and the number of strikers grew to more than 500. The strike continued for about a week, until the mill owners agreed to a compromise. Not only did this mark the first strike in the textile industry, but it was also the first strike involving women workers. The 1824 textile mill strike also led to labor organizing and more mill strikes throughout New England. 1835 Philadelphia General Strike (General Trades Union Strike) The General Trades Union didnt last long, but it represents one of the earlier efforts to combine laborers of various different disciplines together into a single organization that could request widespread changes to the labor market. In 1835, that took the form of a citywide strike for a 10-hour workday, beginning with coal heavers and eventually spreading to include city workers and other public service employees a coalition that included some 20,000 workers across 40 different trades. The GTU, though, became a victim of its own success. While it did win a 10-hour workday and a number of other concessions through additional strikes in the following months, workers started to leave the organization after conditions improved. Pictured: Journeyman House Carpenters Association of Philadelphia banner promoting the 10-hour day, 1835. Great Railroad Strike of 1877 More than half of the rail traffic in the U.S. stopped as over 100,000 workers in several states joined the Great Railroad Strike of 1887. The strike started in Martinsburg, West Virginia, when Baltimore and Ohio Railroad workers protested a wage cut. It eventually spread throughout the Northeast and Midwest. Federal troops were called in to end the strikes so the trains would start running again, and unfortunately, the strike failed to bring about direct improvements for railroad workers. See: Fox News and 25 More Companies That Faced Public Backlash 1881 Atlanta Washerwomen Strike This strike helped advance the rights of working black women in the South, according to the AFL-CIO. About 20 black laundry washerwomen formed the Washing Society trade group to advocate for higher wages, recruited about 3,000 members and called a strike. Despite arrests and fines, the strikers continued. The washerwomen even agreed to pay a $25 fee the city council proposed for members of the Washing Society, which inspired other domestic workers to strike. Fearing unrest among the black labor force, the city council rejected the proposed fee, and the washerwomen won their push for higher wages. 1892 Homestead Strike The AFL-CIO claims that the Homestead Strike left scars that have never fully healed after five generations. The strike, by members of the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers and other nonunion workers at the Carnegie Steel Company, began in 1892, after the plants manager, Henry Clay Frick, increased production demands. It turned violent six days later after Frick hired 300 agents from the Pinkerton National Detective Agency to break up the strike. The National Guard was then sent in, the strike lost momentum and the union collapsed. This strike is an example of when walking off the job failed to win workers better pay and shorter work shifts. In fact, the workers wages at Carnegie Steel decreased and the length of their workdays increased, according to the AFL-CIO. Union membership shrank dramatically after this failed strike. 1894 Pullman Strike Like the Great Railroad Strike of 1887, this railroad strike also had a big impact on U.S. history. Railroad traffic west of Chicago basically shut down in June and July 1894 as 250,000 workers refused to handle Pullman railroad cars because the Pullman Palace Car Company slashed its workers wages by 25%. The strike ended when the U.S. attorney general got an injunction against leaders of the American Railway Union the first time an injunction was used to break a strike and President Grover Cleveland sent in federal troops. However, as the strike was going on, Congress passed legislation that created Labor Day as a national holiday and Cleveland signed it into law. 1902 Coal Strike This strike marked the first time the U.S. government played the role of peacemaker in a labor dispute, according to the Labor Department. Previously, it had sided with employers. Miners in the anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania went on strike on May 12, 1902, to demand higher pay and shorter hours. President Theodore Roosevelt called a meeting on Oct. 3, 1902, between representatives of the United Mine Workers and mine management, but they didnt reach a deal. The strike wouldnt end until Oct. 23, 1902, after banker J.P. Morgan helped negotiate a deal between the miners and mine operators. Check Out: 10 Reasons Youre Underpaid And What You Can Do About It 1912 Bread and Roses Strike On Jan. 11, 1912, workers at a textile mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts, walked off the job to protest a reduction in pay. Not only did they stop working, they sabotaged equipment at the mill to ensure that work couldnt continue. The strikers quickly grew in number from a few hundred to several thousand, and leaders of the national Industrial Workers of the World union arrived to help organize the strikers. The strike which lasted 10 weeks became known as the Bread and Roses Strike because workers held signs that said, We Want Bread, But Roses Too! It got national media coverage and sparked Congressional hearings that led to an investigation of conditions in factories nationwide. The strikers demands were met, and their wages were raised as were the wages of textile workers throughout New England. Great Railroad Strike of 1922 On July 1, 1922, some 400,000 railway workers walked off the job after the Pennsylvania Railroad tried to institute a 12% wage cut. However, this is one strike that didnt have a happy ending for the workers. Pennsylvania Railroad president Stephen Rea would hire his own 16,000-strong army to confront strikers. Along with the help of the National Guard sent in by famously corrupt President Warren Harding the strike was broken. However, the strike and how it ended likely played some role in ultimately passing the 1926 Railroad Labor Act. Pictured: Railroad shopmen walking off the job during the July 1922 Railway Strike. 1934 West Coast Waterfront Strike This massive strike threatened to shut down ports up and down Americas Pacific Coast. It started when 12,000 longshoremen on the West Coast walked off the job, but it rapidly expanded as sympathy strikers in various trades joined them including teamsters who refused to transport goods that had tried to avoid the strike. The port of Seattle saw just one ship leave the harbor in the whole 83 days. The incredible show of labor solidarity would inspire a massive boost for the membership of the International Longshoremans Association and unionism in general on the West Coast. Pictured: Confrontation between a policeman wielding a night stick and a striker during the San Francisco General Strike, 1934. 1937 Auto Workers' Strike On Jan. 1, 1937, the United Auto Workers organized a sit-down strike at a General Motors production facility in Flint, Michigan, and occupied the plant for 44 days. Nearly 200,000 employees stopped working, and production at the facility dropped from 53,000 cars a week to 1,500, according to AutoBlog. The strike ended after GM agreed to increase workers wages and improve working conditions. The workers victory prompted strikes at other auto manufacturing facilities, and UAW membership soared from 30,000 to 500,000 within a year. Related: These Hourly Workers Benefit the Most From Overtime Pictured: Strikers guarding a window entrance to Fisher body plant No. 3 in Flint, Michigan. United Auto Workers Strike of 1945 This massive work stoppage involved the United Auto Workers organizing some 320,000 hourly workers across 96 different General Motors plants. The strike would last for 113 days, making it the longest strike by the UAW or against GM at that time. The demand was for a 30% jump in wages paired with freezing the price of GM automobiles. And while the strikers ultimately didnt get all they asked for, the movement would prove instrumental in launching local leader Walter Reuther to the presidency of the UAW in 1946, helping make the union one of the best known in the country. Pictured: Cars sit on a deserted assembly line during the strike. 1946 United Mine Workers' Strike The effects of the United Mine Workers strike could be felt across the nation. When wage negotiations between the United Mine Workers and bituminous coal mine operators broke down, more than 300,000 miners walked off the job on April 1, 1946. So little coal was being produced that there were electricity shortages in several states. The government seized the mines on May 22, 1946, but the strike didnt end until a week later when the U.S. government struck a deal known as the Krug-Lewis Agreement with the United Mine Workers of America. The agreement established health and retirement funds for mine workers. Pictured: Soft coal mine workers going to work in the Willow Grove Mine of the Hanna Coal Company. 1959 Steelworkers' Strike About 500,000 United Steelworkers of America members went on strike in 1959 when contract negotiations between the union and steel mills failed. The 116-day strike caused steel shortages in the auto industry, and automakers threatened to lay off thousands of workers, according to Politico. As a result of the strike, the unions contract demands were met. But the strike ended up permanently damaging the domestic steel industry as manufacturers turned to imported steel. Pictured: A cleanup man at the main entrance of the Bethlehem Steel Co. plant removes debris in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom Few organized protests have cast as long and as beloved a legacy as that of the March on Washington. One of the critical moments in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, it is best remembered for the speech delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. now known as the I Have a Dream speech. With some 200,000 marchers descending on Washington to express their desire for justice, the march was an important event in the fight to end segregation. Pictured: Marchers carrying signs in the streets of Washington, D.C. 1970 Postal Strike On March 18, 1970, New York postal workers went on strike to protest a Congressional committee vote to limit postal workers wage increase to 5.4% while Congress members were getting 41% pay hike, according to the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General. Within days, about 152,000 postal workers were striking in 671 locations. As a result of the disruption in mail delivery, about 9,000 draft notices werent delivered and tax refunds and census forms were delayed. Negotiations to end the strike resulted in a pay raise for postal workers and led to the Postal Reorganization Act, which turned the postal service into a government-owned corporation. 1981 Air Traffic Controllers' Strike On Aug. 3, 1981, about 13,000 air traffic controllers went on strike when negotiations between the Professional Air Traffic Controllers and the Federal Aviation Administration over higher wages and a shorter workweek failed. About 7,000 flights were canceled as a result of the strike. But the real fallout from the strike came when President Ronald Reagan fired most of the striking workers citing a U.S. law that banned strikes by government unions. Reagans move was considered one of the biggest blows to the bargaining power of labor unions. As other employers followed suit and became more willing to fire striking workers, the annual number of major strikes in the U.S. plummeted. Pictured: Striking air traffic controllers walk the picket line at the New York air route traffic control center in Ronkonkoma, New York. United Parcel Service Strike of 1997 In 1997, the Teamsters Union opted to draw the line on part-time drivers hired by the massive shipping company UPS. Part-time drivers were getting paid just $8 an hour roughly a third of what full-time drivers were making and they constituted some 83% of new hires by the company from 1993 to 1997. Meanwhile, new voting rules within the union allowed Ron Carey who had been running one of the UPS locales in New York to win the top spot. Carey would lead a strike that lasted for 15 days, and ultimately UPS caved on every one of their demands. Pictured: Striking United Parcel Service driver David Miller reacts as a passing truck driver blows his vehicles horn before a rally in front of the UPS distribution center in Tucker, Georgia. 1998 Auto Workers' Strike On June 5, 1998, 3,400 workers at a General Motors metal-stamping factory in Flint, Michigan, walked off the job because GM had broken a commitment to upgrade the facility. Then 5,800 workers at a GM parts plant joined them to protest outsourcing to nonunion plants. The 54-day strike by members of United Auto Workers union stopped production at GM plants across the U.S., which led to the layoffs of about 193,000 nonunion workers and cost the auto manufacturer $2 billion in profits, according to AutoBlog. In an agreement that ended the strike, GM agreed to invest in its American factories, and workers agreed to increase output. But it failed to prevent the decline of the auto industry in Flint, where the auto manufacturing workforce is now a fraction of what it was before the strike. Pictured: United Auto Workers members from UAW local 599 in Flint, Michigan, show their support for fellow UAW members of locals 659 and 651 at the 32nd UAW Constitutional Convention. The members were on strike against two General Motors parts plants in Flint. 2007-08 Writers Guild of America Strike On Nov. 5, 2007, Writers Guild of America members walked off the job after an agreement could not be reached over how writers were paid for use of their material on the internet and DVDs. The old guild contracts were built around a media landscape that no longer existed, with the writers getting precious little in the way of royalties for their content if it was viewed online. The lengthy strike was especially visible as it meant a number of popular television shows were forced to either cancel portions of their season or put on stripped-down versions of popular live shows. The strike ended in early 2008 in a compromise that improved payouts for writers though not to the exact level they were aiming for. Pictured: Demonstrators at the Writers Guild of America strike on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. 2018 West Virginia Teachers' Strike West Virginias 20,000 teachers launched a statewide walkout on Feb. 22, 2018, to rally for a pay raise and to improve their health coverage, according to CNN. The strike lasted nine days until the state legislature passed a 5% pay raise for all state workers. The West Virginia walkout sparked teachers strikes across America. Although the outcomes have been mixed, some are suggesting that the teachers strikes could mark the comeback of organized labor and bring about improvements to the U.S. education system. Pictured: Thousands of teachers rally at the state Capitol in Charleston, West Virginia. 2019 United Auto Workers' Strike The power of the UAW has waned greatly since its victory in 1945 as more and more jobs have flowed south to areas with lax labor laws. However, the union showed it still had some muscle to flex in 2019 when nearly 50,000 workers walked off their jobs for a 40-day strike that ultimately secured a new contract with GM. The deal paid raises, new bonuses and even a member signing bonus. Pictured: Gary Allison, left, waves while standing with other union members picketing outside the General Motors Plant in Arlington, Texas. 2019 National Strike in Puerto Rico As far as mass movements go, its hard to express just how dramatic a showing the people of Puerto Rico made last year while calling for the ousting of Governor Ricardo Rossello. The 1 million or so people who converged on the capital of San Juan represented roughly a third of the islands population. Puerto Ricos unions called a national strike, and Rossello who was under fire for both the corruption of his administration and the offensive attitudes displayed in leaked documents was ultimately forced out. 2020 May Day Strike The coronavirus pandemic has drawn new attention to the plight of low-wage workers. Often overlooked, hourly workers at grocery stores and other essential businesses have found themselves working on the frontline and putting themselves at risk for wages that just dont add up to enough. In response, workers from Amazon, Instacart and Target all staged protests over working conditions and compensation on May 1. And while the actions didnt end up shuttering warehouses, the long-term effects created by bad PR could ultimately shame some of these employers into making concessions. More From GOBankingRates Joel Anderson and Gabrielle Olya contributed to the reporting for this article. Pictured: Protester drives a car with writing that calls for a general strike by workers from Walmart, Target, Amazon, and Instacart during a car-based protest, at the Amazon Spheres in downtown Seattle. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Sports Teams Are Striking See Which Protests Brought Lasting Change CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - South Korea will on Monday release May figures for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Imports are expected to sink 17.9 percent on year after falling 15.9 percent in April. Exports are called lower by an annual 22.1 percent after tumbling 24.3 percent in the previous month. The trade deficit is pegged at $1.1 billion following the $0.95 billion shortfall a month earlier. Thailand will provide April figures for unemployment and retail sales. The jobless rate expected to rise to 1.1 percent from 1.0 percent in March, while sales are expected to fall 0.5 percent on year after rising 0.4 percent in the previous month. The Philippines will see April numbers for retail sales; in March, retail sales were up 1.1 percent on year. Hong Kong will provide April data for retail sales; in March, retail sales plummeted 43.8 percent on year. Japan will see Q1 figures for capital expenditures; in the three months prior, capex was down 3.5 percent on quarter and capex excluding software sank 5.0 percent. Several of the regional nations will see May results for their manufacturing PMIs from IHS Market, including Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Japan will also see results from the Jibun Bank manufacturing PMI and Australia will see Performance of Manufacturing Index numbers from the Australian Industry Group. China will see PMI results from Caixin. Finally, the markets in New Zealand and Indonesia are closed on Monday, for the queen's birthday and for Pancasila Day, respectively. Both will reopen on Tuesday. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Pockets of violence erupted Sunday night in Trenton, with at least one police vehicle being set on fire and windows smashed at downtown businesses following a peaceful protest of the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. Video from social media showed an unmarked police vehicle burning on East State Street and people climbing on the roof of vehicles. The unrest led Mayor Reed Gusciora to put an immediate curfew in place until 8 a.m. Monday, the city said. Speaking at a late Sunday news conference, Gusciora called the destruction a heartbreaker. Thank God there were no injuries. There were attempts to loot. This has nothing to do with the conversation of police injustice," Gusciora said. The violence marked a stark contrast to demonstrations earlier in the city, when police joined protesters to kneel in solidarity amid what began as a tense confrontation at Trenton police headquarters. As several officers took a knee, the protestors cheered and applauded. Those protesters had split off from the main group and wound their way to the police department, on North Clinton Avenue. No violence occurred there, reports say. Hours later and blocks away in the downtown area, a police car was ransacked and set on fire. People threw bricks and police in riot gear, bolstered by the New Jersey State Police, formed lines. A police chopper swept over the city several times as smoke filled the streets. It was a similar scene Sunday night in Atlantic City, where an hours-long peaceful protest gave way to looting. Officials there also ordered a citywide curfew. Earlier in the evening, in Trenton: Following an announcement that the Ghana Community Network Service Limited (GCNet) will officially cease its operations at various ports today for UNI-PASS , now Integrated Customs Management Systems (ICUMS) to take over, the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is hopeful the transition will be managed positively so it doesnt have a toll on businesses. President of the Association, Dr. Joseph Obeng in an interview with GhanaWeb indicated that by this new system, the clearing processes shouldn't be impeded in any way, and the cost of goods as well do not witness any additional charges. If the above-mentioned needs of businessmen are not met, then bringing in a new system to check clearance at the ports will be needless, Dr Obeng said. He noted that It is not for us to tell Ghana Revenue Authority, the government for that matter what systems they have to put in place but they should also know that any system they are putting in place should come with efficiency and come to enhance on the previous one. If we do not see any of these then one can say that it was even needless for the new system to come. Once they are bringing a new system, what we are expecting is efficiency and the fact that it is going to enhance the way of doing business apart from the past. He added that though traders, business moguls are yet to experience the new system, GUTA requires efficiency to enhance on GCNet. We are yet to taste the new systemwe also know that the GCNET was a very nice system, it didnt give us any problem thats why I am saying that if you are bringing a new one, all that we are expecting is to bring better efficiency and also to enhance on the past system we are using, Dr. Obeng highlighted in an interview with GhanaWeb. Meanwhile, this is the second time UNI-PASS is taking over GCNet to operate after facing several challenges at the beginning of their operations. 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 Two Pakistani spies have been expelled from the country after they were caught impersonating businessmen and meeting defence personnel seeking sensitive information. The Pakistani High Commission officials were caught after an intelligence operation found that the men would visit Indian defence personnel as "businessmen" to secure information for "news reporters". Abid Hussain and Mohammad Tahir have been declared persona non grata and have been asked to leave the country within 24 hours. An official statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that two officials of the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi were apprehended for espionage. According to an India Today report, Hussain (42) was working as an assistant in the Department of Trade in Pakistan High Commission, while Tahir (44) was an upper division clerk in the high commission. Hussain, an operative of Pakistan spy agency ISI hails from Punjab province of Pakistan and Tahir is from Islamabad. The latter would accompany Hussain in missions to gather information for new reporters, stated the news site. The Indian government has declared both the officials persona non grata "for indulging in activities incompatible with their status as members of a diplomatic mission and asked them to leave the country within twenty four hours". The officials were working for the commission for the last two years. They were being driven around by Javed Akhtar (36), who hails from Mianwali in Pakistan's Punjab. Akhtar has also been arrested. The law enforcement agencies, who apprehended the two officials, recovered some incriminating documents, Rs 15,000 and two iPhones from them. According to the report, after they were caught, both Abid and Tahir admitted to be in communication with many other persons to gather information. By Ashley A. Smith EdSource Most of California's college students are concerned the coronavirus pandemic will prevent them from graduating. An Education Trust poll, released Thursday, found 77% of college students nationally and 75% of California students had concerns about staying on track to graduate because of the coronavirus. And nationally, 84% of black and 81% of Latino students said they were worried. Students also said they were struggling to meet basic food, housing and financial needs because of the pandemic, with about half saying they fear not being able to afford basic needs in the coming months. They have struggled with accessing academic and support services online, and they're finding fewer opportunities to connect with faculty, counselors and other college staff. All of California's public colleges and universities moved most classroom instruction online during the pandemic. Asked to evaluate their learning, 43% of students said the quality of instruction they're receiving is getting worse and 49% say their interest and engagement in coursework is waning. Despite their concerns, 75% of California students said their college was handling the coronavirus well. All of the California students who responded to the poll attend a California State University campus, but EdTrust officials said the results are representative of all students across the state. The poll also found: Among California students: 20% said they were not confident they would return to school in the fall. 49% said they won't be able to afford food, housing or tuition. 95% said at least some of their classes were canceled; 85% said all or most of their classes are now virtual. 42% said their college provided alternative housing options through the pandemic. 77% of California students are living at home with their parents. Among students nationwide: 53% said they feel uneasy about their personal finances over the coming few months. 68% said they are concerned about anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. 36% of students say they are worried about developing substance abuse or addiction because of the pandemic. A group of students, participating in a webinar Thursday unveiling the poll results, endorsed its findings. "We have to figure out the future of our education, and this includes housing situations because we're not sure what to do and some of us question our academic ability and have the feeling of daunting uncertainty," said Michael Wiafe, the outgoing president of CSU's student association and a San Diego State University graduate. Wiafe, who will attend UC Berkeley for graduate school, was the only California student participating in the webinar. Students are contending with job losses and are unable to support themselves financially. As for housing, many students still have to pay rent if they were leasing from a private owner, despite returning to live with parents or guardians, Wiafe said. Students, who are also parents, may have lost their jobs and lost access to childcare through their campuses when those operations shut down in-person services, Wiafe said. "Now students have to take care of children while being in class at home, and that can be difficult," he said. Some faculty have been willing to accommodate students' needs since the pandemic, Wiafe said, but others think classes should be more difficult and meet virtually more often because they are now remote. The national poll questions were completed by 1,010 students online from May 14-19 with most respondents from California and New York. Additional interviewing was done to obtain responses from 312 California students. The national poll had a margin of error of +/-3.1%. The California portion has a margin of error of +/-5.6%. The EdTrust poll, conducted in partnership with Global Strategy Group, found students wanted more virtual office hours with faculty and advisers, emergency financial aid and access to food support, mental health services, and alternative housing and child care arrangements: 87% said they needed more virtual office hours or way to connect with faculty, while 53% said their institutions were already doing this. 83% said they needed more career advice and job preparation, with only 31% saying their colleges already offered those services. 82% said they needed more financial aid. 78% said more mental health services and counseling are needed on campuses. 67% said they needed more food support or access to pantries, with only 23% saying their campuses had this. 62% said they needed alternative housing arrangements, with only 14% saying their campuses supported that service. All three public California college systems offer these resources to students, but "what we're experiencing is an uneven offering," said Elisha Smith Arrillaga, executive director of EdTrust-West. Most campuses offer some of these services, but not all of them, she said, referring to the 115 California Community Colleges, the 23 CSU campuses and 10 UC campuses. The Campaign for College Opportunity, an organization that promotes college access, has advocated for a state-wide committee that would coordinate a uniform response to students' needs across the UC, CSU and community colleges systems, she said. Monica Lozano, president of the College Futures Foundation, an Oakland-based philanthropic organization that promotes access to higher education, said that although the state is facing a $54 billion budget deficit, it could be flexible with financial aid and use the money to support students' food, transportation and housing needs. Colleges also need to increase their support services and boost online counseling, she said. "We're not saying don't cut higher education," she said. "But as you cut into the higher education budgets, do it from the point of view of making decisions that don't harm students along the way." For example, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed in January to give the California community colleges' food pantries $11.4 million in new money. But since the pandemic caused a state budget deficit, he eliminated the funding in the May revision. Smith Arrillaga said the Legislature could instead approve the new money to the food pantries to better support students. The poll found 33% of students - and 45% of low-income students - reported skipping a meal or reducing how much they are eating because of the pandemic. There are policy choices that Congress and states could make to invest in college students, said John B. King Jr., EdTrust president, and former education secretary in the Obama administration. The $3 trillion HEROES (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions) Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives, includes significant funding that would prevent states like California from making higher education cuts, he said. The bill, written by House Democrats, includes $100 billion for education, of which $37 billion would go to the postsecondary sector, but so far the Republican Senate hasn't considered it. "We should at least double Pell Grants," King said. "We ought to invest in programs like CCAMPIS (Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program). We put very little money into that program, even though 20% of college students are parents." CCAMPIS provides federal funding for on-campus childcare centers. Food insecurity remains a significant problem for students and is worsened by the pandemic. He said that Congress should create a federal program similar to the free and reduced price meals at the K-12 level, which serve breakfast and lunch in schools to low-income students. The country has an opportunity to come out of this crisis and "build something better, stronger and a more resilient society," King said. 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. Former vice president Joe Biden views himself as so connected to the African American experience that on a debate stage in Atlanta six months ago, he declared: "I come out of the black community." But as that city and others burn and demonstrators demand a robust political agenda for communities of color, the 77-year-old presumptive Democratic nominee for president faces a crucial test: Does he have the relationships and the political dexterity to channel their anger, or will he be overtaken by a tsunami of discontent? "He has to meet the moment," said Cornell Belcher, who was a pollster for President Barack Obama. "He's completely capable of stepping in that space and delivering a unifying message about bringing America together and talking about the refrain that [Martin Luther King Jr.] put out decades ago: that an injustice anywhere to anyone is an injustice to everyone. That's the space that he must occupy." So far, Biden has stayed relatively quiet. He gave brief televised remarks supporting protesters Friday and did a rare round of cable news interviews to drive home his point. He issued a statement condemning violence early Sunday morning as images of burning police cars filled TV news. Later, he pulled a prerecorded video from the speaking program for Sunday evening's Maine Democratic Party convention "due to recent events," according to a Biden campaign aide. Biden also on Sunday made an unannounced visit to protesters in Wilmington, Delaware, and later posted a photo of an exchange with one person behind yellow police tape. "We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us," Biden wrote in a caption. He is planning to speak more about race in coming days, according to a person familiar with the campaign's plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk about discussions underway. President Donald Trump on Sunday tried to tie the protests to Biden via social media posts, pointing to unrest in Philadelphia, where Biden's campaign is based. "Is this what voters want with Sleepy Joe?" he asked. Later, he called on Democratic state and local leaders in affected cities to call up the National Guard. "The World is watching and laughing at you and Sleepy Joe. Is this what America wants? NO!!!" Biden's campaign had no immediate response. Biden won Democratic primaries because of his overwhelming support from black and suburban voters, a coalition that skewed older and more conservative than the youthful and multiracial protesters marching in cities and towns across the country. Biden's campaign acknowledges that defeating Trump will require him to keep those older voters motivated while appealing to the young and disaffected Americans who the campaign fears will sit out this election if they do n0t connect with him. In many cases, those are the same people who are protesting. On a sweltering 90-degree Sunday in Tampa, Florida, thousands marched through streets near the historic Ybor City area, holding signs decrying extrajudicial killings and chanting protest slogans along with the names of black people who have been killed by police officers. "The people are just pissed off in the streets. It's not just a protest, it's rage," said Chaikirah Parker, one of the protest organizers. "There is a system in place that will have to change from the top going down. [Biden] has to show that he has the courage to make a change all the way through." Abdul-Aliy Muhammad, a Philadelphia civil rights activist who recently started a bail fund for people arrested during George Floyd protests, said many younger people have abandoned the political process. "You hear so much less about the election now because they don't think the political system works for them. That's why they're in the streets," he said. Muhammad said for them the decision between Trump and Biden amounts to picking the least bad choice: "We've been in this position where we have had to choose between the lesser of two evils - and where are we for having made that choice? We're in no better position than we were before." Trump has tried to stoke that sentiment among African Americans, telling them that Democrats have taken them for granted. Reckoning with racial unrest is familiar ground to Biden. As a young lawyer in the early 1970s, his opposition to National Guard troops occupying Wilmington in the wake of riots led him to seek election. He said he was driven to run for president after white supremacists clashed violently with protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 and Trump struggled to respond. But his own long history in Democratic politics includes episodes that spur suspicion among black Americans, including writing a 1994 crime bill that critics say led to mass incarceration. And his current plan for black Americans isn't as far-reaching as younger leaders would like, including a refusal to legalize marijuana. Biden's Sunday morning statement, issued at 12:18 a.m., said protesting the brutal death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody is "right and necessary" and an "utterly American response." He also condemned the violence that erupted in some places, but he added that "the act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest." Angela Rye, a civil rights leader and former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus, said she was disappointed that the statement was silent on the larger issue of police brutality. "This is not designed to tear him down," Rye said. "This is just to get him to ensure that black people can survive. And we can't survive if there's not a full recognition of what's happening and the gravity of this moment." For Biden, she said, this "requires a complete 180 change" from the criminal justice agenda that he's pushed much of his career. "And it requires doubling down on the good work he did for and with black people." State Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators and a veteran South Carolina Democrat, said she hopes Biden will expand his "Lift Every Voice" plan for black Americans to elements of former housing secretary Julian Castro's proposals on issues such as housing and education. "There's no need for Biden to reinvent the wheel," she said. "We know pretty much what needs to be done to reform our system. It's a multipronged approach." Biden allies say they expect him to broaden his proposals. "I've read his 'Lift Every Voice' agenda; everything that I want is not in it," said Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., whose endorsement of Biden in South Carolina helped him win the state and clear a path to the nomination. "But he's made it very clear that it's more of a template than a comprehensive approach." "Joe Biden knows us," he said. One reason for a disconnect, younger civil rights leaders say, is Biden's reliance on a small circle of black leaders he's known for years. "It's a strategy of white Democrats from the 1990s to think you can simply just deal with certain leaders and you don't have to have conversations with the grass roots and don't have to be engaged with the grass roots," said Rashad Robinson, president of the Color of Change Coalition. He said he wants Biden to provide a more detailed agenda and also explain exactly how he'll dismantle the forces that have kept the status quo in place through Republican and Democratic administrations. "I need to hear about the fight, because we know that there are forces standing in the way of progress," Robinson said. - - - The Washington Post's Sean Sullivan contributed to this report. After investing a decade of her life building her business, Shanyn Pollard fears it wont survive the COVID-19 shutdown. Even if she does somehow manage to stay in business, she said SASS Fitness will almost certainly no longer be in its current downtown St. Catharines location. With no revenue coming in since the business closed March 12, Pollard said she has not been able to pay her commercial rent fee of $2,200 per month, plus taxes. Rather than apply for Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance a voluntary program offering unsecured, forgivable loans to commercial property owners to reduce the rent owed by tenants she said her landlords instead sent her an eviction notice. Pollard said she moved her business to 401 St. Paul St. nearly a year ago, after borrowing about $25,000 to renovate the old building formerly Niagara Central Hobbies to accommodate the fitness studio. She said her lease agreement included a slight rent reduction to compensate her for her out-of-pocket investment in the renovation. But after the building changed hands, she believes the new owners have wanted me out ever since in order to increase the amount of rent income they receive on the 4,000-square-foot storefront. This has been going on for awhile, Pollard said. They basically took this opportunity. I couldnt pay my rent for May, and weve been going back and forth with our lawyers trying to figure out some sort of assistance with them. However, she said, her landlords informed her they will not apply for the rent relief program, and shes not eligible. Ive asked for deferrals, but theyre just not willing to help out because this was the perfect opportunity to get me out, she said. They evicted me and I have to leave. I probably will not be reopening my doors, because Im too far in debt. The landlords did not respond to requests for an interview Friday. Although Pollard is receiving Canada Emergency Response Benefit funding, she said even if she spent every dime of it paying the rent she owes she would still fall short. With no other income, she said, she relies on that money to cover her costs at home. Pollard said she has a team of six subcontractors who have been working with her for many years who will also be impacted by the eviction, as well as a dance company that uses space in the facility. This is a huge hit for them, she said. Pollard said she contacted St. Catharines MPP Jennie Stevens, hoping she would be able to raise her concerns at Queens Park. Stevens said Pollards heartbreaking story is an example of whats going wrong during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how the commercial rent assistance program funded in partnership by the provincial and federal governments is not working. Im personally going to take this straight to the Premiers office, Stevens said. This person has done everything right, but now shes being penalized. Stevens will join Pollard for an online discussion about the situation, teaming up with Live Stream Niagara for a broadcast focusing on similar issues business owners face. The live discussion is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday, at facebook.com/LiveStreamNiagara and facebook.com/sassartist/. Pollard said an online fundraising campaign has also been launched to help keep her business open, at www.gofundme.com/f/save-sass-fitness/. Within a few hours of setting up the campaign, nearly $1,000 had already been pitched in toward a $5,000 goal. Pollard said she is also looking for a new location where she can re-establish her business, and asked people interested in helping her to contact her via email to dance@polefit.ca. Travel company MakeMyTrip that has been severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic has decided to lay off 350 employees. MakeMyTrip founder Deep Kalra and CEO Rajesh Magow said in a letter to the employees that the pandemic has changed the context and viability of some of their business lines. He added that it has now become unclear as to when travel would become a way of life as it was before the pandemic unfolded. "As we revisited some of our strategic imperatives to be able to sustain our business in the long term, it is evident that the pandemic has changed the context and viability of some of our business lines in its current form. Keeping this in mind we have had to take this sad but inevitable decision of rightsizing our workforce," the letter read, as mentioned in a report in CNBC-TV18. Also read: Coronavirus impact: Swiggy lays off 1,100 employees, future of cloud kitchens uncertain MMT's letter to the employees said that they are "truly appreciative" of all the work the employees have put in for the organisation. The letter underscored the need for staff rationalisation and said that it is necessary to map the future business strategy of the company, adding further that this is not a reflection of the work done by the people. "We wish them only the very best for what follows from here, and we thank them deeply for their rich contribution to Go-MMT," stated the letter. Also read: Zomato fires 13% employees, announces 50% salary cuts due to coronavirus The company is offering mediclaim coverage for individuals who have been impacted as well as the families till the end of the year. MakeMyTrip is also offering leave encashment, gratuity, retention of company laptops as well as outplacement support. Both Kalra and Magow have not been taking salaries since April and the rest of the leadership team had also taken 50 per cent pay cuts as measures to keep the business afloat. Also read: Coronavirus impact: Cognizant to lay off 400 senior executives MakeMyTrip is the latest company to have announced lay offs in order to keep business running. Travel, aviation and hospitality industries are some of the worst affected. In fact, a recent report by BOTT Travel Sentiment Tracker in partnership with seven national associations like IATO, TAAI, ICPB, ADTOI, OTOAI, ATOAI and SITE said that 81 per cent travel and tourism companies have lost their revenue up to 100 per cent while 15 per cent of the companies have witnessed it slide up to 75 per cent. The report stated that around 40 per cent travel and tourism companies stare at risk of complete shutdown over the next 3-6 months. Also read: Coronavirus crisis: BookMyShow lays off 270 employees Also read: Coronavirus crisis: Indiabulls Group asks nearly 2,000 employees to resign 01.06.2020 LISTEN A 35-YEAR-OLD man, who lodged in a hotel in Kumasi to relax with his girlfriend, has died in a swimming pool of the hotel after drowning. Emmanuel Sarkodie, the deceased, could not swim back to safety after he had jumped into the pool to cool off last Friday. Expert swimmers reportedly dived into the pool to retrieve the body of Sarkodie, who had then passed on. The body had since been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) morgue in Kumasi for autopsy to determine the cause of death. A police report that DAILY GUIDE has sighted said police found the body lying in a supine position beside the pool with foam and blood from his nostril. It indicated that the deceased was believed to be under the influence of alcohol and he had booked a room hotel at Bantama. Few minutes after lodging in the room, Sarkodie, who was in the company of a female, believed to be his girlfriend, came out to swim. After jumping deep into the swimming pool, Sarkodie was not swimming back to safety; so sensing danger, the hotel attendants quickly yelled for help. There were no lifeguards around when Sarkodie jumped into the pool, the paper has gathered. After receiving distress calls, expert swimmers reportedly jumped into the pool and retrieved Sarkodie's body, but it was too late, as he had died. Relatives of the deceased have since been identified, and the hotel management is also assisting in investigations, the report stated. Meanwhile, the police, as part of their investigations, had said they would contact the appropriate authorities to check if the pool met the required safety standards. ---Daily Guide The new book Inventing America: Conversations with the Founders is a companion for the television series of the same name filmed at Hope College. Each episode in the three-part television series explores the origins of one of the three foundational documents of the United States: the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Each runs as a panel discussion, hosted by a member of the Hope faculty, with some of the Founding Fathers involved in creating the documents. While imagined and presented as retrospectives, the conversations are based on fact, using the Founders actual words. Published in April by Brick Tower Press, the book was written by 1963 Hope graduate Milton Nieuwsma of Holland, a two-time Emmy winner who also created the series. It retails for $16.95 and is available through Amazon. The book is designed to serve as either a classroom study aid or as a resource for anyone interested in knowing more about the documents and their origins. It contains the complete scripts for the three episodes, biographical sketches of the Founding Fathers who are portrayed, source notes, recommended reading, discussion questions, and copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. The series was a co-production of Hope College and WGVU Public Media, the latter of which filmed the episodes. Filmed before live audiences in the colleges DeWitt Center main theatre late in 2014, 2016 and 2017, the episodes premiered each following summer, shown first at the Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland, and then on WGVU and subsequently on PBS stations across the country in conjunction with the Fourth of July holiday. Making a Nation runs as an interview with three of the Declarations signers Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin and one delegate to the Second Continental Congress, John Dickinson, who refused to sign, revealing the conflict behind the historic document ratified on July 4, 1776. The moderator is Dr. Marc Baer, professor emeritus of history and interim music department chair. Making a Government tells the story behind the Constitutional Convention of 1787, four months that changed the world. In the program, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, Gouverneur Morris and George Washington discuss the conflicts and compromises that led to creating the worlds most enduring republic. The moderator is Dr. Fred L. Johnson III, associate professor of history. The Untold Story of the Bill of Rights features Madison, Jefferson, Hamilton and Patrick Henry describing the conflicts and infighting behind the new U.S. Constitution and how that led to the Bill of Rights. Johnson is the moderator. The executive producer of the series was Darell Schregardus, also a 1963 Hope graduate. The portrayers were Bill Barker (Thomas Jefferson, episodes 1 and 3), Tom Bengston (Gouverneur Morris, episode 2), Hal Bidlack (Alexander Hamilton, episodes 2 and 3), Sam Goodyear (John Adams, episode 1), John Douglas Hall (James Madison, episodes 2 and 3), John Hamant (Benjamin Franklin, episodes 1 and 2), Richard Schumann (Patrick Henry, episode 3), Rodney TeSlaa (John Dickinson, episode 1) and Gary Zell (George Washington, episode 2). Each episode is available online at inventing-america.org, as are additional information about the series and teacher resources. The series will be re-aired on PBS stations around the country at around the Fourth of July. Shilla Monogram Quangnam Danang If you wanted to describe The Shilla Hotels & Resorts properties in South Korea, you would probably use words like posh, top-class, and sumptuous as all of these are defining the key characteristics of this reputable hospitality corporation, including its newest addition, the Shilla Monogram Quangnam Danang. The new resort preserves the companys core values of thoughtful manners and sophistication and brings these, together with its iconic lifestyle and leisure offers, to Vietnam. Designed like a cruise ship underway on the East Sea, Shilla Monogram Quangnam Danang could impress any spectator. The nine-level front building is shaped like a pair of large sails while the four connecting outdoor pools gently curl around it in a bow. The hotels overall design is meant to maximize the view on the ocean and the Son Tra peninsula from almost every room. Besides the pools, the stylish cabanas which so far have only been seen at The Shilla Jeju before add a sense of boldness to the resort. Visitors seeking instagrammable spots with a panoramic view of the majestic ocean and the whole resort complex will find the comfortable seats of the lotus-shaped pavilions more than satisfactory. When entering the resort, guests will be welcomed by a calm and contemporary elegance exuded from the warm, neutral-toned interior with its earthy materials and textures. Boasting 309 rooms, including one luxurious beach-front Monogram Villa, this grand resort brings a distinctively sophisticated lifestyle and leisure experience to anyone travelling to Vietnams Central Coast. Located conveniently between the coastal pearl Danang and the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An, a mere 20-minute drive is all that visitors need to discover many meaningful cultural stories hidden delicately around the resort. Within the intimate Monogram Lounge, guests can marvel at the famous collections by the Vietnamese artist Ha Manh Thang, who is well-known for his bold and colourful canvases that juxtapose Vietnams past and its rich heritage with fashionable images of consumerist culture. Moreover, Monogram Lounge will also exhibit other artworks using regional materials as an invitation to let guests discover local contemporary art on site. Besides this, guests can learn about regional traditions via art and craft classes such as making a non la (traditional conical hat) and lanterns. With its harmonious blend of Vietnamese traits and South Korean flair, Shilla Monogram Quangnam Danang is promising to become the first signature culture-hub resort of Danang. While staying at Shilla Monogram Quangnam Danang, you should try their exceptional cuisine experience which has been the signature trait of all The Shillas hotels and resorts. Guests will be spoilt for choice with the resorts variety of dining options with two restaurants and two bars serving a refined assortment of various cuisines in distinctive settings. Savour your taste at the all day restaurant Dining M for an extensive buffet or romantic and fancy meals by the pool at Bistro M. The sophisticated gastronomic journey has been designed by The Shillas experienced chefs and is served by a passionate and friendly team. Opening this June, the resort is starting with generous promotions to welcome its first guests to this small paradise on Vietnams Central Coast. Now is a great time to pack your bags and get out to lean into the enriched beauty at the Shilla Monogram Quangnam Danang. Limited Time Offer An all-inclusive package designed for the first guests is suggested for anyone who wants to escape the daily grind for one day to relax and reinvent oneself. The package includes: - A one-night stay with breakfast - Dining credit - Complimentary two hours of Pool Cabana access - Complimentary two-way airport shuttle bus service - Guaranteed early check-in or late check-out - Complimentary daily mini-bar - Complimentary room upgrade (subject to availability). Shilla Monogram Quangnam Danang Hotline: 84-235-625-0088 Email: reservations@danang.shillamonogram.com Scores of passengers were seen scurrying, queueing up in long lines as the Railways commenced operation of 200 interstate passenger trains from today amid the coronavirus pandemic. Passengers at most railways stations were seen observing proper social distancing measures, wearing masks and following other mandatory norms amid the Covid-19 crisis. While social distancing norms were maintained at most places, the stations were not bereft of long queues as the hustle-bustle returned to the train stations. In order to avoid chaos at railways stations, the Northern Railways on Sunday issued an entry and exit plan for passengers at Hazrat Nizamuddin, Delhi Junction and New Delhi Railway Station. Also read: Full list of trains to resume from June 1 Tamil Nadu: Passengers arrive at Madurai Railway Station to board trains to their respective destinations, as Indian Railways has started operations of 200 passenger trains today. pic.twitter.com/uSk3E4iYSR ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2020 As per the plan, for Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station the entry and exit will be from Bhogal side. For Delhi Junction Railway Station, the entry and exit will be from Chandni Chowk side. For New Delhi Railway Station, the entry and exit will be from both Ajmeri Gate and Paharganj side. It is advised to carry food and water from home and travel with light luggage. Bedroll and linen will NOT be provided by Railways, the statement read. Also read: Airlines urged to keep middle seats empty or give wrap-around gowns Bihar: Passengers arrive at Patna Railway Station to board their respective trains, as Indian Railways has started operations of 200 passenger trains today. Social distancing norms being followed at the railway station as part of precautionary measures amid #COVID19 outbreak. pic.twitter.com/cxZvEMJu7N ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2020 The Ministry of Railways suspended its operation in March, soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the first phase of 21-day lockdown on March 25. Shramik Special trains, to ferry stranded migrant labourers to their native states, were started from May 1. Pair of 30 Special AC trains were started from May 12. The resumption of 200 interstate passenger trains from today comes as an important step in Centres plan to restore passenger rail services across the country in a graded manner. Opalesque Industry Update - The Federal Reserve announced on March 23rd that it would purchase corporate bonds for the first time in its 107-year history. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York announced that the Secondary Market Corporate Credit Facility (SMCCF) will begin purchases of exchange traded funds (ETFs) on May 12th. The Fed is not the first central bank to purchase ETFs as part of a stimulus package. The Bank of Japan has been purchasing equity ETFs listed in Japan since 2012 as part of its QE program. The Bank of Japan reported holding $289 billion or approx. 76% of the $382 billion investment in the ETF industry in Japan (source: ETFGI Japanese ETFs and ETPs industry insights April 2020 report). This will be the first time in the Fed's 107-year history that it will purchase ETFs. BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager and largest ETF issuer, will be running the Fed's three debt-buying programs. BlackRock said it would waive investment advisory fees on the iShares ETFs it buys on behalf of the Fed. The Fed reported that between May 12th and May 19th it purchased $1.58 billion in Investment Grade and High Yield ETFs with a current market value of $1.307 billion. The purchases have been in 15 fixed income ETFs of which 6 are High Yield and 11 are Investment Grade. The majority - 83% - of the investment has gone into Investment Grade ETFs with the remaining 17% allocated to High Yield ETFs. The ETFs/ETPs industry in the United Sates had 2,315 ETFs/ETPs, assets of $4.046 trillion, from 158 providers at the end of April 2020. iShares is the largest ETFs/ETPs provider in terms of assets with $1.542 trillion, reflecting 38.1% market share; Vanguard is second with $1.074 billion and 26.5% market share, followed by SPDR ETFs with $66.06 billion and 16.5% market share. The top three ETF/ETP providers, out of 158, account for 81.1% of global ETF/ETP AUM, while the remaining 155 providers each have less than 6% market share (source ETFGI United States ETFs and ETPs industry insights April 2020 report). In the US at the end of April there were 1,292 products that provide exposure to equity indices with $2.970 trillion or 73.4% of overall assets, 284 products provide exposure to fixed income indices with $806 billion or 19.9% of the assets and 84 products provide exposure to commodity indices with 2.5% of the assets (active, leverage, inverse and other products account for the remaining assets). There 76 investment grade corporate bond products with assets of $158.92 billion and 36 high yield corporate bond products with assets of $47.06 billion. The ETFs the Fed has purchased are managed by 5 ETF managers. There are 7 iShares ETFs on the list which represent 48% or nearly half of the $1.307 billion overall investment. Vanguard has 2 ETFs on the list which account for 35% of the assets, there are 3 SPDR ETFs (SSgA) with 15%, while VanEck and Xtrackers (DWS) each have one ETF with 1% of the overall allocation. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Sunday toured the site of one of the protests that ripped through US cities overnight and called for protesters against police brutality not to turn to violence. Biden, wearing a face mask, made his second appearance outside his Delaware home since the coronavirus crisis hit in March, visiting an area in Wilmington where demonstrators vented outrage at the death of a black man shown on video gasping for breath as a white Minneapolis policeman knelt on his neck. A campaign post on Instagram showed Biden speaking with African American residents and inspecting buildings boarded up to prevent damage hours after he issued a statement that "we are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us." "Protesting such brutality is right and necessary," Biden said in the statement emailed shortly after midnight. "But burning down communities and needless destruction is not." Biden will face President Donald Trump in the Nov. 3 presidential election. Trump's re-election campaign manager, Brad Parscale, had said on Saturday that Biden should deliver a more forceful condemnation of violence. Biden's remarks echoed a statement on Saturday by prominent black civil rights activist and US Representative John Lewis of Georgia. Lewis, who in 1965 was beaten unconscious by Alabama state troopers during a march for voting rights, called for protesters to "be constructive, not destructive," though he said he knows their pain. Web giants like Facebook and Google are setting a torrid pace to make life better for front-end developers. By creating new technologies like React, supported by frameworks like Vercels Next.js and Netlify, these companies free developers to focus on the logic of their new applications and services while abstracting away the back-end issues that have historically slowed developers. Facebook rightly gets credit for its front-end work with open source React, but arguably it may deserve even more credit for open sourcing an emerging query language called GraphQL. In a new cloud native world of microservices, the number of endpoint APIs increases exponentially, which is proving a huge challenge for traditional SQL technologies. GraphQL, however, can communicate across microservices and operate almost as a gateway to all of your services a unifying source that provides a holistic view of all your systems. Turns out thats a Very Good ThingTM. To understand what is behind the meteoric rise of GraphQL, I spoke to Manish R. Jain, founder and CEO of Dgraph Labs. His team created a database around GraphQL from scratch in Go, all available as open source. Developer darling Released as open source in 2015 and now under the guidance of the Linux Foundation, GraphQL is behind a surprising number of prominent websites including Facebook, Google, Airbnb, Pinterest, and more (current list here). A 2019 survey of more than 20,000 JavaScript developers found GraphQL adoption exploding. A year after its release, 36% of developers surveyed had never heard of GraphQL. By 2017 that number was cut in half to 17.9%. Today its 7.1%, with 62.5% of survey respondents saying they want to learn GraphQL. Nor is GraphQL reserved for high-flying Internet companies. For example, Netflix recently shared its success with GraphQL on its developer blog, finding that GraphQL on Node.js proved to significantly increase our development velocity and overall page load performance. All of which suggests that this GraphQL thing sort of rocks. Not a query language? That said, GraphQL might be poorly named. Not the graph part. Thats accurate. But the query language appendage may not be so apt. At least, thats what Jain believes, and he may be in a good position to judge. Before founding Dgraph Labs, Jain helped build graph database technologies at Google. He led the project to unite all Google OneBoxes under a graph indexing system, which involved weather, flights, events, and so on (e.g., search for weather in SF). He later left Google and subsequently founded Dgraph Labs with backing from Redpoint Ventures. GraphQL is one of the bets we took very early on in Dgraphs journey, Jain said. When looking for a query language for the database back in 2015, we werent happy with the existing choices of Cypher and Gremlin. Incidentally, Facebooks GraphQL draft spec had just been publicly released in July 2015. We really liked it. We bought the simplicity and power of this system, but also felt like we were taking a risk in going with unproven technology, particularly considering it is a syntax for describing an API (like REST) rather than a query language. Back to that QL quibble. Jain wants to make a key point here: GraphQL is not a graph database query language; rather, its a replacement for REST APIs. Hows that? A replacement for REST GraphQL is designed to build client applications by providing an intuitive and flexible syntax for describing data requirements. In more approachable vernacular, Jain explained, GraphQL allows a way for clients to understand what the server provides and specifically request data useful to the client. It provides a simple way for developers to retrieve only as much of their strongly-typed dataset as they need, and in the shape in which they need it. In a blog post, Jain explained in more technical detail: REST API endpoints are fixed. Each endpoint would give you a predetermined amount of data, irrespective of how much data the client needs. Squeezing efficiency in such a system leads developers to generate an ever-increasing number of endpoints, each returning a contained set of results. The client would then call them in sequence to generate a view for the end-user. There are guidelines around what would be an HTTP POST, what would make a PUT, what would be a GET, and what the return error codes would be. GraphQL turns all of this on its head. Theres only one endpoint, most accesses are POST, all return codes are HTTP 200, with the errors captured in a JSON response. The server publishes what all the clients can access, and the client determines how much it wants to access, depending upon its use case. It is simple and powerful. Considering GraphQL is put in the same category as REST, gRPC, and webhooks, calling it a QL (Query Language) is a bit of a stretch. It is really a syntax for describing an API. If you take up GraphQL, you get to build whatever API you like and use GraphQL to describe the APIs types and operations. Those things then describe the data that your API can return. Which brings us back to Dgraph Labs. According to Jain, Dgraph is unique in that it is the only native GraphQL database. We designed a database that stores and distributes the data in a way most optimal for executing GraphQL traversals, joins, and retrievals. In Jains view, with the right technology, most codebases can be cut down significantly. We want to enable developers in building faster, smarter applications, spinning up performant, scalable back ends instantly. Read more about open source: Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-02 00:32:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, checks the reserves of epidemic prevention materials at Beijing Huiwen Middle School in Beijing, capital of China, June 1, 2020. Sun conducted inspection visits to a secondary school, a primary school, and a kindergarten in Beijing on Monday. Sun visited children who had returned to school, extending her greetings to them on International Children's Day. At the same time, she inspected measures to prevent and control COVID-19 in the schools. (Xinhua/Gao Jie) BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan has stressed the importance of applying anti-COVID-19 measures amid the reopening of schools across the country. She made the comments on Monday as she conducted inspection visits to a secondary school, a primary school, and a kindergarten in Beijing. Sun visited children who had returned to school, extending her greetings to them on International Children's Day. At the same time, she inspected measures to prevent and control COVID-19 in the schools. Various educational institutions are resuming operations in an orderly manner across the country, Sun said, noting that measures, including ventilation and disinfection, must be strictly implemented to ensure safety. Stressing the issue of emergency response, Sun asked schools to conduct the necessary drills and set up ties with hospitals to swiftly deal with emergencies. She also called for support for privately run kindergartens, as well as more care for the psychological health of students. Parents should keep in close contact with schools and teachers, Sun said, calling for efforts to strengthen health education and help children develop good health habits. Enditem 16 Dead, 30 Injured in Weekend of Violence in Chicago Officials in Chicago said Monday that the city registered 16 deaths and 30 injuries in shootings over the weekend, coming as protests over the death of George Floyd roiled the city and others across the United States. Authorities confirmed to local news outlets that the most recent shooting occurred on Sunday afternoon when a suspect in a vehicle opened fire on another vehicle in East 95th Street. A 31-year-old man and a 39-year-old man were both shot and killed in the latest fatal incident. According to a tally from the Chicago Tribune, 191 murders have been reported so far in Chicago this year, with the majority of deaths coming due to shootings. During Memorial Day weekend last month, 10 people were killed and 39 were wounded. Gov. J.B. Pritzker activated 375 Illinois National Guard soldiers to assist with street closures amid the sometimes violent George Floyd protests. The Chicago Transit Authority also suspended rail and bus lines at the request of public safety officials. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said it was not an easy decision to activate the National Guard. The National Guard obviously has certain optics to it, may come with a certain level of equipment and presence. We dont want to squander that resource and make sure that we only use it when truly there is a time of need, she said, according to WTTW. Their job is to provide a perimeter. Theyre not going to be on the front lines, Pritzker said of the activation. Theyre really there to provide a perimeter so that the center of the city doesnt get overtaken in the way that it seemed to in certain times last night. They have been locked down at their Essex home during the coronavirus pandemic. And it seems Amber Turner and her boyfriend Dan Edgar are stronger than ever, as they celebrated their anniversary with a sunny bike ride in London on Sunday. During the cycle, the TOWIE star, 26, had a Marilyn Monroe moment as her shorts blew in the wind while riding alongside her handsome beau. Loved-up! Amber Turner and her boyfriend Dan Edgar are stronger than ever, as they celebrated their anniversary with a sunny bike ride in London on Sunday Amber nailed daytime glamour in a Fendi swimsuit and the shorts, which she tied together with a gold-buckle belt from the same brand. The reality personality wore her bright blonde locks in a poker-straight style, and coated her pretty features with a full face of make-up. Amber shielded her eyes from the rays with a pair of oversized aviator shades. Meanwhile, Dan, 30, opted for a casual look as he rocked grey co-ords with a pair of trainers for the couple's sightseeing tour of London. Glam: The TOWIE star, 26, nailed daytime glamour in a Fendi swimsuit and black shorts, which she tied together with a gold-buckle belt from the fashion brand Glamorous: The reality personality wore her bright blonde locks in a poker-straight style, and coated her pretty features with a full face of make-up Amber documented their special day on her Instagram page, as she shared a sweet snap of the couple enjoying sushi together in Regents park. She captioned the image: 'Such a perfect day celebrating our anniversary! Roka takeaway in Regents Park & exploring London on the bikes! Love you forever @danedgar.' The beauty also shared a snap of herself holding a bouquet of stunning pink and red roses, which were presumably a gift from her other half. Earlier this month, the blonde treated her boyfriend Dan Edgar to an extravagant 30th birthday celebration at their Chigwell flat. Perfect: Amber documented their special day on her Instagram page, as she shared a sweet snap of the couple enjoying sushi together in Regents park Special: The beauty also shared a snap of herself holding a bouquet of stunning pink and red roses, which were presumably a gift from her other half Their three-year relationship has seen Amber break down in tears and split with her partner multiple times. The fashion blogger previously spoke about the pressures of having her relationship cast in the spotlight, admitting 'everyone is waiting for Dan to mess up' in a candid interview with MailOnline. She explained: 'We're completely fine. All couples have their rows. Obviously we have been through so much, people judge it and theyre like "break-up with him. Theyre waiting for Dan to mess up. Wow! Amber has shared a series of stunning bikini snaps of late 'When couples get back together in the normal world nobody knows about the arguments they have behind closed doors. Amber, who has been sharing a series of stunning bikini snaps of late, added: 'But because its on TV everyone judges you way more.' The pair have endured a tumultuous romance, with Dan pursuing Clelia Theodorou and Chloe Sims during brief breaks in their relationship. LOS ANGELES The first time officers shot rubber bullets at MSNBC host Ali Velshi and his crew Saturday night in Minneapolis, he was willing to believe that the officials didnt know they were press. The second time, Velshi said, they knew and shot anyway. We put our hands up and yelled, Were media!' Velshi said. They responded, We dont care! and they opened fire a second time. Velshi, who said he was hit in the leg by a rubber bullet, is just one of many journalists across the country who sustained injuries from police or protesters while covering the George Floyd protests this weekend. And this occurred after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz promised that journalists would not be interfered with following the Friday arrest of a CNN crew on live television and other reports of violence against reporters from the city where Floyd died, including freelance photographer Linda Tirado, who said she is blind in her left eye after being shot at by police. Dan Shelley, the executive director and chief operating officer of the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), said while all the attacks on journalists were outrageous and unacceptable that he was particularly upset about the Minneapolis incidents that happened after the Governor made his reassurances. They started deliberately attacking journalists who were clearly identifiable and identifying themselves as journalists, Shelley said. Weve heard a number of instances of police officers, either through their words or actions, saying that they just didnt care. To be a journalist in the Twin Cities last night, particularly in Minneapolis, if you were just arrested, you were lucky. Minneapolis Star Tribune reporter Chris Serres tweeted Sunday that he was twice ordered at gunpoint to hit the ground. Serres wrote that he was, Warned that if I moved an inch Id be shot. This after being teargassed and hit in groin area by rubber bullet. Waiving a Star Tribune press badge made no difference. His Star Tribune colleague Ryan Faircloths car was also hit by what were likely rubber bullets, which shattered his window and left him with cuts on his arm and brow. Los Angeles Times reporter Molly Hennessey-Fiske said in a video message on Twitter that she and about a dozen other press had identified themselves as such and that Minnesota State Patrol officers still fired tear gun cannisters on us at point blank range. Hennessey-Fiske said she got hit in the leg. She said she asked the officers where they should go but they didnt give the reporters any direction. They just fired on us, she said. It wasnt just Minneapolis where reporters found themselves in harms way. Saturday there were journalist injuries reported in cities like New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, Detroit and Denver. Although the situation is fluid and developing, the RTDNA has counted more than 60 incidents across the country in the past 48 hours in which reporters have been, injured, assaulted or harassed by either protesters or police officers. In Chicago, Vice reporter Michael Adams had a similar interaction to Velshi and Hennessey-Fiske when police raided the gas station he and his crew were sheltering at and said they didnt care that they were press. After shouting press multiple times and raising my press card in the air, I was thrown to the ground, Adams wrote on Twitter. Then another cop came up and peppered sprayed me in the face while I was being held down. Huffington Post reporter Christopher Mathais was arrested Saturday while covering protests in New York. CNN commentator Keith Boykin was also arrested by the NYPD Saturday after he identified himself as press. In Los Angeles, Lexis-Olivier Ray said an LAPD officer hit him in the stomach after hed identified himself as a journalist multiple times. In Washington D.C., Huffington Post reporter Philip Lewis tweeted that he was hit in the leg with rubber bullets. Detroit Free Press news director Jim Schaefer said several of their journalists showing their media badges were pepper-sprayed by Detroit police. And in Denver, 9NEWS reporter Jeremy Jojola tweeted that he got hit with, Something fired by police even though he was holding a camera and lights. Sunday, he reflected that hell, Never truly know if we were intentionally targeted or not. Ill just say we were not doing anything wrong as we were in an area under curfew. Since the protests began, eight AP journalists have been hurt, though none seriously. Three have been hit by rubber bullets, one was punched, another was knocked down and others fell. The acts of violence and deliberate harassment are further distressing to Shelley because its distracting from the real story. Journalists shouldnt be the story, Shelley said. It is calamitous to see all of these journalists who are merely serving the public by covering these incidents of civil unrest being wantonly attackedJournalists are representatives of the public and are there to serve the public and to tell the stories of the protesters and of the elected and other public officials trying to deal with the situation. He added: It is really harming the public at large, not just the journalist. Its interfering with their ability to be eyewitnesses and chroniclers of whats occurring in this country right now. Tiger King proved that real life is always weirder than the movies. But what about all the crazy criminals who didn't have cameras filming them 23 hours a day? Well, you're in luck: we've been bringing you ludicrous crime stories for years and we're nowhere near running out. 4 Versace's Murder, Pirate Radio, And A Secret Conspiracy To Fake The Fake Passports Of The World's Most Famous Fictional Country During World War II, the British built a bunch of sea forts in the middle of the English Channel, to both ward off a Nazi invasion and test exactly how bored a soldier can get before he tries to marry a pelican. Flash-forward to the 1960s, when the old-fashioned BBC held a monopoly on UK radio, playing nothing but patriotic humming and polite discussions about the weather. Pirate radio stations quickly sprang up in the old forts, which were the perfect spot to beam rockin' tunes to the mainland. The forts became hot property, with the stations fighting armed battles to control the most lucrative spots. The Bates family originally controlled a fort called Knock John, before conquering Roughs Tower from a competing pirate radio station with a combination of backstabbing and Molotov cocktails. After the fort opened fire on a British Navy ship, everyone got hauled into court, but it turned out that Roughs Tower was slightly outside UK territorial waters, meaning the court had no jurisdiction. This prompted Roy Bates to rechristen the tower "The Principality of Sealand," a supposedly independent country ruled by "Prince Roy" himself. The unrecognized new monarch quickly became known for wacky stunts, like issuing his own knighthoods and diplomatic titles. Younger adults from cities hard hit by COVID-19 are reconnecting with parents and hometowns amid the pandemic It took three weeks, but Lawrence and Arlene Maze finally persuaded their younger son, Gregory, of Los Angeles, to get on a flight home to Austin. He basically shut his business down to come here and has to restart his business when its safe, his father said. It was a very difficult decision. Alex Rose, a 33-year-old event producer and recording artist, didnt need much persuasion. She spent a couple of weeks alone in her 500-square-foot Hollywood apartment, taking long walks to break up the days. In mid-March, her event bookings and performances began to disappear. Then a neighbor showed her video of an arsonist setting trash can fires on their street and she saw the melted cans next to her building. All of a sudden I didnt feel safe anymore, she said. I didnt feel safe, and frankly, I felt totally alone. The next morning, she and her cat, Eloise, flew home to Austin to her mother and stepdad. As COVID-19 has ripped through densely populated communities, millennials have fled their own cramped quarters for less-congested cities with more room in their parents homes. They are near family should someone get sick. The familiarity is comforting in an uncertain time. Overwhelmingly, parents and their adult children view the arrangement as temporary. Of course, no one knows how long temporary might last. Lawrence Maze said the thinking was that Gregory could help him or his wife if they got sick, and they could help him if he did. Also, they believed Austins health care system would be less stressed than L.A.s. Hes lived on his own now for a very long time, Lawrence said. Its not like he moved back into his old house. He knows hes living in a guest bedroom. Its a major disruption for young adults who have established their lives thousands of miles from home: They keep paying rent on empty places. They have left behind their routines and social lives. Some have lost their work. Others can work remotely alongside parents who are doing the same. The magnitude of the outbreak has, for a time, reordered American lives. Its fostering unexpected togetherness. Roses mother, Elizabeth Christian, said her daughter hasnt visited Austin this long since she was in college, and now nobody is rushing off to do anything. Were having meals together. And were watching movies at night, she said. Christian and her husband, Bruce Todd, a former Austin mayor, wanted to make sure Rose got back before California wouldnt allow her to leave or Texas wouldnt let her in. Sarah and Ken Frankenfeld had barely moved into their downsized townhome when the coronavirus pandemic brought their 31-year-old son and his girlfriend from New York City to quarantine with them. I was nervous about how this was going to work, Sarah Frankenfeld said of their lack of furniture and readiness for houseguests. Theyd met his girlfriend for one evening a few months earlier. He hasnt lived here in a while. But its worked and its been lovely. Kevin Frankenfeld, who works in digital, social strategy, and marketing, has lived in New York almost nine years. He and his girlfriend, Maddie Haller, wanted to quarantine together. In Manhattan or Brooklyn, people are just on top of one another, he said. So we wanted to get out of town. This shared feeling of lockdown with so much unknown can cause stress and make us feel lonely and anxious, even with others around, said Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. surgeon general from 20142017. In this moment, we have no idea when the pandemic will end, he said. We dont know when our lives will go back to normal. Well before the stay-at-home orders, Murthy recognized Americans increased loneliness, prompting his new book, Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World. Now that many are isolated by themselves, he urges us to step back and take stock of our lives. The silver lining of COVID-19 is that its given us the opportunity to reset our social lives and remember how essential relationships are to our well-being, he said. Rose is doing her own reset. Shes among Californias estimated 2 million self-employed. But because of the pandemic, shes applying for full-time jobs around the country in digital media and project management. When I left L.A., I never expected that I would not go back to that apartment, she said. With her lease up in June, she asked a friend to pack up her place and move everything into storage. Rose and her mother returned late Sunday from a quick turnaround to California to retrieve Roses tiny 2016 Fiat 500 that was stranded six weeks in long-term airport parking. Gregory Maze, 33, is a private chef, event caterer, and part-owner of a coffee truck business. He moved to L.A. five years ago. Im fortunate to have a situation like this, but leaving L.A. was not on my terms, he said. Its out of my hands. I really dont know what the landscape is going to look like at the end of this. While some younger adults mock baby boomers with the OK boomer meme, the pandemic seems to have shifted the toneat least where parents are concerned. Suzanne and Stuart Newbergs older son, Jared, 27, and his girlfriend, Melissa Asensio, both of Manhattan, arrived March 21 to quarantine together. They bought one-way plane tickets and we said, Youre welcome as long as you need to be here, Suzanne Newberg said. Jared and Melissa, who both worked full time in their New York City offices, now work remotely from Austin. His three roommates left for their hometowns about a week before Jared and Melissa. Her two roommates left New York around the same time. It was a lot safer and more comfortable to come here, Jared said. Were super-lucky and super-fortunate. Back in New York, one of Kevin Frankenfelds roommates remains in their three-bedroom apartment. The other went home to Boston. Maddie lives in the same neighborhood. Her apartment is empty now. Both Kevin and Maddie work full time remotely and are glad theyre not in the city. We didnt want to be stuck in a small apartment to isolate in a hotbed, Kevin said. Here weve got a green area, dishwasher, and laundry. Sharon Jayson is a content writer and versatile storyteller/media strategist. She is also a former USA TODAY reporter. This article was originally published on Kaiser Health News. A lightning strike is believed to have sparked a massive fire in a three-story residential building in Florida that displaced over 40 residents as giant flames and plumes of smoke rose from the building. The fire broke out at the Park Place Apartments complex in Oveido on the Park in Seminole County around 10.30pm. The building houses 50 units and ultimately displaced 41 residents due to the fiery blaze, according to ClickOrlando. A suspected lightning strike sparked a massive blaze in a three-story Oveido, Florida, apartment complex late Friday evening, displacing 41 residents Crews responded to the three-story Park Place Apartments in Oviedo just after 10:30 p.m. Oviedo Fire Rescue Chief Nichlaus Dorey estimated half the building was destroyed While no injuries were reported, 41 residents in the apartment were displaced. The Red Cross is assisting those residents Locals on the street pictured watching the inferno engulf the apartment, sending plumes of smoke rising into the sky The aftermath: The fire burned through the roof and upper apartments of the complex. Officials said about half the building was destroyed and the blaze triggered major flooding NEW: Video from neighbor Bianca Saragusti of last nights fire at the Park Place Apartments. @MyNews13 https://t.co/8ZWztWpBOk pic.twitter.com/eM9vVvWWjG JSotoNews13 (@JSotoNews13) May 30, 2020 The inferno was noticed by patrons at a nearby restaurant and they called 911. By the time firefighters arrived giant orange flames were rising through the roof of the buildings. There were no initial reports of injuries but Oviedo Fire Rescue Chief Nichlaus Dorey estimates 50 percent of the building was destroyed. The Red Cross said they will assist residents affected by the fire. The state fire marshal will investigate the cause of the fire that officials say they believe it was caused by lightning. Fire officials say the fire started somewhere in the top corner of the building. The state fire marshal will investigate the cause of the fire that officials say they believe was caused by lightning A view of Seminole County firemen assessing the fire above The charred, damaged side and roof of the complex pictured above in the blaze Oveido fire officials responded to the blaze and put out the fire but only after it destroyed half the building late Friday evening They say that the building suffered extensive damage to the roof and water damage to the units below. Horrifying images shared to social media show massive furious flames shooting up towards the sky from the roof of the building, shrouding the area in an orange glow and thick smoke. Apartment resident Sondra Fitzgerald said she lost everything in the blaze. She came home from work to discover that her apartment was on fire and unit engulfed in flames. Nowhere to go: Apartment resident Sondra Fitzgerald said she lost everything in the blaze and is now terrified to move into another big apartment building She shared horrific images of the fire on Facebook saying: 'I need prayers. My apartment is on fire' Firemen were able to rescue her cats that hid in her apartment amid the fire 'There are no words to describe. Came home from work and saw what I thought was fog until I got out of my car and smelled it. I could not figure out where it was coming from so I walked into the courtyard and saw the flames shooting out of my apartment complexes roof,' she shared on Facebook. 'The apt complex has offered another unit for me to move into but I am afraid to ever live in an apartment building again. It was in shear terror I watched it burned,' she said. Fitzgerald said her heart broke as she was given just seven minutes to grab some of her belongings for fear of the building collapsing. Firemen were able to rescue her cats who hid in her apartment amid the fire. A fundraiser has been set up to help the displaced residents that left many units reduced to soot. DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran took Washington to task on Saturday over the alleged killing of an unarmed black man by a white police officer that sparked protests in the United States over racial injustice. 'Some don't think #BlackLivesMatter,' Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran took Washington to task on Saturday over the alleged killing of an unarmed black man by a white police officer that sparked protests in the United States over racial injustice. "Some don't think #BlackLivesMatter," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter. "To those of us who do: it is long overdue for the entire world to wage war against racism. Time for a #WorldAgainstRacism." "The U.S. government is squandering its citizens' resources," Zarif said in a tweet echoing a 2018 statement from U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The tweet featured an image of Pompeo's statement addressing protests in Iran, but with elements crossed out and replaced. Iran's foreign ministry earlier denounced the killing in Minneapolis, which has sparked protests in several cities, some of which have turned violent. A ministry statement condemned what it called "the tragic murder of black people and deadly racial discrimination in the United States". "The voices of the protesters must be heard," it said. Separately, Iran's interior minister indicated in an interview that the death toll in November street protests in Iran over fuel price hikes was below 225. The reported toll has varied between an Amnesty International figure of over 300 and a Reuters account of 1,500 - both dismissed by the authorities. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli told state television late on Saturday that 40 to 45 of those killed in the unrest making up 20% of the death toll had not been shot by security forces. Authorities are likely to announce the official toll in coming days, said Rahmani Fazli, who was blacklisted this month by the United States, which accused him of engaging in human rights abuse. Hundreds of young and working-class Iranians took to the streets on Nov. 15 to protest against fuel price rises. The protests turned political, with demonstrators burning pictures of senior officials and calling on clerical rulers to step down. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Giles Elgood; Editing by Christopher Cushing) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. South Africans formed long queues to buy alcohol this morning after the country ended a two-month drinking ban during coronavirus lockdown. Unwilling to wait for lockdown to ease, one group of thieves in Johannesburg tunnelled through a 2ft-thick wall into an off licence and robbed 15,000 worth of booze. Footage and images from outside other stores across South Africa show people lining up in their dozens this morning, before emerging from the shops with crates of beer, wine and spirits. Authorities imposed restrictions on the sale of alcohol two months ago to curb the amount of hospital admissions from booze-related violence. Before the coronavirus pandemic, alcohol was the cause of 40 per cent of hospital admissions in South Africa, with 34,000 trauma cases passing through emergency departments in any normal week. The ban saw A&E admissions drop significantly and beds were kept open for coronavirus patients, officials said. While A&E admissions did drop overall, some people died or ended up in hospital after ingesting home-brewed alcohol. Customers queue to buy alcohol at Makro Silverlakes Liquor Store in Pretoria this morning Customers queue to buy alcohol on day 66 of the national lockdown in Johannesburg, South Africa this morning A customer buys alcohol alcohol on day 66 of South Africa's national lockdown in Johannesburg, South Africa, today Customers queue to buy alcohol on day 66 of South Africa's national lockdown in Johannesburg this morning Since the lockdown, alcohol has been in huge demand with bottles of wine and spirits selling for up to four times normal value on the black market to desperate boozers. On opening this morning, a shocked manager at the Shoprite found there was not a drop to sell. A Shoprite source said:'The manageress could not believe her eyes when she went in to prepare for the re-opening as all the alcohol was gone from most of the shelves. 'The store was still fully locked up and it was only when she walked round that she found this open tunnel by one of the fridge freezers and realised what had happened. 'It seems the thieves had worked out where the electrical and storm water drains run below the shopping mall to the shop and how to get right underneath the liquor store. 'They must have had pneumatic drills or used hammers and chisels but did not make any noise and had to break through several feet of concrete to tunnel up into the shop. 'The CCTV cameras have been reviewed and it shows three men inside the store 10 days ago but there must have been many more out of sight waiting in the tunnel below. Pictured: The tunnel the thieves made to get into the off licence, where they stole 15,000 worth of alcohol during lockdown Pictured: A general view of a Shoprite LiquorShop store (not the one in the raid) Workers help a customer load alcohol in his van moments after purchasing alcohol at Makro Silverlakes Liquor Store in Pretoria today 'They must have passed all bottles of whisky, rum, gin, vodka, brandy, bacardi and whatever down the hole as well as all the crates of cider, lager and real ale until it was all gone. 'The booze must have been through a chain of hands to a waiting truck. 'We reckon it must have taken some time and several visits to empty the off-licence and we had no idea until our manageress went in to open up the store for business'. The store at the popular Newton Junction mall had been shut down on March 27 as part of the Covid-19 lockdown throughout South Africa which banned all alcohol as well as cigarettes. Shoprite said they had no idea how many people were involved or how long it had taken to drill the tunnel into their store and steal all the booze worth over R300,000 (15,000). Loss Control Manager Oswald Meiring confirmed CCTV footage on May 21 showed three men inside the store probably passing stock to others in the tunnel below. He said a R50,000 (2,500) reward had been put up for the arrest of the gang. A South African Police spokesman said the CCTV footage was being checked along with all the entrance points to the storm drains and electrical service hatches in the mall. At least 18 people have drunk themselves to death in South Africa making powerful home brew spiced up with additives like sanitiser or ethanol and dying in agony from the mixture. Police revealed last week that three people died in three different villages in the Eastern Cape after drinking the brew which was mixed with potent additives like methylated spirits. A customer with a trolley-full of alcohol walks through a liquor store in Johannesburg, South Africa this morning Nine victims suffered excruciating stomach pains and were left doubled over, vomiting in agony, and most of them died before reaching hospital. The rest died shortly after. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that people will only be able to buy alcohol from Monday to Thursday between 9am and 5pm. Authorities also warned people of the risk of spreading coronavirus if they rushed to the stores today, the BBC reported. However, images and videos from social media shows many South Africans have decided not to heed the advice, coming out in force in long queues to buy alcohol from the stores. The move to reopen alcohol-selling stores is part of South Africa's plan to revive its stuttering economy with the partial lifting of a coronavirus lockdown, which was one of the toughest in the world. From today, South Africans will be let out for work, worship or shopping, and mines and factories will be able to run at full capacity. President Ramaphosa was widely praised when he ordered a strict lockdown at the end of March, but the measures have battered the economy of Africa's most industrialised nation, which was already in recession before the coronavirus. But moving to 'level 3' lockdown so soon has been questioned by some who say it will inevitably increase the number of coronavirus cases, which jumped above 30,000 over the weekend. 'We are taking a gradual approach, guided by the advice of our scientists and led by the realities on the ground,' Ramaphosa said in a statement. Many more people, half of whom live below the official poverty line, are at risk from hunger because of the shutdown and industry officials said the outlook remained bleak. Although schools were ordered to open on Monday for the last years of primary and secondary, unions urged teachers and other staff to stay away, saying they were not equipped to keep employees and pupils safe. The education ministry backed down on Sunday, saying pupils would now return the week after next. Teachers will report this week for training and to receive protective gear. 'We have heard them (the teachers' unions) ... and are taking steps to address their concerns,' Ramaphosa said. However, Western Cape province, which is run by the opposition Democratic Alliance, said that its schools would re-open as planned on Monday, because they were well-equipped. The province is the main coronavirus hotspot, with two thirds of confirmed cases. By Nelson Renteria, Drazen Jorgic and Sofia Menchu (Reuters) - Carlos Sosa, a Salvadoran waiter in New York, used to send up to $500 a month back home to his mother to help pay for her medical bills and food. But now, after the coronavirus hit and he lost his job in early March, Sosa has burned through his savings and the wire transfers have stopped. The 42-year old says he is struggling to pay for even his own rent and is concerned for his mother. Its been a very tough situation, said Sosa, who is in the middle of processing his U.S. residency papers. The economic part is the most traumatic of all this." Lockdowns imposed by wealthy nations to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, and the jolt those restrictions have delivered to their economies, are severing a vital lifeline for many often vulnerable people around the world: the billions of dollars in remittances sent home by relatives working abroad. Roughly one in nine of the global population receives remittances, or about 800 million people, according to the United Nations. Early data show severe drops have already taken place. El Salvador saw remittances collapse 40% in April from a year earlier, to $287.3 million, according to the countrys central bank. Sosa says he looking for a new job but the ones available feel risky, involving cleaning places like trains or hospitals. He has warned his mother that there would be no more wire transfers for some time. As he told her: We will have to see how we survive this because things here are difficult. GLOBAL IMPACT The World Bank has said it expects global remittances to low- and middle-income nations to fall by $109 billion, or almost a fifth, in 2020 to $445 billion. The bank projects the pandemic will cut into the wages and employment of migrant workers, who tend to be the most vulnerable when there is an economic downturn in host countries. The steep drop in remittances carries dire consequences for the many countries around the world that are heavily dependent on such payments and whose economies are already reeling from a slump in demand triggered by the coronavirus crisis. The risks range from rising poverty and hunger to balance-of-payments emergencies for developing economies reliant on the cash. Story continues The vulnerable spots include India, China and Mexico, the top recipients of remittances by value, according to the World Bank. The Philippines, the fourth-biggest recipient of remittances, has nearly one in 20 of its adult population working abroad. Mimi Ysulat used to send home up to HK$2000 a month, or about $260, to her husband and children in Antique province in the Philippines. But the Hong Kong couple whose children she had looked after for nine years have told her to stop working as of late April. Now, the 49-year-old can think of only one way to get money for her family to survive: "Borrow from my sister, borrow from my friend. Just borrow, borrow, borrow." The impact could be felt more acutely in emerging and frontier market economies even more dependent on transfers. El Salvador and neighboring Honduras are particularly vulnerable. Both received remittances that amounted to about a fifth of their gross domestic product in 2018, according to World Bank data. Analysts say that cash bolstered the countries construction sectors, stimulated consumption and helped many out of poverty. The worlds two largest sources of remittance payments have been severely disrupted. The United States, which tops the World Banks list, accounting for some $68.50 billion of payments globally in 2018, has seen unemployment skyrocket, with more than 40 million jobs lost since March. The Gulf economies, the worlds No. 2 source, have been hammered by lower oil prices. LATIN REMITTANCES: BOOM TO BUST The tightening of the U.S. remittance spigot is expected to reverse a multi-year boom in payments to families in Latin America. Until early this year, Latin American migrants were funneling record-high sums from the United States, according to central bank data and U.S.-based think tank Inter-American Dialogue. The strong U.S. economy had been the main driver of flows. Remittance specialists also say President Donald Trump's campaign to halt immigration had helped boost the money flow as migrants saved more in case of deportations. Remittances to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador hit a combined record of $57.7 billion last year, central bank data show. Those four countries accounted for about 64% of the 10.5 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States in 2017, according to the most recent estimates from the Pew Research Center. Early data suggests a collapse in remittances as the coronavirus, and the COVID-19 disease it causes, spread across the United States. Sectors such as food service and hospitality that employ large numbers of immigrants saw jobs vanish almost overnight. In April, remittances to Guatemala had already fallen by 20% from a year earlier, to $690.7 million. It was a major about-turn for a country that as recently as February was showing remittance growth of 17% from the prior year, according to the countrys central bank. Guatemala received $10.5 billion of remittances last year, the equivalent of almost 14% of the nations economy. Elizabeth, who lives near Guatemalas capital city, used to receive about $1,200 a month from her daughters fiance, who worked as a cook in the United States. But the payments stopped after coronavirus shuttered the two diners he worked at and dried up his other side jobs. The money had helped pay for Elizabeths treatment for stomach cancer at a semi-private hospital and regular visits from a nurse, as well as food and other basics. The future looks bleak, said 69-year old Elizabeth, appearing frail as she stood in the doorway of her home near Guatemala City in early May. "Now I only ask God to help us, and to help all those people who lost their jobs in the United States and here, she said. Guatemalas central bank president, Sergio Recinos, said declines in remittances generally have a significant impact on his countrys economy. About half of remittances go towards consumer spending, he noted, and about 30% are spent on construction. He said a negative impact is already being felt in the construction sector. ITS BRUTAL Nicaragua-based AirPak, a remittance heavyweight operating Western Union Co. franchises in many Central American countries, said that by the end of April, year-on-year flows were down by about 20% across its network, which operates with 26 brands, including MoneyGram. The median value of each transaction declined by about a fifth as well. "It's brutal", said Piero Coen, chief executive of AirPak, which says it handles about a fifth of all remittances flowing to the region. Western Unions chief financial officer, Raj Agrawal, told Reuters that the second quarter may be the low point for the world's largest money transfer firm. He expects the business to improve in coming months amid economic stimulus packages. Still, the loss of income is expected to shake Latin American economies, especially Central American states, where past periods of economic hardship fueled gang violence and waves of immigration to the United States. In Mexico, most remittances come from the United States. Mexico saw a surge in transfers in March - which some analysts attributed to fears of deterioration of employment prospects in the United States and favorable exchange rates. But some analysts estimate remittances could shrink more than 21% between 2020 and 2021. The slowing flow is felt in the small town of San Bartolome Quialana in Mexicos southern Oaxaca state, population 2,500. The money sent back to the town over the years has helped reduce poverty across generations and fuel a multi-year construction boom, according to the towns mayor, Victoriano Gomez Martinez. But several empty building sites point to the pause in flow of cash from the United States. On a plot of land Francisco Mesinas was developing with cash from his three children in Los Angeles, metal rods stick out of the foundations of the construction site, while stacked concrete slabs and piles of shingle lay untouched with no workers in sight. The 30,000 Mexican pesos ($1,364.26) to 60,000 Mexican pesos($2,728.51) Mesinas' two sons and daughter had been sending each month for the project has dried up completely, after all three children lost their restaurant jobs in Los Angeles. Standing on red dirt on a site where three houses are to be erected, along with a space for a cafe and a small business, Mesinas said: The work has stopped. They couldnt send money for this. (Reporting by Nelson Renteria in San Salvador, Drazen Jogic in Mexico City and Sofia Menchu in Villa Nueva, Guatemala; Additional reporting by Tom Arnold in London, Jose Cortes in San Bartolome Quialana, Mexico, Sarah Wu in Hong Kong and Jerome Morales in Manilla, Philippines.; Editing by John Chalmers and Cassell Bryan-Low) INDIA-HEALTH-VIRUS Commuters are seen along a road in the old City Chowk area after the government eased restrictions imposed as a preventive measure against COVID-19 infections, in Allahabad, India, June 1, 2020. SANJAY KANOJIA/AFP/Getty New Delhi More than two months after India enforced a strict nationwide lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus, the country is allowing most businesses and services to resume and lifted most restrictions on the movement of people and goods. It's the biggest change in the rules since March 25, when the world's biggest national lockdown began. Crowds filled the streets and markets in several cities and towns Monday as most businesses and other workplaces reopened under the first "unlock" phase, which is set to run from June 1 to 30. Hundreds of thousands of people crowded into railway stations as 200 more trains were put into operation Monday, resuming the long-awaited inter-state travel that had been largely impossible for months. For the past few weeks India was running only 35 special train services to help migrant workers stranded in big cities get home. Other public transport, including buses and subway services, were to remain largely suspended for this first "unlocking" phase. INDIA-HEALTH-VIRUS Passengers line up outside Secunderabad Railway Station before boarding a train to return to their homes after the government eased restrictions imposed as a preventive measure against the COVID-19, in Secunderabad, India, June 1, 2020. NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty India also plans to allow hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and places of worship to reopen from June 8 everywhere but designated "containment zones" localities with a high number of COVID-19 cases where the movement of people and services will continue to be severely restricted. Domestic flights resumed last week, and the government is aiming to resume international flights later this month after another review of the pandemic situation. Story continues The lockdown was becoming unaffordable to sustain. With businesses shuttered and hundreds of millions of casual laborers many of whom were already living hand-to-mouth out of work, the government said it was unlocking the country with an "economic focus." But with the coronavirus still spreading fast in the country, the government's decision to lift the lockdown for the sake of the economy comes with inherent risks. Sunday brought a record single-day jump of more than 8,300 new COVID-19 cases confirmed. The total number of people who have tested positive for the disease in India is now over 190,000, including almost 5,500 deaths, according to India's Health Ministry. Some states with a particularly high number of cases, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, have decided not to ease restrictions as much as the federal government is allowing at this stage. Maharashtra is India's worst-affected state, with 35% of the total cases and 42% of the deaths. The majority of these cases are in Maharashtra's capital, Mumbai, India's richest city and its business capital. Last week, CBS News partner network BBC News reported that Mumbai's hospitals were on the brink of collapse, with people being treated next to dead bodies and wards overflowing with patients. Concerns have also mounted for India's other megalopolis, the capital city of Delhi, which has the third-highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country. The city has confirmed more than 1,000 new cases of coronavirus every day for the past four days, bringing the total number of infections there close to 20,000 as of Monday. India has tested over 3.8 million people out of its population of 1.32 billion so far. Experts believe the country won't likely see the rate of new daily infections peak until late July. Authorities suspect white supremacists and far-left extremists are behind violence at protests Trump responds to George Floyd protests SpaceX makes history with successful rocket launch Vietnam recorded a trade surplus of $1.9 billion in the first five months with both exports and imports slightly declining amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Exports fell 1.7 percent year-on-year to $99.4 billion, with the biggest markets being the U.S., China, the E.U., ASEAN, and Japan, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). Two-thirds of the exports were by foreign companies. Smartphones and parts led with $18 billion, down 8.8 percent, followed by computers and parts, textile and garment and machinery and equipment as 17 items saw shipments exceed $1 billion. Imports fell 3.7 percent year-on-year to $97.5 billion. China was the largest supplier, accounting for nearly 30 percent, followed by South Korea, ASEAN, Japan, the U.S., and the E.U. Over 93 percent of imports were materials used as inputs for production. "Covid-19 in Vietnams major trade markets has negatively affected exports and imports," the GSO said. The index of industrial production grew 1 percent year-on-year, compared to 9.5 percent in the same period last year, as both mining and manufacturing fell due to supply chains being disrupted by the pandemic. Although drought and saltwater intrusion have caused some difficulties for agriculture, rice exports saw a 17 percent increase to $1.4 billion, with a 36 percent year-on-year growth in May. Vietnams trade surplus, for a fourth year in a row, reached a record $9.9 billion last year. The US has sent two million doses of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to Brazil to use against the novel coronavirus, the two governments said on Sunday. In a joint statement, the two countries said the medication will be used as a prophylactic for healthcare workers in Brazil as well as a treatment for Brazilians who have become infected. Both US President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have touted the drug, which is also used to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Trump himself said in mid-May that he was on a regimen of hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure, even though the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning about its use for the virus. Bolsonaro, a right-wing leader who has forged personal ties with Trump, recently said he kept a box of the drug in case his 93-year-old mother needed it. The news comes just days after the World Health Organization (WHO) suspended the arm of its clinical trial of the drug in coronavirus patients amid safety concerns. On Sunday, it was announced the US has sent two million doses of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to Brazil (file image) The drug will be used as a prophylactic for healthcare workers treating coronavirus patients in Brazil as well as a treatment for infected Brazilians. Pictured: Fluvial emergency workers transfer a 10-year-old suspected COVID-19 patient to a hospital in Manaus, Brazil, May 22 'The American and Brazilian people stand in solidarity in the fight against the coronavirus,' the statement said. 'We are announcing the United States Government has delivered two million doses of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to the people of Brazil. 'HCQ will be used as a prophylactic to help defend Brazil's nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals against the virus. It will also be used as a therapeutic to treat Brazilians who become infected,' it said. The two countries will also conduct a joint research effort that will include 'randomized controlled clinical trials,' the statement said, adding that the US would soon send 1,000 ventilators to Brazil. Brazil reported a record 33,274 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Saturday, the Health Ministry said. It has the second-most cases in the world its death toll of 29,314 surpassed that of France and now ranks only below the US, Britain and Italy. Demand for the decades-old hydroxychloroquine has surged as Trump repeatedly promoted its use against the coronavirus despite a lack of scientific evidence. 'This would be a gift from heaven, this would be a gift from God if it works,' he said in March. 'We are going to pray to God that it does work.' He then repeated the claims on Twitter. 'HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE & AZITHROMYCIN, taken together, have a real chance to be one of the biggest game changers in the history of medicine. The FDA has moved mountains - Thank You! Hopefully they will BOTH (H works better with A, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents),' he wrote on March 21. The study Trump referred to came from Marseille, France, in which 30 patients were treated with hydroxychloroquine for 10 days combined with azithromycin, an antibiotic. Although very small, the study 'showed a significant reduction of the viral carriage' after the six days and 'much lower average carrying duration' compared to patients who received other treatments. But weeks later, in a statement published online, the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy addressed several new concerns with the research. Officials say they found out the researchers excluded data on patients who didn't respond well to the treatment and that they did not clarify what they meant when they said patients were 'virologically cured.' Numerous other studies have found that either the drug didn't help patients, or that patients who took it were more likely to die than those who didn't. US President Donald Trump (left) has touted hydroxychloroquine and was recently on a regimen of the medication as a preventive measure. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (right) recently said he kept a box of the drug in case his 93-year-old mother needed it The FDA recently warned of the medication's potential side effects, such as a higher risk of developing an irregular heartbeat. And a study from The Lancet published less than two weeks ago revealed higher mortality rates among patients who took the drug, leading to the WHO temporarily suspending its use of the drug in clinical trials. Two weeks ago, Trump said he had been prescribed hydroxychloroquine as a prophylactic to stave off the virus. The commander-in-chief suggested he began taking the drug after two White House workers tested positive for the virus. 'I believe in it enough that I took a program because I had two people in the White House that tested positive,' he said in an interview with Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson. 'I figured maybe it's a good thing to take a program.' 'We are fighting for justice, for George Floyd, for economic justice in Philadelphia, for equality in local government," said pastor Alyn Waller of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church. Read more As city crews and residents swept broken glass and burnt debris from Center City streets, pastors preached from pulpits to their livestreaming congregations on Sunday, invoking Scripture and religious icons in support of the right to protest wrongs but warning of bigger dangers in going too far. Vandalism and looting and burning is putting a veil over our mission, the Rev. Herb Lusk II, once an Eagles running back and now pastor of Greater Exodus Baptist Church on North Broad Street, said in a livestreamed service to his congregation. "... Lets not kill off the masses of people that are marching with us by embarrassing ourselves. There is no excuse for burning down your own neighborhood. He lamented that looters had been reported even at Progress Plaza, the North Philly shopping center developed by the late Rev. Leon Sullivan after riots chased white business owners out of the nearby Columbia (now Cecil B. Moore ) Avenue business district in the mid-1960s while suggesting there is a major reason to be hopeful. The same God who helped us in the 1960s can help us right now, Lusk said. READ MORE: Violence may affect Phillys move to yellow reopening phase Friday, Pa. says; police spray gas at people in West Philly In response to the police killing in Minneapolis of a black man, George Floyd, who, in life, was largely unknown to the world, protesters have taken to the streets in a number of cities over the last week to denounce police brutality and racism. It is the property destruction and other lawlessness those demonstrations have devolved into reaching Philadelphia over the weekend that God does not condone, religious leaders told followers Sunday in a city where coronavirus restrictions prohibit in-person worship services. In this moment of challenge, if the church gets in touch with its birthday Pentecost were going to be all right, so long as the community unites on goals and means, the Rev. Alyn Waller, senior pastor at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, told worshipers watching from home. He quoted the Jewish prophet Joel on the value of old people joining their dreams to young peoples visions, and said veteran black labor leaders such as A. Philip Randolph had cooperated just that way with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and young civil rights activists in the 1960s. We need to remember what the enemy is, Waller added, and fight, united, for justice for George Floyd, for economic justice in Philadelphia, the poorest city, and for "justice and equity in local government. At the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, Archbishop Nelson Perez decried the paralyzing fear that keeps more people from putting Christian principles to work in their daily lives and prayed for one thing in particular. Wow, do we need peace this week, he said. We have all learned the lesson that violence begets violence. He read a message from Pope Francis urging young people not to leave it to others to be protagonists of change. Work for a better world. Jesus was not a bystander. READ MORE: In Camden, police and protesters take a different path after George Floyds killing After witnessing in person some of the demonstrations in Center City on Saturday night, the Rev. Mark Tyler, pastor at the historic Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, said he set aside the usual call to worship psalms Sunday morning and instead read two quotes from King. One was about riots being the language of the unheard" and the other about looting being cathartic for people who had never had what they want, and how sometimes they dont even take things they need. Tyler said he saw confirmation of that as he and a group of clergy walked through Center City on Saturday night to be there for protesters and make sure they received fair treatment regardless of what they were accused of. He might understand why some people would raid a Foot Locker, given the overpriced shoes they sell, and the way children have killed each other for them over the last 30 years," Tyler said. "But we also passed places where it did not make sense. Windows broken, at a $5 snack store? And nothing much taken? "What I viewed in that moment was, all that pain, where all the wealth is concentrated. In 20 years Ive watched Center City rise, with gentrification and tax abatements. "I havent seen the same investment in the neighborhoods. Its as if we starved the neighborhoods at the expense of the center. The wealth flowed inwards. Not out to the people making $7.25 an hour. "So its not strange to me to see people rise up. I understood that pain. Not to have parents who can give for you what you see everybody else has "My problem is the people who are outraged now about the looting but have not been outraged about the way the rich have looted the poor, in this city, in this state, in the national government. The wealthiest and most powerful can afford lobbyists. Now kids are doing exactly what they have seen our leaders do. He and other clergy were headed to 52nd and Market Streets on Sunday afternoon, where a new round of confrontations between protesters and police had been reported. In Northeast Philadelphia, home to many of the citys police officers, Rev. John Babowitch, pastor of Our Lady of Calvary, used his homily to lament how those wonderful protests turned to real horror as people were looting our wonderful city. He offered as a solution, not social change, but personal acceptance of the spirit of God." Tarik Sharif Khan, a nurse practitioner and doctoral student, isnt a Sunday worshiper, but he still spent the morning performing what for him was an act of Muslim faith din, or good works. He helped scrub graffiti off Center City buildings. He was grateful to see people of many backgrounds joining in the morning clean-up. They would walk by and say, How can we help? On Saturday afternoon, as it started becoming clear the fires of Minneapolis were spreading to Philadelphia and far beyond, Center City, Rev. Christopher Walsh, pastor of St Raymond of Penafort Catholic church in the citys Stenton section, had climbed to the roof of the church above the tight-packed rowhome neighborhood, and prayed. Why the riots? he asked from the roof, in a video posting on the parish Facebook site. Why the violence? Why the destruction? Why the continuing sin of racism in our midst? He prayed that the Spirit of God fall upon this neighborhood, the city, the nation. Lord, as protesters begin to gather here, bless each of those that go out into the streets, Walsh prayed. May they speak the truth to power. May they call for systemic change and change of attitudes and conversion of hearts, from the sin of bigotry. Hear their message. Give them the grace of self control, that they do not harm others." (This online article contains additional material, from Rev.Tyler and Rev. Walsh, which was not included in the Inquirer print version) CLARK, N.J., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- GEP, a leading provider of procurement and supply chain strategy, software and managed services to Fortune 500 and Global 2000 enterprises worldwide, announced today that Asahi Breweries Europe Group - a part of Asahi Group Holdings, the Japan-based global beer, spirits, soft drinks and food company - selected, rolled out and has started using GEP SMART, the industry's leading procurement software platform. To meet the ambitious implementation timeline, a combined team of Asahi and GEP employees worked together, and remotely under the restrictions of the COVID-19 lockdown, to go live with the source-to-contract function, successfully completing the project's first phase. Asahi Breweries Europe Group chose GEP SMART to manage its complex source-to-order processes, including contracting, ordering and supplier management functions. This includes a full range of functions, including savings tracking, sourcing, catalog management, contract and supplier management, as well as requisition to order. "We selected GEP SMART because it is intuitive and easy to use. It provides us with quick insights into our spend, and supports end-to-end process transparency and compliance," said Tomas Veit, Head of Procurement, Asahi Breweries Europe Group. "We're very proud to support Asahi's procurement and supply team for implementing GEP SMART enterprise platform very efficiently while working remotely, and we look forward to helping them transform their strategic sourcing and procurement functions to support future growth," stated Farzad Shafiei, Director of Technology Services, GEP. GEP SMART is a unified, cloud-native source-to-pay platform, built on a data-centric foundation with AI at its core and user-first design. GEP SMART enables Fortune 500 and Global 2000 clients drive optimum efficiency, agility, visibility, and actionable intelligence into all procurement and purchasing functions, while eliminating burdensome infrastructure and support costs, to achieve maximum ROI. About Asahi Breweries Europe Group Established in April 2017, Asahi Breweries Europe Group is the European wing of Asahi Group Holdings, a traditional Japanese producer of beer, whisky and a wide range of food products, with a rich history that can be traced back to 1889. Building on hundreds of years of European brewing traditions, Asahi is the custodian of a range of around 60 well-established and admired local brands, some of which have become national icons. Asahi Breweries Europe Group operates 15 brewery sites in seven countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Italy, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Netherlands), producing 44 million hectoliters of beer annually. For more information visit www.asahibreweries.eu/. About GEP GEP helps global enterprises operate more efficiently and effectively, gain competitive advantage, boost profitability, and maximize business and shareholder value. Fresh thinking, innovative products, unrivaled domain and subject expertise, and smart, passionate people this is how GEP creates and delivers unified supply chain solutions of unprecedented scale, power and effectiveness. Named a leader in two Gartner Magic Quadrants, Winner for Best Software and Best P2P Provider at the World Procurement Awards, Best Consultancy at CIPS Supply Management Awards, GEP is frequently honored as an innovator and leader in cloud-based digital business platforms by Gartner, Forrester, IDC, Procurement Leaders, Spend Matters and CPO Rising. GEP is also ranked leader in managed services by Everest Group, NelsonHall, IDC, ISG, HfS and IAOP. In addition, the primary research firm in the management consulting sector, ALM Intelligence, ranks GEP leader in procurement strategy and supply chain consulting. With 21 offices and operations centers in Europe, Asia and the Americas, Clark, New Jersey-based GEP helps enterprises worldwide realize their strategic, operational and financial objectives. To learn more about our comprehensive range of software and services, please visit www.gep.com. Media Contact Al Girardi Vice President, Marketing & Analyst Relations GEP Phone: +1 732-382-6565 Email: [email protected] SOURCE GEP Related Links http://www.gep.com Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is expected to speak at a 1 p.m. press conference Monday following initially peaceful protests Sunday that later turned violent. The three demonstrations in the Massachusetts city were sparked by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The 46-year-old unarmed black man died on Memorial Day after a policeman kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes, even after Floyd passed out, according to prosecutors. Derek Chauvin, the officer who was seen pinning Floyd down with his knee in a widely circulated video, has since been charged with murder and manslaughter. Floyds death led to violent and peaceful demonstrations alike throughout the United States, including in Springfield, Worcester and Boston. On Sunday, protesters marched near the Massachusetts State House, Boston City Hall, Boston Police Headquarters and throughout Roxbury. While the demonstrations were peaceful at first, they ended with looting, around 40 arrests and more than five police officers being injured. Twenty-one law enforcement cruisers were also damaged during the protests, police said. Walsh, as well as several other public officials, spoke out against the riotous events, praising those who remained nonviolent. I want to thank the protestors who exercised their right to free speech effectively and peacefully, making sure everyone hears their message, he tweeted. Tonights protests were motivated by a righteous desire for equality, justice, and accountability in our country. However, the mayor noted he was angered by the people who chose to engage in acts of destruction and violence," undermining the message of the demonstrations. If we are to achieve change and if we are to lead the change, our efforts must be rooted in peace and regard for our community, Walsh wrote. Related Content: I'm 66 years old and I have significant respiratory issues. If I'm infected by Covid-19 there's a good chance that I'll die. I'm writing today to give all of you who would like to get on with your lives permission to do so. At this point you are surely asking yourself, who is this Theodore Dawes and what gives him the right to tell me what I can and can't do? Glad you asked. As it happens, there's a very good chance I'm the most important person in your life right now. I'm the guy whose life some very loud people are saying you must save. In order to do that you must give up your job and avoid going to movies, restaurants, bars and beaches. I'm absolving you of that responsibility. The real question is, why do I have to say it? Glad you asked. The doctors who are running this national pie fight can't say it. It isn't that they don't believe it, it just doesn't fit with their way of thinking. They have been trained for decades in epidemiology, which has as its only goal ensuring that an epidemic kills as few people as possible. They aren't just unschooled in economics, governance and sociology, they purposely put those considerations out of their thinking in order to concentrate on one thing: Saving lives that might otherwise be lost to a biological pathogen. That's important because precisely what needs to be said is this: If you go back to work, more people will die. Most will be older and have various additional medical difficulties, such as respiratory issues. Clearly no politician is going to say this. Their job is to gather and retain power, so the words, "Hey, some of you are going to die" are never going to cross their lips. But I'll say them, and I'll just add, "Good luck and I hope we'll see you down the road." Under the moral gaze The politicians are under particular pressure now, while the New Puritans, including virtually everyone in the news media, are out and about ensuring their own notions of moral righteousness are adhered to. You may see it as going to work, earning a living, and taking care of your family. But they will explain to you why you are inhumane and will thump you about the head and shoulders with their weighty verbal bludgeons. Murderer! they will cry. But what they never say is this: Here are the conditions that must obtain before you will be released. Thats because they don't know. And really, it's secondary. The first purpose of their high dudgeon is to hold you publicly in contempt. Saying that these folks would rather see your family destroyed than release you from your home is an incredibly vicious thing to say. I don't believe it's true of all of them. Some are genuinely interested in saving your life. But let me tell you why I believe it isn't true of all. First, you may have noticed that despite the steady drip of good news about Covid-19, they are as diligent as ever about criticizing those who would step out. We now know it's unlikely you'll catch Covid-19 from surfaces. Moreover, we know the death rate is a tiny fraction of what it was initially considered to be. We've learned that keeping our distance, particularly indoors, is the key. But they haven't budged. Second, there is their utter disregard for the facts that call for different reopening strategies for different areas and people. Just two states account for approximately 40 percent of Covid-19 deaths. Forty-three percent of the deaths to date have occurred in nursing homes; 80 percent among people over 65. Yet everyone must be quarantined. Third. Well, not everyone must be quarantined. Just the non-essential people, like those who don't work at Walmart and McDonalds. Is it possible some of these folks aren't so much essential as they are expendable? Fourth, you must ask yourself how many of these loud people are being crushed by financial difficulties and strained relations. I don't know the exact number, but my experience leads me to believe that the percentage without income or savings begins with point-zero. Here is what Thomas Sowell had to say about circumstances like these: It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong. A Covid-19 reckoning I'm not one of those who thinks this whole thing is a hoax. I've had five friends come down with Covid-19. All survived, but 100,000 others have not. And just going through it is a shattering misery. Trust me, I'm not a hero. If you kill me, I'll be good and pissed off. But the likelihood of that happening is (listen to me!) in direct proportion to how stupidly I conduct myself. If I pay attention to the risks in my life, those chances are very slim. And if you do your commonsense part (and I'm trusting you will), the numbers drop even further. Keep your distance. But you know what? Even if I do shuffle off this mortal coil, so be it. I'm old. If you want to measure life in laughs, then I'm very old indeed. We Boomers have been lousy caretakers of the legacy that descended to us. Through a miracle of selfishness, we've somehow been even worse to the generations that followed. It's about time we did something to justify our existence. So, here's what I'm telling you. The next time someone tells you to stay home because you are going to kill other people, tell him, Dude, I hear you but it's okay. Ted Dawes said I could go about my business. And he's an old guy with respiratory issues. There you have it. You have my permission, dear reader, to go to work, make a living, take care of your family and -- when you're feeling particularly adventurous -- have a barbecue in the park. Good luck and I hope we'll see you down the road. image credit: Pixabay Theodore Dawes is a former reporter, editor and publisher. Now he's retired and living in Texas. The comment sections of both posts were quickly flooded with unfavorable responses, some calling us fake news, and others accusing us of taking a political side, leading to biased reporting. Some even threatened to unfollow our page or unsubscribe from the paper as a result. We always welcome any and all feedback from the public, and these opinions are as valid as the ones theyre scrutinizing. However, Id like to clarify that letters to the editor are published as opinions and do not reflect the viewpoints of the newspaper staff. Our role is to provide a forum for this dissenting commentary within the confines of the editorial pages. Anything to the contrary would, in fact, go against our role our fundamental responsibility as objective journalists. We would be doing the community a disservice if we didnt give a voice to those who have one, which is, after all, the primary purpose of a newspaper. Fiscal stimulus, such as the removal of the Health Cess and Customs Duty, will greatly support patient access to critical medical products, as will addressing operational challenges and the early release of Government payment to providers. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a sense of urgency and the responsibility to think long-mterm to improve access to globally renowned, high quality and innovative medical equipment to bridge the gaps in healthcare delivery. The medical technology industry has proved itself indispensable to healthcare systems during this time, and rapid innovation in this sector has led to advancements across a variety of products and treatments from testing kits for diagnosis; to masks and protective gear to prevent transmission; to ventilators, respirators, catheters, syringes and blood collection tubes for treatment. This health emergency has called for a holistic response, working in collaboration with Governments across the region, to rethink healthcare delivery in the context of the vast economic, social and demographic transformations taking place globally. Guided by the principles of Access, Innovation and Collaboration, the Asia Pacific Medical Technology Association (APACMed) and its member companies are committed to working with the Government of India, regulators, payers and healthcare providers to shape policies that give patients timely access to high quality and lifesaving healthcare. A crisis such as COVID-19 highlights the need to work collaboratively towards a globally harmonised regulatory environment, that adds economic value and, most importantly, helps to improve patient outcomes. Since January, Johnson & Johnson has been working directly with governments and health authorities in response to the global public health crisis, donating 10,000 units of N95 Masks, 200,000 units of surgical 2/3 ply masks and 7,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Kits. Sandeep Makkar, Managing Director of Johnson & Johnson Medical India (J&J) said, We are committed to fighting COVID-19 and we know from 134 years of experience that the power of our science, the scale of our business and the dedication of our employees can drive meaningful, lifesaving innovation in response to this global public health crisis. We are partnering with non-government organizations like Americares India Foundation to help fight this pandemic with focus on distribution of PPEs, masks and sanitizers to hard-hit areas across the country. Johnson & Johnson will continue to bring our full resources and minds to combat this pandemic. The MedTech industry is at the forefront of addressing new challenges that have emerged during this pandemic and seeks the urgent attention of the Government to support in areas still impacting patient access to important medical products and equipment during this critical time. Revoke Health Cess, which adversely impacts healthcare affordability APACMed commends the recent decision by the Government to waive customs duty on the imports of COVID-19 test kits, ventilators, face and surgical masks, and additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to help address the shortage of PPE in the country, and believes that the decision will be of great benefit to patients during this critical time. Industry appeals to the Government to revoke the Health Cess on other devices that are used both to treat COVID-19 patients, as well as other patients requiring care at this time, to contribute to moving towards more sustainable and affordable healthcare. Streamline operational challenges and enable supply chains to run effectively The spike in the COVID-19 graph highlights the complex nature of the virus and how the lockdown across the country has resulted in the disruption of supply chains. The Government has provided considerable relaxation for essential services to function however ambiguity and misinterpretation on the ground remains, resulting in operational inefficiencies. Given the crucial role that the medical device industry is playing in responding to COVID-19, there is an urgent need to address persisting issues that impact supply chain operations, including facilitating a clear and expedited process for critical suppliers to continue operating and implementing a priority status for shipping, customs handling and transportation of vital medical devices and their component parts. Release pending payment to providers to tide over liquidity crunch The demand for devices used in elective medical procedures has dropped due to current restrictions on elective surgeries. Fixed expenses such as wages, salaries, electricity, rent are still payable, however, resulting in substantial liquidity challenges. Industry urges the government to ease the restrictions and release pending payments, to the tune of 1,700 crores, to healthcare providers, which will help to reduce liquidity issues. Provide tax exemption to increase patient affordability The outbreak of COVID-19 has shown the importance of the Global Value Chain. Eighty-four countries, both developed and developing, have eliminated duties on a large number of medical equipment to improve patient access and affordability. In India, a decrease of GST to between 0% and 5% will help to improve patient affordability. Discussing the various measures taken by Government to fight COVID-19, Pavan Mocherla, Managing Director-BD-India/South Asia said, Owing to the rapid spread of Coronavirus across the world, including India, BD appreciates the governments decision to exempt the import duties implied on medical devices to meet the unprecedented demand. However, the roadblocks in supply chain are still resulting in delays of arrival of diagnostics and medical supplies to some of the worst- affected areas of this outbreak. It is important to prioritize and accelerate systematic management of undisrupted manufacturing and supply of life-saving and life-improving medical devices in the current scenario so that the industry can better serve the patients/clinicians/researchers during this crisis. The impact of COVID-19 is far-reaching. It has highlighted the need for adequately resourced, dynamic and versatile healthcare systems and the need for a well-functioning supply chain with local, regional and global collaboration. This can be addressed by facilitating a more harmonised regulatory and policy environment that will help to sustain robust health infrastructure over the long term. Mika Salo says reverse grid races are "worth a try" as Formula 1 looks to emerge from its coronavirus shutdown. The sport is tipped to reveal its initial European 'ghost race' schedule on Monday, and reports suggest Liberty Media wants to use the opportunity to revive its idea of shaking up the race format with reverse grids. "Sounds pretty weird," former F1 driver and occasional steward Mika Salo told Ilta Sanomat newspaper. "But it would be interesting to see the experiment." Reportedly, the plan involves replacing qualifying with a short sprint race. Salo added: "Everything is worth a try. After all, they're trying to make F1 and the show more entertaining and the Americans know how to do that." However, Mercedes is believed to be opposed to the idea, which is set to be voted on early this week as the official ghost race calendar is ratified. Salo thinks the plan may also be unpopular among the drivers. "For the driver, it's not much fun because you are punished for driving well," said the Finn. "In that sense it's not right, and it's of course a different matter for those with a very good car who can get past everyone. "But least there would be some variety by putting inferior cars at the front." (GMM) Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 15:42:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CHANGCHUN, June 1 (Xinhua) -- China's leading automaker FAW Group said Monday that it saw a 116-percent year-on-year growth in auto sales under its Hongqi brand in the first five months. Despite the impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak, more than 54,600 Hongqi cars were sold in the first five months as the company expanded its sales channels both online and offline. In May alone, 15,100 Hongqi cars were sold, representing a 133-percent year-on-year growth. Hongqi fulfilled its sales target of 100,000 cars in 2019 and has doubled the target for 2020. The company plans to roll out 21 new Hongqi models in the next five years. It eyes a sales target of 600,000 cars in 2025. Hongqi, meaning "red flag," is China's iconic sedan brand. The brand was established in 1958 and has been used as the vehicle for parades at national celebrations. Enditem Viewers have praised 'inspirational' conjoined twins who refused to be separated as they appeared on Channel 4's Two Sisters, One Body last night. The documentary follows Carmen and Lupita, 18, from Connecticut, as they prepare to leave school and navigate adulthood - which includes learning to drive. The sisters, who are joined at the abdomen, were only expected to survive for three days after they were born in 2002, and have been told that their separation could result in their death or years of intensive care. So instead, the Mexican-born twins have stayed together and have expertly adapted to living life with one another - with viewers in awe of the 'inspiration girls' and their positive attitude. Viewers have praised 'inspirational' conjoined twins (pictured) who refused to be separated as they appeared on Channel 4's Two Sisters, One Body last night The documentary follows Carmen and Lupita, 18, from Connecticut, as they prepare to leave school and navigate adulthood - which includes learning to drive (pictured) The Mexican-born twins have stayed together and have expertly adapted to living life with one another - with viewers (above) in awe of the 'inspiration girls' and their positive attitude One person tweeted: 'What an inspirational pair are Carmen and Lupita #twosistersonebody on @Channel4. Love them!' Another said: 'So inspirational, they dont see Impossible. They see Im Possible or we are Possible. #twosistersonebody.' A third wrote: 'Amazing story!! Heartwarming!! inspirational,' while one viewer called Carmen and Lupita 'incredible'. During the episode, Carmen is seen being taught how to drive by the twins' father, explaining: 'Yeah, that's right. Conjoined twins can drive. At least, I hope so.' Reaction: Channel 4 viewers (above) were quick to praise the conjoined twins on Twitter for their positive attitude during the documentary The sisters (pictured), who are joined at the abdomen, were only expected to survive for three days after they were born in 2002 The pair (seen above recently) have been told that their separation could result in their death or years of intensive care Lupita reveals: Carmen wants to get her license soon, so we can be more independent... I put the turn signals on and that's pretty much it.' What are conjoined twins? Conjoined twins occur when siblings have their skin or internal organs fused together. It affects around one in 200,000 live births. Conjoined twins are caused by a fertilised egg beginning to split into two embryos a few weeks after conception, but the process stops before it is complete. The most common type is twins joined at the chest or abdomen. Separation surgery success depends on where the twins are joined. Doctors can only tell which organs the siblings share, and therefore plan surgery, after they are born. Omphalopagus twins are joined near the belly button and often share a liver but generally do not share a heart. Sources: Mayo Clinic and University of Maryland Medical Center Advertisement Carmen says: 'I have the right leg, I'm a little bit taller than her - not by much - we tried letting her drive, like hold the steering wheel once and it didn't really work. 'And my father wanted us to do my right arm and her right arm but that also didn't work so I just do it myself. It's been a lot of trial and error.' While most of the time the twins showcase a cheery personality, the documentary takes a moving turn when the girls share their experiences with being Mexican immigrants in the US. Carmen and Lupita have lived in Connecticut since they were two, but express their fears about being deported. Viewers were moved by the emotional scenes, with one writing: 'They literally just said its worse being a Mexican immigrant in American than being conjoined and facing some of the rarest medical complications and adversity known to man.' 'This is absolutely breaking me,' another person wrote. 'They are the most beautiful girls I've ever seen...when they get upset I'm in bits #TwoSistersOneBody.' Lupita and Carmen are omphalopagus twins, which make up 10 percent of all conjoined twins - it means each of the girls has a separate heart, a set of arms, a set of lungs and a stomach. During the episode, Carmen is seen being taught how to drive by the twins' father, explaining: 'Yeah, that's right. Conjoined twins can drive. At least, I hope so.' Pictured, the twins as babies The twins and their family (pictured) moved to the US on a medical visa when the girls were two years old in hopes that doctors could separate them, but they were told the same news they'd heard in Mexico Carmen and Lupita have lived in Connecticut since they were two but express their fears about being deported in the documentary - leaving viewers feeling emotional (above) However, they share some ribs, a liver, their circulatory system, and their digestive and reproductive systems. With conjoined twins, the bladder and uterus still function regularly, but one girl has control of one or both of the organs - although it is unclear in this case which girl. When Lupita and Carmen were young, they spent years in physical therapy learning how to sit up and work together to use their legs and when they were four years old, they took their first steps together. Doctors considered separating them, but concluded it couldn't be done safely because they shared too many vital organs and their lower spine. The girls have learned to live their lives in tandem but have very different personalities. Carmen (left) excels in school and had a quick wit. Lupita (right) is quieter When Lupita and Carmen were young, they spent years in physical therapy learning how to sit up and work together to use their legs and when they were four years old, they took their first steps together (pictured as guests on The Tyra Banks Show in 2007) The girls have very different personalities. Carmen excels in school and has a quick wit while Lupita is quieter. Carmen also loves wearing make-up and applies eyeliner and mascara, while Lupita can't be bothered. In school, the girls are in an agricultural program, hoping to have a career as veterinarians or in some aspect of animal husbandry. When previously asked if they ever want to be separated, both said no because even if the surgery went well they would have years of physical therapy ahead of them. 'And then there's the whole psychological situation because we've been so used to, like, being together,' Carmen said. 'I don't think there'd be a point.' Most people agree that a college education is a worthwhile investment for a young person. For example, across the U.S., bachelors degree holders earn on average 55 percent higher salaries than those with no education beyond high school. However, it is less well understood that there are stark geographical differences in how much return one gets on their educational investment. From an earnings perspective, this reality means that where a person chooses to locate after college is almost as important of a decision as whether to attend college at all. In a new report released by The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, author John Winters looks at how the monetary return to a bachelors degree, compared to a high school diploma, varies across locations in the U.S. This numberwhat he refers to as the college earnings premiumrepresents the return on educational investment. And it turns out that there are stark differences in premiums based on where a person lives. At the state level, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, along with Georgia, California, and the tri-state area of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut all have premiums of over 90 percent. At the other end of the spectrum, North Dakota, Wyoming and Alaska have the smallest premiums, at less than 30 percent each. Thus, the range in premiums of over 60 percentage points across states is larger than the average overall premium of 55 percent! There are also important differences at the city level. For example, there are seven cities where bachelors degree holders earn more than twice as much as high school diploma holders. In order of premium magnitude, these are Stamford, CT; San Jose, CA; San Francisco, CA; Atlanta, GA; Los Angeles, CA; Houston, TX; and New York, NY. In contrast, there are six cities where the education premium is 50 percent or lessmeaning, for example, that if the typical high school graduate makes $50,000, then the typical bachelors degree holder makes $75,000 or less. These cities include Augusta, GA; Baton Rouge, LA; Colorado Springs, CO; Spokane, WA; Springfield, MA; and Modesto, CA. A twist to this story is that there are vast differences in the cost of living across all of these cities. The high-premium cities tend to have the highest cost of living, and the low-premium cities tend to have a lower cost of living. The correlation, though, is far from perfect. One location that is highly ranked in terms of college earnings premium but relatively inexpensive to live in is Atlanta. On the other hand, Colorado Springs has a low premium but a comparatively high cost of living. It is difficult to adjust earnings for cost of living because different people place a different value on a locations various amenities. My own recent work with colleagues from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has illustrated that people have vastly different preference for amenities when making decisions about where to live. For example, if you are the type of person who likes a large house with a bit of land, you are going to find it much more costly to live in San Francisco than someone else who doesnt mind apartment living. Similarly, if you are the type of person who places a high value on walkability and nice weather, you are unlikely to enjoy a place like Houston, Texas, or Stamford, Connecticut. They key insight from our research is that deciding where to live is an individual process, which makes it more difficult to correct for cost of living. Beyond housing culture and weather, many people prefer to live close to family or in the place where they grew up, and of course there are many non-monetary factors that determine where one should live. Yet it is also the case that geographical differences in the college earnings premium can be an important factor in the decision process about how much and what type of education to pursue. In the higher education debate, this new information on geographical differences in the college earnings premium means that post-college location is another important factor that prospective students should take into account. Students are already trying to decide what type of degree to pursue (skilled certification, associate, bachelors, graduate), where to attend college, and what field to study in. And while college quality and college major are also important variables determining ones lifetime earnings, location is another crucial factor. Jockeys wore face masks today as horse racing returned behind closed doors in light of the government's easing of coronavirus lockdown measures. With the racing industry worth 4billion, Newcastle Racecourse was the location for the first meet - with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) taking hefty precautions to ensure the safety of everyone. The sport is one of three returning today in England alongside greyhound racing and pigeon racing today. With the racing industry worth 4billion, Newcastle Racecourse (pictured) was the location for the first meet - with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) taking hefty precautions to ensure the safety of everyone Horse racing returned to England today with strict measures in place for the Newcastle meet All jockeys had to wear face masks as a mandatory precaution against the risk of coronavirus Earlier today more than 4,000 birds flew as pigeon racing returned - with it held in Kettering Greyhound racing is also back with the first race having taken place at Perry Barr, Birmingham Pigeon racing was the first return - with more than 4,000 birds belonging to members of the Barnsley Federation of Racing Pigeons being released from a park in Kettering on this morning ahead of a 90-mile sprint back to South Yorkshire. That was quickly followed by greyhound racing being held at Perry Barr, Birmingham - with the first meet taking place at 10.21am. Horse racing followed in the afternoon and only limited personnel were allowed at Gosforth Park, with strict hygiene and social distancing measures employed. This included personal protection equipment (PPE) where necessary - including jockeys wearing face masks. The use of face masks is in conjunction with protocols enforced in France and Germany, where the sport has already returned. Pre and post racing jockeys were not allowed to shower on site or have a sauna in a bid to minimise the threat of spreading coronavirus. On top of this, upon arrival those at the course riders, grooms and trainers had to answer health questionnaires and undergo temperature tests. Other safety measures included one-way systems around the track, no presentations, no on-course bookmakers and no crowds and or owners. BHA chief executive Nick Rust said: 'Our focus is obviously on returning safely and protecting all those taking part in behind closed doors racing, while also reassuring the communities that racing takes place in that the risk of transmitting the virus has been minimised. Face masks are mandatory for jockeys during the horse racing - which will be behind closed doors. Pictured a member of staff wearing a face mask as she leads a horse to stables today. Jockeys Paul Mulrennan (left) and Ben Curtis arrive at Gosforth Park ahead of today's races Mulrennan (right) and his fellow jockeys don their face masks before going out to compete Jockey Megan Nicholls wears her face mask ahead of competing at Gosforth Park on Monday No fans were allowed inside the racecourse in a number of BHA safety measures enforced Jockeys had to observe social distancing when not racing to minimise the threat of Covid-19 'We're all very passionate about racing and like the participants and anyone connected with the sport, we've all missed it.' Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, Martin Cruddace, chief executive at Arena Racing Company was confident the Newcastle meet would go ahead smoothly. 'It's a burden to be first but also a privilege to be first but I am confident,' he said. 'Everyone who attends today must have completed an online course, which I did and I learnt quite a lot actually about PPE, who needs to wear PPE, who doesn't. 'As well as that they have to fill out an online medical questionnaire. 'When they arrive they have to be given a briefing as well and of course, there's signage throughout everywhere. 'I think we're slightly fortunate because we're not a contact sport and I think that gives us confidence to go first. 'But of course, you know, we are paying particular attention to every detail we could possibly think of and I'm confident we'll get there.' Today's horse racing meet at Gosforth Park, Newcastle will be behind closed doors Meetings were last held on March 17, when Wetherby and Taunton were in action behind closed doors, before racing was brought to an immediate halt due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The return of mainstream sport will kick-off with a bumper 10-race card in the north east, ahead of a high-profile weekend featuring the 2000 and 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. A total of 369 initial entries were whittled down to just 120 runners before any defections. Horse racing has come under scrutiny during this pandemic with the annual Cheltenham Festival allowed to have taken place in March - just before the government introduced lockdown measures. More than 250,000 people attended the spectacle and the allowing of the event has since drawn criticism. However, Cruddace believes that Cheltenham Festival simply followed government advice. 'I think at the time, the government was absolutely clear and I think it's made it clear again that the advice was the festival could go ahead. 'I think it's very difficult for a racecourse, Cheltenham's not one of our racecourses, but it's very difficult for a racecourse to make a decision against government advice.' John Greenshield has said the return of pigeon racing 'is like putting oxygen back into the area' Thousands of birds flock at the start of the race meet in Kettering on Monday morning Greyhounds set off in the first race of the day in England at 10.21am at Perry Barr, Birmingham Im Sophie (right) took victory at Perry Barr in the first of 12 greyhound meets across England The return of pigeon racing has been hailed by organiser John Greenshield as a blessing for many in his community. Mr Greenshield, 72, said: 'This is a very strong ex-mining area and I worked in the pits for 41 years. 'So many people have lost people in the mines or are living with illnesses. 'The whole current situation has got people down and there are a lot of mental problems. 'The racing is something for people to get out of bed for. People are really looking forward to it. 'I think it would have killed some off if there hadn't been racing until next year. It's like putting oxygen back into the area.' Meanwhile, Im Sophie took victory at Perry Barr in the first of 12 greyhound meets on the calendar up and down the country. The 6/1 shot beat Peachstreet Jack and Dungarvan Hobo. For individuals committing violent acts, we will find space for you at jail, the sheriff added. "We will make sure that there is a place available for them. ... I just want that to be clear. Just because of the issues with COVID, it doesnt mean that theres an ability where people are going to be able to walk free. Thats not going to happen. The UK's small firms are "jumping before they're pushed" by diverting over 10bn in exports away from the EU as concerns mount over a possible collapse in Brexit trade talks. As a new round of trade negotiations between the UK and the 27-member bloc resume today [Monday, 1 June] following fractious comments on both sides in recent weeks, new research from Aston University provides the first firm-level evidence that UK businesses are actively switching exports from EU markets to the Commonwealth, BRICS and other developed economies. The team behind the study said the shift went against conventional 'trade gravity' models, in which countries geographically close to each other tend to do more trade. This, they added, had important implications for the UK's future prosperity which should influence how government supports smaller exporting firms - particularly as the economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis becomes clearer. Analysing 340,000 export transactions by 26,000 UK firms over a five-year period, the researchers found that the smallest 'micro exporters' had switched as much as 46 percent of their new export growth by value from EU to non-EU markets since the Brexit referendum of 2016, while for small firms this figure was 19 percent. The value of this trade was 10.45bn per year. Under 'normal' conditions, these exports would have been expected to go to EU markets, but instead went elsewhere. 'Diverted' exports went mainly to the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and Commonwealth countries such as Australia, New Zealand and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, and to a lesser extent to rich OECD countries including the US, Japan and South Korea. The effect, monitored using the latest available data to the end of 2018, was also observed among medium-sized firms, although to a lesser degree (-7 percent). And the very largest exporters actually grew the value of their EU exports, possibly by taking market share from smaller companies that ceased to export there. Industries particularly exposed to potential future tariffs, including food and drink, chemicals, textiles and transport manufacturing, saw the biggest shift, indicating that firms most worried about the current transition period ending without a trade deal were taking pre-emptive action. The Aston University researchers said the divergence could be due to micro- and small exporters' greater reliance on a small number of export transactions and product lines making them less able to diversify their risk than larger firms that sell a range of products. In 2018, the latest available full year, the EU accounted for 45 percent of UK exports of goods and services and 53 percent of imports. The UK had a trade deficit with the EU of 66 billion in 2018 and a trade surplus of 36 billion with non-EU countries (Source: Commons Library). Jun Du, Professor of Economics at Aston Business School, said: "This evidence suggests that UK exporters are jumping before they're pushed - finding alternative markets worldwide for their products even before we know the outcome of the current UK-EU trade negotiations and any potential new barriers. "They also seem to be defying conventional theories of trade gravity, preferring to direct their trade flows towards Commonwealth countries where the UK may still have historical linkages, or emerging economies where future growth potential could offset some of the higher costs of trading. "Of course, we will need to see whether these patterns still hold true in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, which has focused minds on some of the vulnerabilities of long-distance supply chains." Prof Du added that, while diversifying trade patterns made sense for companies facing uncertainty, diversion on a large scale would be "risky". She cited challenges such as higher transport costs and unfamiliar bureaucracy in new markets, as well as currency and credit risks. In addition, there could be a "negative impact on firms' productivity and innovation levels" if the UK pivoted away from the EU's sophisticated market and supply chains towards less-developed economies. "Overcoming these risks calls for focused policy support," she added. "The Government and its trade-promoting agencies need to provide guidance on strategies for adapting to these new trade destinations. They need also to ease export admin and stimulate financial support, risk management and education in strategic marketing. Interestingly, these actions are those that were undertaken by countries like Japan and South Korea in their successful export-led growth from the 1960s onwards." ### Kate Middleton, Camilla and Sophie Wessex have made phone calls to people who are elderly, self-isolating or vulnerable to check in on them during the coronavirus pandemic. According to People, the trio took part in the NHS Volunteer Responders programme, which is coordinated by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), and sees participants 'check-in and chat' with people. The Duchess of Cambridge, 38, called Donna Williams, 42, a mother-of-two who is caring for her daughter Alessandra, who suffers from a rare form of Type 1 diabetes. Elsewhere, the Countess of Wessex, 55, spoke to Harry Deboo, 89, from Liverpool, who lost his wife around three years ago and recently had a triple bypass, while the Duchess of Cornwall, 72, chatted with Doris Winfield, 85, who is self-isolating in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire. Kate (pictured in March), Camilla and Sophie Wessex have all been calling UK residents to check in on them during the coronavirus pandemic, according to People They royals (pictured is Sophie on a video call recently) took part in the NHS Volunteer Responders programme, which is coordinated by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), and sees participants 'check-in and chat' with people who are either self-isolating, elderly or vulnerable Harry, who spoke with Sophie, said: 'It was great to chat to The Countess of Wessex and really made my week. I have one son who doesn't live locally so I don't get to see many people especially now. 'I also like to keep the memory of my wife alive and it was great to chat about her. She really listened to every word and it was great to share our lockdown experiences together.' After speaking with Camilla, Doris said: 'Having a chat with The Duchess of Cornwall meant the world to me. I've been incredibly lonely over the last couple of months and it was wonderful to talk to her. 'We talked about life in isolation and shared hobbies. She was very interested in my family and how I was coping. It really cheered me up,' she added. It comes as the Duchess of Cornwall hailed volunteers as the 'backbone of our country' as NHS responders reach a quarter of a million tasks. The Duchess of Cornwall (pictured in February), 72, chatted with Doris Winfield, 85, who is self-isolating in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire Camilla, who is president of the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), thanked those who have given their time during the coronavirus pandemic at the start of what is usually Volunteers' Week. She said: 'This year in particular we owe a great debt of thanks to all our wonderful volunteers who have stepped forward in astonishing numbers, pulling together to support those affected by Covid-19.' The RVS is in charge of organising the hundreds of thousands of volunteers who opted to help the NHS during the pandemic. The scheme has now completed its 250,000th task and is averaging 7,000 jobs a day, with 70% completed in two hours. COLUMBUS, Ohio Southeast Ohios Hocking Hills State Park, closed since early April, will reopen on July 2 after modifications are made to some of the trails to accommodate social distancing. The states flagship park is known for its towering rock formations and sometimes-narrow trails that can make staying 6 feet away from fellow hikers a challenge. Employees with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Watercraft are working to reroute trails and will redirect hikers to one-way travel, where possible. One-way trails have the added benefit of protecting the delicate ecological systems in the area, according to the state. Mechanical and equipment access is not available in most parts of the park, and most of the trail modification work will need to be done by hand, which takes more time but protects the landscape. In addition to new trail patterns, the parks reopening plan also includes new signage and maps. Parking will be limited to existing spaces when lots are full, visitors will need to move on to another location, according to the state. With the exception of Hocking Hills, Ohios state parks have remained open to visitors during the coronavirus pandemic and the states stay-at-home order. Hocking Hills became overcrowded early in the shutdown due to its narrow trails and proximity to Columbus. Parts of the park were already scheduled to open before July, including the Rock House area, Cantwell Cliffs and several areas of Hocking Hills State Forest, all reopening on June 15. The campground and cabin areas will reopen to customers with existing reservations starting July 2. New reservations are being accepted with an arrival date of July 15 or later. For reservations: reserveohio.com or 1-866-644-6775. For information: ohiodnr.gov or explorehockinghills.com. Read more: Ohios state park lodges to reopen June 5 A beginners guide to camping: Where to go, what to bring on your first outdoor overnight adventure Where to camp near Cleveland: West Branch to East Harbor, Mohican and Hocking Hills The presumptive Democratic nominee has struggled in recent weeks to be heard over the din of duelling national crises. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden met with community leaders at a predominantly African American church in Delaware on Monday morning, leaving home for a second consecutive day to address exploding racial tensions that have begun to reshape the upcoming presidential election. Biden, the former vice president who will most likely represent Democrats on the ballot against President Donald Trump this fall, has struggled in recent weeks to be heard from his basement television studio over the noise of duelling national crises. But after another night of violent protests, the 77-year-old Biden gathered with roughly a dozen local Black leaders during an intimate meeting in his hometown ahead of a virtual meeting with mayors from Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and St. Paul, Minnesota. That low-key, high-touch approach marked a sharp contrast to that of Trump in recent days, who has made little effort to unify the country. The Republican president was scheduled to speak to governors and law enforcement officials on Monday, but he spent much of the weekend using Twitter as a bullhorn to urge law and order and tougher action by police against protesters around the country. Trump also lashed out at Biden on Monday, tweeting that Sleepy Joe Bidens people are so Radical Left that they are working to get the Anarchists out of jail, and probably more. In the early moments of Mondays gathering at the Bethel AME church in Bidens hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, the former vice president listened quietly and took notes in a spiral notebook. All of the attendees, including Biden, wore face masks. The vice president came to hear from us. This is a homeboy, said Pastor Sylvester Beaman, before Biden and those present bowed their heads in prayer. Bidens softer approach may foreshadow how the presumptive Democratic nominee presents himself in the five months before the presidential election, emphasizing calm and competence as a contrast to a mercurial president. It is an approach that carries the risk of being drowned out by the much louder, more persistent voice of Trump. Biden appears to wipe away a tear when Rep. Blunt Rochester recalls meeting with Biden and seeing a photo of his son Beau behind him. Saturday was five years since Beau Bidens death. (Tweeting again w/ proper ID) pic.twitter.com/ISco7m6QnU MJ Lee (@mj_lee) June 1, 2020 Hes not in office, and he certainly does not have the megaphone like the person currently occupying the White House does, but I do think our people are looking for someone who can make them feel better during these extremely tough times, said Democratic Congresswoman Val Demings of Florida, whom Biden is considering as a running mate. America just needs to be reassured that theres someone whos understanding, someone whos willing to say, Yes, we do have some issues, and someone whos willing to address it. Reassurance requires presence, though, and that has been a hurdle for the former vice president, driven inside by the coronavirus pandemic, still working to adapt to the power of social media as a substitute and without the natural platform of a public office. Thousands of people gathered in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh on Saturday to protest the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, but the peaceful demonstrations later turned violent with police cars set ablaze and protesters smashing store windows and journalists attacked. Both cities implemented citywide curfews until Sunday morning, and Governor Tom Wolf signed a disaster emergency declaration to assist cities. The declaration authorizes the adjutant general of the state National Guard and the Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner to activate personnel. Peaceful protests earlier were touching shows of our collective grief, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said Saturday night, just as the citys curfew hit. But the anger being displayed this afternoon cannot and will not continue. In Pittsburgh, public safety officials said multiple officers were injured and three journalists were attacked or injured by protesters. The injuries werent serious, police said. Officials urged people to avoid downtown, where a police vehicle was torched earlier, as demonstrations continued into the evening. Earlier Saturday, a crowd gathered at Philadelphias City Hall, kneeling for more than eight minutes in honor of Floyd, a black man who died after a white officer pressed a knee into his neck for several minutes. The protesters then marched through Center City to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. At least 13 police officers were injured at several locations throughout Center City, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said. A bike officer trying to stop a vehicle carrying people believed involved in a store theft was run over by the car and suffered a broken arm, police said. There were also injuries to civilians, she said, but specific numbers have not yet been released. At least four police vehicles were set on fire. Protesters broke windows and grabbed things from store shelves throughout Walnut and Chestnut streets, two major shopping areas downtown. Protesters sprayed graffiti on a statue of former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo, tried to topple it and set a fire at its base. Rizzo, mayor from 1972 to 1980, was praised by supporters as tough on crime but accused by critics of discriminating against minorities. His 10-foot-tall bronze statue outside the Municipal Services Building, across from City Hall, has been defaced before and is to be moved next year. Outlaw said that at least nine separate fires were set in the city, to both police cars and structures. A Starbucks coffee kiosk, situated in the plaza in front of City Hall, was set afire. As of 9 p.m. Saturday, 14 arrests were made, police said. Kenney, a Democrat, signed an emergency executive order implementing a curfew Saturday night and Sunday night, both from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Only essential workers or those who need medical attention should be outdoors, according to the order. In Pittsburgh, crowds marched downtown to protest Floyds death. Police reported that the crowd near the PPG Arena was mostly peaceful but a group overtook and destroyed a marked police vehicle. Protesters later smashed a glass business front and were dispersed with gas, police said. Pittsburgh Public Safety later reported more business fronts broken out in the downtown area and protests are entering businesses. Wendell Hissrich, the citys public safety director, said there is extensive damage downtown. A curfew is in effect until 6 a.m. Sunday. In Harrisburg, PennLive.com reports that several hundred people gathered Saturday on the steps of the state Capitol, many standing silently with raised fists. Some chanted I cant breathe and carried signs such as White Silence is Violence, Fight for Your Country and No Peace No Justice. Wolfs declaration acknowledged the protests in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. The declaration and expanded activation of the Commonwealth Response Coordination Center allocates funds to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, which is authorized to direct emergency operations in Allegheny, Dauphin and Philadelphia counties. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Law Enforcement Earlier, protesters had left the main rally site near the north entrance of Southlake Mall, marching toward US 30 and shutting down traffic in both directions for several hours. Protesters reportedly threw a plastic water bottle filled with rocks at police, injuring an officer, Martinez said. The action triggered an outburst among the crowd of protesters who had been moved off US 30 to the north in a tense face-to-face standoff. Martinez said the countys tactical unit was brought in a couple hours into the protest after peaceful protesters began leaving and there was word among the crowd and social media for potential violence to the mall. Lets burn this thing down, was the message, he said. The county has 80 to 90 officers at the scene, assisted by Merrillville, Hobart and Indiana State Police. Hobart Mayor Brian Snedecor was on scene earlier trying to disperse the crowd. Martinez said he was proud how well officers have conducted themselves with protesters. The last thing we want is what see all over this country on TV, Martinez said. Photo: Colin Dacre UPDATE June 3 10 p.m. Police say the suspect, who has been identified as a youth, has been arrested and is facing charges. The surveillance footage originally distributed by police has been removed from this article. ORIGINAL June 1 2:50 p.m. A suspect robbed a gas station in Salmon Arm at gunpoint early Sunday. About 6 a.m., RCMP were called to the Husky station on the Trans-Canada Highway, where a man armed with a handgun demanded cash before fleeing on foot. The employee inside the store was not hurt in the incident. "Investigators believe that the suspect entered the store unmasked moments prior to the robbery," says Cpl. Jesse ODonaghey, spokesperson for the RCMP Southeast District. "Images of the suspect that had been captured on video surveillance are now being released publicly by police in an effort to advance the still ongoing investigation." The suspect is described as a white male in his late teens or early twenties, with shaggy, dark hair. He was last seen wearing black sweatpants and a tri-colour hoodie with the colours grey, white and black from top to bottom. The suspect was also wearing a pair of white running shoes. Anyone with information is asked to call Salmon Arm RCMP 250-832-6044 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Operation Rescue Endorses Pro-Life, Pro-Trump Kris Kobach for U.S. Senate in Kansas NEWS PROVIDED BY June 1, 2020 WICHITA, Kan., June 1, 2020 / Standard Newswire / -- Operation Rescue, a leading national pro-life organization based in Wichita, Kansas, that is dedicated to ending abortion, has endorsed Kris Kobach for U.S. Senate. Kobach is running to replace Republican Senator Pat Roberts. "I have known Kris Kobach for many years and have been impressed with his understanding of what our nation needs at this important time in our history," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. "Kris is solidly pro-life, and fully supports President Donald J. Trump's America First agenda, which will bring our nation back to greatness. We need strong pro-life Senators that will back up our President Trump 100 percent of the time, and I know that Kris Kobach can be counted on to be there for him and for the people of Kansas without equivocation." Kobach served as Kansas Secretary of State from 2011-2019 during which he established a Voter ID law to prevent voter fraud. Kobach also has worked on immigration reform and supports President Trump's border policies. In October 2018, President Trump held a rally in Topeka, Kansas, in support of Kris Kobach. "The Senate is vitally important because of its role in confirming Federal Court judges, including Supreme Court justices. It is the liberal courts that gave us abortion on demand and has protected it for decades," said Newman. "The courts have the power to undo this travesty, and I know that Kris Kobach will stand strong in defense of President Trump's pro-life appointments, which will likely be presented with a future opportunity to make America abortion-free, once and for all." About Operation Rescue Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation and has become a strong voice for the pro-life movement in America. Click here to support Operation Rescue. SOURCE Operation Rescue CONTACT: Troy Newman, President, 316-683-6790 ext. 111; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Vice President, 316-516-3034; info.operationrescue@gmail.com Related Links Pastor Chris Hodges apologizes for liking racially insensitive social media posts of conservative leader Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Chris Hodges, founder and leader of Church of the Highlands, one of the largest churches in America, apologized Sunday for liking social media posts of Turning Point USA leader Charlie Kirk that have been criticized as racially insensitive. I understand how this has made you feel and I apologize. Honestly, its understandable to me. I dont take it personally. I know people are hurting right now and they want clarity. I would love for you to not just look at a microscopic zoom-in but look at the totality of 37 years of ministry and 19 years as a church, Hodges said Sunday in his sermon to his diverse but mostly white Alabama congregation. If you look at that it will be abundantly clear that we value every person. For every person that has been marginalized, rejected or belittled, abused or even afraid because of how God made you, Tammy and I, the Church of the Highlands family, stand with you. The apology comes after Birmingham high school English teacher Jasmine Faith Clisby told AL.com that Hodges followed and liked several social media posts by Kirk in the wake of national protests over the killing of 46-year-old African American George Floyd by Minneapolis Police Department officers on Memorial Day. One of the posts, according to AL.com, shows two photos one featuring President Donald Trump standing next to Muhammad Ali and Rosa Parks with the caption The racist Donald Trump in the 1980s, and the other featuring Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam with two men wearing blackface and a KKK costume with the caption Progressive Leftist Ralph Northam in the 1980s. Turning Point USA was founded by Kirk, 26, as a national student movement dedicated to identifying, organizing, and empowering young people to promote the principles of free markets and limited government. Clisby argued that Kirk, who has denounced white nationalism, is well-known to hold views such as white privilege being a myth. White privilege is defined in a number of ways and one definition as highlighted by the University of Dayton is: A right, advantage, or immunity granted to or enjoyed by white persons beyond the common advantage of all others; an exemption in many particular cases from certain burdens or liabilities. I found something troubling," Clisby told AL.com. "I cant see into Pastor Chris Hodges heart. I would be upset if it comes off as me judging him. Its not that. Im not saying hes a racist. Im saying he likes someone who post[s] things that do not seem culturally sensitive to me. In his message on Sunday, Hodges clearly stated that white supremacy is of the devil." White supremacy or any supremacy other than Christ, is of the devil, he said. Some have even brought our church or even me into question. Theyre wondering, where do you really stand? I think some saw something on social media that questioned my character. And, Ill own it, by the way, but that is not what I believe. The church spent much of their time over the weekend addressing the issue of racism and Hodges said dealing with the coronavirus and the explosion of racial tensions at the same time has made it an incredibly tough season for our nation." On Monday, once again, an unarmed black man died needlessly, as a police officer knelt on George Floyds neck," Hodges said. "I know with each new incident, with this one, Ahmaud Arbery, I think of Atatiana Jefferson, its disgraceful that racism, injustice, bigotry, prejudice, still even exists at all. I want you to know that I believe it makes God angry and it makes us angry too. I know we need to do something. We need to pray. We need to be the church. But Proverbs 31 says to speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves. Ensure justice for those who are being crushed. Two years ago, controversial longtime Alabama pastor the Rev. Michael R. Jordan of New Era Baptist Church in Birmingham slammed the Church of the Highlands as racist and "hypocritical" in its bid to start a church plant in one of Birmingham's most violent neighborhoods. "Whites left the inner city. Whites carried their churches with them, they moved to the suburbs. White folk have proved they don't want to live next door to us, or be our neighbors, or worship with us," Jordan said in an earlier report. "Now they want to plant a white church in a black neighborhood under the umbrella of supposedly to fight crime? The real reason Church of the Highlands wants to put a white church in a black neighborhood is they have too many black folks at their main campus and they want them to leave and come to a church in their inner city." A small Minneapolis bail fund has received millions of dollars in funding from people after the killing of George Floyd, a black man who died on Memorial Day after a white police officer pinned him to the ground with his knee. Since Wednesday, the Minnesota Freedom Fund, founded in 2016, has received tens of thousands of donations from around the world, said Octavia Smith, the funds emeritus board president, many of them stemming from social media. Users posted screen shots of their donations after making them and implored their followers to match their contributions. Within four days, the fund had raised about $20 million, Ms. Smith said. Everyone around the world is ready for justice, Tonja Honsey, the executive director of the fund, said on Friday. Theyre ready for real change, and theyre supporting that. Bail funds are independent charitable organizations that collect money to release those who have been jailed before trials. People who are arrested and charged are often assessed a fee that they have to pay in order to await trial freely. Technavio has been monitoring the commercial vehicle transmission market and it is poised to grow by 6.6 million units during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of over 5% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005449/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact The market is moderately fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., Allison Transmission, Inc., Daimler AG, Dana Ltd., Eaton Corp. Plc, Grupo KUO SAB de CV, JATCO Ltd., Magna International Inc., Ricardo Plc, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG are some of the major market participants. Although the need for automatic transmission will offer immense growth opportunities, the fluctuating cost of raw materials will challenge the growth of the market participants. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. The need for automatic transmission has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. However, the fluctuating cost of raw materials might hamper market growth. Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market is segmented as below: Type Automatic Transmission Manual Transmission Automated Manual Transmission Geographic Landscape APAC Europe MEA North America South America 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=IRTNTR32145 Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market 2019-2023: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our commercial vehicle transmission market report covers the following areas: Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market size Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market trends Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market industry analysis This study identifies the emergence of 3D printing in truck components as one of the prime reasons driving the commercial vehicle transmission market growth during the next few years. Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market, including some of the vendors such as Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., Allison Transmission, Inc., Daimler AG, Dana Ltd., Eaton Corp. Plc, Grupo KUO SAB de CV, JATCO Ltd., Magna International Inc., Ricardo Plc, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist commercial vehicle transmission market growth during the next five years Estimation of the commercial vehicle transmission market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the commercial vehicle transmission market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of commercial vehicle transmission market vendors Table Of Contents : PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT 2.1 Preface 2.2 Preface 2.3 Currency conversion rates for US$ PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE Market ecosystem Market characteristics Market segmentation analysis PART 04: MARKET SIZING Market definition Market sizing 2018 Market size and forecast 2018-2023 PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY TYPE Market segmentation by type Comparison by type Automatic transmission Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Manual transmission Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Automated manual transmission Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by type PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison North America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Europe Market size and forecast 2018-2023 South America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 MEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Key leading countries Market opportunity PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 11: MARKET TRENDS Emergence of 3D printing in truck components Development of 2-speed transmission for electric heavy-duty trucks Increasing popularity of 10-speed transmission in commercial vehicles PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd. Allison Transmission, Inc. Daimler AG Dana Ltd. Eaton Corp. Plc Grupo KUO SAB de CV JATCO Ltd. Magna International Inc. Ricardo Plc ZF Friedrichshafen AG PART 14: APPENDIX Research methodology List of abbreviations Definition of market positioning of vendors PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO About Us 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/20200601005449/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/ The programme was first announced in March 2020 after a disappointing financial year, especially for its video business. For the year ended 31 December 2019, SES reported group revenue of 1.984 billion, down 1.3% on an annual basis as reported and down 3.8% at constant financial exchange rates. The company admitted that revenue was below expectations as it missed a key contract in its video business which it said continued to respond to the ongoing evolution in media consumption with DTH and cable customers right-sizing capacity leading to a decline of 7.8% in underlying revenue. For the quarter ended 31 March 2020 , SES reported total revenue of 478.9 million, in line with prior period on a reported basis but down 1.9% compared with the end of the first quarter of 2019 at constant current exchanges. Underlying revenues were 470.8 million, down 2.2% on a year-by-year, and EBITDA of 284.7 million represented a margin of 59.5%, inching back by almost a percentage point yearly. Q1 2020 underlying video distribution revenue was 8.2% lower at constant FX than the prior period.The Simplify & Amplify programme comprises a series of strategic actions that the operator hopes will best deliver against its declared purpose and will see SES consolidating functions in fewer locations while enhancing sales and customer-facing activities in the markets served. As a result, SES plans to close its offices in Brussels, Central London, the Isle of Man, Warsaw and Zurich, redistributing activities in these locations to other offices in Kiev, Stockholm, Stockley Park in London and The Hague as well as its headquarters in Luxembourg.In addition to consolidating SESs global footprint and streamlining operating functions, other restructuring and delayering is underway including the removal of numerous open positions. SES has launched a voluntary phased retirement programme and is retraining and realigning resources internally towards high-value future market opportunities and to bolster its position in cloud, mobility and other emerging verticals. In aggregate, these changes will impact between 10% and 15% of its global employee base.In this rapidly evolving market, it is important that SES remains an agile business partner for our customers, said SES CEO Steve Collar. Simplify & Amplify is a transformational undertaking that will streamline our business, drive collaboration, and improve efficiency. We are making these changes thoughtfully, ensuring that, wherever possible, we redeploy our talent within the company and minimise the impact to our global workforce while enhancing our ability to support and serve our global customer base. Four arrested in murders of two Cancun cyclists Cancun, Q.R. Investigative Police officers announce the capture of Henry J, Jose A, Ramon G and Yorjandel M in their alleged participation in the death of two cyclists from Cancun. The FGE says two of them, Henry J and Ramon G, were arrested for their participation in the homicide of two cyclists found dead in August of 2019 in SM 112 of Cancun. The other two, Jose A and Yorjandel M, were arrested after the first two detainees acknowledged their participation in the crime. The four were taken into police custody for their alleged participation in the deaths of the cyclists who were reported missing August 5, 2019 from Region 109 in Cancun. After weeks of searching, rescue crews located their deceased remains on August 25 in a jungle area of SM 112. The four were captured at different points in the vicinity of Isla Blanca and in Paseos Kusamil. The FGE says Jose A and Yorjandel M will face drug dealing charges while their probable participation in other criminal conduct remains under investigation. The FGE says evidence indicates that they are part of a criminal organization. A Victorian Labor staffer with links to the Chinese Communist Party shared an outrageous conspiracy theory accusing the U.S. of creating COVID-19 and using its army to spread the virus across the globe. Nancy Yang, a Victorian electorate officer for Labor MPs since 2013, has previously worked as a visa officer for the Chinese consulate in Melbourne. She is also on the committee of the Chinese Community Council of Australia along with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews' senior adviser on China, Marty Mei. Nancy Yang, a Victorian electorate officer for Labor MPs, previously worked for the Chinese consulate in Melbourne and posted conspiracy theories blaming the US for the coronavirus Author and China expert Clive Hamilton has described the CCCA (Victoria) as a front organisation for the United Front Work Department, which is the Chinese Communist Party's primary overseas influence network. Ms Yang suggested on her Facebook page that the U.S. was to blame for the coronavirus, which first emerged in Wuhan, China. 'U.S. owe an explanation,' she wrote under an article titled 'Chinese official suggests U.S. Army to blame for outbreak' in March, The Australian reported. The conspiracy theory first emerged in mid-March when China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian suggested on his Twitter account the U.S. military could have planted the virus in Wuhan. 'When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!' Zhao wrote. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews visiting Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 2015. Calls are growing for Mr Andrews to review his controversial Belt and Road agreement with China Chinese diplomats have gone on the offensive since the coronavirus outbreak after Beijing was accused of covering up the disease and leaving international flights open. The approach, dubbed 'wolf-warrior diplomacy' after the Chinese action blockbuster movies, seeks to defend China's national interests, often in confrontational ways. The tactic was used against Australia along with trade threats after Canberra lobbied to have the World Health Organisation launch an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, angering China. Ms Yang then posted YouTube clips entertaining conspiracy theories about U.S. responsibility for COVID-19, including one titled: 'The coronavirus CONSPIRACY Did COVID-19 come from America?' In the video, subtitled in Chinese and English, YouTuber Nathan Rich says the U.S. Military might have been doing experiments on animals in Maryland, Virginia, with coronaviruses and failed to follow protocols leading to an outbreak. According to Mr Rich's theory, The U.S. Center for Disease Control may have covered up the outbreak as vaping illness and flu, and then an infected person might have gone to Wuhan to attend the 2019 Wuhan Military Games and spread the virus there. Mr Rich's claims are entirely unsubstantiated. Former Victorian Labor MLA Andre Haermeyer admonished Ms Yang on the Facebook post, saying China had lied to the World Health Organisation about the virus. 'Nancy, China is not to blame for the virus, but the dictatorship in Beijing is to blame for lying to the World Health Organisation and persecuting the doctors that blew the whistle on it,' he wrote. Pictured: China's President Xi Jinping. China's Belt and Road is criticised by Western governments as a stealthy expansion of Chinese influence trapping smaller countries into debt that Beijing can use as political leverage 'Had they spent that time immediately trying to contain it rather than cover it up, it would have been contained to the region of origin and we would not have thousands dying in China and around the world.' She did not reply to the comment. Ms Yang's advocacy for China has deep roots. In 2006, she founded a United Front-linked group called the Melbourne Chinese Youth United Association, serving as its chair until 2016. The association has a 'propaganda department' that seeks to 'organise (members) to serve the motherland in various forms'. While chair of the association and at the same time working at the Chinese consulate, Ms Yang helped organise the infamous Olympic Torch relay protest in 2008. More than 10,000 Chinese protesters descended on Canberra in a pro-Beijing rally that drowned out a tiny band of Tibetan protesters, heckling and harassing them. Chinese demonstrators stood six-deep along the 10-mile route, and hundreds of cars drove around Canberra carrying Chinese flags. China invaded Tibet in 1950 forcing its spiritual leader, the Dalai Llama, into exile and beginning an occupation that has been criticised for its oppression. In another post, this time on a blog, Ms Yang wrote about meeting United Front head Liu Yangdong in Beijing in 2007. 'No matter how long the shadow of the tree is, the roots will always be entrenched in the land; no matter where we are, we will always care about the motherland,' she later told reporters, the blog said. China expert Clive Hamilton said Ms Yang was one of several United Front activists operating in Victoria's parliament with impunity, extending their influence. China's strategic Belt and Road initiative which Victoria signed up to despite opposition from both the federal government and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade She appears in photos with Daniel Andrews, former Labor leader Bill Shorten and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard. 'We see it most alarmingly in the influence over Daniel Andrews as reflected in the Belt and Road agreement,' he told The Australian. Victoria is the only Australian state to have signed up to the controversial Belt and Road initiative, despite warnings from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and national security agencies. Having signed the initial agreement in 2018, the Andrews Government significantly deepened it with a new agreement in October last year. Jean Dong, who played a key role in Victoria's Belt and Road agreement boasted about her political influence in a YouTube video, titled: 'Journey of influence' (video below) Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has been widely criticised for signing the new deal. Critics fear China is using the trillion-dollar Belt and Road, which provides loans and investment in infrastructure projects from the Chinese government, to buy undue influence through debt diplomacy across critical trade choke points around the world. Another influential Chinese consultant, Jean Dong, 33, the chief executive of the Australia-China Belt and Road Initiative company, played a key part in Victoria's signing up to the Chinese Belt and Road initiative. Ms Dong boasted about her political influence in a YouTube video called 'Journey of influence'. Ms Dong's company was paid $36,850 of taxpayer cash to consult Mr Andrews before he signed the October 2019 deal without approval from the federal government. Hong-Kong born member for Chisholm Gladys Liu, a Liberal party MLA, said on Sunday there was a 'lack of transparency'. 'What are Australians getting out of it?' she said. Chisholm is a marginal seat in Victoria, previously held by Labor's Anna Burke. In a December 2013 speech to Parliament, Ms Burke thanked both Ms Yang, Marty Mei and her team of Chinese volunteers for helping her in the previous election. Marty Mei is now Premier Andrews's senior adviser on China, and is a fellow committee member of the Chinese Community Council of Australia (Victoria) alongside Nancy Yang. Mr Andrews is believed to have first become connected with Ms Dong through his former adviser, Mike Yang. Ms Dong (dressed in white) together with former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull (to her left). The well-connected businesswoman has also been pictured with former Labor foreign minister Bob Carr and former Tasmanian Liberal premier Will Hodgman Mr Yang and Ms Dong both attended a youth delegation to China in 2014. There were only 30 delegates to the Beijing conference. The well-connected Labor Party operative is believed to be the reason behind Mr Andrews' strong relationship with China's communist government. Mr Yang worked in the Andrews camp from 2011 to 2013 when he accompanied Mr Andrews on a trip to China. He previously was vice-president of the Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, an organisation criticised for spreading pro-Communist Party policies and messages in Australia. It is not known if Mike Yang is any relation to Nancy Yang. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Yang for comment. A spokesperson for the Andrews Government told The Australian that Ms Yang was 'making an outstanding contribution to her local community. We have no further comment.' The two officials of the Pakistan High Commission who were caught on charges of espionage by the Delhi Police were never subjected to any torture as claimed by Pakistan, official sources said on Monday. IMAGE: Abid Hussain and Muhammad Tahir, two officials of the Pakistan high commission who were apprehended for carrying out espionage activities in the country, in New Delhi, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo India on Sunday declared the two officials of the Pakistan High Commission as 'persona non grata' on charges of espionage and ordered them to leave the country within 24 hours. In its reaction, Pakistan rejected the allegations against the two officials and called the Indian action a 'clear violation' of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as well as the norms of diplomatic conduct. Pakistan also accused India of torturing the two officials who were working at the Visa section of the Pakistan High Commission here. The two officials, Abid Hussain and Muhammad Tahir, were caught by the Delhi Police while obtaining sensitive documents relating to Indian security installations from an Indian national in exchange for money, official sources said. In Islamabad, Pakistan on Monday summoned a senior Indian diplomat to register a strong protest over the decision to expel Hussain and Tahir. The sources said the officials were never subjected to any torture, adding that they have also undergone a medical examination. 'Pakistan appears to be making false accusations and possibly creating ground for some tit-for-tat reaction and torture of Indian officials in Islamabad,' a source said. The assertions of the Pakistan Foreign Office are false and the two officials were 'caught red-handed' while indulging in espionage activities, said the sources. The Pakistan High Commission was immediately informed after the two officials were caught and then they were handed over to it, the sources said. Zebra Medical Vision (https://www.zebra-med.com/), the deep-learning medical imaging analytics company, has partnered with Apollo Hospitals Group to deploy its software to assist Apollo Hospitals doctors with efficient and accurate diagnoses of COVID-19, by leveraging the companys AI1 platform. In March 2019, Zebra-Med announced a collaboration with Apollo Hospitals chain, deploying AI-based tools at scale across India, supported by India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund. Following the deployment of the intracranial hemorrhage, the AI COVID-19 solution will enable future collaboration on additional medical findings, such as tuberculosis (TB). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005393/en/ Zebra_med, For demonstration only (Photo: Business Wire) A year later, Zebra-Meds solution, based on a machine learning algorithm that analyzes computed tomography (CT) scans, could help relieve the burden on health systems globally, through earlier diagnoses and more effective triage. Currently, India has more than 190K confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 5,000 deaths. While laboratory testing has served as the first line of diagnostics during the coronavirus crisis, these tests have limited accuracy and do not indicate the state of disease progression. Zebra-Meds software offers a faster alternative for detection of COVID-19 when PCR testing is unavailable or delayed, monitoring patients with COVID-19, as decision support for the allocation of ER, ICU resources and quantifies the disease burden and its progression. The AI solution for COVID-19 leverages Zebra-Meds GGO (Ground-Glass Opacities) patented algorithm, which is a dominant imaging feature of COVID-19 pneumonia and modified it to include consolidations and provide an automated indication and quantification of suspected COVID-19 findings on standard chest CTs, both contrast and non-contrast, by measuring the percentage of affected lung-burden volume relative to the entire lung volume, segmentation of the suspected findings, and classification. Zebra-Med researchers and engineers used clinical data from a vast amount of medical images to train the AI model of the COVID-19 solution, says Ohad Arazi, CEO of Zebra-Med. Our partnership with Apollo Hospitals allows us to leverage a patented algorithm we had developed in the past for imaging features of COVID-19 pneumonia in order to help Apollos staff to track the progression of the disease. By identifying and tracking the development of these lesions, Zebra-Med software offers key insight into disease severity and enables doctors to diagnose and evaluate patients swiftly and effectively, says Dr. Sreenivasa Raju K, CEO and Medical Director at Apollo Radiology International. Deciding which suspected COVID-19 patients should be hospitalized is challenging when healthcare systems are overwhelmed. The vast majority of COVID-19 patients are mild, so having this automated tool has helped make critical decisions on whether to hospitalize. Read more on Zebra-Meds Blog. About Zebra Medical Vision Zebra Medical Visions imaging analytics platform allows healthcare institutions to identify patients at risk of disease and offer improved, preventative treatment pathways, to improve patient care. The company is funded by Khosla Ventures, Marc Benioff, Intermountain Investment Fund, OurCrowd Qure, Aurum, aMoon, Nvidia and Johnson & Johnson. Zebra Medical Vision has raised $52 million in funding to date, and was named a Fast Company Top-5 AI and Machine Learning company. Zebra-Med leads the way in AI FDA cleared products, and is installed in hospitals globally, from Australia to India, Europe to the U.S, and the LATAM region. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005393/en/ San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said officers would enforce mandatory curfew Monday night as city officials braced for the possibility of another tense night of protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in the thick of an ongoing pandemic. Scott warned people whose jobs didnt place them on a narrow list of exemptions to head indoors from 8 p.m. Monday until 5 a.m. Tuesday, or risk being arrested. It was the second consecutive night that San Francisco had implemented a curfew in an effort to clamp down on the kind of riotous destruction and looting that took place in the city on Saturday night. Scott and other leaders of San Franciscos public safety departments gathered Monday to recap the previous evenings mostly peaceful demonstrations. They also sent a broad message of support for the sentiments of the protesters and the publics right to peacefully assemble. To see the loss of life as weve seen it, of Mr. Floyd, has caused an enormous and now worldwide response in terms of what people are feeling, and expressing their frustrations and anger, Scott said. Many of us, including me, share those emotions, and we know there is a lot of work to be done (around) policing in our country. Demonstrations condemning police brutality have seized the nation since the May 25 death of George Floyd; a white Minneapolis police officer has been charged with murder in his death. The officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee into Floyds neck for several minutes as Floyd struggled to breathe. Gripping video of the incident was captured by bystanders. But despite the outpouring of grief and anger that has drawn thousands to the streets in protest, city officials sought to remind the public about the dangers posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now Playing: From peaceful protest to mass arrests: Police in Oakland fires tear gas at protesters condemning the killing of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer during the fourth night of demonstrations in the Bay Area. Video: Matthias Gafni, Mallory Moench, Erika Carlos We know many of you came out to protest peacefully, and we want to continue to urge everyone to express themselves with respect as we deal with these difficult issues of inequality in our society, said Mary Ellen Carroll, executive director of the Department of Emergency Management. We do continue to be in a significant and very serious public health emergency response, she said, urging the public to take steps to protect themselves and others from the spread of the coronavirus, like wearing masks and maintaining distance whenever possible. While Sunday saw some agitated clashes between police and protesters, Scott said activity was calm compared to Saturday night. He credited Sundays 8 p.m. curfew and the more than 200 law enforcement officers called in from across the state to support San Francisco police. Yesterday was a good day, Scott said. A day earlier saw what Scott described as looting, massive vandalism and damage to buildings and businesses. San Francisco police, he said, didnt have enough resources, officers were overwhelmed, which prompted a call for help from other law enforcement agencies. Still, police made 87 arrests Sunday, Scott said, mostly for curfew violations or looting. Sheriff Paul Miyamoto said 64 people were cited and released and 23 were held for felonies. San Franciscos jails remain at around 50% capacity, Miyamoto said, an important metric to consider in the ongoing pandemic and with the high risk of transmission of the coronavirus in close-quartered settings like jails. 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. Scott also expressed frustration at people who he said came to San Francisco rallies over the weekend to loot and vandalize create chaos, he said not make their voices heard. Now Playing: On May 30, 2020, residents from around the Bay Area gathered at United Nations Plaza in San Francisco to march against police brutality. Video: Manjula Varghese As evidence for that claim, Scott said officers had recovered a loaded handgun, explosives, crowbars, bolt cutters and Molotov cocktails some had been thrown at officers on Saturday. People in a van were passing out bricks to throw at officers Saturday night. If thats anybodys idea of a peaceful protest, we need to talk about that. Thats unacceptable, Scott said. Heres the point I want everyone to hear: We embrace peaceful protest. We will not embrace violence against anyone against other protesters, against police officers or against property, he said. Weve been given the tools to do our jobs, and the curfew is another tool. Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 18:22:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government has decided to send a team of medical experts to Sao Tome and Principe to support the country in its response to COVID-19, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian announced Monday. Zhao said the expert team was organized by the National Health Commission and consisted of experts selected by the Hebei Provincial Health Commission. Enditem Labor disgraces no man; unfortunately, you occasionally find men disgrace labor. Ulysses S. Grant, remarks to Birmingham workingmen, England, 1877 Any honest effort to bring to a popular audience the life of Ulysses S. Grant, who led the Union army to victory in the Civil War and became the 18th American president, is welcome. It is all the more timely with the fascist ignoramus Donald Trump occupying the White House, and with the liberal newspaper of record, The New York Times, in its 1619 Project, promoting the old Jim Crow myth that whites and blacks are pitted in endless race struggle. Justin Salinger as Grant Grant has struck a nerve. Over 3 million households watched the History Channel series first episode when it aired on Memorial Day, the same day coronavirus pandemic deaths in the US hit 100,000. It was one of the largest-ever audiences for a historical documentary premiere. Millions more watched the second and final installments of the series, produced by actor Leonardo DiCaprio. The film follows Grant from his youth in rural southwestern Ohio in the 1820s to his illness and death in 1885. Over four hours long in its three episodes, the program intersperses expert commentaryof varying quality and interestwith reenactments featuring the English actor Justin Salinger, who effectively portrays Grants legendary humility and directness. There are numerous battlefield scenes including, tediously, many with graphic violence. The documentary sets itself the worthy goal of rehabilitating Grants reputation, following loosely the biographyby Ron Chernow, who is listed as a co-producer. It takes aim at the myth, promoted for many decades in American school textbooks, that Grant was a butcher and an ineffective general who was far inferior to the southern commander, Robert E. Lee. It also acknowledges that Grant was motivated, in the Civil War and in the period of Reconstruction that followed, by his belief in the democratic ideal of human equality proclaimed by the American Revolution. This runs counter to the myth promoted by the 1619 Project that black Americans fought back alone and that the Lincoln government was populated by racists who viewed black people as the obstacle to national unity. Grant as a young officer All of this is praiseworthy. Yet the documentary does not draw out the connections between Grants egalitarianism on the one hand and, on the other, both his effectiveness as a military commander during the war and the efforts to falsify and slander him after his death. These aspects of his legacy were not incidental. Grants detractors must contend with the fact that he will forever be associated with the violence, massive scale and democratic impulse of the second American revolution. The film effectively portrays Grants pre-Civil War career, remarkable only for how unremarkable it was. Grants father, Jesse Root Grant, was a merchant and owner of a tannery, just the sort of middling type that historian Gordon Wood finds had been pushed forward by the American Revolution. Indeed, that the young republic could lift up to the heights of power figures like Grant (b. 1822) and Lincoln (b. 1809)each born in humble circumstances in a rapidly expanding societytestified to what Marx saw as a new era of ascendancy for the middle class created by 1776. Grants very human character, manifest in his many failures, comes across in the documentary. Grant did not distinguish himself in officer training at West Point, where he wound up at the whim of his father, and where, due to a fortuitous transcription error in his enrollment, he took on the middle initial S and from it the nickname, U.S. Grant. He excelled at mathematics and horseback riding but accumulated demerits and graduated at the middle of his class. Grant failed to earn entry into the cavalry for the Mexican-American War, where, the documentary informs us, he first discovered his steel nerve in battle. Grant was shipped off after the predatory war against MexicoGrant later called it one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation to a remote fort in the Pacific Northwest, where in boredom and purposelessness he turned to heavy drinking. After a few years he flopped out of the military and returned to his wife, Julia Dent, and their two children in Missouri. There he briefly gave it a go as a farmer, working the land alongside the single slave acquired from Julias father, whom he later freed at considerable personal expense. An effort in real estate also fizzledthe documentary notes that the kindhearted Grant found it difficult to collect rentand at a certain point in the 1850s the man who saved the Union was reduced to hawking firewood on the streets of St. Louis. The eruption of the Civil War in April of 1861, finds Grant once again working in his fathers tannery, this time in Galena, Illinois. Grant accepts Lees surrender at Appomattox Grants utter lack of distinction compared to his Confederate opposite number, Robert E. Lee, has jarred observers past and present, and is also noted by the documentary. Lee, a Virginian, embodied something close to an American gentry. Aristocratic in bearing and breeding, Lees station as a leader of men seemed foreordained, derived from his ownership of scores of slaves and his natural inherited superiority to the likes of Grant. (The documentary cites Lees confession that he would rather die a thousand deaths than surrender to Grant at Appomattox on April, 9, 1865, very nearly four years to the day after South Carolinians had attacked Fort Sumter, triggering the Civil War.) Decades later, after both men had died and the generation that had experienced the Civil War had passed, Lees stature was elevated at Grants expense. The documentary refers, in its third and final episode, to this feature of the Lost Cause myth, which in addition to its central argument that the Civil War was not really about slaverya position shared by the 1619 Projectinsisted that the chivalric South, and its great champion, Lee, had only been overcome by Grants willingness to spill limitless Yankee blood. Lee was a great general. But to a significant extent his success was achieved over Union generals who, much to the exasperation of Lincoln, refused to fight aggressively and who feared above all else what Grants predecessor in command, Gen. George P. McClellan, called servile insurrection. Lee repeatedly, in the parlance of the time, whipped Union armies under the likes of McClellan that were larger and better equipped. Before encountering Grant, Lee had tasted serious defeat only on the two occasions he invaded the North. The loss at Antietam on September 17, 1862 paved the way for Lincolns issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. Lees invasion of Pennsylvania came to a catastrophic end on the first days of July, 1863. When the smoke cleared in the farm fields near Gettysburg on Independence Day, 1863, far to the west Grant had accepted the capitulation of Vicksburg, the final Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi. The fall of Vicksburg was the culmination of a brilliant campaign waged by Grant that, the documentarys experts tell us, is still studied by officers in training. Grant had already delivered victories in Kentucky and Tennessee in the wars early months, including at Shiloh, and after Vicksburg he saved a beleaguered Union army trapped at Chattanooga. Grant late in the war Lincoln had found his man. The Great Emancipator admired Grants elegantly factual battlefield dispatches and, most especially, his successes. On March 2, 1864, he elevated Grant to the rank of Lieutenant General, held previously only by George Washington, and command of the entire Union army. Now Grant orchestrated a war of grand strategy pursued on multiple fronts, including most bloodily, his own Overland Campaign against Lee in Virginia in 1864, which led to the total disintegration of the Confederacy in the spring of 1865. Professors of military history and military strategy heap praise on Grants tactical and strategic brilliance, which the Union commander summed up in the following terms: The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving on. No doubt the technical aspects of battlefield command, operations, and strategy are common to many wars, and, in that sense, we are told that Grant was Americas first modern warrior. Grotesquely, the documentary features among these experts retired US General David Petraeus, who held high command in the unprovoked US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and bears responsibility for countless crimes of the occupations there and in Afghanistan. Whatever the directors intentions in the inclusion of Petraeus, what is most striking about Grant is how different this man was from the representatives of todays American ruling class. Grant was intelligent, honest, sensitive and capable of seeing his own actions objectively. He was possessed of a clear mind that found expression in his sharp prose. The documentary ends in discussion of Grants autobiography, which, published by his friend Mark Twain shortly before the former presidents death, lifted his family out of financial ruin. Twain rightly considered it a major achievement in American letters. Above all else Grant was guided by deeply held democratic convictions, reflected in both his hostility to slavery and his capacity to command what was in essence a citizens armya connection the film misses. Though not an abolitionist, Grant opposed slavery. The film demonstrates that he recognized the value of slaves to the Union army and the meaning of the loss of their labor to the Confederacy. He agreed with Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation, and worked closely with the president. A friendship born of mutual admiration developed, and when Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, days after the surrender at Appomattox, Grant was both bereft and guilt-riddenhe had turned down an invitation to join the president at Fords Theater that evening. Ulysses S. Grant as president As commander of the army and then as president (1869-1877) following Lincolns dreadful successor, Andrew Johnson, Grant saw himself as carrying on Lincolns policies. The film portrays Grants efforts on behalf of the freed slaves after the Civil War, which included the ratification of the 15th amendment guaranteeing the right to vote, military occupation, and the suppression of the Ku Klux Klan, which had carried on a massive terror campaign against freed slaves and Republicans. Here Grant is presented as fighting the current in a rising tide of indifference to racial equality in the country. Reconstruction ultimately failed not because of Grants intentions, but because the American people abandoned it, Christy Coleman, CEO of the Civil War Museum tells viewers. In fact, the Civil War had given birth to a new society in the North and the West as well as the South. With it, new inequalities developed, especially in the brutal exploitation of the rapidly growing class of wage workers. By 1877, the year Grant left office and the year the American working class erupted in cities across the country in the Great Uprising, there was little interest left in ruling circles for the defense of the rights of the freed slaves. The film advances the idea that Grant was mismatched to the presidency. Grant thought as much himself. He delegated much to trusted subordinates, as he had in the Civil War, but now found himself dragged into corruption scandals and financial dealings that after his term in office left him once again in poverty. It might be better to say that it was not so much that Grant was ill-suited for the office of presidency, but that the presidency in the new capitalist world birthed by the Civil War was ill-suited for a man such as Grant. The sound of thousands of people of all races and backgrounds chanting black lives matter and no justice, no peace echoed through Perth's CBD on WA Day in a united stance against racism and police brutality. The peaceful protest was organised in solidarity to the global response following the death of George Floyd, who died in the United States after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin held his knee to his neck during an arrest. People wore facemasks and tried to adhere to social distancing measures as they protested in Forrest Chase. Credit:Marta Pascual Juanola Forrest Chase was flooded on Monday night with people wearing face masks and holding placards with Mr Floyds last words I cant breathe. Event organiser Tanesha Bennell, an Indigenous teenager with Bibbulmun ancestry, said the purpose was to show solidarity on a global scale and to recognise Indigenous lives lost in custody within Australia. Thiruvananthapuram, June 1 : Numerous Keralaites working in the government sector in Oman are a worried lot, for more than one reason. Not only has Oman taken rapid steps in nationalising the work force in the government sector by replacing the large number of Keralite diaspora with its own nationals, but there are now reports that retirement benefits are also going to be culled, which has sent shockwaves, especially among the nursing community. Oman has a huge number of nurses from Kerala and the speculated double blow has not gone down well with the Keralite community. According to a few of the nurses, the news that is spreading is even though their appointment letter clearly states that at the end of every year of completed service, one month's salary will be paid as end of service benefits, but the new rule which is now going to be implemented states that irrespective of the number of total years of service, the maximum number of years would be restricted to 12. The latest is that this is likely to be further curbed to a maximum of just six years. A nurse, who completes a quarter of a century in service when she retires, until now used to get a minimum of Rs 5 million and if the new rules are going to be implemented, it would come down to just Rs 1.2 million. A deeply saddened nursing community there is worried that if they decide to go to the court, would it be detrimental to them in any respect. "Will the Indian government come to our rescue as many are scared to take legal steps for fear of any action. Do not know what will happen, as this is all what will be there for our future when we finally return to our home state," one of the nurses said. According to studies, there are about two lakh Keralites in Oman and a huge majority of them work in the government sector which includes a sizeable working force in the medical sector. DL holds the promise of speeding up the productivity of clinical professionals- eventually resulting into better patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs In recent years, Deep Learning (DL) has gained significant interest in radiology across different areas of computer vision such as detection, segmentation, classification, monitoring & prediction. Deep learning, a subset of Machine Learning in AI, is based on artificial neural network and is increasingly proving to be the transformative for the healthcare industry especially due to its high performance in image recognition. With immense potential to analyse huge volume of data generated by different devices, imaging modalities and organs, DL holds the promise of speeding up the productivity of clinical professionals- eventually resulting into better patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. Traditionally, medical image processing tasks were manual, very detailed and consumed significant amounts of time of medical professionals. Human interventions were needed in every step in order to obtain the most accurate image possible. Data/Image exploration from CT-Scan, X-rays and MRI at pixels/megapixels level was challenging for clinical professionals and it was not easy to extract meaningful and hidden insights. However, Deep Learnings capability to automate the analysis of structured & unstructured data, specially for these images, accelerates the process of extracting actionable insights with reduced human supervision. So, What is Deep Learning and how it can help to solve some of the most pressing issues in healthcare ? As described above, Deep learning is a subset of machine learning technique that learns and improvises on its own by examining computer algorithm based on artificial neural network which is designed to think how humans think and learn. It is witnessing an increase in success and interest in multiple domains including computer vision, speech recognition, natural language processing and games. Deep learning techniques provide a mapping from raw inputs to desired output like image classes by directly learning the features from a large set of data. Data is filtered through a cascade of layers where each successive layer is essentially learning from the previous one, thus refining their ability to make better correlations- just the way biological neurons are connected with one another to process information in the brains of animals. This layered algorithmic structure helps deep learning models to perform certain classification tasks by analysing enormous quantities of unstructured data such as detecting subtle abnormalities in medical images, grouping patients with similar attributes into risk-based cohorts, or modelling relationships between symptoms and after-effects. Deep learning can be applied to the entire landscape of healthcare applications ranging from one-dimensional biosignal analysis and the prediction of medical events such as: Cardiac arrests and seizures Computer-aided detection & diagnosis of skin cancer Ophthalmologic disorders Analysis of electronic health records to drug discovery. A recent study in the Annals of Oncology by European Society for Medical Oncology and the Japanese Society of Medical Oncology showed that convolutional neural network (CNN), trained to analyze dermatology images, identified melanoma with 10 per cent more specificity than human clinicians. CNN is composed of multiple building blocks, typically repetitions of a stack of several convolution layers and a pooling layer, followed by one or more fully connected layers. Every convolution operation (representing an image feature) generates a matrix, usually smaller than the input. It automatically learns spatial hierarchies of features by following a backpropagation algorithm. CNN architectures do not necessarily require a human to segment the tumours or organs and consists of millions of learnable parameters to estimate. As a result, CNNs can surpass the accuracy of human diagnosticians while detecting more complex high-level features in the images. CNN based deep learning methods are increasingly being used to improve radiology practices, especially in the areas below: Classify acute and non-acute paediatric elbow abnormalities on radiographs Breast & lung cancer screening Reducing the rate of false-positive results for ophthalmologists Classifying skin lesions to brain segmentation studies .. the list is growing rapidly with time. While deep learning techniques show great assurance to improve patient care and enhance the efficiency of clinical procedures, there are certain limitations and technological challenges that need to be addressed. DL requires large sets of data for effective image alteration and identification and still cannot guarantee 100% accuracy. Another concern is the lack of availability of established systems to validate the DL outcomes. The third challenge is accountability-if a doctor (with the help of DL system results) make a diagnosis that turns out to be wrong, who will be held liable? Despite these challenges, the application of deep learning in the field of medical imaging looks promising as researchers believe that these concerns will be dealt with in the years to come. Though many of the above-mentioned use cases are small-scale pilots and still in their infancy, medical researchers predict that in the future deep learning will definitely optimize radiologists workload and enable the detection of life-threatening diseases early. Just envisage, how intriguing it would be to predict a heart attack before it turns into a traumatic episode in someones life. No wonder this particular industry has garnered huge interest in AI and its applications. Deepak Jha, Deputy General Manager- AIPF (Artificial Intelligence Platform), NEC Technologies India Pvt. Ltd., Noida President Nana Akufo-Addo has entreated Ghanaians not to give up in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. The President, in his 10th update on the pandemic, assured that the nation will come out of the crisis better and stronger than ever before, and so called on Ghanaians to exercise an unwavering faith in the fight against the pandemic. According to him, the pandemic has taught the country a lot of lessons. "We have learnt many lessons from this pandemic. The most obvious is that we have to fortify urgently our public health system. We have committed to the implementation of Agenda 88, that is building, within a year, a fully-equipped, functional district hospital for each district that does not have one, and a fully-equipped, functional regional hospital for each of the new regions, together with a new regional hospital for the Western Region, and the rehabilitation of Effia Nkwanta Hospital in Sekondi. We have to empower and increase the number of our healthcare professionals across board. Universal Health Coverage must become reality for all Ghanaians, not a slogan, for every Ghanaian deserves good health and good healthcare," he stated. The President advised the nation to ''focus our energies on ensuring access of poor people to decent housing. We can no longer ignore this basic requirement of social justice. We have to make the things we use, and grow the foods we eat. We have to come out of this crisis better, stronger and more united than before. Ghana, free, united, socially just, self-reliant and productive, that is the Ghana we are going to create together after we have defeated this virus''. He was also optimistic that Ghanaians will emerge victors at the end of the current situation. ''Fellow Ghanaians, ultimately, the Battle is the Lords, and, with faith in Him, we will emerge from this greater than before. We are one people, we are Ghanaians, and we stand together in joy and in times of trouble. We are a people with an exceptional history, and we are the proud promoters of the Black Star of Africa. We have all gone down together, we should all rise together. This too shall pass!!'' Source: 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 [June 01, 2020] Wipro Annual Report 2020 on Form 20-F Available Online for ADS Holders Wipro (News - Alert) Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced that it has filed its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended March 31, 2020 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 1, 2020 (U.S. time) and will furnish the same to its American Depository Shares (ADS) holders on its website in lieu of a physical distribution. The financial statements included in the Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended March 31, 2020 have been prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and is available through the Wipro Limited website at https://www.wipro.com/investors/annual-reports/. In accordance with New York Stock Exchange rules, physical and email copies of Wipro's Annual Report on Form 20-F will be made available, at no cost, to ADS holders upon request. 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, rootics, 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/20200601005473/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] New Delhi, June 1 : A minor fire broke out on the fourth floor of the Nirman Bhawan in the Central district of the national capital on Monday, however, no casualties occurred. A call was received regarding the fire at 9:01 a.m. and five fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse off the flames, an official of the Delhi Fire Services told IANS. Nirman Bhawan is a key building in the Central Delhi housing various key offices like that of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Directorate of Estates, Central Bureau of Health Intelligence, Central Public Works Department etc. The fire was caused due to a printer in one of the government offices on the fourth floor of the building. "The fire was brought under control in merely 15 minutes," the official added. If the fire would not have been controlled, it could have resulted in massive damage to life and property and more importantly, while the country is dealing with a health crisis, if the flames would have reached the office of the Health Ministry, a lot of data could have been destroyed causing irreplaceable damage. This was the second incident of fire in the national capital in the last 24 hours. On Sunday, a fire broke out at an Army Canteen in the Sadar Bazar area, as many as eight fire tenders were rushed to spot to douse the flame and control the situation. While in the NCR region, fire broke out at an export company's factory located in Noida Sector 64 in the early hours of Monday. 16 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The intensity of fire increased by the morning following which the fire officials had to call in for extra support. Last week, a massive fire broke out in the slums of South-East Delhi's Tughlakabad area, damaging at least 250 shantis and leaving thousands of people homeless and displaced. However, no casualties occurred during the incident. The police and 28 fire engines reached the spot as soon as they received a call at around 12.50 a.m., said a fire department official, adding that all occupants were rescued in time even as they were fast asleep. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Former Member of Congress (D-MN) and current Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Feb. 1, 2017. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison To Lead Prosecution In George Floyd Case Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison will take the lead in the prosecution of the former Minneapolis police officer charged with killing George Floyd, an unarmed African-American man who died last week in police custody, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Sunday evening. In a press conference, Walz said protesters across the United States had made it very clear that they dont trust the process, they dont believe justice can be served, and their frustrations are that they believe time and time again that the system works perfectly well as it was designed: to deny those rights and deny justice to communities of colour. In an effort to get trust restored, Walz designated Ellison, a former Democratic congressman, as the lead prosecutor on Floyds case, noting that he has the experience needed to lead the prosecution. Ellison, elected to the attorney general post two years ago after serving as a U.S. representative for four terms, in 2018 posted a photograph of himself holding Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook. His son, Jeremiah Ellison, also recently came out in support of Antifa, the far-left group that President Donald Trump plans to designate as a terrorist organization. Ellison said on Sunday he that with a large degree of humility and a great seriousness, I accept for my office the responsibility for leadership on this critical case involving the killing of George Floyd. He added: We are going to bring to bear all the resources necessary to achieve justice in this case. Ellison will be assisted by Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman in any cases arising from the death of Floyd. This case is unusual because of the way that Mr. Floyd was killed and who did it: at the hands of the defendant, who was a Minneapolis police officer, Ellison said. Prosecuting police officers for misconduct, including homicide and murder, is very difficult. And if you look at the cases that have been in front of the public in the last many years, its easy to see that is true. Every single link in the prosecutorial chain will come under attack as we present this case to a jury or a fact-finder, he added. Floyds death last week sparked nationwide protests against police brutality, many of which have escalated into violence and looting, and several states across the country have called in the National Guard to assist law enforcement in keeping protests at bay. Looters rob a Target store as protesters face off against police in Oakland, Calif., on May 30, 2020. (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images) Floyd, 46, was arrested by police outside a south Minneapolis grocery store on Memorial Day for alleged fraud. A citizens cellphone video showed an officerwho has since been identified as 44-year-old Derek Chauvinkneeling on Floyds neck for almost eight minutes as Floyd repeatedly said he couldnt breathe and begged officers not to kill him. He eventually became unresponsive, with one witness noting that his nose was bleeding. The footage spread quickly on social media. The father of two was pronounced dead May 25 after he was taken into custody by authorities and on May 26, Officers Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kueng were fired from the Minneapolis Police Department. Chauvin was also arrested and has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on June 8 in Hennepin County Court. During Sundays press conference, Ellison said the state is not ready to announce any other charges against the other police officers. Its just too early, he said. Dose of reality, prosecuting police for misconduct including homicide and murder is very difficult. I just want to let the public know that we are pursuing justice, we are pursuing truth were doing it vigorously and we are pursuing accountability, were asking for your trust, Ellison said. Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. The principal suppliers of hot-rolled flat steel to Turkey in April were Russia, which shipped 41,398 tonnes, followed by France with 33,805 tonnes and Ukraine with 26,592 tonnes.Russia shipped the most coil-rolled coil to Turkey in April totaling 11,146 tonnes, while shipments from South Korea came to 8,802 tonnes.For coated coil, Turkey imported 20,358 tonnes from South Korea in April, while 8,572 tonnes came from Belgium. The principal suppliers of alloy flat steel wider... Last week, a reader of our sister title Money Mail found an old bank book from 1997 with Lloyds TSB, containing a balance of 38.68, which ended up being worth 63 now. This is Money frequently receives emails from readers asking for help tracking down lost or old accounts in the hope of a financial windfall. And it is possible more may be spurred to use the lockdown to hunt down old savings, after culture secretary Oliver Dowden announced the Government would hand 150million collected from long-mothballed accounts to hard-pressed charities. Hunting down any lost savings is free to do, here's the steps to do so and the answers to some common questions you might have. Culture secretary Oliver Dowden announced 71m would be freed up from old bank accounts to give to charities as part of a 150m giveaway When will an old account of mine be made dormant? Dormant bank accounts are ones where there has been no activity on the account for around three years. Banks then often put a block on this, with customers having to identify themselves before they can use it again. Since 2011, following a 2008 Act, if there has been no activity on the account for a further 12 years, it is transferred to something called the Reclaim Fund. Some 1.3billion has been handed over to the fund since its inception, with the money eligible to be used for good causes. 745million has been made available to charities since the fund was established. Can I get it back? Yes. And, just as importantly, by claiming your own money back you aren't leaving anyone else out of pocket. The Reclaim Fund says on its website that it 'ensures that sufficient funds are available to guarantee full restitution in perpetuity.' Only a proportion of the money is given to charity, after the fund has retained enough to cover any possible redemption requests. Therefore, if you were to find yourself with a financial windfall like one of our readers, you probably wouldn't be costing a charity their own one. If you're looking to trace savings you've lost touch with or those of someone else, the tracing service My Lost Account can help. Here is what you may need before you start Accounts which went dormant prior to the 2008 Act setting up the fund, which would mean money not touched as long ago as 1993, can also be reclaimed from this fund. How do I get it back? If you've found an old passbook account and know the name of the bank or building society, it is best to contact them directly. With building societies, this can be tricky, as many have been bought up, closed or turned into banks. The Building Societies Association has a list of mergers and name changes of building societies going back to 1937. If you were a saver with Abbey National or Alliance & Leicester in the early 2000s for example, you'd have to go to Santander. If you were a saver with any of the myriad building societies which amalgamated to form Northern Rock, you would now have to contact Virgin Money, which bought it in 2012. What if I don't know where it is? Post Office Savings Bank books like this one were transferred to NS&I in 1969 If you don't know where your money is or which bank that passbook money from 1987 is now held in, all is not lost. A free tracing service called My Lost Account exists and is the recommended port of call. It brings together tracing schemes run UK Finance, the Building Societies Association and National Savings & Investments the Treasury-backed bank which we previously found has held onto old Post Office Savings Bank accounts since 1969 and covers 30 banks and all 43 building societies. As mentioned above, the service warns that: 'If you know the name of the bank or building society with which you held the account and that institution still exists, then it's best to start by contacting that bank or building society directly. 'In some cases, a bank or building society may still believe it has up to date contact details for your account and not have classified it as lost. 'In this case, it will not be possible to trace your account using the My Lost Account service and you should contact your bank or building society directly.' To use the service, you will need to set up a profile using an email address and a password, after which you will be asked questions including your name, date of birth, current address and any previous addresses, and who you think the account was with. This is Money is frequently contacted by readers who come across old savings books when clearing out a deceased relative's estate. This one for the Liverpool Co-op Society is from 1955 My Lost Account adds: 'When a financial institution that you have selected has completed their search for your lost account you will either receive an email alert to say that an update is available on your profile or the institution will contact you directly. 'You can check the status of your application at anytime by visiting our website and logging in. You will receive the responses form the financial institutions selected within 90 days.' Can I claim on behalf of a dead relative? Yes, if ownership of any money can be proven someone dealing with an estate can reclaim funds even after the death of a relative. This is Money is frequently emailed by people dealing deceased relative's estates who come across old bank books. What next? While savings rates are pretty low at the moment, and you may wish to spend a surprise windfall, if you want to earn the most interest on it that you can check our independent best buy savings tables. Just make a record of the account this time, so you don't lose it again. Have you found details of an old bank account, an old savings book or come into some money from finding one? Let us know in the comments or email us: editor@thisismoney.co.uk. Harpreeet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: A flight with 144 Indian nationals from Ukraine landed on Sunday morning at the Chandigarh Intentional Airport. Sources said that a flight from Kiev in Ukraine via Delhi under Phase-2 of Vande Bharat Mission started by the Union Government to evacuate stranded Indian nationals abroad reached today morning at 3.12 AM at the airport here. It was carrying 144 passengers (34 from Punjab, 53 from Haryana, 54 from Himachal Pradesh, 2 from Chandigarh and one from Rajasthan). This was the second flight under this mission to land here. All passengers were screened by the Punjab health department and then subsequently handed over to respective states after immigration and customs clearances. Afterwards, all the passengers were sent for quarantine as per protocol issued by respective states. "The passengers were handled as per the guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Civil Aviation. As all the measures and protocols relating to COVID-19 were put in place at the airport. No passenger was suffering from fever, cough or cold, said an official. Deputy Commissioner of Mohali Girish Dayalan said that nobody was found symptomatic after screening. The passengers hailing from the district would not be sent home as of now and would be kept in quarantine at the various government facilities at hotels for fourteen days as a precautionary measure. The district administration had made arrangements and sent the passengers belonging to the other districts and the states to their respective districts and states where they would undergo quarantine period. PHOENIX, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Following an announcement earlier this month to support Arizona small businesses with $5 million in SBA backed loans, $10 million in accelerated payments to Arizona healthcare providers, and a prepayment program to assist Arizona primary care providers (PCPs), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) is now launching a loan program for healthcare providers, including qualifying hospitals and physicians across Arizona who have been impacted by COVID-19. The Claim Payment Advance program will allow certain providers to receive a three-month loan to help ease the strain on cash flow so they can continue to provide medical care to Arizonans. "The health of Arizonans is at stake, and these funds will help provide stability to our healthcare ecosystem," said Pam Kehaly, president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona. "Some hospital and physicians have an urgent need for support so they can continue to provide critical care to Arizonans during the pandemic and beyond." The March 19 Executive Order that postponed elective surgeries has resulted in lower patient volumes over the last several months for many Arizona medical providers. As soon as providers raised concerns, BCBSAZ increased the speed of claims processing, resulting in $10 million of accelerated payments going to Arizona physicians and hospitals. As BCBSAZ analyzed claims payments in 2020 and compared them to the same period last year, claims costs in aggregate were actually running higher until just last week, when the first year-over-year reduction was experienced. Even though elective surgeries were down, the reduction in claims costs wasn't immediately evident due to increased costs in other areas, including: 33% increase in behavioral health visits 3,200% spike in telemedicine visits 22% increase in prescription costs Enhanced benefit payments at 100% for telehealth and COVID-19 claims Physician specialists are the hardest hit, with revenue declines down nearly 6%. To help stabilize the Arizona healthcare system, up to $10 million in loans will be made available to Arizona medical physicians and hospitals. Among the qualifications for the Claim Payment Advance program, providers must be in the BCBSAZ network, have experienced at least a 33% reduction in claims for fully insured plans, and be in good standing with professional licensing boards, and with BCBSAZ. Full details on the Claim Payment Advance program and application process can be found at azblue.com/coronavirus-providers. For more information about how BCBSAZ is supporting healthcare providers, members, and the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit azblue.com/coronavirus. About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) is committed to helping Arizonans get healthier faster and stay healthier longer. With a focus on connecting people with the care they need, BCBSAZ offers health insurance and related services to more than 1.7 million customers. Through advanced clinical programs and community outreach, BCBSAZ is inspiring health in Arizona. BCBSAZ, a not-for-profit company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The company, and its subsidiaries, employ more than 2,400 people in its Phoenix, Chandler, Flagstaff, and Tucson offices. To learn more, visit azblue.com. SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Related Links http://www.azblue.com Hundreds of Facebook employees on Monday staged a "virtual walkout" in protest of the company's policies regarding recent posts by President Donald Trump. Employees took to Twitter to publicly announce their participation in the protest, referring to the virtual walkout with #TakeAction. These employees expressed disappointment and shame in the decision by Facebook's leaders to leave up a Thursday post from Trump in which the president said that "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." As many as 600 employees partook in the virtual protest, estimated one employee who spoke with CNBC. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg plans to hold a town hall with employees on Tuesday to address the situation, the employee said. This person asked not to be named discussing internal matters with press. tweet The employees said that they believed this type of post violates Facebook's platform standards. The company's policies state that Facebook will "remove language that incites or facilitates serious violence." Asked if Facebook's leadership will have a meeting to reconsider its decision per the request of the employees partaking in the virtual walkout, a Facebook spokesman told CNBC that the company has "No comment on this." tweet Trump posted his controversial statement on both Facebook and Twitter. Unlike Facebook, Twitter placed a label warning users about the president's violent rhetoric, which they have to dismiss before they can view his tweet. Twitter is also preventing users from liking or retweeting the tweet. tweet At least one Facebook employee tweeted that he left the company as a result of its policies. tweet The walkout comes after a number of Facebook employees publicly criticized the company for its decision not to moderate Trump's posts. tweet "We recognize the pain many of our people are feeling right now, especially our Black community," a Facebook spokesman told CNBC in a statement Monday. "We encourage employees to speak openly when they disagree with leadership. As we face additional difficult decisions around content ahead, we'll continue seeking their honest feedback." tweet Two senior Facebook employees have informed their managers that they plan to resign if Zuckerberg does not reverse his decision to not moderate Trump's posts, The New York Times reported Monday. tweet Mallory Willsea, Vice President of Strategy and Operations, PlatformQ Education Virtual events are a standard now. Theres no going back. Institutions must thoughtfully integrate virtual content into their activities for student recruitment and admissions, new student orientation, and alumni and donor engagement. Mallory Willsea, Vice President of Strategy and Operations PlatformQ Education, the leader in online engagement strategies and software for higher education, recently added new team members in both operations and leadership to support the rapid growth and adoption of the Conduit online engagement platform. Mallory Willsea has joined PlatformQ Education as its new Vice President of Strategy and Operations. Willsea joins the team from mStoner, a digital-first creative agency for higher education. While at mStoner, Willsea was most recently the Director of Marketing and Business Development. Willsea is responsible for producing and transforming Higher Ed Live, a professional development network operated by mStoner, into one of the most respected professional development resources in .edu marketing and communications. Prior to transitioning to marketing and consulting, Willsea served in a variety of digital marketing and recruitment capacities at Saint Michaels College in Vermont. Willsea will bring more than a decade of higher education marketing and strategic planning experience to the team as she oversees the PlatformQ Education operations, production and engagement marketing strategy teams. PlatformQ Education executive vice president Gil Rogers said, Our recent acceleration has brought a lot of great talent to our team in support of our growing list of strategic clients and partners. We have added 10 new team members in just the last two months. Having had the opportunity to work with Mallory as a partner at various companies over the years, I have known her to be nothing short of a transformative leader who is the perfect fit to bring our team to the next level. I look forward to the energy and digital expertise she will bring to our team to help drive our clients strategic engagement initiatives. Driven in part by the COVID-19 outbreak that resulted in most colleges and universities in the country pivoting to move their physical admissions, enrollment, orientation, financial aid and development events online, PlatformQ Education has more than doubled its support staff in the areas of online event production, student marketing, and engagement strategy. In looking at recent digital admissions research, I believe the COVID-19 crisis is accelerating a shift towards virtual recruitment that has been a long time coming for admission teams, says Willsea. The Conduit platform enables meaningful engagement with prospective students but any technology in a colleges admissions toolkit must be underpinned by an engagement strategy in support of institutional goals. I believe thats where PQE shines. Virtual events are a standard now. Theres no going back. Institutions must thoughtfully integrate virtual content into their activities for student recruitment and admissions, new student orientation, and alumni and donor engagement. Willsea is one of many key arrivals that bring a unique combination of higher education and technology experience to the PlatformQ Education team. Jim Phelan recently joined the PlatformQ team as VP of Video Engineering. Phelan brings more than a decade of experience in video streaming development. Phelan will lead the continued development and enhancement of PlatformQs video streaming software integrations within Conduit and the broader company technology stack. Marie Elliott joined the team as its new Interactive Marketing Manager leading the development and execution of email and global SMS campaigns on behalf of college and university partners. Prior to joining PlatformQ Education Marie was the Associate Director of Admissions at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana. She also served in numerous recruitment and marketing capacities at Indiana State University and Saint Josephs College of Indiana. Anthony Pinto is the companys newest Director of Engagement Marketing Strategy. Anthony was a client of PlatformQ Education for 10 years while most recently serving as Assistant Director of Enrollment Management at the University of Tampa in Florida. Anthony will leverage his industry experience and platform expertise to guide and support the companys growing list of clients in developing and executing strategic online engagement programs in support of their prospective students. Keren Vestal has also joined the company as a Marketing & Operations Associate where she oversees development and execution of virtual events for college and university partners. Prior to joining PlatformQ Education, Vestal served in numerous education capacities including an eCademy Teacher for Elevation Church as well as an Academic Evaluator at LIberty University in Virginia. About PlatformQ Education PlatformQ Education helps colleges and universities evolve their online engagement strategies. With its suite of products and managed services, including Conduit, Campus Connect live chat, Global SMS and email automation, PlatformQ Education enables institutions to meaningfully engage with students, parents, and counselors at every stage of the engagement process. Whether the goal is to increase applications or influence accepted students decisions, or reach and engage alumni, hundreds of institutions rely on PlatformQ Education to support their conversion and yield goals every day. Bill Gates came out with his Summer list for 2020 and it includes titles that he has already suggested to several friends and colleagues, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Bill Gates comes up with a reading list twice a year. Once just before the Summer holidays and one later just before Christmas. These are books that Gates has read himself and is recommending to others - Whether youre looking for a distraction or just spending a lot more time at home, you cant beat reading a book. Keeping up with traditions, Gates came out with his Summer list of reads for this year and it includes titles that he says he has already suggested to several friends and colleagues, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. The list includes The Choice, by Dr. Edith Eva Eger which is a part memoir, part guide about processing trauma. Her unique background gives her amazing insight, and I think many people will find comfort right now from her suggestions on how to handle difficult situations, Gates writes. Next on the list is Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell that Gates describes as - ...If youre in the mood for a really compelling tale about the best and worst of humanity, I think youll find yourself as engrossed in it as I was. This is one of the best business books Ive read in several years. Iger does a terrific job explaining what its really like to be the CEO of a large company, says Gates about The Ride of a Lifetime, by Bob Iger. Then there is The Great Influenza, by John M. Barry. Were living through an unprecedented time right now. But if youre looking for a historical comparison, the 1918 influenza pandemic is as close as youre going to get, Gates explains. Finally the list has Good Economics for Hard Times, by Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo. Gates recommends the book by economists and Noble Prize winners Banerjee and Duflo who are not only two of the smartest economists working today, but are also very good at making economics accessible to the average person. Gates has added a few more books to this list under Other books worth reading and these include - - The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness, by Andy Puddicombe - Moonwalking with Einstein, by Joshua Foer - The Martian, by Andy Weir - A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles - The Rosie Trilogy, by Graeme Simsion - The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui - Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things that Happened, by Allie Brosh - What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions, XKCD Volume 0 and How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems by Randall Munroe. The neglect of health care in Canada by a ruling elite that is indifferent to the lives of working people can be seen most acutely during the present pandemic in the failure to provide even frontline medical staff with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE). This has resulted in mass infections among health care professionals, with more than 4,000 just in Ontario testing positive for COVID-19. Total numbers of deaths among medical workers are hard to come by, but at least five personal care workers have died in Ontario alone. In British Columbia, a coronavirus outbreak has erupted among nurses in a hospital intensive care unit. According to BC Nurses Union President Christine Sorensen, four nurses working at a hospital in the Fraser Valley city of Abbotsford that has been dedicated to treating coronavirus patients have tested positive for COVID-19. The union has said it previously complained about unsafe working conditions at the Abbotsford facility, including overcrowding. Nurses posted there have complained about a scarcity of PPE that has forced them to ration supplies. Nurses report having to go an entire shift without switching equipment. Conditions are similar in other parts of the province and indeed across the country. The BC union says it has received more than 2,000 complaints from its members. Nurses have reported shortages in all the basic equipment they need to safely attend to their duties, including gloves, gowns, respiratory masks and face shields. Sorensen complained bitterly that hospitals lack the plexiglass barriers that are now widely available at the larger supermarket chains. Nurses are being instructed to leave masks somewhere safe when they leave for break so that they can reuse the same one upon their return. The response of the New Democratic Party provincial governments ministry of health to the outbreak and dearth of PPE was to simply reiterate its claim of being committed to the safety of frontline health care workers. In Ontario, the latest update from the Ontario Health Coalition reported that infections among medical staff and patients of health care institutions doubled from 3,783 to 7,894 between April 21 and May 5. As of May 5, 16.1 percent of all COVID-19 infections in Ontario were among health care workers. Long-term care facilities have been hit especially hard by the virus, with more than 250 out of Ontarios 626 elder care homes suffering a COVID-19 outbreak. As documented in graphic detail by a report from the Canadian military, which has had to deploy staff at five for-profit Ontario care homes ravaged by the coronavirus, many outbreaks were the result of inadequate supplies of PPE and the inappropriate use of medical equipment. (See: Ontario government takes over five nursing homes after military exposes systematic negligence ) Similarly dangerous conditions exist for doctors. While polls of physicians indicate an improvement in their situation, there remains a concern particularly among community-based physicians about the supply of PPE. Health care workers have been forced to organize donation drives and rely on private stockpiles donated by companies. Canadian Medical Association President Dr. Sandy Buchman criticized the situation doctors and health care workers have been put in. If we had planned properly and monitored these provincial and federal supplies of the equipment, said Dr. Buchman, we wouldnt be scrambling. The reason why authorities are scrambling is because the federal government failed miserably to prepare for the pandemic. Although it was known by mid-January that the virus was highly contagious and could spread rapidly around the world, the Trudeau Liberal government waited until March 10 to write to the provinces to determine their supplies of PPE and other critical medical equipment. The government, with the support of all opposition parties and the trade unions, spent much more time crafting a multi-billion dollar bailout for the big banks and corporations, which was designed above all to prop up the stock market and guarantee the wealth of the super-rich. Workers and the health system have been left with rations. The lack of adequate PPE supplies has led the federal and provincial governments to improvise by allowing the usage of expired and substandard materials. Ottawa revised their standards for masks in March allowing for more porous masks to be used during the pandemic, going against recommendations by the World Health Organization.. The blame for the lack of this critical equipment lies squarely with the Canadian ruling class, which has callously pruned and slashed health care spending for decades, leaving the country highly vulnerable to a pandemic that was both foreseeable and long predicted. After failing to replenish its stockpile, the federal government sent 2 million expired masks to a landfill last year. Sally Thornton, a vice president of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the agency responsible for the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile (NESS), claimed that the stockpile is doing well even as she argued that provinces and territories are responsible for their own supplies and Ottawa serves only to assist in providing surge capacity. Tacitly acknowledging the governments failure to prepare adequately, Patty Hajdu, the federal health minister, admitted that the government does not have enough PPE for the duration of the crisis. Health Canada has ordered 1.8 billion units of PPE mostly from China, which supplies much of the world PPE stock. However, Chinese suppliers are taking orders from around the world as demand has skyrocketed. The consequence has been a mad dash to secure dwindling supplies and Canadian government-chartered aircraft returning from China empty after being outbid. Some companies have taken advantage of the situation to sell counterfeit, substandard N95 masks at exorbitant prices. The response of the corporate media and the government has been to stoke anti-Chinese sentiment to deflect criticism away from those responsible. Global News ran an article accusing China of suppressing information on the virus in January in order to secure for itself the global supply of PPE without triggering a bidding war. It went further to claim that China used its connections in the diaspora to secure this equipment. The reliably reactionary head of the opposition federal Conservative Party, Andrew Scheer, has been criticizing the government for not being sufficiently hostile to Beijing. One Toronto nurse speaking with the WSWS explained that PPE was crucial for health care workers especially as there is a shortage of nursing staff and keeping them virus free is essential to keeping them on the job. Personal protective equipment inside the hospital is used at all times even during meetings between coworkers. She pointed out that some nurses are already tempted to work while infected, eager not to leave potential overtime earnings on the table when their incomes have been depressed in recent years. The anger among health care workers over the lack of PPE has led to the eruption of protests. In Quebec, the main nurses union, FIQ, felt compelled to call demonstrations in Montreal to protest the failure of the right-wing Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) government to supply PPE. The protests were also motivated by a brutal regime of forced overtime, routine staff shortages, and the governments cancellation of all vacations. Quebec Premier Francois Legault responded arrogantly, declaring that this is not the time for protest. FIQ, like its union counterparts across the country, is itself deeply complicit in the catastrophic conditions that have been imposed on health care workers in recent decades through austerity budgets and round after round of contract concessions. Nurses and other health care professionals can only secure access to adequate PPE and other basic necessities to ensure a safe working environment by forming rank-and-file safety committees in opposition to the political establishment and its trade union backers. Their fate is only one of the most extreme expressions of the contempt shown towards workers lives by the capitalist class. Sections of workers from every part of the economy, from meat packers to grocery store workers and autoworkers, are being forced to labour under unsafe conditions with inadequate protective gear. Medical professionals must unify their struggles with these workers and the entire working class in opposition to the subordination of working peoples health and lives to capitalist profitthat is, in the struggle for workers control of production and the socialist reorganization of society. The author also recommends: Ontario takes over five nursing home after military exposes systematic negligence [29 May 2020] Canadas official opposition attacks Trudeau for appeasing China [21 May 2020] The 2003 SARS epidemic: how Canadas elite squandered the chance to prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic [15 May 2020] They worked in hospitals hundreds of miles from the epicenter of COVID-19. Their city of 24 million people locked down hard enough, and did enough testing, that it only had a few hundred cases of the disease. But hundreds of young Chinese doctors in a new study still experienced a sharp drop in mood, a rise in depression and anxiety symptoms, and a doubling of their fear of workplace violence, in just the first month of the coronavirus pandemic. The new findings, published in JAMA Network Open by an American and Chinese team, show in stark terms the potential mental toll of being a frontline healthcare worker in the time of COVID-19. The rise in symptoms among 385 first-year medical residents in Shanghai contrasts with data from members of the previous year's crop of residents, who took part in the same study from 2018 to 2019. Where this year's class saw sharp change across most measures of mental health and workplace violence during the first half of the training year, last year's class had stable scores at the same point in their training. Other research in Chinese and American residents has shown that the strain of first-year medical training is linked to a sharp rise in depressive symptoms over pre-residency scores. "Even before this pandemic, the levels of depression and anxiety symptoms among our healthcare workers were high and our findings indicate that they are getting worse," says Srijan Sen, M.D., Ph.D., the University of Michigan psychiatrist and neuroscientist who leads the Intern Health Study that yielded the data. "As it is clear that this pandemic will be with us for the foreseeable future, we need to prioritize the well-being of our healthcare workers, not only for themselves, but also for the patients that will need them in the coming months and year." Sen worked with colleagues from U-M's Michigan Neuroscience Institute, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, to gather and analyze the data. Weidong Li, M.D., Ph.D., co-first and co-corresponding author of the new paper and a professor at SJTU, notes that typically, late winter is a time of elevated moods in China, due to the Lunar New Year celebration. "Our findings indicate that the negative mental health effects of COVID-19 are not limited to physicians working at the center of the initial outbreak in Wuhan, but extend to other places like Shanghai, which is 500 miles away," he says. "With the numerous new cases spread worldwide, this has important implications for the way communities around the globe respond to this growing public health crisis." Li is the deputy director of the Brain Science and Technology Research Center, and vice dean of the Bio-X Institutes, at SJTU. Elena Frank, Ph.D., director of the Intern Health Study, notes that the data provide a strong reminder about the impacts of infectious disease outbreaks on both the physical and psychological health of healthcare workers. "It's easy to forget that they face many of the same additional stresses as the rest of us - concerns about elderly or at-risk family, loss of childcare - while simultaneously managing an increased clinical workload, and all while placing themselves and their families at greater risk of infection," she says. "The potential mental health consequences of confronting such enormous pressures cannot be overlooked." Unwitting sentinels of a pandemic's effects When the 385 doctors in the study volunteered for the research project last summer, they were about to begin the same intense, sometimes grueling training experience that marks the start of a medical career in many countries. A few weeks ago, data from earlier cohorts of residents was published as a preprint - a report that has not undergone peer review - by Sen and Li's colleagues. It shows a similar rise in depression symptoms happened in 7,000 first-year residents (also called interns) at more than 100 U.S. hospitals, and 1,000 Chinese first-year residents at 16 Shanghai and Beijing hospitals across three years of the study. Like study participants before them in the U.S. and China, members of the Shanghai intern class entering 12 hospitals in August 2019 agreed to track their mood daily on a smartphone app, and every few months answer standardized questionnaires about their mental health and whether they had experienced, observed or feared physical or verbal violence in their workplace. Little did they know that their data would give some of the clearest indications yet of the mental toll of being on the front line of a pandemic. The new study looks at changes in scores between the surveys that the residents took in October and November 2019, and the ones they took in January and February, as the pandemic reached its peak in China. It also measures changes in daily mood between those two quarters. Sen, who is also the associate vice president for research at U-M, and the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg Professor of Depression and Neurosciences, has been involved in mental health programs for residents at Michigan Medicine, U-M's academic medical center. His decade-long study has focused on first-year residents because they all start and end their training year at the same time, and have similar experiences - making them an ideal study population for the question of how intense stress affects mental health. ### The research was made possible by a longstanding partnership between the U-M Medical School and SJTU. The study was funded by that partnership, and by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Shanghai Education Commission Research and Innovation Program, and the Chinese government's 111 Project. In addition to Sen, Li and Frank, the study's authors are co-first author Zhuo Zhao, M.S., of the Michigan Neuroscience Institute; Lihong Chen, Ph.D., and Zhen Wang, M.D., of SJTU, and Margit Burmeister, Ph.D., of U-M. Sen and Burmeister are faculty in the Departments of Psychiatry and Computational Medicine & Bioinformatics at U-M, and members of MNI and the U-M Depression Center. Sen is also a member of the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. The Georgia rapper Gunna has taken the top spot on the latest Billboard album chart. And now all eyes in the music industry are on Lady Gaga, whose Chromatica, which came out Friday, is a test of the superstar album release during Covid-19. Gunnas Wunna became the rappers first No. 1 album, with the equivalent of 111,000 sales in the United States, according to Nielsen Music. Almost all of that total was attributed to streaming activity, with fans clicking on Gunnas songs 144 million times in the albums first week out. Wunna extends hip-hops recent dominance of the album chart. It features guest spots from a fraternity of some of raps streaming kings, including Travis Scott, Roddy Ricch, Lil Baby and Young Thug whose label, YSL, Gunna is signed to. Also on this weeks chart, Lil Babys My Turn is No. 2 and Futures High Off Life fell two spots to No. 3. Notes on a Conditional Form by the British band the 1975 opened at No. 4 with the equivalent of 54,000 sales, and Polo Gs The Goat is No. 5. This weekend, churches around the globe gathered virtually to celebrate Pentecost, that miraculous moment when tongues of fire descended on the followers of Christ and the gospel was heard in the varied languages of the world. Pentecost is the miracle that follows another miracle (the Ascension), which occurs in the aftermath of a wonder (the Resurrection). In contrast to Christs disciples, we experienced Pentecost this year in the aftermath of a woe, following a trauma, in the context of a tragedy. The protests and riots of Minneapolis (and so many other cities) follow the death of George Floyd, who was choked to death while handcuffed and pleading for his life. For nine minutes, a police officer kept his knee on Floyds neck while the man called for his mother. This occurred in the wake of the killings of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. And all this takes place within the wider context of a global pandemic that has killed 100,000 people. It feels more like we are in the middle of an extended Lent rather than the end of Eastertide. Some will assume that Im bringing politics into the church. Theyll wonder why Im not upset about black-on-black crime, or the breakdown of the black family, or abortion, or looting, or whatever topic that helps us avoid looking at the thing itself. That thing is the 400-year history of racial trauma and oppression still plaguing blacks in this country. What do protests, riots, and police brutality have to do with Pentecost and the passage in Acts 2:121? Does the death of the Messiah for our sins have anything to do with how we approach the flames of Minneapolis? Does the church have something to say, or will we be discipled by Fox News on the one hand and MSNBC on the other? As our country is divided, what do the words of Scripture mean right now? There is no other world in which to talk about Jesus than a world in which black men can have their necks stepped on for nine minutes. That is to say: The only way to answer these questions is to look at the words of Scripture with the burning cities as our interpretive backdrop. Heres what Gods Word tells us. First, the gospel brings us together. Acts 2:121 opens with the followers of Jesus gathered in one place. It is amazing to think that at one point in history, all the Christians in the world could fit into one room. Despite what the history books will tell you, Christianity is not some state-sponsored religion of terror created by Constantine to keep the populous in check. It began humbly with a ragtag group of 120 mostly regular folks who had encountered the living God. Among them were women like Mary, the mother of Jesus, who came from rural peasant stock, and people like Matthew, the former tax collector. The two of them could not be more different. Matthew collaborated with the oppressors of Israel and extorted money from people to line his pockets. Folks like Mary were the victims of such atrocities. What kind of church has room for both the oppressed and former oppressors? The Christian church. What united that early church? Their shared convictions about Jesus. What unites us as a church now? What would this unity look like today for the family of George Floyd? What would it mean for us to be together with them? What would it mean to be alongside the black community in the United States, which over the years has experienced kidnapping, slavery, the injustice of the Jim Crow era, and the litany of contemporary sufferings that mark our lives now? It would mean that, as an act of love, the church says, It should not have to be this way, and I will spend my life beside yours testifying to the values that the Christian tradition places on your black life. Article continues below The church has the power to make this statement because the same Spirit falls upon everyone in the room. There is not one Holy Spirit that enables women to declare the word of God and another for men. There is not one Spirit that gives words to the rich and others to the poor. There is not one Holy Spirit that allows us to speak to African peoples and another that allows us to speak to Asians or Europeans. The one Spirit sends the one gospel to varied peoples of the earth. The gospels work through the Spirit arises from our common status as image bearers. We are all fallen and in need of Gods grace. Any ideology that functionally or verbally denies that common status is a heresy. And anyone who cant see that the heresy of racial bias infects some Christians in this land does so in the face of overwhelming facts. Second, the gospel moves us out. The gospel drew the early disciples outside of their own culture to speak and do life with people who were very different from themselves. Everyone at Pentecost was Jewish, but that Judaism had been moved into the varied languages and communities of the Roman Empire. The first thing that the gospel did was to bring people together under the lordship of Christ. If the gospel draws us into a shared space to hear the mighty works of God, why arent we together anymore? And what would it mean for the watching world to see a Christianity that is actually together, spiritually and practically? Black Christians can deal with people who have no reason support us. We can deal with secular racists. What is heartbreaking and exhausting is to find ourselves fighting for our right to exist and then find that the enemy is our brother. As the Psalms say, It is not enemies who taunt meI could bear that; but it is you, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend, with whom I kept pleasant company; we walked in the house of God (Ps. 55:1214, NRSV). Our life together, if we are to be together, cant come at the expense of our freedom. We shouldnt have to fight our brothers and sisters to obtain it. Here again, the story of Pentecost provides insight. As the nations are being drawn together, there are two responses: One group says in so many words, They are just drunk (Acts 2:13). The other asks, What does this mean? (Acts 2:12). One group refuses to acknowledge what is going on and draws upon their known experience to dismiss the work of God. The other asks a deeper question: What is God up to in their midst? Peter addresses the first group with a sentence or two but takes more time to address the question of meaning. He tells the crowd that they are experiencing the Spirit promised in Joel 2:2832. The prophet Joel claims that when God redeems his people, he will redeem men and women, young and old, rich and poor. Peter wants to remind the early church that the universal gift of the Spirit is a testimony to the universal saving power of the gospel. In other words, the form of Pentecostwomen, men, rich, and poor declaring the mighty works of Godsupports the theology of Pentecostthe idea that the gospel is for everyone. That held true for the early church. It also holds true for the American church of the 21st century. Today, some people look at the black demands for justice and can only reach for a political explanation. These critics respond by saying, They are just Democrats trying to ruin the church, or They are really theological liberals beholden to Marxism. But maybe those are ways to avoid looking at the thing itself. What are black, Latino, and Asian brothers and sisters really saying when they call for justice? What does it mean? And what is God up to? He is drawing diverse people together and then moving us into new gospel spaces by the power of the Holy Spirit. Article continues below Third, the gospel gives us hope in the coming kingdom. I am convinced that the hope for this country is found not in any election or political party. Votes matter, but neither the Democratic party nor the Republican party will save us. What we need is a Spirit-filled Christianity big enough to draw different people together. This unity involves two things. First, we have to recognize that the problem is not just out there. Its in our hearts. The problem isnt just that racists exist in the world. The problem is that we all in various ways live in rebellion against God and his will for us. The gospel demands a decision from each of us about our own sins. One of Jesuss oft-repeated messages was, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt. 4:17). He calls us to repent personally for our sins. Why? Becauseand heres the second pointthe kingdom of God is coming. This kingdom is depicted in Jesus first sermon, in which he proclaimed good news to the poor and liberty to the captives (Luke 4:1621). Jesus came to save sinners, but those saved sinners now bear witness in their lives to Gods kingdom vision. We know that this kingdom is coming because Christ is risen. Peter says it this way: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah (Acts 2:36). Who controls the future? Who unfurls history according to his purpose? The one who is the Lion and the Lamb at the same time (Rev. 5:56). The one who embodies both justice and mercy. We the American church have a message for a country and a world on fire: There is a God who loves you and died that you might know him. This love is sufficient to gather the divided peoples of the world, even when all the politicians and philosophers fail. There is a God of justice who sees and acts on behalf of the beleaguered peoples of the world, people like George Floyd. There is a king and kingdom. And he has given us his Spirit to make him known to the ends of the earth. Esau McCaulley is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America, an assistant professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, and the author of the forthcoming book Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope (IVP Academic). This piece was adapted from a sermon preached at Anglican Church of the Redeemer in Greensboro, North Carolina on May 31. Speaking Out is Christianity Todays guest opinion column and (unlike an editorial) does not necessarily represent the opinion of the publication. [ This article is also available in espanol, Portugues, , , Indonesian, and . ] VANCOUVER, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Nextleaf Solutions Ltd. ("Nextleaf", "OILS", or the "Company") (CSE: OILS) (OTCQB: OILFF), Canada's most innovative cannabis extractor, announced today that it has been issued more patents in North America, Asia, and Europe. These additional patents were awarded in jurisdictions including, but not limited to: the United States; Spain; Portugal; Poland; Malta; Ireland; Denmark; and, Cambodia. These latest issued patents pertain to the Company's unique method of extracting and separating cannabinoids and terpenes. These patents extend the Company's existing patent portfolio to protect methodologies relating to the removal of fats and waxes during the extraction and purification process, achieving more efficient throughput rates and a higher quality distillate. Less refined cannabis extracts contain chlorophyll, fats, and other impurities that result in undesirable flavours and aromas. With the latest patent issuances, OILS has advanced its intellectual property ("IP") stack to over 35 issued patents, and 65 pending patents, for the industrial-scale extraction, and distillation of cannabinoids. With a 100% pending application to issued patent success rate, the Company has developed defendable IP around the most efficient methods for producing distilled THC and CBD at scale within a regulated environment. OILS considers European IP protection to be particularly important due to the increasing demand for medical cannabis and CBD products in these rapidly legalizing markets. Prohibition Partners projects the legal European cannabinoid market will be worth more than US$39 billion by 2024, compared to US$37 billion for the more mature North American market by the same time. The Company's patent portfolio includes protection around the methodologies and technology necessary to efficiently process dried cannabis and hemp biomass into high-purity THC and CBD oils that are used in the manufacturing of cannabinoid formulations and products. "We expect these patents will have a major impact on the production and sale of standardized cannabinoid-based products in Europe over the twenty year life of the patents," said Paul Pedersen, CEO. "These are jurisdictions that collectively manufacture and export over 70% of all drugs and medicines consumed globally, making European IP protection very important to our long-term global strategy", continued Pedersen. Employee Equity Participation Plan The Company announced today that it has issued shares under its Employee Equity Participation Plan (the "Plan") implemented on April 1st in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to align the efforts and compensation of non-executive employees with the Company's long-term business strategy. The Plan is fully voluntary and permits non-executive employees to receive common shares in the capital of the Company in lieu of a portion of an employee's cash compensation. The Plan allows the Company to reduce the cash component of employee compensation and further align incentives across the team. Under the Plan for the month of May, Nextleaf has issued an aggregate of 88,701 common shares at a price of $0.315 per share. Timing of Q2 2020 Financial Results Due to logistical issues and delays caused by the COVID-19 virus, the Company is relying on the exemption provided in BC Instrument 51-517 Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements with Deadlines during the Period from June 2 to August 31, 2020 (and similar exemptions provided by other Canadian securities regulators) (the "BC Instrument") to postpone the filing of the following continuous disclosure documents (collectively, the "Documents"): the Company's interim financial statements for the three and six month periods ended March 31, 2020 and related certifications; and and related certifications; and the Company's management discussion and analysis for the three and six month periods ended March 31, 2020 . The BC Instrument provides the Company with an additional 45 days from the deadline otherwise applicable under British Columbia securities laws to make the filing. Until the Company has filed the Documents, members of the Company's management and other insiders are subject to a trading blackout reflecting the principles contained in section 9 of National Policy 11-207 Failure to File Cease Trade Orders and Revocations in Multiple Jurisdictions such that they are in a blackout period until the end of the second trading day after the Documents have been disclosed by way of a news release. At this time, the Company expects to file the Documents by July 16, 2020. There have been no material business developments since the filing of the Company's audited annual financial statements and associated management's discussion and analysis for the three months ended December 31, 2019 that have not been otherwise disclosed by the Company by way of news release. About Nextleaf OILS is Canada's most innovative cannabis extractor, developing technology for extracting and distilling THC and CBD oils. Nextleaf's industrial-scale extraction plant in Metro Vancouver has a design capacity to process 600 kg per day of dried cannabis biomass into distilled oils. The Company owns a portfolio of over 35 issued patents and 65 pending patents for the extraction and distillation of cannabinoids. Nextleaf Solutions commercializes its patent portfolio through IP licensing, and supplying THC and CBD oils through Nextleaf Labs, a Health Canada licensed standard processor. Nextleaf Solutions trades as OILS on the Canadian Securities Exchange, OILFF on the OTCQB Market in the United States, and L0MA on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Follow OILS across social media platforms: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. www.nextleafsolutions.com For further information, please contact: 604-283-2301 (ext. 219) [email protected] On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company, Paul Pedersen, CEO 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 capitalize on its IP portfolio, expectations regarding lower costs resulting from utilization of the Company's technology, changes in the global market for cannabinoid-based products, the potential for shareholder value creation through the formalization and protection of IP, expected IP licensing revenues, the Company's 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 most recent fiscal period. Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives and 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 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. The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this press release. SOURCE Nextleaf Solutions Ltd. Related Links https://www.nextleafsolutions.com The 2020 models of the Honda Pilot and Honda Passport will be able to demonstrate more power and more cargo volume than many of their rivals. The lineup of Honda crossover SUVs is as broad and deep as any found with any of the manufacturers competitors. Potential buyers visiting the Meridian Honda showroom will find small and nimble models as well as large, three-row versions equipped with powerful V-6 engines. Two models in particular, typify the kind of capabilities that can be found on the bigger end of the automakers crossover SUV spectrum, the 2020 Honda Pilot and 2020 Honda Passport. The Pilot can hold the most people or the most cargo of any Honda crossover and the Passport is built for outdoor enthusiasts. Despite the long length of strengths each Honda vehicle demonstrates, the competition continues to try to knock them off their respective perches. Meridian Honda customers who need to be able to move a lot of people will want to focus their attention on the 2020 Honda Pilot. The three-row Honda crossover SUV is available in seven primary trim grades, LX, EX, EX-L, EX-L NAVI/RES, Touring, Elite and Black Edition. Buyers will be able to choose between seven- and eight-passenger seating configurations. Even at the base level, the 2020 Pilot is able to make up to 83.9 cubic-feet of cargo volume available, when the interior is properly configured. One of the Honda vehicles top rivals comes up short with a maximum cargo volume of 79.5 cubic-feet. The 2020 Pilot also makes a smartphone-compatible infotainment system available above the LX trim grade. Someone choosing the previously referenced rival of the Pilot will not have that capability at all. Buyers who dont mind getting their vehicles a little dirty should learn more about the 2020 Honda Passport. Honda produces the 2020 Passport in four trims, Sport, EX-L, Touring and Elite. Every one of those versions is equipped with the latest in the automakers active safety technology. Owners of the 2020 Passport will be able to use its standard 3.5-liter, V-6 engine to produce 280 horsepower, which is near 100 horsepower more than what one of its recent competitors can make. The Passport can also make at least 77 cubic-feet of cargo volume available, another distinct advantage over the aforementioned rival. Anyone can view the entire Meridian Honda inventory today by visiting the dealerships website, http://www.meridianhonda.com. The showroom is located at 503 Front Street Ext. Meridian, MS 39301. Customers can learn more about the 2020 Honda Pilot or the 2020 Honda Passport today when they schedule an appointment today by calling, 601-693-4651. Canadians soldiers, who have been pressed into service to tackle the coronavirus crisis in long-term care homes in the country, will receive benefits on par with those for troops on overseas missions, given the hazardous nature of their duty. These homes, particularly in the hardest hit provinces of Quebec and Ontario, have accounted for the majority of deaths related to the Covid-19 pandemic in Canada, and 40 soldiers have already tested positive since being stationed at such facilities. Canadian Armed Forces personnel were called in at these homes after they proved to be the epicentre of Covid-19 related fatalities, numbering more than 60 per cent of the 7,295 deaths recorded in the country so far. They were inserted into the homes after public health authorities, especially in Quebec, were unable to cope with the emergency. Such homes house those most vulnerable to the disease, like the elderly or those with chronic conditions and debilities. In a letter posted online, Canadas Chief of the Defence Staff General Jonathan Vance noted that this deployment has been designated a special duty operation. Canadian outlet CBC reported that it was expected that these soldiers will be eligible for hazard pay. Canadian Armed Forces or CAF realised the danger when they were first called in given that our personnel would be operating in high risk environments and working in close proximity to residents who have tested positive or are exhibiting Covid-19 related symptoms, a statement noted. There are 1,760 troops deployed at these facilities, of whom 1,475 are deployed at 23 homes in Quebec, beginning in April. Recent reports from the armed forces about the deplorable state of these homes has been in the headlines in the country. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has maintained that these troops will keep assisting in these nursing homes, though he also described this as a stopgap measure. On one video, Rupert could be seen walking with other people at Dearborn and Van Buren streets directly across from the Dirksen building. He later could be seen entering a store and searching the empty cash register and going into a convenience store that had been broken into and putting cigarettes and other merchandise in his backpack, according to the charges. Description: Global pandemic has affected the business landscape of the entire world. Most of the companies are facing challenges due to COVID-19 and the drop of oil prices especially in Middle East & Africa. A real transformation on the nature of business is a MUST. To help you understand more about this transformation of business from physical to digital, Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) will be hosting a free webinar co-organised with the UAE Ministry of Economy. Come join our panel of industry experts from UAE & Hong Kong on the 17th of June, 2020 at 11:00am (UAE time) / 15:00pm (HK Time), and find out more about: Use of New Technology to Sustain Your Business during Covid-19 and Beyond How SMEs Can Have Virtual Business Connections during a Global Health Crisis By Park Jae-hyuk Tmoney is facing mounting losses from its business in Mongolia which it began ambitiously in 2015, the public transportation payment service provider's regulatory filing showed Friday. Ulaanbaatar Smart Card, the Mongolian subsidiary of Tmoney, suffered a 1.79 billion won ($1.4 million) loss in 2019, following a 1.82 billion won loss the previous year. Its accumulated loss over the past five years reached 9.2 billion won. Tmoney transplanted Seoul's public transportation payment system to Mongolia, a year after it declared the "Vision 2020" plan in 2014 to overcome difficulties from the saturated domestic market. Back then, the company expected to make a 100 billion won profit from Mongolia over the following 10 years. The landlocked East Asian country, however, underwent a three-year bailout program from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2017, due to an economic slump after a sharp decline in prices of raw materials the country exports. In the aftermath of the IMF's bailout plan, Mongolia faced a rapid depreciation of its currency, which resulted in Ulaanbaatar Smart Card's continuous losses. Tmoney has lost all its initial investment in its Mongolian subsidiary. In 2016, its Mongolian subsidiary fell into a state of capital impairment. Its debt was 7.1 billion won larger than its assets as of 2019. What is worse, performances of Tmoney's other subsidiaries established for its foreign businesses have remained sluggish. In 2017, the company liquidated Tmoney America that it set up in 2014 to provide call taxi services in New York and New Jersey. Tmoney Asia, its Malaysian subsidiary, is also suffering from capital impairment, as its debt was 1 billion won larger than its assets last year. SMDev, its foreign business consulting arm, posted a 115 million won loss in 2019. The Korea Times tried several times to reach Tmoney to ask about its countermeasures against the sluggish earnings overseas, but the company did not answer. Founded in 2003, the company changed its name in 2019 from Korea Smart Card to Tmoney. Its largest shareholder is the Seoul Metropolitan Government holding a 36.16 percent stake. The second-largest is LG CNS which holds a 32.91 percent stake. Tmoney CEO Kim Tae-geuk, who has led the company since 2018, previously worked at LG CNS. Colorado State University Distinguished Professor Sonia Kreidenweis and her research group identified an atmospheric region unchanged by human-related activities in the first study to measure bioaerosol composition of the Southern Ocean south of 40 degrees south latitude. Kreidenweis' group, based in the Department of Atmospheric Science, found the boundary layer air that feeds the lower clouds over the Southern Ocean to be pristine - free from particles, called aerosols, produced by anthropogenic activities or transported from distant lands. Their findings are published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Weather and climate are complex processes connecting each part of the world to every other region, and with climate changing rapidly as a result of human activity, it's difficult to find any area or process on Earth untouched by people. Kreidenweis and her team suspected the air directly over the remote Southern Ocean that encircles Antarctica would be least affected by humans and dust from continents. They set out to discover what was in the air and where it came from. "We were able to use the bacteria in the air over the Southern Ocean as a diagnostic tool to infer key properties of the lower atmosphere," said research scientist Thomas Hill, coauthor on the study. "For example, that the aerosols controlling the properties of SO clouds are strongly linked to ocean biological processes, and that Antarctica appears to be isolated from southward dispersal of microorganisms and nutrient deposition from southern continents. Overall, it suggests that the SO is one of very few places on Earth that has been minimally affected by anthropogenic activities." Samples were collected during the NSF-funded SOCRATES field campaign, led by research scientist and coauthor Paul DeMott. Graduate student Kathryn Moore sampled the air in the marine boundary layer, the lower part of the atmosphere that has direct contact with the ocean, aboard the Research Vessel Investigator as it steamed south from Tasmania to the Antarctic ice edge. Research scientist and first author Jun Uetake examined the composition of airborne microbes captured from the ship. The atmosphere is full of these microorganisms dispersed over hundreds to thousands of kilometers by wind. Using DNA sequencing, source tracking and wind back trajectories, Uetake determined the microbes' origins were marine, sourced from the ocean. Bacterial composition also was differentiated into broad latitudinal zones, suggesting aerosols from distant land masses and human activities, such as pollution or soil emissions driven by land use change, were not traveling south into Antarctic air. These results counter all other studies from oceans in the subtropics and northern hemisphere, which found that most microbes came from upwind continents. Plants and soil are strong sources of particles that trigger freezing of supercooled cloud droplets, known as ice-nucleating particles. This process reduces cloud reflectivity and enhances precipitation, increasing the amount of sunlight reaching the surface and altering Earth's radiative balance. Over the Southern Ocean, sea spray emissions dominate the material available for forming liquid cloud droplets. Ice-nucleating particle concentrations, rare in seawater, are the lowest recorded anywhere on the planet. The air over the Southern Ocean was so clean that there was very little DNA to work with. Hill attributed the quality of their results to Uetake and Moore's clean lab process. "Jun and Kathryn, at every stage, treated the samples as precious items, taking exceptional care and using the cleanest technique to prevent contamination from bacterial DNA in the lab and reagents," Hill said. ### Link to paper: https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/05/28/2000134117 Jammu: Security forces on Monday (June 1) foiled an infiltration bid and killed at least three terrorists along the Line of Control in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. According to initial reports, the incident took place in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri on Monday morning. A group of terrorists attempted to sneak into this side from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of Monday but were intercepted by the alert troops near the Nowshera sector, triggering a gunfight. The terrorists were killed as the Indian Army successfully foiled their infiltration attempt. The Army officials said bodies of all the three terrorists were found by the search parties on Monday morning but could not be retrieved due to close proximity of the enemy posts and the lurking threat of firing during any attempt to recover them. However, a large quantity of arms and ammunition, including two AK assault rifles with 13 filled magazines, a US-make M-16A2 rifle with six filled magazines, a 9-MM Chinese pistol, an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) with six grenades, five hand grenades and two knives, was recovered during the operation, the officials said. In addition, they said, a large quantity of food items, medicines and Rs 17,000 in Indian currency was recovered from the rucksacks which were found left abandoned by the terrorists while trying to flee back in the face of the heavy firing by the Indian Army. The area is still under domination and operations are in progress, the officials said. LONG BEACH, CA - JUNE 01: After looters set fire and destroyed the building Sunday evening, a large group of volunteers help clean up Legacy Beauty & Barber Salon, near the intersection of Pine Ave. and 7th Street Monday, June 1, 2020 in Long Beach, CA. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) (Allen J. Schaben/Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) People wearing masks flocked to Long Beachs Harvey Milk Promenade Park on Monday with brooms, buckets and dustpans in hand, to clean up after looting in downtown Long Beach during an otherwise peaceful protest against the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. More than a hundred volunteers gathered beneath a Milk mural with the quote, Rights are won only by those who make their voices heard. Hope will never be silent. Everybody feel good? Lets get out there! said Broc Coward, COO of Downtown Long Beach Alliance. Volunteers cheered and dispersed to nearby parking garages, storefronts and sidewalks. Downtown Long Beach Alliance, a group representing property owners and businesses downtown, manned a table surrounded by cases of water and paint cans. Long Beach public works crews handed out brooms, rakes, gloves, buckets and masks. Two workers blasted a graffitied wall. Kraig Kojian, president and CEO of Downtown Long Beach Alliance, said he didnt sleep last night. After leaving downtown at about 2 a.m., he stayed up messaging business owners and helping people commiserate. He returned at 5:30 a.m., to join at least 20 people who had already gathered to clean up. This is what Long Beach is all about. This is really the spirit and the heart of our community, Kojian said. While it was tough to see and tough to understand the destruction, this is our first step into recovery and I think its doing a good thing for a lot of people. It is heartening. Its also therapeutic for a lot of people. Joaquin and Jennifer Perez brought their two children to participate in the downtown Long Beach protest Sunday because they wanted to show the children that they can have a voice in the face of injustice, Jennifer Perez said. Her family returned Monday morning to help with the clean-up efforts. I want them to know that the flip side is they have to come out and help when the bad happens too, Jennifer Perez said. Communitys important. Story continues But by noon, most stores there had already been cleaned up, too. Weve had an overwhelming number of volunteers, said one organizer. Many Long Beach businesses had just removed wooden boards, weathered from weeks of coronavirus quarantine, to reopen. On Monday morning, new wood was erected in its place, with some some boards containing graffiti such as, Black lives matter or ACAB, for all cops are bastards. Others were plastered with signs from the business owners. Minority family owned read a sign on door of The Social List, a bar and restaurant. We stand with you! No justice, no peace! read another sign posted above a haphazardly nailed wooden board on the front door of Lil Devils children's clothing store. The promotion of a Special Forces colonel who approved a 2017 mission in Niger in which four U.S. troops died has been canceled, according to a news report. Col. Bradley D. Moses was in charge of the Third Special Forces Group in October 2017 when his troops were ambushed while on an operation in a remote part of Niger. Read Next: Minnesota Guard Carrying Guns and Ammo in Response to 'Credible Threat,' General Says Army Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy was notifying the Senate Armed Services Committee that Moses' nomination for brigadier general was being withdrawn, The New York Times, citing unnamed defense officials, reported Friday. An Army spokeswoman declined to confirm the report and said the service does not comment on nominations being considered by the Senate. The ambush in Niger killed Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright, Sgt. La David T. Johnson and Sgt. 1st Class Jeremiah W. Johnson. The firefight was the subject of a lengthy military investigation, which found that the small unit was ill-equipped when it came under attack from a much larger force of Islamic militants. Several U.S. officers were reprimanded for their roles in the planning and approval of the mission as well as oversight of forces in the region. Among them was the two-star general in charge of Special Operations Command Africa at the time. Moses was nominated earlier in the year to become a one-star general, but in March his name was temporarily removed at the request of some lawmakers, the Times reported. That removal became permanent following the Army's action Friday, the newspaper reported. Hyderabad, June 1 : Telangana has become the torchbearer of development in the country, said the industry leaders and representatives from industry bodies on the eve of the state formation day. They feel that with innovative initiatives and people friendly schemes in areas such as agriculture, animal husbandry, electricity, industries, infrastructure, the government has set standards for other states to look up to Telangana and follow. "Despite being India's youngest state, Telangana's strides in industrial development and launching friendly initiatives are phenomenal. There is significant growth in the registration of new industrial units in Telangana. The innovative and transparent TS-iPASS initiative, has given approvals to more than 11,570 industries. About 80 per cent of the companies have started functioning generating more than six lakh jobs," said Karunendra S Jasti, President, the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI). He believes that the ease of doing business coupled with excellent infrastructure in the state has attracted some big-ticket investments like IKEA, Amazon, Intel, Micron, phone maker OnePlus, electronics major SkyWorth, and Hitachi Vantara among others. "Telangana is also witnessing steady growth of startups. The ecosystem in Hyderabad (T-Hub, We Hub) just gets strengthened by the entry of global co-working space providers like WeWork and with the state working on the second phase of T-Hub to further boost the innovation ecosystem in the city." Post Covid-19, the industry is expecting many companies to relocate to Hyderabad and Telangana from China, he added. V Rajanna, Senior VP, TCS and past Chairman CII, said that Telangana registered stunning performance in the IT sector. The state delivered Rs 1.2 lakh crores in IT exports with an annual growth rate of 18 per cent and contributing 12 per cent of the nation's IT exports. The IT industry has led rapid economic growth in the state contributing one-third of Telangana state exports. The industry employs the largest number of people which is in excess of 5.8 lakh comprising 1.8 lakh women. "The IT industry in Telangana is providing indirect employment to more than 20 lakh people in the areas of catering, housekeeping, logistics, security and others . The state government initiatives to expand the IT sector into Tier 2 cities like Warangal is an excellent move creating job opportunities in various regions," he said. G.V. Prasad, Co-Chairman and MD, Dr. Reddy's, said that the pharmaceutical industry is an important part of the state of Telangana. "The industry is nurtured well by the government and the ecosystem. The industry is doing very well and the state is the center of innovation globally for APIs and generics," he said. According to Bhaskar Reddy, Vice President, FTCCI, Telangana's projects in irrigation have become the subject of several case studies globally. Through initiatives such as the Kaleshwaram, Mission Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya, the state is creating a solid base for enhancing farmer incomes sustainably over the coming decades, while providing a high quality of living for its citizens through excellent facilities for basic services. The state has become a rice bowl for India and fulfilled its dream of bringing in one crore acres under cultivation, he added. Open source Ukraine's Ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk responded to the insult addressed to him by former Chancellor Gerhard Schroder as Ukraines Embassy to Germany reported. The name of Mr. Schroder will always be noted in the world history as the synonym to the cynical lobbyist for Kremlin in Germany who covers Putins aggressive policy and shamelessly justify the war started by Russia in the east of Ukraine and CrimeaWe, the Ukrainians, do feel nothing toward Mr. Schroder but sympathy, Melnyk stated. He made such a statement due to the fact that earlier Schroder called him midget during his Agenda podcast. The ambassador noted that such an action is, first of all, the disregard for his state and his people as he presents them. Melnyk is sure that Schroder's efforts aim for the mitigation of anti-Russian sanctions by Berlin. Melnyk believes that the ex-chancellor will not reach his goal. Earlier, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder got involved in a scandal with Ukraine's Ambassador in Germany Andriy Melnyk. The story occurred, as Schroeder spoke during the first edition of Agenda, his new audio podcast on May 26. At that, Schroeder did not call the ambassador by the name, instead, he called him a "midget". New Delhi: Aam Adami Party on Saturday suspended Sandeep Kumar from the party's primary membership following the objectionable CD case. CBI on Saturday carried out searches at the residences of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and a sitting UPSC member along with 18 other locations in a case of alleged irregularities in acquisition of land in Gurgaon in which farmers were cheated to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore. India and Vietnam on Saturday signed 12 agreements in a wide range of areas covering defence, IT, space, double taxation and sharing white shipping information, signalling a strong upward push in their strategic ties. Here are the top 5 news of the hour. 1. Sandeep Kumar CD case: AAP suspends MLA from primary membership Aam Adami Party on Saturday suspended Sandeep Kumar from the party's primary membership following the objectionable CD case. Kumar, who was caught on camera in a compromising position with a woman, was earlier asked to resign from the post of woman and child development minister on September 1. Speaking to media after deciding to suspend Kumar, Deputy chief minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia said that what he has done cannot be defended. 2. Manesar land scam: CBI raids 20 properties of Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his close aides CBI on Saturday carried out searches at the residences of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and a sitting UPSC member along with 18 other locations in a case of alleged irregularities in acquisition of land in Gurgaon in which farmers were cheated to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore. CBI sources said besides Hoodas residence, premises of the then Principal Secretary ML Tayal, UPSC member Chattar Singh, both former IAS officers, and a serving IAS SS Dhillon were also searched by the team. 3. Hanoi: India, Vietnam sign 12 agreements on defence, space, IT and others India and Vietnam on Saturday signed 12 agreements in a wide range of areas covering defence, IT, space, double taxation and sharing white shipping information, signalling a strong upward push in their strategic ties. The agreements were signed by officials of the two sides in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc. 12 for togetherness! India & Vietnam sign a dozen agreements for further strengthening the Strategic Partnership, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. 4. Opposition sets agenda for Kashmir talks, advocates Hurriyat's presence to resolve issue The CPI(M) on Saturday said that the government should invite Hurriyat Conference for talks with the all-party delegation and announce confidence building measure during its visit to Kashmir. Coming out of a briefing held by the government for members of the delegation, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, Government should invite Hurriyat for talks with the all-party delegation when it visits Kashmir from Sunday. 5. CM Fadnavis woos North Indian voters ahead of BMC polls with song 'Nazar Ke Samne Jigar Ke paas...' Reaching out to North Indians ahead of the BMC polls next year, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said people from that region and other parts of the country, who reside in the state have not only imbibed Maharashtras culture, but have also enriched it. Whenever a north Indian asks me where his place was in the state, I reply to him with a song - Najar ke samne, jigar ke pass koi rahta hai wo tum..., Fadnavis said to a round of applause. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Smoke rises around a protester holding up their hands in front of a row of police during a demonstration against the death of George Floyd at a park near the White House in Washington on May 31, 2020. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images) Widespread Fires in Washington After Protests Devolve into Chaos Chaotic scenes of violence and widespread fires engulfed Washington on Sunday as protesters took to the streets for a third consecutive night following the death of George Floyd. On Sunday evening, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on Twitter that she was imposing a citywide curfew from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Monday in an effort to stem the violent clashes and rioting. The mayor in her tweet also said she was activating the Washington National Guard to support the Metropolitan Police Department. However, just hours before the curfew was set to start, peaceful protests escalated into tense standoffs with police, with many flocking to Lafayette Square, just steps from the White House. Numerous photos and video footage circulating online show police firing rubber bullets, tear gas, and pepper spray in an effort to disperse large crowds of protesters there and on surrounding streets. Washington police said Sunday night that they were responding to multiple fires intentionally set around the city, including one reported at St. Johns Episcopal Church on H Street NW, a historic landmark located just across the street from the White House. Officials warned people to avoid the area. The fire has since been extinguished. Police told USA Today that two Target stores in the Lafayette area had been broken into. The publication reported that an American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) building was also set on fire and vandalized, with protesters smashing the windows of the building. Police run across a street during a demonstration against the death of George Floyd near the White House in Washington on May 31, 2020. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images) Democratic strategist and consultant Adam Parkhomenko tweeted that it looks like a war zone outside the White House, along with a short video showing fire and thick smoke behind graffiti-covered cement barriers. Numerous businesses downtown had boarded up doors and windows in the area in anticipation of a night of looting. According to The New York Times, Secret Service agents also rushed President Trump to a Presidential Emergency Operations Center, known as the White House bunker, on Friday night, amid the escalating violence outside. The Epoch Times has been unable to verify this. Trump tweeted Sunday that, 80% of the RIOTERS in Minneapolis last night were from OUT OF STATE, and said they were harming businesses (especially African American small businesses), homes, and the community of good, hardworking Minneapolis residents who want peace, equality, and to provide for their families. The president said much of the chaos throughout the United States was being steered by ANTIFA led anarchists, among others, and announced his administration would be designating Antifa as a terrorist organization. Widespread protests have broken out across the United States in recent days following the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old black man whom police sought to arrest outside a south Minneapolis grocery store on Memorial Day for alleged fraud. A citizens cellphone video showed an officerwho has since been identified as 44-year-old Derek Chauvinkneeling on Floyds neck for almost 9 minutes as Floyd repeatedly said he couldnt breathe and begged officers not to kill him. He eventually became unresponsive, with one witness noting that his nose was bleeding. The footage spread quickly on social media. Floyd, a father of two, was pronounced dead May 25 after he was taken into custody by authorities, and on May 26 all four officers involved in Floyds arrestChauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J. Alexander Kuengwere fired from the Minneapolis Police Department, according to a news release issued by the Minneapolis Department of Public Safety. Chauvin has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and is expected to appear at the Hennepin County Court on Monday. A 55-year-old man, who had his prison sentence upheld on charges of traffic violations, jumped to his death from the second floor of the courthouse where he was tried, but the court in southern Vietnam insisted they had remained impartial in giving the final verdict. Local authorities held a press briefing on Saturday after Luong Huu Phuoc, who lived in Dong Xoai City, the capital of Binh Phuoc Province, had committed suicide on Friday in protest at a court ruling. On Friday, Phuoc, the defendant, had his three-year sentence for breaking regulations on road traffic safety upheld by an appeals court, said Nguyen Tien Cuong, head of the provincial Party Committees Propaganda and Education Committee. According to the case file, Phuoc went home at around 11:00 am on January 15, 2017 after having alcoholic drinks at a friends house in Dong Xoai, which was still a district-level town at the time. Around 1:00 pm on the same day, one of his fellow drinkers, Tran Huu Quy, called Phuoc by phone and asked him to come back to the house because he had mistakenly taken a pair of sandals that belonged to another drinker. Upon his arrival, he was persuaded to go to a karaoke bar with Quy. Phuoc agreed, but realized that Quy was not wearing a helmet as they were driving. They drove to Quys house to get a helmet. Later, Phuoc stopped his motorcycle across the street from Quys house facing the proper direction, but Quy refused to get off the vehicle and insisted they drive across the street. Phuoc turned left to cross the road. As their motorcycle approached the opposite lane, another motorbike, whose driver was later identified as Lam Tuoi, hit Phuocs vehicle. Tuoi was carrying his brother, Tri Tiep, who was the owner of the motorbike. Consequently, both Phuoc and Quy were injured. Two days later, Quy succumbed to his injuries. A can suspected of containing a pesticide (1) and a pair of sandals (2) are left on the second floor of a courthouse in Binh Phuoc Province, Vietnam, where Luong Huu Phuoc jumped to his death on May 29, 2020. Photo: T.D. / Tuoi Tre Phuoc committed suicide, court says A representative of the provincial Peoples Court said the judges at the appeals court had taken a cautious approach and asked the local committee of judges for feedback so that they could make the most informed decision about the case. On May 26, the court started hearing the case, with Phuoc, his lawyer, and other participants in the proceedings in attendance. The court also summoned local investigators and traffic police officers who had examined the scene of the traffic accident. Taking the documented evidence of the case into account, the provincial Peoples Procuracy stated there were sufficient grounds to conclude Phuoc had committed the traffic violation and urged the judges to uphold the original judgment. On May 29, the court upheld the three-year sentence against the 55-year-old man. After hearing the verdict, he went home in the morning, but returned to the headquarters of the court in the afternoon and jumped to his death from the courthouses second floor. Authorities found a bottle suspected of containing a pesticide on the floor. Hours before his death, Phuoc had written on his Facebook profile that if his death could set alarm bells ringing for justice in Binh Phuoc Province, it would be worth doing so. A police officer inspects the scene of Luong Huu Phuoc's suicide at the People's Court of Binh Phuoc Province, Vietnam, May 29, 2020. Photo: T.D. / Tuoi Tre Judgments are fair, court also says The local court said the panel of judges had conducted fair, impartial, and objective proceedings, and had based their judgments on documented evidence. This is a complicated case, so we have been very cautious. We are the people who administer laws, so the first requirement is to follow the rule of law, and protect human rights and citizens rights, said Justice Le Hong Hanh, who presided over the appeals court. The court summoned investigators and traffic police officers who had inspected the scene of the traffic accident and had measured the alcohol content of the injured parties to the court, she stressed. The confession of the defendant is only regarded as evidence if it is consistent with other pieces of evidence. We have not considered his confession as the only piece. We have been very thoughtful since [the case] relates to the fate of a person, she said. Lam Tuoi was found to have had an alcohol content of 0.57 milligrams per liter of breath, which at the time exceeded the permissible level of 0.25 milligrams. Why not take legal proceedings against [Tuoi]? asked a reporter. Judge Hanh said the offense against regulations on road traffic is based on four factors that constitute the crime. The most important is the erroneous factor in which the direct fault causes the victims death. The defendants fault was crossing the road without observation, which flouted Clause 2, Article 15 of the Road Traffic Law. [One who] crosses the road must observe and take priority over the people who are traveling in their direction, she said. At the court, Phuoc said he had made observations before crossing the road. However, according to the judge, Lam Tuoi and other witnesses said it was a straight road, and the view was not obscured so if Phuoc had observed the road carefully he would have seen the incoming bike. Lam Tuoi did not have a drivers license and drove the motorbike under the influence of alcohol, but he did not cross over to the other side of the road and investigators also failed to calculate the speed of his vehicle. As a result, he was only fined for driving without a license and driving while drunk. The Supreme People's Court of Vietnam has asked for an explanation from the Peoples Court of Binh Phuoc Province, and intended to consider the filed case. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! As protesters gathered outside the White House on Friday night in Washington DC, United States President Donald Trump was briefly taken to the White House underground bunker, The New York Times reported citing a person having firsthand knowledge about the incident. Trump was there for less than an hour before being brought upstairs. After hundreds of people surged towards the White House on Friday, Secret Service and the United States Park Police officers sought to block them. Trump's team was surprised by the protests that were witnessed outside the White House on Friday night, according to the US daily. It is, however, unclear if Melania Trump and Barron Trump were also taken down with him. On Sunday, as many as 40 cities and Washington D.C. across the United States have imposed curfews in response to the continuing protests against the death of African-American man George Floyd in police custody. According to CNN, 40 cities have imposed curfews and approximately 5,000. National Guard members have been activated in 15 states and Washington, DC with another 2,000 prepared to activate if needed. Demonstrators across the United States have been protesting since May 25, when George Floyd, a 46-years-old African American man, died under the police custody in the city of Minneapolis. UP TO 20 people in Limerick city this Bank Holiday Monday afternoon reflected the rising anger in the USA and globally at the police killing of George Floyd. At around 1.30pm, while social distancing, they joined together to protest at Bedford Row. The photo was sent in by a Leader reader. "There was about 20 there. The were chanting 'black lives matter'. You could hear them all over the area. "They were on one knee like Colin Kaepernick. Fair dues to them. Protests have spread from America across the globe so it is great to see one in Limerick," they said. #BLACK_LIVES_MATTER Social distancing and supporting our friends in the USA. Love from Limerick Ireland pic.twitter.com/q9gBBwHNui sean mcgee (@arclight2011) June 1, 2020 The days since George Floyd died during an arrest in Minneapolis on May 25 have seen protests across America, many marked by clashes with police. Now protests are taking place in cities all over the world. A black lives matter protest is also scheduled for Saturday from 2pm to 3.30pm in Arthurs Quay Park. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA is seen at the company's headquarters in Sao Jose dos Campos By Marcelo Rochabrun SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's Embraer SA said on Monday that China and India could be potential new partners, following a Reuters report last week that said those two countries as well as Russia were interested in the planemaker's commercial jets division. Embraer is dealing with the abrupt collapse of a planned deal with Boeing Co in April that left the company scrambling for a plan B. Embraer Chief Executive Francisco Gomes Neto said in an earnings call that it was still early to discuss new opportunities in detail as the company is studying a new five-year plan. He added that partnerships could involve products, engineering and production. Gomes Neto named China and India as potential partners, as well as unnamed "other countries." Embraer said ahead of the earnings call, however, that it was not currently negotiating with China's state-owned COMAC, Russia's Irkut or India on any potential deal to replace the one with Boeing, adding that it regularly evaluates potential partnerships. The company reported a $292 million first-quarter loss on Monday due to weak demand amid the coronavirus pandemic and the impact of the failed deal with Boeing. Embraer also said it was seeking new liquidity. Reuters reported that Brazilian development bank BNDES is helping coordinate a $600 million loan for the planemaker, which burned through $677 million in cash in the quarter. The firm said its decision to put staff on paid leave in January in order to finalize details of the Boeing deal was largely responsible for a 23% drop in revenue. In March, Embraer again put workers on leave due to the coronavirus pandemic. Executives declined to comment on an arbitration process against Boeing due to its cancellation of the deal. But the company did say that it expects to recover from Boeing tax costs related to the deal that negatively affected Embraer's quarterly results. (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun; Editing by Alexander Smith and Steve Orlofsky) In the framework of the EU funded Armenian-Georgian Platform for Policy Development project the Yerevan and Tbilisi Schools of Political Studies organize a series of focus group meetings on fight against corruption, anti-discrimination and tourism for economic growth. The third meeting had to be organized in an online format conditioned by the pandemic situation. Armenian-Georgian focus group discussions on anti-corruption took place on 8-10 May 2020 via online platform. During the three-day online discussions 19 representatives from Yerevan and Tbilisi Schools of Political Studies carried out discussions on practical steps to prevent and fight corruption in Armenia and in Georgia. The group of young leaders looked into the existing gaps and challenges, as well as underlined the importance of education and raising awareness of the population in order to establish perception of justice and zero tolerance towards corruption culture in the societies. The participants attached the importance to the lessons learnt, exchange of good practices and finding new niches for mutual cooperation. Qualified Armenian and Georgian experts presented the situation, national strategies, legal regulations, policies and effective tools for combating corruption. Debates and discussions included topics like Classification and forms of corruption; Corruption mitigation strategies in the public and private sectors good practices and new approaches; Growth-enhancing effects of anti-corruption policies; Detecting and investigating corruption; Corruption in judiciary; Comparative analysis on corruption in Armenia and Georgia: causes, effects and solutions. The results of the Armenian-Georgian focus group discussions will be reflected in policy recommendations with concrete actions prepared by experts of the Yerevan and Tbilisi Schools of Political Studies, to support the authorities to manage the corruption risks by preventing and detecting it. The policy recommendation will be presented in June 2020. Armenian-Georgian Platform for Policy Development project is funded by the European Union under the Rapid Response Mechanism of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Facility. The project is implemented by the Yerevan School of Political Studies in cooperation with the Tbilisi School of Political Studies. Both Schools belong to the Network of the European Association of the Schools of Political Studies. Italian billionaire Leonardo Del Vecchio confirmed Monday he had asked for green light from the European Central Bank to increase his stake in Mediobanca above 10% and up to 20%. In an emailed statement, Del Vecchio's holding company Delfin said it had filed the request with the Bank of Italy on May 29, adding the authorization process usually takes up to 60 days, barring any suspension. A source said on Sunday that Del Vecchio, chairman of eye-wear giant EssilorLuxottica, had asked the ECB for permission to increase his stake in the Italian merchant bank, confirming a press report. Del Vecchio became Mediobanca's biggest shareholder in November with a holding of just under 10% after the bank's decades-long partner UniCredit sold its entire stake. She said she was impressed with the way Prime Minister Modi pulled together members of the SAARC, including Pakistan. In an exclusive interview with IANS, the Secretary-General said India -- a home to half of the Commonwealth's 2.4 billion citizens -- is a valued member of the Commonwealth family, with its government, people and institutions contributing in practical ways to collaborate across the 54 member countries, particularly through innovative programmes such as the UN India Fund and Commonwealth Trade Finance Facility. On the pandemic, she said the whole Commonwealth has been affected by the virus. India reported its first case in January just like the US, Italy and Russia and has made an immense effort to keep the spread of the virus under control and safeguard its citizens. As of May 20, it has over 106,000 cases and 42,298 recoveries -- considering the size of its population, India has done well, Scotland said. "That is why, people are looking to India for how Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government and people of India have responded to the pandemic, controlled it and minimised it because it could have been so much worse," she said. "We know that we have never needed multilateralism more than we do today. I was very impressed with how PM Modi pulled together members of SAARC, including Pakistan -- everyone came -- in which the need for 'coming together, not growing apart' was underlined. "I commend India for providing various medical supplies -- testing kits and sanitisers among other items -- to SAARC members, including Commonwealth member states Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka," she said. "India is the largest provider of generic drugs globally and can, therefore, draw on its growing pharma industry to provide medical supplies to many small Commonwealth states and we've been very interested in how India's made this contribution." Thanking to India's Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan for participating in the Commonwealth Health Ministers' meeting this month, she said he highlighted India's response to COVID-19, under the highest level of political commitment and guidance of Prime Minister Modi, who has been pro-active. "The Commonwealth looks forward to working more closely with representatives of government and other agencies to share solutions and advice in fighting this pandemic," she added. Commonwealth Health Ministers, including Vardhan, at the Commonwealth Health Ministers' meeting have agreed to coordinate their response in tackling the pandemic. The ministers have endorsed removing fees for the coronavirus tests and treatment, especially for migrants and refugees, as appropriate within national contexts, and creating a voluntary mechanism to share and distribute extra medical supplies, including ventilators and testing kits. India will chair the next meeting of the Commonwealth Health Ministers in May 2021. As on May 21, 5,000,038 coronavirus cases have been reported globally. Half a million of these are in the Commonwealth countries. Seven member states are among the 12 nations worldwide that have not reported any cases. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) --IANS vg/dpb The Delhi government on Monday announced it was closing its borders for a week to ensure that hospitals facilites are used only to the residents of the city, and sought views from the public about whether health services in the Capital should be available during the Covid-19 pandemic only to people who live here. Delhi recorded 990 new cases on Monday, with total cases breaching the 20,000 mark to stand at 20,834. The moment we open the borders, people from across the country will come to Delhi for treatment. There are about 9,500 beds for the treatment of Covid-19 patients in Delhi; currently, there are only 2,300 patients. The beds will fill up in just two days if patients from across the country come for treatment to Delhi. Should we open the borders? Some say, borders should be opened but the hospitals services should be reserved for those living in Delhi till Covid-19 pandemic, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a press briefing. He asked for suggestions till Friday 5pm on WhatsApp (8800007722), email (delhicm.suggestion@gmail.com) , or voice message (1031). A decision will be taken next week, he said. So far, Delhi has 3,755 beds in government hospitals including central government-run hospitals All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Safdarjung, Ram Manohar Lohia (RML), and Lady Hardinge Medical College. Among the 5,390 beds the government plans to add by June 15 are 100 beds in the railway hospital and 70 beds in the Army Base hospital. These hospitals cannot refuse any patients. RML has a no refusal policy. We treat whoever comes to our hospital, said Dr Minakshi Bhardwaj, medical superintendent of the hospital. Similarly, at AIIMS an autonomous institute under the central government patients cannot be restricted based on where they stay as per hospital policy. As far as AIIMS is concerned, we treat patients from across the country almost 50% of our patients are not Delhi residents. Being a central government-run hospital, we will continue to do so, said Dr DK Sharma, medical superintendent, AIIMS. Experts, however, say the Delhi government can restrict the services under such unusual circumstances. The (state) government can choose to close the border and restrict health services. Currently, the state has the right to requisition each and every bed in the city irrespective of the ownership. Every state has a capacity and it is naturally justified that they want to utilise it for the treatment of their own patients, said K Sujatha Rao, a former union health secretary. Some experts, however, suggested the move could be seen as a violation of the right to life. The [Delhi] government is seeking public opinion to justify an action it wants to take. However, all citizens in this country are equal and should have equal access to healthcare services. Plus, all health care facilities in Delhi are not run by the Delhi government there are centre-run hospitals, MCD-run hospitals, said advocate Ashok Agarwal, who works on cases of access to health care. In private hospitals that received subsidised land from the government, the guidelines say anybody from anywhere in India is eligible for free treatment under the economically weaker section category, said Agarwa, who had filed a petition in high court when the Delhi government restricted certain services such as free medicines and diagnostics to Delhi residents in its Guru Teg Bahadur hospital, which receives about 70% of the patients from outside Delhi. In that matter, the high court said that it was violative of right to life, said Aggarwal. But with Kejriwal seeking views from citizens, the jury is out on who should be treated in Delhi hospitals in the time of Covid-19. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden visits a site of the protest over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, in Wilmington, Del. on May 31, 2020. (Joe Biden for President via Reuters) Biden Visits George Floyd Protests in Delaware as Trump Condemns Violence Presumptive presidential challenger Joe Biden left his house again in a rare departure to visit multiple protests in Delaware sparked by the death of George Floyd. Biden, 77, has largely remained at home since the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated in March. Following a Memorial Day appearance, Biden on May 31 went to protests in Wilmington and along with Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) visited small businesses damaged by rioters, who have created mayhem across the nation by destroying buildings, torching property, and lashing out with violence against police officers, reporters, and innocent bystanders. Riots and protests have taken place in many areas alongside each other in fluid situations that have seen protesters stop rabble-rousers from fomenting violence. In other cases, large groups barged into stores and looted everything in sight. One of Bidens official social media accounts shared a photograph of him on one knee, wearing a blue suit and a light blue mask. We are a nation in pain, but we must not allow this pain to destroy us. We are a nation enraged, but we cannot allow our rage to consume us. We are a nation exhausted, but we will not allow our exhaustion to defeat us, a statement attributed to Biden said. Rioters destroy a car near the White House in Washington in Washington on May 31, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo) The only way to bear this pain is to turn all that anguish to purpose. And as President, I will help lead this conversationand more importantly, I will listen, just as I did today visiting the site of last nights protests in Wilmington. In a video posted on the account, the former vice president walked with three youth, one of whom said he wanted Biden to save us by beating President Donald Trump. Protests began across the United States in recent days, sparked by video footage showing Floyd, an unarmed black man, held on the ground by police officers in Minneapolis while being arrested on suspicion of forgery. An officer who knelt on Floyds neck during the arrest, Derek Chauvin, was himself arrested on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter last week after Floyds death. While a preliminary autopsy found no evidence of traumatic asphyxiation or strangulation, a family-commissioned independent autopsy determined that asphyxiation from sustained pressure was the cause of Floyds death. Dr. Michael Baden and Dr. Allecia Wilson, who performed the autopsy, said there was neck and back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain, Floyd family attorney Benjamin Crump said on June 1. Biden also released a blog post calling protesting against police brutality an utterly American response while condemning the burning down of communities, needless destruction, and violence that endangers lives violence that guts and shutters businesses that serve the community. The presumptive Democratic presidential candidatewho is currently vetting candidates for vice presidentsaid, if elected, he will help lead a conversation about injustice. Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin 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) I will keep the commitment I made to Georges brother, Philonise, that George will not just be a hashtag. We must and will get to a place where everyone, regardless of race, believes that to protect and serve means to protect and serve them, he said. Trump has also condemned the violence that has erupted in many cities amid protests, accusing rioters of dishonoring the memory of Floyd. The president repeatedly criticized governors and mayors overseeing cities and states where the most intense violence has occurred, calling on them to activate the National Guard and respond with force. The abandonment of a police station in Minneapolis, Trump told reporters May 30, while in Florida for the SpaceX launch, was the most horrible and stupid thing hes witnessed in his life. President Donald Trump speaks after viewing the successful launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the manned Crew Dragon spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on May 30, 2020. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Ive never seen anything so bad. And then I see them trying to justify it, he said. Look, theyve got to be tough, theyve got to be smart. We have our military ready, willing, and able if they ever want to call our military. But we can have troops to the ground very quickly if they ever want our military, he added, though the administration has so far held off on deploying troops. Trump also promised to designate Antifa, a far-left group with communist origins that openly espouses violence, as a terrorist organization. Trump on June 1 accused Biden of having radical staffers, pointing to the campaign of his presumed opponent joining in calls to bail people arrested for violence and disorder out of jail. President Donald Trump (L). (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images); Former Vice President Joe Biden. (Frank Franklin II/AP Photo) Joe doesnt know anything about it, he is clueless, but they will be the real power, not Joe. They will be calling the shots! Big tax increases for all, Plus! he wrote on Twitter. Biden on June 1 went to a church in Wilmington, meeting with community leaders. He also planned to hold a virtual meeting with mayors from four cities, including St. Paul, Minnesota, which neighbors Minneapolis. We may be special, but we nonetheless endured the same lockdown rules as everybody else. France is a centralized country, and everything is decided in Paris. And those rules have been strict: Until a couple of weeks ago, for instance, the number of times and the errands for which you could leave your home were limited, and you had to carry a signed and dated form listing the hour and reason for your excursion. By mid-May, the authorities had stopped and questioned people 20.7 million times and issued 1.1 million fines for violating the rules. In contrast to Switzerland and Belgium (where people didnt need to carry signed forms) and Germany (where rules were issued by local governments), the lockdown in France has been rigid, bureaucratic and infantilizing. I have been astonished by the obedience of the French, which has belied their reputation as undisciplined and defiant. Once the shutdown was imposed nationally in March, life stopped in the center of Vialas. Dominique, the bookseller, said that the village was reminiscent of a ghost town of the American Wild West. The local government got calls from villagers telling on their neighbors for bending the rules. Frightened, most people hunkered down at home. Of course, since many of them lived far away from anyone else, that wasnt much of a change. The bakery stayed open, as did the superette (our little grocery store) and the cigarette shop, all essential businesses. Authorities are currently having an investigation in the process after an incident that happened in the KBS network building where a hidden camera was discovered inside the women's restroom. On May 29, the Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station received a report that an illegal recording device, which looked like a portable external battery, was found in a women's restroom. After receiving the report, the police immediately removed the device and started to investigate the said matter. The location where the camera was found was in a building that was used to be an apartment complex, where it is said to be the practice rooms for the cast of "Gag Concert." When the camera was discovered, the cast of the show gathered in the area to conduct a final rehearsal before the show went to a break. The particular building claimed not to have CCTV cameras installed near the bathroom entrances or even on its hallways. So, the police are working hard to examine the footage from the CCTV that was installed near the building entrance. A lot of the employees of the KBS network are deeply saddened about the issue as they express their feelings online, stating, "In a location that produces media, at the KBS headquarters of all places, a hidden camera was discovered in the women's restroom, and the police were immediately called." The employee added, "After analysis, the camera was found to be not a real-time transmission device, but a storage device. As an employee of KBS, I feel saddened and disgusted." Authorities declared that if they identify a suspect and find the culprit, the person will be charged for violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes and evidence will be secured. One source from the KBS broadcasting company shared that they intend to comply with the police actively and cooperate with the investigation to catch the culprit of the said crime. And the company assured that they will implement strict measures to prevent such incidents from happening again. Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) is a well-known national public broadcaster of South Korea. The company was founded way back in 1972, and it operates through radios, television, and online services. KBS is among the largest South Korean television networks. KBS is a public corporation that is being funded by the South Korean government and license fees. However, it is managed independently. As part of the Korean Constitution, the president of the company is selected by the President of South Korea, after being recommended by the board of directors. By PTI KOLKATA: West Bengal registered the highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases on Sunday with 371 more testing positive for the disease, the health department said. The total number of coronavirus cases in the state currently stood at 5,501, while active cases rose to 3,027, the department said. Eight people have succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours -- seven from Kolkata and one from neighbouring North 24 Parganas -- raising the death toll to 245. During the period, 187 people were discharged from different hospitals, taking the number of recoveries in the state to 2,157. Earlier, the state government had attributed deaths of 72 coronavirus-afflicted people to comorbidities and had said COVID-19 in those cases was "incidental". Of the 371 fresh cases, 72 are from the metropolis, 60 from North 24 Parganas, 47 from Howrah, 43 from Hooghly, 27 from Birbhum, 18 from Nadia, 13 from East Burdwan, 11 from Murshidabad, eight from Bankura, six each from West Burdwan, Purulia and South 24 Parganas, four from East Medinipore, and two from West Medinipore, the health department said in its bulletin. In Kolkata, four residents of staff quarters at Beliaghata ID hospital one of the facilities earmarked for COVID-19 patients were found to have contracted the disease. At least 47 cases were recorded in the northern part of the state -- 36 from Coochbehar, nine from Dakshin Dinajpur and two from Malda. One person diagnosed with the disease was not a resident of Bengal and his whereabouts were being determined, an official said. "A chunk of those who tested positive are migrant labourers who recently returned to Bengal from other states. These people mostly hail from districts such as Dakshin Dinajpur, Coochbehar, Malda, Murshidabad, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, Birbhum and East Burdwan," the senior official of the department said. As many as 9,354 samples were tested for COVID-19 since Saturday evening. The number of samples examined so far has climbed to 2,03,751, it added. Meanwhile, a pharmacist, who had tested positive for the disease, died at a private hospital in Howrah, a source in the department said. It is yet to be ascertained whether he died of the disease or due to comorbidity, the source said, adding contact tracing and follow-up action were underway. The West Bengal government has allowed inter-district movement of state transport undertaking and private bus services from Monday, but the private operators are divided over recommencing services with a lesser number of passengers owing to the social distancing norms. ALSO READ | COVID-19: Happy with West Bengal govt order allowing shooting, film industry chalks out logistics While the Bus Minibus Samannoy Samity on Sunday said that it will recommence services in some routes on an experimental basis, the Joint Council of Bus Syndicates said it will not be possible to run buses with only sitting capacity passengers on current fares as that would lead to losses. In a meeting of the Joint Council of Bus Syndicates on Sunday, it was decided that a memorandum will be given to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikary on Tuesday, seeking formation of a regulatory body for revising fares, its general secretary Tapan Banerjee said. Rahul Chatterjee, secretary of Bus Minibus Samannoy Samity (coordination committee), another body of bus owners in the state, said that buses will be run on some routes in Kolkata and the districts from Monday on an experimental basis. They, however, demanded that the government consider an increase in fares so as to keep the services going without causing losses to the owners. "As it is, the buses have been idling since March 22. A lot of money has to be spent to make these roadworthy again. We seek the government waive road tax for the period that the buses have not been plying and also seek the Centre's intervention in reducing insurance premium," Chatterjee said. He said that the government should also provide its infrastructure for sanitising the buses at its various facilities and also provide face masks and gloves and hand sanitisers to the staff. The West Bengal government, in an order issued on Saturday, allowed intra-state (inter-district) movement of government and private buses from June 1, with passengers not more than the actual seating capacity of the bus. "No passenger shall be allowed to travel standing in the bus. All passengers shall wear face masks and gloves during the entire journey," the order said. It has not said anything about restarting of inter- state bus services. West Bengal Transport Corporation is already running buses on 40 city routes, while SBSTC and NBSTC are running buses in the districts in south Bengal and north Bengal. All these STUs have already recommenced inter-district bus services from May 27. Private bus operators have stayed away from resuming services as their demands for increasing fares were not met by the state government. The private bus operators had demanded a nearly three-time hike in fares, claiming that carrying only 20 passengers at a time in each bus as per the government directive for maintaining social distancing norms owing to the coronavirus pandemic would lead to huge losses for them. The state government had earlier allowed only 20 passengers in a bus at a time. (@FahadShabbir) Three civilians, including a child, were killed in a roadside bomb blast in the central Afghan province of Ghazni, a medical source from a hospital in neighboring Paktia province told Sputnik on Monday KABUL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st June, 2020) Three civilians, including a child, were killed in a roadside bomb blast in the central Afghan province of Ghazni, a medical source from a hospital in neighboring Paktia province told Sputnik on Monday. "A woman, a driver and a child were killed and a another woman was injured in a roadside bomb blast in the Nazar Khan area of Andar district in Ghazni province this afternoon," the source said. Andar district is located close to Paktika province where people also go for health care services. Afghanistan has long been fighting the radical Taliban movement, which continues to conduct attacks across the country despite reaching a peace deal with Washington earlier this year. The violence erupted in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 11, 1963, just before Mother's Day. Just a day earlier, the city's business leaders had reached an agreement with its black residents, led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, on wide-ranging desegregation and the hiring of African Americans for jobs long denied them. At a news conference, Shuttlesworth, a longtime Alabama activist, praised Birmingham as "an example of progressive racial relations" and was pleased to see "for all mankind a dawn of a new day, a promise for all men, a day of opportunity, and a new sense of freedom for all America." The agreement, which came after weeks of demonstrations in the city, enraged the Ku Klux Klan and its police protectors, overseen by Birmingham's racist public safety commissioner, Eugene "Bull" Connor. The optimism that Shuttlesworth expressed went up in flames that Saturday evening, and since then America's progress toward racial harmony has stumbled forward only intermittently. Not even the election of the nation's first black president has put an end to America's ugly racism, as the killing of George Floyd by a white Minneapolis police officer this month demonstrated once again. Amid a pandemic killing thousands of African Americans, Floyd's death has triggered protests and rioting in cities across the country, along with inflammatory tweets from President Donald Trump and threats of military force. In 1963, a very different president - John F. Kennedy - faced rioting in Birmingham, a city that had become a focus of the civil rights movement. The Birmingham protest movement had its headquarters in the Gaston Motel, an establishment owned by city's most prominent black businessman. King and other members of the movement's leadership lodged at the motel. Word spread that the Klan, in its rage, planned to retaliate against the Birmingham agreement by killing King with a bomb at the Gaston Motel. When Bull Connor heard of the plot, he rejected the advice of a visiting police chief from Albany, Georgia, who urged him to set up a visible presence outside the motel to protect King and other black leaders. Dismissing the notion, Connor declared he wasn't going to "guard that n----- son-of-a-b----." The blast rocked the motel, the sound of the explosion carrying far through Birmingham on the humid, heavy air. Bars and pool halls in the nearby neighborhoods emptied, blacks running toward the motel. The dynamite knocked out a wall, shattered windows and ripped apart the motel office just below Room 30, King's suite. A mob swarmed outside seeking vengeance. Though King was spared, having left Birmingham earlier to return to Atlanta to preach at his church on Sunday, riots ripped through the city, fed further by two other bombs at the house of King's brother, A.D. King. The first landed on the lawn; its impact was mostly limited to alerting A.D. King, his wife and five children who raced out the back to safety before a much larger bomb landed near the porch, ripping bricks off the walls, caving in the roof and hurling the front door deep into the house. By 4:30 a.m., as Mother's Day dawned, Birmingham lay in devastation like a city in the aftermath of a wartime assault. The unrest had spread over a 28-block area. Fifty people had been injured. One policeman was stabbed. Scores of cars and police vehicles were destroyed, some were burned, and six small stores and a two-story apartment house went up in flames. The rioters were not Martin Luther King Jr.'s soldiers well-schooled in nonviolence, but rather long-suffering African Americans, scarred by the brutality regularly inflicted on them by police and white society, and invisible until they expressed their rage by torching their own community. In the afternoon, President Kennedy touched down on the South Lawn of the White House in an Army helicopter, cutting short his Mother's Day weekend stay at Camp David. His attorney general and brother, Robert F. Kennedy, rolled up in his Ford Galaxie convertible packed with three aides and his dog Brummus. The men congregated inside the Oval Office along with four top figures from the military for an emergency meeting. The Oval Office conversation debated whether more violence was on the way, whether federal troops were needed to maintain law and order, and whether the agreement between the black community and Birmingham business leaders was in danger of falling apart. President Kennedy, seated in his back-comforting rocking chair, had the delicate task of preserving the racial progress the agreement represented and ensuring business people and the city's other white residents that violence would not erupt again. He knew he needed to be compassionate, flexible and well-informed. Without inflaming Birmingham's white population by appearing to side with King, the president nonetheless wanted secretly to hear the civil rights leader's reading of the situation. Assistant Attorney General Burke Marshall, who helped navigate the agreement to fruition, had already spoken to King, who was rushing back to Birmingham to urge blacks to stay off the streets. "He intends to go around the city," Marshall told the president, "and visit pool halls and saloons and talk to the Negroes and preach against violence." Kennedy wanted to hear more from King. He asked Marshall to get King on the phone, and the adviser went to another room to phone the civil rights leader. The president had brought to the meeting a stack of papers, among which were copies of King's most recent comments. Selecting one of the pages, Kennedy read out loud that King did not want the bombings to jeopardize the agreement, a sentiment the president shared. "Now there's one other thing," Kennedy said, shuffling through the papers, "where he's asked me to make a statement." He then read a portion of a United Press International news report in which King was quoted making a direct appeal to the president: King "said today the new outbursts would make it mandatory to take a forthright stand against the indignities which Negro citizens still face." Marshall returned to Oval Office having asked King what kind of statement he advised the president to make. King hoped the president would steer people away from violence and, according to Marshall, call on "everyone to be decent and respect law and order." King said that, as long as there were no more bombings or other incidents, he expected the community to stay calm. But if Birmingham's business leaders reversed themselves and rejected the agreement, King warned, "I can't control the people." At 9 p.m., Kennedy spoke on live television for barely a minute, his face framed in a tight camera shot. He said he was "deeply concerned" about events in Birmingham and mentioned the bombings of A.D. King's house and the Gaston Motel, and the rioting that ensued, noting the damage, injuries and police brutality against African Americans. He said the government was prepared to do whatever was necessary "to preserve order, to protect the lives of its citizens, and to uphold the law of the land." He praised the Birmingham agreement as "a fair and just accord" and vowed that the federal government would not allow it "to be sabotaged by a few extremists on either side." He called upon Birmingham residents "to realize that violence only breeds more violence, and that good will and good faith are most important now." In conclusion, he made clear his willingness to use force to maintain order and to ensure that the settlement was enacted: He was dispatching troops trained in riot control to military bases near Birmingham, and he was preparing for federalizing the Alabama National Guard, should its deployment become necessary. With the resolution of a leader concerned about all of his constituents, the president straddled the line, delivering a strong, forceful endorsement of desegregation and equal rights; he also conveyed that he would brook no more violence from the black community. Birmingham fell quiet. King's exhortations in churches, pool halls and bars helped preserve the peace. But reverberations of its unrest were rocking cities around the country: Demonstrations erupted in Jackson, Mississippi, and Raleigh, North Carolina, and spread to the North. Black Muslims sparked violent clashes in the New York City neighborhood of Harlem, and protests flared in Philadelphia; Chicago; and Syracuse and New Rochelle, New York. A troubling realization settled over the White House: Racial strife, far from abating, was intensifying. In response to the wildfire of protests sweeping the nation, Kennedy moved tentatively toward a dramatic solution. His aides began drafting legislation that would give the government the power to speed up integration of public facilities and schools. The president realized that action in Congress was necessary because Southern states easily subverted constitutional requirements on desegregation, and court efforts were circuitous and time-consuming. On June 11, after Alabama Gov. George Wallace, a Democrat, stood in the schoolhouse door to block black students from enrolling at the University of Alabama, Kennedy decided the time for action had come. With urgency and speed, he and his advisers cobbled together a speech that would come to define a part of Kennedy's legacy, and at 8 p.m. that evening, he settled in front of television cameras in the Oval Office to announce plans to introduce civil rights legislation. As he spoke, the camera slowly zoomed in, enhancing the gravity and importance of his words. Framed in a tight head-and-shoulders shot, looking crisp in a white shirt, narrow tie and a handkerchief poking from his jacket pocket, the president asked the nation to take a lesson from the scenes in Alabama; he challenged Americans to be better, drawing on words that were in many ways about himself and his own journey that had brought him to this point: "I hope that every American, regardless of where he lives, will stop and examine his conscience." He reminded his listeners that the United States "was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened." As he spoke into the television camera that June evening, the president revealed a passion and commitment to civil rights that he had never before shown. In this address 2 1/2 years into his term, the president found his moral voice, his commitment of mind and heart. Without hesitation or equivocation, he embraced black justice. "Recognizing the call of history," early King biographer Lerone Bennett wrote, "Kennedy made an abrupt turn and accepted the mantle of moral leadership King had urged upon him." Governor Newsom Statement on Demonstrations Across California and the Passing of Federal Officer Sacramento, California - Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement Saturday on the demonstrations across California: Over the last few days, we have seen millions of people lift their voices in anger, rightfully outraged at how systemic racism is allowed to persist. Every single day, people of color are disadvantaged and discriminated against. Black and Latino men in particular face mortal danger all across this country simply because of their race. Every person who has raised their voice should be heard. I want to thank all those who helped protect human life last night and today from community members who exercised their right to protest peacefully and encouraged others to do the same, to the law enforcement officers who faced what were, at times, challenging conditions. In California and across the country, there are indications that violent actors may be attempting to use these protests for their own agendas. We are closely monitoring organizing by violent extremist organizations ahead of tonight. To those who seek to exploit Californians pain to sow chaos and destruction, you are not welcome. Our state and nation must build from this moment united and more resolved than ever to address racism and its root causes. The Governor also issued a statement Saturday on the passing of a federal officer in Oakland: This is a moment of pain for our state and nation. We are also mourning the tragic loss of a federal security officer and wounding of another in Oakland. Jennifer and I send our sincere condolences to their families, friends and colleagues. No one should rush to conflate this heinous act with the protests last night. A federal investigation is underway, and we should let that process play out. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Exclusive: Russia to roll out its first approved COVID-19 drug next week FILE PHOTO: Paramedics carry out their duties amid the coronavirus disease outbreak in Tver By Andrew Osborn MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will start giving its first drug approved to treat COVID-19 to patients next week, its state financial backer told Reuters, a move it hopes will ease strains on the health system and speed a return to normal economic life. Russian hospitals can begin giving the antiviral drug, which is registered under the name Avifavir, to patients from June 11, the head of Russia's RDIF sovereign wealth fund told Reuters in an interview. He said the company behind the drug would manufacture enough to treat around 60,000 people a month. There is currently no vaccine for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, and human trials of several existing antiviral drugs have yet to show efficacy. A new antiviral drug from Gilead called remdesivir has shown some promise in small efficacy trials against COVID-19 and is being given to patients by some countries under compassionate or emergency use rules. Avifavir, known generically as favipiravir, was first developed in the late 1990s by a Japanese company later bought by Fujifilm as it moved into healthcare. RDIF head Kirill Dmitriev said Russian scientists had modified the drug to enhance it, and said Moscow would be ready to share the details of those modifications within two weeks. Japan has been trialling the same drug, known there as Avigan. It has won plaudits from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and $128 million in government funding, but has yet to be approved for use. Avifavir appeared on a Russian government list of approved drugs on Saturday. ACCELERATED PROCESS Dmitriev said clinical trials of the drug had been conducted involving 330 people, and had shown that it successfully treated the virus in most cases within four days. The trials were due to be concluded in around a week, he said, but the health ministry had given its approval for the drug's use under a special accelerated process and manufacturing had begun in March. Story continues Clinical trials to test efficacy drugs usually take many months, even when expedited, and involve large numbers of patients randomly assigned who receive either the drug being trialled or a control or placebo. Success in small small-scale, early-stage trials is no guarantee of success in later, more comprehensive trials. A study published this month, for example, tied the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine, which U.S. President Donald Trump says he has been taking and has urged others to use, to an increased risk of death in hospitalised COVID-19 patients. Dmitriev said Russia was able to cut testing timescales because the Japanese generic drug which Avifavir is based on was first registered in 2014 and had undergone significant testing before Russian specialists modified it. "We believe this is a game changer. It will reduce strain on the healthcare system, we'll have fewer people getting into a critical condition," said Dmitriev. "We believe that the drug is key to resuming full economic activity in Russia." With 414,878 cases, Russia has the third highest number of infections in the world after Brazil and the United States, but has a relatively low official death toll of 4,855 - something that has been the focus of debate. RDIF, which has a 50% share in the drug's manufacturer ChemRar, funded the trials and other work with its partners, to the tune of around 300 million roubles ($4.3 million), said Dmitriev, who explained that the costs to Russia were much lower because of previous development work conducted in Japan. (Editing by Nick Macfie and Kate Kelland) Blast: NYPD officers are caught in the glare of an explosion caused by an unidentified object during protests in Brooklyn. Photo: Reuters/Eduardo Munoz In cities in every corner of America, from Philadelphia in the east to San Francisco in the west, anger at racism and police brutality spilled onto the streets at the weekend, leading to ugly confrontations. In Los Angeles, protesters torched a police car and smashed shop windows. In Minneapolis, officers struggling to enforce a curfew fired rubber bullets. Expand Close Defiant: A protester looks on as a police vehicle burns in Salt Lake City. AP Photo/Rick Bowmer / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Defiant: A protester looks on as a police vehicle burns in Salt Lake City. AP Photo/Rick Bowmer Near the White House, police kept the crowds back with pepper spray as smoke rose above the nation's capitals. While in some places the protests were peaceful, in others they gave way to looting and rioting. One historian said such a spasm of protests had not been seen in the country since after Martin Luther King's assassination in 1968. Throughout the weekend, footage of protesters gagging on tear gas and members of the National Guard forming defensive lines with shields and helmets played out on cable news channels as debate turned once again to racial tension in America. The trigger had been the death of George Floyd, a black American, in police custody. Gruesome footage eight minutes long had shown a white police officer called Derek Chauvin pinning Mr Floyd to the ground with a knee on his neck as he said "I can't breathe". But on Saturday night, the fifth and biggest night of protests, the demonstrations appeared to have widened into a cry of anguish at racial inequality in the US, against a backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic which has put 40 million Americans out of work. Protests have occurred in at least 75 US cities. More than 1,400 people have been arrested. At least 25 cities announced curfews on Saturday night, ordering millions to stay off the streets after dark. Gunfire was heard during some demonstrations. Yesterday the protests spread internationally in spite of the coronavirus pandemic, with thousands of people gathering in Dublin, London, Berlin and Toronto. President Donald Trump chose not to address the nation on camera yesterday morning despite the widespread chaotic scenes, instead sending tweets and continuing his mixed messages about what was being seen. Last week, he called protesters "thugs" and warned that "vicious dogs" would be waiting in the White House if they scaled the fences, but he also said some protesting were "good people" trying to honour Mr Floyd. Yesterday he escalated his claims that some in the crowds were members of the loose confederation of far-left groups known as "Antifa", vowing to designate it a terrorist organisation. At least 10 states brought in the National Guard to help enforce the law on Saturday night, in a sign of how seriously the protests were being treated, including California, Georgia, Minnesota, Tennessee, Ohio, Washington and Utah. In Minneapolis, the city where Mr Floyd died, a second night of curfew was ignored. The arrest of Mr Chauvin on Friday, charged with third-degree murder, appears to have done little to calm tensions. As the city fell under a second night of curfew at 7.57pm, alerts were sent to the phones of every person in the city, warning them to "go home". But a few hundred protesters ignored the order. Arm-in-arm, they moved towards a bridge leading to the state capitol building in nearby St Paul. Meanwhile, a group of police officers fired tear gas to disperse groups as they moved towards the police's fifth precinct, which was targeted on Friday night. Officers marched down streets to enforce the curfew, yelling at bystanders to "get inside" as they watched from their front porches. Those who did not were fired at with rubber bullets. State governor Tim Walz had activated the Minnesota national guard but declined the US army's offer to deploy military police in the city. Earlier, the frustration that has torn through the city was still on show. One woman walked along E Lake Street, the scene of the worst destruction, yelled: "Why do we do this? Who is going to help us?" In Washington DC, hundreds of protesters gathered near the White House for the second night in a row, periodically clashing with police and lighting fires. They chanted "f*** the police", "no justice, no peace" and "f*** Trump". When a scuffle with officers broke out, they often raised their arms and chanted "hands up, don't shoot." More than 100 police officers were present, some with shields and helmets, some mounted on horses and some carrying what appeared to be weapons that fired pepper spray balls. In downtown Los Angeles, a demonstration of more than 5,000 people - one of the largest seen in the country - was held. Again violent clashes were seen. Police fired tear gas at a mob which was pelting them with debris. Several vehicles, including at least three police cars, were set alight. US political figures offered differing interpretations of what was playing out. Some said "outsiders" were coming to cities to raise tensions. Others blamed far-left agitators. Joe Biden, the likely Democratic nominee for 2020's elections, addressed both views. "Protesting such brutality is right and necessary. It's an utterly American response," he said. "But burning down communities and needless destruction is not. Violence that endangers lives is not." ( Daily Telegraph, London) At a time when technology has revolutionized travel across the globe STG Journey India, a leading corporate travel company, is spearheading this revolution from the front with its best value, customized travel services and programs. The company describes itself as corporate travel specialists that assist you in dealing with most of the common problems that are usually associated with corporate travels. For the exemplary work done in this field, STG Journey India was also a winner at the North India Travel Awards 2018. The story of STG Journey India STG began its journey in year 2014, as an answer to the growing travel needs of the Indian corporate sector. In the past six years, the company has established itself as one of the most reliable corporate travel companies for suggesting the best corporate travel solutions to businesses. It has grown in leaps and bounds, with its current headquarters set up in Gurugram. Its international partners help STG to offer high-quality, customized travel solutions to a long list of valued clients spread across the world. In fact, within the first 3 years of its existence, the company had achieved the turnover threshold of more than Rs. 5cr. According to Arun Prakash Choubey, Managing Director of the company, the mantra of success for STG is four-pronged Quality, Responsiveness, Reliability and Effectiveness. As per him, The vision is to become the most trusted and reliable corporate travel company in the world that is known for its customer satisfaction and 24x7 assistance. STG tech solutions for travel STG prides itself in providing cost-effective and innovative travel solutions to business travellers. With the technology and resources at hand, STG can handle corporate travel demands of any scale and size. Starting with just a few employees, in the course of five years, the company has grown into being one of the most preferred choices of corporate travellers in India. All this is being accomplished with the help of the following - 1. E-mail management technology 2. Smart data tools 3. Self booking Tool 4. Mobile apps Why STG? With no dearth of travel companies in the market, you might wonder why STG after all! Their main goal is to simplify business trips by providing customized travel solutions to business so we can address their travel needs, enabling us to achieve excellent customer satisfaction. As for the current year, 2020, Choubey says, This will be a challenging year, keeping in mind the rising expectations of business travelers, but we dont see challenges as hurdles because without facing challenges, no business can have real taste of success. I believe that the best negotiable rate is the need of the hour. He adds, We are looking forward to using innovative ideas to provide customized corporate travel packages keeping in mind business budgets. With its spreading footprint, in the form of offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru, STG Journey India is now looking forward to going international, starting with opening of its office in Nepal. With that the company is also looking for opportunities to expand to other countries, in order to build its network and work in new markets. Tourism in the post-COVID world By 2028, India will become the third-largest tourism economy in the world but in wake of the Corona outbreak, things have started looking bleak with regards to international travel. However, it is also the time to rejuvenate and reorganize, says STG Journey India MD Choubey. He is of the opinion that continued learning and growth are the only two means to survive this pandemic and emerge stronger. STG believes in going that extra mile for the satisfaction and success of its clients. For that, it uses an innovative approach, advanced technology and frequent improvement. In short, STG Journey India is ready to take on the challenges presented by COVID-19 by going into expansion mode! Disclaimer: This is a company press release. No HT journalist was involved in the creation of this content. Kinshasa: Democratic Republic of Congo declared a new Ebola epidemic on Monday in the western city of Mbandaka, more than 1000 kilometres away from an ongoing outbreak of the same deadly virus in the east. Health Minister Eteni Longondo said four people who died in Mbandaka were confirmed as positive cases following testing at the national biomedical laboratory in the capital Kinshasa. Democratic Republic of Congo confirmed a new Ebola outbreak on Monday. Credit:AP "We have a new Ebola epidemic in Mbandaka," Longondo told reporters. "We are going to very quickly send them the vaccine and medicine." The outbreak was confirmed by World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who tweeted: "This outbreak is a reminder that #COVID19 is not the only health threat people face." Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Monday afternoon that she has deployed 50 Oregon National Guard members and 100 state troopers to Portland to assist police during protests. Brown said she denied requests through the weekend to activate the National Guard but after three nights of demonstrations with repeated property damage and violence, she acquiesced. "They will not be on the front line making arrests or doing crowd control,'' Brown said. "They will only be acting as support personnel behind the scenes.'' The Guard members also wont be armed. Mayor Ted Wheeler and U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams called publicly at a morning news conference for the Guards involvement after another round of vandalism, looting and fires set in the city. Thousands of people have marched in downtown and on Portlands east side since Friday to protest the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died in police custody in Minneapolis. Video showed a white police officer pressing his knee to Floyds neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, according to a criminal complaint. The fired officer, Derek Chauvin, faces murder and manslaughter charges. Floyds death has set off protests across the United States. The mostly peaceful marches in Portland have been marred by clashes with police and what Wheeler has said is millions of dollars in damage caused by a small number of people bent on destruction. The governor said Wheeler had asked her to put the National Guard in direct confrontation with protesters" over the weekend but she declined. Instead, she said she allowed 50 Guard members to be on standby near Portland, but noted that the city didnt request their mobilization then. You dont reduce violence by putting soldiers on our streets," Brown said. "Its actually what President Trump wants.'' After renewed calls from the mayor on Monday, Brown said she recognized Portland police need additional officers to support them but she wont allow the Guard members to do crowd control. They will offer support to police, help process arrests, move vehicles, protect public buildings and other property and provide care to anyone who is injured, the governor said. I want to ensure the public can safely raise their voices in this much needed call for reform,'' Brown said. Wheeler later disputed the governors characterization, saying he and Portland Police Chief Jami Resch had specifically requested on Sunday for the National Guard to be called in for limited use to safeguard and defend buildings in the city, never to confront protesters. Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, appearing with Brown, thanked the governor "for answering the call.'' I want to be crystal clear, we are not entering martial law,'' Hardesty said. "We are not going to have armed people on every corner in the city of Portland. We will make sure the place is there for people to exercise their constitutional rights. Hardesty said her initial reaction when she heard requests for the National Guard to come to Portland was "no, no, no, no.'' But after talking to Portland Police Chief Jami Resch on Monday morning, she was convinced theyre needed to help relieve officers who have been working all weekend with little rest. "People dont make good decisions when theyre tired, frustrated and working three days in a row,'' Hardesty said. As a black woman, Hardesty said she certainly understands that some people will be afraid when they hear Guard members are heading to Portland. But she sought to assure city residents, and particularly minority communities, that the Guard members wont be armed and their entire purpose is to free up officers to help safeguard the public. Those who want to participate in peaceful demonstrations will be protected, Hardesty. But "when a small group just wants to be destructive and tear up our community, we will not accept that,'' she said. The extra state police troopers began arriving in Portland early Monday from all across the state, Superintendent Travis Hampton said. The 100 represent about 25 percent of the state police patrol operation, according to the superintendent. Were happy to do it. We think its warranted,'' he said. State police will help with crowd management, he said. Another 50 state troopers will help local police in Klamath Falls, Eugene and at the state Capitol in Salem, Hampton said. The governor called Floyds death " a stain on this country" and said she recognizes theres a "collective cry of anguish and anger.'' "To every one hurting ... I hear you and I add my voice to yours,'' Brown said. She said the pain has resulted from years of failure to reform police practices, to hold police accountable and to adopt real criminal justice reforms. She said she hasnt done enough to "tackle the scourge of systemic racism'' and pledged to work for further social, economic and criminal justice reforms. State Sen. Lew Frederick, D-Portland, appeared with Brown and said hes planning to sponsor up to 15 bills in the next legislative session to hold police accountable, such as moving to limit the power of state arbitrators to overturn police discipline. Brown also mentioned the fractured relationships that Portland police have with some of the surrounding law enforcement agencies that have pulled out in the past year from helping monitor protests due to their concerns about added liability. "I encourage the mayor to rebuild these collaborative law enforcement'' relationships, Brown said. Earlier Monday, Wheeler said he respects the difference between the mission of the National Guard versus local police and said the Guard would be used to protect buildings and businesses. He described the Oregon National Guard as citizen soldiers and characterized them as having the same demeanor as other people coming from our community who are sensitive to local concerns. Theyre not outsiders who arent familiar with Oregon, Wheeler said. Assistant Police Chief Chris Davis said the Police Bureau would give Guard members a specific mission, likely securing and guarding critical infrastructure. Oregons top federal prosecutor said he was sickened to see the graffiti-covered federal courthouse downtown when he arrived at work. What Im saying today is a line has been crossed, Williams said. Last nights damage and destruction has risen to a level that must be addressed immediately. Thats my ask today. Its an ask. Its time. The Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse looked like the Berlin Wall, with passersby pausing to take photos and videos including a spray-painted penis on the large front glass entry, vulgar messages to police on the pillars out front and a Free Dibee message scrawled on a side wall referencing accused eco-saboteur Joseph Dibee. One window above the courthouses employee entrance had been broken. Workers took down scaffolding outside the building, which demonstrators climbed and used as a perch Sunday night to watch police. Its time to stop the nonsense, Williams said. Asked if the presence of the National Guard could ramp up protesters and cause more problems, Wililams said theres always that potential but thats a risk that should be accepted. Why else do we have them but to be called out for natural disasters and situations like this? Williams said, arguing that theyve made a difference in Minneapolis the last two nights. About 200 of the Oregon National Guards 8,000 members have been involved in special duties during the coronavirus pandemic, delivering personal protective equipment and other medical gear. Their orders are expected to wrap up in about two weeks, said Stephen Bomar, spokesman for the Oregon Military Department. About 1,700 members are overseas. Oregon State Police sent about 30 troopers a day to assist Portland over the weekend, according to Mindy McCartt, a state police spokeswoman. "Stretching our agency thin, is an understatement, but our troopers will be there to assist our agency partners where needed and strive to maintain the level public safety services throughout Oregon,'' she said. Williams, who has spent his career prosecuting cases in the federal courthouse and the Multnomah County Courthouse across the street that also was tagged with graffiti, said the property damage and violence have drown out the justified outcry over Floyds death. He referenced the tagging of Free Dibee, on the federal courthouse, wondering what that has to do with Floyds death. That tells me everything about the organization and individuals behind these endeavors, he said. So whos doing it? I cant tell you who did it. Thats just one example that there are so many activists who are not out for criminal justice reform. Court security and Federal Protective Service officers were inside the courthouse when the vandalism occurred. Portland police initially thought demonstrators had entered the building but soon learned that was not the case. In the aftermath, downtown workers and onlookers came to take photos of the destruction. One black woman videotaped the graffiti, saying aloud that the vandalism didnt represent her people or their message. They werent supporting us, she said, identifying herself only as a Multnomah County employee. Her office building downtown also was defaced, she said. Another man, Philip Robledo, also took video but had a different take. Im not bothered. Its public property he said. It if were my choice, I would keep it up. I wouldnt clean it. It tells the people youre siding with them, not trying to cover it up. Criminal defense lawyer Matthew Schindler agreed, responding to Williams remarks by saying: "Vandalism of an edifice that is at the core of the racism and injustice that killed George Floyd and many black men in Portland is a small price to pay if it actually causes change in what goes on in that building and on the street.'' A pedestrian filmed the entire front of the federal courthouse with his daughter standing beside him. I cant believe this. Its just sad, sad, all the way around, he said. Sad what happened in Minneapolis. And sad that theyd do all this. -- 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 It is doubtful if anywhere else in the world soldiers of two opposing armies indulge in physical jostling, as has been happening between our soldiers and that of China in the past several years. This type of pushing each other and elbowing is commonly witnessed in protests political rallies world over and in parliaments of many countries as seen on electronic media but certainly not between two armies. If this strange activity was only limited to jostling each other, there would have been no need to pen this article. But things have gone far beyond. On August 15, 2017, PLA soldiers resorted to stone pelting and using iron rods on our patrol in the vicinity of Pangong Tso lake, a video-clip of which had gone viral on electronic and social media. This was the first time PLA indulged in stone-pelting and why would they not do so? China had been witnessing our soldiers being periodically stone-pelted in Jammu and Kashmir by paid mobs, and even when they opened fire in self-defence with injuries to own personnel and government property destroyed, FIRs were lodged against them. The readers can imagine what would happen to individuals pelting stones at security forces in China or Pakistan. In Israel, a stone-pelter can be jailed for 20 years. The Kargil conflict was brought to our homes by the electronic media. So it is no surprise that some clashes on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) can be viewed by the public at large. Whenever such incidents occur, both sides resort to videotaping for sending reports up the chain though more video cameras are visible with PLA soldiers. Interestingly, a closer examination of video recording of the incident on August 15, 2017 proximate to Pangong Tso shows it was shot from a height on the Chinese side. In May 2020, PLA made intrusions in the areas of Galwan, Fingers proximate to Pangong Tso and Demchok in Eastern Ladakh, and Naku La in Sikkim. At places, they came in large numbers and reportedly used clubs with iron spikes and iron rods, in addition to stone-pelting. Our troops would have responded with stones at best. This is not about how many casualties occurred on each side and in which area. This is also not about videos on social media by Indians and foreigners and responses in support and denial one side saying there is no physical fight now and the other side saying we know troops have physically disengaged that but these clips are not shot in studio. This is simply to reiterate that grievous inquirers have occurred using the type of implements-cum-weapons that are worse than non-lethal weapons. The psyche of the PLA soldier has been under discussion with voices within China calling them wimps as a result of the one-child policy. A counter view is that after all they won the 1962 war. But in 1962, the Chinese used human waves tactics, our troops ran out of ammunition, and China infiltrated sizable forces via Tulung La, Mago, Poshing La and established roadblocks at Nyukmadong and Sapper, paralysing poorly equipped Indian forces that were poorly led because of Jawaharlal Nehrus idiosyncrasies. Still, PLA suffered 2,419 casualties, including 722 killed officially, and the actual figures may be more. Interestingly, for the 1962 invasion China had conscripted a large number of Tibetans and Uyghurs. The real worth of PLA emerged in 1979 when China invaded Vietnam to teach Vietnam a lesson. By that time, the one-child policy had started taking effect. The war lasted three weeks and six days (February 17 to March 16). According to Vietnam, PLA suffered total of 62,500 casualties, 550 military vehicles and 115 artillery pieces were destroyed. China naturally contests these figures. Xi Jinping (now Chinas President) was a Secretary in Chinas Ministry of Defense then. With Chinese withdrawal from Vietnam, Vietnam continued to occupy Cambodia till 1989. Border clashes between China and Vietnam continued till 1990. There is no doubt one should never underestimate the enemy, but fact remains that the PLA has never won a war other than the unequal one in 1962 and current crop of PLA is without any battle experience. The question is, why are we resigned to our soldiers being subjected to this utterly ridiculous behaviour by the PLA? Are we training for WW-IV which is thought to be fought with stones? Do we not understand the damage being done to the pride and fighting spirit of the Indian soldier? Isnt it a shame that we hide behind the usual cover of protocols and mechanisms when PLA honours none in using clubs with iron spikes and iron rods? Unfortunately, our defence allocations have been poor, sometimes even lower than 1962, but do we have to subject our soldiers to this ignominy while we duck behind differing perceptions of LAC, terming intrusions as transgressions so no one questions the hierarchy? A veteran General says, It may be interesting to go back to the Nathu La Incident of 1967. The Chinese kept on encroaching and we kept on demolishing. The Billi Patrol along the LAC was very aggressive between both the armies. Finally, the Chinese retaliated and in strength and we gave them the bloody nose. The 2017 incident at Pangong Tso when PLA resorted to stone-pelting and using iron rods happened when the present Secretary Department of Military Affairs and CDS was Army Chief. Orders to our troops should have been reviewed then itself but nothing happened. There was no comment by him then and none now. Earlier, video clips also showed PLA soldiers walking up to our defences or wall and kicking it. Why is such pussyfooting acceptable? A clear signal needs to be given to the Chinaman or are we too scared to call their bluff? There is an urgent need to rethink orders in such situations. Additionally, it is time to rectify the stupidity of CAPF deployed at the LAC following their own chain of command rather than being placed under command of the Army. A recently discovered coin from the Bar Kochba era (around 132 C.E.) inscribed with the word "Jerusalem." (JNS) - In honor of Lag B'Omer, a Jewish holiday commemorating the life of anti-Roman Torah sage Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the Israel Antiquities Authority on Monday revealed the discovery of a rare bronze coin from the period of the Bar Kochba revolt (circa 132 C.E.). The coin was uncovered during excavations in the William Davidson Archaeological Park between the Temple Mount and the City of David in Jerusalem. The excavations are conducted by the IAA and funded by the Ir David Foundation/City of David, which operates the site. The IAA says that it is the only coin from the period found in... (JNS) Cyber warfare is usually waged in secret. In a world where borders and geography are of no importance, the main challenge is to take action and cause damage without leaving tracks and risking reprisal. That is how all the players operate. The professionals are more successful, the amateurs, less so. According to a report released in the United States on May 21, however, Israel, a super-professional, changed the rules. Not only did it attack, but it also made sure that everyone knew it had done so. Not by mistake, or through over-enthusiasm or on a whim; Israel did it intentionally... Deutsche Lufthansa may have won its battle for state aid, but its surrender of airport slots to appease regulators heralds heightened conflict between European aviation's old guard and low-cost challengers. A rivalry that's been simmering for years has been given fresh impetus by the coronavirus crisis, with former flag carriers falling back on government support as discounters including Ryanair Holdings and Wizz Air Holdings argue that the market alone should dictate who survives. Lufthansa's 9 billion-euro ($9.9 billion) bailout and a slots accord with the European Union overnight Friday handed the region's biggest airline a lifeline. Now, the German group and network carriers such as Air France-KLM face a battle royale in repelling no-frills operators that came into the crisis stronger and plan to use it to gain ground in territories hitherto largely closed to them. "We are trying to take advantage of the situation," Wizz Chief Executive Officer Jozsef Varadi said in an interview. "Lufthansa is getting a huge financial edge, but they'll need to restructure after taking all of this money. So Germany will bring opportunities." Discount airlines have received only modest support compared with legacy carriers. Ryanair, Wizz and EasyJet have tapped the U.K.'s Covid Corporate Financing Facility for a combined 1.5 billion pounds ($1.8 billion), while Air France-KLM has received 7 billion euros from the French state and could overtake Lufthansa's bailout once Dutch support is finalized. Low-cost carriers have also been quicker off the mark in slashing costs, with Ryanair, which has its biggest base at London Stansted, announcing 3,000 job cuts a month ago when Lufthansa was still in the early stages of putting together its bailout request. The strength of the challenge to Lufthansa in particular will depend on take-up for the 12 pairs of daily flight slots to be made available to competitors at its Frankfurt and Munich hubs as part of the bailout settlement ordered by the EU. Complicating matters is a proviso that says only new entrants can obtain the takeoff and landing rights during the first 18 months. That would allow Ryanair, which has flights in Frankfurt, to target Munich, and EasyJet to do the reverse. Budapest-based Wizz, Europe's third-biggest discount carrier, doesn't currently serve either airport so could seek slots at both. Spokespeople for Ryanair and EasyJet declined to comment. Ryanair gained 4.8% as of 11:18 a.m. in Dublin, while EasyJet advanced 4.4% and Wizz was up 3.8% in London. Lufthansa added 5.4% on Tradegate with regular trading in Frankfurt closed for a German holiday. The biggest opportunities for the low-cost players lie in Germany, Italy and Norway, said Mark Manduca, an analyst with Citigroup. "After the crisis passes and a price war this summer ensues, Ryanair and Wizz stand on the cusp of a three- to five-year consolidation and expansion story, as the participants around them shrink and flounder," he said in a research note. State aid to the likes of Lufthansa will at least initially bend the market in their favor, EU competition watchdog Margrethe Vestager said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. "This is why we also have remedies, to try to limit that market distortion," she said. The Lufthansa case is a template for EU oversight of other virus-related recapitalizations, Vestager said. The bloc would likely review any equity injection into Air France-KLM by France or the Netherlands, and is in close contact with the Italian government over the nationalization of bankrupt Alitalia Spa, which she called "a special case" because of its pre-existing financial distress. That budget airlines will make inroads isn't a given. In Germany, the major hubs of Frankfurt and Munich charge typically higher fees than at the smaller airports traditional favored by discount operators, something Varadi said is a major obstacle to flying there. Both have a large proportion of passengers who transfer on or off long-distance flights, limiting the market share available to short-haul carriers. Stationing staff in Germany also means grappling with stringent employment laws and powerful unions, potential headaches for companies seeking to keep expenses low. Lufthansa's pilot, cabin-crew and ground-crew unions wrote to European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen on Friday saying that a shift of slots to discount carriers would cause a "massive hollowing out" of labor standards and pay. The French market could open up as Air France-KLM reins in its network in response to environmental demands from the French government. A restructuring to be presented within months will call for a 40% cut in domestic French capacity by the end of 2021, Chief Executive Officer Ben Smith told shareholders last week. The company has also said it may raise new equity, potentially triggering EU scrutiny that could lead to slots being made available in the busy Paris and Amsterdam markets. The initial funding package avoided increasing state holdings amid acrimony between the French and Dutch governments over existing stakes. In Italy, Alitalia was in bankruptcy protection even before the virus hit. The rescue is regarded as dubious given the airline's status, and the EU is expected to begin an investigation. Slot availability in Rome and Milan could be one outcome. Full-service airlines are also in retreat in the U.K., where British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. have indicated they'll exit London Gatwick airport to consolidate operations at the city's Heathrow hub. That will consolidate Gatwick's status as a discount and leisure-oriented base, leaving EasyJet unchallenged as the biggest operator and offering an opportunity for Ryanair and Wizz to expand their more modest presence. Discount airlines are also cutting their cloth, though not nearly so much. Wizz will maintain all of its European bases and routes, while trimming frequencies, Varadi said. It announced four new hubs and 50 new routes on Friday. "We're sensing strong demand, which we aim to tap as travel restrictions ease," the CEO said. Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has ordered immediate and total lockdown of Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area for two weeks following a suspected case of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the area. Mr Bello, who gave the order on Monday while briefing journalists in Government House, Lokoja, said the lockdown, which was to commence from 12.00am on Tuesday, would enable verification and authenticity of the claims. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that claims by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) that Abubakar Ejibunu, the Chief Imam of Kabba, had tested positive to the disease has continued to generate controversy between the Kogi government and the NCDC. The governor said the government decided to be proactive over the verification as members of the family of the acclaimed victim, Mr Ejibunu, along with 13 other persons in Kabba-Bunu Local Government have already been tested for COVID-19 and their results returned negative. He said, We shall not relent in verifying the genuineness of the NCDC claim and we remain resolute in pursuing the matter to a logical conclusion. Government has already put necessary machinery in place to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic as prevention, they say, is better than cure. Mr Bello also directed the Incident Management Team of COVID-19 in the state, headed by the commissioner for Health, Saka Haruna Audu, to embark on immediate door-to-door visitation of residents of the council area for collation of samples for test. READ ALSO: The governor also ordered a 14-day isolation of medical personnel and other persons at the Federal Medical Center, Lokoja, who accompanied the accident victims to Abuja. He further directed security agencies in the state to ensure complete enforcement of the lockdown in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area and ensure adherence to all the federal government and NCDC protocols. The governor condemned in its entirety failure of the NCDC to involve Kogi State Government in its investigation processes before announcing two index cases of COVID-19 in the state, describing the action as unhealthy and unprofessional. However, we still maintain that Kogi remains COVID-19 free at the moment, urging citizens of the state to continue to observe all the NCDC protocols in curtailing the spread of the dreaded disease, Mr Bello said. (NAN) Protesters gather in front of a liquor store in flames near the Third Police Precinct in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 28, 2020. (Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images) The Progressive Strategy Behind the Demonstrations Commentary The demonstrations that have broken out around the country are part of a strategic plan to transform the United States into a progressive utopia. The riots into which they quickly devolved are not. Its important to understand the difference between them. The strategy itself is hardly a secret. It appears, for example, in Paul Englers Resistance Guide, published shortly after Donald Trump became president. Engler is the rare and dangerous combination of a theorist and an activist. In 2014, he launched a movement incubator called Momentum. Within five years, hed incubated groups promoting climate change, pushing for open borders, and spreading anti-Israel activism. As a theorist, Engler has brought forward the work of two significant predecessors: Saul Alinsky and Gene Sharp. Alinsky, the premiere labor organizer of the mid-20th century, is best known for his Rules for Radicals. Engler has applied lessons learned from open source development, networked organizations, and social media campaigning to bring Alinskys tactics into the 21st century. Sharp, a scholar of nonviolent uprisings, proved even more influential. Sharp distilled and cataloged the lessons of history. He drew a distinction between ideological and tactical nonviolenceand showed that the nonviolence driving Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. was tactical. In Sharps view, had either of these leaders possessed superior weapons or commanded superior armies, they would have fought more conventionally. Because those assets belonged to their opponents, they drew instead upon the assets they did command: a large following and moral suasion. Engler brought Sharps nonviolent disruption tactics to play in todays America, where progressive assets include academia, the media, Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and the civil service. That gives them a significant edge in shaping what people hear and believe. George Floyds death provided the excuse to roll out a long-planned campaign of nonviolent resistance. The events on May 29 outside the White House provide the clearest demonstration of the strategy in action. Protestors holding their hands in the air moved forward slowly to break through Secret Service barriers. Their goal was to create an untenable choice. If large numbers of unarmed civilians march on the White House, the president could either let them through and appear weak or employ force and appear brutal. To its great credit, the Secret Service was able to defuse the situationthis time. In the long run, however, the tactic is devastating. In this round of protestsunlike those during the Obama yearsBlack Lives Matter (BLM) not only insists upon its own nonviolence, but seems genuinely distressed at Antifa wreaking havoc on innocent citizens and businesses. The distress is real, but it has little to do with the minority-owned businesses set aflame. BLM set out to win and hold the sympathy of enough swing voters to cost Trump the election. Their hope was to unveil a campaign of nonviolent resistance tied to the moral cause of preventing further deaths like Floyds. Antifas violent overlays undermine their entire game. The presidents instincts in countering this strategy have been excellent but insufficient. Hes taken Floyds cause as his own, vowing and delivering swift high-level involvement. He could do more. He could, for example, emphasize that even though police brutality is neither pervasive nor common, it remains a problem that a presidential commission would address. He has also wisely stuck with the proper deference to federalism he has shown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining law and order, and protecting the life and property of citizens, is a local obligation. Trump has made it clear that federal resources are availablebut will be provided only to mayors and governors who request it. Furthermore, Antifas anarchic violence creates certain openings by upending Sharps playbook. The BLM organizers violated a cardinal rule. They neglected to get signoff from all of their allies. No one bothered to tell Antifa not to use its standard tactics. Thats a fatal flaw. Effective nonviolent tactics really are nearly impossible to defeat without committing atrocities against civilians. They are, however, quite difficult to implement well. Americas progressives have implemented them poorly. The president needs sharp and emphatic messaging to accompany his instincts. He needs to come out loudly in favor of communities and victims. He needs to call upon local officials to accelerate their efforts to protect civilians and private property. He needs to emphasize the devastation that these rioters are having on local communities. He needs to announce that the Department of Justice will coordinate claims against identifiable agitators and responsible organizations. He needs to highlight the extent to which celebrities and selected progressive leaders are siding with rioters rather than citizens. Finally, he needs to remind everyone that weve still got social distancing guidelines in placeand recommend that anyone arrested at the riots be put into a 14-day quarantine with full contact tracing. He also needs to remind America that theres now an experiment underway; if these riots dont spike COVID-19 cases, we can relax social distancing guidelines sooner than expected. All told, two groups of progressives are devouring each other. That gives America an opportunity to defeat strategies and tactics that have brought down regimes around the world. Its an opportunity Trump must seize if he is indeed to keep America great. Bruce Abramson, Ph.D. J.D., is a principal at B2 Strategic, senior fellow and director at ACEK Fund and the author of American Restoration: Winning Americas Second Civil War. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. This file photo taken on June 4, 2019 shows people holding candles during a vigil in Hong Kong - ISAAC LAWRENCE/AFP via Getty Images Hong Kong police on Monday banned an upcoming vigil marking the Tiananmen crackdown anniversary citing the coronavirus pandemic, the first time the gathering has been halted in three decades. The candlelight June 4 vigil usually attracts huge crowds and is the only place on Chinese soil where such a major commemoration of the anniversary is still allowed. Last year's gathering was especially large and came just a week before seven months of pro-democracy protests and clashes exploded onto the city's streets, sparked initially by a plan to allow extraditions to the authoritarian mainland. But police rejected permission for this year's rally saying it would "constitute a major threat to the life and health of the general public", according to a letter of objection to organisers obtained by AFP. Hong Kong has managed to keep the virus mostly in check, with just over 1,000 infections and four deaths. Bars, restaurants, gyms and cinemas have largely reopened in recent weeks. In the last two days five local infections were reported, breaking nearly two weeks of zero tallies. Organisers accused police of using the virus as an excuse to ban the rally. "I don't see why the government finds political rallies unacceptable while it gave green lights to resumption of schools and other services ranging from catering, karaoke to swimming pools," said Lee Cheuk-yan, chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance which has organised every vigil since 1990. The alliance called on residents to instead light a candle at 8pm on Thursday and observe one minute of silence wherever they can. "If we are not allowed to light a candle at a rally, we will let the candles be lit across the city," Lee said. Lee also vowed that the alliance would continue to chant the slogan "end one-party rule" during the commemoration despite Beijing's recently announced plans to impose a law criminalising acts of subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign interference. Story continues Beijing says the law - which will bypass Hong Kong's legislature - is needed to tackle "terrorism" and "separatism". Opponents fear it will bring mainland-style political oppression to a business hub supposedly guaranteed freedoms and autonomy for 50 years after its 1997 handover to China by Britain. The 1989 Tiananmen crackdown occurred when China's leaders sent tanks and troops to quell student protesters calling for democracy and an end to corruption. Hundreds were killed, with some estimates suggesting that more than 1,000 perished. Three decades on, it remains one of the most sensitive subjects in mainland China and any mention of it is strictly censored. But in Hong Kong the memory of what happened is kept alive. The annual vigils swelled before the 1997 handover to China and have become especially charged in recent years as many Hong Kongers chafe under Beijing's rule. This year's anniversary is likely to coincide with Hong Kong's pro-government stacked legislature voting for a law banning insults to China's national anthem. The Zimbabwean government has summoned US ambassador Brian Nichols to explain remarks by the US national security adviser that Zimbabwe was stoking anti-racist protests in the country. Violence has erupted in cities across the US sparked by the death in police custody of African-American George Floyd. US National Security Adviser Robert OBrien, in an interview with American broadcaster ABC, had said foreign adversaries were taking advantage of the ongoing protests and mentioned Zimbabwe and China. Mr O'Brien said that he had seen tweets from Chinese who were "taking pleasure and solace in the chaos in America", but did not provide details on Zimbabwe's alleged role to the protests. But he said all foreign adversaries involved would not "get away with it". In response, Zimbabwe's Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo is quoted by state-run Herald newspaper as saying that the US ambassador was expected to honour the summons, but gave no details about when the meeting would be held. He said the government intends to remind the ambassador that Zimbabwe respects the sovereignty of other nations. Government spokesman Nick Mangwana tweeted that the country did not consider itself an adversary of the US: Zimbabwe does not consider itself America's adversary. We prefer having friends and allies to having unhelpful adversity with any other nation including the USA. https://t.co/x8OUAskzLZ Nick Mangwana (@nickmangwana) May 31, 2020 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 The notorious hacktivist group, Anonymous, is back and this time, not even the British royal family has been spared. On May 29, the group posted a video message on their Facebook page after remaining idle for close to three years and issued a warning to the Minneapolis Police Department for the deliberate killing of George Floyd in USA. For those wondering who or what Anonymous actually is, here's some context. They are a group of the most famous hacktivists or hackers spread out across the globe. And no, they aren't a formal organisation. In their video, the group did not just threaten to expose the "crimes" of the Minneapolis Police Department but also produced evidence regarding Donald Trump, Jeffery Epistein, Princess Diana's death, the Royal Family, Bill Gates, Naomi Campbell's involvement and many more. One of the shocking revelations by Anonymous is that about Princess Diana's death being a murder planned and executed by the British royal family. According to a tweet by the group, Princess Diana had become aware of a sex trafficking ring the royal family had been involved with and was working on collecting testimonies of victims in order to expose the crimes. Anonymous claims that the royal family had Diana murdered on August 31, 1997 and that the car accident was staged. Around the time of her death, Diana was visiting hospitals and care homes Jimmy Savile was preying on at all hours of the night, consoled Elm Guest House victims, and recorded palace rape victim testimony. Receipt: https://t.co/hSHAPGB8lv https://t.co/yz3ZqIDoLJ Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) May 31, 2020 On the fateful day in August, Princess Diana (who had by then divorced Prince Charles) was with her rumoured beau Dodi Al Fayed in her Mercedes when the car crashed inside a tunnel in Paris as the two tried to escape the prying paparazzi. Both Diana and Dodi died in the accident. A 2002 article published by The Guardian does confirm that Princess Diana possessed a tape consisting of the testimony of a victim who had been raped in the palace. The Anonymous might be referring to this very theory in their tweet. Soon after the hacktivists made the revelation, social media has been buzzing with wild conspiracy theories and reactions demonstrating shock and disbelief: The #Anonymous organization has exposed royalty by verifying that Queen Isabelle II gave the order to kill Princess Diana because she had evidence of the family involvement in a sex trafficking group. pic.twitter.com/LrlXOXJ9by Gabriela (@gxrl_gcvb) June 1, 2020 trying to explain to my family how Princess Dianas death is connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Trump #Anonymous pic.twitter.com/ZR56QEk5a6 Queen B (@TheBigestFandom) May 31, 2020 #Anonymous Princess Diana and Marilyn Monroe two women who changed the world in different ways but who were murdered for the same reason, having evidence that committed the government and royalty in crimes of corruption and child sex trafficking. The world wasnt ready for them pic.twitter.com/qdrQMiG7bu Trending (@manueeljar) June 1, 2020 i cant believe that anonymous really spilled that princess diana was in fact killed by the royal family because she had tapes that revealed the royal family is involved in a sex trafficking ring PHEW i wonder who else they will expose pic.twitter.com/8gukhYABJK | BLM (@whythisIove) May 31, 2020 Not just social media, thousands have been Googling to find out what exactly happened to Princess Diana in 1997 and if she really died in a car accident. Anonymous' claims also seems to have sent ripples across India as several took to Google to decipher what really went down between the royal family and Diana. These are search results from India in the past one day: Conspiracy theories around Princess Diana's death also happened to be one of the top search results over the past couple of days: People also looked up "Princess Diana murder" on Google: There is, of course, no way of knowing whether the Anonymous actually has evidence to support their claim or if they're simply adding fuel to conspiracy theories that already exist. It has been twenty-three years since Diana's tragic demise and the theories just don't seem to die down. A piece by The Conservation suggests that conspiracy theories may be a coping mechanism; when Diana, who was lovingly called 'England's Rose' died, people could not accept the fact that such a random accident could have killed her. The embattled governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, on Monday, visited President Muhammadu Buhari to present his form seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC). Mr Obaseki, who is in a political battle with the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, told the president he has the support of Edo indigenes for his re-election. The visit to the president comes weeks ahead of the June 22 APC governorship primary. Mr Obasekis main challenger for the APC ticket is Osagie Ize-Iyamu who is believed to have the backing of Mr Oshiomhole, a former Edo governor. READ ALSO: Mr Obaseki, who briefed State House reporters on the purpose of the visit, said it was essential of him to brief the president on his re-election bid. The visit to the president comes a day after Mr Obaseki and six other APC governors visited party leader Bola Tinubu to seek his support for Mr Obasekis re-election. Mr Tinubu, an influential leader of the APC, is a key ally of Mr Oshiomhole and stood his neck out for him when Mr Oshiomhole was under pressure to be removed as APC chairman. On Monday, Mr Obaseki also vowed to ensure the killers of the 100-level student of the University of Benin, Uwaila Omozuwa, are tracked and brought to justice, describing the crime as heinous. Details later While celebrating the Africa Day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Russias commitment to offer support and participate in the sustainable development processes in Africa. In a video conference held May 28 with local and foreign media, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, highlighted the history behind the establishment of the Africa Day, which is observed as an annual holiday symbolizing the desire of the peoples of the African continent for peace, independence and unity. According to her, the close nature of friendly ties with African countries, the significant experience of mutually beneficial cooperation dates back to the early 1960s, when the Soviet Union unconditionally supported the desire of Africans to free themselves from colonial oppression. It provided them with substantial practical assistance in shaping the foundations of statehood, establishing national economies, and preparing civilian and military personnel. In recent years, however, African countries have been actively gaining weight and influence in international affairs, are increasingly participating in solving pressing issues of modern world politics and economics, she said. The creation of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum was one of the appreciable results of the first Russia-Africa Summit held last year, Zakharova noted, and expressed hope that the mechanism of partnership between Russia and the African continent created during the summit will allow to establish and broaden cooperation. Looking Back Under the current circumstances, African leaders and business elites try, most importantly, to reflect on how far Africa has gone in building a unified identity and strides made in socio-economic development. These socio-economic developments in some individual countries were achieved by harnessing internal resources and through bilateral and multilateral relations with external countries and cooperation with development partners. For example, Soviet Union and Africa had very close and, in many respects, allied relations with most of the African countries during the decolonization of Africa. For obvious reasons, the Soviet Union ceased to exist in 1991. As a result, Russia has to struggle through many internal and external difficulties. For the past few years, it has been struggling to survive both the United States and European sanctions. Moscow still has a long way to catch-up with many other foreign players there in Africa. Currently, Russia seems to have attained relative political and economic stability. As we regained our statehood and control over the country, and the economy and the social sphere began to develop, Russian businesses began to look at promising projects abroad, and we began to return to Africa, noted Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov early September during his interaction with students and staff of Moscow State Institute for International Relations. Emphasizing that the process of returning to Africa has been ongoing for the past 15 years, he further explained: the return is now taking the form of resuming a very close political dialogue, which has always been at a strategic and friendly level, and now moving to a vigorous economic cooperation. But economic cooperation is not as far advanced as our political ties. With this understanding, Dmitry Medvedev, while addressing the Russia-Africa Economic forum in July, also added his voice about strengthening cooperation in all fronts. We must take advantage of all things without fail. It is also important that we implement as many projects as possible, that encompass new venues and, of course, new countries, he said. In addition, Medvedev stressed: It is important to have a sincere desire. Russia and African countries now have this sincere desire. We simply need to know each other better and be more open to one another. I am sure all of us will succeed if we work this way. Even if some things seem impossible, this situation persists only until it is accomplished. It was Nelson Mandela who made this absolutely true statement. Acknowledging undoubtedly that Africa has become a new world center for global development, Russian legislators at the State Duma (the lower chamber) have advocated for supporting business and economic cooperation with Africa. Thus as a step forward, State Duma has established relations with African parliaments. During an instant meeting held with the Ambassadors of African countries in the Russian Federation, Viacheslav Volodin, the Chairman of the State Duma, remarked: We propose to move from intentions to concrete steps. Our people will better understand each other through parliamentary relations. The full transcript is available on the official website. Moving Forward On April 29, Russian International Affairs Council ( RIAC ), a powerful Russian NGO that focuses on foreign policy, held an online conference with participation of experts on Africa. Chairing the online discussion, Igor Ivanov, former Foreign Affairs Minister and now RIAC President, made an opening speech. He pointed out that Russias task in Africa is to present a strategy and define priorities with the countries of the continent, build on the decisions of the first Russia-Africa Summit. On the development of cooperation between Russia and African countries, Igor Ivanov pointed out a few steps here: Russias task is to prevent a rollback in relations with African countries. It is necessary to use the momentum set by the first Russia-Africa Summit. First of all, it is necessary for Russia to define explicitly its priorities: why are we returning to Africa? Just to make money, strengthen our international presence, help African countries or to participate in the formation of the new world order together with the African countries? Some general statements of a fundamental nature were made at the first Summit, now it is necessary to move from general statements to specificity. Sergey Lavrov, long ago, asked for more substantive dialogue on Russia-Africa issues, and chart ways for effective cooperation. In an interview with the Hommes dAfrique, he stressed time is needed to solve all those issues, but it could start with experts meetings, say, within the framework of the St Petersburg Economic Forum or the Valdai forum, and other events where business leaders of both countries participate. Experts from the think-tank Valdai Discussion Club , academic researchers from the Institute for African Studies and independent policy observers have noted Russias policy, its current achievements and emerging economic opportunities and possibilities for partnerships in Africa. Quite interestingly, majority of them acknowledged the need for Russia to be more prominent as it should be and work more consistently to achieve its strategic goals, - comparing and citing largely unfulfilled pledges over the years. Established in 2004, its (the club) primary goal is to promote dialogue between Russia and the rest of the world. It hosted an expert discussion titled Russias Return to Africa: Interests, Challenges, Prospects with participation of experts on Africa. Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Africa Department were present. I would like to begin my speech with the words of Foreign Minister (Sergey Lavrov), who said, referring to the current situation: No more fairy tales, joked Oleg Ozerov from the Africa Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. For us, Africa is not a terra incognita: the USSR actively worked there, having diplomatic relations with 35 countries. In general, there are no turns, reversals or zigzags in our policy. There is consistent development of relations with Africa. Over the past few years, contacts between Russia and Africa have expanded, and at the same time, this was also due to the African countries interest in Russia, he added. Nevertheless, Oleg Ozerov is now Ambassador-at-Large with the key responsibility for expediting work on the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum created at the initiative of African participants during Sochi summit. As Head of the Secretariat, the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, his task is to prepare for the second Russia-Africa summit in 2022 in pursuance of the agreements, achieved during the first Russia-Africa summit held on October 23-24 in Sochi. The Secretariat of the Forum will also organize annual political consultations of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the troika of the African Union. In 2010-2017, Ozerov served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Saudi Arabia, concurrently from 2011-2017, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. In conclusion, worth to say Russia sees Africa as a key potential partner in the vision for a multipolar world order, and for now, it is well-known that strengthening ties with African countries is among Russias foreign policy priorities. But, much has to be done to change image, perceptions and the old narratives. The symbolic Russia-Africa Summit was the result of President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin authorities progressive steps taken to move toward a new phase in consolidating political and economic ties broadly at the state levels with Africa. The final declaration, joint declaration , seeks to consolidate the results of the summit. It has undoubtedly reaffirmed the goals of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Kester Kenn Klomegah writes frequently about Russia, Africa and the BRICS. Communication Team Member of the New Patriotic Party(NPP), Agya Yaw Nsiah, has asked the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to desist from issuing unnecessary war threats to the Electoral Commission (EC) and focus on the 2020 general elections. He said the war threats from the NDC will not stop the EC from compiling a new voters register. According to him, it is always reasonable to have a credible register which will enhance free and fair elections. The unnecessary attacks from the NDC towards EC will not stop them from compiling a new voters register because they are backed by law. The Electoral Commission has the mandate to make decisions that will maintain the peace of the country,Agya Yaw Nsiah told Okatakyire Obeng Mensah on Anopa Nkomo on Accra-based Kingdom FM 107.7 Agya Yaw Nsiah cited Article 45 1A of the 1992 constitution of Ghana which talks about the duties and responsibilities of an Electoral Commission hence no protest from the opposition will stop them doing a new Voters register as mandated by the constitution. He said, the EC should be backed by all the parties to perform its constitutional mandate ahead of the 2020 generations. The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) claims that the use of the Ghana card in the registration process is a calculated attempt by the EC and its allies to suppress votes in its strongholds. 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. MONTREAL - A Montreal anti-racism protest demanding justice for a black Minnesota man who died following a police intervention last week degenerated into clashes between police and some demonstrators on Sunday night. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/5/2020 (599 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A woman raises her fist during a demonstration calling for justice for George Floyd in Montreal, Sunday, May 31, 2020. Graham Hughes/THE CANADIAN PRESS MONTREAL - A Montreal anti-racism protest demanding justice for a black Minnesota man who died following a police intervention last week degenerated into clashes between police and some demonstrators on Sunday night. The march had snaked its way through downtown Montreal on Sunday afternoon without incident, but Montreal police declared the gathering illegal about three hours after it began when they say projectiles were thrown at officers who responded with pepper spray and tear gas. Tensions flared after the formal rally had concluded and some demonstrators made their way back to the starting point, in the shadow of Montreal police headquarters downtown. Windows were smashed, fires were set and the situation slid into a game of cat-and-mouse between pockets of protesters and police trying to disperse them. Demonstrators had gathered to denounce racist violence and police impunity both in the U.S. and at home in Montreal. George Floyd died in Minneapolis on Monday after pleading for air while a white police officer pressed a knee on his neck. His death has sparked nightly protests in major U.S. cities. The Montreal rally was a solidarity gathering with American anti-racism activists, but organizers say it is also an opportunity to express their own anger at the treatment of racialized people in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada. Some of the names invoked included names of black men killed during Montreal police interventions in recent years. "It's important for everyone to be here today so that we can have a lot of voices to say the George Floyd event is not a singular event," said Marie-Livia Beauge, one of the event organizers. "It keeps happening and it's happening here in Montreal so to be here together is to show solidarity and denounce the injustice." The gathering drew Montrealers of all stripes and backgrounds, holding posters with slogans. Protesters chanted "Black lives matter" and "I can't breathe" what Floyd was caught on video saying. They took a knee in unison several times in solidarity with the movement. But when Montreal police called on protesters to disperse, some refused. Leah Blain, 20, chose to continue demonstrating and was part of a group trying to reach police headquarters when she was met with pepper spray. "We were just standing here, we were showing our support and this is what happens, the police support a system that's against us, so if you support them, you're against us," she said. On Sunday evening, Steve Haboucha was clearing broken glass from the frame around the front window of his Koodo Mobile store on Montreal's Ste Catherine Street. Security video from his store, he said, shows a stream of people entering the cell phone shop and leaving with accessories over a 30-minute period. About ten police officers were there, standing over broken glass, keeping guard outside. Haboucha said the police told him there were "hundreds" of stores that suffered the same fate along the route the protesters took. A few kilometres west on the same downtown street, the loud pops of cracking glass echoed through the neighbourhood, preceding a group of people who turned their destruction onto seemingly random targets. On one corner, a group used a metal construction sign and its steel stand to smash the front glass of a payday loan branch. All along Ste Catherine, people smashed windows and looted stores, while trying to evade police. Before chaos erupted, Vincent Mousseau, a social worker and community organizer, called out Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante, who earlier Sunday had condemned "violence, racism and systemic discrimination" in a series of tweets. Mousseau cautioned against empty words from leaders. "In fighting this, we need to ensure our movements are not co-opted to stifle our anger with their kind word and simultaneous inaction," Mousseau said. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers repeatedly told people to spread out, trying to find a spot where a two-metre distance could be maintained. Despite a majority of people wearing masks and organizers squirting hand sanitizer, the numbers attending made distancing impossible. The location adjacent to Montreal police headquarters was packed, with police closely guarding the building that houses their brass. Dr. Horacio Arruda, Quebec's director of public health, told Radio-Canada on Sunday evening that he recognized the importance of the cause but urged hand washing and for anyone exhibiting symptoms to let health authorities know they attended the protest. Around the start of the demonstration, Montreal police took the unusual step of issuing a tweet saying they were dismayed by the death of George Floyd. "Both the action taken and the inaction of the witnesses present go against the values of our organization," the force tweeted calling on for a peaceful demonstration. "We respect the rights and the need of everyone to speak out against this violence and will be by your side to ensure your safety," the police said. The Montreal rally followed one in Toronto on Saturday, which remained peaceful. So too did Sunday's rally in Vancouver, where thousands gathered outside the city's art gallery, waving signs and chanting their support of the Black Lives Matter movement and Floyd. Tristan Miura, who held up a skateboard painted with the words "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," said he hopes Vancouver will reflect on the protesters' message. 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. "Vancouver has always been quite liberal and very open about what they feel is wrong in the community," said Miura. "I think Vancouver, as a whole, is taking this time to reflect on past issues and preventing further issues from occurring." Others hoped it would spark a larger reaction in Canada. "I hope this is just the start," said Chance Lovett. "I hope this is just the beginning of a larger conversation and a larger movement." Vancouver police said there have been no arrests during the event. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2020. with files by Nick Wells in Vancouver. Doha, June 1 : Qatar's health ministry announced 1,648 new infections of the novel coronavirus, increasing the total number of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 56,910. "Some 4,451 people recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 30,290, while two died, raising the fatalities to 38," the official Qatar News Agency reported, quoting a ministry statement on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. A total of 222,069 persons have undergone lab tests for COVID-19 so far. China and Qatar have offered mutual help during the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. On February 21, five Qatar Airways cargo freighters flew to China carrying approximately 300 tons of medical supplies donated by the airline. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text LONDON, June 1 (Reuters) - Britain's government would not support the readmittance of Russia as a member of the G7, but it is up to the host country of any summit to decide which leaders it invites as a guest, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would postpone a Group of Seven summit he had hoped to hold next month until September or later and expand the list of invitees to include Australia, Russia, South Korea and India. Johnson's spokesman said the prime minister would wait to see what the United States proposed. "We will look at the detail of what the U.S. is proposing. It is customary for the country that holds the G7 presidency to invite other leaders to participate as guests in the summit," he told reporters. "Russia was removed from the G7 group of nations following its (2014) annexation of Crimea and we are yet to see evidence of changed behaviour which would justify its readmittance ... We wouldn't support it being readmitted as a member of the group." (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Stephen Addison) Imperial Valley News Center The Department of Justice Files Statement of Interest in Support of Freedom of Religion for Colorado Church Washington, DC - The Department of Justice Friday filed a statement of interest in a Colorado federal court supporting the First Amendment religious freedom claims of High Plains Harvest Church and its pastor. The statement of interest is part of Attorney General William P. Barr's April 27, 2020 initiative directing Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Eric Dreiband, and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, Matthew Schneider, to review state and local policies to ensure that civil liberties are protected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Especially during a crisis like this, the ability of people of faith to be able to exercise their religion is essential, said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. Colorado has offered no good reason for not trusting congregants who promise to use care in worship the same way it trusts diners inside a restaurant, or accountants, realtors or lawyers to do the same. The U.S. Department of Justice will continue to take action if states and localities infringe on the free exercise of religion or other civil liberties. We appreciate the challenging position that the state and the governor face in trying to balance public safety with personal and religious freedoms, said Jason Dunn, U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado. But when government restrictions cross the line into unconstitutional violations of religious liberty, it is my duty and that of the Department of Justice to engage and protect those interests. As important as it is that we stay safe during these challenging times, it is also important for states to remember that we do not abandon all of our freedoms in times of emergency, said Matthew Schneider, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, who, with Assistant Attorney General Dreiband, is overseeing the Justice Departments effort to monitor state and local polices relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlawful discrimination against people who exercise their right to religion violates the First Amendment, whether we are in a pandemic or not. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Colorados Governor and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) have issued various orders imposing limitations on in-person gatherings and, more recently, less restrictive rules for indoor service at restaurants. The guidance provides expressly that [i]ndoor dine-in service can be held at 50% of the posted occupancy code limit and a maximum of 50 patrons, if social distancing between parties of eight people or fewer is maintained, masks are worn, and other precautions are met. The rules for religious services in a place of worship are significantly more restrictive. Under guidance issued by CDPHE, religious gatherings inside a place of worship are permitted only if physical distancing is observed and the gatherings are of 10 or fewer people in each room. Places of worship thus are not allowed to host more than ten worshippers, even if they socially distance, and whether or not they are in the same party unlike various businesses, including marijuana dispensaries, legal, accounting and real estate services, which may admit numerous customers into a single space so long as those customers socially distance, and unlike restaurants, which have been exempted from the public gathering limits and now may seat 50 customers, who may sit in parties where the members of the party are not socially distanced. In its statement of interest, the United States explains that because Colorado appears to be treating similarly situated non-religious activity, such as in-person dining in restaurants, better than places of worship these actions may constitute a violation of the churchs constitutional right to the free exercise of religion. For many Americans, space means leaving the Earths atmosphere and exploring the galaxy. They think of this weekends Space X launch. Or going where no one has gone before on Star Trek. But the concept of space has a different meaning for African Americans. Its about finding places in American society white society where we are free to just be. Those spaces have been shrinking in recent months. With the flames lit in Minneapolis spreading to other cities after yet another black mans death, it felt like only an airhole was left. I am tired. Tired of how routine violence against African Americans at the hands of white people has been and continues to be. Angry as a journalist that this has happened so often that we all know the angles that must be covered, the questions to be asked, the stories to be written. Angrier still that as an African American journalist, I must explain, again and again, how dehumanizing this all is. And I think: Is doing this kind of job enough? Shouldnt I be doing something to stop the racism, the violence against us? For years, my identities as an African American and a journalist have been in sync. Growing up, I was curious (my family would say nosy). I read my hometown newspaper religiously and watched the evening news. I especially loved how journalists used facts to shine a light on the worlds injustices while also telling stories people needed to know to make decisions in their lives. As a teenager, I attended a two-week minority journalism workshop and my career choice was set. But in recent times, the dissonance between the two parts of me has grown louder. I woke up Tuesday morning to video of George Floyd, a handcuffed man, struggling for breath while a police officer pressed a knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air. Bystanders captured the video and can be heard increasingly pleading with the officer, Derek Chauvin, and three others to come to his aid. I heard echoes of Eric Garner repeated. I cant breathe, said George Floyd. My heart broke. And I cried. But as a journalist, I had to put my individual feelings on the back burner. I immediately shared that horrible video to make sure my colleagues were responding to the story quickly and covering the anger arising online, on the streets of Minneapolis and beyond. I did my part. But inside, I went from anger to rage to exhaustion. The weeks misery had begun on Memorial Day when a black man asked a white woman in Central Park to leash her dog. Birdwatcher Christian Cooper pulled out his phone. On it, he captured Amy Cooper calling police to report she was being threatened by an African American man. In the words of Yogi Berra, it was deja vu all over again for black folks. Cooper was later fired by the investment firm where she worked. The birdwatcher said he felt targeted just like Ahmaud Arbery, a black jogger in Georgia. He was killed when a white father and son chased him through their neighborhood and shot him in February. No charges were filed until two months later, after video of the shooting leaked online. On Friday, I awoke to the words of the president of the United States: When the looting starts, the shooting starts, he tweeted, summoning the civil rights era with a phrase used in the 1960s by a Miami police chief and by George Wallace, an aggressive segregationist. If African Americans being killed by police is the throughline of our times, then the drumbeat of aggressions for existing in white spaces is the steady rhythm. No driving while black. No swimming while black. No picnicking while black. No shopping while black. No standing while black. No sleeping while black. No breathing while black. No being me while black. And all this while the coronavirus stalks black bodies, killing us disproportionately. Doctors talk about our illnesses, but they dont delve into the systemic inequalities that bring them to bear. Being sick while black is dangerous, too. There is one space where we are welcome: jobs that, during the pandemic, have been deemed essential. We keep subways and buses moving, grocery stores stocked, food delivery services humming while many white-collar workers stay home. And white men hang governors in effigy for not reopening fast enough as African American deaths rise. Barack Obama, the nations first and only black president, tackled what getting back to normal means for African Americans in a statement Friday about George Floyds death. We have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly 'normal, he said, 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. Part of me wants to go off and join the fight. To put aside my journalistic reserve and give full voice to my anger, my disappointment that my country doesnt always live up to its lofty ideals of equality and justice. To build a brighter future like it seemed on Star Trek, where races, nationalities and even species lived together in mutual respect and Lt. Uhuras presence as a respected, competent black officer assured little Amanda of her place among them. But Im doing my part right where I am. Im telling stories that help readers understand the world around them. Im sharing the voices of the unheard and holding those in power accountable. Just as important, I am working to make our newsrooms more accurately reflect the communities we cover and to make our storytelling and our decision-making more inclusive. My voice is the voice of facts and context. My voice is the hope that they can bring the understanding and, eventually, the equality that my countrys founding documents promise. My space is the newsroom. Im good here. (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Pernod Ricard welcomes the opening of bars and restaurants and announces it is a leading partner of the "1000 Cafes" initiative to bring back convivialite across France Regulatory News: Press Release Paris, 2 June 2020 Today, Pernod Ricard (Paris:RI) wishes all cafes, bars, bistros, brasseries and restaurants every success as they reopen in compliance with health measures. As one of the founding members of the platform, "J'aime mon Bistrot" (I Love my Local), throughout this crisis Pernod Ricard has been doing its utmost to support one of the most affected sectors of the pandemic. At the same time, the Group has produced almost 2.5 million litres of pure alcohol globally for the manufacture of hydroalcoholic gel and transformed some of its plants into direct producers of hand sanitiser. Today the Group has decided to accelerate its support for the "1000 Cafes" initiative created by Groupe SOS, chaired by Jean-Marc Borello, and of which Pernod Ricard has become a leading partner. This project aims to facilitate the continuation or the opening of 1,000 cafes in 1,000 towns of fewer than 3,500 inhabitants across France. The Group will contribute via financial grants and will also help these 1,000 new cafe owners get set up. This commitment will also involve sharing with the managers of the "1000 cafes" tools developed to promote responsible sales in order to make each of these new establishments irreproachable in this area. This training will be led directly by Groupe SOS, based on its experience already gathered in some cafes. The Group will also provide advice on implementing a circular approach for the reuse of waste related to this activity, as it does elsewhere in the world with the Trash Tiki collective. Lastly, Pernod Ricard points out that no commercial consideration will be requested from future cafe owners, who will be free to stock brands of their choice. For Alexandre Ricard, Chairman CEO of Pernod Ricard, "The Covid crisis has shown the extent to which French people need to meet and share simple, authentic and genuine opportunities to socialise: the desire for respectful and responsible convivialite has never been so acute as it is now. This initiative is reminiscent of the philosophy that motivated Paul Ricard when he created his eponymous company. He wrote in his memoirs, La Passion de Creer, "I believe my need to live in a supportive and friendly society stems from my attachment to my rural roots. Jean-Marc Borello added, "Cafes, bars and restaurants have always played a vital role in our culture. They are meeting places as much as they are living spaces. Today they are missing from many small rural towns, and yet a third of the French population lives in these communities. In many places, their gradual disappearance heralds the end of local businesses and services. That is the finding of "1000 Cafes," which also wants to turn these establishments into multi-service hubs." About Pernod Ricard Pernod Ricard is the world's No 2 in wines and spirits with consolidated sales of 9,182 million in FY19. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine's, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouet champagnes, as well Jacob's Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard's brands are distributed across 160+ markets and by its own salesforce in 73 markets. The Group's decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of "Createurs de Convivialite." As reaffirmed by the Group's three-year strategic plan, "Transform Accelerate," deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard's strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics. As illustrated by the 2030 roadmap supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), "We bring good times from a good place." In recognition of Pernod Ricard's strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis and is ranked No. 1 in the beverage sector in Vigeo Eiris. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nations' Global Compact LEAD company. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index. To know more: https://www.pernod-ricard.com/en About 1000 Cafes Launched in September 2019, Groupe SOS's 1000 Cafes initiative is helping to regenerate rural communities, by opening or taking over 1,000 cafes in communities of under 3,500 inhabitants which no longer have a cafe or risk losing it. The principles of the project are to turn a cafe into a multi-service social space, creating a project fully in line with the needs of each community, and to support the cafe owner in both its creation and its day-to-day running. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005618/en/ Contacts: Pernod Ricard Contacts Alison Donohoe/ Press Relations Manager +33 (0)1 44 00 44 63 Emmanuel Vouin Press Relations Manager +33 (0)1 41 00 44 04 1000 Cafes Contacts Clemence Richard Communication Manager +33 (0) 6 12 74 19 93 ActionAid Ghana, an affiliate of ActionAid, a global movement of people working together to further human rights for all and defeat poverty, has outlined plans for the second phase of its COVID-19 Response Project. In announcing the second phase of the response, Mr. Sumaila Abdul Rahman, Country Director of ActionAid Ghana indicated that As an organisation with three decades of experience in working to ensure social justice and protect the rights of women and girls, and people living in poverty generally in Ghana, we understand at first hand that women, girls, children and the vulnerable in society are mostly hard hit and disadvantaged during such crisis. Therefore, this phase of our response is primarily targeted at providing relief to the extremely vulnerable in the hardest to reach areas of the country. The on-going first phase of ActionAid Ghanas COVID-19 response is characterised by a series of awareness creation campaigns on social media, community radio, and using IEC materials. ActionAid also handed over ActionAids Survivors Centre in Wa to the Wa Municipal Assembly for use as an insolation center for COVID-19 treatment. The Second phase, which is to cost GHC 2,190,000 will see the distribution of relief items to more than 15,000 households and 15 rural government hospitals across the country. The relief items to be distributed include 15000 reusable nose masks, 45 cartons of hand gloves, 45 cartons of disinfectants, 75 gallons of liquid soap, 934 boxes of soap each containing 24 bars, over 600 boxes of hand sanitisers each containing 24 bottles, 3,117 sacks of rice each containing five bags of 5kg mini rice, 1,314 boxes of oil each containing 12 one litre bottles each, 290 boxes of sanitary pads each containing 24 packs, 330 backs of cocoa powder and sugar each containing 12 quantities as well as 500 veronica buckets. ActionAid Ghanas COVID-19 Response Project will see relief items being distributed to beneficiaries in the following 31 districts: Ahafo region: Asutifi North and Asutifi South Districts Bono region: Tain District and Sunyani Municipal Upper East region: Bawku West, Pusiga, Bawku Municipal, Binduri, Nabdam, Talensi, Kassena Nankana, Builsa South Districts Upper West region: Lawra, Wa East, Sisala East, Lambussie, Jirapa Districts Volta region: Adaklu District and Ho Municipal Oti region: Kadjebi District Greater Accra region: Ga South District Northern region: Tamale Metropolitan, Sagnarigu, Nanumba North, Nanumba South, Kpandi, Tatale, Zabzugu, Mion, Gushegu, and Central Gonja Districts The third phase of ActionAid Ghanas COVID-19 Response will consist of another relief package for an additional hard-hit 10,000 households and a national advocacy campaign which will focus on the need for the provision of Gender Responsive Public Services as well as enhanced social protection interventions for people living in poverty especially women and girls. This national response is being implemented by ActionAid Ghana and their partners with funding from European Union under the Northern Ghana Integrated Development Project and the players of the Peoples Postcode Lottery in the United Kingdom under the Building the Agency of Adolescent Young Girls for Inclusive Leadership Project and other donors. About ActionAid Ghana Established in 1990, ActionAid Ghana (AAG) is an affiliate of ActionAid, a global movement of people working together to further human rights for all and defeat poverty. We believe everyone has the power within them to create change for themselves, their families, and communities. ActionAid is a catalyst for that change. ActionAid works in over 45 countries with over 15 million people worldwide. In Ghana, AAG works in the Upper East, Upper West, North East, Savannah, Northern, Bono East, Bono, Ahafo, Oti, Volta and Greater Accra regions. This represents 11 out of Ghanas 16 regions. To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. In his first Inaugural Address, and hopefully his last, Donald Trump talked about American carnage. He got it this week. What we couldnt have known in January 2017 is that he wasnt here to save us from this carnage, but to perpetuate it; that incitement wasnt just a feature of his campaign, but of his governance. When historians look back at the Trump era, they may very well say his presidency was encapsulated by this moment, when a sadistic cop knelt on the neck of an African-American man for almost nine minutes in plain view and the streets exploded in rage. Derek Chauvin was by no means the first cop to gratuitously brutalize and lynch an African-American. But he embodied something essential about Trumpism: Its us versus them. Thats the poison ethos at the heart of police brutality, and its the septic core of our 45th presidents philosophy. Neither a toxic cop nor Donald Trump sees himself as a servant of all the people theyve sworn to protect. They are solely servants of their own. Everyone else is the enemy. From the beginning, the police have received a lot of perverse messages from Trump, encouraging them to embrace the bitter angels of their nature. Three summers ago, he gave a speech on Long Island, disparaging officers who cradled the heads of suspects as they tucked them into their squad cars: You can take the hand away, OK? (A bank of police officers, seated behind him, started to laugh and cheer.) One of Trumps most revealing tweets since the rioting began was a boast about the prowess of the Secret Service and to threaten to sic the most vicious dogs, and most ominous weapons on the crowds outside the White House if things intensified. Hes Bull Connor with a comb-over. Or Walter E. Headley, Miamis former police chief, who in 1967 said, When the looting starts, the shooting starts, a phrase that reappeared in a Trump tweet on Friday. [June 01, 2020] Adtalem Global Education Medical Schools Commemorate More Than 1,000 Students Graduating Amid COVID-19 Crisis As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to highlight a need for healthcare workers on the front lines, Adtalem Global Education (ATGE) is proud to celebrate more than 1,000 new physicians entering the workforce from its two medical schools. American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) and Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) recently commemorated the Class of 2020 with virtual commencement ceremonies. "Now more than ever, we have a clear need for outstanding doctors, especially those who have developed skills in community engagement, a key pillar of the curriculum at American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine," said Heidi Chumley, M.D., provost of AUC. "As these new physicians enter their residency programs, I am confident that they are ready to bring immediate contributions to their patients and their communities, working in many underserved areas across the country and joining healthcare workers addressing medical needs in the context of an ongoing pandemic." With a majority of graduates beginning residencies in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine and Pediatrics, the heart of primary care, AUC and RUSM alumni are poised to bolster a workforce that faced shortages even before the current pandemic. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the United States will experience a shortage of up to 122,000 physicians by 2032. AUC and RUSM graduates will also enter residencies in anesthesiology, emergency medicine, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, pathology, psychiatry and radiology. "Students from around the world come to Ross University School of Medicine to pursue their passion for medicine," said James Record, M.D., JD, FACP, provost and chief academic officer at RUSM. "These physicians head to their residencies in some of the areas hardest hit by COVID-19, ready and able to make a positive impact on these communities." According to the U.S. Department of Education's most recently published data, Adtalem, through its affiliated schools of AUC and RUSM, graduates more MDs than any other individual school in the U.S. With more than 22,500 alumni, these physicians practice in nearly every U.S. state, including those hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis. Filling these critical workforce needs is a key pillar of Adtalem's mission to empower students and members to achieve their goals, fin success, and make inspiring contributions to our global community. About American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine Founded in 1978, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) has more than 7,500 graduates, many of whom work in primary care or underserved areas. With campuses in Sint Maarten and in the United Kingdom, affiliated teaching hospitals in the United States and the United Kingdom, and internationally recognized faculty, AUC has a diverse medical education program for today's globally minded physician. For more information visit aucmed.edu, follow AUC on Twitter (@aucmed), Instagram (@aucmed_edu) and Facebook (@aucmed). About Ross University School of Medicine Founded in 1978 and located in Barbados, Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) has more than 15,000 alumni and is committed to educating a diverse group of skilled physicians. RUSM is accredited by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP). For more information, please visit medical.rossu.edu and follow RUSM on Twitter (@RossMedSchool), Instagram (@rossmedschool) and Facebook (@RossMedSchool). About Adtalem Global Education Adtalem Global Education Inc. (NYSE: ATGE; member S&P MidCap 400 Index) is a leading workforce solutions provider and the parent organization of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists, Becker Professional Education, Chamberlain University, EduPristine, OnCourse Learning, Ross University School of Medicine and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. For more information, please visit adtalem.com and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) (@adtalemglobal) and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005138/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and Church of England bishops are among the religious leaders to have added their names to an international letter signed by hundreds of leaders around the world condemning Beijing's new national security law in Hong Kong. China's legislation has sparked global outrage, with an international coalition of over 700 parliamentarians and dignitaries from over 36 countries uniting against Beijing's "flagrant breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration". The coalition is being led by former Hong Kong Governor Lord Patten and former UK Foreign Secretary, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, and spans the political spectrum, with dozens of current and former British parliamentarians from across parties adding their names. International signatories include former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, and US Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. The Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Rev Nick Baines, the Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Rev Christopher Cocksworth, Lord Alton of Liverpool, Fiona Bruce MP and former Cabinet Minister, the Rev Jonathan Aitken, are among the Christians to have signed the statement. It reads: "We, the co-signed, write to express grave concerns about the unilateral introduction of national security legislation by Beijing in Hong Kong. "This is a comprehensive assault on the city's autonomy, rule of law, and fundamental freedoms. The integrity of one-country, two-systems hangs by a thread. "It is the genuine grievances of ordinary Hong Kongers that are driving protests. Draconian laws will only escalate the situation further, jeopardising Hong Kong's future as an open Chinese international city. "If the international community cannot trust Beijing to keep its word when it comes to Hong Kong, people will be reluctant to take its word on other matters. "Sympathetic governments must unite to say that this flagrant breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration cannot be tolerated." Lord Patten said the statement showed a growing and widespread international outrage at the Chinese government's imposition of national security legislation in Hong Kong. "The breadth of support, which spans all political parties and four continents, reflects both the severity of the situation and ongoing unified international support for the principle of one-country, two-systems," he said. The letter comes as US President Donald Trump removed Hong Kong's special status in America in retaliation for Beijing's interference in the region and threatened sanctions for officials who undermine freedom. "Our actions will be strong, our actions will be meaningful," he said. The head of Open Doors USA, David Curry, has warned of harmful ramifications for religious freedom in Hong Kong if the international community fails to speak up for citizens. "It's concerning, when you consider how much surveillance and pressure is being put on the church of China, to see Hong Kong Christians facing these same restrictions," he said. "We are very concerned by China's restrictions on religious liberty and human rights. I believe that China is rapidly developing, implementing and exporting a blueprint of persecution that will drive further restrictions on the free practice of faith throughout the region and even the world." He added: "It's possible that in just a short time there will be no true freedom of religion in regions controlled by China." Reposted courtesy of Christian Today Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton have both worn Castaner wedges having previously worn them on the royal tour in South Africa as well as RHS Chelsea Flower show respectively. (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. The Duchess of Cambridge and Meghan Markle, both 38, have made a lasting impression on fans over the years for their philanthropic work, but also their sartorial prowess. Their fashion has also been a key talking point, as well as their footwear. From designer Aquazzura heels to sustainable Veja trainers and affordable Superga plimsolls, these are two women who know shoes. Castaners another footwear brand both royals have been spotted wearing. Prince Williams wife wore the brand during a royal visit to India in 2016. Kate was also spotted wearing the Carina design at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May last year. The Duchess of Cambridge wore the Castaner wedges as she visited the 2019 RHS Chelsea Flower Show with husband the Duke of Cambridge in London on 20 May, 2019. (Getty Images) Although Kates exact style have since sold out, there is a very similar design available to buy in Farfetchs sale. Eagle-eyed fans may have notices Kates shoes have a thinner rope ankle strap, but a version with a thick tie up has been reduced. Get the look: Castaner Carina wedge sandals | 105 (Was 140) from Farfetch Castaner Carina wedge sandals Meanwhile Meghan wore a black version of the lace-up espadrille wedge during the royal tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2018. While some outfits they have worn have been out of our price range, this is one wardrobe staple fans can copy. Now, we can get our hands on the exact shoes both royals have worn, as well as other similar designs, because the brand has select items on sale at Farfetch. Meghan Markle attended a morning tea reception at the British High Commissioner's Residence on 24 October 24, 2018 in Suva, Fiji wearing the black version of the Carina Castaner wedges. (Getty Images) Buy it: Castaner black Carina 80 ankle tie wedge sandals | 74 (Was 99) from Farfetch Castaner black Carina 80 ankle tie wedge sandals The designer online retailer is offering customers up to 30% off Castaner shoes, from wedges and flat sandals, lace up espadrilles and open-toed mules. We have curated a selection of heeled wedges including Meghans go-to shoes, similar designs to Kates wedges, as well as other affordable alternative designs to take the stress out of your shopping spree. Story continues Shop alternative Castaner wedges on sale at Farfetch Castaner Campesina espadrilles Castaner Bromelia wedge espadrilles Castaner Dosalia mid-heel slingback espadrilles Castaner open toe raffia wedges Castaner Bluma sandals Punjab health and family welfare Balbir Singh Sidhu on Sunday said medical teams will be deployed to screen devotees when places of worship open in the state from June 8 onwards. Sidhu, who reviewed the situation after surge in Covid-19 cases in Amritsar, said, All arrangements have been made for this. For instance, medical teams are stationed outside the Golden Temple and the Durgiana Temple to screen devotees. The minister said there was no community spread in the city and asked the residents not to panic. This came a day after Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh said there was community transmission of the virus in Amritsar. Sidhu held a meeting with the officials concerned and instructed them to make proper arrangements to prevent any further spread of the coronavirus. The majority of patients have travel history or are contacts of those infected earlier. Amritsar has an international airport and a large railway junction. People stranded due to the lockdown are arriving here from other states and abroad and it is the main cause of the spread, he said. Taking a dig at private hospitals, the minister said, Private hospitals totally stayed away from contributing to the battle against the pandemic. It is the health department staff, police and other government functionaries who acted as frontline warriors. Private hospital doctors have joined the medical profession for earning money while those working with the government did it to serve people. Sidhu paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and partook of langar in the community kitchen of the shrine. Younger children went back to schools in England on Monday as Britain began to stir back to life, while the government reported the lowest coronavirus death toll since the start of the national lockdown in late March. Outdoor markets also swung open their gates and car showrooms tried to lure back customers and recoup losses suffered since Britain effectively shut down for business to ward off a disease that has now officially claimed 39,045 lives in the country. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Britain was making "significant progress" against the virus after its daily toll dropped to 111 -- the lowest since the stay-at-home order was issued on March 23. Reporting of virus cases and fatalities is often lower after a weekend and many people still appeared hesitant to start using public transport or shop. "It's very different from usual," Danish Londoner John Jellesmark said on a visit to the usually bustling Camden Market in the north of the capital. "It's still pretty slow. It looks like the market is basically waking up." Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out a timeline that allows two million younger children in England to return to school on Monday and older ones from June 15. The devolved governments in Scotland and Northern Ireland are eyeing a return in August and September, while Wales is still weighing the benefits of human contact against the dangers of children catching the disease and bringing it home. A survey conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research found that primary school leaders expect about half the families to keep their children home. Principal Claire Syms at the Halley House School in east London said children who do turn up need to feel comfortable in an unfamiliar setting where the desks are spaced out and many around them wear masks. "We've been really conscious about keeping things as normal and as consistent as we can for our children," Syms told AFP. "We're really mindful of their wellbeing and their mental health." The UK government has been encouraged by the positive experience of other European countries that have started to return to something resembling normal life. The House of Commons will debate a government push to get everyone to start voting in person instead of remotely when parliament returns from a break on Tuesday. But critics of the easing believe the so-called R rate of transmission -- estimated nationally at between 0.7 and 0.9 -- was still dangerously close to the 1.0 figure above which the virus' spread grows. Scientists and lawmakers are not the only ones to express concern that the government's "cautious and phased" reopening is moving too quickly. "We're only able to take these steps because of what we have achieved together so far," finance minister Rishi Sunak said as he toured Tachbrook Market in central London. London's Metropolitan Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh said current rules such as those allowing people to gather in groups of six in England were unenforceable. "I don't think the public are taking much notice of what is laid down in front of them," Marsh told The Daily Telegraph. "They are doing it how they want to do it." English parks and beaches have been inundated with people over two successive May weekends that came on the sunniest month ever recorded in Britain. Police had warned after seeing growing numbers ignore social distancing measures a week ago that they were serious about sanctioning those who gather in large groups. But some London parks looked like one giant party on Sunday and police issued just a tiny fraction of the fines they had handed out before people were allowed to leave their homes more freely on May 13. "Policing have told the government that unless it's a huge gathering, it's pretty much unenforceable now," a senior police source told The Daily Telegraph. PORTLAND, Oregon, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, "Digital Textile Printing Market by Ink Type (Reactive, Acid, Direct Disperse, Sublimation, Pigment, and Others) Substrate (Cotton, Silk, Polyester, and Others), Application (Clothing/Garments, Households, Technical Textiles, Display, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202027". According to the report, the global digital textile printing market was pegged at $2.2 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach $8.8 billion, growing at a 19.1% from 2020 to 2027. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities Surge in demand for 3D printing technologies, advancements in printing methods, and shift in fashion trends drive the growth of the global digital textile printing market. However, high cost of equipment and raw materials and the harmful environmental impact of digital textile printing hamper the market. On the contrary, rise in demand from emerging economies creates new opportunities for the market players. Get Detailed COVID-19 Impact Analysis on the Graphene Market @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/2080?reqfor=covid Covid-19 scenario: The emergence of Covid-19 has drastically impacted the global digital textile printing industry. As per the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the outbreak of Covid-19 has impacted the global FDI by 515%. This negative impact on the FDI investment hampered manufacturers due to the dearth of raw materials and lockdown across various countries. However, government relief funds are expected to minimize the overall impact on the market growth. Sublimation segment dominated the market By ink type, the sublimation segment held the largest share in 2019, accounting for nearly half of the global digital textile printing market, owing to the increasing demand for dye-sublimation and customized printing services. However, the pigments segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 21.9% during the forecast period, due to surge in penetration of pigments in fashion and sportswear because of their high durability and color stability. Request Sample Report at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/2080 Display & Others segment to manifest fastest CAGR through 2027 By application, the display & others segment held the largest share in 2019, contributing to more than half of the global digital textile printing market, due to the shifting trend toward the application of eco-friendly inks in electronic circuits. The circuits are made with scalable inkjet printing using advanced digital textile printing methods. However, the household segment is estimated to portray the highest CAGR of 20.7% during the forecast period. This is due to the superior flexibility of digital textile printing in terms of color and design. Europe, followed by Asia-Pacific and North America, held largest share The global digital textile printing market across Europe, followed by Asia-Pacific, dominated in 2019, accounting for more than one-third of the market, owing to presence of large number of manufacturers with a steadily growing demand for digital textile printing. However, the market across Asia-Pacific is expected to register the highest CAGR of 20.7% during the forecast period, due to upsurge in demand for low-cost cotton fabric for household products. The market across North America is expected to register a CAGR of 18.9% during the study period. For Purchase Enquiry at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/2080 Major market players Huntsman Corporation Am Printex Solutions Ags Transact Technologies Limited Hollander B.V. China Dyeing Holdings Ltd. Dickson Coatings DazianLlc Fisher Textilesinc. Digitex India Inc. Mehler Texnologies Gmbh Interested in Procuring this Report? visit: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/digital-textile-printing-market/purchase-options Avenue Basic Plan | Library Access | 1 Year Subscription | Sign up for Avenue subscription to access more than 12,000+ company profiles and 2,000+ niche industry market research reports at $699 per month, per seat. For a year, the client needs to purchase minimum 2 seat plan. Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenue/trial/starter Get more information: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access Similar Reports: Digital Textile Printing Inks Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20192027 Recycled Textile Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20192026 Digital Ink Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20192026 Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Resins Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20192026 About Us Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States USA/Canada (Toll Free): +1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022, +1-503-446-1141 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1(855)550-5975 [email protected] Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allied-market-research SOURCE Allied Market Research D idn't get time to listen to new music at the weekend? No bother, because we're on hand to help you catch up. Lady Gaga was the biggest name to release a new album, with the fantastic Chromatica arriving on Friday. But there was plenty else to enjoy, from surprise album drops to charity collaborations. One of the UK's most talked about rappers hit us with their latest project, a popular producer returned under a cryptic moniker, and a notorious punk band came back with a bang. Here's the new music you might have missed. Aitch Polaris One of the biggest rappers this side of the Atlantic, Manchesters Aitch has dropped a new eight-song project. Kenny Beats is among the production credits, and the AJ Tracey collaboration Rain is there too. ) Four Tet has returned and dropped a new four-track EP under his rather boggling Wingdings pseudonym. The tracks are less confusing though, with plenty of playful, summer-ready beats. Neil Finn, Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie Find Your Way Back Home Neil Finn, whos been playing as part of Fleetwood Mac since 2018, has enlisted the help of bandmates Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie for this slow-burning track. Its been released in aid of New Zealand homeless shelter Auckland City Mission. Pussy Riot, Dillom, Muerejoven, Parcas 1312 Russian punks Pussy Riot have returned with their latest track, a collaboration with Argentinian artists Parcas, Dillom, and Muerejoven. Its an excoriating critique of sex-based hate crime and police violence. Lil Wayne Funeral (Deluxe) Lil Wayne has dropped a deluxe version of his new album Funeral, with eight additional tracks and a host of fresh features featuring Doja Cat, Jessie Reyez, Lil Uzi Vert and more. Flaming Lips and Kacey Musgraves Flowers of Neptune 6 Country star Kacey Musgraves lends her vocals to this sprawling new track from American psych-rockers The Flaming Lips. The whole thing is a combination of blissful, innocent, psychedelic experiences that Steven [Drozd] and Kacey Musgraves (she sings harmony with me on the track) and myself all discussed, said frontman Wayne Coyne. Brockhampton Fishbone and Chain On/Hold Me feat. JPEGMAFIA The Brockhampton boys are keeping good on their promise to release new music every weekend. This time, there are two fresh tracks, with JPEGMAFIA dropping bars on one. Health Communication Specialist Jill Brown normally spreads the word about CDC research to news outlets and the public. But in mid-January, she joined the first wave of about 40 CDC volunteers to help screen arriving passengers at San Francisco International Airport for three weeks. I saw this as a great opportunity to do something in the field and be more on the front lines, she says. San Francisco International was one of the first three airports where CDC began screening arriving passengers from Wuhan. Working with CDCs San Francisco Quarantine Station and Customs and Border Protection, she and her fellow volunteers asked arriving passengers about their travel history and looked for signs of illness. If anyone showed or reported symptoms like fever, a cough, or trouble breathing, the screeners sent them to medical officers for further evaluation. They gave all travelers a card with information to carry with them for the next two weeks, explaining the symptoms of COVID-19 and how to safely contact healthcare providers if they became sick. As the screenings expanded from flights arriving from only Wuhan to flights from across China, the screening system evolved to accommodate more passengers. Despite the added time and complexity of the process, the passengers Brown encountered seemed to take it in stride. I was struck by how cooperative they were, she says. Even after a long international flight, they seemed to understand what was happeningthey were nice about it. Brown was part of a first wave of deployers, who implemented a system that continued to expand in scope. By March, 13 U.S. ports of entry were screening travelers from China, Iran, and about 30 countries in Western Europe. By the end of April, CDC and its partners had screened more than 285,000 arriving passengers for COVID-19. The work consumed most waking hours during Browns three-week deployment. However, the group managed to find time to unwind on some occasions, which included her birthday. I had never, ever been alone or away from my family on my birthday, she says. But her fellow volunteers took her to a taco place near the airport and bought her dinner. It sounds corny, but its a privilege and honor to see up close how the public health machinery works and how every little piece of the machinery is critical, she says. Its really something to see. DETROIT, MI An MLive photographer was among three journalists hit by pellets fired at them by a Detroit police officer on Saturday, while they were documenting the protests against police brutality in the city. Nicole Hester was hit by as many as a dozen pellets in her face and body, leaving welts and narrowly missing an eye. She was with her fiance, freelance photographer Seth Herald, who was working for AFP, and Matt Hatcher, who was shooting for Getty Images. John Hiner, vice president of content for MLive Media Group, said it is outrageous that a police officer fired on working journalists who were doing their jobs." Journalists have a right and an obligation to be on the scene of breaking news, without being targeted. These journalists had credentials, identified themselves and were not posing any threat. We are demanding a full investigation of this unprovoked attack, and assurances that journalists can do their jobs without threat or harassment. A spokesperson for the Detroit Police Department told MLive they were not aware of the incident, but they would investigate the matter once a complaint is filed. Hester said the photographers had been stopped by police on their way back to their parked car near Kennedy Square, around midnight and after protestors had largely dispersed. The three photographers had spent the better part of two evenings covering protests across the streets of Detroit spurred by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Hester recounted that as the journalists approached a corner, they came upon at least two officers. We were just trying to leave the scene, she said. We werent doing anything. We werent charging at them. Herald said the group of photographers asked the police they encountered if they could cross the street. The photographers put up their hands, identified themselves as press, and had their camera gear around their necks. Herald said it appeared to the journalists that the police motioned them to pass through. As they began to move forward, one of the police officers fired from 15 to 20 feet away. That can kill a person or put an eye out. (Hatcher) got hit in the mouth and luckily didnt lose any teeth. Officers used tear gas and fired pellets to disperse the crowd earlier in the evening after projectiles including fireworks, bricks, and rocks were thrown at police. Detroit police said they arrested 84 protesters after the violence began. 84 arrests made in second day of police brutality protests in Detroit Hester was hit more than a dozen times, once above her eye but also on her legs, arms, and chest, where the marks remained visible a day later. She called the entire situation pretty emotional for her, the first time she has ever experienced something like this. She has previously photographed Antifa and the Proud Boys in Portland, and a gathering for womens reproductive rights in Alabama. MLive photographer Nicole Hester was hit by plastic pellets fired by Detroit police during a Saturday, May 31, 2020, protest in the city. (Nicole Hester, MLive.com) Im not someone who scares easy, but that was pretty intense to be shot at, said Hester. Herald said he questioned another officer if he believed in freedom of the press and the oath taken to uphold the Constitution. All he said to me was, I dont know, Herald said. During that exchange, Hester said an officer said, "Maybe youll write the truth some day, lady! The group was directed back down the street by police. It seems like ages, said Herald of the walk to the parking garage. A good 30 minutes to an hour to navigate when it should have been about a five, 10-minute walk. As they approached the garage, Herald said there was another line of police. The officer looked at us and said: I guess Ill let you pass, but if I see your faces again, Im locking you up,' recalled Herald of the brief interaction. When Hester arrived home, she saw the scrapes and bruises shed suffered. I was just really glad he didnt hit my eye, she said, because vision is critical to her job. Media outlets are reporting incidents of journalists being arrested or injured while covering the protests throughout the country. Were first responders, too, Hester said, wondering aloud what else could have been done to stop the incident from taking place. What else am I supposed to do to identify myself and will it even matter? Hester and the other two photographers returned to their work in Detroit late Sunday. Related news: Police brutality protests in Michigan: What you need to know from this weekends rallies, riots Flint-area police join protesters marching to seek justice for George Floyd Peaceful protest in Grand Rapids devolves into riot, looting and fires Animal and plant species are dying off around the world at the fastest rate since the mass-extinction event that killed the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, scientists warn. A new study, by an international team of researchers, found more than 500 land-based animal species will be on the brink of extinction within the next two decades. The team, which included experts from University of Mexico and Stanford University say the rate of decline is accelerating is as a result of human activities. The international research team are calling for immediate global conservation actions to prevent a 'catastrophic ecosystem collapse'. Researchers say the rate of decline of these species is much higher than previously thought, adding that the world's sixth mass extinction is already underway. Some of those species at particular risk include the Sumatran rhino, the Clarion island wren, the Espanola Giant Tortoise and the Harlequin frog. The Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is one of the most endangered mammals on Earth. Approximately 80 individuals remain in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, but poaching for their tusks and habitat loss threaten them with extinction Paul Ehrlich, from Stanford University in California and one of the authors on the study, said we are only harming ourselves by not tackling the crisis. 'When humanity exterminates populations and species of other creatures, it is sawing off the limb on which it is sitting, destroying working parts of our own life-support system,' said Ehrlich. 'The conservation of endangered species should be elevated to a national and global emergency for governments and institutions, equal to climate disruption to which it is linked.' More than 400 vertebrate species became extinct in the last 100 years - extinctions that would have taken up to 10,000 years in the normal course of evolution. Slide me This map shows the geographic range of 48 mammal and 29 bird terrestrial species on the brink of extinction in 1900 (left) and currently (right) Examples of species going extinct due to human activity include the ivory billed woodpecker, and the Round Island burrowing boa. The most recent example of an extinction is the golden toad. Diana Fisher from the University of Queensland, co-chair of the IUCN, said species close to extinction are on every continent but Antarctica. 'I agree with the authors that this extinction crisis needs to be elevated to an emergency equal to climate change,' Fisher said. 'Conservation efforts do work, and every population can be saved if we want to save them. Dozens of birds and mammals have recovered from tiny populations due to intense conservation effort.' To better understand the current extinction risk faced by some of the creatures, the team looked at the abundance and distribution of critically endangered species. They used data from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and from Birdlife International. They found 515 (1.7 per cent) out of 29,400 species analysed are on the brink of extinction, with less than 1,000 individuals remaining in each species. Those on the brink of extinction are located mainly in tropical and subtropical regions, in areas that are heavily affected by human activities, the researchers said. Professor Ralf Buckley, Director of the International Centre for Ecotourism Research at Griffith University, said the fact extinctions happen in clumps is good and bad. 'Bad, since where one species is driven to extinction, others are likely to go with it. Good, since if one species and its habitat can be protected, others will survive with it,' said Buckley. 'In addition, funding to protect many endangered species now relies largely on ecotourism. So, if one species is charismatic and attracts tourists, this can also help less well known species in the same area.' The Espanola Giant Tortoise (Chelonoidis hoodensis), a species endemic to the Galapagos island, is threatened by introduced species. Recent conservation efforts have increased the number of tortoises, but only about 200 remain He said tourism depends on safety, so areas that aren't as safe but with a clump of extinctions could be at greater risk - particularly northwestern Colombia. ON THE BRINK: SPECIES WITH FEWER THAN 1,000 INDIVIDUALS LEFT Number of species on the brink of extinction and the total species in that type evaluated by the IUCN. Mammals - 74 species out of 5,459 - 74 species out of 5,459 Birds - 335 species out of 10,423 - 335 species out of 10,423 Reptiles - 41 species out of 6,861 - 41 species out of 6,861 Fish - 65 species out of 6,631 - 65 species out of 6,631 Total - 515 species out of 29,374 Advertisement 'Tourism to Colombia is still small. This new analysis shows, for example, that if conservation efforts could focus on boosting tourism to Colombia, there would be a high payoff. The same applies for other overlap zones.' Terrestrial vertebrates facing extinction include species such as the Sumatran rhino, the Clarion island wren, the Espanola Giant Tortoise and the Harlequin frog. Additional analysis suggests more than 237,000 populations of mammal and bird species on the brink have vanished since 1900. These declines are being driven by wildlife trade and other human pressures such as such as population growth, habitat destruction, the wildlife trade, pollution and climate change, the researchers said. A vast majority (84 per cent) of species with populations under 5,000 have been found to live in the same areas as species with populations under 1,000. According to the team, this means the loss of endangered creatures could have a 'domino effect' on other species. Lead author Gerardo Ceballos, from the University of Mexico, said: 'What we do to deal with the current extinction crisis in the next two decades will define the fate of millions of species. 'We are facing our final opportunity to ensure that the many services nature provides us do not get irretrievably sabotaged.' The variable harlequin frog (Atelopus varius) was widespread in Costa Rica and Panama until an introduced fungus from Asia decimated its populations Among other actions, the researchers propose a global agreement to ban the trade of wild species - particularly the illegal capture or hunting of wild animals for food, pets and medicine, adding it is an ongoing threat to species and human health. CALL FOR ACTION: SCIENTISTS URGED TO 'TAKE TO THE STREETS' Researchers say that in view of the current extinction crisis and the lack of widespread actions to halt it, it is very important that scientists should metaphorically take to the streets. They say that they started a global 'Stop Extinction' initiative. This was to address and publicise the extent of the extinction crisis and its impacts on biodiversity. 'There is time, but the window of opportunity is almost closed. 'We must save what we can, or lose the opportunity to do so forever,' they say. 'There is no doubt, for example, that there will be more pandemics if we continue destroying habitats and trading wildlife for human consumption as food and traditional medicines. 'It is something that humanity cannot permit, as it may be a tipping point for the collapse of civilisation. 'What is at stake is the fate of humanity and most living species. Future generations deserve better from us.' Advertisement 'It's up to us to decide what kind of a world we want to leave to coming generations - a sustainable one, or a desolate one in which the civilization we have built disintegrates rather than builds on past successes,' said coauthor Peter Raven. COVID-19, which is thought to have originated in bats and been transmitted to humans through another creature in a live animal market, is an example of how the wildlife trade can hurt humans, according to the researchers. They point out that wild animals have transmitted many other infectious diseases to humans and domestic animals in recent decades due to habitat encroachment and wildlife harvesting for food. Chris Johnson, Professor of Wildlife Conservation at the University of Tasmania, said the rate of change is happening rapidly. 'The current rate of extinction of species is higher than at any time since 65 million years ago, when the collision of a space-rock with the Earth killed off dinosaurs and many other species,' Johnson said. 'Threats to species in today's world - things like habitat destruction and climate change - are growing rapidly. 'This suggests that the rate of extinction may be about to increase further. The significance of this study is that it provides evidence for that impending rise in extinctions,' he added. 'The tragedy of all of this is that we have the knowledge to save species from extinction, and doing that is cheap in a global context. But this task is just not given enough priority by society and governments.' The findings have been published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Don Kleine, the county attorney for Douglas County, Nebraska, held a news conference Wednesday at 2 p.m. regarding the shooting death of 22-year-old James Scurlock. "We've reviewed the available evidence and made our decision based on the evidence and the law," he said. "I made a decision and I would not change that decision based on anything we know today...However, I'm not afraid of having a decision that I've made reviewed by others." Kleine said he has met with members of the community that said he should designate a grand jury to investigate Scurlock's death. "I welcome and support the calling of a grand jury to review the evidence in this rare instance," Kleine said. He said he will petition for the grand jury and special prosecutor. "These times are unique in an effort and hope and restoring faith in the system," Kleine said. He said the jury actually convening could take a while due to current COVID-19 concerns. At the earliest this could take a few months. Kleine announced Monday that there would be no charges against Jake Gardner in the shooting death of Scurlock, a black man who was killed amid protests in Omaha Saturday night. Sister station KETV NewsWatch 7 has spoken to multiple city leaders about the possibility of a grand jury investigation. Scurlock II has called for the investigation, saying his son's death deserves another set of eyes and review. "What I ask them to do is invoke a grand jury," said the father. "This is a situation that happened with so much media around, and I'm not talking about press, I'm talking about the kids. Our kids have more media than the media has and everybody down here has a cell phone." Teachers turned to online tools as schools closed early due to the coronavirus pandemic. What worked and what needs work, especially in music education? Spring break typically marks the beginning of the home stretch for high schools and colleges. As trees on campuses burst into bloom, students and teachers turn their attention to end-of-the-year activities like exams, prom, field day, and graduation. Spring 2020 was different. By mid-March, COVID-19 hollowed out American society, shuttering offices, restaurants, theaters, arenas, malls, and, of course, schools and colleges. Rather than moving full steam into the last few standards before summer vacation, teachers and professors hurriedly took a detour to create new online lessons. Even for those teachers who were prepared to deliver lessons remotely for a single weather day or for those already using cloud-based software for a variety of purposes, complete and total virtual learning was a tall order. No one was ready to do it long-term, says Keith Ozsvath, band director at Rotolo Middle School in Batavia, Illinois, and an adjunct instructor teaching digital technology for music at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. Ozsvaths students left his classroom on a Friday, and by the following Wednesday, they were studying music online. He and his colleagues had just a few days to develop an e-learning curriculum. Fortunately, our school district is one-to-one with Chromebooks, and we use Google Classroom, Ozsvath says. It was fairly easy initially. Elisa Janson Jones, founder and chief executive officer of the International Music Education Summit, says some educators spent very long days creating adequate online learning. The difference in preparedness from district to district was dramatic, she says. Transitioning from Classroom to Online Educational tools that were peripheral, like Flipgrid, Zoom, and Google Meet, were thrust to center stage during the school closings. Most [districts] didnt have any type of online infrastructure other than their schools learning management system, which may or may not have suited their needs, Jones says. Some districts gave students a few days off while administrators and teachers ramped up their online capabilities and wrote plans. On the afternoon of March 13, students of Sycamore Community Schools in Cincinnati started their spring break while teachers spent their holiday week working to adapt or create materials that would start Monday, March 23. You know how teachers are, says Dr. Micah Ewing, supervisor of music at Sycamore, which also has one-to-one Chromebooks for students. Dr. Justin Isenhour, assistant professor of trombone and music theory at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, gave up his spring break as well. They didnt want us to lose any instructional time, he says. They wanted us to figure it out over spring break. To prepare logistically, Isenhour also contacted his Internet service provider to upgrade his connection, knowing that both he and his wife, who teaches middle school music, would be providing instruction from home. Overall, those teachers familiar with online teaching tools enjoyed a smooth transition to e-learning, says Tim Hinton, host of the Marching Roundtable podcast and creator of the Marching Arts Education website. Those who were not encountered a learning curve. Either way, Hinton says, its still just teaching and not unlike the first time they set foot in a classroom. You were nervous, you didnt know how [your class was] going to react, you didnt have a lot of experience. Its just new, Hinton says. What Best Practices? To establish a set of best practices in any profession, practitioners must use a given set of tools and strategies long enough to determine if theyre viable. Because few schools had pursued long-term online musical instruction, says Jones, they had no best practices to consult. During the closings, Ozsvath kept his lessons simple. Rather than presenting new concepts, Ozsvath and his colleagues focused on individual music skill development, covering just one or two standards or essential learning objectives. We didnt want to stress the kids with a lot of new material or new technology, he says. [This] helped students more than completing random assignments with no definitive learning plan, he says. To help other educators, Ozsvath regularly posts resources and even entire lesson plans on his blog, Teaching Music & More, as well as through Facebook. For virtual student assessments, he recommended Flipgrid as well as specific music-related software, such as Sight Reading Factory, SmartMusic, and MusicFirst, which all offered free accounts during the stay-at-home order. Isenhour modeled proper technique and tone remotely to his students by prerecording trombone pieces, then sharing his screen with his students and playing the recordings. His home setup has two microphones that allowed him to record his voice and trombone separately for quality sound. Many of his trombone students, though, were using their phones to record the audio and video samples he required them to submit. Because trombones have such a wide decibel spectrum, Isenhour decided to provide his students with a crash course in sound engineering. If Im getting recordings from them, and all Im hearing is distortion, I cant help them with their tone quality or articulation, Isenhour says. He introduced them to Audacity, a free audio recording and editing software, and walked them though the features that enabled them to enhance their recordings. They would have had to learn that software eventually as educators or performers, he says. I gave them a little head start on that a silver lining, he adds. Group vs. Individual Lessons Some aspects of a band program, such as ensemble participation, can be very difficult to conduct remotely. Concepts like intonation and rhythmic integrity are difficult to address over an Internet connection. The teacher-student collaboration and interdependence of parts is unique to ensembles and is also what makes it so special, Ozsvath says. Instead of continuing with ensembles, Ozsvaths students worked independently. He offered live online instruction to help students who had fallen behind or who just needed extra help. During the school day, he was available through email and Remind, a group messaging service, to answer student questions. To give flexibility to families in their daily schedules and to alleviate home bandwidth problems, Sycamore relaxed its requirements on group learning and attendance expectations and broadened its interpretation of engagement. So long as teachers and students were communicating, they were pleased, Ewing says. Sycamore offers three levels of band at its high school. Auditions had been conducted online through video submissions in previous years and easily continued in the same manner. Isenhour was able to hold group learning sessions but adjusted the schedules. Some of his students worked at grocery stores and were picking up more hours. Some were earning hazard pay while it was available. Isenhour didnt want to disenfranchise those students by requiring them to attend a group learning session. Just because we met on campus Mondays and Wednesdays at 8 a.m. doesnt mean the students had that time available, Isenhour says. While group learning became more difficult, private lessons could easily transition to meetings over Zoom, FaceTime, or other video conferencing platforms. Even marching skills and leadership classes soared online. Both Silent Command and Dynamic Marching offer lessons for marching students virtually. Claire Wilcox, head conductor with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps and a student at Indiana University Bloomington, has taught private conducting and leadership lessons through Silent Command. Shortly after Americas schools closed, she saw a spike in the number of students seeking instruction from her. I had more students than Ive ever had, Wilcox says. Graded Material Although most instructors had the tools necessary to teach online classes, few could present their full curriculum remotely. Sycamore teachers used Flipgrid to swap video and audio files with their students. Teachers provided written feedback on students performances, says Ewing, but it wasnt the same as rehearsing live. Ozsvath assigned review material that helped students refine a previous skill. His students were reading and playing in various key signatures before the school closed. We continued to work on these with video instructions, online quizzes, and audio/video playing assignments, Ozsvath says. Whether students were learning new material or reviewing old concepts, most teachers didnt enter numeric grades in their grade books. We were directed by the Illinois State Board of Education that all grades must be pass/fail, Ozsvath says. Sycamore instructed its teachers to do the same, reminding them to consider the situation. It was pretty lenient, emphasizing being gracious to families under stress, Ewing says. If students were engaged, and they were putting forth effort, then they received a pass. At the college level where students grade point averages may be tied to scholarships, an entry in the grade book can have serious monetary consequences. Under normal circumstances students at Winthrop are allowed to take a class satisfactory/unsatisfactory only four times in their entire college career and for no more than one course per semester. Administration waived those rules for Winthrops spring semester, allowing students to exercise that option as many times as they wished during the term. Disappointments and Opportunities COVID-19 brought with it a host of societal maladies, like illnesses, joblessness, and mental health issues. Ewing says that Sycamore students were stressed but resilient. Naturally, students experienced disappointment, including canceled concerts and graduation ceremonies. However, the school closings also gave students more free time to immerse themselves in their own projects. There have been some pretty creative videos out there, Ewing says. Disappointed Winthrop seniors lost the opportunity to give their capstone solo recitals. To grade the students final juries and exams, Isenhour asked his studios accompanist to record piano accompaniment for his students solos. Then his students recorded their parts with the accompaniment playing in a speaker or in their ears. We patched that together, and that became their juries, their exams, Isenhour says. Although marching bands dont strut onto the gridiron until the fall, most programs kick off in the spring. University of Nebraska-Lincoln conducted 2020 marching band auditions all remotely. We moved to an all-video submission first round, says Tony Falcone, associate director of bands. Falcone was midway through interviewing students for the bands leadership positions when his campus closed. He quickly created a process that allowed the remaining students to interview by video. The university has a video file-sharing service called VidGrid, so this was pretty easy, he says. I sent out a set of questions, and the students answered them on video Though the drum major auditions were a little more complicated, they were done remotely as well. At Sycamore, Ewing held his annual marching band kickoff through Google Meet. Band members logged in and were directed to view materials and a video online. Then they had a question-and-answer session. We tried to make it as normal as possible, Ewing says. We structured it like our normal marching band open house would have been if we were in person. Who knows what education will look like when the country embraces its new normal on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless, distance learning served its purpose this past spring by shepherding instructors and students through uncertain days and keeping music education moving forward. While virtual learning has made its mark on education and may change the way teachers approach their lessons in the future, its unlikely to replace mainstream traditional classrooms forever. It definitely does not and cannot replace the kind of education we get in our schools with our ensembles and the connections students make with the music, with each other, and [with teachers], Ewing says. Software for Audio and Video Sharing JK Rowling has shown her support for the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd. The Harry Potter author last week announced the release of her new childrens book The Ickabog and encouraged her young fans to submit drawings of its characters, resharing her favourites on Twitter. However, following a weekend of protests across the America, Rowling paused the competition on her social media platform, returning on Monday (1 June) to explain her few hours of radio silence. Ive paused on commenting on childrens drawings because, like everyone, Ive been watching whats happening in America, she wrote. Anything I say feels inadequate. All I know is that the world has to change. Power structures have to change. White people have to change, she continued, adding the hashtag: #BlackLivesMatter. Rowling joins a growing group of celebrities to show their support for the cause, including Rihanna, Beyonce and Billie Eilish. 18-year-old Eilish condemned people insisting that all lives matter in an Instagram post, writing: Will you shut the f**k up? No one is saying your life doesnt matter. No one is saying your life is not hard. No one is saying literally anything at all about you all you MFs do is find a way to make everything about yourself. This is not about you. You are not in need. You are not in danger. Rihanna spoke of her devastation, anger [and] sadness felt since the death of Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck. Watching my people get murdered and lynched day after day pushed me to a heavy place in my heart, Rihanna wrote. A New York woman and her husband have been attacked by a group of suspected looters damaging a store that they lived above. Peaceful protests over the death of George Floyd turned volatile over the weekend as widespread looting in Upstate New York on Saturday. In Rochester, Madison Mavity and her husband, Bret Mavity, were caught in the crosshairs when at least six men began damaging the business under their apartment. Cell phone footage from the incident shows a group of men breaking the front windows of Rochester Fire Equipment Company and Kim Dao Repairs when Madison, 24, came outside. Madison Mavity, 24, (right) was attacked by a group of suspected looters in Rochester, New York, on Saturday Madison tells the group of men to stop destroying the property, but this appears to escalate the situation. The men then turn on her, including one man who swings what appears to be a piece of plywood at her head. 'I was definitely there interrupting something they wanted to do,' Madison told WHAM. 'I jumped in and said, "Get out of here, get the f*** out of my house," and they came at me.' The men begin to kick, punch and push the woman around as bystanders watch on. The group of men were reportedly trying to loot a jewelry store under The Mavity's apartment before Madison (right) came outside Cell phone footage shows the men shove, punch and kick Madison while bystanders watch on One man even launches a metal ladder at Madison and others use boards to hit Madison. During the scuffle, Bret rushes outside to break up the altercation. 'Get away from my wife!' Bret screams, before he's overpowered and attacked as well. The footage ends with the group of looters running away from the scene. They were reportedly there to steal jewelry from one of the stores. Afterwards, Madison revealed that she had a 'slight concussion.' 'My ears were ringing for a long time and have huge bruise on the side of me,' she added. Bret was also injured during the alteration and plans on going to the hospital. Bret Mavity (pictured), Madison's husband, later comes outside in an attempt to protect his wife Bret (left) suffered a hand injury as a result of the altercation on Saturday and planned on visiting a hospital 'My husbands hand is crazy hurt. We need to go to the hospital and get that checked out,' Madison said. The couple told Spectrum News that they called 911 and 'and no one ever came. We get they were busy but that was just crazy.' Madison said that she decided to confront the group of men in an effort to help Kim Dao, owner of Kim Dao's Repairs, downstairs. Madison has lived above the store for four years and even helped the owners of the jewelry store board up their windows after it was previously ransacked. 'They were broken into and vandalized. We were helping fix their window when more people came and re-broke everything. I was just trying to get them away,' said Madison. She recalled the altercation starting when a man in an orange hoodie stepped towards her. Madison (pictured), speaking with Spectrum News, said: 'They were broken into and vandalized. We were helping fix their window when more people came and re-broke everything. I was just trying to get them away' Madison: 'I dont want to bring negative connotation to what the Black Lives Matter movement is trying to say because I dont think that they were a part of it' Although the couple called 911, the police in Rochester apparently never showed up to the scene Pictured: three men tower over Madison as they kick her and swing a piece of wood at her 'The one kid in the orange hoodie kind of just came at me. My husband tried to defend me but [an attacker] grabbed my shirt and pulled me around and down,' she said. 'Meanwhile, my husband was trying to get them off me and eventually he did get me up and back inside.' Madison's mother, Shelly Gonzalez, was alarmed when she saw the video footage. 'I was horrified when I saw the video,' Shelly told Democrat & Chronicle. Shelly said her daughter went downstairs because she thought the owners had returned, but found the group of men instead. 'She was pissed. She was really angry and frustrated,' said Shelly. Shelly Gonzalez: 'They're terrified because they don't feel safe going back to their home' The couple has since left their apartment after witnessing looters with gas cans outside the building. 'They're terrified because they don't feel safe going back to their home,' said Shelly. Still, Shelly is extremely proud of her daughter for standing her ground. 'I'm so proud that she came out and on seeing what she saw, she could have run back upstairs. Instead, she stood her ground,' Shelly said. 'I think my daughter is a hero.' Madison added that the incident didn't affect her view of the Black Lives Matter movement. 'This is just senseless violence. I think we have to keep that in mind,' she said. 'I dont want to bring negative connotation to what the Black Lives Matter movement is trying to say because I dont think that they were a part of it.' OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has rejected Donald Trumps latest proposal to readmit Russia to the G7, stoking old divisions between the American president and the rest of the group. Trump was to host the G7 summit later this month but postponed it to the fall because of the mass protests rocking the United States. He also mused that he would like to see Russia, India, South Korea and Australia added to what he calls a very outdated group of countries. It wasnt the first time Trump has raised the possibility of bringing Russia back to the G7 he made similar comments two years ago on the eve of a leaders summit that Trudeau hosted in Charlevoix, Que. Trudeau said Monday that nothing has changed since the G7 ejected Russia from what was then the G8 in 2014, over its annexation of territory from Ukraine. Russia was excluded from the G7 after it invaded Crimea a number of years ago. And its continued disrespect and flaunting of international rules and norms is why it remains outside of the G7, and will continue to remain out, the prime minister said. The 2018 summit ended in disarray with Trump hurling insults at Trudeau over Twitter after he departed Charlevoix. Canada and the U.S. were mired in a contentious renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement at the time, and Trudeau reiterated his opposition to U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs at the summits closing press conference. Trump was bound for a historic summit in North Korea when he heard them. Trump threw a monkey wrench into the start of the summit, when he said before arriving that Russia should be participating. Trump has always been outraged by the findings of U.S. intelligence services that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election that brought him to power. Bessma Momani, an international affairs expert at the University of Waterloo, said many G7 leaders might not want to be associated with Trump given he has become such an international outlier in recent weeks. It would be difficult for many political leaders to give Trump the aura of global leadership at a time when race relations are their worst in the United States, said Momani. There is some global support for the Black Lives Matter movement and many of the G7 governments may be mindful that providing Trump with a photo-op will be misconstrued as support for his actions and words in these tense times. John Kirton, the University of Toronto professor who has made a career out of studying the G7 summitry, said Trump could have still hosted the summit, albeit in a videoconference format, despite the current challenges. Why he wouldnt have wanted to show the American people that he was working, and doing it, and that he had gotten these important countries ... to work co-operatively, only he knows. If, in fact, he can remember what his thinking was. Ben Rowswell, the president of the Canadian International Council, said the postponement could potentially lead to the summit being missed altogether this year. President Trumps proposal to add countries that are hostile to the group, such as Russia, greatly reduces the likelihood that the group will agree to a communique, he said. Frankly, skipping a year may be the best outcome for the ongoing relevance and effectiveness of the G7, to avoid the kind of confrontation that would put future summits in jeopardy. Late last month, Trump and White House officials were considering the idea of holding an in-person G7 summit near Washington. Trudeau said then that in-person G7 meetings leaders are more effective than the virtual alternative, but he said he wanted to make sure the U.S. had plans to deal with the health risks posed by COVID-19. Weve always been working with the United States to co-ordinate when we can hold this important G7 meeting. Its really important to keep holding these meetings and co-ordinating internationally in this time of crisis, Trudeau said Monday. The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the U.S., with the presidency rotating annually among member countries. The European Union is also a member. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2020. Editors note: This story was updated to reflect a change in the deadline by which six counties must count mail-in votes. An unprecedented number of mail-in votes, coronavirus concerns and new voting systems will make Tuesdays primary unlike any election thats come before. Whether you plan to vote by mail or show up at a polling place to cast your ballot, here are some things you may need to know: Who can vote in this election? This is a primary election to determine which candidate will receive the Republican or Democratic nomination to seats in the state General Assembly, state row offices, the US House of Representatives, and the office of US president. Only Republican and Democratic voters can cast ballots. I got a ballot to vote by mail, but haven't dropped it in a mailbox yet. When is the latest I can mail it? You cant -- unless you live in one of six counties that were givedan seven extra days in which to count mail-in votes. Dauphin County is one of those that, along with Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery, Allegheny and Erie, received the extra time after a weekend of civil unrest. The ballots mailed by voters in those counties must still be postmarked by 8 p.m. June 2, and will be counted if they are received by the elections office by 8 p.m. on June 9. Ballots delivered by hand must still be received by 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 2. In all other counties, ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on June 2, regardless of whether they are mailed or hand-delivered. Each county has established drop-boxes where people can turn in their ballots Tuesday: 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: From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, June 1: York County Administrative Center, 28 E. Market St., right next to The Yorktowne Hotel, From 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 2: drive-up in front of the York County Administrative Center, 28 E. Market St., York (pull up to parking meters, which will be bagged off the right lane of Market St.); or walk-in to the lobby of York County at Pleasant Valley Road, 2401 Pleasant Valley Road, York. I applied for a mail-in ballot, but never filled it out. Can I just go and vote in person instead? Yes, although you may have to cast a provisional ballot. That ballot will 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. Margot Casey and Phil Groff head to vote as Rep. Greg Rothman looks on as the polls open on Primary Election Day in Pa., June 2, 2020. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com I understand some polling places have been consolidated. How do I know where I should go to vote? 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. Youll be able to type in your address to be told where you can vote. 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, Commissioner Mike 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. My county has a new voting system. What if I have trouble figuring out how to use it? Each county has videos posted on their Web sites to give interested a voters a head start on what theyre facing. And voters who show up in person in Cumberland will also receive instructional postcards to help guide them through the process. Here's the video showing how to use the new voting system in Cumberland County: And here's a guide to how to cast your vote in Dauphin or Perry counties: This video shows how to use Lebanon County's voting system: Information on voting in Lancaster County can be found at this site. And for information on voting in York County, watch this video: Do I need to show identification to vote in person? In Pennsylvania, the only voters who must show identification at the polls are first-time voters or people voting in a new location for the first time. Qualifying photo IDs include: a valid Pennsylvania drivers license, a valid state or federal government ID, a valid U.S. passport, a valid student or employee ID. Qualifying non-photo IDs include: a non-photo ID issued by the state or federal government, a current utility bill, a firearm permit, a current bank statement, a current paycheck or a current government check. The law requires that a non-photo ID must include your name and current address. What do I do if I'm challenged at the polls? Your right to vote can be challenged by local election officials, poll watchers or another voter who is lawfully inside the polling place. Challenges can only be for an individuals identity or place of residence, and the challenger must have a good-faith basis for their challenge. For example, they may not indiscriminately challenge all voters of an opposing party. It is up to the judge of election to decide if the challenge has been made in good faith. If it is, and the judge is satisfied with your identity and residency, you must be allowed to vote. If the judge cannot make determine if the challenge is valid, you are permitted to have another voter from the same precinct vouch for you. After that, you must be allowed to vote. If you cannot get someone to vouch for you, you must be allowed to vote using a provisional ballot. If it is later determined that you were eligible to vote, your ballot will then be counted. What do I do if I need help at the polls? You may have someone help you cast your ballot: If a disability impairs you from operating the voting machine. If you have a language barrier that prevents you from understanding the ballot. If you have difficulty reading. You may ask anyone to assist you as long as the person is not your employer or their agent, your union representative or their agent or the judge of election. I don't know anything about the candidates. Is there a place I can learn about who's running? Many of the candidates running have campaign presences online, either via their own Web sites or on Facebook. The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, with sponsorship from PennLive, produced this 2020 Voters Guide, providing information submitted by candidates in contested races. You can also find coverage of races for state row offices, state House and Senate seats representing central Pennsylvania counties and the 10th Congressional District on PennLives politics page. Can I take campaign literature into the polls? Voters may take campaign literature, including PennLive's Voters Guide, with them into the polling place and voting booth if it helps them choose who to vote for, but they may not leave it there. All other campaign material must remain at least 10 feet from the room in which voting occurs. When will we know the results of the election? Thats a big question mark. Normally, most results are counted on election night, but this year a change in law allows voters to cast their ballots by mail if they choose, and amid the coronavirus shutdown, 1.8 million voters opted to do so. The unprecedented number of mail-in ballots means that none of the election officials PennLive surveyed in Dauphin, Cumberland, Lancaster and York counties anticipated having results that night. I fully expect this process will take many days, said Randall Wenger, chief clerk of Lancaster Countys board of elections. That time line got longer in Dauphin County Monday when Gov. Tom Wolf announced the county was one of six that, because of civil unrest in recent days, will have until June 9 to count all mail-in votes. Who should I call if I have a voting problem? Each Pennsylvania county has an office dedicated to dealing with voter issues. Here's a breakdown of the midstate election offices by county. Cumberland County: 717-240-6385 Dauphin County: 717-780-6360 Lancaster County: 717-299-8293 Lebanon County: 717- 228-4428 Perry County: 717-582-2131 York County: 717-771-9604 Staff writer Charles Thompson contributed to this report. The protests began last week after a video emerged of Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, pleading for air as a white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. Floyd was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, but protesters have demanded that charges also be filed against three other officers who were at the scene and did nothing to intervene as Floyd pleaded, I cant breathe. As peaceful protests continue to be hijacked to carry out organized violence, the country descends further into chaos, while the governments only response is more police state and more surveillance state controls. In this report, Spiro is joined by top constitutional and human rights attorney John W. Whitehead to discuss the current state of the nation. For decades, Whitehead has been warning of the threat of a domestic standing army in the form of militarized police. Now in addition to having a full-blown militarized police force, we actually have the military police and the National Guard on the streets of America. In addition to covering martial law and the police state, Spiro and John Whitehead also delve into mandatory vaccines and President Trumps coming designation of Antifa as a terrorist organization and the legality surrounding it all. The Rutherford Institute https://www.rutherford.org John Whitehead Twitter Account https://twitter.com/JohnW_Whitehead Rutherford Institute Twitter Account https://twitter.com/Rutherford_Inst Jailing Americans for Profit: The Rise of the Prison Industrial Complex https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/john_whiteheads_commentary/jailing_americans_for_profit_the_rise_of_the_prison_industrial_complex AG Barr deploying federal riot teams to DC, Miami to quell unrest, DOJ official says https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/06/01/george-floyd-protests-ag-barr-deploying-riot-teams-dc-miami/5308052002/ The head box has been designed to protect health staff treating Covid-19 patients (PA) An entrepreneurial designer has teamed up with medical experts to produce a new protective product for treating coronavirus patients. The clear one-piece head box developed by Michael Knight shields clinical staff when they are performing procedures that result in patients expelling aerosol spray. Mr Knight is managing director of Co Down company Donite Plastics, which uses specialist heat technology thermoforming to mass produce moulded plastics. For the last six weeks he was been working with innovation experts from Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge to design the box for use when medics are intubating Covid-19 patients or connecting them to ventilators. As those procedures result in patients expelling spray, they bring with them a high risk of virus transmission. The inspiration for the project came during a conversation Mr Knight had with a friend, Dr Madalina McCrea, who works as a consultant anaesthetist in Northern Irelands Western Trust. Mr Knight told the PA news agency: Mada knew I made things from plastic and we were chatting about a device that would sit over a patients head, whether in a ward or an intensive care unit which would allow the medical practitioner to work on the patient, but also to protect them and the patient when carrying out procedures. There were pictures on the internet of very simple square acrylic boxes being used for this purpose in Taiwan during the height of their Covid-19 epidemic. Mr Knights daughter Sarah then put him in touch with a former colleague, Maighread Ireland, who is part of the clinical engineering innovation team at Addenbrookes. He said: By coincidence, it turned out that Maighread had already been tasked by Addenbrookes to investigate these head box devices. It made perfect sense then, that they would collaborate to develop a more sophisticated product suitable for use in the UK. Expand Close L-R Michael Knight managing director and Stephen Kissick, Business Development manager of Donite Plastics in Saintfield Co Down with a prototype medical device that protects health workers from viral aerosol infection. PA Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 28, 2020. See PA story HEALTH Coronavirus Ulster Box . Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp L-R Michael Knight managing director and Stephen Kissick, Business Development manager of Donite Plastics in Saintfield Co Down with a prototype medical device that protects health workers from viral aerosol infection. PA Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 28, 2020. See PA story HEALTH Coronavirus Ulster Box . Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Mr Knight said making the box perfectly see through was a major challenge using the normal vacuum forming process. He therefore developed a new technique, which used both vacuum forming and another process called free dome blowing. What started as a very simple idea has evolved into quite a sophisticated product, he said. From the start we knew we wanted to form the device from a single piece of plastic so there would be no joins or sharp corners, to make it easy to clean and disinfect. The part also had to be crystal clear at the places where the clinician would be looking through it at the patient. Expand Close Michael Knight managing director of Donite Plastics in Saintfield Co Down with prototypes of a medical device that protects health workers from viral aerosol infection. PA Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 28, 2020. See PA story HEALTH Coronavirus Ulster Box . Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michael Knight managing director of Donite Plastics in Saintfield Co Down with prototypes of a medical device that protects health workers from viral aerosol infection. PA Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 28, 2020. See PA story HEALTH Coronavirus Ulster Box . Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire Mr Knight, whose factory in Saintfield has already been making protective face shields during the pandemic, is hoping to start full production of the head boxes this week. Despite having not yet advertised the product, there has already been interest from several hospitals which were alerted to the box by word of mouth. Ms Ireland, from Addenbrookes Hospital, said: We have been moving at a very fast pace to develop a protective head box so that our clinicians, medical doctors and patients will have the benefit of an extra layer of protection whilst carrying out aerosol-generating procedures. Normal PPE must still be worn, but when dealing with a virus like Covid-19, it is vital that medical staff are made to feel as safe as possible. Dr McCrea, who works in the South West Acute hospital in Enniskillen, said she was surprised and delighted at how the project had gathered momentum since her initial conversation with Mr Knight. I really think the head box is going to help clinicians, like myself, to get some peace of mind, knowing that we are doing all we can to protect ourselves and our patients in this new world of Covid-19, she said. I also think the boxes would potentially be useful for other surgery, not necessitating an anaesthetist or airway manipulation; or for patient transfers from one ward to another. BBC One daytime favourite Doctors has filmed a special 45-minute episode, two months after production was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. Can You Hear Me, written by Toby Walton, reflects life in Letherbridge amid the current lockdown, with the fictional NHS workers shooting scenes on their mobile phones from their separate homes. As the show's Mill Health Centre is open throughout the pandemic, the characters suffer from anxiety and fear as they steer the fight against the deadly virus. Groundbreaking: BBC One favourite Doctors has filmed a special 45-minute episode, two months after production was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic (the cast pictured) The scenes are set in the evening, where remote meetings are held, phone calls are made and even counselling even takes place. The global crisis gets the best of a few of the cast members, causing them to withdraw from reality and leaving one experiencing coronavirus symptoms. BBC Studios Series Producer Peter Lloyd revealed he came up with the groundbreaking idea once the nation was first plunged into lockdown, with the stars filming a full episode in only five days. Detailing the process, Peter told the broadcaster: 'I wanted to capture the strange times we are experiencing and present it to our audience. Exciting times ahead: Can You Hear Me, written by Toby Walton, reflects life in Letherbridge amid the current lockdown (Adrian Lewis Morgan pictured as Jimmi Clay) Stressful: The characters suffer from anxiety and fear as they steer the fight against the deadly virus (Elisabeth Walsh pictured as Zara Carmichael and Matthew Chambers as Daniel Granger) 'The very specific demands of producing an episode of this nature was a challenge for everyone involved, especially the cast as they were acting straight to camera, with only my voice performing all the other characters so that certainly required a lot of imaginative work on their part. It was a real team effort!' Mike Hobson, BBC Studios Executive Producer, added: 'Were never afraid to push the format on Doctors as our loyal viewers know, but this episode has been a challenge of a very different kind. 'To turn it around at this speed has meant coming up with new ways of working and totally rethinking how to make the programme. Im incredibly proud of the work everyone has put into this episode, especially our brilliant cast who have had to learn new skills, while still giving outstanding performances.' Referencing the fan favourite's recent 20th anniversary, Carla-Maria Lawson, Head of BBC Daytime and Early Peak, shared: 'This unique episode demonstrates why the programme continues to innovate, and remains so popular with viewers. 'I think lockdown has presented challenges for everyone but its been wonderful to see the ingenuity within the creative sector and Im delighted that Doctors is the first British continuing drama series to bring this very exciting format to fans.' Currently many of the BBC's shows are on hold due to the pandemic, but bosses confirmed last month that filming will resume in June. In addition to Doctors, studio production for programmes such as Line Of Duty, Peaky Blinders and Call The Midwife have come to a halt. The lockdown episode will air on Friday 12 June at 1:45pm on BBC One. The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) said it believed that coming back to normal life should be done in safety. Mr Thomas T. Musah, GNAT General Secretary, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said, two weeks ago, they presented a proposal to the Ghana Education Service (GES) detailing what government should do before the limited reopening for final year students. "In that proposal, we made it clear that all schools should be fumigated, provide with Veronica buckets, thermometer guns, health personnel to man the schools and expand infrastructure to enhance social distancing and management of students, among others," he said. He said they also spoke about teacher incentives to motivate them to give out their best during these difficult times. The Secretary-General said he hoped that government would make those logistics ready before June 22 to give assurance to parents, teachers and students of their safety. Mr Musah said: "We are not in normal times and safety at this time is very key. This is not the time to be considering issues as the usual business". He said the onus is on the GES to come out with a policy statement and resources for effective implementation of the proposals put before it to ensure safety of all. He said GNAT continue to maintain that no one should be left out, adding, "we need to give the assurance to parents that their wards will be safe while back in school". "The Ministry of Education, GES and all duty bearers have to ensure that the right things are done in our schools to protect both students and teachers from contracting the COVID-19 virus". He said it was likely that they would be meeting with the Ministry and the GES this week to see how far to carry out the measures. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo in his 10th address to the nation on managing of COVID-19 on May 31, announced reopening of schools in phases. He outlined that from Monday, June 22, final year SHS and SHS Gold Track students are to resume classes with a minimum of 25 in a classroon The Final year JHS students also will resume classes on June 29 with a minimum of 30 students in a classroom. Meanwhile, final year university students are to resume classes on June 15 with half the size of every class during lectures at all times. 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 Slate is now asking those who read the most to support our journalism more directly by subscribing to Slate Plus. Learn more. Dear Prudence is online weekly to chat live with readers. Heres an edited transcript of this weeks chat. Danny Lavery: Hi, everyone. If any of you would like to share local bail funds that are still accepting contributions, or mutual aid groups that are working to get Black Lives Matter protesters released and support them afterward, please do and Ill run them along with questions in todays chat. In my neighborhood, the Brooklyn Community Bail Fund has announced it is no longer in need of funds and is directing supporters elsewhere. Advertisement Lets chat. Q. Astrology in the workplace: My new co-worker Martina and I have never met in person; she joined the company a month ago, long after the officewide work-from home-mandate was made. Weve both been assigned to a big project, and in our first Zoom call, she deduced I was a Taurus. Thats going to be a big problem, she told me. Martina is an Aries, and I guess an Aries doesnt get along with a Taurus? I wasnt sure how to respond to her proclamation, so I moved the meeting on without addressing it. Now the project is going well, but whenever Martina disagrees with me, or if something doesnt go how we planned, she blames it on my astrological sign. Im really frustrated, and while I dont want to demean her beliefs, its difficult to fix issues when she thinks something is a facet of my personality. How should I approach this? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A: Martina, I dont want to discuss our astrological signs at work. If you have a problem you want to discuss regarding the project, Im happy to talk about it, but please stop bringing astrology into the conversation. Its not demeaning to ask her to stop! She has every right to think and talk about astrology in her personal life, and youre not impeding the practice of her beliefs. All youre asking her to do is talk about work when shes at work. If she doesnt stop after that, raise the issue with your manager, who should back you up on this without hesitation. This is not a work issue, and she has no reason to cite your zodiac sign as a reason for professional disagreement. Advertisement How to Get Advice From Prudie: Send questions for publication to prudence@slate.com. (Questions may be edited.) Join the live chat Mondays at noon. Submit your questions and comments here before or during the discussion. Call the voicemail of the Dear Prudence podcast at 401-371-DEAR (3327) to hear your question answered on a future episode of the show. Q. Let him learn: My husband and I each brought two teenagers to our marriage. Kyle is 14 and going through an obnoxious phase. He especially loves to mouth off sexist remarks to his sister and stepsisters. It doesnt help that his father is soft on him since he is the only boy. If we punish him, my husband will end up relenting. I have been teaching my daughter and stepdaughter how to cookKyle will call their food crap or steal it behind their backs and laugh. It has been going on for months. No matter what I try, Kyle will start on his sisters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The breaking point came when my daughter made soup and salad for dinner. Kyle told her it looked like shit. Then he slapped her butt and told her to make him a sandwich. She dumped the soup in his lap. My husband and I fought over what to do. I told him I wasnt going to punish my daughter. I was proud of her for not putting up with getting sexually harassed. Kyles behavior had been out of line for weeks and maybe this would be time hed learn his lesson. My husband said my daughter overreacted and could have seriously injured his son (Kyle was fine) and that you girls needed to learn your place. I told my husband finehe could deal with Kyle. I was done. I wouldnt be cooking, cleaning, or taking care of him anymore. Neither would the girls. Advertisement Since then, Kyle and my husband make their own meals. I eat with the girls and they are all completely happy about this. Kyle is unhappy and living off sandwiches. My husband is struggling to get him to finish his schoolwork and has had several bad conversations with his daughter and ex over Kyle. My husband has told me I have proved my point, but I dont think it will stick. I dont want to have to go through this again. What should I do? Advertisement Advertisement A: Since you and your daughters are having such a nice time eating together without your husband and Kyle, why not have an even nicer time living together without them too? Your husband has made it abundantly clear that his priorities are to overlook and enable his sons sexual harassment, regardless of the toll it takes on your daughters or on you. Im not confident that this phase is going to pass anytime soon, especially since you say your husband is soft on Kyle because hes a boy. That speaks to something pretty foundational in their relationship: If Kyle wants to insult and slap his stepsisters, who routinely cook his meals for him, then thats his right as a boy, and the girls have to learn how to put up with it. Sure, if the soup had been boiling hot and Kyle had been burned after your daughter emptied a bowl onto his lap, things might be differentbut it wasnt boiling hot, and your daughter knew that when she threw it on him, so I dont think your husbands attempt at misdirection is one you should take seriously. Much more concerning is his belief that all of youhis own wife and stepdaughtersshould learn your place, which is one of subservience toward his teenage son. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fact that before this you and the girls were apparently doing all of Kyles cooking and cleaning for him suggests that you can do a lot better than a mere return to the status quo. If your husband is now struggling to raise his own child without a team of women and girls to do it for him, thats not an argument for going back but an indicator that nothing substantial will change if you do. Q. Request is too big: I am pregnant. My older sister-in-law has a history of miscarriages, and no living children. I know she had one stillbirth so I didnt think too much of it when she told me that she didnt want me to take one of her names. The list had 25 names including unacceptable variations: Think Christopher but also Christian and Christina. I was upset and showed my husband. I told him this was crazy. Apparently she has been naming her miscarriages and celebrating them as rainbow babies. My husband is not close to his sister since there is a 12-year age gap. We are not planning on obeying the listhalf of our favorites are here. How do we talk to her about this? Should we ask another family member to play messenger? This entire situation has cast a pallor over my pregnancy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A: You have the right to choose your own childs name, and I understand why youre unwilling to commit to this list, given that so many of the names featured there are ones youd been seriously considering. But dont tell her shes crazy, or object to the ways she mourns and honors her miscarriages. You can limit what she can ask of you, but you cant, and shouldnt, tell her how to deal with her own grief. Even if you think her response to that grief is unwise or unhealthy, the fact that neither you nor your husband is close to her would make such a conversation unhelpful and unnecessarily combative. Advertisement Advertisement Nor do I think you should enlist another family member to send messages back-and-forth. She asked you directly, and you should respond directly. You dont have to get drawn into an argument or endlessly defend your choice; you and your husband can respond as a couple if you dont want to have that conversation alone. But you should tell her yourselves, and you should be as calm and as kind as possible, saving your frustration for a private moment afterward. Advertisement Advertisement Q. Re: Let him learn: While I agree about leaving him, one of the daughters is the husbands. So I dont think a recommendation of therapy is out of line in this case, because even if the letter writer leaves her husband, his daughter will still have to deal with Kyles behavior and dads attitude toward it. A: I think thats a good idea. And I feel terrible for the husbands daughter, whos in a horrible position and doesnt have the same resources the letter writers daughters do. But I dont think the letter writer should stay in this marriage solely for her sake, either. Maybe she can encourage his daughter to speak to a school counselor and her own mother in order to seek out additional support and resources, given her fathers commitment to sexism. Advertisement Q. Old engagement ring: I lost my fiance two years ago. His family was not fond of me. There was an incident where his brother tried to bully his way into our apartment to get sentimental items like our TV. I ended up signing over his car and motorcycles to his mother. She was always kind to me. I didnt know where my fiance got my engagement ring. No one mentioned it being a family heirloom, not until his sister contacted me out of the blue. She claims the diamonds came from her grandmothers necklace, and she wants the ring. She didnt find out until now. I dont know what to do. My own family thinks she is a greedy bitch. I vaguely remember his mother mentioning at the grandmothers funeral that her mother wanted to divide up the necklace between the grandchildren. I always assumed it was the granddaughters. I am not over his death. This has pulled up every raw emotion that I had, and I feel sick. What is the right thing to do? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A: I realize this is deeply emotionally charged, but I think the first thing you should do is consult a lawyernot because I think you should pursue any sort of suit here, but to get a sense of whether your states laws would consider a family heirloom part of your fiances estate, a conditional gift, etc., so you know your legal rights and obligations before responding. She may attempt to contact you again before youve been able to do so, but you do not have to engage until youve gotten more information and decided what to do. Morally, I think you have every right to keep it; your fiance gave you that ring because he wanted to spend his life with you, and he did. The fact that his life ended so suddenly and so soon is a tragedy, not something that compromises your engagement. Im so sorry that your fiances family has treated you like an inconvenience and an afterthought while youve been grieving his death. If youre legally entitled to do soand I hope that you areI think you should keep the ring. Advertisement Q. Family tragedy before my birthday: Last summer, my niece was shot and killed the day before my birthday. My family was devastated, and the hurt and pain are still here. Today is the anniversary. The only people to wish me happy birthday were my Mom, my aunt, and my cousinnothing from my brother or my sisters. I know my family is still healing and that the anniversary of my nieces death will always be right before my birthday. I desperately want to step out of my own selfishness and empathize, as were all still hurting and healing, without getting into my feelings about no one even saying happy birthday. But it feels like my family doesnt think my life isnt worth celebrating. What should I do? I know I am loved but this hurts too. What can I do to ensure that we celebrate my nieces life while also celebrating my own? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A: Please go easy on your siblings as much and as often as you can. Perhaps if you want to choose a later date to celebrate your birthday, at a time thats not so near to the anniversary of your nieces death, that will help. I realize youre dealing with internal feelings, and its very clear from your letter that you understand why this time of year is hard for everyone and youre not making any unrealistic or unkind demands of anyone else, so I hope my response doesnt sound dismissive. Its understandable to have complicated needs and feelings even in the wake of great grief, and I dont want you to upbraid yourself when you already feel a sense of guilt. But I think you should listen to that voice telling you to step outside of yourself and look for ways to offer your siblings as much support and love as you can right now. It may also help to think of ways you can celebrate you life and relationship with your siblings that dont involve your birthday. Thats not the only day of the year where you can do something meaningful for yourself or ask for kindness from others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you try to push the birthday issue, I fear it will drive your siblings away needlessly and make them feel abandoned or like they have to get over their grief in order to have a birthday party for you. I dont think you want that. If nothing else, try to remind yourself that your siblings grief has nothing to do with not wanting to celebrate you. This is about the sudden, violent, devastating death of their daughter. It doesnt mean they dont care about you. This just isnt about you, and thats OK. Advertisement Q. Second wedding gifts for a widow: My sister is getting married again after her first husband passed away abruptly from lung cancer. They eloped in Vegas after the diagnosis, and my wife and I bought her tickets for a show worth several hundred dollars as a wedding gift. Its been a few years, and she is getting married again, this time with a formal ceremony with about 100 guests. What is the etiquette on gift-giving here? Normally I wouldnt buy a gift for a second wedding, especially after buying an expensive gift for a first one. However, this isnt a normal second wedding circumstance. Advertisement Advertisement A: If you can afford to give a gift, and youd like to, you certainly can. If money is tighter now than it was a few years ago (which I imagine is the case for a lot of other guests too), give her something modest that wont strain your own budget. Any token of your love and appreciation that contributes to a celebratory mood, even if its just a heartfelt, handwritten card on attractive stationery, would be appropriate. Q. Re: Let him learn: If you do leave your husband (which I strongly urge you to do), please do your best to be in touch with Kyles sister. Unfortunately, you cannot save her, but you can be a supportive figure in her life even after you and her dad separate. Shes a teen now, which means in only a few years shell be out of her fathers house and freer to associate, but in the meantime, do whatever you can to support her in what is clearly a horrifying, sexist home dynamic. Advertisement A: Setting up ways to stay in touch with her afterward is really crucial too. A few other people have written in to ask if the letter writer would be open to letting her husbands daughter come with them, and while that obviously gets into custody issues I cant speak to, anything the letter writer can do to preserve that relationship and offer that girl some respite from her father and brother is a good thing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Q. Re: Bail support: Here are links to Illinois community bond funds, in the Rockford area and the Chicago area. A: Thanks for this! The Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice is also working to end money bond in the state and may be helpful for anyone looking to balance the short-term necessity of raising funds to release protesters from jail with longer-term goals. Advertisement Q. Re: Bail support: The Milwaukee Freedom Fund has temporarily paused accepting donations. But in the meantime its set up a Google Doc for people who want to help using particular professional expertise. A: Thanks so much for this. Its crucial to help out after protests as well as duringthe need is ongoing. Discuss this column on our Facebook page! Classic Prudie Q. Our daughter-in-law is a former phone-sexing embezzling drug addict who hates us: About six weeks ago my husband and I received an anonymous email that said we should check out what our daughter-in-law was posting on an Internet forum wed never heard of. We were given a link and her username. We were shocked to discover she was spending vast amounts of work time posting to this forum. More upsetting was what she was posting about us and our son. We have been generous financially and otherwise to them and their children, but according to her posts she resents us and thinks we are interfering. We dont think we are, and weve never had our offers refused. Worse is how she talks online about our son. He is very helpful around the house and she acknowledges he gets the kids ready for day care most mornings, plays with them after work, then works in the evening at home to advance his career. Despite this, she gripes about him and details the ways he annoys her. Perhaps the very worst is finding out she has a rather unsavory past, including phone-sex work, drug addiction, and embezzlement. We knew nothing of this, but she mentions these things without a trace of guilt or embarrassment on the forum. Do we say anything to our son about what weve discovered? There is a part of me that would love to just ignore all weve learned and try to maintain a good relationship with her because we love our son and grandchildren, but my husband has been steaming about our son being taken by someone we suddenly realize may not be a very nice person. Read what Prudie had to say. Danny M. Laverys new book, Something That May Shock and Discredit You, is out now. KYODO NEWS - Jun 2, 2020 - 03:20 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday that shifting the start of the academic year to September from its current beginning in April is an option but does not need to be done hastily, effectively giving up a proposal that would bring the Japanese academic year in line with the global standard in the fall of 2021. The premier made the remarks after receiving a proposal in opposition to the shift from Noritoshi Ishida, policy chief of the Komeito party, the coalition partner of Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, participating lawmakers said. On Tuesday, the LDP will also submit its proposal against shifting the academic calendar from next year. Given such cautious views against an early shift in the school year, the government is expected to formally abandon the plan soon. Many schools across the country had been closed for an extended period due to the coronavirus pandemic before reopening on Monday. Abe has said he will consider moving the start of Japan's academic year from April to September, in line with school scheduling in many other countries. In its report, Komeito found no sufficient grounds to shift the academic year in a hasty manner and concluded the drawbacks of such a move, including a shortage of schoolteachers due to a temporary increase in the number of first graders, would more than offset its merits. The Komeito report encouraged the government to take time and fully study the matter with a national debate, rather than linking the issue to ensuring learning opportunities in the health crisis triggered by the novel coronavirus. In a recent survey, around 80 percent of mayors across Japan disagreed with or were wary of the proposed shift in the start of the academic year. Many Japanese people associate key points in the academic year with springtime, such as graduation taking place during cherry blossom season in March and enrollment occurring in April. Two satellites carried by a Long March-2D carrier rocket are launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Northwest China's Gansu province, May 31, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua] Designers have begun to develop an upgraded version of the Long March 11 carrier rocket called the Long March 11A, which they said will be wider and taller than the current model and have greater thrust. A Long March 11 was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province for the first time on Saturday, sending two technology demonstration satellites into orbit. China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp said the solid-propellant rocket blasted off at 4:13 am from the Xichang center, marking the 332nd flight of the Long March series. The mission also marked the first use of a 2-meter-diameter fairing on a Long March 11 and the first use of a new rocket launch vehicle, it said. Designed and built by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, the Long March 11 is the first and only solid-fuel rocket in the Long March family, the pillar of China's space programs. It is 20.8 meters long, has a diameter of 2 meters and a liftoff weight of 58 metric tons. It is capable of sending satellites to low-Earth orbit or sun-synchronous orbit, the academy said. Its first flight was in September 2015 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. Its nine launches have also included a seaborne mission from the Yellow Sea in June last year that was China's first sea-based space launch. It has successfully placed 39 satellites in orbit in those nine missions. The new Long March 11A will be able to send 1.5 tons of payload to a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 700 kilometers, nearly four times the Long March 11's capacity to that orbit, designers said. The new model's design work will be finished before the end of this year, and it is expected to make its maiden flight around 2022, said Jin Xin, deputy project manager of Long March 11 series. The two satellites lifted into orbit on Saturday were developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Innovation Academy for Microsatellites in Shanghai and the National University of Defense Technology in Changsha, Hunan province. They will conduct intersatellite data link and Earth observation tests, the company said, adding that the Long March 11 will make several more flights from land-based launch centers and its sea-launch platform this year. Saturday's flight was the first launch of a solid-propellant rocket mission from the Xichang center. Dong Chongqing, Party chief of the center, said the mission showed Xichang has made strides in its rapid or emergency launch capabilities and that will strengthen its role in disaster-relief and emergency-response efforts. The center has carried out more than 150 launches since 1984 and is now capable of launching more than 10 Long March rocket models. Dong said Xichang is the most used of the country's four launch bases and the best in terms of launch capability. Islamabad, June 1 : The Pakistan Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Sindh governments plea to suspend Sindh High Courts (SHC) judgement regarding the release and acquittal of the accused in the murder case of American journalist Daniel Pearl. During the hearing, Justice Manzoor Malik said the petition seeking suspension of the judgment cites irrelevant provisions, reports The Express Tribune. "First of all, the kidnapping of Daniel Pearl must be proved," Justice Malik said. "Evidence must prove that the abductee was Daniel Pearl. The Sindh government claims that a conspiracy was hatched in Rawalpindi. What conspiracy took place in Rawalpindi must also be proved with evidence." The apex court ordered the counsel representing the provincial government to submit the detailed record before the court for the case to be further heard. The hearing was then adjourned indefinitely. The Sindh government had sought time to submit the record of the trial court. On April 2, the SHC had commuted the death sentence of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh - the man convicted of Pearl's kidnapping and murdering in 2002 - to a seven-year sentence. It 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, said The Express Tribune report. The slain journalist's parents had approached the Supreme Court against the SHC's verdict. Two criminal petitions had been filed by renowned lawyer Faisal Siddiqi on behalf of Pearl's parents against the acquittal and release of the four accused. 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. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly will chair a meeting of the Union cabinet today as India enters first day of the three-phased unlocking plan. The meeting also assumes significance as it will be the first after the central government completed a year of its second term in office. The timing of the meeting has still not be specified. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly will chair a meeting of the Union cabinet today as India enters first day of the three-phased unlocking plan. The meeting also assumes significance as it will be the first after the central government completed a year of its second term in office. The timing of the meeting has still not be specified. According to The Hindu, the Cabinet briefing was expected at 3 pm today. However, according to the Press Information Bureau, the briefing will now take place at 4 pm. According to NDTV, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) is likely to meet on the backdrop of Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh. Further, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) meeting will also be held today at Modi's residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg to discuss economic aspects of COVID-19 lockdown. "Historic decisions having a transformative impact are expected to be announced in the cabinet," Times Now quoted government sources as saying. News18 quoted government sources saying that a decision could be taken to bring in a new law instead of Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act. An ordinance is likely to be brought in to enforce the law. Also, provisions could be made to facilitate easy inter-state travel for farmers to sell their produce. FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES ON CORONAVIRUS LOCKDOWN IN INDIA HERE The definition of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises could be changed to extend the time of investment and turnover. There could also be a decision to amend the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 (MSMED Act), News18 report said. According to media reports, an ordinance or executive order to enforce the "one nation, one market" policy to enable farmers to sell their produce to anyone and anywhere for a better price is likely to be approved by the Cabinet today. After over two-month-long coronavirus-induced lockdown, India on Monday entered the first phase of three-phase unlock plan announced by the Union Ministry of home Affairs. The lockdown, however, will continue in containment zone for one more month, till June 30. The fourth phase of lockdown came to an end on Sunday. State governments on Sunday came out with varied Unlock 1' guidelines including on allowing inter-state travel even as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana extended the lockdown till 30 June with several relaxations, a day after the Centre eased the 68-day shutdown curbs significantly with an economic focus. As the Centre's three-phase unlock plan that will restrict curbs to containment zones kicks in from Monday after the end of the fourth phase of the national lockdown, Modi cautioned people against showing any laxity in the fight against COVID-19 and asked them to be "extra alert and careful", while acknowledging that the poor and labourers have been hit the hardest by the crisis. Becoming careless or lackadaisical cannot be an option . The expanding lockdown relaxations came even as India registered its highest single-day spike of COVID-19 cases on Sunday with 8,380 new infections reported in the last 24 hours, taking the country's tally to 1,82,143, while the death toll rose by 193 to reach 5,164. The figures were based on the morning update released by the Union Health Ministry. According to a tally of COVID-19 cases reported from the states till evening, India with a total of 184,662 infections climbed to the eighth position among the top 10 affected countries surpassing Germany(183,302). Woman involved in Playa del Carmen gas explosion dies Playa del Carmen, Q.R. The woman involved in the recent gas explosion inside a house in west Playa del Carmen has reportedly died from her injuries. The 30-year-old female, Sinai L.L. who was originally from Mexico City, died in hospital. She arrived with burns to nearly 90 percent of her body after a gas tank exploded inside a Playa del Carmen home last week. Exploding gas tank ripped apart home being used as an illegal refill station The explosion happened when she and a man were allegedly refilling gas tanks in a clandestine refill station in the Ejido neighborhood. Neighbors reported the 7:45 a.m. explosion to emergency services. The man involved in the explosion remains in serious condition. Ebola virus particles (red) on a larger cell. Credit: NIAID DR Congo reported a fresh Ebola outbreak in its northwest on Monday, the latest health emergency for a country already fighting an epidemic of the deadly fever in the east as well as a surging number of coronavirus infections. The 11th Ebola outbreak in the vast central African country's history comes just weeks before it had hoped to declare the end of the 10th in the east. Health Minister Eteni Longondo said that "four people have already died" from Ebola in a district of the northwestern city of Mbandaka. "The National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) has confirmed to me that samples from Mbandaka tested positive for Ebola," Longondo told a press conference on Monday. "We will send them the vaccine and medicine very quickly," he said, adding that he planned to visit the site of the outbreak at the end of the week. The capital of Equateur province, Mbandaka is a transport hub on the Congo River with a population of more than a million. Equateur province was previously hit by an Ebola outbreak between May and July 2018, in which 33 people died and 21 recovered from the disease. "This is a province that has already experienced the disease. They know how to respond. They started the response at the local level yesterday (Sunday)," Longondo said. The eastern epidemic The Ebola epidemic in the country's east has killed 2,280 people since August 2018, and officials had hoped to be able to proclaim it over on June 25. For it to be officially over, there have to be no new cases reported for 42 daysdouble the incubation period. The eastern epidemic was just three days away from being declared over on April 10 when a new case was reported. Seven new cases were then recorded, including four deaths, two recoveries and one patient who fled, and the clock was restarted on May 14. The World Health Organization also extended its Public Health Emergency of International Concern designation for the epidemic, which has mainly affected the North Kivu province. Two experimental vaccines have been widely deployed to fight the outbreak, with more than 300,000 people vaccinated across the country. However efforts to contain Ebola in the east have been hindered by attacks on health workers and conflicts in the country's volatile region, long riven by militia killings and ethnic violence. The eastern Ebola outbreak is the second worst in history, after an epidemic in 2014 killed about 11,000 peoplemostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Coronavirus, measles The newest Ebola outbreak is the 11th in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever was identified in 1976 in Equateur province in the country then known as Zaire. The virus is passed on by contact with the blood, body fluids, secretions or organs of an infected or recently deceased person. The death rate is typically high, ranging up to 90 percent in some outbreaks, according to the WHO. The country is also fighting its own surging coronavirus outbreak, recording 3,195 infections2,896 in the capital Kinshasaand 72 deaths, according to official figures released Monday. "We are in an ascending period of the curve," Longondo said, adding that it was still too "risky" to lift measures imposed on March 20 to stem the spread of COVID-19. Under the measures, travel is banned between Kinshasa and the rest of the country. No coronavirus cases have been reported in Equateur province. Mbandaka is 600 kilometres (370 miles) from Kinshasa, but the two cities are connected by the Congo river, with a trip down it taking about a week. DR Congo's coronavirus front man, virologist Jean-Jacques Muyembe, first identified Ebola in 1976 along with Belgian Peter Piot. "I have devoted all my life and all my career to fighting Ebola," Muyembe has said. The country is also facing a measles outbreak which has killed more than 6,000 people since early last year, as well as recurring flare-ups of cholera and malaria. Explore further Second Ebola death in DR Congo ahead of hoped-for deadline 2020 AFP Independent Autopsy: George Floyd Died From Being Deprived of Oxygen An independent autopsy commissioned by George Floyds family concluded the Minneapolis man died from being deprived of oxygen, or asphyxiation. The results clash with preliminary findings from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, which found no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation. Dr. Michael Baden, who served as chief medical examiner for New York City in 1978 and 1979, said at a press conference Monday that Floyds cause of death was asphyxia due to compression of the neck. Baden performed the independent autopsy with Dr. Allecia Wilson, director of autopsy and forensic services at Michigan Medicine. The doctors said it appears Floyd died at the scene of arrest from sustained pressure on the right side of carotid arteries, which are major blood vessels in the neck. Weight on Floyds back from two police officers also impeded his ability to breathe, according to the new autopsy. Wilson and Baden said they used video footage to help them determine the cause of death. The knee to his neck and the knees to his back both contributed to him not being able to get breath, Benjamin Crump, who is representing Floyds family, told reporters. And what those officers did, that we see on the video, is the cause of his death, not some underlying, unknown health condition. Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneels on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed man who was pleading that he could not breathe, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 25, 2020. (Darnella Frazier via AP) Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, in a mugshot on May 31, 2020. (Hennepin County Sheriff via AP) Derek Chauvin and three other officers responded to a call on Memorial Day and forcefully restrained Floyd, who was not armed. Chauvin knelt on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes even as the man complained he couldnt breathe while two other officers restrained him elsewhere. Chauvins knee remained in place for almost two minutes after Floyd stopped moving and talking, according to the the Hennepin County Medical Examiner. Floyd, who was arrested on suspicion of forgery, was rushed to a hospital but declared dead. The death sparked protests and riots across the nation as accusations of racial injustice flew. The officers who participated in the arrest are white or Asian. Floyd was black. The county medical examiner said in preliminary findings last week included in Chauvins criminal complaint that Floyd appeared to have died from a combination of heart disease, potential intoxicants in his system, and being restrained by the police. Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous, the document notes. Wilson said that additional medical information, including toxicology findings, are necessary for a final report. But the evidence available now points to mechanical asphyxia as the cause of death and homicide as the manner of death. Second autopsies are important to confirm and/or dispute the original diagnosis, to answer unanswered questions, and determine the cause of manner of death, she said. At the same time, they have limitations because the tissues arent in their original state and pathologists may hold back some items. Floyds attorneys want Chauvin to be charged with first-degree murder. He is being held on third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges. Tom Ozimek contributed to this report. The national coordinator of the Presidential TaskForce (PTF) on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu, has explained how the second phase of the gradual easing of lockdown will be implemented. Mr Aliyu who spoke at a daily briefing of the task force on Monday said the new guidelines will be effective from Tuesday, June 2. President Muhammadu Buhari had on April 27 announced the gradual easing of a five-week lockdown in FCT, Lagos and Ogun States. The lockdown was eased to a nationwide night curfew (8 p.m. to 6 a.m.) from May 4 to May 17. The first phase of the lockdown was subsequently extended by two weeks which elapses by midnight today. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, had announced that the second phase of the gradual easing of the lockdown will commence on June 2. He said this phase will last for an initial period of four weeks. Nationwide curfew Mr Aliyu said the existing nationwide curfew of 8 p.m to 6 a.m imposed by President Buhari to limit the spread of the virus has been reviewed. He said the curfew would henceforth be from 10 p.m .to 4 a.m. daily. Just to clarify, the purpose of the curfew is to limit social interactions and, therefore, reduce the risk of transmission of the virus, he said. Banks Mr Aliyu said all banks in the country are allowed to resume fully from Tuesday. Full opening of financial sector banks are now allowed to operate normal working hours, five days a week, he said. Before now, banks were allowed to operate between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Religious gathering Mr Aliyu also announced the lifting of ban placed on religious gatherings in the country. He, however, said the opening of places of worship will be based on state governments protocols. A Catholic Church used to illustrate the story Restricted opening of places of worship, (regular church & mosque services ONLY), will be based on State Government protocols and restrict guidelines on physical distancing and other non-pharmaceutical interventions, he said. He noted that the gathering of more than 20 people is still highly prohibited. The mass gathering of more 20 persons outside of workplaces or place of worship remains prohibited, he said. Interstate travel He said that the existing interstate ban remains in place. He said movement across state borders remains restricted other than the free movement of goods and essential services. Interstate travel by individuals remains prohibited except for goods &essential travel. Just to make it clear all restrictions on the free movement of goods and services are now removed in this phase, he said. He urged the security services to cooperate with the public to ensure goods are allowed free passage. Advertisements He said this particular phase is directed at ensuring the economy starts moving again. Offices He said government offices are allowed to open from Mondays to Fridays. Normal working would apply to offices other than government offices provided this is kept within the curfew hours. Offices are to maintain the two metres physical distances. For government offices, they can open between 9am and 2pm and can work from Monday to Fridays. However only persons that are within the grade 14 and above will be allowed to come to work, he said. Local Flights He said the aviation sector will begin to develop protocols that will lead to the resumption of domestic flights any time from June 21. Aviation Industry requested to start developing protocols for domestic flights to possibly resume from June 21 onwards, he said. Airlines must ensure physical distancing by reducing passenger capacity, ensure the provision of sanitizers, and appropriate PPEs as well as carrying out temperature checks at the point of entry and departure and ensuring that airports are not congested by either travelers or airport staff. Hotels, restaurants, schools He said hotels may open but must observe all non-pharmaceutical interventions. He also said restaurants outside of hotels must remain closed for eat-in. Bars, gyms, cinemas, nightclubs, parks closed until further evaluation, he said. He also said all schools to remain closed until further evaluation. (Natural News) The other day I was amused to read a critique of The Coronation in which the author was absolutely certain that I am a closet conspiracy theorist. He was so persuasive that I myself almost believed it. (Article republished from CharlesEisenstein.org) What is a conspiracy theory anyway? Sometimes the term is deployed against anyone who questions authority, dissents from dominant paradigms, or thinks that hidden interests influence our leading institutions. As such, it is a way to quash dissent and bully those trying to stand up to abuses of power. One neednt abandon critical thinking to believe that powerful institutions sometimes collude, conspire, cover up, and are corrupt. If that is what is meant by a conspiracy theory, obviously some of those theories are true. Does anyone remember Enron? Iran-Contra? COINTELPRO? Vioxx? Iraqi weapons of mass destruction? During the time of Covid-19, another level of conspiracy theory has risen to prominence that goes way beyond specific stories of collusion and corruption to posit conspiracy as a core explanatory principle for how the world works. Fuelled by the authoritarian response to the pandemic (justifiable or not, lockdown, quarantine, surveillance and tracking, censorship of misinformation, suspension of freedom of assembly and other civil liberties, and so on are indeed authoritarian), this arch-conspiracy theory holds that an evil, power-hungry cabal of insiders deliberately created the pandemic or is at least ruthlessly exploiting it to frighten the public into accepting a totalitarian world government under permanent medical martial law, a New World Order (NWO). Furthermore, this evil group, this illuminati, pulls the strings of all major governments, corporations, the United Nations, the WHO, the CDC, the media, the intelligence services, the banks, and the NGOs. In other words, they say, everything we are told is a lie, and the world is in the grip of evil. So what do I think about that theory? I think it is a myth. And what is a myth? A myth is not the same thing as a fantasy or a delusion. Myths are vehicles of truth, and that truth neednt be literal. The classical Greek myths, for example, seem like mere amusements until one decodes them by associating each god with psychosocial forces. In this way, myths bring light to the shadows and reveal what has been repressed. They take a truth about the psyche or society and form it into a story. The truth of a myth does not depend on whether it is objectively verifiable. That is one reason why, in The Coronation, I said my purpose is neither to advocate nor to debunk the conspiracy narrative, but rather to look at what it illuminates. It is, after all, neither provable nor falsifiable. What is true about the conspiracy myth? Underneath its literalism, it conveys important information that we ignore at great peril. First, it demonstrates the shocking extent of public alienation from institutions of authority. For all the political battles of the post-WWII era, there was at least a broad consensus on basic facts and on where facts could be found. The key institutions of knowledge production science and journalism enjoyed broad public trust. If the New York Times and CBS Evening News said that North Vietnam attacked the United States in the Gulf of Tonkin, most people believed it. If science said nuclear power and DDT were safe, most people believed that too. To some extent, that trust was well earned. Journalists sometimes defied the interests of the powerful, as with Seymour Hershs expose of the My Lai massacre, or Woodward & Bernsteins reporting on Watergate. Science, in the vanguard of civilizations onward march, had a reputation for the objective pursuit of knowledge in defiance of traditional religious authorities, as well as a reputation for lofty disdain for political and financial motives. Today, the broad consensus trust in science and journalism is in tatters. I know several highly educated people who believe the earth is flat. By dismissing flat-earthers and the tens of millions of adherents to less extreme alternative narratives (historical, medical, political, and scientific) as ignorant, we are mistaking symptom for cause. Their loss of trust is a clear symptom of a loss of trustworthiness. Our institutions of knowledge production have betrayed public trust repeatedly, as have our political institutions. Now, many people wont believe them even when they tell the truth. This must be frustrating to the scrupulous doctor, scientist, or public official. To them, the problem looks like a public gone mad, a rising tide of anti-scientific irrationality that is endangering public health. The solution, from that perspective, would be to combat ignorance. It is almost as if ignorance is a virus (in fact, I have heard that phrase before) that must be controlled through the same kind of quarantine (for example, censorship) that we apply to the coronavirus. Ironically, another kind of ignorance pervades both these efforts: the ignorance of the terrain. What is the diseased tissue upon which the virus of ignorance gains purchase? The loss of trust in science, journalism, and government reflects their long corruption: their arrogance and elitism, their alliance with corporate interests, and their institutionalized suppression of dissent. The conspiracy myth embodies the realization of a profound disconnect between the public postures of our leaders and their true motivations and plans. It bespeaks a political culture that is opaque to the ordinary citizen, a world of secrecy, image, PR, spin, optics, talking points, perception management, narrative management, and information warfare. No wonder people suspect that there is another reality operating behind the curtains. Second, the conspiracy myth gives narrative form to an authentic intuition that an inhuman power governs the world. What could that power be? The conspiracy myth locates that power in a group of malevolent human beings (who take commands, in some versions, from extraterrestrial or demonic entities). Therein lies a certain psychological comfort, because now there is someone to blame in a familiar us-versus-them narrative and victim-perpetrator-rescuer psychology. Alternatively, we could locate the inhuman power in systems or ideologies, not a group of conspirators. That is less psychologically rewarding, because we can no longer easily identify as good fighting evil; after all, we ourselves participate in these systems, which pervade our entire society. Systems like the debt-based money system, patriarchy, white supremacy, or capitalism cannot be removed by fighting their administrators. They create roles for evildoers to fill, but the evildoers are functionaries; puppets, not puppet masters. The basic intuition of conspiracy theories then is true: that those we think hold power are but puppets of the real power in the world. Read more at: CharlesEisenstein.org NPP Member of Parliament for Nsawam/Adoagyiri constituency, Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has in a statement condemned the brutal killings of unarmed blacks in the United States of America and the violence that has stemmed from racial injustice. "I condemn; (1) the killing of blacks, (2) I condemn the violence that has erupted, and (3) the looting and burning of properties because it destroys society as a whole. I also speak out and endeavor to act in an ethical and responsible way for peace to prevail through no other means but by seeking to fixing the system of justice which must protect the social contract enabling people to live in peace," he said. In condemning the inhumane death and subsequent violence, he hope that the White moderates would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and that when they fail in this purpose, they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress. Death of George Floyd Street protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis went global over the weekend, as demonstrators in London, Berlin and Toronto gathered under banners declaring that Black Lives Matter and called for an end to police brutality in the United States and around the world. In London, hundreds defied rules against large gatherings Sunday to rally at Trafalgar Square and mass outside the new U.S. Embassy on the south bank of the River Thames, where they chanted no justice, no peace in solidarity with the U.S. movement against racial bias in the criminal justice system. Demonstrators there and in Berlin waved signs reading I cant breathe some of the last words that the dying Floyd, captured by an onlookers video, gasped out in Minneapolis as a police officer pressed his knee down on Floyds neck for more than eight minutes on May 25. Read his full statement below In Condemnation of the Killing of Unarmed Blacks in US and The Violence That Has Stemmed From Racial Injustice. I have watched the events have occurred, I have heard the cries of the people, I have felt in ways that I hoped I never will at a time like this in the growth of humanity. In the midst of these undesirable events I have only found solace in focusing on my responsibility to the people to develop a solution to one of the most fundamental issues that have contributed to the agony of generations of people in all parts of the world. The injustice. Today, I issue this statement to define a position on this global issue of racism as well as any form of marginalization from individuals, institutions and systems in society which claims the lives of innocent people, and causes several more to live in fear and despair. As we are still processing COVID-19 cases and deaths, it is devastating to watch a person lose his life in full glare of the public, at the hands officers of the law who are called to protect and serve. All of this leading to violence in some cities across the US, endangering more lives. Shops have been looted, cars burned and buildings as well. Riot police have used tear gas and rubber bullets, and I condemn with no reservations the avoidable acts that have accounted for this turmoil. The narrative has often been; authorities trying to provide reason for heavy handed policing and completely shifting blame to ethnic propensities of a people, basically avoiding the path of proper justice. Acts like the inhuman knee-pinning of George Floyd in Minneapolis by police officer, Derek Chauvin, who we hear is now being charged with third degree murder must be aggressively extirpated from society. Violence and looting can equally not be supported but we should not refuse to place ourselves in the shoes of those who experience the over 200-year pattern of police brutalities against blacks in US and witness every single heart-breaking murder go unpunished. We remember the famous Martin Luther King Juniors quote, Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that. Yet somehow, while enduring slavery, breeding farms, systemic rape and torture, denial of basic dignity, disenfranchisement, poverty, police harassment, violence, murder-after-murder and throughout all these, our brothers and sisters in the diaspora seem to have heeded to Martin Luther Kings words of not returning hate for hate. They have offered such unconditional forgiveness for White violence and presumed hatred. Yet again, the problem persists and has led the people to riot. According to key findings from the website MappingPoliceViolence.org the police in America killed at least 104 unarmed black people in 2015, nearly twice each week. The report further states that nearly 1 in 3 black people killed by police in 2015 were unarmed. We should be cognizant of the fact that the people demonstrating and feigning outrage today feigned the same outrage when Colin Kaepernick quietly took a knee. They feigned outrage at the expression of Blacks Lives Matters. They feigned outrage when many of their unarmed colleagues were killed and yet, never received the expected justice. I condemn; (1) the killing of blacks, (2) I condemn the violence that has erupted, and (3) the looting and burning of properties because it destroys society as a whole. I also speak out and endeavor to act in an ethical and responsible way for peace to prevail through no other means but by seeking to fixing the system of justice which must protect the social contract enabling people to live in peace. In condemning the inhumane death and subsequent violence, I hope that the White moderates would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and that when they fail in this purpose, they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress. As citizens, who are bold to defend forever, the cause of freedom and of right to all persons, I call on us to take relevant cues from these tragic events and use them to reinforce Ghanas strive to maintain our own social contract, in which justice prevails, as well as the institutions responsible for its swift delivery. In our endeavor to ensure that all issues relating to foreign affairs with respect to Ghana, are effectively addressed, through the collective execution of our roles as leaders both in the Executive and the Legislature, I am assured that our shared values on humanity enable us to condemn the acts of police brutality, and primarily the injustice people around the world suffer, even to the point of losing their lives. Thank you. HON. FRANK ANNOH-DOMPREH MP. NSAWAM ADOAGIRI CHAIRMAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE PARLIAMENT 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 Nicosia: Cyprus is launching a multilingual SMS campaign to head off more migrant arrivals by dispelling the mistaken belief the European Union member country is a gateway to the continent, the Cypriot interior minister said. Nicos Nouris said the text-message blitz aimed to counter "disinformation" propagated by people traffickers that securing asylum status in Cyprus grants would-be migrants a "passport" to other EU countries. Protesters march in support of detained migrants in Nicosia, Cyprus, and to demonstrate their solidarity with African-American man George Floyd who died in Minneapolis while pleading for his life. Credit:AP Nouris said arriving migrants were effectively "trapped" in Cyprus because the island nation isn't part of the Schengen area. The are comprises 26 other European nations that have abolished their borders and permit unrestricted travel between them. The minister said Cyprus, with a population of roughly 880,000, had "by a wide margin" the largest number of migrants relative to its population in the 27-member European Union. Christians being denied food aid during COVID-19 pandemic Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As the world goes through food security and financial crises due to the coronavirus pandemic, disadvantaged Christian communities in Asia, especially in Vietnam and Pakistan, are being hit the hardest as government and aid agencies discriminate against them due to their faith, according to reports. In the communist country of Vietnam in Southeast Asia, the government is denying food aid to more than 100 Christians, including children and the elderly, according to Open Doors, a ministry to persecuted Christians worldwide. You are Christians and your God shall take care of your family! authorities told 18 Christian families, comprising 107 people, in north Vietnam. The government is not responsible for your families! A local partner of Open Doors, which was not identified due to security reasons, said, They strive to put food on their tables, and they consume their rice little by little every day. When they learned that the governments support was coming to their district, they were so happy only to find out that they were not on the list because they are Christians. Christians often face ostracism, threats, torture and prison sentences in Vietnam, whose atheist government doesnt tolerate any faith or ideology other than communism. Vietnams communist regime, which requires its officials to use a secret 600-page manual to repress religion, fears Christianity, which involves building a community of believers and promotes respect for human dignity. The government views citizens freedom to form associations as a threat to its power, according to the International Federation for Human Rights. Vietnam ranks as the 21st worst nation in the world when it comes to Christian persecution on Open Doors USAs 2020 World Watch List. Estimates indicate that approximately 80 percent of the countrys Christians belong to the countrys ethnic minorities, like the Hmong, and face social exclusion, discrimination and attacks. Ethnic minority Christian children are discriminated against in schools; their medical needs also are often neglected. Some are not even allowed to attend school at all, according to Open Doors. In Pakistan, Muslim charities are excluding Christians from their distribution of food aid and emergency, according to Vatican News, which cited the international Catholic charity and foundation Aid to the Church in Need. ACN International Executive President Thomas Heine-Geldern said that many Christians earn the lowest wages, working as daily-wage laborers, domestic servants, cleaners, or kitchen staff. All these areas of employment are precisely the ones that have been most impacted by the economic shutdown, he said after being briefed by Cecil Shane Chaudhry, executive director of the National Commission for Justice and Peace of the Pakistan Catholic Bishops Conference. Many Christian employees have been dismissed without notice by families for whom they have worked for years, Heine-Geldern added. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom also took note of discrimination in aid distribution in Pakistan. As COVID19 continues to spread, vulnerable communities within Pakistan are fighting hunger and to keep their families safe and healthy. Food aid must not be denied because of ones faith, Anurima Bhargava, a USCIRF commissioner said. Open Doors USAs 2020 World Watch List ranks Pakistan as the fifth worst nation in the world in persecuting Christians. Although there have been no major bombing attacks against church buildings in the 2020 World Watch List reporting period, dozens of smaller everyday attacks against churches and cemeteries occur, the ministry says. Christians are often targeted both by Pakistans blasphemy laws meant to protect Islamic sensitivities and by hardliners who carry out violence and have killed scores of believers in the past several years. Refuting media reports that claimed him of booking a charter flight for his sister and kids, actor took to social media on Sunday and clarified that the news is 'fake.' Breaking his silence, the Bollywood actor tweeted: "This news about me booking a charter flight for my sister and her two kids is FAKE from start to end." "She has not travelled anywhere since the and she has only one child! Contemplating legal action, enough of putting up with false, concocted reports!," the 'Kesari' actor added. As per the media reports, the 52-year-old actor had booked a whole passenger flight, converted it into charted flight for his sister, and her two kids, a daughter and a son, and her maid to fly to Delhi from Bombay. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There's finally something to cheer about in global pandemic. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday announced that the final-year students in the state would be promoted on the basis of an aggregate marking system. "Institutes must use the previous semester grades to pass the candidates. We don't want the academic year of students to get wasted," said Thackeray in a late address to the public via live video broadcast on Sunday. So, we have decided that students will get aggregate marks based on their performance in the previous semesters for that academic year. This is because there is no clarity on when the exams can be held. The future of students should not be kept hanging because of this. CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) May 31, 2020 But, if a student wants to appear for the final exams to improve their previous performance, they can be given an opportunity in September, October or November, based on how the situation evolves. CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) May 31, 2020 Thackeray further said the uncertainty loomed over conducting the examinations amid pandemic and that the students shouldn't be at the receiving end of it. "Can examinations be held in June? No. Can they be held in July or August. I cannot say. Hence, students and their future should not suffer because of this," he added. As the news broke out on social media, students breathed a sigh of relief and they expressed their joy through hilarious memes. In fact, #examscancelled became the top trending hashtag on Twitter on Monday morning. #examscancelledWhen they say, "last year students will be passed on *average marks basis*"Last benchers to toppers: pic.twitter.com/xELdGqKhP2 Tweeterera (@Tweeterera) May 31, 2020 I am from Uttar Pradesh but my hope of exam cancellation is getting really very strong....Praying to god #examscancelled #MumbaiUniversity pic.twitter.com/bHSs6A4BSI Shaswat Awasthi (@iShasAwasthi) May 31, 2020 My third year exams got cancelled Bhagwan ho tumm bhagwan #examscancelled pic.twitter.com/04tooFJ57q suppi (@SuppiAm) May 31, 2020 1st & 2nd Year Students - Finally we are promoted3rd Year Students - We graduated without exams#MumbaiUniversity #ExamsCancelled pic.twitter.com/oy15DjAqTy Sauru K (@Saurabh___K) May 31, 2020 Other States Students after announcement of #examscancelled in Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/hM5N9wF8sS A M I T (@mr_amit06) June 1, 2020 Meanwhile, Thackeray, in his address, said the state was restarting a new life with "Mission Begin Again", thus replacing the word "lockdown". "Today, I am before you to replace the word lockdown with Mission Begin Again. We are re-starting normal life. This is like Lokmanya Tilaks immortal words: Punascha Hari Om, which he said after coming back from his imprisonment at Mandalay," he tweeted. You can check his entire address (Twitter thread) here. See also: It's time for Trump to come out and take command The Republic is in the greatest peril since the Civil War. A grand coalition of its enemies is taking advantage of the weakness and frustration created by the lockdown of the economy and ordinary life, the protests triggered by video of lethal barbaric cruelty of a thenpolice officer, and the economic desperation and frustration that have multiplied over a quarter-century of de-industrialization and widening class divisions as globalization has transformed our economy. Heather Mac Donald, one of the wisest and best informed commentators on our law and justice systems, sees the breakdown in the rule of law that threatens us with anarchy: Savagery is spreading with lightning speed across the United States, with murderous assaults on police officers and civilians and the ecstatic annihilation of businesses and symbols of the state. Welcome to a real civilization-destroying pandemic, one that makes the recent saccharine exhortations to "stay safe" and the deployment of police officers to enforce outdoor mask-wearing seem like decadent bagatelles. The key moment was when the mayor of Minneapolis surrendered the city's third precinct police station to the mob. It was as much a signal to the mob as the storming of the Bastille was to the French revolutionaries: This particular form of viral chaos was inevitable, given the failure of Minneapolis's leaders to quell the city's growing mayhem. The violence began on Tuesday, May 26, the day after the horrifying arrest and subsequent death of George Floyd. On the night of Thursday, May 28, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey ordered the city's Third Police Precinct evacuated as the forces of hatred, distinct from legitimate forms of protest, descended upon it for a third day in a row. The building was promptly torched, sending a powerful sign that society would not defend its most fundamental institutions of law and order. The opportunity for "free stuff" is irresistible to a large number of people all over the country, seeing opportunity in the inability of law enforcement, even when supplemented by National Guard troops, to apprehend looters. Luxury goods providers are now being targeted, from Louis Vuitton to Apple Stores being cleaned out by mobs who want the same stuff they see the affluent classes enjoying without the bother of working and saving for acquisition by legitimate means. Washington, D.C. Apple Store completely cleaned out. Photo credit: YouTube screen grab (cropped). One can only hope the Silicon Valley oligarchy starts to realize that it, too, has a stake in law and order. The New York Times tweeted out the extent of the insurrection, though insisting on calling the widespread looting and arson "protests." Twitter screen grab. President Trump employed Twitter to declare Antifa a terror group, sparking predictable claims from the New York Times and ACLU, among other leftist activists that he lacks the authority to do so. Perhaps they fear that President Trump will do something far more consequential and invoke the Insurrection Act, enabling him to bypass the limitations imposed in ordinary circumstances on the domestic use of the U.S. military by the Posse Comitatus Act. Under the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, Congress has limited the president's ability to use the federal (title 10) military in domestic law enforcement operations such as searches, seizures, and arrests. A criminal statute, the Posse Comitatus Act makes it unlawful for the Army or Air Force to "execute the laws ... except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress." So, the president cannot simply call in federal military forces or nationalize the Minnesota National Guard to quell the civil disturbance in Minneapolis without pointing to a Posse Comitatus Act exception. The Insurrection Act is, by far, the Posse Comitatus Act's most important exception. This is the legal key that unlocks the door to use federal military forces whether through federalizing the National Guard or calling in "title 10 forces" to quell civil unrest. Without question, invocation of the Insurrection Act, first enacted in 1807 and subsequently modified and renumbered to 10 USC, Chapter 13, 251255,would spark outrage on the left and lawsuits in jurisdictions where a lone left-wing federal judge would declare it unconstitutional and issue a nationwide injunction, sparking a true constitutional crisis. There would be extreme violence and likely major casualties if military forces were deployed and attacked. Meanwhile, Xi Jinping, ISIS, Antifa, and other enemies would be tempted to launch attacks that would take advantage of the crisis and the perceived inability of the United States to respond. Moves against Hong Kong and Taiwan are not out of the question. It may require the ruling class and media elitists being personally threatened, as was ESPN's Chris Palmer, for them to realize they, like all of us, have a deep personal stake in the suppression of an insurrection. Maybe it will take mobs moving on to Beverly Hills and the Upper East Side of Manhattan, invading homes and apartments as they are promising to do to wake them up. Amid the rising Covid-19 case count in Maharashtra and Mumbai, state minister Aaditya Thackeray explains the logic behind Mission Begin Again, health infrastructure and the steps the government is taking to contain the pandemic. Edited excerpts: Various states are emerging from the lockdown. Maharashtra is also facing the additional threat of a cyclone. How do you view the situation? We have been on top of the situation and fortunately people have been very cooperative and patient. No one in the world has been able to predict how long the Covid scenario will go on. We just started the mission Begin Again yesterday as the lockdown has been in place for 2.5-3 months. But it has to be very, very slow, staggered and carefully planned. The important parameter here is the medical response, because it is life over livelihood. We went into lockdown in a measured manner starting March 8, and so the likewise has to be done while coming out of it. You have decided to open shops, but not malls? What was the thought process? There have been several deliberations from observations from the WHO to what other countries are doing. For instance, is single-air circulation more detrimental than not having air-conditioning? Footfall was another factor to see how spacing out and social distancing could be implemented. From June 2 or 3, weve made it possible for people to at least step out and get into a little bit of physical exercise, but not go indoors [gyms], or touch surfaces. From June 5, shops on alternate sides of roads will open, and offices will open with 10% staff from the 8th. It is always going to be a trial-and-error method. It is a two-way process which needs cooperation of citizens. The slower we go the better. How does the government plan to open schools? June 10-13 is the time around which schools open. Most schools, especially in red zones, are quarantine facilities and we cant open them right now. Weve begun a process of speaking to people in the sector on how education can continue. Can we do it offline in green zones? What does social distancing mean? We are deliberating on it. The CM held an hour-long meeting yesterday on education and technology. We cant let the academic year pass without education. Our schools ratio is one teacher to 45 kids, so how do we do physical distancing there? The figures for the state look.... Scary, yes. The principle we have to use as a government is not to fear the numbers, especially when you have a pandemic. In all cities such as New York and those in Brazil, the density of population is very different from Mumbai. One feature is Mumbais community toilets and the way our houses are planned and the number of people living in them The chawls? Exactly. This is a vast difference from any other cityIn comparison, we have done far better. Theres nobody to blame because the virus is an invisible enemy and theres no point fighting it. High numbers dont necessarily only mean more infection. They also mean the government has been more successful in identifying the carriers and isolating them. You will probably have a peak sooner rather than later. We have told all our officers on the ground to not fear the numbers, just chase the case. Why arent you testing asymptomatic people? We are going by the ICMR guidelines. World over, asymptomatic people dont need any intervention. They can self-isolate. The guidelines say you have to test high-risk group between fifth and tenth day, and we are going by that. When you speak of hospital beds, we recall images from KEM hospital of patients lying amid dead bodies... We have said this before there are a few things that have to be set in process once someone dies of Covid. You have to seal the body, wait for someone to claim it, but apart from that, we are also clearing a lot more space for the mortuary. The medical system is facing tremendous pressure across the world, as no one has seen so many patients in one place at one time. No matter what you do, you will have a shortage, as you have more people than the hospital or ICU beds. Weve moved into creating more hospital and medical facilities. We had only 400 beds for isolation wards initially, but in the past 15 days, weve gone to 5,000. There has been some tension between Union and state ministers, say the exchange between CM Uddhav Thackeray and railway minister Piyush Goyal. Are you getting all help and cooperation from the Centre? I feel if you have two different parties or coalitions ruling the state and Centre, those tussles will always happen. Most importantly, there has been great cooperation within the parties in the state and with the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Chief Minister. They have been coordinating with each other. That, by far, has kept politics aside during this time. I dont think this is the right time for any minister to speak about any politics. MINNEAPOLIS After a week of mushrooming protests and, in some cities, looting and violent clashes with police, the younger brother of George Floyd arrived Monday at the Minneapolis intersection where Floyd's life came to an end a week ago. Terrence Floyd cried and knelt in prayer. He offered the crowd amassed around him the familys hopes for peaceful protests and additional arrests in connection with his brothers death. And he ultimately led the crowd through a series of chants, including "Peace on the left, justice on the right," as if to say the two must go hand in hand. Image: US-POLICE-RACE-UNREST (Kerem Yucel / AFP - Getty Images) Floyd arrived at the intersection around 1 p.m., the first time a member of his family had visited the spot where George Floyd died after a police officer kept a knee on his neck for more than eight minutes. When Terrence Floyd arrived, he was so emotional that two unidentified men stood on either side of him, and at points kept him from falling. George Floyd was a member of a religious Texas family. So his brother knelt, wept and prayed amid the flowers, protest signs, balloons, candles and other mementos left at the spot where George Floyd died. Among the signs a few feet from a praying Terrence Floyd was one black and white placard bearing George Floyd's last words, I Cant Breathe. Most who gathered to watch the somber moment were wearing masks, including Terrence Floyd. His mask bore his brothers image and the words, "WE CAN'T BREATHE." Eventually the crowd began to yell, Take a knee! More than 50 people did. First of all, first of all, Terrence Floyd said. "If Im not over here wilin out, if Im not over here blowing up stuff, if Im not over here messing up my community then what are yall doing? Nothing, because thats not going to bring my brother back at all." Image: A makeshift memorial honouring George Floyd in Minneapolis (Lucas Jackson / Reuters) "So lets do this another way," he said. "Lets stop thinking that our voice dont matter and votebecause its a lot of us and we still going to do this peacefully. Terrence Floyd then lead the crowd in a chant of, Peace on the left and justice on the right. Floyd thanked the crowd for its support and implored people to continue to press for justice in connection with his brother's death. Then came a chant referring to the fact that only one of the four officers involved in the fatal encounter has been arrested and charged with a crime: "One down, three to go." Saul Loeb/Getty President Trump lashed out at state governors Monday, saying that those who did not mass arrest protesters for long periods of time would end up looking like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate. If you dont dominate... youre wasting your time, Trump said on a private conference call with governors and national security officials. Theyre going to run over you, youre going to look like a bunch of jerks. The president, who is hunkered down in the White House, added during the call that local officials have to put protestors and looters in prison for long periods of time in order to assert control amid nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd. Curfews and Soldiers Cant Contain the Nations Chaos Its a movement, if you dont put it down it will get worse and worse, Trump said. The only time it's successful is when youre weak and most of you are weak. A source on the call, who shared it with The Daily Beast, called Trumps talk unhinged, noting that it often veered off in various directions. At one point, the source said, the president brought up flag burning and encouraged states to pass laws banning it. Flag burning is a disgrace... We have a different court. And I think that Its time to review that again, he said. They wanted to climb up flag polls in Washington in order to burn flags, but we stopped them... If you wanted to try and pass a very powerful flag burning statute, anti-flag burning, I hope you do it because we will back you 100 percent, all the way. I hope some of you do it. At another, he blurred legal lines when discussing the needs for prosecution. When someone is throwing a rock, thats like shooting a gun. Whats the difference? Trump said. You have to do retribution in my opinion. Some of the call was constructive. The president expressed support for governors who had not seen violence in their states, signaling out Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.), saying he had done a very good job in responding to the protests. Trump has previously praised Murphy publicly for his efforts containing the coronavirus. Story continues The call came days after the Hennepin County Attorneys Office charged Derek Chauvin, who held his knee on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes during a violent May 25 arrest, was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Chauvinalong with Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and Alexander Kuengwere fired from the Minneapolis Police Department on May 26, one day after an explosive footage incident spurred a national outcry and demands for a federal investigation. Over the last six days, residents in over 40 cities took to the streets and engaged in chaotic and destructive protests, in which demonstrators were seen burning police cars, looting, and clashing with authorities in the fight against police brutality. The National Guard was deployed in almost half the states in the nation, plus Washington, D.C., after officials found local cops were insufficient to contain the outrage alone. Emphasizing his belief that the radical left is the cause of the riots and violence across the country, Trump warned that the law enforcement presence in Washington D.C. is set to intensify on Monday. Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday she is instituting a city-wide 7 p.m. curfew until Wednesday. Washington was under good control, but were going to have it under much more control, the president said. Were going to pull in thousands. Later he added, Were going to clamp down very, very strong. At one point in the call, Trump focused his critiques on Minneapolis, stating that the whole world is laughing at the city where the police state is getting burned. On Monday, Minnesota Gov. Tom Walz announced he will extended the curfew in the city and St. Paul until Wednesday, after the states Department of Public Safety announced nearly 500 protesters were arrested over the weekend. Praising the National Guard, which stepped in to help local Minnesota law enforcement over the weekend and shot teargas, flash bangs, and rubber bullets at protesters and journalists alike who broke curfew, Trump said, They went in and dominated. Those guys walked through that stuff like it was butter, Trump said. The big numbers knock them out so fast it was like bowling pins. About halfway through the call, Gov. Janet Mills of Maine, a Democrat, told President Trump that she was concerned about his possible trip to the state later in the week. Mr. President I am very concerned quite frankly that we understand you might be coming to the state of Maine later this week. I am very concerned that your presence may cause security problems for our state, she said. Trump said he would look into the issue. We have a tremendous crowd of people showing up as you know, the president said. And I think most of them are very favorable. They like their president. During the call, Trump urged governors to use their greatest resourcethe National Guardto help local law enforcement quell the ongoing violence. You have every one of these guys on tape, Trump said. Why aren't you prosecuting them? Now, the harder you are, the tougher you are, the less likely youre going to be hit. 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. This is the poignant moment a huge group of protesters kneel in silence for nine minutes to mark the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd. White police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds last week, despite Floyd's desperate repeated pleas for help crying, 'I can't breathe'. Floyd passed out and later died. His death is seen as a symbol of systemic police brutality against African-Americans sparking outrage and protests country-wide. But in stark contrast to scenes of rioting and looting over the weekend, protesters in Union Park, Iowa, took to their knees in complete silence. The moving scene was shared on Twitter captioned 'a community coming together in solidarity'. 9 minute moment of silence and kneeling for #GeorgeFloyd here in Union Park. This is a community coming together in solidarity. @WHO13news pic.twitter.com/RpVgfuFXMi Melody Mercado (@melodymercadotv) May 31, 2020 This is the poignant moment a huge group of protesters in Iowa kneel in silence for nine minutes to mark the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd In stark contrast to scenes of rioting and looting over the weekend, protesters in Union Park, Iowa, took to their knees in complete silence Footage showed white police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck last week. Floyd (pictured) passed out and later died. The demonstrations up and down the country have marked unparalleled civil unrest in the US that hasn't been seen since the 1968 assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tens of thousands of people gathered nation-wide as the National Guard was deployed to over half the states in the country on Sunday. Protests that have seen 4,100 people get arrested this weekend alone. But the threat of heavy police presence didn't deter demonstrators in Washington D.C. where a fire was set in the historic St. John's Episcopal Church and Lafayette Park in front of the White House late Sunday. It is not clear how the fire started in the church, which was opened in 1816, but it was put out shortly after 11pm. At least 40 cities have imposed curfews in light of the riots and violence and National Guard members have been activated in 26 states and Washington, DC. The moving scene (pictured) was shared on Twitter captioned 'a community coming together in solidarity' Chaos continued to unfold in cities across America late Sunday night including Washington DC, just steps from the White House, where police and Secret Service deployed tear gas as they faced off with protesters during a demonstration over the death of George Floyd Police and Secret Service pictured standing guard in front of the White House as protesters edge closer on Sunday Demonstrators pictured flipping a car over and smashing its class windows during a protest near the White House on Sunday A protester raises their first near a fire outside the White House as protests engulfed the country for another night Chauvin, 44, was arrested Friday on charges of third-degree murder and manslaughter (left). A viral video (right) captured the moment Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck while the handcuffed suspect repeatedly cried out that he couldn't breathe and ultimately suffocated Washington state governor Jay Inslee was among those to send for the National Guard after vandalism and looting in multiple cities, calling the riots 'illegal and dangerous' but adding they should not 'detract from the anger so many feel at the deep injustice laid so ugly and bare by the death of George Floyd'. In total at least five people have been killed in protest violence after gunfire rang out in Detroit and Indianapolis and in Omaha a 22-year-old black protester was killed in a struggle with a local business owner. Two Atlanta police officers were fired Sunday after video emerged showing them using excessive force during protests this weekend, including tasing and dragging two college students from a car. The protests spread globally over the weekend with 23 people arrested in London yesterday as thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters peacefully marched on the US Embassy in London. Hundreds more took to the streets of Cardiff and Manchester. The historic St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington DC was set ablaze in protests on Sunday. Police form a line in front of the church late Sunday Wulf said while hearing about the looting in Chicago, he did not think that 24 hours later he would be among the victims in Northwest Indiana. The jewelry store has been in business since 1971 and at its current location since 2011, said Wulf, who has been owner the past five years. He was unsure if any other business in the immediate area of his store were also damaged or looted. Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez reported Sunday night that damage from protesters occurred at Popeyes Louisiana Chicken, at 1555 E 82nd Ave., and Shoe Carnival, at 2340 E. 80th Ave., both of which had broken windows. Some protesters removed nozzles from pumps at a Luke gas station near the mall and let gasoline run onto the ground, apparently with the intention of igniting it, the sheriff had said. A sheriff's department tactical team stepped in and made at least one arrest. "I've cleaned up more glass than I have seen in my life," Wulf said Monday. "It just hurts." New Delhi, June 1 : The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking an early conclusion of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Australia. According to the industry body, the agreement will more than triple India's apparel exports to Australia in three years time. The AEPC has approached Prime Minister Modi as he is scheduled to hold a virtual bilateral summit on June 4 with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison. "An early conclusion of the India-Australia CEPA would surely impact Indian apparel exports positively. As per our estimates, India can increase additional exports of $500 million in the next three years, if the CEPA with Australia is concluded," AEPC said in its letter. AEPC Chairman A. Sakthivel, in the letter, said the Indian apparel exporters are desirous of engaging with Australia in a big way. "It is our sincere prayer and request to have an early CEPA with Australia and to include apparels as a focus product to enter the Australian market in a large way," he said. AEPC said that Australia is the 18th largest importer of apparel with $6.6 billion imports in 2019. "Australia presently has preferential agreements with our major competitors like China and Vietnam. Australia also gives GSP benefits to Bangladesh and Cambodia, resulting in a 5 per cent duty advantage for these countries vis-a-vis India," Sakthivel said, adding that the bilateral discussions should also include India-Australia CEPA. Local News, Business & Finance, Health & Wellness, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: June 01 2020 Long Islands public water supply remains unaffected by the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyday life the world over, and Long Island water providers have met the challenge without exception since the terrible virus first appeared on these shores. The members of the Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners Association (NSWCA), which consists of 21 voter-elected water districts, have kept the water flowing to over 620,000 consumers without interruption and in compliance with all local, federal and state regulations. Long Islands public water supply remains unaffected by the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization have confirmed that the COVID-19 virus is not waterborne and that the standard disinfection done by water suppliers as regular practices are an effective method for inactivating the COVID-19 virus. Still, one important aspect has changed. I believe this pandemic is rewriting the dictionary on the definition of the word hero, Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners Association (NSWCA) President Bill Schuckmann commented. It certainly fits all those on the front lines, the medical personnel, EMTs, police, firefighters and now also water technicians, field crews, supervisors and engineers who are considered essential service providers. They arent ordinarily thought of as heroes, but they are men and women who have risen above the call of duty, braving the dangers of this devastating pandemic on behalf of the public we serve." Mr. Schuckmann, who is also a Hicksville Water District Commissioner, stated, "I am proud of each and every one of our service men and women from all our Districts, and I am grateful for their efforts. Gary Brosnan, South Farmingdale Water District Commissioner and former NSWCA President. Photo Credit: NSWCA Fortunately, there have been no issues in carrying out the operations of supplying water to homes and businesses or to firefighting in the communities serviced by the NSWCA. Though the suddenness of the pandemic caused water providers to adapt our existing emergency procedures and protocols, our voter-elected commissioners and the superintendents throughout our member districts were able to deploy revised safety plans quickly and effectively, Gary Brosnan, South Farmingdale Water District Commissioner and NSWCA member commented. Implementation began without a hitch and has continued smoothly, which is a tribute to being proactive and to having a solid plan in place to begin with. The adaptations proved highly successful. Through its public access website, www.nswcawater.org, the NSWCA posted and continues to post urgent news and updates about COVID-19, stressing District response and compliance. NSWCA meetings and trainings are now held virtually. Communications between all 21 commissioner-run Districts continue regularly through conference calls and emails. More information was posted on the NSWCA intranet section regarding supply chain, rescheduling of meetings, ongoing communications and most importantly, safety of the work force. While all commissioner-run District offices have been closed to the public and all home visits put on hold except for emergencies, providing water around the clock still requires 24/7 supervision. That, in turn requires trained professional people. Safety precautions were detailed and communicated to all workers in all member Districts in both Nassau and Suffolk, ranging from hygiene regulations to social distancing to mandatory usage of masks and gloves. While work plans remained up to the individual Districts, the NSWCA advised on different kinds of split shifts and staggering work times, as well as working from different locations," added Commissioner Patricia Peterson, Locust Valley Water District Commissioner and NSWCA Secretary. Its not over yet, President Schuckmann stated categorically. No one can predict when this situation will end, and there is a high probability that some form of the coronavirus may return in the fall. If it does, the NSWCA and the other Long Island water suppliers will be prepared with refined regulations, deeper stocks of chemicals and disinfectants, and a battle-tested program of protocols and procedures to continue to deliver an uninterrupted supply of water to residents and businesses. Representative image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Companies licensed to manufacture Remdesivir may have to sell it only to government institutions for now as the drug is still under trial, according to a report by The Economic Times. The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has reportedly proposed that antiviral drug Remdesivir should be managed under a 'compassionate use' programme and not sold directly to private hospitals. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report. Follow LIVE updates on the COVID-19 pandemic here Gilead Sciences' experimental drug Remdesivir has been found to aid in the recovery of COVID-19 patients. 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 India, US-based Gilead has licensing agreements for Remdesivir with four pharmaceutical companies - Cipla, Hetero Drugs, Jubilant Life Sciences and Mylan. Also read | BDR Pharmaceuticals seeks drug controllers nod to manufacture generic version of Remdesivir, irks Gilead: Report "Since most patients who are currently being treated for COVID-19 are in public hospitals and since the efficacy is still not known, this seems to be the thinking," an official told The Economic Times. Gilead may apply to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for market authorisation of Remdesivir. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the anti-viral drug for emergency use in treating COVID-19 patients, while Japan has fast-tracked review of the medicine. Xiaomi will reportedly unveil its first-ever laptop for the Indian market on June 11th. It is rumored to be a rebranded Redmibook 13 model featuring 10th generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors. The entry-level model will likely retail at Rs 45,000 ($597). Working For Notebookcheck Are you a techie who knows how to write? Then join our Team! English native speakers welcome! News Writer (AUS/NZL based) - Details here UPDATE: Xiaomi India MD Manu Kumar Jain has officially confirmed that the Redmibook 13 will be arriving in India under the Mi Notebook monicker on June 11th. A few days ago, Xiaomi India hinted that it would bring its Mi Notebook or Redmibook line of laptops to the Indian market. Unfortunately, it was a teaser that revealed little in the way of a release date, or what products would be released. It turns out that the release date is sooner, rather than later, according to a leak. Prolific leaker Ishan Agarwal told 91mobiles that Xiaomi is planning on releasing its notebooks in India on June 11th. It will likely be the Redmibook 13 with a fresh coat of paint on it. Unfortunately, it won't be the newly-released Redmibook 13 that runs AMD's Ryzen 4xxx series chips. We're probably looking at an older December 2019 variant of the notebook. The leak also tells us that Xiaomi will not release the laptop under the Redmibook monicker, and will fall under the 'Mi' brand. If it is a rebranded Redmibook 13, then one gets to choose between the Intel Core i5-10210U and the Intel Core i7-10510U with 8GB of RAM. Whether or not Xiaomi will offer additional memory in the Indian variants of the notebook remains to be seen. Some of the other specifications include a 13-inch FHD display with razor-thin bezels (89% screen-to-body ratio), an Nvidia MX250 GPU, a 512GB NVMe SSD, a 40WHr battery that claims to deliver up to eleven hours of backup. It'll be interesting to see how Xiaomi prices the refreshes of its laptops. India is a highly price-sensitive market, and a significant part of Xiaomi's success has been due to its affordable prices. If the Chinese prices are anything to go by, the base version should start at Rs 45,000 ($597), and max out at the Rs 55,000($730) range. Governments around the world are moving to ease restrictions that have wrecked their economies With nearly 30,000 dead in Brazil and more than 10,000 dead in Mexico, the novel coronavirus epidemic threatens to shatter hospital systems across Latin America -- while France, which is emerging from a similar nightmare scenario, begins on Tuesday a gradual return to normalcy. Four of the 10 countries showing the greatest number of new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours were in Latin America, the World Health Organization's emergencies director Michael Ryan said. The pandemic has now killed more than 377,000 people and infected at least 6.3 million since erupting in China in late 2019. Efforts to halt its spread by imposing restrictions on everyday life have plunged economies into recession. However in Europe, schools, pools, pubs and tourist sites have begun to open, defying warnings that this could trigger a second wave of infections. The United States -- where the pandemic has been overshadowed by unrest following the death of a black man at the hands of a white police officer -- remains by far the worst-affected country. But novel coronavirus cases are spreading quickly in Latina America. Brazil, Peru, Chile and Mexico are experiencing the largest daily increases, while the numbers are on the rise in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Haiti. "Countries are having to work very, very hard to both understand the scale of infection but also health systems are beginning to come under pressure across the region," said Ryan, speaking at a virtual press conference from Geneva. He expressed particular concern for Haiti. Latin America has passed one million cases and recorded more than 50,000 deaths. Brazil has reported more than half of those cases and close to 60 percent of the fatalities. Even so, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro announced Monday that the popular tourist city would begin to gradually ease lockdown measures starting Tuesday, beginning with the reopening of places of worship and water sports. Mexico also began reopening on Monday, reactivating the automotive industry, mining and construction even though the country has recorded more than virus 10,000 deaths -- second only to Brazil in Latin America. Ryan warned that the region is not out of danger yet. "I would certainly characterize that Central and South America in particular have very much become the intense zones for transmission of this virus," he said. "I don't believe we have reached the peak in that transmission and, at this point, I cannot predict when we will." - Britain moving too soon? - In Europe, from Russia to France, Italy and Britain, countries have started to emerge from months-long lockdowns, cautiously adopting a post-pandemic version of normal. Patios were packed in Finland as bars reopened / AFP Bars began to serve again in Finland and Norway -- with distancing restrictions or shortened hours in place -- while some schools in Britain and Greece opened their doors again. Britain reported 111 more virus deaths on Monday, the lowest daily toll since the lockdown started on March 23. But critics of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government say it is moving too soon. "COVID-19 spreading too fast to lift lockdown in England," scientific advisor Jeremy Farrar said on Twitter. In Russia, Moscow shopping malls and parks reopened on Monday even though the country ranks third in the world in new daily cases. Shopkeepers were eager to see business pick up again. "I'm pretty optimistic," a vendor named Olga told AFP at her shop selling handbags and jewelery in central Moscow. Russia's President Vladimir Putin meanwhile called Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to wish him a speedy recovery, as he became the latest leader to test positive for the virus. - Colosseum reopened - Greece opened some hotels, schools, pools and tattoo parlors, while in Slovenia a mandatory rule to wear masks was eased as the country declared the end of the outbreak. Rome's famed Colosseum reopened to Italian nationals, but foreign tourists were still banned / AFP In Romania, Bucharest's Grigore Antipa Natural History Museum reopened, as did Rome's famed Colosseum, although only to Italians. The latest official figures from Italy were encouraging: over the last 24 hours there were 178 new cases and 60 deaths, continuing a downward trend. There was also good news from Spain, another country badly hit by the virus: on Monday it recorded its first 24-hour period without a COVID-19 death since March 3. France registered 31 deaths over the last 24 hours, a day before it was due to reopen cafes, restaurants and bistros, closed since the lockdown began on March 17. Drinkers queued up in South Africa as an alcohol ban was lifted / AFP In South Africa, scores of joyous people blasting music queued outside liquor stores in the Johannesburg township of Soweto, waiting to stock up after a nine-week ban on alcohol sales ended. "We are overwhelmed, over the moon, so excited. This place is jamming," said one customer, Bongani Khumalo. Health Minister Zweli Mkhize pleaded with citizens not to "panic-buy" and to "reduce consumption". - Fresh Ebola outbreak - The pandemic has devastated the global economy, which is facing the worst downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s. With businesses and citizens growing tired of confinement pressure is building on national leaders to end the lockdowns -- especially in countries where the outbreak appear to be slowing. But health experts continue to warn of a possible second wave of infections if authorities and citizens let their guard down. In the United States, Washington and Los Angeles resumed outdoor dining, while New York City is on track to begin reopening from June 8. The US now recorded almost 107,000 novel coronavirus deaths, and over 1.8 virus million cases. The WHO insists it wants to keep working with US authorities despite President Donald Trump's decision last week to cut ties with the organization. Meanwhile, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there was a reminder that the threat of other deadly infections continues. The health ministry reported a fresh outbreak of Ebola in the northwest region of the huge central African country. burs-bc/ch The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is cancelling its 2021 conference in Washington amid concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, Jewish Insider reported on Sunday. Given the continued uncertainties created by the COVID-19 pandemic and without a predictable avenue to safely bring together thousands of pro-Israel Americans, we have been forced to cancel the 2021 AIPAC policy conference, the groups president, Betsy Berns Korn, wrote in an email to members. Why it matters: Tens of thousands of AIPAC members descend on Washington in March every year for the AIPAC conference and annual lobby day on Capitol Hill. But in 2021 theyll be going virtual. AIPAC members have started lobbying meetings with lawmakers and their staff via Zoom as the pandemic continues to sweep the globe. Whats next: The zoom meetings could offer a preview into how the influential lobby group will have to conduct its operations for the foreseeable future. Korn reassured members that AIPAC will continue to find new and creative ways over the coming year for us to connect online and in person to advance the US-Israel relationship. Know More: Despite the pandemic, AIPAC is still getting results, reports congressional correspondent Bryant Harris. Congress has moved several of its priority agenda items in recent weeks, including a key Israeli military aid bill as well as a letter condemning the International Criminal Court for opening an investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The group even got a key adversary, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., to sign onto a letter calling for an extension of the UN arms embargo on Iran. An Indian developer has earned over Rs 75 lakh from Apple Security Bounty Programme for spotting a bug in the signing-in process that used Apple ID. The bug was related to the process that allowed an iPhone or Mac user to use the Apple ID to log into a third-party website. Indian bug bounty hunter and developer Bhavuk Jain, 27, spotted a vulnerability that would let any hacker break into Apple user's accounts who logged into third-party apps like Dropbox, Spotify, Airbnb, and Giphy (now acquired by Facebook) and more. Jain discovered a bug in "Sign In With Apple" that affected third party applications that were using it. "This bug could have resulted in a full account takeover of user accounts on that third party application irrespective of a victim having a valid Apple ID or not," Jain noted on his blog. Jain, who holds a bachelor's degree in electronics and communication, was paid around $100,000 or little over Rs 75 lakh under Apple Security Bounty Programme. Jain is a full-stack developer interested mostly in mobile app development using React Native. He is currently a full-time bug bounty hunter "trying to make the internet a safer place for everyone", news agency IANS noted. Sign In With Apple was launched in 2019 for more privacy focussed logins for third-party apps. "In the month of April, I found a zero-day in Sign in with Apple that affected third-party applications which were using it and didn't implement their own additional security measures. This bug could have resulted in a full account takeover of user accounts on that third party application irrespective of a victim having a valid Apple ID or not," Jain wrote on his blog. Giving out the technical details, Jain in his blog post wrote that Sign in with Apple works similar to OAuth 2.0. The bug, Jain said, was quite critical as it allowed a full account takeover if there weren't any security measures in place while verifying a user. Sign In With Apple is mandatory for applications that support other social logins, such as those offered by Google or Facebook. Jain's blog stated that Apple confirmed that there was no misuse or account compromise due to the vulnerability. Almost all big tech companies run bug-bounty programmes where they award money to people who find security bugs or flaws in their services and applications. This is not the first time an Indian developer has received a big bounty for finding a bug. Although, Jain's bounty from Apple is definitely one of the biggest an Indian developer has received so far. In the past, companies Google and Facebook have paid lakhs of rupees to Indian developers for finding bugs. WASHINGTON - After pockets of the United States descended into chaos - after another day of protests over the death of yet another black man in police custody led to another night of fire and fury - President Donald Trump urged the nation's governors to use force and take back the streets. During a conference call Monday, Trump berated the state leaders, calling them "weak," and urged them to "dominate" protesters, according to officials familiar with the president's remarks. The conference call followed another turbulent night across the nation, as protests that began peacefully exploded into mayhem. Demonstrators clashed with police outside the White House for a third consecutive night as the unrest spread from Boston to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. More than half of the nation's governors have called in the National Guard to help quell the unrest, and at least 45 million Americans were under a curfew on Sunday night. Some conservative commentators are urging the president to address the nation, but the White House press secretary said Trump is focused on the far-left "antifa" movement that he believes is behind the violence. "A national Oval Office address is not going to stop antifa," Kayleigh McEnany said. A number of major retailers, including Walmart and Target, have temporarily closed their stores in some areas rocked by upheaval. In California, state government buildings were ordered closed Monday "in downtown city areas." Trump berated the nation's governors on a conference call, telling them to take back the streets and use force to confront protesters and said if they did not, they would look like "fools," alarming several governors on the call as they communicated privately, according to the officials. "If you don't dominate, you're wasting your time," Trump said, according to a person on the call. A second person on the call said Trump praised Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, D, and thanked Defense Secretary Mark Esper for his assistance. The president told the governors that "you have to use the military" and "we have a wonderful military," said the person on the call. Trump also mused about the Occupy Wall Street movement, saying it was a "disgrace" which was ended by governors and mayors being tough on it, according to two people on the call. The president said that people arrested at the protests should serve a 10-year prison sentence, according to another person familiar with the call. Public health officials warn new cases of COVID-19 probably will emerge after mass gatherings fueled by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and racial unrest in cities across America. Health experts fear carriers of coronavirus, which causes the disease, with no symptoms could unwittingly infect others at protests where social distancing is simply not taking place. The merits of the protesters' cause "doesnt prevent them from getting the virus, said Bradley Pollock, chairman of the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis. At least one protester in Tampa, Florida, is known to have COVID-19. Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan, who expressed dismay last week about Floyd's death, tweeted Monday that five of his officers were exposed to the protester, whom he did not identify. Protesting especially without a mask can put people at higher risk for infection, said Dr. Michael Mina, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. "There's no doubt in my mind that these can become breeding grounds for this virus," he said during a Monday media availability. "I would not be surprised to see in the next couple of weeks that we see increases that may be linked to protests." Timeline: George Floyd protests: How did we get here? The human toll: 19 captivating images from this week's protests As businesses reopen, it will be difficult to figure out whether someone caught the virus at a protest or in some other encounter, Mina said. Hopefully, the fact that protests are taking place out of doors, will dilute the virus and reduce disease transmission, he said. Wearing a mask will help reduce infections, though it won't completely eliminate risk. "If there's a floridly positive person who is coughing and spending a whole day around a lot of other people, that person might very well get other people sick despite having a mask on," Mina added, but "there's a good chance that even homemade masks will actually do quite a bit to help people not get infected and not transmit." Story continues Protesters in downtown Detroit march and stop at the Detroit Police Station for a second night of protests on May 30, 2020. There is a historical precedent to suggest viruses can be spread by large public gatherings. In September 1918, people in Philadelphia held a parade to support the war bond drive during World War I. The gathering of 200,000 people, crammed shoulder to shoulder, reignited a deadly flu epidemic, leading to massive closures and thousands of deaths, records show. "Obviously, that was the exact wrong time to have a parade in hindsight," said J. Alexander Navarro, assistant director of the Center for the History of Medicine at the University of Michigan. Navarro said he's concerned if there's a second wave of infections, we will face the same problem they did in 1918, when public support was lacking to shut down businesses a second time, leading to more deaths. But former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Tom Frieden said pandemic responses, "should never be used as social control." "The science is clear. Outdoors is far, far less risky than indoors," said Frieden, who added wearing a mask further reduces risk. "Trust in government is crucial for effective public health programs. Our leaders must earn and maintain that trust lack of trust is the biggest threat to health and progress fighting the pandemic." There's also a public health cost to not protesting the status quo, said Dr. Hillary Babcock, an infectious disease specialist at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and immediate past president of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. "Systemic racism also causes large public health impacts and public health risks for large portions of our population," Babcock said. She disagreed with calls for protesters to stay home to avoid fueling the outbreak. "I don't think using public health as a reason to discourage protests after these events is really appropriate," Babcock said. "It's a little disingenuous to say that the health risk from protesting is somehow bigger than the health risk at Lake of Ozarks (where people gathered for fun over Memorial Day weekend) or the practices that brought us to this point in the first place." You could see the train wreck coming: Inexperienced, dubious companies among many aiming to cash in on coronavirus antibody tests At least one reveler at the Ozarks party tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Camden County Health Department. Others were advised to monitor for symptoms. Babcock said it is possible to minimize the risks of protesting, with masks, social distancing and asking sick people to stay home. Arresting people and putting them into close contact with others increases risk, Babcock said, as does spraying protesters with pepper spray, which causes violent coughing and can potentially spread the virus. Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency room physician and former Baltimore health commissioner, said there is risk of longer-term effects in communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Wen was Baltimore's health commissioner when protests erupted following the 2015 death of Freddie Gray. The death triggered civil unrest in communities already burdened with deep-seated inequities, she said. "When over a dozen pharmacies burned down and closed and stores were looted, it was community members themselves who were affected the most," Wen said. While protests over the past week following Floyd's death have highlighted police-community relations, demonstrators are also calling attention to social justice issues, including health disparities. "The same communities that are already the most affected are potentially going to have an increase in the number of cases as a result of people gathering," Wen said. Melanie Campbell, president of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, said anger in the black community has been building for years. Floyd's death spurred them to take to the streets, even as the coronavirus has taken a disproportionate toll on African Americans. "Black people are risking their lives protesting in the middle of a pandemic thats killing black folks. Thats real," she said. "There is no convenient time to fight back." Resources and ways to donate: How you can take action from home after the death of George FloydMeanwhile, state and local public health agencies plan to monitor for new COVID-19 cases. Any large gathering during a pandemic is a concern, said John C. Welch, director of partnerships and operations for the Massachusetts Covid Response project. Partners in Health, a Boston-based nonprofit, handles Massachusetts contact tracing of individuals infected with or exposed to the virus. Following such a large gathering, potential cases need to be monitored over two weeks, the viruss incubation period. The epidemic curve should guide the response and the phased reopening of society," Welch said. "Until the epidemic is declared over, social distancing and wearing masks should remain the new normal." Peter Pitts, president and co-founder of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, a nonpartisan research and educational organization, said he worries COVID-19 will take advantage of people gathering to protest police violence. "Social distancing and social conflict are a very potent negative combination when it comes to spreading a virus," he said. "The timing is highly unfortunate." Public health concerns, which are usually complicated, can easily be drowned out by other "sexier" stories, he said, citing the recent SpaceX launch. But the virus "doesn't cease to be a real threat because of other threats happening simultaneously," he said. "That means we have to twice as smart and twice as dedicated and twice as focused." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: George Floyd protests: Gatherings increase risk of coronavirus spread Youve got to arrest these people. Youve got to arrest these people, And youve got to charge them. And you cant do the deal where they get one week in jail. These are terrorists. These are terrorists. Theyre looking to do bad things to our country. It shouldnt be hard to take care of, and were going to take care of this. [unclear] Weve got a number of people here that youll be seeing a lot of. General Milley is here, hes head of Joint Chiefs of Staff, a fighter, a warrior, has a lot of victories and no losses. And he hates to see the way its being handled in the various states, and Ive just put him in charge. The attorney general is here, right here, Bill Barr. And so we will activate Bill Barr, and activate him very strongly. And were strongly the secretary of defense is here were strongly looking for arrests. We do have to get much tougher. Were going to get over it. I know Gov. Walz is on the phone and we spoke. And I fully agree with the way he handled it the last couple of days. I asked him to do that. Get a lot of men. We have all the men and women that you need. The people arent calling them up. You have to dominate. If you dont dominate, youre wasting your time. Theyre going to run over you. Youre going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate. And you have to arrest people, and you have to try people. And they have to go to jail for long periods of time. I saw what happened in Philadelphia. I saw what happened in Dallas where they kicked a guy to death. I dont if he died or not, but if he didnt its a miracle. What they did to him, they were kicking him like Ive never seen anything like it in my life. People dont talk about that. They dont talk about that. Theyre talking about a lot of other things, but they dont talk about that. But I saw what happened in Dallas, and those kids are all scum, theyre wise guys. And its coming from the radical left. You know it. Everybody knows it, but its also looters, and its people that figure they can get free stuff by running into stores and running out with television sets. I saw it. The kid has a lot of stuff. He puts it in the back of a brand new car and drives off. You have every one of these guys on tape. Why arent you prosecuting them? Now the harder you are, the tougher you are, the less likely it is that youre going to be hit. This is a movement. We found out theyre delivering supplies to various places and various states. Your people know about it now. But we found out many things. Its like a movement, and its a movement that if you dont put it down, it will get worse and worse. This is like Occupy Wall Street. It was a disaster until one day somebody said, Thats enough. And they just went in and wiped them out. Thats the last time I heard the name Occupy Wall Street until today, when I heard about it. I heard Occupy Wall Street. I havent heard about it. I heard about it today for the first time in a long time. They were there for forever, it seemed, on Wall Street. They closed up Wall Street, the financial district of the world, and they had total domination. They were ordering pizzas. Nobody did anything. And then one day, somebody said, Thats enough. Youre getting out of here within two hours. And it was bedlam for an hour, and then after that, everything was beautiful. And that was the last time we heard about it. But these are the same people. These are radicals, and theyre anarchists. They are anarchists. Whether you like it or not. I know some of you guys are different persuasion, and thats OK I fully understand that. I understand both. Im for everybody. Im representing everybody. Im not representing radical right, radical left. Im representing everybody. But you have to know what youre dealing with. This happened before. This happened numerous times, and the only time its successful is when youre weak. And most of you are weak. And I will say this. Whats gone on in Los Angeles, I have a friend who lives in Los Angeles. They say all the store fronts are gone. Theyre all broken and gone. The merchandise is gone. Its a shame. It just didnt look as bad as that to me. Maybe it was the sunshine. I dont know. But in Los Angeles, the storefronts are gone. Philadelphia is a mess. Philadelphia, what happened there is horrible, and that was on television. Theyre breaking into stores, and nobody showed up to even stop them there was no nobody showed up to stop them. Well, Washington, they had large groups, very large groups. They attacked the A.F.L.-C.I.O. building, so they attacked, in theory, theyre friends, which is very interesting. But Washington was under very good control, but were going to have it under much more control. Were going to pour in thousands of people. And we were under guard of the D.C. police, the mayor, the mayor of Washington D.C. And Secret Service did a very good job around the White House, but theres all different precautions around the White House. But and were going to clamp down very, very strong. But youve got to arrest people. You have to try people. You have to put them in jail for 10 years. Then youll never see this stuff again. And you have to let them know that. Theyre trying to get people out on bail in Minneapolis. I understand theyre in there trying to get all these guys out on bail. So you have them on tape, you have them on television. In history, theres never been anybody taped so much committing a crime. You have these guys throwing rocks. And you could could see their face. They showed, they showed it last night on one of the stations of one of the networks, throwing a big brick. And they had them in slow-motion replay. They put them on just like a fielder catching a ball, and throwing a ball. They have the slow-motion replay. You see exactly who he is. Everybody knows. Youll find out exactly. You have everybody is on tape. You better arrest all those people, and youve got to try them. And if they get five years to 10 years they have to get five years or 10 years. Theres no retribution. So I say that, and the word is dominate. If you dont dominate your city and your state, theyre going to walk away with you. And wait till I get in Washington and D.C., were gonna do something that people havent seen before. But youve got to have total domination. And then you have to put them in jail, and you have to authorize, whatever it is, whoever it is, you authorize. And with that, Ill let Bill Barr say a few words, then Im going to have General Milley speak. Lets go, Bill. Highlights Remove China Apps, an app that claims to identify and delete all the Chinese apps has crossed 1 million downloads on Google Play Store The app has become increasingly popular on the Play Store owing to the growing friction between India and China. The Remove China Apps has been rated 4.8 stars on Google Play Store and it is currently one of the top apps. Remove China Apps, an app that claims to identify and delete all the Chinese apps has crossed 1 million downloads on Google Play Store. The app has become increasingly popular on the Play Store owing to the growing friction between India and China. The Remove China Apps has been rated 4.8 stars on Google Play Store and it is currently one of the top apps. As per the developers of the app, it has been developed for "educational purposes only". "This application is being developed for educational purposes only to identify the country of origin of a certain application(s), we do not promote or force people to uninstall any of the application(s). Detecting the country of origin is based on the market research but we do not guarantee for any correct/wrong information, so users should act only at their own will," the app description reads. The app as the name suggests hunts down the apps developed by Chinese companies and further uninstalls it. The app went live on Google Play Store on May 17 and has been downloaded over 10 Lakh times since then. Here is how the Remove China Apps functions When you download the app from Google Play Store, it doesn't require you to sign up login to start functioning. Users can simply select "scan" and the app will automatically identify all the Chinese apps. However, the app will only identify apps that have been downloaded from the Play Store or third party. It will not remove the pre-installed apps. The app has been developed by Jaipur-based developers, OneTouchAppLabs. The Remove China Apps is currently available for Android users and there is no clarity whether the iOS users will get this app anytime soon or not. Earlier, another short video making platform Mitron surfaced on Google Play Store. The app was reportedly designed to take on Bytedance-owned TikTok, which has been battling controversies in India for quite some time now. It was downloaded more than five million times and received 4.8 ratings on Google Play Store. TikTok had a bad run on the Play Store recently when it was downvoted to 1 star recently. However, Google got rid of over 8 million negative reviews from the app and the ratings went back to 4.8. A lot of users across the country had also uninstalled the app. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Issam Ahmed (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States Mon, June 1, 2020 11:03 599 fc6853813033f564188675f8bdb4670a 2 Science & Tech united-states,astronaut,aerospace,space,SpaceX,NASA,international-space-station Free NASA astronauts entered the International Space Station on Sunday after a landmark 19-hour journey on the first crewed US spacecraft in nearly a decade, a triumph for SpaceX and private enterprise. The arrival completed the first leg of the trip, designed to test the capabilities of the Crew Dragon capsule. But the mission will only be declared a success when the astronauts return safely to Earth in a few months' time. The spaceship's hatch opened at 1:02 pm Eastern Time (17:02 GMT) as Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley carried out final procedures before crossing the threshold about 20 minutes later. Wearing black polo shirts and khaki pants, they were greeted by fellow American astronaut Chris Cassidy, as well as Russia cosmonauts Anatoli Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner. The five men posed for photos and then NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine spoke to the crew from mission control in Houston. "Welcome to Bob and Doug," said Bridenstine. "I will tell you the whole world saw this mission, and we are so, so proud of everything you have done for our country." "It's great to get the United States back in the crewed launch business and we're just really glad to be on board this magnificent complex," replied Hurley. Russian space chief Dmitry Rogozin also offered his congratulations to both NASA and Elon Musk, the boss of the private aerospace company SpaceX that built the Crew Dragon capsule. The capsule spent 19 hours chasing down the station at speeds of up to 17,500 miles per hour (28,000 kph), before carefully aligning to its target and slowing to a crawl for the delicate docking procedure, which took place over northern China. Read also: NASA astronauts head for ISS on historic SpaceX flight Pandemic and protests During their stay Behnken and Hurley will perform more checks on the capsule to certify its readiness as the United States transitions to using the commercial sector for rides to the ISS. The space agency has had to rely on Russian Soyuz rockets ever since the Space Shuttle program ended in 2011 -- with 2015 the original target for a replacement program. The United States has paid SpaceX and aerospace giant Boeing a total of about $7 billion for their "space taxi" contracts. But Boeing's program has floundered badly after a failed test run late last year, which left SpaceX, a company founded only in 2002, as clear frontrunner. The launch comes as the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, and as the US faces nationwide protests after a black man died in Minneapolis while being arrested by a white police officer. Speaking to Bridenstine, Hurley said he hoped the mission would inspire young Americans. "This was just one effort that we can show for the ages in this dark time that we've had over the past several months to kind of inspire, especially the young people in the United States, to reach for these lofty goals," he said. On Twitter, however, some retweeted the song "Whitey On The Moon" which was released by Gil Scott-Heron in 1970, the year after the Apollo 11 lunar landing. The lyrics juxtaposed the injustice and economic conditions faced by black Americans with the enormous spending required for the space program. Rough ride SpaceX's two-stage Falcon 9 rocket began its voyage Saturday, blasting off flawlessly in a cloud of bright orange flames and smoke from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. "I'm really quite overcome with emotion," Musk said. "It's been 18 years working towards this goal." Hurley and Behnken had named their capsule "Endeavour" after the retired Space Shuttle on which they both flew. Asked by a lawmaker how the Crew Dragon's handling compared to that of the shuttle, Behknen indicated the new ship was a rougher ride. "Dragon was huffing and puffing all the way into orbit, and we were definitely driving or riding a dragon all the way up," he said. "And so it was not quite the same ride, the smooth ride, as the Space Shuttle was." Read also: SpaceX, NASA delay milestone mission over lightning fears Jabs from Russia While Russia saluted the United States, it also stressed Sunday it was puzzled by the frenzy unleashed by what many hailed as the dawn of a new era. "We don't really understand the hysteria sparked by the successful launch of a Crew Dragon spacecraft," Roscosmos spokesman Vladimir Ustimenko said. US-Russia cooperation is not expected to end once Crew Dragon goes into service. NASA still plans to use Soyuz rockets to send some astronauts into space, with each seat costing around $80 million. The United States, meanwhile, hopes to revive human space exploration, which has not risen to the expectations of the early space era. The idea of a crewed mission to Mars has been mooted since the 1950s, and NASA has commissioned numerous studies that have never gotten off the ground. The United States now plans to return to the Moon in 2024 under the Artimis mission, establishing a launching pad to the Red Planet by the 2030s. News Alexandria, Louisiana - Cody Richardson, 30, a former Correctional Officer with the Rapides Parish Sheriffs Office (RPSO), Detention Center 1, in Alexandria, Louisiana, pleaded guilty in court Thursday to three counts of using excessive force against pretrial detainees housed at the facility. According to documents filed in connection with the guilty plea, Richardson, while on duty as a correctional officer, tased three different detainees who were restrained and/or not resisting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 242. Specifically, on Jan. 28, 2018, Richardson tased detainee K.F. while K.F. had his hands up, causing him to fall to the ground, then continued to tase K.F. three more times despite the fact that he was not resisting. On Feb. 24, 2018, Richardson drive-stunned detainee S.M. 15-20 times while S.M. was shackled to a bench by his ankles, then, after other officers secured S.M.s wrists in handcuffs, continued tasing him and kicked him once in the abdomen. Finally, on March 19, 2018, Richardson deployed a Taser into detainee J.A.s back, causing him to fall to the ground, then sat on top of a table in the cellblock and continued to activate the Taser four more times while J.A. thrashed on the floor, screaming in pain. This misconduct by a correctional officer erodes public trust, said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. The Department of Justice will continue to vigorously prosecute those who violate the civil rights of inmates. Richardson faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for each of the three counts. A sentencing hearing has not been scheduled. This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Mary Mudrick of the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorneys Katherine DeVar and Thomas Johnson of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case. A Christian father in the US has written a letter to his daughter's high school boyfriend, haranguing him for 'stealing her virginity' and calling for divine retribution and he delivered it to the ex-boyfriend's home a decade after they broke up, where it was found by the man's wife. In the letter, the unidentified father indicates that he has been mulling over his daughter's loss of virginity for ten years and is still holding a grudge against the teenager now man whom she chose to have sex with, denying the father the 'pleasure' of 'giving my pure, virgin daughter' to a husband. He goes on to lecture the man for two pages, quoting quite a bit of scripture and saying that he has 'petitioned the courts of heaven' to steal the man's youth as punishment. Cringe: A Twitter user has shared a lengthy letter that a father wrote to his adult daughter's ex-boyfriend, whom she broke up with a decade ago Yuck: The father harangues him for 'stealing her virginity,' complaining that he was denied the 'sublime joy of giving my pure, virgin daughter away in marriage to her chosen husband' The bizarre, eyebrow-raising letter is now being pored over by the masses, after Dallas-based Twitter user Isaac N. shared photos of it late last week. 'One of my best and oldest friends broke up with his high school girlfriend over a decade ago,' Isaac explained. 'Today, his wife of 7 years found this absolute ornament in their mailbox.' He included photos of both pages of the letter, redacting the names of those involved. 'It has been nearly ten years since I learned that you stole my daughter [name redacted]s virginity,' the irate father wrote. 'Initially it was my intention to forgive you. But after I confronted you about it and you expressed repentance, I later learned that you have since gone and done the same to others. 'Moreover, you have regarded the matter more like winning a game than the despicable deed it was. So, I have decided to irrevocably retract any offer of forgiveness.' Ok dude... He goes on to lecture the man for two pages, quoting quite a bit of scripture and saying that he has 'petitioned the courts of heaven' to steal the man's youth as punishment The father wrote that he has spent all the time since praying and studying the scriptures, deciding what to do. 'At the time I was a man of modest means and you deliberately took from me my most precious treasure,' the father went on, calling his daughter's virginity 'a treasure I invested my heart and soul and every available resource in creating. 'For a brief pleasure, you forever took from me the sublime joy of giving my pure, virgin daughter away in marriage to her chosen husband,' he wrote. 'Moreover, you broke trust with me and God, for you promised me as a Christian brother to diligently guard against this very act. 'Since you have not raised a daughter, you cannot imagine the emotions and feelings that I have endured without relief since then. However, I will tell you that my wrath against you is so great that to kill you by prolonged and extreme torture followed by the thorough desecration and destruction of your corpse would not be enough to extinguish my anger. 'However, I am restrained from doing violence against you by the sole fact that I have given my heart to our Savior, Jesus Christ; and doing willful harm to a fellow Christian is an impossibility. Moreover, I cannot hate a person enough to desire that they should suffer eternal torment in hell. So, I have sought for a resolution somewhere in between these extremes. 'After years of searching, long nights spent in examining possible courses of action, I have settled on a form of restitution that fits the principles God ordained in the revelation of His Scripture,' he said. Turning to the bible, he referenced Jacob's marriage to Rachel, noting that Jacob served Rachel's father for seven years before marrying her. 'However, we had no agreement, and you took my daughters virginity through deception and seduction,' he wrote. 'Therefore, it was stolen, and you are a thief and a liar.' According to the bible, he said, thieves must 'repay seven-fold what was stolen' so the father figures that since seven years of servitude to him were stolen, the ex-boyfriend must repay 49 years of the 'prime of his life'. Even more shockingly, the father compared the ex-boyfriend's presumably consensual sex with his daughter to the rape of Dinah in the bible. 'So, I have decided to petition the courts of heaven to take from you and give to me that which is your dearest possession: your youth and all the good that goes with it,' he wrote. 'Specifically I demand divine restitution that will age you and rejuvenate me 49 years. Yikes! On Twitter, the letter has quickly gone viral, with replies ranging from angry and horrified to mocking and amused 'Therefore, if from this date you discover that you have aged significantly or are aging rapidly, know that it is not a medical condition. It is the judgement of God,' he said. 'Nothing you can do could restore my daughters virginity and our familys honor. You have also stained your familys honor, but that is another matter you must face with them. He continued to lecture him for acting against God and Jesus, sermonizing against fornication and saying he will be condemned to 'eternal torment in hell.' 'I have actually seen hell firsthand and assure you that it is very real and terrible beyond description,' the father wrote. 'With this restitution, your debt to me will be paid. I do not know how many other parents you have similarly swindled and robbed, but that is also another matter and how you will reconcile with them is your concern. However, you must still repent and ask God for His forgiveness to have any hope of salvation. I do not expect He is pleased with you.' On Twitter, the letter has quickly gone viral, with replies ranging from angry and horrified to mocking and amused. Gross: While some commenters are disgusted by the father laying ownership to the the use of his daughter's genitals, others have found humor in the bizarre situation 'I get that a lot of people have been using quarantine to be more productive or learn new skills, but if you find yourself attempting to place a hex on people who made you mad a decade ago, maybe productivity isn't for you and you should just watch Netflix,' wrote one. 'I'm particularly alarmed that your friend's Christianity is the deciding factor which keeps this gentleman from straight-up murdering him,' said another. 'Its hard not to feel bad for the author. Hes mourning the loss of something that was never his from the most common activity in the history of humanity. He was always going to lose.' said a third. 'I'm curious about the "resources" he put into cultivating her virginity. I'm pretty sure it was that 20 seconds of joy during the act which led to her conception however many years ago, but I'm fascinated if there was anything else.,' yet another tweeted. 'Imagine spending ten years just thinking about your daughter getting doinked in the back of a Honda Civic,' one man retorted. Doesn't agree with dad: The daughter wanted to 'set the record straight': 'She, in fact, broke up with him' Digging his heels in: The father unfriended Isaac on Facebook and expressed disappointment with Isaac's disregard for the bible One commenter, who identified himself as a Christian father, took issue with several aspects of the other dad's letter. '1) this is insane,' he wrote. '2) my daughter has agency, 3) even if my daughter makes mistakes she is still worthy of my love, 4) Salvation is not earned but through belief, 5) this youth stealing thing is...insane.' A consequence of Isaac's tweet going viral was that, before long, both the father who wrote the original letter and his daughter caught wind of it and responded to him. The father unfriended Isaac on Facebook and expressed disappointment with Isaac's disregard for the bible. Meanwhile, his daughter wanted to 'set the record straight': 'She, in fact, broke up with him.' Another commenter who appears to know all involved added that 'she is doing just fine and isn't close to her father.' One of the first photos associated with coronavirus in the Gulf featured a despondent South Asian employee of the Saudi oil giant, Aramco, forced to dress-up as a life-sized sanitiser dispenser. The photos drew fierce criticism online, forcing the company to apologise. But, long before the photos became public, the idea was conceptualised and approved, the cardboard cutout assembled to design, a worker selected for the task and ordered to walk the companys halls. Then, higher-income employees posed beside him and the photos were released without pause, revealing the degree to which the racialised marginalisation of low-income migrant workers in the Gulf is normalised. The photos encapsulate the unequal impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the regions 30 million migrant workers, who make up anywhere between 80-90 percent (in Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain) to 60-70 percent (in Saudi Arabia, Oman) of labour markets. Those still at work risk their health to make other peoples lives safer as cleaners, domestic and healthcare workers; easier as grocery store staff or delivery men; or richer by still toiling on construction sites. The dualities of the Gulfs social and economic systems are often oversimplified rich nationals in the public sector, poor migrants in the private but the pandemic has thrown these divides into stark relief. As Laavanya Kathiravelu writes in her introspection of migrants in Dubai, social distancing is already institutionalised in the Gulf; low-income workers from the Global South do the dirty and demeaning work, while physically and financially isolated from the modern societies they make possible. But this kind of social distancing is not saving lives instead, it puts workers at greater risk of infection and other fallouts of the crisis. Migrant workers are not only excluded from emergency financial protections (with some exception in Qatar) but abandoned wholesale. Our networks have seen a sharp rise in cases from throughout the region workers with no money for food, who face eviction because they can not pay rent; workers forcibly isolated in crowded labour accommodation or quarantine facilities with no water; workers who are not receiving critical medical care. All without the emotional support of their families and communities. Joint letters issued by a coalition of organisations including Migrant-Rights.org, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch urge the Gulf states to protect workers and include them in COVID-19 policy responses. The plight of these workers is not only a consequence of the economic downturn but of their forced temporariness under the Gulfs migration regimes. The kafala, or sponsorship system, privatises labour management, tying each migrant worker to an employer with near-complete control over their legal residency. Not only does kafala increase the risk of unpaid wages and pitiable working conditions, but it also absolves states of their responsibility to migrants. There is neither an economic nor a social contract between these essential workers and the countries they give their most productive years to. The working conditions the kafala enables, combined with inefficient complaints mechanisms, leave many workers in need of financial support. States do not provide meaningful assistance and charities play a role only in extreme cases. Instead, workers depend on diaspora associations for relief. For decades, Asian and African community groups have quietly provided food, accommodation and tickets home for workers in distress. Now, even this last line of social protection is strangled by stay-at-home orders, creating a vast need that is not being met by governments so accustomed to offloading responsibility. Hotlines function poorly, often providing misinformation, while authorities often take days to respond with much nudging to workers abandoned without food or water. Countries of origin are also slow to respond, partly due to capacity and partly due to an entrenched shirking of responsibility towards overseas workers. Several Gulf countries now hope to reduce their burden by repatriating workers en masse, despite the multilayered risks involved. These calls are echoed by both jingoist and more progressive circles. The threat is not from the outside, one prominent activist in Bahrain tweeted, it is from within us, referring to the countrys migrant population. Actors, officials and media personalities from across the Gulf expressed similarly xenophobic sentiments, receiving both censure and agreement in response. The Gulfs temporary migration regime exists precisely for scenarios like this to easily dispose of a workforce when it is no longer needed or wanted. Having never been allowed to belong, the racialised distancing between classes makes for a clean break, at least for the host countries. For migrant workers, the consequences are almost too immense to fathom. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Ten low to moderate intensity tremors shaking Delhi-NCR in the span of one and a half month indicate that a powerful earthquake could strike India's National Capital in near future, warn some of the top geologists of the country. "We cannot predict time, place or exact scale, but do believe that there is a consistent seismic activity going around in the NCR region and can trigger in a major earthquake in Delhi," said Dr Kalachand Sain, Chief of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, a premier autonomous institute, run under Union Ministry of Science and ... 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 Eli Lilly said on Monday it had started an early-stage trial to test its potential treatment for Covid-19, in the world's first study of an antibody treatment against the disease. Lilly is one of the several drugmakers and research institutions that are working on vaccines, antivirals and other treatments to help those infected with the fast-spreading novel coronavirus, which has already killed over 370,000 worldwide. An antiviral drug from Gilead Sciences called remdesivir has shown some promise against Covid-19 and is being given to patients by some countries under compassionate or emergency use rule. Lilly said its early stage study will assess safety and tolerability in patients hospitalized with Covid-19 and results are anticipated by the end of June. The experimental treatment, LY-CoV555, has been developed through collaboration with privately held AbCellera Biologics, which Lilly partnered with in March. Lilly's treatment is an antibody directed against the spike-shaped protein structures of the virus and is designed to block it from locking on to human cells, thus neutralizing the virus. The drugmaker said the antibody treatment was developed after it was identified from a blood sample taken from one of the first U.S. patients who recovered from the lung illness caused by the new coronavirus. Lilly said it expects to move into the next phase of testing, studying the potential treatment in non-hospitalized Covid-19 patients, if the drug is shown to be safe. Rival Regeneron Pharmacuticals has said it plans to start clinical studies in June to test its antibody cocktail treatment for the new coronavirus and is aiming to have hundreds of thousands of preventative doses available by the end of August. Lilly's shares were up 2.5% at $156.75 before the bell. New Delhi, June 1 : A meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs scheduled for June 3 to discuss the impact of the lockdown has been postponed after a majority of the members expressed their inability to attend, said sources. Home Secretary was scheduled to appear and brief the committee on the ongoing lockdown and its impact on the country. This was supposed to be the first meeting of a Standing Committee after the announcement of the lockdown on March 24. The Chairman of the committee is Congress Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma who had called the meet. Earlier in April the move of the virtual meet of the Committee was stalled by Rajya Sabha secreteriat on the ground that the standing committee procedure can't be held virtually as there is a secrecy clause attached to it. The Congress has been demanding parliamentary oversight on the government functioning. This meeting would have paved the way for other standing committee meetings. The central government on Saturday had adopted an exit strategy for the 67-day nationwide lockdown, declaring that the restrictions will be limited to only containment zones upto June 30 and prohibited activities will be opened in a phased manner in areas outside these zones. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued the order with expanded fresh guidelines to be implemented from June 1. George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man whose cold-blooded murder at the hands of a white police officer has sparked protests across the US, will be laid to rest in his hometown of Houston, following a public visitation in Minneapolis. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the funeral plans on Saturday, though there are currently no public details about when it will take place. The mayor broke the news as part of a larger plea for peace amid a weekend where Houston police arrested hundreds of protesters. "This is our house. This is the same city that George Floyd grew up, And his body will be returning to this city. To his city," Turner said. Floyd died in Minneapolis on Monday after a white police officer pinned him to the ground. Video footage showed the officer kneeling on Floyd's neck as he gasped for breath. His death has triggered nationwide protests. Officer Derek Chauvin has been fired, and on Friday was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, the authorities said. Born in North Carolina, Floyd was raised in Houston and stood out as a star athlete at Jack Yates High School in the southeastern part of the city. He moved to Minneapolis in 2014, but most of his family, including his two daughters, are still in Houston. Houston Police Department chief Art Acevedo is seeking to honour Floyd by giving his funeral a police escort. "Give us that honour," Acevedo said during a rally on Sunday. The department will use a high level of security to transport Floyd's body, comparable to when an officer dies in line of duty, the chief said, adding that he will provide more details at a rally reportedly scheduled for Tuesday, June 2 where protesters will march to City Hall. Funeral arrangements are still being planned, said officials at the Fort Bend Memorial Planning Center in Rosharon. It posted a flyer on Facebook with a picture of Floyd, stating funeral arrangements are forthcoming. Details of a funeral have not been released. Floyd's family and attorneys have yet to confirm funeral arrangements. The family has asked for peace in honour of Floyd whose body is coming home tomorrow. Protests against Floyd's death have taken place across the country and one protest, which went on for nearly 11 hours, involved hundreds of people gathered in downtown Houston to demand justice for Floyd. Nearly 200 people were arrested during the rally. Many of those will be charged with obstructing a roadway, according to the Houston Police Department. Eight Houston police officers suffered minor injuries during the protest, and 16 police vehicles were damaged. Meanwhile, Governor Greg Abbott declared a State of Disaster for all Texas counties following several protests in cities throughout Texas over the death of Floyd. Under this declaration, the governor has the ability to designate federal agents to serve as Texas Peace Officers. "Every Texan and every American has the right to protest and I encourage all Texans to exercise their First Amendment rights. However, violence against others and the destruction of property is unacceptable and counterproductive," said Abbott. "As protests have turned violent in various areas across the state, it is crucial that we maintain order, uphold public safety, and protect against property damage or loss. By authorising additional federal agents to serve as Texas Peace Officers we will help protect people's safety while ensuring that peaceful protesters can continue to make their voices heard," he said. Abbott's deceleration comes less than a day after he activated the Texas National Guard and deployed state resources to the cities of Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin in order to maintain public safety. Abbott sent more than 1,500 officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety to assist local police departments. In a statement, he said additional resources would be provided as needed. Zimbabwe summoned the U.S. ambassador over a White House official's remarks suggesting the southern African nation is exploiting protests over the killing of George Floyd. After Sen. Marco Rubio said on Twitter that at least three unidentified "foreign adversaries" used social media to stoke and promote violence in the U.S., National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien later identified Zimbabwe, China and Iran among America's adversaries. Protests erupted across the U.S. at the weekend demanding justice for Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest for an alleged counterfeit $20 bill. "I want to tell our foreign adversaries, whether it's a Zimbabwe or a China, that the difference between us and you is that that officer who killed George Floyd, he'll be investigated, he'll be prosecuted, he'll receive a fair trial," O'Brien said in an interview with broadcaster ABC. "The American people that want to go out and protest peacefully, they're going to be allowed to seek redress from their government, they're not going to be thrown in jail for peaceful protesting." In a statement issued after he met Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo on Monday, U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols highlighted the state's failure to bring to justice those responsible for the disappearance of opposition activists including Patrick Nabanyama and Itai Dzamara. Nick Mangwana, a spokesman for Zimbabwe's government, said the nation doesn't consider itself an adversary of the U.S. government. The U.S. is Zimbabwe's biggest aid donor. "We prefer having friends and allies to having unhelpful adversity with any other nation including the USA," said Mangwana in a statement on his official Twitter account. George Charamba, a spokesman for President Emmerson Mnangagwa, declined to comment. O'Brien said the foreign adversaries will face repercussions, without specifying what they'll be. "There'll be a response and it'll be proportional, but this is not something that our adversaries are going to get away with for free," he said. US, UK attempts to discuss HK security bill at UN Security Council end in failure Global Times Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/31 14:12:28 Attempts made by the US and the UK to push the UN Security Council to discuss Hong Kong's national security legislation have ended in failure, with a Chinese envoy slamming it as intending to point fingers at the internal affairs of China for their own political purposes. After China passed the decision to draft national security law in Hong Kong recently, the US and the UK have pointed fingers, intervened and tried to obstruct its passage, and even tried to push the UN Security Council to discuss it at an open video conference. The proposal, however, did not receive support from the vast majority of Security Council members, which believed the issue of Hong Kong is an internal affair of China and has nothing to do with the duties of the Security Council. Thus, the Security Council rejected the unreasonable demands of the US, and the US' attempts ended in failure. Facing such strong opposition among members of the Security Council, the US and the UK could only bring up the topic under the agenda of "other matters" which was strongly countered by China and also generally opposed by members of the Security Council. The council did not reach any consensus on this issue, and no formal discussion was held. The actions of the US and the UK came to nothing. Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, made strong remarks against the attempts of the US and the UK. He said that the US and the UK arguing about Hong Kong totally confuses right and wrong. As a special administrative region of China, affairs involving Hong Kong are purely China's internal affairs, and no foreign interference is allowed. The national security legislation of Hong Kong does not pose any threat to international peace and security, and the Security Council should not intervene in any way, Zhang said. In contrast, Zhang pointed out that since June last year, a series of violent and separatist activities had taken place in Hong Kong, receiving overt support from some foreign forces, which posed a real threat to China's national security. The National People's Congress' establishing and perfecting of Hong Kong's legal system to guard national security is fully in line with the demand for safeguarding national security, and there is ample evidence that it won't affect the high autonomy of Hong Kong, or the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents. The law will be conducive to the implementation of the "one country, two systems" policy and to the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, Zhang said. Zhang said the legal basis for China's governance of Hong Kong is China's Constitution and the Basic Law of Hong Kong, not the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The UK has no sovereignty, governance or supervision rights over the returned Hong Kong, and nor has the US. Out of ulterior political purposes, the US and the UK have interfered in the affairs of Hong Kong in an undisguised way, supported violent criminals, and threatened the Hong Kong SAR government and bear inescapable responsibility for the violence that has taken place in Hong Kong, Zhang noted. The crude interference in Hong Kong from the US and the UK is an important reason why China drafted the national security legislation in Hong Kong, Zhang said. Zhang suggested that the UN Security Council discuss issues related to the US, which is the real source of chaos in the world and poses a real threat to international peace and security. The US has been engaged in abusing weapons sales around the world and played games of unilateral sanctions, and has also been advocating unilateralism in many ways, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change, the comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and the Treaty on Open Skies. The Chinese envoy to the UN urged the US and the UK to stop interfering in the internal affairs of Hong Kong, and ending their hegemonic behavior. No matter what the US and the UK say, the Chinese government won't change its firm resolution in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and interests, in implementing the policy of "one country, two systems" and in opposing any foreign forces' interference in Hong Kong affairs, Zhang said, noting any attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of China using the excuse of Hong Kong are doomed to fail. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address An influencer has apologised after sharing a Black Lives Matter post, in which he appeared to be wearing blackface. Ken Francisco de Dios, from the Philippines, took to Twitter on Sunday in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a black man killed by a white policeman in Minnesota who knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest over the alleged use of a counterfeit banknote. In highly distressing video footage, the 46-year-old was heard gasping 'I can't breathe' before his death. And in a now-deleted Twitter post, blogger Ken shared a picture of himself wearing heavy make-up and a wig, along with the caption 'Black Lives Matter'. Despite his best intentions, the tweet racked up hundreds of angry replies from followers blasting his poorly judged post, forcing him to take to Facebook to apologise today. Influencer Ken Francisco de Dios, from the Philippines, has apologised after sharing a Black Lives Matter post, in which he appeared to be wearing blackface The tweet racked up hundreds of angry replies from followers blasting his poorly judged post, forcing him to take to Facebook to apologise today Over the weekend, the blogger had sparked outrage with his heavily made-up post, with one follower writing: 'this is literally blackface wtf..' Another added: 'Too bad make up can't fix the inside', while one said: 'Please don't address the BLACKLIVESMATTER in this way.' Another said: 'It's really hard for someone to understand the complex issue of racism in America unless you know and understand their history. She needs to be educated'. 'Omg someone needs to educate him', another tweeted, while one said: 'Dude, that was f***d up. I cannot'. In a now-deleted Twitter post, blogger Ken (seen without make-up) shared a picture of himself wearing heavy make-up and a wig, along with the caption 'Black Lives Matter' 'Omg someone needs to educate him', another tweeted, while one said: 'Dude, that was f***d up. I cannot'. But elsewhere one argued: 'Filipinos were also once ruled by European colonists'. Ken, who appears to have deleted his Twitter and Instagram account, took to Facebook to apologise today. In his post, he wrote: 'Before everything gets out of hand I would like to apologize for the whole 'blackface' issue. 'It wasnt of my intention to imitate anyone of any culture or race. As an artist, I used my artistry to be part of the campaign and use it as a voice that black lives matter. 'I believe that this is a sensitive topic and that I shouldve kept my mouth shut," I will try to learn more about such matters to keep myself from making "careless mistakes" in the future. 'Cultural appropriation is an issue that is deeply rooted in a society that I am still educating myself on. Ive read your comments and tweets and I honestly do understand where this backlash has come from. I am thankful for those who are educating me in the comments section. Thank u po and Godbless. (sic)' But elsewhere one argued: 'Filipinos were also once ruled by European colonists'. The tweet racked up hundreds of angry replies from followers blasting his poorly judged post, forcing him to take to Facebook to apologise today (Ken seen) Protests have taken place across America and beyond after white police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on unarmed George Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds last week, despite Floyd's desperate repeated pleas for help crying, 'I can't breathe'. Floyd passed out and later died. His death is seen as a symbol of systemic police brutality against African-Americans sparking outrage country-wide. Tens of thousands of people gathered as the National Guard was deployed to over half the states in the country on Sunday for further demonstrations against police brutality. Supreme Court Upholds Appointment of Board Overseeing Puerto Ricos Debt Restructuring The Supreme Court on June 1 unanimously upheld the constitutionality of an oversight board established to help Puerto Rico out of a financial crisis and charged with restructuring its billions of dollars of debt. The top court held that members of the government boardthe Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Ricowere properly appointed because they werent federal officers of the United States who needed to be confirmed by the Senate. The ruling reverses a lower courts decision that threatened to disrupt the islands recovery process, which includes the panels restructuring of about $120 billion of its debt. The oversight board was created by Congress in 2016 under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act. The law allowed the president to appoint its seven members without Senate confirmation, provided that six of those members were selected from lists provided by congressional leadership. In 2016, President Barack Obama appointed all seven voting members of the board, six of whom were selected from lists recommended by congressional leadership. The challengers, a number of Puerto Rico creditors, argued that the appointments were unlawful because the members hadnt been confirmed by the Senate. Challengers include Aurelius Investment, LLC, a hedge fund that holds Puerto Rico bonds, and Union de Trabajadores de la Industria Electrica y Riego, Inc., a labor group that represents workers at Puerto Ricos government-owned electricity utility. They argued that the board exercises significant federal authority and that Congress had vested the board powers that go beyond the ones exercised by territorial officials (pdf). Meanwhile, the board argued (pdf) that the U.S. Constitutions appointment clause didnt apply to territorial governments. It also claimed that the appeals courts ruling siding with the challengers calls into question the constitutionality of territorial self-governance that Congress has authorized over the past seven decades. The Supreme Court justices held that the appointment clause didnt dictate how the board members were to be appointed, because their powers and duties were primarily local in nature, meaning that they werent Officers of the United States as defined under the clause. Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in the opinion (pdf), The Boards statutory responsibilities consist of primarily local duties, namely, representing Puerto Rico in bankruptcy proceedings and supervising aspects of Puerto Ricos fiscal and budgetary policies. We therefore find that the Board members are not Officers of the United States.' Justices Clarence Thomas and Sonia Sotomayor both agreed with the June 1 ruling and wrote separate concurring opinions. Reuters contributed to this report. With New York's school board and budget votes just a week away, some districts are scrambling to get absentee ballots out to voters after a vendor that works with many New York districts and boards of elections reported a shortage of envelopes. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, school elections will take place by mail. The districts were required to mail out the absentee ballots to all eligible voters by Wednesday, June 3. Votes will be accepted by mail or at designated locations until June 9 at 5 p.m. The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake district had planned to have absentee ballots sent out to qualified voters early, but it was informed on Friday by NTS Data Services -- the statewide vendor it was using to print, label and mail the forms -- that the ballot packets would be delayed due to the envelope shortage. The district will instead work with a local printer and the Schenectady County Board of Elections to get the ballots and postage-paid return envelopes out in time for the vote, a district spokeswoman said. NTS Data, which is based in western New York, sent out a letter to school officials on Friday with what is described as "unsettling news." A delivery truck that was supposed to contain millions of envelopes for school elections had arrived late, midweek, and without the supplies. The company's vice president of school Heather White said there was a supply chain backlog similar to the state's shortage of toilet paper and hand sanitizer at the start of the health crisis. "It is an awful situation and unfortunately totally out of our control. Your district is not the only District affected. We are doing everything we can to fix the problem," White wrote in an email obtained by the Times Union. "We will continue to mail ballots as the missing component supplies arrive and can be inserted." Some of the impacted districts found other vendors over the weekend and NTS Data worked to fulfill the remaining orders. Officials at Ravena-Coeyman-Selkirk managed to stay with the vendor and plan to issue 9,000 ballots on Tuesday, according to a spokeswoman. Saratoga Springs Central School District, where officials were planning to mail out 35,100 ballots, was also impacted by the shortage. A spokesperson did not immediate respond to questions about how the issue was resolved. Some school leaders reached out to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's office, asking if the vote could be delayed. New York State School Board Association counsel Jay Worona said over the weekend he got messages from school attorneys for districts across the state seeking a vendor to handle the last-minute job. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "I was advised today that it has been rectified in some instances," Worona said Monday. It's unclear how many districts were impacted by the envelope snafu, but other New York printing vendors do not seem to be experiencing the same issues, according to Cuomo's office. "We are aware of the issues with this one vendor, which have impacted a small number of school districts, and are currently working with several districts in coordination with printing companies to help ensure ballots are sent by the June 3rd mailing deadline," Cuomo spokesman Jason Conwall said. The by-mail vote, and a compressed timeline to get the ballots out, has created a hassle and unplanned expense for school districts, which have struggled to identify and mail ballots to all eligible voters, as required by an executive order signed by the governor May 1. Some districts have decided to send ballots only to residents who voted in recent elections or those who were registered to vote, while others sought to identify all eligible voters through county boards of elections. Attempts to contact NTS Data Services were unsuccessful. Missing the Window Fragmented Response Critical Mass (TNS) Nearly three months into the coronavirus crisis in the United States, there's little progress on a federal or even state-level digital contact tracing effort to track the spread of the virus. Such technology would utilize the power of smartphones to automatically alert those exposed to COVID-19 when their phones have been in close proximity to the phone of an active carrier.That delay continues despite work from Austin, Texas-area grassroots technology developers as well as two of the world's largest tech companies, Google and Apple.Apple and Google recently released a jointly developed application programming interface essentially, a tool set that programmers can use in helping them create software products and platforms that they called Exposure Notification API. Google has a team of employees in Austin working on the project.The API would allow developers in U.S. states and countries across the world to make phone apps for contact tracing purposes and would allow users to opt-in to that software on their phones. But those who specialize in traditional, analog contact tracing and tech developers say the effort by Apple and Google won't be effective without widespread voluntary adoption.They also say that the software itself could be too limited to have much impact in the U.S., even if people did embrace and use an app chosen by the federal government or state governments.The delay is a marked contrast to efforts in countries such as Australia and Singapore where phone-based contact tracing has been helping fight COVID-19 for weeks or months.Tarun Nimmagadda, one of the founders of Austin app maker Mutual Mobile and current CEO of the construction logistics company Ruckit, said he's frustrated by the pace of adoption of contact-tracing tech in the United States.Nimmagadda is also executive director of a coalition that is working an app called CoronaTrace. The app is being developed as an open-source project by employees from companies Mutual Mobile and Task Us, which has offices in Austin and San Antonio.Nimmagadda said the team of volunteers had a rudimentary version of the app ready to go in early April."But then Apple and Google threw that curveball and said these apps have to come from government and, honestly, it would be great if the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) just stepped up and built an app for the whole country," he said.Instead, state governments will more likely incorporate the Apple/Google technology into their own apps, which could mean different apps will be released at different times, and projects such as CoronaTrace would need to be approved as the official state contact tracing app in order to utilize the API.Nimmagadda said the team's workaround has been to build two versions of the app. One version would utilize the Apple/Google technology. The second version would not use that tech, and instead would utilize GPS location information, something the Apple/Google API doesn't do.Instead, the Apple/Google API relies on phone Bluetooth connections and randomly generated keys that are encrypted on each device. Apple and Google will not allow states or health agencies to access any location data from smartphones or any other identifying data about a person tied to the COVID-19 status. This could make the API ineffective for determining virus hotspots or using the data to track demographic trends around COVID-19.The caution about privacy is not unwarranted. In Qatar, where citizens were required to install a contact-tracing app that uses Bluetooth and GPS, the personal data of about 1 million people was exposed, according to a report from Amnesty International.Jeffrey Kahn, director of the Berman Institute of Bioethics at Johns Hopkins University, was involved in a recently published report on digital contact tracing. He said that while privacy is an important consideration for contact tracing technology, it's not the only consideration."There are many public values at stake and privacy is an important but not the single value at stake," Kahn said. "Public health success is a value that the public also cares about, and the balance among the various values at stake need to be something the public has a voice in deciding, along with tech companies, governments and public health authorities."Kahn said he thinks contact tracing apps should allow some controls for individuals, "but only within acceptable parameters of collection, use and storage of data.""The parameters need to be set by government," he said.As for how successful digital contact tracing could be in the United States, Kahn said: "We really won't know the answer until there are apps introduced and used, which is a main point of our report. We need to learn as we go since we're undertaking a big experiment in trying to understand how best to create technology aids that will work, that people will use, and that have the right values embedded in them and how they work.The fragmented state-to-state response on contact tracing could trickle down to individual cities such as Austin and Houston as they try to certify their own Apple/Google-API apps. In April, the city of Austin rolled out a COVID-19 platform from Plano-based NTT Data Services, but it is primarily focused on testing information. The platform's contact tracing component is a questionnaire that is sent to health officials with an infected patient's permission.Similarly, the state's Texas Health Trace online system is an information portal and database that people who believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 can sign up for to possibly get contact by a traditional contact-tracing team. The Texas Trace website doesn't mention any app-based efforts for contact tracing.Experts in the tech industry say Apple and Google are being cautious with their contact tracing API due to years of blowback each company has received over phone privacy concerns.In this case, Nimmagadda said, "I don't think that what Apple and Google are doing strikes the right balance in terms of privacy versus saving lives and livelihoods. They put a lot of hamstrings on it because they're trying so hard to be private, but they're not letting the apps do the best they can."Apple did not respond to requests for comment.In emailed comments, Emory Cook, who manages a team of engineers based in Google's Austin office, said the pace at which the development process needed to proceed was a challenge."The speed at which we built it was challenging, as well as the fact that it included teams from across the company and world. Our team in Austin was working with people in London and Mountain View and we had to meet often to keep in touch. Finally, we built a number of tools to help validate the safety of the exposure notification system that we had not ever used before," he said. "Going from an idea to something in place in a matter of weeks while the system you are trying to support is changing every day is one of the hardest things to do as a software engineer."Even if U.S.-based notification apps are developed and approved quickly at the local, state or federal level, there are many questions on whether digital contact tracing could help epidemiologists with concurrent analog efforts.Dr. Darlene Bhavnani, who is leading contact tracing efforts at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas in conjunction with Austin Public Health, said she has been closely following stories about how technology could assist contact-tracing efforts, which largely consist of phone calls to individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 and to those who might have been exposed.She said digital contact tracing's biggest strength is its timeliness. It could potentially alert those exposed more quickly, warning them to self-quarantine immediately after exposure. And tech-based contact tracing might pick up on exposures that an infected person wasn't aware occurred or doesn't remember, she said.But Bhavnani said there are potentially huge problems with digital contact tracing that could leave out vital data by not delving any deeper than whether there was virus exposure or not."I believe in the value of high-touch, high quality interviews," she said, "There is so much value to that. Are we actually getting all the contacts, the right contacts, the people that need to be notified? I mean, we're disease detectives. There's a lot you can do to jog people's memory."The calls that Bhavnani and her team of about 70 to 80 trained contact tracers make, she said, aren't just about compiling a list of people to track down and notify."We don't just call and say, 'Hi, you've been exposed.' We call and make sure that people are OK," she said. "We ask about difficulties, about self-isolating. We ask about their need for food and hook them up to community resources and make sure they're linked up to care. I just feel like there's no replacement to the human touch."Apps that rely on up-to-date phone software and new app downloads are likely to leave out those who are underprivileged, those who are dealing with homelessness, children, and many who are elderly or not tech-savvy, Bhavnani said. Digital contact tracing is also ineffective if patients don't self-identify when they have the virus, or if they failed to adopt a contact-tracing app in the first place.Giving people a reason to download the app, beyond helping the larger community stop the spread of coronavirus, inspired one Austin entrepreneur to build a monetary incentive to try to solve the problem.Omar Naseef, who works for the city of Austin as a systems architect, recently launched Payta, a startup that seeks to pay users for data they give up about themselves to companies.Although the bulk of Payta is built around the idea of merchants having better marketing data about potential customers and of users opting in to get some money back for the anonymized data they're giving up, contact tracing came into the picture in April, when the startup began a crowdfunding campaign.Naseef says Payta will utilize GPS and Wi-Fi and data from its users to help with contact-tracing efforts.The app will not use the Apple/Google API for this. Naseef says he and his partners, whom he met through a Chicago Booth School of Business program, thought: "Why not do it in a way that lets people get some personal gain from it?""We are the ones who generate the value (in data) by sharing our lives, by journaling our interests and the things we like. Yet none of the economic value comes back to us," he said. "With 22 million people unemployed, we feel called to actually do something that makes technology benefit people in a way that is truly tangible."For digital contact tracing to be effective, a large amount of people have to be using the same technology in order for notifications to go out to those exposed. But there's debate on what percentage of a country's population would need to adopt digital contact tracing for there to be much impact. Some of those estimates range from about 50 percent to 80 percent. It's unlikely that government entities in the U.S. will make opting in to digital contact tracing a requirement for anyone, especially given the fragmented nature of their current development.That lack of a unified national approach to the digital contact tracing makes it more likely that phone calls from trained contact-tracing staff will continue to be the primary way those exposed will be notified, at least for the time being."I think technology can play a role," Bhavnani said, "but I actually don't believe that this can stand alone." OPEC+ is considering meeting this week, a few days earlier than planned, to discuss a short extension of its current production cuts. The group could decide later on Monday whether to bring forward their next virtual meeting to June 4, said delegates. That conference would focus on a proposal, favored by Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies, to maintain record output curbs for an extra one to three months instead of tapering them from July 1, one delegate said. The Saudis are clearly looking for support from other members to keep production levels lower for longer, Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at consultant Energy Aspects Ltd., told clients in a note. Any changes to the existing deal -- struck in April as energy demand and prices collapsed because of the coronavirus pandemic -- will hinge on negotiations between Moscow and Riyadh. Russia has indicated it wants to start easing the cuts next month as planned, yet the two countries have also pledged to coordinate closely. RELATED: Russia wants to ease cuts from July in line with OPEC+ plan Oil prices have rallied as the output curbs coincided with a stronger-than-expected rebound in demand. But with lockdowns easing across the globe, fears that the pandemic could have a second wave make predictions of a recovery perilous. At about $35 a barrel, prices are below what most producers in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries need to cover planned government spending. Because the situation in the oil market is changing fast, the preference is to take short-term measures and not disrupt the process of bringing supply and demand back into balance, one delegate said. To ensure OPEC+ responds quickly to developments, meetings of either the entire group or the ministerial committee that oversees its deal could occur as often as every month over the summer, said another delegate. West Texas Intermediate crude and Brent, the global benchmark, were little changed on Monday as the protests against police brutality in the U.S. damped risk sentiment. Reaction Time An earlier meeting date would give the oil cartel more flexibility to change its current production limits. OPEC members usually decide their plans for shipping oil to customers for July in the first week of June, so an earlier meeting would give them more time to react. Algerian Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab, who holds the rotating presidency, circulated the proposal for June 4 instead of June 9-10. FUEL FIX: For the latest in energy news, sign up for our daily newsletter The 23-nation coalition committed to lowering output by 9.7 million barrels a day, or about 10% of global supply, in May and June. In addition, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates made further voluntary cuts of about 1.2 million barrels a day for June, bringing the total OPEC+ curbs to almost 11 million barrels a day. Those cuts are meant to be eased to about 7.7 million barrels a day in July, followed by an additional tapering at the start of 2021. Nigeria and the state oil company of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates capital, have already announced plans to increase exports next month. When asked about Russias stance, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call on Monday: Lets not get ahead of ourselves. If the decision to move the meeting is confirmed, it would mean also shifting committee meetings that normally take place before a ministerial conference to later in the month. OPEC had a Joint Technical Committee to assess implementation of the current supply cuts scheduled for June 5, and a Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee for June 8. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Joe Biden on Monday suggested that police forces could train officers to shoot attackers in the legs in order to reduce potential fatalities. There is the idea that instead of standing there and teaching a cop when theres an unarmed person, coming at him with a knife or something, to shoot him in the leg instead of in the heart, Biden said. Theres a lot of different things [policies] that can change. Biden made his remarks while meeting with African American community leaders at the Bethel AME Church in Wilmington, Del. The former vice president was discussing the widespread protests touched off by the killing of George Floyd, an African American man, at the hands of white police officers in Minneapolis, Minn. Protests have spread from Minneapolis to major U.S. cities including New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles. The demonstrations have been widely varied in makeup, with some instances of peaceful protests and others that have devolved into riots with widespread looting. Members of Bidens staff have donated to groups attempting to free jailed rioters on bail. Campaign spokesman Andrew Bates told Reuters that Biden opposes cash bail as the equivalent of a modern day debtors prison. It was not clear whether the donations were coordinated by the campaign or made individually. President Trump condemned the donations on Saturday, saying they would financially support the mayhem that is hurting innocent people and destroying what good people spent their lives building. More from National Review WASHINGTON, June 1 (Reuters) - The United States is considering the option of welcoming people from Hong Kong, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in remarks released on Monday, in response to China's push to impose national security legislation in the former British colony. In remarks made to the American Enterprise Institute on Friday, Pompeo did not specify exactly how Washington would welcome people from Hong Kong and gave no details about immigration quotas or visas. He merely said: "We are taking a look at it." 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. Last week, Britain has said it was prepared to offer extended visa rights and a pathway to citizenship for almost 3 million Hong Kong residents. Asked if the United States was considering the possibility to "welcome Hong Kong people to come here and bring their entrepreneurial creativity", Pompeo, in the interview recorded on Friday said Washington was looking at it. "We are considering it. I dont know precisely how it will play out. The British have, as you know, a different relationship. A lot of these folks have British national passports. Theres a long history between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom; its very different. But were taking a look at it," he said. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by David Gregorio) Los Angeles police officers shot and wounded a woman after they allegedly found her stabbing another person to death. (Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles police officers shot a woman in Hollywood on Sunday night after finding her atop another woman she was stabbing, police said. The woman who was shot was taken to a local hospital, where she was reported to be in stable condition, police said. The stabbing victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Neither the suspect nor the victim were immediately identified, nor were their ages provided. Police said they were working to identify a motive in the case. The attack was not related to ongoing protests in the city, police said. Authorities said the officers came upon the woman atop the victim in the 600 block of North Wilton Place about 9:25 p.m. after responding to a report of an assault in progress. No officers were injured. As with all police shootings, the incident is being reviewed by the LAPD's Force Investigation Division. Homicide detectives are investigating the stabbing. Charges were pending against the woman early Monday, police said. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. eport Summary: The report titled "Bucket Thumbs for Excavator Market" offers a primary overview of the Bucket Thumbs for Excavator industry covering different product definitions, classifications, and participants in the industry chain structure. The quantitative and qualitative analysis is provided for the global Bucket Thumbs for Excavator market considering competitive landscape, development trends, and key critical success factors (CSFs) prevailing in the Bucket Thumbs for Excavator industry. Historical Forecast Period 2013 - 2017 Historical Year for Bucket Thumbs for Excavator Market 2018 Base Year for Bucket Thumbs for Excavator Market 2019-2027 Forecast Period for Bucket Thumbs for Excavator Market Key Developments in the Bucket Thumbs for Excavator Market Request for Report Sample: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/11885 To describe Bucket Thumbs for Excavator Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by countries, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force; To analyze the manufacturers of Bucket Thumbs for Excavator, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2018; To display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers in Global, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2018; To show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type and application, from 2013 to 2019; To analyze the key countries by manufacturers, Type and Application, covering North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle-East and South America, with sales, revenue and market share by manufacturers, types and applications; Bucket Thumbs for Excavator market forecast, by countries, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and growth rate forecast, from 2018 to 2026; To analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc. To analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers); Todescribe Bucket Thumbs for Excavator sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc. To describe Bucket Thumbs for Excavator Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source Request for Report Discount: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/11885 Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers Empire Bucket Werk-Brau Doosan Komatsu Caterpillar Volvo Rockland Paladin Kinshofer ACS Industries Felco VTN Europe S.p.A. Yuchai Kenco ESCO Wolong Hensley Industries Hongwing Market Segment by Countries, covering North America (United States, Canada, Mexico) Market Revenue and/or Volume Europe (Germany, UK, France, Russia, Italy) Market Revenue and/or Volume Asia Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia) Market Revenue and/or Volume Middle-East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa) Market Revenue and/or Volume South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, etc.) Market Revenue and/or Volume Market Segment by Type, covers Hydraulic Mechanical Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into 1-10 Ton Excavator 10-25 Ton Excavator 25-40 Ton Excavator >40 Ton Excavator More Info of Impact Covid19@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/11885 First Minister Arlene Foster during the daily media broadcast in the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings, Stormont on Monday. Photo by Pacemaker First Minister Arlene Foster has warned the public to exercise restraint as the Executive eases the coronavirus lockdown. Mrs Foster cited incidents across the country as worrying, criticising new evidence of complacency" after the weekend. In the worst cases there has been flagrant disregard for public safety, and scenes like the one we witnessed at Ballyholme beach on Friday night are simply not acceptable. She warned: [Coronavirus] still dwells among us and it loves mass gatherings. Expand Close Crowds enjoy the sunshine at Ballyholme beach, Bangor, Co Down, yesterday / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Crowds enjoy the sunshine at Ballyholme beach, Bangor, Co Down, yesterday People who are shielding from Covid-19 will be allowed to socialise outside from next Monday, Mrs Foster confirmed at the Executive daily press conference on Monday. Those shielding will be able to spend time outside with members of their own household or one person from another household from June 8 and they will be notified by letter over the coming days. The move comes after the Department of Health announced one further death from Covid-19 in Northern Ireland, bringing the total death toll to 524. The First Minister said if the rate of transmission continues to fall, the Executive will consider easing further restrictions, but that the easing of restrictions is still dependent on the R rate, which will be considered again in Thursday of this week. The current R rate stands around 0.9. But the First Minister emphasised that the virus still presents a significant risk to an extremely vulnerable group but said this was a reasonable and proportionate first step. Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill said the partial lifting of some restrictions are baby steps but they are baby steps in the right direction. Read More The latest easing included confirmation of the indicative date of July 20 for some hospitality businesses to re-open. Mrs Foster said news of hotels and other forms of accommodation including B&Bs reopening on July 20 is positive to allow businesses to look forward and plan for the future. We have listened very carefully to our tourism providers. Booking holidays takes time. They needed an indicative date. It is not set in stone. If things move in a better way we may even be able to do things sooner. Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill did warn that it would not be business as usual. People may be able go to caravans and self-catering accommodation sooner than the scheduled date of 20 July given that they are self-contained units. Again this will depend on the scientific advice as we move through the next weeks and days, she said. But it won't be business as usual. We all know that." The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) here has laid down a policy for the graduating batch to ensure future plans of students do not get impacted due to the lockdown and is offering them an early graduation option, officials said. The policy was approved by the IIT Senate, however, it will be subject to changes as the coronavirus situation unfolds. The graduating batch (students who have less than a semester of graduation requirements left) can decide on an early graduation option, which will be end of June or go through a regular graduation process (as and when we are allowed to reconvene) and follow a regular schedule for graduation, IIT Delhi Director V Ramgopal Rao said. As per the current plans, we hope to get the students back to the campus starting from July 2 in a phased manner. However, these dates can change depending on how the COVID-19 situation evolves . Since there may be some delays in this, the time-bound early graduation plan is being offered. Students are not forced to take it, but will have the flexibility if they choose to exercise this option, he added. The students opting for early graduation option will have two choices -- an audit pass or fail option or a credit option. For the audit pass or fail option, instructors will declare the cut-off and the process, taking into account the COVID-19 related constraints. For the credit option, students will take online tests, take-home exams, assignments and telephonic viva-voce. Grading policy for credit option will also be announced soon All early graduation requirements will be met through an online process. No student will need to come to the campus. The only reason the graduating batch will need to come to the campus will be to take away their belongings, Rao said. The institute has announced that once the instructors post their requirements for an audit pass grade or requirements for credit option, students will be asked to exercise their option through an online portal. If they would like to graduate at a later date as usual (default option), then they can choose to do so. There are also relaxations being given for credits and an institute-level committee will screen all such exceptions being sought by students, Rao said. Incase a student cannot complete graduation requirements by June-end with these options offered to them, they will have a fallback option to graduate when the semester reconvenes. The pass and fail percentages this year will be no different from the previous years. It will be our responsibility to ensure that no one is disadvantaged because of the prevailing COVID-19 situation, he added. Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16 when the Centre announced a nationwide classroom shutdown as part of a slew of measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. Later, the government announced a nationwide lockdown, which began on March 25. The lockdown was initially imposed for a 21-day period till April 14. However, it was extended till Sunday. The government had announced phase-wise easing of restrictions while the lockodwn will continue in containment zones till June 30. By PTI SANT KABIR NAGAR, UP: A man, who had recently returned home in Uttar Pradesh from Mumbai, allegedly threw his three small daughters into a river on Monday after a fight with his wife, police said. Some villagers jumped into the river to save the girls, but they could not find them, they said. Sana (7), Saba (4) and Shama (2) were thrown from the Birharghat bridge into the river in the Dhanghta area by Sarfaraz, who had come from Mumbai 20 days ago, Superintendent of Police (SP) Brijesh Singh said. Police after receiving information reached the spot along with divers and started a search operation, but the girls have not been traced yet, he said, adding that the state disaster response force has been called. Sarfaraz was in an inebriated state. He had gone to the bridge along with his daughters and friend Neeraj. They have been arrested, Singh said. Police said the incident took place after Sarfaraz had a fight with his wife. Gardai have ordered the temporary closure of a popular beauty spot on the Laois Offaly border, after crowds gathered to enjoy the water in the hot sun of the June Bank Holiday weekend. The sandy shores of Derryounce Lakes outside Portarlington, known locally as Costa del Bog, were an irresistable attraction for many people this weekend. Photo (below) by Gardai. The local committee which cares for the amenity has this Bank Holiday Monday morning June 1 announced its immediate closure. Cllr Aidan Mullins Chairman said hundreds of people were there on Sunday. "There were hundreds of people there, swimming and paddling, the same as many beaches around Ireland. The Gardai were out several times yesterday and then they asked us to close it over breaches of the Covid-19 restrictions. We have no choice. The situation wasn't tolerable," he said. "There was no trouble caused," Cllr Mullins told the Leinster Express. Read also: DR HOLOHAN PLEADS WITH PUBLIC TO PREVENT SECOND WAVE Volunteers will be at the gates this Bank Holiday Monday to advise people not to enter. "We have to co-operate with the Gardai, so we ask people to please stay away, and ask parents to tell their young teenagers," he said. He has posted this notice on Facebook on behalf of the committee. "The Derryounce Lakes and Trails Committee regret to announce the immediate closure of the amenity in the interest of public health and safety. We do this on the advice of the Gardai who are also concerned about the large numbers recently gathering at the lakes in breach of social distancing requirements and many are also in breach of the 5 km travel restriction. We are asking people to co-operate with us on this decision and to stay away from Derryounce Lakes for the immediate future." the committee Chair said. Amit Shah to begin BJP campaign in Bihar next week with virtual rally India oi-PTI Patna, June 01: The BJP will sound the poll bugle in Bihar next week with a 'virtual rally' by Union minister and party's senior leader Amit Shah who will address the people of the state through video conference and Facebook live, a senior party leader said here on Monday. Sanjay Jaiswal, the state president of the BJP, said the party has set a target of roping in "at least one lakh people across the 243 assembly segments in Bihar" for the video conference, besides those who may prefer to listen to the speech on the social networking site. Cabinet decisions: Centre announces relief for MSMEs, support for farmers | Oneindia News "The virtual rally can be verily called the commencement of our digital campaign for assembly elections in Bihar. The June 9 rally by the Home Minister will be followed by similar public addresses from party president J P Nadda on a later date. Itinerary for the same will be made known in due course. Nadda is expected to address the people in two phases covering north and south Bihar," he said. Assembly elections are due later this year. The BJP has been sharing power with the JD(U) headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar since 2005, barring a four-year gap from 2013-17. Notably, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, also a veteran BJP leader, had recently ruffled many feathers when he spoke of the possibility of digital campaigns and online voting replacing old-style massive rallies and the long queues outside polling booths, in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. Amit Shah holds meeting to review preparations to deal with Cyclone Nisarga Media reports, quoting Election Commission sources, claim the possibility of online voting in near future has been ruled out by the poll panel. While large gatherings are prohibited under what is being termed as 'Unlock 1.0', it remains to be seen whether conventional poll campaign involving rallies and roadshows will be allowed by the time the election schedule is announced. Most parties in Bihar fear that a campaign restricted to the "digital" mode would be of disproportionate advantage to the BJP, which has a well-oiled IT cell, and, by virtue of being in power at the Centre for more than six years, can marshal resources with far greater ease than its rivals. Replying to queries, Jaiswal dismissed suggestions that the Centre was not providing adequate assistance to Bihar where an already fragile economy has been hit hard by the lockdown and massive influx of migrants from other states. "Thanks to the benevolent leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar is getting much more than a larger state like Maharashtra, be it in terms of financial assistance or the burden shared by the Union government for central schemes," said Jaiswal, who is also the BJPs chief whip in the Lok Sabha. Interestingly, Jaiswal's averment comes barely a couple of days after Sushil Modi wrote to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, urging that the Centre bear full expenses of all centrally sponsored schemes for one year. "Be it fixing the problem of bad debts in banks, or long-standing issues like triple talaq and Article 370, the Modi government has always acted decisively," Jaiswal said. "The low incidence and fatality rate in the country during the COVID-19 outbreak have also been by virtue of the Prime Ministers leadership. A reason why he rules the hearts of the masses and would continue to do so," he added. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, June 1, 2020, 23:22 [IST] A Palestinian woman argues with a member of Israeli security forces, as she takes part in a protest at the Damascus Gate of the old city of Jerusalem. (AFP) Jerusalem: Hundreds of people attended the funeral on Sunday of a Palestinian who was fatally shot by Israeli police in an incident for which Israels new defense minister later apologized. A police spokesman had said officers killed a Palestinian they suspected was carrying a weapon in Jerusalems Old City on Saturday, but according to Israeli media, the man was later found to have been unarmed. Palestinian officials said the 32-year-old man, Iyad Khayri, suffered mental health issues and decried his killing. In comments at Israels Sunday cabinet meeting, Defense Minister Benny Gantz said: We are really sorry about the incident in which Iyad Khayri was shot to death and we share in the familys sorrow - but I am certain this matter will be investigated swiftly and conclusions will be drawn. He said Israel will make every effort to limit casualties while continuing to maintain the proper level of security. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not mention the incident in his remarks. Tension has risen in recent weeks with Israel saying it hopes to move ahead with a plan to extend sovereignty to Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank - land the Palestinians seek for a state. The Palestinians, Arab states, the United Nations and European states have warned against the move and the Palestinians have declared an end to security cooperation with Israel and its ally, the United States, in protest. A man was killed in a clash between two groups over a land dispute in Andhra Pradeshs Vijayawada on Saturday evening, the police said. Thota Sandeep, who was attacked with a knife, succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital on Sunday night. He was 32. The deceaseds rival, Manikantha alias Pandu, is battling for his life in another hospital. Another six people also sustained injuries in the fight, which took place in an open ground at Patamata in the city. Sandeeps body was cremated on Monday amidst tight police security. The incident was initially believed to be a petty clash between two student groups, but subsequent investigations by the police revealed that it was a battle between two gangs involved in land settlements. Videos of the two gangs attacking each other with sticks, swords and boulders went viral on social media, creating a tense atmosphere in the city. According to deputy commissioner of police (law and order) V Harshavardhan Raju, Sandeep and Manikanta were involved in a dispute over settlement of a residential apartment at Yanamalakuduru. Both of them had warned each other over the phone on Friday. On Saturday evening, both came to Patamata to settle the matter. What began as an argument between the two, soon led to a clash and youth belonging to both the groups started attacking each other, the DCP said. Soon, policemen from the Patamata police station rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. While members of both the groups fled the spot, the police shifted the injured to the local hospitals. We have formed six teams to launch a manhunt for those who indulged in the fight. Such incidents have not taken place in the city in the recent past. Stringent action would be initiated against those involved in such group clashes, the DCP said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 17:04:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ABUJA, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Police in Nigeria's northwestern state of Katsina said they have launched a manhunt for gunmen who shot dead a leader of the All Progressives Congress, the national ruling party, following a failed attempt to kidnap him. Abdulhamid Sani, a local government chairman of the APC in Katsina, was shot dead on Sunday by the gunmen, believed to be bandits, state police spokesman Gambo Isah said in a statement early Monday. The gunmen stormed the Batsari local government area of Katsina, where the 55-year-old Sani was a leader of the governing party, and began shooting sporadically with sophisticated weapons, Isah said. Sani had resisted being kidnapped when he was shot dead by the gunmen, the spokesman said. The gunmen later fled into a nearby forest. Enditem Community transmission of COVID-19 is well established say experts India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 01: The associations of epidemiologists, public health practitioners and social medicine have issued a joint statement saying that the community transmission of COVID-19 is well established across large sections or sub-populations in the country. The draconian lockdown was presumably in response to a modelling exercise from an influential institution which presented a worst case simulation, which was shown to be way off the mark by subsequent events. Kerala risks sliding into community transmission: CM Vijayan Had the government of India consulted epidemiologists who had better grasp of disease transmission dynamic compared to modellers, it would have perhaps been better served, the statement read. From limited information available in public domain, it seems that the government was primarily advised by clinicians and academic epidemiologists with limited field training and skills, the statement further noted. Cabinet meet: 'Big decisions' expected as govt completes 1st year of 2nd term| Oneindia News India is paying a heavy price both in terms of humanitarian crisis and disease spread because of the policy makers having relied overwhelmingly on general administrative bureaucrats, instead of engaging with expert technocrats in the area of epidemiology, public health, preventive medicine and social science. The statement by the three associations - the Indian Public Health Association (IPHA), Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (IAPSM) and Indian Association of Epidemiologists said that open and transparent data sharing with scientists, public health professionals and the public was conspicuous by its absence till data and this ought to be ensured at the earliest. The association also recombined that treatment of most cases be done at home instead of hospitals. Further, it noted that if the migrants had been allowed to go home at the beginning of the pandemic when the spread was low, the current situation of returning migrants taking the infection to each and every corner of the country could have been avoided. COVID: Serosurvey in 10 hotspot cities, 60 other districts to determine community transmission The association said that the migrants were returning to rural and peri-urban areas, in districts with relatively weak public health systems and lacking in facilities for clinical care. Further, the association also said that the lockdown cannot be enforced indefinitely as the deaths attributable to the lockdown, primarily because of shutting of routine health services and disruption of the livelihood of the entire bottom half of the population, may overtake livers sacred due to slowing of COVID-19 progression. The association further recommended cluster restrictions, scaling up of diagnostic facilities to test, trace and isolate, sentinel and active surveillance to identify hot spots or clustering, avoiding social stigma and protective gear for the health workers. U.S. President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison at a ceremonial welcome on the south lawn of the White House in Washington DC, United States, Sept. 20, 2019. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) Aussie Prime Minister Welcomes Trumps G7 Invite, Sans China Defence expert says the invitation recognises Australia as a 'significant' power Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has welcomed an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to join an expanded Group of Seven (G7) meeting of advanced economies alongside South Korea, India, and Russia, with China being the noticeable omission. Its a good opportunity to deal with a lot of like-minded countries, Morrison told 2GB radio on June 1, saying he was expecting an invitation there. A spokesperson for the prime minister said, The G7 has been a topic of recent high-level exchange. Strengthening international co-operation among like-minded countries is valued at a time of unprecedented global challenges, said the spokesperson. Morrison attended last years G7 meeting as a guest of French President Emmanuel Macron. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) meets Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (L) for their bilateral talks during the G7 Summit on Aug. 24, 2019 in Biarritz, France. (Pool/Getty Images) Trump told reporters on Air Force One on May 31 he had postponed the upcoming iteration of the G7 saying the current format included a very outdated group of countries. Im postponing it because I dont feel that as a G7, it properly represents whats going on in the world, he said. White House spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said Trump wanted the expanded G7 to discuss China. The new list of invitees to the G7 are geographically close to the country. The G7 currently includes the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. Russia was omitted in 2014 following its annexation of Crimea. The call for Australia to join the G7 comes not long after the United Kingdom on May 29, announced a D10 alliance of democratic nations to create technology supply chains, independent of Chinese companies such as Huawei. One key focus of the D10 group will be developing 5G technology. Australia was invited to the D10, along with South Korea, India, and the G7 nations, barring Russia and China. The announcement comes in the wake of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson reversing his decision to allow Huawei to develop the countrys 5G network. Australia On Top of Shifting Post-Pandemic Global Order Anthony Bergin, senior fellow at the Australia Strategic Policy Institute, told The Epoch Times on June 1 that the invitation from the U.S. for Australia to join the G7 was a sign the nation is recognised as a very significant country. It would allow Australia to use a potentially powerful multilateral group to pursue Australias interests across a whole range of issues in economics, technology cooperation, health security issues etc. Australia has traditionally seen itself as a middle power, a term popularised by former Foreign Minister Gareth Evans while working under the Hawke-Keating government in the 1980s. According to Evans, middle power diplomacy referred to countries that did not have the capability or power to influence events globally, like the United States, but could make major contributions to specific regions or areas of interest. Subsequent political leaders, such as former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and former Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop, have used the term when describing Australias international role. Weve shied away as a really significant power because Australia felt at ease in our own neighbourhood rather than rising above the pack, Bergin told The Epoch Times. Related Coverage Proactive Stance on Chinese Regime Benefited Australia in Virus Response He said the current prime ministers willingness to join the G7 demonstrates Morrisons understanding that Australia will emerge from the pandemic stronger than many other countries. Given the fact Australia has emerged in the post-COVID era as even more potentially influential, given our record in dealing with the pandemic, now is the time to think big in terms of Australias role in the world. In 2019, UK-based think tank the Henry Jackson Society published the Audit of Geopolitical Capability concluding that Australia had a larger influence on global affairs than Russia, India, and Italy. The society also advocated for Australias inclusion in an expanded G7. New aromatic opportunities are being offered through John Fearless for breweries that want to expand their brewing options. South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, USA and German hops are newly available to purchase online via JohnFearless.com. This expanse of inventory offers a much wider selection to the small, medium, and large-sized businesses that purchase beverage-making supplies from John Fearless. As a leader in the beverage supply industry, John Fearless works hard to ensure top products are available to breweries, wineries, distilleries and non-alcoholic beverages. Quality and unique ingredients are important for craft beverages. In addition to hops, John Fearless also carries a range of products including, Muntons Malt, Brewshield, WineShield, Structan, WLT 150, Milne Microdried fruits, Humuflor Hop Essence, and used wine and spirit oak barrels. Modern hop varietals with tropical, fruit forward aromatics have been added to the website and are now available to order 24/7: A number of South African hops are currently available including: Southern Passion, African Queen, Southern Star, Southern Tropic and Southern Sublime New Zealand hops sold by John Fearless include: Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, Taiheke, Wakatu, Riwaka, and the soon to be released Hort4337 and more. A wide selection of USA hops include: El Dorado, Azacca, Zappa, Centennial, Cascade and more. Three hop varieties are available from Germany: Ariana (which offers a blackcurrant, grapefruit, geranium and vanilla aroma blend), Callista and Huell Melon Ella is the flavor hop varietal available from Australia via JohnFearless.com, and its highly versatile while containing floral aromatics (a common feature in noble European and Australian hops) With a focus on finding unique options for small, medium, and large sized brewing companies, John Fearless is excited about their new options for hop varietal sales. Craft brewers can explore aroma profiles from around the world to find the right fit for their beer styles. Detailed information on sizing and pricing for orders is currently available on the John Fearless website on the individual products page. About John Fearless Co: John Fearless is dedicated to bringing specialty hops, malts and more to the small brewing community. Items sourced from all over the world are brought directly to small businesses looking to craft bold flavors, complex brews and heady aromas. With over 20 years in the beverage industry, John Fearless offers specialty hops, hop aroma, malt, beer and wine stabilizers, finishing tannins, liquid flavor extracts, quality aged barrels, MicroDried fruits and more. OTTAWA Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday will pledge several billion dollars in assistance to help cash-strapped cities whose bottom lines have been battered by the pandemic, the Star has learned. Trudeau is expected to roll out details at his daily briefing of Ottawas plan to bring some financial relief to towns and cities that have seen costs soar and revenues plummet because of the pandemic. An official originally told the Star the funding would be earmarked for infrastructure funding. That was clarified Monday. In fact it would be an advancement of their promised share of gas tax funding much much sooner, said the federal official who spoke on background. The fact that its not new money could be a problem for municipal politicians who have been seeking help with daily operating costs, though the official stressed the funding would help the immediate needs. The health and economic fallout of the pandemic has seen municipal revenues such as parking and transit fares drop sharply, while expenses such as boosting local health services and supporting vulnerable populations have risen, leaving municipalities in a financial hole. Municipalities back in April had asked the provinces and federal government for $10 billion $7.6 billion to cover operating losses suffered by towns and cities and a further $2.4 billion for losses related to transit operations. Toronto alone is looking at a shortfall of up to $1.5 billion this year. Mondays announcement is not expected to fully meet that demand. However, the official stressed that the funding promise is not the end of Ottawas assistance. I do want to qualify that this is just the first step, the official said. Trudeau and the premiers discussed the issue during their weekly teleconference call on Thursday. The prime minister followed that up with a letter sent to the premiers confirming the first round of funding for municipalities. Municipal officials had been optimistic that Ottawa would act, after Trudeau acknowledged in an earlier call with the premiers that municipalities were facing significant challenges in trying to maintain services while struggling with massive drops in revenue. In other announcements this week, Trudeau is expected to unveil further spending to support the lifting of social restrictions and reopening of the economy. Read more about: Absentee ballot applications in both Spanish and English along with fliers sit next to food boxes distributed by the city, school district, and non-profit groups at 401 Domino Lane in Roxborough on May 16. The goal of putting absentee ballot applications and fliers into the food boxes is to reach low-income voters who otherwise might not know about vote-by-mail, risking either not voting or voting in person. Read more Elections officials expected a flood of requests for mail ballots this year. What they got requires Noah to build an ark. Nearly 18 times as many Pennsylvanians have requested mail ballots this year as in the 2016 primary, fueled by both a change in election law that allows anyone to vote by mail and a pandemic that makes it riskier to vote in person. Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar said Thursday that she expects a majority of votes to be cast by mail in Tuesdays election, a massive jump from the 5% absentee rate of past elections. About 1.9 million Pennsylvanians have requested mail ballots this year, compared with 107,000 in 2016. And those ballots are being sent mostly to Democrats and older voters, a review of data on state mail-ballot requests show. Heres what we found when we looked at where those requests are coming from and what, if anything, it can tell us about voter behavior. Democrats are clearly fueling the surge in mail ballots, requesting nearly 2.5 times as many ballots as Republicans. Its unclear why, but there are a few likely factors, including a partisan divide over vote-by-mail, a noncompetitive Republican presidential primary, and a growing partisan split over how seriously to treat the pandemic. President Donald Trump has denounced voting by mail, falsely, as an invitation to rampant fraud. (There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud, by mail or in person, and Trump and several of his close advisers themselves vote by mail. Both parties are encouraging supporters to vote by mail.) Its also possible theres simply less interest from Republicans in the primary election. Both presidential primaries are all but officially decided but on the Democratic side, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders remains on the ballot, which could be turning out more Democratic voters. If youre on the incumbent side, you may not have voters who understand or know there are other races, said Tammy Patrick, senior adviser for elections at Democracy Fund, a bipartisan foundation dedicated to voting rights. So I think that in many cases because one party didnt have a presidential primary, that can also contribute. The pandemic could also be having an effect on the partisan split over absentee requests. Despite public polling that shows a majority of Americans want to abide by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention precautions, the GOP narrative, led by Trump, has been to reopen faster and downplay the severity of the virus, whereas Democrats have called for a more cautious approach. Even wearing a mask has become political to some. Some of the rhetoric were hearing is that theres one side that believes this is a hoax and one side that believes its not, Patrick said. "That can tie into how those cohorts choose to participate in the election. Before 2020, Patrick said, there was no partisan split over voting by mail, which is common in red and blue states. Patrick wonders whether Republican requests slowed as Democrat requests sped up as was the case in Pennsylvania due in part to some of the political debate around absentee ballots. We have a narrative thats come out that we should be questioning the legitimacy of vote by mail and casting doubt on it as an option for voters," she said. Although Democrats have a voter registration advantage statewide, they requested mail ballots at disproportionately high rates in every single county across the state. Take, for example, heavily Republican Potter County, where Democrats make up just 1 out of 5 registered voters and requested 1 out of 3 mail ballots. Its unclear whether turnout in the primary will predict turnout in November. Are Democrats perhaps setting themselves up for some wishful thinking? asked Edward Foley, director of Election Law at Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University. Maybe. Social science data says vote by mail isnt intrinsically advantaging one party over another. Among Foleys biggest concerns is that the public and the media practice patience as results start to come in, particularly in November, given the high number of ballots that wont be counted the night of. The median age of voters requesting mail ballots is 61.2, meaning half of the Pennsylvania voters who requested one are older than that. Mail ballot requests have come disproportionately from older voters, with voters over the age of 55 making up 61% of requests and 43% of registered voters. Were seeing in states like Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, the consumers are saying they want to vote by mail, Foley said. Its not just the pure convenience of it but is definitely being affected by the health pandemic ... and we know older voters are more at risk. Patrick noted that, in states where registered voters are automatically mailed ballots (Pennsylvania is not one), seniors far outnumber voters younger than 25 in registration. For younger voters, not registered, if theyre not getting a ballot in the mail they may not know thats an option," she said. "We saw this in some data from 2018 where we had more voters going to the polls on Tuesday in some states where they traditionally had a higher percentage of vote-by-mail than in person. We think some of that is first-time voters dont know they have options. How many people who request ballots actually vote and how that behavior translates to November is something political scientists and both parties will be watching carefully. These are big changes happening very quickly, Patrick said. Instead of going along an evolutionary path that usually takes a state about a decade, we are jumping way ahead, Patrick said. So, in this moment we can assume nothing. WASHINGTON Despite an 11 p.m. curfew imposed by Mayor Muriel E. Bowser and the activation of the National Guard, protests near the White House fueled by anger over the police killing of George Floyd spiraled out of control again on Sunday night. Demonstrators were hit in the head with canisters of tear gas. Some protesters broke into offices. Others started fires, one of which may have spread to the basement of St. Johns, the Episcopal church that has been attended at least once by every chief executive going back to James Madison. Firefighters soon put out the flames. Hundreds of people surged in front of the White House for a third straight night. At 8 p.m., troops could be seen marching across the South Lawn as President Trump sat inside, tweeting about law and order. The protesters reclaimed a slice of Lafayette Square that had been the dividing line with the police on Saturday night. As they got closer to the White House, teenagers covered a park bathroom structure in graffiti like AMERIKKKA and climbed atop for a better view. The police periodically lobbed tear gas into the crowd and announced over a megaphone their intent to push the protesters back. But as night fell, they had yet to succeed. As people spend more time online attending meetings, classes, binge-watching Netflix and gaming, screen fatigue has affected millions and Google experts have now listed some advice to cut screen time and stay healthy. To avoid getting pulled into your phone, you can use your voice to ask Google Assistant for help completing actions, like setting an alarm, sending a text, playing the latest news, getting answers to questions, help finding recipes or ordering takeout and much more. "You can also create custom or ready-made Routines to trigger several actions with a single command," according to Lilian Rincon, Senior Director of Product Management, Google Assistant. The Google experts advise people to find active alternatives like stepping away from the screen and add physical activity into your life. "If you have children, you could even exercise with them. As you make progress, use Google Fit to keep track and earn heart points which can help you meet the World Health Organisation recommendations," said Kapil Parakh, Medical Lead, Google Fit. If you have kids, chat with them about the content you each prefer and work with them to plan out a schedule for listening, watching, playing and interacting with it. "Does the content align with your family's values? Does the experience affect your kids' behavior in ways that help them relax and/or thrive? If not, consider alternatives and discuss your reasoning. Use this guide to get help talking to your kids about finding positive content and other tech topics," explained Jennifer Kotler, UXR Lead, Google Play. Clearly segmenting work time and non-work time improves one's satisfaction with their wellbeing, Google said in a statement. Turning off notifications and putting your laptop out of sight reduces the tendency to check work email or hop into a last-minute video meeting. "When it's time to get back to work, take a few minutes to think through your goals for that work time before getting started. And create a dedicated workspace to signal to your brain that it's time to focus," said Jessica DiVento, Chief Mental Health Advisor, YouTube. Blue light can have a negative impact on our natural sleep cycles by delaying the release of melatonin and increasing our alertness. "Start with around 30 minutes of screen-free time before bed, and work your way up to two hours, depending on what works best for you. Try reading a book or listening to an audio program instead so you don't have to engage with a screen," advised Alan McLean, Designer, Google Wellbeing Lab. Wisconsin churches threatened with $1K fines if they violate 50-person service limit Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Churches in Dane County, Wisconsin, were allegedly threatened last week with $1,000 fines if they hold in-person services that are attended by over 50 people or exceed 25% of their buildings capacity. In response, dozens of Catholics demonstrated outside the state capitol last Friday. However, local officials say they are seeking voluntary compliance while under Phase one of the countys reopening plan. According to Fox6Now politics reporter Jason Calvi, several priests in the state capital, Madison, claim that local health officials warned them about the potential fine if they have over 50 people attend services on Pentecost Sunday or if they exceed the capacity limits set by a county stay-at-home order. NBC 15 reports that Priest Greg Ihm of the Diocese of Madison posted a copy of a letter he received on social media, allegedly stating in a since-removed post that there was a fear government watchers would be present at services. This week, the Diocese of Madison was contacted by Public Health Madison and Dane County and informed that if our churches in Dane County do not comply with the 50-person limit on Section 2 of Emergency Order #3, the individual churches would be fined $1,000 per violation, per Section 9 of the order, the letter, shared on Twitter by Calvi, reads. It was made clear that government watchers would be present at parishes, in order to cite offending churches. The letter explains that Public Health Madison and county officials contacted a number of Catholic Parishes in Dane County to inform them of the 50-person limit and any violation thereof. As such, the Diocese of Madison, under grave protest, now is forced to direct Catholic churches and oratories in Dane County to comply with the 50-person limit for religious services, solely for the reason to avoid a citation and punitive enforcement, the letter reads. In response to the threat from local officials, nearly 200 Catholic leaders reportedly marched in protest last week in Madison from the capitol building to the City-County Building. According to The Catholic World Report, the Rosary rally was organized by two priests in the diocese named Brian Dulli and Richard Heilman. The procession was led by four men carrying a statue of Our Lady of Fatima. You tried to pull a fast one, and we are not afraid, Dulli, the priest of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Cottage Grove, said during the demonstration. Were not interested in complying any longer with unjust orders. Fr. Brian Dulli urges workers in the Madison City-County Building to turn away from evil during #Catholic protest on Friday over the health department's threat to put spies in churches to ensure compliance with the new 50-person limit. #WIright#liberatewisconsin@TuckerCarlsonpic.twitter.com/Kpijbz6yXT MacIver News Service (@NewsMacIver) May 29, 2020 Dulli contended that every person has the choice not to be participating in evil. We can say, Enough! Dulli said. We dont need to use a pandemic as a thin excuse to suppress church, to put arbitrary rules in place. City of Madison Assistant City Attorney Marci Paulsen defended the citys gathering restrictions. He told NBC15 that houses of worship are being treated the same as other essential businesses under city and countys stay-at-home order that was issued in mid-May. Additionally, Madison Public Health told the news station that the public health department is seeking voluntary compliance and has not issued any citation to organizations or businesses. "There are no 'government watchers' who will be policing any business or religious entity, the department wrote in an email statement. In the shared spirit of keeping our friends, neighbors, and loved ones well, we ask everyone to identify ways to comply with these orders to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19. The order states that all places where mass gatherings occur whether that be a church, concert hall or movie theatre are to be limited to 25% capacity or 50 people, whichever is less. A "mass gathering" is defined as a planned event with a large number of individuals in attendance, according to the "Forward Dane" order. Phase one of Dane Countys reopening plan went into effect on May 26 and will remain in effect until Public Health Madison & Dane County officials determine that the criteria to implement the second phase have been met. On May 13, the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down a statewide stay-at-home order enacted by Gov. Tony Evers that closed some businesses and institutions in order to curb the spread of coronavirus. The decision led a number of counties and municipalities to adopt their own stay-at-home orders. Because the court's decision addressed only DHS's authority, ... it is not directly controlling on powers of local authorities, Attorney General Josh Kaul wrote in a statement. Across the nation, churches have filed a lawsuit against state and local orders that have restricted or, in some cases, banned in-person religious services in an attempt to combat the spread of COVID-19. Worship gatherings have been linked to COVID-19 outbreaks within congregations and communities across the country and globe. But some churches contend that they are practicing social distancing guidelines and should be allowed to hold services as part of their First Amendment right to assemble in worship. Some governments are easing restrictions on worship services as they advance in their reopening plans. Industry is abuzz about the recent announcement of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. that it will build a $12 billion chip manufacturing plant in the state of Arizona. The new fab factory will produce 20,000 wafers per month that are used to make chips. Controversy surrounds the deal as Sen. Chuck Schumer and other Democratic senators want to know how much the U.S. and Arizona governments are incentivizing the deal. However, TSMCs Arizona project can provide insight as to how Asian companies will set up operations in the U.S. and what they are looking for. Prior to the coronavirus crisis, both U.S. and Asian global companies have been caught in the middle of the U.S.-China trade war and heightening tensions between the two superpowers. The current crisis has served to disrupt supply chains and cause many cracks in the production sharing strategy in which companies use suppliers and manufacturers all over the world to produce a final product. Because of these ongoing disruptions there have been several during the past decade economists are speculating that many Asian companies will hedge their bets by setting up satellite plants in North America, to be closer to final markets and to better manage disruptions. A Taiwanese friend of mine who runs a major production operation in Mexico made me aware of the observations of Yang Yingchao, who is the chief consultant of Yikang Group and Qingxing Capital, and the chairman of Kirkland Capital. While there is a cost gap in terms of establishing a plant in the U.S. vs. China, Yingchao has an interesting take on this. Commenting on the TSMC deal, he said, So I always feel that Taiwanese companies will definitely come to the United States to set up factories, like Hon Hai before and TSMC in the future. Dont worry about betting China or the United States, because this is basically both sides, and will not offend people. The cost in the United States is relatively high, but the most expensive fab cost is actually equipment, and labor costs are secondary. This is a concept that most of us involved in recruiting manufacturers understand very well. At face value, an industrial building for a 200,000-square-foot manufacturing plant can easily cost $12 million. However, in almost all of the deals I have been involved with, the equipment is more expensive than the cost of the land and the building, in specific cases, many times more. Yingchao also makes an interesting observation on the U.S.-China trade war: I always felt that it was not a trade war, but a technology war, like ZTE and Huawei. The U.S.-China conflict will only become more and more intense. In the future, global technology should become a one-ball, two-system. Like the previous 3G mobile phones, there are GSM and CDMA, which can be used in the world, but not with each other. In the future, there will be a Chinese standard and a non-Chinese standard. Yingchao sees no foreseeable end to the U.S. and China tensions. That and the fact that the U.S. is such a large market for technology are two major reasons why more firms from Asia will locate satellite operations in the U.S. These were major factors in TSMCs decision to locate in Arizona. And why was Arizona chosen by TSMC over a high-tech state like California? Yingchao noted that Arizonas proximity to Asia, its cheaper land compared to California, and the fact that it already has some well-known players as major factors. States Yingchao, who lives in Phoenix, So many technology companies, like Intel, have been in Phoenix for 20 years, and it built a fab just across from my house. Phoenix not only has cheap labor and living expenses, but also many high-tech engineers. I think the last part of Yingchaos Arizona thoughts are of great insight. When recruiting a manufacturer that wants to develop a build-to-suit facility, the cost of the land is generally one of its smaller costs, and factors less in a deal than most people think. The cost of land might pique a companys interest to initially look at a site. A good recruiter will use the land as bait to highlight the more important factors such as a quality workforce, proximity to buyers and suppliers, and reasonable utilities costs essentially pitching the total cost of business. Arizona can brag to future industrial prospects that Intel is already in the state because of a well-educated workforce, low operational costs, and a friendly state government. It can also drive home the point that it is only one state removed from the West Coast a miniscule distance in the grand scheme of things. Whether this is actually true or not is initially irrelevant, rather it serves to attract interest from foreign companies searching for new sites to locate. Many experts speculate that Arizona may not have been the first choice for TSMC, but that politics at the highest level pressured the company to locate in a predominantly Republican state. I think that the role that politics played in TSMCs decision is secondary to heeding YingChaos wise observations. The marketing strategy that Arizona can and should use to attract more Asian companies is also important. Communities in the U.S. hoping to recruit Asian companies on the move can use this information to build their own recruitment strategies. Jerry Pacheco is the executive director of the International Business Accelerator, a nonprofit trade counseling program of the New Mexico Small Business Development Centers Network. He can be reached at 575-589-2200 or at jerry@nmiba.com. Larry Bacow, the president of Harvard, blasted this email to members of the Harvard Community: The last several months have been disorienting for all of us. COVID-19 has profoundly disrupted the lives of people worldwide. It has caused more than 365,000 deaths around the globe and more than 100,000 in the United States alone. Forty million Americans have lost their jobs, and countless others live in fear of both the virus and its economic consequences. In the midst of this incomprehensible loss, our nation has once again been shocked by the senseless killing of yet another black personGeorge Floydat the hands of those charged with protecting us. Cities are erupting. Our nation is deeply divided. Leaders who should be bringing us together seem incapable of doing so. I cannot help but think back to 1968, the spring of my junior year in high school. First, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, then Bobby Kennedy. Riots broke out in nearby Detroit, as they did across the country. Then, like now, our nation was hugely polarized, and we desperately struggled to find common ground that might unite us. At the time, hope was in short supply. It seemed difficult to imagine how we would move forward, but we did. As I think about the challenges that we face today, I return again and again to what I believe: I believe in the goodness of the people of this countryand in their resilience. I believe that all of us, liberal and conservative, Democrat and Republican, whatever our race or ethnicity, want a better life for our children. I believe that America should be a beacon of light to the rest of the world. I believe that our strength as a nation is due in no small measure to our tradition of welcoming those who come to our shores in search of freedom and opportunity, individuals who repay us multiple times over through their hard work, creativity, and devotion to their new home. I believe in the American Dream. I believe in the Constitution, the separation of powers, the First Amendmentespecially the right to a free and independent press that holds those in power accountable, and to a free and independent judiciary. I believe in the 14th Amendments guarantee of equal protection of the lawsfor everyone, not just for those who look like me. I believe that no person is above the law regardless of the office they hold or the uniform they wear. Those who break the law must be held accountable. I believe that one measure of the justness of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. I believe we must provide opportunity to those who may not encounter it on their own so that they may achieve their full potential. I believe in the power of knowledge and ideas to change the world, of science and medicine to defeat disease, of the arts and humanities to illuminate the human condition. This is just some of what I believe. I hope you will pause during these troubled times to ask what you believe. Even more importantly, I hope you will find the strength and determination to act on your beliefsto repair and perfect this imperfect world. Those of us privileged to work or study at a place like this bear special responsibilities. As Luke teaches us, from those to whom much is given, much is expected. Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 21:46:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Mongolian Prime Minister Ukhnaa Khurelsukh on Monday called on his citizens and all public and private organizations in the country to improve protection for children. "Since 2017, the Mongolian government has tripled the number of organizations responsible for providing child protection services and increased the costs of child protection in stages. However, there is still a need to improve child protection efforts," Khurelsukh said in his greetings on the occasion of the International Children's Day. "Therefore, all people, public and private organizations in the country need to work together to synergize their efforts to further improve child protective services," the prime minister said. Children up to the age of 18 accounted for 35.4 percent of the country's 3.2 million people by the end of 2019, according to the National Statistics Office of Mongolia. Mongolia began marking International Children's Day as an official public holiday in 1996, and celebrates it on June 1. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the country has not widely celebrated International Children's Day nor organized public activities this year. Enditem On Tuesday, Modi will share his views with India Inc on 'Getting growth back'. R Rajagopalan reports. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi addresses the 25th Foundation Day of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in Bengaluru via video conferencing, June 1, 2020. Photograph: PIB/PTI Photo After being confined more or less to 7 Lok Kalyan Marg for more than two months following the national lockdown he imposed on March 24, Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi is off on his mission to usher in a semblance of normalcy as part of Unlock 1. He began the first working day of his seventh year in office by drawing up a tight schedule of 28 meetings this week. Monday's Union Cabinet meeting was the first to kick off, with its important decisions to hike the minimum supply price for paddy and to offer a Rs 50,000 crore equity package for the ailing MSME sector. Modi also addressed the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in Bengaluru via video. On Tuesday, Modi will deliver the inaugural address at the annual session of the Confederation of Indian Industry, via video conference, and share his views with India Inc on 'Getting growth back'. Wednesday will see Modi chair the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs that is expected to kickstart the modalities of setting up the Migration Commission. On Thursday, Modi will hold a virtual summit with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison. The two leaders are likely to sign the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement, which will pave the way for greater defence cooperation between the two countries. It is not just the prime minister who has decided to inject normalcy in political life. With the resumption of flights, trains and other means of transport, Union ministers have also started readying for political events. On June 9, Home Minister Amit Anilchandra Shah is set to kick off the Bharatiya Janata Party's Bihar assembly campaign with an address to state BJP workers as well as address a public rally -- both virtually. Various Parliamentary standing committees are also expected to meet in New Delhi from Thursday. The Election Commission has announced the delayed Rajya Sabha polls for June 18. Monday saw the poll panel holds its first physical meeting of the three election commissioners in three months. Clearly, New Delhi is sending out the signal that India is returning to normalcy. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has declared a state of emergency for the city and curfew that will extend from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m. nightly until further notice. Woodfin was joined at a Monday press conference by Police Chief Patrick Smith and Fire Chief Cory Moon following a night of violent unrest in downtown Birmingham that led to widespread property damage and injury to two news media representatives. Birmingham, this is not us. This is not who we are. This is not how we taught the world to protest, Woodfin said. Anybody thats doing the looting, breaking things, setting fires, youre not doing that in the name of reform or George Floyd. Youre on a different agenda and the City of Birmingham wont tolerate it. Woodfin said he will also work to quickly remove the Confederate monument demonstrators tried to tear down Sunday night, though he did not give a time frame or specifics. The Legislature enacted a law that prevented cities from removing Confederate statues in the state of Alabama for all 169 cities, so Birmingham is not alone in this fight, Woodfin said. Moving forward, what took place in the park put many of the residents and the peaceful protesters in physical danger. In addition to that it could possible put our officers in danger. In order to prevent more civil unrest, it is very imperative that we remove this statue in Linn Park. That has a cost to it he said. I understand the AGs office can bring a civil suit against the city and if theres a judgement rendered from a judge, then we should be held accountable and I am willing to accept that because that is a lower cost than civil unrest in our city. Birmingham Police/Mayor Randall Woodfin joint press conference after violent protests Birmingham police and Mayor Randall Woodfin hold a joint press conference after a night of violent protests in the city. Posted by al.com on Monday, June 1, 2020 A peaceful rally Sunday afternoon ended in Linn Park with protesters trying to remove a confederate monument, spray-painting and chiseling at its base. Demonstrators moved from the park and began breaking windows in banks, offices, bars, restaurants and salons. Gunshots could be heard into the early hours. Fires were lit in streets, dumpsters and gutted the California Fashion Mall. Heavily armed police and angry protesters filled the streets through the night. Police said the riots resulted in burglaries at 14 businesses with another 13 businesses that had significant damage ranging from broken windows to vandalism to looting. Personally, I think those numbers will go up as we go throughout the day, Smith said. It is our intent as a police department to follow up on every single crime. We will look for, and collect, every single video that we can find, and we intend to follow up. It is our goal to make sure we find those who are responsible. It is our goal to make sure that whether you were a part of the riot or you incited the riot, and it doesnt matter who you are or what position you hold, and I hope you hear me, this police department intends to follow up, Smith added. While we do not want to make arrests, I think youve placed us in a position where we will, the chief said. Moon said firefighters responded to more than 22 fires including five at commercial buildings. There were also three house fires linked to the rioting, as well as multiple vehicle and dumpster fires. No injuries were reported in those blazes. My message is very simple: We support peaceful protests but when people start setting fires intentionally, that puts lives at risk, Moon said. For the sake of the city and the community, we need these protests to return to being peaceful protests. The protests began throughout the country following the May 25 death of Floyd at that hands of police in Minneapolis. A persons knee being pressed in another persons neck and all of us watching that video saw his life taken from him. Thats shaken all of us to our core. Its hit us all. Its brought up every emotion you can think of - anger, fear, and sadness and so many more. Many of us have express that in ways thats very fair, Woodfin said. What started out with the best of intentions with Sundays peaceful rally turned into something that none of us deserve including small business owners and the corporate community. No one deserved it, not the people in the media who were physically hurt, he said. No one deserved what happened last night the city we call home Birmingham. George Floyd his name is what we should be calling, and justice for his family, justice for him, Woodfin said. Justice, period, is what we should be talking about. The mayor addresses several issues he described as things not working for the community. I 100 percent support civil disobedience but that is very different from civil unrest. I support activism and your right to peacefully assemble, but I dont support mobs and people destroying things just because, he said. Violence, looting and chaos is not the road to reform. Woodfin said he has been in contact with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and will be requesting support from the state police. The National Guard, he said, is not being activated. Because the protests turned ugly, he said, there wont be any second chances. That means no more parades, no vigils, no more demonstrations, he said. Travel on public streets and roadways will be restricted, with exceptions for medical services, food or other essential needs. Exceptions will be made for essential workers. He said he wants it clear, especially for those who work downtown and particularly after 7 p.m., to be ready to provide documentation to show to police officers. Were not playing, Woodfin said. Were going to enforce the law. The mayor lashed out at two groups of people looters and anarchists. A lot of these looters are local born in the city just like I was, live here in this city just like I do, Woodfin said. You know who you are. You took advantage of a situation. And theres the anarchists, the people who come into our city to destroy, not to take anything, simply to destroy, to break things, to set things on fire, he said. The City of Birmingham the Birmingham Police Department 100 percent support peaceful protesters. We outright reject the looters and the anarchists, and we will happily arrest you. There was concern in the community about what appeared to be the lack of a strong, visible police presence when protests began to spiral out of control. Woodfin said he had spoken with the chief on Saturday and a plan was in place. We received credible intel of targets throughout our city just like other cities across America have had since Saturday. Some of those targets included our City Hall, our police headquarters, some of these bigger commercial districts that sell retail such as the Summit, Woodfin said. Just know a lot of our police officers were staged to make sure the intel we received, and those targets had the protection they needed. Because thats spread out in our city, what you initially saw at Linn Park was not enough officers to intervene when the monument was already surrounded by the protesters, he said. It would have put those officers either in harms way or it would have caused a clash that would have been out of control. We eventually collapsed some of those and brought those officers to clear out Linn Park. He said authorities will be aggressive in delivering justice and restoring the city. To the people who live in this city and were out in the streets, you have duty just like the Birmingham Police Department and with your smart phones and your cameras and your videos, you took pictures, you videoed things last night, you saw innocent people in the media get physically assaulted and didnt do anything, he said. You saw your own community destroyed and you didnt do anything. I want you to know you can make that better. City officials are calling anyone who was in the area at the time or has information about violence and destruction committed to call Crime Stoppers. You have an opportunity to do the right thing, he said. Its the right thing to do if you say you love Birmingham, if you say you want reform, if you say you want justice, if you say this is for George Floyd. Do the right thing. The city plans to block off downtown during the curfews. Heres the map: Washington, June 1 : US President Donald Trump was briefly moved to the White House bunker on the evening of May 29 as protests were being held near the White House against the death of an African-American man in police custody, a media report said on Monday. A senior administration official said the action was taken out of an abundance of caution, CBS News confirmed. On Sunday, the Justice Department deployed US Marshals and Drug Enforcement Administration agents to Lafayette Park outside the White House to assist the National Guard, Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec confirmed to CBS News. The US capital was rocked by protests throughout the weekend that continued Sunday night. Fires were started and buildings vandalized in the vicinity of the White House. Obscene messages were spray-painted on Blair House - the President's guest house. Monuments, including the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial, were defaced. Small fires were sets on streets - as well as in the AFL-CIO headquarters lobby and the basement of the historic St. John's Church. The church, just a few steps away, was built in 1815, across Lafayette Park from the White House; every president since James Madison has attended services there, said the CBS News report. Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser put a curfew in place Sunday to try to restore calm. Usually, there are lights illuminating the White House at night. On Sunday, just before the 11 p.m. curfew, as the protests continued, those White House lights were turned off. Nationwide protests have erupted since Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old man, died in Minneapolis on May 22 after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe", and "please, I can't breathe". Chauvin has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text The Saudi central bank said it provided 50 billion riyals ($13.3 billion) to support liquidity in the banking sector, according to a statement on twitter on Monday. The stimulus measure was introduced to help banks support and finance the private sector, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) said, as the economy suffers from low oil prices and measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic. SAMA said the banking sector was "still registering good performance indicators, enhancing its ability to face challenges and crises." Lending to the private sector increased in April by 12.2% year on year and by 0.9% month on month, SAMA data published late on Sunday showed. The central banks net foreign assets dropped sharply for a second consecutive month in April as the kingdom used tens of billions of dollars to back investments of its sovereign fund abroad, Reuters reported. Malin Andersson has been hospitalised due to her asthma for the second time this year. The former Love Island star, 27, shared a photo to her Instagram Stories on Monday that showed a close up of her hand wearing a white hospital band as she lay in a bed. Revealing the cause of her admission, she then shared: 'Asthma sucks.' Ordeal: Malin Andersson has been hospitalised due to her asthma for the second time this year and called the NHS 'amazing' while receiving treatment The body-confidence advocate went on to tell her followers: 'The NHS are amazing' as she took a photo of her legs covered by a hospital blanket. This is the second time Malin has been taken to hospital due to her asthma this year. Back in January, the reality star shared a series of photos to her Stories where said she couldn't breathe properly. Malin wrote at the time: 'A&E when asthma flares up n u can't breathe properly'. Following the worrying post, she then revealed she was relieved she had attended the emergency room amid concerns for her breathing. Frightening: The former Love Island star, 27, shared a photo to her Instagram Stories that showed a close up of her hand wearing a white hospital band as she lay in a bed The news comes after Malin revealed she had been called a 'p**i' in the past as she discussed enduring shocking racist abuse while growing up. The star spoke out about her own experiences in light of the recent events surrounding the tragic death of George Floyd, stating she and her family have faced a lot of racism. Speaking in her OK! magazine column, Malin went on to say that the bigoted behaviour stems from parents and that it's up to them to teach their children 'right from wrong.' Suffering: She then shared words on a black screen: 'Asthma sucks' Malin, who is half Swedish and half Sri Lankan, explained that her family grew up in a 'very white village' and that they were the only Asian family 'in the whole town'. She told that her family, including two older brothers and a sister, were 'treated differently', with her brothers being spat at and branded a 'p**i' while her sister was called 'Hitler' because of her facial hair. Speaking further about her ordeal, she said: 'I think being brown and in a very white privileged area, it just didn't work. I remember being about five years old and I was playing with some friends and a little boy went, "Oh you're a P**i!" Praise: Finally, the body-confidence advocate told followers, 'The NHS are amazing' as she took a photo of her legs covered by a blanket while awaiting treatment 'I was just so young and didn't understand, so I'd ask my mum what it meant and she would get really upset over it. My mum would fight for us a lot and when I got into fights at school over racism, she'd come in every time and be like: "why is this still happening? what's going on?"' The beauty went on to say that though she didn't 'act white', she was still branded a 'Bounty bar', which implied she was brown on the outside and white on the inside. She also told how she was called 'half-caste' as she was mixed race and 'hated' the term, adding that she would often feel 'paranoid' that she would be treated 'differently'. Shocking: The news comes after Malin revealed she had been called a 'p**i' in the past as she discussed enduring shocking racist abuse while growing up And though she got the brunt of bigoted behaviour in her younger years, the star says she still gets racist remarks from the older generation in her care work, adding that one elderly client called her 'brown girl' and 'foreign'. She added that hearing those comments in the present day makes her feel 'uncomfortable' but insists they don't mean any harm as 'that's what they do'. However, Malin insists that the racist behaviour stems from people's parents and it's up to them to ensure that kids learn right from wrong at a young age. She said: 'I think now it's up to parents to teach their kids what is right and what is wrong. Racism stems from the parents definitely, these kids are looking at what they're saying and doing and they're copying them.' Some Facebook employees are virtually walking out today to challenge the company's lack of response to President Donald Trump's posts pertaining to protests in light of the brutal killing of George Floyd. Employees participating in the protest requested time off and then added an out-of-office response to their emails notifying senders they are protesting, The New York Times reports. Facebook has since acknowledged the walkout and said it will not require employees to use their paid time off. Last week, amid protests in Minneapolis against the police killing Floyd, an unarmed black man, Trump posted on both Twitter and Facebook that, "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." As The Washington Post reported, there is a racially charged history behind that phrase. In the sixties, a white police chief used that same phrase during civil unrest in black neighborhoods in Miami. Trump, however, claims to have not known that. Twitter's response was to apply a notice to his tweet, stating that it violated Twitter's rules about glorifying violence. Facebook, however, took a different approach. Its response was to do nothing. On Friday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained that the company's policy "allows discussion around state use of force, although I think today's situation raises important questions about what potential limits of that discussion should be." Additionally, Zuckerberg said "we think people need to know if the government is planning to deploy force." Last week, after the White House announced its intention to issue an executive order designed to punish social media companies for Twitter's decision to fact-check the president's tweet, Zuckerberg drew a contrast between Twitter's policy enforcement choices and Facebook's own in a Fox News interview. In the interview, which aired the same day that Trump's executive order intimidate to limit platforms from moderating their content was issued, Zuckerberg criticized tech platforms that would act as the "arbiter of truth" for things people say online. Story continues In addition to the protest today, employees have circulated petitions that call for Facebook to add more diversity to its ranks, while others have threatened to resign if Zuckerberg does not reverse his stance. A handful of Facebook employees also spoke out against the company on Twitter, including Facebook's head of design for Portal Andrew Crow. "... Giving a platform to incite violence and spread disinformation is unacceptable, regardless who you are or if its newsworthy," Crow said. "I disagree with Marks position and will work to make change happen." Internal unrest at Facebook leaking out in the open is a relatively rare phenomenon. While other big tech companies have faced more open dissent in the last few years over political and ideological divides, Facebook employees generally close rank and keep their grievances within the company's walls. On Sunday night, Director of Product Management Jason Toff tweeted that he was "not proud of how were showing up." "The majority of coworkers Ive spoken to feel the same way. We are making our voice heard," Toff said. Katie Zhu, an Instagram employee, took Monday to raise money for racial justice causes, tweeting "i'm deeply disappointed & ashamed in how the company is showing up the world rn." Zuckerberg responded to internal frustration and escalating clashes between protesters and police by announcing that Facebook would donate $10 million to groups fighting for racial justice in the U.S. The company has a market capitalization of more than $650 billion. "We recognize the pain many of our people are feeling right now, especially our Black community," a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. "We encourage employees to speak openly when they disagree with leadership. As we face additional difficult decisions around content ahead, we'll continue seeking their honest feedback." UCF Planetary Scientist Kevin Cannon led a team that created the model system. Credit: University of Central Florida The 49ers who panned for gold during California's Gold Rush didn't really know where they might strike it rich. They had word of mouth and not much else to go on. Researchers at the University of Central Florida want to give prospectors looking to mine the moon better odds of striking gold, which on the moon means rich deposits of water ice that can be turned into resources, like fuel, for space missions. A team lead by planetary scientist Kevin Cannon created an Ice Favorability Index. The geological model explains the process for ice formation at the poles of the moon, and mapped the terrain, which includes craters that may hold ice deposits. The model, which has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Icarus, accounts for what asteroid impacts on the surface of the moon may do to deposits of ice found meters beneath the surface. "Despite being our closest neighbor, we still don't know a lot about water on the moon, especially how much there is beneath the surface," Cannon says. "It's important for us to consider the geologic processes that have gone on to better understand where we may find ice deposits and how to best get to them with the least amount of risk." The team was inspired by mining companies on Earth, which conduct detailed geological work, and take core samples before investing in costly extraction sites. Mining companies conduct field mappings, take core samples from the potential site and try to understand the geological reasons behind the formation of the particular mineral they are looking for in an area of interest. In essence they create a model for what a mining zone might look like before deciding to plunk down money to drill. The team at UCF followed the same approach using data collected about the moon over the years and ran simulations in the lab. While they couldn't collect core samples, they had data from satellite observations and from the first trip to the moon. Why Mine the Moon In order for humans to explore the solar system and beyond, spacecraft have to be able to launch and continue on their long missions. One of the challenges is fuel. There are no gas stations in space, which means spacecraft have to carry extra fuel with them for long missions and that fuel weighs a lot. Mining the moon could result in creating fuel , which would help ease the cost of flights since spacecraft wouldn't have to haul the extra fuel. Water ice can be purified and processed to produce both hydrogen and oxygen for propellent, according to several previously published studies. Sometime in the future, this process could be completed on the moon effectively producing a gas station for spacecraft. Asteroids may also provide similar resources for fuel. Some believe a system of these "gas stations" would be the start of the industrialization of space. Several private companies are exploring mining techniques to employ on the moon. Both Luxembourg and the United States have adopted legislation giving citizens and corporations ownership rights over resources mined in space, including the moon, according to the study. "The idea of mining the moon and asteroids isn't science fiction anymore," says UCF physics Professor and co-author Dan Britt. "There are teams around the world looking to find ways to make this happen and our work will help get us closer to making the idea a reality." More information: Kevin M. Cannon et al, A geologic model for lunar ice deposits at mining scales, Icarus (2020). Journal information: Icarus Kevin M. Cannon et al, A geologic model for lunar ice deposits at mining scales,(2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2020.113778 New Delhi, June 1 : One of the scientists at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) here has tested positive for novel coronavirus, a source said on Monday. After this the ICMR headquarter has been closed for fumigation and sanitisation, said the source. The infected scientist is said to be a part of theCOVID-19 core team and is associated with the National Institute of Research in Reproductive Health in Mumbai, which is a part of the ICMR. The source said the scientist came to Delhi to attend a meeting last week. A source told IANS that she was to attend office from Monday, but she received a message on whatsapp employees' group that someone has tested positive for COVID-19, therefore, the office is closed for fumigation and sanitisation. The message said that all employees should continue working from home, "Only covid-19 core team may come, if absolutely necessary," said the message. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text London, June 1 : As demand collapsed amid Covid-19, global sales of smartphones to end users declined 20.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2020, Gartner said on Monday. The demands declined as consumers stopped spending on nonessential products during the first quarter due to uncertainties brought on by the pandemic. All of the top five smartphone vendors recorded a decline in the first quarter of 2020, except for Xiaomi which managed a surprise growth of 1.4 per cent. Strong sales of Redmi devices in international markets and aggressive online channel focus led Xiaomi to achieve better than expected sales, said the report titled "Market Share: PCs, Ultramobiles and Mobile Phones, All Countries, 1Q20 Update." "The coronavirus pandemic caused the global smartphone market to experience its worst decline ever," Anshul Gupta, senior research analyst at Gartner, said in a statement. "Most of the leading Chinese manufacturers and Apple were severely impacted by the temporary closures of their factories in China and reduced consumer spending due to the global shelter-in-place." Although Samsung's smartphone sales declined 22.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2020, the company still maintained the No. 1 spot with 18.5 per cent market share. "Covid-19 negatively impacted Samsung's smartphone sales during the quarter. However, the decline could have been much worse," said Gupta. "Its limited presence in China and the location of its manufacturing facilities outside of China prevented a steeper fall." Huawei recorded the worst performance among the top five global smartphone vendors in the first quarter of 2020. Sales of its smartphones fell to 42.5 million units, a decline of 27.3 per cent year over year. Even with its first ever decline in smartphone sales, Huawei held on to the No. 2 position with 14.2 per cent market share. "Huawei will have a challenging year," said Gupta. "It has developed the Huawei Mobile Service (HMS) ecosystem, but with the lack of popular Google apps and Google Play store, Huawei is unlikely to attract new smartphone buyers in international markets." While Apple is not as dependent on China as Huawei, Oppo or Vivo are, it faced supply constraints and store closures which negatively impacted iPhone sales in the first quarter of 2020. Apple's iPhone sales declined 8.2 per cent, totaling 41 million units in the first quarter of 2020. Oppo's smartphone sales fell 19.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2020. All other companies combined experienced a sales decline of 24.2 per cent, according to Gartner. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Popular YouTube vlogger Jake Paul has been caught in the spotlight for the wrong reasons yet again. Jake Paul is the brother of the disrespectful Logan Paul, who is responsible for vlogging in Japan's suicide forest. Multiple viral videos on Twitter and Instagram have caught him and a few of his friends at a mall in Arizona, where looting was taking place. However, it isn't clear in the footage if Jake and his friends were looting themselves. You can watch one of the videos below: Unbelievable Statement From Jake Paul This past Sunday, Jake Paul made a statement on his Twitter profile, denying the claims that he was participating in the looting that coincidentally happened around them in the videos. According to Jake Paul, "To be absolutely clear, neither I nor anyone in our group was engaged in any looting or vandalism." He follows with, "We filmed everything we saw in an effort to share our experience and bring more attention to the anger felt in every neighborhood we traveled through." He also said that they weren't looting or doing anything violent. They were only filming and protesting the whole day peacefully as the world's people demanded that George Floyd get the justice he deserves. Jake Paul claimed he was sprayed with tear gas by police officers during the protests. If you don't know about George Floyd, he was a 46-year-old African-American man who was killed by a white police officer. The officer kneeled on Floyd's neck for a long time while he struggled to breathe, which led to him dying from strangulation. This act was caught on video by someone close by, fortunately. The explanation from Paul only made people question him further, and critics were prompted to rebuke him online. The particular reason people were suspicious was that he decided to have a ton of footage of the vandalism and looting, but not the peaceful protests that were happening nearby at the same time. Read Also: [VIRAL] 16-Year-Old Rioter Won't Be Convinced By Black Man's Tearful Begs To Change His Approach Jake Paul Is Making Money Off Of Civil Unrest Even if Jake Paul didn't personally participate in the looting or vandalism, it's still disrespectful of him to do so. He is indirectly making a profit off the civil unrest by making videos on it so that he can entertain his millions of subscribers on YouTube. It isn't illegal, but it's a genuinely horrendous act for a millionaire white man and his wealthy friends to use the protests of the Black Lives Matter movement for online glory and fame. Critics think that what he has done is the culmination of the privilege a white male can have and creating content by causing chaos. The incident isn't the first time Jake Paul has made attempts to leverage news about suffering into content to fuel his online fame. After the devastating school shooting in 2018 that took place at Parkland, Florida, he spoke with the shooting survivors, and he offered what he thought about school shootings. Jake Paul's thoughts on school shootings are what everyone thinks about them. He thinks they're evil, and they should stop happening. Read Also: Police Bodycam Audio Reveals George Floyd's "Murder" was Premeditated by Derek Chauvin, Says Lawyer An international exhibition-fair celebrating Turkmen Carpet Day was held in Ashgabat. It was organized by Turkmenhaly (Turkmen carpet) State Association and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan. The exhibition presented carpets, rugs, national jewelry, textile products and other goods produced by Turkmen enterprises. The number of exhibitors exceeded 120 participants, including well-known carpet manufacturers, businessmen, executives and representatives of large trading companies. In the afternoon, the 20th Anniversary Conference of the World Association of Connoisseurs of Turkmen Hand Made Carpets was held at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan. The online conference was attended by connoisseurs of Turkmen carpet weaving from Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, as well as historians, art critics and collectors from Japan, China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The forum discussed issues relating to the preservation and large-scale popularization of the national tradition of carpet weaving and other types of decorative and applied art of the Turkmen people. Speakers at the conference shared information on the results of scientific research on the origin of carpet ornaments and development of this art in various countries. In the evening, a concert celebrating Turkmen Carpet Day was held at Ashgabat Song and Music Center. TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2022 No intelligence or operational failure, nearly 30 Naxals killed in Bijapur: CRPF Chief Kuldiep Singh With 40 elite commandos, Delhi has its own QAT to guard against terror CRPF gets 40k bullet proof jackets, 170 armoured troop carriers India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, June 01: Over 40,000 bullet proof jackets and 170 armoured troop carriers have been sanctioned by the Union home ministry for the CRPF for use in counter-terrorist operations in the Kashmir valley and anti-Naxal offensives in various states, officials said. They said the central paramilitary force has also "re-fabricated" and armour-plated about 80 Maruti Gypsy vehicles as part of providing protection to its personnel against bullet shots, grenade attacks and stone pelting incidents in the Kashmir operations grid. Cabinet meet: 'Big decisions' expected as govt completes 1st year of 2nd term| Oneindia News 3 jawans martyred in terror attack In Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore A senior official told PTI that the force has been sanctioned a total of 176 medium bullet-proof vehicles and each of them can seat about 5-6 armed troops. These vehicles can withstand grenade attacks, gun shots aimed from a distance and other fatal attacks. They will be provided to the CRPF units deployed for counter-terrorist duties in the Kashmir valley and anti-Naxal operations in various Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected states, they said. The government has also sanctioned about 42,000 "light bullet proof jackets" for the troops of the country's largest paramilitary force as part of its modernisation plan. These jackets are advanced as they provide enhanced protection to troops' vital body parts like neck and the groin area as the overall surface area of each such vest is larger than the older ones, they said. Also, these new jackets weigh 40 per cent lesser than the bullet-proof jackets in use at present. The older ones weigh around 7-8 kgs. The force, in order to provide special protection to its troops in the Kashmir valley, has armour-plated at least 80 Gypsy model four-wheelers which are used by troops and ground officers to move around. Many such armour-plated Gypsy vehicles of the force have been battered during stone pelting incidents in Kashmir and hence some have gone out of service while the rest required replacement. The about 3.25 lakh personnel-strong force has deployed about 70 battalions in Kashmir while about 90 such units are based in various LWE violence-hit states. Each CRPF battalion has an operational strength of around 1,000 troops. An inmate at Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Authorities said that a 47-year-old Los Angeles County jail inmate who tested positive for the coronavirus died Sunday, marking the first death related to COVID-19 in the sprawling system. The man, who was not identified, was transferred to the county jail from state prison Feb. 22, said Assistant Sheriff Bruce Chase. He was classified as a high-security inmate and held in a single cell at Men's Central Jail, facing charges of assault and possessing a shank while behind bars, Chase said. The man fell ill May 15 and was soon transferred to L.A. County-USC Medical Center's jail ward, where he died. Because he had preexisting health conditions, he had been offered a coronavirus test before he started to show symptoms, but had refused. Chase said some asymptomatic inmates have turned down the tests because of the discomfort of a nasal swab. "I'm not sure if that would've helped us or not," Chase said, adding that it was unclear where and when the man was exposed to the virus. The death came as correctional health officials were ramping up COVID-19 testing, aiming to complete testing all inmates held in the jails by next week. Correctional Health Services Director Jackie Clark said her staff has already tested more than 10,000 people in custody some of whom have since been released and now has about 1,600 inmates left to go. She expects the first full round of testing to be done by June 10. Inmates still waiting on tests are those being held at the Pitchess Detention Center and in high-security housing at Mens Central Jail, she said. Then were going to go back and circle back to people who refused the first time, Clark said. She said L.A. County is one of the first large correctional facilities in the country to take on a system-wide testing effort. Many have opted instead to test only those who show symptoms. Since the start of the pandemic, 1,952 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19, according to figures released Monday by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Of those, 1,251 were asymptomatic. Story continues On Monday, nearly half the jail population 5,539 out of 11,992 people was quarantined, meaning those individuals had been housed with or had contact with someone who was infected or waiting for test results. Clark said her staff has been hampered by a lack of rapid testing it still takes about 24 to 48 hours to get results. She said she tried to secure the rapid test machine made by Abbott Laboratories, which delivers results in minutes, but the Department of Health Services was concerned about the high number of false negatives. I could live with the false negative because what I want to find out is whos positive, she said. The most important thing for me is to find people who are positive, pull them out and put them in isolation." If she were to secure an Abbott machine, she said she would retest every inmate who returned a negative result using the nonrapid test. "We keep bringing people in," she said, noting that every new inmate is tested for COVID-19 at intake. "If we don't have results we don't know where to move them." She said the large number of arrests during the protests over the weekend did not affect jail testing plans because most people were cited and released. Patrisse Cullors, the chair of Reform LA Jails, which has pushed for system-wide testing, said in a statement that the testing figures show "what we had already foresaw, a massive outbreak in the local jails." "The sheriff has deliberately and knowingly allowed coronavirus to spread by making conditions awful, minimizing testing, not screening deputies, and keeping people incarcerated when they shouldn't be," Cullors said. Chase, who oversees the jails, told the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission at its meeting last month that the inmate population is just under 12,000, down 32% from before the pandemic, after many low-level offenders were released in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading. Chase acknowledged that nonviolent and medically vulnerable inmates were still in the jails and that whittling down the population was a work in progress. The jails house more than 2,000 inmates whose age or preexisting health conditions make them especially vulnerable. Of about 5,400 inmates awaiting trial, more than 1,100 are classified as nonviolent, Chase said. Two officials, Abid Hussain and Muhammad Tahir, were obtaining sensitive documents relating to India's security installations New Delhi: India on Sunday declared two officials of the Pakistan High Commission as 'persona non grata' on charges of espionage and ordered them to leave the country within 24 hours, the Ministry of External Affairs said. The two officials, Abid Hussain and Muhammad Tahir, were caught by Delhi Police while they were obtaining sensitive documents relating to India's security installations from an Indian national in exchange of money, official sources said. "The government has declared both these officials persona non grata for indulging in activities incompatible with their status as members of a diplomatic mission and asked them to leave the country within 24 four hours," the MEA said in a statement. The sources said the officials were working at the visa section of the Pakistan High Commission and confessed during the interrogation that they worked for Pakistani spy agency ISI. In a statement in Islamabad, Pakistan Foreign Office condemned India's action against the two officials, calling the allegations baseless. It said the action is "clearly aimed" at shrinking diplomatic space for the working of Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. "Pakistan strongly rejects the baseless Indian allegations and deplores the Indian action which is in clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as well as the norms of diplomatic conduct especially in an already vitiated atmosphere," it said. The punitive action against the two officials came in the midst of frayed ties between the two countries over reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir by India. Pakistan had downgraded diplomatic ties by expelling the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad following India's decision to withdraw special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two union territories in August last year. The MEA said a strong protest was lodged with the Charge de Affairs of the Pakistan High Commission over the activities of its two officials against India's national security. "Pakistan's Charge de Affairs was asked to ensure that no member of its diplomatic mission should indulge in activities inimical to India or behave in a manner incompatible with their diplomatic status," it said. The sources said the two officials, working at the visa section of the Pakistan High Commission, were handing over Indian money and an iphone for providing them the documents. The officials initially claimed that they were Indian nationals and even produced fake Aadhaar cards, the sources said. A similar case had taken place in October 2006. Sohum Shah puts an end to speculations around Tummbad 2, says he's working on another project 01.06.2020 LISTEN President Akufo-Addo has eased the restrictions imposed on religious activities in the country. He announced this on Sunday, May 31, 2020, during his tenth address to the nation on measures taken against the spread of the coronavirus disease. During the address, the President directed religious activities to commence beginning June 5, 2020, with only a maximum of 100 persons in a church or mosque. As I stated in my May Day address, Im now in a position to outline the roadmap for easing safely the restrictions. Ours is going to be a fazed approach involving a selective list of public gatherings based on the risk profile, socio-economic effect and most importantly, our capacity to enforce, respond and prevent a flare-up in our number of infections. With effect from Friday, 5th June, we will begin stage one of the process of easing restrictions. An abridged format for religious services can commence. Twenty-five percent attendance with a maximum number of congregants can worship at a time in church or mosque with the mandatory one-meter rule of social distancing between congregants, he noted. Background Before this development, there had been an increased expectation that President Nana Akufo-Addo will ease the restrictions on public gatherings today, Sunday, May 31, 2020. While addressing the nation at the 2020 Virtual Eid-ul-Fitr Celebration on May 24, he indicated that the state will conclude a roadmap for easing restrictions by the end of the week so he can announce to Ghanaians a clear roadmap for easing the restrictions. Aside from the President, the Senior Minister had also revealed that there would be a stakeholder meeting on Friday ahead of the President's address today. Calls for easing of restrictions The decision to ease the public gatherings protocol had been met with mixed reactions by Ghanaians. The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, for instance, had indicated that it was not expecting a spontaneous easing of the COVID-19 restrictions in the country. According to the Council, such a move should be done in a gradual process. Giving reasons for this view, the General Secretary of the Council, Rev. Emmanuel Barrigah said their call for a gradual easing of the restrictions will give them ample time to prepare their congregants on how to embrace the new normal. Former President, John Mahama was also expecting a significant easing of restrictions and called on the government to first conduct more widespread testing. 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, Mr. Mahama said in a tweet. citinewsroom Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - June 1, 2020) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed Global Diversified Marketing Group Inc. (OTC Pink: GDMK) ("the Company"), a company that operates as a food and snack manufacturer, importer, and distributor through its subsidiary in the United States, Canada, and Europe. President and CEO of the Company, Paul Adler, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly. Jolly began the interview by asking Adler about the Company's growth strategy. "What we're basically looking to do is expand our brick and mortar business," explained Adler. "Right now, we're distributing nationwide directly with major retailers," he continued, adding that the Company recently signed an agreement with Asian American Trade Associations Council (AATAC) in an effort to expand their line of Biscottelli Italian Croissants into the C-Store channel nationwide. Jolly then asked whether the Company more closely identifies as an importer and distributor or as a manufacturer. "We are mainly classified as a manufacturer/importer and distributor," said Adler. He then explained that the Company is always looking for unique products which will eventually be contract-manufactured along with their trademark branded products. "We import them to the US and distribute them directly to many retailers," said Adler, noting that many companies in the same space choose to outsource many of these steps, allowing the Company to stand out as a more diversified contender. The conversation then turned to the launch of the Company's Amazon marketing program, which resulted in a 151% increase in sales. "For the past twelve months, we've been expanding into eCommerce, and the eCommerce has been doing phenomenal for us," shared Adler. "As far as recently, in January, the number started skyrocketing," he added. "We believe that this is a very sustainable model going forward to diversify ourselves into an eCommerce business," said Adler, noting that the Company plans to continue expanding to additional eCommerce platforms. "Are you thinking of any new products that you'll be bringing online?", asked Jolly. Adler shared that the Company launched a shelf-stable macaron product prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Usually this item is a refrigerated item," he explained, noting the uniqueness of the product. "We were able to bring it under our brand and launch as a soft launch in early February," said Adler. "We decided to do a full-scale distribution going forward over the next several months." Jolly then asked how the Company's segment varies from others in the industry. "We're an essential segment," said Adler. "Over the last six months, the snacking percentage in growth has increased four-fold." To close the interview, Adler shared that the Company will continue forward with a strong focus on its diversification, which they plan to achieve by raising additional capital and completing numerous acquisitions. To hear Paul Adler's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7596160-global-diversified-marketing-group-inc-discusses-its-diversification-and-expansion-strategy-with Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/ About Global Diversified Marketing Group Headquartered in Island Park, NY - Global Diversified Marketing Group Inc operates as a food and snack manufacturer, Importer & distributor through its subsidiary in the United States, Canada and Europe. The company operates through snacks segment. The snacks segment offers Italian Wafers, Italian filled croissants, French Madeleines, Wafer Pralines, shelf stable Macarons and other gourmet snacks. The company sells its products direct and through various distribution channels comprising specialty, grocery retailers, food-service distributors, DSD as well as vending, pantry and micro market segment. Safe Harbor Statement Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements and are prospective in nature. Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "anticipate", "expect", "believe" or "continue", or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, information concerning the ability of the Company to successfully achieve business objectives, and expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: the ability of the Company to develop the Company's brand and meet its growth objectives, the ability of the Company to complete acquisitions that are accretive to the Company's revenue, the ability of the Company to obtain and/or maintain licenses to operate in the jurisdictions in which it operates or in which it expects or plans to operate. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice. Contact: Global Diversified Marketing Group Inc Paul Adler, Chairman, President & CEO 800-550-5996 paul@gdmginc.com About The "Stock Day" Podcast Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America. Stock Day recently launched its Video Interview Studio located in Phoenix, Arizona. SOURCE: Stock Day Media (602) 821-1102 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/56968 Kananga (DR Congo) (AFP) - One of the main suspects in the murder of two UN experts probing mass graves in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been arrested after a three-year manhunt for the militia chief, officials said Sunday. United Nations specialists Zaida Catalan and Michael Sharp, a Swedish woman of Chilean origin and an American man, were murdered in March 2017 in Kasai-central province. They had been investigating mass graves dug in a conflict between Congolese security forces and "Black Ant" rebel fighters in the that central region of the DRC. The head of the local military prosecutor's office told AFP that the suspect, Tresor Mputu Kankonde, was arrested on Saturday and was under interrogation. "He is being prosecuted for several acts including the murder of UN experts. We have tried to arrest him many times since 2017 but he always got away," said Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Blaise Bwamulundu Kuzola. The European Union ambassador to the African country, Jean-Marc Chataigner, welcomed the militia chief's arrest and said he hoped it would allow a revival of the probe into the pair's death. US Ambassador to DR Congo Mike Hammer called the arrest "a step forward in the pursuit of justice", adding that America would "continue to support Congolese and UN efforts to uncover the truth. No impunity!" The trial of the alleged killers of the experts opened three years ago and has not seen any real progress. But a lawyer for some of the defendants, Tresor Kabangu, said Kankonde's arrest was a "big catch". Before he was arrested, Kandonde was in the process of reorganising the "Black Ant" militia with a view to attacking the city of Kananga, a Congolese security source told AFP. The regional violence, which left around 3,400 people dead, was triggered in 2016 when security forces killed a tribal leader who was a prominent regional opponent of the Kinshasa regime. Rows of burnt-out police cars, their sides scrawled with obscene graffiti, grimly illustrate the ferocity of the anger. Entire neighbourhoods of looted shops and businesses tell another story of the extent to which law and order has broken down. A British tourist returning yesterday to SoHo, Manhattans trendiest shopping district, would not have recognised it luxury store after luxury store, including Apple, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Chanel, has been picked clean and covered in broken glass. Protesters were seen lighting a dumpster on fire in New York. Trumps one hope must be that the level of the anarchy will disgust voters to the extent that the focus of the story turns to law and order much more to his liking The unrest across the US sparked by the death of African-American George Floyd as he was arrested by police in Minneapolis has jerked America and the wider world out of the torpor of lockdown. After seven nights of pitched battles between protesters and riot police using tear gas and rubber bullets, the violence shows little sign of slackening. What some are calling an uprising constitutes the worst civil unrest since the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968. And where is the US President? Doing what he does best throwing petrol on the flames. Donald Trump has been tweeting out violent defiance, though his tough-guy image was dented by the revelation that his Secret Service bodyguards were so alarmed when a 1,000-strong demonstration gathered outside the White House, they bundled him down to a fortified underground bunker for his protection. A British tourist returning yesterday to SoHo, Manhattans trendiest shopping district, would not have recognised it luxury store after luxury store, including Apple, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Chanel, has been picked clean and covered in broken glass It made a change from Trumps bungling response to coronavirus. He has spent weeks dangerously contradicting his health experts and scientists by supporting calls for an end to the lockdown that has crippled the US economy and his hopes of re-election. Streets that were tragically empty a few weeks ago are now thronged but this wasnt the end to social distancing Trump had in mind. America is now engulfed in two crises: Coronavirus and the protests. They are feeding off each other and may yet provide the perfect storm that blows him out of the White House. Trumps hopes of winning a second term against likely Democrat opponent Joe Biden were always going to rely on voters forgetting his volatile personality and imbecilic behaviour, and seeing a country in decent economic fettle under his presidency. Instead, Americans have been shown a president who falls to pieces when the chips are down. The unrest across the US sparked by the death of African-American George Floyd as he was arrested by police in Minneapolis has jerked America and the wider world out of the torpor of lockdown. Minneapolis is seen above after rioting And theyre really down now. Coronavirus is crucial in explaining the visceral outrage over the death of 46-year-old Mr Floyd. In recent years, the deaths of a string of African-Americans in encounters with the police have sparked demonstrations and sometimes violence but nothing on this scale. Whats glaringly different now is the pandemic, which has killed more than 100,000 and particularly devastated the black population highlighting, say activists, how they are second-class citizens. African-Americans generally have worse health care and nutrition, making them susceptible to issues such as obesity that can prove deadly if they have Covid-19. Many have jobs that mean they continue to come into contact with other people, again increasing the chance of infection. Theyve also been especially hard hit as millions have been laid off in a country which offers little in the way of a safety net. Even before Mr Floyd died, pundits had asked if Trumps reaction to coronavirus hadnt already doomed his re-election chances. His daily press briefings have been almost comically awful. On Twitter, he contradicts himself, urging the US to reopen for business even as he agrees the country should remain in lockdown. The latest opinion poll, released on Sunday, gives Biden a ten-point lead. Given that the Democrat has barely said a word for weeks, you have to conclude that voters are simply going off Trump. A burnt out car is pictured in Minneapolis. In recent years, the deaths of a string of African-Americans in encounters with the police have sparked demonstrations and sometimes violence but nothing on this scale Americans are used to presidents offering consolation at times of trauma. Trump prefers confrontation. He tweeted last Friday that the military was ready to step in in Minneapolis and that when the looting starts, the shooting starts. On Saturday, he warned that protesters outside the White House faced vicious dogs and ominous weapons. Trumps one hope must be that the level of the anarchy will disgust voters to the extent that the focus of the story turns to law and order much more to his liking. Black leaders are strenuously distancing themselves from any of the violence, which many (including Trump) believe has been stoked by extremists who want to set America on fire. Even so, an underground bunker may not be enough to protect the Trump presidency in its crisis hour. If youre looking for a window on the new normal, it may very well be made of plexiglass. Russ Miller, who manages TAP Plastics in San Leandro, California, says business is booming. Its absolutely insanely busy. In 40 years of doing this, Ive never seen anything like this. Miller said that as soon as the number of COVID-19 cases exploded, so did sales of the transparent acrylic barriers. The first customers were the large grocery stores, he said. Plastic sheets for between the customer and the cashier. Already plexiglass barriers are popping up in reception areas, office cafeterias, and hair and nail salons, which raises the question: As we all begin to emerge from our pandemic isolation, will we find ourselves still separated from each other? Adam Alter, a psychology professor at New York Universitys Stern School of Business, said, Behaviors change, but they always change for shorter periods than we anticipate or than a lot of people expect. He points out that the phrase the new normal was much used during the last two decades, notably after the 2008 financial crisis. People said, you know, This is the new normal. Youre gonna have to be much more careful about your spending. It was also about saying to consumers, Banks and other institutions will be forced to behave better in the future. And so with luck well avert future crises like this one.' But fewer than ten years later, the government loosened the major financial protections. Change didnt last. Alter said, I think well see the same thing after the pandemic as well. I think when youre in the midst of an event its concrete, its very present, its all that surrounds you, and it takes up your whole attentional field. But I think as it passes, the vast majority of our behaviors will return to the way they were. But some changes will stick. Can we even remember what it was like to fly before 9/11? We instituted a whole lot of different policies, Alter said. The way we traveled changed, the way we entered buildings changed. Security in general was much tighter in every respect. Not that there hasnt been a lot of grumbling about the long lines and privacy intrusions. Alter said many Americans are less welcoming of new norms that feel imposed: A lot of people just say, You know what? Ive got plenty of freedom. Im good. There are other people in the population who, I think, are more naturally resistant to being told pretty much anything. You could say, Dont do this thing that will protect thousands of people, or, Dont do this thing that will keep you safe, and they say, Dont tell me what to do! Thats not something Im willing to accept.' Now, its not that humans arent capable of change over relatively short periods of time. Think about this: twenty years ago almost no one had a smartphone. And now, according to Alter, Seventy-five percent of American adults say they can reach their phones without moving their feet 24 hours a day which means their phones are either under their pillows or on their nightstand table, [or] theyre in their pockets. On average, he said, Americans will spend fifteen years of their lives looking at their smartphones. Rocca said, Had Steve Jobs strode out onto the stage with the first iPhone and said, All of you will buy this device and start using it now, it probably would not have worked out so well? It would not, Alter said. If the government had said, for example, Everyone is mandated to buy a device, the attitudes would have been very, very, very different. Whatever the new normal ends up looking like, Alter said some people may actually begin pining for lockdown life. And as soon as youre being forced to move around again, I think well start to stay, Remember when we could just sit on the couch?' Read the whole story: CBS News Mumbai, June 1 : Actor R. Madhavan turned 50 on Monday and good friend, actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra, has a special message for him, thanking him for always being honest and teaching her a lot about life and parenting. "To one of the kindest, sweetest, nicest, most amazing people I know... Happiest birthday my dearest Maddy , thank you for always being sooo honest, teaching me about the latest in technology, hydroponics, life, parenting, and so much more," Shilpa said on Instagram. Shilpa also shared a video of Madhavan rowing a boat along with a series of unseen throwback pictures. "We may not say it often, but @rajkundra9 and I really value your honesty, unconditional friendship, and love you to bits. Have a great birthday, @actormaddy... here's wishing you and your first directorial venture, #Rocketry, huge success," she added. Starting his journey from the small screen -- with "Sea Hawks" becoming his most notable work on television, Madhavan has etched his place in the cine world as a man with a charming smile and pleasing screen presence. He is known for his roles in films like "Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein", "Tanu Weds Manu" and its sequel, "Rang De Basanti", "Saala Khadoos" and "3 Idiots". Madhavan also impressed with his digital debut through "Breathe". The actor is looking forward to the release of "Rocketry: The Nambi Effect", which is based on the life of scientist and aerospace engineer S. Nambi Narayanan. It marks the directorial debut of the actor, who also essays the role of the protagonist. The president is convinced that the fundamental right of every child, which must be secured and protected, is that "to a happy childhood." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that Children's Day should be marked on each day of people's lives rather than just once a year, on June 1. "On this day, I'd like to separately thank everyone who works with children. These are teachers and social workers, children's doctors, human rights activists and psychologists, philanthropists and philanthropists, children's artists, writers, musicians, animators, and many others. I'm sure that Children's Day is not only June 1. It should be marked on each day of our lives," he wrote on Facebook on June 1. "'You are the most gifted!', 'You are the smartest and most beautiful!', 'You can do anything!', and 'You are my pride!' I'm sure that these words are much more important for any child than those routine 'Did you do your homework?', 'Stop dreaming', and 'Put on that hat.' We often say: 'Children are our future.' But are we, adults, doing enough for our future?" he added. The president is convinced that the fundamental right of every child, which must be secured and protected, is the "right to a happy childhood." "After all, this refers not only children's education and health, safety and development, leisure and recreation. These are children's joyful eyes. This is a child's smile. These are pleasant memories of the best period in life," he said. The head of state also urged Ukrainians to become "superheroes" for their children. "And this doesn't require anyone to fly or walk through walls. Our superpowers can be decency and honesty, respect and tolerance, kind words, and good deeds. Find as much time as possible for children. Make their dreams come true. Sometimes it's that simple. Listen to them. Sometimes it is so important to just hold them tight and say, 'I love you.' Sometimes this is the most important thing," the president emphasized. Read alsoParl't speaker: Protection of children's rights, life, health among state priorities Zelensky noted that today, unfortunately, there are many children deprived of parental care, children with special educational needs. According to him, the state should be a source of care and guardianship for them, as well as a defender and benefactor. UNIAN memo. International Children's Day is celebrated annually on June 1. It was founded by a decision of the session of the Council of the International Democratic Federation of Women, which took place in November 1949 in Paris. For the first time, International Children's Day was celebrated in 1950 in 51 countries of the world. The UN supported this initiative and declared the protection of children's rights, life and health as one of priorities of its activities. It has been celebrated in Ukraine annually since June 1, 1998. Shortly after two Pakistan High Commission officials were declared 'persona non grata' by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), sources within the Delhi Police special cell have revealed that the investigation in the case will continue under the Official Secrets Act. In a major embarrassment to Pakistan, two of its officials in the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi were asked to leave India within 24 hours after they were found involved in espionage activity. Following this, the Delhi Police special cell is actively probing the case filed under the Official Secrets Act 1923 which largely deals with offences pertaining to spying, sabotage and related crimes. Three persons have been apprehended by the Indian government including two Pakistan High Commission officials identified as 42-year-old Abid Hussain Abid and 44-year-old Mohd. Tahir Khan and a third person, 36-year-old Javed Hussain, also a resident of Pakistan involved in the espionage activity. Read: Pakistan High Commission Officials Apprehended For Espionage; Spies Sent Back To Pak Indian security agencies received a specific input that Abid was "involved in procuring and supply of confidential documents pertaining to Indian Armed Forces." Republic TV has learnt that a trap was laid near Bikaner wala chowk, Arya Samaj Road, Karol Bagh. Both the officials were apprehended and were asked about their identity but Indian agency officials say the Pakistani officials were continuously trying to dodge and mislead the officers. After further questioning, they revealed their identity. During the investigation, Indian security agency recovered one Aadhaar card in the name of Nasir Gotam, one iPhone and Rs 15,000 cash from their possession. The Special Cell is probing as to how Abid Hussain Abid came in possession of a fake Aadhar card and who provided that to him. Along with this, the cell is also probing how he managed to get an Indian SIM card. Investigations have further revealed that this is not the first time that Abid and Tahir had tried to procure sensitive/confidential documents on the Indian Army. Read: Arrest Warrant Against Sharif For Failing To Appear In Court In Corruption Case Meanwhile, Pakistan High Commission has released a statement condemning the action taken by Indian security agencies. "Pakistan condemns the Government of India's decision to declare two officials of the High Commission for Pakistan in New Delhi persona non grata requiring them to leave India within 24 hours. The Indian action has been accompanied by a negative pre-planned and orchestrated media campaign, which is a part of persistent anti-Pakistan propaganda," read the statement. Read: Buddhist Carvings In PoK's Gilgit-Baltistan Vandalised, Pakistan Flag, Slogans Painted Read: Pakistan Minister Calls Nuclear Weapon As 'patakha', Says 'flew Away Before 1998 Test' As Chief Claims Officer of GRS North America, Deane will lead a 3,000-person team of claims professionals focused on delivering best-in-class service and outcomes to GRS customers. Deane will be responsible for all aspects of executive claims management and service delivery. He will report to GRS North America President Tracy Ryan. Prior to joining Liberty Mutual, Deane led The Hartford's Group Benefits & Workers Compensation Claims organization. Before that, he was an attorney at Robinson & Cole, LLP, working on the insurance litigation team. "Our claims service is a defining strength for Liberty Mutual, and I'm excited to have Steve leading this team," said Ryan. "Steve brings a wealth of multi-line claims experience, having held a variety of roles in workers compensation, liability and complex claims. His strong experience and leadership skills will help continue to build on the value our claims organization delivers." About Liberty Mutual Insurance At Liberty Mutual, we believe progress happens when people feel secure. By providing protection for the unexpected and delivering it with care, we help people embrace today and confidently pursue tomorrow. In business since 1912, and headquartered in Boston, today we are the sixth largest global property and casualty insurer based on 2019 gross written premium. We also rank 77th on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the U.S. based on 2019 revenue. As of December 31, 2019, we had $43.2 billion in annual consolidated revenue. We employ over 45,000 people in 29 countries and economies around the world. We offer a wide range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, specialty lines, reinsurance, commercial multiple-peril, workers compensation, commercial automobile, general liability, surety, and commercial property. For more information, visit www.libertymutualinsurance.com. SOURCE Liberty Mutual Insurance Related Links www.libertymutual.com SEATTLE (AP) Washington Gov. Jay Inslee late Sunday ordered a statewide activation of the National Guard following vandalism and thefts in stores and shopping malls in multiple cities following protests over the killing of George Floyd. Inslee had previously authorized 400 troops for Seattle and 200 troops for Bellevue. On Saturday night, people smashed downtown Seattle storefronts and stole items from many businesses, tossing mannequins into the street. On Sunday, there were thefts in stores and shopping malls in Bellevue, Spokane, Tukwila and Renton. Inslees activation means more troops will be used to help control unrest. We must not let these illegal and dangerous actions detract from the anger so many feel at the deep injustice laid so ugly and bare by the death of George Floyd, Inslee said in a statement. But we also will not turn away from our responsibility to protect the residents of our state. Interstate 5 through downtown Seattle was closed Sunday afternoon because of George Floyd protest activity, the second day in arrow the main north-south freeway on the West Coast was shut down, and there was also widespread stealing in Bellevue, Washington. Bellevue's mayor declared an emergency Sunday evening because of the violence and said she was enacting a 5:30 p.m. curfew for the downtown area of the city east of Seattle. Gov. Jay Inslee said late Sunday he was sending 200 National Guard troops to Bellevue. Bellevue Police said dozens of people broke into Bellevue Square, a large shopping mall. Officers entered the facility and chased people out. Mayor Lynne Robinson said people were stealing merchandise from storefronts and that help was requested from other police agencies. Earlier, the Washington State Patrol said it was sending units to help quell the unrest there. Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett said at an evening news conference that authorities learned earlier that a criminal gang planned activity in the city Sunday afternoon. He said there was widespread stealing and assaults, and the criminal element swelled very quickly. They were there to destroy, chief said. We welcome peaceful protest ... this is something different. Mylett said he was disgusted at what happened to Floyd, who was killed when a Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck, but that violence overshadows legitimate protests. Later Sunday night, police in Tukwila, Washington, said there were thefts at several stores around Southcenter Mall. Police fired tear gas and made several arrests. Stealing was also reported in nearby Renton, Washington. -- The Associated Press JK Simmons plays Chris Evans father in the Apple TV+ series Defending Jacob. And now it appears the Academy Award-winner has a thing for working with leading men who are named Chris. 'My career plan now is to play the father of every handsome, blue-eyed movie star stud named Chris,' he joked during a remote interview with PeopleTV.com. Actor of the Chrises: JK Simmons joked about working with all the leading men named Chris Simmons made the funny confession while chatted with Lola Ogunnalike in the latest episode of Couch Surfing. It turns out, the Michigan native, 65, recently wrapped up working with another A-list movie star who just happens to have Chris as his first name. 'So I checked off my Chris Evans box, and I just finished a film [The Tomorrow War] with Chris Pratt where I play his father, so that's number two.' New Project: Simmons talked about playing Chris Evans father in the Apple TV+ series Defending Jacob during his interview with PeopleTV Chrises: Along with Chris Evans, Simmons revealed he recently worked with Chris Pratt Simmons, who won his Best Supporting Actor Oscar with a riveting performance in the drama Whiplash, already has a couple more names on his list. 'I'm looking Chris Pine, I'm available,' he said while seemingly speaking to Hollywood studios currently looking to cast a project. He then quickly through in: 'Chris Hemsworth in either order, I mean we don't have to go alphabetical.' Chris list: 'So I checked off my Chris Evans box, and I just finished a film [The Tomorrow War] with Chris Pratt where I play his father, so that's number two,' Simmons said Simmons broke into show business in the late 1980s on the stage and in television. He became more of a household name during his long runs on Law & Order (1994-2010) and Oz (1997-2003). His extensive resume in film that began in the 1990s includes: The Gift (2000), the Spider-Man trilogy (2002-2007), Rendition (2007), Thank You For Smoking (2005), Juno (2007), Contraband (2012) and Whiplash (2014). Sahaya Novinston Lobo By Express News Service CHENNAI: The cyber crime wing of the Chennai police on Monday booked the director and producer of a yet-to-be-released web series following a complaint from the Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy. The complaint filed on May 27 at the office of the Chennai city police commissioner claimed that the web series intended to target the Brahmin community and that scenes from the show are vulgar. The producer Elango Raghupathy had subsequently on Sunday filed a complaint seeking action against those who made threat calls to him and circulated fake news and hate messages about him on social media. He said he was receiving repeated threat calls after social media users alleged that he was involved in the recent incident where meat was thrown at a temple in Coimbatore. The social media posts also carried his phone number asking people to call and abuse him, he said. A day after Raghupathy's complaint, police booked him and the director of the web series Babu Yogeshwaran based on the complaint filed by the BJP spokesperson. The Cyber Crime wing of the Central Crime Branch registered a case under seven different sections including charges of provoking to cause riot, promoting enmity and causing fear among the public. In his complaint, Thirupathy said the show intended to attack the religious sentiments of a particular community and create hatred amongst religions. The complainant also mentioned a dialogue from the teaser which says, "Where does it say only a Brahmin should read the scriptures?" claiming that such dialogues were offensive. With protests against the show snowballing on social media, the teaser was pulled down a few days after its release. Raghupathy had told The New Indian Express on Saturday, "We haven't released the web series yet and just a one-minute teaser has been misunderstood. If people watch the web series, they will understand that it was not against any religion and that it is just about a fake godman." He added the web series is a commissioned show where the ideas and approval of many people are needed. "They didn't just target me but also said vulgar things about my family and threatened to kill us," he said. He said some people calling him did not even know the name of the series but just wanted to terrorise him because of the messages they received on social media. The police are yet to register a case on Raghupathy's complaint. A delegation of All Progressives Congress (APC) governors departed the Lagos home of Bola Tinubu on Sunday dejected after the partys national leader insisted there would be no automatic candidate ahead of the gubernatorial election in Edo State. The governors had hoped to secure an automatic ticket for Governor Godwin Obaseki for the Edo election, a source who was privy to the discussions at the meeting told PREMIUM TIMES. Some of the governors who were in attendance include Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, and Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Mohammed Abubakar of Jigawa, and Mr Obaseki, according to The Punch newspaper. Mr Bagudu, the chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, led the delegation, PREMIUM TIMES learnt. The governors visited Asiwaju (Tinubu) to plead that Obaseki be given the right of first refusal for the governorship ticket, the source, who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said. Obaseki himself told Asiwaju that if he had offended him in any way, that he should forgive him. Asiwaju said he has not offended him The governors, it was learnt, also asked why the party was pushing for direct primaries, instead of the indirect method Asiwaju told them that when there are more than two candidates running for a position, there has to be a primary. That he can only guarantee them that the primary will be free and fair. The source said having failed to convince Mr Tinubu, the governors left the party leaders home dejected. Mr Obaseki, the Edo governor, has been having a running battle with his estranged godfather and predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole. Mr Oshiomhole is the national chairman of the APC. Last year, the partys local chapter in Edo, loyal to the governor, suspended Mr Oshiomhole for alleged anti-party activities. Ahead of the Edo governorship in September, a faction of the APC in Edo State nominated Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who was the Peoples Democratic Party candidate in 2016, as the partys candidate. The development meant the sitting governor does not get an automatic ticket as the partys flagbearer on September 19. About two weeks ago, the APC National Working Committee announced it would adopt the direct primaries for the Edo election. The primaries is expected to hold on June 22. Last week, Mr Obaseki boasted that no matter the method adopted by the party, he would clinch the ticket. NASA astronauts entered the International Space Station on Sunday after a landmark 19-hour journey on the first crewed US spacecraft in nearly a decade, a triumph for SpaceX and private enterprise. The arrival completed the first leg of the trip, designed to test the capabilities of the Crew Dragon capsule. But the mission will only be declared a success when the astronauts return safely to Earth in a few months' time. The spaceship's hatch opened at 1:02 pm Eastern Time (1702 GMT) as Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley carried out final procedures before crossing the threshold about 20 minutes later. Wearing black polo shirts and khaki pants, they were greeted by fellow American astronaut Chris Cassidy, as well as Russia cosmonauts Anatoli Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner. The five men posed for photos and then NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine spoke to the crew from mission control in Houston. "Welcome to Bob and Doug," said Bridenstine. "I will tell you the whole world saw this mission, and we are so, so proud of everything you have done for our country." "It's great to get the United States back in the crewed launch business and we're just really glad to be on board this magnificent complex," replied Hurley. Russian space chief Dmitry Rogozin also offered his congratulations to both NASA and Elon Musk, the boss of the private aerospace company SpaceX that built the Crew Dragon capsule. The capsule spent 19 hours chasing down the station at speeds of up to 17,500 miles per hour (28,000 kph), before carefully aligning to its target and slowing to a crawl for the delicate docking procedure, which took place over northern China. - Pandemic and protests - During their stay Behnken and Hurley will perform more checks on the capsule to certify its readiness as the United States transitions to using the commercial sector for rides to the ISS. The space agency has had to rely on Russian Soyuz rockets ever since the Space Shuttle program ended in 2011 -- with 2015 the original target for a replacement program. The United States has paid SpaceX and aerospace giant Boeing a total of about $7 billion for their "space taxi" contracts. But Boeing's program has floundered badly after a failed test run late last year, which left SpaceX, a company founded only in 2002, as clear frontrunner. The launch comes as the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, and as the US faces nationwide protests after a black man died in Minneapolis while being arrested by a white police officer. Speaking to Bridenstine, Hurley said he hoped the mission would inspire young Americans. "This was just one effort that we can show for the ages in this dark time that we've had over the past several months to kind of inspire, especially the young people in the United States, to reach for these lofty goals," he said. On Twitter, however, some retweeted the song "Whitey On The Moon" which was released by Gil Scott-Heron in 1970, the year after the Apollo 11 lunar landing. The lyrics juxtaposed the injustice and economic conditions faced by black Americans with the enormous spending required for the space program. - Rough ride - SpaceX's two-stage Falcon 9 rocket began its voyage Saturday, blasting off flawlessly in a cloud of bright orange flames and smoke from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. "I'm really quite overcome with emotion," Musk said. "It's been 18 years working towards this goal." Hurley and Behnken had named their capsule "Endeavour" after the retired Space Shuttle on which they both flew. Asked by a lawmaker how the Crew Dragon's handling compared to that of the shuttle, Behknen indicated the new ship was a rougher ride. "Dragon was huffing and puffing all the way into orbit, and we were definitely driving or riding a dragon all the way up," he said. "And so it was not quite the same ride, the smooth ride, as the Space Shuttle was." - Jabs from Russia - While Russia saluted the United States, it also stressed Sunday it was puzzled by the frenzy unleashed by what many hailed as the dawn of a new era. "We don't really understand the hysteria sparked by the successful launch of a Crew Dragon spacecraft," Roscosmos spokesman Vladimir Ustimenko said. US-Russia cooperation is not expected to end once Crew Dragon goes into service. NASA still plans to use Soyuz rockets to send some astronauts into space, with each seat costing around $80 million. The United States, meanwhile, hopes to revive human space exploration, which has not risen to the expectations of the early space era. The idea of a crewed mission to Mars has been mooted since the 1950s, and NASA has commissioned numerous studies that have never gotten off the ground. The United States now plans to return to the Moon in 2024 under the Artimis mission, establishing a launching pad to the Red Planet by the 2030s. Douglas Hurley (R) and Robert Behnken (2ndR) arrive at the International Space Station, to be greeted by other astronauts NASA's first crewed mission since 2011 In this still image taken from NASA TV, NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (front) and Doug Hurley reach orbit on May 30, 2020, after launching from Kennedy Space Center in Florida A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft takes off from launch complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30, 2020 President Donald Trump flew to Florida to watch the launch and delivered remarks to NASA and SpaceX employees on what he called a "special day" Dr. Dre, speaking about the death of George Floyd, held nothing back in speaking about his anguish over the intent in which the 46-year-old restaurant security guard died after since-fired police officer Derek Chauvin held him down with a knee to the back of his neck. 'It felt like that cop had his knee on all of our necks, meaning black men,' the Compton, California native told Lil Wayne on the rapper's Apple Music program Young Money Radio. 'And yeah, it's extremely painful; it's extremely painful because it keeps going on. 'It continues to go on and it's like, what can we do, or what do we need to do to make this thing stop? What is supposed to happen to make this thing stop? It has to stop.' The latest: Dr. Dre, speaking about the death of George Floyd, held nothing back in speaking about his anguish over the intent in which the 46-year-old restaurant security guard died after since-fired police officer Derek Chauvin held him down with a knee to the back of his neck The former N.W.A. member, 55, said that Chauvin and the other three police officers with him in the incident were 'so brazen with it,' as it occurred in 'broad daylight, with cameras on. 'He's got his knee on this guy's neck for that amount of time and he doesn't give a f***,' said the music mogul, whose real name is Andre Young. 'His hand is in his pocket. He may as well have been whistling.' The Beats by Dr. Dre mogul said the officers involved in the incident are 'supposed to be arrested and convicted of first-degree murder - point blank, period,' adding that he thinks 'something is going to happen now, to at least put us in the area where we can start talking about a way to make this thing stop. 'I'm seeing white people out there protesting as well, which is a good thing.' Point of view: The former N.W.A. member, 55, said that Chauvin and the other three police officers with him in the incident were 'so brazen with it,' as it occurred in 'broad daylight, with cameras on His take: The Beats by Dr. Dre mogul said the officers involved in the incident are 'supposed to be arrested and convicted of first-degree murder - point blank, period' Lil Wayne said that protesters are clearly 'fed up' with what they've been seeing: 'Any decent-hearted human being, I think they're all fed up. We're all fed up.' The Still D.R.E. rapper responded, 'Any decent human being should see that and go, "F*** this - enough is enough.' Floyd, 46, died Monday after police officer Derek Chauvin - who has since been fired and charged in the incident - kneeled on the back of his neck (while he was handcuffed), rendering him unable to breathe in a horrifying incident that was caught on camera. Winds of change: The rapper said he thinks 'something is going to happen now, to at least put us in the area where we can start talking about a way to make this thing stop In the system: Chauvin faces charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter In the incident, arresting officers said Floyd matched the description of a forgery suspect, and subsequently resisted them when they took him into custody. In an accompanying clip, Chauvin had his knee dug into the back of Floyd's neck as he pleaded, 'Please, please, please, I can't breathe. Please, man ... my stomach hurts, my neck hurts, everything hurts ... I can't breathe' before passing out. Floyd, a Minneapolis man who worked as a restaurant security guard, later died in police custody in a nearby hospital. Chauvin faces charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter; the trio of officers he was with, who were also fired, haven't been charged in connection with the incident. In the wake of the jarring sequence of events, riots began in Minnesota and spread both nationwide and internationally, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets, even amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The incident has drawn parallels to the Los Angeles riots of 1992 which broke out after police were acquitted in their trial over the beating of Rodney King, which was caught on video camera. In the five days of rioting, more than 60 people died, 2,000-plus were hurt and damages to property topped $1 billion. Laredo officials confirmed three additional cases of the novel coronavirus during their daily update Monday. The added cases bring the city's total of confirmed positives to 551. Thirteen people are currently hospitalized in Laredo hospitals with COVID-19. Two of the patients are being treated with remdesivir, an antiviral drug that has shown to be effective in treating COVID-related symptoms. According to Laredo health authority Dr. Victor Trevino, the number of coronavirus cases and admissions at Laredo hospitals related to COVID-19 are trending down. Additionally, no new positives have been recognized in Laredo nursing homes after testing was conducted of all residents and staff last week, though full results have yet to return. 942 tests were conducted in Laredo nursing homes in total. As of today, 168 of those tests are still pending results. Last week, it was announced that one positive coronavirus case was recognized in a nursing home staffer that was tested pre-employment. However, the worker had yet to begin working at the nursing home. Dr. Trevino also issued an update on MIS-C. Last Thursday, eight children at two hospitals in Houston were confirmed with MIS-C, the inflammatory syndrome connected to COVID-19. There has been no cases of the syndrome recognized in Laredo, though two Laredo children are suspected of having symptoms related to the syndrome. One of the children was transferred to a hospital in Corpus Christi as a result, but neither child has been confirmed to have the syndrome as of Monday. The health department will continue to host corona virus testing clinics throughout the City of Laredo. On Wednesday, a testing clinic will be hosted at Slaughter Park, 202 North Stone Avenue, from 9 to 11 a.m. There has also been an update on Thursday's testing clinic, which was previously scheduled at Sanchez-Ochoa park. Due to potential parking issues, the clinic has been moved to San Luis Rey Church, 3502 Sanders Avenue. It will also be open from 9 to 11 a.m. Laredo residents who want to get tested do not have to schedule an appointment in advance. According to a press release, a test takes less than five minutes to perform, and results are typically available in 2-3 business days. As of noon Monday, 5,209 people have been tested for the novel coronavirus in Laredo. Of those, 3,808 tests have returned negative. 850 tests are still pending results, though 192 are more than two weeks old and are presumed negative. 397 have recovered from a novel coronavirus infection. These people have passed a mandatory quarantine period and have been cleared by city health officials to return to the general public. The number of coronavirus-related deaths stands at 19. Removing the number of recoveries and infections, there are 135 active cases in Laredo. The Minister for Communications, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, will on Monday, June 2, cut the sod for the start of the construction of 30 Ultra-modern Community Information and Communication Centres in different parts of the country. The ceremony would be held at Asuom in the Kwaebibirem District of the Eastern Region. A statement issued by the Corporate Affairs Office of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) said the new centres would augment the existing 241 Centres in some other districts. The Community Information Centre would serve as a non-profit community resource centre intended to provide business services and community-tailored development information to the communities within which they are located. It would doubles as a hybrid profit-making tele-centre, the statement said. "The centres also provide online access to ministries, departments and agencies, other public and private institutions as well as educational institutions," it said. GIFEC would equip and manage the centres. GIFEC, an agency under the Ministry of Communications, is mandated to facilitate the provision of universal access to all persons through the use of affordable ICTs for socio-economic development. 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 Monday, June 1, 2020 Have you ever had the experience of just being in the flow, feeling the words come through you as if from some higher source? Imagine if you could have the support and resources to help you trust that space and stay motivated to get your book done and share your message. You can! Listen to this episode where author and Akashic record guide Lisa Barnett shares her experience with using intuition to get your book done! In this episode, Christine and Lisa discuss: How to lean in to an organic flow of content and easily see words land on the page. Learning to trust your intuition more deeply, and use it as a powerful guide to help you write and finish your book. The importance of understanding that no one else can share your story, message and wisdom like YOU can. Why its essential that you write your book, and dont let it stay stuck inside another day. About Lisa Barnett: Lisa Barnett is the founder, CEO, and teacher of Akashic Knowing School of Wisdom, an internationally recognized school where students can learn to access their soul wisdom in their Akashic Records along with numerous healing tools, meditation, and prayer systems. She has devoted her life as a divine channel to help people connect to their divinity and receive the soul guidance they are searching for to heal and transform their lives. She has spent more than ten years as a Religious Science Certified Practitioner, R.S.c.P., where she offered healing prayer treatment to the congregations and served as vice president on the board of directors. Lisa has developed many amazing programs and books to help ordinary people experience lasting transformation, including ten written and auditory courses, dozens of meditations, and frequent webinars to teach people around the world how to access their Akashic Record. The goal of all of these programs and books is to share the tools and prayers from the Akashic Records to help her clients and students at a soul level create the life their hearts and souls desire. Journey Into The Akashic Records Free Akashic Records Meditation Connect with Lisa Barnett: Website: Akashic Knowing Facebook: Akashic Knowing Home Twitter: Lisa Barnett (@AkashicKnowing) Instagram: Lisa Barnett (@akashicknowing) Connect with Christine Kloser:? Free Book: The Transformation Quadrant Award-Winning Program: ? Get Your Book Done Website: ChristineKloser.com Facebook: Transformational Author Community Publishing: CapuciaPublishing.com Email: support@christinekloser.com New research conducted by the University of Liverpool and AKL Research and Development Ltd (AKLRD), published in Inflammopharmacology, highlights the potential benefits of a new drug treatment on the human body's immune response in inflammation. In a number of inflammatory conditions, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and, more recently, COVID-19, major complications and extensive tissue damage can occur when the immune system becomes excessively and uncontrollably activated. Finding new ways to selectively control this over-activity could have major clinical benefits. Neutrophils To be healthy, we need an effective immune response, otherwise we would succumb to overwhelming infection, even by everyday bacteria. However, sometimes our immune system can become hyperactive and cause damage through inflammation, even in the absence of any infection. This can sometimes be extreme. Indeed, many rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are caused by inflammation. The quest has always been to find ways to selectively block the harmful effects of an overactive immune system, without paying the price of blocking our ability to fight infections. Neutrophils are the most abundant immune cells in our blood. They are rapidly dispatched to sites of infection, where they fulfil their life-saving antimicrobial functions by destroying infectious organisms and producing signalling proteins called cytokines, that help co-ordinate the recruitment and activity of other immune system cells to the battle against the infection. There is much evidence from work in Liverpool to show that these cells are important players behind many rheumatic diseases Cytokine storms and COVID-19 In some situations, if the levels of cytokines are too high, they can trigger an extreme inflammatory reaction called a cytokine storm. These storms cause overwhelming inflammation that leads to blocked or ruptured blood vessels. This can affect the entire circulatory system. Cytokine storms can cause immense damage, multiple organ failure, sepsis, and even death and, appear to play a major role in severe COVID-19 disease. For many decades scientists and clinicians have understood the potential benefit of suppressing neutrophils, but any attempt to do this without weakening the immune response to infection has failed. APPA APPA is a novel drug under development by AKLRD for use in osteoarthritis, a major disabling problem world-wide that is caused by low grade inflammation. The first part of its formal clinical evaluation in Liverpool, led by rheumatologist Professor Robert Moots, has recently been successfully completed. Now, in partnership between Liverpool and AKLRD, the impact of the drug on neutrophils has been examined and published. The study found that APPA clearly demonstrated anti-inflammatory potential but without weakening host defense to infection. We have shown that APPA has the potential to dampen down that bad inflammation that causes rheumatic diseases - but not impact on the crucial antimicrobial function of neutrophils. We have been waiting for too many years for such a selective drug. Our results suggest a prime role for APPA in helping safely modify aggressive immune response, not only in arthritis that I treat every day, but even, potentially, in COVID-19." Robert Moots, Professor of Rheumatology at the University of Liverpool and Director for Research and Development at Aintree University Hospital Professor Steve Edwards, a neutrophil scientist on the project at University of Liverpool said: "Therapeutically targeting the harmful effects of neutrophils in inflammation, without interfering with their ability to fight off infections, has been a long-term goal of many scientists worldwide. At last, we may be able now to realise this goal." These exciting results underpin the favorable clinical results observed in patients with Osteoarthritis, whilst also suggesting APPA has an important role to play in treating a broad range of conditions where inflammation is involved". David Miles, CEO of AKLRD New Delhi, June 1 : As the Delhi government on Monday removed the restrictions on the number of persons travelling in four-wheelers, two-wheelers, auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws and other vehicles in the city, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot urged all to maintain social distancing. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said there will also be no restrictions on the number of persons travelling in four-wheelers, two-wheelers, auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws and other vehicles in the city. "As per the new rules of the Delhi government, there will be no restrictions on vehicles such as autos, e-rickshaws, rural services for allowing only one passenger. There will also be no restriction on cars and two-wheelers etc. But I request you to fully follow the social distancing norms at the time of this corona disaster and be safe," Gahlot tweeted in Hindi. While all public transports in Delhi were shut since March 25, with the coronavirus lockdown in force, public transport in the city has been started with a cap on the number of passengers from May 19. In 2-wheelers, pillion riders were not allowed and in four-wheelers, only three people were allowed, including the driver. Auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws, and cycle-rickshaws were allowed in Delhi with only one passenger. Taxis and cabs were allowed with only two passengers. Gramin, phat-phat, and eco-friendly sevas were also allowed with only two passengers. Maxi cabs were allowed with only five passengers and RTVs with only 11 passengers. The drivers are directed to ensure the disinfection of the passenger seat after each drop-off for the safety of the next passenger. Public buses were also started from May 19, however, Kejriwal has not mentioned about any change in the limit of 20 passengers in the bus. Meanwhile, the Metro services will continue to remain shut in the national capital. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Heres where I make my plea: Make room in your heart and brain to honor what this is all about. Whether you hate the way the protests are playing out or support the way the protests are playing out or something in between, please dont let that be where you exit this desperately needed dialogue. Please let that be the beginning. Syracuse, N.Y. Syracuse hospitals are bringing back some furloughed workers as the beds that were emptied to prepare for the coronavirus pandemic are gradually filling again with patients. St. Josephs has recalled 135 of 500 workers it furloughed in April as business plummeted. Crouse has brought back 63 workers. Upstate did not furlough any workers. Before the mid-pandemic school day even starts, students at Constable Edward Finney School have to take a quiz and get a perfect score. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/6/2020 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Before the mid-pandemic school day even starts, students at Constable Edward Finney School have to take a quiz and get a perfect score. Do you or anyone in your household have a new onset of fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath or a combination of a runny nose, muscle aches, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting and any of the above respiratory symptoms? Have you had a run-in with anyone who is confirmed to have COVID-19 in the last two weeks? Have you travelled outside Manitoba in the last 14 days? On Monday, Jobandeep Kaur had all the right answers: nope, nope and nope. After weeks of anxiously awaiting a return to school to see her teacher and best friends, the nine-year-old earned her spot on the blacktop. "I feel like this is the first day at a new school all over again. Ive been in this school for like two years, but I feel like Im new here," said Kaur, a Grade 3 student, as she waited to be escorted into her classroom for the first time in more than two months. Jobandeep, her father and younger brother arrived in the schoolyard at 9 a.m. sharp; she said she was equal parts excited and nervous about the return, adding that her father has been especially anxious about the virus. Students and their families some wearing masks, others with their nervous smiles visible gathered outside the school in Winnipegs Mandalay West neighbourhood for a limited return Monday. Each group chose a colourful marker tied to the fence to stand by to ensure they were at least two metres apart. Then, they waited for school staff to approach them, ask them a series of screening questions and escort them inside, individually. The provinces decision last month to green-light a return to class in a limited capacity was met with mixed reactions in school divisions. While some schools have opted to invite students back for one-on-one tutorials, others are offering half-days back in their classrooms throughout June. "We have this window. Weve been told its safe. We dont know when its going to close, so lets use it," said Karen Hiscott, principal of the Seven Oaks School Division K-5 school. "Lets get used to what its going to look like and how were going to do this. I think the longer you keep people away, the harder it is to come back so It has been a bit rushed to be back today, full time, but Id rather this than September and trying to get people feeling safe, coming back after that length of time." Few more than a half-dozen kindergarten students started their programming in a physically distanced circle on the grass out front of the school. The goal is to keep students outside as much as possible, Hiscott said. Inside the school, teachers began to catch up with students in groups no larger than four. The learners sat on carpets and desks at least two metres apart. Should they need a bathroom break, the hallways are decorated in footprints of different sizes, guiding students through the school in a physically distanced fashion. The day has also been split in two to maximize the number of students who can return. Theres a 9 to 11 a.m. slot and a 1 to 3 p.m. slot. In between, custodians and support staff will clean doorknobs and surfaces. Pre-pandemic, almost 500 students and teachers visited Constable Edward Finney School on a given day. On Monday, all sessions included, fewer than half that number returned in some form. "Im not used to such a quiet classroom," said teacher Brianna Hicks, in between calling out Bingo words during a Grade 3 lesson. Across the city, the classrooms at Kelvin High School were also emptier than usual the norm since mid-March. Some teachers, however, returned Monday to reconfigure their classrooms for one-on-one and small group instruction in the coming weeks. 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 Crescentwood high school has been equipped with arrows that lead visitors down hallways, stairwells, classrooms, labs and offices in a meticulous manner to ensure students and staff dont break public health protocols. Upon arrival, students undertake screening, sign-in and sanitize or wash their hands in bathrooms that now have a single-person capacity. The water fountains have all been taped off. Principal Maria Silva said Monday the opportunity to return in a limited capacity will allow students to reconnect with school after a period of uncertainty. "Theres a myriad of reasons as to why they mightve had a hard time during online learning, and (this is) an opportunity to perhaps ask questions, get certain concepts reinforced and really have that teacher guidance and direction," Silva said. As per a notice sent to community members in the Winnipeg School Division, "While June wont be a full return to school as usual, it is a beginning toward our new normal." June 30 marks the last day of an unusual school year. maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie So hes an easy mark for the advisers who tell him to run like an outsider from inside the White House. Yet the presidency is not like a bankrupt casino or a second wife. Its a stewardship that belongs to the American public, and over the course of an entire term the public forms a pretty strong opinion about how well its being handled. In poll after poll, voters have been telling Trump for quite some time that they dont like the way he governs even when they like certain results. Right now, they dont even like the results. JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa has pushed back Monday's reopening of schools by a week, the Department of Basic Education said on Sunday, saying that a substantial number are not ready to welcome back pupils. The plan for grades 7 and 12, the last years of primary and secondary school respectively, to return on Monday backfired after teachers' unions and governing associations urged school staff to defy the government order, saying schools did not have protective equipment (PPE) to keep educators and pupils safe. The department said its decision followed three reports by industry players that raised concerns about the state of readiness. "The Council of Education Ministers was concerned that, in some provinces, personal protective equipment for learners in particular had not been received and some schools had not been made ready for the arrival of teachers and learners," it said. Many of South Africa's government schools are in poor shape, especially in rural areas, and analysts say that a quarter of them have no running water, making hand-washing nearly impossible. On Monday schools will reopen only for management teams, teachers and non-teaching staff for instruction on health and safety measures, to finish cleaning and focus on supply chain matters. (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; Editing by David Goodman) DALLAS, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Crossplane Capital announced the expansion of its team today with the arrival of associates Michael Bertrand and David Harris. Michael and David will be responsible for supporting the team across multiple areas, including opportunity screening, financial modeling, company and industry due diligence, and value creation planning and implementation. Prior to joining Crossplane Capital, Michael Bertrand was an investment banking analyst at Goldman Sachs, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions and financing transactions for the firm's clients. Prior to investment banking, he was a private wealth management analyst at Goldman Sachs where he worked closely with entrepreneurial families to develop wealth and investment management strategies. "Michael brings to Crossplane Capital a unique combination of advanced analytics developed from a highly-respected institution as well as hands-on experience working alongside entrepreneurs and family-owned businesses," said Crossplane Capital Managing Director, Mike Sullivan. "We are fortunate to have attracted such a high-caliber individual to join our team." Prior to joining Crossplane Capital, David Harris was a manager within Alvarez & Marsal's Performance Improvement practice where he focused on Lean Six Sigma process improvement, program management, and cost reduction projects for the firm's clients in a variety of industries that included automotive, niche manufacturing and distribution companies. "David's deep operational transformation experience from Alvarez & Marsal is a perfect complement to our strategy of focusing on complex transactions and supporting operational improvement initiatives in lower middle market industrial businesses," said Crossplane Capital Partner, Ben Eakes. "David has immediately made an impact supporting highly strategic portfolio company initiatives, while also supporting new investment opportunities." "We believe Crossplane is ideally positioned to capitalize on the wave of restructurings that will likely result from the economic fallout due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Crossplane Partner, Brian Hegi. "With Michael's and David's arrival, we have added capacity to move quickly in time sensitive transactions while also supporting our portfolio companies' margin improvement and growth initiatives." About Crossplane Capital Launched in 2018, Crossplane Capital is a private equity firm based in Dallas investing control equity in industrial business services, niche manufacturing and value-added distribution businesses. The firm focuses on complex transactions involving strategically unique, lower middle market businesses. Targeted situations include corporate carve-outs, restructurings, bankruptcies, partnering with family owned businesses seeking an operationally oriented partner, and other special situations. The Crossplane Capital team has eight decades of collective experience transforming industrial companies as senior executives, operational improvement consultants, strategy consultants, restructuring advisors and private equity investors. For more information, please visit www.crossplanecapital.com. SOURCE Crossplane Capital Related Links https://www.crossplanecapital.com Ramesh Kumar says the Andhra Pradesh government had stated that he had not been removed from his post. Vijayawada: In a swift development, the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (APSEC) cancelled its circular reinstating Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar as State Election Commissioner (SEC) and the government appointed G Vani Mohan, commissioner of cooperation, as the new secretary to SEC. The AP State Election Commission, after releasing the AP High Court verdict in the Ramesh Kumar case on May 29, had issued circular no. 317/SECA/2020 regarding resumption of charge by Ramesh Kumar as SEC. But late on Saturday night, APSEC issued another circular stating that circular no. 317/SECA/2020 had been withdrawn. This created confusion about whether Ramesh Kumar would be resuming charge as SEC. According to reports, Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney issued GO Rt No. 907 appointing Vani Mohan as secretary of the SEC. On Sunday, Kumar responded to what the state government had said about his reporting to the office. Advocate-General S Sriram, responding to the High Court judgment on the State Election Commissioner, had said that Kumar had resorted to self-restoration as SEC though there was no such order in the courts verdict. Kumar said that the state government was violating the High Court orders and it was clearly evident from the announcement made by the state government on Saturday. Kumar said that the APSEC is an independent body and the steps taken by the state government would hamper its integrity. As the government did not implement the High Court order, he would approach the High Court again for justice, he said, and added that a contempt case would be filed for not implementing the court order. Kumar claimed that the AP High Court on May 29 (Writ Petition No.8163 of 2020 at Para No. 307) had set aside Ordinance No. 5 dated 10.04.2020 as also the consequential GOs which notified the appointment of Justice (retd) V Kanagaraju as SEC. He said that the High Court in paragraph 308 of the judgment directed the state government to restore his position as SEC and allow him to continue in office until completion of tenure on March 31, 2021. According to the judgment, he claimed, Justice Kanagaraju ceases to hold office as SEC. His appointment is therefore deemed to be void ab initio. Since, a Constitutional post cannot remain vacant and also that the AP Government contended and stated that I was not removed, but by virtue of the Ordinance I cease to continue as State Election Commissioner, as such, I was given to understand that my position becomes status quo ante and that I stand restored to the office of the State Election Commissioner. Accordingly, I issued a communication of assumption of charge, and the Secretary of AP State Election Commission issued the proceedings on 29.05.2020 notifying my restoration, Kumar said. The tone and tenor of the governments press conference revealed its intention not to implement the directions of the High Court by citing reasons which are wholly untenable. It is highly regrettable that the AP government continues to show its utter disregard for the independence and integrity of the institution of the State Election Commission, he said. He claimed that the stand taken by the state government is in clear violation of the directions and judgment of the AP High Court. Threat intelligence is a key part of any enterprise security program. Click here to learn why understanding your threat landscape can prevent major damage to your operations and reputation. For ongoing threat intelligence, subscribe to DXCs monthly Threat Intelligence Report, a compilation of the latest threats, breaches, cyber crimes and nation-state activities. The report is part of DXC Labs | Security, which provides insights to the security industry. The mother of a 30-year-old tenant who was shot and killed in his rented home at Ofankor said her son was destined for to be a star. Spark Benjamin was a budding musician who was murdered by his landlord. His mother, Stella Okyere, believed her son was a devoted musician that was destined for greatness. Speaking to GhanaWeb, she stated that the deceased always told her that she was a mother of a superstar in waiting. My sons death is really a blow to us. He was a beacon of hope. We are no rich but Benjamin was a big inspiration to us. He always told me that my labour will not be in vain. He also used to tell he and his siblings are stars in waiting so I should watch out. She also mentioned that his dead son was the lifeline of the family, hence his passing away will have a devastating effect on the family. My son was my go to person in times of need. He supported me whenever I needed money to go to the hospital. As he is gone now, where will my help come from when Im in need? A week ago, May 24, 2020, a landlord, Victor Stephen Nana Kankam, reportedly murdered his tenant at Ofankor in the Greater Accra region. The landlord, according to police extract, shot budding musician Spark Benjamine, who was rushed to the police station with multiple injuries. The victim was subsequently rushed to the Police Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. DSP George Asare, the district commander and his team who went to the crime scene said they saw a pool of blood at the entrance of the deceaseds rented apartment. The suspect has been detained to assist the police in their investigations. 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 New Delhi/Srinagar, June 1 : Pakistan's new terror group for Kashmir 'The Resistance Front' (TRF) has threatened to kill non-Kashmiris if they try to settle down in Kashmir under the new domicile law of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. In a statement which was released through its channels on online messaging platforms, TRF--a front of the banned Pakistani terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba--"openly" declared that "any Indian who comes with the intention to settle in Kashmir will be treated as an agent of RSS and not as a civilian and will be dealt with appropriately". The TRF threat issued on its letterhead, comes weeks after the central government introduced a new domicile law for the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. As per the new law, any person who has resided in J&K for a period of 15 years will be eligible for the domicile certificate. A student who has studied for seven years and passed Class 10 or Class 12 in the Union Territory of J&K can also apply for the domicile certificate. The law also offers domicile rights to all the displaced people due to militancy and are registered with the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants) in J&K. On Monday, TRF in its statement alleged that the new domicile law was an RSS-BJP "plot to change the demography of Kashmir" "hatched whereby RSS fascists will be settled in Kashmir under the garb of civilian cover". The terror group said that though it observes the principles of Islam and does not harm "non-combatant/civilian of any race, religion or ethnicity under any circumstances" but "it will not be deceived by the machinations of RSS-BJP". Incidentally, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has been persistently running a social media campaign against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, using the same rhetoric. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text At last, our Government is displaying a backbone - and a sense of honour - in its dealings with the totalitarian Communist regime of Beijing. Interviewed by the BBC's Andrew Marr yesterday, the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab declared that unless the Chinese Communist Party revoked its decision last week to apply its own tyrannical and capricious 'anti-subversion' policies to the previously protected citizens of Hong Kong, we would extend (from six months to a year) UK visa rights to the territory's 350,000 British National Overseas (BNO) passport holders. And Raab did not rule out extending this to a further three million Hong Kong citizens who were born under British rule but who had let their BNO passports lapse. Dominic Raab (pictured on the Andrew Marr Show yesterday) declared unless China revoked its decision to apply its 'anti-subversion' policies to the previously protected citizens of Hong Kong, we would extend UK visa rights to the territory's BNO passport holders This, the Foreign Secretary told Marr, would create 'a pathway to future British citizenship' for some of the world's most highly-educated and hard-working people. It is the correct response to the way that Beijing has peremptorily trashed the guarantee in the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, which had promised (under the mantra 'one country, two systems') that freedom of speech and assembly for Hong Kong residents would remain protected by an independent judiciary in the former colony after 'handover' in 1997. Massacre When this decision of China's President-for-life Xi Jinping (rubber-stamped last week by the Chinese Congress) is imposed on Hong Kong, it will mean that anyone in the territory whom Beijing regards as subversive - that is, inconvenient - can be grabbed off the streets and carted off to the mainland to experience who knows what horrors at the hands of a regime which tortures and 'disappears' its astonishingly brave internal critics. Zhao Lijian, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman - a charmer who has been promoting the line that Covid-19 had been unleashed on Wuhan by 'the U.S. military' - responded to Raab's initiative by saying that Beijing 'reserves the right to take corresponding countermeasures' against the UK. Well, if China wants to offer Britons the right to apply for eventual citizenship there, I think we can live with that. When this decision of China's President-for-life Xi Jinping (rubber-stamped last week by the Chinese Congress) is imposed on Hong Kong, it will mean that anyone in the territory whom Beijing regards as subversive - that is, inconvenient - can be grabbed off the streets Zhao also declared it was a breach of the UK's obligations in the Joint Declaration to offer such rights to Hong Kong's BNO Passport holders. This is ripe: China has itself already declared that the Joint Declaration is a 'historical document' which 'no longer has any practical significance', and Zhao's own ministry has brusquely observed that 'it is not at all binding on the central government's management over Hong Kong'. Many of us could see this coming, long before Xi Jinping inaugurated a policy of reducing even the limited freedoms and independence of thought that previously existed on the mainland. Our fears for the future of Hong Kong were galvanised by the Tiananmen Square massacre of June 1989, when thousands of unarmed (mostly young) people were slaughtered by the 'People's Liberation Army'. This demonstrated just what a Communist regime which continued to regard Stalin as beyond criticism was capable of doing. And it's worth reminding ourselves of the secret diplomatic cables of the then British Ambassador to China, Sir Alan Donald, which two and a half years ago were discovered in the UK national archives by Hong Kong journalists. Zhao Lijian, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, responded to Raab's initiative by saying that Beijing 'reserves the right to take corresponding countermeasures' against the UK Sir Alan reported to London that 'Army APCs [armoured personnel carriers] opened fire on the crowd before running over them. APCs ran over . . . civilians at 65kph. Students linked arms but were mown down. APCs then ran over bodies time and time again to make 'pie', and remains collected by bulldozer . . . Remains incinerated and then hosed down drains.' Sir Alan's cable went on: 'Wounded girl students begged for their lives but were bayoneted . . . 1,000 survivors were told they could escape but were then mown down by specially prepared MG [machine gun] positions.' The final sentence of his cable read: 'Minimum estimate of civilian dead 10,000.' At the time of the tragedy, I was deputy editor of the Spectator magazine: we mounted a campaign to persuade the prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, to immediately offer a right of UK citizenship to the more than three million Hong Kong holders of BNO passports. The Spectator's editor then, Charles Moore, was one of Mrs Thatcher's favourite journalists (she later approved him as her biographer). But our campaign failed, although Thatcher was initially sympathetic to the idea of at least taking in around 250,000 applicants, not just because of her horror at what had happened but because she saw the highly aspirational and hard-working Hong Kong citizens as exemplars. At the time of the Tiananmen Square massacre of June 1989, the Spectator magazine mounted a campaign to persuade the prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, to offer a right of UK citizenship to the more than three million Hong Kong holders of BNO passports Norman Tebbit's backbench revolt succeeded and Mrs Thatcher closed the escape hatch for the citizens of the colony. But last November, he signed a letter to Boris Johnson, calling on the PM to change the status of Hong Kong's BNO passport holders 'to make it easier for them to move to the UK' Revolt However, Norman Tebbit, the former Conservative Party chairman, led a vehement backbench counter-campaign, arguing that keeping the party's pledge of 'no further large-scale immigration' was much more important than the PM's concern about the future of Hong Kong's BNO passport holders. The revolt of about 100 Tory MPs, cynically backed by the Labour opposition (on the grounds that such an offer to 'wealthy' Hong Kong citizens would be 'elitist') threatened to exceed the government's majority in Parliament. Facing defeat, Thatcher conceded to Tebbit. The Spectator published a leading article reminding the PM that before negotiating the settlement with China in 1984, she declared: 'I shall speak not only for Britain but for Britain's moral responsibility and duty to the people of Hong Kong.' We observed: 'If she does not, if three and half million people are to be abandoned, she will have presided over something worse than [Neville Chamberlain's] betrayal of Czechoslovakia in 1938 . . . worse, because our responsibility is more absolute.' The secret diplomatic cables of the then British Ambassador to China, Sir Alan Donald (pictured right with Hong Kong Governor Sir David Wilson), were discovered two and a half years ago in the UK national archives by Hong Kong journalists As I say, Tebbit's backbench revolt succeeded and Mrs Thatcher closed the escape hatch for the citizens of the colony (which unlike our other colonies, and for obvious reasons, never had the choice of independence). But what does Lord Tebbit - as he is now - say today? Last November, in the wake of the Beijing-mandated crackdown in Hong Kong, he was one of 179 parliamentarians who signed a letter to Boris Johnson, calling on the PM to change the status of Hong Kong's BNO passport holders 'to make it easier for them to move to the UK'. Courageous The letter described not extending those rights sooner as 'an historic error'. It added that 'the one country two systems settlement is on the brink. By increasing the rights of BNO passport holders, we can not only correct this historic error, but also we can provide the support that these British nationals in Hong Kong vitally need.' It was courageous of Lord Tebbit - a brave man in his personal life, too - to admit the error in what he had done over 30 years ago. Tebbit is also a long-standing Brexit supporter, convinced that EU free movement had led to unsustainably high levels of uncontrolled migration into the UK. Interestingly, the current cabinet member whose politics most closely resemble those of Norman Tebbit, Priti Patel, is also passionately in favour of extending rights to the Hong Kong BNO passport holders However, he appreciates the particular moral obligations we now have in respect of the people of Hong Kong. And, like his former boss Mrs Thatcher, is vividly aware of the prosperity which could be brought by such an entrepreneurial people (Hong Kong's average personal income dwarfs that of the former Eastern Europe). Interestingly, the current cabinet member whose politics most closely resemble those of Norman Tebbit, Priti Patel, is also passionately in favour of extending rights to the Hong Kong BNO passport holders. Indeed, she has been arguing in cabinet for such a policy for months. As Dominic Raab pointed out yesterday, Patel's parents were among those Ugandan Asians to whom we offered a home after they were threatened by the odious Idi Amin; and Raab's own father was a Czech Jew taken in by this country after the Nazi regime occupied his homeland. To Marr's obvious question -can we really offer the possibility of refuge to as many as three million Hong Kong BNO passport holders? - Raab said it was inconceivable that more than a small minority of them would up sticks and come to the UK, and that the visa extension would be for a year, not, at this stage, indefinite. But above all, he said: 'It is a point of principle. If China revokes the freedoms guaranteed to Hong Kong by the treaty we jointly signed, we will not evade our responsibilities.' Those are the words some of us hoped to hear more than 30 years ago. MCLEAN, Va., June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE: COF) ("Capital One") announced today that its subsidiaries Capital One, National Association, and Capital One Bank (USA), National Association (each, an "Offeror" and, collectively, the "Offerors") have commenced offers (the "Offers") to purchase for cash any and all of their applicable securities listed in the table below (the "Securities") from each registered holder of the Securities (the "Holders"): CUSIP Number Title of Security Par Call Date Aggregate Principal Amount Outstanding Reference U.S. Treasury Security Bloomberg Reference Page Fixed Spread (basis points) Fixed Price(1) 14042E3Y4 2.950% Senior Notes due 2021 June 23, 2021 $1,250,000,000 0.125% U.S. Treasury Security due May 31, 2022 FIT1 65 n/a 14042RBT7 2.250% Senior Notes due 2021 August 13, 2021 $1,000,000,000 0.125% U.S. Treasury Security due May 31, 2022 FIT1 65 n/a 14042TCS4 2.014% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2023 January 27, 2022 $1,250,000,000 0.125% U.S. Treasury Security due May 31, 2022 FIT1 130 n/a 14042RFJ5 Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2023 January 30, 2022 $500,000,000 n/a n/a n/a $992.50 14042RHB0 Floating Rate Notes due 2022 July 8, 2022 $300,000,000 n/a n/a n/a $996.25 14042RHC8 2.650% Senior Notes due 2022 July 8, 2022 $1,000,000,000 0.125% U.S. Treasury Security due May 31, 2022 FIT1 80 n/a 14042RNW7 2.150% Senior Notes due 2022 August 6, 2022 $1,500,000,000 0.125% U.S. Treasury Security due May 31, 2022 FIT1 90 n/a 14042TCT2 2.280% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2026 January 28, 2025 $750,000,000 0.250% U.S. Treasury Security due May 31, 2025 FIT1 185 n/a Issued by Capital One Bank (USA), National Association. All other Securities were issued by Capital One, National Association. (1) Per $1,000 principal amount of Securities. The Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2023 and the Floating Rate Notes due 2022 are designated as "Fixed Price Securities." The applicable U.S. dollar amount set forth under the heading "Fixed Price" above will be the Purchase Price for the corresponding Fixed Price Securities per $1,000 principal amount of such Series of Securities validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) by the Holders at any time on or prior to the Expiration Date and accepted for purchase by the Offerors. The applicable Purchase Price payable for each Series of Securities (other than the Fixed Price Securities) will be a price per $1,000 principal amount of such Series of Securities validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) by the Holders at any time on or prior to the Expiration Date and accepted for purchase by the Offerors, which is calculated using the applicable Fixed Spread set forth under the heading "Fixed Spread" above, as more fully described in the Offer to Purchase. The Offers are being made pursuant to an Offer to Purchase dated June 1, 2020, which contains detailed information concerning the terms of the Offers. The Offers are scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 5, 2020 unless extended or earlier terminated (the "Expiration Date"). Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offers, the Settlement Date is expected to be June 10, 2020. The Offerors will pay the applicable purchase price determined as described above (the "Purchase Price"), plus accrued and unpaid interest from the most recent interest payment date to, but not including, the Settlement Date (the "Accrued Interest") for any Securities validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) by the Holders at any time on or prior to the Expiration Date and accepted for purchase by the applicable Offeror in same-day funds on the Settlement Date. The Purchase Price payable for each Series of Securities (other than the Fixed Price Securities) will be a price per $1,000 principal amount of such Series of Securities equal to an amount, calculated in accordance with the Offer to Purchase, that would reflect, as of the Expiration Date, a yield to the applicable par call date of such Series of Securities equal to the sum of (i) the Reference Yield (as defined below) for such Series of Securities, determined at 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Expiration Date plus (ii) the fixed spread applicable to such series, as set forth above (the "Fixed Spread"), in each case minus Accrued Interest on the Securities. The "Reference Yield" means, with respect to each Series of Securities, the yield of the applicable reference security listed above (the "Reference Security") for such Series of Securities. For certain Series of Securities designated above as the Fixed Price Securities, the Purchase Price will be the fixed price per $1,000 principal amount of such Series of Securities set forth on the front cover of the Offer to Purchase under the heading "Fixed Price." Tenders of Securities pursuant to any of the Offers may be validly withdrawn at any time before the earlier of (i) the Expiration Date, and (ii) if such Offer is extended, the 10th business day after commencement of such Offer. Securities subject to any of the Offers may also be validly withdrawn at any time after the 60th business day after commencement of such Offer if for any reason such Offer has not been consummated within 60 business days after commencement. The Offers are conditioned on satisfaction of certain customary general conditions described in the Offer to Purchase. None of the Offers is conditioned upon the completion of any of the other Offers, and each Offer is independent of any other Offer. None of the Offers is conditioned on a minimum principal amount of any Series of Securities being tendered. Subject to applicable law, each of the Offerors may, at its sole discretion, waive any condition applicable to any of the Offers and may extend any of the Offers. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this press release shall have meanings ascribed to them in the Offer to Purchase. Each of the Offerors expressly reserves the right, in its sole discretion, at any time or from time to time, regardless of whether or not the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase for any of the Offers has been satisfied, subject to applicable law, to extend the Expiration Date for any of the Offers, or to amend in any respect or to terminate any of the Offers, in each case by giving written or oral notice of such extension, amendment or termination to the Tender Agent. The Offerors have appointed Barclays Capital Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, and Capital One Securities, Inc. to act as dealer managers for the Offers, and have retained D.F. King & Co., Inc. to serve as the information agent and the tender agent. Requests for documents may be directed to D.F. King & Co., Inc. by telephone at +1 (212) 269-5550 (banks and brokers) or +1 (800) 591-6313 or email at [email protected]. Questions regarding the Offers may be directed to Barclays Capital Inc. toll free at (800) 438-3242 or collect at (212) 528-7581, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC toll free at (800) 820-1653 or collect at (212) 325-6340, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC toll free at (866) 834-4666 or collect at (212) 834-8553, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC toll free at (800) 624-1808 or collect at (212) 761-1057, or Capital One Securities, Inc. toll free at (800) 666-9174. Copies of the Offer to Purchase, and related Notice of Guaranteed Delivery and the other relevant notices and documents are available at the Offer Website at http://www.dfking.com/COF. This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to purchase nor the solicitation of an offer to sell any Securities. The Offers are being made only pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and related Notice of Guaranteed Delivery. The Offers are not being made to holders of Securities 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. None of the Offerors, the Dealer Managers, the Information Agent, the Tender Agent or any of their respective affiliates makes any recommendation in connection with the Offers. Please refer to the Offer to Purchase for a description of terms, conditions, disclaimers and other information applicable to the Offers. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release may constitute forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Capital One cautions readers that any forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information due to a number of factors, including those listed from time to time in reports that Capital One files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. About Capital One Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries, which include Capital One, National Association, and Capital One Bank (USA), National Association, had $269.7 billion in deposits and $396.9 billion in total assets as of March 31, 2020. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One offers a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients through a variety of channels. Capital One, National Association has branches located primarily in New York, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey and the District of Columbia. A Fortune 500 company, Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "COF" and is included in the S&P 100 Index. SOURCE Capital One Financial Corporation Related Links http://www.capitalone.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 10:48:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Screenshot shows the tweet posted by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on May 31, 2020. Bowser said in a statement the curfew would last "from 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, until 6:00 a.m. on Monday, June 1." She had also activated the D.C. National Guard to support the local police. WASHINGTON, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on Sunday night she was imposing a citywide curfew amid rising tensions between protesters and police outside the White House over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed in Minneapolis police custody. Bowser said in a statement the curfew would last "from 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 31, until 6:00 a.m. on Monday, June 1." She had also activated the D.C. National Guard to support the local police. Protesters rally towards the White House during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 30, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Sunday marked the third day in a row of protests in the U.S. capital over the death of Floyd. While the clash between protesters and law enforcement officers was less severe than that in other parts of the country, D.C. Chief of Police Peter Newsham said on Sunday the Metropolitan Police Department still arrested 17 people Saturday night and that 11 police officers were injured during the protests. Floyd, aged 46, died on May 25 after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, held him down with a knee on his neck though he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," and "please, I can't breathe." Chauvin was arrested and charged with three-degree murder and manslaughter earlier on Friday. A protester stands in front of the Capitol Building during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Washington D.C., the United States, on May 30, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Floyd's plea before his death evoked African Americans' painful memories. In 2014, a cellphone recorded an unarmed black man, Eric Garner, 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. The Indian Army soldiers foiled an infiltration attempt from across the border in Jammu and Kashmirs Naushera sector in Rajouri district. Three terrorists who were trying to cross over to India were killed in the operation, the army claimed. The operation has been going on since May 28 (Sunday), it further said. An army officer said that the terrorists had entered Indian territory where they were eliminated. The troops have launched a search operation in Rajouri and half a dozen villages in Poonch district. A separate search operation has also been launched by the Border Security Force (BSF) and police in the Hiranagar area of Jammu and Kashmirs Kathua-Samba sector, news agency PTI reported. The operation was launched on Sunday night after security forces received information about the movement along the international border, it further reported. The operation is going on in Samba sectors riverine areas of Basantar and Eik Nalah areas, which are adjacent to Hiranagar, PTI quoted officials as saying. In the last few years, terrorists have infiltrated into India through Hiranagar and Samba and carried out attacks on army camps, police stations in Samba, Kathua, Jammu and Nagrota areas. Checkpoints along the International Border and on the Jammu-Pathankot highway are on alert. Thousands of people have protested internationally in a show of solidarity with US protests against the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American, died after a policeman pressed his knee on his throat for nine minutes. Several demonstrations took place in Germany. In the Bavarian capital of Munich, 400 people gathered on Saturday evening, including a march on the citys US Consulate. Several protests took place in Berlin over the weekend. On Sunday, a protest march through the Kreuzberg district attracted around 1,500 mostly young people. They demonstrated under a banner Justice for George Floyd and carried signs with inscriptions including: I cant breathe, Justice for George Floyd and Being black is not a crime. Shortly before, a Memorial March against racist police violence in the USA marched to the Brandenburg Gate. Protesters in Trafalgar Square in London chanting George Floyd The largest demonstration took place on Saturday in front of the US Embassy in Berlin. More than 2,000 people expressed their anger at the brutal police violence. Banners included, Justice for George Floyd! and Against Racist Police Violence. Demonstrators not only protested Floyd's death, but also the conditions in Germany and the growth of far-right forces within the state. Neo-Nazi structures in the police force must be uncovered, said one of the speakers. One participant explained: the denazification that allegedly took place after World War II never really took place. We still have Nazis in various structural areas. Another referred directly to police violence in Germany: it is by no means an isolated incident. It happens almost daily in Germany, she explained, recalling the case of Oury Jalloh, who burned to death in a prison cell in 2005. On Saturday, up to 5,000 people demonstrated in the Danish capital Copenhagen. Protesters began their protest at the US embassy in sterbro and finished at Christianborg. Last Thursday, demonstrators protested outside the US consulate in Milan, Italy. During the day, a mural was painted in the city reading I Cant Breathe in reference to Floyds last words. In Canada, thousands protested Saturday in Torontos Christie Pitts Park at the deaths of Floyd and Regis Korchinski-Paquet. Korchinski-Paquet, a 29-year-old black woman died last Wednesday, after falling from her 24th-floor balcony when police officers were called to her home. Korchinski-Paquets family are seeking to establish the truth about how she died and dispute the police version of events. Solidarity demonstrations were held in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, where hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians marched Saturday in protest against the killing by Israeli border police of Iyad Halak. Halak, a disabled Palestinian man who had autism was shot in Jerusalems Old City. Demonstrators held placards reading Palestinian Lives Matter and Justice for Iyad, Justice for George. In London, thousands gathered in Trafalgar Square on Sunday afternoon, before marching past Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament. They crossed the River Thames to rally outside the US embassy at Nine Elms in the Battersea area. The protestors chanted No justice, no peace, Black lives matter and Say my name, George Floyd. They carried banners with the slogans Justice for George Floyd, Racism has no place and I cant breathe. People march from Parliament Square in central London on Sunday, May 31, 2020, to protest against the recent killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, USA, that has led to protests in many countries and across the US. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) One protester told Sophie Walsh, European correspondent for Australias Nine News, expect more and bigger protests here, weve had enough. At 1pm, protesters dropped to their knees in memory of Floyd. The demonstration stopped traffic on Lambeth Bridge and blocked the road to the US embassy. Many drivers sounded their horns in support as they passed, and onlookers applauded the march. Showing a recognition of the fundamental and international class issues involved in Floyds death, some protestors made their way to Grenfell Tower in North Kensington in west London, where 72 people were killed in a horrific fire in 2017 caused by decades of deregulation, neglect and reckless profiteering. The Metropolitan Police were deployed in large numbers to confront protesters. Walsh tweeted a video noting the police show of force as they cleared the Whitehall area. At the US Embassy, police lined up to prevent protesters going any further. They made several arrests. Protesters brought placards demanding Justice for Belly. Rail worker Belly Mujinga died last month after being spat on by a man claiming to have coronavirus. Nothing has been done by the authorities, with the British Transport Police deciding not to prosecute the man. Sundays protests in London followed a march of several hundred people in Peckham in the south of the capital, on Saturday. A number carried banners including one reading Solidarity. Other protests in Britain took place on Sunday in Manchester and Cardiff. In Cardiff, hundreds of people gathered by the walls of the citys castle. One banner read: If you are neutral in situations of injustice you have chosen the side of the oppressor. In Manchester, protesters marched through some of the citys main thoroughfares including Market Street, St Anns Square and Peter Street. The march finished in St Peters Square, where protesters kneeled in tribute to Floyd. This was just yards from the site of the 1819 Peterloo Massacre, where yeomanry and regular cavalry attacked and killed protesting workers. Among their chants were Justice for George Floyd and The UK is not innocentreferencing deaths in police custody. Proving this last point, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has refused to comment on US President Donald Trumps fascistic response to the protests in America. Trump denounced the protesters as THUGS and threatened to send in the military to quash demonstrations. On Friday, he tweeted: Any difficulty and we will assume control, but when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Protesters marching in London from Trafalgar Square down Whitehall Speaking in an interview with Sky News Sunday morning, Raab said: Im not going to start commenting on the commentary or indeed the press statements that other world leaders make, or indeed the US president. The British state has its own brutal record of police violence. The London Metropolitan police alone used violence a staggering 41,477 times in a five-month period in 2018. In that period, police fired or aimed Tasers at suspects 2,663 times and trained real firearms on suspects 591 times in Londonan average of nearly four times a day. In the year 2017-2018, 283 people lost their lives following contact with UK police. Of these, 23 occurred in or following police custody, 57 were supposed suicides following custody and 29 related to road traffic incidents. There were four police shootings (three of which were related to terrorism) and 170 unspecified other deaths at the hands of the police. As in the US, this violence falls disproportionately on the black populationparticularly young black menbut is rooted fundamentally in the oppression of the entire working class by the capitalist state. More protests are planned in the UK in the coming weekon June 3, 6 and 7 in London, June 6 in Manchester and June 4 in Birmingham. Similar events are being prepared across Europe. The rallies are also extending into the Asia-Pacific. Several hundred gathered in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday to express their support for the US demonstrations. The protesters also condemned a recent unprovoked assault on a 33-year-old worker of Kurdish origin by Tokyo police. Footage of the attack, showing the man being held to the ground by two officers while they brutalised him, went viral and provoked widespread anger. Part of the protest in Tokyo, Credit: @Gregor_Wakounig (Twitter) The demonstrators marched from Shibuya Square, a well-known rallying place, to Shibuya police station. They demanded that the authorities Turn over the criminal policemen involved in the attack on the Kurdish worker and chanted other slogans, including Do not discriminate against foreigners! Police, in large numbers, sought to break up the protest and arrested at least one activist. In Australia, thousands of people have indicated on social media that they will attend protests over the coming days in the capital cities including Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. In addition to extending solidarity to the US demonstrations, they will be raising opposition to police killings in Australia, many of which have targeted Aboriginal people. This morning, Prime Minister Scott Morrison expressed fears that the US protests are resonating among Australian workers and young people. There's no need to import things happening in other countries here to Australia, he said, adding that Australia is not the United States. In New Zealand, rallies will be held in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, beginning this afternoon. The Rainbow Sherbet TruPod will be available throughout the month, with a portion of proceeds going towards eight local non-profits TALLAHASSEE, FL, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL &OTCQX: TCNNF) ("Trulieve" or "the Company"), a leading and top-performing cannabis company based in the United States, today announced partnerships with several Florida-based non-profits in support of Pride Month. Throughout the month of June, a portion of proceeds from the limited edition TruPod in the strain Rainbow Sherbet will be donated across the eight organizations. "Trulieve was built on the idea of investing in communities and in the people we employ and support, and we're incredibly proud of how we've achieved these goals. We've worked hard to ensure that our internal team and the entire Truliever community feels safe, welcomed, and comfortable when they're in our facilities, our dispensaries, and at our events," said Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers. "As we begin our celebration of Pride Month, we are glad to be working with groups that make Florida a safer, more inclusive place for LGBTQ+ people," Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers said. "This month's activities extend our long-term relationships with these non-profit organizations and build on our on-going efforts to foster diversity and inclusion throughout the company. We believe in the work they are doing and are honored to support them during Pride Month especially, but also year-round." "During this time of celebration, we also acknowledge the news of injustices across the country and want to reaffirm our commitment to making Trulieve a company that stands for the rights and dignity of all people," added Rivers. Trulieve's full statement on social justice and recent events can be found here. The eight non-profits that are part of the Pride Month partnership are focused on LGBTQ+ and Diversity and Inclusion efforts across the state, with a strong focus on improving the health and wellness of their local communities. Reaching from Bay County to Miami-Dade, they are (in alphabetical order): Equality Florida, the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for the LGBTQ+ community through lobbying, grassroots organizing, education, and coalition building, so that no one suffers harassment or discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Tampa Bay LGBT Chamber of Commerce, an organization representing over 250 businesses throughout seven Florida counties, dedicated to advancing common business interests, economic growth, and equality in the workplace for LGBT businesses by providing education, networking, and community engagement. LGBTQ Center of Bay County, an organization dedicated to enhancing and sustaining the health and well-being of the LGBTQ+ population of Bay County through programs and services that foster and empower the community, as well as embracing, promoting, and supporting LGBTQ cultural diversity. Metro Inclusive Health, a non-profit "committed to providing quality health and wellness services that are inclusive, relevant, supportive," and representative of the experiences within the community. Metro Inclusive Health has several active community centers throughout the Tampa Bay area which provide comprehensive services and care for the entire community. One Orlando Alliance, a coalition of more than 40 LGBTQ+ organizations across Central Florida, serving as a model of non-profits, businesses, philanthropies, and institutions "working together to create a safe, welcoming and inclusive community." Pridelines, a South Florida non-profit hoping to support, educate, and empower the local LGBTQ+ youth and community in safe and diverse spaces to foster social change, and promote dialogue and wellness. QLatinx, a "grassroots racial, social, and gender justice organization dedicated to the advancement and empowerment of Central Florida's LGBTQ+ Latinx community." 26Health, a "health organization that transforms lives by advancing health, wellness, and equality" within the LGBTQ+ community. The organization provides accessible community-based care to meet an individual's health needs, regardless of insurance. During the month of June, Trulieve will sell a special, limited edition Rainbow Sherbet TruPod and accompanying rainbow patterned "TruSTIK" vaporizer. A portion of the proceeds from the cartridge and battery will go towards the community partners listed above. As the state's leading medical cannabis provider, Trulieve's employees are experienced, knowledgeable, and eager to help patients. Trulieve encourages potential patients, as well as patients who are new to cannabis and our wide array of products, to connect with the staff in-store or through the online chat feature to learn more. As the state begins the process of reopening, Trulieve will continue to make our entire catalog of products available for ordering online, with in-store pickup, curbside pickup, or home delivery options available. Additionally, to assist with CDC guidelines for social distancing and company-enforced safety guidelines, several measures have been taken to ensure the health and well-being of employees and patients, including limiting visitors to the dispensary to patients only and modifying store layouts to assist with social distancing. A full list of initiatives enacted by Trulieve in response to COVID-19 are available online at Trulieve.com. In stores and online, patients will find Florida's largest selection of THC and CBD products, available in a variety of delivery methods, including smokable cannabis, concentrates, tinctures, topical creams, vaporizers, and more. Trulieve also offers home delivery statewide for patients, and convenient in-store pick-up at its 48 dispensaries in locations across the state from Pensacola to Key West. The Office of Medical Marijuana Use recently announced the registry has surpassed 340,000 registered medical marijuana patients with an active ID card, with Trulieve consistently selling approximately half of the state's overall volume, per the Florida Department of Health. There are nearly 2,500 registered ordering physicians in the State of Florida as well. For more information, please visit www.Trulieve.com. About Trulieve Trulieve is a vertically integrated "seed-to-sale" company and is the first and largest fully licensed medical cannabis company in the State of Florida. Trulieve cultivates and produces all of its products in-house and distributes those products to Trulieve-branded stores (dispensaries) throughout the State of Florida, as well as directly to patients via home delivery. Trulieve also operates in California, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Trulieve is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol TRUL and trades on the OTCQX market under the symbol TCNNF. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold within the United States (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements. To learn more about Trulieve, visit www.Trulieve.com. SOURCE Trulieve Cannabis Corp. Bible teacher and author Ed Moore explains the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven from a Biblical standpoint as related to modern day events SUISUN CITY, Calif., June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Sweet Mystery of Humankind and Climate Change by Bible teacher Ed Moore presents the answers that were written over many centuries ago with divine precision to questions such as: Why are we here? Why are things in our world so opposed to our well-being and happiness? Why do we have wars? What happens next? Can we save the planet? Moore details in his book that only God can provide these answers as his ancients described things in a way that cause people to search for them. He also explains how these mysteries have been revealed by recent scientific discoveries in which the ancients could not have possibly understood themselves, even as they wrote about them, such as the invention of computers. I wrote this book to cause people to think about the real-world system and what it is doing to them, said Moore. Everyone can escape the great tribulation that is coming soon through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Climate change is coming, applied by God. It is bad, but it is good for us when God changes it for us. Moore recently explained how the COVID-19 pandemic was predicted in the Bible in Matthew 24 verse 7 as it discusses pandemics as plagues and mentions in Isaiah Chapter 2 the Day of the Lord is going to happen and is a tribulation that is coming up. Additionally, the pandemic is discussed in Isaiah Chapter 2 verses 12 and 14 how pleasure crafts, which equate to modern day cruise ships, contained people plagued with the pandemic who had difficulty finding a place to dock. Moore continues with the question of how would they know about pleasure ships/cruise ships over 2,500 years ago? The answer to this question and more can be found in his book The Sweet Mystery of Humankind and Climate Change. The Sweet Mystery of Humankind and Climate Change By Ed Moore ISBN: 978-1-4908-4727-6 (sc); 978-1-4908-4726-9 (e) Available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and WestBow Press Story continues About the Author Ed Moore is an associate engineer, trained and employed by major oil companies. He was also a designer for the Alaska Pipeline project and taught at a community college for the University of Alaska. Now retired, he teaches Bible classes while continuing Bible research and is also the author of You Can Understand the Book of Revelation. Moore is currently working on his next book and resides in Suisun City, California. WestBow Press is a strategic supported self-publishing alliance between HarperCollins Christian Publishing and Author Solutions, LLC the world leader in supported self-publishing. Titles published through WestBow Press are evaluated for sales potential and considered for publication through Thomas Nelson and Zondervan. For more information, visit www.westbowpress.com or call (866)-928-1240. Attachment Lauren Dickerson LAVIDGE 480-306-7117 ldickerson@lavidge.com 9 Beats USA, a new company based on the music education method by 9 Beats in China, has recently partnered with electronic instrument manufacturer Roland to create more music schools in the United States. In China, 9 Beats has 1,200 locations and uses a combination of small-group classes and app learning to teach students a variety of percussion and guitar styles. They really approach learning to play a musical instrument as a fun activity, something you can do as a group, something you [can] do after school, says Elizabeth Lang, CEO of 9 Beats USA. Lang explains that 9 Beats uses an app as a virtual whiteboard. During lessons, teachers write on the board within the app and then send the lessons home to students to use when practicing. Currently, 9 Beats USA is developing its headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California. However, due to the shelter in place from the COVID-19 outbreak, construction of brick-and-mortar music schools has paused. In the meantime, the companys focus is on developing an American version of the 9 Beats app. When music schools do open, 9 Beats will use instruments from Roland. We can bring technology into a younger crowd that embraces it and already uses it, says Brian Alli, vice president of global artist and influencer relations for Roland. Along with the partnership, 9 Beats had another exciting development: The company recently secured a new brand ambassador, 11-year-old drummer Milana. Lang and Alli plan to work with Milana on educational content for kids her age. Were excited to put somebody whos their age in front of them with that enthusiasm, Lang says. Photo courtesy of Francesco Desmaele. MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Two members of a Reuters TV crew were hit by rubber bullets and a photographer's camera was smashed in Minneapolis on Saturday night as attacks against journalists covering civil unrest in U.S. cities intensified. Footage taken by cameraman Julio-Cesar Chavez showed a police officer aiming directly at him as police fired rubber bullets, pepper spray and tear gas to disperse about 500 protesters in the southwest of the city shortly after the 8 p.m. curfew. "A police officer that I'm filming turns around points his rubber-bullet rifle straight at me," said Chavez. Minutes later, Chavez and Reuters security advisor Rodney Seward were struck by rubber bullets as they took cover at a nearby gas station. On footage captured as they ran for safety, several shots are heard ringing out and Seward yells, "I've been hit in the face by a rubber bullet." Asked about the incident, Minneapolis Police Department spokesman John Elder requested a copy of the video, which Reuters subsequently provided. The department didn't respond to an email on Sunday. "We strongly object to police firing rubber bullets at our crew in Minneapolis and are addressing the situation with the authorities," a Reuters spokesperson said on Sunday. "It was clear that both our reporter and security advisor were members of the press and not a threat to public order. Journalists must be allowed to report the news without fear of harassment or harm." The incident was one of a number of attacks on journalists covering the protests that have erupted around the United States after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. In addition to the Reuters journalists, at least another 15 members of the news media were injured on Saturday in incidents where police fired rubber bullets or tear gas, according to a tally by The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. At least another six were hurt in attacks by protesters or unidentified assailants, according to the organization, and journalists from CNN, CBS and the Huffington Post were arrested. Story continues The Committee to Protect Journalists called the attacks on journalists an "unacceptable attempt to intimidate them" and said authorities in cities across the United States must instruct police not to target journalists and ensure they can report safely on the protests. Seward is seen in later footage from Minneapolis being treated by a medic near the scene for a deep gash under his left eye. Chavez was hit in the back of the neck and his left arm. Reuters photographer Lucas Jackson, who was hit by rubber bullet in Minneapolis on Friday night, had his camera smashed on Saturday by a protester wielding a crowbar. Jackson said that the demonstrator, a young white man wearing body armor emblazoned with a red medic cross, screamed, "Get out of here!' before smashing the camera. The Reuters journalists were clearly identified as members of the news media. Chavez and Jackson were holding cameras and wearing press passes around their necks. Seward was wearing a bullet proof vest with a press label attached. Jackson, a veteran photographer who covered protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, Maryland, said members of the press appeared to be targeted. "Usually if you get hit by this stuff it's because you are between the police and the protesters - you're taking the risk by being in the middle," Jackson said. "During this they are actually aiming at us." (Writing by Leela de Kretser; Editing by Daniel Wallis) Washington Protesters took to the streets for a sixth night Sunday as anger over the Memorial Day death of a black man in police custody burned across a country already reeling from the deadly coronavirus and the resulting economic crisis. As the violent and chaotic weekend drew to a close, officials in more than two dozen cities had imposed sweeping curfews, including in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the epicenter of the crisis. Governors in 26 states called in the National Guard. And Secret Service agents clashed for a second day with demonstrators outside the White House, where President Donald Trump used social media to assail Democrats and threaten protesters. At least five people were killed in violence that flared as demonstrations in parts of the country devolved into mayhem. Gunfire rang out from Detroit to Indianapolis to Omaha, where authorities said people were slain in shootings connected to the protests. By Sunday evening, police had arrested 2,564 people in two dozen cities over the weekend, according to a tally by The Washington Post. The events put the country at a precipice. And the question, as May turned to June, was whether the events of the weekend which saw police escalate their tactics against protesters as parts of cities were set ablaze would mark the climax of the unrest, or its onset. "We're at a crossroads," said Melina Abdullah, a co-founder of the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter and a professor at California State University at Los Angeles. "Either the existing system of repressive and brutal policing is going to continue to assert itself, and the powers that be will sign off on it, or they will get the message that the people are sending, that we cannot continue with this form of policing in this country." She added, "People are going to have to figure out what side they stand on. Black people we're fed up. And there's really very little to lose at this point." That sentiment was echoed in dozens of cities across the country as authorities strained to respond to the eruption of protests over the killing of 46-year-old George Floyd. In Philadelphia, where retail stores were ordered closed and the Center City area was locked down after widespread looting, protesters returned to the streets Sunday to march toward City Hall. Wilmer Wilson, draped in a white sheet spray-painted with the words "what is justice," joined hundreds of peaceful protesters in defying the city's stay-home order, designed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, because of "the continuing state of disaster that is unfolding across the country and across black bodies." "As long as people are coming out, I'll be here," the 30-year-old artist vowed. Authorities promised to step up their presence; officers clad in riot gear used rubber bullets, pepper pellets and tear gas to quell uprisings, sometimes firing at bystanders and journalists. In addition to the mobilization of National Guard units, Mark Morgan, the acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said Sunday that his agency was deploying "officers, agents and aviation assets across the country." The nation's top law enforcement official, Attorney General William Barr, echoed Trump in blaming "far-left extremist groups" while furnishing no evidence about the cause of the uprisings. Video of the May 25 arrest captured by a bystander showed Floyd, who was handcuffed, repeatedly telling officers, "I can't breathe." The cry is again echoing across the country, and around the world. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, launched an investigation after city police officers on Saturday appeared to drive two vehicles into a throng of protesters, though he also said he would not "blame" the officers involved. Meanwhile, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, said Sunday that two police officers had been fired for using excessive force over the weekend. Demand for high quality agricultural products is increasing and many consumers are looking for organic options. Le Van Vuong (second, left) took a picture with foreigners who came to learn about organic coffee. Photo nld.com.vn Engineer Le Van Vuong, from the central highlands province of Dak Lak Vietnam's largest cultivation area has long been searching for a project to help him create his own coffee brand for his hometown. Vuong spent a lot of time in the coffee fields, trying to convince farmers in Ea Kao Commune, Buon Ma Thuot City, to change coffee cultivation methods from traditional to advanced and organic practices. Vuong said after graduating from Transport College 3 in HCM City, he worked as a construction engineer on bridges and roads. After failing in his first project in 2011, he again sought a new business. "Many people in Sai Gon have the habit of drinking coffee every morning, or meeting friends and partners. I myself grew up in the Buon Ma Thuot, a city of coffee, so I wanted to find an opportunity on this land," he told VNExpress online newspaper. In early 2012, Vuong worked as a salesman for two local coffee companies. After a while, he founded Vuong Thanh Cong Company. Vietnam's coffee market is dominated by a number of large domestic and foreign companies. After doing research, Vuong realised that he needed to have practical experience to be able to enter the coffee market with his own brand. He went to many famous growing areas, including Lam Dong, the leading province in hi-tech agriculture of the country, to gain more experience. During this time, he found that consumers tended to prefer clean and healthy products. He decided to start his business with organic coffee. Organic farming requires uncontaminated agricultural land clearly separated from normal land, the non-use of pesticides and chemicals and record-keeping to keep clear track of product flows, he said. "The ethnic groups of Bana and E De people cultivated whatever they wanted or what was familiar, without following market demand, resulting in low efficiency. Their products could not meet requirements for export. This was also the biggest obstacle when I started building a brand," the engineer said. Vuong successfully persuaded the first household to plant 1.4ha of organic coffee on a pilot project in Cao Thanh Village, Ea Kao Commune. "It is not easy to convince farmers to switch to new cultivation methods, because it requires more care and more complexity compared to traditional planting. They also doubt its productivity," said Vuong. In the first year, he worked with the growers to improve the soil with biological products. Avoiding pesticides, organic coffee plants need microbial fertiliser to ensure nutrients. Vuong instructed farmers to use manure and compost made from coffee husks, leaves and other plants. He also worked with a company which provides compost made from fish to add more nutrients to coffee trees in each stage of growth. Fertilising organic coffee requires many steps and the right time of day, causing difficulties for farmers in changing their habits. "Watering should be done at around 6-8am, or 4-6pm, while in the past, they often worked from 7 to 11am and 1-5pm. It took us months to guide people to change their cultivation methods," he said. Their hard work, perseverance and dedication paid off in the first crop. The yield was equivalent to that of inorganic coffee. Some people find that coffee plants grow better than traditional planting. The price of organic coffee beans was also higher than coffee grown by old methods. Six more households took part in his project, with 10ha of coffee plants, adding that his company collected eight tonnes of coffee in 2019. To find output for his product, the young director participated in many organic agricultural events and exhibitions, promoted products online and expanded distribution through other companies. "The company's products are currently sold in more than 50 provinces and cities, but the quantity is still small. Recently, a company from Germany offered to buy the company's products, but we have not met the order," he said. "I want to cooperate with other companies to develop organic coffee for export," Vuong said. This year, the company will support processing machines for farmers, expand the farming area, focus on improving production, and research new products such as tea and wine made from organic coffee. The company's business remains stable during the COVID-19 pandemic because the number of online customers increased. This is also a sales channel that he will push ahead to bring his company's products closer to the international market, Vuong said. VNS Vietnam coffee growers shift to environmentally friendly methods Vietnam Young Lions 2019, a competition in the advertising industry, has given the Silver award to members of FEARLESS. Amid the rising US-China tensions over a wide range of issues including coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, China has advised India not to get involved in US-China confrontation. Beijing has said that India should not become a US pawn attacking China in a new Cold War or else India would face a massive economic blow amid COVID-19 pandemic. "With nationalist sentiment on the rise in India, there have been some voices calling for the Indian government to join the new Cold War and exploit its position for more gains. Such irrational voices are nothing but misleading, which should not represent the mainstream voices and sway the Indian government's stance. Fundamentally speaking, India has little to gain from engaging in a US-China conflict over any topic, with more to lose than gain, which is why the Modi government needs to face the new geopolitical development objectively and rationally," said an article published in Global Times, which is a daily tabloid newspaper under the auspices of the Chinese Communist Party's People's Daily newspaper. The article added that under the current circumstance, India must not include the US factor in its handling of any problem in its relations with China, otherwise it will complicate the relations between Beijing and New Delhi. Referrign to the recent China-India border tension, the article said that the offer of US mediation in the issue is unnecessary and both India and China are capable of resolving their problems peacefully. The article asserted that there is no need of a third-party intervention in this matter. "If in a new Cold War, India leans toward the US or becomes a US pawn attacking China, the economic and trade ties between the two Asian neighbors will suffer a devastating blow. And it would be too much for the Indian economy to take such a hit at the current stage," said the article. The article also mentioned about Indian government's deicsion to lift the nationwide lockdown, noting that though India is yet to flatten the coronavirus cases curve the decision to end the lockdown is understandable, as its economy has been under enormous strain from the lockdown. With spectacular views and plenty of space to set up scenic shots, this home in Honolulu is already a star. The camera-ready abode served as the backdrop for the third installment of the popular Japanese reality series "Terrace House." Now's your chance to re-create the spark of reality TV: The stylish home at the center of "Terrace House: Aloha State" is on the rental market for $14,000 a month. The listing photos don't reveal the current state of the interiors, but we do see a few glimpses of the pool, the Kahala neighborhood, and the Pacific Ocean. When the show was filmed in 2016 and 2017, the interior was awash in white, minimalist decor. There was no need for frills when the natural surroundings (plus that fabulous pool) provide the ultimate backdrop. Here's a glimpse of the cast standing on the home's spectacular balcony nearly four years ago. "Even for a hotel, it's pretty luxurious," model Lauren Tsai, then 18, exclaimed during her first tour of the house. Tsai and the rest of the female cast members were also impressed by their huge spa bathtub with an ocean view. Other cast members from the "Aloha State" season included Yuya Shibusawa, an aspiring actor; Avian Ku, a salesclerk at her family's business, 88 Tees; Eric De Mendonca, a carpenter; Yusuke Aizawa, a musician; and Guy Sato, a pro surfer. During filming, the four-bedroom, five-bathroom, 5,000-square-foot home was configured for the cast. There was a second-floor bunk room for the women with a view of the Pacific. The dudes occupied a shared room on the first floor, which opened directly to the pool area with hammock. One bedroom was set up as a playroom for cast members to hang out with a TV and comfy seating. Along with an unparalleled view, the pool has a unique circular piece of artwork on the bottom. For filming, the artwork was covered by the show's logo. For a journey back in time, take a look at the interior of the house from this Netflix Japan promo. Six strangers, a day to day record of life with no script, now in Hawaii! Terrace House Aloha State, globally streaming Jan. 24th. pic.twitter.com/gyjpQwEriE Netflix Japan (@NetflixJP) November 15, 2016 While we doubt the funky mod-white girls room remained intact or if the wood bunks for the boys are still there, the aloha vibes of the third season may reverberate. It's ready for new tenants to create another adventure using this breathtaking, one-of-a-kind place as a backdrop for something special. Exterior realtor.com Pool logo realtor.com Outdoor sitting area realtor.com Balcony seating realtor.com Balcony view realtor.com The post Honolulu Hideaway From 'Terrace House: Aloha State' Renting for $14K a Month appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. LONDON, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Detego, an industry leader in RFID software solutions for retailers, has taken a major step to expand into the North American market. The cloud-hosted SaaS platform provider has more than 500 live installations of its software in the U.S., including both stores and distribution centres. Detego is now growing its U.S. presence with the recruitment of Umesh Cooduvalli as Vice President of Sales for the U.S. Umesh has previously led many successful RFID projects in the retail sector and brings both specific market knowledge and a deep understanding of the technology and solution sales. Umesh Cooduvalli joins Detego as VP of Sales, USA Kim Berknov, Executive Chairman of Detego, announced, "The group is extremely proud to be working with some of the largest retail accounts in fashion and sportswear, many of which we have successfully deployed across the U.S. This has allowed us to gain unique insights into the challenges retailers face and utilise these learnings within our solutions. Now more than ever, retailers need to think smarter and more efficiently to ensure business continuity. Detego is confident we have developed the necessary solutions to meet the old and new challenges facing retailer's supply chains and stores." "With strong partnerships and large-scale RFID deployments already existing across the country, the addition of a USA-based team is a logical next step. Umesh Cooduvalli brings years of experience in the retail RFID industry and will be able to offer both his and Detego's years of expertise to U.S. retailers looking to digitize their operations." Newly appointed Umesh Cooduvalli commented, "Detego has been leading innovation for RFID in retail for a number of years. I am proud to now be a part of the team bringing their world-class solutions into the U.S. market to ensure the sustainable success of retail." About Detego Detego, founded in 2011 with offices in the UK, Austria and Russia, is the only global RFID provider focussing solely on software for retail. Detego has developed the most comprehensive end-to-end SaaS-based RFID platform on the market, delivering operational efficiencies and revenue uplift across the value-chain, including factories, distribution centres and retail store networks. Detego provides its retail customers with fast ROI through improved stock accuracy, product availability and better decision making gained from the powerful item-level data, combined with its comprehensive reporting and Artificial Intelligence capabilities. Detego's software is complemented by managed services and attractive financing models. Detego's customers include international fashion brands, retailers and department stores. Detego is already being used in over 1,750 stores and 15 distribution centres. More information can be found at www.detego.com For more information: Kim Berknov Executive Chairman [email protected] Press contact: Detego Ltd 10-11 Park Place London, SW1A 1LP United Kingdom Luke Sinclair Marketing Manager Tel: +44 (0) 7464 207099 [email protected] Related Files Detego_logo.png 2020-06-01_Press Release - Detego expand presence into US.pdf Related Images umesh-cooduvalli.jpg Umesh Cooduvalli Umesh Cooduvalli joins Detego as VP of Sales, USA Related Links Detego Website SOURCE Detego GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- After a chaotic scene of police car fires, tear gas and broken windows Saturday night, the streets of downtown Grand Rapids were eerily quiet Sunday evening. Save for a heavy police presence throughout downtown, where city trucks or barricades blocked off many streets, there were few, if any, residents to be seen after the 7 p.m. curfew took effect. The curfew was put in place Sunday, May 31, to curb further rioting after mayhem and destruction seen downtown Saturday night. Hours earlier, the citys downtown was bustling busier than it has been in months amid the coronavirus pandemic. Property owners, workers and volunteers toiled through the morning and afternoon, surveying and cleaning up extensive damage from the night before. Others boarded up windows in apparent anticipation for a second wave of destruction. Outside the citys downtown, neighborhood streets were quiet as well. Few people were out. Some pharmacies, fast food restaurants and liquor stores closed early Sunday. A barricade of shopping carts greeted customers at a closed Meijer store on 28th Street. Mayor Rosalynn Bliss issued the citywide curfew order earlier in the day Sunday as part of a civil-emergency proclamation. She requested support from the Michigan National Guard, as well, to enforce the curfew law and protect property. National Guard vehicles and guardsmen were seen gathered at a city facility near the edge of downtown Sunday. The temporary citywide curfew starts each night at 7 p.m. and continues until 5 a.m., currently through Tuesday, June 2. Violation of the curfew is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and/or a $500 fine. As midnight approached, the newly instituted curfew appeared to be effective in preventing a repeat of Saturday nights events. Though a handful of arrests were made Sunday evening in an effort to enforce the curfew, downtown was almost entirely empty. Shortly after the curfew went into effect at 7 p.m., six people staging a sit-down protest in Rosa Parks Circle were arrested for being out after the curfew. The group was largely the only human presence, save police and journalists, at the park. The scene Sunday evening was in stark contrast to what took place Saturday night and into early Sunday morning not a block away. Police pushed back against rioters with tear gas, flash-bangs and smoke canisters. Crowds set several police cars on fire and smashed the windows of numerous businesses. Read more: Peaceful protest in Grand Rapids devolves into riot, looting and fires According to the city, 100 businesses were affected by the riots Saturday, seven people were arrested and fires damaged three buildings and seven vehicles. There were no reported injuries. Priya Voruganti, 20, who was sitting with her friend on the steps of Rosa Parks Circle before the curfew began Sunday, called downtown unrecognizable with so many businesses boarded up -- some to cover broken windows, others to prevent further destruction. We were walking downtown for an hour, and we couldnt even tell where we were sometimes, she said. The riots were preceded by several protests against police brutality -- part of nationwide demonstrations sparked by the death of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than seven minutes. Voruganti, who planned to leave the park before curfew, said she came downtown to show support for changes to the justice system and the unequal way it treats people of color in the United States. I feel that theres a big injustice with the way that justice is carried out in this country, she said. Its not equal, its not equal to people of color in any way. City Commissioner Joe Jones, who also is president and CEO of Grand Rapids Urban League, told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press that the rioters were bent on destruction, not the cause protesters came out to champion. Two different atmospheres, two different mindsets, Jones said. I understand the anger, I do, as a black man in America. Ive got sons and grandsons. Last nights destruction didnt have anything to do with Mr. George Floyd. Read more: Sit-down protesters arrested under Grand Rapids curfew issued after downtown riot Rioters had different mindsets than marchers at peaceful protest Hundreds gather in Muskegon to march for racial justice While some Canadians believe they are immune from U.S. politics, the shock waves of the civil unrest dominating major American cities are being felt north of the border. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/5/2020 (599 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us While some Canadians believe they are immune from U.S. politics, the shock waves of the civil unrest dominating major American cities are being felt north of the border. Brandon resident Amin Samuel told the Sun on Sunday that the nationwide protests have given him pause to think about his own interactions with police, which, as a black man, havent always been positive. Amin Samuel "Its very upsetting, its sad, but its nothing that is new. Its just being seen more and documented more," he said referencing George Floyd, whose death at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin last Monday sparked massive outrage from Black Lives Matter activists and other sympathetic groups. While the protests have spread to at least 20 different American cities since then, Samuel is getting his news about the developing situation in Minneapolis from fellow musician Ray Seville, who is a lifelong resident of the city and has been documenting the action on the ground. Talking to the Sun over the phone, Seville paints a dire picture of how the situation has devolved in just a week, with rampant looting, arsons and violent clashes with police making his community virtually unrecognizable. "It looks like a Third World country thats been bombed," he said. "It looks like Iraq or something." Seville went on to talk about how this kind of civil unrest has been bubbling up in his community for a while now, with the recent police-related deaths of Minnesotans such as Philando Castile, Jamar Clark and Justine Damond being fresh in peoples minds. To him, the death of Floyd on May 25 proved to be the "straw that broke the camels back," especially after a video of the incident involving officer Chauvin was posted online. "You dont sit on somebodys neck for nine minutes and expect him to breathe," Seville said. "You expect him to died." While Brandon University sociology professor Christopher J. Schneider specializes in studying the intersection of policing and social media, even he was shaken by the video of Chauvin kneeling on Loyds neck, calling it "one of the most awful things" hes ever seen. However, he notes that the recent proliferation of online videos documenting police brutality has helped galvanize action among broader members of the public, not just activist groups such as Black Lives Matter. "Its becoming more of a conversation because of social media," Schneider said. "That is leading to the broader realization that these are not isolated incidents. Its not random. Theyre overwhelming black people, overwhelmingly black men." Schneider said this trend extends to Canada as well, with the recent death of 29-year-old Regis Korchinski-Paquet in Toronto showing that police accountability in communities of colour is a topic that wont be going away anytime soon in this country. As for the nationwide protests in the U.S., Seville said things are going to get worse before they get better, especially given the way the local police, and even members of the federal government, have been conducting themselves. "Its going to go past the suburbs, its going to go outside our metro areas, its going to go everywhere," he said. "Were not taking it anymore." However, Seville does find comfort in the community solidarity thats been on display at the various peaceful protests hes attended. "Its every race, sex, gender, whatever, anywhere from 18 to 45, even 50," he said. "Theyre out there protesting, and theres so much unity in the protesters its ridiculous." Schneider said this sense of unity feels palpably different from the reaction to the death of Eric Garner, who died at the hands of New York City police in 2014 in remarkably similar fashion to Floyd. While calls to defund police agencies were relegated to fringe groups six years ago, Schneider is noticing that these kinds of ideas are moving closer to the centre of mainstream thought now that some influential institutions are taking action. The most recent example of this took place on Thursday when the University of Minneapolis announced it will scale back its relationship with local police following the death of Floyd. "These are indicators that, primarily, white people and white America are finally coming to the realization that something is horribly wrong here," Schneider said. Even though the situation in the U.S. is showing no signs of slowing down, Samuel hopes these protests bring about systemic change, not just when it comes to how policing is done in Canada and the U.S., but how human beings relate to one another in general. "We need to govern ourselves properly with everything; the way we treat humans, the way we treat nature, the way we treat the planet and even the way we treat ourselves," he said. kdarbyson@brandonsun.com Twitter: @KyleDarbyson Senate mourns passing of Bocaue Mayor Joni Villanueva The Senate today adopted a resolution expressing its profound sympathy and sincere condolences to the family of Bocaue, Bulacan Mayor Eleanor "Joni" Villanueva-Tugna who succumbed to sepsis secondary to bacterial pneumonia last May 28, 2020 at the age of 42. Joni was the sister of Sen. Joel Villanueva and daughter of Congressman and evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva. Senate Resolution No. 433 was introduced by Majority Leader Migz Zubiri and Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Juan Edgardo Angara and Nancy Binay. The resolution said Joni had worked tirelessly to bring affordable and quality health care to the people of Bocaue by pushing for the construction of its first ever public hospital. She also spearheaded the rehabilitation of the Bocaue River, a 12-kilometer river in Bulacan which had been declared as biologically dead by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Joni was one of the first leaders to launch a mass testing program for front liners and Persons Under Investigations (PUI) in Bocaue in the fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), according to the resolution. As mayor, Joni provided grocery items, including locally-produced salted dried fish and fresh vegetables from the Cordillera to her constituents. "She was admired for her hands-on approach to managing the day-to-day operations of the municipal government during the pandemic, despite having been diagnosed with vasculitis in January this year, taking on tasks such as the repacking and distribution of relief goods," the resolution said. Joni graduated cum laude with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Communication from the University of the Philippines in 1999 and completed her Master's degree in Business Administration from the Ateneo de Manila Graduate of School of Business in 2006. She served as Executive Director of the Jesus is Lord (JIL) Church, a religious organization founded by her father. A migrant worker staying in a quarantine centre in Odishas Cuttack district was found dead on Monday, taking the total number of deaths reported in its quarantine centres to eight in the last 52 days. The death came on the day the state reported 156 Covid-19 cases, its highest single-day surge taking the total number of cases to 2,104. Of the cases reported today, 153 were from various quarantine centres of the state. Officials said 40-year-old Brajabandhu Rana was supposed to complete his mandatory seven-day quarantine on Monday and go home for another seven-day quarantine. However, his body was found near the boundary wall of the centre this morning, said Narasinghpur BDO Prashant Tarai. Rana had returned from Mumbai on May 26 and was not keeping well since the day he arrived at the quarantine centre. There are speculations that he died while trying to scale the wall of the quarantine centre. Police recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem. There have been at least half a dozen deaths at quarantine centres of Odisha since April 9 when the first such death was reported. A 29-year-old tribal man of Sundargarh district, who had returned from Himachal Pradesh in February, had hanged himself from a tree near a quarantine centre. On May 28, a tribal man in Odishas Mayurbhanj district had died in home quarantine after he returned from Surat where he worked. Similarly, on May 21, a 54-year-old man who came back from Andhra Pradesh, died at an quarantine centre in Gajapati district. On May 20, a youth who had returned from Surat, was found dead under mysterious circumstnces at a quarantine centre under Nuagaon block of Nayagarh district. Though the state government has been advertising its 16,651 quarantine centres as the best model to contain the spread of the virus, their management have left a lot to be desired. Over last one-and-half-months, there have been numerous complaints from the migrant workers over the quality of food, sanitation facilities as well as the behaviour of the people running those. Last month, the video of a sarpanch of Jagatsinghpur district thrashing an inmate of a quarantine centre had gone viral. A builder works on a house in an established suburb in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 2, 2006. (Ian Waldie/Getty Images) Biggest Annual Fall in Home Construction Recorded in 19 Years, Anticipating Further Decline Residential construction across the nation contracted for a seventh straight time during the March quarter, with a 12.5 percent drop from the last yearthe biggest annual fall in almost 19 yearsaccording to the latest data released by Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on May 27. However, results were divergent among sectors. Residential construction represented the main drag. The total value of completed residential construction for the quarter stood at $17.25 billion (US$11.49 billion). By contrast, the non-residential sector remained relatively robust, driven by ongoing major infrastructure projects, remaining steady for the quarter and contracting only 0.3 percent from last year. Slowdown in Home Building Commsec senior economist Ryan Felsman said the data is an important indicator, given that the construction sector represents about 17 percent of all Aussie businesses and employs around 1.2 million workers or 9.1 percent of the total workforcethe third largest across all industries. He observed that although transport infrastructure projects have remained stable, construction activity has been weakening over the last two yearseven prior to the lockdown induced by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party ) virusas a result of slowdown in residential home building, moderation in non-mining infrastructure commencements, easing in population growth, and bushfire disruptions. The industry has now also been heavily hit by the pandemic despite not being subject to a mandatory shutdown. Builders and engineers have reported declines in building activity due to weaker demand, Felsman said in an analysis statement. In fact, the AiGroups monthly construction survey highlighted the challenges for businesses, with major new and existing projects being withdrawn or postponed, enquiries and new orders declining, and contracts cancelled. Housing Industry Association (HIA) chief economist Tim Reardon expressed the same concern, saying the shrink in the residential building sector will weigh heavily on the overall economy. He expects construction figure for the June quarter to decline further. Todays data confirms that the decline in home building will detract from GDP growth in the March quarter of this year, he said in a statement. Leading indicators of the home building deteriorated markedly in April and May which paves the way for the activity to fall further as the year progresses. Stimulus Scheme on Agenda The data release comes the day after Prime Minister Scott Morrison outlined the governments new JobMaker program, which listed boosting training for trades and skilled labour on its reform agenda. Prime Minister also confirmed on May 26 that Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar are developing a multibillion-dollar scheme to support the residential housing sector as new demand slumps deeply due largely to the fall in overseas migration. Its an issue that has been a key topic of discussion amongst the premiers and chief ministers and myself, he said at the national press conference. If youve got a job in the residential construction industry, Michael Sukkar here and Josh [Frydenberg] has been working on plans. The stark decline in net overseas migration is set to severely disrupt residential construction. The government is expecting a 30 percent fall in net overseas migration this financial year, a 85 percent drop by next year should Australias borders remain shut. But Morrison said Australia is facing a big gap to the figure of between about 160,000 and 210,000, which the great Professor [Peter] McDonald set as Australias benchmark to maintain a GDP per capita growth. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) expects that sluggish population growth will affect demand for housing for an extended period. Lower incomes and confidence, as well as lower expected population growth, were expected to affect demand for new housing for an extended period, RBA board agreed on its monthly meeting on May 5. The Master Builders Association proposed to the government a $13.2 billion (US$8.79 billion) building and construction stimulus action on May 25, with 5.2 billion going to $40,000 (US$26,644) new home grants. The modelling by Ernst & Young shows that the scheme will create over $30 billion (US$20 billion) in GDP and create more than 100,000 new jobs. Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders, warned about a looming of valley of death facing the industry in an interview with ABC, saying the industry would shrink by 30-40 percent and lose one-third of the jobs without urgent government stimulus. We want to see a dedicated building and construction industry taskforce established to oversee the implementation of the stimulus action plan, she urged in a statement. For stimulus to occur, building activity needs to commence. In a similar move, the Property Council of Australia proposed a seven-point plan to stimulate construction, including a $50,000 (US$33,309) grant to 50,000 purchasers of new homes and a welcome to Australia migration plan. A migrant worker, who had returned from Mumbai recently, was found dead near a quarantine centre in Odisha's Cuttack district, police said on Monday. The deceased was identified as Brajabandhu Rana(40), a native of Krushnapur village. He was lodged at a quarantine centre in Krushnapur panchayat under Badamba police limits in Cuttack district. After his return from Mumbai, he was kept at the quarantine centre since May 26. However, his body was found near the boundary wall of the quarantine centre this morning, police said. The body was recovered and sent for post-mortem. The reason behind the death was yet to be ascertained. Investigation was launched into the matter, police said. New Delhi, June 1 : Merchant fintech start-up BharatPe on Monday announced to appoint ex-Walmart Labs executive Ankur Jain as Chief Product Officer. Jain will contribute to BharatPe's aggressive plans to scale up its footprint to 10 million merchants this year, the company said in a statement. "We are at an interesting point in our growth phase that requires constant innovation and fast delivery of products for the rapidly evolving digital and financial needs of Indian shopkeepers. We are methodically getting the right people in the right positions to meet these requirements," Ashneer Grover, Co-Founder and CEO, BharatPe said in a statement. Jain has research experience at some of the prestigious labs in the world including MIT Media Lab, Stanford Technology Ventures, Ericsson Eurolab and Institute for Infocom Research. Jain will be responsible for the complete product lifecycle and innovation at BharatPe. He was CEO and Co-Founder of Instalocate, and worked at Walmart Labs as Senior Director of Product Management where he developed Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based products. Apple closes up shop around the United States, prioritizing its employees' safety due to the series of protests and looting reports following Geoge Floyd's death. Read More: Robot Waiters are Now Used to Improve Manpower in the Netherlands! Don't Worry, Humans Still Way Ahead of Any Robot in the Industry. Apple concerned for employees Apple has temporarily closed all stores around the U. as protests and violence continue after George Floyd's death. Looters and vandals have already targeted the stores according to 9to5Mac reported on Sunday. "With the health and safety of our teams in mind, we've made the decision to keep a number of our stores in the U.S. closed on Sunday," Apple said in a statement to 9to5Mac. "With the health and safety of our teams in mind, we've made the decision to keep a number of our stores in the U.S. closed on Sunday." as stated on Apple's website. The protests damaged and looted were in Portland, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Charleston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Scottsdale. There were tens of thousands of protesters who took to the streets for five nights in a row to protest the death of Floyd and other African Americans at the police's hands. Curfews are already in place within 25 cities like Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed after a police offer knelt on his neck that he could no longer breathe. Apple closed its doors shortly after the company announced that it would be reopening more than 100 of its 271 stores in the U.S. across 21 states, which were closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Apple started closings stores throughout the West in March as the coronavirus began spreading throughout the U.S. and Europe. Read More: 'Anonymous' Hacktivist Group Threatens To Expose Crimes of Minneapolis Police More like looting than protests The first target of the looters was an Apple store located in Uptown in Minneapolis. It was vandalized, looted, boarded up, and then done again the second time around. Apple products were stolen from stores, and once everything was picked clean by the looters, they rendered it impossible to operate once again. The construction site at Apple's Tower Theatre restoration project even appeared to have been infiltrated by the looters last Friday, May 29. So, before its employees get involved in trouble and harmed, the company decided to shut down stores temporarily. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, has said on a tweet regarding what has happened on the events that transpired after Floyd's death in saying, "Minneapolis is grieving for a reason. To paraphrase Dr. King, the negative peace, which is the absence of tension, is no substitute for the positive peace, which is the presence of justice. Justice is how we heal." Minneapolis is grieving for a reason. To paraphrase Dr. King, the negative peace which is the absence of tension is no substitute for the positive peace which is the presence of justice. Justice is how we heal. Tim Cook (@tim_cook) May 29, 2020 Before Apple announced shops' temporary closure, the company secured its stocks from looters as well as emptied the sales floor merchandise to stop damages and stolen goods to an extent. Some stores of Apple with extensive damage will be closed indefinitely until all will be calm, and maybe repair work could begin in earnest. Read More: Youtuber Jake Paul Caught on Arizona Looting But Said He's Just Filming 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. SPRINGFIELD In what may be an issue at hospitals across the nation, federal funding errors overpaid Baystate Health by tens of millions of dollars in coronavirus relief since early April, and the health system will give back nearly half the amount it received. Weve got to return about $63 million, said Raymond McCarthy, interim chief financial officer at Baystate Health. They overpaid us. McCarthy said the amount Baystate will keep, totaling $76.7 million, is far short of what the health network needs to make up for lost revenue and increased expenses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic: about $40 to $50 million a month, excluding grant assistance. Its going to partially offset our lost revenue, but not to the extent that we have been hurt by all of this, McCarthy said. Baystate Health has a hiring freeze in effect due to the financial challenges faced under COVID-19, and is reviewing other strategies. Hospitals across the region saw a wide range in federal aid: $18.8 million went to Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, Northamptons Cooley Dickinson Hospital received $5.5 million and about $2.9 million went to Holyoke Medical Center. Hospital officials said they continue to lobby for additional COVID-19 aid from state and federal sources. The hospitals have also received millions of dollars in state Medicaid relief related to the coronavirus, they said. The $76.7 million in federal aid for Baystate Health is primarily for Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, but includes three other Baystate hospitals in the region and related medical groups for physicians, nurses and vendors. Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield received $7.3 million, Wing Hospital in Palmer, received $2 million and Noble Hospital in Westfield nearly $1.3 million, according to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. A federal Department of Health and Human Services spokesman did not comment on any specific over-payments, but said the agency reserves the right to audit relief fund recipients. The department, which oversees HRSA, did not provide information about what hospitals were overpaid and by how much. Some of the overpayment to Baystate Health was due to the federal government correctly giving Baystate Medical Center $36.3 million as a designated high impact hospital but then incorrectly giving the same amount to Baystate Childrens Hospital under the high impact category, McCarthy said. The $36.3 million given to the childrens hospital is part of the roughly $63 million that must be returned because the childrens unit is part of Baystate Medical Center, not a separate hospital, McCarthy said. The rest of the overpayment was due a formula error in how the funds were disbursed, he said. U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, said he and other lawmakers have heard about other instances of overpayment. He said Baystate wont be penalized. Elsewhere in the region, Holyoke Medical Center received $2,955,648 from the federal government for COVID-19 relief. Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center, said the amount is far short of whats needed, and disproportionate to what other hospitals received. The lions share went to big hospitals with deep pockets and lots of cash reserves, and the smaller places like ours are struggling to stay afloat," Hatiras said. Were hoping that at some point somebody is going to see the light and say, 'OK, well, we messed this one up. He cited a news article in the New York Times that listed a Seattle-based organization, Providence Health System, as receiving at least $509 million in government funding despite being one of the largest and richest hospital networks in the county. Holyoke Medical Center did not qualify for the high impact designation because it had less than 100 COVID-19 patients as of the mandated April 10 cutoff date even though the number swelled to more than 120 two weeks later, Hatiras said. Nationwide, the 395 hospitals designated as high impact accounted for 71% of COVID-19 inpatient admissions through April 10, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Hospitals treating 100 or more patients at the time of the deadline received $77,000 per patient, creating a bizarre" situation, Hatiras said. So if you have 100 patients, its $7.7 million, Hatiras said. If you have two hospitals separated by one block, the one with 99 cases gets zero dollars and the one with one more admission gets $7.7 million. Holyoke Medical Center has furloughed 220 workers to try to help ourselves, Hatiras said. In the spirit of helping its community, however, Holyoke Medical Center continues to provide care for veterans from the Holyoke Soldiers Home, Hatiras said. Of the about 210 veterans who were living at the home since the outbreak began, 76 have died of COVID-19, and 75 additional veterans have tested positive for the coronavirus. Several dozen residents testing negative for COVID-19 were moved to Holyoke Medical Center in an attempt to isolate them. Neal said he is aware of the issues involving federal funding at Baystate and at Holyoke Medical Center and has taken steps to correct issues. He expects Holyoke Medical Center and other hospitals to get money from the CARES Act as well as the HEROES Act thats still before the house and Senate. I think part of the problem when you have funding that goes out by a formula is the that the formula can be a little bit rigid, said Neal, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. He said the CARES Act, which promised $175 billion for hospitals, had to pass quickly in order to deliver the desperately needed funding. This is something we accomplished in only eight days, Neal said of the legislation. There is no book on the shelf for this. He said hes asked Alex M. Azar II, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Azars top staff to review the Holyoke Medical Center situation and take into account not only COVID patients who came in after the deadline but Holyoke Medical Centers role in responding to the crisis at the Holyoke Soldiers Home. The officials were receptive to and swayed by the argument, Neal said. He said he has also advocated for money on behalf of Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield and Harrington Hospital in Southbridge. Both are in Neals district. One of the problems with the data is that it always looks backward, Neal said. The data only gives you a snapshot of a situation that has passed. The $18.8 million in funding for Mercy Medical Center included about $12.7 million due to the high impact designation, according to Mercy and the federal list of COVID-19 payments. Mercy spokeswoman Mary K. Orr said in a prepared statement that the funding is very much needed and appreciated." We are appreciative of the leadership of Congressman (Richard) Neal and the support of all of our members of Congress fighting for this funding that supports hospitals in Massachusetts impacted by high volumes of COVID-19 patients, Orr said. The pandemic resulted in Mercy adding beds, redesigning its emergency department and patient flow, expanding its community-based services, testing workers, purchasing large amounts of supplies and equipment, among other measures, Orr said. At the same time, many types of inpatient and outpatient visits, surgeries, and other procedures have been slow to return, Orr said. The impact will continue for the foreseeable future, she said. At Cooley Dickinson, the hospital was facing a $10 million deficit at the end of April despite the infusion of $5.5 million in federal aid, a spokeswoman said. It will "take many months before we get back to financially sustainable volumes, Cooley Dickinson spokeswoman Christina Trinchero said. While grateful for the federal aid, Cooley Dickinson needs additional support from the federal and state government, as well as from private sources, Trinchero said. She added: The financial impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on hospitals and other health care providers including Cooley Dickinson is significant. Based on our initial calculations, the financial relief from the federal government to date does not even begin to approach the magnitude of the losses we are experiencing as this pandemic continues. Area hospital officials described the abrupt changes they faced when the pandemic hit the region in March. McCarthy cited the statewide mandate to halt all elective surgeries and non-emergency medical procedures, as well as people who were reluctant to come to hospitals due to fear of contracting the virus. There were also fewer medical emergencies, as many people avoided accidents and injuries literally by staying home and driving less, McCarthy said. Our volumes are way down; our emergency visits for the month of April were down 40%, McCarthy said. Hospitals offset some of the lost volume by taking steps such as encouraging telehealth appointments, conferring with patients by telephone and videoconference, McCarthy said. Hatiras said Holyoke Medical Center is losing $5 million to $6 million per month, but has been aided by Medicaid payments and the federal funding to ease the losses. But the story is going to turn really, really bleak really fast because May was the the worst month, Hatiras said. We received zero from the feds. Since early April, the medical center kept hearing that more relief was coming but no more came. He said he is skeptical about the potential for another round of federal funding given the political climate in Washington D.C. Neal, though, is hopeful that the next round of stimulus finding, called the HEROES Act, will pass the Senate. It calls for another $100 billion nationwide for hospitals in addition to whatever is left of the $175 billion in CARES Act money that has not yet been distributed. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, has softened his opposition to the HEROES Act in recent days, Neal said, because the legislation would plug gaping budget holes at the state and municipal levels all over the country. "The funding for states is the magnet," Neal said. Elsewhere in the state, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston received $58 million in the general distribution from the first round of the CARES Act and an additional $52.3 million in high impact funding. UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester received $28.8 million in the first round, and an additional $23.6 million in high impact funding. Related Content: Source: Xinhua| 2020-06-01 17:02:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Students enter the campus of Shuangyushu No. 1 Primary School in Beijing, capital of China, June 1, 2020. Students at their first and second grades of senior high schools, first and second grades of junior high schools and sixth grade of primary schools returned to school for this semester in Beijing on Monday. (Xinhua/Ren Chao) The 182 MW of new solar capacity installed in the first quarter of the year took the nation to a total 10,072 MW, according to the Ministry of Energy's Department of Data and Statistical Studies.France surpassed 10 GW of grid-connected solar generation capacity in the first three months of the year, after installing almost 7,000 new solar parks, most of them in the sunny south of the country, according to the French Ministry of Energy's Department of Data and Statistical Studies (SDES). The nation's grid-connected PV capacity reached 10.1 GW at the end of March after 182 MW of solar was connected ... 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. [June 01, 2020] Papaya Global Adds Group 11 as a Strategic Investor NEW YORK, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Papaya Global, a leading global payroll and payment platform, is proud to announce today that Group 11 , a leading, US-based fintech VC led by Dovi Frances, has joined the company's investors. The investment was carried out through the purchase of secondary stock from existing shareholders. Last October, Papaya Global raised $45 million in a Series A funding round led by Insight Partners, with participation from Bessemer Venture Partners and existing investors New Era Capital Partners and Dynamic Loop Capital (Sir Ronald Cohen's private investment fund). Dovi Frances will join the company's board of directors. Papaya Global was founded by Eynat Guez, Ofer Herman, and Ruben Drong with the goal of reinventing global payroll. The current funding will go towards scaling the company's hypergrowth, launching new products to further support global companies (such as benefits management, salary benchmarks, and adding artificial intelligence to global payroll), and tracking the ever-changing labor laws around the world. "Global Payroll is an exciting industry that is relevant to each one of us as employees and to any organization and industry, especially those planning global expansion," said Eynat Guez. "At the same time, the global payroll process is extremely complicated. It requires working with multiple local suppliers, sorting through all types of reporting styles, and dealing with the nuances of local compliance. Most organizations, big and small, still manage payroll manually, requiring payroll managers to work five times harder when calculating the salary of a global employee." The recent COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep vulnerabilities in how global companies manage their global payroll: their dependence on local suppliers, lack of access to employee information (which is managed by the local companies), and inability to stay on top of local labr laws, which changed frequently throughout the pandemic. Meanwhile, Papaya customers have enjoyed the unfettered ability to manage their global workforce and make quick financial decisions in real time. The Papaya Platform is utilized by globally-minded small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) as well as large global organizations such as Checkmarx, Wix, Fiverr, Microsoft, CyberArk, Teradata, and others. After a period of exceptional growth, Papaya Global is now the largest cloud-based, SaaS platform providing a total workforce management, payroll, and payment solution supporting all types of global workers (payroll, EoR, and contractors) in over 100 countries. The automated platform provides an end-to-end solution, from onboarding to on-going management to cross-border payments. The Papaya Platform provides an excellent user experience, gathering all employee information in one place and creating a highly visible system for tracking payroll spending. The platform ensures GDPR and SOC compliance to maintain the highest standard of security and privacy. "Papaya Global solves the challenges of global payroll, which has been managed manually and inefficiently until now, through full automation and a single user interface. The Papaya Global business model reflects Group 11's philosophy of investing in fintech companies that redefine their category by shattering and automating old work paradigms in multi-billion dollar markets, such as the global payroll market," says Dovi Frances, founding partner of Group 11. "We are proud to join this journey with Eynat Guez and her management team and commit to making Papaya Global the largest global payroll company in the world. In spite of the world crisis, Papaya has maintained its exceptional growth. We're happy to join leading, strategic investors to support our vision in turning global payroll into a full financial system with the ability to support real-time management and decision-making capability." Papaya's team currently spans across offices in Tel Aviv, New York, San Francisco, and Melbourne with plans to triple its growth this year in terms of clients, revenues, and employees globally. Papaya's technology has been recognized by Deloitte, Gartner, and Visa as disruptive in the field of global payroll and payments. About Group 11: Group 11 invests in revolutionary software companies that are redrawing the landscape of the financial services industry. As fintech continues to gain momentum and to disrupt the traditional industry value chain, Group 11 has positioned itself as a partner of choice to provide capital and guidance to entrepreneurs that are creating the world's next generation of financial services industry leaders. To learn more about Group 11, visit www.group11.vc About Papaya Global Papaya Global provides enterprise with a global, cloud-based SaaS platform to automate payroll and workforce management, an EOR solution to hire workers in over 100 countries, and innovative technology to streamline the payroll process, eliminate errors, and save operating costs. The system gathers all employee information into one place, creating a highly visible system, all backed by local and global experts to ensure compliance with local laws and benchmarks. See papayaglobal.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/papaya-global-adds-group-11-as-a-strategic-investor-301068459.html SOURCE Papaya Global [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] LG Polymers India Pvt Ltd.s Polystyrene and Expandable Polystyrene plant in Vizag where a styrene gas leak killed 12 people last month will not be considered for green clearance until there is an outcome of the cases going on against the company at the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Andhra Pradesh High Court. The Union Environment Ministrys expert panel that appraises projects involving violations of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification, 2006, took up the project for appraisal on May 18 and decided to defer the proposal. The company had applied for green clearance with the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority in April 2018. However, the project file was transferred to the Union ministry in January 2020 and the Centre had received the proposal on March 17, minutes of the expert panel meeting showed. The expert panel said that even as the application was for the expansion of plants capacity from 415 tonnes per day to 655 tonnes per day, it would only take up the clearance for the existing 415 tonnes per day operation, which was functional without prior environmental clearance. The expert panel also noted that the company had changed product mix in the existing plant without environmental clearance. The committee after detailed deliberations and thorough examination of the proposal apart from considering the above facts, recommends the instant proposal to be deferred till the outcome of Honble NGT, Honble High Court of AP and reports of Committees constituted by NGT, MOEFCC, Gov. of AP, NDRF, CPCB, NDMA and NEERI is made available to the committee for facilitating proper appraisal of the project which will be restricted to existing production capacity (415 TPD) as mentioned above being operated without prior EC, read the minutes of the expert panels meeting that have been made public. The EIA notification of 2006 mandates companies to obtain an environmental clearance (EC) before operations begin. An EC is also required if expansion or change in product mixed is planned. The company had applied for an EC under the project violations category. The Union Environment Ministry had created this special category in March 2017 after issuing a notification. A one-time amnesty window was provided for projects across various sectors which had not obtained prior environmental clearance at the time of commencing work. A government release on the one-time window had said that this was being done to bring projects and activities in compliance with environmental laws, rather than leaving them unregulated and unchecked which will be more damaging to the environment. Following the styrene leak, the NGT took suo moto cognisance of the incident and bench, headed by Chairperson Justice Adarsh Goel, ordered the company to pay Rs 50 crore to the district collector of Vizag. It also formed an expert committee headed by former judge of Andhra Pradesh High Court Justice B Seshasayana Reddy to look into the matter. In its interim report submitted to NGT, the committee said the styrene gas leak happened due to insufficient Tertiary Butyl Catechol, which is used as an inhibitor to avoid polymerisation at lower temperatures. The storage tank of styrene had no provision to monitor temperatures at top layers of the storage and the accident happened due to human failure and negligence of person in-charge of plant and maintenance personnel of storage tanks. Four ex-policemen involved in Golunov case to remain in detention RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 16:59 01/06/2020 MOSCOW, June 1 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Monday upheld extension of detention of four former police officers charged in a case over planting drugs on journalist Ivan Golunov. Igor Lyakhovets, Maxim Umetbayev, Akbar Sergaliyev and Roman Feofanov will stay detained until June 7, RAPSI was told in the court's press office. In late February, Alexey Kovrizhkin, the lawyer for Lyakhovets, told RAPSI that another defendant Denis Konovalov had testified against his client, saying it was him who had ordered to plant drugs on Golunovs bag and apartment. Investigators believe Lyakhovets, who does not admit guilt, is the organizer of the crime. The defendants are charged with abuse of power, evidence tampering and illegal drug trafficking. Only Konovalov pleaded guilty. He was later released from detention and put under house arrest. Investigators believe that they planted drugs on Golunov. Thus, they falsified the results of operative search activity that later became inculpatory evidence against Golunov in a drug dealing case; however, the drugs had been earlier illegally bought and kept by the police officers, according the Investigative Committee. In late December 2019, investigators opened the case over arrest of Golunov. The journalist was recognized as an injured party. All five defendants in the case have been dismissed from police. Golunov was arrested in Moscow on June 6, 2019. On June 8, the Nikulinsky District Court of Moscow placed him under house arrest for 2 months. According to the Interior Ministrys official statement, police seized nearly 4 grams of methylmethedrone from Golunov. The journalist pleaded not guilty, insisted that the drugs were planted on him during the arrest and claimed that his prosecution is related to his journalistic investigations. According to his defense, an examination showed no drugs in his biomaterial. On June 11, charges against Golunov were dropped because of a lack of evidence that he participated in the crime, and the journalist was released. On June 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed two generals of police on the back of the arrest of Golunov. Narendra Modi New Delhi: An important meeting between Modi and the Cabinet was held on Monday, the first day of Unlock 1. Many important decisions were taken by the government in this meeting. The Cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Narendra ModiThis is the first meeting of the second term of the government. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that many decisions were taken in the meeting regarding farmers, MSMEs. "MSMEs have a huge role to play in building a strong and important India," Javadekar said. Advertisement Looking at Covid, many announcements have been made for this sector. A number of announcements have been made for its effective implementation. In the meeting Javadekar said that the limit of MSME has been increased from 25 lakhs to 1 crore. The Government of India has revised the definition of MSME. Narendra ModiPrakash Javadekar said that the definition of MSME has changed; now the scope of its definition has also been widened. These amendments have been made in MSME after 14 years. The loan proposal under Rs 20,000 crore has been approved. It also approved an equity investment of Rs 50,000 crore. The turnover limit of MSMEs has been increased to Rs 5 crore. The decisions taken in today's meeting will help boost employment. More than 60 million MSMEs have a significant role to play in the country. The government has taken big decisions so that the people can do their job properly. Advertisement In the meeting, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that the MSP has been increased. This is a big announcement by the government for the farmers. Tomar said that there are 14 crops in which farmers would be given 50 to 83 percent higher support price. Press Release June 1, 2020 Drilon fears DOH underreporting COVID-19 cases Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon questioned the basis of the Department of Health (DOH) for disaggregating cases in the reporting of confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as he expressed fears that the health department may have been underreporting COVID-19 cases all along. "What is the basis for disaggregating cases and how does that affect our interpretation of flattening of the curve? Has the inter-agency task force (IATF) considered these figures in its decision to shift to general community quarantine (GCQ?" asked Drilon in a statement on Monday. Drilon asked the questions as Metro Manila and others parts of the country transition today to general community quarantine. Drilon said there are several complaints not only from the public but also from laboratories themselves who are confused with the new classification of cases into "fresh" and "late" cases. "If the DOH could not provide logical explanations for this, except for putting the blame on laboratories, then there is a reason to believe that it is underreporting COVID-19 cases. That is not only counter-productive because hiding the real data could be fatal," Drilon said, as he cited the differences between the way South Korea and China reported their COVID-19 cases. DOH reported on Sunday 862 new infection, 16 fresh cases and 846 late cases bringint the total to 18,086. "The experiences all over the world show that a great deal of transparency spells a huge difference in winning the battle against this pandemic," said Drilon, adding: "They likewise tell us that hiding the truth would only make things worse." "One may learn a thing or two about transparency in the way South Korea and China handle the pandemic," the minority leader said. "South Korea has showed transparency since day one. They did not hide the real data from their people. They dealt with the pandemic with complete transparency and because of this, coupled with the government's decisiveness, they are able to contain the virus," Drilon said. This was not the case in China, Drilon said. "On the other hand, it cannot be denied that the China experience has shown that the lack of transparency could be fatal," he stressed. "Honesty is the best policy here. Manipulating the data will not bring us anywhere," Drilon said. Magpakatotoo tayo rito," he told DOH. Drilon also said it is becoming a habit of the DOH to use hospitals and laboratories as "scapegoats" whenever it is criticized for its shortcomings. He said it is unfair for hospitals and laboratories to always take the blame for DOH. "They are being thrown under the bus. The DOH claims that the laboratories report to them late, but I have received reports that their turnaround time is actually good," Drilon said. "Where is the bottleneck in the reporting of cases that results in 'late' cases? Is it really the laboratories reporting late or DOH unable to validate the cases in a timely manner," he said. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and three cabinet colleagues were in self-quarantine Monday following a meeting last week with Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj, who has tested positive for coronavirus. Satpal Maharaj, his wife and 21 other people -- family members, staff and his followers staying in the same household -- have tested positive, an official said. Swab samples of all ministers and officials who attended the cabinet meeting in which Satpal Maharaj participated were taken for testing on Monday, an official said. The state health department said there was no need for those who attended Friday's meeting to isolate themselves, going by the Centre's guidelines. "The ministers and officials fall into the category of low risk contacts as they were not in close contact with Satpal Maharaj. They can function in a normal way and there is no need to quarantine them," state Health Secretary Amit Negi said. But the CM and the three other ministers -- Harak Singh Rawat, Madan Kaushik and Subodh Uniyal -- decided to remain in self-quarantine as a precautionary measure, an official at the Chief Minister's Office said. "They will remain in self-quarantine at least for the next few days during which they will be tested for COVID-19," he said. "Whether or not they resume normal day-to-day functions in a few days will depend on what their test reports say," he said. Dehradun District Magistrate Ashish Shrivastava said swab samples of all ministers and officials who took part in the meeting have been taken. "We have received a list of all ministers, officials and employees who were directly or indirectly part of the meeting. Their samples have also been taken for testing, he said. People who came in contact with them are also being traced," Shrivastava added. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Higher Education Dhan Singh Rawat condemned a social media post describing him as the state's "acting chief minister" and asked police to take stern action on this. "I have information that some anti-social elements are describing me as acting chief minister on social media, which is absolutely wrong and condemnable, he said on Facebook. He said while in quarantine the chief minister is directing ministers, MLAs and officials through video conferencing. The ruling BJP described rumours about the appointment of an acting chief minister as opposition-sponsored propaganda. Satpal Maharaj's wife Amrita Rawat, a former state minister, had tested positive for the infection on Saturday, a day before him. The couple, their two sons, daughters-in-law and a one-and-a-half-year-old grandson were admitted Sunday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rishikesh. But on Monday only Satpal Maharaj and his wife remained there. The other five family members were discharged as they are asymptomatic, head of hospital administration Udai Bhasker Misra said. They will now be quarantined at home, he said. Senior Conservatives have joined a revolt against the government ordering MPs to return to Westminster to vote, despite failing to propose a safe and viable method for doing so. Seven Tory chairs of committees are demanding that ministers retain remote participation and voting for vulnerable MPs, to prevent them being disenfranchised while the rest face queuing for a kilometre through Westminster, to keep them apart. The controversy will come to a head on Tuesday, when Jacob Rees-Mogg attempts to ram through the return of physical voting, which was abandoned when the pandemic struck in March. Karen Bradley, the former cabinet minister who chairs the Commons Procedure Committee, is leading the revolt, after Mr Rees-Mogg, who is the Commons leader, dismissed its earlier warnings. Significantly, she is joined by six other Tory chairs: Julian Knight, Caroline Nokes, Bob Neill, Tobias Ellwood, Robert Halfon and Simon Hoare. Mr Halfon, who has cerebral palsy, has accused his own government of effectively euthanising vulnerable MPs with medical conditions, who will be unable to attend debates and votes. He said he agreed that parliament should return but added: Those MPs genuinely affected by Covid-19, ie sick, shielding, or self-isolating, should be able to vote online or via proxy. Margaret Hodge, a 75-year-old former Labour minister, vented her anger, tweeting: Tomorrow the government wants 650 MPs to stand in a giant queue to vote on how the Commons makes decisions from now on. As somebody in the vulnerable category, I am unable to join them. I am furious that for the first time in my 25 years as an MP I am being denied the right to vote! The revolt comes after Mr Rees-Mogg passed the buck to the Speaker on deciding how MPs should vote in person safely, despite it being a government order that MPs must return. The motion he has tabled simply states that MPs may only participate physically within the parliamentary estate, without saying exactly how voting should take place with the traditional lobbies out of bounds. On vulnerable MPs, he wrote: The government is working with the house authorities to see how they can continue to contribute to proceedings within the house. And, on voting, Mr Mogg said only: The division lobbies are being replaced by a more appropriate alternative devised by the Speaker. Risk assessments are being conducted. It is estimated that a physical vote, with 650 MPs taking part, will take an hour to complete, with the queue for the lobbies stretching at least a kilometre. Astonishingly, just as MPs are being ordered to return with many unable to do so the House of Lords is preparing to move to a fully digital system. In any other workplace, MPs unable to return to parliament would be able to sue on grounds of sex, age and disability discrimination, according to legal advice. The briefing note by Thompsons Solicitors says that the over-70s, MPs with disabilities such as cerebral palsy or with underlying health conditions, and pregnant women would all have a legal case. Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, has recalled parliament for early on Tuesday when MPs will vote in person on the motion ordering their return, and on any amendments. WASHINGTON, June 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Mary M. Gillam, a former federal government senior executive, retired Air Force Colonel, entrepreneur, and the host of the local television show, Leadership Table Talk has won three 2020 Telly Awards. Celebrating its 41st anniversary, the Telly awards is the premier award honoring video and television across all screens. With over 12,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents, entrants are judged by The Telly Awards Judging Councilan industry body of over 200 leading experts including advertising agencies, production companies, and major television networks. Dr. Mary Gillam Dr. Mary Gillam Dr. Gillam, a career information technology and leadership expert was honored for her television segment, Leadership Table Talk: Going Inside the White House Communications Agency (WHCA) with retired Air Force Colonel Michael Black. Throughout the interview (which is available on You Tube), Colonel Black, former WHCA Commander provided audiences worldwide with a first-hand perspective on what it takes to lead at this one-of-a-kind white house organization. Filmed at the Fairfax Public Access television and radio station, Dr. Gillam was honored to work with the producer, Lisa Clark and their team. For her work, Dr. Gillam earned one silver award and two bronze awards in the following categories: Silver Winner People's Telly Award for TV Programs/Segments Bronze Winner Telly Award for General Education Bronze Winner Telly Award for General Motivational "Having served our country and worked in senior leadership positions for many years, I am passionate about helping people to grow and developed their leadership skills and talents. By interviewing leaders from government, military, corporations, colleges, and nonprofits, I am able to provide audiences with a diverse leadership perspective from across the globe. I am honored to receive this recognition," said Dr. Gillam. For more information on Dr. Gillam, visit https://www.drmarygillam.com Media Contact: Dr. Mary Gillam 571-477-5005 [email protected] SOURCE Dr. Mary M. Gillam Prateek Vats Eeb Allay Ooo first caught my attention when it got picked to be screened in the Panorama section of the prestigious Berlin film festival earlier this year. Having had its world premiere at the Mumbai film festival (JIO MAMI) towards the end of last year, it has since been making waves across the global film community. I finally had the chance to watch this film, thanks to the We Are One film festival that is currently streaming on YouTube. We Are One is a collaborative effort between twenty global film festivals and aims to raise money for the COVID-19 pandemic by screening specially curated films online over a ten-day period (May 29-June 7). If you are also a film buff like me, you should definitely go and check it out as its a chance to catch some unique films we might normally not have easy access to in India. Eeb Allay Ooo opens with a Special Thanks to All the monkeys of Lutyens, Delhi. For those not familiar, Lutyens is an area in Delhi that houses most ministers and Government officials and is also home to various Bhavans or Government departments. Before you ask or start making satirical connections, the film actually uses a genuine daily menace as the vehicle to deliver a profound social discourse. The monkey menace in and around the Lutyens area is a real thing and in fact, stories of monkeys invading the homes of ministers and even the Parliament building isnt uncommon (just Google it). They have been treated as Gods from time immemorial and put on a pedestal. This has now made them too demanding and totally unchecked, says a voiceover, about theerr, monkeys. The chief protagonist in the film is a man named Anjani (the name has a close reference to Hanuman, the monkey God). Anjani is a migrant who has just moved into Delhi and for lack of any better qualification or skill, gets drafted into what I would like to call the MCU of Lutyens (Monkey Control Unit). The job of this team- make monkey noises (Eeb Allay and Ooo) and chase chimps away from the aristocratic neighbourhood. Its fair to say that Anjani hates his job. Try as he might, he cant even beat the chimps at stare-downs, leave alone chase them away. He feels his voice isnt loud enough (satire alert). He is given a catapult but isnt allowed to use it, as animals obviously arent to be physically harmed. He tries to figure other ingenious ways, including a couple of really hilarious ones that involve Langurs. But ultimately, he fails. There is a beauty of a scene that sums it all up, where he gets himself inadvertently locked up in a cage meant to catch the monkeys. He is desperate to escape but his thuggish colleagues wont let him. He has had enough of this monkey business. He wants out. Things arent great for Anjani at home either. He lives with his pregnant sister, and her husband who is a security guard. They struggle to make ends meet and battle with poverty on a monthly basis. It also doesnt help that Anjani never gets his salary on time. Their access to healthcare is poor and his sister suffers from severe iron deficiency that could potentially harm the baby too. The cinematography by Saumyananda Sahi works brilliantly in capturing the major class divide that is apparent here. We see wide landscape shots of the grand aristocratic buildings of Lutyens and then, the editor Tanushree Das cuts to Anjanis home where we are served cramped and often dim close up shots as a reality check. The background score is also used sparingly and instead, the circadian sounds of Delhi are used to create an atmospheric feel about the scenes. Eeb Allay Ooo results as one of those rare gems that blends humour and satire brilliantly to deliver a heavily loaded social message about governance and inequality, without weighing you down as a viewer. The dialogues are crisp and the screenplay is economical. There isnt a single device that doesnt fit into the overall vision and there is not one dull moment as the story unfolds. The film conveys magnificently how we need to keep evolving as a society and not regress back towards the ways of our primate ancestors. This is possible it argues, only if we help families like those of Anjanis get poverty and other proverbial monkeys permanently off their backs. Shrikanth is a Chartered Accountant, who keenly follows and writes about cinema when he is not crunching numbers or balancing ledgers! You can find more of his work at Non Linear Plot Also read: V1 Murder Case: An Interesting Study of Genre Subversion Paatal Lok: A brave, engrossing thriller Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal: An ode to Mani Ratnam's Thiruda Thiruda Oh My Kadavule: A fitting tribute to Gautham Menon Nerkonda Paarvai: A study in Pink Death and the Kazhugu franchise Iru Dhuruvam: A Tamil web series that stands out in many ways